Chapter 26

We were nearing the portal area as i spotted the first monster.

Venomscale crawler. Level 6

Health: 70. Mana: 55. Fatigue: 110.

Class: common monster

Skill: Poison sting. Crush claw.

They really did look like scorpions though. The size of a labrador. The stinger looked nasty, but the giant claws they used to rummage through the ruins, was a terrifying sight. I bet they could crush my limbs clean off.

I checked the shop before proceeding. Spending my last copper on a minor antidote potion. Just in case. I didn't want to die from som stupid poison.

There were a lot of huge trees in this area. The portal looked like it was just standing in some forrest clearing. 

6 of the scorpion monsters were crawling around it. Four of them were close to the treeline and two was near the portal. So i split my units up in pairs again, assigned each to a scorpion near the forest.

"Attack!"

I ran directly past the scorpions near the forrest, leaving a swordsmand and archer to deal with each one.

The two scorpions near the portal turned around to face the incoming threat.

Their stinger-tails rose high and they clapped with their claws. But i was getting accustomed to my strenght and body now.

Jumping into the air between them, i quickly severed the first stinger from the tail, twisting in midair i sliced the other before i landed.

They were slow. But they had turned around, and i had to protect myself from the claws, parrying with my sword. I found an opening and stabbed a scorpion in the side. But i realised i needed to stab with more force, as their scales was heavy and hard to penetrate.

It didn't take many seconds before i found another opening, this time stabbing with purpose, and my sword went into its flesh, killing it instantly. I used the dead one as a stepping stone, slinging myself above the other one, and fell down on it, piercing its head with my sword.

I watched as the swordsmen were in bad condition, though they made openings where the archers could fire. 

3 of my sword-units was close to death. Two had lost both arms and legs to the crushing claws. Another had been pierced by the stinger and was rolling in pain as the venom was visibly spreading in his veins.

But i didn't want to spend my antidote on him. I figured it would be more cost-effective to just summon a new one, once he died.

The archers had switched strategy, once they realised that the scorpions brains, was close behind their insectoid eyes. One archer had made a critical hit to the eye, and the scorpion had fallen dead allmost instantly.

Implementing this strategy, they overcame the last 3 scorpions.

*Looted 24 copper*

*Looted small antidote potion*

"Damn.. So they even drop their own antidote." Well good to know atleast.

I resummoned my units. But spearmen this time. Thinking they could keep them at a distance, while the archers tried to get a good strike at the eyes.

I entered the dungeon.

This was a new experience. So far the dungeons had been dark, stony caves, with moss and plants giving off a green light.

But in here, there were crystals on the cave walls, strongly illumination the area around them. There were green, red and blue crystal clusters as far as i could see. But beside the crystals and light, the dungeon were still stony and with tunnels.

I went trough the buffer zone, and engaged the 3 scorpions there. My spearmen had order to keep its attention, but not get too close. It took a little while, but eventually the archers hit their mark. One of the spearmen even managed to pierce the eye of one with its spear. 

In the next group, i sent in the last swordsman alone. To die.

I summoned a spear-unit to replace him.

I only occasionally jumped in to fight myself, as some groups had more than 3 scorpions in them, and i didn't want to wait forever while my units finished them.

They had adapted extraordinary well to fighting the insects. They might not be very bright, but they were masters when it came to fighting as a unit.

Eventually, ofcourse, the archers went out of useable arrows. And checking the shop again, i didn't want to spend 3 coppers for every new arrow.

"Call me cheap if you want, i dont care." I sent the archers in to die at the next group, before summoning replacements.

This went on for about an hour before i reached the boss cave.

Venomscale Matriarch. Level 10.

Health: 210. Mana: 140. Fatigue: 395.

Class: Boss monster.

Skill: Venom claw. Venom sting. Hive mind. 

Judging by its skills, it would be bad to be touched, not only by its huge stinger, but allso by its pincers. And not only that, its huge size, 5 times as large as the others, made it a formidable foe. Looking closer at the pincers, i found that a purple liquid was dripping from them, smoke rose from the ground where it touched.

It was alone. It was kind of strange, since the other bosses had monters around them. It just sat, or stood, or whatever scorpions do, in the middle of the room, doing nothing. The cave had a single pond of water next to it, with tall grass and plants around it. Allmost like a desert oasis. 

On the cave walls, i spotted many holes going into the stone. And my high perception, made me realise that those holes was a bad omen.

Regardless, i went to destroy the creature.

4 spearmen stabbed at it, their shields melting on contact with the pincers poison, or acid more likely. The archers where super effective, having big eyes to aim for.

It didn't take long before the Matriarch only had half it's hp left. But then i realised it had two small antennae on its head.

It stopped attacking my spearmen and the antennae vibrated fast. A strange sound emerged and echoed troughout the cave, and into the small holes.

Hissing sounds could be heard from everywhere, while he ground started to vibrate.

Scorpions emerged from every hole, storming out to aid their mother.

"Keep them away!"

All my units left the matriarch alone, attempting to block the scorpions. But everytime a scorpion fell, another crawled trough the hole to replace it.

In my end, every time a unit fell, a new was summoned to replace it. 

I had high mana regeneration, but it wasen't possible for me to keep up with the matriarch. 

I had to distract it, kill it, before my units became overwhelmed.

I charged directly at it. Its antennae stopped vibrating as it posed itself for my attack, its stinger-tail raised high.

It missed!

But i had misjudged its cunning. As i dodged, it grabbed my left foot with it pincer.

"ARRRGH!" The acid was super potent as it melted its way trough my flesh.

With a surge of adrenaline i managed to slash its pincer in half, before it completely crushed my foot.

Jumping on one leg i went for the kill. But my sight was getting blurred, and i couldn't parry the incoming pincher.

It was a hard hit, from a hard material, and i flew 5 meters back before slamming hard into the stone floor.

I was starting to loose controle of my legs and arm, the poison spreading from my wounded foot. Without thinking i swallowed the minor antidote and a minor health potion. 

After about 30 seconds i was back. My foot healed and the venom beeing burned from my veins. But my units was all gone, and 10 or more scorpions was falling upon me.

Only thanks to my perception and agility i managed to react instinctively.

Blocking a stinger with my sword, dodge another, parry a third. In my mind, i saw the path to the matriarch. Its stinger and left pincer gone was gone. 

With my mind completely focused on the path, my body followed, and i reached the matriarch.

It screamed horribly when the entire lenght of my sword bore trough its eye, and into its brain. The last scorpions vanished into the holes on the walls.

*Level up*

A chest was shining from the bottom of the pond. I dove in and touched it.

*Looted tome: Apply venom*

"What the hell is this?" I resurfaced, and quickly inspected it.

Passive skill: Apply venom. Mana cost: constant. When activated, applies venom to weapon.

I think i will hold on to it for now.

I went to the boss and touched it.

*Looted 3S 47C.*

*Looted item: Venomscale belt.*

*Looted item: Venomscale spear*

I equipped the belt right away. It was made of the hard scales of the scorpions, but it felt warm, and bended nicely. It provided +4 stamina and +1 strenght.

The venomscale spear was made of sturdy scales and the tip was forced like a pincer, made from the hard materials of the matriarchs pincers. It had a small chance to add poison on succesfull strikes. +4 agility and +4 strenght.

It could fetch a good price later, so i put it into my inventory.

I started summoning units as i went back.

*Class-skill: Summon unit has ranked up*