Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Royal Guard

Gjaki frowned as she saw a level 91 destroyer ant appear, or so they were called in the game. Not only was its level high, but the abilities of that insect made it very dangerous. Maybe not for her, but it was for her companions, who were almost 20 levels below.

One after another, up to eight of those ants came out, although not all the same. Gjaki wasn't entirely sure if she could deal with all of them at once in an enclosed space, even if it was quite large.

One of them, of a more greenish color, could fill the room with a toxic cloud if it was like in the game. There was another covered with spikes that could be shot in all directions.

One was simply armored, impossible to damage at a lower level. There was even one of the flying ants, which were also quite fast.

Gjaki didn't hesitate to turn to her companions, closely followed by the lynx. The goshawk had already landed on her sister's shoulder. They were all aware that they couldn't face them. Only the vampiress could, but she couldn't guarantee the protection of her companions.

"We have to leave. They're too strong, there's something off here," the vampiress announced.

Eldi turned as Gjaki spoke. He could see the silhouettes of their new enemies in the distance, but it was too dark to see them clearly. Since two level 80 Blood Hounds overtook him to take his place and attack the ants in the rear, it was clear that something had happened.

"What's happening?" he asked.

Goldmi, for her part, looked into the distance, towards the silhouettes, worried. Hawkeye had allowed her to see the insects momentarily, before Gjaki sent the lamp back. Besides, her sisters had warned her.

"Queen level 93. Several destroyer ants level 90 or more" the vampiress replied, as she summoned a Gate.

"How...?" the high human was surprised.

"I don't know, but I detect a strange aura. I'd bet one of Krovledi's siblings had something to do with it. Although I don't know if it had been now, or something that was left a long time ago. Let's go! Enter the Gate!"

That might explain why they had been unable to control the ant's population. A queen of that level could give birth to a large number of lower-level offsprings. Although none of them was idle enough to think about it.

"Wait... Can you leave some wood there? As close as possible without being attacked. Level 70 max. We'll put it around here," Eldi asked.

The vampiress looked at him with the question written on her face. However, she refrained from asking, there was no time. She decided to just trust him, nodded and turned away.

"You two, enter. I'll come soon," the elf asked her sisters.

Although reluctant, they complied. They couldn't help, and their presence could be a burden if they stayed. A couple of seconds were needed between each other to cross the Gate, so if they stayed, they risked delaying the rest.

Gjaki covered herself in Darkness to get closer, while Goldmi and Eldi each dropped level 70 wood to different areas.

The elite ants were still coming out. They were getting rid of the sand, and stretching their muscles. The mana was starting to build up dangerously as they looked across the huge room. Also, a large amount of mana was being concentrated on the queen. She was definitely ready to attack.

Alarmed, Gjaki decided to drop the wood and turn quickly.

"Enter now! They're preparing something!" she warned.

"Enter. I still have something to do," Eldi asked Goldmi.

The elf didn't understand what all that wood was for. Even if it burned, it couldn't burn the ants. Little did she know that Eldi only wanted it to just burn.

Goldmi stepped through the Gate, as the high human began to launch Fireballs behind Gjaki. She looked at him strangely.

"Enter. I'll finish this and follow you," Eldi urged her.

"Don't linger around! It's going to do something. Maybe some area spell," she warned him, just before crossing.

He nodded and continued to throw Fireballs. They caused the wood to catch fire, as he approached the Gate. It was then that he felt the mana fluctuations become more intense.

"Shit!" he cursed.

Without thinking twice, he leapt towards the Gate. Barely an instant later, a powerful mana bolt impacted the spell, and caused it to collapse.

"Eldi!" Goldmi exclaimed when she saw him appear, and fall unconscious and scorched. At the same time, the Gate abruptly vanished.

Immediately, she applied Basic Healing, while Gjaki didn't hesitate to bite him on his arm. She used Diagnosis to check the status of her companion, and if it was necessary to use Regeneration, and where. Before it, she applied Blood Injection to let him Self-Regenerate, almost in a panic.

The vampiress even had some valuable blood already in her hand. It allowed her to cast a powerful healing spell via Magical Assimilation. She didn't have much of that blood, but she wouldn't hesitate to use it for Eldi.

The truth was that the mana bolt hadn't hit him, but it had interfered with the Gate while he was still inside. That had caused the mana to go chaotic and attack him, thus severely injuring him.

"I'm not dead yet. Don't eat me," he said suddenly, weakly.

He had barely regained consciousness, and had seen the vampiress biting his arm.

"Who wants to eat you!? You taste pretty bad, you know?" Gjaki replied as if indignant. "How're you?"

"I'll be fine, even though I'm out of mana. Can you heal me a little more?," he asked, pained.

"Whiner," she accused, relieved.

"Don't get used to being pampered so much," the elf archer mocked, also relieved. "What was the deal with the wood? Why so much risk?"

"I didn't expect them to attack so fast... It was a bit reckless..." he admitted. "I wanted the fire to consume the oxygen. I hoped that like this... Argh!"

"Eldi? What's wrong?" the vampiress panicked.

She turned to the elf, to ask her to continue healing him. However, she found her on her knees, apparently in great pain. Strangely, the lynx and the goshawk also seemed unwell.

"What's happening?" Diknsa suddenly appeared. She had received the notification that they had returned earlier than expected.

"I don't know. They... Suddenly..."

The demon vampiress could see that Eldi seemed injured, while the others seemed affected by something. Without hesitating for a moment, she began casting healing spells at them.