Prepare for Trouble, and Make it Double
Sirgia pockets the token and pats it daintily like something precious. It might not be worth much on the market, but it's pretty much invaluable for us especially when we have no idea if we will be able to achieve anything with its help after so many decades have passed since its creation. It's honestly a gamble, but a gamble we are going to take and hope for the best confidently.
Afterwards, we spend some more time digging through everything we can find inside the main office. Sirigia stashes all the evidence into her spatial storages shortly after we take a quick peek at the materials and items. The more the better in this case. She might be able to recognize some words or symbols or meanings of a bunch of things thanks to her origins, but we are still fairly out of the loop regarding ancient matters.
Meanwhile, Ianthe simply watches us complete this chore and gives us all the tips she can. It's certainly helpful to have someone who has lived in this place for a long time by your side. She might not have been privy to all the information, but they haven't stopped her and the ladies from watching everything inside these reinforced walls attentively.
And with the obvious capabilities of the Oread girls, the walls in this place literally have ears.
It takes us maybe about an hour to shuffle through most of the potential evidence we can find here. By the end of it, the room becomes rather empty, only the furniture and sporadic decorations remain here and there. It's almost like we have readied it for renovations. Well, perhaps these will happen sooner than later if we breathe some life into this dead fortress once more. I can't have my trusted and reliable subordinates operate from a barely breathable cellar with how much dust is lying everywhere.
With this task completed, we regroup in front of the office.
"Anything else, Master?" Ianthe asks as we close the doors behind ourselves.
"Honestly, I don't know. Is there something of importance that you haven't shown us yet?" I ask her back, stroking my chin ponderingly.
"Of major importance, no. This facility is full of chambers and rooms of various sizes that serve different purposes. But, I don't think you must visit all of them." She shakes her head. "In my honest opinion, there isn't a reason to delay your journey any longer, Master. The heart of the mountain is beating once more. As we have discussed, it will continue doing so for a relatively long time without our further input. Not infinitely, though. It would be good to find someone to settle down here whenever possible."
"I'm sure we will be able to do something about this after we arrive at my home." Sirgia nods to herself. "These tunnels and settlements could be of great use to us and our allies so this should take priority. Master's influence will spread much further and much faster with a path into the world beyond the Human lands."
Rolling my eyes lightly, I softly bonk her on the head from above. "The priority is your reconciliation with the Forgegraver family. Or anything else that relates to you, love. First, we deal with all of that, then we can put some thought into the other matters. You won't weasel your way out of it this time. This journey is for you. Remember that."
She blushes a tiny bit and sends me a timid smile. Seeing the look on her face, I lower myself to place a sweet kiss on the top of her hair. As I get back up, she doesn't protest about the condition I have set. I don't think she would be willing to argue over it, but I'm also not stupid enough to believe that she won't try her best to somehow merge all the threads so that they form the most beneficial mix for me.
Not much I can do about that, unfortunately.
Or fortunately, depending on the perspective.
"There's just one thing that saddens me a little, though," Sirgia adds after a moment, letting out a gentle sigh.
"Is there anything that displeases or bothers you?" Ianthe peers at her attentively. "Just say a word and we will do whatever we can to rectify that issue."
"Oh, no, it's not your fault or anything." My petite lover giggles sheepishly. "We were just hoping to find more of Diana's kin inside the mountain passages since she lost her family some time ago. But, this particular route has been sealed so tight they wouldn't have had a way to sneak inside and claim a territory. Perhaps we will take a peek into a few cave formations on the other side of the mountain range."
"I see." The Den Mother hums. "Then there's one more place we might want to check."
The fair lady examines our furry friend inquisitively, clearly figuring something out.
"Care to tell us more?" I raise a curious brow at her.
"The mines," she replies. "Where the crystals come from. The shafts run deep and wide, passing through many biomes. Different habitats produce gems of various power levels. A few of the environments should be adequate for her kind to manifest. I don't remember seeing any, but I have a feeling that they do exist in one of those ecosystems. Although…"
"It would definitely take a while to explore all of them," I finish for her. "Thanks for the information. We can always delve in on our way back. It's not like they are going to suddenly disappear if they truly live somewhere down there. The mines will need to be scouted and checked before this place goes full steam ahead anyway."
As I share my views on the topic with my gorgeous companions, the fluffy snout of our proud wolf prods my side. Looking at Diana, I meet her enchanting eyes. A flash of understanding passes between us as we silently regard each other.
"You want us to leave that to you?" I say more to myself than everyone else as the meaning of her intentions somehow reaches me.
Diana gives my hand a delicate lick, which I easily recognize as an agreement.
"I mean, I wouldn't mind, and I would certainly be happy to let you chase after some friends, but…" I turn to Sirgia.
"It's okay, Master. We can walk for a little bit. The jungle is going to be extremely lush and tough to navigate anyway." My smart wife picks up on my own intentions right away too.
"What about the luggage?" I question her. "Most can be stored in our rings, yeah, but the suitcase? That won't work, right?"
"I can carry it on my back. There's a harness I prepared just for that scenario," she admits.
"Because of course, you did." I snicker softly. "And no, I'll be the one carrying it. You are my guide. And a frontline fighter too. Leave its protection to me."
"Okay." Sirgia smiles at me adorably. "But I'll take it from you whenever you get tired, Master."
"I won't." I snort. "Unless someone makes me tired along the way."
Her pretty cheeks colour with a rosy tinge as she timidly looks away, not denying the plans for that in the near future. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
"Alright. Let's get to those mines. I can feel how eager Diana is to dive into the unknown." I chuckle to myself and Ianthe uses her ability to move us once more.
We spend a short moment surrounded by liquid stone and soon reappear in a spacious industrial hall with a massive ramp descending into the darkness. Multiple tracks follow it down and we can spot the carts meant to haul the crystals all around. They don't appear to be simple like in the movies or books. From what I can tell, they too are part-artefact and might even be self-propelled. Or at least enchanted to support the haulers' work.
But, investigating these can wait.
As Diana joins us from the shadows, I ruffle through her magnificent fur. "Go and get them, girl. Don't rush it. Take as much time as you need. And don't forget to ask for help if you ever need it. If things go south, escape. We can always try another time, but we can't find another you, got it?"
"Yes, please, be careful out there," Sirgia joins in with a tender hug, her small arms trying their best to wrap themselves around Diana's thick neck. "We love you. Come back to us."
Diana releases a quiet whine which has to be a kind reassurance and we let go of our recently gained friend. She takes a few steps away and turns around for one last look. A second later, she is sprinting into the darkness, disappearing from our sight.
"She'll be fine." I wrap an arm around Sirgia's shoulders. "She's a big and strong girl. Plus, I bet she's learned quite a few new tricks under your tutelage, even if she won't have the saddle with her."
"I know." My tiny Dwarf wipes away traces of tears from her sparkling eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't come up with a replacement method of transport, Master."
"Not your fault." I shake my head. "Besides, it will be nice to have a romantic walk through the tropical forest together."
"Perhaps, but why don't you just do this, Master?" Ianthe tilts her head at us.
We glance her way and she makes a show of lowering her stance a bit before pushing herself off the ground.
No, that's wrong.
She doesn't push herself off the ground. She pushes the ground.
We watch as the ancient Oread pretty much surfs atop of rolling stone which should not be behaving like this with its solid state. The dazzling woman zooms around like it's her second nature, which might be true for her. Finished with the presentation, she hops off the rocky bulge in front of us.
"Impressive, but I'm not that skilled and knowledgeable in Earth Magic. Unless I borrow it from one of my mates, I guess," I explain. "This might be tempting, but I think I would prefer to save the uses of that ability for more critical situations."
"You misunderstood, Master." Ianthe giggles amusedly. "You are now our Den Master. Our power is yours as it comes from you. All we can do, you can mimic too."
My eyes widen at her revelation. Sirgia looks just as surprised.
"Really? Even the…" I gesture towards the ground with my fingers.
"Naturally." She grins. "Just give it a try. It's okay if you get stuck. Everyone finds it awkward during their first time. I'll be there to guide you and come to your rescue if necessary."
We don't miss the unnecessary double meaning of her words but I pointedly ignore it, already focusing on the much more interesting thing. Taking a deep breath, I crack my knuckles and prep myself mentally for the jump. I might have seen and experienced this a bunch of times by now, but it doesn't make this any less stressful when attempted on my own.
Nonetheless, I ain't going to chicken out and search myself for the abilities Ianthe mentioned I should have. This part comes fairly easy as I simply defer to the bond I share with her and the Oreads. Through it, I realise she is correct. My brain hasn't registered it yet since it's not something I would have expected, but the power is right there, waiting to be accessed.
So, I do just that.
In a blink, I drop into the floor like a stone into a pond. A brief moment of panic fills my heart as rock surrounds me from all sides, but I regather myself just as quickly. This isn't that different from Diana's transfer, save for all the visual cues. I can feel myself moving around and gaining a better understanding of the process. After a few seconds, I pop back up in a different spot, spooking Sirgia slightly, and making her jump into the air from shock.
Smiling apologetically, I pat her head and glance at Ianthe. "That's so cool. And useful. Thank you. I had no idea that Oreads were so unique."
"That's because we aren't." She smiles back beautifully. "All Nymphs share this trait."
Sirgia looks up at me with a visible spark in her brown eyes.
"Oh, no, no, no. I know that look." I squint at her. "We are not seeking all the types of Nymphs just so I can bone their leaders and become some kind of an Avatar ripoff."
She shows a cute pout but I don't relent, glaring at her without much intensity.
"An Avatar?" Ianthe tilts her head.
"Just random ramblings. Pay it no mind." I wave her off. "If we meet any of them and they decide we are worthy of such a deal, sure, but we aren't getting side-tracked again. Priorities, remember?"
"Yes, Master." Sirgia nods obediently. "If chance allows it now, by choice later."
I groan quietly at her twisting it around so that I end up doing it anyway. Sometimes she really is too smart for her own good. The curse of being surrounded by geniuses and generally smarter people than you.
Yet, I would not change a thing.
"Come on. We have an exit to find." I surrender myself to my fate.
Picking up the suitcase, I open it so that we can show the ladies the mansion and let them into their fancy carriage. Ianthe follows the two of us down the narrow stairs and gapes at the sheer size and splendour of the main reception. We give her a quick tour to explain what is where and what it does before she herds her girls in too, making the lobby a very lively place.
I don't think I have to worry about them not enjoying the ride.
With everyone settled down properly, we bid a temporary farewell to this new group of our followers and step outside. Locking the magical box properly, I fix its straps and hoist it onto my shoulders. Extending my hand to my petite lover, I invite Sirgia to join me. With the suitcase firmly attached to my back, I bring her to my side and reach for a different technique. The stone under our feet rumbles a little, making us unsteady for a moment, then stabilises into a small bump. Holding Sirgia dearly, I order it to move.
We roll forward without moving a muscle, the minerals below us doing all the work repositioning us. This must look ridiculous from another perspective, two people standing still atop a tiny hill sliding through the air like statues. But, I have to admit, that also sounds epic. And dignified.
I practise my control over the speed and accuracy of the movement as we roll through the main road of the whole mountain passage. We aren't going too fast so it's still possible to study our surroundings and note the general structure of the place. We'll have to pay more attention to it in the future.
Reaching the other end of the path takes us about four hours, during which we switch things up a little bit. It turns out that I don't have to be standing for this to work so we plop ourselves down onto the rolling stone and ride it like a certain quirky flying carpet, cross-legged and one behind another.
The possibilities are endless.
And judging by the glances Sirgia is sneaking at me, I think I have an inkling of an idea what one of them might be.
But, not yet.
We would get nowhere getting distracted at every single step.
Therefore, we find ourselves in front of another massive sealed gate. I look it over in an attempt to deduce how to open it from the inside, wondering if we have to solve another puzzle, while Sirgia just takes out the token and raises it in front of the entrance. The magical mark glows strongly and something glows back on the surface of the gate. Right after, the wings begin to open with a loud scraping.
What greets us is a wall of green.
It's obvious that this side of the passage is not as popular of a tourist spot as on the side of Humans. I have to bring out my artefact blade to cut through thick, veiny vines. Immediately after, a wave of heat hits us right in the face. A humid atmosphere rushes into the stale tunnel alongside lots of noise. Critters, animals, beasts, and flora all combined together. A real jungle theme.
We walk outside and look around, which proves to be difficult. I have had my expectations set high since I'm now in a fantasy world of sorts, but they have still been exceeded many times over. The size of everything is barely conceivable, and I'm no stranger to plenty of prehistoric movies or such. The foliage is titanic, making me wonder if the fauna is just as massive.
Additionally, just as Sirgia said earlier, the tropical forest is lush as hell. I'll need to cut through a shitload of things no matter if we choose to walk ahead or surf atop an earthen mound. Unless we somehow gain the ability to fly above the crowns of these humongous trees, we are destined to slice our way through the more hardcore version of an Amazonian jungle.
And the colours. Man, the colours. Everything is so bright and mesmerising. Most of the leaves and greenery are various shades of green, but the entire area is riddled with noticeable splashes of a rainbow. It's not just exotic, it's pretty much alien. I feel rather small and inadequate in front of such a wonder. I can only imagine how the Dwarves managing this passage and their guests felt.
The gate closes itself after we move away from it, revealing the same riddle on its surface now that I removed the obstruction. Thankfully, with the sigil or whatever it is, we have the key. It would be great if it worked for other ones too, but I assume it's linked with this place's defences. We'll see in the future perhaps.
"Now what?" I look around the thick and hot jungle.
"Now we continue, Master." Sirgia takes my hand. "I know the general direction. We won't find things like roads here for the most part so we will need to rely on this."
She summons what looks like a fancy compass. I can tell that it's another of her improved creations. Judging by the glowing symbols which almost mimic the surface of a screen, it uses mana instead of magnetic forces to point the cardinal directions. It snaps into the correct position right away and my lovely Dwarf wife turns us towards our destination.
Holding onto her hand with my left, I shape my blade into something akin to a machete. It slices through the foliage with relative ease. Our pace is going to slow down a tad, but with the help of the sharp violet edge, we should be able to make some decent progress. This jungle does not run outwards infinitely.
As we make our way through the greenery, I take my time to rain some questions on Sirgia related to this area. She doesn't have much experience with it, travelling over the water, but she knows facts and stories about this pure wilderness. Supposedly, there should be ruins of a lost civilization half-hidden by nature located somewhere in the middle of it. And one or two active settlements of tough communities surviving in this harsh and competitive environment.
Her descriptions mention beasts and monsters too, of course. Some of them sound warily close to dinosaurs while others are fairly familiar with the usual fauna and flora of such a place. Save for one difference, the size. It's not just the trees that are bigger than usual.
This area rests atop a spiritual line which reinforces the earth, pretty much blessing it with an amazing bounty. It's as inconvenient to live here as it is beneficial. Sirgia quotes the names of several most known and powerful adventurers, who unsurprisingly come from this region and a few other just as harsh habitats.
The advantages of birth are a thing here.
Let's just hope we don't run into any wild barbarian tribes. Though Garrena has thoroughly prepared me for such an encounter. In all the possible ways.
So, we push forward while following the artefact's guidance, enjoying the new scenery greatly. The sounds and sights are hypnotising. To some extent, I bet that's even literal. I can feel some birdsongs trying to affect me, lure me into a false feeling of safety. Thankfully, our mental defences are good enough to deal with those.
If even birds are out to get you here, I don't want to imagine what else might be lurking in the shadows of the tall foliage.
After about two hours of exploration, we decide to find a spot for a camp. It's going to start turning dark soon. The high mountain ranges surrounding this area will obstruct the sun much earlier than it usually happens everywhere else. And no matter how strong we are, it's going to be scary as hell to stay out at night in this green hell.
"What's that weird stone?" I squint my eyes as we approach an unusual formation, looking half decent as a protection from the elements.
Since it's on our path, we check it from up close. Sirgia removes some plants from the surface with a sharp knife and grazes it with her palm. Numerous weathered symbols and carvings decorate the rock, hard to recognise.
"Ruins…" she whispers in awe.
"Really?" I chuckle lightly. "We've stumbled on the lost civilization this easily? Well, I guess they weren't lost that way."
Sirgia giggles too and points at her gadget. "This compass sometimes catches on mana hotspots, which this place might as well be. It's not that surprising it led us here. Though, I hope we haven't gone off the course too much. I'll need to recalibrate it in the morning."
"It's alright. At least it found us a nice spot to hide in." I ruffle through her hair lovingly. "Now, time to look for—"
*THUMP*
A distant quake makes the ground and the greenery tremble, interrupting me.
More follow at a leisurely pace, clearly closing in on our position.
Birds take off into the sky and a bunch of wild animals escape to the sides.
The two of us centre our gazes on the direction the thudding comes from.
A short while later, a gigantic beak peeks past the obscured structure… alongside the rest of the big, round, fluffy creature wearing white feathers.
"The hell? It's a massive cock?" I blink at the towering entity.
It is, in fact, a humongous chicken, beating us in height at least three times. The godly fowl tilts its head at us as it examines the small individuals standing in front of it. We are tiny enough to fit inside its beak in entirety, swallowed within one single peck.
"What's next? Is your Cyclops or Ogre farmer going to show up to catch its escaped poult—"
"Buh-kok!"
"—aight, you are not so domesticated it seems!"
I hastily dodge to the side as the beast tries to stab me with its sharp conical weapon. The two of us jump in opposite ways to try and confuse our sudden opponent.
"I think we disturbed its nest, Master," my wise mate notes.
"And I don't think we know the right words to explain this misunderstanding," I reply. "Let's book it in case he has friends or family that would want in on the snack."
Before she can reply, I'm already by her side, picking the petite Dwarf onto my shoulder. With a flick of my wrist, I push myself forward and a lump of earth and grass propels us away from the monstrous cock. We hear it cluck angrily behind our back and give chase.
The entire area shakes with each of its heavy steps. Surprisingly, it's unusually quick for something its size and diameter. Its bulky body bends trees and breaks thinner flora as it tramples everything on its path of carnage, its intentions locked solely on the hunt.
Additionally, surfing through this maze of a jungle is proving to be a challenge, slowing us down more than I would like it to. Not much can be done about that, though. Dodging and weaving is all. The environment clearly plays favourites in this encounter. Even though it should be rather angry at the chicken ruining its peace.
The quakes get closer and closer again no matter where I bring us. Since I can't go any faster, our only option is to beat the cock. We should have gotten far enough from its turf. Even if any of its friends were alerted by the commotion, it should have given us enough time to deal with our current predicament before they arrived.
But, just as I'm about to turn around and prepare for an ambush, Sirgia points to the side. "Master, look!"
I follow her finger and spot a flash of blue between the leaves. Our thoughts aligned, I take us in its direction, and after just a few seconds, we emerge in front of a serene lake or an oasis in the middle of this tropical forest.
Without further ado, I make a lunge off the grassy bump and land on the clear surface. Stone pillars rise from the depths right before my feet touch the water. To any possible spectators, it might look like I'm running on the water, but the two of us know better. In any case, we hastily move away from the shore far enough for the bottom of the lake to be deep enough not to be visible anymore.
This should do it.
Our opponent shows up a moment later. It barely stops itself before barreling straight into the sparkling water, flapping its cute but deadly wings to lose speed. Taking a few steps back, it locks its vicious eyes on us and I swear it squints in annoyance. As we have hoped, it either can't swim very well or it doesn't want to get wet chasing after a bug or two.
"That's right. Move along, friend. We'll spare you today since we have no quarry—"
A loud whooshing cuts me off as the villainous roster cranes its neck and breathes literal fire at us. A swirling inferno of golden flames surges at us like a powerful flamethrower. Before the heat reaches us, it crashes into an invisible wall, pushed to the sides. I can see Sirgia holding a shield-shaped medallion in her small hand, protecting us from the attack.
And granny always said, beware of chicken!
"Okay. It's decided. Today's dinner is going to be chicken nuggets!" I drop my lover onto the stone platform.
Then, I lunge for the audacious chicken with the artefact hilt morphing itself into a greatsword.
Sure, I could have easily dodged that breath even if Sirgia didn't bring out the protection charm, but no one walks away unscathed after attempting to harm my beloved.
Especially not when they have to be tasty when roasted and spiced up.
It prepares for an attack when I get back in its range, but intent on duking our differences out with the buff chick, I evade it easily. Gravel shoots everywhere as it pecks the ground, creating a big hole just from impact. I better avoid receiving any affectionate pecks from this guy.
With its fluffy side wide open, I swing my sword horizontally, aiming to disarm it, or in this case, diswing it. To my surprise, the blade doesn't go as far into the feathers as I expect it to, creating just a shallow wound, which still bleeds properly as my opponent squawks in indignation. We might want to collect these, then. Sirgia could make good use of their high durability.
But, even with that, the chicken is not really my opponent. It might know a trick or two and be tougher than most, but the moment my Voidal Bondage locks its ass up in a purple harness, it can do nothing more than glare at me viciously. Before it brings out some kind of an ace in the sleeve or spits fire at me again, I jump high and behead the beast cleanly.
I just hope it doesn't share Hydra's properties and two more will grow out of the cut.
That doesn't happen, and while the roster thrashes around in its bindings for a few moments, it then hangs off them limply, finally catching up on its state of existence, or the lack of it. As I lower it to the ground gently, Sirgia hops from pillar to pillar and reaches the shore, trotting to my side.
"I don't think we'll be able to drag it into the suitcase so I hope you can cook us something good with it outside too." I flash my petite lover a charming grin.
She blushes prettily and pokes a finger at the monster's feathers. "We can always try to gamble on the spatial storages. If we put only the chicken into the ring, the chances of it coming out inside the mansion should be almost certain, excluding the chances of things going awry."
"Well, if you are willing to risk it." I shrug and pat her head. "Before that, let me just clean myself off its bloo—"
"Master!"
I notice the hidden presence just as late as she does and something coils around my ankle, hoisting me up into the air less than a second later. Turned upside down, I dangle off what looks like a vine coiled around my leg, just at the perfect level of a magnificent pair of tender and perky breasts of a green shade, topped with pronounced emerald nipples.
Reluctantly, my eyes drag themselves down, or up since my perspective is shifted, and spot a gorgeous face of a quite alluring girl with bright pink hair, the rest of her skin being just as green as her titties, her eyes glowing pure rosy hue too. Looking the other way and valiantly ignoring the inviting sight of her lady secrets faintly dripping some kind of crystal-clear nectar, I realise she's standing in a pool of caramel honey while holding me above what resembles the cup of a tulip.
Trouble.
I've definitely been caught by an Alraune.
Just then, she rotates me to face the other way, and I find another female there, standing in the same cup, an almost perfect copy of the first one, save for the colour of her hair, which is pretty blue, making it clear that she was the one to cause the motion as her cyan eyes roam over my body.
Double trouble.
That's actually a Liliraune.
Uh, oh.
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