41 Chapter - 40

Jenny donned the armor and packed her bag. She used the third oil flask to refill the lantern since today's exploration would take them toward a place they hadn't explored yet. Over the past few days, she hadn't had any issues with any other monster and had calmed down considerably, but there was no need to risk things.

Teaching Biscuit went well once she realized what the rabbit didn't like was repeating the same thing over and over. Biscuit had a good memory, Jenny needed to say the word and pantomime the meaning only once, and the rabbit would know it next time. Biscuit could already talk in rudimentary sentences, even if her pronunciation was horrible. Trying to force the rabbit to speak better had been a mistake Jenny wouldn't make again. With everything happening, she had forgotten rabbits aren't meant to talk, and Biscuit probably couldn't produce the necessary sounds.

Jenny took a bite of the sweet and acrid fruit. She was tired of those. The leaves Biscuit ate looked better with each passing day. Even so, there was no need to venture out with an empty stomach. With luck, they would leave this place today, and she could forage in the wild for something else to eat.

Biscuit was her energetic self, hopping around Jenny's legs. "Eh-ny, go!"

Jenny smiled and crouched down to pat the rabbit's head. They crossed the passage without much problem and were in the forge hall again. Instead of going past the arena passage, she went to the forge, collected the broken crossbow, and arranged it inside the bag. After that, she turned to another unexplored passage. She lit the lantern, then set off.

The passage wound slightly downwards, and strange stain marks marred the area. Dried and burnt leathery something clung to the ground. Jenny took the dagger and tried to pry some to inspect, but it crumbled to small pieces. It wasn't something recent. Jenny looked around and inside the entrance. More of the burnt leathery stuff marred the tunnel and stones.

"What do you think it is, Biscuit?" Jenny asked, looking at her pet.

Biscuit hopped closer, then nipped the thing. The rabbit recoiled, shaking her head furiously. "Aastes aad."

Jenny smiled, even as she made a mental note to explain to Biscuit she should not try to eat everything she found. After the brief inspection finished, they entered the passage.

Like all the other tunnels, this one also had melted rock for walls. Unlike the others, cracks marred the walls, and holes drilled out the melted stone like something dug from underneath it.

Jenny looked at the many holes, some small, others big enough she would fit through. She glanced at the rabbit, inspecting one of the smaller burrow holes. "Biscuit," she whispered. Jenny moved her index finger over her lips. "Shhhh."

The rabbit nodded frantically. Biscuit eyed the hole again, then went around it.

Was this the work of the fire monster? Jenny wondered but immediately dismissed the idea. All these holes, big or small, had one thing in common, the rock had been carved from beneath. The way the rock deformed, it almost looked like they were clay someone played with instead of solid rocks.

The passage continued for long, oppressive minutes. The only sound was the rustling of Jenny's steps and clothes. When the tunnel ended, it led to an already illuminated room. It was yet another enormous circular chamber. Dim ember light from the chain tip hung far above the ceiling. At first glance, it looked like a starlit sky. The shadows in the room shifted constantly, unsettling. The walls are decorated in flaming designs, with different scenes carved in the fire.

On the opposite side of the room, on a raised dais, a pew of stone without adornments, and behind it, a double-sized metal door that barred passage. The old, rusted iron door glowed with sparks of ember. Cursed magic, again, even from where she was, Jenny felt the heat emanating from that metal door.

Five massive pillars of eroded stone connected the obsidian floor to the ceiling. Each pillar had a different symbol etched on it. A grasping hand, a wide eye, a hand wrapped in bandages, two people embracing each other, and a sword raised in defiance. Between the pillars, long stone benches lined the room.

By the base of the pillar with the image of the hand wrapped in bandages was a creature Jenny had never seen before. Pale, almost translucent, vaguely worm-like, with numerous undeveloped eyes. Rows of tiny, glowing nodes ran along its segmented body, trailing glistering slime across the pillar.

"Ehnny," Biscuit rasped by her side, "agik."

Jenny looked at the rabbit, trying to puzzle the word. The rabbit pawed her nose. Something clicked in Jenny's mind. Somehow, Biscuit could smell magic. She nodded and looked back at the pillar.

The worm looked straight at them, no, not at them, but at the lantern, Jenny realized too late. It began to disentangle itself from the pillar, its many milky-white eyes trailing the slightest movements of the lantern.

Jenny looked at the path behind her and the many holes. She glanced again at the worm-like creature. She let the bag fall from her shoulders. She placed the lantern on the ground. The light wasn't needed here.

All the while, the creature continued its silent movements, slowly peeling itself free.

With one last glance at Biscuit — who stood on her hind legs ears primed and focused on the monster — Jenny dashed forward, crossing the distance with long steps. Using the momentum from her charge, she lunged at the creature. The rusted, pointy end of the spear struck leathery, hard flesh. The impact wasn't entirely like hitting something solid. The flesh deformed, and the pike penetrated, blue glistening blood spilling out of the injury. Jenny pulled the spear back, ready for another thrust.

The creature contorted, its many eyes swirling. The lower part of the body opened up in a grotesque maw of slimy teeth and pallid flesh.

From behind her, Biscuit whined.

Jenny didn't look back. The creature moved fast; the lethargic movements gone. The part still wrapped around the pillar moved like it was another worm. While the upper part recoiled, the lower lashed out, a spike growing out of the tip, aimed at Jenny's legs.

With a a horizontal arc of the spear, Jenny deflected and stepped back. She held the weapon by its far end and abusing the greater range. She thrust again toward the part still tied to the pillar. She managed to pierce it four more times before the thing finally freed itself. It was enormous, the many segmented body parts moving like a caterpillar on steroids.

It lashed again, maw and spike at the same time.

Jenny sidestepped the spike, positioned the spear in the mouth's path, and thrust.

Rusted metal met soft flesh, and flesh gave way.

The worm writhed and contorted. From behind, Biscuits whine rose. Jenny risked a glance back. The rabbit had lowered her head to the ground, paws covering her ears. Which was strange. The creature had been silent; even after the many attacks, it hadn't uttered a sound.

With one more heavy thrust, Jenny impaled the monster. Its many segments still twitched in its death throes, but no other attack came from it.

The battle was over, and it was an easy one. The crumbling parchment agreed.

Your party defeated Luminescent Burrower.

Jenny took deep breaths. She pulled the spear, and it left the monster carcass with a squelching sound. She observed the creature. Now, after the battle, she saw more details about it. The many segments of its body still glowed with faint blueish light even after its death. She poked it again with the butt of the spear. The skin reminded her of the burnt stuff she found at the tunnel entrance.

"Ehnny!" Biscuit called from behind, the cry urgent.

Jenny looked back. The rabbit looked at the tunnel, her ears pointed in the passage direction swiveling fast and frantic.

"Oonters, ruun!" The rabbit cried out, running inside the room.