Chapter 174: Internal Threat
I was midway through throwing the last of my points of mana at carving an elaborate archway in the eighth floor when my points of awareness spiked—or, more accurately, my alarm system for my newest walking monstrosity lurched to follow Gnat.
It had been perhaps a day since his evolution and his grace had… moderately improved, insofar as he was capable of walking without stretching out his arms for balance or constantly stumbling over his own claws, but not much else. His mind was still a maelstrom of divided thoughts and interaction, unable to wrangle an identity out of the mix of two slammed together; though Gnat was supposed to have died and the webweaver survived their fight, the human had not wanted to go gentle into that world beyond worlds, and he clung with a fervour to his body. Which made things difficult. It would be much better if it was only the webweaver's mind.
But it wasn't. And thus I was temporarily okay with Nenaigch shoving him into the side tunnel instead of directly next to my core.
And it wasn't like he wouldn't see action here, as he was already making himself a nuisance as Nicau came back.
He was bloodied, dusted, and looking otherwise very tired—Chieftess was still a brimming pool of energy in the way she'd always been, both of them slung over with gourd-pots stuffed with plants. One of the kobold hunters was missing, a new crimson scale on Chieftess' chest, but the other and the warrior both marched behind to take up the rear. It seemed the jungle had not bested them.
But they probably hadn't been expecting this newest roadblock.
My arachne—Gnat, gods, could I please change his name—reared up, a hissing, spitting chitter snaking through the air. Nicau froze dead, mana sparking to his tongue—Chieftess raised her claws—the kobolds readied their spears–
And I slammed in overtop of everyone. Stop.
Gnat halted, because the webweaver part of his mind still knew to obey the Great Voice, and he skittered back, enormous legs flashing in the dark. His mandibles clicked before his mouth, all eyes fixed and glossy; considering the only light was the single quartz Nicau had clutched in his palm, it certainly seemed like a nightmare.