Isaac moved cautiously and alertly through the dense forest, staying silent near the abandoned camp. He remained puzzled by the strange symbols marked on the trees.
Putol knelt beside the fire pit, sifting through the ashes with his fingers.
"Still warm. They were here recently."
Nai tightened his grip on his massive chopping knife. "Then where are they now?"
Isaac exhaled, his gaze sweeping the area. "The kingdom of Bulcan is small yet filled with mysteries. I never expected to find this many monsters here."
Ben raised a brow. "So, there aren't any monsters in Carreon?"
Isaac shook his head. "I've never encountered or heard of any."
But as he spoke, doubt crept into his mind. Isaac had spent his entire life farming with his father, leaving him uncertain about the true extent of Carreon's domain
Aiah crossed her arms. "Maybe their king has managed to secure the entire kingdom of Carreon."
Isaac suddenly remembered the deal the King of Carreon had made, marrying his daughter Mikaela to the dreaded Necromancer King of Velcro in exchange for an alliance.
His jaw tightened.
He forced himself to focus and continued surveying the camp.
Just then, a rustling sound came from the bushes nearby.
Everyone tensed, readying their weapons.
Then...
A young woman stepped out, carrying a small bundle of herbs.
She had straight, black hair that reached just an inch above her shoulders. Her face was youthful, probably no older than twenty.
Her sharp eyes scanned the area, her expression shifting from relief to confusion as she took in the empty camp, then to suspicion when she saw Isaac and his group.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp. "Where is everyone?"
Isaac and the others exchanged glances as they cautiously began lowering their weapons.
"We were just about to ask the same thing," Putol said.
The woman's grip tightened around the herbs.
"Don't lie to me! My companions were here. I only left to find these," she lifted the herbs, "to treat one of them. And now, they're all gone?"
Nai sighed. "How many are they?"
"They were around forty." The woman replied.
"Then how could just the four of us take all of them?" Nai asked.
The woman opened her mouth to argue but stopped.
Suddenly, Ben asked, "You're a refugee, aren't you?"
The woman fell silent.
Ben offered a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry. We're also refugees, running from the soldiers."
Aiah stepped forward. "We think they were taken by something else." She pointed to the strange markings on the trees. "These symbols might be a sign left behind by whatever took them."
The woman frowned, looking at the markings for the first time.
Isaac studied her reaction carefully. "You don't know what these mean, do you?"
She shook her head. "No... but if what you're saying is true, then we have to find them."
Isaac nodded. "We were already on our way."
The woman took a deep breath, then squared her shoulders. "Then I'm coming with you."
Meanwhile Putol ran his fingers over the strange markings on the tree.
"If the people here were taken without a fight and there's no blood, then whatever did this accomplished it easily."
Isaac turned to him. "What do you mean?"
Putol frowned. "I heard about a monster like this in the market. They call it the Crawleroid. It releases a mist that disorients humans, making them easy to capture."
He gestured to the markings. "And these markings are their instinct. A way to claim dominance over an area. If these are fresh, it means they're still nearby."
Nai stiffened. "Crawleroid? Aren't they from the Third Core?"
"They are Class-D monsters," Ben said grimly. "It's not surprising for them to come down to hunt weaker prey."
"But they didn't hunt," Isaac pointed out. "They took the people."
Putol's expression darkened. "Then they might be using them as living hosts, for their offspring, injecting them with parasitic larvae."
Aiah's eyes widened. "We have to save them."
Nai hesitated. "It's dangerous. As far as I know, these monsters have multiple spindly legs, and glowing eyes that hypnotize their prey."
A tense silence settled over the group.
"Then what should we do?" Aiah asked, her voice firm.
Isaac looked at her. "We find them."
Ben crouched low, examining the forest floor with sharp eyes. He brushed his fingers over the disturbed leaves and broken twigs, piecing together the movement of their targets.
"They went this way," Ben said, pointing toward a faint trail leading deeper into the forest. "The tracks are fresh. The captives were dragged, and the monsters moved fast."
Isaac nodded. "We move now."
Without hesitation, the group followed the trail. The air grew thicker and sky became cloudy as they approached the boundary of the Third Core. The trees were larger here, their branches twisting in unnatural ways. The ground was damp, and an eerie silence surrounded them.
As soon as they crossed into the Third Core, a sharp, clicking sound echoed through the trees. Before anyone could react, a dark shape lunged from above.
A Crawleroid.
It landed between them, its thin, spindly ten legs barely making a sound. Its body was covered in dark, chitinous armor, and its many eyes glowed with an eerie light. It moved unnaturally fast, its limbs twitching with unpredictable motions.
Nai swung his massive chopping knife, but the monster dodged with ease, twisting its body at an impossible angle.
Aiah raised her hand, flames bursting from her palm, but the Crawleroid leaped back, its glowing eyes tracking every movement.
Isaac gritted his teeth. "It can see all of us at once."
Ben fired an arrow, aiming for the monster's head. The Crawleroid tilted slightly, and the arrow barely grazed its carapace before it retaliated with a lightning-fast swipe of its leg.
The blow sent Ben sprawling backward, his bow flying from his grip.
Putol tried to get behind it, but the monster hopped sideways, avoiding his dagger while countering with a powerful kick that sent him stumbling.
Isaac tightened his grip on his weapon. They needed a way to break through its defense.
"Spread out!" he ordered.
The group adjusted their positions, preparing for another round.
Isaac's eyes locked onto Ben. "Focus. I know you can see its weakness."
Ben took a deep breath, analyzing the monster. His gaze sharpened.
"Its eyes."
Isaac smirked. "Exactly. Their biggest strength is also their greatest weakness."
He quickly laid out the plan. "Aiah, use Fire Burst. Make sure the flames cover its entire head to force all its eyes to react."
Aiah nodded.
"Ben, the moment it's distracted, shoot an arrow straight into its head."
Ben tightened his grip on his bow.
"Nai, Putol, be ready. The second it flinches, take out its legs."
The two readied their weapons.
Aiah stepped forward, raising her hand. A wave of heat pulsed from her palm.
[Fire Burst!]
Flames erupted, engulfing the Crawleroid's head. The monster screeched, its many eyes flickering as they struggled to process the overwhelming light and heat.
Thwip!
Ben's arrow shot forward, striking one of the monster's eyes. It shrieked in pain, stumbling.
Now!
Nai and Putol were already in position. Before the monster realized the danger, they were beneath it, hidden by its towering legs.
Blades flashed.
Nai and Putol slashed through the joint of its spindly legs. The Crawleroid let out a deafening scream, its body trembling. It crashed onto the ground, struggling to lift itself.
But it wasn't over.
The monster lashed out with its remaining limbs, trying to fight back. It swung wildly, its sharp legs stabbing into the dirt, inches away from Nai.
Putol dodged a sudden swipe, rolling to the side. "Damn thing's still kicking!"
Ben pulled another arrow, aiming carefully. "One more shot."
Nai didn't wait. He leaped forward, gripping his weapon tightly. With one clean swing, he severed the Crawleroid's head from its body.
The forest fell silent.
Nai wiped the sweat from his forehead, breathing heavily.
Putol smirked, teasing Nai. "I counted. I got seven legs."
Nai scoffed. "Yeah? Well, I got the head."
Putol was about to argue, but Aiah cut in, her voice serious. "Enough. That was just one. There could be more."
Everyone prepared to move again.
But just before they could take a step, Isaac froze. His expression darkened.
"Wait," he muttered.
A second later, a rustling filled the air. The wind shifted. Then, from behind the towering trees, crawleroids emerged.
Not one. Not two.
Nine.
Putol took a step back, his face paling. "What a welcome."
Isaac, however, stepped forward.
"Stay put," he ordered. "Save your energy."
Aiah gulped. Something about Isaac felt different.
Then she saw it.
Isaac's eyes.
Dark smoke curled from them, rising slowly.
"This won't take long."