Chapter 23: Chapter Nineteen Aki’s Quest

Locating the gargoyle clan Aceri had talked about proved fairly easy. Aki ended up finding them running roughly towards her position not too long after she and the group had moved in the direction Aceri had indicated. There were roughly thirty Gargoyle villagers, and they were being chased by a small army of giant ants. One that outnumbered them roughly three to one. At least from what she could see.

Aki’s eyes did pick out a few Gargoyles that seemed better equipped than the others, but for the most part they had very little. The typical villager had a spear, and wore only a skirt. Those with better equipment varied a bit more in weaponry but also went without a top or shoes of any kind.

Seeing the villagers, and the number of ants following, Aki, as inexperienced as she was, recognized that engaging here was not a good idea. Her mind raced as she considered locations more defendable, but only one came to mind. Her Mistress’s dungeon. It wasn’t too far away at a brisk march. The dungeon was located at the top of a hill, and surrounded by a low wall. That represented a nice defensive position, and better yet, there was a fallback position inside the dungeon itself. Something she knew her Mistress would allow, especially if one of her sisters discussed things with Mistress first.

Mind made up, she spoke to Ribbons who was closest, and informed her of the plan. As Ribbons relayed it to the others, she moved to grab the attention of the villagers. There would be no time to discuss things with them, but she needed them to follow her party.

Something that proved easy, a younger girl, a child from the looks of it was first to notice her. Signaling others, and in moments the whole group was streaming towards her position. She waved, and signaled for them to follow, she just hoped they understood her signs. With that in mind, her group began a brisk march back home. 

Every once in a while she would glance over her shoulder and signal encouragement as the group followed her home. As they ran, Ribbons spoke up, “You know I’m not sure home is the best place to go. Didn’t we pass a nice hill on the way? One that is closer to our position?”

She blinked, and thought about the hills they had passed. There was another large hill not too far from here. It didn’t have any low walls, but there were a few fallen trees and large rocks dotting the top of the hill. The space around it was also fairly clear. It might make a decent defensive position, but it would take a little time to get it into proper shape for that.

Glancing back, she noted the Ants were starting to slow. They just might have some time, or perhaps lose them. For some reason she did not think they would.

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Aki found herself proved right, she made it to the hill without issue, and the villagers stormed up the hill to join her group moments later. A younger woman who Aki noticed had a small addition walked up to her.

The gargoyle woman looked around, “I presume you led us here for a reason?”

She nodded, “Don’t have much time to talk, but this hill is a good place to fight.”

The other woman gave it another look, and nodded, “I think you might be right.”

An instant later, she turned and started barking out commands. In moments the villagers turned and started using muscle, and magic to adjust the site at the top of the hill. Aki gave orders to her party, and they joined in, prepping the location for a battle.

They only had a few minutes before the Ants arrived, but by then they had already erected a few crude earth, and log walls to provide a defensive barrier. The clan members with spears formed a line behind the crude wall. The rest of them formed up behind that, and quickly exchanged what they could do with magic. With such little time, there was not much they could do to prepare for the battle to come.

As the Ants formed up, and began to charge up the hill she took a moment to use inspect on one.

The Ant in question was fairly large, and armored with black chitin. She seemed quite strong, but her level wasn’t too high. A quick check showed many of the others had similar levels, although she did note a few with higher levels. None of them were over level eighteen, which meant they were all solidly tier one like herself. Her gargoyle friends were likewise all under level twenty, and therefore not all that different from a tier one like herself, even if they were a second tier race.

With little time to really study the charging ant, and now feeling some confidence in their position, she began preparing a spell. She had a few spells to pick from, but she chose to keep it simple. A simple spear of dark energy formed in her hands. Below, the leading ants slammed into the wall, and were met with spears. Hardened points met chitin and mandibles as the two groups clashed.

A moment later, she completed her spell, and sent forth a spear of dark energy. The dark magic sailed across the distance in the blink of an eye, and slammed into a black ant near the front. It punched through the armored chitin with lethal force, and the black bodied ant collapsed. Its fellows simply flowed over its dead body without consideration for their dead comrade, while a notification flashed at the corner of her vision. Aki did not check it, yet, and instead channeled another spell. It seemed this one was a good choice, the armor piercing effect seemed to be a good one. Of course it was also her only dark spell designed exclusively to deal damage. 

The spearline was holding thanks to the low wall, helping keep the ants at bay. That gave her party, and the gargoyle mages, time to prepare spells. It wasn’t long before her next spell was ready. Another lance of dark energy sailed out, and speared an ant, this time it ran along the side of one, and hit another in the head. Two little dings marked new notifications as the pair she struck collapsed.

In the distance, more ants streamed into view. A lot of them, she just hoped her mana reserves would hold. Another clash of ants with the front line resulted in several soldiers collaping to spear wounds, only for their comrades to clamber over their dead husks to continue the attack. Mandibles snapping, as spears were thrust at them from the wall. A few spears finding their marks, and forcing the ants back a step.

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Several spells rained into the ranks of the ants, scoring a few marks. As Aki prepared for her next spell. Dark energy already taking shape, a moment later a dark spear shot across the distance and lanced a larger ant she had noticed approaching the line. Where most were perhaps a meter long, this one was almost three. The bolt struck it in the side, and the ant staggered. No notification came this time, and the large ant steadied, continuing its march. Heading right for the line.

Aki, already chanting her spell, used inspect on the large ant.

 

It only took her a moment to note the important bits. Her first attack had taken nearly half its health. The big one also had a fairly high level, a couple more levels and it could evolve.

The big one drew close to the line, its mandibles snapped and nearly closed on a spear. One spear had glanced off its hardened carapace doing nothing. With a breath, Aki finished her spell, and unleashed. A second bolt of magic sailed across the space, and speared the ant. This time through the head. Its massive body slumped, and a notification popped in the corner of her vision. She smiled, knowing she had killed it before it could breach the line. It might have, if not for her spells.

A quick glance at her own status, showed she was still fine mana wise. Aki began chanting another spell. Not surprised that her mana was still fine, the spell she was using only cost 15 points. A bit expensive, but not too expensive.

Again, the line clashed below with a few weaker ants succumbing to spear wounds. In the distance the ants streaming into view stopped. It seemed the army was all here, not counting dead ants, there were just under a hundred of them pushing up the hill. A number that dropped an instant later as spells rained on the ants from above, killing quite a few of the smaller weaker ones.

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Aki shifted, as another lance shot down and speared a large ant as it tried to breach their line, their second one. They had been forced further up the hill, since the battle started. Behind her a few healers were tending to some wounded gargoyles, but she felt the battle was nearly over. The number of ants had thinned considerably, with only a few larger ones left trying to push the line.

The exhausted gargoyles on the line continued to use the reach of their spears to push the relentless ants back. As Aki prepared another spell, she was already feeling things. Her mana is almost gone, last she looked, she had about 60 points. Which in reality meant that she only had three spells left in her before she was out of mana. Best not to use all of them, running out of mana could cause one to lose consciousness. 

A gargoyle came up to her and handed her a blue liquid, a mana potion. “Here it should be good for another sixty points of mana.”

She took it gratefully, mana didn’t really regenerate when you were fighting. Not without the right skills, anyway. Skills Aki didn’t have, none of the mages here had them. Potions were a good way to help with that, but they were not cheap. “Thank you, this must not have been cheap.”

The girl nodded, “We don’t have many, use that mana wisely please.” then she departed to give another mage low on mana a potion. From the pouch on her belt, Aki noted it only had space for a small number of potions. Making her feel honored that the girl would share such a valuable item with her.

She paused her chant, and downed the potion quickly. In a moment she could feel it working, restoring her mana. There was a reason why these weren’t cheap, producing a properly neutral mana source in liquid form wasn’t easy, even for a lesser potion like this one. Her own body could produce a liquid mana source easily, but that mana would not be neutral. It would be lust heavy, demons like her could use that for making potions for themselves. Anyone else, however, would be corrupted by those potions. If they take too much of them, they might undergo a forced evolution into a demon. Her innate knowledge of the subject had made her use inspect before she used it. Confirming that it was safe to drink.

In seconds her mana shot up sixty points, as she processed the mana. At the same time, she finished her spell, and hurled another bolt of dark energy at an Ant. A large one trying to breach their line, the magical bolt punched right through its armored carapace, and into its vitals. The creature slumped to the ground, a lifeless husk leaking life fluids, as a notification popped to the side of her vision, followed by another one. By this point she had lost track of those, but knew a long list of unread notifications awaited her.

She quickly followed up with another spell, before a hail of additional spells struck. Leaving only a couple of scattered ants left on the field. Ants that soon succumbed to the now superior number of defenders.

She slumped to the ground after the last one fell, Aki could feel her mana was nearly gone. Another notification blinked at the side of her vision. She let out a breath, and decided to check her long list of unread notifications. A list that quickly condensed itself to be more easily digested

Aki blinked, did she really level up 12 times? With a bit of anticipation, she opened her status. 

So close! Just one more and she could evolve. Damn was this quest good for her growth. Before she could really celebrate, space warped beside her and from a dark cloud emerged a thick book with a note sitting on top of it.

You did quite well, I finished the colony myself, and have acquired a few lovely princesses to raise. I think this book would suit you well my dear, it’s perfect for someone who has stepped on both the path of a mage, and a warrior. Perhaps next time you fight you could consider combining those skills, and use them together?

I’ve already sent my gift to your Mistress. I hope she enjoys it. I felt the DP alone wasn’t quite enough given the showing you and your group gave. Aside from a few injuries you saved them all. Well done!

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