The millipede queen led Leon through one of the paths of the tunnels that she had created during her stay down there. She narrated her story and explained how she ended up in her current circumstances.
‘I used to have a master once upon a time. That was about a decade ago, I believe. He was a powerful Mage that specialized in Transmutation Magic, and had many various types of custom made creatures under his wing. Not all of them were meant for battle, though. There were other races that were oriented toward more utilitarian functions.’ She explained. Her many pointed legs stabbed into the hard, rocky ground as though it was butter. Leon was seated atop her back in a spot that dipped a little. Leon thought that this former master of hers might have thought of her carrying him on her back for easy travel.
Mornica traveled at a quick pace, as she was very familiar with the underground pathways. From how much strength she showed, Leon failed to understand how and why she said she was dying, but he figured that she would explain it to him as she spoke.
‘I was one of the many combat oriented creatures that was created back then. I was an experiment to see how far my former master could push his ability to create brand new creatures that could bend to his will. What he did not know was that myself, and my fellow creations had a free will of our own. Perhaps it was by design, or not, but he did not have the chance to tell us the full story before he was betrayed and killed. Right in this very town.’
‘The reason for the broken and depressing town that resides above this place is as a result of the battle between my master and his rival who had backstabbed him years ago. The battle had not actually happened in the town, but its aftermaths were enough to wreck the town and send the people occupying it packing for their lives. My master died, and I, along with some of my stronger children were the only ones left among my former master’s creations… At least, that was what I thought.’
“The centipedes.” Leon realized.
‘Indeed. The centipedes are incomplete creations. My former master had just begun working on their framework, so it was impossible for them to have miraculously emerged as a complete species. The only way for that to happen is if someone had tampered with his research and experiments.’
‘Anyway, upon my former master’s death, I seized his legacy and hid it here, in the depths of this pit. The Obsidian Pool is part of his legacy, and is immensely useful in the Race Advancement of various creatures. Its presence also acts as a natural magnet for ambient Mana, which has resulted in the formation of Mana Crystals of all grades. The centipedes are after it, and I need to protect it…’
“But…?” Leon expected something else.
‘I have fallen out of favor of my children. They seek to dispose of me, as I have insisted on living a peaceful life after we deal with the centipedes. They hunger for conquest. They have lost their way without an overpowering master to guide their lives. Because of that, they have ganged up on me and banished me to the depths of this pits. Luckily, they do now know of the Obsidian Pool, or they might have thought differently.’
The glittering blue Mana Crystals that Leon had seen ever since entering the nest had yet to disappear ever since they began their journey. It was clear that the amount of ambient Mana that the Obsidian Pool had drawn in over the past decade was no small amount. That said, Leon had a few questions regarding that.
“With the amount of resources present here, why hasn’t there been any other monsters gathering around here, or at least some other race? Surely, they must have felt the flow of Mana gathering in this direction.” He asked.
‘As for the monsters, in the initial years they were abundant. But with my I and my children’s staunch stubbornness in defending this area, they have ceased to approach. The humans however, do not know about the flow of Mana here last I checked. It had to do with the battle ten years ago. My master and his rival were only small fry in that battle. The true powerhouses had left the lands devastated, and so there have been no human settlements around for a while. I do not know about the recent happening, and have been out of touch from the surface world for the past two years. Perhaps they might have started reclaiming the lands above.’ She replied honestly.
“Alright.” Leon nodded and waited for Mornica to get back to her story.
‘As I was saying, after the battle, my Soul was partly injured. Without the help of my former master, I have not been able to repair the damages, and because of that, my life force has been steadily draining ever since then, although the Obsidian Pool does help to slow it down quite a bit. That is why I seek your help. By making me your Spirit Companion, the deterioration of my strength will stop, and I will return to my peak, and possibly even surpass it with enough time.’
“I see… But will it affect me in any way?” Leon was still a bit hesitant.
‘No. Think of our bond as a closer term for a Master/Servant relationship. I will be completely subject to your will and I will not try to rebel against you unless you force me to do something that will end my life.’
“I see. Well, don’t worry, I won’t do anything against you as long as you don’t do anything against me.” Leon shrugged and silence returned as they moved through the tunnels.
‘We are here.’ Mornica said as she slowed down. A massive cavern that was at least five times as large as the cavern he had met the millipede queen unfolded in Leon’s vision.
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