While Leon sharpened his blade within the hall of the cathedral, hundreds of millipedes crawled through the desolate ruins of the town in search of a young lady who had escaped the watch of their master.
The sounds of their legs scurrying over the ground was mostly silent, but when so many of them moved at a time, the sounds that were created were sure to draw attention.
Screee?
A Ghost Centipede Soldier that was alone raised its antennae up high turning around in confusion as it felt the rapid vibrations that were being transmitted through its legs. It turned around, and was shocked to see over a dozen Undead Millipedes, along with two Undead Millipede Soldiers rushed around a pile of debris from a crumbled house, charging in its direction!
Before it could even regain its composure, the dozens of millipedes that had appeared had already reached it, slamming into it and ripping it to pieces as they continued moving forward without stopping. The millipedes were too busy with carrying out their master’s will to even bother with properly paying attention to the centipede that they had just killed.
“The master is angry.” The Undead Millipede Soldier with the highest level spoke to its brethren.
“Indeed, he is unsettled. I believe it is because of the fleshy being that we have been sent to find.” The other Soldier caste replied.
The millipedes communicated with each other with the help of an organ that secretes a pheromone. Researchers that had researched the biology of monsters, such as Nedra’s former master, had come to refer to these organ as a language gland. This language gland only allowed for communication between those of the same race, though. For example, the organ did not allow the millipedes to communicate with the centipedes.
As they discussed amongst themselves, with the lower castes also pitching in once in a while, they made rapid progress in scouring over the area that they had chosen for themselves.
Before long, they came across a group that consisted of a dozen lesser Ghost Centipedes, and three Ghost Millipede Soldiers. A battle immediately ensued!
The millipedes had only two Soldier variants, but had more lesser variants, while the centipedes possessed a lower number of lesser variants, and one more Soldier variant. Even still, when they clashed with the Undead Millipedes, they were immediately in over their heads. Each millipede took on one opponent at first, while the excess millipedes immediately ganged up on the remaining Ghost Centipede Soldier.
Screeeeeee…
The pained wails and screeches of the centipedes died down as the last of them were torn into pieces by the millipedes. Pitch black flames burnt on the parts of the millipedes that had been damaged in the fight and rapidly regenerated. Most of the injured parts were their legs. In fights between the millipedes and centipedes, they usually went after the legs of their opponents, as if they were able to take out the mobility of their enemies, then it would be much easier to handle their foe.
“We wasted time with those ones. Let us hurry.” The soldier with the highest level said as it roused itself, stretching out its newly healed legs.
The group soon set off again. Five minutes into their search, they came across a scent that they remembered. They had come across Elena’s scent!
The group paused for a bit as the millipedes spread out to get a better scope of where the scent led. Before long, one of the lesser variants alerted the others, and they all came rushing in that direction. A few more centipedes were killed, and before long, the group came upon the broken wall that circled the ruined town. Beyond that was just empty, desolate plains.
“The scent trail extends beyond this wall. We must tell the master!”
.
.
A while ago, Leon had finished sharpening his sword, and the shiny, gleaming blade laid beside him as he laid on the floor, getting some rest. He stared up at the dark ceiling of he cathedral for a while, thinking of how the future would turn out for him.
Ever since Leon had come to this world, he had done the exact same thing over and over again. Fight and kill, kill and fight. He had mowed down the many-legged foes that had made this town their home in order to grow stronger and better so he could be able to protect himself better in this dangerous world.
Meeting Elena had been a breath of fresh air to him, and although they had not spent enough time together in order to become known as friends, Leon still felt a lingering attachment to his long gone humanity.
“Who cares anyway? It’s not like they will welcome me. I’m a darn skeleton for crying out loud!” Leon cursed loudly, his voice bouncing around the corners of the cathedral. Thankfully, he had sent out Nedra and Kaladin to go and kill some centipedes so he was alone.
“Argh! I need to get out and kill something. There is not point worrying myself over something I don’t have any control over. Maybe when I deal with the centipedes, I can think of how to handle my interaction with the rest of this strange world.” He told himself and got to his feet. He picked up his sword, and was just about to leave the cathedral when he felt a sudden zap of lightning flash through him.
“Master! We have found the fleshy being’s trail!”
Leon stopped for a moment. Fleshy being? Neither Nedra nor Kaladin spoke that way, and the voice was all wrong.
“Wait… Do the millipedes also know how to talk?” Leon was stunned for a minute before shaking his head and snapping out of it.
He quickly passed through the hole in the wall of the cathedral before setting off in a slight jog, following the connection that he had with the millipede that had spoken to him.
“Remain where you are. I’m on my way!”