Chapter 146: Beast's Settlement III

"Wait!" Ned said. Left hand raised with open palm directed toward the caterpillar-like beast.

After issuing a command, Gogmurch, who was about to leave, halted on its track with a stiff muscle-stuffed shoulder. Although most of its face was thickened eyebrows and crooked nose, his face shows a sign of surprise as it turned its head toward Ned.

"Ki Khun!" Khiccaal said. Soft tentacles stopped wagging. Its body turned deep purple seeing Ned with its white shaded eyes.

Yes; call your queen. Ned thought lowering his free hand with Sasani's wrist bow.

Sasani held her chin up, looking at Ned with surprise.

While Rickart swayed back and forth with the hum he was making, a hum calling for the dead Keesha.

Aside from a low whistle of the wind coming from the west of the forest, the rest of the crowd went dead silent. A little of Wargs growl came in between.

"What is this, Moloatiss!" Khiccaal snapped, sensing that the caterpillar was also in complete silence.

Moloatiss's arms fidgeting and like pulling something out of thin air. The only arm the caterpillar-like beasts used were the one deemed functional, two at the very top (just below the cylindrical glasses). These two functional, and rotten, arm pointed at Ned with fingers quivering.

"Human," Moloatiss said, body wiggled with the tone of his voice—breathy and tough. "Human... Ki skoot im. Ki skoot im!"

'I understood him. I understood him'. Ned thought, interpreting the beast's bellow but more like a cheer. Eyes stopped at the sword Sidric was about to cut Rickart's neck. "Wait," he said again, making sure that they understood him.

Moloatiss coughed. Rotten hands covering its wide mouth, it acted as if it was human. Which was impossible due to its deformed face. "What is... This... Human?"

I know your kind, you yearn for knowledge. Ned thought, carefully thinking his next word. "A gift," he said, sliding the sword back to its scabbard.

Beasts surrounding them clamored. Ned could at least hear some of them.

"Understand... The human," said one of a thin goblin. The nearest to Ned, the one that yanks the fences to let their leader passed.

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

They started. A chant; warlike chant. A challenge as they raised their blades mid-air.

Khiccaal raised three of his finger. Shoon's age and strength were determined by their color. A stronger Shoon was deep purple and marked with hundreds of black abstract lines marking their body. Khiccaal was deep purple, but the marks weren't abundant. Still, it signifies its strength from the rest of the beasts. They went dead silent after issuing a gesture. "A gift of what, human?"

"Knowledge," Ned answered.

"Did you hear that, Moloatiss? Knowledge. Its gift is knowledge!" Khiccaal said louder. It made the surrounding beasts cry in laughter. "We are beasts, human. Together with our Queen, Sas Koron! We will stand at the very top. We had enough of you humans invading our land."

It wasn't for you. Not for the beasts. Not to the old goblin. Ned thought, unwavering by their number. "It was for him," he said. "Surely, he's the brain to all this. These parasites. It just happened I'm different. That is why I could talk to you."

One of the wood, burning inside the bonfire, snapped. It made the fire reduced its strength. The light slowly shone weakened.

Moloatiss body softened. Hearing how Ned recognized his talent. He stared at Ned, remembering something, more like his past. Even beasts have past wanting to share; Moloatiss got one of them. "For a human, you are different. Indeed, yes. Tell me this knowledge about you spoke, human."

"Your parasite," Ned started. "It wasn't complete."

For a beast to use other beasts with the help of his mana. Moloatiss was different. Might be an evolution, perhaps with the help of their queen. But his parasite wasn't complete, just like any other beasts. They lack comprehension. It was already a surprise that Moloatiss could think of a way to use other beasts.

"Wasn't complete, how? Tell me, human," he said. And like most of the beasts, he wasn't lying. The last thing a beast would do was lie. perhaps to humans, they might.

"Connection," Ned said, looking at Sidric. Ned could feel mana surging behind him. But it wasn't his. It was the mana connected to Moloatiss. As the mana went at ease, the parasite continued its job; to suck at Ned's blood. And it was also at this time that Sidric retracted his double-edged long-sword. He then strikes the ground with the tip of it. And stood, once again, impassive.

I could at least save Sasani and Rickart—or what's left of him. Maybe Sasani alone. I need time. I can't fight them all. If only—

"Ned?" Sasani whispered behind. Eyes gazing at the parasite, and back at Ned's dusky blue eyes. She wanted to help, she can't. She can't move, surrounded by them. "How are you talking to them?"

"This," Ned said, stretching his hand behind his back, pointing a finger at the parasite. The parasite was full. But it seemed that it wasn't enough, it kept on feeding.

"But," Sasani said, seemed to be swaying her thought. "You? How... That can't be—

"Enough, human," it was Gogmurch. Outside the fences, its voice rounded; almost encompassing the settlement. "You—two." It then raised its war-ax, pointing at the two beasts. A Clave ax with a sharp and pointy tip—might be used to screw its prey. "Khun Sas Koron said, no humans alive. She let you two outside to conduct your experiment. But she also said—explicitly—no witnesses alive."

Ned took a step backward, slightly raising a hand to shield Sasani.

Feeling the air thickened with animosity, Sasani stood. Legs wobbled without energy. She fell; forward, clutching Ned's vest. If only she could leave. "Ned, what are they talking about?"

"Not good," Ned replied. Feeling loss after the old goblin intrudes. "How can you move?"

Sasani steeled her legs. "I'm good," she said. Then pulled a tin box under her waist, and with a click, she restocked the arrow on her wrists bow. And with the time she has left, she put on her mask. It might give her confidence—the mask. "But Ned, there's a lot of them. What's your plan?" Muffled voice; she said.

"I can't read the caterpillar's strength," Ned said, analyzing Moloatiss. "He might be too strong to read, or might be hiding. But I'm pretty sure about the purple beasts, he's way stronger than both of us combined. Even stronger than Sidric." He nodded toward Sidric. "Our party leader. Especially the old goblin."

Sasani had recovered from her shock. Before, seeing the entrails and scattered body near the bonfire added it to her former party ( the opened neck, and the charcoaled limb hunter) it made her nauseated. After declaring her true intent, to survive, she brushed the thought off feeling sick. She wanted to survive, her eyes locked at Ned.

"And Rickart lost it," Ned added. "I need a Rickart. Do you have more arrows?"

Sasani nodded and Ned saw it under his shoulder. He raised his left hand, asking Sasani to do the refilling.

No time to felt embarrassed. Sasani pulled the last of her tin box, and with unstrapping and clicking. Ned's wrists bow was refilled.

"Follow me," He whispered. Slowly, he paced toward Rickart. A stack of dried grass made the path toward Rickart narrowed, it made Ned moved closer to the Shoon and the caterpillar-like beast.

"Vobol! You knew you're surrounded," Gogmurch flashed. Interrupted Moloatiss who was about to speak. It then appeared in front of Ned. Beneath his furry and strong feet was the dead Keesha and the kneeling Rickart. Behind him, to his right, were the two leader beast. "Right, human?"

Another flash made Ned realized that he was in grave danger. But something was off, he doesn't felt fear. Ever since fighting Rassus's, something inside him yearned fear. But not the old goblin. Its massive body and massive war-ax couldn't give Ned what he wanted.

The flash went through, it was Gogmurch's kick. A kick almost a pity; toying, Ned.

Before Ned was thrown off, he released fireball. Aimed not to the two beasts or Gogmurch. It was aimed at Keesha. A boom roared behind Gogmurch, giving a broad flash behind its back.

The two beasts jumped off, backward. Khiccaal used its fingers and tentacles to carry Moloatiss. Smoked rendered, sparks flew, and a roar went through. It was Rickart. Roaring Keesha's name.

Ned was caught by Sasani before they ended up in the wooden fence. The kick was fast, and it might be due to that, that Ned felt it was light. Yet, scratches filled its limbs and chest. Some part of his vest was torn. Boom still quivered under Ned's grip. Looks like Barbo needed to be praised. Ned thought after he took a quick glance at the short-sword. Ned used it to block Gogmurch's kick, without it, he might have a broken rib or limbs or two. It was evident, as Ned's display of his body shows a light red marking on his right arm, right leg, and muscles to his right side.

Ned pressed Sasani on the fence—it then breaks. Making Sasani stumbled on her feet and arms. Ned laid to rest over her. Head dumped over her chest, she laid spread with her hands on her sides.

Ned stood and spun around to see the aftermath of his spell.

Keesha was scorched unrecognizable. Curly hair has gone to nothing but burning. Her face, blackened of peeling skin, the eye that rolled over the ground was thrown perhaps burnt to crisps. One thing was sure, she smelt burnt meat.

Rickart's mana was released in an unrecognized pattern. It was blue, yet most of it was dark distorted with orange from the fire. Mana came flowing out his chest; to where his core was. His skin cracked in a fine print of line. He has used it. The mana left inside him together with his life. He snapped. Around him, mana brimmed of pure hate. Hate to whom? Rickart dashed; flashing toward Ned, dagger lit with blue on his hand.

Ned smiled, it is what he was expecting. He then clenched his jaw, he wasn't supposed to do this. Not for today; not twice a day. But, they need to survive. He and Sasani.

ICE. Ned commanded. "Overclock."