Creatures Lurking in the Dark

In this world, many monsters were living in the wild that could threaten the existence of members of the races. Each species had different strengths and weaknesses.

 

For example, there were goblins, although very weak and stupid individually, could pose a threat if a group of more than twenty goblins attacked a village, which they usually did to capture women to breed in their nest. But, generally, they were so weak that an untrained farmer could defeat them with a hoe.

 

There were pig-face monsters called Orc. They stood tall at about two meters, with a big body. Although slow due to their build, they had incredible strength. They usually hunted in a group of three, which could pose a threat to novice adventurer parties. Just like goblins, they kidnapped women from other races to breed. Their weakness was that they were very slow, so they could be outrun and defeated with range attacks.

 

There were Arachne monsters, monsters with a woman's body upper half and a spider's lower half. They were the type that hunted using spider web traps and paralysis poison. They would trap their prey and inject them with the poison before slowly devouring them. To reproduce, they would lay their eggs inside the prey, and the eggs would then absorb magical power and nutrition and grow. But, despite their sneaky nature, they were weak against fire; they could be chased away by waving a torch in front of them.

 

There were monsters called Gazers. They were just giant eyeballs with long, floating tentacles. They specialized in using curses and hypnotized their targets before draining magical power out of the prey. When they were in the middle of hypnotizing their prey, however, they were incapable of defending themselves, and the fact that they were a solitary hunter and their giant eyeballs were weak against physical attacks made them quite vulnerable. Even novice adventurers could hunt them down as long as they were in a party.

 

There were slimes—a gel-like type of monster with a core inside it. It was capable of changing form as long as there was enough liquid base for it. Its diet was not limited to anything, as anything that entered its body would be melted down by changing the liquid's acidity and absorbed. Due to its liquid base, it was invulnerable to all kinds of physical attacks as long as its core was not destroyed. However, it was weak against all types of magic attacks, especially fire and ice elements, and destroying its core could also kill it.

 

There were Direwolves, wolf-type monsters that could manipulate wind magic. They usually hunted in a group, capable of working together to bring down larger prey. They were rated relatively high on the danger level and could give B-rank adventurer parties a run for their money. However, as a canine species, they were very sensitive to smell, which worked against them as members of the race usually carried monster repellant on them if they didn't want to encounter Direwolves.

 

There were monsters called Roper. They were tube-like monsters with tentacles stretched out below them. Each tentacle could change shape and reach up to fifteen meters. They usually lived in a dark cave. They hunted by hanging themselves upside down to sneak attack or disguised as a trunk and ambushing their prey. The ropers consumed whatever they caught, so they didn't really leave their natural habitats, they were also weak against fire. Thus posing little danger to people.

 

There were Earth Worms. They were monsters that lived underground. Unlike the worm creature, which was small and only about twenty centimeters in length, Earth Worms were giant, capable of swallowing whole an adult had it wanted to. They posed no direct threat to members of the races as their diets were the nutrition contained in the soil. But As they dug underground, the foundation of the land and buildings atop it was damaged and collapsed; but that was the only damage Earth Worms made as they were herbivores.

 

There were Alraune monsters—plant-type monsters with the form of a woman covered in giant flower petals. They lived in the forest and rarely moved around. Instead, they hunted by secreting sweet fragrances to attract their prey. The fragrances also contained aphrodisiacs, which caused their prey to become excited. As plant-type monsters, they were weak against fire, so it was easy to fight them off. That was the case if not for their docile nature. They only chased off intruders who entered their domain, so encountering and fighting to the death with one was highly unlikely. Alraune was also a monster specialized in healing and using herbs, obviously due to their nature as a plant-type monster.

 

And there were many more monsters. The list went on.

 

Although the threats of monsters dwindled after the United Front War, monsters still roamed the land. But with wits, strength, and techniques, members of the races exploited the monsters' weaknesses and slowly adapted to live with them.

 

Like members of the races, monsters had different diets and habitats; each belonged to a different part of the food chain. And they were not intelligent enough to co-exist alongside each other.

 

Or that was what it was supposed to be, as what greeted Aina and Norn as they exited the cave was not sunlight and the feeling of relief, but that of despair.

 

In front of them stood many types of monsters. Their number easily exceeded twenty.

 

"What the hell..."  Norn exclaimed in shock. He couldn't believe what was in front of him.

 

Orcs, Direwolves, Arachnes, Alraunes, and even slime sitting on top of Earth Worm surrounded them.

 

"Norn... What should we do?"  Aina was in the same state as Norn. She couldn't believe that monsters were working together instead of fighting.

 

"Don't move, Aina. Slowly put the girl down and run on my signal. We cannot take them with us. They will slow us down. We have to get back to the guild and ask for reinforcements."  Norn swallowed his saliva to soothe his dried throat and spoke in a hushed voice.

 

Aina was conflicted. On one hand, she wanted to save Lainey and Lynn; on the other hand, she knew what Norn said was correct, and escaping with them would surely end in disaster.

 

So she shot a glance and agreed with Norn's suggestion.

 

"I'm sorry..."  Aina whispered quietly to Lainey and Lynn. Against this group of monsters, they were powerless.

 

Then the couple slowly put Lainey and Lynn down, as Norn also moved his hand behind his back pocket to retrieve monster-repellent powder.

 

"On my signal. The left side only has goblins guarding. Run to that side, and keep running, don't look back."

 

Norn looked over at Aina for the last time, then shouted, "NOW!!!" as he threw the power into the air, scattering them around.

 

Aina immediately dashed to the left side. Behind her, Norn split and ran straight into a group of Orcs in front to let them focus on him.

 

"OOOORRRAAAHHHH!!!"

 

Unfortunately, these monsters were under the control of the worm creature. So monster-repellent power to them was the same as dust.

 

They did not flinch, but instead, they inched in to tighten the circle.

 

Aina and Norn were shocked to see the monster's reaction. They didn't even react to the substance.

 

But it was too late, as the two rushed to escape, and the monsters moved in to enclose them; their distance closed rapidly.

 

Suddenly, Norn crashed into something and got stuck. He tried to break free, but the glue-like stickiness kept him in place.

 

He tried to figure out what it was and realized that he was stuck in a spider web.

 

It was a trap set by the lurking Arachne on top of a tree.

 

With his movements seals, Norn was sitting duck there as two Orcs approached him with their axes raised.

 

At the same time, Aina, who ran to the left side, suddenly lost her footing.

 

No, she didn't trip. The ground literally disappeared under her, creating a pit hole.

 

Inside the hole, an Earth Worm, its mouth wide open, waiting to swallow her.

 

It didn't swallow her whole, however, as from her chest up was still stuck outside of its mouth. Her left hand was also inside the mouth, while her right hand was free.

 

And then, a Gazer floated closer to her.

 

When it was just mere inches away from her face, numerous tentacles wrapped around her neck and her flailing arm.

 

"NOOOOOO! LET GO OOPH––"

 

The Gazer forced one of its tentacles inside Aina's mouth to block her scream.

 

The tentacles around her neck also slowly tightening, threatened to snap her fragile neck.

 

But it didn't want to kill her.

 

The giant eyeball looked directly into her eyes. Its eye glowed red. It was hypnotizing her.

 

Aina tried to shake her head, but the strangling tentacles didn't allow it.

 

"ARRRRGHHHH!!!"  It was an ear-splitting scream.

 

It was from Norn. The Orcs just stroke him down.

 

Aina's husband was killed right next to her, and she couldn't do anything to help him.

 

Slowly, her pupils lost their light. Her eyes were still open, but they no longer reflected anything. Tears formed and spilled out from the corner of her eyes.

 

–––And her conscious was cut off.

 

The worm creature was looking at the scene from behind the bush. And when Aina fainted, it slowly crawled up to her.

 

It ordered the Gazer to release her; however, she was still half-swallowed by the Earth Worm.

 

Its crimson eyes peered deeply into her lifeless pupils. Then it moved one of the tentacles closer to her face.

 

It pressed the tentacle onto her soft lips, staining her beautiful lips with its bodily fluid.

 

And then it forced her lips open, pushing the tentacle deep inside.

 

Once the tentacle was inside her mouth, it explored every nook and corner. Her gum, her teeth, her tongue, and its underside, her uvula, and her soft palate; nothing was spared.

 

And then, when it got bored of exploring the orifice, it entered deeper into her throat, slowly working its way down her esophagus.

 

To avoid choking her, the worm creature deflated its tentacle size. It also made the insertion easier, as shortly after, it reached her stomach and stirred her stomach acid.

 

All of these horrible acts were just for the worm to confirm the quality and quantity of Aina's magical power. When it was done studying her, it slowly withdrew the tentacle out of her mouth.

 

A line of mucus mixed with saliva and other bodily fluids dripped out from her mouth the moment the tentacle exited, staining her beautiful neck and onto her clothes.

 

From behind her, tiny tendrils wrapped around the sides of her head.

 

It was from the tentacles of Gazer. Its tentacle's tip split into several thread-size tendrils.

 

These tendrils slowly crept toward Aina's cat ears.

 

And they entered.

 

Her body shivered despite being unconscious. Goosebumps appeared on her skin. It was just her body reacted to the sudden intrusion.

 

More tears formed at the corner of her eyes and dropped down, staining her white cheeks.

 

It was like she could feel what was happening to her body but could not do anything to stop it.

 

These tendrils invaded as far as reaching her eardrums.

 

But they did not stop there.

 

They drilled through her eardrums. Fortunately, due to their small size, they didn't cause much pain to her.

 

What was the purpose of entering deeply into her ears?

 

As a Gazer, its strength was hypnotizing the prey. And under the instruction of the worm creature, it knew the best way to manipulate someone was to interfere with the brain directly.

 

And then it happened, from the inner ear, the tendrils entered her cranial nerve, carefully worked their way deeper to access the hippocampus- the part of the brain which was responsible for long-term memories.

 

A few minutes later, Aina's body became docile. She no longer shivered, and the goosebumps also slowly disappeared like they were never there.

 

The Gazer also slowly withdrew from her ear canal and stepped back.

 

Next, the worm creature ordered an Alraune to approach Aina.

 

Within the giant petals, three straw-size vines crawled out and entered her ears and mouth. They then poured regenerative extracts mixed with nectars to heal her wounds and fatigue.

 

A moment later, the worm noticed that she had finally relaxed her body, and there were no more signs of resistance.

 

It had finished "taming" Aina.

 

The work here had been finished, so it was time to go back to the nest.

 

The Earth Worm underground climbed up, with Aina still inside its mouth.

 

And it swallowed her whole.

 

It was not planning to consume her. It couldn't even if it wanted to because of its diet; its body didn't have acid to melt its prey.

 

It was to carry her easier back into the cave.

 

There were Lainey and Lynn, lying on the ground unconscious.

 

The Earth Worm crawled along the ground toward them and similarly swallowed the two women. Its body was about a meter in diameter, and its length exceeded four meters, so it didn't have any trouble holding three women inside its body.

 

When it was sure that the three women had settled inside its stomach, it continued crawling into the cave.

 

And then, more than twenty monsters entered the cave following it. Their race varied. There were Orcs, Arachnes, Gazers, Slimes, Ropers, and Alraunes.

 

Unbeknownst to the world, the worm creature had gained many useful, if not powerful, monsters for its army.

 

Unlike the corrupted monsters hundreds of years ago, its method now was out of the ordinary.

 

And because of that, it was able to operate without attracting the attention of the members of the races.

 

The worm was the last to enter the cave. Its distortion threatened the civilization of this world.

 

–––––––

 

The following day, from within the cave, Aina walked out with a smile. However, she was not alone, as two other women wearing a cloak followed.

 

They were Lainey, with a cheerful smile, and Lynn, with her usual calm expression.

 

No one would ever know what had happened to them inside the cave.

 

The three women returned to Kato village, none the wiser of what would transpire upon their return.

 

–––––

 

Kato village

 

"Village chief, Miss Aina from the Adventure Guild has returned to report. May I show her in?"  The village guard bowed as he informed the chief.

 

"Oh, maybe she finished her business. Very well, show her in."  Answer the village chief.

 

"Yes, sir"  The village guard bowed once more and exited the building. A short moment later, he returned with Aina behind him.

 

"Village chief, it has been two days. How are you doing?"  Aina smiled as she greeted the chief.

 

"Miss Aina, thank you for your hard work. I'm doing just fine. You have returned, so is it safe to assume that you have finished your investigation?"  (Village chief)

 

"Yes. As it turns out, the party did finish the request. They were just camping out at the goblin nest to ensure no other monsters could use the place as its nest."  (Aina)

 

"I see. That is good to know. I am very appreciative of their work. Please send them my regard."  The village chief breathed a sigh of relief.

 

"I will. Well then, my job here is finished, so I will return to the guild and report the result."  (Aina)

 

"Do you have to return right away? You can spend a day resting in our village. As you know, we have a lot of lodging readied for everyone."  (Village chief)

 

"Thank you for your offer. But we don't want to overstay our welcome. Plus, as a guild executive, I still have to report to the guild as soon as possible."  (Aina)

 

"I see. It can't be helped. If you are in need of any assistance, we will offer you anything we can. Once again, thank you, Miss Aina, and the adventure party."  The village chief shook Aina's hand.

 

"Thank you for using our guild's service. Well then, I hope we have another chance to converse."  Aina bowed and left the village.

 

A distance outside of the village, two women were wearing a cloak.

 

Lainey and Lynn.

 

They were waiting for Aina to finish her business in the village.

 

And when they regroup, the three women walked away.

 

Their destination was the capital of Lutenburg.

 

"Hnnnnghh~ I love this fresh air. That forest was too humid. It's so hot, and my hair keeps sticking onto me."  Lainey stretched her arms up.

 

"Um, camping in that forest was torturous. I want to go home and take a bath right away."  Lynn chirped in.

 

"Hihi. But it was thanks to your effort that the village is safe now. The chief also asked me to send you his regard. You should be proud of yourself."  Aina smiled at her companions.

 

"Hehehe. We are just doing our job. But how gallant of the guys. They volunteered to stay back to clean up the mess for us."  (Lainey)

 

"That's right. So I suggest we should buy them a drink when they come back."  (Aina)

 

"Fufu, they are so easy. Give them a drink, and they'll stay happy all day."  (Lynn)

 

Under the morning sunlight, they proceeded to return to the capital.

 

......

 

...

 

.