Into the Fog (8)
As evening fell, we nodded off one by one, but no one stood watch.
The shelter was sealed tight except for the air hole, and folks kept waking up now and then anyway.
"Fuck, again!?"
Parlen shot up from sleep, cursing under his breath.
The helmet ant swarm knew we were here and had us surrounded.
They were irregularly thumping the roots outside, just to disrupt our rest.
Even amid the noise, Chiria and Ragi slept soundly.
Chiria seemed out cold from sheer exhaustion. Ragi, having lived a life of constant vigilance and scouting, was probably just used to sleeping like this.
A closer look showed Ragi's hand resting on her sword hilt, her eyes cracking open now and then.
Damish was deep in meditation, occasionally murmuring prayers to raise a root or two, reinforcing the bunker's strength.
Parlen and Paradilan jumped at every sound. For some reason, I slept easy.
Was my nerve always this thick? Maybe it was the influence of someone not here with us.
In this stop-start fashion—some dead to the world, others barely dozing—we greeted dawn.
The fog dulled the light, and mountain days were short anyway, so this might not even be morning sun.
Whatever the case, we'd rested enough, and day had broken.
I discreetly checked the party's status through my Status Window.
Party Status Check
Muscle fatigue across the board. Even Paradilan, who rode piggyback.
Minor debuff, but his mana pool is worrying.
Everyone was saddled with muscle pain. Even Paradilan, who'd been carried the whole way.
It was a minor debuff we could push through, but Paradilan's mana reserves were a real concern.
His mana consumption and remaining pool suggested that wind spell that blasted the enemies would only work once.
One wind blast, then switch to lighter spells with low cost—I'd have to direct him carefully.
Faint light seeped through the gaps in Earth Embrace, and finally, Chiria opened her eyes.
"Haaah... S-sorry. Chiria... passed out."
She tried to sit up but winced from the muscle pain, so I told her to stay lying down.
She looked anxious, so I offered my knee as a pillow and stroked her hair.
"Nah, you rested great. You did amazing, Chiria. Rest more—you earned it."
No matter how strong she was, carrying a grown man up a mountain was brutal. And Chiria always hauled heavy gear anyway—five spears alone.
She might have to shoulder the tough stuff again this time.
"No way... Chiria has to carry the Great Bow again?"
"Don't blame the captain. He plugged every gap on the fly to hold the line. Without that, we'd have crumbled ages ago."
"Parlen's gotta tank up front. Damish... nah. Can't spare the mages. Got it. It's me again. Sigh."
Roles assigned, we hashed out the escape plan.
We couldn't starve in here—had to move while we had strength and wits.
First, confirm the destination.
"Parlen, where's the fog end?"
"Northeast, there's a small river from melting eternal snow.
Ice-cold even in summer, and winter dawns bring fog-like chill—called the Ice Breath River. Weirdly, no fog around there.
On returns from Fog Village to Darania, we cross it to evade fog.
Half a day's walk from here, but at yesterday's desperate pace, we'll make it faster."
We'd unwittingly halved a 2-3 day trek on foot. At that speed, we'd hit the goal quick.
The issue: breaking the helmet ants' encirclement. Needed explanation, persuasion.
I laid out my plan.
"Chiria hates it!"
Chiria bolted up from my thigh pillow, her tone unusually firm and resolute for her.
"Captain's volunteering as bait?"
Parlen crossed his arms, head down.
The mood turned solemn at my words.
"Sorry, but I'm the best fit here."
"Not doubting your skills. How you gonna hold that swarm? Feels like pointless suicide. That's why I'm against it."
"Ragi, no plans to die like a dog. I think it's doable—that's why."
"Then I'll stay back with you, Captain. Can't stomach a shameful retirement ruining my drinks."
"Chiria too..."
"Shut it! Kid doesn't know her place. Think risking life is kid's play? Already pissed watching brats die in front of me. Trying to fuck with me outright? Hey! Back off before I squash you?"
Before Chiria could speak, Parlen growled, and she clamped her mouth shut in shock, eyes welling up.
Damish chimed in too.
"Captain Kirgil, those things are different. Not like my [Earth's Seed]. If you're banking on that bracelet..."
Damish didn't need to finish—I got it. They showed zero fear or avoidance of me.
Ah, damn. Knew it'd get all heavy like this. That's why persuasion's key.
Paradilan alone seemed to sense I had something up my sleeve, watching quietly.
Wait, no? Dragon girl's got her notebook out!? What now? This elf gramps can't read the room...
Anyway, needed a mood shift.
"Everyone, pipe down. Give my crazy idea a sec?"
All eyes on me, I drew a sharp hunting dagger and slashed my right palm open in front of them.
They gasped at the sudden self-harm, but their eyes went wide as the wound vanished instantly.
Ashu had been idle lately.
I explained my unnatural regenerative power meant I wouldn't die easy, and they reluctantly agreed.
Skipped the Connection Ring—too touchy. They'd assume some special magic gear.
Chiria still fretted, gazing at me with teary eyes.
"When it's over, I'll brush your hair. Go ahead and wait. Good girl."
I showed her comb from my belt pouch to ease her.
"If Captain doesn't come, Chiria becomes bad girl."
Her serious pout was bratty-cute, so I pinched and tugged her cheeks lightly as a scold.
Record that, and I could tease grown-up Chiria forever. Miss my smartphone.
Before moving out, I peeked through the air hole.
They weren't clustered at the entrance—scattered in formation nearby.
Small ones thumped the ground occasionally. Probably their signals—not pheromones like Earth ants.
"Damish, begin."
At my word, Damish offered a prayer of thanks. The protecting roots parted, then crumbled.
The helmet ants caught our breakout and swarmed from both sides. More behind, too—their telltale thuds echoed rearward.
We waited till they packed in for a pincer kill.
"Paradilan!!"
"Condensed breath of the giant, become raging waves and sweep this land!"
⟨ Gust of the Giant ⟩
Paradilan unleashed his pre-charged wind spell, blasting a path through the front.
"Charge!!"
Parlen led with shield raised. Chiria followed, Paradilan on her left shoulder, spear in right hand; Ragi and Damish flanked as guards.
I brought up the rear, watching our six.
We pressed on, shoving aside ants flipped by the gale or lunging stragglers. But some dodged behind rocks.
One about a meter tall sprang from frontal rocks, scissor-blades wide—perfect for waist-slicing.
With flanks and rear busy, no dodge room.
Burn precious mana to shift and help? Hesitated a beat.
"Frontal! I got it!"
Parlen called it. He charged the death-hug blades.
As they closed on him, he twisted his tall shield 90 degrees vertical, jamming them open.
While the blades locked on his enchanted shield, Parlen stabbed the exposed maw.
From there, Parlen's shield mastery and simple thrusts cleared foes or set them up for follow-ups, punching the path.
"Keep pushing!"
Frontline handled—no need from me.
The blown-back swarm regrouped, chasing now.
Thuds like a taiko drum corps closed in from the foggy rear.
The noise grew unignorable.
Timing it, I yelled to the party ahead.
"I'll hold here! Paradilan, cover!!"
Thick fog— they vanished from sight after a brief pause.
Only Paradilan's chant echoed from ahead.
"Waters halted in time, become pillars of earth and spread the chill!"
⟨ Frozen Pillars ⟩
A thud! and the fog ahead cleared with a whoosh, revealing Paradilan's ice pillars.
I backed against one, facing the helmet ant legion emerging from the mist.