FIFTY-FOUR: SCOUTING

  “It eats meat,” Basilides said, breaking the silence of the last two hours. He was pointing with the end of his staff at a rather large bush covered in inch long thorns that dripped with secretions. Long vine-like stems emanated from the dense core of the bush in spiraling patterns that looked impossible to break free of. Cassius looked over the large plant, trying to find what it was that had tipped Basilides off.

  [Hunter’s Sight] gave no warnings as he slowly approached, shield covering his body as he looked over the rim. It felt good to have the thick piece of lacquered wood and iron in front of him. The heavy weight was less now, but just as reassuring.

  “What do you see?” Cassius asked as he stopped right outside of spear range. The ground looked the same, fertile, moist, black earth. A few roots breached from the base of the massive bush but nothing that seemed strange. Aside from the dripping thorns Cassius couldn’t see anything strange with the bush.

  “Not itself, but what is around it. Look how it perches besides a game path that leads to that pond. All around us the soil is dry and this forest is rather warm already, yet the ground is wet and the plant is secreting liquid. It is drawing that liquid from somewhere and unless its root system stretches as far as that pond, then there is no liquid for it to consume. Do you see any other large vegetation around here?” Basilides explained.

  “A plant that eats meat?” Valeria snorted. Cassius saw she still kept her shield and spear at the ready as she slowly walked to support him. Even if she thought the claim was ridiculous the Wilds had taught them caution.

  “Who said it was a plant?” Basilides said. Cassius’ attention was drawn to the base of the wide bush as the roots shifted slightly. Clumpy soil moved as roots came free of the earth. The thick spiraling vines uncurled slowly at first but then with more speed as Cassius took a step back. [Hunter’s Sight] finally recognized the danger for what it was, a spike of fear shooting through his skull.

  An arrow zipped past his head. Cassius felt the air part as the arrow slammed into the core of the bush and detonated with a flash of light. Chunks of vine broke away and others caught fire as one of the Equites reacted to the surprise with violence.

  The ground shifted under all their feet as the earth itself reacted to the attack. Long lines of root lifted free of the ground as the bush slowly rose up and out of the ground. Soil and white stone fell out of the clump of roots at the base of its body while the long vines continued to unfurl and fall to the ground as it rose up to nearly ten feet tall.

  “I shall leave this you,” Basilides said, turning and running away as Vira and the other Equites drew their swords in a rasp of steel on leather. Cassius kept his eyes locked on the creature as it slowly started to slither forward. Thick roots stabbed into the ground and pulled itself toward them, dragging its tangled web of vines behind it.

  “Together!” Cassius barked as he stepped forward. Valeria matched him as they locked shields together and met the creature head on. [Reinforce] was applied without a word, the strength of their settling power filling the air with power as they glowed with application of the skill.

  A tentacle of vines slapped against the shields and Cassius grunted with effort as he kept his feet planted. Light flared as mana repulsed the long thorns and the vine arms snapped back as the creature trembled in a writhing wave.

  “Two forward and [Thrust],” Valeria ordered. Cassius followed her command without hesitation, taking the shuffling steps taught in the camps that would allow a shield wall to maintain formation. [Thrust] empowered his spear strike in a bloody red blur.

  Steel and mana pierced through the layers of coiled vines, burning it away as Cassius aimed for the center mass of tangled roots that hung at eye level. A burst of light and drain of his mana announced his strike hitting something. Valeria’s own spear hit a moment later and the vine creature swayed backward as chunks of its body fell free to smolder at their feet.

  Another arrow zipped by and exploded in a wave of mana. Cassius couldn’t help but notice it was much weaker than his own attacks and felt a sliver of pride as he and Valeria pressed the attack. His mana stores were much deeper than they had been and holding the myriad of skills did not pose the problem it used to. [Hutner’s Sight] locked onto something inside the twisting mass of vines at the heart of the creature and he followed the skills instinct as he struck again with [Thrust].

  Ichor burst free, a wave of emerald liquid that splashed across the ground in a wave as the creature reeled back. Long root limbs stabbed at the ground to arrest its momentum but it was failing as it slammed into the earth, landing just past where it had emerged from the ground.

  GERMINATUS CARNIVOROUS

  LEVEL 11

  INFORMATION: A PLANT THAT HAS EVOLVED TO CONSUME MEAT, OFTEN FROM AMBUSH. HAS A CENTRAL CORE THAT ACTS AS ITS BRAIN AND CONTROLS THE BODY. CAN GROW TO ENORMOUS SIZES.

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  “Basilides, you were wrong. It was a plant,” Cassius said as he lowered his spear down and released the majority of his skills. The red glow around him dimmed and he felt the strain on his body ease as he slowly shuffled forward to where the creature had been laying in wait.

  A hole had been created from its emergence. Nearly eight feet deep and with sharp sides it would be a challenge to climb down into the bottom, but if held anything of value Cassius would do it. He’d climbed through worse than a muddy pit full of bone chips.

  “Valeria, do you see anything worthwhile?” Cassius asked as he walked along the rim of the hole. He kept one eye on the plant monster, but otherwise kept his attention focused on the ground.

  “Nothing worthwhile. What would the beast have acquired that could suit us, it was weak,” Valeria said with a laugh.

  “On our trip out into the Wilds that thing would likely have killed us,” Cassius said drily as he debated about climbing down. He turned his head back to look at the rest of their small party and spied Basilides at the back and had to fight a smile.

  “Basilides you should come and look at this,” Cassius called out as he crouched down and pointed to the bottom of the pit. All that he could see was a layer of grimy bone chips mixed with mud, but the ground had been so heavily disturbed that anything could truly be laying in the mix.

  “What are you doing?” Valeria whispered.

  “He wanted to study, let him study firsthand,” Cassius whispered back with a one shoulder shrug. Valeria looked down at the quagmire and fought back her own smile as she walked to the far side of the pit and started to poke at the mass of twisted vines.

  “What is it?” Basilides asked, his curiosity dragging him forward. The three nobles stood off to the side as they waited. Vira kept her distance from the duo, but was closer to them than she was to the legionnaires.

  “I do not know. We need a closer look,” Cassius said as he slapped the philosopher’s shoulder as the man perched on the side of the hole. Basilides cursed as the strong blow tilted him over the edge and then the man was slipping and sliding down to land in the muddy ground.

  Valeria howled, head thrown back in wild cackles, while the three nobles looked over with suppressed grins. Cassius felt the adrenaline of the fight coming down as he laughed himself. Basilides slid to the bottom and laid there for a moment. His staff had been tossed as he slid down and his new armor and traveling clothes were smeared in mud.

  “That was rude and beneath you!” Basilides finally yelled after a long moment. This only caused Valeria and Cassius to redouble their laughter.

  “Enough. We are still in a dangerous area. Basilides, see if there is anything in that pit. Valeria and Cassius, it is your kill. See if there is anything of value on it. You two, stay on guard while I mark the route,” Vira ordered as she shook her head in exasperation.

  “Come, Cassius. I am sure this beast will have something of value in it,” Vira said as she slowly calmed down and started to walk toward the tangled limbs of the plant monster.

  “I am sure that whatever is on those thorns is not pleasant,” Cassius said as he used the tip of his spear to push away the tangled branches and they walked closer to the core of the creature.

  “Likely not. Maybe the [Observer] can observe what they are?” Valeria said with another chuckle as she shook her head.

  “Just look at what is in the center of the creature and then we need to keep pushing forward,” Cassius said. They had reached the knotted ball of roots and were forced to dig around with their spears as they peered into the tangled mess. Cassius could see the strange sac that he had punctured which had expelled the wave of green ichor.

  “I see nothing of value here. Not that we can carry with us anyways. How far behind us is the legion?” Valeria said only slightly disgruntled as she stepped back. Cassius couldn’t help but agree as he didn’t see the shine of a skill shard anywhere to harvest. Anything else was beyond him.

  “We left nearly three hours ago. The legion should have left an hour after dawn but we move swifter than they do, so maybe three hours behind us?” Cassius guessed as they worked their way back to see Basilides slowly climbing out of the bottom of the pit with something clutched in his hand.

  “You found something of import down there?” Cassius asked. Basilides looked at him and offered a venomously sweet smile as he lifted up a dark stone.

  “A rock?” Valeria said before Cassius could.

  “A seed. I believe this monster left behind future progeny!” Basilides exclaimed.

  “Why would one want a man eating monster plant seed?” Valeria asked. It was only the three of them clustered around the edge of the pit as the others of their party had slowly spread out to watch the area.

  “I know not, but I am willing to search for a purpose if you would allow it?” Basilides said.

  “It comes out of your shares if we find more loot,” Valeria said. Cassius nodded in agreement while Basilides simply nodded along.

  “That is fine. My masters at the Lyceum will likely reward me well enough.”

  “Come then, we have only just started our journey. Your eyes were invaluable and I think you should stick up front with me,” Cassius said, offering the other man his hand. Basilides squinted in suspicion as he glanced back at the edge of the pit.

  “You will not send me back into the pit?”

  “It was only funny the first time.”

  “That implies there could be a second time,” Basilides said warily.

  “Only if it would amuse us,” Cassius promised. Basilides sighed but smiled with good humor as he took Cassius’ forearm in a strong grip.

  “As long as you do not hate when the situation is reversed,” Basilides said.