519 Putrid Core part one (1/2)

/Alpha: Nix: The hell you say! Don't badmouth Chupa.

/Alpha: Pon: Chupa? You named your mount?

/Alpha: Nix: Sure, makes them fly faster. Chupacabra seemed too pretentious, so I shortened it to Chupa.

/Alpha: Pon: Your naming sense is broken.

/Alpha: Nix: Right... I'm going to listen to someone who wears cowboy boots with shorts.

The two bone crows glided effortlessly within the airstream created by the wake of the raven. It was obvious that they were responding to its movements without any input from their riders. When Chupa banked into a dive a few moments later, the entire flight faded from view.

/Alpha: Donri: That's impressive as hell.

/Alpha: Nix: Starting our bombing run, Sem.

/Alpha: Semmi: Understood. We'll switch to Bravo channel and keep you updated through guild chat.

/Alpha: Pon: Be careful.

/Alpha: Semmi: I will. Take care.

/Alpha: Nix: That was very sweet, old man.

/Alpha: Donri: Very...

/Alpha: Pon: Shut the hell up.

Inferno knew that the Peril Burrough remains were bunkered within a series of connecting caves deep in the mountains from preliminary scouting reports. They assumed that these were created over the course of several years when the inhabitants of this Burrough didn't have anything to do. Unfortunately, it made bringing in a large force impossible.

Instead of coming in from above the pass, the Raven leader banked sideways into a rock crevice that was only a few meters wide; Nix ducked reflexively when his head brushed the smooth stone walls.

/Alpha: Pon: This bird is trying to kill us!

As soon as they passed through the crevice, the Raven descended to within a meter of the ground. Nix counted the cave openings on either side of the narrow pass.

/Alpha: Nix: Three on the right and one on the left, focus on the left one Don!

/Alpha: Donri: Got it.

/Alpha: Nix: Toss-em at will...

Nix dropped a half-dozen golems and directed them toward the entrance of the first cave, immediately after he started slinging the teardrop bombs as fast as he could manage. Although they were only in the ravine for a handful of seconds, they managed to drop everything they were carrying. The explosions started as soon the raven started to ascend once again.

The entrances of the caves were blasted away in chain explosions that went on for several seconds. The flight retreated out of the ravine, quickly gaining altitude before circling and heading for camp.

/Alpha: Pon: Going to have to do some more crafting, Nix. That last run depleted my reserves.

/Alpha: Donri: The Boss is gone...

Pon narrowed his eyes slightly; the Raven rider was no longer in the saddle.

/Alpha: Pon: Nix! Where the hell are you now?

/Alpha: Nix: Going to join up with Semmi and her group after investigating this cave.

/Alpha: Pon: Fuck if you're going without this old man! Wait for me.

/Alpha: Nix: Sure... Don't be such a baby. Send Don back so he can update our scouting report.

/Alpha: Donri: I'm getting fucked because I'm the new guy.

/Alpha: Nix: Yep.

/Alpha: Pon: Pretty much. You can always go back to the Central Kingdom...

****************

Rabi bent low to the ground, his small body nearly disappearing on the rocky slope. He glanced up at his sister before shaking his head. The tiny demon's face showed his confusion. ”Something isn't right... Unclean smell.”

Semmi watched from below the slope's lip; there had been none of the mountains' expected movement when the explosions were detonated a few minutes earlier. She had expected it would erupt like a kicked hornet's nest, but the only response was complete silence.

/Bravo: Wind: I don't like it, too quiet.

/Bravo: Sasi: Unclean? Like undead?

/Bravo: Rabi: No. Rotten smell, like old eggs and cabbage.

/Bravo: Semmi: Let's continue forward, lead the way, Rabi.

Rabi nodded and favored Semmi with a fanged smile. ”Nix and old man are here too.

Semmi stopped in mid-stride. ”They should be back at camp already.

Rabi shook his head slightly. ”Nope, they are close.”

”Wait...” Sasi waved at her brother from the rear of the formation. ”Feel that?”

Rabi paused for a moment and let his senses wander. His dark eyes closed as his lips pursed slightly; after several seconds, he opened them again. ”We should retreat.”