[Skill-Eater 2] Chapter 104: Split Party (Patreon)

Sasha pressed her body into the damp earth, crawling on her belly until she could peer over the ridgeline.

Below her, the jailbirds’ tents were nestled in a shallow valley running between two hillocks—the strike force that had attacked the expedition and hounded the survivors ever since.

There were at least sixty cored warriors camped down there—a mixture of late stage ones and stage twos. There had been even more until a few days ago, when two crews had returned to the Savage Garden after the Claws lost some members who were working inside.

This valley was a few miles away from the mountain where Trapper and the other members of the expedition were confined within a network of caverns—a detail that Sasha had learned by spying on the convicts’ camp, just like she was doing now.

She wouldn’t be getting close enough to listen to them today; not while Roth was down there. Sasha had almost been caught during her last scouting run, when a pair of the summoner’s minions had crossed her path. Now she knew to stay at least a thousand yards away from the robed woman at all times—beyond the range that Roth could control her centipedes.

Sasha stayed put for another half hour, learning what she could by observing the Claws from a distance. Then she climbed down the ridge and walked a few miles south—to where a shallow cavern was set into the side of a small hill. She put her hands together and made a bird call along the way, so that her friends would know she wasn’t one of their enemies.

When she walked inside the cave, two women stepped out from behind a pair of boulders with their weapons at the ready. One was Melenia, the muscular guardswoman who had been on Edge’s crew inside the dungeon. The other was a shadowkiller wearing a fox mask, who Sasha had been astonished to learn was Ann’s sister Lillian.

“Roth is back at the convicts’ camp,” she reported. “She looked pissed. The extra crews the Claws sent to dungeon haven’t returned, and they haven’t dragged any bodies out of the caves, which means they still haven’t found Trapper’s team.”

“If they haven’t cleared the dungeon yet…” Mel trailed off.

“There’s a chance that Edge and Snake are still alive,” Lilly finished with sorrow in her voice. “Although the odds of them surviving this long in the Savage Garden, let alone completing the quest, are pretty much nil. I’m praying for them, but it’s best not to get your hopes up.”

Sasha repressed a surge of worry for Edge and the rest of Trapper’s crew, then forcibly returned her thoughts to the matter at hand. “We can’t do anything for Edge or Snake right now. But we can help the other members of the expedition by interfering with the convicts’ operation. Here’s what I have in mind.”

Sasha outlined her latest plan to distract the Claws. With any luck, her efforts would draw their scouts away long enough to light the jailbirds’ wagons on fire—along with their tents if there was enough time. Lilly and Mel nodded as she spoke, occasionally adding a detail or pointing out a problem.

After the attack on the expedition’s base camp, the women had been separated from the other survivors. By the time they figured out what had happened, Trapper’s group had fled deep beneath the mountain. After several failed attempts to locate their refuge, the jailbirds implemented a siege instead, blocking the way back to the jungle while Roth’s summons searched for the hunters’ camp tunnel by tunnel.

The women had been waging a guerilla warfare campaign ever since, doing their best to damage the prisoners’ gear, waste their energy, and lower their morale. It was risky, stressful work, but it was all the three of them could do given the strength of their enemy.

Sooner or later, Earl and Dialla will realize something is wrong and send reinforcements. We just need to hold out until they arrive. Edge, wherever you are, keep up the good work. If the dungeon crews rejoin the Claws’ main force, none of us are going to live long enough to see you again.

***

One-Eye ran his gaze across the entrance to the boss’s chamber, contemplating the boulder blocking the doorway and the tracks of the man he was trailing. He decided that the word “chamber” was a bit misleading in this case, since the dungeon walls had partitioned off most of the island, creating a massive enclosure beyond.

His hunt had reached the final stage. If the man he was pursuing was still alive, One-Eye was certain that he would return to this spot before long. Since the crazy bastard seemed intent on soloing the boss, he should show up as soon as the last elite breathed its last and the way was clear.

After his run in with Ripper’s crew, the hunter might already be dead. But considering everything he had accomplished to reach this point, One-Eye had a hunch that his quarry was still alive.

When he came back to this island to challenge the boss of the Savage Garden, One-Eye would be waiting.

***

Edge opened his eyes and groaned, thrilled to discover that he was still numbered amongst the living.

Moisture bathed his skin as the mist flowed over him like a blanket. Judging by the diffuse light, along with his hunger and thirst, he had been unconscious for a little less than a day and it was sometime in the late afternoon.

Whatever the jailbirds had poisoned him with was nasty stuff—a blend of toxins designed to kill resilient opponents over time, rather than impairing them right away. Edge could feel traces of it lingering in his system, although the worst was over. That rank-four upgrade for Regeneration saved me. I would never have survived otherwise, even with the alchemical medicines.

The first thing he did when his mind began to clear was open his quest menu. Relief coursed through him when he saw that the bone slime was still alive. The fog must have rolled in before they could lure it into their trap.

He knew that his reprieve would be short-lived. The mist was out in full force, but when it dissipated, the jailbirds would make their move. He was certain they would kill the slime as soon as the air was clear, since their setup was bound to be ready by now. Given how the magical weather had behaved up to this point, he had the rest of the day to prepare—two if he was lucky,—before the fog rolled out again.

When Edge reached for his canteen, he realized that one of the Claws’ arrows had punched a hole in it. Worse, their attack had destroyed his water purifier. Even if the device were working, heading down to the river was a risky venture until his reservoir had time to refill. It was still low, since Conceal had been running while he was unconscious, which was the only reason that a monster hadn’t found him.

The fog was his friend, but it wouldn’t protect him from everything. He had to assume that the Claws’ scouts and traps were scattered throughout the city from this point on, and he needed to limit his movement until he knew where they were and had regained his strength.

But then Edge realized that he might have a way of collecting clean water by using his skills instead. He activated Penetrate Mist, then walked over to a plant with giant leaves and cut one free from its stalk. Then he ignited his core and visualized the shape he wanted Repel Water to take—a concave hemisphere the same size as the leaf.

Once it was ready, he walked forward, trapping the mist in his creation until it was pressed against the leaf. To his delight, water began beading along its emerald surface, and when he took a step back, the accumulated moisture ran down the leaf and into a collapsible cup from his kit, which he had placed at the bottom.

He wasn’t sure if he could pull this trick off without the mist, but whenever it was around, he would be able drink his fill. Once he had replenished his fluids and filled his belly with provisions from his pack, Edge hunkered down and waited for nightfall. Since he knew this region better than the Claws, the darkness would work in his favor while he made sure none of them were lurking nearby.

By the time that the light had faded from the world, he was starting to feel better, and his reservoir was halfway refilled. The Claws are probably camped near the trap they were building, along with some scouts in the direction I fled. I need to circle around and move into a region where they won’t be looking for me. The corner of the jungle that’s surrounded by the river is my best bet.

After putting more points into Perception, Edge could see well enough to chart his path, especially since the full moon was shining bright. Careful not to make a sound, he crept down to the river, then skated away using Repel Water, passing through the swamp until he arrived at the border of the jungle.

Since every second was precious and he had involuntarily caught up on sleep earlier in the day, he began his hunt—ready to fight monsters at night for the first time.

Once the Claws kill the slime, it will take them a few hours to reach the boss’s chamber, assuming they know where it is. With Foebinder and Repel Water, I should be able to beat them to it no matter where I am when I get the notice. Once I make it back to the final island, I can wait until I see them coming to step inside.

He desperately wanted to have Extraction ready to go when he fought the boss, but he couldn’t afford to save it now. Not if he wanted to complete his preparations in the handful of hours he had left.

He decided to compromise by using his ultimate twice tonight, then once every seven hours after he woke up. That way, he had a good chance of having at least one charge ready to go when he entered the boss’s chamber.

With a plan in place, he returned his attention to the task at hand—stealing two high-rank powers before he called it a night. Edge was lucky to be alive, but he had a lot that he needed to accomplish if he wanted to survive what was coming, and he was almost out of time.