A chance meeting

The next morning Alexis and Jay woke up together, cuddling for a couple of minutes until they rose from the bed.

It was the last morning they shared for at least a while as Alexis would leave today.

She told him she would escort a group of adventurers to Arathor and from there travel to the Empires capital. It would at least take her some weeks to transfer two of the totems to different locations and have them checked for any leads to the inventor.

On their way down to the dining hall she halted and turned around to face Jay.

"You know, there is a guy in the group who doesn't need to know our...relationship, ...okay?" A.

"...and what exactly is that relationship? I guess he's your ex then?" J.

Hitting his shoulder lightly, at least from her perspective, she smirked at him with a light blush.

"Not that way... I'm talking 'bout you being my apprentice! The other thing doesn't concern anyone else than us! Okay? So no mentioning me training you!" A.

"Okay, so if I'm asked I'm just banging you..." J.

As she was looking at him really pissed Jay grabbed her cheeks and kissed her saying "just kidding" afterwards.

To this, her expression softened, but her fist still buried itself into his ribs.

While rubbing his right rib cage he followed her down the stairs.

The group of adventurers was already waiting for Alexis at the table reserved for staff.

And that was where the real surprise lay. Jay knew the group all too well, as it was Asher, Shanti and the rest.

Arriving at the table the group went wide eyed at the sight of Jay. Alexis was right about to introduce Jay as Asher stood up and greeted him.

"Yo, Jay! Never thought to see you again this soon. Guess the girls are even more happy though!" Asher

With this statement all girls went red. Not just Shanti and Jeany, but also Alexis and Mia blushed while looking at Jay.

The next moment all girls looked at each other and he just wished to vanish into thin air as he knew that they know!

Even Aman seemed to get it and Eagan couldn't help but frown while cussing "for real?" and left the Inn in swift steps. Aman rushed after him in hopes to calm down his friend.

"What was that about? Anyways, how comes you're here?" Asher

Now it was Jay to be dumbstruck.

This guy was so ignorant it was a miracle the group held out this long.

Even the girls looked at him without knowing what to say. Alexis was the first to regain her composure and this in itself was a testimony.

"...And that's the reason I'll always decline you as my disciple!" Alexis

Jay finally understood what Alexis meant for him not to talk, the guy simply wouldn't understand he is not qualified what ever way she told him.

He was so persistent he would never cease to ask Alexis for teaching him. If this went on it could be possible for him to miscredit Jay or tell about him and Alexis.

While they all shook their heads to this imbecile, Jeany and Shanti threw Alexis envious gazes. Their womanly intuition had clarified to them what was going on in an instant.

Stating they would leave town in thirty minutes the group sat up from the table.

Before leaving the Inn for Jay and Alexis to have at least a quiet breakfast, Shanti bowed down next to the sitting Jay and whispered into his ear "The invitation from back then does still count...".

The soup nearly spilled out of his mouth and he had to reign himself in not to keep coughing.

Mia and Alexis threw him a questioning look and before they went on with the breakfast Jay had to tell them how exactly he knew the group, especially Shanti.

After Alexis promised to come back as fast as possible and even joked she would maybe bring him some gift for skill leeching, the group took the daily carriage to Arathor.

Alexis would directly travel on but Asher and the rest would stay for at least a week. They planned to take a ship to the south while Eagan would stay in the capitals cathedral.

Jay promised them to visit them before they would leave. Their meeting would be in the Pigs and Whistles Inn they would be staying at.

He waved goodbye until they were out of sight and went to Commander Haggard. He had asked him to come back today for a new quest that was related to the accursed totems.

Strolling towards the garrison he was greeted from many passer byes and soldiers as he had gotten quite well known in this short amount of time.

The location he was asked to go this time was the region north of silver lake as he had guessed. A patrol had spotted Kobolds there and followed them to the old Jaspelode mine.

Decades ago that had been a rich depot for gems and minerals, but it had long since run dry.

Jay not once told that this region was also where his last target of revenge was supposed to be located.

Only if he got his revenge he would finally be able to leave this place and travel on.

It wasn't that he disliked the region, quite the opposite.

And Mia, Alexis and even the guys from the garrison were there. Jay had noticed his level progression slowing drastically, even with his latest skills due to lacking opponents, so he had to travel on.

Though he was sure to always come back to Gold Creek!

Taking the request Jay left the town to the north and then traveled along the silver lake. Like anytime he saw it, he was impressed of the gigantic basin in the middle of this forest.

As he had walked half the length of the lake about three hours later, Jay spotted the first Kobolds.

The two creatures were quickly dispatched and he then was sure to be on the right track.

Following a small and barely visible path he soon heard voices. Human voices.

Two bandits who were supposed to be on lookout were having a chat while sitting on a fallen tree.

Sneaking up on the bow wielding duo, Jay took out his sword and beheaded the first one with a (Slash). The second one didn't even have the time to turn around when the tip of Jays sword exited through the mans chest.

Taking one of their bows and a quiver, Jay went on towards the cave.

If his orientation wasn't wrong he should have been located northwest of the McLures Winery as he stood before a cave entrance.

Next to it was a old shag and a Signboard with Jasper-Lode hung over the cave.

The over twenty Kobolds, now corpses, littering the ground around him showed he was at the right location.

What bugged him though was, not once before had he encountered this many right before the cave.

Either this Mine was flooded with Kobolds or something else was going on.

Not even thirty steps into the mine he was greeted by the next bunch of Kobolds.

They attacked from his left front where the path forked. Spamming fireballs and lightning to his hearts content this close at the entrance, he left nothing more than charred corpses before going deeper inside.

Taking the right tunnel he soon arrived at a small cave with a cliff.

Over twenty Kobolds of different size and level greeted him there. Some even looked to have just started to grow.

But Jay had no choice as the creatures rushed for him the moment he stepped into the cave.

After killing all his attackers he had a look at the high cliff. It was at least twelve feet high and he felt a presence up there.

To his left was a steep slope up over which he arrived in the next cave.

The Kobolds attacking him here seemed different. They all had higher levels than the ones at the entrance and before, averaging at level nine, what was very high for a mere Kobold.

But they seemed to move sluggish with some even missing limbs of having deep wounds.

With the use of (Slash) and his Wingblade Jay got rid of the pests. To his luck they all were weakened and them having even three Kobold mages with them helped him greatly with his reflection.

He just had to keep running through the cave dispatching one after another. And the work paid off as he finally leveled up both [Sword] and even (Slash).

Entering the adjoining tunnel he had to choose his path at a fork.

The tunnel to the right looked a little cramped so he took to the left.

And that where things got curious. At first he saw dead spiders lying on the ground, seemingly smashed with simple tools or even fists as they had no cuts.

Further down the path he even found some dead Kobolds, or what was left of them.

The corpes all had either stabbing marks or taken a unhealthy colour, or both. Thanks to his Nightvision he couldn't really tell which colour they had, but most of them had a different shade than the ones he encountered in the last cave.

As he neared the next cave, already seeing it at the end of the tunnel, a new creature appeared.

To be precise it was two creatures working as one.

A Kobold with a slightly glowing spider on its head stumbled into the tunnel aiming for him.

Taking no chances Jay used chain lightning and electrocuted the both. Stabbing down his sword through the spider and the kobolds head as he reached them they simultaneously died.

In the next cave he was greeted by the cause of all this trouble and its minions.

A big spider, with a length of about ten feet and six smaller spiders, still the size of a dog waited for him. Two of the smaller spiders were mounted on a Kobolds head each.

Without waiting Jay casted earth and lightning spells, fearing fire would burn too much oxygen in this small cave system. Whenever a spider came close he used his sword and reduced their numbers.

And that was the problem he faced.

Numbers.

The spiders kept appearing with no end.

Whenever he defeated one he had the feeling two more would replace it, though the replacements were far weaker.

When his mana was down to half no spiders emerged anymore. Only the big one and one with a Kobold remained though both had received quite some damage.

Jay himself was pretty much fine, only his stamina would hit rock bottom if the fight continued much longer.

Suddenly the biggest spider crouched down and leaped at Jay in a way no one would have guessed. Dodging to the left he sliced two of the spiders legs, resulting in it crashing into the wall behind him.

With no wait he stabbed his sword into the torso right behind what he guessed would be its head.

As he pulled out the sword he fired a arcane missile just to make sure.

For the last Spider he wanted to test something out. With an aimed slash he made sure to only harm the spider, cutting it in halves.

But the moment it died the Kobold that had been controlled started to convulse and died only seconds later, foaming from its mouth.

With nothing to find in this cave Jay went into the next tunnel. This one was short and led him back into the direction he entered the mines.

But instead of arriving back at the cave with lots of dead Kobolds, he ended atop the cliff he saw a good while back.

On the short way there he passed the small tunnel he had already seen from the other side.

As he reached the cliff he found what they had suspected. In between countless eggs on the floor and cocoons hanging from the ceiling stood another totem. This one was pulsating stronger than the last and it seemed to do so in different colors.

Switching of nightvision for a moment Jay confirmed a pinkish and orange tone after checking there were no threats in this cave. This little tool seemed to have started quite the conflict in this old mine.

Without access to his inventory he cut down one of the hanging cocoons and opened it with his sword.

The rotting Kobold inside had melted for most part and he littered it on the ground.

The cocoons had seemingly held the diet for the spiders, who took the Kobolds as livestock. Binding the spider-threads to a knot Jay had constructed a makeshift bag and placed the totem inside.

With nothing more to loot he decided to take the risk and jumped down the cliff.

His body should be more than capable to such feats, and it was. It felt more like jumping down four stair steps than nearly the same count in yards.

After climbing the slope up, using the railway sleepers from the mine wagons as staircases he finally was back to daylight.

The trip down the cave had taken him some time and it was now afternoon what he concluded from the position of the sun. He had finally gotten accustomed to the daytime here in this world and his inner clock began working again.

Close to the mines entrance Jay heard voices.

It was a male and female voice that seemed to come from directly in front of the small hut covering the exit. With silent steps Jay started to sneak towards the voices.

As he reached the mines entrance and took a peek outside his presumption proved right. He had been sure he recognized one of the voices.

Checking them up with his skill he confirmed the female to be Aidra, the bandit he was looking for.

__________

Aidra - Bandit [lvl. 9]

(Human-Arathi)

HP 230/230 Mana 30/30

[Dagger lvl.2]

[Bow lvl.2]

[Hunting lvl.2]

__________

__________

Garn - Bandit [lvl. 10]

(Human-Arathi)

HP 240/240 Mana 30/30

[Sword lvl.1]

[Bow lvl.2]

[Hunting lvl.3]

__________

The second bandit was a slim build man equipped with a crossbow. They were checking up on the Kobolds in front of the mine that Jay had killed.

While they kept talking about who or what could have killed so many Kobolds horded together, he put down the totem-bag and took his bow.

Using (aimed shot) he targeted the bandits head and let go as the skill had charged up.

With the arrowhead poking out though his forehead the bandit got one-hitted.

Aidra had shot to her feet, looking directly at Jay.

But she couldn't even lift her bow as two arrows plunged one in her right shoulder and one in her left knee.

With (double strafe) Jay had shot the two arrows together while aiming at non vital areas.