It was slow moving. In the sudden panic, few were moving in the direction of the main chamber. They were too focused on escaping from the grubs that werestill falling from the ceiling. By the gods, were they endless?
Every few moments, Hench’s knife would glint, its edge shining like a mirror. Tight stabs skewered grub after grub. Every time he got one, he flicked his blade — tearing open their fragile bodies.
The grubs were everywhere. Half of Hensch’s kills came from skewering grubs that had latched onto people, tearing into anything they could reach. Some stumbled away, trailing blood as they clutched a smoking hole in their arms or legs.
Others simply fell, his actions too slow to save them from a bite to the neck or head.
Who was he? Hensch was too calm, his movements too experienced for him to be anything other than a fighter. But why lounge in the tunnels with the rest of them? An ex-delver?
Niles breathed, moving in the man's wake. Whoever he was, his presence gave him the time to find the cold again. This was what it meant to be a delver — acting even through the worst chaos and danger.
He refused to slack just because he was near someone strong. Complacency would get him killed.
His grip tightened on his blade — tight enough that he felt its edge bite into his makeshift wrapping. He switched back to a low guard — constantly flicking between the floor and the ceiling in case a grub got between him and Hensch.
In all honesty, Yan was doing most of the work of keeping the ground clear. The mountain lion-sized cat was weaving through the crowd with sinuous grace, hunting every grub close. Every time, it would rip into their bodies — separating their heads before it moved to the next target.
Though the rain of larvae never stopped, the crowd was moving now — a panicked stampede towards the main chamber, rather than directionless panic.
It almost made it more chaotic. Every second, someone shoved past him with a scream on their lips — some simply frightened, others with gushing holes that left the ground slick with blood.
Far different from Hensch’s steady steps.
He had to fight to stay behind the man — pulling against the current that sought to yank him along with its path. For a moment, he lost sight of him as a bulky man shoved him to the side, racing between them in his haste to escape.
A streak of yellow and black fell from overhead. The man panicked, all but throwing himself through the crowd. Half a dozen people staggered as he shoved them aside.
In that same instant, Niles heard sudden grunt of pain directly in front of him. Hensch stumbled. The grub had latched onto his thigh, its dripping mandibles coated in the blood.
Niles absorbed the scene in an instant, the familiar ice of his Bloodsong pushing aside the chaos. Hensch’s blade was trapped by his side, arm pinned by a screaming mother clutching a child to her chest. Yon was longstrides away, tearing into another grub.
He had to act.
Tightening his grip on his blade, Niles lunged like he was holding a short spear. The tip of his blade lanced out like a viper, a move he had practiced on the sparring field thousands of times.
Enchanted steel punched through the soft yellow of the creature's body, sliding under the black carapace that coated its head. Writhing, the creature's jaws released.
Niles flicked it down, yellow ichor spilling as the grub hit the ground. Silent in his intensity, he slid into a downwards stab — and threw his whole body weight behind the point of his sword.
Chitin crunched.
The larva shuddered for a final time. System chimes sounded in his mind, more sonorous and potent than he had ever heard before.
**Ding! You have slain Golden Ceratin Larva - Level 36 Seed of Potential!**
**Achievement Noted - You Are Being Observed**
**Ding! Significant Feat of Strength performed under Observation. You have been awarded an Honour: Ruthless Underdog**
Niles forced himself to breathe, reeling as a sudden rush of strength flooded through every part of him. Did the guild know that unclassed could get Honours? It hadn’t been part of the release a few weeks ago.
“Thanks, kid. Let’s keep movin” Hensch said, dragging him from his thoughts. The man limped forwards, one hand pressing on his wound while his other brandished his knife.
Niles forced himself to focus, following close behind. His questions could wait until he’d survived the current crisis. Hopefully the extra five stats he’d just gotten to everything would help with that.