(Path of the Dragon Mage: Exiled) 40. Moon Scorpions (Patreon)

Note: Meant to get this one up last night but it needed a little extra editing. If luck's with me we should have another one by the end of today.

Corvus jumped back. His boots hit a patch of clear dirt, which was a stroke of luck because everywhere he looked, milky white scorpions the length of his hand were crawling out of the soil. Once free, they'd shake themselves of the last of the grit, leaving bright carapaces so shiny they looked wet.

The ones within a rough twenty-foot radius glowed with a red outline which meant they were an enemy creature. What had Solt called them? Right. Mobs.

Species: Moon Scorpion

Level: 1


Low level, thank the Path he walked on, because the entire field was erupting with scorpions. There were easily thousands of them.

"Well?" Larissa asked. "What are you waiting for? You got a whole field of experience in front of you."

Corvus could see that. But as usual, he also had questions. "Where did they come from? And don't tell me the dirt!" he snapped, seeing her open her mouth to snark out an answer. "We dug down to find that dead rodent, remember? I didn't see… these."

"Oh, these little beauty's live far deeper than that."

Larissa must really be blind if she thought they were beautiful. Yes, the outer shells had a gleam to them which reflected in the silvered moonlight. But the way their carapaces moved and clacked against each other... the upright pincher claws raised to grab and snag, and the curled tails each with a drop of venom on the end...

Corvus shuddered. He would have backed away but more patches were erupting behind him. They seemed to come up three at a time.

Heedless of his disgust, Larissa continued, "Underground tunnels crisscross this whole plain. Some are filled with water run-off from the mountains, but others are filled with creatures. A whole other world of them. Moon scorpions travel to the surface when the moon is full and the night is clear."

He made a face, but knew he could stall no longer. Turning, he shrugged off his bag of holding and threw it at Larissa. "Keep my egg safe?" He knew of nothing which could hurt it, but didn't want to take chances.

Larissa caught the bag deftly, even though her face was turned away. "Keep yourself safe. Those bugs have a nasty sting."

As if her words were a signal, one of the newly revealed scorpions seemed to sense his presence. It turned to face him and so did two more beside it. Raising their pincer claws as if in a challenge, they charged his feet.

He didn't think. The hours of practice targeting and throwing were still fresh in his mind. His muscles reacted, it seemed, without him deciding.

He threw the first single-blade kunai an expert flick. It rotated through the air once and came point down through the middle of the moon scorpion.

Critical hit. You have slain Moon Scorpion (Level 1) for 1XP

Only one point of experience? He'd received ten from a level 2 ratkin. Then again, his level had been lower at the time as well.

The two other scorpions quickly died similar deaths, though he over-rotated the knife on the last throw — the handle hit the creature with enough force to smash it dead.

Corvus gained a grand total of 3 experience points from the group. Not much, but there were thousands of the bugs. Or were they a type of crab? A spider?

Larissa's hoot of delight yanked him out of his musing. She sat on the edge of the high stump, far out of reach of the scorpions. Her legs kicked in delight like a young girl.

"You've done it now. The scorpions smell blood of their own. Better keep a lookout."

She was right. Nearby groups of three scorpions were pivoting his way. He didn't see anything like eyes on the top of their heads — why would a creature who lived underground need to see? — but they clearly sensed him.

The closest group charged. Corvus raced over and grabbed his fallen knives from the corpses before turning to throw.

That began what felt like an endless night of grinding. Dispatching one group of three scorpions, would surely attract another. Sometimes, two clusters at once. 

Combined groups were harder to deal with. Sometimes, if one scorpion was crawling over another he could kill two at once with a lucky shot. More often, Corvus was forced to kill the three closest charging him and quickly yank out the knives, dart back to give himself space, and throw again.  If he was too slow, he would have to throw or slash down at scorpions trying to sting his feet.

Thankfully he had tough boots on.

He missed, too. Either by badly aimed throws, miss-attention, or a scorpion scurrying to the side before the blade hit.

Worst case, he found he could just step on the scorpions. They made a most satisfying crunch under his boots.

If he wanted, he could run across the entire field, smashing to his heart's content. But he wasn't here for empty experience points. He was here to grind his knife-throwing skills.

Within a short amount of time, he had gained a level each in Throwing Accuracy and Knife Throwing (Dual Wield), bringing them to level 4 and 2, respectively. 

His part of the field was littered with stabbed and smashed bodies, attracting the attention of even more clusters. Soon it became common for groups of six to constantly attack with occasional groups of nine joining in.

Getting an idea, Corvus dashed to the tree stump and grabbed the second set of knives out of the rolled fabric. These were the double-bladed version, which meant he had to handle them with more care. Like the single-blade kunai, only the points were sharp. Luckily, the scorpion carapaces were brittle and able to withstand much piercing damage.

Larissa, who'd been watching his progress, called out, "Use a pinch grip with those." She demonstrated by pinching her thumb and two forefingers together. "If you use the hammer grip you'll cut your palm wide open." Her toothy grin suggested this had happened to her a time or two.

"I'm not a complete idiot," Corvus muttered, as he turned to the next group which had conversed and charged. He threw the new double-bladed knife... and it fell badly short, bounced off the ground, and whacked one of the scorpions.

You have crushed Moon Scorpion (Level 1) for 1XP

Larissa's amused cackle cut across the field. "Or you can do it that way!"

Blushing furiously, Corvus threw his next knife more carefully.

The scorpions kept coming, more erupting out of the soil. The endless waves reminded him of the ratkin swarm. 

Though his muscles grew sore from throwing, his stamina bar remained 75% full. The throws themselves were quick flicks of his elbows and wrists thanks to the short range. Those movements didn't require much use of his shoulders. Most of his stamina was lost as he ran forward to retrieve the knives and stomped down on scorpions that got too close.

He missed his mark half the time with the double-ended blade, and Corvus promised himself that by the next full moon he would be more adept at handling them.

Ding!

You have increased your Throwing Accuracy skill.

New level: Beginner 5


Due to repeated actions, you have been given the option to classify this as a combat skill. This would grant you a 5% more likelihood of critical hit while engaging with an enemy.

Would you like to reclassify Throwing Accuracy as a combat skill?

Yes/No

5% didn't mean much when he was facing off against tiny scorpions, but future mobs wouldn't be as easy.

The choice was easy. Corvus declined the offer. The bonus didn't outweigh his other combat penalties he'd receive if he reclassified it.

Larissa yelled something he couldn't catch. Turning, he realized that he had drifted a quarter of the way across the large field. She stood on the stump, waving her hands.

"What?" he yelled back.

She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Level two!"

What? he thought again.

Then the ground rumbled with a vibration he felt in the soles of his boots. Larger carapaces emerged from the soil. The grasping claws were as long as his pointer finger.

Species: Moon Scorpion

Level: 2


It was a larger version of the first level, its carapace less translucent and visibly thicker. As before, they emerged in groups of three: Two level ones beside them.

The group in front swiveled around on skittering legs to face him. Then, as one, they charged.

Corvus had a double-blade in hand, a kunai with the other. Easy choice. He threw the kunai, having much greater accuracy with that blade.

The knife struck hard enough to drive through the level 2 scorpion and stick into the ground. It scrabbled for a few seconds, stinger tail whipping uselessly against the handle before it fell limp and died.

You have slain Moon Scorpion (Level 2) for 2XP

Corvus was so busy watching the larger scorpion that he forgot about smaller ones following right behind. A scrape of a claw against his boot made him flinch and throw the double-bladed knife straight down on instinct. It speared one of the scorpions all the way through. The second, he stomped.

Two more groups followed right behind.

Just when he thought he got a handle on those. (Dispatch the stronger scorpion before dealing with the lesser threat.) Larissa called out again. Her tone was gleeful.

"Level three!"

Bring it, he thought, breathing hard and turning to the where the soil was beginning to bubble up ominously.

He was grinning, he realized. He was having fun.

The level 3 Moon scorpion was as large as a small dog, the carapace was even thicker than the ones before, and was grouped with two lesser level 2's.

Corvus quickly discovered that he could only pierce the level 3's shell with the kunai, not the double-blade. The solid handle at the end of the kana gave it extra weight, but only worked when he threw the blade nearly straight down into the scorpion.

He was forced to change up his methods yet again — taking out the two level 2's before backing away to give him space to work on hitting the level 3.

All the while, every other footstep took out the tiny level ones. They hadn't stopped erupting from the earth just because their bigger brethren had emerged.

By now there were so many scorpions that the entire field appeared to be moving. The ones that weren't within attacking range simply ignored him. They weren't hunting or eating the sparse vegetation. They seemed to be interested in crawling around, soaking up moonbeams.

A bright shock of pain burned behind one knee. Corvus swatted down out of reflex, knocking away a level one that had managed to crawl up his boot and plunge in a stinger.

The skin burned, but he couldn't check the damage immediately. Two level 3s had ganged up together and were charging. He killed the first with his last kunai. The second took two strikes from the double-bladed knife.

Only then could he spare a moment for his notification.

Alert! 

You have been mildly poisoned.

Maneuverability in your right leg will be reduced by 25% until the poison clears.

Time of poison effect remaining: 30 minutes.

He swore under his breath and went to go retrieve all his knives. His right leg, however, felt heavy and the area around the sting burned. It dragged slightly at each step.

"One of 'em getcha?" Larissa called.

He waved her away. Yes, but the penalty was manageable. Grumbling under his breath, he bent to pick up a double-bladed knife then felt a second shock of pain.

For a horrible second, he thought he'd been stung again. But no, he'd just managed to prick himself on the one sharp part of the knife.

Corvus swore at his own foolishness, shaking out his hand. As he walked back to a clear patch he made sure to step on a couple of scorpions to vent his annoyance.

"Look sharp!" Larissa called a few minutes later. "Level fours are coming up fast!"

He was only just managing with level threes — he hadn't been stung again, but between the increased difficulty and his reduced speed, he was forced to retreat closer and closer to the stump.  He didn't bother wasting knife throws on level ones any longer— only stepped on them when they got too close.

"How many waves will there be?" he yelled.

"Five, of course!"

Why, of course? But he didn't get time to verbalize that before, once again, he felt the rumble.

The new level fours had tail stingers as long as the first joint in his thumb. They were accompanied by a pair of level 3's on either side.

Corvus gripped the double-bladed knife in his hand hard. He hadn't had time to attend to the cut and his fingers had grown slick with his own blood. 

He switched his grip in his bleeding fingers…

... and felt a familiar buzz of energy.

He'd felt it the first time he held Solt's rune-sharpened knife, and again with Roan's charmed fishhook.

It was the feeling of a charmed object. But...there was no green outline, no indication that showed there was anything special about these knives at all.

Corvus backed a dozen paces to give him space, then examined at the double-bladed knife more carefully. As he turned the knife, the filagree vining up the handle and the spine of the blade caught the moonlight. Corvus squinted. 

What he had taken for budding flowers. Were... were those runes?

"Corvus!" Larissa called. "Stop lollygagging!"

He looked up to see a level four almost at him, its tail raised high. It was much, much faster than the level 3's.

Thunk!

A thin needle-blade slammed into the creature with such force it sent the scorpion tumbling over and over. Larissa had struck with pinpoint accuracy from further away than Corvus could throw.

"Either pay attention or tap out and get up here," she said, not looking amused.

He thought he would have retreat soon anyway. His right leg was still slow, and even more level 4's were erupting out of the ground.

He looked again at the knife.

It was foolish. He knew for a fact that a mana drain could be dangerous, and if he got into trouble, he could not ask the egg to save him again.

But he couldn't see any ownership stamps on the minute runes… and he was almost certain they were runes, hidden within in the designs of flowers.

If they had been etched but never charged and activated, that would explain why the knives did not show up as charmed objects.

His curiosity was too powerful. He had to know for sure. 

Corvus smeared his blood in a line over the handle and across both blades of the knife. Then he concentrated on pouring mana in.

The tiny runes lit up like scattered stars in the sky, his mana dropped by seventy-five points.

Ding!

You have activated:

Rune collection - Wild Garden

What? he thought, but he had no time. Another level four was charging.

Corvus threw the double-bladed knife.

He wasn't sure what he expected: A boost to his accuracy, the knife to hit harder, or perhaps the blade to sharpen.

The double-bladed knives had trouble with the level threes, and he half expected it to do nothing to the level 4's at all.

This throw was aimed badly and hit the shell at an angle. It should have skittered off. Instead, when it hit, it stuck deep.

Then vines erupted out of the blade. No… they came from the razor thin cut. As the vines shot out, the scorpion fell to the ground, twitching, its shell taking on a translucent quality as if the nutrients were being sucked away from underneath.

Meanwhile, the vines continued slithering outward, multicolor blooms of flowers opening like starbursts. More vines wrapped around level three scorpions that had followed. They coiled around the creatures, tangling up limps, pincers, and tails. Then the vines began to grow into the scorpions — separating the outer shell from the body as if desperate to get to the meat inside.

Then the vines grew again. Out and out, entangling more scorpions as it went. It happened so fast that within moments one was dangerously close to his boots. 

Corvus hurriedly backed away to avoid being snared

The vines continued to spread, and his retreat turned into a limping sprint back to the stump.

Something grasped at his heels—

His next step took him within leaping range of the stump.

"Up here!" Larissa reached down to extend a hand. He grasped it, and the old woman almost effortlessly pulled him up. The vine fell away.

He twisted back just in time to see the final light from the rune magic fade from the blade. The vines stopped, having left a trail of destruction in every direction.

Notifications rolled in, but he ignored them.

Larissa's lips were pinched in a thin line. "How in all the Paths did you manage that trick?"