[Psychokinetic] Eyeball Pulling - Chapter 155 (Patreon)

Leena and the others looked into the psycho camp with widened eyes.

“This is the camp?” Bellona tilted her head as she gazed out to the non-combat psychos doing certain jobs such as, but not limited to; drug making, animal skinning/taste testing, or smashing their heads against boulders for fun.

Wherever she looked, bizarre things were happening.

“Friends of the Eye-Queen’s disciple are friends of ours. Here, you can make yourself feel at home.” The Great No-Eyed One waved his arm across the valley.

“Th-thank you for your hospitality,” Leena said through an awkward smile as she watched the psycho’s scream and run around the area on dinosaur-back. It wasn’t long before they were crashing into the surrounding buildings.

“You are welcome!” The Great No-Eyed One shouted and waved his hand toward the valley. But this time it wasn’t to introduce them to his tribe, rather, it was as if he was calling someone over. “Butcher-fingers, display the prized meat to the visitors–we will have a grand feast today!”

From the valley, Astrid and the others could hear the jingling of chains. It wasn’t long before a tall man with blades as fingers approached.

Leena and the others gawked. Behind the man was a large metal rod with branching out hooks welded on. From the hooks were jingling chains with sizable meat chunks hooked on.

“Right away, Great No-Eyed One.” He nodded to the enormous man next to Astrid, then bowed his entire body to the floating golden-haired girl. “Praise to the Eye-Queen. With my finest selection of meats, I will make sure it is a meal befitting someone of your greatness.”

He talked with a slight lisp almost like a snake. On closer inspection, Astrid noticed his tongue was split down the middle.

Butcher-fingers gazed at the dangling pieces of meat in pride before heading into the valley with a hop in his step. The jingling of chains bounced with every step–just like a cat with a bell collar.

Astrid nervously chuckled. “It’s beast meat–right?”

“Of course,” The Great No-Eyed One said. “Don’t worry disciple, we don’t eat human flesh. That would be… unbecoming of a sacred race that the Eye-Queen has blessed.”

“Right… Unbecoming.” Brett shook his head with a wry smile.

“That’s good.” Astrid nodded. At least the Eye-Queen isn’t that crazy. Maybe.

They were brought into an enormous hallway where a huge table filled most of it. Astrid could smell the wafting of cooked meat throughout the halls as they sat at the table in wait.

She thought it was all rather quick. After all, they had just survived against several armies worth of monsters, and different races, and now they were busy making meals.

Around fifteen minutes later dozens of psycho’s wearing white aprons walked into the hall with huge plates of food on their shoulders.

Astrid sat up in her seat by hovering to get a closer look, but they had covered the food with a metallic dome. It reminded her of dinner back at the family manor.

Even the plates looked similar. Her father refused to gaudy ornaments like silver plates or cups. They just used cheaper ones such as porcelain plates or glass cups.

The psycho’s placed the plates on the table.

Astrid glanced around at her friends' faces and couldn’t help but let out a puff of air in amusement.

They gazed in worry at the covered plates, scared of what would be underneath.

The Great No-Eyed One clapped his hands and the psycho’s lifted up the lids, revealing the meals hidden underneath. From worry, to shock, straight to wonder.

Leena’s eyes lit up, followed closely by her stomach growling. Her cheeks reddened.

“Is there a monster in there?” Brett joked.

“Shut up.” Leena jabbed his side with her elbow.

Fake grimacing in pain, Brett could wait no longer. He grabbed a fork and stabbed it into a fat, juicy steak. The fat was rendered perfectly as the juices escaped from the holes he had just created.

The crust on the meat seemed to be seasoning. It was perfectly placed around the steak, as if the chef had hand placed each individual piece of seasoning with great care.

Brett gulped down a mouthful of saliva before shoving it in his massive mouth. He chewed for only a couple seconds as it almost seemed to melt against his taste buds. He nodded with enthusiasm and continued. It lasted only a few seconds before the slab of meat vanished within his bottomless stomach.

Witnessing Brett’s fervent expression, the rest followed in hot pursuit.

Piece-by-piece, the food disappeared, only to reappear as the psychos ran to and fro with haste. They were on a mission to feed their guests.

“How dith woo wearn to cook?” Astrid’s words were jumbled up as she had a mouthful of food.

Leena glared at her as if reminding her of her table-manners. Astrid pouted, then swallowed the food all at once.

“How did you learn to cook so well?”

The Great No-Eyed One nodded. “The Eye-Queen taught our ancestors a long time ago on how to treat guests. She wanted good food, and we wanted to make her feel at home.”

After they had something to eat, silence ensued, but not for long. Astrid hated silence, plus, she was getting bored. She clapped her hands together as everyone looked in her direction. “Alright, now that we’ve rested, I want to talk about Avemoth.”

Astrid took a sip of the red liquid within the cup to her side. She felt a strong buzz as it entered her stomach.

Burping, she avoided the death glare from Leena, and continued, “Where is it, and how do I get to it? We can’t stay here forever.” She looked straight at the Great No-Eyed One.

He shook his head.

Noticing that, she added, “You don’t think I can beat it?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. Judging by the way you handled the war back there, I would say it’s uncertain. Maybe you win, maybe you lose. I truly don’t know.”

Astrid pinched her chin in thought. If it was uncertain, then that only meant one thing. “Then that just means I need to go and see for myself. There’s no good in dawdling about fiddling with my thumbs, I’ll see for myself whether I can defeat it or not.”

“Astrid, isn’t that too risky?” Leena said.

“It’s a risk I need to take,” Astrid continued. “If I don’t, how are we supposed to get out of here? The main mission of the dungeon is to defeat the Avemoth.”

“But does that truly mean that the dungeon gateway will open if we defeat it?” Calum said from the side. He seemed nervous talking in such an environment, but Astrid could see the will to help out.

Astrid also had the same thought. The dungeons were still unknown, who was to say that the gateway would open if she defeated the Avemoth.

“This is the first time I have been in a dungeon.” Jonathan held his hands together. “I’m confused, worried at not being able to get out, but what if the dungeon gateway is elsewhere?”

Astrid shook her head. “Then where? Regardless of the questions you are asking, I need to visit the Avemoth. It is the first, and only clue that we have right now. Maybe the gateway is elsewhere, but my statement still stands.”

The others couldn’t help but nod at her words. It made sense.

The Great No-Eyed One nodded, then ordered the psychos to clear the table. Once everything was cleared, he left, then returned with a large piece of paper in his hands. It was tattered in areas. Some bits of the paper had burned or turned yellow, but the majority was still in readable condition.

He sprawled it over the table, rolling it from one end, to the other.

Astrid levitated into the air and lay down on her stomach. With her elbows suspended in mid-air, she cupped her chin into her palms. It was a map, and the vast majority of it was a never ending green that represented the jungle of Eyamos.

Then, as the Great No-Eyed One had described to her before, there was Braniatia to the west, Estetia to the east, and finally the Wrentsend Icelands in the north.

Although the map was mainly focused on Eyamos, and only offered a fraction of insight to the other kingdoms.

In the mountainous region, there was an active volcano depicted with an enormous bug with moth-like wings. Lava spurted from the volcano and highlighted the moth monster from behind.

Avemoth. Astrid noted.

“Avemoth’s lare is within the active volcano named Mount Ire. We don’t know when the next eruption is, but the legends state that when Avemoth awakens, the mountains will split, and the earth will rend at its grand awakening.”

“Woah.” Brett bobbed his head up and down.

It sounded like monsters from the myths. Just like the Leviathan’s story. When the Leviathan awakens, the oceans answer its call and the Spawn come forth in an army that can wrestle with the might of humanity.

Astrid was still curious as to why it didn’t act–there must be a reason. Since the dungeons had never arrived before, even during the Leviathan’s reign, that means the Leviathan must be dealing with a dungeon. Or maybe it was forced into one, just like Astrid, and the others had been pulled into.

Whatever it was, she had to face one enemy at a time.

“How long will it take to get there?” Astrid faced the Great No-Eyed One.

“If you go yourself, around six hours?”

Even at my speed, it will take six hours? Astrid was amazed at the size of the jungle, and the mount Ire was located in the centre. That meant from one corner to the other it would take twelve hours or longer.

“Hm, alright then.” Astrid nodded and stood up.

“Wait Astrid, you’re going now?” Leena stood up alongside her.

“The faster I scout out the area, the quicker we all go home. Goddess only knows that I need a bath.” Astrid raised her arm and took a sniff before recoiling her head back in discomfort.

“Besides, even when we find it, what are we meant to do?” Calum asked the same question Brett and the others had.

Astrid glanced at them and remembered the Great No-Eyed One’s words. Someday, she’ll need to walk alone. Was that day coming sooner, rather than later? Astrid dropped her head.

Leena moved her chair closer and grabbed her hands. Astrid felt the warmth radiating from her calloused hands. Years of brutal hard word were evident. Looking into her eyes, Leena seemed to understand what she was thinking. She smiled. “What are you worried about?”

“I’m worried about travelling alone.”

“You’re wanting to face it alone?” Bellona frowned.

Brett was about to say something, but he stopped himself. As if he understood.

“My lady, even if you go alone, I–we–will always be with you.” Leena said with a gentle smile, then she pouted, as if holding back tears. “You have grown up so fast. So fast that I know deep down that I can’t catch up to you, no matter how hard I try…”

Leena cupped Astrid’s floating face within her hands. “Astrid. You are destined for more. It was evident when I watched you fight those monsters on the battlefield. You were born for this. Born to be free. Born to be wild. So do as you always have, go create trouble.” Pulling Astrid closer, Leena planted a kiss on her forehead.

“Leena.” For what felt like forever, Astrid fought back her tears, only for a stray drop to fall.

She launched herself in Leena’s warm embrace.