Lair by Carl Stubblefield (recommended reading TXT) 📕

the areas covered by vegetation on his map, showing the path and surroundings as his Nth shared the information with the manor.

Focusing and zooming in could be done past the plant layer now, but would probably not auto-update like the satellite view could. Still, it could be helpful in planning approaches and exploring in the future.

After walking for a good hour, Gus noticed the sounds of the forest were tapering off. Not totally quiet, but less consistent and with longer pauses between the plaintive calls back and forth. Gus sheathed Razorback and readied his spear as he had trained earlier. Gus slowed down and swallowed to help moisten his suddenly dry throat. The tightness of the jungle around him offered a lot of hiding places, and he began to question the wisdom of coming out here.

He left a second spear, jamming it upright into the ground thick with roots by the trail. When he went farther, a yellow light winked at the edge of his minimap. Approaching with caution, spear extended, Gus saw a Shambler who was attempting to walk through the chest-high stump of a fallen tree. The zombie would walk forward, bounce back, then try again. Gus looked back along the zombie’s sight line and it seemed like it was making a beeline toward the manor.

Gus approached, keeping the stump in between him and the zombie, and set his stance. One snakelike jab later the zombie fell, draped over the stump like he was hugging a teddy bear. Gus made his way back to the trail, with 200 XP more in the bank, and resumed his exploration.

###!###

The One snapped his eyes up. The loss of his minions the day before was acceptable in the sense of loss, but unacceptable in that he had a challenger. The farther away they were, the less control he had over his minions, but they were good at following orders once given. Another light winked out and the mental strand connected to it evaporated. The challenge must be met. The One did not tolerate opposition. Unfurling a different set of strands, he sent them to meet the threat. In a sense, it was good to test his mettle; he would enjoy the test. Then his army would mobilize to reclaim his prize. The One sent his orders and then curled back to await their reports of success and show him what had dared to come here.

###!###

Gus walked on without incident for half an hour. His suit was beginning to be soaked with sweat, whether from the heat and humidity or his anxiety, he couldn’t tell. He was wondering how far he should travel before returning, when the sound of running could be heard, intermixed with the swish of jungle leaves being pushed out of the way. Gus tensed and dropped back into stance. Two figures the size of tigers burst from behind a low hanging broad-leafed plant and rushed straight at him, running on all fours.

Gus’ eyes opened wide and his stomach roiled as he recognized a familiar foe. No, no, no, not more of the fast ones!

He barely had time to reattach Razorback to his belt and secure his spear with sweat-slicked hands as the lead creature approached. Pointing at the larger of the two monsters, he yelled, “Wreck-luse!” But nothing happened. One of the creatures barreled in to him and Gus barely had time to block with the haft of the spear. Upon contact with his spear, the creature reared up and abruptly changed direction.

Since they were so close together, one of the creatures skidded into the other, clambered to its feet then rushed off the path to the right. Gus’ eyes followed it as it disappeared into the vegetation, then he snapped back to focus on the immediate threat. The distracted creature was tripped by its partner, but deftly executed a forward roll and slid past Gus down the trail without even losing any momentum. Spinning around, it hissed and made a loud chirruping click and its lower mandible split open, revealing two shark-like rows of teeth on top and bottom.

Gus had been thrown onto his back and almost had the wind knocked out of him. He cast furtive glances to the jungle as he tried to get up, not wanting the other creature to come up from behind. Clambering to his feet, he faced the creature. It bared its teeth, which moved forward and back, flexing and contracting toward the creature’s maw.

It was the first time that Gus had gotten a clear view of what the agility-based mob looked like. It reminded Gus of the movie ‘The Fly.’ Partly human, but with praying mantis bits for the arms and a grasshopper’s for the legs. Its outer skin or shell appeared bumpy and hard like a crab, and shimmered with an iridescent green hue reminiscent of a dragonfly.

It made a powerful leap toward Gus, talon-tipped arms outstretched. Gus used the base of his spear to deflect the attack and allowed the momentum to carry the creature forward. One talon stretched to gash Gus, but the haft of the spear protected his forearm. The talon struck the spear, lifting a shaved curl of wood as it slid down.

“Dag yo!” Gus screamed and turned to face the abomination. It had a svelte figure and was catlike in how it crouched, back legs trembling in preparation for another pounce. Pumping for a couple seconds, the back legs telegraphed to Gus their intention to jump and he struck out with his spear.

The head of the spear penetrated into the sinewy muscle under the right arm of the creature and hit bone. Snapping its arm back in a tucked position, it altered its trajectory enough to miss Gus, but snapped off the spear tip, leaving him holding what amounted to a jagged-ended broom handle.

The creature leapt upward, grabbing onto a branch with its hale arm and clung there evaluating its prey. It screamed menacingly in anger and pain with its Predator-esque jaws, and Gus had