While Lux was away, Eiko, Laura, and Livia explored the town under Asmodeus' and Zagan's supervision.
The state of the town was so desolate and depressing that even the two cheerful little Dwarves found themselves unable to smile at the current state of things.
Eiko had a frown on her face as she looked around from the top of Asmodeus' head. Lux had asked her to stay and guard everyone. Since her abilities allowed her to copy the ability of his Papa's Named Creatures, she was very flexible when it came to attack and defense.
Asmodeus had summoned his Skeletons and sent them outside the town to explore the surroundings. Lazarus also personally went to scout the surrounding areas to check if there were any monster groups that could potentially attack Abingdon Town while his Master was away.
An hour later, Eiko, Laura, Livia, Asmodeus, and Zagan returned to the Mayor's Residence to rest.
"Evacuation is the only way for the residents of this town to survive," Asmodeus said to Pietro. "Make sure to let everyone prepare for a long journey through monster-infested areas. Tell them that if they don't want to leave, they can stay in this place to die."
The Archlich's words were firm, and as cold as the dead. Clearly, he didn't care whether the residents wanted to leave or not. Those who don't feel like going could just die. His only regret was that he wouldn't be able to collect their corpses to be used as fuel for his Corpse Explosion skill.
"I've already talked to the guards and had them inform the residents about the planned evacuation," Pietro replied. "At most, we will need three days to prepare for this mass migration. I hope you can wait for us till then."
Asmodeus reluctantly nodded his head because there was nothing he could do about it. If it were up to him, he would force Pietro to hasten the evacuation preparation to two days. However, knowing his Master, the Archlich knew that Lux would empathize with the townspeople and give them up to three days.
'Master is too kind,' Asmodeus thought. 'Well, I guess I should make contingency plans for the worst-case scenario.'
After learning how dire their situation was, Asmodeus was certain that within three days, they would face some kind of attack from one of the Insect-Type Beasts that had claimed the Shaufell Plains as their home.
It was not only the Archlich who felt this way.
Gerhart also shared the same sentiments as the Archlich. However, after witnessing Asmodeus' Summoned Creature, Ithaqua, in action, he felt that they still stood a chance due to the Ice Giant's control over the blizzard.
Naturally, Asmodeus had long thought of this as well, but in the face of a Deimos-Ranked Creature, even Ithaqua's territorial advantage would not be able to overcome the disparity in Rank.
The only way they would be able to win was when their entire party was complete. With Lux's, Eiko's, and Asmodeus' Doppelgangers, they would easily bring the power of Nine Initiates into battle.
If one were to add Lux's Named Creatures, it would allow them to take control of the aggro of the Deimos Monster, allowing everyone to attack it without holding back.
Of course, those were all in theory. Even if they had the firepower to deal serious injuries to a Deimos-Ranked Monster, there was one problem.
The monsters that they would face fought in groups or swarms. If they were going to fight a Deimos-Ranked Monster with its minions acting as its bodyguards, it would become an uphill battle.
Meanwhile, while Asmodeus was drawing up a battle plan in his head, Lux and Cethus were busy trying to avoid monsters as they made their way to the Isoptera Mountain in the west of the Shaufell Plains.
To his surprise, the Nest of the Red Giant Hornets was along the way, so they had to be extra careful not to provoke their ire.
"This place is infested with bugs," Cethus grumbled as he flew close to the Half-Elf, who was now riding on his Thunder Warg King, Jed. "Red Giant Hornets, Tetramorium Ants, Mosquitoes, Beetles… just how many bugs are in this place?"
"I have no idea, and I have no intention of finding out," Lux replied as he continued to monitor his map for Monsters that could ambush them from the air or under the ground.
After what happened with the Tetramorium Ants, the Half-Elf had been extra careful in choosing his route towards the Isoptera Mountain because the last thing he wanted was to get encircled by a group of territorial insects that would attack them when given the chance.
After several hours of traveling, they finally arrived at the base of the mountain. When they neared their destination, the Half-Elf noticed that there was not a single creature within a two-mile Radius of the Mountain, except for one.
'This is certainly a Deimos-Ranked Monster,' Lux thought as he made a gesture for Cethus to slow down their advance.
He didn't know how the Monster would react to their intrusion into its territory, so he decided to play it safe and decrease their speed in order to give them enough leeway, just in case the Monster decided to launch a sneak attack on them.
"That should be the place where the monster is located,' Cethus pointed at a giant cave in the middle of the mountain that could easily fit a fifteen-meter-tall beast.
"Ishtar, come," Lux ordered as soon as he landed near the entrance of the cave. "Take a look at what kind of monster it is."
Ishtar bowed and immediately melded with the shadows in order to check what was inside the cave.
A few minutes later, the mountain trembled, making Lux and Cethus immediately rise into the sky to distance themselves from the entrance of the cave. Seconds later, Ishtar, materialized in front of the entrance, before turning into a black mist, headed towards her Master's location.
Suddenly, a loud and piercing screech reverberated in the surroundings as a ten-meter-tall monster emerged from the cave and locked its eyes on the Nightwalker who had intruded in its home.
"An Ant?" Lux frowned as he summoned his Soul Book in order to better understand the Monster that had appeared in front of him.
—------------
< Malevolent Blaze Coned Termite >
– Nameless Vagabond
– Deimos-Ranked Alpha Monster
– The Last Member Of A Destroyed Colony
Health: 16,200,000 / 16,200,000
Mana: 8,400,000 / 8,400,000
Strength: 500
Intelligence: 7,000
Vitality: 3,000
Agility: 4,000
Dexterity: 500
Active Skills: Flamethrower, Fireball, Firewall, Fire Storm, Dig, Fire Crunch
Passive Skills: Thermal Vision, Lava Walk
Special Ability: Immolation
—------------
< Immolation >
– Coats its body with searing flames, burning those who make physical contact with it.
—------------
"Not an Ant, but a Termite," Lux muttered.
Its titles, Nameless Vagabond and The Last Member Of A Destroyed Colony, made the Half-Elf understand why the Termite was all alone in the mountain.
While he was deep in thought about how to handle the current situation, the Termite on the ground opened its gigantic mandibles, which were now coated with flames.
"Who are you, and why have you come to my Domain?"
A sharp and intimidating voice sounded in Lux's, Ishtar's, and Cethus' ears, making them realize that the monster was intelligent enough to know how to communicate through telepathy.
Since communication was possible, Lux decided to have a proper talk with the Deimos-Ranked Alpha Termite, and tell it why he had come to meet with him.
"We came here from Abingdon Town upon the request of the current Mayor, Pietro," Lux replied. "It is currently being besieged by groups of Inse– Monsters, and the people need to evacuate in order to survive.
"Mr. Pietro said that the former Mayor told him on his deathbed that, if Abingdon Town were to need your help, you would offer your assistance once."
The flames on the mandibles of the Giant Termite slowly vanished after hearing Lux's words.
It then lowered its head as if deep in thought. Lux didn't disturb it because he could tell that it was no longer hostile to them. The proof of it was in his Soul Book. Instead of a big, red, blinking dot, the dot was now yellow, which meant that the Monster was now in a Neutral State.
Neither an enemy nor a friend.
"Go back," the Giant Termite stated. "My ties with humans died when my friend died."
Just as the monster was about to turn around to head back to its nest, Lux immediately shouted to stop it in its tracks.
"Please wait!" Lux shouted. "Would you really ignore the former Mayor's hometown and its residents? You are the only one they can turn to during this time of hardship. Without your help, the evacuation will be filled with dangers."
The Termite's body remained still for an entire minute before continuing to crawl back inside its nest.
"Leave," the Giant Termite replied. "Whatever fate awaits the residents of Abingdon Town is none of my concern. I never made a promise that I would help them if they were to face a threat that they are unable to overcome. I already told you that my ties with humans died the moment my friend died. Do not trouble me again or else I will attack you."
The Giant Termite no longer bothered with the Half-Elf and went back inside its nest, leaving Lux, Ishtar, and Cethus to look at its retreating back until it blended with the shadows.
"Now what?" Cethus asked the Half-Elf who was still looking at the entrance of the cave with a disappointed expression on his face.
"We'll do what we have to do," Lux sighed. "Let's return to Abingdon Town."
The Half-Elf patted Jed's back, and the latter let out a low growl before turning back to return to the pitiful town that had been abandoned by the Former Mayor's friend.
When the Half-Elf and the Dragon Born were a good distance away from the Isoptera Mountain, the Giant Termite emerged from its nest once again to look at the East, where Abingdon Town was located.
"Sorry, Drystan," the Giant Termite muttered softly. "I am unable to grant your dying wish. Forgive me, old friend."
The Giant Termite lowered its head as if it was feeling very guilty about something.
Even so, it still decided to not offer its help to the people, whom his closest friend loved with all of his heart.
