The Great Core's Paradox

Chapter 50: Loyal Minions

The quiet sounds of the Coreless as they followed behind me were pleasing, a welcome departure from my previous life. Then, only the sounds of my own blood had pounded in my ears, mixed with the hissing of my scale-flesh as it lost the battle against [Molten Bite] and the heat of the air.

This was better.

So far, things were working out perfectly. My brilliant use of [Illusion Spark] to communicate with the Coreless in a way that they could understand had quickly resulted in them becoming even more loyal minions than before. Even the male-Coreless-who-was-not-repentant followed carefully; each time that I looked back, he had kept his eyes on me carefully, eager to drink in the knowledge that I had to offer.

My own loyal minions.

I slithered through the tunnel, gathering what little light I could from the air through [Illusion Spark V]. It came slower than in my previous life, without the constant drip of [Molten Bite] to pull from. Still, it was only a little slower - and the loss of the fire-pain that it inflicted on my scale-flesh was welcome. I had even decided against attempting to fight the Flame Formicans in this life, worried that one of the Coreless would lose their life again. They would be more useful against the flame-gaze bad-things, I hoped. If they failed, I would just have to try again.

I felt free, my scale-flesh responding in a way that it hadn't for a while. I wanted to revel in it for a little bit longer.

As I moved, I kept a wary eye on the ceiling, looking for the stone-tendril bad-thing before it could ambush me again. Though I wasn't sure where it was, due to being too weak to pay enough attention in my last life, it couldn't be far. I was slithering far faster this time - the only way I could move quicker would be if the Coreless themselves were to carry me. We had to be close.

At that thought, I turned, gathering my focus. As dazed as I had been, it was difficult to bring the image of the stone-tendril bad-thing to mind. I tried anyway, concentrating on the illusion that I wanted to create. With a thought, I placed it just above my own head-scales, a miniature recreation of the disgusting bad-thing that was far too close to the Great Core's likeness for me to be happy with. Something about that felt wrong. Blasphemous.

Still, [Illusion Spark] became harder to handle with any detail as the light moved further from my own body, so it would have to do.

Slowly, a bulbous shape took form in the air, a disgusting and irregular shape that was as far from my own as could be. The tendrils were a little less displeasing to the eye; I could pretend that they were inferior versions of myself, sinking their fangs into the central bulb and releasing punishing death-venom.

They weren't, but the thought made me feel a little better.

I was still more than a little angry about my tail, I realized.

Finally, it took form entirely, and I heard the Coreless begin to mutter among themselves with awe, astounded by my ability to create such a lifelike illusion.

"...does anyone recognize this thing?"

"Maybe?"

They leaned in closer, marveling at my creation.

"It's hard to tell, but it might be a Stone Bulb. Looks a bit like a recreation from a child's nightmare, though. Do those tendrils have fangs? And why does the color keep changing?" After making a few noises, Will let loose a sharp, repeating noise. "Close enough, I guess. Kala, keep an eye out above just in case. I'll stay in front just in case."

"Got it," Needle made a noise, tightening her grip on her needle-spitter and preparing a needle. She looked towards the ceiling ahead, keeping her eyes focused above us.

I hissed with pleasure at my success, enjoying my ability to command the Coreless so easily.

As Will stepped forward, I wound my way up his leg, finding a place on his shoulder and hissing lightly with a flick of my tongue, showing him my favor. He looked at me, trying desperately to hide his awe that I would choose to honor him so clearly. His slightly-widened eyes betrayed him. He had earned at least this much, even if he didn't remember the sacrifice that he had made for the Great Core.

I did, and that was all that mattered.

Turning away and putting his awe out of mind, I focused on my search again. With a quick draw of the mana-light that his ore-flesh gave off, I flashed another beam against the ceiling ahead of us. It reflected off of the clear expanse of stone; the stone-tendril bad-thing was nowhere to be seen. He must have understood because he began to move forward, his giant legs devouring the distance in a way that my slithers couldn't manage. It wasn't long before I found what I was looking for.

At the same time, it found us.

As my light touched its flesh, a chunk of stone whistled through the air directly towards me - only to meet its end on Will's great piece of ore-flesh as he raised his arm to meet it. The stone shattered, fracturing into pieces that scattered outwards and clattered against the walls around us. The air whistled again as a needle shot past my head-scales, darting by the edge of Will's protective ore-flesh. More and more followed, each ending with a satisfying squelch as the needles buried themselves into the bad-thing.

My only regret was that I couldn't see it; shards of stone continuously smashed themselves against Will's defenses, useless against the protection that it provided, but still enough to ensure that my vision remained blocked.

Finally, they stopped.

Needle made a few noises at the others. "It's downed. Should be good to finish it off."

Will lowered the ore-flesh blocked my vision, causing me to hiss in glee. The stone-tendril bad-thing lay crumpled and spasming on the floor, needle-pierced tendrils flopping uselessly as they seeped a pool of dark blood that boiled and hissed as it touched the stone. Above, the remnants of its body still hung, severed tendrils clinging to the ceiling and dripping that same heated fluid.

As Will stepped towards the now-defenseless bad-thing and raised his great weapon of solid ore-flesh, I began to wind my way back down to the floor. The Coreless hesitated as I touched the ground, giving me time to sink my fangs into the dying bad-thing. A small amount of venom slipped through the hollows of my fangs, and the bad-thing spasmed further.

The sight nearly made me shiver in happiness.

When I pulled back, Will's ore-flesh weapon came down with overwhelming force. The ground underneath the bad-thing cracked slightly, unable to stand against the mana-filled ore-flesh.

The bad-thing did more than crack.

The thought-light flickered.

Experience Gained! Reduced Due To Assistance Received.

I hissed again, celebrating the Great Core's victory. Exulting in how easy it had been, with the Coreless at my command.

I could get used to this.

"Ha! I told you that he could see the future." The female-who-was-not-Needle made a noise, startling me. I turned and hissed at her, baring my fangs to display my displeasure. She bared her own fangs at me in return. I decided to let it be for now; she might be useful against the flame-gazed bad-things that still waited ahead. Maybe.

That's two bites that she had earned now, though. I hadn't forgotten about the first.

I put that aside, slithering towards the nearby wall-crack. My reservoirs of light were low, and the mana-light of the Coreless' ore-flesh wasn't enough to fill it quickly. The Coreless continued to jabber at one another as I worked, absorbing the light from the fire-water within.

"Yeah, yeah. You were right. Dont get a big head. Still, maybe this won't be so bad, then. At least we won't get caught by surprise."

Finally, my scale-flesh filled itself entirely and I pulled myself back outside.

Again, I focused. Closing my eyes, I drew from my reservoirs. This time, the image felt clearer - not only had I seen one before, but the light that spread from the bad-things' eyes made details easy to pick out. Slowly, the illusions that I needed began to form.

For each of them, I began with the eye. That, I remembered the most. They glowed with a baleful orange, pupils turned vertical in preparation for attack. Then came the rest; their heavy limbs, their hunched backs, their powerful claws.

And then, I was done. Two miniature bad-things rested beside me, flickering in and out of existence - no taller than the Coreless' shins, but intimidating all the same.

I heard one of the Coreless mutter something.

"Well, fuck. Of course it wouldn't be that easy."

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