-Callen-

  Instead of returning to town, everyone moved together as a group towards the gatehouse. The gate stands at a vantage point that lets us get a view down into the town, and we are greeted by a sight like something out of a horror film. The whole town has been overrun with worms wriggling all across the town like a million tentacles sprouting from every building. Shambling in the streets are dozens of people whose skin wriggles with life teeming beneath its facade.

  Arriving at the gate itself, people are divided into two sections: those who have been inspected and treated if necessary, and those who are waiting for the inspector to check. You would’ve expected a lot more panic, but the crowds seem under control as the old mayor calmly gives out orders and information.

  “Do Not Panic; if you have no visible symptoms of infection, you will have plenty of time to be treated. Obey the commands of the inspector, and you have no reason to fear for your lives.” His words project a feeling of security and an instinct to obey. I almost want to resist because I can tell it's a compulsion, but that would be nonsensical in an event like this.

  “We are the people of Port Town; enduring is our foundation! Whatever calamity comes, we will endure.”

  He continues to make his speeches, and we are eventually arranged a location to wait for inspection. I’m rather worried about how big a toll like this took on the town and begin estimating how many made it to the gates. With how sudden this happened, I was very concerned with how many would make it. It was with some relief I counted nearly three-quarters of the town waiting or already in quarantine. The number of survivors here didn't include those who fled to other areas. Which meant most of the town survived, and we might be able to recover, though I expect passage between the forest and the town will require a more thorough inspection for the foreseeable future.

  In the meantime, Dad kisses Mom before heading off to join up with the guard force with Grandpa. I watch Dad meet up with three others; the town knights all suit up in the best gear they currently have access to, and I watch them head down the path into town.

  -Marek-

  Who could’ve expected the worst possible bug to have managed to slip into town? A hive worm is one of the worst parasites in the forest. The conditions for a hive to erupt are rare, requiring a sufficiently low vitality typically only found in merchants or specialists. Once growing in number and force, they breed uncontrollably, devouring all organic materials and swarming down monsters much higher level than themselves.

  The hardest part is that the vermin are smart. Whatever triggered it to break cover and begin an open assault likely saved countless civilians. Though whether we can stop it here is still in question because Hive worms have a Hive Father, which gains experience for all the prey the hive hunts. They level fast, and usually the kingdom calls in a high-ranking noble to exterminate. I wasn’t going to let such thoughts slow me. This hive was young and triggered prematurely, and it wasn’t just me but every knight of the town together. I would protect my family just like back when Ela needed me, and I overcame the Wither Tree. I'll overcome this monster and protect my home.

  Turolf the stalwart took point, drawing all the monsters to him while his sword flickered back and forth, dividing every worm in his path with ease. Sir Eira, with a bow in hand, released a volley of arrows, scattering across town and wiping out the worms en masse. Then there was Sir Gunther creating a glowing orb of light that burned away the newborn worms. I took deep breaths, keeping my spear at the ready to fill any gaps or to fight the epicenter, the Hive Father.

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  The ground shakes, and I don’t need perception skills to know it’s coming from below. Instead of dodging, I unleash a set of power thrusts into the ground and am rewarded with the squelching of flesh. I grab Sir Gunther as the others bail from our position, and we reform some feet away. Each member goes back to their role in controlling the swarm. Letting me face the massive worm bursting from the ground. It’s grown massively compared to the lesser worms, its body as thick as one of the trees around the town. I see the hole from my earlier attack beginning to seal as its vitality counteracts my damage.

  Instead of letting it recover, I take my opportunity to lay on as much damage as I can while it’s exposed. Dozens of strikes rip out in a mere moment. I stab repeatedly in a line across its gut, trying to cut it in half. Each strike impacts its body, leaving a gaping hole. However, it doesn’t just let me hit it as the worm vomits acidic goo all over the battlefield. Callen’s gift warns me of the imminent danger, and I grab ahold of the worm, climbing it with grace. I clear the area, and the others follow suit, spreading out to create a perimeter. The acid goop melts straight through the ground, opening and creating a massive pit that could have fit a house inside it.

  I take advantage of my position on its back to sprint along it, stabbing deeply into the worm's stomach, rupturing it, and releasing acid into the worm itself. The worm started thrashing violently, but I clung on and continued my assault, striking it again and again. I begin to smirk when I notice the flesh blacken. My spear was made from the wither tree; everything it touched would rapidly wither, and only a high vitality or skill would resist. Once the flesh withered blackening, and death was certain unless a powerful healer was on hand.

  That doesn’t mean I let up; no, I double down on my efforts, stabbing the worm again and again, focusing more on the number and spreading of hits instead of penetration. Finally the worm seems to realize just how poorly the fight is going, or maybe it realized its spawn has been nearly wiped out. The worm dives into the ground, and the remaining swarm scatters. Sir Gunther’s light wipes out the majority, leaving only a few stragglers escaping into the devastated ruins of the town.

  Well, after an event like this, I think hosing every wooden object in the town with fire to be absolutely certain nothing survived would be a reasonable response. I walk over to the others, and I can see the toll it took buying me time to pummel the worm. I simply walk over to Turolf and pat him on the back.

  “When new booze is made, I’ll cover the first round,” Torulf breaks into expletives as he realizes that both the inn and the liquor warehouse are among the buildings crushed in battle. Eira and Gunther also both give me an exasperated look.

  “You did kill it, right?” Eira asks, looking down the hole the worm burrowed into.

  “It was almost completely covered in wither affliction, but I think digging it up is still necessary even if just to burn the body.”

  Nightshade's dilemma

  It was a sunny and cheerful day, but recently some parasites had festered in her garden. Normally she would clear them out for touching her territory, but her current status made such a move difficult. Ever since Nightshade found a new bond, her level had been restricted to a mere 50.

  Of course this didn’t mean she was helpless, but more that acting would bear consequences much more difficult to manage. Her master was a child on the edge of humanoid territory; in some ways this territory was propped up by her presence. Nightshade had long prepared contingencies to maintain her presence and threat even when weakened, but the problem was that once used, they weren't able to be reset until her level was restored.

  Stretching across the territory were roots she had enchanted into pseudo replicas of herself, allowing her to manifest wherever she pleased in the town, and a number of deposits storing an emergency reserve of mana that would let Nightshade act at full strength for a limited time. The parasites were quickly becoming an issue beyond the capabilities of the human populace, so she intervened, not in full force, but with a smidge of poison to make the acting mayor more anxious when the report of missing people was delivered.

  Then later, when the worm was discovered, she let out a soft level of poison across the town, just like the mayor, raising their anxiety and making them alert for the worm's attack. Finally, another wave of poison; this time she targeted the worms, making them drunken and slow. With the swarm impaired, the town knights were sufficient to clean up the pests.

  A number of worms tried to escape, but now that Nightshade was alert to them, she cleaned up the stragglers and even the leader, who had tried to shed a majority of its mass to escape the Wither affliction. Nightshade made sure no pests were left in her garden. Though she was a bit distressed when the knights started talking about burning everything. That would be unfortunate and entirely unnecessary, but her master did like building. Maybe he would enjoy making a new garden? She passed on warm and sunny feelings to Master, letting him know everything was wonderful.