Chrysalis Chapter 1698 - Greed

As the staging camp finally appeared in the distance, Elsi was overwhelmed by a turbulent storm of terror, relief, and dread. She hadn't truly believed the monster would permit their escape, even after it had dismissed them. With every stride she took, she braced herself for the creature to strike with those savage mandibles—each as massive as a merchant’s carriage—or to be obliterated by its bizarre magic.

However, the attack never came.

Even so, she refused to believe she was safe. She feared the monster was merely using them as hunting dogs to locate the camp and seize more delvers. She expected that as soon as they were in range, it would simply crush her and Shamus, ending their lives in an instant.

That didn't happen either.

When she eventually crossed the enchanted threshold and the illusion of the tunnel wall vanished behind her, the internal conflict of her emotions finally ceased. Relief surged forward, drowning out her fear, and her legs gave way as she sank to her knees.

She was alive. She had actually survived!

How many souls had ever encountered a monster of such terrifying power and lived to speak of it? Very few, she suspected. She had certainly never met anyone who had. Tier eight... a mythic monster, a true titan of the Dungeon. Finding a creature at a higher stage of evolution in the fourth stratum was practically impossible.

Hardly noticing Shamus collapsing to the ground beside her, Elsi focused on drawing ragged, trembling breaths, waiting for her racing heart to calm its violent rhythm.

“Elsi? Shamus? What in the world happened?”

A coarse voice shouted from nearby, and she didn't need to look up to recognize the speaker.

“Frederick…” Shamus panted. “We have a problem. A big problem.”

“What? Have the ants started an assault? Do we have to pull back?”

“In a way, and maybe,” the veteran delver grunted. “Just give me a moment. I don't think I’ve ever been that close to death... not ever.”

Frederick was a towering, bearded man possessed of a booming voice and an equally commanding presence. As one of the highest-ranking delvers in Green Mountain, he commanded this forward base and served as a representative for the Union. Dozens of other delvers cast curious glances at the two exhausted figures at the entrance, but otherwise continued their tasks, either resting within the orderly rows of tents or getting ready to depart.

Elsi had a strong suspicion that no one would be going anywhere once the news broke.

She could still vividly recall the image of that monster drifting into view and the suffocating aura it radiated. Faced with such a creature, she felt utterly powerless, unable to resist or even comprehend the forces at play.

If she never encountered that being again, it would be too soon. She hoped Shamus felt the same and that they would simply leave. There were plenty of other ways to earn a living in the Dungeon without hunting the bounty on these ants. Gold was useless to a corpse.

“Are you certain?” Frederick rumbled, stroking his beard with a skeptical frown. “There haven't been any reports of the ants having a monster anywhere near that level of strength.”

“I’m no Dungeon Seer,” Shamus snapped, “but I saw it annihilate a dozen delvers like they were nothing but toys. It was Tier eight at least. Definitely Mythic.”

Frederick raised his hands in a placating gesture.

“I'm not calling you a liar, Shamus. I know you're reliable. But why did it let you just walk away? You mentioned it took everyone else captive?”

“It wanted us to spread the word that it was here. It even boasted about its own value, telling us about the rare materials found in its body.”

“It did what?” Frederick stared in disbelief. “Why would a monster inform delvers of its own worth?”

“So we would be lured into attacking it,” Shamus replied coldly. “It wants us to come to it so it doesn't have to waste time hunting us down.”

Frederick appeared completely confounded.

“Well... I doubt many would be foolish enough to challenge a tier eight mythic. Catching one during its evolution is one thing, but... actually fighting it...” The big man made a face that made his opinion very clear.

Shamus pushed himself up slowly and unfastened the drawstring of the pouch on his belt. Reaching inside, he pulled out the fragment of carapace the monster had provided.

Frederick reached out for it immediately, but Shamus jerked his hand back.

“This belongs to Elsi and me,” he cautioned. “You can examine it only if you recognize our claim.”

“How many years have we known each other?” the senior delver grumbled. “Do you want that in writing?”

Shamus paused for a moment, then nodded.

“I do. I don't mean to insult you, but I suspect this is incredibly valuable.”

Elsi thought Frederick might take offense, but Shamus’s seriousness seemed to spark the man's curiosity instead. It took several minutes to get the necessary paperwork signed and stamped before Shamus finally handed it over.

The moment it touched his palm, Frederick’s eyes went wide.

“Mother’s milk! This is far heavier than it looks!”

He turned the piece over several times, tracing the surface with his fingers, then held it up toward the nearest light source for a closer look. With decades of experience, he was a man who usually understood the worth of what he was holding.

“I’ve never laid eyes on anything like this,” he whispered, almost to himself. “Is it some kind of diamond?”

“The creature’s entire shell is made of this material. It’s unnaturally tough. Even a strike of sword light barely left a scratch.”

“Can I take this to the Seer for an assessment?”

Shamus shrugged.

“You might as well. We won't see any coin until you do.”

Dungeon Seers who focused on monster cores and body parts were essential to the Union and were present wherever delvers gathered. Elsi was surprised one had been stationed at this remote forward camp, but given the number of delvers operating here, it was logical. They worked for commissions, after all.

The Seer’s tent was tucked against the wall at the rear of the camp. After a short wait, they were invited inside to see a surprisingly young woman sitting at a table, wearing magically enhanced spectacles on her freckled face.

“Do you have something interesting for me?” she asked with excitement.

“Have a look at this,” Frederick said, carefully setting the palm-sized fragment on the table.

Looking intrigued, the Seer extended a finger to touch the surface, closing her eyes as she did so.

The three delvers stood in silence, waiting as she performed her craft, connecting with the mysterious powers of the Seers to tap into the knowledge of the Dungeon itself.

A few minutes later, her eyes snapped open and her face turned pale with shock.

“Where did you get this?!” she gasped, grabbing the shard with both hands.

Frederick glanced toward Shamus, but the veteran shook his head.

“Let’s discuss the value first,” he said firmly.

“There is no price for this,” the young woman blurted out immediately.

Elsi’s heart sank. The only thing that had comforted her after that horrific ordeal was the hope of a massive payout. Was the stone actually worthless?

“What's that supposed to mean?” Shamus demanded. “Isn't it a type of diamond?”

The Dungeon Seer flushed red and shook her head vigorously.

“No, no! I wasn't being clear. I mean there is no recorded price! My Skills identify this as Gravity Compressed Diamond. I don't even need to look at the catalogs to know this is a completely new material. It is literally priceless.”

There was a sharp, collective gasp, and Elsi saw Frederick stroking his beard thoughtfully.

“You said the monster’s carapace was made of this?” he asked Shamus, his gaze locked onto the diamond. “Exactly how large did you say this creature was?”