Dimensional Descent

Aina pulled her sword out quickly.

She didn't quite understand what was happening. Shouldn't Invalids be creatures of instinct? They shouldn't have any intelligence or sense of comradery. Something like signaling one's allies was a distinctly human trait. Sometimes beasts of higher intelligence would engage in such matters as well. But, Invalids? That should never happen.

'It didn't become energy?'

Aina was shocked once again. The Invalid before her collapsed, but it didn't disappear into energy she could absorb. Just what was happening?

Aina's heart seized. Did she make a mistake? Was it not an Invalid at all?

No, that was impossible. Its eyes, its aura, its demeanor, it all screamed Invalid. So, what was happening exactly?

Aina didn't believe that she would make such a rookie mistake. Plus, what existence other than an Invalid could shriek like that even after having its head pierced through?

Aina was certain, it hadn't been a shriek of pain or unwillingness. It had no emotion behind it all, it was completely hollow and without conscience.

'I need to move.'

Aina thrust these thoughts to the back of her mind, taking a glance at the wall the 'Invalid' had been scratching at.

If Leonel had been there, he would immediately recognize the Tier 5 Black Ore embedded into the wall. It wasn't very valuable, but it wasn't worthless either. At the very least, it could sell for a couple kilograms of Black Urbe Ore.

'I don't have time to dig it out and it doesn't seem like a very high level ore either.' Aina nodded to herself. 'Run.'

ran. She felt it was unfortunate that she had placed herself in such a difficult situation for such a worthless Ore she couldn't even mine, but there was no time to cry over spilt

shot back in the

knew she didn't have enough time to run and create new markings on the wall. And, if she got lost in these tunnels, there would be no one to come out and save her. Therefore, her

it likely meant that there were more Invalids on their way. If she was correct, then her arrows wouldn't mean much if anything to them. With their low intelligence, she didn't need to worry about

with confidence, only

all simultaneously rotated their heads in

her jaw

she go forward? Or

following her arrows. But, the latter would force her to forget her initial plans entirely. There was no way she would be able to keep a mental map of where she was

many diverging paths. If it wasn't for this, there was no way that Aina would only meet these Invalids on

her

run into them on the way here. If that was the case, there might

red hue covering

a thought, she shot

disjointed. Though they were as fast as Fourth Dimensional humans, their joints would often bend at odd angles as though

like some alien species just learning how to walk on their own two

shiver down Aina's back, but this was a good thing for her. The less coordinated they were, the greater chance she had of

two, she shot by the gap she created after the Invalid toppled over, nearly

no longer minding the noise she might make. As long as the Invalids she came across continued to be so uncoordinated and

lamenting her previous actions. Why couldn't she had traveled in a

into several more Invalids. Many were alone, allowing her to easily bypass them. But, a few came in groups of two and three. Still, it wasn't beyond her

there so many Invalids here? Why did none of them become motes

she began to question how she had traveled so deeply without running into even