In a strange world as a Doppelganger

Chapter 52 - What's all the buzz?

It's not easy saying no to someone who's just trying to explore and have fun. Especially a child. Telling Bewella that we can't just kill every animal we come by was harder than expected. We ended up having a long talk while skinning and butchering the badgers. While none of us are avid butchers or tanners, we did our best with what we had. I told her about not leaving meat around that could attract more dangerous things, the fact that we can't eat or carry everything that we kill and that it would draw attention to us if left trails of dead animals. Talking about it also made me think, if killing creatures was the fastest way to gain experience to level up, but at the same time doing so in excess is a bad thing. Then maybe that's why the goblins also don't level up much. They only kill what they need for food or to maintain their borders. However I don't think it would be much of an issue if we wreaked havoc far away from home, the insects have to deal with what's coming.

Two days of pushing forward later, we arrive by the edge of the insects domain. Before we enter I stop my companion and sit her down.

"It's dangerous in there Bewella, I'm going to need you to promise to stay behind me", the gnomeblin looks a little bit offended but then relaxes. "In there, enemies could come out of nowhere at any moment in time. It is important that we stay aware and focused. I want us to return out here after every fight to check for injuries."

"But I can make things that heal injuries!" She looks at me proudly and starts fiddling around in her pouches.

"Yes but there are venomous and poisonous things in there, so even a small scratch can turn out to be fatal", Bewella looks down at the ground and then up at me again. "It'll be fine, don't worry. We're just going to be extra careful, okay? Now let's get some bombs ready?"

We spot a lump of large centipedes, no idea if they're sleeping or what but I whisper to Bewella to chuck a bomb at the pile and ready a spell to follow it up.

She lights the end of a small string attached to a small sachet and lobs it towards the centipedes. The initial impact is a sudden burst of flame, scorching the insect it made direct contact with. Separating from one another the other two insects get away from the fire as fast as they can and I quickly launch two pressurized water streams at them, tearing a hole in one as the third skitters off. Bewella quickly loads her sling with a loose rock and takes it out before it can get very far.

"Did you see that?!" Bewella exclaims and starts hopping up and down.

"Yes, well done, I don't think we need to head back as we didn't get near them."

I quickly dose the fire that's building with some magical water.

"I found some more!" I hear Bewella yell. Before I can turn around I hear more flames erupt and I see the sudden flash of fire.

I run over to see a large fly take to the air as a massive maggot has caught fire. The droning of its wings are near deafening and I yank my ward backwards, preparing for the onslaught.

The iridescent green sheen of the fly would have been a beautiful sight if it wasn't for its sheer size and the sharp mandibles coming right at me. Focusing on keeping Bewella out of its reach, I feel the sting as it bites into my shoulder. It bites down again and tries to push me down to the ground. I manage to push it off to the side and it buzzes off into the air and seem to inspect me for a moment. Holding nothing back I unleash the fan of freezing water towards it, hoping to catch it even with its apparent speed. The water leaves dozens of small cuts on its body and one wing appears damaged. Following up I launch another glob of water at it but it zips around it.

Behind me I hear Bewella rummaging around and I catch, in my periphery, as she chucks one of her blight bombs at the fly. Even with its quick reflexes, the bomb splashes across its compound eyes and a foul smell bursts out in a directions. The fly starts flying around erratically and its forelegs are desperately trying to clean the much off its eyes. It falls with a crunch to the ground and we both just stare as its face is filling up with sickly blisters and boils. The wings buzz and spasms for a few moments before it falls silent. There's slow movement in the ground nearby and we both spot one of the maggots coming towards the remains of the fly. The thing moves so slow we have no issues keeping distance and pelt it with magic and rocks.

"Now, we need to retreat", I look at my injuries and wince away from the pain as the adrenaline subsides. "This could be bad if left alone."

"Want me to see if I can think up a something that might help? I don't think I could do it on the spot but if I had some time I could probably concoct something."

"One thing at a time, first we leave and tend to any injuries. Then we can discuss proactive plans."

Well back outside the territory of the bugs, we make a small camp. I use some of the infused mud that I have and it cools the wound nicely.

"I think it's got something in you", Bewella says after having stared at my injury for a few minutes. "I think you might get sick from this."

"Do you think it'll kill me?" I look at her, not wanting to question or argue. I have no way of knowing if this is from her newfound knowledge or if she's just guessing.

"I don't know, but I do think we should rest a bit and if you start feeling ill, let me know." She looks serious and worried.

"Will do."