On the way back to the raft Chronos checked the message bird again only to find that it still wasn't working. Boarding the raft, they continued to drift down the river a bit slower this time as they searched for any hidden entrances they could find.
But after drifting till nightfall they failed to find anybody else, friend or foe.
They did however find two large rank 2 boars to hunt, Gregory asked to hunt them on his own instead of as a group so he could test his new threads.
Accepting his proposal, they moored the raft and Gregory collected his threads.
Watching him sneak through the underbrush Chronos was surprised by how fluid his movements were. Now that he wasn't trying to hide his skills it became obvious how much stronger he was compared to before.
He used the threads to carve a log into a stake then enhanced it using the [Implanting Art]. After this was finished, he hung the stake off to one side of a trail with a trip wire crossing the trail.
Attracting the attention of one of the boars by throwing small rocks at it, it proceeded to chase him right down the trail and into the tripwire.
Whack. Squeal!
The stake pierced right into the boar's side but unfortunately just missed its throat giving it time to warn the other boar.
Seeing its companion impaled, it roared and charged at Gregory. Untying his aura threads, he used them to pull himself out of the way with one hand while the threads on his other hand threw a small boulder at the boar.
When it staggered under the weight of the boulder Gregory jumped onto its back and used the threads as a garrote wire to slit the throat. Blood gushed out as the carotid artery was cut.
It charged into several trees as it tried, and failed, to throw Gregory off before it huffed its last and collapsed.
Tying them up he brought them back to the camp they had made on the riverbank.
Whistling Chronos remarked, "You are significantly more impressive when you aren't trying to hide your abilities, I can't even hear you walking. Why didn't you tell me before now?"
"Do you even realize how sharp your own senses are? Hiding from you is like walking on broken glass with no safe areas to step on, even one mistake and my secret would be out. Hiding it from you was good training in case I have to infiltrate an enemy organization. Besides, Leighla Assassin rules state that we're not allowed to tell others unless necessary."
Putting down the boars he got to work gutting and cleaning them. The intestines and organs that weren't needed were taken down river and dropped into the water.
When Gregory returned from disposal duty, he found Lyla was happily sitting over the cooking pot mixing in ingredients.
"Why is she so happy?"
"You know the [Measured Table] spell order priestesses learn." Gregory nodded. "Apparently it can only provide loaves of bread, structured grain cakes, clean water, salted meat, or preserved vegetables. It doesn't even provide seasonings unless it is needed for morale." Chronos explained.
"All of that is pretty bland to eat. Is there a reason the priests are so strict with the spell?"
Lyla cut in, "We aren't strict with the spell, the Goddess of order is. Her teachings state that we should only take what we need from the world and nothing more than that. The avatar of order says there's a reason for it but never explains what that reason is.
If it wasn't due to our priests and priestesses responding to disasters all around the world the temple would barely have any believers because of the Goddesses strictness. The [Measured Table] spell will always provide enough food to go around, especially during disasters. The Goddess relaxes the rules to save lives but only to save lives."
"So, if lives are at risk, it's more like "follow the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law"?" Sariah asked.
"Yep. Laws exist to save and protect those that follow them, if they put those same lives at risk then they need to be changed. That is the first teaching of the Goddess that every new clergyman of order learns." Lyla said with a proud look.
Looking at her stash of seasonings Chronos felt like teasing her.
"Does that include having extra seasonings on hand?" He said with a cheeky grin.
"T-That's just a small stash. It doesn't mean anything."
She was protectively guarding her seasoning bag as she spoke while glaring at him.
He just laughed; no one here was going to complain if she liked to cook.
After eating a good meal, they turned in for the night with Chronos taking the first watch to keep an eye out for any monsters that might approach.
Hours later Gregory was roughly awoken by growling and hissing. Thinking they were under attack he tried to jump up only to find that his hands and feet were bound by a rope.
Swiftly pretending to sleep he cautiously looked around. He was inside of a wooden cage with Sariah and Lyla lying on the ground.
Just outside the cage was Chronos in his werewolf form being pinned to the ground by five powerful lizardfolk as a young matriarch was casting a wind spell to drive smoke from a burning plant at him. The plant was a slender reed with silver-white veins in its dark green leaves.
Moonveil reeds!
No wonder Chronos had been caught by surprise. Moonveil reeds could put a werewolf into a deep sleep or even suppress their transformation. It even had minor effects on humans, if mixed with another plant it could put all of them to sleep without any issues.
Luckily it looked like it wasn't having too much effect on Chronos, or he was just so angry about being caught off guard that he could ignore it.
Listening to them shout Gregory was able to pick up some useful information.
"Keep him pinned! Young Matriarch why isn't it working? This is the third time he has woken up!"
"I don't know! I'm giving him five times the normal dose, he shouldn't even be able to move with that much moonveil being forced down his throat."
She had been controlling the smoke to force it down his nose and throat, but it wasn't working on him.
"WHO ARE YOU AND WHY HAVE YOU CAPTURED US?"
Chronos shouted at them as he did his best to shred one of the guards' arms.
"He speaks Vesseth? Why wasn't I informed?" The young Matriarch demanded.
"It's not easy to talk with him struggling against us." One of the other guards grunted as they finally managed to pin his arm to the ground again.
"We don't have time for this. The other matriarchs are injured right now. I'll deal with him." A larger lizardfolk walked in from a side room.
Picking up a club he bashed it over Chronos' head, only to have Chronos contort his body in an unusual way and bite his ankle.
"Agh!"
He screamed as Chronos' teeth pierced his muscles almost to the bone.
With his leg unable to support him he fell on his butt. Looking both angry and ashamed that such a restrained opponent had managed to injure him, he swung again.
Chronos laughed as he wasn't able to put much strength behind the swing from a sitting position.
"What did you forget to eat meat today? You pathetic weakling." Chronos sneered as he mocked him.
He had seen Gregory move out of the corner of his eye. If he could keep their attention on himself a little longer Gregory could make a move.
The lizardfolks scales darkened in what was clearly anger.
"You..."
Just as he raised his club again Gregory darted out of the cage and captured the young matriarch with his aura threads; they had taken all of his other weapons.
"Move and she dies." He shouted at the crowd.
Freezing most of them looked at him with worry but the larger lizardfolk threatened him.
"Go ahead and kill her, you're in the middle of our nest and won't escape punishment."
He waved the club around as he spoke, clearly too angry to think.
"And how many of you will die before I do? At the very least me and my wolf friend can kill everyone in this room before help arrives. Can you really afford that sort of loss when you're fighting a war?"
He wasn't sure what they were fighting but given that they were underground right now it was a safe assumption that a war was happening on the surface.
Glaring at each other it looked like the situation was going to explode when a calm elderly voice cut through the tension.
"Now why are all of you suppressing an Ulv? Let him up so we can discuss things properly."
A Matriarch with dull scales and clouded eyes slithered into the room. Despite her slow movements her actions were very precise, and her presence was clearly that of one that expected to be obeyed.
The largest lizardfolk tried to explain, "Eldest Matriarch these two..."
"I don't care." She cut him off. "Even blind I can tell that that is an Ulv werewolf. Let him up now!"