“Speak, Colby Tyro,” Elaine said, looking down at him. “And I swear if this is another one of your jokes, I will actually punch you.”

  “Fire, Laine. Use fire. You use fire to burn that thing up,” Colby said, pointing up to the huge sphere of mold towering over the tree line.

  “I’m going to punch you,” she said, walking up to him and cracking her knuckles.

  Porter stepped in front of Colby and threw his arms wide out.

  “Don’t do it, Elaine,” he said. “Please, Elaine. Colby was only out here because of me.”

  She looked at the Supply Runner, scrutinizing his face for even the slightest hint of a lie, before she sighed. “Fine. But I want both of you on the other side of that wall. Now.”

  “Okay, Elaine. Thank you, Elaine,” Porter said, putting his hands down.

  “Yeah, thanks, Laine,” Colby said, sidestepping his way around her in case she suddenly changed her mind. “Actually, why were you going to punch me? I was being serious.”

  “Are you stupid or blind?”

  “No, I’m—”

  “Shut it,” Elaine said. “Look up, and tell me what you see.”

  Colby nodded and craned his head upwards. Spells soared through the air in blazing arcs, crashing into the huge mass of green one after another. Almost all of those spells were Fire based. Fireballs exploded on impact. A torrent of flamethrowers washed over its surface. Fiery birds dove in, exploding in a shower of sparks. For some reason, there was a spell in the form of a huge burning baby that crawled through the air. It flailed its arms at the massive sphere. When that didn’t work, it devolved into a wailing cry that sent flaming teardrops spraying outwards. Then the wails cut off. The burning baby swelled before detonating in a fiery explosion, shrouding the sphere in a thick layer of smoke.

  When it cleared, the huge green mass stood exactly as it had before. There were no scorch marks. Heck, there wasn’t even a speck of dust on its surface.

  “Oh,” Colby said.

  “Yeah, Colby. Oh,” Elaine echoed.

  “But it worked last time,” he muttered under his breath.

  “What do you mean, last time?” she asked, grabbing his shoulder with way more strength than necessary.

  Colby began to tell the tale of how he ventured into a cave where the Myconet called home, about how he tried to burn it down when it attacked him, only to realize that one day he might need some backup rennet again, and how he heroically defeated the mold-zombies that pursued him, and that he definitely did not run away like a shrieking coward.

  The huge growth attacking the town was eerily similar to the Myconet he faced. Except this was much, much, much bigger—and stronger. Therefore, he dubbed it the Macronet. And therefore, fire should work.

  “Bring me there,” Elaine said.

  “Where? The cave? Why? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to be fighting?” Colby pointed up once more. “Not a Myconet?”

  “Because there’s a chance that the Myconet you encountered and this Macronet attacking the town might be one and the same.”

  “Did you [Flash] yourself too many times, Laine?” Colby asked, waving his hand in front of her face. “Do you see the size of that thing? No way it’s the same.”

  “I said there’s a chance. A monster that powerful should have been detected long ago. Something must have caused its rapid growth.”

  “Aren’t you big enough already, Laine?”

  “What? No. I’m saying we might have a clue on how to stop that thing if we head to the cave. It may even explain why the monsters around Brinebrook have been acting oddly.”

  “You think?”

  “It’s just a guess, honestly. Let’s go.”

  “Go? Now? Shouldn’t we tell someone? And are you even allowed to just run out like that? Don’t you have orders?”

  “I already disobeyed them when I went to save your behinds. Who cares if I break another one?”

  “I think the Knights care, Laine. But still, shouldn’t you at least tell someone about what you’re doing? What if something happens to you?”

  “Nothing will happen, Colbs. But fine,” Elaine sighed. “Port, do you mind?”

  “No biggie,” he said with a huge, beaming smile.

  Porter [Dashed] off, and a minute later, he was back.

  “I told those two girls you were with what you’re planning.”

  “Thanks, Port,” Elaine said. “And could I trouble you for one more little favor?”

  Green and brown smears whizzed by as Elaine and Porter ran through the forest. As for Colby, he was forced to take the Porter Delivery System, piggybacked by his best friend and jostled with every way-too-fast step.

  Thornelius remained inside the [Cheese Pouch] attached to the [Cheese Chestplate]. With Farmer Hound neutralized, he no longer cowered in fear. Instead, he leaned out into the rushing air with his tongue out, watching it flap wildly against the wind.

  Accompanying the Thornwolf inside the [Cheese Pouch] were the ginger-cheese men of [The Ricotta Army]. They sat at the bottom of the pouch, telling their own epic tales of how they helped to fell the ginormous yellow ape.

  Apart from their footsteps and Thornelius’ flapping tongue, the forest was quiet. There wasn’t a single monster in sight, smell, or sound.

  Instincts had taken over the moment they sensed the Macronet. Those that got away stampeded through Brinebrook in a desperate attempt to put as much distance between themselves and the danger behind them. As for those that didn’t… They'd have a chance to stampede through Brinebrook later—though not by choice.

  However, if Elaine was right, those monsters may get a chance to stampede through wherever they pleased and on their own terms.

  Soon, the trio had reached the entrance of the cave. It was intact, as if something the size of the Macronet hadn’t wrecked its way through to the outside world.

  “I told you, Laine,” Colby said. “I don’t think they’re the same.”

  “I’m pretty sure they are. Haven’t you noticed?”

  “If I had, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Just tell me.”

  “Is it the grass?” Porter asked.

  “Yes, Port. Some strips are darker than normal.”

  “And squishier too.”

  “You know what else is the same color?” Elaine pointed toward the entrance of the cave, where thin dark-green mold tendrils had snaked their way out into the open and into the surrounding flora.

  “Are you saying the Myconet is puppeting the Macronet, which is puppeting all of those other monsters?”

  “I’m saying there’s a chance.”

  “So we just cut those mold tendril string things, and we save the town?”

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  “I doubt that’s the only way it's spreading. For all we know, it could be crawling out of every crack in the ground that’s connected to that cave. I need to get to the source.”

  “And for all we know, the source might’ve moved to the Macronet, and these are essentially its footprints. Or maybe the Myconet is being controlled by that thing, too. What I’m saying is that we know nothing.”

  “The one time something doesn’t involve cheese, and you have to be right,” Elaine grumbled.

  “What do you mean? I’m Colby,” he giggled.

  “Not now.”

  “Okay, sorry,” Colby said, hiding his face behind Porter’s head. “Still, even if you think that the Myconet is connected to the Macronet, shouldn’t we let someone else investigate it? You know, an actual Knight and not a Knight-in-Training.”

  “All the remaining Knights are busy defending the town. They can’t afford to dispatch anyone.”

  “Then what are you doing here?” Colby threw out his arms, nearly whacking Porter in the head.

  “I’m taking a bet,” Elaine said. “I need to go down there. If this really isn’t a coincidence, I might be one step closer to finding out that ‘things’ weakness, before things get way out of hand.”

  “Even more than the barrier being destroyed.”

  “Yes, Colbs,” Elaine said. “That’s how important this is. I’m just hoping that this isn’t a deadend.”

  “I’m pretty sure this is the only entrance, so it’s going to be—Wait, what’s all this talk about ‘I’?”

  “Do you seriously think I’m letting you and Port go in with me?” Elaine said, taking a swig of water from a bottle stored in her Inventory.

  “Yes,” Colby said. “There is no way I’m letting you go in alone. Plus, I’ve been inside before. I know the layout better than you.”

  “Are you saying you actually remember the path? The guy who famously doesn’t remember anything unless it has something to do with cheese…Are you saying this counts?”

  “Just barely, I think—I hope. As long as I believe hard enough, this counts. So let’s go.”

  Finally, Colby had disembarked the Porter Express, allowing the Supply Runner to take a much-deserved break. And as a special reward for carrying him during the entirety of his conversation with Elaine, Colby gave him some chèvre mixed with candied ginger. Of course, Elaine got some, too.

  Thornelius got some yummy mozzarella wrapped in yucky vegetables. While the ginger-cheese men… Yeah, Colby got them to cover their eyes and ears until the feast was over.

  As they traversed through the cave, Elaine had her sword drawn and ready. With her free hand, she raised a single finger. A soft glow bloomed from the tip of the digit that lit up the walls, far brighter than when he had attempted the same with [Flaming Saganaki].

  Speaking about ‘the same’, the cave looked pretty much the same as the last time Colby had left it. It was a cave with dark green mold that crept along the wall, floor, and ceiling, growing thicker the deeper they went. The only difference was the monster corpses—specifically the lack thereof.

  Maybe Elaine’s hunch did have some merit.

  They must’ve been sent off to attack Brinebrook before the Myconet got its mold on more alive victims.

  Good for them because having to deal with a horde of mold zombies again was not on his to-do list or even his redo list.

  Even better for them, Colby felt like he knew which way he was going rather than randomly stumbling around like the last time he was here. Deep within his psyche stored the information about which path led to the heart of the cave.

  He couldn’t fully recall it, but using the power of cheese, it permeated through his subconscious mind, turning into what could only be described as instinct.

  The deeper they went, the thicker the dark green tendrils became. What started as thin veins spread and multiplied, creeping across every conceivable surface. Every step they took made a wet squelch as their feet sank into the living carpet.

  Far ahead, down the channel where the Myconet should be residing, there was a soft glow. Unless the Myconet had suddenly learnt how to create its own light, there was someone, or something, in here with them.

  Elaine raised a finger to her lip, signaling for them to stay silent, before jabbing the finger in their direction and pointing at the ground.

  Then, she extinguished the light from her fingertip, shrouding them in almost darkness. The grip on her sword tightened as she crept forward towards the source.

  Colby promptly ignored her orders. If there was something else lurking in these caves, he’d rather be with her than not with her.

  Much to her annoyance, Colby and Porter were right behind. But Elaine didn’t stop.

  Together, the three of them slipped into the cavern. Like the tunnel, every conceivable inch was populated with a layer of dark green mold.

  There, the unmistakable form of the Myconet hung in the center of the cavern. The dark green sphere of mold—far smaller than the Macronet outside—was suspended in the air. Thick tendrils stretched down to the floor and ceiling, supporting it.

  And any trace of Colby’s flaming makeover session had all been extinguished. The entire bottom half of the sphere was dark green and slick with enzyme, with nary a scorch mark in sight.

  However, his work being undone was the least of his worries.

  Figures in robes and suits of armor were gathered around the Myconet. They were the source of that light. Like Elaine, one of them held a finger, illuminating the area around them. Unlike Elaine, none of them bore the crest of Paralos—an open oyster with a shining sapphire held up by two massive waves.

  They had… Well, Colby didn’t know whose crest it was, but he could make an educated guess that they were from Endruma.

  That pretty much confirmed Elaine’s suspicions.

  The three of them tiptoed back. But the moment they reached the entrance to the cavern, something very dark, green, and slimy blocked their path.

  Dark green mold had spread, weaving itself together into a living curtain that sealed the cavern off from the tunnel beyond.

  Loud footsteps echoed out behind them.

  Glancing back, robed and armored, the figures were advancing on them. But something was off. Their movements were stiff. Almost mechanical-like.

  As they got closer, the dim light illuminated more than the cavern. Dark green tendrils of mold coiled around their limbs, wrapped around their torsos, and crept up their necks.

  Whatever they had done to the Myconet, it had backfired.

  Just like this plan.