Applying Abilities

"I don't think there are many Giant Vampire Bats in there. Maybe a dozen or so. We could just go in and kill them."

No one was surprised that Rain had located the bat cave, but his claim that it held only a dozen or so bats piqued their curiosity.

"Hm? There aren't many?"

"Rain, how can you tell?" Fabian asked, puzzled.

As an apprentice Rogue, he knew he couldn't have determined that himself.

"Instinct," Rain said, offering no further explanation.

After all, if he said he could smell the subtle differences between the scents left by individual bats and use them to estimate their number, everyone would think he was talking nonsense.

Well...

That answer left the others speechless.

Chris and Fabian exchanged a look and shrugged, neither knowing what to say.

Rain was an Apprentice Mage, after all. His explanation was a little... far-fetched.

But they could just about accept it.

"To make sure we don't miss any, I suggest the four of us go in and put a net over the entrance. Captain, you stay below and shoot any Giant Vampire Bats that slip out."

"All right. If there are only a dozen or so, going in shouldn't be too dangerous."

"But the number of Giant Vampire Bats... Rain, are you sure?" Leia asked again.

As captain, she was responsible for every member of the team, including Rain.

"Ninety percent sure."

"Then we'll go with Rain's plan." After a moment's thought, Leia nodded.

"Okay."

Soon, Rain and the other three were exploring the cave.

"Rain, are you sure you don't need a torch?" Grand asked quietly, watching Rain lead the way.

"No. Your torches give me enough light, and not carrying one leaves both my hands free."

"Uh... all right."

In fact, anyone else leading the group would probably have lit a torch of their own.

With the torches behind the leader, the light would cast his shadow ahead of him. It would sway with every step and make it hard to see.

But Rain had no such problem.

With Dim-Light Vision, the dim, patchy light and shifting shadows were just bright enough for him to see clearly.

After they had gone a few dozen meters, the stench grew stronger to Rain's nose. The others also began to spot fresh bat droppings underfoot.

Chris and the other two might still have harbored some doubts about Rain's judgment before, but now even those last doubts vanished.

"Damn, Rain, that nose of yours is incredible. Even better than a... Forget I said that!" Chris stopped himself when he realized where the comparison was going.

"Yeah. I've only heard of Bugbears and gnollfolk having a sense of smell that sharp," Fabian said quietly from behind.

"Oh, and Boarfolk too. They have keen noses."

Rain paused, about to reply, but then he raised an eyebrow and looked ahead.

The others noticed him stop. They stopped too and followed his gaze.

"We're here. It's just ahead." Rain pointed forward and took another two steps.

"Is it?" Chris stared into the gloom ahead, confused.

"Move the torches to the back of the group. Then you'll see."

As the light ahead faded, a vast cavern chamber appeared before them, its ceiling at least ten meters high.

Glowing microorganisms and mosses gave off a faint light around the chamber.

"Whoa, a cavern. Too bad the captain didn't come in," Fabian whispered.

"Where are the Giant Vampire Bats?"

"Up there." Rain pointed to the ceiling above them and to the right.

In the faint light, he had already spotted the Giant Vampire Bats hanging upside down from the ceiling.

"What do we do next?" Chris asked.

He was the one with experience killing Giant Vampire Bats, but after seeing Rain's uncanny abilities, he found himself asking Rain anyway.

"I think we should stay here and bleed the rabbit to draw them over." Rain gestured toward the narrow tunnel entrance.

In the narrow tunnel they had just passed through, two warriors with shields could block the passage almost completely.

Given the bats' wingspans, they would probably have to fly in one at a time, or two at most.

That would make their advantage in numbers meaningless.

Even if one slipped past, Chris and Fabian, positioned behind Rain and Grand, could kill it quickly.

A Giant Vampire Bat was not particularly strong on its own. It relied mainly on its venomous fangs and sharp claws to injure its prey.

Against Rain in Chainmail, carrying a kite shield and wearing a Bull-Horn Helmet, it would struggle to hurt him at all.

The others exchanged glances and immediately grasped Rain's plan.

"Good idea!"

"Works for me!"

"No objections."

"Chris, I'm worried about your hand. I'll take the front," Grand said, speaking up for the first time in a while.

Without waiting for Chris to agree, he moved in front of him.

Rain and Grand now stood side by side in front, with Chris and Fabian behind them.

"Hey, Grand, you..." Chris gave a helpless, wry smile.

He knew Grand was looking out for him, worried that his left hand had not yet healed.

"Let's begin," Rain said with a faint smile.

Fabian nodded and pulled a live rabbit from his pack. His dagger flashed across its neck, sending blood spurting out. The rabbit kicked a few times, then steadily grew weaker.

Fabian placed the still-bleeding rabbit behind the group.

Less than two minutes later, several sleeping Giant Vampire Bats seemed to catch the scent of blood. They opened their eyes, hissed restlessly, and spread their enormous leathery wings.

Soon, several bats flew down toward the smell of blood. As they neared Rain's tunnel, they dived at high speed.

Though they were nocturnal, they could not resist the lure of fresh blood offered right to them.

The bat in the lead shrieked. Spreading leathery wings more than two meters across, it flew straight toward the tunnel where Rain and the others waited.

Just before entering the narrow passage, it suddenly rotated ninety degrees, shifting from level flight to flying vertically.

Rain's pupils contracted. He tightened his grip on his shield and Warhammer.

Now he understood why the tunnel entrance was so tall and narrow, yet the Giant Vampire Bats could come and go with ease.