“House Leonreim will not let you live for long, Witch! Even If you—“
What is a General?
I wondered what such a powerful individual could be in the Queen’s Eyes. The metal bars snapped beneath my grasp and the last Man Harvester had been flayed alive by my burning webs. His meager health bar vanished and all of us felt stronger. The food in the cage looked at us in horror initially, then awe as we dismantled the entire group of enemies within our jaws.
I stared at the boiled remains before asking myself again: What is a House Leonreim?
Ah, I remember her giving me that honorable position some time before she departed, then handing me the task of growing the Dungeon. I am not even the Boss of that dungeon, yet I was given the opportunity to do such things? I vowed I shall not fail, even if I didn't know what a House Leonreim was. I smiled, but for some reason the food did not seem happy about that. They did not know either.
“T-Thank you, Witch!” One of the whiskered meals spoke with a shaky voice. “Thanks to you we are free!”
I remained silent, but pointed in the direction of the Orc’s village. The food could figure out what I meant by pointing there.
There the food will be processed.
There the food shall be eaten by the Stars.
There were wounded within the cage, so I healed them to fatten the food.
They bowed and scurried away not knowing that, but they should be happy for the honor of being sacrificed for Her Majesty. Awhile later, I had a party of adventurers chase me down the beaten path, under minor Rainbow Magic Trees and through their blistering branches they also called me a Witch. It seemed that the food had different opinions on whether they like the Witch or not. I was no such Class, so I giggled quietly and beckoned the food into the swallowing jaws of the Dungeon. More and more came by, but still the food began to dwindle. It was not long until I discovered a bad note on one of them.
— A Warning —
The following Warning has been Ordained as Truth by the Church of Light and the Explorer’s Ministry. Please contact your Territory Prelate if you have further questions.
THE FORBIDDEN FOREST IS NOW OFFICIALLY LIMITED TO A RANKED ADVENTURERS AND ABOVE.
QUESTS TAKING PLACE INSIDE THE FOREST GROUNDS ARE NOW LIMITED TO A RANKED ADVENTURERS AND ABOVE.
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN A SPIDER WEB IT IS TOO LATE.
Know the safety limits of your power! Adventurers ranked A and above are allowed to enter the Forbidden Woods, but be advised the monsters are much higher leveled! B ranked adventurers and adventurers supporting A Rank parties are advised to stay behind, but can be escorted into the woods after understanding the risk!
While the Law of the Status compels us all, it is advised to conform to the aforementioned warning and be safe rather than going out.
NEW SPECIES OF MONSTER CLAN “SPIDER” HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED.
Spiders have a long history of being docile and easy pickings. However, due to the Starfalls they have become a lot more aggressive and even evolved since then. Originally, it was etiquette to burn Spider Webs and carve all parts of a Spider when they were discovered but now according to the Explorer’s Ministry they must be avoided at all costs. The monsters now coordinate attacks at a much more efficient speed, avoid traps and fellow adventurers, and have much higher levels than ever before. Since they are getting more powerful and smarter with new information spreading across their Clan, it is theorized a new Spider Queen has emerged within the Spider Dungeon.
— Page 2 —
DISCOVERED SPIDER CLAN MEMBERS
“Woman in White” - Danger Class S - A blasphemous Spider that takes the form of a human girl to lure its prey. IF YOU SEE THIS FIGURE IT IS TOO LATE.
Spider Assassin - Danger Class S - An enormous Spider that can cast an Invisibility Skill. Possesses instant kill abilities to any Adventurer level 30 or less and have been sighted outside of the Dungeon. It is often accompanying lone Worker Spiders to lure their prey and is the main reason why the Forbidden Woods are restricted.
Steel Warrior Spider - Danger Class A - A large Spider capable of clawing Epic weaponry and resisting Class A Spells and elements. A singular Steel Warrior Spider is not the problem, however. The main issue arises when multiple Steel Warrior Spiders happen to be roaming, traveling in packs of eight to twenty individuals.
Spider Soldiers - Danger Class updated from C to B - Spider Soldiers possess the Passive Ability Unstoppable and are usually Giant, which makes them virtually impossible to trap, maim or even freeze when their limbs go missing. They seem to understand this concept and take advantage of wreaking havoc on the environment to prevent adventurers from escaping. They used to not be prevalent or so large, but due to changes their Danger Class has been increased.
Spider Workers - Danger Class updated from D to B - Several large variants of these Spiders have been identified as mere workers. Taking one down is hazardous due to them attracting attention from the rest of its group, resulting in a chaotic fight to the death between multiple classes of Spider Monsters. Strike it swiftly and end it in a single blow only if it is unaware of your presence.
Pink Variants - Danger Class S - Do not engage any Spider with a pink stripe, hue or even eye colors. These variants are exceptionally powerful and actively hunt humans. Despite only one being reported by one party of B Ranked Adventurers, based on the number of high ranked party disappearances these variants have been added. Report to your Territory's Guild if you see one of these so-called Legendary Monsters.
The following Warning has been Ordained as Truth by the Church of Light and the Explorer’s Ministry. Please contact your Territory Prelate if you have further questions.
I folded the bloodstained note neatly into a square and tucked it away. I still wondered if my role was necessary. My true body was within the Chamber of the Forest Goddess, a floor within the dungeon, while I could project my shadow body outside here. When I meet with the Queen, it is always difficult to ascertain the meaning beneath her marvelous words. Even if she simply thanks me or wishes me luck, it is a test to see how capable I am. Therefore, it was time to seek the council of others on what I should do with Queen Charlotte’s command. The Elders, our leaders who watched over the first Spider Queen, were eternally locked inside their ritual. They still made time for me when I approached them with the question.
“Do your part as she commands, child,” they simply offered. “We cannot understand her true intentions. For her mind is an eternal universe on its own and impossible to find the true meaning within it.”
It was true, I pondered over their words. Being a General seemed to mean I had a certain amount of command over the rest of Spiders and their minds linked together to adjust to this new structure of communication. When I attempted to read her mind, the appraisal was denied before I could even reach the surface of her memories, so it must be vast when even the Caretakers could not understand Her Majesty. They act accordingly to the ritual that is prepared for the Queen, so I must move on to find more about my role elsewhere.
“She’s… Impossible! Inconvenient! And Impudent!” The Arch Fae buzzed rapidly around my human head. This signified some degree of fear more than disrespect to me, but I did not know what to do with that information. “Let’s see what Human Generals do and… Maybe not do what they do? They seem to make horrible decisions all the time! Like Charlotte! Oops!”
I felt a tap on a few strands on my hair and pink Mana began to change its color. The sparkles that the Fae seemed to spread everywhere she went also fluttered on my dress, which transformed it a little. I see. I should observe the territorial battles that our Sentry Spiders are observing north here. Behind me, something deep and warm rumbled. The Jade Flame, the Dragon we Monsters we revered, rested on the Fae’s Stone Palace grounds. He was not as big as we were used to, but could easily crush the Arch Fae’s own Lizard Golem now within his fist.
“She’s my Master for now,” Attor snorted, but began to let out a sinister laugh. “But soon, I shall be the Master of her.”
It seemed like a threat, but there was a deep newfound respect for Queen Charlotte in his tone. Even I found it difficult to believe we Spiders were even allowed to be in these two holy beings’ presence. There was much more work to be done, but the Jade Flame was content with relaxing here. Not enough time to go north and scout those Leonreim Humans’ movements. If a minion catches anything useful, it should report it to her anyways.
There were things I still needed to prepare for. With all the Human hearts we’ve gathered in the Orc Village for the jars we have been building, we still needed more bodies. The chirps of many Body Spiders came from behind me, a thousand tiny patters stamping on the ground like rain. They heeded my silent signal. Tiltoast, it seems, shall be the next place to gather human hearts.
— Skill: Distress Call has been activated.
— Dungeon: A dangerous entity is reaching too close to Floor 5. (Currently cleared Floor 3)
An adventurer party made it that far down? Attor’s breath puffed, nearly blowing all of the Body Spiders away. Several that launched in the air let out cries of joy as they soared, while he peered at my Notification screen.
“The Status of yours seems like Charlotte’s,” he mused.
“I think so, too,” I agreed. Before I took over this body, I had no understanding of levels and Statuses. Much like my comrades, we simply knew we would get stronger if we eat humans. Well, nothing has changed about that. We are all working hard to make Her Majesty’s Wishbringer command come true and after we succeed she will have all of our Statuses elevated.
“Do you need help with eliminating those humans? Perhaps that Ocean Realm creature would be more than happy to clear them out.”
“No,” I summoned the weapon the Fae made for me — The Death Scythe. “I shall investigate them myself.”
The Death Scythe hummed with a malicious intent and red sparks of Mana zipped along its blade violently. Attor gave a grunt of approval, making one of the Spiders shiver as I activated my Shadow Skills. A General must face the battle head on, I think, so I must give my all to this fight!
— Dungeon Skill: Blood and Iron Alert. Distress call activated
— Intruders alert. F3 compromised.
— Entity One Manas are under attack.
— Observed party of five members, containment procedures impossible. Recommend annihilating or repelling party sent from LIGHT. HERO classed entity has been located among these individuals.
— No Rot Detected.
— Repopulating Upper Floors via Soul Coalescence.
— Estimated Time of Completion: 3 Days.
— Spider Queen “Pink” Status: ALIVE.
A drop of acid sprayed against Elaine’s Divine Shield, but dissolved into a black mist. Ulric slashed the green blood off his sword and gave a disgusted huff as he kicked the oversized corpse to the side. The Spider Worker squealed and twitched, eventually fading away into a shower of experience points. She had gotten over her fear of the Spiders awhile ago, but nevertheless, her guard was up. This Dungeon was the largest one she has ever been in. It just went to show that A Ranked Dungeon was leagues beyond any challenge she’s been through so far. They cleared a path through three sprawling paths so far and just beyond the sputtering Ulric was the stairs descending into the Fourth floor. If this was a B Ranked Dungeon, we would be staring at a Boss Room and not a foreboding dark pit.
“Let’s rest,” Tor ordered the group. Elaine was still alight with energy, but if that’s what the S Ranked Leader wanted she would keep watch. “And you too, rookie.”
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“Hm? Right,” Elaine deactivated her Skill, but the dampness of the dungeon’s atmosphere made her want to activate it again. Tor’s level was higher than hers, yet she felt with her power now she could stand on equal footing. The others, on the other hand, could fair well enough against the lowest form of Spider Monsters. It was the rest of them that made her worry.
The green cloaked man hummed an odd Skill behind her while the others watched. He was this party’s support, a Druid by the name of Frode, conjuring up wooden sticks from thin air with his magic certainly freed up a lot of space for them to move. Especially now that the area was a lot more emptier because of the Guild’s announcement. She would prefer to venture deeper to Floor 4, but she resigned and stabbed her blade into the ground so she could lean on it a distance away from them.
Still, the chatter of the others reached her ears.
“Remind me why we’re here again?” Ulric sat down with a loud grunt. His axe clattered on the ground, but since all of the enemy monsters have been cleared out on this floor it didn’t matter. “I can’t believe the amount of uglies inside this damn dump. No signs of those… Pink ones either. They must be deeper down.”
“That’s exactly why we’re here, Ulric,” Rockelle, A Ranked Mage, sighed. It seemed like a tough guy and a seemingly delicate mage like her wouldn’t get along, but she sat beside him. Truth was, she was the one carving into the spiders with a Stone Conjured Knife in her barehands while Ulric cringed in the corner. “So, what do you think about the newbie, after three floors?”
Oh, me? Elaine wanted to keep to herself, but kept listening to the conversation. Tor and Frode sat beside them. Elaine was not one to gossip, for she had—
“One goal in her mind, it seems,” Ulric glanced her way. “Can’t tell you what, but I know the bugs ain’t stoppin’ her. Mysterious lass, that Bohun lady is. Thought she’d be mighty AND arrogant, but it turns out she’s just mighty… What?”
“Nothing!” Rockelle scoffed. Jealousy? “Tor? What’s your S Ranked Opinion on her? Does your wing cast a great shadow over her or is she privileged because of her class? Don’t be quiet, I know I’m not getting anything from our Druid friend.
“Ha,” Tor seemed distant himself, probably owed to the mug in his hand. “We’re all adventurers, earning our pay. What she’s doing down in the dumps with us, I don’t know. She’s the Kingdom’s new up-and-comer.”
“What? Even the mighty S Rank doesn’t get any special privileges?” Ulric laughed. “I’ll tell you who’s truly in the dumps. How could a B ranker be afraid of a color? Pink. Bah! A girl’s color, and he was scared to the bone inside the Guild and when he was kicked outside of its doors.”
“Your sister doing well?” Rockelle spoke over the laughing Ulric. Tor sighed again.
“Church can exorcise whatever Darkness is inside of her, don’t you worry,” Tor assured the mage. “Yet, she says she’s been having the Dreams again.”
“Oh no,” Frode clutched his staff.
“Dreams,” Rockelle seemed crestfallen at the mention of those Dreams.
The Dreams were horrific nightmares. They’re rare, but some say they happen as a result of gaining too much strength too quickly, or going inside too many dungeons. If she had to guess, S Ranked strength must flow inside Tor’s family and that girl is not an exception to rapid growth. Elaine read some reports on the matter of these strange Dreams, but despite her own prodigious success according to the adults the Hero Class she was Awakened with seemed to quell them away naturally. Sadly for Elaine, however, was she did not recall meeting the Goddess like everyone else. She heard Her Voice, but all she saw was a string of Light itself before Awakening.
Now she was this… powerful Class destined for greatness. Her metal fist tightened over a swirl of that strange Golden Strand only she could see. Would it be wrong to say she never wanted this Class? She has not even met her Saint, but she was expected by both the King Himself and Bohun to train? It truly was wrong, she shook her head. Elaine forced herself to be thankful to the Goddess of Light.
“Aye,” Tor said, laughing nervously. “So I’m actually in this job for my Sister, for the Church and its Cleansing Rituals will take some time. So they requested I investigate here personally. For my Sister, and the Light.”
“Heh, at least this job will be easy with an S Rank, I guess,” Ulric rocked his axe’s handle with his foot. “Oh, I mean, ah, yes hopefully it’ll go well for your Sister.”
Sister, Elaine repeated that in her head. He’s doing this for his Sister. Charlotte’s dark face flashed in her mind. That broken and poor girl, cast aside by her own Father. Guilt and sorrow darkened her face for a moment, but she knew she could quell the Bohun’s curse if she beat whatever was lying in the Boss Room. They continued to speak until finally collapsing and falling asleep. Elaine would stand guard and wide awake, against nothing, since her Hero Class made it so she no longer needed food or sleep.
An ominous gust of energy flowed from the Fourth Floor’s entrance, making her shiver. The Druid yawned, but he cast all their Protection Spells on the others. Elaine felt like the encroaching Darkness soon to come. The energy from below was a lot more dense than the previous three above them combined and tasted funny. It made her grip her sword tighter and straighten up. The echoes of their footsteps down the massive stairway felt perilous, but something strange seemed to dampen their noise.
“Big room, big tree, and two big doors to our left and right,” Ulric rested his axe on his shoulder. “Your call, Boss.”
“Aye,” Tor stared up at the huge spiraling root. “Does that… tree… speak to you, Frode?”
“Something feels… off,” Frode sniffed. Ulric touched the cracked stone wall, before the whole party realized that the stone dungeons are usually made out of had transformed somehow. They had their weapons drawn, but the first thing that greeted them all was a massive gnarled root extending into the darkness above and piercing the ground beneath them. “I’ve never seen this kind of wood. It does not speak to me like the other. It feels—“
A sharp gasp choked the man after he felt its bark. Elaine went on alert, watching for an ambush as he collapsed to his knees.
“Frode!” Rockelle knelt next to him and placed a hand on him. Frode started wheezing and choking, spitting out black bile.
“Not… a… root,” he sputtered. Elaine looked him over. He was dying!
“Excuse me, keep watch!” Elaine rushed to him and began to channel her Healing Divines. The Golden Strand began to siphon her mana into him. Rockelle stood off to the side, while Tor and Ulric were facing away. It did not take long for her to find out what their gazes were fixated on. Skittering and hissing spread across the darkness above them.
“Ooh,” Ulric growled, but Elaine felt the mana surging within him. He’s activated Battle Stance and Berserking already. As expected of an A Ranked Adventurer, but his eyes were fixated on what was descending from the ceiling. “This is bad.”
Pink glowing eyes attached to an invisible body slowly traveled down along a web. Frode stopped throwing black bile up and his Health returned to 100%, while Elaine joined the front line with her sword. She nearly gasped as she saw the other spiders descending with it. There were twelve of them!
— Spider Worker, level 20
A Part of Ariadne’s Brood
“Even the small fry has those stripes of…” Tor muttered. “Pink.”
“Ariadne’s Brood?” Elaine asked. Despite their overwhelming stench of Darkness on them, she could not look away from them.
“Must be the boss’s guards,” Rockelle raised her Staff. It became coated with rock hard Mana, prepared to launch at Tor’s command. The invisible Pink Assassin Spider hissed before landing on the ground. It made no noise, even though its gargantuan size would have said otherwise, instead vanishing into the growing crowd of Spiders. “They’re blocking the way.”
“We will have to carve a path out of here,” Tor said firmly. Retreat? Elaine held back her surprise. An S Rank declaring a loss would surely hurt his reputation, or perhaps, they would understand why? “There’s more at large here than what a single party can handle. Look.”
— ?????, level 50
A Part of Ariadne’s Brood
“L-Level 50,” Rockelle looked faint for a second, but steeled herself. “Its friends are around level 20… Luckily it doesn’t seem interested in attacking yet.”
“Frode,” Ulric started. Elaine glanced at the Druid she just healed, who wiped off the last of that mysterious black substance from his chin.
“I know, I know,” Frode prepared his magic, driving his staff into the ground. “Aid us in battle! O Light Summons!”
The staff let out rays of light on the ground, which formed into the summons of his seven Spectral Beasts. They all howled and immediately made Elaine feel better. Powerful level 25 spirits that buff us will certainly even this battle a little more, she felt the Golden Strand raise her hand and begin to wrap around her sword.
— Divine Sword activated.
“So, you want me to fight, eh?” Elaine glanced at the shining blade in her hands and assumed the fighting stance her Captain taught her. “Very well, then.”
“Ah, the Light hasn’t abandoned us down here, huh,” Tor looked at her sword. The Spider Workers began to charge towards them! “Rockelle!”
“Reveal the Darkness!” Rockelle shouted. A hum from her staff turned into a searing scream, lancing a bright ball of light that stunned the spiders. The massive pink Spider Assassin squirmed in her Light spell, but immediately recovered. All at once, Frode’s Spectral Beasts and Elaine charged into battle. The stunned Spiders chittered and wasted no time recovering from the Skill's glare.
“Heavenly Slash!” Elaine swung her Skill enchanted sword upon one of the beasts, cleaving it down the middle. Ulric was working on his own kill, but she could hear his confidence growing. A massive limb slashed at her, which she caught with her blade.
“All that will remain is that Assassin, go!” Ulric let out another War Cry.
The fighting continued, until most of the surviving Pink Spider Workers fled.
“Haaa!” Elaine screamed, but a strong hand prevented her swing. Her vision began to clear and the mossy stone was covered in acidic blood. The spider she was hacking away at was dead already. “Tor? M-My apologies.”
“Easy, rookie,” Tor chuckled. “Ulric’s War Cry does that to people the first couple of times.”
The Golden Strand does this to me, Elaine protested in her head. She knew others could not see it, but secretly wished she could run into another Hero to talk about it. It empowered her as a beam of physical light she could hold onto, yet she had no idea what it truly was. Some said it was a part of the Goddess herself — She was cut off midway through her thoughts when the Spirits rushed by her. Ulric panted behind them, as the Spectral Beasts stood guard.
“Potions, potions,” Rockelle marched around and stopped before Elaine, looking down at her. She scoffed. “Take one, take one.”
Still jealous? Elaine wondered, but quickly took her on her offer before she moved on.
“Did we lose that Spider Assassin?” Ulric burped after drinking the potion. A refreshing sound played as he became highlighted in the potion’s green healing effects. “Don’t answer. I don’t see it, so it’s gone.”
“It’s definitely not gone,” Tor chuckled. His muscles bulged, but the acid barely hurt him without him even activating any Skills.
“Oi,” Ulric grunted. “Don’t play with fate like that.”
“It seems like the root disappeared,” Frode pointed. A new opening was in front of them, replacing its absence. Was that tree root really such a thing? Elaine remembered feeling like something was observing them, beyond the Spider Assassin. That Spider fled with the other workers, a trait that was unusual for the Spiders. Monsters never had any sense of self-preservation, always hunting humans the moment they could. Could the root be connected to that something or did the War Cry’s effects still linger in her mind?
“Your call again, Boss,” Ulric declared, but he was looking at the stairs leading back up to Floor 3. Tor was silent, raising a hand instead.
The party went silent and above the hum of the 5 remaining Spectral Beast’s Mana, Elaine heard something dripping? Water? It was not acid, she guessed, since that was accompanied by sizzling stone.
“Water? From where?” Rockelle asked.
“From the Ocean Realm,” a new mysterious voice called to them. “They seek a way back home, but they can live here for now…”
“Who’s there?” Ulric activated his War Cry once more. Elaine scanned the newly revealed hallway and saw the silhouette of someone approaching them. A mask? Could it be that stranger? The figure looked like a girl around Charlotte’s age, but her Mana sickened her. This stranger must be the reason why this Floor smelled so bad to her. “Why is a little girl down here?”
“Adventurers don’t belong here,” the stranger said. “Or perhaps you do, her instructions weren’t clear…”
More movement came from above them, but Elaine focused on her voice. She did not sound like the masked stranger from that night. It was more reserved and calculating, but she worried the pounding of her heart got the better of her when she first heard that stranger even if it was a few months ago. Their clothes were different. It was more elegant, silken and white. The pink stripe going down a part of it made Elaine snap out of it. It was made of Spider Silk, an extremely valuable material.
“That’s the girl on the warning sign,” Rockelle gasped. “It’s not a human, it’s the S Ranked danger the Guild has warned us about.”
“Do we really have time to worry about that?” Tor glanced over to the exit. Spiders were beginning to crowd their retreat. “This stranger, human or not, has no intention on letting us go.”
“W-Who are you?” Elaine blurted. “O-On the night those bandits attacked and killed Mary… That was you who rescued me, wasn’t it? Why are you commanding the Spiders?”
“Stay back, rookie!” Ulric growled, but Elaine drew her sword and allowed the Golden Strand take over once again.
“Answer me!”
The girl simply stood there, her blue eyes turning violet. Elaine knew she was planning to attack and plotted to charged forth as soon as she could.
“Blast it all!” Ulric shouted.
“Clear out the way to the exit!” Tor activated a massive Defensive Aura, while Frodo strengthened him and Rockelle launched her magic spells at the crowd of Spiders. “Yes, Rockelle, that’s what we need!”
The party watched the incredible Ice and Fire spells blast through the air and collide with the Spider army before them, engulfing them in an explosion of blue and reds.
“Lightning Strike!” Rockelle aimed her staff at them. One final magic attack was sure to cleave a hole right through the blockade, so Elaine focused herself on the true target ahead of her. That Woman in White. After the dust settled, more skittering echoed through and hundreds of Status windows remained. None of the enemies were harmed? “No way…”
“Ah, it figured your Magic would not harm them,” the stranger seemed to be testing them. “Do not despair. They’re immune to most magical attacks, all thanks to our Gracious Queen’s abilities.”
“Charge!” Ulric let out his Fury Skills as well, lifting everyone’s Spirits.
It was no use! Elaine charged forth and closed the distance between the stranger, who stood watching her and unguarded. Savior or not, this will be your last mistake!
“Divine Sword!” Elaine’s Skill cleaved through the air, illuminating the darkness around her. Instead of catching flesh, her blade was intercepted by an impossibly immoving force! Her body felt limp, then immediately tightened enough so she couldn’t breathe. She screamed and looked down at herself. Webs? “If you’re not my savior, then why are you down here?”
“I don’t recall you being among the ones I saved,” the strange girl remarked. To Elaine surprise, she did not even force the stranger to move an inch. She noticed what her sword collided with and horror filled her. A scythe? This creature was a Witch? “You can be among the ones I saved though. Yes… that is what the Queen would want. Your friends though…”
A massive root collapsed from the ceiling, crushing Rockelle before she even had a chance to scream. It was a tentacle! Elaine peered upward and noticed the tentacle’s gargantuan owner sprawling across the ceiling like the night sky, with thousands of spiders crawling all over it. We never stood a chance, did we? Elaine would sigh, but she struggled against the grasp of Webs for one last breath.
Blood and crushed bone spewed out, landing on Ulric’s armor. His Fury Skill immediately ceased as horror overcame him. Focus, Ulric! Elaine wanted to shout, but the webs were sealing her doom already. It was too late, for the limb of a Spider Soldier squashed his head while another pair of fangs sliced him in half.
Elaine felt faint as the Webs grew tighter. She became enveloped by shadows and the taste of her own defeat once again.
“Hey, wake up!”
A pair of hands shook her awake. She immediately grasped for the Golden Strand and readied herself for battle.
“It’s me,” the voice said. Elaine’s vision cleared before the pounding sensation in her head did, but a familiar face sat before her.
“Tor!?” She stared at him. “We made it out alive?”
“Yes, we did,” Tor had a grave mark of sadness in his tone, but relief permeated through it as well. “But we have to get out of here.”
“Where are we?” Elaine asked. Tor answered, but she noticed the rotted face of a female adventurer and nearly screamed. Her hands clutched a powerful bow, but she has long been expired. “That’s not… Rockelle, is it?”
No, it couldn’t be. The image of her final moment getting crushed by that tentacle made her lean over and puke. Tor waited patiently, but gently shielded her from seeing the body. They were in the first floor’s Nest. Rumbling shook the place, but she was held up by the adventurer.
“Come, rookie,” he spoke softly, extending a hand out to her. “This place is changing into a Labyrinth. We must report our findings.”