Rolling out of the way was all I could do to dodge the Brownie-Spider's club as it repeatedly fell in an attempt to crush me. I desperately tried to think about a solution, but none seemed to be coming to me. I thought I was having the worst two days known to humanity.
Lacking any better solution, I jumped off the ground, leaving my spear and attempted to tackle the spider monster. Even though the DTA program mentioned that the thing was most likely stronger than me, I felt that I would still have an advantage due to the differences in size. Plus, if I was close to the creature, it wouldn't be able to use its club. The arrow-flinging one also wouldn't be able to use its weapon.
My body slammed into the creature, and I wrapped my arms around it. I was expecting it to move back from the force of my attempted tackle, but it hardly reacted to me. While the Brownie-Spider barely moved, I had a much worse reaction.
The creature's smell assaulted my nose as soon as my arms were around it. It reminded me of an outhouse on a hot day. I retched at the abrupt attack but managed to keep from all-out vomiting on the creature. Although it might have helped me if I did.
I tried to stomp on one of the monster's legs. It was a far cry from the results of my spear swing, but the monster yowled in pain. I tried to stomp again.
I missed as the spider moved to dodge. Then I was struck with an elbow to the forehead. My vision exploded with stars, and I struggled to hold on. The Brownie-Spider spun to try another elbow strike, but I just turned with it.
The spinning, head strike and horrid smell all mixed and I retched again. That time I wasn't able to keep it all down. My stomach's contents weren't a lot, so I managed to just spit it all out onto the spider.
The monster hissed as I puked on it, and I used the moment to stomp on its leg once more. Again, the creature noticed my attack and moved its leg in response. My leg sailed by my target, but my foot didn't connect with the ground due to the angle. Instead, it continued underneath, and I lost my footing. The angle I fell at and my grip on the Brownie-Spider wrenched it around.
An arrow whizzed between me and the monster, slicing into its back with a shallow cut. It appeared that I was wrong about a lot of things. I couldn't tackle the spider, my weight and size didn't put me at an advantage, and the other monster would, in fact, hurl arrows while I was in close combat with the other. I would have to hurry and deal with the spider I was wrestling with before I was shot. Regrettably, I didn't know how to do that.
The spider I was fighting with yelled and hissed as the arrow raked across its exposed back, but it didn't seem to know that the pain was caused by its supposed comrade. It twirled a few more times while I managed to get back to my feet. I did my best to keep it between me and the arrow-throwing monster. Seeing an opening, I kicked hard at its already injured leg and connected solidly.
The Brownie-Spider yelled and bucked wildly. At that moment, I noticed the other one getting ready to chuck another arrow. I scrambled around the monster, pushing and kicking any way I could. As the other Brownie-Spider released its bolt, I wrenched the spider with all my might to move it into the missile's path.
The arrow struck the monster's shoulder.
I was thrown from my mount as the creature erupted in rage. Its strength must have gotten a boost as the adrenaline from the attack seared through it. I landed a couple feet away and on my behind. The struck Brownie-Spider screeched at the other and then ripped the arrow from its shoulder.
The arrow-slinging monster cowered and flinched at the visible anger emanating from the first. I wasn't going to let it turn that rage toward me. I also wasn't going to let the other one realize I was exposed. Thankfully, I landed at the best possible place. Neither creature noticed me, and on the ground next to me was my discarded spear.
When the first Brownie-Spider yelled at the other, I grabbed my spear. I rose from the ground as it yanked the arrow from its shoulder. As the second monster flinched in fear, I plunged the broken and serrated tip of my spear into the first.
Even though it was turned away from me, I aimed for the spot where its heart should have been. I didn't have time to wonder if it was similar to me internally. My spear sunk deep into its back, and I pushed to drive it further.
A strangled gargle emerged from the front, and its legs crumpled beneath it. The fall took my spear with it, and I was pulled down too. I tried to catch my fall by using the spear as a brace. I was partially successful. I didn't fall to the ground, but the spear sunk deeper into the back of the creature, ensuring its demise.
The extra push of the spear on movement caused a large spray of blood to squirt from the wound in a fountain that splashed my face. If not for my goggles, I would have been blinded. Its large thorax was in the way as I stumbled forward. I almost stepped on it due to being splashed with its blood. Instead, I was forced to take a giant step to miss it. I ended up stepping on its back right next to the place of my spear.
I glanced upwards in fear of another attack from the long-range Brownie-Spider. My visage must have been the opposite of what I was feeling. When my head shot up, the monster flinched backward.
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At its own movement, I pulled my spear from my dead opponent and pointed it at the remaining one. It didn't move again as I pointed my spear at it. I thought it would try to knock another arrow quickly in its sling. The distance between us seemed to be far enough that the spider could get the arrow ready and launch it before I was able to attack. Additionally, while not low enough to avoid an attack from me, it was high enough that an attack would be awkward.
Yet, despite all that, the creature didn't dare to move.
I jumped off the dead spider to get a better footing before rushing in to attack, and that was when the other decided to act. Once again, it didn't do what I expected. It skittered along the rocks and then down to the ground in the opposite direction from me.
I moved toward it to keep it in range and hoped for a moment to attack while it continued to do the opposite and flee. The whole time it moved away, it managed to do it without taking its eyes off me. Seeing it moving in multiple directions while maintaining a defensive posture was creepy.
We hadn't moved very far down the hill when the creature moved behind a large bush. My DTA program lit its silhouette up while it was there. I rushed forward and to the side. I wanted to be in an advantageous position from where the DTA had it emerging.
When it came around the bush, it jumped back a few feet when it saw me coming around it. Apparently, it wasn't expecting me to know where it was and to be so close. I still wasn't close enough to attack it. In fact, I was farther away than I had been, and after it had jumped back, it was even further.
The Brownie-Spider must have realized this too, and combined with its fear, it used that moment to turn and flee with alacrity. I sprinted forward a few feet but stopped because it was too fast for me to keep up. I didn't want to fall into a trap or be far from my campsite.
While the monster was running away, my DTA program kept flaring up with red indicators of its presence. This made me not want to go back too quickly. I didn't dare move until I no longer saw the indicator, so I waited for another few minutes. After, I slowly and cautiously made my way back to my camp.
Before I returned to my campsite, I came upon the corpse of the Brownie-Spider. It smelled even worse than before. I wished that my goggles could cover my nose as well. I remembered the monster's blood all over my face and wished it could cover my entire face.
It was also then that I realized I was still in Symbiotic Mode. I was about to change to Companion Mode when I noticed the blue bar at the bottom of my vision. I hadn't been paying attention during the fight, but I saw it was a little more than halfway depleted.
I had a good idea of its use. It was probably the De energy bar that powered a robot's special functions. I had read about it, and as I thought back, I could remember seeing something similar on my father's robot. Still, I wanted to be sure.
"CoreLink. Help. What is the blue bar?" I asked out loud. Nothing happened. I cursed inwardly as I remembered that I had to be in Companion Mode for that function to work.
"Companion Mode."
Air rushed back in over my eyes, and the pressure was also released. I was going to repeat my request, but I was interrupted by new system messages.
-Please wait while additional ambient De is collected.
Another long bar appeared across my entire vision. It quickly started to fill from left to right with green. It only took about five seconds, and at the end, a ding sounded in my head with an accompanying buzz.
-Congratulations! Your compatibility has reached 0.1%. New boons and functions unlocked. Would you like to view them now? Y/N
There was nothing more I wanted to do but look at my new capabilities. While I thought my robot wouldn't be too helpful, especially in combat, its abilities helped me survive. If seemingly useless robot skills could help so much, I was excited to get something that was clearly useful.
"No," I said.
Before I got to checking that out, I wanted to inspect the Brownie-Spider for anything useful and to drag it further away as it was uncomfortably close to my campsite. I also needed to add some more wood to my fire. I didn't think I would be attacked again that night, and I was confident I wasn't going to sleep, but I wanted to make sure.
Looking over the dead monster, I had no idea what, if anything, could be useful. I didn't have any knowledge of the creature. I didn't even know if my efforts would be pointless. All I knew was that my father would want me to gather as many usable parts as possible.
Of course, I still had the fur of the Razor-Tusk. Without proper treatment soon, I wouldn't be able to keep it much longer. I recalled the message when the DTA program analyzed the Brownie-Spider and what it told me to search.
"Corelink. Search local cluster server. Brownie-Spider parts."
-Searching server…..
A new screen popped up in my vision. On top of the screen, it gave me the name of the creature I was looking up. Underneath were different sections that I supposed were filled with the type of information I needed.
Brownie-Spider
Description / Statistics / Classes / Uses
I chose the Uses tab. It displayed a detailed drawing with lines with names coming from various parts. Below the drawing was expanded information on each part and how it could be used. The uses for the Brownie-Spider ranged from smithing and armor all the way to alchemy. I quickly skimmed over the information and found that the most accessible and most valuable part for me to take was the end of their spider appendages. They were sturdy, pointed and had barbs that could be used for numerous items.
My goggles once again proved helpful with getting the parts I wanted from them.
It showed me where to cut and position the monster to make harvesting easier. It was extra helpful since it allowed me to focus on the task instead of the human-like upper half of the monstrosity.
While getting the parts and then dragging the rest of the corpse away, I took a better look at the tip of my spear. It would be useless moving forward. I would have to take off the blade and use it as a staff.
I didn't have another blade to replace it, and I didn't have the tools to improvise a point. It was good that the second Brownie-Spider didn't get a good look at it. It might have thought twice about running away since it was nearly flat.
I disposed of the spider corpse in the same path I had followed its compatriot. When I arrived at the spot, my goggles lit up with tracks on the ground, showing me the route it went towards. I stared down the path for a moment and wondered what else could be that way. It was the direction I had planned on going the next day, making me reconsider.