As I walked deeper into the path, I heard the chittering of insects and the movements of small critters.

Then I saw my first critter, and I sucked in a deep breath.

The ‘critter’ was a rat.

A rat half the size of my body.

It was gnawing on the bones of another rat, and then it turned and glared at me.

Now I have a fear of rats, which all started from one time when I was in Thomas’s kitchen surveilling the inventory when a host of rats came out from the basket that I was pilferi-surveilling.

Shuddering, I raised my hands in the Protosal gesture for “I come in peace” and inched forward.

Ignoring me, the rat turned back to its meal after a few angry squeaks of warning.

Relieved, I walked further into the darkness of the cavern only to freeze as pairs of eyes began gleaming in front of me.

Summoning a Lightstone and briefly blinding myself, I cursed as the light revealed yet more rats, around 20-30 of them - all of whom didn’t have any corpses to feed on and were showing evident delight that I had offered myself up as their snack.

Quickly scanning the area, I calculated fast before I darted forward, slow because I couldn’t trigger my warforce.

I dodged and weaved between the rats, striking out to deflect claws and tails that whipped at me menacingly, before, with a burst of speed - I powered through the horde and came out at the other end where the passage narrowed.

I could have run further, but then what if the rats followed and there were more enemies ahead?

Wouldn’t that be foolish?

So I stood in the narrow passageway and I defended heroically.

Until a rat swung its tail under my guard and around my legs, pulling me toward the horde.

My hands scrabbling at the ground, I slipped forward toward the hungry rats who watched with a gleam in their eyes as fresh food delivered itself to their mouths.

Then the rat which had corralled me screamed as my sword found purchase and sliced off the tail in its entirety.

Scrambling back to my feet, I stood further inside the passage and, crouching again, I began defending against the rats with my lessons learned.

It took close to 45 minutes of non-stop parry, stab, guard, slash, and guard again to whittle down their numbers to a paltry few.

Then grunting, I shoved a rat back, and then swinging my sword in heavy overhead slashes, I advanced.

Soon, with a final sound of agony, the last rat collapsed in a heap and I stood there panting heavily.

Looking around warily, I scanned the area for hidden enemies.

Finding none, I let down my guard and heading to the passageway - I quickly stripped my clothes and poured the contents of a waterskin over my head, and changed to new clothes straightaway.

Then, cleaning my stained armor as best as I could, I put it back on - not minding the dampness and quickly scarfed down another loaf of summoned bread.

Heaving a relieved sigh, I leaned against the wall and slid down, leaving a wet trail behind.

Recovering my energy, I stayed there for a few minutes before I struggled to my feet and moved further along the passage.

The passageway opened up into a spacious room where there was a gigantic spider on an intricately woven web.

Now I mentioned I hate rats.

Did I mention I hate spiders too?

I’ve hated them ever since the time I was on the chamberpot and this monster of a tarantula crawled out, sending me jumping up in fright.

The horror of it still haunts me today and the sight of this veritable monster of a spider made me wish - as badly as I had back then - that I was wearing brown pants.

Gulping down saliva, I crept into the shadows of the passageway and examined the room.

Only to curse as the passage leading out of the room was directly behind the spider’s web.

The thought of summoning fire and shooting fire arrows from the safety of the passageway struck my mind. After all, the spider couldn’t fit in the narrow passageway, right?

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But then my archery skills, or lack thereof, dissuaded me from pursuing that idea. That and the fact I couldn’t summon a Baling bow.

Grimacing, I considered my options before settling on a path forward.

What path?

The direct path.

Fight.

But before that, I concentrated hard and summoned a drop of the red warforce potion that teacher had made me take at the starting of my training.

Carefully catching it in a small bottle, I stored it before I leaned dizzily against the wall.

Once I recovered, I summoned flint and stone to light a torch.

I wasn’t stupid enough to summon a blazing torch that might have burned me as I caught it.

Then, praying that my idea worked, I advanced forth, yelling at the spider to provoke it into moving away from the web, giving me my chance.

Just then, a voice came from the spider.

“How rude. Can’t you see that I’m sleeping?”

Stunned, I stared at the spider.

The spider’s eight eyes then opened and stared at me before they fell on the torch.

Hissing in disgust, the spider spoke angrily, “You come with fire to burn my webs?”

Cursing at myself, I hurriedly replied, “No, it’s just that it’s dark and I’m a human who can’t really see in the dark, so...”

Musingly, the spider said, “Indeed. But you have also trespassed into my lair.”

Turning red, for I had trespassed, and I had even woken the spider up while trespassing, I blushed.

Apologetically, I spoke. “I apologize for my offense. I did not mean to do so. If I can pass through your lair, I will compensate you in some way.”

“Compensation? What compensation can you offer?” The spider asked with interest.

Thinking hard, I suddenly recalled the rats that I had killed.

“I left the compensation behind in the tunnel. Would you mind if I retrieve them?”

Glaring at me suspiciously, the spider mulled over my words before agreeing, but not before a thread of web shot out at a speed that I couldn’t avoid and glued itself onto my hand.

Looking speechlessly at the spider, I gestured with the hand and said, “What’s this for?”

“To make sure you don’t run away or else I’ll be out of a meal, yes?” the spider replied, closing its eyes.

Sighing, I had to wonder whether having such an intelligent spider as my foe was my good luck or my bad luck.

I turned but then paused and expectantly looked at the spider and asked, “Do you have more of the webs?”

“What do you need more of the webs for,” the spider asked, astonished.

“To help me carry the things back,” I said, honestly.

Sighing, the spider spat out more threads and said, “when you want to attach them, just pull on them three times and then three times again when you have stuck them on.”

Nodding, I trudged back to the den of the rats where I slaughtered the last (First?) rat, which had apparently decided that many corpses were better than one corpse. Then I stuck the webs on the rats after pulling three times to slacken the stickiness of the webs.

Pulling on the web three times again, with a scrape, the rats began sliding across the rocky surface, leaving a streak of blood behind.

Marveling at the efficiency of the spider and its thread, I walked back when suddenly the thread attached to my hand jerked and I went flying along with it.

Cursing out, I crashed into rocks and other obstacles in a manner reminiscent of the teacher’s visionmaster 100 training before I found myself face to face with the spider again.

As I debated whether or not to draw my sword, I decided against it for the simple reason that one; I was terrified. Two, I didn’t feel danger from the spider.

Rumbling now, the spider asked, “Why did you choose to speak with me and offer me your compensation instead of trying to kill me.”

Truthfully, I answered, “Because you spoke. I could talk with you and even though I am frightened of your form, I can communicate with you and there was a chance of peaceful resolution.”

Thoughtfully, the spider regarded me with all 8 of its eyes before it nodded. “You speak the truth. It is rare to find people who can do so in a situation like this. Very well, you have gained the right to pass by my web.”

“That easily?” I asked in disbelief.

“Did you not offer me compensation? I accept these...rats...as compensation. Only next time, if we meet, bring me some vegetables, will you? I grow tired of meat all the time.”

Scratching my head, I wondered how to answer the spider when I suddenly was seized by a thought.

“Can you tell me what this place is?” I asked urgently.

“It is the place within yourself and within the world,” the spider answered cryptically after a moment of silence.

Frustrated, I contemplated my next question and spoke, “Who are you then?”

I could’ve sworn the spider smiled as it said, “I am you, I am me, and I am nobody.”

Even more frustrated, I mussed up my hair before I thought on its words.

Interrupting my actions, the spider said, “Now is not the time, child. Your journey might be long or it might be short. It all depends on your choices. Make the right choices and remember what your teacher told you. Prepare for the worst and act for the best.”

Stunned, I looked at the spider and exclaimed, “How do you know what my teacher said?”

“Did I not say that I am you, I am me, and I am nobody?”

“You did, but…”

“No buts. Go on, for your time is limited and your path is yet long to walk.” saying so, the spider wrapped a thread around me and jerked me through a gap in the web into the passageway behind the web.

Stumbling, I watched as the thread fell off my body and the spider went back to sleep before, puzzled; I walked into the passageway that I was standing in.

Questions must have an answer.

My answer awaits ahead.