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A great, yawning dire-tarantula pit sat in a divot between several dunes deep in the Firefield deserts.
Calaf approached the maw, having recovered his spear. He advanced with his shield up, wary of any remaining dire-spiders lurking in hidden crevasses.
The first man-sized bundle was encountered well within sight of the entrance.
Calaf turned to his trusty knife and tentatively opened up the sealed knot of dire-spider webbing. Out plopped a frightened, paralyzed water merchant.
Three more man-sized webbing cocoons awaited further in, with two much smaller bundles just past a twist in the cavern’s layout. Thick webbing along the walls, ceiling, and floor denoted the den.
When it was over, Calaf had rescued two men, a woman, and two young children from otherwise-certain digestion in these vile cocoons. They were all hovering in single-digits HP-wise, and all afflicted with a kind of poisoned ‘paralysis’ stat.
Calaf consulted his list of available Paladin-path spells. Heal could lift them up from the verge of death. But for their affliction, his Purification spell ought to suffice…
Calaf, Disillusioned Wayfarer Casts:
Spell:
Purification
Effect:
Dispels Poison and Other Damage Over Time Debuffs
Description:
Used to heal persistent poison and venomous status effects. One of a slate of spells assigned to early Branded by their devilish wardens.
“I use this to heal the occasional dire-wasp stings while collecting honey. Please, just hold still, brave Paladin…”
One by one, the captured caravan travelers were healed from their paralysis. And with an Intermediate Heal or two, they were back in ship-shape.
“Do you see that man up there?”
Calaf pointed to Enkidu, scowling and looking bored, but still standing lookout.
“Follow him back to Firefield. He’s strong; you will be safe so long as he is within earshot.”
“Great.” Enkidu’s grumbling wafted by on the breeze. “More babysitting duty.”
Further in, the cocoons got… squishier. These were older prey, victims decayed well past the ability to save. Not even a corpse was left to consecrate.
There were odds and ends strewn about the floor. A few valuables worth looting; certainly didn’t count as stealing given that their owners were long dead.
Calaf again cast a spell.
Calaf, Disillusioned Wayfarer Casts:
Spell:
Flaming Sword of Faith
Effect:
Sets Your Weapon Ablaze with Cleansing Flame. Works on Any Melee Implement (And Arrows) Not Just Swords. (Req: 25 Intelligence, 25 Charisma, 10 Arcane)
Description:
Deals Fire Damage Equal to 25% of User’s Intelligence on Swords, Axes, and Spears. 10% fire damage on arrows.
“Keep it back with fire. Flame-swords and napalm-belchers. Fire can keep the rot at bay.”
With his spear aflame, Calaf burnt these gore cocoons one after another. He found a clutch of dire-tarantula eggs in the back and burnt those too. Never again would this nest consume another hapless caravan. Neither would its previous victims be left their to rot and decay.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
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Calaf walked up the steep opening of the former nest as smoke rose out of the pit like a chimney. Enkidu was there, waiting, a gaggle of surviving caravaneers milling about, dazed and sheepish at his back.
“Thank you so much for saving us!” one of the kids told Calaf.
“It was nothing,” he managed.
Chivalry dictated, yes. But moreover, Calaf did it for himself. Was it still charity if he was doing it for his own peace of mind?
Nevertheless, Calaf knelt down near one of the younger kids he saved. He traded that Children’s Tutorial Toy for naught but gratitude. The child seemed to recognize it, and thanked him kindly.
“Thank you,” the Squire told Enkidu. “For helping out. For agreeing to take these civilians back to Firefield. And… for letting me slay that legendary beast mostly solo.”
That got Enkidu to smirk, only slightly.
“You noticed.”
“That you avoided attacking the golden dire-tarantula? Yes.”
“The experience and gold was going to you anyway. You kill one Golden Super Dire-Tarantula you kill them all.”
Calaf raised an eyebrow. Just how many of those beasts had Enkidu slain in his time?
“Give Jelena my regards,” Calaf said with a sly smirk.
“Anything else you wish to relay?” Enkidu asked.
“Nothing I’d dare relay through you.” Calaf barely stifled a chuckle.
“For that I am thankful. Rendezvous in Port Town if you wish to relay things to her. Or with her.”
Calaf rolled his eyes.
“She still hasn’t told me about your embarrassing backstory,” Calaf added.
“Good.” Enkidu growled. “You may wish to burn the dire-tarantula bodies.”
Wild man Enkidu ran off at a moderate clip, leaving the rescued caravanners to take off after him. Enkidu showed no signs of stopping.
The spider corpses were piled high, not even counting the legendary beast laying around perfectly still outside the den. Calaf burnt them all as much as possible with his flaming spear.
Calaf took off in the opposite direction, following his footprints back to the pilgrimage trail. Port Town awaited, and he would rather be at the next oasis before nightfall.
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“Heh. So you two got a little hot ‘n heavy~” Zilara said with a sly grin.
“We did not,” Jelena said, back in her eyepatch.
The former nun and the holy heiress waited about near one of the outer oases of Northern Firefield. Jelena Turnadot was back in her outfit, eyepatch and all.
Zilara only gazed on and smiled wider.
“Okay, we kissed a little.” Jelena felt a dark blush creeping up on her cheeks. “He took the hit and got the Kiss-Stealer status on his Interface. So, he initiated, right? Guess you could say we’re getting a little serious.”
Jelena paced about while Zilara watched.
“I mean, that’s good. After chasing me around half the continent, it’s good that he finally just goes for it.” Jelena paced back towards the oasis. “But if he went all the way, that would go against all that steely Paladin sense of duty. And if he did that, well, he wouldn’t be him. Do you see my problem here? Getting him into bed means changing him from what I like so much. But if we just orbit each other, flirting and maybe kissing on the side, that’s nowhere near enough… dam’s gotta break sometime.”
“I’m twelve. Why are you going to me for relationship advice?” Zilara asked with a cool, nasally tone. “But given the nature of the establishment there, I’m surprised you two didn’t just, like, spend the night.”
“What… you were expecting us to get busy in there?” Jelena gave the holy child some side-eye. “How do you even know what goes on in there? Was kind of hoping you just thought it was another hotel, kid.”
“It’s a brothel,” Zilara said simply. “I mean, the sign above the front door has flavor text in the System. It doesn’t take a genius.”
“Point taken.” Jelena put a hand on your hip. “You are way more precocious than the Japella orphans, kiddo.”
Rather than responding, Zilara flipped her drill-tails over her shoulder, then summoned forth a book from out of her Interface. To those without the Menu’s blessing, this appeared as if the book plopped into her hands from thin air. Those with a Brand would see an additional Interface window crop up near Zilara’s head and an associated bluish glowing light from… wherever Inventories came from.
“We’re going to need to get you a glamour ring,” Jelena said after a while. “Hide those eyes of yours. Japella will be okay, but any of the major cities, well, guards’ll be all over us more than usual. Say, what’re you reading?”
Zilara angled her book at Jelena, but not enough to where the older woman could make out any details.
“Where’d you get it?”
“Back in the, uh, inn.” Zilara chuckled.
Jelena’s expression rippled into a frown.
“Not sure if those are child-appropriate…”
“Heh. Y’know I can see some background Interface info that others can’t. Like a chain of ownership. That room in there used to belong to you, didn’t it?”
“It was my favorite room when working shifts yes,” Jelena admitted. “Which… which book is that?”
“Well…” Zilara checked the back, then read aloud. “Yama, proud desert warrioress, kills any man who dares try to court her…”
“Oh no,” Jelena groaned.
“… that is, until brave missionary-knight Adama trades blows with her in an honorable duel.”
“Not that one.” Jelena tried grabbing the book out of the brat’s hands. “Give it back. And please stop reading it aloud! Any book but that!”
Zilara artfully dodged. “…will our proud warrioress maintain her wild and savage ways, or will she be tamed, civilized, and learn to love the rigid bodices and formal court banquets of her dutiful rival’s homeland…”
“Don’t share that book with anyone!” Jelena snapped. “I… I haven’t read that one in years. Ah, it was my favorite. But it is way above a kid’s reading level. Prose is so purple at least you won’t understand what’s going on.”
“Sounds pretty saucy.” Zilara shuts the book. “How’s it end?”
Jelena gazed out into the oasis.
“By book three she’s on kid number four.” Jelena sighed. “Two of those are twins. There’s a time skip involved. But she never does see the desert sands again.”
Zilara whistled. “Well. I’m sure that’s scandalously popular around these parts.”
“Read the series cover to cover at least four times. Mostly between shifts.” Jelena reached over and snatched the book right out of Zilara’s hands. “… which is why I know it’s not at all age-appropriate for you, kid. Hell, Come back when you’re, I dunno, sixteen, eighteen?”
Zilara was left pouting.
“I’ll find you a church schoolbook or something later,” Jelena said, arms crossed. Then: “Enkidu should be back soon. We’ll head to Japella overnight.”
The holy child sat on a rock, her arms and legs both crossed, frowning and avoiding eye contact.
Jelena sighed. “I used to be in charge of an orphanage. I happen to be an expert on how to look after kids. Just work with me here.”
“You’re just keeping the book for yourself.” Zilara spat into the oasis. “Pervert.”
“Well, nevertheless.” Jelena composed herself. “Say, wanna hear Enkidu’s embarrassing backstory while he’s not here to stop me?”
Zilara turned to look at Jelena. “Oh? How embarrassing are we talking about?”
“It’s scandalous and embarrassing all at once. He hates it when I share it with people.”
“I’m listening.”
“I dunno. It’s going to have to be a short-short version that's a bit more appropriate for children…”
"Awwwww," said the holy child. "This sucks. If it doesn’t have all the juicy details I don’t wanna hear it.”
"Maybe when you're older, kid." Jelena chuckled to herself.
That was one story that was most certainly not appropriate for kids.
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