Beneath the Spider Palace, in a place untouched by any but the most privileged few, lay a hidden chamber. Veiled in soul-piercing silence, It was a sanctum of shadow and scheming; a hidden place where the web of secrets was made.
A brazier burned with DarkFlame, casting flickering waves of purple light upon the chamber’s six-legged occupants. The flame breathed, its glow pulsing in rhythm with the hush of conspiracy, illuminating the sinister faces of three spiders there.
The three sat at the heart of this web of deception. They were not merely lords of their domains, but architects of something far greater—a design so grand, so insidious, that it sought to bind the world itself in silken chains.
The first spider reclined in eerie stillness, clad in a suit of BlueCloth, its threads smooth like silk and vibrant blue like an ocean. Threads of gold wove intricate webs upon the fabric, each filament glowing with arcane energy, pulsing ever so faintly. In his spider-fingered grasp, he held a sceptre—a masterpiece, an artefact of near absolute power: the Authority of Webs. Its twisted shaft bore ancient runes, carved in the language of Spider-Chirp, each whispering a forgotten incantation. At its peak, a magnificent, ever-changing web shimmered between the forked ends of the sceptre, woven of living purple light. At its centre, something trembled, something pulsed—a mysterious soul, perhaps, caught forever in an unbreakable snare. This was the Spider Advisor, Lord of Domestic Affairs—keeper of order, overseer of tomgrape fields, the bestest advisor of the realm.
The second spider was more shadow than spider, his form veiled in the abyssal weave of DarkAgave. A shroud of ethereal darkness coiled around him, shifting like an unquiet dream, making his very shape uncertain, unreal. Yet within that consuming void, four golden eyes smouldered, piercing through the blackness like the gaze of an ancient horror lurking somewhere in between reality and nightmare. Two long, spindly arms extended from the living night, each bearing an artefact of unspeakable power. In one clawed grasp, he held the Spider-Nom-Nomicon, a tome bound in golden thread, its leathery cover contorted in a grin of a smirking spider. Its pages flipped by themselves, rustling with unseen movement, its Spider-Chirp runes whispering dark secrets. In the other hand, he cradled the Sphere of Magic, an obsidian crystal crackling with purple bolts of sorcerous lightning, each one striking like the claws of a hunting spider, or crackling all over in a trapping web pattern. This was the Spider Archmage, Lord of Magical Research—a master of the unknowable, an architect of dark spells and bindings of soul magic. And he would see the world entangled in the threads of chaos.
The third spider did not bother with the subtle movements of the others. He did not have to. He gleamed. He shone. He SPARKLED. Heavy chains of gold draped across his body like a second exoskeleton, each link encrusted with gems that flickered in the dim glow of purple flame. His spidery legs bore bands of gold, his spindly fingers encased in rings, at least two to three upon each. Everything about him dripped with wealth, wealth that was power, and he carried himself as one who knew it. Yet it was not the gold that made him formidable. It was the way he stood, the way he folded his hands, the way his mandibles parted ever so slightly before curling into a confident grin. His every movement spoke of control—not through magic, nor sheer power, but through the invisible web of commerce that ensnared all things. This was Lord G. Bling, the Lord of Commerce—the most evolved of all spiders, the one who spun the world’s desires into chains of monetary obligation. And he would see the world willingly sell itself into his trap.
The three stood in their secret chamber, the silence stretching long between them, thick with unspoken secrets and plots. They did not need words to understand one another.
Tonight, their plotting would begin in earnest.
Tonight, the world’s fate would be woven anew.
And soon… no creature—man, beast, or monster—would ever be… Free? No. Not that—without oath, without guidance, without undying love of their Spider King!
The Spider Advisor clacked his mandibles, finally breaking the silence.
“Greetings, Spider Lords. I wave you my sincerest spider wave.” He lifted his spindly arm and performed a masterful wave, his bestest spider wave.
The other two waved back, their gestures equally precise. This was no mere formality—it was a sacred ritual, a tradition woven deep into their oath-bound history. Their ancestors had waved, and so too would they. It took mastery to perfect such an ancient art.
“Greetings,” the Spider Archmage murmured from the shifting void of his cloak. He waved, his sceptre and sphere swirling through the air, his spindly arms carving intricate arcs like an all-consuming vortex.
“Greetings,” Lord G Bling waved, the weight of his golden chains rattling as they clashed against each other, a dazzling, almost hypnotic clamour. The gemstones upon his rings flared under the eerie purple glow, casting fragmented light across the chamber in a wave both blinding and charming.
A moment of silence followed, a sacred appreciation for the artistry of their exquisite spider waves.
At last, the Spider Advisor resumed. “There is much webbing to untangle. Our silk spreads ever outward, catching more prey, ensnaring more lands. The Spidery Grand Plan nears completion. Lord G Bling, you shall be the first to spin your tale. Tell us of the strands you have woven.”
Lord G Bling stretched his mandibles into a menacing, spidery grin. “My threads are firmly in place,” he chirped. “The Aurelian Duchy and its neighboring human kingdoms are knotted deep within my web snare. The humans remain blind, happily consuming our goods, blissfully serving our King’s will. Everywhere you look, you will find our touch. The food they eat, the clothes they wear, the houses they live in—everything made by our claws. They grow lazier by the day, relying more and more on our spidery ‘helpers’. They do not yet realize it, but by now, they are cocooned too tightly to ever wriggle free.”
The Spider Advisor twitched his mandibles in satisfaction. “Exquisite, simply exquisite! The first arch of our web holds firm. But what of the second and third?”
The gleam in Lord G Bling’s golden eyes sharpened. “The second arch of the web is as good as spun. The humans have given us their little ones. With such enthusiasm, they eagerly deliver their spawn to our spidery gardens, and then to our spidery workshops. There, we teach them the glories of the Spider King and the joy that is to Serve him. Soon…”
Overeager, the Spider Archmage chirped from within the cloud of shadows. “Glorious! May we Serve eternally in a soul-bound oath!”
“We shall Serve eternally!”
“We shall Serve eternally!”
Bound by etiquette, the two had no choice but to echo the roaring chirp.
However, the Spider Advisor flexed a stern claw, waving it disapprovingly. “…Please, do not tangle the conversation, Spider Archmage. Lord G Bling had yet to finish spinning his report.”
“Right… Where was I?” Lord G Bling adjusted his many golden bands, their shimmer settling. “I wish to add that the young ones adore their spider mentors, though they still have much to learn of the oath, of what it means to Serve. It will take time, but in time, they will be fully entwined in our bindings. That leads us to the final arch—the union of spider and human. My beloved wife is the key… or rather, our daughter. This strand of the web is delicate, but if woven carefully, it will bring the humans ever closer to us. To our oath. To eternity. What say you, Spider Archmage?”
The Spider Archmage’s eyes glowed within the midnight-bound hood. The crystal in his hand pulsed, purple lightning lashing like silk threads caught in a storm. “Yes… Yes!” he chirped, the energy within the sphere crackling in agreement. “By mixing our blood with theirs, they too shall inherit our eternal oath. And thus, our nest shall grow ever larger!”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Lord G Bling nodded approvingly.
The Spider Advisor turned, pointing his sceptre toward the Spider Archmage. “And what of your own threads, Spider Archmage? What strands have you spun?”
The Spider Archmage hesitated. The pages of his tome fluttered as if uncertain. “Unlike Lord G Bling, I do not weave so… meticulously. My webs are vast and tangled, spun in chaos. My threads do not follow a single path. They spiral, they shift, they ensnare in unpredictable ways.”
The Spider Advisor clacked his mandibles knowingly. “Now, now, Spider Archmage, we all know you are a master spinner. Surely, you too have made strides toward fulfilling the Spidery Grand Plan. That crystal in your grasp—is it what I think it is?”
The sphere pulsed, lightning coiling through its obsidian depths, splitting it in a web-like pattern. The Spider Archmage chirped excitedly. “Yes! The Sphere of Magic is complete at last! Ah, but I must not take all the credit. The Crystal Spider, the Darkness Spider, even the Drow Assistant… So many others wove their strands into this masterpiece.”
“Exemplary! The strongest webs are spun together!” The Spider Advisor chirped in delight. “And does the sphere function as intended?”
The lighting in the sphere flashed in glee. “Oh, yes. It functions beautifully. It acts as a magical nexus. Those who wield a Spider SoulStone can interface with it, sending their mana into the crystal from afar. Its power level is… wait, let me [Inspect]… over 9 million MP.”
“Over 9 million?”
“Impossible!”
The shadows around the Spider Archmage rippled with mirth. “Hehehe… And yet, it is true.” The veil of darkness twisted in sheer, uncontained joy.
“How are your other webs?” the Spider Advisor chirped, his mandibles clicking.
The darkness within the shadow veil hummed in contemplation. “Hmm… Our research into SoulStones and soul magic is progressing well, all thanks to the Oni Shaman the King ensnared. By now, we can successfully Reincanate spiders, preserving their memories and experiences, no matter how far they stray from the Soul Well or how… unfortunate… their demise may be.” His tome fluttered, flipping its own pages as if whispering in agreement. “Alas, it is only spiders we can weave back into existence. Something about our essence makes us uniquely compatible with this process. Humans, Drow, Centauri, and others however… while we can ensnare their souls, reincarnation strips them of their memories. More research is required.” His spindly fingers tightened around the pulsing sphere. “I wonder… what would happen to the half-breeds Lord G Bling seeks to weave into this world? Would they inherit our eternal thread, our undying oath, or would they unravel, come half undone?”
A prison’s worth of chains clattered as Lord G Bling straightened. “Spider Archmage! My daughter isn’t even hatched yet, and already you cast your webs upon her? Denied!”
The Spider Advisor’s sceptre swayed, its enchanted web pulsing with a soothing glow. “Now, now, Lord G Bling, I am certain the Spider Archmage means no harm. This is merely the curiosity of a researcher.”
At once, the merchant spider relaxed. “I understand. We all wonder what strand she will weave.”
“Indeed.” The Spider Advisor nodded. “Any other webs we should know of, Spider Archmage?”
The Spider Archmage tapped his claw against his tome, sifting through countless entanglements. “Hmm… I have too many webs. But one you should know of—our work with the Oni. We have successfully transformed them into Blue Oni. The latter are fully loyal to the Spider King.” A pause, his golden eyes narrowing. “However… a peculiar cult is forming among them. They have begun worshipping the Combain Spider.”
“As long as it is a spider, it should be fine,” Lord G Bling chirped, catering his jewellery in agreement.
The Spider Advisor suddenly opened his mandibles in revelation. “Actually, this works in our favour. If the Combain Spider becomes their deity, we can mould their faith. With a little weaving, we can turn the Oni Shogunate into a theocracy, further severing them from the Demon Realm.”
The darkness of the Spider Archmage’s shadow veil shimmered with newfound brilliance. “Yes… The Oni Shogunate teeters on its last legs. Famine… Monsters… Rebellion… A precarious balance.” The darkness twitched in excitement. “This will work. A masterful web you weave, Spider Advisor. My commendations!”
“No need.” The Spider Advisor bowed his head slightly. “It is thanks to the webs you have spun.” He lifted his sceptre, its enchanted strands glowing with authority. “Now, let us speak of the next web arch of the Spidery Grand Plan. As you know, the Spider King has mounted the Centauri Champion. Soon, yet another spider-hybrid will emerge, bringing the Centauri further into our fold. However…” He paused, tilting his head. “Since the blood is that of our King, this hybrid will not be bound by the eternal soul oath.” He let the statement hang, awaiting the thoughts of his fellow weavers.
Lord G Bling waved a bejewelled limb, his chains glistening. “They will Serve regardless.” His voice was certain, full of conviction. “Look at the Chaos Lamia Queen—so young, yet her achievements are many. I’m half surprised she is not a spider herself.”
The shadows of the Spider Archmage stirred. “Oh? Why is that?”
The Spider Advisor spun his sceptre through the air. “Lord G Bling is correct. She spins her webs like one of us. Ever since the Holy Empire shattered into many fractured kingdoms, her Chaos Lamia have infiltrated the human nobility. Through Illusion and Charm magic, they have woven themselves into the courts, some even binding themselves to kings and princes in marriage. And with the assistance of Elisabeth, the Radiant Angel, a new faith spreads—like a web spun overnight.”
“The DarkFlame…” The Spider Archmage whispered, his tone layered with intrigue.
The three spiders turned their gaze toward the brazier in the center of the chamber. Within, a cold fire flickered—not merely a spell, but something more. Currenly, a deity had slumbered within its arcane fire. Now, the flame could not be conjured without invoking something… divine. Its essence was tinted in chaos: dark and burning cold, yet illuminating and warm; the divine ember was friendly to all who cared to open their eyes and peer deep into its arcane abyss.
Lord G Bling chirped a deep, rumbling sigh. “I do not know what to make of it. It is a child of chaos, and our King kindled its first spark. Surely, that means it is something good… and yet, I cannot help but feel it spins its own webs.”
The Spider Archmage nodded. “Yes… Its affinity with spiders is high. But we, bound by our oath, would never truly worship it.”
“Indeed… but we can use it to advance our master web.” The Spider Advisor raised his sceptre higher, the glowing strands within shifting like spun silk. “Like sticky threads, we will cast it over others, ensnaring them within. Through it, we shall bring more into our fold. So they can Serve too.”
The other two nodded in agreement as if it was the most obvious thing ever.
A thoughtful hum sprung from the Spider Archmage. “Hmm… One more thing, Spider Advisor. A clarification, if you will. To bring the Spidery Grand Plan closer to a full web, we’ll have Spider-Human hybrids through Lord G Bling, and Spider-Centauri hybrids through the Spider King. But how about the Drow? I’m sure our drider, Drow Assistant, is ready and willing, and the compatibility should be high.”
Lord G Bling twitched excitedly. “If so… What of Spider Navigator? If we mix our blood with our King’s, we could create the ultimate spider!”
The Sceptre of Authority pulsed in a brilliant glow. “Calm yourselves. All in due time. If we spin too hastily, the web will come out wobbly.”
“Mmm…”
“Hmm…”
The spiders pondered in contemplation.
The Spider Advisor finally spoke, his voice firm. “The Spidery Grand Plan requires careful spinning. We will weave quietly, subtly, unseen. And when our web stretches across the world, all will Serve the Spider King without ever realizing it.”
Lord G Bling chirped wistfully. “Yes… People will become spiders, and the world will transform into a web.”
The Spider Archmage’s shadow veil nearly unravelled as he chirped out with passion. “We all will be united under a single thread! Love to our King, his love to us, and our oath!”
The Spider Advisor tapped his sceptre against the burning brazier, its radiant web shimmering, the DarkFlame burning brighter. “Then, Spider Lords, thicken your threads, cast your webs, and bring others into our fold so they may learn the joy that is to Serve the Spider King.”
“We shall Serve eternally!” x3
The meeting was adjourned.
But not before…
The Spider Archmage suddenly narrowed his eyes at the farthest corner of the chamber. “I was meaning to ask… why is there a squirrel?”
“Huh?” Lord G Bling turned, surprised. “I didn’t even notice.”
The Spider Advisor scratched just beneath his mandibles. “A squirrel… How odd.” He strode closer, claw outstretched. “Ha! Perhaps a spy?”
“Meep, meep!” The squirrel squeaked both in protest and in fright.
“Relax, little fellow. I’m only joking.” The Spider Advisor carefully plucked it up. “It must have skittered in unnoticed. A lucky thing you spotted it, Spider Archmage.”
“Hmm… just look how scrawny and starved it is.”
“Indeed. Let us bring it to the surface.”
And with that, the meeting—at last—was adjourned.
The master web will be spun further and the Spidery Grand Plan will see its completion.