The [Language Comprehension] perk must have malfunctioned and somehow the elves misunderstood his good intentions. Everything in his vision slowed down, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that his life flashed before his eyes.

The ballista arrows weren’t just arrows, it was very elven for them to be enchanted with the wind element, making them so much faster. He wanted to dodge he tried to dodge, but couldn’t.

The first arrow pierced his top hat disintegrating it into tiny shreds of blue. The second arrow flew right past his shoulder, the third between his legs. The four and fifth were duds, one overshooting and the other did the opposite. So far he was extremely lucky. But not for long, the seventh nicked his side cutting the suit and leaving a nasty gash. The eight wedged deep into the right side of his chest. He was skewered by the great arrow and the blow was powerful enough to send him flying along with it. That was the only reason why the ninth and tenth arrows missed him completely.

The arrow hit the ground getting stuck in the soil, he was dangling from it right in the middle of the shaft. He looked at the elven wood protruding from his chest.

“Oh boy, that’s not good.” He was surprised at how calm he was.

However, it was obvious and plain, he was dying; no escape from it now. He didn’t worry too much at all because he still possessed [Resurrection [1]]. It was a shame to use it so soon, but he was the one to blame here, or so he thought.

He felt himself weaken, his eyes losing focus. He didn't know if what he saw was real or just an illusion, but he saw fire rain from the sky, setting everyone ablaze. Shrieks and crackling of burning wood filled his ears. It felt like he was In hell.

A burning giant flashed in his vision and just before he lost it completely, “[Heal].” He heard it and then he felt it. The strength returned to his body, but contrary to what one might think, he didn’t feel good or pleasant. Before he was calm and cool, resigned to his fate, but now the wound in his chest burned and he spat hot blood choking on it. He felt the wood piercing his chest begin to move, or rather it was he who was moved. There was so much pain. Giant hands removed him from the shaft of the great arrow and began carrying him back to the forest.

“[Heal].” He heard once more and the pain lessened. However, his mind was still foggy and his senses failed him once again; he fell unconscious.

Once he opened his eyes he was back under the canopy of trees, but even those had the tinders of budding fire in them. The burning giant was gone, replaced by the familiar lamia.

“Use-sss it!” she hissed.

He couldn’t understand, he still felt so groggy.

“The spear you have, sss.”

Yes, that’s right. He had forgotten, in his hand indeed he still had his weapon. He was holding it so tight that the knuckles and fingers were white from exertion. Even if he wanted he couldn’t let it go.

The friendly lamia pressed the tip of [Slayer Spear] to her side. He knew what she was suggesting, but even then he didn’t want to hurt her to save himself.

Lamia had other ideas and pushed herself into the speartip.

[Perk Life Steal activated]

It was similar to [Heal] but different, it was without the limitations. The spear drank lamia’s blood greedily and brought the life back into his body in return.

His mind cleared and his willpower returned. “Enough!” He pushed the lamia away.

She gave him a weak smile. “Are you alright-sss?”

He shook his head. “No. Why did you do this? And how did you know about…”

She interrupted him. “You ask stupid questions-sss. Isn’t there more to worry about than me or you?” She looked back at the elf fortress.

He followed her gaze.

“No…” He didn’t want to believe what he was seeing.

It was WAR.

The dryads were on fire, some were burnt to a crisp, others making their way towards the elven walls. His spiders not only were already climbing the tall wooden walls but fighting with the archers in the towers.

He wanted to call a retreat, to end this meaningless folly, but it was all too late, neither side would stop at this point.

He saw an elf being thrown off by the spider from its archery post, they fell to their death like many others. He saw someone else being bitten in half. He saw a platoon of spiders using axes and machetes to make a hole in the wall while they were peppered with arrows. He saw remaining dryads shooting strange projectiles of green light towards his spiders, he didn’t know what those did, but it was likely a buff of some sort. The walls already had the beginnings of blue webs, the spiders were using those for an easier climb.

Not all of his spiders were lucky to reach the walls. The slowest and the squishiest of them lay motionless in the clearing; their bodies full of arrows.

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From the looks of it, it was clear that the elves only had an advantage at the range, but with no shield and the spiders already on the walls that advantage was gone.

“Sss-so?” The lamia urged him.

She was right, he wasn’t here to observe from the sidelines. He grabbed a triangular blue leaf from his supplies in his left hand, the leaf was big enough to use as a shield, and on his right he held his legendary spear. Feeling ready he charged into the thick of it like a madman. The rest of the spiders, the ones who haven’t charged the walls in blind rage like their other siblings, followed their King. These were farmers, weavers and other little workers, but they too wanted to fight.

The lamia smiled at the humble force led by a King so brave and so charismatic. She too wished to join the charge for victory but felt too cold and too sluggish for that; as if a part of her life was drained.

As he was running the stray arrows were trying to hit him, but with archers concentrating their fire on climbing spiders they were very few. On a side, further away from where he was running, he saw the Great Dryad leading another charge. The big fellow had a ballista arrow stuck in its body but it didn’t seem too bothered by it. The elves operating ballista were concentrating on the Great Dryad, but the big fellow used wind magic of his own to defect those.

“Keep running it's close!” He urged his people.

Soon he reached a group of spiders making a hole in the wall. They had managed to erect a small structure of wood and blue leaves above their heads to protect themselves from arrows; He was surprised at how crafty his spiders were. The arrow fire felt heavier here but with the improvised roof, he felt much safer.

Of course, nothing was perfect; an arrow pierced the roof and landed right in between his big toe and the rest of his fingers. He yelped in surprise and raised his shield up to block any other arrows like that.

“How is it going?” He asked.

“Soon.” A large spider with equally large mandibles replied.

True to its word, a small hole partly chopped by axes and partly gnawed away was made. The smaller farmers had no problem squeezing through it. He too crouched and crawled in the hole, the wall was thicker than he imagined; this was not a hole in the wall but with a small exaggeration – an entire tunnel.

He emerged with the rest of the spiders outside, and what a sight it was. The streets were clean and neat, paved with multicoloured pebbles. He expected the elves to live in tree houses and he wasn’t entirely wrong. The houses weren’t in or on a tree, they were on the ground but made out of what looked like living wood. The walls of the houses had branches and live leaves, but also they had holes in windows and doors. The roof was made of large leaves which too were growing and alive. These houses were nested close to each other. In the far distance, he could see a large tree, with an equally large bulbous structure on top of it just under the branches and leaves. It was overseeing the rest of the settlement.

“To stop this, we need to get their leader.” And it was obvious where to look for them.

A curious elf popped out of one of the houses, by the looks of it, it was a lost and scared child. He could see that his spiders never would discriminate and were raising their axes and preparing the webs.

“No, don’t harm the little ones. Ever.” He warned stopping the crime before it could happen.

“Understood.”

The child ran back to her house crying.

“No, child, wait.” He ran after them into the house.

He found more children inside. It was weird to keep them so close to the walls. Didn’t seem safe or smart.

“Oh, don’t cry. I’m not here to hurt you.” He turned to a nearby spider and asked for some fruits. The spider parted with its food ration, no problem. “Here’s a small treat.” He attempted to bribe the children.

And what naive children they were, they took the fruit bit into it and then smiled happily at the sweet taste.

The eldest of the young children spoke. “Are, you here to save us, stranger?”

“Save? … Yes, this place isn’t safe anymore.” He wasn’t lying about that. “Come with me, and try not to be afraid of my cute spiders. They don't bite.”

“Are they friendly?”

“Yes, yes they are.”

He took the children out and was met with quite a sight. The spiders must have misunderstood him. They were running in and out of the houses, sniffing out the children like well-trained hounds and then carrying them out bound in webs. There were so many children, if he didn’t know better he would think that elves bred like rabbits, or they just left all of their children alone in the houses. What were they thinking?!

“No, no, no! I told you not to harm them. Let them out.”

They did that, but now he was stuck with a large group of terrified children.

“Come children. Let's meet your elders and teach them a lesson about good child care.”

The little elves surrounded by a hundred or so spiders had no choice but to obey. But hey, they seemed happy once they got the fruits, so that was that.

“Are you going to see the High Chief?” The eldest of the children asked.

“Just as I said. Yes. He is there isn’t he.” He pointed at the large tree.

“Yes.”

“Will it be guarded?”

“Hmm.” The child thought for a moment. “I think everyone went on the wall to fight the evil.”

“I see, I see…. The evil you say?”

“Yes, a twisted and dark monster.”

It was obvious this child didn’t know with whom she was talking with. Nor did he consider himself dark or monstrous.

“Tell me more about it. How does he look.”

“It is very bad and very evil. It eats children.”

“Interesting. And how do I look?”

The child was thinking. “You look funny!” there was a glance at his tattered suit and then a giggle “… but your pets are scary!” The child frowned.

“But they gave you fruits. And I told you your houses aren’t safe.” Not safe from his spiders who were pouring in ever larger numbers from the wall tunnel that is.

“Yes, fruits are always nice. Eat a lot you grow a lot.” The child said it like it was drilled into them.

“You know these spiders grow these fruits.”

“Really?” All of the children looked at the fruits and then the spiders in disbelief. “Really?” They asked again.

“Really! They are good guys, I keep telling you.”

Well…

“They are sorry for webbing other children, it was a misunderstanding. Spiders were afraid of you that’s why they webbed you.”

“Oh, I understand.”

Oh boy, were they naïve. But what mattered was that he gathered all of the little elves under his protection. The war was a confusing affair and something terrible might have happened. Even he, the King, could not be expected to control all and every of his spider's actions; the top of the wall was evidence of that.

“Oh, look we are here.” He lost his trail of thought.

“It takes a thousand stairs to reach the elders.” The child said proudly.

That’s not something to be proud of. He looked at the round entrance carved inside an outrageously thick and tall tree. Indeed there were stairs, he looked up the stairwell it seemed endless.

“Are you coming or staying with my spiders? They will protect you don’t worry.”

“I don’t know.” The children seemed hesitant but then secretly giddy about something. ”Are we allowed to come?”

“Are you usually not?”

“No!” The oldest child said with sadness.

“Then you can come.” He didn’t care about stupid elven rules which made no sense. “That is If you aren't afraid of a thousand steps!” He sure was.

The children began jumping as if they were going on a FairyLand ride or something. They didn’t even wait for him to start and were already in heaps over the stairs.

“And they say I am strange.” He began the slow ascent with the spiders accompanying him from inside and outside.