The last step was the hardest one. He finally entered a large room overseeing the entire settlement. It was like an observation tower, and like such had little of furniture inside; just a table and a few chairs. While the furniture was of exquisite craftsmanship he could not help but frown at the sight of them being empty.

“Where is the High Chief?”

An elf shrugged. “He’s usually here, I think. I’ve never been here before.”

“Did I get the wrong building?” He wondered and then wandered to the edge to get a better look over the settlement.

The children were doing much the same.

The battle was still going on. His spiders were pushing the elves further along the wall, but with the wall now breached they soon will be pinned and surrounded. The children of course saw the same, and there was worry in their eyes.

He leaned over the fence to talk with the poor spider who was still climbing the large tree. “I’m sorry but can you go and tell others to go easy on the elves; capture, don’t kill.” He felt bad for sending the little spider all the way down just after it was done climbing.

He needn't to worry because the spider attached a rope to the tree and descended quickly; He could even hear a small “Wee!” escape its tiny mouth as it was flying down the rope.

“Why spiders fighting Daddy? Aren’t they friends?” A child asked unable to take her eyes from the fighting.

Was he the baddy here? He had a moral conflict brewing inside his heart; that’s why he never wanted this to happen.

“Adults have fights sometimes…” He really wanted to stop all of this. “Especially then we are mad or angry, or even afraid. But you’re right they shouldn’t be fighting.”

“Yeah! Friends don’t fight.” Another child butted in.

He had just an idea, “Why don’t you all come here by the fence and tell everyone to stop? I’m sure my spiders will listen.”

To rile the children he followed his own advice; practise what you preach and all that.

“Hey stop fighting!” He shouted from the top of his lungs.

The children soon joined.

“Stop fighting!”, “Stop fighting!”, “Stop!” …

…

The sound of shouts flew far and loud, and then reached the long eyes of the elves. They stopped firing arrows at the spiders. The spiders paused chopping with axes at elf guard towers. And surprisingly so, everyone did stop fighting for a moment. It was unbelievable that the power of love and friendship was able to accomplish such a feat; a true miracle if one might say so.

Of course, it had nothing to do with the fact that their ancestral tree was swarmed with spiders and their High Chief had likely been eaten alive by now. Not to mention the sorrowful cries of their children who were threatened into begging for their parents to surrender or else… they didn’t even want to imagine. They had put too much trust in these walls, too much faith in the venerable elders' magic shield, and failed to protect what was the most important. So they surrendered in hopes that their children might be left to live. Or so and such.

One by one, they were put into the nets and carried towards the ancestral tree to await their fate.

However, not everyone was as brave or even had children, so seeing the ceasefire they used that chance to escape; all they had to do was jump off the wall and run into the forest. Moreover, after seeing that the spiders didn’t give chase the number of opportunists only increased. The other elves, of course, cursed the ones who were so selfish, because it was they and their children who will pay the price.

The captives were gathered right under the ancestral tree. They were let out of the web-like nets and herded into a tight group. To their surprise, the children poured out of the entrance to the ancestral tree. They ran right to their parents for hugs and consolation.

Stolen novel; please report.

Soon after the ghastly King himself descended the stairs, looking no better than the elves did; clothes tattered and with an exhausted look on his otherwise human face; the elders must have given him a good last beating before they perished valiantly.

The monster King began speaking, his words calming as if enchanted.

“I didn’t want any of this to happen.”

A terrible excuse.

“I’m sorry for your loss. But I’ve lost people too.”

He had the gall to compare the life of an elf to that of a spider.

“I really do want to make this work. I still want us to be allies, to live and trade together as good neighbours would.”

Some drivel was escaping his mouth; no one wanted to hear this. However, they were smart enough to pretend to listen and to know where this was going despite not listening. There was only one reason they were spared and that reason was…

“So I must ask for bygones be bygones and forget this misunderstanding so that we can live in a better future where we can coexist. This is the only way out of this, the way where we work together. So I ask you all to…”

An elf stood up and began shouting, “What are you even asking? We won’t be your slaves!” clearly unable to take in the harsh reality and forgetting the consequences.

That particular elf was dragged back to the ground where other elves were kneeling and his mouth muffled.

“Slaves?” He asked in confusion.

“We will be your slaves! O King Of Spiders.” Everyone grovelled in agreement.

“What, no! What is going on?”

The elves were not listening. “We will serve you well, please spare us and our children.”

“Were you even listening?” He sighed. “How did you even…” The strange aura left the King's voice.” Forget it. I just want an Alliance.”

“Whatever you ask, O King Of Spiders.”

He sighed even deeper. “Look I am sorry. Is there anyone else to talk to? There is your leader?”

“…” The elves were quiet.

Until someone stood up. “I’m the leader. I think…” They mumbled the last part.

“Are you the High Chief? Where are you on the wall? And here I assumed you would be…”

“Yes, I am the oldest so…”

“Never mind, come let’s discuss this in private.”

They were interrupting each other, but in the end, found an agreement. The King of Spiders took the newly elected High Chief to the ancestral tree as per elven custom. The things were moving so fast, it was hard not to feel dizzy.

“Can we go?” One brave soul asked tired from all the grovelling.

A spider chirped happily.

“Amm, can you say it again.”

A spider chipped even more happily.

“Are you dumb!” Someone was willing to translate. “It’s obviously saying that we need to wait for the King to come back.”

“I just asked…”

The spider was chirping something at the elves.

“See you made it angry now! Apologise.” The elf pressed the other elf's head to the ground for an apology while also doing the same.

…

Sometime before, a tiny while back, just after the moment when the enraged spiders began to swarm the walls. The three High Chiefs were observing the battle with baited breaths. The evil King of Spiders was dealt with but the future of this elven settlement was unclear.

“The walls aren’t doing much.” High Chief number two made an apt observation.

“Well, they are spiders so…” High Chief number three pointed out the obvious.

“We can do it. Their king is dead.” The High Chief was optimistic.

“Even if we win this it won’t be the victory you wanted. Shooting at dryads was a mistake.” Number two rubbed the salt into a bleeding wound.

“Well, I didn’t tell them to, and those were your archers too. I will just have to appease the spirit then it is reborn.”

“I guess everyone had made some mistakes.” Number three was concentrating on the battle. “But yeah, you will have a lot of appeasing to do, the dryads look positively angry. Oh, they began healing the spiders.”

“Balistas, kill the Great Dryad.” High Chief number one commanded. “It’s likely there to serve as a node for brainwashing.” The High Chief explained.

“Good decision!”

“But, didn’t the Great Dryad just retreat into the forest?” Number tree asked.

“Oh…” That’s why none of the balistas were firing even after they finished loading.

The battle continued and it looked like it was a stalemate. Until…

“Hey! Look!” High Chief number three pointed towards the edge of the clearing.

“Impossible!” The High Chief uttered. “The Spider King is alive?”

“And back with reinforcements.”

The undying evil rushed straight to the walls and disappeared from their vision.

“The Great Dryad is back!” Number three shouted.

“Kill it first, we have to stop dryads from healing.”

The battle was becoming chaotic, the spiders were on the walls throwing their archers down. Bad turned to worse and a hole appeared in the wall, a legion of small spiders poured right out of it.

“Can we still win this?” The High Chief asked his optimism already shattered.

“With the walls breached? The Great Dryad still alive, the Minor Dryads mad and a Legion of Spiders already on the wall?”

“We lost it the moment the magic shield was shattered.” Number two pointed out the obvious yet again. “I’m calling off my men.”

“But you can’t…” The High chief knew he couldn’t expect his allies to keep fighting. “So, we lost it?” He didn’t want to believe it.

“You lost it. I’m out.” Number two fired a light flare into the sky, and began running down the stairs in a hurry.

“I will support you for a while longer.” Number three looked down. “The spiders are on your streets and in your houses. You don’t have much time. Do what is right, take what is most precious and come with me.”

“I will grab the venerable elders and the magic scrolls. We can’t let this evil to get their hands on our ancient magic.”

“Hurry!” The chief number three urged.