"Just what I needed," Kael rasped, his hollow voice scraping against the desert air.

The shadow of his scythe stretched long and jagged behind the monstrous spider, and Kael melted into it. In an instant, he reappeared, his skeletal frame cloaked in shadows, standing behind the beast.

The spider's carapace gleamed faintly under the harsh sunlight, black and segmented, with bristling hairs that twitched like antennae sensing danger. Kael’s bony fingers curled tightly around the scythe’s dark handle, his movements deliberate yet unnervingly fluid.

Before the spider could pivot, Kael swung. The blade hissed through the air, carving a deep arc into the creature’s back. Black ichor erupted from the wound, spewing like a fountain. The spider let out a shrill, unnatural screech, its many legs spasming wildly.

Kael's sockets burned with cold focus. He didn't hesitate. His scythe arced again, this time hacking into one of the spider's spindly legs. The joint cracked under the force, severing cleanly. As the spider staggered, its body listing heavily, Kael’s blade bit into a second leg, splintering the exoskeleton but failing to sever it completely.

The monster retaliated with surprising speed, slamming a massive, serrated leg down at him. Kael crouched low, cloak billowing as he hurled his scythe upward. The spinning blade sliced toward the creature's cluster of eyes.

The spider screeched again, its leg swerving mid-strike to block the scythe. The two collided with a metallic clang, the force sending Kael sliding back across the shifting sands.

But Kael had already vanished into the web of shadows cast by the spider’s thrashing limbs. He reappeared above it, another scythe materializing in his skeletal grip, the blade pulsing faintly with dark energy. With a ghostly leap, Kael plunged the scythe down. The blade sank deep into the spider’s back, carving a jagged gash that sent another geyser of black blood cascading down its carapace.

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Kael landed hard on the spider’s heaving back. The impact jarred his brittle frame, a wave of weakness rippling through him. His movements grew strained, each step across the beast’s slick, gore-covered surface slower than the last.

He clenched his jawless skull. "No stopping now," he muttered under his breath.

His skeletal feet clattered against the spider’s exoskeleton as he raced toward its head. When he reached the soft, membranous area near its ruined eyes, he jumped high into the air, skeletal hands gripping his scythe tight.

"Eat this!" he roared, bringing the blade down with all his remaining strength.

The scythe smashed into the creature’s eyes, shattering the fragile orbs in a spray of ichor and fluids. The spider reared back, its legs flailing wildly, completely blinded. Kael used the recoil to propel himself off its back, landing heavily on the desert sand below.

His chest heaved with exertion, his cloak fluttering around him like a storm-torn banner. The desert sun burned down, casting long, wavering shadows across the battle-scarred dunes.

"Damn," Kael hissed, his sockets narrowing. "This guy’s tougher than I thought."

The spider shrieked, the sound reverberating across the barren expanse. Kael took a steadying breath, his bony fingers tightening around his newly-summoned scythe.

"There’s no time to rest," he muttered, his feet digging into the sand as he launched himself forward.

His skeletal form blurred as he sprinted, his footsteps eerily light for something so solid. The spider writhed in agony, ichor dripping in thick rivulets from its wounds. Despite its blindness, its massive head suddenly snapped toward Kael, its mandibles clicking furiously.

Kael skidded to a halt, shock flickering in his empty sockets. "How...?" he murmured. His bony fingers flexed nervously against the scythe’s handle.

Then realization struck. "It can’t see me," he muttered, voice low and sharp. "It can sense me."

The spider let out another piercing screech, its body tensing as it prepared to strike. Kael’s cloak billowed in the wind, and the battle was far from over.