I was right taking my retinue to confront the kin slayer. When I finished my grand working I immediately sensed her and the more dangerous agile male. They were close and fastly approaching my den. The diminutive one finished off the last of my guards, the connection snapping to them, and I quiver my palps in joy. I won.
Through our eightfold connection I predict where he will fire. Two shots at me that I defect and another hard web at my mate. I tug on my connection and pull my male away. The projectile slams into a brick pillar with a loud crash. The human however won't give up. Like a fly trapped he struggles not knowing he's already dead. Every thrust is stopped. Every dodge predicted. Every avenue of escape, removed. I tense my back legs, prepare a healthy amount of venom and jump.
From the building I watch as Sonja moves with a grace only seen in superhero movies. At first killing one instantly then dodging between two. I am glad I don't have to fight those things myself... yea she's got it no need to get involved . And suddenly as if the universe was making fun of me I hear a thumping from further in the home and then scuttling. Rising out of the interior rooms as a tide of small spiders. Ten, foot high arachnid monstrosities rush at me. With no hesitation or heroism I rush upstairs slamming every door in hopes of delaying the swarm. At the highest floor I see a cord hanging from the ceiling. Perfect, an attic space I rush up the pull-down ladder. I make my way into the attic as the steps protest my weight. In front of me is a well furnished space with a window.
Before I finish catching my breath I hear groaning from the attic door, I peer at it as the noises increase. Then It moves, I see a web connecting the door to the ground clever bastards can use tools. With a panic I rush to the window and peer out. In front of me there are three inches of roof lay followed by a sheer drop. Damn, can I maneuver higher with such little legroom? My hesitation is rewarded with the attic door fully opening and more scuttling. It's do or die. I step onto the tile of the roof and attempt to climb further up. My climb is made more difficult by the shattering tile under every step.
With a great heave of effort I make it to the apex of the roof, when my head snaps to a bright magical light. Being pulled by a intangible thread is a small spider. The movement of the spider is echoed by the thundering crack of Sonja's sling as she destroys a chimney. I let out the breath that I seem to hold back all the time, my mind again rushes clear from fear and now I think only of action. I lash out at the first thing in front of me.
The tiny spider lays on the floor stunned from its sudden movement and the exploding brickwork. It leaves me the perfect opportunity to plunge Sonja's dagger deep into its abdomen. But even in its death throws it proved to be a worthy foe as my arm takes the a swift puncture followed by slow numbness. Or in layman's terms, "bastard bit me!". Upon it's death the thread that was connecting the two spider detaches and clings to my arm.
I shake out my numbing hand and judge the fight between Sonja and the nine foot tall monstrosity. My heart stops. Is it the venom reaching critical areas? Possibly, but more likely It is dread. Below me in the street Sonja makes all manner of attacks at the spider, using live acrobatics and powerful feints. It is useless I can tell. String blossom from her, forming a living marionette. The spider seems to sense and predict her movements, as its blocks appear before Sonja attacks. Finally with a flourish the spider knocks down Sonja and prepares a pounce.
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My eyes rush around the roof looking for some way to help and I see it. With the rhythmic thundering of broken tile I run putting all of my weight into a lifesaving charge. And all of my momentum comes up to a brick wall. The chipped chimney absorbs my impact and remains standing. I push harder remembering childhood games, feeling good about myself tackling the big kids twice my age. They seemed just like this brick wall unmovable, steady but even they can fall. I feel a wave of mental and physical exhaustion as the the chimney loosens and falls on top of the spider. And in an unfortunate quirk of physics I follow.
As I lie in the dust cloud I again think about my life choices. Having the wind knocked out of you gets old the first time it happens, now I am spicing it up with dust and irritating spider bristles entering my lungs. With a wheezing cough I stumble down my chitinous throne and sit down.
Sonja seems to get up and say something jovial to me. Hell If I know the contents but I can interpret ahem, "Asher you brave hero! You saved me. I shall inform the guild at once and we shall be merry with coin in our pockets! Perhaps we shall cast a translating spell on you so you can regale your brave story to us directly" I chuckle at the unfavorable caricature of her and wait for her timely assistance. My mirthful face turns to horror as Sonja approaches me with puppet strings still implanted in her skin.
With a rush I run out of the dust cloud pulling Sonja along. And I see we are still trapped. The dome of a spider web still surrounds us, and the hissing sound of legs rubbing against each other and the shifting of rubble confirms my fear we didn't get it.
Sonja gives a cat-like grin and attempts to dash at the spider to deliver the 'coup de grâce'. Her momentum is halted before it can begin as the strings on her body tighten up. I watch as her eyes flash in fear realizing her situation. Who would have thought an agile fighter's counter would be a spider?
A dagger lodges itself in the echo of where my head used to be. Sonja the puppet throws another one. I can see the patterns. Magic pulses down the strings broadcasting intent. I make predictive dodge after predictive dodge. Two downward slashes at my neck that I step back to avoid. A sweeping kick that I lean into so as to not lose my balance. The thrown dagger I dodged by taking the previous attack. This dance is a sign I can seemingly decipher in the strings.
The longer this goes on the less I can predict. The spider is seemingly learning how to control Sonja better with every second. I attempt to doge a slash and swipe at a strand of web. I fail on both accounts. A new cut blooms on my cheek, stinging with fresh pain as dust finds its way into the fresh wound. My dagger however phases through the magical string. I am unable to attack the magic.
Bile rises to my mouth. Will I have to kill this young girl to live? I lean to the side avoiding a sling's bullet. If I kill Sonja would that stop the spider? I duck as Sonja attempts to garrote me with the spent sling. Or will it be able to track me through the web on my arm. I push my hips back as I dodge a disembowelment. Wait! That's it! My epiphany distracts me and I take a heel to the ribs.
I doubled over in pain, but nonetheless my eyes never leave the web-work attached to Sonja. Then the coup de grâce flashes down the webs and I lean into the blow. Another dagger plunges deeply into my shoulder blade as I embrace Sonja. I then spin around and watch in delight as she slumps on the ground. Above her the strings intercept a loop of my own string losing their tautness.
After I pacify my combatant I eye the giant spider, injured but not dead. Despite being immobile and under a pile of rubble It still looks like it won. Pissed off by the spider's contempt, I try to finish it off. But then a loud snapping invades my ears and I see lines connect to me.
My body faces Sonja and I can't help but laugh. I laugh as Sonja dodges my blows, I laugh as she knocks me down, and laugh as the giant spider is ended by a casual flick of Sonja's wrist. Before my consciousness is fully erased I can't help but think. "I love being overestimated!"