The chamber is vast. The smooth wall curves gently into the darkness, indicating that the room is possibly circular in shape. The ceiling is beyond the reach of our lights. Gareth leads the way, his sword drawn, his head swivelling from side to side, poised to react in an instant. I gradually increase the output of Spirit on my Light spell, making sure there’s a good few feet of visibility in front of him. Elara’s footsteps, once right behind me has become distant.
Gareth stops, his hand shooting quickly into the air signalling at us to do so as well. An almost imperceptible sizzle fills my ear.
“Light!” He calls out.
I push as much spirit as I can into my spell. The line of sight shifts forward, revealing a wide empty floor, save for the long shadows of his poised form. At the brink of the spell’s reach, the light starts reflecting off something high above in the distance. It starts off with two red orbs that multiply as my spell reaches its limit, revealing about a dozen in total. The orbs float, almost motionless, but when they do move, they shift perfectly in sync.
We stare it down, waiting for the inevitable attack. A nerve rattling hiss fades in from the sizzle. The sound hangs in the air for a few seconds before Gareth finally initiates the battle.
“IT’S TOO FAR! MEER, YOUR LIGHT! ELARA, INTO POSITION!”
I rush towards Gareth, with the second pair of hurried footsteps confirming that Elara is doing the same. Our leader takes a few steps back towards me, an empty hand reaching out, calling for my staff. I fling it across the gap between us, the bright light shifting forward before settling into the warmness of the torch approaching from behind.
The staff reaches it’s mark as Gareth pushes further into his already coiled posture and with a strong pivot of his hips, flings the staff towards the orbs. The Light flings through the darkness, with the immense distance making it look slower than it actually is. The enemy is revealed for only a moment, but the details of a giant spider sitting on a thick throne of web is etched firmly into our minds.
“DAMN-IT! WE HAVE TO FIGHT IT UP CLOSE!” Gareth shouts.
“Meer, move forward. We’ll have to group up and cover him!” Elara has closed the distance between us.
Gareth begins to move towards the monster, with his pace allowing us to catch up to him. I feel my body trembling slightly. Surely the spider is horrifying, but I thought I would be used to the heat of battle by now. I look down to realize that it was Melo shaking in fear. It rests on my satchel with its small frame pushing into me, afraid of danger we face. When we finally regroup behind Gareth, I grab Melo and put it gently down on the ground behind us.
“Stay behind me, we’ll get through this together.” I whispered to it.
“Meer can you bring it down closer to us?” Gareth asks.
The staff lies on the ground beneath it, the light illuminating just the bottom of two hairy limbs that clutch it to the wall. The hissing continues uninterrupted.
“I’ll try something.”
I lift my arms towards the enemy, while crossing my thumbs around each other and join the sides of my index fingers. Chanting a Fireball spell, the Spirit flows out of my body twisting, and creeping it’s way along my arm. The lack of a Staff will affect my control and accuracy, but the power output should still be the same. I just need to remain calm and know what I’m aiming at. An idea springs into my mind.
“FIREBALL!”
The Spirit sparks two small embers before the air erupts into a burst of flame that shoots up towards the floating eyes. The creature’s face is once again illuminated as the spell shots past it’s head and makes contact with the back of it’s torso.
The hissing turns into a screech as it reels from the pain and crawls down towards us. The explosion meanwhile propels shards of ember shrapnel to the webs, causing the wall to ignite in flames as the fire spreads far along the sides and up the chamber walls. The room is now brightly lit by the silk chandelier, revealing a giant circular chamber devoid of anything other than a few structural pillars. The creature towers above us, more than twice Gareth's height and possibly even taller than us three combined. Its hairy shell is covered by long vine-like bundles of hair that crisscross around its giant frame.
“If there’s a spider, there must be spiderlings. We fight the mother, but be wary of anything falling from the sky.” Gareth warns.
Elara holsters her sword and reaches back to unhook the spear. I whisper a mix of enchantments as they charge at it. The smell of burnt follicles fill the air as I hear Melo fearfully chirping behind me. Gareth is the first to lunge at the enemy, his sword clashing against a frontal limb. Its hair seem to be quite impervious to slashes, and we don’t even know how tough the cuticle may be.
I extend my arms again, thumbs still intertwined however this time, I point my index fingers individually at my allies. Two streams of Spirit shoot out and into them enhancing them with both Swift and Protection. The effects of the spells will be diminished, but I need to be frugal with my pool of Spirit. This will be a tough battle.
The fight rages on. A dance of blades and pole-arm against its two long, and claw tipped pedipalps. Elara’s spear looks to be more effective at piercing the knotted locks that cover the spider, with its limbs reeling back in pain when she does manage to get a good hit in. My staff lies on the ground next to a hind leg, the Light spell almost extinguished.
“I need to get to my staff! It’s on the right” I shout.
The fire rages on above, now extending back high above the door we’d entered from. Small bundles of webs fall from the darkness beyond, lit up by the remnants of the larger flame, resembling fireflies descending onto a pond.
“Elara get under it, I’ll cover you.” Gareth commands.
He dashes towards her as she lunges forward. Their Swift enchanted bodies dance around the enemy’s attack as Gareth slashes at any and all limbs making an attempt to strike at her. Elara hops onto a protruding slab of stone, using it to propel her to its exposed underbelly.
It’s hard to make out what happened from my position, but the subsequent screech was the loudest I’d heard yet, confirming the success of the maneuver. The spider leaps back, taking Elara with it for a moment as she clings on to the spear, wedged in the wound. The weapon dislodges mid air as she falls several feet towards the protruding rocks beneath. Gareth drops his sword and leaps forward, managing to grab her. However it leaves them open to a vicious counter attack.
The spider lashes out in retaliation, an attack that is barely guarded by Gareth as he lifts he arms in defence. The impact of its attack is only mitigated by the fact that it has climbed too far up to reach them effectively. Still the claw at the tip of its spindly limb shatters the metal plate on his forearm. The monster backs up against the slowly ascending inferno.
Taking the opportunity, I sprint for my staff, with my position now mostly falling in its blind spot. I reckon at least an eight out of twelve. I grab it and close my eyes to concentrate on my chant. Lightning Bolt is what I need to pull it back down, but it’s too big. I can’t just shoot it and hope for the best.
The spell is ready and I open my eyes to see Gareth down on the ground, clutching his arm in pain. Elara stands in between them, now poised to defend against any attack with her spear. The monster stands ready to strike as well, its two front limbs hanging high above it’s body ready to pounce, yet it seems to hesitate. Perhaps her stabs have been more effective than I thought.
“Legs... Hmm... That’s it!” I think to myself
I clutch my staff and channel as much Spirit as I can into it. I feel my connection to the Feather in my satchel manifest. It’s more of a gamble than I like, but it is best chance at winning.
“Lightning Bolt!” I cast the spell.
A charge of lightning forms at the tip of my staff as I desperately try to control the flow of Spirit running through it. I visualize the stream splitting into tributaries as the central ball of lightning bursts into six charged bolts.
The individual bolts race towards the giant target, splitting mid flight and homing in on the six legs which anchor it to the wall. My heart skips a beat as, one by one they make contact. I rush to count them; one, two, three, four, five. The sixth bolt disappears behind its enormous body, as my position makes it difficult to make out its exact location. But the answer is clear. I missed.
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Another screech fills the chamber. The spider starts to slide down, as I catch sight of the last leg stretched out behind it, still desperately trying to cling to the wall. The giant body pivots sideways as it swings mid air, searching for its centre of gravity but with only one leg to anchor itself, it’s meaningless.
A loud SNAP echoes through the room followed by another, and then a drawn out stretch before a final CRACK fills the air as it falls to the ground on its back. The hind leg now ripped away from its body, still stuck to the wall. A translucent liquid spurts out from its wound onto the nearby rocks.
The lightning has temporarily paralyzed its legs, yet still it squirms relentlessly trying to turn itself upright. Elara takes the opportunity to lunge forward and attack, but the monster uses its upturned pedipalps to fend her off. The position is awkward for both the combatants, yet this is the best opportunity we’ve had till now.
I need to do something, however I doubt I have the Spirit to cast any more offensive spells. With no choice, I start chanting a dubious chant. It’s not something I have ample experience with, but considering the situation, it’s all I can do.
As my lips recite the incantation, I watch as the spider regains control of the five remaining hind legs. It pushes two against an extended section of the wall, swinging its body back upright. Gareth has calmed down and reaches to grab his sword.
“Strength.”
I shoot a projectile of energy at Elara, the make of which is visually different from the usual. Upon making contact, her muscles tense up, growing larger to push out her usually slender frame against the tightened straps and metal pads of her armour. The spider lunges out in a painful frenzy, recommencing the battle. Gareth joins the fray, flanking the enemy from the left as they slowly push it back against the wall.
Its movement is quite sluggish, clearly still suffering from the after-effects of my spell, yet the attacks remain quick and vicious. Gareth is struggling to keep up, with his sword now held on his off-hand, and the effects of my initial enchantments having dissipated. The rapid strikes of its claws are relentless as they fend off both my allies individually. As the melee reaches its peak, the spider reels up both limbs, before descending in a ferocious attack. Elara is able to dodge, however Gareth; barely able to defend against it with his sword, is now pinned down kneeling on the ground. His sword locked against the similarly sized, jagged claw.
Elara tries to rush to his aid, but is pushed back by a series of persistent strikes. I stare helplessly at the battle, completely out of Spirit.
"I need to create an opening for them, but how?" I ponder as a series of possible actions race through my mind.
A flutter of feathers slice through the haze, followed by a light blow against my stomach. I look down to see Melo perched on my bag and chirping fervently at me. The flow of energy from the Feather is stronger. I sense a tiny pool of Spirit rekindle in me, along with something that feels a distinctly different. Is Melo acting as a catalyst for this... power?
“I guess I have to just go for it huh?” I seem to be making a habit of one-sided conversations.
Dashing towards my allies, I start the chant. It’s too risky to fire an offensive spell with them so close to my target, so I get into position right behind Elara, lift my staff and say a silent prayer.
“I know we’ve always been at odds and I pretty much forced you to give me your blessings, but just this one time as a Greater Spirit; Kronos, please let it work.“
“FLASH!” I shout.
A burst of white light erupts across the chamber and I’ve remembered to close my eyes this time. The light feels warm and comforting against my face, as I realize that the little amount of Spirit flowing out of me is the last I have in my body. I’m forming another bad habit.
Opening my eyes, I see the next few seconds of actions unfold in a blur. The monster has reeled back, clearly dazed, and blinded by the light. Gareth pushes the limb suppressing him aside causing the spider to stagger, and lose balance as it pivots against a missing limb. I hear him shout something, but I can’t quite make out what it is. However, they move perfectly in sync, with him dashing across her and slashing at the nearest leg, causing it to further tumble.
Elara slides in beneath the stumbling enemy, her knees bent and body coiled, the spear pointing upwards to make the final strike. With the enchantment still in effect, my line of sight is cut off by the spider’s giant head as she extends and launches herself into its underbelly.
The sound of cracking chitin is unmistakable, as the sheer force of her attack lifts the monster into the air, flipping it forward. Both Gareth and I look on in awe as Elara, now kneeling on top of the toppled enemy, clutches the haft with her whitened fists. Pushing it downwards into the body of the hapless creature, the chamber echoes with the squishes and splashes of organs and guts being mangled. With more of the translucent slime being ejected out of its orifices, while accompanied by the final screech of the dying creature.
It takes a few seconds for the visceral scream to end, now replaced by Elara’s scream of victory, raging like the flames above. She lifts her spear and once more thrusts it downwards into the fresh carcass. The seven remaining limbs now crumple inwards, shaking sporadically as she continues to relentlessly pull back and strike into the hapless victim again, and again. I look on, speechless.
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Gareth shouts.
The feverish assault stops. All that remains now is her guttural gasps of air, and the steady burning of flames above. Elara lets go of her spear which remains standing upright, its tip firmly embedded into the flesh of the corpse.
“Are you alright?” I ask.
“Yes. I think... I am.” She replies. Her hands look to be trembling but her breathing has calmed down. The spell subsides.
“Why don’t you come on down here first and we can figure out what to do next.”
“Sure.”
Gareth approaches the lifeless body as Elara jumps down, stumbling upon her landing. He catches her hand and steadies her by the shoulder, helping her find firm footing on the ground. He lets out a slight wince of pain. The damage on his arm is evident. Elara still appears to be tingling from the rush of battle. We give her a moment to catch her breath before he asks.
“Were you scared?”
“No... I felt, invincible.”