The forest had fallen into an eerie quiet after the feline beast’s retreat, but neither Caelum nor Aurelia allowed themselves to relax. The tension from the failed ambush still weighed heavily on them, a reminder that danger was everywhere.

“We should keep moving,” Caelum said quietly, his voice cautious. “We’ve lingered here too long. That beast might have been just the first wave.”

Aurelia nodded in agreement, her antennae twitching as she scanned their surroundings. The foliage around them felt dense and heavy, as if the very trees themselves were watching. It was as if the forest had a heartbeat, something lurking in its pulse, waiting to strike.

“Let’s go,” she urged, and they crawled carefully forward, moving through the underbrush with their camouflage still active.

They hadn’t gone far when Caelum felt it—a faint shift in the air, the slightest tremor along the ground. It was barely noticeable, but enough to put him on edge.

Something’s here, he thought, freezing in place.

“Wait,” he whispered through the telepathic link. “Something’s off.”

Aurelia stopped beside him, her body tensing as she surveyed the area. For a moment, everything was still—too still.

Then, out of nowhere, the air seemed to crackle with a new presence. Before either of them could react, a dark, skittering form burst from the shadows. Eight gleaming eyes locked onto them, and a sickening, clicking noise filled the air.

It was a spider. But not just any spider—a massive, venomous creature, its body glistening with toxic green fluids that dripped from its fangs. Its legs moved with terrifying speed as it lunged toward them, its massive body almost blending into the forest floor.

Caelum’s heart pounded in his chest as he scrambled to react. “Spider! Move!” he shouted, his voice laced with panic.

Aurelia darted to the side just in time to avoid the spider’s sharp, venom-coated fangs as it snapped at them. Caelum, too, managed to roll out of the way, but the spider was fast—faster than he expected.

We can’t outrun this thing, he realized.

The spider skittered forward, its legs thumping against the ground as it tried to trap them in its web. Aurelia’s quick reflexes kept her out of its grasp, and Caelum activated Camouflage once more, blending into the forest floor.

But the spider wasn’t fooled for long. Its venomous fangs lashed out, narrowly missing Caelum as he ducked and weaved, his small body moving as fast as it could. He could feel the heat of the poison radiating from the spider, the air thick with its toxicity.

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“We can’t let it corner us!” Aurelia called through the telepathic link, her voice tight with strain.

The spider hissed, its legs scrabbling for purchase as it tried to strike again. Caelum lunged out of its reach, using Instinctive Dodge to avoid the deadly fangs. His movements felt sharper, more fluid as he dodged, but the spider’s relentless speed kept him on edge.

Too fast, he thought, gritting his mandibles. It’s only a matter of time before it catches us.

The spider reared back, its venomous body glowing faintly in the dim light as it prepared to strike again. Caelum’s mind raced, searching for a way to outmaneuver the creature. Fire magic might work, but he needed an opening—something to slow it down or distract it long enough for him to strike.

Aurelia, sensing his hesitation, took matters into her own hands. She darted forward, moving with surprising speed, and sank her mandibles into one of the spider’s legs. The creature screeched in rage, its body thrashing wildly as it tried to shake her off.

“Now!” she shouted, her voice filled with determination.

Caelum didn’t hesitate. He summoned his Fire Magic, focusing on the heat within his body. Flames flickered to life around him, small but potent, and he launched them toward the spider’s body.

The fire hit its mark, scorching the spider’s leg. The creature hissed in agony, momentarily distracted by the burning pain. It flailed, trying to shake off the flames, and Caelum took the opportunity to retreat further, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Keep it up!” Aurelia called, her voice strained but determined. “We’ve got it off balance!”

Caelum summoned more fire, his magic surging through him as he launched another burst of flames toward the spider’s body. The fire ignited on contact, sending the creature into a frenzy. Its legs scrambled wildly, its venomous fangs snapping at the air as it tried to rid itself of the searing pain.

But just as Caelum thought they might have the upper hand, the spider lashed out with its remaining strength. One of its fangs grazed him, barely touching his body—but that was enough.

A searing pain shot through Caelum’s side as the venom entered his system. He cried out, his vision blurring for a moment as the poison worked its way through him. The world spun, and his body felt heavy, sluggish.

“Caelum!” Aurelia’s voice pierced through the haze, but he could barely respond. His limbs felt like they were weighed down, his body struggling to move as the poison coursed through him.

Not... now, he thought, gritting his mandibles. He could feel the poison gnawing at his strength, but something else stirred within him—his Poison Resistance.

A faint notification blinked in his mind:

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Poison Resistance: Level 6/10

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The poison wasn’t as deadly as it could have been, his body already adapting to its effects. He could feel the resistance building, the pain dulling slightly as his body fought back against the venom.

But even with the resistance, the damage had been done. His movements were slower, and the spider was still very much alive, its venomous body looming over him with deadly intent.

Aurelia, seeing Caelum’s struggle, lunged at the spider again, sinking her mandibles into its already weakened leg. The spider screeched in fury, turning its attention to her as it flailed wildly.

“Stay with me, Caelum,” she urged through the link, her voice filled with worry.

Caelum gritted his mandibles, forcing his body to move despite the poison’s lingering effects.