I am spider.

It is calm. My web is bright, a shimmering nest of delicate lines. It is perfect. Glorious. Light comes through the strange nothing I can touch. Beyond its barrier I can see the green of trees and grass. I see them move. Prey? I move to focus. No. It is wind. Tricky wind.

There is no wind here. I remember the wind. It moved my web. Made it glitter in the light. But wind is not prey. My web traps my prey. It could not trap the wind. Wind is not prey. It is tricky. Tricky wind.

I try to go to the trees, one leg stepping off my web. The strange nothing stops me again. It is okay. My web is here. I will wait. Wait on my web. Wait for the prey. Maybe the strange nothing will let me pass some day. But not today.

My web shakes. Prey? My eyes see nothing. Tricky wind? My web shakes again. No, the wind flutters. This does not flutter my hair. Not wind. This vibration comes from the wood beyond my web. Far below. I scuttle to the dark corner of my web. Safe. The shakes still happen. But I am safe. Safe in my web. I am calm.

In a flash my surroundings change. I do not feel my web. Where is my web? I do not see my web. I want my web. I try to move, but can not. Tricky wind? No, the wind moves. I can not move. I will wait. I will watch. I am calm.

In front of me is the large one. Is it a spider? Where are all its legs? It must have lost its legs. How sad for large spider. Its hair is long, golden like the morning light. It is pretty. But it is not as pretty as my web. Where is its web? Can it not make a web? I miss my web. Where is my web?

Today there is another large one. Smaller than the other large one. It also has missing legs. Such sadness for the large ones. To lose so many legs. Tragedy. Maybe they will feel better with a web. I can make a web. A web for the large ones.

A third large one is behind me. I can see some of it. I want to turn to look. To look at this large one. To see if it has all its legs. Its hair is black. Shiny. But not as shiny as my web. But I can not move. So I will wait. Wait until I can move. Wait until I can find my web. I am calm.

The large one in front of me looks at me closely. Its pedipalps are strange. Pink in color. No hair. Poor large one. First the legs. Now the pedipalps. I really should make a web for the large one. It must be sad with missing legs and strange pedipalps.

Its pedipalps move rapidly. A dance? I do not know this dance.

Curious.

I watch. I watch until her pedipalp dance stops. I am calm.

In a flash my surroundings change. The large ones are gone. Good bye, large ones. I hope you find a web.

I am in my web. My safe web. My beautiful web. I am calm. But something shines in my eyes. Thoughts come with the light.

‘ding’ ‘A Dragonslayer has bathed your body in Space Magic, changing it permanently.

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You grow more resilient, stronger, and more nimble: +10 Vitality, +5 Endurance, +5 Strength, +5 Dexterity, aging has significantly slowed effects.

The flow of your Mana has changed: +10 Intelligence, +10 Wisdom.

Your attunement to the Fabric grows closer: Space Magic improved by 100%.’

‘ding’ ‘You have met the requirements for a species evolution: Space-Touched Silkspinner – Be an arachnid capable of spinning Silk, Space-attuned body.’

‘There have been many Noble False Widows before you, but none have ever been held by the magics of a Dragonslayer and survived. The Space-Touched Silkspinner relies on their Silk and Space Magic to snare prey. Once ensnared, the prey will not suffer from mundane venom, but rather Fabric-disrupting magics.’

‘As a creature of insufficient intelligence, this evolution will automatically be chosen for you. Bonuses and skills will now be applied.’

‘Evolution: Space-Touched Silkspinner

Vitality +5, Dexterity +10, Intelligence +15, Wisdom +10

Space Magic improved by 100%

Silk strength improved by 100%

Body Enhancement Magic improved by 50%

Skills gained from Space-Touched Silkspinner:

Active: Disruption Bite – lvl 1:

Send a chaotic pulse of Space Magic into your target through your bite. Your intelligence stat increases the damage potential.

Category: Space Magic

Active: Silk Spinning – lvl 1:

Silk produced by your spinnerets is 50% [after bonuses 75%] stronger and stickier. The increased stickiness does not affect your ability to unadhere at-will. Your ability to manipulate Silk is slightly improved by your intelligence stat.

Category: Body Enhancement

Passive: Space Touch – lvl 1:

As the owner of a Space-attuned body, perceiving the fabric of Space immediately around you and manipulating it at a touch comes natural to you.

Category: Body Enhancement – Space Magic

Passive: Silk Awareness – lvl 1:

Perceive stimulus using Silk as a medium with 100% [150%] increased clarity.

Category: Body Enhancement’

‘ding’ ‘You have learned the general skill Space Magic Resistance’

Space Magic Resistance – lvl 1

Most would have been shredded into nonexistence by a Dragonslayer, yet you’re still whole. The twisters of the Fabric will find you less susceptible to manipulation.

Name:

Species: Space-Touched Silkspinner – lvl 1

- Active: Disruption Bite – lvl 1

- Active: Silk Spinning – lvl 1

- Active: Free Slot

- Active: Free Slot

- Passive: Space Touch – lvl 1

- Passive: Silk Awareness – lvl 1

- Passive: Free Slot

- Passive: Free Slot

General Skills:

- Space Magic Resistance lvl 1

Status:

Vitality: 17

Endurance: 6

Strength: 6

Dexterity: 18

Intelligence: 25

Wisdom: 20

Health: 120/170

Stamina: 60/60

Mana: 0/250

‘ding’ ‘You have been afflicted by Mana Starvation (minor): Nullified health and mana regeneration, Evolution paused’

The thought-light fades before my eyes. It was pretty. But not as pretty as my web. It is also wrong. Wrong thought-light. Calling me not smart. I am spider.

‘ding’ ‘Name changed to Spider.’

Yes, thought-light. I am spider.

Without the thought-light in the way, I see another web. Not my web. It is everywhere. It is a pretty web. More pretty than my web.

Blasphemous.

I try to touch the other web. My leg passes right through. No sticking. No movement. I repeat my poke. One moment in front. The next behind. What a tricky web. Is it made of wind? No, it is too pretty to be wind.

What spider spun this web? I will learn from their web. I will change my web. My web will be better than the other web. Maybe then I can catch the tricky wind? And then I will show the spider who spun this web my prettier web. My web that catches the tricky wind.