CHAPTER 3

THE SPIDER

Mark rode into the small village on his white horse, drawing the attention of the villagers with his gleaming chainmail armor. A middle-aged man with a mustache approached him. "Hello there, traveler," the man greeted. "I'm Alexis, the mayor of this village. I assume you're a mercenary?"

"What gave it away? My armor or my sword?" Mark chuckled. "Yep, that's me. Got any work for me?"

"Indeed we do," Alexis replied eagerly. "That's why everyone's so thrilled to see you. We were in dire straits until you arrived, like an answer to our prayers! We have a problem with a vile creature."

Mark dismounted. "What kind of creature?"

"A massive spider," Alexis explained. "We don't know where it came from or why it's targeting our village, but every night it prowls our streets, devouring anyone unlucky enough to be out after dark."

"Well, that sounds like a problem I can solve," Mark declared. "But it won't come cheap. I want sixty gold coins."

The mayor sighed. "Alright, alright. We'll all pitch in to pay you."

Mark nodded and made his way to the local inn. He ordered wine and some of the area's specialties to enjoy until nightfall. A woman with ample curves brought his orders to the wooden table, smiling warmly at him. Mark returned the smile. Acting on impulse, he pulled her close and kissed her. She responded in kind.

"Sir," she said after a moment, "we can celebrate together once you've slain the beast."

"We sure can," Mark replied with a grin. The woman returned to her duties as innkeeper, and Mark resumed indulging in the delicacies and wine. He had to admit, the life of a wanderer was quite enjoyable. He couldn't fathom why his old self had wanted to retire in a simple village as a peasant.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Night fell, enveloping the village in darkness, with only the moon casting its glow above. Mark emerged from the inn, readying himself for the impending battle with the beast. The village streets lay deserted, the fearful villagers holed up in their homes, hiding from the spider.

Suddenly, a sound broke the silence, signaling the creature's approach. Mark gripped his sword tightly, preparing for combat.

A monstrous spider emerged, looming over him with a deafening howl and menacing hisses. "That's one ugly spider!" Mark exclaimed, sizing up his adversary. As the beast lunged at him with its numerous legs, Mark deftly dodged its strikes, moving with agility.

Attempting to sever one of the spider's legs with a powerful swing of his sword, Mark found his blade stuck in the creature's tough flesh. It proved more resilient than anticipated, making the task difficult. With determination, Mark exerted great effort to free his blade before the spider could retaliate with its other legs, leaving his sword stained with black blood.

The spider lunged at him, but Mark swiftly dodged its legs and thrust his sword into its face, piercing one of its eyes. The beast let out a deafening scream and pounded the ground with its feet, causing the earth to shake. As Mark tried to avoid one of its legs, he was struck and sent tumbling to the ground, his face meeting the dirt.

Spitting out blood, Mark rose to his feet, readying his sword for another assault. With determination, he charged forward, crouching low and delivering a single powerful slash to the spider's underbelly. It was a move ingrained in his muscle memory, despite his lack of memory due to amnesia. Intuitively, he knew the creature's weak spot. A torrent of blood poured from the wound as the spider collapsed to the ground.

To ensure its demise, Mark then leaped onto the creature and drove his sword into its head. As he withdrew his blade, it dripped with black blood. "I've slain the beast!" he bellowed triumphantly, prompting the villagers to emerge from their homes to witness the truth. Seeing Mark standing victorious atop the dead spider, they erupted into cheers and applause.

Among those cheering was Alexis. He tossed a pouch of gold coins to Mark, who caught it effortlessly. "Just as we agreed," Alexis remarked with a satisfied smile. "Thank you for saving us from the beast."

Mark exhaled deeply. "I could use some rest and a good bath now. Phew!"

Returning to the inn, Mark ascended to his room and shed his clothes, the stench of the slain beast clinging to him. A knock sounded at the door. "I'm bringing the bathtub," a female voice announced. Mark recognized it as the innkeeper's.

"Come in!" Mark called out.

The woman entered, her eyes widening at the sight of Mark's nude form, clearly impressed by his physique. "If you don't mind, sir, may I bathe you? I did promise we would celebrate together..."

Mark grinned. "Indeed you did. Come closer."

That night, Mark made love with the woman. However, as soon as the morning sun graced the sky, he departed from the village. Such was the life of a wanderer - always on the move.