Chapter Twenty-Eight

Marvel

Marvel worked every one of her eight legs to their fullest as soon as she freed herself from Serenity's cobweb. She was supposed to get another round of scolding, but the commotion caused by her siblings swarming around Serenity and the teachers presented the perfect opportunity for her to slip away.

Marvel hastened toward where Solace was expected to be. Her intention was clear—to express her complaints about Serenity to Solace and gain a deeper understanding of their predicament.

Serenity merely offered a few passing comments, mentioning that they were addressing the issue, which only infuriated Marvel. That was why she was going to Solace to get some answers.

Midnight might possess the most knowledge about the danger, given her position of authority, but her intimidating presence made her unapproachable. Instead, Marvel decided to approach Solace. Solace was everyone's teacher and older than anyone she knew. Combined with the fact that Solace was always caring and understanding, Marvel believed she stood a good chance of getting what she wanted from her.

At the very least, she expected to learn something that Serenity would never divulge, hiding behind excuses like "you're not ready" or other web-spinning nonsense.

Marvel manoeuvred upside down along the path, taking several turns until she finally arrived at a deep pit. Countless interwoven webs formed a magnificent structure in the pit that one could only fully appreciate by exploring every inch of the place. Marvel's own dwelling, which she took pride in showing off to her siblings, paled in comparison to this masterpiece crafted by Solace over centuries of honing her skills.

Initially, she had the urge to plunge straight into Solace's pit, but that would have been ill-mannered, and she knew better than to display bad manners when seeking help.

Suppressing her urge, Marvel directed her mental senses toward the pit. Within mere seconds, her consciousness delved deeper into Solace's abode, disregarding all the ordinary objects, in search of any signs of life. Much to her disappointment, there was no trace of Solace.

Although she encountered some other creatures—Solace's pet projects—the true owner of the dwelling was absent. Solace seldom ventured far from her abode, except for her irregular teaching sessions with the younglings.

Then Marvel remembered their predicament. Perhaps Solace ventured out to investigate. It wasn't too difficult to imagine such a possibility.

Marvel's mandibles chattered with boredom as she circled the pit, scouring for any sign of Solace. Marvel was aware that Solace was probably doing something important, but that did little to alleviate her irritation, especially since Serenity might send someone after her. Marvel had to meet with Solace, and the sooner, the better.

Today, luck appeared to be on her side as a familiar mental presence tingled against her consciousness, causing her to spin instantly.

"Marvel, dear," a voice entered her mind, "what brings you here?"

"Solace!" Marvel's eyes gleamed with joy as she faced towards where Solace's voice came from. Without wasting a moment, she leapt out and used her web to swiftly move toward Solace. She covered several hundred metres to finally catch sight of the familiar silhouette of Solace, standing tall above her.

A pristine grey figure stood over nine feet tall, pared with centuries-old scars, covering her entire form. The most prominent scar was a horizontal deep cut crossing her abdomen, reaching from one side to the other, accompanied by the absence of her front-row appendages.

Rather than making her appear crippled, these marks only served to make her more intimidating, particularly to those who did not know her well. Solace was the exact opposite of her fearsome appearance, the very contrast of Midnight, who appeared small and beautiful, but was truly terrifying in action.

With the passing years, the vibrant novelty in Solace's eyes had faded, replaced by weathered wisdom. However, the genuine affection that radiated from her remained ever-present—time had not managed to diminish it in the slightest.

Solace belonged to the fourth generation. Born twelve hundred years ago, she was over a millennia older than anyone else in their clan. Aside from the Great Mother, whom they all revered but had never met, Solace was like the towering tree under whose shelter all her siblings and the older generations flourished.

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It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that she was the true mother figure, the matriarch of their clan, despite never voicing such intentions or seeking to usurp the Great Mother's throne.

Solace unfailingly acted in the best interests of their clan, and she earned the respect of everyone for her unwavering dedication. Over the years, she could have chosen to leave like others did, challenge the authority of the Great Mother, or even do whatever she pleased—she possessed the strength to do so in her prime. However, she chose to remain, ensuring that their home remained whole for centuries, regardless of the personal sacrifices she had to endure.

"SO?"

"Solace," Marvel transmitted, her mental wave brimming with excitement. "You won't believe what I've been through today. First, I was playing—I mean, teaching the other kids how to shoot webs. By the way, Sanctity is improving greatly, and so is Haven, although she tends to argue with the others a lot. Maybe in a month or two, they'll make even more progress.

"Alright, where was I? Oh yes, Serenity. She came to the school and declared a recess out of nowhere. I tried to voice my complaints along with others, but before I could gather more siblings, she announced the Ultimate Eight-legged Championship for this month, even though we always hold it after the Luminous Night. I thought she did it on purpose, to create a problem for me in making my statement and—"

"Oh dear," Solace gently nudged Marvel's legs. "Slow down, Marvel. I'm not going anywhere."

Marvel complied, while Solace transmitted her signature calming wave that worked wonders on soothing children. That soothing wave was all too familiar to Marvel. Like many others, she had been raised with it. But she was bigger now, stronger. She didn't necessarily need it, but it did make her feel better. So she didn't complain. At least nobody was watching her.

"What happened?" Solace asked.

"Serenity tied me up," Marvel complained immediately. "She trapped me, enveloping me in webs from head to toe. She left me completely immobilised and unable to express myself all the way from the school to here, right in front of everyone else. By the Great Mother, can you believe this?"

"Oh, that's very rude of her," Solace responded with the same fondness. "I'll give her a mindful scolding when I see her next time."

Marvel's eyes beamed.

"But if it's Serenity, she must have had some reason to tie you up, don't you think?"

Marvel acted as if she hadn't heard, her enthusiasm flooding through her transmitted thoughts. "Oh, oh, oh, I almost forgot. We encountered something truly extraordinary. You won't believe me when I tell you, but that thing—it was absolutely..."

Marvel couldn't find the words to fully describe it, but the excitement pulsating through her mental wave conveyed the feeling well enough. Especially to Solace, who was a master a reading empathic pulses.

"It must be something of great significance for you to be acting like this," Solace said, her curiosity piqued by Marvel's unusual state. "What is it?"

"It's a snake," Marvel blurted out the secret with the same level of enthusiasm, forgetting all about the secrecy she promised Serenity. Well, it was Solace, she was sure everything was fine.

"A snake?" A look of surprise crossed Solace's empathetic pulses.

"Yes, it's a snake," Marvel continued. "It's a unique, small, white snake that can talk. I thought it was something Serenity had captured and wanted to show to the others, but she let it go. I chased after it, wanting to catch it. That's when Serenity tied me up and let the snake escape. Oh right, she told me you are supposed to teach me Cosmic Arts. Can we start now, so that I can teach that snake a lesson?"

"Hmm." Solace's upper pairs of eyes darted around as she processed Marvel's words. "A snake that Serenity let go? Dear, you know I have lived for centuries, but old age doesn't make me all-knowing. You need to provide a clearer explanation."

"Oh, right—"

Marvel was about to continue when a third voice entered their mental link, growling at Marvel immediately. "I think I can offer a better explanation of the situation than Marvel."

Serenity dropped down next to Marvel, her disapproval clearly conveyed through their shared mental wave. Marvel inched closer to Solace, knowing that only Solace could save her from further discipline.

"Marvel," Serenity called out, her mental pulses devoid of emotion. "Aren't you supposed to be on cleaning duty right now?"

And aren't you supposed to mind your own business?