There was nothing other than my gut telling me to open my eyes. When I did, I realized my heart was not ready for the sight before me. In front of me were eight eyes, all of which glowed in the dark, and acting on instincts, I scrambled to get away. In my panic, I forgot where I was sleeping and tumbled out of my hammock straight onto my face into a pile of webbing.

“One would think living on two legs one’s entire life would result in more…graceful movements. I suppose that’s the kind of balance expected with so few limbs,” Daphne remarked with what I assumed to be a smile.

“What time is it?” I asked as I pulled webs from my body with varying degrees of success.

“It is time for you to get up. Master Harok has called for you, and we will not keep him waiting,” she answered.

Judging from the sleepiness still in my eyes, I could not have slept for longer than a few hours—nowhere near the time I would usually get. But I knew better than to argue and started picking myself up to get ready, not that there was much to do.

Not having Dragoslava there to help me get ready for my day was a novel experience. She was the one who dressed me up, and although I had learned how to do it myself, the fact she wasn’t around struck me to my core, and under the watchful eye of the spider lady, all my actions felt under scrutiny. Thrown in with the fact she saw no use in clothes, I dressed myself with shaky hands and retied my hair to control any strands that freed themselves in my sleep.

“Your hair is of little concern, child. Come, we have quite a distance to travel to get to the top,” Daphne scolded, and her hand grabbed me from the darkness to pull me along.

To illuminate my path, I once again started to cast magic to light the way.

“No fire,” she repeated, squeezing my arm to cease my spell.

Cursing myself for forgetting the warning from yesterday, I switched it into pure light, only for us to come to the entrance of the cave.

“Are you going to wrap me up again,” I asked, spreading my arms out to make it easier for her.

“No, that was because I wanted to make sure you got enough sleep to function when Master Harok needed you and because a human cannot enter my domain. Unless your legs are broken, you will walk once we arrive at the nearest path,” Daphne instructed.

—

My stamina was never something I questioned. I never thought it was anything exceptional, but it had always been enough for anything I needed it for. When I started climbing up the side of the cave, I thought it would be no different.

In a way, I was right, but as one hour turned into two, then three, and then four, I questioned whether I could make it to our destination. It wasn’t because I lacked stamina, and I wasn’t oblivious to the reason. Any time I slowed down or fatigue set in, Daphne would fling a green orb into my chest or back that gave me the energy I needed to continue.

The problem I faced was the growing burning sensation in my legs from the repetitive action. At first, I could distract myself from it by paying attention to the tour the spider lady was giving me, telling me about the cities we passed as we made our way through the cave.

Whenever we passed a city that would have made Moscow, even in its present day form, look puny in comparison, she would tell me its name and the purpose it served. Some acted as training grounds for their soldiers or as magic research grounds, while others were what she called “city wide factories” to produce weapons and magical tools to serve The Nest’s purposes. Without exception, they all had a purpose to serve outside of a place to live.

The buildings themselves were also different from what I was familiar with. They weren’t wood or straw, or rather substances I did not recognize. There was a copper-like metal, a white crystalline rock, and gold.

The only familiar substance was stone, though it was not in pieces like I was familiar with. Instead of what I was familiar with, however, it was one solid piece, polished to perfection. Little was simple gray, with more carved out of a marble like substance that looked as if it had an ocean of colors beneath the surface. I may have been mistaken, but it looked as if it was flowing like waves, but I could not confirm it before Daphne forced me to move on.

Despite the vast array of materials, each city had some level of consistency in their designs. Only a handful diverged from the established norms.

As interesting as I found the utilitarian approach the cities took, it did not take many flights to start tuning Daphne’s tour out as the pain in my legs became impossible to ignore. At some point, she noticed this as well and stopped speaking so her words would no longer fall on deaf ears.

“How are we supposed to make it to the top at this rate?” I asked, falling to my knees on the steps.

Letting out a sigh she took no effort in hiding, the spider lady reached down and lifted me onto her back without missing a step forward.

“This is going to be the last time I do this, do you understand?” Daphne warned as she rolled her eyes. “And we are not trying to climb up to the top; even I am not capable of climbing that high. Besides, we cannot access their chambers from the top,”

“Then where are we heading?” I inquired, looking for any landmark that could indicate what her answer might have been.

“I suppose you do not know where the dragons reside,” she mumbled. “Where do you believe draconic beings live in Arindoth?”

“What’s Arindoth?” I asked.

“Arindoth is the name of The Nest’s headquarters. The capitol, if you will. Now, answer the question,” the spider lady answered.

“Wouldn’t they live in one of these cities? Maybe one of the bigger ones higher up?” I guessed.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

My answer earned me a hearty laugh I did not know Daphne was capable of.

“What are your parents teaching you?” she huffed, unable to hide her smile. “No, they live in the tree.”

Only by following her finger to the centerpiece of the cavern did I realize she was leading me to a branch that shot off into the walls.

“Then are those—are those also dragons?” I asked, noticing dozens of small dots in the distance, unrecognizable from miles away.

“Unlikely. Dragons fly higher or lower than this. They are likely wyverns, wyrms, maybe drakes if-” she answered.

“What are those?” I interrupted. “The things you mentioned, I mean. How do they differ from dragons?”

One of Daphne’s many eyes rose when she heard my question, and for a moment she was speechless, unable to put a single thought into words.

“What is the difference between those—those lowly beasts and a dragon? Have your parents taught you nothing? Not one of those things could compare to the might or majesty of a dragon!” she roared once she could move her mouth again.

“I-I don’t know. I don’t know the differences,” I whimpered.

I let out a sigh of relief when Daphne reigned in her anger, closing all eight of her eyes as she regained control over her emotions.

“What do you know?” she asked.

“I know they are covered in scales, that they have wings, and that they are immensely powerful—more powerful than a god,” I answered.

“You’re not wrong, child, but they are so much more than that. There are the obvious physical differences. Wyverns lack four legs, and wyrms lack any legs at all, sometimes even wings at all. I will admit I cannot tell a drake apart from a dragon unless they are standing side by side as dragons are larger, but people have been killed for failing to make the distinction,” Daphne explained.

“And the other differences?”

“Dragons, as you should know, are beings capable of tearing down gods from heavens and digging demons up from hells. While other draconic beings can reach similar levels of power, it is far less common, especially with drakes. If memory serves, there is an entire empire that uses wyverns as mounts, and wyrms are often used to drive chariots.”

“And drakes?” I asked, “Why are they different?”

There was something that flared up in her eyes in response to my question. It was a relief when I realized she didn’t direct it toward me.

“Drakes are abominations against nature, created by depraved bastards who stain the name of dragon. The fact they continue to exist is something I will never understand.”

Bad topic, I thought.

“So all draconic beings live in the tree?” I asked, hoping it would be enough to change the subject.

“Those that live here, yes. But it should be noted that most live off on their own and have no interaction with The Nest beyond what is required by law,” she replied, the hatred in her voice dying off with each word.

With no more questions and not willing to provoke her by accident any further, we fell into silence as the spider lady made her way towards our destination. By the time her anger died down in full, we had made it to the branch.

“There are certain formalities that you must abide by when you are in the presence of a dragon. Considering the ignorance you’ve displayed thus far, I will remind you of what they are before you make a fool of yourself.

Rule number one, always address a dragon as Lord and Harok as Master. Rule number two, do not look a dragon in the eyes unless instructed to. Last but not least, rule number three, do not refuse any order they give you. Am I clear?” Daphne asked.

“That’s it? Just three rules?” I asked.

“Am I clear?” she repeated.

“Yes, I understand you,” I affirmed.

On eight legs, it did not take Daphne long to make it to the trunk of the tree, but once she made it and unloaded me, I noticed a single entrance to the tree, towering over the mightiest of giants, and I shuddered to think what it accommodated. An archway decorated the opening, and nothing in Arindoth could compare. Plaid in gold, silver, and jewels, all polished to perfection and untainted by blemishes no matter how small, its perfection gave the art piece an eerie glow that made me unwilling to approach it. Daphne had to push me forward, revealing that no light could penetrate past the bark. Out of curiosity, I crept my hand toward the entrance, and giggled as it disappeared into the shadows. On the inside I felt wind blowing both up and down tickling my fingers.

“I will come pick you up when Master Harok finishes with you. Unless his orders require your presence elsewhere, that is. If so, we shall meet when next we meet, whenever that is. Now go, Master Harok is waiting for you.”

Without elaborating further, Daphne shoved me forward through the hole, and everything went black as my vision abandoned me to the dark. Blind but not numb, I could feel myself accelerate upward at an uncomfortable speed. It was then that a pit hollowed out in my chest.

I’m doing it, you’re going to go meet a dragon, in person. As in, flesh and blood, dragons. Not some image, not some letter from an unknown writer, but in person, I thought as the severity of my predicament sank in.

Memories of how I felt when I first saw Harok the day prior flooded back to me, and the possibility such an experience was going to be repeated hit me. Except this time, there would be no magical orb separating us. I would have nothing to shield myself from him but my bare skin and soul.

Didn’t Daphne say to address other dragons as Lord? Does that mean there’s going to be more? I realized.

The acceleration that had once produced joy and excitement produced fear and anxiety about what was to come. Such emotions were present when I was ascending the infinite staircases, but there was a sense of safety on them, that I had control over where I was going and what I would face. I had no such comfort in the tree, with the direction I was heading decided for me.

As much as I wanted to dwell on the looming future and sort out my thoughts and emotions, it came to me when my vision returned to me, and I found myself in a room unlike any of those I had seen prior. It was enormous, like everything else, but instead of strange architecture, it reminded me of a Greek temple. Pillars and columns carved from marble lined the walls, repeating endlessly for as far as I could see. A pitch black void crept in on all sides, kept at bay by large braziers glowing with purplish fire. The fire allowed enough light to look up and see a mural of dragons wrestling with one another in fierce combat.

Despite its hypnotizing beauty, I felt a greater compulsion to walk in a direction that I would have no reason to walk in otherwise. So powerful was the feeling that I listened to it without realizing it, and by the time I did and regained control, I saw no reason to resist it, let alone question it. So I allowed the compulsion to control me and take me wherever it wanted.

My legs carried me down the endless rows of pillars to a circular platform sitting over a void with no visible supports. Across from the void were yet more columns, but in contrast to the rest, there were gaps in between them for something big. More worrisome, however, was the darkness behind them, encroaching further than what the light would have allowed elsewhere.

“To think she wouldn’t be able to resist,” a deep voice called out, echoing throughout the endless halls as if said by thousands of people.