Mason was seriously stuck in the damn web. It didn't trigger his titles or Apex Predator, and though Duality of Strength was going crazy it seemed like strength was really not going to get him out.

The webbing just flexed like elastic as he pushed and pulled, the length of his limbs not enough to actually strain the material. He re-summoned his Claws and pulled himself free enough to start cutting. That at least did the trick.

But it also took so long the near dead 'ettercap', which seemed somehow immune to the webbing, staggered forward again. It rakes its claws down Mason's back as he roared in fury, and he heard its bloody maw coming down as it cackled.

His left arm broke free of the web a moment before it arrived, and he spun with his shorter Claw to slash off a chunk of the ettercap's lower jaw. It screeched with surprise and pain and pulled away, clawing across his chest as it fell back.

Mason yanked and slashed strands of the sticky material away, cutting himself slightly as he freed his legs and emerged. A quick glance showed him Becky was mostly free and holding off the other creature, with Blake's constructs still trying to escape.

Calypsa was free and maybe casting a spell. She’d tossed a spear pretty much through one of the ettercap’s chests, and Streak had gotten out enough to trip the thing before it reached the nymph and ate her.

Blake and Annie were...

Mason found a giant, horrible spider skittering towards his brother behind a rock. Adrenaline lanced through his body like fire, and he ignored his own target, instantly activating Aspect of the Cheetah.

He was slower than he should have been in this damn unnatural place. But the active portion of his now tier two Aspect still worked well and propelled him forward.

But not in time. The spider struck down with its two front legs, spikes long as a ruler clearly sticking from the bottom. They hit, but bounced away from his brother's shield.

Mason roared to get the creature's attention. Then he jumped into the air with both Claws held to strike, slightly surprised and disoriented at how high he actually flew.

The creature turned and stared with half a dozen colored eyes, most of which flared with light. Mason resisted the urge to close his eyes and turn away. Apex Predator flashed a small list of text.

[Affinity gained: Elemental]

[Affinity gained: Insectoid]

[First Blood activated: Daze Prey resisted.]

[Title gained: Spider-man. You have somehow gained the insectoid affinity. That's weird enough to deserve a title. +2 Dexterity.]

Several unpleasant feelings hit Mason's body. The spider seemed to be able to shoot lasers out of its eyes, all of which had locked on and struck with pretty much perfect accuracy, their magic exploding in a flash of strange light. Mason was sure it was all very impressive.

He ignored it and slammed his swords into the spider's body.

The creature reeled and spasmed as the blades sunk to the hilt, eyes rolling and turning in multiple directions. It thrashed with its legs and tried to scamper back, but Mason pulled himself closer and took a handful of the thing's fur to hang on.

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He ripped out his longer blade, then with a single swipe, chopped off at least four of the eyestalks. The spider screamed with a terrible sound and fled for the cavern wall, but Mason just kept plunging his sword into its body as it ran.

For once, Crippling Strike worked on a difficult target. When Mason finally fell from the body as the hair ripped off in his hand, the spider was moving as if drunk. He easily followed and chopped leg after leg, sending bits and pieces of carapace and goo spraying until the spider wobbled and practically collapsed.

An image of his brother helpless on the floor flashed before Mason’s eyes, and with a roar he grabbed the spider and pulled it over. He moved to its head, and it stared with some combination of malevolence and terror with its remaining two eyes. Mason stared right back, letting another spray of energy strike him without flinching. Then he skewered its face with his Claw.

[Large Arcane Spider killed. Group experience awarded. ]

Mason walked back to find a very unhappy Streak with his back legs still webbed, chewing angrily on a dead ettercap. Calypsa had apparently cast some kind of spell to destroy most of the webbing on the others, and was still working on the wolf. He hurried to Blake and found Annie holding him in her lap, rocking back and forth.

"What happened?"

"Oh I'm fine," Blake said, wincing in obvious pain. "I really need magic protection. I think it hit my arm with some kind of...nerve affecting magic."

"Good thing it wasn't your chest," Mason said, inspecting with Ranger's Mark. He saw no actual damage to anything important, though the muscles in Blake's arm looked slightly…discolored. "You'll live," he said when he was finished.

"I can't." Annie shook her head and jerked with a sob. "Can't do it again. I can't."

Mason and Blake exchanged a look, and Blake groaned as he sat up and took Annie's hand.

"What's wrong, my dear? I know the fighting can be scary. But, we're all here together. We'll look after you. I didn't let it get you, did I?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. She’d clearly taken a claw wound to the side, but the bleeding had somehow stopped on its own, and she looked like she barely noticed. "It's not...it's just...I don't know how to explain."

Blake said something like 'there there' as he took her in his arms, and Mason rose with a sigh. He knew he shouldn't have brought the girl. He had nothing against her but he had other players that needed experience and he fully expected she'd eventually break down and become just another person he needed to protect.

"Here, human! Look!

The rotting goblin called from a nearby wall, and Mason stared as he watched the outline of a door appear in a dull blue glow.

"Sneaky maker secrets," the goblin giggled. "But Pliny has tricks. Oh yes, some, he does."

The door hissed with something like a hydraulic press, and the rock shook with dust as it shifted and slid apart to reveal a dark room with dim, multicolored light.

"Becky," Mason called, then held out a hand until she took it. "You're up. You and Annie need to go in there and find your affinity. Nothing to it, you're about to get an upgrade."

Rebecca grinned and nodded with determination, then looked awkwardly at Annie.

"Comin' girl? I'll be right with you."

"Please." Annie wiped at her eyes and stared at Blake. "Just make me. Please just make me."

Blake shrugged at Mason and Becky as he kept holding the girl.

"No need for that. I'll just make you feel brave, alright? You have everything you need. I'll just bring it out a little."

His eyes glowed and Mason tried not to be bothered by the smell of arcane power. He was starting to think one's 'affinity' increased as they leveled, or maybe just with time, because he felt increasingly sensitive to it.

After a few moments Annie stood and let out a breath, wiping tears from her eyes.

"OK," she said, stepping up beside Becky. "I can do this."

Mason frowned, not at all happy with the situation. But he certainly didn't see any better options.

For the sake of curiosity and sort of science he stepped towards the now open door to the maker hall, attempting to walk in with the girls. When he got to the door it was like he was trying to squeeze together two magnets with opposite charge.

No matter how he pressed, an equally powerful force simply denied him at the opening. Blake came up beside him with his floating orb, his eyes glazed as he inspected.

"Interesting. But don't bother," he said. "There's some kind of rune in there that denies anyone 'marked' like us. All I know is it's way beyond my pay grade. But I'd sure love to get in there and learn it."

"I'll see you after," Mason said to Becky, giving her a squeeze. "Be brave. You're going to do great."

She smiled and kissed him, then took Annie's hand and led her towards the gloom.

Pliny grinned and ran in behind them, too quick for Mason to really even decide how he felt about it.

"So...that happened. Is it...bad?" Blake asked, sounding genuinely unsure. Mason shook his head, still not trusting the creature exactly, but also not afraid of it. Despite its awful appearance, Mason thought it more eccentric scientist than evil genius. But he supposed both could be bad.

"We'll find out."