I allowed the arachnids to have their fun. I allowed them to hunt all day long as much as they want.

I allowed the striders to be lazy. As lazy as they want to be, no need for them to tire themselves.

I think I have been pretty generous with them.

Too generous.

Freya views me as a helpless being that needs to be protected. Helpless but useful, she felt and knows of my anima control. And she knows of it's endless possibilities. So I'm the weak little precious boy that needs a guardian all the time or else it would fall into danger and or be outsmarted and used.

I'm so much more than that!

Ge'trak views me as a fool born with a natural right that puts him above others. I know that he has a arachnid secured as a mate and that arachnid isn't a normal one. Dimitriv told me that it's a arachnid princess and if I don't do something she will take over. Is that why he doesn't share his wisdom with me? Because he knows I will be overthrown? He didn't even say anything. He just silently waited for me to be thrown of my throne.

I played the waiting game, but now I'm losing.

Ernyök is Ernyök.

Dimitriv is a tangled mess, but still. As a reborn he holds ungodly amounts of knowledge and mana. Yet he only sees me as something meant to be used. An easily fooled animal that will drag the cart wherever one points to. A pig that obediently looks for truffles at its masters command. Is that what I am? Some mindless tool ment to be used for the profit of others without the slightest bit of compensation?

Now that I thought about it never, in my whole life, has anyone thanked me.

Am I not good enough for a thanks?

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

How much of leading did I actually do? When did look at me with respect and awe that a leader deserves?

You leader, you deserve.

The words Mallia told me way back when we were nothing but white criters found their way into my head.

I gave them too much freedom. I was too good to them.

With an annoyed huff I broke free from Mallias hug.

I need to kill something.

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I followed to where the spider lady took me.

Hey, isn't that the leaders den?

It looks a lot different than from the last time I saw it. The skeletons, sharp dark twigs and antlers were gone and instead nearby bushes and branches were used to cover it, granting it great camouflage.

I never really got this spider's name, nallia? Kallia? Eh, I'll hear it at some point.

This is the hardest part, I can't really slither past this point so the spiders have to carry me but putting me down is the problem.

Oh, the leader!

I eagerly slithered to the leader like a child would after their father came home from a long shift. He welcomed me with open arms which only fuelled my eagerness and caused me to ignore the torn bodys of beasts laying on the floor.

They weren't killed by the spider lady's since they use venom. Not the oaf, whilst he is not really smart he knows to go for the neck. These beasts, wolfs, bears, deers and elk weren't killed by venom or a well aimed claw. But were torn apart to shreds, as if some powerful monster went on a rampage.

I ignored those thoughts that came from the back of my head and instead eagerly made my way to the leader I look up to.

Just when I reached him.

I started to remember.

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I woke up in darkness but that doesn't matter I could see just fine, somehow.

That's right! The spiders tricket me! Forced my consciousness to be sealed and called forth this bodys original master.

I sat up to notice that I wasn't in the body of a snake child anymore but the fully grown counterpart. My hands and arms weren't short and stubby anymore but long and sleek. My round and plump face became sharp and jade like. My snake like lower body grew longer and now is about 6m (20 feet) long. Both my hair and scales are pitch black, I bet that my eyes are too.

I noticed the two spiders in the middle of the room and became cautios once more.

"It's good you're cautios but the one who is your enemy isn't here."

The male one spoke, the owner of this body referred to him as leader. Is he the leader the first spider I came across had referred to?

"What did you do to me? Change it!"

He shook his head.

"You're not in the place to make demands towards me. For the question. I turned you into a child of the night, darkness is your domain."

Before I could say anything else another spider entered the place

That! That's him!