Francois waited anxiously for any news. He shivered not from the cold, but from his instincts telling him that there was something very wrong in the cellars and the cisterns connected to it. The Loup gunsmith decided to go and check what happened, only to be stopped by some of the Mygaleans under Belak’s order.
It had been an hour since they left to find the sacrificial grounds. The Loup was worried for them as they were strangers to Nievek and Aspaci in particular. However, he had a different reason. Ever since Raine returned with one half of his twin revolvers, he came to consider the cat-eared human Jacques’s legacy. He did not win the revolvers in a combat, and he claimed to be good friends with Jacques. Francois doubted the friendship part, given Jacques’s lone wolf attitude, but he did not doubt his late son’s respect on someone, especially if he was willing to part with the guns that’s presumably saved his life many times. Until they failed.
He did not want to know that it failed again, which was why he desperately waited for anything good.
As he kept asking the Mygaleans to let him through, his sharp Loup ears caught footsteps from within the cellars. He pointed this out to the guards and they turned into the darkness, readying themselves to confront whoever or whatever’s going to appear.
To their relief, when one of them started talking, it was someone familiar.
“Stand down,” said Aranis’s voice. “We have returned.”
“Oh, thank god,” said Francois. “When I felt that shiver, I thought something worse is coming for us.”
“We got that covered,” said Raine. He was being helped by a stranger, A Vulpin wearing pants and what looked like multiple tails behind him. They were accompanied by yet another Vulpin with multiple tails, but this one wore clothes of the woman Francois knew.
Then behind them, a dozen or so Mygaleans appeared. For those who were unused to such sight, or terrified of spiders, the sudden appearance of humanoid spiders would surely surprised and mortified them. Francois was already used to dealing with Mygaleans, knowing that despite their terrifying appearance, they weren’t half-bad.
But while Francois was glad to see that Raine was safe (even though the revolver was now handled by Hima, who was apparently a full Vulpin now), the Mygaleans were still concerned about a missing person among the group. Belak, their queen, was not part of them. One of the Mygaleans waiting for them asked where she was. One of the rescued Mygaleans started explaining everything that transpired, including the horrific ordeal they went through, and Belak’s ultimate fate.
Aranis did not tell them what really happened, respecting Belak’s wishes, though she ended up learning about her fate when one of the Mygaleans decided to scout the cisterns to find her queen, not believing Aranis’s claims that she sacrificed herself to protect the rescue party. She later confirmed Belak’s fate. After separating from Aranis, Belak sealed herself in a cocoon made from her silk, while also sealing the way into the chamber where the horror started. The scout was the next Mygalean to know and respect Belak’s decision, something Aranis felt was enough to make it easier to explain her sisters. It also made it easier for Aranis to ensure that the transition was smooth.
“May I speak with Gyneth?” asked Aranis. “Please.”
Gyneth, a smaller, red spider with slender body and appendages compared to Belak, who was a huntsman spider Mygalean, approached Aranis, wondering about being specifically asked by the elf. At first, Aranis thought Gyneth was just a child, at least until she showed that she was just small, but nevertheless a 60-year-old red dwarf Mygalean.
“Gyneth, I assume?” asked Aranis. “The queen…appointed you as her successor, yes?”
Gyneth nodded.
“Please, take good care of your sisters,” said Aranis. “You are their queen now.”
Gyneth looked surprised but tried not to act differently. The other Mygaleans, hearing this, did not object, either. They already knew Gyneth’s potential and future. What they did not expect was Belak’s premature resignation.
“Now, I suggest you lead your sisters away from Nievek and out of Aspaci before this tragedy happens again,” said Aranis. “I suggest you follow us.”
“Follow you?” asked Gyneth. “I mean, it’s not like I don’t trust you or anything. I’ll trust anyone who understands Loom Language and our culture, but we lived in this region for decades.”
“But your forest is gone and you lost most of your sisters,” reasoned Aranis. “So, the best place you can go is somewhere close to our home. Now, I must confess that I have a selfish reason for this. I am here with my friend to save a friend taken hostage by another queen, and she demands us to save you. I simply hope she is not going to make it difficult by demanding Belak specifically, but I am sure you can talk with her.”
“Who is this queen?”
“Rachna, of the Forest of Fear,” said Aranis. “She never told me the Mygalean name.”
“I see. Then, we should go. Nievek’s fallen into chaos, and I doubt anyone sane is going to try and stay in this city. Francois, I suggest you go with us, too.”
“Me?” asked Francois. “But this is my home! I can’t just leave everything behind!”
“It’s too late for that, old wolf,” said Raine. “Believe me, you don’t want to be here if someone has the bright idea to attempt another summoning, though I doubt they’d even succeed after this.”
“I’ve lived here my entire life, Raine. As bad as it may be, Nievek’s my home.”
“Not anymore,” said Raine, emphatically.
Francois found that he couldn’t convince them to leave him behind, so he relented.
“Alright, I’ll come with you. But on one condition. I’ll buy your protection with my service and supply of orichalcum. That sounds fair?”
Raine, knowing how useful orichalcum was, and the fact that Francois was currently the only one who could maintain Jacques’s guns, did not object. So, Francois immediately gathered everything he could carry such as his tools and a sack full of gold-black metal, the orichalcum. The difference in color made Raine wonder if the metal finish of the revolver was a cosmetic application to make them look like authentic revolvers. He may need to ask about it later, especially since he was due for a new sword. The steel was fine, but it was always on loan, although it could be the basis of something he had in mind.
Knowing this, he waited while the other Mygaleans started coordinating efforts to begin a relatively long journey back to Dragon’s Rest. Once Francois, Gyneth, and the others were ready, Raine told Francois where to open his portal and he obliged. The portal led them to where they entered the city. The body of the guard Raine killed was still there, abandoned by the other guards who scampered away. They, too, knew the city was beyond help, although Raine could tell that they were already deserting it long before they arrived.
Raine wasn’t sure if their journey back would be impacted by the increasing tension between kingdoms or not. He could only hope that there would be no more surprises coming at them. He had enough of that for one day, maybe even for a while. He could never forget how he almost blow his head off to stop him from looking directly at the monster’s gaze. Its gaze invited madness, almost as if he was tormented by it for years in a span of seconds. There was no illusions, just his mind playing violent tricks on him.
He shuddered. He wished he could forget, but somehow, the gaze lingered. He did not want to become insane because of it. The thought made him scared, causing him to unintentionally tightened his grip on his sword, turning his knuckles white.
Kaz and Hima, now in their true kitsune forms, could sense his fear and immediately turned to him. It was clear that he was traumatized, made even clearer by the fact that his feline eyes had narrowed slit of a pupil and his ears pressed close to his skull, both indicative of a distressed cat person. Hima was the first to approach the Felinari-human hybrid, touching his face. This caused him to jump in panic.
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“Whoa!” he exclaimed. “Don’t scare me like that!”
“I don’t need to,” said Hima. “You’re already scared like a lost kitten.”
“No, I….” He sighed. There was no point arguing with someone who knew what ailed him. “Yeah, you’re right. That…thing. I can still feel it. It could just be my imagination, but…it’s there, waiting for me to falter. And…and…god, Hima, am I going to lose my mind?”
Before Hima could say anything, Kaz put his hand on Raine’s forehead. Almost immediately, the sight of the monster’s eyes was gone, and he felt his mind clearer. He looked at the other kitsune, confused.
“You’re welcome,” he said. “Though I’ll be stuck in this form for at least a decade just to purify your soul. Man, you really got lucky, you know that?”
“Stuck? But can’t you just, you know….”
“It doesn’t work that way for male kitsune,” said Kaz. “And yes, before you say anything about gender equality, what you’re proposing works, but only for a female kitsune.”
“Which means I am also stuck in this form for a while since we are clearly not an item anymore,” said Hima with a huff. “This is why I refused to become a fox.”
“What’s wrong with being a fox?” asked Raine. “You look prettier.”
“Would you say the same thing if I happened to be an animal?”
Raine went silent.
“Yeah, exactly,” said Hima. “You don’t want that to be your reputation now, do you?”
The implications and subtlety between the two were enough to make Kaz chuckle. Their antics clearly made them look like a couple, though clearly one that had broken up their relationship a while ago.
“What?” said Hima, irritated.
“No, nothing,” said Kaz, raising both his hands.
They all then continued their journey, leaving Nievek behind and onwards towards the more peaceful regions of the Emerald Valley. Raine only hoped that the Mygaleans would not cause panic as they continued their travel. Yet, with the war looming on the horizon and the chaos due to the failed summoning, a handful of humanoid spiders were the least of their concerns.
After witnessing a terrible creature, the Mygaleans felt like a welcome sight. Raine never thought that would be possible.
***
Thankfully, their journey was uneventful once they got through the Aspaci-Cotillux border. As before, it was full of refugees trying to cross the border, but due to the volume, they ended up crowding the border station. There were more guards stationed along the way, which made things go smoother to a certain degree.
Raine and Aranis did not bother going along that road and preferred a route the elf and the Mygaleans proposed; through a forest bordering the two kingdoms. It was the route with the least exposure, especially for the Mygaleans, and one that could also cut their trip short for several hours. It may not do much since they still had three days’ journey ahead of them, but at least it was better than waiting in line.
The three-day journey went on without any problems, something Raine was glad to have after the latest ordeal. By the third day, they reached the outskirts of the Forest of Fear. Raine never thought he would think so, but somehow, a forest called the Forest of Fear was far more welcoming than the cisterns of the city of Nievek.
“So,” started Hima. “Instead of your town, you take us to a forest many times older than me. If this is your attempt for a date, you really should try harder, Raine.”
“Yeah, I know,” said Raine. “But the town can wait.”
“You know I’m just being sarcastic, right?”
“Of course, I know. The thing is, the Forest is closer than Dragon’s Rest, and we gotta drop off the Mygaleans first. The last thing I need is a diplomatic incident that I clearly don’t want to start.”
“We can be reasonable,” said Gyneth.
“Yeah, I know. Let’s stay on the safe side and get this over with. In any case, someone’s already greeted us.”
Raine pointed out the Mygalean who waited for them near the entrance to the forest, partially obscured by the shadow of the thick foliage. Raine’s group promptly entered the forest after she beckoned them to follow her.
The forest was not as welcoming as the first time Raine and Aranis entered it, but at least he was familiar with it. In fact, he knew the Mygaleans had no reason to attack them, unless they were trying to be cheeky and scared him out of his wits. Knowing their personality, Raine wouldn’t put that aside.
Once they reached the deepest part of the forest, the Mygaleans of the forest started to surround them, though others were more curious with the newcomer Mygaleans who greeted them. Aranis was glad that it did not turn into an open conflict; she knew how territorial Mygaleans could be.
“Ah. I see you have completed your mission,” said a familiar, female voice. The group immediately turned to find Rachna slowly descending via a silk rope she hanged on to. After she landed, she scanned the group, but then she looked bemused.
“Where is the queen?” she asked. When she realized what happened, she said, “Or rather, who…is the queen now?”
“Queen Rachna, may I present you queen Gyneth,” said Aranis, introducing the young Mygalean, who walked to her and bowed.
“So, Belak is gone,” she said with a sad tone. “I see. I can’t expect you to save every Mygalean, after all, but it’s a shame. Yet, it is what a queen is expected to do for her sisters. Still, there is a queen, and that is enough for me.”
“Before we continue,” said Raine, stepping forward. “I think we have an agreement.”
“Ah, yes, of course. The Fa’ar, Narati Vasra, is well-cared for, thanks to my general, Tulis. If it were up to me, he’d not be treated as well. He’s far too vulnerable…a perfect prey. But of course, I am a spider of my words. Come on out, Narati Vasra! Your friends are expecting you.”
Raine half-expected the queen to twist her words, something that he expected the spider queen to do. Narati could’ve been well-cared, but she could mean something else entirely, and he prepared himself for that.
To his relief, when the Fa’ar appeared, accompanied by the Mygalean the human recognized as Tulis, he did not look any different. In fact, he seemed to be in a good mood. He and Tulis seemed to become friends during his stay in the Forest.
When Narati returned to Raine, the first thing he said was how friendly the Mygaleans were, despite a rather shaky start, which was mostly Narati’s fault. Before they could continue the conversation further, however, a click from Rachna’s mandibles turned their attention back to the Mygalean queen.
“Before we all forget, I have a proposal to make,” said Rachna. “The loss of queen Belak is not something I can shrug off that easily. I trust that queen Gyneth will be able to lead her sisters as well as Belak, but we can’t stay in this Forest forever, nor can we move without inciting fear among the general populace. I have been thinking about it, and Tulis agreed. Tulis, if you may?”
Tulis walked forward, though she gave a rather annoyed look towards her queen, who smugly clicked her mandibles. Tulis simply cleared her throat and said, “I am going to be your ambassador. Her majesty’s…rather insistent.”
There was an uncomfortable silence among them, with Narati giving an understanding nod towards Raine who looked at him for silent confirmation. This sent the human over the edge.
“What?!” he exclaimed. “Nara, why the hell did you even agree to this?! Did they coerce you?”
“No, of course not,” said Narati. “If they did, I wouldn’t be acting this comfortably. I talked with Tulis about it since, well…it’s not fair that I get to be accepted among you regardless of my kind while they’re not.”
“You mean, this is your idea? Nara, you do realize that they kidnapped you, right?”
“That’s not relevant. Look, Raine, just give Tulis a chance. She’s the only one who has seen the outer world as it was, so it makes sense for the queen to let her be the ambassador. I know she’s going to turn some heads, but give her a chance, okay?”
“There is no issue with accepting a Mygalean among our midst, Narati,” said Aranis. “But you must realize that there is a chance that her kind will not be welcomed as kindly as you are. And besides, many in Dragon’s Rest has known Fa’ars for a very long time. I doubt anyone had ever met Mygaleans before, let alone interact with them.”
“Yes, I am aware that this is the case,” said Rachna. “Considering how the general is hardly a compassionate person to begin with. Her cold, no-nonsense attitude can give the wrong impression.”
Tulis turned around and silently glared at Rachna. Somehow, this made Raine realize that the queen was teasing her general. Amusing at it was, he was still unable to accept a Mygalean after trying his best not to be repulsed by their arachnoid appearance.
“Okay, okay, look,” said Raine. “This isn’t a snap decision moment. I can’t just introduce your general to the others without stating the obvious.”
“That she’s a Mygalean?” said Rachna. “And here I thought you are trying to establish a settlement open for all that isn’t a lawless freetown. Does that mean you only consider Narati Vasra a token Fa’ar, then? The one exception out of many?”
“I did not!”
“Then prove that Narati Vasra is not wrong when he told me about Dragon’s Rest. Tulis can be the judge, not you. If she deems the town unfeasible, then we’ll declare it a danger to us all and anyone belonging to that town is barred from ever entering this forest. That includes you, too, elf-friend, especially since you are clearly their founder.”
“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? And a coercion.”
“Why do you think I asked you specifically? You happen to be their mayor, so you’ll set an example for the rest of them. Of course, they all have their own personal thoughts about a Mygalean, but then, if their mayor’s fine with it, then they can try and see things your way. So, be a good boy and don’t disappoint your friends.”
Raine tried to protest, but Narati and, additionally, Hima, persuaded him not to. Kaz, too, added in his comment of the situation.
“Damn, Raine,” said the kitsune. “She’s good.”
“Yeah. I normally don’t like someone with that kind of attitude,” said Hima. “But she knew what cards to draw.”
“Oh, come on. Not you too!”
Raine could only sigh, knowing that he was defeated. To think that the Mygalean had him in her grasps was unprecedented, but amusing. His wits couldn’t help him, especially since Narati was involved.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t a bad decision, either. He, too, started to be intrigued by the Mygaleans and what they were beyond the obvious. Like Rachna implied, they could be more than just spider people, much like Fa’ars or any other races.
He should see how things went with Tulis once they returned to Dragon’s Rest.