As Lassim sped towards the town on the edges of the swamp, using his [Tempest Steps], his approach caused an unexpected change in the scenery. Approaching the town's perimeter, what he initially mistook for a benign hill amidst the swampy landscape began to shift.
The mound—covered in thick reeds and mangrove trees—suddenly unfurled, beginning to rise as it revealed itself to be anything but inanimate. It was a creature, colossal as it easily disturbed and shifted the terrain as it shook its limbs, a giant swamp tarantula the size of a small building.
This behemoth was an embodiment of the swamp itself. Its massive body was camouflaged with layers of moss and mud, making it seem as if it was part of the black, swampy lagoon itself.
Dark, murky water dripped from its chitinous armor, which bore the texture and color of wet slate. Its eight eyes glinted like dark, polished obsidian, reflecting Lassim's full figure and more in each of them.
