Moonlight fell on the creature revealing itself to Mark.
His eyes widened in shock, he couldn't find the words or sound.
He could only scoot backwards in the hope that he'll somehow escape it.
Thin hairy legs hung in the air, they were like giant thorns, white with very pointy ends. They weren't two like one might have assumed, they were eight of them or probably more if Mark could get a better view.
Mark's eyes trailed upwards from the legs to the head of the creature–one that weaves itself in the comfort of night, awaiting gullible creatures to fall in its net.
It must have found Mark to be rather juicy and palatable.
Mark saw where the red circles were seated, two larger ones in the front and smaller ones below fixed at him with malicious intent.
Its abdomen was huge, as large as the overly overweight people Mark saw on TV when he tunes in for his guilty pleasure.
The silver light bounced off its white skin and it crept forward with white threads hanging out its abdomen attaching it to a branch above.
Mark found the strength to move, to ignore the pain in his foot, and he stood. He swiftly turned and as he did, the spider sped up at him.
Mark's hair stood, his heart beat faster and his muscles tensed. He stormed the opposite direction, the spider in his trail, close, awfully close.
Then messages popped into his head.
[New Quest: How many legs are on a dead spider?]
[You've been spotted by a Silverine Fanged Spider]
[Main Objective: Kill and loot it parts]
[Reward: +1 stamina, whiff of the Silverine Fanged Spider]
[Bonus Objective: Escape with your life intact]
[Reward: +1 stamina]
'Not now.'
The spider shrieked, it was closing in on him.
There was nothing he could do to fight or possibly kill a spider three times larger than he was, or was there?
He turned away from the path into the trees and hid behind one.
He breathed in and out deeply, the tension and fear palpable.
The cool wind dried off any sweat beads that might form else he would be drenched in his.
SNAP
A sound of a snapped branch and then the rattling of leaves happened in front of him, he turned his attention there, but there was nothing, he could see nothing, not while the night was as dark as it was.
The tree canopies above scarcely let moonlight reach below, and with this, Mark was greatly disadvantaged, whereas his predator was a master of the night.
He felt a presence.
'Up.'
He looked up and spotted the invasive eyes. He squatted picking up a little rock by him and he flung it upwards hitting the spider's head. It shrieked in pain and withdrew itself into the leaves giving Mark a chance to move away.
He was trodding along when he heard piercing sounds below.
He turned to his back to meet the giant white spider on its feet speeding at him.
He couldn't outrun it, so he turned to his sides trying to find nearby rocks in the little light.
The spider crept with the swiftness of the wind, showcasing its massive black fangs.
Mark's eyes darted all about, there was no time, and they stopped when he spotted something he could use–a stick, a fairly strong and thick one.
Without thinking, he grabbed the lengthy stick and held it strongly, an end had been sharpened hinting that a creature with a level of intelligence had been in these parts as Mark now was.
The spider made a shrilling noise as it swarmed forward causing Mark to cringe, he quickly shook the feeling away and held forward the makeshift weapon.
The Spider's mouth was just a couple of inches away, its fangs open and ready to clamp down and snap the man's neck when Mark thrust the stick.
He had focused on the large eyes as those were the only parts he could largely make in the darkness.
The stick went through the spider's eyes with ease and dug beneath. The spider halted and let a shrill flailing its legs in which one hit Mark to the side.
Then it went limp and fell. Its limbs stretched around in ways they weren't supposed to, and the light in its eyes was gone.
Mark remained at a side huffing and puffing, trying to calm himself.
He stared at the dead spider in disbelief, the stick still hanging from its eye.
"I really just did that." He said and let out a light chuckle.
"Ah ahh ahh. I killed the thing."
Then the messages stormed in.
Ding*
[Quest Completed]
[Silver Fanged Spider has been killed.]
[Do you want to loot]
[Yes/No]
[Loot the Silver Fanged Spider to complete the main objective]
[Bonus objective completed]
[Reward: +1 stamina]
"Do I want to loot? Hmmm…"
"Yes." He decided.
As soon as he spoke, a white stream of light suddenly appeared above the corpse and bathed it and once the light disappeared, the corpse was no more.
"Interesting." Mark stood, confused and expectant of new messages.
They arrived.
[Loot successful]
[You have new items in inventory]
[Main Objective has been completed. You've killed and looted the Silver Fanged Spider]
[Rewards: +2 stamina, and a single effect of the whiff of the Silver Fanged Spider]
[Do you want to utilize the effect now?]
"Whiff of the Silver Fanged Spider." Soon as Mark said that out loud, a new message popped into his mind.
[Whiff of the Silver Fanged Spider: The large spider bears a signature pungent smell that drives away possible predators and announces its presence. Using this effect will drive away possible predators and have them think you're a Silver Fanged Spider. The effect lasts for 12 hours]
"Ohhh, that sounds handy. I suppose I'll use it. Yes, I want to utilize the effect now." He announced.
POOF!
A smoke of purple erupted from his feet and ascended above encompassing him.
His nose caught the whiff and he gagged.
'It activated alright.'