The moment the group crossed the threshold into the faintly glowing safe zone, they collapsed to their knees, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. The oppressive miasma they had fought against for what felt like hours suddenly eased, allowing their lungs a brief reprieve. The acidic burns on their skin and armor, the faint marks of claw and fang, and the terror etched into their faces told the story of what they had just escaped.
Ryker rushed over immediately, his eyes scanning his guild members for injuries. "Leah, Kade, Ox, Kalum, Elias!" His voice was sharp with concern as he crouched next to them. "Report. What happened out there?"
Ox groaned, gripping his ax for support as he forced himself upright. "Spider's still coming," he said grimly. "And it's not alone. Acidic wolves—dozens of them. Constructs, according to Elias."
"They're relentless," Leah added, her voice tight. She tossed the pouch of ingredients toward Ryker with shaking hands. "We got what Visha asked for. But it won't matter if we don't deal with what's chasing us."
Kalum, still sprawled on the ground, looked up at Ryker with a weak grin. "You're gonna love this, boss. The spider's the size of a damn fortress."
Ryker's jaw tightened, his gaze darting to the edge of the safe zone where the labyrinth loomed. "They're that close?"
"Close enough," Talia said, her voice strained as she pulled an arrow from her quiver and set it across her knees. "We're running out of time."
Across the clearing, Visha and Dabria sat side by side, calm and unbothered. Dabria lounged lazily against Visha's chest, a faint smirk playing on her lips as she twirled a small vial of black mist between her fingers. Visha, meanwhile, was meticulously examining the glowing potions she had just finished crafting, her expression distant and mildly bored.
The sharp sounds of approaching snarls and hissing acid broke the tense quiet of the clearing. The ground trembled faintly underfoot, the vibrations growing stronger as the enemies drew closer. The oppressive aura of the labyrinth seemed to intensify, as if heralding the arrival of its most dangerous creatures.
Ryker's eyes darted toward the two women. "Visha. Dabria," he called out, his tone urgent. "We're going to need you both."
Dabria glanced up lazily, her crimson eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, Guild Master," she said in a sing-song voice. "You're finally asking nicely. How sweet."
Visha stretched her arms lazily, the faint glow of her pale-green eyes sharpening slightly as the oppressive aura reached her senses. "They're here," she said simply, pushing herself to her feet in a graceful motion. She turned to Dabria, tilting her head slightly. "Dabria, you play with the puppies. I'll take the spider."
Dabria clapped her hands together in delight, her grin widening. "Oh, darling, you always know how to make me happy." She stood, rolling her shoulders as a faint, smoky void aura began to coil around her. "I do so love puppies."
Visha let out a faint sigh, brushing dust from her coat as she walked toward the edge of the clearing. "Just don't take too long. The wolves might be fun, but the spider's the main course."
The sound of the Acidweaver Matriarch grew louder, her guttural growls blending with the snarls of the approaching wolves. The miasma thickened as their acidic energy filled the air, and the oppressive aura seemed to press down on the entire clearing.
The Crimson Lions scrambled to their feet, their weapons at the ready, but Ryker held up a hand, signaling them to stay back. "Let them handle it," he said quietly. "We'd only get in the way."
Dabria's laughter rang out, light and carefree, as her phantom hellhound materialized beside her. Its massive, shadowy form snarled, its glowing eyes fixed on the path ahead. "Come now, little wolves," Dabria cooed, her voice dripping with mock affection. "Let's see how well you play with Death's Handmaiden."
Visha, meanwhile, stepped forward, her pale-green eyes locking on the dark corridor where the Venomweaver Matriarch's glowing acidic eyes began to emerge. She rolled her neck casually, the faint hum of pestilent energy rippling around her. "Let's see if you live up to the hype," she muttered, her voice cold and indifferent.
The battle was about to begin.
Dabria's smirk widened as the snarls and growls grew louder, her dark eyes glinting with anticipation. She reached into her spatial ring, her fingers brushing against the familiar hilt of her favorite weapon. With a swift motion, she pulled out her chained swords, the twin blades gleaming wickedly in the dim light of the clearing.
The weapons were a work of deadly art—sleek, curved swords forged from an obsidian-like metal that shimmered with faint, crimson runes etched along their edges. Each blade was connected to a long, flexible chain, allowing her to wield them with a combination of elegance and devastating precision. The chains rattled faintly as she spun the blades in her hands, their weight familiar and comforting.
"Oh, it's been too long," Dabria purred, her voice low and honeyed as she tested the tension in the chains. The swords danced in her hands as though alive, the crimson runes pulsing faintly in time with her own void aura. "I've missed these beauties."
Visha, standing nearby with her arms crossed, gave her a sidelong glance, her pale-green eyes faintly amused. "You're really bringing those out for wolves?" she asked dryly.
Dabria shrugged, her grin widening. "Why not? It's always fun to cut loose." She flicked one of the chains forward, the blade at its end slicing effortlessly through a low-hanging vine. The severed plant hissed as its venomous sap spilled onto the ground, but Dabria barely noticed. "Besides, they're not just wolves. They're constructs. They deserve a proper show."
The shadowy form of Dabria's hellhound prowled beside her, its glowing eyes fixed on the approaching threat. The acidic growls and snarls grew louder, and the first of the miasmic wolves began to materialize in the mist. Their glowing, twisted forms moved with predatory grace, their acidic saliva dripping to the ground and leaving sizzling craters in their wake.
Dabria's expression shifted, her playful grin taking on a more menacing edge. She spun one of the chained swords around her, the chain whirling like a coiled serpent. "Time to play," she murmured, her voice dripping with dangerous glee.
Without waiting for a signal, she launched herself forward, her hellhound following closely at her side. The chains of her swords rattled like the hiss of a snake as she whipped them through the air. One blade struck out, slashing through the acidic form of the lead wolf, while the other swept low, severing the legs of another. The wolves howled, their acidic energy spraying outward, but Dabria moved with liquid grace, dodging the corrosive bursts with ease.
The Crimson Lions watched from the safe zone, a mixture of awe and unease etched across their faces. Kalum's jaw dropped as he watched Dabria fight, her chained swords moving like extensions of her own body. "She's insane," he muttered, his voice filled with a mix of fear and admiration.
"No," Talia corrected, her eyes wide as she took in the sight. "She's terrifying."
Visha, still leaning casually against a tree, smirked faintly as she watched Dabria dance through the battlefield. "And she's only getting started."
The Acidweaver Matriarch's screeches pierced the air, her towering form emerging fully into the clearing. Acid dripped from her massive mandibles as she fixed her many glowing eyes on Visha, who pushed off the tree and began walking toward the monstrous spider with calm, deliberate steps.
While Dabria toyed with the wolves, her chained swords slicing through the constructs like a conductor leading a deadly symphony, Visha's focus remained solely on the matriarch. She rolled her shoulders, her pestilent energy coiling around her like a dark mist. "Let's see what you've got," she murmured, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
The Acidweaver Matriarch loomed over the clearing, her massive legs crushing the venomous plants beneath her as acidic venom dripped from her mandibles, sizzling against the ground. Her many glowing eyes locked onto Visha with a predator's intensity, the oppressive aura of her presence pressing down on the clearing like a storm. The air crackled with tension, and for a moment, it seemed as though time itself held its breath.
Visha, unbothered by the matriarch's overwhelming size and acidic aura, stepped forward with the same calm precision she always carried. The pestilent energy swirling around her grew thicker, coiling like a serpent ready to strike. Her pale-green eyes gleamed with a mixture of curiosity and calculation as she studied the massive spider.
"Hmm," she murmured, tilting her head slightly. "You're magnificent, aren't you? A little rough around the edges, but with potential."
From the other side of the clearing, Dabria's laughter rang out, light and playful despite the chaos around her. "Oh, darling, don't tell me you're thinking about keeping her," she called out, her chained swords whirling through the air as she decimated another group of acidic wolves. The constructs howled and snarled, but her shadowy hellhound tore through their ranks with brutal efficiency, her void aura disintegrating them with every strike.
Visha's smirk widened faintly. "Why not?" she replied, her voice calm but edged with amusement. "The Alpha Basilisk needs some company."
The matriarch screeched, her acidic aura flaring as she charged forward. Her massive legs struck the ground with enough force to crack the earth, venom spraying in wide arcs as she closed the distance between herself and Visha. But Visha didn't flinch. Instead, she raised a hand, her pestilent energy surging outward in a thick, green mist that spread across the battlefield.
The matriarch hesitated as the mist touched her exoskeleton, the venomous aura clashing with Visha's pestilence. For the first time, the massive creature faltered, her movements growing sluggish as the decaying energy began to seep into her body.
"There it is," Visha said softly, her smirk turning predatory. "You're not invincible, after all."
She raised her other hand, activating her [Poisonous Domination] skill. A dark, pulsating wave of energy emanated from her, targeting the matriarch's mind. The spider screeched again, thrashing as she tried to resist, her massive legs carving deep trenches into the ground. But Visha's will was unyielding, her pestilent energy wrapping around the matriarch's mind like chains.
"You're mine now," Visha murmured, her voice soft but filled with an undeniable authority. The matriarch's movements slowed further, her resistance weakening as the poison seeped deeper into her consciousness. Her glowing eyes dimmed slightly, and she lowered her massive body to the ground in submission.
Dabria, watching the display with open amusement, dispatched the last of the wolves with a flourish of her chained swords. "Oh, Wifey," she said, her voice dripping with mock affection. "You're such a collector of dangerous pets. It's adorable."
Visha glanced at her, her smirk still in place. "You're one to talk. I see you're already planning to keep those wolves."
Dabria laughed, her dark eyes gleaming as she gestured toward the shadowy remnants of the acidic wolves. "Well, they're constructs, aren't they? Perfect candidates for my [Necrotic Dominion] skill." She snapped her fingers, and her void aura spread across the battlefield, wrapping around the broken forms of the wolves. Slowly, their acidic bodies began to shift and reform, their glowing eyes now darkened with the crimson hue of her death magic.
One by one, the wolves rose, their snarls now hollow and resonating with an eerie, otherworldly tone. They circled Dabria, their movements synchronized and obedient as they awaited her command.
"Oh, I do love new toys," Dabria said with a grin, twirling one of her chained swords before letting it rest against her shoulder. "Don't you think they suit me, darling?"
Visha shook her head, her smirk widening. "Perfectly."
The clearing fell silent for a moment, the oppressive aura of the labyrinth giving way to a strange calm. The Acidweaver Matriarch knelt beside Visha, her massive form radiating a faint, subdued glow as she accepted her new role as the Pestilent Harbinger's pet. The newly resurrected wolves flanked Dabria, their acidic energy now tempered by her necrotic magic.
Ryker, standing at the edge of the safe zone with the Crimson Lions, stared at the scene with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "They're insane," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kalum nodded slowly, his wide eyes fixed on Visha and Dabria. "Completely and utterly."
Visha turned to Dabria, her pale-green eyes glinting with amusement. "Shall we move on? I think we've spent enough time playing."
Dabria chuckled, gesturing for her undead wolves to follow her. "Lead the way, Wifey. The labyrinth awaits."
""""""Wait!""""""