The air was thick with uneasy silence, except for the faint, rhythmic dripping of water somewhere in the darkness. We stood in a loose formation around the prisoner the vines I controlled still coiled tightly around his limbs, anchoring him to the cold stone floor. Sekigan's sickles glinted in the dim light, poised and ready, his eyes locked on the man with a simmering rage that hadn't lessened since Cain's death. Every face in our group held a different emotion: anger, fear, suspicion. For all the dungeons I'd read about, none of the stories had warned me about this facing a killer among the shadows, lost in a twisting labyrinth of webs and betrayal.
As we press on, his eyes dart again and again to the Serpent's Hand member, watching him like a predator eyeing wounded prey, his fingers itching to draw blood on the slightest provocation. The rest of us tread carefully, but Sekigan's tension feels like a live wire sparking in the still air.
Sekigan, don't do anything stupid," Haha says, her voice as sharp as the edge of a knife. There's a warning in that tone, threat so rare from her, but clear enough even Sekigan's scowl falters for a heartbeat.
"Keep your eyes on the path, not him," she says, flipping through her notebook like she's not glancing up every couple of seconds to monitor both traitor and Sekigan.
The man under my vines shifts slightly, his eyes flicking up to Haha with a smile as quick and deadly. I can tell he's reading us, gauging who will be the crack, but nobody's going to give him that here, now.
But Sekigan is getting impatient for his revenge, and just this minute.
Sekigan shifts beside me, tense appendix twitching near the handles of his sickles; his eyes never leave the Serpent's Hand and I can practically feel the heat of his simmering rage. He is like a coiled spring, ready to snap at any moment he's given an excuse.
Haha, sensing his restlessness, sighs, but there's a flicker of frustration in her eyes as she speaks again, this time with a harder edge. "Sekigan, control yourself. You're no use to us if you're blinded by rage."
He gives her a sidelong glance, his jaw clenched tight. "Blind?" he growls low, an edge of menace dancing in his tone. "I see most clearly now. Cain's blood is on his hands he deserves far worse than vines holding him down."
The Serpent's Hand member looks up, sneering, and I cinch the vines tighter, making sure he's locked. "Careful, Sekigan," I murmur. "We'll get our chance. But if you lose it now, we lose our leverage."
Sekigan's lip curls but he steps back, forcing his breathing to slow. "Fine," he grits out. "But if he so much as blinks wrong, I'm skinning him."
Haha narrows her eyes, glaring unyieldingly at Sekigan. "We need answers, not a corpse," she impresses upon him sharply. "Cain's death needs justice, not just another body."
Sekigan snorts, folding his arms. "This isn't about bodies; it's sending a message."
I eye him warily, realizing just how thin his patience has worn. The man trapped in my vines shifts uncomfortably, eyes darting from Sekigan to the rest of us, sensing the barely contained threat. The tension is nearly unbearable, like the whole cave is holding its breath, waiting for someone to finally snap.
"Focus," Cal says firmly, stepping between Sekigan and our captive. "We're here for survival, not vengeance." Sekigan's gaze flickers, the fire dimming slightly, but the storm in his eyes remains. "Fine. But the second he tries anything, he's mine.
As I turn around, down the hall is a Tankain, but it backs off when I see it. "Guys, we are being f-followed." I stutter a bit out of fear as I report this to the others. Haha perks up at that. "By who or what." Haha responses as she whips around; shortly followed by Sekigan's sickles, which are looking for blood as they shine under the torchlight.
Tankains" I say my voice shaking as I look at every hole and crack making sure there is nothing except for the small spiders that are everywhere in this place, Haha tenses up "Well they don't attack unless they can get you by surprise but if one is out hunting the rest are hungry someone watch our backs
Cal immediately takes position at the rear, raising his shield like a barrier between us and the shadows. "I've got our backs," he says, his voice steady despite the tension thickening the air.
Sekigan tightens his grip on his sickles, his gaze sharp and searching. "They're testing us," he growls, scanning the corridor ahead. "Trying to scare us into making a mistake."
Haha pulls out her notebook again, her fingers trembling as she flips through the pages. "Tankains are opportunistic," she mutters. "If they're following, they're waiting for us to lose focus or split up."
I swallow hard, forcing my head straight as Nature's Bond heightens my senses. The vines and grass seem to quiver under my foot, warning me in hushed whispers. "We need to stay together," I say, trying to steady my voice. "If they're hunting, we're safer as a group."
Sekigan gives a low laugh; there is no humor in his voice. "Let them try. I got more than enough blood for every freak out there." His tentacles wriggle ominously behind him as the crimson glow casts an eerie shadow on the walls.
"Less bragging, more moving," Haha snaps, tone clipped as she puts her notebook away. "If we don't keep pace, we'll give them exactly what they want.
We trudge on, every step heavy, every sound shrill in our ears. Save for the heavy silence of this dungeon, the faint scratching sound of claws on stone grates somewhere, an unnerving reminder that the predators are watching us.
After some time of wandering, Sekigan finally threatened the member of The Serpent's Hand, Haha stopped him from acting. The sound of metal clashed against Tankain's claws and shouting in the distance.
The clashing of sharp metal against the stone echoed down thin corridors in a guttural growl, voices shouting, loud and far away. All froze-the sudden noise cutting through the heavy silence like a blade.
Sekigan's eyes narrow, his sickles twitching in his hands. "Sounds like someone else is in trouble," he mutters, though the hint of a smirk betrays his excitement at the thought of a fight. "Or about to be."
Haha, ever pragmatic, shakes her head. "We don't know what we're walking into. Could be a trap or worse, a full pack of Tankains."
The Serpent's Hand member stiffens, his expression hard to read under the vines that keep him bound. "Let me go," he snarls. "If they're fighting Tankains, they're drawing them all here. You'll need me if it comes to that."
Sekigan snorts, his arms and their sickles glinting in the light of the flickering torches as he advances a step. "Oh, you think we'd actually trust you? After Cain? Nice try." The venom drips from his voice, but Haha's firm hand upon his arm arrests him.
"Sekigan, focus," she says sharply. "If we stand here arguing, we're just giving whatever's out there more time to get to us.
I nod, forcing the growing ball of fear in my chest down. "We should at least check it out. In case there is someone alive out there, perhaps they will be able to help us find the exit or at least tell us what has been waiting." Cal tightens his grip on his shield, positioning himself at the front. "All right. But we stick together. Nobody gets ahead," he says firmly, darting his gaze toward Sekigan, who merely shrugs.
With that, we tread carefully in the direction of the sound, the air thick with tension until it's virtually choking. With every step, we are brought closer to the source of the commotion; the noise of steel against claws is getting louder and more desperate. Whatever is happening up ahead, we're about to walk straight into it.
As we enter into the large chamber, the scene is like something out of a bad dream: A cluster of Tankains, pale and faceless, their forms grotesque and unsettling, move in predator pattern around two adventurers who battle for their lives at the center of the room.
The taller of the two-a muscular woman in heavy armor-wields an oversized double-sided battle axe with surprising delicacy. Every swing cuts the air thickly with a heavy whoosh to force the creatures back, though they regroup as quick. In lighter, more supple armor, the smaller figure dances in between the Tankains with fluidity, fists and feet connecting into deadly blows. For all that skill, however, the sheer number of Tankains is beginning to tell.
"They're not going to last much longer," Haha mutters in a dark tone of voice as she flips through her notebook to size things up.
Sekigan's sickles glint in the dim light as he grins. "Finally, something worth my time." He doesn't wait for approval but steps forward, the blood tendrils curling menacingly behind him.
"Wait!" Cal snaps, holding his shield out to block Sekigan's path. "We need a plan. If we charge in like a bunch of madmen, we'll just get ourselves surrounded."
The Serpent's Hand member chuckles bitter from where I've kept him restrained. "You're all going to die down here anyway. Why delay the inevitable?"
His words mean nothing to me, and I keep my attention on what's in front of us. "If we don't do anything, they will be overwhelmed," I exclaim, trying to raise my tone in interest. I reach out with my arms for the vines and roots buried within the walls of the chamber with my Nature's Bond.
Haha nods. "Fine. Sekigan and Cal, you take the front and draw their attention. I'll cover from the back. Sekai, use your vines to pull any Tankains away from the adventurers. And you " she glares at the Serpent's Hand member "don't move, or I'll let Sekigan deal with you."
Sekigan doesn't wait for further instruction and lets out a guttural yell as he surges forward. Several of his blood tendrils lashes out, whipping at one of the Tankains and slamming it into a wall. Cal is close behind, shield raised, barreling into another of the creatures to knock it off balance.
I focus my energy on the roots below the room, pleading that they reach out and grasp the Tankains' legs, holding them in place. The beasts thrash about wildly and screech loudly, but I squeeze harder, buying the two beset adventurers a desperate, needed pause.
The taller woman looks in our direction, face an image of surprise and relief. "About time someone showed up!" she yells, swinging her axe to cleave another Tankain in two.
"Let's finish this," Sekigan growls, his sickles gleaming as he launches into the fray.
The shorter one moves like a shadow through the chaos, her form nearly a blur as she ducks and weaves amongst the Tankains. Every punch she throws is resounding with an unnatural force, creating sharp and gaping holes in the pale, grotesque bodies of the Tankains. Whatever blessing she possesses is amplifying the strikes to lethal levels, turning her bare fists into weapons more devastating than most blades.
She's a blessing, no doubt about that," Haha says, writing in her notebook even as she keeps a wary eye on the unfolding battle. "Enhanced strength or maybe kinetic bursts. Hard to tell, but it's effective.
The short woman flips backward, lands with poise next to her tall buddy whose axe cleaves through another Tankain. "Could use some help here!" she calls out, her voice sharp but steady-not betraying even a hint of fear.
"On it!" I yell, commanding the roots again. Wrapping this time around three Tankains, the roots yank them backward and slam them into the stone walls.
Not to be outdone, Sekigan cuts loose with a feral grin as his sickles tear into the creatures in a crimson dance. "I don't know who you two are," he growls, the edge of his sickle slicing another Tankain's arm clean off, "but you're lucky we showed up when we did."
The tall woman snorts louder, bringing her axe down in a thunderous crash that cleaves another Tankain in two. "We had it under control," she says, though the beads of sweat on her brow and slight tremble in her stance betray her fatigue.
She doesn't even turn around to look at Sekigan; her concentration razored, she delivers a debilitating punch into the chest of a Tankain sneaking up behind him. Its chest caves in with a sickening crunch before it falls to the ground. "Focus on the fight," she snaps.
"Feisty," Sekigan mutters; golden eyes shining with respect and annoyance.
With all of us fighting together, the numbers of the Tankains start to dwindle, but their attacks become increasingly desperate. Their clawed hands swipe in every direction, as if finally realizing that they are outmatched. "Keep it up!" Cal shouts, raising his shield to block a Tankain lunging at the shorter woman. He slams it into the creature with enough force to send it sprawling.
The tide is turning, but the air is still rife with tension. Obviously, the two of them are powerful adventurers, but even strength has a limit. The real question remains: Why so many Tankains here? And what more might be lurking in the shadows?
The falling of the last of the Tankains causes the twisted, faceless bodies to collapse in heaps. Then, in an instant, the room falls eerily silent. The only sounds that still exist: the heavy breathing of our group and the gentle, constant drip of water. Even in victory, the oppressive weight of the Spider's Den lingers, reminding us that this fight was a small piece to something much greater and overwhelmingly dangerous.
The woman stands a bit taller, her battle axe planted into the ground as if for support as she catches her breath. Her armor is dented and her gauntleted hands shaking slightly, but her eyes burn with a fiery determination. "Thanks for the assist," she says, though her voice has not lost its steady tone to exhaustion.
The shorter woman dusts herself off, precise and efficient. "We didn't need it," she says flatly, but the slightest flicker of her eyes shows different. "But it was. appreciated.
Sekigan puffed a sign and leaned on the shorter woman, his arms on her head. "So, who the fuck are you?" the shorter woman replied, pushing Sekigan off her. "I am Iris, a Zeradiel warrior and part of the Nimaroo Clan.
Sekigan stumbles backward slightly as the much shorter woman, Iris, shrugged him off with a practiced ease. Piercing green eyes seemed to lock onto him, sharp and not in the least unyielding. "Keep your distance," she warns, her voice carrying with a weight of authority behind it from some battles seen.
"Nimaroo Clan, huh?" Haha interjects, her eyes narrowing in thought as she flips through her notebook. "I've read about them fighters from Zeradiel known for their brutal efficiency and unmatched mastery in hand-to-hand combat."
"Exactly," Iris says, folding her arms. Her tone softens slightly as she glances toward the taller woman. "And this is Aeryn, my partner. She's the muscle; I'm the precision."
Aeryn smirks, straightening up and gripping her axe. "And you're the mouth. Don't forget that part."
Sekigan chuckles darkly, his golden eyes narrowing as he sizes the two up. "A clan of warriors, huh? Makes sense. You handled yourselves better than most we've seen in this hellhole."
"Better than you could, I'm sure," Iris snaps, her tone sharp as a blade. This is the only tension between her and Sekigan; both are brimming with defiance, but her eyes flicker to the blood-stained sickles in his hands. "Though I will admit, those. tricks of yours prove effective.
Aeryn steps between them, towering over both Sekigan and Iris, her battle-worn face set in a calm but commanding expression. "Enough," she says, her voice firm. "We're all in this pit together. Fighting each other doesn't get us out alive."
Aeryn makes the six-foot-three-inch Sekigan look small and he looks up at her annoyed "What are you? No human should be that tall"
Aeryn raises an eyebrow at Sekigan's comment, her smirk widening as she plants her hands on her hips. "And what about you? No human should have blood that dances like snakes," she retorts with a tone full of mirth. Sekigan snorts, crossing his arms. "Fair point.
Iris rolls her eyes, unimpressed with the banter. "Aeryn's height is the least of your concerns. Focus on surviving this dungeon, rather than making dumb observations."
"Relax, shortstack," Sekigan returns with a sly grin. "You could use a sense of humor.
Iris's emerald eyes narrow, and she takes a step closer to Sekigan with fists clenched. "Call me Shortstack one more time, and I'll show you how much height matters when I knock you flat."
The tension thickens, and for a moment, it seems like sparks might actually fly between the two. Sekigan, ever a provocateur, leans into Iris just a little, his smirk widening. "Careful, Iris. You wouldn't want to chip a nail."
Before either can escalate further, Haha steps between them with an exasperated sigh. "Children, please," she quips, flipping her notebook shut. "Let's not turn this into a comedy act. We're in a deadly dungeon filled with Tankains, and if you keep bickering, I will write you both into a tragedy."
Aeryn chuckles, a low rumbling sound that breaks the tension. "She's got a point," she says, resting her massive axe on her shoulder. "Save the sparring for when we're out of here. Assuming we make it that far."
I nod, trying to refocus the group. "The Tankains are dealt with for now, but we're not out of the woods. We should work together if we want any chance of making it to the exit."
Sekigan snorts, but doesn't argue, merely leaning against a wall nearby and idly twirling one of his sickles. "Fine. But if shortstack here trips on her temper and gets herself killed, don't expect me to save her."
Iris shoots him a glare but wisely holds her tongue, muttering something under her breath about "idiots with blood magic." Aeryn pats her shoulder reassuringly, then looks at me. "So what's the plan? We stumbled in here looking for loot, but it's clear this place has more surprises than we bargained for."
I glance at Haha, who's already flipping through her notes. "If we stick to the map, we should be able to avoid most of the traps and find a path out. But it's not just Tankains we have to worry about. Something's stirring deeper in this dungeon. We've seen too many signs to ignore it."
Aeryn nods, her expression growing serious. "Then let's move. The longer we stay in one place, the more vulnerable we are."
Uneasy alliances formed, we regroup and push forward. The oppressive weight of the Spider's Den looms large over us, a constant shadow. The bickering in our little group has died down for the most part, but the tension between Sekigan and Iris is still there, waiting to flare up like a lit match. For now, though, survival is the only thing that keeps us united.
The rhythmic, unsettling clicks of spider legs scraping against stone reverberate through the chamber, growing louder and closer with every second. The weight of the oppressive air from the dungeon thickens, weighing heavier upon us as we ready for the inevitable onslaught.
Sekigan's sickles glint in the faint light, his golden eyes narrowing, a savage grin creeping across his face. "Finally," he mutters, his voice low and eager. "Something to bleed."
Iris cinches the wraps on her hands, her emerald eyes held fast on the darkened doorway. "Don't get cocky, blood boy," she snaps. "Let's see if you can keep up."
Aeryn plants her axe firmly in front of her, its blade gleaming menacingly. She looks back over her shoulder at Cal, who stands beside her, shield raised, his face calm but resolute. "Ready for this?".
Cal nods, clenching his shield more tightly. "Always."
Haha flips through her notebook with frantic precision; her composure starts to crack, and she covers her mouth with her hand. Her glasses catch the dim light as she focuses intensely on her blessing, her voice barely above a whisper. "Stay alert. Something's off about this. it's not just the spiders."
I stand beside her, my hands shaking slightly as I focus Nature's Bond, feeling the faint hum of life from the vines and roots set into the stone walls. My connection to the flora of the dungeon is weak here, but it is better than nothing. "Whatever's coming, it's not just mindless monsters," I say, my voice shaking. "Be ready for anything."
A sudden, deafening screech pierces the air, running chills down my spine. The doorway ahead is engulfed in darkness, and then, from the shadows, the first wave of spiders emerges larger and more grotesque than the scouts we had encountered before. Their mandibles clack hungrily; their crimson eyes glowing with predatory malice.
Aeryn and Cal waste no time. Aeryn swings her axe in a great arc, cleaving through the first spider with brutal efficiency, while Cal's shield slams into another, sending it skittering back.
"Here they come!" Aeryn shouts above the din.
The spiders swarm, pouring into the room like a tide of nightmares. Sekigan lunges forward with an almost feral energy, blood tentacles lashing out and slicing through their ranks. Beside him, Iris was a blur of motion-strikes precise, devastating, her small frame weaving between the chaos with deadly grace.
"Focus on the big ones!" Haha shouts from behind, her blessing showing her flashes of future danger. "They're controlling the swarm!"
I extend my power, commanding vines to burst from the walls and floor, entangling the legs of as many spiders as I can. The creatures screech and struggle, their movements jerky as they try to break free. "That should slow them down!" I call out.
The battle grows fiercer-the sounds of clashing metal, screeches, and shouts fill the room. For every spider we cut down, more replace it, their numbers seemingly endless.
Haha's voice cuts through the chaos, her words clear and urgent. "With the queen dead, they're all grouping up and swarming through the dungeon as a force of death!" Her eyes flicker with the unsettling glimpses of the future, the flashes of danger adding an extra layer of urgency to her warning.
Sekigan's sickles flash as he takes down another spider, his eyes wild with bloodlust. "Great. So now we have a full-scale assault on our hands." He grins, practically salivating at the thought of the carnage ahead.
Iris snaps into action, slamming her fists into another spider, her knuckles cracking the exoskeleton with every punch. "We need to keep moving!" she yells, her voice strained but resolute. "If we stay in one place too long, we'll be overrun!"
Aeryn and Cal form a near-impenetrable wall of steel at the entrance, holding back the swarm of spiders as best they can. The constant clicking and chittering is maddening, the sheer number of enemies threatening to swallow us whole.
"How do we stop them?" Cal calls out, his shield raised as he bats aside a massive spider trying to leap over him.
Haha's eyes are wide as she flips through her notebook, but she's not looking for a solution she's scanning for something more pressing. "They're not just mindless there's something controlling them. We need to take out the source, or it'll be like fighting a tidal wave with a spoon!"
Sekigan's voice is laced with frustration, his tone sharp and biting as he surveys the endless wave of spiders. The bloodlust that usually fuels him is tempered by the overwhelming realization that they're facing an enemy with seemingly infinite numbers. "We won't last long like this," he growls, eyes scanning the room for any advantage. "We kill one, ten more take its place. At this rate, we'll be overrun before we even reach the source."
Iris, ever pragmatic, gives a quick glance at the battlefield. "As much as I hate it Sekigan's right. We can't keep pushing forward without a plan," she says, her breath heavy but controlled.
"We run and I have the perfect distraction, come here bitch" Sekigan said a Psychopathic smile on his face as he picked up The Serpent's Hand member and threw him into the swarm
We quickly break formation as we dash through the dungeon the sounds of his screams echoing we duck into a small hole in the wall revealing a small chamber as Sekigan tries to force Aeryn through the small entrance the large woman struggling to fit "Shortstack Mind helping me here?"
Aeryn grunts as she tries to squeeze through the narrow opening, her armored form getting stuck halfway. "This is ridiculous," she mutters, the frustration evident in her voice as her massive frame presses against the stone walls of the hole. "I can't fit, not like this."
Sekigan, his eyes still glowing with bloodlust, slaps his sickles against the ground in impatience. "Move it, Aeryn! We don't have time for this!"
Iris, her gaze flicking toward the swelling tide of spiders, grabs Aeryn's armor and gives a powerful tug. "On three," she says, her voice firm. "One two three!" With a heave, they manage to force Aeryn through, her helmet scraping against the stone but finally getting her into the chamber with the rest of us.
"Well, anything to pass the time as we wait for the spiders to pass?" Cal asks when we all settle in the small room
"Shortstuff what's your blessing, and more importantly how tall are you?" Sekigan asked Iris with a smirk having a good time annoying the martial art master
Iris glares at Sekigan, her green eyes sharp with annoyance, but she doesn't immediately snap back. Instead, she takes a slow breath, her fists relaxing as she glances toward the rest of the group. "My blessing's Iron Fist it enhanced strength and precision for hand-to-hand combat," she says, her tone calm despite the situation. "And for the record, 4 foot 11 inches, so not that short," she adds pointedly, her eyes flicking to Sekigan with a subtle warning.
"I have met dwarfs taller than you" I speak up without thinking Iris gave me a death glare and I shut up "ye-yeah it's not that short" I stutter out intimidated by the glare and Iris huffs
"What I thought" she pouted a bit and Aeryn patted her back teasing her "There, there it ok"
he atmosphere in the small chamber is tense, but there's an unexpected lightness as the group finds brief relief from the overwhelming swarm outside. Even Sekigan, normally a whirlwind of energy and violence, can't help but grin as the mood shifts into a more sarcastic back-and-forth.
Iris crosses her arms, narrowing her eyes at Sekigan as she considers his last jab. "I may be small," she says with a barely restrained chuckle, "but I could knock you out with a single hit."
Sekigan smirks back, his eyes glinting with the kind of dangerous amusement that usually precedes violence. "That assumes that you can reach me."
The tension in the chamber is a mix of exhaustion, adrenaline, and forced camaraderie, the oppressive weight of the swarm just beyond the walls pressing on everyone. Despite it, the humor feels like a necessary lifeline, even if it's laced with irritation.
Iris steps forward, fists clenched, her expression daring Sekigan to push her further. "I don't need to reach high," she says, her tone dripping with confidence. "I'll just aim for your knees, and we'll see how tall you are when you're flat on the ground."
Aeryn chuckles, leaning back against the wall with her massive arms crossed, the faint scrape of her armor filling the silence. "I'd pay to see that," she says, the grin on her face making it clear she means it.
"Add me to the list," Haha pipes up, her glasses reflecting the faint torchlight as she smirks at Sekigan. "A lesson in humility wouldn't hurt."
Sekigan holds up his hands in mock surrender, the playful grin never leaving his face. "Alright, alright, shortstack," he says, leaning back against the damp stone wall. "You're feisty. I'll give you that. Just don't trip over yourself trying to prove it."
Iris narrows her eyes, her green gaze like daggers aimed at Sekigan. "Keep talking, and I'll show you exactly how feisty I can be," she retorts, her fists tightening at her sides. Despite the heat in her voice, there's a faint upward twitch of her lips, betraying that she's not entirely serious.
Aeryn, still catching her breath from the mad dash, pats Iris on the head as if she were a child. "Calm down, tiny terror," she says, her voice rich with amusement. "We've got bigger things to worry about than bruising his ego. Or his knees."
The tension in the chamber eases, the humor acting as a temporary balm to the chaos just beyond the walls. The muffled sound of skittering legs echoes faintly from the other side of the narrow entrance, reminding everyone that their reprieve is fragile.
Iris swats Aeryn's hand away, her cheeks flushed with a mix of indignation and embarrassment. "Don't you start with me too," she grumbles, though the corner of her mouth quirks upward in a reluctant smile.
Sekigan chuckles, sliding down the wall until he's sitting with his arms resting on his knees. "Tiny terror," he repeats with a smirk. "That's a keeper."
Cal, ever the peacemaker, raises a hand to interject. "Alright, enough. Let's use this time to regroup and figure out our next move," he says, his voice steady and calming. "We don't know how long we have before the swarm finds us again."
Haha nods, her notebook already open as she begins jotting down notes. "The spiders are more organized than they should be," she murmurs, her brow furrowed in thought. "Even with the queen dead, something or someone is driving them. We need to figure out what, or this dungeon will just keep throwing waves at us."
I lean against the wall, my connection to the surrounding flora weak but still present. "If we can get deeper into the dungeon, I might be able to sense where the source of their power is coming from," I suggest, my voice hesitant. "But we'll need to move fast before they regroup."
Aeryn adjusts her dented armor, her face set in determination. "Then that's the plan. We push forward, find the source, and cut it down. Whatever it takes."
Iris stretches, her fists flexing as if preparing for another fight. "Agreed. I'm not about to let a bunch of oversized bugs get the better of us."
Sekigan's grin widens, his golden eyes glinting with anticipation. "Now that's the spirit. Let's see who bleeds out first us or them."
"Preferably them," Haha mutters without looking up from her notes, her tone as sharp as ever.
The group exchanges glances, a mixture of determination, exhaustion, and reluctant camaraderie binding us together. The spiders are still out there, but for now, we're alive and ready to fight another day.
"Let's move out," Aeryn says, hefting her massive axe. "Tiny terror, lead the way."
"Say that one more time, and I'm leading you off a cliff," Iris retorts, though the faintest hint of a grin lingers as she moves toward the narrow exit.
As we prepare to leave, I glance back at the chamber one last time, the fleeting moment of safety already fading from my mind. The dungeon waits, and so does whatever darkness lies at its heart.
The flickering torchlight casts long, wavering shadows across the chamber walls as we gather our gear and steady ourselves. Every sound-every drip of water, every distant skitter of legs-seems amplified in the oppressive silence. My heart pounds in my chest, a mix of fear and determination warring within me.
The others are already moving, their faces set with grim resolve. Sekigan's sickles glint in the low light, smeared with the leavings of our last fight. Iris tightens wraps on her hands, her eyes cutting at the small exit as if in a dare to the dark to try something. Aeryn leans her massive axe over her shoulder, the dings on her armor the proof of her steadfastness. Cal lingers by the front, his shield leading, ever the watchful sentinel.
Haha catches my gaze, her usual smirk absent, replaced by a seriousness that feels out of place on her normally teasing face. She clutches her notebook tightly, the pages filled with hastily scrawled observations and predictions. "Don't lose focus," she says softly, her voice cutting through my thoughts. "We're far from done."
I nod, swallowing hard, and turn to follow the group. The small chamber feels like it's closing in on me, the fleeting sense of safety dissolving into the cold reality of the dungeon. We step back into the twisting corridors; damp air heavy with the scent of earth and decay.
The sound of our footsteps echoes eerily, reminding us at each second that we are indeed very alone in this forsaken place. But the spiders are still out there-skittering, waiting, hunting. And somewhere deep within this labyrinth, the source of their relentless fury waits for us.
The torchlight quivers as we press onward, the shadows cast ahead of us like the specters leading the way. My link to the dungeon's life force hums softly at the back of my mind, a tenuous anchor to the world around us. If we are to make it through this, we would have to rely upon every ounce of strength, every blessing, and every fragment of hope we have left.
As we delve deeper into the Spider's Den, the oppressive darkness seems to grow heavier, each step drawing us closer to the unknown. I can feel it a faint, almost imperceptible pull. Whatever lies at the heart of this dungeon is calling to us, daring us to face it.
And we will. Because there's no turning back now.
Iris's voice cuts through the silence as we move, her tone sharp and laced with frustration. "I thought the queen was supposed to be the heart of the dungeon, so why is everything still kicking?" Her words echo slightly in the narrow corridor, and the tension in her voice mirrors the unease I feel.
I glance at Haha, hoping she has an answer, but her expression is troubled. Her fingers trace the edges of her notebook absentmindedly before she finally speaks. "Dungeon bosses are usually the keystone, the central force that keeps everything alive and moving," she says, her voice thoughtful but uncertain. "But this… it doesn't add up. The spiders should have collapsed without their leader. Unless…"
"Unless what?" Sekigan snaps, his golden eyes narrowing as he grips his sickles tighter. He's always ready for a fight, but even he seems unsettled by the idea of something worse waiting for us.
"Unless there's something stronger," Haha finishes, her gaze flicking to the shadows ahead. "Something deeper in the dungeon. A secondary force or maybe even the true heart."
Aeryn, ever steady, speaks up from the front of the group. "If that's the case, we're not done here. We've got to find it before it decides to come for us."
Iris lets out a frustrated breath, her fists tightening. "Perfect. So we're running blind, chasing something we don't even understand."
"It's not blind," I say, my voice softer but resolute. "I can feel it the dungeon's life force. It's faint, but there's something… deeper. Something wrong. I don't think the queen was the end. She might've been just a guardian."
Cal, his shield raised and eyes scanning the dark, nods grimly. "Then we need to be ready. Whatever's down here, it's not going to let us leave without a fight."
Sekigan lets out a low chuckle, the sound unsettling in the oppressive silence. "Good. I was starting to get bored." He twirls a sickle in his hand, his grin sharp and dangerous. "Let's find this 'something stronger' and show it what we're made of."
The weight of the unknown presses heavier with each step we take. The air feels colder, thicker, as if the dungeon itself is watching us, waiting to strike. Whatever lies ahead, it's clear this nightmare is far from over.
The oppressive silence of the dungeon amplifies every sound each step, each breath, each faint scrape of metal against stone. The weight of the unknown bears down on us, an invisible pressure that grows heavier with every passing moment. The air, once stale and still, now seems alive with a presence we can't see but can't ignore. It's colder too, the chill biting through armor and cloth alike, leaving an unsettling sense of exposure.
It feels like the walls are closing in, the narrow corridors twisting and turning as if the dungeon itself is reshaping to trap us. I can't shake the sensation of being watched like unseen eyes are tracking our every move, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It's as though the dungeon is no longer just a place but a living, breathing entity, hungry and aware.
The others are silent, their faces grim as we press forward. Sekigan's sickles glint in the dim light, his golden eyes darting to every shadow, every crack in the stone. Aeryn keeps her massive axe at the ready, her towering presence both a comfort and a reminder of the strength we'll need to survive. Iris moves with precision, her smaller frame darting from side to side as her sharp eyes scan for threats. Haha clutches her notebook tightly, her brow furrowed in concentration as she likely searches for answers to the inexplicable. Cal brings up the rear, his shield raised protectively, the faint clinking of his armor the only sound breaking the suffocating quiet.
My heart pounds in my chest, each beat a reminder of my own fear and the growing certainty that whatever lies ahead will push us to our limits. This isn't just a test of strength or skill; it's a trial of endurance, of willpower. And I can feel it in the very bones of this cursed place
Suddenly we see someone outline in the darkness it is human and whoever it is calls outs
We all freeze, the voice cutting through the oppressive silence like a jagged blade. It echoes faintly off the stone walls, hollow and distorted, as though the dungeon itself is twisting it.
"Hey… is someone there?" The words are familiar enough, but the tone is wrong too flat, too cold, as if the speaker is mimicking human emotion but can't quite get it right.
Sekigan's grip tightens on his sickles, his eyes narrowing as he stares into the shadows. "That doesn't sound friendly," he mutters, his voice low but tense.
"What are you talking about blood boy that sounds as human as you" Iris response not taking the voice as a threat it is a strange world
The outline of a person comes into focus, barely visible against the darkness. Their posture seems human, but there's something unnatural about the way they move jerky, almost puppet-like. The figure steps closer, just enough for the dim torchlight to illuminate the edges of their face. It's pale, unnervingly so, with wide, unblinking eyes that seem to glint in the low light.
The figure's unblinking eyes catch the flickering torchlight, reflecting an unnatural sheen that sends a chill through my spine. The pale skin, almost translucent in the dim glow, stretches taut over a gaunt face that feels eerily wrong. Their expression is devoid of warmth or familiarity a blank slate attempting to imitate humanity but failing in a way that unsettles deeply.
Iris steps forward, her fists loosely clenched, clearly unshaken by the figure's odd appearance. "You lost, or what?" she calls out, her tone casual, almost dismissive, as if this is just another strange adventurer.
The figure tilts its head, a slow, deliberate movement that feels too calculated. "Lost?" it repeats, the word rolling off its tongue like it's trying it out for the first time. The flat tone of its voice, devoid of inflection, grates against my ears. "No. Not lost. Searching."
"For what?" Haha asks sharply, her voice cutting through the tension. She shifts her weight, her hand inching toward her notebook as if expecting this conversation to turn sour.
The figure's lips curl into something that resembles a smile but lacks any trace of joy or humanity. "For you," it says, taking another jerky step forward.
The air grows colder, the oppressive silence now buzzing faintly with something unseen but undeniably present. Sekigan steps in front of Iris, his golden eyes locked onto the figure with a predator's intensity. "I don't know what game you're playing," he growls, his voice low and dangerous, "but you've got five seconds to start making sense before I make you regret walking out of that dark hole."
The figure doesn't flinch, doesn't react at all. It simply tilts its head again, its wide eyes now fixed on Sekigan. "You shouldn't be here," it says, its voice dropping to a whisper, though the words still carry through the room as if spoken directly into each of our ears. "You shouldn't have come."
Aeryn takes a step forward, her massive axe at the ready. "That's rich coming from someone who's clearly lost their way," she says, her voice steady but laced with suspicion. "Why don't you explain what you're doing here before we decide you're just another dungeon freak?"
The figure pauses, as if considering her words. Then, with a sudden movement that makes my stomach lurch, it lunges forward not at us, but toward the far wall. Its body twists unnaturally mid-leap, and it scrambles up the stone like a spider, its jerky movements almost too fast to follow.
"What the hell?!" Iris shouts, stepping back instinctively.
Sekigan's sickles flash as he prepares to strike, but the figure stops abruptly, clinging to the wall high above us. It turns its head almost completely around to look back at us, its wide eyes unblinking. "They're coming," it says, its voice a chilling monotone. "You brought them."
The words send a fresh wave of dread through me, and as if on cue, the distant chittering sound of spiders begins to rise again, growing louder with every passing second.
Sekigan's voice carries a sharp edge of disbelief and frustration as he glares at the figure clinging to the wall. "What the fuck is that thing?" he barks, his sickles ready for a fight.
Haha, standing just behind us, frantically flips through her notebook, her fingers trembling slightly as she scans the pages. The faint scratching sound of turning parchment is drowned out by the growing chittering in the distance. "It's a Mimic Spider," she finally says, her voice laced with unease. "But… it shouldn't be here."
"A what?" Iris snaps, her eyes flicking between Haha and the eerie figure on the wall. "You wanna explain what the hell that means?"
Haha adjusts her glasses, her expression grim. "Mimic Spiders are a dungeon anomaly. They're not just monsters—they're observers, sometimes scouts, designed to imitate prey and lure groups into traps. But they only appear in the deepest parts of dungeons. If this one's here…" Her voice trails off, leaving an ominous silence.
Cal and Aeryn move to the front, forming a shielded barrier between us and the creature. Cal plants his iron shield into the ground, the sound reverberating through the chamber like a challenge. "Then why's it here now?" he asks, his tone steady but edged with concern.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" Haha retorts, furiously jotting notes in the margins of her book. "This dungeon isn't advanced enough for creatures like this. It shouldn't be capable of producing something so…" She glances at the figure, her face pale. "…so intelligent."
Sekigan laughs, though it's more of a bitter snarl than genuine amusement. "Great. So we're dealing with a dungeon that's breaking its own rules. Fantastic." He shifts his grip on his sickles, his eyes never leaving the creature. "So are you saying that something or someone brought it here"
Haha freezes mid-note, her eyes narrowing as she processes Sekigan's words. "Brought it here?" she murmurs, almost to herself. Her pen stills for a moment before she looks up, her expression dark with realization. "The Serpent's Hand brought it here and I bet they were the ones who set up the dungeon raid no one was supposed to leave here"
The air in the chamber grows colder as Haha's words hang in the air, thick with tension. The realization settles like a heavy weight, pressing down on all of us. The Serpent's Hand, those followers of chaos and destruction, were behind this
The air in the chamber grows colder as Haha's words hang in the air, thick with tension. The realization settles like a heavy weight, pressing down on all of us. The Serpent's Hand, those followers of chaos and destruction, were behind this
The weight of Haha's words sinks deep into the pit of my stomach, the room growing colder with the gravity of the revelation. The Serpent's Hand the followers of chaos, their motto of 'Strike unseen, leave no trace' ringing in my ears had orchestrated this entire nightmare. They'd set the stage for us to enter, for the dungeon to become a trap, for us to be lured into something far worse than we could've imagined.