《The Knightly Elven… Spider?》 Prologue Damnit. This was supposed to be a simple escort. Bandit activity this time of the year was normal, but I currently found myself ambushed and outnumbered by a large margin. Our group of knights was faring well but starting to lose energy. What was worse, we were under constant assault from rogue mages who assailed us with fireballs and ice spikes, which all took great effort to block, even with our enchanted shields. Our own wizard had already fallen at the hands of these lowly humans. There was no time to mourn our loss. I blocked another weak dagger attack, before dealing a blow of my own with my sword. I dismembered the humans arm before kicking his screaming body with my steel sabatons. I held my ground in our ever-shrinking ring of knights around the marquiss family. They were still in the carriage and would be safe, as long as we stood, which wouldnt be too long; our numbers were dwindling as more and more elves were injured, or worse. I prayed that reinforcements would arrive soon. One of our scouts had managed to break through the enemies lines earlier and was our only lifeline at this point. A patrol was bound to be close, but they might not make it in time. The battle had already lasted for an hour or so. The start was very slow, but over the last few minutes, with our magic reserves and energy mostly depleted, wed started to lose badly. Still, it was our only hope. Another lightly armored bandit charged at me. Their leather outfits were inferior to our chainmail and plate, but every now and then, they managed to get a few lucky hits in. I bashed his face with my shield before sinking my shortsword in his stomach. His daggers did not pierce my armor, and I quickly retracted my blade. Pain shot through me as I looked down to see an arrow that had pierced my mail vest. While the armor had absorbed the brunt of the attack, it still penetrated deep within the side of my stomach. I had to ignore the pain. I had to keep fighting, or Id find my end here. Whatever this wound was, I could probably get it healed. I just had to survive this mess first. A second arrow coming for me was deflected by my shield. A third arrow missed. I was forced back as the pain started to become too much. Blood ran down the wound onto my plated legs. Fuck, I let out. If only Id had larger mana reserves. I would have been able to keep my defensive barrier up for longer I shook my head. I couldnt worry about that now. The humans were shouting in their incomprehensible language. I looked behind the carriage to see elven soldiers approach on the dirt road that led through this god-forsaken forest. It would seem reinforcements had arrived at last. That didnt seem to stop these bandits from throwing everything they had at us. It seemed their attack became desperate and without regard for any kind of safety. It seemed they were dead-set on claiming the life of the marquis that had caused these scoundrels to be exiled from the human kingdom in the first place. Unfortunately, their numbers were still far beyond ours. With regained hope, I sprung back into action, claiming another humans life as my now-dull sword struck one in the neck with the necessary effort. The large war hammer of another rogue smashed down on my vambraces, causing yet more pain to shock through my body, and I lost my sword in the process. I tried biting through the pain, but even doing so did not cause me to regain the function of my hand. I simply couldnt move my arm after that. All I had left was my shield. Our circle became smaller by the second. We were now almost on top of the carriage as there was no space between us anymore. Our reinforcements seemed to be running, but they were not going to make it in time, I could see that much. Flashbacks of when I was a young elven girl started racing through my mind. I would not let it happen. I would not allow it. Not again. I knew very much why these humans were here and seeing as I was in a terrible state, I did the only thing I could reasonably think of at the time. I opened the carriage door with my one working hand before jumping inside with my shield. I closed the door, locked it from the inside, and held up my shield to the door, hoping to buy a little extra time for reinforcements to arrive before this family was wiped out. I paid no attention to the shivering elves behind me. The marquis and his wife and two children, two young girls, were holding on to one another behind me. My attention was on my kite shield. It blocked the doorway well enough, at least in my mind it did. I hoped that wasnt hopeless optimism. The screams of dying elves and humans alike were still heard through the reinforced wood. Although muted to a certain degree, I still felt tears form in my eyes as my comrades in arms gave their lives to protect the family behind me. I didnt know any of these people. Id only recently joined this squadron, but I knew they didnt deserve this fate. The outside went quiet, too quiet. It wasnt for long, as someone tried to open the door, but failed. I knew I was the last elven warrior standing. The elven girls behind me cried as the blade of an axe shattered the lock and the door flew open. I held on to my shield for dear life. Even as a spear found its way from under the shield and created another wound in my abdomen, I held on. I held on for these girls. I would not let them go through the same as me. The spear was removed from my body and I tasted blood in my mouth. It then returned and pierced my armor once more. Still, I held on. I knew my life was forfeit. I just hoped Id buy the time this family needed. It was all I could do. I heard a volley of arrows impact ground and armor alike, followed by screams. An elven horn sounded outside, indicating the reinforcing soldiers started a charge. Just maybe, this would be enough. Fearful screaming came from outside as the spear stabbed me again. Hands started to appear around my shield in an attempt to pull it out of the way. I held on with all my strength, and two helping arms appeared from behind me as the marquis helped me hold on to my shield. My vision started to become hazy as I knew I was nearing the end of my strength. Still, I held on. I couldnt go. Not yet. More hands appeared around my shield and it was finally ripped from my grasp. The tip of a spear came into my vision and was aimed at the noble behind me. I did the last thing I could do to protect him and prayed to the goddess that these reinforcements could save him and his family. I threw my body in front of him. I was already dead, as things stood. Hopefully, my sacrifice would not be in vain. The spear impaled my torso and one last flood of pain rippled through my body, before my senses dulled. The sounds of arrows were the last thing I heard before the pain completely disappeared. My vision was the last thing to leave me, and in my last moments, I thought I saw soldiers rushing in. At last, I would see my parents again. Then, everything went white. Faragi So, thanks to my Patrons, I may have found an artist that''s willing to draw certain scenes from this novel that I''ll be able to add to certain chapters (Light Novel style) Below is a WIP piece that I couldn''t wait to share. She is still missing her ears, but this is a character reference drawing of Kealyna before her death. If you''d like to support the novel (or novels) as well, do check out the Patreon page. I hope to have more to show soon :D 1.1 Elysa Faragi This chapter was rewritten. There are still events that refer back to the old chapter, but they will be edited out over time. Likewise some other things are going tor receive minor editing over time as well. The white light remained for minutes. Wait I can think? Is this the afterlife? My parents are they here? I wanted to see them, to hug them. I wanted them to tell me they still loved me, even though I survived and they didnt. Not a day went by where I didnt think back to that day, where their lives were so suddenly cut short by the same race that ended my own life seemingly moments ago. Rage welled up inside me. Despite my training and anger management, I still couldnt help but feel infuriated whenever I thought back to that one moment, to the travesties that humans had committed upon my family many years ago. Kealyna? A soothing female voice called out. Who was there? I couldnt see anything. The light was too bright. H-hello? I managed to speak. Kealyna Swiftflare? The same voice called out my name once more. Nobody had called me by my last name in years. Who did this voice belong to? The light dimmed and I could make out shapes as my vision cleared. When my vision was no longer hazy, I saw a familiar figure sitting on a chair behind a simple wooden desk. I got to my knees and bowed my head down as low as I could. There was no mistaking it. This was our goddess, Elysa. The long elven ears, blond hair, shining blue eyes, and most noticeably, the golden wreath of vines with purple flowers on her head, confirmed it. She was exactly like all of the depictions I knew. I kept my head low, not wanting to offend her, when I heard a soft giggle coming from her. Rise, Kealyna. I did as she told me, but didnt dare to look at her. Instead, I looked at my surroundings. I found myself in some kind of stone building. There were no doors, no windows, no decorations, nothing. It was just grey stone. The only oddities were the goddess before me, some sort of low pedestal that I stood on that was raised a mere inch from the floor, and a rectangular blue portal behind me. Another soft giggle came from the goddess. Its okay, you can look at me. I obeyed her once more, and felt myself relax at her smile. Where am I? I asked the first question that came to mind. I pulled you into my office so to say, after you died. Are they... I started. She nodded. Your sacrifice bought enough time and saved them. Its the reason I pulled you here. I sighed in relief. At least those girls wouldnt have to go through the misery of growing up without their parents like me. My parents and I had been traveling by carriage before we got ambushed by humans. We didnt have much protection. We could only enlist four soldiers who had been killed within a minute before my parents were slain after being forcibly dragged out of the vehicle. They planned to do the same to me, but one of the bandits had the idea to sell me as a slave. I had been spared that fate at least, when elven soldiers later found the bandit camp and left no man alive. They had taken me back to the nearest elven city and left me at an orphanage. My life had been harsh every day in that shithole. The food was cold, the beds hard, and the staff rough. As soon as I had come of age, I enlisted for knight training, pretty much the only escape available to orphans. Id learned how to wield a weapon and how to control magic. Id learned discipline and had grown strong to protect those who couldnt protect themselves. I had vowed to not let the same fate befall anyone else as long as I could help it. I guess that was exactly what led me to end up here If the goddesss words were anything to go by I see that the events of that day still weigh heavily on your heart, The goddess continued. I nodded, a tear forming in my eye. Ive chosen to reward you for your noble deeds. I wish to give you the happiness that has eluded you. Would you like to start over from before that day? Id wipe your memories of all the pain youve been through, so you can live as happy a life as I can offer. I could be with my parents again? Where I was loved and protected? Where kindness was shown to me every day of my life? I wanted to. I had wished for this every day. Even if it cost me all that Id become, I wished for nothing more than to see their smiles again. Your parents are already waiting for you on the other side of the portal behind you. I turned around and watched the blue portal. Upon closer inspection, I could see that the blue color was that of the sky, and that there were several small clouds in it. The perfect summer day was waiting on the other side, as was a perfect life... Is it okay? I asked. Can I really have all this? I didnt know why I asked this to a goddess of all beings. If anyone knew about this, it would be her. I guessed I still couldnt believe any of it. Yes, Elysa spoke with her gentle voice. You can. I turned around to face the goddess once more and bowed my head, paying my respects. Thank you. I dont know what to say... You dont have to say anything, Elysa said with a warm smile on her face. Just go to your parents and enjoy life as it should be. Thank you, I said once more as I turned around and walked to the portal. I knew most of my memories would be wiped, but I would gladly give them up for what awaited me. I was about to step through the portal when suddenly the blue sky beyond it turned pitch black. At the same time, a gust of cold air came from it and sent shivers down my spine. I knew at that moment that something had gone wrong. The darkness beyond the portal felt unnatural, and I could see it expanding from out of the portal. I turned around to get away, but found that I couldnt move after facing the other way. Black tendrils of shadowy energy had grown from the portal and entangled themselves around my arms and legs. I could see that Elysa was standing upright with shock in her eyes. Panic flooded through me when I noticed the look on Elysas face. I wanted to ask what was going on, but the cold, dark that grasped me had also somehow muted me as my entire body went limp. I couldnt utter a single word. The tendrils then started pulling me into the portal behind me. My strength had left my body and I couldnt do anything to stop it. Kealyna! Elysa let out as I saw her extend an arm. It was obvious that none of this was of her doing. The goddess clearly wasnt sure what was going on herself. I was about to be pulled into the portal when I saw a blue stream of energy shoot from Elysas extended arm. It was aimed directly at me and for a moment I thought I would be saved. The stream connected with my torso and I felt an immense amount of energy enter my body. Unfortunately, it didnt seem to be enough as the grasp on me didnt weaken. I was then pulled through the portal and everything around me went black. 1.2 A… Spider? Faragi This chapter has also been rewritten to reflect the changes made in chapter 1. Some additional editing has been done as well. There may still be remnants throughout the story that refer back to the old chapter 1, but they are minor at this point and will be edited as soon as I can. My head hurt. I could see nothing Where was I? All I knew was that I was floating in some kind of liquid. I dont know how, but I felt cramped at the same time. My body felt like it was being pressed against from all sides. I tried opening and closing my eyes, but nothing happened. Something was wrong I felt arms I think? The troubling part was where I didnt feel my legs at least not the ones I was used to I felt more I had more than two legs? If only I could see where the hell I was. I tried moving my arms? And found something of a barrier all around my body. I started panicking. I had no idea what happened. Where had that portal taken me? Had those black tendrils put my soul in some kind of prison? Panic turned into despair as the cold dark that surrounded me seemed to be endless. What happened? Elysa, help me. Then, within a fraction of a second, a blue square showed up before me in my vision. Despite the darkness all around me, I could see it clearly. There seemed to be text written on it. To Kealyna I apologize for what happened. Know that none of it was my doing. It appears that someone else has infiltrated my domain and placed a curse on the portal that you were sucked into. I do not know why, or how. I only know of a few other gods that are able to use shadow magic like that, Hograd being the most powerful of them. I dont want to accuse him without knowing, but be wary of that name. Whatever happened, I will try to figure it out. What I can tell you is that a curse was placed on you and you have been changed into a spider. In the last moments you were in my realm, I infused your soul with a portion of my power in order to counter the curse as best I could, with a blessing. This blessing will assist you in your journey and allows you to grow stronger. For any information you need on this, just think of my name and ask a question about anything. This blessing will assist you as best as it can. Despite the curse on the portal, it still sent you to the world I had intended, meaning your parents are alive and well here. I am unable to talk to you myself directly from our realm, but I will be watching your endeavors with great interest. I hope this will be enough assistance in your journey to find the happiness that I had initially promised you. Once more, I apologize for things turning out this way. Kind regards, Elysa What was this? I had been blessed by the goddess? But wait I was a spider? What? Why? How? I felt lost once more. I wanted to live, I really did, but as a spider? How was I supposed to survive, let alone live like this? Even if I did manage to solve those issues, I wouldnt be able to find my parents who were supposedly already in this world, according to Elysa. The best I could possibly do was gestures, maybe draw with quills. What would they even think? I decided I would try nonetheless. If this blessing could give me the strength to see my parents again, I would take the opportunity with both hands. I used my arms to smash against the barrier that surrounded me. It took a couple of tries, but eventually, I managed to create a tear, and soon after, a small opening. I expanded the gap after that until I could move out of this stupid spider egg. I dragged myself forward with my arms, (honestly, they werent arms, but I couldnt see what they were) I knew I had multiple sets of legs, but I couldnt control them properly. First, I needed to get out of here. Once I had escaped my confines, I was disappointed to learn that my vision was still severely limited. My sight radius was huge, but my actual vision was extremely blurry and dark. The next feeling that I registered was hunger. I was starved, ravenous for food. I needed to find something to eat or I was positive my new life wouldnt last long. I felt my legs and tried moving them. To my surprise, I could control them quite well. Even if I had no idea about how to walk on four sets, I still managed to move myself forward with them, albeit with the necessary effort. This vision was really frustrating, though. I couldnt make out anything more than generic shapes. And I had eight eyes to boot. I looked behind me to see the vague outline of the egg that Id hatched from. Beyond it, I could see many more of the same outlines. However, the other eggs seem to not have hatched yet. First things first, I needed food, and possibly water. From the darkness, I assumed I found myself in some kind of cave, and I wasnt sure where I was going to find food, or what Id eat in the first place. My senses started to sharpen, at least the ones that made me aware of my own limbs. I seemed to possess two large limbs with fangs at the end of them below my head. I could move them out to the side and back to the middle. I imagined I had a mouth somewhere as well, although I wasnt quite aware of it yet. After a minute or so of trying, I found I could release venom from my fangs. I immediately stopped releasing it once I found out how to do it. Id need that. Come to think of it, Elysa said she promised to erase my memories of everything after the incident, so that I could live my life without them weighing down on me. That had obviously not happened. I clearly didnt have the mind of an eight-year-old right now. Besides that, I still had parts of what happened back then play out in my mind. I didnt have time to reflect on it now. Id leave that for later. Right now, I needed to find some food, and there was plenty in front of me. As much as this was a macabre thing to do, I couldnt let the opportunity pass me by. I still had an elven mind and spirit, with the will to do whatever it took to survive, and I appeared to be the first one to hatch. I hoped these other spiders werent as developed as me. I skittered up to one of the eggs and bashed my front arms C pedipalps, I seemed to remember they were called C against it until I cracked it open. Fluids spilled out before I saw something move and struggle inside the egg. With no time to lose, hunger gnawing on every fiber of my being, I expanded the opening until I found the spider inside the egg. I then sank my fangs in its black bulbous abdomen and let venom flow into it. It seemed I was right about these spiders not being as developed as me. This one, in particular, didnt seem to know how to control their limbs and soon stopped struggling as my venom did its work. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+12 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 1 EP. What the fuck? Two blue squares floated before me in my vision. Beyond the fact that the first one told me Id killed a tiny black cave spider, I didnt understand anything else. Was this part of the blessing that I had read about in my first message? It had to be. What did it say again? Something about me asking when thinking about Elysas name, right? I could grow stronger, I knew that, but wasnt there a limit on how strong a simple spider could get? I sighed mentally as I watched the blue square fly away. I would have to look into it. First, I needed to eat. Then, I imagined it would be a good idea to get out of here with haste and find a safe spot. I wasnt planning to get cannibalized myself. I removed my fangs from my dead sibling before coming to the realization that I had no idea how to eat. Hey, Elysa, could you help me out here? How do I eat? Spiders have no teeth. They eat their prey by injecting digestive enzymes into it with their fangs, they then suck in the fluids. That sounded disgusting. Not that eating spiders was a pleasant prospect, but this was worse than I thought. How do I do that? I somehow knew how to inject venom, but those were not digestive juices, right? I received no answer... Why couldnt I just have a mouth with teeth, and eat like a normal person? Weak jaws and teeth can be evolved for 1 EP (currently 1) Would you like to evolve selection? I had no idea how to eat in the way that was laid out for me... I had to eat to live... In that case... I guess so? I felt pain shoot through my body, as the area below my eyes and fangs was forcibly molded into something different. When the pain started to fade away, I regained some sense of my former self as I felt a mouth that I could open and close, complete with teeth and all. This was what the goddesss blessing meant? Was this how I would grow stronger? But if I could grow teeth Elysa, can I get my elven body back? Negative. Well, so much for that thought. I was going to have to find out as much as I could about this blessing and this body, but first, I was going to do the most disgusting thing Id ever done. I planted my mouth on the dead spiders abdomen in front of me and started tearing away the carapace with my jaws. Not being able to see much was probably a blessing in itself. Id rather not see what I was eating right now. The taste of spider innards was quite unpleasant to say the least, but it was the only thing I had at hand right now. Id make do with it. After eating as much as I could, I started to skitter away from the unhatched eggs, looking for safety. Judging from the ground here that was all rocky stone as far as I could tell, I was in a cave. There were bound to be some nooks and crannies here where I could hide to find out more about this so-called Blessing. I already had an idea of what I would do, but I wanted to know more first. 1.3 Blessings After a while of skittering around, I found that I could control my legs much better. With it, came increased speed and less focus on moving my limbs properly was required. I walked up to what I could make out as a cave wall. I hit my head against it because my depth perception turned out to be at an all-time low. Frigging eyes I looked up to the wall. If I was a spider, Id have no trouble climbing this. I planted the ends of my legs against the stone and found that they simply stuck to it. I then started my ascend. Id probably be much safer up high. I found an indent in the rocky wall going a couple of inches deep that would fit me quite easily. I entered it to find it unoccupied. I relaxed slightly but kept my eyes wide open in case anything tried to take me out. Not that I could see much, but still Okay, Elysa. What am I? Name: Kealyna Race: Tiny Brown Cave Spider Level: 2/10 Experience: 2/20 Evolution Points: 0 Skills: Very Weak Venom Weak Jaws and Teeth Very Weak Spider Thread Very Weak Poison Resistance With everything laid out before me, things became much clearer. I could easily tell what these skills meant. I was just a bit sad that everything was either weak or very weak. Those gods really did a number on me, didnt they? One thing that I noticed was that, apparently, I was a different species from my siblings, although, it didnt tell me much. Apparently killing things would give me experience. Once I gathered enough experience, I would increase in level and gain Evolution Points. I had spent my first Evolution Point on getting these jaws and teeth, but what other things could I get with those? Currently Available Enhancements Enhancement Cost in EP Very Weak Exoskeleton Hardening 1 Bad Spider Vision 3 Very Weak Magic Resistance 5 Hold on a second. Bad spider vision? Just how screwed am I if thats an improvement? Does that exoskeleton hardening do what I think it does? Elysa? Exoskeleton Hardening: Improves natural armor against physical attacks. So it would seem The magic resistance enhancement caught my eye as well. Hopefully, I would be able to learn some magic of my own. I remembered how to use magic from my previous life, but I noticed I simply did not have the mana reserves to cast any of them. I wasnt even close. I was a tiny spider after all A tiny spider with the mind of an elven knight. I guess that did put me at a huge advantage over non-intelligent creatures. I seemed to fully remember my old life. I didnt think any of my memories had been stripped away as was the goddesss intention. It was probably for the better, regarding my current situation. It was just quiet I would not get to talk to anyone. I wasnt sure how to feel about that. I never talked much to anyone. I simply did my knight duties and training and that was it. I had never loved, and I dont think I was ever loved, myself. Not after my parents had left my life. I couldnt dwell on that now. If they were awaiting me somewhere in this world, I would find them. Even if I was this. I wanted to let them know Id never forgotten them. Looking back at the floating blue box that once more displayed what I was I noticed something else. My level was 2 out of 10. Did that mean that I would not be able to get stronger than that? Elysa? Level Cap After hitting the maximum displayed level, you can evolve into a stronger species which then gets reset to level one. Multiple choices are offered for each evolution, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Choose carefully! So I would be able to get stronger. I wondered what these possible evolutions would be. Would I be able to talk to elves, or, goddess forbid, humans? I gritted my new teeth at the thought. I hated humans. They were the reason I found myself here in the first place. I tried speaking, but I couldnt produce anything that went beyond simple hissing. Talking seemed a long way off for now. An idea sprung to mind. It was macabre, perhaps even evil, but I could kill more spiders before they hatched as a means of getting this experience relatively easily. I mentally marked the location of this nook and skittered down the cave wall. I soon reached the clutch of eggs that were spread out over the floor and walked around a bit to make sure none of them were hatching yet. Here is to exploiting my sapient brain to the fullest. I started hacking away at the nearest egg and created an opening soon after. The being inside didnt appear to be fully formed yet, that much I could see through these crappy eyes. They were going to be the first thing I would improve. It didnt take much effort to kill this spider. I didnt even have to use my venom. I simply removed its weak head from the rest of its body with my fangs and pedipalps. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+6 I disregarded the window as I was already upon the next egg. The spider inside seemed to be lively and tried to attack back. Unfortunately for it, I was already quite a bit older and better used to my body. I could dodge its attack quite easily before sinking my fangs in its abdomen to inject more venom. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+12 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 2 EP. I disregarded the message once more as I knew I was going to need another Evolution Point before things got interesting. I wouldnt need it for now. I needed to get as much done as I could, given I had no idea when these eggs would hatch. For all I knew, they could hatch any moment and start attacking me. I needed to get as much done as I could before that. I went around and kept killing infantile spiders with venom and jaws until Id exhausted myself. Knowing I would need to rest. I simply walked away from the massacre that was this nest. I bumped into the wall with my head a second time as I cursed my terrible eyesight. I then made my way up and hid inside the nook where I took a careful look at my progress. Name: Kealyna Race: Tiny Brown Cave Spider Level: 6/10 Experience: 23/50 Evolution Points: 7 Well, I wouldnt say I did too bad for my first hours of being a spider with this blessing. Although my actions so far hadnt been very knight-like Alright, Elysa, Id like to evolve my eyes and my exoskeleton hardening. Pain shot through my body once more as I felt every bit of chitin that covered my new body draw power from my core. After that has passed, I could see some of the blur that was my eyesight begin to clear. I could now see more details on anything that was close by. I looked out of my cranny and cast my gaze at where Id killed the not-even-born-yet spiders. I could vaguely make out the white of the eggs, but that was it. I couldnt properly judge distance, either. I had no idea how big I, or this cave, was. I had a rough idea, but my vision was too blurry to get proper estimates. I started wondering about my future in this world. To make any contact with anyone, Id first have to get out of this cave. My issues were that I had no idea how strong I, or anything else for that matter, was. Then there were the problems that I might not understand any language besides my own. Maybe Elysa knew? I asked my blessing what language I was currently thinking in and whether the language existed in this world. You are currently thinking and reading in Elven. The language spoken by the Elves of this world is a variant of the language impossible to comprehend at the moment. Language skills become available with later evolutions. So Id have to keep killing in order to at least understand my own kind. My former kind No matter, I could do this. I was too tired to continue for the time being. I decided to do what spiders do and create a web to close off the opening so Id at least be somewhat safe while I was sleeping. I placed my rear end on the rocky surface and pushed out threads. I had no idea how I did it. It seemed to come naturally. After long minutes of work and making sure to seal the area off, I was happy with the web that now separated me from the outside of this small crevice. I relaxed and let my legs slide off to the sides as I felt unconsciousness take my fatigued body. 1.4 Beetle Rodeo I woke up with my eyes already taking in everything they could take in. It was quite hard not to, considering I couldnt close them. It only confirmed once more that this wasnt actually a dream. I had been played by asshole gods who used me for some kind of sick game of theirs. At least I had this blessing I received from Elysa. It was the only thing keeping my sanity in check. I feared either anger or hopelessness would have consumed me otherwise. At least, I would be able to understand my own kind in the future. I reckoned that even if I was a spider, as long as I could communicate with someone, they would not try to kill me right off. I let out a mental sigh. What was I going to do? Hey Elysa, is there another way for me to obtain experience besides killing? Experience is gained through killing creatures and certain achievements. I may have been trained to kill effectively, but I learned that to protect innocents, not slaughter my way to attain more strength. The message before me was slightly disheartening for that reason. Though, I guess, killing non-sapient beings was not as bad? I had killed plenty of mosquitos and spiders in my old life What are these achievements exactly? Achievements are hidden until the requirements are fulfilled. Well, thats not of great help now, is it? Just great I walked to my web to remove it in order to start my second day as a spider. When I approached it, thanks to my new not-as-terrible vision, I could see some things wriggle in the web. From the sound and shapes, I could make out that Id caught two mosquito-like creatures? I imagined I should at least kill them for the experience. I wouldnt say no to free prey. Whether Id eat them would depend on the taste. You have killed a Vampiric Cave Mosquito: EXP+15 You have killed a Small Vampiric Cave Mosquito: EXP+9 Vampiric mosquitos? Werent all mosquitos vampiric because they sucked blood, anyway? I waved the thought away as I tried eating one of the mosquitos blood-filled abdomen. Disgusting. I spat out whatever I could spit out and dropped the mosquitos in the back of this cranny. Eating my own kind was better than this. Not that spiders tasted great I should probably go down and continue where I left off yesterday. I did just that. After getting the web out of the way, I skittered my way down to where the eggs were after making sure there were no threats. Unfortunately, I wasnt alone anymore. Several of the spiders appear to have hatched and were crawling around with seemingly utmost effort. I had arrived just in time. I crawled up to the nearest spider and pinned its behind down with my extra limbs. I then sank my fangs in it and pumped venom into its body. It let out a hiss as it struggled to break free from my grasp. It soon stopped struggling. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+15 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 7! You have been awarded 2 EP. I was making progress towards my level cap. I appeared to have another issue at hand, though. The hiss that the spider let out, did not go unanswered. One of the spiders walked my way, and I didnt like the looks of it. Deciding I would be able to overcome this sibling, I resolved to take a stand and fight as it ran towards me. I gripped its head with my pedipalps as it bared its fangs. I then pulled my own head over my opponents while pressing theirs down and sank my fangs down into the creature. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+18 This wasnt nearly as difficult as Id expected it to be. I was able to control my limbs well enough to resort to fighting in a somewhat martial arts style. I saw two spiders fight each other close by and decided Id take advantage of the situation. I was becoming less of a knight by the second. I sneaked up behind the one that appeared to be winning and when it was about to overpower its opponent with its pedipalps, I brought my fangs down on its abdomen to inject my venom. Before it died, I quickly ran to the other opponent who seemed to be in a weakened state, and repeated the same action. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+13 You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+17 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 8! You have been awarded 1 EP. I looked around and saw nothing in my vicinity. I decided to use the time to eat once more. I removed the carapace from my last targets abdomen and started ripping out the flesh with my teeth. Spiders were truly disgusting. Not as bad as the mosquito, but they were still bad. After eating until I couldnt eat anymore, I decided to continue. That was, until I saw a large figure enter my terrible eyesight. I decided to make a run for it, knowing that whatever this was could easily kill me. From the glimpse that I got of the creature, I could tell it was a spider. One far larger than I was. If I had to guess, I would assume it was either the mother of this clutch, or perhaps another spider that preyed on the young. I did not intend to leave this world yet. From the corner of my vision, I could see the creature not giving chase as I ran away The creature seemed to linger around the clutch of eggs. I cursed mentally as it had cut me off from my growth potential. Not wanting to sit idly and wait until it disappeared, I decided to look for other small creatures that I would be able to kill. I walked along the edge of the cave wall in search of new prey. There were several small nooks that I could hide in, in case anything larger than myself showed up. I found a small puddle of water, with more water dripping down in drops every few seconds from the cave ceiling. I looked around to make sure it was safe before I lowered my head to drink some. I had no idea about spider diets, but I imagined water was important. I then moved onward until I found a long, pink creature wriggling around. I identified the creature as a worm. I couldnt imagine anything else looking like this. I took my chances and decided this creature would not pose a threat. I was upon it within seconds and injected my venom. It squirmed and struggled. It took quite some time for it to slow down in movements, which made me doubt the efficacy of my venom, but ultimately this too, succumbed to it You have killed an Earthworm: EXP+15 I decided to try a piece of the creatures meat and found it quite a bit more appetizing than anything Id tasted so far. It was still far from decent, but the next time I needed to eat. Id eat some Earthworm instead. How much experience would I need for my next level anyway? I had noticed this blessing needing more experience with each level. Hey Elysa. Name: Kealyna Race: Tiny Brown Cave Spider Level: 8/10 Experience: 15/70 Evolution Points: 6 I noticed I had six evolution points available, but as far as I knew, I could only obtain very weak resistance to magic for now. I did not think it necessary, so I decided not to spend them. Maybe I would get some proper options after my evolution? I still wanted to fix this vision, after all I continued my journey through the cave and found several more pests. I managed to kill two more worms, and found a slug that I killed without any effort. It even tasted somewhat nice. It was the best I had found so far. I then ran into some kind of beetle. It was about my size and completely black. I skittered closer with great care to observe if this particular beetle possessed any kind of weaponry. I knew certain beetles had nasty, large mandibles that could likely crush me. This one, however, seemed to not possess any such characteristics. When it didnt attack me as I approached, I decided I could take on this creature and ran over to it as fast as I could. I was about to launch myself upon its abdomen when its hind two legs kicked me in the face. Ouch. It then tried to run away. Oh no, you dont. I chased after it and managed to catch up. I jumped on its back again while dodging its legs this time. I took hold of the creatures back and sank my fangs between its armor plates. I found my venom reserves run dry as I injected it. Uh-oh. Faragi Please let me know in the comments what you think/what you would like to see <3 1.5 Bait I held on for dear life as the beetle scurried away. I did not want to let my prey escape. I knew I was getting close to my level cap, and wanted every bit of experience I could get my hands on, especially as my easy source was currently unavailable. As the beetle ran, I resorted to using my jaws to try to damage its exoskeleton enough for me to tear into its vitals. This beetles carapace was much tougher than I anticipated, which slowed me down significantly. The beetle kept running the entire time. I kept looking around me to see if it would accidentally take me into danger, but didnt let up on trying to injure it. After a while, Id finally created somewhat of an opening in its chitin. My jaws were tired from trying to get through it. I stabbed one of my pedipalps into the opening Id created while I tried pumping more venom into the insect. I could only produce a little more before Id run dry again. I stabbed frantically, but the beetle kept running. I heard a familiar hiss and looked at where it came from. A huge, long, green being lay curled up and I immediately knew what it was. I let go of the beetle and ran away from the snake. There was no way I was going to beat a frigging snake. Not with this body. The thing was, like, over fifty times my size! An honorable retreat was the only option. Unfortunately, I had to let my prey go I skittered back along the cave wall to where Id spent the night. That area seemed to be the safest in this cave. It would be best for me to spend as much time there as possible until Id grow stronger. I had no clue what awaited me beyond the snake after all. I also needed a proper pair of eyes so I could start mapping the area properly. This was truly outrageous. You have killed a Black Cave Dung Beetle: EXP+20 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 2 EP. Uhh? I stopped moving as I stared at the two blue squares before me. If I had to guess, I killed that beetle with my venom? I couldnt complain. I only had one level to go, but my primary weapon was disabled. At the moment, the best I could do in a fight was simply piercing and tearing with my fangs and teeth. Pressing onward it was. I wasnt going to quit now that I was this close to this supposed evolution. It had me wondering what these options would be like. I figured that as long as I picked my fights carefully, I should be fine. What were worms going to do against a spider? It wasnt a worm that I ran into first. The first thing I ran into had far too many legs, was long, and seemed to be brown. I couldnt make out what it was properly, but I guessed it was a centipede. I knew nothing about centipedes on a micro-level. Did they have fangs? Mandibles? Venom even? Not knowing, and moreover, not being able to confirm with these bad eyes, I decided to avoid the creature by skittering up the wall, passing it with a wide arc, before skittering down onto the ground again. I then ran into another spider that appeared to be my size. I noticed it, and apparently, it noticed me as well as it started running towards me. I found myself running once again, knowing I would need time to regenerate my venom. I was left cursing at this body and its shortcomings after my pursuant had finally given up. I bet those gods were laughing in their safe space. How I hated them. It didnt take long for me to run into something that resembled a slug. I inched closer and confirmed that it couldnt be anything but that. I skittered onto its slimy body and started hacking away with my pedipalps and some legs, piercing its skin and damaging its organs, wherever they were. Even without venom, these creatures would be no problem for me to deal with. You have killed a Forest Slug: EXP+11 I followed the cave wall further and eventually, I saw rays of light enter the cave in the distance. I skittered closer and killed another slug that I ran into. When I reached the rays of light, I could see a lot of green and brown on the outside world. Everything was blurred, especially from this distance, but I was clearly looking at a forest. Thats where I would go once I was able to leave this cave. Whenever that was There were probably quite a few predators in a forest that would eat spiders, birds to name one. I was not going to outrun them, that was, if I even saw them coming I sighed mentally once more. Being a spider was truly a struggle. I made my way across the entrance and continued along the cave wall on the opposite end. I found a new nook that would be a perfect hiding spot as I went. It was quite a bit larger than my last hideout, but it had an opening that was fairly narrow. I would be able to cover it with webs quite easily. I took a mental note of its position as my eyes caught movement in the darkness to my right. A long pink creature moved over the floor, seemingly oblivious to my presence. I cheered inward as prey had come to me instead! I skittered to it and was upon the creature and started hacking away with my legs while I chewed through its body with my teeth. My jaws with teeth seemed to do quite a bit of work versus unarmored creatures. I was glad Id chosen to evolve those first. They turned out to be an excellent means of defeating enemies if my poison was unavailable, even if I had to tear them into many pieces like this worm. Seriously, how could it survive that long? You have killed an Earthworm: EXP+15 Come to think of it, I was a knight. At least, in my former life, I was. I had gotten to know many different types of weapons, but the sword was my favorite. I didnt see how I would be unable to use a weapon in my current form. It would be very crude, sure, but I could probably use at least something. Id have to pay attention to see if anything that could serve as a weapon would show up. I soon ran into another worm again and tore it into many pieces. After that, there were no creatures in sight. Damn, and I was so close too. Should I check out the nest again to see if the large spider had disappeared? I decided against it as the nest was quite far from my location. I would just continue onward along the wall. Besides another slug, there didnt seem to be a whole lot of activity here. I dispatched the creature before making my way over to the hideout that I had marked in my head. I was fairly close to the cave exit. Should I try going outside? I decided against it. I was a spider, not suicidal. I seemed to be in luck, though. A snail had just entered the cave from the outside world. I was upon it as soon as Id seen it enter and the creature got a nasty cut in its skin before it retreated inside its shell. Oh no, you dont. I flipped the shell over so that it laid flat on the ground. I then used my fangs to pinch holes inside the shell. I managed to pierce through and repeated this several times before I used my pedipalps to pierce the snails body until it died. You have killed a Forest Snail: EXP+18 It seemed that killing that snail had attracted some unwanted attention. Another spider made its way over to me. I stepped away from the prey that Id just killed. The other spider seemed to be more interested in the snails corpse than me as I saw it sink its fangs into the creature. Was it just that desperate for food or what? Did it think it was the more dominant spider and that it had successfully shooed me away from a meal? This was the stupidest thing it could have done. While it was occupied with the snails corpse, I very slowly skittered out of sight, only to make a large turn and sneak behind it, where I knew it wouldnt be able to see me. If my own vision was anything to go by, I was in a blind spot here. I moved my legs very slowly, so as to not startle the spider before me. Once I was in range, I sank my fangs in its abdomen and released whatever venom Id stored up. I held on to the creature so that it couldnt turn around and attack me while my venom did its work. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+15 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 1 EP. Level Cap Reached Evolutions Available! 1.6 Evolution I saw a floating square with text appear, but I immediately forced it to disappear as I was not in the safest place to read through all that text. I decided to make my way over to the nearby nook and webbed the entrance off. I should be safe in here to go over my evolution options and then look into the new options that should appear for my Evolution Points. Alright Elysa, how exactly do these evolutions work? Once the level cap has been reached, you can choose to evolve into a stronger species. During the evolution process, your body is put into a sleep-like state in order to dull the pain that occurs from your changing body. After an evolution, new options become available for acquisition with Evolution points. Unconscious, huh? I guess it was a good idea to seal myself off. And what are my current evolution options? Small Brown Jumping Spider Evolution that strengthens legs in order to jump on prey from afar. Eyesight is improved for better coordination. Webs are less effective. Small Green Cave Spider Evolution that specializes in camouflage in forest areas. In addition, poison resistance and venom are improved. Small Brown Cave Spider Evolution that focuses on defense, allowing for better exoskeleton strength and regeneration. I chuckled, as much as a spider could. My inner knight leaned towards the brown cave spider for increased defense. However, my eyesight had bothered me since the beginning. I had already picked the jumping spider in my mind. The jumping part would be extremely useful to evade stronger enemies, too. I think? I confirmed the option in my mind and felt a wave of drowsiness wash over me. Pain started building in my head as I fell to the ground and lost consciousness. ____________________________________________________________________________ I felt groggy as I came to, with a headache to boot. I saw my vision had cleared up, and I could see things clearly now, but this massive headache took everything away from the joy that I would have otherwise felt. What a disaster Elysa, what are we looking at here? Name: Kealyna Race: Small Brown Jumping Spider Level: 1/10 Experience: 0/20 Evolution Points: 12 Skills: Very Weak Venom Weak Jaws and Teeth Extremely Weak Spider Thread Very Weak Poison Resistance Very Weak Exoskeleton Hardening Good Spider Vision Weak Leg Strengthening I was glad Elysa, or rather, this blessing, understood what I meant. What are my possible options regarding Evolution points? Currently Available Enhancements Enhancement Cost in EP Excellent Spider Vision 5 Weak Venom 3 Very Weak Magic Resistance 5 Jaws and Teeth 5 Weak Exoskeleton Hardening 3 Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 5 I felt my headache slowly dissipate and my focus return, as I went over the text before me. All of these skills seemed to be upgrades to already acquired skills. My spider thread had actually weakened as far as I could tell, but that was a sacrifice Id gladly make. I could see everything around me very, very clearly. I couldnt look at myself in a mirror, but I did get a much better idea of what I looked like. My legs emerged from under my head and behind it. My last two sets of legs seemed to emerge from behind my head. Further to my back was my abdomen. My pedipalps seemed to have shortened compared to earlier, and now stuck out of my body at the sides of my fangs. I would guess I had to hold prey with those as I injected venom. All of me was covered in brown hair. I was amazed at how many details I could now take in, despite the darkness in this cave. Even with the slightest light coming in from the entrance of the cave, I could still make out my own, new body. I then looked at my Enhancement options again. Almost immediately, I picked the Excellent Spider Vision option. Partly because I was curious how much it would improve, and partly because I wanted to be as prepared as I could when I headed out in the forest. If I could see predators coming from further away, I would have more time to get to safety. With my remaining seven points I picked a stronger venom and better exoskeleton, just in case I would take a hit. I was used to taking hits as a knight. I didnt want my habits to accidentally kill me I took a mental note to strengthen my legs as soon as Id acquired five points. They had been a useful weapon for when my venom reserves had run dry. I felt pain blossom behind my many, many eyes and felt my fangs burn up slightly before the pain dissipated. I then felt my strength get drawn from my core into my carapace as Id felt before. The grogginess from before had also disappeared. After going through the processes of enhancements and the evolution, I felt great? This sight felt so much better. Before, I felt like I was constantly trying to adjust focus, only to utterly fail as my eyes were simply that bad, but now I could see the smallest details on the rocks in front of me. I also noticed that the world around me had become smaller. Though, that was probably me just getting bigger. Not by a lot, but enough for it to be noticeable. I would have to find something out in the forest that I could use as a good measurement of exactly how large I was. Confidence filled me as I thought about going out into the forest. I was going to get stronger. I was going to pull this off. Most of all, I was going to spit in the faces of the gods that had put me here. I would show them. But first I walked up to the webs that covered my hole and removed them. I was going to practice jumping. It would be an important aspect of this evolution that Id picked. As I walked, I already felt a good increase of strength in my legs. It had been one of the bonuses that came with this evolution. I had used them to hack away at certain creatures, after all. I exited the hole and walked over to where I had killed my last two enemies, the spider, and snail. When I was a decent distance away from their corpses, I locked my sight on their location, reared up and jumped. I missed, barely, by what I imagined was less than an inch. A quite impressive feat if I did say so myself. I walked back to where I had jumped from and practiced jumping again a few times. It did not take me long to figure out exactly how much force to exert upon my hind legs in order to jump to where I wanted to be. It was as if this body knew by itself and my elven mind was just a liability. I had to clear my mind and simply trust my body. Once I mastered that part, the rest was easy. Jumping on prey was an interesting style of fighting. I wondered if Id be able to take out that large spider from before? I should be able to accurately identify its size now. If I could get on its abdomen, it would probably be defenseless. Thats what I thought at least. I would be out of range of its fangs, but I didnt know if spiders could do weird things with their legs, like kicking something that was on their behind. I tried lifting my own rear legs above my abdomen but found that I could not bend them that far. I knew I was most likely a different species of spider, but I was confident that I could make it work if I could jump on it without being caught beforehand. Besides, I imagined larger prey would give more experience. I started my crawl along the cave walls and jumped to the other side of the cave entrance when I saw the light, just to see how far I could get. I easily made it beyond the rays of light entering the cave and looked back at where I jumped from. I estimated that jump was about fifty times my own size. Quite impressive I found that I could skitter much faster as well, probably due to the added strength in my legs. Not only had my strength increased, it seemed my control over them had drastically improved as well. I mused some more over my improvements as I walked until I found myself back in the corner of the cave where I had hatched. I observed the area and noticed that several small spiders crawled about. They had likely just hatched. I also noticed that a creature, about three times my current size, sat at the back behind the furthest away eggs. That had to be the spider from before. I was going to take it out. Faragi Let me know what you think <3 I love reading comments... and cookies! 1.7 Achievement There was one issue, though. There were a fair amount of spiders between me and my target. I knew that their vision was utter garbage. I was going to exploit that to the fullest. My intention was to go for the large creature first. I had the feeling I may need all of my venom in order to kill it. As such, I couldnt waste anything on these lesser spiders. I decided to circle around the nest and scale the wall. I skittered towards my quarry from above. I could tell it had not noticed me as it showed no reaction. I took as big a detour as I needed to end up above the spider where I would hopefully be out of its vision. Its body was now below me as I was far above it on the wall. I observed the creature with my excellent vision. Even in this darkness, I could make out all of its features. It was a large black spider with the same features as the smaller ones that I had killed so far. There was no doubt this was the same species. I was certain this was their, and that also means my, mother. The thought was disturbing. I would never view this creature as my mother. My mother was waiting for me... Somewhere Hopefully I shook off the thought as I refocused on the creature before me. I got as close as I dared so I would not miss my jump. I then took the leap of faith ...And landed on the creatures bulbous abdomen. I hooked myself to its exoskeleton with my legs and palps as soon as I found my footing. Not a moment too soon, either as it started shaking its abdomen to shrug me off. It also raised its legs, but as I had expected, they could not reach me. I found its carapace to be quite a bit tougher than anything Id encountered so far. It was giving me some issues as I tried to hold on. At the same time, I was trying to sink my fangs into the creature, but failed. I resorted to trying to tear away at the carapace with my teeth first. If I could make an opening, I would be able to inject my venom. It took quite some time and a great deal of effort until I had created the wound that I would need. The spider had never stopped moving, but I had not failed to hold on. If anything, the creature seemed to get tired. I placed my fangs around the wound and brought them inward, sinking the ends in the exposed spiders armor before injecting my supposedly stronger venom. I tried to conserve as much as I could by injecting bit after bit and seeing if it would be enough to kill the spider below me. I was confident Id be able to hold on to this creature as long as was necessary, especially if my venom started draining the arachnids strength. I could feel it begin to slow down and injected slightly more venom before waiting and seeing what would happen. The creatures legs gave out as it tried to move them in a desperate struggle. I saw them curl up and knew the spiders struggles had come to an end. You have killed a Large Black Cave Spider: EXP+55 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 3 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 2 EP. Achievement Earned: Matricide. Killed the creature that brought you into this world. You have been awarded 2 EP Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. Huh? That last message was interesting. It seemed I got a fair amount of experience from that too. I also have more than enough Evolution points for that leg enhancement. However, I was not in the best position to do such a thing right now, in this spider nest. I climbed back up on the wall and rested a bit to recover my stamina from the fight. I decided that while I was here, I would just kill as many of these spiders as I could before making my way back to my newfound hideout to check what exactly this last message meant. After resting for a while, I got back in the action and started by picking off a stray spider. I jumped right on top of it from behind and pinned it down with my superior leg strength before injecting my venom, a lower dose than before as I knew it should be more effective. The creature died within seconds. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+8 I soon found another spider approaching me and jumped on top of it, delivering the same dose of venom. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+7 Were my eyes deceiving me? I skittered forward a bit before jumping on another spider from afar. It too, was killed off easily. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+8 That did it. I walked back to the wall and climbed up to it. Hey Elysa, whats up with my experience gain? Your experience rate is lowered for creatures that are considered too easy for you to kill. Well, damn. So much for my quick power gains. No matter, these creatures were easy to kill. Even if I would get experience at a slower rate, I would make up for it by simply killing more. The level of danger was low, and I would be able to get rid of them quickly. And there were plenty of spiders to kill I went around and killed the spiders that had hatched and were skittering about. I left the eggs as I felt the creatures within would not give me any experience. This way, I could come back later and kill more spiders after they had hatched. I could still get a decent amount of work done this way. I killed spider after spider without any issues. One time, I did have one of the spiders walk up to my behind without me noticing. As soon as I felt its fangs, I had jumped away. As far as I knew, no damage was done to my internals, but it did teach me to stay alert and go about this methodically. I ran out of venom at some point, but still went about killing spiders by severing their abdomen from their head with my fangs, teeth, and legs. After I got tired, I decided to call it a day and make my way over to my hideout. I ran into a slug on my way which I killed without using my venom. I then ate as much of it as I could. It tasted somewhat like chicken I guess. I was blessed to have run into it. Soon after filling my stomach, I reached my hiding spot. I attempted to close the entrance with my webs, but found out they had gotten quite thin and flimsy. I needed a lot more layers of silk and far more time to cover the opening properly. It was a tiring affair for an already tired body. By the time I finished, I was completely exhausted and decided to get some sleep first before choosing my enhancements. I laid myself to rest and found myself fall asleep quite quickly. ____________________________________________________________________________ My vision came back to me and I felt reinvigorated. A good nights rest was truly wonderful. I felt like jumping back into action right away. But first. Elysa? Name: Kealyna Race: Small Brown Jumping Spider Level: 6/10 Experience: 10/70 Evolution Points: 16 Currently Available Enhancements Enhancement Cost in EP Very Weak Magic Resistance 5 Jaws and Teeth 5 Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 5 I liked how this blessing knew what I wanted to know. Though, I guess, Elysa did say it was part of my soul now Lets go with the leg and pedipalp strengthening for now. I feel like I dont quite need the other two yet. Immediately after confirming it, I could feel strength being drained from my core and sent into my spidery limbs. Instead of pain, the feeling I felt wasnt entirely unpleasant. If anything, I felt even more empowered than before. I removed the webs that separated me from the cave and noticed that the sun had just come up in the forest; there were only a few rays of light entering the cave. I could probably venture into the forest a bit, soon. I pushed the thought away as I started making my way to the nest, or rather, what remained of it. I had done quite a number on the spiders that hatched there. Before I reached my destination, however, I ran into a centipede. I could see it crawling in the distance and could observe its weaponry properly now. It didnt have giant mandibles or anything like that, but it did seem to possess something that looked like small fangs under its head. I observed it for a while before I decided I would take it out. Jumping on its head would be the safest way for me to overpower it. I waited until it stopped moving, and slowly crept closer until I was in range. I then jumped and landed on top of its head, pinned it down with ease thanks to my increased strength, and sank my fangs into its sides. Its entire body wiggled from left to right, but it soon stopped moving. You have killed a Cave Centipede: EXP+21 I was disgusted at the creature when I looked at it. Despite that, a strange thought entered my mind. I wonder what centipede tastes like? Faragi Cookies, nom 1.8 Along Came a Wolf Nope. Nope, nope, nope, nope. It was horrible, perhaps the most horrible thing Id ever tasted. Yuck. At least it gave me decent experience. I released the large creature and skittered along the wall, back to the nest. Id made decent progress yesterday and wanted to continue where I left off. At this rate, I felt like I could take on most smaller creatures that I knew of soon enough. That would at least give me better chances of survival and, probably, forego survival. This part of the cave seemed to be no issue for me right now. I had not seen anything that could be more dangerous than the big spider, and Id already taken that out. I knew that deeper inside the cave there was a snake. I didnt know whether it moved around, but it appeared it hasnt been in this area yet. I havent seen it around here, at least. And I could see pretty damn well, now. I reached the spider nest and saw that several more eggs had hatched. The newly-born spiders were actually eating the corpses that Id left behind. I had unintentionally left bait. This was just perfect. It also caused them to be distracted, meaning my goals were even easier to attain. I started taking out spiders one by one. As it stood, I could easily tear open their frail bodies with my strengthened limbs. I severed heads and impaled abdomens and saw my experience slowly, but steadily rise. I kept going until I had almost run out of spiders to kill. Then, something strange happened. When I jumped and killed one of the last few spiders that were around, I had an extra message pop up. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+7 Achievement Earned: Kin Killer. Killed 100 of your own species. You have been awarded 2 EP I barely read it as I was on the lookout for nearby spiders, but from what I understood, it seemed I earned it because I killed spiders in particular? That just made me look like a maniac. I was pretty sure I wasnt that. I was doing this to survive, to get stronger, in order to see my family that Id lost many years ago I almost got lost in thoughts. I shook off the feelings of melancholy as I continued with the task at hand. I cleanly removed the last few spiders from this world before skittering back up the wall. Come to think of it, I had actually forgotten to check that that other achievement was. Elysa, could you explain? I mean, the part about that evolution. Certain achievements are required for special evolutions that are offered in addition to your normal choices. These will be marked as Special Evolution Special Evolution, huh? That could be interesting. The problem was that I had no idea what the requirements for these achievements were before earning them I also didnt know about my possible future evolutions. Or did I? Elysa, can I view the evolutions that will become available to me as soon as I hit the next level cap? Negative. A certain achievement needs to be earned before this becomes available. What the hell, Elysa? I thought you were supposed to help me here. I started to get the feeling that even she was against me. Though, I guess that without this blessing I was as good as dead, so I couldnt exactly confirm that. How was I doing anyway? Name: Kealyna Race: Small Brown Jumping Spider Level: 9/10 Experience: 37/100 Evolution Points: 19 It seems these spiders had given me what I was after. This new evolution had really paid off. Even with the slower gain of experience, this newfound power was more than enough to bridge the gap. However, I had run out of spiders. I forcefully opened one of the eggs and quickly slayed the squirming creature within. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: No experience was awarded Seems I was right. I sighed mentally. I would have to wait for them to hatch or go out hunting again. Hunting it was. An earth worm and a slug were the first things I found. It appeared those too, gave reduced experience. I reached the cave entrance without running into anything else. Then, something walked up towards the cave and I jumped to the other side of the entrance only to skitter to my hideout as quickly as I could. I peeked outside and noticed the wolf sniff the air. Why did that thing have to ruin my plans? I was not getting out of here with that massive creature running around. I observed it go deeper into the cave and pee against one of the walls. I waited patiently for it to wander off, but it seemed to have different ideas. It simply walked along the cave walls and kept sniffing. It was almost as if it had caught somethings scent. Eventually, it reached my hole. I was already as far away from the opening as I could and prayed it would leave. I knew it wouldnt reach me here. I saw its snout appear in the opening before it disappeared. I waited a bit before I peeked outside. It would seem the monster had gone. I had no idea where it went. To avoid being ambushed by a large grey wolf, I decided it was better to stay put for a while. Maybe I could explore this blessing a bit further. Elysa, how exactly do my skills work with regards to evolutions. I noticed my webs have become weaker, will other evolutions have the same effect? Negative. Skills will not scale down if they are enhanced through Evolution Points. All your current skills besides the threads have been enhanced this way. As such, you cannot lose effectiveness any further. That was a relief. That meant that I would have to enhance my webs once they could be enhanced and they would never weaken again. I thought back on my first possible evolutions. I remember the brown cave spider option saying something about regeneration, but I had not seen it available for enhancement. Do specific evolutions allow for specific enhancements? Correct. Certain evolutions offer enhancements that other evolutions do not. Choose carefully! So Let me see if I got this correct. Which of my enhancements were specific to the evolution that I picked? Also, which options would I have had if I had picked the Small Brown Cave Spider option? Your current evolution-specific enhancements are: Excellent Spider Vision Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening The evolution enhancements for Small Brown Cave Spider were: Exoskeleton Hardening Very Weak Regeneration Weak Regeneration* *Requires Very Weak Regeneration in order to be enhanced. I chose this jumping spider evolution mainly because of my eyesight. I had enhanced it further by spending Evolution Points on it. That meant I could never lose this eyesight again. Though, getting better eyes, and stronger legs meant I had gained everything there was for me to acquire with this evolution. Can evolution-specific enhancements still be acquired after evolving out of that evolution? Negative. It was a good thing I checked. This was important information. In that case, Elysa, could you make evolution-specific enhancements appear more prominent? Affirmative. Evolution-specific enhancements will now be shown in cursive. Neat. Also, could you show me what skills can be enhanced before I pick an evolution? Negative. Damnit. I thought about all the information that my blessing had just given me and wondered what the best way to go about this would be. I guessed I would simply have to wait until my next evolution to see. I waited for what felt like hours after that, hoping that the wolf wouldnt still linger nearby. I crept out of my hiding spot and looked around. Nothing was out of the ordinary. There was even a snail slowly making its way to the sunlight, which only strengthened my belief. I quickly took it out and saw my experience rise at a reduced rate once again. You have killed a Forest Snail: EXP+6 I was getting fairly close to my evolution which had me excited. It was messing with my brain. On the one hand, I needed strength to achieve the goal that I had set for myself. On the other hand, I would simply evolve into a different type of spider I looked into the cave and saw nothing crawling around. I imagined the wolf might have scared the creepy crawlers off, but I couldnt be sure. For all I knew, I had completely decimated the local cave population. I walked up to the cave entrance and looked into the lush forest. Without the darkness obscuring my vision, everything was so clear outside the cave. My vision was even better than when I was an elf. I couldnt believe it. I could make out details from extreme distances. The forest called to me. I decided to venture outside. 1.9 Too Much This forest was beautiful Tall trees spread out before me. Their leaves seemed to glow in the sunlight, giving them a magical feel. It reminded me of home My old home, before I was forcefully removed from it. I had never gone back. Even after I was free from the orphanage, I had never bothered to go back to our old village out of fear of what I would do if I were to visit our old house, where Id made the only memories that were worth remembering. I didnt want to ruin that. This forest was so similar to the forest our village was located in It brought back those memories But this time, my parents were apparently alive. Somewhere I had no idea where I would even start looking for them. I would have a long way to go before I could even start. Language skills would be one of the more important skills I could pick up. For now, I was still a small spider. I didnt venture out far. I wanted to be able to retreat back to the cave at any moment. As soon as Id left the cave, problems began. How was I going to navigate through this grass? The first few feet outside the cave were dirt, but beyond that was grass. The issue was that the grass was much taller than I was, and I couldnt see beyond the first bits. On the other hand, the grass would provide perfect cover from aerial creatures. I walked around the outside edges of the cave, but didnt find anything. I soon gave up on venturing outside the cave. I didnt want to get further out than this and put myself at risk, not until at least the next evolution. I already had some kind of a plan in my mind for later. I would try to find a tree, climb it, and then look around for interesting spots. There might even be insects in and around the tree that I would be able to take on. I made my way back into the cave until I noticed buzzing coming from behind me. I turned around to see a wasp coming for me. I was not going to let that happen. My eyes were fixated on the creature as it approached. I reared up my hind legs and when it was close enough where I knew I wouldnt miss it, I jumped. I pinned the creature mid-air and brought it down to the ground with me as I fell. I made sure to pin down its behind with my legs so that it had no way of stinging me. I then clasped my fangs in the insects sides and injected my venom. I held it down until its wings stopped moving completely. You have killed a Small Forest Wasp: EXP+22 I was pretty proud of myself. I caught something that wasnt stationary mid-jump and was able to hold its weapons at bay. The advantages of an Elven mind. I left the wasp behind and ventured into the cave once more. I followed the wall to the spider nest and hoped that some more had hatched for the last bits of experience that I needed for my evolution. I ran into a slug in the process, which obviously wasnt skipped. After a bit of walking, I arrived at my old nest. It appeared two more spiders had hatched than were cannibalizing the corpses that were spread throughout the area. I repeated the same tricks from before. Walk up to them, jump on them, kill them. You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+6 You have killed a Tiny Black Cave Spider: EXP+5 I couldnt believe that was it. There were still a couple of eggs around that seemed to have infantile spiders in them. Why couldnt they hatch? I was frustrated at how close I was to my evolution. Then, something long with many legs showed up. A centipede made its way over to the spider nest. When it reached one of the corpses, I saw it start eating. Perfect. I curved around and behind it, prepared for a jump and jumped. I landed on its body behind its head, held its head and body down, and injected my venom. It wriggled to escape, but it would be useless. It was already dead. You have killed a Cave Centipede: EXP+5 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 3 EP. Level Cap Reached Evolutions Available! There we go. I darted my way back to my hideout. I actually jumped several times, just to get there even faster. I wanted to know what my evolution options were. When I entered my hideout, I found it occupied by a slug. I quickly dispatched the creature. You have killed a Forest Slug: No experience was earned as the cap has been reached. Yeah, yeah, I know that. I spent some time closing the gap with my webs, making sure it was sealed tight, before I asked my blessing to show my evolution options. Green Forest Jumping Spider Evolution that specializes in camouflage in forest areas. In addition, poison resistance and venom are improved. Purple Jumping Spider Evolution that specializes in web strength and minor magic manipulation. Provides a bonus to magic resistance. Orange Jumping Spider Evolution that specializes in defense and strength, offering a mix of both. I stared at the three evolution options before me. I stared for a long time. I had no idea what to choose. After a while, I had crossed the purple option off my list for two reasons. I did not need the web strength or magic resistance. The other thing was that while magic was attractive, I feared that my mana reserve would be too small to make proper use of the magic that I could use. Besides, I wasnt sure if my mana reserves would be affected by the evolution. For all I knew, such a thing didnt exist. I figured the safer option would be to choose one of the other two and then ask my blessing what enhancements were offered with the other evolutions. I had seen a green option being available twice now, so if the purple option was offered again, I would have an idea of the skills I would be able to enhance in the future. I imagined that the orange option would include exoskeleton hardening and perhaps the regeneration skill as well. What about the green one, if anything, that should be the one that I know most about since it appears to be the most similar to my last offered options. Elysa, what were the possible enhancements for small green forest spider? The evolution options for Small Green Forest Spider were: Venom Very Weak Paralytic Venom Weak Paralytic Venom* Paralytic Venom Weak Toxin Resistance Toxin Resistance* *Require the previous abilitys level to unlock I was almost certain I would get the same options as the previous ones. The venom resistance was quite appealing as well. So far, I had managed to avoid getting injured. As long as I could avoid it, I wouldnt need the defense On the other hand defense If my armor was tough enough, I wouldnt have to worry about venom being injected into my body in the first place. It would be the option that was the most worthy of a knight, though. Besides, I probably wouldnt be able to avoid getting injured forever. My inner Elven knight won the battle. I decided to go for the orange evolution and then check what the skills were that the other two evolutions would have offered me for future references. Pain started building under my skin, and I soon passed out. ____________________________________________________________________________ When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was that once more, the world around me had gotten smaller. I would have to find a proper means of measuring myself. I imagined there would be something in the forest that could help. That would be very low on my priority list, though. Elysa, show me! Name: Kealyna Race: Orange Jumping Spider Level: 1/10 Experience: 0/40 Evolution Points: 22 Currently Available Enhancements Enhancement Cost in EP Very Weak Regeneration 1 Weak Regeneration 3 Regeneration 5 Improved Regeneration 10 Very Weak Magic Resistance 5 Weak Magic Resistance 10 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Exoskeleton Hardening 5 Improved Exoskeleton Hardening 10 Improved Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 10 Very Weak Spider Thread 1 Weak Spider Thread 3 Very Weak Venom Resistance 1 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 Those were far more options than the first time Id evolved. The cost also seemed to go up quite a bit at certain levels. It was a good thing Id been fairly conservative with my points. I had picked this evolution for its defensive benefits, so I decided to focus on getting the defensive enhancements first. I picked Exoskeleton Hardening and its Improved version leaving me with seven points left. I also decided to pick Very Weak Venom Resistance, since apparently, that was separate from Very Weak Poison Resistance, and the first two Regeneration levels. I decided to also pick the Very Weak Spider Thread, just to have a bit more safety in my hideout in case anything tried to break in. I would aim to get the remaining Evolution-related enhancements next. After making my selections, hellish pain erupted everywhere in my body... 1.10 Food for Thought The pain was unbearable. I felt as if everything was on fire. I ran circles, trying to douse the flames that werent there until, at last, the pain subsided. Note to self: Do not enhance that many abilities at the same time. I took another look at my available enhancements to check how many Evolution points I would need to enhance all my current evolutions skills. Enhancement Cost in EP Regeneration 5 Improved Regeneration 10 Very Weak Magic Resistance 5 Weak Magic Resistance 10 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Improved Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 10 Weak Spider Thread 3 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 Oh, my goddess, I would still need a whopping 25 points. I better start earning more of those. I also noticed that I needed quite a bit more experience in order to gain more levels. This really wouldnt get any easier, would it? Anyways, Elysa, please show me what my other evolutions specific skills would have been. The evolution options for Green Forest Jumping Spider were: Venom Improved Venom Very Weak Paralytic Venom Weak Paralytic Venom Paralytic Venom Improved Paralytic Venom Weak Toxin Resistance Toxin Resistance Improved Toxin Resistance The evolution options for Purple Jumping Spider were: Spider Thread Improved Spider Thread Extremely Weak Fireball Extremely Weak Ice Lance Very Weak Mana Reserves Very Weak Mana Regeneration Weak Mana Regeneration Magic Resistance Extremely Weak Physical Barrier I had to admit, the Purple Jumping Spider abilities looked better than I imagined. The spells looked to be weak, but I didnt know how they measured up against my possible opponents. I imagined they would be good enough to take down whatever I could take down without magic. There was even a physical barrier skill. It was interesting because I already knew how to make a physical barrier with magic from my old life. I just didnt have the mana to perform such an action at the moment. The Green Forest Jumping Spider Seemed to be a strong improvement for me because I had something I could measure it against, my own venom. My venom at the moment was considered Weak. With the Green evolution, I would be able to elevate it all the way to Improved. I made a mental note to strongly consider getting the green evolution if it was offered to me again. For now, it was time to explore the forest and build up the remaining enhancements that I would be able to get. I removed the webs from the opening of my hideout and noticed that I barely fit through the opening. If I had to guess, I would say I was now the size of a thumb. I was certain I was at least three times as big as when I was just reborn as a spider. Being bigger would certainly make things easier right? Actually hiding would be much harder. I barely fit through the opening of my current hideout anymore. I think with my next evolution I wouldnt be able to enter it any longer. I was going to have to plan for that in advance. I hadnt found any bigger nooks or crannies in this cave that could serve as a proper hideout, so Id likely have to find something outside the cave. Or perhaps deeper inside the cave? I wondered if I was able to beat something like that snake. How could I tell what I could and could not beat? So far, Id only preyed on creatures that I was certain I could beat. I imagined because of the way my experience worked, I would eventually have to start taking larger risks. That was one of the reasons why I had opted into some more defense as well. I just had to make sure to grow stronger so that nothing around me would be a threat anymore. I found a centipede and decided to dispatch it quickly. You have killed a Cave Centipede: EXP+10 That looked like these creatures would give less experience now. The experience was still not terrible, but the problem with these centipedes was that they didnt appear in large numbers like the spiders. I skittered over to the cave exit. From what I could see, it was morning. The sun was still rising, and I could see drops of dew on the grass, even from here. This sight was really something. I crossed the gap between the cave exit and the long grass that would hide me. I had marked the location of the nearest tree in my mind and ran through the grass in a straight line. The fact that the grass was tall certainly helped out in hiding me from birds and the like. Orange wouldnt be hard to spot. I hoped tree bark would at least offer some kind of camouflage, I was wrong. When I reached the tree trunk, I noticed the distinct difference in colors between me and it. If anything, I was an easy-to-spot target. I noticed a beetle run down the trees trunk. This one was of a completely different species. It possessed large mandibles that looked like theyd be painful if they could pinch me. Its armor seemed to be tough as well. At least I knew where its weapons were. I waited until it reached the ground before jumping on its back. There was no way it would be able to use those mandibles against me. I found a weak spot in its armor behind its head, where its exoskeleton plates overlapped with the plates on the next part of its body. I sank my fangs between the plates after pulling them apart slightly with my pedipalps and injected my venom. It took a while for it to die, but it did so in the end. I would love to get a stronger venom You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: EXP+31 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 4 EP. Oh. That was some nice experience gain from that creature. That armor had been quite tough, though. I had to pin the creature down for a full minute or two before it killed the beetle. I was lucky to have stronger limbs to sever the plates, albeit slightly. Otherwise, I didnt know if Id have been able to inject my venom into it. Maybe I should enhance my strength further and rely on just using my strength in order to overpower my opponents instead of my venom, at least until I get stronger venom. I left the creature behind and looked around to make sure I was still safe. That creature died too slowly for my liking. Id have to speed up my killing outside in the forest to remain safe. Thats how I saw it at least. It would probably be a good idea to look for a new hideout here in the forest, both for now and for the future. I climbed up the tree as fast as I could, looking around to see if there were any proper hiding spots. Maybe there was something here? I finished my tour quickly as I found nothing that would serve me. I also noticed a bird approaching the tree and quickly hid from it by running to the other side of the trunk and making my way down. I then jumped into the grass where I knew it wouldnt be able to spot me. I made my way to another tree through the grass. And noticed its roots provide the exact cover I was looking for. There appeared to be a hole under the roots already that looked to be of excellent size to house me. I looked around to see if anything was approaching me. When that wasnt the case, I entered the hole, carefully to not disturb its current inhabitants if there were any. I slowly crept my way deeper inside the tunnel and noticed it end with a larger room where I saw another creature wait, there were multiple. I could see Three mice. They were currently sleeping. Each of them was about my own size. I reckoned a sleeping mouse would not be an issue for me. Three, however, I wasnt so sure about. Yet I wanted this burrow of theirs. It was just too good to pass up on. And to make that happen I would have to take out these sleeping mice. I got to the conclusion that I was going to have to use my threads and set up a trap. I carefully walked back to the tunnels to get out of sight of the mice and asked Elysa to show my enhancement options. Currently Available Enhancements Enhancement Cost in EP Regeneration 5 Improved Regeneration 10 Very Weak Magic Resistance 5 Weak Magic Resistance 10 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Improved Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 10 Weak Spider Thread 3 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 I opted into enhancing my Spider Thread to the next level to increase my chances of success. As soon as Id picked it, I found energy flow into the tip of my rear, where silk exited my abdomen. After I was sure the enhancement was applied, I started creating threads that covered the entrance. I made sure to make a thick layer of silk that would be strong enough to hold all three of them, perhaps two if I could take one out before the others could even react. Once I was finished with my web, it was time to put this plan into motion. Alright, lets do this. 1.11 Turf War I sneaked up to the sleeping mice as quietly as I could. They seemed to snuggle together, it was quite cute. I felt bad for having to kill them. Alas, it was survival of the fittest, and I intended to get out of this on top. I walked up to the closest mouse, readied my fangs and struck, sinking my fangs into the creature and pumping as much venom into it as I could in the short time I had as it was jolted awake. With it, the other woke up too. I quickly released my fangs and hoped that much venom would be enough to either kill or weaken the mouse enough for me to finish it. I quickly stepped backward and saw them eye me warily. It wasnt for long. Within seconds, they started their charge. This was more or less what I had anticipated as the worst-case scenario. It was exactly why I had set up the web that covered the exit. I ran up to it with the three mice in tow. The one that I had delivered venom to seemed to lag behind, which gave me hope. Just before I reached the web with the mice chasing me, I reared up my hind legs and jumped to the cave wall above the web. I saw the web shake below me and suddenly felt pain in my behind. I quickly ran further up the wall before I turned to look at what happened below me. One of the mice had gotten completely stuck in the web and was utterly immobilized. It seemed the second mouse had used the one that got stuck as a step to elevate itself and bite my rear. It hurt My abdomens rear end was on fire. I wasnt sure how bad the injury was as I couldnt see it, but I couldnt worry about it now. It seemed the second mouse had learned from its kin and avoided the web, which meant I would have to take it out in a one-on-one fight. Id have to avoid its mouth. I looked down at the mouse and saw it holding its hands on its ally while staring at me. I noticed the mouse that I had injected with venom struggle to stand. I wouldnt have to worry about that one. My attention shifted back to the mouse below me. I searched for an opening. Eventually, I found it. The creature appeared to get distracted for one second and I jumped on top of its head. I made sure to clasp myself around the mouse with my legs as my abdomen rested on top of its nose. It couldnt bite me as long as it remained there. I clenched my fangs around the creature and injected it with all the venom I had remaining. I didnt think I would need it to take out the entangled mouse, so I wasnt going to take chances here. I kept my lock on the creature even as it tried to claw me. My exoskeleton seemed to be highly scratch-resistant, resisting its weak attacks. It tried to run, much like the beetle, and shake me off. I, however, would not let go. I was going to hold on to this mouse until it was subjugated. My venom reserves ran completely dry and I started to feel the mouses strength fading. A blue square appeared before me, followed by another. You have killed a Small Forest Mouse: EXP+60 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 3 EP. I knew the mouse that I had delivered venom to first had died of it. Considering the one I was currently riding got a larger dose, I expected it to die faster. It had better. My wound was still hurting and I found myself losing strength as time passed. A thought entered my mind as I felt the mouse lose enough strength to a point where it became quite easy to hold on. Elysa, what is my current EP at? Name: Kealyna Race: Orange Jumping Spider Level: 3/10 Experience: 0/80 Evolution Points: 5 Id like to enhance my regeneration, please. I knew the next level of regeneration would cost me five points. I had exactly enough to make the purchase. I was aiming to get this next as it was, but as things stood, Id better get this as soon as possible. I felt a warm feeling in my core grow, which I didnt expect. It almost broke my focus as I held on to the mouse, but I didnt let go. Soon enough, the creatures legs gave out and it remained on the ground, barely moving. I hoped this regeneration would fix my rear sooner, rather than later. I, however, still had another mouse to kill. I skittered over to the incapacitated mouse in the webs and used the only weapons I had remaining; my limbs and jaws. Fortunately, the mouse didnt possess tough armor, so my jaws and teeth had no issues tearing through its skin. I then expanded the newly-opened wound with my legs in order to bleed the mouse out. My legs became soaked in blood as I made the mouses wound bigger and bigger. The creature squirmed in my webs as I worked on ending its life as quickly as I could. I had seen enough suffering in life. I didnt want to see more than was necessary. You have killed a Small Forest Mouse: EXP+63 I was certain that was the second mouse, as I still saw the one before me squirming, although it seemed it was starting to lose strength quickly now as its blood was being drained. I felt the fire in my behind very slowly start to die down. I hoped that was a sign of the regeneration skill doing its job. If not, Id be so screwed. The mouse before me seemed to draw its last breath before it went still. You have killed a Small Forest Mouse: EXP+61 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 4! You have been awarded 3 EP. I sighed mentally. At least it was over. I removed the mouse from my web and dragged it to the back of the burrow. I then dragged the other two next to it. I was so very thankful that Id chosen to enhance my natural armor. Goddess knows how badly I would have been injured if I hadnt done that. I looked around the burrow. The main room was large enough that I imagined Id be able to use it for at least one more evolution, if my current growth rate was anything to go by. If needed, I could probably widen the tunnel to the room, or even enlarge the main room if I needed to. This was dirt after all, not stone. And now, it was mine. It was the prize after my battle with these mice. I wonder how they tasted? I imagine it would be better than anything Id eaten so far. If only I had some fire magic so I could cook them The thought was shoved away as I skittered over to the mouse that I had already partly cut open. I tore its skin away and brought a piece of meat to my mouth with my pedipalps. As I expected. It was pretty good. The best part was that I had three of these laying around. I hoped I could eat them before they started rotting but I doubted it. Then again, I was fairly certain Id be able to eat rotten meat. I would like to avoid that scenario. I ate my fill and decided to head out once more, mentally marking the location of this burrow as I walked through the tunnel leading to the surface. There was still plenty of time remaining for this day and I wasnt feeling tired yet. The pain in my rear was starting to subside as I was certain regeneration was doing work there. It made me eager to unlock the next Regeneration enhancement. It caused me to doubt my plans. On one hand, it seemed my venom was starting to become weaker against the enemies I was currently facing. I planned to enhance my strength to use my limbs as weapons instead to make up for it. On the other hand, this Regeneration would heal injuries I sustained. I would need several levels to enhance both. Hold on a second. Would I even get enough Evolution Points to evolve both before hitting the level cap? Elysa, could you calculate how many Evolution points I will have when I hit level 10? Affirmative. By the time you become level ten, you will have 25 Evolution Points if you do not spend any until then. I would need twenty more to evolve both evolution-specific enhancements. I would have enough as long as I didnt spend more than five points on any other enhancements. That should be enough. This didnt take into account that I could earn additional Evolution Points by earning achievements. The problem with those was that they seemed to be quite random. Though I guess I could somewhat predict that there would be more achievements that had to do with killing many enemies of one specific species, I just couldnt be certain. This entire blessing was so complicated 1.12 Regrets I reached the surface and almost immediately, my attention was locked on some kind of beetle. It had a black carapace and red limbs. It didnt appear to have anything that would be dangerous to me. I sneaked up behind it until it was about ten times my size away. I made a jump for it and landed on the beetles back. Instead of trying to run, the creature stood still. I quickly injected it with venom behind its head, but soon after, I felt a spray of something hot being showered all over my body. I let go as the sudden pain enveloped my entire body. Some of the hot liquid landed in one of my eyes and sent massive amounts of pain through my body. I did the only thing I could think of with my body burning up everywhere and ran down the tunnel that I had just exited as quickly as I could. If I could scream, I would have. The liquid that this beetle had sprayed over me started to slowly sizzle out, but the pain remained. What the fuck was that thing? You have killed a Forest Bombardier beetle: EXP+70 I didnt know how to feel about that message. I was still in too much pain to feel any joy at all at having killed the beetle. I was not going to try to kill one again. Not after that I patched up the web that covered the entrance with the utmost effort before I decided to try to sleep away the pain. Hopefully, my regeneration would heal my body enough for the pain to disappear in the meantime. It was easier said than done. Sleep seemed to be hard, especially in this state. It took a long time before sleep came to me and relieved me of this worlds problems. ____________________________________________________________________________ When I woke up and my wide vision returned, I noticed that all the pain had disappeared. I was glad that could be fixed by my regeneration skill. Still, though, I would avoid those awful beetles at all cost. I ate some of the dead mouse but noticed I wasnt that hungry. After that, I removed part of the webs and made my way back to the surface. Once arrived, I noticed it was night. This was the first time I had been out at night which made me wonder what exactly could be active in the forest at this time. I decided it would be a smart idea to observe before making dangerous moves. I stayed next to the entrance to the burrow beneath the trees roots and kept looking for possible prey. I waited for about ten minutes before the first possible target showed up. I was currently eying a moth that fluttered from tree to tree. I wasnt sure what it was doing, but eventually, it made its way down to where I was waiting. I waited until it was in range and jumped. My jumping skills never ceased to amaze me. I snatched the creature right out of the air and pinned my legs into it as we landed. I then used my legs to bash onto its head until it snapped off of its body with three hits. You have killed a Vampiric Forest Moth: EXP+55 That was a large amount of experience. It was quite simple too. An idea popped into my head. If this moth was vampiric I discarded its body some distance away from the burrow before entering my new hideout once more. Once I arrived at the back of the large room, I took an unscathed mouse and dragged it with me to the surface. I used my teeth to create an opening in its hide and pressed on its body, next to the wound in order to force some blood out. With some luck, my plan would work. It didnt take long for another moth to show up, attracted to the blood. Like flies to honey, it fluttered in a straight line to the dead mouse, unaware of my presence behind one of the roots. As soon as it landed, I ambushed it. You have killed a Vampiric Forest Moth: EXP+57 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 5! You have been awarded 4 EP. Was I a bad person for somewhat enjoying this? I mean, it was pretty much like fishing, right? There was nothing wrong with fishing, was there? I dragged the body away and went back to waiting. Over the course of the night, I managed to kill five more moths before another predator showed up. From above, I could see a large bird appear. As soon as it had appeared in my sight, I scurried inside the tunnels to safety. I turned around once I knew I was safe and saw the mouse corpse being gripped by large claws before being lifted up into the sky. Well, damn it. I hesitated for a moment if I should continue trying to bait moths with a second mouse but decided against it. For all I knew that bird, whatever it was, was still around. I would lose my precious bait, and moreover, risk getting eaten myself. I had no choice but to wait What was up with my terrible luck lately? I waited And I waited Ill admit, I was bored out of my mind. Times like these really made me wish I had someone I could talk to And I had never been a talker I looked at my enhancement options and I simply stared. Name: Kealyna Race: Orange Jumping Spider Level: 6/10 Experience: 140/160 Evolution Points: 11 Enhancement Cost in EP Improved Regeneration 10 Very Weak Magic Resistance 5 Weak Magic Resistance 10 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Improved Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 10 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 More strength, or better regeneration Now that I had the time to think I actually allowed my mind to go back and forth between the two. If I could get these moths during the night, I wouldnt quite need the strength. Then again, regeneration would not be of help either. Ah, who was I kidding? I had already made up my mind. I chose to enhance my leg and pedipalp strength. As I confirmed my decision, I felt energy flow from my core into my limbs. I felt them grow stronger as my own weight became easier to lift. Moving around hadnt been an issue before, but right now, I felt as if I could fly. My body just felt so light. I reckoned I could jump further now, too. My excitement quickly dimmed when I got back to waiting I waited until dawn arrived. I made sure to eat as much as I could (which wasnt much) before heading out again. As I exited the tunnel, I got lost in the forests beauty for a second time. It was just perfect. I would love to live here once Id completed my quest. It took me far too much effort to push my emotions aside and get back to hunting. Images of how my life could have... should have been... kept popping up in my head. I saw another stag beetle appear from the grass as it made its way across the dirt that surrounded the tree. It skittered without a care in the world and I was quick to use its obliviousness to my advantage. I crept up on it from behind to avoid the mandibles and jumped. I tried out my new limbs and severed its head from its abdomen with ease as I brought my front two legs down upon it with force. You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: EXP+34 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 7! You have been awarded 3 EP. It was a good start to the day. There were only three more levels to go to my evolution. I wondered if I would be able to pick the green option again. I let go of the beetles corpse. I had no interest in it. I was about to continue my hunt for more prey when I felt a sharp pain shooting through my body. I saw a projectile exit my vision on the other end of where it had struck. I didnt have time to think. I had to get to safety, now! I started making my way over to the burrow entrance when I noticed my movements had become wobbly. It was then I noticed that one of my legs had been severed from where it was connected to my body. It was completely gone. Screw my luck! I moved as fast as I could with seven legs when another jolt of pain shot through my body. A blue projectile flew away from me. I was being attacked with magic. And this attack had removed the last segment of one of my legs on my other side. Fear overwhelmed me when I reached the tunnel entrance. Then, right before I could enter, Something swooped out of the air and lifted me up Faragi Lemme know what you guys and girls think. I love reading comments <3 1.13 … And the Worst of luck My luck was getting worse by the second. I was actually in serious danger. I didnt even have time to curse my missed opportunity to pick up the magic resistance enhancements. I was being carried away by a frigging bird. Its beak was trying to crush me but failed. I had thanked my improved hardened exoskeleton more than once in the process. I was grasping its beak with my legs so that it couldnt swallow me. My only luck was that the legs that I could still use were quite powerful. I was bashing away at the beasts head and well, literally anything that I could hit. It moved me in its beak so that my fangs were barely outside its mouth. I didnt have many ways of escaping but this was one of them. With the utmost effort, I managed to get my fangs inside the beak as I held a tight grip on the birds mouth with my pedipalps. I then let almost all the venom that I had stored within me flow freely from my fangs, right into this monsters gullet. In the meantime, I continued using my legs to kick and stab this monster both in its mouth and outside, in its face. I was desperate. I didnt want to die. I created some thread as well, with which I bound myself to the outside of the bird as best I could. If I got swallowed, I was dead. I kicked and thrashed around, and I was certain I did at least some damage here and there. As a result of my actions, the bird started moving its head around, and I could feel its flying become unsteady. I pumped out the last drops of venom that I had within me and started to use my sharp fangs to stab and tear at the beasts tongue. My legs also did a number of it. I was not going to let this beast take me. Not while I could still fight. Even if I were to die, I was going to take this bird down with me. At least that way, those so-called gods might not interfere with Elysas work if I were to be sent to her again. The bird opened its beak and screeched. I saw my chance and crawled out of it. I crawled over its head onto its back, with difficulty considering I was still injured.. Now it was my time to be on the offensive. Screw those gods. I was going to kill this damn bird. I raised my front two legs and my pedipalps and brought them down onto the beast. It didnt do nearly as much as I had hoped for, but another idea sprung to mind. I used my pedipalps to pluck out its feathers. I removed the brown feathers from its back, one by one, causing the bird to screech several times as it was now trying to get rid of me. No can do. Youre mine now. I used all my available legs to hold on to the creature all while biting through the pain of my missing limb and partly missing limb. I wasnt even sure how I was still able to do all this. I could see the stump of my leg, but also noticed it wasnt bleeding at all. I continued plucking the beasts feathers and noticed it starting to fly in an uncoordinated fashion. I hoped it was my venom, but it could just be the pain that I had caused, and was still causing it. Once I had plucked enough feathers to see its skin, I clenched my fangs in it and injected the last of my venom into the large bird. Once I was out, I used my legs and pedipalps to scratch and pierce its skin. I managed to wound it once I had laid bare its skin. I managed to wound it quite badly, if I do say so myself. I used my sharp fangs to cut open its flesh more and did the same with my teeth. I ripped away the skin of the large creature as it struggled harder and harder to shake me off. This bird asked for it. My own pain was still going strong, and I feared losing consciousness because of it, but right now, my mind was fixated on payback. I kept clenching my fangs as I used them to dig deeper and deeper into the beast. Blood started flowing as I worked on ripping and tearing away this beasts flesh with my fangs and mouth. I then sank my fangs in again and kept them in the beasts flesh as I pumped the tiny bits of venom in it that I had regenerated. I kept my fangs in place as I continued almost literally eating away at this birds flesh until I felt the bird lose balance and descend rapidly. Damn it. The beast plunged over forward and I felt myself lose grip because of the far too sudden movement. The thread that connected me to the bird was too weak to keep me tied to it and broke, causing me to fall down right after the bird. My mind was screaming as I saw the ground approach. We were falling towards a clearing in the forest. I tried desperately to at least fall after the bird so that it would hopefully break my fall if I landed on its feathers. A small wooden house entered my vision, but I didnt have time to take in its details. I was still using my legs as if they were limbs to try to aim. And I failed. I prayed to the goddess that I would survive this fall. I saw the bird impact the ground and messages appear, but they just as quickly disappeared as I smacked into the ground. I landed on my legs, but the fall was too much. My legs gave way and my body and abdomen hit the ground a fraction of a second later. 1.14 Aftermath I awoke with pain still coursing through my body. I hadnt even regained my vision yet. Instead, I started running, knowing damn well there would be predators heading for the bird that fell with me. Then, I bumped into a wall. What? I waited a few seconds for my vision to return to normal. When I could see, I was shocked. I saw four glass walls around me and a wooden ceiling above me. I looked around in my enclosure and saw dirt ground, a small metal bowl with water, a log, and some branches that were trapped in here with me. Oh no. I looked beyond the glass walls and saw the inside of what looked like a home. I saw a kitchen area to the left with a wooden counter, sink, cabinets, and a stove with a small pot on top of it. I also saw a bookshelf filled to the brim with thick books to my right. The enclosure that I was in was located on a table near a window. Sunlight entered the room through the window and bathed me in it as well. I could see a few more of these kinds of enclosures on a table in the middle of the room in front of me. There was only one chair present at the square table. When I observed them for longer, I noticed a large tarantula in one of them, hiding under a log. Beyond the table was a wall with a wooden door leading to another room. I didnt look closer at where I was. I knew I was trapped. I tapped my legs against the glass but found that I wouldnt be able to break it. I couldnt get a grip on it to climb up to the top either. I used the log to elevate myself up to the wooden ceiling and tried pushing it, but found that it wouldnt budge either. Dammit. Somebody had turned me into their pet. I sighed mentally (and perhaps physically) and lowered myself onto the dirt again. The pain in my limbs, especially the ones that had been severed or partially severed by whatever that magical attack was, flared up again. I had passed the shock of finding myself trapped in a glass cage and it was back in full force. I let my legs dangle to the side as I lowered my main body into the dirt. I felt defeated. I would have to hope that whoever kept me here would be willing to let me go Hey, Elysa? I needed distraction from my situation Could you show me those last messages I got before I got knocked out? You have killed a Large Forest Hawk: EXP+409 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 8! You have been awarded 4 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 3 EP. Achievement Earned: Giant Slayer Killed an enemy that is considered Extremely Dangerous to your current race. You have been awarded 10 EP Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. I would have been happy. I seriously would have been, if I wasnt caged. And in a hell of a lot of pain I took a look at my personal information. Name: Kealyna Race: Orange Jumping Spider Level: 9/10 Experience: 43/220 Evolution Points: 21 I wasnt too far off an evolution either. My thoughts got interrupted as I heard and saw the door leading to the other room open. A humanoid figure stepped into the room I was currently located in. The first thing I noticed was her ears. She was an elf! She had long, pointy ears, much like I had in my old life. At least she wasnt human. I was thankful for that. Being caged by a human would have been utter humiliation. She had long, light brown hair and purple eyes. I hadnt seen that color before. That was interesting. Her attire was quite simple. She wore a green shirt with brown trousers. She also had a belt that seemed to contain knives and tubes with liquid. I would almost guess she was some sort of alchemist. Well, there were the books She noticed me staring and walked up to my enclosure before lowering herself so her face was in front of my cage. Her purple eyes stared directly at me and I raised my pedipalps and brought them down in vertical strokes several times to get her attention. She then spoke a few words of which I understood none. Damn this. I needed this communication skill. And I needed it badly. I lowered my pedipalps for the last time. All I could do was stare. I stared right through her as I felt hopelessness hit me. How was I going to get that language skill if I couldnt go out and hunt? I was screwed. She smiled at me which only served to anger me. Let me out! She then reached for something below my enclosure that I couldnt see. When she appeared again before me, she held a stag beetle between tweezers and opened the lid slightly to move it inside my enclosure. The opening she created wasnt big enough for me to escape, and even if I did, shed likely catch me again as I saw no way out of this room. I couldnt open a door, after all. She held the beetle still with the tweezers and the insect struggled to get away but failed. I imagine she was holding it with the tweezers because I was still injured. I reckon she did not want to risk me getting injured further. How nice I thought that with sarcasm. It would give me experience, however With slow steps, I approached the beetle. I severed its head with my strong legs. That was the quickest way for me to kill it, after all. You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: EXP+29 They gave me a fair amount of experience, but I was going to need more than one beetle to hit my level cap. I let go of the prey and stared back at the elf. She looked at me with large eyes. I raised my pedipalps again and brought them down in the same vertical manner. The elf seemed to be looking at me with intrigue now. Good, I had her attention. I moved one pedipalp and pointed at the beetle. Then, I withdrew it and pointed it at my head. I tried to convey give me more. I dont know how good of a job I did at it, though. The elf simply smiled and left me behind as she walked to the tarantulas enclosure. She then took out one of the test tubes from her belt and uncorked it. Her next action was using the tweezers to lift the tarantula from its enclosure. I could see her bring the spider up to the tube and use some kind of magic. The next thing I saw was venom dripping down into the glass tube. After she finished, she placed the spider back into the enclosure and took out another beetle from below me, which she let loose inside the tarantulas enclosure. She didnt hold this one down with the tweezers which confirmed my suspicion. So thats why she kept spiders She used them for venom, likely to make medicine or anti-venom. Just great At least I guessed I was safe here With nothing to do, I simply stared at my enhancement options once more. Currently Available Enhancements Enhancement Cost in EP Improved Regeneration 10 Very Weak Magic Resistance 5 Weak Magic Resistance 10 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 I had twenty-one points to spend, ten of them being from the achievement I got after killing that hawk. Since I was in pain, I was tempted to increase my regeneration level. However As things stood, I didnt really need it. I was in a cage, as frustrating as it was, I was safe here. Then again, I would need to get the improved regeneration skill before my evolution, either way. I decided to put it off for now. Depending on how things went in here, I could always pick it if needed. For all I knew, I would be stuck in here for a long time. I might even skimp out on leveling regeneration altogether. If I was stuck here for multiple evolutions, I was bound to be able to pick that up again at some point. And I would need points to acquire the language skill too. I had no idea how much that would cost me or when I could pick it up I noticed the elf staring at me once more. I had unknowingly eyed her the entire duration as I gazed at my enhancement options. I saw her purple eyes move to the side, then back to me. I looked over to where I saw her pupils dart without moving my body. She had obviously looked at the beetle. She stood up and knelt once more, her face mere inches from me, separated by the glass. How was I going to get through to her? 1.15 Communication I tapped the glass with my pedipalps and then pointed them at the beetle once more before pointing them at my head. The elf looked at me with a puzzled expression. I repeated the same gestures. She seemed to get at it, but for all I knew, she was simply guessing what I wanted. She walked back to the table to retrieve her tweezers and reached them below my enclosure once more. I was happy to see one of the beetles appear. She held the beetle up before me behind the glass and I raised my pedipalps and brought them down, creating vertical motions. I then moved my front legs so that my head bopped up and down. If this wasnt making a nodding gesture then I wouldnt know what was She said a few words which I, of course, couldnt understand. At least she seemed to get what I wanted as she opened the enclosures top to hold the beetle next to me once more with her tweezers. Once more, I slowly walked up to it and cut off its head by forcing my legs down upon it. You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: EXP+32 I turned back to the glass panel and noticed my partial reflection. It was the first time I got a good look at my body from further away. The only thing that I hadnt known about so far were my eyes. I had two large, forward-facing, black eyes with two smaller ones to the outside. Then, there were two tiny eyes further to the outside and slightly higher. That didnt explain my full circle vision though. I turned my body slightly and observed another set of eyes they were on the outside to the back of my head. That did. I turned to face the elf again and saw her staring, still. Seriously, how was I going to let this elf know that I wasnt a normal spider, and, moreover, convince her to set me free? I was going to assume that she wasnt stupid and that after I hit my evolution she would certainly notice. There was no way that a spider suddenly changing size and color was a normal thing. I prayed to the goddess that my next evolution would give me the language comprehension skill or whatever it was called. The elf then did something unexpected. She opened the top of the enclosure and put her hand inside. She laid the palm of her hand open next to me. What? Did she want me to step on her hand? For what? I used my pedipalp to scratch my head. Hopefully, that would convey my confusion to her. She moved a few fingers slightly as if to draw my attention. What did I have to lose, anyway? Who knew, she might just release me outside. I doubted that was the case, but one could hope, right? I stepped into her hand and she lifted me out of my cage. I was right in the fact that I was about as large as a thumb. I measured it quickly as she lifted me up. I was already quite thankful to be free from its walls. Then, she took another series of unexpected actions. She placed her hand on the table and poked my rear with her other hand, gently nudging me so I would step on the table. I did just that and turned to stare at her. She had a slight smile as she reached for something on her belt. Her hand then appeared with a small, round, metal container which she placed on the table. She removed the lid and then put one of her fingers in. She then approached me with said finger. I could see some kind of green cream on it. Was that a healing ointment? From her actions, I guess it was. She carefully applied the semisolid substance to my completely severed leg. The pain I had been experiencing in the stump that remained, almost immediately vanished. The flames were quenched by pleasantly cold water. She did the same for my leg which was only missing the first segment, causing me to calm down as the elf took the pain away from me. I didnt know what to say. I didnt know what to think. I was grateful. Even if the pain could have been removed by my regeneration skill (and of that, I wasnt quite sure. I didnt know if that skill could regrow lost limbs) the kindness this person showed a freaking spider I hoped this was some kind of magical salve that would allow my limbs to regrow It certainly felt as if there was some kind of magic in it. I could feel the cold ointment leak some mana into my body. I looked at her as she was eying my wounds. She seemed to genuinely care about her pet spiders, or at the very least, me. I want to thank her. The best way to do that, that I could imagine, was to lower my head, raise my rear, and spread my pedipalps and front legs forward. I hoped she would recognize that as a bow. She reacted with confusion once more and said several more unintelligible words and then didnt move. It was as if she was waiting for an answer. I raised my pedipalps and spread out the last segment to the outsides. I was trying to show a shrug She looked at me with intrigue once more and cocked her head. As expected, she didnt understand a thing. This language barrier was starting to piss me off. If only I could understand what she was saying Once I knew what she was saying, we could establish at least some sort of communication where she could talk, and I could respond with simple yes and no pedipalp gestures. That was, if she was bright enough to ask the correct questions and have me confirm I could understand her. What a struggle. The elf yet took another strange action. She used one of her fingers to stroke over my head and then my rear. It was as if she was trying to comfort me. Did she know that I would fully understand what that meant? The feeling wasnt even unpleasant After that, she laid her palm open on the table again and nudged me to step on it. Knowing where she was going to put me, I refused to step on. She nudged me again. Nope, not doing it. I turned and stared into her confused, purple eyes, when an idea shot to mind. If gestures werent going to do the trick, how about writing? I was a spider, after all. I could use my silk to draw. Words and math were possibilities, but I disregarded them as for all I knew, this elf might not recognize the symbols and letters. Instead, I decided to draw something as simple as a house. I jumped over the elfs hand and walked to the middle of the table where I lowered my abdomen to start a thread of silk. I moved slowly and noticed the elf staring. I created a straight line, made a corner after a few inches, and repeated it until I had a square. I then created a triangle on top of the square that was supposed to resemble a roof. With every line of silk that I drew, I saw her purple eyes grow wider. It seemed I was on the right track. I created a few more lines to add a chimney and then created a door in the square. I finished my masterpiece by adding a window next to the door. If this wouldnt convince her that I was no mere spider, then I didnt know what would. She gasped and mumbled some words in her soft voice. Her attention kept shifting between me and my drawing. Then, I think I saw something click in her head. She used her finger to point at her head, then nodded. I realized what she was getting at. I moved my pedipalps up and down, in vertical motions. She smiled slightly before pointing to her head again and then shaking no. I reacted by moving my pedipalps from left to right, and back again. The elf was smiling widely now. She stood up and I followed her with my eyes. She reached knelt and reached into a glass jar with her tweezers and pulled out another stag beetle. She then sat down again and held the insect up and pointed at it. I obviously wanted to kill it for the experience. I moved my pedipalps up and down eagerly, hoping she would understand that I wanted these creatures. She then held it close to me, and I severed the beetles head. You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: EXP+31 She let the creatures lifeless body fall onto the table by releasing her tweezers. No longer interested in the insect, I turned back to face the elf. She looked confused again and pointed a finger at the insect and spoke some more words. From her expression, I think she was wondering if I was going to eat it. I answered by making my no gesture. She looked puzzled once again. At least we seemed to be getting somewhere. 1.16 Special? Would she get that I just didnt like beetle? How would I explain that its disgusting? I thought about it and scratched my head with my pedipalp. She stared the entire time I was like in thought. She then seemed to get an idea. The elf stood up and walked towards the door, which she entered. I waited patiently. I was surprised she dared to leave me alone, but then again, where would I go? She had closed the door behind her She returned with the same bird in her hands that I had felled. She pointed at the bloodied animal and then pointed at me while uttering some words. I assumed she asked if I had done that. It was either that, or whether I would like to eat this instead. I thought. In either case, the answer would be yes. I moved my pedipalps vertically to say yes. I then moved my pedipalps to my mouth as if I was eating. After I did that, I pointed towards the beetle next to me again before making horizontal movements with my limbs. I then pointed at the bird in her hands and made vertical lines in the air. She seemed to get what I meant, as she walked to the kitchen, took a knife from a drawer, and cut off one of its wings. She placed the wing on a plate and put it on the table. Thank you miss elf. I skittered over to the plate and moved my fangs aside so I could start eating with my mouth. I ripped off small pieces of hawk meat with my teeth and then swallowed them. The chunks were tough. But they were so damn delicious This was like a feast. I eagerly nommed away at my kill until I was completely sated. I was positive my behind had grown in size from eating all that. The elven girl had never let her eyes off of me. I turned to face her again. She looked shocked. Why? Oh, wait. I had these jaws and teeth. I guess she had noticed them. Normal spiders didnt eat the way I did, after all. Oh well, if she needed any more confirmation that I wasnt a normal spider, that was it. Just wait until I could use magic! I bowed to her as a thank you gesture, which was met with a smile. She didnt strike me as an evil person, quite the opposite in fact. She had kept me safe, healed me, albeit partially, and even gave me free experience to boot! Hell, she even gave me the best meal Id ever had as a spider. Although, technically that was my kill. Oh, well. I wasnt quite sure what to do next. For a moment, I feared the elf was going to force me back into the enclosure, but it seemed she didnt have any intention of doing that. I hated cages. Id been caged for my entire youth as it was. I wondered, would she give me more beetles if I asked for them? I was close to an evolution after all. As far as I could tell, she had enough beetles in that jar to push me over the edge. I tapped one of my legs on the table to get her attention. I then turned my body so that I faced my old enclosure, with the glass jar beneath it. I then pointed my pedipalps at the jar and then to me. She spoke some words that I still didnt understand, but stood up and grabbed the jar. She then pointed to the jar, then to me. I made the nodding gesture with my limbs. She seemed to shrug, as if wondering why I wanted to kill beetles without eating them. Maybe she thought I was some kind of maniac for only killing them? From her perspective, I suppose that was true. Ultimately she did seem to grant me my wish, for which I was thankful. She grabbed her tweezers and reached into the jar once more, pulling out one of the ten or so remaining beetles. She held it up for me where I could easily kill it. You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: EXP+33 She was about to close the jar when I tapped the glass. She pointed to the jar again and I responded by nodding. The elf was kind enough to give me another easy kill. You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: EXP+34 I tossed the beheaded beetle aside and tapped the glass once more. She sighed and held up a finger. One finger. As if she allowed me only one more Would that be enough? She pulled it out and held it up for me one last time. You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: EXP+29 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 4 EP. Level Cap Reached Evolutions Available! Special Evolution Available! It was! Special evolution? I had cheered at seeing the first message. I only read the last part of the last message after celebrating. I decided I would wait with my evolution until nighttime. I didnt feel much for knocking myself out right now. Besides, I didnt exactly know what would happen to me, and I didnt want this person to freak out at seeing me change. I would do it when she slept. I would also enhance my regeneration beforehand. I bowed to the elf who replied with a giggle. She stood up and walked to the stove and opened it. She then walked to the other room to return with some small logs, which she deposited inside before kneeling down. She then cast some form of fire magic. I could see a small flame appear in her hand which grew larger over a few seconds. She used the flame to light the wood before closing the stove again. She took a wooden spoon from the drawer and started stirring in the pot that was on the stove. Was she cooking something? I observed her actions with great interest. Not that I had anything better to do. She took out a mortar and pestle from one of the cabinets and several dried herbs. The elf sat down at the table once more and started crushing them. She then took out some fresh herbs from a pouch around her belt and added those to the mixture. I skittered slightly closer, expressing my curiosity. She took the tube of tarantula venom that she had just extracted and dripped the liquid into the mixture, before taking the metal container with the ointment out and adding a bit of that to the mix as well. After mixing sufficiently, she stood up and scooped up the resulting paste-like substance, and added it to the pot. That was definitely not food. She then returned with another plate and the hawk from before and started plucking it. That was food. Deciding I could offer some assistance, I started helping her by plucking out its feathers one by one with my pedipalps. Not that it did much, but it was the gesture that counted. At least she could smile at my actions. She spoke a few more words with her soft voice that I really regretted not being able to understand. Once fully plucked, she laid the meat out in an oven tray and placed it inside the stove, where it would start cooking above the fire. She stirred the pot on the stove for a bit before grabbing a metal canteen from one of the cabinets. She returned to the table and sat down before pouring a few drops on the plate that still held most of one of the hawks wings. Water. Id better drink some. I skittered to the plate and started drinking from the drops shed just deposited. In the meantime, I could see the elf lean back in her chair and relax. I noticed that I could still feel the medicine that shed applied to me. The places where it covered my wounds were now enveloped by gentle warmth. I started to relax as well. I would at least have a safe place to go through my evolution tonight. I just hoped the elf wouldnt be too spooked in the morning when she saw my new form, whatever it may be. I just hoped I would fully heal. I imagined that missing two legs to walk on made me quite a bit more sluggish than usual. What was that attack, anyway? It wasnt the hawks, that much was certain. If anything, this hawk got me out of a possible worse situation. As odd as that may be. The attack that struck me had been far too fast for me to see coming. Moreover, it was a magic attack. I had completely skipped on getting any magic resistance. Perhaps I should enhance that sooner than I anticipated. Id have to look into what evolutions I could get. Perhaps there would be plenty of room to enhance my resistance against magic. Speaking of evolutions, what were my options? 1.17 Words Elysa, dont accidentally cause me to evolve. Im merely checking my options right now. Affirmative. Currently available Evolutions Large Green Forest Jumping Spider Evolution that specializes in camouflage in forest areas. In addition, toxin resistance and venom are improved. Large Purple Jumping Spider Evolution that specializes in web strength and minor magic manipulation. Provides a bonus to magic resistance. Large Rainbow Jumping Spider* *Special Evolution Evolution that allows any already learned enhancements to be leveled to the same level as your current highest enhancement. Unlocks a special evolution path. I was currently staring at my blue squares as the elf was working on what I assumed would be her dinner in the oven. I hoped my venom wouldnt spoil her meal, but then again, I reckon cooking it properly would nullify it. Besides, it appeared she could use magic. She should be fine. This rainbow jumping spider evolution was the only new one that had popped up. It was also by far the most interesting one I had seen so far. There was only one downside to it. And that was, that in theory, it would be more valuable to put this off as long as possible. The reason for that was simply because picking up other evolutions would grant me access to more different enhancements. All these enhancements could then be improved to the same level through the rainbow spider evolution option. It seemed that the power of that evolution would increase the more different types of evolutions Id been through. And I was confident that the option would show up again. I had gotten the green and purple options twice in a row, and the green one three times. So I would pick one of the other two. The question was, which? Before all this bad luck Id experienced, I would have likely picked the green one. However getting hit by a magical attack which, indirectly, almost resulted in my death had me wondering. There seemed to be more benefits to the purple option this time around. I, for one, assumed that the mana reserve increase it offered now would be better than before. With the purple option also came an increase to magic resistance, seemingly for free. This would be very much welcome as the magic resistance enhancements were quite expensive. Then there was the language skill. None of these evolutions specifically listed them, but if I had to gamble on one of them offering the skill, itd be the evolution that specialized in magic. For all I knew, they could either both offer it, or none would. Elysa, do my skills influence my evolution options? Negative. Evolutions are solely based on a predetermined basis. However, some achievements may unlock additional paths. That, at least, was confirmation that I had not missed out on any evolutions by not leveling certain enhancements. I may have missed out on a special evolution or two, but I had to admit that this rainbow evolution seemed quite powerful in itself. I see. What made me unlock the rainbow evolution? Rainbow Evolution path was unlocked by the following achievements: Giant Slayer Matricide Oh, so it was a good thing Id killed my own mother Or whatever she was. She certainly wasnt my mother. And then there was this hawk I wasnt going to try to kill one again anytime soon. That was more of a I didnt even know what to call it. Coincidence? That didnt quite feel right I waited as the elf ate her dinner? What time was it? I looked at the window and noticed darkness creeping in. It was certainly already evening. After her dinner, the elf went about with what seemed to be her profession. She stirred the pot on the stove every now and then, and added a log two or three times. When she was finished with her mixture, she poured a green-looking liquid on a flat plate and set it on the table. She then pointed at it, then at me, before shaking her head. Yeah, I wasnt going to try to eat that, either way. She performed a few more actions that seemed to be the work of an alchemist. She mixed different liquids together with care and then dripped a few drops in the liquid on the plate. After that, she walked to the bookshelf and searched for a tome which she then started reading. I skittered over to her hand and peeked over it to see if I could read any of the text. The answer was no. These letters they didnt make any sense. I couldnt read a single word. The elf giggled and ran her finger over my back, stroking the hairs that were on my body. I, in the meantime, was wondering if this so-called language skill would also allow me to read. That might be an extremely important factor in my search. Although, I guess it would be hard to come by any texts. After some time of reading, the elf bookmarked her current page with a piece of paper and closed it. She then made a gesture that wasnt too hard to understand. She put both hands together, placed them at the side of her head, and tilted her head while closing her eyes. She was going to sleep. Fortunately for me, she didnt put me back in my cage. Instead, she simply left me behind as she went through the door before closing it again. I should go to sleep as well. I had the perfect way to fall asleep at my disposal, too. How fortunate. Before confirming my evolution, I made sure to enhance my regeneration by another level, bringing my evolution points down to 15. It was still a decent amount, but enhancements started getting more expensive at higher levels. A pleasant warmth flowed through my body as the skill was increased. I then prayed to the goddess that this language skill would appear in my enhancements. Id finally found someone I could communicate with and well she didnt seem afraid of me. That helped, I guess. Maybe she could help me with my quest. I still had a long way to go, though. I wondered how big I would be after this evolution. I went through my enhancement options one last time to make sure Id gotten all my evolution-specific ones. After that, I confirmed that I wanted to go for the large purple jumping spider evolution. I felt a sharp pain starting from my abdomen ripple across my body. Fortunately, I didnt have to experience it for long, as within seconds, I was knocked out cold. ____________________________________________________________________________ When I awoke, the first thing I noticed was a figure looming over me. I shook my body and forced my vision to focus. I noticed the purple-eyes elfs face up close. I felt a finger poke my rear. She looked worried? Surprised? I could imagine both. I stood up and heard her mutter some more words. Im fine, Im fine! I raised my pedipalps and made the vertical gestures again. She looked relieved after that. I was happy she seemed to realize that it was still me. I mean, I had changed color completely, after all. And size I seemed to be quite a bit bigger now. She leaned back in her chair again and started talking in disbelief. I couldnt understand a word. I decided to check my skills and possible enhancements in the meantime. Name: Kealyna Race: Large Purple Jumping Spider Level: 0/10 Experience: 0/30 Evolution Points: 15 Skills: Improved Regeneration Weak Venom Weak Jaws and Teeth Weak Spider Thread Very Weak Venom Resistance Very Weak Poison Resistance Improved Exoskeleton Hardening Improved Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening Excellent Spider Vision Magic Resistance Enhancement Cost in EP Venom 5 Improved Magic Resistance 20 Advanced Magic Resistance 40 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 Toxin Resistance 5 Spider Thread 5 Improved Spider Thread 10 Advanced Spider Thread 20 Extremely Weak Fireball 1 Weak Fireball 3 Extremely Weak Ice Lance 1 Weak Ice Lance 3 Very Weak Mana Reserves 1 Weak Mana Reserves 3 Mana Reserves 5 Very Weak Mana Regeneration 1 Weak Mana Regeneration 3 Mana Regeneration 5 Extremely Weak Physical Barrier 1 Weak Physical Barrier 3 Physical Barrier 5 Language Comprehension - Elven 5 Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 The list that opened in the blue square before me was enormous. It took me a while to get to the bottom of it. Once I got to the bottom though I cheered in my mind and confirmed that I wanted to enhance the Elven language comprehension. I then started dancing, My legs It seemed they had regrown completely. I was filled with joy, right before I felt as if lightning shot through my head. I promptly stopped dancing in shock and stood still again, facing the elf who was just finished talking to herself. The elf sighed as she leaned forward again. What an odd little spider you are, arent you? 1.18 Names I still had questions about my enhancement options, but hearing the elf speak in a language that I could understand I wished away the blue squares and they disappeared. Other things took priority, for now. She just said I was an odd little spider, and I intended to make it known that I wasnt, in fact, a spider. Not at heart at least. I moved my pedipalps from left to right, as if to say no I am not. She narrowed her eyes in response. Very odd, indeed, She mused. I had to agree with that. She didnt seem to get what I was trying to convey. I moved my limbs up and down to nod. She giggled. No. I dont need you giggling. I need you to understand! I sighed mentally and thought of a way to make her understand. My mind wandered off when suddenly the caged tarantula gave me an idea. I skittered up to the enclosure and saw the elfs eyes follow me closely. I reached the glass with the tarantula behind it, still hiding under the log. When I approached, it seemed to notice my presence and raised its front two legs and pedipalps, as if it was put on the defensive. Oops. I took a few steps back and turned to face my captor again. I then pointed to the tarantula with my pedipalps. After that, I pointed to myself. Finally, I made the no gesture with my limbs. She scratched her head. Sigh. I skittered up to her and pointed at her face, then to me. Then, I made the yes gesture. She didnt seem to get it. Lets try that again I skittered to the tarantula again, keeping my distance this time. I pointed to the creature, then to me, and made the no gesture once more. Not a spider? I saw her mind starting to put the puzzle pieces together. I immediately turned to her and made my vertical movements as soon as she had said that, to agree with her, right after she made the statement. Hopefully, that would give her the idea it was in response to what she just said. Youre not a spider? She said with more confidence this time. I moved my limbs up and down again to agree with her. Wait, you can understand me? FINALLY! I eagerly moved my pedipalps up and down while heaving a massive sigh of relief in my mind. But how? Why? Wait... Her face seemed to contort into one of shock. Did you understand everything Ive said so far? Did she say anything I should not have heard? I moved my limbs so that they conveyed no. I really wished I could speak, myself, but it seemed I didnt have the necessary organs for it. It would have made things so much easier Still, how? She asked again. How to explain I pointed one of my pedipalps straight up, to the ceiling. What? This was much harder than I thought. I could understand her, yes, but how did I tell her some gods decided to screw with me? I decided to drop it. If she didnt get it from me pointing to the heavens I would have no way to explain it. Not easily at least. I moved my pedipalps outward and inward from each other repeatedly, trying to convey whatever. I hope she got it. But if youre no spider, then what are you? I pointed at the elf, then at myself. More specifically, I pointed to her ears. After pointing to her ears with each of my pedipalps, I pointed to my head. She seemed to think about what my gestures meant. My ears are you an elf? I have no idea why, but the weight that was lifted off my shoulders at her realization was immense. I quickly made the yes gesture. I still dont get how or why but it seems youre intelligent. Do you have a name? I made the yes gesture once more. How would I tell her my name? Wait a second Now that I have the language comprehension skill could I read her books? I turned around and pointed at the bookcase. What do you want to... I pointed again. As long as she took any book, Id be fine. She still seemed puzzled but stood up and grabbed the book I was pointing at. She then laid it on the table. Without hesitation, I opened it to a random page. I then skittered over to her hand and onto the paper in order to read. And I could. I couldnt believe it! I could actually read this text now. I could communicate! It would be slow, but I could tell her what I wanted who I was. My name I searched for a word with a capital K and forced her attention on it. I censored the rest of the word with one of my pedipalps while I used the other to point at the K. K... She started. I then searched for a word starting with an E and did the same. I repeated this over and over until she spelled my name. K-e-a-l-y-n-a, She spelled aloud. Kealyna. That is your name? I moved my front two limbs up and down to confirm. Achievement Earned: A Name Have somebody else say your name. You have been awarded 10 EP. Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. I stared at the blue square for a while. That was a lot of points for something that was not dangerous at all. It had been quite hard though I see... She spoke softly. And is there an easy way for you to explain how you became a spider? I guess this was actually an easy task. I moved over to a word with a capital G and worked my way from there until Id spelled gods. The gods did this to you? She looked shocked. I gestured yes. But why? I made the shrugging gesture. I hoped she understood that one by now. I did not know their reasons. It seemed they just had fun with me. Did they have nothing better to do? I hated them. And whats up with the beetles? If you dont eat them, why? I tapped the book again and spelled out why I killed them as best I could, with one word: power. You get power from killing them? Indirectly, yes. I confirmed what she said with my gestures. Thats odd. I see youve changed color and size. Im assuming thats related? I gestured yes again. Strange. Ive never heard of or seen anything like this before. Well, its a blessing from Elysa. I guessed not everyone would get something like this. Would you like the other beetles? I can always get some more. They are pretty common around here. Id love that. I eagerly made my yes gesture. She smiled and grabbed the glass jar from below my old enclosure. I doubted shed ever put me back in that. Not after hearing well, reading I guess, all this. Oh, I totally forgot to tell you my name, She said as she stood up again. Its Cellestra. Cellestra. That sounded a lot better than the elf. She pulled one of the last three beetles out and placed it on the table on the other end of where I was still standing on the book. Go on then, Kealyna. Show me your jumping skills, She said with a giggle. I smiled, but I doubted she could see it. I had no idea how my smile would look anyway. It felt refreshing good, to have someone to talk to I never knew it could feel this way I forced my focus back to the present. I observed the beetle try to skitter away, and I jumped. I reached the insect a fraction of a second later and removed its head from its body with my legs. You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: No experience was earned. What? It never fails to impress me how quick jumping spiders are, Cellestra said. Youre doing a good job being one, Kealyna. Was that an insult or a compliment? Her smile seemed to be one of honesty. What was with the experience though? Elysa? Your experience rate is lowered for creatures that are considered too easy for you to kill. Damn. That sucked. I knew for certain my evolution probably had something to do with it, but I imagined getting spoon-fed experience wouldnt work anymore? It worked before, though. No easy evolutions for me, I guess In that case I was going to need to go out hunting again I had come to enjoy the elfs company. It had done a great deal of work on my spirit. Not being able to talk to anyone had started to gnaw at me. I was going to ask her to put me outside after some things Id have to take care of. I could always return here when I wanted, right? Would she mind? Faragi I''ve been feeling terrible, but I still wanted to get this chap out today. Please do enjoy <3 1.19 Not a Spider Cellestra was about to grab another beetle when I shook my pedipalps in my no gesture. She frowned and asked what was wrong. I moved back to the book and pointed at an N an O and then spelled the word power for her again. No power? I nodded. I see. That must be harsh. I repeated my gestures. Hold on, She said as she stood up. Im going to make this communicating a bit easier for you. She walked to the bookcase and pulled out a sheet of clean paper from a stack that lay on top of some books. She then walked over to the stove and obtained a piece of charcoal. The elf then sat down at the table again and started writing the alphabet in large letters with plenty of space in between each. In the meantime, I looked at my enhancement options once more. Enhancement Cost in EP Venom 5 Improved Magic Resistance 20 Advanced Magic Resistance 40 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 Toxin Resistance 5 Spider Thread 5 Improved Spider Thread 10 Advanced Spider Thread 20 Extremely Weak Fireball 1 Weak Fireball 3 Extremely Weak Ice Lance 1 Weak Ice Lance 3 Very Weak Mana Reserves 1 Weak Mana Reserves 3 Mana Reserves 5 Very Weak Mana Regeneration 1 Weak Mana Regeneration 3 Mana Regeneration 5 Extremely Weak Physical Barrier 1 Weak Physical Barrier 3 Physical Barrier 5 Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 One thing that I had noticed before was that sometimes, with evolutions, you would get a certain skill for free. Right now, I had obtained the magic resistance skill without having to spend any Evolution Points on it. I had saved quite some points with that action. The next thing I had noticed was that even the lowest-tier magic abilities were unavailable. I had a suspicion as to why that was but I decided to ask Elysa anyway. Current mana reserves are insufficient to cast the selected spell. Seems I was right about that. In order to cast one of the spells, Id have to enhance my reserves first. I also noticed now that my language comprehension enhancements were not cursive. That likely meant I would have been able to choose them with the other evolutions as well. I asked to confirm if that was the case. Affirmative. What else did I want to know...? Could I get new enhancements to appear in any other way than evolutions? Elysa? Negative. Certain unique enhancements may be unlocked through special evolutions, which are unlocked through achievements. Some enhancements may be combined into a single one at later levels, such as venom resistance and poison resistance. Toxin resistance provides resistance to both. Hmmmmm These special evolutions seemed to be quite powerful. Elysa, is there an evolution that will allow me to speak? Affirmative. There is one evolution path that allows for speech. You have already unlocked the prerequisite for the first evolution of this path. Ohhh, interesting. Was that the rainbow evolution path? It had to be. That only made me want to go out to hunt even more. If I could talk to Cellestra, I could communicate so much faster and more efficiently. Would she be willing to help me in my quest? She seemed like a nice person, but helping a spider it seemed like such a long shot. I stared at my enhancement screen once more. I had twenty-five points to spend, and I knew my next evolution would most likely be the green option, which would increase my venom potency and resistance to toxins. If precedence was anything to go by, it would mean I could enhance those for free. If I didnt spend any points on them now, I could gain quite a bit of value there. Besides, I was semi-forced into enhancing my magic in this evolution anyway. It kind of scared me how many Evolution Points I was going to need to enhance all the spells that were in cursive. For both magic resistance enhancements alone, I was going to need a whopping sixty points I did a quick calculation in my head I would need the insane amount of 130 points to get every skill! Elysa I didnt dare to ask How many points will I have when I hit level 10? If I dont spend any, that is. Calculating... Without spending any Evolution Points, you will have 93 by the time you achieve level 10. Damn. That would not be enough to get everything. I would have to either make up the difference by acquiring achievements or simply skimp out on a few things Hopefully, I would be able to acquire them later down the line once I had the rainbow evolution. The rainbow evolution also meant I could acquire the lowest skill of each tier and upgrade them later I did want to get the offensive magic spells, though. If they were powerful enough to take out creatures that would give me a lot of experience, I would be able to level up quickly. Besides that, the physical barrier spell felt almost mandatory for me. It was one of the spells I knew from my old life Cellestra finished writing the alphabet on paper. This would allow me to communicate at a much faster rate already, as it made clear which letters I wanted to convey in an instant. She laid it before me on the table. The first thing I spelled out was a simple thank you. No problem Kealyna. It must be hard to live like that. I wrote yes. Is there anything I can do to help you? She asked. What? Did she offer her help just like that? Was there anything? I didnt feel like there was anything she could help me with, right now. I had just found a new short-term goal for myself: Acquire the ability to speak. I feared that it would be a necessity to get anywhere It took me some time to spell out, Not right now. I see. She leaned over forward again. What would you like to do? I would like to go outside, but I first wanted to enhance my abilities, one by one, so I wouldnt have to go through the pain that I went through before. I used my pedipalps to point at letters again. Need few minutes. Sure. Take all the time you need. I decided to focus on my offensive magic first. My physical strength and resistance were already as high as they could be, save for my jaws and teeth. I considered enhancing them, but Id need to find out how strong this magic was first. If I could kill from afar, I hardly had any use for them. I decided to enhance my mana reserves and regeneration to the highest I could, before upgrading my fireball to weak and taking the first level of physical barrier. I enhanced each skill separately. Sometimes the enhancement brought pain, sometimes they brought warmth. Over the course of a few minutes, Id enhanced all the skills I wanted. I had two points left for now. My next points would go into upgrading this physical barrier, just to be safe. That was a lie. I wanted this spell badly. My inner knight was screaming for it! Come to think of it, I never learned how to use a fireball in my old life. I had just enhanced the ability and I somehow knew how to make the mana flow specifically for a fireball. This was crazy. I remember some of the knights that I had trained with had studied for weeks to learn the basics of a fireball, yet I had just learned how to do it within literal seconds. This blessing was scary in a way. Everything was now set for me to go out and gather more experience again. I spelled out more words for Cellestra who looked with great curiosity. Outside please. You want me to take you back outside? I gestured yes, before spelling three more words. Am I welcome. She had forgotten to write down a question mark, but I guessed the intent was clear enough. Youre more than welcome Kealyna. If you want me to open the door, just tap the glass I guess. Im looking forward to your next visit. Same, I spelled. It was the truth. I had to honor my vows and live as honestly as I could. I was looking forward to visiting Cellestra again. Even if our communication was crude, it was nice to talk to someone. Would she mind if I stayed the night here? I imagined in here it would be much safer than outside in some kind of burrow. Survival had been one of my priorities. I decided to just ask. Can stay night, I spelled. Sure. As long as you dont go tapping my window when its already dark, She said with a smile. Be here before nightfall. Got it. Thanks, I wrote again. Im happy to help such an adorable little spider such as you. But Im not a spider! Faragi Thanks for the comments wishing me well people. been feeling a lot better today already <3 Even managed to get a chapter for Elania done. Up to 23 in backlog rn :3 1.20 Fire at Will The elf giggled again. I swear she was making fun of me at this point! She laid her palm open on the table next to me, and I stepped on it as soon as I was ready. I had done everything I could do regarding choosing my skills and such. When I stepped on her palm, I had a good comparison for how much Id grown during my last evolution. Before, I was the size of her thumb. Now, I was the size of her palm, which was about double, I think. Cellestra stood up and walked through the door. Beyond it, was a small hallway with another door to the left and a door in front of us. She opened the door in front of us and stepped outside. The elf then knelt to put me down in the short grass. I was finally taller than the grass and waved at her as she stood back up to her towering height. She waved with her fingers, and I was off. It was time to find out how strong this fireball was. Before doing that, however, I cast the all-too-familiar physical barrier magic. This magic would create an invisible shield around me that would block incoming damage and projectiles as long as they were not magic-based. After casting it, I found out I could maintain it without a low, steady supply of magic. That was new to me. That was not how this barrier worked in my old life. Elysa, is there any reason that this barrier works differently? Your previous memories have increased this spells effectiveness. Well, now I was just left cursing at myself for not learning any more spells in my old life. I had this one, a minor magic enchantment for my weapon, and a magic barrier. I could completely forget about using a weapon in my current state, and the magic barrier hasnt shown up, at least not yet. I was hoping it would at some point. I shoved the thought aside. I would first have to evolve again before new skill options would show up. For that, I would need to find new prey. I left Cellestra behind and skittered across the grassy fields that surrounded her small home. I was going to need to find some cover from birds first. Though, I guess small birds shouldnt be too hard to take on at this point. Id rather not risk another fall like that, though. I got out of that relatively unscathed last time, but I was quite a bit heavier now. My purple color didnt really work with me either. It would be easy to spot me on the dirt ground that was present throughout this forest. I took one last look at Cellestra, just as she was heading back inside, before I focused on my mission. I was quite far away from the cave in which I was born anew and I wondered what kinds of animals Id be able to find in this area of the forest. I was surprised to run into one of the beetles that had caused me a lot of pain when I tried to kill one. This time, however, I had a ranged attack! I slowly skittered closer and waited until the creature stood still before I raised my pedipalps and let the mana flow the way my mind told me. A fireball twice the size of the insect formed within an instant and shot toward it. It impacted and the beetle exploded into a shower of bits and pieces. I had the feeling that wasnt the power of the fireball alone You have killed a Forest Bombardier beetle: EXP+70 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 8 EP. Learning magic certainly had made this quite a bit easier. I feared this attack would drain me too much, but it appeared my mana regeneration skill did wonders. I could already feel the spent mana reforming in my core. That attack seemed quite powerful in itself, even if the explosion was presumably caused by the liquid that was sprayed at me last time. I was happy to find out they still gave full experience too! I was excited about this spell. It seemed to be powerful enough to take on even stronger creatures. It would be risky, but it could certainly pay off in huge experience gains, perhaps even some achievements. I imagined I could exploit my versatility when it came to climbing certain things and the ability to cast from range in a safe spot to do just that. For now, I was happy to take out anything I could get my hands well, pedipalps, I guess, on. I went from tree to tree, searching for insects and other small animals that could be found around them. I found another stag beetle which was easily taken out after I jumped on it. You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: EXP+10 Out here in the forest, they still seemed to give a bit of experience. It wasnt much, but anything would do. When I looked up at one of the tree trunks, I saw a familiar hole. I waited for a bit, and it didnt take long for the creature that lived inside to come out. A squirrel, about twice my size, came out and ran down the trunk. I had already prepared my fireball spell and as soon as it stood still, I fired. I hit it right in the middle of its body, causing its fur to burn as the creature didnt know what happened to it. I simply waited as it died from the impact and resulting blaze. You have killed a Forest Squirrel: EXP+130 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 7 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 4! You have been awarded 8 EP. This magic was awesome! I could take out creatures that were larger than me without too much effort. To think this was considered a weak fireball. Even though I felt my mana regenerating, there was no doubt I couldnt use this spell recklessly. Using this too often would still drain me, no matter what. My mana regeneration wasnt high enough to make up for it. It made me wonder if higher-tier spells would require more mana, or whether they were simply more powerful. In my old world, it was both. I would have to look into it later, when I had the next rank of the fireball spell. Whenever that was going to be I checked the hole in the tree, wondering if there were any more squirrels inside, but found it empty of life. The only thing inside was a stash of acorns. Im not sure what I expected I was about to go outside when another squirrels face appeared in the opening. The moment it saw me, it attacked. It tried biting me, but my physical damage barrier absorbed the attack while I cast another fireball. I fired it from point-blank range and caused quite a bit of backlash because of the confined area I found myself in. I easily killed the squirrel, but was blown back by the impact so close to me. The resulting explosion also forced the animal back out of the hole. Ouch. You have killed a Forest Squirrel: EXP+133 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 5! You have been awarded 7 EP. Lesson learned. Be careful when entering someone elses house uninvited. Their inhabitants may show up and try to kill you. Sure, the experience was welcome, but Id hurt myself in the process. It wasnt too bad, but I decided to wait here for a bit and let my regeneration do its job. After an hour or so, I felt like the mostly superficial damage had healed enough for me to continue my hunt. I went about from tree to tree again and eventually found another burrow like the one Id found earlier. I quietly skittered inside, hoping that its occupants were sleeping. Once I arrived in the dark main room, I found another group of mice snugly sleeping together. I felt a pang of guilt at killing something that would otherwise be considered cute, but I wanted to live too. I was going to have to make this one fireball do a lot of damage. I decided to walk back into the tunnel to level up my spider thread skill once, just to have a bit more combat power in case things went wrong. After selecting it, I felt a warmth flow to my behind, where my spinnerets were located. When the moment passed, I walked back into the main room and used my now stronger silk to cover the exit. I then prepared my fireball cast from a safe distance and aimed at the middle of the sleeping mice. Then, I threw it. Faragi Have fun people <3 If you''re enjoying this story, and spiders in general, I suggest checking out my other story ''''Elania, Arachne in a Different World." Its start especially will have to be rewritten at some point to ensure the flow etc is better, but it you can through the first 20 or so chapters, I believe most people enjoy it very much after that. <3 1.21 Dance! I shook the mice awake with a literal explosion as the fireball impacted in their center. Three blue squares popped up immediately. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: EXP+30 You have killed a Small Forest mouse: EXP+31 You have killed a Small Forest mouse: EXP+27 I didnt have time to read them, as two mice still lived. They seemed to have caught some part of the blast, but they yet lived. And they seemed angry. Good thing I was prepared for this. As soon as they had recovered, they charged at me. I feigned retreat and jumped up above the web. Both of the mice seemed to have fallen for my trap. I imagined part of the success was thanks to the fireball completely taking them by surprise. Either way, I had two mice stuck in my stronger webs. They struggled, but I knew they were not getting out of that. I finished them off by cutting into their necks with my strong legs. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: EXP+34 You have killed a Small Forest mouse: EXP+28 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 6! You have been awarded 8 EP. I took some time to read the messages now that it was quiet. It appeared that the mice had started giving reduced experience, which was quite a bit of a bummer, but I couldnt complain. All that had still given me a level, so I was happy. There were only four levels to go until my next evolution, and I still had plenty of time left this day to work towards it. I did stay in the burrow for a while to recover my lost mana. In the meantime, I moved the mice that were stuck in the web and laid them on their charred allies. I also took another look at my available enhancements. Name: Kealyna Race: Large Purple Jumping Spider Level: 6/10 Experience: 43/180 Evolution Points: 40 Enhancement Cost in EP Venom 5 Improved Magic Resistance 20 Advanced Magic Resistance 40 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 Toxin Resistance 5 Improved Spider Thread 10 Advanced Spider Thread 20 Extremely Weak Ice Lance 1 Weak Ice Lance 3 Weak Physical Barrier 3 Physical Barrier 5 Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Id already reduced the immense list from before by quite a bit. I had plenty of points that I could spend on the actual spells. I decided to do just that. I got the highest level physical barrier and ice lance. I also decided to get the next level of spider thread while I was at it. I did this over the course of several minutes, of course. I had learned my lesson. With all those enhancements being forced upon my body, I saw the list before me shrink to a fraction of what it was before. I would have smiled at the sight if I could. It made me feel like I had accomplished something. I was still slightly worried over the fact that all of these new enhancements were very much focused on offense. This evolution didnt seem to put any emphasis on defense from physical attacks besides the barrier spell. Speaking of barrier spell I cast the new level of the physical barrier that Id just acquired and felt the ever-so-familiar magic surround and envelop my spidery body. I could feel this one was much stronger than the previous one I had already. I would still have to be careful, but I knew I could take a few hits with this. I tried casting the magic barrier that I knew, but its mana requirement to cast was far too high. I was going to have to rely on that showing up in my enhancement list at some point. I finished my preparations and exited the burrow. I then continued my hunt for experience. Then I ran into something. Or rather, it ran into me. A jumping spider, smaller than the size Id been in my previous evolution skittered up to me and stood still. I was about to jump on it to kill it when something odd happened. Some kind of flap rose from the spiders abdomen. It had all kinds of colorful patterns. Red, blue, green, and purple were all present and they reflected the sunlight, giving it a somewhat magical feel. The spider before me raised its third set of legs up in the air and started moving from left to right. What was it doing? Wait a second This was a mating ritual, wasnt it? I mean, the colors were beautiful and all, but I wasnt that kind of spider. In fact, I wasnt a spider at all! After observing this spiders antics for a while, it started approaching me. How about... no? As soon as it dared step close to me, I gripped it with my pedipalp and quickly finished it off with my legs. You have killed a Brown Jumping Spider: No experience was earned. Achievement earned: Fatal Attraction Killed a possible mate. You have been awarded 5 EP Well, that was interesting I felt gross. Id almost been violated by a spider. Not that he stood any chance of beating me, but still just it trying to woo me made me feel disgusted. At least the Evolution Points were welcome. I wouldnt let it get to me, though. I had better things to do right now. Unfortunately, most of that was simply killing other creatures. Id been thinking about these achievements Id been getting, but found that it was hard to figure out exactly what I could get and what achievements would be important for powerful future evolutions. If only I could find out about the requirements I shook it off for now as I continued my hunting trip. I didnt want to stray too far from Cellestras home, but the sound of running water caught my attention. Water would always attract animals. I would have to be careful, but if there was any place to run into other animals, it would be near a water source. I followed the sound, running through some vegetation that was in my path, before ending up near a small stream of water. I stayed at a safe distance, hidden in the nearby ferns, as I observed two wolves drink from the stream. Bingo. While I was not going to try taking on wolves, it proved my hypothesis. I could use this as a spot to ambush unsuspecting animals. I observed the wolves walk away and stayed low for a while, hoping something would show up. When nothing did after an hour or so of boredom, I decided to get something to drink, myself. When I approached the body of water, I could see several fish following the waters currents. I was going to go fishing They were bound to give experience. I mean, there were fish in there that were over twice my size. One of the fish noticed me and jumped out of the water. I was quick to react and jumped to the side. This fish was denser than a rock. It had gotten itself on land. Now what? I saw the completely red fish flopping about as it was slowly moving back to the water. Oh, no you dont. I skittered to the large fish and noticed it had a mouth full of sharp teeth. It was also quite large. Not quite large enough to eat me, but I imagined that if I accidentally fell into the water, it might just be able to do a lot of damage to me. On land, however I gripped it with my pedipalps and felt the fish struggling to get back to the water. I had other plans. I dragged it the opposite way. It required all my strength, but I felt the fishs struggling die down after a while as it suffocated. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +90 Small? If this one was already over twice my size, how big would a large one be? I wondered how this fish tasted I wasnt hungry, though. Maybe Cellestra would be able to cook it into something? Hmmm, roasted fish sounded delicious. I was certainly going to take this back to Cellestra. How was I going to get it back to her home, though? I thought for a moment and decided to simply drag behind me, connected to a thread. I imagined some dirt shouldnt be a problem. I was curious how she would react. It wasnt like I was a cat dragging in something absolutely useless. This fish seemed like it would be divine when cooked properly. I kept my eyes wide open as I started my return trip to the elfs forest home. Unfortunately, I couldnt do anything as a bird swooped in and stole my fish right from behind me. As soon as it grabbed the fish from me, I fired a fireball out of pure anger. That fish was for Cellestra you damned bird! I fired another fireball. Unfortunately, both missed. I cursed at the bird as it flew off with my gift. I then sighed and decided to try to catch another one. I wanted fish 1.22 Gone Fishin’ I decided Id go fishing. The experience I got from that one fish wasnt half bad. I got the bright idea of using my ice lance spell to try to kill them while they were still in the water. How I was going to get them out was a different story, but I would worry about that later. In hindsight, I should have probably taken this spell earlier. I could have avoided the backlash I experienced with that squirrel earlier. The spell itself was a simple icicle that shot forward in a straight line. The reason I decided to use that instead of a fireball when shooting it into a stream of water couldnt be more obvious. In my rage, Id actually spent quite a bit of mana casting two unnecessary fireballs. I should learn to control my temper, I couldnt use spells without thinking like that. I decided to wait a bit before casting spells. In the meantime, I would try to get fish to jump out of the water like the other one. I thought about making a net, if only for a brief moment, and quickly concluded that it would require too much silk to span this stream. I estimated it to be about six feet across. I wasnt even going to try. A hook might work, but Id have to ask Cellestra for one. Baiting them would simply be faster. I did create a small line of silk with a small ball of thread at the end. I then lowered the knotty end into the water and moved it slightly in order to attract fish. I saw a couple of fish swim in the crystal clear water. Most of them were entirely red, like the one Id killed, but there were a few more common fish in there as well. I saw several fairly large goldfish pass me by. I believe I even saw a pike, although it passed too quickly for me to confirm. It was a big one too. I seemed to get little attention, but eventually, one of the red fish seemed to be interested in my bait. I pulled in the line with my pedipalps and waved as if to taunt the fish when it got close. Its attention was caught. It jumped out of the water, and I jumped to the side. I repeated the same actions Id taken before and simply kept it away from the water long enough for it to die. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +92 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 7! You have been awarded 7 EP. Nice. I thought about dragging the fish towards the nearest tree and hiding it under the nearby vegetation but decided I was going to try to catch more of these anyway. If anything, this would prevent birds from trying to eat me. They could simply take a fish instead. I was going to assume they preferred something with more meat on it. I continued my fishing trip. It took a while for me to get a response from another fish, but I finally got lucky after what felt like an eternity. A larger fish seemed to be interested in my lure. I presumed this wasnt considered a small reaperfish anymore. It was faster, too. I barely managed to jump out of the way as it lunged forward. This fish was easily four times my size, possibly more. When I skittered close to prevent it from dragging itself back to the water, it turned and snapped at me with its many teeth. I had to take a step back in order to avoid getting bit. I had this physical barrier and all, but not getting hit was the best defense. It dragged itself back to the water slowly, but steadily. It seemed to be able to survive on land quite a bit longer than the other fish. I skittered close again earning another snap aimed at me. This was one angry fish. I ran circles around it in order to keep it occupied. As long as it tried to attack me whenever I would get close, it couldnt get back to the water. It would eventually die, right? After a minute or three, the fish seemed to lose strength. Instead of trying to bite me when I got close, it was now solely focused on getting back to the water. I saw my chance and grabbed the red fishs tail with my pedipalps and tried pulling it back. This fish was immensely strong and was able to drag itself, even as I tried pulling it back. I slowed it down significantly, and I hoped it would be enough before it got to safety. Its strength waned further, and I started to get the upper hand. My strength became enough to keep it in one place. Id won. A minute or so after that, it flopped over to a side and a blue square popped up. You have killed a Red Reaperfish: EXP +163 This was an excellent catch. I couldnt wait to see Cellestras face when I showed up with a fish that was this many times my own size. Before going back, I wanted to at least try to get a bit more experience with my spells. I looked up to the sky and noticed the sun starting to get close to the horizon. I had no idea it was this late already. Had I been so invested in all this hunting that the time had simply slipped me by? I disregarded the thought for now and skittered back to the edge of the stream. There were still plenty of fish about. I readied my ice lance cast and fired at the nearest fish. The icicle pierced the water but missed the fish Id targeted. It was then I forgot something important when spearfishing. One had to aim lower than where the fish actually was. I didnt quite know how it worked, but Id picked that little fact up from someone in a tavern after duties once. I estimated that I could cast the ice lance spell twice more before running into mana issues. I was a bit disappointed I had not remembered this simple hunting trick earlier, but there was no point in dwelling on it. I waited until I saw a fish that swam by slowly. This time I aimed lower and fired my ice lance. The resulting icicle cleanly pierced through the fish. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +84 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 8! You have been awarded 8 EP. I disregarded the messages as I wanted to fire my last spell before heading back to the elfs home for the night. If I lingered here too long, another bird may steal the prize that I had secured for us. I saw another reaperfish approach the corpse of the other reaperfish. The dead fishs blood got mixed in the water and seemed to get attention from the other nearby carnivorous fish. I should have thought of this earlier. I cursed at myself for not thinking about it. I mean, I had done the same thing with the moths earlier. I was definitely going to exploit this tomorrow. I should be able to get my next evolution the next day. After that, I would have to see if these fish still gave as much experience. Their experience was great, but it was severely limited by the fact that I couldnt use too many spells in quick succession, and they didnt seem to be extremely interested in a piece of silk. They were interested in me, but only if they got very close. I wondered if their eyesight was as terrible as mine had been when I first woke up as a spider. I could perhaps use some part of the previously caught fish as bait in order to lure them out of the water That should work. I took aim at one of the fish who was now eagerly eating its dead species member. I fired my ice lance and watched it skewer the fish. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +87 With that, I quickly skittered back to the large fish Id killed and started dragging it behind me as I ran over to Cellestras house as quickly as I could. Which turned out to be not that fast with a fish as large as this in tow. I was lucky my legs were quite powerful, otherwise, this would have been impossible. I also made sure to watch for birds in the sky. There was no way I was going to let anyone try to take this from me. While moving through the grass in the clearing outside the wooden building, I saw Cellestra exit. She seemed like she wanted to move to the nearest tree first, but once she noticed me, she gasped and instead walked up to me. I knew shed be impressed. 1.23 Dinner Cellestra walked close and knelt while smiling. Youve been busy I see. I nodded with my limbs. Why did you bring that here? Do you want me to prepare it? I nodded again. Alright. Lets get you and your catch inside then. She picked up the fish and walked back towards her home. I followed her as she opened the door and went inside. Once inside, she placed the fish in the sink. She then turned around and placed her hands on the floor. I stepped in and she gently placed me on the table, next to the piece of paper with the letters. I noticed she added a question mark on it I wasnt prepared for fish tonight, but Ill make it work. I was just going out for some herbs, anyway. She knelt and added some wood to the stove, before lighting it with her fire magic. Nice catch, by the way, She said before standing up and turning to me. How did you do it? I skittered to the paper and started pointing at letters. Baited out of water. I see. She walked over to the kitchen and reached into one of the cabinets and pulled out a small metal bucket. Ill go get some herbs and water to clean that fish. Ill be back in a bit. I gestured yes with my pedipalps. Now that we can communicate a lot easier, there are some questions Id like to ask when I return. Will you be okay with that? I nodded again. Neat. She smiled. Ill be right back. She left me behind and wondering what kind of questions she would ask. I was pretty much done for the day regarding my hunts, and there was still enough time left to try to get to know the elf better, I guessed. Besides, she hardly knew anything about me. I mean, it was hard to exactly tell her who I was, but I should still be able to do it with these letters, even if it took some time. My mind wandered off on its own. Why was this elf living here in the forest alone? Why were her eyes purple? Was that normal for this worlds elves? I realized I hardly knew anything about her, and she about me, yet she had given me a safe place to spend the nights. From what I had observed so far, I had to conclude she was a nice person. But something was off about her I didnt know how to put it I shrugged it off as the eyes, but maybe Id find out soon. I observed the tarantula in its enclosure while I waited, noticing I had grown to almost the same size now. What was in the other enclosure, though? I hadnt seen anything yet. My curiosity got the better of me and I skittered over to it, trying to see what was inside. My powerful eyes couldnt spot anything inside the glass walls. I had to conclude it was empty. I decided to take a quick look at my progress while Cellestra was still outside. Name: Kealyna Race: Large Purple Jumping Spider Level: 8/10 Experience: 169/240 Evolution Points: 38 Skills: Language Comprehension - Elven Improved Regeneration Weak Venom Weak Jaws and Teeth Improved Spider Thread Very Weak Venom Resistance Very Weak Poison Resistance Weak Fireball Weak Ice Lance Improved Exoskeleton Hardening Improved Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening Excellent Spider Vision Magic Resistance Physical Barrier Mana Reserves Mana Regeneration I would still need 80 Evolution Points to enhance all the evolution-specific skills. I knew with only two levels left, that that was not going to happen. There was one other option that I could do. Since my rainbow spider evolution would allow me to upgrade all my currently learned skills to the maximum level of any skill that I possessed, it would be important to get at least one skill to the advanced level. The only skill that I would be able to get to that point would be my spider thread. Once I had a skill at advanced I would be able to upgrade any other skill to advanced in my next evolution form. I just had to pray that I would be able to get enough Evolution Points during my next evolution to be able to upgrade most of my skills. I had so many skills, I doubted I could This evolution planning was a hassle, but Id get through it. I had no doubt about it. I decided to enhance my thread and leave my magic resistance where it was for now. A familiar warmth flowed through my behind, and by the time it subsided, the elf walked back into the room. She had the bucket filled with water in one hand and some small leaves in the other. She smiled as she saw me observe her. Let me just get this fish cleaned and descaled. Ill be with you in a bit. I used my gestures to indicate a nod. I honestly couldnt wait to get that speech ability. I saw the sun set and the world outside the window become dark. Cellestra had several candles throughout the room that she lit as darkness fell. She then placed some kind of crystal orb around the candles flames which intensified the light tenfold. Id never seen anything like it. It had me staring, even as she continued with the fish. In case you were wondering, Cellestra murmured. I do catch these fish every now and then myself. I was planning to get a mushroom stew going for tonight, but this works fine, too. That made me wonder. How far was she away from any town? Would she need to get everything from the forest? Would she even be able to have or make bread? She didnt seem worried about any of this. At least, not as far as I could see. Cellestra skillfully filleted the fish and placed it in an oven tray with the leaves shed gathered. She then placed it inside the stove before making her way to the sole chair. So, Kealyna, She started. Since we have some more time now, please tell me what happened to you. If you dont mind telling me, that is. I pointed at the letters with my legs to speak with her. It is fine. I then started with what happened not so long ago. Was knight. Protected family from bandits. Died. Got reincarnated as spider. Appears this is different world. Cellestras smile disappeared as I created the words. She simply shook her head by the time Id spelled it all out. Unbelievable Elysa told me my parents alive in this world. They died when I was little. Elysa? You mean, goddess Elysa? I made my nodding gesture. You spoke to her? She looked at me in shock. Yes. She gave me blessing to get strong. When I kill get experience. Enough experience I evolve. Hoping to get strong to find parents. Communicating like this took a very long time but it worked. Cellestra seemed dumbfounded after my story. She walked off to check on the fish before returning, all the while she shook her head. A blessing from the goddess. I cant believe it. Why did she turn you into a spider in the first place? I didnt think she was evil. She did not. got sucked into portal. Curse placed on me. Someone else did. Elysa gave me message. mentioned I should be wary of name Hograd. Hograd? He is a god that the humans and some elves worship here. Not the nicest type from what Ive been told. The elf sighed and leaned back. Im sorry you have to go through all of that Kealyna. I believe you want to look for your parents, correct? I gestured yes. I wish I could help you with that, but you see, Im not exactly what I appear to be, either. I looked at her with a mix of curiosity and fear. I may appear like an elf, but Im not that. Not fully, at least. You see, Ive always been told I was cursed. My mother happened to be near a dungeon when its core exploded when she was pregnant with me. It appears the resulting energies have corrupted me. That sounded bad. Its not that bad, honestly. These purple eyes are a result of that but theres something else too, that Id rather not share as of now. She sighed. Dont worry. Im perfectly healthy. All this just caused me to be exiled. I cant really go to any village. Ive been forced to live out here alone. Its one of the reasons Im quite happy with some company. She paused for a moment and let her eyes roll to the bookcase. Ive been working on finding a way to reverse this curse. Ive had no success so far, but I did manage to create some useful potions and healing powders and ointments that I sometimes sell to a merchant who visits me sometimes. That sounded sad. I truly felt sorry for her. If only I still had my body and armor. I could try to help her, at least somewhat, as repayment for what she''d done for me so far. This just felt unfair 1.24 Mistakes? Cellestra walked over to the stove, put on a pair of mittens, and took out the tray. She then took out two plates and prepared them. My knightly heart still ached at the apparent injustice before me. Part of me was saddened that she couldnt help me beyond having a place to stay. If she couldnt go to any village, she wouldnt be able to ask around for any information regarding my parents. I expected I wouldnt be able to get anywhere close to a village either. If my evolutions were anything to go by, I would end up being a large monstrous spider by the time I would get the ability to speak. I doubted I would get voluntary help. Cellestra placed the two plates on the table, and we ate in silence. The meal was wonderful, but I wasnt focused on the food before me. I had my own list of things I would do, but my heart was restless. I still wanted to help people wherever I could, and it wasnt currently doing me any good Cellestras smile after dinner distracted me from my own thoughts. She took my now empty plate and her own and washed them with the water she had left in the bucket. After finishing, she returned and started talking to me once more. I hope youll succeed, Kealyna. Are you sure youre safe out here? I used the letters to communicate again. Will have to make work. Need enemies that are not easy to get experience. Willing to do anything it takes. Thats very admirable. I would have probably given up the moment I became a spider... Goddess blessing keeping me going. I guess youre right. Youre lucky to have received that. Im praying Elysa will help me out someday with this little problem of my own, but it seems nothing compared to yours. Getting better, I spelled out. Was worse when I just reincarnated. Yeah. Ive seen you grow and change color. I was surprised at first, but I figured out it was you fairly quickly. Could you tell me more about this blessing? I evolve and gain new skills. Color affects skill choice. Purple evolution allows magic. Can cast fireball and ice lance now. Thats very interesting. I know of certain monsters using magic, but they are usually far larger than you are. She smiled again. Such an odd spider. Not spider. Elf. Im sorry, She apologized, seemingly realizing my feelings. I wont say that again. She sighed. Its still hard for me to grasp. I hope youll forgive me. Yes. Thank you, Kealyna. She stared at the window for a few seconds. Its late. I should go to bed. Good night, I spelled out for her. Good night, Kealyna. I hope you dont mind waiting for me. It is fine. There wasnt a lot for me to say. I would need to sleep as well. She lowered the crystals that were on the candles, which extinguished the flames. Cellestra left me behind as she left the room. I took one last look at my current experience before I decided to try to sleep as well. Hopefully, Id hit my next evolution tomorrow. ____________________________________________________________________________ I woke up from the door opening. Cellestra stepped into the room and noticed me standing up. Morning, Kealyna. I simply waved with one of my legs. She giggled at my gesture. Would you like me to put you outside already? I thought for a second. There was nothing I had to do inside. I might as well start early. I nodded with my pedipalps. Eager to get to work, arent you? She said with a sly smile, before placing her palm on the table. I stepped on it and she carried me outside where she put me on the grass. Take care out there. Id hate for my only communication outlet to get eaten. I wasnt going to let that happen. To be fair, the number of creatures that could actually eat me started to diminish quite a bit. Sure, these fish could probably kill me if I screwed up, but I had many tools to prevent that from happening. I looked at the sky. I couldnt quite see the sun above the trees yet, but the sky was blue and free of clouds. The temperature was pleasant, too. It was an excellent day to go fishing. I kept my eyes open for any predatory birds and skittered my way towards the edge of the clearing. Not far beyond it, lay the stream where I would hopefully fish up enough experience to get my next evolution. I wondered once more just how often I could evolve and what size I would end up getting. I quickly shoved it away to focus on the task at hand. I created a small line of silk with a knot at the end to bait fish to the surface. I would try to kill a couple of them by getting them onto land, before using my magic later on. Should I try to bring one home with me again? I decided against it. I dont quite know why, but I thought fish again might bore Cellestra. I cast my physical barrier spell and placed the knot on the water. I pulled on the thread a few times in order to make it seem interesting enough for any fish to surface. It took about ten minutes before one of the reaperfish caught wind of it. I dragged in the line and made sure that it saw me. It leaped out of the water, and I jumped to the side. Next up was the struggle for the fish to get back to the stream. Nope. I grabbed its tail fins and dragged it back. It died soon after. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +91 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 7 EP. I was getting so close now. I started getting all excited again. I really should stop getting excited at becoming a bigger, more deadly spider... I took a quick look at my experience and noticed I would need about three more fish to hit the level cap. The idea I had in my mind was to try to catch another fish this way, before using bait in the water to get my last kills with ice lance. The knotty end of the thread was placed in the water again, and I started playing with it. This time, one of the fish was quick to react. It jumped out of the water before it even seemed interested in my bait. I quickly jumped to the side just before it got me. I was surprised, but had been quick enough to evade the fish. I was going to make it pay dearly for that. I dragged the fish further away from the water and watched it die down. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +90 Time to prepare some bait I brought the dead fish close to the water and used a leg to impale its side, drawing blood. I then slowly pushed the fish back into the water and observed its body float as red blood flowed downstream. Within seconds, multiple reaperfish were drawn in by the red liquid that mixed with the water. I prepared my ice lance spell, aimed and cast it. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +91 One of the fish got impaled through its side with an icicle and its blood soon joined the other fishs. More fish stopped and started eating the corpses in the water that acted as the perfect bait. It only made my goal easier. There was no way I was going to miss another ice lance this way. I aimed once more and fired. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +69 You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: No experience was awarded. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 8 EP. Level Cap Reached Evolutions Available! I chuckled in my mind. It appeared Id killed two fish with one ice lance. It was more than enough to get me up to level 10. I read the level-up message and the evolution message as I skittered back to the nearby vegetation. Suddenly, worry started building within me. The last message was missing the line about a special evolution being available! I hurried my way back to Cellestras home. I was going to find out exactly what was up with that message there. I couldnt shake off the worry that something was wrong, however. I prayed I hadnt screwed up. My focus was brought back to my surroundings as I crossed the green clearing up to the elfs home. I scaled the wall up to the window and tapped it with my legs. I could see Cellestra reading one of her books when she noticed me in the window. She stood up and left the room. She soon appeared outside and extended her palm so I could step in. You done for the day already? She asked. I was brought to safety inside the building and put on the table where I would answer her with the letters on the paper. Before answering her, however, I took a look at my evolution options and confirmed the special evolution wasnt there anymore. Crap Faragi As I mentioned before, I contacted the artist who made the illustration that I''m currently using as cover and check this super cute sketch he made <3 <333333 Thank you, Patrons <333 1.25 Insight I heaved a deep, mental sigh. Can evolve, I wrote. I was still staring at my options Green Resica Evolution that specializes in camouflage in forest areas. In addition, toxin resistance and venom are improved. Abdomen is enlarged to support more power. Purple Resica Evolution that specializes in web strength and magic manipulation. Provides a bonus to magic resistance. Abdomen is enlarged to support more power. I only had two options And more importantly, the rainbow evolution was gone! Elysa, what happened to the rainbow evolution? You have not completed the necessary achievement to unlock the evolution following Large Rainbow Jumping Spider. Shit. That meant that even if I had picked the evolution before, I would have to find out what that achievement was, and complete it in order to continue my power growth? That just seemed unfair. What do I do? I could try to unlock the necessary achievement, but I had no idea what in the world I would have to do. Even if I did somehow find out what it was, I would probably get stuck again before my next evolution I would have to pick one of these two options. I didnt want to halt my strength gain. My next question was, which? If I somehow managed to get the rainbow evolution to pop up again, it would be best to have learned the specific skills from the green evolution. However The only new skill I would gain would be paralytic venom. I had just checked the list of the Large Green Forest Jumping Spider to make sure. Paralytic venom at this point seemed useless to me. Whereas if I took the purple evolution, I would likely get an increase in mana reserves and regeneration which I could use to hunt more fish. This would result in a fast experience gain towards my next evolution. I doubted the increased venom levels would have the same effect. This magic allowed me to take out stronger creatures, at the cost of not being able to use it as much as venom. I imagined that it would also allow me to get the necessary achievements faster. I would be sacrificing the option to acquire paralytic venom, but as far as I could tell, it would be the better trade-off. Kealyna? Cellestras voice came. Are you okay? She looked slightly worried. I started pointing at letters with my pedipalps. Was choosing evolution. Had to think. Oh, I see. How exactly does that work? Can choose options, I wrote again. Purple evolution is magic. Green is poison. Orange was strength. An interesting blessing... I gestured yes. I then continued spelling. Will choose evolution. Will knock me out for a while. Will you be okay? She seemed genuinely worried. Will be fine. I tried to reassure her with that. Okay then. Ill be out for a while. I guess Ill see you awake at some point. I waved at her as she exited the room. I looked at the book she was reading and saw a picture of a specific plant. If I were to guess, she was going to search for that. I looked back at my possible evolutions. I had already made up my mind, but I gave them one last look. What were those names, anyway? Resica? Also, what was up with the larger abdomen? More power? Did it mean bigger magic reserves? If that was the case, my choice would be even better. I had already resolved to opt for the purple option. Lets do it, Elysa. A second after confirming it, I felt immense pain. It felt as if my abdomen burst open from the top. I passed out within seconds. ____________________________________________________________________________ When my senses returned, the first thing I felt was hunger I was starving. What had this evolution done to me? Ugh, I was dizzy too. I moved my limbs and stood up. The first thing I saw was Cellestras hands. She was reading a book again. Welcome back, Kealyna. How are you feeling? I saw the paper before me and noticed it had shrunk significantly. How much had I grown? I looked at Cellestras hands and the rest of my body behind me. By the goddess, Id grown at least double my old size. I would barely fit in her hands if she held them open together. My abdomen had grown disproportionately big. It had been as big as my head before, maybe slightly more, but now, it was at least double my heads size. I was clearly not a jumping spider anymore. Maybe I could still jump because of my leg enhancements, but I wasnt sure. I was focused on magic at the moment, though. I used the paper in front of me to convey what I wanted to say. I am okay. Hungry. Yeah. I noticed your size change when I came back inside. Doesnt surprise me at all. I got one of the fishes that you caught. I was just in time before a bird took it from me. She stood up and walked to the kitchen. She came back with a plate with a red reaperfish on it. Its still raw, but I assume thats okay for you? It is fine, yes. This fish, even raw right now it was calling to me. Cellestra placed it on the table and I eagerly started eating; By the way, Cellestra started. How did you get a mouth like that? I spelled the words with one of my legs while I was eating. When I level up, get evolution points. Evolution points used to get skills. Allowed me to get mouth with teeth. Did not know how spiders eat. Huh, yeah, spiders do eat in a weird way, dont they? I can imagine you not knowing about that. I nodded with my legs. The elf turned a page in her book and continued reading. It was funny to see how she could act so nonchalantly when a massive spider was sitting on her table, eating lunch. I saw her glance over at me and smile. I ignored it and finished eating as quickly as I could. When I was finally full, I took a look at my enhancement options. Name: Kealyna Race: Purple Resica Level: 1/10 Experience: 0/50 Evolution Points: 33 Enhancement Cost in EP Venom 5 Improved Venom 10 Improved Magic Resistance 20 Advanced Magic Resistance 40 Strong Magic Resistance 70 Strong Spider Thread 35 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 Toxin Resistance 5 Improved Mana Reserves 10 Improved Mana Regeneration 10 Venom Bolt 5 Fireball 5 Ice lance 5 Water Walking 5 Improved Physical Barrier 10 Very Weak Magical Barrier 1 Weak Magical Barrier 3 Magical Barrier 5 Improved Magical Barrier 10 Weak Healing Light 5 Healing Light 10 Insight of Elysa 150 Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 A list that I swore was even bigger than the previous one opened before me. I went through the list carefully and noted that this evolution had caused a few more spells to show up. That was a pleasant surprise, to say the least. It seemed there was even a spell that would allow me to walk on water. Oh, and the magic barrier showed up! Also, what did this venom bolt do, and why could I not enhance it? The Venom Bolt skill fires a piercing projectile of venom. The potency is based on your current level of the Venom skill. To be able to gain Venom Bolt, you need Venom or a higher level of the Venom skill first. I see. That made sense. It appeared there was also a healing skill. That ought to be quite useful! I had never learned healing magic myself in my old life, but Id been its recipient more than a few times. Healing spells always provided me with a pleasantly warm feeling when they were cast on me. And then there was this odd skill. It was also mighty expensive. Insight of Elysa? What is it? Insight of Elysa Your body and soul are strong enough to now be able to support the full power of the goddesss blessing. WARNING: Painful Uhhhhh? Painful? But What does it do? Insight of Elysa Your body and soul are strong enough to now be able to support the full power of the goddesss blessing. WARNING: Painful Instead of receiving an answer, the same blue square showed again. This whole blessing thing was a good thing, right? It cost a lot of Evolution points. If anything, that alone would have to mean it was something good. I also noticed the skill wasnt in cursive, which would mean it should have popped up if I had picked the other evolution too. I decided I wanted this. The full power of the goddesss blessing sounded like it had to be something good. The pain part, however well, I was scared. 1.26 Ideas Insight It sounded like it would be highly useful. Would this make me know more about my blessing? The cost, though... Elysa, how many points will I have when I hit level ten? By the time you acquire level ten, you will have 164 Evolution Points as long as you dont spend any. Well crap. That would mean I would only get to spend 14 points on other things if I wanted this insight skill. And I wanted it. I could spend those points already, but I was conflicted about which ones I should take I was actually completely lost Are you okay, Kealyna? You seem awfully I dont know how to put it quiet, I guess? Do not know what to choose, I wrote for her. Am still thinking. A shame I cant help you with that, She said softly. Just take as long as you need. She went back to reading her book and my attention was once again on my possible enhancements. This was so troublesome It seemed I was going to be forced into sacrificing some skills if I wanted to select the insight skill later on. If anything, I should try to pick up skills that I didnt have yet, just in case I managed to somehow, accidentally, unlock the rainbow evolution again. How big were my chances for that, really? My other options were to delay picking up that skill until after my next evolution, or hope I would get some kind of achievement granting me additional Evolution Points. The skill wasnt in cursive, so it should be there no matter what I evolved into. I decided I would put off spending any points until hitting the level cap. I wanted to try to get a couple of achievements. If past proved present, I would get an achievement for killing all these fish somewhere down the line. Elysa, is it true that my larger abdomen grants me larger mana reserves? Affirmative I had thought that would be true. I felt it. At least that would help me with massacring fish I guess I should continue doing that I tapped Cellestras hand. She was too lost in her book to see me skittering up to her. Oh, whats up Kealyna? Do you want me to put you outside again? I nodded with my limbs. Alright then, She said as she extended her palms on the table. I stepped on as she stood up and continued. Better hold on tight. I dont want to drop you now that youre this big. That sounded painful for sure. When I dropped from the sky just before I met her, I seemed to get through it relatively unscathed, but I could only imagine what would happen if my abdomen were this large and heavy. It made my mind shudder. She carefully opened the doors with her elbows and placed me outside in the grass Good luck, Kealyna. Please stay safe. Thank you, Cellestra. I waved with one of my legs. She noticed it and smiled before going back inside. I looked up at the beautiful, clear sky with confidence. I didnt think any birds would be able to cause me any harm anymore. If I could see them coming, I could perhaps even take them out with a well-aimed ice lance. The spell seemed to be quite a bit more accurate than a fireball. I quickly made my way towards the stream. It was time for another day of fishing! First, I needed bait. As such, I created my standard lure again to get one of the reaperfish close to the surface. As soon as one showed interest and got close, I fired an ice lance, taking it out, and spreading its blood as bait. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +43 I noticed from the message that my experience gain for these fish appeared to be halved now that I had evolved. I had more or less expected this would happen some day. That didnt mean this was ineffective, far from it. Soon enough, several reaperfish started eating the corpse before them. I waited for a while so that more fish were present before firing my spell. I managed to kill two fish with one ice lance yesterday, and hoped to repeat that feat. I lowered myself so that I would line up the fish better, aimed, and fired! You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +41 You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +47 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 15 EP. Hah! My plan worked! With more spells available before my mana reserves depleted and killing two fish at once, I would hit my next evolution in no time! I fired another ice lance hoping to hit two fish at once, but only managed to kill one with it. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +44 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 14 EP. I was slightly disappointed but quickly shrugged it off as I prepared another spell. I saw an opportunity pop up before me as three fish lined up just perfectly. I didnt hesitate for even a second. I fired my spell and impaled all three! You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +45 You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +47 You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +41 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 4! You have been awarded 15 EP. Achievement Earned: Carnivore Carnage Kill three carnivorous adversities with a single spell or attack. You have been awarded 10 EP. Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. I noticed the last message being longer and decided to read it. The extra evolution points were more than welcome right now! Moreover, it gave me an idea. I assumed carnivores were generally considered stronger than herbivores. Now, I was going to assume that the same sort of achievement existed for herbivores, except that I may have to kill more than three with a single attack. If this was true, I might know of an achievement I could unlock without too much effort. I would have to find several small herbivores and kill them with a single attack or ice lance. Would mice count? Elysa, can I still get achievements by killing creatures that are considered Too easy for me to kill? As long as the requirements for the achievement are met, yes. That was great news! This meant that I could have Cellestra help out! Excitement flooded through me, just as I saw something large approach in the corner of my vision. Oh shit. A wolf appeared, and I started making a run for it. I skittered back to Cellestras abode as fast as I could, but the wolf had noticed me. I mean, how could it not? I was pretty big now. It started giving chase. Fortunately for me, Cellestras home was fairly close to the stream. I ran up to the building and scaled the wall and window as fast as I could, before tapping the glass in panic. The wolf approached and I threw a fireball at it to keep it at bay. The fireball impacted on the wolfs snout. It didnt seem to do much damage as the creature simply shook it off, but it bought time. The wolf started its approach again and I threw another fireball at it. The canine dodged the attack and I heard the door opening. A fireball bigger than anything that I was currently capable of was thrown at the wolf. This one did seem to do damage. It didnt appear to be lethal, but the wolf whimpered in pain after the spell impacted its head and ran off with its tail between its legs. By the goddess, are you alright, Kealyna? Im fine. I descended from the wall and made my Yes gesture. Do you want me to take you inside, or? She asked me with worry. I thought for a moment I kind of wanted to continue getting experience, but I could also ask Cellestra if she could help me out with a possible achievement. I decided on the latter. I hoped she would want to help out. I gestured yes again and she knelt to pick me up. I stepped into her hands and observed a somewhat worried smile. It was as if she was trying to comfort me but was still in shock herself. I didnt know what to think about it. I guess it made me feel somewhat warm inside to know that she cared. It was something I hadnt experienced in so long. Cellestra walked inside and placed me back on the table. I skittered over to the paper and started spelling out my question. Could you help with something? Faragi May sound like a bit of an odd request, but I''m also publishing this story on Royalroad. I''m climbing the rising star section there pretty well. If any people would like to support this story, would you mind rating/faving it over on RoyalRoad too? <3 I would appreciate the help a great deal <3 https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/45279/the-knightly-elven-spider-gl-litrpg 1.27 Catch What is the matter? Cellestra asked. Looking to complete achievement. Gives extra evolution points. Not sure if works. Hmm, Cellestra thought aloud. What do you need to do for that? Not sure. Got one when killed three fish with one spell. Hoping to get one when killing multiple herbivores with one spell. I see. Well, Im willing to help out with that, but is it okay if I ask for some of your venom in return? I nodded with my pedipalps. Cellestra smiled. Thank you, Kealyna. She pulled out a small glass tube from her belt and uncorked it. She held it up for me and I placed my fangs in it and released my venom. I used up all my reserves. She probably had better use for it than me. Well, thats a lot easier than usual, She said with a giggle. I let go of the tube when I was out of venom and the elf recorked it before walking over to the kitchen and putting it away in one of the cabinets. From another cabinet, she pulled a wound, woven basket with a lid. Im going to see what I can find out there. You were fishing again, right? I nodded. Would you like to continue with that while I search the area? I didnt want her to do that specifically for me but if she was in the area anyway, why not? It shouldnt affect my experience, as long as she didnt have a hand in making it easier, right? I nodded with my limbs again. Alright, Cellestra replied. Is there anything you want for dinner in particular? She was asking me what I wanted for dinner? I wasnt actually hungry, like, at all. I decided to spell it out for her. Not hungry. Ah, of course. Spiders dont have to eat as often. It seems youre no exception, even if youre not, you know... a spider. I didnt know how to reply. I was glad she said it like that. She put the basket around her elbow and opened her palms. I skittered on them and she led us both outside once more. She placed me on the grass and I followed her as she walked to the stream. The fish Id killed before was already gone, likely eaten by other fish, or even the wolves that seemed to live nearby. She knelt down next to the water and filled a canteen with the crystal clear liquid before taking a few sips. Well, She said as she closed the metal canteen. Ill be nearby looking for whatever small herbivores I can find. You need to kill them with one spell, right? I assume you will be using that fireball that you showed earlier? As long as the creatures didnt move and were close to one another, I assumed a fireball would work best due to its explosion radius. I could even get a higher-rank fireball spell if I wanted to, to ensure everything would die in one hit, but that was a bit of a gamble. I did have a few more points to spend than I otherwise would have had. I was not entirely sure this would work considering I had already killed three mice in one hit earlier. I had high hopes, though. I would have to check how many points I could spend and on which spells I would spend them. For now, it was time to continue my fishing trip. Even though Cellestra was nearby, I was still on full alert for any approaching danger. I started with my usual lure, and soon killed a curious carnivorous fish. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +43 I repeated the same actions as before. I simply waited until there were multiple fish eating its corpse, lined up, and started firing spells. I killed multiple fish this way, and killed two in one hit several times. I wasnt fortunate enough to get three kills with my ice lance, but I did have an interesting message pop up after some kills and another level. Achievement Earned: Fish Reaper Killed 25 reaperfish. You have been awarded 10 EP. Yes! Id gotten another 10 Evolution Points! I was hoping this type of achievement would show up sooner or later. It appeared my initial assessment of killing multiple of the same species was correct! I cheered in my mind, when I saw a larger reaperfish approach the slowly growing pile of dead fish. I was instantly focused on the prey before me. I waited until the fish stopped moving to eat, lined up my ice lance spell, and fired! The spell impaled the fishs side, but didnt outright kill it. Instead, it swam away in panic, leaving behind a trail of blood. The blood that it left behind seemed to get the attention of the reaperfish that were currently cannibalizing the pile. Their attention shifted, and they followed the larger fish downstream. Well, damn. Apparently the bigger the fish, the tastier the blood was. Or something weird like that. With the reaperfish swimming off, the stream before me became calm. I only saw some of the large goldfish lazily swim about. I wondered why the reaperfish didnt actually try to eat them. I tried luring one with the knotted line of silk, but it seemed uninterested. Stupid fish. I also noticed that despite my larger abdomen, I started to feel my magic run out. I had enough mana left for about two more spells before I would start to run dry. I decided to save my mana for whatever Cellestra would come up with. If she did manage to find a large number of small herbivores, I wanted to enhance my fireball spell and pray for the best. With that thought in mind, I started looking for the elf. The last time I saw her, she was in the nearby vegetation I found her knelt near the roots of a tree and skittered up to her. Cellestra turned her head and gasped. Oops. You scared me, Kealyna. Dont go sneaking up on me like that. I guess I was kind of scary when showing up unexpectedly. You done fishing? She continued with a smile. I nodded with my front two limbs. I couldnt really talk to her besides yes or no when I didnt have the paper with me Scratching came from the inside of the basket that was near her on the ground and I tried to imagine what shed caught. I also noticed a trickle of blood running down one of her fingers. I pointed at it, causing her attention to switch to it. Oh, this? Had a mouse bite me. Dont worry about it. I saw her start to tap dirt with her hands. These mice are herbivorous, but they have a nasty bite if you disturb their sleep. I had noticed that, yes. Her comment also gave me the confirmation that three herbivores in one hit wouldnt be enough to trigger an achievement. Otherwise, Id have already gotten one. Poor mice. I was going to use them in an experiment I wasnt against killing. I had killed my fair share of all kinds of creatures, including humans and other elves, but at the moment it felt like everything I did was for personal gain instead of protecting those I was supposed to protect. From Cellestras earlier story, she confirmed that dungeons also existed in this world. I knew dungeon creatures were soulless. Maybe I should try to kill creatures in one of those once I got the strength? I watched her as she continued tapping the dirt. Soon enough a mouse ran out of a hole in the ground. Cellestra quickly grabbed it by its sides and put it in the basket before closing the lid again. She then continued to disturb the burrow. I was pretty sure there was another in there... She said softly. I simply waited and looked at her working. It didnt take long for another mouse to run out. Gotcha! Cellestra exclaimed as she took hold of it. Do you think eleven mice are enough? Eleven? How effective was she at catching these little rodents? I imagined that was more than enough. I nodded with my limbs again. She stood up and spoke again. Well, then. I hope youre right about this. So do I. I followed her back to her home as she continued talking. How do you want to do this? Shall I put them unconscious to make it easy to get them close together? She looked down behind her where I nodded as I walked. How would she knock them out? I was curious. It wasnt long before I found out how exactly she did it. She had some herbs that she heated in a small frying pan while adding some liquid from one of her potions to it. The smoking herbs were then put in the basket and soon enough, the squirming inside stopped. Lets go outside, shall we? Using fireballs inside isnt exactly a good idea, She said with a smile. I wanted to smile too. Damn you spider body! 1.28 Experiment Cellestra laid down the mice in a circle, so that their heads were in the center. I hoped that would make this as quick and painless as possible. I enhanced the next level of the fireball spell for five Evolution Points just to be sure I would be able to finish this with one spell. I had 106 points remaining. It shouldnt take too long before I have those 150 I need for that insight skill. I was both looking forward to, and deadly afraid of enhancing it. The ominous warning about pain kept popping up in my head. I felt a small spike of pain in my head as I leveled up the fireball skill. New knowledge was added to my existing knowledge about the fireball spell. The knowledge told me how to make the spell bigger and more deadly, without the cost of additional mana. That was completely new to me. This was definitely not how magic worked or should work Cellestra finished preparing the sacrificial mice. This was starting to feel quite macabre All yours, She said as she stepped back. I positioned myself so that I would be able to get a clean hit on all their heads, that was to say, fairly close while using my legs to lift my main body. I prepared the spell, aimed, and fired, before jumping away to avoid the backlash. Within a second of the larger fireball impacting its targets, a series of messages popped up before me. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Forest mouse: No experience was awarded. Achievement Earned: Herbivore Horror Kill 5 herbivorous creatures with a single attack or spell. You have been awarded 10 EP. Achievement Earned: Massacre Kill 10 of any non-insect adversary with a single attack or spell You have been awarded 20 EP. Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. It worked! It actually worked! Moreover, I did not get one, but two achievements at the same time! I was proud of myself for predicting these achievements. Hopefully, Id have the points I needed to at least learn some spells after hitting the level cap. I started dancing out of pure joy and pride. Im going to assume that means that it worked? Cellestra asked with a smile. I nodded with my limbs. It was unfortunate I didnt get any experience from that, but it couldnt be helped. I got what I was after. I would now need some time to recover my lost mana. I could have improved my magic reserves and regeneration, but I had set a goal for myself. Before enhancing anything else now, I wanted to obtain that insight skill. For all I knew, it could lead me to make better choices. Insight sounded like it could do something like that. I hope? The elf and I both looked at the smoldering heap of corpses before us. The smell was just horrible. Cellestra entered her home and walked out with a spade a few seconds later. Lets get this mess cleaned up, She said as she started digging. As she worked, I started thinking about other possible achievements. With these eleven mice, I was starting to build a good number of killed rodents. So far, I believe I had killed nineteen or so? I should try to kill any that I come across. I had managed to get two achievements so far for killing many of the same type of creature. Besides, these mice werent hard for me to kill anymore. The fact that I could still complete achievements through killing easy-to-kill creatures, even if they gave no experience, was a huge boon. Cellestra shoved the dead mice into the hole shed made before covering it again with dirt and the patch of grass. You certainly make things interesting, Kealyna. I observed your methods to kill fish earlier. It was quite interesting. She smiled before asking if I was going to continue my fishing trip. I shook my limbs in a no gesture. I was going to need to regenerate first. Wanna head inside, then? I nodded to that. She extended her hands and I stepped on them before she brought me inside and placed me on the table, next to the paper. She seemed to have a kettle of water on the stove which was blowing off a lot of steam. Cellestra used it to prepare herself a cup of what I assumed was tea. She sat down with the cup in her hands. So, Kealyna, She started. How are you holding up? I mean, mentally. It is hard, I wrote. Been getting better now that I am stronger. Knowing anything could kill me was... I paused pointing at the letters for a while. Hard? She suggested. I nodded with my pedipalps. I really wish you could talk... She said softly. Appears there is evolution that allows speech. I need to get achievements in order to unlock it. So thats part of the reason you wanted my help with that. Yes. Thank you. I couldnt emphasize how much I appreciated this elfs help. Shed been nothing but nice to me. What about the whole reincarnation thing? What exactly happened? Do you mind sharing? It is fine. I had to take a moment to allow the rage that started building within me to die down before I started spelling out what happened. I died protecting family. Elysa wanted reincarnate me in different world where I could live happy. She would wipe my memories of anything that happened after parents deaths and place me with them. Then when I walked to portal went black. Shadow energies gripped me. pulled me through. Woke up as spider. Elysa quickly bestowed blessing on me in last seconds before pulled through. Cellestra looked saddened by my story. You were basically offered paradise... I nodded again. My life after the incident was hell. No love no care. Became knight to get strong and survive and to make sure nobody would go through same thing. I cant help but feel for you. And now youre looking for them as that. Im sorry to put it that way... What about you? I wrote. What happened to your parents? My mother tried to hide me as long as possible. I believe she truly loved me. My father I dont remember. Ultimately, they were forced to part with me. I lived with beastkin for a while until I was older. Eventually, they too seemed to be happy to no longer have my presence in their village. Cellestra sighed and leaned back in her chair. Long story short, Id heard rumors of some alchemist in this forest. I set out to find her. I did and she accepted me as an apprentice. She was intrigued by my eyes and curse She taught me magic and basic alchemy. Her face saddened further. Her name was Rose. She was a human that was already in her eighties. She passed away a few years back. I inherited this place from her. A human? I wanted to believe good humans existed. I truly did. I just I didnt get to experience any of that I wanted to ask what exactly her curse was, but I remembered how hesitant she was about telling it earlier. Besides the purple eyes, there wasnt anything off about her. I decided to not pry. If she wanted to tell me someday, she would. Thats behind me now, though. Im still hoping to find a cure someday. I hoped she would succeed. Would that allow her to return to her people? Would she even want to, after they basically threw her out? Personally, I wouldnt go back. Id shape my own fate. I guessed that was pretty much what I was doing right now, too. Cellestra finished her tea that had long gone cold. Wed talked for a while, and my talking wasnt fast. Would hug if I could, I spelled, deciding to cheer her up. Her sadness seemed to disappear and make way for a slight smile. Thank you, Kealyna. I truly appreciate that. She paused for a second. You can still hug me if you want, She said with a bigger smile. She held up her hand as if she was giving a high-five. I skittered up to it and wrapped my legs around her fingers. Thank you, She said again. I figured this was the least I could do. As odd as it felt, I was happy I could still somewhat act like a knight in this situation. 1.29 Pain Cellestra appeared lost in thoughts. I saw her eyes stare at the table blankly after I released the hug. She then ran her fingers over the hairs on my head. That was a bit awkward. The elf appeared to realize what she was doing as she suddenly shook her head and withdrew her hand. Sorry I forgot... She said with a shaky voice. You okay? I spelled out. Im okay. Its just Youre the first person Ive told all this. I just spaced out as I thought about how I would ever interact with others Its been so long... I imagined shed be okay. This elf was a nice person. My only doubt was that she might be taken advantage of for being too nice. My mind wandered off to my blessing. Id seen a healing spell appear. Would it be too out of place for there to be a spell to remove a curse, as well? I felt like the debt that I owed Cellestra only continued to grow. The elf smiled once more. Enough about that. Theres still an hour or so before the sun starts to set. Shall I put you outside again? This is why I was worried about her being used. She was too nice. Want join me fishing? I asked with the letters. Hmmm, let me think. Im waiting for one of my brews to age. The venom you gave me is being cooled I think I can join you, at least until I have to make dinner. She took the paper in her hand, rolled it up, and put it in her belt. Let me take this with me so you can actually talk to me. She then held out her hands. Soon, we were outside and walking towards the stream. How many reaperfish have you actually killed? I mean, Im not complaining or anything. These things are about as numerous as they can get. If anything, youre doing the wildlife downstream a favor. I suppose I was culling a good deal of them. Theyd been the best source of experience for my current evolution that I could think of. I had to admit I wasnt looking forward to finding out what in the world I would have to kill for my next evolution. I knew that these reaperfish would likely not give me experience anymore. I would likely be forced into taking on more dangerous prey. Like that wolf. I didnt know if I could beat anything like that. It would be a worry for later. Right now, there were fish to kill. The elf sat down in the grass next to the stream and put down the paper with text. I went to work as she looked. I showed Cellestra how I baited them with a knotted line before killing one with an ice lance spell. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +43 Hm. I guess thats a good way of doing it if youre not looking to catch them, She commented. I used the paper that shed laid out to reply. Corpse makes perfect bait. Yeah, theyre a greedy lot alright. Will eat their own as soon as they smell blood in the water, Cellestra replied. I waited until there were several fish nibbling away at the reaperfish remains before shooting an ice lance that took out three fish at the same time. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +40 You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +47 You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +43 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 6! You have been awarded 15 EP. Nice shot, Kealyna, Cellestra said excitedly. That was a nice shot for sure. Thanks. I took a moment to look at my evolution points and noticed Id accumulated 151. I had enough to enhance the Insight of Elysa skill and I still had a few levels to go, which should gain me enough to acquire some more spells. I wanted to enhance it right now, but Id better inform the elf. I tapped the paper to get Cellestras attention. Going to enhance new skill. Description says it is painful. Go for it, She simply said. I took a deep breath as I prepared myself for what was to come. Id rather get this done and over with. I confirmed that I wanted to enhance this skill. Soon after, I felt a slight pressing on my head. It was mildly painful but not something that would justify the warning. Then, like a spear, I felt magic pierce my head and flow into me. My mind was set ablaze from the resulting heat. Flames consumed my body from within. Even worse, they burned something deeper inside me. It was as if my inner being my soul was being enveloped by hot, molten metal. The streams of magic were forced around and interwoven around my soul. I wanted to pass out. I wanted to get away from the pain. It was too much. But I couldnt. I was forced to feel everything Information that I couldnt grasp was forced into my skull. Information that I observed for the briefest of moments before it eluded my grasp filled everything that was me. The flames reached a critical mass, where I thought my entire body would explode. For a moment, I truly thought I would die again. Then, everything calmed down. I was pulled back to reality from the deepest depths of my being. Kealyna! I heard the elfs voice call out. I stopped moving. Apparently, I was moving. Are you alright? I I think I was fine? The haze in my mind was lifted and I was myself again. I nodded with my limbs slowly, hesitantly. I wasnt sure what had just happened to me. Elysa, what was that? Insight of Elysa Your body and soul are strong enough to now be able to support the full power of the goddesss blessing. Your experience gain is increased, and you can now see the nearest future evolutions and their achievement requirements. I was baffled. This was far better than I could have imagined. The pain had been terrible, but this was definitely worth it. With this, I should be able to find out what achievements I would still need to obtain in order to have the rainbow evolution appear again! Wait, maybe there were even better options? I wanted to look at it now, but as Cellestra had said earlier, there were still a few hours left on this day. I should try to get as much done as possible and then look into things closely tonight. That looked like you were in hellish pain. Elysa didnt lie when she warned you about that, did she? It was worth it, I wrote. Can see achievement requirements for evolution now. Hopefully can get speech faster. I skittered back to the stream where I saw the reaperfish still eating away at the almost-picked-clean corpse. I fired another ice lance to ensure I wouldnt run out of bait. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +68 This experience bonus was more than welcome as well. I used a few more spells before my mana reserves went dry again. Id achieved level 8 in the meantime. When I was finished, I turned around to see Cellestra smile. Its quite interesting to see you use spells, you know? Ive never seen anything like this. Im looking forward to seeing what spells youll be able to acquire through that blessing. She sighed with a smile. Im actually quite jealous that youre able to obtain them seemingly easily. I started spelling some more words. Blessing lets me know how to cast them. I was shocked myself too. If its a shock to you too, I assume your old world was similar to this one? Regarding magic that is. I spent weeks training to cast the simplest of fireballs. If that is the case then yes. And Elysa is worshipped here too. Do you think she put you here for those reasons? I assume yes. Were you finished by the way? She asked. I gestured yes. Shame. I was having so much fun observing you slaughter those fish. Yeah. I truly wished I could last longer with magic. I may have to look into enhancing those skills, but Id have to check exactly what I would do. My spells were enough for now. Besides, I should be able to get more achievements now that I had this insight skill. Wanna head back? Cellestra asked. I looked up at the sky and noticed that it was beginning to get darker. I also saw dark clouds form, which hastened the process. Yeah, it appears theres bad weather coming. It would be best for us to get inside. I still need to cook too. I nodded with my front two limbs. She shifted onto two knees to extend her hands. Once I stepped on she stood up and spoke again. I know you said you werent hungry, but I was going to make some chicken. Want some anyway? 1.30 Friend I couldnt decline that. I politely accepted the elfs offer by gesturing yes. And so, she started dinner while I looked at what this new skill did. I found out I could observe all the evolutions that would become available once I hit level 10. I could also see their required achievements. This changed things quite a bit. Large Green Resica Evolution that specializes in camouflage in forest areas. In addition, toxin resistance and venom are improved. Large Purple Resica Evolution that specializes in web strength and magic manipulation. Provides a bonus to magic resistance. Large Rainbow Resica* *Special Evolution ** Requires currently unearned achievements Evolution that allows any already learned enhancements to be leveled to the same level as your current highest enhancement. Unlocks a special evolution path. Large Black Ixcent* *Special Evolution ** Requires currently unearned achievements Evolution that provides extreme defense. Exoskeleton hardening and regeneration are enhanced to Strong without the need to spend EP when selecting this evolution. Unlocks a special evolution path My inner knight was screaming. I wanted this defense so badly. The Ixcent evolution would basically turn me into an armored spider for free! The issue was that I already knew that the rainbow evolution would provide me with the speech ability later down the line. That reason alone was enough for me to disregard its benefits completely. What I could do, however, is check the achievements that were needed for the Ixcent evolution. I found out I couldnt see achievements outside of the ones required for the evolutions. This, however, would already help me in getting more Evolution Points. As long as the achievements were doable, I could complete them for the additional EP they would grant. I didnt necessarily have to follow up on it by picking the Ixcent evolution. Alright, Elysa. Show me the achievements I need for the rainbow and Ixcent evolutions. Achievements required for Large Rainbow Resica evolution: Air Superiority Kill 5 aerial non-insectoid creatures (1/5) Carnivore Carnage Kill three carnivorous adversaries with a single spell or attack. (Complete) Achievements required for Large Black Ixcent evolution: Beetle Bester Kill 50 Beetles (13/50) Carnivore Carnage Kill three carnivorous adversaries with a single spell or attack. (Complete) Beetles seemed like they would be perfectly doable. The other achievement basically told me to go and kill birds. I had two things working to my advantage here. First, I would be able to complete these achievements even if the creatures in question didnt give any experience. Beetles were incredibly easy to kill. The second part was that if Cellestra was okay with it, she could help out with it. I didnt dare to ask it of her, though. Shed done so much already. I started thinking about how to kill birds. It wasnt like Cellestra could do much there, and I dont think a chicken counted. I suddenly got an idea. I had leveled up my spider thread skill all the way to Advanced. I might as well use it. I was going to do what spiders did, and create a web. I could then lure one of those fish-stealing birds and kill it while it was trapped. The idea sounded genius in my mind. I would get my revenge on the birds for stealing my prize earlier in the process! Why was I even thinking that? I wasnt supposed to think about revenge as a knight. Was I even a knight anymore? Could I ever be one again? Had I not given everything, including my life already? My thoughts were a mess. I liked to think I lived with honor despite all that had happened. It was something I could grasp that kept me going. But now I didnt know if there were still values to uphold. It doesnt appear to have helped me in the end. Except that I was still happy? Satisfied? With the fact that Id saved the lives of those young girls I cursed in my mind for allowing it to drift so far off. I didnt want to think about these things. They would have to come later. I had other things I needed to do before I could find an answer to my old self. I had always been good at tossing aside emotions. I would continue doing that until I had found my parents. I needed to see them safe first, no matter what I was. Cellestras movements broke me out of my reverie. She held two plates that she put on the table. Shed cut off a small piece of stir-fried chicken for me. She had a large smile on her face as she sat down. I was happy she couldnt read emotions from my spidery face. I would hate for that smile of hers to disappear because of my thoughts. I would miss it I couldnt deny that. I started eating as a way to escape my thoughts. Cellestra started with her own chicken and vegetable dinner. Hope you enjoy it, She said. I did. It was heavenly. At the same time, rain started pouring down from the skies. Cellestras roof didnt do much to mute the sound. I could only imagine this building wasnt of the best craftsmanship. Fortunately, it didnt appear there were any leaks. So, Cellestra asked between two bites. Did you find out anything interesting? Yes, I wrote with a leg as I continued eating. Can see what is needed for evolution path that grants speech. Need to kill four birds. Well, theres plenty of chickens in the forest to the west. Dont think chickens count. Need to be flying birds. Oh, I see. In that case, I dont know any good way to get them. I spelled out once more. Will try to bait with fish. Use webs to catch bird. Cellestra grinned. Yeah, I can see that work. Also want to kill thirty-seven more beetles. Will give evolution points. Give more skills. Afraid to ask for help though. I dont see why you should be afraid. I dont mind helping you out, at all. Sure, my research is slowed down, but She went silent for a few seconds. Is it okay for me to call you a friend? She seemed hesitant to ask. A friend? I guess she was a friend. I gestured yes. Thank you, Kealyna. I was dumbfounded once again. I continued eating in silence as I thought about her odd behavior. Shed hardly asked anything from me. I didnt know how to feel about that. While I appreciated her help, I couldnt help but think about what would drive her to be so open to me. We both finished our dinner and Cellestra cleaned the plates with some water she had in a bucket next to the sink. Dont know about you, Cellestra said as she stretched and yawned. She looked outside the window where all was dark and wet before continuing. But Im off to bed. This is perfect weather to fall asleep to. Good night, Kealyna, She said. She was about to extinguish the candles and leave the room when I tapped on the paper. She turned around and watched me spell out more words for her. Can join? Table uncomfortable. I prepared for the worst. This request was pretty selfish. This table was truly uncomfortable to sleep on now that Id grown this large Uhhh, She seemed to think for a moment. Yeah, I cant really allow my guest to be uncomfortable, I guess. She extinguished the last candle, opened the door, and held it open for me. I skittered down the table leg and followed Cellestra to the other room connected to the hallway. Cellestra used a small flame on her finger to navigate around the house in the dark. When she opened the door, I saw a simple bedroom with a nightstand, a single-person bed with two pillows, and a clothes chest. There wasnt anything special about it. Cellestra sat down on an edge of the bed and took one of the pillows. Will this do? She asked as she placed it on the ground. That would be more than enough. Thank you, Cellestra. I nodded yes with my pedipalps and stepped onto the pillow. I let my body fall into it and enjoyed the softness. I hadnt been this comfortable in well, since I got here. I reckon thats better than the table, The elf said. Cellestra undressed and dove into her own bed. Ive been thinking, Cellestras voice pierced the darkness. You said you can develop skills with that blessing of yours in no time. Would you mind helping me out with a couple of your spells someday? You dont have to answer now. Hell, I forgot to bring the paper, so you cant really answer anyway. Its just... The room went quiet. I was in the middle of learning some spells from Rose when she passed away, and I never managed to fully learn those. If I had someone show me how to cast them, I could perhaps put the last puzzle pieces together you know? Her voice sounded hopeful. I would be more than happy to assist. 1.31 Gulls Faragi i posted like 5 chapters. Be careful not to accidentally skip them! After waking up fully revitalized, the elf and I were communicating as she had a breakfast consisting of leftovers from dinner the night before. I had already told her that I would be more than happy to help with her learning spells. Thank you so much, Kealyna, She said, relieved. One issue, I continued writing. Her facial expression went from happy to worried within seconds. Spells from blessing appear to work differently. I can cast physical barrier spell. Spell works differently from what I knew in old life. Not sure if you can learn. Different flow of mana? She asked. I gestured yes. Hmmm, thats odd. Rose taught me a very important skill early on to help me out. It allows me to trace the magic in other people as they perform the spell. If I can use that on you while you cast, I could perhaps recreate the spell. It takes some time, and it may need multiple days and many casts to get done correctly, but I hope it works. Same. What spells can you currently learn, anyway? Cellestra asked. Need to see how many evolution points I have when ready to evolve. Reason I want achievements. Have to see when I have points. I see, She said softly. In that case, Im helping you help me. She had a point there. Her words made me feel a little less guilty. I wondered how that spell worked, though. I had never heard of anything like it. Mana manipulation was the basic requirement to cast any kind of magic, but being able to see it It was odd to say the least. Speaking of spells, now that I could see the requirements for the nearest evolution, it had me doubting what I should do regarding my next evolution. I put it off for now. Id first try to get these achievements and see how many evolution points they would get. After that, I could calculate and read through things properly. Cellestra finished her breakfast. She took her jar and fed the last two beetles to the tarantula before heading out with me. She would try to catch more beetles while I would focus on trying to catch birds near the stream. Cellestra started combing the area while I skittered up the closest tree to the water. I required a branch that could support a web and would still be easily visible from birds above. I needed them to react to bait, after all. I connected a thread to the top of the branch before allowing myself to rappel down while producing silk from my behind. I repeated this several times until I had the basics of a net set up. I then connected the threads with horizontal lines. I was intrigued, but not entirely surprised by how this thread supported my weight without issue. I tested its strength and found it was stronger than ever before. This would easily hold any non-gigantic bird. Leveling it all the way to advanced had been a smart move. With the trap set, I had to get some bait. I lured one of the reaperfish out of the stream and dragged it behind me with a line of silk as I climbed the tree again. I then impaled its side with a leg in order to draw blood before leaving it hanging in front of the net. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +68 This had to be the perfect bait. Now, I just hoped that whatever would come for this fish wouldnt completely destroy my web. I would hate to remake it entirely. Did normal spiders ever think about that? Id destroyed a fair amount of webs by accident when I was an elf. I moved on top of the overarching branch. Now, the waiting began And I waited And waited I even pulled on the thread every now and then to make the fish look more appetizing to predators. Eventually, the fish caught somethings interest. I saw movement in the skies as a white and grey bird showed up. The bird in question flew straight into my trap. It managed to snatch the fish, but it got stuck in my webs and struggled to break free. Not gonna happen. I moved down onto the web and used an ice lance to impale the bird. I imagined that would be the fastest way to kill it without destroying my web. You have killed a Lakeside Gull: EXP +187 That was some decent experience too. Well, one down, three more to go. I tore away at the webs to free the gull. I dragged it down to the surface and dumped it into the stream where the reaperfish would simply get rid of it for me. The fish it had tried to snatch was still usable as bait. I created a new thread and placed it in its position again, before repairing the small part of my web that had been destroyed. These threads were quite strong. I waited again, and saw Cellestra search near the tree in which I was waiting for prey. She looked at the web and I saw her eyes trail up until they found me. Damn, Kealyna. Wouldnt want to run into that. Thats going to make for the worst hair day ever. I would have chuckled at her comment if I could. For now, I simply grinned mentally. I waved at her with one of my legs, earning a smile. She then continued her search for beetles. I saw she already had a few in the jar she carried with her. Bad hair day, huh? I felt my mind wander off as I waited on the branch. Id gotten a fair amount of spider webs in my hair in my old life. My platinum blonde hair I missed it. I felt myself become sad as I started to reminisce about the past. I snapped myself back to my current life as I noticed another gull approach the fish. Like the first one, it snatched the fish, before getting entangled in the webs. It still managed to eat the fish even as it struggled to break free. Glutton. Oh well, it would be its last meal anyway. It had better be worth it. Although, I would need new bait now. I descended in the web once more and finished the gull off with a point-blank ice lance to the chest. You have killed a Lakeside Gull: EXP +179 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 14 EP. Going well I see, I heard Cellestra comment as I freed the birds corpse. This was certainly going well. I would need two more birds now. I might even hit the level cap with these birds That would be two birds with one stone. Hehe. That was a terrible joke... I dropped the bird to the ground and repaired the web once again. I then lured another fish out of the water. I couldnt be bothered to use a thread so I cast the physical barrier spell on me before dipping a leg in the water. I was still a great jumper. This fish never imagined it would miss me. Moments later, I had new bait. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +64 And a bit of experience, too. I strung up the fish again after creating a wound and simply lay down on the branch again. I had to admit that jumping spiders seemed much more interesting than weavers. Simply sitting around all day and waiting for prey to come to you was so boring That one jumping spider that I ran into could even be considered cute Jumping spiders surely werent as creepy as most other spiders I waited and waited No other birds passed by in what felt like hours. Eventually, Id given up on my current bait still being effective. I decided to get fresh bait. Hopefully, that would work. I removed the old fish and tossed it into the water after catching a new one first. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: EXP +67 I strung up the new fish and went back to my spot on the branch. How are things looking here? I heard Cellestra call out as she approached once more. She walked out of the vegetation onto the grass and sat down next to my web. How many birds have you caught? She asked. I held up two legs. At least numbers were easy to do without paper. She held up the glass jar which had a fair amount of beetles in them already. It was filled up for about a quarter of its capacity. Got a bunch of beetles already. Im just taking a break and wanted to see how you did this. She paused for a second and looked at the net Id created. Honestly, spider threads strong enough to hold birds you should be proud of that. I havent heard anything your size being capable of that. That made it sound like there were giant spiders out there. I shuddered. I wasnt looking forward to meeting those. Faragi Also got a commission done for Kealyna. Tell me what you think :D Thank you all my Patrons <3 1.32 Choices If you ever need more of those birds, they are pretty common downstream. Theres a giant lake with all kinds of aquatic life, and with it, birds that feed on them. That was good to know. I imagined once my experience started to stagnate, I could travel there and still be able to find plenty of creatures that would give me experience. I hoped it wasnt too far. Its not even that far. Five minutes, maybe? Thanks for reading my thoughts, Cellestra. Who needed communication when she could just do that? Cellestra quietly observed the webs and after a few minutes, another gull showed up. It flew into the web from the other direction of where the fish hung. It was quite funny to see it getting stuck but still trying to snatch the fish through the webs. The more it tried, the more it got itself stuck. Poor bird, Cellestra commented. So close, yet so far. Poor bird, indeed. Shame it was a requirement for me to kill it. I lowered myself onto the web and made my way to the bird who snapped at me when I got close. I quickly finished it off with an ice lance to its torso. You have killed a Lakeside Gull: EXP +169 I removed the bird from my webs again and put it in front of Cellestra and looked at her. Would this be something edible for her? I pointed at the bird with a leg, then at her mouth. Nope. These birds are disgusting. Most of all, they are tough, no matter how long you cook them. Wouldnt really recommend it. I see. I simply dumped the bird in the stream where it was soon torn apart by a large group of reaperfish. I scaled up the tree and fixed my web, hopefully for the last time. Cellestra took some water from the stream and splashed it on the dangling fish. To keep it more attractive, She said with a smile. She then sat down again and observed the web, together with me. Just her presence made this waiting a thousand times less boring. She giggled as I pulled the string that held the fish a few times. I doubt that will matter much, Kealyna. Its not like youre fishing. She had a point there. I had no idea why I even did it. A few minutes later, my luck returned. Another greedy gull showed up and snatched the fish out of the air before it flew straight into my webs. Ah, it felt good to have your prey show up and just throw itself into your lap. The waiting was terrible, but once something got itself stuck, the rest was simple. You have killed a Lakeside Gull: EXP +84 Achievement Earned: Air Superiority Kill 5 aerial non-insectoid creatures. You have been awarded 30 EP. Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 15 EP. Level Cap Reached Evolutions Available! Special evolution available! That was the last one you needed right? Guess I should get back to collecting beetles. I decided to get down and follow the elf. I wanted to know where she got that many beetles from in such a short amount of time. If it was anything that was recognizable, I could cut down on her time collecting by going out to hunt them myself. I wanted to get this achievement before picking an evolution, just so I would get the maximum amount of evolution points I could get. At least the ones I knew of I would only need thirty-seven more. With the speed at which she found them, we should have that ready in no time. I was quite interested to see what she was up to. My curiosity rose as I saw her walking further into the forest without even stopping to observe the dirt. She moved with determination. I had the feeling she knew exactly where to look. Cellestra stopped at the stump of an old tree trunk. It looked ancient from the decolorization that had happened over the years, I guessed? She knelt down next to the trunk and I skittered on top of it, only to notice there was a hole in the middle. It seemed this trunk was hollow. A stag beetle nest, Cellestra clarified. There are several throughout the forest. An excellent source of food for my tarantula. She pulled out a small vial with red liquid from her belt. And Ive developed the perfect bait for them so I dont have to destroy their nest in order to get them. She uncorked the vial and dropped a few drops of the thick, red liquid on the stump. She grabbed her tweezers and jar and opened it. A few moments later, numerous beetles came skittering out of the hole to get a taste of the bait. Cellestra picked them up one by one and deposited them in the jar. The best thing? She continued. This mixture makes them extremely docile so they dont fight with one another in this crowded space. Just put one drop in the jar every day and its all fine. That sounded extremely handy. I observed her pick up the beetles and putting them in the jar. There were so many that I doubted Id even need to look for them myself. And I didnt want to ruin her hunting grounds. I would leave this to the expert. Ive lost count of how many I got, Cellestra said before closing the lid after the last beetle had been deposited inside. She held up the glass jar and observed it from up close. Surely thats got to be over thirty-seven. She pulled another vial from her belt and re-opened the jar before dripping in a few drops of a green liquid inside. She quickly closed the jar again before standing up. Im looking forward to what you can teach me. That ice lance spell was one of the spells I was working on. She led the way back to the clearing with her home in it. Once in the middle, she stopped and knelt down before opening the jar and shaking all the beetles out of it. I started to question what she was doing before I noticed that none of the beetles were actually moving. Of course. She had tranquilized them. Cellestra realigned them so they were all placed on one pile. All yours, She said, taking a few steps back. I apologized to the beetles in my mind for massacring them like this, before I prepared my fireball spell. I didnt necessarily have to kill them all at once this time around, but I might as well try. Who knew what would happen? I lined up for the perfect cast, aimed and cast my fireball straight into the pile of Stag beetles. The resulting flood of messages was quite annoying and I quickly wished them away. I would only need to see the important one. And there it was! Achievement Earned: Beetle Bester Kill 50 Beetles. You have been awarded 20 EP. Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. I was pretty happy with this new skill. So far, it had already netted me fifty evolution points and, more importantly, I had completed the achievements needed for the rainbow evolution. Actually Would I take that? It was time I started breaking my head over what spells I should learn before picking an evolution. I was obliged to pick a few for Cellestra. Was that enough? I heard Cellestras voice as she walked up to me. I nodded with my pedipalps before pointing at the door to her home. I wanted to have a look in the safest place that I knew of. Yeah, good idea. I cant really tell what you want to say now, The elf replied. We headed inside, leaving behind a pile of fried beetles. Once inside, I climbed up to the table and the piece of paper while the elf sat down. I immediately started spelling out words for her. Give moment. Checking possible spells. Will list. No problem, She said as she put the empty jar on the table before leaning back in her chair. I was looking at my available points and enhancements. Name: Kealyna Race: Purple Resica Level: 10/10 Experience: MAX Evolution Points: 109 Enhancement Cost in EP Venom 5 Improved Venom 10 Improved Magic Resistance 20 Advanced Magic Resistance 40 Strong Magic Resistance 70 Strong Spider Thread 35 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 Toxin Resistance 5 Improved Mana Reserves 10 Improved Mana Regeneration 10 Venom Bolt 5 Ice lance 5 Water Walking 5 Improved Physical Barrier 10 Very Weak Magical Barrier 1 Weak Magical Barrier 3 Magical Barrier 5 Improved Magical Barrier 10 Weak Healing Light 5 Healing Light 10 Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Ugh, where do I even start? Now that I knew how to make the special evolutions appear, I could go for the green evolution first. I would have to check the abilities that were offered with the last green evolution, but I imagined that the venom bolt skill would be exceptionally powerful with it as its efficacy was based on the venom skill. In the green evolution, I could upgrade the venom skill to a very powerful version. The skill was also pretty cheap. I wondered if it would be more powerful than a fireball or ice lance? I refocused myself on the spells that would be useful for Cellestra. I didnt think she would have any use for venom bolt whatsoever. Okay, here we go. 1.33 Smiles Faragi Oops. I accidentally posted a wrong chapter first. I corrected the error and posted 32 and 33. Don''t forget to red 32 before this :D Can increase ice lance skill, I started writing. Can get water walking, magical barrier, healing light. Healing light? Cellestra said with a gasp. You can learn healing light? Her eyes widened. Thats a rare spell in itself. Normally its only reserved for those with the light affinity, or those who spend countless years studying it. To be able to learn it and cast fire and ice magic as well is just.. Unheard of. Can you learn it you think? I spelled out for her. She scratched her head. Possibly. It will probably take a lot of time, though. Id love to try! Cellestra seemed excited. I figured Id take the first rank of this spell for sure. What about other spells? Well, She continued. I know some form of physical barrier myself, but you said yours is different right? How is it different besides the flow of mana? Does not need mana supplied to maintain. Thats incredible! She then thought for a moment. Ive never used or needed water walking, but it sounds like it could be useful. Do you mind taking it to teach me? No problem, I wrote again. It looked like I was just going to get a whole bunch of spells. I did have plenty of points to spend, but I just wanted to make a quick calculation of what would happen if I took all the interesting things I stared at the blue square with my options and asked Elysa for a calculation of the cost if I took the skills that I wanted. Improved mana regeneration and reserves, venom bolt, ice lance, water walking, the physical barrier, the magic barrier, and healing light, all at their highest ranks would cost me 79 points. I would still have 30 points left after that. I considered spending more, but I didnt quite see the need to. If I were to spend it on anything, I was inclined to spend it on a higher level of my threads, but from what I could see, they were already very strong as it was. Wait, I forgot I had to spend five points on venom before being able to get venom bolt. In that case, Id have 25 points left. Before evolving, I wanted to see what skills the Green Resica would have offered. The evolution options for Green Resica were: Improved Venom Advanced Venom Strong Venom Paralytic Venom Improved Paralytic Venom Advanced Paralytic Venom Strong Paralytic Venom Weak Toxin Resistance Improved Toxin Resistance Advanced Toxin Resistance Strong Toxin Resistance The evolution didnt offer anything different compared to the one before. The only difference was that these skills would be one level higher as a maximum. Wait a second. Elysa, can venom bolt be used with paralytic venom? Affirmative. That could make for interesting attacks. How does venom bolt work? Does it consume mana like spells or does it consume my venom instead? Venom bolt uses small amounts of mana and some venom. This was something that had been bothering me. I had quite strong spells right now, but I couldnt do much in combat after running out of mana. The creatures that I had to kill for experience right now I just didnt dare to get close anymore. It would be much better to take them on from range. Venom bolt would be a worthy addition to my arsenal. It would allow me to use my venom but from range. Since I had Fireball and Ice Lance at their maximum ranks for this evolution, I felt like I would still be able to use them during my next with proper effect. I was certain the green evolution now would be better than the rainbow. I would be able to see the requirements for the rainbow evolution and work towards it while levelling the venom skills. Once in rainbow evolution, I could upgrade my other skills to the same level as my highest spell at the time. Thinking about it convinced me. Going to choose enhancements, I wrote. Going to take while. I selected all the enhancements that I had confirmed in my mind and allowed them to enhance my body one by one. I had to spend a while doing this as there were a lot of enhancements to go through. When I was finally finished I wrote again. Want to see if your spell works on me? Id love to! She said excitedly. Maybe I should have done this before spending all my evolution points to see if it even worked. Then again, I would like to have as many spells during this evolution as possible. I would likely have taken them anyway. Cellestra led the way outside and I followed behind her. She knelt in the grass once we were in front of the house. You want to start with your fireball? Id like to see how its different from mine. I nodded with my limbs and started my fireball cast, slowly so she could probably make it out better. I saw Cellestra cast something with her eyes closed and I felt a small stream of her mana connect with mine. I felt part of her mana flow through my body into the fireball whose magic was still forming. I then finalized the spell and threw it. Thats... She went quiet. Is this the power of a goddess? This spell is completely different from mine. Its like... She shook her head in silence. Its so much more efficient. Your spell is weaker than mine, for now, but its so much more efficient. Every drop of mana was converted into the perfect spell. I turned to face her, awaiting her answer. Im not sure if I could ever cast something like this... She said softly. Im not sure if I can ask this of you. Even if I could, Id probably need quite a lot of time... She went silent again. I dont want to hold you up... Poor Cellestra. She had seemed so excited before. I dont know when the day comes that Ill have to head out. I reckon its as soon as I get the ability to speak. That made this thing even worse I kind of wished I could have her stick around. Maybe I could, and have her try to learn the spells along the way? Could you maybe do the physical barrier? She asked. I detected a hint of fear in her voice. Was she feeling sad because of my spells being so different? I felt her magic flow into mine again as I cast the physical barrier spell. I felt the energy surround and envelop my body and with it, some part of Cellestras magic. This is amazing... She whispered. This is truly amazing... I looked up at her again and saw her eyes staring off into the distance. Such efficient mana flows its beautiful. She stood up after that. Ive seen enough for now, Kealyna. Ill practice trying to mimic the flow. She opened the door but didnt enter the building. Ill stay outside while you do your evolution thingy. Thank you so much. I felt for her. This must have been hard. I suddenly fell into her life and completely shattered her existing knowledge of how spells work. I didnt know what I would do if that had happened to me. I climbed onto the table and checked my enhancement list once more just to make sure I didnt accidentally forget something. When I was confident everything was in order I confirmed my evolution into a Large Green Resica. This time, I was knocked out before I could experience any pain. ____________________________________________________________________________ When I awoke, the first thing I noticed was Cellestra sitting at the table, watching over me while sipping a cup of tea. I got to my feet and noticed Id grown yet again. I was now about a foot and a half and completely green. This had been an explosive growth spurt. And I was hungry I should have saved those fish Welcome back, Kealyna. How are you feeling? Cellestra placed the paper in front of me. Thanks, Cellestra. Hungry, I spelled. I had the feeling that would be the case, The elf said with a smile. I have the rest of that chicken in the oven right now. Its almost time for dinner, anyway. Chicken I would love some chicken right now. Thanks, I wrote. I couldnt thank her enough Ive practiced that simple fireball of yours for hours. I still have no idea how to make my mana flow like that. Its truly mysterious... No idea, I wrote. The information on how to cast is put in my head when I enhance skill. Its mystery to me too. Heh, Cellestra chuckled. That doesnt really help, either, I guess. If youre willing to assist, Ill probably have to use that spell on you quite a few times before I even understand the basics... No problem for me. Youre such a kind person, Kealyna. You know that? I was simply repaying her for her help. Although I couldnt say that her smiles didnt invoke mental smiles of my own. 1.34 Ally I had made clear to Cellestra that we could practice the barrier spell indoors while she was cooking. But first I was going through my list of skills. Name: Kealyna Race: Large Green Resica Level: 1/10 Experience: 0/60 Evolution Points: 25 Enhancement Cost in EP Advanced Venom 20 Strong Venom 35 Very Strong Venom 50 Improved Paralytic Venom 10 Advanced Paralytic Venom 20 Strong Paralytic Venom 35 Very Strong Paralytic Venom 50 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 Toxin Resistance 5 Improved Toxin Resistance 10 Advanced Toxin Resistance 20 Strong Toxin Resistance 35 Very Strong Toxin Resistance 50 Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 It looked more or less as I expected. The green evolution hadnt added any new spells, only higher spell ranks. My goal would be to get at least venom to its highest possible rank before going for the rainbow evolution path. Speaking about evolution path Elysa, does the Ixcent evolution path also have an evolution that allows for speech? Negative. So its only the rainbow path? Affirmative. Another question, how is this paralytic venom different from my normal venom? If I use enough of it, will it kill the target? Negative. Paralytic venom cannot kill, no matter the dosage. Paralytic Venom is drawn from separate reserves that will be created in your abdomen as soon as you enhance the skill. Separate reserves? This might be more useful than I had initially thought. This would give me even more tools. Id have magic, lethal venom, and non-lethal venom that each seemed to be mostly separate resources. I liked this evolution so far. Next up, lets bring up the list for possible evolutions after I hit the level cap. I already knew what I was going for, but I wanted to get as many evolution points as possible, so I wanted to look at what achievements would need to be completed. Giant Green Resica Evolution that specializes in camouflage in forest areas. In addition, toxin resistance and venom are improved. Giant Rainbow Resica* *Special Evolution ** Requires currently unearned achievements Evolution that allows any already learned enhancements to be leveled to the same level as your current highest enhancement. Unlocks a special evolution path. Giant Black Ixcent* *Special Evolution ** Requires currently unearned achievements Evolution that provides extreme defense. Exoskeleton hardening and regeneration are enhanced to Superior without the need to spend EP when selecting this evolution. Unlocks a special evolution path. Giant Aloidia* *Special Evolution ** Requires currently unearned achievements Evolution that allows one skill to be upgraded to its maximum rank for free for each evolution after this one is selected. Unlocks a special evolution path. Well Damn That Aloidia evolution was amazing Every evolution after it, Id be able to upgrade a spell to its maximum rank. That would save so many evolution points in the long run. Elysa, can I select the Alodia evolution first and then go for the rainbow path? Negative. Special evolutions each unlock a different evolution path. Within this path, You can choose different evolutions, but you cannot select evolutions from a different special path. Crap. I was not going to give up speech. That skill would be far too important. The good thing about this was that an additional evolution had popped up, which should mean there are more achievements that I can see. Elysa, show me the goods. Achievements required for Giant Rainbow Resica evolution: Wolf Wrecker Kill any Wolf. (0/1) Massacre Kill 10 of any non-insect adversary with a single attack or spell. (Complete) Achievements required for Giant Black Ixcent evolution: Size Matters Kill any 5 adversaries classified as Large or bigger. (2/5) Damage Denied Successfully nullify or dodge a spell cast at you. (0/1) Achievements required for Giant Aloidia evolution: Helping Hand Use an effective, beneficial spell on any humanoid species. Giant Slayer Killed an enemy that is considered Extremely Dangerous to your current race. (Complete) Allied Acquire an ally. (0/1) A wolf? Id have to kill a wolf? Yikes. Although, I guess I had grown fairly strong. On second thought... Wolves seemed to be common in this area. If I used my ranged spells from the safety of a tree, I could do this. I definitely could. The next achievement should not be too hard. It was just a matter of finding creatures that were considered Large. The spider in the cave and the hawk counted. Anything like that spider would be easy to kill. Maybe there were fish large enough that would count too? Then, there were three achievements that, for me, should be easy to acquire. I already befriended Cellestra. I didnt actually know why she didnt count as an ally for progression towards this one achievement. Would I have to explicitly ask? For the next of the three achievements, I could simply have her cast a fireball at me and jump out of the way. Id make sure to use the magical barrier that Id recently acquired just to be safe. And the last one well... Cellestra? I wrote after the elf returned from turning around the chicken inside the stove. What is it, Kealyna? Want ask about achievement. Ask away. Need use beneficial spell on humanoid species... You can do that on me if thats what youre asking, She said with a frown. Problem. Need to have effect. Only beneficial spell I have I can use on you is Healing Light. Oh, She exclaimed. I see what you mean. In that case... She stood up and walked to the kitchen where she retrieved a knife from a drawer. Could you use your healing light on me once before I start cutting myself? She said as she sat down in her chair again. Unbelievable Just like that, she was prepared to cut herself. It will also give me some idea as to how your healing magics mana flow works. I cant say Im not curious about it. Of course, there was the part where this would also benefit hers, but still, she just seemed so eager? Cellestra cast her magic on me that allowed her to track my mana flows, and I cast my healing light spell on her arm. I saw her eyes light up the moment my mana left my body and flowed into hers. Its so warm, She said softly. I simply cannot believe this blessing of yours... I would have never believed it either until I was changed into this spider She created a small cut in her arm, causing some blood to flow out of the wound. She then held her arm down on the table and cast her magic on me with her other hand once more. I cast the healing light spell a second time. This time, I felt my mana concentrate on her fresh wound and close it. A healing spider... Cellestra said in utter amazement while staring at the ceiling. She quickly turned her head to me before speaking again. Oh shit, Im sorry... It is fine, I wrote. Her wound was closed quite quickly. Achievement Earned: Helping Hand Use an effective, beneficial spell on any humanoid species. You have been awarded 30 EP. Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. As I had hoped, the achievement popped up. Cellestra? I wrote again. Hm? She mused as she looked at her healed arm after observing me write. Can I call you ally? Youre a friend, no? Isnt that a step higher than ally already? But sure, Ill be your ally. Achievement Earned: Allied Acquire an ally. You have been awarded 30 EP. Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. She was right. In my mind, a friend was a step higher. However, I imagined that this wouldnt count for everyone. Maybe this was a piece of the goddess herself that I got to know? Did she differentiate between the two so much? In any case, explicitly stating it is what got me the achievement. Also, why did it still say hidden requirements complete? I could see them now. That was odd. Thanks, I spelled again. Got achievement for that. You got an achievement for me calling you an ally? She frowned again. How strange. Agreed. In any case, Cellestra continued. You got me more than intrigued by your magic now. I hope youll have some time to try to teach me. I didnt know how much time I would have for that. I had no idea how many evolutions I would have to go through before I would acquire the speech ability. I simply didnt know Will be fine, I wrote. I only wrote that because I didnt want to upset her. I also didnt know if I should tell her that Id be fine with having her travel with me. We hadnt known each other for long. It may look strange Cellestra stood up and opened the stove before checking the chicken with a fork. Chickens done. I hope youre still hungry, She said before turning to smile at me. I sure was. I was starving Faragi Didn''t receive too much feedback on this before publishing. I''m hoping this will clarify things and feel good. monkaS 1.35 Questions We had a most enjoyable dinner. I couldnt be happier at the time. Turned out that normal peoples food was far superior to eating random creatures that Id killed, especially centipede. For real, screw centipedes. Cellestra quickly did the dishes after dinner before I cast the physical barrier several times while she used her spell to track my mana flows. She seemed to give up hope after having me cast it several times to observe. The elf didnt even try to cast it on her own. It took many tries, and some encouragement from my side to try to get her to attempt it. She didnt get far, but there was a start she said. It was enough to keep her interested in trying to learn this odd way of casting spells. We continued until my mana ran out after which she threw a glance at the window. The sun had set a while ago and it was completely dark outside. Its late, She said before yawning. Dont know about you, but I should get some sleep. I had to admit I was at least somewhat tired too. It was odd since I was positive Id been out for a couple of hours when I evolved. Cellestra extinguished the candles before making her way over to her bedroom, her small flame leading the way. I followed behind her as she kept the door open for me, indicating she expected me to go with her. I wouldnt object. At my new size, the table would probably be even more uncomfortable than it had been. It was still interesting how she allowed a strange creature such as me to sleep in her room. Not that I wasnt thankful for her kindness She wished me goodnight, to which I replied with a simple wave of one of my legs before the flame in her hand died down and she dove in her bed. I spread my legs out on the pillow and decided to ask my blessing a few more questions before I would try to sleep. Elysa, I noticed the evolution points I receive for completing achievements have gone up. Is that because of the fact they are supposed to be harder to complete, or because of me advancing to the next evolution? Both. That was it? Just one word? I guess it answered my question, though. I should have asked this earlier. This information meant that technically, it would be better to wait until after evolutions to pick up easier to complete achievements as they would have higher rewards for the same amount of work. However If I delayed getting evolution points too much, I would be sacrificing strength. That idea didnt sit well with me. I also have a question about this venom bolt ability. I havent tried it yet, but you said it was piercing, right? To what degree does it pierce? The spell itself doesnt have any ranks. The piercing effect, as well as the potency of the venom bolt, are both based on the rank of the venom that is used. I see. One of the reasons I had picked this green evolution over the rainbow one was because of the fact that I would be able to upgrade my spell ranks one additional level. Come to think of it, wouldnt it be better to just keep picking the green evolution path for as long as possible? It would continually increase the rank of each spells maximum by one level. Warning. Your next evolution will be the last chance to pick a Special Evolution path. If one isnt taken, they will not be offered again. Holy crap, Elysa. Thanks for the warning. I had almost made a grave mistake. Why did this warning show up anyway? I never asked this blessing a question regarding this. Was it because I was simply thinking about it? In any case, I had to pick the rainbow evolution path. Why, though? Was there a maximum number of evolutions I could go through? Affirmative. That was a bit of a shocker, but I imagined I couldnt just grow endlessly. Elysa, could you tell me more about this rainbow evolution path? How many evolutions could I go through within the special path that it unlocks? Cannot confirm at this time. Oof. This wasnt going to be easy, was it? When can I know? After selecting the evolution path itself, the options will become known through Elysas insight. Okay. I wouldnt lose anything there. I was going to select that evolution path either way. If there was a maximum number of evolutions I could go through, that would also mean there was a maximum number of evolution points that I could easily observe from achievements that were bound to those evolutions. That was a bummer. Cannot confirm at this time. What? Why did that message pop up again? Elysa what the hell is going on? Incorrect assumption. Cannot provide full information at this time. I was left scratching my head, metaphorically, of course. I had the feeling this blessing was trying to tell me something. It was as if it was trying to reassure me I didnt know how to put it It was definitely going to need checking again after hitting my next evolution. It appeared there was quite some information that would become available after selecting it, and I intended to find out what, and why. I still wondered if it had been a good move for me to pick the green evolution this time around. Now that I had found out that this paralytic venom had a separate reserve from my normal venom, I was more confident of my decision. There was also the part that Id gotten a new spell. Moreover, this would have been the last time that I could pick the green evolution option. I decided to check what skills would have been available if Id picked the purple evolution for the third time. I did receive extra spells when I selected it the second time, after all. The evolution options for Large Purple Resica were: Improved Healing Light Improved Magic Resistance Advanced Magic Resistance Strong Magic Resistance Very Strong Magic Resistance Strong Spider Thread Very Strong Spider Thread Advanced Physical Barrier Advanced Magical Barrier I felt relieved knowing that there were no new spells. It had been a bit of a gamble, but it had paid off in the end. I think. I had yet to see how effective this paralytic venom was. If I could combine it with venom bolt and do something as simple as slow down larger targets, it would already be invaluable. It would make for an easier time hitting with my other spells. I would have some answers tomorrow when it was time to find new prey. I would probably start the day practicing some spells with Cellestra and have her throw a fireball at me so I could get that achievement. I would level up a bunch of skills and then take on a wolf. I wanted to know how much experience they would give as well. I couldnt imagine it would be a small amount. For now, I would sleep. At times like these, I wished I could close my eyes. It annoyed me slightly, but I found myself drifting off to sleep soon enough. ____________________________________________________________________________ I woke up in the middle of the night. At least I think it was the middle of the night, as I still saw Cellestras figure in the bed next to me. But something was wrong. She was moving restlessly, and I heard sounds coming from her pillow. Despite the darkness, I could see well enough to stand up and skitter over to the bed. I then climbed on to see what the noise was. This type of noise sounded way too familiar to me It was as I had expected. I could see the elf with her face down in the pillow, and from the sound of it, she was sobbing quietly. Why? My heart ached. She didnt deserve to cry. What was wrong? Did she have a nightmare? I slowly moved to her head. I didnt think she noticed me, as she didnt react. I did what my heart told me to do and cast healing light on her head, hoping it would help whatever ailed her. Cellestra seemed to react with shock at first, but I then saw her relax her muscles once more. She turned her head to face me. Kealyna... She whispered. Im sorry. I didnt mean to wake you up. Crap How was I going to ask what was wrong? I didnt know I simply cast another healing light to try to comfort her, my knightly instinct taking over. Thanks, Kealyna, Cellestra whispered again. Ill be fine. Im sorry about thisDont worry too much, okay? I didnt know if she could see me properly, but I moved my pedipalps up and down as a nod. The elf closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. I saw her rub her eyes and apologize once more. I skittered back to the pillow and was left confused as to what happened. I thought about what had just happened, trying to understand. Despite all that, I fell back asleep quite quickly. 1.36 Fears When I next woke up, the room was still dark due to the lack of any windows, but what was more interesting was that Cellestra was no longer in her bed. When I turned around, I saw the door was already open, too. I made my way through it and into the living room, of which the door was open too. Cellestra was seated at the table sipping on a cup of tea, while her eyes were fixated upon the unmoving tarantula in its enclosure. I climbed up the table and waved one of my legs in front of her eyes. What was up with this elf? Oh, hey Kealyna. How are you doing? She asked after I snapped her attention back to this world. I took the paper in front of her and started spelling. Am doing fine. What happened last night? I Im sorry about that, She said softly. Are you okay? Im fine. I just need some time to think about a few things. Poor Cellestra. Something seemed to be weighing heavily on her shoulders. I wanted to help her, but it seemed she wanted some time for herself. I wouldnt pry. I cast healing light on her arm again, hoping it would at least help in cheering her up a bit. It seemed to more or less have the desired effect as she smiled after I cast my spell. Thanks, Kealyna, She said again, softly, before taking another sip of her tea. I wanted to get this achievement before doing anything, but with the state she was in it would be better to leave her alone for a bit I think. Outside? I wrote. Yeah, Ill open the door. If you dont mind, Ill stay in the house for a bit. No problem, I spelled. She did as she said and opened the door to the outside world. I instantly made my way over to the stream and climbed in the same tree in which I had created my web. The web, apparently, was still there. I hadnt taken it down. I was surprised nothing got itself stuck in it. I was going to try to take on a wolf from here. I knew they visited this stream regularly. I kept watch for any approaching animals while I looked at my enhancement options. Name: Kealyna Race: Large Green Resica Level: 1/10 Experience: 0/60 Evolution Points: 85 Enhancement Cost in EP Advanced Venom 20 Strong Venom 35 Very Strong Venom 50 Improved Paralytic Venom 10 Advanced Paralytic Venom 20 Strong Paralytic Venom 35 Very Strong Paralytic Venom 50 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Weak Toxin Resistance 3 Toxin Resistance 5 Improved Toxin Resistance 10 Advanced Toxin Resistance 20 Strong Toxin Resistance 35 Very Strong Toxin Resistance 50 Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 I decided to increase my venom skill first, acquiring Advanced and then Strong, bringing my points down to thirty. I kind of wanted to get it to Very Strong as soon as possible. I felt warmth flow to my fangs and then to my abdomen as I leveled the skill twice. I then looked at my personal information. Hmmm, I would only need 60 experience for the next level. Elysa, how many Evolution Points will I get when I get level 2? You will acquire 20 Evolution Points per level. Oh, that was just perfect. I was going to get a level first, then take the highest level of venom I could get, and then take on a wolf! I would have to hurry, though. From my observations these past few days, it seemed at least one wolf came here sometime in the morning to drink. Where was I going to get sixty experience from? From nearby, I imagined I would have to either take on one of those gulls, or simply kill reaperfish again. Gulls would be too random, so reaperfish it was! I climbed down and started fishing with a thread. As soon as one of the fish came too close, I cast an ice lance at it, instantly killing it. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: No experience was awarded. Crap. They stopped giving me experience. But I wasnt done yet! I saw reaperfish approach the bleeding corpse and start eating it. I waited until there were a bunch of them together, before throwing another ice lance into the water. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Small Red Reaperfish: No experience was awarded. The additional corpses seemed to have the desired effect. It didnt take too long before a larger variant of the fish showed up. That was just what I needed. I waited until it was impossible to miss and cast an ice lance at it and another. These bigger fish seemed to be quite a lot more resilient as this one could still swim away, but a message popped up confirming its death. You have killed a Red Reaperfish: EXP+78 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 20 EP. There we go. I made my way back into the tree and selected the Very Strong Venom upgrade. Once more, I felt the warmth flow to my fangs and then to my abdomen. And now we wait I sat in position, ready to strike with my spells from above. I even cast a venom bolt aimed at the ground, just to get a feel for the spell. The cast formed a small, green spear that shot forward. It pierced the grass until half the spears length was embedded in the ground before the projectile lost form and simply collapsed into a small puddle of venom. As the blessing had said, the spell used hardly any mana. I felt my venom reserves lose some of their contents, but with an abdomen this large, I had plenty left. Observing the venom caused my mind to wander off to Cellestra. I got distracted by the part of herself that shed shown last night. What was wrong? I heaved a mental sigh. I didnt want to observe that again. It pained me I snapped my attention back to the world below me and continued observing the area. Yet, I felt my mind wander off on its own time and time again. When a wolf finally showed up, I fired a venom bolt and completely missed. My focus wasnt here. The wolf in question was surprised by the attack and quickly ran off, shattering my hopes of an easy kill. I waited for what felt like several more hours, but no other wolves showed up. I had botched the one chance I had. What a mess I gave up hope and made my way down again. I moved back to Cellestras home and noticed that the door was still open. The elf was outside, cleaning the window. I was not going to be able to fight in this state. She was obviously suffering alone. I wanted to know what was going on, and if there might be some way I could help, even a little. My heart would not allow me peace otherwise. I waved at her and went inside while wondering how I should ask this without upsetting her. She had shown hesitancy to talk about this. I hoped she was okay. Was it because of her curse or anything? Cellestra gave me a quick nod as I entered the building. I climbed up to the table and watched her finish cleaning the window before she finally joined me. How did things go? She asked as she sat down. Bad, I wrote. Could not concentrate. Worried about you. Im so sorry, She said as I saw her mood worsen once more. Cellestra placed an elbow on the table and ran her hand over her forehead. I dont know how to put this... She took a deep breath and sighed. Are you sure you want me to tell you? Well yes. I nodded with my limbs. Im scared, Kealyna. She sighed again. These past few days I dont know I was finally able to get some distraction from whatever my life has become... Scared, why? I wrote. Because I... She started, then paused before continuing softly. Because I dont want to go back Crap I should have known. Cellestra had been nothing but nice. Do you see why I didnt want to tell you? I dont want you to worry about this... I saw. Will not leave for while, I wrote, hoping to cheer her up. Youre a nice person, you know that? But I dont want to hold you back. You will have to leave sooner or later. I saw the elf try to speak with confidence, but she wasnt doing a good job at it. It was clear she had been lonely. To think she held out for years with no one to speak with besides this peddler that visited her every now and then. I was already having difficulties after what? Two days? I also didnt want to state the option of her coming with me. Not when she was in this state. That would simply feel like abusing the situation. When I saw her like this, I was almost certain shed say yes. She clearly needed time. I would need time to think about this, too. 1.37 Bacon All will be fine in the end, I wrote, earning a slight smile from Cellestra. Thank you, Kealyna. Once again, Im sorry... I understand. The elf sighed. I hope youll be able to concentrate now, though. Its dangerous to lose your concentration when youre fighting things. I hoped so too. Finding creatures that would allow me to grow stronger was starting to become harder as it was. Not only were they much rarer, but they were also far stronger. I was going to have to be focused. Should I ask Cellestra to attack me with that fireball of hers? I took a look at the elf and noticed her slight smile had disappeared again. I opted to not ask yet. I felt like I needed to get some things done today, but I also didnt want to leave this elf feeling like this. I skittered to her hand on the table and took hold of it with my four front legs, hugging it. Thank you, Cellestra said once more as I let go. For all I know, youre still a knight. Her comment filled me with warmth. It served to confirm that Id not completely lost my old lifes virtues. I had started to worry about losing who I once was Will go out now, I wrote. Can practice spells later if want. Yeah, Cellestra said, smiling once more. Id love that. Take care of yourself out there. She appeared to be in a much better mood already. I was much more confident with leaving her behind now. I made my way down to the floor and exited the building through the still open doors. Once outside, I made my way to the stream and followed it downstream, hoping to find some prey down the line. If anything dangerous showed up, Id be able to take cover in one of the trees to my left. I also kept an eye out on the reaperfish. If I saw any larger-sized ones, Id take the opportunity to get some more experience. My sources started to run out, after all. It kind of had me worried about what I would have to kill for experience during my next evolution. Would it be wolves and more dangerous creatures? Maybe a bear? I shuddered. I had my doubts about taking on a bear. Then again, my next evolution should be quite powerful, and I didnt quite know the extent of this venom bolt yet, either. No large fish or wolves showed up as I continued my trip downstream. Eventually, I did see something moving around in the vegetation near the trees. When my eyes focused on what it was, I found a green snake slowly slithering towards me. What was that snake thinking? It was large, yes, but I was quite sizable myself now. I fired a venom bolt at the approaching creature, impaling its long body by pure surprise. After the projectile had pierced and become stuck in its body, it fell apart in the same manner as the venom bolt Id fired at the grass. Seconds later, the snake stopped moving and went limp. You have killed a Green Forest Viper: EXP+130 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 20 EP. Seemed this attack was quite effective. Hold on a second. I believe I possessed the paralytic venom already, right? I checked my skill list and noted I already had the Paralytic Venom. I could enhance the improved version if I wanted to. I should try this skill out some time... Actually I climbed up the nearest tree and confirmed that I wanted to upgrade the skill. There was no point in delaying it. If I needed it, I wanted it to be as strong as possible. I would level it again next time I had enough evolution points, too. When my enhancement was done, I made my way down again and continued my trip. I imagined I would see the lake that Cellestra had talked about soon. Before that happened, I ran into another snake. This time, I used my venom bolt with paralytic venom. Instead of a green spear forming, it was yellow. It was also slightly smaller. I had the feeling that was due to the spell not being as high rank. When it fired, it also didnt impale the snake as deep as my normal venom bolt. It did, however, cause the snake to go limp within a second or ten. I had taken several steps back as the snake tried to approach me as I wanted to see the effects from a safe distance. The creature went completely limp, and I could approach it without danger. I didnt know how long this effect would last, so I rushed in quickly and killed the snake with my legs. You have killed a Green Forest Viper: EXP+136 I would say that was moderately effective. The creature wasnt the biggest, but then again, my venom wasnt anywhere near its maximum strength, either. I continued my journey but didnt run into anything else of interest. All I saw were a few beetles and, of course, plenty of small reaperfish. Ultimately, I ended up at the lake. It was a lake that stretched as far as I could see. If I didnt know it was a lake, I would have thought this was a sea for sure. I looked around to make sure the area was clear of predators before I skittered over to the water. When I looked into the lake, I saw many reaperfish darting about. I was certain I saw a couple that were far bigger than the ones in the stream. Maybe they were classified as large? There was only one way to find out. It was time to go fishing again. I had just created a thread that I used as a lure when something approached in the corner of my vision. Before I even knew what was going on, I saw a large boar charging at me, tusks ready to impale me. I left the water behind me and cast the physical barrier enchant as I made a run for the nearest tree. I was pretty sure these animals couldnt climb. I managed to get to a tree in time and scale it. Not long after I made it up the trunk, the tree shook as the beast impacted it. I didnt have any issues holding on, but this beasts anger was evident. What had I done to upset it? I was going to give it something to be upset about. I climbed to an overarching branch and looked at the boar below who looked up at me with fiery eyes. Here, have a venom bolt to the face! I cast my spell and saw the bolt pierce the boars hide. The attack seemed to anger the creature even more as it bashed its tusks into the trunk again. What was this beasts problem? I cast venom bolt several more times until my venom reserves were empty. After that, I switched to my paralytic venom and ice lances. This beast was quite tough, but I could see it start to take damage as all the projectiles had caused quite a few puncture wounds that were bleeding. Eventually, the beast seemed to regret its decision to anger me as it started to walk away. It was walking slowly and limply, though. I imagined those were lingering effects from all that venom. I observed it walking away, and soon enough, its legs gave out. No message showed up saying it died. I wasnt sure whether it was blood loss or my paralytic venom that had caused it to lose its footing. I looked around to make sure the area was clear. I made my way down shortly after. I had to take advantage of this while I could. Even if I wasnt planning on taking on a boar, there was no reason to let this opportunity slip by. This creature was sturdy, though. My ice lance spell didnt seem to do nearly as much damage as Id hoped. It appeared my poison was far more effective. I made my way over to the beasts head and cast my ice lance directly at its skull. Instead of piercing as I had hoped, the icicle shattered as soon as it impacted. I should have known it had a hard skull from the way it smashed against the trunk without seeming to care. Time to use my other spell. I threw my fireball at its side where it would impact the largest surface area. I didnt dare to get close out of fear that it would suddenly stand up and attack me. Those tusks looked like they could still do a lot of damage, even if I had my physical barrier active. The fireball did as I had hoped and burned the beasts fur. It didnt take long for the animal to be completely engulfed in flames. The smell that came from the creature was actually kind of good. You have killed a Large Forest Boar: EXP+770 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 4! You have been awarded 20 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 5! You have been awarded 20 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 6! You have been awarded 20 EP. Great, now I am hungry 1.38 Confusion As I watched the flames on the boars corpse die out, I came to the conclusion that I should have tried to cast an ice lance in its eye socket. It would be gruesome, but it would probably have resulted in a faster kill. The boar was dead, though, and it had given me enough experience for a couple of levels. I had, however, used up all my lethal venom and a few spells as well. It made me wonder how tough this boar was compared to a wolf. In my mind, a wolf would probably be easier to kill. I didnt think they had a hide quite this tough. Though, they were probably smarter. This boar had been quite stupid. Lucky for me, of course, but still stupid. I was still hungry. The beasts meat was partly cooked, and it smelled divine. I imagined most of the creature would still be edible. I decided to go to Cellestra first and inform her of this large boar. Hold on, this was a Large boar, right? That meant I would only need two more large creatures for that achievement. Neat. I skittered along the stream, back to Cellestras abode. I wasnt in the best condition to fight with my venom reserves low and my mana partly drained so I made haste. Fortunately, I was already quite big. This simple trip back would have taken me quite a while if Id still been the size that I was when I was just reborn. I reached her house and noticed that the door was still open. I found Cellestra inside, reading a book. I skittered up the table while she welcomed me back. How did your hunt go? She asked, looking up from the book at the letters where I started spelling. Good. Killed boar with fire. Smells good. Want to come get it? Cellestra started giggling. By the goddess, Kealyna. Now youre just overdoing it. She then smiled. But if youve killed a boar, we should definitely retrieve it for its meat. It would be a damn shame to just leave it there. Thats what I thought too. The elf stood up and walked out of the building with me following closely behind her. Minutes later, we arrived at the place where I killed the boar. It was a large boar, indeed. I imagined it weighed the same as Cellestra. I started doubting whether she would be able to get it back to her home. You did this? Cellestra asked in disbelief. She already knew the answer to the question and shook her head. Youre pretty damn dangerous to the local wildlife, you know that? I knew that. It was a shame I was forced to kill, too. Although, with the amount of experience that this creature had given me, I would not have to kill much. That was at least somewhat of a relief. Well, Cellestra continued. Thats enough to eat for several days. Youre lucky I got a way to freeze food in the cellar. She had a cellar? I hadnt seen that yet. It made sense, in a way. I hadnt really noticed where she stored her food. The elf knelt next to the corpse and started casting some kind of spell on it. What was that spell? She then grabbed the boars tail and dragged it behind her on her way back to her home as if it weighed nothing. I imagine that was exactly what that spell did. It made the creature lighter. Useful. We didnt run into anything besides a squirrel. I killed it with an ice lance, only to immediately regret my decision after finding out it gave no experience. Poor squirrel. If only there was a way to know what creatures would give experience without having to unnecessarily slaughter them Elysa, this blessing is turning me into a murderous maniac. I sighed at the thought. I never wanted to do this. Like all elves, I had close ties to nature. Even if Id spent most of my time away from the forest after the incident, I still wanted to respect the forest and its inhabitants. This reincarnation thing had forced me to do the exact opposite of that. I hoped it would come to an end at some point. Although I was killing with purpose, killing without doing it for the purpose of actually eating just felt off. We reached Cellestras home and she dragged the boar to the rear of her home where she removed a patch of grass. Beneath the grass were two large, wooden doors that opened to reveal a staircase leading down a dark cellar. She walked down the stairs with the boar still in tow and remained beneath the surface for a minute or two before she appeared again. Thank you, Kealyna. We will make sure to not let it go to waste. Did you also learn those principles in your world? I nodded with my pedipalps. It seemed this world was quite similar, indeed. We made our way inside again and I asked if there were any creatures in the forest that used magic. I hadnt found them again, but I knew there was something that had used magic on me. Why are you asking? Cellestra said after watching me spell out the question. When you found me my legs were shot off by magic attack. That wasnt that hawk? I moved my pedipalps from left to right in my no gesture. What did the attack look like? She asked. Blue projectile. Not big. I think that may have been a blue dart lizard then. They are pretty rare in the forest, but they have quite the way of killing prey. I looked at her as she explained what may have attacked me. As the name suggests, they use blue magic darts to take down prey from afar. They have quite the accuracy and range. Youre lucky to have survived. Bird picked me up after magic hit me twice. Cellestra shook her head again. You really did have it rough, didnt you? You had your legs shot off your body, a hawk tried to eat you, fell from the sky, only to have me put you in a terrarium. Yes. was not pleasant. Cellestra sighed and leaned back in her chair. I spelled out some more words, which she observed from afar. Want practice magic? I felt like I had accomplished quite a bit today already. I didnt know how much time was left today, but I wasnt planning on heading out until my venom reserves had been replenished. My magic reserves would hardly suffer from something as simple as a barrier spell. Id love to. Thank you. What did you have in mind? Was thinking physical barrier. Sure, She said with a smile. Sounds good. Cellestra and I practiced for about an hour. Time and time again, she sent her mana flow into me and I felt it coalesce in the spells that I cast. I felt her mana track my flows. Every time Id finished a cast, the elf was left in utter amazement. I had to admit it was quite an interesting sight to see. I actually enjoyed it. When it was time to make dinner, Cellestra retrieved a good haunch of meat from the boar and started seasoning it. In the meantime, I went outside and headed to the stream, looking if there was anything else I could do while the elf prepared dinner. I couldnt help but have my mind wander off to the elf again. Although, this time it was accompanied by more positive emotions. She seemed far happier now. I hoped my actions regarding the boar also helped out a bit with that. It was unplanned, but I couldnt deny it was a nice catch. I observed plenty of fish swim downstream again, but I couldnt see anything of the size that I needed in order to get experience. The big ones seemed to be concentrated in the lake I visited earlier. It made me wonder about how I was going to kill the largest of them. The ones Id seen in the lake were seriously huge. I was about one and a half feet right now, and I was certain that I saw at least one reaperfish that was easily three times my size. Hell, with a size like that, it could even be dangerous to elves. It would probably still die if it was left on land for too long. If their scales were still soft enough at that size, I could probably use my venom bolt on them. I could cast it when they were on either land or in the water, although I would prefer to have the fish flop on land first so I would have an easy time hitting them. It would also allow me to hit it multiple times. I had no idea how much venom it would take to kill one. If they were left in water, they could probably simply swim away before they got the required dose. Water would likely dilute the venom too And I doubted my ice lance was strong enough. I already needed multiple hits on normal-sized reaperfish in order to kill them. I made my way up the nearest tree after confirming once more that there were no fish worth killing here. For some reason, my mind kept wandering off to Cellestra, even though I didnt necessarily worry about her as much anymore. Why? 1.39 Practice I had no idea what was going on. My mind was playing tricks on me, I was certain of it. Maybe there was still some fear inside of me. She never did tell me the full story behind her curse, after all While I was sitting on one of the trees branches, I went over my enhancement list and decided to level up my paralytic venom up to strong. While I was at it, I also upgraded my toxin resistance by two levels. I thought it might be a good idea considering Id run into a few snakes earlier. I was left with seven points. A few minutes later, all the enhancements had been applied to my body and I continued looking over the list of skills for the future. My next step would obviously be the highest level of paralytic venom. I would probably wait with the rest until after my evolution. That would be the last effective combat-boosting skill I could get in this evolution. For that, I needed 43 more evolution points. I had four more levels to go until my cap, meaning I would get 80 more points from leveling. I imagined that meant I could save some achievements until after my evolution I thought about it and came to the conclusion it would be the smart thing to do. I had to kill at least a wolf for the rainbow evolution to become available which would also reward me with several more evolution points. I could delay the achievement where I had to dodge or nullify a spell and the one where I had to kill Large creatures. Doing that would award me with more evolution points in the long run, and right now, I would hardly sacrifice any power. All my remaining possible enhancements were defense-orientated and it wasnt like boars could climb trees or fish could run on land. Wolves couldnt climb trees either, right? I believed bears could, but I had no intention of running into them, either way. For now My thoughts wandered off to Cellestra once again. I started getting frustrated because of it. This was becoming an annoyance. The fact that I had no idea why this was happening in the first place only made it worse. I tried to think of what could be going on. Was it because I wanted to tell her that I would be happy to have her join me, but that I couldnt do it right now? The need to give her the option had been tugging at me, but I had decided for myself that I wouldnt want to exploit her in any way. She did not deserve such a thing. I sighed mentally and decided to just go home again. It felt odd to call it home, but I guess it was that, even if it was just temporary. I felt more at ease calling this home than that damned orphanage, or even the barracks that I stayed in after that. Maybe this new world wasnt so bad after all. I had a new chance to do everything over again. This time, at least there was still hope in my life. I knew there was happiness in the prospect of seeing my parents again. My only issue was this body. I could probably grow to be quite strong thanks to this blessing, but I was still a monster. At least Cellestra didnt see me as one There it was again. My mind wandering off. I slapped my head with one of my legs and went to Cellestras home. I entered and made my way back onto the table where I observed the elf adding some more seasoning to the haunch of meat shed taken from the boar. Welcome back, Cellestra said without even looking. Youre back pretty early. Dinners almost done so its not a bad thing. She placed the meat back inside the stove and sat down at the table. Nothing of interest? She asked, obviously referring to my hunt. Nothing, I spelled out. I saw her looking with a spark in her eyes. I thought she was eager to see me spell out more words but I had no idea what to say. Practice barrier? I ultimately asked. Uh, I saw her hesitate for a moment. Can try it once or twice, I guess. I cast my physical barrier after Cellestra allowed her mana to flow into me. The feeling of it started to get familiar comforting. The elfs smile made me feel even more at ease. I think Im starting to see things a bit more clearly now, Cellestra said. The flow patterns are so intricate but Im starting to see some sense in them. Lets try that once more before dinner. Not a problem. I allowed her mana to search mine once more and cast the barrier again. When I was finished, Cellestra smiled briefly before standing up to get the meat out of the stove. Soon after, I was enjoying the fruits of my kill from earlier. This wild boar tasted amazing. Cellestras hands probably had a great influence on the end result, though. By the time we finished, I saw the sun begin to set on the outside world. Cellestra lit the candles around the room and fed her tarantula a beetle before continuing to practice spells with me. I was having a great time watching Cellestra observe my mana flows while casting and then trying to cast the spell herself. She failed miserably but had a few good laughs about it. Its necessary to fail to succeed, She had said. Rose taught me plenty when it came to magic. She instructed me to observe the flow first and then try to replicate the spell piece by piece. Im almost getting to the point where I can reconstruct the very first piece of your spell. There are many to go, but its finally getting somewhere. She sounded happy with her progress so far. I didnt quite know how to feel. On one hand, I was happy that she seemed to be getting somewhere, but on the other hand This spell was so simple for me. I almost felt as if I was doing something that could be considered forbidden knowledge. We continued for a while until Cellestra said she finally understood the first part of the spell. She leaned back in her chair with a deep sigh and smiled. Thank you so much. This magic is truly amazing. Her smile then disappeared in a matter of seconds. I saw her mouth open as to speak, but she quickly closed it again. Cellestra then looked at the tarantula that was ever unmoving. What is matter? I asked. I just thought of something... Cellestra spoke softly. This curse of mine. Ive been working on curing it for so long, but I have found no magic or alchemy product that has any effect on it. Im at the point where I am almost out of conventional options... She paused for a while. Do you see what Im getting at? I had somewhat of an idea, but I wanted to hear it from her. No, I spelled. Cellestra sighed again. I was thinking that if conventional magic doesnt work, maybe unconventional magic does. I was thinking that maybe I would be able to use your way of casting spells to find a solution, but I dont want to try anything until I have your permission. It would just feel like stealing. I didnt see why that would be an issue. If I could help her out, I would. Not a problem. Happy to help. The elf smiled. Thank you, Kealyna. I continued writing. Maybe I get spell that can help out later. Dont know. Next evolution is special. Hope I get some more answers. Special? That sounds interesting. Very curious, myself. I wasnt lying. I was incredibly curious about the options that would appear after selecting the rainbow evolution. The speech part was the one thing I was after the most, and I was hoping it would be available soon. This whole letter writing thing was annoying me to no end, as effective as it was. If I kept growing through evolutions, we may even need more paper and bigger letters soon. Well, Cellestra said. I had a great time today. Its time for bed. I believe the traveling merchant is bound to visit again tomorrow and Id like to have a good nights rest before he arrives. The elf extinguished the candles and led the way to her bedroom with the small fire in her hands. I skittered over to the pillow and lay down on it while Cellestra placed herself under her covers. Good night, Kealyna, She said. I wished I could reply to that with words. All I could do for now was simply wave with one of my legs. It did earn a giggle from her, which sparked joy in my core, but not being able to speak was getting to me. It was getting worse by the day 1.40 Restlessness Faragi I dropped chapter 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40 Make sure not to miss one of them :) I was certain Id fallen asleep, but I found myself awake to noise coming from where Cellestra was sleeping. Fearing that she might repeat the same actions as yesterday, I climbed up to her bed to investigate. What I found was, fortunately enough, not a sobbing elf. However, she was thrashing about in her bed restlessly. If I were to guess, she was having a bad dream. She couldnt catch a break, could she? I felt sorry for the elf and carefully skittered closer as she was still flailing her arms around. I got close enough to cast my healing light spell, hoping it would have some effect on the state she was in. As soon as I cast it, her movements slowed down. Happy with the fact that it did something, I cast it again and then another time until she stopped moving about. After that, she seemed to be sleeping peacefully once more. Poor Cellestra. It truly pained me to see her like this. Was this part of her curse? After waiting for a few minutes to see if she would have a relapse and confirming she was fine for the moment, I skittered back down to the pillow I slept on. If this was her curse, it would explain why she was trying so hard to find a cure. I knew from experience that not being able to sleep was a curse in itself. I really didnt like seeing someone suffering like this, especially as kind a soul as Cellestra. It took a while before I fell asleep again. ____________________________________________________________________________ When I finally awoke, I did so to the sound of sheets next to me. I wasnt feeling too well, but once I saw Cellestra sit on the side of the bed, it served to make me feel better already. Good morning, Kealyna, She said with a yawn. I simply waved at her, causing her to smile. Dont know about you, but Im gonna go grab some breakfast. Hopefully, Ill have some time before the merchant visits. It seemed she was fine. There was no comment on anything that happened last night. Then again, she probably had no idea. I figured I wouldnt bring it up. All she would do was likely worry about me if I did. About breakfast, I wasnt hungry at all. I followed her to the living room and watched her put some leftovers from the night before on a plate. She then retrieved some potions from the cabinets and set those out on the table. Cant wait to get some more flour. Ive been longing for some good bread, She said as she sat down. She started eating and watched me spell out the words, Good morning. It was the earliest opportunity for me to tell her. Do you want anything? She asked. I gestured no with my front limbs. Thats what I thought, figured Id ask just to make sure. How are you doing anyway? Besides spider part I am doing okay. Yeah, Cellestra said with a sigh. I can imagine. Im surprised you can even say you are fine. The elf continued eating in silence for a bit before she asked another question. If you dont mind me asking What did you look like in your previous life? The question struck me like a bolt of lightning. I did not expect her to ask something like that. It would make sense to eventually talk about this. All she saw right now was an enormous spider. I could see she wanted to know who was inside of it. Its hard for me to give you a face, you know? She continued softly. I mean you said you dont want me to see you like you are right now... It was exactly what I had expected. I did tell her Im an elf, after all. This would have to be asked eventually. If anything, I had brought this upon myself. I would now have to take responsibility. But it was hard Remembering my old life hurt. If anything, Id like to forget it. That was what Elysa had promised me too. How things had changed With pain in my heart but determination in my mind, I wrote what I once looked like. Was elf like you. Had green eyes and blond hair. Hair was long and very very light. Guess I was about same height as you but is difficult to determine. Yeah, I can see why. Your perspective must have taken some time getting used to. Correct. Long hair? Cellestra continued. Didnt you tell me you were a knight? Was that not annoying with your armor? It was. Had to stuff it inside helm. Took some time every day. Cellestra smiled. That does sound annoying. Why not cut it? Truly? Do not know. I see. Knocking on the door interrupted our conversation. Cellestra stood up and brought the potions that shed arranged on the table with her. Those were obviously her currency for trade. She closed the door behind her after she left the room. A minute or so later, she re-entered the room with two jute bags, a large and a smaller one. The big bag seemed to be filled with flour, judging from the white powder near its top. The smaller one held a variety of potions. Cellestra placed the larger bag in one of the cabinets in the kitchen before opening the smaller one and placing the glass vials and tubes on the table. Finally got some milk too, Cellestra said happily as she returned to the hallway and walked back inside with a large glass bottle of white liquid and a small wheel of cheese. You have no idea how hard it is to get my hands on milk out here. To be fair, it looked to me that getting your hands on anything at all out here was a pain. How far was the nearest village even? Hmmm, I think Ill start with making some bread. Do you want to get out, Kealyna? I nodded with my pedipalps. I still had some way to go until my next evolution and the sooner I got there, the better. Today, I would try to find a wolf. And I knew just the place to be. Good luck out there today, Cellestra said with a smile as she opened both doors for me leading to the outside world. And stay safe. I dont know why, but I liked it when she said those words. It truly had been a long time since I had anyone talk to me that way. It took me back to better days. I waved at her as I skittered off to the stream, hopeful that I would have better focus today. There was nothing near the stream besides a couple of frogs. I decided to leave them alone as they were quite a bit smaller than me and would likely not give experience. I climbed up the same tree as yesterday and simply waited. Sure, I could go out and actively hunt wolves, but why even risk it? I would be safe up here in this tree and I knew this place was visited by wolves quite regularly. Today was off to a good start. Within ten minutes, two wolves appeared from further upstream. They didnt seem to stop to drink and kept moving. I waited until they were as close as they would get from my position, took aim, and cast my paralyzing venom bolt on the nearest wolf, striking it cleanly in its flank. The wolves were startled for a second or two before they took notice of me. Within the short amount of time I had, I already fired a second bolt at the target I hit before. The injured wolf started to run away, but I saw it slow down soon after, the paralytic venom taking hold. I hoped it would be enough to paralyze it completely. In the meantime, I had my attention fixated on the second wolf that growled at me. It ran up to the tree trunk and did something unexpected; it started climbing the tree. What the hell? Wolves arent supposed to climb trees. I cast the physical barrier spell as the wolf climbed to be safe. I then cast my paralytic venom bolt another time, hitting its back as it climbed. I then felt my reserves run dry as I cast it a last time. The wolf whimpered but didnt give up. Seriously, did I have some sort of pheromone on me that made sure enemies would not give up in trying to kill me or what? The beast reached the branch on which I was seated and growled once more, its eyes peering into mine. I cast a fireball at the beast which crept closer to me. I slowly moved back as I saw the fireball impact its snout. I followed up by casting my venom bolt with lethal venom twice, followed by an ice lance. I noticed that the other wolf that tried to run was now lying on the grass, slowly moving its paws. If that was the case, this wolf before me should succumb to the paralytic venom soon enough. Before that happened, though, it lunged at me. Faragi Do consider supporting me on Patreon. I have not much to offer for this story specifically yet, as I have no backlog, but I will offer advance chapters to this story in the future :) Hope you all enjoy <3 1.41 Alpha Screw you, wolf! I stepped back, avoiding the bite, before launching another ice lance at its face, followed by another venom bolt. I followed up with another fireball, not holding anything back. I just needed to buy some time. The attacks seemed to do just that. They kept the wolf at a distance and I noticed its footing started to waver. The wolf reared up its hind feet and I placed my abdomen on the tree and started producing a thread of silk. When the wolf jumped, I jumped off of the branch while hanging on my thread. The wolf wasnt prepared for that. It missed miserably and then fell to the ground and whimpered after impacting it. I observed it while hanging. I should be perfectly safe here. There was no reason for me to go further down. I watched as the beast tried to stand but failed. It seemed my paralytic venom was taking its toll. I was happy I had upgraded the skill. It appeared two bolts were enough to knock out a wolf. Soon after I was certain that this wolf was not getting back up on its feet, I lowered myself to the ground and snapped the thread. I then walked over to the first wolf and shot two more venom bolts in its side. I felt my reserves run dry and hesitated to use more as I still had a second wolf to take care of. Fortunately, a message popped up a minute or so later. You have killed a Forest Wolf: EXP+549 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 7! You have been awarded 20 EP. Achievement Earned: Wolf Wrecker Kill any Wolf. You have been awarded 40 EP. Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. I skittered over to the other wolf and fired the last venom bolt that I could, before firing two more ice lances in its belly. It seemed that did the trick. You have killed a Forest Wolf: EXP+593 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 8! You have been awarded 20 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 20 EP. Yep. That was about the best I could do. My venom reserves were completely empty, and I didnt think I could cast many more spells, maybe two or three. I was happy with the large amount that these two creatures had given me. One more wolf or maybe a few of those large fish would be enough to achieve my next evolution. For now, I decided to retreat back to Cellestras home. I took one last look at the corpses and wondered what to do with them. I would tell the elf. I imagined she could use them for furs. Wolves werent necessarily hunted for their meat as much as their furs. It would seem that Cellestra has left the door open once more. When I made my way inside, I saw the elf kneading a ball of dough on a cutting board on the table. Heya, She said as I climbed the table. How did things go? I retrieved the paper which was shoved aside and started producing words. Went well. Killed two wolves. Wondering if you can use. Two wolves? She asked with a frown. Damn, Kealyna. Youre becoming the alpha around here pretty fast arent you? She smiled as she said it. I wanted to smile back so badly But sure. Ill finish kneading in a bit. Ill have a look after. We should at least use them for furs. Its about time I get some new furs. I havent been able to get my hands on any new bed covers for winter. I was almost about to go hunt on my own. It seemed I had removed another one of her worries. A wave of warmth flooded through me as I saw her smile again. Happy to help, I spelled out. I watched Cellestra knead the dough for a couple more minutes, smiling the entire time. How did she appear to find so much joy doing simple things like these? It truly puzzled me. It was such a stark contrast to how she acted during the nights, too. I guess I was simply admiring her spirit. She formed the dough into a ball again and placed the cutting board with the dough on it in the unlit stove. Well, lets see those wolves of yours, shall we? I led her to the stream, where the two corpses still lay. She knelt down to the wolf Id killed last and ran her fingers over its fur. Seems you did damage it slightly, but it shouldnt be much of an issue. Nice job, Kealyna. She pulled the wolves together and started dragging them back to her home. The elf left them in front of her home as she went inside to retrieve a large knife. Got some time while the dough rises. I figure I might as well work on this now. I waved at her and took a look at my enhancement options. I had some time to kill until my mana and venom reserves were replenished, and I got a large amount of evolution points from those two kills. Name: Kealyna Race: Large Green Resica Level: 9/10 Experience: 88/540 Evolution Points: 107 Enhancement Cost in EP Very Strong Paralytic Venom 50 Jaws and Teeth 5 Improved Jaws and Teeth 10 Improved Toxin Resistance 10 Advanced Toxin Resistance 20 Strong Toxin Resistance 35 Very Strong Toxin Resistance 50 Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 I had many points stocked up. I would at least enhance my paralytic venom to its highest attainable level. After doing that and feeling the changes happen to my body, I was left contemplating if I should upgrade any other skills. As I had plenty of points and two more achievements that I could get, one of which was extremely simple, I decided to also evolve my jaws and teeth to their maximum rank. Maybe I would actually need them some day in combat again. I hadnt used them in a while for combat, but that was mainly due to me staying out of range of my targets. They would pair well with my paralytic venom as I could get close without having to fear retaliation. After enhancing my skills, I continued observing Cellestra. She had dug a hole and was now carving open the wolves and removing their guts, which were then deposited in the hole in the ground. She then carefully removed the flesh that was attached to the hide with a smaller knife. Even though I had no experience with this kind of thing, I could see she had done this before. It was to be expected too if you were left to mostly fend for yourself. I wondered how she felt about all this. It seemed she was going to great lengths to find a cure for her curse, so I would assume she wasnt too happy about all this. It was just I didnt see it. She always seemed to be cheerful. Maybe that was because I was around, but I couldnt imagine someone feigning the kind smiles she showed Whenever I saw her smile, I wanted to smile myself. It was infuriating that I was unable to. I sighed. Elysa, when I am able to speak, will I also be able to smile? Cannot confirm until evolution is chosen. This damn blessing was so worthless at times like these I watched and waited for another hour or so. Cellestra was almost finished with the hide cleaning part when I waved at her and she waved back as I headed out once more. I wanted to find out if I could smile somewhere down the line of evolutions. It had become an important factor. It was so odd how I suddenly saw this as important. Why? I felt my mind start to wander off to Cellestra and her kind smiles as I traveled downstream. I had to snap myself back to the present and force all my willpower in trying to stay focused as I checked the water to see if any large fish were present. I didnt find any until Id almost reached the lake. I saw one large reaperfish swimming about and tried to bait it with a line of thread before presenting myself to the creature when it reached the surface. It was amusing to see just how dumb this species of fish was. As the other fish of its kind had done, it jumped out of the water in an effort to eat me. The fact that I was too big for the fish to eat was even more testament to its stupidity. Instead of allowing it to die of suffocation, I fired a venom bolt to see how effective it was. It impaled its flank and it didnt take long for the fish to succumb to the venom. You have killed a Red Reaperfish: EXP+79 Killing these was too slow. I wanted to find one of the massive reaper fish. Those would be far more interesting to me. 1.42 Rainbow? I continued downstream and soon reached the enormous lake. I scouted the nearby area for predators and ran into another snake. I finished it off quickly with a well-aimed ice lance as it tried to intimidate me by raising its head as high as it could. You have killed a Green Forest Viper: EXP+126 Not the smartest creatures out here. Then again, it couldnt have known I could cast magic. This magic was truly a game-changer. One thing did strike me as odd, though. These vipers gave a surprising amount of experience for how easy they were to kill. I figured their venom was probably quite potent. I didnt see another reason. Maybe I should upgrade my toxin resistance sometime soon. I had no idea what other creatures dwelled in this forest I was too close to my evolution now, though. I had to focus on getting that first. My worries for enhancing all the skill options that would open with the rainbow evolution would be for later. I peered into the water after making sure the coast was clear of any danger. I saw many of the giant goldfish swimming about as well as entire schools of reaperfish, with a large one here and there. My eyes spotted one of the giant ones. I threw out a line of silk to set up my bait. Soon enough Id killed a small fish. No experience was gained, but my bait was set up. I used ice lances to kill a few of the reaperfish that came to eat the bleeding corpse before my quarry decided to investigate. I unleashed a flurry of spells on the giant fish, starting with a paralytic venom bolt that I hit as part of its body surfaced. I followed it up with three ice lances before casting my venom bolt twice. I wasnt sure how effective venom would be in water, but I knew that Id at least gotten a fair dose in its body. I impaled it with two more ice lances as it swam away in panic. I hoped that would be enough to finish it off I could chase it down with water walking I think? I had not used the spell before, so I didnt dare to use it now on impulse. I watched the fish swim off while leaving a distinct trail of blood in its wake. That had to be enough A minute or so after the fish went out of sight, a message showed up. You have killed a Large Red Reaperfish: EXP+180 That was surprisingly little experience for something so large. How much experience did I still need for the level cap? Name: Kealyna Race: Large Green Resica Level: 9/10 Experience: 473/540 Evolution Points: 42 I saw the reaperfish in the lake swim in the direction of where the large fish had swum off to. Well, that means its time to hunt snakes again. I left the lake behind me and skittered along with the vegetation, looking for any vipers. I had started to get an idea of where they preferred to be. Besides, from what I had seen so far, they would start hissing the moment I got close, giving me an even better idea of when one was near. Stupid snakes. I cast the physical barrier on myself as I went fairly close to the ferns and other plants that made up the vegetation near the treeline. Soon enough, I heard a hissing sound, causing me to step away in order to focus on where the sound had come from. This was all too easy. The creature in question slithered up to me, leaving its camouflage behind. I pierced its body with a venom bolt and then again for good measure. It never got the chance to come close. You have killed a Green Forest Viper: EXP+67 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 20 EP. Level Cap Reached Evolutions Available! Special evolution available! Finally. It was time to get at least some answers. I made my way back to Cellestras home as fast as I could. On the way there, I ran into one more snake which I ignored. I had no use for it right now. When I arrived at the wooden building, I saw a round wooden tub in front of it. The elf wasnt nearby, so I decided to peek inside. After climbing on the tub wall I noticed the wolf pelts soaked in water. Though, I assumed that wasnt just water. I went inside the house and found Cellestra at work on her dough once more. She was putting it inside the unlit stove a second time as I entered. Welcome back again, She said as I climbed onto the table. How did it go? She stood up and sat down at the table with a glass of milk. I started spelling out words. Went well. Can evolve again. Hope I get some answers. Heh, Cellestra chuckled. Ill get some more paper and write down larger letters. Its getting harder with you growing so much. It was as if shed read my thoughts from earlier. Thanks, I wrote. I then positioned myself near the back of the table while Cellestra retrieved some more paper and a piece of charcoal to write. I went over my enhancement one last time out of habit but figured it was completely pointless. I could increase any skill I wanted in the rainbow evolution after all. I was anxious about what I knew would be an enormous list of spells that were going to be available for enhancement. I waved at Cellestra one last time before lying down and confirming that I wanted the Giant Rainbow Resica evolution. I was knocked out immediately after confirming. ____________________________________________________________________________ When my vision returned at least, I felt extremely dizzy and disorientated. Everything around me was blurry. The best sense I had at the moment was my sense of smell, the scent of freshly baked bread to be more specific. I stood up and heard Cellestra call out, Careful with your movements, Kealyna. I stopped moving and just let myself drop down on the table again. Slowly but steadily my vision returned. When it did, The first thing I noticed was the colors on my abdomen. The furthest part was colored in the same purple that I donned during my purple evolutions. The middle part was colored orange, and the part closest to my head was green. So much for a rainbow. This was the worst rainbow Id ever seen. The next thing I noticed was my size. This evolution had not lied. I was truly gigantic. I saw Cellestra look at me with slight worry in her eyes, but I waved at her letting her know I was fine. She had her hands on the table and judging from how much they had shrunk, I assumed I was about two and a half to three feet from head to abdomen right now. I spanned over half the table. At this rate, I wouldnt even fit anymore after an evolution or two. Speaking of evolutions I hoped I could get my answers now. First, I was going to make sure that Cellestra knew what was going on. Are you okay? She asked. Immediately after asking, she laid down three sheets of paper in front of me, each with large letters that seemed to fit my new size much better than before. I stood up again and started pointing at them to spell out words. I am okay. Do not worry. Side effects are temporary. Cellestra put on a small smile. I think she did it to try to put me at ease, but it was clear to me she worried about me still. Such a kind soul. Going through enhancement options. Then a thought entered my mind. It was a simple thought, but I imagined it would help put the elf at ease. Bread smells good by the way. The brunette smiled widely at my spelled-out letters. I knew that would help cheer her up. She should really stop worrying about me when she was the one with frequent nightmares. Thanks. You want some? I imagined I could still eat bread as a spider, couldnt I? Thats why I had this mouth with teeth and whatnot, right? Sure, I spelled out. Cellestra then walked to the kitchen where a round loaf of bread was resting on the same cutting board as before. She cut off a few slices while I went through my enhancement options. Enhancement Cost in EP Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 Advanced Regeneration 20 Strong Regeneration 35 Very Strong Regeneration 50 Advanced Jaws and Teeth 20 Strong Jaws and Teeth 35 Very Strong Jaws and Teeth 50 Strong Spider Thread 35 Very Strong Spider Thread 50 Improved Toxin Resistance 10 Advanced Toxin Resistance 20 Strong Toxin Resistance 35 Very Strong Toxin Resistance 50 Improved Fireball 10 Advanced Fireball 20 Strong Fireball 35 Very Strong Fireball 50 Improved Ice Lance 10 Advanced Ice Lance 20 Strong Ice Lance 35 Very Strong Ice Lance 50 Advanced Exoskeleton Hardening 20 Strong Exoskeleton Hardening 35 Very Strong Exoskeleton Hardening 50 Advanced Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 20 Strong Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 35 Very Strong Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 50 Advanced Physical Barrier 20 Strong Physical Barrier 35 Very Strong Physical Barrier 50 Advanced Magical Barrier 20 Strong Magical Barrier 35 Very Strong Magical Barrier 50 Advanced Mana Reserves 20 Strong Mana Reserves 35 Very Strong Mana Reserves 50 Advanced Mana Regeneration 20 35 Very Strong Mana Regeneration 50 Improved Healing Light 10 Advanced Healing Light 20 Strong Healing Light 35 Very Strong Healing Light 50 Thermal Vision 50 Improved Magic Resistance 20 Advanced Magic Resistance 40 Strong Magic Resistance 70 Very Strong Magic Resistance 150 It was as I had feared. This list was enormous... 1.43 Cute? This was just ridiculous. I knew I was going to get many spell enhancements due to this evolution, but I never knew it would be this much. So much for saving up my evolution points. This rainbow evolution was going to leave me broke! Also, there was one new spell. Thermal vision? What was that? Allows you to see infrared light as visible light signals. What the hell does that even mean? You can see heat as if it were colors. This allows you to see organisms through vegetation more clearly. That sounded confusing Nonetheless, I imagined it could be interesting. Name: Kealyna Race: Giant Rainbow Resica Level: 1/10 Experience: 0/70 Evolution Points: 62 So many enhancements and only so few points to spend I could easily get some more points from doing the two achievements that I knew about. I would only need one more Large creature to complete the one, and then Cellestra could help me with the other. While I was going through my gigantic list of enhancements I had ideas form in my head. For some reason, during the purple evolution, the offensive skills fireball and ice lance did not seem to go to as high a level as the other spells. They could only be upgraded to their normal version, whereas, at the time, the magic resistance could be upgraded to strong. With these spells suddenly able to upgrade all the way to very strong, I imagined they packed quite the punch. If my understanding here was correct, it would be a good idea to upgrade these spells first. For that, I would have to increase my mana reserves with them. Then there were, of course, the enhancements that my inner knight was simply screaming to get. I was ogling the exoskeleton hardening, regeneration, and limb strengthening skills. Once again, I would have to check whether my assumptions about the offensive skills were correct. If they were, they would definitely take priority. As much as it pained me. I prayed to Elysa that I would get many more evolution points per level now. There was no way I was going to be able to get everything that was offered to me otherwise. After I had made my assumptions and some sort of plan, I decided to check what my blessing had in store for me. I would finally be able to get some answers this time around. Or so I hoped Lets start with how this evolution path worked. I was told earlier there was a limit to the number of evolutions I could go through. How many are there? This evolution path, like the others, has a few evolutions that are more or less predetermined. You will get three options offered to you. Each of these three options has certain achievements that need to be earned. Once you take one of the options, you cannot choose this option again. Once you have gone through all three evolutions, you will get another set of choices that more or less determine your final evolution. After choosing one of these last three options, the next evolution will be your final one. That meant there were three, four, five more evolutions for me to attain. And where do I get the speech ability? You get this in your final evolution. Crap. Oh yes, Elysa, will I be able to smile when I get speech? That, and more. More? Elysa? Nothing. Still, I would be able to smile. I had never known the value of something so simple in nature up until now. I wasnt too happy with the withholding of information, though. I mean, this blessing had just said that the evolutions were predetermined. In other words, it already knew what they were. It just didnt seem to want to tell me for whatever reason. Why? Kealyna? Cellestras gentle voice broke my fit of anger. I refocused on what was before me and saw Cellestra eating a slice of bread with cheese on it. There was a plate before me with a slice of bread with cheese as well, which she pointed at. Thank you, I spelled out before I started eating. Yep. I could still eat this. As simple as it was, I ate bread every day when I was an elf after all, it still was a warm welcome. Especially since Cellestra had made it herself. It seemed to taste far better than any bread Id ever had. My frustration ebbed away as the elf and I had lunch? What is time? I spelled out as Cellestra was munching on more bread. Early afternoon. You werent out for that long, which is surprising given the growth you went through. Honestly, seeing you grow to like twice your size and change colors is really something else. Ive never seen anything like it. Yeah, that much I could imagine. A blessing from a goddess wasnt something everyone walked around with I guess? Anyhow, it still being afternoon meant I had plenty of time left in the day to try to lay the foundations for where I wanted to go with this evolution. The elf and I both finished our lunch and I decided to start this new evolution with asking Cellestra to help me with the achievement Id previously skipped. Can help with achievement? I asked with the large letters. Id be more than happy to help. You didnt get your speech yet, did you? She appeared happy with the start of her speech, then gradually shifted towards melancholy at the end. Apparently is very late. Need five more evolutions according to blessing. Five more, huh? We better get to work then. I cant wait to hear what your voice will be like, and if its the same as in your old life. I hadnt even thought of that. Would it be the same? Would I want it to be? Technically I was something else now. While I had no issues with a new life, there were a few things that didnt turn out how Id hoped. At least I would be strong. Hopefully, Id be strong enough to take on any challenge that would stand in my way of Would finding my parents even bring me happiness? Would they still recognize me as their daughter, even if I could speak? I imagined having my old voice would help in that regard. I had no idea how much they would remember from their previous life, if they remembered it at all. Are you okay, Kealyna? Cellestra asked. She bent down a bit and peered into my many eyes. It was as if she could read my expression, even though I had none. Am okay. Was thinking about something. Let us go. What was this achievement you needed help with? She asked. I forgot to tell her because of my distraction. Please throw fireball at me. I need to dodge. Very simple. Uhhh, that sounds easy enough, but are you sure? Am sure. Just use weak version if possible. Will also use magical barrier. Will be fine. Alright then, Cellestra said as she walked out of the room and opened the door to the outside world. I followed her and watched her inspect the furs in the large tub before she walked further into the clearing. I followed and stood still a fair distance away from her. I cast my magical barrier and reared up my legs to jump out of the way. It was quite interesting how Id never forgotten how to be a jumping spider even though I no longer was one. All this added weight, and I still knew I could do proper jumps. Cellestra slowly started casting her spell and I raised a leg to let her know I was ready. Incoming! Cellestra warned me and threw her fireball. I quickly jumped out of the way and saw the spell impact where Id previously stood. Achievement Earned: Damage Denied Successfully nullify or dodge a spell cast at you. You have been awarded 70 EP. You have been awarded 200 XP Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 35 EP. Hold on, I got a level from that? Come to think of it This blessing did tell me very early on that certain achievements would award experience. I just hadnt seen it until now. It was quite useful, though, given that my sources of experience were probably even more limited now than before. From just that, my evolution points shot up to 167! Did that work? Cellestra asked as she approached. I happily nodded with my pedipalps. Is there anything else we need to do while were here? She continued. I gestured no and Cellestra greeted me with another warm smile. That wasnt so hard. Come, lets go back inside. I want to practice that magical barrier again. That is if you dont mind of course. I shook my pedipalps again. Of course I didnt mind. Its a bit of a shame that youve grown this large. Having you fit in my hands was quite cute. She giggled after saying that. I was left dumbfounded as she walked back to her house. I didnt know what the hell to think of that. 1.44 Hunt Faragi Careful, I posted 3 chapters again and will likely post another later tonight. Make sure you don''t miss any <3 Confusion struck me once again as I followed the elf back to the building. Somehow, her words filled me with warmth. I had no idea why. I disregarded it and climbed on the table. The elf and I practiced the magical barrier several times. Every time I felt Cellestras warm magic flow through me, I regretted not being able to smile. The comfort it brought me it was unparalleled Cellestra sighed deeply after the fifth or so attempt. I sincerely hope that this spell doesnt change regarding mana flow when you enhance it, was it? I nodded yes before writing with my legs. Have no idea what happens. It made me wonder. Should I not upgrade this ability? I didnt want to hold back, but I also didnt want Cellestra to have to learn the spell again from scratch. Shed seemed so happy with the progress shed made so far. Then again, it was the magical barrier. I havent had much use for it yet. Anyway, Cellestra continued, Im going to try to practice the first two parts of the spell now. Im certain you have several things to take care of. I gestured yes before spelling once more. Will stay here for bit. Check blessing for information. Good luck. Thank you, She said with a warm smile. You too. I turned to my blessing and decided to check whether there were any easy to attain achievements before I started spending my evolution points. Elysa? Blue Rainbow Kizerain ** Requires currently unearned achievements Magic-orientated evolution. Unlocks additional offensive spells. Yellow Rainbow Kizerain ** Requires currently unearned achievements Magic-orientated evolution. Unlocks additional defensive and support spells. Allows some skills to be merged. Red Rainbow Kizerain ** Requires currently unearned achievements Strength-orientated evolution. Unlocks additional defensive skills. Unlocks additional types of Venom Achievements required for Blue Kizerain evolution: Boar Buster Kill 3 Boars (1/3) Sniper Kill a creature that awards experience with a spell from at least 50 feet away. Achievements required for Yellow Kizerain evolution: Size Matters Kill any 5 adversaries classified as Large or bigger. (4/5) The Exterminator Kill any insectoid that is classified as Titan or bigger. (0/1) Spell Stopper Kill a creature that can use magic. (0/1) Achievements required for Red Kizerain evolution: Oh Deer Kill any deer (0/1) Cousin Killer Kill a scorpion (0/1) Well, it looked like I was forced into killing again I could complete none of these achievements from the safety of these walls. After going over the achievements, I went back to the evolutions themselves. It appeared each of these evolutions would unlock a new set of skills. I would have to cycle through these three before new options would show up. I wondered what order would be best Would it matter a lot? Hey, Elysa, is the rainbow effect still active in all these evolutions? Will I be able to upgrade any skill to the maximum even after selecting a different evolution after going through one of them? Affirmative. I had expected it, but I wanted to be absolutely sure. If that was the case, I didnt think it would matter much what I would choose. Although, offense would likely be the way to go. I would have to make sure if it was. My first step towards knowing for sure what I would choose later on, was to check how powerful these spells were if I upgraded them to their maximum level. Then, if my spells were as powerful as I hoped, I would try to take the blue evolution first. And for that, I needed to kill two more boars, and I needed to kill something that awarded experience from a large distance. I figured the easiest way to set up the second achievement was to use my webs, probably upgraded. That, or I would need to finish off something large that was hard to miss, but the first option seemed like the most feasible one. I merely skimmed the other two achievements and was left wondering what the classification Titan meant. Just how big would something need to be for that? It was time to check my enhancements again. I went through the massive list of skills and focused on the mana reserves and the fireball spell. The fireball spell had been extremely effective against that first boar, so if I needed to kill two more it made sense for me to upgrade it. I decided to upgrade both my mana reserves and the fireball spell to Strong. This would cost me 120 points, leaving me with 47. Hopefully, the enhancements would allow me to take out boars with relative ease which would then allow me to upgrade the mana reserves and fireball spell further. I hoped the new spell wouldnt drain me too fast, as my mana regeneration would lag behind for the moment. I went through the changes one by one as I observed Cellestra try to cast the magical barrier several times. One time, I swore I could see part of the spell but I wasnt entirely sure. She looked both surprised and happy after it happened so I assumed my intuition was right. I finished upgrading my skills and continued watching Cellestra stumble over my spell. Her facial expression was one of sheer focus and then one of either frustration or happiness after a try. There seemed to be many obstacles for her in this spell that was so simple for me. Going well? I spelled out. Yes and no, She said before pausing a moment to cast the spell once more. The first part I mastered. Its the second part Im currently struggling with. The end of it I cant seem to grasp it properly. Could you show me once more? I nodded with my legs before Cellestra placed a hand on my abdomen to allow her spell to flow through me as I cast the magical barrier spell again. Hmmm, She murmured. I can see its flow I just dont know how to make my mana flow that way. I had no idea how she would have to do it. It pained me that I couldnt help out more than this. Ill try again. I assume you would like to head out again, no? I didnt know. I wanted to get out there and progress towards my next evolution, but Part of me also wanted to stay here Cellestras presence her eagerness happiness It was projected onto me. Whenever she was happy, so was I. I didnt know why. Kealyna? Cellestra looked at me. I realized I had given no answer yet. I quickly spelled out yes. I waved at her as I made my way down to the floor. The elf waved back and wished me luck as I walked outside. It was time to hunt boars if I could find any. The last time, I had merely walked into one by accident. Hopefully, that meant they wandered through the area fairly often. With my current size and power, I might as well try to scour the area for one. I could already take on wolves and boar before. They should be no issue for me now. I would have to be careful, though. I walked along the stream towards the lake. I found nothing of interest on my way there. A snake hissed at me at one point, but I didnt get any experience for killing it. Apparently, those were considered too easy after my latest evolution. When I arrived at the lake and peered into the water, I couldnt see any large fish. I had hoped for a couple, but it seemed it had been in vain. That meant it was time to explore further. I followed along the lakeshore to the east. Well, I thought it was east, but I wasnt actually quite sure anymore. I would have to ask Cellestra again what the directions were. I forgot. The grass that bordered the lake eventually made way for sand as a beach appeared. To my left was still the forest, it was just that the grass line had receded for this beach. I found it unexpectedly difficult to walk in the sand. My weight was too much for it to support me and my small feet kept sinking in. I quickly made my way back onto the grass and walked around the beach area. Movement in the forest caught my attention and I climbed up the nearest tree to see what moved around in the bushes. A boar appeared. It was smaller than the one I had taken out before and it seemed to be foraging. It was digging up loose dirt here and there and, quite literally, following its nose. The best part was that it had not even spotted me. I climbed further into the tree with slow and steady movements to avoid detection. I made my way onto a branch and lined up to cast my stronger fireball spell. I could already feel from the difference in mana flow that this spell was far more powerful than the fireball I used before. The ball of fire created before me in mid-air was half a foot in diameter and burned far hotter. I felt the heat from it all throughout my body. The beast below me turned towards the source of the heat a moment before I loosed the spell. Faragi It''s been a while since I gave a special shoutout to my new patrons ( I only ever did it on Elania, but since that one is currently on a beak, I figured it would be good to do it here) So here you go. Thanks for your support <3 Anton No Name Alex Mattahue Silver Nebulas Cole Katherine talos Peter Dominic Loistery Dnishe228 B Jojo Alex I Lulla Colin Garrett Toby Noah daishan MeliMeliDH ?rjan Telmo NaeoN bouke John Clara Weebhunter452 magutb Jaxon Davies LolzxDnoobnoob Adam Dakota And I hope everyone enjoys reading this <3 (And my other story lol) 1.45 Bloodlust Faragi Chapter drop INCOMING! The fireball flew and I felt its impact on my mana reserves. This spell consumed far more mana than its predecessor. Its destructive capabilities were far beyond its previous version as well. The boar below me got engulfed in flames after the fireball shattered on its hide. It burned for a good minute or so, all while the boar ran around frantically as it was burned alive. You have killed a Forest Boar: EXP+590 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 35 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 4! You have been awarded 35 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 5! You have been awarded 35 EP. I couldnt believe the power that I held. Id killed this boar with a single spell. What was even more unbelievable, I could still upgrade the spell one more time, which was exactly what I was going to do right now. Id received a large number of evolution points from that creature. I checked how many points I had available. Name: Kealyna Race: Giant Rainbow Resica Level: 5/10 Experience: 90/350 Evolution Points: 162 +35 That many points would be enough to upgrade both my fireball and my mana reserves to their current maximum level. I used 55 out of 62 remaining points to increase my mana regeneration by two levels. After a few minutes of carefully going through the enhancements one by one. I could feel the effects of Strong Mana Regeneration kick in immediately. It would seem I got my answers as to whether higher-tier skills would require more mana to cast. They did, which I should have known from the fact that this blessing forced me to increase my reserves first before being able to acquire higher levels of castable spells. Honestly, these spells were far too strong to not upgrade. I truly wished I could be more of a knight and opt into defense. The defense and support skills that the yellow evolution promised tugged at me, but I knew now that I was absolutely going for the blue one. Come to think of it, the yellow evolution also stated something like Allows spells to be merged. Elysa? This evolution allows you to merge existing skills into new skills that combine properties of both skills. Could I get an example? You could make your spider thread venomous or combine both physical and magical barriers into one. Crap. That last one would be quite the spell. I felt conflicted as I felt like it would be something that Id love to take, if only it was to teach Cellestra the spell Why did my mind wander off to her again? I knew that the blue evolution could offer me the best tools to grow stronger, yet here I was considering taking an evolution for someone other than me. I looked down at the boar that Id killed with the fireball and watched as the flames ate away at what was now a blackened corpse. There would be nothing left to take home. Not that that was an issue, we still had most of the other boar. The smell was nice, though I thought back to the questions I had earlier. I realized that Id forgotten to check after I had just evolved. I couldnt help but put the blame on being distracted by Cellestra. She seemed to do that a lot. Earlier, I had absent-mindedly stated that the number of evolution points I could get was severely limited to which the blessing had responded without me asking that it was an incorrect assumption. Whats up with that, Elysa? One of your final evolutions skills offers a way to get additional evolution points. That was a good thing to know. Wait a second Which of the three final choices offers speech? All of them do. Speech and a way to get more evolution points? That sounded amazing. I was even more desperate to get there as quickly as possible. I was eager to see what other spells would be offered if I selected the blue evolution, but I quickly turned my attention back to the present. I still had a long way to go and didnt want to sit by idly. It was scary just how easily I killed off that boar, and even scarier how I was eager to repeat it until Id gathered the necessary power. May Elysa have mercy on me for mindlessly killing these animals. I didnt know what the goddess expected of me. I started wondering about it. I mean, I was a knight and as much as I loved life, I had no trouble taking it when thats what was needed to protect others. It felt like she was steering me away from that path. Why? I didnt let my mind wander off further. I still had to find more prey. I climbed down and continued my trip deeper into the forest. It wasnt that there was no wildlife about, there was plenty, but I knew that squirrels, snakes, and other small animals would be pointless for me to kill. I killed a hedgehog with a venom bolt, just to be sure, but regretted my decision when it gave me no experience. Poor hedgehog I came across an anteater which I blatantly ignored. I already knew it would be pointless. As I explored I made sure to keep in mind in what direction Cellestras home was located. Cellestra How did she survive in this forest, alone? Wild wolves seemed to roam closely around her house. Has she never run into trouble with them? Then again, she could cast fireballs Thoughts of the elf had distracted me once more. I almost didnt notice the creature in front of me until it growled. There was a wolf before me, and it was close. I quickly cast my physical barrier as it leaped forward. I had cast it just in case, but I jumped out of the way. I had no intention of getting hit by this creatures teeth. I knew my barrier was quite strong, but I wasnt going to test to see just how strong. As the wolf turned to face me again, I cast my fireball and aimed for its fur. It was bound to burn just as well as the boars. It was slightly bigger and hotter than the one I had cast before. Its power was undeniably greater; I could gather as much from the extra mana that flowed into the spell. I finalized the cast and jumped back after firing. The fireball struck the beast''s snout with an explosion that sent flames rolling across its body. The wolf, like the boar, tried to run away in frantic panic and pain. It didnt take long for the flames to end its life. You have killed a Forest Wolf: EXP+574 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 6! You have been awarded 35 EP. Such a horrible way to kill I wished I could wield weapons or at least other forms of magic that could make this as quick and as painless as possible. I doubted my ice lance would do the trick, unless the highest rank was stronger than I expected and it could pierce hide and heart. I wasnt sure if I should even upgrade my ice lance for the moment. The destructive ability that this fireball currently had was beyond what I initially thought possible. Besides that, I would have to spend a lot of evolution points on it that I could probably spend better elsewhere. I walked towards the wolfs corpse when I heard an angry-sounding howl from nearby. From the nearby vegetation appeared a wolf far larger in size than the charred remains before me. I think it was about twice the mass. It had spotted me and I swore I could see a fire burning in its eyes. I quickly started climbing inside the nearest tree, knowing that it was likely out for revenge. It was fast too. Before I could even cast my fireball properly, it was already jumping at me as I climbed the trunk. I fired a paralytic venom bolt at it as I ascended. I cleanly hit its back and fired again. The second bolt missed as the wolf started climbing the tree as well. I made my way up to one of the higher branches and fired another paralytic venom bolt that hit right between the eyes. It didnt seem to pierce its skull, unfortunately. I moved to another branch where I would have a better line of sight to its vulnerable parts. I then fired another two paralytic venom bolts that did properly pierce its hide. I had no idea how many bolts a wolf of this size needed so I kept firing and hitting until I was out of venom. I didnt dare to use my fireball currently as I could set the tree itself ablaze with me in it. I could try to rappel myself down, but this wolf had shown incredible speed. I had no doubt it would outrun me or even snatch me while I was in mid-air before that. I hoped the venom would do its work soon. 1.46 Thoughts I looked around for options. I had like seven or eight paralytic venom bolts in this wolfs body. They were bound to take effect soon. The wolf, however, showed no sign of letting up. It had climbed the tree and started to slowly walk onto the branch on which I was seated. The only option I saw to buy time would be a jump to the branch of a nearby tree. The jump was about five feet. Why was I even doubting myself? I had been a jumping spider for goddesss sake. I could do this. I reared up my hind legs, aimed, and jumped. I reached the branch on the other tree, but felt my large abdomen hit the wood after my legs. I felt a shockwave of pain as it did so. I quickly cast healing light on myself to heal any internal damage I may have sustained before turning to face the wolf who seemed dumbfounded that Id escaped it. I could still jump just fine, but my body didnt seem made for it anymore I had escaped danger for now, though. I doubted that wolf was gonna get me anytime soon. The wolf was still looking at me with anger in its eyes, but I saw that some of that anger had been replaced by was that fear? The creatures legs slipped off the branch and it fell down onto the dirt below. It whimpered in pain as it tried to get up, but once it stood, its legs gave way again. That was my venom kicking in. I started casting my fireball spell at the creature which was currently immobilized. I felt my mana flow into the spell and cast it. Hitting a stationary target was easy. It seemed the synergy between paralytic venom and spells was one of my deadliest combinations. The spell engulfed the wolf in flame while it howled in pain. Fortunately, it didnt take long for my spell to put it out of its misery. You have killed a Giant Forest Wolf: EXP+868 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 7! You have been awarded 35 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 8! You have been awarded 35 EP. Achievement earned: Size Matters Kill any 5 adversaries classified as Large or bigger. You have been awarded 70 EP You have been awarded 200 EXP Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. Crap, that was a messy fight. Id made great progress with todays kills. I decided to head on home as I knew my venom reserves, at least the paralytic venoms, were completely empty. My mana wasnt faring too well, either. Despite my regeneration, I would need at least some time to recover. I could cast a few more spells, sure, but I wasnt going to risk anything finding me and trying to kill me when I was unprepared for a fight. I was happy with my work today, and decided to call it here. I skittered back to Cellestras home as quickly as I could, and by the time I arrived, the sun was low over the nearest trees. The elf wasnt outside as far as I could tell. I saw the wolf pelts hanging over a line that had been hung between two trees. The door was open and I entered. I found myself looking forward to talking to Cellestra again after my earlier battles. If only I could talk Oh well, Id gotten pretty far today. If I had five evolutions to go for speech, and Id almost gotten through one today, I imagined I would get there soon. I wondered how big I would be by the time I could talk. Would I end up too big to fit through the door? That would be quite undesirable. I found Cellestra sitting in her chair. Her eyes were closed and she had an elbow on the table, her fingers on her forehead. A cup of tea sat under her nose and she looked tired? Worried? I quietly sat and waited for a moment to see what she would do. I was confident she hadnt noticed me yet. When her eyes didnt open after a full minute or so, I made my presence known by skittering up to and climbing on the table. Oh, hey Kealyna, Cellestra said as soon as she noticed me. Her mood seemed to be elevated almost immediately. How did your hunt go? I started pointing at the letters. Went ok. Killed two wolves and boar. How are you? You looked sad. I was just lost in thought, She said with a sigh. I had a feeling there was plenty she wasnt telling me. I wanted to know what was wrong, what was bothering her. I just I didnt dare to ask. Maybe there was something seriously wrong with her with this curse. Would I want to know? I felt pain shoot through my body as I thought that. I didnt want to think about that. Im sorry if I scared you with that. She smiled after saying that. Her smile burned away my worries. They were still there in the back of my head, but when she smiled like that I imagined things would be okay in the end. I wanted to see more of that smile. The kindest soul I knew deserved to be happy. But did you seriously take out two wolves and a boar? Yes, I replied by pointing. One of wolf was giant wolf too. Gave lots of experience. Can almost evolve again. By the goddess, Kealyna. Dont make me rewrite all those letters again so soon! She giggled. Oh, how I wanted to smile. That comment would have just forced it out of me. I didnt know if she was joking at first, but her giggles afterward had confirmed to me she was. I realized now that I didnt know what I wanted to talk about. Earlier when I wanted to talk to Cellestra I didnt bother to think about topics, I just I wanted to talk to her What was wrong with me? I simple observed the elfs giggle die down to a sweet smile. It was as if she was expecting me to move my limbs in order to speak again. Want practice magic again? I wrote. I felt so lame for asking that. It was the only thing that popped up in my head. I was such a terrible talker Id love to. Let me see... She murmured the last part before looking out the window. Ill have to prepare dinner in a bit as well, but lets see if I can solve the puzzle regarding this mana flow in the second part of your spell, shall we? I nodded with my pedipalps before she placed her hand on my abdomen and allowed her spell to flow with my mana. I then cast the barrier and noticed Cellestra close her eyes to focus. Hmm. She let out. Could you do that again? She kept her eyes closed as I repeated the spell. She asked me to repeat it several times while she seemed to be in a trance-like state. I hoped it helped her concentrate. I imagined having her learn how to use this magic would make her quite happy. We continued for a bit before Cellestra started preparing dinner. She went down into the cellar outside to retrieve another cut of boar. I imagined wed be eating that for a couple of days before it spoiled. In the meantime, I looked at my enhancement screen. I had accumulated 182 evolution points with the levels and the achievement from today. It was quite obvious that I would take the very strong mana regeneration for fifty points, but I was left wondering what I should do with the rest. Even with this many points per level, and the added achievements, there was no way I was going to be able to get everything. It would seem I might need this supposed other way of getting evolution points later down my evolution line. I wondered what it was. I looked at my skills and enhancement options once more and started doubting whether I should get anything at all. With this next evolution, new skills would appear, and if there were any good ones, Id be able to upgrade them far if I had points stored up. But I also didnt like sacrificing strength to do so I ultimately gave in to my knightly instinct and evolved my exoskeleton to its maximum attainable level. Those points would be no good to me if I ended up dead. To prevent that, Id make myself as tough as I could. With this, I would still have 77 points left over, more by the time I hit the level cap. There were also quite some achievements that I had yet to earn I went through the enhancements one by one as the elf cooked. Are you hungry? Cellestra asked from the kitchen where she was stir-frying small pieces of pork. How was I supposed to answer that without speech? I wasnt that hungry, but I decided Id say yes so she wasnt doing all that work for nothing. I moved my pedipalps up and down to indicate yes. Neat. Unfortunately, I dont have potatoes. Personally, I like them with some meat, but I hope this is to your liking. I chuckled mentally. I was sure that anything she cooked would be to my liking. 1.47 Curse Dinner, as simple as it was, was a delight. Cellestra kept talking as I was unable to, and most of it had been about how my magic was so obviously different than what she was used to. I didnt mind having her ramble on about what some would consider odd topics for small talk. In fact, I had no idea what I would even talk about. What did normal people talk about anyway? The weather? Future plans? My future plans were clear and simple; grow stronger, find my parents, and pray that they would recognize me. That was until Id run into this elf. Her kindness and interest in my magic had given me an additional goal. That, and this so-called curse of hers intrigued me. She still hadnt shared the full story behind it, and when I asked about it after dinner once more she had simply remained silent and her kind smile had disappeared. I instantly regretted asking. Seemingly to distract herself, Cellestra decided to wash the dishes at that point before making a cup of tea. She then sat back at the table and looked me in the eyes. Im sorry, Kealyna. I want to tell you. Dont get me wrong. But I dont want you to worry about things like that. There are more important things for you to worry about. That made me think. My parents were pretty much the only thing I had, so they were important to me, but I couldnt deny that Cellestra had grown to be important to me as well. I truly wished we would be able to travel together later on. I wondered when it would be a good time to tell her what I had in mind. Ever think back to your parents? I spelled out a question as Cellestra sipped on her tea. The elf sighed deeply. All the time. I wonder if they actually loved me like deep down. I dont know how much they were pressured into doing what they did. I wonder about everything they would say if I were to meet them again if this curse was gone... I took a moment to think about her words. How about you? She asked. Much of the same. Heh, Cellestra chuckled. Yeah, your case is probably even worse. Youre not exactly elven anymore... The elf looked through the window and sighed once more. The outside world had gone dark a while ago and I already had a feeling of what she would say. Lets go to bed before we start digging up too many sad things about the past. I couldnt exactly say I agreed with her. I wanted to know more about Cellestras past, but I could see where she was coming from. I did not want her to feel sad or uncomfortable about this, so I honored her decision. The brunette extinguished the candles and led the way to her bedroom once more. The pillow I slept on was actually smaller than my leg span, but it was still far more comfortable than the table or the floor. Cellestra wished me good night and I replied with a wave before she canceled the flame spell that illuminated the room. I then went to sleep Or at least, I tried to I couldnt sleep. I didnt know why, but a certain expectation kept tugging at me, preventing me from falling asleep. My attention constantly shifted to the elf. It was as if I expected her to start thrashing and have horrible nightmares. I wanted to make sure that I would wake up to help her. And now it kept me awake Why? Why was I so fixated on helping her? I helped people out as a knight, sure, but Cellestra somehow had my undivided attention. She was the first person that I experienced this with and it was actually frustrating as I had no idea why. I somehow dozed off while I was lost in thought, but I didnt actually fall asleep. I was still somehow conscious of what happened in the bed next to me, and soon enough, my fears became reality. Cellestra was moaning in pain and started thrashing about with her arms under the covers. I stood up in my half-dazed state and climbed into her bed. Out of pure impulse, I enhanced my healing light spell to its next level. There was no logic behind that decision and it scared me. No logic other than badly wanting to help this suffering elf. I allowed the enhancement to occur before I slowly crawled my way over to Cellestra. I got close to her face and placed my pedipalps on her forehead after shed just turned, and cast my healing light. Her movements stopped and I cast it a second time. Her hand moved and fell on the bed beside her head, her palm turned upward. I cast my spell once more to be sure she was relieved of what ailed her. When I was about to turn around to go back to my pillow, I saw her mouth change into a smile. It struck me. I couldnt look or turn away from it. Her smile was so beautiful Whenever I saw her smile, happiness filled me. Would she mind if I stayed up here? I could always tell her she was having a bad dream if it turned out that she did mind it. It wasnt like me to think such things, but my mind told me to make up a lie just to be close to that smile. I planted my head on her pillow and placed two of my legs on her hand. I then relaxed and quickly dozed off myself. ____________________________________________________________________________ I woke up to the yawning of a certain individual next to me. I was still lying with my head on Cellestras pillow and I was certain that by now shed noticed me. At least she didnt scream, so that was good, right? Kealyna? Here it comes. Was that you tonight? What did she mean? She turned her head around on the pillow and looked at me. You got rid of my nightmares didnt you? So she did know. I gestured yes. Yesterday too? I gestured yes again. Cellestra sighed. Thank you, She said softly. She then started getting dressed and I figured that if she knew about this, I might as well ask what those nightmares are. Cellestra opened the door and waited for me to walk through before closing it again. She made a quick breakfast with some of the bread from yesterday while I waited for her on the table. What is with nightmares? I asked her as soon as she sat down. Part of my curse, I guess. Though, I think its partly because Im not completely honest with you. It eats away at me when Im awake and I guess it carries over into the night. Why not tell me? I spelled out. Cellestra stared out the window for a few seconds before turning back to me. Because Im afraid of what you might think. I like you, Kealyna. Youre the only person I can talk to. I told you before its so damn lonely out here and I dont want to ruin our friendship. Please tell me. I wanted to know what was wrong. I couldnt help her otherwise. I doubted it would be so bad that it could ruin our friendship. Celletra sighed again. You see, how do you think I managed to survive here, on my own? There are wolves living in this area. You know I can use magic, but do you really think these wolves would even dare to get close if it wasnt for something else? That confused me. I had thought about it before, but I didnt look into it too much. You see, when this curse was first applied to me before I was even born, it was done so by a dungeon. The dungeon died, but some of its effects seem to have manifested in me. Animals wont attack me, no matter what I do. That wasnt so bad now, was it? But, you see, as much as they ignore me, they turn hostile to anyone else. And by hostile, I mean, extremely hostile. They are sometimes driven into a frenzy and wont give up until their target is dead. This merchant that visits me? Hes the only one that dares to come close, and he is a retired adventurer. He can defend himself if need be. Cellestra looked to be close to tears as she continued. I should have told you earlier. I realize now that I may have put you in a lot of danger due to who I am. Her story explained a couple of things that had gone unanswered so far, especially the bloodlust in the local fauna That wasnt her fault. Sure, she could have told me, but I managed just fine. If anything, it helped me get quite a bit of experience, both in numbers and alertness. She had no reason to feel guilty about something she couldnt control. I put my pedipalps on her arm that rested on the table and cast my healing light, causing her to relax slightly. I then started pointing at the letters once more. No need to worry. Am fine. Still friend. Youre the first person to look at it that way. This is the reason I was exiled. This, and my appearance. Appearance? Was it the purple eyes? That wasnt so bad. Cellestra closed her eyes and seemed to be finished talking. She slowly started eating her breakfast while I was left wondering what was wrong with her eyes I liked them. 1.48 Sniper After breakfast, I was left thinking if it was her curse that somehow influenced me as well. She had said that there was at least something going on between wild creatures and her. The thing was, I wasnt wild and I wasnt just any creature. And I couldnt ignore her Take care out there, Kealyna... She paused for a moment before continuing, I guess now you know why Im worried when you go out. I gestured yes before making my way down. We parted ways for the time being. I went off into the forest again while Cellestra continued her work on the wolf furs. As I skittered through the forest I started wondering about how I would get the sniper achievement that I needed for the Blue Kizerain evolution. I would also still need one boar, maybe I could combine the two? If I could find a boar that wasnt terribly big, I imagined I could immobilize it with my paralytic venom before using a fireball from a large distance. The problem was that this fireball spell didnt seem to be the most accurate. It would, however, pretty much ensure a kill if it hit. I looked through the other achievements that I would need to unlock the other evolutions and decided to ask how big something would need to be in order to be considered Titan. An immense variant of its most commonly occurring counterpart. That was less than useless. I shrugged it off as I looked at the other achievements again. I imagine a deer wouldnt be too much of an issue and neither would a scorpion. A creature that can use spells, hmmm Cellestra mentioned those lizards earlier. I had decent magic resistance now and a magical barrier that would absorb damage from spells. I should be able to take those on without issues too. I cast both my barriers after reflecting on that. I shifted my focus back to my mission at hand; find a boar. Unfortunately, the first thing I ran into was a wolf. I quickly ran up a nearby tree when I noticed it and remained there until it had left the area. Fortunately, it hadnt spotted me. I would have taken the fight to the wolf any other time, but right now, my focus was on finding a boar. I wanted to make sure that I had all my paralytic venom available for one, as I planned to take it out from range. I could not be wasting anything on something else. I wondered if a boar alone would be enough to bump me up the level cap. I saw that I was level 8 and close to 9. It might just be enough. That would truly be three birds with one stone. I continued my trip and time went by. I ran into snakes, squirrels, mice, woodpeckers, but no boars. After what felt like hours, I finally spotted one rooting in the dirt for food. It was one of the medium-sized ones too, which was perfect. I slowly sneaked my way towards the creature until I was near its flank. Hitting my venom bolt there would guarantee a large portion of the venom would enter its body. I got in range and made sure a tree was nearby. These boars hadnt shown me the capability to climb trees and I couldnt imagine them doing so, unlike wolves. I didnt think wolves were capable, but for their body structure, it seemed a lot more feasible than for a boar. I fired my paralytic venom bolt three times in quick succession before hurrying my way up the tree. As I had hoped, this boar seemed to be afflicted by Cellestras bloodlust curse and it just smashed its head into the tree. The tree shook from the impact and I waited until it remained still before I fired my venom bolts again, hitting the creatures back. When I was completely out of paralytic venom I simply waited And hoped Eventually, the beasts bloodlust seemed to fade as the venom took hold. The creature dropped to the dirt and I climbed down, looking for a spot to fire from. I didnt know how much time I had, so I was quick about it. There was too much vegetation in the area to get a clear view of the creature from the minimum required distance, so I settled on climbing a tree that I thought was easily far enough away for the achievement to count. I climbed the tree and settled on a branch while taking a good look at where the boar lay. Fortunately, these werent the smallest creatures that roamed this forest. I could even miss a few times with my current reserves and regeneration. With the power that my spell had, one hit was plenty. I lined up my spell, aimed as best as I could, and let loose. I watched the charged fireball fly in the direction of the boar and miss. I had aimed too high. Instead of getting frustrated over my apparent failure, I had counted on this and tried to adjust my aim by aiming exactly where I had aimed before, and then aiming a bit lower. Another miss. This time, I had missed it by only a foot, maybe two. My next cast would be a hit. I cast my spell again after slightly adjusting my aim, and watched the spell fly in the direction of the paralyzed boar once more. This time, it hit home and it engulfed the immobilized boar in flames within seconds. The fires ate away at the boar which squealed in pain until the beast died and a delicious smell filled the air. You have killed a Forest Boar: EXP+586 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 35 EP. Achievement earned: Boar Buster Kill 3 Boars You have been awarded 70 EP You have been awarded 130 EXP Requirements for future evolution complete. Achievement earned: Sniper Kill a creature that awards experience with a spell from at least 50 feet away. You have been awarded 70 EP You have been awarded 0 EXP Requirements for future evolution complete. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 35 EP. Level Cap Reached Evolutions Available! A series of messages popped up before me after the boar stopped moving as the flames continued to lick away at the carcass. I was happy to know that I had been successful in getting both achievements and the level cap at the same time. I hadnt even planned for it. This also meant that I could save the other achievements for later and get more evolution points and, quite possibly, also experience from them. I noticed that the last achievement I got didnt reward any experience, which was slightly unfortunate but not the worst thing that could have happened. I needed the achievement to unlock the evolution either way. I cheered in my mind as I was about to climb down to get to Cellestras home to undergo my evolution when something came to mind. When I had taken the purple evolution the second time, more spells became available. Would I get penalized if I took the blue evolution early on? Elysa, does the blue evolution offer more spells if I take it later? Negative. All evolution choices from now on offer the same number of skills no matter at what point you choose the specific evolution. That was a relief at least. That meant that I could take the blue evolution first to unlock additional spells. After that, I could take the yellow one to combine the new spells into new spells that could possibly pack quite the punch. Finally, I could take the red evolution to acquire defensive skills to round out my arsenal. These spells could then also be combined to create new spells. Correct, Elysa? Affirmative. I couldnt wait to see what new spells I could get. As much as the spider part was frustrating, these spells were something else. The feeling of being pretty powerful and the promise of even more power it was intoxicating to be quite honest. This was the power I yearned for. The power to protect those I held dear. It was a damn shame that I didnt have many people that were dear to me. If only I had had this power back then I snapped myself out of it. I couldnt keep wandering off to that. With this power and, eventually, the ability to speak again, I would have the strength that I didnt have back then. I wouldnt allow anything like that to happen again. I looked around to see if any danger had appeared. When it didnt, I climbed down and started making my way back to the elfs abode, all while looking forward to what my new evolution had in store for me. 1.49 Blue I arrived at Cellestras home after some time. During my trip back, I had continued to wonder just how big I would get after this evolution, and even more so after my final evolution. My rear was already comparatively large, and I imagined that if my growth continued at the same rate, there was no way I would be able to fit that through the door. Hell, I was already over half the tables surface area, and that was with me keeping my legs as close to my body as possible. If I stretched them out, I would probably span the entire tables width. As much as my growth allowed me more safety, it also made me fearful of my future interactions with Cellestra. If I couldnt get inside the building anymore, I would have to find or make a safe place to spend the night outside. Besides that, shed also have to spend more time outside in order to communicate with me. I hoped I could grow out of it quickly. Speech would make things so much easier. I guessed that after acquiring my final evolution it would be a good time to continue my search. I entered the open door and found Cellestra sitting at the table with one of the wolf pelts laid out before her. She was treating the inside of the fur with some kind of yellowish paste. She removed the pelt from the table as she saw me walking inside, making space for me while she continued her work. Hey, Kealyna. How did things go? She took the pieces of paper that she had placed on the tarantula enclosure and laid them on the table as I climbed up. Good. Can evolve again, I spelled out for her. And what evolution will it be? She asked me out of honest intrigue, that was, if the glow in her eyes was anything to go by. That was a good question. Although my mind was still conflicted that there was an excellent evolution that would be befitting of a knight, I had already mostly resolved to go for the blue one in order to see what new skills I could learn. If that wasnt the case, there would also be the follow-up of the yellow evolution that allowed me to merge some skills. The yellow evolution would also offer me support spells. I secretly hoped there would be a spell that could help Cellestras situation. I had received a healing spell before, so why wouldnt there be one that could get rid of curses? What I was hoping for was that there was a way that I could create a new spell that could help the elf if my primary spells didnt do the trick. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I so desired to help her if I could Elysa, what do Some skills mean, anyway? Cant it be all spells, instead? Not all spells can be combined into other spells due to the lack of power. In your final evolution, you may be able to combine more spells. So, basically, this ability would grow stronger as I evolved. Kealyna? Cellestra asked again. I must have taken too long to think without replying. Evolution that gives more spells. Hoping it helps to grow stronger faster. Next evolution gives support spells. Hoping there is something that can help you. That was a bunch of words to spell out and it took a while. At the end of it, the elf seemed shocked. Kealyna, you dont have to choose for my sake. Pick whatever you need to help yourself. I shook my pedipalps before I continued writing. Support spell evolution also allows merge spells into new spells. Will still help me. I see, Cellestra spoke softly. I hope it turns out the way you want it to turn out. I dont want to be the one to tell you what to choose, but I just want you to know dont do it for me, okay? Ok, I spelled with two letters. I was going to do it either way. I was used to helping others, it was in my nature. Those support skills also included defensive skills. With those, I would be more than fine until I could pick the evolution that I was leaving for last. The one that I should, and was inclined to take first as it best reflected who I am, who I was As much as I still agreed and tried to uphold my knightly values, there was just no way I could do it effectively. Even the choice of relying on magic was only made because it seemed to be the fastest way to grow stronger. Once I had achieved my final evolution, I could always try to reflect on the matter. Then again, could I ever go back to being a knight? I didnt think my body would allow me to. Still, I would try my best. Ill be here when you wake up, Cellestra reassured me with a smile as she continued applying the paste to the wolf pelt. Thanks, I spelled out as I watched her smile. I could watch that for hours It was a beautiful thing to observe as I confirmed my evolution into the blue rainbow Kizerain. I prayed Id made the right choice. ____________________________________________________________________________ When I awoke, I noticed I couldnt stand up. All my left legs were dangling off the side of the table. Easy there, Cellestra said softly. Youve grown a fair bit. My table is almost too small for you. Be careful not to fall off. I looked at my surroundings and noted that what Cellestra had said was true. My body from head to the furthest point of my abdomen was now about the same length as the table, which was about five feet, I would guess? My right set of legs was cramped due to the presence of the two terrariums on the table. I could easily put them over the edge on both sides if they hadnt been there. All in all, I was a massive spider I noticed that the color patterns on my body had changed as well. From spinnerets to my head, I now had Orange then green, then blue, then purple stripes. Maybe there was redemption for this rainbow, after all I only needed two more evolutions and Id have a proper one. Here, Cellestra called out as she laid four new pieces of paper with letters at one end of the table. Ive already made these for you. You look like you can use them. Thank you, Cellestra. How are you feeling? The elf asked. Feeling good. Bit groggy but normal. I didnt know whether the grogginess was because of the physical changes my body went through, or because of the new perspective that took time getting used to. My size was getting close to what I had been when I was an elf. And I still had four evolutions to go Good to hear. Youve been out for a while. Its evening already. I was just finishing the second round of applying this paste to the pelts. Dinners already in the stove as well. Dont suppose youre surprised to hear its boar again? She recapped what happened in hours within a few sentences. I mentally laughed at her last comment. Cellestra was so kind, and she was funny too. I could do with some boar right now. This evolution had left me starving Cellestra took the pelts and brought them to her bedroom. I quickly compared myself to them and noted that I had actually outgrown the creatures that Id slain. It had me worried that wolves may not give me as much experience anymore. Speaking of experience Elysa? Name: Kealyna Race: Blue Rainbow Kizerain Level: 1/10 Experience: 0/80 Evolution Points: 277 Enhancement Cost in EP Language Comprehension - Human 5 Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 Advanced Regeneration 20 Strong Regeneration 35 Very Strong Regeneration 50 Advanced Jaws and Teeth 20 Strong Jaws and Teeth 35 Very Strong Jaws and Teeth 50 Strong Spider Thread 35 Very Strong Spider Thread 50 Improved Toxin Resistance 10 Advanced Toxin Resistance 20 Strong Toxin Resistance 35 Very Strong Toxin Resistance 50 Improved Ice Lance 10 Advanced Ice Lance 20 Strong Ice Lance 35 Very Strong Ice Lance 50 Advanced Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 20 Strong Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 35 Very Strong Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 50 Advanced Physical Barrier 20 Strong Physical Barrier 35 Very Strong Physical Barrier 50 Advanced Magical Barrier 20 Strong Magical Barrier 35 Very Strong Magical Barrier 50 Advanced Healing Light 20 Strong Healing Light 35 Very Strong Healing Light 50 Thermal Vision 50 Improved Magic Resistance 20 Advanced Magic Resistance 40 Strong Magic Resistance 70 Very Strong Magic Resistance 150 Mana Manipulation 75 Wind Gust 50 Lightning Arc 150 Holy Pulse 150 Cyclone 5 Improved Cyclone 10 Advanced Cyclone 20 Strong Cyclone 35 Very Strong Cyclone 50 Earthen Spike 5 Improved Earthen Spike 10 Advanced Earthen Spike 20 Strong Earthen Spike 35 Very Strong Earthen Spike 50 Spider Lightning 5 Improved Spider Lightning 10 Advanced Spider Lightning 20 Strong Spider Lightning 35 Very Strong Spider Lightning 50 I should really start shrinking this list... 1.50 Decisions I suppose youre looking at your so-called enhancements again, arent you? Cellestras voice mentioned exactly what I was doing. I quickly gestured yes and continued looking at my options while the elf had her eyes fixated on my abdomen. There was no doubt she was eying the colorations there. I had to admit they did look quite pretty. There were several new spells that had popped up that I had never heard about. Another thing that I noted was that there were several spells without ranks. I decided to go over each one of them to make sure what they did. Lets go top to bottom... Mana Manipulation Allows spells to be cast at lower ranks, conserving mana when the most powerful version of the spell isnt needed. Also allows minor magic to be cast freely. That sounded interesting at first, but I soon realized it may not be as useful as I thought. Sure, I could conserve mana by using less destructive spells, but this blessing also forced me into killing larger and stronger creatures with each evolution. For the moment, it didnt feel like I had much use holding back. That being said This skill could be quite useful later on. Also, minor magic? I imagined it meant magic similar to Cellestras flame spell. Next up was another rankless spell, Wind Gust. Wind Gust Release a gust of wind forward, knocking back enemies in close range. That sounded simple enough. This spell wasnt intended to do damage, rather, it was to prevent enemies from landing a hit on you. I was used to taking hits, but I doubted my choices so far would make me feel comfortable with taking a hit. Id avoided melee combat as much as possible, simply because I didnt know the limits of this body. Right now, I imagined I could take some hits, but there was no reason for me to even find out anymore. My spells were strong enough that I didnt need to put myself at risk. Lightning Arc Channels an arc of lightning to electrocute your target. The damage of the arc grows in intensity over the channel duration, but the mana cost is increased with it. That was an interesting spell. The longer I channeled it, the more damage it would do at an increased mana cost. That made me wonder, would this spell do more damage than my fireball if I channeled it while my mana reserves were at full capacity? The only problem was that I would have to keep up the channel without getting interrupted. Nonetheless, I liked the idea behind this spell. I had plenty of points too. Despite its high cost, I was tempted to take it. High cost meant it was quite strong, right? I checked my other spells first. Holy Pulse A channeled ability that sends out waves of holy fire around the caster. Each wave does more damage and costs more mana. Specifically effective against undead and demons. Undead The idea alone made me shudder. I had never fought, or even seen, undead before. I used to live in an area that was far away from bastions of necromantic magic. The only undead that I theoretically could have seen had to be dungeon creatures. Fortunately, Id never run into those, either. Though, it wasnt surprising considering Id never set foot in a dungeon before I had heard tales of dungeons and all their dangers and riches. Adventurers would come from far and wide in order to seek their fortune in them. Many died as a result of their greed, but some adventurers would find exquisite items and wealth. It wasnt for me. It was not that I had never wanted to explore dungeons, but I had trouble trusting people. Going inside the most dangerous places in the world required a certain amount of trust and knowledge of your fellow companions abilities. I had never bothered. I had decided Id try to find some kind of happiness elsewhere. Had I succeeded in that when I learned that the family I protected lived because of my actions? I did not know. I found my mind wandering off to my old life and quickly refocused on what was in front of me. Cyclone Spell that does no damage, but envelops an enemy within strong winds, preventing them from moving for a certain duration. Maximum enemy size and duration increase with spell rank. Another spell that would allow me to manipulate the battlefield to my advantage. This would be an excellent spell to have when fighting multiple enemies at once. Earthen Spike Compress the earth beneath a target to form a solid spike that then erupts from the ground beneath a target. Cannot be used on rocky surfaces. This sounded like a great spell to have. I had trouble penetrating enemies hides, but then again, I hadnt leveled my ice lance further. I should probably take this spell and upgrade my ice lance spell when I have the chance. Another advantage of this spell, in particular, was that it would erupt below my target. More often than not, creatures vulnerable spots were their bellies. This spell would have an easier time targeting those areas compared to my ice lance. And then lastly there was a spell with Spider in the name. I couldnt help but think Elysa was somewhere... laughing at this Spider Lightning Channel a lightning arc at an enemy that deals damage and slowly creeps to seek out nearby creatures that are considered enemies by the caster. This ability keeps on creeping and searching for enemies as long as the ability is channeled. When the ability channel is canceled, it will shock all targets connected by the lightning arc, dealing damage based on how many enemies are connected by the arc. The more enemies are hit, the more damage the final shock will do. By the goddess. That spell looked incredibly powerful. This was an ability that completely focused on hitting as many targets as possible. While my fireball could theoretically do the trick, this ability seems to easily overtake fireball in usefulness when enemies werent standing right on top of one another which was pretty much always. Once again, there was one issue I did not intend to fight eight wolves or so, at once. While the spell sounded incredibly useful, upon closer inspection, it wouldnt help me much right now. Ideally, Id fight one enemy at a time. At this moment, the earthen spike, lightning arc, and cyclone spells appealed to me the most. I could get the maximum rank of the cyclone and the arc lightning spells for 270 points, leaving me with only 7. I thought about it for a moment. Suddenly an idea struck me. One of the reasons Id held off on levelling the barrier skills was that I did not want to disturb Cellestras progress on her spell learning. But I could work around that. If I took mana manipulation, I could level my barrier spells to their maximum ranks, which would provide a lot of safety, and I could still help Cellestra learn the rank of the barrier spell that shed started learning. Safety sounded reasonable. How many points would I need for both my barrier spells, mana manipulation, and cyclone? 405. That was too much. I went over my list and checked where I could save points. Ultimately, I decided to get the mana manipulation, highest rank physical barrier, and the cyclone skill up to strong. Once I had the points, I would get the final upgrade for that skill. I thought about what I wanted next after that, and came to the conclusion that the magical barrier would be a safe route. After that, it would likely be Earthen Spike, or Lightning Arc. This lightning arc was so tempting. I had no idea why. Perhaps it was the feeling that from the spells description, I got the idea that it would kill an enemy with a very precise amount of mana. Fireball used mana in large chunks, but the power of lightning arc and its cost seemed to increase in increments, meaning that once Id dealt lethal damage, I could immediately stop the channel, right? With the mana manipulation, I would be better off using fireball in some scenarios, though. I was basing that on the fact that wolves and boars seemed to be quite flammable. I could probably use lower-rank fireball spells to kill creatures like that. However I would need an offensive spell for creatures where this wouldnt be the case. I imagined lightning arc would fill that gap well. I went through the enhancements that I had selected earlier one by one. Cellestra kept observing me as I felt the magic flow through me and the knowledge of the new spells being formed in my mind. When I finalized my changes, I tapped Cellestras hand gently with two of my legs, getting her attention before spelling out more words. All done. Got new spell. Want check later? Sure, Id love to. But first dinner. I believe its right about done. She walked to the kitchen while I sat there dumbly wondering how in the world we were going to have dinner with me taking up most of the table 1.51 Hug Dinner turned out to be interesting I had managed to make enough space by lifting my huge abdomen against the glass of the tarantula enclosure. Cellestra had grinned as she returned with the plates and observed my antics. I thanked the elf from the bottom of my heart for preparing such a large meal. It appeared she had planned for my new size as I now ate far more than her. Well, Cellestra said with a smile after dinner. It would seem that if you keep growing at this rate, we will get rid of that boar with no problems before it spoils. My freezing spell can only keep it good for so long. Freezing spell? So she could use both fire and ice magic. Then again, I guess being able to refrigerate your food out here would be a blessing. Cellestra seemed to do the dishes with haste, as right after she was done she sat down at the table and eagerly asked me a question. Tell me about this new spell of yours. Called cyclone. Used to keep enemies in place. Then something came to mind. How could I show Cellestra how this spell worked? I feared I couldnt just cast this spell on anything, let alone indoors. Actually dumb. Do not know how to show. Cannot cast here. Cellestra giggled. Damn, Kealyna, you got me all fired up for nothing. Am sorry. I felt sad that I couldnt show her, but she seemed to simply laugh it off. My sadness soon faded when her eyes looked into mine. I couldnt explain it. She just seemed to have an aura around her that calmed me down. We could just continue our work on the magical barrier, though, She offered. I nodded with my limbs and felt the elf place a hand on my abdomen and soon felt the familiar spell course through my body. Somehow, I was even more aware of the magic that coursed through me and even found myself able to adjust its course, albeit slightly. I redirected as much of her spell into mine as I could as I cast the barrier. From my experience so far, I found that some of her spell would simply split off from the main stream of mana and fail to enter my spell. Was this the mana manipulation spells work? As I forcefully moved her mana into my spell, I found her spell suddenly dissipate into nothingness as Cellestra gasped and removed her hand from my abdomen. Kealyna was that you? She asked in obvious disbelief. I nodded with my limbs before tapping on the paper to make her head turn to the letters. Got skill called mana manipulation. I think I used it to redirect your spell to force more of it into mine. That was a bunch of letters I had to spell out, but I wanted to be exact. Thats amazing... Cellestra spoke softly. What you did it made everything much clearer. My mind it was overloaded with new information. Im sorry if I startled you. It was a reflex. I didnt see that coming. She blinked a few times before speaking. Is it okay to try again? I nodded with my pedipalps. She then repeated the spell and closed her eyes as she focused. I forced her mana into my spell again as I cast my magical barrier spell. She let out another gasp but this time she didnt break her spell. Her hand remained on my abdomen even after the spell was finished. I waited a bit before I saw her open her eyes. Kealyna this is beyond what I thought possible. She paused for a few more moments as she gathered her words. This new skill of yours. It makes everything so much clearer. Before, it felt like there were pieces of a puzzle that were missing that I had to fill in by just trying and trying until I found the solution, but now the solution is right there! The spell is still intricate enough to need practice, but I feel like I can learn it so much faster now! She spoke quickly and a smile grew over the course of her dialogue. It filled me with happiness to know that this would allow her to learn the spell much faster. We repeated the same course of events a few more times before Cellestra smiled and stood up to retrieve the jar of bugs to feed the tarantula. I cannot believe you used to be smaller than this guy here, The elf said with a grin. Youre going to rival me in size soon enough. Just dont eat me okay? I could never. I would never do that. I shook no with my pedipalps but judged from the laugh that followed that it hadnt been a serious question. She finished feeding her other spider, before stretching her arms and yawning. Its about time we go to sleep. Id love to see if we can try out that new spell of yours tomorrow. Will you be okay with that? I somewhat regretted not continuing our practice now. Her hand on my abdomen always felt so comforting. Was that why I was so eager to practice with her? I nodded with my limbs once more as she gave me one of her signature warm smiles. Lovely. She then extinguished the candles shed lit shortly before dinner and led the way with her flame spell. I kind of wanted to try to see if I could replicate her spell on my own but figured it would be dangerous to try something like that right now. For all I knew I could accidentally burn down the house Good night, Cellestra wished me after shed undressed and made herself comfortable. I simply responded with a wave as she canceled her illumination spell. In the darkness, I was checking out my evolution requirements. I had not looked at them earlier and found that now would be a good time. It would also allow me to make sure Cellestra had a good night of sleep. I hoped she wouldnt experience those nasty nightmares but wanted to be there for her if she did. Large Yellow Rainbow Kizerain ** Requires currently unearned achievements Magic-orientated evolution. Unlocks additional defensive and support spells. Allows some skills to be merged. Large Red Rainbow Kizerain ** Requires currently unearned achievements Strength-orientated evolution. Unlocks additional defensive skills. Unlocks additional types of Venom Achievements required for Large Yellow Kizerain evolution: Size Matters Kill any 5 adversaries classified as Large or bigger. (Complete) The Exterminator Kill any insectoid that is classified as Titan or bigger. (0/1) Spell Stopper Kill a creature that can use magic. (0/1) Bear Beater Kill a bear. (0/1) Achievements required for Large Red Kizerain evolution: Oh Deer Kill any deer. (0/1) Cousin Killer Kill a scorpion. (0/1) Lifesaver Heal a mortal wound. (0/1) Resistance Reigns Fully resist an ailment with any type of resistance. (0/1) It would appear that three new achievements had become visible. I would still need to get the achievements that I could see earlier, which I assumed were more of a matter of finding the correct target rather than being difficult. The bear, though I didnt know how difficult that would be. I would probably try to look for one after getting the spells Id ogled earlier. The resistance one seemed like it should be fairly simple as well. I could ask Cellestra to help me with that one if I needed to, but I didnt think it would be needed. My plan was to acquire the highest possible toxin resistance and then go hunting for one of those green vipers and force them to bite me. The lifesaver should be fairly simple? The achievement stated nothing about who or what had to be wounded. I could simply wound a creature with an attack that would kill them over time and then heal them. It sounded kind of cruel. Scrap that, it was very cruel. Was this some kind of sick joke, Elysa? Though, I guess it was nice I could show my knightly side and save a life for once, instead of taking it. I would just do it on a squirrel or something. I would then obviously let them go afterward. I finished the possible scenarios in my head as I heard noise coming from Cellestras bed. As if on cue, she was thrashing about again in her sleep. I stepped into her bed for the third night in a row and cast my healing light on the poor elf several times to calm her down. After a few minutes of observing her now calmed down state, I decided to stay in her bed again. I had outgrown the pillow but didnt want to bother Cellestra for anything else. Surely she wouldnt have a problem with me in her bed. If she did, she would have told me yesterday. I placed myself on the covers and peered through the darkness at the elfs face. I felt happy to be this close to her and to be able to help. Before I knew it, I had placed my right legs over her covered frame as if to hug her. I then spread out my other legs and simply enjoyed the feelings that this pose gave me as I drifted off to sleep myself. 1.52 Study Faragi /end of chapter dump. Don''t forget to read 45 46 47 48 49 50 and 51 :^) I woke up to a yawn, followed by tugging on my legs. Morning, Kealyna. I removed my legs from the elfs frame as Cellestra smiled when I looked her way. I see you found your way in my bed again. I suppose I should have gotten you something other than that one pillow. Im sorry about that. Strange. She was apologizing to me. Thank you for tonight, by the way, She continued with a soft voice. Its been getting worse the past few days hasnt it? I didnt know how to reply to that. I simply nodded in agreement. Cellestra sighed. As I said, I get these periods with more nightmares than usual. Im sorry if it worries you. Well, it did, but if I could help her, it didnt bother me so much. Cellestra got dressed and we made our way to the living room. As we walked through the small hallway, I came to realize something My size had increased a lot since my last evolution, which I had expected. What I had forgotten to calculate, however, was that the door to the outside was narrower than the doors inside the building. While I could barely fit through the doors to the living room and her bedroom, I started to get anxious about going outside. From the looks of it, I wouldnt fit. I cursed myself for not realizing this sooner. The elf made herself a quick breakfast consisting of stale bread and cheese. I climbed the table and made sure she had room for her plate. While she was eating, I spelled out words. Checked achievements last night. Need to kill bear for next evolution. A bear? Cellestra asked with a frown. Just what does the goddess expect of you? How strong have you gotten? Do not know. Can show fireball that used to kill wolves. Yeah, you wanted to show me that cyclone spell of yours too. If you want to show the fireball, too, Id be most interested. I nodded with my pedipalps. Cellestra seemed to be eager to learn more. I was curious how she would react to seeing my new fireball spell. It was far stronger than my old one. She quickly finished her breakfast and left her plate behind on the table, not even bothering to put it away. I followed her, and by the time I reached the door leading to the outside, my worry had become reality. I did not fit through the door Cellestra turned around and saw me struggling to get through the doorframe. She quickly walked up to me and lent a hand or rather, two. Without a word she lifted my abdomen and turned it sideways, which allowed me to leave the house, albeit narrowly. I heaved a mental sigh of relief after Id made it through. I dont think its a good idea to go through your next evolution indoors... Cellestra said quietly. I had already figured that out myself, but her words still managed to cause a certain sadness to emerge within me. If I couldnt enter the house anymore, Id be forced to stay outside. What was worse was that I couldnt help her anymore at night Im sorry, Cellestra That also meant I should work on some kind of shelter outside. I wasnt looking forward to sleeping under the stars, but it would seem there was no way around it. I already knew my growth would not stop with this evolution. I had already noticed that my next evolution was labeled as Large. How would I even go about it? Should I create some kind of shelter from my webs? Should I fell trees and use them? Whatever I would do, would be labor-intensive, which meant that it would severely slow my further growth down. I sighed mentally and figured there was no way around it. I knew that staying here would only be temporary, but still This place had started to feel like a new home to me. I would probably leave it with pain in my heart. Was it weird that I didnt want to leave? I mean, I wanted to find my parents, I just did not want to leave Cellestra. Just thinking about it it hurt When would be a good time to mention my suggestion? I could put it off for longer but I would have to ask eventually The elf in question was currently full of glee as she smiled when she asked me to show her my fireball skill. I quickly put away my thoughts, for now, skittered to the middle of the grassy clearing, and charged my fireball spell before casting it at the grass a few feet in front of me. The fireball impacted the grass, shattered into smaller pieces, and burned the grass for a good thirty seconds or so before the flames extinguished. By the goddess, Kealyna. I see how you managed to kill those wolves now. Thats some amazing power behind that spell. Mind if I try to track its mana flows? I shook my pedipalps in a no gesture. I did not mind that at all. In fact, I was looking forward to it. The worries I had from before were dispelled when she placed her hand on my abdomen and I felt her comforting magic flow through my body. I started my fireball cast and redirected her mana into the spell before firing it again. After Id fired the spell I realized I was being reckless with my mana. Even though I had the best available mana regeneration at the moment, I couldnt afford to start a fight without it being at maximum capacity. For now, I assumed it would be okay. It should be replenished by the time I intended to fight. Such power... Cellestra said softly. This is amazing. Thanks to your new skill, I can see everything so much clearer. Would you object to me trying to learn this spell, too? I can imagine if you dont want me to know. I moved my limbs from left to right again. If anything, I was looking forward to her learning. I enjoyed spending time with the elf, and this seemed to be one of the easiest ways to justify spending time with her. Moreover, if at some point I asked the question and she did decide to tag along with me, it would help for her to know more powerful spells. Thinking about it felt odd though. Would she truly be willing to help me in my search? A cursed elf helping a monstrous spider searching for people gave me a weird mental image. I couldnt help but hope she would be willing to. I hoped that at some point I could get a spell, or even make one, that could rid her of her curse. Maybe she would be willing to strike a deal? Wanna try that other spell you mentioned? Cellestra asked, breaking my train of thought. I nodded with my pedipalps and soon found her hand on my abdomen again as she knelt next to me a second time. Once again, I forced her mana into my spell that I had to force out of me. I did not have a target that I was casting the spell on, but after a lot of effort and strain on my mind, I managed to target an area about six feet in front of me. I noticed that the spell definitely wasnt made to do that, hence the pain. Maybe that was mana manipulation at work again? At the target location, a small tornado about three feet across and seven feet in height appeared. The tornado swirled violently but remained in place. The spell did not appear to consume any further mana, which was interesting. Cellestra and I observed the small tornado, which did not seem to wane in strength until the spells duration ran out. When it did, it disappeared within seconds as the winds dispersed. What an interesting spell. That was quite the spell, Kealyna. I imagine you can keep a small wolf, or even an adult, in place with that. Thats what the spells intention was, right? To keep something in place? I nodded once more. This spell was purely intended to give me time to finish another opponent with other spells while keeping its victim incapacitated. I would still have to increase the spell to its maximum level. Hopefully, that would allow me to immobilize something bigger than just a wolf. I was going to need larger and more dangerous prey with each evolution, after all. It was the safe option. Thank you for your insight in these spells, Kealyna. I assume youre heading out now? I nodded. Alright. Please be safe out there. Ill try to practice these spells again while youre out. I waved at her and took in her smile and engraved it in my mind as I left. I was looking forward to one day being able to return a smile, whatever it may look like. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons. Thanks for your support <3 Kyriakos Axathero K G greatdavid0 Rickard Woodroe BeeRusty Sean Louisthau Sgt Jiffy I need more comments to read! It FUELS me! 1.53 Talking? Faragi Time for a good ol'' chapter dump. Have fun people <3 I went off in the same direction as yesterday and planned to venture deeper into the forest. I still hadnt found any signs of a bear or deer so far. What if they didnt exist in this forest? Would my blessing eventually force me out of the forest, or what was it designed to do? Elysa, are there bears and deer in this forest? There are. I didnt expect the blessing to actually answer. From my interactions with it so far, I had made out that all the information stored in the blessing was present from the beginning. This made sense because Elysa had left a message that stated the blessing was completely separate from her. I was interacting with information that had never changed. This, in my opinion, meant that it was designed to answer this specific question beforehand. Will I need to leave the forest at any point to find creatures required for my evolutions achievements? That information is not available. And there we had it. The good old I have no idea what youre talking about. At least my currently required animals were somewhat nearby. I ran into all kinds of different animals as I ventured deeper and deeper. Unfortunately, they were not the kind that would give me experience. After an hour or so of steady walking, I felt like I would get lost if I didnt turn around and start making my way back. I was about to turn around when I heard talking. Talking? I laid low and slowly approached the talking voices. They belonged to men, and rough ones, too, judging from the intonation. I made sure to stay hidden from sight, using the vegetation to my advantage. I may be quite large, but there were a lot of ferns and other plants in the area that still served to conceal me. I managed to stay hidden as the voices continued talking. After creeping close enough, I managed to see through the vegetation and observed humans That explained why I couldnt make out what they were saying. I had no knowledge of the human language of this world. Fortunately, I had a blessing that would allow me to understand. As I observed three lightly-armored men sitting around a campfire, drinking some kind of beverage, I selected the human language comprehension and confirmed that I wanted to enhance it. As much as I hated humans for what they did to me, I still wanted to know what they were talking about. What were they doing out here in the forest in the first place? Im serious! The first man said. He seemed to be some kind of archer. His armor consisted of light leather armor. What really gave it away was the quiver filled with arrows on his back, and compound bow at his side. You cant keep the wares for yourself, The second man answered before gulping down some of the liquid in his mug. Thats bad for business. This man seemed to be a brute. His face was scarred, his forearms were muscled and he seemed to wear the best equipment out of all three. A mail armor vest with tough, dark brown, leather vambraces and leg armor. A large double-bladed axe was planted in the dirt next to him. I dont think the boss would be happy with what you just said, The third man chimed in. Besides, we havent got anything yet. The last person seemed to be an older man. He didnt wear much in terms of armor. Rather, he wore simple cloth armor. The staff that laid beside him in the dirt, combined with his apparel, led me to believe he was some kind of spellcaster. They did not seem like the most friendly types, and their presence here was nothing but suspicious. What were these so-called goods they were talking about? It sounded like they were some kind of smugglers. These men were most definitely not honest merchants. Id seen enough unsavory individuals to know them when I saw them. Soon, The first man again. Well do this bullshit scouting first before we get to the good stuff. Scouting? What were they looking for? Im telling you, The second man spoke. Aint a soul around these parts. These poor elves wont know whats coming. He laughed deeply at his own statement and spilled some drink in the process. His words had piqued my interest. Apparently, they were scouting the nearby area for people. From what I understood, they were preparing some kind of attack on... elves? I knew they were scoundrels from the moment I saw them. I wanted to strike them down where they stood, but as it was, it was three against one. I wasnt quite sure if Id be able to beat them in a fight. Moreover, from their words, I understood there were more of them somewhere nearby. They would certainly come looking for whatever attacked these men. I understood I could possibly put Cellestra at risk by doing so, so I refrained from attacking. I hated it. I hated this feeling of powerlessness. The three men laughed and drank more of whatever they were drinking while I cursed at myself. It was obvious there were elves in danger, and I couldnt help them. What should I do? I had two choices. The first one was to follow them to try to understand what their plans were. The problem with that was that I wouldnt grow stronger if I did that. I could get to know more about what was going on, but not do anything about it. The second option was to leave them be for now and hope that I could evolve quickly and grow more powerful. My spells wouldnt get stronger, from what I knew, but a larger abdomen would mean I had greater mana reserves to fuel those spells. I might have a fighting chance against these men, and possibly more. Another problem was that I would also have to try to track them down again. I didnt know what to do. I decided to stick around, at least for a bit. With some luck, I would get some information as to where I would have to look. Their conversation continued and covered a whole bunch of useless topics. Women, alcohol, the best ways to kill your enemy in the most dishonorable way, and more, were discussed. Then, finally, a piece of important information was leaked. We should get moving, The spellcaster said. Were expected to be done with our part of the mission. Merely sitting around here wont do us any good. We have but eight days to prepare, and Id like to make sure we dont fail this one. You know Ingo when he gets pissed. He shuddered. I can still feel the whip, and Im pretty sure you still know exactly how it feels, too. They went quiet as they seemed to reflect on past events. I still didnt know much of what was going on, but I knew I had some time before their plans were to come to fruition. A week wasnt much, but I hoped I could get through at least one or two evolutions before that. I took a mental note to get here before the week was over, to try to track them down. It would give me a day to find them, which I hoped was enough. I noted that the second man was quite burly and that he left quite the footsteps in his wake. There was an easily recognizable trail behind him leading up to the campfire. If need be, I could try to track them that way. I just hoped it wouldnt rain. I left them behind as I carefully skittered back in the direction of Cellestras home. I took a bit of a detour and hoped that I would run into something I could consider prey. Along the way, I decided I should tell Cellestra about what I had observed and overheard. Maybe she would know more, or be able to figure out what was going on. All I knew is that they were talking about elves that didnt know what was coming and some goods. They were likely robbers trying to get their hands on some expensive items. I would try to stop them if I could. If anything, I at least wanted to prevent them from harming or even killing elves. I didnt know what Cellestra would think if I let them do as they pleased. Even if she was exiled, she still wondered how things would have, could have been if it wasnt for her curse. She still had some kind of connection to her kin. I walked for a few minutes more, when I finally ran into something of interest. There, in a small grassy clearing, stood a large buck. His antlers were massive and would likely have intimidated anything that wasnt a former elf. And he was just what I needed. 1.54 Buck As big as I may be, I was still nothing compared to this majestic animal. I watched the animal graze from a safe distance while I cast my physical barrier. I then started looking around for both cover and a place to hit the creature from. There was one downside here. The animal was large enough, and the nearby trees were short enough, that his antlers would easily reach the lowest branches. I wouldnt be able to attack it from above without being in the range of attacks myself. If I wanted this kill, I would have to either wait until I got to an area where I could strike it safely from above, or I would have to take risks. I chose the latter. I did not have the time to wait. I was quick enough that I should be able to dodge its attacks. I slowly moved forward, keeping its flank in my sight. I intended to hit it with a fireball and do as much damage as possible before it even knew I was here. The beast still had his head down. I charged my fireball spell and, in an instant, the beast turned his head to where I was positioned, causing me to let loose my spell to not waste the element of surprise. I followed the fireball as it headed for the beasts flank, but at the last second, the buck turned his head and mighty antlers and used them to block the fireball. Blocking might have been too strong of a word. Rather, the spell impacted its antlers and shattered into tiny fragments. Some of them hit the deers pelt, but they didnt seem to cause much damage. Crap. The beast fully turned his body and lowered his head. I knew what was coming and quickly skittered away as the animal charged at me. I managed to get behind a tree in time and saw the animal charge past the tree without hitting me. As it turned around to face me once more, I cast my paralytic venom bolt several times, aimed at the eyes and neck. I missed the eyes, but got a few hits on his neck, although they didnt penetrate as deep as Id like. It seemed this beast had some tough skin. The beast, for some reason, stopped moving and just stared at me. I was questioning what it was doing, when I felt slight vibrations in the ground. My legs seemed to be quite sensitive to them. I then realized there was something right below me. I jumped away as soon as I noticed that but failed to fully dodge the spike that erupted from below me. A spike of hardened earth grazed my abdomen, causing a jolt of pain to shoot through me. My physical barrier had blocked some of the attack, as did my exoskeleton, but this was an attack based on magic. As such, it still harmed me. Damn buck. I was not expecting it to be able to use magic. Not after it charged at me like that. With no time to assess the damage, before the beast started another charge, I quickly cast my magical barrier to prevent taking damage from another unexpected spell. As the creature passed me once more, I threw another couple of venom bolts at its body. I felt that my venom reserves were much larger now, but I didnt know how many bolts it would take to paralyze this creature. It weighed at least twice as much as a wolf, so I imagined I needed quite a few hits. I was holding back on using my fireball as the creature kept passing the tree that I was using to block his charges. I did not want to start a fire here. Especially with the humans not too far away. A fire would certainly draw their attention. If only I had taken the Lightning Arc spell I did not regret my previous choices so far. My physical barrier had absorbed quite a bit of damage from the spell the buck had used before. The game of cat and mouse continued for a while. The buck kept charging, and I kept dodging and using the tree to block its charges. After each unsuccessful charge, I cast another venom bolt or three. I was impressed with my ability to keep using the ability without running out of venom. Eventually, the paralyzing effect started to kick in as the buck slowed down. After that, it didnt take long for its legs to give out and it collapsed. Its antlers hit the dirt outside the grassy clearing and remained there while its eyes blinked rapidly as I approached it. It was time to bring this game to an end. Because of the beasts proximity to a tree (it was lying about a foot away from a trunk), I opted to use a weaker version of the fireball spell. I would make sure that this deer was the only thing that burned. It was cruel, to be forced to have such a noble animal die such a gruesome, and most of all, slow death, but it was the option that would ensure my safety, as well as Cellestras. I cast a few weaker fireballs in quick succession, aiming to still do this as swiftly as I could. Soon enough, the beasts body went up in flames. You have killed a Large Royal Forest Deer. : EXP+946 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 50 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 50 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 4! You have been awarded 50 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 5! You have been awarded 50 EP. Achievement earned: Oh Deer Kill any deer. You have been awarded 100 EP You have been awarded 300 EXP Requirement for future evolution complete. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 6! You have been awarded 50 EP. Achievement earned: Spell Stopper Kill a creature that can use magic. You have been awarded 100 EP You have been awarded 300 EXP Requirement for future evolution complete. A large series of messages appeared before me with the bucks death. I left the creature behind as I skittered to the closest vegetation to take a look at the wound Id suffered during combat. It appeared that the left side of my abdomen had a puncture wound from the spike that hit. It hurt, but I could deal with the pain. The fact that I saw some drops of blood worried me, though. I had no idea how spider anatomy worked, so I did the logical thing. There was a skill that was long overdue to increase. Without hesitation, I confirmed the regeneration skill upgrades. Level by level, I brought the skill to its maximum rank. Its effects took hold soon after, as the bleeding stopped within minutes. The wound was still there, but as long as it didnt bleed I imagined Id be fine. I started walking back in the direction of Cellestras home and climbed into a tall tree as soon as I encountered one. I wanted to look at how many evolution points I had accumulated from that kill. I was victorious and had gotten many points, but I wasnt too happy about it. I took a wound that could have been avoided. From now on, I would make sure to use both my magical and physical barriers out in the forest. The mana I needed to cast both at this point was negligible. Name: Kealyna Race: Blue Rainbow Kizerain Level: 6/10 Experience: 346/480 Evolution Points: 372 That was a lot of evolution points. Even after Id upgraded my regeneration skill, I still had so many left over. I might as well spend them now I first obtained the lightning arc spell, knowing that afterward I would still have many points remaining. I would spend the rest on whatever defense skills I could get. Warmth grew in my core and then in my head as the spells secrets were revealed to me. After going through the physical and mental changes of the spell being forced into my being, I took a good look at my enhancement options once more. I started with the highest rank of the magical barrier. I wanted to make sure I would not be surprised by magic anymore. I still had 167 points remaining and decided to spend 60 of those to increase my magic resistance by two levels as well. I was damn serious about not dying. I was tempted to also increase the healing light spell, but before doing so, I cast it on myself to see how much of the wound it would heal. This spell was pretty low in mana cost, so if it turned out to be efficient for now, I could leave it as it was. Besides, Id just increased my defenses quite a bit. The healing light, combined with the regeneration skill, made quick work of the wound that Id suffered. It closed almost completely after one cast, and after a second cast, it was as if there had never been a wound in the first place. I decided to leave it as it was for now. I still had 107 points remaining and, while I had resolved to level the cyclone spell to its maximum rank earlier, I was now reconsidering. What should I do? 1.55 Contemplation Faragi I''ve posted 3 chapters so far, with more to follow soon. Make sure not to skip them by accident. I reflected on the battle. I had already changed a few things with regards to my preparation. I would never leave without using both barrier spells again, and Id upgraded them to their maximum rank. In addition, Id upgraded my magic resistance. I thought about the spell and how I had noticed it coming. My legs had felt vibrations in the dirt beneath me. There was still the option to strengthen my legs. I wondered what the effect of that would be. Why dont I ask? Elysa? Strengthening your legs will improve your ability to sense vibrations in the ground and air. That seemed like a good enough reason to upgrade the skill. It would also put even more power behind my jumps, which should allow me to get away faster, or make bigger leaps in case of emergencies. All in all, strengthening them would improve my defensive capabilities. I had enough points to upgrade them to their maximum level but hesitated for a moment. I would still need to get the toxin resistance for an achievement I planned on getting. While technically it could wait, I was of the impression that many of these new skills would have uses soon enough. I wanted to have the option of using these spells when the situation called for them. I decided to only raise it by two levels, spending 55 points and saving plenty in case I needed another skill in some sort of emergency. Power coursed from my abdomen into my legs and, after going through the process twice, I felt much lighter on my feet. It made sense as my mass had increased significantly since I last upgraded this skill. The feeling of getting stronger physically in such a short amount of time was odd but it was empowering at the same time. I decided to take a look at my progress. Name: Kealyna Race: Blue Rainbow Kizerain Level: 6/10 Experience: 346/480 Evolution Points: 52 At this rate, whatever I would kill next would bump me up another level, perhaps more. I should get plenty of points to finish my initial goal of getting the cyclone spell to its maximum rank. I could then work towards either more offense, or try to get the toxin resistance. Wait. Im an idiot. I could simply ask Cellestra to use her tarantulas venom on me. I did not need to find a snake of my own. I mean, any toxin should work, right? The question was, how did I know what level of resistance I needed to fully resist the venoms effects? It seemed there was no immediate answer to that question. I could ask Cellestra if she had anything that was an extremely weak toxin instead, so I could save my evolution points and use them on other things. The thing was, eventually Id have to level the skill anyway. I liked the defensive options that this blessing offered, and I was going to make sure to get them. I would be spending a lot of points, sure, but my blessing had mentioned there was a way to get more evolution points later on in my final evolution. Elysa, is that ability specific to one of the three choices I will be offered after going through the yellow and red evolution? Affirmative. Can I already know in what way exactly it works? Negative. As usual. The only information I got was superficial. Will I know exactly what the ability does by the time I have to choose one out of three options? Affirmative. Okay. There was that, at least. The ability to get extra evolution points sounded interesting, but I would have to find out how it worked before I made my decision. It was not something I would have to bother with at the moment. What I did have to bother with was the fact that I had no idea where to find a bear. So far Id been unlucky. I had found a deer, though. That was at least one creature I could cross off my list. Also, Titan insectoid? I did not like the sound of that. I had no idea what size we were talking about here. It could be anywhere from a hedgehog to an elephant. The idea of an elephant-sized insect scared the hell out of me. I hadnt actually seen an elephant before, but Id heard stories about these massive mammals with huge tusks, and something they called a trunk. I had no idea what that looked like. The fact that I was obliged to slay one for the evolution Id like to go for next made it even worse. Then there was the time schedule that I had to work with At least I had the lightning arc spell now. I hoped it would be as powerful as Id imagined. I took a look at my experience one more time and decided the fastest way to go about it was to try to find a bear first. I would ignore anything else. This would allow me to conserve mana and venom for a target that I would absolutely need in order to evolve. Besides, I imagined a bear would give at least as much experience as that deer. I should be fairly close to hitting the level cap after that. I was pretty proud of myself for thinking about it this way. I could also prevent unnecessary bloodshed. After going through my skill list, contemplating what would be the smart thing to do going forward, and waiting for my mana and venom reserves to be replenished, I headed out again. I first headed for Cellestras home to inform her of the events that transpired. She deserved to know what was going on and what I intended to do about it. Then, I had some sort of plan to search for a bear. I knew there were bear species that would eat fish, and fish were plentiful in the stream close to Cellestras home. If I followed the stream to the south, I hoped I would run into a bear fishing. It wasnt the most thought-out plan, but in some way it made sense. It was all I had to go by. Thanks to my strengthened legs, the trip was far shorter than before. I should have upgraded them earlier About fifteen minutes later, I reached the elfs abode. The door was open, but I did not intend to go inside. Id have too much trouble getting out again. Instead, I simply walked up to the window, half climbed the wall, and tapped it with one of my legs. A few seconds later, Cellestra exited the building. In her hands were a few pieces of paper that she laid out on the grass. Welcome back, Kealyna. How did things go? I skittered up to the six pieces of paper, which had even larger letters drawn on them. It was amusing to see how she redid the letters each time to make things easier for me. I found it quite sweet of her. I reveled in the feeling it gave me before I started writing. Good. Killed Royal Deer. Got bunch of evolution points and levels. A royal deer? Cellestra replied in obvious amazement. Im impressed. Something important happened, I continued writing. Oh? Found ugly men. Looked like bandits. Humans. They scouting area for something. One said these poor elves will not know what is coming. Appears they want to attack elves. I think they plan to rob some kind of caravan. Not sure. Heard they have eight days to prepare. I wrote the words as fast as I could, and I could see Cellestra try to keep up as her pupils went back and forth between the letters. I was still surprised by how good my vision and multitasking were. Cellestra didnt respond for a while. I could see she was lost in thoughts after my long string of letters. That... She eventually let out, is terrible. She paused for a few seconds before continuing. And I assume you want to stop them? It seemed she had guessed that it wasnt in my nature to let something like this happen on my watch. Seems she got that image of knights correct. I want to find out what is going on first. Hope to grow stronger within week and then see what they plan to do. Stop them if needed. Cellestra sighed, then smiled slightly. The smile did not seem genuine. It was almost as if it was forced, to put me at ease. Her worry was clear. I had expected nothing less of you, Kealyna. I will go with you when you decide to go there. I did not want to put Cellestra at risk, but I did not want to dissuade her from doing what she wanted to do, either. Hopefully, I would grow strong enough within a week that I wouldnt need her help at all. In the meantime, I would make sure to double down on teaching her my spells whenever we had the time. I prayed to Elysa that it would give her the means to stay safe. 1.56 Zap! I didnt bother to reply to her statement. I could see shed already made up her mind. All I could do was hope it wasnt needed. But then again, I didnt know if combat would be necessary in the first place. I imagined it would, but I couldnt be sure. For all I knew, these elves they mentioned were a bunch of bandits as well. If that was the case, Id probably let them fight this out by themselves. Going to search for bear. No time to lose. I understand please be careful, Kealyna. I know youre in a hurry, but stay safe. Her words made me feel warm inside. Her concern for my wellbeing it was indescribable how it felt. I truly didnt know All I knew was that I did not like her putting herself at risk. It twisted my heart to know she could be wounded, or worse Therefore, I went out to search for prey. I needed to find a bear, and an insectoid that was classified as titan. It would probably have to be very, very large. I had no idea where I should even start looking, which is why I decided to go for the bear first. I would ask Cellestra if she had any ideas later on. She did have at least some experience with insects. Even if it was only to feed her tarantula. I headed to the river and then upstream. If anything, I could go as far as I wanted without getting lost. The extra two levels of leg strengthening would really help me cover however much distance I wanted to. And so I skittered along the stream, hoping to run into a bear that was out fishing. Why did fishing seem to be a recurring theme in my new life? The first thing of interest I ran into was a wolf drinking water. Sticking to my plan, I decided to take a large circle around it, through the vegetation to the right. It didnt spot me as I went past it and continued my journey. This blessing was turning out to be quite the struggle. On my trip upstream, I ran into many smaller animals that came out to drink and simply went about their business. It made me realize just how hard it had become to find suitable prey. I even started wondering if the wolf would have given me any experience in the first place. I ran into another wolf, which I once again avoided, and cursed in my mind for having to find a bear in particular. I walked for hours without luck. Eventually, I had to turn around, or I wouldnt be back home in time before nightfall. I skittered back to Cellestras house hopelessly. It wasnt like I hadnt made any progress today, but I wanted to do more. I was eager to do more. With only a week to work with, I had to make the days count. Once more, I cursed the need to be very specific in my hunts. When I was about halfway back on the way to my new home, I heard an annoying buzzing coming from the forest. With nothing to lose, I decided to investigate what was going on. I had to make a way through the vegetation in order to observe the area where the buzzing was coming from. Beyond the plants was a dirt open area with very few trees. The thing that stood out most, though, was a massive pile of dirt in the center. I quickly made it out as a giant ant-heap. Ants that were about the size of a thumb were currently fighting the largest wasp Id ever seen. The creature in question was about two feet from head to stinger. The wasp was buzzing around and killing the smaller ants with stinger and mandibles. The ants grouped up and fought back, but it seemed the wasp above them was too agile to be hit by their short-range attacks. They even started climbing on top of one another and forming chains in order to reach closer to the flying creature. What I had before me was a golden opportunity. I quickly brought up the list of available enhancements and asked my blessing for the spider lightning spell. I then upgraded it to advanced, costing me 35 points. I slowly crept closer as more masses of ants emerged from the hole on top of the dirt pile. Neither the ants nor the wasp seemed inclined to give up the fight. The wasp was far greater in strength and was bringing down many of the smaller insects. I was not going to let this opportunity slip by. I was curious to see the power of this spider lightning spell. Because there were so many ants coming out of the dirt pile, and many more in combat with the wasp, I imagined that if I could chain the spells effect on as many ants as possible and then hit the wasp with it before canceling the spell, I would be able to do immense damage to it. The ants did not seem nearly as powerful as the wasp, though, so I would have to be careful not to kill them with the spell before I was ready to unleash the final shock. I would try to use mana manipulation to keep the damage to the terrestrial insects as low as possible while my spell was expanding. I had everything figured out in my mind. Now, it was time for action. I refreshed my barrier spells, just to be sure, and went to work. I got within range of where I knew the spell would hit. I then started the channel on an ant that was standing in the back row of the sea of ants that was swarming the place. I watched as an arc of lightning slowly crept forward from me to the ant that was targeted. The spell was slow It took about five seconds for the spell to reach the ant. I estimated the distance it had to cross to be about fifteen feet. Once it connected to the creature, it then spread from the ant as lightning crawled its way to nearby enemies. I saw many tendrils of electricity spread away from my first target and then connect to others. One by one, the ants were starting to get connected by a web of lightning. It seemed my mana manipulation was doing an excellent job of making sure that this spell did as little damage as possible. The ants hardly even noticed the spell. They simply kept attacking the wasp with all means they had available, which, frankly, wasnt a lot. The web of lightning spread and started to envelop tens of ants, then hundreds. The number of insects that were caught by it increased exponentially as an entire sea of creepy crawlers became connected. Then, the tendrils started to reach for the wasp. From multiple ants came tendrils that reached for the sky, for the wasp that was buzzing above them. They all connected at the same time. As soon as I felt them connect to my target, I unleashed the spells final shock. A massive wave of blue and white energy flowed through the ocean of ants in a ripple that was blinding to the eyes. The wave went hand-in-hand with a ridiculously large number of kill messages showing up in the blue square before me. Then, the wave reached the wasp. It was hard for me to see what was going on because of the spells blinding side effect, but I heard, and partially saw, the wasp literally explode into thousands of tiny bits. What was once hunting the ants now felled because of them. I saw many kill messages show up, but at some point, they abruptly stopped. I knew there were far more messages that should have popped up, but they didnt for some reason. The final messages that showed up were for the wasps death. That, and the message stating Id earned an achievement, which came to my relief. You have killed a Colossal Forest Killer Wasp: EXP+389 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 7! You have been awarded 50 EP. Achievement earned: The Exterminator Kill any insectoid that is classified as Titan or bigger. You have been awarded 100 EP You have been awarded 300 EXP Requirement for future evolution complete. The sight of my spell Immediately after reading these messages, I thought back to my spell and how it had finished hundreds if not thousands of insects in a flashy display of pure power. The spectacle that I had observed it was beyond words. Then, a new message popped up before me. Processing... And another. Calculating... Elysa, what is going on? Not all creatures youve just killed have been processed yet. Because of the number of insects killed in such a short amount of time, the numbers may take some time to finalize. I looked over at where I had unleashed my spell and only observed blackened dirt. The ants had stopped streaming from the dirt mound, and the ones that had been outside had completely disappeared, their bodies literally evaporated when I unleashed the spells final effect. Its power with that many targets was undeniable. It was completely devastating. And it wasnt even at its highest rank. 1.57 Calculations My blessing still seemed to be calculating, so I climbed a nearby tree and waited until it was finished. Just show me the important stuff, Elysa. I dont need to see all those kill messages, I can already tell that none of them gave any experience. Acknowledged. I had to wait for another minute or so before the next message showed. Finalizing results... Achievement earned: Bloodbath Kill 100 creatures with a single attack or spell. You have been awarded 100 EP. You have been awarded 300 EXP. Hidden requirement for future evolution complete. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 8! You have been awarded 50 EP. Achievement earned: Annihilation Kill 1000 creatures with a single attack or spell. You have been awarded 100 EP. You have been awarded 300 EXP. Hidden requirement for future evolution complete. I couldnt believe Id killed so many creatures with a single spell. I couldnt believe those achievements were needed for an evolution as well. I guessed it was somewhat worthwhile in the end? Still, what was Elysa expecting from me? 1000 creatures? For real? The only way to do that was pretty much exactly what I just did; kill insects in massive numbers. All that had given me a good amount of experience and evolution points. I decided to take a look exactly where I was right now. Name: Kealyna Race: Blue Rainbow Kizerain Level: 8/10 Experience: 515/640 Evolution Points: 417 By the goddess. 417 points. Why was I even being conservative about this anymore? After seeing the destruction that my spider lightning brought, I decided to upgrade it to its maximum rank without hesitation. I then upgraded the cyclone spell to its final rank as well, before turning to the other options I still had available. While my new selections were taking hold in my body, I was wondering what I would do with the 282 points I had remaining. I still had some achievements I could try to get. One of them was the one where I had to resist an ailment with one of my resistances. I thought about upgrading the toxin resistance for that reason. The only thing that made me hesitate was that during my next evolution, I would get more points for the same achievement. I kind of wanted to get the earthen spike spell, too. To instantly upgrade it to its highest rank, I would have to spend 120 points. I would also like to have a few points stocked up for when I hit my next evolution. Who knew what spells would show up? Then again, I would still be getting a bunch of points either way. This was because of the two levels and because of that one achievement I still needed for my next evolution. I decided to take the earthen spike spell, as I had been looking to add a penetrating attack to my arsenal. I thought it would be quite important to get this. While I had the lightning arc, which I thought should be enough to fell a bear with, it wouldnt hurt to have something in reserve. I went through each of the changes one by one before I looked at my options again. Hmmm Even if I went for the resistance achievement during my next evolution, there was no real reason for me to delay enhancing my toxin resistance, was there? It would just provide me with some added safety sooner. I decided to upgrade the skill to its highest possible level as well for 115 points, leaving me a mere 47, a fraction of what I started with. These skills were so costly At least the list of available enhancements had shrunk considerably. The changes took hold as I considered what I would take next, if I were to still take anything during this evolution. I figured there were no real defensive options I could take anymore. I would probably delay upgrading any skills until my next evolution, unless I absolutely needed something on the fly. Maybe I would actually go for the limb strengthening? Its second-highest level was already quite interesting I shook it off after I climbed down the tree. Id lost a fair amount of time with that fight and choosing my new upgrades after. I actually started wondering if Id be home before evening. I did not want Cellestra to start worrying about me How would she feel if I didnt show up in time? I didnt know. I didnt want to know. I resumed my trip back at an even faster pace than before. I followed the river once more, just in case I ran into the one target I needed. Unfortunately, besides a wolf or two, I didnt find anything of interest. I reached Cellestras home, just as the sun started to set. The sky had just started to turn orange by the time I arrived. The door was closed this time around, but it wouldnt make a difference. I couldnt exactly enter on my own anyway. I guessed that was why the elf had closed it. I walked up and climbed against the window before tapping it. Soon enough, the door opened and Cellestra showed up. Welcome back. Youre a bit late. Did everything go okay? Her concern filled me with warmth again. Her eyes were darting over my body, likely checking if anything was wrong. I didnt quite have the option to talk here, not unless she brought out the pieces of paper, so I just nodded yes. Do you want to come inside? She then asked. I nodded again. I had not prepared to spend the night outside and wasnt looking forward to it at all. This might be the last night I would get to spend in Cellestras house, and I planned to enjoy it as best I could. I started thinking about the things that I wouldnt be able to see or do anymore once I had outgrown the doorframe and sadness filled my heart. I did enjoy watching her cook Cellestra stepped outside and helped me fit my abdomen through the door by tilting it sideways. She then followed me as I walked up to the table. I climbed on top of it and noticed that the terrariums that were once situated on it were gone. It didnt take long for me to spot them on the counter in the kitchen. Shed made space just for me. And likely just for one day Ive already finished cooking dinner. I was just waiting for you to return. Take a wild guess as to what were having tonight. Wild guess, boar? Cellestra smiled at me before speaking again. I have the feeling you guessed it right. Its boar. I knew it. I positioned myself on the table so that Cellestra would have plenty of space for the plates. She had moved the pieces of paper over so that they would be to her left if she sat down on the chair. After a minute or so, we started a nice dinner. Cellestra seemed eager to learn what had taken me so long to return and asked what happened again. Now that I had the option to reply to her questions, it made things quite a bit easier. Killed Colossal wasp and over thousand ants with new spell. That sounds like quite the spell, Cellestra replied in awe. Please explain. Called spider lightning. Goddess made good joke with name. Cellestra started laughing and almost choked on her food. I was worried for a moment that she would, but she seemed to recover without a problem. Spider lightning, She let out and then chuckled. I never did see Elysa as one to joke around. The more you know, I guess. Her face then retorted to a more serious expression. Anyway, please tell me what it does. Creates arc of lightning that connects to target. Once hit target, it seeks out other targets nearby. Spell is slow moving. After each enemy lightning splits and seeks more enemies. That sounds strong, Cellestra exclaimed. Was not finished, I wrote immediately after. Cellestras eyes continued to look at the letters with great curiosity as I continued. I made sure the spell did not kill anything as there is extra effect. I connected all ants with lightning before chaining it to wasp that was attacking ants. At the end of spell effect, all enemies chained are shocked. Shock effect grows stronger if more enemies are connected. Over thousand ants caused devastating damage. Wave of blue and white light happened. Ground was black when spell ended. All targets evaporated. By the goddess, Kealyna. That spell sounds highly interesting. I truly wish I could have been there to observe what you did. Was breathtaking, I spelled. And here I am, learning a barrier spell from you. I wouldnt mind you teaching me some of those interesting spells, She said with a smile that melted my heart. Can do at some point if want. I would love to teach her. Cellestra smiled once more. I imagine that once I get this barrier spell done correctly, I will actually be able to learn other spells more quickly as I get more familiar with the mana flows that the goddess seems to have woven into those spells. If you want to teach me, Id love to learn. She then closed her eyes while still smiling. Its been too long since I learned new magic. She seemed overjoyed. I liked seeing her like this. My mind wanted her to feel this way more often. 1.58 Close I felt like it was important to use the little time I had to get Cellestra familiar with my magic and more spells, particularly, the defensive ones Then again, I had no real idea of the full extent of Cellestras power. She has been living here for quite a while from what I understood. Within that time, she is bound to have learned some spells. As she said, though, her spells were very crude compared to mine. Cellestra mentioned that she hoped she would be able to learn my other spells more easily once she managed to do the magical barrier that Ive been trying to teach her. And so, after dinner, I doubled down on teaching her that spell. Cellestra let her own spell course through me time and time again, and I showed her again and again how to cast the spell. I found out that, during our training session, I became more aware of Cellestras flow of mana each time she used her spell on me. This allowed me to feel her magic better, and weave it closer into my spells. Cellestra remained fairly quiet throughout our practice. I could tell she was focused on getting this spell right. We spent what felt like hours training, and a result of that was that whenever I felt her magic flow through me as I cast the spell, Cellestras flows started forming in the spell before I even cast it. Kealyna... She said after a while, as she leaned back in her chair. I have no idea how youre doing this, but I almost got it. I cant believe it. Its been a few days only. I would have expected this to take months, if not years. She shook her head with a smile before whispering. I cant believe it. I would have smiled if I could. It finally felt like we were making some real progress and I was overjoyed. The elf stood up and wiped the smile off her face to stare in front of her with a serious expression. She held her arms outstretched with her palms forward and closed her eyes. Her focus was a beautiful thing to observe. As were her eyes shame she closed them I could see her cast the barrier, or at least try to. I saw a thin sheet of transparent, green magic form around her, but then, when it was about to envelop her body, it shattered and dispersed within a fraction of a second. I had expected Cellestra to be upset, but instead, she smiled widely. By the goddess, I almost got it! She eagerly tried it again, and the same thing happened. After trying once more she gave up and sighed. I guess Im too exhausted. Im off to bed, I think. With a bit of luck, Ill get this spell done tomorrow. Im looking forward to your physical barrier. Im hoping its very similar! I didnt know how it would be for her. For me, everything just flowed naturally, as if Id known the spells for a thousand years. They truly were a part of my soul, thanks to this blessing that I was told was woven into it. I couldnt really see the differences between spells. They just came exactly as I wanted them to. While it was true that I knew how to cast the physical barrier in my old life, this new one was much, much easier to cast. I imagined I could possibly cast my old lifes version, but there was literally no reason for me to do it. It was terrible compared to what I currently possessed. I could tell as much. This new physical barrier has exceeded my old lifes with its latest upgrades. I followed Cellestra to her bedroom and pointed at her bed after shed undressed and laid herself down. Sure, Cellestra said. Theres enough room. Its the least I can do to thank you for your amazing help. I was happy she allowed me to sleep on the large bed. I moved the pillow that laid on the floor on top of it and climbed. I put my head on the pillow. Although it was mostly my fangs connecting to the softness, it still was quite comfortable. This was possibly the last night I would spend in comfort I doubt there would be many people that would not mind a giant spider in their bed, Cellestra said with a grin. Just try not to scare me when I wake up, okay? I nodded with my pedipalps and watched the elf extinguish her flame as she rolled on her side so that she was facing me. She wished me goodnight and I replied with a wave. I briefly wondered whether shed seen my gesture, but in the darkness, I could still see a smile grow on her lips. I was certain shed seen it. Once again, I let myself stay awake, even though there was very little for me to do at the moment. Id already gone through my enhancement options earlier. The only thing I could do was etch plans in my mind for the future. The more I thought about my spells and what would be smart options, the more I started worrying. I hated it. At the end, I was simply staring. Enhancement Cost in EP Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 Advanced Jaws and Teeth 20 Strong Jaws and Teeth 35 Very Strong Jaws and Teeth 50 Strong Spider Thread 35 Very Strong Spider Thread 50 Improved Ice Lance 10 Advanced Ice Lance 20 Strong Ice Lance 35 Very Strong Ice Lance 50 Very Strong Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 50 Advanced Healing Light 20 Strong Healing Light 35 Very Strong Healing Light 50 Thermal Vision 50 Strong Magic Resistance 70 Very Strong Magic Resistance 150 Wind Gust 50 Holy Pulse 150 The list, at least, wasnt so bad anymore. The only things that I could still upgrade with regards to defense would be magic resistance and the healing light spell, and I doubted they would do much against a bear. In my mind, I was already fairly well-equipped for one. The only thing that could theoretically help me further would be my leg and pedipalp strengthening, just to give me a bit more mobility in case I needed to escape. I was not planning on fighting a bear head-on, though. Ideally, Id attack it from a tree, as had proven to be effective with a plethora of other larger creatures. I believed bears could climb trees, but I wasnt an expert on that. It would, however, buy me time to fire my spells from a safe distance. If needed, I could lower myself on a thread, to then quickly make for another tree. It took some time this time, but soon enough, Cellestra started getting restless. I knew it was going to happen and I quickly skittered closer and put one of my legs on her head to cast healing light. I cast the spell several times to make sure its beneficial effects would wash away any worries in her poor mind. After watching her for half an hour or so snoozing peacefully, I decided to get some sleep myself. I placed my right set of legs around her covered frame and put my head down on the pillow that Id moved closer. I wouldnt mind hugging Cellestra for real. The thought of hugging her made my heart race and my body heat up. The happy thoughts were soon pushed away by gloomy ones as I knew I wouldnt be able to sleep here anymore soon enough. My mood worsened over time at the bleak prospect, but thankfully, sleep soon got me. ____________________________________________________________________________ Kealyna? I heard Cellestra call out my name. I thought I asked you not to scare me. I looked at Cellestra, who was facing my side eyes while still lying down. Fear shot through me for a moment when she said it, but when I saw her smiling I realized she wasnt entirely serious. I removed my legs from her frame and went back to my side of the bed. Once again... Cellestra continued as she removed the covers and stood up to walk to her clothes chest to get a new set of clothes. Thank you. I was so happy I could be of help. We soon moved over to the living room while I kept wondering if it was Cellestras curse that was taking hold of me. I liked to think I couldnt be affected by it, but the events of the past few days things were getting worse. I had no idea what it was. Maybe I should talk to her about it some time? The thing was, I didnt want her to worry about things like this. She had enough to worry about as it was, and I didnt want to cut into the time that she could spend on finding a cure for her curse. Then again, wasnt it she who thought learning my magic was more interesting than that? I kept wondering what I should do over breakfast. I had no idea what to do... 1.59 That? The thoughts kept worrying me until it was time for me to head out. Cellestra helped me get outside of her home once again, and I waved with a leg as I went out and continued my hunt for a bear. I had asked Cellestra during breakfast if she knew of any place where they could be, but she replied that she didnt know either. Thus, with no better lead, I decided to stick to my earlier plan. These fish tasted pretty good. I hoped bears thought of them the same way as me. Knowing something would taste good was an important factor in hunting, I assumed. I decided to travel as fast as I could from the get-go. I imagined that if bears would be out fishing, they would remain in the same place for a while. Hours went by again, and my frustration grew by the minute. I was still moving quickly and had covered more distance than the day before, thanks to my added speed, but I had yet to run into a bear. While I was taking a break and drinking some water, I saw a wolf enter my field of vision. I skittered away to the nearest tree, but the creature had already spotted me. And apparently, it thought I was suitable prey for whatever reason. I have no meat on me wolf! Get lost! I quickly climbed the tree while the wolf pounced on where Id stood just moments earlier. Of course, I had both my barriers activated, but if this wolf wanted a piece of me, Id show it! While on one of the branches, I observed the wolf. It seemed this wolf wasnt in the same kind of bloodlust that I had seen from the ones closer to Cellestras home, as it simply sat beneath my branch and growled. I was not planning on killing it before, but it did not seem to have the intention of leaving, so I did not really have a choice. I lined up my lightning arc spell at the growling wolf. If anything, this would help me gauge the strength of the spell. I started the channel. A small stream of lightning instantly shot to the wolf. If anything, this spell was fast, incredibly fast. The channel did not seem to hurt the wolf much, but its growling grew in strength and it started walking away. I lowered myself on a thread and chased after the wolf while keeping the spell going. The small lightning arc grew in intensity and radius at an astonishing rate. I also felt my mana drain faster, but it wasnt much at all, for now. Once I hit the ground, the wolf turned around and leaped at me again. I simply leaped out of the way while still managing to keep up the spell. I was surprised at how easy it was. The beam grew stronger and stronger, sparks started flying left and right as the beam started to turn from blue to white. Soon enough, the wolf collapsed and a message appeared. I instantly stopped the spell. You have killed a Forest Wolf: No experience was awarded. Well, that was anticlimactic. This spell seemed far too powerful. I didnt even get near a point where I felt it would actually drain me far from it. The fact that I didnt get any experience from this wolf at all was not something I had expected. Normally I would get reduced experience from a given type of animal for one evolution before they stopped yielding any. This time, I just got straight-up nothing. Then again, it turned out that killing this creature had been incredibly simple. I shrugged it off and continued my trip. This battle hadnt taken long, so I didnt lose much time. I reckoned I could still travel a bit further out and then return home before nightfall. After another twenty minutes of walking upstream, I finally got a view of what I had been after all along: a bear. There, next to the stream, on the other side, stood a brown bear. It was fishing, and effectively too. Every few seconds it swiped its paw through the water. While some swipes were unsuccessful, several of them managed to remove reaperfish from the water and make them land in the grass where the bear promptly ate them and continued fishing for more. Since the bear was on the other side, I had two options. The first was to hit it with my lightning arc from this side of the stream and hope the water would buy enough time for the spell to grow strong enough to finish it. The other was to use my water walking ability to get to the other side,get its attention and climb a tree. I opted for the latter, not risking a miscalculation where it turned out bears were quite fast swimmers. Since I had not used this spell before, I took several moments after casting it to make sure that it worked the way I thought it worked. I carefully placed my front two legs on the slow-moving water in the stream and found that the water felt like solid ground. After moving several more legs onto it and making sure I wouldnt sink like a rock, I quickly skittered to the other side. I then moved over to the bear, which was still fishing, and lined up my lightning arc spell. I had no trouble using it while on the move before, and was more or less forced into doing the same thing again since the nearest tree wasnt in range for me to cast the spell from it. The bear was oblivious to my presence as it continued fishing, and I took a moment to make sure everything was in order. My barriers were ready and my mana reserves were almost at their maximum capacity. I started the channel. Almost immediately, the bear turned around. As soon as it did, I started skittering to the tree, slowly at first as the bear didnt seem to charge at me with its top speed. As the spell grew stronger, it appeared the bear knew what I was doing as it initiated a full charging attack. I was prepared and skittered to the nearest tree as fast as I could before climbing it, all while keeping the channel on my target. The bear seemed angry that it couldnt reach me. It tried to climb up after me, but only succeeded in scratching at the trees bark. Its body mass was too heavy for its claws to support. It would seem I had overestimated a bears ability to climb trees, at least for this one. The spell grew in intensity and soon enough, I had a white beam of electricity connected to the bear. The creature seemed to give up as it growled in obvious pain. It ran away from the tree as it realized it was fighting a battle it could not win. I am sorry, bear. Im afraid Ill have to kill you. Goddess forgive me for this. I skittered down the trunk and followed the bear as the beam of lightning grew stronger still. The lightning arc was now the diameter of a persons fist and sent sparks and smaller tendrils of electricity flying all around it. I started to feel the mana drain kick in as the spells power intensified. I wouldnt be able to keep this up forever Fortunately for me, it didnt take much longer for the bear to fall. The damage this spell did after a while was ludicrous. In under a minute, my spell had killed a bear that when standing on its hind legs would be about seven feet tall. You have killed a Forest Brown Bear: EXP+845 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 50 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 50 EP. Achievement earned: Bear Beater Kill a bear. You have been awarded 100 EP You have been awarded 0 EXP Requirement for future evolution complete Level Cap Reached Evolutions Available! At last, it was done. A bear was unfortunate enough to encounter me and it had paid the price. I was now one step closer to the final evolution I would need to complete my goals. All this killing and slaughtering was slowly eating away at my sanity, and I knew it. I would never have done this if I didnt have to. I was a staunch advocate of Live and let live... unless it killed innocents. Then I would have no problem with taking it down. It made me look forward to when this was all done and over with. I couldnt yet imagine how life would look when I went out on my actual quest or even what I would do after, but I sure hoped it wasnt this I started my long journey back home as I tried to figure out what was going on with me once again. Judging by the behavior of the bear and wolf, these were no longer in range of Cellestras curse, which meant I wasnt either, yet my feelings were unchanged. I still wanted her to be happy, see her smile, spend time with her, hug her Was this It couldnt be that right? 1.60 Feelings? I skittered back as fast as I could, not even bothering to think about what I would do with my evolution points or my next evolution. Evolutions be damned. I had other things keeping me occupied at the moment. My feelings I didnt know what to think about them. This was totally new for me. Yet, it was familiar, but not quite the same. Its been too long since I felt anything like this, and I had a hard time figuring out if it was what I thought it was. I knew what my parents provided me was called love. They wanted me to be happy, see me smile, and pretty much all the things I was feeling right now. I didnt know if it was quite the same, though. My only experience on the subject was from two books that I got my hands on a long time ago while I was in the military. Even though it wasnt prominent, In both books were brief passages where love was described. Those passages were what I was currently comparing my feelings to. Maybe it was just friendship. I just felt there was something more, at least from my side, but I didnt know And it scared me. How would this even work? I couldnt even talk to Cellestra properly. Not to speak about the fact that I wasnt even an elf anymore. It hurt to think about that. There was no way this could at any time work like those romance novels. I didnt know what to think. I didnt know what to do. Would Cellestra know? What would she think if I told her about how I felt? Would she be scared? Would she no longer want anything to do with me? I did not want to ruin whatever I had built up with her. I decided I would leave it for now and try to figure out for myself if this had anything to do with romantic feelings. I had felt them for a few days already, but, thinking about it now in my mind, I didnt have any explanation for what it could be otherwise. I had never loved in my old life. I didnt even know I had the capacity to. I didnt even know the meaning behind the words, except from what I had always thought to be exaggerations in fiction. Yet here I was, doing the exact same thing the characters in those books did; thinking about how to make the other person happy and be with them Worries and confusion plagued my trip back. I managed to stay alert just enough to not run into any real danger. It didnt help that I had so much time to think about things. The trip back was several hours and things kept getting worse as I created scenarios in my head that I knew would never come to pass. Such as giving her a proper hug I knew the blessing told me that I would be able to smile when I got speech, but I started to worry about how that would look. A spider smiling I didnt know if it would be a pleasant sight. Why cant you give me more information on what my final evolution looks like, Elysa? Nothing but silence This was just great As if I didnt have enough to worry about, another thought entered my mind. Back in my old life, and not that it applied to me in the first place, same-sex relationships, at least in the military, were outlawed. I had never understood the meaning or the need to, until now. These thoughts were highly distracting. Maybe that was one of the reasons Id never received an injury, at least until the final day of my life. I never had anything to distract me from the task at hand. What a struggle this new life was. I never would have expected things to turn out this way. In a way, I was glad they did. These feelings were wondrous to experience. Its just that the worries, fear, and desperation that came with them were almost unbearable. I wanted to get home and see Cellestra. Her smile always managed to cheer me up. I hoped it would wash away at least some of the dread that surrounded me. My mind also wandered off to Elysa, the goddess, not the blessing. I wondered just how much of an influence she had on whatever was happening to me. She has sent me a message that she couldnt directly talk to me from her realm, so I doubted she had any effect on me, but I didnt know for certain. I would just assume that none of this had anything to do with her. My mood reached new depths with every step of the way home. When evening fell, and Cellestras house finally came into view, my spirits were lifted almost immediately. I noticed that there was a hole in the grass in front of her house. A spade rested against the wood. It appeared that Cellestra had started digging a hole. I wondered why that was. Did she have to bury something again? The hole was far too big for that, in my mind. It was about four by four feet and not terribly deep either. I decided Id just ask her. The door was open, but I had to walk to the window to get her attention to help me get inside anyway. I didnt mind waiting another night before my evolution. Whether I did it now or tomorrow morning wouldnt make much of a difference. Except that I could spend some more time with the elf Cellestra exited the building soon after Id tapped on the glass. Welcome back, Kealyna. I assume you want me to help you get inside? I nodded with my pedipalps and she helped me get inside. It appeared my prediction was right. Just seeing her was enough to soothe my mind. What was once a whirlpool of negative emotions had now been reduced to a slow stream of happiness. Yet, tucked far away in my mind was the inescapable dark thought that I would have to give up on these emotions at some point. Did you finally manage to find what you were looking for? Cellestra said as she walked to the stove. I wasnt surprised in the slightest to smell the same smell that filled this room the previous two nights, or had it been three already? I climbed on the table and gestured yes. Cellestra saw me nod as she opened the stove to check on the meat. After checking, she walked up to me and I felt my heart start to beat faster as she sat down and smiled. My revelation earlier today had me paying attention to every little thing she did, and my reaction to it. My senses were overwhelmed and I didnt quite notice the stare the elf was giving me as I sat on the table, unmoving. Kealyna? Are you okay? I quickly turned my attention to the pieces of paper and started writing up a terrible excuse. Am okay. Was thinking about spells. Ah, yeah. Your blessing. Its become quite an aspect of your life hasnt it? I nodded with my limbs again. It had started to become the driving factor in my life. Calling it an aspect was an understatement. Anyway, Cellestra continued. You had to kill a bear, if I understood correctly, right? Do tell me how you did it. Used new spell. Lightning arc. Quite strong. Took less than minute to kill bear. Used tree to fire from. You seem to have a habit of climbing trees, dont you? Cellestra said with a giggle, causing all sorts of reactions from my heart. Trees excellent. Bear could not climb. Pretty easy kill. Can evolve now. Will wait for tomorrow. Speaking about your evolution Cellestra said. Ive started digging, as you may have seen. I was planning to create a place for you to sleep at night. Im going to assume youre going to grow again and, this time, Im certain you wont be able to enter the house anymore. Its not going to be the best, but its the least I can do. I hope to finish it tomorrow. Ive been a bit occupied today. Then her smile returned, wider than ever. Look! She said excitedly as she stood up. She then stretched her hands forward again, and I saw her start the magical barrier spell. A green sheet of light formed around her frame and then wrapped itself around her body and stayed there before becoming completely transparent. The spell had seemingly disappeared, but I knew this meant it had actually succeeded. She had managed to cast the spell. Her joy was obvious. It was a shame I wasnt there to see her first successful cast. Cellestra sat down again. I cant thank you enough for your help. Not a problem. What do you want to learn next? I asked. Physical barrier? Hmmm, Cellestra thought out loud. That sounds good. Id like to know if its somewhat similar in structure. If it is, I should be able to learn it quickly. If you dont mind teaching more, Id like to learn your fireball after. That shouldnt be an issue. Faragi Things will be speeding up a bit around chapter 70. just a heads up as the coming chapters may feel a bit slow. 1.61 Surroundings After dinner, we returned to practice once more. We started working on the physical barrier spell. This spell is much stronger than the other one, isnt it? Cellestra asked. I had taught her the magical barrier at a lower rank. Obviously, there would be some differences with this one. Stronger version. Is problem? Hmmm, The elf hummed. I dont think its going to be. This spells mana cost is quite a bit higher, but I dont lack mana at all. I guess thats the one thing this curse helps with. You have large mana supply? I spelled out. I do, Cellestra said with a nod. Mana isnt my issue. Control is. This curses power is uncontrollable, but I can still use the mana it provides me for other things. She then sighed. Its another reason why Im so happy youre teaching me these spells. The spells I can cast can sometimes misfire completely. Ive learned to control it for the most part, but very rarely, it still goes wrong. As I said, its uncontrollable. Uncontrollable meant something different in my book than hers. I understood what she meant, though. If there was the slightest chance my spell could fail, I would still be wary when using it, even if it goes according to my wishes most of the time. These spells of yours in a way, they are perfect. They dont seem to be affected by my curse, as in, I cant miscast. Cellestra tried to cast the spell herself after having her mana flow through me a couple of times, but failed and sighed before looking down dejectedly. I didnt think that reaction was to the spell failing. I tapped the table to get her attention before spelling. What is wrong? Im sorry, Kealyna. My head isnt quite here at the moment. She sat down and placed an arm on the table. I thought about hugging her arm in an effort to cheer her up but decided against it. I simply looked at her, hoping for her to tell me what bothered her. Cellestra sighed again. The goddesss magic... She took a deep breath. I didnt believe it at first, but there is no other way for me to explain this magic, or your you know, growth and abilities. Cellestra fell silent again, seemingly lost in thought. I truly wonder if shes ever looking down at me from wherever she is. I did not know how to respond to what she had just said. Was that a hint of sadness or anger I saw that was directed at Elysa? I could imagine that was the case if shed spent a lot of time praying for a solution to this curse of hers. I probably wasnt too far from the truth thinking that. You pray to her often? I decided to ask, when she looked back at the table. The elf nodded. I do, She said without elaborating. I used to as well, but after meeting her, I didnt quite know how to go about it again. Being stuck in a spider body wasnt exactly something I, in my opinion, should be thankful for. How about you? I mean, in your old life. Did you pray to her a lot? I nodded. Did you feel like it helped? She continued. I took a moment to think before spelling again. Hard to say. At the time, I think it calmed my mind whenever I did. After finding out about this blessing, it said she cannot talk to me directly. I doubt she can affect our lives in this realm. Do not know if praying helped knowing that. I see... Cellestra closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. I guess that means were on our own until the time comes to meet her. Well, youve already met her, but you know what I mean. Unfortunately, I knew it all too well. I feel like I got more interaction with another person in the past few days than Ive gotten in months. That was with me not even being in Cellestras presence the entire time. I continued looking at the elf, wondering what I should ask. I wanted to talk to her, to get to know more about her, but my questions just wouldnt form. In the end, the only question that managed to make its presence known was what kind of magic Cellestra could cast. I never did get a good grip on what she could do. Oh, youve seen a few things already, but as I told you, I tend to be pretty careful with magic, especially when there are people nearby. This flame spell Im using indoors is the only spell that has never miscast before. To answer your question, I can use quite a few spells. Their success rate is another story. Lets see. There is the fireball, a couple of wind spells that I use to maintain the house, some healing spells that I gained thanks to my research, and an unstable spell that I promised to never use again. Not unless it was absolutely necessary, due to its instability. What spell? I asked in writing, immediately after she finished. Its a spell thats unique to me. It uses the immense amount of mana that I can use and transforms it into pure destructive power. It seems to be related to the origin of my power, you know, when a dungeon core exploded It seems to mimic some of its power and curses nearby organisms. Even if they survive the initial blast of energy, they dont live to tell the tale for long. That sounded dangerous. I could see why she wouldnt use that How about your curse? I asked. Tried anything else to cure it? Honestly? Im tired of even trying anymore, Kealyna. I was about to resort to the last thing I could imagine, which was delving into dungeons to find answers. I dont think I would have stayed here much longer. Then you showed up. Dungeons? With no party? Cellestra shook her head. I would have to do it alone. If dungeons in this world were anything like my old one, she was essentially committing suicide, endless power or not. With no way to control it, she would have been a dungeon creatures food sooner or later. If that was true, I was glad I was dropped here by that hawk. It would be a shame for such a kind person to do such things I can see what youre thinking, Cellestra said. Its dangerous, I know, but I didnt really have a choice. My research would have reached its end soon enough, and with nothing else to look forward to in this life, it was the only thing I could think of. Glad I showed up. Hopefully I can help. With the power of a goddess, I can see why you would think about it like that. If you truly wish to help me, Ill be looking forward to what you can do. She smiled at me which sent warmth through my body, but then a feeling of dread washed over me soon after. If I managed to cure Cellestras curse, it would mean she would be able to go back to her own kind. If that happened, I didnt think I would be able to follow her. I would just be seen as a monster, and most likely hunted. Since I enjoyed her presence, the thought of not helping her entered my mind, but it was immediately struck down. I would have lived a knights life for nothing if I allowed my greed to surface now. It didnt appear the brunette was interested in trying out the new spell for the time being, so I decided to continue asking things. The humans that I had spotted popped up in my head and brought me to a few questions that I could ask about them. It would be a great way to spend some more time talking, and Id possibly get some important information too. Tell me about this world. What are nearby towns? What could humans do here in forest? Those are some good questions to ask. Nearby villages? There are two; a beastkin settlement, and beyond that, an elven village. I really dont know much about them as I cant get close. The last village that I lived in is quite a while from here. About the humans I dont quite know. You said something about them preparing for elves and goods, but I dont know of any expensive goods being traded in the area. Then again, I get all my knowledge from the one peddler that visits me on rare occasions, so youll have to forgive me for that. What is status of humans and elves in this world? I asked. Once again, Cellestra said and then sighed. I dont quite know. When I was exiled, humans and elves were technically at peace, but tensions were rising rapidly. Out here, its nowhere near as bad. The peddler visiting me is a human, and I have no issues with him whatsoever. Cellestra then closed her eyes. It wouldnt surprise me if certain factions were at war right now. 1.62 Conflicts Faragi /end of chapter dump. Hope you all enjoy <3 Don''t forget to leave me some comments. I love reading them and use them for inspiration <3 War The thought of finding myself in a war in this new world puzzled me. In my old world, the humans and the elves were at peace with each other. At least that was the Elven kingdoms official stance on the matter. There were plenty of ugly little exceptions, though. Smaller skirmishes happened all throughout the region. Full-on war wasnt on anyones agenda, but if it were to break out in my old world, I would have had no problem taking up arms to defend my race. I didnt like humans, but I wouldnt kill them unnecessarily. Now, I wasnt so sure. I had no idea what the elves in this world were like and, moreover, I no longer was one. It felt odd. In one way, they were my race, and in many other ways, they werent. I wasnt sure how to think about them. Perhaps it would be better to stay out of matters like these, but I knew I didnt have it in me to leave possible innocents to die. I didnt know if the elves that those humans were talking about were innocent, but those scoundrels most definitely were not. What are elves like in this world? I asked, hoping to get some information that would allow me to better judge their virtues. Cellestra watched me spell out the words but waited a few seconds before replying. Im not sure if you should ask me about things like that. You know I dont have a good grasp on things. The last time I was among elves, I was still a child. I want to believe elves are kind. They worship Elysa, after all. Through books and tomes, I came to know her as a gentle and kind goddess. I do not know if that is the case in reality, but then again, I have this curse. This affected the way elves looked at me back then, and it still does, Im sure. She was right. She couldnt give me complete or reliable information. The only thing so far that had been of interest was that it seemed that war might be inevitable. On the bright side, Cellestra lived quite secluded and the chance of any conflict reaching her wasnt that high. I had no idea where my parents were or how they were doing, though. Would Elysa give them a second chance at life only for them to get caught up in conflict once again? I wholeheartedly believed that she wouldnt place them in a dangerous area. I would likely not know any peace of mind until Id found them Are you okay? Cellestra asked. I dont know what triggered the question. Emotions should be impossible to read on this new face of mine. Maybe it was the lack of follow-up questions from my side. Am worried about many things. Do not know what to do with this life. Only have one goal. Do not know what I do after. Do not know who I am. I feel for you, Cellestra said softly. I cant imagine what life in a different world without any attachments would be. It wasnt that I had no attachments. I just didnt know who I should feel for, who I should fight for. If I continued living by my old principles, I could very well end up being killed by the very people I was trying to protect. I thought back to the message that Elysa had left me. One of the final lines was that she hoped this blessing would be of enough assistance to find the happiness I was initially promised. Everything together, though, made me wonder if happiness would be possible in the first place. I just knew there was something the blessing was not telling me for whatever reason. I secretly still hoped there was something that would allow me to find said happiness. I did not have much of a choice in the matter. I had to keep moving forward. Thanks, I simply replied with the pieces of paper. Reflecting on things like these was hard for me. Partly because I was no longer what I used to be, and partly because Elysa had first offered me the chance to simply forget about the past and start off where things went wrong. Everything besides the lives Id saved through my actions, and likely my beliefs, I would probably rather forget. Alas, things hadnt turned out that way. And now I had this elf who for some reason had awakened feelings Id never known before I didnt know if it made things better or worse. I still didnt know what Elysa had in store for me, but I hoped she truly did have the best intentions. If nothing else, Cellestra continued, Youre always welcome to stop by here, or even stick around if you wish to do so, depending on how things go for you. Cellestra chuckled. Though, Ill probably have to dig quite a bit more. I laughed in my mind. I was wondering how Cellestra had imagined this hideout for me. I didnt think it would be too hard to make some kind of shelter underground, but I was probably going to have to make it comfortable on my own. I couldnt believe I was thinking about making an actual nest. Maybe that was what Cellestra had intended? About hole. What did you imagine? Well, Cellestra started. I was going to dig a hole and cover it with some wood. You could use your silk to decorate the inside and make it comfortable. I get that she wanted to do this for me but it didnt feel well thought out at all. Besides the water that would just run into it and the fact that I was probably going to grow quite a bit more, it just felt like a bad idea. How would my threads fare in water anyway? I tapped the paper and spelled out a question. Please check how threads do in water. I then planted my abdomen on the far edge of the table and swayed it back and forth a few times as I created a thick thread. I had not used my silk in a while and was surprised by how thick the threads were compared to before. It made sense, though, since my abdomen and spinnerets were far larger than before. I had somewhat of an idea in mind, but I needed to make sure these would be water-resistant. I also observed that I could still increase the silks strength by two levels. I should eventually do that. If the threads were this thick, I imagined they would be able to restrain pretty strong creatures. Uh, sure, Cellestra said after a slight moment of hesitation. The elf didnt manage to get the thread disconnected from the table and had to use a small knife. She then took it to the kitchen where she lowered the thread in a bucket of water before taking it out again. After that, she probed the wet thread with her fingers before taking it back to the table to show me the result. Well, its not sticky anymore, but it still seems to hold its integrity. Did you have any plans? Was thinking, I spelled. Underground sounds like bad idea. Better to make nest above ground. You have woodworking tools? Just the basics, The elf explained. A hatchet and some knives. I have this spell that I use when I need some planks. Its an air-based spell that channels a high-pressure stream of air from my finger that can cut through wood. Its range is extremely limited, but it does come in handy. She then sighed but smiled slightly. And yes, this spell can backfire as well. Ive ruined quite a bit of wood because the stream of air suddenly turns into a gust and blasts apart the log Im working on, turning it into nothing but splinters. Got quite a few injuries from that, too. Good thing I have some healing magic. Ouch. Having spells backfire like that must be harsh. I did not want her to risk herself getting injured for my sake, even if she, or I, could heal the resulting wounds. Instead, if my threads were this resistant, I had a better idea. It would be a true test of my ability to be a spider, but it was the easiest, most adjustable thing I could come up with. What were you thinking of doing? Cellestra asked. Make it simple. Cut down smaller trees. Plant logs in dirt next to house. Let me connect them with threads and make hanging nest or something. I was thinking about a cocoon-shaped nest with the entrance at, or near the bottom, so it would be dry inside. Once again, this would probably be quite a bit of work, but I was confident I would be able to pull it off, eventually. This would be much easier to adjust or replace than a hole in the ground. Hmmm, if you think you will be able to pull that off, its not a bad idea. I wont have to use my spells or anything like that, either. Ill get started on it tomorrow morning. She cast a gaze at the window. Speaking about tomorrow. Its time to sleep. I hope we can get things sorted tomorrow. I dont want you to sleep unsheltered... Will be fine. Am quite strong, I spelled out as Cellestra extinguished the candles and replaced their light with her flame spell. I dont doubt that, Cellestra said. Im curious what your next evolution will offer you. As am I. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons. Thanks for your support <3 Tarantism Treasurer Hessen Alexander Bartosz Nathan Pharaun Daniel Nikolas bo 1.63 Yellow Faragi Time for a good ol'' chapter dump. Have fun people :3 We headed to Cellestras bedroom. This time I definitely knew it would be the last time for me to see it. I wondered if I could make anything that was as comfortable as a soft bed with a pillow Cellestra wished me good night as usual and I replied with a wave as she laid herself down next to me and smiled before canceling her flame spell. I simply stared at her covered body and let my emotions do as they pleased while I tried to figure out what they were. I wanted to hug her frame badly, but refrained from doing so, at least while she was awake. I then went on to some time-killing as I waited for Cellestra to fall asleep. It seemed that this staying awake thing had become a habit of mine. It just pained me to see her in such a state. It pained me even more to know that I wouldnt be able to help her anymore after tonight. There wasnt a whole lot to my skills and enhancements. I had already gone over everything before, and at this point, it would be stupid to spend evolution points. I was already ready to evolve and would be better off checking what new skills would show up first. I did make a mental note to look into the higher levels of spider thread soon. It might come in handy when making a silken shelter. There were a few skills that I should take sooner or later. The thermal vision skill sounded like a useful addition for when I was going to check out where the humans made camp. If it did as the blessing had suggested, I would be able to see them more clearly through the vegetation. There was also the fact that I would be able to combine some spells during my next evolution. I would have to make sure to check which ones I would be able to combine. Elysa, can you tell me which of the spells I have right now I can combine? Negative. I wasnt sure what Id expected There were still plenty of skills I could upgrade. My ice lance would be great to have at a higher level as well. Its priority may be higher if I could combine it with another spell. Thinking of priority caused my gaze to shift to my jaws and teeth. While the skill had been useful at the beginning, I wasnt using it at all anymore. I doubted upgrading it would change anything about that. I had taken it because I used it as a weapon early on. Right now, I had other abilities that were simply more useful. I couldnt believe how much my fighting stance had changed. I had gone from a knight to a mage of some kind. I didnt regret anything about it. This had been the safe way to grow stronger. While I could theoretically fight in melee now, since my size had grown immensely, I had no reason to do so unless I somehow depleted my mana and venom reserves. If that happened, whatever I was fighting was probably too much for me to take on, even in melee, so fleeing would then be the better option. It was strange that Id adjusted so easily, nonetheless. I wished the blue square away and observed Cellestras frame. My eyes then trailed up to her long, brown hair. I wished I had hands to run through it. I bet it felt soft... There it was again. These weird thoughts that I shouldnt have. Was it okay for me to be even thinking about things like that? I couldnt help it. The thought just came randomly Cellestra appeared to be sleeping peacefully. I waited for a while longer to see if she would experience any nightmares, but my exhaustion was starting to kick in. Id traveled quite a bit today and needed sleep of my own. I realized I couldnt just sit here and watch the elf sleep all night. As much as I wanted to I placed my head on the pillow next to hers and my right set of legs around her frame as if to hug her. If she started thrashing about, I imagined it would wake me up. I wished I could continue doing this, but I knew I couldnt. I enjoyed it for as long as I could until sleep took me. ____________________________________________________________________________ Morning, Kealyna, I heard a voice call out as soon as I stirred. I stood up on the bed and saw Cellestra sitting at the edge, already fully clothed. I willed the last bits of sleep away before I raised a leg to wave at her. Cellestra smiled in reply which sent warmth throughout my body as she opened the door and turned around to speak once more. Im just going to assume you dont want any breakfast, correct? I nodded with my limbs as I jumped out of bed and followed her. I didnt have any time to waste. I still had an evolution to go through that I wanted to get done and over with as soon as possible. It was likely to knock me out for a couple of hours, shortening my day as it was. Then there was the shelter I would have to take care of later today as well. I felt my anxiety rise as I thought about it. I didnt mind experimenting to get it done, but I would rather spend time hunting to become stronger. I was working on a pretty tight schedule, after all. Not getting stronger could cost me if I did happen to get into a fight. Two days had now passed since Id run into the humans, which made me think. They said something would happen in eight days. Did they mean eight days after that day, or eight days including that day? To be on the safe side, I would have to assume that they counted the day I met them as well. This meant I only had six more days to gather experience and evolve: today, and then five more. I would spend five days, and then try to stay in the area where Id encountered them. With any luck, I could gather experience in the area, and if not, I would try to get as much information as I could. I was nervous. Id never been nervous about a fight before. Why? Was it because I didnt know how this body would hold up against bandits? I could take on bears right now, which meant I was pretty strong. I would be even stronger after my next evolution. I shoved the thoughts aside as I pointed to the door that led outside when we passed it. Of course. Youve still got to evolve. Let me help you, Cellestra said. She opened the door and lifted my abdomen so I could exit her house for the last time. I lay down on the grass in front of her door, where she would be able to observe me through both doorframes as she sat at the table. Im kind of curious what youll look like. That rainbow is starting to come together quite well, isnt it? Her words and smile would have drawn one of my own if I had the capacity. The kindness and genuine interest simply shoved aside the worries that were building up in my mind. Cellestra smiled and I waved at her as she went back inside the house. I then confirmed that I wanted the yellow evolution. Pain coursed through my abdomen as I felt it grow bigger. My exoskeleton felt like it would burst open. Fortunately, I was knocked out before the pain became too much to bear. ____________________________________________________________________________ Waking up from an evolution was, once again, quite the shock. As usual, there was grogginess, and a complete lack of orientation as it took a minute or so to get used to my new size. The building before me had shrunk once again, which could only mean one thing. Seriously, how big would I get? I stood up and walked to the open doorway. I saw the elf sitting at the table, reading a book, but she turned her head to the door and stood up almost immediately. I saw her shake her head with a smile as she stepped outside. Yeah. It was a good idea to do that outside. Theres no way you would fit through the door anymore, she said. The last of the drowsiness faded away, and I could take in the world around me properly, and with it, came the shock as I observed my current size. My head reached to Cellestras thighs, but the shocking part was my rear. It was huge. It was getting hard to measure myself as I couldnt see my own spinnerets, which was the reference I used to measure my length. I planted my abdomen on the ground and placed my head against the wall of Cellestras home. I then created a small line of thread on the grass and turned around to see where it was. Yep. That was a distance that was about the size of Cellestras bed, which was seven and a half feet or so. I was now officially bigger than the elf. 1.64 Interesting I watched the elf as she took in my new form. As shed mentioned before, this rainbow on my abdomen was starting to come together now. Another stripe was added. The only color now missing was red. Im starting to think we might be able to finish that boar in time, Cellestra said with a giggle. I had to admit, Cellestra had a good sense of humor. No, but really. Youre huge. How many evolutions do you still have to go through? I raised three legs in response. Damn. Im almost scared at what youll end up becoming. She smirked, but her smile didnt evoke the happy feelings that it usually did. Instead, I thought about what shed said. I didnt want her to be scared of me at all Are you hungry, by the way? Cellestra asked. I had to think for a second, as, surprisingly enough, I wasnt. I dont recall not being hungry after an evolution. That was odd. I shook my limbs to indicate no. I didnt see it as a downside. It meant I could get out and start hunting sooner. If I got hungry while outside, I could always eat something on the way. Though I had to admit, Cellestras cooking would probably beat anything out here in the forest. Im surprised. Youre not just saying that to go out sooner, are you? As funny as it was that she had read my thoughts about going out sooner, it wasnt the case. I indicated no once again. Well, I assume youre heading out then. Ill work on even bigger letters and then the suggestion regarding your shelter. Please take care out there, Kealyna. This was awkward. I would be going out soon, but there were enhancements that I needed to look at first. I didnt know how long that would take. I simply lowered my body to the grass in front of her and waved, before I started looking at my enhancement options. Of course, Cellestra cursed at herself. Im an idiot. Do tell me when you head out for real. She shook her head with a smile as she looked down at the grass before walking back inside. I saw her take a piece of charcoal and write letters again. It appeared she only wrote a single letter on each sheet. I guessed that was the biggest she was going to be able to make those letters. I hoped my future evolutions would still be able to point at them properly. I then shifted my attention back to my options. Name: Kealyna Race: Large Yellow Rainbow Kizerain Level: 0/10 Experience: 0/90 Evolution Points: 247 Enhancement Cost in EP Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 Language Comprehension - Spirits 20 Advanced Jaws and Teeth 20 Strong Jaws and Teeth 35 Very Strong Jaws and Teeth 50 Strong Spider Thread 35 Very Strong Spider Thread 50 Improved Ice Lance 10 Advanced Ice Lance 20 Strong Ice Lance 35 Very Strong Ice Lance 50 Very Strong Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening 50 Advanced Healing Light 20 Strong Healing Light 35 Very Strong Healing Light 50 Thermal Vision 50 Strong Magic Resistance 70 Very Strong Magic Resistance 150 Wind Gust 50 Holy Pulse 150 Elemental Wall 100 Detoxification 50 Healing Tides 100 Holy Barrier 200 Improved Imbue Elements 25 Advanced Imbue Elements 55 Strong Imbue Elements 90 Very Strong Imbue Elements 150 My list of spells had grown once more. Just when I thought Id started to shrink it, too. I could guess what they would do from the name alone, but I was going to check each one of them, just to make sure. Elemental Wall Summons a wall that will block attacks. Walls of specific elements excel at blocking a specific type of attack. They are as follows: Air Wall Excels at blocking physical projectiles. Lasts for up to ten seconds. Fire Wall Excels at blocking harmful spells. Shrinks as spells are absorbed by the flames. Fire spells used against this wall will cause it to grow in strength instead. Earth Wall Excels at blocking melee attacks. Will break after blocking three attacks, with a force above a certain threshold, of any type. Ice Wall Moderately effective against all types of attacks. Will only block one melee attack. Success not guaranteed. This looked to be a defensive spell to supplement the passive defense that was offered by the magical and physical barrier spells. This spell basically included four different spells that each covered a certain type of attack. I would be happy to pick this spell up as soon as I could for added defense. The earth wall especially caught my interest. Would it be strong enough to block any melee attack, no matter the force behind it? Affirmative. I hadnt asked my blessing anything, yet it replied to me. I was actually thankful it did. That piece of information was good to have. I could enhance this spell specifically to block hard-hitting attacks. It was one of the issues with the barrier spell. You never knew when it was going to break. It was somewhat predictable, as I could feel when the magic that made up the barrier started to unravel, but a heavy hit could shatter it in an instant and injure me anyway. This spell would fix at least some of those issues. I went on to the next spell. I could guess what it did. Detoxification Cures any toxin effects on the target. Mana cost varies depending on the potency of the venom or poison removed. That was better than Id thought. This spell would guarantee that I would be completely fine if I tried to complete that one achievement where I needed to fully resist an ailment. I was going to pick this spell up for sure before Id have Cellestra poison me. That sounded so weird in my mind. Healing Tides Sends forth a stream of regenerative water that connects to the target, healing the targets wounds a bit before seeking out other allies of the caster to do the same to, up to the spell''s maximum number of targets. Once the spell can''t connect to any more allies, it further heals all connected targets. The second, simultaneous healing effect increases with the number of allies connected. Channeled spell. Heals up to 5 targets. This spell reminded me of spider lightning. It did exactly the same, but seemingly faster, and reversed. It healed instead of doing damage. It also had a maximum of five people it could heal, which was a bit of a downside. I didnt know what to think of this spell. Was the spell designed by Elysa to be used to heal groups of people? Would healing light heal more when there was only one ally to heal? Healing Light, from its Advanced rank and up, is more effective at healing a single ally. Oh. thanks for the confirmation I guess. If thats the case, I didnt think this spell would have much value for me. I didnt see myself creating a party to tackle dungeons or anything anytime soon or ever The next spell on the list had an interesting name. Holy Barrier When both Physical and Magical barriers or their merged version are active, release an explosion of holy magic that deals damage to all nearby enemies when half of any barriers strength is depleted. Correction, this wasnt a spell, not an activated one at least. This skill, though I wanted it. I needed it. My inner knight was screaming for it. However I intended not to get hit. I would most definitely pick up this skill, but I didnt know when would be an appropriate time to do so. I would have to check my achievements soon to see if anything that was not difficult to do had shown up. With a bit of luck, I could get enough evolution points to take this skill without having to worry about spending too much. I went on to the next enhancement. Imbue Elements Imbue the target with the power of elemental magic. Their physical attacks cause additional effects based on this spells rank. Improved Blessed by earth, the wielders physical attacks have more force behind them, causing them to do more damage, or if the beneficiary wields a shield, reduces the force received by strikes against the shield, making them less likely to damage, pierce or break the shield or to stagger the wielder. Advanced Blessed by water, the targets physical attacks have a chance to summon icicles around the spells wielder. These icicles hover in mid-air for a few seconds as they target an enemy before flying out to strike them. Strong Blessed by fire, the targets physical attacks cause burn damage to the target they strike. Striking the target five times with this spells effect causes each burning wound to flare up, dealing more damage. Very Strong Blessed by the winds, the targets physical attacks have a chance to strike twice. Okay. Now, this was interesting. 1.65 Resist It was, wasnt it? I looked at the last enhancement for a while and saw it becoming less and less useful. I wasnt who I once was anymore. If Id still been a knight, a spell like this would have been something I could have only dreamed about. Striking twice with a sword? That sounded amazing, not to speak of all the other effects that were included in the same skill. As things stood, it wouldnt be as interesting. While it should theoretically work with me bashing my legs against other creatures (and I had a lot of them) I was just hesitant to fight like that. Maybe I was being too careful. Id grown far, far stronger physically after all, but I didnt think that was a bad thing. I went over all possible enhancements one last time and noticed that there was an extra language comprehension that Id missed earlier. Id been too fixated on the skills near the bottom of the list. Spirits? What were those? When no message showed up, I decided to ask the blessing directly. Still, no message showed up. That was a bit odd, so to say. All in all, there were some interesting spells that had shown up. The detoxification was a sure-go pick. I immediately confirmed the enhancement as I was going to get the evolution points back through an achievement anyway. I felt warmth being added to the center of my abdomen as I requested to see the achievements I would need in order for my next evolution. Giant Red Rainbow Kizerain ** Requires currently unearned achievements Strength-orientated evolution. Unlocks additional defensive skills. Unlocks additional types of Venom Achievements required for Large Red Kizerain evolution: Oh Deer Kill any deer. (Complete) Cousin Killer Kill a scorpion. (0/1) Lifesaver Heal a mortal wound. (0/1) Resistance Reigns Fully resist an ailment with any type of resistance. (0/1) Huh? I did not expect that. No new requirements had appeared. On one hand, it would make it easier to get my next evolution, but on the other hand, I wouldnt be able to get evolution points for an achievement that I knew about. The next two spells that I was eying were the holy barrier and elemental wall spells. I would first ask Cellestra to poison me in order to get some extra evolution points, though. I was then reminded that I now had the option to merge certain spells. Elysa, how do I know which enhancements I can merge together? Would you like to automatically merge them and add them to your skill list? Uhh, sure. Just do it one by one by one, please. I had no idea if this would be the same as getting a new skill or spell, and I wasnt going to risk the massive pain that I experienced early on. Affirmative. Information about my spells started flooding into my brain. It didnt hurt, but it made me dizzy as everything was pressed on top of one another. When it was all done and over with, I looked at my skill list which had grown significantly from when Id checked it last time. Skills: Language Comprehension - Human Language Comprehension - Elven Very Strong Regeneration Very Strong Venom Very Strong Paralytic Venom Improved Jaws and Teeth Advanced Spider Thread Very Strong Toxin Resistance Very Strong Fireball Ice Lance Very Strong Exoskeleton Hardening Strong Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening Excellent Spider Vision Advanced Magic Resistance Very Strong Physical Barrier Very Strong Magical Barrier Very Strong Mana Reserves Very Strong Mana Regeneration Insight of Elysa Improved Healing Light Venom Bolt Water Walking Mana Manipulation Very Strong Earthen Spike Very Strong Cyclone Lightning Arc Very Strong Spider Lightning Spell Synthesis Detoxification Synthesized skills: Very Strong Multi-Barrier Flame Beam Venom Thread Venom Spike I knew what the spells did as the information had flooded my brain. I was still mildly surprised that I had only created four new spells. I do believe that the blessing had told me earlier that I would be able to merge more spells later on. This multi-barrier was a combination of both the physical and magical barriers. It was quite handy to have both spells combined, especially in a pinch, but it didnt quite offer something new. The flame beam seemed to be a combination of the lightning arc and fireball spells. The spell would just create a beam of fire that I could fire forward that would grow in heat for as long as the spell was channeled. As with the lightning arc, its mana cost would grow over the duration. The venom thread spell would lace my threads with the level of venom that I possessed. I could use the paralytic venom as well. Lastly, the venom spike was a combination of earthen spike and venom. It would simply lace the spike with the venom of my choice, which would lead to additional damage or paralytic effect as the venom was hopefully brought deeper into the targets body through the penetrating force that the spike had. Elysa, will I be able to merge any more spells with the enhancements that I can get? Affirmative. The wind gust spell can be used to create a spell known as High-Velocity Ice Lance. The ice lance will be fired with much more force behind it. Likewise, the wind gust spell can be used to create a new spell called thread manipulation, which allows your current level of spider thread to be fired as a spell, and be manipulated by wind magic. The Healing Tides spell can be merged with Spider Lightning to create a spell that can jump to both enemies and allies at the same time, healing allies while damaging enemies. The number of allies that can be hit will be increased to 7. I was impressed that the blessing was able to provide this information. Useful info was usually in short supply. The first two combinations of spells seemed to be quite useful. I would only need to enhance one skill to create two new spells after that; wind gust. The last spell well, it wasnt quite useful at the moment. I might look into it later, as I felt like it could be somewhat of use if there was to be a battle between elves and humans. If the elves proved to be honest people, I could use it to heal them if necessary. But for now it was time to tell Cellestra of my plan. I walked up to the building and tapped on the wooden wall next to the doorframe to get the elfs attention. I saw her put down a cup and walk up to me with a stack of papers in her hands. Are you done looking into your new spells, etcetera? She asked with a soft expression. I nodded with my pedipalps and pointed at the sheets of paper. I needed to ask her a question after all. And you need my help? She asked, as she spread the paper out on the grass. I nodded again and started spelling as soon as shed placed the sheets on the ground. Got any poison? Need to resist poison effect for achievement. Uh, I got some things that are considered poison yet... She paused and looked at me. And youre sure about this? I nodded again before continuing to spell out more. Got new spell. Can remove poison with it from myself and others. Thats interesting, She said softly. I guess that makes antidotes useless. It did in a way. However, antidotes would still be valuable to have if I were to run out of mana. I looked at the elf who sighed. It seemed she didnt much care for this plan, but it also seemed she understood Id be completely fine. She probably knew that I had this all planned out so I wouldnt be at any risk. Alright. Give me a second. Cellestra walked back inside and moved into the kitchen area where she started rummaging through the cabinets. I hope poisonous mushrooms are okay? These are actually pretty weak. Does any poison count? I nodded with my pedipalps. That was my understanding of it at least. She soon exited the building with one mushroom she held with a pair of tweezers. I assume you know what youre doing. As I said, these arent that poisonous, but still. Thank you, I spelled out as she placed the mushroom in the grass. I picked it up with my pedipalps, got my chelicerae out of the way, and brought the poisonous mushroom to my mouth and ate it. The taste was nothing to write home about. It wasnt terrible in any way, but rather, it was without any kind of flavor. It didnt take long before several messages showed up before me. Achievement earned: Resistance Reigns Fully resist an ailment with any type of resistance. You have been awarded 150 EP. You have been awarded 300 EXP. Requirement for future evolution complete. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 75 EP. That gave me a good bunch of evolution points. It would seem it was time to enhance several more abilities before I was going to set out and search for suitable prey. Did it work? Cellestra asked. Yes, I spelled out for good measure. The elf sighed in relief. Im glad to hear that. Her worry was misplaced, but at the same time heartwarming. It was getting harder and harder to leave her behind to go out on hunts 1.66 Saved I thoroughly enjoyed the last few minutes that I would have with her before heading out. I had, after all, 497 evolution points I could spend. I took the holy barrier and the elemental wall without even hesitating for a second. Those two spells would increase my defensive capabilities and cause me to do damage when my barriers were down to half strength. I wouldnt try it on purpose, but I imagined not getting hit forever was impossible. The barrier was likely to be far more effective during my next evolution, where I would gain additional defensive skills. After these two skills, I still had 197 points left. I chose the wind gust next as I knew it would open up two more merged skills. I confirmed the choice and went through the internal changes. As soon as I had done so, I had the blessing merge the new skills and add them to my arsenal. As the information filled my brain, I almost immediately knew that the thread manipulation skill was insanely useful to have. Not only could I use it to immobilize prey from a distance, I could also use it to create my shelter. Moving my abdomen around was starting to become a hassle. I couldnt quite see what I was doing, and I didnt have too much of a natural instinct regarding building something like this. Being able to manipulate threads with wind and shooting them like a spell was a blessing when it came to something like this. The other spell was, of course, High-Velocity Ice Lance, and as far as I could tell, its damage was directly linked to my Ice Lance spell. I considered upgrading my limb strengthening, but upgrading ice lance seemed like the better choice at the moment. A long-range spell with excellent accuracy would always have its use. I kept upgrading the skill until it reached its highest level. The Spider Thread skill became a lot more interesting as well with this merged skill. My silk seemed to have a separate reserve as well. The thread manipulations mana cost was extremely low. It would be a smart choice to upgrade it when I had the chance. So my threads and limb strengthening were likely next. Youre still going through your skills, arent you? Cellestras voice broke my concentration. I nodded in reply. Take your time. I still dont quite understand how it works, but Im assuming youre making careful choices here. I was. And Cellestras smile was highly distracting I couldnt wait until I was done going out all the time. I was longing for some time that I could simply spend with her without necessarily doing anything. A bit of relaxation would be okay before I was to set out on my adventure, right? I wanted to believe it, but anxiety built up within me. I didnt want to sit around while I was still unsure of my parents fates. These feelings were becoming worse. I wanted to see her more and more when I was with her, but my new life would never allow for anything to happen between us. I would keep quiet about this to her. It just wouldnt be fair. One more thing to deal with was nothing for me. I turned to the letters again and started spelling out words. Will go out now. Need anything for dinner? Id be happy to bring back something to eat tonight. I didnt know how much of the boar was still left. Besides, I was starting to yearn for something else It was the least I could do. She had plenty to do in a day as it was, and she would be helping me with my shelter tonight as well. I didnt think she would have a lot of time to gather food on her own. Uhm, She muttered, before putting a finger on her lips as she thought. Ill have plenty for tonight, but if you want to go and hunt for something for tomorrow, go ahead. Boars starting to tire me and you too, I think. Yep So if you could get something smaller, thatd be great, She finished. Should be okay, I replied. In that case, good luck, and take care, She said as waved with one hand, a smile on her face. Crap. I didnt know how long Id be able to keep this up. I hoped these feelings would pass away as soon as my mind accepted the fact that things couldnt be. I politely replied with a wave of my own and headed off in a direction I hadnt explored yet; the southwest. I was starting to run out of creatures that would give experience. Last time, it took two days to find a bear. It did give a large amount of experience, sure, but I couldnt spend days looking for suitable prey. I hoped hunting in this area would be more fruitful. I cast my multi-barrier skill as I departed and soon took notice of some smaller creatures in the area. I would focus on getting the achievement for healing a mortal wound with one of those. I wanted to get this achievement to upgrade some additional skills. The threads and limbs were great choices, after all. I would use this opportunity to test out my thread manipulation skill as well. I shouldnt have much of an issue restraining smaller animals with this level of my threads. Restraining them would also make injuring them in a careful manner much easier. It was sickening to think about delivering a lethal wound to an animal to heal them right after. I was practically forcing them to go through hellish pain I hated it. I would release whatever I caught. While it was true I was going to search for dinner for tomorrow, I didnt want to inflict pain on a creature, to then heal them, to then kill them anyway. I wasnt that cruel The area wasnt terribly abundant with smaller creatures, but a rabbit soon showed up as I continued. Hiding with my current size would be near impossible, so I combined my old nature of jumping on prey and my new spells to get it. I jumped close to the creature and immediately fired my new spell: Thread Manipulation. A thick thread materialized before me and shot at the creature before it could even react. I felt that I could control the direction of the thread as it flew, but I didnt need that for now. I just aimed straight for the creature and had the line connect. After that, it was simply a matter of reeling in my catch. To make it easier on the rabbit that was squirming for dear life, I fired a venom bolt to paralyze it. The creature was paralyzed within seconds and stopped thrashing about. I was then left wondering how I should wound it so it wouldnt die too fast. Before doing any of that, I decided to raise my healing light level by one for twenty points. Leveling a healing spell would never be a bad thing. I wanted to complete this achievement without killing anything I didnt have to. I wondered if I could inject venom into the creature to then cast detoxification, but that wouldnt really be a wound, would it? What would be considered a mortal wound, anyway? Would a wound that would bleed the creature to death over time be considered mortal? I assumed it would. Expecting that to be the case, I walked up to the creature and stabbed it with one of my legs. The creature bled profusely, which caused me to wince as it was obviously suffering for my gains. As soon as Id created the wound, I cast the strongest version of healing light that I had and watched the wound close for the most part. I cast the spell twice more before I was confident that no internal damage was left. Achievement earned: Lifesaver Heal a mortal wound. You have been awarded 150 EP You have been awarded 300 EXP Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 4! You have been awarded 75 EP. I was glad to see that it had been enough. This achievement had me in mental pain. I removed the thread from the poor creature and stood guard over it until the paralytic venom wore off. I figured that was the least I could do for this rabbit. I didnt want other predators to get it while it was defenseless because of me. It just didnt feel fair As soon as the creature beneath me could move, it jumped away and ran off as fast as it could, still slightly wobbly from the venoms effect. Now that that was behind me, it was time to figure out what to spend my new evolution points on. I chose the limb strengthening and spider thread upgrades first, costing me 135 points, leaving me with 122. It would seem I was starting to rack up a decent number of points. I imagined the thermal vision skill would allow me to see creatures through vegetation better, so I decided to take that upgrade next. Before I did so, however, I first made sure the other enhancements had completed, before choosing a large tree to climb. I was told this thermal vision would allow me to see heat as if it were colors. I had no idea how that worked, so in case my vision was messed up and took time to adjust to, I would be safe up high. I then hoped it wouldnt make things worse as I confirmed the upgrade. 1.67 Angry I regretted my decision. This was horrible. I felt my mana flow to my eyes and grow warm as my vision changed. Colors disappeared and were replaced by shades of grey. When I turned to look at animals, I saw them as red figures, surrounded by a yellow outline, which in turn was surrounded by a green outline. It wasnt hard to tell that the warmer something was, the closer its color would be to red. Closer to red? It felt weird to think about it like that. I was just referencing a rainbow now where I knew that yellow was on the inside of red and then green was on the inside of that. Elysa, how am I supposed to see anything like this? This vision would certainly be able to spot creatures within the grey that was the surroundings, but I didnt like this vision. I preferred to see colors over this. I would not sacrifice my normal vision to walk around like this. The world, as cruel as it was, was still beautiful, in a way. Would you like to combine this with your normal vision? Wait, how would that work? Your brain has the capacity to show you what you want to see. You could see the world like this, or use normal vision, if you prefer to. You can also choose to use both at the same time. If I can have my normal vision back, and still be able to make out other creatures that I would not be able to spot normally, Id like that, if possible. Affirmative. My vision slowly changed back to normal, which came to me as a relief. This skill had turned out to be more complicated than Id anticipated. I looked around the area and saw animals going about their business on the forest floor. When I looked at one, I could see its normal colors, but I could also see it as a thermal vision image at the same time! I stand corrected. This was FAR more complicated than Id thought. How was it even possible to see those things at the same time and still have them make sense? My head hurt thinking about how it was possible. I checked my enhancement list one last time to see if I could upgrade anything useful with my remaining 72 points. Concluding that there was nothing immediately useful, I decided to wait. I then climbed down from the tree and continued onward. I didnt plan to travel too far out as I was as yet unfamiliar with this part of the forest. I wasnt keen on getting lost. I tried out my new skill by trying to spot things that I could easily miss. Even if my eyesight was better than it had been when I was an elf, it still was fairly easy to miss the smallest details in the forest as my eyes were continually bombarded with a plethora of stimuli. This new type of vision that was now added on top of my normal vision seemed to fix some of those issues. I could easily spot far more creatures now, since their body heat made them stand out so prominently. No camouflage was good enough to hide from me. It was both comforting and scary at the same time. I was quickly solidifying my place at the top of the food chain. I wondered what those humans would think if they saw a monstrous spider, like me. Did such animals even exist here? I would definitely have to check with Cellestra. I would like to make sure there werent any other creatures like me. I didnt want to imagine what would happen if a giant spider would see me as its mate. Id seen that happen once already. Never again. On second thought They wouldnt stand a chance against me. I was getting more and more comfortable with the new sensations that my brain had to process. It was quickly becoming less awkward and more natural. That was one thing that this blessing had somehow managed to do all the time. Nothing this body could do was strange to me. For some reason, I had adapted to a body that worked completely differently without too much effort. I imagined Id be long dead if I had had to learn how to be a spider without help. I should be thankful to Elysa for at least taking care of that struggle. I traveled for about two or three hours before I reached a clearing that was abundant with life. An open grassy field lay before me. All sorts of colorful flowers bloomed and scented the area with a sweet smell. The area was filled with otherwise adorable critters such as rabbits, squirrels, hedgehogs, and I believe I even saw a fox darting away as it spotted me. In the middle of the clearing was a tree that was larger than the others that surrounded this tranquil place. Its leaves seemed to sparkle with some kind of magic as the air around them drew in my sight. The area was simply amazing to lay eyes upon. This was a little piece of paradise in this forest that had turned into my hunting grounds. And I was about to desecrate this place as well. It felt wrong to do so, but in front of the giant tree in the center, in the grass, lay a large female deer that seemed to belong to the same species as the one Id killed earlier. I could tell it was female due to the lack of antlers. It was also about the same size, although it was hard to judge now that my perspective had changed. I hoped it would still offer experience. I wouldnt know if I didnt try. The animal was still quite big, even with my new size. I carefully skittered in range of my new spell, high-velocity ice lance, to see if I could take it out in one hit. If that didnt work, I would scale the large tree and use lightning arc instead. I approached the animal from the opposite side of the tree so it couldnt see me coming. I then lined up my spell and fired an icicle, about a third of a foot in diameter, at the unsuspecting animal. The spike flew far faster than the previous version of the spell. It cost slightly more mana, but its effect was evident. The projectile pierced the animals behind and sank all the way inside its body. I quickly fired another one as I was confident these spells would be enough to finish it off. The animal never even got the chance to stand up. It died almost immediately after the second spike. You have killed a Large Royal Forest Deer: EXP+310 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 5! You have been awarded 75 EP. I was glad to see the creature still gave experience, but was saddened to see it had been reduced heavily. It meant that I had to kill quite a few of these creatures if I wanted to acquire my next evolution. I wasnt looking forward to that, at all Then, thanks to the sensations in my legs, I felt something move around in the dirt beneath my feet. I quickly jumped away to see a vine shoot up from where Id just stood. It had grown out of the ground at an insane rate. I was certain it was some kind of attack that had been aimed at me. I then saw the tree move I felt the ground tremble as I heard some kind of voice. I couldnt quite make out what it said or where it came from, but it sounded angry. I quickly skittered away from the tremors, which led me away from the tree. It wasnt hard to add one and one together and ascertain that the vines belonged to the same entity before me. Then the voice came again, impossible to understand but definitely belonging to the tree as well. I was wondering what language it was when an idea popped up in my head. The only language this could possibly belong to of the ones I could enhance would be the spirit language. Was it worth gambling on trying to understand this tree that was trying to kill me? If anything, I was willing to fight it, but I didnt know why it attacked me. Maybe Id done something to upset it, like killing that deer? Before I killed it, Id like to understand what it said. I wasnt sure if this was the correct language, but for only 20 points, well it couldnt hurt to try, right? I confirmed that I wanted to enhance the spirit language. And skittered backward slowly. Pain built up in my skull and faded just as quickly as it had appeared. The voice returned as more vines spouted from the ground. It looked like they were going to stab me. The tree spoke angrily, and very slowly, Insolent monster. You will die here. 1.68 Angrier My first instinct was to stand and fight, but the issue was that I didnt quite know what I was up against. The tree in the middle of this little paradise started swaying from right to left very slowly as it seemed to awaken or something. The vines that had sprouted from the ground now shot forward in an attempt to stab me, but I had anticipated the move and jumped out of the way. The trees roots started moving and I felt the ground shake as well. Hoping that this tree would award me a significant amount of experience, I fired a fireball at its trunk. Trees burned well, right? Moreover, this tree was more than isolated. There was no way I could start a forest fire here. However, instead of putting the tree ablaze, the fireball shattered before it even hit the wood. It appeared this living tree possessed a magical barrier of some sort. That was it. I decided to hightail it out of here. There was no way I would be able to fight something that was many times my size, mass, and possessed a way to withstand the spell that I had deemed most effective against it. I turned around and skittered away from the tree as fast as I could. There is no escape! I heard the tree yell angrily behind me. Truly, what had I done to upset it so much? I ran to the edge of the clearing where I found out the hard way that a large, nearly invisible wall surrounded the place. I bumped into it head-first. Thankfully some part of the collision was lessened by the fact that I had my own barrier active. It seemed there truly was no escape. There was no mistaking that this barrier had been put in place by the tree at the center of this place. I turned around and noticed the trees roots emerging from the ground piece by piece. The trunk was still swaying back and forth. It looked like it was uprooting itself. What was this thing? If the tree was uprooting itself, I figured the best time to fight it would be now. It seemed like there was no escaping this place, either way. I didnt seem to have much of a choice here. Worry started building within me as I knew it would be hard to damage this opponent, but I couldnt let it distract me. I would have to stay focused if I wanted to make it out of here alive. I said a quick prayer to Elysa and hoped she had given me the means to get through this. I ran back to the tree as more vines sprouted from the ground and lunged at me. I dodged them by jumping from side to side. I managed to dodge a multitude of attacks this way until one of them lunged at me right as I landed after a jump. I did the only thing I could think of to block it and summoned an earthen elemental wall before me. A solid wall formed before me and floated in mid-air. I heard the vine crash into it from the other side. I then continued jumping and dodging my way to the tree. I started thinking about a possible way to defeat it. I could try to continue firing spells at it until its magical barrier broke. If it did, I imagined wood would still burn well enough for me to set it ablaze. The problem was that I had no idea how strong its barrier was. If I spent my mana on it recklessly and I wasnt able to break it, I was as good as dead. I would have to find a weak spot. I just didnt see any More vines came my way as I got within range of my spells. I thought about using lightning arc, but the vines would make it near impossible to keep my focus on the channel. If I at any point broke the channel I would have to start from scratch, potentially wasting a lot of mana. And there was still that pesky barrier The tree was still moving, putting pressure on me as I tried to find a way to hurt it with limited time remaining. I approached the tree with small steps while looking out for vines when I saw thicker, slow-moving roots grow outward from the trunk. On a whim, I decided to try something. I moved to one of the roots, or rather, I jumped to one as I dodged a vine that flew in my direction. I then summoned an earth spike from the ground under the root to see what would happen. A solid spike shot up from the ground and cut right through the root. The root was snapped in two, and I could see some sort of green liquid ooze from where it had been severed. That sure as hell wasnt my poison. I hadnt summoned a venom spike. I heard a roar coming from the tree. It seemed like it experienced pain from the sound of it. I jumped to the side and processed the information quickly. It appeared I had managed to damage this creature with that attack. It meant that these roots were not protected by the barrier. It caused me to shift my focus to the slow-moving roots and that now seemed to be converging on me. I summoned two more earthen spikes, severing two more roots as they approached me. More vines sprouted from the ground. One of them managed to hit me while I was jumping from another one, but it was blocked by my barrier spell, causing me to suffer no damage. More cries of pain resonated from the tree which came as music to my ears. It meant there was a way for me to win this fight. The problem was that the tree seemed to be making progress. Its trunk was already hovering above the ground, leaving a massive, gaping maw beneath it. It was held by its roots, which were now starting to uproot, starting from its position. I severed several more before the creature managed to uproot the remaining ones. It then started using them to move around. The roots crawled over the grass as the largest enemy Id yet faced started moving my way. I did notice, however, that the vines had stopped appearing. That was a relief, although it was quickly washed away as I now faced something far more dangerous. Then, the enemy brought down a heavy branch, intending to crush me under it. I jumped as far as I could, but the branch was wide and still managed to partially strike me. Although it wasnt lethal, as the part that struck me was lacking in mass, it still triggered the holy barrier explosion, indicating that my barrier was at least half depleted. I quickly recast the barrier as I saw that the explosion had done no damage when it was blocked by the angry trees magical barrier. The tree crept ever closer, putting me at a disadvantage. I couldnt easily sever its roots anymore as I was in the range of its heavy-hitting attack. I stayed as far away as I could and decided to use a high-velocity Ice Lance instead. Unfortunately, it didnt quite seem to have enough force behind it to successfully sever the roots. It did manage to cut into them, but not nearly enough. I could theoretically do it this way, but Id spend a lot more mana than I wanted to. There was also the problem that I had to aim really, really well in order to do damage. An idea entered my mind. Instead of running away from the branches, I jumped towards the trunk instead. It didnt take long for my opponent to try to strike again. Another jump dodged the attack, and brought me close enough to the center of the creature that its branch attacks couldnt hit me. I didnt dare to go all the way under its trunk, as it could simply crush me by lowering itself, but this should be enough for what I intended to do. I summoned another spike, severing a root just inches from where it connected to the trunk.. After I did so, I saw an odd, blue glow under the trunk. I didnt bother to check what it was. Instead, I jumped as the tree started using its roots to try to strike me. Fortunately for me, they were quite slow, and easily dodged. I summoned spike after spike, severing this trees connection to its roots. Roars of pain filled the air around me as I worked on the weak spot that Id found. I believe at one point I even saw the barrier surrounding the clearing shatter, opening up a path of escape. I wasnt interested in fleeing anymore. I was too focused on the battle before me. I was also angry, which served to fuel my need for vengeance against this enemy that had dared to attack me. Now that I was starting to fight back successfully, fleeing was out of the question. I was going to make firewood out of this tree. 1.69 Guardian As I severed more and more of the trees massive roots, the blue glow that I had seen earlier started becoming more apparent. I severed a large root at its base and I could finally make out what it was. I had to jump away as the tree brought down a branch to where I was standing, but there was no mistaking it. There was some kind of blue orb hidden at the base of its trunk, seemingly protected by more roots that surrounded it. That had to be important. I wonder what would happen if I were to destroy it? I summoned an earthen spike beneath the trunk, intending to shatter the orb, but it was blocked by a magical barrier. That was unfortunate. For now, I imagined the best I could do was continuing to sever roots and hopefully make the tree immobile once more. Filthy creature. Die! the tree screamed in both rage and pain. I wasnt planning on dying. Not again. I jumped out of the way as it brought its branches down on me once more. I got another hit to my barrier. It seemed to be more or less unavoidable due to this creatures sheer size. I was happy that Id upgraded my resistances as much as I had. I was sure Id be mush right now, otherwise. The tree seemed to have four roots that were far bigger in diameter than the others. Id not focused on severing these as the smaller ones seemed to move faster and posed a greater threat. Now that they were uprooted, they were quite a bit faster at striking me, although they still werent as fast as the vines. In a way, this tree had more or less crippled itself. Though, those branches seemed to be an effective weapon They were brought down once more, delivering a glancing blow as I jumped out of the way. Once more, my barrier erupted with an explosion that was again blocked by the magical barrier that seemed to surround everything but the roots of this tree. Now that I had mostly removed its smaller roots, it was time to work on the larger ones. I summoned a spike from the ground in order to sever one, but found that it didnt cut deep enough. I had to summon a spike again, and then one more time, in order to cut off its larger root. It seemed I had underestimated how tough they were. I had a large mana supply and proper regeneration, but with the sheer number of spells Id cast, I started to notice that I was running low. I hoped I was going to have enough to finish this. With the large root severed, the tree started to become a bit less steady. It still screamed in pain and brought its branches down again. This time I managed to dodge the attack completely which was very much welcome as Id rather not cast my barrier again. I ended up on the other side of the tree, close to the massive maw that it had left when it uprooted itself. When I looked at the hole in the ground, I could see there being some kind of tunnel leading down. That most definitely did not belong to this trees roots. I wondered what was down there, but only for a second as I still had a battle to focus on. I cast my earthen spike three times in order to sever the massive root near the base of this side of the tree. When it was severed and green liquid spilled from the trunk, my adversary started to become quite unsteady as it was only supported by roots on two opposite ends. I also noticed that the blue orb beneath its base wasnt glowing as much anymore. The creature was losing strength. Its strength was replaced by sheer anger as it brought its branches down on me again. Its movements had slowed and I managed to jump out of the way once more without taking any damage. The tree kept smashing the ground with its branches in my wake, trying to hit me as I moved. I stayed on the move and had no time to stand still. Taking a bit of a leap of faith, I decided to summon an earthen spike right under the blue orb in the hope that Id weakened the creature enough to be able to penetrate its barrier. The spike shot from the ground and crashed into the orb. I couldnt see most of the orb, but I could still see it shatter into a thousand pieces that fell into the grass. At the same time, I saw a transparent layer around the trees trunk become visible, glow with a faint green color for a moment, and then crack and splinter. The barrier was gone! I jumped and I jumped again as I created space between me and the tree. I got hit once more by a part of the branches, which caused my barrier to explode with holy power for the third time. This time it did what it was intended to do; damage. The branches that had just struck me were seared by the explosion and turned black. I was still running away, but thanks to my vision, I could see it happen clearly. I then turned around and prepared to finish this. The tree creature struggled to move forward with only two main roots, but did so nonetheless. In the meantime, I prepared a fireball spell at maximum strength, knowing I only had enough mana for two or three of these. I would have to finish it quickly, and now that the barrier was down, I didnt want to be surprised by it somehow resisting a weaker version of the fireball spell. I fired it and it hit the trunk where it shattered and burned a part of the trunk, but the fires were soon extinguished as the wood didnt seem to catch on fire just yet. I decided to take a different approach and use the other newly acquired skill. Wood could be hard to set on fire when it wasnt completely dry. It would need to be lit by holding it in a fire for longer. As such, I decided to use Flame Beam. It should work well with a fairly low amount of mana remaining, I figured. I would just need some kind of fire to keep eating away at the wood until it was set alight properly. The only problem was that its range was short. I didnt really dare to get close anymore as my barrier had lost over half its strength, but fortunately, there was another way to get close without putting myself in danger, I think I skittered to the massive hole in the ground and taunted the creature by waving a leg. In obvious fury, it approached me still. I started crawling into the tunnel backward as it approached. When it was close enough, it tried to slam the ground above me and I felt the tunnel shaking, but it held. I then started channeling my beam of fire on its roots and the base of the trunk from the safety of the tunnel. Due to it missing all of its roots except the two main ones that supported it, it couldnt harm me by using them as weapons. If it did, it would just topple over. I had the upper hand here. A continuous beam of fire shot forward from my position and started eating away at the wood. The spell intensified over time and the fires grew hotter and hotter as my mana started rapidly depleting. I kept the spell up for as long as I could until I felt pain growing in my abdomen. I was completely out of mana, yet I managed to keep the spell up. When I was about to pass out from the pain, I canceled the spell and retreated further into the tunnel. Hopefully, Id be safe here as the fire did its job. From inside the tunnel, I could feel the temperature rising as the creature before me became engulfed in flames. After hiding for a while, I felt the ground shake as though something had impacted it with great force. I heaved a sigh of relief in my mind as I knew Id won the battle. It had been hard and Id been taken by surprise and cut off from escaping, but Id done it. You have killed a Guardian Tree: EXP+3150 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 6! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 7! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 8! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Cap Reached Achievement earned: Dungeon Delver Kill your first dungeon creature. You have been awarded 150 EP. You have been awarded 0 EXP. Hidden requirement for future evolution complete. A series of messages showed up. The last one stood out the most. Dungeon creature? 1.70 Shivers Killing the tree had given me an achievement that was a requirement for a future evolution. Still though, a dungeon creature? Did that mean that? I turned around and observed the tunnel leading down. There was a dungeon here? Now that I looked at it closer, the tunnel that led down seemed to diverge further down. The dirt walls turned to stone, creating a wide enough tunnel for creatures far larger than me. I would be able to pass through the more narrow mouth leading down, but if I were to grow further, I would have to start removing dirt in order to fit through. I couldnt believe I was actually thinking about delving into a dungeon. Then again, I knew how hard getting prey was right now. It would probably be even harder in the near future. Dungeons were known to house many types of creatures, and, very importantly, have many of them in one place. I would have a very good chance of finding creatures that would award experience inside. I heard a sound coming from down the tunnel and prepared to get away from here as quickly as I could. My mana reserves were almost depleted, after all. It was then I noticed that the sound came from a bunch of practically harmless critters. Groups of small spiders, large centipedes, and other creepy crawlers made their way up from the tunnel in the tens, if not hundreds. I couldnt be bothered to move and simply observed them pass under me on their way to apparent freedom. They had probably been trapped in this underground tunnel for quite some time. I wasnt focused on them at all as I was simply trying to relax to recover my lost mana and stamina. That was, until I noticed that in the swarm of small creatures with too many legs were several scorpions. As low on mana as I was, it didnt take much to kill something that was far smaller than me. I simply aimed with one of my legs and impaled a scorpions abdomen. Achievement earned: Cousin Killer Kill a scorpion. You have been awarded 150 EP. You have been awarded 0 EXP. Requirement for future evolution complete. Evolution available! I heaved a mental sigh. It appeared I now had everything I needed for my evolution, which meant I could just go home again and evolve into the red option. I decided to wait for a while until my mana had regenerated first. The swarm of critters abated and I looked down the tunnel once more. I would definitely check out this dungeon, but Id probably not do it until tomorrow. I was going to have to wait for a while for my regeneration, and then I still had a trip ahead of me. I started thinking about this tree and how its corpse might attract unwanted attention. I didnt know how close those humans operated to here, which had me a bit anxious. I would like to be on my way home already, but I was exhausted. I had no choice but to wait. And so I waited in the tunnel. In the meantime, I wondered how Cellestra was doing. Id been gone for a couple of hours, but I was already longing to see her again. Just the thought of her smile made me feel warm inside. I couldnt control my tired mind. It kept wandering off to the elf, and I let it. The feelings it gave me, and the warmth it provided were addicting I knew it was bad, yet I allowed it to happen. I waited long enough for my mana to refill completely. I basked in the pleasant feelings that Cellestras memory brought while waiting. I wondered how her work on the setup for my shelter was going? I hoped she wouldnt hurt herself with backfiring spells When I felt confident enough to head out again, I crawled out of the tunnel and inspected the blackened remains of the guardian tree that Id felled. Most of its branches had been reduced to nothing but ash, but its trunk still remained mostly in one piece. Some of it was still smoldering here and there. Black clouds had appeared in the sky. I started my way back in a hurry as I realized that rain would be setting in soon. I hadnt experienced rain in this new world yet, and I wasnt looking forward to it, either. I had no shelter yet, and I couldnt get inside Cellestras house anymore. Now that I thought about it, how was I going to take shelter? There was no place I could hide I should have made that shelter sooner. Then again, I had this evolution I could go through, which was likely to increase my size again. Even if I had made the hanging nest kind of shelter, I would have had to redo it all soon. What a struggle I prayed to Elysa that I would avoid any rain, but soon found out it was useless. When I was halfway back, it started to rain. It was only a few drops at first, but it soon turned into a complete downpour. I had feared that my eyes would suffer from being out in the rain as I couldnt close them, but I was more than relieved to find out that I couldnt actually feel it. It seemed my eyes had some sort of protective layer on them that kept them safe from anything poking into them. Having rain fall on my new body was quite weird. I felt it pour onto my abdomen and cephalothorax. It wasnt that I wasnt used to those body parts, it was just the first time I had felt the rain fall on them. What was worse, the rain was cold, unlike the air around me. The short hairs that covered my body were soon drenched with cold water, which had me freezing. I recast my barrier spells, hoping it would help protect against the rain somewhat. I had even used my ice wall spell, but found that keeping it floating above me would just drain my mana. I couldnt afford to waste it on things like this. So I just hurried back as fast as I could. I still had a long way to go I wasnt in luck. Not right now. One could argue that that fight had been quite beneficial to me. I had, after all, discovered a dungeon, and got to my next evolution. The battle was hard-fought but had made me stronger in the end. I just sucked it up, as I always did, and kept running. The rain never gave me any respite. By the time I reached Cellestras home, I was shivering from the cold. I was more than a bit worried about my health, and hoped that healing spells could fix whatever happened if I were to fall ill. I was more worried about the fact that I wouldnt have any shelter. When her home came into view, however, most of that worry disappeared in a heartbeat as it was replaced by hope and also, admiration. Cellestra truly was an angel. In front of her home were several thin tree trunks that were placed in the ground. There were six trunks in total and they formed a rectangle. On top of those six trunks she had placed wooden panels; four in total that were connected to her roof. She had managed to extend the roof, so that I had shelter outside of the house. I couldnt believe that shed gotten that all done within a few hours. Where did she even get those wooden panels from? I had a hard time believing she made them herself. The trunks I could understand. Those were fairly easy to get, but the panels left me puzzling. I walked up to the window, and relished the fact that my head and part of my abdomen were now free of the downpour that was still going on. If I turned myself sideways, my entire body should be dry. I tapped on the glass, and soon, Cellestra exited the building and looked at me with concern. Kealyna, are you alright? I nodded with my pedipalps. My physical health was fine I think? No, youre not. Youre shivering. I turned so that I was fully sheltered from the rain as the elf continued. Hold on a second. She walked back inside the building and soon stepped out, barefooted, with two towels in her hands. By the goddess. You poor thing... She laid one towel on my head and used the other to start drying my abdomen. As she did so, I could feel myself shivering from the cold that had penetrated into my core. I would be lying if I said it didnt feel nice. More importantly, her actions, and kindness helped me warm up, both outside and inside. Cellestra continued drying me, and when one towel was soaked, she used the other to continue her work. Once she was finished, she brought them back inside and walked out with a couple of logs that she placed in the grass before her doorframe. She lit them with her flame spell and sat down inside, with her feet on the ground outside, next to the fire that was starting to warm me. I silently thanked her for her kindness. I would ask you how things went, She spoke softly, But the paper would be ruined in an instant, so Ill have to make do with yes or no questions for now. She smiled at me before continuing. Did everything go well? It didnt matter how things had gone. She was with me. She had smiled. All was well. 1.71 Warmth I nodded with my limbs to let her know everything went okay. I then crawled a bit closer to the fire and the elf sitting in the doorframe. It would be hard to warm up my entire body with this small fire, but thankfully, Cellestra had taken care of the worst part. I cast healing light on myself, just in case I was about to get sick. I didnt know if it helped, but it certainly couldnt hurt. Im glad youre okay. This is no weather to be outside, but I dont think it would have stopped you. I guessed she was right. I was quite fixated on getting as strong as I possibly could. I cursed in my mind as I realized I forgot to bring something back for dinner tomorrow. It had completely passed me by with this rain going on. I hoped it wouldnt rain tomorrow. I placed my front two sets of legs around the fire in order to allow more warmth to enter my body. I wanted to just lie down and absorb it all, but the cold, wet grass beneath me would just nullify it if I did. I was quite exhausted, too. Just lying down would be lovely. Are you hungry? Cellestra asked. I was. The elf had just made me realize that all too clearly. I nodded slowly in response. I had more or less expected to set up this fire so I have already prepared some pieces of meat we can cook on it. I figured you might like the company. She reached for the wall on the inside of the building and fetched a log which she added to the fire. She did it once more, before standing up and walking back inside. When she returned, she had a bowl with smaller pieces of raw meat and several metal skewers. It appeared she had everything prepared already. I was still smiling in my mind about what shed said. I loved her company. Her actions and words only made me long for it more. Cellestra placed some meat on one of the skewers and handed it to me. I was able to hold on to it with my pedipalps just fine. There were small claws at the end of them that Id unknowingly learned to control quite well. Also, youre going to have to tell me what happened to your eyes. I cocked my head as I didnt understand what she was referring to. Did something happen to my eyes? Did the rain have an effect, after all? Cellestra observed me, and it was clear that she understood that I was showing confusion. Theyre completely red now, She finished. Red? Oh. Was that because of the thermal vision enhancement? That was the only explanation I could come up with. I believe the blessing did mention something about red. Infrared or something, the blessing had called it. Whatever that was. I guessed it meant it turned my eyes red. I didnt know how to make it clear it was the blessing that had caused it. I just ended up flailing my limbs incomprehensibly. Cellestra giggled at my actions. Its your blessing again, isnt it? Not being able to speak was hard I couldnt even write at the moment, which made it even more frustrating. I replied with a nod of my legs. Ill just attribute everything to that from now on I guess, Cellestra said with a shrug. Well, she wasnt wrong Things went silent between the two of us, well, her mostly, as I couldnt talk. We both stared at the fire and the skewers of what was clearly more boar meat. Doing this with her it almost made me feel as if I was an elf, still. I was happy that Cellestra had always treated me like one after she found out who I was. I couldnt be more thankful for all shed done and continued to do. The rain stopped soon as well, as the sun lowered, and evening set in. We ate and Cellestra talked about how shed gotten this roof set up. I listened with delight at her lovely, soft voice as she talked about how she had these panels in her cellar in case her roof needed repairs. She said she had several more laying around as she always made sure to have plenty of them ready for when work on the house needed to be done. My heart was yearning to hear more of her voice. I truly wished I had a body I could hug her with. If only there was a way So, She continued, How did today go for you? Did you manage to reach your next evolution yet? Her smile and expression made me believe she asked it in a somewhat joking manner. Last time it had taken multiple days to reach my evolution. The shock on her face when I nodded with my legs was amusing to see. It was soon replaced by one of her sweet smiles. Thats great news, She said, before looking at the makeshift roof above us. Ill have to expand this sooner than Id expected then. This was one of those times Id like to have the ability to smile. As I had nothing else available, I simply placed one of my legs on her lap. You want to say something? She asked, confused. I wanted to thank her, but I didnt know how I withdrew my leg, knowing that must have been weird. I moved it to her hand and she took hold of it. I then moved it up and down, as if I were making a handshake. I hoped that would get my intention across You wanted to thank me? She asked softly. I nodded with my pedipalps. Its okay. Your life will be hard enough as it is. Ill help you in any way I can. Its not like youre offering nothing in return. Did she even know how much this meant to me? How much she had started to mean to me? By now it was more than clear that I was starting to develop feelings for Cellestra. Feelings that I simply couldnt attribute to friendship anymore. It broke my heart to know she could never feel that way about me. I was glad that the evening had progressed steadily, and that she had to go to bed eventually. Cellestra cleaned up the skewers from dinner and placed another log on the fire. She then placed several more logs outside against the wall so I could keep the fire going throughout the night if I wished to do so. I nodded with my limbs as the elf stood up. Ill be going to bed. Please take care, Kealyna, and good night. I waved at her as she headed inside. She smiled at me one last time and waved as she closed the door. Why had I been glad that she had to go to bed? My heart was instantly filled with regret as Cellestra was no longer here. I was left alone with this fire and the darkness that was the night outside in the forest. I couldnt be bothered to make that nest-like structure right now. I wanted to go to sleep as soon as possible and get this day done and over with. Hopefully, sleep would solve some of my lingering feelings. I used my mana manipulation to try to make a flame spell similar to Cellestras, just slightly larger, and found that I had no issues doing just that. I used my fire to dry the grass under the makeshift roof so I could sleep there without it being damp and cold. While I dried the grass with my magical fire, I kept wondering about Cellestra. I didnt know what to do. I was lost All I knew was that I truly liked her, I was certain of it I used the time I had to pray to Elysa, hoping she could offer me some reassurance, or even guidance. Anything would do at this point. I finished warming up the area and planted my abdomen on the dried grass. I laid myself down next to the fire. Hopefully, it would keep predators at bay, although I doubted there were any that would dare to come close to me. I wasnt sure if they simply ignored Cellestra due to her curse or whether they just didnt get anywhere near her. I hoped it was the latter, but just in case, I cast my barrier spell on myself. If anything, I would wake up from whatever would try to fight me and finish it off. I heaved a mental sigh and I tried to relax. Thoughts of hugging Cellestra in my old body kept popping up, and eventually caused me to drift off to sleep. 1.72 Care I was warm. And there was something soft touching much of the top side of my abdomen. My vision returned, albeit hazy. I was still on the ground in front of the campfire, which, strangely enough, was still burning as bright as ever. That was odd. It should have been reduced to glowing coals by now. What was this softness? When my vision fully returned, I noticed that there were two wolf pelts on my abdomen. Their soft fur enveloped me as if they were a comfortable blanket. Cellestra It wasnt hard to guess who was responsible for this. I dont know why she did it, but it made my rest far more comfortable. It wasnt too cold outside, but the added warmth was pleasant. I also noticed that some of the logs that were placed outside were missing. That explained the fire. My mind was once more filled with images of Cellestra smiling at me which caused my heart to race. I had hoped that sleep would cause these thoughts to go away. Instead, it made things worse... I forcefully pushed the thoughts away, which caused pain in my mind. How early was it? I stood up and moved my head to the window. I raised two legs against the wall and peered inside. There was no sign of Cellestra anywhere. I had to assume she was still asleep. I hope she had a good nights rest. Seeing as she was still asleep, I decided to look at my evolution. I imagined by the time that was finished, shed be awake. I added some more wood to the fire to keep it going while I was out, before I turned to look at my only evolution option. There would be two more evolutions after this, and I had five days left until I wanted to scout the area around where Id seen the humans make camp. I was certain that I was strong enough to take on a human as it was, but I didnt know their numbers or skill level. I was very much restricted by my mana in my current evolution. Hopefully, this new one would allow me to fight well against creatures without having to rely on mana so much. It would be like going back to my old self. It was quite odd to think about it that way. I was certain Id be much bigger than my old size, at least in mass. I had a feeling I was stronger as well. Scrap that, I was certain I was stronger. And I still had to see what these new skills would do. Elysa, can I see my evolution option one more time? Giant Red Rainbow Kizerain Strength-orientated evolution. Unlocks additional defensive skills. Unlocks additional types of Venom Strength orientated. I wondered what skills I would get from that, and how they could be merged into new skills. Several of my skills had already merged into new ones earlier, such as the barrier. I was quite curious what new types of venom would show up as well. They always seemed to synergize well with the venom bolt ability. If they had separate reserves too, it would make things even better. At the thought of my barrier spell, I cast said spell on myself so I would be mostly safe during my evolution. I had already slept through the entire night without problems and wasnt afraid anything would try to attack me in broad daylight. There was still a campfire burning as well. I moved away from under the shelter that Cellestra had created and laid myself down in the grass. I didnt want to accidentally grow large enough to ruin the roof by knocking over the pillars. The grass was still slightly damp, but the sun was already up and warming the clearing in which Cellestras house stood. With the wolf pelts still on my abdomen, I confirmed my evolution into a giant red Kizerain. There was no pain this time as my senses dulled and everything turned black. ____________________________________________________________________________ The same old grogginess that came right after an evolution hit me. I even had trouble standing up this time. It appeared to be worse than usual. I decided to wait until the daze passed before trying to stand up. My head hurt What had happened that it was so bad right now? Kealyna? I heard Cellestras voice call out my name, followed by footsteps in the grass. She knelt down next to me and placed a hand on top of my head. Are you okay? I guessed she was worried about me trying to stand up, only to let myself fall back onto the grass. It was very sweet of her, but there was no need to worry. I nodded with my pedipalps as my head was still on the ground. Same old? She asked. I nodded again. I can imagine you need some time. I cant imagine the time I would need if I woke up one day to find out that Id grown by half my old size. What? Was it that bad? Id been about seven and a half feet before, if Id grown by half, I was eleven now? My vision started to clear up slowly but steadily. I could now make out Cellestras figure properly, and noticed that my head reached up to her waist quite easily. Granted, she was on her knees, but still, that was big Im going to need more pelts if I am to cover you at night. Ill also have to get some more wooden panels, it seems. I only have two remaining. Cellestra started placing all the pieces of paper in the grass before me. I was still waiting for the side effects to fade away before I was going to use them. In the meantime, Cellestra asked another question. Did you sleep well? I nodded. Good to hear. I didnt, which is why you woke up with those pelts on you. I couldnt sleep, so I decided to keep you company for a while. I felt it was a bit chilly, so I decided to cover you and keep the fire going while you slept. I wasnt as susceptible to the cold as she was. I obviously possessed a way to stay warmer during the nights. If only that worked with cold rain You know, its hard to tell if you are awake or not. I mean, your eyes cant close. It was weird. She smiled at me as she said that. Anyway, She continued as she stood up. Do you think you can stand? I extended my legs and stood up. I noticed it was exactly as Cellestra had described; I was huge. My abdomen extended to the right and left, which reduced my field of vision by a bit as it had grown considerably, as had my legs. They were longer, and felt stronger. They were also colored red now. The rainbow was complete. The pattern on my rear was finalized, and I was left in awe at just how big Id grown with this one evolution. It was even more evident when I looked at Cellestra when I stood at my normal height. Whereas I had reached slightly above her knees before, I now reached to her waist. Please do tell me what happened yesterday that you managed to get your evolution so fast. I prepared myself as I had a lot of explaining to do. I focused on the letters before me and started pointing at them. The pieces of paper had shrunk considerably, but this was still an effective way of communicating. If things kept going as they had, I would get my speech ability soon enough. It wouldnt matter how big I was at the time. If I could talk, I wouldnt need this paper anymore. Found massive tree in clearing. Killed deer near it. Tree came to life. Put barrier around clearing. Had to fight it. Was tough battle. Used all mana. Tree uprooted itself and revealed a tunnel that belongs to dungeon. Was planning to head inside today. A dungeon? Cellestra asked with a frown. Thats interesting. I never knew there were any in the area. Did not know either, I continued writing. Hope it is good source of experience. Starting to become problem. I hope so too. You are getting close to that speech evolution, right? I nodded with my front two legs. If Im honest, I hope you dont grow too much bigger. Im already starting to wonder if this roof I made is going to work out I saw her turn her head to the makeshift roof. I didnt have to turn mine to see exactly what she was talking about. There was no way I was going to fit my entire body under it. Even if she extended it with another two panels, Id barely fit. My abdomen was the main problem here. I guessed the only other option I had was to make a large nest out of silk that would be built against one of her homes walls. What a struggle 1.73 Red Im curious whats inside that dungeon, Cellestra said. I hope you will tell me when you return. Of course, I spelled. I was looking forward to seeing for myself what the dungeon held. From the stories Id heard, dungeons held all kinds of treasures. Then I realized that I didnt have an easy way to bring anything back with me. I would also have to make the entrance bigger. I was fairly certain I wouldnt fit through the narrow dirt entrance anymore. Whatever happened inside the dungeon would probably give me some more material to talk about with the elf. I was looking forward to sharing my stories. You want to try making something against the edge of my house, you said? Cellestra continued. Should I still continue with this shelter thingy? I dont mind doing it, but if its of no use, theres no real point in me doing it, is there? I thought about it for a moment. I guessed a large portion of that depended on how big I would grow with my next evolution. If she extended the shelter with two more panels, Id barely fit, but if I could get my next evolution quickly and outgrow it, it would be a waste of her time. I initially didnt want to sleep outside at night without shelter, but my size and strength were both getting to the point where I was confident that Id be safe no matter what I did. I might not even have to make this nest-like structure at all for the coming days. As long as it didnt rain, I could spend the night under the stars. If I were to set out soon after reaching my final evolution, it would also be pointless to make a shelter. I would have to see how things turned out Forget about it for now, I replied with the help of the paper. Will be fine. I assumed as such. I would say youre too occupied with all the stuff that has to do with the blessing She paused for a second. But I can see why you are. I dont blame you for it. You have clear goals, and youre pursuing them fervently. I do hope you will take things a bit easier once youre done with your evolution stuff. She looked at me with a genuinely worried expression. Everything shed said was true. I was too occupied with all this, and I knew it. The truth was that without this goal, I wouldnt have any idea what to do with myself. Sure, I wanted to spend as much time with Cellestra as possible, but the safety of the only people I had, in a way, loved in my old life would still take priority. I hoped Cellestra would agree with me on that subject. Though, she didnt know how I felt about her, I guess Hope so, too. Thank you. Will look at evolution stuff now. Go ahead. Are you not hungry, by the way? The truth was that I was starving. I was confident I could literally eat an entire boar. Maybe I should do just that Very hungry. Will go hunt for food when I go off to dungeon. Quite big. Doubt you can do much to help It pained me to say it as her cooking was delicious, but I had to remain truthful. She would have to cook for half a day if she were to feed my current form, or so I imagined. Heh, Cellestra chuckled. Yeah, youre all grown up, arent you? I do like that rainbow youre sporting now. Its a proper rainbow at last. Cellestras words had me smile in my mind. At least she didnt see me as a hideous creature. Her words still echoed in my mind as she went quiet and I started looking at my enhancement options. I was curious about what I could get. Name: Kealyna Race: Giant Red Rainbow Kizerain Level: 1/10 Experience: 0/150 Evolution Points: 802 Enhancement Cost in EP Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 Advanced Jaws and Teeth 20 Strong Jaws and Teeth 35 Very Strong Jaws and Teeth 50 Strong Healing Light 35 Very Strong Healing Light 50 Strong Magic Resistance 70 Very Strong Magic Resistance 150 Holy Pulse 150 Healing Tides 100 Improved Imbue Elements 25 Advanced Imbue Elements 55 Strong Imbue Elements 90 Very Strong Imbue Elements 150 Strong Necrotic Venom 65 Very Strong Necrotic Venom 50 Strong Mana-Sapping Venom 65 Very Strong Mana-Sapping Venom 50 Adrenaline Rush 150 Chitinous Plating 200 Muscular Augmentation 150 Those werent that many new skills. Wait a second Why is the Strong level more expensive than Very Strong? Elysa? Due to your number of evolution points available, I have compiled the previous levels of the skill in one level. The Strong level will include all previous levels. Would you like me to revert? Oh, no, keep it like this. I dont mind it at all. So do these new types of venom also have different reserves? I wasnt sure if Id asked earlier. I may have forgotten They do. And what do these types do? Necrotic Venom: Causes rapid death of living tissue around the injection area. The area of necrosis expands outward until the creature dies. I didnt know all of those words, but the info that this blessing gave me, and the information that was in my brain, told me something along the lines of Rots away flesh until the target is dead. It sounded pretty nasty The mana-sapping venom was more straightforward. It would cause the target to lose mana at a rapid rate, effectively draining their strength. This venom would be highly useful against enemies that could use magic. Adrenaline Rush: Gives you a short burst of extreme speed. After this skills effects wear off, you will become exhausted. Can only be used once per day. Defensive? I thought this evolution was supposed to give me defensive skills? I was certain this could be used offensively. Although, the drawback of the skill would probably be detrimental if I decided to use this offensively. I imagined this was meant as an escape tool instead. An interesting spell, but not something that could be used recklessly. Chitinous Plating Further hardens your carapace by adding an extra layer of protection, offering far greater defensive capabilities. Yep. This was what I was looking for. Another layer of protection? I instantly confirmed I wanted to enhance this skill without thinking twice. I went through the changes and couldnt focus on the blue square before me as the enhancement brought pain with it, followed by an extreme itch under the entirety of my carapace. I was starting to regret my decision when the pain and the itch faded. Relieved, I went on to check out the last skill on my list. Muscular Augmentation: Further strengthens your limbs, increasing their strength significantly. With my current size, this would be quite an effective skill to have if I was ever forced to fight in melee or if I could fight against creatures for which magic wasnt necessary and remain safe, which was probably quite a few by now. I imagined Id reached the point where I could start to squish wolves or well, at least fight them head-on with my legs and fangs. I was wondering just how effective it would be in the dungeon. Without double thinking about it, I confirmed I wanted this skill as well. I went over the changes and then started wondering about what I should do next. The other new skills altogether would cost me 380 evolution points. I decided to do just that as I saw proper use for all of the new abilities. They would all help out in a fight, or help me get away from a fight I couldnt win. It wasnt a hard choice. Cellestra watched me go through all the selected enhancements. I swear I could see her wince when I felt pain shooting through my body at some of the enhancements. Was it visible in my eyes or something? After going through all those changes, I was down to 72 evolution points. I then decided to look at what the future had in store for me. Iridescent Queen Aquent* Evolution that grants the Devour (Dominion) skill upon reaching final evolution. The skill assimilates parts of consumed creatures bodies, giving a small chance to gain the ability to exert dominion over living creatures belonging to the consumed creatures species. Dominion increases as more of the same species are consumed. Iridescent Queen Kizerain* Evolution that grants the Devour (Evolving) skill upon reaching final evolution. The skill assimilates parts of consumed creatures bodies, giving a small chance to gain either more evolution points, or new enhancements based on the creatures consumed. Iridescent Empress Kizerain* Evolution that grants the Devour (Control) skill upon reaching final evolution. The skill assimilates parts of the consumed creatures bodies, giving a moderate chance to add skills that are inherent to the consumed creatures species to your spiderlings. *Requires currently unearned achievements. You must kill the creatures yourself in order for the Devour effect to work. 1.74 Moral Faragi /End of chapter dump. Hope you enjoyed :3 Posted chapters 63-74. Make sure to not accidentally skip :) I would still have to look at the skills that I could possibly merge now, but I was pretty curious about the skill that would give evolution points. It seemed the blessing had meant the second option that was now present as a next evolution choice. I stared at the blue square before me for a long time, and I noticed Cellestra watching me. She didnt say a word. All she did was smile slightly as she shifted into a more comfortable sitting position next to me. I was reminded that I should try to get home a bit earlier today as I was still planning to help her out with my spells. She hadnt asked, but I could see she was anxious to learn more. It was a bit harder to do it in our spare time, now that I couldnt get inside her house anymore. We would have to do it outside while it was still light out. I still stared at the evolution options and tried to process what each of them meant. Initially, before I knew what the options were, Id been interested in the option that would give evolution points because I felt I was lacking them. If I looked at how things were going right now, though, I didnt feel like I was lacking them as much anymore. I still had two evolutions to go, and it didnt seem like the spell ranks would increase further. Thus, the value of that evolution had declined steadily. However, this was something completely different from what I had expected. This evolution would also allow me to learn new skills, increasing my strength, even after reaching the final evolution. It was far more interesting than Id expected. The other options looked incredibly strong too, though. I was currently staring at the first option, trying to figure out exactly how it worked. Dominion? Did this evolution revolve around controlling other creatures actions? Affirmative. While it looked incredibly strong (I assumed it could be used on sapient creatures too) I had no intention of doing anything like that. Everything about this evolution went against my principles. I did not want to control other creatures actions. Strong as it may be, I would never forgive myself for choosing this. The third option Spiderlings? As in mine? Affirmative. An army of minions that could grow ever stronger would be incredibly powerful, but I would run into much of the same issues. I didnt recall myself thinking about whether Id be able to reproduce in my current form well, there was that one spider that had tried to court me but I just wasnt interested in finding out about it. The thought of breeding spiders was just Disturbing. While the ability to hatch and command a small army of powerful spiders would, without a doubt, be incredibly powerful, the very idea of it creeped me out too much to even consider it. It simply meant that I was left with one option. I would have to continue killing, and even eating creatures in order to get evolution points and the new skills. It wasnt quite what I had hoped for, but I would have to eat, either way, right? I was currently starving, and there was no way I would be able to get myself properly fed without killing other creatures. If that was the case, it would at least mean that I killed with purpose. I had no objections to that. If anything, it made me feel somewhat comfortable, knowing that what I killed wasnt just going to be left alone, seemingly killed for nothing but sport. Tough choices? Cellestra asked all of a sudden. I had to think for a moment before I started spelling out what was going on. Not tough. Was more of moral choice than anything else. Had to reflect. Moral? Please explain? Cellestra said as she cocked her head after she observed me spell. Next evolution is three choices. Two choices went against my morals. Last choice will still have me kill creatures after final evolution. Will need to eat them to grow stronger. But thats fine? Cellestra replied with a question. I mean youve got to eat, right? That is what I thought, too. Heh, The elf chuckled. Getting stronger by eating. I wonder what Elysa was thinking when she made that I assume she made that part of your blessing, or whatever. It truly makes me wonder I didnt know either. I didnt know if the goddess had anything planned for me in particular, or how much she would be able to in the first place. This whole blessing thing it was a tool. It made me powerful, but in the end, it felt shallow. Elysa, what have you planned for me? My mind was about to wander off to what my future would hold, but I quickly stopped it from overwhelming me. I had to take care of other things. My virtues compelled me to make sure no innocents would be killed in a few days time. I had today, and then four more days before I would set out to scout the area where Id seen the humans. I didnt have any time to lose. Do not know, I finally replied to Cellestra. I truly feel for you, you know? She said. The uncertainty and the gloomy outlook of your new life She shook her head. I hope that speech ability will finally make you feel a bit more of your old self. Her words hurt, but at the same time, filled me with warmth as I felt the compassion in her tone. It felt heartwarming to have someone talk to me in such a manner. I let her words resonate in my mind while I asked my blessing to merge the skills that I could merge, one by one. There was no pain when things seemed to change within my body. Rather, there was a pleasant warm feeling that I could get used to. Minutes passed by as I felt skill after skill being combined with other skills, creating stronger versions of already existing skills. At the end of it all, I asked Elysa to show me a clear overview of what had changed. Very Strong Exoskeleton Hardening has merged with Chitinous Plating to form Layered Exoskeleton Plating. Very Strong Leg and Pedipalp Strengthening has merged with Muscular Augmentation to form Limb Augmentation. The new skill also increases the strength of your fangs. Very Strong Mana Reserves has merged with Very Strong Mana Regeneration and Mana Manipulation to form Mana Control. Besides the second skill offering an addition, and the first one to form a more powerful skill, I wasnt sure about the last one. I checked my skill list, and had to ascertain that the least it did was shrink my list by a few items. That wasnt so bad, I guessed. I sighed mentally as I knew the time had come to head out again. Why was my new life filled by a seemingly perpetual struggle between wanting to stay somewhere and being forced to kill in order to be able to stay somewhere in the first place? I tapped Cellestras lap and spelled out more words. Have to head out now. Hope to be back before evening. Still need to practice new spell. Youre going to the dungeon, right? I nodded. Just be careful. Ive read that nasty things tend to happen inside dungeons. I nodded again, smiling in my mind at her concern. Will be fine. I still had to go through the achievements I needed, but the truth was that I was ravenous. I really needed to eat something, or Id go crazy. I would hunt something first, and then look over my achievements while I was eating. I wondered what I should hunt. Would raw deer taste good? Cellestra stood up and I waved at her as I headed off in the direction of the dungeon. I saw her wave back and left her behind with pain in my heart. These feelings just didnt seem to go away Somehow, I was left thinking about how I would sound once I got a voice to speak. I hoped it would not be some gutter speak kind of voice. I felt like it was important to have a voice that Cellestra would like I emptied my mind and kept my eyes wide open (not that I could do otherwise) as I made my way towards the dungeon. This thermal vision was convenient, especially when hunting. The problem was that there wasnt anything of real value in the area. Squirrels and rabbits were simply too small to fill my stomach. I would have to slaughter dozens of them, and that just wasnt my style. I would settle for a deer, or even a boar. My legs felt much more powerful now with the new enhancement and skill merge. It served to add to my speed. I doubted there were many things in or outside of the forest that could even keep up when I ran at my top speed. Thanks to my thermal vision, I soon spotted a deer behind nearby vegetation. I would have easily missed it if not for that skill. The deer in question had apparently spotted me too, which truly wasnt hard anymore. It started running away. I gave chase. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons. Thanks for your support <3 Sczx liam Other Viria Curtis1122 Sean Will Robin Vanessa Pawnzer WhiteRabbit James daykina MG Handler Slips Update for people interested in supporting on Patreon. I''m up to 88 chapters finished now, which will hopefully increase to 89 tonight. In the near future, after getting a few more, I hope to work on Elania and TKES at the same time. I should mention that for the moment, you will get everything unlocked, no matter the pledge, as I''m still working on getting my own website up in the future (No idea when yet) Thanks for the support peeps <3 Hope y''all enjoy <3 1.75 Snakes Faragi If you haven''t read the other chapters I dumped earlier, don''t forget to check them (63-74) This evolution had done wonders for my physical strength. I caught up to the creature within seconds and jumped on top of it, pinning it down to the ground. My size and strength had made this all too easy. I finished the female deer off with a stab to the head, killing it almost instantly. You have killed a Large Royal Forest Deer: No experience was awarded. That came as no surprise. It was getting easy to kill these creatures. I had started to outgrow them in more ways than one, after all. I didnt hunt this creature for experience either way. I needed something to eat. I stared at the creature that now lay on the ground, wishing I had arms and tools to cut it open. Instead, I had to use the ends of my legs like knives to tear open its skin and expose the beasts flesh. Not caring about how it looked, I dove down and started tearing into its juicy, raw meat with my teeth. I found that the meat was quite good, albeit very tough. Since I did not intend to spend hours eating, I decided to upgrade my jaws and teeth skill by two levels, costing me 55 points and leaving me one level shy of its maximum upgrade. After the changes had taken effect I found that eating was quite a bit easier. It was still slightly tough, but more than doable now. A bit of salt would not be misplaced here I continued eating and decided to check out the achievements I would need for my next evolution in the meantime. I remembered Id gotten several achievements earlier that were not required for the next evolution at that time, but were necessary for future evolutions. I wondered if any would show up now. I mean it was either now, or the next evolution Achievements required for Iridescent Queen Aquent/Iridescent Queen Kizerain/Iridescent Empress Kizerain: Bloodbath Kill 100 creatures with a single attack or spell. (Complete) Dungeon Delver Kill your first dungeon creature. (Complete) Treasure Trove Loot a dungeon treasure. Its a trap! Trigger or disable a dungeon trap. Wanted: Dead or well, dead. Kill an undead enemy. Regicide Kill a queen of any species. So All evolutions needed the same achievements? Elysa? Affirmative. That did make things at least a little bit easier. Most of these did not appear like they would be problematic. I do recall there being a specific spell aimed at killing undead. I should probably enhance that one whenever I encounter any undead creatures. If I remembered correctly, they were one of the more common creatures that dwelled inside dungeons. If that was the case for this dungeon, then all these achievements were really just aimed at forcing me into a dungeon. Well, I planned to do it anyway, so The very last achievement was the only one that stood out. A queen? Like a queen bee? Ants had queens too, right? Id go and explore this dungeon first. If by any chance I ran into a queen of some species there, it would be nice, but otherwise, I might have to revisit that giant ant colony. There was bound to be a queen there somewhere. Silence fell over my surroundings as I ate the deers meat. I noticed that any creatures in the nearby area had fled the scene. I couldnt blame them. As I ate, I focused on the normal meat. Eating the creatures organs wasnt for me. The mere thought of it made me nauseous. I was confident there would be nearby scavengers happy to clean up after me. With renewed energy after a filling meal, I continued my journey to the dungeon. My speed was unparalleled. I reached the dungeon entrance far faster than the day before. The trees corpse was still present, as was the deer that Id killed, although that one was visibly mutilated as other predators and scavengers had eaten large portions of it. There was no sign of human activity in this area. Everything else was the same as when Id left it yesterday. I checked the clearing for footsteps, to make sure that nobody was aware of the dungeon that was present. I didnt need people checking up on what was going on here when I intended to use this as my hunting grounds. If it was discovered and made public knowledge that there was a dungeon here, who knows how many adventurers would show up? I didnt need any of that. I didnt know how active this forest was in regard to sapient creatures passing through. This place was bound to be discovered eventually, and I intended to make as much use of it as I could before it was. I skittered over to the tunnel entrance and started clawing away the dirt, expanding the maw. I kept digging, which went surprisingly well, until Id laid bare the stone walls leading further down. The entrance was now wide enough that I was confident I could fit through, even in the next evolution or two. The path was about fifteen feet wide, and at least ten high. Digging had taken quite a while, but I wouldnt have to do it again. The way led gradually down. It wasnt too steep, but it was evident this tunnel kept leading down. It was pitch black, but fortunately, my eyes seemed to work well enough in the dark that I didnt bump into anything. I could make out most of the surroundings, and imagined that my thermal vision would help out as soon as any creatures showed up. I then started wondering how undead creatures would appear to me with my thermal vision. Would they show in the same colors? They were dead. Would they show any heat? Why was I making this so complicated when I didnt have to? I created a flame spell that floated in front of me, illuminating the surroundings very clearly. Its mana cost was negligible, so I might as well use this. The stone walls extended ever forward, with no sign of stopping. It made me wonder how this dungeon was laid out. Id heard stories about some dungeons being literal mazes where people would get lost and simply die because they couldnt get out again. In that regard, having one tunnel would make it easy to navigate. A few minutes of careful skittering later, I heard the first sounds of activity. A hissing sound came from the darkness outside of my flames illumination range. The image of something that resembled a giant snake appeared in my thermal vision. It wasnt red as Id expected, but the blue color it gave off was still easily recognized. What was odd about this snake was that behind its head, its body expanded outwards, giving it the illusion of having very broad shoulders? Then its body converged again into a long tail. Thats a weird snake. Its body was large. Although, most of my body was behind my head. All in all, I still outsized it by quite a lot. I got close enough that I could strike it with a spell. I still had my multi-barrier active. Id activated it when I headed out, as was my routine nowadays. I still did not intend to get hit, as I didnt know anything about this creatures strength. I fired my spell, a high-velocity ice lance, at the creature. Its shoulders were an excellent target. I fired a second one directly after the first, and both hit the creature where I intended to hit it. The icicles flew right through the creatures body, leaving massive gaping holes through which it quickly bled out. The only thing that the creature was able to do was hiss loudly, open its mouth and spray venom at me. Most of it landed on the stone floor in front of me, but some of it landed in my two large eyes. I was happy Id taken the highest level of toxin resistance as I barely even felt it. You have killed a Titan Cave King Cobra: EXP+420 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 75 EP. I noticed that the number of evolution points that I received had not changed since my last evolution. There werent many more interesting spells for me to gain at the moment, but it was a bit disappointing. I would have loved to clean up the list by upgrading all my enhancements to their maximum levels. The good news was that these creatures gave me experience. It hadnt been hard to kill this snake-like creature that was apparently known as a king cobra, so to know it gave experience was a relief. I had started to continue my way down the tunnel when more hisses and blue outlines appeared before me. I could make out three more of these creatures, and apparently, they had spotted me, as they started slithering my way. Faragi Thank you so much for the support on Patreon <3 Also, don''t forget there''s a discord server with many readers :D https://discord.gg/TqFjdv8uaE Special shoutout to my new Patrons <3 Empress of Iron maxime You Fool Citrakayah Eric Bela Baracko 1.76 Dungeon Faragi THE TIME HAS COME IT IS HERE Also: In case anyone is wondering how I imagined kealyna to be pronounced: http://ipa-reader.xyz/?text=k%20e%C9%AA%20li%20n%C9%91:&voice=Joanna Three large snakes against a massively oversized spider. I liked the odds of that. It gave me the perfect opportunity to try out one of the skills I hadnt used before: Cyclone. I cast it on one of the three large cobras that were on their way to fight me, capturing it within a small tornado from which it couldnt break free. I then threw threads at the second creature and used my manipulation to chain it to the floor, so to say. My threads were incredibly tough, and it didnt appear like this snake was going to break free anytime soon. That left me with one opponent coming my way. It was perhaps unnecessary to incapacitate them, but I wanted to know what I could do against unknown opponents. In my opinion, I needed to build up combat experience with this body, and I needed to know the extent of my abilities. In order to at least conserve some mana, I struck the last remaining enemy with two paralytic venom bolts. It seemed to have the same idea of shooting venom at me, but I was prepared and summoned an air wall to block the projectiles. A barrier consisting of air drafting upwards appeared in front of me just before the spray of venom reached me. The winds blew the venom upward and away from me, almost sending it back at my assailant. My own attacks hit the target in its broad shoulders, and I skittered backward slowly as I watched the creature slow down, and, eventually, fall to the ground, where it tried to slither, but didnt manage to move more than a couple of inches. I approached it, and finished the creature off with a stab of my leg to the head. You have killed a Titan Cave King Cobra: EXP+401 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 75 EP. I then turned my attention to the creature that was now completely bound to the floor by my silken restraints. It wouldnt be possible for it to even aim venom at me with its fangs. I closed in on it and finished it off as well. You have killed a Titan Cave King Cobra: EXP+433 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 4! You have been awarded 75 EP. Now all I had to do was wait for the cyclone to dissipate. Or did I? I wondered if I could attack something that had been trapped by my cyclone spell. The winds that surrounded the target blew at an insane rate. I doubted any spells could pass through. I decided to try, nonetheless. I fired a high-velocity ice lance at the trapped target, hoping the extra speed it had would be enough to break through the wall of winds. Unfortunately, that wasnt the case. The icicle bounced off of the cyclone and shattered against the wall to the left. I guessed that meant that projectiles couldnt penetrate the winds. I was glad I tried it out. This might imply that there is some defensive use to the cyclone spell as well. I would have tried the earthen spike next, but the ground beneath my many feet was made of rock, so it was impossible to try that. Instead, I used my lightning arc spell to see if that worked. The spell connected with my target in an instant, even with the cyclone still swirling strongly. I wasnt sure if that meant it worked, but I could feel the mana cost and the damage of my spell increasing over a few seconds. I kept it up to see what happened until a message showed up. You have killed a Titan Cave King Cobra: EXP+413 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 5! You have been awarded 75 EP. It was interesting to see that this worked. However, it would be wasteful to do this when it wasnt absolutely necessary. Id already found out that I could fight these creatures without too much effort. There was simply no need for me to spend mana on a cyclone and then more mana on a lightning arc to kill one. If I had a cyclone active, like now, it wasnt a bad idea, though. To be fair, my mana reserves were gigantic, now that I had evolved into an even larger spider. I hardly felt the mana missing even after firing off several spells. Confidently, I walked on. I took a quick look at my personal information and noticed that the experience I needed per level had started going up far more than my previous evolutions. While looking at the blue square that floated in front of me, I heard a clicking sound as I felt one of my hind legs sink slightly into the stone ground beneath me, followed by a new message. Achievement earned: Its a trap! Trigger or disable a dungeon trap. You have been awarded 150 EP You have been awarded 300 EXP Hidden requirements for future evolution complete. At the same time the message showed up, an explosion of light happened around me, and I felt something sharp stick up under my abdomen. Something had pierced my body, but it seemed that my barrier spell had absorbed most of the damage. I still felt pain under my abdomen, but it was manageable. I turned around to see several metal spikes tipped with some of my blood sink back into the ground. I cursed at myself for activating a trap like that. I was lucky to have my barriers active. I quickly cast them again as they had been completely depleted by that trap. I followed up by casting healing light until the pain disappeared, which turned out to be two casts. I skittered over to where my leg had sunk into the stone and noticed there was a loose stone. I pressed it down and saw the spikes shoot up once more. The stone in question was quite hard to make out from its surroundings. It blended in almost perfectly and it left me wondering. Sure, Id gotten the achievement I needed, which was a good thing, but these traps were nigh impossible to spot, even with my perfect eyesight. Id like to avoid more of them as I didnt know if they would be more deadly than this one. I didnt know what the best way to avoid them would be. Ultimately, I decided to spread my legs as far to the sides as possible, nearly touching the walls. Surely, there would be no traps there? I couldnt imagine people walking that close to the walls. I continued onward, and fortunately, the walk through the tunnel wasnt a long one. Soon, I found myself in a massive, open area that was illuminated by a plethora of magical plants and mushrooms. What stretched out before me was a giant swamp. It had everything one would expect when thinking of a swamp, filled with some additions that I am certain were due to the dungeon, such as the luminescent plants and fungi. There was some sort of ceiling far above me which was filled with all kinds of lights. Upon closer inspection, I saw that the light came from gems that had all kinds of different colors. Their colors blended together to create an eerie green light that descended upon the swamp. Everything was easily visible, and I finally canceled my flame spell. I stood in a large archway that led back up to the surface, and I took my time looking around. There was some sort of dirt path that led forward from my position. It cut a winding path through the swamp. To either side was dark, murky water that probably held dangerous creatures. I couldnt make out how deep the water was, and I was not intending to find out. Giant plants that I did not recognize grew out of the water, with pink tentacle-like vines that stretched out into the air around it. They seemed to be some kind of carnivorous plants, that is, if the giant insects that were seemingly stuck to the tentacles were anything to go by. I noticed the water to my left bubble, and a pungent smell of rotten eggs entered my nostrils wherever they were. The smell made me nauseous, but I remained where I was and kept looking around to see what this place had in store for me. In the distance, I saw a colossal, blue toad extend its tongue to catch an equally oversized mosquito out of the air. The creature almost rivaled me in size, and I was certain it would give me the experience points I was looking for. Then, to my right, I saw something that, at first resembling a tree trunk, rose up from the murky water, before I realized it was the snout of a crocodile. At least, thats what the creature looked like at first. It dragged itself out of the water onto land and came running my way. It was then I noticed it had six legs and a spiky ball at the end of its tail. It would seem my first opponent had arrived. 1.77 Sand I was quick to attack it with a high-velocity ice lance as the creature closed in on me. Unfortunately for me, the beasts scales turned out to be tougher than Id expected, and the ice lance bounced off harmlessly. I then opted to use an attack that Id taken exactly for a moment like these. I summoned an earthen spike under the creatures belly, which should be vulnerable, or so I thought. It appeared my thoughts were correct, as a spike erupted from the dirt beneath the creature, and impaled it with great force. I could see the spike penetrate all the way through and create a bump on the beasts back, where it touched the inside of its scales. The creature roared in obvious pain, but its roars soon died down, along with it. You have killed a Large Mire Crocolisk: EXP+456 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 6! You have been awarded 75 EP. So far, so good. Nothing Id run into yet had proven to be an issue. I would have to stay careful, though. My biggest enemy here might be the terrain. I had no idea what lurked in the dark, muddy waters well, besides these crocolisks, obviously. My thermal vision couldnt see anything, but I knew there were likely to be more of these creatures underwater. I hadnt seen the first either, so it would be a safe assumption. If I followed this path, wherever it led, there was no doubt in my mind that more of these creatures would show up. I could, of course, use water walk to walk across the water instead, but that sounded like a plain stupid idea. Then again, this creature hadnt been too hard to kill. Could I simply walk the path and be fine? I could try running across too. However, I was here for experience and achievements. I quickly checked the achievements I needed and looked around this area. I would need to find a treasure while down in this dungeon, and this area didnt seem like it held any. There were probably more creatures to kill which would net me experience, but there was no point in doing so if I lacked the necessary achievements at the end. I decided I may as well go wherever this path led. There was no treasure to be found here. I took a good look around before I set off to get through this swamp as quickly as my legs could carry me. As I ran, I noticed several crocolisks emerge from the waters that Id just passed. They were far too slow to get me. I kept running until I was at the end of the path, where the massive toad was seemingly waiting for me. Its eyes darted over to me and I saw its mouth open. I instinctively put up an earthen wall between us and heard something impacting it. I allowed the wall to fall to the ground where it remained and skittered around it. The toad was still in the process of retracting its tongue when I summoned threads and wrapped them around its maw when its tongue was back inside. I then summoned two high-velocity ice lances and watched them penetrate the toads slimy, weak skin. You have killed a Noxious Titan Swamp Toad: EXP+333 Noxious? I guessed that meant it was poisonous not that I intended to eat it anyway I turned around and observed the swamp one last time. Several crocolisks were walking about on the dirt path, but they soon returned to the waters as their apparent prey was long gone. A swarm of mosquitos buzzed from one side of the swamp to the other but ignored me. For all I knew, I was their natural enemy. Well, I was a spider, after all The path led forward and the swamp to both sides had stopped. It then led down again as the ground turned into black dirt on both sides. A large wall came into view, much like on the other end of the swamp, with an arch that was an exact copy. I exited the swamp area and found myself in a much smaller, but still large, square stone room. Torches lit the place. There were many of them on each of the four walls. In the center of the room was a circle-shaped pit filled with light brown sand. I didnt quite know what that was doing here, but I assumed it was in some way important as the rest of the floor was made of solid stone. There simply had to be a reason for that being here. I approached it warily, ready to jump back at the smallest sign of life, all while observing the four walls. There were no doors or anything, the dungeon appeared to end here, which was odd. I had heard that dungeons were supposed to have a core room, where the core of the dungeon, usually a giant crystal ball that swirled with magic, resided. They were always placed at the end of the dungeon, and I saw no such room here. It made me even warier of the sand. The circle was about ten feet in diameter, and was by no means small. The only thing that I could imagine was that there was some kind of tunnel beneath the sand that may lead to the next area. It would be foolish to just start digging, though. Who knew what could be in that sand? I noticed something move in the sand and instantly jumped back and landed gracefully on all eight legs. I watched the sand and saw it shift as something seemed to stir beneath it. I was ready to unleash all kinds of spells if whatever was down inside would emerge. The sand was pushed up and up, as a bump grew. I was expecting something to appear, but it was just a giant blob of sand that kept growing. Eventually, some kind of creature covered in sand exited the sandpit and moved onto the stone floor. What was this thing? All I could tell was that it was something amorphous that was covered by sand. As I was wondering what it was, I saw some sand being sucked inward before a bolt of sand was fired at me. The bolt impacted my barrier and exploded into grains that got into my eyes. I didnt recall ever being so happy that my eyes seemed to be protected by some kind of film. Okay, so whatever this was, was hostile. Another bolt was fired at me, but Id already seen the same pattern occur where it seemed to inhale some sand, and put up my air wall, which redirected the sand bolt upward and away from me. I replied by firing a high-velocity ice lance. Hopefully, it would penetrate the sandy shell and damage whatever was inside. That wasnt the case. The sand seemed to form a hard shell, and the ice lance shattered. It did, however, scrape off a bit of sand. So that wasnt going to work. Another bolt of sand was fired at me, but was once again deflected by my air wall, which was still active. I started my lightning arc channel and saw it hit the sand creature. However, something was off. I did not feel the mana cast and the power behind the spell increase. I could feel it hadnt connected to whatever was inside the sand shell. I canceled the spell as I knew it wasnt doing anything to my covered target. A long appendage grew from the sand creature and reached above my head. I quickly jumped to the side as the sand fist was brought down. I was left thinking about how to fight this thing. The only option that I saw before me was removing the sand bit by bit, but I didnt know how thick the layer of sand was. For all I knew, this creature was nothing but sand. If that was the case, Id be long out of mana before I made any progress, if the result of the ice lance from before was anything to go by. This creatures defense was immaculate. Its offense, on the other hand, seemed to be quite mediocre. These sand bolts and physical attacks seemed to be easily negated. For a moment, I considered using my flame beam in an attempt to cook whatever was inside, so to say, but my other spells had not shown any result. Maybe this creature was completely immune to magic? If my lightning arc didnt have any effect, I doubted a spell derived from lightning arc would have any. If magic did not work, and the creatures attacks were this weak, there was the option of using physical attacks. If scraping off sand was the way to go, I could accomplish that with my far too many legs. And there was one additional thing that could help out with that. 1.78 Floor Two If I was going to be stabbing things with my legs, I may as well enhance the imbue elements spell. It would increase the power behind my attacks, and with the highest level effect, I would have a chance of striking twice however that worked. Maybe those icicles would also help a bit. Who knew? I doubted the fire effect would do much, but if three out of four effects would work, Id be happy. I increased the distance between me and the sand creature and confirmed I wanted to enhance the imbue elements ability. One rank at a time, the information flooded my brain. I had to dodge two sand bolts that were thrown at me as I was undergoing the changes, but the tell before they were fired was clear enough to easily dodge those, even as my body experienced pain at some points of the process. After the spell was etched into my brain, I immediately cast it and recast my barrier spell as well. I then charged at the sand creature and started hacking away at it with my legs. Bit by bit, I started scraping off sand. The creature replied with attacks of its own. Appendages grew and tried to slash at me. Likewise, it kept using its sand bolt ability, which was easily blocked by my barrier. My barrier took quite a few hits, but the explosion effect never triggered, which reinforced the impression that this creatures attacks were weak. I kept up my flurry of attacks with my many legs. The water and fire effects that were included in this imbuement did not seem to do anything. I had a few icicles appear in mid-air that flew out to strike the creature, but they seemed to be a weaker version of my ice lance and thus didnt do much in terms of damage. I could, however, feel the effects of the earthen blessing. My attacks had more force behind them, and I did manage to scrape off the sand at a far faster rate than I would when using spells. The best part was that this had hardly cost me any mana. As for the wind effect, it was amazing. Sometimes, when my legs struck, they would simply be pulled back to where they were a fraction of a second before the impact, and strike again. I couldnt even notice them being pulled back, all I knew was that Id struck twice. This was far more powerful than I could have imagined, especially against a creature like this. The creature did not seem bothered by sand falling off of its body. It was fixated on spitting out bolts and growing appendages, which I allowed to attack me, just so I could stand still and continue my flurry of attacks. Eventually, it appeared that I had removed enough sand from the creature to expose something underneath it. I could see a few parts of what was hidden under all the sand. Greenish skin started getting exposed in several spots where I had made dents in its armor. I continued hacking and stabbing to expand those dents. Some of my attacks hit the greenish body and I noticed a slimy, sticky substance stuck on my legs. It appeared I was dealing with some sort of slime. I had dealt with slimes on rare occasions. While I couldnt call myself experienced with these creatures, I had never seen, or heard, about any slime like this existing. Slimes are transparent, and have one weak spot, their core. This specific slime was covered in too much armor to even see where the core was located. The slime attacked me again with a weak bolt of sand, and my explosion triggered, sending a shockwave of holy energy in a pulse away from me. I saw it burn the exposed outer membrane of the slime, but knew that if I was correct, it would hardly do any damage to it. Confident that I could finish this before I had to cast my barrier again, I kept up the attack and hacked away more sand until I could make out more of the creatures body. Eventually, I had created a hole large enough that I could see a red orb the size of a fist floating in the creature. I fired a well-aimed high-velocity ice lance at it and saw the icicle easily pierce, and then impale, the creatures vulnerable core. With that, I stepped back, as I knew the creature was dead. You have killed a Burrower Sand Slime: EXP+ 2250 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 7! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 8! You have been awarded 75 EP. Achievement earned: Whos the boss now? Kill a dungeon floor boss. You have been awarded 150 EP. You have been awarded 300 EXP. Hidden requirement for future evolution complete. The creature before me seemed to lose all consistency and sink into a pile of sand mixed with slime. I had turned my attention to the messages that had just appeared when I heard the grinding of stone coming from the wall that was across from where I entered. Instinctively, I ran back to the archway and turned around to see what was going on. I thought that I might have activated another trap by accident, but instead, the wall was slowly moving down into the floor. I could see an opening behind the wall come into view and realized that it was some kind of passage that seemed to unlock with the death of the I turned my attention to the last message that was still before me in a blue square. Floor boss. I was conflicted. I wanted to explore this dungeon further as this first floor did not seem to have what I needed from this dungeon: a treasure. I was scared that this wall may close again after Id passed through, locking me up inside this dungeon. Elysa, you seem to want me to explore a dungeon. Can you tell me how they work? This wall will not close again until you leave the dungeon. Dungeons cannot close pathways that open after killing certain monsters such as floor bosses. This can only be done after the creatures that trigger these mechanics have been respawned by the dungeon core, which can only happen after all foreign entities have left the dungeons premises. That was exactly the information I was looking for. Thank you, Elysa. I was still anxious about this, but I didnt recall this blessing ever lying to me. Incomplete information, sure, but this time it specifically said that that wall would not close again until Id left the dungeon. I decided to venture deeper. Instead of a tunnel or hallway, I entered another large, open area. Although this one was completely dark. Even with my spider vision, I could hardly make out anything. It was as if this was a special kind of darkness, which sent shivers down my spine. I created a flame spell to illuminate my surroundings. What came into my view were ruins lots of them. Walls that barely stood up, buildings without roofs and with holes in their ramparts, wooden towers that looked as if the slightest breeze would cause them to collapse, and, perhaps the most ominous of all, I could see skeletons Before me was an obviously abandoned stone city, with skeletons spread all over the place. Without thinking twice, I chose to upgrade the Holy Pulse enhancement. I just knew there were going to be undead here. The lack of anything moving around all but confirmed it. The spells knowledge was pushed into my brain, which actually hurt quite a bit. I remained where I was, not wanting to disturb anything on this floor. After I had enhanced the spell, I slowly made my way to one of the lone buildings on the abandoned citys outskirts. I noticed that there were a few small buildings like these that were mostly intact. They looked to be used for storage, as they were too small for anyone to live in. I hoped that would mean there could be treasure inside. I doubted it would be good, but treasure was treasure. I needed it for an achievement, after all. Hell, I would need to kill something undead as well for an achievement, so I kind of hoped to run into at least one undead creature, but the sheer number of skeletons that was spread out throughout this place had me shivering. I made sure to recast my barrier so it was at full strength. I would search these smaller buildings while being on the lookout for any undead creatures coming my way. I reached the first small building and peeked inside. I couldnt enter it because my abdomen was too large. As I had suspected, it was a storage unit. Planks that were once fastened to the walls were now laying on the floor, as well as broken pots and whatever their contents were. Nothing was recognizable anymore. That was a bit of a letdown, but there were many more buildings like this. There was also the city itself. I shuddered at the thought of what might hide inside some of the larger buildings. 1.79 Treasure? I left the small storage building behind as I made my way to the next across a small stone road that led to the city. I stepped over a skeleton or two on the way there and shivered as I thought about what had happened here. Where did these skeletons come from? What was this dead city? I knew I was inside a dungeon, but seeing a city like this it felt all too real. It felt as if this city had once been a real city. I didnt know how to explain it. I just felt it. I didnt want to think about it. I wanted to get the achievements that I needed and then hightail it out of here. This place was not for me. I realized now how blessed I was to have never run into any undead before. Even if I hadnt seen them, I knew I would be creeped out the moment I laid eyes on one. The only light in the darkness was that I had a spell that was specifically meant to kill them? I peered into the next storage building and noticed much of the same: broken pots, splintered planks, and white powder everywhere, which I assumed was flour. I sighed mentally and moved on to the next building. The longer I stayed on this floor, the worse my anxiety got. I did not like being here one bit. I would be more than thankful once this was all over and Id find myself in a forest again. At least Id know what awaited me there. When I peered into the next building, there was nothing there except for a wooden chest in the center of the small building. Unable to enter the storage unit, and wary enough for any kinds of traps, I walked back away from the entrance and fired a line of thread at the chest. I then dragged it outside. I heard a clicking sound, much like the one that I heard when I stepped on the trap in the tunnel, and I immediately switched into a combat-ready stance. No trap was present inside the building, and nothing noteworthy happened, but I knew something was off. My barriers were still active, and I prepared to put down elemental walls and fire my own spells. I increased the intensity of my flame spell in order to illuminate a larger area. I then saw several of the skeletons in my vicinity start to move. As soon as I knew what was going on, I started channeling my holy pulse spell. A nova of holy light expanded outward until it was about 15 feet away from me where it dissipated into the air. There were about five skeletons within the area that the nova passed through. I could see their bones burn and blacken slightly as the nova crashed over them. They were still in the process of standing up, having mostly finished pulling themselves together from the low piles of bones they had been. They didnt seem at all bothered by the spell, although it had obviously done some harm to them. A second or three after the first ring of holy fire was fired, the next pulse was sent out. I could feel its mana cost had increased, and as soon as the wave hit the bones of the skeletons, they turned mostly black. My new enemies now stood upright and started to charge at me. They were unarmed, but seemed unrelenting. I had no idea whether my attack had actually hurt them. I didnt know if undead could feel any pain, either. Judging from their actions, they did not. The next wave of holy fire was sent out, and turned the skeletons bones completely black. As it hit them, I also heard unholy screams that made me wince in pain. Correction, it seemed they did feel some sort of pain. They were still charging at me, and eventually reached me. Since they lacked any kind of weapon, all they could do was claw at me, which was easily blocked by my legs. I was surprised to discover that I had sufficient coordination with my limbs to block all five skeletons attacks at the same time. It was then that my holy pulse fired another shockwave of light that was significantly stronger than the ones that came before. Its mana cost was proportionally higher, and put a small dent in my sizeable mana pool. As the wave washed over the undead, their already black bones turned into nothing but ash, which fell to the ground. Where there were once enemies, now remained nothing but a few piles of ash. You have killed a Skeleton Civilian: EXP + 234 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 75 EP. You have killed a Skeleton Civilian: EXP + 221 You have killed a Skeleton Civilian: EXP + 252 You have killed a Skeleton Civilian: EXP + 239 You have killed a Skeleton Farmer: EXP + 201 Achievement earned: Wanted: Dead or well, dead. Kill an undead enemy. You have been awarded 150 EP. You have been awarded 197 EXP. Requirement for future evolution complete. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Cap Reached. With my enemies dead, I sent out one more pulse of the spell, in case any new skeletons had appeared. None were caught by the spells effects. I looked around and saw nothing moving in the darkness beyond my flame spell, which was still active. I canceled the holy pulse spell and waited a few moments before turning my attention to what I had been doing before they appeared. The chest that had activated the trap was still waiting for me inside the building. The thread that I used to pull it seemed to have been vaporized by my attack. I shot a new thread at the wooden chest and continued pulling it outside. Once it was outside the building, I opened the chest with my pedipalps. At first, I thought there was nothing inside. I didnt know what I expected as it was the first time Id ever found a dungeon treasure. The only reason I knew it was a treasure in the first place was because of the distinct wooden chest without a lock of any kind. They had been described quite often in the stories Id heard about dungeons. There was no gold or potions inside. When I peeked over the edge of the chest, all I saw was a scroll, bound with a ribbon. Unsure of what it was, I decided to take it back with me to Cellestra. Maybe she would know what it was. The moment I picked up the scroll with my pedipalps, the message Id been hunting for appeared. Achievement earned: Treasure Trove Loot a dungeon treasure. You have been awarded 150 EP. You have been awarded 0 EXP. Requirement for future evolution complete. I was glad to see that I got what I was after. I looked around for a moment to think about my next step. I had all the experience I needed. The only thing I currently lacked to reach my next evolution was to kill a queen of any species. I turned around and made my way to the exit of this place. There was no way I was going to find some kind of queen here. Besides, Id already planned for this. Logic deemed it proper to look for a queen ant in the hive that Id encountered earlier. I skittered back to the exit as fast as I could. I then crossed the room where Id fought the sand slime creature before entering the swamp area again. I never knew Id be this happy to see a swamp. Despite the awful smell that lingered in some areas, this was still a thousand times better than the eerie feeling that the ruined city gave me. I quickly passed through the swamp, paying little attention to the few crocolisks that snapped ineffectually at me. Fortunately, I was too fast for any of them to actually hit me. I then made my way through the tunnel back to the surface, carefully, so as not to trigger the same trap that Id triggered on my way in. Once at the surface, the colors of the forest lifted my spirits. I had no idea how much time passed in the day, so I would make my way back to Cellestra and maybe start working on that nest if there was time remaining. I might have to redo portions of it, but I believed I could make something of a shelter that wouldnt need a complete do-over after my next evolution. There were two reasons that I couldn''t reasonably attempt to immediately seek the ant nest. Firstly, it was already too late in the evening. Secondly, while I knew where it was, I had yet to create an adequate mental map of the forests layout and could only currently navigate using Cellestras house as my point of reference. Straying from known paths would just be asking for trouble. With some luck, I would get to my next evolution tomorrow. I would still have a few days remaining before I planned to explore the area around where Id found the humans. I would need all the time I had. I wondered what kind of achievements I was going to need for my final evolution. As I traveled, I found my mood brightening at the thought of seeing Cellestra again. These feelings would just not go away, would they? 1.80 Gift I was on my way back to Cellestra. I wasnt running at my top speed because I had too much on my mind. I was thankful that I somehow seemed to be able to completely shut that part out of my new life when I was in the dungeon, but now the feelings and thoughts returned tenfold. How would it feel to properly hug Cellestra if I was still my old self? Why did I keep thinking about such impossible things? This was just torture. I started liking her more every day, but it was downright impossible for her to feel the same way. Elysa why? I felt like sitting down, perhaps in a tree, and just crying? Id never felt so hopeless about anything in my life. I didnt know what to do. Should I tell Cellestra about it? The question popped up in my mind once again, and once more, I dismissed it. I did not want Cellestra to view me as a strange being. Well, stranger than I was I heaved a deep mental sigh and continued onward. Trying to get my mind off of things, I took a look at my enhancement options. There were still a few spells that I could take or upgrade and I had more than enough points to take everything and still have plenty left. I decided to wait, though, as I was nearing the next evolution, and the only thing I still needed for it should be fairly easy. I wondered how I was going to find the ant queen. There should be one down in that nest, but goddess knows how big it is. Perhaps I could try using my flame beam ability and just shoot it down into the nest from the mound? That didnt seem like a terrible idea. In fact, it was the only idea I could come up with. A lot of time passed, with my thoughts going in circles. Eventually, I reached Cellestras home. The sun was pretty low over the horizon, already, but there would still be a few hours before nightfall. If that was the case, I figured I should get working on creating some kind of shelter. I feared the current roof would become too small for me in the near future, and I would prefer to stay dry if it rained again. Now would be a good time to work on it. I just needed to find a way to easily expand it when that time came. Then I remembered I also wanted to practice spells with Cellestra whenever I had the time which was also now, theoretically. I wondered if I could somehow do both The door was closed, and the letters were no longer in the grass. It wasnt hard to grasp that Cellestra had taken them back inside. I walked to the window and tapped it. The elf soon came walking out the door with the stack of paper. Welcome back, She said with a smile. Hope things went well? I nodded with my limbs as Cellestra stepped onto the grass. Somehow it was only then that I realized that shed closed the hole that shed dug earlier quite nicely. Not a trace of it was left. It only proved the point that shed covered it up well. Im eager to hear how things went, The elf spoke with excitement in her voice. And Im looking forward to you telling me where you got that scroll. If it is what I think it is, you have found quite something. She pointed at the scroll that was still in my pedipalps. I turned my body to face her as she walked past me and laid out the letters in the grass. It was interesting to see that Cellestra may have an idea of what this scroll was. It made me all the more eager to talk to her. I skittered over to the letters as soon as shed finished placing them and started spelling out with my front two legs. Dungeon went well. Stepped into trap but barrier blocked damage. Got achievement from stepping on trap. Dungeon was massive swamp with path to smaller room. In smaller room I killed sand slime. Was floor boss. Then wall opened to second open area. Was giant ruined city with skeletons. Triggered trap as I found treasure chest. Skeletons came to life. Killed them with holy pulse spell. Got scroll from treasure chest in dungeon. Do not know what it is. I had used as few words as possible, but it still took a long time to spell that all out. Honestly, the patience that Cellestra possessed was admirable. Sounds like an interesting dungeon. Id like to see it for myself some day. Also, with regards to that scroll, I think its a spell scroll, but I cant know for certain until I read the first few words. A spell scroll? Id never heard of that. Spell scroll? I spelled. A scroll that contains either the knowledge of a spell, or a one-time use of the spell. The former is far more valuable. ? I simply pointed at the question mark. Cellestra giggled. Youve never heard of these, have you? I shook my pedipalps. Well then, The brunette started, When you read the scrolls first words it will tell you what it is. You need to be careful not to read too much or the spell contained within will activate in part. When that happens, the rest must be read, or the spell within is lost. If its a single-use scroll, there arent many words to read. Once the words are read, the spell will activate. This allows people without much mana to still cast spells. They are quite pricey for this reason at least thats what Ive been told. The other type, as I said, is more valuable, as in, the spell can be learned. You can read the scroll and then use the spell yourself however many times you want. Though, in that case, there is the restriction that you need to have enough mana. One usually gets scrolls like those appraised to see if they will be able to cast the spell based on the spells name and the persons mana pool. Its quite a complicated process, but its just the way things are. That was a lot of information to take in, but I think I understood most of it. I stretched out my pedipalps and held the scroll forward. Check spell, I wrote with my legs. Are you sure? She asked. I nodded with my legs. Want to know what spell is. Alright, Cellestra said as she took the scroll from me and removed the ribbon. She then rolled out only a small piece of the paper so that only a few lines of text, at most, would be visible. By the goddess. Kealyna, youve struck gold here. Its a permanent spell called Holy Bolt. What do you want to do with it? She asked as she rolled up the paper again. Holy bolt? That sounded like a more direct attack than the one Id used to fight undead. While the spell sounded useful to have against undead, I knew that my spells worked quite differently from the ones that others used. What would happen if I tried to cast normal spells? To be fair, I didnt care so much for this spell. I didnt intend to go down to that floor again anytime soon. Id like to stay as far as I could from any undead. I imagined I could get a more direct holy-based spell sooner or later anyway. You can have, I spelled out. For real? Cellestra asked. You could also sell it, if youd like. I can ask the traveling merchant if hes interested Keep it. Is fine. Have no need. I Cellestra seemed confused. Thank you She said softly. She turned her head away for a moment before looking back at me. I dont know what to say Is fine. See as gift. You have no idea how expensive of a gift this is Is fine, I spelled again, earning a slight smile from the elf. She nodded and put the scroll in a small pack on her belt. Cellestra seemed at a loss for words. I decided to ask the question that was on my mind earlier. Want practice magic? Sure, She replied, with a slight smile still on her face. What spell did you have in mind? Was thinking multi barrier. Curious to know if previous spell makes easier. Spell is combination of physical and magical barrier. That does sound interesting. Lets find out, shall we? 1.81 Scroll Cellestra sat down in the grass next to me and stared in front of her. She then took out the scroll from her pack and looked at me. Say, Kealyna. Why dont you use this? I hadnt thought of it just now, but I think I can learn the spell from you, right? I cursed in my mind. I hadnt thought of it, either. That would be a great idea. Can try. You sure? I spelled. She nodded. Yes. Cellestra unrolled the scroll and held it up before my eyes at the side of my head. I read the first words where it said: Holy Bolt - Permanent spell. I then started reading the lines below. At least, I tried to The words below that were written in a language I could not comprehend in the slightest. Was this some sort of sick joke? I continued staring and confirmed that I couldnt read any of this. Was this a language I didnt know yet? Elysa, what language is this scroll written in? Spell scrolls are written with magic. Any individual can read them, no matter what language they speak. Except for me apparently. Why cant I read this? Elysa...? No answer. It appeared that information wasnt stored within this blessing. I tried to come up with an explanation, and the only thing I could think of was that I either couldnt read spell scrolls at all, because of the magic that was used to write them, or I wouldnt be able to cast with this type of magic in the first place. It was odd, because my goddess-given physical barrier worked differently from the one Id used in my previous life, although I still remembered how to cast that one, too. I hadnt actually tried casting the old version since Id reincarnated because for a while I hadnt had enough mana to do so. What would happen if I tried now? I tried casting the physical barrier spell, as I knew it in my old life but failed. For some reason, I couldnt get the spell to finalize casting. Kealyna? Cellestra asked. The scroll is still here. Are you okay? Am fine. Trying to figure out something, I spelled. Cellestra didnt reply to that. She just watched while I was struggling to cast my old version of my physical barrier. I just couldnt get it to work for some reason. I was certain Id done everything right Elysa? Silence. Once more, I didnt get any kind of reply. I guessed Id have to live with the fact that nothing from my old life would mean anything here, including my looks Sadness washed over me as I peeked at Cellestra. Her long brown hair and strange purple eyes were getting more captivating by the day. If I still had my old body, I was sure Id have hugged her by now. It was hard to leave behind what I once was. It was more than just spells and knowledge. There was new hope for me in this life because of two people being alive that I held close to my heart, yet the future for me seemed bleak. I was having trouble leaving things behind I pushed it away as I always did. I knew I would have to come to terms with everything someday, but I kept pushing it off every time I started thinking about it. I didnt want to deal with it, I just didnt. I turned my attention back to the letters before me. Cannot read scroll. You cant? Cellestra replied with a frown. Everyone can read spell scrolls. How can you She cut herself off. Thats just weird She continued softly while rolling up the scroll and putting it away. Then again, everything regarding that blessing of yours, and even reincarnating here, as a spider, even, is weird. She looked at me and I could see the regret in her eyes. Im sorry. Is fine, I spelled. Keep scroll for yourself. I got holy spell already. Worked well in dungeon. Killed five undead at same time. Thats some relief Cellestra continued in her soft voice. She then sighed. Lets get to work with your spells instead. Id like to know these barriers that youre so dead-set on teaching me. I want to get to the more interesting spells. She smiled slightly after saying that. It seemed shed caught on to my idea of teaching her the barriers first. I wondered if she knew if it was because I wanted her to stay safe first and foremost. She probably did. I doubted she realized it was because she was important to me, though in that sense OK, I answered with two simple letters. Cellestra placed her hands on top of my head carefully, as to not accidentally poke my eyes and sent her magic into my body. The warmth that her spell brought me was, as always, comforting. I almost got lost in the feeling before I realized I still had to cast my spell. I cast my multi-barrier spell and forced Cellestras mana flows to follow mine as I cast it. I saw the elf close her eyes as she focused. At the end of the spell, it took a while for her to open them and speak. This spell is definitely very similar, but its also far more powerful. It takes significantly more mana to cast than the one you taught me before. Not that I have a short supply of that That part of Cellestras curse, at the very least, was a blessing. She wouldnt have to worry about whether she had the mana pool required for spells, or spell scrolls. We continued our practice for an hour or so. The sky started becoming red and darkness would fall in the next hour or so. Cellestra eventually noticed it as well and spoke. What were your plans with regards to shelter? She asked, still sitting in the grass. Not sure if worth making something right now. Hope to hit evolution tomorrow. And youre afraid youll grow too big for it, arent you? I nodded with my pedipalps. I see She paused for a few seconds. The best I could do to help you is probably move those trunks to the other side of the house if you want to make something with your webs. Id rather not have my door blocked. That was only fair. I imagined I could make a nice cover with my silk that could span a greater distance than her panels. I wouldnt need the panels, either. If that is okay, I spelled. Its fine by me. Again, I dont mind helping you out at all. Cellestra stood up. Alright, lets get to work. We dont have too much time before it gets dark. Huh? How fast did she think she was going to move those logs? I mean, sure, they didnt seem that heavy, but how was she going to get them into the ground so quickly? How did she get them into the ground in the first place? I saw no signs of digging near them. Cellestra walked back to her house and I followed, filled with curiosity to see what she was about to do. She stopped once she was under the first panel and I saw her cast something. The next moment, the panel was pushed upward from the log. I could see one nail sticking out of the bottom of the panel. That was a convenient spell. It looked somewhat similar to what I knew my gust of wind to be. I realized I hadnt actually used the spell yet. Cellestra then pulled the log up, out of the dirt. About three feet of its length had been below ground, and it was pointy on the bottom. She had no difficulty carrying it and moved it over to the side of her house, where I knew the head of her bed to be. Do you have any idea how big you will eventually grow? She asked me as she stood about fifteen feet from her homes wall. I shook my pedipalps. Of course, I had no idea. I was about 11 feet now. If my previous growth would repeat twice, I would end up being about twenty feet, maybe a bit more. I couldnt even fathom being that size. I would just tower over Cellestra and I didnt know how to feel about that. I imagined it would be natural for her to be scared of me, and I didnt want her to be I walked up to the wall and placed my abdomen on the grass. I created a small piece of thread to mark the location and then turned, keeping my spinnerets in the same place on the ground, so that I was facing away from the wall. I then pointed my leg at the grass in front of my head. This would mark twice my size. I reckoned that should be more than enough. Nice one, Kealyna, Cellestra said as she held the log upright again, with the pointy end on the ground right where Id pointed. Now Im going to need to ask you to move away a fair distance. This spell has backfired before and Id like you to be safe from it if things go wrong. She had me even more curious, but I obliged, moving all the way to the edge of the clearing to see what she would do. My eyes were good enough to still see what she was doing very clearly. 1.82 Shelter I stood and watched as Cellestra held the pole with two hands and cast her spell. A boulder about five feet across appeared in mid-air right above the trunk and smashed down on it, causing it to sink into the ground. The rock vaporized after that. As quickly as it had appeared, it had disappeared as well. How many spells does Cellestra have? Truly? That looked like some powerful spell to have. I realized I didnt have any spell where I could have a projectile attack my target from above. Id be highly interested in one if I ever got the choice. I was about to skitter over to her when she walked to the second pole and repeated the same thing where she blew off the panel first before ripping it out of the ground. Soon, shed placed it a fair distance away from the first one shed hammered into the ground. And at the same distance from her house. She then summoned another boulder, except this one crumbled while it was floating, causing smaller pieces of rock to fall onto the ground. The elf then cast the spell again. This time, it did what it was supposed to. What was interesting was that the pillar stood at the exact same height as the other one after the boulder had hit it. Is that enough? Cellestra yelled at me from where she stood. I skittered closer and nodded as I approached. I then summoned a thread and connected the tops of the pillars, spanning a line between the two. I then connected the pillars to Cellestras home, finishing a square. Now it was just a matter of creating some kind of roof with threads. Id at least have shelter on top to protect against rain, that should last through my evolutions. If I grew bigger than the area that was covered Id be quite unhappy. Is it okay if I leave you to it for a bit? Cellestra asked. I havent eaten yet and Im starving. I nodded and saw the elf smile as she went back inside. Crap. Id forgotten to get something for dinner. I had promised Cellestra Id bring something back. Was she disappointed that I hadnt? I was quite disappointed in myself for forgetting something so important. Fear about what Cellestra would think about me flooded my mind. I knew it was irrational, as the elf was so kind, but I couldnt help worrying about what shed think of me. I was definitely going to make up for that. While Cellestra was eating, I worked on the roof of the shelter, which was basically a giant web. I created lines that criss-crossed and kept going at it until Id filled any holes in it. I then continued some more. Because of the sheer amount of thread that Id created, I found myself exhausted at the end of all that Id done. The sun was setting in the meantime as well, and I couldnt wait to get to sleep. Before that, however, I saw Cellestra leave her house, with the same two wolf pelts in her hands as before, and look at my handiwork. Thats looking pretty neat, Kealyna. Do you think it will stop the rain? I walked over to the letters and Cellestra followed. Think so. Cannot know for sure. Maybe throw some water on it? Heh, She chuckled. I can try that tomorrow. Here, I brought these for you. She nodded at the pelts in her hands. I figured Id at least get you something to cover yourself with. Nights can get chilly sometimes. I hadnt really noticed the cold, but there was a campfire burning the night before. I imagined Id be okay, but the warmth and softness of the furs on my back were comforting. It was almost as good as the warmth I felt in my whole body that Cellestra gave me with her kind words. Would you like me to put them on your back? She asked softly when I didnt reply. I nodded slowly. Darkness was falling over the forest quickly, and I saw Cellestra look up to the sky after shed put the pelts on my back, the fur side down. I hope youll be comfortable for the night, She said. Will be fine, I replied. I hope so, Cellestra said. Ill go to bed then. If Im not here tomorrow morning, dont hesitate to start your day. Im exhausted, so Ill likely still be asleep. Poor Cellestra. I imagined her nights without my help turned out to be not so good after all. I wished I could just go inside and help her get over her nightmares every time. Good night, I spelled out. Cellestra then started collecting the pieces of paper as she responded. Good night. I waved at her as she went back inside and she did the same. I then made my way under the silk roof that Id made and laid myself down. What will become of me? That one thought danced around in my mind as my exhausted body was soon taken by sleep. ____________________________________________________________________________ I awoke feeling thirsty. I hadnt had some water in a while, and while Id gotten plenty of blood with the deer that Id killed, it just wasnt enough apparently. There was no sign of Cellestra yet, so I figured she was still asleep. I hoped she was still asleep and not having nightmares. The poor soul deserved her rest. In the meantime, I made my way over to the stream, after casting my multi-barrier spell, and prayed that it was fresh water. Id never actually checked. I reached it and lowered myself so that I could taste it. It was kind of weird how that worked. I didnt have a tongue, but I still tasted everything that I ate. Fortunately, the reaperfish seemed to ignore my presence. I guessed Id grown large enough for them to actually be scared. As it turned out, the water was fresh water, so I drank as much as I could and started heading in the direction of the ant nest. With my bigger form and stronger legs, the trip to the ant-heap had shortened from half a day to an hour or two. The difference was significant and would allow me to do more things today. If I found what I needed, I would have plenty of time to try to get some other things done for my next and last evolution. I finally reached the area that I recognized. Unfortunately, there was no buzzing to guide me to the correct location, but the vegetation around here was quite recognizable. There was a certain dead tree and some purple flowers nearby that Id previously noted down in my mind. I skittered into the vegetation and soon reached the blackened ant-heap. There was something wrong here There were ants aplenty again, and just seemed to be going about their business, but what was striking were certain footprints in the black dirt. I skittered closer to investigate and confirmed that these prints could have been left by nothing other than creatures walking on two legs wearing boots. Was it the humans? I was quite far away from where Id first seen them. If they were here before, they must have been more spread out than Id initially thought. Moreover, they had seen this ground. They should know that this wasnt natural. Would they recognize it as the effect of a spell? Would they be on the lookout for something that could have done this? Worries started entering my mind. This also meant that theyd come closer to Cellestras home than Id thought. Id like for them to stay away as far as possible, but I couldnt mindlessly attack them. Id just make things harder for myself. I needed to figure out what they were doing first, and attacking them would jeopardize that. These footprints were deep. Whoever they belonged to must have been heavy. I assumed that was because of the armor that they wore. I skittered around and checked out the nearby area. I didnt find anything of interest besides some more footprints that led away from the nest. I could try to check where they went after trying to get this achievement to see if I could get to know more. Hiding would be extremely difficult with my current size, though. I wasnt quite sure about it. First, I needed to get this achievement. I skittered to the top of the heap, and the many ants that were going in and out started converging on me and climbing on top of my body to bite me. I ignored them for the most part as their attacks did literally nothing. Instead, I made it to the top and then started channeling my flame beam down into the hole. The spell roasted many ants, as messages kept showing up before me. I asked Elysa to hide them, and they disappeared, offering me some respite from the constant stream of text. I held up the spell for a while to make sure the flames could reach everywhere inside the hive. I knew these underground structures could be huge, and with ants this size, it wouldnt surprise me if this one far surpassed that. The heat and flames intensified. Soon enough, an important message showed up before me. Achievement earned: Regicide Kill a queen of any species. You have been awarded 150 EP. You have been awarded 0 EXP. Requirement for future evolution complete. Evolution Available! 1.83 White I stood there for a moment staring at the blue square before me, not caring about the many ants that still climbed my body. I let it sink in that I was now one step closer to heading out to start my actual quest. I then snapped back to the present and cast a gust of wind that blew all the ants off of my body. I left them and ran away from the heap, searching the surroundings for the footsteps and then checking what direction they went. I considered following them again, but ultimately decided against it. I had other things that would take priority. If I got discovered, I might make things worse for myself and Cellestra. Thus, I skittered back home as fast as I could, following the stream. This time I did remember to get something for Cellestra that she could have as dinner. Since it would be pointless for her to cook for me as I needed too much, I decided to hunt something fairly small. Rabbits were pretty common in this area, if you could spot them, and my eyes did just that. I hunted several rabbits by hitting them with threads and keeping them in place. I finished them off with lightning arc as it didnt damage their bodies. I then strapped them onto my abdomen with threads and continued. I managed to hunt four of them, and I reckoned that would be plenty for the coming days. I then realized Id probably be starving again after this next evolution. That made me decide to try to hunt something bigger which I could eat right after waking up. I kept following the stream until I knew I was getting close to Cellestras home, before I headed into the forest to see what I could find. As I neared Cellestras house, I managed to spot a large boar. Upon seeing me, it initiated a charge almost instantly. Seeing the beast charge me in wild rage gave me an idea. I summoned an earthen wall that was erected in front of me right before the beast was about to hit me. Unable to change course, the beast impacted the wall at top speed. As it did, I felt a portion of my mana being ripped out of my body. It wasnt too much, but it was noticeable, and it felt unnatural. You have killed a Large Forest Boar: No experience was awarded. Apparently, the impact had killed the creature, but at the moment, I was wondering what happened with my mana there. Elysa? The Earthen Elemental Wall spell will block attacks of any magnitude. However, depending on the energy behind the attacks, the spell may draw additional mana to maintain the integrity of the wall. Crap. That meant that I couldnt use this spell recklessly. In my opinion, the earthen wall had seemed like the most powerful of all elemental walls, but this little downside was just now revealed to me. I canceled the spell and the wall disappeared. I looked at the creature that had killed itself against it. Its head was covered in blood, I was positive it had broken its skull and more, but that wouldnt matter. I didnt intend to eat any of that. I summoned some threads and fastened the creature to my rear and started dragging it back to Cellestras house. It wasnt far out anymore. Within a minute or ten, I arrived back home. I noticed that in the few hours Id been gone, Cellestra had taken down the makeshift shelter. The panels had disappeared, but the logs were still there and rested against the wall, next to the window. The door was closed. I dropped off the large boar in the middle of the clearing and brought the rabbits with me as I walked to the window and tapped on the glass. A tired-looking elf soon appeared in the doorframe. My heart broke upon seeing her. She looked terrible. A yawn coming from the brunette only made it all the more clear that shed had a terrible night. I feared it was the nightmares again. Without even realizing what I did, I skittered up to her, placed my pedipalps on her shoulders, and cast healing light. Thank you, Kealyna... Cellestra spoke softly. But its a bit late for that now. I do appreciate the gesture, though. I realized what I was doing and quickly let go. I couldnt help it. My body acted all on its own. To quickly change the subject, I pointed to the rabbits strapped to my abdomen with my front legs. It took a moment for Cellestra to realize what was going on, likely due to her fatigue, but I did see a slight smile appear when she noticed the critters. You brought those for me? I nodded with my pedipalps. Thank you so much, She said, her voice happy, but still slow. I then saw her eyes move over to the boar in the center of the clearing. And you got something for yourself as well, I see. Did you manage to get what you needed for your evolution? I nodded again. Thankfully, she was only asking simple yes or no questions. I had no way of saying anything else without the paper. At least my next evolution would be the last one where Id have to make use of that. I couldnt wait to finally get the speech skill. It hadnt even been that long since I was reincarnated as a spider and unable to speak, but it felt like it had been ages. To think I never was one to talk One step closer to your goals then, I guess, Cellestra said. I nodded again. Cellestra walked over to my abdomen and removed the rabbits, taking them in her hands. If you dont mind... She started. Ill go back to sleep for a couple of hours. Im absolutely beat. I wanted to tell her that it was fine, that I didnt mind, but at the moment, all I could do was move my front two limbs up and down. Ill be looking forward to what you look like after, She said with a slight smile. Ill see you in a few hours then. With that, she waved with one hand. I waved back and she went back inside. I skittered a fair distance away from her door and laid myself down in the grass. I took one last look at my enhancement options and at my available evolution points. I appeared to have a whopping 972 points with which I couldnt get much worthy of interest. I reckoned I could always take the last levels in healing light and magic resistance if my new evolution didnt offer any new spells. There was no point in sitting on these points all the time when I could still get something that could be of some use. I checked my evolution options after that, to make sure Id select the option that would grant me that ability that could give me new enhancements, and more evolution points to go with it. It was called Iridescent Queen Kizerain. The name sounded somewhat nice. At least it was far better than the Tiny Brown Cave Spider that I had been at some point. I sighed mentally as I recalled my first few days. I quickly confirmed my choice of evolution. I wasnt interested in either of the others at all. Pain soon shot through my body. It made my mind go blank before I passed out. ____________________________________________________________________________ Once again, there was grogginess and lethargy. This time, there was a terrible headache to go with it as well. This just kept getting better. I tried moving my legs but failed. The best I could do was twitch something before I had to give up on trying to move them. It seemed Id be here for a bit. My vision cleared up much slower than usual, but I did hear a familiar voice. Kealyna? Just hearing her voice made me give up on trying to move my limbs. If she was here, everything would be okay. Can you move? She asked. I didnt even bother with trying to move. My body just wouldnt respond. Its okay. Dont force yourself. Silence followed for a while. My eyes were still blurry, which started to frustrate me as it was taking ages before I could see anything. In case you want to know, yes you are bigger once more. Id say youre a solid fifteen feet right now, maybe a bit more. Youre completely white now, save for your eyes, of course, and you have a giant transparent pattern on your abdomen. It looks kind of like a snowflake when it is against a window. Its quite pretty, I have to admit. Her words made me wish I could see what I looked like right now, but it seemed I was forced to wait. As I said, its transparent, but I can clearly see colors underneath it. Its as if there are streams of all different colors swirling underneath it. Ive never seen anything like it. Its beautiful. Her words filled me with warmth. It seemed shed gotten some good rest, and was in a good mood. She had no idea how much shed just lifted my own mood by calling something about my body beautiful. 1.84 Queen I enjoyed the positive emotions that her words filled me with. Seeing as I still couldnt see anything properly, and my limbs were still in the process of regaining sensation, I decided to look at what I could get to know about my final evolution. For some reason, I could always clearly see the blue square, no matter what was going on with my eyes. Name: Kealyna Race: Iridescent Queen Kizerain Level: 1/10 Experience: 0/200 Evolution Points: 972 Iridescent Queen Arachne* Evolution that grants the Devour (Evolving) skill. The skill assimilates parts of consumed creatures bodies, giving a small chance to gain either more evolution points, or access to new enhancements based on the creatures consumed. In addition, grants communication skills such as speech and additional body enhancements. *Requires currently unearned achievements. You must kill the creatures yourself in order for the Devour effect to work. That was all? It literally listed everything I already knew about this final evolution. Elysa, can you tell me more? Silence again Just great. I decided I might as well look at the achievements that were required. Hopefully, nothing impossible showed up Achievements required for Iridescent Queen Arachne: Annihilation Kill 1000 creatures with a single attack or spell. (Complete) Whos the boss now? Kill a dungeon floor boss. (Complete) A Name Have somebody else say your name. (Complete) I thought you were supposed to be smart? Kill a higher sapient being. A nest for a queen Build a nest. Queen? I suppose I was a queen now. It felt odd, though. I never was anything special. To suddenly be called a queen just it wasnt for me. Id prefer to just be called by my actual name. If it wasnt for Cellestra that name achievement would probably have been nigh impossible. This nest achievement shouldnt be too hard. I had already started with my shelter. I just didnt know when my blessing would consider the shelter I made to be an actual nest. Would I need to cover all sides with webs or something? Affirmative. Youre just playing with me, arent you? Suddenly responding now. Instead of the actual answers Im looking for, I get an answer about this stupid achievement requirement. The sapient being, though I didnt want to kill anything that didnt deserve it. What even counted as a higher sapient being? Another moment of silence. What was wrong with this blessing? I figured I should just stick to my plans and try to get experience in the short time that I had left before setting out to find out what was going on with these elves and humans. Now that Id gone through my evolution, I could also try to find out more about who had been near that ant-heap. It seemed to me, and it was made clear from that earlier conversation between the humans that Id observed, that there were more groups of them spread out in this forest. If they were here for shady reasons, as in, murdering innocents, should I take them out when I encountered them? I felt like my mind was jumping around all the time between two choices. Take them out before they did anything, or find them in the act and take them out. I truly didnt know what to do. In my old life, it was as simple as following orders. Most of the time, others had already confirmed that our targets were the worst kind of people. Now, I was left to do it on my own. Would I make a good judgment call? Would I endanger anyone if I went about this recklessly? I heard a sigh coming from beside me. Cellestras voice broke my train of thoughts and brought me back to the present. I guess youre almost finished with regards to power gains then, arent you? Will you be heading out immediately after reaching your final evolution? She didnt sound too happy, but I couldnt yet read her facial expression to work out if she was speaking out of sadness. I bet she was at least a little bit sad. She had seemed overjoyed at having someone to talk to. I mean, I wanted to head out as soon as possible, but it would break my heart to leave Cellestra behind. I figured a few days to sort things out wouldnt hurt, right? This speech skill would make things a lot easier in that regard. If I had speech, and no more evolutions to push myself towards, I could use the time to talk things through. Maybe it would be a good idea to ask how she felt about joining me then As odd as she may be, she was still an elf, purple eyes and curse or not. She would still be easier to talk to than a massively oversized spider. My vision started to clear up, albeit slowly. To answer her question, I slowly shook my pedipalps from the left to the right and back, indicating no. I see, Cellestra responded, with a sigh. Id grown too attached to the elf to simply leave her so soon. In fact, I felt like Id completely fallen for her. These happy emotions overcame me whenever I was close to her. And I loved every second of it. With the bit of time I had remaining before Id be able to see and move properly again, I decided to look at my enhancements to see if anything had changed. Enhancement Cost in EP Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 Language Comprehension - Troll 5 Very Strong Jaws and Teeth 50 Strong Healing Light 35 Very Strong Healing Light 50 Strong Magic Resistance 70 Very Strong Magic Resistance 150 Healing Tides 100 Spawn Spiderlings 200 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Exoskeleton 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Resistance 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Venom 100 Well, not much more had shown up. I saw there was the Troll language comprehension and some new spells that mostly seemed to have to do with a very specific skill called spawn spiderlings. What was this spell exactly? Spawn Spiderlings: Allows you to lay eggs that hatch into spiderlings that follow your commands. The strength of the spiderlings can be improved through other enhancements. NOPE. There was no way I was going to lay eggs. No way. I may be a queen now, but there was no way Id do that. Elysa, what were you thinking? It was time to ignore that part completely. Id probably upgrade the other spells that I had remaining, just to get a few more additions to my arsenal, and then merge any spells that I could. I hoped there were a few more options now that I had evolved. In fact, I might just do that now. Elysa, go ahead. The information for all remaining skills, besides the language comprehension and the skills that had to do with my offspring entered my mind. One by one, the abilities were upgraded to their maximum ranks. At the end of all that, I was left with 517 evolution points. Id likely increase that number a fair bit before my final evolution. Then, the spell merges happened. I was already aware healing tides and spider lightning would merge, but, in addition to that, there was a fire cyclone spell, and an odd combination of fireball, ice lance, and wind gust called Elemental Blast. While the fire cyclone was simple enough in that it was a cyclone that did damage at the same time as incapacitating, the purpose and effects of elemental blast were less obvious, so I asked Elysa to explain it. Elemental Blast Combine Fire, Air, and Ice magic into a devastating blast that combines properties of all three schools of magic. The resulting blast will strike quickly, pierce, and explode. Has a significant mana cost, but penetrates physical and some magical barriers. That looked like a powerful spell. Id have to try sometime to see exactly what this blessing meant when it talked about significant mana cost. I had immense reserves right now. My vision finally cleared up, and I inspected my new body. It was as Cellestra had said, my entire body had become white and fluffy? It appeared the hairs on my entire body had grown to a significant length. I could feel they were very soft as well. What was up with that? Actually, I didnt mind it. I moved a pedipalp and used it to touch the top of my head. The hairs were very soft indeed. Touching them felt nice. I also noticed the pattern on my abdomen that the elf had talked about. There was a giant snowflake pattern in the center that appeared to be transparent. Beneath it, I could see swirls of red, green, yellow, and, well, basically any color that I could imagine. They blended together to create new colors and then changed again and again. It was mesmerizing to look at Cellestra was right. I was beautiful. 1.85 Carry? These hairs almost made me want Cellestra to run her hands over them, but she didnt seem intent on doing that. My abdomen, though It was beyond huge. Seriously, I must weigh over a few tons, right now. My head was twice as broad as Cellestras shoulders, and probably as tall as her hips to her chest. My legs had grown proportionately in order to support all that weight. I never imagined Id grow to this size. I guess all the power that came with it was useful for my goals, though. To think I wasnt even at my maximum size yet It was quite scary. There would be no way for me to hide from anything at this point. The vegetation in this forest was nowhere near tall enough. You looking at your options again? Cellestra said with a smile. I noticed shed already laid out the pieces of paper before me. Instead of using them, I simply gestured no with my huge pedipalps. I then spelled some words for her. Already done that. Got everything sorted. My senses were completely sharp at this point. It also made me realize I was starving, as I had predicted already. What time was it, anyway? I stood up and looked at the sky. As far as I could tell, it was almost evening already. Had my evolution taken that long? How much time would I still have to find out what exactly was going on with those humans? Nevermind that. There was no way that I was going to stay hidden with a body this large. What was I going to do? I would likely be attacked on sight, and truly, I couldnt blame them. How would I find out what their plans were like this? Would I have to wait until the day things were supposed to happen? Are you okay? Cellestra asked. Am thinking, I spelled out, after turning back to the paper. About? What to do with humans. Cannot hide. Cellestra sighed. Youve been thinking about them non-stop, havent you? I wasnt sure whether that was disappointment in her voice or whether she was worried for my well-being. Maybe it was a combination of both? I have. Do not want to kill innocents, but I cannot find out information easily like this. I see why that is, yeah. Cellestra stared at the letters that were next to her and seemed to think about things for a while. I mean there is one thing we can do that will prevent bloodshed, I guess. I lowered myself next to her sitting form and waited for her to explain. What you could do is have me go with you, scout the area and see if we can run into any humans. I can talk to them interrogate them, to put it bluntly, after you manage to capture one. Ive seen you work with your threads, I imagine capturing a human shouldnt be much of an issue. That did seem like a good idea, in theory. I was surprised she would be willing to do all this. Wouldnt she be putting herself at risk like this? I mean, I would be there, but still. Sure? I spelled. I mean this is the one way to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, as I said. I know that is important to you. I would probably not forgive myself knowing that I could have avoided it if things go sour. If we could do as she said, and interrogate a human, there wouldnt be a need to wait for the full week to end before making a move. We could capture them now, and see exactly what their plan was. From there, we would also know their intentions and exactly how innocent they were. Any risk involved in capturing one would be worth it for the knowledge we would gain. The elves wouldnt come through here any sooner because of our actions. We would be able to completely divert these bandits plans. That was, if I was strong enough to fight bandits. To be completely honest, I didnt think I would have any issues taking on a fair number of them. The power I now held was many times that of my old life. I didnt even include the physical properties of my new body in that, which were, truly, beyond reasonable. Okay, will accept, I ultimately spelled. I would just have to make sure to keep Cellestra safe. As long as she was near me, Id have plenty of tools to do so. Besides, she would still have her own magic and this new barrier that I was trying to teach her. If she mastered that, I would be more than comfortable with her being there. Better practice spell well, I added, trying to somewhat joke about the situation. It was hard to joke though, when all I had were pieces of paper. It just didnt have the same feeling to it. I will, Cellestra said. Dont you worry. Good. Will eat now. Am starving. I wont hold you up, Cellestra said with a smile. Ive already eaten. Thank you for your catch earlier. Thats going to be enough for a few days. I smiled in my mind at her kind words as I skittered over to the corpse of the boar that was still lying in the grass. I tore away the skin with my massive fangs to reveal the flesh underneath. I then started a grand dinner. Though, with my new size, it didnt seem quite so grand anymore. The boar was large enough that I knew I wouldnt die of starvation anytime soon, but I didnt think it was enough to quite fill my stomach. Eating took a while as this creatures flesh was tough. I was happy Id upgraded to the highest level of jaws and teeth. It helped out significantly. After finishing, it was already starting to darken as the sun was setting. I imagined tomorrow would be the day we headed out and started the hunt for humans. It sounded weird in my mind, but that was pretty much what Cellestra had suggested. The sooner we got working on that, the better our chances of success. I would have liked to go back to the dungeons first floor to see if I could get any more experience, but there werent any enhancements for me to get, and I already had a bunch of evolution points left over, so it was quite pointless. It made me wonder what creatures would even give me experience at this point. The creatures inside the dungeon didnt seem to give as much as some creatures in the past had given me. I hoped it wasnt a sign of them becoming too easy for me. Then again, they were actually easy. The hardest thing Id fought in there was probably that sand-covered slime, and even that wasnt so hard, considering the creature had hardly any offensive capabilities. I skittered back to the letters where Cellestra stood and waited. Shed done a few things inside the house and then checked up on me to see how far I was with dinner. When I had almost finished, she went back to the letters. I truly wished Id get that speech soon Anything you want to talk about? Cellestra asked. The truth was that there were many things that I wanted to talk about, but it was far too much to communicate with the letters. I would probably save all those questions for when I could talk. Not much at the moment. Want to head out tomorrow? Search for human? If I can sleep somewhat okay, I dont mind heading out tomorrow. How far were they away? I thought about how long it had previously taken me to encounter them. At the time, I think I walked for about four hours before I heard them? I thought I could cover that distance in an hour or two right now, and without even running. About two hours of walking. You do walk quite fast though. I imagine its more like three hours for me, if not more. Cellestra sighed. Apparently, she wasnt keen on walking. Was there something preventing her from going out that far? Three hours wasnt that much. Want me to carry? I asked. Kealyna Id rather not have you do that. The reason Im asking is that I dont have any proper footwear made for longer distances. If Im out for that long, Ill just develop blisters. I have salves and such for that, but still... Can carry. Not a problem. You would do that? She asked as she cocked her head. I didnt foresee any issues at all carrying her. She could just sit in front of my abdomen with her legs around my thorax and it should be fine. The thought of carrying the elf around was odd, but not unpleasant in the slightest. Okay. If youre okay with that, lets do that. Will work on shelter now, I spelled out. I was going to have to hurry with it, as night was falling, and Id like to get at least some walls done before I needed to sleep. You do that. Ill watch you work, if you dont mind. I shook my pedipalps. Great. She paused for a second or two. And Kealyna Thank you. 1.86 Fluffy At least there was one upside to all of this. Id been out for hours during the day, which left me wide awake, despite darkness falling in, but using a load of thread would drain me more than enough for me to sleep soundly at night. At the moment, I was working on one of the sides of the shelter that Id started on earlier. I would close up the right side relative to the house, and the side parallel to the houses wall, so that the left side would remain open. If I needed to expand this so-called nest of mine, Cellestra could add more logs and Id extend the one wall, and redo the wall on the outside. I still had room to spare, but I imagined I might need to do some extra work on this after my next evolution. I would look at it then. For now, this should work. Cellestra was watching me work, and smiled the entire time. It made me see this as less of a chore and more of a fun activity. It truly wasnt so bad when she was with me. Despite me being able to work quite fast, darkness eventually fell before I was finished. Cellestra had seen it coming, and while the darkness wouldnt affect me so much, shed made a campfire nearby so she would be able to keep watching me. I never imagined Id have a spider remodel my house. Or well, an elven spider? I guess? Cellestra commented as I was working on the last wall. I saw why she corrected herself. I had made it clear early on that I wasnt an actual spider, but I saw now that Id been in denial still. I mean, I was a spider now and there was nothing I could do about it. If anything, I would have to live with it, and to hear it coming from Cellestra in such a supportive manner I guess it was the best way for me to learn. I created thousands of threads. I found out I could adjust their size at will, and I managed to manipulate them so that I could span multiple at the same time. It truly helped speed things up as I wanted these walls to be water- and wind-proof. It wasnt cold at night at all, but I would have to think about what I was going to do when winter eventually hit. If I was traveling, I couldnt simply make something like this within a day. I wouldnt have the energy to do so. This task drained me almost as much as when Id run out of mana. How resistant would I be to the cold? Would my final evolution help with that? Could I obtain some kind of skill that would offer me resistance against the cold? That seemed like a possibility. I would have to check if it was the case. I guess the way I would have to do that was by devouring creatures that were built to resist the cold or something? That was how that ability worked, right? There was no use in worrying over it now. I wanted to focus on the human situation going on in the south first. I would have plenty of time to find out exactly what I could or could not do. Cellestra gathered the pieces of paper, cutting off my line of communication with the elf, before sitting down next to the campfire again. I was in the process of finishing the last wall, and was left completely drained. I had used far more silk than I had for the roof. I had hoped my larger body would allow me to create exponentially more and, while it was true to some degree, I was still left exhausted after all that. I skittered over to the elf when I was finished, looking at her eyes expectantly. Shed not said much besides that one line. I was curious what she would say. I would say, that for a first try, its acceptable. Even as it was completely dark, I could see the sly smile that was on her face. This elf I didnt know how I would have reacted if I had an actual face. I imagined the look on it would have been hilarious, before it would change into one of laughter at Cellestras joke. No, really, its looking great. Im praying for your sake that you wont have to redo all of it with your next evolution. Wait, I believe you mentioned the next one would be your last, right? I nodded with my pedipalps. Heh, Cellestra chucked. To think you tower over practically anything in this forest, including me. And youre still going to get bigger. Honestly, those humans are going to run with their tails between their legs as soon as they see you. She may have a point there. Anyway, She continued. Ill go to bed. I assume youre going to knock yourself out for the night as well, so I guess Ill see you tomorrow morning. I nodded once more. Good night, Kealyna. Lets see how things go tomorrow. I waved at her as she stood up and extinguished the campfire by blasting a gust of wind over it. She then waved at me as she walked inside the dark building. Tomorrow couldnt come soon enough. Thankfully, I didnt think it would take long for me to fall asleep. I skittered into the new hideout that Id created with my rear toward the opening. I then laid myself down and found out exactly how exhausted I was as I drifted off within seconds. ____________________________________________________________________________ I woke up thirsty and slightly hungry. I could barely turn myself around without hitting the walls and destroying them. I left my hideout and went to the stream to get some water. When I left my shelter, I noticed Cellestra sitting in the doorway and waving at me. I stopped and waved back. Morning, Kealyna. Had some good rest? It was interesting how she was asking me, seeing that she was the one who usually had trouble sleeping. I nodded with my pedipalps before I pointed them in the direction of the stream beyond the trees outside the clearing. Water, huh? She asked. I nodded again. Go ahead. I have everything sorted already. I imagine you want to head out as soon as possible. If Ive gotten to know anything about you, its that part. I smiled in my mind at her comment. Shed gotten to know me very well, indeed. I left her behind as I quickly went to get some water. I considered catching a couple of the larger reaperfish that swam past me, but it was as Cellestra had said: I wanted to head out as soon as possible. I would probably find something to eat on the way. I wonder how the elf would react if she saw me eating right now. Would she be appalled? Why was I overthinking simple things like these? I drank until my thirst was quenched. Then, I made my way back to Cellestra, casting my multi-barrier in preparation. Cellestra wasnt quite able to cast the spell yet, but we werent going to get our hands dirty today. Rather, we were trying to avoid getting our hands dirty. It was information we were after. I returned to the elf who was standing in the doorway, ready to go. She had several accessories with her to get through the day such as a canteen and I saw some extra potions around her belt. Are you sure you can carry me? She asked. How was I going to answer that if she wasnt going to lay down the paper? I simply pointed to the elf with one of my legs, and then to my back. Ill take that as a yes, She replied softly. Thanks again... Cellestra walked up to me and I lowered myself to the ground so that she had an easier time getting on top of my back. I never would have imagined doing something like this. The elf got on and placed her legs behind my last set of legs, right behind my eyes that could see behind me. Her back partially rested against my abdomen and I could see she had trouble holding on. She ended up grabbing the long hairs on my back. Her hands in my soft hairs felt nice, as Id predicted. By the goddess. You really are as soft as you look. I hope you dont mind this... I shook my pedipalps to let her know I was fine with it. I was more than fine with it. After enjoying the feeling of Cellestras hands in my newly-acquired hair, and skittering about for a bit in order to get the elf used to my movements, we set out for the south, hoping to get some information about what the hell was going on in this forest. 1.87 Monster Faragi Chapter 76-87 were posted with 2 more to follow within the next hour or two. Don''t miss them! I carried Cellestra through the forest, avoiding vegetation where I could. There were several stinging nettles that didnt affect me in the slightest, but the elfs ankles were exposed so I was avoiding them where I could. Despite all that, I still skittered through the forest at a brisk pace. I would have liked Cellestra to talk some, but she remained mostly quiet. It was probably the smarter option. I did notice that after a while of traveling, and her becoming more used to how my movements worked, she started slowly moving her hands through my hair. From the forward-facing look in her eyes, she was doing it absent-mindedly. I couldnt help but enjoy it as I traveled for a few hours. When I got near the area where Id last seen the humans, I slowed down, and lowered my abdomen as low as I could to at least prevent it from being spotted too easily. I doubted anything would spot me first though. I had four pairs of eyes, and thermal vision to my advantage. I assume this is around where you saw them last? Cellestra asked quietly. I nodded with my limbs. Alright, if thats the case, could you let me off, please? She continued with a low voice. Without objection, I fully lowered my body so she could step off. She then followed closely beside me and we scoured through the nearby area, looking for any tracks. It didnt take long before we found some. We reached the exact site where theyd made camp when I had seen them earlier, and there were footprints nearby. Once more, the level of detail that this new vision brought with it was a boon. As much as being a spider wasnt preferable, these eyes were far better than my old ones. Better vision wasnt so bad, I guessed. Maybe it was a sign of slowly coming to terms that this was going to be a part of my new life. I quickly pushed away the thoughts as I followed a specific track. I didnt want to be distracted while I followed this track further south. Cellestra, without saying a word, followed me as I went. The footsteps went through vegetation in a seemingly straight line. The person to whom these belonged didnt seem to care. Fortunately for me, it didnt make a difference. I could still see them clearly. Cellestra wisely walked around a few nettles while I kept tracking them. We had to walk for about thirty minutes, but eventually, Cellestra stopped me dead in my tracks with a hand on my head. She pushed a finger against her lips indicating for me to be silent. It appeared her elven ears had picked up something. Apparently, my hearing had gotten worse with my new form. The elf walked forward while motioning me to stay put. She crouched forward through the dense vegetation that was in this area. If there were humans here, I guessed I was lucky for her to have such sharp hearing. I would probably be hidden from them where I was. I kept a close eye on the elf until she reached a few bushes and a tree. She knelt behind said tree and glanced at me, before I saw her attention shift to the sounds that she was apparently hearing. She remained there for a good twenty minutes before she slowly crept back to where I was waiting, my body as low to the forest floor as it could get. Its humans, Cellestra whispered. There are four of them, and from what I can hear, one of them is not a bandit. I couldnt see them, but I think they have a slave with them. As far as I can tell, anyway. A slave? A human slave? Do you think you can immobilize all four of them? Cellestra whispered. From what I heard, there are several groups of scouts in the forest, making sure no guards can foil their plans. Assuming that is true, there shouldnt be anyone nearby. If that was the case, I shouldnt have too many issues overpowering these humans and restraining them with my thread manipulation skill. Even if they were to run, I would be far faster than them anyway. I replied to her with a nod of my pedipalps. I would first catch and restrain them. We would then see what to do with them. I had set my mind to do this. Now, it was time to pull through. Are you okay? Cellestra asked, seemingly concerned. I nodded, which caused her to ask another question. Are you ready? Yes. It was time to get this done. I nodded once more before skittering forward through the vegetation. Soon enough, three humans sitting around a campfire, with one human standing up, came into view. The three humans that sat on the ground were, much like the humans Id met earlier, drinking and feasting around a campfire, while the fourth stood, facing away from them and me. The standing human seemed to be wearing nothing but rags and had a short, wooden spear with a metal tip. I could clearly see a slave collar around his neck. Id, unfortunately, run into more than a few of those in my old world. The others were at least somewhat armored with chain armor and a variety of weapons. One of them had a crossbow next to him in the dirt, while the others seemed to have swords in scabbards strapped to their belts. It was easy to see that these men were part of the bandit group that Id seen earlier. Their unclean, bearded faces, behavior, and similar armor, were more than enough confirmation for me. It didnt take long for the first human to notice me. From there, things happened in a matter of seconds. One of the humans saw me and his face went pale while he stood up and reached for the pre-loaded crossbow that sat in the dirt next to him. The other sitting humans stood up in reaction to the first man standing up and looked over at me as well. Despite the first mans shaky hands, he found the will to somewhat aim the crossbow at the human whod been standing the entire time, and released the bolt which pierced into his calf. Slave, stay here! He yelled with a crack in his voice as he dropped the crossbow and jolted away in the other direction, joined by his two companions. The human in rags screamed in pain and turned his head to face me. His face, too, went pale when he saw me. I saw him try to move his uninjured leg, but it refused to move. It was the effect of the slave collar, I knew it. This poor guy wouldnt be able to go anywhere. Wait, did I just view a human as poor? I mean, he was a slave, but he was still a human I immediately ignored it and jumped forward, landing close to the slave. He raised his spear, ready to stab me, but I ignored him. Instead, I gave chase to the three scoundrels that ran away. It only took me a few seconds to catch up to them. I had my eyes fixated on the bandit whod shot the slave. Everything this guy had done was dishonorable. He didnt deserve to get out of this alive. I fired threads at all three of them at the same time, which connected to their backs and then to the ground, causing them to trip and fall. The two still-armed humans unsheathed their swords, but my rage was directed at the third. I summoned more threads to keep the two humans down, while I jumped on the last, pinning him down with my legs, and rolling him over to force him to face me. I forced him to look at my massive spider face and saw him shiver as all the blood drained from his face. I then stabbed him in the chest with my legs, easily piercing his armor and inflicting lethal wounds. This guy deserved nothing but death. He was lucky that I was a knight in my old life or I would have given him the suffering he deserved. His screams of pain and fear soon died down as his life ebbed away. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+436 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 2! You have been awarded 75 EP. I ignored the message, but did take notice that this apparently gave experience. I then turned my attention to the other two humans. They had their swords drawn, but were shaking. They had obviously never seen something like me before. Stay back, you monster! One of them said with a voice that was just as shaky as their body. He stabbed his sword in the air in my direction, trying to scare me off. I summoned more silk and bound his arms to his body. I did the same for the other bandit and watched as their eyes showed even more shock at what was going on. When the other human was about to open his mouth to speak, I summoned thick threads around both of their mouths and wrapped them around their heads, muting them. I then wrapped up their feet, completely immobilizing them, before summoning two threads which I connected to them as I walked back to where Cellestra was waiting, the humans in tow. I left the dead human for the scavengers. Let us see what these three remaining humans knew. 1.88 Terror Faragi One more chapter to come soon. DO NOT ACCIDENTALLY SKIP 76-87 I dragged the two bound humans back to the campfire where theyd first spotted me. I couldnt be bothered to deal with the guy that I had killed. I thought about making sure the corpse would disappear someway, but even if the bandits found him, they would have no idea that it was a sapient spider that had killed him. They would likely think hed been attacked by some kind of wild animal. Cellestra was kneeling next to the human slave that still had the crossbow bolt in his calf. He saw me approach and shivered even more than the other bandits had when they had laid eyes on me. I didnt look that dangerous, did I? The elf was currently using some salve on the humans wound. She really had a heart of gold Kealyna, Im gonna need your help over here. The bolt pierced his artery, hell bleed out if we dont heal it quickly. K-K-Kealyna? The human slave said, stuttering. He may have been a human, but I pitied him. As if this slave collar wasnt enough, theyd shot him like a beast. My friend, Cellestra calmly said. I approached the two of them and casually let go of the threads that I used to drag the humans behind me. F-Friend? As I got close, the slave looked into my eyes and I could see the life drain from his face. He seemed like he wanted to scream, but was frozen with fear, and couldnt utter another word. Cellestra placed her hand around the bolts shaft and was ready to rip it out with force. Ready? She asked. I nodded with my pedipalps, causing the human to emit a shrill cry. It was soon replaced by a loud scream of pain and suffering as the projectile was forcefully ripped out of his calf, causing the wound to bleed profusely. I quickly cast my healing light spell on the wound and saw it close up within a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, the slave had passed out. I didnt know if it was because of the pain, the fear, or the blood loss that hed suffered. Hes fine, Cellestra assured me. I should have known this could happen with you here. She immediately went silent before continuing softly, Im sorry, I didnt I put a pedipalp on her shoulder to let her know it was fine. I should have expected as much as well. Not everyone had the liberty of having had time to get to know me. I wouldnt be surprised to see many more run or pass out upon seeing me. Cellestra acknowledged my appendage on her shoulder before she stood up and stared at the humans that were struggling to escape. Id made sure nothing like that would happen. You brought back two? What did you do to the third? Did you? I nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. I dont blame you for that. Death is truly a mercy for these lowlifes. Not so much of an angel anymore, was she? Cellestra was currently speaking elven, so the humans behind me had likely no idea what she was talking about. Cellestras next words shook even me. We should find out what there is to find out from those two, and then make sure they never hurt anyone else again. I didnt move an inch after she said that, causing her to elaborate. I mean, we obviously cant set them free and we cant take them with us. That leaves only one option. She was right. Killing these humans would be a favor for the world. I turned around and skittered to my captives. Cellestra followed and knelt next to the first human as I positioned myself on his body, holding it down with my legs and baring my fangs, using this body as a persuasion method. I removed the webs from his mouth, and watched as he stared into my eyes, shivering continually. So, Cellestra started in the human language. Tell us what youre doing here. Witch! Ingo will have your head! He spat out, trying to act tough. His entire body was trembling beneath me, confirming that he wasnt confident about this at all. Last chance, Cellestra emphasized. Tell us what youre doing here and what youre planning to do to those elves. The human defiantly spat in one of my eyes. I had to give it to him, he was keeping the act up until the bitter end. With that, I decided to end his life. This human would give us nothing that we needed. Besides, I was going to kill him sooner or later anyway. Why prolong his suffering? I stabbed my legs in his chest, penetrating his armor and creating massive wounds. Id impaled his heart with one, killing him almost instantly. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+417 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 3! You have been awarded 75 EP. That was another piece of trash removed from this world. It appeared Id been right with my initial assessment that these were bandits. The message that this blessing gave me confirmed that fact, offering me some relief. Hold on a second. Didnt I have to kill a higher sapient being for an achievement? Did humans not count for that, or what? When the blessing didnt give an answer, I shifted over to place myself on top of the other human, repeating much of the same intimidation tactics as Cellestra asked him the same question. Just kill me. Im dead already anyway. This bandit, after his initial shivering at the sight of me, remained completely still. It appeared he had accepted his fate, but he did not seem willing to tell us anything. I looked over at Cellestra (without turning my head obviously. How she managed to know that I was awaiting an answer from her was a mystery to me) who nodded. I struck with my bloodied legs once more, killing this bandit as well. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+434 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 4! You have been awarded 75 EP. Kealyna. One of these bandits has a key for that slave collar, and an orb to go with it. We should be able to use that to get information from this last guy. Key and an orb? Was the orb used to control the persons actions? That seemed to be different from my old word, where the magic used to control the slave collar was bound to the key itself. Cellestra started rummaging through one of the bandits belongings, checking his pockets and a small leather pack that shed found under his clothes. She opened it and shook her head before checking the next guy. Got them, She said as she held up a bronze key and a small red orb. Lets see what this guy knows. Hopefully, he will be able to tell us more. Id always hated magic that was used on slaves. This time it was no different, but it was perhaps the best means of getting to know more. At least we will get to know a couple of things, due to his collar. Do you think we should head back and take him with us? I looked over at the unconscious slave. If we were waiting for him to wake up, we might as well start our journey back and interrogate him when hes awake. There was no reason to kill this person who was obviously here against his will. If it were up to me, I didnt have any problem with setting him free. That was, after this was all over. We could get rid of his slave collar, breaking the magic, but we could not risk him informing the bandits in case he had some form of loyalty to them. I doubted it was the case, but we couldnt risk it. The best thing we could do was hold him captive and have him feed us information. I nodded absent-mindedly. I thought about it for a moment. If there was one slave, there were probably more. This would be an ideal situation for me to at last perform some knightly actions in this new world. How many of them would there be? I didnt know how many bandits there were, but if they were planning to attack a caravan of some sort, they would have to have quite a few people. If that was the case, it was likely they had more than a couple of slaves as well. It appeared Id stumbled upon an opportunity that seemed to fit me. Spider or not, I would not let anyone live like that. I wrapped the slave in more silk, preventing any kind of movement, and Cellestra placed him on top of my abdomen where I bound him to my body with more silk. The elf then climbed back on top of me, her hands in my long, fluffy hair, and we set out on our return journey. 1.89 Help Faragi /End of chapter dump. Uploaded 76-89, make sure not to miss any :) Our journey back was uneventful. A few worries popped up in my mind as I skittered back with Cellestra and the unconscious slave on my back. The worst of them was probably the fact that we would reveal the location of Cellestras house. Though, I guessed there was no way he would know the way to it, since he was unconscious. Seriously, he was still knocked out by the time we almost reached the elfs home. Would he be alright? Are you worried? Cellestra asked. How did she manage to read my mind? Were my eyes easy to read or something? Communication was still nigh impossible, but Id have access to the drawn letters soon. For now, I nodded slowly with my pedipalps. Well be okay, Cellestra said. I have something that can wipe his mind, in case that was one of your worries. That would help some, for sure. I felt him stirring when we were about five minutes out from Cellestras home. Talk about timing. By the time I entered the clearing, he seemed to be wide awake and struggling. Cellestra tried to calm him down, but it didnt seem to have any effect. Easy, She cooed to him in the human language. She wont hurt you. Dont worry. He didnt reply, but I felt him shiver. I really started to pity him. I lowered myself to the ground in the middle of the clearing to allow Cellestra to step off. I then used my rear legs to tear away the silken restraints that bound him to my abdomen, Cellestra then helped him off and helped him sit in the grass. Her name is Kealyna. She wont hurt a fly unless they hurt her first. The elf walked up to me and put her hand on my head, petting me. It felt just as good as I imagined, these soft hairs amplified the sensations. All the human could do was open his mouth and gape at us. We have some questions that wed like to see answered with regards to those bandits and their plans. Would you be willing to help? He continued staring at me, but nodded wildly. Easy, Cellestra said again. Youre a slave, right? The human nodded, slower this time. He seemed to finally be calming down. In that case, were here to help. You see, Kealyna picked up some information a few days ago about some sort of group of elves passing through. Some talk about an attack on them, possibly for expensive goods. Ill... The human started before pausing for a moment. Ill tell you what I know. You said you wanted to help? Why? Kealyna here wanted to help. It was her idea. Wait how? It finally seemed to dawn on him. Despite Cellestra mentioning that I was the one who picked up the information, he just asked now. Cellestra chuckled and reached into her small leather pack. She pulled out a stack of folded papers and started laying them out in the grass. The human looked at them with confusion until I walked up to them and started pointing at them, one by one, and very slowly, so he would get the idea. Hello. She says hello, Cellestra explained for me. The human language used different symbols than the elven one, so Cellestra had to convey to him what I was spelling. SheWhat? Long story, I spelled out. Long story, Cellestra repeated in words what I had spelled. She can t-t-talk? He asked, stuttering. It didnt seem to be out of fear, rather, it looked like he was just baffled. Well, not really, Cellestra spoke. This is the best I could do to help her speak. It works, to a certain degree. Anyways, on to the point. Kealyna wanted to see what was going on between you and the elves. We werent expecting them to have a slave with them. Please tell us everything you know... The human sighed, but remained mostly calm. From what I know The human started. Ingo is planning to attack a convoy of elves passing through the area. He plans to steal the goods and take the elves prisoner to sell off as slaves. Hes gathered the help of several smaller bandit groups. He He paused and looked down at the grass before him. He planned to use us as fodder. I heaved a mental sigh. As if my hatred towards bandits and their ilk wasnt enough yet, this slave only added more fuel to the fire. Id heard this Ingo name before. He seemed to be the bandit leader. Using slaves in order to exhaust the enemy was a common tactic that Id run into multiple times in my old life. Wed always tried to avoid killing slaves whom were compelled by their collars to mindlessly kill, but sometimes there was no avoiding it. It was possibly the most disgusting thing that I could think of. And when are they passing through? Cellestra asked. I cant confirm that... He said. I believe tomorrow or the day after. They seem to have departed earlier than anticipated. Crap. That meant we had no time to gather more information. And do you know where? Cellestra asked the most important question. I I dont quite know where, but I know the forest road they will pass through. Im sorry. That will have to do then. Kealyna? Cellestra said, holding up the key to the collar. I nodded with my pedipalps as I knew what she meant. The elf, in response, sat down next to the human and used the key to unlock the lock, and removed the collar from him. Why? He asked again. As I said before, Kealyna has her reasons. Well set you and the others free, if you help us out. At least, I assume thats what youre thinking, right? The elf turned to me as she asked the question. I nodded again. It does mean, however, that youll be our captive until then. Youll help us? Truly? The former slave asked, full of disbelief, as he ran his fingers over where the collar had left a print in his skin. Cellestra nodded again. I guess you could say that Kealyna is a very knightly spider. I-I, The human stuttered again. I dont understand, but thank you Ill gladly help you if it means my freedom. I was relieved that this one human at least wasnt so bad as the others. Then again, freedom was a valuable thing. I didnt want to imagine what would happen to the elven slaves, especially the female ones. We they were usually considered highly valuable because of their natural beauty. Any idea at what time the convoy is expected to pass through? Cellestra continued the questioning. I dont know. I would guess some time during the day. Traveling at night is a bad idea, wouldnt you say? Cellestra nodded, then sighed. I guess that means were going to have to head out early tomorrow. Very early. I would have to agree with her there. We would have to get there early to hopefully arrive before the attack was planned, then foil it. Wed have to get to bed earlier than usual, and head out while it was still dark. Though, I guess my eyes should detect any danger, even in the darkness of the night. I would most likely be avoided anyway. I nodded in response to Cellestras statement. I then pointed at the human and moved one of my pedipalps in a follow me motion. What does that mean? The human asked. I think she wants you to follow her. Id do as she says. Thank you Cellestra. The human did as I wished and followed me to Cellestras house. When he was close enough, I pointed with a limb to the grass in front of the wall, next to the door. The former slave turned his head to Cellestra who had a sly smile on her face. I had the feeling she knew what I was getting at. Sit, She simply said. Uhhh? He replied, but sat down. When he did, I summoned threads and used them to bind his arms and torso to the wall. He was surprised and struggled at first, but soon relaxed with a sigh. It appeared he understood the idea that we couldnt simply let him run loose. I then returned to Cellestra and the pieces of paper. Cellestra grinned, but managed to suppress it well enough that the human couldnt see or hear it. Thanks, I spelled. Seems Ingo guy is piece of trash. Yeah, Cellestra replied softly. I guess there really is no redeeming bandits. Their leaders especially tend to be quite vicious. It seems to be the only way to keep them together. That, and women, and coin. Is sad. Will be happy to get rid of him. Just dont be too reckless. We dont know their exact strength. Then again, they dont know yours either. If most of them are anything like the ones we encountered before, the battle will be over before it starts. Would be nice. Hopefully save slaves. Will need you to talk to them. Yeah, I get it. Im fine with that. Im assuming you want to teach me that multi-barrier of yours before tomorrow, right? I nodded with my front two limbs. Yes. But first am hungry. Going to get some fish I guess. Will practice magic after. You do that. Youre a big girl, after all, She let out with a grin. I liked to see her so carefree, even after the things we had just talked about. It warmed my heart and helped me feel that everything would be well in the end. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons <3 ImaginarySmasher Tyrone Twist Name not found mj2113 James Keith ObsidianShiv Warden of muskova Korbi Certa Mark Edward waterfroggy Bioto John Andreas Tyrant_Rayne Thanks so much for the support <3 Little update regarding Patreon information. I''ve finished Arc 1 of TKES which ends with chapter 99. Arc 2 is 12 chapters completed right now. Elania has 23 chapters finished and chapter 24 is halfway done. Also, please leave me some comments <3 1.90 Tavion Faragi Don''t forget there was a dump of chaps earlier :3 (76-89) I arrived at the stream and peered into the water. There was a place by a bend with some rocks where it was still enough that I could see my reflection look back at me. My head was enormous, and my two main eyes had shifted to the sides. As far as I could see, my eyes had mostly formed a single row along my head, providing me with the clear, huge field of vision that Id now gotten used to. They were also completely red, which, in my opinion at least, made them look better? The red of the eyes, combined with my hair, which was now as white as snow made it seem as if I was some kind of albino. It kind of made me miss the rainbow colors that Id only had for a day or so. Then again, I guessed I still had that rainbow swirling around my abdomen. It truly was a mesmerizing sight. I turned my attention to the fish that swam past me. Its been a while since I fished. If I was going to do it more often, I could make a net at some point. I would be able to get them out of the water without ruining them. Wait a second. Maybe I could do that with one of my other spells. As I eyed the list of my currently learned abilities, an idea for one of my spells popped up in my head. These fish swam from my right to my left swiftly. I would be able to literally make them swim onto land. I summoned an ice elemental wall before me and lowered it into the water so that the fish, swimming at high speed, would swim onto it. I then angled it so that any fish that swam up the wall would be launched out of the water. My plan worked wonderfully. Multiple fish swam up against the ice, and were unable to stop moving due to the slippery material. They landed in the grass, and when I had about fifteen fish in one flopping pile, I used a weaker version of spider lightning to finish them off without making a mess. I then wondered how I should eat them. Normally, Id take a bit of time to enjoy them, but I didnt feel like wasting time, so I simply stuffed them in my mouth and quite literally sucked them into my stomach. Id started getting used to that weird aspect of this body. I ate all but three fish in this manner. Those, I bound with a thread of silk, and carried back to Cellestras house. When I arrived back, the elf was sitting in front of a campfire that shed set up, smiling widely as she saw me approach with food. I think Im starting to get to know you quite well, you know? She spoke in the elven language. It seemed she knew that Id gotten them something to eat. I waved at her with one of my legs as I skittered up to her with the three fish bound to a string that I held between my two pedipalps. I handed the string to Cellestra who thanked me. I then pointed towards where my shelter was. While she and the human ate, I would work on it in the meantime. I still had to get that nest achievement, after all. Sure. Thank you, Cellestra thanked me with one of her warm smiles that just made my heart melt. Distracted as I could be by her smile, I went to work on my shelter once more. I closed the last wall off partially so that there would only be just enough space for me to fit through. Closing off the last wall like that made the inside of the shelter feel more cozy. I then created something of a floor of silk about a foot or two above the grass. The elasticity would allow me to sleep more comfortably at night. Just the fact that I didnt have to sleep on the grass that could get damp and possibly quite cold would already make nights more comfortable. Was this how spiders slept? In a hammock of webs of some sort? If they did, I could see why. I laid myself down on the net that Id created and allowed myself to relax for a few minutes, trying to get used to my new home. Yep. This was far better than lying on the ground. Achievement earned: A nest for a queen. Build a nest. You have been awarded 150 EP. You have been awarded 300 EXP. Requirement for future evolution complete. For some reason, the achievement popped up a while after Id finished building. Was it a requirement for me to be comfortable or something? What an odd achievement. I was happy I got it, though. I was more than a bit worried when I hadnt gotten it after finishing the second wall. I had to admit, having this so-called nest felt good for some reason. It was watertight, covered from wind, and cozy. It was like a bed and a house in one. I almost felt bad for moving outside after relaxing for a few minutes. At least I would have a comfortable night tonight. It was more than welcome considering we would have to get up while it was still dark. When I approached Cellestra and the human again, I noticed theyd already finished their dinner. The human had both hands untied, but his stomach was still bound to the wall. He seemed to be far more comfortable than before. How did it go? Cellestra asked me in our own language once more. An odd question to ask without having the letters prepared. I reacted with a nod of my limbs, hoping shed take that as it went well. I hope that means it went well. You ready for some magic? I nodded again. Over the next hour or so, Cellestra and I trained intensely on the multi-barrier spell. She tried again and again. She didnt seem to get the second part of the spell done at the beginning, but after some time, she started to make huge leaps in progress. The fact that several of my skills had merged into Mana Control, which turned out to be an improvement over mana manipulation, seemed to have an even bigger impact on her progress. After another hour of constant practice, she seemed to have the spell under control. Cellestras smile as she cast the spell successfully time after time had my heart racing. I knew this went beyond helping a friend. I had already accepted the fact that I was in love and that there was nothing I could do about it. Unfortunately During our training, shed told me that the former slaves name was Tavion. Hed been a slave for a little over a year now. Apparently, their life expectancy was quite low, due to the way Ingo used them in battle. Id confirmed that, firsthand. The way that bandit had shot Tavion and then forced him to stay where he was through the slave collar was still seared in my brain. I would make sure that this Ingo guy was going to get his share of the justice that I intended to dispense. May Elysa have mercy on their souls. Evening came quicker than expected, indicating wed have to get to sleep soon. Cellestra used the little time we had remaining to inform me of her idea for when we found out where the supposed ambush was to take place. So, She started. As much as it pains me to say it, you are quite frightening to anyone that does not know what or who you are. I was thinking we could use that to our advantage. Currently, I was standing in front of the letters, waiting to reply when she was finished. From what we have both seen so far, these bandits are scared to death of you. They will likely send the slaves to attack you while staying at a safe distance. That did seem like the most likely possibility. Well, then, She continued. I was thinking that was what we should do. If we attack their camp before they attack the caravan, and they find out we intend to save the slaves, they might use them as hostages instead, threatening to kill them if we dont back off. Our best chance to save them would be to have them attack the caravan, have them get split up from the bandits, and then tell the elves to back off as they converge on you. I doubt mere slaves will be able to harm you correct? Likely true, I spelled. So, we split them up from the bandits, then you immobilize them, and then you turn on the bandits. How does that sound? Do not know how many there are. Might not be possible. Thats Cellestra looked at the ground. True, I guess. Yet, this is the best thing I could think of Ill ask Tavion about that... Cellestra paused for a bit before she spoke again. We need to make sure that the elves know you are their ally, and we need to find a way to show that early on. Ill try to get to them and make sure to let them know, but youll have to do most of the heavy lifting. Be prepared to take a hit or two before they realize. I had already accounted for that. Taking hits just so happened to be my specialty. Yet, I couldnt help but worry. This wasnt the best plan Id ever heard. Things might get messy. I just hoped we could keep that to a minimum 1.91 Preparations Faragi Bit smaller chapter dump as we are nearing the end of the first arc. Have fun people :) Cellestra walked back to Tavion to talk to him about how many slaves the bandits had at their disposal. As she talked to him, I took a good look at his restraints and concluded that, while his hands were mostly free, he would be unable to escape without some form of weaponry. My silk was strong beyond words at this point. Despite Tavion likely being known by the other slaves, I doubted there was much he could do. It was just impossible to break the control that a slave collar had unless its wearer possessed either immense physical or magical strength. In addition to that, the owner would also have to be incredibly stupid. The first command given to slaves, by definition, was to not try to break free. To be fair, I could probably break those collars with my current strength. Cellestra walked back to me and spoke to me in the elven language once more. He says there are about twenty. It might be a few more if more small bands have joined Ingos horde, but its unlikely. What do you think? Twenty slaves? Would I be able to immobilize that many? I was confident that if they were of similar strength to Tavion, they wouldnt be able to break through my barriers. I wouldnt have an issue with taking hits. The question was: what would the elves do? Cellestra would have to be quick and clear with her words. The best-case scenario would be to encounter the elves before the bandits. We could notify them of what was going on and hope that they were willing to help to set the bandits slaves free. If not, although not ideal, we could coerce them I was quite powerful. It wasnt my first choice, but if needed, I could force them to help us I hoped it wouldnt come down to that. Surely they would want to avoid bloodshed, too? I think I can handle. Need to try to find elves before bandits. See if they want to help. We foil ambush to help them. They help us freeing slaves, I spelled. A trade, huh? If we can find them first, that would be great for sure. I assumed this convoy had important goods or people and that traveling through this place was a necessity for them. These bandits seemed to be well-organized and have large numbers, judging from the preparation and scouting theyd been doing for more than a few days. It seemed that Cellestra and I could play a significant role in the elves protection. I hoped that would be enough of a bargaining chip for them to be willing to help us. I felt fury swell up inside me at the thought of bandits attacking convoys. This would be the second time in a short period of time where Id encounter it. The first time had literally killed me. Was that excitement I felt? A chance to cause a different outcome this time? Ill inform Tavion. We help him and the others then make the bandits pay their dues. Cellestra paused for a few seconds as she stared at the grass at her feet. And maybe, She spoke softly. Maybe its a chance for you to build some ties with the elves. You know, your old race. Let them see that youre not a monster. That youre noble at heart. With some luck, they will remember your actions. It might prove useful in your search She was right. This would be a great opportunity to show who I was. The only thing I didnt like about this was her expression as she spoke those words. It was as if she was saying goodbye to me. I felt sadness rise up within me. I didnt want to say goodbye to the elf. I couldnt After this was all over, Id go back with her to her home and talk about the future. I would finish my last evolution, stay here momentarily while I figured things out, and then probably ask her what her plans were. I was sure there was still a lot for her to learn, and I was eager to teach her all the spells that I knew. It would also help to have some kind of interpreter with me. By that, I didnt mean talking. I would be able to talk on my own, but a talking spider I knew of at least a few people that would run before they even got the chance to hear me talk And I was going to get bigger, and probably scarier still What a struggle. I nodded to Cellestras words. I knew she spoke them out of kindness. The elf smiled slightly, but there was a hint of sadness in there. I could see it. She then turned and walked to Tavion to talk with him about what we had just discussed. I could see him nod at some point during their conversation. I assumed that was a good sign. After that, Cellestra returned. While he agrees with our idea, Cellestra said, He says its too risky to try to reach the elves first. There are patrols all around. The best thing to do, he suggested, is to move to the main camp, following the route that his patrol group was supposed to take, in order to stay hidden as best as possible. From that point, its a simple matter of waiting until the elves are in sight and they send in the slaves. Its quite a bit messier, but its the best shot we have at separating the slaves from the scoundrels. I sighed mentally. It seemed there was no other way but hoping we would be able to prevent the elves from killing innocents. If I were to succeed with that, I would have to be incredibly quick, and would probably sow a lot of chaos among the elves as well, while Cellestra joined in and informed them. Messy. I didnt like it. Unfortunately, there was no other choice. I couldnt believe Cellestra was willing to do all this Was she truly talking about me when she talked about building some kind of relationship with these elves? I could imagine this would help her out quite a bit as well. Would these elves know her? So many questions danced around in my head. Are you okay with that, Kealyna? Cellestra asked, as I hadnt answered. Will have to do, I spelled out. Yeah, I hope things work out. Things remained quiet for a bit as I believe the both of us contemplated what was to come. It was clear we both had the same idea about all this. Anyway, Cellestra finally said. Lets get to sleep. We will have to leave before dawn. I got a campfire going for Tavion and I believe he is able to add wood to it by himself. I assume youre going to be fine in your new nest, right? Cellestra let out a small chuckle. I took a look earlier. Youve done a wonderful job at it. It looks quite comfy, to be honest. Her words made me smile in my mind. She was right. It was quite comfortable. I was looking forward to how well Id sleep. Thank you, I spelled. Good night, Cellestra, I spelled out the words as the elf was already crouching to pick up the letters after I finished. Good night, She said with a smile as she stacked the pieces of paper and took them with her. She waved at me as she walked back inside after apparently wishing good night to Tavion as well. What an odd day this had been. Many unexpected things had happened, but in the end, they might be for the better. I skittered over to my nest as the scenarios that could happen the next day started playing out in my mind. I tried to push them away, but I knew Id dwell on them no matter what. I hoped those slaves could have a proper life, not the kind I had to go through. It made me worry. Where could they even go? They would likely not have any belongings either. Not to mention money. We could maybe help them out by looting the bandits afterward. They were bound to be carrying some riches with them. I entered my shelter and lay down in the net that Id created earlier, my legs spread out to the sides and touching the walls. I tried to relax, but worries kept coming. In the end, I accepted that I just couldnt know yet what would happen. I would have to focus on the battle first. Everything else would follow after we, and the others, were safe. With those thoughts in my mind, I soon drifted off to comfortable and peaceful sleep. 1.92 Darkness I woke up to a hollow, knocking sound. It took me a moment to realize it was coming from my abdomen and I also felt it. Kealyna, you awake? I heard Cellestras voice behind me. I swayed my rear from left to right slightly to let her know I was awake. I then gave her a moment to step away from the entrance to my nest to walk out backward. It was still completely dark outside, but there was at least some light near Cellestras house from the still-burning campfire. The elf stood next to me and looked down into my eyes. I started to doubt whether shed slept at all. When I looked at her face, I could see that she was tired. Nevertheless, she seemed filled with energy, at least thats the impression I got from the tone of her voice. Its time to head out, Cellestra continued. I hope you slept well. I most definitely had. Now that I was awake, however, ideas started playing around in my head almost immediately. Are you okay with carrying the both of us again? The elf asked. I nodded with my pedipalps. It truly made no difference for me. Great. Although, I do fear we need to carry Tavion much in the same manner as before. Ive already talked to him about it, and surprisingly hes fine with it. Weve already eaten too, and are ready to move. Surprisingly, indeed. Cellestra walked over to the human, and I followed. When I reached him, I made sure to snap the threads that bound him with my powerful legs. I noticed the look in his eyes as he stood up. I could tell he was fearful, but not because of me or the elf. Rather, I was convinced it was because of what was to come soon. If you dont mind, I need to be excused for a second He said. Cellestra grinned and nodded, earning a sigh from the human who exited the clearing and disappeared behind a tree. I had to give credit where credit was due. I knew he was scared but he still carried on with this. Maybe there was some redemption for at least some humans, after all. In the meantime, I was left in silence with Cellestra. She was facing south and obviously thinking about many of the same things that Id thought about. The weird thing was that we didnt even know when this attack was supposed to happen. We more or less did, but we could still be off by a day. If it was up to me, Id rather get this over with sooner than later. I thought about things a bit more deeply. Our greatest advantage was going to be the element of surprise. I could sow proper chaos by striking quickly, and firing off a multitude of spells in a very short duration as I joined the battle. I didnt know about this specific band of bandits, but most of them were likely to lack the discipline, or even morale, that the trained soldier would possess. Sure, they made up for that by having numbers, but if those numbers were thinned out quickly, they were bound to break and make a run for it. Cutting off their slaves would make a huge dent in their numbers as it was. Even if they might only be used as fodder, and not so much as a fighting force, they were still technically on their side. The only problem with this was that if they made a run for it, I would probably be quite occupied chasing them down. If they split up, Id be busy for a while. Then again, it would be worth it if this was the proper way to do it. Youre thinking about the battle, arent you? Cellestra asked, without turning her head to face me. I nodded once more. As expected. Remember that you cannot always make the right choices. We can only do as much as we can. Im certain you have blamed yourself more than once for what happened to you, you know before coming here. It wasnt your fault. She was absolutely right. As much as I had ideals about all this, sometimes, they couldnt all be attained. I found comfort in her words. Even when I did everything I could, it sometimes wasnt enough. Though, I guessed in my case, I had succeeded in saving others. I tapped her back lightly with one of my legs as if to thank her. A small smile appeared on the elfs worried face, confirming she knew what the gesture meant. I hope that Elysa is watching you, Cellestra continued, Im sure that if she does, shes proud. I took in her words and imagined what the goddess would think of me. If she truly was the person that I was told she was, and if the kindness shed shown me at the beginning of my meeting her was genuine, I imagined she had something to be proud of. I couldnt get ahead of myself. Elysa couldnt help me directly. I would still have to do everything myself. I needed no such distractions when lives, innocent lives, were on the line. I had never actually confirmed if Tavion was innocent, but he didnt seem the kind of person to give in to greed. He was willing to help us out to set his apparent comrades free. I imagined he probably held some of the other captives dear. Tavion returned and I lowered myself. I could see the human nod at me as he placed himself on my huge abdomen. Instead of fully binding him to it, I made sure that only his legs were fastened to my body. This way, he could move his torso up and down and lead us where we needed to go. It would probably be a lot more comfortable too. When he was secured, Cellestra stepped on my back and placed her hands in my long hair. The elf then blew out the campfire with a gust of wind, signaling our departure. I started our journey by going in the direction of the place I had killed the three bandits that Tavion had been with. According to him, our best course of action would be to follow their patrol path back to the bandit camp in order to avoid running into other patrols. I kept up the pace, as I wanted to get there as soon as possible. Cellestra and Tavion remained quiet as they knew exactly where I was going. There was no need to adjust my route, for now. About two hours later, still in the dead of night, we arrived at the scene. The two bandits still lay dead in the exact same position that wed left them the day before. Nobody had found them yet. From that point, Tavion guided me onward. Hed assured me the patrol paths were far enough from each other that there was no risk of us being spotted. He also told me that it was likely that everyone was already back at the main camp. I wondered if the three men would be missed. If bears walked around in this forest, I didnt think anyone would be surprised if a few men and a slave suddenly went missing. It was part of the job in a way. The trees became denser as we advanced. Eventually, Tavion warned us that we were at the end of their patrol path and that their main camp was a bit further from here. The road that the elves would pass through was further to the south, while the camp was to the west. Ideally, wed find the camp to observe their activity, but Tavion brought that up and advised against it. There were too many patrols assigned to protect the camp. Should we continue to the road, cross it, and wait there? Cellestra suggested. There was still no sight of dawn appearing. If we wanted to make a move like that, now would be the only time we had. Moving in the cover of night, so close to enemies, made me feel awkward. It wasnt something I was used to. That is a possibility, Tavion answered. However, I am unsure if everyone is already back. If thats not the case, we could run into patrols. Is that a problem, Kealyna? Cellestra asked. You can see well in the dark, right? Do you think we can avoid them? I wanted to ask how dense the vegetation coming up was. If there was nothing but dirt between trees, I would have no issue spotting humans due to my thermal vision. If there were plants blocking the way, however I looked around and didnt see much of that in this area. The only plants that grew here barely reached above Cellestras knees. I doubted the area further ahead would be much different. I nodded with my pedipalps in response to her question. I would have liked to be able to confirm, but this was the best we could work with for now. Alright, Cellestra said. Well try that. Lead the way, Tavion. 1.93 Ambush I listened to Tavions guidance attentively. He spoke with whispers, which was more than understandable. No humans showed as he led us towards a dirt road that crossed the forest. A trail of hardened dirt and no trees in its direct vicinity was all that marked the road. To the sides were elevations in the terrain that would be excellent for ambushes as they would hide troops until the very last possible moment. We silently crossed the road and made our way partly into the forest beyond it. At some point, I saw figures show up on my thermal vision and I poked Cellestra with a leg, which I then held up to her lips. It seemed she got the idea as she shushed Tavion to be quiet. I made sure to go the opposite direction of where I saw the red shapes, and soon enough everything around us was back to black. It seemed the bandits were patrolling this side of the road still, which, in hindsight, was understandable. For a proper ambush to work, they would need to strike from all directions. The forest road seemed to lead through low ground. We were close enough to the road that Id be able to spot any activity near it easily with my superior sight. Cellestra suggested staying in the forest until first light. At that point, we could slowly and steadily move west. We would need to get sight of our target to know when they were about to strike. It was potentially the riskiest part of this endeavor, and we would need to be extremely careful to not get spotted. There was some vegetation a bit away from the road, but I was too large to stay completely hidden. I moved towards said vegetation and laid as low as I could and waited I prayed to Elysa that today was going to be the day of the bandits strike. Lingering here for another day would only increase the chance of being spotted. After a quiet hour or so, the first light broke through the forest. It was our signal to start to move. I stayed in the wide collection of undergrowth plants, leaving a trail in my wake as I forced my way through it. Things had not turned out as I had expected so far, but then again, when did it ever in conflicts? After plowing forward for a good five minutes or so, I saw signs of movement near the hill that overlooked the road. Several men were carrying a tree trunk and laid it against the hill. There was no doubt what that was for. I remained in the vegetation and observed together with the two people on my rear. After laying down the trunk out of view of the road, they waited next to it. I counted six men in total, all wearing the same kind of armor that the other bandits had. After a minute or two, one of them walked off into the forest. It was likely there were more of them waiting there. These people were going to obstruct the road. As far as I could tell, they were waiting until the caravan was close enough to rush this trunk down to block the way. Having a tree trunk lay in the middle of the road when there were no trees nearby was suspicious at best. It would immediately warn the elves of an incoming attack. Considering we seemed to be safe here, it would be a good idea for those men to spring into action. I assume we are waiting for them to make the first move? Cellestra whispered as quietly as she could. Yes, Tavion replied, also whispering. They block the road, retreat, then send in the slaves. So thats when we strike. It seemed Cellestra had the same idea as me. I used two of my legs to tear away the silk that bound Tavion to my back. Both he and Cellestra stepped off and crouched in the undergrowth. Im assuming this means the attack is today, The elf continued as she crouched next to me. I would assume so, The human replied. It didnt take long for the human to come running back out of the forest to the five men that sat next to the massive log. He seemed to inform them of a few things before he moved to the top of the hill and laid himself down, overlooking the road, no doubt. I waited anxiously while trying to figure out what the best course of action would be once more. It seemed like Id been going over this specific battle more than any in my life. We had so many things worked out already, but battles never went as one expected. We wanted to separate the slaves from the scoundrels. Then, we wanted the elves to recognize that Cellestra, Tavion, and I were allies. Hopefully, they would try to not kill the slaves while I worked to immobilize them. However, the first part of the battle was probably the most important one. One giant-sized spider with a wide array of magic spells would have a huge impact on the bandits morale. As such, I intended to throw several devastating attacks at them from range. The more I could focus on that instead of saving the slaves, the earlier theyd break. I just knew they would break. And yet, I didnt know their strength. What Id seen so far was but a fraction of their forces. Who knew what they still had in reserve? I cast my multi-barrier spell, and Cellestra, who watched me do it, did the same. I remembered Cellestras words about how I could only do so much, which caused some of my worries to subside. Battle was harsh and things didnt always go as expected. Did I expect too much of myself now that I had so much more power than Id never had before? I felt like that was the case. I ignored all thoughts and paid attention to the humans next to the hill. I focused on them intently, not wanting to screw this up. I waited and waited. Hours passed without much happening. Even though nothing happened, I was more than anxious to be discovered. Part of my abdomen couldnt be hidden properly. I guessed we were just far enough away. Maybe they had spotted me at some point and thought it was nothing more than a white rock? I couldnt be sure, but I stayed as still as possible, hopefully reinforcing that belief. For some reason, the colors swirling around in my rear had disappeared, making it look as if I was completely white. That odd fact made me wonder if there was some way for me to control it. Not that I was going to try to experiment with that now One of the humans near the log walked off into the forest and returned at some point, all while the person on the lookout remained there. Finally, after hours of waiting, something seemed to be happening. The human on top of the hill waved down and ran off to them. He quickly said a few words before he ran off into the forest. The five remaining humans lifted the massive log and slowly walked up the hill until the person at the front could look over it. Soon enough, the human that had run off came running back, with many more men, and even a few savage-looking women, following behind him. Things started to speed up and, while I still paid attention to the men with the log that seemed to be waiting, I also made sure to take notice of what I was up against. Besides a multitude of bandits with the same kind of armor and weapons that Id seen before, there seemed to be several spellcasters as well. They were marked by light clothing, and an object used to add to their magic, usually a staff or tome. Of course, those werent exactly necessary to cast magic, but they helped most people cast better or stronger spells. I thought I saw an older man with light clothing without any kind of focus. It made him look more experienced than the others. Id have to take him into account. Between the bandits were several slaves that were easy to make out, due to their ragged and low-quality clothes and weapons. As if that wasnt enough yet, to add insult to injury, there were the slave collars. I tried to count and got to nine or ten slaves. I assumed that on the other side of the road, theyd have about the same number, bringing the total to Tavions estimate. There wasnt much time for me to look closely, but I noticed slaves of races other than humans. I was certain I saw at least two elven women in there as well. They were all led to the hill that separated the road from the forest where they were lined up with their crude weapons in hand. One of the slave elves started shedding tears and was promptly hit with the pommel of a sword to the back by one of the bandits. Oh, how I longed for justice. Cellestra saw it as well, and I could see a fire burning in her eyes. It was something I hadnt seen before, nor did I expect to ever see it. She seemed ready to sprint into action. She would have to move together with me towards the caravan. I would try to cover her advance as much as I could by sowing confusion as soon as the signal was given. The human on top of the hill waved his hand and took proper hold of the log again. He and the others carrying it then stormed forward, disappearing out of sight as they ran down the hill on the other side. They soon returned on top of the hill which, apparently, was the signal for the slaves to run forward up the hill. When they were separated from the bandits, and running up the hill, I jumped into action. 1.94 Battle: Part 1 Faragi End of mini-chapter dump with likely 1 more later today. Uploaded 91-94 The slaves were still running up the hill when I made my presence known to the band of misfits that commanded them. Cellestra and Tavion, in the meantime, ran towards the hill to inform the elves on the other side of what was going on. As I had expected, the bandits were at least briefly stunned when they first saw me. I used the opportunity to sow as much chaos in as short a time as I could. I threw my strongest fireball into a cluster of bandits, followed by an elemental blast. My elemental blast was far quicker to reach my target, despite being cast a second or so after the fireball. I saw three separate bolts, one of fire, one of ice, and one of air, fly out. They combined into one bolt in mid-air, and then struck one of the bandits in the chest. The spell penetrated his chain armor and then exploded in his chest, causing instant death. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+416 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 5! You have been awarded 75 EP. The fireball then hit another bandit, causing him to catch on fire, and sending him flailing with his arms up in the air as he screamed his lungs out while the blazing flames consumed his flesh. Blindly, he ran back into the group of bandits, causing confusion and hesitation. I didnt stand by idly. Their confusion was exactly what I needed. They didnt give the slaves any other orders, they just kept running forward and were now on top of the hill. Swift as the wind, I made my way towards the hill to achieve the most important part of my plan, but not before I summoned an earthen spike beneath one of the confused scoundrels. The scream that came from him as the spike cracked open more than just armor would probably haunt me for the rest of my days. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+411 I jumped over the top of the hill just as another message showed up before me. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+409 Beyond the hills, I found three covered wagons pulled by two horses each, in line on the dirt trail that ran through the forest. By the shadows that were projected onto the canvas, I could see that there were people huddled together within the second wagon from the front. The wagons were protected by a small band of elven knights that seemed at least somewhat experienced. Their plate armor was of excellent quality, and I could see that their weapons were enhanced with minor enchantments, but enchantments nonetheless. Sometimes that little edge was all you needed. I didnt have time to stand and observe. I never stopped moving as I approached the convoy. The slaves from the other side of the hill had been sent slightly earlier than the ones from our side and they were about to crash into the soldiers. Even worse, one of them was far ahead of the main group and was about to be impaled by a spear. One of the guards was more than ready for him. With no time to lose, I made another jump towards the convoy. It was unfortunate, but I needed a bit of time. My jump to within nine yards of the closest soldiers turned at least a few heads as my massive figure suddenly showed up before them. I would have rather avoided this kind of chaos among the group that we were protecting, but there was no other option here. I forced one of my spells to appear with the utmost effort. I created an earthen wall between the soldiers spear and the human slave that was charging at him with a small spear of his own. The process was painful, but the wall was placed exactly where I wanted. The human ran into it, causing pain in him, and confusion in the elven guard. I had at least saved his life, for now. Massive spider! one of the guards yelled. They got a massive spider! Oh, just great. Now they thought I was with the bandits. One of the guards ran at me with a sword in hand as I was in the process of firing off a thread of silk at two approaching slaves. I blasted him back with a gust of wind immediately after casting my threads toward the two slaves, causing them to trip and fall a good twelve yards from the ring of guards. The guards armor rattled as he fell on his bum. Then, Cellestra made her presence known by yelling to them in the elven language. Dont attack the spider, shes with you! From my side eyes, I could see a wave of confusion run through the elves around the caravan, but they remained steadfast in their place and were ready to strike down the approaching slaves. To prevent them from doing so, I jumped in front of the guards that were positioned on the side of the wagon where the slaves were sent in earlier. I summoned lines of threads and fired them at the slaves. I managed to make five or so of them trip and fall. To finish immobilizing them, I summoned more threads and bound them to the ground. I had hoped that made my intentions clear, but it didnt appear to be the case. One of the elven soldiers to my back charged at me and swung his sword at my abdomen. The attack didnt penetrate my barrier, and I thought it would be for the best to not retaliate. Instead, I summoned another thick, long thread of silk to bind the remaining four charging slaves together. As I finished doing so, they too fell easily, due to the command that was given to them by the bandits. The collars made them charge and not stop. When I chained them together with threads of silk, like that, it messed up their movements so badly that theyd just trip up. That should give Cellestra enough time to fully inform the guards what was going on. I turned and observed the elf that had struck me with his sword. I saw both fear and confusion written on the small part of his face that I could see through his plate helmet. He was frozen with his sword in mid-air and obviously had no idea what to do. My towering presence seemed to be more than enough of a deterrent. My abdomen alone was twice his length. I ignored him and made my way to the other side of the battle, crossing the road by jumping over a set of horses. Their snorts made it clear that Id scared them, which I couldnt blame them for. The coachman whod observed what I was doing was shivering but still somehow managed to keep the horses in check. What a guy. Once on the other side, I repeated many of the same actions. I summoned thread after thread, immobilizing the approaching slaves. Cellestras voice called out again while I was occupied. The spider is with us. Dont attack the slaves! Another wave of confusion went through the small group of guards as the elf was still running towards them, Tavion close behind her. The guards had obviously no idea what the hell was going on, but, in the end, I think it helped us. They didnt make a move to try to kill any of the immobilized slaves. Instead, they stayed together, for the most part in a defensive formation around the second wagon. None seemed to get the bright idea of trying to strike me again. Maybe it was because of Cellestras words, maybe it was because of the soldier hitting me earlier, and me plainly ignoring him. I hoped Id confirmed that I wasnt hostile to them. My vision came in handy once more as I noticed a flash of light on top of the hill, followed by a fireball that was directed at the guardsmen. Without hesitation, I jumped towards the area where it was about to impact and summoned my fire wall to absorb it. The wall did what it was supposed to do; block spells. Because of the specificity of the school of magic that struck the wall before me, I saw the flames of the wall grow in intensity and size, creating a more powerful barrier. If these soldiers still didnt know what was going on, I doubted they ever would. What the fuck is going on? I saw one of the guards ask the soldier next to him, who started scratching his head. I doubted it had any effect, considering he still wore a helmet. It made him look ridiculous, if nothing else. Shes with us! Cellestra shouted again as she drew nearer the guards. She came to a halt about ten yards from them, and repeated her words once more. I didnt pay them any heed. I was still focused on making sure that none of these slaves would run into certain death. I immobilized the last two with my threads as I jumped to one of them. A fireball was flying and had apparently targeted one of them. I absorbed it with my still-active fire wall once more, as I saw the bandits stand in line on top of the hill before me. I imagined that Cellestra could fix the rest. These slaves were not going anywhere. It was time to turn my attention to the real problem. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons <3 Britney Tristan Konrule Andrew Jesse Daniel Thanks for your support <3 Read TKES 20 chapters ahead on Patreon no matter what tier you join (for now)! Don''t forget to check out Elania, Arachne in a different World if you haven''t yet (Even though it needs significant editing as this was my first story. many spelling/grammar mistakes up until ch43.) If you like monster girl GL fluff, you''ll likely like this one too if you can get through the first 20 chapters :) 1.95 Battle: Part 2 Faragi I have rewritten chapter 1.1 It might be a good idea to check it out sooner or later as a chapter that comes up soon will refer back to it. Other events referencing 1.1 will be edited over time. The issue I was facing currently was that there were two groups of bandits, one on each side of this small valley. If I didnt manage to break their morale right at the start, they could still outright kill the slaves or the elves, as I couldnt be everywhere at once. Deciding to not waste any time, I jumped straight forward, in the direction of the bandits before me. As expected, when a spider the size of several people jumped in your direction, it was bound to shock your morale. Several men dropped their weapons and decided running was better than fighting. I was sure that the group was already smaller than what Id faced before. A quick estimation said there were about twenty bandits before me. More than a few were shaking in their boots, which was exactly what I was after. Using their fear against them, I launched a flurry of magic spells and cast imbue elements on myself. I would use everything I have at my disposal to get rid of them quickly, so I could turn my attention to the other side of the trail. I would show them such a wide array of destructive spells that they would have no choice but to flee. A cyclone of fire engulfed a bandit, causing him to scream as the fiery winds tore away at his flesh. A spike of ice materialized in the air to my side, which then flew and impaled a bandit whod chosen to run after witnessing the first spell. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+426 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 6! You have been awarded 75 EP. I then jumped in the middle of five of them and brought two of them down to the ground, where they were skewered by my powerful legs. Another scoundrel that stood right in front of me had an earthen spike pierce him from below. He didnt even get the chance to scream. He died in a matter of seconds. Another rogue human before me got to experience what it was like to be hit twice by a single attack of my legs as the wind blessing triggered. He didnt live to tell the tale. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+399 You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+421 A large boulder was flung at me from afar. I was estimating it to be about three feet in diameter. To block it, I summoned an earthen wall. There was no way it was going to break that. The rock impacted the wall, and I could feel some of my mana being sapped to maintain the walls integrity. I quickly made the wall vanish to focus on what was before me again. I did take notice of where the spell was fired from and saw the older caster standing at a safe distance. He was alone, as the other spellcasters had already fled. I then unleashed a beam of flames that sprayed over three or four bandits. I channeled the beam and changed its direction, causing it to burn several others alive. In the meantime, the struggling under my legs died down. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+425 Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 7! You have been awarded 75 EP. You have killed a Human Bandit: EXP+401 Elysa, could you not show me these messages now, please? I normally didnt mind seeing them when I killed something, but when I was in the middle of a battle I had to focus on, it was slightly irritating. My spells had the desired effect. The remainder of the bandits ran off with their tails between their legs. I summoned several ice lances and struck them down from afar as they retreated. Another spell was thrown at me. This time, it was a beam of purple light. It impacted me and drained the strength of my magical barrier. An explosion of holy light occurred around me indicating that half the barriers strength had been depleted. This guy was as experienced as he looked. Both spells that hed fired at me were quite powerful. I saw him prepare for another spell, but I was swift to summon a fire wall that appeared before me. I then jumped at the old man while the barrier remained where it was relative to me. I pinned him down to the ground with my two legs and summoned an earthen spike that impaled him in the back, killing him within seconds. With the biggest threat eliminated, I had no time to lose. I made my way back to the wagons as fast as my legs could carry me. I jumped when I could, to get to my destination even faster. I arrived just in time. When I reached the top of the hill, I could see the bandits charging at the guards, whod by now formed a single line on the other side of the wagon to face the only remaining group of bandits head-on. I jumped down and cast my multi-barrier spell again. As far as I could tell, the guards had moved the bound slaves to the wagons, where they lay bound against the wood. The elves seemed to be working with us. I silently thanked Cellestra and Tavion for getting them to relative safety. I joined the battle, which was already turning in the elves favor. There were about twenty to thirty bandits remaining, but due to the lack of equipment and training, their strength would, in my estimation, be about equal to that of the eight well-equipped and disciplined guardsmen. With my presence here, this would be over in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. The elves clashed with the forest bandits. It seemed the humans had either forgotten or misjudged my presence. Either way, it was foolish of them to attack with half of their forces missing. When I ran up towards the front line of battle from the side, I noticed that one human had already chosen to run. As he was running away from battle, however, a crossbow bolt flew and struck him in the back. He fell to the ground, where I saw him stir momentarily before going still. The wielder of the crossbow was a man with broader shoulders and, quite honestly, an intimidating visage. Scars adorned his battle-hardened face, which was easy to make out as he was not wearing a helmet. His armor was of equal or even greater quality than that of the guards. The sun was reflected off his polished chest plate, and additional decorations such as golden stars near the shoulders gave it a signature look of quality. It was most likely stolen. This had to be their leader. I believe Ingo was his name? It appeared he was as ruthless as had been described to me earlier. He showed no hesitation in striking down his own. He was in the middle of reloading his crossbow when he laid eyes on me. I could see a certain bloodlust in his eyes, even from afar, but I also noticed the slight shaking that was in his legs. It seemed even the most powerful, or foolish, were not safe from the intimidation factor that I brought forth. One of the elven guards was struck down by an arrow from afar, as it hit clean in the stomach. Another guard raised his shield for the first soldier who was now on his knees, just in time to block another arrow that would have hit his head. It did, however, leave an opening in his defense. One of the bandits charged forward with a spear, but missed what he was aiming for. The best he could do in the end was stab the second elven guard in his shoulder before a third guard cut his arms off. His cries traveled across the battlefield, but were soon silenced as he was decapitated. It was at that moment that my presence became all too clear. I started casting several spells that had proven to have a huge impact on morale. I first aimed a fireball into a group of bandits near the front line. I missed partially, but still managed to set fire to the ground in front of the guards, effectively creating a dead zone. Following the fireball, I hit one of the bandits with an elemental blast to the leg. It tore off one leg as the projectile straight up pierced through it, before settling in his other leg, where it exploded, cutting off his other leg and ending his life. That seemed to be the signal for the bandits to retreat. Ingo fired another bolt at one of the retreating scoundrels but missed miserably. He yelled some commands, but was unable to stop the flood of retreating bandits. In the end, he decided to run as well, dropping his weapon in the process. I turned my attention to the two injured guardsmen together with Cellestra. Without uttering a word, the elf pulled out the arrow that was in the first guards stomach as I pulled out the spear from the second guard. They yelled in pain and started cursing, but quickly fell silent when I cast healing light twice on each of them, mending their wounds. I turned around to see the bandits running for their lives. This battle was over. But I wasnt quite done yet. 1.96 Ingo Faragi This bandit leader guy, Ingo, I wanted him. Him, and any other bandits I could get my hands on. I was beyond infuriated. Bandits, and all the like, should be removed from the face of this world. They were simply the worst kind of people. I started chasing the fleeing bandits, intending to bring down as many as I could. Their long history of crime and violence would end here and now. With the bandits on the run, and my mana reserves drained to about half, I decided to start conserving my power at least somewhat. Since I still had the imbue elements active, I decided to simply catch up and strike these lowly humans down with my powerful legs. I did notice that they started splitting up and running in several directions. I did resort to using my ice lance for those who were close to getting away from me. This was simply the most accurate spell I had that I could cast from long range. I managed to strike down all who ran off to the sides. I thought about using venom bolt for a moment but wasnt sure if it would penetrate their armor. The chase was starting to center around a group of bandits running together. Their leader, Ingo, was among them. Like an arrow from a bow, I caught up with them in no time and struck down the first two with my giant legs. I impaled their bodies with my legs and pinned them to the ground but kept up the chase. I left them to bleed out while I hunted the last two bandits and their leader. I struck down the rest of the bandits around Ingo, leaving me with just the mastermind behind this attack. He pulled out a set of daggers as he ran and I started questioning what he intended to accomplish with those. He looked behind him, and threw one of the daggers, aiming for my eyes. I hadnt expected him to be so quick, and I couldnt get a defense up in time. The dagger flew through the air, but thankfully, my physical barrier blocked it. That seemed to leave Ingo completely broken. When he turned around to throw the last dagger he had, the fear in his eyes was overwhelming. I wasnt one to make people suffer - Id bring him swift justice. I jumped on Ingo and pinned him to the floor, his face down in the dirt. He mumbled a few incomprehensible words before I summoned an earthen spike that shot upwards from under his neck, severing his head from his torso. With Ingo finally dead, I took a few moments to rest. I could run for hours, but all these jumps had left me surprisingly tired. I gazed at the clear, blue sky and took in the sounds of birds chirping. If I didnt look down at the carnage beneath and around me, one could say there had never been a battle in the first place. This forest was truly beautiful. I waited for several minutes to restore my strength and mana, but found out that I wasnt regaining any of that. In fact, I was getting more tired. Was I hit by some kind of spell in the middle of all that? I didnt believe so, but I didnt know how else to explain it. Seeing as rest wasnt working, I decided to get up and just start skittering back to the wagons. Id run for a good five minutes and had a bit of walking to do to get back. Id barely taken ten steps before a wave of lethargy crashed over me. My legs gave out beneath me and I fell to the dirt. Besides the exhaustion, a headache was starting to build up as well. What the fuck was going on with me? The headache was joined by dizziness and I noticed my vision was becoming blurry. I started panicking until I had the presence of mind to ask Elysa about what was happening. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 8! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 9! You have been awarded 75 EP. Level Up! Kealyna has reached level 10! You have been awarded 75 EP. Achievement earned: I thought you were smart? Kill a higher sapient being. You have been awarded 150 EP. You have been awarded 0 EXP. Requirement for future evolution complete. Evolution Available! Confirming evolution to Iridescent Queen Arachne. Evolution will proceed when combat has ended. Evolution? No. Wait, wait wait, cancel that! Impossible. I cursed in my mind as the pain in my head worsened by the second. I did not want to evolve right now. Id made sure that none of the bandits got away, but I wasnt confident that I was safe here. I barely managed to recast my multi-barrier spell. I hoped that would keep me safe if it was needed, as it seemed there was nothing I could do to stop this evolution from happening. I would have screamed in pain if I could. Something was pushing against my skull from the inside and it sent jolts of pain through my entire body. My head felt like it was about to explode. I didnt want to go through this evolution, but, right now, I was begging for the sweet relief of unconsciousness to absolve me of this pain. Instead, the pain just kept getting worse. It took far too long, but at long last, my senses left me, and I fell into slumber. ____________________________________________________________________________ I opened my eyes. Wait, I could open them? Where was I? I looked below me and noticed I was sitting in a chair in my old elven body. I was looking at my hands when I heard a familiar voice in front of me. I was looking straight at Elysa. I saw her stare at me while I tried to figure out how in the world I ended up here. Did I die again? Kealyna, She called out with her gentle voice. What happened? I asked. The goddess didnt reply to my question. Instead, she started speaking about something else. I am not here. You are not dead. This is the last message that I have recorded for you to view when you reach your final evolution... She went silent for a moment, giving me time to process what shed just said. I had to conclude that I was in some sort of dream-like state. I assumed I was still unconscious. I wish to apologize once more for what happened to you. I couldnt help you in time other than giving you this little piece of myself to allow you to survive and, hopefully, find the peace and happiness that I had promised to you. When this message reaches you, do know that I am proud of your accomplishments so far. She remained quiet for another moment as I recalled what had happened when we first met. I remembered the portal that I was about to step through. About how I saw the clear blue sky in it, inviting me to start over again from the point where things took a turn for the worse in my life. About how that blue abruptly changed to black, before swirling mists surrounded my body and pulled me into it. About how Elysa yelled out my name as I was forcibly put into that spider body. I knew at that moment that something had gone horribly, horribly wrong. Elysas first message all but confirmed that. She had mentioned something about this Hograd guy, and that she suspected he had interfered with her work, but she couldnt be sure. I said so far, because your story is not yet at an end, although its up to you how you wish to finish it. I am going to investigate what happened to you. If you wish to hear about my findings, or wish to talk to me at all, please visit one of my temples. The priests have a ritual that one can use to speak directly to me as long as I am willing to talk to you, which I am in your case. Again, the choice is up to you. She gave me another few moments to reflect on her words. There were certainly questions that I wanted answered. Who exactly was this Hograd person and if he was behind this all, why? I just didnt get it. I do hope you choose to contact me. Either way, let me be clear that I truly wish you nothing but happiness. I hope this blessing of mine will help you with that. I made sure your final evolution offers everything you need for that goal. Another brief moment of silence before the goddess concluded her message. With that, I wish you luck, Kealyna. May you fare well. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons <3 John Lars gearspack Ookfark RockGeek Primula Hope Thanks for your support <3 This arc ends with chapter 99. I will finalize all rewriting (perhaps not all editing) Before posting arc 2 There''s a fair bit of work to do still, but I am working with an experienced editor (Blue core''s editor) who offers me suggestions and input on many things. 1.97 Arachne Faragi I couldn''t wait to read your reactions to this chapter. Please be nice to me ;_; After Elysas last words, everything went blank for a fraction of a second before I seemingly woke up from my evolution. The grogginess, which was already quite bad last time, was at a new height. I couldnt say what was going on around me or even what had happened to me. My senses were extremely dull. It was as if I had to be thawed; senses very slowly permeated from the outside towards my core. My vision was just awful. It was so incredibly blurry that I couldnt see anything but green and red. Those were likely the colors of the trees and the sky. The red sent panic into my brain. It meant it was already evening. I tried moving a leg; it seemed to be the first part of my body where any kind of sense returned. I merely managed to twitch it, hoping to hear Cellestras voice call out to me, but no response came. Where was she? Would she be okay? If anything, I hoped shed be safe. I tried to reassure myself that she was. It was likely she was still with the other elves. There were probably a lot of talks to be had, and I could think of none more suited than her to do it, as she was the one with the most knowledge of what was going on she and Tavion both. If she was still with them, Id just have to find out what direction they went. It wasnt hard for me to follow tracks, and I knew that Cellestra knew that. I would first have to get back to the road. I feared the dark of night might actually make things slightly harder. Would the elf be worried about me? I sighed mentally as I was still waiting for my senses to return. My eyes were clearing up very slowly, as was the case last time. What was strange, however, was that instead of the red becoming black, it went to blue instead. Wait. Was it morning? Had my evolution taken that long? I was still alive as far as I knew. If Id gone that long without anything trying to kill me, I figured I would be okay for the remainder of the time that this recuperation took. Slowly but steadily, my senses returned. I could finally move my legs, albeit quite spastically. For some reason, they felt incredibly weak too. I didnt recall that being the case before. I wouldnt be able to walk for a little bit more, for certain, but this weakness in my legs was worrying. When the thawing process finally reached the core of my being, I could tell something was off. Something was on top of me. I could feel it pushing down the hairs in which Id recently regained feeling. What was that? I couldnt quite make out what it was; my vision was still too blurry to see a thing. Besides, it was more or less in my dead zone. I figured that since it wasnt moving and I was still alive, it had to be some kind of sleeping animal? I let out a chuckle in my mind. Some bird had probably found the best place to nest. I knew my hair was soft and fluffy, but this I would have never guessed. At least it managed to cheer me up somewhat through all the anxiety that had befallen me. That poor bird or whatever it was. I doubted it would stay there once it found out I could move. More minutes went by. The thawing process had now reached my head. Once it did, my vision started becoming less blurry at a faster rate, but what shocked me was that it didnt stop once it had rippled over my entire head. Instead, it continued? It expanded above my head? I felt senses flow where I knew I shouldnt have any. Slowly but steadily, I came to the realization that something had changed and changed drastically. I could feel things that shouldnt be there. I could feel the softness that was the hair on top of my head and back. Sensation kept expanding upward and then spread to the sides. I found out I could move things that I didnt have before but I also used to have It was weird, but familiar in a way. What was going on? I moved two of my legs so they were above my head and used them to touch what was laying on my back. I found out that I could feel where I touched. I was touching myself? I ran a leg down the shape that was still unmoving and felt it glide across my skin. Skin I forced all my focus into what was above me with all my might. The senses filled up the figure quickly and I could feel arms. Then, I could feel something of which I knew exactly what it was: a head, with eyes. With great effort, I managed to open them. A clear, blue sky was what I was looking at. The chirping of birds, the wind rustling the leaves on the trees, and the pecking of a woodpecker were some of the sounds that I could now hear all too clearly with my new set of ears. I was laying on my back, in comforting fluffiness that a normal bed wouldnt even come close to. Shock was coursing through this body, and the rest, as realization and disbelief were contending for the position of my primary emotion at this point. I lay still for several more minutes as everything was starting to sink in. I just couldnt believe it I managed to move my arms and held them in front of my new set of eyes. I stared at them and kept staring... How? I couldnt explain it, but for some reason, I could see with both my normal eyes and my spider eyes at the same time. It was incredibly disorientating, but it seemed that, as time passed, I was starting to get more used to it, which reduced the pressure on my brain brains? I was certain I was still thinking with my spider brain at this point but I was clearly seeing things and processing things in this other brain as well. Just thinking about how this was all possible made both of them hurt. The process of regaining all senses seemed to be wrapping up, as the vision in my spider eyes was now more than crystal clear. I still felt weak in my legs which I found odd. It was as if a significant amount of strength had been drained from my body Bodies? This new thing that I was, it was one body: that I knew. That I could feel. Was this what Elysa meant when she said this final evolution offered everything I needed? Apparently, she made sure that I had a more humanoid body on top of my spider one. Wait a second Humanoid In an instant, I used my new arms to help raise up the body that was now on top of my head. I completely disregarded my nudity, and bent over forward, staring into my spider eyes. I was looking up at my elven face looking down into my red spider eyes. My hair was still the same as it was when I was an elf; long and white, but extremely messy, but most of all, it was my own. The thing that had worried me most were my ears, but fortunately, my elven ears were where I expected them. It was a relief to see that Id retained those. It did explain the unbelievably sharp hearing that Id experienced over the past minutes. What was not the same about me, however, were my eyes. I was staring at a huge spider head below me, but looking up, I could clearly see the shifting of colors behind my irises. It was as if I was looking at the swirling pattern of colors on my abdomen, except that it was happening in my eyes. They were mesmerizingly bright in color, and kept shifting from one eye to the other, slowly. It was like a wave of colors that continually washed from one side to the other behind my eyes. When one color appeared in an eye, it would move to the side and disappear, to, moments later, appear in the other eye and then be pushed out again. It was captivating, even if I did say so myself I was not expecting this when I was promised the ability to speak, whatsoever. This literally changed everything. Id finally be able to talk to Cellestra, and hopefully, this body wouldnt scare people as much as my old one. I could have stared at my new form for hours, but slowly, the shock of what this evolution had brought me was starting to ebb away. I was still going to have to find Cellestra. We had a lot to talk about 1.98 Discovery I raised my new elven torso upright as I was still slowly recovering from the shock of finding out what Id turned into. I reckoned I would need some more time to get fully accustomed to this, but the feeling that I had at least half of my old body back was just indescribable. I could talk, smile, laugh. They were things that were so mundane for elves, and Id never valued them as much as I did now, but, now that I had a friend in Cellestra, I had a use for them. What would my parents say when they saw me? To what degree had their memories been altered? I might have to take up Elysas offer to speak to her in one of her temples. Speaking of temples, what would the priests, or even others, say when they saw me? Could I have a relatively normal life? I took a lock of my hair and ran my fingers through it while thinking about things. My upper body was exactly how it had been before I died. It wouldnt set me apart from any other elf. What was below that, though I had no issue controlling everything that I had before. My legs still moved the way I had gotten used to. I used them to move towards the corpse of Ingo, which still lay nearby. I then lowered my spider head to the ground and bent my torso over him to start searching for valuables. He had seemed to possess much of the wealth of the bandits. Since it hadnt originally belonged to him, I intended to sell whatever he had to more honest folk. While I was searching his pockets with my hands, I removed his bloodied chest plate with my pedipalps. It felt liberating to have actual hands again. They could perform much more delicate tasks than my other limbs. Writing, holding on to smaller objects, and such were all but impossible with spider limbs. I found a hefty purse full of coins in one of his pockets. It must have been quite hellish to walk with that stabbing in the leg all the time. In his other pocket, I found another dagger. It had a short sheathe, and the fact that it was in his pocket combined with that made me think it wasnt meant for combat. I removed the sheath to see my eyes reflected back from a golden surface. This certainly wasnt meant for combat. I laid the items Id looted from the bandit behind my torso, on my spider head. I then summoned several threads to bind them to my body when I noticed something was off about those as well. I could feel when I cast the spell that the threads were much flimsier than before. They were nowhere near as strong as what I was used to. They did the trick, but this wasnt normal. I took a moment to look at my skills and available enhancements, only to see that nothing had actually changed there. Elysa, what happened to me? I feel so weak To Kealyna, When I gave you my blessing in order to combat this curse that was placed upon you, there was a significant problem when I tried to add your elven body half to it. The curse had no problem allowing me to add strength to you while you were a spider, however, this evolution seems to be an issue for it. I had to compensate for this by evening out the power levels in your body I stared at the blue square before me, not knowing what I should feel. I was more than grateful to have been given, at least partially, my old body, so I felt like complaining about this would be petty. However Is there any chance I can get that strength back? Your blessing allows you to grow stronger by spending evolution points to increase skills. Your chosen final evolution helps with this through Devour (Evolving). That didnt seem to be the answer I was looking for. Rather, it seemed like a general answer that happened to answer something close to my original question. I had grown used to the power that I had possessed. Even if I hadnt had it for long, to have it suddenly stripped away from me I was less than happy with it. It made me yearn for it again. I decided to look at the bright side. I could cast two spells at once, and I had a body that would be more than useful in my search. I tried to shrug the weakness off as a necessary sacrifice, and started moving back toward the road. I did quick checks to see if the other bandits carried anything of value but didnt find anything of interest. As I moved through the forest, the fact that my upper half was still completely nude returned to my attention. I decided to cover myself up with the only thing I had available to me at the moment; silk. I summoned many threads and wrapped them around my breasts while holding back my long hair. After I was finished, I let it flow freely again. I continued inspecting my body while walking. My snow-white hair reached all the way to my waist, which was longer than I usually had it, but I couldnt complain. When I looked at my waist, I noticed that it was very well covered by the long hairs on the top of my other head. When I pushed them aside however, I could feel my face grow red. Everything was still there It was completely obscured from outside, and while I wasnt one to think about things like these too much, I couldnt help but feel at least a little bit awkward about it. I moved the hairs back, covering up everything below my belly button, before continuing my train of thoughts. It was then I realized Id gotten hungry again. It wasnt quite as bad as my previous evolution, but it still felt as if I hadnt eaten anything in a day, which was likely true, thinking about it. I couldnt be bothered to hunt for food, though. I wanted to see Cellestra and make sure she was safe and sound. What would she say when she saw me? I reached the road after ten minutes of wandering and wondering. The log that had been used to block the road had been moved to the side and, save for the blood on the ground, there were no signs of the battle that had taken place here; the bodies had all disappeared. I wasnt sure where theyd gone, but I couldnt be bothered by it, either. The tracks led forward, indicating they had continued their journey as planned. I hoped the elf would be smart enough to stick with them for a while, knowing that I would have a much easier time finding her like this. In my opinion, it would have been unwise for her to go back home, in case there were any bandits still around, and I doubted the guards would be willing to escort her all the way back. I had half expected them to search for me, but it didnt seem that was the case. That, or they just hadnt found me. I picked up the pace and followed the tracks for about half an hour. At that point, Id reached the edge of the forest. What lay beyond was a large valley with a village on the far side, in the distance. The road ran all the way down through the valley and up the other side, to the village, winding back and forth a few times where the incline would have been too steep for carts or wagons. Thanks to my amazing eyesight, I could make out three covered wagons stopped beside the road maybe a few hundred yards from the village. My eyesight was a blessing. I would have never spotted that without it. I had to cover quite a lot of distance yet. It was quite a few miles, for sure. I couldnt make out the details, but I was confident those were the same three wagons we had rescued. I followed the road as quickly as my legs could carry me. I intended to get there as fast as possible. I wanted to see Cellestra. I wanted to see her more than anything in the world right now. I felt a drop of water hit my spider head near one of my eyes and I turned my elven face to the sky. There were no clouds in sight. It was then I realized that Id shed a tear. Why was I crying? I had no idea why, or what was going on, but I shed multiple tears as I skittered towards the village. I simply let the tears flow as they wished, knowing they had probably plenty of reasons to do so. The road was completely empty, which, for me, was a relief. I had no interest in finding out what anyone would say or do if they saw me. Now that I could talk, I wanted to believe I wouldnt be attacked on sight, but that was no guarantee. The fact that I had lost a significant portion of my strength was a concern for my safety, too. My eyesight was truly enviable. I felt like I had walked for hours when I finally started nearing the wagons. When I did, I saw the same guards that were with us yesterday sitting next to the wagons. When they saw me approach, they instantly jumped up, with their weapons at the ready. They didnt hold them up for long. I approached them slowly. I knew that they had learned that I was an ally, but as far as I could see, they simply reacted that way out of pure and utter confusion. Their eyes were fixated on my elven torso, which confirmed exactly that. I also towered over them even more than I previously had. I guessed that didnt really help, either. I did wave at them, which seemed to put them more at ease. The rattling their armor caused with their sudden movements, in turn, elicited movement from inside the closest wagon. I turned my head to see Cellestra peek out from behind the canvas after shed moved it aside with her hands. She stared me down for a good ten seconds, confusion plastered on her face. Kealyna? Faragi And with that, we have come to the end of arc 1 see you all in a month or so. JUST KIDDING :^) There''s one more chapter after this. I do want to go on a small break with publishing after that to do some cleaning up in older chapters and whatnot. I''m thinking about publishing it on Amazon... 1.99 Arc End – Home Silence followed the one word that Cellestra had spoken. Her eyes were still darting up and down. It took her a minute to speak, but she fumbled trying to form a coherent sentence. How wha Kealyna? Was all she managed to produce. I nodded, wanting to speak. There was so much I had to talk about with the elf, but now that Id finally gotten the ability to do so, I didnt seem to be able to find the words. When I finally wanted to say a word as simple as hi, I, too, managed to screw it up. I couldnt produce the sounds I wanted. My mouth still felt partly alien to me. I coughed a couple of times and had to scrape my throat as I focused on remembering how to speak. It hadnt been too long since I was able to, but my body had gone through so many changes that it took me a moment to figure out. Hi, I finally said, noticing that I still possessed the soft, melodic voice that I always thought of as unfitting for a knight. Id never managed to quite put the oomph into my voice in battle as some others. I guessed if I wanted to scare others now, Id merely have to click my fangs together or something like that. After shed stared at my elven torso for several more seconds I saw her eyes trail off to the rest of my body. I swore I could read what she was thinking. I believe it was something along the lines of the rest of you hasnt changed. It was true. The rest of my body was still exactly the same as before my evolution. I imagined that was part of the reason why I wasnt as ravenous as when I last woke up. I hadnt increased in weight by anywhere near as much as last time. Elysa? She asked with a single word. I nodded again. Final evolution, I explained with the bare minimum of words. I see, She replied. Things went quiet again as we both seemed to struggle to find the words needed to truly break the ice that had appeared between us. I never imagined it would be this hard to talk to someone. Id never had this issue with Cellestra when I was still using the letters on the paper. Why was I having such a hard time with this? The guards that had reacted to my presence had slowly backed off in the meantime. They didnt appear to want to get involved in all this, something for which I was thankful. I was having a hard enough time as it was. Cellestra stepped out of the wagon and jumped onto the grass below. She then steadily moved closer to where I stood. As she approached, I lowered my spider head to the grass. Hopefully, talking would be a bit easier if I wasnt towering over the elf. How things had reversed Only with the fangs under my head touching the ground did I stand at the same height as Cellestra. She seemed to be the first one that managed to form a sentence that was more than two words, albeit barely. Your body, is it I nodded for a third time. Its exactly the same as it was when I died. Well, except the eyes, I guess. With that, the ice seemed to be broken at last. I cant believe it, She replied. Neither could I. I probably stared for longer than you did. I can imagine. Are you okay? Cellestra asked. It looks like youve been crying. Im fine, I shrugged it off. How have you been? Truly? Ive been worried. When you last ran off to chase Ingo and some of his misfits, we waited for an hour or two for you to come back. Eventually, the caravan leader decided to move onward. It took me quite a bit of persuading to have the wagons halt here. About an hour ago, they took the slaves to the village. I hoped that youd manage to catch up Well, I did fortunately, I let out with a sigh. Im sorry, Kealyna. I wanted to look for you, but it was just too dangerous. Dont worry about it, I said with a slight smile. I was delighted that I was finally able to, although I could see through my spider eyes that my smile was quite crude. I definitely needed to work on that. I imagined that was the case, and I dont blame you for it. Though, I do wonder, how did you plan on going back home, say, if I didnt find you? I She paused for a few seconds. I was offered an escort of elite soldiers from the city to get me back home. They said it was the least they could do to make sure their valuables werent stolen. She looked at the items that were strapped to my back. Speaking of valuables Stuff I found on Ingos corpse. Wasnt as tough as he looked, after all. I thought they might be worth something. Since they likely werent his to begin with, I decided to take them with me. I removed the threads with my legs and laid the items in the grass before me. I noticed that one of the guards turned his head and couldnt help but stare at the bloodied chest plate. You think I can buy some food with these? Im starving, I said half-jokingly. Heh, Cellestra chuckled. You havent exactly gotten smaller. It was good to see she still had her old sense of humor. I reflexively smiled at her comment. However, I am afraid theres not much here that will sate you. I imagined that would be the case. Ill just hunt something in the forest later. I think Ill manage until then. I looked at the objects before me. What should we do with these, though? Truly? Cellestra asked. I have no idea. Unless you want to head into the village, they dont hold much value here. I had no intention of setting foot in the village, yet. I had no idea how I would be looked at. I could imagine it not being too friendly. I had never heard of anything like me existing, after all. I was fortunate that these guards had already met something that was equally unbelievable. It had also been made clear to them that I was friendly, but despite that, one of them had still swung his sword at me. With my power suddenly dropping, it was probably better for me to avoid a village, for now. I still had to get accustomed to my new body as well. I imagined I would be better off secluded for a while. I wanted to be alone with Cellestra, at least for a bit. Guess Ill take them with me. Maybe Ill have a use for them later on. I dont feel like going to the village. Understandable, Cellestra reassured me. And so, I bent forward to pick up the items again, once again strapping them onto my back, preparing them for transport. What happened to Tavion and the others, by the way? I asked, now that I was feeling much more comfortable with talking and had cleared some other questions. The soldiers cut off their collars, and they came with the caravan. Berel took them with him to the village. However, freeing them as you suggested isnt as easy as it seems. As they had no money, the best he could do was direct them to the city militia where theyll receive training, lodging, food, and a salary, in return for their service. So, basically the same as me I let out. I guess thats better than being a slave. Yeah, I guess so, Cellestra said softly. And I assume Berel is the caravan leader? The elf nodded. Did you ask him to put in a good word for me? I asked with a sly smile. I did, in fact, Cellestra replied. I know how you eventually need to set out for your own quest. I imagined itd be nice if at least some folks knew your existence to not be a threat, but a blessing to them. You may not want to go to the village right now, but once you are ready, this would be a good place to start. Do you know if theres a temple to Elysa in this village? Afraid not, Cellestra replied. This is the beastkin village that I talked about. The closest elven settlement is the other way. The caravan left that village yesterday. From there, its half a day to an elven city. That city has a temple dedicated to Elysa. Why are you asking, though? She looked at me with curiosity in her eyes. I got a message from her when I reached this evolution. It said shed like to talk to me. Talk to you? Youd be one of the very few that shell speak to, then. Many people try to communicate with her, but only a few are accepted. I guess it makes sense in a way, seeing as she is responsible for your situation. Well, I started. Only partially. You know how she suspected Hograd to have interfered? Or at least she mentioned his name when she talked about a few individuals who she knew were able to use shadow magic of that sort. She left me this message that included something about investigating what exactly happened. Shed like to tell me what she found out, I think. Maybe she could help me with my quest as well? Sounds like it may be worthwhile visiting Edhil then. She looked at my new face after saying that and must have caught the confusion on it. The city. I nodded. Thanks. After that, a long moment of silence followed where I simply stared at the grass in front of my head, not knowing what to say, or do next. With my spider eyes, I saw Cellestra turn around to look at the guards once more before turning back to me. What do you say we just head home for now? She asked softly. I nodded before speaking with an equally soft voice. Many thoughts were dancing around in my mind and I didnt know what to make of them. Cellestras words brought back some structure to them. Yeah. Lets do that. Faragi And now, we have really reached the end of arc 1. I''ll be going on a little bit of a break regarding publishing. I am expecting it to be ~2 weeks, but I won''t go anywhere. This story is a lot easier to produce than Elania thanks to the shorter chapters. It just fills up better, if that makes any sense. As always, thanks for all your input and comments (and cookies nom) <3 This doesn''t mean I won''t be producing new content for TKES/Elania, it''s just that they won''t be published for a while. I''ll be slowing down just a bit, in order to have time to edit/rewrite certain things (to what degree I don''t know yet) I''ll at least fix the references to the early 2-3 chapters which have been rewritten already. If you''d like to read further in the meantime, or if you''d like to support me, head over to My Patreon where there are 20+ chapters into the second arc right now (which will increase further) You can join at any tier and get all content that has been written so far (for now) Don''t forget to join my discord as well for interaction with me and readers: https://discord.gg/TqFjdv8uaE Also, as always, special shoutouts for my new Patrons <3 Alexis ShotoGun Thanks a lot <3 2.1 Bright Cellestra turned around, if only briefly, to wave at the two guardsmen sitting next to the closest wagon. One of them replied with a wave of their own before the elf turned back to me and slowly walked onto the road. They knew you were leaving? Yeah, Cellestra replied. I knew youd find me here. I was going to leave as soon as you showed up. She let out a small chuckle. I also heard youre hungry. I dont want to make you wait. She paused briefly, then continued, I kind of want to go home as well. I dont want my curse to take hold in the nearby wildlife. I dont see much wildlife around here, though, I said. Which is exactly why I want to leave. I attract them to a certain degree. I turned to walk next to the elf. We both started walking in the direction of the forest. I was much taller than her, but I could adjust how high my torso was above the ground. I kept it as low as possible without getting uncomfortable. There was always the option of getting to our destination the fast way, but this would make talking a bit easier. It would feel awkward to carry Cellestra now that I had at least some part of my former self back It was odd. I have wanted to give her a proper hug for so long. Yet, now that I could, I worried so much about what shed think if I did or even asked about it About your curse, I said as we started our journey back. I had to walk slowly as my large legs unintentionally covered quite a bit of distance. Unfortunately, I havent been able to get any skills that can help out with it. You dont have to worry about it, Cellestra said. I would like to say that if theres nothing that can be done about it then so be it, but I cant Ive grown tired of trying to find a solution to it, but I dont know what else to do. If you do plan on visiting one of Elysas temples, do you think you could maybe ask her about it? I should ask her. I dont see a reason not to. I saw Cellestra stare down into one of my large spider eyes. I believe you told me your hair was also white when you were a knight, correct? I nodded. Would you hate it if I said that it fits with your other hair? I chuckled slightly as she made reference to the soft white hair that covered my body. I ran a hand over my spider head, feeling the softness between my fingers, but also feeling a hand run through it. It was nice. Youre right, I said. It is soft and fluffy. Cellestra turned her head and saw me petting myself. A smile grew on her face as I was still enjoying the sensations that this brought. Told you, Cellestra replied, suppressing a slight giggle. I couldnt blame her. This whole situation was quite incredible, yet funny in some ways as well. I sighed deeply as I threw back my head and gazed at the sky above for a few seconds before closing my eyes. It would probably take time getting used to being able to close my eyes while still being able to see everything that was going on around me, but that didnt worry me. You know I never expected anything like this. I thought I would be forever stuck as a spider. You have no idea how happy I am right now. I let out a deep sigh and let the warmth of the sun permeate the new skin that Id gotten. I never was one to pay attention to such things. Though, I guess that was in part because Id hardly ever been outside without my armor. The feeling of the sun kissing my exposed skin was something I could definitely get used to. Not to speak of me, Cellestra said with a chuckle as she reached a hand into the leather pack she always carried with her. She pulled out a stack of papers and ripped them to shreds before tossing the shreds into the air. Nothing against you, obviously. There was nothing you could have done about it, but talking like that was getting on my nerves. Same, I added, as I faced forward again, and opened my eyes. I can finally use full sentences. Never mind how much I can say now that I can communicate at the speed of speech. Thank you, by the way I spoke softly. For everything youve done for me since the day you found and cared for me. I cannot thank you enough I felt a tear form in one of my eyes, but I quickly rubbed it out without Cellestra being any wiser about it. I was happy to help, Cellestra said. When I learned about your situation, I just couldnt help but feel sorry about what happened to you. Youve been of amazing help with your spells in return, so I guess were even, now? I guess so, I said before pausing for a few moments. About my spells It appears Ive lost a significant amount of the power I had with my last evolution. Elysa left a message that specifically said something about it. There seems to be something that interfered with her blessing when it gave me this elven torso. Elysa had to balance out the power between my spider and elven half How bad is it? Cellestra asked, her eyes wide open as she looked at me. I just feel weak. I used these threads to cover myself, I took a few threads at the side of my breasts between two fingers. But they arent nearly as strong as they were before. I havent actually tried any magic yet. Let me just cast my barrier I cast my multi-barrier spell only to find out that it worked exactly the same as it did before. Nothing about the spell had changed. It didnt feel any weaker. Strange, I said with a frown. Either this spell isnt affected by it, or I just dont feel a difference. Best not to try it out, Cellestra advised me. Agreed. A minute passed in which I thought about my spells and how this blessing would still be a large aspect of my life. I wasnt sure if I could get the strength that Id lost back through the devour ability or whether it would only add new enhancement options. I guessed I would find out eventually. Hopefully, it would be soon. I was getting hungrier by the minute. With some luck, Id see the effects of this skill. Breaking the silence, I cast my fireball spell, simply aiming into the distance. A fireball the size of my fist materialized before me and flew out. There was still power in the spell, but it wasnt as destructive as it once was. I repeated the same with a high-velocity ice lance. It was smaller than the ones Id used to strike down the bandits from afar, but because of its speed, it still seemed like it would be deadly versus most monsters, and possibly unarmored targets. I concluded that I was still deadly, and strong enough to kill anything that I would encounter in the forest. That doesnt look too bad, Cellestra said what I was thinking. You may be right. These spells do feel weaker when I use them, in contrast to my barrier. Im almost certain that my barriers are still of the same strength. I thought about some very specific spells I had and something came to mind. The good news is that I still have two spells, well, actually three that are much less affected by this apparent power drop. My mana reserves havent changed. There are some spells that increase in damage and cost more mana the longer I channel them. Thats good, I guess? Cellestra said. Her tone made it seem that she wasnt sure why I said what I said. But I wouldnt worry about those things for now. There are probably other things that you should concern yourself with. I turned my head to look at her. You know, like what will you wear and stuff like that. Hmm, I let out as I looked at the silk that covered my chest. Do you have any idea how much more comfortable this is than armor? I can imagine. Silk is expensive for a reason, She turned her head further to look at the massive spider abdomen I was carrying behind me. And as far as I can tell, you have no short supply of it. Thats true I guess, I said, smiling at her joke. Though, Im not going to pick up tailoring, if thats what you were expecting. Cellestra smiled and shook her head. Wasnt expecting you to. But maybe, somewhere in the future, you could sell it. Might net you some good coin. Good point. Speaking of the future, I imagine its looking quite a bit brighter now, isnt it? Cellestra spoke with her soft, caring voice. I simply nodded in response before tilting my head to stare at the white clouds in the distance, far beyond the forest. Theres still so much to do and find out, but yeah, it truly is. Faragi We''re back people! Let''s celebrate with a bit of a chapter dump <3 Heads up: Things will be a bit slow for a while regarding upcoming events in the story. 2.2 History I looked down at my elven upper body again. I still had a hard time believing this was actually real. What was this evolution called again? Name: Kealyna Race: Iridescent Queen Arachne Level: N/A Experience: MAX Evolution Points: 1042 I chuckled as I took notice of the number of evolution points. I had so many saved up, and now it turned out that I had nothing to spend them on. Enhancement Cost in EP Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 Language Comprehension - Troll 5 Spawn Spiderlings 200 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Exoskeleton 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Resistance 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Venom 100 Well, there were the spiderling options, but there was no way I was going to take them. Nope, nope, nope. Whats so funny? Cellestra asked. Oh, I was just checking my possible enhancements, but theres nothing to gain, and I have a bunch of evolution points that I just cant seem to use at the moment. Now that you can talk, do you mind explaining how everything about your blessing works? So, I said, trying to think where I should start. According to Elysas most recent message, when I was sucked into the portal that was supposed to take me to my parents, a curse was placed on me. Elysa used what little time she had to try to counter it with a blessing. This blessing tracks certain activities of mine. For example, when I kill something, it shows me some kind of blue, transparent square that floats in front of me. I made gestures with my hands to indicate the size of the square. In this square, a message shows up with a certain amount of experience the creature gives. Once I gather sufficient experience, I go up a level. Then, when I hit level ten, I am able to evolve into something else. I am at my final evolution right now, so as far as I know it doesnt work that way anymore, but you get what I mean. Throughout the time I got reincarnated as a spider, I had to choose between options when evolving. Most were quite different from one another in that one focused on magic, and another focused on defense, and so on. In addition to the levels, I had to acquire certain achievements for specific evolutions. You know about those. What an odd way to get blessed Cellestra let out. I have no idea what the exact reason behind something like this is. I paused for a few seconds before I added some more information. Then there are these enhancements that I can buy. Some of them are spells, some of them increase my strength passively. I sort of buy them with something called evolution points. These are, or well, were earned whenever I got a level, and I get them from certain achievements. I should add that now that I have this one skill called devour, I can also get them from eating creatures I kill. That has to be crazy convenient. You can learn a new spell just like that. I wish I could do that. It is convenient, thats for sure. Im more than a bit curious myself about this new skill, but Ill see how it works soon enough. I need to eat, after all. I paused for a second as I realized something else. Im afraid I can no longer teach you the version of the fireball that I once knew. Sorry about that. I know you were looking forward to that. Its fine, Cellestra said. No spell could be more valuable than this. She pointed to my elven torso. Right? She asked. I mean... I nodded which made her stop there. She was right again. This new body was worth so much more than raw power. But lets put away the serious talk. For as long as Ive known you, youve barely talked about anything else, Cellestra continued. I had to look at her face to see if she was talking out of annoyance, but I couldnt detect that emotion on her face. I suppose thats true. I havent talked about much else, though. Like, ever. That bad, eh? I nodded. I can try, but I cant promise that you wont find it annoying. Itll be fine, The elf assured me. Surely we can find some things to talk about. Theres a long way to go before were home. Home, I mused with a deep sigh, looking at the road stretched out before me. I wish I could stay. Its a peaceful place. Youre always welcome, Cellestra replied. Thanks I took a deep breath. A certain question had been on my mind for more than a while. I was tired of breaking my head just thinking about it, so I finally decided to talk about what I had in mind. About your curse, I started. Lets say Elysa doesnt have an answer. I still have this ability that can offer me new spells. For all I know I can somehow get a spell that removes curses. Do you think theres some merit in traveling with me? You afraid youll get lonely? Cellestra asked. I could see in her eyes that it was an honest question, with no malicious intent behind it. I nodded in honesty. I I dont actually know. Cellestra stared at the ground in front of her feet. Ive never thought about traveling. I wouldnt be able to stay in any settlement if I were to do it. Its fine. You dont have to answer me now. I just wanted you to know that Id be okay with it. Ive wanted to ask you for a while seeing as I never thought Id get a body like this. I imagined someone that could speak for me would be desirable. Id, of course, offer you anything I could do for you in return, such as learning my spells, but I guess the companionship has a value all its own. It does, doesnt it? Cellestra spoke softly. Its become all too clear to me in the short duration that Ive known you. I never knew having a friend would be quite like this. My thoughts exactly. Ill think about it. I dont like the prospect of going through the same loneliness again. Cellestra said. If you want, Ill stick around until at least your visit to Edhil. Im very curious about what Elysa has to say. As am I. Silence fell as we continued our journey. The road was still devoid of any travelers or the like, which, undoubtedly, made things easier. I didnt want to have to explain about what I was, about who I was, to anyone else. I had more than enough to think about as it was. I stared down at the massive spider head below my waist and the legs that sprouted out from under it at the sides, slightly behind where my elven part was. I turned my elven head to observe the shifting colors on my abdomen. The motion was unnecessary I could see them perfectly well with my rearmost spider eyes. Maybe I just did that so that Cellestra would comment on it. Any idea what those colors are? Cellestra asked, referring to the swirlings mists visible through the transparent snowflake. I have no idea, I replied. Maybe mana? The elf shrugged. I didnt know mana had a color, but then again, I have no explanation for it. Apparently its part of this, and my previous species. It does mention it in the name. And what is that name? Cellestra asked with a small smile. Iridescent Queen Arachne. Heh, She chuckled. Youre iridescent alright, and apparently royalty, too. Please dont ever make me feel like royalty, I said. It just feels wrong. Thats alright. I do miss the rainbow, but I guess white does look good on you. Because of my hair? I said with a smile. It is fitting, dont you think? The brunette smiled back. It is. I ran a hand over my spider heads hair again, earning a giggle from the elf. I cant believe Elysa made me this fluffy. I mean, look at this. I was still smiling as I held up a lock of the long hair that grew on top of my spider head. Can I touch it? Cellestra asked as she extended an arm, but waited for my response. I mean, youve touched it before, right? Go ahead. The elf ran her hand through my hair, sending all kinds of joy through my lower head. It felt so much better when someone else did it At least you wont be getting cold in winter, Cellestra said, giggling. Hmm, you may be on to something there, I replied. You think Elysa did it because of that? She shrugged. Who knows? Maybe she just likes fluffy spiders. I still cant believe you took me in like that. You even used some kind of healing ointment when my legs were shot off. Talk about liking spiders. Hey! The elf pouted. I couldnt just leave you there like that now, could I? Besides, spider venom is extremely useful for medicine if you know how to use it. I shook my elven head as I smiled at Cellestras reaction. I wondered what Elysa would think about all this. 2.3 Comfortable I cant believe you were going to keep me for my venom, I said with a teasing smile. How was I supposed to know you werent a true spider? Cellestra fired back. Well, you did figure that out pretty quickly, I replied. Thank the goddess for that. Not hard to conclude when a spider is begging for more beetles, only to decapitate them and toss them aside. I mean, seriously, spiders just dont do that. I figured youd come to that conclusion sooner or later. The fact that I changed size and color overnight must have been quite the shock for you. You could say that again. At first, I thought it was something else that had eaten you. Your wild gesturing made me realize it was you soon enough, though. Fun fact: I had no idea what you were saying until after that evolution. It was then I could select the elven language comprehension. After that, I could finally understand you. But you were an elf? Cellestra asked with a frown. Apparently, the elven language was different in my old world. I have no idea how this works. I still feel as if Im speaking the same language that Ive always known. I never would have known there were more worlds, or that this world also knows of Elysa. What was she like? Cellestra asked. Exactly the same as all our depictions of her; beautiful, long blonde hair, shining blue eyes, a wreath of golden vines and purple flowers. Sounds familiar? So the stories are true Talking with Cellestra seemed to be going better with each passing moment. The confusion and shock seemed to have mostly passed. Most of my worries about my own future were also washed away, and what few doubts I still had, Id promptly forgotten upon seeing her beautiful smile. I realized that my feelings for her had not changed in the slightest after getting this body. In fact, they only were reinforced now that somewhere, in the back of my mind, the option for something more than just friendship seemed to have been rekindled. I tried to ignore it. As had been made clear to me, Cellestra didnt, and couldnt truly know who I was. I had been actively trying to bury the past, and there was the problem that up until not too long ago, I was a spider. Imagine if the spider shed fed, taken care of even slept next to her revealed that she had been attracted to her for a while now How wrong would that feel? By the way, Cellestra spoke up. How will you spend the nights now? Would you like me to provide you with a blanket or something? Uhh, I stumbled as I thought about it. I hadnt thought about it yet. Maybe I can sleep on my own body or something like that? I leaned back all the way, my elven back resting on my thorax. I used my hands to make the long hairs on my spider body cover my elven torso. I could get used to this softness. This position was undeniably comfortable and made me feel like taking a nap. Of course, it didnt impair my movements in the slightest. I was still walking alongside the elf, who shook her head at my antics. You look ridiculous like that. Comfortable, though, I retorted. I dont doubt that. I think I could fall asleep like this, I said. Im not used to sleeping on my back, but I doubt I can make myself any more comfortable than this. A blanket might be nice, though. Especially when it gets colder. The hair on my body wasnt quite enough to cover all of my skin. It barely left some in the middle exposed. Winter is quite a ways off. I dont think theres any need to worry about it getting cold anytime soon, like, truly cold. Besides, I doubt youll still be in your nest beside my house at that time. Theres that, I said as I laid my hands under my head and closed my eyes. You know, being able to travel like this is great. I can relax and walk at the same time. Isnt that body just extremely confusing? Cellestra asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. Hmmm, how do I answer that? I thought for a second. You see, I was apparently born in this world as a spider. I had to break out of an egg and whatnot. Ever since I first had to deal with these new sensations, I hardly had any problems with them. It was as if the understanding of how to use this body was already here. I can only explain it that way. My best bet is that either the curse or the blessing made it so. I paused for a second or two. Then, when I woke up like this, I still possessed the same body for the most part, so that didnt change. However, this elven part it just feels like an addition. I had a few problems registering what was going on early, but now, its completely my own. I apologize if that doesnt fully answer your question. Its the best I can do. I think it does. Its just hard to imagine how everything would work, Cellestra admitted. Yeah, no kidding. I still had my eyes closed and was currently taking in the warmth of the sun while I continued moving forward. I was thinking about the upsides that this body brought with it. In theory, I had everything I needed. I could do anything an elf could do, but I could do so much more, thanks to this blessing. I could still build up strength over time to hopefully be able to protect that which I held dear much better than in my old life. My family was still alive in this world, too. It was as if a whole new world was literally laid open before me. One where I could pursue certain goals and happiness. Id never experienced the odd form of joy that this brought. For once, there was hope. I felt myself relax a bit too much when I saw Cellestra fall behind. Id accidentally started walking faster. Cellestra, by nature, was significantly slower than me if I walked at my normal pace. I forced myself to slow down again. After that, things went quiet for a good while as I tried to empty my head both of them. I was enjoying the fuzzy softness that was my spider body beneath me and was left wondering if Cellestra would like it too. I wondered what shed think of me in general. As we started nearing the forest, I decided to ask. Hey, Cellestra? Hm? Do I scare you? Scare? Why? Because of your body? I used my pedipalps to nod. I couldnt be bothered to move my torso. I was so comfortable, it should be a crime. Cellestra suppressed a grin when she noticed. How could I be scared? Youre basically a gigantic house cat, she said before extending an arm to run her hand over my spider head, right between my eyes. Her caress sent jolts of joy from my head to the rest of my body. Unfortunately, she withdrew it fairly quickly, and, in apparent embarrassment. Im sorry. I didnt mean to Its fine, I said. I dont mind. It feels kind of nice, actually. Cellestra fell quiet after that. Her sudden silence didnt sit well with me, so I decided to fill it. Shame I cant purr like a cat. Im sure I would have by now. I clicked my fangs together and tried to produce sound with my spider mouth, but all I could do was form some sort of hissing. It was nothing like the cute purring of a cat. Cellestra burst into loud laughter. By the goddess. Kealyna, youre an odd one, you know? Hey, hey. At least Im not the one keeping spiders around as pets. This again? Weve been through this, She said, still smiling. We reached the edge of the forest and entered it. The temperature dropped a few degrees almost immediately as the trees were dense and little sunshine reached us. We were still following the same path that had been ambushed by bandits the previous day. What happened to the bodies? I asked. I couldnt see any when I passed by. The soldiers dragged them over the hill and left them there. Oh, I let out as I realized she meant the hill opposite of where I woke up. They arent worth the hassle of burying. Serving as a deterrent for any other bandits that were thinking about committing the same crime is probably the most useful they could ever wish to be. Good point, I said. But I dont think there were that many left after I was done with them. Yeah, that was quite brutal. Im glad you were on our side. I chuckled. Good riddance. Hopefully, travel will be much safer, at least for a while. As you said, there werent many left to tell the tale. Besides, theyd need a new leader and whatnot. Lets hope that wont happen. I raised my torso again so that it was next to Cellestras as we walked. Agreed. 2.4 Memories After a while of walking through the forest, I noticed that Cellestras face contorted into winces of pain. When I looked closer at what was going on, it was clear that it was because of her feet. I was reminded that she said she was uncomfortable with walking such distances. Cellestra didnt seem to want to stop, though. I had to raise a leg in front of her to make her. Lets take a break. I can see youre in pain, I said after the elf looked at me in confusion. Thanks, she replied softly as she sat herself down next to the road and reached for a canteen on her belt. I noticed her sigh deeply as her gaze rested on her feet. If you want, I can carry you the rest of the way, I suggested. Cellestras pain was evident, and I didnt want to make it worse. I lowered myself and took her feet in my hands to cast healing light. Cellestras eyes closed as the spell soothed her pain. I She started. Would you be okay with that? It was clear that she did not plan on asking, herself. What? Just because Ive grown an elven torso doesnt mean that much has changed, you know? Ive carried you before, and as I said back then, its no issue for me. Uhm, okay then, She said softly as she started drinking. At the same time, a loud gurgling sound came from my stomach. Cellestra noticed and smiled. I knew you were hungry but you didnt tell me it was bad enough for your second stomach to make itself heard. I looked down at my belly. I didnt even know I had a second stomach. Seems kind of redundant, doesnt it? Yeah, well, I guess your anatomy is quite the exception as it is." Cellestra stood up and extended an arm, offering me her canteen. "Want some? Do you have enough? I asked. I was thirsty, but I knew I wouldnt be affected as much. I doubted what little water she had would help me much. She nodded. Got another. Dont worry. I came prepared, after all. I couldnt deny her kind gesture. I accepted the metal canteen and had my first drink with my new mouth. Even if it wouldnt count for much, it still felt refreshing. I thanked the elf and handed the container back to her. I guess I could always get you some more by melting ice lances if it comes down to it. Wait, maybe I can just straight-up summon water? Ive never actually tried. If only you could summon food, Cellestra said with a smile. Yeah, Im pretty sure thats not going to happen. If anything, your ability to attract predators is as close as it gets, I replied with a grin. Doubt its going to work here. I dont think were in its usual range. I doubt me passing through this place has had much of an effect on the local wildlife yet. Unfortunate, I said, ironically. How are your feet? The purple-eyed elf seemed to be walking around with much more ease already. Much better. Thank you. She turned her head in the general direction of our destination. Shall we get going, then? I dont want to hold you up any longer. I nodded. Yeah. I then lowered my body so Cellestra could step on. You better make sure to hold on tight, though. If I see something to eat, Ill go for it. That hungry, eh? Cellestra said as she stepped on my thorax. I noticed how she looked into my rearmost eyes at the back of my head. I can see you, I said in a teasing voice. And yes, its that bad. Guess Ill just have to hold on tight, Cellestra half-joked as she took a firm hold of the hair on my back. I started skittering along the road, eager to get to the place where we first encountered the bandits. From there, I could make a beeline to her home and hopefully find something to snack on during the trip. As I picked up the pace, I could see Cellestra smile as she held my hair tight. Yeah, youd better, I replied to her statement. This way, it didnt take long before we reached the site of the battle. The log at the side of the road was a perfect landmark. From there, I skittered up the hill to the side and made my way through the forest, my eyes on the lookout for any movement. A few minutes of silence followed before I managed to think of more conversation material. Hey, Cellestra. If you dont mind me asking, how have your nightmares been as of late? Honest answer? She started as her eyes looked down, unintentionally looking straight at mine. Bad. I had this one night where it was manageable, so I thought it was going to be okay, only for the next day to be ten times worse. I noticed that, yeah, I said as I recalled the time where she went back to bed during the middle of the day. Shed looked awful back then. Dont you have some kind of potion to make them go away? She shook her head. Believe me, Ive tried. They seem to come and go as they please, with some periods of terrible ones and sometimes very mild ones, but theres nothing I did that helped. Until my magic I said softly. Until your magic helped with it She confirmed. And I guess those nightmares are part of the reason youre looking for a cure? Cellestra nodded. The bad ones have gotten worse over time. I fear that if I dont find a cure for my curse, its going to eat away at my sanity until nothing is left. That sounds horrible, I spoke with as much compassion as I could. Do you think learning my healing light spell might be beneficial? I doubt it, Cellestra said. Its not like I can cast that on myself when Im asleep, you know? I sighed. I suppose thats true Hey, Kealyna? Cellestra called out my name. Hm? If you dont mind me asking, what will you do once you find your parents? The question struck me like lightning. Id been so occupied with this blessing and everything that came with it that Id never even thought about what would happen at that time. At least, I hadnt thought about how things would work out now that I had this far more elven body. It was bound to make things at least a bit easier, right? What would I do? I dont actually know, I said before pausing for a few seconds. I dont know how much they remember from our previous lives, if anything. I do not know if they know what I would look like as an adult, let alone a half spider. I was hoping that Elysa could answer some questions regarding that as well. As for what I want to do, I want to make sure that they are safe first and foremost. After that, Ill have to see. What are your parents like? Cellestra asked, her eyes almost glowing. You never even told me their names. I never expected anyone to be interested, to be completely honest. Were friends, right? Cellestra asked. Arent things like these what friends talk about? I wouldnt know, I said as I looked at the ground in front of my spider head. I never had a friend, or even someone to talk with for that matter. Cellestra ran a hand through my hair, seemingly in order to soothe my mind. Its okay if you dont want to talk about it. I understand. Its okay, I said. Since I know they are alive, Ive felt much more comfortable thinking about them. I just its been so long since Ive last seen them. I cant seem to recall their faces, just their most notable features. Its okay. Take it easy, Cellestras soft voice managed to calm me down. I took a deep breath as I recalled my parents as best I could, but their faces were vague, deteriorated in my mind with time. My fathers name was is Keelarin. His hair was is black as a raven goddess, this is so weird. Its okay, Cellestra said again. I dont quite remember his eyes. I believe they are brown. And your mother? Cellestra asked. You had to get your hair from somewhere, She said while staring at my white hair, which covered my entire elven back. Yeah, I said, a small smile forming on my lips as I remembered that feature of her. Its hers. She has pure white hair. Im happy I inherited hers only. Gray is such an ugly color. The brunette on my back giggled at my comment. Gray hair. Ive not actually seen that before unless youre talking about old people. Ugh, I let out. I do like my white hair, thank you very much. My mind wandered off to my mother again. I wondered if she would make the same comment that Cellestra had made about white spider hair matching well with my own. Lilinia... I let out, walking ever forward. Her name? Yes. 2.5 Skin Well, Cellestra said with a smile, Judging from their names, its not hard to figure out how they came up with yours. It is quite obvious, isnt it? I replied. Yep. How about your parents? I asked. Brown hair, both of them. My mothers got blue eyes, whereas my father has green. Though, as you know, I did not inherit these eyes from either of them. That much I was aware of. Cellestra smiled at my comment before sighing. Seems Im in pretty much the same boat as you. I have no idea what they would say if they saw me. Unfortunately, I cant visit their village as long as this curse is on me. Ill help you find a way to get rid of it, I said with conviction before even thinking twice. I Cellestra started as she looked down at my thorax. I dont know what to say. Its fine, I said, trying to cheer her up. You can tell me their names, for starters. Oh, Im sorry. The elf snapped back to attention. Aerlen and Zivea. Beautiful names, I let out. Seems they must have had more issues with yours than my parents, though, I smiled at my joke. It was unfortunate that Cellestra couldnt see it. I could, however, see her reaction, which was a smile. Yeah, I guess so. When we entered an area where the trees were more sparse and I looked up to the sky, I noticed that the sun was getting fairly low over the horizon already. Wed already traveled for hours and we still had some more to go. I imagined that wed get home just shortly before nightfall at this rate. As we traveled further and silence fell over us once more, I decided to try out what wed been talking about earlier. I held one of my arms stretched forward and tried to summon water in the same way that I could summon the flame spell that would illuminate my surroundings. I was moderately successful in that a small stream of water was created from my finger which then dripped onto the ground. Well, there we have our answer, Cellestra said. So it would seem. This has got to be quite useful. No doubt. I was about to hold the stream of water up to my mouth to drink it, when I noticed something large with my thermal vision between nearby shrubberies. I came to a halt and stared at the plants with my spider eyes. What is it? Cellestra asked. Saw some movement. Im gonna check. Make sure to hold on tight. I felt Cellestras grip on my hair tightening as I skittered over to where Id seen the movement. When I got close enough to the shrubbery, I could make out a set of tusks that were a key feature of one of the animals Id already hunted. Without hesitation, I summoned an earthen spike under the target. I noted that the spells strength wasnt as great as it had been before, but it still seemed enough to finish off this creature. Then again, I was aiming for its weak spot You have killed a Large Forest Boar: No experience was awarded. Thanks, Elysa. As if I didnt know that. Huh? Cellestra asked, confused. Oh crap, I said that out loud, didnt I? You kinda did. That was to my blessing. It provided me with the information that that boar didnt give me any experience. I sometimes respond to it in my mind. It appears I still have a while to go before I realize I have this new part of me. Probably, Cellestra replied. But that cant be a bad thing. Definitely not. Im happy there is something like this to get used to in the first place. I skittered over to the boar and used my pedipalps to drag it out of the shrubbery. I then proceeded to tear it open and expose its flesh. I hope youre not scared at the sight of blood, I said as I started tearing away at the meat with my spider heads teeth. Ill be fine. Besides, theres not much I can see from up here. Now that you mention it, Im watching myself eat from a distance. How weird is that? I was currently observing how I was tearing small pieces of meat from the boar which were then sucked in by my stomach. The fact that I could observe it was strange in itself, but I could also feel and taste everything. Quite, Cellestra said. I believe you said you were thirsty. Why not make this even weirder and drink at the same time? Thats not actually a bad idea. Thanks. While I was eating, I brought my finger above my elven mouth and started a stream of cold, fresh, water which I eagerly drank. When I had enough I turned my head to the elf behind me. Youre right. This does make things even weirder. Cellestra giggled. Bet you cant do this, I said with a smile. Afraid I cannot. I continued my lunch while watching what I was doing to the boar. It felt nice to finally have something to fill my stomach, but the fact that eating took so much time made me anxious. I wanted to get Cellestra home as soon as possible. Sorry for this, I apologized in earnest after about ten minutes of eating. For what, exactly? Cellestra didnt seem to realize what I was on about. Taking so long. Weve still got a while to go and I know well be home late as it is. She shook her head. Its fine. I doubt Ill get cold with such a coat of fur all around me. The elf ran a hand through my hair, which made me close my eyes as I enjoyed her touch. Oh, goddess, when could I tell her? My feelings remained unchanged. I should probably talk to her about this somewhere soon. I thought it was fair that shed know how I felt. I just I didnt know when would be a good time. For now, I thought it would be best to shove it aside, at least for a bit while I got used to this body, and how it would affect my plans. Since I could still grow stronger through the devour ability, I figured I should at least put some time into that as well. I could view it as training. Training used to be part of my daily routine, but for some reason, I didnt feel like it would have much of an effect on this body. As weak as I felt overall after some of my power had been sacrificed in order to make my physique look like this, I felt quite strong in my elven torso. I was confident that what part of me was the same as before I died, was actually stronger than it had been back then. Wait, why didnt I just ask? Hey, Elysa, do my passive strength skills also work on my elven torso? Affirmative. Wait. Even the ones that sound like they shouldnt? Like, layered exoskeleton plating? Affirmative. Does that mean that my skin is just as tough as my exoskeleton? Affirmative. How the hell does that even work? I heard giggling coming from behind me. Youre doing it again. What are y Oh, crap. I have a lot to learn, it seems, I said as I shook my head. Its funny, though! Cellestra admitted. What was that monologue all about? I just checked something with my blessing. It said that my elven parts are just as strong as my spider parts. I have no idea how that works, but my blessing hasnt ever lied to me. It provided incomplete, or vague information, sure, but it hasnt lied. So, Cellestra started, then paused. Youre saying that a sword to your skin would do nothing? Thats what it looks like. Hold on, let me try something. I finished what was left of the boar, minus the meat that I just couldnt imagine eating, and skittered through the forest once more. In the meantime, I removed the dagger from my back with two of my legs and moved it to my arms. I then removed my multi-barrier spell from myself. I know what youre about to do, just be careful, The elf said as I unsheathed the golden dagger. Im not going to just plunge it in. What were you expecting? I said. I realized that might not have been the appropriate response to someone who obviously cared about my safety. I noticed Cellestra didnt take offense to my words which was a relief. I held the dagger up to my elven stomach and tried to stab, albeit lightly. I knew gold wasnt the best metal for weaponry, far from it, but it should be able to at least penetrate elven skin. This dagger, however, seemed to bounce right off my skin. It still indented it slightly, but it just wouldnt pierce. I tried stabbing, again and again, applying slightly more force each time but found that none of my attacks would actually wound me. This is getting weirder and weirder, I let out. You could say that again, Cellestra said as she watched what I was doing. Skin that is as tough as, or well, tougher than iron, I guess. Whats next? I asked no one in particular. Cellestra chuckled. Probably wont take too long before we find out. 2.6 Renovating I sheathed the dagger and handed it to Cellestra behind me. She put it away in her pack after looking at it for a bit. Hey, Kealyna? She asked a few seconds later. Werent you supposed to get some kind of skill from eating? Oh, I let out as I realized. I didnt receive any message from my blessing. Let me check. I summoned the blue square with my enhancement options, but there was no additional option there. I dont think I got anything from that. As far as I know, the chance isnt supposed to be that high. Elysa, will you show me a message when the Devour skill grants something? Affirmative. Cellestra giggled behind me as I realized I was once again talking to my blessing aloud. I know I sighed. Ill get used to this someday. I hope you dont, Cellestra said with a smile. Its funny. I smiled at her comment as it warmed my heart. I did agree with her that it was quite funny how I screwed up something that should be quite simple. I increased my speed as I skittered through the forest. The elf on my back seemed to be getting used to my movements quite quickly as she wasnt clenching my hair with both hands as tightly anymore. However She was doing something else entirely. I was watching her with my rearmost eyes. Her hands were still occupied with my hair, but in another way. She was gathering locks of the long white hair on my thorax and braiding them, with a huge smile on her face. I pretended to ignore it as the smile on her face was too precious for me. I allowed her to do whatever she pleased, just so I could enjoy the image before me for as long as possible. She continued braiding parts of the hair on my back until shed run out of hair within easy reach. In that time, we crossed quite some distance; we should be arriving at her home soon enough. As I had predicted earlier, the sun was going to set within the next hour or so, the sky was already turning red. I could see dark, ominous clouds form in the distance. I imagined wed get rain either tonight, or early on in the morning. I hoped my shelter would keep me dry. I couldnt fathom what would happen if all this hair on my body got drenched with cold water. I might just add some more layers of silk, just to be sure. Cellestra looked down at the braids shed created on my back and seemed to be fixated on them. I could also sense a certain boredom in her gaze. Fortunately for her, we should be almost home. In the meantime, however, I did get an idea. Hey, Cellestra? The elf looked up and into my rear eyes. Whats up? She asked. You know I have more hair you can work on if you wish. You mean? She asked, looking at the long white hair emerging from my elven head. I nodded. Though, it is quite messy. I could use a good combing maybe even a good wash. Do you have anything for that? I make my own shampoo if thats what youre talking about. Cellestra carefully shuffled forward on my thorax, placing her legs over my rearmost set of legs as she took some of my hair in her hands. Youre right. You do need a good wash. I feel like working on this now would be a waste. I dont mind doing it tomorrow if you want. I nodded. Thats fine. I have to admit, Im quite jealous. Despite it being messy, its still so soft Cellestra spoke softly as she ran a hand through my hair. You know, I started. Ive been wondering what I should do with it. What do you mean? Cellestra asked as she let go of my hair. I mean, first off, Im not used to it being this long. Secondly, wont it being this long affect me in combat? Then again, I dont know how to deal with this new part of me in combat. Ive always worn lots of armor, but now, it seems to be unnecessary. Because of your skills also applying to that part of you, Cellestra added. Exactly. All Im wearing is this silk, and I have to admit, its quite liberating compared to before. I can move so freely now. I see what you mean, but I have no fighting experience to speak of. Especially when it comes to armor, Im clueless, The purple-eyed elf replied. I took a good look at my body. My elven torso was placed very close to the front of my head. If it wasnt for this blessing offering my elven body the same protection as my spider part, I would definitely want to wear proper armor. I looked closely down at the two giant fangs and my two largest spider eyes. It was such a stark contrast to the new parts Id gained. I suppose I should visit the dungeon again to see how I measure up against opponents that Ive fought before. I think that will give me a better indication of where Im currently at. How strong were those creatures inside the dungeon? Cellestra asked. Not too strong. I managed to deal with them fairly easily as it was, which is why I dont think it will be too much of a problem. I thought for a second. Maybe its a good opportunity to check out my new skill? I hope whatever dwells inside is tasty. I winced. Uhh, about that. I have my doubts. So far, Ive fought giant snakes with broad shoulders, crocodiles with six legs, a giant toad creature, a slime covered with hardened sand, and skeletons. I doubt any of those will taste good Snake meat can be quite good, Cellestra commented. But I guess having some extra ingredients, and cooking help with that. Youve eaten snakes before? I asked. Immediately after asking, I realized that it wasnt outside the realm of possibilities for her, considering she lived so isolated. Certainly. Any good? Passable. As I said, it needs some seasoning, but if nothing else is available, I wont complain. I hope those snakes in the dungeon wont need any of that. Im not going to kill them, make a campfire, and then bother myself with cooking. Cellestra chuckled. Fair enough. I just hope for your sake that they are edible. Well see, I said. After my words, we entered the clearing that held her house. Wed arrived just before nightfall. The sky was slowly turning from red to black. I skittered close to her house and lowered myself so the elf could step off. Thanks, Kealyna. I cant imagine how much later we would have arrived if it wasnt for you. I shook my head. No need to thank me. Im just happy to get home quickly, as are you, I believe. I turned to face Cellestra, who was nodding. I am. An awkward silence followed wherein it seemed that neither of us had any idea what to say next. Ultimately it was me who said the next words. So, how do we go from here? Cellestra closed her eyes and heaved a deep sigh. I dont know. For today, I think Ill grab some stale bread and I should probably head to bed afterward. We can continue our talks tomorrow if you want. I nodded. Both with my pedipalps and my head. For some reason, standing before Cellestra like this brought back a certain reflex. Yeah, lets do that. Its been one hell of a day for both of us. For you probably even more than for me. I chuckled slightly, then smiled as I spoke. I think we both had to experience several shocks today. I paused for a few seconds. But youre right. Lets look at things again tomorrow. It was nice to finally be able to talk to you. Im looking forward to tomorrow. As am I, Cellestra replied with a smile of her own. Would you like me to get you a blanket for the night? How could I refuse such kindness? I took a second to look at the dark clouds that were now rapidly approaching. Even if I could muster the heart to refuse, it would still be better to accept. I had the feeling that tonight could get quite cold. Yes, please, I replied. Cellestra unlocked her door and went inside. Moments later, she returned with a white spare blanket. Thought this would fit you, She said as she handed it to me. Thank you, I replied softly as I accepted the gift. And good night. Good night, Kealyna. Cellestra gave me a quick wave as I turned to walk towards my nest. I waved back with a pedipalp, which caused her to giggle as she closed the door. I took a look at the shelter Id made earlier and decided Id cover it a bit better as I didnt like the look of those clouds. Their arrival hastened the darkness falling over this world. I quickly got to work. 2.7 Sleepwalking I entered my shelter, removed the items that were still strapped to my back, and simply tossed them in the corner. The blanket joined them. I then exited it again and walked up to the wall that was parallel to Cellestras home. I imagined that adding silk to the roof would be the most efficient way to make sure it was waterproof. I elevated my human torso by straightening my massive legs. I could easily tower over Cellestras house if I wanted to. From up here, I had a great view of the silken roof. I started adding a layer of silk as darkness completely enveloped the world. Thanks to the blessing, my elven eyes could also see extremely well in the black of night. I had no issues with my eyesight while I worked. Predictably, the process was draining. Perhaps it was even more so now that my silk didnt seem to be as strong anymore. It was a bit thinner, which meant I needed to create more. I was about to finish when I felt the first drop of rain hit my face. I quickly closed the last bit of a gap that I saw and scurried back inside the nest. At this point, I was completely exhausted, but at least I would be dry for the night. I laid myself down on the horizontal web and looked closely at the braids that Cellestra had made in my spider hair. As much as I liked her handiwork, I planned on sleeping on my back, and the braids would make it uncomfortable, so I undid them. It was hard to reach all of them with my human hands as I could only turn my torso so much, but my legs helped out. In the meantime, rain started falling onto the silken roof, and I paid close attention to see if there were any leaks. Once I was confident there werent, I made myself as comfortable as I could by resting my elven back on my head and thorax behind it. I grabbed the blanket with a pedipalp and tossed it on top of my torso. This body truly was weird. It was also so soft and fluffy Was it weird that I enjoyed this softness? I closed my eyes and spread the blanket out properly. The sweet comfort of my own body was hard to resist. As I was drifting off, I thought about Cellestra. I hoped with all my heart that she would have a good nights rest. The trickling of the rain outside soon carried me off to sleep. Something awoke me when everything around me was still dark. I felt vibrations in the web on which I was resting. I was wondering what was going on when I saw Cellestra on the web. She was standing on top of it and seemed to be searching for something on the wall of her home, her hands running over the bricks. What was she doing? Cellestra? I asked, whispering. When no response came, I called out her name again, slightly louder this time. Was she sleepwalking? This poor soul I placed a leg on each of her shoulders and called out her name with my normal voice while shaking her gently. I didnt want to cause a rude awakening. Cellestra suddenly stopped moving and turned around. She was shivering. It was then I noticed that the rain outside was still ongoing. It seemed the elf got the full brunt of it. I raised my elven torso so I would have an easier time speaking to her. Id apparently succeeded in waking her up as she started looking around and speaking with a cracked voice. Wha? What where Shhh, I tried to soothe her. You were sleepwalking, I think. Where am I? She asked. Easy, Cellestra. Come, sit down. I gently guided her with my legs so she would sit down on the webs next to my head. Her form was still shivering and I used my blanket to dry her off as best I could. I then summoned a small flame to provide some light and warmth to the elf. I had to be careful with it as I didnt want to set my webs aflame. Are you okay? I asked the utterly confused elf. It seemed she still had no idea what was going on. Kealyna? How did I Youre in my shelter, I said as I wrapped the slightly damp blanket around her. I gave her a few minutes to get to her senses, during which she did nothing but stare at the web in front of her feet. Youre safe here. How are you feeling? I ultimately asked. I think I am fine now. What happened? You were sleepwalking and wandered in here. From the way you were moving your hands over the wall, you seemed to be searching for something. I dont remember any of that, she said softly. Thats okay, I replied in an equally soft voice. By the goddess, youre still shivering. Will you be okay? I waited for a reply, but when it didnt come, I moved myself closer to her and placed my head on the webs next to her. I then pulled her against my soft hair. I then put a hand on her head to cast healing light twice. I reckoned her curse was to blame for her sleepwalking. Maybe she sleepwalked into here, subconsciously knowing that I could help with it? I didnt know. It seemed not too far-fetched. After a minute or two, her shivering stopped. My fur coat seemed to do wonders in that regard. I took my blanket and put it over her frame. I wouldnt need it nearly as much as her. Finally, I placed two legs over her and the blanket, as if to keep her safe. I didnt know why I did that. I just felt like it. Just go back to sleep, alright? I said with a whisper. No response came, and I bent my elven torso to take a closer look. When I did that, I could see, and hear, her snoring softly. Shed fallen asleep again. Poor Cellestra. She must have been exhausted. I extinguished the flame spell that had remained active in mid-air. I seemed to have no trouble keeping the spell exactly where I wanted it as long as I wasnt too far away from it. I took one last look at the elfs sleeping form before laying myself down on top of my far too soft body. Only then did the realization strike me that everything Id felt so far about Cellestra had been intensified tenfold. Taking care of her had brought it to new heights. Yet I hadnt noticed until just now. It was probably for the better. I did not want to make my feelings clear to her yet. I held Cellestra close as I started drifting back to sleep. The next time I woke up, the first thing I noticed was that Cellestra was no longer here. Moreover, the blanket Id used to keep her warm was now covering my body again. I was certain that the elf had done that when she left my shelter. I yawned and stretched my arms as I tossed the blanket to the side. My elven eyes somehow seemed to accumulate sleep crust whereas my spider eyes didnt. I raised my torso, rubbed the crust out of my eyes, and made my way outside by walking backward. Once outside, I noticed the giant wooden tub a few yards out of Cellestras home again. Although it was still empty, I had an idea what it was going to be used for. Wed talked about this yesterday, after all. Just as I skittered up to it, the door to Cellestras home opened, and its inhabitant stepped out with a glass bottle filled with a green liquid. Morning, Kealyna, Cellestra said cheerfully. Look whos doing much better than last night, I replied with a sly smile. Yeah. I owe you one for that. I had the best nights sleep in days. I noticed. Anyway, Cellestra continued. Youre not hungry or anything, I hope? After I shook my head, the elfs face formed a wide smile. Alright then, Cellestra spoke. Would you mind filling this tub with water for me? I wanted to do it myself first, but Id have to go back and forth between the stream quite a lot, and since you can do it with a spell No problem, I replied. Let me see if I can control the summoned waters temperature. I placed my spider head on the ground in front of the tub and held out my hand, my palm facing down. I then started channeling a stream of water, about two thumbs thick, into the tub. I placed a finger from my other hand in the stream and concluded that it was also pleasantly warm. I was glad to see that I could control the amount and the temperature of the summoned water, although, as expected, it did cost me more mana this way. The tub was filled in no time. In the meantime, Cellestra had knelt next to it and had also drawn the conclusion that it was nice, warm water; excellent to wash ones hair with. After I stopped channeling my spell, Cellestra spoke up with a smile. Thank you, Kealyna. Allow me to repay you for your help last night. 2.8 Compromise Faragi Posted 8 chapters. Don''t miss them! Getting into a comfortable position where I could wash my hair turned out to be more of a struggle than I expected. I could only bend my torso so much. Cellestra, in the meantime, worked on the ends of my hair to undo the many tangles. I had to turn my head to provide her with easier access. Seriously, how did you get it this messed up? She asked. I dont know, I answered. Its been messed up from the moment I first woke up like this. No idea what caused it. I wonder what your evolution looked like. Did your torso just burst out of your head or something? For all I know that may be true. Just before my evolution, I had the worst headache Ive ever had. It felt like something was pushing against my skull from the inside, so without proof of the contrary, Im going to assume that thats exactly what happened. Well get you fixed right up, Cellestra mused as she continued removing the twists and ravels from my hair. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the brunette working on my long hair. I never knew it could feel good to get tangles removed, but Cellestra was very gentle about it, far more gentle than Id ever been. You know, I started, my eyes still closed. Maybe life like this wont be so bad, after all. I mean, its not like I wasnt happy to see that Id gotten my elven torso back, but Id viewed it as a how do I explain this as a compromise, I guess. Compromise? Cellestra asked. Yeah, as in, if I cant be a full elf, this would be the next best thing, but I realize now that thats not necessarily the case. Sure, I might look monstrous to some, but when did I ever care about that? I can do anything that I could before, well, except entering most buildings I guess. Besides that, it feels like this blessing gave me a certain new purpose, you know what I mean? I noticed Cellestra nodding with my side eyes. I think I get it, but please, do explain. Theres only so much that I could physically do in my old life, and more than once did it annoy me. Now, it seems like those limitations have been blown away. The power that I briefly held I wish to get it again. Then its exactly what I thought, Cellestra said as she was moving up ever so slightly in my hair. Everyone wishes for more power. Its only natural. I would say be careful how you use it, but I dont think youre the kind of person to use it for the wrong things. I shook my head slightly. I would hope not. I think that would be insulting Elysa, and thats the last thing I want to do. Well, as you said, I dont think life the way you are would be too bad. You have more than enough reasons to be thankful to her. Agreed. Cellestra finished combing my hair, placed a hand on my back, and gently guided me towards the warm water. She made sure to splash some on my head so everything was soaked properly. She then ran her fingers through it to get the built-up grime out, before doing the same with the comb. Dont expect me to do the rest of your body, Cellestra said with a wide smile. I dont have nearly enough shampoo for that. I chuckled at her joke. Or the time. When you finally finish, you can start over again. True. By the way, have you planned anything for today? You said you wanted to head into the dungeon again. Yeah. Ill probably do that. I want to take things easy for a bit before heading out. I know its going to eat at me, but I have to be real here. By heading out, I assume you mean Edhil, right? I nodded slightly so I wouldnt hurt myself while Cellestra was working on my hair. Yeah. I think thats the best place to start. Ill see what I can learn from that. From there I dont quite know yet. I dont want to abruptly leave. I mean, I want to go out as soon as possible, but you know I get it, Cellestra said. Youre still worried about them. I nodded slightly again. I hope that with this dungeon fairly close, Ill be able to see how my new skill works exactly, and perhaps, pick up a new, useful skill. Cellestra let go of my hair and reached for the bottle of green shampoo. I raised my head and let my hair flow over the edge of the tub. When the purple-eyed elf removed the cork and put a large goop of the gel-like liquid on her hand, I smelled a familiar scent. Apple? I asked as the sweet scent entered my nostrils. Yep, Cellestra answered. Smells nice, doesnt it? It does. She spread the shampoo over both hands and placed them on top of my skull, slowly spreading the soapy liquid as she ran her hands down. Hmmm, I let out in enjoyment as the cold gel was applied. I need to get that repayment more often. I had no idea it would be this relaxing to have someone else do this. I dont mind doing it, Cellestra said with a smile. Being able to sleep properly is something that I cant be thankful enough for. I know, I said with a sigh. Ive had my fair share of bad nights. Not surprising, to be honest. I giggled when Cellestra spread the shampoo to the ends of my hair. Be careful not to get it in my eyes. I cant believe you just made that joke, Cellestra replied, suppressing a grin. Imagine how many more of those jokes I can come up with over time. That would be disastrous. Cellestra smiled as she continued, making sure to not miss a single spot. She took the top of my ear and gently moved it out of the way to massage the hair behind it with her sweet-scented shampoo. Hey, Cellestra? Hm? How was it last night, I mean? I told you I slept well, She replied, a slight frown of confusion visible on her face. I mean, was it comfortable? My heart was racing as I asked the question. I was anxious for her answer. If her nightmares were this bad, and only getting worse, it might be a good idea for her to sleep in my shelter instead. Of course, I couldnt just ask it out of the blue like that. What would she think of me if I did? I mean, sure, I wanted to be close to her, but this would just be pure abuse of the situation, and it conflicted with what I was taught for so long. The elf seemed unfazed by the question and didnt react out of shock or anything of the sort. Oh, She let out. Thats what you mean. She paused for a second before speaking again softly. It was. The way she admitted it put a smile on my face. However, I didnt continue the talk there as she seemed to be somewhat uncomfortable about it, which was understandable. I went back to focusing on her fingers running through my hair. She was soon done with the shampoo and shifted her gaze to my large eyes. I found her facial expression particularly hard to read at this time. Normally, I could make out her mood pretty clearly, but I was unable to at the moment. I cursed myself for asking the question I asked. Silence fell as neither of us knew what to say next. Im sorry, I ultimately apologized with a low voice. Its okay, Cellestra said with a forced smile. I was just lost in thought. I wont pry, I replied, thinking it would be better to leave it at that. Another minute or so of silence followed. Cellestra seemed to think during that time, but ultimately, she moved her hands back to my hair, gesturing me to lower my head again so she could wash out the shampoo. I quietly obeyed and let her finish what she started. I submerged my head and let the elf rinse it with her hands. After getting the shampoo out Cellestra started combing it again. Its so soft, She mentioned, causing me to run a hand through my own hair as well. I found out exactly what she was talking about. Thanks for your help, I said as she finished up. And sorry again. I told you its fine, Cellestra said, smiling. I could see she had cheered up considerably since Id asked the question. In case you were wondering, yes, you do make for a good pillow. Heh, I chuckled. Yeah, I was wondering. I was about to stand up, when Cellestra put a hand on one of my pedipalps. You dont want me to braid your hair? Uh, yeah. I did promise that you could, didnt I? The elf nodded. Just need to wait a bit for it to dry. I hope thats no issue? Yeah, thats okay. Ill have plenty of time to check out the dungeon and whatnot. I saw a smile growing on Cellestras face as she had to wait for my hair to dry. She used the time to comb the hair on my thorax instead, removing the tangles that had formed due to me sleeping on it. I shook my head in amusement. I wondered if Cellestra had any idea how much I was truly enjoying this Faragi Hope everyone is enjoying <3 Don''t forget to check out my Patreon if you''re interested in supporting me, or reading ahead of currently published chapters. (TKES Is currently at 43 chapters there) 2.9 Braids Thanks to the warmth of the sun, my hair was soon dried enough for Cellestra to get working on the next phase. She started combing it one last time and asked me a question. Do you have any preference for a style? This was your idea. Just do whatever you feel like, I said with a smile. Hmmm, The elf pondered as she took my hair between her hands. You know, I think it would be a shame if I braided everything. Theres no shame in showing it off. Sounds like you have something in mind. A general idea, yes. If you dont mind me experimenting a bit. Go for it. Despite me being eager to set out to the dungeon, I wouldnt want to miss this. The friendship between me and Cellestra was too valuable for me. If nothing else, maybe this time we spent together could just perhaps allow it to grow into something more I wished I had gathered more experience regarding all this in my last life. Dealing with these conflicting feelings about wanting to tell her, but also not wanting to push or force anything was about the hardest thing Ive ever had to deal with, mentally. I had no idea what Cellestra was doing with my hair, but I simply ignored it, closed my eyes, and let happiness swell inside of me. Her question caught me off guard. Say, Kealyna. I dont know if its a weird thing to ask, but since you have this skill that allows you to get skills from something you eat have you ever thought about eating those bandits? I I started as I tried to find my words. I havent. Even if I had, I wouldnt do something like that. If I did that, would that not make me an actual monster? You could see it as nothing more than a survival tool, I guess. Maybe youre right, but I dont think I could live with myself if I did something like that. Im trying to avoid losing who I am, you know? Cellestra nodded. Youre right. It wouldnt befit a knight to do something like that. I stared at the water, which had a small layer of foam from the shampoo, and let Cellestras words sink in. Could I eat a human, or any other sentient being if it came down to it? I mean, I could, but would I ever do it? I prayed to Elysa in my mind and hoped that I would never be put in a position where I had to choose to do so. What would Cellestra think of me if I did? I shoved the thoughts away. I didnt want to think about having to do such a thing. I felt worrying over it was pointless. Instead, a question just sprung to mind. Hey, Cellestra? Hm? She mused as she smiled while working on my hair. I tried to not pay attention to what she was doing. I felt like it would be nice to be surprised. A few days ago, I believe you mentioned you planned on heading into dungeons by yourself, didnt you? I did, She spoke softly, But I dont know anymore. If you want, you could come with me? I offered. We could try to find a way to cure you together. I mean, since Im going anyway Cellestra stopped moving her hands for a few seconds. From her inaction, I gathered that she was thinking. If you are okay with that I dont know how much help Ill be, though. Its fine, I said as the elf continued. I know the way through and Im confident your barrier will keep you safe from harm. It managed to protect me. We just need to be careful about that one trap, but I think its no issue if I carry you down to the swamp area. I paused for a few seconds. Speaking of help, how many spells do you know? Ive seen you use several. The fireball is about the best I have in regards to offense. The one youve seen me use earlier against that wolf wasnt my most powerful version of the spell, but as you know, I need to be careful to avoid backlash. The more power I put in a spell, the higher its chance to fail becomes. And thats not the case with the ones that you learn from me? As far as I can tell, no. Your spells are special, perfect in a way, but since their power originates from the goddess, I think it makes sense. A brief pause followed before she continued. So theres that boulder that youve seen, the fireball, the flame spell, the wind blast my other spells are more for utility, really. I have a spell that can cause the temperature in a small to medium-sized room to drop significantly. It lasts for quite a while before I need to recast it, so I use that spell every now and then in my cellar to keep things fresh. You say utility, but cant you use that to freeze creatures alive? Offensively I mean. Its too slow, Cellestra said. Whatever I would be trying to freeze would have more than enough time to take me out while I cast it. Hum, I guess I have the same problem with one of my spells. I took out over a thousand ants with it in one hit, but the spell itself is incredibly slow to spread to that many targets. Im talking about the spider lightning spell, obviously. I was just lucky that they were occupied with something else. That, and I manually affected the spell in such a way that it wouldnt do any damage until I had all of my targets connected. I think that helped me keep them off my back. Not everything is as oblivious as ants, Cellestra let out. But yeah, Ill join you for the dungeon exploration. Id love to see you in action there. Hopefully, Ill be able to use some of your spells later on and be of more help. Ill be happy to teach you, I spoke with honesty. Thank you, The elf said as she let go of my hair. How does this look? As many eyes as I have, I cannot properly see the hair behind my back, I said before putting my hands in my hair to feel what shed done. It appeared she had used the left half of my hair to create a long braid, while leaving the other half practically untouched. She had also moved a lock of hair on each side in front of my shoulders so they rested against my chest.. I figured this was a neat way of still showing off your long hair, but style it somewhat at the same time. Do you like it? I moved some of the soap bubbles that covered the water in the tub away and used it to observe my reflection. I then took a good look at myself with my spider eyes as well, after moving slightly away from the tub. The truth was that I didnt care how it looked. It was Cellestras handiwork and for that reason alone, I liked it. I love it, I let out with glee. You did a wonderful job. I took a look at the long strands of hair that ran over my shoulders. I do wonder if I should cut it somewhat, at least in some places. I like my hair, but Im not sure if itll be okay to have it like this in combat. I am tempted to just grab a sword and fight the way I fought before, even though I know that its probably not going to be as effective as my spells, or my lower bodys attacks for that reason. I dont see the harm in that. If thats what makes you feel comfortable, since youre already used to a sword, by all means, why not use one? It might come in handy some time, who knows? You may be right, I answered as I thought back to the sand slime. I did have a fight with an enemy that seemed to be quite resistant to magic. I had to resort to physical combat. I imagine a sword can help with that. I paused for a second before I mused. Hmmm, and I do have a spell that should work really well with physical combat. It makes my attacks much more powerful. Besides, I can still cast magic while fighting thanks to my two brains. How does that even work? Cellestra said with a grin. Dont ask me, I replied with the same grin. Ive got ten eyes, eight legs, two more frontal legs in the form of pedipalps, a pair of fangs, and more. Dont ask me how I know how to use any of this, I cant explain it. The same thing goes for being able to use two brains at the same time. Its confusing, yet it works. But if youre so tempted to use a sword, why didnt you take one from before? From the bandits you mean? I said with a frown. Those things couldnt even be called swords. They were nothing short of an insult. Ever the serious knight I see. The elf smiled. Yeah, Im sorry for my outburst there. Its just as I said, this is all I used to know. Hopefully, Ill get a proper sword sometime soon. Maybe youll find one in the dungeon. Imagine. That would be too good to be true. Well, who knows? Shall we check for ourselves? I nodded with a smile as I looked at my reflection in the water one last time. Yeah. Lets go. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons <3 Thank you very much for your support <3 Roland Simon Patrick Mark-A Tisolon Simeon AcrimoniousIntelligence 2.10 Taste I would say I could get you a mirror, but you could just bend forward to see yourself with your other eyes, Cellestra said as she stood up, walked to her front door, and locked it. True, I said. Though, I cant see the back of my head properly my elven head that is. A mirror there might be useful. I can use my rear eyes to look at the back of my head that way. I shook my head with a smile. By the goddess, just talking about this is confusing. You think she is watching us in that realm of hers, and just laughing her ass off at what youre going through? Cellestra said, a sly smile on her face. She most certainly finds this amusing. Im willing to bet on that. Anyway, are you ready? As ready as Ill ever be. I lowered myself so that Cellestra would have an easier time getting on. I noticed her staring for a second before she seemed to realize what was going on. Uh, are you sure? She asked. I nodded. The dungeon is still an hour or so away from here. If you were to walk it would probably be three or even four. You know You like to get to it as fast as possible, Cellestra spoke my thoughts. As always. I dont blame you for that. She accepted my gesture and stepped on top of my thorax before I lifted her and set out to get to the dungeon. In the meantime, I cast my multi-barrier spell. By the way, I started as soon as wed left the clearing. Do tell me what you know about dungeons. It seems some things work differently here. For example, slave magic in my old world didnt require a separate orb. The command magic was infused in the key. I dont know what I could tell you that you dont already know, Cellestra started. Dungeons are filled with traps, enemies, and loot. One can find all kinds of money, weapons, armor, crafting reagents such as herbs and rare mushrooms, and those spell scrolls, of course. Yeah, I had that figured out. I mean, do you have any in-depth knowledge about dungeons? My blessing mentioned that certain doors cannot be closed as long as there are foreign entities inside the dungeon. A way out must always remain open. Thats what I know of it. Any idea why? I asked. Like what are dungeons even? Why do they attract people with riches? If they are intent on killing people, why not lock them in there? Because they seem to gain something from people being inside the dungeon. I have no idea what it is, but they dont seem to be intent on killing people all the time. As for why they cant block the entrance or anything,Cellestra shook her headI am also clueless. Forgive me, I just dont have that kind of information stored up. I shrugged. Its fine. I know my way around this dungeon. At least I do for the first floor. The second floor was uncomfortable to say the least. I was more than a bit creeped out by the skeletons that were scattered around. The utter darkness on that floor didnt help either. We dont have to go that far if youre uncomfortable with it. I wasnt planning on it, but Im not sure if there is treasure on the first floor. I found that scroll in some kind of old storage building. Unless theres anything down in the murky water of the swamp, I dont see anywhere it could be. Dont worry about it too much, Cellestra said as she started moving her hands through my spider hair again. Youre having an awful lot of fun back there arent you? I cant help it! Cellestra pouted. Youre so fluffy! I grinned sheepishly and saw my face grow red thanks to my lower set of eyes. I allowed my mind to wander off as things went quiet. I could see Cellestra try out different patterns of braiding my spider hair, which, while not nearly as long as my elven hair, was still long enough to make some smaller braids. I was wondering how it was possible that since Id gotten this elven part on top of my head, I hadnt been nearly as concerned about my feelings as before. Was it because I knew this meant that there were now options beyond friendship? I wanted to believe there was that option. Id never felt this happy before in either of my lives, and I wanted to hold on to it. The way Cellestra was tenderly working on my hair, and the smile that was on her face as she worked it made my heart melt. Did she already know anything about how I felt? When I was still a spider, it was impossible to read my facial expressions. Right now though I wasnt conflicted about my feelings anymore. I now knew exactly what it was. Thanks to this final evolution, a completely new world had opened. Now I was left to struggle with how to understand and convey my feelings I hoped with all my heart that Cellestra would could feel the same about me. But for now, I was enjoying her mere presence and voice. It was enough for me at the moment. Cellestra worked on my hair while I skittered to the dungeon. As if to taunt me, we came across a boar and a deer. I would have hunted them for food if it wasnt for the fact that I planned to eat some creatures in the dungeon. I didnt want to have my stomach filled before that as I didnt know how much of a certain creature I had to eat to trigger this new skill. Time seemed to pass quickly when I watched Cellestras smile. It didnt take nearly as long as Id expected to reach the dungeon entrance. The guardian tree that Id killed still lay dead nearby, most of its trunk and branches burnt to coal. You did quite a number on that tree I see, Cellestra said as we walked past the creature. Yep. It was probably my hardest battle. The thing was resistant to magic until I found a way to weaken it and expose some kind of orb beneath its trunk. Once Id shattered that orb its magic barrier fell. From there on out it was a simple matter of turning it into firewood. What an odd creature. Did your blessing say what it was called exactly? A guardian tree. Im sure it was because it was guarding the dungeon. I think it got angry because I killed a deer nearby or something. Nasty being even put up a barrier around this clearing that prevented me from fleeing. ThatCellestra looked shockedMust have been terrifying. I nodded. It was at first since I didnt know a way to kill it. Anyway, I continued, Better cast your barrier spell. Im going to avoid the trap that I know of, but its better to make sure. The elf nodded and cast her barrier spell. I then made my way through the dirt mound and into the stone hallway leading down. I summoned a flame spell before me to illuminate the area. Impressive, Cellestra said while gazing at the walls. If you think this is impressive, you should see that lost city on the second floor. It looked like once upon a time, it was a grand, bustling city. I wonder if it ever was or whether it had always been this way. Dungeons seem to be quite weird. A minute or two later, we ran into our first enemy. A Giant King Cobra barred our way and tilted its head backward to spit a spray of venom at me. I knew its attack pattern and summoned an ice wall to block the attack. After successfully blocking the spray of venom, and watching it drip off of the shield, I summoned a high-velocity ice lance to strike the giant snake. It pierced its scales, but only partially. I summoned another, and then another, aiming for its broad shoulders. They were soon bleeding because of my attacks, but the creature wasnt about to lie down and die. Instead, it slithered up to me. I stood at the ready until it came in range before I unleashed my front four legs on the creature, creating lacerations and then pinning it to the ground, where I impaled its head with one of my legs. You have killed a Titan Cave King Cobra: No experience was awarded. I wasnt happy how this had seemed harder than before, but the creature was dead nonetheless. I hoped the giant toad and crocolisk creatures would be easier. I imagined they were, as they had more obvious weak spots than this snake. Its scales were quite tough. I imagined that next time, Id be better off using lightning arc. You okay back there? I asked Cellestra. I had tried to keep my rear as still as possible during this short fight. Im okay. No need to worry. I still have this barrier, after all. Fair enough, I replied. I looked at the cobra and lifted my legs from its corpse. I moved my pedipalps to it and used them to tear away the scales as I brought my spider mouth closer. Its time to find out how giant broad-shouldered snake tastes. 2.11 Resolve I tore into the creatures flesh and quickly wolfed it down. Unsure of what to do with my elven parts, I just crossed my arms. I noticed Cellestra suppress a giggle at the sight. Hey, what else was I to do? How is it? Cellestra asked from behind. A bit bland, but its actually pretty good. I have to say that eating meat raw has a certain how do I explain this? It has a certain flavor thats just not there anymore once its cooked. Being able to eat raw meat like this isnt such a bad thing. Youve come to terms with yourself quite well, havent you? I sighed. I guess I have. There is no denying the upsides of this body. Even the problem of not being able to sleep in a soft bed seems to be mostly solved. Heh, Cellestra chuckled. I can imagine. I continued eating the snake until there was nothing left but its organs. I tossed what was left to the side of the tunnel and continued making my way down. Any luck? The elf asked. I shook my head. Nothing so far. Do you think you may have to eat the rest? I sure hope not. Right after Id said that, I heard a hiss coming from further down. Soon, another large snake slithered into vision. However, this one was completely green. I didnt let its abnormal color scare me off. I skittered closer and summoned my ice wall with my elven brain when it was about to spray venom. This snake in particular seemed to spray far more venom than the ones Id fought so far. When it spit it at me, my entire ice wall got covered with green liquid, obscuring my vision. From behind my ice wall, I cast the lightning arc spell with my spider parts. Being able to cast two spells at the same time proved to be quite useful. Thanks to the way lightning arc worked, it didnt take long to kill the creature. You have killed a Noxious Titan Cave King Cobra: No experience was awarded. So it was green because it specialized in venom? That sounded much like a certain evolution I knew that applied to me. If this was the case for more creatures in this world, I imagined this information would be useful to keep in mind. Thats quite the spell, Cellestra said in awe. I could feel the power emanating from it all the way back here. I think its my most powerful spell at the moment, I said as I skittered closer to the dead snake and tore open its corpse to start eating. Its power grows as I channel the spell in exchange for using more and more mana to sustain it. Mana is the one thing I dont have a shortage of right now. Maybe I should teach you this spell before anything else? Hum, Cellestra let out. If thats how it works, then that could be a good idea for sure. Id only eaten about a fifth of the snake when a message showed up. Devour (Evolving) effect activated. You have been awarded 50 EP I stopped eating and tossed what remained to the side before letting out a deep sigh. Whats wrong? Cellestra asked as she cocked her head. I got fifty evolution points from that. If theres anything that I dont have a shortage of, its that. I was hoping for a new enhancement instead. Maybe it will come in useful one day. I hope so, I said as I continued my way down. Somehow, there werent more of these cobras, so I soon set foot in the swamp area. Cellestra, like me when I first arrived here, was staring at the ceiling and taking in its colorful collection of luminescent plants and fungi. Told you, I said with a smile. Besides the smell and terrain, this place is magical. Unfortunately, there is just too much of that. This place is a swamp. Murky waters and a terrible smell pretty much define that, doesnt it? Unfortunately, thats true. Well, I said, Its time to go fishing again. Watch this. I summoned a line of thread and fired it into the murky waters to the right of the path. Within seconds, air bubbles surfaced near it. Soon after that, the water dispersed and a long snout surfaced. I waited until the crocolisk set foot on the dirt before I summoned an earthen spike, followed by another one as these dungeon creatures had seemed tougher than the ones in the outside world. Those spells seemed to do the trick. The spikes impaled its vulnerable, soft belly, but didnt pierce all the way through anymore. Nevertheless, it was enough to kill it. You have killed a Large Mire Crocolisk: No experience was awarded. Wait, does that thing have six legs? Cellestra asked, leaning to the side to get a better view of what Id just killed. I guess that is what makes it a crocolisk and not a crocodile, I concluded. Huh, I never would have known something like this existed. It makes me wonder what other creatures dwell in dungeons. In here? I havent seen many interesting things. Ive seen these crocolisks, giant toads, and mosquitos that seemed to be a favorite snack of said toads. I hate mosquitos, Cellestra stated clearly, and with a certain aversion in her eyes. Yeah, no kidding. Fuckers kept me up plenty of times at night. I just cant fall asleep when I even know there is one nearby. Cellestra nodded. I know that feeling. And you have plenty of problems regarding sleep as it is. I continued. I wonder if being a giant spider keeps them away from me. That would be one more upside if thats true. Cellestra was about to talk when another crocolisk surfaced. I was quick to react by stepping back and summoning another two spikes to kill it. You have killed a Large Mire Crocolisk: No experience was awarded. Well then. It seems I cant catch a break to eat here, I said. So Cellestra started. Kill everything nearby? My thoughts, exactly. I started casting multiple threads to get the attention of any crocolisk lurking in the dark waters. I managed to fish up three more, after which no more appeared. They converged on my location, and I summoned earthen spikes with both my spider and elven bodies to speed up the process. I ignored the three messages that appeared. I already knew what they said. I skittered over to them and pulled them together in one heap. Their bellies were already cut open by the spells which made accessing the edible parts a lot easier. Their hides were extremely durable. Well, Cellestra said as I started eating. Guess Ill have to wait for a while. Hey youre the one who wanted to join, I fired back. True. Im happy I tagged along though. This place is really something else. She stared back at the ceiling. I wonder if any of those would make for good ingredients in potions She thought aloud. No idea. I might be able to climb the wall and collect some for you, if you want. Nah, its okay. I think they were specifically used by the dungeon to illuminate this area. I doubt they have much other use. Besides, I dont want to go through the entire process of finding out if they are safe for consumption and all the tests that are involved with it again. Im seriously considering traveling with you, and I just cant take all my equipment with me. You think youll have better chances at finding a cure with me? I asked out of sheer curiosity. Thats what Ive been thinking about. I think I do. I mean, look at it rationally. You have powerful magic that is unnatural to this world. You have the blessing of a goddess and she said she wishes to talk to you. Do you have any idea how rare that is? How much of an opportunity it could offer me if you want to help me? I do wish to help you, yes, I replied softly while Cellestra was gathering her thoughts before continuing. In that case, I doubt any traditional alchemy would offer me better chances. Especially if you consider how long Ive worked on it that way, and how little I managed to come up with so far. One other thing is that you are somehow able to get more abilities still. All of these factors combined I think youre my best bet, Kealyna. She had come to a conclusion that Id thought about before. The thing was, she did it on her own, without me interfering. If she wished to go with me, Id happily take her with me when I set out on my own quest. There was no doubt in my mind that we could figure out more things about her curse as we went, especially if Elysa could provide help, or even just hints. Just take your time to think about it. You know I want to set out soon, but I also dont want to force you into a hasty decision. I wont tell you what to do, either. While we conversed, I ate the crocolisks. What do you think I should do? Cellestra asked. You need to decide for yourself. Yes, but Id like to hear what you think. I think everything you said is true. I think we may be able to figure more out about your curse together than you can on your own. I think Ill just do it, Cellestra said, a note of conviction present in her voice. My old life be damned, Ill do it, She said again. 2.12 Devour I closed my eyes and sighed in relief, facing forward so she wouldnt see my expression. I couldnt imagine how lonely traveling alone would be. I wasnt even considering the fact that I had obvious feelings for the elf with that. I was still munching on crocolisk meat. I had managed to get to the last one, making sure not to eat each one in its entirety as it didnt seem to be a necessity, if the snake was of any indication. How much can you eat? Cellestra asked, clearly impressed that Id managed to keep going. You see that giant thing behind you? I said, referring to my spider abdomen. Take a wild guess how much fits in that. Cellestra turned around and observed the swirling colors inside my rear. Quite a bit, I assume. Id be curious to see how long you can go without eating after this. I dont have to feed my tarantula more than once or twice a week. No idea. I do think I wont stop eating, though. Theres this skill that I plan to utilize. Fair enough. I finished the last crocolisk and tossed its body back into the water. I did the same with the others and shook my head in disappointment. Nothing? Cellestra asked. Nothing, I confirmed. Unfortunate. How far did you plan to go in the dungeon? The elf then asked. Im not quite sure. I dont know if that floor boss will have been replaced. Thats one of the things I wanted to ask, but I doubt you know about it. From what little I know about dungeons, I do believe floor bosses are supposed to spawn again after a while. Okay. That would be interesting. It wasnt a hard enemy to kill, but I dont quite know if Im looking forward to eating slime. I chuckled. I guess a sword would be useful for fighting that thing. Will I be okay on here? Cellestra asked. I think youll be fine. Those crocolisks are more agile than that sand-covered slime. I hope you dont mind? Oh no, Im fine here. I doubt stepping off will make this easier for you. Yeah, I sighed. Youre right. Back there is as safe as it gets. I will have to fight that slime in melee, though, so you better hold on tight. Gotcha. With all nearby threats neutralized, I skittered towards the room with the sandpit, keeping my eyes wide open for anything to appear from the water. When I was almost at the end of the path, and about to leave the swamp behind me, I was startled when something jumped out of the water. Without even thinking twice, Id created an earthen wall in the blink of an eye in the general direction of where the movement came from. I was relieved to see it was nothing more than a giant toad. The moment it extended its tongue to strike me, I summoned threads to intercept it. I then bound its tongue to the ground as I watched the confusion in this creatures eyes. It didnt get to experience that feeling for long as I channeled my lightning arc. With nowhere to move to as it was restrained, the toad didnt live for much longer. You have killed a Noxious Titan Swamp Toad: No experience was awarded. Uhhhhh, Cellestra let out. I sighed. I guess well find out Are you sure about this? She asked as I skittered close to the giant amphibian. Nope. Not at all. I waited a few moments to see if anything else would appear, then dragged the body away from the swamp towards the arch that led to the next room. There, I started tearing away the creatures slimy skin. To my surprise, there was pink flesh underneath it, not too different looking from raw chicken. That looks better than I expected, Cellestra said as she leaned to the side to watch what I was doing. My thoughts exactly. However, I doubt it will taste like chicken. Im also slightly worried about it being poisonous, but I do have a spell to remove toxins, and I have decent resistance to it as well. Snakes are easier in that regard, Cellestra added, With their venom being stored in a specific place. I nodded. Though, I dont know about that last snake. It could have been poisonous as well. I mean, it was called a noxious cobra. And this toad? Also noxious. Hum. Its quite useful to know exactly what you killed, Cellestra noted. Simply judging from the names, it can already give you important information. Youre right. It is useful. I started eating the toads meat and noted that it wasnt all that bad. If I had to compare it to anything, it was quite similar to the taste of chicken. The flavor was light, with some hints of fish in it as well. It definitely wasnt the worst thing Id eaten. And? Cellestra asked curiously. Being able to talk and eat at the same time is certainly interesting, I said as I turned my head to Cellestra. Thats not what Im talking about you silly! She said before smiling. Her reaction was a pleasure to see. Id already known this would be her reaction, yet I reveled in it anyway. Its only fair I pay you back for the jokes youve made about me, I continued, keeping up the light air that surrounded us at the moment. I guess I deserve that. No, but really, how does it taste? I crossed my arms again while I was eating. Somewhat of a mix between chicken and fish. Its quite an odd flavor but not bad at all. I took a few more bites when a message showed up before me. I instantly turned my head to see what it said. Devour (Evolving) effect activated. Enhancement: Amphibian Tongue is available. Amphibian tongue unlocks the following skill: Tongue Slingshot (Level 1) I scratched my head at the message. What the hell was this? Your blessing showed you something? Cellestra said. It did, and Im trying to figure out what to make of it. Something about this is off. It says something about an enhancement I can get, and then it notes it unlocks a skill, but whats odd is that it also lists that said skill has a level, in this case, one. Is it any good? I shrugged. I have no idea. Elysa, what does this enhancement do? Amphibian Tongue - Tongue Slingshot Grows a tongue in your spider mouth that can be extended to slap enemies. I dont know whether to laugh, cry, or be angry, I said with a sigh. That bad? Cellestra asked. Im sure youre going to laugh if I tell you. Now Im even more curious. I covered my eyes and forehead with my palm before taking a deep breath to relay to Cellestra what had just shown up before me. Apparently, I started, emphasizing the word as best I could, I can grow an amphibian tongue in my spider mouth, which I can then use to literally slap enemies, much like that toad. Cellestra tried to suppress a giggle before bursting out in full-blown laughter. By the goddess, this blessing of yours is far more hilarious than I could have expected. Honestly, what was she thinking? Her laughter continued for a good twenty seconds before she was able to contain herself. I was shaking my head with my eyes closed the entire time. I didnt know what to expect, but this just goes beyond everything I could have thought of, I said, my head still shaking. At least I have a much better idea of how it works now. From here, I assume I can judge the value of my targets before I start eating them. However, I see there being a possibility that these toads can also give me another skill. It would be nice to be able to know that beforehand, but I guess this will have to do. Hope youre hungry, Cellestra said, amused by recent events. Not so much anymore, no, I said as I moved the toads corpse out of my way with my legs. Im sorry, Kealyna, I was just joking, She said apologetically, in a low voice. No offense taken. Dont worry. Im just a bit disappointed with this outcome. I was hoping for something more useful. You wont take the skill? She asked. Its useless. Why would I take it? Dunno, Cellestra said. I thought you said something about lacking a tongue. I mean, I dont seem to need it when my stomach works like this. A tongue will make no difference. Fair enough, Shall we continue? Im curious about this supposed floor boss. I looked at the entrance to the room before me. Yeah, lets do that. Faragi englishmuffins10 Thanks so much for your support <3 2.13 Ice I took a second to prepare myself for the creature I was about to face. My barrier spell was still active, as was Cellestras. In addition to that, I cast the imbue elements spell on myself. I took a quick look at my list of abilities and noted that my previous plan was as effective as it would get. Physical attacks were just the most useful against this creature. I entered the room with Cellestra still on my back. The room, like last time, was lit by the torches on the walls, and soon after entering it, the sand in the middle started shifting. Im just going to keep hitting it with my legs, I said. Just make sure to hold on. This shouldnt be too difficult. Cellestra nodded as the sand rose up. I didnt even give the creature the time to emerge from it. I started attacking immediately, scraping off bits and pieces of the hardened sand from the slime while it didnt seem to be able to retaliate. I had the bright idea to summon threads to try to bind the sand-covered creature with, but they had no effects as the amorphous nature of my enemy meant that it could always slip out of them. The creature finally shot a bolt of sand at me, hitting my new elven torso, but the attack was completely negated by my barrier. I never felt a thing. It attacked me with the same attack twice more, but didnt do me any harm. My barrier didnt seem to have issues absorbing the damage either, so I just kept up my flurry of attacks. Thanks to my imbue elements spell, my attacks summoned smaller versions of ice lance in the air around me which flew out to strike my opponent. Unfortunately, they were even weaker than before and hardly seemed to do anything. The wind blessing effect, however, did not seem affected by my drop in power. Sure, my attacks with my legs were weaker, but they still struck twice every now and then. I kept up my relentless assault until a small hole in the slimes surface appeared. I kept attacking with my legs while I cast elemental blast. Even though the hole wasnt that big, my attack easily found its way into the slimes vulnerable main body. It then exploded. You have killed a Burrower Sand Slime: No experience was awarded. The creature then melted into a weird puddle of sand mixed with slime. Nice. Id shattered the core with that spell. I was happy that worked. It made a significant dent in the time Id have to spend fighting it. Then, a thought entered my mind. I scratched my head as I looked at the puddle with all my frontal eyes. Uhhhh, Cellestra let out. Good question. I have no idea. I stared for several more seconds before I concluded this was impossible. I dont think Im going to be able to eat this. Theres a lot of sand mixed with the slime, and I dont think its part of the creature, so I doubt my devour skill can trigger from eating that. Not to speak of the taste Can my stomach even deal with sand? Dont bother, Cellestra said. What kind of ability would this creature offer you anyway? If its anything like the toad, I doubt its going to be any useful. I nodded. Good point. Not being able to eat the creature Id killed made my mind wander off to the massive tree that guarded this dungeons entrance. I wouldnt be able to eat that thing either. Wood, or rather charcoal, wasnt exactly something I planned on eating. To be fair, the thought of eating it hadnt entered my mind until just now. The sound of stones grinding reverberated throughout the room. I decided to ignore the sand slime creature and shift my attention to the wall before me. Interestingly enough, it wasnt the wall before me that lowered into the ground, but the one to the right. I remained where I was, unsure what to do. Whats wrong? Cellestra asked. Thats not the wall that opened last time I was here. Isnt that a good thing? Uhm, I think so? I said. Im not sure whats behind this door, but it cant be worse than skeletons right? You want to check it out? I nodded. Im curious whats down there now. I skittered over to the new entrance that had opened. The darkness behind was quickly dispelled as I summoned a flame spell to float in front of me. Despite the fire being close to me, I felt the surrounding temperature drop almost immediately after entering the dark hall that lay beyond. A tunnel with stone walls to the side, similar to the one found when one entered the dungeon stretched out before us. As I walked down, the temperature continued to drop. Fortunately, I seemed to be fairly resistant against the cold, thanks to the hair that covered most of my body. How my elven part, which had only my breasts covered by silk, wasnt freezing, was a mystery to me. Cold, Cellestra said. Too cold for you? I asked. Should I head back? The elf shook her head. Im fine. If it gets much colder Ill use my own flame spell to help out. Alright. Just let me know if it becomes too much. I dont seem to be affected as much. Yeah. You do have a nice fur coat. The same cant be said about me, unfortunately. I walked for a few more seconds before Cellestra noted the same thing Id already concluded. How are you not freezing, though. You know? I chuckled. Im literally clueless. I know that my abilities apply to all parts of my body, but I dont have anything that should work against the cold. Maybe its my blood? I dont know. Lucky you. A smile kept growing on my face as I continued to walk down the corridor. The elf on my back seemed to be glued to my fur coat as she had put it. She was remodeling the hairs on my body to have them cover her as much as possible. I couldnt help but think that she was acting tough. She soon summoned her own flame spell, adding more warmth to both our bodies. I also added more mana to my own to help her out a bit more. Fortunately, the elf never started shivering, so I reckoned she was mostly okay. Eventually, the corridor ended in another archway that led to a new room. Or so I thought. What lay beyond the archway wasnt a room. Rather, we stepped into a snowy plain. An open field stretched out before us. It was like a desert, but there was nothing but snow and ice. I didnt know where to look or what to make of this place. I didnt even know how all this was possible. There didnt seem to be a ceiling like in the swamp area. Instead, there was a blue sky and there was no darkness to be found anywhere. There was no sun, which made me wonder where the light was coming from. A snowy hill a few hundred meters out from our position blocked our view. What an odd place, Cellestra said as I turned around to see a huge wall of ice that stretched all the way to the sky. In this wall was the archway that led back the way we came. What is this place? Is this still inside a dungeon? I asked, unsure where to look. A cold breeze flew across my face, taking my hair with it. It made me look at the elf on my back who seemed unfazed still by the cold. I think were still inside the dungeon. I didnt know it could look anything like this, though. Heh, I chuckled. Theres not much to look at here. Its nothing but white. There has to be something Cellestra said. Lets find out about that, I resolved as I walked towards the hill. This was the first time in my new life walking on snowy terrain. There seemed to be a thick layer of snow, but my legs didnt sink deep in it. My weight seemed to be distributed well enough to prevent that. And I carried a lot of weight with me It made me wonder just how thick this layer of snow was. My thermal vision didnt pick up anything. If anything, it was worse than my normal sight; the only colors that it showed were black and grey. Hey, Cellestra? Hm? If the cold gets too much, do warn me, okay? I will. I skittered up the hill when I noticed something large beneath the snow burrowing itself a way to me from my front. Cellestra and I both tracked its movements. When I was about to put up an earthen wall in the snow as the trail got too close for my liking, a creature presented itself by jumping out. I was staring at an ape-like creature of a size that I couldnt imagine. It was about the same size as my spider abdomen and weighed probably just as much. It had a completely white fur that seemed to offer ample protection against the cold. It roared, forcing me to look at two large fang-like canine teeth, each of them the size of my hand. It then pounded its chest in a show of dominance while I prepared to strike with my spells. 2.14 Double Trouble I didnt think twice to put up an earthen wall in front of me as the creature charged. I heard a loud slam on the wall, and felt some of my mana being drained to maintain it. I had hoped the monster would crash into it face first, but when I canceled the spell, I looked right in the apes eyes. I saw a fury burning behind them, and no visible damage done to its face. Instead, it seemed to have slammed into the wall with a fist. I saw some blood trickle down its massive hand. In a fraction of a second, I cast a fireball aimed at its eyes, while I used my spider brain to cast the flame beam spell. I seemed to successfully blind it, if only temporarily, for my flame beam spell to set the beast alight. The sudden wave of heat had Cellestra duck onto my back. The beast was on fire, but I didnt see it panic as Id hoped. It jumped a few yards backward before inhaling deeply before exhaling an icy, blue breath that covered its entire body, extinguishing the flames. What is that thing? Cellestra asked, her head still low on my back and her hands had a tight hold on my hair. No idea, but it seems tough. The beast was at a distance. I used the opportunity to fire a high-velocity ice lance. It hit the beast in the chest, but didnt leave much besides a small puncture wound. I summoned several more, to similar effect. Very tough, I elaborated. Its fur had blackened at least somewhat, but not as much as I would expect from that much fire, even if it had been put out. The beast roared and pounded its chest again before charging at us once more. I skittered away as fast as I could and was able to outrun the creature with relative ease, all while firing off venom bolts in quick succession, using all the forms of venom I had available. I continued running and casting spells, hoping to get some of the venom in the creatures bloodstream through the wounds that had appeared by my previous spells. I found that earthen spikes could not be cast in this environment, and judging from the creatures sheer will to chase me down despite the hail of attacks, these didnt seem to do much. I slowed down slightly so that the creature would get close enough for me to use my lightning arc. I then started channeling the beam of lightning as I kept running, making sure to stay in range to keep the spell up. The beam soon grew in intensity and changed from its dark blue color, to light blue, and then to white. Sparks flew from it as it continued to increase in intensity and mana cost. Cellestra was still holding on for dear life while I focused all my effort into the most powerful spell that I possessed. The spells mana cost increased to the point that it was noticeably draining me. I wouldnt be able to keep this up forever. I prayed to Elysa for the creature to die before I ran out of mana. If it came down to it, Id make my escape back through the archway. The spell grew stronger than anything Id seen so far. Its white light grew so bright that it started to hurt my spider eyes. I had already closed my elven eyes moments before. The power that originated from where the spell connected to my elven arm was immense. For a moment, Id completely forgotten that Id sacrificed power. The next moment, a scream of pain and rage filled the air, just before the spell abruptly stopped and two messages showed up. You have killed a Furious Ice Apenoth: No experience was awarded Achievement earned: Double Trouble Kill 2 unique dungeon floor bosses You have been awarded 100 EP. I stopped moving and took a few moments to adjust to the huge loss of mana that Id suffered in a relatively short time. I took a look at the messages and cursed my luck. A floor boss. What? Cellestra asked, finally raising herself. That thing was a floor boss, something called an Apenoth or something. I got a message stating I got an achievement for killing two unique floor bosses. I sighed out of relief. Just my luck that the first thing I run into is a damn boss. I do believe that means that whatever else is down here isnt as strong, wouldnt you say? I turned my head and looked around, even though I could already see everything around me through my other eyes. There was nothing but snow for as far as I could see. If there is anything else down here. I turned around and skittered over to the dead Apenoth. For now, lets see if I get luckier this time. You want me to cook some for you as well? I asked with a sly smile as I turned my head to watch Cellestra. No, thank you. Ill be fine, She reacted, almost with disgust. I grinned as I lowered my spider head and started tearing away skin to expose the flesh underneath so I could start eating. I wonder how much I need to eat to trigger the effect. Like, do I need to eat a fixed amount by weight, regardless of the size of the creature, or do I need to eat some certain percentage of the creature I killed? I hope for you its the former, Cellestra said with a grin. I doubt youll have enough space in here otherwise, She said while pointing at my abdomen behind her. I sighed. That would be kind of annoying, for sure. Got any stories to share while I gobble this thing down? Stories? The elf replied with a frown. Where am I supposed to get those stories from? Oh. Im sorry. Never expected Id have someone to share stories with anyway, Cellestra continued softly. How about you? Did you have anything interesting happening? Well, I started as I recalled something that was quite amusing in a way. There was this time, not so long ago, when I was still a fairly small spider. Another jumping spider started dancing I raised my third set of legs and started swaying them back and forth. Like this. Im confident it was trying to hit on me. Cellestra giggled. Yes. Yes, it was. Thats a jumping spiders mating dance. Did it have a colorful abdomen and all? I nodded. And? Cellestra asked with a sly smile. What? Do you think I would be seduced by a spider? I replied with a smile of my own. Nope. I killed it. Gave me an achievement too. That poor spider! Cellestra pouted. I tried to run. It just kept following me. What was I supposed to do? Yeah, jumping spiders dont give up easily. That was a fun story though. Got any more? Cellestra asked again. I was having great difficulty eating as the meat was extremely tough. It also didnt hold much flavor, but I wasnt sure if that was necessarily a bad thing. At least it wasnt as bad as the meat Id had to eat very early on Let me think Have I told you how I killed my spider mother? If you did I dont recall it. Thats pretty brutal, I have to admit. I chucked. Gave me a bunch of experience and an achievement to boot. It was fortunate that I did, because it turned out that I needed that achievement for this evolution. Thats scary to think about, Cellestra said softly. She was clearly thinking about what could have happened if I hadnt done that. I looked at the sky before I continued. It is. As far as I am aware, this is also the only evolution that would have given me this body to begin with. Its kind of weird to think about. Cellestra nodded. Im happy things worked out for you in the end. I nodded again while I thought of anything else that could be good conversation material. As for more stories. I dont think there is anything worthy of mentioning. Id have to look at things that happened in my old life, and Id rather forget that. I think what you said earlier also applies to me. I paused for a second and sighed. My old life be damned. Well, theres nothing binding you to it anymore, Cellestra comforted me. And you have plenty of things to look forward to in this one. I looked at the elf and took in her appearance. Her long light brown hair and purple eyes never ceased to grab my attention. She had a serious expression on her face, but it didnt take away from her beauty. In fact, the way she was able to talk about things in such an honest manner only added to my desire to get closer to her. If only she knew how much I wanted to spend more time with her. Youre right. Theres still much to look forward to. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons Zackery Karma Baris Thanks so much for your support <3 2.15 Cold Hey, Kealyna? Cellestra asked after a minute or so of me eating. I turned again to see what she was about to say. Youve not actually eaten anything with your top half yet, have you? Uh, I think you may be right. Any idea how that works? You mean for my ability to activate or are you talking about anatomy? I asked, confused as to what the elf was getting at. Both, I guess? Interesting idea. I wonder if I can eat raw meat and the likes with this part of me. As for the skill, it would be quite interesting if it did so I can cut down on time spent eating, but that brings me back to the previous point. I was not planning on eating raw meat, though After a few more bites, a message showed up. Devour (Evolving) effect activated. Enhancement: Cold Resistance (Level 2) is available. I turned and looked at the blue square before me and smiled as I moved off of the large ape. Well, well, well. Look at that, I let out. What is it? Something that appears useful. I got an enhancement called cold resistance thats available. Thing is, I doubt it will do much for you. To be fair, I didnt know wed run into plains of snow and ice in this dungeon. If Id known I would have put on some more clothes, Cellestra said. Hm. Thats a good point. I skittered forward to the hill to see what was beyond it. Once Id arrived, disappointment filled me. I shook my head as I looked into the distance. There was literally nothing here but plains of snow. I believed I could see another ice wall, much like the ones behind us far in the distance. I wondered if there was a door in it somewhere that would lead elsewhere. For now, I thought it better to check that out some other time. What do you say we head back? I asked Cellestra. The elf nodded. Good idea. I had to cancel my spell earlier, and let me tell you, its cold here. Shit. Id forgotten to recast it after I started eating. Then I noticed that Cellestra was shivering slightly. I quickly cast the spell twice, keeping one active with my spider brain to my left, and one to my right with my elven half. I then started making my way back to the sandpit room. Will you be okay? I asked. Youre not gonna get sick, are you? I sure hope not. Crap. Im sorry. I forgot. Its fine. Lets just get home quickly, Cellestra said. I did exactly as she suggested and made my way to the archway as fast as my legs could carry me. I would look at this enhancement later. If it didnt cost too much, I would definitely buy it. There was simply no downside to it. We soon made our way up through the corridor and entered the sand room. From there, the swamp was easily passed through as all enemies had already perished. A few minutes later, we found ourselves back at the surface. You know, I said. I wouldnt mind something sweet for once. An apple or something would be great. Nothing but meat is starting to get boring I have some at home if you want. Id love that. Thanks a lot. Speaking of food, would you like me to get anything for you? Hmmm, Cellestra thought aloud. I think I still have some, but if you see anything that catches your interest, I wont say no. Ill try to keep an eye open, I said, before realizing what I just said. I then started grinning. Probably more than one. Cellestra chuckled at my horrible joke. Nice. I made my way back through the forest to the elfs house and started wondering about my plans once again. As things stood, I didnt have a whole lot to do. Now that I knew the dungeon had another room, I wondered if that meant there was one more to the left in the sandpit room. It seemed like there was a constant conflict going on in my mind about what I should do. One half of me wanted to use this blessing as much as possible to grow stronger, while the other half wanted me to advance my plans and visit Edhil as soon as I could. Visiting one of Elysas temples would be the very first step I was going to take. I was glad that Cellestra had said earlier that shed join me, but leaving this beautiful, tranquil place behind brought a certain kind of sadness with it that I couldnt explain. It hadnt been long, but Id grown attached to the elfs place. I couldnt believe I had. Id been in a cage the first time I laid eyes upon Cellestra. How far Id come I sighed as I skittered through the forest, thinking about all that could be. The future had never seemed so uncertain to me. I worried about so much, most of all, not being able to find my parents. Just how badly had this curse affected where I ended up? I was in the same world, sure, but how big was this world? I hoped Elysa would provide me with some answers. I doubted Cellestra would hold a lot of that information. Cellestra? Hm? How much do you truly know about this world? Not much, She admitted. All I have is my own experience, and then whatever information I got from books, which is very little with regards to this world. I know the surrounding area somewhat, and a few nearby cities, but thats about it. Why? Whats up? I closed my eyes as I spoke. Im just unsure of how to go about things. I dont know where to start looking. I dont know how much Ill have to travel. All that kind of stuff. It just it drains me, mentally. Im constantly worrying about it whenever Im not doing anything. I could feel one of Cellestras hands move over the hair on my back in a gentle gesture of comfort. Its going to be okay. Well find out where your family is, and Im confident well be able to find a cure for me as well. I smiled slightly at the elfs optimism. I found it hard to believe that everything would be easy, but I did find comfort in her words. Thank you. Did you have any idea yet about when you wanted to leave? Cellestra asked. I shook my head. Thats one of the things Im struggling with. I dont know what to focus on. Getting more powerful will be important in the long run, but my anxiety seems to grow the longer I stay here. This dungeon has been of great help, and Im sure it will continue to be, but the way my blessing currently works it feels slow. I was thinking, do you think I should do one more run in the dungeon and then head out the day after? Do you need to prepare things to head out? Cellestra shook her head. I dont think I need much. Ill just get some clothes and a blanket to sleep in at night. Other than that, I think we can get everything I need on our journey. We still have those items you recovered as well. Im sure we can get some supplies for those when we reach a city. I nodded. I suppose youre right. I turned my head to look at the sky. I never imagined I would be traveling like this. Everything had always been so clear in my life; to not know where Im going, or where Ill end up, it just feels so alien to me. Cellestra didnt respond. Instead, I could feel her continuing to pet my back. The elf truly had her way of washing away my worries. She may not have replied, but I could still feel how she thought about all this. Evening started to fall when we arrived back home. Darkness was slowly creeping in. Not a word was spoken as I lowered the elf to the ground when I came to halt in front of her house. She unlocked her door and walked back outside with two apples and handed one to me. She sat down in her doorway while I lowered my body down onto the grass in front of it. I thanked her and took a bite while thinking about what tomorrow would bring once again. What an odd turn of events, I summarized the past few days in one sentence while I munched on the sweet apple. For the better I would say, no? Cellestra replied. Yeah. I think so. I just hope things arent as you say with regards to some factions being on the brink of war. Its one of the main things I worry about Agreed. I wouldnt want to get caught up in all that. After that, silence fell in which we both finished our snack. Darkness was falling quickly and the thought of asking Cellestra to sleep in my shelter popped up again. I had to correct myself into not thinking about that. So, Cellestra started. You want to head out the day after tomorrow, then? I nodded. I dont know, but I think we should. Its fine by me. I can have everything sorted by tomorrow evening. Theres not much to do, truly. Did you not want to join for another dungeon run? I asked. Cellestra shook her head. Its better I stay home and take care of things. I dont want to accidentally forget something. I nodded. I understand. Cellestra took what remained of her apple and tossed it towards the edge of the clearing. She then took mine and threw that one as well. Lets just go to sleep for now, okay? Well talk again tomorrow, Cellestra suggested. I nodded once more as I stood back up. Lets do that. Good night, Cellestra. Good night, Kealyna. The elf walked back inside after waving and closed the door as I waved at her with a pedipalp. I then heaved a deep sigh and skittered into my nest where I simply dropped into the web and drifted off within a minute. 2.16 Sleeplessness The next thing I knew, I was awake, my elven torso resting on my back. It was still dark outside and presumably, in the middle of the night. I opened my two eyes and stared up at the webbed ceiling, wondering why I woke up as I was still sleepy. Did Cellestra accidentally wake me up? I looked around with my spider eyes but there was no sign of the elf anywhere, to my regret. Was it that? Did my mind presume I was to be woken up by the elf? I had experienced this before where I couldnt sleep until I knew that she was sleeping soundly, but I didnt expect that to keep me out of my sleep. I tried to go back to sleep, but my mind kept wandering off to her. The way the elf slept against my spider body last night I longed to experience the same feeling again. I remained awake for a while, hoping that at any moment, she would just wander in here so that I could more or less hug her, but there seemed to be no sign of that happening. I cursed my mind for this being so distracting. Come to think of it, I never had given her a proper hug yet, not that I didn''t want to. I let out a deep sigh as I tried desperately to get back to sleep. Despite my spider body being so comfortable, I didnt seem to have that kind of luck This was just torture The feeling of being in love was both wonderful and painful at the same time. Maybe it would be better for the two of us to not be around each other for the entire day tomorrow. Maybe I could come up with ways to try to talk about this while she wasnt around. I started doubting myself again. Should I tell her about this before we set out? Should I talk about it when we returned to her home after Edhil? I felt like I was obliged to let her know before we would truly leave this place behind, so she could factor that in with her decision. Though, she did seem okay with leaving all this behind to try to find a cure with me either way. This was so difficult And I hadnt even factored in that I wasnt an elf anymore, at least, not entirely. So far, Cellestra had not seemed to mind what I was, but I could imagine it being somewhat of an obstacle when it came to acquiring something more than just friendship. I shook my head, trying to get rid of all the worries. They werent something I could change, so I felt it was pointless to worry about, for now. I distracted myself by looking at my enhancement options. Name: Kealyna Race: Iridescent Queen Arachne Level: N/A Experience: MAX Evolution Points: 1192 Enhancement Cost in EP Language Comprehension - Dwarven 5 Language Comprehension - Orcish 5 Language Comprehension - Demonic 10 Language Comprehension - Goblin 5 Language Comprehension - Troll 5 Spawn Spiderlings 200 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Exoskeleton 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Resistance 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Venom 100 Amphibian Tongue 50 Tongue Slingshot (Level 1) 10 Cold Resistance (Level 1) 10 Cold Resistance (Level 2) 20 There wasnt much there that was new, but the cold resistance enhancements wouldnt be bad to acquire. I decided to take them as they were fairly cheap as well. I did the same for the language skills. Id ignored them for so long, and since they didn''t cost me much, I figured I might as well. The amphibian tongue was simply left alone. I didnt see any use for it. I allowed the enhancements to seep their information into my brains. I felt the hair on my body shift as it seemed more mana was pushed into them. It was hard to make out what exactly happened to them, but I felt that they offered better insulation. It didnt seem to have much effect right now as the temperature was still moderately warm, but in colder areas like the one in the dungeon, it would have a noticeable effect. After everything was finished up, my list had shrunk considerably again. There were only the spiderling enhancements and the weird tongue ones left, which I did not plan to take, maybe ever. When the blue square before me finally disappeared, I felt a wave of boredom crash over me. I tried getting back to sleep, but the need to have Cellestra close to me kept me from it. I dont know how long it took, but it seemed forever before I was successful in embracing the sweet mercy of unconsciousness. When I next opened my eyes, it was because I heard Cellestras voice call out my name. The suns light still managed to permeate the thick layer of threads that made up my nest, as did its warmth. Did you sleep well? I heard her call out from behind me. The elf was standing outside of my shelter and her voice was filled with positivity. A smile crept on my lips when I knew that at least one of us had had a good nights rest. I was still tired, and my elven torso was just so comfortable laying in my long hair on my back that I couldnt be bothered to move when I replied to the elf. Not really, but I can hear that you did. Yeah, Cellestra spoke. I had the rare occasion where I slept fairly well. Are you hungry, by any chance? I would truly be surprised if I was hungry at this point. Nope, not at all. I had expected as much. If youre still tired, just take your time, okay? Ill be doing a few things in the house in the meantime. There are a few things Ill pack, and I guess Ill set Elania free. Whos that? I asked, unsure what Cellestra was talking about. My tarantula. Werent we going to come back here after Edhil, or is it so far away that you dont be able to feed it in time? Honestly, Cellestra started. For all I care, we dont come back here and we just continue our journey instead. I see, I spoke softly, but loud enough for the elf to hear. What about the peddler? Ill leave a note on the door. Hes the only one that comes through here anyway. So what do we do then? Do we head to Edhil tomorrow? I asked. If thats okay with you. Its fine by me. Her decision to not come back here would complicate the timeline for my confession, but I wasnt going to argue her decision. I knew full well that coming back here was not exactly necessary. I guessed I couldnt plan any of this out. Maybe I should give up on trying to see what was best and instead allow it to occur when the moment came naturally. Maybe that was for the best, either way. I started running my hand through my spider heads hair as I thought about what to do. It was weird, but it also felt comforting in an odd way. It was as if someone else was doing it, but I had full control over it. Did you want to head to the dungeon today? Cellestra asked me. I think its best I do that, yes. But do you want to? Cellestra asked again. I continued staring at the ceiling of my nest. I dont know, I spoke honestly. I was confident that Cellestra would be able to figure out soon enough that I wasnt feeling too well at the moment. Are you okay? The elf asked, worry evident in her voice. I am okay. I guess you could say I am just worried more than usual that is. I wasnt lying when I said that. It was entirely true that I was worried about everything that awaited me. I noted that I seemed to have lost so much of my old self in that regard. I never would have thought that possible. Can I help? She asked. How was she going to help when she was the reason for most of the worries that surrounded me at this moment? I dont know, I said once again. Okay, Cellestra replied in her sweet, caring voice. If you want to talk about anything, Ill be inside. Just tap on the window. Thank you, I replied. I heard her footsteps on the grass as she made her way back inside. The sound of the door closing was my cue to relieve myself of a deep sigh that Id been holding in. I tried to relax for several more minutes. I still wanted to go to the dungeon as I knew the importance of growing stronger. It was likely that not everyone would be as forgiving to my appearance as the elf. I wanted to be prepared in case things took a turn for the worse with certain individuals. It was inevitable that I was going to have to talk to people for information. Some elves were already aware of my existence and, even though they knew I was not a threat, and the fact that Cellestra had put in a few good words for me, I knew some wouldnt pass up the opportunity to kill something as exquisite as me. I felt myself dozing off as I cleared my heads. I allowed myself to fall asleep once more. Hopefully, I could focus better after waking up again. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patron Arcanum Thanks so much for your support <3 2.17 Superiority When I next woke up, I already felt much more energized. My mind had seemingly found peace with the fact that I just couldnt know things and that it was thus useless to worry about it. I removed the sleep crust from my eyes and walked out of my nest backward. I would use this day to see if I could maybe pick up some more useful enhancements from the dungeon while Cellestra finished whatever she had to do here. I raised my elven torso and noted that my hair was all messy again. It came as no surprise as Id slept on it. That, and it was long. It would need quite some maintenance. I simply shrugged it off. I could fix that later. For now, I focused on the dungeon. This would be the last time I visited it. I wondered if there was indeed a third area. I skittered over to the window and gently tapped it with my fingers. Before I left, I wanted to make sure that the elf knew I was going out. Cellestra soon opened the door. Morning, Kealyna. Feeling any better? I nodded. Much better. Thank you. If you dont mind, Ill be heading off for the dungeon. Do you want me to keep an eye out for anything for dinner? If you could, yes please. Ill try to see if I can find some food I can take with us as well. Alright. Ill see you later then. Take care. I waved at Cellestra as I turned around. The elf smiled and waved back while I skittered off to the edge of the clearing, making sure to cast my barrier spell as I went. I started my trip towards the dungeon and noted that the silk that Id spun around my chest to cover things up had gotten dirty. I made a mental note to make a new bra when I was finished in the dungeon. I wasnt sure how late it was currently, but judging from the suns position, it was either late in the morning, or early afternoon. Adjusting to the time, I skittered towards the dungeon as fast as I could. My thoughts were no longer dancing around in my head. I hoped things would stay that way... for a while at least. Despite running as fast as I could, I still took well over an hour to reach the dungeon, perhaps two, I couldnt be sure. I hoped I could speed things up a bit compared to yesterday now that I had a better idea of how much exactly I would have to consume of a creature before the effect could trigger. Now, here was hoping that I wouldnt be too full to eat I was not hungry in the slightest at the moment so it was a possibility. That would be less than ideal. I made my way down the corridor until Id almost reached the swamp area. I was surprised there were none of those giant snakes. That was, until I ran into a green one at the very end of the tunnel. I quickly dispatched it with my lightning arc after putting up an ice wall to block its venom spit attack. After it died, I ignored the blue square with the message and went straight to eating. To my disappointment, I didnt receive a notification after eating well over the amount of meat I had needed to last time. I had hoped to get some kind of enhancement related to venom. I didnt know if it was possible, but since this creature seemed to rely on that, I imagined the skill that could be offered would have something to do with it. I ate a bit more to be on the safe side before tossing the body aside and making my way into the swamp. Almost immediately, I was met by one of the crocolisks who charged at me. Two earthen spikes were more than enough to take care of that threat. You have killed a Large Mire Crocolisk: No experience was awarded. I decided it would be a good idea to do the same thing I did yesterday, and created several lines of silk to bait the crocolisks into attacking me. Only three more appeared from the dark waters. As they converged on me, I easily killed them off with more earthen spikes. You have killed a Large Mire Crocolisk: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Large Mire Crocolisk: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Large Mire Crocolisk: No experience was awarded. I felt like there were too few, so I fished for a bit more but came up dry. The area was clear, so I decided to start eating while I hypothesized about what these crocolisks could even offer me. I knew from tales that crocodiles had extremely strong jaws, at least when it came to shutting them, so maybe these crocolisks had some kind of ability along those lines? Alternatively, their hides seemed extremely tough. They managed to deflect some of my spells. Maybe they could give me some kind of resistance enhancement? You never know until you eat. The next half hour was spent ripping open crocolisks and eating them. When I arrived at the last one, there was still no message that had shown up, so I was filled with disappointment when I started the last one. I knew the chance for it to activate wasnt too high, so technically I shouldnt be disappointed, but I couldnt help it. It was with the very last crocolisk that I finally had a message show up. Devour (Evolving) effect activated. Enhancement: Superior Jaws and Teeth is available. Superior? I hadnt seen that prefix yet. I decided to check my enhancement list. Enhancement Cost in EP Spawn Spiderlings 200 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Exoskeleton 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Resistance 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Venom 100 Amphibian Tongue 50 Tongue Slingshot (Level 1) 10 Superior Jaws and Teeth 75 It appeared it was an upgrade over Very Strong. That was good to know. If I could upgrade existing skills further, I imagined I could get my strength back to where it was before this final evolution. Maybe I could even go beyond that. Slight excitement filled me at the prospect of that. Since I had plenty of points to spend, I decided to upgrade the enhancement. A secondary reason for me to do it was that this skill in particular would make eating easier. Some of the meat Id run into was tough, especially that ape creature from the day before. I allowed the blessing to upgrade my jaws and teeth. After the effects had taken hold, I continued along the path through the swamp. There were no more creatures on this floor it seemed. The only thing that I could see was a gigantic mosquito buzzing over the water. For a moment I considered killing it, but it was too far away. I also concluded that it was probably a bad idea to use water walking here as I had no idea if there was anything other than crocolisks in the water. And so I found myself in the sandpit room once again. The slime, as usual, started taking form and I cast my imbue elements spell and started hacking away. A short battle followed in which I easily dispatched this floors boss for the third time. I ignored the kill message and fixed my gaze on the wall to the left, hoping a new area would come into view. When the grinding of stone on stone finally came, instead of the wall to my left opening up, the one in front opened, leading into the forlorn city. I calculated what the merits of going that way would be. I couldnt possibly eat bones, so the only reason for me to go that way would be treasure. I decided against it. I had no incentive to go to the one place that sent shivers down my spine. Id rather go home to Cellestra and experience her warmth. It was much preferable to the cold, dead dungeon floor. I made my way back through the swamp and up the corridor, feeling happy that I at least picked up one useful upgrade. That alone had made this trip worth it. I hoped that whenever I went into a dungeon again, Cellestra would be able to join me. I more than enjoyed her presence the other day. When I looked up at the sky, I noticed that the sun had already started its descent a while ago. If I went back home at the same speed as before, Id arrive just before evening. However, I planned on finding something for Cellestra to have for dinner. Something small like a wild rabbit would be ideal. I kept my spider eyes fixated on the surrounding area while I tore away the silk that covered my breasts to make a new makeshift bra. It didnt take long to make it as it was a simple matter of summoning threads around my chest area. I realized by the end of it that my hair would need work as well and that it was perhaps a better idea to take a bath to get everything done at the same time. I wondered how that would work with my current body Faragi Reminder for people I have a discord server https://discord.gg/TqFjdv8uaE Some people seem to miss it :D 2.18 Temples I was still wondering about how to clean myself while I made my way back home. At the same time, I was looking out for anything that could serve as dinner for Cellestra. Having two brains to process all this information at the same time proved invaluable. I couldnt imagine living without it anymore. It made me realize just how limited Id been in my previous life. What an odd thought. I came to the conclusion that I might be able to wash myself with my water spell. I experimented a bit with it to see how I could influence the spells effects. I knew already that I could change the amount of water and its temperature at will. Up next, I was trying to figure out if and how much pressure I could put behind the stream that was ejected from my body. It took me a while to notice, but I found that I was actually having fun experimenting like this. At the cost of more mana, I could change a few aspects of the spell. I wasnt able to turn it into something that could be used in combat, but the utility this offered for day-to-day life was unmatched. I even found that I could summon multiple, smaller streams of water from my hand and apply a bit of pressure behind them. This way, I could turn my hand into a literal shower head. Showerheads I had heard of them. I had not actually seen any of them. I believed it was some kind of metal container with smaller holes through which water was pushed from a larger basin placed somewhere up high. Of course, anything like this could only be afforded by the nobility. And I held it in the palm of my hand right now, literally. I smiled at the thought. I wonder if Cellestra has ever heard of anything like this. Its quite the change from a large tub of cold water. I was getting ahead of myself there. I was still building up this friendship we had. I didnt think acting as a shower was a good ideayet. Several smaller forest critters had shown up in my thermal vision, but Id ignored them as they were animals that one wouldnt think of as dinner. Out of all of those, skunks were probably the least appetizing. I didnt bother to stray too far from the path either. If I got home before finding anything, I would try to search the surrounding area there. Otherwise, there was always fish. It took a long time before I found anything of interest. When I did finally spot a rabbit, I was almost home already. At least it would be a fresh kill. I sneaked as close as I could to the creature, before firing off a line of silk at it. The poor creature had no way of escaping something that was fired at it with such speed. It became ensnared, and its struggles only worsened its chances for survival. I killed it off with my lightning arc. I only had to channel the spell for two seconds to kill it, so I dont think it suffered much. I entered the clearing with Cellestras house moments later. The day was coming at an end as the sky had turned red a while ago. I noticed the two wolf pelts that Cellestra had cured not so long ago were laying in the grass again, skin side up. It made me wonder what her plans for those were. The door was open and Cellestra stepped out seconds later. Welcome back. I see your hunt was successful. How was the dungeon? Decent, I said. I managed to get an upgrade for one of my existing skills. Oh, Cellestra replied, intrigue in her eyes. Which one is that? My jaws and teeth skill. It was actually the very first one I acquired when I arrived in this world. Yeah. It was about the first thing that made me realize that something was very much off with you. I grinned. Didnt have much of a choice but to take it. I had no idea how spiders ate, and when I asked my blessing, I received a reply, but it didnt tell me how to replicate that What was the first thing you actually ate? Cellestra asked. I handed her the rabbit and answered her question with the most serious expression I could muster. Spider. Uhh Came her response. You have no idea how many of my supposed brothers and sisters I killed to grow stronger through this blessing. I was starving at the time so I ate the first thing I could get my hands pedipalps on. You truly had a rough start, didnt you? Cellestras expression seemed to be one that I hadnt seen much of in my life: compassion. I dont know if thats the correct way to put it. I mean, those spiders dont have something like this blessing, and I dont know if they are as aware of things as I am. For someone like me with my previous memories and sapience, I guess you could say it was rough. I sighed and turned my head to the sky. Thankfully, thats behind me now. I then looked back at the elf. How are your preparations going, by the way? I see youve pulled out those two pelts again. I assume they have something to do with it? Cellestra nodded. Im going to take those two with me to use as cover at night. They will be far more resistant to cold, and even rain, than my bed cover. The reason Ive laid them out in the grass like that, is because I applied some more ointment to them to keep them soft and durable. Makes sense. What other things will you be taking with you? I asked. I cant carry too much with me, and since you have great healing spells, most of my specialty items are useless. It does mean I can leave those at home, though. Ill be taking a bag with me for food and the like, those two pelts, and thats pretty much it. Ill also take Roses diary with me. Its pretty much the only item with value for me. I saw the elfs eyes look at the ground as she spoke about her old mentor. It was easy to see that she had meant a great deal to Cellestra. Ill also take a few of my tools with me. Just in case I need to make certain potions. Alternatively, I could try to gather rare ingredients if we come across any and sell them without processing, but potions have a much higher value. I considered her words, especially the part about selling things. Will we have much trouble selling things in Edhil, you think? I mean, I still have those items. The thing Im worried about is our appearance. I mean, Cellestra started, then sighed briefly. Yes. Our appearance is odd, but Edhils temple is located outside of the city. Getting there would be especially painful if that wasnt the case. Once we arrive at the temple, it will be made very clear that Elysa wishes to communicate with you. Once the priests have observed that, no matter what you look like, they wont try to do anything funny. Im hoping we can sell those items right then and there. You mean sell them to the priests? Cellestra nodded. Items that are held by chosen of the goddess are about the easiest things there are to sell. No matter what they are, youll get rid of them in a heartbeat. What a weird world, I concluded. Id never heard of anything like this. Heh, Cellestra chuckled. It certainly is useful, given our circumstances. I cant linger around the city for long, though, or my curse will take hold in the area. A day at most is what I usually consider to be safe. How does the speaking to the goddess thing work anyway? Elysa said something about a ritual being required, but youre saying that somehow people will notice that she wishes to talk to me? Cellestra smiled. Its the fires. Her words confused me, but she soon continued and elaborated. There are braziers in front of temples, lit with magical fire. Normally, the fires burn with the colors that youd expect, like orange and red. When someone approaches that has the privilege of being allowed to speak to the god or goddess bound to the temple, the fires change to blue. That certainly makes things easier, I said before sighing out of relief. So all we need to do is get close to the temple and thats that. Cellestra nodded. Exactly. As I said, Edhil is kind of an exception with the location of their temple. Other cities usually have them inside city walls. Close to a city entrance, but inside walls nonetheless. It might be hard to reach a temple after departing Edhil, so thats something we need to keep in mind. Sounds like we may have to plow our way through guards somewhere down the line I said, foreseeing what this meant if I ever wanted to speak to Elysa again. Perhaps? Cellestra answered with a question. As long as youre fast, that could be a way of doing it. When the braziers change colors, no one will even try to harm you. It would be best not to spill any blood on the way there, though. I nodded. Now if you dont mind, Ill prepare this rabbit. Its going to get dark soon, and Id like to have dinner prepared before that. No problem, I said. Ill see you soon enough. Cellestra smiled warmly as she took my catch back inside. In the meantime, I figured I might just take a warm shower 2.19 Shower That sounded like a good idea in my mind. I hadnt properly cleaned myself and, while I knew that my spider parts would be fine either way, I wasnt so sure if the same could be said about my elven torso. Especially the area down there was one of my concerns. Seriously, how did that work anyway? I walked around the house to the back and decided to take a look at things. As weird as it may be to concern myself with this, I couldnt help but at least be slightly curious. The way my elven torso was positioned on my spider head was interesting, to say the least. I looked down my belly at the white hair that covered everything that could be considered indecent. Exposure was not one of my concerns, even without proper clothing down there. I didnt even think clothing would be at all possible. With how everything between where my legs would have been was still the same, I reckoned it was important to maintain hygiene there. I removed the silken bra for the second time with the help of my legs, quickly burned it, and started summoning pleasantly warm water, split over many smaller streams, from my hand. I let the water fall down onto my head before I realized that I didnt have a sponge or anything of the sort. I tried something that might resolve the problem. I summoned a bunch of threads and formed a ball with the silk. I then used the makeshift sponge to wipe away the grime that had collected on my skin and managed to surprise me. It truly didnt do so bad. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warm water fall and trickle down my skin. It was unlike anything Id ever felt before. The closest Id come to this was warm rain, and that wasnt nearly as relaxing in full armor. I sighed as I slowly removed the dirt from my skin. I could see why nobles would want something like this This was heaven. I ignored my hair for the most part as it had been done recently, but did make sure to clean every other inch of my elven body. When I did finally look down at my sizable breasts, worries filled me again. Would Cellestra be able to feel the same way I felt for her? Would she be into women? Moreover, would she be into a half-spider? Avoiding thinking about all that hadn''t helped, but finally letting myself ask those questions didn''t really make anything easier either. As soon as the questions started, my time of relaxation had come to an end. Now, it had turned into anxiety about how things would play out between the purple-eyed elf and me. I finalized my shower by making sure to clean the area in between where my legs would otherwise have been, not missing a spot, before summoning a flame spell to dry me. The flame that burned in the air before me illuminated the area, which by now was otherwise completely dark. Id spent quite some time cleaning myself. The first half of cleaning had consumed far more time than I had anticipated because I allowed myself to get lost in the warmth it brought. It took a few minutes to dry myself. I finished by summoning the silken threads to cover up my bosom again. I then skittered over to the front of Cellestras house to see how she was doing. The smell of deliciously cooked meat entered my nostrils as I approached the open door. The only good thing about it was that I would probably not be hungry for a while. Otherwise, I would have loved to take a bite. I lowered myself onto the grass and cast the flame spell again, replicating the effects of a campfire as I waited for Cellestra to finish her dinner. It didnt take long for the elf to show up with the rabbit, now cooked, on a plate. Whats up, Kealyna? Want some? She said as she sat down in the doorway. I shook my head. Im not hungry, like, at all. Im confident I can go multiple days without food with the amount Ive eaten in the past two days. I know that but would you like to taste some, is what I meant. Oh, I let out. Its okay. You just enjoy it. Id probably feel guilty for taking anything when Im not hungry. Cellestra smiled before digging into her dinner. It seemed to taste as delicious as it smelled if the look on her face was anything to go by. Guess youre going to miss seasoning when were out. Cellestra chuckled. Youd think that, but most herbs for seasoning are easy to come by if you know where to look and how to use them. I will, however, be bringing some salt and pepper with me. Doesnt sound like a bad idea at all, I said. Thats what I thought, Cellestra said as she was munching on a piece of meat. Sitting here like this made me wonder how our nights would look when we were out on our journey. I imagined much of it would look the same, perhaps with the added safety of a more traditional campfire to keep predators away. We fell silent, and I faced down to the fire while watching Cellestra eat with my spider eyes. It made me realize how hard it would be for people to tell what I was looking at. Then again, people who knew me would know that I could see everything going on around me. The elf finished her dinner and walked to the edge of the clearing where she tossed the bones away, before walking back to sit down with me once again. Are you worried? Cellestra asked as she crossed her arms on her legs. Im worried about a lot of things, Cellestra. Im sure you know that. As am I, She said softly. Your curse? I asked. The elf nodded in response. Im worried theres no way to get rid of it. I understand. I hope Ill be able to help you. What about you? Cellestra looked up at me as she asked the question. What are you worried about? Im worried about not knowing what is going on wherever my parents are. I was supposed to be brought to them by that portal. Instead, I ended up in some forsaken cave in this forest. I have no idea where I am. I have no idea where my parents are, or what the situation is there. I believe Elysa wouldnt put them in some dangerous place, but ever since this curse was placed on me, I cant be sure anymore. What if whoever did this to me is also out to get my parents? I see, Cellestra spoke softly once again. Your eagerness to get going is totally justified. Im glad you were able to make such a decision on such short notice I said, almost whispering. I would feel terrible alone. Its so weird, because Ive pretty much always been alone. Youd think I could handle this. I dont know if its weird, Cellestra said. I feel the same way. Its nice to have someone to talk to who doesn''t judge you, you know? I let out a small sigh and smiled slightly. Same goes for me. I suppose thats true, Cellestra answered with one of her warm smiles. Every time I saw one of those, I just felt myself melting inside. Another silence fell, in which it seemed neither of us knew what to say. It was kind of sad as I loved talking to Cellestra and hearing her voice, but I felt that forcing this too much would just make me look like a fool. So, I finally said, Do you have everything that you need already packed? I figured something as neutral as that would fit with the idea that Cellestra had of me. I kept the conversation going and helped to make sure that we didnt accidentally miss anything. Ive got everything sorted. Some food, basic alchemy necessities, canteens, salt and pepper, She looked up to me and let out a small chuckle. Combs. Ill probably need more than one with all this hair, I said, smiling widely. Thats what I thought, Cellestra replied. I also have the note that goes on the door prepared. Ill put it up tomorrow and hope it wont rain before the peddler gets here. When will he come by again? I asked. Three days from now. A bit tricky, but I think it will be okay. I hope so. A few seconds passed and Cellestra sighed deeply. I think Ill go to bed if you dont mind. Well have a lot of traveling to do starting tomorrow. I nodded. Ill go to bed, or well, nest as well I guess. Cellestra giggled. Yeah. You do that. Ill see you tomorrow. Good night. Good night. I waved at her with a pedipalp as she went inside. She waved back momentarily before closing the door. I then canceled my flame spell and skittered into my shelter where I just dropped myself down onto the web, before laying down on my spider back. The comfort that this spider body offered never ceased to amaze me. I soon drifted off. 2.20 Dread I wasnt allowed peaceful sleep. I woke up to the sound of something pounding on wood. I shook myself properly awake as I realized the sound came from nearby. What the hell was going on? I raised my torso and noticed with my spider eyes that Cellestra was in my shelter once again, wearing nothing but her underwear. She was repeatedly hitting the wooden wall with her fists. Blood trickled down from them from her actions. Cellestra? I asked as I turned my head to face her. No response came, which instantly made me jump to the conclusion that she was sleepwalking again. I felt overwhelming pity for her. Why was this happening in her sleep? Searching the wall had been odd enough, but hitting it with your fists until they bled that just couldnt be natural. I moved backward slightly and put my legs around her frame and forced her to turn around. Her eyes were closed and she was still trying to slam her fists into something that wasnt there. Though, I doubted hitting nothing but the air in front of her would cause her any harm. Cellestra? I called out, louder this time, while I tried to shake her awake with my pedipalps and arms. Her eyes shot open, and she started shivering uncontrollably. At the same time, her hands stopped moving while they were in front of her, shaking with the rest of her body. Tears started flowing down her cheeks, breaking my heart in the process. Rose? She asked, clearly delusional. The elf before me looked truly pathetic. Before I even knew what happened, I took her in for a hug, wrapping my arms around her back. I used my pedipalps as well and lightly tapped her back in an attempt to console her. No. Its Kealyna. Youre fine. Dont worry. I was terrible at this. I truly didnt know what to say. I said the first words that came to mind and hoped they had the desired effect. I also cast my healing light spell on her to calm her clouded mind down. At the same time, it healed the wounds on her hands. After a few more seconds of shivering and crying, it seemed to slow down before almost stopping completely. Kealyna? Cellestra eventually called out my name with a whisper, as she put her hands on my shoulders. Are you okay? I asked a few seconds later. I dont know She answered with a whisper again. I held her in a close hug for several more minutes, hoping it would soothe her. This was not how I imagined my first hug with the elf to go, but it was what it was. And now? I asked after a while. I think Im back, She spoke slowly. I dont know what happened. You were sleepwalking again. For some reason, you were slamming your fists on your wall. Im not sure how that didnt wake you up. You kept going until they bled. Oh, She simply replied. I moved my head from her shoulder and tried to look into her eyes. When I did so, I saw her pupils dart down, unable to hold contact with my eyes. Cellestra? I called her name once more. When she didnt reply I continued my question. What is going on? This isnt just sleepwalking anymore, is it? The elf shook her head but didnt speak. I placed a hand on her hair and slowly ran it through it. I then placed my arms under her shoulders and used my legs under her knees and rear to lift her, and placed her against the silked wall at the far end of my nest. I then placed myself in front of her and asked if she wanted to talk about it. I dont know Cellestra spoke softly. I didnt want you to worry about me. But seeing you like this makes me worry even more, I replied. She took a deep breath and sighed. It should come as no surprise that its my curse again. This sleepwalking is a recent phenomenon. I never had it lead me outside or harm me, though. Any idea why it happens? I do, She said while nodding slowly. And Im scared. Why? I carefully asked. The mana inside me. Its not entirely my own. The nightmares I have they are terrible. In them, whatever is inside of me, is trying to find a way out. Its as if something is trapped inside of me and it wants to break free. I think its amplified at night when my mind is vulnerable. She tilted her head to face me. Im scared My heart broke for a second time when she said that. The look in her eyes she was scared for her life. This curse may just kill her if things went too far. It was obvious from both her actions and her look. I moved closer to her and placed my spider head on her legs as I took her in for a hug again, my hands in her hair, as I pressed her head against my belly. Im sorry to hear that, Cellestra. I wont allow that curse to do whatever it wishes. Well find a way to get rid of it, I promise. Cellestra returned the hug by placing her arms around my waist, which was at about the height of her shoulders. Thank you She said softly. I never knew things were this dire. Everything Id known about her curse so far hadnt seemed so bad. Sending nearby creatures into a murderous frenzy, but causing them to ignore her at the same time wouldnt do much to affect her. The nightmares and terrible sleep were more of an issue, but now that Id learned that the curse might just slowly kill her I I didnt know. I was at a loss for words. All I could do was console her and pray to Elysa that there was some kind of solution to it. It made my own issues suddenly seem so trivial Will you be okay? I finally asked. I think I am okay now, She replied with a whisper, not breaking the hug. I noticed she placed her hands on my spider head and started caressing my soft hair. I let her do as she pleased as it seemed to have a positive effect on the anxiety she was experiencing. Her breathing became more steady over time and the last of her shivers had disappeared. Kealyna? She asked without changing her downward gaze. What is it? I asked softly, still running a hand through her hair. Is it okay if I spend the night here? Of course. You dont even have to ask. It would probably be for the best. I did not want the same things repeating themselves. At least here, I could help her if she had a relapse. Cellestra lowered her head so that it was resting against my spider head, right between the two large eyes where there was nothing but soft hair. The fact that she was using my head as a pillow sent mixed emotions through my brains. I did not want to think about things like that now, but I couldnt fully keep them out. I was, however, glad I could be of emotional support for the elf however much I did. I felt Cellestra relax further. Eventually, I heard soft snoring coming from her as her hands held a tight grip on my hair. It seemed that even in her sleep, she knew how to appreciate the softness that was all over me. It put a small smile on my face. I continued stroking her hair, feeling slightly guilty for abusing the situation like that. My love for her continued to grow, as did my anxiety to talk about it. The more things like these happened, the more it felt like I would just be using the situation to get her to feel the same about me. I closed my eyes and prayed to Elysa in my mind. I wanted Cellestra to make her own decisions without me forcing her into anything. It brought me back to my seemingly perpetual struggle where I wanted to be honest to her, but not wanting to influence her. I sighed deeply. I was completely clueless in matters like these. At the very least, Id gotten to experience hugging the elf. It wasnt the situation that I had expected, or wanted for that matter. If anything, I detested the situation, but hugging her felt good. The warmth that grew within me, that burned brightly for her, had never been so intense as in that moment. I tried to relax as I laid myself down on my own head and thorax, enjoying the softness as usual, while keeping my gaze fixed on Cellestra with my other eyes. She seemed so peaceful. Being used as a pillow I loved every moment of it. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patron Dubchee Thanks so much for your support <3 2.21 Forward I was slowly pulled out of my dreams. With my spider vision returning first, I saw Cellestra still sleeping soundly, her arms hugging, and her head against my head. I couldnt imagine how comfortable it must be. Her smile was probably a good indication. It warmed my heart to see that there was still a way for her to be peaceful in her sleep. I just hoped this curse of hers wouldnt spiral out of control. Her experience with it seemed to have gotten worse over time, to the point where she thought it may kill her later on. I could not, would not, let that happen. I would not allow such a kind soul to be ripped out of this world. Not when I was here and had the power to change the course of things. I petted Cellestras back with my pedipalps while I raised my elven torso out of the softness that was my back. I did this for a few minutes until she stirred. When she did, she moved her head against mine as she moved her hands through my hair. One of her hands ended up on one of my large eyes, but I didnt seem to be sensitive to the touch. Then, Cellestra opened her eyes to look right into one of mine. She seemed to experience slight shock as she backed away from my head after realizing where her hand was. Oh shit, Im sorry. I looked down at her from above with my elven eyes and shook my head while smiling. Its okay. My eyes dont seem to feel much, which, to be honest, is a blessing. I cant imagine what Id do if they were. Imagine them getting irritated because of sand or dust. Id go crazy. Thats good to know. How are you? I asked warmly. Im okay. How about you? Im fine, I said. Slept well? She seemed to be a bit hesitant to answer as she looked down at my fangs. I slept well, yes. No more nightmares or anything. Thank you for that. No problem. I paused for a few seconds. How bad have they gotten? You looked deathly afraid last night. Cellestra was still staring down at my fangs as she answered. Bad, and yes, I am deathly afraid. I fear that some night, these dreams will become real, and the power inside me finds a way out. Im scared of what will happen to me if it does. I put my pedipalps on her back again and lightly tapped it. But if Im here to help you, doesnt that keep the power in check? When I used my healing spell on her, and when she was close to me, the nightmares just didnt seem to happen. I didnt know if it was because of the spell, the comfort she experienced, or our friendship, but it helped. Seems to be that way, She answered. But I cant have you help me all the time. You need to sleep as well. Thats true, I answered. But at least it helps to suppress it until we find a cure. Cellestra nodded and finally looked up at my head. It does. For now, I continued as I placed my pedipalps under her shoulders and lifted her up until she stood on the web. Lets stop worrying about it, and instead focus on getting it solved. Were sure to find out information at Edhil, possibly for both of us. The elf nodded again. Lets do that, yes. Thank you. By the way, I asked. Have you set your spider free yet? I havent. Im going to get those pelts, my bag, put the note on the door, and then set her free. I nodded. Ill wait until youre done then. Should only take a minute or so. I let Cellestra go and moved backward, out of my nest, possibly for the last time. It had been quite comfortable, and most of all, dry. I wondered if, and how, we would deal with shelter while we were out. I could surely spin a bunch of webs in trees that could make a partial shelter, at least for Cellestra. I wouldnt have much need for it myself, especially now that I had this cold resistance skill. It was more useful than it seemed, after all. Cellestra walked past me and went inside her house while I took in the surroundings while a wave of sadness washed over me. I had a hard time coming to terms that Id have to leave this beautiful place, that Id somehow learned to call home, behind. I looked at the patch of grass where Id landed when I took down the hawk, and smiled. Id come such a long way. I still couldnt believe that once upon a time, I was but a small spider. I looked at the snowflake pattern on my abdomen and the colors that shifted underneath it. This whole journey so far had been unbelievable, and it wasnt even close to finishing. This little piece of this vast forest that I was about to leave behind, was just the beginning of it all. I truly wondered how things would turn out. Cellestra appeared in the doorframe and put a piece of paper against the door. It remained there where she pressed it against the wood. Shed used some kind of glue as far as I could tell. She then disappeared into the building for another half a minute before she walked out with her spider, between tweezers. She lowered it to the grass and released it. I chuckled as I watched the spider just stand there, without doing anything. I had half expected it to run into the woods as fast as its legs could carry it, but that didnt appear to be happening. Cellestra shook her head and went back inside. She returned with a leather backpack behind her, and the two wolf pelts in her hands. I realized I still had items that I needed to take with me. I quickly skittered into my nest again and took the items from the corner. I fastened the chest piece to my thorax, right behind my head, and took the coin purse and dagger with me. When I exited my nest I asked if the elf could add those to her bag. Yes. No problem. I handed them over and saw Cellestra put them away. At the same time, I relieved her of the pelts and placed them on my abdomen with my legs. How heavy is that bag, anyway? I asked. Not too heavy. There are some clothes and the other items I listed yesterday. Speaking of clothes, I found a great way to clean myself. Its pretty useful for clothes too, I think. Oh? Cellestra asked with a slight frown and smile. Do tell me more. I extended an arm before her and cast the water spell in the same manner as yesterday, causing many small streams of warm water to eject from my hand, slight pressure behind them. Cellestra looked at it with awe. Go on, put your hand in it, I said with a smile. The elf held up her palm under the streaming water and I saw a smile grow on her face. Thats amazing She said, clearly impressed. That will make cleaning clothes much easier for sure. Wait, you used that to clean yourself yesterday? I nodded. I did. It was something else. I can imagine. Im stinking jealous of your magic I chuckled. Yeah, it seems Elysa has given me some very interesting abilities. Thats for sure. Anyways, I continued. Are you ready? Yeah, just a second. The elf turned around, closed her door, and used a key to lock it, before putting it away in her backpack. When she turned back to me again, she nodded. Im ready. I lowered myself to the ground so Cellestra could step onto my thorax. It seemed that she wasnt ready for that as she stood there, frozen. I crossed my arms. What? You were not planning on walking, were you? I mean She stumbled. Just get on. Its going to be more comfortable for you, and much, much faster. As I said before, I dont suffer from it at all. Okay She agreed with a low voice. If you dont mind. I dont. Cellestra hopped on and I turned away from the door, carefully, as to not step on her newly freed spider which still had not moved from where shed put it. I let out a sigh as I took one last look at her house. I hope you wont regret this, I said. Im sure I wont, Cellestra answered. Ive been given hope for my future, and a friend to boot. How am I ever going to regret that? Hmm, I hummed in agreement. Maybe, when this is all over, we can return here someday, even if its just for nostalgic reasons. Im looking forward to that day, Cellestra said with a smile. Now then, I said. What direction is Edhil? Faragi Don''t forget you can ahead of you''d like on Patreon (Up to chapter 2.54 for TKES currently, and 2.26 for Elania) It would also help me out a great deal <3 2.22 Departure You forgot what I said earlier, didnt you? Cellestra said with a sly smile. Its in the opposite direction of the village the traders went to. In that case, I said as I started walking southeast, The easiest way to get there is to follow the road wouldnt you say? Correct. I crossed my arms as I walked towards the edge of the clearing where I halted for a few seconds, looking back at Cellestras house with my rearmost eyes one last time, before stepping into the forest. I do wonder what kind of reactions Ill get. Hopefully, its not similar to that of those guards when I first appeared before them. Hmmm, Cellestra hummed. I dont think it will be considering your new addition. Now that you can speak, I reckon you can at least persuade them, or delay them enough to reach the temple. You think so? Dont you think I look intimidating? Cellestra nodded. You sure do. Reactions of fear are to be expected. I do think that if you were to wear armor, you would come across as more of a threat than you do now. Interesting. I hadnt even thought about that, but it makes sense. I chuckled. And here I was thinking about using a sword. I paused for a second, looking down at my pedipalps and frontmost set of legs. Although, I think a sword may not be the best option for me anymore. These extra additions give me such a large reach. I think a halberd or something might be better suited. Cellestra closed her eyes, smiled, and shook her head. Always with the serious talk. Hey, now that I have hands, I intend to make use of them. What better use than making sure to hone my weapon skills. I could see Cellestra grin at my remark. We both went silent for a while as I crossed through the green and brown of the forest. My mind wandered off to a few days ago. I couldnt believe my time in this world had only been so short. So much had happened. Two scenes played out in my head. One of them was where Id hugged Cellestras hand when Id been about the same size as it. Back then, she had actually invited me to hug her hand. I wondered if the events of last night made me recall this instance in particular. It also made me meditate on whether she would allow me to do it again on the same whim, considering I was far more humanoid now. The other scene that I saw vividly as if it was yesterday, was where shed called me an adorable spider. Just the thought of that filled me with warmth. The way Id reacted back then when I said Im not a spider was something I was not likely to repeat. If Cellestra called me an adorable little spider right now, it would probably fill me with happiness Even though I wasnt so little anymore It did give me hope shed be able to see past the spider part. I noticed the elf on my back touching the soft wolf fur with one of her hands, while running her fingers through some of my spider hair with the other. She was looking back and forth between the two at the same time, putting a smirk on my face. Youre not thinking about pelting me, are you? She shook her head but didnt seem fazed by the question. No, I wasnt. I dont think I even could if I wanted to. Im just curious why youre this soft. I mean, your hair is softer than this fur. Its unlike anything Ive ever seen. Glad you enjoy, I let out without even realizing what I was saying. Hmmm, The elf hummed. I guess it does give me something to keep myself occupied with seeing as Im not walking. I chuckled and shook my head. Speaking of occupied, I started as an idea formed in my head (heads?). As you dont have much to do, do you think we can practice magic while traveling? I mean, my spells may be weaker now, but theres still this lightning arc spell that shouldnt be affected much. Actually hold on. I got a bit too much ahead of myself. While it was true the lightning arc was still the most powerful spell in my arsenal, Id already determined that it needed a target in order to be cast. I raised my pedipalps and tried casting the spell on the dirt before me without standing still. It was as I had expected. The spell could not be used without a target Never mind I need to hit something with it or it wont fire. Thats a shame, Cellestra answered. But there are still other spells that work, right? Im happy to learn anything. I thought for a second while looking at my list of skills. The flame beam spell had many of the same properties as the lightning arc. However, this one could be cast without a target. The downside of this spell was that I didnt think it would be a good idea to use it in the forest like this. There were far too many trees and vegetation in the area. I decided to just ask Cellestra. Hmm. Is there a specific spell youve seen me use that youd like to know? That stone out of the ground looked pretty neat, Cellestra said. Earthen spike, I replied. Yeah. I have to agree there. Its incredibly powerful when it hits weak spots. Remember that you cannot use it on rocky surfaces. Lets try that one, if you want. I nodded as Cellestra placed her hands on my back to send her mana through me. I started to wonder if this magic thing was some form of excuse from me to have her do this, but quickly disregarded it. I gathered Cellestras mana flows and redirected them into the spell that I cast to my right. A stone spike erupted from the ground. It didnt hit anything as it was merely used for practice, but the sudden eruption did cause mild shock in Cellestra as I could feel her startle in reaction to the spell. Her eyes remained locked on the spike as I continued walking. Seconds later, the spike sank back into the ground, causing Cellestra to turn her head back to my rearmost eyes. Surprised? I asked, referring to her reaction. A little bit, yes. I knew it was coming and I was still taken aback by it. I think I was a little too focused. Nothing wrong with that, I replied. Did you get any insight on the spell? Yeah, I did. It doesnt seem to be the most complicated spell. It feels easier than the barrier spell youve taught me. I wonder if its because of my power sacrifice I said. The elf on my back shrugged. No idea. It still seems powerful to me. This new ability that I have I wonder if it can give me spells. Moreover, I wonder if I can teach you those as well. Imagine. That would be Cellestra paused. Quite the shocker. That would make you the best teacher of magic in the entire world. I reckon it does, huh? I let out. We walked for hours, during which we kept practicing the earthen spike spell thoroughly. After Cellestra was confident shed be able to cast it on her own, she did so. I was smart enough to make sure we both had our barrier spells up as she went to work, but no accidents occurred. At the end of it all, she had one extra spell in her arsenal and a huge smile on her face. Thank you so much, She said, filled with obvious glee. I missed practicing like this. You mean with me, or in general? Both, I guess, Cellestra said with a smile. Ive not been able to practice any new spells until you came around, but doing it with you is a wonderful experience in itself. I closed my eyes as I took in her kind words. Not much later, I saw the road appear before my spider eyes. This part of the forest did not seem to have hills to either side of it. I could see why those bandits had specifically picked that one spot to ambush. I skittered up to the road and followed it, noticing it was already late afternoon. Hey, Cellestra. Do you think its actually a good idea to follow the road like this? What if we run into people? Honestly? I have no idea. On one hand, we could scare people off, but on the other hand, we can try to get friendly with them as we did with the guards, and have positive news regarding you spread. I guess Ill opt for that. Theres no way Ill stay hidden, so I might as well make sure first impressions are good. The elf nodded. I think that would be the best way to go about this. I cast a gaze to the horizon. The road and the forest stretched out as far as I could see, with no end in sight. The sun was starting to descend and I knew the evening would fall before we exited this forest. I hadnt walked at the same pace I had when I went to see Cellestra for the first time after waking up as an Arachne, partially because of our magic training. I imagined we would have to start thinking about how we were going to spend the night soon 2.23 Reminder I continued on for a while. There was still no living soul in sight. It appeared this forest either didnt get much traffic, or today was just quiet. Either way, it made for uneventful travel, not that I minded that. I was content just being with the person Id fallen for a while ago, even if she had no clue about it. Her reaction when I eventually told her was one of the only things I feared. Yet, I felt compelled to let her know sooner, rather than later. I wanted to be honest with her, especially if we were going to travel together. Would she still be willing to sleep against me? Shed seemed so peaceful in her sleep last night, and so adorable when hugging my lower head. Are you alright? Cellestras voice pulled me out of my reverie. I realized Id been staring at the ground in front of me the entire time I was thinking. She must have noticed my head tilted down. Yeah. Im alright. I was just lost in thought again. You seem to have that quite a bit. Im quite worried about you Kealyna, She spoke warmly. To put it in your own words: dont let yourself get distracted. There could be danger anywhere around us. You forgot the part where I have two heads to think with. Im still looking around and Im seeing nothing nearby. Cellestra shook her head. This is so confusing. I chuckled. Yes. Yes, it is. Im getting used to things pretty quickly, though. I can see that, Cellestra said with a slight smile. Speaking of getting used to, I said as I stretched out my massive legs to the sides one by one. Im getting too used to making the same movements with my legs. I need to stretch them a bit or Ill go crazy. What do you say we head back into the forest and make camp? The elf nodded. Youre doing the walking. Ill leave those decisions to you. Its evening already, so I daresay its about time to call it a day. She paused for a second or two as she looked at my legs. Im surprised youre mentioning the stretching thing. I mean, dont you get tired? I shook my head. Nope. Not at all. Its as if these legs were made for walking extreme distances. I can go quite fast too, but Id rather not do that with you on my back. Thats fair, Cellestra said. We made good time as it is. I think at this rate, well reach Edhil tomorrow afternoon. That close? I asked. Well, Arhil is just outside the forest. From there, Edhil is half a day out, but youre much faster than the average person, so yeah. Thats not so bad, then, I said. Im looking forward to what Elysa will be able to answer. From there on out, I am worried that our next destination might be quite a distance away. Could be. Who knows? For all you know, your parents are right around the corner in Edhil. Id already started walking into the forest a while ago. Darkness was starting to fall slowly at the same time. That would be quite the surprise, but I know that wont be the case. If anything, they would prefer to live sort of like you do: secluded and close to nature. Its likely to make our search quite a bit harder I sighed after I said that. I guess well see what we get to know tomorrow then. The question from before popped up in my mind again. How do you want to spend the night anyway? I reckon one of us will have to stay up while the other sleeps. Cellestra nodded. Thats pretty much the only way you can spend nights out in the forest. Its far from ideal, but well have to make it work. If you want, you can go ahead and sleep first. Thank you. Ill do that, I think. That way, I can also make sure you have a proper night, I said, referring to her nightmares. I suppose thats true as well. I was about to come to a halt when a very odd feeling struck me. I took a good look around and realized that despite the darkness closing in on the world, this whole area looked eerily familiar. The way the trees were spread out. The amount of green that was present. The grass that stretched the forest floor in this specific area. It couldnt be I moved through the grass slowly, looking to find out if my gut feeling was right. Then, I came to a sudden halt. Are you okay? Cellestras voice called out softly. I nodded, but my gaze was fixed on what was in front of me. There, not too far away, was a cave inside a hill that stretched further to the back. The stones that made out the entrance, I recognized every single one of them. There was no mistaking it. This is where I was born into this world. I felt a tear run down my face as memories of my first days returned. It had been a constant struggle for survival without the kind of hope that I now held for my future. Kealyna? Cellestras voice came again. I was still frozen as I looked at the cave entrance. Come to think of it, I never did find out what was further down inside. At the time, I didnt think it would be possible for me to get past that snake. I felt Cellestra jump off my back, just as another tear ran down my face. When she appeared in front of me and saw them, her face became one of worry. Kealyna? Whats wrong? This place I started with a whisper. Is where I hatched as a spider. Cellestra turned to look at the darkness that was within the mound before us. What? Inside this cave? I could only nod at her statement. I quickly wiped the tears off my face. Why was I even crying? That was long behind me now. The purple-eyed elf kept her gaze on me as I tried to regain my composure. She didnt say another word. Slowly, she walked up to me and put a hand on my spider head and lightly patted it. Are you okay? She whispered. I nodded. Im not sure why I reacted like this. This isnt like me. You cant always control what is going on inside you, Cellestra continued. And theres nothing wrong with that. She looked back at the cave and then back at me. Come, lets make camp a bit away from here. I was going to suggest we do it here, but you know. Okay, I replied softly, still a bit forlorn. We continued walking in silence for a few minutes more. Along the way, I found a large, dead tree that I felled after repeatedly hacking away at it with my legs. After that, I held the trunk down in the dirt with my legs while summoning several earthen spikes to split it into smaller logs. We then settled nearby, just in time too, as the day was at an end. We put some of the logs together and had a campfire running in a matter of seconds, thanks to Cellestras flame spell. I was about to do it myself, but she was just a tad quicker than me. I lowered myself onto the ground, my fangs poking the dirt below, and finally stretched my legs properly. Cellestra sat down in the dirt across the campfire and finally broke the silence that had haunted us. Still thinking about it? She asked in her usual gentle voice. I shook my head. Not really. I just I dont know what to say. I guess it was a bit of a shock, wasnt it? I nodded. I didnt spend that much time in that cave, but I did get to experience many things in there. Most of them, Id rather forget. Thats understandable. How are you doing anyway? Im okay, I think. I mean, I cant complain at what Ive become now, can I? You can always complain, Cellestra said. But I get what you mean. Complaining wont do me any good, anyway. Its better to look forward. Agreed. Cellestra removed the bag from her back and placed it next to her. She reached inside and pulled out some bread and a canteen. Im assuming youre not hungry? She said. I shook my head. I dont think Ill be for quite some time. How much did you bring with you? Enough for a couple of days. Im confident Ill be able to stock up in Edhil, even if I cant enter the city. If what you said is true, I assume theres not going to be an issue. Cellestra nodded. Thats true. I stared at the campfire while I thought about the past, and the future. Hopefully, I would get an explanation from Elysa as to why Id been turned into a spider, and by whom. What reasons did they have? Would I get any closure on it? I had already accepted what I was now, partially thanks to Cellestra, but I couldnt help but think about it. Would it have been better for me to meet Cellestra without being what I had become? 2.24 Hobbies I watched the campfire in silence while Cellestra ate her dinner. It wasn''t anything special, but it would do. In the meantime, I moved the wolf pelts from my back and carefully placed them on the dirt to my side. I didnt think of anything in particular for the time being. I was just lost in the fire. I allowed its dancing flames to enchant me. Hey, Kealyna? Cellestra asked. When I looked at her again, I saw that shed already finished eating. Hm? Youre not worrying again, are you? I shook my head. No, I wasnt. I just dont know what to say at the moment. Thats unfortunate, I guess? Cellestra said softly. Its ironic, dont you think? Ironic, how? I asked. Well, you couldnt speak before, but now that you can, you dont speak as much as I would have expected you to. I thought the same earlier. The problem is, I do want to talk, but I dont know what to talk about. Hmmm, Cellestra hummed. I think I see the problem. I would say tell me something from your life, but You know I nodded. Ive come to the conclusion my life is only now beginning. Its a bit different from what I was promised Well, a lot different, actually. Still, its a second chance that Ill take, curse or not. While that may be true, Cellestra said. There have to be certain things about you that are not new. Since youre looking for stuff to talk about, how about hobbies? Uhhh, I stammered, thinking about what hobbies I had. Dont tell me you have none, Cellestra said, a small smile on her lips, which then turned into a frown when she realized that I couldnt come up with an answer. Im sorry. Im afraid I didnt dont have any, I finally admitted. Thats a shame, Cellestra said softly. I would say we should find something for you, but were going to be traveling most of the time, I think. I shrugged. Guess it cant be helped. I paused for a moment before I started to wonder about what Cellestra did in her home all day. What about you? I decided to ask. Youve seen all those books, but you cant guess that? Cellestra said with a smile. I thought those were alchemy books? Well, most of them, yes. I did spend a lot of time working through those for sure, but I do love reading about other things once in a while. Most of the time, I was too busy with more serious things though Cellestra looked down at the fire as the smile slowly disappeared from her face. I didnt mind it so much. It was something to keep me occupied, but I would love to have other things to do, you know? Well, I dont, but I can imagine. I hardly spent any time not training, patrolling, arresting bandits and whatnot. The elf chuckled. Why am I not surprised? From the way she said it, I wasnt sure if she was making a joke. Do you think Im boring? Id asked the question before I could even think twice. Twice the brains and I still didnt know how to use them in conversation. Huh? What made you think that? Would you be boring because you have no hobbies? Im sure there are reasons behind all that. No. She shook her head. If anything, I admire your dedication. I guess that same dedication is what put you here. How can you be boring if youre willing to go that far? I didnt know how to reply to her words. Even when talking about solemn things like these, she still managed to make me feel warm inside. Hey, I know something, Cellestra said, sounding a lot more optimistic all of a sudden. I know this may sound weird and all, but its something I just came up with. I looked at her with great curiosity. How about you try to use your silk to create clothes? I guess thats something you could do while on the road. I mean, you do have your two brains after all. If what youre telling me about how they work is true, I reckon you should be okay, right? Uhm. I guess I could try that? Ive never done, or even thought about doing anything like that before. Give it a shot, Cellestra said warmly. You might like it. At the very least, it gives you something to do, and perhaps it will have a use, or even trade value. Thanks. Ill give that a try I think. Cellestras companionship proved to be invaluable. Not only had I someone to talk to while I traversed this new world, but she was also kind enough to provide me with ideas so when we didnt have anything to talk about. There was still no reason to get bored. Anyway, Cellestra continued, You should probably get some sleep. Ill wake you when its your turn for guard duty. Alright. I nodded and then prepared the hair on my back with my legs, pulling more of it to increase the thickness of the layer of hair I would lay my elven torso down in. When I lay in the softness, I could feel sleep calling for me, but I forced myself to stay awake just a little longer to observe the stars in the night sky above the forest. I wondered how many of those would have planets like this one floating nearby. Now that I knew there were at least two worlds, there were probably many more. I wondered on how many of those Elysa would be worshipped. Good night, Cellestra said. I could hear, and see her giggle after speaking. Good night. Though, I guess its a bit early for me to say that as youre not going to sleep yet. You can wish me good night again when I go to sleep after waking you up. I suppose thats true. Ill see you then. I closed my eyes and emptied my mind. A light poke in my cheek managed to wake me up. When my senses sharpened, I could still see the night sky above. I opened my eyes to see Cellestra standing at my side. Time to get up, She said with a smile. Ill go to sleep now. I dont feel like getting up I admitted. I hated being woken up by anything else but my natural cycle. If this was going to happen every day, I might just snap at some point. I placed my hands under my head and continued staring at the sky, while my spider eyes kept watch of the surrounding area. I guess I dont physically have to. As long as you dont fall back asleep that is. Ill be fine. Ill just keep looking at the fire and the sky at the same time. Alright, Cellestra said as she took one of the pelts in her hands. Say, do you mind if I sleep against you? How could she ask that so directly? I mean, it wasnt that I minded that Go for it, I said. Thanks. She sat down and rested her head against my thorax with a pelt covering her body. Good night, I said now that it was finally my turn to wish her goodnight. I noticed the elf smile as she closed her eyes. Thank you, Kealyna. Ill see you in a couple of hours. Her breathing slowed, and soon she was asleep. I turned my attention to watch her sleep. As beautiful as the stars in the sky were, she was more interesting to look at. I placed two of my legs around her when I noticed the pelt slip away. I used them to hold it back in place and, to a degree, hug her as well. I should ask her for a proper hug soon I kept a close eye on her in case she had another nightmare. I paid attention to the slightest hint that may give away that her sleep was starting to get restless, so that I could cast holy light on her as soon as it did. I wanted to make sure that Cellestra would get all the rest she deserved. It appeared that it didnt happen. Hours passed wherein I watched her, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Instead, she only seemed to get more and more comfortable as I saw that she took a hold of my soft spider hair with one of her hands while a smile grew on her face. She then buried herself deeper in this pillow of hers. I shook my elven head while I was still lying down on myself. This pillow sure was doing one hell of a job. A smile grew on my face. It didnt disappear throughout the night, even as morning arrived. I didnt have the heart to wake her up. This was her first good night in a while. I figured leaving her asleep for a while longer wouldnt be an issue. 2.25 Disconnection I was focusing on her with my spider eyes intently. I enjoyed watching her sleep. In my opinion, she looked beautiful like this, even as her hair was getting extremely messy due to its contact with my own. Then, something odd happened. I was focusing on her so much that I felt a sudden disconnect from my elven body. My sharp hearing disappeared with it. The feeling was similar to when I first woke up after my final evolution. That part of my body was separated by the same numbness or cold from that day. Back then, I had to, in a way, thaw it, but right now I had the feeling I knew what was going on, so I didnt panic after my initial shock. What was more, I felt myself relax somehow. It would seem I had fallen asleep but I also hadnt. I gave up on trying to think about how this was possible and welcomed the fact that it seemed to revitalize me. It was as if I was getting the sleep I missed last night while I was awake. Confusing, but useful! At some point I could even see my dreams. I was running through large green plains for whatever reason. The meaning of the dream eluded me, but it was all too vivid. The grass, the blue sky, even the warmth of the sun felt real. What was even stranger was that all this was completely disconnected from the reality where I was still watching Cellestra snooze softly. It was as if I was in two places at once. It was indescribable I enjoyed my own dream until Cellestra woke up. She stirred and opened her eyes. I waved at her with one of my pedipalps. Morning, Kealyna. How are you? I didnt reply. My elven body was still asleep. I waved again, to which she cocked her head. Kealyna? When I didnt respond for the second time, she stood up and watched my sleeping form on top of my spider body. Confusion was plastered on her face and she was frozen. I could see that she clearly had no idea what to do next. I would be lying if I said I didnt like the look on her face at least a bit. I tapped her on the shoulder with one of my legs which only increased her confusion. At this point, I was having fun watching her reaction to all this. What the How the What? She stammered. I did seem to have a bit of an issue forcing myself awake. I had to poke my second head with a leg and then shake my body around a bit with the same leg. I then felt all sensation return to my body within a matter of seconds, and I was soon able to open my other two eyes. Morning. Cellestra. Im fine. How about you? I said as I turned my head to face her, still lying down in the softness on my back. Were you sleeping? Was all she could say. Heh, I chuckled loudly. Well, yes, but actually, no. I guess both? I am so lost right now She said softly. I yawned before rising myself. This part of me somehow fell asleep, but my lower half didnt. I dont know how it happened, but let me tell you, I was happy I did. I feel so much better right now. I mean Cellestra still didnt seem to know what to say. Thats good I think? I nodded. Sure was nice to get a few extra hours of sleep. Anyway, lets prepare to move out, shall we? Sure, just give me a few minutes. Cellestra walked to the backpack on the other side of the fire, which Id kept burning throughout the night and early morning. I added a bit more wood to it, but I doubted it would be of much use. The elf pulled out some bread and an apple and started eating. After she''d finished those, she excused herself for another minute as she walked off behind several trees in the distance. Knowing what she was doing made me think about my own digestive system. I had eaten so much, but I never had anything come out the other end, at least not that I could recall. Elysa? No answer, as expected. I doubted she would have left any information behind that would answer that specific question. The fact that I didnt seem to have to relieve myself was odd, but nothing more than that. Cellestra soon reappeared and took her backpack back on her back. Are you ready? We should get your answers today. I extinguished the fire with my water spell, cast my multi-barrier spell, and then nodded at the elf. Im more than ready. I lowered myself to the ground and had Cellestra step back on after she had placed the wolf pelts back on my abdomen. We then set off towards Edhil again. So, Cellestra started, what would obviously form a question, About you both sleeping and not sleeping at the same time. Do you think it will be of use to you? Im not quite sure, I admitted. I know for a fact that it appears to revitalize me as sleep would, but I dont know how to control it properly. If I do manage to do that, I think I will be able to stay awake all night while sleeping at the same time. By the goddess this is confusing. I can see why it is, Cellestra said with a smile. What you are able to do is unimaginable to my mind. I chuckled. Do you think I have any idea? I mean, I am literally doing it and I still can''t imagine it. That bad, eh? I nodded. At least it seems to be beneficial. By the way, Cellestra changed the subject. How was I tonight? I mean, did you have to cast your spell to calm me down? I shook my head. Nope. You slept all night. Peacefully, too. Maybe the pillow was the problem all along? I joked. Cellestra let out one of her cute giggles. Yeah, maybe so. I saw her eying the hair against which shed rested. I couldnt help but make another joke. Youre not thinking about shearing me and stuffing a pillow with my hair, right? Because frankly, I dont know if it grows back. Cellestra suppressed a grin as best she could. You know what? I was thinking about that, She joked back. Youre like a giant sheep. A few more legs, but who cares? I bet it grows back! I laughed at her response as we reached the dirt road again. Once more, we followed it while chatting about she would sheer and make it into stuffing for pillows and then tell them. About half an hour later, we reached the edge of the forest. The road continued on through green plains which eventually changed into fields with crops all the way in the distance. It looked like most of it was young corn; they hadnt grown that tall yet. How do we go about this? I asked as I came to a halt. Do we follow the road until we reach the village to then go around it towards Edhil, or? Uhm, Cellestra started. I dont quite know if word about your endeavors has reached this far yet. I would say its fairly safe to do that, but I cant say what the smart thing to do is. Berel was his name, right? The caravan leader I mean. Will mentioning his name put people more at ease, you think? I think the fact that Im on your back should help to put people at ease as it is, Cellestra replied. I shrugged. I guess so. Besides, we talked about this before. Im not going to be able to hide. I wasnt planning on going inside the city, either way, so in all honesty, I doubt well run into many issues. I continued walking along the road. We might scare some merchants along the way, though. Well, Ive read that the best way to overcome your fears is to face them, Cellestra said warmly. I know the fear of spiders is a legitimate thing, but dont you think Im a bit too big to easily overcome a fear like that? I mean The elf started. Perhaps? At least you can talk now. That should help. Also, what happened to you insisting that you are not a spider? Well, what can I say? I shrugged with a sly smile, which she obviously couldnt see. When I said that, I wanted to be my old self as I had no hope of ever looking like this I struggled with my words but tried to be as honest as I could. Now that I am partly my old self, thats already more than I could have ever hoped for since I was cursed. I think, thanks to that, Ive more or less accepted it. Of course, there is also the part where this blessing has made me stronger than Ive ever been, which makes my goals much more attainable. You know, all the knightly stuff I shook my head. I sucked at putting this into words. I guess what I''m trying to say, is that I am more or less alright with what who I am, right now. Cellestra petted my back softly. Im happy to hear that. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons HandsomeDodge Bluesun Rise Dev1325 S1nZ Thanks so much for your support <3 2.26 Diplomacy” The first village that we would see today, Arhil, started nearing as we continued forward. The road leading to the city from the forest didnt have any travelers on it, but once the green pastures started to change into fields of young corn plans, I could see several farmers weeding. They would be the first people I ran into after the caravan guards. I hoped their reaction to me was going to be mild. I could feel myself getting anxious as I got closer, my arms were shaking slightly from it. Why was this happening? I never used to care about what others might think of me. Easy, Kealyna, Cellestra said calmly. Just greet them with a smile and a wave if anyone looks your way. I nodded. Okay. I never would have imagined that walking towards a city of my kind would feel this overwhelming. Thanks to my perfect eyesight, I could clearly see that the people working the fields were elves. Nothing set them apart from any in my old world. I unintentionally slowed down as the crops appeared to either side of the road. It didnt take long for the first elf to look up, see me, and run away screaming after dropping his hoe. I sighed. This was not the reaction I was hoping for. His screaming alerted others who also looked my way. Their reactions were mixed. Some of them duplicated the first man and ran off, with and without screaming, while others were frozen where they stood, their faces turning white. One or two elves managed to look at me with a somewhat serious expression. I tried to wave and smile as Cellestra had suggested, but my waving gesture was only half-arsed and didnt seem to do much good. Easy, Cellestra spoke. Were just passing through. She didnt receive any words in response. None of the farmers knew what to do, or say for that matter. I did notice that one of the runners was heading towards the village. I could only imagine what would come of that. I sighed again. Looks like trouble will already be in our near future, I said to Cellestra quietly. I then turned my attention to the mortified elves. Shes right. Im not here to cause you any trouble. Were heading to Edhil to communicate with Elysa at her temple. I decided to be upfront and honest about our intentions. I then started moving again towards the village. Now, if youll excuse us, well leave you to it. I was terrible at diplomacy. I would just leave here quickly so these people could get back to their lives without the fear of some monstrous spider eating them. I shook my head as I left them behind. I doubted these poor farmers were going to get any work done today. The soldiers Id met before were a lot more professional in that regard. After their initial shock and confusion (and a little help from Cellestra) they knew I was an ally. I stared at the villages walls in the distance while I was surprised by the fact that they were made of huge stone bricks. I had expected something like a simple wooden palisade for a village of this size. From the distance, it didnt look so big to me, but I could of course be mistaken as I couldnt see beyond these walls. The flat terrain had all the more to do with that. For all I knew, the village extended far towards the other side. It even had a large portcullis that was, of course, open. It didnt take long for a regiment of armored guards to march out of it. They were outfitted identically to the guards that protected the caravan. Heavy, steel armor and helmets protected their frames. It wasnt of the highest quality, but it would certainly do well in a fight, especially when fighting bandits or when policing civilians. I sighed as I could already see what was coming. I halted about a hundred yards out from the gate and remained still, hoping to convey I was here with the best intentions. I would make my presence known and then follow the wall until I reached the road that led to Edhil. Well, here we go, I said to Cellestra, unsure of what to expect. It was clear that these soldiers had been informed of my presence. I just didnt know how theyd described me. It probably wasnt very good. The soldiers marched in a square formation with spears at the ready. I simply waited as they approached me. When they did, one of the soldiers stepped forward. His armor was identical to the others, but he had a blue plume on his helmet from the front to the back, indicating he had a higher status. He approached us with a sword sheathed but with his hand on the scabbard, ready to pull it out at a moments notice. No sudden movements, got it. As I was used to, the guard would speak first in this situation. It took a few moments, but he finally did. Business? He asked with a single word. So, he was the straight-to-the-point type. I at least admired that about him. No odd questions or comments about my appearance. Just that, business. Were just on our way to Edhil to communicate with Elysa at the temple. As you can see, I have some questions for her. You planned on entering Arhil? He asked. I could hear a bit of confusion in his voice. I shook my head. No. Okay then, He said calmly. Were acquaintances of Berel, Cellestra spoke from behind me. He and his caravan were attacked in the woods by Ingo and several groups of scoundrels that had banded together. We successfully protected them, because of which they suffered no fatalities. Kealyna here killed Ingo and tens of the bandits. We have his chest plate as proof. I would have liked to see the expression on this mans face, but alas, the helmet made it impossible to see anything but his eyes and only a small part of his mouth. Ingo? Thats interesting. Kealyna, you said was your name? He said while looking at me. I nodded. And thats Cellestra on my back. I understand my presence being hard to believe, but do trust me, a former knight, that I do not mean to cause any trouble. You may confirm this story at your own leisure. Word from the next village is bound to reach here soon enough. Former knight? He said, while scratching his helmet. As if that was going to do any good. I nodded. As I said, I have questions for Elysa. Im hoping word spread about me wont be negative. Cant promise that, He answered matter-of-factly. Is there anything else youd like to know? I quickly asked. He shook his head. That was all I needed to know. If you wont be entering the village, that will be all. I saluted the guardsman, or knight, I wasnt quite sure what he was to this village. He saluted back as I turned a quarter and walked through the grass that covered the ground on the outside of the villages walls. I noticed then that my shaking from before had completely stopped. That wasnt so bad, was it? Cellestra asked once we left the soldiers behind. I am such a terrible negotiator. You did great, Cellestra assured me. I doubt I would have changed anything. You were honest about your intentions and why you passed through here. When the news of the attack does reach this village, I reckon he will remember your words and see you in a positive light. Hopefully, if we have to pass through here again, this villages people will react to you in a totally different way. I do hope thats the case. Thank you, by the way. For what? Cellestra asked with a small smile. For your help, once again. Mentioning Berel and the caravan was useful. No need to thank me for that. We reached a road after circling a third of the way around the village. It seemed Id been right in assuming that this wasnt the largest settlement. Is it this way? I asked as I pointed along the road with one of my pedipalps. The elf nodded. Thats the one. Edhil should be getting in sight soon enough. I hope Edhil requires less talking with strangers, that is, not with you. Well, Im not sure about the amount of talking that well have to do, but I do think it will be easier. I sure hope youre right. Cellestra reached into her bag and pulled out an apple. Want one? She asked. How many did you bring? Enough. Trust me. I swear, half of this bags content is apples. In that case, I wouldnt mind one. She handed me a piece of fruit and I savored the first bite. Even if I didnt need it to sate my hunger, it still felt refreshing. Hey, Kealyna? Hm? Dont you think its time to start practicing that tailoring we talked about? 2.27 Tailoring Tailoring, huh? I said as I held my hands forward and looked at their palms. I get your idea, but I have no clue how to go about this. Where do I even start? Sure, creating the only piece of clothing I was currently wearing had been quite simple to make, but all I had to do was wrap countless small threads around my body. How was I going to do something like that without some kind of mold? Youll be fine, Cellestra assured me. Ive seen you build your nest next to my house. As far as I can tell, you are able to control your abilities quite well. Speaking of nest She trailed off. What about it? I asked impatiently. Cellestra burst into sudden laughter, filling me with confusion as to what was going on. She had to try very hard to contain herself before being able to speak again. I would love to see the look on the merchants face when he sees that. I chuckled. Thats a good one. I would love to see that myself. You think hell think I was abducted by a humongous spider? Cellestra joked. Werent you? I said before grinning. Well, maybe I was. At least your abductor allowed you to write a note. How kind. Even more reason to want to see his reaction, Cellestra said, then smiled. His confusion when he sees everything will be the stuff of legend, I summarized. It was interesting to think about how he would see all of it and what conclusion he would come to. I reckoned that eventually, he would find out it was me as word would soon spread around the nearby villages and cities. I mean, he had to get his goods from somewhere, right? Anyway, Cellestra continued. About tailoring. Just try something, I guess. Ill see if I can give you any advice. Youre a tailor now, as well? I referred to her many talents, from building to alchemy. The elf shook her head. Obviously not, but I do have to repair something every now and then. Im hoping what little I know will be of use. Though, I doubt it, judging from the way you made your own clothing it doesnt really follow the standard rules. I just used what I had available to make this, I looked down at the layers of silk covering me. I didnt put too much effort into it. I think I can create something with a bit more style if I want to, but again, I made this with me in it. When making something from scratch, I dont know how well Ill do. I imagine you can create something in many steps and just try it on, or let me try it on every now and then. I suggest you start with the simple part at the bottom of a shirt and work your way up from there. I imagined pants would be easier, but I cant really wear those, can I? Youd need a lot of adjustments, and from what you told me, you dont need as much clothing, if any at all with your blessings effects. Thats true, I noted. That means Im basically doing this for you. Maybe? She said as if it was a question. But as I said before, if you can make something of decent quality, you could try to sell it. If not, then its whatever. Silk on a spool will probably sell just as well. Id already decided I would try my best at this. Cellestra couldnt take too many clothes with her and while she could repair them, they wouldnt last forever. If I could make her something nice, Id take that opportunity. Okay, lets see, I said before I closed my eyes. Of course, it didnt change anything about what I could see before me, but I felt like it allowed me to clear at least one of my heads and focus better. With my rearmost eyes, I tried to gauge Cellestras waist measurement as accurately as I could. In the meantime, I summoned multitudes of silken threads that were suspended in mid-air before me. I then started shaping what would be a shirt. I started with the bottom, circling my way upward with the threads, not having issues keeping the silk suspended in the air as I wove my way up. I kept this up until I got near the area where the sleeves would go. Youre way quicker than I expected with this stuff, Cellestra said in amazement, as she leaned over to the side to check what I was doing. One thing that worries me is that its sticky. At the moment, it feels like its some sort of personal web, if that makes sense? But theres an easy solution for that, no? Cellestra pointed out. Just rinse it with water. That removes the stickiness as far as Ive seen. I nodded. Good point. I used my hand to rinse the experimental piece of clothing while I kept following the road. The elf had been right. This could be a great way to spend time, especially if I could get this done properly. It felt odd, to look forward to this. After rinsing it thoroughly to remove the sticky effect of the silk, I tried to dry it without using the flame spell. While I was experimenting with silk, I figured I might as well see what I could do. I managed to combine concepts of the wind gust ability and the flame spell in a minor magic spell that would gently blow warm air forward. Once more, my suspicion about the way this Minor magic worked, seemed to be confirmed. I had hypothesized that I could do simple spells like these, as long as they had no value in combat. While that may be a broad statement, it still held true. At least for now. Did you just dry that with air? Cellestra asked. She had leaned in closer forward to see what I was up to. Warm air. Here. I blew a gust of warm air into her face, causing her to close her eyes as her hair was blown back by it. Thats awfully convenient again. I bet you can dry your hair with that very quickly. My thoughts exactly. Ill definitely try that next time. I handed the partial piece of clothing to Cellestra. Could you check if this fits you? She took it from me, eyed it for a second, and put it on, over her current clothing. Its not too bad, Cellestra said. I would try it on without my shirt beneath it, but Im not going to change now. The nice thing about this is that it seems to stretch well. She tugged the sides of the silk and demonstrated its ability to stretch further than any clothing usually would. That does look pretty handy. Is it comfortable, though? I asked. Id have to check. The fabric is soft enough that I think it is. Its not as smooth as the few pieces of silk Ive seen in my life, but I think Id actually prefer this. I would have no idea about that. Ive never worn silk before. I looked down at the wrapping on my chest and wondered if this even counted. It probably did, as it was literal silk, but it didnt look like the smooth fabric Id seen before on nobles. Neither have I, but something that smooth I just dont see how it can be comfortable. I shrugged as Cellestra took off what was basically a band around her belly. She handed it to me and I stared at it for a while, trying to figure out how to make sleeves. Having a hard time? The elf asked, genuinely interested in how I worked on this. Well, yes, but I think Ill figure it out. Ive got plenty of silk to work with to just redo this in case I screw it up. I was gonna say the same thing. I doubt youll get this right on the first try, and thats fine. Theres no need to worry about it. I truly liked how supportive Cellestra was, even when it came to things like these. It made me feel all the more sorry that such a lovable person had been cooped up in the middle of nowhere in that small house of hers. I could feel my heart beating under the carapace of my abdomen in reaction to her sweet words. They resonated throughout my mind while I continued my work on this experimental shirt. I swore I could see the colors in my abdomen start to swirl and shift faster as well. To make things a bit easier for myself as I was new to all this, I left them sleeveless for now as I worked my way up to the top. Once finished, I handed the piece of clothing to Cellestra once more to see how it fit. Its not too bad, She said after putting it on. Though Im lucky that the fabric stretches well. You more or less forgot about you know I noticed that the silk was stretched around her chest area. I would have slapped myself, but I managed to contain myself. I couldnt believe Id forgotten about that. I could see a city appear all the way in the distance while the elf took off the shirt again. She extended her arm to give it to me, but I shook my head. Ill try to make a new one. We should still have enough time before we reach Edhil. Lets see if Ive improved. Fair enough, Cellestra said as she put away the silken shirt in her backpack. I found it odd that she did that, but just ditching it on the side of the road wasnt the correct way to dispose of it, either. Alright, Cellestra said with a smile as she was watching what was going on before me once again. Lets see it. 2.28 Trade” I worked on a new piece of clothing for a while. I went about things much slower and put a lot more thought into it this time around. I made sure to change some measurements according to Cellestras feedback. I still left it sleeveless as I felt those could be added later on. As I worked, one merchant on a horse laden with goods on and in saddlebags passed us by. I stepped off the road and into the grass without paying him much heed. I hoped that would make it clear to him that I was no threat. I did notice that he had several fabrics among the goods he was transporting, which made me smile at the irony. As he passed, it became all the more clear that the man was frozen in his saddle. His eyes were large and his body didnt move an inch. His horse didnt seem affected as much, but his reaction made mixed emotions swirl through me. I didnt want to be seen as a monster. He never even noticed Cellestra throwing my first experimental shirt on top of his cargo. That was one way to get rid of it. I reckoned it could even open trading options. That was, after hed recovered from the shock and discovered the item. There was no way he wasnt going to link that back to me. I sighed deeply as I suddenly lost my flow of work. I kept the shirt suspended before me and just kept walking for a bit. Edhil was nearing. It wouldnt be much longer than half an hour before we reached the city. Are you okay? Cellestra asked, noticing my change in behavior. Im okay. Im just getting a bit tired of peoples reactions I guess. Problem is, I cant blame them, either. I wished I could say something to cheer you up, Cellestra said. Thank you, but I think this will pass eventually. I plan on settling down some time down the line. Its probably going to take a while with all we still have to do regarding your curse as well. Once all is said and done, I think I can build up some reputation, wherever I end up, you know? I get what you mean. Its hard to do that when wandering. I nodded. Though, to be fair, I dont know how I would settle down in the first place. I reckon Id need a house specifically tailored to my needs. I purposefully omitted the part where I wouldnt mind settling down with Cellestra. Where that would be, I didnt care. If it was just the two of us, I felt like anywhere would do. Perhaps I would even prefer the peace and quiet that a cabin, like hers, somewhere in the middle of the woods would bring. This brought up the issue of my love for her once more. I still didnt know when would be a good time to let her know about it. My thoughts brought me to the piece of clothing before me. Id been very meticulous about this specific piece as I wanted it to be a perfect fit for the elf on my back. Would she like this as a gift? I can see that being an issue, Cellestra answered me. Chances are, youll need to have a completely new house built. I can already see the price tag thats attached to that, and it aint cheap. By that time, I think Ill have found a way to earn some money, I said. Between this weaving business and the fact that I am seemingly able to do certain dungeons on my own I think Ill be fine, no? The elf nodded. I think you may be right. The fact that you can do it on your own will probably be a large factor to your wealth, as you dont have to share. Besides, I still have that spell scroll you got me. If you want, you could sell that for a fair amount too. I shook my head. That one is yours. I gave it as a gift. Its up for you to decide what to do with it. I mean Cellestra trailed off and then seemingly didnt know what to say anymore. I smiled as I continued on the shirt I was making for her. I wouldnt have enough time to do the sleeves, but I would be able to finish the rest before reaching the city. By the way, where is the temple? I asked while I worked. I had yet to see anything that resembled a temple. As I had learned it was outside the city, and I couldnt see it yet, it had to be on one of the sides. I hadnt paid too much attention to the city before me, but I could see that it was quite a bit larger than Arhil. Its walls were at least twenty feet high. Not only that, it had stone towers and battlements as well. Those were missing on the previous settlements walls. A portcullis easily fifteen feet in width made up the main entrance. Even from this distance, I could see it was well guarded. I had decided I would stay as far away as possible, lest Id run into trouble. I have no idea, Cellestra admitted. I dont think I ever specifically asked about that, but it doesnt matter too much, does it? So, do we flip a coin or what? I asked, half-jokingly. Im feeling lucky, Cellestra said with a smile. Lets take left. Alright, I said. The climate here seemed to be excellent for corn as we had to travel a bit with more of the crop on either side of the road. When the fields changed to grass again a few hundred yards from the city, I immediately took a turn and walked through it, circling around the city. I also put down the shirt I was working on my spider head, behind my elven back. The few small figures I could see on the walls didnt seem to be able to make out what exactly I was. Either that or they just couldnt be bothered with something that was still so far away from the city, with no intention to get closer than necessary. I found out that the city itself was perfectly circle-shaped and quite big too. It took me a while to get around it, especially with the range I kept to the walls. Eventually what looked like a large stone building attached to the citys wall came into view. I had no trouble recognizing it as a temple. If the people walking around and into the building in long white garments didnt give away enough, the intricate stained glass windows and two lit braziers a few yards forward from a stone staircase leading up to the building did. There were no doors. Rather, on top of the stone steps was a large open doorway that served as the entrance to the temple. Next to said opening stood four guards that seemed to be bound to the temple. In that regard, it seemed fairly similar to my old world where temples would usually have their own dedicated regiments. Their armor was adorned with all kinds of decoration, but that didnt take away from their quality. At least, not as far as I knew. Unless things were different here, they were among the more deadly soldiers. Not only did they have high-quality gear, but they usually also possessed unshakeable faith and devotion to the god or goddess who they represented. All of those combined made for a force to be reckoned with. I took a deep breath and started walking in the direction of the stairs. All I had to do was get close to the braziers and Id be fine. I could see some of the priests cast looks in my direction, but it didnt seem they were afraid of me. Even from this distance, I could see that they simply didnt care or was that disdain in their eyes? I couldnt be sure. Perhaps they thought that the guards would be able to dispatch me quite easily if I were to do anything funny. I didnt know if that was necessarily true, but I wasnt going to try my luck, either. Fortunately for me, the men assigned with protecting this temple didnt react to my presence at all. This allowed me to walk up to the braziers unhindered. And now I pray that Elysa keeps her word, I spoke my mind. I never took Elysa for a liar, Cellestra replied. Come. Lets get some of your questions answered. I nodded as I recited a prayer in my mind. I neared the two braziers at the bottom of the stairs and felt my heart race. What would I do if they didnt react to me at all? I got closer and closer, but they didnt change in color. When I was about ten feet from the bottom of the stairs, my worries were finally dispelled as the flames turned bright blue and roared to life. They danced a yard high and sounded a bit like bonfires to me. I heaved a sigh of relief. At least so far, so good. 2.29 Ritual I stared at the fires at the bottom of the stairs, unsure what to do next. Fortunately for me, it seemed things were happening on their own as I saw a few of the white-robed men and women stare at the blue flames before hurrying inside the temple. I noticed the guards still not moving. Momentarily, a young white-robed woman with light blonde hair, indiscernible from the other priests, appeared on top of the stairs and slowly walked down. Her eyes were on me, but I couldnt spot fear in them. In fact, she had a small smile on her lips, which surprised me. At the same time, I lowered myself so Cellestra could step off. She walked up next to me and waited for the priestess to make her way down. Welcome, The priestess said warmly as she took the last few steps. I am the head priestess of this temple. She turned her head to one of the roaring flames before turning it back to us. I can see the goddess is eager to speak to one of you. I assume youve come this way to talk to her, correct? I nodded. As you can see, I have some questions. Naturally, She replied before turning around. If youll follow me then. Ill get preparations on the way right away. I would dislike invoking the goddesss ire for making her wait, after all. This seemed to be going better than Id expected. No weird questions about what I was, who I was. I wondered what she meant about the goddesss ire, though. Elysa didnt seem to be the type to get angry quickly. Then again, I hadnt seen too much of her to know for certain. It did sound a bit ominous to invoke her ire I looked at Cellestra for a second while the white-robed elf walked back up the stairs. She nodded briefly which was exactly what I needed at the time. We then followed the head priestess as she led us inside the large structure. I cast a glance at the guards with my spider eyes but noted that they still had not moved. It was almost as if they were statues, even though I knew they werent. The inside of the temple was surprisingly sober. The colorful stained glass windows were about the only thing that seemed to breathe life into this otherwise grey building. Simple wooden benches were placed in rows to either side of a walkway in the middle, facing a stone altar which we were moving towards. Some of the priests were still sitting on the benches, lost in prayer, but most of them seemed to have disappeared. There was a door to the far right in the wall behind the altar through which I saw some movement. I assumed there was another large room behind there where all the priests had gone. Please wait here a second, The priestess said as we reached the altar. She then walked behind it and pulled up a large golden bowl which she placed on the stone altar. She then walked towards the door and entered the room behind it. So far so good, indeed, Cellestra commented. It seems your knowledge about all this is accurate, I said. Its like I am welcome here. Cellestra nodded. As I said before. Its extremely rare that Elysa makes it known that she wants to talk to a person. Usually, its people requesting the ritual only for it to fail because the goddess does not wish to talk to them. That sounds harsh. Expensive too. Wait, do I have to pay? I frowned at the elf. I had not accounted for that. Cellestra shook her head. In your case, no. When the ritual is successful, its free. Sounds like a gamble to me. It is, more or less. I rubbed my temples as I focused on the questions I wanted to ask the goddess. I wanted to know where my parents were. A way to get rid of Cellestras curse, and what the reason was for the curse that was placed on me, and who did it. That made me think. Even if I knew who did it, what would I do with that information? My train of thoughts got interrupted as the priestess returned with a woven bowl of all kinds of herbs, leaves, and dried flowers. She carefully placed each one of the items in the large bowl on the altar and then looked at the two of us before her eyes settled on me. Elysa wished to speak to you, you mentioned? I nodded. Alright, She said as her face turned to a serious expression as she held up her arms above the container of ingredients. Please hold your head above the ritual bowl. Cellestra took a few steps back as I did as instructed. I leaned my head over the plant materials and noted the strong minty scent coming from them. Then, the priestess retracted her hands as I suddenly saw blue flames erupt beneath me. I panicked for a second as they engulfed my face, but it didnt burn. Rather, it was pleasantly warm. It made me feel sleepy. The next I knew, I found myself in Elysas realm once more. The strange thing about it this time was that I stood there, in front of her desk, with my current body. I only experienced a brief moment of confusion before my eyes rested on the goddess who smiled at me. Kealyna, my child. Im glad you chose to talk to me. Im sure you have a lot of questions. I shrugged. Just a few, actually. Doesnt surprise me, seeing as its you. Before you ask anything. Id like to know how you are doing. I wanted to ask where I was first. I somehow had a hard time believing I was back in her realm. I decided Id answer her question first. Im okay, I guess. Besides a rough start, I think Ill be fine going forward. Elysa sighed. Im relieved to hear that. As I said in my message to you, Im unable to reverse the curse completely. As you are now is how youll stay Im afraid. I nodded. Its okay. I can live like this. Now as for your questions, I am sure one of them is where we are right now. You are not actually here with me in my realm, this time. This is just an illusion Im projecting into your mind, with the help of the ritual, so that we can talk. I nodded again. I guess you already know the first question I would like to ask. Where you ended up, right? Or rather, where your parents are. Elysa took a deep breath and sighed. Im afraid there is a bit of an issue in that regard. Before I answer that, I need to make something clear. I have found out who was behind the events when I was about to reincarnate you. As I had suspected, it was Hograd. As for reasons, I do not know yet. However, in order to protect your parents from his influence, I have not followed them. I raised my eyebrows. I didnt quite know what she was on about. What I mean to say is, Elysa continued. If I were to track them, I think Hograd would eventually find out. While he cannot interfere in your current world directly, he could still instruct underlings to do something. Do you see what I mean? I didnt know what to say. I can tell you where I had initially placed them, but I cannot promise they are still there. It seemed this wasnt going to be easy, after all They are in a small settlement called Thymhil, far away from you in a province called Len Asari. How about their memories of me? Do they know Im looking for them? They dont know about you, Elysa said suddenly, which caused shock to run through me. At least, not yet. I have placed a memory lock on them call it a slight curse. As soon as they see you, the curse will be dispelled and their memories of you, at least from before their deaths, will return. So they dont remember their deaths? The goddess shook her head. No. If you wish to talk to them about that, thats up to you. Elysa stared into my eyes once more. If you have another question, I suggest you hurry up. This ritual wont keep up forever. I have to add that you cannot undergo this ritual again for some time due to the stress on your psyche. I decided to hurry up as she suggested. Im looking for a way to get rid of a curse on my friend. Do you know anything about how to get rid of it? Cellestra, you mean? I nodded. Thats not a curse from what I can see. Even if it was, I wouldnt be able to intervene. As Ive said before, I cannot interfere in your world directly. I am afraid I havent seen anything like it before and as such, there is little I can do to help you get rid of it. For what its worth, the magic my blessing grants you, at least the beneficial spells it grants, seems to stop the ailments progress dead in its tracks. I was relieved to hear that. At least Cellestras fears wouldnt come to pass. After that, I could see the goddess smile and the world around me started to change shape. The colors of everything I was seeing started to blend together and I knew the time of the ritual had come to an end. I had my most immediate questions answered save for what the reason behind this interference and my curse was. I could see Elysa wave as everything started to become white. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons Gleadge Solar Thanks so much for your support <3 2.30 Directions The white light intensified and then it turned to black as sensation returned to my limbs. I felt myself laying down on the softness of my back with something cold beneath me. I made it out to be the chest plate that was still on my back. I noted Cellestra standing to my side. The first thing I did, before even opening my eyes, was sigh. It hadnt been as Id expected, both in communicating and answers, but I had a lead, a pretty good one at that. Cellestra was kind enough to give me a few moments as I regained my wits and started processing the information that was provided to me by the goddess. She had, to some degree, sealed away my parents memories of me. I thought it would be beneficial to them both. I could imagine it being painful for them to not know where I was and if I was safe pretty much the same I felt about them. I wondered just how much they had been affected by Elysas magic. I had no idea how they appeared here in this world and what they did and didnt remember. Now that I thought about it, wouldnt they know this was a different world in the first place? I was left with even more questions than before. Although, I felt that these were far less important. The main thing I knew now was where to start looking. Where is Thymhil? I asked with my eyes still closed. When I didnt receive an immediate reaction, and was met with confusion on Cellestras face, I continued. Or Len Asari? The elf shook her head. It appeared shed not heard those names before. Len Asari is a province quite far from here, said a voice from behind the altar. The priestess that conducted the ritual was emptying the bowl of burnt reagents on a piece of fabric. I had no idea what the idea behind that was. Will you need to travel there? She continued. Yes, I said, finally opening my eyes. How do we get there? Easy, Kealyna, Cellestra spoke. I know youre in a hurry, but we still need to sell those items on your back. I lifted myself off the armor piece and moved my legs to stand up. Youre right. I turned my head to the priestess who finished cleaning the ritual bowl. Would you be willing to purchase a few items we picked up? I noticed blood on that armor, She started. Since the goddess was willing to speak with you, am I correct in assuming it doesnt come from an innocent person? I nodded and couldnt help but chuckle slightly. Far from it. It belonged well, thats up for debate. It most recently belonged to a bandit leader we dispatched while protecting a convoy of elven merchants. The same thing goes for the golden dagger. In that case, wed gladly buy them. Cellestra was right once again. Some things just seemed to go easier when you had the should I call it favor? Of the goddess helping you out. I cut the threads with my legs and moved the armor piece on the floor and the dagger to one of my hands. I then unsheathed it and presented it to the priestess. When I did that, I saw her eyes grow wide. She stared at the weapon longer than I was comfortable with, which made me wonder if there was something going on with this dagger. Its a ritual dagger, She explained. Clearly elven in nature. Its almost as if Elysa wanted this returned here. I didnt know what to say. A dagger made of gold was completely useless. The fact that it was a ritual dagger was not something Id thought about before. How about twenty gold pieces for both items? She suggested. It made me realize that I had no idea about the value of currency in this world. Back in my old world, twenty gold pieces were quite a bit. I looked to Cellestra, who shook her head. Of course she couldnt know either. Shed been using other things to pay for her necessities for years. Uhhh, I started. Sounds good to me, Cellestra finally said. I looked at her and could see she wasnt entirely certain about this deal. However, I think she and I both knew that we werent being ripped off here. It wouldnt look good for followers of Elysa to do such a thing to someone who had a special connection with the goddess. Thats what I thought, at least. Give me a moment then, She said with a small smile as she walked off into the room at the back. Almost immediately, Cellestra turned to me and looked into my eyes expectantly. Thymhil? She asked after a few seconds. Thats where my parents are or were... I said as I crossed my arms. How? I do not know if they are still there. Elysa avoided spying on them so to say, so that Hograd couldnt mess around with them as well. By the way, Hograd is the one responsible for my own curse. Speaking of curses, yours is not actually a curse. Hold on, Cellestra said sharply. Youre going too fast there. I sighed. Im sorry. So he was behind it after all? She asked, then paused, seemingly thinking. Now what? I shrugged. I have no idea. I dont know why he did that. I dont know what Im going to do about it either. Sure, I hate his guts for cursing me like that. I would have been long dead if it wasnt for Elysa, but still, what can I do? I dont know Cellestra admitted. Leave it, for now, I suppose. Im certain there are more important things to worry about first. Im sure you feel the same way. I nodded. I can always worry about that later. Now, what was that you said about my curse? It was one of the only questions I got to ask. Elysa said its not actually a curse. She did call it an ailment, though. She also said that it doesnt progress further as long as I can use her magic on you. Cellestra turned her head to look at the ceiling of the temple before heaving a deep sigh. I could tell that that had been one of the more important questions to ask. The relief that washed over the kind-hearted elf was just beyond imaginable. I believed I even saw a tear form, which she quickly wiped away. At the same time, the priestess returned with a small pouch which she emptied on the altar to show there were, indeed, twenty gold coins contained within. She then placed the coins back in the pouch before handing them to me. I placed it in the still-stunned elfs backpack. You would like to know the way to Len Asari, correct? The priestess said while Cellestra slowly recovered from the massive relief she had just gone through. I nodded in response. Do you know how we can get there? I can give you the general direction, yes. I have to warn you that you will have to cross through hostile territory in order to get there. Len Asari is a remote elven province. It borders two provinces occupied by demonic beings. Strange as it may be, one of them is on extremely good terms with Len Asari, and they have been for quite some time. The other, however not so much. It is a good thing the elves of your destination have a formidable military. None of this sounded good in my mind. A province bordering a hostile demon one? What was Elysa thinking when she put my parents there? I knew I was supposed to be there as well, but still. If there wasnt this stupid period in which I couldnt undergo another ritual, I would have asked to do it again. I needed to know why she made that kind of, in my opinion awful, decision. To get there, The priestess continued, regaining my attention. Is going to be quite difficult. I would suggest asking residents along the way as I dont quite know it myself. I know its all the way north, but I dont know what roads to follow other than the ones leading in that direction. I sighed in disappointment, but I understood that it wasnt possible for someone to know all this. As long as I could get moving soon and go in the general direction of our goal, I would already feel better. The first road that you encounter when you walk around the city she said as she pointed to her right. It was the direction that we walked in until we found the temple. Leads due north. If you like you could probably save time by venturing off the road when it does eventually bend. As long as you follow the direction it leads in, you will come closer to where you need to be. I cant promise its entirely safe to do that, but you seem to be in a hurry so I thought Id mention it. I nodded again. We are. Thank you. I looked at Cellestra who had recovered and was about to ask her to head out when something else entered my mind. Would you happen to have any food we could buy for the journey? 2.31 Journey The priestess smiled. Anything for Elysas chosen. Ill have some priests arrange some food suitable for a journey. After those words, she walked off into the other room with what remained of the reagents inside the piece of fabric shed folded. Cellestra finally managed to look at me after we were left alone. Are you okay? I asked. I could literally see the weight lift from your shoulders. The elf nodded. I am, and it did. To hear it wont kill me is just I have no words. I saw a tear form in her eye again which she quickly wiped away once more. Dont worry. I dont intend to go anywhere until weve got rid of your problem. Cellestra nodded but remained silent. Little did she know that I didnt intend to ever leave her, if I could help it In the meantime, the head priestess walked back into the main room of the temple and took position behind the altar once more. We will have an assortment of food arranged soon. Now, if you dont mind, my curiosity is starting to get the better of me. Would you mind explaining what happened? Id rather not, I said. Its a long story and Id like to forget a lot of it. All I want to share is that Elysa saved me from a terrible fate. The priestess nodded in understanding, but I could see a hint of disappointment in her eyes. Maybe I could share the full story one day when all this was behind us. The problem was that Id be quite far away. Maybe Id visit this temple again sometime. When and if we ever went back to Cellestras cabin in the woods, Id definitely stop by. A minute or so of silence passed before a priest walked out of the backroom. He held a large brown linen bag, one that rivaled Cellestras own backpack in size, and placed it on the altar before quickly walking off again. The best we have to offer, The priestess said warmly. Would you like to look at the goods? I shook my head. That wont be necessary. Im sure wed rather be on the way. Alright then, She continued as I took the bag with a pedipalp and placed it on my spider head, behind my elven torso, on top of the partially finished shirt. I would fix that later. If that is all, then I wish you a safe journey. May Elysa light your path. I nodded and thanked her with a small bow. Cellestra did the same and we soon exited the temple. As we walked down the stairs I could see the roaring blue flames slowly turn back to their usual color and size. Once we were at the bottom, I turned to Cellestra who was still mostly speechless. Uncertain about what to do, I took her in for a proper hug and lightly patted her back. Are you okay? I asked softly. The elf didnt reply. Rather, she placed her own hands on my back and hugged me back. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warmth that this gave me, even if the main reason was to comfort Cellestra. Come, I said after a good while. We still have a long way to go. We can talk about things on the way. The elf nodded and I let myself sink to the ground so she could easily step on again. After shed placed herself on my back, I took out the silken shirt from under the bag and then summoned threads to fasten the brown bag properly. I then continued to circle the city. What did the goddess say? About your parents I mean. They are in Len Asari, in a place called Thymhil? I nodded. The way I understand it, they were placed in this world before me. I do not know how much earlier. I know very little about the circumstances; its all speculation at this point, but Im sure Elysa had her reasons for doing it that way. But wont they know this is a different world? I would think so, but once again, speculation. It seems Elysa has placed somewhat of a curse on them that makes them not remember me. Apparently, this curse will be broken as soon as I meet them, which will cause memories to return. I do not know the extent of those memories. Maybe they dont know they are in a different world right now, but they will when I show up? I have no idea. She probably has something arranged. What I do not get, however, I said, completely ignoring Cellestras response. Is why they were placed in a, in my opinion, dangerous place. I mean, hostile demons? That doesnt sound safe to me at all. Was your old world safe? Cellestra said, catching me completely off-guard. Well, I started what I believed to be something that would be a good retort. I then realized I couldnt finish that sentence. Nowhere in my old world was truly safe. I imagined my old life was a testament to that. No, I finally muttered quietly. Im sorry for asking that... Cellestra replied equally softly. I shook my head. No, youre right. The priestess did mention they have a formidable military. Maybe thats exactly why Elysa placed them there. Upon further consideration, things did make more sense. Still, it was nagging me, as always. And you dont know if they are still there. Thats what I got from all that rambling you did earlier. I nodded. I dont know for certain. I would assume they would still be there, and if not, they couldnt have gone far. Still, Thymhil would be the first place to look. I just hope the settlement will be accepting of us. The best we can hope for is a temple to Elysa, Cellestra replied. That certainly seems to have quite the impact, as far as I could tell back there. Issue is that I cannot stay in town for long. Ill cause all kinds of trouble so Id have to stay outside, preferably far away for the nights. Thats fine, I assured her. Well find a way. What were your parents anyway? You know, as in profession. They were farmers. Tomato farmers to be more precise, I said after a while as I had trouble recalling things from my early youth, both because the memories hurt, and that I seemed to have forgotten a few things. In that case, dont you think it would make sense if they did the same? I mean, it would make sense to me. Possibly, I answered. If thats true, we might not even have to enter the village. It might narrow down where we have to look at the same time. I like your optimism, I said with a sigh. I hope youre right. I believe Elysa knows what shes doing. If its any consolation, theyll be fine. Thank you, I said candidly. We reached the road leading north and I took a moment to look at the horizon. The dirt road stretched as far as all my eyes could see in a straight line through cornfields with green pastures behind those. If you dont mind, Ill pick up the pace a bit. I heard the journey is long, so Ill go as fast as I can without making things uncomfortable for you. Go ahead, Cellestra said, smiling for the first time since leaving the temple. I doubt this will be uncomfortable for me. Youre much more comfortable than sitting in my chair at home, in case you were wondering. I was not, I said with a wide smile on my face. But thats still nice to hear. I started off with a fast walk and gradually increased my speed while paying attention to Cellestra as I did so. I found out I could easily run at the speed of a horse without causing the elf on my back any problems. I passed the cornfields quickly, leaving many confused faces behind me as I ran away from the city. I doubted they even had the chance to register what had just passed. The whole situation made me chuckle slightly. Wont you tire like this? The elf asked after reaching the green pastures beyond the citys outskirts. I shook my head. I dont think so. Ive run at nearly this speed before in the forest, and it didnt tire me in the slightest. With the terrain more even here, I think its going to make things even better. I do hope that things continue to go as smoothly. We have no idea what kind of terrain well have to pass to get to Len Asari, Cellestra noted. Well be fine, I said confidently. Im certain we can deal with anything we may come across. I worry about many things, but I dont recall that being one. I think reaching the province wont be too much of an issue. The real issue comes after that. Well have to prove that we come in good faith and things like that. The elf smiled again. Im sure well find a way. Faragi (Again, you get all advance chapters in any tier for the time being. If anything changes, I will look for a proper compensation and warn people very well ahead) 2.32 Liberating Fields of green passed us by as I ran with the elf on my back. Eventually, Edhil was far enough behind us to be out of sight, leaving us with only green plains and a dirt road going forward. At some point, we reached the top of a hill where I came to a halt as I observed the scenery around me. Having such a large field of vision and keen eyesight, in general, made the view feel magical. I took a deep breath as I took in everything around me. Its beautiful, isnt it? Cellestra said. I nodded. It is I looked at the unfinished shirt in my hands. I hadnt worked on it yet since leaving the temple. I decided to continue on it after taking in my surroundings for a few more seconds. At the same time, I started running again. I created the start of the sleeves and made sure that the collar was properly done. I finished what I had by rinsing and drying it with warm air and then handed the shirt to the elf behind me to try on again. I figured that as long as the base was properly done, I could always cut off the sleeves and try again. Cellestra put it over her clothes and smiled. Youre a quick learner. So far it seems good. Do you think you can color it? She asked that last bit with a sly smile. I scratched my head as I thought about her words. I never actually tried. I have no idea if I can. Wait a second An idea entered my mind. I had an ability that Id never used before called Venom Thread. If some things about my previous evolutions still held true, I imagined those threads would be green. I summoned a few threads from my fingertips before me to check it out. As I had predicted, the threads were green and slightly dripping with venom. I used my free hand to rinse the threads with water, washing off the toxic substance. At the end of that, I was left with green threads. Well, I started as I looked at the silken strands. I guess that worked. Dont know if they are still venomous though. I showed the result of my little experiment to the elf. Given some time, I assume its perfectly safe. Though, I doubt the color will stay the same. I shrugged. Who knows? I placed the strands on my spider head to check if they would decolorize over time before going back to work. Hey, Kealyna? Hm? You never bothered to check how far Len Asari is. Any reason behind that? It didnt sound like I was going to get a precise answer to that anyway. Besides, it doesnt matter as much. We have plenty of food and I can summon water whenever. We are bound to eventually run into some people, or a town, where we can inquire further. I expect its pretty hard to miss an entire province. Once were there, we can put more thought into where to go. I guess thats true, Cellestra admitted. Heh, I chuckled. Any timeframe that she would have given us, could have been thrown out of the window, anyway. I dont think any horse would be able to keep up with me for this long. Thats true as well, Cellestra admitted again. I feel a bit guilty, I said. As far as I can tell, the plan to find a cure for your whatever it is, seems to not get the attention it deserves when all we do is run. It doesnt matter, Cellestra spoke quietly. With what the goddess said, it seems there is no real hurry to get it done. I do wonder, though, if its not a curse, then what is it? I have no clue. Besides the fact that its not a curse, Elysa didnt say much about it. Makes me wonder how exactly we rid you of it Im sure well find a way for that too. Cellestras kind words made me smile, as so many of them did. One of these days, I imagined there would come a good time for me to tell her exactly what I felt when she smiled at me. How long could I put this off? It made me feel as if I was lying, something which I hated. Yet, I didnt seem to have the courage to tell her. I hated myself for it. I sighed deeply as I worked on the shirt in my hands. I couldnt lose focus. I didnt want to screw up a gift for such a precious person. Worrying again? Cellestra asked, probably in reaction to my sigh from before. I nodded. Just take it easy. You said yourself wed be fine. Yeah, youre right. The elf ran her hand over my spider hair, soothing me somewhat. As much as I liked it, I didnt want her to feel forced to do such a thing every time I thought about this matter. I shook it off for now while I tried to build up the courage to finally confess. I wouldnt do it while we were out and running, but I hoped I would have enough to finally tell her either tonight or tomorrow. I was getting sick and tired of my own hesitation. I finished the shirt in silence just as we reached the bend in the road that the priestess had mentioned. From here, we had the option to continue in the same direction wed been going. Straying off the path would get us to where we needed to be quicker. Without hesitation in this matter, I continued forward. Feeling the abrupt change from dirt to grass under my feet only made me move unsteadily for a few steps as I had to adjust, but I soon continued running at the same speed Id been going before, wanting to get as much traveling done in a day as possible. After rinsing and drying the finished product of my efforts, I handed it to the elf and asked her to try it on. She did so and soon smiled. Seems to be a perfect fit. Ill try this tomorrow morning without any clothes underneath it. I hope it fits just as well. Thank you. Ill probably make a few more to get better at it. It gives me something to do and if youre right, I could use it to make some money for when its needed. Wont you make any for yourself? Cellestra asked as she looked at my almost completely bare back. Dunno, I simply said. I find this to be liberating if that makes sense. I paused for a second. Before, I liked to have as much armor as possible, but now that it doesnt seem to be necessary do you know what I mean? I think I get it. I would probably do the same in your position. Ill probably get jealous at your tan soon enough as well, She said before grinning. Heh. Would that make me look better, you think? I think the pale skin with white hair fits. Hmmm, Cellestra thought aloud. Maybe youre right. You will probably say next how youll have excellent camouflage in the snow as well. Well, youre not wrong I said, amused at her comment. I then peered into the distance where nothing but flat plains were stretched out before us. Speaking of cold, what do we do regarding a campfire tonight? I dont see any trees around and I doubt well run into any before nightfall. I guess we can do without. As long as you can manage to pull off the same thing you did before, we dont technically need a fire. I doubt there would be any predators in the area anyway, seeing as theres nothing to prey on. Fair enough. I dont want to force you into doing that sleep while awake thing if youre uncomfortable with it, though Cellestra then said softly. Ill be fine, I assured her. Its not the same as fully sleeping, but I can get through the day relatively well. I can see that. Youre still going strong. Are you sure youre not getting tired? Im sure. Besides, it seems evening is going to be upon us soon enough. I looked at the sun to the west where it was descending slowly but surely. It was one of the reasons why Id made that comment earlier. Okay, She said quietly, acknowledging that I knew my own limits. While she still seemed a bit conflicted about me running so much in a day, she remained quiet all the way until evening was upon us. When the sun started to set, I came to a halt in the sea of green that surrounded us. I let my legs spread out over the grass at the sides as I placed my spider head on it and stretched them perhaps a bit too obviously. I just wanted to let Cellestra know that I was completely fine. She stepped off of my back and took the wolf pelts off my abdomen as well. I then removed the brown bag and placed it in the grass before me as Cellestra positioned herself in the grass on the other side. It made it feel as if the bag was a campfire now, which felt funny to me. I could see the curiosity in the elfs eyes. I smiled and broke the silence. Now, lets see what they gave us, shall we? 2.33 Confidence Faragi Few slower chapters with some action coming up soon. (In case people are wondering, Kealyna''s confession will be in chapter 2.36 :3 ) I didnt have to say that twice. Without waiting for even a second, Cellestra undid the knot that was used to close off the linen bag before opening it to reveal its contents. To assist her vision in the falling darkness, I experimented a bit once again but found that I wasnt able to create a source of light without an actual flame. Thus, I created a flame that hovered in the air above the two of us where it couldnt cause any harm. The bags contents were finally revealed. On top, there were two thin, long loaves of bread. Those were probably the most perishable things among the goods. Beneath that were several square-shaped leaf-wrapped packages. Cellestra opened one, revealing some pieces of dried fruit. I took a package from the bottom that was slightly larger and opened it to find some dried strips of meat, generously salted to increase the time before spoilage would occur. Heh, I chuckled. Good thing we have no short supply of water, huh? True, The elf said as she took off her own backpack and placed it in the grass next to her. You want something as well? Just an apple is fine. Id like to save as much for you as possible. Sure, Cellestra replied as she fetched one and tossed it to me. She took one for herself as well and then picked up the package of meat that Id opened and placed it on top of the stack of packages in the bag. I think that much will be enough for me for weeks. How will we manage food for you, though? She asked. Well, Im not hungry in the slightest. Ive eaten plenty when I was in the dungeon last time, so I hope thats going to be enough to last for quite a bit, but youre probably more experienced with spiders than I am. How long could your tarantula go without food? Uhhh, Cellestra let out. Well, youre not exactly a tarantula, but I know they can go for months without food, as long as they have water. Not sure how it will turn out with all the running youre doing, though. Months? I said in awe. By the goddess, spiders are unbelievable. Cellestra smiled. They are. And youre the most unbelievable of all. Yeah, no kidding, I said with a smile of my own before I bit into the apple. Cellestra took a few small bites of the apple and the meat as she tried to relax. I could see that her mood was elevated thanks to the good news from today regarding her curse. This, in turn, caused me to be in a good mood as well, as I loved watching her smile. So, Cellestra finally said after eating a bit. Any idea what youll say to your parents when you meet them? What were their names again? Keelarin and I forgot something with lina, as thats part of your name. I closed my eyes and smiled as I said my mothers name. Lilinia. I then paused as I didnt know what to say. I ultimately decided to admit it. And I have no idea what Ill say to them. I am totally clueless. I looked at the grass before me as I said that last part. It didnt make much difference in what I could see, but I guessed I did it out of habit. I cant blame you, Cellestra said softly. With all that has happened, and what happened to them before I would probably have even less of an idea than you. Its already weird that Im technically all grown up. I was eight years old when they died. Then there is the whole spider story. Im not quite sure to what degree Elysa has altered their memories. I hope she didnt I believe she didnt, as she was talking about some kind of memory lock, rather than that. I wouldnt know, Cellestra said. I have never heard of any magic like that, but then again, its a goddess were talking about. The thing Im worried about, I continued, before breathing in a deep breath and letting out an equally deep sigh. "This is why I deeply hope she hasnt messed with their memories. You see, if their memories are changed, are they still my parents? Thats one of the things you worry about? I nodded. I understand. I mean, I can see why she locked away some memories. I just hope thats it, I continued again. Im going to assume that Elysa understands exactly what shes doing and that it is as you say, Cellestra said. Well find out what they know when we find them, I guess. I nodded. And I hope youre right. Elysa should know a lot about me, so I''m gonna be hopeful and assume the same. Cellestra smiled and finished her dinner before taking her canteen to drink some. She then stood up and excused herself, taking her backpack with her. She used her illumination spell to light the way as she walked a bit off from me, to relieve herself, obviously. I was left alone with my thoughts, if only momentarily, and summoned as much courage as I could. I could feel myself grow more confident, but I wouldnt tell her tonight yet. I wanted another day of travel to be behind us and I needed just a bit more conviction. I made a promise to myself that I would tell her tomorrow. For me, that was big, as whenever I promised something, Id always adhere to said promise. It was just that Cellestra had changed a lot about who I once was, or at least, who I believed I once was. Without paying it much heed, I took the venomous strands of silk that Id put on my spider head and noticed that they had lost their green color and had changed to an ugly brown. I quickly discarded them as I wasnt going to make shirts with those. The elf soon returned when I came up with an awkward question. Would you like me to use my spell to wash your hands? Cellestra frowned at the question. Uh, sure? I cringed in my mind, but the question was meant in good faith. I knew maintaining hygiene could be hard on the road, and I could help out with my magic, so I stood up as Cellestra held her arms forward. I used my water spell to create a pleasantly warm stream of water with some added force behind it for her to properly wash her hands. You know, The brunette started. This is quite useful, for sure. Running water, as far as I know, was only reserved for those rich enough to afford it. I bet they would be quite jealous to know you can do that, and more, all while being portable as well. I shook my head and smiled. Better not let them find out what I can do, then. Cellestra laughed and moved back to where she sat before, closing the bag with the thread again. I sat down again and unwillingly let out a yawn. I immediately regretted that as Cellestra took the opportunity to comment on it. Well, it seems you didn''t get through all that running unscathed after all. Even when making a remark like that, she was still so gentle about it. I couldnt help but smile at her words. Maybe so. Then again, its late. Im surprised you havent yawned yet. Ill probably do that soon enough. The elf placed her canteen back in her backpack and took the two wolf pelts in her hands as she stood up. Its time for bed, either way, so it doesnt really matter. She looked at my side awkwardly for a second before speaking again. You dont mind me sleeping against your side, so you? I shook my head. Not at all. Alright. She sat down on the grass and rested the back of her head against my soft hair before closing her eyes. You have no idea how lovely this is. Im almost happy I forgot my pillow. You forgot it? I asked incredulously. Cellestra nodded. I actually did and I thought I had everything. Thats unfortunate, I guess. Also, I know exactly how lovely this is, I said as I laid myself down on my spider back, enjoying the fluffiness to the fullest. Cellestra opened her eyes again to look at me laying down on myself. She smiled as she closed her eyes again to get comfortable while putting one of the wolf pelts over her frame. Will you be okay with your special ability regarding sleep? She asked. I dont think it will be an issue. You should worry about getting some proper sleep of your own. I cast the healing light spell on the elf as I remembered what Elysa had said about her ailment. As long as I could cast the goddesss magic on her, her ailment would not progress further. As such, I preemptively cast it, and I would probably do it from time to time. Thanks, Cellestra said softly. I could tell she was ready to go to sleep, even if she hadnt shown me how tired she was. Good night, I said. Good night, Cellestra replied. And so I started my watch with my spider half as I could feel my other body slowly drift into sleep. At least I could watch the lovely elf while I slept at the same time 2.34 Lore As Id expected and hoped, I was able to control this whole falling asleep while staying awake part quite well. My elven torso was currently sleeping, as was Cellestra. The flame spell above us was still active, aiding me with watching her. I could watch her unconsciously smile in her sleep as she was lost in my fluffiness for hours, and I probably would. Her long light brown hair touching my side made me want to run my own hands through it to get a better feel for it. I had to stop my mind from wandering off. I focused again on how I would tackle this obstacle of telling her. Id resolved to do it, but I had no idea how this was done. How would I tell her? When would I tell her? I had already decided it would be tomorrow. I thought perhaps the evening would be best when I could talk to her directly. In my opinion that made conversations more honest. While I didnt mind Cellestra talking to my back, in this case, I wanted to see face to face. Thinking about this made me wonder if my mother would have ever told me about how to deal with this. I was certain she had at some point told me how she and dad met each other, but I couldnt recall it, to my regret. Perhaps Id pushed away too many memories about them A wave of sadness overcame me. I would have loved for her to tell me how this worked. In my opinion, it was a shame that it had never been allowed to happen. I could surely use her guidance now Everything that was ahead of me regarding my parents was so confusing in general. Given their memories of me were unaffected, how would they view me? Then there was the thing with me falling in love with an elven woman. I literally couldnt imagine their reactions about this all, but I figured there was no point in worrying about it now. Especially given that I had yet to reach them, and still had to talk to the elf about all this. I felt like tomorrow might just be the hardest day of my life, even if that wasnt true from a physical point of view. As much as I was clueless about how to talk to her about this, somehow, watching her sleep peacefully seeped some of that peace into my mind. A small smile grew on my face as I watched a small trickle of saliva drip down from the corner of her lips. She then turned her face more into my fur and I noted that her lips were dry after that. I would have shaken my spider head and smiled if I could. Not being able to do that didnt bother me in the slightest. Not anymore. For some reason, time seemed to pass quickly as the next day arrived much sooner than Id anticipated. Maybe it was because I was struggling to find a way for the talk that I knew was ultimately going to have to happen. Either way, I would be happy when it was behind me. Morning arrived and the sun rose above the horizon. An hour or two later, Cellestra stirred, and after a long yawn, opened her eyes. Morning, She said simply but warmly. I forcibly woke up my elven half from sleep and felt the sensations rushing to my torso before I rose. At the same time, I canceled my flame spell. Morning, Cellestra. I would ask if you slept well, but I already know the answer to that. She chuckled quietly. Yeah, I slept well. My dreams were tranquil, I think. I always have a hard time remembering the good ones. Thats a pity. If its any consolation, all I did in my elven heads dreams was run around green fields pretty much the same as what I did during the day, so there wasnt anything noteworthy there, either. Id probably wake up exhausted if I had a dream like that. Speaking of, how are you feeling? No soreness or anything? I dont even know if my legs can get sore. I can get tired, apparently, but sore? No. Must be spider anatomy, Cellestra said as she stretched her arms while getting up. Speaking of spider anatomy, I started. What are these things called? I pointed to the shorter limbs between my pedipalps, the ones with my fangs at the ends. Ive been wondering for a while. Do you know what theyre called? The elf walked up to my front to see where I was pointing and smiled. Chelicerae. They are called chelicerae. Thats an odd word. I like the word, Cellestra admitted. Fangs is just so plain, I guess. In case youre wondering about the part connected to your head, well, one of your heads, its a cephalothorax. Cephalothorax? I always thought it was just a thorax. Well, yes and no, Cellestra said, seemingly delighted to talk about this. You see, a thorax is separated from the head, which isnt the case with you. Spiders have the head fused to the thorax, thus the separate name. Interesting I let out. I never would have known. Any other weird spider things you know? What, why are you asking? She said with a sly smile. Well, you know I said, trying to come up with a good enough reason for me to ask it. The truth was that I just wanted to talk to her, and she seemed to know quite a lot on this subject. Maybe it will give me an edge in a fight. Who knows? Cellestra giggled. Youre too predictable. Predictable? I knew youd say something along those lines, She said, still smiling. Anyway, as for spider facts I dont know what you find interesting. I mostly kept some of them for their venom, but you already know about how venom can have healing properties if prepared properly. Yeah, that I knew, I confirmed. Hmmm. Let me see, Cellestra murmured as she walked to the large bag, opened it, and took some bread. She took a bite as she seemed to think about things. You know that many female spiders eat their mate? I did not know that. I thought it would be interesting to tell you that as a jumping spider tried to court you earlier. They dance and mesmerize the female to then mate them and quickly skitter away while they are hypnotized. He was basically dancing for his life. And I killed him anyway I said softly. I feel kind of guilty now. Dont feel guilty about that. He would have probably been eaten by whoever he tried to impress anyway. Being a normal spider would surely suck, wouldnt it? I said, realizing once again just how lucky I was to have this blessing. Well, Im happy youre no normal spider. I mean, just look at that beautiful pattern on your back. How did that even happen? Cellestras words cheered me up. No idea. Do you think Elysa did that on purpose? She must have, Cellestra said, staring at the colors shifting in my abdomen. The elf finished the piece of bread shed broken off and drank some water before excusing herself again. In the meantime, I tried to look away, but it was hard when I could all around me. I had to turn my abdomen to her in order to give her some sense of privacy. I conjured and drank some water, before the purple-eyed elf reappeared at my side. I finished drinking and moved my hand to the side and continued summoning water so she could wash her hands. Thanks, She said. Are you about ready to head off? I liked how she seemed to move with the same form of urgency that I had grown accustomed to over the past few days. Im always ready. You know that, I said with a smile. I closed the bag that Cellestra had left open and placed it on my cephalothorax, where I fastened it. In the meantime, the elf took the wolf pelts and placed them on my abdomen. She finished getting ready by putting the backpack back on her back. Well, then, She said as she climbed on my back. Lets get going again. My thoughts exactly, I said as I started running in the same direction we headed towards the day before. You know, Cellestra said. At this rate, even though I dont know how far its going to be, I reckon well get there quickly. Yeah. I suppose thats true. You know, as boring as these plains may seem to the adventurous type, Im glad they are there. This is much easier to navigate than the forest at high speed and I have to admit, the view, especially when you can see as much as me, is gorgeous. Boring? I suppose in your example it could be. I wouldnt mind if this is all well see. I doubt well be that lucky. We will run into civilization sooner or later. In fact, I think I see a small settlement in the distance already. There, just below the horizon was a small dot in my vision. It was so far away that I couldnt quite make out any details yet, even for someone as visually gifted as me. Your eyes are something else. I dont see a thing, Cellestra said as she leaned to the side to try to see what I was talking bout, Do warn me when you see it. Im quite curious to know exactly what these eyes can do. The elf on my back nodded. Will do. 2.35 Stars A few minutes later, I could already see that what we were approaching was, in fact, not a village as Id predicted. Instead, it seemed like a black patch in the grass. It had my attention as I had no idea what this could be. I can see it now, Cellestra said. It doesnt appear to be a village, though, I replied. Oh? It seems to be an area where the grass is black. I have no idea what it is. Black grass? The elf asked, visibly confused. I nodded. Even I cant see it properly yet. I continued running and soon had to change my mind. It wasnt a black patch of grass. Rather, it appeared to be a crater. I was getting mildly excited at the prospect of checking it out. I had seen a drawn picture of one before, but to see it with my own eyes was something else entirely. The main reason for my excitement stemmed from something from my old life. These craters were caused by falling stars hitting the world. Some of these were filled with rare metals that seemed to have magical properties. Weapons made from these metals, often referred to as star metal weapons, were exceptional in combat. I couldnt believe that I used to want to have one of those. It was hard to imagine that the usual weapons had become fairly useless to me. Still, I was secretly hoping Id find something here. This was far enough off the road that nobody might have found this. Then again, I had no idea how long it had been since whatever hit the ground here, did so. Do you have any weapons like that? I asked. What are you talking about? Cellestra asked, after tilting her head. Oh sorry, I apologized. That must be one of the times I didnt speak my mind. I was thinking about how in my old world, we had exquisite weapons crafted from the metals of fallen stars. Uhh, Cellestra let out. I have no idea. Thats not something Ive ever thought about. I can imagine. I doubt its something you would encounter. I can see youre pretty excited about it, Cellestra continued. Like, its obvious you want to have some kind of weapon in your hands again. Have you thought about what it would be yet? I was thinking about a halberd, I said, maybe a bit too quickly. It was hard to contain my excitement about this. It has excellent reach, I have the strength, and its multi-functional. Sounds like youve already thought about this a fair bit. I have. Now imagine if I could make it from star metal. Its like a dream come true! Cellestra smiled widely. I have no idea what that is, but it sounds like its something that would make you happy. I hope this world works the same in that regard, I noted. How far is it the same? Cellestra asked. That you can tell, that is? Hmm, I let out as I thought about it deeper. I mean, what I have seen so far isnt anything new. I guess the deviation is that my magic isnt the same kind that this world uses. I, in return, seem to be unable to learn pieces of this worlds magic. At least, thats my conclusion after not being able to read that spell scroll. That does seem like a fair conclusion, Cellestra concluded. Soon enough, we neared the crater. We finally reached it a few minutes later and I stopped at the edge. The impact was about six feet in diameter, and at first glance, there was no trace of the object that had created this. That didnt make me give up hope. I walked into the crater and started poking at the dirt in the center with my pedipalps. To my excitement, I could feel a hard object in the dark dirt and quickly unearthed it. Once I had dug it up, I was staring at a chunk of what looked like rock, covered in dust from the dirt. I didnt have a piece of metal with me to check if this object would make the iconic metal sound when tapped with other metal, but I did have a good alternative at my disposal. Without either of us saying a word, I walked back into the grass, dropped the object that Id picked up with my front two limbs, and summoned a pressurized stream of water to clean the apparent semi-spheric rock. When I did so, a metallic surface came into view. It was riddled with holes like cheese along the outlines. The colors that made up the metal put a smile on my face. In the metal, I could see blue and white veins that glowed faintly before dimming to then glow faintly again. Its beautiful, Cellestra commented from behind me, leaning to the side. We call this star metal. I dont know if there is a name, or even use for it in this world. I hope there is. Ive never held it, or even seen it in its natural form, but this glowing aspect of it doesnt change. Even after forging it, the veins are still present in the finished product. That part alone already makes it appealing to certain customers. I can imagine, Cellestra said, still full of awe. I have to admit, it would be fitting for you to have a weapon made from this stuff. What. Because of my rear? The elf giggled at my bluntness. Well, yeah. I cant believe we actually found some. Do you realize how lucky we are to find this? I have no idea, Cellestra said. But your expression does give me an indication. I nodded. I certainly know of the value that this stuff has, so yes, that is probably a good indication. I hope we can get this refined sometime. Though, first up comes the other issue. I placed the chunk of metal on the linen bag behind me and summoned a few more threads to ensure I wouldnt lose it along the way. After a brief stop, we were on our way again, one chunk of rare star metal richer. For the second day in a row, all that was around us were grassy plains. Very little variation occurred in the landscape besides the low hill every now and then. The most noticeable thing we came across was probably a herd of wild horses. I was amused to see them staring at me, albeit from a safe distance. Cellestra was holding in giggles of her own as the creatures all turned to face me as I passed through the area. Are you any good with animals? I asked after we passed them. I mean, other than spiders of course. I honestly dont know. I never had a more conventional pet like a cat. I wouldnt know how my cu ailment would affect them, either. I shrugged. To be fair, doesnt it affect others more than you? At least when talking about those effects? Thats true, I suppose, Cellestra said. But I wouldnt want to be responsible for a pet being attacked and killed by the local wildlife. Oh, I said as I realized what she meant. Yeah, I see. It doesnt mean I wouldnt like one, though. Its just that I never saw myself as being in the position to support one. Thats fair. Silence fell over us for a few minutes before I came up with a new question that continued on our latest topic. What would your favorite animal be? Goddess, I dont know. I think cats? Is that too generic of an answer? I smiled. Not at all. Kittens would always bring a smile to my face. Its been too long since Ive seen any, The elf replied. I would love to pet one again. I thought Cellestra did it without paying attention, but I could feel her hand run over my soft hair on my cephalothorax. You know I cant purr, right? I said with a grin. Oh, She let out, her hand stopping the movements. It remained on my soft fur, however. Whats yours? I would say a horse, but kittens are great too. Let me guess, because of their use for battle, Cellestra said with a sly smile. Well, yes, but they are also quite smart. I wonder what they thought when they saw us pass through, Cellestra referred to the horses from earlier. Who knows? At least they were smart enough to stay away, Or dumb. If they knew you better they would know youre completely harmless. I guess thats true, in a way, as well, I said. We continued our journey through the plains until evening was upon us. I could see the green treetops and brown trunks of a forest far away in the distance, but we wouldnt quite reach that far before nightfall. It would seem our journey would take us through yet another forest the next day. For now, we decided to make camp here while we were still out in the open. I sat down and summoned my flame spell while unloading some stuff from my back. I also placed the star metal chunk on the grass where its glowing veins and reflective surface shone beautifully in the flickering firelight. Once the bag was placed on the grass Cellestra started rummaging through its contents for dinner. The elf handed me an apple and I absent-mindedly accepted it while thinking. I started contemplating how to convey my feelings for her. I was more than a little nervous, but now would be the time to clear things up. I could do this. Faragi You don''t wanna miss the next chap... I think? I''m thinking about uploading it today... Suggestions? :3 2.36 Confession Faragi I hope you will all like this chapter We ate our dinner in complete silence as the darkness of night covered the world around us. The flame in the air above us would generally have me feeling cozy, but right now, I was feeling nothing but doubt as I very slowly worked my way through my apple. Cellestra, in the meantime, had already finished her dinner and emptied the last bit of water from her canteen out onto the grass. You mind refilling this? I wasnt even sure what she asked. I was too lost in thought. Kealyna? Cellestra asked with a frown while showing the canteen before her. Huh? Oh, sorry. I reached out for the container and filled it with water, as cold as I could make it, before handing it back to Cellestra. She drank a bit before her eyes were redirected to my elven head. I was looking down at the grass with mine while still working on the same apple so I would not have noticed it if it wasnt for my other eyes. Are you worried again? Cellestra asked. You should really stop doing that, you know? I tossed the remainder of the apple away. I was never hungry in the first place, but I just couldnt finish it. Cellestra, I said the elfs name quietly before taking a deep breath to let out the heaviest sigh of my life. Hmm? The purple-eyed elf let out. Whats up? I raised my head to look into her eyes. It had never been so difficult before, but I had resolved I would do it like this. I dont know how to say it. This has bothered me for quite some time as it is. Cellestra remained quiet. I imagined it was of my dead-serious expression and the effort it took for me to talk. I thought I saw worry appear in her eyes, so I decided to speed up things as much as I could. I dont know how to say it. I never had to say anything like this before. The truth is I think I like you as something more than a friend. There. Id said it, albeit barely. My voice was shaking, and awfully soft, like never before. Immediately after, I lowered my head to look at the grass before my chelicerae. I didnt want her to see the confusion, the fear, the anxiety, and everything else on my face, that I was sure was evident. The silence that followed only made things worse. In the sea of emotions currently racing through my head, I could feel a glimmer of hope somewhere tucked in the back. I was praying that Cellestra wouldnt be appalled by this confession coming from what some would consider a monster. Kealyna... Cellestras soft voice pulled my attention from my own mind. In the following moments, she stood up, walked over to me, and took me into a hug, confusing me even further. I can see that was hard for you, She said softly. I didnt know what was going on. Her actions took me completely by surprise. I couldnt control my emotions much longer as I already felt a tear run down my face. Cellestra patted my back with her hands softly while hugging me. I dont know how to react to that. It just seemed you needed that hug. Thanks... I let out meekly while I allowed the warmth of the hug to battle against everything else I was feeling at the moment. We remained like that for a good while, in which I eventually managed to get control back and stop my eyes from shedding a tear every now and then. I still had no idea why that happened, but I wasnt going to hypothesize on that. I dont know what to say, Cellestra whispered. I think Im as confused as you are. I nodded slowly while hugging the elf back. More than a friend... She murmured. You mean like love? I nodded before speaking with a mere whisper again. Yes. By the goddess, Kealyna. How did that happen? Im sorry for asking, I just I dont know anything about love myself. From her voice, I could tell that the question was genuine. I dont know, and I dont know either, I replied to her question and statement. I just know that when Im with you, Im I dont know. I feel happy. I like talking to you, and I never liked talking before. Does that even make sense? I had a hard time finding the words I wanted to say, to express what I was feeling, but I told her what I thought to be the truth. It does, Cellestra replied. I know little about love, I continued. The only time I felt anything that came close to this was what feels like ages ago. Anything else that I know is from books, and that is only very, very little. I understand. She paused for a few seconds. Are you okay? I I dont know. Are you? Im okay, Cellestra assured me. I still dont know what to say, though... I couldnt blame her for that. Of all the scenarios that could happen, this was probably one of the better ones. At the very least, she didnt run away or start crying, or anything else like that. I dont know if I feel the same, The elf admitted. I dont know. I mean, I like you. Were good friends, but love? I dont know how that works. I still hugged her and ran my hands over her back while my nose was in her hair. Could you explain what you feel? Cellestra asked softly. I dont know. I just know that Ive wanted to hug you like this for a long time. I know that I want to see you smile as often as possible. Whenever I look at you when you smile, I can feel my heart melt. Thats I dont know. I never realized. I guess I should be flattered? Honored? I felt my face flush red and warm at her words. I didnt know what to say for a good minute before I found words again. I dont know. I just wanted to be honest and tell you about this. I finally got the courage to tell you just now, I said again, quietly. Ive been worried sick over how youd react. Is it anything like youve been expecting? Cellestra asked, patting my back again. I dont know. I wasnt expecting the hug. For the first time after telling her, I managed to smile slightly in the form of a suppressed chuckle. Thats okay. Its the least I can do. How do you feel? I asked. Surprised, to be honest. I had no idea you felt that way about me. I dont know what to do or say... Are you not how to put this I started. Disgusted? Cellestra suggested, causing me to nod weakly. No, Im not. I just dont know how any of this works. I dont know if I can say I love you, but I certainly like doing things and talking with you, She continued. Is that an answer youre okay with? I mean, I havent known you for long. I mean the way you are now. Thats okay, I said softly. I understand. I can imagine its hard to feel anything for a spider. How long have you felt this way? Cellestra asked immediately after. I dont even know. I was confused about it at first, but I think Ive felt love for you for a long time now, certainly long before I was... This. When I woke up with this body, I I couldnt be happier... By the goddess. I cannot imagine how you must have felt. Feeling like that Cellestra shook her head. That must have been hell. I nodded, my head still on her shoulder. It was... I kept holding on to the elf, my hands holding her back as I felt my heart beating rapidly in my chest. I''m enjoying this hug, but beyond that, I don''t know what I want. I don''t know how we go from here, do you? You think I have the slightest idea? I said, half-jokingly, shaking my head. I dont think you do, Cellestra replied, a hint of a suppressed laugh in her voice. We both suck at this, dont we? I chuckled lightly. We sure do. Silence then fell over us once more as we remained in a hug. Slowly but surely, I felt a sense of quiet returning to my head both heads. Time passed by, and eventually, I was the first one to speak again. I think maybe its a good idea to go to sleep for now. We can talk about this more tomorrow if youd like. Cellestra slowly nodded. I think thats a good idea. My mind is a mess right now. Same here, I said with a slight chuckle. And I have two. Cellestra grinned softly before finally breaking the hug. As much as Id like to hug you, I am afraid I need to be excused for a few minutes. I smiled as Cellestra took her backpack and walked off, her flame leading the way. At least I could be happy with myself. This didnt go nearly as bad as I had expected. Maybe the elf was right in that I did worry too much. 2.37 Cravings Faragi A bit slow in the coming chaps with new characters and action coming up after that. Some plot development down the line as well so hope you''re looking forward to that :) Cellestra returned and I extended an arm to summon water for her to wash her hands with. I then cast the spell that would blow warm air to help her dry them. How many people would love to have such a luxury? Cellestra mused. Probably quite a few, I replied. Its incredible, She said before putting her backpack down and fetching the wolf pelts from my abdomen. How are you feeling? She asked in a genuinely caring voice. I feel much better, I let out. Thank you. I hope you can wait for my answer, The elf continued. I hope well both be able to give our heads some much-needed rest tonight. Ill live, dont worry. At least you didnt run away... I said, only half-serious. How could I run from you? Cellestra said as she sat down to my side. Youre a wonderful person and I enjoy our time together. I dont see how that would change now that youve told me this. Her words put a smile on my face which didnt disappear as I lay myself down on top of my spider body. Im happy to hear that, I said softly. Im impressed by your bravery to tell me, The elf continued as she placed the back of her head against my side. I still cant believe I got confessed to by another girl... a half-spider one at that. You have no idea how much that last part worried me, I replied to her. No kidding. Its why Im so impressed you managed to tell me. I dont know what to say. I guess I should thank you, I said after a few seconds of silence. Its okay. You dont have to say anything. Well get some rest and talk about it tomorrow if you want. I do. Cellestra yawned and placed one of the wolf furs over her frame. Lets do that then. Good night. Good night, I wished her back while I focused all my attention on my spider half. Soon enough, Cellestra was sleeping quietly. I then realized Id forgotten to cast my healing light spell on her. As soon as I remembered, I cast it, not wanting her sleep to be disturbed by horrible nightmares. I then waited quietly as I felt my elven half fall asleep. Hours later, dawn arrived, causing me to cancel my illumination spell. It was interesting to view the rise of the sun and see its light start to spread from the horizon to then reach onto the plains around me. Id never seen anything that was so simple, and yet so magical at the same time. I hadnt ever bothered to stand still and take the time to appreciate it. My worries from before seemed to have mostly vanished. Although, I was eager to hear what the elf had to say about everything. Her reaction the day before had given me hope that there was a chance for her to feel the same way, though. I hoped and prayed that she would could feel the same way as me. This feeling was just too wonderful to not share. Two hours or so after sunrise, the elf at my side stirred and slowly awakened. I gave her the time she needed and pretended to ignore the fact that shed leaned against one of my legs with her side. I forcibly awakened my elven half with two legs, causing sudden jolts of sensation to stream into it. Cellestra yawned audibly and stretched her arms, hitting my leg in the process. Oops, She let out. Morning, Kealyna. Slept well? Morning, and yes, and no. You know how I am weird like that. The brown-haired elf let out one of her cute giggles before standing up. Yeah, youre right. I dont care, though. Cellestra walked to the brown linen bag and pulled out some more bread before digging into it. Damn, this stuff is getting stale. She then walked to her own backpack and pulled out two more apples. It would seem she wasnt lying when she said that half the bags contents were apples. She handed one to me and sat down in front of me as she alternated between bread and apple. And these arent going to last much longer, either, She mentioned after taking a bite from the apple. At least youre smart enough to eat the perishables first, I said. Were lucky you dont need to eat as much. On the other hand, it does mean that its likely Ill have to throw some away. Maybe they gave us a bit too much at the temple. Better too much than too little, no? I replied. True, Cellestra said with a smile. You know what I miss? Tell me, I let out, a smile growing on my face as I was curious what she was going to say. Tea. Why didnt you bring some? I asked. How am I going to boil She cut herself off. ...Im an idiot. Are there any common herbs that you can make tea from? I asked. I imagine that it shouldnt be too hard to dry some leaves if you miss it that much. Thank you, and yes, but I dont see them growing around here. As far as I can tell, well be passing through a forest soon. With some luck, I can pick some there. I chuckled. Would be great, if that satisfies your cravings. The elf smiled as she finished her breakfast and excused herself. Moments later, we did what was starting to turn into a routine. She washed her hands and we packed up for the journey. She then climbed onto my back and we headed towards the forest. Neither of us had so far brought up anything from last night, but I didnt mind. I would wait until Cellestra was ready to talk about it. You know, Cellestra finally talked after I ran for a while. Ive been thinking. I dont know anything about love. I do know that I like you as a person and that I enjoy spending time with you. I know Ive said both these things before She sighed deeply. I sure am bad at this. Take it easy, I suggested. Its okay. Just take it easy. Cellestra inhaled and exhaled deeply once more. I guess what Im trying to say is that I dont mind you know, trying or at least keep an open mind about things. I hope you understand that I cannot give you a definitive answer, as I myself dont know what I feel. Thats fine, I said confidently. Its a fair answer. We have plenty of time to figure things out. Yeah, Cellestra said with a smile. Youre right. She then moved one of her hands on my soft hair and started running her fingers through it. I closed my elven eyes as I delighted in the feeling. Does it feel nice when I do that? Cellestra asked, curiosity plastered on her face. I wish youd never stop doing that, I said, completely honest. Cellestra giggled in response. Yet spiders dont seem to like it. They dont? I asked, surprised how anything could resist getting petted like that. Nope. They tend to skitter to the side or away when you do it. Not really the kind of petting animal, I guess. That''s a shame. Seconds later, we reached the edge of the forest, which meant I had to slow down considerably as the wide-open fields were replaced with trees, dirt, and undergrowth. As much as it slowed me down, I tried to keep up the pace as much as I could while going in a straight line. I imagined we may need some assistance after getting out of the forest from a possible nearby city to ensure we stayed on the right track. For now, however, I made sure to focus on my surroundings with my thermal vision. At the same time, I was keeping an eye out for anything that could serve as prey for me. I still had no idea how long I could last on my reserves. Despite Cellestras story about tarantulas being able to survive without food for months, I wasnt intending to try it out on myself. Goddess knows that not everything about this body adhered to normal spider rules, so to say. The forest itself wasnt anything special. It was the same old story regarding plants and wildlife. At some point, Cellestra did call out for me to stop. When I did and asked if shed seen anything, she pointed towards a brush with odd speartip-shaped leaves that were unnaturally dark, and berries that were transparent, but deep red. Tea. She said with a single word. Oh, I let out as I walked closer so the elf could harvest some leaves, which shed put away in a small pouch that she carried on her belt. Also, these berries are delicious. Try some. I extended an arm to gather a few of the berries that were just inviting me to come and eat them. I knew that it was unwise to eat anything you came across, but my toxin resistance skill had eliminated any need for me to be careful. There was also the fact that Cellestra was literally stuffing her face with them, so I guessed Id be okay. I put a few of them in my mouth and found them to be as delicious as Cellestras face indicated. They were sweet and sour, but not too sour. They were also unlike anything Id ever tasted. I simply had nothing in my mind that I could compare it to. The experience was just odd. You like them? The elf asked with a wide smile on her face. I nodded. They are great. Good to hear, She said before turning her head to the linen bag in front of her. Shame they spoil so quickly. Otherwise, I would have taken a load with me. Cant be helped, I guess. Fortunately, tea doesnt spoil quite as fast. I reckon it would be a good idea to wait until we are out of this forest before drying those leaves, wouldnt it? Agreed, Cellestra said. And on that note, lets continue. I have plenty of the leaves and dont want to hold you up any longer. I nodded and continued running around trees, trying to find a way through this dense forest. 2.38 Trees & Tea I ran through the forest as quickly as I could. The motions I made while zig-zagging between trees caused Cellestra to hold on to my hairs tighter than usual. I slowed down as I saw the look in her eyes become a bit too focused. If you want me to slow down, just warn me. I I think Im okay. Just seeing trees come that close so fast is a bit scary. Alright. The offer still stands for whenever you want to take it. I continued at the same speed. It appeared that the elf on my back eventually got used to my maneuvers. I thought it was a matter of getting used to, at least. Eventually, trees became fewer as more space appeared between them, allowing me to pick up the pace a bit more. I hoped it signaled the end of the forest, but we had no such luck. Instead, some trees we saw had blue-barked trunks. The moment we saw them appear, I walked up to one of them out of sheer curiosity. I could see the same hint of wonder in the elfs eyes. What are those? I asked while slowly walking up to a tree. I have no idea. I havent seen anything like those before. I reached one of them and laid a hand on the blue bark, noticing that it wasnt even made of wood. Rather, it appeared to be some kind of crystal from a distance, but it still felt like the normal outer layer of a trunk. You havent read of anything like these? I asked, looking at the elf who reached out to touch the bark as well. She shook her head. Nothing that even comes close to it. I summoned a small icicle to strike the tree and discovered that the spell simply shattered upon hitting the weird tree. When I walked a bit further and repeated the spell on a normal tree to compare the effects, I found that it created at least a small dent. So, its at least stronger than normal wood, Cellestra said what I had just concluded from my little experiment. Thats interesting. Thats more than interesting. Id love to check out what happens to the wood after cutting one of these trees down, but I dont think Ill be in a position to carry wood in addition to everything we already have. If its only for that, you could just bring a small piece? The elf suggested. I could. Thing is, I dont want to linger around here for long. These trees feel unnatural to me. I see what you mean, Cellestra said. Lets keep going then. I nodded and waited until the elf had a good grip on my back again before continuing to run through the forest. For a while, the number of odd blue-barked trees increased, before eventually shrinking again. Near the end of the afternoon, all we saw was the more ordinary flora once more. I have the feeling that not all is said and done with those blue trees, Cellestra said as soon as the last one left vision. How do you know? I asked with a sly smile. Unfortunately, the purple-eyed elf wasnt in a position to see it. I think I know you well enough for that, Cellestra said, with a smile that rivaled mine. I have a feeling you were already concocting an idea of how to use that wood in a weapon. I thought you said you didnt know me well enough earlier? I joked and chuckled. Youre right, though. At the same time, it would probably be a pain to process that wood. Did you see my attack on it earlier? Not a scratch. The thing that bothers me, Cellestra said. Lets say it is usable in weapons and whatnot, how come we, or at least I, have never heard of it? You would think it has a high value and is known for its sturdiness. Why do you think I wanted to get out of there? I thought the exact same thing, so I figured we shouldnt stick around. That does not mean I dont plan on coming back here someday. Youre already planning all of this, arent you? A sly smile appeared on the elfs face. In a way yes. Much of it is going to depend on what exactly happens at the end of this trip. I cant see myself leaving my parents again so soon, but I am also not the type of person to just sit around. Heh, Cellestra let out. Yeah, Ive seen that. I mean, I continued in response to her statement. There will certainly be less hurry from my side now that all that is behind me. My blessing is still here, however, and I plan to use it. How so? Dungeons, primarily. There are bound to be plenty out there where I can pick up useful abilities. That is, if this world is at all similar to my old one. It is true that dungeons are plenty, but Im not a hundred percent sure how it works when it comes to delving into those that are visited by adventurers regularly. What do you mean? I asked, unsure what the elf was getting to. I mean, arent you afraid of adventurers attacking you? If we visit dungeons that are often raided for treasure, were bound to run into others. Youre right. There are probably a few people that I should be scared of. I guess its something we need to look into later. Im sure there are some people we can talk to that know more about these things. Cellestra nodded. Im sure well figure things out later. There will be a lot of figuring out in the future, for both of us, I guess, I said softly. Yeah, I suppose youre right, The elf concluded. After our conversation, I could see an opening beyond the furthest trees. I was about to call it a day as evening was almost upon us, but decided to keep on going in the hope that wed reached the end of the woods. A couple of minutes later, I was rewarded for my efforts when I stepped out in green plains once more. The terrain from here seemed to go downhill, and in the distance, I could clearly see a small village. It wasnt anything near as impressive as the two elven cities wed encountered. I could make out simple brick houses with something that looked like a smaller version of a temple in the center of the settlement. It was surrounded by a wooden palisade and a moat. A stream ran from west to east, that was if we were still heading north, but I didnt feel like we had strayed far from our course. Think we should see if we can talk to anyone there tomorrow? Cellestra asked. She was right in the fact that Id prefer not to approach the settlement with darkness setting in. Chances were that a giant spider lady in the evening would not leave the best of first impressions. It would be much better for my, and mostly their, health to visit them in the morning. Yeah, lets find out just how much we botched heading due north. Cellestra giggled softly as I walked up to an area that was relatively flat on the downhill-leading terrain to make up camp for the night. Once Id picked the spot, we started unloading. I created another flame before darkness covered the rest of the world as Cellestra started putting together some things for dinner. As she crouched next to the large brown bag and her own backpack which shed placed next to it, she handed her pouch of tea leaves to me. Lets see if we can speed up the natural process of drying leaves, I said as I took out some leaves. You didnt bring any cups with you, did you? Unfortunately not. The only thing I can drink from is my canteen. This might get more complicated than it should be, I let out as I tried to figure out a way to solve a couple of issues in my head. For instance, I had no plate or anything to lay the leaves on. In the end, I used some of the larger leaves that Cellestra had left over after unpacking the dried meat and making sure to get rid of the salt. I laid the leaves on top of them and summoned a small flame above it and a weak version of the wind gust spell, to heat and dry the tea without burning it. The elf had a great time watching me work if the look in her eyes was anything to go by. Just dont get them too hot, Cellestra suggested, causing me to lift the flame slightly higher. Youll have to tell me how its going. I have not tried anything like this before. Just like that is good, She said as she kept close watch. I smiled. I couldnt believe I was having a great time doing something like this. Something I would have considered stupid if I had never died. Cellestra smiled back. How I loved that cute smile of hers. I wished with all my heart that I could hold on to that smile forever. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patron psy88 Thanks so much for your support <3 2.39 Old Times… Faragi I wanted to get another chapter out because I have something I want to show at the end that I''m SUPER HYPED for. Not too much later we had a heap of dried, brittle tea leaves. Cellestra carefully collected them and put most of them in her pouch. She kept a few at the ready while she emptied the last bit of water from her canteen in the grass. At the same time, I created a slim stream of water from my index finger at my side, trying to see just how hot I could make this water. I found out that I couldnt get it too hot. It was quite warm, but it wasnt in the range where it could actually harm someone. This experiment, once more, proved my hypothesis that I could not use this minor magic casting as a weapon. It wasnt a real issue for us, though. Cellestra put a few of the leaves in her canteen and handed it to me. Because it was made of metal, I could simply summon a flame spell beneath it to heat it until it reached near-boiling temperature. I held the canteen with my pedipalps as they were pretty much unaffected by that much heat. Tea from a canteen, Cellestra mused. Rose would have killed me if Id ever done that. Well, I wont judge. I know. Youre pretty easy to get along with. How is it that you never had friends? Cellestras eyes were wide open, honest confusion visible in them. I shrugged. I dont know. I never cared for any of that. But why? Cellestra continued. I let out a deep sigh. I dont know, or at least, I didnt at the time. Looking back at it maybe I knew I would end up dead eventually? I mean, I had more or less accepted that as a very real possibility. I guess I didnt want to have any attachments for when that day arrived. Thats that sounds like a sad way to live, Cellestra said softly. My life, my old life, after my parents were brutally killed in front of my eyes, when I was going to be killed at first before those scoundrels decided to sell me as a slave instead, I paused for a second to catch my breath. When I thought I was rescued from that, only to end up in that damned orphanage, it felt like there would never be light in my life again. When I did ultimately die, I felt relieved, almost excited to finally leave that world and see my parents again. Cellestra shook her head while observing the canteen that I still held with my pedipalps. I had canceled the flame spell and waited for the tea and its container to cool down a bit. You know, I continued, I dont think it was so bad in the end. Strangely enough, everything did turn out well, didnt it? That sentence managed to put at least a small smile back on the elfs face. I suppose youre right. Because of what you did, you have a new life full of opportunity. I nodded. While its well, quite a bit different from what I was promised, Im okay with it. I extended an arm to feel the canteen and noted it was still scalding hot. Id be careful with that. I dont want you to burn yourself. I placed it down in the grass and turned my attention to Cellestra once more. Its fine. I usually allow my tea to steep a while anyway. Dont quite know how youll get the leaves out, though, I said with a chuckle. Its okay. Gives us time to talk. True, though you know Im pretty bad at it. So am I, Cellestra replied. But I think weve done fine so far. I guess so. So, Cellestra asked with a smile. Whats your favorite color? What? I asked, surprised by her question. Cellestras gaze made me realize she was serious about the question. I realized I had never given this any thought, Uhhh, was all I managed to produce. Let me guess, Cellestra said, a sly smile on her lips. You dont have one, do you? I nodded. Not surprised, The elf said suppressing a grin. Mine is green if you were curious. Plants and trees are what I consider to be the base for life. Thats a lovely way to think about it. If I had to pick a color, I guess... I paused for a few seconds. Please dont laugh. White? Cellestra suggested with a smile. I nodded. Because of my and my mothers hair. Ive always loved it and held my own dear, as the last reminder of her. Cellestras smile disappeared. Thats a sad, yet beautiful reason. I hope youll see her soon. So do I. I turned my head and looked in the direction of the village much further downhill and wondered how much they would be able, or even willing to tell me about Len Asari. I was preparing myself mentally for a journey that could take weeks, but I hoped it wouldnt take anywhere close to that long. I then turned my head back to her. Are you still having a hard time getting to know your body or are you just asking for me to ask why you even bother to turn your head? Its the last one, definitely. Ill admit I have definitely done it more often for that reason, I said. At least youre honest about it. I smiled as Cellestra reached out for the canteen to check its temperature. She was quick to withdraw her hand, but she then used the discarded leaves from the package as a pair of mittens to hold on to the canteen without burning her hands. So eager for tea, I commented at the situation. Tea is great, The elf replied. Do you want some as well? No thanks, Ill be fine. Cellestra had a hard time with the first sip. It would seem shed been a bit too optimistic about the brews temperature. I couldnt help but grin at the sight of her struggling with tea that was obviously still far too hot. Cellestra? I asked softly, causing the elf to turn her head and look at me with a serious expression on her face. I then shook my head. Nevermind. What is it? Dont be afraid to tell me. I closed my eyes for a second. I wanted to ask if youd be interested in fixing my hair again. When we talked about it earlier, it made me realize its gotten quite messy. The elf smiled. Yea, thats okay, on the condition that you also do mine. I want to know if washing and drying it with your warm air feels as good as I expect it to. I nodded. Sure. When were you planning on washing your hair, anyway? Cellestra asked. I was thinking sometime after leaving that village behind us. I really want to get my hands on some information first. The only issue is that I dont think Ill be able to help you with your hair on the way as easily. I can wait if thats an issue. I shook my head. Ill find time for it. Its only fair. Alright. Silence fell and Cellestra focused on her tea. When she finally managed to slowly sip, she did seem to enjoy it. I watched her with delight until shed fully finished it. She then took one of the pelts and sat down at my side, her head resting against my spider hair as she laid one of the wolf pelts over her frame to prepare for the night. You know, you really are the best pillow. I chuckled and cast the healing light spell on the elf as she closed her eyes. Thanks. I put myself in my sleeping position as well before I replied. No problem. And yes, I am the best pillow. Its astounding, even for myself just how comfortable this is. How do you even manage to lay down like that anyway? Cellestra asked, her eyes open and her head turned to my elven half. Thats a good question. Ive not thought about that before, but it does seem a bit odd doesnt it? It feels like I shouldnt be able to bend this far back, yet I dont have issues with it. It causes me no discomfort whatsoever. If I tried to bend that far back, Id break every bone in my body, Cellestra said before giggling and turning her head back. Fortunately for you, theres no reason for you to even try it. I suppose thats true, Cellestra said quietly. With my elven eyes closed, I allowed my hand to wander off to touch the elfs light brown hair. I petted her slowly but carefully. Do you mind that? I asked, knowing that she might not. I dont. Her words gave me some more confidence. I slowly ran my hand down through her hair as far as I could from this position. While it wasn''t quite at my spider hairs level, it was still soft to the touch. I felt my heartbeat rise in my chest and I quickly gave her one last pat before retracting my arm. It feels nice, I admitted. Thank you, Cellestra replied. Just dont mess around with it too much while Im asleep, okay? I could feel her chuckle softly after those words, putting a large smile on my face. I wouldnt dare. Besides, I wont be able to use this body while Im half-asleep, remember? True. Things went quiet again before I concluded this day. Good night, I said. Good night. Faragi So, thanks to my Patrons, I may have found an artist that''s willing to draw certain scenes from this novel that I''ll be able to add to certain chapters (Light Novel style) Below is a WIP piece that I couldn''t wait to share. She is still missing her ears, but this is a character reference drawing of Kealyna before her death. If you''d like to support the novel (or novels) as well, do check out the Patreon page. I hope to have more to show soon :D 2.40 Contact I mentally prepared myself for another long, boring night. Fully sleeping would make the time pass faster and would be preferable over this, but if I was in a position to do things like this, I would. Thats what I thought at least. Several long hours later, I could feel exhaustion start to set in. I imagined it was possible that staying half awake and half asleep for multiple days in a row wasnt exactly a solution. My spider brain obviously needed rest as well. A headache grew over the next couple of hours. Not even my healing light spell could alleviate the pain. I was secretly hoping Cellestra had something that would help against it, but I didnt want to wake her up. Besides that, I was doubting she had something that could help I was more than happy when the sun finally rose above the horizon. Although the pain remained, hopefully some social interaction would help to distract from it. I forcibly woke my elven half up as soon as Cellestra stirred. At least having my other brain awake removed some of the exhaustion on my spider one, but I still felt like I would need to get some proper rest soon. Morning, Cellestra let out while yawning. I groaned and wished her a good morning in return. Didnt sleep well? She asked. I didnt bother to raise my elven half from my back. I was far too comfortable and felt like I could just fall asleep again any second. I dont know if thats the case. I half slept like a rock, but I feel like Im slowly being drained by not fully sleeping. Sounds like you should have that then, tonight, Cellestra stated. Thank you, I said with an arm over my forehead. Ugh, this headache sucks, and the day hasnt even started yet. Which head? The elf asked. The one with eight eyes. Though, part of it has seeped into this one too. Do you have anything for that? Headaches? Cellestra asked. Not really Im afraid. She turned her head and ran a hand through my soft hair. You just need to get your sleep. I smiled at her words and soft petting. Unfortunate, I said as I raised myself. But Ive been in worse situations. Come, lets get ready and see if we can gather some info. By the way, Cellestra said as she rummaged through the large bag. Have you tried sleeping the other way around? I thought for a second before I got what she meant. She was talking about my elven half staying awake. I havent. Im not sure if I can do that. Guess I should try that someday. Not tonight, Cellestra said sternly. I dont want you exerting yourself. I chuckled softly. Thanks, Cellestra. The elf finished her breakfast. After a brief moment of loading our belongings back onto me, we were on our way towards the village. It wasnt too far, especially considering I could run at my faster speed once more. I couldnt help but look forward to what would come after I could already feel the elfs soft hair in my fingers. Did you bring shampoo? I asked out of the blue, not long before we would reach the outer perimeter of the village. I did. Are you looking forward to it that much? She asked, a surprised look on her face. I am, actually. Well then, She replied. Better not scare the farmers around here, though. You know there is very little I can do about that. I looked at the fields surrounding the village. Surprisingly, the fields around here didnt have corn in them, but instead smaller plants that I recognized as potatoes. It had been many years since Id seen those, but I didnt think I would be able to forget as the farmer that had fields next to ours farmed that specific crop. I didnt see any people tending the farms. In fact, I didnt see anyone outside the settlement. It looks like there is nobody to scare in the first place. Maybe thats for the better. As I approached the wooden palisade, I could see two guards standing on either side of a road that led inside. As I had expected, they pulled their swords from their scabbards. I instantly stopped and held up my hands. What brings you here, monster? One of them said with a deep, male voice in the human language. He appeared to be a rough type. It was made clear from both his appearance and the way he spoke. He wore simple mail armor and plate grieves. His arms were left bare and showed a thick layer of hair on them. Easy there, The second guard spoke. She wore the same armor type, which wasnt anywhere near what I was used to, but for a small village like this, I imagined it would be enough to keep the populace under control. I reckoned the most dangerous person out here would perhaps be a random person with a dagger. Thats a bit unnecessary now, isnt it? The female guard was clearly the more civilized person here. Have you even looked at that? The male guard said before spitting in my direction. His spit didnt get anywhere close, but it did tell me a thing or two about him. So? Who cares? She doesnt seem to be hostile. She shook her head. Sorry for my companion, She said as she turned her head towards me. Please state your intentions. She still held her sword in her hand, but didnt seem to be eager to use it. If anything, it seemed to be meant as a deterrent. Were just here for directions. Do you know how we can get to Len Asari? Len Asari? She asked. Im afraid you still got a journey ahead of you then. Youre not thinking about actually helping her, are you? The male asked. Oh, shush you. She turned to us once more and took a good look at both me, and then Cellestra who was leaning to the side. Len Asari is that way, She said, using her sword to point into the same direction wed been heading. It seemed we had kept a straight course, which was a relief. Also, I would suggest staying out of town. Elves arent exactly welcome here, let alone an elf that looks like you. Her words were harsh, but she was at least honest about things. Yeah, I get that, I said before sighing. We wont set a foot in here. Thanks for the help. Good luck, She said while sheathing her sword and watching as we walked around the village, keeping a good distance from the walls. After we left the two guards behind, I looked at the sky with my elven eyes and sighed. It seems what you told me about elves and humans is true. That wasnt exactly a warm welcome. We were lucky there. It seemed the other guard was ready to attack you. That would have been foolish, I said. Im sure I could have him without breaking a sweat. As am I, but you know how rumors go. Before you know it, youre branded as someone who mercilessly attacked a human guard. Goddess knows what happens after that. Youre right, I concluded. Im impressed we stayed on the correct course, Cellestra said, after I started running again. I wanted to create distance between us and that village. Yeah, Im quite happy about that myself. I was never good with orientation, so this is a surprise for me. Its still quite a ways out, apparently, though. Cellestra repeated the humans words. I shrugged. I dont think we should be surprised at this point. Maybe I should have asked how far it was, though I seem to keep forgetting about it. Does it really matter? Maybe its better that we dont know. Youre pushing yourself as it is. You cant do more than that, Cellestra said. Maybe youre right. And Im having a hard time getting you to take things a bit easy. Speaking of taking things easy, when did you want me to do your hair?" I wanted to do it after visiting that village, but I dont know. I think that little interaction has soured my mood. Its okay, The elf said. We can do it later. Cellestra reached into her backpack and I saw her pull out a comb. I can still fix most of your hair in the meantime if youd like. Her words put a smile back on my face, and I leaned my body back slightly so she could access my hair better, seeing as there were some items separating us both. Sounds like a great idea. Just be careful getting the braids out. No worries, Cellestra reassured me. Ill be gentle. Id hate to ruin your hair. I had to admit, I looked ridiculous when I walked in this manner with my elven torso leaning backwards. I couldnt help but smile at the situation I found myself in with the elf carefully removing the braids from my long hair. Faragi PS: Don''t forget to check the new artwork on the previous chapter :D 2.41 Quality Time I winced a couple of times as Cellestra worked her comb through my hair. I loved having long hair, but maintaining it, or rather, the pain that it could bring at moments like these were not a great thing to experience. Im sorry if Im hurting you, Cellestra spoke softly in reaction to one of my many winces. Its okay. Ill get through it. I know youre not doing it on purpose. Or am I? Cellestra said with a sly smile. You know I can still see you right? I said. I could see that evil smile on her face with the eyes in the back of my spider head all too clearly. I know you wouldnt hurt me, but that smile of yours just tells me everything I need to know. I referred to her joke. I cant hide anything from you, can I? She continued, still smiling, but in much less of an evil manner. Only if you do it behind my back. Quite literally. Not hard to hide behind your back, to be fair. Damn, Cellestra. That hurts, I said before grinning. Awww, poor Kealyna, She cooed. Our little interactions like these were a wonderful drug. This elf had laid bare things within me that I would have never known about. I never would have known I could fall in love either Im so jealous, Cellestra let out after a while of combing my hair. Because of my vision, or...? I asked, not quite sure what she was referring to. No. Your hair. Didnt I tell you before? Its so soft and still so strong. Are you sure you dont have some kind of ability for it? I chuckled. Not that I know of. Its always been like that. However, Im not used to having it this long, you know? Armor and stuff. Doesnt really fit well in helmets, does it? Knowing you, you probably had, like, a full steel helmet that barely left anything of your face uncovered. Pretty much, yeah. Cellestra pulled my head a bit lower and used her comb to scratch the roots of my hair. I instinctively closed my eyes out of pure bliss at the feeling of my skin being scratched like that. I could hear and see Cellestra grin softly as she continued doing it for a few seconds. Seems youre enjoying that, She let out before stopping. Please continue, I begged her. Fine then, Cellestra said with a smile before continuing to scratch an itch that I didnt know I had. I was still walking through the green plains ahead of us, albeit slightly slower than before. I didnt want Cellestra to accidentally hurt me. I mean, I knew I could live with whatever she could do, but it was more of a I dont want her to feel bad about it matter. Could she even hurt me, physically? She ran the comb down my hair a few more times before notifying me she was all done and ready. I decided to keep running for a while longer. It was a few hours into the afternoon now. Just untangling my hair had taken surprisingly long. I figured I could keep on going just a little bit longer and we would still have traveled a good distance today. We would then have time to wash our hair and I could get some full sleep in preparation for the next day. When I had had enough, I decided to slowly come to a halt, and laid my spider body down on the grass, allowing all my limbs to fully relax. Good, Cellestra let out. I was about to force you to stop. Youre overexerting once again. Ill be fine. Yeah, until youre not, Cellestra said sternly. You should really take things a bit easier sometimes. I dont want you to drive yourself to an early death again. I had no reply to that. I merely nodded as the elf dismounted and placed her backpack on the grass. I removed the other items from my back and carefully put everything together while Cellestra was going through her backpack, presumably for her shampoo. I was right in assuming just that. In just a moment, she pulled out the glass bottle with the green liquid inside. A wide smile was visible on Cellestras face as she walked up next to me. She then eyed me from head down to fangs? Nevertheless, her smile helped me relax as it always did. Uhm, She let out, clearly hesitating. How do we do this? Should I just sit behind you? Do you mind getting yourself wet? I see no issue. I can always dry myself anyway. Just be careful not to get it in my eyes, I said with a bit of a grin at the end. Thats gonna be hard when you have that many, Cellestra replied, grinning as well. The elf climbed back on top of me, on top of my spider head behind my elven torso. In the meantime, I bent over forward and pulled all my freshly brushed hair in front of me, and cast the spell where many small streams of water would emerge from my hand. Warm water washed over my head and hair. The feeling of something like this was as refreshing as it was alien. Id never experienced anything like this when washing myself. It was simply amazing. I felt myself relaxing even further as the water flowed through my hair. When I was confident it was wet enough, I carefully straightened myself back up into Cellestras waiting hands. Shed already put the shampoo in her hands and rubbed the cold mixture into my hair before I knew it. I was caught a bit off guard by her getting to things so quickly, but the scent of flowers quickly made me relax again. I chuckled as Cellestra had to take the bottle again which shed placed behind my head. Told you its a lot, I let out. I know, but dont worry about it. Im worrying about you running out of shampoo at this point, I admitted. Its whatever. I have more than enough for the both of us, and its your time to be spoiled. Thanks, I said with a wide smile. Although, its going to be, sort of, your turn to be spoiled soon. And you ruined the moment, Cellestra said with a giggle. You dont want to feel special, do you? Im special enough now, am I not? I said as I raised my rearmost two legs and poked Cellestra in the back with them. I mean, I guess, The elf said, dumbfoundedly. But no worries, Ill let you have your fun before I have mine. As Id predicted, some of the water dropped onto my lower head, between Cellestra and me. I had to admire the elf for doing a good job of keeping her own clothes dry. It took a while to finish, but eventually, all my elven hair was all soapy and scented. After Cellestra finished, she hopped off of my back and started taking off some clothes. I tried to look away, but it was futile. I had too many eyes that couldnt be closed. The elf didnt strip down all the way, but rather only removed her upper clothes, except for her bra. I couldnt help but blush slightly. How could she do that when she knew I had feelings for her? Didnt want to get those wet, Cellestra simply shook it off as she tossed her clothes to the side. She sat down on the grass before me before turning around to look at me. Are you okay? I quickly nodded. Im fine. I just wasnt expecting that. Oh She let out. But youve seen me with fewer clothes on. I didnt expect you to be fazed by it. I shouldnt be, but that was before I knew I shook my head. Whatever. Aw, Im sorry, Kealyna, The elf let out as she took her hair and spread it across her back. I took in a deep breath and lowered myself as much as I could which turned out to be not as far as I wanted. Even with my spider head as low as I could bring it and my fangs spread open to allow me to lower it even further, Cellestras head was still barely above my chest, hindering me. In the end, I had to move slightly backward and then bend my body forward to allow proper access. Cellestra pretty much did the same as I did and tilted her head back while her arms supported her body at the sides. After she closed her eyes, I used my spell to summon water and rinse her brown hair. Hmmm, Cellestra let out in pure bliss. This is as wonderful as Id expected. In fact, its even better than that. I was glad she had her eyes closed. The feeling of running my fingers through her hair was as wonderful as Id expected. While allowing water to flow onto her head and hair, I used my legs to grab the comb and the bottle of shampoo from beside me. I then proceeded to carefully remove the tangles from the elfs hair, which had gotten just as messy as mine. I used my fingers at first, and the comb later on. I went about it as meticulously as I could, but I didnt like doing it for the simple reason that it could cause pain. Nevertheless, it had to be done. When that particular part was out of the way, I applied the shampoo in the same manner as Cellestra had done to me. At least you dont have so many eyes I need to care about, I said in a playful manner, breaking the silence. Heh, funny. Cellestra let out one of her soft giggles. I grinned. No, but in all seriousness. I never knew something so simple could help me relax as much as I did, especially when we still have such a long way ahead of us. Thats a good thing, isnt it? Cellestra asked. Rose told me its important to take some time to unwind from things every now and then. She said clearing ones mind can be helpful for the spirit and allow one to focus better on the task at hand. I dont know how much of it is true, but I felt like you needed it. Maybe I did. A wise teacher, that woman. I couldnt believe that Id said something nice about a human, but Cellestra had already shown me that not all of them were as bad as I believed them to be. I would trust her when she said that Rose was a good person. Yeah, Cellestra affirmed softly. She was. A minute of silence followed her words before she spoke again, with renewed energy. I think you can rinse out the shampoo right about now. I did as she suggested and tilted my head to the side and then forward, allowing my hair to fall down in front of my large spider eyes while I rinsed it with plenty of water to get all the soap out. After doing so, I felt refreshed as I touched the result. Pretty good isnt it? Cellestra mused. It is. I had a hard time finding words, but I hoped I conveyed enough with the large, involuntary smile that had appeared on my face. I waited some more time before also finishing up by rinsing the elfs gorgeous hair. I then summoned the warm air to dry both of us at the same time. Doing so didnt appear to be an issue. I swear you could make good money doing this, Cellestra said while I worked. By the goddess, I would pay for this. And Im doing it for free. Lucky you. Im quite lucky alright, She said warmly. How are you feeling after all that? Honestly? I feel amazing. Thank you for your suggestion. And now for my next suggestion, Im going to have you sleep. Properly. I looked up to where the sun was and noticed that it was somewhere in the late afternoon. Evening was still a while away, but I imagined it might be a good idea to do as she said. Alright. Do wake me up if anything happens. Will do. You just make sure to get your rest. For a moment I was left wondering just how long I would be asleep and how long Cellestra could stay awake for, but seeing as it was still so early, I should wake up somewhere at night to take over. I looked at Cellestra, who was still sitting in the grass before me, one last time before laying myself on top of my body. I could feel some of my spider hair had gotten wet from all that, but couldnt be bothered to dry it at this point. Good night, Cellestra, I spoke as I closed my eyes. Cellestra chuckled before speaking. Good night. Faragi A bit of rest and relaxation. In the next 2 chapters, we''ll have some action :) Special shoutout to my new patrons <3 Thanks a lot for your support <3 Alleyte Rory Jelliot 2.42 Light Darkness was all around me, but a light was burning before me. Behind that light sat Cellestra. It was sometime during the night, and the elf was still sitting between my chelicerae in front of me, fully clothed again. Her illumination spell lit up the surroundings, which were otherwise not as dark as Id expected. The full moon was bright tonight. It seemed my spider half was the first to awaken. I felt completely revitalized and my headache had disappeared. I moved my legs to wake up my still sleeping elven half when I saw Cellestra stir. Morning, or I guess I should say night, Kealyna. How are you feeling? I couldnt immediately answer the question as I had yet to have sensations return to the part that could actually speak, but soon enough Id managed to do so and was able to reply. I feel good, great even. It seemed that was just what I needed. Good to hear. Things have been quiet, I assume? Cellestra nodded. Other than your snoring, it has been quiet, yes. Thats a load of crap. I dont snore. And I do know, because I have heard myself sleep. Well, damn, Cellestra let out playfully. I grinned at her joke as I raised myself to look down at the elfs head. As I did so, she looked up and met my eyes. I couldnt help but stare into hers while looking for my words. You want to get some sleep yourself, now? I asked after an awkward silence. Yeah. If youre ready to keep watch again, I should go to sleep. Ill be fine, I assured the elf. Actually What is it? I was thinking we could set out again already. I think you should be able to sleep on my back, yes? By the goddess, Cellestra said, shaking her head. I could see there was a bit of a smile still on her face. Youre something else, you know that? What do you mean by that? Nevermind. If youre so eager to get going, I think we should be able to do that without too many issues. Cellestra stood up and picked up her backpack. She was about to put it on her back when I suggested that I strap it on top of my spider head instead, so she would be able to sleep more comfortably. Id like to see how you arranged all this in that head of yours, The elf said. I didnt. Im making this up on the fly. Well then. You tell me how you want me to sleep. Uhm, I started as I tried to find a way out. I was thinking I could stack everything behind me, make sure its fastened, and then you could maybe use my back as a pillow? Cellestra covered her face with her palm. The ideas you come up with... Cellestra sighed but smiled slightly as she rummaged through her backpack and partially pulled out the shirt Id made and looked at it while reaching for her canteen before putting the shirt back. You know She said softly. Im looking forward to seeing you make more of these. Ill work on another one once its light out. For now, lets get this stuff ready for transport. Cellestra nodded, took some sips of water, and went to work. We placed everything we had on my head behind my elven torso and I made sure to secure it with threads. Then the elf stepped on and laid her stomach flat on my back, her head just touching where my spider head started. Maybe this isnt so bad, She said as she used her hands to rearrange my hair so shed be comfortable in it. Wasnt it you who said I was the best pillow? I asked slyly. True... Cellestra said softly. You better make sure I dont fall off. Dont worry. Im keeping a close eye on you. I grinned softly after my statement as Cellestra looked into one of my spider eyes at the back of my head. I suppose thats true, She said. Good night, and be careful. Good night, and will do. It didnt take long for the elf to start sleeping soundly. I imagined she was more tired than she had appeared to be. Either way, she got the rest she needed and we still made good headway with regards to getting to our destination. I did think it would be a smart idea for my elven half to relax as much as possible if I was going to be traveling for more than usual. I had no doubt I would be okay after getting a night of good, full sleep, but I also didnt want to have to repeat that within a day because I was getting ahead of myself. Unfortunately, because of the items behind me, I wouldnt be able to lay myself down and try to sleep, so I opted into leaning over forward where I supported my frame with my pedipalps while trying to focus purely on my lower half. It was awkward to do, and see, but after walking and relaxing for a while, I felt sensation leave my upper body as it slowly fell back asleep. The fact that I was even able to, was surprising in itself, but I wouldnt question it. I was expecting the night to be boring as usual, but after a few hours of traveling in semi-darkness, I saw light on the horizon, right where I was headed. What was odd was that it couldnt be the sun, as we were clearly still headed north. I picked up the pace slightly and within the next few minutes, I confirmed the vague suspicion I''d had from the moment I saw the light. I was confident I was looking at fire in the distance. My eyes registered the colors flickering all the way from here. I was drawn towards it by an unnatural force, or maybe it was my drive as a knight. Where there was fire, there could be people in danger. There was no reason for me to change course as I had to go in the same direction anyway. I might as well find out what was going on here and what had caused all this. Hopefully, it was merely a forest fire, but I saw no reason for a random forest fire to happen at night unless we were looking at arson. I decided I would give Cellestra some more time before I would wake her. My current goal was far out, but as time passed, I was growing more confident that I had made the correct judgment. I could now make out a bright orange glow around my target. I could also see that there was no forest in sight. If that was the case, it could only mean that a building, probably a large one, perhaps more than one, was set ablaze. I picked up the speed as fast as I could while carefully poking the elf awake with one of my legs. At the same time, I made sure to wake myself up as well. Cellestra groaned as she was pulled out of her slumber. Its still dark. Whats going on? She said. Look ahead. Ugh, She let out as she rubbed her eyes while I simply kept running. Once she was somewhat awake, she leaned to the right to see what was going on before me. Is that, She started before she rubbed her eyes again to look better. Fire? Looks like it. Im heading there now. Not surprised. How big is the detour? Will you still know what way to go after? Theres no detour, I said. Its literally in our path. In the meantime, I got a clearer idea of what was going on. Thanks to the moonlight, I could make out stone walls beyond what was on fire. If I were to guess, it was the storage building of a farm that was currently burning. It would certainly fit with the size of the inferno. When I got closer, I could see figures on horseback occupying the grass around the building. They held torches in their hands, which gave me the idea that they werent here to help. I sighed as I knew what this meant. Looks like arson to me. I looked around to see some figures standing near the gate to this settlement. It was clear that they wanted to come closer, but they didnt seem to be able to for whatever reason. If anything, it added to my suspicion. I ran towards the presumed bandits and when I was close enough to make my voice heard, I shouted. This your work? I asked loudly. I decided to try asking in the human language first as the most recent settlement wed passed was a human town. One of them turned to me and spoke with words that made him seem either really foolish or brave. That, or maybe he couldnt see what I was. Whatcha gonna do about it? An arrogant voice, that evoked a deep hatred within me, spoke out. I balled a fist as I took a small moment to phrase my anger as best I could with this far too soft of a voice. I cast my barrier spell before speaking. I think Ill start by killing you all. 2.43 Fire I started casting a fireball and an elemental blast at the same time. Anger took over every emotion within me and I didnt bother to hold back. As the fireball grew in size before me, the face of the human on horseback grew pale. It was then I knew for certain he had spoken without getting a good look at what I was. Unfortunately for him, his shock was not to last long, as both of my spells hit him in the chest, knocking him off his horse as the elemental blast spell exploded. You have killed a Human Raider: No experience was awarded. No shit, Elysa, I said softly in reaction to the blue square before me. At least the message had given me confirmation that these people were the scum I expected them to be, meaning going all out was justified in my eyes. I quickly disregarded the message as the horse the human had been riding, reared up and started running out of what I assumed was pure fear. I stopped its movements by firing a quick paralytic venom bolt that, after a few seconds, slowed the horse down, and eventually forced it to collapse in the field not too far out. Within those few seconds, the bandits that still remained directed their horses to flee the scene. I was faster. Id fired a flurry of venom bolts to paralyze the horses. From there on out, the rest was childs play. Ice lances flew left and right, as did elemental blasts as I chased down the remaining raiders who were screaming as they ran for their lives. Cellestra held on to me as tight as she could while I chased them down and finished them off. The other messages that popped up before me were ignored and filtered out. The bit where it said they were all bandits was relieving, but that was all I needed to know. I finished off the last bandit by summoning two smaller earthen spikes that impaled his feet and immobilized him, causing him to scream in terror, and then firing an ice lance through his heart. After that, I immediately turned my attention to the burning building. Are there any people still inside? I yelled to the townsfolk who had observed the skirmish in the human language. When I didnt receive an immediate answer, I asked the question again, even louder than before. I was about to ask again, in the elven language before somebody replied. None. Came an answer. That was a relief to know. Nonetheless, I walked closer to the sea of flames where I felt the effects of the intense heat all too clearly. Are you okay? I asked Cellestra, who was still holding on to me behind me. If the heat is too much, tell me. Ill try to save what can be saved if I can get my spell to work that is. Ill be okay. I nodded and tried casting the water summoning spell, except I used far more mana than I otherwise would. I wanted to see just how much I could summon at once and how far I could reach. A jet of water erupted from my hand, summoning large amounts of water, but at an extreme mana cost. I knew I couldnt keep this spell up for long. I guessed a minute or so would be enough to completely drain my reserves. The spell was utterly useless. The stream of water only reached about three, maybe four yards away. It was nowhere near enough to reach the flames. I had to concede that I could simply not get close enough to do anything in this situation. Even if I could, it would only do very little. I was glad to know that there were no people left inside. I would have probably cursed at myself for being so useless in this situation. It made me wonder if there was some kind of spell out there that I could learn. Being able to extinguish fires would never be a bad thing in my book. I walked away from the fire and turned to the carnage that was left after the short battle. I counted nine bodies of deceased humans. I left them in the grass as I shifted my attention to the horses who had suffered minor injuries due to the paralytic venom bolt spell. I had already planned for this and would heal every single one of these noble creatures with my healing light spell. Why did you do that? Cellestra asked. Paralyzing them, I mean. Two reasons, I stated as I continued healing a horse beneath me. At the same time, I was trying to calm it down by softly stroking its head. It seemed that my soft voice and gentle hand movements had the desired effect as they stopped struggling to get up and instead allowed me to pet them without issues. First, I didnt want to hit them by accident. The first of my kills was impossible to miss, but when they started running I wasnt going to risk it. And the second? I have no idea who owns these creatures. They should still be unable to move for a while in which we can figure out with the locals what to do with them. If they choose to let them roam free, thats fine too. The building groaned. Seconds later, the wood gave out and the entire storage building collapsed into a burning pile of wood. Sparks and dust were sent everywhere in the process and a wave of heat was sent in our direction. The horse beneath me reacted to it in fear, but I was quick to soothe it back into relaxation with my healing spell and hands. You know Cellestra said softly. You really are good with horses. I cant believe its so calm at the sight of you. Yeah. Although, I dont know how much of that is the paralytic effect. I patted the horses side twice before moving over to the next to heal its wounds and calm it down, when one of the villagers walked up to me. He was a short man, with a small beard and a groomed mustache. I could see that he was well dressed too. He wore a tailored black suit and held a wooden staff with some kind of silver orb on top. He clearly was a figure of importance. Greetings, He spoke, a bit shaky, but confident nonetheless. Im the mayor of this town. Ive come to thank you He seemed to be looking for his words. I dont know what to call you He admitted. I smiled at him. Kealyna. You can just call me Kealyna. Behind me is Cellestra, my traveling companion. Were headed to Len Asari and saw a bright light in the distance and decided to investigate. I cant be thankful enough that you did. These brigands have been bothering us for long enough. You couldnt do anything against them? I asked, without even thinking twice. The mayor shook his head. We possess no cavalry. They would just raid farms and take their riches before hightailing it out of there before the guards would even get anywhere close. That sounds harsh. They have never been brazen enough to commit arson, though. Hopefully, when word gets out, we will finally be sent some reinforcements for the future. Well, I said as I slowly petted the horse I had healed. Seems you got nine fine horses to work with as well. After I finish healing them that is. I The short man, who barely reached my chest, even when I was seated like this, let out. I dont know what to say. No need to say anything, I said warmly. As a knight well, former knight, it was my duty to help out. Knight? He asked, confused. Long story. Something involving Elysa personally. I see I went to the next horse and noticed the first one Id hit was starting to move slightly again. Do you have anyone that can take care of these creatures? I asked. We most certainly do. I think the family who owns this place would love to take care of them after their most recent loss. Then, when we have some of the guards trained into riding horseback, Id happily buy them with the next round of taxes. The man before me, even though he was a human, struck me as an exceptional person. The selflessness in his proposal was one of a kind. In fact, I didnt think Id ever seen it before. He was in a position to keep the horses for himself, yet he would rather give them away to a family that needed them and then later, buy them. I was at a loss for words. Thats very noble of you, I finally managed to say. How are they doing anyway. The people that own this place? They are coping. The one piece of good news is that the warehouse was pretty much empty, save for stocked-up hay. Replacing that isnt the worst thing. I nodded. Thats true. Is there anything we can do to thank you for your actions? He asked. Im not actually sure. We didnt plan to stay here for long, but Ill try to think of something while I take care of the horses. Please do. Id hate to have a debt unpaid. I was starting to like this mayor more and more. The names Muck, by the way. Muck Presley. Nice to meet you, Muck, I said with a smile. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons <3 Samantha Yeuromain Thanks a lot for your support <3 2.44 Rewards The small human continued to surprise me when he knelt down next to one of the horses that seemed to have some sort of panic attack when it found out it couldnt do much besides moving its head, which was exactly what it was doing a lot. I moved to the next, but his actions did not go unnoticed. Perhaps he was one of those miraculous humans that I knew had to exist. I also had to commend his bravery. He was the only one that got close to me and Cellestra. The other townsfolk stayed at a distance, eying me warily. Although, most of their focus seemed to be on the fire that was still raging on. We could at least ask how far Len Asari is, Cellestra suggested. Ive already noted that down in my mind, yes. Im thinking what else would be reasonable to ask. A weapon? She said. Thats not a bad idea. Ill ask that, I think. Is there anything you want to ask for? I guess a cup or two wouldnt be excessive to ask, would it? You and your tea, I said, smiling while shaking my head. But yeah, that would be useful. We still have plenty of food left, so that shouldnt be an issue. Well find some town by the time we need to restock, Cellestra continued. I kinda dont want to ask too much, either. Same here, but I think this is reasonable. The brunette nodded as I continued healing the horses, who, shortly afterward, started to regain their strength as my venoms effect expired. We calmed them down where necessary. Soon enough, we had nine healthy horses. I cupped my hands and held them up as I filled them with water to give the animals something to drink. I imagined that the heat of the fire must have had an effect on their hydration. Muck stood and watched as the equines drank, admiration on his face. When I finished, the towns mayor stepped forward. Have you been able to think of anything I can offer to repay you? He asked politely as he approached. We have. Wed like two cups to drink from. In addition, Id like to know if its possible to get a weapon for me, ideally a halberd with a crescent blade facing outward. Also, wed like to know how far Len Asari is. Thats Muck seemed to wonder for a bit. Not at all much to ask for. Are you sure you wouldnt like anything else? Were content with this. As I said, were just traveling through here. Ill arrange the items you asked for. Are steel cups okay? He asked. I turned to look at Cellestra behind me who nodded. I knew shed prefer glass but steel would be a lot sturdier for travel. Thats fine, I conveyed her message. In that case, if youll excuse me. Muck bowed slightly and walked towards the onlookers where he talked to a few of them. What a nice person, Cellestra said. I dont recall ever meeting anyone quite like that, human nor elf. Im impressed, to say the least. Well, you did remove what seemed to be an obvious nuisance a threat rather, to this village. I can imagine him being a bit too nice, maybe. I dont think hes faking his appreciation, I said. Have you seen how he treats the horses? I have. I believe a lot of a persons personality can be understood by seeing how they treat animals. I want to believe that thats true, I said as Muck returned to the two of us. The items will be delivered here in a few minutes. Allow me to elaborate on your third request. He cleared his throat and coughed once before speaking. Youve been heading in the right direction so far. Len Asari is due north and about two weeks out on horseback if you head in that direction. However That didnt sound good. Not too far from here, youll cross the borders to troll territory. While you can avoid most of their villages, there is one you cannot avoid. Its next to a chokepoint in the landscape where you have to pass through a valley. They arent a hospitable race, far from it. Ive heard bad things from traders who had to pass through, where they were required to pay exorbitant taxes or just straight-up had goods taken from them instead. I dont know if you have anything to trade in order to pass their checkpoint. If you dont youll either have to fight your way through, or go all the way around, which will definitely prolong your journey. After that, its fairly easy and straightforward until the border. Straight through trolls it is, I said, determined. Im not sure if I should be surprised. The way you handled these banditsMuck looked at one of the corpsesWas something else. Trolls are far tougher, though. Are you sure youll be okay? Thanks for your concern, I smiled. But I think we will be fine. Id like to avoid adding unnecessary length to our journey. Understandable. After his words, silence fell and my attention shifted to the burning building once more. Not much of it was left but a pile of burning wood and rubble. It would take some time to fully burn out, but fortunately, no other buildings were close or things could have ended in a catastrophe. In the distance to the east, I could see a hint of light appear over the horizon, indicating that dawn had finally arrived. Trolls, huh? Cellestra let out quietly. Ive never actually seen one. I have, I said. They are large creatures with greenish-blue skin. Their strength is unmatched, so well have to be careful. I havent had to deal with them much, though. I see. Its never a good idea to mess with trolls, Muck added before he turned to some commotion happening in the crowd that had shrunk considerably over time. I believe your items are here. I could see someone in the small crowd holding up a halberd just like Id asked for. Muck walked over to them and soon returned with two steel cups and a large halberd that ignited a certain spark within me. As promised, for your efforts. He handed over the cups first, which I almost threw at Cellestra as my eyes were fixed on the steel blade of the weapon before me. My hands itched and I had to restrain myself to not yank it from his hands when he planted the pole in the grass before me, handing the halberd to me. I couldnt help but stare Cellestra giggled behind me as she poked my back with a finger. Pst, Kealyna, She whispered. I snapped out of my stupor and looked at a confused human before. I cursed at myself in my mind. Sorry, I was daydreaming. Muck smiled. No harm in that. Is there anything else I can do for you ladies? I heard Cellestra suppress a grin behind me while I was thinking. I dont think there is. Thank you, Mister Presley. Just call me Muck. If youre ever near Millhome again dont hesitate to visit. Just be polite and mention my name if the guards decide to be a pain. Millhome, Ill make sure to remember that name. Although I dont know when well come through here again, well stop by. If that is all, I wont hold you up any longer, Muck said before taking a deep bow and planting his staff firmly in the grass. Safe travels, and may you get to your destination safely. I bowed in response to this extraordinarily polite human and couldnt help but smile. Thank you for your hospitality. I hope youll be able to help those who lost today. I waved at him with my pedipalps, causing him to look in confusion before he understood what it was, and waved back. Cellestra waved as well as we continued our journey north. As soon as we had left Muck behind, my eyes went back to the weapon which I now carried with just one hand. As far as I could tell, I wasnt supposed to be able to lift it with such ease. My blessing had given me considerably more strength than I had had as an elf. Finally, Cellestra let out. It seems your cravings have been satisfied as well. You have no idea how much Ive missed this feeling. I can see that. I took the pole with both hands and thrust the tip forward, stabbing the air before me. I found that thanks to my added strength, the weapon was extremely easy to handle. This is great, I said. This, in combination with my imbue elements spell will be devastating, which is nice, as I heard trolls can be trouble. Im happy youre happy, Cellestra said. Im afraid Ill have to put the tailoring on hold for a bit as I play with my new toy, I said before chuckling. I hope you dont mind. You go and have fun, Cellestra replied. This is probably more important than clothes anyway. Ill work on that a bit later. We could also try to teach you some more spells. Im fine with anything, Cellestra said warmly. Also, is this where I can joke about you being cavalry now? I grinned at her comment. Yeah. I suppose it is. 2.45 Excitement Pretty strong cavalry too. I followed up on Cellestras remark after swinging my weapon left and right a couple of times. The force behind these blows is astounding. Cellestra giggled. Im glad youre happy. I chuckled. I am fairly confident in my footwork too. I came to a halt and thrust the tip of my new weapon forward a couple of times while moving from left to right and then to the back and front. Cellestras giggle grew to full-blown laughter. Was that a bad joke? I asked, smiling. No, Cellestra let out while laughing. I just cant get over the fact that whenever youre excited, your ears twitch like crazy. What? I bent over forward to view my own face and ears with my spider eyes but didnt notice anything out of the ordinary. Its already stopped, Cellestra explained. But believe me, this isnt the first time it happened. I continued to look at my face while lost in thought. Are you serious? Cellestra nodded. I never knew about that, I said softly. You said I do that more? Yes, Cellestra said, smiling widely. Although this was probably the most Ive seen them move. Im sorry. I couldnt help but laugh. How do they move? I asked out of curiosity. Like this, The elf said as she took her own long ears in her hands and started moving the tips inward and outward. The more excited you are, the more they move. You gotta be kidding me. Nope, Cellestra said with a chuckle. I shook my head and thought about how funny this must have looked and I never knew about it. I think it looks adorable. I was immediately silenced by that comment. I decided to ignore it and move on while practicing my halberd, but the words resonated through my head as I went, leeching my focus. I was overjoyed to think that she thought it looked adorable. I let out a deep sigh and tried to focus on my weapon again as I ran through the fields. I noticed the grass become dryer and turn slightly less green, slightly more yellow. I wondered if that was due to a lack of rainfall. A look at the sky told me that there was no sign of rain in the near future; there was not a single cloud in sight. That made me wonder. If it did rain, how would we stay dry? Are you okay? Cellestra asked. Youre so quiet all of a sudden. Im okay. You caught me by surprise earlier, I admitted honestly. The adorable part? She asked. I nodded. Its because you know Oh, The elf let out. Im sorry if that made you feel awkward. It makes me feel great, I said quickly. Thats the thing. I sighed. Im sorry, Cellestra said softly as she looked down to my cephalothorax and slowly moved her hand through my hair. That must be harsh. It is, I think, but you dont have to feel sorry about it. Its my problem, not yours. Still, Cellestra said. I cursed in my mind for having her apologize over nothing. I looked for a way to cheer her up when something popped up in my mind. You know, I said. You havent braided my hair again after washing it. Would you like to? Sure, The elf said with a small smile. Almost immediately she tried fishing out the comb from her backpack with the necessary difficulties. I chuckled at her struggles while I went back to testing my polearm. Thrusting and swinging a weapon as heavy as this with such ease made me feel more powerful than Id ever been, even if that wasnt necessarily the case. I was so fixated on trying to understand how to use the weapon that I could almost forget that I had a wide arrangement of spells and abilities to help me out in combat. Still, knowing how to hold my own in physical combat would always have value. I knew the feeling of being powerless, and I never wanted to feel like that again. If I ever ran out of mana in a fight or couldnt cast spells for whatever reason, I wanted to have something to fall back to. That made me think about our next possible opponent. Cellestra was already combing my hair gently when I spoke. Youve never had the misfortune of running into trolls? I havent, The elf said. You have, you said. Think youll be able to beat them? Yeah, I said confidently. Although they are large and strong, in my old life, Ive seen some things work well against them. One of those things is spears or other pole weapons. Due to their size, they are especially vulnerable to them. And other things? Fire works well. Then again, fire usually works well, but against trolls, its even more effective. Why is that? The elf curiously asked. From what I have been told, it disables their bodys natural ability to regenerate wounds quickly. I see, Cellestra said. At the same time, she stopped combing my long hair and looked lost in thought. Are you thinking about what I think youre thinking? Uhm, maybe? Troll blood as alchemy reagent? I asked, almost laughing at the thought. Cellestra nodded. And you blame me for having an obsession with weapons, I said before bursting into laughter. The elf shook her head and laughed. Yeah, I suppose its even weirder than that. To be fair, you may be onto something here. If we end up fighting trolls, I wouldnt mind getting you some of their blood if you think you can do something with it. Do you have all your alchemy stuff with you, though? Some of it, not all. While I appreciate your offer, I doubt its going to be of any use. I dont really have anything I can test it on anyway. I mean, I started as I stopped my weapon practice. I wouldnt mind testing it for you, but Im hardly a suitable subject. I have great toxin resistance and regeneration of my own. How would I see if it works? The elf nodded. Its pointless as you say. I wouldnt mind getting some of their blood, though. I can freeze it and perhaps study it later when were closer to civilization. If nothing else, maybe it can make some money. Healing items tend to be pricey for good reason. I can imagine you know why that is. Dungeons? The elf nodded. Well, no worries. I do have to wonder though, how far out that valley is. Kealyna, the day just started. Take it easy. Well get there soon enough. From Mucks words, I understand its pretty hard to miss. I suppose youre right. I just want to get past that checkpoint that Muck was talking about. It seems from there, the way is clear to our destination. The elf continued to comb and eventually started making long locks to braid. She had to lean over forward in order to reach everything, but I assisted her by leaning backward. I carefully rested the pole of my weapon on my body next to the elf while I heeded Cellestras advice and tried to calm down. And youve been going for a while already. Make sure to get plenty of rest later on, The elf continued. I nodded. I will. Thanks. A while of silence followed while I let the purple-eyed elf do as she pleased, before she broke it. Hey, Kealyna? Hm? Whats your favorite food? I frowned, but only briefly. I realized she was just trying to make conversation. Her question, however, had me thinking. Uhhhh, I managed to produce while I was still thinking. What did I like in the first place? It was not like I ever had anything fancy or expensive, for that matter. My diet consisted of about the most standard food there was for elves: bread, salads, fruits, and some meat. None of those came to mind when Cellestra asked what my favorite was. Until I started thinking about what she herself had made when I was still a spider. The fish that shed prepared was delicious, even if Id been distracted at the time. The boar was also great. To be fair, what youve prepared for me has been about the best Ive ever eaten For real? Cellestra asked with a frown. I nodded. Everything youve made has been delicious. Though raw snake isnt so bad, if I could choose, I know what Id pick. Thats very kind of you. Ive never seen myself as a good cook. Well, you are, at least in my eyes. All ten of them? Cellestra asked with a giggle. Her joke made me burst into wild laughter. It took me some time to calm myself down to speak. Yes. All ten of them. 2.46 Elements I had a wide smile on my face for a large part of the following journey. I had paused my weapon practice and switched to practicing magic with Cellestra as we went. We chose to focus on earthen spike first to see if she still remembered how to cast it. After several casts, which all went smoothly and without problems, we decided it was time for a new spell. Any preference? I asked. Why dont you show me what you can do? Cellestra said, her eyes wide in excitement. Alright then, I said. How about this? I fired an ice lance to my side. Or this? I followed by summoning an earthen wall that floated in the air before me as I ran. This wall will block three attacks of any magnitude. However, one drawback is that it drains mana after getting hit in order to maintain its integrity. The stronger the attack used against it, the more mana it drains. Thats interesting Cellestra said softly, her hand under her chin as she seemed to think. But you also know that mana isnt one of my issues. Which is why I suggested this as one of my first spells, I explained. The thing is, this wall is part of an ability that contains four different kinds of walls. I summoned each wall in order. I started with the fire wall, before showing the air wall, and finally the ice wall. Each one of these specializes in a different thing. The fire wall will absorb spells, the earthen wall will block strong attacks, the air wall will deflect physical projectiles. The ice wall can do each of those but at much lower effectiveness. Well, Cellestra started. We gotta start somewhere right? Lets start with the ones you showed me first. I nodded and prepared for our practice. Cellestra forced her magic through me, while I redirected it into the spell. I was less successful than I wanted to be; I only managed to take hold of a portion of Cellestras magic instead of the entire stream. I didnt know what was the cause behind it, but her mana flows felt slippery. What was that? I asked, unsure what was going on. I do not know. Cellestra looked confused herself. Try again? I nodded. We repeated the same thing a couple of times, but each time, Cellestras magic somehow eluded me, for the most part at least. I dont get it, I let out, frustrated. I cant seem to get a hold of your magic. Do you have any ideas what could be going on? I have no idea, The elf said, seemingly lost in thought. Should we pick a different spell then? I asked. I mean, if this doesnt work, its pointless to keep trying, no? Lets try to do the fire wall... Cellestra spoke softly. She had a certain look in her eyes that I couldnt place as she spoke those words. I got the feeling she was playing with some kind of idea in her head but wasnt entirely sure about it. Okay, I replied. Once more, the elf sent her magic through my body where I collected and guided it to one point where I materialized the spell. My concentration was almost broken when, to my surprise, I managed to gather significantly more of her magic and redirected it to the fire wall. What the fuck? I let out after I had cast the spell. Cellestra smiled widely. I think I see what is going on. You think its because all of those walls are in one combined spell? She nodded. So, in that case, if we now try the air wall, we should get even closer? I asked. That was my way of thinking, yes. Lets see if thats true, I said, preparing myself for the next spell. I was amazed by the fact that the elf had been right. When her magic flowed through me for the third time, I managed to grab even more and force it into my spell. After that, we immediately tried the ice wall. While it was true that with every different spell within this ability we made further progress, it wasnt enough to have Cellestra cast the spell successfully yet. A small portion of her magic seemed to elude me for now. I reckoned that was the part where practice would come into play. Okay, I said. Thats interesting to know. This makes me wonder if you can learn spells that I gained with my spell synthesis skill. For example, I have this elemental blast spell youve seen me use it against those raiders earlier. Its a combination of fireball, ice lance, and wind gust. Now, if I teach you my version of those three, will you be able to cast it? No idea, Cellestra said, shrugging. But that spell seems strong. Id be all up for trying it. I chuckled. Id be happy to teach you, but lets get this wall spell perfected first, shall we? The elf nodded and prepared to cast her magic on me again. For the rest of the day, we practiced while running. At some point, I felt like my mana had drained a fair amount, and that, combined with the fact that wed been up for so long, made me halt a bit earlier than Id ideally wanted to. I would be better off listening to Cellestra and trying to not overexert myself. I stopped in the middle of some grassy plains that had turned entirely yellow. It was as if there hadnt been any rain in this place for weeks, perhaps longer. It was not something Id seen often. On the way, we had crossed a couple of simple dirt roads, which indicated that there was at least some civilization in the area, but hopefully, theyd be far enough away to not be a concern for us during the night. Perhaps it would still be better to not use the illumination spell at night. It wasnt like I would have trouble spotting anything approaching anyway. I lowered myself onto the grass and laid my weapon at my side while Cellestra stepped off of me and removed the wolf pelts from my back. At the same time, I removed the threads fastening the bag and chunk of metal, and laid them next to my weapon. Thank you, Kealyna, Cellestra said warmly. For what? I asked with a frown. You know for teaching me those spells, and also for stopping to rest early. I smiled at the elf when she spoke out of concern for me. No problem. I enjoy practicing magic with you. The elf nodded. As do I. She then faced the horizon, to the north. Theres no sign of trolls anywhere. I wonder when were supposed to run into that chokepoint he talked about. Well, he said not too far. If anything, Im going to guess well get to it tomorrow, which is probably better for both of us. I did use a good amount of mana on our journey today. I dont think it would be smart to do that again tomorrow. Maybe we shouldnt have done it today, either, Cellestra said, fully serious about this. Its okay, I said, trying to reassure her. I would have seen their village from miles away. I could, and I would have stopped and made camp for the night a good way out before trying to pass them the next day. The elf nodded. I suppose youre right. That would have been the smart thing to do. Anyway, we will see about it tomorrow, I said as I stretched my arms and all my legs. I even moved my chelicerae inward and then outward to alleviate the built-up tension. Cellestra eyed me while I did so. That bad? She asked softly. You didnt push too far, did you? Nah. Im okay. Just need to stretch every now and then. I already stopped early for you. The purple-eyed elf smiled, knelt down, placed her backpack on the grass and pulled out the two steel cups. Want some tea? I smiled back. Id love some. Afraid youll have to take care of the water, though. Thats fine. Minutes later, we were seated across from each other, sipping our hot tea, enjoying what little was left of the day before evening would fall. You know, Cellestra said after a while, I never would have guessed Id ever get this far out from home. Im so happy I decided to come with you. Im having a great time. As am I, I replied. Im looking forward to reaching our destination, though. Id love to take things easy for a few days. My entire life my new life has been quite hectic every day so far. I can take a lot, but still Hectic is putting it lightly. I imagined I must have scared the hell out of you when I put you in that terrarium. I sighed but managed to produce a smile. That was quite frightening, yes. I was lucky you understood what I wanted. Cellestra smiled back before sipping her tea. I then saw her eyes trail all over my body from front to back. I still cant believe you once walked in my hands. How often are you going to tell me that? I asked mischievously. Probably a lot more, to be honest, The elf replied before chuckling. Do you mind it? She then asked in a more serious voice. I shook my head. Its okay. Its kind of funny looking back at it. Good. I dont want to mention it if youre not okay with it. Its fine, I reassured the elf once more. Okay, Cellestra nodded slowly. Just tell me if youre ever uncomfortable. I nodded. The elf then dove into the bag of wrapped packages of food. Am I correct in assuming youre still not hungry? She asked. That would be correct. I then paused for a second. Do you still have any apples? Just one I think. Do you want it? I nodded. Sure. Cellestra pulled out the last apple from her backpack and tossed it to me. I handily fetched it and took a bite while looking at the sun in the distance. I hoped we would be able to get past that troll checkpoint the following day and reach the border to Len Asari. From there, I had no idea what our journey would look like. I prayed to Elysa that I would be let in easily, and if not, that there was some temple nearby that could make a thing or two clear to whoever would deny me entry. Cellestra directed one of her cute smiles my way while I was absent-mindedly munching on the apple. My worries just seemed to melt every time I saw it. I thanked the goddess for being able to meet someone as kind and sweet as her. Faragi A bit of a slow chapter with 2 more slow ones after this. There''s some action after that and we meet new characters soon. I was wondering if people prefer for those chapters to be published at once with a few days of nothing or stick to 1 per day. Thoughts? 2.47 Weakness An hour or so later, we had taken care of most things before evening. Dinner proved uneventful, and currently, the elf and I were in the middle of awkward silence. I had both of my minds working on a solution to get to talk to Cellestra. I was facing down at my pedipalps with which I was absent-mindedly tapping the grass before me. Lost in thought again, arent you? Cellestra asked kindly. I nodded. Worries, or...? No. Im just I dont know. I suck at holding conversations. I want to talk about things, but I dont know what would interest you. Hmmm, Cellestra let out, thinking. Where were we last time? I think I asked you for your favorite food, right? I nodded again. How about future plans? Im sure youve thought about that before. I have, I said. And Im terrible at looking more than a few days ahead. There are so many unknowns yet that I dont know if Ill be able to plan anything. Lets say things go as we hope they will go. We find your parents and things go well. What would your next step be? I thought about it for more than a few seconds. If that is the case, I started. I think there isnt a whole lot of choice for me, to be honest. I promised to help you so Ill be focused on that as much as I can. Forget about that, for now, Cellestra said. Elysa told you that as long as you use her magic on me every now and then, Ill be fine. Think about what you want to do. What I want to do? I guess doing dungeons could be one of the things I should be good at. Ill probably pick up some useful spells and abilities doing that. Besides that, I think Id try to get friendly with the local town. Itd be helpful for me to be on good terms. Do you think theyll have a guild? And if they do, do you think we could join? Thats difficult to answer. Id like to say yes, but I dont know what kind of leader your parents village has that is, if they are still there. I sighed. I suppose thats true. You see? I cant plan anything like this. Cellestra smiled slightly. Does it matter much where they are? We will find them. I doubt they will have gone far. What was the village where Elysa had placed them called again? Thymhil, I answered. Getting there shouldnt be much of a problem as long as we can cross the border to Len Asari. Then once were there, we look further. We will find where they are and then check the local village, wherever that is. Im sure theyd be happy to have at least one very capable adventurer to join their guild if they have one. Youre quite capable yourself too, Cellestra. Dont underestimate yourself. Well, I suppose its true that your spells do make me a lot more reliable. Without those, I would have never thought about joining a guild because, you know. I nodded. Yeah. I know. It was unnecessary to mention her spells could backfire. I understood full well that even if she wanted to, it was unlikely others would want to team up with her. Just thinking about that made me feel sorry for her. Then again, I started. I doubt wed need anyone else. I think I would much prefer to clear dungeons with just the two of us. Come to think of it, there is one more reason why its probably important to do all that. Which is? Cellestra asked. Hograd... I said the name with disgust. Even if Id found a good friend in Cellestra, and that thanks to Elysa I was more powerful than Id ever been, even with all the happiness Id already found there was no doubt in my mind that his intentions were the worst kind of evil. Though I didnt even know the reason behind it, I knew it could be nothing good. Without Elysas blessing, I would have been long dead, after all. Elysa told me to be careful of his name for a reason. If his followers are as bad as he is, I have no doubt in my mind they will eventually come for me once Hograd knows where I am. I need to be prepared for when that ultimately happens. Sounds a bit ominous, Cellestra said softly. I chuckled. You know me. I want to be I need to be ready. Never again will I be helpless. The elf nodded. I see. She paused for a second. I admire your determination. Its one of your strong points. And my weak points? I asked with a sly smile. No idea, actually. Youre friendly, kind, honorable, and pretty damn strong. Maybe you worry too much? Does that count? Thats I guess, I said in resignation. But thats also a good thing, Cellestra said, smiling. It shows character. Your worries are also reasonable. Thank you. Thats nice to hear. I cant wait until they are past us. Someday soon they will be, Cellestra said warmly. All I could do was smile at her words. Yeah. Id love to spend some time with you while I dont have to worry about others. I sighed as my mood changed abruptly. Cellestra suddenly stood up and walked over to me where she knelt. She then took me in for a hug, catching me by surprise. I recovered quickly and wrapped my arms around her. I closed my eyes as I relaxed. Why? I whispered after a while. "Hugs are nice, and you looked like you could use one," Cellestra whispered back. I chuckled slightly. "Yeah, but you know how I feel." I didnt want the hug to stop, but I felt she needed to know what worries this brought. "I like this. I like you." I admitted again. "But I worry about doing these things with you. What you think, what you want, if I''m pushing you, if you''ll like me too." The elf lightly rubbed my back. "You worry too much," she said with a shy smile, not letting go. "You always do. Just enjoy the moment like me," She added with not much more than a whisper. "I''ll try," I said, forcing myself to relax and just focus on the elf in my arms. Eventually, she let go, still with that shy smile. "We should get some sleep so we''re ready for that troll checkpoint tomorrow," She suggested. Lets do that, yes. The sun was low over the horizon, but it wasnt quite time for it to set yet. It was still early, relatively speaking and darkness wouldnt fall for another hour or so. Still, we were up very early today, so it made sense to go to bed early as well. Cellestra sat down at my side and made herself comfortable in my long spider hairs while placing the wolf pelt over her body. Once she was comfortable, she closed her eyes and relaxed. I laid myself down on top of myself after that, my head slightly off to the side, close to hers, and cast my healing light spell. It just felt so good to be close to her Good night, Cellestra, I said as I made myself comfortable. Good night. I then focused all my attention on my spider parts and relaxed. Soon enough, I felt the connection between my two bodies fade and then cut off as my elven half fell asleep. When the sun finally set, I made sure to pay attention to my thermal vision. It was unlikely there would be anything nearby, but I had the task of keeping watch and I would take that seriously. At first light, Cellestra stirred. As usual, I woke myself up in response. Soon enough, we were having breakfast, or rather, the elf was having breakfast. I would do with a cup of tea. I wish we had some milk, The elf let out as she sipped on her own tea. I dont always put it in tea, but sometimes its nice. Hmmm, I let out. That makes me wonder. If I eat a cow, could it give me an ability to produce milk the same way I can produce water right now? Thats one hell of an odd thought, Kealyna. Imagine if you could, though. I doubt its something I would do, considering most cows are someones property. Im not going to be eating peoples property. Cellestra chuckled. I doubt the farmers would like that. Ill stick to eating things that might give me useful combat upgrades, like that weird apenoth creature. That was that thing in the dungeon, right? In the snow area. I nodded. Who knows what other kinds of spells are there, just waiting for me to eat. Cellestra laughed at my words. By the goddess, Kealyna. You sound like youre some kind of maniac when you talk like that. It kinda does, doesnt it? I said, smiling, happy to know that the elf liked my joke. Its funny, though. Cellestra paused for a few seconds as she watched the chunk of star metal next to the linen bag. I could see why the metal had caught her attention. In the light of early morning, its luminescence was even more extraordinary. The veins seemed to show more colors now as well, creating a spectacle that only a few would ever see. I can see why that would be expensive, Cellestra let out. Believe me, its used for more than just weapons as far as I know. Its coveted by many people, including jewelers for reasons that couldnt be more clear to you than now. Think you could save a piece? Cellestra asked softly. Of course, weapons dont need as much of this as you think. What would you like to use it for, anyway? I would love to have some kind of amulet made of it. I smiled. Yeah. Dont worry about it, but lets be on our way, shall we? The elf nodded and reached for the metal, watching it as she put it on the closed bag. Lets go. Faragi I can''t legally be held accountable for sugar overdoses. Don''t forget that you can read far ahead on Patreon should you wish to (2.77 just finished. as mentioned multiple times. you get access to everything, no matter the tier you join in.) Thanks everyone for the support <3 2.48 Deal During the next part of our trip, I practiced some more swings and stabs with my halberd. The only difficulty during all this was that I had to be careful with the pole or Id accidentally hit the elf on my back. The scenery around us changed, albeit slowly. The grass that we saw was still yellow, bordering orange, but slowly but surely, it became less dense and revealed patches of dirt. At the same time, the terrain seemed to incline downward. It wasnt much, but I could notice it. Eventually, something appeared on the horizon. I saw a massive rock wall appear that stretched from right to left as far as I could see. There appeared to be somewhat of a gap in that wall, which is what I assumed Muck meant when he talked about the valley. It was slightly to the left of the direction I was directly walking in, but I changed my course towards it. When I got closer, I got a clearer look at what the wall was. As far as I could tell it seemed that a massive breach in the landscape had occurred here many years ago, and that a large portion of the land had sunk. For a moment, I considered avoiding the troll village that I could now see before the gap in the wall. I was mostly spider after all. I didnt think I would have much of an issue climbing up on a near-vertical wall. However, it quickly became clear that that wouldnt be a viable option. The trolls had watchtowers along with the breach. I took that as a sign that multiple people had tried to do what I had just thought of and that the creatures here had no intention of missing out on income. I came to a halt a few hundred yards out from a village. It was surrounded by walls that were similar, yet different from those Id encountered before. It was a wooden palisade wall, except that each log was more than twice the length of those that I knew. Its total height had to be over twenty yards high; it was simply enormous. Are you serious? Cellestra said. How big are trolls? Uhhh, about my size when Im standing upright? Oh, The elf let out. From those walls, I would have said they were much bigger than that. Dont take my word for it, I said. I have no idea what this worlds trolls look like. I started walking around the village as I thought I saw distance between the valley and the settlement. After a few minutes, I looked at the checkpoint that Muck had spoken about. In the gap was a wooden wall with a gate that blocked the way onward. At either side was a wooden watchtower with two archers present in each. In front of the wall were several large creatures that I recognized as trolls. Their large muscular bodies, short pointy ears, and lack of any clothing other than the loincloths that covered the absolute minimum were all the same compared to my old world. The only difference was that these trolls skin was bluer than the greenish-blue that I knew. Then again, I was no troll expert. Maybe there were creatures like these in my old world too. I felt Cellestras nervousness as she took a stronger hold of the hair on my back. I had also taken a tighter grip on my weapon as I already knew combat was likely to occur here. The first thing I did was cast my multi-barrier. A soon as I did so, the elf on my back did the same. I slowly approached the two guards in front of the gate. On the way here, Id already brewed up some kind of idea on how I would deal with these creatures. I had very little experience with trolls, but I knew two things. First, I was strong. My abilities, combined with the new weapon Id just acquired made me confident Id be able to take on a troll any troll. Second, if my old experience was still worth anything, trolls valued strength over anything else. Their entire hierarchy was based on it. Together, the knowledge of these two things could make life easy, relatively speaking. I sighed deeply as I held my head up high, looking at the creatures who seemed confused by my appearance. Confused, but not afraid. I was glad to have picked up the troll language when one of them opened their mouth. Puny creature, He said in a loud, deep voice that almost hurt my sensitive elven ears. You carrying shiny stone. You give or no pass. It seemed his attention was on the starmetal chunk strapped to my back. Perhaps I should have covered it up, but then again, I had no intention of paying a thing. When I didnt immediately respond, both trolls took hold of their weapons that had been resting on the ground. The one who spoke had a huge battle mace that wasnt much more than a large block of metal on a pole, but it was still deadly. The other troll held an equally large double-bladed axe. I smiled slightly at their attempt to intimidate me before finally speaking in their weird language that I could comprehend only because of my blessing. I was not planning on paying anything. Instead, Id like to challenge the strongest one of you for passage. How does that sound? Both trolls burst into a burst of bellowing laughter that had me cover my ears as it actually hurt this time. I saw Cellestra doing the same. You funny, The troll with the mace said after recovering. But I looking forward to fight. You stay here while I get GorLar. No funny business or you and little miss elf die. I crossed my arms and kept my eyes on him as he passed me. I then took a few steps back from the other guard. Are you sure about this? Cellestra asked softly. They seem strong. Will you be okay against the strongest? I am sure about this. I have no doubts Ill be able to take these guards on and rush through that wooden wall, but Id like to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Also, they might retaliate against future merchants if I do that. If Im correct in my assumptions, defeating their strongest will pretty much put me on top of their hierarchy. Muck said something about how they charge exorbitant taxes. Well, maybe I can do something about that. I see, Cellestra said quietly. Thats very kind of you. Id like to thank him for his kindness and the effort he puts into his village. If word reaches him about merchants being charged a lot less all of a sudden, well I am sure he can deduce that it was because of me. Even if Millhome is far away from our destination, it doesnt hurt to have a bit of standing there, you know? But you also want to be prepared for Hograd whatever he may plan to do to you. Hograd cant do anything to me directly. Not in this realm. He can only do something to me through his followers, and I think I know what you mean. The thing is, its pointless to assume that I can stay hidden. People will know who I am and where I am. There is nothing I can do against that. The best I can do is be prepared and perhaps find allies who can warn me in time for any impending attacks. Thats true, I suppose, Cellestra said. Thats why Im looking to join a guild. So far, this world seems eerily similar to my old one. A guild should offer me an added layer of safety. Adventurers attacking one another is forbidden by law. Info will also be more likely to reach me. That is all true. Im starting to understand why Elysa chose this world. If you didnt know it was another, I reckon youd think it was the same. I smiled. The differences are minor, yes. Its not something Im unhappy about in general. I wouldnt know what to do if things were fundamentally different. Do you think there are worlds that are in no way similar to this one? Probably, Cellestra said calmly. I cannot imagine them, but Im sure there are. I turned around as a troll appeared in my vision behind me that immediately caught my attention. His skin was different from the other trolls in that it was the bluish-green color that I had seen in my old life. Other than that, he was slightly larger, but far more muscular, which he wasnt even trying to hide. His weapon of choice appeared to be a hammer, much like the troll from before, although this one weighed twice as much, judging from its size. I was happy to have an ability that could block its impact fully. I wasnt even going to try to have my multi-barrier take a hit from that. I was told you want fight? He said as soon as Id turned around. Better hold on, Cellestra, I warned the elf as I tightened the grip on my weapon and cast my imbue elements on myself. The elf nodded and took an even firmer hold of my hair, almost hurting me. I defeat you, I get free passage, I said as calmly as I could. There was no denying that my heart rate had risen considerably at the sight of such an imposing troll. The adrenaline started flowing even before the battle began and I had difficulties trying to remain calm about this. Deal! He shouted as he lifted his hammer up high in the air. 2.49 Duel I had to do a quick sidestep as the large troll brought his oversized hammer down where I had stood a mere fraction of a second before. The impact sent shockwaves through the dirt that felt uncomfortable in my legs but I retained my footing as I cast a fireball and sent it flying towards him, just as I charged back in with my polearm as he had given me an opening. Before he could lift his hammer, the fireball struck him, followed by the tip of my halberd. His skin was tough, but I still penetrated. Even better for me, my imbue elements effect triggered and caused a second puncture wound right next to the first one. I then pulled out my weapon and almost dropped it when the troll let out a loud roar of pain that hurt my ears. I saw Cellestra had the same issue. She covered her ears which forced me to be careful with my movements as I didnt want her to fall off my back during this fight. I imagined that right on my back would be the safest place for her to be. If she wasnt there, who knew what the other trolls would do to her. Although they would be unlikely to do it, when the troll before me was dead, they could use her as a hostage. I had the feeling Cellestra understood this as well. I waited until she grabbed my hair tight again. At the same time, the troll had his weapon in his hands again as slimy green blood oozed slowly from the two wounds left in his stomach. He took the hammer and was about to swing it from the side, but Id seen the attack coming and summoned an earthen wall to block it. I thrust my spear forward once again as the mace impacted and sapped some of my enormous mana pool. Of course, I could finish this fight with nothing but my lightning arc spell and just run away, but I had to prove my strength to the other trolls that were watching from the gate and the watchtowers. They had to be shown that I was far stronger than their current strongest. I had to make clear just how much of a difference there was between me and them. While I wasnt sure about the difference in physical strength between them and me, hell, a swing like that could probably still squash me, I had a large number of spells up my sleeve that I intended to pull out. Every attack made against me would be countered, after which I would strike, physically preferably. It would be something they could easily understand. That didnt mean I wouldnt show some spells, though You die now! The troll yelled in both rage and pain. He charged at me, using the head of his mace as a battering ram, intending to use blunt force to take me out. I easily sidestepped once more and cut into his arm with the blade of my halberd as he passed, causing a deep wound and more screams. He came to a halt and I sent an elemental blast flying at his back. The spell didnt fully pierce his skin, but after it exploded, even if it only penetrated a bit, it still seemed to hurt a great deal. When he charged at me again, I shook my head as I summoned a new earthen wall that was large enough to stop him as he smacked into it face-first. Ouch, I heard Cellestra say after the sound of the impact. That must hurt. Thats the idea, I responded as I forced the wall to disappear. I then fired off several paralytic venom bolts, intending to hit his wounds and cause the venom to mix with his blood. I wanted these trolls to remember what I was capable of in case they had any idea of harassing more merchants after I was done here. I then kept my distance for a bit as I waited for the effects to take hold. In the meantime, I summoned an earthen spike from the ground, impaling his privates. The elf on my back and I were quick to cover our ears as we saw the attack happen. It was not hard to guess what would follow. Even though I covered my ears as best as I could, the scream that followed my latest attack was nothing short of devastating. It still managed to hurt me, as much as the sound was muted. I thought it was necessary to use this attack in such a manner, just to erase the last bits of doubt these trolls may have had. The troll would obviously need time to recover from this, if he was even able to at all. He had dropped his mace, and I used the opportunity to quickly take up my halberd again and charge towards him, hitting him square in the chest. The wounds that Id inflicted on the troll then glowed red hot for a brief moment before each of them burst into small explosions one of the effects of imbue elements. It was enough to stagger the troll and I struck again, and again. He finally recovered and his eyes glowed bright red. I took that as a show of unending fury. He took his weapon again and started closing the gap, albeit slowed by both wounds and venom, most likely. I let him step up to me as close as I was comfortable with and then showered him with an inferno of flames from my flame beam spell. I kept up the spell for a few seconds, but canceled it. I didnt want to finish him off quite yet. In all that, he still managed to swing his massive hammer at me. I was just in time to put up another earthen wall. I spotted it later than Id have liked due to the sea of flames, but I was in time. When the attack sapped mana from me to retain the walls integrity, I stabbed with my weapon once more and then brought the blade down on one of his arms as hard as I could, almost cleaving it in half. The weapon glided off his arms and I stepped back once more before I summoned my ultimate spell. I channeled my lightning arc on the severely injured troll. I felt the power flow through me into the stream of lightning that connected the creature to my hand. He didnt seem to be in any state to get up again. His injuries, combined with the paralytic venom were bound to have sapped most, if not all of his strength. Only very little remained. I had to give it to him. He was as tough as he looked. My lightning arc spell didnt immediately finish him off despite his many wounds. It allowed me to show the onlookers an overwhelming amount of power as the beam increased in intensity until it sent sparks flying. The spell crackled and grew wider and stronger with each passing second. Finally, the troll died. He collapsed into the dirt and two messages showed up. You have killed a Troll Warleader: No experience was awarded Achievement earned: Testing Trolls Defeat a Troll in a duel. You have been awarded 100 EP Thanks, I guess? I said, scratching my head as I looked at the message. What is it? Cellestra asked. Got an achievement for that. I quickly willed the messages to disappear and turned my attention to the two trolls who eyed their fallen kin and then turned to face me, fear in their eyes. Beyond their fear, there was also a hint of respect, something which Id been looking for. Now that thats out of the way, I said as calmly as possible, while allowing the rush of combat to pass. While I have your attention, Id like to make clear that youre going to ask fair prices from merchants passing through. If I hear about anything different than that, Im going to be back here before you know it. I wont hold back next time. There was a bit of bluff in my words, but it was true that I held back. I was certain I could take on more than one troll at a time mainly because there was no way they would be able to keep up with my mobility. All they did was nod quickly before throwing open the large double doors that blocked the way into the pass leading onward. I stepped through while keeping multiple eyes out in case the trolls tried anything funny. They didnt. When the doors closed behind us, I sighed deeply. Most of the obstacles should be behind us now. Things should be quiet for now, at least until wed reached the border. Are you okay? I asked. Cellestra nodded. Im okay. That was one hell of a show that you put up. I chuckled. Yeah, it was, wasnt it? Hopefully, it will give them more than enough reason to listen to my words. Anyway, lets head through this pass and make our way to Len Asari. The elf nodded again and smiled slyly before pointing a finger forward. Onward my noble steed! Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons <3 Aleas32 Fiddle Sticks Brett Jack Thanks a lot for your support <3 2.50 Pillars I think youre taking this cavalry thing a bit too serious, I said, grinning. You didnt like that joke? Cellestra asked. I did. Dont worry about it. Youre not going to upset me that quickly. Good to know. The trail forward led uphill and had an earthen wall on either side. Someone, presumably the trolls, had hewn this out to create a path. It was impressive work, and I couldn''t imagine how much effort it must have taken. Impressive, isnt it? Cellestra let out while I was cleaning the troll blood from my blade with my water spell. I feel like the entire purpose of this artificial path is to create a shortcut which can be used to tax passers-through. Still, its impressive for sure. Yeah. Now if only the tax was fair. Well, lets hope it is now. I didnt plan to return here anytime soon. Do tell me this one thing, The brunette started. In that fight, you were holding back. Why? That obvious, huh? I said with a smile as I finished cleaning my halberds blade. I did that to send a message to the other trolls. I wanted to let them know that I would be able to withstand everything they could throw at me without issues. Did you see their reactions after the fight? There was no element of luck involved. I simply outclassed him, heavily too. Sure, I could kill him with nothing but my lightning arc, but I would have to stay at a distance. I didnt want to look cowardly. Makes sense, Cellestra said. Its a troll hierarchy thing that I knew about. I felt this would be effective in limiting bloodshed, and help those who seek passage here. I paused for a moment as I continued walking uphill. Anyway, how are we on provisions? I believe we received enough to last for a while longer, right? Still have plenty, Cellestra said with a nod. No need to worry about that. If Len Asari is close from here, I doubt we need to restock anything at all. Thats good to hear, I said. A few minutes of walking uphill later, we reached the new ground level. The yellowish-orange grass was replaced by the same old green grass I was used to. Boring, but at least it was familiar. What I was not so familiar with were the weirdly-shaped stone pillars that I was currently eying. I noticed three of them spread through the large field before me. To the east, I saw some sort of village in the distance, but my journey wouldnt take me there. It would take me very close to one of the stones. What are those? I asked the elf as I slowed down and stopped, hoping she would know more. Hold on, Cellestra said. I saw her close her eyes as it seemed she was thinking deeply. I gave her the time she needed. I waited where I stood until the elf opened her eyes again. I think... She started as I saw her eyes move to one of the stones and move them up and down, taking in the entire length. I estimated them to be about twenty or thirty yards high, but it was hard to tell from here. I have definitely seen a drawing of one of these before when researching a certain plant. I believe they are called obelisks. Obe...what? Obelisks, The elf called out their strange name again. A few of these are scattered throughout the world. As far as my knowledge goes, they were once filled with magic, but have since gone dormant. She paused for a second as she looked disappointed. Nobody knows exactly what kind of magic it was, and the plant I that I looked into grew close to these obelisks, but they have since gone extinct, presumably due to their magic being depleted, but nobody knows for sure. If it wasnt for that, I would have looked deeper into it. Hmmm, I let out. Ive never heard of these things. I dont think these existed in my world. I looked to the northwest. One of the strange stones was positioned there and for some reason, I just couldnt take my eyes off of it. The obelisk somehow seemed to be drawing me in. It only added to my curiosity about one of this worlds unique features. You want to take a look? Cellestra inquired. I nodded. Im tempted to do so. Youll also be able to verify whether the information on that plant is true. Oh, I have no doubts its true. Rose herself confirmed that. Well, Id still like to check one of those things up close. They just seem so unnatural to me. Like, who made them? I have no idea, Cellestra said. The information on the obelisk itself was rather limited. It was more focused on the plant that seemed to only be able to live near those stones. As strong as trolls are, I doubt they could make, or even transport something like that, I said as I checked out the other ones, one to the east and one to the west. I didnt take you for the curious type, The elf said with a grin. Arent you interested in seeing one up close with your own eyes? I asked. I am, Cellestra admitted softly. If youre okay with a bit of a detour, by all means, lets check it out. I nodded and started running, causing the elf on my back to yelp out as she was suddenly jerked backward. She managed to grab my hair just in time before landing on my abdomen with her back. I chuckled as I saw it happen. I was ready to catch her with my rearmost legs in case she had lost balance. I ran forward across the grassy plains, the obelisk Id set my focus on nearing. As I got closer I could make out its shape better. It seemed to be cuboid-shaped with four sides reaching to the sky where they merged into a tip. Does obelisk refer to the shape? I asked after a few minutes. I dont know. I believe so, but dont take my word for it. Doesnt matter too much, I guess. Several minutes later, we reached the stone. As soon as we did, Cellestra leaned to the side and inspected the grass surrounding the obelisks foundation. There was no sign of any odd plant, there was only grass. In the meantime, I circled the odd stone pillar to find some kind of inscription in the stone. It seemed to have eroded over the years, but I could still see a circle with letters that I didnt recognize written on the outside of it. Face away for a moment, please, and cover your eyes, I warned the elf. As soon as she followed my instructions, I cast wind gust on the stone before me, blowing away the dust and small pieces of rock. After that, the inscription and circle were far easier to see. The only problem was I still couldnt read it. What the hell is this language? I asked before checking my enhancement options. Enhancement Cost in EP Spawn Spiderlings 200 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Exoskeleton 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Resistance 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Venom 100 Amphibian Tongue 50 Tongue Slingshot (Level 1) 10 I couldnt read any of it and there were no more language comprehension skills in my list to enhance. Cellestra stared at it and scratched her head. I have no idea. Ive never seen it before. My intrigue only grew as I stared at the inscription on the stone and wondered about what this could be about. I dont seem to have the language comprehension to read this, so its definitely not... - I checked my list of languages - Human, Elven, Spirit, Goblin, Troll, Demonic, or Dwarven. What language do beastkin speak? Mostly human and elven. They dont have a language of their own. Hmmm, I let out as I moved my elven torso closer to the stone. You say there was once magic in these things? Thats what I found out about them, yeah. Strange... I moved my hand to the stone to clean out some dust inside one of the scriptures. I had merely touched the pillar when the circle and the inscription along its edge both lit up in a bright red color. It startled me and I took several steps back while I felt my heart beating in my chest. Everything around me turned black, but only for a second before the world returned to normal. What the fuck? I let out. Cellestra stared at the red text on the obelisk and from the expression on her face, I could tell she was thinking exactly what Id just spoken out loud. Then, the light in the letters disappeared and the obelisk returned to normal. I held up my hand which I used to touch the stone and stared at it. What was that? Cellestra asked. It took a few seconds before I answered. I have no idea. 2.51 Rain I still stared at my hand and then back at the obelisk before me. Did everything just go black? What do you mean? Cellestra asked, cocking her head as she peered into the spider eyes at the back of my lower head. When I touched the stone, everything went black. It was as if it was in the middle of the night, but worse. There was no light whatsoever. It was only for a second before everything went back to normal. I I did not see that. I thought about touching the pillar again for a moment, but I had no idea what happened the first time. Doing it a second time would be a terrible idea. And I am certain I did not imagine that. What is this thing? I eyed the obelisk from top to bottom one more time. These things were supposed to have run out of magic, you said, right? Do you think it has anything to do with your special kind of magic? Cellestra suddenly suggested. I took a moment to process her words. I possessed a special kind of magic, thanks to Elysas blessing. The strange events happened when I touched the stone. I think you may be right. Whatever just happened, I didnt like it. The darkness was overwhelming, sinister. I want to get the hell away from here. In that case, lets move on. If we want to, we can always try to find someone with more knowledge about these obelisks later, The brunette suggested. I will say Im very interested in what just happened, I said, thinking about it. Cant you ask Elysa? Cellestra said. Perhaps I could, I let out. If anyone knows what these things are, it has to be her, right? I would hope so, The elf replied. I turned away from the obelisk and started running north again when suddenly a bright red light caught my attention. It came from the top of the obelisk. Both Cellestra and I stared at what was going on. From the top of the stone, a piercing beam of light rose into the sky. That was the tipping point for me to get out of here as quickly as I could. While running, I stared at the obelisk. As soon as it had appeared, the light also disappeared, leaving both of us speechless. By the goddess Cellestra started. What was that? Im starting to think Ive done something I shouldnt have, I said, trying to shake off an ominous feeling. I felt as if something dark had seen me, was keeping track of me. I felt as if something was out to get me. I cursed in my mind for being so reckless. Cellestra I called out the elfs name softly. The elf turned her head from the obelisk to my lower set of eyes. Im sorry, I finished the sentence. For what? She asked, equally softly. I dont know. I just get this gut feeling that something is wrong. The darkness that I saw and felt when I touched the stone I feel like its out to get me. I cant explain Lets just get out of here quickly, Cellestra suggested. I would say, forget about this, but Im sure you wont, and Im not sure if thats smart, either. I heeded her words and ran quickly. The grass under my legs passed by even faster than before as I increased my speed. I felt too uncomfortable to remain anywhere close to those weird stone pillars. Cellestra had to hold on tight, but she managed. After some time, I slowed down to my normal pace. Theories about what happened swirled around in my mind. Most of them were bad, and I felt like Cellestra could read it in my mood when she asked if I was okay. I dont know, I admitted. Even so, theres not much I can do about it now. Well hopefully get to Len Asari soon. With some luck, theres a temple to Elysa nearby. The elf nodded. No need to worry about it for now. Cellestra? I asked. Could you use your magic on me? You know the one we use for training. Id like to know if you can sense if theres something wrong. I can do that, The elf replied with her warm voice. She closed her eyes as she sent her magic through me. I felt the warm flows grow throughout my body, extending to every bit of my being, before they converged again in her hand. I dont see anything wrong, its the same as usual. I sighed. Thats a relief, at least. I took one last glance at the obelisk that was now far in the distance and was about to leave my sight. For some reason, it had reacted to me, but there was something else that bothered me. This was only one out of three obelisks. What were they, why were there three, and why did one of them react to me? Despite my fear and hesitation, curiosity was ever-present. Shortly after the strange object had left my vision, a herd of wild horses came into view. They appeared on the horizon to the west and seemed to be running in our direction. I looked at the sizable herd approaching. Why do I get the feeling those horses are running in reaction to what happened earlier? I asked. I was about to say the same thing, Cellestra replied almost immediately. So youre familiar with animals being able to sense danger? I am, The elf replied. Ive read about animals abandoning a place just before a volcano erupted once. It was quite interesting. I kept up the pace so the herd of wild animals would pass behind us. After they did, I noticed darkness coming in from the horizon. However, it wasnt anywhere near evening yet. It became clear quickly that dark clouds were gathering, and rolling in quickly. As if things couldnt get any worse, I said with a sigh. Theres bad weather coming and theres no shelter nearby. This day was deteriorating rapidly. I looked for a solution to the shelter problem by summoning an ice wall big enough to cover my entire body. I then let it float above me as I ran forward. That might just work, Cellestra said, a smile forming on her face. Cheer up, Kealyna. Well get through this. You talking about the rain or? Anything, She said confidently. Youre strong, smart, and you have a goddesss knowledge at your disposal. What are you afraid of? Her words put a smile on my face and made me chuckle. Youre right. So far, Ive dealt with everything thrown my way. Im sure this can be added to that pile. There we go, Cellestra said. Thats the confident knight that I like to see. Thank you, I said, grateful for her words. Our journey continued on, even as dark clouds closed in. I practiced some more with my ice wall before it arrived, hoping to manipulate the spell to better suit my wishes. I tried making it as large as possible but found out that I couldnt make it much bigger than the space my body occupied. I summoned a second wall in front of me, using the ability to cast two spells at the same time. This would allow me to block the rain coming in from the front as I didnt plan on slowing down anytime soon, while at the same time, allowing me to still see what was in front of me. Thats I dont know what to say, Cellestra let out. Thats amazing. I know right, I said, proud of myself. Another advantage of the ice wall spell. Cellestra giggled. I dont know if you still count as cavalry at this point. Youre more of a carriage now. I grinned at her joke just as I heard the first drops of rain onto the ice wall above us. Well, I started before thinking for a second. I would hate for you to catch a cold. That would be a hiccup in our I would say relationship, but were not quite there yet, I heard. Cellestra smiled warmly which came as a relief to me. I had carefully selected my words and was happy to see her smile at them. Well, The elf started as she slowly ran a hand through my spider hair, soothing me. I do care for you deeply, you know that. I also told you I dont mind keeping an open mind about things. Maybe we are in a relationship. I mean, who decides that anyway? Good question, I let out. I dont know. I do know that Im so very happy, and also lucky, to have you around. You really lift my spirits, you know that? Cellestra smiled widely. Yeah, I know. She then started giggling. Your ears show me exactly that. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons <3 Mugsy Thanks a lot for your support <3 2.52 Sighting Damn, I let out, smiling. I cant believe I can control every part of this body except for my ears. I could still hear Cellestras giggle through the raindrops that tapped on the ice wall above us. How are you doing back there? I asked. Still dry. Youre doing a wonderful job. Not getting cold, either? Nope. Warn me if you do. The elf let out a slight chuckle. Will do. The lighthearted conversation with Cellestra did wonders to reduce the anxiety from earlier. It almost made me forget about the unexplainable events at the obelisk. The red light that shot into the sky was impossible to get out of my head, and I wondered if any other people had seen it. As far as I could tell, there was at least one village somewhere close by that could have witnessed the phenomenon. Everything about what happened after that just felt wrong. The horses, the rain. While they were ordinary things, I just couldnt shake off this gut feeling about them being connected. Nevertheless, Cellestra found no change in the mana in my body. I wasnt sure how much that said, but it had to count for something at least. In addition to that, no harm was done as far as I could tell. The rain didnt get any better for the rest of the day, which had me worried it would continue throughout the night. Fortunately, it started to clear up at the end of the afternoon, just as darkness was setting in. Well, finally, some good news, I said as I felt the last raindrops hit the ice wall. Just in time too. Im surprised we havent reached the border yet, Cellestra replied. Weve covered good ground today. Unless we crossed it without knowing, I suggested. However, something tells me we havent. One thing bothers me, though. Which is? Werent we supposed to cross demon territory? I havent seen anything that would imply them being anywhere close. Thats a fair point. All I saw on the way here was one village, and that was way back at the obelisk. Theres nothing here that resembled the hostile demon territory that that priestess spoke of. It makes me think will we still have to cross through it? Wouldnt that mean that Muck was lying when he said the way there would be easy? I have no idea, Cellestra said. I doubt either of them were lying. Maybe were just lucky when it comes to avoiding hostility? Maybe we are, I said. If thats the case, I wont complain. Anyway... I let out after coming to halt. I finally canceled the ice wall spells after making sure the rain had stopped. I then started blowing warm air on the grass around me to dry it. I guess we will find out tomorrow. If nothing happens, then so be it. Cant say I dislike the idea. You know, I do admire that part of you. Which part? I asked curiously. The part where youre not looking for conflict, but you wont hesitate to do things like you did to that troll. I hate conflict, I said clearly. I hate it, but I hate suffering more. I hope youll believe me when I say I intend to use this strange power Ive been given to the fullest to do good. The elf nodded. Of course I believe you. That being said, I continued, The thrill of battle, I have to admit, is quite something else. Its hard to explain, but its exciting, in a way. I can imagine, Cellestra said softly. I took a few steps to the side to dry the grass under me. When I was finished, I sat in the dry patch and unloaded the goods from my back. Cellestra, in the meantime, needed some time for herself, and left me alone for a bit. I used the time to refill her canteen with new water and prepare some hot water for tea as well. She had removed those items from her backpack before walking off. It wasnt hard to guess what she wanted me to do with them. What a day, The brunette said upon her return. You can say that again, I replied as I helped her wash her hands. At least we learned that Muck seems to have a different concept of distance than most people. Cellestra chuckled. I think he may have taken your speed into account. You think? I said, grinning. The elf smiled as she sat down and took both cups of hot water before putting some tea leaves in them. Have you never thought about how fast spiders actually are? I shook my head. Not really, no, but they are fast for their size, arent they? You should know better than me that they are. I have come to know quite a few things about spiders, I said with a smile. And to be honest, for the first time in my life, Im looking forward to getting to know more about things that I never imagined Id be interested in. I mean, beyond the things like how do they fight? Sure theres that, and its important, especially if were heading into dungeons, but theres so much more. I want to know what you like to do, for example. What I like to do? Cellestra asked, before facing down to the ground, thinking. I mean, I like reading. Maybe we can get our hands on some good books. Youre easily satisfied, arent you? What can I say? I never had this kind of freedom to think about what I like to do. Maybe Ill find some more things I like along the way. How about... I started with a soft voice. Giving me a hug? That does sound nice, The elf replied as she put the cups next to her and stood up, walking towards me. She then wrapped her arms around me and put her head on my shoulder. Happiness filled me as I hugged her back, my eyes closed. A slight chuckle escaped my lips. That was easy. Hmmm, Cellestra let out. I think I like this. I know I do, I said softly. I already figured that out a while ago. We remained like that for a few more seconds before the elf broke away. She grabbed the tea again, handed me a cup, and sat down pretty close to me. If only I didnt have this spider head beneath my torso I summoned a flame spell as the last light of day disappeared. We then sat in silence for a while as we drank our tea and the elf ate her dinner. The hug from before had cleared my heads, leaving me with a smile as I watched. Then, when she was finished, she stood up without words and sat down at my side, burying the back of her head in my soft hair. Its time to sleep, She said quietly. And I can think of no better place than right here. No making plans for tomorrow or anything? I asked, but I more or less already knew the answer. Well see what happens. Im sure well be fine. True, I said as I lowered my elven torso on my back. A hand reached out to the side and softly pet Cellestras lovely hair. Whatever awaits us on our way to Len Asari, well get through it. A smile formed on her face as she relaxed. I put one of my legs over her frame to hug her. Good night, I wished her. Good night, She whispered back. In the meantime, I looked at the numerous stars in the night sky. The dark clouds from before had disappeared and I hoped that everything had merely been a coincidence. I gave myself a mental correction to stop worrying about things. Cellestra had told me on multiple occasions that it was just pointless. I then wondered if I should try staying awake with my elven half, but decided against it. The benefits of having eight eyes that could see all around without having to move were just too great. Maybe Id experiment with it one day, just to see if it was possible, but now was not the time. I gave Cellestra one last look and noticed shed already dozed off. I then realized Id forgotten to cast my healing light spell on her, and cast it. I then focused all my attention on my spider head and allowed the connection between my two bodies to fade while I kept watch over our surroundings. Hours passed without issue, but I did notice one strange thing somewhere in the middle of the night. Something resembling a bat, flew overhead and circled directly above me a few times before flying off again. I felt uneasy about the ordeal as the creature had been far larger than a normal bat. I could tell it was up high in the air, but it was still obvious to me this was no normal bat. I remained extra vigilant for the rest of the night, but nothing happened and dawn arrived. Cellestra stirred. It was time to start the next day. 2.53 Demons & Elves I forced myself to wake up and we went through our usual morning routine of breakfast and preparation. During all that, I told Cellestra about my sighting in the middle of the night. Think its a demon? She asked. I would assume so. Ive never seen one in my life, but if I am to believe the stories about them, its description would fit. If thats the case, we better hurry and make our way to the border. I nodded. Agreed. We quickly finished up, packed, and left as soon as we were ready. Then, about ten minutes later, I spotted a creature of the same kind as before flying in from the north. Again, it circled overhead for a few seconds before flying off from whence it came. That cant be good, Cellestra said. I dont like the fact that it came from where we are headed. I have the feeling something is waiting for us. My thoughts exactly, The elf replied. We didnt have to wait long before we found out where the bat-like creature came from. After several minutes of running, I noticed a small camp in the distance and approached it until the elf could see exactly what it was too. It was nothing more than two tents, two horses, and the giant bat-like creature. I now noticed that it was standing up like a quadrupedal creature, its two large wings folded on its back. What do we do? I asked Cellestra. The elf was scratching her head as I asked the question. Something doesnt add up here. Now that you mention it, I said as I came to a halt. You may be right. I took a moment and recounted the situation we were facing. Demons close to Len Asari and in small numbers. That bat creature is obviously some kind of scout, and Im going to assume whoever is here knows we were coming this way. Why didnt they flee? Do you want to go up to them and ask? The elf suggested. Do you speak demonic? I do, and I think it cant hurt to do just that. If they were hostile, it would make no sense for them to stay here. The elf nodded and I started running once again. Or they are extremely confident they can beat me, but I think thats a dangerous assumption if you go by the logic that I am the first of my kind in this world. Though, I dont know if thats a given. Well, Cellestra said. If they use horses, theres no way they will be able to keep up with your speed, right? Which is why Im surprised they remained. Oh well, lets see for ourselves whats going on. As I came closer to the small camp, I noticed a large black patch in the grass near the horizon. I had no idea what it was, but it wasnt one of my immediate concerns. I slowed down as I neared the camp, just in time to see two creatures emerge from the two tents. One of them was a male elf with long black hair and simple, light clothing in the form of long green robes. He also had a silver medallion with the engraving of a book on his chest. The other creature was something Id not personally seen before. I had heard stories about succubi. To see one in the flesh, however, felt completely different than I expected. She wasnt wearing much, which only confirmed the stories about them being masterful temptresses. Stories went around where people would fall in love with them at first sight, but when I looked at her, I felt nothing. She had long, dark blonde hair, two small horns sticking out from her forehead, a tail that danced behind her, two large bat-like wings which protruded from her shoulder blades, and dark red skin. A small smile was on her lips, which confused me. I slowly walked up to both of them until I was a few yards away. I thought it was more than enough of a safe distance, but I had my weapon at the ready, nonetheless. The bat creature next to one of the tents seemed uninterested in my presence, as were the horses, which further confused me. Greetings, The female spoke in perfect Elven. I could see Cellestra frown as she, too, understood what was said. Hello, I replied. Cellestra, confused as she was, still managed to say the same. Everything about this odd meeting made me feel like these two people before me were non-hostile, but I couldnt get complacent. They eyed me up and down, taking in the details about this body. If anything, it confirmed they hadnt seen anything like me before, but they didnt seem to be fazed, at all. An elf, and a half-elf, half-spider. How peculiar... The succubus thought aloud. Ahem, The male said after clearing his throat. Oh my. Where are my manners? The female continued. The names Gwyn. This here is my companion, Vyath. Greetings, The male elf said politely as he took a small bow. Definitely not hostile. Kealyna, I said. Behind me is Cellestra. The half-spider thing, I continued. Is a long story. Im more interested to know what you two are doing in what I was told is hostile territory. Hostile territory? The succubus said as her lips curled into a smile. My dear, I am afraid you are mistaken. We, of the Caidrean blood, have recently annexed this territory. If anything, that makes it friendly. Uhhh... I let out. You dont know the Caidrean blood? Vyath asked. Wait. Youre not from around here at all, are you? I shook my head. We are on our way to Len Asari to visit my parents. Dont hesitate to explain, though. We dont quite know how things work here. If youd be so kind... I wasnt entirely lying when I said wed visit my parents. Well, Vyath started. How much do you know? I have been told Len Asari borders two demon provinces, one friendly with the elves and one hostile. There was no point lying about this. I already had an idea of where this was headed. The male elf nodded. It should come as no surprise that the Caidrean blood are the ones allied to us. That, over there, C he pointed to the black patch in the grass a few hundred yards out. C Is the remnant of the last bastion of opposition we faced in this area. Its safe to say the entire province has become safer after we wiped them out. His words made me think. I got the odd feeling that Muck already knew of this. When did that happen? I asked without thinking. Few weeks ago, Gwyn replied. Vyath and I are one of the teams monitoring the area for anything suspicious. I reckoned that the information should have reached Muck by now. Apparently, it hadnt quite reached the temple in Edhil yet. I shoved it aside as it didnt matter much anymore. Speaking of suspicious, The succubus continued. My pet spotted something out of the ordinary. You wouldnt happen to know anything about a certain red beam of light, would you? Crap. it would seem she knows about the obelisk. I saw it happen when we were in the area and decided to high-tail it out of there. Do you have any idea what that could have been? I asked. I have no idea. I dont recall hearing of anything like it, but this information will certainly have to be relayed to command. You say youre traveling to Len Asari, right? Mind if we join you? I turned my head to Cellestra. I dont mind, She said softly. Were fine with it, I said as I turned back to the succubus and elf. I just have another question. Lets hear it, Vyath said. Id like to know, is there a temple dedicated to Elysa nearby? Why? He asked, clearly confused. Id like to say a prayer to her there sometime soon, I lied. The truth was that I wanted to talk to the goddess, but I wasnt entirely certain yet if I could tell them. Im afraid Ill have to disappoint you then. The nearest temple to our goddess is in a village a bit beyond the wall. Wall? I asked. The border wall around Len Asari, Vyath said. I see. Anyway, Gwyn said. Lets start packing. The wall isnt far from here. We can tell you a few more things on the way there if youd like. Thatd be great, Cellestra said warmly. I nodded. It seemed Cellestra was trusting of the people before me. Her confidence made me feel more at ease. The succubus eyed me from top to the ends of my legs once more. While were going there, Id love to hear your story as well. I just love long and interesting stories. The smile on her lips and the excitement in her eyes made me chuckle. In my eyes, it was a sign that I could trust her and the elven man. Im afraid I cant tell everything yet. Maybe later?. Awww, The succubus pouted. I was really looking forward to it. Lets see how things turn out first. If all goes well, I might tell you. I felt bad about using Gwyns excitement against her, in order to secure ourselves safe passage into the elven lands. If the other elves were as accepting of me as these two, things might just go easier than expected. My heart raced at the thought of getting closer to my parents. Hopefully, I''d see them soon. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patron <3 Nathan Thanks a lot for your support <3 2.54 Deterrent I didnt have to wait for long. The elf and succubus were quick when it came to packing their tents and loading them on their horses. In the meantime, I allowed myself to be intrigued by the massive bat creature. It was the size of a small horse and had powerful claws as far as I could tell. I still couldnt believe how anything like this could fly or even communicate with the succubus. That had to be some odd trait of demons. Vyath was the first to finish packing and mounted his horse. He then guided it to my side and watched Gwyn finish loading the last few things on her horse. If you dont mind, He said. Id like to ask a couple of questions before crossing the border. I dont mean to offend you, but its not every day that a creature like you enters Len Asari. In fact, I have seen no record of anything like you in the archives. Archives? Cellestra asked. Im an archivist, Vyath clarified. Its why I was sent here to observe the surroundings and the remains of the former demonic outpost. I see, The brunette replied. Anyways, as I was saying, there are some things Ill need to report to command and that includes your sudden appearance which coincides with the timing of what Gwyns pet observed earlier. I nodded. I understand. What would you like to know? First off, please tell me what you know about that red beam of light. I shrugged. Theres not much to it. We walked past it and sometime later, a light shot from the top of the obelisk into the sky. I didnt stay to try to find out what it could have been. Fair enough. Next up, please explain how you speak Elven so well. What kind of question was that? It made me frown. I mean... I started, slightly frustrated. Isnt it obvious? Vyath frowned in response. No, He stated clearly. I sighed. Its because I am an elf, or I was, rather. Was? As I said, long story. Is all of this really necessary? We need to make sure youre no threat to the province. You said you were visiting your parents, correct? Yes. What do they look like, are they like you? I shook my head. They are not. Im not even sure where they are. The last thing I heard is that they were in Thymhil. What are their names? The elf continued. Keelarin and Lilinia, I said. Swiftflare. Vyath turned around to the succubus who just mounted her horse. Gwyn? He called out for her. Did you sense any lies? None. She can detect lies? I asked, confused but curious. Vyath smiled. Its a succubus trait. Figures you dont know about it. I can feel lies through emotions, Gwyn said as she appeared at the other side. Its quite handy sometimes. I can imagine, Cellestra said in amazement. Meanwhile, I was left reflecting on what I just said. Had I not lied at all? I thought about the part where I said we walked past the obelisk and then the red light occurred. I had to conclude that that was in fact, the truth. I had to consider myself lucky for not accidentally lying. One more thing, Vyath said. I see you got your hands on a chunk of starmetal. What were your intentions with it? I was planning on asking someone to make it into a weapon, I said, knowing there was no point in lying about it. And a piece of jewelry for Cellestra. Is there a problem? Not necessarily, the elf said. Its as I expected. The thing is, in Len Asari, high-quality weapons are only authorized to be made by specialized craftsmen. Youll also need a certain token you can purchase from me, any other archivist, or a royal quartermaster. We keep a close count of how many of these weapons there are in this kingdom. How much would that cost me? I asked. Ten gold pieces. Thats half of what we have... I said in an annoyed voice. Is there anything else we can do instead? Afraid not, Vyath said. The kingdom has strict rules when it comes to these things. Cellestra? I asked. Its your money, She said. Hold on a second, I said. Vyath, how much can one purchase with ten gold pieces in terms of food? Enough to eat for a month or two, He said casually. Are you worried about finances? Uhhh, I let out, trying to find my words. The truth is, weve been isolated for quite some time, so we dont know the value of currency well. I can assure you that nutrients wont be one of your issues. Do you need to know anything else? I asked. No. That will be all for now, Vyath said in a serious voice. Let us get moving. The elf and succubus both spurred their horses, causing them to run. The bat creature took to the skies as soon as Vyath and Gwyn took off. I was left behind, but only momentarily, a moment in which I smiled. I was amused to see the speed with which their horses ran. I started running and caught up within seconds, appearing at Gwyns side. The succubus glanced at me and smiled slyly. I figured youd have no trouble keeping up. I looked at the flying creature above us with my elven head and then turned towards Gwyn. Your pet told you, didnt it? How does that work? I havent heard it speak. Bloodlink magic. He can project whatever he has seen directly into my mind after it returns to me. I was left scratching my head. Thats incredible, Cellestra let out. I could only nod at her statement. It was incredible indeed. Vyath? I called the elfs name. Yes? I heard that Len Asari has a strong military. Could you tell me a little bit about it? The elf chuckled as he slowed his horse down slightly so he could walk up from behind me and appear at my right side so I was in the middle now. Strong military is probably an understatement. Len Asaris military is unmatched on this continent. Youll see that firsthand when we reach the border. The wall is testament to all of it. But if youre unmatched, I quickly said, Why dont you expand? Why did you only recently attack that hostile demon outpost? Our king and queen have no intention of expanding. They prefer to see the kingdom prosper, as it does, and to avoid bloodshed at all cost. They figured building a strong military was a good way to keep the peace. Its a deterrent if nothing else. And that outpost ahead of us? We were nearing the black patch Id spotted earlier. It was clear that there were once buildings here. Now, there was nothing but ash and scorched ground left. Nature would eventually reclaim this area and it would be as if nothing had ever happened. Retaliation, Vyath said. Some of the Caidrean blood were given a guarantee of safe passage through this land, but they were hunted down and murdered by the residents of this outpost. Our commander organized a large-scale raid with the elves and demons both and left nothing standing. We reached the black patch in the grass which was the size of a small settlement. I couldnt imagine the events that had transpired here to leave it like this. One thing was clear in my mind: there was no messing with Len Asari. After the scorched earth, it wasnt long until a massive wall came into view on the horizon. It stretched out as far as my sharp eyes could see from west to east, with several large portcullis gates along it. The closer we got, the more I was left in disbelief at how someone or even many people could build something like this. I was certain my mouth was wide open at some point, perhaps both of them were. The wall was made out of greystone bricks that were perfectly shaped to all be the same size. Its dimensions were breathtaking, with the wall being at least twenty feet high, possibly more. Battlements adorned the top, with plenty of crenels to allow for devastating archer fire. In addition, there were several emplacement points with deadly ballistae at the ready. I also spotted large vats above each gate, presumably used for burning oil in case of an attack. Are you okay? Gwyn asked. I couldnt help but continue staring at the wall in front of me. Im speechless. By the goddess, how was something like this ever built? It took quite a few years, Vyath said with a smile, But the result is there. Would it surprise you if I said nobody has ever attempted to lay siege to it yet? I shook my head. Deterrent, indeed. Faragi Please drop me some comments. I love to read about what people would like to see and what they think so far. Gives me something to worth with for future chaps <3 2.55 Dare I kept my eyes fixated on the defensive marvel of engineering before me, all six, or even eight, that could see in front of me. It wasnt hard to believe that none had dared to attack this yet. It started to become clear to me why Elysa had placed my parents in this province. Threats from outside were non-existent. Besides that, it seemed the rulers of this place had the best intentions for their people, something which some people could only dream of. Perhaps I had been too doubtful of the goddess. My faith in her had been shaken when I heard about this province bordering hostile demons, but it seems my doubt was entirely unwarranted. I noticed some activity on the walls, but not much. Then again, there wasnt anything going on that needed more personnel to be present. I doubted I counted. We soon arrived at one of the massive gates. Only one heavily-armored guard was positioned at it and he seemed to be only there to relay orders as he shouted for the gate to be opened when we neared. Of course, there was the wary look directed at me, but it seemed that I was going to have safe passage into Len Asari thanks to Vyath and Gwyn nonetheless. Once the portcullis was raised, Gwyns pet took to the sky and landed on the wall while we walked through. The wall was even more impressive to me after we had to walk through it. It was at least ten yards thick and there was another portcullis at the end of the tunnel that we had to walk through. I shook my head as I knew that no ordinary siege equipment would ever be able to even put a dent in this astounding display of power. Okay, Vyath spoke as we almost exited the wall. Gwyn and I will report our findings to the commander. Im going to have to ask you to wait in the courtyard as Im sure he will have some questions for you as well. I trust you mean no harm, but he decides who gets to enter the province. I dont foresee any issues as long as you remain honest. After that is all said and done, Ill get you one of the tokens if youd like. Sounds good to me, I replied. I then turned my head to Cellestra who simply nodded. When we exited the wall tunnel we walked into a large courtyard with several buildings at the side, integrated into the wall. Our first stop seemed to be a stable to the left as the succubus and elf dismounted their horses and led them inside a large doorway. When I peeked inside, I was proven right as I saw several horses in rows, some turning their heads to me. I quickly walked away from the entrance as I didnt want to startle them, although they seemed to be trained well enough to not panic if my experience with Gwyn and Vyaths mounts was anything to go by. Id ignored the soldiers who were using the courtyard as training grounds but it became impossible to do so as most of them had stopped sparring to look at me. I tried to dodge their gazes and instead focus on the layout of this place while Gwyn and Vyath lead the way. The courtyard in which we found ourselves was immense, with plenty of space for duels, and I could see target dummies for archers in a separate field next to this one. To the right of where we entered were two stone buildings, one large, and one smaller one. We were headed towards the smaller one, which was further out. I assumed that was the barracks. That building was sizable, too, but I guessed that was to be expected if it had to support the hundred or so armored soldiers that were out and about. All the stares made me nervous, but I knew that everyone here was disciplined enough to not attempt a random attack. Not only that, but no words were spoken and no slurs were yelled. It was just that, stares. Upon closer look, I noticed that most of them were simply out of curiosity, not of disgust, or even anger. I suck at being the center of attention, I whispered so that only Cellestra would be able to hear me. Not just you, She replied. She was right. Seeing something that resembled a half-elf, half-spider for the first time was already novel in itself, but to see an elf riding it, added even more to it. We came to a brief halt before the smaller building. You dont mind waiting outside, do you? I mean, I would invite you in, but Vyath said. I chuckled as I saw exactly what he meant. It was an issue Id experienced before, and Id probably experience it a lot more in this new life. The door leading inside the building would in no way allow me to enter. I nodded. Thats fine. Vyath led the way into the building and Gwyn followed. I had to suppress a chuckle at the sight of her tail dancing behind her as she entered. It does look funny, doesnt it? Cellestra asked with a smile. It does. I would joke about how Im happy I have no tail, but Butt indeed. She grinned. Damn, I said, grinning. Thats a good one. I was going to say how Im carrying something far heavier around than a tail, but I guess that works. I quickly skimmed over the people that seemed to go back to training one by one. Were lucky those wolf pelts are covering that pattern on my behind. I imagine those stares would have been even worse. How are you holding up, anyway? Im surprised no one has reacted to your eyes yet, and I guess Im doing alright. I just dont like being near this many people. You think they didnt notice? I highly doubt anyone would miss something as obvious as my eyes. The elf shrugged. I guess that once you see something like you, they arent that surprised at small things such as that anymore. Seems about right, I said. Also, I can feel your unease. Id like to get going as soon as possible myself, but I can see why all this is necessary. In fact, Im glad everything is as organized as it is. I turned my attention back to the door and the building into which the elf and succubus had disappeared. There were two glass windows, but they were too opaque to see anything. I could see some shadows move behind one, but that didnt tell me much. Gods, I hate waiting, I said in frustration. I was about to cross my arms, but instead, pulled up one of my legs in front of me and scratched an itch on one of my front legs. Well, that looks hilarious, Cellestra said with a smile. Im surprised youve never done that before. Ill probably do it more often. Ill have you know this feels pretty nice. Want me to use a comb on it? The elf smirked. I ran my hand through the hair covering my legs. I imagined that it would feel great to have this combed as well. Besides, I noticed that some dirt and dust had discolored some of the white and turned it to grey, or even brown at certain points near the end. If you want to do that, I wont stop you. Finally, it appeared that the talks inside were done when the door swung open and I quickly let go of my leg to greet the imposing figure that walked out. Gwyn and Vyath followed. An elf with short black hair walked outside, wearing armor that was far too flashy for my tastes. Silver and golden linings, in addition to a couple of gemstones and emblems of stars, adorned his equipment. He eyed me up and down multiple times and his face was devoid of emotion which made me feel uneasy. I was used to having higher-ups that often used this expression to intimidate, especially when meeting people for the first time, so I knew of this tactic. Still, with what I was right now, there was no guessing what he thought of me. Name? He asked sharply. Kealyna, I replied. At least he got straight to the point. I appreciated that. Well, then, Kealyna. I have a few questions that need to be answered. Vyath already told me a thing or two, but Id like to ask some more. I nodded. I was surprised that he seemed to have no questions directed at Cellestra considering her strange eye color, but I could live with that. Id like to know what you are and where youre from. I glanced over to Gwyn and saw her focused on what I would say. I was trying to find out how to answer the elfs question without lying but found it hard. Im an Arachne. I come from a forest near a town called Arhil. The elf turned his head to Gwyn. Not entirely true, but not a lie, The succubus answered. Well damn. 2.56 Truth” The full truth, The elf before me stated bluntly. No playing games here. I was so screwed. I didnt want to share this secret with anyone else but Cellestra, but I didn''t think I was going to have much of a choice in this scenario. It was either spill the beans or I wouldnt get to see my parents. I could, of course, try to run, but I would be found sooner or later, and as far as I could tell, these people were not something I would wish to mess with. I am was an elf, I spoke quietly so that only he, Vyath and Gwyn would hear me. A knight. I got cursed by Hograd, but Elysa did what she could to counter the curse. His eyes shot open wide, but his facial expression didnt change much beyond that. He was clearly surprised but didnt want to show that. He turned his head to the succubus, who, like him, had her eyes, as well as her mouth, wide open. Thats the truth it seems. She spoke with disbelief. Elysa The archivist let out, in equal disbelief. Unbelievable The commander then narrowed his eyes. I felt as if he was trying to peer into my soul. And youre on good terms with Elysa? As far as I know, I am. I spoke with her not too long ago at the temple in Edhil. Truth, Gwyn said softly. The elf in the middle didnt even have to ask. The commander narrowed his eyes once more before his visage changed back into an otherwise neutral, albeit stern, one. I could see him thinking, and there was no doubt in my mind what his next question would be. I took a deep breath in preparation. The obelisk. What happened? Fuck. I I dont know, I started softly. In reaction to that, I saw Gwyns mouth open wide in shock, but she quickly recovered before tapping on her side with a finger, drawing my attention to her. She then winked in such a manner that the other two couldnt see it. She was sending me a message. I swallowed before continuing, trying to buy some time to figure out what kind of message she was sending. Then, it dawned on me. We ran past it, and a minute or so after leaving it behind, we saw a red beam shoot from its top into the sky. I have no idea what it was, or why it happened. Gwyn gave me a slight nod. Truth, She said in the same manner as before. I wanted to heave a deep sigh of relief, but I couldnt do that just yet. Doing something like that at a moment like this would only raise suspicion. Unfortunate, The elf before me let out. But the timing is conspicuous. Vyath, what do you know about the obelisks? I myself dont know much, but I do believe we have a tome or two that mention them, sir. Have your staff collect those tomes and any other they can find on them. Id like you and Gwyn to escort Kealyna to the closest temple to Elysa. He then turned his full attention to me once more. Id like you to ask Elysa directly if she knows anything about the monoliths. I love and respect the goddess, but I have a duty to my people. I need to know what caused the light and what it means. I nodded respectfully. I understand. Being privileged to speak to the goddess was rare, Id been told. I wanted to know the answer to this matter myself already. I just hoped whatever information Elysa could give me would not end up causing harm to be directed at me. I prayed she had an answer And Id like you two to relay that information back to me, He said to Gwyn and Vyath. If she has the goddesss favor, I have to submit to that. She is free to do as she pleases, within the law, of course. I nodded slightly. Thank you, sir. He then turned around and headed back inside the building he left earlier. Finally, I could heave the sigh of relief that Id been holding in all this time. Dont take him too seriously, Gwyn said warmly. He does care. He just has to keep up appearances you know? I get it, I said. Dont worry, Im used to this. I was a knight, after all. If were going to be traveling with you, Im looking forward to you telling me more about your relationship with Elysa. Shes not worshiped by my blood, but still... Ill go inform my staff about their apparent new task Vyath said, slightly agitated. Ill be back in a bit. Kealyna, would you like a token? Yes, please. With that, he walked off into the larger building. Thank you, I said softly to the succubus after the elf had left. For back there. Not a problem, She said in response. I figured telling the truth, whatever it is, may have put you in a dangerous situation. I nodded. It probably would have, yes. Would it be something youre willing to tell me on the way? I thought for a second about it. I mean, Im kind of obliged to. Gwyn chuckled. If its too dangerous, dont do it, but if you do, keep in mind that I cannot tell anyone about it, either. I suppose thats true. I guess Ill tell you. The succubus smirked. Thanks. My attention was grabbed by Cellestra who was softly petting the hair on my back. For the first time in a while, I felt a smile grow on my face again. She always managed to cheer me up. I saw her take off her backpack, place it in front of her and fish out the coin pouch, which she handed to me. I thanked her and fished out half of the contents. I felt bad for taking so much to spend on something for myself, but Cellestra had been fine with it, and it was unlikely wed run into a money shortage anytime soon. I didnt foresee any expenses besides, perhaps, food, but even that we could likely gather ourselves. That was all we would need too. We wouldnt be staying in town so there was no need to pay rent or the like. Vyath returned with something shiny in his hand. When he approached us, he held up a silver-colored disc in his palm with three letters engraved in it: LAM. I asked what they stood for. Len Asari Military, Vyath replied. Its proof of authorization and paid taxes. Just make sure not to let a non-qualified craftsman craft your weapon for you. How do I know if they are qualified? They will have a token like this one, but its gold in color. When you hold a candle to it, it will reflect an eerie blue glow. Understood. I handed the coins to the elf who in turn handed me the token. I gave it to Cellestra who stashed it away in her backpack, which she then put on again. If that is all, Vyath continued. We should be on our way. Unless you need some time to rest? I shook my head. Im fine. Youd be surprised how good my stamina is, not to mention my speed. Yeah, weve seen that, alright, Gwyn commented. And here I thought horses were the most suitable for travel. Clearly, spiders are superior, I said with a smirk. The succubus smirked back. Unfortunately for me, you seem to have a rider already. I would have loved to try it for myself. I grinned. I doubt Cellestra would give up her spot. Nope, Cellestra said, smiling. Told ya, I said. Vyath shook his head and headed off into the stable. He returned with two horses, different ones than last time. Two black, muscular stallions would assist the elf and succubus in getting to the nearest temple. He had already placed the saddlebags with tent materials on the fresh horses which made me think it would take a while before we got where we needed to be. How far is the temple anyway? I remember I was told it was a bit out from the wall, but I wasn''t told any specifics. Few hours, Vyath said. No villages have been built in close proximity to the wall. It was a conscious decision from the king. A bit excessive if you ask me, but I dont make the decisions. The elf turned to look at the sky before turning back to me. Well get there late in the evening. Gwyn and I will spend the night there, before we return here in the morning. I hope you trust us enough for that. I nodded. I do, but I can stay awake while sleeping, anyway. Uhhh, Gwyn murmured. How does that work? I chuckled. Wouldnt you like to know? 2.57 Investigation The succubus smiled slyly and kept it up as she and Vyath mounted their horses. I did see a spark of curiosity in the otherwise ever-so-serious male elf and decided Id keep them waiting just a bit longer before spilling the beans. We walked out of the courtyard onto a wide dirt road leading further north. By the time we left, everyone in the courtyard had gone back to their training. A few people still looked at me every now and then, but it seemed the shock of a massive spider had already mostly passed. I had to admit they were quick with that. The fact that Gwyn had covered for me earlier made me trust her more than I otherwise would after knowing someone for such a short time, so I was more or less comfortable with telling her my full story. She wouldnt be able to tell anyone either way because then it would become clear she lied. I wasnt too sure about Vyath, though. He seemed more interested in knowing things than in gathering information for the commander, which would explain his position as an archivist. So yeah, I said after leaving the garrison behind. I can keep my spider-half awake while sleeping with this upper body. Crazy, isnt it? What the? Gwyn let out. Thats crazy, indeed. Its funny, Cellestra said, smiling. Its funny to know I have a gigantic spider watch over me while Im asleep. Gwyn burst into laughter. Oh my, that does sound reassuring to know. You mentioned before that you were are an elf, Vyath said. What happened exactly, if I may ask? You may ask, and Id like to answer it too, but Id like you to keep this to yourself. Another thing is that I do not want you guys to face any unknown danger and I feel obliged to be truthful to you for that reason. What are you talking about? Vyath said. I sighed. Youre an archivist, right? You have access to knowledge. I fear you may need that. The succubus and elf were riding on either side of me again and I turned my head to look at Gwyn, who nodded in agreement. She knew exactly what I was going to say. You see, I continued. I havent told the full truth back there, simply because of fear. Before I get to that, let me start at the beginning. I took a deep breath while I prepared to recite my story, at least most of it. I figured I could skip out the part where I wasnt originally from this world as it would not matter too much. I died, I said with my eyes closed. Shock appeared on our new temporary traveling companions while I saw my own death before me once again. But I died fighting for a noble cause. Then, I met Elysa in her realm. Long story short, she gave me a second chance at life, but I was cursed by Hograd to be a spider. Elysa countered the curse as much as she could through a blessing on me, and this is the result of that. The succubus opened her mouth to speak, but I silenced her by raising a finger and pedipalp while I continued. Now, about what happened at the obelisk. I was told by Cellestra that there was some kind of magic in them that has disappeared over the years. You probably know more about that than me, Vyath. I paused for a second. Anyway, I walked up to the stone, which had an engraved circle with strange symbols. When I put my hand on the surface, the ring and symbols lit up with a bright red light. Everything around me went black for a second or so, as if it was night, but way darker. After that, the red light from the letters disappeared and Cellestra and I decided to get away from the structure. Moments after that, the red light shot up. I have the feeling that this all has something to do with the goddesss blessing inside me. Vyath looked in shock at the succubus on the other side of me. Gwyn nodded. Not a single lie in there. Thats shocking, Vyath said softly. As I said before, I dont know much about the structures but this information is nothing short of how do I put it? Important to know? I suggested. Keeping this to myself felt like a terrible idea. The elf nodded. I agree, and I thank you for sharing this. Whatever happened, this seems like its important to figure out. Once again, keep this to yourself. I dont want to get chased down by soldiers for what I did. I added. We dont blame you, Gwyn said warmly. And this will stay between us, right Vyath, dear? The male elf nodded. It will. I wouldnt want to invoke Elysas wrath. I had a hard time suppressing a chuckle. It seemed the goddesss wrath was feared by many inhabitants of this world. Did they know that Elysa couldnt interfere in this world directly? Then again, I imagined she could always make people suffer after they died since she could pull them into her realm if she wanted. I shuddered at the thought but doubted it would be something she would do. She was still a kind goddess in my heart. Then again, there was probably a reason behind the fear. It was just that I hadnt seen it justified yet. Thanks, I said. Do you think you need anything more, Vyath? Vyath hummed as he thought out loud. Goddesss blessing, obelisk, possible connection to Hograd. Hearing the elf mention his name prompted a question from me. What do you know about Hograd? Hes evil, Gwyn replied in Vyaths stead. One could say that, The elf said. Hes a bloodthirsty god, always out for conflict. Thankfully, he is only worshiped by a minority of the humans on this continent. How did you even manage to draw his ire? I dont know, I said softly. Thats something Im trying to figure out myself. Before I died, I took a good number of human bandits with me. Maybe he is mad because of that? I wouldnt see why, but Im no god, Vyath replied. Its hard to know exactly what they feel. I shrugged. I know about that, alright. I then sighed. You know, this is not how I imagined this second chance at life. Ive had plenty of things to worry about already, and now I have this whole mysterious obelisk thing on top of it. Cellestras lips formed a soft smile as she patted my back again. I hope this is nothing bad, Vyath continued. If nothing else, maybe we will get to the bottom of what those structures actually are. I know countless people have broken their heads over it. I havent been bothered to delve into it too deeply as many already have, and to no avail. I think this is the first proper lead in generations. Ever the curious type, arent you? Gwyn let out in an amused tone. Even if I wasnt the curious type, this needs to be investigated, Vyath replied bluntly. I hope youll be able to figure things out. If you need my assistance, Id be happy to help. The only issue is that youll have to come and look for me. Where were you headed again? The elf asked. Thymhil. My parents were there. I was hoping you would know how to get there, I replied. Thymhil, huh? Thats at the other end of the province. Its a small settlement by the sea. His eyes narrowed as he was obviously thinking about something. Hold on a second I didnt like the tone of his words. Youre going back to your parents, right? How would they even react if they saw you like this? Arent you afraid of what they will say considering you died? I shook my head. I dont know, its as simple as that. I think I hope their shock will be as mild as the one back at the garrison. Im alive and well, that should count for something. There was of course the fact that Elysa had placed this slight curse on them that sealed some of their memories so they didnt know about me yet. Still, I liked to imagine that I was correct in assuming they would accept me no matter what. Otherwise, this whole reincarnation thing would have been pointless. I felt myself fall into despair and quickly reasserted myself. I was still me. I wouldnt let what Hograd had done get to me. I wouldnt allow him that pleasure. If you need any help with, lets say, influencing their emotions, Id be happy to help, Gwyn said with a grin. I shook my head. Thank you, but I dont think that would be necessary. Vyath closed his eyes and shook his head. Succubi Cellestra giggled in reaction, which in turn caused me to suppress one as well. I secretly hoped that I would see these two people again after we went our separate ways. I had the feeling I would. 2.58 Len Asari Gwyn and Vyath were surprisingly easy to talk to. It certainly helped that they understood my situation. I couldnt fathom being obliged to tell this secret to people who were not as receptive. We talked about what exactly happened at the obelisk so that Vyath could try to cross-reference it to anything he might find. I told him about the odd language around the circle, though that was something anyone could see for themselves. Even so, it was probably an important piece of the puzzle. That inscription was bound to have some meaning. I didnt disclose anything else about my blessing other than what I already had. I elaborated on whatever I could without mentioning my skills and abilities and such. So, I eventually said. What Ive been wondering about why are there three obelisks? Are there inscriptions on those as well, and are they the same thing? Good questions, Vyath said calmly. Though, I doubt anyone knows the answer to that. I have good hopes the goddess will know more. You have high hopes in your goddess, Gwyn said. I mean, I dont mean to be a bitch about it, but she doesnt sound omnipotent. Just look at Kealyna. She wasnt able to fully counter the curse that Hograd placed on her. Well, I mean, youre right, but she also didnt have a lot of time. I was more or less pulled out of her realm by force. I see, The succubus said quietly. And she does seem to not know everything. When I talked to her earlier, she couldnt tell me why this happened to me, but she said she would try to find out. Though, I have to admit, I dont know what good it will do me. Because? Gwyn inquired. Because it doesnt matter, does it? I said. I am what I am, and to be honest, Im happy with it. That is one thing I noticed, She said. Youre surprisingly calm. How long have you lived like that now? A week or two? I floated, turning my head to look at Cellestra, who nodded. Something like that, She confirmed. The succubus frowned. How did you two even meet? I shook my head. Thats a long story. One Id rather not tell, to be honest. Cellestra gazed down into my rearmost eyes with a certain sadness in her own. I had the feeling it was because of guilt. I never blamed her for what she did to me after rescuing me, but it still seemed to weigh down on her. Perhaps I should talk to her about it again sometime. That was the downside of these new traveling companions. Even if they were temporary, I couldnt talk to Cellestra in the same way I did before, and I felt a certain loneliness from it. The elf wasnt the most vocal with others, that much was clear. I was already surprised with myself in that regard. I didnt have any issues speaking with people where I thought I would, but I didnt plan to go into too much detail about my life, or my old life for that matter. With Cellestra, it seemed I could talk about the most mundane things without issues. That being said, it was hard for either of us to start, but I imagined that time would eventually make things easier. You dont have to tell us everything, dear, Gwyn spoke coyly. And we certainly wouldnt want to force it out of someone so special. I smiled slightly. Thanks. One more question, Vyath said in a serious tone. You said you spoke to Elysa recently, correct? How long has it been? Uh, a day or four? I assume this has to do with the ritual and how it cant be done too quickly, right? Correct, The elf said. The strain on the mind can be heavy, and doing it more than once can cause permanent damage. A few days of rest is usually recommended. In that case, I think Ill be fine. I do have two minds as well to split the load, so to say. That I hadnt even thought of that, Vyath said in surprise and intrigue at the same time. Before you ask, I said with a grin. No, I do not know how it works. All I know is that it does. Cellestra giggled softly behind me. I was happy to see her mood improve after her earlier dip. The next part of the journey was spent answering Vyaths questions, mostly about my anatomy. Unfortunately for him, I knew very little about spiders besides what I knew of myself, so most of the questions went unanswered. In fact, Cellestra started talking more and managed to answer a few questions to which I lacked the answer. One of the male elfs questions had been if I could produce silk. Now, of course, I could, but after learning the thread manipulation skill, Id not used my spinnerets once. I figured this bit of information couldnt hurt to give away, and showed him how I could summon threads from thin air and then shoot or control them as I wished. When I did so, the disbelief on his face only grew. Cellestra and I both smirked after she pulled out the shirt that Id created, and showed it. As you can see, Ive been practicing, I said as Cellestra showed them the shirt. I took pride in creating something of somewhat decent quality so fast. I imagined showing them something like this would make me appear even less of a monster. Not that I thought there was any doubt left, but who knew if this could lead to some connections. Right now, we had no source of income, so something would have to be set up in the near future. Even if ten coins was more than enough for multiple weeks, we couldnt sit by idly. That reminds me of something, Vyath said. Ive been meaning to ask you, both of you. Do you have any plans of joining a guild in the near future? I could put in a word with the weavers guild if youd like. It seemed Vyath had the same idea. I chuckled at the mention of the type of guild he suggested, though. Ive been carrying a halberd the entire time, I have a chunk of starmetal that Im dead-set on forging into a high-quality weapon, and you suggest the weavers guild? Uhhh, he stammered. Meanwhile, Gwyn burst into loud laughter. For all the information you gather, you miss out on that aspect. Vyath sighed and shook his head. So, youre intending to join the mercenary guild, or the dungeon exploration guild, then? I was slightly surprised that there were two separate combat-oriented guilds, but from what I had gotten to know about this kingdom was that it was organized to a high standard. There was probably a reason behind it that was still unknown to me. The dungeon exploration guild, I replied. If the name is anything to go by, that is the one wed like to join. Not sure what I can do for you there. Youll have to prove yourselves before entering. Im not sure how the guilds up north do that exactly, but if youre as strong as you are fast, I dont think youll have any problems. Im sure Ill be fine, I said with a slight nod. Besides, Gwyn said slyly. I have the feeling youve been holding back. Is it that obvious? I smirked. Yes, I have been holding back. It would be stupid to tell you all I can do. Smart girl, The succubus replied. As we talked, we covered a great distance. It was late in the afternoon when the settlement they talked about earlier came into view. I was surprised at first to see that it had no walls of any kind, but on second thought, it somewhat made sense as it was impossible for an outside army to get here. I imagined there were measures in place to prevent attacks from random bandits if those even existed here. Are bandits a thing in these areas? I asked. Vyath let out a condescending chuckle. Not really, no. Public order is kept by town guards, but prosperity is high, so there is hardly any reason to resort to banditry in the first place. To deal with the few that do think treading that path is the way to some quick coin, there are frequent patrols and expeditions through forests, where they could reside. The mercenary guild and the kingdoms soldiers work together closely to keep the people safe. I was relieved to hear that this was worked on so hard. The whole bandit thing was a bit personal to me. It seemed the more I learned about this place, this world, the more I realized just how specific Elysas choice was. I should thank her when I see her. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patron <3 Ell Lan Luke Nathan P. Thanks a lot for your support <3 I have started writing down ideas for a third story (plant girl) and with this story I''d like to avoid making some mistakes I''ve made in TKES/Elania. As such I''m not going to publish anything for a good while (whenever it is I start) and keep them patreon only while I make sure everything is as good as it can be. If you like to check out the idea list, or want to add ideas/questions of your own, here Is the file. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K8cZR4kDJd-kxdyPh7X0T1ul1vtHkpxFKvZHCycD78w/edit?usp=sharing 2.59 Emotions The one thing I noted about the settlement was that its layout wasnt terribly organized. The buildings themselves were all made of stone bricks and of high quality, but they seemed to be haphazardly placed. They also had a good amount of distance between them, making the settlement quite spacious. I got the impression that buildings were simply placed wherever people wanted them to be whenever a new one had to be built and that was that. I wasnt against the idea or anything, but I had expected everything to be as arranged and structured as their military. It would seem I was wrong in that regard. There was a road leading to the middle of the city, with a large square at its center, surrounded by several larger buildings. Anything outside of the main square was too messy for me to navigate. It was a good thing I wouldnt have to. If my assumption was correct, the most important buildings would be at the villages center. That included the temple. Vyath and Gwyn took the lead and I followed them closely. Their presence and proximity to me were bound to have a calming effect on the populace. There was no way I would make it inside without causing terror, even if my only goal was to reach the braziers in front of the temple. Speaking of braziers, I spotted them as soon as we entered the village. It was hard to say exactly when that was, as there were no walls, so I just assumed the village started as soon as we passed the first house. This late in the day, there were only a few elves outside. The smoke coming from chimneys told me that dinners were being prepared, or already served in some houses. The few people outside took notice of me and stared. Some opened their mouths, and I was expecting them to scream and run away, but no words were said. At the same time, I noted an odd sensation coming from the succubus. I normally would not have noticed it but, thanks to my thermal vision, I saw that not only was her body rising in temperature, but so were the air around her. I decided to ask what was going on. Gwyn, are you okay? Oh, so you noticed? Uh, I did notice something, but I cant place what it is, I said. You seem to be warmer, is that correct? Im surprised you can see that, The succubus said before pausing momentarily. But yeah, this is one of my abilities. Im currently keeping the townsfolks emotions in check. Cant have people running in fear now, can we? Thanks, I said softly. Up until now, I hadnt had to deal with this issue, as Id stayed out of and away from towns, and given the clear indication that I had no intention of entering them. This time, however, my goal was located dead-center of one. If only all temples could be like the one at Edhil We walked past several heavily-armored guards on our way. None of them reacted with shock. Rather, there was a hint of curiosity in their eyes. They glanced at me, then looked at the succubus and elf in front of me, and then back at me again. I got the impression that they either knew Vyath, or recognized his profession from the emblem he was wearing, and trusted that he knew what he was doing. We reached the center of the settlement without any issues, but when the brazier got ever closer, my heart, or rather, hearts, started racing again. I knew it was stupid to worry about all this as I knew Elysa had a great interest in me, but I couldnt help it. I had never felt special and even now, I still felt undeserving of a goddesss grace. Everything was washed away when low, red flames in the braziers flared up and turned blue. A nearby guard got to his knees and held his head down to look at the dirt in front of him. Vyath and Gwyn were also focused on the flames next to them. The succubus shook her head. I cant believe it. I mean, I know you spoke the truth and all that, but still. This is such a rare occurrence, that even though Elysa isnt my goddess, I still feel privileged to even see this. Vyath said nothing and closed his eyes. His lips moved as if to whisper, but even my sensitive elven ears couldnt pick up any sound. Was he praying? I couldnt blame him. I did it myself all the time. If things hadnt turned out the way they had, I would probably recite a silent prayer to the goddess of my own if a sign, such as the fires, was right in front of me. Should I wait here, or? I asked, unsure what to do. The large double doors to the temple were closed. Just hold on a second, Gwyn said before dismounting. Vyath finished his prayer and then followed the succubuss lead. They led their horses to the side of the building and returned. I had to admit I was surprised that they let their mounts stay there without tying them to something. Vyath had regained his composure by the time they returned and walked up to the massive doors barring the entrance to the temple. After a few quick knocks and some time, two eyes appeared behind a small window in the door. Even from here, I could see their pupils dart between Vyath, me, and the blue flames. After that, it didnt take long before the doors opened. Both doors were opened, but the figure that had peeked through the small window had disappeared. If previous experience had told me anything, they were most likely off to notify whoever was the highest-up here. I waited outside, common courtesy compelled me to do so. Cellestra tapped my back twice and I lowered my body for her to step off. As she did so, she almost tumbled. I smiled at her antics in a somewhat evil way. Apparently, getting carried for so long had a noticeable impact. Vyath and Gwyn were about to walk inside, but they turned their heads to me and also waited. A few seconds later, a priest with robes that were eerily similar to the priestess from before showed up in the doorway. Shock appeared on his face when he took notice of what was in front of him, but a quick look at the braziers made him shake his head and greet me warmly, nonetheless. Welcome, He said. It is an honor to meet one of Elysas chosen. Who is the exalted one? His eyes went between the four of us but rested on me in the end. Deep down, I knew that he already knew the answer to his question. Despite that, I still raised one hand. Me. A small smile appeared on his lips, but I could tell it wasnt an honest one. It just seemed forced. I brushed it off. It would be futile to think I would end up on good terms with every single person. This priest was merely a means to an end. Well, then. Please be welcomed to our humble temple. I wouldnt want to let our goddess wait. Are you familiar with the ritual? I nodded. I am. Have you had one recently? He asked. A few days ago. Ive been told I should be fine. You should be, He continued. He then turned around, and without a word, walked through the doors, only making a gesture with his hand for us to follow him. We did so and I let my eyes explore the inside of this temple. Unlike the one in Edhil, this one did not have stained glass windows. Rather, they were made from normal glass. What this place lacked in that regard, it made up for with a wide collection of silver and golden statues at the sides of the stone altar. I smiled at the sight of the statues that resembled Elysa remarkably well. Besides the altar, the entire building was just empty. There were no benches or anything, which gave the place an eerie feeling. There were a few other elven priests that were kneeling, facing the altar. They prayed in silence, even as I walked up to it. A woven basket with the reagents necessary for the ritual was already placed on top of the altar. I was glad about it, as Id rather get done here as quickly as possible. Not only was it a bad idea for Cellestra to stay in town longer than was necessary, but I also had to admit, I wasnt entirely comfortable with being here myself. Using Gwyns abilities to keep peoples emotions in check just felt wrong. I would rather have a more natural sequence of events occur to achieve the same results. Gwyn and Vyath made way for me to stand behind the altar, with Cellestra at my side, close enough to move my torso as soon as I fell unconscious from the ritual. I thought about the questions I wanted to ask Elysa. I would only have a short time to ask them in. Having Cellestra there helped keep my nerves in check. Faragi Merry Christmas everyone <3 2.60 Ancient Secrets I was glad I already knew how this ritual worked. The priest conducting it didnt seem to be the talkative type, which, to be honest, didnt bother me in the slightest. He prepared his reagents and simply nodded when everything was ready. Cellestra placed her hands on my stomach and back as I bent forward to take in the same minty smell from the herbs as the previous time. Then, the priest said one word that I didnt understand, and a familiar blue flame erupted from the offering bowl, engulfing my face in flames that made me feel sleepy I stood before Elysa in the goddesss realm. As soon as I got my bearings, I looked her in the eyes to see worry written all over her face. What happened? I asked, not wanting to waste any time. I figured it wasnt a long shot to assume that Elysa knew I was referring to the obelisk. I do not know, Elysa said softly. And it bothers me that I dont. Ive been breaking my head over it ever since you touched the stone. I will tell you what I know, and I hope that its of some assistance. The goddess sighed. First and foremost, those obelisks are older than I am, and I do not know their exact purpose, other than what Ive found out so far. When you placed your hand on the stone, it seemed the last remnants of a long-lost magic from your world were forcefully ejected. I immediately tried to analyze it, but there wasnt much of it left to get a clear answer. If I were to guess, and I will because it serves as a warning, it seemed to be a much older, much more complicated version of a banishment spell. Banishment? I asked in confusion. I think the obelisks serve as some kind of banishment anchor, Elysa said, closing her eyes. And I fear the powerful magic residing in you may have undone part of that spell I felt my heart sink at her words as her worry seemed to be projected onto me and intensified. What had I done? That is all I have found out so far, and I doubt Ill be able to find out more unless you visit another of the obelisks, and I most definitely do not want you to do that. I What do I do? Dont get anywhere near the other obelisks, and make sure to relay what I told you to the others. I doubt they will know more than I do, but who knows? Perhaps there is still a tome in this world somewhere that holds the secrets behind those structures. I nodded. I hope so. The uncertainty is killing me. After I gave you a second chance at life? The goddess smiled for the first time since our meeting this time around. It was a small smile, but it was there. Dont you dare get yourself killed again. Her words placed a small smile on my own lips. Thanks. I then decided to ask another question while I still had time. About my parents. I wanted to know, are their memories still their own? They are, Elysa said. I took their souls and removed all memory of the attack. In addition, I locked their memories of you and some other people, but I left remnants here and there regarding their profession and such. Now, only the part regarding you will be unlocked when they see you. For the other part, Im leaving it up to you to decide if you want to tell them. I assure you, I havent altered a thing that would change their personalities or anything like that. The goddess paused briefly. I made them wake up near a broken carriage close to a shrine dedicated to me. For all they know, they suffered some kind of accident that would lead to unconsciousness. They might also draw the conclusion they suffered some kind of amnesia from it. Im confident the priests and priestesses have taken good care of them, and helped them on their way in this new world. I do have the kindest followers, after all. Elysa smiled at her last statement. I see, I said with a slight nod. So a lot of it is up to me. Thank you for that. I appreciate it. I also wanted to thank you for placing them here. This place, from what I can see, looks safe. The goddess smiled widely now. No need to thank me. They deserved that. Now, go back to your friends, and do tell Cellestra I said hi. Will do, I managed to produce just before my surroundings started to blend together until nothing but white remained. I awoke again after the ritual, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. I was staring at the altar in front of me and Cellestra on one side with Vyath and Gwyn standing on my left. When I opened my eyes, I remained where I was, not intending to move until the dizziness passed. For the time being, I simply stared at the ceiling as well. I must have let out an involuntary groan as I was trying to regain my bearings, as Cellestra stepped to my side in an instant. Are you okay? She asked. I raised one of my hands, briefly looked at it, and then used both hands to rub my eyes and face. I think Im fine. Im just the world is spinning. Maybe I should have waited a bit longer before doing this. Dont kid yourself. Theres no stopping you from doing something like this. I let out a small chuckle at the elfs brutally honest comment. Youre so right about that Wheres the priest? I asked. I did not see him nearby. He, as well as the other priests that were about, seemed to have disappeared. They all went to have dinner, Cellestra said softly. Cant believe he left me behind like that. Oh well, whatever. I sighed. What did you learn? Vyath said, seemingly in a hurry to get an answer. Give her some time, will you? Gwyn responded to his impatience. Its okay, Gwyn. I can understand his eagerness. I took a deep breath as I prepared to relay the information Id gathered. Since were alone now, I might as well tell. What Elysa said was quite shocking. While she doesnt fully know what the obelisks are for, she made a guess based on the type of magic that was apparently ejected from the obelisk. Im assuming that was the red beam that we saw. She said it was some kind of ancient banishment magic, the last remnants of it. If I understood it correctly, it means that the obelisk is now completely depleted. Banishment magic? Vyath asked with a frown, his eyes started darting from side to side, as if he was looking for something. She said it was a much older, much more complicated version of a banishment spell. No idea what it means exactly, but it cant be anything good. Banishment spells are usually bad news, Vyath explained as he still seemed to be looking for something in his mind. If this is one, that makes this a dire situation. And there are three obelisks, I continued. The goddess hypothesized that they are used as some kind of what were her words anchor, for the banishment spell. The magic I inherited from her blessing seems to have undone part of the spell. Elysa suggested that I ask you to gather any information on the structures that you can find, as old as possible. How old? Cellestra asked. Older than Elysa Vyath gasped at my response. I took that as a sign that something like this would be nigh-impossible to find. I had expected as much. Thats going to be impossible, Vyath affirmed what I was thinking. She didnt seem to think so. In fact, she seemed to be quite confident that there was something, still. I said. Either way, Im not going to get anywhere close to them again. Im not quite sure what you should tell your superiors. I extended an arm to Cellestra at my side who seemed to be worried sick about me. I tried to put up a smile as she took my arm and helped pull my elven torso back in my standing position. I think I will tell them more or less the same story you just told me, minus the part where you caused it, of course. Either way, its going to be something taken extremely seriously given the fact that if there is something banished in the area, its threat level is largely unknown. Its not something weve had to deal with before, He said. He then paused for a few seconds. Its a good thing that Gwyns people have annexed the region. Research could have been problematic otherwise, Vyath explained. Research, I said in disgust. Why cant things ever be simple? I dont quite get it, Vyath said. I do, Cellestra said softly. Seems youre going to be delving deep in that library of yours, Gwyn said with a wicked grin. And then more after that. The archivist sighed. Books older than a goddess. I dont even know where to start. 2.61 Goodbyes I threw my head back and stretched my neck trying to get the last bit of drowsiness out of the way before we continued. Unfortunately, not all of it disappeared. I decided that if I had any more questions for Elysa it would probably be a good idea to wait, lest anything worse than just this drowsiness happened. I sighed. What a mess. Well, Gwyn said optimistically. If the three obelisks do serve as anchors for a spell, do you think its safe to assume that as long as you dont mess with the other ones, well be fine? I hope that is the case, I said. Im not going to sit around and do nothing, Vyath said, determined. Well report to base tomorrow. I reckon we will have couriers sent out across the continent within the next two days. Will you need any more information? I asked. Vyath shook his head. There is little you any of us can do at the moment. We dont know exactly what secrets the obelisks hold, and we wont find out as long as we are here. You two should continue doing what you planned to do. I hope that when we get things going, we will know more sooner rather than later. If you need me, do let me know. We are headed towards Thymhil. I dont think it would be a hard task to find me. Gwyn chuckled. I doubt it will be. If we are in a hurry to contact you, Ill probably send my pet flying in that direction. If youre okay with it, could you head towards the wall as soon as you spot it? Saying no would be kind of I dont know. Shameful? Seeing as Im the reason behind this mess. Dont blame yourself, Cellestra immediately let out. I looked at her to see a hint of anger, but also of worry. Im sorry, I apologized softly. But yeah, if I see your pet, Ill make my way over as soon as I can. I turned my head to look at the succubus. Where is it anyway? I havent seen it in a while. Dunno, Gwyn said with a shrug. Out and about, I guess. Im not really concerned. He always finds his way back to me anyway. Its getting late, Vyath stated clearly. We still have to rent a room for the night. What will the two of you do? He looked at me while asking the question. I, in turn, turned my head to Cellestra who was at my other side. What do you want to do? If you have no more questions, I think we should be going and sleep somewhere on the way. I nodded. That would be best, I think. Such a hurry. Theres no need for that my dears, The succubus said in a slow, caring manner. There is, in fact, I said. We cannot remain in cities for reasons. Care to share? Gwyn said slyly. Cellestra shook her head. Seems not, I translated. In that case, Vyath spoke once more. Let us part ways for now. Hopefully, we will see each other again soon. I hope the circumstances will be better when we do. I nodded, as did Cellestra. Thanks for your help, I said, before looking at the succubus. And yours, too. Gwyn smiled. Not a problem. I bowed slightly in appreciation of what Gwyn and Vyath had done for the both of us so far before turning around to walk towards the exit of the temple. The two doors were still open and it was dusk outside. After exiting with Cellestra behind me, I lowered myself and without a word, Cellestra stepped back on. Silently but quickly, I made my way to the edge of town along the road that Id followed before. From there, I would have a better idea of what way to go. I didnt want to get lost in this hard-to-navigate settlement. Elysa wanted me to say hi to you, I said softly as soon as we were outside of the village. She did? Cellestra replied quietly and with a frown. I nodded. Thats amazing. I dont know what to say. I feel honored. Maybe I should ask her if she would like to talk to you someday. I I dont know. Im sure it will be okay. She really is as kind as the stories go, I said, smiling. But I do think her power is a bit exaggerated. She has been quite clear that there is only so much she can do from her realm. The information is priceless, though. I started running as I wanted to get away from the village so that Cellestras curse would have no impact on the lives here. Besides, I rather liked being alone with her. Having nobody near us just seemed to fit both of us better. Im sorry for dragging you into this. I know you probably dont want me to say that, but I still feel like I owe you an apology. Youre right, She responded. I dont want you to say that. Thought so. We remained quiet as I created some distance. I used the time to think about what I could do to help out Vyath with his research but concluded that I wouldnt be able to find out more than the goddess had already told me. The only thing I could come up with was to somehow try to figure out the language that was written on the obelisk and there was only one way that came to mind acquire the language skill. That made me wonder if I could actually acquire language skills through my devour ability and if so, what in the world would I have to eat to do it? Would I need to eat sapient creatures? That thought didnt sit well with me at all. It brought me back to when I had first learned the spirit language. The tree that protected the dungeon entrance was obviously sapient in some way. Would I eat something like that? I mean, it wasnt anything like a human or elf, right? Besides that, it attacked me and I killed it. I sighed as I had no idea where my morals were anymore. This blessing had already caused me to do things that I never expected to do. Cellestra petted the hair on my back gently. Thanks, I said softly in response. There were several questions I wanted to ask Cellestra such as what she knew about banishment spells. I had dedicated my life to the way of the sword and a bit of supporting magic attuned to that. Spells like the one the goddess talked about were not something I ever concerned myself with. I knew, of course, that banishment magic was used to seal away certain beings, but that was the full extent of my knowledge about it. Cellestra would hopefully know more. Even if I knew exactly what it was about, the way it was used in this world could be different, still, and in this case, assuming it was the same as in my old world could prove disastrous. If anything, I had been lucky so far with my assumptions. Perhaps I should be more careful with those. You dont deserve the worries that you go through, The elf whispered after a while of me running. You dont deserve any of it. She continued to run her hand through my hair slowly, knowing that it had a soothing effect on me. Maybe. Things were going a bit too easy, werent they? I referred to our journey to Len Asari and the relatively little trouble we encountered on the way. Cellestra shook her head. Dont think like that. It makes you expect bad things to happen. Thats no way to live. I tilted my head upward and looked to the sky which had gone completely dark in the meantime, save for the moon and stars. I suppose thats true. I paused for a few seconds. I should be thanking you the most for all youve done for me so far. You really turned my new life upside down in a good way. I came to a halt in the middle of a field. Several enormous boulders were scattered throughout it, which provided a nice change of scenery for once. It actually evoked a certain curiosity within me about how they got here. I summoned a flame spell to light the area as we moved our goods onto the grass. Cellestra needed a quick toilet break, but soon we were sitting across from each other drinking tea. She proceeded to have dinner at the same time. So, how do you feel? I asked. I wanted to know what she was thinking. Honestly? Im worried about you more than anything. You blame yourself too much for things that happen. Stop doing that. She looked at the grass before continuing with a whisper. Besides, I want you to be happy. Whatever is going on, we will find out and deal with it. Thats what you do, right? I nodded. She was right. I was no coward. Whatever challenges lay ahead, I would face them. Hopefully, with her at my side. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patron. Eric Thanks for your support <3 2.62 Acceleration Faragi Cellestra at my side I finished my tea, stood up, and walked towards the elf. She tilted her head to look at what I was doing when I turned around and sank my fangs into the ground next to her as I lowered my spider head as low as I could so that I could get my torso somewhat even with the elfs. Even so, I was still a head taller than her. The elf smiled as she watched me struggle to sit next to her. What are you trying to do? I looked down at my second head and sighed. I wanted to hug your side, but I just realized my body is not exactly making this easier. My spider head was a fair bit wider than my torso, which would make placing my head on Cellestras shoulder quite the hassle. Why did I have to be this large? The elf peered down into the two eyes that were on my side and giggled slightly. If you want to hug me, just say so. She then stood up and sat down in front of me. There, that should make things a bit easier. Thanks, I said softly as I put my arms under her shoulders and hugged her from behind. My pedipalps joined in and I laid my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes. The elfs scent and closeness soothed my troubled mind like nothing else. You dont mind this, do you? I said as I placed my chin on her shoulder and felt her soft hair on my cheek. I dont, She said as she placed her arms on my pedipalps and stroked the soft hair on them. In fact, I think I could fall asleep like this. Hmmm, why dont you? I think I might, She said with a bit of a giggle. How are you feeling? Much better now. Thank you. I cast my healing light spell on the elf while hugging her from behind. I then grabbed one of the wolf pelts with my legs and brought it forward where I placed one over the elfs frame. You really want me to sleep like this, dont you? She asked. I do. I dont want to break this hug. Fair enough, Cellestra whispered as she put away her empty cup. I could tell the elf was comfortable with this position as I felt her muscles relax the longer we stayed that way. I was happy to know I wasnt doing anything that might make her uncomfortable. Cellestra moved her arm from under the pelt and brought it up to my head. She gently stroked the hair on my head and whispered to me good night before bringing it back on my pedipalp under the pelt. Good night, Cellestra, I whispered back while allowing my torso to relax fully. Soon enough, we were both sleeping, leaving my lower half to watch the surroundings. I canceled my flame spell to not attract attention and started my watch. The elfs actions just before she went to sleep were a bit confusing to me, but I didnt mind them, not at all. Perhaps it was a sign of her starting to reciprocate my feelings for her. I hoped that was the case. From the moment I first recognized what these emotions were, I had become unwilling to let them go. Thanks to her, my future was now brighter than it had ever been. I knew I had the strength to change the course of events around us, but I seemed to lack confidence at times. It was odd considering Id never lacked that before coming to this world. Then again, I hadnt had to deal with all the unknowns I had faced in my life so far. Cellestra managed to wash away all those worries whenever she was close to me like this. Her words and smile remained on my mind until dawn. During the night, my arms relaxed and slid down into Cellestras lap, which had mildly annoyed me, but there was nothing I could do about that. I wasnt going to wake myself up for that. As soon as she stirred, I forced myself awake as well. Soon enough, we were having breakfast with me still sitting behind her. Did you sleep well? I asked while the elf was eating. A slow nod confirmed she had. I did. How about you? Oh you know, I only slept about half as good as I can. Cellestra giggled. Yeah, I figured that. Do let me know if you need a full rest, okay? I will, I promised her. I stood up and started packing things again while the elf finished breakfast. Soon enough, we were on our way again, running through the fields with massive boulders laying around. Any idea what those things are? Cellestra asked as we passed an exceptionally large one. They look like simple rocks to me. Why they are here is a mystery to me, though. We better not touch them, The elf joked. Wasnt planning to. Who knows what will happen this time? Youre not blaming yourself for what happened anymore, are you? I am not, I said clearly. Ive thought about it while you were asleep. If remnants of magic were ejected from the obelisk, that means that there was once a lot more magic in them, correct? According to my book, yes, Cellestra said. My assumption is that the magic has leaked out of the structures. If thats the case, it means that this would have happened eventually. I may have accelerated the process in one of the obelisks, but still. I see what you mean. That sounds reasonable. In any case, now we know what this magic was about, or at least we do in part. If you consider that, it may have been a good thing that I touched it. True, but to me, it seems unfair that you get to bear yet another burden, Cellestra spoke softly. Youre carrying enough as it is. Except that I have the blessing of a goddess. I never intended to sit around and do nothing. I may be just what is needed to solve this puzzle. You sound a lot more optimistic about this, The elf noted. What happened? You happened, I said with a chuckle. Last night, you helped me calm down and put my thoughts in order so I could think clearly again. You do that more often than you realize. A small smile formed on the elfs face as she looked down at my spider eyes from where she was sitting on me. Thank you, She said softly. Anyway, I continued, wanting to change the subject. Id heard more than enough about these obelisks and was getting tired of it. Theres not much we can do about it directly, so lets focus on the things we can do. Vyath mentioned something about some kind of challenge to join the dungeon exploration guild. Do you know anything about how that works? Cellestra shook her head. No idea how things work here, so I cant say for certain. I believe the way to settle this back at home is a series of duels or a test where the newcomer has to defeat certain low-tier monsters that live nearby, under supervision, of course. Maybe they will send me into a dungeon. I mean, the guilds name kind of implies that, doesnt it? Should be doable, no? Cellestra said with a smile. I started laughing which earned me a confused look from the elf. Imagine, I managed to let out before I continued my laughter. Imagine their faces when I start eating the dungeon creatures after killing them. Cellestra giggled. You think it will be worse than the shock they go through upon first seeing you? Hmmm, I let out. I like to think its worse. I hope for your sake that whatever dungeon they will send us in has creatures that actually taste decent. I grinned. It would kind of suck to end up in a dungeon filled with massive centipedes, wouldnt it? How bad do they taste? Cellestra asked with an evil smile. Bad, and then worse than that, I replied, shaking my head while smiling. Before the guild, though, there are a few other things we need to take care of. I just pray that my parents are still somewhere around Thymhil. What should I tell them? Thats a hard question, Cellestra admitted as her smile disappeared. They will remember who you were, right? I nodded. Seems like it. I think you should just tell them the full story, as you did with me. Im confident they will be proud of what youve grown up to be: a strong knight with exceptional morals and virtues. I nodded again. I would think that any parent would be proud of that. Its just that I havent seen them since I was eight years old. I feel like its unfair to them that they had to miss watching me grow up. You know? Youre right, Cellestra admitted. But it cant be helped now. Im sure they will be happy no matter what. If anything, you can always tell them all that happened in the years that you were separated. I could, but the story of my old life is not a happy one. Which should make them even more proud that you turned out the way you did, Cellestra said, a small smile growing on her lips once more. Her words warmed me to the core. The way she was able to look at my life was beyond beautiful in my eyes. Youre right, I said. Thank you. Faragi I have finished a rough draft of the prologue for my next (eventual) story (Plant Girl). Feel free to check it out and comment on it. prologue-ish 2.63 ??? I had a smile on my face as we continued on in silence. Cellestra and I were both enjoying the scenery around us. More and more flowers started appearing in the grass creating the most colorful beds of purple, red, and blue that Id ever seen. Their scent only added to the beauty of this place. I giggled at the sight of Cellestra not knowing where to look. She kept turning her head to take in the view, whereas I could see everything at the same time without issues. Im kind of jealous, you know? The elf said with a smile of her own. Because of the eyes, right? Cellestra nodded. Must be convenient. I was about to confirm that once again, when all of a sudden, I felt my legs grow cold at the ends. Within a second, the cold shot up and entered my core. When the chill invaded my body, I lost complete control over my limbs and fell forward. At the same time, everything around me turned to the blackest black. What is going on? Cellestra I looked to where Cellestra was only to find out shed disappeared. I was left alone in the cold darkness with nothing but my mind which was racing, trying to figure out what was going on. I had experienced something similar after Id touched the obelisk but it had only been very briefly. This time, the darkness remained. Then, a blue square showed up before me. A???c??????????h??????i???????e?????v????????e????m???e??????????n???????t?????? ?????e?????????a???r??????????n????e????????d???????:????????? ????G????????r??????????e?????????e?????t??????????i??????????n?????????g??????????s???????? ??????? ?????????????????????????????????????? ????? ????????????????????????????????????? ??? ???????????????????????????????????????? With my mind seemingly kept in place, there was nothing I could do but stare at the message before me. What was written in the message scared me. The letters kept moving around, making it hard to read. Not only that, but they were tainted by weird symbols that Id never seen before. I couldnt tell at all what they were, or what they were even supposed to mean...what was this?! The darkness around me pressed against my mind, like it was trying to crush me from all sides. I tried to fight back against it, but I couldnt do anything against such absolute darkness... Despair had begun to take root I was fighting a losing battle and knew it. Cellestra, Elysa, anyone, please get me out of here Kealyna! A voice Cellestras voice! I heard her call out my name, but it was muted, as if I was underwater. I jerked my head towards where I heard it coming from. I tried to speak, to call her name, even to yell, but my voice was silenced. Kealyna! I saw a glimmer of light in the darkness this time as her voice called my name a second time. The coldness in my limbs faded and the light expanded, causing the darkness to recede. The first thing that my senses picked up was the smell of flowers. I still felt pain in both my minds but the darkness was gone at last. I let out a groan and tried to find my hands. When sensations returned, I noticed I was down on the ground. Kealyna! Cellestra called out again. My face was down in the grass, but I could still clearly see the blue square with text before me. Only then did it shimmer before it faded away completely, leaving me confused and most of all, scared. I had never felt so scared in my life before. Not even the time when the tendrils of darkness sprouted forth from the portal in Elysas realm. This time, I felt as if something was out for my soul, to crush it. What would remain of me if it did? I heard Cellestra call out my name once more, softly this time. I hardly registered it as I was shivering all over, not from the cold, but out of pure despair. Everything it was too much. It had finally broken my spirit and knightly determination. I didnt want to, but I was reduced to softly sobbing in the grass. By the goddess, Kealyna Cellestras soft voice came again as she knelt next to me. I felt her hands on my neck and chest as I continued to let go. When she finally managed to lift my head off the grass, my tears flowed freely and in large numbers. Cellestra, without words, took my head and laid it on her shoulder where I continued to cry. Her hands ran through my hair in an attempt to soothe me, but it didnt matter. I was broken. I cried and I cried until there were no tears left to shed. Only then did Cellestras comforting touch begin to sink in. My hands found their way around her frame and I held on to her with all my might. Her light was slowly calming my troubled mind. Time passed wherein Id just rested my head on the elfs shoulder, my eyes closed the entire time. My hands were shaking still, but slowly, I regained my bearings. As I did so, I refused to separate from the elf. What happened? She finally asked with a whisper. I dont know, I replied softly. There was black all around me. It was like before, but I paused as I had to inhale deeply with shaky breaths. It was worse. The darkness, it it tried to crush me. Then, a message from my blessing showed up. What did it say? Cellestra asked while caressing my hair. I I dont know. The text was tainted, corrupted. I have never seen it like that before. Something is wrong. I waited for a few more seconds. Im scared Shhh. Youll be fine. Her words they were warm and kind, but they carried little meaning. The darkness that Id seen I didnt know if there was anything that could stand against it. Elysa, please keep me us safe. It took me a long time to recover, despite Cellestras help. Even after remaining in this position for what felt like hours, I still felt fear at the back of my mind, clawing away at my sanity. I cannot imagine what youre going through, The elf said softly. But Ill be here. She remained quiet for a while as she tilted her head up. Lets call it a day for now. Its not late yet, but I dont want to have you continue in your current state. Take some rest, sleep if you need. I nodded slightly. Thank you, I whispered as I never broke the hug. Cellestra tried to get up, but stopped herself when I tightened the hug once more. She resigned herself and kept where she was, continuing to run her hands through my hair. Honestly, She said quietly. You scared the hell out of me when you suddenly collapsed. Look how dirty youve gotten yourself. Im sorry. I hope youre doing a bit better now. Getting you cleaned up shouldnt be much of a concern. I nodded weakly. A few more tears that I didnt even know I had managed to find their way onto her completely damp shirt. I never opened my eyes, and continued to thank her in my mind for just being there. I could feel exhaustion start to kick in, but didnt fight it at all. I simply let it take me. My dreams were filled with darkness, but unlike what Id seen before, this was the comforting kind. Somehow, it put my mind at ease as I slowly drifted through it, free to go as I pleased. Then, Cellestra appeared in the darkness and smiled warmly as she approached me. When we met, she took me in for a loving hug. Despite having her hug me outside of this dream for so long, this was the first time I felt happiness fill me. In here, I didnt feel scared anymore. When I woke up, I found Cellestra in the same position as before, still hugging me. Her soft snoring confirmed that shed fallen asleep at some point. I looked around to see that it was almost dark, with the sun barely above the horizon, which left me wondering if it was dusk or whether Id slept through the entire night. Half an hour later, I confirmed that it was dawn as the area surrounding us became more illuminated. Poor Cellestra. She must have passed out from fatigue, as I did. I felt much better already. I gave the elf some more time to sleep while I finally got the presence of mind to start thinking about what happened yesterday. The darkness, and the odd message I could draw no other conclusion than that they had something to do with the obelisk. I didnt know who or what it was that was banished, but it seemed to mess with my blessing. More worryingly, I noticed the clawing feeling at the back of my mind was still there. It felt as if something was trying to break in. It made me wonder, was this what Cellestra was going through? 2.64 Healing Faragi Happy new year everyone <3 I was still worried. Something about that message was ominous and to suddenly have it happen not too long after the ordeal with the obelisk that, combined with this pressure at the back of my mind I felt something was coming for me. It was just that, a feeling, but time had told me that my intuition was something I could trust. As much as Id hate to admit it, I needed help, probably quickly too. I hoped and I prayed that Vyath would be able to figure something out. I still felt guilty about dragging him, Gwyn, and Cellestra into all this, but I managed to overcome the guilt quickly by thinking logically once again. This would have happened, no matter what. I put my hands in the elfs hair and caressed her softly while using my legs to gather our belongings, putting everything together so that after breakfast, we could leave quickly. I took Cellestras bag and tried to look for a clean set of clothes seeing as I had cried so much in her current shirt that it wasnt wearable anymore. The first thing I found was the shirt Id made for her. She had promised to wear that earlier, but it seemed wed both forgotten about it. I sighed as I noticed how messy I was. My hair was tangled, had dirt in it, and was green in some places from the grass that Id planted my head in the day before. The silken wraps around my chest werent spared either. I would have to replace them at some point again. It was just I couldnt be bothered to clean myself as I had no idea when anything like this could happen again. What would I do if it did happen again? How did I get out of there last time? Was it Cellestras voice? I was still hugging the peacefully sleeping elf as ideas started racing through my head. One of the ideas I came up with was to teach her my healing spell. It seemed to calm her down in her dreams, maybe it would have a similar effect on me? I guessed it couldnt hurt to have her learn the spell either way The sun continued to rise but Cellestra didnt stir yet. It made me wonder just how long she had stayed up until shed fallen asleep. I smiled for the first time since yesterday. I closed my eyes and simply relaxed in the embrace Id been in for so many hours, my love for the elf ever-growing. I think I could stay like this all day I wished I could, but I knew we still had a way to go to get to Thymhil. The one thing we hadnt had to worry about, fortunately, was the way there. It had been ever straightforward all the way from the temple in Edhil. It took another hour for Cellestra to finally awaken. Not a moment too soon either as the position I was in was starting to get uncomfortable which I only realized then and there. I was, after all, bent all the way forward. It was a good thing my pedipalps supported some of my torso. Otherwise, I was certain I would suffer for days. Morning, Kealyna, Cellestra said with a yawn. Are you doing any better? I am. Thank you once again. I slowly let go of her as I moved my torso upright again. I wanted to ask her why she didnt wake me up somewhere in the night but I couldnt bring myself to do so. We were fortunate that nothing had happened while we were both out. Hopefully, that wouldnt happen again. How are you? I asked, looking at her shirt and hair as messy as my own. Im doing okay. Dont worry too much about me. You looked like you needed more help than me. Yeah, I said softly. I had never been so scared in my life. Even when I died it was somewhat peaceful when my soul left my body. What happened yesterday it scared me to the very core. I felt my actual soul in peril. Cellestra shook her head. What are we going to do about it? She asked. I want to try to teach you my healing spell, I said clearly. If the same thing as yesterday happens again, you know? I see what you mean. That sounds like a good idea. A loud grumble came from Cellestras stomach. I felt a sly smile grow on my lips as I watched the elf stare awkwardly at the ground. You didnt eat anything yesterday, did you? She shook her head. I didnt. I grabbed the linen bag with one of my legs and laid it in front of her. I also fished out her canteen from her bag and refilled it with fresh, cold water before handing it to her. Thanks, She said as she started her breakfast. I looked around at the nearby, colorful flowers. None of these are suitable for tea, are they? Cellestra shook her head. No. They are good for shampoo, though. I smiled at her words. Yeah, they do smell amazing, dont they? Yeah, they do. I wish I could take a proper shower, but it seems pointless right now. Lets just get to Thymhil first, shall we? The brunette nodded. Lets not delay that further. She quickly finished her breakfast and took a small toilet break while I prepared all our belongings for travel once more. Once she came back, she stripped herself down and put on a fresh set of clothing, which included the silk shirt Id made. I turned myself away to have everything happen behind my huge spider abdomen. This shirt is pretty nice, Cellestra called out from behind me. Are you done? I asked, not wanting to turn around to see her still putting on her underwear. It made me realize just how convenient it was that this body didnt need any underwear. I am. I turned around to see the elf wear the silken shirt with a smile on her face. Its pretty warm too. Im impressed, She let out as she seemed to struggle a bit with the sleeves. Way warmer than it looks at least. Think thats due to your cold resistance? If that works on my silk, then that would be quite the shocker. Youre going to put people out of business this way, Cellestra said, giggling. Ill restrict myself to only making things for us for now, I said before stretching my neck, shoulders, arms, and even my pedipalps and massive legs. Apparently, Id gotten sorer than Id thought. The elf giggled at the sight. You should really teach me that healing spell, She said. Seems that sleeping like that didn''t do you any good. I nodded as I grabbed my discarded halberd with my front limbs and handed it to my hands. Should probably not do that again, no. I then cast my healing light on myself but found that it had no effect on the soreness that affected me, causing me to sigh deeply. And it doesnt seem like healing works on it either. Thats unfortunate, Cellestra let out. Will you be okay with travel? Ill be fine. In fact, I feel like some exercise will fix this. Are you ready? I lowered myself to the grass while looking around to see if I was forgetting anything. The elf gathered her backpack, which was the last thing lying around, and then nodded. Lets go, She said as she stepped onto my back. Surprised you didnt stop to gather some of those flowers, I said as soon as I started running north again. Its pretty pointless if were going to continue on until the end, before bothering to use the shampoo that I still have. I shook my head, smiling. I swear, my first meeting with my parents is going to be a disaster. I can already see them saying that this is not how we raised you. Cellestra chuckled. I highly doubt theyll say that. They won''t, but you know ah, its whatever, I guess. I turned my head to the sky and let my mind wander off. Im looking forward to seeing them again, Its been so long. Soon, Cellestra said softly. Well get there soon. Yeah. Lets start working on that healing light spell in the meantime, shall we? The elf nodded as she already placed her hands at the sides of the back of my spider head. Ready when you are, She said. The next couple of hours consisted of intense practice. Little by little did we manage to get her mana arranged in the correct way to cast the spell. I could see she struggled to replicate the spell, even with all the assistance I was able to offer. Cellestra sighed after many, many attempts. Id lost track completely. This spell is hard, harder than anything youve taught me so far. I noticed that. Your mana keeps slipping through my fingers so to say. Its far worse than the elemental wall spells, and I dont know if theres a remedy in this case. Maybe its just time, Cellestra said, semi-desperately, but still hopeful. The other things youve helped me with were not the hardest, after all. I guess it was wrong to expect everything to go as easily. I hope thats the case. Well continue tomorrow, okay? Just take a bit of a break for the rest of the day. The brunette nodded. I hope well have more success tomorrow. It seems important that I learn this as fast as possible. Yes, but I dont want to have you drop dead trying to learn it, you know? Dont worry. I wont drop dead that easily. I know. 2.65 Berries After the few hours of spell practice, Cellestra simply sat in silence with her eyes closed for a while. She seemed to relax, and was slowly moving her hands through my hair which helped to not only unwind her but me as well. A stone road appeared near the horizon and within a few seconds, I could make out the vague outlines of a settlement as well. It was then that a worrying thought entered my mind. Almost immediately, I came to a halt. Whats the matter? Cellestra asked. Are you okay? Uhm I started. I think I fucked up. What do you mean? Cellestra looked down into my spider eyes with genuine confusion. I scratched my other head, partly because I was thinking and partly to get rid of the dirt near the roots of my hair that had started to cause an itch. Do you know where Thymhil is? I asked. Yeah, its at the other end of the She cut herself off. Oh Exactly. I sighed, And here I thought we were going the right way all along. Now, there is some kind of settlement coming up soon, but by the goddess did I screw that up. I never even bothered to ask. Vyath made me think we were going in the correct direction. I hit the ground with one of my front legs out of frustration, followed by another, and then another. I knew things were going too well. Too well? Cellestra asked, obviously hinting towards the fact that what happened yesterday couldnt be called that at all. I sighed. You know what I mean. Lets just check out that village and see if they can put us on the right track. While were there, is there anything youd like? How are you on supplies? Still plenty of food, Cellestra said. It''s not really an issue She seemed to trail off. But? I prodded. If you dont mind, Id like to get something thats not dried. Maybe some apples? Sure, I said, I wouldnt mind some myself You dont want anything else? The elf asked. I shook my head. Im still not hungry. Dont worry about it. I then sighed again as I started running towards the settlement in the distance. Here is to hoping we didnt go in the completely wrong direction. It cant be that bad, right? Cellestra said fairly carelessly, earning a shrug from me. I hope not. As the village drew closer it became clear that it wasnt much of a village at all. Rather, some of the buildings I saw from afar had been storage buildings that belonged to farms. These farms extended far around the tiny settlement. Fields of crops stretched outward for hundreds of yards. Among the crops, I could easily make out the standard corn crops Id seen so far, but I also saw cabbages, potatoes, onions, and wheat. There was one particular field that demanded attention from more than two of my eyes. I have the feeling youre going to like what I see, I let out as I stared at one of the fields that we passed. What do you see? Cellestra asked curiously. Sometimes, this sharp eyesight wasnt as nice. I felt kind of sorry for Cellestra for not being able to enjoy the sight of the many red fruits. Strawberries. Lots of em. Strawberries? Cellestra said in wonder. Havent had those in a while. Those were rare back in the forest and most of the time, birds had already eaten them. Lucky you. There are so many here, I dont think well have issues buying a few. Thatd be lovely. I just hope well be okay without Gwyn. I mean, in theory, we shouldnt have too many issues, right? These people must know we had to have passed the border, and that thats not easily done. People fear the unknown, Kealyna. What you say is true, but unfortunately, it is what it is. As we got closer and I could see the few houses that embodied this small settlement, I noticed there wasnt anything like the temples to Elysa wed seen before. They had towered over the surrounding buildings. If there was any temple here, it would have to be a small one. As seemed to be the norm here, there were no walls or any defensive structures. The next thing I was trying to look for were people in general. It was late in the afternoon, but it seemed it wasnt quite the time for dinner yet. I saw a few elves working in the strawberry fields and decided I would ask one of them about directions. At the same time, Id try to buy some strawberries and check if they had apples, too. At the edges of each field of crops were irrigation canals with some space occupied by grass in between them. I tried to find a way through the small strips of grass. So far, I hadnt been noticed yet, as they seemed to be busy harvesting the ripe fruits. I decided to stay out at a fair distance to make clear that I was no threat. As usual I took a deep breath as I prepared myself for what was to come. I never knew how people would react. Easy, Kealyna, Cellestra said softly while patting my back. This is quite frustrating, I said as I was about to speak to the elf with a straw hat and dirty brown clothes, kneeling in the mud to forage the strawberries. Hello there. Would you mind if we asked a question? Just a second, A female voice replied. Im almost done here. She continued filling up a basket with fresh strawberries. While she was working, I thought it was fair to give her a warning. And please dont be frightened when you turn around. People tend to get scared when they see me, but I wont harm anyone. I dont see how you could scare me. You dont sound like someone I should be scared of with a voice like that. Cellestra started grinning softly. Her soft giggles were infectious as they put a smile on my face as well. I poked her with the pole of my halberd to make her stop before I laid down the weapon in the dirt. I hope youll still think like that in a bit. Do you have some kind of injury, or? She asked as she dropped a few more berries in the basket. She then stood up and turned around. I sheepishly raised a hand to wave slightly as I watched her face turn white in shock. Told you I said softly. By Nilene Was all she managed to produce. At least she hadnt picked up the basket of berries. I was positive she would have dropped it. As I said, we would just like to ask some questions. Are you okay? I think the softness of the voice that I possessed managed to keep her nerves in check, or at least prevented her from running away screaming. Her eyes were locked on my large frontal spider eyes. I had the feeling that if I were to move my chelicerae or pedipalps even an inch, she would run away. She stared at me without saying a word. I decided to not put any pressure on the poor woman. II She stammered, her knees shaking wildly. Easy, I said softly. Im not gonna hurt you or anything. I hoped my words would get through to her. I knew from the start this would be difficult as it was impossible for word about me to have reached this place yet. I had good hopes things would be easier in the future. Suddenly, the womans knees gave out as she collapsed and fell forward in the dirt, unconscious. Crap, I let out. I wasnt expecting that. I was about to walk up to the woman to administer my healing light spell in an attempt to calm her mind and wake her up when a projectile hit my abdomen and ricocheted off due to the barrier. Another projectile followed but was also deflected. I turned quickly to face the attack that came from my only blind spot. When I did, I saw two crossbowmen who were in the process of reloading, and two foot soldiers in plate armor charged in with long spears. It was clear they were experienced soldiers. There was no fear visible on what little I could see of their faces as the rest was covered by plate helmets. Despite all that, their crossbow bolts hadnt pierced my barrier, something for which I was thankful. I left my halberd in the dirt and raised my hands in resignation. When the spearmens charge wasnt halted and I received two more bolts to the stomach to boot, I decided to call out. Quit it. Im not here to fight! Still, they didnt stop their assault as the ranged soldiers were reloading their weapons once more, and the first warrior thrust his spear forward to strike me. I had already noticed that even though the soldiers were battle-hardened, their weapons didnt seem like anything special. The first soldiers spear went flying with a single strike from my pedipalps. The second tried to back up his comrade, only for their weapon to meet the same fate. To my disappointment, that failed to dissuade them. With hard eyes, they reached for backup swords within their belts. Their strikes were swift, but so was I, and as they brought them down I merely had to extend my hands to stop their movement, knowing they wouldnt be able to cut my skin. I held a tight grip around their swords, making sure to have it known that I outclassed them, and from there I spoke calmly, albeit slightly annoyed. I told you, Im not here to fight. 2.66 Nilene I stared into the soldiers eyes, alternating between the both of them, asserting my dominance as I still held on to their blades. I jerked them out of their hands and tossed them to the ground. The archers had lowered their crossbows as they didnt dare shoot with their fellow soldiers in their line of fire, but they had become unsure of what to do during that. Id like to buy some strawberries, apples if you have them, and Id like to know how to get to Thymhil. That is all, I said calmly. It seemed my strategy worked. Their faces turned to utter confusion in response to my sentence. I could work with that. Now if youll excuse me, Im afraid this woman wasnt as resistant to shock as you were and Id like to help her. I then moved my attention to the farmer whod dropped earlier. Cellestras serious expression changed to one of amusement when I turned around. I made sure to check the archers status before doing so just to make sure they didnt intend to fire again, but they just stood there, dumbfounded. Why? What? I heard one of the warriors ask as I carefully lifted the unconscious elf with my front limbs. If youre talking about the apples and strawberries. You see, Cellestra here is fond of fruit, and I have to admit, so am I. As for the what part, Im pretty sure youre wondering what I am. Frankly, I grow tired of explaining. Lets just say I received a blessing from Elysa. I then addressed the elf on my back. Cellestra? She cocked her head. I tapped her backpack, hoping she would get the hint. It took her a few seconds, but she eventually pulled out the silver-colored disc. I took hold of it with the small claws on one of my back legs and brought it before the soldiers behind me. I dont know if you know an archivist called Vyath, but I bought this from him at the border. My humongous abdomen didnt allow me to see their reactions, but after showing it for a good few seconds I pulled the disc back and placed it in Cellestras open backpack. I hope our intentions are clear, yes? I placed my spider head on the ground, removed the straw hat from the farmer, moved her black hair out of the way, placed my hand on her forehead, and cast my healing spell. Fortunately for me, I was able to focus my attention on her as whatever was behind me was now quiet. I had no idea if this even worked, but I figured using a healing spell on someone could never hurt right? Within a few seconds, she stirred and very slowly, opened her eyes. When she noticed me looking down on her, her eyes fully shot open, and started flailing her arms. Shh, its okay. Take it easy. I cast my healing light spell again, which seemed to calm her down. I then removed my pedipalps from around her frame and helped her sit up. I then backed off a bit to give her space. Are you okay? I asked. I honestly wasnt quite expecting that sort of reaction. Ive seen a few, but that wasnt one of them. Im okay I think, She said as she grasped her head. She then turned to me and stared again. Long story, I said with a sigh. Dont know if I can explain it easier than by saying Im blessed by Elysa. Elysa? She asked. Goddess Elysa? I nodded. At the same time, one of the two soldiers from behind me walked up to the woman and extended an arm to help her up. Seems we misjudged you, He said. I chuckled and shook my head. You could say that again. Honestly, though, I understand it to a certain degree, but when I say Im not here to fight and even drop my weapon, its quite rude to just charge in, you know? Im sorry, He apologized. I think we may have been too eager. You call that eager? I said with a frown. You could have killed me well, not me, but you know? Agreed. It was foolish of me Us, He continued. His comrade finally showed up in my vision as he joined the first soldier and the farmer. I would make it up to you, but I doubt buying you those strawberries would mean much. It would be a start, I said. Do you happen to have apples as well? He shook his head. Not in this hamlet, Im afraid. In that case, Ill allow you to make up for the rest by telling me how to get to Thymhil. The soldier reached into one of his pockets, pulled out a small coin purse, and handed the farmer lady some coins before kneeling down and collecting the basket of fruit. Thymhil, huh? He let out as he walked up to me and handed me the berries, basket, and all. He pointed a finger to the west. You keep going that way until you find a river. You cross it, then turn north again and follow the river until you encounter a large body of water. If you follow that to the west, you will encounter a small village first. Thymhil is the city that is up next if you follow the shoreline. River, right, sea, left, second settlement. Got it, I recited the soldiers words albeit a bit differently. He nodded. Its not terribly hard. I would just be a bit careful crossing the bridge over the river. Someone of your appearance well, you know Yeah, I get it, I said while I handed the basket of strawberries to Cellestra. I think well be okay. I turned to the female farmer who seemed to slowly get used to what I was. Im sorry for the trouble. I was going to say more, but I got interrupted when I noticed a black bird swoop in from up high. I aimed as quickly as I could and fired a high-velocity ice lance which hit the creature with deadly accuracy just before it got the chance to snatch away the strawberries that Cellestra was holding. The impaled, now dead, bird landed a few yards away from us in the dirt between two rows of strawberry plants, earning a surprised and slightly shocked look from the three elves before me. Sorry about that, I said. Ill leave you guys to your duties. Thanks a lot for the help. Wait a second, The first soldier said, raising a hand to halt me as I was about to turn around. If you dont mind me asking, whats your name? Kealyna, I said. Now if you dont mind, were in quite a hurry to get going. Both soldiers nodded and I gave them a quick wave as I retrieved my halberd before navigating through the fields to the west. A deep sigh escaped my lips after Id put some distance between us and the local townsfolk. Didnt go as I had hoped, I let out. Could have been worse, Cellestra replied softly. I cant believe you just grabbed those swords with your bare hands. Good thing I tested my ability earlier, no? Did you see their faces when I did it? The elf chuckled. Yeah, that was quite something else. You seem to have a habit of doing that to people. What can I say? I said with a grin. Confusion prevents them from attacking me. Thats all the time I need to make clear that I am not a threat to anyone. Thats an interesting way to look at it, Cellestra said softly. But it seems to work, so thats good. She smiled as she looked down at the basket in her hands. Want some strawberries? I have plenty. Id love some. The elf handed me a handful of berries as I moved around slowly and steadily. To make things a bit easier for her, I summoned some threads to fasten the basket to my back so she could use a free hand to hold on to me. As soon as I popped one of the berries into my mouth, I was filled with regret Regret that we didnt get more. By the goddess, these are delicious, I said, still chewing, allowing the sweet sugary flavor to fill my mouth. I bent over and took some in my spider mouth as well. This way, I could enjoy the taste even more! Cellestra started giggling at the sight while nomming some berries of her own. Speaking of goddesses, I let out, remembering something the farmer said. Who is Nilene? Shes the goddess of the harvest, Cellestra explained. A kind goddess, just like Elysa, but it is said she can be quite capricious. It is said that the quality of harvests depends on her mood. People often make offerings to please her in hopes of bountiful yields. Most likely, even if there is no temple back in that small town, there is bound to be some shrine to her, still. Interesting, I said. But Elysa told me she cannot directly interfere in this world. As far as I know, neither can Hograd. I reckon the same goes for Nilene? I dont know, The elf admitted. Did you not have a deity of harvest in your old world. You know, with your parents being farmers? I shook my head. Not that I know of. My lips curled into a smile. Maybe I should ask Elysa to thank Nilene for these delicious strawberries. The purple-eyed elf smiled from ear to ear. You really should. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons. Felipe Gloxie Thanks for your support <3 2.67 Stars Shame we didnt get any apples, I said while Cellestra handed me another handful of berries as I left the outer perimeter of the fields. Not sure how long we can keep these strawberries fresh for. Not long, Cellestra said. A day, maybe two. She then chuckled. But I dont think well see them spoil with the rate youre eating them. I reacted to that with a chuckle of my own and a feigned apology. Oops. Its fine, though, The elf continued. There is no way Ill be able to eat all of these. Besides, nothing but strawberries isnt the best diet. I doubt nothing but dried meat would be any better, I said. Good point. Hopefully, it wont take us too long to reach Thymhil. Once were there, we can look into a more balanced diet, possibly for both of us. Im surprised I havent had to eat anything yet. Told you, spiders are great, Cellestra said, smiling. By the way, that soldier said Thymhil is a city. Elysa said she has a shrine there, but how does that compare to a temple? Do they have braziers as well? Yup, The elf said. Shrines, temples, any religious building has at least one brazier. The problem, as far as I know, is that smaller settlements dont usually have all the materials needed for the ritual. If Thymhil is a city, I dont think we should have any trouble with that. Wouldnt think so, no. You know what? I said, staring into the distance. Im looking forward to what is to come. Im not talking about the mess with the obelisks, but rather, the city, Thymhil. I want to know what this dungeon exploration guild challenge is. Do I sense excitement in your voice? Cellestra asked. I nodded. You sure do. I am excited. You know, when I was a spider, even though I mostly hated it, the challenges I faced I dont know how to explain it. Gave a sense of fulfillment after overcoming them? The elf suggested. That. Thats exactly what I mean. The last fights I had, they werent really a challenge they didnt give that same sense of fulfillment. I sighed. I need something that is actually a challenge, but I know its putting my life at risk. I mean, my life had been on the line several times in my old life, but I had nothing to lose then. I do now. Am I weird? The brunette shook her head. Not at all. Its your nature as far as I can see, and there is no changing ones nature. What a load of garbage, I said, shaking my head with a smile. Youve changed my nature too much for me to agree to that. Maybe youve always been like that, deep down. Her words struck me like lightning and silenced me. The more I thought about it, the more I had to give it to her that she had a point. I had never been in a position where I worried about the things I could worry about now. Likewise, I had never fallen in love before. I concluded that there was no way of knowing for sure if she had actually changed my nature, which meant she could be right, after all. I shrugged with both shoulders and pedipalps. I dont know. I guess its hard to say. I know I dont mind it. Well, thats all that matters, Cellestra said. I dont want to change your nature, either. I think its something special. Thanks I said softly, knowing she meant it in a positive way. If anything is weird here, its me looking forward to seeing you in action. Back there, with the sword thing? Even though I was on your back and close to the danger, watching that was how do I say this? Awesome? I started laughing quietly. Im glad you enjoyed that. You do have your barrier active, right? Cellestra nodded. Always. Your version of this barrier spell is just too useful to not have in effect permanently. Those were my thoughts exactly. Our trip brought us through more pastures with all kinds of flowers in full bloom. I had to admit that this province so far seemed to be very much alive. I loved being able to see something as beautiful as these lands. We came across a few trees here and there and a small stream of water which I jumped across after warning Cellestra about it. Even so with the peaceful scenery around us, there was still the darkness clawing at the back of my mind, which soured my mood, as much as I tried to not have it do that. We noticed something that resembled a forest to the south, but since I wasnt hungry, or in the mood for a detour, we ignored it. After that, it wasnt long until the sun started to set. Dont think well reach that river today, I said. I was stupid enough to not ask for a timeframe again. You were too busy being awesome, Cellestra said with a grin. I suppose thats true. Oh well. I collapsed in a bed of flowers and stretched my legs in and outward a few times as the brunette stepped off. Not that I mind, The elf said. I enjoy our travels together, more than I could have ever known. I feel stupid for doubting this at first. Nothing wrong with that. Its not every day that a gigantic spider offers you to show you the world. I grinned at my own sentence. I doubt that has ever happened before in the first place, She said while putting down her backpack and removing the pelts from my abdomen. To anyone. Good point. I created a flame to illuminate the surroundings as the world around us slowly fell into darkness. Without too many more words, I unpacked our cargo and Cellestra started her dinner when I came up with some questions regarding what we had talked about earlier. By the way, the dungeon exploration guild. If youre going to be joining as well, I assume youre going to have to prove what you can do. How will you go about that with your spells? I was hoping to learn some more of your offensive spells before that. I dont want to use mine, especially if there are other people there. I had something like that in mind. If you want, we can try some tomorrow. She shook her head. I would much rather learn your healing spell first. From the sound of it, it would benefit you a lot if I learned it. Problem is that Im not sure if it will even work I said, doubt obvious in my voice. Im sure it will work, Cellestra said confidently. If you can dispel my nightmares with it, Im positive it can wipe away anything that ails you as well. Thank you, I let out. After you get the hang of that, I promise well work on some more interesting spells. Being able to help you is probably the most interesting spell of all, The elf immediately said. I looked at her to see a genuine smile on her face, one that forced me to smile as well and had me resist walking up to her to hug her tight. I shook my head and decided to just say it out loud. You know how hard it is to not walk up and hug you right now? Cellestra started giggling. You can hug me all you want when Im asleep tonight. How does that sound? Pretty good actually, I replied. Looking forward to it. She maintained her smile while eating dinner. She still had some strawberries in the basket but I imagined she was saving those for tomorrow. The rest of the evening proceeded as usual, with Cellestra finishing dinner, taking care of business, and then settling down at my side while looking at the stars in the night sky. I also prepared for sleep as I lay down in the soft hair on my back. You know, Cellestra started. Sometimes, I wonder what is out there. Your appearance here told me there is at least another world, but what about the rest? What do you mean? I asked. I mean, have you ever wondered where fallen stars come from? Thanks to you, I know they are made from magical metals. Is there some god out there that melts them together and then slings them towards worlds? I dont know, I said. Maybe? Once again, I do not know if gods can directly interfere in worlds, but would that be considered directly? I paused for a second. I dont know how all this works and it makes me dizzy just thinking about it. Maybe there are large deposits of it on the moon, who knows? Cellestra suggested. I doubt that. Its starmetal. The moon is not a fallen star. True, The elf said. Imagine if we could see our own world from the moon. How crazy would that be? Unfortunately for you, I cannot fly, I said with a smile. Else, I would go there with you, just to find out. I bet its beautiful from above Cellestra whispered. I bet it is, I replied, whispering as well. I continued staring at the moon above us, wondering about Cellestras question. What would there be on the moon? After a few minutes, I wished the elf goodnight, expecting one in return, but it didnt come. Seconds after that, I heard soft snoring from my side and smiled as I allowed myself to fall asleep as well. I adjusted the wolf pelt so that it covered her properly while I stared at the stars and moon with my spider eyes, wondering what exactly was out there. 2.68 Crossing Night passed uneventfully enough. At one point, some wolves started howling in the forest to the south. Despite being on high alert for the rest of the night after that, I still felt refreshed by the time Cellestra stirred. Soon enough, we went through our morning routine during which we ate the last of the berries. The basket they had been in was added to my back when we loaded everything again. There was no point in tossing it out. Our journey continued onward after a short while. Youre in a good mood today, arent you? Cellestra asked warmly once we were underway. I nodded. I am. Were starting to get close to our goal. I can feel it. I turned my head to the sky. Finally, Ill be able to see them again, hug them again. Finally, Ill be able to move forward. I feel like Ive been stuck this entire time. Would it be strange for me to say Im looking forward to that moment? The elf asked. I dont know, I said. I think we both wish each other happiness, dont we? I dont think thats strange at all. We do, Cellestra said softly. Lets continue our practice, shall we? Yeah. Starting our magic practice after a night of rest proved to be wonderful in our efforts. We still struggled to get Cellestras flow of mana to take the shapes needed to cast healing light successfully, but I felt like we were at least making progress this time. As long as we made progress, we would eventually get there. Unfortunately, we had to conclude that despite all that, we wouldnt be able to get her to replicate the spell today. I didn''t think we would get there tomorrow, either. This spell proved to be the most intricate one to date. The landscape flew by. We halted our practice as soon as I saw blue appear over the horizon. I knew it to be the river which meant that there should also be a bridge that wed cross, guarded as was usual with important landmarks. Even if most of the people here were peaceful and problems from abroad were non-existent, bridges and trading posts would always need to be protected to protect supply lines from bandits and their ilk. However, there was no bridge in my perfect sight. It made me wonder if wed somehow missed it. Hmmm, I let out, scratching my head while running. No bridge here. Did we go wrong somewhere? Immediately after that, I figured it wouldnt matter too much. Ill follow the river north. Hopefully, we run into the bridge, if we dont we were supposed to go that way anyway, before or after crossing, it shouldnt matter too much, and well Well, what? Cellestra asked curiously. Im looking at it right now and it seems the water level is quite high. If its calm water, I could simply walk across to the other side. Oh yeah, you can do that. Do you think your spell will be strong enough to hold us both? I chuckled. Cellestra I grinned as I had a hard time containing my laughter. I think you weigh nothing in comparison to what Im carrying behind me. Im sure that little bit of extra luggage makes no difference. I shook my head. Im certain I can manipulate the spells strength if needed as well. Worst case scenario, I summon ice walls under my feet to walk across. The elf nodded. I trust you know what youre doing. Well, its not like I''m going to jump onto the water or anything like that. Cellestra giggled softly as we neared the river. It was about fifty yards across and fortunately for us, the water was calm. The water level was a few feet below the riverbank, but thanks to my long and powerful legs, I reckoned I could make it down without putting Cellestra in a precarious position. For the moment, I decided to walk north, in hopes of finding the bridge the soldier talked about. When we didnt run into it about half an hour later, I came to a halt and mentioned that I was going to walk across. The elf nodded and gripped my hair tight. I paused for a moment to figure out the best way to do this. I decided to approach the water walking sideways. I then cast my water walk spell and lowered two legs onto the water and applied pressure. When I felt that the calm water was solid ground, I followed up by adding my other two legs. Thanks to all the joints, I could still remain in a position where Cellestra was sitting upright and wasn''t tilted in the slightest. I then shifted most of my weight to the legs on the water, but the spell remained strong. I then slowly moved my legs further onto the water before two of my right legs found their way on top of it. Finally, I had all eight legs on the water and found the spell holding without problems. Told you, I said with pride. Without delay, I started skittering across the water surface, wanting to get to the other side as swiftly as possible. We got the attention of a large number of smaller fish, which would have made me smile otherwise, but I didnt want to lose focus while over the water. Cellestra seemed to have similar thoughts, and kept quiet until we were back on solid ground. I couldnt help but heave a sigh of relief when it was over. Nice one, The elf complimented me as she softly patted my back. Im happy that went well. At least now I know what I can do with this. I turned my head to the north. Now, lets see if we can get to that body of water today, shall we? The brunette nodded. By the way, if we find some time, do you think we could catch some fish for tonight? Another one of your cravings? I said slyly. Cellestra nodded shyly. I thought it would be a good idea, with this river being here and all Dont worry, I said. Well get you some fish. I started running when I had an idea pop up in my head. I followed the shoreline as closely as I could while keeping my spider eyes fixated on the water, trying to spot any fish that were close to the surface. Im trying something, I explained, earning a nod. There had been no new spell mergers available to me for a while now, which led me to play with the idea of making a certain attack which was a combination of two spells, but without actually merging them. As a test, I summoned some of my threads and kept them suspended in mid-air to my right. I then summoned an ice lance that briefly hovered at the same side. In the short time that it was suspended and aimed, I manipulated the threads to wrap around the icicles base. Then, the spell fired. The icicle pierced the water surface but didnt hit anything after that. I reeled the icicle back in by pulling the threads. That was interesting Cellestra said. I was smiling from ear to ear at my successful test. It is, right? Now I can fish without having to stop. I practiced my new spell a couple more times, even going as far as using high-velocity ice lances. I found that the threads held in both situations, which was something Id been slightly skeptical about. It wasnt simple as there werent many fish close to the surface. This alone made it hard to aim at anything, but an hour or two, and a few failed attempts, later, I finally managed to strike a fish. You have killed a River Salmon: No experience was awarded. Salmon, apparently, I said as I reeled it while the elf on my back watched with large eyes. Damn, that blessing is useful. You already know what it is before you can even see it. The elf had her eyes fixed as the impaled fish appeared above the water. Salmon is incredibly delicious too. I could only get it at very specific times in the year. Maybe they are more common out here? I have no idea, I admitted. Ive only had it once or twice in all my years, and I never bothered to figure out how and when to get them. Hmmm, The purple-eyed elf let out. They are delicious if you smoke them. Actually Cellestra turned her head to find the sun in the sky. Do you think you can do that? She looked at me expectantly. I chuckled. Dont think I have the means or the knowledge to do that. I can try to cook it using hot air, but thats about the best I can do. Cellestra shrugged. Up to you if you want to do it. Alternatively, we could ask once we reach the village, but you know how I think about all this. The elf nodded. Lets just cook it as best you can and keep going. We can always do this some other time. Agreed. Im still hoping to reach at least the first village today. I can already see the ocean appearing over the horizon. At least, thats what I think it is. One step closer to my long-lost relatives. With every step that I took, I felt more nervous as I was approaching the goal that not so long ago, had been so far out of reach. Soon, we would be reunited. I said a small prayer of thanks to Elysa in my mind. Faragi It''s my birthday today. As such, I will be forced to keep all the cookies to myself >:) 2.69 Beach Cellestra cleaned and gutted the fish as best she could on the way, before I strung it up between my pedipalps and summoned a small fire under it to heat it while on the go. Cellestra seemed amused by that and kept leaning forward and to the side every now and then to try to get a glimpse of the slow-cooking salmon. You know, I said. If youre that interested in whats happening in front of me, maybe we should put you on my head next time. I... She let out. Will you be okay with that? You know, with your eyes and whatnot? Where will I even leave my legs? Hm. I do have a big head, dont I? I said, looking down to find a solution for the problem that would occur if she were to move forward. I mean, I guess you could put them around my waist. I chuckled. Then you can hug me all day! The elf giggled. That doesnt sound so bad. Even more reason for me not to use armor. I reckon cold steel isnt the nicest thing to hug. I wouldnt know, Cellestra admitted. Ive never hugged steel. I shrugged. How about the beach? I pointed forward. We were getting close to the ocean, and along it was a golden sandy beach. You ever been to the beach? Does the small part of beach back near my cabin count? I shook my head. Nope. Then, no. Well, since were here anyway, might as well enjoy all the wonders that the sea brings. Just be careful of the seagulls, Cellestra warned me. Dont let them steal your fish. I chuckled. Ive had that happen once. Didnt intend to ever let it happen again. I stared into the distance, where a few seagulls flew over the water. I hate those nasty, stealing birds. Within a few minutes, I found my legs skittering through the sand as we followed the shoreline to the left. Surprisingly, I had very little trouble finding my way through the golden grains that would have severely impeded my footing if Id still been my old self. The little bit of sand that got on my large, spider eyes was simply ignored; I wasnt bothered by it in the slightest. This is beautiful, Cellestra said as she kept turning her head to watch the majestic ocean and the few critters running around through the sand. We should come here more often. Im surprised theres nobody around. We definitely should. Though, those crabs make me feel confused. Huh, how? Look how they walk, I said. When I look at them, I can feel myself projecting their movements into my own legs. Does that even make sense? Youre trying to imitate them? I guess you could put it like that. Ive never wondered about it before, but they do move in a funny way, sidewards. Cellestra giggled again. Youre funny. You know that? So Ive been told. During our stroll on the beach, I had to scare off more than a few seagulls that were overly interested in the fish that I was cooking. Even though that part was annoying, coming here was still worth it. The glow of wonder in Cellestras purple eyes was all that I needed. Surprisingly, there was little to no wind. Even so, small waves still crashed into the sands, sending foam forward. Every now and then, some crabs were brought or taken by the ocean. This makes me wonder if I can actually swim, I randomly said. Do you know? No idea, Cellestra said with a shrug. Doesnt sound like now is a good time to find out, either which is unfortunate as Id love to see you try. What if I cant? Well, you got that water walk ability right? Do you think you can use that to get back on the water when youre down in it? Good question... Then, I noticed something in the distance. The beach eventually ended, but the ocean stretched forward. The sand was replaced by grass, and further up, a tiny settlement came into view. It was about two hundred yards further inland, but there was a small trail of dirt leading through agricultural fields to the ocean, towards several docks. Some had small fishing ships anchored. Well, thats the first settlement. Im going to assume its not Thymhil judging by its size. Cellestra held her hand above her eyes to peer into the distance. Doesnt look like a city to me. I would assume a city has its docks integrated into the city. Exactly. Lets keep going. Maybe we''ll be able to reach Thymhil today. If its not too far out, sure. Forgive my impatience, I said softly. Im just you know. Cellestra smiled warmly and patted my back. I understand. If anything, Im looking forward to meeting your family as well. And Im looking forward to the day that I can help you reunite with yours. That... Cellestra started softly before looking down to my back, her smile disappearing. I dont know about that yet. I mean, we need to get rid of your ailment first, obviously, I said. Cellestra shook her head. Thats not what I meant... She sighed. I mean, even if we do that, I still dont know if they actually want to see me again. My memories of back then are hazy at best, and I dont want you to put that much effort into something that may not result in anything. Im sorry, I said softly. For bringing that up. If its any consolation, I dont mind putting in that effort. I paused for a few seconds. Its not something we have to actively work on if you dont want to, so dont worry about it. We can look into things whenever youre ready or want to. The elf nodded. Thank you. I never slowed down my pace during our conversation. The settlement was already way past us and judging from the suns position, we could still continue for a couple of hours before darkness would fall over this world. I was hoping, and praying that any moment now, buildings would appear over the horizon. Elysa really knows how to pick the perfect spot, doesnt she? I asked in an attempt to cheer Cellestra up, and also to get her to talk again after the long silence that followed our last conversation. The ocean, the fields, the pleasant temperature, the relative safety this place is amazing. Wouldnt expect anything less from a goddess, Cellestra answered, a small smile growing on her lips as she tilted her head up again. Cant believe I was so skeptical at first. Its your family were talking about here, The elf spoke. Its natural to worry about their safety. Even I do it, and I have few ties to them. Thats harsh but also beautiful, I let out. A period of silence followed, during which Cellestre tilted her head to look at my back again. Hey, Kealyna? Hm? Do you think Im pretty? She asked softly, almost whispering. Yes, I replied immediately, and without thought. Despite the dirty clothes, messy hair, and everything, I think youre pretty, beautiful even. I paused for a second. Why do you ask? Cellestra seemed stunned. I wasnt sure if it was the answer itself or the speed with which I had affirmed it. I... She said softly. I dont know Even the eyes? She asked. Theyre gorgeous, I said confidently. The elf stared into my rear eyes with a blank expression before a tear formed in one of her eyes which then fell onto my back. Are you okay? I asked softly. Cellestra nodded slowly. Nobody has ever said that to me... I sighed, slightly frustrated, but mostly saddened by the elfs reaction. I slowed down and continued moving forward with just six of my legs. I used my other two to carefully pat the brunettes back in an attempt to bring her some comfort. Well, now I have, and Ill say it again as many times as you like. I paused for a second, during which I closed my eyes. You know Ive fallen for you, Cellestra both your inside and outside are beautiful in my eyes. That was enough to elevate Cellestras mood. A sweet smile appeared back on her face, the kind that made my heart melt. Thank you, She said softly, moving her hand back in my hair to gently pat my back. I smiled which then transformed into a chuckle. I would ask you what you think about me, but you hardly see anything besides my back and hair. I dont know... Cellestra said quietly. Your hair is really pretty. I like looking at it. Im glad to hear that. I... The elf started, before pausing. Her eyes showed me she was thinking about something, but no words followed. Her pupils darted to the back of my elven head, then back down before she shook her head. Nevermind. I patted her back once more before I brought my legs back onto the grass to pick up the pace. Whatever Cellestra wanted to say, I thought better than to pry. Besides, something resembling a stone tower just appeared on the horizon which made my mind race with anticipation. Finally. 2.70 Arrival Finally, I let out in the form of a drawn-out sigh. The second settlement that we would run into Thymhil where Elysa had placed my parents. I almost couldnt believe my eyes. Slowly, the tower became more defined and multiple rooftops showed up, confirming it was indeed a city. Have we reached the city? Cellestra asked, trying to see into the distance. I nodded. At last, I said softly, looking down at the salmon that Id been cooking for a long time. I halted momentarily to unstrap the basket on top of our supplies. I then deposited the cooked fish in it and handed it to the elf before securing the rest of our cargo again. Ill slow down a bit so you can eat without making a mess. Cellestra merely nodded and started tearing small pieces from the fish to eat. With hope in my heart, but also the nagging feeling of uncertainty and even fear, I continued onward. I looked at Cellestra, but most of all, I looked at my own body behind her. I was a spider of monstrous proportions. Even if I wasnt a monster, per se, I could still easily pass as one. I wondered how much of an influence that would have on my life after Id been reunited. The elf and I both had things already planned out. I just hoped things would be able to proceed with relative ease. Farmland came into view, and as I had prophesized earlier, the city beyond it extended all the way to the ocean, where it ended with many massive stone docks. This harbor also held a wider variety of ships. As I got closer, I could see fishing vessels, easily recognized by their many nets at the sides and on deck, but also vessels built for war, their decks loaded with ballistae and catapults. I imagined an attack from the sea would look like the most feasible choice to any invading army, but I had the feeling the army, or rather, the navy had that covered as well. The city itself reminded me of the other settlements Id seen, at least the outskirts did. The houses were placed haphazardly, but spacious. The tower that Id seen earlier belonged to a stone keep that stood on the outside of the inner part of the city, adjoined by buildings made from the same greystone bricks on either side. The inner part in question seemed to be more arranged so to say. At least what little I could see was. I could see a lot, but piercing walls was too much for even my eyes. Cellestra, once you finish eating, could you hand me that disc again, please? The elf nodded as she continued eating. In the meantime, I looked at the farmhouses that were now only a few hundred yards out. It was a possibility that my parents resided in one of these. Although it seemed quite unlikely to me that that was the case considering what Elysa had said earlier. The goddess had said that it was likely they were helped by the priests from a shrine. I imagined they couldnt just have them buy a farm for them or anything. Though, maybe they could be workers on a farm. I couldnt exclude that. I would have to keep my eyes open. Who knew, I might run right into them working on the fields? My mothers long, white hair would be near impossible to miss. I would keep an eye open, but since we planned to build somewhat of a life here, I imagined it would be sage to make ourselves known to at least the guild that we planned to join, possibly some higher-ups as well. It would at least ease the minds of the local population. Doing that right from the start would mean we would be ahead of negative word spreading. I sighed as I realized I had been getting too far ahead of myself. Before joining the guild, we first needed to establish whether my parents were still here. I couldnt imagine a better place to start looking than there. There were supposedly two different kinds of guilds and with the size of the city before us, it seemed more than likely that both were present. Not only that, but there was at least a shrine, possibly a temple or more than one as well where we could gather information. And if all else failed, there was the fact that we would, without doubt, draw a lot of attention. I bet that the local leadership would get involved with us. I hoped they would be as nice as Muck. It would certainly make things easier for us. I wonder where that shrine to Elysa is. Its bound to be nearby Through the scattered buildings between the inner part of the city and the sea, I saw green appear. I stretched my legs so that my body was elevated, allowing me to see further. Seems theres a forest beyond the city. Sounds like a perfect place for a shrine to me, Cellestra said. Makes it easier to bring suitable offerings. I guess we could ask if thats the case. I just... I sighed again. I hope we wont have a repeat of earlier. Do you want to search for that shrine first before making your way to the city? The elf asked. I nodded. As much as I would like otherwise, I dont think we can risk running into the city without some kind of guidance like that. Those soldiers from earlier were weak, but if we run into some strong adventurers, Im sure I could be harmed or worse. Cellestra nodded as she laid down what remained of the salmon in the basket. Youre right. Weve been traveling for a while now, a few extra hours wont make much of a difference. I doubt it will stay with a couple of hours. I fear by the time we circle the city, the evening might be falling. I dont want to set foot in the city at night. Thats unfortunate, but it cant be helped. Hey, what do you want to do with the rest of this fish? Theres some if you want. Im full. Ill take it, I brought the basket forward with a leg, took it with my hand, and fed whatever remained to my spider mouth by simply tossing it inside. I then placed the basket back on the rest of the cargo and secured it with threads. Well, thats one way to clean up, Cellestra said with a smile. I was savoring the flavor of the salmon as I chewed down on it. The bones didnt bother me in the slightest and I doubted my body would have problems getting rid of those. Its convenient having a large spider around, isnt it? The elf nodded and giggled softly as I changed course to circle the city. We seemed to be in luck as the fields on this side of the city were mostly empty, likely between crops or just recently seeded, and didnt need attention, leaving them devoid of farmers. The few that we came across were far enough away and too occupied to notice me. A few minutes later, it was just a straight walk to the treeline. Seems you were right, I said, as something Id never seen before came into view. I had seen shrines in my life. The kind I saw in the distance was not unfamiliar to me either. There, at the edge of the forest, stood a simple and not overly large stone building with a golden dome. The odd part was that there were more than one Next to the shrine was another one and another I couldnt believe my eyes. There were five shrines in total. Each of them had two braziers burning in front of them. The sheer amount of disbelief made me come to a halt. What the... Cellestra let out in disbelief. I mean, yeah, I guess I was, but what? Youve seen nothing like this before either, have you? The purple-eyed elf shook her head. I wonder to whom they are dedicated, I said. I assume one is to Elysa, one to Nilene maybe? That still leaves three. Possibly the god of the sea Thera Tharo Crap, I forgot his name... Cellestra said. Im fairly confident he is one of them. The other two, I have no idea... I didnt know a god of the seas, but her suggestion made sense, with Thymhils proximity to the sea and all. Whoever these shrines were dedicated to, we would find out soon enough either way. My thoughts were interrupted by a resounding wave of noice coming from the city. I made it out to be the sound of a giant bell that rung. Cellestras face turned into shock when she heard it, leaving me with confusion as to what the meaning behind the sound was. Whats th Run! Cellestra said, quickly and urgently. 2.71 Welcome Id never heard such urgency coming from Cellestra before, and I wasnt one to question it. Within an instant, I started running towards the row of shrines. Thats an alarm bell, Cellestra explained while grasping my hair tight. I think they spotted you, and are not the welcoming kind. I sighed. So much for elven hospitality. We just need to get to the shrine quickly. It wouldnt surprise me if we had a small army coming out to meet you soon enough. I imagine that whoever spotted us would not like seeing us move towards the shrines, I said. But then again, when the braziers turn blue, were both safe and it opens a route to negotiation. Cellestras worry faded as a smile grew on her face. The backing of a goddess is a powerful bargaining chip. That, I noticed. From the corner of my rear eyes, I saw a group of mounted figures leave the city on horseback, riding in our direction. I couldnt make out what or who they were as they were far enough away. That distance would only continue to grow as I was simply faster than a horse. It wasnt that they didnt try. They were galloping as fast as they possibly could. There was just no way for them to catch up to me. Still, their hurry made me feel uneasy, even if I knew I would be in a safe area soon. Moments later, we reached the five shrines. Each of them had a small plot of land filled with flowers, around them, a low wall. The two braziers belonging to each building were located on the walls at either side of the entrance. We arrived at the leftmost shrine first, but quickly moved to the next as the braziers of that one didnt change colors. The one priest that walked out of the building just as we arrived, turned around with lightning speed and ran back inside when we passed. It would have made me giggle if it wasnt for a certain war party coming our way. When the second and third set of braziers didnt change their colors as I passed, I started to panic slightly, which was only intensified when the fourth set yielded the same results. My eyes were fixated on the very last set as I approached. Elysa, please tell me thats your temple. I neared the flames but they didnt shift. Only when I got within a yard or two, did they finally, and to my utmost relief, change to the roaring blue flames that promised me safety. I sighed deeply as I came to a halt. By the goddess, I was worried sick... I admitted. I know. That was a bit close. The group of soldiers that had been running our way seemed to have slowed down to a more leisurely pace. I imagined our idleness and the color of the flames had something to do with that. I noticed a green-robed and hooded figure exit the domed building and make his way to us. He held up his arms forward, as if to hug, as he spoke. What an interesting creature, He said with wonder and intrigue. But I am not to question the goddesss whims. Welcome chosen of Nilene. Nilene? I turned my head to Cellestra, who in turn, turned hers to mine as we looked at each other with confused expressions. This is a shrine to Nilene? I asked, turning to the green figure. Why, yes, and it appears she is eager to talk to one of you two. Uhhh, I let out. Are any of these shrines dedicated to Elysa? The one all the way at the end is, He said as he pointed in the direction from which we just came. Shall I prepare the ritual? No, I said. Hold on a minute. I turned my head to Cellestra again and started sharing my questions. Two heads knew more than one after all well, technically three What is going on? I have no idea, Cellestra replied. We did get close enough to Elysas braziers, right? I nodded. We definitely did. Do you think she doesnt want to talk to me? I paused for a second as something entered my mind. Do you think she cant? I mean, I had a ritual not too long ago. Maybe its to protect you? You didnt exactly get through it unscathed last time. I imagine if you were to have one again now, things would be even worse. So, why would Nilenes light up? I asked. ...unless its to make me aware of that... I shook my head. Odd, but I wasnt planning on the ritual anyway, so I guess it doesnt matter too much, does it? We should be alright, Cellestra said as she looked at one of the braziers. The connection to a goddess, any goddess, will always be sacred. To attack someone like that is to invite disaster. I nodded. Guess Ill have to wait a few days and then see if Elysa thinks it''s safe to talk to me, no? I turned my head to look at the same fire that Cellestra was looking at. I should ask her about Nilene as well then. Im quite curious what their connection is. Well, both of them are goddesses of nature. It would make sense for them to be close. I guess so. I turned to look at the priest who had followed our conversation while looking at the ground. We will not be looking for an audience with the goddess today. All we want is safety and information about certain people at first, that is. If all goes well, we would be interested in staying in the area. Gods, I sure suck at diplomacy. I see. Can I be of assistance? He asked politely. Perhaps, but we have some other people that are interested in us first. He nodded as I turned around to watch the riders approach us and halt at a safe distance of several yards. Six soldiers, covered in exceptional-quality plate armor watched the flames on either side of me. Their leader, easily recognizable by a red plume on his helmet stepped forward but didnt speak a word. I was used to it, but this time I felt at least a bit nervous. Perhaps it was because I was so close to my goal now and I didnt want to make myself look bad. Interesting... That was all he said before another long pause followed. He guided his horse to walk a half-circle around me, his eyes running over my abdomen, spider eyes, our cargo, and Cellestra. I was certain hed taken notice of the odd color of her eyes. I wasnt sure if he was trying to come across as a person of authority or whether he had absolutely no clue what to do with the situation presented to him. I planted my weapons tip in the dirt and held the pole in one of my hands while I waited, slightly frustrated at being examined like this, for further dialogue. Very interesting... He spoke again, as he came to a halt in front of me, still at a distance. Cellestra reached into her backpack which made the soldier turn his head to her. She pulled out the disc and held it up for him in the palm of her hand. The soldiers eyes darted from the disc, to me, to the flames and back. It seemed he really didnt know what to make of the situation. He removed his helmet, freeing his long ears, and revealing a middle-aged visage. It was battle-hardened, yet he lacked the bitterness in his skin that Id gotten used to from people whod been in the military for a while. In fact, he seemed friendly, intrigued if nothing else. He held the helmet under his arm as he addressed us. Ive seen many things in my life, but this... He shook his head. This blows everything away. Do you have some kind of special connection to the goddess? He asked, curiosity evident in his blue eyes. I nodded. I have been blessed by Elysa. I turned my head to the brazier to my left, then back to the mounted warrior. Why Nilenes flames burn like this is a mystery I hope to figure out soon. So you ran here on purpose after we left the city? Yes. We figured that showing you this connection would be the easiest way to start talks. Ill admit, you had me worried for a moment when you sprinted this way. Glad to see all was meant well. I was happy, at least, to have such a relatively warm welcome. There was no hostility to be seen in this soldiers honest eyes. So, The elven man continued. Now that that is cleared up, mind telling me your names, and what your business is here? As friendly as he seemed, these were still the questions that he was required to go through. Cellestra, Cellestra said, before I could reply. She then put away the token in her backpack again. Kealyna, I said clearly. And were looking for my parents Faragi Check out my Patreon for more chapters and early access to new ones. 25+ Chapters ahead for this story and 15+ for my other (Elania, Arachne in a Different World. I''ll also plan on starting a new series soon, but have no schedule for that as of right now. It will be patreon only for a good while before I even think about publishing. Thank you all for your support <3 2.72 Meeting Faragi I posted 2 chaps today. Make sure to check 2.71 Your parents? The soldier replied, frowning. Oh, Im sorry. Sellerons the name. Captain of the guard. Pardon my reaction, but Ive not seen anything like you before. What makes you think they would be in Thymhil? Uh, about that I started. Remember when I told you I got blessed by Elysa? A nod from Selleron made me continue. Well, lets just say, I was an elf, just like you, before I received that blessing. I... The captain stuttered. I think I see what you mean. He was about to say something else but closed his mouth again. Then, he looked at the sun which had steadily descended over the past few minutes and was now low over the horizon. I have to admit, Im a bit lost on what to do now. Ive vetted you and with the blessing of a goddess, with the fire to back up your story, I consider it safe to let you enter the city, but I think its wise I convene with the garrison commander and the mayor first. Especially with evening setting in I get it, I replied. Dont worry. Well be fine for the night. Alright then. May I inquire about your parents names? I am not the best with names, but I imagine that if they live here, theyll be on the record somewhere. Keelarin and Lilinia, I said. Swiftflare. My mother has the same hair as me if thats of any help. Ill look into things. Shall we meet here again tomorrow morning? I nodded. Sounds good to me. Is there anything else I can do for you in the meantime? I turned my head to look at Cellestra behind me who shook her head. Our provisions had never run low, and I could conjure water anytime I wanted. The soldier before me seemed to do everything he could do in his power to accommodate us. It was mildly frustrating now that I was this close, but there was no point in rushing things now and possibly ruining what little reputation I had built up in this place. Wed go over this carefully, tomorrow. I hoped I would be able to sleep tonight I shook my head. I think that is all for now. Thank you. Selleron smiled slightly and nodded before he turned around and led the way back to the city, the other soldiers following him. I was left behind with a smile of my own. That went so much better than Id expected, I admitted. He seems nice, Cellestra said softly. He does, I replied equally softly before I turned back to the priest who was still awaiting an answer. I dont think there is much left in terms of assistance you could offer us, but thank you anyway. Then something struck me. Although there might be one thing... Elysa told me she had placed my parents somewhere near her shrine. She omitted the fact that there were five shrines, but she did say she had the best followers. This priest may know something about them. Alternatively, he could talk to the priests at Elysas shrine instead. I wasnt sure how they would react to me if the flame didnt change color. Do you know anything about my parents coming through here? Elysa said theyd be near Thymhil. If not, could you introduce us to her followers? I do not know about anything like that. Keelarin and Lilinia, right? I nodded. Well, it is my duty to help those that the goddess favors. Ill walk with you to Elysas shrine and inform them about your situation. Thank you, I said with a slight smile and a nod as he left the shrines premises to walk the dirt path that connected the shrines. Once we reached the last shrine along the path, the green-robed priest asked us to wait as he went inside. In the meantime, I stared at the braziers which continued to burn with their normal fires. Odd, I said. Wonder if it will change to blue when I visit again some other day. Well, hopefully, you dont have to talk to her for a bit, Cellestra said. True. I wonder what tomorrow will bring, I said, crossing my arms and observing the sun starting to disappear below the horizon. I just want to find out what I can now before going to sleep. I looked around as I said that. Think they would mind if we slept here? Cellestra smiled. I doubt they will. You have the favor of a goddess, after all. I sighed. It still sounds so wrong to my mind. I closed my eyes and spoke softly. Favor... I shook my head. I didnt ask to be anything special. I just want my life. Cellestra smiled warmly. Thats what were here for. I hope the mayor and commander are as understanding as Selleron. He reminded me a bit of Muck. I chuckled. Except he was twice as tall. And an elf, Cellestra said with a smile. The green-robed priest returned, with a priestess in much of the same garments as the previous two priests wed met before, following him closely. I started to get the impression that their color schemes were an indication of what god they followed Unbelievable I heard the priestess whisper as soon as she laid eyes on me. I was starting to feel amused at this kind of reaction. Elysas blessing? She let out, her eyes were large with disbelief while running over my legs and spider abdomen. I nodded. And Ive talked to her not too long ago, which is why I think the flames arent changing. I have a feeling shes protecting me from harm. The priestess kept staring, prompting the other priest to lightly poke her in the side with a finger. Huh? She reacted. Oh, yes. You had a question, right? Yes, I said. Elysa told me that my parents were in this area and was wondering if you know about them. Their names are Keelarin and Lilinia. My mother has hair as white as mine, and my fathers is as black as a raven. Yes, The priestess said, sparking excitement, but also thankfulness. Yes, I remember them. They came here a while ago, their clothes all tattered and ruined. Something with a carriage accident, I believe? I had my eyes closed as I listened to the priestesss story while relief washed over me. We took care of them for a while, but they didnt seem to remember much of what happened or where they came from. Soranir interviewed them at some point and helped them get a job at one of the farms. Whos Soranir? I asked as I heard an unfamiliar name. Our mayor. A noble man. Worked his way up all the way from farmboy. I think he took a personal interest in the matter. The farms never truly left him, so to say. Are they still here? Cellestra asked. As far as I know, yes. They come here every few days to give thanks to the goddess for leading them here and keeping them safe. My legs gave out as my main body collapsed to the ground, a tear rolling over my cheek. My parents were here. They were safe. I couldnt thank Elysa enough for doing all this. There was hope again in my life and I had her, and Cellestra too, to thank for it. Are you okay? The green-robed priest asked while the priestess watched with mild shock. I still had my eyes closed and merely nodded. I think she needs some time, Cellestra said softly. Thank you so much. I nodded again, as did the two priests who said their farewells as they split up and walked back to each of their buildings. I was left behind with Cellestra who slowly patted my back. Weve found them, She whispered. I nodded once more as I wiped away the tears of relief. I took a deep breath and sighed as I opened my eyes and shook my head. I then let a small chuckle escape my lips at what I was about to say. There is no way Im going to be able to sleep tonight now. Cellestra petted my back again. Just try. Youll need your rest. Speaking of night, its going to be upon us soon. Lets eat something quickly and call it a day. Yeah, I said softly as I lifted my body off the dirt. Lets do that. I moved away from the dirt road so we wouldnt block the path, before moving over to Nilenes shrine. If anything showed up that needed the confirmation of me not being a threat, I figured it would be a good idea to be close to her shrines braziers. Once there, we unpacked our belongings and Cellestra needed a moment of privacy, for which she used the shrines facilities. At the same time, I prepared tea with the very last leaves while I thought about what I would say the following day Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons. Silver Bullet Loco Miko Thanks for your support <3 And a shoutout to another story featuring an Arachne protagonist by one of my readers (who also writes) Check it out: Wandering We 2.73 Soranir Cellestra returned, her flame leading the way. Once near me, I cast my flame spell to light up the area during the night instead. Soon, she had dinner while I was still trying to make sense of all the thoughts and emotions racing in my mind. Id almost forgotten the tea I was holding. We should get you to sleep as soon as possible, Cellestra said softly. I can already see you overthinking things. Its not pretty. I know its making my head hurt. I looked down into my frontal spider eyes. Both of them. Go sleep. We both know Ill not fully sleep, perhaps even less this time. Still. Ugh, I let out as I laid my torso down on my back. Despite the usual softness, I didnt seem to get comfortable this time around. Ill try. Good, Cellestra said with a stern but warm voice. I watched her finish her dinner as evening fully set in and the world around us went dark. My flame spell illuminated the direct area, but the two braziers not too far out meant that it wouldnt be too dark either way. At some point, the doors of the temple closed. About the same time, Cellestra positioned herself at my side and pulled one of the wolf pelts off my abdomen to cover herself. Good night, She whispered as she petted my side. I wanted to reply but found that my speech organs had already been cut off from the rest of my body, leaving me to reply to her by just lightly tapping her lap with one of my legs. I was surprised my elven head managed to find the rest it needed to fall asleep, but I wouldnt question the why or how. Instead, I cast the healing light spell on Cellestra and watched her smile as she dozed off. Then, I prepared for the longest night yet. Hours of incessant thoughts storming in my mind later, things began to quiet down as I started to structure things out. At the end of it, my biggest concern was not meeting my parents again, but what came after. Right now, they had no idea I existed, so they couldnt worry about me. However, things were about to change, which was a cause of anxiety deep down. There was no denying I was going to put my life at stake sooner or later, and it made me feel guilty. I didnt want to cause them distress, but I knew there would be no avoiding it. Was I being selfish? Sure, I didnt plan on dying again, but still. It wasnt something I could entirely control. There was also the ordeal with the obelisks and the darkness clawing at the back of my mind. I hadn''t seen the last of that problem, and I knew sooner or later, I was going to be involved one way or the other. I had already determined that I would grow as strong as I could. I was not going to have happiness taken away from me a second time. This time, I had even more to live for, and I would protect it with all my heart and mind. I would show Elysa that I was worth all this. With that determination, I waited and waited until at long last, the sun appeared on the horizon. The doors to the temple were opened once more and in the distance, I could see the farms around the village spring to life as the occupants started going about their business for the day. Since I was told we would meet here, I saw no reason to get up just yet. Besides, Cellestra was still fast asleep. I saw some priests from the other shrines enter and exit their buildings. My suspicion regarding the color of their robes indicating the god or goddess they worshiped seemed to hold strong. There were the green robes from Nilenes shrine, then the white ones from Elysas, but in addition to those, there were blue, orange, and red ones. I had the tendency to link the blue robes to the god of the sea that Cellestra talked about. It just clicked in my mind, but I couldnt be sure. The priest wed talked to the day before stood in front of the shrine and had a few of the other shrines priests and priestesses come over, no doubt to talk about my presence. Their gazes did not escape me. I was some distance away from the entrance in the low wall, so the braziers werent roaring blue, but it became clear soon enough that my presence wasnt viewed in a negative light. In fact, I believe I saw some of the priests smile when they watched me sleep. I wondered if they knew I was technically awake. The brunette awoke with a loud yawn and stretched her arms. I woke up my own torso and hoped that all the worries of the night hadnt seeped into my other brain. I didnt want to have a headache this day. Morning, Kealyna. How are you feeling? I let out a yawn of my own as sensations returned. I kept my torso on my back and tried to fix my hair as much as I could. Cellestra saw me struggle, giggled and pulled out her comb to at least get it somewhat decent before Id meet some important people. Im feeling surprisingly good. I hope it stays that way, I said as she worked. It will get better, Cellestra promised me. I let out a slight chuckle. Yeah. I cant wait. Cellestra tucked away the comb, started unpacking some food, and asked me to refill her canteen. Every now and then during breakfast, some of the townsfolk made their way over to the shrines. They were hesitant because of my presence, but the priest in greens nonchalance seemed to convince them that I wasnt a threat to anyone. After breakfast, and some business, as usual, we were left waiting for Selleron and whoever he would bring. There were still some formalities we would have to go through before I could be reunited. For me, this couldnt go fast enough. Fortunately, we didnt have to wait for long. Three mounted figures left the city and made their way towards us. Two figures were armored, where one seemed to be more casual. I had to assume that was Soranir, the mayor. I could clearly see what the priestess meant yesterday when she said that the farm had never really left him. I stood up and smiled at the sight. If he was truly the mayor, one wouldnt be able to tell it at first glance, at all. While the clothing he wore wasnt the most basic, it was plain enough. Simple brown trousers and a green tunic made up most of his outfit. Only when he came closer did I notice anything that would make him stand out. Around one of his ears was some kind of gold jewelry that spiraled upward until the tip. Id never seen anything like it before. Selleron was of course, easily recognized by his red-plumed helmet. The other armored figure wore a helmet, much like his, but with a blue plume instead. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the garrison commander that Selleron mentioned yesterday. As they approached, I took a few steps towards the braziers until I was close enough to have the flames turn into blazing blue ones, causing the few people present to turn their heads in awe. They took a moment to watch, before going back to whatever they were doing. The riders came to a halt and Selleron removed his helmet, followed by the other knight-like soldier. I hope you had a good night, He said as he guided his horse slightly closer. I nodded. Better than expected. Selleron chuckled. I can imagine. Do trust me when I say our mayor isnt a difficult person. Theres no reason to fret. I nodded slightly. The commander well, we discussed some things yesterday evening. He just had to see for himself. As for the mayor... Enough talk, The simple-clothed elf said as he brought his horse closer and dismounted. He then walked up to me without hesitation and extended an arm. I smiled as I took hold of it and shook it. Kealynas the name, right? he asked. As I nodded, he continued. Soranir. Welcome to Thymhil. I blinked several times as I couldnt believe what was happening before me. What? Im sure youll abide by the rules as long as youre in or near the city. He then walked towards my side and extended an arm towards Cellestra. And whos this lovely young lady? Its Cellestra, She replied as she shook his hand. Now then, he spoke as he walked back to my front. Weve talked about a couple of things last night, yada yada, not interesting, so lets skip that. You were looking for your folks, correct? I nodded in response. There is one thing I dont get, He continued, his voice losing some of his optimism. Ive met them and talked to them, and while they seemed to have lost memories, one would think they remember having a daughter. All in all, its an atypical story, but those flames behind you confirm something that Selleron told me yesterday. Something with a goddesss blessing and all? I nodded. Long story. He eyed me from head to fangs. Im sure it is, He said softly. Id like to hear it all someday, but I dont want to hold you up any longer. As long as both of you agree to stay civil as long as youre here, youre free to go and do as you please. Ill have Selleron lead you to your parents. Id love to come with you, but there is a stack of paperwork waiting for me. I had the feeling it was due to me. I felt sorry for him. We will, I said. The mayor nodded and smiled before he walked back to mount his horse. Best of luck to you, He said as he and the commander turned around. Let Selleron know if you need any further assistance. With that, he was off. I was left dumbfounded but relieved as I used my spider eyes to stare at the wide smile on Sellerons face. Shall we go? He asked. Faragi I''ll upload the next chapter in an hour or so. Can''t leave people waiting any longer :3 2.74 Lost and Found Faragi Yes, I finally replied, still dazed by the strange, yet apparently welcoming, mayor. His behavior had more than sparked my desire to live in this place. Id possibly take him up on his offer of further assistance after this was all behind me. Selleron turned around and slowly led his horse forward. I was about to follow him when I realized that Cellestra was still on the ground. Not only that, but our supplies were spread around, too. My impatience had gotten the better of me. I quickly gathered our belongings, strapped them to my back and lowered myself to let the elf, who giggled, step on before following the guard captain. So, where do they live? I asked as I walked up next to him. In a servants home on a farm. What kind of farm? I asked curiously. Tomatoes, I believe. I smiled. It seemed that they still retained their memories. I remember them always having a fondness for beautifully-grown tomatoes. As much as Id forced myself to forget, I was glad that remnant remained. Cellestra smiled as well, for the same reason I did, I presumed. I had told her about their old profession, after all. Things went quiet for a while as I followed the soldier through several fields towards the northwest of the city. Things slowly started to get more familiar to me in an almost ironic way as we walked through a field of potatoes, and then, tomatoes. During this little trip, Selleron had said he was curious about many things, but that he wouldnt pry. Something for which I was more than thankful. I wouldnt mind talking about it with him, especially as Id probably stick around for at least a while, but Id do that some other time. We walked along the edge of the field as the rows were too close to one another for me to navigate my body through without leaving destruction in my wake. Fortunately for me, we soon came to a field that hadnt been planted yet. In the distance, there was someone guiding two horses with a plow through the field. But I had my eyes on the two figures that were loosening the dirt with hoes. Both of them had their backs to me, not allowing me to see their faces. Their clothes didnt set them apart from any farmer either. Brown shirts and trousers werent anything special. I had seen many of those already. But their hair Short hair, as black as raven, was barely visible because of the straw hat he wore. The other figure had long hair, as white as snow, reaching to her stomach, and I knew I was looking at two people that I never thought Id see again in the mortal realm. I dropped my halberd as Selleron quietly walked away, his horse snorting. The sound made the elven woman not too far from us turn around and look at me with shock and fear in her eyes. It was only for a split second and then something strange happened in my thermal vision. Around her neck, I saw a weird black kind of band appear. It somewhat resembled the slave collars Id seen, but this was not that. Within a fraction of a second it changed color from black to red to white before it shattered into thousands of little pieces. The woman never seemed to notice. Kealyna...? She asked. Who is there? The black-haired man next to her said as he looked at her, and then turned around to see me. There was a certain fury in his eyes. What the? Was all he managed to produce before he was silenced. The same thing that just happened to the other person, now happened to him as well. Once his band had disappeared, he stared at me with disbelief in his eyes instead. Kealyna? He too asked. I nodded, my eyes closed. Its me, I said softly. My parents eyes were full of disbelief and my mother dropped the hoe she was holding. Both of them eyed what felt like every inch of my body. How what the Kealyna, is that you? What ha My mother fell to her knees, took her head in her palm and groaned in what I understood as mental pain or utter confusion. My father didnt utter a word, but also fell to the ground. Unsure what was happening, I quickly closed the gap and cast my healing light on both of them. Are you okay? I asked as I lowered myself to the ground, inches away from my mothers face. I... She let out, not removing her hand from her head. My memories. Whats going on? Easy, I said softly. Take it easy. Kealyna, She said, obviously still in pain. My mind tells me its you, but how? You were a little girl just weeks ago. Its a long story, I continued in a soft voice, attempting to soothe her troubled mind. It became clear to me that the memory lock that Elysa had placed on my parents would have some side-effects. My father stood up, gritted his teeth as he seemed to force it, tossed away his farming tool as well, then moved over to me and hugged me. It feels like there is a hole in my mind. He said. What happened...? I nodded slowly as I felt tears forming. Id kept my emotions in check so far, but I was starting to lose the battle. I was already impressed Id come this far without losing it. Ill explain everything, I whispered as the first tears started flowing. I missed you... My mother stood up and took my head from my father to put it on her shoulder, her hands in my hair as she tried to soothe me. Dont cry. You know I hate it when you do that. Her words were kind, the same kindness that I remembered, but they didnt do any good to me now. My sobbing intensified, as did her hug. I nodded slowly, acknowledging her words. Cellestra, in the meantime, patted my back softly out of compassion. I had half-expected my parents to shed a tear or two as well, but obviously, they didnt know what had happened. Their predominant emotion at the moment was confusion. I didnt quite know what they did and did not remember, but it wouldnt matter. I had already resolved to tell them everything. I still had my eyes closed while my mother soothed my racing mind by slowly running her hands through my hair. It didnt prevent me from seeing my fathers eyes dart from my head, to my spider parts, and finally, Cellestra. The brunette briefly acknowledged him by giving him a slight nod, but seemed to leave the introduction to me. Unfortunately for her, I had no intention of breaking this hug anytime soon. It had been too long since Id experienced this. Slowly but surely, my tears came to an end and I managed to open my eyes again. You have no idea how much I missed you... I whispered just loud enough so that both my parents could hear it. Kealyna what happened...? My mother asked quietly. Why dont I remember you growing up? My father turned back to face the two of us hugging as I tried to find the words to explain what happened. I didnt know if I could put it lightly but I tried. You didnt, I said softly before I had to catch my breath. You didnt watch me grow up... I felt tears form again, but I put every inch of my will to suppress it. What do you mean? I shook my head slightly as my mother asked that question. You were taken from me when I was a child. I grew up alone...I...I... I couldnt hold back. I started sobbing again on my moms shoulder. I never forgot you. What do you mean? My father asked with a whisper, I dont get it. You died, I spoke between sobs. You were killed before my eyes. I should have died too that day, but I was barely saved. I breathed unsteadily as my memories threatened to overwhelm me. When I died, I spoke to Elysa. She sent you back to the mortal realm. I was to follow but things went wrong. Thats how I ended up like this. I continued sobbing for a while as nobody spoke any further words. After a while, my mother took hold of my head and wiped away the tears with her thumbs. I dont understand, She said softly. But you can tell us when youve calmed down. For now, please stop crying? I nodded as she took me in for another hug. My father moved to my side and joined in. My stream of thoughts was diminishing slowly as warmth overtook me. Id yearned for this ever since that day, and now, at long last, Id found it. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patron. Shadow Thank you so much for your support <3 2.75 Introductions I held on to both my parents until Id calmed down enough. I still didnt want to break the hug. Cellestra eventually stepped off my back and waited at my side. My father was the first to break away and stand up again. He waited patiently as my mother was still running her hands through my hair, a small smile now visible on her face. Eventually, I felt my own lips growing into one as well. I still dont get half of what you said, My father said. My mind feels like a soup at the moment. I hope you know more about that, but please do tell me who this person is first. My mother let go of me and stood up, her hand not leaving my hair as she looked at Cellestra as well. Mom, dad, this is Cellestra, a friend. To me, she was more than a friend, but it seemed that my parents minds had been through enough for now. Cellestra, Keelarin, my father, Lilinia, my mother. Nice to meet you, Cellestra said softly, but warmly. As for the full story, I continued while my parents shook Cellestras hand. Well, better take a seat, or well sit down, I suppose. I sighed deeply as my parents did exactly that. I dug a hole to lay my head in so that Id be on a somewhat even height with them. Towering above my own parents just didnt feel right to me. Especially since the last time I saw them, I was barely half their size. Cellestra sat down in the dirt as well as I prepared to recite everything that happened, including my parents deaths. Fortunately for all three of them, it was dry enough to not leave much on their clothes. Ill explain everything, I said again. But let me start at the beginning. Ill go over things slowly. As much as things may not make sense, they are the truth, so please bear with me. Years ago many years ago, when I was who you remember me to be, we were attacked by bandits while traveling. I looked at the dirt in front of me. You two were killed and I was about to be killed when they decided to sell me as a slave instead. My parents eyes grew wide with disbelief and I paused for a moment to let my words sink in. They seemed to believe me as they didnt ask any questions. I was rescued by soldiers and brought to a city where I grew up in an orphanage. When I came of age, I joined the knights, where I remained. Then one day, while protecting a carriage with nobles, we were attacked. I fought until the end to protect our charges and sacrificed my life, buying just enough time for reinforcements to save them. I paused again while looking down at my exposed stomach. It was an odd thought, but I was fortunate that no scars remained where the arrow and spear had pierced my body. The next moment I knew, I stood in front of Elysa, in her own realm. She said she wanted to reward me for my noble actions by offering to basically allow me to start over from the moment you were cut from my life. How did she intend to do that? My father asked. Her idea was to place you in this world with your memories about me sealed away until you had built up something. That was what I was told. I would be placed in the body I had at that time, stripped of my memories from that day onward so I could have a second shot without the burdens from that day weighing me down. As soon as you were to lay eyes on me, your memories up until your deaths would return. I blinked a few times before continuing. Obviously, things didnt go as planned. I tilted my head to look at my mother, even though I could see her and my father both perfectly clear with the large eyes on my lower head. That was where things got complicated I was about to step through a portal that would lead me here, to where you were, when the portal changed and black tendrils as cold as ice reached out and took hold of me, before pulling me through it. Elysa fired some of her power at me before I disappeared from her realm. I took a deep breath and allowed my listeners to process this information. I later learned that Hograd was behind that and that hed cursed me. When I woke up after that, I was a tiny spider, thanks to him I still dont know why. Just a spider? My father let out. I nodded, holding up my thumb and index finger, about half an inch apart. About this size, I guess? But... My mother started but was cut off when I pointed to the sky. Thats where Elysa comes into play. Long story short, she gave me a blessing that allows me to grow stronger when I kill things. I learned all kinds of spells and abilities through that blessing. In the middle of it all, I met Cellestra when I was still a small spider, and shes been very kind to me hard as communication may have been... I sighed, then smiled thinking about how we had to use pieces of paper with letters written on them to talk. I kept growing in strength and size until I got this form, then set out with Cellestra to find you. I paused for a second. Sooo, I started, then swallowed. This upper part of me this is what I looked like when I was grown up before I died. My mother smiled. You grew up to be beautiful, then. Im just sad that I couldnt be there to see it. I saw my father nod. Its a pity we wont get those years back, but Im happy to have you here, now, with us. How are your minds doing? I asked. It seemed that Elysas lock becoming undone did quite a number on you. Im doing okay, I think. Keelarin? My mother asked. Things are messy. It feels like they are being put into place slowly, but I think Im doing okay. I turned my head, observing the fields with tomatoes, or rather, I turned my head so my parents would know what I was looking at. Cellestra had needed some time to get used to me being able to see so much at the same time, so this time would be no different. Im happy to see you are still doing what youre good at, I said. Forget about that, My father said as he walked to the halberd in the dirt. Im more interested to see what youre good at. You were a knight, you said? I never stopped considering myself a knight, as weird as it may look with this body. Keelarin picked up the halberd and planted the tip in the dirt, motioning for me to take the pole. Thanks, I said softly. He then pointed a finger at the chunk of starmetal behind me. Whats that on your wait, do you have two heads? I chuckled. I do. I have two minds, too. It allows me to cast two spells at once among other things. Im surprised you just mentioned this now. I think this is the first comment you made on the new me. We just got our daughter back, My mother said. Even if it hasnt been that long for us. A few more legs and eyes do not change who you are. Im glad you think that way. Weve had some issues on the way. Kealyna, My mother said as she stood up. She walked to me and took me in for a hug again, kissing my forehead. Im sorry for what you had to go through. I imagine that must have been hell. I nodded. It was, I whispered. But Im okay now. Is this a good time to tell you that Im proud of you? What you did is not for everyone. Im okay with it. Now that I have you here, everything was worth it. Im honestly quite happy with what I am now. Are you? My mother asked with a smile as she brought her hand down to my spider head and carefully touched it. She then shook her head with a suppressed chuckle. I still cant believe my daughter was turned into this. At least youre the least scary spider Ive ever seen. Truly? I asked softly. Truly. I looked at the field while in a comforting hug as an idea was brought to mind. I chuckled at the thought before speaking it. I guess I could help you till the soil quite easily with all these legs if you want some help. If youre willing to help out, My father said. We would really appreciate the help. Weve fallen behind quite a bit. Id love to, I replied with a smile. 2.76 Show I went to work under the watchful eyes of the three nearby elves. I placed my pedipalps, fangs, and third set of legs in the dirt and vibrated them while dragging them. It felt good to have something to do to take my mind off of things for a bit. Wed likely talk a lot more soon enough, but right now, I couldnt be happier. I grinned as I left my father scratching his head at how effective I was at this. At the same time, Cellestra was talking with my mother. It seemed they were getting along well. Keelarin tried to get back to work, but with just the hoe, he wasnt getting much done compared to me. He quickly gave up and decided to walk alongside me to talk some more. If you dont mind me asking, He said. Why did you decide to become a knight? I wouldn''t have expected that. Neither would I, I said with a sigh. The truth is, at first, I only did it to get out of that damn orphanage. That bad? Keelarin said, his tone unusually soft. I nodded. The worst years in my life. I shook my head. After that, I found a certain solace in being able to help others which grew into a desire to protect those who couldnt protect themselves. I didnt want what happened to me to happen to anyone else. Thats also what killed me in the end... Im sorry. Dont be. There wasnt anything you could do. We just didnt have the finances to enlist more guards. Speaking of, how are you doing here, in this new world? New world? My father asked in obvious confusion. Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you. This is a different world than the one we died in. I got the feeling Elysa hand-picked this place for its relative safety and prosperity. Everything Ive seen so far points to that. Different world He whispered as he looked up to the sky. I never would have known. Elysa sure did a number on us, didnt she? I nodded. She said that I should tell you myself what I wanted you to know and not, but I wont hold anything back from you. I appreciate that. Theres something we need to tell you as well, but Im not sure when would be the right time. Whatever it is, Im sure it will be fine. Just tell me when youre ready. Keelarin nodded. Ill probably talk to Elysa again soon, I said. Theres still unfinished business when it comes to Hograd, plus I may have set things in motion down south. I shook my head. Theres not much I can do about that now. Id like to stay here, but I just cant. Theres so much Ill have to take care of. This blessing is such a hassle. Its okay. Youve got your own life now, My father said. It is not our right to interfere with that. Thanks Its just I finally met you again, you know? He nodded. To answer your earlier question, were doing fine financially. We have everything we need to survive and are able to save up some as well. Hopefully, one day, well be able to have a farm of our own. ...Again, I added. Again, Keelarin confirmed. We reached the edge of the field and turned around to till the next lines. Cellestra was still talking with my mother in the distance as we made our way back towards them. Cellestra and I will attempt to join the dungeon exploration guild. There is one here, right? My father nodded. Well probably do that tomorrow. We still need to find a place to sleep tonight as well. I know it sounds wrong for me to suggest this to my own daughter, but we have space in a warehouse if you want. Im afraid I cant offer a bed when youre all grown up so to say. I chuckled. Yeah, my size has been an issue more than once. Things were easier back when I could walk on Cellestras hands in that regard. I smiled as I thought back to that time. But we cant stay near civilization for too long due to Cellestas ailment. What kind of ailment? Uhm, youve seen her eyes, right? She basically absorbed a bunch of dungeon magic which affects the wildlife around her. Animals tend to converge on her location and go into a frenzy, attacking anyone that is not her with unbridled ferocity and total disregard for their own lives. That sounds inconvenient. I shook my head. Shes had her fair deal of issues as well. She was exiled for that and ended up living with someone that taught her magic in a small cabin in the middle of a forest. It was by chance that I met her. Some damn hawk picked me up after I had a leg blown off and one severed at the halfway point by some spell. I sighed. I was sure I was going to die at first, but after a long struggle, I managed to wound it enough to crash into the ground next to Cellestras house. I was knocked out, probably because of the wounds and pain and when I next woke up, I found myself in a terrarium in her cabin. My father shook his head. It was obvious he couldnt even fathom in the slightest what that must have been like. Sorry, Im trailing off there... I paused for a second. But yeah, Ill help you out with the field and then I think well look for a place to sleep in the forest or something. Might even be a good idea to notify Soranir about it too. I looked over to where Id last seen Selleron but cursed in my mind to see that hed already left. I should have relayed this information to him I reckoned sleeping in the forest without anyone knowing who I was, was probably a bad idea. Depending on how many adventurers were out there, it could turn out problematic. Perhaps we should just spend this one night next to the shrine again, before looking for a more permanent accommodation. Thank you for your offer, though. I really appreciate it, I said, referring to the option of sleeping in the barn. Its the least I could do. Tell me though, how did you communicate with Cellestra when you were you know? I chuckled. At first, I couldnt even understand what she said. I had to acquire an ability through my blessing that allowed me to comprehend the elven language in this world. Come to think of it, you speak this worlds elven language. Apparently, its different than our old world. Do we? Keelarin asked with a frown. Thats odd. I wouldnt know. Guess Elysa is to blame for that. Its not a big deal, though. I smiled as I kept plowing the field. As for how we communicated. after I got the ability to understand her, it started with a book. I pointed at letters in them to spell out words. She later created several pieces of paper and wrote letters on them to speed up the spelling process significantly. Looking back at it, it was quite funny. Just imagining that, it does sound funny, in a way... Well, you know, the worst part about being a spider was that with the info I was given, I was afraid I would stay a spider. An enormous one, but still, a spider. Back then, I had no idea that this was what I would become. Ill admit, I was worried sick about it. I dont know what to say at that. You didnt know until you became this? I shook my head. I lived knowing that at some point I would be able to talk, but I never expected this. When I woke up like this, I was overjoyed. You mentioned this blessing and abilities do you mind showing us some things? My father asked, the spark of curiosity strong in his eyes. I smiled widely. Sure. I tossed a flurry of spells into the field as if it were a show. I started with an ice lance, followed by a high-velocity ice lance. At that point, Cellestra and Lilinia turned to see what was going on. I continued with a fireball and then forced an earthen spike to erupt from the dirt. After that, I hurled an elemental blast which exploded and sent a good amount of dust into the air from the dry dirt. I then summoned a small cyclone of fire that circled twice before dissipating. I finished by throwing a few different types of venom bolts. Back in my old life, I was only able to use a barrier spell and some minor weapon enhancement magic. Its fulfilling to have a wide arsenal like this. My strongest spell, or at least, in my opinion, its the strongest one, cant even be used. I need a target for it. I dont foresee any trouble joining the guild with that kind of power, My father said. Thats insane. I nodded. And I intend to put it all to good use. 2.77 Family… We reached Cellestra and my mother who seemed to be in awe at what Id just shown her. I cant believe it, She let out, Cellestra giggling at her dumbfoundedness. Yes, I said. This blessing has made me quite strong. What have you two been talking about? I asked with a smile. Cellestra here just told me about your travels and how you almost single-handily wiped out a bunch of bandits attacking a caravan and then later on a group of raiders that burned down a barn. There was also an incident with a troll that she described as you showing off. I chuckled. Yeah, as I said, we had some issues along the way. Did she also tell you she put me in a glass cage? My mother nodded. Yeah, but she also said she got you out of there pretty fast. She did. Weve been through quite a lot of things actually in the short while weve known each other. She I turned my head to the ground in front of me. Shes been very kind to me. She gave up everything that she had to help me find you. Given, I did plan to help her find a solution to her own problem, but still... Yeah. She told me something about a dungeon core exploding? You both seemed to have had it rough. Its good to see you two helping each other out. Thanks, mom. I shook my head and chuckled at how naturally I said that. Gods, how Ive wanted to say that for such a long time now. Cellestra giggled. Im happy you can finally say it, My mother said. She looked at the trails Id left behind after plowing through the dirt. And damn, youre doing work. I should be the one thanking you. Happy to help, I said proudly. Then something came to mind. By the way, we were in quite the rush to get here, but we did acquire some money on the way. The thing is, neither of us knows the value. Could you tell us some about it, and if you dont mind, how much you earn in a day? My father reached for his non-existent beard and cupped his chin. I guess today is a bit of an exception. We were set to receive a gold coin for tilling the entirety of this field which was going to take about a week, but it seems you can get it done in a day. One gold coin? I asked, frowning. Enough to eat for two weeks with a small family, more if you get a discount like we do as we buy the landowners goods. As I said, we have more than enough to live, and we save up some as well. I shook my head. To think we got twenty gold coins for selling two items and then effortlessly spent ten on that weaponsmithing token. I sighed. And dungeon exploration, how lucrative is that? My father shook his head. No idea. Never done anything like that. Couldnt do it even if I wanted. Depends on the dungeon, Cellestra added. We should get an idea about all that tomorrow when we check the city. We should probably aim to sell that scroll as well. You dont want to learn that spell? I asked. The brunette shook her head. I have a way of learning spells through you. Besides, I dont need a holy spell that badly when you already have that If only we had time to get to the offensive spells Well get there, but yeah, youre right. Its value as a scroll is probably much higher than you learning it, I replied. Anyway, lets finish this field. Cellestra and Lilinia stepped aside as I plowed forward, then followed me at my sides. I saw my father look away from me for a second as he seemed to be thinking about something. He then turned to my mother at his side. Should we tell her? His words piqued my curiosity. There seemed to be something hed been rather hesitant to say. Perhaps this was about that? My mother nodded slowly. She deserves to know. Huh? I let out without thinking. Kealyna... My father started. I just told you about a small family... Yes? We... My mother took over. We We didnt quite know why we didnt have a child, so we went to the orphanage in town to adopt one. Wed been shown such hospitality here, we wanted to help out someone in need of parents. When we got there and laid eyes on her, we just fell in love. Cellestras face changed into seriousness, something which was rare for her, but I understood it given the situation. I was taken aback by this information as well, but when I thought about it a bit deeper, I simply couldnt blame them. How could I? Their memories about me had been sealed away. A hint of sadness washed over me, but at the same time, I was happy. Happy that someone like me wouldnt have to go through my misfortunes in life. The hearts of my parents were as beautiful as I remembered. A tear fell down onto one of my large red ones, grabbing my mothers attention. Are you okay, Kealyna? She whispered, worried. I nodded. Im okay, I said softly. I just... I paused for a second. Thank you. At least, this girl would have two loving parents as she grew up, and at least my parents would have a daughter to watch grow up as well even if it wasnt me. Another tear fell on my other large eye as it was made clear to me once again that I couldnt get those years back. I steeled my heart and ignored the deep pain that all this caused as I told myself it was irrational. I felt happy about all this, I really did. My mother placed a hand on my spider heads side and patted it. I dont know what to say. I would understand if you were mad. Im not, I said. Im grateful, really. Thank you for rescuing someone. This just I sighed. It hits a bit close to home. I forcefully wiped away the tears and simply stared in front of me as I continued to plow through the dirt. She nodded. I understand. I didnt know about you all this time, but now that it turns out we had a daughter of our own all this time things make so much more sense. I couldnt be happier. Kealyna, youre a gift from the heavens. More literally than you think, I said softly. My mother continued to pat my lower head, calming me down. After a few more seconds, I could smile a little again. You learned that from Cellestra, too? I said, looking at her hand. I didnt, She said as she shook her head. But your other head is a bit far away, so this was the next best thing I could think of. She turned her head to look at my eyes and fangs more clearly. Honestly though, She let out. A spider and youre okay with it? Now I am, yeah. Turns out, spiders are amazing in their own way. Though, I hardly count as your average arachnid. Ill have you know that having two minds was incredibly confusing at times. Now, they seem to more or less work in tune, unless I dont want them to. We turned around once more as we reached the edge of the field again. I noticed that the farmer that was plowing the field next to us was either done for the day or hed given up like my father. Surprised you havent mentioned my eyes, I said, smiling again. Which ones? My father jokingly said. Yeah, I suppose I should have elaborated on that, I answered with a chuckle. No, I mean my normal eyes. I was afraid to mention that, My mother said. Out of fear of your reaction but you seem to be much more comfortable with things than I would ever be if I were you. She paused. I think theyre gorgeous. My father nodded in agreement and I came to a halt before speaking. "You should see my rear, then. My mother looked at me in confusion while I used my rear legs to move the wolf pelts down my abdomen to reveal the snowflake pattern that was covered by them. Their reactions were along the lines as Id expected as I saw their eyes dart over the many colors swirling in my abdomen in utter amazement. It took them a good minute before they found their speech again. Cellestra giggled at my side and I couldnt help but join her soft snickers. I dont know what to say My mother let out. Dont think its pretty? I said. Personally, I like it. She nodded slowly as I smiled and started moving again, intending to finish plowing this field today. They sure are sweet, arent they? Cellestra asked, walking at my side, referring to my parents who were left behind, seemingly hypnotized. They are. Seeing all this now I had no idea what I was so worried about all this time. See? Cellestra asked with a sweet, warm smile. I told you it would all work out. I cant believe youre right about this every time. Cellestra shook her head and chuckled, not saying a word as we continued our business. 2.78 Plans How are you feeling? Cellestra asked warmly, but with a hint of hesitation in her voice. My parents were still far enough behind us to not hear her words. They were slowly catching up. Im I sighed. I dont know I said softly. Im happy. I got my parents back. No one is going to take that away from me anymore. Its just that all this has made it so clear to me that I missed such an important part of my life. I wish I had memories of how things should have been. Its okay, Cellestra whispered. There are plenty of new memories to make, still. Youre right. It just it still hurts. Cellestra nodded, but said nothing and patted my spider head softly. Thank you, I said after a while. It may sound weird, Cellestra eventually said. But you have a little sister. Are you not excited to meet her? A little sister? Goddess, I hadnt even realized that yet. I paused. A little sister I whispered. I have no idea what to think about that. Would I not scare her? Youre a giant fluffy, walking pillow. I think youll be fine. Cellestra said with a shy smile. At least once she gets to know you. Thank you for the reassurance, I said half-jokingly. But I dont know how I do with kids. Im curious what shes like if that answers the question. Thats fair. My parents sped up their pace in order to catch up with us. When they did, it was my mother who spoke first again. Kealyna, Cellestra, can we invite you over for dinner or something later? I chucked and scratched my head. Well Its okay. We have a table outside we can use so you can join us. Theres this other thing going on as well, I said. I dont think Ive eaten in a week and Im not hungry whatsoever. I shook my head as I realized what I was saying. I mean, sure. Im positive that Cellestra would like something other than dried meat for a change. The brunette giggled and then nodded. Thatd be lovely, She said warmly. Thank you. We reached the edge of the field again and turned around. After this next line, we would have about a quarter of the field done. At this rate, we would easily finish this within two hours. Plenty of time to talk about things. So tell me, I started. How is this place? To live in, I mean. For you? Keelarin remarked. Hearing from what youve gone through, probably boring. Not much happens around here. Though there was the alarm bell ringing yesterday. Not sure what that was about. I held up a hand. Sorry. Oh, so that was you? I nodded. Seems to be the normal reaction when people first see me. I was glad there wasnt too much confusion. Though, I guess the braziers helped a good deal with that. Well, My father continued. Besides that one incident, life has been quiet. Everything we need is right around the corner. We make more than enough money to live and to send Elira to school. Elira is her name? I asked. Oh. We forgot to tell you, My mother filled in. Yeah. Thats her name. Well pick her up in a couple of hours. Whats she like? I asked. Shes shy. Shes still getting used to a new environment, but shes slowly getting there. She seems to have a curious nature thats starting to surface. Curious, you say? I chuckled. Might come in handy when it comes to her meeting her big sister. I made sure to emphasize the word big, which caused Lilinia to start laughing. My father also let out a chuckle as he turned his head to look at the pattern at my abdomen again before looking back at me. What about the forest here? I continued. Anything special going on there? Large, dangerous creatures we need to be aware of when we sleep there? You, Cellestra suggested with a grin. I smiled at her joke, shaking my head. Nothing to worry about, My father said. Adventurers venture into the forest regularly to clear out anything that can cause harm due to the shrines proximity. Other than that, I believe there is a beginner dungeon somewhere close, but youd have to check with the guild. Well do that. Ill also start breaking one of my heads over how well fix shelter. Any chance we can have that dinner a bit early so we have some time to figure things out in the forest before its dark? My mother nodded. Sure. A few more seconds of silence passed before my father spoke up. I guess theres no chance to convince you to work on the farm instead, is there? I shook my head. Afraid not. There are some things that are coming for me sooner or later. That is likely to include some of Hograds fanatic followers too. I want to be ready when that time comes. I dont feel much for dying again. By the way, if you have questions for Elysa, dont hesitate to pass them on to me. Ill make sure to include them when I talk to her. Will do, Keelarin replied. I reached the point where I didnt know what to talk about anymore. I felt confused and awkward about it because I hadnt seen them in so long. There should be much more for me that I wanted to know, I just felt empty at the moment. I think the situation was made more difficult by the fact that for them, it felt like it was only weeks since theyd seen me, so their reactions to our reunification were vastly different than mine. Even so, they believed every word Id said. I was thankful for that. I simply enjoyed the presence of the people I loved being near me and continued my work in silence. During the silence, I could see my parents eyes dart over my body every now and then. I wasnt sure what to think about it, but I was relieved to see that there was no aversion in their gazes. I chuckled at what was said earlier. About how Elira was supposed to be curious. My parents matched that description pretty well themselves. Eventually, they asked some more questions. About what I had in mind for the future, among other things. Unfortunately, I was unable to answer anything regarding the long term as I was unsure about it myself. For now, I had my mind set on joining the guild, exploring dungeons with Cellestra and perhaps, making a bit of a name for myself. This peaceful city seemed like an excellent place to start. After an hour and a half, give or take, I finished tilling the last of the field. I stepped off the dirt to observe just how much Id gotten done in this little time. My legs had gotten dirtier than they had ever been, which made me long for that shower once more. My beautiful white hair along the length of my body wasnt spared either. Is this where I tell you that I can also do this? I said as a joke when I held up my hand and allowed water to flow down in front of me. I stopped it after a few seconds. Unfortunately, I wont be able to summon nearly enough to water the field. Thats a pity, My father let out with a grimace. Thank you so much for your help. Is there anything we can do for you in return? I shook my head. Dont worry about it. Youve done enough for me in the past. I wanted to do something back. I made sure to turn to each of them to let them know I was looking at them. Thank you so much. Im just so happy youre back in my life. My mother walked up in front of me and took me in for a hug. And you in ours. We didnt know what we missed until today. I hugged her back with my pedipalps and ran a hand through her hair. You know, Ive always loved this hair. I referred to her and mine both. It was my last and brightest memory of you. She kissed my forehead. Yours is a mess right now. I know, I know. I''ll take care of that probably tomorrow. Ill go pick up Elira, My father mentioned. I doubt they will mind if she leaves a bit early this one time. My mother nodded as she let go of me as Keelarin appeared behind her. He gave her a quick kiss before he started walking towards the city. In the meantime, Lilinia said. Can I offer you both something to drink? Do you have tea? Cellestra asked without hesitation, causing me to giggle. We do, yes. Whats so funny? Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons. Yootuber Alexis Thank you so much for your support <3 2.79 Shadow My mother led the way while I explained the ordeal regarding tea that Cellestra and I had gone through. She was smiling warmly by the end of it and then went on to blow the brunettes mind with how she had at least five different kinds of tea. It was amusing to listen to, and it was a pleasure to see their interactions. We followed the edge of the field on the other side of where we came from. A huge barn was the first building we walked past with a long, L-shaped house next to it. We went past it to see another long building that seemed to serve as a house, but it was clearly split up into multiple accommodations. This had to be the servant housing that was mentioned earlier. The buildings themselves seemed to be elevated to such a degree that a two-step stone stair was required to enter them. The front of both the L-shaped house and this one was made up of gravel and had a few simple, wooden chairs and tables. One would have a great view of the nearby fields from here. This looked like the perfect place to relax at the end of the day. Please, take a seat, My mother said to Cellestra. Ill go and make us some tea. Ill be back in a few minutes. The brunette nodded and did exactly that as Lilinia nimbly walked up the steps and disappeared inside. I skittered to the head of the table and laid down my halberd when I realized that my presence hadnt gone unnoticed. A small, completely black creature peeked around the corner of the building before it prowled towards me. Cellestra didnt say a word, but I saw her eyes follow the feline creature closely. I twitched the leg that the cat was eying, causing it to jump back before it continued its prowl. It finally jumped on me when it was close enough and started biting some hairs before realizing they couldnt be eaten. It backed off a few steps before reapproaching my leg to rub its head against it in apparent affection. See? Cellestra said with a sly smile. Even the cat thinks youre a fluffy pillow. Not quite the behavior I was expecting, to be honest, I replied. Theres not much left of that fluffiness with all this dirt. I think Ill clean it before tonight or youll get all dirty if you want to use me as a pillow. Its whatever at this point. We both need a proper bath soon, Cellestra said, giggling. True I watched the cat play with my leg before I pulled it forward, the curious creature eagerly following it. I then leaned to the side to pet it with my hands. I felt a strange sense of accomplishment when it accepted my affectionate gestures without any problems. Strange how your ailment doesnt seem to afflict this cat. Youve been around for a bit and the shrine isnt that far out. Youre right, Cellestra said, seemingly struck by my words. Ive been around long enough for it to have some effect. She stared in front of her for a few seconds. Think your magic has anything to do with that? Maybe? I mean, I dont know if its too early to draw that conclusion. It was just something I noticed. Do you think we should stick around here to see what happens? The brunette shook her head. We shouldnt. There is no point in risking that. If there is any truth to it, we will find out in the forest sooner or later anyway. Its much safer to do it there. I nodded. Thats true. Cellestra stood up and knelt next to me and the black ball of fur. When she extended her hand, the creature didnt hesitate to rub its head against her too. Seems youve met Shadow, My mothers voice came from the door as soon as it was opened. We have, I said, still petting the cat. Surprised the others havent shown up. Then again, Shadow is the one Id expected to show up first. He and Elira are best buddies. I guess you can see why. Because they are both curious about things? I suggested. Lilinia nodded as she put down three cups of tea and a bottle of milk on the table. You mentioned others? Cellestra said. How many cats do you have? Twelve, My mother replied. I noticed the brunettes eyes grow wide at the answer. But theres a good reason for that too, She continued. Helps to keep rodents in check. Not just on the farm here, but in the city as well. Oh. The city? Do explain, I said as I rose to full height and skittered to the table, Shadow dangling at my side as it had gripped itself around one of my legs. His antics caused a giggle to escape Cellestras lips. I asked about that myself as I was surprised how many cats there were in the city and I saw no benefit for them there, Lilinia started explaining. I was told that there had been a certain disease years ago that killed off a lot of people. There were some smaller settlements that were entirely specialized in farming and had many of these creatures walking in and out. Those were hardly affected. It appeared certain archivists and researchers found that the disease was caused by rats and having cats around helped tremendously. That sounds scary Cellestra said softly. I havent seen the illness myself, but theres certainly no harm in having some cats around. Cant think of a better way to keep mice from eating the younger crops, My mother finished. Well, he certainly is cute, I said, moving my leg back and forth to see that Shadow was actually enjoying it. I ignored him for the time being as I started sipping the tea. I hope Elira will have the same reaction to you, My mother said warmly. How was I, as a child? I asked, completely catching my mother off guard by the bluntness and randomness of the question. The truth was, I didnt remember much of back then. Most of my memories of my early life were pushed out, purposely forgotten to ease the pain. She took a few moments to watch me closely. I was focused on my tea in front of me, not wanting to look her in the eyes. I didnt want her to see the same pain that the question made surface. You were easy. Too easy some might say. You were happy and playful, but also lonely and quiet, which made it hard to grasp what you were thinking at times. She paused for a second or two and I waited for her to continue while carefully sipping my tea again. Your best friend was a stuffed plush dog. Though it was white at first, it turned brown over the years. I dont I swallowed. I dont remember any of that, I said with a certain sadness in my voice. She placed a hand on one of mine that was resting on the table. Thats okay. Ill help you remember, if you want. I nodded slowly without speaking. We drank our tea and I took in the sight of the many tomatoes behind me at the same time. I noticed that Shadow was done playing with my leg. Hed climbed up to where I slept, made himself comfortable in a curl, and started sleeping. I let out a suppressed chuckle at his actions. Seems youre not the only one that thinks your back is most comfortable, Cellestra said. My mother looked at us in confusion, prompting me to clarify things. Its how I sleep. I cant use a normal bed, but Im extremely flexible. I can lean over all the way back and sleep on myself. I can also sleep with this torso, but keep my spider half awake. Its quite strange, really. That sounds highly confusing, She admitted. I shrugged. It works. What can I say? Its been more than useful. I chuckled when I saw my mothers face try to make sense of how that worked. Through her eyes, I could see her thinking hard. So, Kealyna? My mother eventually asked. Can you see Shadow without turning around? I chuckled. You thought these eyes were for show? Yes, I can see him very clearly, as well as everything else around me. The only blind spot I have is my rear. It looked like she was just looking for more unbelievable facts to add to her pile of wonder. I imagined theres be plenty more to add. A sudden tickle in my nostrils caught me by surprise. I backed off from the table in the fraction of a second that I had and sneezed, my entire body convulsing, including my legs. An odd feeling from behind lingered when I was about to sneeze a second time. I shook my head, but the threshold for it wasnt quite reached, allowing me to recover. Shadow had woken up by my involuntary jerks and jumped off my back. Cellestra was left giggling after she saw I was fine. Are you okay? My mother asked, a smile on her face as well. That looked terrifying. Im fine, I said, rubbing my nose. Havent had that happen before. I wonder if its because of Shadow. Thatd be unfortunate, Cellestra said with a sly smile before leaning her head sideways. By the way, I think you lost something. I tried to turn around but I felt a tugging on my spinnerets. Instinctively, I knew what it meant, and I sighed deeply. You gotta be kidding me. Faragi I''ll upload the next chapter today as well. I don''t want to keep people waiting to meet Elira :3 /author] 2.80 Elira Faragi Don''t miss 2.79, posted a few hours ago. Didnt know that was how things worked, I said as I lowered my abdomen and wiped off the silk from my spinnerets. The more you know, I guess. You have to admit, Cellestra said, smiling. It was kind of funny. I suppose youre right. I was just concerned about my legs. Seems it was a good idea to take a few steps back. I turned around to observe the mess Id made. Threads of silk were spread out on the gravel. To clean up, I decided to quickly burn it with a weaker version of the flame beam spell. When that was done, I turned to see the other two elves looking at me with amusement. I shrugged, just as my mother stood up. Want some more tea? She asked. Cellestra and I both nodded. As soon as Lilinia disappeared inside, I saw Shadow peek his head around the corner again. I sure hope that was random and not an allergy, I spoke. It was kind of cute to see him sleeping on my back. Dont have a skill for that? Cellestra asked as a joke. At least, I believed it was a joke. I would have taken it already if Id had the option. I shook my head. I skittered back to the table and waited for my mother and father both to return. In the few minutes it took to get new tea, Shadow had found the confidence, or perhaps the curiosity, to come near me again and started playing with my fangs before it was somehow distracted by my large, red eyes. My mother returned just as I spoke up. Do you know if spiders can sneeze, Cellestra? Hes right where I assume my nose would be. I dont think they can. You should know more about that than me. I most definitely do not, I said, shaking my head. But thats fine, I think. I dont need to know everything. Lilinia took a seat and put down the glasses of tea for the second time before turning to face Cellestra. Cellestra. I heard so much about Kealyna, but do tell me what made you choose to travel with her. The brunette was taken aback by the sudden question and seemed to burn her tongue on the tea. She quickly retracted the cup before staring at the tabletop. She She started softly. Shes keeping me alive. My mother lost all semblance of a smile and looked to be horrified by Cellestras brutally honest answer. Before she could speak, the other elf continued. Ive had this ailment ever since my birth. It grants me massive amounts of mana, but its unstable and causes periods with horrible nightmares that seemed to have gotten worse over the years, to the point where I fear they will eventually kill me. Kealyna has informed Elysa of this, who, I believe, confirmed the illness was getting worse, but Kealynas healing magic prevents it from progressing and suppresses the effects. Our initial goal was to find you and then set out to try to cure me. Thats awful, Lilinia said, still in shock. Cellestra shook her head. I was lucky to have your daughter there to help me. Shes been incredibly kind and helpful. You have no idea how happy that makes me as a mother. The more I hear, the prouder I get. Thanks, mom, I said softly, a wide smile on my face thanks to her kind words. I mean it, Kealyna. Youre a knight in every sense. I smiled bashfully at the compliment, staring at my tea. Cellestras cute, soft giggling made me think I was blushing madly. My attention was diverted when I heard footsteps on the small pieces of stone surrounding the building. From the side appeared Keelarin, a warm smile on his face. His return would mean that Id get to meet Elira. However, I didnt see her. My fathers smile indicated that there was nothing to worry about, which made me wonder what was going on. Then, I saw two ears peek from around the corner, and then light blonde hair, followed by a pair of green eyes. I was lucky I didnt have to turn my head to see her, because when I did, she instantly disappeared behind the wall. It would have made me feel sad, but what I saw in the brief time Id seen her eyes wasnt fear. I saw curiosity, but also carefulness. This small elven girl, one that couldnt be much older than I had been at the time of my parents passing, peeked around the corner once more. She stared straight into my eyes, and as soon as our gazes met she darted behind the wall once more. Its okay, My father said. Shes not scary. Look, Shadow isnt scared either. When the girl peeked around the corner again, my father pointed at the cat, who was still playing with one of my fangs. I put down my cup of tea and lowered myself to the ground as far as I could, lessening the intimidation that I very well knew I had. Hi, I said to her while waving a hand. Elira then showed herself fully for the first time. A girl that wouldnt reach much higher than my belly ran over to my father and hid behind him, her hands around his waist. She wore a bright red skirt that reached below her knees, and a blue blouse to go with it. Her hair flowed freely and reached to her chest. The same green eyes from before stared at one of my spider eyes at my side and had a fiery spark in them. Hi, She said softly. She then looked at Shadow who had now moved to the side to rub his head against one of my legs, he then started climbing it, reached one of the joints at the top, then turned his head to Elira, and remained in that position. I chuckled at the cats antics before looking at the little elven girl. Im Kealyna, I greeted the girl warmly with a smile. Keelarin walked forward, Elira still clenching his waist, forcing her to get closer to me. I turned my body so that I was facing her from the front and laid my legs on the ground, causing Shadow to jump onto my back from my leg. Hi, I said again. May I know your name? I already knew it, but I asked to try to make her feel more at ease with me. Elira, She said softly, still hiding behind the safety of my father. Its okay, Lilinia said with a soothing voice. Go meet your sister. My sister? Elira looked at my mother with large eyes, who nodded in return. She then turned to me as I nodded too. Its a long story, I said. But yes, Im your older sister. She let go of my father and slowly walked over to me, her eyes fixated on my red ones. Not entirely unexpected as it was one of my lower bodys most prominent features. As she approached, I saw her pupils dart back and forth to the cat on my back who was curling up in my soft hair again. She reached out and carefully placed a hand on my spider head before looking up at my other head. She then looked into my spider eyes in turn. Is that you? She asked. I nodded as I slowly raised a pedipalp from the ground, causing a bit of a shock reaction from the little girl, but she quickly recovered. See? Her eyes grew wide as she turned to the dirty limb which I slowly stretched and retracted. Woah, She let out in amazement. Youre half spider! I giggled softly and saw Cellestra, Lilinia, and Keelarin look at us with smiles written all over their faces. Elira placed her hand back on my spider head, between my front eyes where it was still relatively clean. So soft, She said. She then looked up again. Your eyes. Is that magic? She said in wonder. Yes. Its a blessing from Elysa, I said warmly. Goddess Elysa? The girl asked in disbelief. Yes. Woah, She let out again. So cool. If you think that is cool, you should see the colors behind me. I pointed my thumb towards my behind and the girl backed off a bit before she looked at the colors swirling in my rear. She jumped over my legs and made her way towards it, laying her hand on my spider abdomen as she peered at the spectacle before her. So pretty, She said in awe. I could see how my parents had fallen in love with her. Id only known her for a few minutes and I already felt a bond forming between us. This girls curiosity had conquered her fear and warmed my heart. I let Elira watch for a bit before she turned around and noticed my smaller, rear eyes. She jumped over my legs again and cocked her head, staring into one of them. Are those eyes? She asked. Yes, I said. Spiders have eight eyes. Pretty cool, huh? The young elf nodded in agreement before walking back in front of me. She pointed at my shorter limbs below my head. What are those? Those are my fangs. Watch. I opened my chelicerae and showed Elira the fangs at the ends. I decided to keep my lower mouth closed as I imagined seeing all those teeth could be rather frightening. Woah. Scary. I closed my limbs again while giggling. Not so scary if you know they belong to me. She nodded before she turned her head and finally noticed Cellestra. When she did, she ran over to her. And who are you? Elira asked curiously. The brunette giggled. Im Cellestra, Kealynas friend. Woah. Your eyes are purple. Are you blessed by goddess Elysa too? Unfortunately not, Cellestra said as she patted the girls head. Its a long story. Ill tell you someday. My heart grew warmer and warmer at seeing this childs interactions. Was this what it meant to have a little sister? 2.81 Sisters My mother moved her chair and stood up. Ill get to work, She said. At the same time, Elira walked over to her and hugged her. I felt slightly saddened at the scene before me. Part of me yearned to be that innocent child, to be unburdened again. My mother bent over and kissed the girl on her forehead. Welcome home, sweetie. Well have dinner early tonight. Kealyna and Cellestra will be staying for it. My father finally sat down and his head followed Eliras erratic movements closely. The elven girl darted to Cellestra and then to Shadow who had fallen asleep on my back, far too comfortably, no doubt. Im sure you wont get bored, My mother said before disappearing inside. Elira didnt even react to it. She was too occupied looking literally everywhere when it came to my body. I imagined having four sets of eyes on her would have helped quite a bit. After petting Shadow awake, she started feeling the hairs on my back and then ran her hands through them, her mouth open in excitement. My father gave me a look that said something like should I tell her to stop? and was about to make his voice heard, but I shook my head. Its fine. So soft! Elira let out once more. Do you make webs too? I can, yes, I replied. Look, I said as I held up a hand and grabbed her attention. Once I had it, I shot out a line of thread that connected to some of the pebbles on the ground. Woah! She let out again. So cool! Be careful, I said, grinning. Its sticky. I took the silk in my hands and reeled in until I had it in a ball with some of the gravel before summoning fire to incinerate it. As expected, that made the little girl squeal with delight as well. Magic is so cool. I want to learn magic too! She said in elation. In reaction to that, I saw my fathers smile disappear as he looked down at the table and turned his head away so that I couldnt see his face anymore. I ignored it for now, but I wanted to ask him later why he did that. Eliras attention span was short-lived. She ran back to Shadow and started petting him, evoking soft purrs that I felt in my body. You wanna go for a ride? I asked, causing Elira to cock her head. I lowered myself to the ground and lifted her up with my legs before placing her on my back where Cellestra usually sat. Her little legs made it harder to straddle me but we managed. She seemed to grasp what I said and took hold of my hair as I stood up. I then started skittering around, taking things slowly at first. You know, I said. This is how Cellestra and I got here. We traveled many miles to get here. This is awesome! She said with a cheer. I could see Cellestra giggle at the sight as well. You ready to speed things up a bit? I asked, making sure to check on how Shadow was doing as well. He didnt seem at all bothered by the movement around him. Elira nodded slowly. Hold on tight. I sped up and started running along the edge of the field, away from the buildings. I planned to circle this one field and then get back. I watched with glee as the young elven girl, and the cat both, looked at the world passing them by on both sides. I could tell she was more than enjoying this. A few minutes later, wed circled the entire field and arrived back at the servants house. Once in the gravel, I lowered myself and carefully put the girl back on the ground. That was so cool! She said, exhilarated. Youre amazing! You sound like you had fun, My father casually mentioned. I had! Kealyna is the best sister ever! She let out as she ran towards my father and hugged him. I smiled as I was flattered by the girl. At the same time, I felt odd to have that said about me. I was a sister now to somebody, and apparently, I was doing a good job at it. You didnt wear yourself out too much, did you? Cellestra asked, not entirely serious. I could hear it in her voice. I dont think she can wear me out. I think she will wear herself out with how she is. She does look like quite a handful. I nodded as I watched her looking at a gray cat that had made its presence known and was now staring at me from afar. Elira didnt wait long before she walked to the cat and petted it. I giggled. Curious and active. Wouldnt surprise me if she collapses in an hour or so, Keelarin said. Its been a while since Ive seen her like this, though. Tell me if its too much. Its fine, I said. In fact, Im happy this is the reaction I got. We watched Elira play with a few other cats that had joined to watch me from afar. The gray one had approached one of my legs before touching it with a paw, and had then backed off to a safe distance which was about twenty yards, it seemed. A while later, the door opened, and with it, a wonderful smell followed. Even though I wasnt hungry, Id love to have some of whatever the source of that scent was. My father beckoned Elira over who seemed to be too occupied to even care about dinner at the moment. Dinner was a simple oven dish with, unsurprisingly, plenty of potatoes and tomatoes mixed in. I didnt eat any at first but waited until the others were finished before savoring whatever was left over. Despite my hesitancy at first, I was glad I had some. It reminded me of easier times I would have loved to stay longer. But after all that, it was time to say goodbye for the time being. Elira clung to one of my legs, not wanting to see us leave. Its okay, I said to her as I used one of my other legs to pat her head. Well be back tomorrow. Promise? She asked. I promise. Well need to do a few things. I think well be back when youre done with school. She nodded before speaking softly. Okay. There was still the thing I wanted to ask my father, but I thought it would be better to ask him in private. Hopefully, we could get our business done quickly tomorrow and come here a bit early. I imagined that should be possible unless things in the city took longer than I expected them to. Before we left, my mother gave us some fresh bread and a pouch with tea leaves which left me chuckling. It seemed shed caught on to Cellestra and her morning habits from our earlier conversation. She had also offered to lend me some clothes, but Id politely declined that, as I felt no real need to get anything beyond what I could make myself. Besides, I would love to get some extra practice making more. I was currently still wearing an incredibly crude silken top which Id have to throw out anyway. I would take a long-awaited shower tomorrow morning Your family seems nice, Cellestra said as we walked towards the shrines, she was on my back as usual. I nodded. Im so happy they are okay. Seeing them again there are no words to describe it. Im happy for you, She said warmly. Elira is a sweet girl too, isnt she? Very much so. Did you see her face when she was in the position youre in now? I smiled. It was adorable. Did you see my fathers face when she said something about wanting to learn magic, though? I saw, yes. Any idea what that was about? I dont. I want to ask him about that tomorrow. I hope things are okay Cellestra remained quiet as we passed the shrines and entered the forest beyond it. We continued for a few minutes before I came to a halt in an area with four trees that formed a square; something which would be ideal for the type of shelter I could make. Think we are far enough out here? I asked. Well, so far I havent seen anything that could pose a threat to anyone. If what weve been told is right, we should be okay here. I nodded. Lets get to work, then. Im thinking I looked around the dirt-covered area and the square in my mind that had sides that were about twenty yards each. I sighed. This is going to be quite a lot more work than before, isnt it? I lowered myself and Cellestra stepped off, looking around. What did you have in mind? 2.82 Amulet I scratched my head. I have a plan, but Im not sure how long it will take and if its worth putting in that much work. As much as Id like to stay here, we might have to leave anytime. I doubt there is much Vyath has figured out in the little time we havent seen him if thats what youre referring to, Cellestra said. Besides, I heard there is a beginner dungeon somewhere in the forest. Id be interested to check that out with you if you want. Youre right, I said. Okay, lets start building. Cellestra watched as I connected the four trees with thick lines of silk, creating a square about a foot off the ground. I then connected the corners to create an X to add some more integrity to the floor of my new nest. It didnt look like it was going to rain anytime soon so I would start to just get the foundations done properly and then see how much energy I had left for anything else. Sleeping on the ground, while doable, made my legs feel oddly restless. I imagined a soft, somewhat elastic floor would do wonders in that regard. Besides, I knew it would be a lot more comfortable for Cellestra, too. Shed been sleeping, sitting on the cold hard ground for days. Then came the task of changing the basic web into an actual surface. I created an immense number of threads to transform it into just that. I started with a good layer of sticky threads which I then covered with a thick layer of soft, non-sticky threads. This way, the whole would have better structural integrity. Thats what I thought, at least. The entire process took about two hours due to the sheer amount of silk necessary. At the end of it, I was left tired and drained. Cellestra watched me as I distanced myself from the foundation of our new shelter. I barely managed to contain a yawn. A lot of work for sure, Cellestra said softly. Are you okay? Tired, but Im okay. Unfortunately, this was the easy part. Easy? I planned to make the roof somewhat like a dome to better deal with rain. The brunette looked up to where the roof would eventually be. I think I see what you mean. In any case, its still light outside, I suggest you get a couple of hours of full sleep. You look like you could use it. I nodded. Yeah, I certainly could. Do you mind checking if this net is sticky? I think Ive covered it well enough but I dont seem to stick to my own threads no matter what I do. Sure. Cellestra touched the top layers, before stepping on the web and walking around without getting stuck. Seems fine to me, She said. I nodded and skittered on top of it, laying myself down as I finally allowed myself to yawn. Go to sleep, Cellestra said again with a smile. Youve had a hell of a day. Ill wake you up when I want to sleep so you can do your half-sleep thing then. Thank you, I let out as I laid my elven half down on my back and looked at the sky above. One hell of a day indeed. I closed my eyes but still saw the brunette sitting down at my side. Im so happy all is well. As am I. Your worrying wasnt pleasant to look at. Im sorry about that. No need to be sorry. Cellestra patted my side. I just hope you wont have to go through that again. I know theres little you can do about it, but it just hurts me to see you like that. Thank you, Cellestra, I said softly as I reached over and touched the top of her head. Do wake me up whenever you feel like. Good night. She nodded and wished me good night as well. I then let my body relax and allowed the exhaustion to drift me off. I woke up to soft taps on my spider head. Kealyna? You awake? I nodded with my pedipalps as my spider half woke up. I tried to not disturb my other half as there was no point in waking that up. It was already completely dark around us, which made me wonder just how late it was. It didnt matter too much, but I hoped that the brunette hadnt waited too long. She needed her own sleep as well, after all. Ill go to sleep now, okay? She said softly. I nodded with my front two limbs again, causing her to giggle a bit as she sat back down at my side, her head burying itself in my soft, albeit dirty hair. It brought me back to how I wanted to shower in the morning, but I started to reconsider that. After a while of thinking, and Cellestra falling asleep during that, I concluded that my mind would not allow me to do such a thing when there were more pressing matters to attend to. I wanted to visit the guild and check for a weaponsmith who had the expertise to transform this chunk of starmetal into an actual weapon. After that, I reckoned there was some time to look into our shelter and a shower before we were off to my parents. A promise I made would always be kept. Id make sure of that. Boring hours passed us by. Relief, but also excitement started building as soon as the first rays of light broke through the trees. Today was the day I hoped to move on from being a knight to an adventurer. It didnt mean Id leave my values behind, it was just a new chapter, hopefully, a better one of my life. Cellestra woke up about an hour later with a yawn that was loud enough to wake up my upper half. The funny incident was a great start to my day. Not much later, we were having a quick breakfast and I told her about my ideas for the day. It sounds good to me, but there is one thing that I want to mention, She said. Which is? Can we leave this web here like this? Wont people try to destroy it when they run into it? I mean, were not that far out. People will find this. What do you want to do? I said sarcastically. Put up a note? Giant spider lady lives here, please do not destroy. Cellestra giggled. Well, we could? You have something to write with you? Paper and charcoal. Always have it with me, Cellestra said with a smile. I smiled back at her. Then sure, go for it. The elf reached for her backpack and pulled out a few pieces of paper on which she, to my amusement, wrote exactly what I just said. After that, she handed the notes to me and I put them up at the sides of the web and stuck them to it with a bit of sticky silk. As I finished the last note, Cellestra handed me a small bread bun. I figured you might want one of these, She said. Your mother made them, after all. I nodded and eagerly accepted the bun. For some reason, I found myself somewhat hungry for the first time in a long while. I wondered if building the base of my new nest had anything to do with it. If that was the case, I would probably need something bigger than some bread soon. We then headed out to the city. Enough time should have passed for people to have been made aware of my presence, so I didnt foresee any issues there. I shook my head just thinking about it. Hey, Cellestra? Hm? Do you think people have speculated about how I look? For sure. I bet you big, white, perhaps even fluffy were among them. Hmm, the fluffy part seems a bit more unlikely considering not many have been close enough to feel or even see that. Do you think I should stop hiding that pattern on my abdomen? You could, but where else do you want to put those pelts? Leaving them in the forest is a sure way to get them stolen. Thats true. I looked at the blade of my halberd, close to my hand. Say, where do you want to go first? You mean between the dungeon exploration guild or the weaponsmith? I nodded. Cellestra chuckled. Dont think I didnt notice you looking at your weapon. Lets get that done first. I reckon its not a matter of finished-while-you-wait. I doubt it is. Say, didnt you want an amulet made as well? Any specific purpose? The purple-eyes elf shook her head. Not really no. I just I have this gemstone that Rose left me. I thought it would be a nice idea to embed it in an amulet, you know, so shes always close to me. I nodded slowly. Thats a beautiful thought. Im sure she would appreciate that. She looked down into my rear eyes with a certain sadness in her eyes but a small smile on her face. Yeah. Im sure she would. 2.83 Thymhil After a few minutes of walking, we reached the shrines at the edge of the forest, marking the outskirts of Thymhil. Already, there were a couple of people walking in and out of the buildings. Most of them seemed to be surprised, perhaps frightened slightly. Others seemed to not care or showed actual curiosity. Then there were, of course, the few that trembled with fear at the sight of me. They kept their eyes on me as they walked around me in unnecessarily large arcs or just straight-up sprinted off, causing me to sigh. There were some interesting people among those that exited the city. One example was a person wearing the heaviest plate armor I''d ever seen. Not only that, but he also wore two immensely large swords on his belt, and, to my confusion, a tower shield that was almost his entire length on his back. I was left staring, even after hed passed. I just couldn''t find a reason why someone would ever use such unwieldy equipment. Other than that, things started to become quite clear to me soon enough. There were people with ordinary day clothing going about their business and then there were the guards who wore similar armor to Selleron. Anyone who deviated from that belonged to either the dungeon exploration guild or the mercenary guild. I couldnt tell those two apart. The entrance to the inner city was guarded well, but we had no issues with the guardsmen. They nodded as we approached and stepped aside. I wished we could get this kind of welcome everywhere we went. Once inside, what awaited us was a vibrant and bustling city. We were in the middle of a wide street with rows of stone buildings on either side. The houses were seemingly brand-new and created from the same greystone, the strongest stone that I knew of, as the fortifications Id seen so far. To add to the luxurious appearance, they had glass windows with shutters, most of which were open. This simple fact gave me the idea that crime, or even just plain vandalism, was rare. When I looked around, there was the occasional guard here and there on the corners of smaller alleys, but they seemed to be pretty casual about their duties. I saw one in the distance talking to a woman and laughing at something shed said. All of the houses were two stories high and had some kind of lantern hanging from the wall next to their door. It made me wonder how those were fueled and how this city operated at night. In my old world, we had either streetlights fueled by magic, or a curfew at sundown. It was a good thing I never had to care about the curfew in my town as the knights were exempt. I slowly moved forward, taking in the sights around me as I went. Cellestra was turning her head left and right to do the same. The stone belonging to the buildings was all the same same, but it seemed people had found ways to liven up their homes by painting their doors and shutters all kinds of vivid colors. Some people had opted to stick to the standard wood color, but even those had some kind of polish applied to make the colors shine. Even the road on which we walked wasnt like anything Id ever seen. As soon as we entered the central parts, the dirt road had abruptly changed into some sort of mosaic of different, naturally occurring colors such as gray, brown, and black. Larger and smaller flat tiles of uneven shapes were put together. Between them was some kind of concrete mixture to finalize a quite comfortable, and spotless, street. Vegetation was lacking, but there was plenty of that right outside the center, minutes away, so it didnt feel like it was missing. There was the occasional ivy growing up on some walls that seemed to be simply left alone. The people that I observed seemed to be in good moods too. This place looked like a paradise to live in. I shook my head and chuckled, realizing that my old profession seemed to add little value here. Not that that was a bad thing. All this led to a more open area at the end of the road. Something that looked like a plaza was located in the middle of the city, with, at the center, a beautiful white, triple-layered, fountain. It was about my size, so quite big, and very distracting. I hardly noticed the people on the street anymore as I made my way over. White stone was hard to keep white, yet this ornament looked like it was built yesterday with how brightly it reflected the sunlight. There had to be some kind of magic involved, I was sure of it. Only after willing my attention away from it, did I notice the stalls of goods beyond it. A large number of people converged here to buy all kinds of wares on display out in front of the buildings that formed a circle around us. This was evidently a marketplace and the core of the city. My attention was immediately drawn to the weapon and armor racks to the left of the plaza entrance where I saw a wide variety of equipment. Spears and swords and shields and halberds so much choice Cellestras grinning caught my attention. Your ears are twitching again, She said. Not hard to guess what you''re looking at. Not hard to guess, indeed, I said, smiling. Behind the stalls in question was one of the larger buildings in this place. I think the only one bigger than that would be the keep-like building Id seen from the distance with the tower attached to it. I looked around and noted that the building in question was a bit further out from the citys center. I was surprised that whoever had designed the tower had opted to keep the bell hidden from view. It made me wonder how the sound even escaped the towers confines. Unless it was somewhere else I brushed the thought away and focused on the building beyond the weapon stalls again. Due to the eagerness of the owner to have everything inside on display, and quite possibly due to the fact that the building had an open front, it was clear it was a weaponsmith. Anvils and forges with bellows, tools, and a grinding stone were enough to give it away. Guess I know where were going, I said, excited. Dont have to guess, Cellestra replied with a chuckle. Youre too easy. I grinned as I carefully made my way over to the stalls and building, making sure not to get close to the curious onlookers as I went. I had already made out two smaller, yet still fairly large buildings which I imagined were the two guild halls. There were wooden signs above the entrances, but the paint on it had deteriorated enough for me to not be able to read anything written on it, so Id check after this. Look, Cellestra said, pointing at a few stalls further down as we got closer. Theres jewelry here too. Think we have time to check? Sure, I said. We just need to check how much work it is to turn this chunk of metal into usable materials. And I paused for a second as a figure exited the workplace and took position behind a booth. I have a feeling he knows more than me. I pointed at the bulky, elven man wearing a short-sleeved shirt and smiths apron to protect himself from the heat of the forge. His experience as a blacksmith was etched in his flesh in the form of muscles the likes of which Id rarely seen. Sure looks like it. Wading through the crowd wasnt difficult. As much as it looked like people had been informed of my presence, they still kept a good distance. Whether it be fearful or what, it didnt matter too much. Id show them I wasnt to be feared, but I needed time. The blacksmith appeared to wait for us with his arms crossed and a smile growing on his face as we approached. I greeted him with my free hand once we were in front of his stand. Hi. His smile grew into a grin. Greetings. Ive been told I could expect you to drop by. Kalana, was it, right? Kealyna, I corrected him. Was it Selleron who told you? I asked out of curiosity. Nope. Soranir himself informed me. Though, Selleron did later on as well. Hes informed all the town guards who then spread the word to minimize fear. Id say they did a pretty good job at it. Not that Id be scared anyway. Not afraid of spiders? I asked, a hint of playfulness in my voice. Heh, The blacksmith chuckled. Funny, but no, Im not. His face assumed a serious expression before he continued. What can I do for you? 2.84 Zearis & Emerin A few gasps escaped the lips of nearby villagers as I moved my legs to undo the straps around the lump of starmetal. I shook my head at the reaction. Even though nearby was pretty far away, it still felt excessive to me. I held up the chunk of metal with my free hand. Was wondering if youre able to make a weapon with this. Got a token? The smiths reaction came without hesitation or surprise. We do. I grabbed the token that Cellestra had removed from her backpack during my question and held it in front of his face. He eyed the leg that was holding it before his eyes moved to the disc itself. I was told you have something similar, I said. The muscled man nodded. I do. Please follow me and lets talk things through. I nodded and made my way around the stands as I followed the man inside. Several other smiths were working on smaller weapons, and some more mundane items such as nails and horseshoes. We were led to one of the four forges against the wall. This one wasnt being used at the moment and the coal had gone grey. He used a poke to prod in the coals before inhaling deeply and breathing new life into the forge. When a flame was born, he reached into his pockets under his apron and pulled out a disc, like ours but with a gold color, and held it up to the flame. I stood and watched the gold of the object fade away, revealing a teal glow underneath. The smith turned his head and looked into my eyes, waiting for my reaction. When I nodded, he put his own token back in his pocket. Thats a good chunk of metal you have. What kind of weapon were you thinking about having crafted? A halberd like this one would be great, I said. Whats the crafting fee going to look like? The man chuckled loudly and I looked at him, confused. Theres no fee besides the token. Did whoever give you that not explain it? I shook my head. Vyath had not mentioned anything about that. I wasnt sure if that had been intentional. Okay, so, He continued. Its just that. You give the token, and Ill craft you your weapon. One more thing, I quickly added. Lets say I want to use some of the metal to craft jewelry, how does that work? Will I need another token or? The smith crossed his arms and shook his head. The tokens are only for weapons. Jewelry and arrowheads and anything else do not require them. Crafting jewelry from starmetal is unusual, but not unheard of. He scratched his head. I could turn this into a long story, but let me just stick to the basics. I need to know how much jewelry you want to make. Just an amulet, I said. For Cellestra. I jerked my head back, pointing at the elf on my back. She has a gemstone she''d like to have set in it. Im not a jeweler, The smith clarified. I just do the prework like smelting. Ill have a friend help out with this request. I see. So Ill prepare part of the metal so that it can be used for this purpose. I estimate the costs to be about two gold coins. Unless you have more? I shook my head. That would be all. I placed the chunk of metal on the forge and laid the token on top of it. I then asked Cellestra for the coin pouch but the blacksmith raised his hand in protest. There wont be a need for that yet, He said before reaching for a jute bag of coals. He took some and tossed them into the forge before he motioned us to follow as he exited the building. I had trouble turning around due to my sheer size and decided to walk backward slowly. As I did so, I noticed a young smith that was working on a dagger staring at me as he missed and hit his hand with a hammer, screaming in pain right after. I winced as I saw it happen. Ouch. The smith led us to the jewelry stall we saw earlier. On a wooden table were glass boxes with all kinds of accessories like earrings and bracelets. On the table next to it was a box that was dedicated to amulets, which is the one the smith pointed to. Behind the stalls was an older elven woman. From the way she was dressed, I got the notion that she was some kind of noble. She wore a luxurious dark blue dress over a white shirt. At the ends of the sleeves were golden strips that added to the high-caste feel. She didnt appear to be a stranger to her own wares either as she wore two drop earrings, one in each ear with a large pearl at the ends. Around one of her wrists was a silver cuff bracelet with a large green stone embedded in it. I see you brought some interesting company, Zearis. The elven woman spoke with a voice that was unpleasant to my ears. I could only best describe it as if there was the cawing of a crow in her words. From her facial expression and the tone in her voice, I could tell her demeanor was dripping with condescension. We have need of your skills, Emerin. The smith, apparently named Zearis replied. Skills, you say? A starmetal amulet to be precise, and it needs to have a gem set in as well. Zearis looked at me, then pointed at the box of amulets again. If you see a design that you like, that would certainly help out. Its not for me, I said as I lowered Cellestra to the ground so she could step off and look for herself. I see. The brunette smiled at me and ran over to the display. I saw her eyes dart back and forth before they had settled on something within no time. In the meantime, Zearis and Emerin continued some kind of argument. And here I thought she was a friend. You could have at least warned me she would come around. Look, all my customers, just like that, gone! What are you complaining about? I brought you a customer, and you know she has the backing of a goddess. Whats better than that? She looks like trouble to me. The woman snarled. Ill help you with this, but just this once, and you owe me. Okay. I officially didnt like this woman. I quickly skittered over to Cellestra to see what had caught her attention. It wasnt hard to see what the cause was. Almost immediately, my eyes found exactly what had sparked her interest. At the side of the box was an amulet that had a drop-shaped blue gem at the center, with at the sides, two angelic wings that partly overlapped the bottom of the gem, as if the wings held it. Its beautiful, I whispered. Cellestra said nothing but nodded. I beckoned the smith over who promptly dropped the argument he was having to see me pointing at the winged amulet. How much work is it to make something like that? Dont know, He replied. Emerin? With chain, four gold pieces, without, three gold and five silvers. Quite expensive as it would almost cut our current wealth in half once again. I shook my head. I didnt care for money. Cellestras happiness would always come first. With chain, please, I said. Are you sure? Cellestra asked. I think she was taken aback by the cost as well. Yes, I stated firmly. Well then, The old woman said. I was told there was a gem that had to be set in it? Cellestra nodded and put her backpack on the ground before diving in with an arm, reaching all the way to the bottom. She fished out a small pouch which she laid on the glass display. Please be careful with it, She said softly. Emerin didnt say a word as she took the pouch and walked off into the building behind her. Cellestra kept her eyes on the pouch for as long as she could. Then, Zearis turned to speak to us. Dont worry about her, He said. This is just who she is. Is there anything else I can help you with before Im off? Yeah, I said while keeping an eye on the brunette next to me. Were looking for the dungeon exploration guild. Its that building, He said, pointing to one of the two buildings with deteriorated signs. Good luck whatever your business is there. Expect your weapon to be finished in a day or two at most. Feel free to stop by to check on its progress. Thank you, I warmly thanked him before he walked off to his booth again. Right, I said to Cellestra as I stared at the building, its door to be more precise. Theres no way Ill be able to enter that. I might need your help with that. The purple-eyed elf chuckled. Im sure well be able to get someone to talk to you outside. Yeah, I said with a smile. Lets see how this whole guild thing works, shall we? Faragi Feel free to check out the WIP prologue to my new story Prologue It will likely not be published for a good while, as I intend to write a lot further in it to fix plotholes etc. 2.85 Felmar The door was large, but nowhere near large enough for me to fit through. Even if I could, I doubted the inside of the building was going to accommodate me. I could now read the very last part of the sign above the door, but with great effort. Only the word guild was clear enough to read. The rest was just gone. If theres anything inside thats important, please do let me know, I said as Cellestra walked up to the door. I doubt there is much, but Ill tell you. Ill see you in a bit. I nodded and watched as she disappeared inside. I then stepped away from the door and watched the crowd from a distance. Only then did I see the disgust that some people had in their eyes when looking at me. I wasnt sure if I was imagining it, or whether it had been there the whole time. Perhaps Cellestras presence was enough for them to hide it, or maybe she had served to distract me enough to not notice at all. Seeing the resentment, perhaps borne from fear, in their eyes directed at me, someone whod always been looked at as a beacon of hope, as a knight, was more than disheartening. Please hurry, Cellestra. I wanted to avert my gaze from the crowd, but it was hard when I could see all around me, and was unable to close the vast majority of my eyes. To my relief, the door opened not much later and Cellestra stepped outside, followed by a man in black robes, carrying a wooden clipboard with a small ink pot attached to it, a quill in hand, and a pair of glasses on his nose. Hed obviously been informed about what I was, but the clipboard still shook from his trembling. I simply greeted him, but he didnt seem to register. His eyes were darting back and forth over my spidery parts. I wasnt sure whether amusement was something I should feel right now. Only when I cleared my throat a second time, did he seem to regain his bearing, or at least some of it. Oh. I apologize, He said, still shaky. Its alright, I said. He still didnt seem to find words until Cellestra spoke for him. You were going to handle our applications, right? Oh, yes, The robed man finally snapped back to reality. The applications. He placed his glasses back on the top of his nose. Theyd slid down from his quivers. The applications. A bit of a pause followed before he continued. Weve already got word from the mayor about some things to speed up the process. I will need you two to sign these papers and then assemble a suitable party of senior guild members or military to observe you in the Thymhil Proving Grounds. Whats that? I asked, already having some kind of idea, but I wanted confirmation. Its a dungeon in the forest. One of two, actually, but this one has such a low skill floor at the beginning that we use it as a means of testing new applicants before we assign them a rank. I shrugged. Sounds good to me. Can we see the paper? Ive already read it, Cellestra mentioned while the person in charge of applications handed me the clipboard. I quickly read through the text. There wasnt much, but what was there was important. Members of the guild were not to attack one another, something which was obvious, but still had to be put into words. They were not allowed to go on missions or dungeons that exceeded their rank unless accompanied by a superior with the corresponding skill level. The guild would be free of liability for any accidents occurring in dungeons and more legal stuff that we would hopefully never have to deal with. Then there were a few points that had to do with behavior inside the guild hall, which was entirely useless to me. Looks fine to me, I said, before turning to Cellestra. Have you already signed one of these? I have. The black-robed man handed me the quill which I used to write my signature in the designated box at the bottom of the page. Excellent, He said. Now well try to assemble a party and you ca Ill go, A familiar voice said as the door was thrown open. Selleron appeared in the doorway, the plume of his helmet scraping against the top as he walked outside. Ill go, He said again. Ill take some of my men and we can have this party going within the next half hour. Captain Selleron, The guild clerk spoke. I Are you Sure? Yes, The guard captain spoke. He turned to me. Unless you have any problems with it, we can get this out of the way today. I I stumbled. I had plans to work on my nest and to clean myself, but it seemed I was going to have to get my hands dirty again going through this trial. If that was the case, I felt I might as well do that proving grounds dungeon thing first. I turned my head to Cellestra who nodded with her eyes closed. I think were okay with that. The sooner, the better, right? Excellent, Selleron said, a hint of excitement in his voice. Ive been looking forward to what you can do. I cant wait to see it for myself. Im not sure what to say, I admitted. I hope I wont disappoint. However I paused and looked at Cellestra next to me. Cellestra I said softly. What do we do about your? She sighed when the guard captain and the clerk looked at her. My magic, She said. My magic can be dangerous to people nearby. Im sure Kealyna will be fine, but it needs to be said, for your safety. Well be at a distance, Selleron said. We arent allowed to interfere unless your lives are in danger. If we have to step in, it means the trial ends there. I I think well be fine then, Cellestra finished. Good, The captain continued. Lets meet at the shrines in half an hour then. Felmar, will you join us? I suppose I can make time, The robed man said. Ill have to get a few things in order first, but Ill be there. He nodded as he scribbled down something on the piece of paper below the one on which I just put my signature. After that, he walked back inside the guild hall. He needs to be there? I asked. Will he be fine? He doesnt look like much of a fighter to me. He doesnt need to, Selleron said. He is just the observant from the guild to verify your progression and skill. Hes done this plenty of times. Yet he trembled at the sight of me. Youre, well an exception, to put it lightly. Spiders dont usually come in your size, and with elves attached to them. I chuckled. I suppose thats true. Anyway, The soldier continued. Ill be getting my men as well. If you need anything, you better hurry. With those words, he waved and was off, walking in the direction of the tower. Things calmed down and I looked at Cellestra who still seemed to show some kind of guilt at her inability to control her magic. Dont worry, I said. I think he knows what hes doing. Besides, well practice again soon. She nodded. Youre right. Its just that I havent gone with a party before, so Im worried about what I can do to them. Understandable, I said as I lowered myself again so she could hop on my back. But Selleron knows what hes doing, and Ill also be there to heal if its needed. Once Cellestra was on my back, I slowly started walking to the road that we took to get inside the city. Things sure went faster than expected. I sighed deeply. And I was so looking forward to that bath. Cellestra giggled. What did you think when Selleron suggested to go now? Were you relieved because you were going to get dirty again? How did you know? I said in amusement. Youre too predictable, Kealyna, Cellestra replied, still smiling. Im curious what this dungeon looks like, though. Im curious as well, but well see soon enough. I just hope we wont spend too much time inside there. I have a little sister to entertain as well. The purple-eyed elf giggled again. You can amuse her by telling her stories of your heroic adventures in the dungeon. In that case, I already have some stories. However, I dont know if its appropriate to tell a child about a city of the dead and how that dungeon floor was littered with skeletons. Maybe skip that part. I chuckled at our conversation, but something dark manifested itself in my mind. I felt as if we were being followed, but as much as I saw and looked around, I couldnt see anything out of the ordinary. Maybe it wasnt the case, but my intuition had seldom failed me. Something felt off 2.86 Proving Grounds I quietly left the busy city center behind me as I navigated through the street towards the outskirts. Too quiet, apparently, because Cellestra commented on it. Are you okay, Kealyna? She asked softly and with concern in her eyes. Im okay, I responded with a whisper. But I dont feel comfortable at the moment. We finally left the city and found ourselves on the dirt path towards the shrines. As soon as the last person had passed, I elaborated. I feel as if were being followed, or at least watched. Not sure why I feel that way. I didnt see anyone. Think its an effect of the obelisk? She suggested. I shrugged. It might be. I dont know. I cast my healing light on myself, but as much as it warmed me inside, it didnt erase my worries in the slightest. I then refreshed my barrier spell. I would say youre worrying too much, but I know theres no stopping you. In this case, I wouldnt want you to either. Id be kicking myself if it turns out youre right. A new place, I murmured. I stand out, whether I want to or not. Im bound to draw people to me, for better or worse. Perhaps its just knowing that, that has got me on edge. Maybe it was all the stares I got. Even when theyd been told, some people still seemed to harbor an, in my opinion, unjustified hatred towards me. I sighed. I wish things would have been simpler, but things have been going well enough, generally speaking. I suppose I just need to be prepared for anything. Im surprised the mayor has been so welcoming of you as it is, Cellestra spoke. No guards to follow you around or anything of the sort. Its surprising, really. A goddesss blessing sure is powerful, but youre right. Despite the flames and whatnot, its still surprising. Cant say I mind it, though. I waited for several seconds as my mind wandered off at the thought of Elysa and especially, what she''d said before. Having Selleron with us is actually great. I think its a good idea that I ask him if he knows of anything that can help us in our search for information. I bet there is a library in the city somewhere. I cant imagine there not being one in a city of this size. I nodded. Question is if they will have what were looking for. I assume Vyath is going to send out messengers to other cities as well, but if were here anyway, we might as well start. We reached the shrines, and just to check if things had changed, I walked in front of Elysas braziers and noted that they still didnt react to me. I then continued on to those in front of Nilenes. Fortunately, the flames changed, just like before. Im going to assume that that means that its still not entirely safe for me to go through the ritual. Cellestra nodded. Its okay. We got plenty to do in the meantime, anyway. We should really keep our wits about us and focus on this dungeon. Makes me wonder just what kind of difficulty the other dungeon was. It didnt feel too hard to me, but who knows? Considering this dungeon is called the Thymhil Proving Grounds, I think well be fine, Cellestra said with a smile. Im actually excited to venture into one with you again. As am I. The past few days have been quiet. I dont mind it as much, but I feel like Im not doing enough you know? Cellestra giggled. Yeah. I get it. I would say youre a busy bee, but youre not even close to that. Very funny, I said, chuckling. To fill the time we had to wait, we decided to have a cup of tea. Not much later, a squad of soldiers, under the command of a certain red-plumed captain exited the city, on foot this time. Seems our party is on its way, I said, finishing my tea and stashing away the cup in Cellestras backpack. But, I let out on closer look. I dont see the guy from the guild among them. Thats odd, Cellestra said, finishing her own tea. She stood up and made her way onto my back without me having to give her the cue. It made me wonder would it be an issue to do the dungeon like this? I guessed Cellestra would be okay on foot, but since she very much fulfilled a mage role, I preferred her there where I could make sure shed stay out of harms way. I made sure that the bag on my spider head was properly secured and stood up, my halberd in one hand. I was practically brimming with anticipation for this dungeon. I couldnt wait to see what it was like and what this trial consisted of. I hadnt asked much about it, which only added to my eagerness now. A few minutes later, the group of five knights plus Selleron reached us. The first thing I did was greet the captain. The second thing I did was ask where Felmar was. Im right here, One of the soldiers raised his hand. I hadnt recognized him with all that armor and the helmet, which barely left anything to see for me, but his voice was the same. You didnt think wed send him in there without at least proper armor, did you? Selleron said with a smirk. I shrugged. That did make sense. Anyway. The captain continued. Let us not wait further. I nodded and allowed him to take the lead. I followed him closely with the rest of the soldiers at my side and behind me. I wasnt entirely confident having them where I couldnt see them, but Selleron had seemed trustworthy so far. I imagined none of these men would randomly attack me. How much would they be able to do? Id seen some enchantments shine through their scabbards, but they didnt strike me as powerful. Sellerons weapon and armor were quite a different story. At first glance, his armor looked the same, but now that he was walking in front of me, I was starting to get a better look. Where the other soldiers swords emitted a faint glow, Sellerons didnt, at all. Considering he was supposed to be their superior, it gave me the idea he was actively trying to hide his. I also didnt detect anything out of the ordinary regarding his plate equipment. Not with my normal vision, and not with my thermal sight, either. The same went for the rest of the squad. Selleron, sir, if you dont mind me asking, how strong is your armor? I decided to just ask. Who knew what I might learn. Strong enough to resist many a weapon. Why do you ask? I was just wondering if you were using some kind of enchantment. Well, wouldnt you like to know? His answer confused me, but the silence that followed told me that this was all I was going to get. I got the notion he was holding on to some secrets, which was fair. If my suspicion about hidden enchantments was true, it would be quite the game-changer. Selleron led us through the forest on a small dirt trail that had emerged due to this being a fairly traveled path. None of that came as a surprise to me. Eventually, we entered a lush, green clearing. In said clearing was some kind of camp set up as tents and armored soldiers sitting in front of them were spread throughout the place. More interestingly, someone had bothered to build an actual establishment. It was not small, either. At first glance, it looked like some kind of inn made from wood. It didnt have windows or a second floor so I doubted thered be much room for people to spend the nights inside which I guess explained the many tents. Finally, at the other edge of the clearing stood an immense stone structure. Two large pillars at the sides with a horizontal megalith formed the core. The stone was overgrown by massive, thick vines that entangled the rocks. In the center was a swirling alternate reality, a window that showed what lay beyond. It was a portal, a gateway that evidently acted as a dungeon entrance. I peered into the gateway to see a steppe; an arid landscape with dry, long grass making up most of the vegetation. Welcome to the proving grounds, Selleron said with a smile as he turned around to see me staring. You can get most basic goods such as potions here that youll need when traveling into this dungeon, but beware, they come at a premium. Weapon sharpening is free of charge. Youll also be able to sell most items that you find. Useful if you cannot carry more and you dont feel like youre quite done yet. Now, with that out of the way, He beckoned us over as he walked towards the portal. Its time for you to prove yourself. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patron. Katja Thank you so much for your support <3 2.87 Trials Without a waver in his steps, he walked to the portal and entered the fields beyond. I took a moment to watch the swirling portal as a certain chill rippled through my body. I very carefully stepped to it, a sense of deja vu in my mind. How I hated portals Seeing no changes in the gateways behavior, I finally stepped through with a hop, my hands shaking as I stood behind Selleron. I heaved a sigh of relief to see all was well. Are you okay? Selleron asked as he turned around. Im okay. Ive just had a bad experience with portals. I shook my head, trying to shrug off what had just happened, and started looking around. Hills with long, dry grass stretched out as far and wide, with small streams of water cutting up the landscape into segments. A calm wind traveled across the fields, rippling through the grass. In the distance was a rocky ridge that doubled as a wall. If I were to guess, it marked the dungeons borders. The other soldiers stepped through the portal behind me as I took notice of a strange creature in the field before me. It didnt look dangerous to me, but there was no messing around with dungeons, that much I knew. Please, do explain how this trial works, I said. What is the idea? Do I need to go around and kill things or? More or less, Selleron said, his arms crossed. Ill give you just the basics. If I were to tell you everything, it wouldnt be a real test now, would it? I nodded. This dungeon is called the Proving Grounds. Not because its easy, or simple, but because it increases in difficulty very gradually. There are no surprises here. The further you go, the stronger the dungeon creatures become. The idea is for us to see how far you can go before you start getting into trouble. As soon as you do, we step in and call off the trial. I nodded again as I took in the information. You two are going to be a steady party, correct? Cellestra and I both answered yes at the same time. Selleron cast a glance at Felmar, who nodded. Well consider you a team and judge your strength as a team then. Well go that way. He pointed at the rocky red ridge in the distance. And that is your first target. He moved his index finger towards the long-nosed creature before us. Good luck. I took a good look at the animal that was about the size of a large boar. It had seemingly soft black and grey fur with a white stripe that ran from its massively elongated snout all the way to the base of a giant, fluffy tail. The animal in question didnt seem to be bothered by my presence. It was just crawling through the long grass when it raised its nose into the air. I narrowed my eyes when I saw a thin, seemingly unending tongue protrude from it and flick the air before it disappeared inside again. It made me chuckle as I realized I had an ability that I could acquire that would also grant me some sort of long tongue. Still though, what was this creature? Id never seen anything like it. My curiosity peaked, and I was thankful to have this blessing as it would literally tell me the name of whatever I killed. I stepped closer to it, whilst trying to find out what weaponry and weaknesses it possessed. My keen eyes couldnt find any threats. I fired off a high-velocity ice lance to gauge its defenses and saw it penetrate the creature until it had disappeared entirely inside. You have killed a Titan Anteater: No experience was awarded. Anteater, huh? I let out as I observed the message. I guess the long tongue is to fish them from heaps? I shook my head and continued through the first segment. Another of the same kind of creatures was easily dealt with. Are you not going to eat them? Cellestra asked. I shook my head. I think Ill need something bigger to sate my hunger. Besides, I want to get through this as fast as possible so I cant really spend time eating right now. If we near the end of our ability, Ill start thinking about it. The brunette nodded as another one of the Titan Anteaters neared. Mind if I take that one? She asked. I was about to suggest the same thing. Go for it. The one offensive spell that Id taught Cellestra proved to be a valuable asset in this area. There was not a single spot in this place where the spell couldnt be cast. She easily dispatched one of the animals with an earthen spike and seemed happy about it. With some luck, I dont have to use any of my other spells. That would be quite nice, I said in response. Several more anteaters roamed about, but they seemed in no way aggressive. I called out to Selleron whod moved to the back and asked if we could ignore them from this point. He replied with a thumbs up. I skittered forward until I reached one of the streams that separated this area into smaller islands of some sort and noticed there were no more anteaters in this new spot. Instead, there seemed to be a few horse-like creatures. Well, they looked like horses, but they were slightly smaller, and their color schemes were odd to say the least. Possessed white and black striped running vertically across its body and horizontal across the legs. It somewhat reminded me of bees and wasps. Well, I said, sighing deeply. This fucking blows. I can see why, Cellestra replied softly, petting my hair. If its any consolation, dungeon creatures have no souls. They are controlled by the dungeon in everything they do. I know, I know, I said. But still. Horses had always been my favorite animal, and killing something that so much resembled them was just a cruel task. Wait, I said as an idea entered my mind. I was only here to prove what I could do. With that in mind, I did something entirely different. I fired off two venom bolts at the striped horse-creature all the way in the distance and watched as it looked around in shock, before galloping off, only to slow down and eventually collapse to the ground. Will that do? I called out for Selleron. Will what do? He replied. I didnt kill it. Huh? I motioned him to follow as I skittered to the felled animal. It lay in the grass, restless, but unable to move due to my paralyzing venom. I lowered myself and tried to calm the creature down by stroking its head and healing the two wounds that Id created. Selleron approached, scratching his head before kneeling. What did you do? He asked in surprise. I paralyzed it. I could kill it if I wanted to, but I cant bring myself to kill a beautiful horse like this. Its called a Zebra and I think this is okay. I have the feeling youre going to get quite far anyway. Felmar? He called the guild clerk over his shoulder. You can tick off this area as successful. The captain stood back up. Lets continue, then. Word of advice, be careful in the next area. I nodded as I left the creature to recover its strength and moved on until the next stream. I stepped through it and peered over the next zone, which was covered almost entirely by even longer grass. It reached all the way to the bottom of my spider eyes and I noticed Cellestra try to suppress giggles as it tickled her legs. I wondered just what lurked inside this grass. That was what I got from Sellerons warning. My eyes ran over the grass, trying to find what was in it. My thermal vision was working overtime. There was no way I could rely on normal sight here. Then, at some point, I noticed a dot of red and yellow hiding in the blackness. I couldnt quite make out what it was as most of its body was always covered by plenty of vegetation, but I knew it was waiting for me. You have your barrier active, right? I asked. I just wanted to be sure. Cellestra nodded. Always. Good. Im going to see just how tough this thing is. You see something? Yes. And it doesnt know I can see it, so Ill make use of that. I slowly and stealthily approached my prey until it was in the range of my surprise spell; earthen spike. I used the synthesized version for extra lethality. A spike with its tip laced with venom shot up from the earth underneath the creature. A loud growl followed within a fraction of a second, telling me I had successfully harmed my enemy. I started moving closer to see the result of the attack, my weapon at the ready, when a message showed up. You have killed a Steppe Lioness: No experience was awarded. So it was a lion. At least those were creatures that I knew and heard about. Although Id never seen them in the flesh, Id seen plenty of their depictions, especially on some armors. A lions head and mane looked noble, if not intimidating. I turned around to see Sellerons reaction. I was curious to see it, given he had deemed it necessary to warn me. It had proven unnecessary. Ah, it was a shame he was wearing a helmet that hid his face. I did, however, hear him mutter, thanks to my sensitive ears. But how? I chuckled, loudly. Well, wouldnt you like to know? 2.88 Trials 2 Cellestra giggled at my words as I turned around again, wading a path through the tall grass which, undoubtedly, hid more predators. I came to a halt when I spotted another anomaly in my thermal vision. There, I said, pointing in the direction of the creature to the right in front of me. About twenty yards out. Can you see it? Cellestra leaned to the side and narrowed her eyes. She took a few seconds but ultimately shook her head. I cant see anything. Right. Ill take care of it, I said as I cast my earthen spike again, impaling the creatures belly which ended its life in a matter of seconds. You have killed a Steppe Lioness: No experience was awarded. We continued forward through the grass, which eventually started becoming shorter until we reached the next stream. Beyond it was an altered landscape. The long vegetation had made way for dirt with cracks in areas that werent close to the one water source in this place. Only rarely were there some patches of plant life that remained. At least we wouldnt need to worry about ambushes here. Our next foe wouldnt be able to pull off a stealth attack even if it wanted to. Cellestra and I were both staring at an enormous creature grazing what little there was. It looked like some kind of bull, but far more intimidating. Short, slightly curved horns at the sides of its head which looked to be smaller than a cows head in comparison. However, behind the head were broad shoulders so to say, which were covered by some kind of thick pelt. The way its body was shaped told me there was an immense strength in said muscular shoulders. The rest of the body behind it looked less ferocious and more like that of a common brown bull. Never seen anything like that, either, I commented as I took a firm hold on my weapon. I had the feeling using a halberd against this creature would be ill-advised. The creatures apparent strength would spell disaster at short range. Id have to focus on spells for this. It looks strong, Cellestra said. I nodded. Better be careful. I skittered closer until I was in range of my spells. I opened the skirmish with a few paralytic venom bolts which didnt do much. This beasts hide seemed much tougher and not all of my attacks managed to penetrate it. Cellestra, seeing my spells partially fail, summoned an earthen spine under the creature, but was too slow. The beast had spotted us and turned its head to face us, lowered it, exposing its short but terrifying horns, and started a charge. I remained still to face the creature head-on. Cellestra seemed slightly unsettled by this strategy when I looked into her eyes, but she knew she could trust me. When the charging bull-like creature was close enough where it could no longer change direction in time, I summoned an earthen wall in front of me. A massive crash followed and I felt part of my mana drained as it was used to sustain the wall. I canceled the spell while stepping away to the side. I hadnt seen a notification about the creature dying, so I didnt know in what state it was. When it next came into view, it was swaying its head from side to side. If I had to guess, it was either dizzy from the impact or in pain. I used the time to summon two earthen spikes under its belly and Cellestra did the same. All three managed to pierce and create wounds, but they didnt quite finish the job. The creature was bleeding, but it wasn''t enough yet. In the little time I had before the creature faced us again, I forced the spikes to disappear back into the ground and summoned two new ones, this time, laced with venom to deliver into the wound. The animal snorted and roared as it prepared to charge again. This time, I would wait until the venom did its job and started running circles around the creature so that it couldnt attack properly. After some time, it collapsed and a message confirmed it was dead. You have killed a Common Bison: No experience was awarded. Okay, I let out. Now that thing was tougher than I expected. Ill admit that. Makes me slightly worried about whats next. The lioness was far easier than this. Tougher, maybe, Cellestra said. But not really an issue as far as I can tell. I nodded, looking down at the perished creature. You know, that thing does look like its tasty. The brunette giggled. If you want to take a bite, I wont blame you. You know what? Thats exactly what Im gonna do. I lowered my larger head to the beasts side and used my halberd to rip open its skin, revealing the red meat underneath. The smell coming from it was more than wonderful. My pedipalps ripped off chunks of meat and brought them to my mouth. I swallowed them whole, but the taste still registered and it was good. And? Cellestra asked expectantly, a smirk on her lips. Its amazing, I said. When were done here, Ill definitely eat my fill. In fact, I should take some with me for my parents for dinner. I imagine theyd love this too. The purple-eyed elf giggled softly. Thats very sweet of you. Im sure theyll appreciate that. I took a few more bites as I couldnt resist the hearty flavor. Selleron and his squad had advanced to observe what was going on and while I couldnt see their expressions due to their helmets, I could only imagine the look on their faces behind them. I had my arms crossed as I addressed the soldiers. What? Never seen a lady eat before? I said with a certain playfulness in my voice. Cellestra couldnt contain her laughter and I quickly rose up to continue this trial. One hell of a lady you are, She said playfully after Id created some distance between the guards and myself. Ripping off meat and eating it raw. At least I can eat and speak at the same time. Hows that? Pretty convenient, Id say. I grinned at our conversation as I skittered across the dry plains. There was another one of those bison in the distance to the east of our position, but I simply left it alone as I felt it would be unnecessary to take on another. A few minutes later, we reached the next stream and started to close in on the mountain ridge as well. It made me wonder, was this the end of the dungeon? Wouldnt that mean there was a floor boss or something here? I didnt have to wonder about the question for long, as within seconds I heard a sound that somewhat sounded like a trumpet. Seemingly out of nowhere, a colossal grey creature appeared where the sound had come from. What the hell is that thing? I managed to say in view of the fear-inducing but majestic animal. The creature was simply beyond what I thought possible in size. To support all that weight, it had four beams for legs that had to be about two feet across. It had two large, but thin ears at the side of its head which also had two long, white tusks protruding forward that looked like they could kill without effort. In addition, it possessed something that reminded me of the very first creature Id seen in this dungeon. I thought it was a mouth at first, but the creature moved it around effortlessly, and when it did, I saw a mouth hidden behind it, which left me to think it was some kind of elongated nose. That has to be some kind of boss. No doubt about it, I said, thinking of a way to defeat it. Its even bigger than you. I didnt think that was possible, Cellestra said in awe. Hey, I cant help that. Cellestra looked amused but her eyes remained fixated on the seemingly passive creature a good distance away. My spikes wont reach high enough to damage its belly, and that hide looks tough as nails. I fear I may have to resort to my lightning arc spell. I doubt theres anything else that can deal with something of that size. Perhaps elemental blast works, but lets see. Just be ready to hold on tight if I need to run. Got it, The purple-eyed elf replied. I nodded as I felt her grip on my hair tighten and neared the animal which seemed to just walk around idly. When I got closer, I could really tell just how much it towered over me. I steeled my will and prepared an elemental blast as I got in range. I hurled it and stood to observe its effects. It somewhat pierced and then exploded, but didnt seem to do enough damage to properly wound. If anything, it seemed to anger the creature as it turned around, started flapping its ears, and raised its nose appendage to create the same trumpet sound I heard earlier. Time to run. 2.89 Trials 3 I would have created an earthen wall to see what it did against this being, but my wall wouldnt nearly be large enough to stop it. Besides, I would lose an unknown amount of mana if I did that, which I was going to need for my lightning arc. I feigned retreat to find out how fast this thing could run. A quick glance over at the soldiers told me they wanted to spring into action, but Selleron raised a hand, halting them. He knew that I wasnt running from this creature to escape. He knew what my speed could be if I tried. At some point, the large, grey creature somehow just stopped chasing. I hadnt seen something like that before. Perhaps this animal possessed some kind of intelligence? It did thwart my plans slightly as I needed it to keep chasing me for my spell to not break. Having my ability canceled would mean Id have to build up power from the start again. Fortunately for me, the creature in question wasnt small enough to hide behind my rear, and I could feel its steps shake and tremble the ground, so I felt like it wouldnt be too hard to pull this off. With all these spells and abilities I possessed, to think speed would be my greatest weapon Right, I said, confident in my plan. I had now gauged my enemys strength, or rather, speed. It was time to move in for the kill. Cellestra nodded, confident in me. I skittered towards the long-nosed creature and fired another elemental blast, taunting it a second time. Its tusks turned towards me and I instinctively started running, but I allowed it to get close enough so that I could start my lightning arc channel. I knew this was a sturdy enemy, but this spell of mine would take down anything, given I managed to stay in range, and had the mana pool to support its ever-increasing potency. I took a deep breath as I started the spell and felt the arc connect to my target. Then, the dance began. I stayed out of reach of the creatures tusks while remaining close enough to not break the spell. Due to my proximity to the source of the ground tremors, my feet were slightly unsteady, but I managed to ignore it for the most part. While running, I threw a couple more elemental blasts its way in an attempt to keep it fixated on me to make things a bit smoother. The small arc of lightning steadily grow stronger and brighter the longer it was active. Cellestra was holding on tighter to me than ever before. Something I didnt blame her for. Eventually, sparks flew from the mighty beam of lightning that now connected me and this supposed floor boss. I felt my mana start to drain quickly, but the sheer amount of power that I felt coursing through me and connecting to my enemy told me that this wouldnt last too much longer. The light that came with a lightning arc cast that had been going on for this long was intense, almost blinding. My mana pool was taking larger and larger hits to it, but finally, to my relief, the fight ended when my spell was abruptly canceled. One last trumpeting sound was heard as the ground shook from the massive weight that came crashing down upon it. You have killed a Gray Elephant: No experience was awarded. I wiped some sweat off my forehead as I sighed in relief. The heat that I experienced from channeling so much power had caused some drops to appear. At the same time, Selleron stepped towards us, slowly clapping his hands. Impressive, He admitted while looking at the elephants corpse. This one is usually quite problematic for newcomers. No kidding, I let out. How do people beat that thing in the first place without getting crushed? Ive seen some parties deal with it, The captain continued. Though, I have to admit, most parties use ranged attacks like you did. Only very few managed to defeat it with close-range weapons. I see. Anyway, do you think you can continue? Continue? I said, my eyebrows raised. Theres more? Theres a second floor, and then a third and fourth. Do you wish to continue? The last fight had been tough, but I felt like I had plenty of mana remaining to go on for a while more. Id say about half of my pool had been used. Besides, I welcomed the challenge. After being idle for so long, it felt refreshing. I nodded. I do. Cellestra, you okay with some more? She nodded and answered softly. Yes. I let Selleron lead the way as he walked towards the mountains at the edge of these barren plains. Red, rocky terrain paved the way towards an enormous cave? Or was it some kind of tunnel? I could see light on the other side. Clearly, I was mistaken to think the dungeon ended here. I wondered what the second floor would bring, and how strong the creatures there would be. I didnt think I would be able to deal with another floor boss like that. I simply didnt have enough mana remaining. We walked through what was a tunnel as hypothesized. It was easily large enough for me to fit through. In fact, I reckoned it could fit two of me, side by side. Anything you can tell us about this next floor? I asked, seeing what information I could extract from the captain. I think you are smart enough to figure out what the theme of the floor is soon enough. Floor theme? Interesting We left the darkness of the tunnel behind us and stepped into the light, into something akin to a caldera of a volcano, except that it was dormant, and likely had been for a long time. There was no telling if this had ever been a volcano in the first place. It was a dungeon after all. The rocky ground and mountains that surrounded us seemed to be covered in the same red-orangish dust, or perhaps it was the stone itself, that made up the ridge we just passed through. I tapped the ground with my legs and found that it was, indeed, rock, which meant earthen spike wouldnt be possible to use here. That also meant that Cellestra wouldnt be able to use the one offensive spell that was deemed safe. We were going to be measured as a team, which should help her out, but we were going to hit a wall eventually. We would have to see what she could do with her own spells. Hopefully, it wouldnt cause too much trouble. My eyes ran over the terrain, over the hills and immense boulders laying around. There was no vegetation for things to hide in, but there were plenty of other options available. Good luck, Selleron said, standing still as Cellestra and I kept moving. Im confident youll be able to clear this floor too. That put me to thinking. What made him believe that? Creatures here would be stronger, right? I realized that that may not always be the case. I mean, the skeletons I fought were on a different floor than the swamp creatures, and they didnt feel much tougher, if at all. They just needed a different spell to be dealt with. Perhaps the so-called theme would benefit me? I wasnt going to find out by just standing around. I skittered across the terrain, uphill to one of the boulders lying around and hid behind it. I then peeked around the corner to see a pack of wolves? About thirty yards out was a group of about fifteen grey wolves. Some were sleeping, and others seemed to keep watch. At the edge of the pack was a slightly larger, completely white wolf that sniffed the air before turning its head in my direction. It then howled loudly which woke the sleepers. That had to be the alpha. There wasnt anything else that made these wolves stand out, no matter how hard I looked. Whenever youre ready, I said to Cellestra, who nodded in response. I then prepared my weapon and cast the imbue elements spell on myself as the wolves slowly and carefully approached. They spread out to form a circle around me, but I wouldnt let them. I noticed Cellestra was in the middle of casting a spell, so I waited until it was finished. When a fireball flew from her fingertips towards one of the beasts, I made a run for it. I broke through the enclosing ring, stabbing one of the wolves in the flank as I passed. I ran for a few more yards before turning around. You have killed a Gray Wolf: No experience was awarded. Cellestras fireball had done its job as well. One of the creatures was engulfed in flames and collapsed. The advantages of having two minds became clear again. I could keep track of how many enemies remained with one, while thinking about my overarching strategy with the other. Thirteen to go. 2.90 Trials 4 Wolves shouldnt pose much of an issue. My weapon and imbuement should do the trick. It would allow my mana to regenerate at the same time. I had a feeling I was going to need that later on. Cellestra fired another fireball, which, unfortunately, missed its target. After her cast, I started charging, the blade of my weapon at my side, ready to cleave anything in its path. One of the wolves received the cutting edge to its head, effectively carving it in half, while others lunged for my legs, latching themselves to them with their large jaws. It wasnt enough to penetrate my active barrier, let alone my bodys natural armor. I killed one of the creatures by stabbing it with another leg while it was holding on. At the same time, I skewered one with the tip of my halberd. That got rid of another three. I forced the messages that popped up to disappear. Having them show up in the middle of an ongoing fight was more than annoying. As I turned around, Cellestra summoned another fireball that set alight another one of the beasts, and then summoned a boulder above an unsuspecting target. A shadow appeared above the pack leader, but as soon as it had formed, it exploded into thousands of pieces that were like needles and fired in every direction, including ours. I tried summoning an air wall, but I was too slow. When the spell activated, it did protect us from the majority of fragments coming at us, but many had already made their way past it and hit both Cellestra and me. My barrier exploded in an eruption of holy magic, taking down two wolves near me before it was completely depleted by the many fragments hitting all over my body. I felt fragments embedded in my rear and I even appeared to have one that had pierced my large, left frontal eye. Pain coursed through my entire body from the many entry points of the rock fragments that were in me like needles in a pincushion. My elven bodys skin, while tough, had scrapes that bled from passing splinters. I ignored my own pain to see the state the brunette on my back was in. She didnt have that kind of armor to protect her. She had a far smaller body, so she didnt have as many pieces impact her, which meant her barrier had lived longer than mine, but I could see she had a large sliver of stone fixed in her chest, in her heart area. I felt my own heart sink in my chest as I noticed the blood oozing from it. The elfs eyes were closed, and she seemed unresponsive; her hands had loosened their grip on my hair. I cursed in my mind, and with my mouth. Fuck, I let out as panic started to overwhelm me. In a blind frenzy of terror and utter impatience, I flung spells left and right. Elemental blasts, ice lances, venom bolts, fire cyclones, fireballs, everything I could think of in my haze, I utilized. Within seconds, Id felled every single wolf that was still left standing after Cellestras attack, including their leader, cementing my position of superiority over them. It didnt bring me any joy. I threw myself onto the ground and lifted Cellestra from my back and laid her before me as I ripped the silken shirt from her body while Selleron came running. He knew something had gone terribly, terribly wrong. I was already on top of her, my hands on her chest, joined by my pedipalps. I cast my healing light with both my elven and spider brain at the same time. I then repeated the spell over and over and over, while the guard captain, without words, held a green vial and poured the liquid down Cellestras throat. I was panicking more than I ever had before, my hands shaking at the sight before me. I tried pushing it away and focusing on my magic, but no matter how many times I cast the spell, her eyes remained closed, her body, unmoving. Selleron grabbed another vial, a larger one with more green liquid, and emptied it into the brunettes mouth once again. No, no, no, Cellestra. Dont you dare. Tears built in my eyes as I very slowly, very carefully, pulled out the chip, my heart racing, and my other mind still casting my healing light, again and again. Hope rose within me, as when I started pulling out the piece of rock, I noticed that it had entered her body at an angle where I hoped and prayed it had missed her heart. I had been extremely lucky she wore the shirt Id made. The strong silk had prevented it from doing much more damage. Still, it had penetrated deep, and there was no telling just how much damage it had done to her organs. All I could do was heal Come here, I called to the other soldiers, my voice shaking just as much as my hands. They ran over to us without hesitation and I motioned for them to get closer with one of my hands. They did exactly as I wanted and got down on their knees. I didnt waste any time, and cast my Healing Tides spell for the first time. I hoped it would do what I wanted it to do. I saw a blue stream quickly connect to Cellestra before it grew out and connected to one of the soldiers, who was startled at first, but relaxed within an instant. The stream then sought out two more soldiers and then, finally, connected to me. After getting to me, I released the spell, and felt a surge of regeneration explode within me, closing some of my wounds. I saw the flesh around the spike close rapidly, and I repeated the spell again and then another time while removing the object from her chest. It completely closed, without leaving as much as a scar, but her eyes still remained closed. I wanted to see if I could feel a heartbeat, but my hands were trembling too much. Shell be fine, Selleron said softly. I didnt want to have any of it. I continued casting my healing light and healing tides. I didnt know what would do more healing so I just used them both. Tears dropped down onto Cellestras exposed skin while I kept at it in pure desperation. The captain stood up and pet my back twice while he withdrew himself from the scene. He took the guards with him and waited at the same distance as before. Cellestra, I said softly. Please wake up. Sellerons words held little meaning. I wanted to see Cellestra awake before assuming she was out of danger. I continued casting healing spells until the last drop of my mana was spent. Only then did I stop. I then watched, completely exhausted, for a stir, anything that would tell me she was still alive. Then, I saw a twitch in her arm, and heard a small moan come from her lips, followed by a more audible one. I still had a large fragment in my spider eyes, which caused me great pain, but I ignored that as I lowered my second head to the ground, bringing my elven torso above Cellestras. I placed my arms under her shoulders and took her in for a hug. What happen Shhh, I shushed her, closing my eyes as I took her in for an even deeper hug. The relief that now flooded through me made me shake even more than before. Fuck, I let out. You scared the hell out of me. What happened? Cellestra asked again. This time I allowed her to finish. Your spell misfired. It almost killed you, I whispered. Cellestra raised her arm and patted my back. Im sorry, She whispered back. I nodded and continued the hug. The pain from the spike still in my eye was not something I cared about at this point. I was all out of mana anyway, so I couldnt heal it even if I wanted to. We remained silent as we continued the hug for several more minutes. Only when we broke apart did the brunette notice her exposed chest. I quickly summoned a bunch of threads and wrapped it around her, much like I had done with myself. Selleron finally approached us as I helped Cellestra back on her feet. Are you two alright? He asked. We both nodded, albeit hesitantly. What would you like to do? He then asked, forcing me to compose myself to a certain degree. Is it okay if we continue this another day? I asked. Id just almost lost the person I cared most about. I was tired and I wanted to go home. Normally, no, Selleron said. This is as far as you got, but He seemed to think. You really didnt have issues with those wolves, did you? I shook my head. I suppose we can work something out. Lets get back to the surface. Faragi Special shoutout to my new Patrons. D0lneaz MadManMax Thank you so much for your support <3 2.91 Mending I followed Selleron and his squad, Cellestra on my back, safe and sound, but still weakened and in shock. I, too, was weakened significantly. My strength had completely left me, and the pain from my wounds started surfacing now that my heart and mind were starting to calm down. I let out a groan from the pain of the spike in my eye. Several smaller ones were still embedded in my spider abdomen, but they werent nearly as agonizing. I was surprised the fragment hadnt blinded me. Instead, It remained in my vision, no matter how hard I tried to filter it out. Are you okay? Cellestra asked softly, guilt evident in her eyes. That looks nasty. Will it be fine? Im okay. It just hurts. Ill fix it later. I sighed deeply. How are you feeling? Tired, She replied weakly. Cellestra I continued softly, a tear appearing in my eye again. Cellestra, I was so scared Id lose you. I dont know what I would have done Shhh, She cooed. Im still here. Dont think about things like that. How can I not? I asked, a tear dropping down onto my large red eye. Cellestra, I I love you. I don''t want to be left behind in a world without you in it. I had great difficulty getting the words out. More tears dropped after I finally said them. I placed my hands on my throbbing head and rubbed my eyes and forehead. Cellestra looked down at my spiders back, sadness and regret written all over her face. Im sorry, She said so meekly that even I had trouble hearing it. A tear then flowed down from her face onto my hair. My heart had trouble seeing her like that, but I didnt know what to say for the time being. I was too occupied with the question of what my life would look like without her. My chest ached at the thought. I didnt even want to imagine it Despite having my family back, losing Cellestra would probably break me, perhaps even more than the loss of my parents all those years ago. I kicked the wall of the tunnel with one of my legs out of utter frustration. It was powerful enough to hurt me. That too could be added to all the other pain I was enduring. The physical torment I experienced was overshadowed by mental agony as dark thoughts seeped into my brain. I shook my head, one of my hands still covering my eyes. There wasnt a grain left of the knight I once was. We finally reached the entrance of the dungeon and I stepped through the portal. I had made a note to get some meat earlier, but that would be for another day. I simply couldnt be bothered with anything right now besides going home. Just come and find me when you wish to continue, Selleron said, composed but compassionately. I replied with a simple nod before I left him behind and made my way towards my nest the foundations of one at least. I couldnt see my parents in this state, but it was still early. I definitely needed some rest first and foremost. No words were spoken along the way. It wasnt too far, but silence for this long between us was rare. Finally, we reached the net that, fortunately, was still there, undefiled and untouched by strangers. Maybe the notes had worked. I stepped onto the webs and collapsed. Cellestra stepped off my back, walked up to my torso, and took me in for a hug. I returned the hug and lightly patted her back. Its okay, I replied with a whisper and a deep sigh. It took minutes before I was the first one to speak. Go and rest for a bit. What about your eye? I used all my mana on you in a blind panic. Ill need to wait a bit before I can heal myself. Im so sorry She said. I broke the hug after a while, took off her backpack, and carefully forced her to sit down on the webs. Just get some rest, okay? I reached for the canteen and filled it with some fresh water before handing it to Cellestra. I also gave her some bread to go with it. After eating and drinking a bit, she laid herself down and closed her eyes. She fell asleep moments later, leaving me to deal with my own pain, both physical and mental. I could only imagine how distraught she must be. To have her own spell backfire like that I didnt think even she could fathom that. My regeneration kicked in and I felt the wounds on my rear flare up as they forcefully tried to close themselves. I used my rear legs to remove the spikes one by one, blood trickling from the wounds when I did. At the same time, I was left thinking about what to tell Cellestra. It was clear her own spells were far more dangerous than I could have imagined. My rational mind told me she shouldnt be using her own spells anymore. They were a danger to both of us. My issue was that I didnt know how shed react if I told her. Would she understand? Feel bad because Id technically be stripping her of her power? Sure, she could learn my spells, but that would take time. If we headed into the dungeon again before she knew a spell other than earthen spike, shed be dead weight once we got to the second floor. It hurt me to even think about her in such a way. I wanted to spare her from that pain if I could. I moved one of the wolf pelts forward and noticed one of the fragments had pierced it, ruining it. I shook my head as I took the other one, which had fortunately gone through the incident unscathed, and covered Cellestra with it while I simply waited for my mana to regenerate. It was then I realized I was hungry. More than that, I was ravenous. I really should have eaten when I had the chance Everything together, the pain, the hunger, the worries, had my mood soured. I felt terrible right now. I wished I could just lie down and sleep this day away, and hopefully, have things start out better tomorrow. Unfortunately, I had a promise to keep. Hopefully, I could get this rocky spike out of my eye and heal the damage before long. I didnt want Elira to see this. I sighed again and resigned myself to waiting, all while going through this hellish pain. At least Cellestra could get some much-needed rest. Once I had a bit of mana saved up, I finished removing all the slivers of stone except for the big one, and then made sure all the wounds had closed with my healing light. It got rid of some anguish, but the worst part was yet to come. It sent shivers down my spine to know Id have to pull it out. I envied the brunette for not having to see this or feel this. I waited for an hour or two, all while hesitation rose within me. Eventually, I felt I couldnt put it off any longer. I took a deep breath and used my pedipalps to take a firm hold of the spike lodged in my eye. Just doing that already sent jolts of nauseating pain into both my brains. I felt bad for Cellestra for what I was about to do. As much as I could withstand pain, I wasnt going to be able to keep quiet. With gritted teeth and one strong jerk, I pulled with as much strength as I had. The scream that followed felt like it was wrenched out of me with just as much force, and despite my best efforts to let Cellestra rest, she woke with a start. My breathing was fast and unsteady, and my hands were shaking as were my legs. The entire web wobbled up and down. I tried healing myself, but I needed several attempts to even get the spell going. The torment was too much. Cellestra watched in terror as red fluid dripped from my eye. Despite my healing efforts, I knew that it would also need time to naturally regenerate I cast my healing spell again and again, until most of the pain had subsided. There was still some that I just didnt seem to be able to get rid of. When I looked down, the result looked grim. My eye seemed to have deflated and shriveled due to missing fluid. The wound itself seemed to have closed. Now I had to hope that my regeneration would take care of the rest. Gods, I was craving meat By the goddess, Cellestra said quietly. Are you okay? My breathing was still shaky, but I managed to speak. I think Im okay now. Sorry to wake you up. I didnt want to admit just how much it had hurt, and how much it still was. I had the feeling she knew, nonetheless. How are you? I asked. Much better than you, I think. I nodded and sighed. Ill get there. Im just going to rest for a bit before we head out. Are you sure about that? Yes. Ill break no promise. Ill be fine. Hungry though Sorry about that, She said softly. We could get something from the city if you want? I shook my head. Well just dive into the dungeon again tomorrow. Maybe take it a bit easy and stay around the first floor, just so I can eat something, you know? Dont push yourself. You have a habit of doing that. I know. 2.92 Soothing I summoned and drank some water. I figured it would be important to make sure I was well-hydrated after losing blood and fluids. After that, I removed the bag from my back and laid myself down, trying to ignore the remaining pain. Cellestra sat down in front of my head and softly petted the hair between my eyes. Please tell me what happened, She said softly. Your spell, I started. You summoned a boulder, just as you had at your home that one time, but it exploded and sent fragments everywhere. I couldnt get my wall up in time to block everything. One of the spikes almost pierced your heart, I recapped the events with a crack in my voice as I saw everything happen in my mind again. I managed to take it out and used everything I had to heal you. Thank you The brunette said, still running her hand over my head. She looked at my damaged eye and shook her head slightly as she appeared to feel my pain. I dont know what to say I let out. Just speak honestly, Cellestra whispered. Its what you do best. I want to be honest, I said. But I dont want to hurt you. You saved my life, She said. You can say anything you want. I think you already know what I want to say, anyway. I do. Really? That I shouldnt use my spells anymore after that? Yes, its abundantly clear. She paused for a second before continuing with a whisper. And youre right. I shouldnt. Im sorry. I dont want to go through that again. Its fine. Ill learn your spells eventually, so I dont stand to lose much. She sighed. Goddess, I wish I knew how to use your healing spell right now. I chuckled. Im glad thats how you look at things, and yes, that would be handy, but I dont know if theres much that can be done for the time being. My healing light didnt seem to do much anymore. I paused for a bit while looking at the sky. I just feel terrible about this. I wanted to do this with you. Now you know? It doesnt feel like were doing it together anymore? I nodded with my pedipalps so Cellestra could see it. It is what it is, She said. Im sad that you feel that way, but it makes me happy that you care about it. She patted my head again. Well get there. We just need some time again, but well be fine. What happened with the trial, by the way? I asked about it, and weve put it on hold, I believe. Well continue it some other day. So we can use the time for practice? Cellestra said optimistically. That doesnt sound too bad then. What are we worried about? I chuckled. Youre right. I sighed before shaking my head. How do you do it? Do what? Make my doubts vanish, like snow before the sun. I dont know. Does it matter? She said, smiling. Maybe it doesnt By the way, The brunette continued, her voice assuming an absent-minded softness. What you said earlier. You said you didnt want to be left behind Please dont go there, I begged, a tear already forming in my eye. I dont want to think about that. I wont, Cellestra said, shaking her head. But She took a deep breath. I just wanted to say I feel the same way. I wouldnt know what to do We better make sure we never get in such a situation then, I said, trying to think of ways to protect Cellestra. I should probably start by making you a new shirt. I have some with me. Dont worry too much. Its not about that, I said. The silk absorbed a good deal of the spike, I feel like. I think things would have been much worse if it wasnt for that. Oh. Perhaps we should get you some proper armor someday. If youre going to be on my back, it wouldnt be a bad idea, seeing as you wont need the mobility. We should. Lets see if we can sell that scroll tomorrow or so and then get you something. Maybe our items will be finished too. That would be nice. Im looking forward to that amulet, the design was amazing. It was. I yawned as I continued to stare at the heavens above. Maybe using all that mana had made me tired in more ways than one. Not to speak of the hunger gnawing away inside me. By Elysa, Im confident I could eat one of those bisons in its entirety right now. Id love to see you try, the purple-eyed elf said, grinning slightly. Is that a challenge? Perhaps? I grinned, too, before relaxing again. I felt my mana slowly fill up and my regeneration working on my damaged eye. Fortunately for me, my vision wasnt impaired in the slightest. I cant wait to get some tomorrow. Its a damn shame you couldnt taste some. It was delicious. Cellestra giggled softly. Shame indeed. I placed my pedipalps around her shoulders, hugging her from behind. I then let my mind go blank for a good while. The sound of a small bird chirping next to my elven head brought me back to reality. I opened my eyes to see it pluck a few loose hairs with its beak. When it acknowledged me, it quickly flew off, making me smile. Apparently I make for good nest material. Cellestra giggled as she watched the bird fly off as well. Im sure you do. Also, one of the pelts has a hole on it. I hope thats not an issue. Its fine, She said. I only need one anyway. So, I continued. Shall we go see my parents? I still want to ask my father something before Elira gets home. If you think youll be fine, then sure. Of course Ill be fine. Theres nothing I can do about this right now. She nodded as she reached for a shirt before putting her backpack on, and climbing on my back. At the same time, I moved the now almost empty brown backpack behind me and covered my rear with the two wolf pelts. After recovering my halberd from the grass, we set out to see my parents again. You think tomatoes will sate some of that hunger of yours? Cellestra asked as we passed the fields where beautiful, ripe tomatoes grew. Would it surprise you if I said I crave meat more than anything right now? Not really. Ive never heard of vegetarian spiders. I chuckled. I know I sure as hell am no vegetarian. Dont know if that would be healthy for me, either. We found my parents working in the same field as the day before. They were currently watering the field manually with watering cans. The sight made me feel sorry for them. This looked like an extremely inefficient way of doing it. Hey, I said as I approached. Hows it going here? They both stopped what they were doing and turned to look at me. My mothers eyes were instantly drawn to my wound. By Elysa, what happened? Dungeon accident, I simply said. Dont worry. Its nothing. Are you sure? She asked, obviously worried sick. It looks terrible. Its painful, but it will heal. She didnt seem at all eased by my words. Really, its fine. Its healing as we speak. More importantly, whats going on here? It hasnt rained in a while, My father said. Were well ahead of schedule so technically we could have waited, but we figured we might as well seed and water the field. I extended a hand forward and allowed water to flow from it in multiple small streams. Keelarin smiled widely. That is one useful ability." Id happily help out, but Im afraid Im pretty low on mana for the time being. Where do you get your water, anyway? Theres a well behind the house, and its fine, we just need a bit for the seeds to start growing. Well probably have some rain soon. If its not, I can try to conserve some mana to help out. Anyhow I decided to just ask the question straight-up. I was terrible at dancing around things. What was that yesterday? When Elira mentioned shed love to learn magic, you seemed to I dont know. He inhaled deeply and sighed. Its He shook his head. She has an affinity for multiple elements, which is rare, but the problem is that they are pretty weak, and for her to learn magic is going to be expensive. We just cant afford it. Im sorry to hear that. I sighed and turned my head to Cellestra. You know exactly what Im going to say, dont you? She smiled back at me. Pretty much. I turned back to my parents. Seems well be doing dungeons soon enough. If youre okay with it, Ill set some money apart to help her. I chuckled. Shes my little sister, after all. 2.93 Magic Kealyna My mother said. We cannot possibly accept that. If youre going to risk your life in dungeons C and I know Im not going to be able to talk you out of it C youll need the money for yourself. I mean, by the goddess, youre injured right now. That was an accident, and it wont happen again. Were still being trialed, so we get to know our limits. Dont worry. Well be fine. If you say so My mother didnt seem to be all that happy about this. No surprise given the way shed eyed my wound ever since my arrival. Really mom, Im fine. If she says shes fine, then well have to trust her, sweetie, My father said. He then turned to me. Still, your mother is right. I nodded. Well make sure to get things sorted for ourselves first. I just want to help her as well. Actually I paused before turning my head to the brunette. Cellestra, we have that spell scroll. We should probably check how much its worth. Probably a great deal. Perhaps more if we sell it at the temple. Smart thinking, I admitted. I felt a bit guilty about potentially abusing this blessing. It didnt feel like it was in line with what I believed in, but it would just be dumb to not try to get a bit of extra cash. I was sure we could put it to good use. You told me something way back about spell scrolls, right? Something with mana pools? I was thinking since Elira seems to like magic so much, maybe we could try to find a scroll for her that doesnt require too much mana? Hmmm, Cellestra let out. I would assume her mana pool is quite small indeed. Im not sure what she would be able to learn. Something simple shouldnt be hard to find. I imagine even something like that would turn her world upside down in a good way. I smiled. Thats what I thought. Honestly, My mother said softly. Im speechless. Its okay, I said. Im in a position to give some back to you now. Even if we spent so much time apart, I still owe you so much for who I am. I She stumbled. Thank you. You dont owe us anything, My father said, calm and collected. You becoming who you are is on you. Perhaps so, I said, shrugging. But your love is something that has led me through all of it. I fought so that others could experience what I couldnt. He sighed. Youre something else. You know that? Ive been told, yes. He picked up his dropped watering can and emptied the last bit of its contents. Ill just refill this one last time and finish things up here. Would you like to share your dungeon story with us after that? I nodded before I skittered over to him. Sure, I said as I refilled his can with my spell. Well, thats one way of doing it, he said, scratching his head. Thanks. What do you know about this dungeon? I asked. Nothing, Lilinia answered. Only that its a beginner dungeon. So, that doesnt seem to be entirely true. Its got that name because, as weve been told, it increases in difficulty very gradually. The guild uses it for that reason to test peoples abilities. My mother nodded while my father continued watering. Its quite different than the dungeon I explored before back in the forest near Cellestras house. The first floor is a massive steppe. There were some animals there that Id never seen before, like a horse, but with black and white stripes. Apparently, its called a zebra. There was also something called an anteater. Have you ever seen one of those? My parents were both smiling at the excitement that became apparent from the way I spoke. We have, My father replied. We saw this odd animal once at the edge of the forest when we went to Elysas shrine. When we asked the priest, he said it was called what you just said. Then, I continued. There was something massive, like way bigger than I am. It was completely gray, had two massive tusks and a nose, long like an anteater, but it could move it around, like a rope. It was called an elephant. Never seen one of those, My father said. And from your description of size, it shouldnt be hard to miss. I chuckled. You definitely wouldnt miss it. I sighed, slightly smiling from telling the story. Then, the second floor started with a pack of wolves. We didnt continue as we had the accident happen there. You forgot one thing, Cellestra said, hinting at the bison creature. I didnt, I said. Its a surprise. You know? Ah, She let out, then smiled. Now Im curious, Keelarin said. Ill let you know, tomorrow. We talked some more about the things that happened since our last meeting. Our trip to the city, the crafters, and the guild wasnt skipped. Then, I told them about how I had started building a nest in the forest. My mother seemed to be put off by the idea, but I assured her it was one of the most comfortable ways for me to sleep. Once it was finished, it would also keep us dry and out of the wind. After that, she seemed a lot more understanding. Id also told her I was trying to learn how to use my silk to create clothes. Some of that had obviously already been apparent as I was wearing these silken wrapping around my chest. The threads were still strong and hadnt deteriorated. They had just gotten way too dirty. I was amused when my mother pointed it out. I had simply nodded to it and answered that I planned to take a bath, but that things had kept getting in the way. After some time, my father left us to go and pick up Elira from school. We filled the time by getting some tea and playing with some of the cats that lived here. It seemed that there were now two furry creatures that had gotten familiar with me besides Shadow. One of them was completely white, and one was gray with a black patch around its left eye. It was also missing half of its tail. My mother explained it happened when he lost it one day when he was hunting. They didnt know how. Nevertheless, it hadnt made him any less affectionate. All three cats were intrigued by my hairy legs. They showed it by rubbing their heads against them. Cellestra used the moment to pet them to her hearts desire. Eventually, my father returned, Elira with him. As soon as the elven girl saw me, she ran towards me and hugged my waist. Hey there, I said, patting her head. How are you? Im okay, She said. She then looked at my eye and seemed to be frightened by how it looked. What happened? Accident. It will heal, though. Magic? She asked, her eyes wide open. Yes, magic. Can you show some more magic? She asked excitedly. Im afraid I cant. I used all of it trying to heal that. Sorry. She looked disappointed but nodded. Maybe tomorrow. She nodded again. How was school? I asked. Boring. The teacher made us do math. I want to learn magic, like yours! I grinned. I know its probably not what mom and dad want to hear, but I hated math too. I didnt really find much of a use for it either. I shook my head. Thats not entirely true. The basics are very important. You will use them your entire life. Thats what the teacher says too. I chuckled. Well, its true. I couldnt resist the look in her eyes when we talked about spells, so I decided to brighten her day, perhaps more than that. Once you get the basics, I promise Ill help you learn magic one day. Really? She asked, looking up with the brightest of eyes. I nodded. Really. Youre so cool! I patted her head again, not knowing how to answer that. My parents were both smiling at our little interaction. It felt odd, yet comfortable and familiar at the same time to see such innocence that I once had myself. Things really were simpler back then. I missed those days, but at the same time, I was happy with who I was and the path laid out before me. The moment I was having with Elira was unceremoniously interrupted when my stomach, or perhaps one of two (I didnt know), located in my spider abdomen growled loudly. What was that? Elira asked. Im pretty damn hungry Woah. You wont eat me, right? I giggled. I would never. Want me to make you something? My mother asked. I shook my head. Ill take some bread or something if you have, but I doubt it will do much. I planned to eat my fill in the dungeon tomorrow. One more thing they are good for. You went to a dungeon? The young elf before me asked. Yep. Thats how I got this injury. You better make sure you learn math and then if you learn magic, practice it a lot so you are prepared for whatever you face. If Elira ever wanted to set foot in a dungeon, it wouldnt be for many more years. It wouldnt hurt to have her understand the importance of learning and practice, even if I did use a little lie to do so. Okay, She replied softly. She then looked at the cats climbing my legs. Hey, Kealyna can we go for a ride? I smiled at the girl. Sure, why not. 2.94 Building I placed Elira on my back before waving to my parents as I took off, the little girl holding on with all her might as I ran around the nearby fields. The large smile on her face filled me with joy, in a similar fashion as when I looked at Cellestras. I galloped a bit, as well as I could with eight legs. It offered a bit of a challenge to the girl, but I kept it within certain boundaries. After running around the fields, she stared into my rear eyes as we walked back to our parents. Thank you, sis. Youre so cool! I chuckled. No need to thank me. Im having a great time as well. Elira leaned forward to look at my eyes better. Can you not close those? I shook my head. I cant, but fortunately for me, I dont need to. That must be so nice! Uh, not sure. I never really thought about it. How is it to be half spider? Elira continued her questions. A smile built on my face. Its pretty nice, actually. I cant say I would willingly go back to being an elf. This body is far too convenient. Elysa did that right? Can she do that to me too? Uhm, I let out. I dont think she can. Its a long story. Ill tell you when youre older. My death and reincarnation wasnt something I felt I should talk about with a little girl, even more so considering she was my little sister. I wanted her to go through life without thinking about death or any other negative things in life, at least for a while. Aw, okay She nodded but was obviously disappointed. I lifted her off my back as we approached the others again. My mother handed me a plate with a long bread roll on it. I thanked her as I skittered to the table to put down the plate and started eating as the others took a seat. Cheese and tomato slices. Delicious, but I was still left longing for meat. It couldnt be helped, though. Id take whatever I could get my hands on just to ease the ache a bit. Elira went to play with the cats. My father eyed her, a smile on his face, as my mother poured him a cup of tea. Its so sweet to see you two together, My mother said warmly. Eliras nature seems to go well with yours. Shes amazing, I said. I never would have guessed things would turn out this way. Ill admit, when you first told me you adopted someone, it hurt in a way. I can see why, Lilinia replied softly. But, I knew it was unfair to blame you for that. Besides, Ive known her for a day now and Im completely in love, too. Ive been meaning to ask, My father said. But I am hesitant. I looked at him and saw a serious expression on his face. Clearly, whatever he wanted to ask had weighed on him. It feels like we hardly know you, He said clearly after making sure Elira wasnt close enough to hear our conversation. He then sighed. Our memories are back, obviously, but still. No, I said. I completely understand. Ive gone a long time without you. My memories of you have eroded over the years as well, and obviously, Ive changed a lot. He nodded. Would it be a lot to ask to share some stories about you? I sighed, deeply. I dont know I admitted. Im trying my hardest to forget my old life and focus on this one. Perhaps I could tell you some stories from when I was a knight. We would love to hear anything about you, as long as youre okay with it, My mother added. I think I can do that, I said with a nod as things quieted down. Elira had a stick with a claw bound to it that she used as a toy to play with the cats. She was running with it while the animals chased her down. It was quite cute to see. By the way, I said between bites. Something I just thought about. Would it be a lot to ask to sleep in the barn tonight? Huh? Cellestra let out. So I can sleep fully without having to worry about threats in the area, and you wont have to stay on guard. I figured it would be a good idea since Im exhausted and my eye needs to heal, I explained. Thats fine, My father said. Theres a good lock on the door so you can get all the sleep you want. Will you prepare a bed for Cellestra, love? He asked my mother. I Cellestra said softly. Id like to stay with Kealyna. Its her nightmares, I said. My healing magic prevents them. You dont want her sleepwalking through the house and slamming the walls. That bad? My father let out in disbelief. Cellestra nodded with her eyes closed. Can I join too? Elira asked as she ran up to us. No, you cant, Lilinia said. Your sister needs her rest. Youre not going to allow her any of that. I giggled as the young elf pouted. I felt kind of bad for her, but my mother was right. I wouldnt get any sleep with an energetic girl like her there. If youre going to be staying, Ill prepare a few things for you to get it at least somewhat comfortable, My mother said. Thank you, I replied before I took notice of the suns position. It was mid-afternoon right now and there was still something Id like to take care of before evening fell. Cellestra, I called her name, grabbing her attention. Shall we go to the forest and work on our shelter a bit more? Is that a good idea, you think? She asked. Aren''t you trying to recover your mana? My silk doesnt use much mana at all. I also need to clean myself. Im a mess. Thats fair. She nodded. I assume you want to go and do that now? Yes. She knew me too well. Alright. Take care out there, My father told us. Thank you. Well be back later. Bye, sis! Elira said as she waved. Cellestra climbed on as I waved back. Take care. Well see you in a few hours. With that, we set out to the forest. Along the way, I decided to ask Cellestra why she wouldnt rather sleep in a bed. I didnt particularly lie when I told my parents about her situation, but I could simply cast my spell preemptively and shed be fine. Kealyna She whispered. I She looked down into my eyes and then averted her gaze. I prefer being with you. I remained quiet. I simply didnt know how to react. Cellestra inhaled deeply before she let it all out. Remember what I said earlier? How I dont want to lose you, either? Kealyna She paused. Is this what you feel? Is this love? I shook my head, my eyes closed, a smile on my face. I dont know. I can''t tell you. I know what I feel and it hasnt changed. I want to be close to you, to hug you, to make sure you''re happy, and of course I don''t ever want to lose you. I think that''s love. Im not sure how it works for others, only for myself. If thats love, Cellestra said softly. I feel the same way I felt my heart beat faster in my chest after that. After all this time, to find out she could feel the same way about me as I felt about her I felt like I could fly. Cellestra giggled, her obvious hesitancy and uncertainly blown away. Whats the matter? I asked. Are you trying to fly or something? Huh, what? I let out. I was just thinking about how I could fly, but what made her say that? She giggled again. Your ears, She said, pointing a finger. I moved my free hand to my head to find them twitching, almost in tune with my heart rate. Oh. I think its cute! Cellestra said with a chuckle. Thank you I fell silent after that as I continued walking in the direction of the forest. I felt relieved, and most of all, euphoric, but I tempered it. I couldnt lose sight of things, even if this was perhaps one of the most important things that had ever happened to me. Cellestra had seemed extremely hesitant about all this, so I would slowly let her explore her own feelings. We reached the webs Id spun so far, and without words, I continued my work. Cellestra sat on the webs as I created another hanging web, this time, far above the ground. She watched me work with great interest and delight. I noticed that she was absent-mindedly running her fingers over the silken foundations, a small smile on her lips. She didnt know, but I felt it through my legs. The gentle caressing was soothing to me. I let the emotions that it conveyed fill my core as I worked. 2.95 Hay It took me a good while to finish the roof. During that time, neither I nor Cellestra seemed to know what to say. I finished the top of what would be our shelter by climbing up a tree, connecting a thick thread to the center of the web, and elevating it slightly by connecting it with the crown of the tree. I then did the same with the other four trees. This way, whenever it rained, it wouldnt fill the roof with a basin of water. When I was finished, it was late afternoon, but there were still a few hours of daylight. I was left even more exhausted than before, but was happy with myself for getting at least something done. I would need another day or two, perhaps three, to finish the walls. For now, I wanted to clean myself, go back to my parents, make sure Cellestra got something to eat, and then head to bed. I climbed down the last tree. The brunette walked up to me as soon as I stood on the ground and took me in for a hug, her eyes closed. I hugged her back and slowly ran a hand through her hair. It always felt nice when someone did that to me, and I thought she wouldnt mind me doing the same to her. How are you feeling? I asked with a whisper. Much better now She replied. Ive felt this for a while. I guess I finally know what it is. It took me some time as well. None of it made sense at first. Cellestra nodded. She ran her hands down my long grimy hair several times as we continued the hug. I feel so whole when we do this, She said softly. As do I, I replied with a smile. But come, I still need to clean myself. I broke the hug, looked at the sky and decided Id skip my hair for the time being as there was not much time until evening. I figured a good time to do that would be after the dungeon. I was ravenous as it was, and I think it was going to be even worse tomorrow. No way I could focus on calmly getting my hair done when starving. Or well, I said as I looked at the dirt and dust in my hair all over my body. Just get rid of the worst, I guess. Ill get dirty in no time again anyway. I sighed. Do you want to get cleaned as well? Ill, She said before pausing. Ill take care of it later. Thanks for the offer. No problem. Cellestra sat down on the webs again while I skittered a bit further into the forest, far enough away to get a bit of privacy, but close enough to spring into action if necessary, I finally freed myself of the dirty silk wrappings around my chest and summoned some silk in a ball to act as a sponge. I cleaned my elven half first, quickly and perhaps lazily, before covering my chest again with a fresh set of silk. I then summoned more water to get most of the filth of my hair and then my spider hair. I could have taken my time and enjoyed this, but I was in too much of a hurry and not really in a caring mood at the moment. I just wanted to get this over with. I couldnt wait for the day when I could take this as easy as I wanted to. My cleaning came to an end, and I was left wondering if I should put on more clothes in the future. It wasnt that I disliked what I had, but Cellestras attack had forced me to think about it again. My skin was as strong as my carapace, but the fragments from her failed spell had gotten themselves lodged in my behind and scraped my elven half. Id been lucky not to get pierced as she had. What would have happened if that had been the case? I knew I had a heart in both my spider abdomen and my chest; Id felt both on several occasions. Finding out what would occur after one of them got impaled was not on my to do list, though, I had to admit, I was curious. I shrugged it off. Id have a look at it later. My silk was quite strong. Perhaps I could make something that would be versatile, yet sturdy. Perhaps a double-layered shirt or something? I walked back to Cellestra, whod been waiting for me to finish, and yawned as I approached. The brunette chuckled. Poor Kealyna. Eliras going to be sad that you wont have the energy to play with her anymore. Who said I dont? I asked with a smug smile. I couldnt keep it up and it quickly disappeared. But youre right. Ill just wish them a good night and hit the hay literally. Cellestra giggled. That does sound like a good idea. I took her on my back and looked over my work so far one last time, admiring how good Id become at this whole spider thing, before setting off. Youre a whole lot whiter again, Cellestra mentioned on the way, referring to my could it be considered a pelt? Honestly, it looks good on you. Do you prefer this or the rainbow? I asked curiously. Hmmm, tough question, The brunette replied before humming more in deep thought. The rainbow was nice, but you still have that, more or less, right? I guess I do, yes. I think this looks better, and I do think Elira agrees with me from the way she was hypnotized. I chuckled. White does suit me better, no? The only downside is the maintenance it requires to keep it that way. Think thats an oversight from Elysa? Doubt it. As far as she knows I never concerned myself with things like appearances. Cellestra nodded but didn''t say a word. Her smile told me more than enough. We arrived at the residence and I noted that there was nobody left outside. Things quickly changed, however, as I saw a certain small elfs head behind a window, which then disappeared almost immediately. Within seconds, Elira ran out the door, towards me, with my parents following a bit after. Well, someone is excited to see me, I casually said. Not just her, Cellestra said with a giggle. My hand moved to an ear to feel it twitching. The purple-eyed elf on my back giggled even louder after my realization. Hey there, I greeted my little sister as she ran up towards me. Hi, sis, She said as she halted just before me and looked at my injured eye. How are you? Im okay. Im just super tired. Cant play? Elira, what did we tell you? My mother said sternly as she approached. Im sorry I patted her head. Its okay. We will play again soon. There are some things I need to do first. Elira nodded as my father stepped forward. He patted her too and told her gently that I needed my rest. She ran her hand over my lower head and appeared saddened, but she understood. My parents had told her a thing or two as far as I could tell. When Elira stepped back, my mother placed her hands on her shoulders. Good night, I told her with a smile. She, and my mother, then wished me the same as Keelarin motioned for me to follow. I waved as I followed my father to the barn. I hope youll be able to sleep well, He said in earnest. Weve spread some hay on the floor but its not what Id like to offer. Its okay, I said. Ill be fine, and Cellestra has those pelts to act as a bit softer surface. I told you about how I can stay half awake and sleep at the same time. The only thing I want right now is some safety so I can sleep properly. I hope this will do, My father said as he approached the large barn doors with a brass key in his hands. He unlocked a padlock and opened the doors. Ill give you the lock so you can lock it from the inside. That would be great. After handing me the items, he wished us good night. I waved him off as I closed the doors, leaving the inside of the structure lit only by an oil lamp on a stone tile next to the door. My parents had taken precautions to ensure it wouldnt start a fire by accident. For me, it illuminated more than enough to see. Then again, I was able to see much better in the dark than a normal person. Bales of hay were stacked in the loft, with just one or two on the floor, and jute bags were laid out on top of one another on the sides. Some contained flour, easily recognized from the white powder covering them. Others appeared to be filled with potatoes in the shapes of the objects that poked their sides. A wide variety of farming tools stood against one of the walls as well. In the middle, on the wooden floor, lay a bed of hay, spread enough to support my entire body. I used the padlock to lock the door, laid the key next to the oil lamp, and collapsed in the straw, dropping my weapon and the bag unceremoniously at the side. Cellestra stepped off my back, put her backpack next to my belongings, took the pelts, and laid them down at my side before she sat down on one, her head resting against my side. What a day, She said softly after sighing. Im still sorry for what happened. Dont be, I said as I laid myself down on top of my back. Were both fine in the end. Its pointless to go on about it now. We know what happened and we wont let it happen again. Cellestra nodded. Things then went quiet until she brought up a hand to stroke my side. How are you feeling? She asked softly. My hand wandered off to her head and I ran my fingers through her hair. If this feels nice to you, then I feel amazing. It does. Im happy whenever Im with you, Kealyna. As am I. 2.96 Breakfast I moved my torso to the side of my body as much as I could so that my head was close to hers, and continued showing my affection with my hand in her hair. And you say I have a calming effect on you, Cellestra said softly. I suppressed a grin. Im so happy I can do this without fear of making you feel uncomfortable. You can do this whenever you want, she whispered. Thats nice. The wonderful moment between the two of us was utterly ruined when another loud grumble came from my stomach, joined by jolts of pain. Ugh, this sucks I complained. All the brunette did was giggle at the sound, which made it impossible for me to be grumpy. Lets go to sleep, Cellestra suggested. And get you something to eat first thing in the morning. I dont want to see you suffer more than you already do. Yeah, I agreed. Good night, Cellestra. Good night, Kealyna. She patted my head before sinking her head in the hair at my side as she got comfortable. I then gave up on staying awake completely. I awoke with a yawn, feeling comfortable, as was always the case with a bed of hair this soft. Cellestra was already awake but was still seated at my side. Morning, Kealyna. How are you feeling? Hungry, I said the first word that came to mind. The purple-eyed elf giggled again. As expected. Ive already eaten some, so Im ready whenever you are. You looked far too peaceful to wake up. Thank you for that. I feel great otherwise. How about you? Im bound to feel good with such a nice pillow. I grinned as I stood up and stretched my arms. Alright then. Lets get something to eat. Im telling you, Ive looked forward to this ever since I had a bite yesterday. I''m hoping it tastes as good cooked as it is raw. I need your opinion on it, desperately. I took our belongings and prepared them for transport. You make it sound like its the best thing in the world. It might as well be, I said jokingly as I reached for the key with one of my pedipalps. When we left the building, I made sure to lock it again. Then, I set out to see where my parents were to hand them the key before heading to the dungeon. I found them both sitting at the table outside their residence. My father was scribbling words on a piece of paper, while my mother was sorting a thin stack of smaller sheets. If I recall correctly, they were checking inventory. Good morning, I said as I approached, Cellestra walking at my side. Morning, my father said. Did you sleep well? I nodded. I did. Thanks a lot. I put the key on the table. Elira is at school, I suppose? My father put his quill down and nodded. Glad to know you slept well. I was a bit worried about that. Hows your eye? My eye is fine. No need to worry about me, dad. Im a big girl now. He and my mother both chuckled. I suppose thats true. Yes, Elira is at school. You were heading into the dungeon you said, right? Yeah. With a bit of luck, well also have something for dinner tonight. I figured Id mention it before you start cooking. Sounds lovely, Lilinia said. Im looking forward to it. She stood up and took me in for a hug. Please stay safe out there. You too, Cellestra. We will, I assured her. We werent going to venture deep, but one nasty thought did enter my mind. Technically, we havent completed the trial yet. What if we werent allowed in the dungeon? The contract we signed did say we werent allowed to enter dungeons that exceeded our rank, but this was the dungeon where the ranks were determined thanks to its low entry skill level. Besides that, wed already cleared a floor. I reckoned as long as we didnt go past the point where we were in our trial, wed be fine. After wishing them good luck with what they were doing, Cellestra hopped on my back and we set out to the forest. It wasnt long before we reached the camp around the dungeon entrance. Some soldiers were cooking something in a pot over a fire and there seemed to be a few adventurers gathering at the entrance of the one building. Though, calling them adventurers was probably a bit far-fetched. There were two men and one woman in shabby leather armor that barely passed as such. In honesty, I didnt know what they were doing here. Then again, I guessed they could get a fairly low rank in the guild so they could at least do some missions or something. I doubted there would be much for them, but I admired their spirits. They had at least been smart enough to bring spears; literally the easiest weapon there was. The soldiers acknowledged us with nods and the beginner adventurers with a healthy amount of fear. I waved back with my front two limbs as I made a beeline for the portal. I stepped through to be greeted by one of the titan anteaters. It was only now that I noticed it possessed formidable weaponry in the form of long, sharp claws. I had my weapon at the ready, but the animal was passive, skittish even as it walked in the opposite direction. I ignored it and made sure my barrier was active for the only thing that could pose a threat on my way to a proper lunch the stalking lionesses. I ran through the first area in no time, but I took my time wading a way through the long grass that hid dangerous foes. It turned out to be the smart option, because, at one point, I got ambushed from up close with almost no time to react. I barely had enough time to swing the rear end of my weapons pole at the felines head, before finishing it off with a stab through its flank. You have killed a Steppe Lioness: No experience was awarded. Thanks, Elysa I said sarcastically. Sometimes this blessing was amazing when it came to showing me what exactly I killed, but sometimes, it just felt so unnecessary. After making sure Cellestra was okay, we moved on towards the area where my prey roamed. Crap, I let out. How will we get the meat back to my parents without making a mess? Well butcher it, then rinse it with water, Cellestra said. After that, I can cool it and just put it in the bag. That should be more than enough. Ill trust you on that, but how dangerous is that spell? Its a form of minor magic and is a very slow process. Ive never had that spell go wrong. Alright, I said, eying a target in the distance. Lets get this done then. I wonder if Ill obtain any new skill from this. You never know until you eat, Cellestra said with a large smile. I grinned as I started running. Soon, the bison I was chasing spotted me and started a charge. As before, I blocked it with a wall before quickly dismissing the spell and summoning earthen spikes below it. I didnt use any venom this time around because I didnt want to mix that in the meat. Cooking may get rid of its more dangerous effects if there were any since it was venom and not poison but I didnt want to ruin the flavor for Cellestra and the others. It put me at a slight handicap as only earthen spikes didnt seem to be able to finish it off as quickly. Unable to watch the suffering, I decided to attack it with my lightning arc spell. The spell built up strength as I ran circles around the bovine. It wasnt the fastest, but it was still faster than making it bleed to death. At last, its suffering was ended as it collapsed to the parched dirt. Finally I said before sighing. Ill cut out a nice slab for transport first. I lowered myself. Understood, the brunette said as she dismounted. I cleaned my halberd of the lion blood from earlier using a stream of hot water before using the blade to carefully cut the bisons skin. I then carved a large chunk of meat which I was confident would be enough for several days for the others to eat. I rinsed it thoroughly and placed it on Cellestras outstretched hands. With my thermal vision, I saw the temperature around her hands and the meat drop slowly as I ripped the rest of the beasts skin out of the way and started stripping off pieces of meat with my pedipalps before devouring the succulent meat. Cellestra, in the meantime, started laughing out loud, causing me to turn my head to her. I did not know you could get excited for food like that. Apparently, I was wrong. I looked down into my spider eyes and saw my ears twitching as I was eating. I smiled and shook my head as I was left speechless. 2.97 Talks My pain and hunger ebbed away as I finally got my fill. I made sure to eat as much as I possibly could, which turned out to be about the entire animal. Cellestra patiently waited, even after cooling the meat down as much as she could. She then placed it in the bag on my lower head. It became clear that I wouldnt be able to pick up a skill or more evolution points from this beast, which was unfortunate, but it couldnt be helped. I wasnt sure what it could offer me anyway. My devour ability would grant me skills that had aspects of the creatures I ate, that much I knew, but other than that, it was just wild guesses. Perhaps I could get horns? The horns wouldn''t be that interesting, but if this bison charged like that, it was bound to have a strong skill. If I could get something like that, Id take that any time. Im glad you like it, Cellestra said. Even if the sight is somewhat gruesome. Yeah. Theres little I can do about it. Im also trying to not get my hair all dirty again. That She paused. A giant spider with blood around its mouth area I can see why youre eating the way you are instead of just diving on it. Exactly. A few minutes later, I was completely sated to the point where I couldnt take another bite. I drank some water and backed off from the remains of the bison. I sighed deeply. Damn, I needed that. Glad to see you satisfied. Lets go back home, shall we? I nodded. Im looking forward to seeing my parents reaction to a steak that size. Those ear twitches of yours are just adorable, you know that? Cellestra said, smiling widely. I really suck at hiding my excitement, dont I? Cellestra giggled softly before climbing back on my back. How is your eye doing, by the way? She asked as we walked back towards the entrance. Getting better. The pain is gone. Its slightly malformed, but my regeneration is taking care of it. Happy to see youre doing alright. I still cant believe how unstable that spell was to hurt you through all your defenses. I didnt even know I could do that. Cellestra I said quietly. No need to feel bad about hurting me. By the goddess, you came through that much worse than me. She nodded in silence. Want to practice my healing spell for a bit while we walk home? The brunette nodded again as the hint of sadness was wiped off her face. Id love to. And so we practiced again, trying and trying to tackle the challenge that this spell presented. We only paused for a moment when we exited the dungeon and had people in the area. Once we were alone in the forest, we continued. Slowly but surely we made progress. It would probably take several more days to completely convey the spell, which had me slightly worried as I didnt know when and if Id fall victim to that same darkness again, but there was little I could do about it. I just had to pray that it wouldnt happen again, and if it did, that Cellestra knew the spell by then and that it worked All that made me realize that it was a long shot, but it was the best I had. We kept going at it until we reached the farm. There seemed to be quite some activity in and around the barn Id slept in and I decided to see what was going on. Seeing all the people and carts outside the barn had me feeling uneasy at first, but it quickly became clear nothing was out of the ordinary as I saw my father talk to none other than Soranir. The jute bags that Id taken notice of the night before were being loaded on a cart, and the two of them exchanged words and papers. Keelarin was the first to notice me and waved, causing the mayor to turn his attention to me as well. Welcome back, My father said. How did things go? Smoothly as ever well, you know I heard about your little accident, Soranir said. Im glad to see both of you are doing okay. Selleron informed me that you didnt seem to have any problems whatsoever. What happened, if I may ask? My magic, Cellestra said from my back. I cast a spell and it misfired horribly, injuring us both. We are working on that. Which is why wed appreciate it if we could get some time before completing the trial, I added. Already taken care of, The mayor said before I could continue. Selleron was certain you would be able to advance much further. It would be inefficient of us to grant you a rank lower than your actual ability. Thanks, I said softly. And whats all this? I looked at the men loading the cart. It had a horse in front of it which seemed unfazed by my presence. The same could be said for the loaders. There was the usual wariness but nothing more than that. Some of it is taxes, some of it is trade goods for the city, My father explained. You saw us work on it earlier today. We were given the privilege of doing this by the owner, at least for this part of the farm. Sad to say you just missed him. He was here a moment ago to oversee the agreement. I nodded. I see. Maybe well meet him sometime soon. The last bag was loaded onto the cart and one of the men stepped up to Soranir to notify them they were ready to move on. It was great talking to you, Kealyna, but we need to continue. Theres a lot more transporting to be done. The horse was led forward with the men following. Soranir was about to fall in line when I spoke up. Thank you for your hospitality. We really appreciate it. Thanks to him, we managed to go into the city in relative normalcy. Not a problem, He said with a bit of a nod before leaving us behind. A strange mayor, but hed been great to us so far. I couldnt complain. And with that out of the way, My father said. Can I invite you two for a cup of tea? Sure, Cellestra said as I nodded. A few minutes later, we were joined at the table, talking. I decided to ask my parents if they were good friends with Soranir. The better question, My mother said. Would be to ask who isnt. Perhaps we are a bit more privileged than others. He does visit us from time to time. I nodded. I was just curious as there have been some things that happened along our journey here that seem to be of importance. I referred to the event at the obelisks. And now that we are starting to get to know things around here, I think its about time we inform him and you. Whats wrong? My mother immediately asked as she noticed my demeanor change. In all honesty? I dont know, but its bad news. I paused for a moment as I took a deep breath and sighed. They were my parents, they deserved to know. Ill try to keep this as short as I can. To the south, there are three large stone pillars, obelisks they are called. Nobody truly knew what they were for, but I was unfortunate to find that out not too long ago. I touched one of them and magic was emitted from its peak. Not long after that, I had a ritual where I talked to Elysa. She informed me that the magic was akin to something she called banishment magic, but that the specifics of the structures are a mystery to her. We spoke with an archivist at the wall, and he said he would send out scouts to towns, in an attempt to gather information on the obelisks. Were looking for books that may hold answers. The problem is, theyd have to be really, really old. Apparently, the pillars are even more ancient than the goddess herself. I sighed again. I didnt want to tell you immediately, but I knew Id have to sooner or later anyway. I left out the part where I had this darkness clawing at the back of my mind. I figured this was more than enough for them to worry about for the time being. Also, please promise me not to talk to anyone about this. If we can arrange a talk with Soranir, I want to be there as certain details cannot be allowed to spread. In fact, its probably for the better that none of this gets out. We dont know what we are facing or its possible implications. It would be great to see what knowledge Thymhil has regarding the subject. By the goddess, Kealyna My mother let out in a soft voice. That sounds frightening. Are you holding up okay with all this? Im managing, I said. Its hard, but its even harder to know that there isnt much I can do for the time being. Kealyna My mother said again as she shook her head and stood up. She then took me in for a hug. Youve grown far beyond what I could have hoped for I hugged her back. Sorry for making you worry. Its okay. Its not your fault. I felt a lot better after the hug. My father remained quiet during it, but he wasnt sitting idly. He was obviously lost in thought. Thymhil has a library, He said after a while. With some sections of very old books, but I don''t know if its what youre looking for. Ill try to set up a meeting with Soranir if you think thats a good idea. I nodded. Thank you. 2.98 Holy The concern in my mothers eyes was obvious and it pained me to see it. How are you holding up with all this? I asked her, concerned for her mental health. Im worried for you. I always am. Dont be, I said in an attempt to cheer her up. I have Elysa behind me. Well figure out what this is all about and take action where necessary. For now, lets just get a talk with Soranir and inform him about things, see what he thinks. Ill speak with him as soon as I get the chance. I think the earliest would be tomorrow, My father said. I nodded. Thats fine. Lets look at it then. My lips curled into a smile. For now, we have a bit of a present, as promised. Lilinia simply nodded but didnt speak. It would seem I wasnt going to wash her worries away as easily as Cellestra did with mine. I removed the bag from my back which held the cold slab of meat and laid it on the table. My father curiously peeked inside and chuckled. You were right when you said not to prepare for dinner too much. This looks amazing. You got this from the dungeon? Yeah, I said. Apparently it has creatures called Bisons. They look like cows, but hmmm stronger I guess. Its meat is delicious. Thank you, He said warmly. Thats very sweet of you. He then paused for a few seconds. What are your plans for today if I may ask? Hum, I let out. Not sure. I think we should go to the forest, work some on our shelter. We cant stick around here for too long, but well be here for dinner. Uhm, Cellestra let out quietly. Could I have something for lunch, perhaps? Sure, My mother replied. A sandwich with cheese okay? The brunette nodded as Lilinia stood up and took the bag with her inside. You said you were creating a nest, right? My father asked to which I nodded. Are you really okay with all that? I mean He seemed to be concerned about my mental health. Even though I told him I was perfectly fine with what I was now, he still didnt seem to grasp it entirely. I get it, I said. And yes, I am. Its surprisingly comfortable, and its really the best way for me to sleep. As I said before, its strong and warm as well. Are you not worried about what people will do when they find something like that? I guess I should have a look myself soon. I am, actually, but weve put up notes and I believe people know it belongs to me. They will soon enough anyway. I was still a bit worried about people who may have bad intentions. I chuckled before I continued. You should definitely check it out. Although, its not finished just yet. Im looking forward to it. Just give me a heads up when youre done and want me to look at it. I will, I replied, trying to put him more at ease with a smile. My mother returned with some food for Cellestra, and cups of tea for us both. I thanked her for the gesture and took my time drinking it. I formally invited my mother to check out our home in the forest when it was done. Of course, Elira would join too. I could already see the little elfs glowing eyes in my mind. After a quick lunch, we waved them goodbye for now as we made our way to the forest, coming up with a plan for the day. First, we would check at the shrine if we could sell the scroll and what the possible gain would be. Then, we would work on our home and practice magic, and by the end of that, it should be late enough for Elira to be done with school. And so we arrived at Nilenes shrine. The fires still reacted in the same manner to me, invoking awe from some of the visitors. Cellestra headed inside to summon the head priest from earlier. A minute or two later, he walked out with the green-robed and hooded figure. Greetings, He said warmly. I was told you wish to sell a magic item you found in a dungeon? Yes. A spell scroll for a permanent spell called holy bolt. And you found this item, personally? I did, yes, I said with a nod. The priest then turned his gaze to one of the roaring braziers, as if waiting for something. Nothing happened, and several seconds later, he turned back to me. Could I check the first line? Of course. Cellestra placed her backpack on the grass and took the spell scroll, carefully opening it to only reveal the first line. She then held it up so the priest could read the beginning. A very interesting find indeed. Why would you sell this? I already have a holy spell, two actually. Were looking to sell it and then buy some different spell scrolls later on. I see, He said as Cellestra closed the scroll. How does fifty gold coins sound? Before we sell it, could you tell us the average price of scrolls that teach you permanent magic spells? They dont have to be that advanced. Basic spells are fine. It depends on the supply, The priest said honestly. On average, for basic spells, I would say about five coins, but again, it fluctuates. This spell scroll falls under intermediate magic. How do you know? I asked. The only thing I knew of the spell was the name, and nothing about it implied it was of a certain quality. We have plenty of experience with holy spells, He said. And while there are many types of spells, the one constant is their name. Mid-tier spells are called Holy, whereas advanced spells are called heavenly. The basic ones are called light. Of course, there is a bit more to it, such as the shape of magic, in this case, bolt, but this has more to do with the required mana pool of the caster. Holy spells require a great deal of magic to cast, and advanced ones are hardly appropriate for everyone to learn for that reason. Basic and intermediate ones are very sought after, just to have something that works against certain enemy types. They are simply a must-have in some dungeons. That was a good deal of important and interesting information that he just provided us. Thats very interesting. Thanks a lot. I thought for a few moments more about the price that was offered. It was clear Id been incredibly lucky with this find. This new dungeon here had yielded no confirmation of treasure, or the mere presence of it yet, let alone anything as special as a spell scroll. If I sold this, even with fluctuating prices, I would still be able to buy several scrolls in return. Of course, I wouldnt spend all the money on that, but I wanted to buy just one or two for Elira. I shook my head. I couldnt believe how easily she had stolen my heart. Fifty gold sounds good, I said after a while. It would be plenty of coins to support us, not that we used them for much. For the time being, we would save the majority and look at what we needed in terms of armor and weapons. Cellestra would take full priority in that regard. The priest nodded. If youd be so kind to wait for a few moments then, He said before walking towards the shrine. We should check in the city where to buy those scrolls, I said to Cellestra. We can do that tomorrow, She replied. Our items should be finished by then as well. I nodded. I was thinking the same. Do you think it would be a good idea for you to pick up a spell scroll as well? I mean, as far as I can tell, we will be stuck on this healing spell for quite some time. We could simply get you a spell so we can finish the trial. Cellestra shook her head. I dont think that will work. Your spells are different than what Im used to. I fear that if I used any other magic, it could result in misfires. If youre in a hurry to join the guild, you could do the dungeon if you want to. But you wont get to do anything then. Thats fine, She said. It cant be helped. That healing spell is too important. Besides, its only the entry trial. You can always teach me your spells so we can do things together later on. Thats true. I thought about all the things we would be doing in the coming days and chuckled. With all this, how are we ever going to have the time to enjoy life? Cellestra giggled softly and patted my back. Dont know about you, but Im enjoying life a lot right now. Yeah, I said, watching the brunettes smile and purple eyes. Youre right. Even with all this, I dont think Ive ever enjoyed it as much as I am right now. 2.99 Happiness My mood was elevated by Cellestras words. Thanks to her, I managed to find enjoyment in everyday life, even if I was continually bombarded by self-imposed obligations and hardships because of what I was and the power I possessed. One thing was clear: there would be no end to my struggles anytime soon. I wanted, no, I needed to become as strong as I could. To do that, Id have to kill and eat creatures. Not how I expected my training to look, but it was effective, for sure. Cellestra was right in that we should complete the trial as quickly as possible. There was no telling how long it would take for her to master my healing spell. Should we check if Selleron is available to finish the trial tomorrow? I asked. I mean, you know Im always in a hurry. As much as I want to do it together with you, I dont know if its technically the best choice to delay it. She nodded. Yes. I know, and its fine. Lets see if hes available. Alright. Lets do that then. The priest returned and without a word, handed me a hefty coin purse. I didnt bother to check the contents as fifty coins would take a while to count and I didnt really have a nice cover to spread them out on. Id take his word for it. It wasnt nice to scam a goddesss chosen, after all. Gods, this chosen thing was starting to get to me. I was beginning to rely on it. I realized it and felt disgusted. I shouldnt, I didnt want to rely on something which I felt could change at any time, even if Elysa so far had seemed quite caring. Cellestra handed him the scroll as I stashed the pouch in her backpack. We thanked him, and he us, before we parted ways. I hope I can get our shelter somewhat finished. Weve been lucky enough so far with the weather, but I most definitely dont want to deal with rain just yet. At least you got the roof done, Cellestra casually said. So it shouldnt be too bad. I know, I said. But what if there are hard winds as well? The rain will just blow inside. I was thinking that after getting the walls done, I could reinforce the sides and turn it into a proper nest so it stays warm even when the temperature eventually drops. I dont know why, but the prospect of that just appeals to me as well. I would feel much more comfortable sleeping surrounded by thick walls. I dont know what to say, Cellestra said. If that makes you feel more at ease, then by all means go for it. I certainly wont judge you for putting in more time and effort if it makes you feel better. Thank you. I was a bit worried you would think I was taking this nest thing a bit too seriously. She shook her head. Not at all. Its your home, after all. I suppose thats true. Shame I cant liven it up with windows and plants and the like. I did like how cozy, albeit small, your cabin was. It Cellestras voice quieted down into a whisper. Was small, but it had everything I needed. Thats what I thought at least. She looked down into my eyes before she continued. We may not be able to furnish this new home, but I still feel much more at home here. I liked my books, but somehow, I dont miss them. We could probably get some new books if you like. We can stash them somewhere along the side. Cellestra smiled warmly. Id love that, but how will we prevent people from stealing them? Its not like you can make a door Can you? Uh. I dont think so. The one thing I can think of that can help would be to take the spiderling spell, but I didnt take that for a reason. She nodded again. Well find a way to perhaps make it feel a bit more like a home. Yeah, I said as we reached our shelter. Lets do some practice after this. If you think you can still cast spells after youre done, sure. That a challenge? Cellestra giggled. It may be. She hopped off my back and watched as I went to work, creating the first wall. I wasnt too far in when I realized I had grossly underestimated just how much silk was required for just one wall, let alone two. After all, the walls were about twenty feet across. It took me well over an hour to build the first one. I made sure to fortify it slightly by connecting it to the ground. I was left fairly tired and regretted taking it upon myself to see a second wall finished, but I started work on it nevertheless, not wanting to break the promise Id made to myself. Another hour went by. Cellestra was relaxing, lying on her back in the middle of the nest. I chuckled but continued my work. Im happy you like this home so much, I said. Its comfy. Thats for sure. I finished the last wall, feeling exhausted but satisfied. I couldnt help myself and collapsed next to her, placing my torso on top of my soft back and closing my eyes. The brunette turned her head to look into one of my large frontal eyes C it had healed enough for me to see clearly through it again C and smiled. Nice work. I cant wait until its finished. Thank you. Neither can I. Im dead tired, though. Want to take a nap? Nah. Ill be fine in a while. Just need to lie down for a bit, regain my mana and energy. Well work on our practice after. Dont overexert yourself, Kealyna, Cellestra said with a bit of annoyance in her voice. You know I hate it when you do that. I chuckled and patted her head with a leg. I know. She showed me one of her cute smiles as she moved and sat herself down by my side. She reached for, and took one of my hands, forcing me to adjust where I lay on my back. Id wanted to do exactly this for a while now. I was more than curious to know how it would feel, but Id resolved to let Cellestra decide how fast things would go between us. You dont mind, do you? She asked softly as she held my hand over her shoulder. Not at all, I replied with a whisper. I didnt think I could experience happiness quite like this. I mean, I technically did, but moments like these just brought it to new heights. We remained like that for a good while just enjoying each others presence and the soothing sounds of the forest. Cellestra? Hm? Dont you think its odd how there has still been nothing that attacked us? Or even got close? It is odd. Do you really think that maybe my curses effects are suppressed? I dont know, but we are moving around a lot as well. Though, we arent really straying far. I dont think the forest has ever been outside your range, but I dont know. Ill make sure nothing gets in this nest when its eventually finished. Well, its not like I can complain, Cellestra said. You know, back at your old home, it turned out to be pretty useful at times. Im confident it would have taken me a lot longer to evolve into this otherwise. Im glad its been useful to you, The brunette whispered. At least its useful to someone Dont say that, I said, trying to cheer her up. You have an insane supply of mana. Thats something, right? I suppose youre right, but thats only because of your magic. Well, thats fine, right? I raised my torso and stretched my arms. Well, lets practice some, shall we? Are you sure about this? She asked in obvious concern. Yeah. Im fine. She nodded and stood up. Okay. Another hour was spent on trying to get Cellestras mana to flow where it needed to go. Unfortunately for us, it didnt feel like we made any progress. It appeared we had reached a certain point in the spell itself which was extremely hard to replicate. It was so difficult that after that hour of trying to get past this one point, I felt like it was an impossibility. We decided to call it quits for now and make our way back to the farm. My mood, however, had soured, and I was left frustrated. Cellestra noticed and patted my back on the small trip. Im sorry, I said. I feel a bit hopeless after all that. You did your best. Well get past that point. Im sure of it. Yeah, I said, a small smile forming again. I suppose we just need more time. I chuckled. You know, Im strangely excited to see your reaction to dinner. Cellestra giggled. Youre really making me want it now. 2.100 Preferences When we approached the farmhouse, I could see my father sweeping the walls with a broom. Elira was playing with Shadow, and my mother was nowhere to be seen, leaving me to believe she was preparing dinner. It wasnt that late yet, but the chunk of meat wed given them was enough for days, so it would probably need some time to get prepared. It didnt take long for the little elf to notice me. I grinned as she came running towards me, almost tripping. Sometimes I wondered where that supposedly shy girl was that my parents had made her out to be. Sis! She said as she approached. My father turned his head, noticed me, smiled, and waved before going back to work. Hey there, I said, patting Eliras head as she came to a halt before me, looking at my healed eye before looking up. How are you? Im okay. You? Im alright. Is mom making dinner? Yeah. She is making something special, she said. I smiled. I know. Shadow slowly approached me and jumped on my back, in front of Cellestra, who was more than happy to pet the feline. I lifted the girl before me with my pedipalps and arms and scuttled to my father where I placed her on the ground again. Keelarin was using some kind of soap solution to clean the brick walls. He was about to dip his broom in a wooden bucket when he addressed me. Hey, Kealyna. Hows it going? Pretty good. Todays a bit of a slow day for us, but its given us some time to sort some things out. Our shelter is coming along nicely. Good to hear. I suppose you could say the same for ours. I chuckled. No working the fields today? We have a few days off and some maintenance was needed, so I figured we might just do it now. A few days off, you say. This doesnt look like youre having a day off to me at all. Its okay, He said. I wanted to get this done today as its the last day of school for Elira for the week. Tomorrow, we want to go and see Soranir before going to Elysas shrine together. After that, well do some shopping. Dont you have any fun activities around here you could do? I asked. I understood all these things needed to be done, but I truly wished them some enjoyment and relaxation. We dont have much choice in the matter, He replied, his voice serious. I understand, I replied. It was sad, but this wasn''t their own house and farm anymore. They had others to answer to. I hoped that my parents would eventually realize their goal of having their own plot of land and residence. If its okay, I said softly. Id like to join you at Elysas shrine. Id like to express my thanks as well. Youre always welcome to join us, He said as he continued scrubbing. Im sure we all have a lot to be thankful for. I nodded. For sure. Sis? Elira asked. Can we go for a ride? It was a welcome distraction from the serious talk. Sure, I said. Cellestra, you want to join? The brunette giggled with her eyes closed. Sure, why not? She lifted Shadow up and moved him forward so that I could place Elira in between. You girls have fun, My father commented as he continued. I could tell he was grateful to have me there and spend time with Elira and I was more than happy to do so. I spent the next fifteen minutes running around the fields with the two elves on my back. Eliras eyes and smile were just beautiful to see, almost as beautiful as Cellestras. I got distracted by my thoughts during our run. I was wondering about what my parents would think of me and Cellestra having feelings for each other. Were they able to notice it? Fortunately, I had two minds to separate my thoughts. Otherwise, I was sure I would have tripped over my own legs at some point when galloping. When we reached the gravel again, my father seemed to finish up what he was doing and waved at us before going inside with the bucket. That was fun! Elira said cheerfully. Thank you! Glad you had fun, I said, lowering myself so both passengers could step off. Say, Elira, what magic do you like most? Uhhh, She thought aloud, a finger on her lips. Fire magic is pretty cool, but hmmm, She thought for several more seconds. Have you ever seen arcane magic? Its so cool and sparkly. I love purple! Its my favorite color! I have, yes, I said as I recalled several instances where we had arcane wizards support us in battle. Arcane magic was incredibly destructive, more so than fire, and it required immense amounts of mana and control over magic to cast, making it one of the lesser-used types of magic in typical scenarios. Id obviously asked the question to find out what kind of spell scroll to get her, but I feared arcane spells werent going to be suitable. Fire would be much easier, but I didnt know how much mana she could channel. Wed have to get something extremely basic. What about you? She asked. What magic do you like most? Defense, I answered with a single word. Ive got multiple defensive spells, and Im extremely happy with them. Elira pouted. You know what I mean! I giggled. Of course, she wanted to know about offensive magic, I knew that, but there were so many other types. Hmmm, I think I like lightning most. Its kind of funny that I have a spell called spider lightning. Spider lightning? Elira asked, cocking her head. What does it do? It creates a chain of lightning to a target and then arcs from them to nearby enemies. It keeps on going, looking for more targets until I cancel the channel. The more enemies I hit, the more damage it does. I wiped out thousands of insects with it once in a flash of light that was even more intense than lightning during a thunderstorm. Woah! The little girl said in astonishment. That sounds awesome! Can you teach me? I shook my head as my smile disappeared. I am afraid I cant teach you how it works. These spells are a blessing from Elysa and I just know how they work. I cant explain how to do any of it. Awww. Im sorry, I said softly, patting her head. Hey, Kealyna, Cellestra, My mother said as she walked out the door with a stack of plates. How are you doing? The brunette nodded as did I. Doing well, I said. Bit tired, but doing great otherwise. How about your eye? Healed for the most part. I told you not to worry about it. Im happy to hear that. I heard youll join us tomorrow at the shrine? Yeah. I wanted to properly thank the priests and Elysa as well. And I should thank you for tonights dinner, She said as she put the plates down. Would you like some as well? I noticed she had five plates so her question made me grin. Sure, but just a bit. Ive already eaten plenty. I know. I just figured youd want a taste. I nodded. Im very curious how its like when its cooked. Though, I have to admit, being able to eat it raw the flavor is so different, but not in a bad way. I guess being half spider has its advantages, She said surprisingly casually. It does for sure. A few minutes later, we were seated and eating. Steak with roasted vegetables was an excellent combination, and far better than the rations wed eaten on the road. Everyone seemed to be impressed by the quality of meat, which led me to make the promise to get it more often. It wasnt like it would take me much extra effort to get them some when I had to go and find food for myself. An extra benefit was that it would allow my parents to save just a bit more coin, which was always welcome. After dinner, Cellestra and I stayed a bit to play with the cats and Elira before we said our goodbyes for the day. My father would try to speak with Soranir tomorrow to try and arrange talks and Cellestra and I would head to the city for business and the trial. I hoped we could get a hold of Selleron to ask him when he had time to finish that. Once I was in my half-finished nest, I collapsed in it and tried to relax, putting things in order in my head. Evening was slowly falling, but I didnt think I should stay up much longer. I wasnt planning on fully falling asleep so Id need all the time I could get. Thinking again? Cellestra asked as she lay down in front of me. Yeah. Is it bad? Not really. Im just thinking how Soranir will react to all this. Hard to say but I wouldnt worry too much, She said. He looks like a good person to me. Im sure hell help out. I hope there is something he can do. I guess well find out. Yeah, The brunette said, smiling as she looked into my large red eyes. Dont worry about it. 2.101 Shopping Cellestra took hold of one of my pedipalps and slowly ran her hand over the soft hair that covered its length, a smile on her face. Her affectionate touches made my heart race and turned my brains into mush. Hey, Cellestra? Yes? She asked softly as she shuffled closer to my head. Are you you know certain? About? About how you feel. She nodded. I am, She said confidently. Ive thought about it plenty when you first told me how you felt. Yes, I am certain. I sighed. I know. I just wanted to I dont know. I guess I wanted to make sure we dont make mistakes. What kind of mistakes? Cellestra asked. How can that happen if were both being honest? I Maybe Im doubting myself too much. I was I shook my head. I dont even know. I sighed deeply as my other pedipalp twitched involuntarily. Is this about what you are again? I nodded but since I was still lying down on my back and with my thoughts distracted, I realized Cellestra had no way of seeing it. I instead used my pedipalps to nod. I get it, Cellestra said softly in a voice that at least somewhat soothed me. And I dont know how I can make you feel more at ease. I already told you it doesnt bother me in the slightest. I mean, I even showed you when I first picked you up. If I was afraid of spiders, I never would have done that. Besides Her serious expression turned into a soft one. Youre basically a giant jumping spider probably the cutest species out there. She continued softly stroking the hair on the limb she held. And youre beyond beautiful, both spider and elf. Cellestra I said, a tear forming in my eye, as her kind words washed over me. Thank you. Youre gorgeous as well. I was filled with joy, and with it, came my old confidence. I moved my legs and took a step back. The brunette turned her head and her eyes were filled with confusion and sat upright to better eye me as I ripped a hole in the web with my legs, where my head had previously rested. I was amused by her expression but continued without saying a word. I made the gap large enough and then connected the outsides to the grass below and summoned many series of threads to create a soft bed of silk to cover the ground. After I was finished, I placed my head in the indentation and laid my elven torso down on the web. This isnt so bad. Now, if only I had a pillow. Perhaps I should make one? Is your own back not comfortable anymore? Cellestra asked, half-giggling. It is, but I said, turning my head to her. I thought it would be more comfortable to sleep next to you if you want to. I She replied with a stutter before turning her head down to look at the web next to her. Some silence followed as she seemed to think, perhaps gathering resolve before she nodded, albeit slightly. Id like that, She said faintly. I was only able to hear it thanks to my elven hearing. I was a bit concerned at her hesitancy, but I noticed a small smile on her lips which was what led me to believe her answer came from the heart and was unforced. Cellestra briefly stood up to retrieve the one intact pelt and used it to cover herself as she lay down, facing me, a warm smile on her face. You can make that pillow tomorrow if you want, She said softly. For now, we should probably sleep. Is your vision not obstructed when lying down like that? Sure, most of my largest eyes were now under the web, but my head was in the hole at an angle, leaving most of my eyes and part of my big ones to keep watch over my surroundings. Though, there was less to watch now that I had finished two walls. It made me think, would these webs be able to keep out any possible danger when the nest was finished? Partially, but I can still see most, if not everything that is important. Okay, She whispered. I turned my torso as much as my body would allow me and placed an arm under my head to support it. Good night, Cellestra. She took my free hand and held it. Good night, Kealyna. Waiting for morning to come was always tedious, but this time, I didnt feel like waiting was so bad. Cellestra, while sleeping, held on to my hand throughout the night. Id even forgotten to cast my healing light spell, but she seemed so peaceful that I didnt think it would matter. Only when dawn arrived did I notice wed made a mistake. We had no provisions remaining. I imagined my parents wouldnt have an issue with providing us some, but I knew they werent going to stay home for long. I hated having to do it, but I was forced to wake Cellestra up. I tried to do so gently after waking myself. Hmmm, She let out groggily as she rubbed her eyes. Morning, Kealyna. Whats up? We dont have any food left. If you want breakfast, I suggest we get to the farm before my parents leave. Crap, youre right, She said, shaking her head to force herself awake. Without wasting any time, we packed and left. Id really awoken the brunette too early; she was left yawning and seemed a bit dizzy. We had a quick break at the shrines so she could use the toilet there before we continued. When we arrived at my parents home, I noticed Eliras head appear behind the glass window. I chuckled as I knew what came next. The door opened and she came running at me. Sis! Sis! How are you? Will you come with us? Well go to Elysas shrine together, yes, but I guess we can go to the city together as well. Though, I dont know how long we need Yay! Elira cheerfully said. Can I ride you on the way? I saw Cellestra giggle as the little girl before me looked at me with eyes that were so big that I thought they were only matched by my two largest ones. How could I say no to those? Alright, alright. Yay! She cheered again as my mother appeared in the doorway. Hey, Kealyna. We were about to head out. Whats up? How are you? Were fine. We thought wed come a bit earlier. We screwed up and didnt get any food for Cellestras breakfast Oh, dear, She let out. Hold on, Ill quickly make you something. Thanks, Cellestra and I both said at the same time. The brunette had a quick breakfast at the outdoor table while my parents took care of the last preparations. A few minutes later, Lilinia handed us the bag we''d used for the steak, now cleaned. I left my halberd against the newly-cleaned wall, and we headed out. Their reactions to having Elira ride me on the way were a joy to observe. They had shown some hesitation and uncertainty at first, but their hearts, as mine had, just melted at the sight of the girls happiness. Ive been wondering, I said to my father who was walking to my left. Wed left the farm behind and were now on the road to the city. Why dont you do the shopping now, if were in the city anyway? I would love to do that, but we buy some goods from a friend, and unfortunately, he isnt available until the afternoon. Unfortunate, for sure. We reached the center of the city which seemed even busier than last time. A few more guards were present all around, and there were quite some more eyes fixated on me, and my family. It gave me mixed feelings. On one hand, if Hograd was after me, it wouldnt be hard for his followers to make the connection. On the other hand, being this close with two people, and having an obviously happy little girl on my back to boot, should make me appear absolutely harmless. Right, I said as I came to a halt. Cellestra and I will check with the weaponsmith if our items are done. After that, well check the guild hall to see if our dungeon trial superior is present. I left out the part where we would look for a spell scroll on purpose. Surprises were best kept secret, after all. Shall we meet back here after were done? Though, its not hard to spot me, even in this crowd. Heh, My father chuckled. That sounds good. Well see what we can arrange with the mayor. I hope hes not too busy today. I nodded. Thank you. Lilinia lifted Elira from my back and took her hand. I patted the young girls head and waved her goodbye for now. She, and my parents, waved back as they walked in the direction of the largest building a few streets down. I turned my attention to Cellestra who had smiled the entire time. Is it strange that I am somehow more excited about that necklace for you than my own weapon? Faragi Chances are I''ll work some more on elania in the near future as it seems to be the more popular story, so updates for this series is probably going to slow down a bit. Make sure to check it out here Elania. And please keep in mind it''s still super rough early on. I just don''t have time to do editing ;/ 2.102 Arrangement Cellestra giggled at my statement. Thats so sweet, She said with a smile. Considering your obsession with your weapon before. Dont get me wrong. I still want it very much. Of course you do! I grinned as I walked towards where we met the smith, Zearis, days prior. The stand that he occupied at the time was still there, but someone else was taking care of business. I decided to instead take a look in the workplace. We found the smith showing off a dagger and then handing out instructions. Hed seen us approach and raised a finger, indicating hed be with us in a moment. I simply nodded and waited until hed put the others to work. He disappeared further into the workshop, before he reappeared, a shiny blue-bladed halberd in one hand, and in the other, a large starmetal ingot. Welcome back, He greeted us. Id heard about you two suffering quite some injuries in the dungeon from one of the soldiers yesterday. Im glad to see youre doing well. Good to see you too, I replied. And yes, we had a bit of an accident, but were alright. He nodded. As you can see, Im all finished. Ive refined the remainder of the metal for you as well. A small part of it was used to make the amulet, which is all done too. Great to hear, I said warmly. Though, Im less happy to meet her again Heh, The smith let out in a deep voice. I have it with me. You dont have to worry about bothering her again. Her idea? I asked sharply. Yup, He replied with a single word, confirming that my mediocre opinion of the old lady was more than justified in my eyes. I sighed. Guess some people cant be helped. Thank you so much, though. Zearis placed the tip of the weapon on the stone ground of the street, just outside the smithing area, and first handed me the ingot, which I placed on my lower head before securing it tightly. In the meantime, Cellestra reached for the money pouch and started taking out coins. Seven coins total, refining, and crafting fee, He stated as he watched the brunette who nodded at his words. After Cellestra had handed him the coins, he reached for a pouch, the same pouch that the purple-eyed elf had given Emerin, and handed it back to her. At the same time, I took hold of my new weapon and noted that it was slightly heavier than steel. I was hypnotized by the surface of the blade. The silver veins were still visible in the otherwise blue material. They shone with even more intensity than before processing, and it seemed to ripple across the surface. I could watch it for a good while, but right now, I was more interested to see Cellestras amulet, even more so, her reaction to it. Zearis waited as well, likely to know wed be satisfied with the products delivered, but I could tell he was curious about her reaction as well. His eyes were fixed on the pouch as Cellestra opened it. An amulet, made from the same blue and silver came into view. In its center was a large red gem, a ruby I thought, in the shape of a drop. Its bottom part was cradled by the wings that made up the jewelry. An accompanying silver chain held the whole. Cellestra was stunned, her eyes large and her mouth open. She, as well as I, were both speechless at the finished work. I barely managed to nod at Zearis, who left us behind, a wide smile on his face, the satisfaction of a job well done, I was sure. Its beautiful, Cellestra whispered, unable to avert her gaze from the accessory. Why dont you put it on? I asked. She nodded and slowly donned it. Her eyes were still fixed on the large gem, and I could see a tear appear in them. At the same time, she smiled slightly. I didnt say a word as I started walking towards the guild hall, leaving Cellestra to think, to remember Rose and what shed meant to her, and still means. Just before I reached the building, one of the city guards exited it. His eyes were immediately locked on my lower ones, before he slowly ran them up to look at my face. Hello, I said. I figured I might as well ask him instead. Do you know if Selleron is here today? Hi, He managed to squeak out, almost stumbling over his words. I bet he didnt expect to see eye to eye with me from this short distance. He is not here at the moment, but he will be making his daily visit in a bit. If you wait here, youll catch him soon enough. Thank you, I said with as best a smile as I could before he walked off to the side. I decided to listen to him and wait for the guard captain. I trusted he had a good idea of where we could get some spell scrolls as well. Besides, Cellestra was still silently observing her new amulet, and I didnt want to break her apparent focus. I thought it would be a good idea to put it under her shirt eventually. Flaunting an amulet and gemstone of that size was just asking for trouble, even if Thymhil and the province itself didnt have high crime rates. I miss her, Cellestra said with no more than a whisper. I think you would have liked her too. Im certain I would have. It cant be helped, though. Ive only been in this world for a couple of weeks. Yeah, She said softly. But its still something I like to think about. Im happy for you to have known such a wonderful person, and to still have something of hers to remember her by. Its a beautiful amulet, Cellestra. It is, She said with a nod before looking down. You know, it goes well with your eyes. Have you ever thought about getting some piece of jewelry? I havent, I said, shaking my head. Unless it had some kind of enchantment. Cellestras expression changed drastically at my comment and a smile appeared on her face, along with a quiet giggle. As expected of you. I suppose it is, I answered with a smile of my own. Our wait ended when the red-plumed solder appeared in the corner of my vision. It was as if he knew we were there for him, and he took off his helmet to greet us politely. Greetings, Kealyna, Cellestra. Hows it going? He checked out my previously injured eye as he spoke. Good. As you can see, I said. Your healing is something else. Im impressed. I nodded but didnt go into his statement any further. I knew he had things to do and I still had questions to ask. Say, would it be okay for us to finish the dungeon trial when youre available again? He nodded. Sure, but I wont be available for the rest of today, or tomorrow. The earliest I have time is the day after tomorrow. Meet me here at the guild hall at the same time as now and Ill have the squad ready if that time is okay for you. Yes, that would be great. Although My words trailed off as I thought about Soranir. I think we will have a meeting with Soranir about a few things soon as well. If you cant make it, just let anyone here know and they will relay it to me. He put his helmet back on his head and was about to wave us goodbye for the time being when I interrupted. Uhm, if you dont mind, we have another question. Go for it. Where can we buy spell scrolls around here? Spell scrolls, huh? He let out. Hold on, I need to get my duties sorted at the guild. I will send Felmar to assist you. He knows a lot more about that than me, and I doubt his presence will be missed at the guild at least for as long as Im here. Thank you, I said warmly and honestly. We really appreciate your help. Not a problem, Selleron replied, a smile visible through the small gap in his helmet. If nothing pops up, Ill see you here the day after tomorrow then. I nodded. See you then. He disappeared inside, leaving us behind, but only temporarily. Within a few minutes, the guild clerk known as Felmar stepped outside, this time, without his clipboard, and apparently, more relaxed than the first time hed laid eyes upon me. At least, thats what I believed. If he was still expressing any shivers, they werent strong enough for me to notice through his long, black robes. Hello, He said with much more confidence this time. I was told youd like assistance with finding spell scrolls? 2.103 Storm Yes, I replied excitedly. Where can we find those? What kind of spells are you after? Do you know if your mana pool supports what youre looking for? I dont know, I admitted. Because its not for me. Its a gift for my little sister. Shes still very young, so Im looking for something basic. It doesnt have to be strong or anything. I paused for just a second. Something with fire magic would be great. An interesting choice for a gift, Felmar replied, raising his eyebrows. But at the same time, I can only appreciate the gesture. For fire-related scrolls, spells, and reagents, Id advise Lelz. Ill take you to him. Though, I dont think youll be able to enter his parlor. I expected as much, I said with the usual minor frustration that had now become my standard reply when my dimensions were mentioned, or implied. But as I said, were not looking for anything special. Just something simple that she can use. If this Lelz person can help Cellestra with that, thatd be enough. Understood, Felmar said after nodding. He motioned us to follow and led us through the citys busy streets, in the opposite direction of where my parents had gone. The main road split off into smaller ones that were less frequented and the one we took was nothing more than a glorified alley, barely wide enough for me to fit through. Fortunately, it wasnt one of the dark, crime-infested back alleys that my former self would have to deal with on a regular basis. This one seemed to be clean and quiet and connected the rear exits of several stores. This seemed to be a shortcut of some kind, as we took a turn after exiting this smaller street into a wider one. It was a building that easily stood out from the others as this one had walls of which the lower half was made of stone bricks, and the top half and roof made out of wood. Above the door was a hanging sign which had a clear image on it of a rolled-up scroll of which only a small part was opened, just enough to read the first line. An excellent way to make clear what was sold here at a glance. Cellestra hopped off my back and entered the store, right behind the guilds clerk. I couldnt help but allow my curiosity to surface and peek inside. From the glance I got, I noticed rows and rows of bookshelves filled with books and other literary material against the wall. I also got a brief look at the shop owner. At least, I believed it was the shop owner. On top of a counter at the center sat someone that I could only describe as a small elf with cat features. It was about the same size as Elira, small to an adult elf in comparison, but I didnt doubt his maturity. He had the head of a cat, which looked slightly odd when it was enlarged to that size, but that was only because this was the first time Id seen a beastkin like this. A black layer of fur covered his skin showing grey spots here and there. At either side of his head was a big, furry ear. A long tail that was tucked behind him started dancing as soon as the elves entered the building and closed the door again. I smiled, knowing that relations between the elves here and at least the beastkin were good. Then again, the demons of Gwyns blood were on excellent terms too. That was the kind of peace that my heart loved to see. I had to wait for quite a while, admiring my halberd which continued to hypnotize me. To have a weapon made of starmetal had been a dream I was never able to realize in my old life. Thinking about it made me feel a certain empty sadness. That a fancy weapon was all I had to aspire to or dream about was nothing else but sad. The things that had just recently happened to me, finding my parents, growing closer to Cellestra it made me see just how narrow, how small Id made my old life. There was so, so much more to life than Id always believed, or wanted to believe. I was glad I was given the option to leave it all behind. Thanks to Elysa, I now, for the first time in my life, felt complete, whole. We now found ourselves at this shop for one of the things that had given me meaning Elira. The bright elven girl held a special place in my heart, and I had resolved to be the best sister she could possibly wish for. Her existence, as well as my parents and Cellestras made me contemplate even deeper. Would I still sacrifice myself for others as easily now that I had all this? It went against my previous beliefs to say no to that question, but I wasnt so sure about those anymore. Frustrated that I would likely say no to a question Id previously answered with a resounding yes, made me push it away as far as I could. Distancing myself from the question made me even more puzzled than before. If that was what had gotten me reincarnated into this world as a reward My thoughts trailed off, and eventually caused a new question to surface. If I couldnt hold up to that same standard anymore, then why was I here? It couldnt be that there werent others who would do what I did? What was it that made me so special that it wasnt just me, but also my parents were given a new chance. Come to think of it, this was the very first time Id reflected on that question. Was I that special? I asked myself the question a second time. Id never seen myself as anything special, and despite what I was now, and the power I possessed, I still didnt. Did Elysa have any ulterior motives for doing this to me? It brought me to something else entirely. Was this why her braziers had not responded to me? Why did Nilenes? Perhaps I should ask the priest in green to prepare a ritual so I could ask the goddess of the harvest if there was anything going on with Elysa. If I did that, though, and it turned out that my initial assessment of Elysa wanting to protect me from the mental strain proved correct, it would take quite some time before I could talk to her again Could it be possible for Cellestra to talk to Nilene instead? If she knew more, she could relay that information to me through the brunette. Cellestra once told me that the ritual could be conducted, even if there was no clear indication that the corresponding deity wanted to talk to them. We did have a decent amount of money now, so I guess it couldnt hurt to actually try. Perhaps Nilene was willing to talk to her. I sighed deeply. Things didnt make sense in my head and I hated it. Id probably ask Cellestra later tonight if she would be willing to try the ritual. For now, I hoped she could get a spell for my little sister. I couldnt wait to see her reaction. A smile crept on my lips, just thinking about it. Come to think of it, would my parents have any use for spells? I didnt know anything about their capabilities for magic. Id never even thought about asking them, either. They had told me Elira had affinities for multiple elements which meant she could learn spells and expand her mana pool with proper practice and guidance, but they never mentioned anything about themselves. I didnt seem to remember that part from my past life either. Maybe they had never told me after all. Id definitely ask them later. The door opened just as I finished putting my thoughts in place. Felmar exited first, followed by Cellestra, who had a large smile on her face, and a scroll in her hands, held tightly against her chest. Youre going to love this, She said, literally hopping instead of walking because of how excited she was. I assume you know how to find your way back? Felmar asked bluntly, indicating he would rather get back to the guild hall as soon as possible. Well be fine, I said. Thank you. He nodded and turned around the corner, leaving me behind with piqued curiosity. You wont believe what Ive found, Cellestra said, almost stumbling over her words. Do tell, I eagerly said. A very basic fire spell called sparkstorm. Despite the name, Lelz assured me that it was one of the most basic spells out there. He knows because hes seen this one multiple times before. The spell creates a small cone of superheated sparks. Apparently, they reach incredible temperatures, but only very briefly and with low penetration power. That being said, it can still be dangerous within touching distance. Its more showy than anything else, but She trailed off. Its still dangerous, I finished her sentence. Yes. Of course it is. When we give this to her, we need to make sure that she understands certain rules. No matter how beautiful magic is, it is dangerous if you use it carelessly. Cellestra nodded. That being said, I said with a smile. This spell sounds wonderful for a certain elven girl. Im confident shell be elated. Im sure of it, Cellestra replied. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons. Thank you so much <3 Luna Bo 2.104 Peace I was happy to see that Cellestra seemed to mimic my thoughts. Shed tucked away her new amulet under her shirt and buried the scroll deep in her backpack before she hopped back on. I was exhilarated to see Eliras reaction to the gift, but at the same time, this was going to be a very important learning moment for her. I considered talking to my parents, just to inform them what I planned to give her, but they were already aware I planned to do this sooner or later, and despite their hesitation, they didnt seem opposed to it. Their wariness stemmed from me spending money on them more than anything, after all. We walked back the way we came, eventually arriving in the citys plaza, which was getting busier and busier. The guild hall, too, was a major center of attention; many people entered and left the building in an almost constant stream. There was no sign of my family yet, and since I occupied far too much space, I decided to wait next to the guild hall where I wouldnt be in anyones way. Damn, I let out in a half-disappointed, half-playful manner. You have no idea how hard a time I have containing my laughter, Cellestra said with a muffled giggle. Your ears are barely sticking to your head. I know! I said. I hate waiting. You remind me of a certain little girl, Cellestra said, smiling. You two are just the most adorable. I grinned as I relaxed. I remained excited but calmed down enough for my ears to stop twitching. I continued waiting, scanning the large crowd continually. New goods, mostly in the form of food, were carried towards sales stands by carts from outside, causing people to converge on that location. I chuckled. Who didnt like fresh vegetables? The only thing that was missing, to my disbelief, was apples. I would have definitely bought some for Cellestra. I should check with my parents when we could obtain some. The greater part of an hour passed, and I was getting frustrated. It wasnt more than that as I remembered what Keelarin had said. Hed mentioned how he hoped Soranir wasnt too busy today. I was sure hed jinxed it right then and there. Finally, they appeared, Elira leading the way. The little ball of energy came running at me as soon as she spotted me. Hi sis! She let out as she eagerly made her way over to Cellestra to climb up on my back. Hey, I replied. Sounds like you were bored to tears. I was! We had to wait for soooo long. My parents approached, their eyes tracking Elira as she sat down in front of Cellestra, who patted her, smiling. Sorry about that, Keelarin said. Things took longer than expected. Its okay, I said. That happens. How did it go? Once we finally got to meet him, well, pretty good actually. Soranir is very much a straight-to-the-point kind of person. When we told him you were involved and wanted a private meeting, he instantly scrapped two meetings tomorrow. Hell be at our home at noon. By Elysa hes quite serious about this, isnt he? I let out in astonishment. I told him that according to you, this is something quite serious. I didnt give him any further details, but he took it with the utmost sincerity. I hope youre not busy tomorrow? He said with a question at the end. No, I said as I shook my head. Tomorrows fine. Well head back to the dungeon the day after. Woah! Shiny! Eliras voice came from behind me. When I focused on her, I noticed she was staring at my new weapon. You like it? I asked with a chuckle to which she nodded. I wanted to tell her to wait, that we had a little surprise for her aftar, but I realized that it would perhaps be a bit cruel as we were going to visit Elysas shrine first. I decided to keep quiet. Its starmetal, I continued. And I have more of it. I pointed a thumb to the silk-wrapped ingot on my back. Its so cool! Lilinia and Keelarin smiled and didnt seem to know what to say. Cellestra was the one who spoke first as she revealed her amulet. We had this made as well. Woah, Elira said as she turned her head to watch the jewelry. So pretty. How did you get that? You mean the metal? The brunette asked to which the elven girl nodded. Kealyna found it. She said the metal is sometimes found in fallen stars. We were lucky to find one on our way here. We found several other interesting things on our way here, but yeah, this was certainly one of the more interesting ones. Anyway, shall we go to the shrine? Its about time I say my thanks to Elysa. A series of nods later, my parents led the way with me and the two elves on my back following closely. For the second time, when we exited the city, I got the ominous feeling we were being watched, but once again, I saw nobody. At the same time, I felt the black in the back of my mind expand and then shrink again, in pulses, as if it was prodding around, checking something. I halted briefly and without hesitation, cast my healing light spell on myself. I felt the throbbing darkness recede in response, but it left me with a bit of a headache. Are you okay? Cellestra asked. My parents halted as she spoke and looked at me with worry in their eyes. Im okay, I said, not wanting to upset anyone. Just a bit of a headache. Not sure why. I wasnt lying when I said I was okay, but I didnt like any of this. The feeling of being watched, and at the same time, this ever-present darkness swelling up, I felt wholly disturbed. At least I learned that my healing light spell did seem to have some kind of effect. It gave me hope that I would enjoy a certain safety once Cellestra mastered the spell. There was still a concern in both my parents eyes. I had the feeling that the way Cellestra had asked me if I was okay had implied there was more going on that they didnt know about yet. It was the case, but I didnt want them to worry about yet another thing. I nodded and continued moving forward, thinking about what this all could mean. I would certainly talk with Cellestra about it tonight to see what she thought about the situation. For now, though, I wanted to join my parents in a prayer of thanks at Elysas shrine. Well, damn, I said in realization as we neared the row of shrines. What is it? My mother asked, obviously thinking something was wrong. I completely forgot. There is no way I will fit through the doorway. The door that led to the inside of the domed building was large for normal people, but I was on a completely different scale. To be fair, even if I did fit through, there wouldnt be a lot of space left for others, and I knew parts were occupied by an altar and then some facilities as well. That would also mean that this ritual wasnt going to be done the same way. Id have to get it outside. There was simply no other way. Thats fine, My mother said in a soft, warm voice, slightly smiling. Im sure Elysa doesnt mind us praying outside. Shell hear us, right? I never actually asked, I said. But Im sure she does. We reached the shrine and I was secretly hoping that the braziers would react to me, but there was still nothing. I shook my head as I entered the premises and settled in the grass next to the shrine, the priestess in white watching from inside the doorway, a grimace on her face as she watched Elira. Cellestra stepped off and lifted the small elf off my back as well. She remained silent as she walked to my parents who knelt down in front of me. Nobody said a word. Even Elira, who was usually energetic and curious, was completely quiet as she joined my parents. Cellestra knelt down next to me and nodded when I looked her way. The sudden tranquility was odd, and in a way, overwhelming, but in a good way. I was happy to have my family and Cellestra here, in a place of worship, to thank the goddess whod given us so much. I cleared my heads to be in tune with the calmness that surrounded us. I then closed the only eyes I could and, with the people I cared for most in my mind, offered my deepest, most honest gratitude. 2.105 Surprise I felt my worries flow away in the calmness that surrounded the shrine. The peace and quiet, and my family here in this holy place made it all the more clear what Id have to fight for, but also that things would be okay in the end. The people that surrounded me, Id met them all thanks to Elysa. We remained there for a good while. I couldnt tell how long exactly, as I slowly felt time become more meaningless. Eventually, my parents stood up, much to the delight of Elira, who I could tell was getting bored by how she was shifting her position. I grinned softly as I turned and prepared to leave the premises. Just then, when the braziers were on either side of me, they very briefly burned with roaring, bright blue flames before settling back into normal ones. Woah. I heard Elira call from behind me. Did you see that? Yep, I said. Thats Elysa. She and I have a bit of a special connection, but I dont know why she did that. To me, it felt like a sign of recognition, like a blink in my direction. I didnt know what the meaning behind it was, and it left me guessing to find one. Perhaps she just wanted to make clear that shed not forgotten about me. Think its still because you had those two rituals within a relatively short time? Cellestra asked. I dont see any other reason, but I did have something in mind Id like to talk with you about later. Alright. Its the first time Ive seen that, Lilinia said. Do you think Elysa is watching? She definitely is, I replied. Or she was back then. I think and I hope she doesnt watch everything. Thatd be weird. What is Elysa like? A curious Elira ran up to me and asked the question. Hmmm, I let out with a finger on my lips as I thought. Shes really beautiful and kind. I havent been able to talk to her in a more casual conversation. Theres very little time to talk to her when doing the ritual, but I feel like shes helping me out as best she can. Does she like cats? I giggled at the odd question. Im not sure. Why do you ask? Someone at school said she did. I wanted to know if it was true. Im sure she does, but maybe Ill ask her when next I see her, I said as I patted the girl on her head. Anyway, I continued. Now that were here, I think Ill work a bit on my home in the forest. That okay with you Cellestra? The brunette nodded in reply. Thats fine. I want to see if I can get it finished today, so when it does rain sooner or later, it will keep us dry. And well go home for a bit and then do our shopping. Will you join us for dinner again? Sure, why not? Eliras face showed me she was sad about splitting up, but I still had an ace up my sleeve. Or rather, in Cellestras backpack. By the way, we got you something, I said, prompting Cellestra to put down her backpack as she started digging. The elven girl immediately fixated her eyes on it as my parents watched in anticipation. They knew, or at least should know, what wed gotten her. To add to the surprise factor, I took the little girl between my pedipalps and covered her eyes with my hands while looking at each of my parents, who nodded. I took that as confirmation that they knew and that they were okay with it. Cellestra found the scroll and held it in front of Eliras covered eyes. The young girl was practically squealing with excitement. You ready? I asked slyly. Yeeeess! What is it? Can I see? I grinned as I removed my hands. She laid eyes on the scroll and cocked her head. Whats that? I chuckled and then started grinning, then laughing. It was an odd feeling to have put so much time in this surprise, only for Elira to not know what it was. I covered my face with my palm before sighing with a smile still plastered on my face. Its a spell scroll, I said. It teaches you a spell. Woah. Really? her eyes grew wide as she spoke. Yes, but before you read it, I think our parents will agree on this, NEVER use this spell without them looking, okay? And never aim this at anyone. Magic is dangerous, and weve been careful with what we have chosen, but if you want to learn magic, you need to learn about how to use it safely, first and foremost. I made sure to speak in a stern voice and to look at her with the most sincere and serious expression. I... we dont want you to get hurt. Promise us youll do those things and you can have it. Elira seemed taken aback by how I spoke about this, but she nodded slowly and spoke with a soft voice. I promise. I could tell my parents appreciated me informing Elira about all this. Perhaps it had been a good thing I said all this instead of them, seeing as I could use plenty of different magic spells. Id also personally seen the dangers it could bring. It allowed me to add a certain weight to my words, and I had the feeling I had made it all the more clear to both the little girl and our parents. Okay then, I said, patting her head again. Make sure to read the entire scroll, and please be careful. She then nodded, turned around, slowly took the scroll from Cellestras hands, and opened it. Sparkstorm, She whispered as she read. Out of curiosity, I looked over her shoulder but found that I was still unable to read a single word that was on the paper. The letters, or perhaps they were symbols, kept dancing before my eyes and didnt make any sense. Elira didnt seem to have that issue. As she read, I noticed the paper emit a faint red glow, which grew stronger over time. Elira seemed to notice it as well as she was startled, but she continued nonetheless. Then, at some point, the scroll turned red entirely and within the blink of an eye, went up in flames. The odd thing was that I saw no change in temperature with my thermal vision. The flames, short as they may have been, were strangely cold. Several sparks remained and danced in the air, before coagulating and expanding into a transparent, red stream that flowed from where the sheet had been into the young elfs head. The process was strange to me, but Elira didnt seem to be bothered. In fact, she didnt seem to feel any of what had just happened. A few seconds passed wherein the girl remained silent. She then turned to me and exclaimed with even more amazement than usual. Woah. Did you see that? I certainly did. Did it work? I asked. I think so. Elira looked at Keelarin and Lilinia. Both smiled, and my father told her to go ahead, eager to see for himself what spell wed given her, no doubt. Just be careful, My mother said, adding to the emphasis once more. At this point, I knew Elira had to be tired of all the warnings, but I hoped she would learn from all this that this was not something to mess around with or think lightly of. She extended an arm forward and I noticed the air surrounding her hand grow hotter, just before a cone of superheated sparks erupted from it. Eliras eyes grew wider than theyd ever been as she channeled her first-ever spell. The range of the ability was small as wed been told. The sparks didnt travel further than a foot, and long before they reached that far, theyd already cooled off considerably. I shook my head with a smile when I noticed myself looking at the combat capabilities. This spell was simply not meant for that. What it was intended for, it did so beautifully. I was certain that at this point, for a brief moment, Elira was the happiest girl in the world. So pretty! She said excitedly, just before the channel abruptly stopped. The last of the particles went cold and dark as the little girl turned around to run at and hug me around my waist. Thank you so much, sis! Youre the best! Im happy you like it. Just remember to listen to mom and dad. She nodded with a bright smile. I will. Mom, dad. Did you see that? She asked as she ran and hugged them too. We did, sweetie. It was wonderful, My mother said warmly, patting Eliras back. Thank you, Kealyna. Its a wonderful gift. I thought it was an excellent way for her to get familiar with magic. Learn about how to use it safely and I smiled and then addressed Elira. If you do your best in school, youll learn more magic like this eventually. It sounded so cliche, but hopefully, having something to look forward to would help her get through classes. Ill try, She said softly. Alright, I said. Well be back for dinner later then. Take care Elira. I waved at her as I walked past them. At the same time, my mother gave me the warmest smile of thanks, and my father nodded. Thank you, He said with a whisper as I passed. Cellestra followed and walked up to my side, a sly smile on her lips. Arent you curious in the slightest how much I paid for that scroll? 2.106 Building 2 Hmmm. Now that you mention it, I never did ask, did I? You didnt, Cellestra said as she walked beside me. It had been a while since she transported herself and, while I didn''t mind it, it would probably be good for her to move around a bit. Besides, my nest wasnt that far. It did remind me that we should probably buy some shoes sometime soon as I believed hers werent the most comfortable. How much was it then? I asked slyly, seeing as it appeared the brunette wasnt going to elaborate. Three gold. Thats a very decent price, I think, I replied. That''s what I thought. It was certainly worth her reaction. It was adorable. I know, I said before sighing. I hope that one day, shell be able to learn all the magic she desires. I wonder if I can see her grow up and learn My voice trailed off and I continued in a whisper. Id like to see that. Aw, Cellestra let out. Thats so sweet of you. Im sure youll see it. Why wouldnt you? Im worried that I''m going to be away from home for a good while. Ive been thinking about things a bit, and I came to the conclusion that I found it odd for Elysa to bestow all this unto me. I feel like there is something else, but shes never mentioned anything. Cellestra shook her head. I think youre overthinking again. Maybe, I said before heaving a deep sigh. But I cant shake off the feeling. I sincerely hope Im wrong. I told you I feel eager to experience adventures, but I want to be able to enjoy life, and the simple things about it with my parents and you too. You see yourself in her, dont you? Cellestra suddenly asked. Youre doing all this for her because you never had it. I was taken aback by her blunt statement, but it was mostly true, so I nodded slowly. She is exactly what I fought for all my life. By Elysa, I swear shell never experience the pain and regret that I lived with. I felt a tear form and roll down my cheek as I said it. Ill do everything in my power to make it so, I added with not more than a whisper. I was more than resolved in this matter, but it also hurt to remember, to see I know you will, Cellestra said softly and warmly. Youre still the beautiful knight that you once were, and Im sorry. Its okay, and thank you. A few minutes of silence followed as we moved through the forest, giving me some time to think. Cellestra had made it clear once again that it was painful to mention my childhood, but in a way, I didnt mind talking about it with her. At least, she could see the good that Id become after those bad times, and it warmed my heart. We reached our shelter where Id only have to make one full wall and then one partial wall. Cellestra laid down in the middle as I got to work. I wonder what Soranir will say tomorrow, She said. I just hope he believes what Elysa told me, but I doubt thats going to be an issue. After that is the next problem. We are looking for ancient information. I wonder how much of that still exists in the world and whether anyone can read it. Languages change over time, too, I said. Theres that too, but I suppose there are people that try to preserve archaic languages. I think there should be plenty of books on languages if need be. I thought about how I would make the entrance to the nest and came up with the idea to create some kind of tunnel so the wind would be less of a bother, but that would bring some issues, mainly where I was going to connect the threads. I would just leave a gap in the wall for now and then figure something out later. Its starting to get pretty cozy in here, Kealyna, Cellestra said, cheering me on. Its about time. The amount of work Im having to put in is insane. But the result is there. You know, I''m kind of hoping it will rain sometime soon, just so I can see how well this does and if I need to plug any holes. I have faith in your work. It will be fine. Thank you, I said smiling as I moved to create the last partial wall. I assume were doing some magic practice after this? By the goddess, Kealyna. Dont you ever take breaks? Ill take a bit of a break first after Im done here, dont worry. I spun thread after thread, making sure to leave a massive opening that I could fit through. Although this was the best I could do, for the time being, I wasnt happy with it, at all. The gap was so incredibly big that no matter how much I insulated the walls, the temperature inside would always be the same as outside. Pfft, I let out when I collapsed in the webs after I was finished, my spider head in the hole so I could lie down forward. This is going to be much more difficult than I expected. The issue is that we cant really place a door or something, Cellestra said, sitting up to look at the entrance. I was thinking about some kind of tunnel entrance, but that will bring its own issues. Why did I have to have such ridiculous proportions? Well find a solution, Cellestra said confidently. I just dont want you to get cold. I can probably manage with this cold resistance skill I picked up a while ago, but you dont have that luxury. No worries. Winter is quite a while off. I guess youre right. I allowed myself to relax for a while, regenerating my mana and silk supplies. A thought from the day before entered my mind, and I decided to speak it as soon as it did. Remind me to make a pillow tonight. I want to see if its any good. Alright, Cellestra replied, smiling. I allowed several minutes more to pass before I decided it was time to continue our practice. Just like before, we had great difficulty with the healing light spell. We overcame smaller bumps one by one, but there was still a long road ahead. There were just so many obstacles in this spell in particular, but we wouldnt give up. After a few hours of intense practice, we relaxed on the web once more. Do you think Elira has passed out from mana exhaustion yet? I asked, grinning as I turned my head to look at Cellestra who''d laid herself down next to me. She chuckled in response. Probably several times at this point. I cant believe your parents were fine with this. Now they have to watch her all day. Cellestra grinned again. I feel for your parents, you know? So much for their day off, I said with a snicker. I doubt they mind. Your father seemed to have it rough when he first mentioned her ability to learn magic, or rather, their inability to have her taught about it. Easing their burden of money is something I gladly do. We still have like forty gold coins left and I dont know what to do with it. I dont think some armor for you will be that expensive, and if need be, I can probably make some myself. Thatd be nice, Cellestra said. That shirt you made earlier was really comfortable and warm. Shame it got ruined. And it saved you from worse injuries too, I replied. I doubt normal, light clothing will do the same. Always looking at the practical side of things, arent you? A sly smile was plastered on the brunettes face as she said it. Always, I replied before pausing briefly. Hey, Cellestra. I was thinking earlier about whether it was an idea to have you attempt the ritual at Nilenes shrine, but with this odd wink I got from Elysa, Im not so sure anymore. What do you think? We could try that, She said. Did you think about it because of Elysas flames not responding to you for a while? I nodded. Yes, and theres also the thing that she might want to talk to me, I cant be sure, but if I do that, then theres going to be a long time before I can talk to Elysa again, so I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have you talk to her instead. Speaking to a goddess, Cellestra said softly. I cannot imagine what its like. Were you scared the first time? Scared? I repeated. Scared Not really. I was just confused more than anything. I had just died, after all. When I realized it was Elysa, I immediately knelt, but she told me to stand up. She was very kind to me. I wasnt scared at all. I paused for a brief moment. That doesnt say anything about Nilene, though. I suppose we will find out, if she wishes to talk to me, Cellestra said softly. Yeah, I let out before spreading my legs to stand up. Anyway, lets go and get some dinner for you. Id like to get to bed early tonight and completely clean myself, properly this time, before tomorrows meeting. That sounds reasonable, The purple-eyed elf said, smiling slyly. You can use it. 2.107 Affinity I smiled at Cellestras response as I allowed her to hop onto my back once more. Id built up quite a bit of dirt again, but Id not cleaned myself as thoroughly as I could, either. At least I didnt have to worry about washing my clothes. Come to think of it Its about time we wash your clothes as well, isnt it? I asked. If youre willing to help out with that, Id certainly appreciate it. I guess tomorrow is going to be a bit slow. Lets hope its not a calm-before-the-storm type of day. You mean with the dungeon the day after and all? Cellestra asked. Yeah. Though, I think well be fine. I assume Selleron has enough experience to know when its a good time for us to stop. As he said before, those wolves were not an issue, so I think he will allow us to continue for a while beyond that. I paused for a few seconds as another thought entered my mind. I am kind of curious about this other dungeon thats supposed to be in the forest. I wonder what rank is required to enter it and if theres possible treasure. This proving grounds dungeon seems kind of empty in that regard. Cant have everything, I suppose, Cellestra suggested. I mean, its a very predictable dungeon. I see what you mean. Perhaps thats the case. We reached my parents residence. My father sat at the table and seemed to be browsing through a small pile of papers. I would have told him to stop working on his day off, but I decided to not. That was his choice, after all. Elira was playing with Shadow in front of the steps. Her attention quickly changed to me as we approached. Like a bolt of lightning, she came running at me, my father smiling in the background. Sis! She yelled. Hey. Hows it going here? I asked as Cellestra hopped off. Great! Thank you so much for the magic! Hope you had fun with it, I said as I patted her head. The little elf nodded in response. Wheres mom? Shes cooking. I helped her light the stove with that new spell! I giggled. Thats great. I was happy to hear that my mother had found an average-day application for Eliras newfound ability. The girl was simply overjoyed, and I couldnt be happier for her. I walked up to my father, Elira following closely at my side. And whats dad looking at? I asked. Dad is going through possible teachers for a certain magic-addicted little girl, He replied. I chuckled. How bad is it? Pretty bad. She almost passed out. Twice. Cellestra giggled behind me. It seemed her prediction had come true, well, almost. Well, finding out ones limits is part of the learning experience, I said. Youd be surprised how long she can keep that spell up. So much for a day off. Cellestras giggle grew into full-blown laughter. I couldnt resist it myself either. It was just too hilarious to see my dad mention exactly what Cellestra and I had talked about, twice. Seems someone is having fun, He continued, smiling. Anyway, these prices are fairly high, Kealyna. I dont really feel comfortable having you pay for all this. Though, its something for later. We want her to finish her basic education first. What is fairly high? I asked. Five gold coins per month, and thats very rudimentary training. Its still hard for me to tell how much that is exactly. Mainly because I dont know how much this dungeon exploration will earn in general. It doesnt sound too bad to me, but well have to see. I want to learn more magic! Elira said. School is boring. I know, I replied. But remember what we talked about earlier. I know! She responded, pouting. She was clearly unhappy about it, but at least she understood. Hey, Kealyna, Cellestra, My mother called from the doorway. Hows it going? Im alright. Just a bit nervous about tomorrow. I''m okay too, Cellestra added. And Id like to thank you for your hospitality. No problem, My mother replied. Our house is always open to family and friends. Do you like apples, Cellestra? I do very much, why? Would you like some? You got apples? I asked in disbelief. We couldnt find any earlier. Thats why we did our shopping in the afternoon. Well, damn Id love some, Cellestra said. Thank you so much. I looked at the brunette, a defeated expression on my face. She giggled softly at my reaction as my mother walked back inside. It left me wishing Id known this before. Oh well My father stacked the papers and folded them before tucking them away in a pocket. Im happy to have some time before this is needed. There are so many different types of teachers, I have no idea what exactly I need to look for. Perhaps Ill ask Soranir tomorrow. Maybe he knows more. Can we go for a ride? Elira interjected. Not right now, I replied. I have a few questions for dad. Please? Elira, My father called her name sternly. Okay She said softly, looking at the ground, clearly disappointed. Well go for one tomorrow, I said. The girl nodded and walked off to see Shadow who was in the process of cleaning himself. Cellestra took a seat and eagerly awaited my questions. You said she possessed two different affinities or something, right? Could you tell me exactly what that means, how you know it, and what she possesses? Im still new to this world and Cellestra, as much as she wants to, cant tell me much about it. Oh boy, My father said as he leaned back in his chair. Where do I even start? The basics, I guess, I suggested. I guess the true basics are that I dont know anything besides that, He said before sighing. Well, everyone can learn magic, but some much more easily than others. Thats what Ive been told at least. Is that what an affinity is? I asked. He shook his head. No. An affinity is something different altogether. An affinity for a certain school of magic allows someone to manipulate their mana in ways to create new spells of their own within that school. I totally misunderstood what you said earlier then, I said. I thought it meant she could only learn those types, since you said they were weak affinities. Sorry about that. I guess you couldnt know. Affinities are probably the most interesting part about magic, but from what I can tell, she would need to learn magic fundamentals and then someone who can teach her how to use her affinities. He shook his head before continuing. Honestly, though, I picked up a bunch of flyers but none of it makes any sense to me. How lucky should I consider myself that all I had to do was confirm a choice in my head and then Id just know the spell? I said, half-joking. Dont let the mages find out, My father replied. Theyll hunt you out of sheer jealousy. Sounds about right, Cellestra added. Thanks a lot, I said with a grin. My mother exited the house, four apples in her hands, and placed them on the table in front of Cellestra. Thank you, Cellestra said warmly. Hope you enjoy them. I sure do, My mom told her. Im sure I will. Dinners almost ready. Have you found anything, honey? My mom then asked my dad. Ive found a lot, but I dont know what I need, My father repeated what he told us earlier. No worries, She said, kissing his cheek. There is plenty of time to find out. She walked back inside, leaving me to think about the affection she showed my dad. Was that common for relationships? I mean, I knew it was, but I wasnt nearly at that level of confidence yet. Though, it was probably not fair to compare myself to them. Theyd been together for many years. So what magic does Elira have affinities for? I asked, quickly distracting myself from my thoughts. And how did you find out? We were told about them when we got her adoption papers. Her affinities are wind and time magic, but I havent really looked far into what those can do. Thats fair, I suppose. Of course, he couldnt have known that Id suddenly appear in their lives. I would have helped her myself, but I have no idea how to explain magic, I said. Maybe I can help, Cellestra suggested. At least with the basics. I had to learn those myself years back, and I think I can explain them well enough for Elira to get a bit of a head start. Are you sure? I asked. Dont worry about it. I dont have to do anything dangerous. She needs to learn mana control first, and for that, I can use the same spell I use on you. I could also tell her about some simple spells, but I cant show her how its done. That sounds interesting, My father said. If youre willing to help, then who am I to say no? I thought about what she said. Cellestra was right that as long as she didnt cast her combat spells, thered be nothing to worry about. The only thing that had me a bit anxious was the fact that her spell was unique, and highly valuable. Wed have to make sure that Elira told nobody about it. What do you think, Kealyna? Cellestra asked me. I nodded. Sounds good to me. 2.108 Pillow After that, we had a hearty dinner consisting of more of the same as yesterday. I reckoned that even after two days, there was more than enough meat leftover for one or two more. We thanked my parents once more for their kindness, and after Elira had shown me her spell once more, Cellestra and I were off to our shelter, to get some good rest. Cellestra, I said once we were in the forest after a quick stop at the shrines for Cellestra to use the facilities. You know what Im going to say, right? Not really, actually. I just wanted to make sure you know what youre doing with Elira. Im talking about your special spell. Do you think its wise to reveal it to her? Hmmm, She let out. I see what you mean. The thing is, Im not sure if I can teach her without using that. I mean, I learned everything about it from Rose and she showed me how to cast it through using it on me. That does complicate things a bit, I suppose. So yes, its pretty much the only way I know how to show magic to others. I dont know how its usually done. Youre right in that we cannot allow anyone else to learn about the existence of a spell like this. Well need to have a good talk with Elira about it I think. I hope that a good talk is enough, I replied. She will undoubtedly at some point be asked how she learned magic, or from whom. We must make sure she knows how to answer that without giving away too much, and hope that she answers just that. Agreed. Anyway, well think about it later. Cant be worrying about it now when we need our rest, I concluded the topic. Do you still have shampoo? Of course I do. Have you finally found the time to get a proper bath? Cellestra asked with a sly smile. Hmmm. Well have a few hours'' time. I reckon thats enough, right? The brunette giggled at that, just as we reached our shelter. Without a care in the world, I tossed my halberd to the side and collapsed with my head in the hole from such an angle that the eyes on the side of my head had vision on the entrance. I then laid my torso down on the web, face down. Evening was slowly falling, but inside this shelter, it wasnt as noticeable. There was still plenty of light coming in from the entrance, but the whole was dimmed nonetheless. That pillow, Cellestra said. You wanted me to remind you. Oh crap. Youre right. I reluctantly stood up again and started summoning threads, which I brainlessly spun around into a ball, which I later flattened. I then spun more silk around the semi-rectangle more meticulously and in proper lines to create a pillow. There, I said as I finished my work. A job well done if I do say so myself. I patted the cushion twice and noted just how soft yet firm it was. I hope you like it, I said as I handed it to Cellestra who eagerly took it and did the same as I had. She then laid it down on the web, grabbed the one intact wolf pelt, and lay down taking in the softness of the pillow in a perhaps overexaggerated fashion. Its wonderful. Thank you so much. I laid myself down for the second time to peer right into her eyes when I turned my head and torso, the warmest smile on her lips. Im happy you like it. Also, damn. What is it? She asked, her smile making way for confusion. I should have made another one. Cellestra giggled softly. Theres plenty of space on this one. She lifted her head and slowly pushed the pillow my way until it hit my nose. You sure? I asked, realizing she wouldnt have much space left. She nodded. I lifted my head as she shoved the pillow under my face, shuffling herself closer to me in the process. Well played, I said, realizing what she was doing. What do you mean? Cellestra asked with a feigned smile of innocence. You just wanted to get closer, didnt you? Perhaps. You dont mind, do you? Not at all. She moved her head closer to mine until it was mere inches away, her purple eyes sparkling with happiness before she closed them. Im so happy with you, Kealyna, She whispered. Do you feel the same? You know I do, I whispered back. Cellestra said nothing, but her gentle smile told me enough. I hugged her frame with two legs and wished her good night as I cast my healing light on her. Good night, Kealyna. The night was exceedingly long, considering wed gone to sleep early. I swore I would have gone crazy doing this a long time ago if I didnt have the person I loved more than anything so close to me. It gave me something to watch over, to keep safe until first light, That in itself, made me content. Our meeting wasnt until noon, which would be a good way out from dawn. I chose to let Cellestra sleep for a few more hours, as we would have more than plenty of time to do all that we planned to do. I was happy to see her waking up without external help from me. Cellestra stretched her arms and yawned before opening her eyes to stare into mine, which had just opened as well due to waking myself up as soon as shed stirred. Hey, Kealyna. Good morning. Morning. Slept well? Since Ive met you, Ive hardly slept poorly. Happy to hear that. How late is it? Cellestra asked as she sat up. Its not too late, right? Its like two hours after dawn, if I had to guess. Plenty of time until our meeting. She nodded as she reached for her backpack and pulled out an apple. Want one? She asked. I shook my head. Save those for yourself. I know how much you like apples. After she finished and handed me the core, which disappeared inside my arachnid mouth, she pulled out the bottle of shampoo, a comb, and looked at me with a smile. You are just eager to work on my hair, arent you? I cant help it. You have the softest, most beautiful hair Ive ever seen. If thats true, I replied. Then yours is a close second. I grinned as I stood up and exited the nest. Cellestra followed, taking her backpack with her and placing it in the grass as I sat down so she could access my hair better. Finally, She said as she walked up to me and started combing the filth and grime out of my hair. Finally, we can get this hair of yours fixed. Its bothered me for the longest time. Sorry about that. Cellestra giggled softly as she removed the worst of it from the entire length of my hair. After she was done with that, she asked me to rinse it, which I did. She continued to comb while I rinsed and I asked her if she wanted me to do her hair after she was finished with mine. Id love that, She replied. After cleaning and rinsing properly, Cellestra applied the shampoo and then took off her shirt, revealing the silken wraps and precious amulet underneath. I was surprised shed still not taken the silk off, but I suppose there was no real reason to. Id come to like the wrap very much. They were incredibly soft and comfortable. She handed me the comb and I replicated what she''d done to me. Cleaning, rinsing, and shampooing her hair before I started washing the rest of my body, using slightly more pressurized water, while the brunette assisted with cleaning where I couldnt reach. I was glad to see my natural white color spring back to life. I felt much prettier, and that was quite something considering I never cared much for looks. We rinsed our hair before I started ripping off my wraps so I could clean my torso. Cellestra saw what I was doing, and turned around, preparing to walk away, but I stopped her. Cellestra, I said softly. Its okay. I dont mind you looking. She turned around, a blush on her cheeks as I continued cleaning myself, fully aware of her embarrassed expression. Perhaps it was awkward for now, but we were in a relationship, so this awkwardness when looking at each others bodies would have to go sooner or later. When I finished, I asked if she wanted to wash the rest of her body. I I, She stuttered. I could tell that she was doubting herself from the look on her face. She was not entirely comfortable with me watching her You dont have to if you dont want to. She shook her head slowly, indicating that she may need some more time for this. Thats fine. I wont force you to do anything youre uncomfortable with. You know that. Thank you, She whispered. Lets just finish your hair, get it dried, and then wash your clothes, shall we? She nodded and started smiling again. Yeah. That sounds good. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons. Thank you so much <3 Ruyxi Isaac Tophel Li1 Mainy 2.109 Washing Washing clothes didnt turn out to be as easy as Id hoped. Not having a basin of water made things far more complicated, but we managed. Id created a line of thread between two trees that we used to dry the clothes. It was quite warm today, so it shouldnt take too long. While that was going on in the background, Cellestra combed and braided half my hair again. This is quite relaxing, you know? She said. I think you mentioned that before. Im happy you enjoy it. Think I can leave my clothes here to dry while we are out? You afraid someone will steal them? Cellestra shrugged. I dont know, I continued. I think they may be done drying by the time we leave with temperatures like this. If not, Ill use my spell to speed up the process a bit. Alright. Is there anything else we can do before we leave? I asked. Well, She said with a smile. Were almost done turning you into the most beautiful spider lady again, and weve taken care of my clothes. I think were done for a while. I had an idea earlier, I started. Should we get a tub, perhaps? To bathe and do laundry? I nodded. Hm, She let out as she thought. You might be on to something here, but She trailed off and thought again. Cant you make something like that yourself? You know, dig a hole, line it with silk. Will that work? Uh, it might. I believe its resistant to water enough for that to work, but emptying it will be a bit of an issue. I mean, I can probably evaporate it with my flame spells, but I might burn the threads too. Besides, it shouldnt be hard, or expensive to find one in the city. Meh, youre right, Cellestra said, slightly disappointed. I guess I was wishing too hard. I grinned. Nothing wrong with that. I do like the fact that I can make things myself now. Even if its exhausting, Im proud of my work on our shelter. I never thought Id enjoy it this much. It is a work of art, Cellestra said with a giggle. But if I hear that right, does that mean you want to go shopping after the meeting? I mean, we could. I wanted to make a new shirt for you today as well. Other than that, we could perhaps look for some armor for you while we are in the city? Sounds good to me, She said before chuckling, causing me to turn my head to her. Irony, She answered. Ill be the knight in armor. Well have to see how much that affects me, I said. I think my greatest advantage right now is speed. Some extra weight on you will probably be useful so youre better anchored on my back. It probably allows me to make quicker turns and maneuvers, but Im hesitant to add weight to myself. If I were to armor my entire body, and I dont even know if it will do much in terms of protection, its likely to remove my one advantage. How much do you think about these things? Cellestra asked with a sly smile on her lips. Too much for your liking, Im sure. She shook her head. This is about living, Kealyna. I dont mind you thinking about it. In fact, think about it as long as you want. That doesnt mean I dont think its funny. I guess thats one of the things I took from your spell in the dungeon. It didnt do much to me besides the shard that penetrated my eye. I had some fragments embedded in my rear, but none of them did any significant damage. Im hoping that there are going to be some more skills to improve my carapace. Having a skill like that has its advantages. The amount of money Im going to save will be insane. Cellestra giggled softly. Very practical thinking. And for that, I fear we need to face different enemies. This current dungeon doesnt seem to have any monsters with properties that can help me. You ever thought about some basic skills like your threads? Cellestra asked. What do you mean? Is there a way to improve those? Perhaps by eating spider monsters? I felt the muscles in my face contract as I was disgusted by her idea. I remembered the taste of spiders all too well, and it was wholly unpleasant. That doesnt look good. I fear you may be on to something, but last time I ate spider, I paused as I shuddered. Yuck! I mean Cellestra let out. Not so much of an advantage in some scenarios I guess, I finished. But yeah. I feel like Ive only seen very little of what I can acquire. Im kind of excited to see more. Damn, Kealyna, we just cleaned you. I know, right, I said. This pretty spider is going to get herself all dirty again soon enough. Im afraid I cant help that part. Anyway, lets check your clothes and prepare to move. I was glad to find that theyd dried. Apparently, the temperature was high enough and wed talked long enough for them to be finished. Cellestra quickly stashed them in her backpack as I retrieved my weapon. There was no way Id leave such an expensive item behind. On the way to the farm, Cellestra seemingly had a thought hit her, and she instantly voiced it. Would it be an idea to make some sort of curtain for our shelter? She didnt elaborate further, but the idea was clear enough. Lets keep that in mind. That sounds like a good idea, I said. We reached my parents residence, and since Elira was free for the day, it wasnt unexpected when she came running at me as soon as she saw me approach. Holding on to my promise from yesterday, I lifted her up and placed her on my back as I approached my mother and father at the table, drinking tea and reading something respectively. Elira commented on how soft and pretty I was, which caused me to giggle as I addressed my parents. Good morning. How are things there? Pretty quiet, but thats okay, My mother responded. And dad, youre looking for possible teachers again? Nope. Ive given up on that for the time being. Im just reading the news. They even have an article about you. Is it a good one? I asked, curious but wary. Its pretty positive. Talks about how youre joining the guild and how you have the favor of a goddess. If that wasnt enough, theres also Soranirs signature below it. I guess it helps peoples acceptance of me. Im not so bad once you get to know me. Youre an angel, My mother said. People will know that soon enough if you stick around. I have no intention to move anytime soon. Theres plenty to do from what Ive heard. Happy to hear that, My mother continued. I cant get enough of you. Would you two like something to eat before Soranir arrives? I made some bread earlier. Cant say no to that, now, can we? I turned to watch Cellestra and Elira in front of her. Thats very hard to decline, indeed, She replied. Fresh bread was always delicious, even more so to know my mother had made it herself. This was among the things Id missed most. I considered myself very lucky to be able to experience them again. After lunch, I took Elira with me for a swift run around the field as shed have to stay inside for a while as we had that meeting. My mother had made her aware of it, and I figured Id at least play with her for a bit before that. Sis, why cant I be there when you talk? She asked me when we were about halfway done. I sighed and thought of an easy way to explain things. Its because its going to be boring for you, but some of the things we will talk about would make you very sad. I dont want you to be sad, do you? No, She said after shaking her head. Do they make you sad, too? She then asked. Sometimes they do. Its something you will need to deal with when you grow older, but theres no need to think about it now, okay? I turned my head as far as I could to smile warmly at her. Okay, She replied softly. I didnt want to go into it deeper than was necessary. She still had a childhood to enjoy, and in my opinion, it should be as worry-free as possible. When we arrived back at the farmhouse, I could see that Soranir had already arrived. A horse waited at the side of the building, and the mayor sat at the table. I wasnt sure if it was noon yet, but my experience with him was that he wanted to get things done as quickly as possible. It seemed today was no exception. 2.110 Banishment Magic Hi, I said as I approached, extending an arm to shake his hand. Greetings, Kealyna, He said as he shook it. How is Thymhil treating you so far? Excellent. I havent met many people yet, but people have been nice to me, generally. I supposed the only exception was the jewelry lady. Good to hear, He said. I heard theres something important you have to tell me. I nodded. There is. Hold on a second. I lifted Elira from my back, placed her on the ground, and patted her head. Well go for our talk now, okay? She nodded and ran over to my mother, who took her hand and entered the building. She reappeared a minute or so later. So, I started when my mother returned. Lets get to the point. Im sure youll appreciate that. I inhaled deeply before I started my monologue. To the south, outside Len Asari province, there are three stone pillar structures, obelisks they are called. After I passed one of them on the way here, a beam of light shot from its top. I soon after had a ritual where I talked to Elysa. She informed me that the light that shot from the obelisk was in fact a remnant of banishment magic from ancient times. She didnt know a whole lot more, but urged me to find out whatever I could. The problem is that the obelisks are older than Elysa, so to find anything will be exceedingly hard. An archivist at the wall knows of the story and sent out scouts to collect any tomes and books on the subject, and since I got here way before any of them will arrive, I thought it prudent to inform you of the situation. Did you say banishment magic? Soranir looked at me with stern eyes, and the most serious expression Id ever seen in my life. Yes. Elysa said it was a very, very ancient type, and that the structures seemed to function as anchors for the spell. The magic in them, as far as I managed to find out, seems to have diminished over the years. That little bit of information is important, as it means the other two monoliths will eventually deplete as well. Banishment magic, Soranir started before a long pause. Is bad news. He peered deep into my eyes, sending shivers down my spine. If youre lying about this, know that the punishment is severe. I can assure you Im not. I swear that on my honor as a knight. I also have a witness in Cellestra, and another in a succubus named Gwyn of the Caidrean blood. She is employed at one of the checkpoints at the border, together with Vyath, the archivist I spoke of. I bought the token to have this weapon crafted off of him. I planted the butt of my halberd into the gravel. I also want to add that this is very sensitive information. Not many people know about it, and Id like to keep it that way. Im sure you understand. To prevent panic, Soranir added to my sentence, to which I nodded. I am not quite sure how to go from here, He continued. We have a library, and Ill have it turned upside down to find anything. Besides that, I can do as your archivist did, and send out messengers to nearby villages to have them scoured as well, but what do we do beyond that? I dont know, I admitted. I believe there are going to be camps set up to monitor the area surrounding the obelisks. If my presence is required, I am going to be summoned. What we need more than anything, and preferably as fast as possible, is information. My mother and father were listening intently to our conversation quietly, concern showing on their faces. If I may ask, what do you know about banishment magic? That its used to seal away creatures in prisons, Soranir started. Its exceedingly rare for someone to possess the magic to cast such spells, let alone use it. The only reason for it ever to be used is because the creature in question is too powerful for them to take on, but its not to be used lightly as it consumes some of its casters soul. From your story, I have to conclude there is something powerful, far more powerful than anything Ive heard of, imprisoned somewhere near there. Crap, I let out. And anchors for magic, Ive heard of them, but not of that magnitude. Then there''s the fact they seem to deplete. We may have to inform the king and ready the army and the guilds. That wasnt at all what I wanted to hear, but I was at least happy to get some insight into what was going on. If there was anything I hated about this, it was being left in the dark. Still, it confirmed the situation was grave, but I hadnt seen Gwyns pet fly here yet. I hoped it was a sign there would be time to sort things out. I wont inform the king just yet, but if you receive any information, any sign you are summoned there, I will. I trust you will let me know when that happens. I will. I was going to trust Soranirs judgment in this. While I was certain it would be fine to keep the number of people who knew about this small for the time being, from what the mayor had just told me, it could escalate one day. Can we meet again tomorrow? he asked as he stood up. Well have the entire library combed, possible all throughout the night. Id like to look at possible findings tomorrow. Uhh, I let out. Tomorrow will be okay, but it will have to be somewhere in the afternoon or evening, after we finish our guild trial. Consider that arranged then. Thank you for notifying me about all this. Well talk again tomorrow. He was off to his horse, mounted it, and galloped off, the gravel crunching beneath his horses hooves before it reached grass and dirt. I was left praying he would find something in the library. I would have helped him, but I doubted Id be able to enter, and even if I could, Id probably cause more problems than help. I let out a deep sigh, knowing that my life was going to be thrown into turmoil again sooner or later. You okay? Cellestra asked after shed walked up to my side. Yes, Im okay. Im glad Soranir seems to understand the situation. The banishment magic part wasnt that pleasant to hear, though. That sounded scary, for sure. Kealyna, My mother called out. Then, without further words, she walked up to me and took me in for a hug, her hands behind my head as she pushed it onto her shoulder. She then ran them through my long hair. I was about to comment and say I was fine, but I realized this wasnt about me. As much as I was able to fight my way through things, including feelings and even worries (partly thanks to Cellestra) I understood that my mother didnt have that luxury. I let her caress me to her heart''s desire as she whispered my name for a second time. I love you, mom, I whispered as I hugged her back. Always have, always will. I know you do, sweetie. I love you too. Im sorry for making you worry, I continued. Its alright. Its not your fault, we know that. I know Thank you, I said after a while, as my mom broke away. I wish I could make this easier on you. I trust you, Kealyna. As you said earlier, this would have happened no matter what. Im proud of your actions and confident youll be able to help. I looked over at my dad, who didn''t say anything, but nodded, agreeing with his wifes words. Perhaps my mother was right. Maybe I should take this as an opportunity for them to be proud of me. Whatever may come, I was sure it was going to be dangerous, but with an entire kingdom there to tackle the problem, we would overcome this, and I could make that name for myself that I wanted to. I needed to train more. I needed to get stronger. I swore that after tomorrow and even on the day itself, Id work hard to improve myself and help Cellestra out, too. I nodded and thanked my mother once more. Shall we go get Elira? I then asked. She has to be bored out of her mind. Wait for just a second, Cellestra said, raising a finger. While shes not here, do you want me to help teach her magic? Hard choice, I said. Mom, dad, how well can she keep secrets? Is there something wrong? My father asked. No, I said, shaking my head. Theres nothing wrong, but you see, the only way Cellestra can teach Elira magic is through the use of a unique spell. We do not want people to know about it. Oh, He replied. Its okay, Cellestra said. We can wait if you want. I dont mind. I think it will be okay, My mom said. Shes an honest girl, and Im sure having a good talk will help. I understand its risks. Perhaps, if she does too, it would help, but its up to you. Lets think about it a bit more, Cellestra suggested. Alright, My mother said. Ill go get her. Thank you anyway, Cellestra. Youre a very sweet girl. I chuckled and then smiled as I noticed a blush appear on the brunettes face. A very sweet girl, indeed. 2.111 Armor Elira was all too happy that our talks were over. She immediately ran up to me and asked our parents if she could show me her spell. The way she asked it made me think shed taken our earlier words very seriously. I was happy she had, as it added to my belief she was trustworthy enough to learn magic from Cellestra. The only thing that was really making me hesitant was her age, but despite her playfulness, she seemed to have plenty of maturity when it was desired. I hoped it wasnt forced onto her the way it was forced onto me. I remained silent as I thought about the elven girl. My parents adopted her from an orphanage, which meant shed lost her parents some way, somehow. I wondered how long ago it had been, and just how much Elira remembered. I prayed it was little. At the very least, I expected her experience after that to have been better than mine. This city didnt look like it treated its people, especially children, badly. Sis? Eliras voice and expectant eyes looked up at me. Huh? I let out as I was snapped back to reality. Mom said its okay. Lets go. She hopped a few yards before pointing her finger in the air, aiming away from me, and started channeling her sparkstorm spell. In the meantime, Cellestra walked up to my side and whispered if I was okay. Im fine. I was a bit lost in thought thinking about Eliras history, I whispered back, making sure the little girl wouldnt hear me. I understand. Looking good, Elira, I said, turning my attention back to her. Its so pretty! She let out. I cant wait until I know more. As long as you listen to mom and dad, I said. Youll get there, Im sure. The girl nodded as she canceled the spell. Hey, Elira. What do you want to be when you grow up? I asked. I want to be like you, sis! I want to learn magic and then explore dungeons! I want to see them with my own eyes. And what do mom and dad think of that? I dont think they were too happy with it at first, She said. They thought it was too early for me to decide that, but later, they said I should at least study hard and become strong before joining the guild. And they are right. Even I got injured. You really need to know what youre doing, and even then, have to be careful. She nodded. I understand. But, I continued. You have plenty of time. Dont worry about it too much. Well help you in whatever way we can. Thank you, sis! Elira said with a smile. Youre the best! Glad you like me so much, I said as I patted her head. Also, I think Cellestra and I will have a look around in the city. There are some things wed like to get including a tub to wash our clothes and whatnot. If you need a tub, My father joined the conversation. We may be able to help there. The farmer who owns this place has a few steel troughs that will suffice, large enough to bathe in, brand new and they are just sitting there in a storage shed. Im sure he wont mind selling one. Well, that does make things a bit easier. What do you say, Cellestra? She shrugged. Works for me. Ill talk to him and let you know. Thanks, dad, I said warmly. Appreciate it. You going to the city? Elira asked curiously, a hint of sadness in her voice. As I said before, I told her. Its important to prepare. We figured some good armor on Cellestra wouldnt hurt. I see. Well be back later, though. Cellestra? Yes? Should we ask the smith to create some armor with our remaining starmetal? Hmmm, Cellestra thought aloud. Would it not be a better idea to try to save that? I mean, we have plenty of money. Cant we get our hands on really good armor, either way? Maybe we can use the starmetal for another weapon later on, or something? I suppose we could. Theres also that crafting a weapon is one thing, but a set of armor is something entirely different. It certainly wont be done before tomorrow. I took the ingot from my back and held it up before Elira. Her eyes had sparkles in them as I saw her pupils trace the shining veins in the metal. Do you want to hold on to this until we need it again? I asked her. Sure! She happily exclaimed as she extended her arms. I placed the bar in her open hands and almost let go. The ingot was heavy and if I let go of it completely, I was sure shed drop it. Woah. How strong are you? She said after she managed to carry it, albeit barely. I had given it to her with a single hand, and she was having difficulty carrying it with two. Pretty strong. I told you, I said, flexing my muscles. Now this is something you can start training, I added with a grin. Woah. Thats a good idea! She said before I lifted her. I placed her in the doorframe before I told her wed come here again after shopping. Take good care of that, okay? I said as I waved and Cellestra climbed on my back. Well see you later. My parents waved back as well as we headed out, again. Even though we reached our destination, it still felt as if we were constantly on the move, constantly trying to improve a wide variety of things. Think Zearis would be a good place to start? I asked. I feel like weve built up some trust, and that he knows best where to get what we need. I think thats fair. With the brunette on my back and halberd in hand, we entered Thymhil again. The place was still bustling, but less so than the day before, something which I didnt mind as wading through the crowd was now significantly easier. We came to a halt in front of the stall that belonged to the blacksmith that had made my weapon. A few racks with complete armor sets, both mail and plate, stood at the sides, but when I took a closer look at them and ran my hands over the metal, I noticed that the quality of materials used was even lower than the armor I used to wear. What is the best armor? Cellestra asked. Plate, for sure, but Im looking at this steel and its not really doing it for me. I mean, its okay for beginners, but with our budget, I wouldnt even consider this. Seems someone knows her armor, Zeariss voice called out as he approached. I know a thing or two, I said with a smile. Hello, Zearis. How is it going? Just the usual. How is your new weapon? Havent used it yet. Well be going to the Proving Grounds tomorrow. Ill make sure to test it out there. Do let me know how it does, The smith said, a most serious expression on his face. So, youre looking for armor? Yes, I replied. I was hoping you could help us find good quality armor. That shouldnt be a problem, but I am slightly worried about how we get it to fit. Its not for me. Its for Cellestra. I see. And your budget? What can we get for forty gold coins? I asked. The smiths eyes went wide at the mention of the apparently substantial amount of gold we were prepared to spend. For that, He said before pausing. You can get something significant, but for five coins extra, I can offer something even better, a rarity reserved for those with the coin to afford it. I took my halberd with a pedipalp so I could cross my arms. If I calculated correctly, we currently had forty-eight gold coins, but we would spend some more on that tub, or well, trough. I doubted it would cost too much, though. Do tell. Wolf iron infused steel. Plate armor infused with the strongest metal Ive seen. The problem with it is that its also incredibly heavy and hard to work with, meaning that armor made of nothing but wolf iron is impossible to achieve without the use of magic fire. Ive only been able to create a 10 percent alloy. I chuckled at the sellers talk. He did have a way of making it sound incredibly fascinating, and I was definitely interested. Hold on a second. Why dont I show you? He said before walking inside the workshop, disappearing through a door. Moments later, he returned with a chest plate that had a darker shade of gray than the steel I was used to. In addition, there seemed to be a few discolorizations, showing odd lines of yellow, blue, and a bronze color at the bottom. He walked up to the side of his stall, and stretched his muscled arms, holding up the piece of armor before speaking with the utmost confidence. Why dont you go ahead and hit it with your strongest spell? Faragi Special shoutout to my new patron. Thank you so much <3 Roethan 2.112 Wolf iron My strongest spell? I asked. Trust me, you dont want me to use that here. The collateral damage would be disastrous. Didnt take you for a mage, Zearis replied, raising his eyebrows. It was obvious that the image of me with a high-quality halberd and knowing a thing or two about armor gave him the idea that that was my specialty. Unfortunately for him, my magic went far beyond my physical capabilities. The smith reached for the first weapon he could find on the table next to him C a steel short sword C and handed it to me. I suppose you know how to handle one? He asked to which I nodded. Great. Use that, Im certain youll be impressed. Cant I use my own weapon? I inquired. Zearis shook his head. Starmetal will still be able to damage a ten percent alloy. It wont be much, but I dont want to sell damaged goods. Twenty to twenty-five percent wolf iron will completely negate it, if you were wondering, but you cant get that here. I nodded, grateful for the information. I prepared the sword, ready to stab. I would try to contain my strength as I doubted that was something the smith had accounted for. He held up the armor a second time and nodded, giving the go-ahead. I thrust the weapon forward and hit the steel. The tip of the sword easily glided off the plate and I inspected its impact. I was pleasantly surprised to not even see a scratch in my reflection. Again, The smith instructed with confidence, prompting me to put some more force behind my attack. Once more, the armor survived without any damage. You can do better than that! Fine. Have it, then. I thrust the sword forward a third time, putting in all the strength I could muster, hoping that Zearis would possess the strength to be able to withstand the force behind my blow. His muscled arms were not just for show, that much was clear after my strike. He had no trouble holding on to the chest plate, and when I surveyed the damage, I noticed that the sword had suffered far more than the armor. The tip of the borrowed blade was bent slightly from the impact, which caused Zearis to smile widely. When I next took a close look at the wolf iron-infused metal, there was a bit of a scratch, but the smiths confidence was more than justified. Sorry about the sword, I said, feeling guilty for damaging it. Zearis chuckled. You think I wasnt prepared for that? Hell, thats easy to fix. So, whatcha say? He was quick to continue his negotiation from earlier, and I, after seeing this demonstration, was eager to buy a full set of this. Our savings would evaporate before our eyes, but Cellestras safety was worth every coin. Forty-five coins, right? Well take it. I knew you would, Zearis said with a smile. Cellestra, may I invite you inside to get it fitted? The brunette looked into my lower eyes, a hint of hesitation in her own, but I nodded and lowered myself. Alright, She said as she stepped off and followed the smith. I took a small detour and partially walked inside the forging area as the brunette and Zearis walked through it, the smith handing the damaged sword to one of the others for repair, before they both disappeared through a door at the far end. I noticed that the man that Zearis handed the sword to was the same person who hurt himself with a hammer the other day. His hand was fully bandaged and I was surprised he could still work. He seemed to be in pain still, and the sight of it made me feel sorry for him. He looked at me for a split second before he focused on the sword, or well, he tried to. It wasnt hard to see his pupils darting to me every few seconds, seemingly still amazed at my existence. I placed myself on the ground and addressed him. I wont do you any harm, you know? The man tried to ignore me, and seemingly intensified his gaze on the weapon in response. Whats your name? I asked. Londis, He said with a single word, before he reached for a hammer and, with his uninjured hand, started hammering the tip of the sword. Kealyna, I said my own name. Londis. Please let me have a look at your hand. Why? He asked, not bothering to look at me. So I can heal it. It looks painful to work like that. You can heal? He asked after finally turning to me. I nodded. Yes. I should have done that before. Im sorry. And why would you do that? He asked skeptically. Honor, I said. Want me to help you or not? Londis sighed and placed his hammer on the anvil with a sigh before moving his stool and placing it in front of me. He couldnt help but stare into my lower eyes as he sat down again, carefully unwrapping the bandages in the process. When his hand was revealed, I winced at his injury once more. Part of his hand was blue and purple from heavy bruises, and I was certain that at least one of his joints was broken. How he managed to use the hand, still, was a mystery. By the goddess, I let out. How can you even work like that? Ive had worse. Still I summoned a bit of warm water to clean his hand as to prevent infection if there were any wounds that were going to be closed by my healing light, for I wasnt sure if it would help with those. I thought it better to be safe than sorry. After cleaning, I cast my spell, several times as I saw the bruise shrink and joints assume a more natural shape. A snapping sound and a wince of pain from the smith confirmed that he had broken something, not a surprise to me when I looked at the hammer he hit himself with. Londis eventually seemed to lose his apparent coldness towards me and when I finished, he thanked me warmly, checking out every inch of his mended hand. No problem, but please, watch what youre doing next time. I swear Im not that special. Ill try. Thank you for the healing, He said, opening and closing his hand repeatedly before he picked up his stool and moved back to the anvil, tossing his used bandages in the fires of a nearby forge. I watched him hammer the bend out of the sword, before he moved over to a pedal-powered grinding stone to grind away the remaining damage. A few minutes later, the door opened and Zearis led a heavily-armored Cellestra through it. I giggled as I watched the brunette, whose head was mostly obscured because of a helmet that looked similar to Sellerons, minus the plume, struggle to even walk. She stumbled more than walked as she was clearly unused to all the added weight. You doing okay in there? I asked with a hint of a tease. Ive been trying for minutes. How the hell did you do this? I shrugged, a smile on my face. Practice, I guess. The good thing for you is that the idea is for you to not move around in it. That being said I cant not move forever, She replied. Exactly. Practice makes perfect I guess, She said as she waddled forward. I couldnt help but laugh softly. Well get there. Have you arranged payment? Zearis nodded. All set. I hope it serves you well. He patted Cellestras back, almost making her trip. I was just in time extending two legs to catch her. Oops, Zearis let out, realizing what he did. Its okay, Cellestra said, as I helped her stabilize. Thank you for the suggestion, I said to Zearis as Cellestra struggled to climb on my back. I had to support her with my legs and once she made it, the extra weight I had to carry was noticeable, but it didnt add any additional strain. Well make sure to visit again when we need anything. Happy to hear that, The smith said with a smile. Good luck tomorrow. I waved as we exited the workshop and halted in the center of the city to see how Cellestra was doing. Im doing fine. Its just that Im totally not used to this. Are you okay? This is nothing, I said. Dont worry about me. I knew that I was getting myself into. I paused for a few seconds as I went over our plans for the day. Is there anything else we need from here? I asked. Dont think so. In that case, lets go home and see if my dad was able to arrange something. Gods, we really need to get some more money soon. Cellestra giggled. Thank you for the armor, and Im sure well be able to earn it back once were in the guild. I nodded before I spoke with playfulness in my voice. We better. 2.113 Stay On the way back to the farm, we made sure to test one of the armors properties its weight. I informed Cellestra of what I was about to do, so she could hold on tight. I made a few sharp turns to see how much the added weight helped Cellestras stability. The effect was there, but if I did it too fast, shed lean far to the sides, and, while she managed to hold on just fine, I knew it would strain her because she lacked the strength. For short periods, I imagined it would be fine, but Id have to be somewhat careful with my movements. Nevertheless, her new armors main goal was to protect her from attacks, and I had no doubt it would do that without issues. Youre a true knight now, I commented after some athletics. With a talking mount, Cellestra added. Im only missing the lance. Do you think you will even be able to lift one? The brunette shook her head. Definitely not. Id think about getting you more used to armor, but I just had an idea strike me, I said. Do tell. I have passive skills that improve my strength. I mean, you saw me hold back there with that sword. We both have an ability that keeps a barrier around us passively. Now, Im wondering if there are any spells, or spell scrolls that offer something similar for physical strength. I dont know, Cellestra answered. Sounds expensive if it exists. I guess I should have asked the shop owner when I brought that scroll for Elira. Maybe next time, I said, smiling, before pausing for a few seconds. There is another spell I possess, that might be of some use to you, called Adrenaline Rush, but Ive never used it before. Its description says it offers me a short burst of extreme speed at a drawback when the effect ends. It results in exhaustion, and the spell can only be used once per day. Im not sure if its possible for you to replicate it, but we could look into it, I suppose. Im always open to ideas. It cant hurt, right? So much to explore, I let out, thinking about all the secrets that dungeons held. I wonder if there are any spell scrolls that are unique, that have never been found before. I believe they exist, Cellestra said. But some are lost. The peddler that used to visit me told me a story once about how one of his old party members found a spell scroll and learned the spell within, but he grossly underestimated it, and didnt possess the mana pool to be able to cast it. He never managed to get enough in his lifetime. Makes you wonder how many spells are lost like that. That sounds regrettable, I said. All those spells that never were. Thats why its important to get them appraised, see what info there are on spells with similar names and such. I nodded. More than understandable. We arrived at my parents residence and noticed the aforementioned steel trough waiting for us on the gravel, Elira doing her best to hide behind it. My parents waved at us from the table, their gazes immediately drawn to Cellestra. Who is that? Elira asked from the safety of cover. Its me, The purple-eyed elf called out in her usual, soft voice. Cellestra? Elira called, my parents grinning in the background. I helped her get off my back and she removed her helmet. Woah, The elven girl called out. Youre like a knight! Except Im not, Cellestra replied as Elira approached. But your sister is. Well, kind of. I grinned. Afraid I left that behind. Im an adventurer now, and I have to admit, I enjoy the freedom of being able to do whatever I want. Anyway, I said, increasing my volume so my parents could easily follow. Seems your landlord didnt have problems selling one of those troughs? One silver coin was all he asked, so we didnt hesitate to buy it. No need to pay us back, My father said. We all know that aint gonna happen, I said with a grin. Though, I dont think we have any silver coins, only gold. Its fine, My father said again. I shrugged but decided to let it rest for now. Thank you, I said in conclusion. I then looked at my little sister who was circling around and checking out Cellestra. You look so cool. Do you not have a sword to go with it? I dont even know how to use one, Cellestra admitted, petting Elira with a gloved hand, before trying to walk through the gravel, her heavy boots grinding the small rocks. Are you okay? My mother asked, her voice serious, but without concern. I suppose that was the result of both Cellestra and me being in a good mood. Im fine, The brunette replied, her helm under her arm. Im just not used to this. I admire you for being able to walk in this, Kealyna. Ive run in it, too. I understand what you mean, though. I had years of training before I even wore anything like that, and what you have is heavier than what I could dream of. I wish you were the one who needed it most, She replied. Id love to see you in this. I suppose it would add to the scare factor. Cellestra giggled. For sure. We spent some time talking and playing with Elira. We quickly found out I was terrible at hide and seek, terrible because of my side, which was the only thing left for me as I couldnt close all my eyes so Id always know where Cellestra and Elira ran off to. In fact, the only one that could somewhat play this was the elven girl herself. Cellestra had no way to hide in time, but it proved valuable practice for learning to maneuver. At the end of it all, she was left exhausted and, after a very early dinner, we decided to call it a day and go home to finish up a few things regarding our home and spend a bit of time on magic practice. Cellestra held on to my weapon while I carried the trough, which we ultimately decided to place at the edge inside the shelter after creating another hole in the horizontal webs. Before I placed it there Id created a small hole at the bottom that we could easily plug with a primitive stopper that was nothing more than a ball of concentrated silk. The trough was placed on the grass and then merged into the webs with thousands of threads, preventing it from being stolen. Not that I thought anyone was likely to invade our home, but still The brunette rested while I worked. She simply lay in the webs and watched me work on the bathtub and then on her idea of a curtain of sorts to cover the entrance. For that, I wove an immense sheet of silk in the grass outside. When, after an hour or so, it was finished, I connected the top above the entrance so that it fell over the gap. If there was a lot of wind, it could simply be fastened with one-time use strings, which could then be removed again in the morning when we headed out. I lifted the curtain and entered, collapsing in the hole next to Cellestra after I was finished. That was a great idea, I said. It feels much cozier inside all of a sudden. Youre right. It does. Still want to do some practice? I asked. She shook her head. In all honesty, Im far too tired to concentrate. I dont think much will come of it. I saw. Today hasnt been kind for you. Ill get used to it, as you said, but yes, today wasnt the best of days. Lets get you out of all that, I suggested. Id be more than happy to get out of this, She paused for a few seconds. And I think a bath wouldnt be excessive either. Ive been sweating like a pig. I was wondering if youd experience the same. Its definitely one of the more annoying things. Most defininitely. I helped her free herself of her constraining armor and placed the individual items at the side of the nest. Once she was fully liberated, she heaved a sigh of relief and thanked me warmly. I then plugged the hole at the bottom of the tub and summoned water to fill it, as warm as I could. When it was full, I prepared to leave the shelter, when Cellestra extended an arm to grab mine, halting me. She had a shy smile on her face as she spoke. Its okay. Stay if you want. 2.114 Continue Are you sure? I asked, knowing her awkwardness from last time couldnt have fully disappeared in such a short time. Its okay, She said softly. I want to be comfortable around you. Are you not already? Cellestra nodded. I am. Okay, I whispered. Besides, She continued with a warm smile. I think I may need your help to get the silk off. Its quite strong, isnt it? I replied with a hint of a giggle. Its nice and soft too, but having it on this long is probably a bit too much. I can confirm. Before Cellestra took off her clothes, she took off her amulet that was hidden beneath and looked at it in the palm of her hand. You think shes happy? I asked with a whisper. If she can look down at me from where she is, Im sure she is, and I have her to thank for a lot of it. If youre happy, Im sure she is, too. Cellestra nodded as she took off her shirt and put it down with the jewelry on top of it. She then reached into her backpack to get the bottle of shampoo, a comb and handed those to me. If you want, She said, to which I nodded. She took off the rest of her clothes and showed me her back for me to remove the silk. After that was done, she slowly submerged herself in the water, while I created a new sponge, my face as red as the tomatoes in the fields at the farm. Cellestra noticed it and blushed slightly too before she seemed to relax and giggle at the sight. Its cute to see the ever-so-confident knightly spider like that, She whispered as she started scrubbing off the dirt. Theres not much left of my confidence ever since I got reincarnated, I said. Theres too much for me to lose to live the same way I did before. Your determination is nonetheless admirable, She replied. Perhaps even more so because you have things to lose. Makes sense, I said as I positioned myself at the head end of the tub. I proceeded to carefully scrub Cellestras hair with my fingers while summoning new, warm water to rinse them. That feels nice, She said happily. I know, I replied with a smile. Lets hope you wont have to spend too much time in armor tomorrow. You dont feel like doing this every day? I mean, I dont mind doing this, but I was referring to your obvious exhaustion. I think it would be better if we could practice and slowly build up your experience with it. How are you feeling after wearing it for so long? Sore, She said. But its getting better now. Nothing like a warm bath to soothe the muscles. And you doing my hair while Im at it. I chuckled at her response and continued to comb her hair. Im just glad youre feeling more at ease. It helps that were completely closed off from the outside world, The purple-eyed elf admitted. Honestly, how you could just clean yourself out in the open, knowing that there are people in this forest, is testament to your bravery. I grinned but didnt say a word as I took the bottle and applied the shampoo. I tried to focus on her hair, but I found my eyes trailing off to the rest of her body while she scrubbed it. By the goddess was she beautiful Enjoying the view? Cellestras words made me refocus. Shed turned her head and was staring into my eyes, a shy smile on her face. Id completely lost myself and apologized. No need to be sorry, She said. It kind of makes me happy. It does? To know youre happy and attracted to me when looking at me, yes, why wouldnt that make me feel joy? Im happy you feel that way, I said as I rubbed the roots of her hair, making her close her eyes and smile contently. Time passed us by as Cellestra simply relaxed in the tub. The world outside our shelter was starting to go dark when she finally decided that it had been enough. She stepped out after removing the silk stopper and allowed the water to fall down from her unblemished, perfect body, smiling. At the same time, I used my warm air spell to dry her quickly. She thanked me and put on some underwear and was about to reach into her backpack for her clothes when she stopped her arm, seemingly in hesitation. Kealyna? She asked with a whisper. Yes? She slowly turned her head to look me in the eyes. You wanna go to sleep? If you want to call it a day, I said. Im ready whenever. Alright, She said with a nod, retracting her arm. In the meantime, I placed myself in the divot and stretched my legs while I watched Cellestra lie down next to me, closing the gap between us until she was right next to me, and take hold of my arm with hers, pressing my hand against her bare belly. We didnt say a word and simply stared, enjoying each others presence in the last light that was there before the world went dark, Cellestra, I was the first to speak, softly as to not break the serenity that surrounded us. Im so happy when Im with you. I can feel my love growing each passing day. I feel the same. Im so thankful for you showing me all this. Its wonderful beyond words. Cellestra reached for the silk pillow and placed it under both our heads before she moved just a bit closer, hugging my arm. I turned to my side as much as I could and placed my arm around her back, properly hugging her as I added two legs to it as well. You wont get cold like this, right? I asked. She was lacking a shirt, and while I didnt think it was cold in here at all, I couldnt gauge it properly thanks to my cold resistance skill. Its nice and warm in here. I doubt it, She replied. I cast my healing light spell, causing a satisfied purr to escape her lips, which in turn, made me giggle. I then ran a hand through her clean, silky hair, accidentally touching her ears in the process, but she didnt seem to mind. I could do this for hours, I whispered. And I can enjoy it for just as long, Cellestra replied. I know. Good night, Cellestra. Good night, Kealyna. It was a long night, but I enjoyed every moment of it. Cellestras quiet snoring would never bore me. Now that wed gone to bed early more than once, which did allow me to stay asleep with my elven head relatively long, did seem to cause less strain on my mind as a whole. If the nights continued like this, I felt I could delay having to sleep fully for a good while. The nest was slowly illuminated by the rising sun, and an hour or two after dawn, Cellestra stirred. It was good she did, as I was about to wake her up. She had two apples for breakfast, and after that, we quickly found out it took a while for her to get dressed with all that armor. You know, I said as I helped her tighten the last straps. The fun part about armor is that you hope you dont need it. That may be, She replied. But I do feel a lot safer with it. She put on her helmet and backpack and we set out to see Selleron and his squad. I hoped we werent late. We found him and the other soldiers already waiting at the guild hall. It would seem we were tardy as he was tapping his foot as we approached. When we did, he opened the door to the guild and shouted Felmars name. Was wondering when youd show up, He said in a friendly, yet serious manner. Im sorry, I said. As you can see, we bought some armor for Cellestra, and lets just say that she isnt used to it or putting it on for that matter. Selleron let out a slight chuckle. I see its wolf iron so for someone new to it like her, I can imagine the struggles. Happy to see you going for quality, though. Pricey, but Im sure you know its value far outweighs the cost. He nodded, just as Felmar, in armor, exited the building, his eyes immediately drawn to Cellestra on my back. Well, then, Selleron said, excitement surfacing in his voice. Ready to continue where we left off? 2.115 Hot & Cold It was fun for me to see that for once I wasn''t the center of attention, although I doubted that Cellestra liked all the stares. She shifted uneasily while we made our way to the dungeon, but it seemed to improve with time, her confidence growing. By the time we reached our destination, she was strongly anchored on my back and focused, from what little I saw of her face. We entered the Proving Grounds and moved as a group, skipping the first few creatures. The only thing we had to get out of the way was a stalking lioness, simply because it was aggressive. After that, we were free to move to the second floor, where we would continue where we left off. I was eager to see what was beyond the wolves, but unfortunately, that was where our free pass ended. The wolves were there again, and reacted to our presence the same way as last time: with aggression. And much like last time, I decided to get them out of the way with nothing but my weapon and an imbuement applied to it. It was the first time I tested its worth, and I was more than satisfied with the results. The blade cut through both flesh and bone alike without any trouble. I stabbed and sliced wildly while moving to not give them a chance to encircle me. One by one, the wolves fell by either steel or the power of my legs. A few minutes later, the battle was over, prompting Selleron and his squad to walk up to us as we moved forward to the next part of the dungeon. We still found ourselves in a massive, but dead caldera, but the scenery changed slightly as we moved forward. Rocky terrain made way for soil from which colorful flowers sprouted. I tried casting an earthen spike from it, but the rocky underground was still present, preventing me from using the spell. Eventually, we came across some kind of oasis. A small lake sat at the center, seemingly not much more than a few feet deep, and smaller trees and greenery grew along its shoreline. I halted and looked around when I saw something move in the water. At first, I was expecting something like the crocolisks in my first dungeon, but it quickly became clear this wasnt anything like it. Multiple pairs of horns on either side of beast heads were moving my way. Their heads were eerily similar to a bulls, even more so than the bison Id fought. These creatures didnt look as muscled as the previous bovine, but their horns were magnitudes larger. Moreover, there were fifteen of them in total, swimming to and walking onto the shoreline. The ones that had reached it, waited and snorted in my direction. Hm, I wonder if those taste just as good, I said. Want to get some meat? Cellestra asked. Nah. Were not here for that now. Make sure to hold on tight. I dont think those horns are for show. Gotcha. I readied my weapon as the first of the animals charged at me. It was met by the tip of my halberd, which penetrated its skull, killing it almost instantly. You have killed a Caldera Buffalo: No experience was awarded. I quickly pulled out the weapon as more of the buffalos charged at me. Thanks to my new addition, I was confident Id be able to take them out one by one quite easily. It was time to start a dance, and I asked for my blessing to stop displaying messages for its duration. I ran towards the edge of the small approaching herd and held out my halberd to the side, cleaving into the side of one of the buffalos, leaving a searing wound due to the imbuement, but the creature was already collapsing due to the depth of the wound and the damage it had done. The same happened to another one of the creatures as it slowed down to turn its direction. Unfortunately for it, I was far more agile. I then quickly brought my halberd across to impale a bull that charged me from the other side, while shooting a fireball forward to another one that had appeared faster than Id expected. I jumped back, pulled my weapon with me, and created some distance between us to calmly evaluate how things stood. One of the animals was burning alive and rammed its horn into anothers side, heavily injuring it, as it panicked and ultimately, died. Five down, one injured. That meant there were nine healthy bovines to cleave through. I turned my head to look at Cellestra who nodded, indicating everything was going okay. I nodded back as I charged the outermost of the animals a second time, cutting off a leg, and running the blade through its belly and side. I shot a thick line of thread from my hand that connected to the animal, and then ran a half-circle to the other end of the pack, cleaving down another beast, and causing some of them to trip over the thread, causing confusion. I used that time to lunge forward and lance one of them that had come to a halt behind the front echelon. From there, I was able to finish off the beast that had suffered damage from one of its own. That left me with six. This new weapon sure is doing work, I said as I ran away for a second time. I turned around to see the remaining animals charge again, theyd continue to do so until they were neutralized. I took a deep breath and refocused on the battle. Things were going well, and I knew that if I just kept calm, this was easily doable without breaking a sweat, or using more mana. Cellestra held on tight and I started another charge, intending to finish this battle. The blue and silver of my blade flashed as I attacked to my left, taking another beast down. I kept using my dexterity to stay at a safe distance and then strike, avoiding their horns. A few more of my attacks landed, and ultimately, there was only one creature left, and it was bleeding profusely. I finished it by chopping off its head, ending its suffering, while Selleron approached, slowly clapping his gloved hands. Impressive. I knew youd be able to do this, but that was cleaner, far cleaner than Id expected, he said. Glad you liked that, I replied. I didnt want you to feel like youd misplaced your confidence. I dont doubt that. In fact, seeing how easily you get through this makes me feel like youd do well on the third floor, but Ill warn you, the third floor scales in difficulty way faster than the first two. If you, at any point, feel like youre unable to overcome your enemy, call out for us, okay? The seriousness that his voice assumed reminded me that dungeons were dangerous. Yes, I said, nodding. Thank you. He then pointed us in the right direction, and we continued, moving along the shoreline, until I suddenly came to a halt. Whats wrong? Cellestra asked. Give me a second, I said, turning to the water. I thought I saw something in the water and took a closer look, using my thermal vision to pierce the clean, but dark water. You mind stepping off for a second? I asked. Sure, Cellestra replied, before hopping off. I could see she was still struggling with her armor, and just sat down to lessen the strain. In the meantime, I cast the water walking spell, and skittered across the still waters surface, in order to get a better look at what was going on. Since the beasts that had been swimming here had been eliminated, and Selleron was going to have us move on, I didnt think there would be any more enemies here, but I was careful, nonetheless. The black, rocky bottom of the body of water was easily visible, but Id spotted something near the center, a small dot of red in a sea of grey on my alternative vision. It had disappeared quickly, but I know for certain Id seen it. Near the middle of the small lake, the rocky underground made place for sand, and in the center of that patch, I saw the red dot appear again, bigger this time. Just like before, it disappeared within the blink of an eye. I shot an ice lance down into the water, aiming for the dot, thinking it could be some living creature, but instead, it became stuck in something in the sand. I brought down my front two legs, willing them to pierce through my spells effect. I was successful in my attempt and, thanks to their length, they easily reached the sand, where they tapped onto something solid beneath the sand. Curiously, I started digging through it to find a small wooden chest, that seemed to contain something that was hot, and then cold, in pulses. I didnt trust this. I walked backward while moving the chest along the bottom of the water until it was on dry land. Selleron, I called the captains name. Any idea what goes hot and then cold? 2.116 Orb I know of one thing, yes, Selleron replied. And you know for certain theres something like that in that treasure chest? I do. How? I can feel it, I lied. With my legs, when I dragged it out. What is it? Is it a trap? I asked, knowing dungeons could be tricky like that. Its not, Selleron said as he knelt next to the chest and undid its locks. Its a weapon. That sounded interesting. My eyes were fixed on his hands as he moved them down into the wooden container and pulled out a an orb? The captain held up a transparent orb, seemingly made of glass, some kind of white liquid swirling inside, which, after a few seconds, transitioned to what looked like liquid flames. The fire did explain the heat that Id seen, but for some reason, I didnt see its temperature rise. What kind of weapon is that? And if its hot, why arent you burning your fingers right now? With this question, I hoped to help convince him of the lie Id told earlier. Not that I wasnt curious. I mean, what was this thing? And why did it suddenly stop getting hot and then cold? A spell orb, Selleron said. And after its touched, it stops radiating its properties, in this case, ice and fire. Okay, so, I am totally lost here. Is a spell orb similar to a spell scroll? Apologies, Selleron said, a smile behind his helmet. Yes, its similar to a spell scroll, but easier, and a bit more versatile. He paused for a second as he watched me. And Im sorry to disappoint. While this is a decent find, its value isnt terribly high. The spells contained within are a one-time use only, and generally weaker than more specialized scrolls. You see, He said as he held up the orb, about the size of a fist. The fire within changed to a milky white liquid again before he continued. This right here can be thrown at an enemy to unleash its contained spell. Before you throw it, you shake it vigorously when it has the properties of the spell you wish to use. This will start the activation sequence and make sure the resulting spell will be the effect of your choice. And how do I know what the ice and fire spells do? I asked. The orb explodes. They all do. What that means is that if you choose to use the fire spell, you create an explosion that will leave a fire in its wake. The same goes for the ice spell. An explosion of ice I let out. I dont know what to imagine. Its a liquid, Selleron explained. And the liquid will freeze when it touches something. Imagine someone throws a bucket of water on you, you get drenched, and within seconds, it freezes. Sounds highly uncomfortable. And extremely effective against, for example, slimes, The captain said with a wink. Some free information for you, right there. Thanks a lot, I suppose, I said with a chuckle. Anyway, He continued. This is yours. Shall I put it in your bag, Cellestra? The purple-eyed elf nodded, and after the officer stashed away our newest acquisition, we were on our way again, leaving the waterlogged chest behind, which prompted a new question from my end. Selleron, what happens to dungeon monsters that we leave behind, like those buffalos? If they are not interacted with by foreign entities C creatures that arent spawned by the dungeon C they disappear after a certain time. Thank you. Id learned something new, but I could have guessed thered be something like this. Otherwise, there would have been bones all over the place, and that was obviously not the case. The spell orb thing was quite interesting to me in concept, especially the frost effect as that wasnt something I could replicate, at least for the time being. However, maybe it would be better to sell it. Beyond this lake was a small, empty plain of nothing but volcanic rocks, and small critters, including scorpions and some spiders. I could already see what I thought to be the next potential enemy hotspot. Another lake, bigger than the first one was stretched out before us. Selleron sped up his pace and walked up next to me, seemingly in a hurry to tell me something. Kealyna, He said. These next creatures. Do not underestimate them. I inform everyone of this. They are fast and strong. If you need help, say the word, but do it quickly or you may pay the price. His words made me nervous, especially the part where he mentioned they were fast. Selleron knew I was swift as the wind myself, so I took his words to heart. Cellestra. Im going to make sure you dont fall off, okay? She nodded in response to which I used several threads to anchor her legs against my sides so it would be impossible to lose her. The combination of heavy armor and straps might be something Id use more often, as long as she was fine with it. Thank you, Selleron, I said as he moved back and I moved forward. I aimed my halberd forward, but in reality, I would probably run and gauge the enemys strength before attacking, especially so after the captains words. Id also solved the so-called theme of this floor. It was numbers. On the previous floor, I could get through monsters one by one, but here, Id faced fifteen at the same time twice. It made me slightly worried about what Id see next as the previous herd of creates had already seemed incredibly powerful, yet Selleron was confident I would be able to overcome the next obstacle. Unlike before, there were no heads sticking above the water surface, and I wasnt about to get any closer to it, so I fired a weak ice lance into it, just to stir up whatever was inside. Within seconds, the first eyes surfaced and peered at me as they closed in. Then, a massive body emerged from the lake as more heads popped up. A large, fat, gray creature appeared. It had legs that seemed to be too short for its body, but Selleron had warned me of its speed and to not underestimate it, so I wouldnt. Above its elongated head were two small ears that stood upright and wiggled, shaking off water. At the end of its body was a short tail. In all honesty, it looked cute in an odd way. That was, until it opened its mouth. Two massive teeth, like tusks, protruded from the sides of the bottom of its gaping maw with two smaller ones in between them. I could see a couple of smaller ones with quite a bit of space between them in its upper jaw, and further inside, rows of large molars that seemed to march into the depths of its gullet. The speed with which it closed its mouth shocked me. It made me realize that it was justified that Selleron warned everyone of these beasts. It looked like it could literally snap people in two. And before I knew it, it charged at me, causing me to run away to start firing spells at it. I had the nagging feeling that I didnt want to be anywhere close to this beast. The creature chased me down, others joining in as they left the water, and I was still surprised by its speed. It had no trouble keeping up with my normal running speed. In fact, I believed it was gaining on me. Hold on tight, I instructed Cellestra, who was already doing just that. I guessed I just wanted her to be aware I was going to pick up the pace even further. As I did that, I fired a high-velocity ice lance at the creature that was slowly falling behind. Its speed was considerable, still, and far higher than anyone could achieve on foot. Once more, I was blessed to have this body. My attack seemed to do little. I had to turn slightly to observe the damage as my rear was in the way, and, while the attack had landed, and embedded itself in the creatures skin, it didnt seem to do much of anything. I was led to believe it possessed an exceptionally tough hide. A fireball didnt do much either, leaving me with very few long-range abilities. I wasnt confident in the use of my lightning arc either as, even if I managed to take the first monster down, there would still be four more, and I doubted I had the mana pool to support it. I still had some spells up my sleeve, though. One of which Id never used before, and I wasnt certain if it would suit the situation, but I didnt have anything to lose. If it worked, I could potentially save a good deal of mana before the next floor. I prepared myself and then fired something a little different, something more dangerous a necrotic venom bolt. 2.117 Themes I fired another venom bolt after my first and saw them embed in the beasts thick hide. Whether it would do anything would become clear in time. I fired off all the necrotic venom I possessed in the form of bolts, dividing the doses across all chasing individuals. For a moment, I considered using the paralytic version as well, but I doubted Id be able to pierce their skins enough for it to have an effect. And so, while waiting, I continued running in large circles, thinking about what Id do next in case none of this worked. There was no possibility of placing earth walls in front of the charging animals in the hopes it would crush their skulls due to the terrain, and I knew Id lose massive amounts of mana if I did that, so perhaps it was for the better. And even if it had been a way of taking them out, again, there would be four more. I was lucky to have incredible stamina. I wasnt getting tired in the slightest, but Selleron didnt seem to know that. He was eager to spring into action and had unsheathed his sword at one point, to which I held up my hand, indicating I was more than fine. I looked back every now and then to check the damage my spell was doing. The impact locations of the venom bolts were visible as small black spots which slowly seemed to expand outward, letting me know the venom was working. These black spots grew continually and did as my mind had told me earlier. Red and grey were revealed, showing me flesh rotting and dying. The sight of it, even from afar, wasnt pretty. What a cruel way of killing I hated to inflict such apparent suffering. Id rather end this quickly and cleanly. The silver lining about this was that this was a dungeon, and that these creatures were controlled by a different entity. I knew all that, but it was hard for me to see living creatures in that light. A few minutes of running circles later, the first creature collapsed, the venom finally taking its toll. However, it wasnt dead yet. It took several more minutes, and the other beasts collapsed as well, before the first one died. You have killed a Caldera Hippo: No experience was awarded. Hippo, I said, turning around to walk towards the remaining incapacitated animals. Never heard of that name before. Glad thats over, Cellestra commented as she let go of my back. My arms took a beating. Sorry about that. You feeling okay? Im fine. Thank you, She replied warmly. Nevertheless, I cast my healing light on her while I brought down my halberd on one of the anguishing hippos, quickly ending its life. I repeated this for the others, and at the end of it all, Selleron walked up to them and took off his helmet, a shocked expression on his face as he looked at the havoc that my venom had brought. What the hell. He let out as he knelt to take a closer look at one of the beasts blackened, dead skin. What was that? He asked with utmost sincerity. What I thought to be the solution, I said. Its called necrotic venom. Its necrotic alright, and at a speed that Ive never seen before. Its He paused for a moment. Frightening. Ill be honest, I said. I didnt know what to expect. I mean, I had some idea, but this is scary, even for me. The captain nodded as he stood up. Lets continue. He led the way past the lake, to the edge of the massive crater, where another wall awaited us. A large cave opening led us down through a tunnel. Since the soldier was still leading, I didnt expect anything to be down here and that this was merely a tunnel to connect two floors. I was proven right when the passage ended, and we stepped into the open once more. Before us was a vast, hilly and green grassland that stretched as far as I could see. The grass was almost completely covered by flowers of all colors. In a way, it reminded me of some of the pastures wed seen on our way to Len Asari, except that there was a sporadic tree. One thing worried me though. I couldnt see any threats. I looked at Selleron who stretched an arm forward, indicating go ahead. I obeyed, but moved slowly and methodically, keeping my eyes open for any possible danger, which was undoubtedly nearby. I just couldnt see it, and it bothered me. Then, a brief flash of red appeared in my thermal vision, and Id already processed something hot was coming my way, and, as if in reflex, Id summoned a fire wall to absorb an incoming fireball. I successfully blocked the spell, but couldnt spot my assailant. The attack had seemingly come out of thin air. Cellestra. Did you see whoever cast that? No, Came her short reply. I kept looking around when I noticed another drastic change in temperature, a few yards ahead of where it had previously come from. Another fireball was directed at me, absorbed, and I fired a high-velocity ice lance in retaliation, aimed at the origin of the attack. The air itself shimmered and shifted as, for a fraction of a second, some kind of massive blue lizard appeared. After the brief sighting, the creature vanished again, leaving nothing behind. It was, however, still there as another spell, this time, a bolt of electricity was flung from where the creature disappeared. It was easily absorbed by my firewall which had grown from the two fire-based spells it absorbed. Invisibility, I concluded. And I cant see its heat signature either. Im not sure if I hit my ice lance earlier. It could have some kind of magic resistance. Hold on, Im going to charge it. Cellestra nodded and took a firm hold as I prepared my weapon, focusing on where the latest attack had come from. As soon as I noticed the temperature change, this time plummeting towards ice, I charged. The sudden drop in heat was still easily visible to me. It wasnt a fireball or lightning bolt, but a flurry of icicles that formed in the air and were fired at me, colliding and slowly shrinking my wall spell as I dashed through to thrust my halberd about an inch forward of where the spell came from, knowing the creature was moving. Unfortunately, it appeared it had outsmarted me. I hit nothing but air and was left wondering where the lizard creature had run off to. I swung my blade in an arc, hoping to get a lucky hit, but I had no such luck. Fuck, I cursed as I was once again left wondering where our attacker had gone. I didnt have to wait long as I noticed another dot of cold appear a few yards out. I charged again as the icicles disappeared into the flames, which extinguished as its power was depleted, leaving two icicles to shatter against my multi-barrier. I ignored it and stabbed the air around where the spell appeared with both my weapon and legs, covering a wide area. This time, I did strike home as I felt one of my legs penetrate something. The creature appeared again, impaled on my limb. It was trying to claw and run away, but had nowhere to go. I severed its head and let out a sigh of relief. You have killed a Small Phasing Lizard: No experience was awarded. Damn. I wasnt expecting that, I said. Nice job, Cellestra said with a smile. I feel like I may have figured out this floors theme. I continued. I have the feeling its magic. I am a bit worried about it. I mean, if thats the easiest creature here, I think we might have to call in Sellerons help sometime soon. Dont worry about it, Cellestra advised. Just call for his help whenever. You should be proud of how far youve come, pretty much alone. Dont say that, I said, feeling sorry for the brunette. Were doing this together, as we talked about. I looked at the blue lizard creature. Not only was it able to make itself invisible, but it also possessed several large black spikes on its back, and long claws. I was happy it hadnt chosen to use those. Should I eat this thing? I asked, wanting to move on, but hesitant to leave something like this behind. It had shown a variety of spells that were more than useful. I think you should, Cellestra said. If you could absorb those spells, itd be more than worth it. Fair enough. I turned around and skittered over to Selleron and told him that I hoped he wouldnt mind us taking a small break. Im fine with anything, He replied. This is your trial. In the end, you decide the pace. I nodded and thanked him as I moved back to the corpse of the phasing lizard. I said a small prayer to Elysa as I sank my teeth in its flesh. 2.118 Spines The phasing lizards meat was far inferior to what Id previously eaten in the dungeon. In fact, it was quite repulsive, but I kept eating nonetheless, knowing a permanent enhancement would far outweigh the temporary discomfort. I kept munching the disgusting, dry, and tough meat until a message showed up. Devour (Evolving) effect activated. Enhancement: Spines is available. Spines unlocks the following skills: Retractable Spines (Level 1) Needle Spines (Level 1) Spell Synthesis Compatible. Allows Spines to be upgraded to Toxic Spines. I promptly stopped to stare at the text before me. Id seen a similar message when the amphibian tongue enhancement became available, but this time there was something extra. Something about skill synthesis compatibility. Tell me that you stopped because your blessing showed up, Cellestra said. Yes. I have a new skill available. It looks like its similar to this creatures spikes. After I said that, I looked into the enhancements effects with my spider brain as I continued talking to Cellestra. That sounds interesting, Cellestra said as she looked at the dead phasing lizard. Spines Does nothing by itself. This enhancement is necessary to acquire the following skills. Retractable Spines (Level 1) Needle Spines (Level 1) Retractable Spines (Level 1) Grows spines on legs and abdomen. Can be retracted and extended at will. Needle Spines (Level 1) Allows spines to be shot. Toxin Spines (Level 1) Allows spines to be filled with venom. The venom is injected into any targets hit. This is far more than just interesting, I said. This looks amazing. That good? Cellestra asked. For sure. Hold on, I started as I thought of something. Id love to take this enhancement to try it out and see if it was any use for what wed face next. The thing was, I didnt know where these spikes would appear on my body, and Id very much like to not injure Cellestra. Would you mind stepping off for a bit? I asked. Sure, but Ill take that break then, if you dont mind. Take all the time you need. Im not in a hurry. Wouldnt be a good idea to hurry through danger, either. Cellestra stepped off my back and put down her backpack to pull out her canteen. Mind filling this for me first? She asked. I grinned as I filled it with fresh, cold water while I looked through my list of enhancements. Enhancement Cost in EP Spawn Spiderlings 200 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Exoskeleton 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Resistance 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Venom 100 Amphibian Tongue 50 Tongue Slingshot (Level 1) 10 Spines 0 Retractable Spines (Level 1) 200 Needle Spines (Level 1) 200 It was interesting to see that the base enhancement didnt cost anything. It was, however, overshadowed by the fact that the other two cost a small fortune. Still, I had a good amount stocked up, so I wasnt going to be frugal about it. I confirmed to enhance the spines and retractable spines, and felt information fill my brains about where they could appear, how strong they would be, and their properties. I found that I could alter them slightly to suit my wishes. For example, I could have them colored the way I wanted. In my case, Id obviously make them white. Not only would it look better on me stylistically, but it would also help to hide them from a distance. I could also change where, and the angle at which they protruded from my body, which I used to cover some of my weaknesses. For example, I had a horrible time aiming at something directly behind me. Thanks to this skill, combined with needle spines, I could grow spines on my abdomen that could shoot backward, making up, at least partially, for one of my weaknesses. This is great I mumbled absent-mindedly, as I was thinking and analyzing where Id grow the spines. After processing this new information, I selected the needle spines, which also triggered my spell synthesis, forcing more details to enter my mind. I could fill the grown spikes with venom pre-emptively, so I could have my reserves replenish, and, practically, give me larger reserves before battle. Cellestra giggled as she munched on an apple, her helmet next to her in the grass. In the meantime, I was still figuring out where Id grow those supposed spikes. From digging through the available info, I could make out that they would be just as tough as my already existing armor, so in theory, I could use them as weapons. I decided to grow them at the sides of my legs, facing outward, so they would offer protection against anything that would lunge at me from the sides. If I was fast, I could also shoot the spines to my sides that way to ensure enemies would be hurt, or worse, before they even got close. A deadly surprise attack, that was for sure. I seemed to be limited to one spike per leg, which was unfortunate as I would have preferred more, but I couldnt complain. At last, Id got something that could be used offensively. There was no denying I was quite happy with it. And so I activated the skill to grow the spines, one on each leg, on the second to last segment. I figured Id have an easier time aiming if I grew them there compared to the very last segment. White spikes erupted from my chitin, growing in a matter of seconds, filled with lethal venom. The ones on my abdomen were long, but thin enough to not stand out from my long hairs. I hoped that making them elongated would give them greater piercing power. By the goddess, Kealyna, Cellestra called out between bites. That does look great. I know right, I replied as I watched Selleron stare with great interest at my new additions. I suppose he would have found out about this sooner or later anyway, so I didnt care too much. I simply shrugged it off and summoned some water to wash away the awful taste in my lower mouth. At least it had been more than worth it. Yuck, I let out as the last of foulness was washed away. Glad that part is over. You didnt seem to be all too happy with your lunch. Happens, I guess. These spikes are great, though. They are filled with my venom, and I can shoot them. Thats, Cellestra said and paused. Wow. She was stunned, and rightfully so. She finished her apple and held up the core. Want it? She asked. Sure, I said as I took it and fed it to my lower mouth. Thanks. The remains of the fruit, even though there was little left, were delicious. It made me hope that whatever awaited us would be tastier. We waited for a few more minutes, before Cellestra placed her helm back on her head, and stepped back on. Lets continue when youre ready, She said. I nodded. I am ready. I turned to address Selleron. Where to? Straight ahead, He said, gesturing a hand forward. I walked forward keeping close track of my surroundings. I didnt want to be surprised again. There wasnt much to see, except for a trio of large trees, which made me wonder. What was the theme of this floor? Was it magic? Was it hidden enemies? I came to a halt as I took a closer look at the trees. It wouldnt be the first time Id be suddenly assaulted by oversized flora I was almost confident that these trees either housed beings, or they were creatures themselves. To find out from a safe distance, I fired an ice lance at one of them. The icicle shattered, but not on bark. Rather, it was splintered by something resembling a barrier. It was then that my suspicions got a confirmation. Tremors hit the ground and movement occurred at the base of the trunks. Tendrils contracted and appeared as they were uprooted. The trees moved and, after a short delay, removed themselves from the soil as they were carried by their massive roots. Well, I said. Ive seen this before. At the dungeon entrance, Cellestra said. Yup, and it appears they have the same kind of magic resistance as that one, which means I launched a fireball at one of the now walking trees to see the same thing happen that happened to the ice lance. It was impossible to set this wood aflame while the barrier was in effect. I wonder if they have the same kind of weakness as that one. The tree at the dungeon entrance had an orb at the bottom of its trunk, between the roots. Once I shattered that, the barrier vanished and I was able to set it ablaze. Earthen spike? Cellestra asked. She sounded excited to have an opportunity to use spells again. Earthen spike, I said in confirmation. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons. Thank you so much <3 Martin James Corrupt Zain 2.119 Limits I started running towards the trees which were slowly creeping closer to our location. I was getting ready to cast an earthen spike when suddenly one of the roots moved, and, with lightning speed, lashed out at me. I barely managed to create an earthen wall to block it before backing off. Wasnt expecting that. Last time I fought one of these it was slow, incredibly slow. How about you try to block things and I try to attack? Cellestra suggested. That could work. Problem is, I dont know if Ill be able to get close enough for that. It might be worth targeting their roots first. I had to do that back then in order to bring down a separate barrier that protected the orb. While my spell should be stronger now, its not a bad idea to sever the roots one by one anyway, just to reduce the risks we take. Got it, Cellestra said with a nod. Ready when you are. I cast my weapon imbuement and readied my halberd, ready to strike down any roots that would be blocked by my walls. I figured the best way to go about this fight was to use the experience I had from the previous time I fought something similar. That would be weakening it as much as possible, before shattering their shields. If you see a certain glow at the base of their roots, do warn me. We have yet to confirm they possess the same protective measures. The brunette nodded again as I approached one of the trees. As expected, more roots converged on me, some of which I blocked with an earthen wall, while others, slower ones, were cut down by my halberd. Green sap oozed forth from where the tendrils were cut. Just like before, these roots werent protected by any kind of barrier, at least not physically. Moments later, a larger, thicker root neared us which Cellestra severed with a well-aimed earthen spike while I protected us both from some smaller ones. It seemed that physical attacks werent the only ones wed have to be worried about. Bolts of a liquid that looked similar to the plant fluids were flung our way, but collided with an ice wall. At the same time, a barrage of barbs was aimed at my head. Some of them collided with me, but were stopped by my multi-barrier before I managed to summon an air wall. I was forced on the defensive and couldnt cast damaging spells while I maintained both walls. I was, however, free to use my weapon and did what I could, cutting through tendrils that got too close. Cellestra continued to summon earthen spikes, rarely missing, and doing significant damage while I continued to make sure that no harm would fall to either of us. I ran a few circles and let her cast whatever she could before backing off, keeping walls up to block ranged attacks as we deliberated. Hows your mana pool looking? I asked. Plenty left, She replied. It looks like were starting to make progress. I think I saw the orb you talked about too on one of our passes. Glad to hear that, I said as I charged back into the fight. We were fortunate enough that our enemies, despite being faster than Id expected with their melee attacks, were still slow to move around. They, in part, made up for that with ranged attacks, but none of their attempts was the kind that would bypass my defenses, not as long as we played it safe. I looked at the many wounds wed inflicted. Many of the trees roots had been cut down at least to a certain degree. We hadnt been able to get close enough to sever them at the base of the trunks due to the fact that there were three enemies, which meant there would simply be too much for me to block. Wed get there, but not taking large risks meant that wed burn through additional mana. We could take risks in hopes of speeding things up, and perhaps save mana, but risks were to be avoided, at least in my book. We continued our methodical destruction of our enemies by cutting off their limbs, one by one. One thing I noticed during this fight, as opposed to the dungeon guardian, was that none of these produced any sound that could be mistaken for speech, let alone form coherent words. It wouldnt have made a difference as wed attack them either way, but it made things easier on my mind. We kept whittling away at our foes, inching closer to our goal C the orbs C with each attack that we made. Retaliation against us weakened as we cut through the trees limbs, which allowed me to join Cellestras attacks as I could make do with just a single barrier. Our devastation mounted, sundering more and more of the enemies weapons. As we got closer, the trees now started using their branches in an attempt to squish us, but we were simply too fast. Cellestra and I both kept summoning earthen spikes, sapping the trios strength until the orbs were vulnerable. Three more earthen spikes were summoned under their trunks, which shattered glass and brought down the magical barriers that had protected our adversaries from harm. I fired off one ice lance and watched it strike bark and remain there, telling me what I needed to know. From there, I kept a bit of distance and started channeling my flame beam spell, engulfing the trees in fire one after the other. All this fighting had taken its toll on my mana reserves and I knew that Id have too little remaining to safely engage in more fights after this one, so I kept the spell going, watching it grow in intensity and heat, ensuring the demise of our foes. Wood burned and charred as the creatures toppled, defeated. I canceled my channel and watched as the flames licked away until four messages showed up, confirming their deaths, and notifying me of an achievement. You have killed a Large Ent: No experience was awarded. You have killed a Large Ent: No experience was awarded. Achievement earned: Natures Bane Kill any 3 Nature-type adversaries You have been awarded 150 EP You have been awarded 0 EXP You have killed a Large Ent: No experience was awarded. I sighed, knowing that this battle was over, but also because I knew that our trial had come to an end. It wasnt viable for us to continue from here. How are you feeling? I asked. Honest answer. I dont think I can do much more. I have some mana left, but most of it was used here. Same, I replied. I think its safe to say that this is how far we got. Cellestra nodded. Lets inform Selleron. Yes, but first I said as I walked towards the gaping holes left in the ground where the trees had been rooted. Lets see if theres any treasure here. The brunette giggled as I skittered through the dirt, looking for valuables. If there was any place to store them on this floor, I imagined it would be somewhere here. I looked around for a few minutes, even going as far as digging some, but my search efforts came up dry. There was nothing here, to my disappointment. After one last attempt at finding something, I made my way back to the guard captain and informed him of our decision to stop here. I admire your decision, Kealyna, Cellestra. There arent many new adventurers who know their limits. You did great, and exceeded my expectations by getting beyond this obstacle. Only a few manage to do so. I had luck on my side, I started. Luck that I fought something similar to them, so I more or less knew what could await me. Turns out it was pretty much the same. I see, Selleron said. Either way, congratulations. Felmar will finish your assessment and you both will have a rank and tag tomorrow. Feel free to explore this dungeon as much as you want, I think you know your limits well enough, but do be careful if you plan to advance beyond this point. A group of five or six members is advised in general. Anyway, Im sure youll get a bunch of information tomorrow about things so I wont go into it much further. He turned to one of the men in armor. Felmar, will that be all? The guild clerk, disguised as a guard, nodded in response. All set. Great, Selleron said, a smile behind his helmet. I had a great time observing you two go at it. Thank you for that. No doubt hed seen a few interesting things I had up my sleeve. I knew that there was always the slight possibility hed view me as a threat, and, from a military perspective, I could somewhat understand it. I hoped he wouldnt, and Id make sure to not give him a reason to. 2.120 Old We made our way back to the surface, during which Cellestra seemed intrigued by the spell orb wed found. She held it in her hand and observed every inch of it until we stepped through the portal into the forest. We thanked Selleron and his party and headed off to the farm, eager to share our adventure with Elira, and hoping that Soranir had some answers, although that remained to be seen. The information we were looking for was extraordinarily rare, after all. Its pretty isnt it? I said to the brunette who was still eying the orb which flowed from ice to fire and reversed every now and then. Its beautiful. Even disregarding the fact that it can be used as a weapon, it would make for great decoration. Maybe we could use it to liven up the nest a bit. Though, I am a bit hesitant about furnishing it, knowing people can get in if they want and possibly steal things. True She replied in a soft voice, disappointment apparent. She then stashed away the magical sphere as we approached my parents residence. We arrived to see Soranir and my parents sitting at the table, drinking some tea. The mayors horse walked around freely and carelessly, even when it noticed me. Elira, of course, was still in school, so we could go over whatever the citys leader found without having to worry about her. I greeted them as Cellestra struggled to step off my back to sit down at the table, clearly tired from our dungeon run. Welcome back, My mother spoke first. Hope everything went well? I nodded. Yeah, we made it all the way to the third floor. Had to call it quits after a while there though as our mana was too low to continue. My mother looked at the mayor as if expecting an answer. Id say thats quite the accomplishment, Soranir said, evidently more experienced in the matter. Glad youre okay, My father said. And happy to hear your adventuring is going well. Thank you, I said with a smile. Now, Soranir continued. Im sure youre eager to hear our findings. I nodded. Well, He said before sighing, deeply which perfectly projected his disappointment unto me. Not much. The only thing we were able to find after turning the place upside down was a book about botanical research specifically dedicated to a flower that grew only at the base of the obelisks. It did, however, contain notes from one of the researchers. They mentioned hed seen the runes on the obelisk before in an old book in the area that is now our capital.. So, thats where we look next? I jumped to the obvious conclusion. Soranir sighed again. I wish it was that easy. You see, we had to have the most experienced translators of the city work on it all night. This book is two thousand years old, give or take a few centuries. Now, remember that these notes called the other book old. Crap, I let out. Exactly. We could be looking at hundreds to thousands of years. The capital city wasnt a thing back then. In fact, the Elves had barely established their first settlements at the time. It doesnt specify what language the other book was written in, I dont suppose I have to list all the other problems when it comes to a search like this, do I? I can imagine, I said with a sigh of my own. All I can hope for is that it was somehow preserved and ended up in the royal library in the capital. Ive already prepared for some librarians and translators to move there and search for it. One issue is that the king and queen may have to be informed in order for them to gain access to the restricted parts of the archives. If theres no other way I said, not entirely happy about these latest events. Then I suppose theres no way around it. Sorry about that, He said. I know your desire to keep this information to as few people as possible. Its the king, I said. If he needs to know, he needs to know. Hell, if theres anyone that knows, it should probably be him. I just pray I wont get into trouble. I can assure you, you wont, but your worry is understandable. Ill try to keep the message I send him to a minimum. My seal should convey enough information. If he requires more than that, hell send a message back, and we can always have a look at things then. Thank you, I said politely. I admired the care that the mayor was showing. After those words, he stood up from his chair and nodded. Keelarin, Lilinia, thank you for your hospitality, as per usual. Ill go and write a letter and start gathering historians to try to get a better idea of where this tome can be found, or where other ancient texts might be stored. Kealyna, he paused. Ill notify you first as soon as I have anything. Alright, I said, nodding. Good luck. I hope youll be able to find something. Im sure well find at least something. Dont you worry. This one still has a few tricks up his sleeve. I smiled widely as he whistled, calling his horse to him, and mounted the steed. He waved at each of us and ran off, in his usual hurry. Well, I commented. I was hoping for more, but Ill take what I can get. Not much to do about it, My father replied. Youre doing what you can, and you have other things to focus on. Looks to me that your story is in good hands with Soranir. Looks that way, I said with a smile. You wanna hear about our dungeon adventure? Wed love to, My mother said. But first, would you like something to eat? I imagine youre hungry after fighting for a while. Cellestra nodded where I shook my head, causing my mom to giggle as she stood up and walked inside. Will you be joining us again for dinner tonight? My father asked. Cellestra? I called her name. I think we will, right? As long as its no problem. She nodded. It never is, My father spoke with a chuckle. Youre always welcome to stay here and have whatever you need. I know. I do think well head to the forest in a bit and rest. I dont think Cellestra has much more life in her. She nodded slowly in affirmation of my words and finally relieved herself of her helmet, revealing her fatigued expression. Poor Cellestra. She still had a ways to go. I reckoned all my running and turning in the dungeon hadnt really helped her. My mother returned with sandwiches for Cellestra, which she quietly nommed down while I eagerly told my parents about our adventurers in the dungeon. I explained what the creatures were that we fought in great detail, but went through things as quickly as I could, so I kept the fights short. After I told them about our fight with the tree monsters, it was my dad who asked about what I imagined had been painstakingly obvious from the start. What is with those spikes? he said, pointing to my legs. Its from that lizard creature I mentioned earlier, I said, deciding to open the book about this. I mean, Selleron already knew about it, or I expected him to. He was a smart man. He had seen what happened. I didnt see a reason for my parents to not know about it. I trusted they knew how to deal with this sensitive, personal information. I think I should finally mention the ability my blessing gives me I said softly. If I eat creatures that I kill, theres a chance I can acquire an ability of that creature. Its how I can grow stronger. Thats crazy Was all my mother managed to produce with a wide-open mouth. My father didnt even reply, but the look on his face said the same as my mothers spoken words. Yeah. It is, I said quietly. I hope you know this is sensitive information. I knew they knew, but I figured I should mention it anyway. They nodded, and their eyes told me they understood as well as they could. So yeah. I hope that explains some of my drive to delve into these dungeons. My mother nodded and my father followed shortly thereafter. Cellestra finished her food, we thanked my parents as we decided to part ways for a bit so the brunette could recover some of her strength, but we would return later in the afternoon to spend some time with them and Elira, and of course, have dinner. You okay? I asked her on the way. Exactly how much mana have you spent? Almost all, She admitted with a chuckle. I can see that, I replied with a giggle of my own. Nothing a nap wont fix. A nap sounds lovely. I might join you in that. Cellestra giggled. Yeah. that would be lovely. 2.121 ERROR Hey, Kealyna? Cellestra called my name with her usual soft voice as she looked down into my eyes. Hm? Think theres something we can do to secure the nest? Id like to have it secured so we can make it a bit more lively inside. Maybe make some traps or something? Hmm, I hummed. I could maybe make some sort of perimeter wall around the nest with webs to mark the territory using trees. Problem is, people would be able to pass that by climbing trees if they really wanted to. An unsettling thought entered my mind. There was always an option, but I wasnt so sure about it Whats the matter? Cellestra asked, noticing the change in my demeanor. Theres a skill that I just didnt want to take, I said before heaving a deep sigh as we entered the forest. It allows me to lay eggs and spawn spiderlings that I can command. I reckon I can use them to keep well, anything at bay. I can definitely see why you didnt bother to take that, The brunette replied. Sounds pretty uncomfortable. Yup, but I would like to turn this into a nice home as well Honestly, Im conflicted, I said before sighing again. Otherwise, maybe chop down trees above a certain height? Cellestra quickly offered a different suggestion. Perhaps. I dont know if it will be as useful as the other thing I could do. You know, as an extra layer of security. I shook my head. I dont want to, but if it means I can keep our new home safe, I paused for a second before continuing quietly. I might consider it. The purple-eyed elf didnt speak any more, and instead, softly patted my back to comfort me. She kept doing it until we ultimately reached our shelter where I opened the curtain to step inside before helping Cellestra off my back and out of her armor. She then let herself fall into the comfortable webs with a smile. Mana exhaustion sucks, doesnt it? I said as I placed my lower head in its designated hole. It does. Though, Ive only experienced it maybe twice in my life. I laid down next to her, my head down and my arms stretched out above my head. How about you? Cellestra asked. Hasn''t happened to me much. That is, as long as you dont count the times in my new life. I suppose I didnt even have time to feel the exhaustion kick in the last time it happened to me. How did you prevent it? She asked, intrigued as she turned her head. I died. Oh, She let out. Im sorry. I chuckled. No need to be. I thought it was amusing. I patted Cellestras head, causing her to smile as well as I reached for the pillow with one of my legs which I then put under our heads. Lets take that nap, shall we? I suggested. The brunette closed her eyes and smiled as she turned to her side to hug me. I twisted my torso as much as I could to welcome her embrace, my hands in her hair as her head was under my chin. Sounds good, Cellestra said as I felt her breathing slow and her body relax. I allowed mine to do the same and soon felt my upper body become numb and fade away as we fell asleep. In the meantime, I was left wondering what to do regarding our homes safety, I liked Cellestras idea of cutting trees and spinning nets around my nest, but I couldnt simply desecrate the forest like that. At the very least, Id have to talk to Soranir. And then the spiderlings Perhaps I should step over my fears and awkwardness and just look at the ability in a different way. To have some minions that could serve as scouts, perhaps even a light fighting force, didnt sound so bad. Perhaps I just might Name: Kealyna Race: Iridescent Queen Arachne Level: N/A Experience: MAX Evolution Points: 907 +75 I had plenty of points left, even after acquiring the new ability from the dungeon, given I did gain a bunch in return for an achievement. I waited and wondered for a while, allowing us both some much-needed rest. If I was going to take this skill, I had a few questions about it. What was that one message that I saw when I inspected the ability for the first time again? Spawn Spiderlings: Allows you to lay eggs that hatch into spiderlings that follow your commands. The strength of the spiderlings can be improved through other enhancements. Other enhancements? I know the other evolution seemed powerful in that it could keep upgrading the spiderlings, but Id not chosen that for obvious reasons. The message said something about enhancements and I assumed this was about the three that were on my list, but it left me wondering, was there another way to improve them? Elysa? Elysa? Computing What? Calculating How do you not have an answer for that? Devour (Control) ERROR E????????R?????R???????O???????R???? The skill assimilates parts of the consumed creatures bodies, giving a moderate chance to add skills that are inherent to the consumed creatures species to your spiderlings. E????????R?????R???????O???????R???? What the fuck? None of this made any sense I didnt possess the control version of the devour ability so it shouldnt affect me, it shouldnt show up either. Then there was the error and I tried to take a closer look at the words after the error and at the end, but they kept warping, making them illegible. Spell Synthesis E????????R?????R???????O???????R???? : Allows Devour (Evolving) and Devour (Control) To merge, creating Devour (E????????R?????R???????O???????R????) E????????R?????R???????O???????R???? Skill acquired: Spiderling Devour (Evolving) E????????R?????R???????O???????R???? Allows spiderlings to sometimes acquire abilities based on the devoured creature. Note: The spiderlings must kill the creature themselves for this ability to activate. E????????R?????R???????O???????R???? The same twisted, corrupted word appeared over and over again, sending shivers down my spine. If I ignored those, it appeared Id gotten a new skill, but it was one I shouldnt have. This all felt wrong, terribly, terribly wrong. The first thing I could think of was Elysa. I wanted to ask her if she knew what was going on. I feared the evil I felt at the obelisk had somehow seeped into me. Even now, I could feel it clawing away in the back of my mind, suppressed, but it was there. I felt it was somehow messing with my blessing and prayed the goddess could help me. I placed a pedipalp and two legs around Cellestra, wanting her to comfort me as I didnt know what was happening. I waited for a few hours, until the end of the afternoon, before I decided to wake her and tell her about what had happened. By the goddess, Kealyna, that sounds horrifying. I nodded slowly. And you look seriously ill. Did you at least get some rest? I nodded again and responded with a meek yes. She took me in for a hug and patted my back. Lets go to the shrines tomorrow. You talk to Elysa, I talk to Nilene. Hopefully, they have some answers. Lets not worry about it too much until then, okay? Okay, I said as I was recovering my confidence, thanks to her. Lets go see Elira, She then suggested. Im sure that will cheer you up. I managed to chuckle again. Yeah. Youre right, I replied. Cellestra pulled out the linen bag from her backpack and started moving her armor from the webs into it piece by piece. Once she was done, we stepped into the outside world and made our way over to the farm again. My father was sitting at the table, which seemed to be normal for him around this time. I assumed my mother was cooking, and Elira, well The energetic little girl came running at me as soon as she saw me, or in this case, heard me walk onto the gravel as she was facing away. Sis! She said loudly as she hugged me and Cellestra stepped off. I heard you had your adventurer trial today! Tell me about it, please! I patted her head and giggled as her mere presence did exactly what Cellestra had hoped it would. I felt a hundred times better already and was looking forward to talking about all that happened in the proving grounds. Okay, I said as I lifted her with my pedipalps, walked over to one of the chairs, and placed her on it. But let me say hi to dad first. I turned my head to my father and asked him how he was doing. Pretty good, He said. And Im about to hear your dungeon adventure for a second time. By all means, dont leave us waiting. Cellestra giggled and I couldnt contain my laughter either. Okay then. Lets see. Where to start? 2.122 Elements I recited our dungeon adventure a second time, making sure to mention all the spells Cellestra and I cast, and just how colorful they were, especially the flame beam one. The little girls eyes grew wide and I could feel the excitement radiate from her. I was certain that when the time was right, shed follow in her big sisters footsteps. I wondered what drove her? Was it curiosity? Was it that she simply enjoyed the way spells looked? I knew it was both of those things, but I was secretly hoping that there was something else. It would make me more than proud if she, like me, wanted to protect others, but perhaps that was just wishful thinking. Everyone had their own reasons and I understood that. I would support her whatever it may be. After telling the full story again, she hopped off her chair and ran over to one of my legs, and asked what happened to them. They are spikes to defend myself with. Imagine running against them really fast. Ouch, Elira said with a pained expression. Exactly, I replied with a smile. How far is dinner? I asked my father. Think theres time for me to take Elira for a run? You can go for it. Should be about done by the time youre back. Yay! The girl happily cheered as she sprinted to my side and climbed on my back. We then set off for a run around the fields, which filled me with joy when I looked at my sisters gleeful expression throughout. When we got back, dinner was already served. During it, my mother asked what our plans were for tomorrow and I had to process the question for a while to come up with an answer. Well, we need to make a stop at the guild to pick up our tags, and if Cellestra doesnt mind, well take a day of rest, perhaps work on our home. Though, I kind of wanted to ask Soranir if were allowed to transform the forest around it a bit. Transform? My father asked. What do you mean exactly? Chop down a few trees, or well, partially. Cellestra came up with a neat idea yesterday. Dont know what his stance on that would be. Want me to ask him tomorrow? If you want, we can join you to the city and ask. Might be a good time to check your new home too. Dont you have work? And dont you want Elira to be there too? I asked. Not much work to do. We owe you thanks for part of that, My father said. I mean, look around. The fields are all seeded. They were weeded recently. At the moment, were waiting for more rain. He smiled. As for Elira, the school is closed tomorrow for some maintenance. They expect it to take two days tops, and I know that she just prays to the goddess its going to take longer than that. The little girl had a guilty look on her face, and Cellestra giggled when she saw it. I chuckled as well. Well, youre welcome to have a look. Cant say its entirely to our liking yet, but its slowly getting there. Woah, Elira let out between two bites. Cant wait for tomorrow! I want to see what you made! I hope youll be able to sleep, I said. She nodded excitedly. Im sure it looks lovely, My mother said. You always took great care in your surroundings when you went to bed. I looked at her, unsure what she was talking about. I reckoned it was something from my childhood that Id forgotten about, and wanted to know, to remember what it was. You remember that stuffed animal that I mentioned? You always made sure it was in a specific position next to your pillow where it would watch over you as you slept. Not only that, but you did the same with some items in your room. She had a warm smile on her face as she so easily recalled memories that had faded from my mind many years ago. Even when she brought them back to me, they still felt alien to me. Not being able to remember, it saddened me. Thats adorable, Cellestra said softly. And I can assure you, shes put a lot of work into it. Looking forward to seeing it, My mother concluded. We finished our dinner, and after confirming wed meet again in the morning to go to the city together, Cellestra and I were off to our home. Clouds had started to roll in during the meal, and now they were finally here. The first drops of rain started falling just as we reached our nest. Just in time, I said with a smile as I opened the curtain and stepped inside. Looks like your parents didnt have to wait long for that. Lucky them, I said as I laid down in the gap and started looking around. I hope my silk wont wear from the water. Having to repair it every now and then would be quite the task, especially if Im going to make it bigger. Bigger? Cellestra said with a sly smile as she let herself fall into the webs. I was thinking to make the walls thicker. You know? For when it gets colder. Maybe make another room to, I dont know, store stuff? A mischievous smile appeared on the brunette''s face. That didnt bode well. You just want to expand your nest, dont you? She said teasingly. Go ahead, I wont stop you. I dont know. I mean, maybe? Is it bad if I somewhat enjoy it? No, Cellestra said, assuming a more serious expression. Im happy you do. Its cute. I lay down on the webs as well, while the rain outside started turning into a storm. The wind caused the silken walls to slightly bend inward, but they withstood the test of the elements well enough. Still, Id be more comfortable if they didnt move at all. Cellestra, like yesterday, moved in closer and hugged my arm as I thought about the events of the day once more. Wed have plenty of time to visit the shrines tomorrow and then work on our home some more after that. I ignored my own thoughts when I noticed the purple-eyed elf stare at me from the side. I turned my head and watched her lovely smile. Hi, I said as seriously as I could. Hi, She said with a whisper. Not worrying, are you? Not this time. Not until I have an answer from Elysa. What else am I going to do anyway? I shook my head. No. Worrying is useless. Glad you finally see that, Cellestra said with a smile. We simply lay there, and let time flow past us as we listened to the raindrops on the silk above and the howling wind raging against the walls, enraptured by each others presence. I eventually turned to take Cellestra into a proper hug and she let out a soft moan of satisfaction as her eyes remained closed. This is so cozy, She said. It should be a crime. I chuckled and ran a hand through her hair. Maybe it is. Who can tell? I said softly. Better not get caught then, She whispered back. I doubt anyone will get here, I assured her. And thats just the way I like it. Want to call it a day early? I asked. Yeah. That sounds good. I giggled softly as I continued to stroke her silky brown hair while hugging her closely. In that case, Good night, Cellestra. I cast my healing light on myself and then on her to stave off any nightmares. Good night, Kealyna. The rain continued on throughout the night. Part of me was seriously thinking it could start leaking at any point and wake up the peaceful elf in my arms. I thanked Elysa that it hadnt when the storm eventually died down. Hours later, sunlight warmed and dried the webs, filling me with relief. I then realized wed forgotten to get something for breakfast again. I pushed it away with a smile. I was certain my parents didnt mind us coming over for breakfast and spending some time with them. Wed have to see them anyway. I carefully stirred Cellestra and myself awake, eager to experience everything that today would bring. I could hardly wait to see what rank wed get in the guild. Come to think of it, I never even bothered to check what the ranks were or any deeper meaning behind them other than certain restrictions when it came to more difficult dungeons. The brunette stirred, yawned, and stretched her arms before looking into my already-open eyes. Morning, Kealyna. Morning, Cellestra, I said with a warm smile. Yep. Today would be another lovely day. 2.123 D Not long after she woke up, we stepped outside, everything packed and strapped to my back. I took some time to survey the damage on the outside, but I couldnt find any, leaving me happy with my skills as a nest builder. As we walked to the farm, I allowed the spikes on my legs to drop to the ground. I didnt want to accidentally hurt someone in the city. Neither did I want to appear more threatening than before. People were still getting used to me after all. No need to show changes like these. We arrived at my parents residence, but there was nobody outside, which was rare. It didnt, however, take long before the door opened and Elira ran out, almost stumbling over the steps. Sis! Someone is happy to see me, I said, grinning as she ran into my pedipalps. Yes, She said excitedly. I cant wait to see your house! Well, calling it a house is probably a bit much, but I did my best, I said as I patted her head. My parents walked out the door and greeted us as Cellestra stepped off. We politely asked for breakfast and some more to take with us, which they were happy to provide. Some fresh bread, a few apples, some cheese, and a few hard-boiled eggs disappeared into her backpack as we thanked them, deeply. After a quick meal for Cellestra, the five of us headed to the city in unison once again. Elira, of course, was riding on my back in front of the brunette and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. That was, until we reached the guild hall in the bustling city where we made our stop. My mother lifted the girl off my back as they would continue onward to Soranir while we finished our business here. Bye, sis! See you soon! She said as she waved, following our parents who both smiled. Shes precious, isnt she? Cellestra said as she stepped off as well. I never knew how much I wanted a little sister until I met her, I replied. Shes just the sweetest. Cellestra giggled. Cute. She then looked at the door of the guild and seemed to speak her thoughts. I wonder what rank we achieved. Dont leave me waiting, I replied with a sly smile. Go in already. Cellestra giggled and walked through the door, leaving me with brimming anticipation. I wondered if we were allowed to enter the other dungeon We hadnt gathered too much information about it yet. Hell, we didnt even know where it was. It would be sensible to at least get to know a few things before entering it. I hadnt considered it earlier, but it would be an idea for us to team up with someone else, at least for the first time in an unknown dungeon. Then again, I didnt need more people to know about my abilities, especially my devour one. In that regard, it was probably safer to stick with Cellestra and just run if we ever got in trouble. At the end of the day, speed was by far my greatest asset. The door opened again, and Cellestra walked out, a huge smile on her face. One that made me question what exactly happened. This wasnt just because of our rank, I could feel it. I have good news, Cellestra started before an ominous pause followed. And good news. Which do you want to hear first? Hm, tough choice. Lets start with the good news. We are in the D minus tier, which gives us a good amount of freedom and allows us to enter the other dungeon. Its not too far from the proving grounds, its like a ten-minute walk from there. D minus? No idea what that means, I said. Me neither. Except that rankings go from D to C to B to A. Well have a ways to go before we get there. Though, Felmar did mention he would have placed us higher, but this is as high as new recruits can be placed. He said its to prevent the luck factor, and possible injury that might arise from you being allowed to enter a dungeon thats technically too tough for you. Fair, I guess. Im sure well get there if we really want to. I hope that whatever we can do will be meaningful enough to be of any help with this whole obelisk affair. Im sure Len Asari will have the answer, Cellestra said. Now, the other good news. Oh yes, I said, suddenly remembering. What is it? Three gold coins for each of us, meant as a bonus to get equipment and consumables for dungeon exploration. Thats amazing, I said. So we have eight gold coins now. Is there anything we need, though? Please dont make me carry more than I already am, Cellestra said, pouting to which I grinned. I wont. Were still working on your armor. Cant just be adding things like that. Im starting to run into an issue though. Which is? My mana reserves. I have no way of increasing it naturally as I can only learn spells through my blessing. Do you have a way of increasing yours? Ive never had the need to increase mine, Cellestra replied. I know mages struggle to increase it, but because of my well, ailment, I dont have any idea how to pull anything like it off. I dont even know if I could if I wanted to. That just means we need to get more efficient. A good place to start would be my version of spells. Those earthen spikes did great. Im looking forward to teaching you more. But healing will come first. We should do some more of that today. Sure, I said. But for now what shall we do? Put on these! She said happily as she pulled out two silver bracelets. They were simple ring bands with clasps that fit perfectly around the wrist. Where did you get these? They are from the guild, She continued. They correspond with our rank. When we get to C rank well get golden ones. Dont you think they look nice? They look great, I said as I put mine on and observed it. Despite its simplicity, it was still stylish, and an easy way of recognizing that I was a member of the dungeon exploration guild. They do, right? She exclaimed. As for what to do. Hmmm, Im not sure. What if it takes that long again before your parents can see Soranir? Thats what Im afraid of. I sighed as I checked the main square, my eyes trailing over the market stands and their goods. Perhaps there was something that I didnt know I needed. Our shelter is warm enough for you, right? I mean, youve started sleeping without the pelts. Its more than warm enough. Your silk seems to insulate very well. Hmmm, I let out as I thought. Anything you think would look neat in our home? We have a bathtub. I reckon a dresser would be nice. Cant easily be taken, either. Especially if you anchor it. Would help me get rid of some of the weight on my back. That sounds like a decent investment, I said. There is one thing Im more afraid of than anything, though, and its the fear of someone setting my nest on fire. If were going to furnish it, I think Ill take the spiderling enhancement so they can guard it when were away. I sighed after saying it, not looking forward to the process. That She started. That sounds horrible. I hope theres nobody who would do such a thing. So do I, but you know, just in case. And where would we find something like that? Cellestra asked, looking around. I dont know, and I dont intend to get lost in the city, so I guess well ask my parents when they get back which kind of defeats the point of looking around for things. The brunette giggled. If nothing else, we can just wait here and stare at the fountain. I suppose that works, I said as I placed my weapon against the wall. Silence fell over us for a few minutes, but it was broken when we noticed Selleron appear in the crowd on his way to the guild. Morning, Kealyna, Cellestra. Do you have your ranks already? He asked as he approached. Morning, Selleron. And yes, we do. D minus, which is apparently the highest he can give. Good, He said. That is in line with what I expected. Congratulations. Thank you, Cellestra and I both said politely. Well, He continued. Ill go do my daily round now. I was hoping I could see more of you, but it appears I wont get to anytime soon. Good luck on your adventures. He waved and disappeared inside, leaving me behind with a smile. Seems like he has some catching up to do, Cellestra suggested as a possible explanation. Seems so. I wonder just how many things he had to put aside to fuel his curiosity when it came to me. Im glad we had him with us, though. Hes a nice person. A lot, The brunette replied with a giggle. But who can blame him? I dont think anyone can, I replied. Silence fell over us again, a smile on my face as I thought about how many others would be eager to see me in action. 3.1 Visit I thought about our accomplishments so far, about how we were now considered proper adventurers, something which would have seemed like a fleeting dream not too long ago. Wed found my parents safe and sound, and they had blessed me with the sweetest little sister I could ever imagine. In addition to all that, I found someone I loved, and she loved me back. All the hardships Id endured and the looming darkness that was before me it all paled in comparison to the happiness that was my new life. As much as I would remain focused on my goals, I couldnt forget what I was fighting for. To not celebrate victories, or a way of life, cherish what I held dear, would be equal to defeat. All that, and I was here, thinking about how we would get a dresser. I let out a slight chuckle at the thought as I looked at my weapon resting against the wall. Arent you in a great mood? Cellestra said with a sly smile. Whats going on in your head heads? Not a whole lot, actually. Just enjoying the moment. Thinking about life in general, and what we do from here. I mean, after today. Do you think Elysas answers will change anything about that? She asked. Hard to say, I said while thinking about it. I dont think the goals can change much. Its very simple, Im looking to get more powerful. If anything, I think the only thing it can change is the pressure behind it. I dont think too much pressure will be healthy, for either of us. I do wonder what I should ask Nilene if she accepts my request. Heh, I said with a chuckle. Good question. I should also think about the things I want to ask Elysa. In your case, its simple, no? What the hell was that interference with your blessing? I know that, yes, and I hope she can answer that fast so I have time for more questions. Then again, I suppose that whatever it is, is the same thing that overwhelmed me earlier. What is it, and what can I do to prevent that from happening again? Maybe Elysa can help me figure out how I got that one spell I was never supposed to have as well, considering she is the one that fabricated this blessing and all. By the way, what if it turns out the ritual with Nilene fails? Dont we have to pay for it? Cellestra nodded. We do, but were fine in that regard. I have a feeling it wont fail, though, I said. If anything, I reckon Elysa talked to Nilene, maybe convinced her to convey some additional info that can''t be told to me in time before the ritual ends, or maybe she just likes you. I couldnt blame her if she did. The brunette giggled. Thats so sweet, She said, patting my back. I let out a small chuckle of my own as I crossed my arms, let my body collapse to the ground, and waited, staring at my bracelet. What about that orb? I asked. Do you want to use it as decoration? I was thinking about it. Doesnt really look worth it to use. Ill keep it with me for a while because who knows? I imagine it would look great on that dresser. Whats going to be after that dresser? I asked with a grin. A bookcase? I dont have any books with me, except for Roses diary. If I ever get some more, Id definitely love to have a bookcase. And for that, youd need time to even read, I added. I hope youll get some soon. Its okay. I dont mind. I would be lying if I said it doesnt feel liberating to finally use magic for a purpose after all those years in isolation. It makes me realize that I can be so much more than I have been all this time. She looked down at my back before continuing with a whisper. Its almost surreal. But its real, I said. And its amazing. She nodded. It is. A long pause in the conversation followed and I was starting to think that Soranir was extremely busy, but finally, my parents and Elira appeared, seemingly in a good mood, which gave me hope Id be able to make Cellestras suggested alterations surrounding my home. Sis! Elira said as she ran towards me. Mom and dad wanted me to tell you that mister mayor was fine with what you wanted to do! Thats great, right? Thats wonderful, I said, patting her head. He said its fine, My father elaborated as he neared. Hell assign that area of the forest to you to live in, and you can do whatever you want with it, but he expects you to not go overboard. He trusts you know what that means. I do, I said with a nod. I dont think well need much space, but if we for some reason, at any point do need more, Ill make sure to ask him first. Thats what hed like to hear, My father said. Now, He continued with a smile, and a twinkle in his eyes. Im eager to see what you made of it so far. I looked at my mother who nodded in agreement, the same spark in her eyes, and a smile on her face. Me too! Elira exclaimed as she climbed on my back, aided by the fact my abdomen was on the ground. Well then. Lets not keep you waiting. We left the city behind while I was already making plans in my head to improve my nest. Guards in the form of spiderlings were something in the back of my mind, but before Id put that into action, I wanted to ask Elysa if the spell was safe to use. The error messages and the corrupted text were unsettling, to say the least, and it made me wary. The nearest trees formed an octagon, give or take. While they were a good few yards away from the main structure, wed gotten permission to use them as we saw fit, so there wouldnt be an issue as long as we didnt desecrate any beyond those. I could already see a net spun between them acting as a wall. I wouldnt have issues climbing over those, even with the enormous body I carried, but normal people would, as long as the webs were tight and unbudging so they couldnt be used as steps or gripped into with hands, something I was certain I could accomplish. I wondered if I should make any traps. A few non-lethal pitfall traps sounded like a good idea to catch any would-be thieves, but the problem was that I wasnt going after mere animals. Elves would probably find a way out. I pushed away my thoughts as we entered the forest. A few minutes later, the white of the webs was visible through the trees, and I saw my parents try to narrow their eyes in curiosity. The first to say anything when we started to near it was Elira, and even though it was only one word, it carried all the more meaning. Woah! She let out in bewilderment and excitement. Its a giant web. Thats so cool! That looks like it took you quite some time to make, My mother said as she reached out to touch the silk, carefully at first, but she soon ran her hand over the surface. Some good hours over several days, yes. The result is there, though. Its cozy and warm inside. Wanna take a look? Would love to, My father replied in a normal voice before Elira practically ran towards the entrance. Shed already seen the curtain and its function and pushed it aside before disappearing inside. My mother looked at it with shock and then delight when she noticed me giggle at the situation. I then held up the curtain to have my parents enter. Cellestra stepped off my back and followed them, and I did the same, though I didnt fully enter as it would get quite crowded. The nest was spacious, but with this many people inside it became much less so. All three of our guests stared at the bathtub and then allowed their eyes to run over the walls, before they found the wolf pelts, the silk pillow, and the hole in the webs. Whats that for if I may ask? My father asked, pointing at the hole. I put my lower head in that if I want to relax and lie down. I chuckled after saying it. Odd, I know, but its surprisingly comfortable. I can see it, He continued, still in wonder as he ran a hand over the floor. This stuff is extremely soft. This is so cool! Elira called out as she jumped, the webs bouncing her back up. Elira! My mother said sternly. I chuckled. I know she shouldnt, but its still funny. She sighed as the elven girl looked at her with large puppy eyes. Were trying to raise her right, and its not always easy. I can see that, I said. Those eyes must be hard to resist. She smiled as she saw Elira step into the hole and hide in it. They are 3.2 Tampering Mom? I asked. Say we want to furnish this place, who do we talk to? Furnish? What kind? She asked as she narrowed her eyes. We were thinking a dresser, maybe a bookshelf, that kind of thing. I dont think well need chairs or tables or the like. There are quite a few good carpenters in town. Would you like me to talk to them, or do you want to have a look for yourselves? I looked at Cellestra to see what she wanted. Im fine with anything. In that case, I said, speaking my thoughts. Would you like to pick something for us today, so that we can work on our home in the meantime? Hmmm, My mother let out. We could do that. Wouldnt be a bad idea for us to do it in the first place as I doubt youre going to be able to walk through the small pathways in the warehouse. Of course, I said, shaking my head. Forgot that that was a possibility. My mother chuckled as I continued. We will give you plenty of money then, and Id like you to keep some for yourselves, as thanks for all the breakfasts and other help. Thats fine, sweetie, She said with a warm smile. You dont have to do that. But I want to, and you know that I wont take no for an answer. My dad shook his head and my mom merely said she didnt know what to say, seemingly mimicking my fathers thoughts. At the same time, Cellestra pulled out a pouch with coins from her backpack and handed it to me, which I then gave to my mother. Hope thats enough, I said. My mother opened the pouch to discover five gold coins, causing her eyes to grow wide in disbelief. Thats way too much, She said. How much will the aforementioned furniture cost? I asked. Any idea? A gold coin, at most, She reacted, still looking at the coins in her hand. And thats for both pieces. She didnt at all seem comfortable holding so much money, so I took two coins from her and handed them back to Cellestra. Here, I continued. Keep whatever you have left, okay? Dont worry about it too much. Thank you, She said. Youre the sweetest. I noticed with my side eyes that Cellestra pulled out the spell orb from her backpack to show it to Elira, who was more than intrigued by it as she cocked her head and watched it from very close up, causing the brunette to giggle as I was locked in conversation with my parents. Youre too kind, My father said. Be careful with that. I think I know what you mean, but youre my mom and dad. I try to be kind to everyone, but I can be cold if someone tries to use me. He nodded in understanding. So, what do you think of my nest? I asked, changing the topic to something entirely different. It looks very well done, My father replied. And its warm in here. How are the nights? You should ask Cellestra. I am hardly affected by the cold so I cant tell. Of course, He said with a grin, looking at the long hairs along the length of my body. Its warm, even at nights, Cellestra answered the question, without looking up. She was still showing the elven girl the orb, which shifted every now and then. When it did, Elira let out a soft one of her woahs each time it did. She was such a treasure to observe. Youd make the builders guild jealous, My father said. Better to not let them hear about all this. Wasnt planning to, I said. Hey, Cellestra and I were planning to get rituals done at the shrines. Would you like to join us? Why not? My mother said. Seeing my daughter talk to the goddess, thats an honor I never thought Id experience. Well, I doubt theres much youll be able to see, but if you have any questions for her, Id be happy to answer them. Unfortunately, I have a few crucial questions first. I feel kind of bad about that. Hopefully, I wont have to wait too long before doing the next ritual. Its okay, My mother said softly. We have nothing to ask that can be considered important. Im sure you have questions for her, and I think those are important, even if you dont think they are. Perhaps, She said. Well look into that when we can. Shall we go? Cellestra, you ready? I said, turning my head to her. Ready when you are. I walked out of the nest in reverse and had Elira and Cellestra hop on my back again as the brunette held the bag containing her armor in place behind my head. I didnt strap it as Id fall unconscious during the ritual and it would just be in the way, and it seemed she knew that. To my surprise, the braziers before Elysas shrine changed to their roaring blue for the first time since arriving in Thymhil. It made me freeze for a few seconds. Thats a relief, I said. Good to see, Cellestra said as she hopped off. Ill go and ask the priestess if she could do a ritual outside. I nodded as I stepped over the low wall and made my way to the corner of the premises where I wouldnt obstruct anyone. I took the bag with armor and placed it at my side and watched Cellesta enter the shrine. So youll talk to goddess Elysa? Elira asked curiously as she had made her way down and was now standing in front of me. Yep. There are some things that I hope she can answer. She must have seen the look in my eyes as her next question summed up what I was feeling. Is it bad? She asked, her smile disappearing. I dont know yet, I replied in honesty with a soft voice. I hope not. Cellestra soon returned, a bag in her hands while the priestess in white carried a large metal bowl, the one used to burn the reagents in. That, of course, would mean that those reagents were in the bag that the brunette held. Welcome, chosen of Elysa, The priestess said warmly after looking at the blazing braziers, as she placed the bowl in front of me. Goddess, it never becomes easier listening to that. Hi, I replied politely as I placed myself on the ground. I hope its not too much of an inconvenience to do the ritual here. Not at all, She said, shaking her head with the same kind smile. Im glad I can help out both you and our goddess any way I can. I saw my mom put her hands over Eliras shoulders who was standing in front of her as they curiously eyed the priestess accepting the bag from Cellestra and carefully pulling out the leaves and other materials and laying them in the bowl in front of me. After placing the last, she closed her eyes, knelt, and whispered a few words as she held a hand over the items. She then tilted her head to look at me and asked if I was ready. I am, I said with a nod. She nodded in response and asked Cellestra to hold up the bowl in front of my face, which she did. Just make sure to put me on my back, if you will, I told Cellestra. I will, She said with a small smile. Well see you in a bit. I smiled back at her before I turned my head to look at the magical agents before me. The priestess spoke a few words in a language unknown to me and blue flames engulfed my face, sending me off into a dream-like state. Elysa? I called the goddesss name as soon as I could think. My vision was still white, but it quickly faded away, revealing the deity sitting in her chair. She had her chin cupped in a hand and seemed to be thinking for a bit before she acknowledged my presence. Hi, Kealyna. I have a feeling I know what questions youd like to ask. Let me try to answer those real quick. I talked to Nilene, and we arranged for her to react to her own braziers to warn you to not do the ritual again so soon. She is willing to talk to Cellestra to give you some info I cant provide you in time. She flooded me with words, and knowing time was short, I merely nodded as she continued. I notice something has changed about your blessing. Something tampered with it. I dont know how, or why. The resulting spell you learned seems to have the exact effect it describes. Strange as it is, it combines a spell you have and a spell you could have had if youd chosen a different evolution. Its perfectly safe to use. The source, though I narrowed my eyes in anticipation of what she was about to say. I managed to find out a bit more. Theres some ancient being banished deep underground in the center of the three obelisks, and for some reason, it somehow connects to you through my blessing. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons. Thank you so much <3 asuka Kel shiki 3.3 Goddesses Elysa sighed deeply, apparently lost. My issue is that this being predates me, and that I can only analyze what happened after it happens. For now, there doesnt seem to be an issue, which should be a relief to you, but I cannot guarantee anything for the future. So whats the reason that I couldnt have this spell otherwise? I asked. Because there is only so much of my magic you can possess, Elysa replied, knowing exactly what I meant. I couldnt give you everything because it would overload your soul and shatter it. One thing that I hadnt calculated is that this double mind works better than I thought it would, as youre completely fine with this highly taxing additional spell. She smiled widely. It was a mostly warm smile, but there was a hint of mischief in there as well. Sometimes I do surprise even myself. She stood up from her chair and walked up to me. Im sorry, Kealyna. I never meant to burden you with all this. Id much rather see you without worries. I feel like I can help a bit more, here, She said as she kissed her hand which she then placed on my forehead. As soon as her hand touched me, I felt cold shivers run down my shoulders, torso, and then everything that was behind me, all the way to the tips of my legs before I felt another ripple, this time of intense heat that followed the first. I could feel the goddesss power then converge in my mind, and then split off to my second brain to share the burden. I hope this will be useful to you, She said with a smile. I needed a few seconds to regain my wits, frustrated because it meant that time was ticking away. As soon as I could, I barely managed to say Why me?, asking for the reason why she specifically chose to reincarnate me, before the colors started to blend together and I knew my time was up here. I have my reasons. Do tell your family I said hi. I heard before everything went white. My thoughts returned and so did the vision from my arachnid eyes, albeit groggy. My elven eyes were still closed, and I was lying on my back, soft and comfortable, Elysas final words ringing in my mind. Reasons? What reasons could she have? What do I have that others dont? I didnt know. How are you feeling? Cellestra asked from my side, prompting me to open my eyes. Im okay. Im just thinking. I hope you found the answers you were looking for, The priestess said warmly, taking a slight bow and collecting the bowl from the grass. I thanked her as she collected the bag as well and disappeared inside the shrine. Thats one, I suppose. Its your turn next, I said as I looked at Cellestra. Elysa said she talked to Nilene, who would talk to you to provide us with some more information. I see, but just take a moment to rest, okay? She replied softly. I nodded and remained where I was, thinking about Elysas words once more. The new spell was safe to use, that was a huge reassurance, and what was that last thing she did? Elysa, what did you do? Skill Acquired Elysas Clarity Amplifies the effects of beneficial spells others cast on you by a major margin, and beneficial spells you cast on others by a minor margin. Elysas clarity? I whispered as I looked at the blue square in the middle of my vision. While I was happy with the fact that my healing spells would now heal more, I wasnt exactly sure if that was what the goddess meant when she said that she hoped it would be useful for me. Unless Whats that? Cellestra asked. Oh, nothing, I said, figuring Id tell her later. I stretched my arms, yawned, and forcibly shook my head, trying to snap myself back to reality fully while the brunette extended an arm to help me back up. Thanks, I said as I looked at my parents and Elira who seemed to be curious about what the goddess said. Unfortunately, there was little I could share with them. Elysa wanted me to say hi to you from her. She did? Elira immediately asked with large eyes. Woah, thats awesome! I giggled at her reaction. I imagined somewhere high in the heavens, Elysa was watching the little girl with the same kind of sentiment. Yeah, she did, and now were going to go to Nilenes shrine and have Cellestra talk to her. How did it go? My mother asked as we prepared to leave. I got answers to some very important questions I had and learned some more beyond that. I think I may have to talk to Soranir sometime soon again and, perhaps, send a message to the wall. I imagined Vyath wanted to know about what Elysa had told me. The being that was being locked away by the obelisks was, apparently, underground. If he could locate it, that would grant us additional resources to work with. Perhaps, he and others could find out a way to deal with it before the obelisks depleted. Perhaps we should have come here first, My father started. Would have saved us an extra trip to him. I looked at him to see a sly smile on his lips, letting me know he wasnt actually frustrated, to my relief. Sorry about that. I should have foreseen as much. Its alright, My mother said. Well have to go to the city again anyway, and Im sure Elira wont mind another trip to the mayor, now that well have some money to spend. I wasnt sure what she meant as I imagined that would be quite boring for a little girl, but I saw her eyes grow wide and sparkle as she turned around to our mom. Candy? She asked to which my mother nodded happily. Yay! Candy! We should get some for sis and miss Cellestra too! Well get some for them too. Yay! She cheered as she turned to me. Youll love it. Im sure of it! They have the best sweets in Len Asari! I cant wait, I said, petting her head. She then eagerly climbed onto my back as we headed towards our next destination. This girl was such a bright light, to all of us. At least she wouldnt have to get off for the next ritual. Nervous? I asked Cellestra who kept looking at the ground as she walked next to me. She merely nodded before whispering. I dont know how Nilene is. Hopefully, shell be as kind to me as Elysa is to you. Well, they talked, so Im going to assume she will be. We reached the shrine and the flames outside reacted to our presence in much the same manner again, causing some movement inside. It didnt take long for the green-robes priest to appear as this time, it was clear we were here for a reason. The priest seemed to think about it in the same way as he seemed amused by us waiting for him as opposed to us just checking the braziers reaction before going away. Greetings, He said warmly. It appears that this time I can be of assistance. Yes, I said. Wed like for Cellestra to talk to Nilene. The priest shifted his gaze from me to the brunette who waved uneasily with a few fingers and tried to smile, but it was clear she was nervous, despite my attempts to ease it. Id be happy to help out with that. We havent had anyone talk to her in a while. If you will, please follow me. He smiled at the purple-eyed elf kindly and Cellestra took one step and came to a halt. Um, She let out. Is it okay to do the ritual outside? She threw a quick glance at me before turning her head back to the priest, who was scratching the back of his head. If that makes it easier for you, then Ill be happy to oblige, The priest said. Could I ask you to help me carry my resources outside, though? Cellestra nodded and managed to smile again as she went after him and entered the shrine, before coming out again moments later in the same fashion as before: holding a bag. I giggled a bit as I saw the same thing happen again, Elira hopping off to see what was going to follow shortly. She was always eager to see anything with even the slightest hint of magic involved, the blue flames from the ritual being no different. After placing the reagents in the bowl and speaking some words in a foreign language, the priest asked me to hold it up near the brunettes face, much like Cellestra had with me. She gave me one last look, and nodded, before following the instructions of the head priest, holding her face close to the flammable materials. I placed two legs behind her to let her know shed be in good hands while passed out, her uneasiness fading at my touch. The priest then spoke the last few words, causing flames to erupt that washed over Cellestras face. Her legs gave out as she collapsed but I was ready and caught her, laying her unconscious body on the soft grass. Her face seemed peaceful, and I hoped her experience in Nilenes realm would reflect that. 3.4 Nilene I kept watching Cellestra as the cold flames died down in the bowl I was still holding. Id never seen this part of the ritual, but there wasnt much to it. The brunette was asleep and the priest tossed the bag in the bowl, and I placed it down onto the grass. The goddess has accepted her audience request, The man in green said calmly as he looked at the sleeping Cellestra. What is it like talking to a goddess? Elira asked, peeking from my side. My parents both looked at me, awaiting my answer. Uh, I let out, thinking about how I could bring this in a fancy way, before shaking my head in resignation. Its surprisingly disappointing. I appeared in a sober stone room with just Elysa sitting behind a desk. The depictions of her are incredibly accurate, and she acts and talks just like any other elf. In a way, it doesnt feel special at all if you dont think about it too much. I wonder if I can see her someday, The girl continued. Id like to see her for myself! The priest chuckled and smiled warmly at her. What does it generally take to be able to talk to a deity? I asked, curious if there was a definitive answer. Oof, The priest said with a sigh. Thats a hard question. There are many things that can earn their favor. However, following the goddesss teachings, honoring her, or performing heroic deeds will generally make them look upon you with admiration. One can, of course, always request an audience, and hope the gods see something in the mortals souls that sparks their curiosity. Many such requests go unanswered though. What do Nilenes teachings look like? I asked. I apologize if I sound ignorant, but I hadnt heard of her before. Thats okay. One cannot know everything, of course, He said, making me feel more at ease as I continued watching Cellestra. I wondered just how differently time flowed in the goddesses realms. It felt like it was mere minutes, and on the low end of that, whenever I stood before Elysa. Nilene, as you may have heard, is the goddess of the harvest and the friend of farmers. Those who take good care and love their crops and their purpose, will have a much higher chance of being allowed to talk to her. I see. Thank you. I turned to my parents. I think you may have a good chance of meeting her then. One can hope, My father said with a smile. I wouldnt even know what to say. That''s how I felt the first time too, but youll have the advantage of being able to think about it long before it even comes down to that. I suppose thats right. I noticed that the smile that was once on Cellestras face was now gone. I hope shes alright in there. We watched and waited in silence for a few minutes when she stirred and groaned, experiencing the same dizziness that I experienced a few times so far. I helped her overcome it by casting healing light on her. Thanks, She whispered as she tried to sit up. Just stay down for a bit if you need it, I said. Im alright. No worries. I hope you found the answers you were looking for, The priest said to her, receiving a nod, before taking a slight bow and walking off, bowl in hands. It seemed she did get some answers, but I doubted they were the ones she was looking for judging from the concerned expression on her face. She looked up at me with the same worry and I felt my mood sour at the sight. That doesnt look good, I said softly. The brunette shook her head. I think it would be better to leave you two alone for a bit, My mother suggested. Well be off to the city. Feel free to stop by for dinner. Thanks, mom. Well be there later today. She extended a hand towards Elira, who looked at Cellestra before taking it, her smile and cheerful attitude gone in an instant. Take care, My dad said in support. Youll be fine. Cellestra nodded as my parents took Elira by the hand and left, the little girl waving back with the other as she turned her head one last time. How bad is it? I asked as I helped Cellestra stand up. I dont know, She whispered. Its not so bad yet, but Im sure its not something you want to hear right now with everything else going on as well. Lets go home. You can tell me on the way if youd like. Yeah, She said with a nod, making her way over to climb on my back. We left the shrine behind and started making our way through the forest, Cellestra anxiously looking around as we went. So, I started once we were a few minutes into our trip. Whats the bad news? Elysa told Nilene that she has seen the first movements of what looked like followers of Hograd. She cannot attribute it to you yet, but she wanted to inform you that certain followers have started grouping with others, far away, but still. Well, she knows that Hograd apparently has some kind of issue with me so it wouldnt surprise me in the slightest if this was about that. I sighed deeply. We better assume it is, I suppose. I rubbed my forehead and eyes, thinking about the implications of this. Any word on where? I asked. Cellestra shook her head. Not even close to the province. Theres no reason for any immediate worry. But its something we need to keep in the back of our minds as if there wasnt enough there. I shook my head violently, forcing the thoughts to go away. Whatever, I said. Not gonna get lost in self-pity again. Well deal with whatever comes our way. Screw Hograd, and screw whoever would follow such a cruel entity. I almost managed to spit at the ground at the mention of his name but managed to stop myself. So, Cellestra continued after nodding. What did Elysa say? The spell I acquired is safe. Thats the good news. As for the bad news I trailed off and paused. Actually, having more information isnt a bad thing, is it? According to the goddess, the being that is banished by the obelisks is located deep underground in the center of the three obelisks. Thats surprisingly useful knowledge. Thats what I thought. She also gave me something else. A warning? Hah, no, I chuckled. A new skill, and I think I have an idea what she wants me to use it for. What does it do? Cellestra asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. It increases the effect of beneficial spells cast on me. Thats amazing. Now youll have to spend way less time healing yourself. Her answer surprised me. I mean, she was right and Id come to the same conclusion, but there was something else. I crossed my arms and turned my head to look at her, a smug smile on my face, hoping shed get the clue. What? Am I wrong? I raised my eyebrows in response, and she seemed to rethink her answer. Wait, She said as I saw it dawn on her. All beneficial spells? She asked slowly. My response came with a nod and a sly smile. Shed figured it out. So my spell too, then. I nodded again. Does that mean its going to be easier for me to learn your spells? That would be amazing. I havent tried it yet, but I just know that thats exactly the reason behind this spell. When? Cellestra asked with a single word, happiness radiating from her face at the prospect of having a much easier time learning my healing spell. We will definitely do some later. I was thinking to work on the trees surrounding our home first. Do you think well need to make a sign as a more permanent solution to those papers you made earlier? Thats a pretty nice idea. I figure that in addition to the change youre going to make that will make the place look like its occupied by intelligent creatures, a nameplate will make it feel even more like a house. Did you bring any tools to inscribe wood or something? Nope, but I dont think its going to be hard to find some, She smiled after that. And I think Ill keep myself busy with that aspect while you do the more heavy labor. Fair enough, I said as we reached the nest, and I halted to check the trees that surrounded it, my halberd in hand, ready to cut the trees in half. If anything, this might be an even bigger durability test for my weapon than the dungeon. Well, I let out. Lets see how much we can get done. 3.5 Elysa’s Clarity I skittered to the first tree that I was going to alter and partially climbed it with my front sets of powerful legs, leaving my rear two sets on solid ground as I pulled up the bladed part of my weapon and started cutting off side branches. Can I assist in any way? Cellestra asked from down below, staring at the tree and then at me. I was just about to ask that, I said. Well need to make sure that none of these fall on top of our home, so Im getting rid of these first, I said as I cut off another arm. And then Ill create a line of thread that we pull to make sure it falls in the correct direction. Smart, The brunette remarked. What should we do with all this lumber, anyway? Think someone in town would be happy to have it? No doubt. Perhaps you can give it, or sell it, to the carpenters your parents are visiting. Maybe youll get a discount on more furniture, who knows? I do like that idea, Cellestra said while I climbed the tree a bit further to reach the highest branches. And damn, that looks convenient. You dont say? I feel for those poor woodcutters having to climb the hard way. The purple-eyed elf giggled and smiled, watching me work as Id ultimately finished removing all that was attached to the trees trunk, stuck a thick thread of silk to it, and fastened it to the bottom of another tree on the outside. You ready? I asked Cellestra, who seemed to be happy to help. She took position and took a firm hold of the rope and nodded. I started chopping away at the trees bark, making sure to use one free leg to push against the side to aid its course. I kept at it until I heard a creak and immediately warned Cellestra of the incoming danger. Watch it! Its coming down. We were happy to see that our precautions worked as the trunk leaned over towards Cellestra, who quickly stepped out of the way as the top part came crashing down. About six yards of tree landed in the dirt, leaving about the same length still standing. And thats one, Cellestra cheerfully said. Yep, I replied. And I just had a thought come up. Do tell. What if we have visitors? I mean, lets say my parents want to visit, how would they enter the premises? I mean, you intended to carry me over the walls, right? I suppose there isnt much else I can do. Its not like I can make some kind of fancy gate out of silk. I chuckled and made my way to the next tree, once again removing branches, before tying it and bringing it down with the help of Cellestra. Happy with our progress so far, and eager to try out my new spell, we decided to leave the rest for later, perhaps tomorrow, and make our way inside where we made some tea with leaves that my mom had gotten us. So, She started after carefully sipping the hot drink. Any idea what we want to do tomorrow? I was thinking if its going to be significantly easier for you to replicate my spells, what do you say we dedicate a day solely to that? Might be a good idea to teach you my fireball, and, if possible, the lightning arc spell. Youre saying you have an insanely huge mana pool so it should be effective. We can use some dungeon creatures as practice since the spell needs to connect to a target. Sounds good to me. Id love to see what I can do. Youre going to do so much, Cellestra, I said softly. Well form an unstoppable team, together. Think well be famous? She asked while blowing her tea. I think we are already, to a certain degree, and I dont think its gonna get worse. I looked at her face to see her fixated on her tea, not too optimistic about all this. I could see it. Well, Cellestra whispered. Not really. I do like the time we spend together, but I could do without all the pressure, and the fame that no doubt will come with it. She looked up to the ceiling of the nest. Out here, in the forest, just the two of us, is perfect to me. It is what it is, I suppose, I let out as I slowly drank my tea. The brunette merely nodded and did the same, putting her cup away in her backpack after she was finished. I handed her mine and asked if she was ready for some practice. Yeah. Lets do that, She said as a shy smile appeared on her face again. We started with my healing light again. Id lost track of our attempts, but I had good hopes that this would be one of the last, if not the last time. As soon as Cellestra cast her magic seeker spell on me, we could both feel that something was considerably different. I could not just feel, but I could see her mana flow through my body, to my abdomen, where my vast reserves were located. I could touch and lead it as I wished. It was tangible and easy to grasp, to take a hold of, and I could mold it to replicate each step, each tiny thread that was my healing spell. The obstacle that had long bothered us was shattered as we moved the spell further, to the next, and then the next, passing over what would have otherwise been nigh-impossible hurdles. And despite all that, there were still traps in this spell, proving once more that the goddesss magic was not to be underestimated. Nevertheless, they fell one by one, but the sheer complexity of the spell exhausted us both of our mana reserves, forcing us to cease the activity for the day and take a moment to relax on the webs. That was incredible, Cellestra said, worn out, but happy. I know, I can feel Im almost there. Youre right, I said, feeling relief wash over me. She was almost there, and once she knew this spell, I would feel much more at ease. Were close now. Tomorrow, we will have you know this spell. What about tonight? She said with a sly smile. We could do some more after dinner. Ah, why the hell not? I replied in response to her eagerness. We might as well. Then, we can dedicate tomorrow to the other spells. Thatd be nice. Yay, Cellestra let out with a chuckle, before shaking her head. Hi, Elira, I said in response, intensifying her grin. Her spirit is contagious, The brunette said, looking at the ceiling, her hands under her head. It is. Wanna go see her and your parents? I guess its almost time for dinner, and we do have an invitation, I said as I stood up and fetched Cellestras bag with her armor. Eager, arent you? Cellestra said as she followed suit. Says you, I replied with a chuckle as I turned and exited the nest, holding up the curtain for her on the way out. She giggled as she walked up to my side, preferring to walk for the time being. She needed to stretch her legs every now and then, even if being carried around was the easy way of transport. We arrived at the farm again, and Elira seemed a bit hesitant to greet me in her usual manner, but as soon as I held up my open arms and pedipalps, and smiled at her, she came running and hugged me. My parents were both seated at the table and looked at me with a concerned expression. I lifted the little girl and approached them with a warm smile, trying to have them know everything was fine. Everything all right? My mother asked. Yeah. Were all right. It wasnt nearly as bad as it may have looked like earlier. Glad to hear that, My father replied without asking any further questions. I suppose it did look a bit scary. Anyway. C I turned my head to Elira C How did your trip to the city go? Did you get your candy? Yes, She said happily before her smile disappeared. But mom and dad say I cant have any before dinner. I giggled and put my arms around her small frame. Better listen to them. Normal food is much healthier. Besides, moms cooking is really good. She nodded as I turned my attention to my mother, whose worry was replaced by joy as she looked at us. I think youll like what we purchased. Well have some furniture delivered here tomorrow morning. Thats no issue, I hope? That sounds wonderful. Thanks, mom. And Soranir will be there as well. 3.6 Weaving Alright. Sounds good, I replied. I do hope he doesnt have to put too many things aside for these repeated talks with me. Its a matter of prioritizing, My father said calmly. No doubt he trusts you, and you him. Its more than clear that this matter is of the utmost importance, and whatever else he has to do can wait. Elira looked at him, seeming to have no idea what this was all about. It would be better for her if she didnt, so I decided to cut the conversation here and turn my attention back to her. Did you help mom with dinner again? I asked with a smile to put her more at ease. Yes! Its much easier to light the stove with magic! She happily exclaimed. And what did she make? Fish and vegetables in the oven. I helped with the cutting. Sounds delicious. I patted her head while my mother went back inside. And it smells delicious too, I remarked when the scents from inside reached us through the open door. Shadow seemed to think the same as he walked up to the steps and sat down with great expectations. And Im not the only one that thinks so. Dont be fooled, My father said. Hes already had dinner. He then stood up and walked inside as well, only to return with plates and cutlery. After that, my mom returned with dinner of which I only had a few bites, just to taste her amazing cooking. We talked a bit about how we started to work on the octagon of trees that surrounded the nest and what we could do with the excess lumber. My father said that if we could get that here when our furniture would be delivered, he was sure the carriers would happily take some wood back to be transformed into other items. After dinner I took Elira for a quick run around the fields, just to fuel the little girls excitement, but after that, we were quickly off to our nest, resupplied with some bread and fruits for breakfast the next day, and eager to try to finish practice on the healing light spell tonight. On the way back I realized that I never got to see Eliras candy, or taste it, so I made a promise to myself to ask about it tomorrow. Once home, I stretched my legs across the web after unloading our cargo, looking around the edges to see where wed place the newest additions to our silken cabin. You know, I said while thinking. You never did tell me what Nilene is like. She was rather serious. She seemed to be a bit frustrated to have been asked by Elysa, but from her posture, I could tell she doesnt like Hograd much. That does make sense I think. I mean, just what they both stand for are like polar opposites. Thats true, I guess. Anyway, I continued. We went home early for a reason. Want to finish what we started? Gladly, Cellestra said, smiling briefly before she assumed a serious expression as she knelt in front of me, put her hand on my forehead, and send her magic flowing through me. I forced the flow through the smallest gaps, overcoming all the traps previously laid out before us until wed reached the point where we stopped the last time we did this. We broke barriers until Cellestras mana stream weakened, signaling the end of the channel. We were close, much closer than wed ever been. We tried again, and once more we progressed through the yet unknown areas of the spell, inching ever closer to a successful cast. Then, during the fourth time she channeled her mana through me, it was finally there the completion of the spell. Cellestra separate her hand from my head, closed her eyes and focused. She then put it on one of my shoulders, and within seconds, I felt a warmth enter my body and seek out wounds. There were none that I knew of, but the energy eventually settled in my head, where it attempted to fight against the darkness, and, while it did seem to help a bit just like my own spell, perhaps more than that due to the effect of my new skill, it couldnt vanquish it. I cant believe it, Cellestra whispered after the successful cast of my healing light. This so much exceeds any healing magic that I previously possessed. Its unreal. She heaved a deep sigh of relief, her eyes still closed, and I took her in for a hug. Great job, I said patting her back. She returned the hug and finally opened her eyes, which were watery, and seemingly on the verge of crying. Thank you, She whispered. No problem, I said in an equally soft tone. Happy I can help with this. When we broke the hug, she lay down on her back and stared at the ceiling for minutes before she spoke again. I still cant believe it. This really would have taken months without the goddesss help. I never thought it would be this complicated. Elysa is very kind to us, I said as I placed my lower head in the hole and lay down next to her. But she said something else, just before I was pulled out of her realm. The brunette turned her head and looked at me, not saying any words, but her face said it all. Why? I asked her why me? She clearly knew what I meant by that. Ive been wondering for a while why she chose to give me specifically another chance, and not just me, but my parents too. I find it hard to believe that its just because of my actions before my death, as so many others died with me that day. I paused for a moment and thought about what shed said before I told Cellestra. She said I have my reasons and now Im wondering what she means by that. Thats odd, She admitted. What other reasons could she have? I dont know, I said softly. And I dont know if I should care about it either. Im happy to be here, either way. We will find out in time, Cellestra said with a smile, offering me some peace of mind. No doubt. Do you want to head into the dungeon for practice tomorrow? Sure. Did you have any spell in mind to teach me first? Ill leave the choice to you. Hmmm, She let out, putting a finger on her lips. Hard choice. Id love to learn that lightning arc spell first. Think thats a good idea? Im fine with anything, but that spell, in particular, needs a target, so wed probably have to paralyze one of the creatures on the first floor as a test subject. I sighed after saying it. Sometimes I cant believe how cruel I have to be. At least the creatures in the dungeon dont really seem to experience pain in the same way we do. Thats true, Cellestra whispered. Dont think too much of it. If you start doing that, youll never stop. Yeah. youre right. I looked up with the eyes behind my torso and noted that the world outside had barely started to lose its light. It was still early in the evening, prompting me to ask Cellestra if there was something else she wanted to look into. Why not try to make a new shirt? You havent done that for a while. I think I could also use a new bra. I thought you brought those with you? She chuckled. I did, but your silk is a lot softer, and far more comfortable. True. Its better than anything Ive ever worn. Want me to make you a new one? Yes please, She said quietly as she started taking off her shirt, and then her bra. Arms up, please, I said after she finished. She did as I asked, raised her hands to the sky, and I started spinning silk around her chest using thread manipulation, making sure not to wrap it too tight. I needed a few minutes to get it done, but Cellestra didnt seem to have issues having her arms stretched out for so long. Thank you, She said as I finished with hers and then ripped open my own wraps and started replacing them. Cellestra looked at me and blushed, before facing away, but my giggles at the sight caused her to look at me again, her eyes trailing off to my navel and then back up, a shy, yet curious glow in them. I smiled warmly at her but didnt say a word. I didnt want her to feel more awkward than she already was. A new shirt, eh? I said by the time I was finished. Let me see if I still know how to do that. 3.7 Dreams I started weaving, slowly, from the bottom up, trying to remember the proportions I used last time. Cellestra smiled warmly as she watched me work, all while the world outside was slowly starting to become darker, causing the brunette to eventually pull out the spell orb from her backpack, which gave off plenty of light for the nest. You know, you really should consider the weavers guild, Cellestra said, giggling when I looked at her with disbelief. Ill take that as a no, She said after another chuckle. I just started my new life as a dungeon explorer, I said, finishing up the sleeveless shirt. I dont intend to retire just yet. Mind trying this on? See how it fits? Isnt it still sticky? Nope, I said, shaking my head. I seem to have gained precise control over that in the past few days. Still dont think I can color it, though. Thats fine, She said in a carefree manner as she took the shirt and put it on, smiling happily all the while. Its perfect. Just the sleeves to go now. Yeah, but I think Ill finish making those tomorrow. Im pretty tired, and we need to get up early again. Fair enough, She said, taking off the shirt and neatly folding it before putting it in her backpack. Lets get some sleep. I nodded, yawned, lay down in the crevice, and turned my body sideways to take Cellestra in a loving hug, my heart beating faster as she pulled the pillow underneath our heads. Thank you so much, She whispered. For today. Cellestra, I whispered back, running a hand through her hair. I should thank you for every day. Thats so sweet, She said. Im thankful for every day as well. Do you think my parents know you know, about us? I asked softly. I dont know. Do you want them to? Im not sure I admitted. What do you think? Id say, just wait until youre ready. You dont mind at all? She shook her head. Im ready whenever you are. Whenever that is, I concluded, before sighing. Dont worry. She whispered lovingly. Its going to be fine. She placed her head on my chest and a hand in my hair, stroking it gently. Good night, Kealyna. Good night, Cellestra. Somewhere in the middle of the night, I noticed a shade of red in my thermal vision, penetrating the darkness and the webs surrounding me. I was surprised that I could see it so clearly through the barriers, but at the same time, it wasnt a bad thing. I was on high alert and saw the creature it belonged to near the nest, painting the outline of a bear. It walked around seemingly without purpose, got closer to our shelter until it was close enough where I could hear it sniff. If needed, I was ready to attack it, even though the silk, but nothing caught its interest, and it eventually just walked away, disappearing into the forest. I didnt think much of it at first, but when the anticipation of having to fight dissipated, I realized that this was an odd incident. Cellestras presence in this area should have caused her ailment to take hold of the nearby wildlife. However, there had been no signs of aggression for a while, making me think about the hypothesis Id made earlier. My magic suppressed more than just the nightmare side-effect. If that was true, there shouldnt be an issue living among the other elves in or near the city. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the forest. Despite being close to civilization, there was still a clear separation from it, and if I was honest with myself, I preferred that. I was also left thinking about when Id put my last skill into action. Id more or less already decided Id make use of the spiderlings. From a tactical point of view, they were just too valuable to pass on, especially with this new synthesized version. I would have sighed, but my other half was asleep, forcing me to give up on the idea. The night progressed smoothly, and when the first signs of the morning came, my mind was suddenly drawn back to the whole spiderling thing. There was something I had no answer to yet. Sure, my blessing had made it all too clear that Id lay eggs, but one thing still eluded me Elysa, how long do they need to hatch? Skill: Spawn Spiderlings. Eggs require up to two hours to hatch. Spell synthesis: Spiderling Devour (Evolving) Additional information: Any new eggs laid will include all devour enhancements that the spiderlings have gained. Any spiderling that acquires a new enhancement will immediately share this among nearby siblings. I got the answer to that, and then some more. The only thing it didnt mention was the size of my offspring. I was beyond enormous, which led me to believe these spiderlings would also be. At last, Cellestra awoke, still hugging me, and so did I in response. Considering we planned on heading out early, we didnt waste any time. The brunette had a quick breakfast outside, while Id already loaded her armor on my back, and started collecting the chopped-off treetops, connecting them together with threads and dragging them behind me. Despite their weight, they were no match for my strength. Looking good, Cellestra commented. And after this, you have six more to go, right? Yup, so Ill check if they are interested in those as well. Im very much looking forward to what my parents chose. The knightly elven spider, Cellestra said giggling. Conquerer of dungeons, legendary weaver, looking forward to a bookshelf. I laughed heartily at her summary of my accomplishments. Though, I think the conqueror of dungeons is a bit premature, dont you think? I said as I regained my composure. Cellestra shrugged. Well get there. Im sure we will, I replied with a smile. We then set out again, the brunette walking like the day before. She seemed to put in some extra effort during our trip by raising her knees high with each step she took. She saw me looking, but didnt say a word about it. It was obvious that I knew exactly why she was doing that. Want to do that in the dungeon as well? I asked. With armor? I should, but that might be a bit much for the time being. Im quite weak still, so Ill stick to trying to build some muscle and not overexert myself like that. Well get there, I repeated her comment from earlier, causing her to giggle. Im sure we will, She replied with the same response. When we arrived at the farm, only my father was there, carrying a few empty buckets outside. He greeted us and told us my mother was taking Elira to school. He expected the furniture delivery to be here about the time she returned. Until then, hed weed the nearby field. I decided to help him, as did Cellestra, and when we had the first bucket filled up with the nasty, pesky weeds that would harm the newly-planted crops, a small convoy arrived. Soranir, on horseback, led a cart pulled by two more horses, each ridden by lightly armored, strong-looking men. Greetings, he said warmly as he brought everyone to a halt. As soon as they did, I saw my mother appear, my sight previously blocked by the horses. It appeared she got a ride from the city. Hey, I said, waving. Im happy to see youre making yourself at home, He said, looking at the men who dismounted and walked to the vehicle to unload, then at me, and then at the two logs in the gravel that Id dropped previously. I thought he was being slightly sarcastic at first, but there was none of that in his voice, and his expression told me that he was truly happy. Yeah. I figured Id take these back. It would be kind of wasteful to not give them purpose. Agreed, He said with a nod. The carpenters will surely have use for them. Anyway, He continued, his to-the-point nature surfacing. I was told you had important information. Would you like some tea? My mother asked as she walked up behind him. You know its impossible for me to say no to good tea, Lilinia. He guided his horse to the side of the building as the other men unloaded a dresser and a bookshelf before they left with a nod in our direction, but no words. Id take a closer look at those later. First, wed convene with the mayor regarding the most recent events, and hopefully, reach some kind of solution. 3.4 Nilene 2 I kept watching Cellestra as the cold flames died down in the bowl I was still holding. Id never seen this part of the ritual, but there wasnt much to it. The brunette was asleep and the priest tossed the bag in the bowl, and I placed it down onto the grass. The goddess has accepted her audience request, The man in green said calmly as he looked at the sleeping Cellestra. What is it like talking to a goddess? Elira asked, peeking from my side. My parents both looked at me, awaiting my answer. Uh, I let out, thinking about how I could bring this in a fancy way, before shaking my head in resignation. Its surprisingly disappointing. I appeared in a sober stone room with just Elysa sitting behind a desk. The depictions of her are incredibly accurate, and she acts and talks just like any other elf. In a way, it doesnt feel special at all if you dont think about it too much. I wonder if I can see her someday, The girl continued. Id like to see her for myself! The priest chuckled and smiled warmly at her. What does it generally take to be able to talk to a deity? I asked, curious if there was a definitive answer. Oof, The priest said with a sigh. Thats a hard question. There are many things that can earn their favor. However, following the goddesss teachings, honoring her, or performing heroic deeds will generally make them look upon you with admiration. One can, of course, always request an audience, and hope the gods see something in the mortals souls that sparks their curiosity. Many such requests go unanswered though. What do Nilenes teachings look like? I asked. I apologize if I sound ignorant, but I hadnt heard of her before. Thats okay. One cannot know everything, of course, He said, making me feel more at ease as I continued watching Cellestra. I wondered just how differently time flowed in the goddesses realms. It felt like it was mere minutes, and on the low end of that, whenever I stood before Elysa. Nilene, as you may have heard, is the goddess of the harvest and the friend of farmers. Those who take good care and love their crops and their purpose, will have a much higher chance of being allowed to talk to her. I see. Thank you. I turned to my parents. I think you may have a good chance of meeting her then. One can hope, My father said with a smile. I wouldnt even know what to say. That''s how I felt the first time too, but youll have the advantage of being able to think about it long before it even comes down to that. I suppose thats right. I noticed that the smile that was once on Cellestras face was now gone. I hope shes alright in there. We watched and waited in silence for a few minutes when she stirred and groaned, experiencing the same dizziness that I experienced a few times so far. I helped her overcome it by casting healing light on her. Thanks, She whispered as she tried to sit up. Just stay down for a bit if you need it, I said. Im alright. No worries. I hope you found the answers you were looking for, The priest said to her, receiving a nod, before taking a slight bow and walking off, bowl in hands. It seemed she did get some answers, but I doubted they were the ones she was looking for judging from the concerned expression on her face. She looked up at me with the same worry and I felt my mood sour at the sight. That doesnt look good, I said softly. The brunette shook her head. I think it would be better to leave you two alone for a bit, My mother suggested. Well be off to the city. Feel free to stop by for dinner. Thanks, mom. Well be there later today. She extended a hand towards Elira, who looked at Cellestra before taking it, her smile and cheerful attitude gone in an instant. Take care, My dad said in support. Youll be fine. Cellestra nodded as my parents took Elira by the hand and left, the little girl waving back with the other as she turned her head one last time. How bad is it? I asked as I helped Cellestra stand up. I dont know, She whispered. Its not so bad yet, but Im sure its not something you want to hear right now with everything else going on as well. Lets go home. You can tell me on the way if youd like. Yeah, She said with a nod, making her way over to climb on my back. We left the shrine behind and started making our way through the forest, Cellestra anxiously looking around as we went. So, I started once we were a few minutes into our trip. Whats the bad news? Elysa told Nilene that she has seen the first movements of what looked like followers of Hograd. She cannot attribute it to you yet, but she wanted to inform you that certain followers have started grouping with others, far away, but still. Well, she knows that Hograd apparently has some kind of issue with me so it wouldnt surprise me in the slightest if this was about that. I sighed deeply. We better assume it is, I suppose. I rubbed my forehead and eyes, thinking about the implications of this. Any word on where? I asked. Cellestra shook her head. Not even close to the province. Theres no reason for any immediate worry. But its something we need to keep in the back of our minds as if there wasnt enough there. I shook my head violently, forcing the thoughts to go away. Whatever, I said. Not gonna get lost in self-pity again. Well deal with whatever comes our way. Screw Hograd, and screw whoever would follow such a cruel entity. I almost managed to spit at the ground at the mention of his name but managed to stop myself. So, Cellestra continued after nodding. What did Elysa say? The spell I acquired is safe. Thats the good news. As for the bad news I trailed off and paused. Actually, having more information isnt a bad thing, is it? According to the goddess, the being that is banished by the obelisks is located deep underground in the center of the three obelisks. Thats surprisingly useful knowledge. Thats what I thought. She also gave me something else. A warning? Hah, no, I chuckled. A new skill, and I think I have an idea what she wants me to use it for. What does it do? Cellestra asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. It increases the effect of beneficial spells cast on me. Thats amazing. Now youll have to spend way less time healing yourself. Her answer surprised me. I mean, she was right and Id come to the same conclusion, but there was something else. I crossed my arms and turned my head to look at her, a smug smile on my face, hoping shed get the clue. What? Am I wrong? I raised my eyebrows in response, and she seemed to rethink her answer. Wait, She said as I saw it dawn on her. All beneficial spells? She asked slowly. My response came with a nod and a sly smile. Shed figured it out. So my spell too, then. I nodded again. Does that mean its going to be easier for me to learn your spells? That would be amazing. I havent tried it yet, but I just know that thats exactly the reason behind this spell. When? Cellestra asked with a single word, happiness radiating from her face at the prospect of having a much easier time learning my healing spell. We will definitely do some later. I was thinking to work on the trees surrounding our home first. Do you think well need to make a sign as a more permanent solution to those papers you made earlier? Thats a pretty nice idea. I figure that in addition to the change youre going to make that will make the place look like its occupied by intelligent creatures, a nameplate will make it feel even more like a house. Did you bring any tools to inscribe wood or something? Nope, but I dont think its going to be hard to find some, She smiled after that. And I think Ill keep myself busy with that aspect while you do the more heavy labor. Fair enough, I said as we reached the nest, and I halted to check the trees that surrounded it, my halberd in hand, ready to cut the trees in half. If anything, this might be an even bigger durability test for my weapon than the dungeon. Well, I let out. Lets see how much we can get done. 3.7 Dreams? I started weaving, slowly, from the bottom up, trying to remember the proportions I used last time. Cellestra smiled warmly as she watched me work, all while the world outside was slowly starting to become darker, causing the brunette to eventually pull out the spell orb from her backpack, which gave off plenty of light for the nest. You know, you really should consider the weavers guild, Cellestra said, giggling when I looked at her with disbelief. Ill take that as a no, She said after another chuckle. I just started my new life as a dungeon explorer, I said, finishing up the sleeveless shirt. I dont intend to retire just yet. Mind trying this on? See how it fits? Isnt it still sticky? Nope, I said, shaking my head. I seem to have gained precise control over that in the past few days. Still dont think I can color it, though. Thats fine, She said in a carefree manner as she took the shirt and put it on, smiling happily all the while. Its perfect. Just the sleeves to go now. Yeah, but I think Ill finish making those tomorrow. Im pretty tired, and we need to get up early again. Fair enough, She said, taking off the shirt and neatly folding it before putting it in her backpack. Lets get some sleep. I nodded, yawned, lay down in the crevice, and turned my body sideways to take Cellestra in a loving hug, my heart beating faster as she pulled the pillow underneath our heads. Thank you so much, She whispered. For today. Cellestra, I whispered back, running a hand through her hair. I should thank you for every day. Thats so sweet, She said. Im thankful for every day as well. Do you think my parents know you know, about us? I asked softly. I dont know. Do you want them to? Im not sure I admitted. What do you think? Id say, just wait until youre ready. You dont mind at all? She shook her head. Im ready whenever you are. Whenever that is, I concluded, before sighing. Dont worry. She whispered lovingly. Its going to be fine. She placed her head on my chest and a hand in my hair, stroking it gently. Good night, Kealyna. Good night, Cellestra. Somewhere in the middle of the night, I noticed a shade of red in my thermal vision, penetrating the darkness and the webs surrounding me. I was surprised that I could see it so clearly through the barriers, but at the same time, it wasnt a bad thing. I was on high alert and saw the creature it belonged to near the nest, painting the outline of a bear. It walked around seemingly without purpose, got closer to our shelter until it was close enough where I could hear it sniff. If needed, I was ready to attack it, even though the silk, but nothing caught its interest, and it eventually just walked away, disappearing into the forest. I didnt think much of it at first, but when the anticipation of having to fight dissipated, I realized that this was an odd incident. Cellestras presence in this area should have caused her ailment to take hold of the nearby wildlife. However, there had been no signs of aggression for a while, making me think about the hypothesis Id made earlier. My magic suppressed more than just the nightmare side-effect. If that was true, there shouldnt be an issue living among the other elves in or near the city. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the forest. Despite being close to civilization, there was still a clear separation from it, and if I was honest with myself, I preferred that. I was also left thinking about when Id put my last skill into action. Id more or less already decided Id make use of the spiderlings. From a tactical point of view, they were just too valuable to pass on, especially with this new synthesized version. I would have sighed, but my other half was asleep, forcing me to give up on the idea. The night progressed smoothly, and when the first signs of the morning came, my mind was suddenly drawn back to the whole spiderling thing. There was something I had no answer to yet. Sure, my blessing had made it all too clear that Id lay eggs, but one thing still eluded me Elysa, how long do they need to hatch? Skill: Spawn Spiderlings. Eggs require up to two hours to hatch. Spell synthesis: Spiderling Devour (Evolving) Additional information: Any new eggs laid will include all devour enhancements that the spiderlings have gained. Any spiderling that acquires a new enhancement will immediately share this among nearby siblings. I got the answer to that, and then some more. The only thing it didnt mention was the size of my offspring. I was beyond enormous, which led me to believe these spiderlings would also be. At last, Cellestra awoke, still hugging me, and so did I in response. Considering we planned on heading out early, we didnt waste any time. The brunette had a quick breakfast outside, while Id already loaded her armor on my back, and started collecting the chopped-off treetops, connecting them together with threads and dragging them behind me. Despite their weight, they were no match for my strength. Looking good, Cellestra commented. And after this, you have six more to go, right? Yup, so Ill check if they are interested in those as well. Im very much looking forward to what my parents chose. The knightly elven spider, Cellestra said giggling. Conquerer of dungeons, legendary weaver, looking forward to a bookshelf. I laughed heartily at her summary of my accomplishments. Though, I think the conqueror of dungeons is a bit premature, dont you think? I said as I regained my composure. Cellestra shrugged. Well get there. Im sure we will, I replied with a smile. We then set out again, the brunette walking like the day before. She seemed to put in some extra effort during our trip by raising her knees high with each step she took. She saw me looking, but didnt say a word about it. It was obvious that I knew exactly why she was doing that. Want to do that in the dungeon as well? I asked. With armor? I should, but that might be a bit much for the time being. Im quite weak still, so Ill stick to trying to build some muscle and not overexert myself like that. Well get there, I repeated her comment from earlier, causing her to giggle. Im sure we will, She replied with the same response. When we arrived at the farm, only my father was there, carrying a few empty buckets outside. He greeted us and told us my mother was taking Elira to school. He expected the furniture delivery to be here about the time she returned. Until then, hed weed the nearby field. I decided to help him, as did Cellestra, and when we had the first bucket filled up with the nasty, pesky weeds that would harm the newly-planted crops, a small convoy arrived. Soranir, on horseback, led a cart pulled by two more horses, each ridden by lightly armored, strong-looking men. Greetings, he said warmly as he brought everyone to a halt. As soon as they did, I saw my mother appear, my sight previously blocked by the horses. It appeared she got a ride from the city. Hey, I said, waving. Im happy to see youre making yourself at home, He said, looking at the men who dismounted and walked to the vehicle to unload, then at me, and then at the two logs in the gravel that Id dropped previously. I thought he was being slightly sarcastic at first, but there was none of that in his voice, and his expression told me that he was truly happy. Yeah. I figured Id take these back. It would be kind of wasteful to not give them purpose. Agreed, He said with a nod. The carpenters will surely have use for them. Anyway, He continued, his to-the-point nature surfacing. I was told you had important information. Would you like some tea? My mother asked as she walked up behind him. You know its impossible for me to say no to good tea, Lilinia. He guided his horse to the side of the building as the other men unloaded a dresser and a bookshelf before they left with a nod in our direction, but no words. Id take a closer look at those later. First, wed convene with the mayor regarding the most recent events, and hopefully, reach some kind of solution. 3.8 Tea & Talks I wanted to pour the information on the mayor, but I waited for my mother to return with cups of tea for each of us. My father took a break from his work and sat down with the rest of us. Whenever youre ready, Soranir said calmly, noticing that I wasnt feeling too well about all the events in the south. Well, I started. Im going to once again need your help. The mayor nodded and carefully sipped his tea while looking at me in anticipation of what I had to say. I talked to Elysa the other day and she had some information that I feel is crucial to you, and maybe others. She said that the being banished by the obelisks is located in the middle of them, deep underground. I wanted to let you know, and I assume a message will be sent to the wall. I feel Vyath should know, considering he is the first person we talked to about this, and focused on research regarding the subject. Underground, he said, touching the beginnings of a beard. That is strange. How? If I may ask? As far as I am aware, and this was reaffirmed when we dove into the library, banishment spells send the target to a different realm. Dont ask me about the specifics, Im a farmer, not a wizard. If she says its underground Im going to assume its still in our realm. Whatever that means, I dont know, but if the spell holds, I think we may have a bit of an advantage here. My thoughts exactly, I said. Ill send him a sealed letter, and beyond that, it sounds like its time to convene the builders guilds to start setting up an excavation site. He shook his head and stared at his tea, sighing. I dont quite know what kind of excuse Ill have to think of to set up what is likely going to be the largest operation since the wall. Im afraid I cant really help there, I said quietly. Ill think of something, He assured us. Might have to make a report that actually states the truth. How much time do you think we have? I havent a clue. Could be weeks, could be years. I doubt its something we can figure out. I see. He continued sipping his tea in silence, thinking, planning. I could see it in his eyes. I wished there was more I could do, but anything else I would do would just draw attention. I would be there if I was needed, but before that, my hands were tied. Im sorry, I said. Please let me know if theres anything I can do. Certainly, He said optimistically. Ive sent word to the capital about our most recent discovery, too. I thought youd want to know. Thank you, I said. I wasnt much for politics and was thankful that the mayor was doing that part for me. I just wanted to stick to what I knew: fighting and protecting. Ill let you know as soon as I hear anything. I hope your dungeon adventures are going alright? He asked with a smile in a surprisingly casual manner, his straight-to-the-point attitude replaced with calm and carefreeness. Yeah. We were planning on going again today, to practice a bit in the proving grounds, get Cellestra familiar with her new heavy armor, and then try to see if we can go beyond where we stopped, or perhaps check out the other dungeon sometime soon. And youre doing all that with just the two of you? He asked. Yes, I said, nodding. Impressive, I admit. He emptied his cup, as did I, and my mother asked if we wanted some more. Sure, I said while the mayor nodded. However, He continued when my mother went inside to make a new pot of tea. Wouldn''t it be better to form a party? Perhaps, I replied. But I dont think either of us wants the hassle that comes with that. Besides, we dont know who we can trust or not, so I thought it would be better to wait a bit with that. I looked over at Cellestra to see what she thought of it, and she nodded in agreement. Fair enough. My mother returned with more tea, and Soranir continued asking fairly mundane questions, genuinely interested to learn more about me, such as how living in the forest was and the spells we used. I gave away a few of my spells, but there was no harm in that. Selleron already knew, after all. I then said the forest was a great place to live and thanked him once more for his permission to shape our new home, making him curious to have a look for himself one day. He finished his second cup of tea quickly, before wishing all of us luck and thanking my parents for their hospitality once more before setting off to go back to the city to resume his duties for the day. Seems he has got this all figured out, My mother commented when he left. He has things under control, My father reassured her. Sure looks that way, I said. Its a relief to see. I hadnt expected him to be so calm and collected about this. Think he knows more? Dont know, Keelarin continued. I think hed say so if he did. Anyway, we should get back to work. Yeah, My mother agreed and smiled. Thank you for the tea, Cellestra said warmly as she stood up. Well be back for dinner, I said. As long as thats no issue. You know were always happy to have you for dinner, My mother said warmly, but with a hint of sadness in her voice. Were family after all. Were glad to have you in our lives. I skittered over to her when she stood up, taking her in for a hug. Thank you, mom. I love you. She returned the hug and lightly caressed my hair. We love you too, sweetie. Take care out there in the dungeon. Will do, I said, breaking the hug. See you later. Arent you forgetting something? She said slyly. Cellestra giggled and I realized we hadnt even looked at our new furniture yet. I slapped my head at my own stupidity, turned around, and walked to the dresser and bookcase to inspect them. Both pieces were made of dark oaken wood, sturdy and probably excessively heavy, which more than explained why two burly men were needed to carry them. I ran a hand over the wood to feel its smooth finish, and could almost see my face reflected in the polished surface. The dresser had three drawers and the bookcase three shelves of equal height, making them fit well together. I tried to lift the dresser which would be the heaviest piece, and by a long shot, and noted what I had feared was true. It was beyond solid. Even with my strength enhancements, I could only lift it for a short while before it became too much. They are beautiful, I said. And I doubt anyone is going to walk away with these, I added with a chuckle. Damn. Do you need help with transport? My mother asked. I shook my head. I can manage. These extra limbs arent just for show. Would I be a bad parent if I said Id more or less expected that much? Not at all. It just means that you know me well. She smiled as I lifted the dense collection of wood for a second time, this time placing my pedipalps and front set of legs at the bottom, helping me lift it. It wasnt like walking with six legs was much different for me, and this way, it was surprisingly light. Well, I said. I suppose well take the bookcase with us after dinner if thats okay. All good, My mom said. See you later. I waved at her with a free leg before setting off to the forest with Cellestra, who was visibly amused at the sight of me transporting furniture. Is that another thing youll add to your list? I asked in reaction to her great mood. Conquerer of dungeons, legendary weaver, mover of stuff? She giggled at my joke. Ill definitely add that to the list. I chuckled and kept up the pace, all the way until I placed the hefty dresser in the back of the nest. At last, I could stretch and unwind my poor arms, which I did with a sigh. Its a beautiful piece, Cellestra commented now that it was in place. It is, but thats enough of that. Its time to expand that list of titles with something more meaningful like master of teaching magic or something like that. Hope youre all prepped and ready for it. Cellestra smiled and nodded excitedly. I sure am. 3.9 Assistance We arrived at the dungeon portal just in time to see another party exit it, but something had obviously gone wrong. Two elves stepped out, a man and woman. They were young and looked inexperienced judging from their light, cheap-looking armor, and carried a third person over their shoulders who had suffered a leg injury; blood-soaked bandages were wrapped around one of his calves. They placed him on the ground as the female elf reached for a vial on her belt, which she uncorked and brought to the wounded mans lips. At the same time, one of the soldiers at the campfire not far away from the entrance saw it happen and made his way over, asking if they needed emergency care. Despite the amount of blood visible through the fabric, everyone seemed to be surprisingly calm about all this. Im fine, I keep telling you, The hurt man said, gritting his teeth, looking at his companions before his head turned to me, his face running pale when his eyes met my lower ones. No youre not, The Elven woman said sternly. Drink up and have a healer look at that wound. She looked at the other adventurer, who nodded and walked towards the nearby building, acknowledging my presence with a nod, much less frightened than the harmed individual. The man in question still stared at me, causing his companion to look up at me and simply shrug it off. Shes the person the mayor informed us about. Now, lets disinfect that wound. She reached for a hip flask, put it down and started removing the bandages, causing the other person to grit his teeth again. He was acting tough, but in a world of hurt. Mind if I have a look? I asked politely, keeping my distance. Can you heal? She asked. Yes. Then, by all means, go ahead. Dont I get to have a say in that? The injured man said in protest. No, you dont, The female said sternly. If she can fix you up, its going to save us a lot of money. She then looked at me in realization. You dont charge much, do you? What? I asked in disbelief. Of course not. Ill help for free. I placed my lower head on the ground, trying to get as close as possible to the man who was less than pleased with my presence. He trembled at the sight of me, even as I tried to come across as friendly as I could. The other adventurer finished unwrapping the bandages, causing fresh blood to stream down his leg as the wound was reopened. I quickly placed my hands on his leg and cast my healing light, sending warmth through his body. After one cast, the bleeding stopped, but it needed a second cast to fully heal the tissue damage. When I was finished, his trembling stopped, and his wary attitude was replaced with confusion and surprise. Simultaneously, the adventurer that was out to get help returned with someone else, an older-looking, bearded man, holding a wooden suitcase with a large plus symbol on it, no doubt filled with medical necessities. That wasnt the end of his arsenal, as he also carried a belt that reminded me of Cellestras, one with pouches and vials of all colors I could imagine. The soldier who had asked if help was needed was left dumbfounded and returned to his campfire and companions without saying a word. Im sorry, The female adventurer said as she stood up from her crouched position. Im afraid we dont need help anymore. Fair enough, The veteran healer said in a slightly irritated, but understanding tone before he turned around and walked back to the inn. Did you do that? The young man who went to fetch him asked me, alternating his gaze between the healed leg and me. Yeah. Piece of cake. What happened if I may ask? Lapse in judgment, The female adventurer said as she walked over to the portal and picked up a kite shield and a bloodied short sword, which she cleaned in the grass, and then sheathed in a scabbard on her belt. She was a melee fighter by the looks of it, as was the man who went to get help, although he possessed a longsword instead. As for the injured man, I couldnt tell. I saw no weapon of any kind. We fucked up in the long grass part and had a lioness bite our friends leg before I was able to put it down. She walked up to me and extended an arm. Liares the name. Thank you for your help. I shook her hand as the second person did the same. Veleth. Pleased to meet you. Kealyna, I said in response. The last person finally got to his feet, kicking the air with his now-healed leg as he looked at it with astonishment before Liare gave him a push in my direction. He got the hint and shook my hand. Servas, He said, his arm shaky when he looked down into my arachnid eyes. Kealyna, I said again, warmly. And this is Cellestra. The brunette held up a hand and shyly said hi to the others. Nice to meet you, Cellestra, Liare said. Likewise, Cellestra replied softly. Glad I could be of assistance, I said. But well head into the dungeon for ourselves now. How far were you planning on going? Liare asked. Would it be possible for us to join you for a bit? Servas here lost his weapon in our retreat. I looked to Cellestra at my side who nodded. Seeing no objection from her, I agreed with the adventurers request. Id be happy to help, and then do our training routine after theyd left. We had no need for prying eyes when casting our spells. We entered the portal, the novice adventurers following close behind us as we walked out into the steppe on the other side. A titan anteater walked around to our left, paying us little heed. Where did you lose your weapon if I may ask? Somewhere in the grass. Shouldnt be hard to find as we left a trail of blood behind, Liare answered. I nodded as we moved forward into the second area. In the meantime, Liare walked up to my left as Cellestra walked to my right. No words were spoken, but I could see the adventurer was curious about me. Even if she didnt specifically mention it, it was easy to see. Her two companions followed behind her and didnt seem to share the same sentiment. The previously wounded man seemed to be quite wary, even after I healed him and shook his hand, whereas the other had a more carefree attitude. So, are the two of you a party? Yep, I said. Just got accepted into the guild. I showed her the silver bracelet. Wait, She said, shock in her eyes. How far did you get with just the two of you? Third floor. Killed some things there too. Had to call it quits because we ran out of mana. Holy She let out in disbelief. Thats insane. We were hoping to get past the stalking predators in the tall grass, but perhaps that was a bit too optimistic without our fourth member. She shook her head and looked at the ground. Damn fool. What happened? I asked, wondering what had happened after her apparent frustration. Idiot broke his foot stepping down a ladder. Hes had it healed, but he needs a few more days of rest, and the bill of that little accident left us broke enough for us to be unable to leave behind a weapon like this. Ouch, I let out. Yeah, that would have sucked. Were most grateful for your help. We entered the tall grass, and our travel companions pulled out their remaining weapons and formed a close formation. Cellestra remained at my side but had moved slightly closer. I held my blade at the ready to deal with any danger. There, Liare said, pointing in the distance. Should be somewhere around there. I looked at where she pointed and, thanks to my keen eyesight, noticed hints of red in the grass. I see it, slightly to the right. I pointed to where I spotted the blood. You kiddin me? She said in disbelief. You can see that from here? Well, yes. Do you think these eyes are just for show? Liare looked at my large, frontal eyes while Cellestra giggled. I had to agree it was quite funny, and would have enjoyed her cute snickers more, but I noticed a dot of red moving closer from the left. Watch it! I shouted as I fired off a high-velocity ice lance in the direction of the stalking enemy. From the roar that followed, despite not having visual confirmation, I understood that I hit my target. I fired another, and then another spell as the dot was still moving towards us, at an increased speed. Both attacks hit, and the lioness came to a halt a few yards out. You have killed a Steppe Lioness: No experience was awarded. Its dead, I said, trying to put the others, who still had their weapons drawn, at ease. Unreal, Veleth said, staring at where Id launched my spells. Trust me, Cellestra said with a chuckle. You get used to it. 3.10 Progress There were no more incidents between us and where wed spotted the blood. From there, it was as easy as keeping my lower sets of eyes peeled for anything that resembled a weapon as we followed the trail. Eventually, I found a pretty crude, but well-sharpened sword. I suppose that was the best they could afford. I handed it to Liare, who in turn handed it to Servas while making our way out of the grass that hid many dangers. Another such danger showed up in our retreat. A lioness had managed to stay out of my sight, completely hidden behind tall grass, until the very last moment when it jumped at Liare. The adventurer, fortunate enough to have been on high alert all this time, barely managed to raise her shield in time to block the brunt of the attack as she slammed the animal to the side, but still received some of the animal''s nails to her arm. I immediately ran up to her and brought my halberd forward, stabbing the animal before it got another chance to pounce. You have killed a Steppe Lioness: No experience was awarded. Lets get out of here, quick, I said, after I watched small streams of blood flow down Liares arm. She was gritting her teeth and fighting against the pain, and while the wound wasnt that serious, it wasnt pleasant to deal with. Veleth dragged the lionesss body, covered by Servas, and when we were out of the danger zone, I halted and healed her. Thanks, She said. Might be a good idea to get some armor before going here again, even leather would be incredibly useful, I answered when I finished my work on her arm. I know, and thats sort of why we''re here today. Moneys tight, but it looks like, thanks to you, we still managed to get something out of it. She looked at the lionesss corpse that her companion had taken with him. Its fur was bloodied, but the stab had been clean, and not totally ruined its pelt. It would still suffice to either use for raw materials, or sell to make some quick money. Hope it will be enough to help you out. Cant complain. Weve been very fortunate today. Thank you very much. Liare took a slight bow of gratitude. When our fourth party member is back, well try to continue. Word of advice, I said. The creatures after the grasslands are tough. They are like bulls and have extremely tough hides, and a nasty charge. If I were you, Id not fight them with swords. Try using spears instead, of decent quality if you can afford that, of course. It would be much safer. Thats some very useful information. Thanks! She said warmly. We wont hold you up any longer. Take care. She waved, as did her companions before they took the lionesss corpse and carried it towards the exit. I stared at them until they were out of sight until Cellestra grabbed my attention. Are you okay? She asked softly. It was then I realized just how much of an impact these adventurers had had on me, mentally. I I started, not knowing what to say next for a few seconds. I cant believe it. Do all adventurers start like that? I knew there were dangers, but they were just playing with their lives. I dont know, Cellestra replied with her usual soft voice, seemingly sharing in my melancholy. But Im happy you could help them. Everyone needs a little bit of luck sometimes. Agreed, I said, nodding. But I feel like Ive maybe had a bit too much of that myself. Dont think too much of it, She said. We should get to training. Yes, I said, We should. We followed the footsteps back to the portal in search of one of the anteaters. They would, by far, be the best creature for target practice, as I was certain I could constrain them with silk while Cellestra tried out her spells. I doubted the same could be said about the bisons, and, while the lions would work as well, their habitat was simply too dangerous to linger in. We found one not too far away from the portal, and, after paralyzing it, I used my thread manipulation to wrap it so it couldnt escape. It was eerie to have a creature so helpless, it would have hurt me otherwise, but it showed no signs of fear, or even awareness of how hopeless its position was when I looked into its eyes. It was then time to teach Cellestra the most powerful, most destructive spell I had in my arsenal. It was made more difficult by the fact that I needed to have a target when casting the spell, which meant I needed to cancel it before it killed the anteater or wed have to find another one. As gruesome as it was, healing it over and over again during practice rounds proved to be the most effective way of teaching. It took a few hours and a good amount of practice, but eventually, the brunette understood the ability, or at least part of it. She could cast it, and the lightning arc would fire and increase in strength for a while, but at some point, it simply stopped. Cellestra explained that the longer she channeled the arc, the harder it became to keep a good grasp on the magic that flowed through her. After some time, it would simply slip out of her fingers. We tried to work around this by me casting the spell longer, and it worked, but we ran into another issue. Cellestra used the spell, trying to get past her previous record, but as she did so, the beam became intense enough that it killed the anteater, even with my healing during all that. Thats wow She didnt seem to know what to say. Im already impressed with your progress, I replied. Even if this is how far we can go for now. Youre amazing, you know that? Thank you, She said warmly and with a cute smile. Youre a great teacher. Happy to know that I can help. I suppose we should try that spell again sometime on a stronger enemy. For now, what do you think about my fireball? Seems like it could be useful if were fighting anything like those trees again. Sure, She replied optimistically. And so we continued with the next spell, resolved to increase her offensive capabilities so we could carve a path through tougher enemies. Cellestra had already done her fair share of work when we fought our final adversary in the trial, and yet there was so much room for growth. As things stood, whenever I learned a spell of greater magnitude, I could teach Cellestra how it worked, and thus make her more powerful as well. Unfortunately, we had to cut our exercise short, just before completion of the spell, as movement near the portal caught my attention. Five people in armor that rivaled Cellestras new set stepped through it, took a glance at us, and slowly advanced, ignoring everything like I had when we were on our way to finish our trial. No doubt they were experienced, but I couldnt tell exactly how much. Their bracelets were hidden underneath all the metal. Think its time to head home? Cellestra asked as I followed the group with my head. I think its about time. Im also a bit tired from all that. Want a ride? Sure, She said, smiling. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons. Thank you so much <3 John Doe Azgaroth LonelyVigil torterra 3.11 Message Anxiety welled up inside me when the creature slowly descended in circles until it landed in the grass before me. I remembered Gwyns words and what it would mean if her pet showed up, and I wasnt ready to say goodbye to my family yet. I also never expected to be recalled already, it was far too early. We still had so much to do here The being stretched its wings, revealing its shorter front legs, a tube bound to one of them. Clearly, it had a message in it meant for me, so I opened the case and took the paper held within. I reluctantly unfurled the document and started reading. The message contained information about current events happening near the obelisk. A small camp had initially been set up to perform research on it, but strange things had happened there, even after my departure. The ground around the monolith had started to turn black, and the plant life on it had died. Even more reason for concern was that the area of death was slowly expanding, and that, after a while, every now and then creatures spawned. What they were was a mystery but they seemed to resemble some kind of small forefather of the current demons, although they were twisted beyond recognition and extremely fragile. They were fierce, but didnt seem to possess any intelligence, making them nothing but fodder, but their appearance was the reason for more soldiers to be stationed in the area. Vyath continued to say that word about this was bound to spread through the realm, for better or worse. He stated that he was unsure if the corruption that spread was going to slow down or stop at all without interference. According to him, it would be wise to try to speed up research, even if that meant that more people were going to be aware of the situation. He tried to reassure me by writing that nobody could trace this back to me. He concluded by saying that he wished things were going well for me, and that, if needed, I could write back to him by using the back of the paper and send it back with Gwyns bat. He specifically states that my presence wasnt needed for the time being and that he thought it was better if I continued my training here, so that I could better assist when the time was right. Well, fuck, I let out after a long silence, during which Cellestra had eyed me with interest and worry in her eyes. Is it bad? Cellestra asked. Do we need to go back? I shook my head. We dont, not for the time being, but Id like to send a message back. Do you have any stationery? I always have some charcoal with me. That will do. Ill just send him what we told Soranir. Hell get the message a second time later on, but this one will be faster, and time seems to be of the essence. I understand, Cellestra said as she reached in her backpack and handed me a piece of charcoal to write with. I quickly scribbled down what we discussed with the mayor, and that Elysa said there was something banished in the middle of the obelisks. Vyath could use this answer to immediately start looking. Additionally, I wrote that we had set up our own search for information in the area surrounding Thymhil, and that the capital would be next on that list. After that, I didnt have a lot of space left due to the size of the letters, partially because of the crude method of writing, but I concluded with the fact that we were doing fine and that my family was safe and sound, something which I imagined he wanted to hear. I had a small smile on my face as I placed the document back in the tube which I then sealed off properly. When I stepped back, the bat creature immediately took to the skies as it returned to Gwyn. I sighed as I watched it fly off, Cellestra walking to my side to put her hand on my back. Is everything okay? It appears things are happening around the obelisk, I said. The ground around it dies and it expands outward. What is worse, some kind of mindless demonic creatures have started to appear, causing reinforcements to be sent. As I said before, it appears time is of the essence. It feels like were on a clock to either re-banish or finish off whatever is being sealed by the pillars. I sighed again. I pray to Elysa that Vyath and Soranir will be able to locate the creature and take advantage of the fact that its still bound by the remaining obelisks. It sounds terrible, Cellestra said softly. There is still so little we know about the presence. Its frustrating beyond belief. I suppose well have to scale up our training. If you think we can handle it, Im okay with that. Well, its much easier to teach you my spells now. Not sure how the other dungeon looks, but Im certain we will be able to get past our last foe on the third floor soon enough. Id also like to see if I can acquire some more spells from that weird lizard. Im certain I didnt pick up the only one it had. Sounds like a good idea, Cellestra said optimistically. But as much as youre eager to throw yourself into action again, were done for the day. Yeah, youre right. Well continue that tomorrow. One good thing is that we dont have to prove ourselves anymore, so we can try to sneak past enemies to conserve mana. Enough of that, Cellestra said sternly, yet warmly. Lets enjoy what is left of this day, some good food, lets work on our home a bit, and then get some good sleep. Yeah, I said in agreement. And I need my daily dose of sunshine as well. Me? She asked mischievously, causing me to burst into giggling. Well, youre more than a dose, I said, shaking my head. You know what I meant. How could I not? The two of you are just the most adorable. Im just so happy with both you and my family nearby. When I saw that bat I I fell silent for a few seconds. I didnt want to go yet. I feel like I barely started a proper life here. I know Ill have to eventually, but by the goddess, I would like for that day to never come. Cellestra remained quiet, something for which I didnt blame her. I wouldnt know how to respond to my own question either. Fortunately, we soon arrived at the farm, where the same sunshine that I mentioned earlier darted at me as soon as she noticed we were here. Hi sis, how are you? Were doing well. How about you? School going well? She nodded as I picked her up, continuing my walk towards my parents who were both relaxing at the table, sipping tea, with my father reading the news. Hi, mom, dad, I said, still carrying Elira with my pedipalps. How are you doing? Done with weeding? If only it were that simple, My father said with a chuckle. Nope, it takes several days to do the entire field, and well be harvesting tomatoes soon as well. Ah, that sounds wonderful, I mused. I wish I had time to help you with that Thats okay, My mother replied with a soothing voice. You have your own things to take care of. How did things go for you today? I placed Elira back on the ground, and she immediately ran up and climbed onto my back without hesitation, fascinated as always by my rear eyes, the color pattern in my abdomen, and the long, soft, white hair. Really well, actually. Im very happy with our progress. Didnt quite get to have Cellestra use her new armor as something else came up, but it cant be helped, I guess. What happened? Elira asked. Some adventurers in trouble, Cellestra answered. One of them was wounded and had lost his sword in the dungeon, so your sister, of course, decided to help them. Woah, youre amazing, sis! Elira happily exclaimed as she looked at me with wonder. Well, I need to set a good example for you, I said with a smile that only my parents could see. Youre doing great, My mom said. Anyway, if you want to take Elira for a run around the fields, I suggest you hurry up as dinner is going to be done soon. Yay! The little girl exclaimed. Lets go! You joining as well, Cellestra? I asked the brunette who was still standing on her own legs. Ah, why not? 3.12 Building 3 Faragi There seemed to be something missing at the end of chapter 3.10. the error has been corrected. apologies for any confusion We completed our run around the fields, bringing a whole lot of joy to Elira and Cellestra both. Due to the message we got earlier, I was even more inclined to revel in the time we had together. Hopefully, we would be able to land some kind of decisive blow, and end this threat quickly, so we could return here as soon as possible. If we were going to have to travel south, strangely enough, Id rather have it be sooner rather than later, just because I was afraid for my familys safety. Hograds followers were what I was thinking about. It would be easy enough for them to find out who my family was and where they lived, even more so if their evil god helped them with that. If he was truly out to get me, I had no doubt hed want to ruin the happiness Id found, and going after those who I loved would be on his to-do list. I went over all these thoughts with my second brain. I wouldnt let these thoughts spoil the fun I was having with Cellestra and Elira, but after we had completed our round and had dinner, they returned to me on the way home. I was carrying the bookcase, which was magnitudes lighter than the solid dresser, and a few steel tools that we borrowed so Cellestra could try and make some sort of sign. She was walking alongside me, looking at me. It was as if she could read what I was thinking about as her expression became one of concern. I guessed it wasn''t hard to see when both my minds worked in sync. Suppose I dont have to tell you what Im thinking about, do I? Cellestra shook her head but remained silent. Im worried for them, Cellestra. I am near them now, but when we go south, Im afraid for their safety. Because of what Nilene said? I nodded, my heart aching at the thought of what could happen to them. What would you like to do? Save up money and hire guards for when were away? Thats something we could do, I suppose. Well have to start doing that now then as were broke. Could always sell some things from the dungeons. Plenty of hides etcetera around. Dont think it would be hard to sell that at the outpost. We should get some information about how much they offer for each animal. There are bound to be more people who do the same, so there should be established prices for at least the hides, meat and animal horns, dont you think? Hmm, especially the bisons, Cellestra said with a nod and a smile. I smiled in return as we arrived at our home, my mood elevated, and I was eager to go out into the dungeon tomorrow. Although we couldnt quite focus on progression and collection of materials at the same time, we could try to make some money that way at a later date. Intending to make the most of the remainder of the day, I moved out of the nest immediately after placing the bookcase next to the dresser. I felled another tree, which left us with five to go. After cutting it down, I chopped off a piece of it, which I gave to Cellestra. She then took it and started working on it with a small axe, removing the rough edges, as I moved to the second tree. A few minutes later, this one too fell. With me finished for the day, I decided to look at how the purple-eyed elf was doing, but besides creating two crude planks from the log which shed simply laid next to her, she didnt seem bothered to do a whole lot more. Instead, she was simply watching me take down the tree. You okay? I asked. Yeah, She said. I just need the wood to dry a bit. Cant really work with fresh wood. I see. I have no experience with that. Im happy that you do. Cellestra giggled quietly and held up a chisel, pointing at one of the planks. I was thinking of carving our names into it and then have you make them black by burning into the wood. Sounds like a lovely idea. Ill help you with that tomorrow. Yeah, Cellestra said as she looked at the trunks of the fallen trees. Doesnt that wear your weapon down pretty badly? I havent noticed a reduction in sharpness. Im pretty surprised C impressed even by this starmetal. Might get a whetstone someday though, just in case. Maybe next time were in the city, Ill ask Zearis for one. Always brooding, The brunette said with a smile as she shook her head. What can I say? Its what I do, I explained. Although, Im done with it today. Lets call it a night and continue training tomorrow, this time with your armor. That sounds like a good idea. I looked up to see afternoon transitioning into evening, with the sun starting to descend quickly now. It was still fairly early to go to sleep, but wed spent quite a bit of energy, and would continue to do so in the days to come. Good rest was never a bad idea. Soon, we were laying down in the webs, hugging each other in the same way as the day before with the brunette running her hand through my hair and over my face, trying to wash away the torments that troubled my mind with both her affection and smile. I ever told you I love you? I said, half-jokingly. You have, She replied warmly. And I you. I took her in closer and let the worries of the day go. Somewhere deep down, I knew that as long as I did what I could, kept working together with the brunette to get stronger, we would be okay in the end. Its so cozy here, I whispered. Im glad we dont have to leave it quite yet. Im sure it will be finished long before were summoned away. It would be quite sad to see it unfinished, Cellestra whispered back. Agreed. But for now, lets go to sleep. Im looking forward to tomorrow, She said quietly as she cupped my head, pulling it towards her, before planting a kiss on my forehead, right above my nose. I felt my heart melt in the moment, my love ever-growing for the woman who had saved me in more ways than one. Before I knew it, I had done the same to her, causing her to giggle softly. Good night, Kealyna, She said quietly as she put her hand back in my long hair, enjoying the silky touch. Good night, Cellestra. This night, we didnt have any unwanted visitors. Throughout all of it, everything remained quiet, which was a lot more boring, but in a way, I preferred this. When morning came, Cellestra was the one to wake up first with a stretch and a yawn. Morning, Kealyna. Hope you slept well. I nodded with my pedipalps as my upper half was still asleep, before using them to poke myself awake. I think its so cute when you do that. What is? I said, as soon as sensations had reached my head and I was able to speak. Using your front limbs to nod. Its adorable. Glad you like it, I said with a chuckle. Cellestra then had a quick breakfast during which she moved a few of her clothes from her backpack to the dresser. Saves me some weight, She commented. I got enough as it is. Yeah, no kidding, I replied while looking at the bag with her armor. Well have to get some more provisions for tomorrow. Were out. And I have no doubt my mom would be happy to help us out. Anyway, lets get you armored up and head out, I said eagerly and with the same optimism I had last night. This day was going to be great, especially after our successes yesterday, I could feel it. After donning her armor, Cellestra and I set out for the dungeon once more, with good hopes of getting past our previous barricade. With some luck, we''d find something that would offer me some spells, so I could teach them to the purple-eyed elf. I secretly hoped that whatever we ran into would also taste nice, but that may be a bit too much to ask for. We then arrived at the staging grounds for the dungeon. As usual, there were some soldiers sitting around, chatting, and there seemed to be a few other adventurers waiting next to the entrance. The moment we walked up to the portal, I could see movement beyond, and I decided to stay back when yet another squad walked out, followed by someone I recognized now that I was close enough to see his face in spite of the helmet: Felmar. 3.13 Instability Hed just finished evaluating another party and broke off from them to greet us. Hey, Felmar. Hows it going? I asked. Oh, you know, just the usual. You two plan on going beyond where you ended up last time? Soon, I replied. Not sure if we''ll do that today, but its on our to-do list for the near future. If you get past it a few more times, do let me know, with proof of your victory of course. I can make sure you get a promotion at the guild, but I expect it has little use for you since you dont seem to be working on the missions offered there. Might be a good idea to look into it once or twice a week though. For example, a large order was recently placed for bison pelts. They are going at a premium now. Thats wow. Thank you for that, I said. Not a problem, Felmar said with a small smile, barely visible. Anyway, I need to get going. Be careful in there. My presence didnt scare him at all anymore, and I was happy to see how he acted around me now. After he and the party he followed had left, I turned my head to Cellestra. Whatcha say? Should we go for some money? Could be worth testing out the lightning arc spell on those. I reckon they are much tougher than the anteaters. Thats not a bad idea, I let out. The only question we are left with is how we get it out of the dungeon. Think you can just drag it, like you did with the logs? Suppose thats the only way. How do people normally do this? Its not like everyone has the luxury of being able to drag a ton. Perhaps they skin it in the field, perhaps they have couriers from the guild help out. Who knows? Cellestra shrugged. Maybe well get paid extra, I said with a snicker. But lets get moving. We stepped through the portal and quickly made our way across the plains before carving a path through the long grass, killing one lioness that was foolish enough to attack us. Soon after dispatching it, we arrived at the next part, where the bisons roamed. Ok, you ready? Cellestra nodded and I told her to hold on tight. I was going to paralyze this beast with a potent dose of venom and then try to restrict its movement. Spider thread was extremely strong, and if I could just wrap this thing in enough of it, it wasnt going anywhere. I slowly approached the animal from the side, ready to strike from underneath with an earthen spike, laced with paralytic venom. I imagined this would be the best way to preserve as much of the hide as possible. We had to be able to sell it, after all. I got within range and summoned two venom spikes at the same time, holding back to make sure they wouldnt penetrate too deep and outright kill the bison. From there, I waited for the venom to do its job while running away to make sure I wouldnt get gored by its horns. Moments later, the animal collapsed, and I lowered myself to it to heal its wounds before starting to summon hundreds of threads to bind its legs together, and fasten them to its belly at the same time. This thing wasnt going anywhere, probably for the rest of its life. Again, my conscience was challenged. I was practically going to torture this animal for our own gains, and then kill it at the end. If this had been anything but a dungeon-spawned animal I likely wouldnt have been able to do it. I was reminded of the rabbit that Id used to gain an achievement, and that had already made me feel horrible. However, that one Id let go after I finished. I hoped it lived a good life, but nothing was certain in the wide outdoors, certainly not for bunnies. Well, I said, trying to come up with something to make all of this feel less macaber. Theres your target dummy. Want to see how strong you can make your spell? Id love to, Cellestra said happily as she stepped off my back, stumbling and falling to her knees as she messed up and wasnt prepared to jump from that height. I giggled and lent her a hand to stand up. Ready? I asked. Do you need assistance with the spell? Might as well, just to be sure I get it correct. I nodded as she placed her hand on my back, sending her stream of magic through me as I cast the arc lightning spell, channeling it briefly before canceling it again. That enough? Yeah, She replied with a nod before taking a few steps to the side. At the same time, I healed the bovine from a distance, and waited for Cellestra to channel the spell before healing more. She started the lightning arc, and I started healing her target, slowly at first, but as her spell increased in intensity, so did my mending. Thanks to the creature being much stronger than our previous target, we soon reached the point where her spell killed the anteater. Cellestra remained focused as the lightning arc shifted from blue to white and sparks started swirling around the main beam. Wait, is one of those sparks purple? I noticed a purple particle, slightly larger than the other ones sprouted from her hand, and then another, and another. Cellestra seemed taken aback as I saw her take a step backward, but she didnt cancel her spell, even as more and more purple appeared, seemingly interwoven in the spell as even the lightning slowly started to change colors. Kealyna, Cellestra suddenly called out my name while panting, louder than her usual voice and broken. Help Whats wrong? I immediately asked as I stopped healing the bull, turning my attention to Cellestra instead. The bison died almost immediately after, I could see its movements and breathing had stopped, but the brunettes spell kept on going and was entirely purple now with sparks of blood red saturating the air around the arc. I. Cant. Stop. Cant. Control. Help! She said every word with great difficulty and screamed after the last, causing me to panic. She was clearly in pain, which made my mind race on how to stop her spell. An orb of purple erupted from the massive arc and was flung tens of yards into the distance, where it exploded with a resonating bang. Quick! Cellestra shouted, mortified. She couldnt control her spell anymore, and it seemed to continue in strength indefinitely. I did the only thing I could come up with on such short notice to prevent the worst possible outcome. I jumped behind her, cut the straps between her legplates, revealing her calves, and sank my fangs into them. I held on to the confused elf with my arms as I injected my mana sapping venom directly into her bloodstream. Kealyna? She asked in both confusion and fear as her spell kept on intensifying. Another orb was flung into the distance and an even louder explosion followed shortly after. She let out another scream of pain, which filled my heart with sorrow, and I didnt know if it was because of the pain from my bite or from the strain of the spell. If it was the first, I could always heal it. I regretted having to do it, but I just I didnt know if there was anything else I could do I closed my eyes so that I didnt have to watch her pain, but there was no escaping the sight for me, my arachnid eyes proving to be a curse as I watched blood flow down the legs of the person I loved her blood. Her spell was eventually disrupted, the purple changing back to blue for just a second before it was abruptly stopped altogether. Cellestra remained standing with her arm still stretched before her before collapsing to her knees. Are you okay? I asked. I received no reply and instead, started healing her legs, quickly closing the wounds Id created to sap her mana. The brunette raised her hands in front of her face and simply stared. Cellestra, I asked, more urgently this time. Are you okay? Im so sorry, She responded weakly. Shhh, I cooed to her as I lowered myself to hug her from behind. Why cant I do anything right? She said, her voice shaky. Why am I so useless? I was shocked to hear those words coming from her. They were untrue, and hearing her say those made my heart ache. It was made even worse by the sobbing that followed. Cellestra, please dont. I thought it, but for some reason, I couldnt say it. The words refused to be formed in my mouth, which was completely silenced by the broken person in front of me. With pain in my chest, I placed myself before her and removed her helmet, revealing the mess that was underneath. Cellestra, I whispered, removing a lock of damp hair from her face. Her eyes refused to meet mine and just looked down, continuing to shed tears as she seemed lost in despair. Cellestra, I whispered again, unsure what to do or say next. This was the second time her latent, unstable magic had surfaced in a bad way, perhaps even more pronounced this time. I wanted to say that I knew how to fix it, but I didnt. I didnt want to see her crying. Not again. Not anymore. She was lost, and I knew it. I could only imagine how this must have felt for her, and it appeared even worse than that. I wanted to break her out of whatever trance she was in. Without even thinking, I took her head between my hands to peer into her confused, teary eyes, before closing in to press my lips against hers. 3.14 Hides I was locked in a kiss, and remained like that for a few seconds, not feeling any kind of resistance from Cellestra. When I parted, I saw one last teardrop fall, but no new ones formed. What was left in her eyes was confusion. Youre not useless, Cellestra. Whatever that was, Im sure we can fix it. Im sorry for having to bite you I placed a hand on her forehead and sent my healing light through her body, trying to heal the wounds that were invisible to the eyes. Kealyna, She finally said as she embraced me. I was expecting more, but she remained quiet after just calling my name. I patted her back and gave her time, all the time she needed. Thank you, She whispered after a good while. I I wasnt myself I suppose. Youre right that we can fix it. Thats better, I said, hearing that shed cheered up, albeit slightly. How are you feeling? Im okay now, I think. What made you do that? You mean the kiss? She nodded. I dont know. I just didnt want to see you cry. It worked in that regard I ran a hand through her soft hair and felt Cellestra relax further. Did you like it? I asked in pure seriousness. She nodded again, but her eyes looked away from my face before they closed as I continued stroking her hair. Im happy to hear that, I whispered. Want something to drink? Yeah. Thank you, She whispered back. I handed her the canteen I fished from her own backpack and watched her visibly improve as she also ate a bit. However, after she finished she looked at me with mild shock. I was about to ask what was wrong but she answered the question for me. How do we continue now? I wont be of much use with no mana Ill be honest, Id like to just go home and try to figure out how this happened, but I dont feel like thats a good idea. We should at least get this bison back and collect payment for it. After that would you mind continuing and trying to get to the third floor again? Yeah, we can do that if you want, She said with a nod. I let go of Cellestras hair and planted a kiss on her forehead as I stood up and handed her helmet back to her. I then walked to the bison and noticed that some of its pelt was burned, but the leather beneath was still perfectly intact. I believed that was what the request was about, so it shouldnt matter too much. In fact, I was quite surprised that the damage was so limited. Cellestras spell had looked extremely powerful, and just as dangerous. I fastened the corpse of the creature to my rear with several thick lines of silk and then allowed Cellestra to hop on my back again as I reached for the halberd Id dropped earlier. Then we started our journey back to the portal, dragging a massive bovine behind us. The sight of it all made me wonder what kind of reaction wed get on the outside. I was quite surprised, amused even, by the fact that we didnt run into a single lioness when we passed through the next area, leaving a trail of flat grass behind us. If nothing else, and if it remained like that, it would make an excellent path for adventurers. Though, I doubted it would as it would make sense that if things remained, there would have already been a path or two like these. What do you think it was? I asked, now that Cellestra had had some time to clear her mind. You mean what happened with my spell? Yeah. I lost control. The spell used more mana than I could properly channel, and things got worse from there. So you cannot use more than a certain amount of mana at once? I asked, carefully analyzing her story. So all the other spells are fine, then. She nodded. Seems that way. And is there a way to improve your control? I asked. I dont know, She admitted in response. My magic has always been an exception, an outlier. Rose spent many years breaking her head over it, but we just werent able to find out everything about me, as you saw. Sounds frustrating, I said. I cant imagine how that feels. I let out a long-drawn sigh. I dont have any idea how to help you either. Sure, I had a skill called mana control which might be of use to Cellestra, but I had no way of teaching her. Besides, from what I read about it, it didnt look like it did what she needed. But Ill try, I said, resolved to help her in any way I could. Thank you, Kealyna, She said, running a hand over the hair on the back of my lower head. Youre the sweetest. She couldnt see it, but I smiled from ear to ear as we approached the portal. I took a moment to see if anyone was about to enter it from the other side, and then stepped through when there was nobody to be seen. I dragged the bisons corpse through the dungeon exit, and almost immediately after I stepped out the other end, the soldiers, whose lives seemed very boring to me, turned their heads, their eyes growing wide. Hey, I greeted them. I was told I could sell this here. Is that right? Cellestra shook her head, presumably at the nonchalance of my question. Uh, yes, One of them said as he stood up. Please, hold on for a minute. Ill get the guild liaison. He entered the building and moments later, returned with none other than Felmar. I was surprised to see him still here seeing as he said he had to get going earlier. He wasnt in armor anymore, though. Instead, he wore the same black robes that he wore the first time I met him. He also carried the clipboard that was getting hard to not see every time I thought about him. Well, well, well, He said as he eyed us and then the bison. What do we have here. Seems someone wanted to help out the guild in a big way. Hey Felmar, I said with a smile. Didnt expect you to be this guild liaison. I am, for the day at least. I had to measure this one group, and the scheduler had me stay here for the day to deal with other business here. Such as buying and selling supplies? I asked. He nodded. We rotate between the clerks for this job. Today, its my turn. Tomorrow, who knows who you run into. Anyway, Im glad to see you perform duties for the guild. He walked up to the dead animal and ran his hand over the beasts fur, looking at the small burn patch as well before turning back to us. This is quite a bit of extra work you brought us. Is that bad? I asked. In this case, no. The animal is almost fully intact. Its the leather that was commissioned by the guild, but its meat will feed many a mouth too. Ill get the butcher out here to deal with it as soon as possible. He reached for a coin pouch, put it on his clipboard, and scribbled a few words with his quill. Because of its condition, and the fact that you brought the entire animal instead of just its hide, Ill offer you one gold and five silver for it all. I was shocked but not surprised. The amount offered wasnt much in my eyes, but we had been extremely lucky with a rare item before. I still had to adjust to what normal values would be, and if I recalled the words my father said earlier, this wasnt so bad. He had said that one gold coin was enough to feed them for a month. It was this adventuring equipment that was just so damn expensive. Thats fine, I said. Thank you. He handed me the coins and I transferred them to Cellestra, who put them away in a dedicated pouch in her backpack. Are the creatures further in the dungeon worth more? I then asked, looking to earn more money. I was certain that my skills, when put to the test, would be enough to earn more coins faster. In here? He asked with a frown. Not really, until after those trees that you defeated. The water bisons are worth the same price as normal ones, the wolves are useless, and those other creatures in the water are less than useless. What is there after those trees, then? Creatures with magical hides. Thats all Im going to say about it. They do fetch a much higher price, but they are also pretty dangerous. That much I had accounted for. Thank you once again for the information. Glad I could help. I waved at him as I turned around to enter the dungeon for a second time, eager to get to the next part of our plan for the day; finding out if I could obtain more spells from those lizard creatures. 3.15 Changes Magical hides, huh? Cellestra said as soon as we were inside. Yeah. Magic seems to be the theme of the floor. Hides infused with magic, though Sounds expensive, The brunette said cheerfully. Thats what I thought. Also sounds like they will be quite tough to deal with, depending on what those hides do for them. I turned my head to her. Unless you know more, of course. If its not medicine, or something plant-life related, chances are I dont know a whole lot about the subject, unfortunately. Ill take that as a no, I said with a chuckle. But thats fine. Well find out, I suppose. Cellestra nodded as I started our journey to the end of the floor. The grass in the lioness area was still flattened, and once again, not a single one of the creatures showed up. I wasnt about to look for a reason, perhaps we were just lucky. Due to the other creatures on this floor being passive in their behavior, we had no trouble reaching the tunnel leading towards the second floor. There, we did start with a slight problem. Where the rest of the floor was wide open with plenty of room to circle around the dungeons creatures, the wolf area was like a bottleneck. We were forced to either fight, or run our way through. We chose for the latter, knowing that my speed was unmatched, and even as they gave chase, there was no real chance of them catching up, so they soon halted their pursuit and returned to where they were resting before. How is your mana pool, by the way? I asked, running through the immense caldera. Im not sure, Cellestra resplied. Your venom did quite a number on me. I think its not entirely out of my system. And you tell me this now? I asked, surprised she hadnt said anything. You know I have a spell for that, right? Oh, crap. I completely forgot. Does that work on this? No idea, but Im going to use it either way, I replied before casting my detoxification spell on her, hopefully getting rid of the last remnants that impaired Cellestras mana recovery. Did it work? I asked when I finished. I think it did, She replied softly. I feel less burdened in a way, more energetic. Good. Lets hope you recover a bit before we get to the action part. If you need, we can take a bit of a break once were on the third floor. You know, for safetys sake. I do think that would be smart, yes, The brunette said with a nod. And so we did. We snuck past everything by simply running and ignoring everything. It didnt take long to reach the third floor, where we sat down and watched the beautiful landscape as we took our break. Cellestra had me conjure up some hot water, to which she added some leaves for tea. This is such a gorgeous place, She said as we both sipped our tea. I was constantly on the lookout for danger, but right here where we were, at the entrance to this area, there was none to be seen. The same rule counted for the second and first floors, where next to the entryways, nothing dangerous roamed. Hey, Kealyna, Cellestra said softly, looking down at her tea. Whats the matter? I asked kindly. While I am all for you getting more skills, your latest addition feels a bit I dont know how to put it. Whats with it? She took a deep breath and let it all out before talking. Im worried you might change beyond recognition. You know, with all the changes this blessing makes to your body. I like how you look now. I looked up from my tea and smiled warmly. Thats sweet of you, and dont worry about it too much. Ive come to like how I look and Id hate for it to change too, but I dont think thats going to happen. Remember that I can choose what to evolve and what not to. Cellestra nodded and sipped her tea in silence. Several minutes passed, even after we finished lunch in which we just sat and watched the green fields. I noticed with my keen eyesight that the trees wed previously dispatched had reappeared in the distance, as inconspicuous saplings, at least at first sight. Plenty of space to go around those. The question I was asking myself was where exactly these lizards roamed, something which was made more complicated due to their invisibility. If they were spread out all over the place, it could definitely make things harder. I reckoned this was as good a time as any to find out, given we were here for those creatures anyway. Alright, whatcha say? Shall we get going? I asked after a while. Yeah, Cellestra replied with a nod. Thus, we started our hunt for the lizards once more. Soon enough, a spot of red appeared on my thermal vision, and I immediately hurled an elemental blast in its direction, while casting a flame shield to keep me safe from the incoming attack. I missed terribly, but for a brief moment, the creature became visible, and in that fraction of a second, Cellestra managed to cast an earthen spike, and impale it. The lizard lost its ability to disappear and showed itself fully as it remained stuck on the spike, bleeding out. Nice shot, I commented. By Elysa, that was fast. Thank you, The brunette replied happily. The beast stopped struggling and went limp, and I walked over to it, but took a good look around to see if any more of them were around. I didnt see any, but as soon as I lowered my head to start eating, I heard a sound behind me, and felt something impact on my magical barrier. Crap, I let out as I quickly turned around to see where the attack had come from. The damage was insignificant, thanks to my defenses, but I was nonetheless annoyed I got hit without knowing where from. These lizards sure were annoying. Then, a flurry of icicles was fired at me, just after they materialized in the air to my left. I barely manage to summon a new fire wall to stop them, while casting icicles of my own, that I fired over a spread area, hoping to hit the creature by chance. There was no luck for me as all my attacks missed. However, when the air changed colors, I saw my chance, and I summoned an earthen spike as quickly as I could. This time, I did hit. Another lizard was impaled and died in the same way, causing a giggle from Cellestras lips. Nice shot, She exclaimed. Why thank you. It seems were starting to get the hang of these things and how to fell them. Yep, and now I get to see your face twist with disgust, She said mischievously. Well, at least one of us enjoys it then. I suppose that makes it worth it. She giggled as I sank my fangs into the first lizards revolting meat. To add to her amusement, I made sure to show exactly what she was looking for when I turned my head to her. When she saw the expression on my face, her giggles grew into full-blown laughter. By the goddess, Kealyna. What? I said. Isnt this what you wanted to see? I mean, yes, but, you know She let out before chuckling. It would seem she didnt know what to say. Be happy you dont have this blessing, I said. The things that come with it arent always so nice. Yeah, She said softly. Ive noticed that. Should we go further into the dungeon once Im done here? I asked, changing the topic. I dont know, She said. Do you think thats a good idea? Well, you got some mana back, and I can always run. Im kind of curious what else we can find on this floor. You want to see those magical hides, dont you? Cellestra asked in a most evil way. I shrugged. Perhaps. Then, sure. Lets have a look, but be careful. Always, I replied. Id made my way through most of the first lizard, but there was no notification of any kind, leaving me mildly disappointed, but I knew I could expect this to happen. I sighed as I moved to the next animal and started the same process. No luck? Cellestra asked. No luck. Stupid blessing, She let out. How does that even work? You think I know? I asked with a grin. None of it makes any sense, and to be honest, I haven''t bothered to break my head over it, either. Elysa explained a thing or two, but the rest is still a mystery to me. I guess it doesnt make sense to worry about it too much, does it? I just accept it as it is, and Im happy with that. I have other things to worry about. Cellestra merely nodded at my last statement, while I took some more bites. Then, at last, something appeared. Devour (Evolving) effect activated. Enhancement: Superior Ice Lance is available. Enhancement: Ice Lance (Level 1) is available. 3.16 Firag I spat out whatever was still left in my mouth as soon as the message had appeared, making sure to summon some water to wash away the nasty aftertaste. Well, I said in an optimistic voice. At least it was worth it. New skill? Cellestra asked curiously. An upgrade to an existing skill, but Ill take it. Let me have a look. Cellestra nodded as I forced the blue square with possible enhancements to appear. Enhancement Cost in EP Spawn Spiderlings 200 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Exoskeleton 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Resistance 100 Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Venom 100 Amphibian Tongue 50 Tongue Slingshot (Level 1) 10 Superior Ice Lance 100 Ice Lance (Level 1) 50 With 907 Evolution points to spend, and keeping five hundred in reserve to get the spiderling options, I still had plenty left to upgrade my ice lance spell. It had become one of my favorite abilities to use due to its effectiveness, range, and accuracy, so I didnt feel like missing out on it. I confirmed both upgrades that had to do with the spell and found a headache swell up as my mind was filled with information about the restructured flow of mana needed. I closed my eyes during the process and heard Cellestra calling out if I was okay, to which I nodded. Just taking the new enhancements. I also came to know something which Id been wondering about. Oh? Do tell. Was hoping youd say that, I replied with a chuckle. You see, I told you earlier about enhancements having levels instead of a prefix like strong or advanced. This creature gave me the option to enhance the ice lance spell to superior, but also gave the ice lance level one skill. Apparently that is stronger than superior, which is stronger than what most of my skills are at right now. I suppose that means there is still plenty of growth for my already existing spells and abilities. And what does it look like now? She asked. Lets see I conjured an ice lance at my side but didnt shoot it. Instead, Cellestra and I both watched and checked out its properties. Not only was it larger in size, but it also had rough edges smoothed out, which, I could feel, would aid its ability to fly fast and improve its accuracy. To test it, I launched it far into the distance, with no particular target in mind. I observed its journey and noted that it hardly swayed from its path. It could indeed fly further than my previous version, which would be a great boon when combined with my immaculate eyesight. No doubt this is going to take out targets from quite a distance, I said in amazement. Did you see that? I saw. Thats incredible. Youre going to have to teach me that one next. I grinned audibly at her suggestion. Id be happy to teach you, assuming its possible. Then again, the mana cost to cast the ice lance spell has always been fairly low, and this one is no exception, even though its more than previously. I think this one is well in your control. Thats reassuring to hear. Shall we continue? Possibly test it? Oh, for sure. You didnt think I was going to pass up the opportunity to get some proper practice done with this, right? I asked mischievously. Didnt think so, Cellestra replied with a giggle. I know you too well. I chuckled as I left the corpses behind and skittered forward, towards the living trees. I circled around them, keeping plenty of distance between them and me while keeping my eyes peeled for sudden changes in temperature, anything that could indicate the presence of more of the phasing lizards. Their habit of ambushing was annoying, but fortunately, we didnt run into any, which led me to believe wed left their territory. After leaving the ent area behind, we soon found out that what Felmar had talked about was some kind of deer, but it possessed some unique characteristics that set it apart from ordinary ones. This one was a stag, that much was clear from its immense size and body shape. It possessed a fur that was orange, near red, and sparks flew off of it, giving the illusion it was on fire. In addition to that, instead of a pair of antlers, its head was decorated by two tube-like appendages, a hole clearly visible at the outer ends. When it noticed us, it turned its head, and I noticed two fiery red orbs stare intently at us. Then, it lowered its head, tucked back its ears against its head, and raised a front leg which it put down on the grass before raising it again. Uh-oh. I daresay thats a sign of aggression, I let out, clenching my halberd while taking aim, preparing to fire an ice lance at its underbelly, usually a vulnerable spot. I was right, as the next second, it came charging at us. I fired my spell with deadly accuracy, but saw it shatter moments before it was about to hit the creature. Magical barrier, I said. Should have expected this wouldnt be easy. I prepared to stab with my halberd, but the beast ran at me with incredible speed. I was certain Id have trouble holding on to the weapon, even if I did impale it properly, so I opted to sidestep the charge instead. After telling Cellestra to hold on tight, I jumped out of the way, forcing the creature to come to a halt and turn around. I expected another charge, but instead, I saw the tubes move until the openings were directed at me. Then, from within, two small balls were launched in my direction, which Id heavily underestimated. Seeing the attack coming, I summoned a wall of fire to absorb the attack, but instead of hitting it, the balls exploded into a sea of flames which engulfed me. I was only partially successful in blocking it, as part of the flames were negated by my own spell, but the collateral damage was simply insane. I quickly retreated and asked Cellestra if she was okay. Im fine. The multi-barrier kept me safe, and this armor is no laughing matter either. Refresh the barrier, I called out. There is little I can do to block an attack like that. Gotcha. I came to a halt and turned around to see the stag stand still. As soon as I faced it again, it started another charge, firing off two more balls that far exceeded the beasts charge speed. In an attempt to reduce the damage from its attack, I hurled two ice lances on a collision course with the explosive balls and managed to hit one, which detonated far out of each. The other one missed, but I did manage to project my now empowered fire wall further forward, where it absorbed a much greater amount of damage. I side stepped the attack a second time, but after it came to a halt again, I charged at it with my weapon now imbued by the elemental magic skill. As soon as the beast turned around, I attempted to deliver a lethal blow with a stab under the chin, but it managed to retract its head fast enough. I still hit, and blood ran down its chest, but the attack wasnt enough to kill. In retaliation, it fired off two more spheres that were hurled above my barrier. I barely managed to summon a new fire wall above Cellestra to protect her from the flames, but I took the full brunt of the attack. My multi-barrier exploded with holy light as its strength was drained fully, and some of the flames set parts of my hair on fire. I completely ignored the pain that it caused, especially where the attack had hit my eyes, and stabbed again, seeing an opening to finish this. This time, it couldnt withdraw its head in time, and although its fur was tough, my brute strength pierced its vitals and caused the creature to collapse. As soon as it did, I extinguished the few flames on my body with water while I let out a contained scream of pain. You have killed a Blazing Firag: No experience was awarded. Without hesitation, Cellestra cast her healing spell on me while asking me if I was okay. Im fine. The damage isnt so bad, but my eyes, without the protection of the barrier, are very sensitive. I can imagine, She said surprisingly calmly. Thank you, by the way. Not a problem, I said before letting out another grunt of pain. I joined the brunette in casting a healing spell on myself before checking the damage its attack had done. I wasnt in a terrible state. If anything, it looked way worse than it was with some of my hair burnt away, and other parts blackened by the flames. They hadnt caused me any significant injuries as they couldnt pierce my carapace, but still. Without the barrier and protection of my other spell, I might have been cooked alive from so much fire. Well, I said, looking at the bloodied tip of my weapon and then at the dead animal. At least we got the hide. Now, what do we do with it? 3.17 Party Youre thinking about skinning the Blazing Firag here and eating the meat, arent you? Cellestra asked in all seriousness. Thats one idea I had, yes, but I think Id prefer turning it in like this, the animal intact. Maybe youll get some more money, just like before. Magical stag what was it even called? A Blazing Firag, I said, recalling the message from earlier. Even though I hadnt paid much attention to it, the name had somehow stuck. That makes me wonder, do you think people in this world have given different names to some animals than Elysa? What makes you think that? Dont you think Elysa gave them the names that the people gave to those animals? That makes much more sense to me. Hmmm, I hummed. That sounds very plausible. I mean, imagine if I suddenly used different names than them. Would people suspect something? Cellestra chuckled. That does seem a bit far-fetched, but who knows? Anyway, I continued. Look at this creature. Its hide looks like it''s on fire. I lowered myself to it and touched it, feeling an unnatural heat radiating off of it, even after the beasts death. And its warm too. Damn, I can see what Felmar meant. Cellestra knelt next to the creature, removed a glove, and ran her hand across the animals fur. Youre right. Its so warm, soft too. Think it will stay that way? Its not magical fur for nothing, right? True, She remarked. I feel like some of this stuff wouldnt be bad to have for ourselves. I think it would make for a very comfortable bed. As soft as my silk is, it doesnt quite have the same texture. Theres always your hair, Cellestra said, looking at my back. Though, I fear you took a bit of damage there. Yeah, I said, heaving a deep sigh. Im completely fine, but I fear for my parents and Eliras reaction. I do hope it grows back quickly. As do I. I smiled as I then placed it on my gigantic abdomen and fastened it so it wouldnt slide off, leaving a trail of blood behind from its wound. Allowing it to bleed out wouldnt be much of an issue. Lets go and get our money. Do you have anything you want to do after? Hmmm, Cellestra thought aloud as she stepped onto my back again. I think we should prioritize building our home, no? Still a few trees left, I said with a nod. Four to be precise. Lets get another two cut down and then see what my parents are up to, shall we? Sounds good. Hopefully, the wood has dried enough for me to carve. Im looking forward to that sign. It sounds cute. I know, right? Cellestra said excitedly. I was smiling all the way to the dungeon exit at her words, not even stopping when we ran into another party of fairly new adventurers who were carefully traversing the lioness area. Their eyes were locked onto me and my cargo, and Cellestra had to tell them to focus, which they promptly did after realizing their error. Nice one, I said, grinning. Cant have them get killed staring at you now, can we? Cellestra remarked. I watched them as I continued to the portal, making sure to keep a few eyes out for possible danger as it could be lurking anywhere in this grass. Watching them work together and cover one another made something swell up deep inside of me. Something which I hadnt felt in a long time. With me having this form and with Cellestra on my back, where she was mostly safe from harm, there was no need for it, but I, for some reason, missed something from my old life. On one hand, I didnt miss relying on others, but I had gotten used to working together and somehow I yearned for that again. I was never social, and Id never made friends partly because I didnt want them to miss me, but Cellestra had opened my heart wider than I could have ever thought possible. Even though there was the constant possibility of losing her, all that I had with her was a more than wonderful experience. What would it be like to be in a party? I had Cellestra, and we were a great team. There was no doubt about that, but I wondered if it would be enough to overcome more difficult challenges. One of the problems we were facing was that there was only one target for enemies to focus on. We couldnt split attention when facing multiple hostiles nor could we backstab properly. Thanks to my speed, we were able to flank certain creatures, but I imagined the possibility wouldnt always be there, especially against tougher, faster opponents. I looked at my weapon and absent-mindedly cleaned it with slightly pressurized water, making sure to wash the blood off before it became impossible to do so. It made me wonder just how strong it would be to have others, with their own specialized attacks and weapons, particularly with my imbuement on them. What are you thinking about? Cellestra asked softly, right before we reached the gateway to the surface. You noticed, huh? I let it and saw her nod in response. I was just thinking Cellestra, do you think we should try to form a party? She looked down into my eyes, allowing me to peek through her helmet which revealed an expression that seemed a bit lost. I dont know, She replied with a whisper as I came to a halt. Im not so good with people. I think youre doing a wonderful job at that, I replied. Youre much better at it than you think. I think I have you to thank for that, She said, a small smile forming. If you think it would be a good idea to delve into the dungeon with more people, then lets look into it. But do you want to? I mean, I enjoy our time together like this, very much so. I I suppose Im not even sure myself. I was just floating the idea. Seems youre even more conflicted than me, She said softly, patting the partially burned hairs on my back. I am, I admitted. I dont want the experience with you here to be diminished. Now, I dont have to take into account what others might think, and I know Im going to miss that part. Its just I fear if we want to advance, it may become necessary. Maybe not now, maybe not for a good while, but I think we may have to at some point. Ill trust your judgment. Youre the experienced fighter here. Im sorry, I said softly. I felt slightly guilty because some of the reasoning behind it was based on my own feelings. I also felt that I should be honest about it to her so I decided to mention that part as well. Its something that has been on my mind for longer and seeing that party just now it made me think of, you know, before. Back then, I hardly knew the people that fought with me, but fighting for a common cause, the coordination that came with it, working together I kind of miss it. I dont know what to say, Cellestra said. I dont have much experience with that, if any at all since Ive only been with you in actual combat and youre not exactly the average fighter. I chuckled at her words, and I saw her smile before she continued. But I do love you, and the way you talk about this, it sounds important to you. I nodded and let out a sigh before pausing for a few seconds. Maybe we can make some more friends too, I said, my mood lifted once Cellestras last words had truly hit home, especially the part where she said she loved me. That doesnt sound too bad, She replied. I hope there are others that are as easy to talk to as you. I never thought of myself as easy to talk to, but I guess it helps that wed known each other for a while before I could even speak. The smile on my face grew wider as I thought back about our first days. Dont think youve met many people in the same way you met me. Goddess, I was so lucky that I landed right there. And I was lucky to even spot you next to that bird. Honestly, how did you manage to kill it? I just kept stabbing and biting it with everything I had. I think I eventually managed to create enough wounds where its blood loss was too much to keep flying. It was quite the painful fight. I chuckled one last time before asking the next question. So, if we want to form a party, I reckon we need to go to the guild? Do you think I know anything about this? Because I dont, Cellestra said with a grin. But that does sound like a good place to start. In that case, I said. Lets stop by there tomorrow then, shall we? Sounds good to me. 3.18 Delicacies With partial plans made for the next day, we stepped through the portal, both of us curious about what price this Firag would fetch. I carefully laid down the corpse on the grass, under the watchful eye of the nearby soldiers, one of whom shook his head with a smile on his face, before I made my way to the building where I knocked on the door with one of my pedipalps. A middle-aged elven man with a large mustache as the most prominent feature opened the door, slight shock written over his face as he almost immediately took a step back at the sight of me. Hey, I quickly said. Im looking for Felmar. Im here! I heard the guild clerks voice from inside the building, followed by the clinking of coin on wood. Just a second. The man before me nodded as he quickly withdrew himself, leaving the door open for Felmar who stepped out moments later. He chucked when he eyed the Firag a few yards out, I knew you were going to get one, He said with a grin. Are you that desperate for money? He then asked in all seriousness. Not really, I said, shrugging. Cellestra and I have been most excited to explore further into the dungeon, see what else it houses, and we just so happened to run into this on the way. If you dont mind me asking, what is it called? A Firag, Felmar replied as he walked over to the creature. Dangerous animals, possessing incredible strength, speed, and magic abilities. It has a tendency to charge, despite not having antlers, but its magical attacks more than make up for any weakness that it may bring. It was a relief to hear that it was called the same as what Elysas blessing had shown me. Perhaps Cellestras assessment was right. I imagined I would have to check with several other names to be absolutely sure, though. He then stared at my bruised body, his eyes running over my blackened hairs. And I see you found that out firsthand. I hope youre doing alright? His concern was genuine, and I more than appreciated it, and tried to show my thanks with a smile, just to let him know things were okay. Im fine. Its mostly superficial. Thank you, though. At least now we know what it can do next time. Your first kill, The clerk said, kneeling to inspect our catch. And to deliver it in such pristine condition is nothing short of impressive. How does four gold coins sound? Sounds great, I said, happy to hear the generous amount of money that he offered. Is this things meat worth anything, if I may ask? Yes and no. Huh? I let out. Its meat is considered a delicacy in the larger cities, and thus, is incredibly valuable, worth several gold coins by itself, but He created a dramatic pause mid-sentence. There is a huge issue here. The meat contains several poisons, some of which are lethal when consumed, and the excess magic inside makes it hard to remove that poison. Only specialized chefs and their staff, which includes an experienced mage with detoxification magic can accomplish such a feat. And even that doesnt work for some parts. Unfortunately, Thymhil doesnt have any such chefs, so the meat is useless here. Okay, I let out. But what about transporting it? Several issues, He said as he stood up, reaching for his coin pouch. First, A Firag has a specialized organ that creates chemical compounds used to fuel its magic attacks. These are the poisons and with the creature dead, there is nothing to control their flow. They run rampant through anything that can be considered edible, effectively spoiling it within no time at all. Butchers have but an hour to slaughter the animal before even the best chefs cannot separate the toxins anymore. And what if you cool it down? Perhaps freeze it with frost magic? I asked. Second issue, Felmar said, raising two fingers. It cant be frozen. Just like the hides stay warm, so does its meat. A blessing, and yet a curse at the same time. I sighed audibly. I should have known. I imagined you already tried everything you could. We have, Felmar spoke with a nod. And unfortunately, many paid the ultimate price. Im sorry to hear that, Cellestra said softly. Thanks for the information, once again, I said in gratitude as he handed me the money, which disappeared into Cellestras pouch. If Id calculated correctly, we now had eleven gold and five silver coins. Especially the part where these things are toxic. I would have told you earlier, but I figured you were fine, even if you did decide to eat some. Those phasing lizards are highly poisonous as well, after all. What? I let it in disbelief. Cellestra simply giggled from my back. Sorry, Felmar replied with a feigned smile. Though fear not, strong anti-venoms are among our standard loadout when we trial new adventurers. You would have been fine anyway. Thats surprisingly relieving to hear, I responded, nodding. Perhaps now would be a good time to ask? Cellestra suddenly said, reminding me of our earlier conversation. Ah, thats right! I said, causing Felmar to look at me with a puzzled expression. If you dont mind me asking one more question, say we want to form a party, how does that work? Nothing special, The clerk said. You simply go to the guild, ask people to join to in whatever quest you wish to do, or do as most people do and ask them to tag along for the proving grounds. Though, if you wish to narrow down your search options to more specific types of people or specialties, the guild does offer some options. Let me guess, I said with a chuckle. We gotta pay for that, dont we? Felmar nodded with a mischievous smile. You learn quickly, Kealyna, but dont worry, its only a few silvers, depending on how long you keep the search open. I see, thank you. Have you thought about your wishes? He asked. We have not, I said, shaking my head. Then, personally, I would suggest thinking about that for a bit. If you think you figured it out, feel free to see me at the guild. Ill be there for the next three days before I am stationed here again the next. Well do that. Thank you very much. He simply nodded with a warm smile as Cellestra and I both waved at him as we walked off in the direction of my parents farm. On the way, I finally got to cleaning the blood off the tip of my halberd, but not before touching it and noticing that it was still warm. Well, seems we got some answers, I said. The blood, hide and the meat stays warm. What an interesting animal. Im still amused by the fact that those lizards are toxic. Do you think thats why they taste bad? Cellestra replied. By the goddess, I hope thats not the case. I was looking forward to some Firag meat. That spell looks extremely useful to have. If it tastes horrible, it will just turn dinner into a chore. Cellestra giggled once more. Well, he did say its a delicacy, so I think youll be fine. True. My thoughts then trailed off to what Felmar had said, I even said them out loud in a whisper. Specific personalities or specialties, huh? I said, turning my head to look at the sky through the trees. Hey, Cel, what do you think about all of it? Cel? She asked quizzingly. I chuckled, then grinned. I thought it was a cute nickname. Is it too early for that? No, She replied with a giggle. I think its fine, and that youre adorable. I just didnt expect it. Should I call you Kea then? Or maybe Kealy? Anything works for me, I said in amusement. But what do I think about it, Cellestra continued. You mean what would I want in a party member, right? Yeah. Do you have any idea what we are looking for in people? Things that our search should include? I suppose they shouldnt be afraid of spiders. Damn, I said with a smile. Thats a good point. Probably the most important one. Cellestra giggled before speaking again. Beyond that, I dont know? I suppose doing what Felmar suggested would be the best way to go around it. Just invite them to go to the dungeon. Seems like the best way to get to know people, and just as importantly, what they can do in a fight. With that, any preference for their fighting style? Cellestra then asked. Hard to say. I mean, we are very strong when it comes to magic and physical attacks. At the same time, I think its more about the numbers, so I suppose anything would do for now. Anyway, thats enough of that, I said as we left the forest, the farm in the distance before us. Lets hope my family doesnt freak out over the apparent beating that I took. Faragi I''d like to ask you (the readers) what kind of weapon enchants you would think are interesting/cool/fitting for Kealyna to get. Anything that is at least serious (as in, no troll comment enchantments) will be put in, and I might determine her final choice through a poll. <3 3.19 Carpenting But you did take a beating, Cellestra protested as we proceeded. No need to play tough. Okay, fine, I said with a sigh. I did take a beating, but Im fine! You are, for now, but next time well have to be more careful. True, and I already have a few ideas on how to fight when we face a Firag again. Im kind of excited for it. Why? Because of the money? That, and now Im curious what they taste like, and of course, theres the part where the spell they use seems very interesting. I hope I can acquire it, and if I can, I am curious if I can combine it with one of my existing spells. I was able to do that with those spines, after all. Shame we cant take some of that home, Cellestra said softly. I would have had I not known it was poisonous hold on, I have an idea. Elysa, is it possible for you to show me when I eat something poisonous? Affirmative. Why didnt I think of this earlier? Please do so, then. Affirmative. Well, whaddya know. I should have done this earlier. So youre telling me your blessing can tell you? Cellestra asked. Apparently so. That certainly makes things easier. Sure does. By the way, if were going to be hunting Firags what are we going to do with the money? I shrugged. Honestly, I have no idea. Four gold seems to be a significant amount, and if we really want to, I have no doubt well be able to hunt quite a few in a day. All that is going to add up, and weve already got decent armor and weapons, so the next most useful item on the list would be spell scrolls in my opinion. I paused for a few moments. Which would only be usable by you. They cant misfire, right? Kealyna Cellestra said softly, shaking her head. I wouldnt know. I havent ever used spells that I learned through a scroll, so I cant give an answer to that. So? I said. We can find out if we want to. Get a cheap spell, cast it over and over and see if it goes wrong at any point. What makes you think Im willing to risk it going wrong? She asked sternly. I... I let out, realizing my mistake. Youre right. Im sorry for suggesting that. Ive seen enough of the carnage it brings when things go wrong, She continued. I dont want to see more of that. Ill stick with the spells you can teach me. Of those, I am certain they cannot miscast. Thats fair, I nodded, just as we reached the farm. It didnt feel that late to me yet, but apparently, wed spent quite a few hours in the dungeon. It did mean that school had ended for the day, and Elira was home already, watering some flowers in a planter that seemed to be new. My parents were watching her, but when I came into sight, I could read the concern on their faces quite clearly. My mother almost knocked over her teacup when she put it down on the table. I felt sorry for them, or at least for the fact that they were worrying over nothing, but Elira didnt seem to care. She, as usual, simply ran up to me to hug my waist. Sis! She said. Sis, are you okay? You look hurt. Im fine, I said, patting her head. Had to deal with something we hadnt seen before, and took some damage in the process, but its only superficial. Im not injured. What happened? She asked. I lifted her with my pedipalps and carried her over to the table so I could talk with my parents at the same time. We fought something called a Firag. Its a large deer that shot balls of magic from its head that exploded into a sea of flames. We werent expecting that kind of attack, but came through it relatively unscathed. It only burned some of my hair, so I cant complain there. It looks pretty bad, My mom admitted. It looks way worse than it is, I replied. I hope my hair grows back quickly, though. Anyway, how are things going here? Same old, same old, My father said. Im certain your days are a lot more exciting than ours. Maybe, but I still want to know how you are doing here. Those tomatoes look delicious. No doubt youre taking good care of them. We certainly are, My mother said. And in that regard, youre in luck. Well have some for dinner tonight. Want some tea, by the way? I turned my head to Cellestra who stepped off my back and removed her helm before nodding. Wed love some, I spoke for us both. My mother went inside and Elira was eager to climb on my back still, although a bit more hesitant than before, but I nodded when she looked at me, washing away her doubts. Once behind me, she took good notice of the damage the fire had caused, running her little hands through my hair, sadness in her eyes. So, My father continued. What led you to hunt this Firag it was called, right? Yep, and the reason for it was quite simple. We spoke to one of the clerks at the guild and he told us there was a big request for bison hides, so we hunted one of those. When we delivered it and got our payment, he mentioned that the creatures on the third floor of the dungeon would fetch quite a bit more, so we set out for that. The animal was quite interesting. It has both meat and a magical hide that will always stay warm. Would make for quite the foot warmer in winter I suppose. I looked over to my side, at my massive legs in particular. Not that I would need that anymore, but you know. Did it hurt? Elira suddenly asked from behind, pointing to a large black patch on my back. I wanted to tell her it hadnt, but I remembered my scream of pain all too well. I was also terrible at lying, or well, I didnt know if I was terrible, but I just wasn''t comfortable with it and would avoid it wherever I could. It did, I said softly. But Cellestra helped me heal. The pain went away quickly. She still didnt seem too happy when looking at my back, but then again, neither was I. I wanted my beautiful white back as soon as possible. Its gonna be okay, I said soothingly. We wont let that happen again, and Ill have my hair back in no time, you watch. I am amazing, after all. The little girl smiled widely at my words. Yeah, you are. Shadow came walking up to us from behind a wall and started sniffing one of the darkened areas, before licking it. I saw, and felt it happen and let out a soft giggle. Think hes trying to help me? I asked Elira who was watching as well. Looks like it. The cat nimbly jumped on my back in front of the small girl and curled up as it made itself comfortable. Well, thats just adorable, Cellestra said, just as my mother walked back out. What can I say? Im basically a giant, fluffy cat. They like to cuddle with each other too. Both my parents were left smiling at that, and as my mother placed our cups, she said she''d finish dinner. I simply couldnt wait. Hows your new home coming along? My father asked, alternating his gaze between me and Cellestra who were trying to get a taste of the way-too-hot tea. When can we see it again? Curious, arent you? I said with a teasing smile, causing him to chuckle. Im just interested in my daughters life. I want to make sure that she has a nice home for herself. Thats sweet, I said with a wide smile. Its coming along nicely, but were in a bit of a hard place regarding a wall around the nest. It would be kind of neat if we could get a doorway or something if you plan on visiting more often. Then why dont you? He asked. Thymhil has some great carpenters. Im sure they can get you something like that done, complete with lock and all. I I started before falling silent. Damn, youre right. We could get something like that. I shook my head before continuing with a whisper. Im such an idiot sometimes. Cellestra giggled where my father smiled. Happy I could help, He said. Suppose well be hitting the carpenters guild after the dungeon exploration guild tomorrow since we were planning on going to the city anyway. Where can we find them? I asked. Hmmm, its hard to miss, He said, but if youre unsure, just inquire with the guild. Theyll send you in the right direction. Neat. Thanks. Sis! Elira called from my back. Can we go for a ride before dinner? I chuckled at her energy. Sure. 3.20 Anatomy Faragi My runs with Elira would probably never bore me. The smile on her face as the wind blew her long hair back was newfound happiness that I cherished deeply. And by the time we returned, dinner was already done. I was curious about what my mom had made, and was surprised when she served tomato soup. Surprised because it was one of the most straightforward dishes to make, but she still managed to turn it into something special. Soon after finishing and thanking them for the meal, Cellestra and I were on our way back home, looking to relax a bit with the last few hours that were left in this day, perhaps build some more on our home. One of these days, we should try to stop by a bit earlier, Cellestra said on our way home. Hm? You know, Id simply love to help your mom out with cooking sometime. Strange as it may sound as Im not quite sure if its because of my blurry memories of old, but I dont think I helped my mom out much when I was young. I sighed. To my regret now. Those would have been some fun memories to make. Cooking was not one of my interests, that much I know. Maybe ask her? Cellestra suggested. Maybe you did help her one day, but you forgot. Maybe she can help you remember. I doubt it, but Ill ask. I just feel kind of bad about now because I dont think I can help her cook when I cant even get inside the kitchen. Thats unfortunate, She said softly, a smile on her face which disappeared for a moment before it reappeared. But theres always a way to make that happen. Its not the hardest thing in the world to cook outside. Thats true, I admitted. Maybe its something to look into later. Weve got plenty to do for the time being, and theres also this old skill of mine that I need to look at, and Im once again starting to regret promising myself to get through it. The spiderling one? I nodded. Its not something Im particularly looking forward to. You know, it stated I actually have to lay the eggs. You have any idea how spiders do that? Cellestra asked. I shook my head. Would you like me to fill you in on that? Might as well, I responded. Maybe it can help me prepare. Im sure it wont be so bad, She said while petting my back. I doubt it will be painful or anything. Elysa isnt that kind of goddess, is she? Youre right, and I think it will be fine, but the whole concept is just so awkward, and I was just repulsed by the idea earlier. Ill show you, She said with a warm smile. And tell you everything I know if you want me to, even if it isnt too much. However awkward this may be, I reckoned it couldnt be more awkward than whatever would follow. I was really, really happy to have Cellestra at my side, supporting me and willing to talk me through all she knew. It certainly is more than what I know, and thank you. I really do appreciate your help. So for tomorrow, She continued, changing topics. Tomorrow well go into town for the guild and then to the carpenters guild. Do you have any plans after that? Not sure, I replied. Id like to get as much done in the dungeon as I can, but my other skill also needs some time. Maybe we should just finish our home, do that, and then try to teach you some more spells. There are still a few that I can share. That works for me. Im excited about it, but those dont use that much mana to cast, right? I shook my head. They arent anywhere close to the mana requirement of the lightning arc spell, or at least the point you got to. Thats a relief, She said softly and then requested a stop as we neared the shrines. While she was using the facilities, my mind wandered off to the major challenge that still lay ahead; the obelisk issue. More specifically, the problem was trying to find ways to prepare for it. There was something there, something that had somehow seeped into my blessing in a way, something that had been banished ages ago. Whatever it was that I had awoken, I couldnt know yet, but I smiled knowing that there were others who were kind enough to help me without prejudice. However, not knowing what we were up against made it hard to prepare to fight it, and while the obvious thing was to improve my own and Cellestras strength, it was more than likely our ace would have to come from somewhere else. I was glad to have Soranir with us for that. I was also left wondering if there was some way to get an edge with our coin. While armor and weaponry seemed to be the obvious choice of things to spend our money on, I was trying to come up with other ideas. The only thing I could think of on short notice would be the spell scrolls, mainly because I didnt know the limits of those, and there were bound to be some rare abilities contained within that could help out. Either way, it was going to be crucial to gather more cash and information, however little there may be. When Cellestra returned and hopped on my back again, I swore she could feel what I was thinking about, and even though she remained quiet like me, her hand stroked the hair on my back gently, helping me feel more at ease. Once home, I decided to keep myself distracted from thinking about it by doing the bit of labor that remained. I chopped down the last few trees and decided on where to place the doorway. That was if we could get an arrangement for it with the carpenters guild. Though, it shouldnt be too hard to get one. I finished up as much as I could and removed the side branches from the main trunks and placed them together, ready to be transported. I was quite sure Id be able to move all four with me to the city, but carrying them through town would be a different story. Perhaps I could carry the logs using my arms and legs, but Id see about all that tomorrow. I looked at the skies to see evening setting in. There was still plenty of daylight, and I intended to put it to good use by spending it with Cellestra, whod watched me work with great delight after taking off her armor. It had taken her some time but she managed to do it. I didnt help her this time as I thought it was important for her to learn how to do it. I let out a deep sigh as I wiped a few drops of sweat off my forehead, happy to be done. Nice work, She said happily. Glad thats over. Now I can finally relax. Cellestra chuckled as I passed her, opening the curtain of our home and stepping inside, before laying my body down on the silk with my elven torso bent backward in my damaged, yet still soft hair. Tired? Cellestra asked as she stepped inside and sat down at my side. Not really, but Im happy this day is almost over. I can imagine, She said softly. Youve had it rough today. I nodded slowly. And I might get it rough again tomorrow. Oh well, at least Im done chopping trees. That leaves us with spell training and you know I know, Cellestra whispered. Im amazed by your courage to do something like that. I dont know if I could. Im glad you dont have to make that decision, I whispered back, my hand running through her hair. If Im lucky and this works out in the way I want, I might be able to sleep fully at night. My exhaustion is starting to build up again. In a way, I suppose its not always a blessing, is it? Cellestra asked, but I was certain she already knew the answer. Not always, no, but Im still happy being this, even if I have to make certain sacrifices. Cellestra nodded and remained quiet as she ran her hands down the hairs on my legs at her sides. Hey, Kealyna. Still want me to explain some spider anatomy? Sure, I said. Explain away. Do you even know how you breathe? She then asked, taking me by surprise. Of course I knew, or did I? I thought about the question while holding my breath, pinching my nose as well when I noticed I didnt need air whatsoever. Huh, I let out after about half a minute. I suppose I dont know. Cellestra giggled at my words. I can show you, if you want if you dont mind me climbing under your abdomen. Go for it, I said still in a most comfortable position. Alright, She said softly, standing up and grabbing the spell orb to help her see. She shook her head as I raised my lower body to offer her access underneath.Goddess, this feels weird. No need to feel weird about this, I said. Just relax. Alright, She replied, her voice more confident. She then took a deep breath and continued. Ill tell you what I know. I hope it helps. 3.21 Confusion I was still resting, my torso on the very same abdomen that Cellestra was inspecting from below. Strangely enough, as much as she had felt awkward about it, I didnt feel a grain of embarrassment at the situation. I knew that Hograds intentions had been to turn me into nothing but a spider and as such, I was fairly confident I possessed ones reproductive organs. These had to be located down there somewhere, and I was at least somewhat curious about what they looked like, but still, it left me cold. The only ones Id been mildly ashamed of when I evolved into an Arachne were my normal ones and those were well hidden under a thick layer of hair. Well, Cellestra called while lying on her back, the light-giving orb in her hand to see better. Youre not so different from an actual spider down here. How invested were you in spider anatomy? I asked, wondering exactly how much she knew. Some basic things. Like, I know where things are located, for the most part. How about the breathing thing? How does that even work? I questioned, confused as I knew I wasnt inhaling air with my arachnid mouth either. Here, She said, running a hand across the carapace until I felt her find a slit somewhere at the side, close to where my abdomen connected to my cephalothorax. This is how you breathe. Air goes in here. You seem to have four of these openings. Wait a second, I replied. Remember when we crossed the river? You just made me realize that I cant possibly swim. Youre right. I never thought about this back then. Swimming would have been a terrible idea. You have no idea how thankful I am to have that water walking skill, and that nothing went wrong. I can imagine. Im sorry for not telling you earlier. I never knew you didnt breathe normally. I wonder if I can, though. You know, inhale air like you do to replace whatever my abdomen does. No idea, Cellestra said softly. And I dont know if thats something you want to try. Better to do in a controlled setting than in a potentially dangerous situation, no? I mean if you want. Some other day, I said. Cant be bothered to do that now. So, how about the eggs? Should I be afraid? Do you have any idea how weird it is to me that you can be so casual about this? She asked in clear disbelief, but I also heard a bit of amusement in her voice. Its not like I can do much about the way it works," I shrugged, trying not to think about it too much. "Might as well make sure the mood is light, no? You never cease to amaze me, Kealyna. Honestly. I smirked as I felt her hand trace my exoskeleton once more until it had apparently found what she was looking for. Here, She patted the spot before getting out from under me. Thats enough, right? Yeah," I said, pulling her up and into my arms, her face still flushed. "And thank you for doing that. I''d be lost without you, you know?" She didn''t move for a moment, then returned the hug, nodding slightly. We stayed that way for a bit before stepping apart and resuming the conversation. "I feel better now that I have some idea of what to expect. That worried? She asked softly. Im not worried. Im just confused I guess is a good way to put it. I dont know what to expect and I feel desperate to know more about anything that has to do with this. I realize only now how weird all of this must sound. I''m sorry. Hey, Cellestra said calmly as she knelt before me, taking me in for another hug, her head against my stomach. Its alright. My eyes closed by themselves as I ran my hands through her hair. The truth is, Im scared. What are you scared of? She asked, not breaking the hug. In a way, Ill be a mother, and Im scared of seeing it like that. I know this is a skill and all, and the spiderlings spell is a tool, a means to an end, but Im still scared. By the goddess, She whispered. That is so much like you. I dont know if I can help you answer any of those questions. I fear thats something youll have to overcome yourself. I know, I said with a sigh. Do you want to hold out on this until later, perhaps? No, I said clearly. Ive already promised myself to see this through. I dont break my promises. I hope things will work out, She said soothingly, before kissing my belly button. You know I dont like to see you worried. We will see, I said, still stroking Cellestras lovely hair. What do you think theyll look like? Your spiderlings? She asked. I hope they will look somewhat like you. White and fluffy jumping spiders would be kind of cute, no? I smiled at her words, but at the same time, a pang of sadness hit me. I know, and thats part of why Im afraid. I understand, Cellestra whispered. But thats enough worrying for the day. Its already dark outside. Lets get some sleep shall we? Easy for you to say, I said with a grin. Well, at least it puts one of your heads to rest. That should count for something. I nodded and continued grinning as she took off her shirt and pants which left me staring while I put the pillow in its place and lay myself down on it, with Cellestra soon joining, hugging my torso from the side. Some quiet minutes passed in which we both relaxed, but neither of us had said goodnight yet, making it feel as if there was still conversation to be had before Cellestra would sleep. Hey, Cel? I asked with a whisper. Hm? Would I be a good mom? Of course you would. What makes you say that? I dont know. I just know you would do a great job. Thank you, I said before kissing her forehead. That means a lot to me. No need to thank me. I mean it. I know. Another minute of silence passed and this time I was completely out of things to say, so I figured it was time to put a proper end to this day and wait for the next to arrive. Good night, Cellestra, I whispered. Good night, Kealyna. It didnt take long for Cellestra to fall asleep. I knew that despite her not showing it, she was exhausted. She managed to hide it well, but the heavy armor had taken its toll, and I knew it would continue to do so for a good while. Soon enough, I felt the disconnection occur between my arachnid head and elven torso, leaving my one awake mind to ponder over whether Id made the right decision. I was deathly afraid Id develop some kind of relationship with the spiderlings created by my spell and as much as I told myself otherwise, the fear of creating a bond only for them to die as fodder was something that pained my heart and mind both. Why Elysa? Why do I have a spell like this? No answer. Perhaps that was for the best. I tried to put it out of my mind, but it always returned. It left my mind exhausted, and with it, my entire body. When morning arrived, and although my other half had slept throughout the night, I was still tired. I gave Cellestra all the time she needed until she woke up by herself. When she did, I tapped myself awake while she got something to eat and drink. Morning, slept well? I shook my pedipalps in reaction to her question. Youve been worrying about this all night, havent you? I nodded as soon as I gained control of my head. Poor thing, She said softly, worry evident in her voice. Ill be okay. Dont worry too much. Lets just focus on what we have to do before that; the adventurer and carpenter guilds. You wanted to do that first? Yeah. I want to get that done quickly so we can stay here for the rest of the day. Thats fine. Just do what makes you feel comfortable, Cellestra said with a sweet, caring voice, already brightening my day. I didnt say anything and merely nodded. At the same time, I started collecting her armor and bagged it. There was no reason for her to wear it today unless we were talking about training purposes, and I was sure that was the last thing on both our minds at the moment. And so, we headed out to the city, making a quick stop at the shrines before we continued. So what will we ask Felmar? Cellestra asked on the way. Honestly? I dont know, but the word of me has probably spread so I doubt were going to pick up any arachnophobes. Im really more a person that is interested in seeing someone at work, so I suppose were just going to be looking for a minimum rank and then ask if its possible for Felmar to choose the recruits by himself. He is bound to know a lot more about them, and then we can go from there. Well take whoever he suggests and see what they can do. That doesnt seem like such a bad idea if he is up for that. I have the feeling its going to, you know, cost extra, but its something Id gladly do to save more headaches. Ive got plenty of those today. Might just ask him if he has something for that too. I chuckled at her response. Not a bad idea. We should see if there are some potions and other things we can stock up on. Perhaps some reagents so you can make some yourself. Sounds like we have a plan for the day. I think we do, I said, nodding. 3.22 Carpenting 2 It may have seemed like I was buying time, putting off the one thing I feared most in life, but I truly wanted to be done with our things for the day first. I wanted to have nothing else on my mind, and the peace of our home when looking into it. Cellestra acknowledged my silence and softly ran her hand over my back as we stepped onto the road leading to the city. Seems youre already healing, She said with a whisper. Your hair is softer, and the burnt spots look smaller. I suppose, I said. Hadnt really noticed it yet, but I guess youre right. I felt a small smile creep on my lips. Im happy to see it. Well need to be careful to not have you get burned again. It really takes away from your beauty. Didnt take you for a charmer, I replied with a chuckle. Im not, but, I do mean it, She said softly. And I dont want to see you hurt again. I dont think either of us wants to see the other hurt. That would be kind of creepy, wouldnt it? I smiled and let out a small chuckle in response, opting to remain quiet as we both already knew the answer. We soon reached the city, and even though there was the usual wariness, even more so with my damaged fur? People didnt seem scared. Maybe theyd heard of our deeds, maybe theyd come to accept us as proper inhabitants, I didnt know. If it was the latter, Id be more than happy because it would mean I was seen not as a monster, but as a person. I thought about our potential party members one more time and came to a possible conclusion, or at least, made me decide on a character trait that I deemed important: discipline. Either through previous military training or as an innate personality, it would be important for us to be able to rely on allies, and they on us. It was already quite clear to us from the few fights that we had that it was important to work together, and stronger, tougher creatures would require even more coordination to take down, that much I was sure of. Having people do their own thing, potentially putting themselves in danger was out of the question. Other than that one mandatory trait, I cared little about background or upbringing. Everyone had their own reasons to become adventurers, and I wouldnt be the one to judge. It would be nice if we could find like-minded people, but as long as they were worth their part in combat, I was fine with whoever would be willing to team up with us. We reached the guild hall and as we came to a halt before the building, I was pleasantly surprised by a new, freshly painted sign above the door. The inscription dungeon exploration guild was once again legible and presented with pride. I didnt know why, but seeing it just made me smile from ear to ear. Cellestra noticed it as well and nodded once in acknowledgment before entering the building to summon Felmar. She returned a few minutes later with the guild clerk in tow, his clipboard in hand, ready to note down all our wishes. Fortunately for him, he didnt have to write down much, just a few things that Cellestra and I had talked about, and then the additional thing that Id thought about on the way here. When asked about payment fees, he assured us that two silver coins were enough for the time being as our requirements werent particularly special. Cellestra handed him the coins and as he accepted them, he wrote down a few more things. I know its not really my place to comment on it, Felmar said while scribbling. But Im happy to see you turn to the dungeon exploration guild for help. Im very much looking forward to following your career. What do you mean not your place to comment? This seems like its exactly your place to me, I said, my arms crossed with the butt end of my pole on the street. But yeah, Cellestra and I both thought we should at least explore our options. Understandable. That does seem like the sensible choice. I nodded. Exactly. Uhm, one more thing if you dont mind. Ask away, Felmar said confidently. Were looking for the carpenters guild. Do you know how to get there? Yeah, He said, taking a few more steps outside. Just down the street towards the tower, He pointed in the direction of where I knew my parents went when they went to see Soranir. Past the tower, and then take a left. Its quite easy to spot as its a massive, red wooden warehouse. Cant miss it. Great. Thanks, I said. Thank you, Cellestra thanked him as well. He nodded, and we waved him goodbye as we were off. We followed his directions, and only a few minutes later, we arrived at the building he mentioned. He wasnt kidding when he said the place was huge. This was by far the largest building in the entire city. Even if the height wasnt there, it more than made up for it by just how long and wide it was. Despite my generous size, Id still be able to enter the building with plenty of room to spare if I so wanted, due to the two doors that were big enough to allow the largest carts entry. However, they were both closed and locked tight. That didnt mean there wasnt a way in. Within one of the doors was another, normal-sized door that was used to enter and exit the building. From behind, I could hear all kinds of sounds that one would expect from carpenters, including hammering, sawing, and grinding. And then there was the smell of wood. Even if it wasnt fresh, it was still very much one of the most easily recognizable odors, and in my opinion, a pleasant one. The sounds of working came from far inside, which brought me back to my parents words. This place was used as both a store and a workplace, so I imagined the wares were stashed somewhere close to the exit. Cellestra climbed down when we got close enough. I thought she''d head inside, but when she just waited I knocked and hoped it would carry over all the noise. The almost melodic sounds paused briefly before resuming, with what I thought was one less saw than before. Cellestra and I glanced at each other before the door opened a moment later. A large man, easily matching the blacksmith, Zearis, in size, stepped outside. He wore clothes that were once white, now completely covered in sawdust, that left his arms and legs free. His clothing wasnt the only thing smothered with dust. His beard and mustache were completely yellow as well. His eyes, which were about the only things clear, narrowed and ran over the massive body behind me before peering into mine, not a hint of fear in them. What can I do for you? He asked directly, but not in an impolite way, with a deep voice that matched his build. Hi, I said, deciding to get straight to the point. Were looking for options when it comes to building some sort of fence with a door that can be locked. He ran a hand through his beard, causing some of the wood dust to sprinkle down. Location? He asked. In the forest, near the shrines. Length? About ten to fifteen yards, I said. But it can be shorter if necessary. Technically, a small part of fencing with a doorway would be enough, but this person before me looked like hed appreciate a bigger, and thus better-paying job. He shook his head and seemed to think some more before finally, he nodded. For the right price, we can do it. What would be the right price? I asked calmly. Ten to fifteen yards of fencing, Im assuming with foundation, labor and all, were looking at three to four gold coins. Five if you opt for heavy oaken. Well definitely opt for the heavy oaken, I said, wanting quality above all. Excellent, The man before me said, a small smile visible for the first time. Can I take a look at the location? Right now? He nodded once more. Sure. Well lead you there. He suddenly turned around and entered the doorway behind him, disappearing into the large building before returning with a small stake and a hammer. I had no idea what he was going to use those for, but I assumed he had his reasons. He extended an open hand in a lead the way gesture, and I nodded and started our walk back to our home, Cellestra at my side who wore a small grin. The speed at which things happened was completely unexpected. The price was quite substantial as well, but something Id gladly pay. We were building a home, after all. 3.23 Mess The way back was quiet in an uncomfortable way. The person that we were leading to our nest was clearly not the talkative type, but then neither were Cellestra nor I. All in all, it made for an awkward trip. I was more than happy when we finally arrived at our destination and saw the carpenter eye the webs warily before his eyes found the logs that had been left to dry. I had considered taking them with us earlier, but transporting them all would be a bit of a hassle and I wasnt sure if they would be useful. They probably were as the previous two logs were taken when we got our furniture, but it wasnt like wed given them much of a choice. If you want, you can have those. We have no need for them, I said. Well pick them up later, then. Where would you like the fence? Here, I said. Between two of these tree stumps, its height not exceeding those. He nodded and walked to one before taking a step away from the tree and jabbing his stake into the ground, before giving it a hit with his hammer. He then repeated the process until he reached the other tree stump, and I was left wondering what he was doing. Was he measuring length? The toughness of the soil? I didnt know, but those two options seemed the most straightforward to me. He nodded, again causing some of the accumulated dust to fall down. Yep, He said. Well do it. Five gold coins for an oaken fence between these trees. I can get the boys over here and start right away. I was wondering if five coins without bargaining from my side was a bit too generous for the job, as he seemed to be impatient and eager to get started. There wasnt a word about any kind of payment or discount in return for the logs, which was a bit disappointing to me, but I wouldnt press the issue as I wasnt in dire need of favors. Building a reputation would be hard enough as it was, and being nice to others would always go a long way. Uhm. If you dont mind. Today is not really a good day. Would you be willing to start tomorrow? He took a good look at me, waited for a few seconds, and nodded. Can do, He said. Wed get started somewhere in the afternoon, then. Thats fine by me, but we may not be here, then. Shall I pay now? He shook his head. No. First, we deliver the goods. Then, we get paid. Well just get to work if youre absent if you dont mind. Thats fine by me. If you need us, were usually here in the evenings. He nodded before taking the stake and hammer with him as he walked off. Not the most talkative type, is he? Cellestra said after the man had disappeared from view. Not really, but thats fine. I personally dont mind it much, I just want that fence. Cant wait for it to be finished. Id love to see the look on my parents faces when all is done here. And dont forget Elira. Im certain shell be exhilarated. True, I said before sighing deeply. I suppose that means that everything we needed to do is now done. Seems so. Are you okay? Yeah, I said, trying to sound confident, but I could hear in my voice that it wasnt the case. Lets get this done. I paused for a few seconds before I continued with a whisper. Elysa, lets get this over with. I confirmed the enhancements I wanted to learn which included the spawn spiderlings option and their upgrades. The whole thing cost me a whopping five hundred evolution points but the possible strength this could give me, in the long run, was more than worth it. I felt the familiar warmth of the enhancement converge at the bottom of my abdomen, in the area that Cellestra had told me was for eggs. Goddess, I still couldnt believe I was actually going to do this. When the process had ended, I decided to skitter into the nest, wanting the comfort and safety of the walls around me before starting the process. Cellestra didnt follow. Its fine, Cellestra. You can be here if you want. Are you sure? Yes. I dont care much. It took her a few seconds to react, but ultimately she decided to enter, all while I was wondering how to go about this. Elysa, since I need to lay those eggs, can I decide how many I want? Affirmative. Well, that was reassuring. At least I wouldnt have to go through the process of laying thousands. Hold on a second. Do they actually need to eat to live? I accidentally called out loud, causing Cellestra to look at me with confusion and then understanding. I was expecting a giggle as was her usual reaction to my mishaps, but there was nothing, her face was pure seriousness. Negative. They do not require sustenance in the usual sense of the word, but they do sap a tiny amount of your mana at midnight every day. If they eat in a normal manner, this cost is reduced or negated entirely. A tiny amount of mana, huh? That made it sound like I could have an entire army of spiderlings at my disposal, but I certainly didn''t intend to go that far. I imagined five would be more than enough to take care of simple watch duty and to see what they could do in a fight. Theyd probably take time to get stronger, but even if they died, any gained skills and enhancements would be reapplied to any new spiderlings Id create. I could, of course, always help them overwhelm enemies that were stronger than them. There was nothing that prevented me from assisting. I sighed deeply one last time as I tossed my weapon to the side. Hey, Cellestra said softly. Cheer up. If this works out, youll have the best nights rest youve had in a while. Youre right. I just I hope this wont mess with my mind. Cellestra moved before me and took me in for a comforting hug, her hand running through my long hair as she whispered into my ear. Youll be fine, Kea. I know you will be. I hugged her back and let out another sigh. I sure hope so. But lets get this going. For real now. She nodded and broke the hug while I prepared and mentally confirmed that I wanted to spawn five spiderlings. When I did so, a new blue square popped up before me. Current Spiderling Modifications: Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Exoskeleton Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Resistance Spiderling Upgrade - Basic Venom The first line caught me off-guard due to its implications. For now, I simply waved it away and confirmed (as I felt in my mind that it was required) the current modifications. Within seconds, I felt mana from my body converge at one point, creating something, before it happened again and again, until five objects of concentrated mana had formed. Then, I felt movements inside my abdomen. The sensations made me nauseous. I couldnt compare it to anything Id felt before. It was as if my insides were being twisted and tossed around. It didnt hurt at first, but after some time, I was starting to feel bloated with pain building up. I gritted my teeth as I let out a groan, causing Cellestra to look at me with concern. I tried to put her at ease by feigning a small smile, but I could tell she knew it was fake, and it did little to diminish her worry. Elysa, let this end soon, please. Then, at last, there was relief. I ended up with five yellowish spheres, each slightly transparent, but not enough to see through, or see what was inside. They were about three feet in diameter, far bigger than Id expected. Though, with my size to compare them to, I supposed it made sense. If the spell was going to be of any use in combat, I more or less needed them to be this size. I heaved a deep sigh, knowing the worst part was over. Now, all we had to do was wait until they hatched and then figure out how I gave them orders. I hoped it would remain at that, just orders. I had actively avoided the evolution that allowed me to control other creatures for moral reasons, and even though I had no clue how that would work, I hoped I couldnt do it with these spiderlings. The creatures in the dungeon scared me deep inside because they were hollow, soulless. I secretly wished that these spiders wouldnt be like that. I had no idea why I was thinking about them like this. I wasnt supposed to, was I? Goddess, Im a mess 3.24 Wait Faragi I was left staring at the eggs, and after a few seconds, I just didnt know what I was looking at anymore. Despite having two brains and five pairs of eyes, my mind just went blank. Kealyna? I heard Cellestra say my name, but somehow, it just didnt register. Kealyna? She asked again. This time, her voice pulled me back to the present, and I felt cold shivers run down my back. Are you alright? She asked with a whisper. I I started but immediately stopped. I feel strange, nauseous. Oh, you poor thing, Cellestra said quietly as she closed the gap and hugged me from the side. You want something to eat or something? Its not that, I said, shaking my head. Its my mind. I I shook my head. Its impossible to explain. I dont even know what it is myself, just that something doesnt feel right. Shh, Cellestra cooed. Dont worry. Well get through this. I closed my eyes and nodded slowly. When I opened them again and saw the result of my ability, my lower brain, which would normally work in sync with my other one in normal situations, was distressed in a way. Seeing the eggs so vulnerable made my stomach twist. In spite of all my reservations, they were my offspring, even if theyd come from a skill. I wanted to do something, to offer them some protection. I did the first thing that came to mind and summoned threads which I wrapped around them. When I was finished with that, my heart felt much more at ease. Satisfied with the additional layer of protection, I lowered myself, my pedipalps and front two sets of legs embracing the clutch. Cellestra had broken the hug when Id started my work, and right now, she was left staring, unsure what to do. Kealyna? She asked, obviously confused. Huh? You okay? Yeah. Im sorry. Im feeling a lot better now. Can I look? She asked, pointing at the eggs. I nodded, never taking my eyes off of the wrapped spheres. Cellestra knelt next to them and moved her hand over the silk, carefully examining the results of my struggles from earlier. What made you do that? She asked softly. I dont know, I replied. I felt like they were vulnerable, and I wanted to give them some protection. Thats so sweet of you. She then paused and looked into my lower eyes. Do you know that thats a normal thing to do for spiders? Huh? Egg sacs. Ever heard of them? Well, yeah. Is that what this is? Technically, I suppose this counts. I nodded and kept my eyes locked on the sac before me, when another, completely random thought entered my mind. Hey Cel, do you still have something to eat with you? I do, want some? I shook my head. No, but I just wanted to know you had some for yourself. You know, in case we dont visit my parents today. Im starting to get the notion thats rather likely. Cellestra put on a warm smile and stroked the length of my hair down my back in a comforting motion. Thats okay, She whispered. Just make sure youre alright. Take your time and dont rush things. Yeah, I said. Im just a bit worried about what my parents will think of all this what Soranir and the city may think. Thats a good point, She said, looking at the clutch of eggs. You cant just go around and tell them its a skill. Then again, do they need to know? If they find out, you can just have them wondering, and if Soranir presses the issue, maybe involve Elysa? I feel like Im abusing that too much as it is, but you may be right. I dont see any other way. In any case, Ill have to ensure they are no threat to anyone, but for that, I need to know how to control them. I suppose Ill find out in a couple of hours. You know what? Cellestra said. Is it weird that Im hoping they look the way you looked when you were smaller? Not at all, I said with a hint of a giggle. Cellestra always managed to lift my spirits. I was one hell of a cute spider. You still are, She replied almost immediately, with giggling of her own. I felt a smile grow, and there was nothing I could do to stop or hide it. Thank you. You know exactly how to make me feel better. Youre welcome, She said as she reached for the pillow, placed it down, and lay down on her back, staring at the ceiling. At the same time, I was left staring at the eggs before me, waiting for time to pass, At least they wont have to go through what I had to go through, I quietly said. Nature sure is scary, isnt it? What do you mean? She asked before realization struck her like a brick. Oh. That was a painful time. I mean, I had to do it to live, but in the first days I did things I never thought Id do. Im happy these spiders wont have to do that. Cellestra nodded but didnt say a word, simply allowing the quiet to fall upon us as time passed. Eventually, she sighed, and I could feel it was one of boredom. Hey, Kealyna? Hm? Can I comb your hair? Always, I replied with a smile. She eagerly got up and soon enough, I felt her movements as she undid my braids and fully combed the messy parts out of my hair, making me relax in the process. However, the thoughts about what others would think of all this would not leave my mind. Dont worry too much, Cellestra said. It was as if she could read my thoughts. I sighed and nodded as she continued. She made sure to get through it thoroughly, before redoing my braids. Then, when she finished, she reached for her backpack and pulled out a book which she started reading lying down again. Whats that? I asked curiously. Its a book with information on alchemical reagents, and it has some of my notes in it. I imagined it might be useful to brush up on it a bit if I want to make potions and stuff later. Not a bad idea. Id love to know what your creations are worth. I wish I knew, Cellestra replied. Ive been told that especially healing potions are expensive, especially those of high quality, but I have no idea how mine hold up against those. I suppose well need to check. Its not like I can know their value. Do you even have instruments to make potions? Not enough. I mean, the best I can do is salves at the moment. Couldnt really take glassware with me. Sounds like were due for another trip to the city soon. I wonder if there is anyone that specializes in this. Of course there is. There are two dungeons near this city. A hundred percent there is a place that sells vials and other glassware, or a place where you can get potions. They will have them too. And the herbs that you need? Found any? Ive seen a few around the forest, and then some more inside the dungeon. I also collected some of the leaves from those giant walking trees, but I have yet to study their properties. And how do you study those? I asked curiously. Create something with them, and simply test it on things. Want to use me as a test subject for that? I asked mischievously. I was being lighthearted about this, but in a way, I was serious too. There was little that could happen to me, and Id be extremely resistant to possible toxins, though, I guess that would also mean I wouldnt be a proper means of testing. I can, if you want, but Id need to test it on other things too. I just realized that as well. How are they doing, by the way? Cellestra asked, pointing at the clutch of eggs I was still embracing. I took a closer look and noticed that in the little bit that I could look through the shells, there was a hint of movement inside. Not only that, in my thermal vision, the eggs had gradually started to rise in temperature. I think its almost time. Thank you for keeping my mind off of things. Always, She replied with the warmest of smiles. She flipped a few more pages before stashing her tome away, and sitting down next to me, taking my hand in the process. My nerves were suppressed considerably, and together, we watched until the first egg showed a crack. I wanted to reach out and help, but Cellestra stopped me as I reached out. Soon, I saw a leg from within stab, and eventually, break through the outer membrane. When I saw it, it was white and similar to mine and I felt my heart racing at the sight. Theyll be fine, She assured me. Just let them hatch naturally. I nodded, knowing she was right, and I had a hard time suppressing my inner feelings of wanting to do something. After all, I knew how difficult it had been to get out of one of those eggs. But I did as she advised and simply waited. 3.25 Hello Faragi I watched in anticipation as more of the eggs started showing movement. The first spider to hatch was still working on the soft, yet surprisingly resilient eggshell and more of its legs appeared, expanding the gap through which it would eventually crawl. What little I could see of it was like a copy of myself. White, fluffy legs, and eventually, four red eyes appeared, peeking into the world for the first time. When its head became visible, I saw a telling feature, a birthmark of some sort on its head in the form of a yellow dot that looked like one of the stars in the night sky. It was easy to spot, but it could just as easily be overlooked seeing as the yellow was bright enough to be mistaken for white from a distance. The creature itself was huge, but that was to be expected with eggs this size. Besides the spot on its head, it looked precisely like me, minus the pattern on my abdomen and well, the elven part. If anything, it looked like a previous version of myself, but with the color that I now wore. When it had finally completely freed itself from its constraints, it peered into my arachnid eyes, only for it to then peek into my upper ones. I was relieved to see it look around. Its eyes were full of life and not soulless like the ones Id seen in the dungeon. This little spider had personality, and that became all too obvious moments after it was born. After looking at me for a few seconds, it turned around to get a better look at Cellestra, cocking its head by moving one half of its body up while it appeared to be stroking its chelicerae with its pedipalps. She seemed a bit nervous, but when the spider turned back to watch me, I saw a smile growing on her face. When it then walked up to me to watch me from up close, her smile grew wider. After watching for a few seconds, leaving me completely stunned and unsure what to do, it walked off to the spell orb which lay at the edge of the nest. It was fascinated by the swirling, ever-changing spectacle of colors, and carefully reached out with its two front legs to touch it. That, Cellestra said before pausing. Is like the cutest thing Ive ever seen. No kidding. Thats more like a kitten than a spider, and the curious type at that. I couldnt help but smile at the sight, but on the inside, my heart ached and my mind was troubled. Why? Elysa, why? It was as I expected, and also feared. Watching the creature Id spawned crawl around like this, fascinated by anything and everything it warmed my heart. Why had I done this? I didnt want to see this precious, curious creature get hurt. Not in the slightest. I was already attached, and Id only known about its existence for a few minutes. I let out a deep sigh and, as if in reaction, the spider skittered towards me and simply stared at my face. Without even thinking, I moved my hand to its head and rubbed it absent-mindedly, earning affection in return when its palps moved and rested on top of my arm. I take it back, Cellestra said, smiling. This is cuter. It is, and Im starting to regret my decision. I can see why. This isnt just any creature, I said, recalling my thoughts earlier. This is a living, breathing being, and I can feel that its sentient. I mean, look at it. Its enjoying this. I sighed again. What am I going to do? I watched as the second spiderling crawled out of its egg. This one was completely white and didnt have any notable features to speak of. As soon as it got out, I could feel it being wary, and after a brief peek at Cellestra, it sped towards my abdomen, where it hid from sight. I She mumbled. Thats hard for me to answer. I mean, your original plan was to have them take our prey that you already immobilized, right? That still seems like a good place to start. I suppose youre right. As adorable as they are, I spawned them for a reason. I cant lose sight of that. I looked down at the creature that was still hugging my arm. But its hard. I understand, Cellestra said with a soft, soothing voice. But youll find a way. You always do. I hope so, I replied, watching as the next spiderling forced its way into the outside world. This one had an extremely odd feature. A red stripe ran all the way from its head to its spinnerets at the back of its abdomen, catching both Cellestras and my attention. As soon as it hatched, I saw its legs twitch, and once it was free, it immediately started skittering around. Its actions, despite my conflicted mood, made me chuckle. The star-dotted spiderling turned around to watch its slightly younger sibling run in circles and skittered closer to investigate. So, Cellestra continued, still smiling. You said they had personalities. How do you know? I have no clue. I just I feel it. They arent like the husks that are dungeon creatures. And you can tell them what to do? I probably can, but I dont want to, at least not yet. They barely hatched, and they seem to be enjoying themselves. I dont want to ruin that. I paused for a few seconds as memories flooded my mind. I want their first moments to be filled with happiness and comfort; goddess knows mine werent. Thats admirable, She whispered, then chuckled as she watched the most active spiderling still skitter around. That one reminds me of you. I shook my head and grinned. What? Is it because of the white hair? Maybe the red eyes? The fact that its a spider in general? No, She said with a coy smile. Its because its so active. Thats exactly how you are when it comes to a lot of things. What about the other one? The curious one. Thats not me, is it? Sometimes, She replied with a sweet smile. How about this one then? I pointed to the one at my side before I used a leg to push it away and forward, towards Cellestra. Nope. Thats definitely not you. If anything, that would be me. More movement from the last two remaining eggs caught my attention and two large spiders crawled out. These two again had prominent features. One had two black stripes like rings around its two front legs, whereas the other had a black spot on its abdomen that reminded me of my old kite shield. I was taken aback by sudden, lightning-fast movements from the first as it jumped straight at Cellestra, who was still sitting nearby. My heart skipped a beat as I thought it attacked her. Cellestra was shocked too, but only temporarily as it turned out the spiderling had no bad intentions. It had jumped, sure, but this was far from an attack. It was hugging her. I shook my head as I watched it happen. The creature had wrapped its front two sets of legs around Cellestra, who had overcome the initial shock and was now petting the affectionate spider. That I said, taking a pause. Well, I guess thats me sometimes. Cellestra giggled and pointed at the other spiderling, which had taken position before me and stood still without moving an inch, just watching its surroundings. What about that one? She asked. I dont know, I admitted. Its not doing much. It looks like its is it guarding me? Dunno, Cellestra said as she attempted to stand up, which, admittedly was hard when there was a giant spider hugging her. I asked for it to let her go in a friendly manner, and it did just that. There was no force from my end and I didnt think this was the way in which I was able to control them. Thanks, She said before making her way over to me. When she got close, the spider before me placed itself between her and me, baring its fangs and raising its legs menacingly. Hey, I said sternly, moderately pissed off by its behavior. Cut that out. It listened and went back to its previous, neutral stance. The whole ordeal had me covering my face with my palm as I shook my head. It seemed the overly friendly spider noticed what I was doing, and it skittered up to take me in for a hug. By Elysa, I let out. Seems this isnt going to be easy. Well, theres plenty of time left to get started on some things today. Youre right, I said as I watched my newly-spawned spiderlings. Each one of them was unique, and thankfully easy to recognize. There was still one thing that was on my mind. Do you think we should name them? 3.26 Naming I cant tell you what to do, Cellestra said. But I think they are deserving of a name. You said it yourself. They are living, breathing creatures with a personality. She sat down at my side, her back resting against my lower head, causing the spider that had some kind of affinity for hugging to let go of me and hug her again instead. She giggled as she scratched the creatures head gently. Especially this one, She spoke. I think Elira will like this one very much. I hope the cats arent scared by it, I said with a chuckle. But I suppose they are used to an even larger spider, so I doubt it. More friends for them to play with, I said with a smile. To sleep on, you mean. I let out a small laugh at her answer after which I went back to thinking about what shed just said. Naming the spiderlings would be fitting, but there was one issue. Uhm, Cel. Hm? I may need your help again. You know, when it comes to naming, we need to know if these are male or female spiders. Im gonna go ahead and say they are all female, Cellestra said confidently. What makes you say that? I asked, genuinely interested as to how she came to that conclusion. Two reasons, though I guess I can only be certain about one of them. One, there was never a male involved so its safe to assume these are, to some degree, copies of you. She was about to continue, but I stopped her from talking with my next exclamations. Wowowowowow, what? What do you mean? I sorta knew youd ask that, She said with a small, warm smile. You see, some animals are able to reproduce asexually, but when that happens, the offspring is all female. In other words, copies of the mother. Ive read about some snakes and other reptiles that can do it. Not sure if its a thing with spiders, though. Reading books does that to you, doesnt it? I never would have known. I was amazed to see what some people could find out about things if they put in the time. Unfortunately, watching snakes just wasnt for me, let alone watching their eggs and then comparing the baby snakes to their mothers. She nodded with a proud smile. What would the other thing be? I asked. You said there was something else. Just their body shape, and some features. I mean, I can double-check if you like, but the size of their abdomens is quite telling. I know these are called spiderlings, but if they were adults, I could also tell from the lack of palpal bulbs. The whatnow? Some kind of organ at the end of the pedipalps. Im sure you noticed them on the spider that tried to court you way back. I I think I know what youre talking about. I sighed and petted the most affectionate of the bunch again. And I dont think the double-checking will be necessary. I trust your knowledge, and it does make sense to me. What will we call this little one here? How do you like Elle? Thats a nice name. How did you come up with it that fast? I came to a pause as something struck me. Wait. You didn''t just use the middle part of your name, did you? I totally did, Cellestra said triumphantly. Okay then. Hey Elle, why dont you go and hug Cellestra? I had but to ask and the colossal spider turned around in the blink of an eye, and jumped towards her, taking her in for an affectionate hug. Cellestra almost fell over backward but managed to sit upright as she carefully petted the animal. Well, thats one. What about the others? I was thinking Myria for the quiet one. As if in reaction to us mentioning her, the entirely white spider slowly skittered forward and cocked its head. I lowered a hand to pet it, but it withdrew its head just before I could. I then tried to do it again, but approached it slowly. This time, it allowed me to, and my gentle strokes seemed to put it more at ease. Myria, I said. Is that okay with you? It seemed she knew what I meant as the spider used her pedipalps to nod in the same manner I used to do. They are quite smart it seems, Cellestra said. Must have gotten that from you as well. You know of any other spiders that say yes like that? My question made her laugh for a good few seconds before she went right back to thinking. I thought with her as I watched the active spiderling still skitter around, the curious one watching its every action. Faerith, I said. Immediately after I said the name, the energetic arachnid promptly stopped and turned to watch me. Yep, I continued. Well name you Faerith. She nodded as well, and went right back to wandering about, climbing the wall all the way to the ceiling before finally remaining still for now. The spiderling observing her noticed Cellestras backpack and was eager to inspect the contents for herself. Like the smart spider she was, she quickly found out how to open it and fished out the book that Cellestra had read earlier. She laid it in front of her and simply stared at it while moving her body around it in a circle. Shalya, Cellestra spoke softly as she watched the spider being intrigued by her tome. How does that sound? I like it, but it seems shes far too occupied to care. I smiled at the sight of Shalya managing to open the book, only to be puzzled by its contents. I could tell she had no idea what any of it meant as she started skittering around even faster. Think you can teach them to read? Cellestra asked. Maybe? I said, shrugging. Who knows? In all honesty, I might actually try that, just so they appear more sophisticated. Imagine if they could communicate with people the same way I did. Surely nobody would see them as a threat. Might not be a bad idea, but I know youre going to struggle to find time for that, considering all the other things we plan on doing. True, I said with a sigh. So what about miss dont disturb my mother over here? What do you think about Cyria? I was thinking Amarys, but its your call. Oh, I do like that one too. I think Ill pick that one. Amarys, I said, turning my attention to my vigilant guardian. What do you think about it? There was no reaction, which made me feel at least slightly sad, seeing how all the others had reacted with such positivity. Oh well, I said. Elle, Myria, Faerith, Shalya, and Amarys. I never thought wed come up with names that quickly. My voice became softer as it trailed off together with my mind. I hope we wont have to do it again. I feel you. These beings are precious, even to me. I cant fathom how much more they are to you. Quite a bit already, I mumbled. They are my children, after all, whether I want them to be or not. This also has me concerned about my parents. Theyll be grandparents to spiders. I fear how they may react. I dont think theres a need for that, Cellestra whispered. But you know I do think calling them grandparents is maybe going a bit far. Maybe youre right. I wont call them that, or tell them that they are. Lets have them draw their own conclusions and have them decide for themselves. That sounds very reasonable. She said, scratching Elles chelicerae. Now, is there anything you want to do for the rest of the day? Im not sure. To be quite honest, I feel a bit drained. Ill probably have to find something to eat soon as well. I thought I could last longer with what Id eaten before, but laying eggs does seem to burn quite some energy. Maybe its time you take the proper rest youve been longing for, Cellestra suggested. Yeah, but theres no way I can sleep now. Thats understandable. I dont mind sitting here and talking about things if thats what you wanna do. I dont think well have much choice in activities we can do in here, I said with a grin. Can always try some more tailoring, She suggested. Not a bad idea. I thought about it for a few more seconds as I watched Cellestra bond with Elle. Maybe I can teach them to create shirts as well. That would be quite the trick. Well then. Why not get started? I nodded. Elle, Shalya, do you feel like helping me out with something? 3.27 Training The two spiders that I called upon stopped whatever they were doing to stare at me, their legs twitching and their feet tapping the web in anticipation. Were going to make a shirt, I said. Ill show you how its done, watch closely, Cellestra giggled at their behavior while they watched me create the beginnings of a new piece of clothing. The ever-so-active Faerith had stopped skittering about to watch me, and even the quiet Myria had come out of hiding to try to get a good view. I went about things as slowly as I could, using my legs and arms, but not pedipalps to hold things in place. If I was going to have my spiderlings recreate what I was doing, I would have to make sure it was accessible for them. Theyd have to use their pedipalps instead of my arms and then their legs. Shayla simply couldnt wait until I was done explaining and immediately started spinning silk. It was quite premature, but I did notice some problems arise. First, they couldnt summon threads out of thin air as I could. She was using her spinnerets and legs to drag the threads forward to then physically weave them into shape. Without a doubt, this affected the results in an unfavorable way, but I admired her resolve. Maybe things would work better if I had them work together on one item. Having the extra many extra pairs of eyes watching just put a huge smile on my face. The amount of fun I was having doing this was unreal to me. I never could have imagined this, especially with the stress that I had to go through to get here. If someone had told me about it this morning, I would have declared them mad. But as things stood, I had a great time doing this, and it also helped to pass time far quicker than Id expected. I estimated at least two hours passed by the time I finished the shirt and I was overjoyed with the result. Somewhere during my work, Id lowered my arachnid head into the gap in the webs, just so everyone involved could get an even better view of how I did this. Id made huge improvements since the last time Id woven a piece of clothing. The fabric was nearly perfect with almost none of the irregularities that had happened when I made shirts before. It was smooth and soft to the touch. I admired my work and then handed it to Cellestra to try on it. Its looking great, She said happily as she accepted it and put it on over her current clothes. And it fits perfectly, just like before. You have no idea how impressed I am at being able to do that. Maybe its because I worked on it so slowly, but still. I know, She said with a warm smile. I could see all of it, and you have reason to be proud. I nodded and asked Elle and Shayla if they wanted to make something of their own and work on it together. They nodded eagerly and went to work as Cellestra sat down at my side, putting an arm behind my back to hug me from the side. So, how are you feeling? She asked quietly as we both watched the spiderlings have a go at it. Much better. Its I dont even know. Im actually kind of eager to introduce them to my family. They are adorable. Im sure they will like them too. She turned her head to Faerith, whod remained still near the edge of the nest for a while now, her legs curled under her body. Whats she doing? Sleeping, I said with a giggle. Seems all that running around has finally taken its toll. You can tell? I can, I said, nodding. We then sat in silence and watched as Shayla and Elle worked together. It became quite clear, though, that they lacked experience doing something like this. An hour in and the supposed shirt they were creating was already completely ruined. For a moment, I felt like stopping them, but I knew they were having fun so I let them continue. Maybe they would learn a few things. There were gaps in the silk and other places where it had converged too much creating odd, thick horizontal lines. The sleeves were messy, and one had a large hole in it. All in all, there was plenty to be gained. I assumed it was because they hadnt done this before as I didnt, in any way, doubt their ability and cognitive capacity. I knew they were smart and would learn this if given time. After another hour, they finished and were just as proud as Id been, even if their work was shoddy. Nevertheless, I still appreciated what theyd accomplished and made sure to pet them lovingly, after which Elle found it necessary to hug me. I dont know how to break it to them, I said with a smile and a sigh. I would just feel mean. I dont want to be mean to these adorable balls of fur. Just have them try again some other time, and use this new shirt as an example. Yeah, I said with a sigh. But that will have to be for tomorrow. Its already dark outside, and in here too. I referred to the half-darkness that had crept inside. The magic orb illuminated to a certain degree and I had little trouble seeing in the dark, but for Cellestra, it was a different story. Lets try to get some sleep and head out early tomorrow, before Elira is off to school. That sounds like a great idea. What do you think about the idea to get some lights in here? If you feel like getting some lights, then well get some. I just have no idea what would do the trick considering fire is out of the question. More orbs, obviously, She said with a sly smile. No, but for real, I think we can find something like them, but more specialized. Another question to ask, I said, stretching my neck and arms before letting out a yawn. Damn, Im in worse condition than I thought. Luckily for you, I heard you can now get a full nights rest. True, I let out, looking around at the other arachnids. Shayla, Myria, Elle, Amarys, well go to sleep. Dont hesitate to wake me up if theres any danger. Amarys, Ill leave you in charge. The protective spider nodded with her palps. I felt that leaving her, the most serious of the bunch, with some extra authority, was a wise choice to make. If anything, she could stop the others from forcing me awake if there was something trivial that didnt need my attention. I was confident that Amarys would be able to tell the difference. Cellestra took off her extra shirt and laid down with me, embracing each other as we prepared for the night. Our warm moments were soon interrupted by an all-too-eager Elle who just wanted to partake in the hug. Shed placed herself next to Cellestra and placed her legs against my back. Cellestra was left giggling and I too was amused. They are adorable. Thats for sure, She repeated my words from earlier. And Im happy theyre yours. As am I. Im happy I made this decision, Cel. They fill me with a warmth that Ive never felt before. Im happy for you, Kea. Im happy whenever youre happy. I know, and I just love that part of yours. I kissed her forehead before wishing her good night. Good night, Kealyna, She replied with her soft and warm voice as she cuddled up against me even more. My elven half managed to fall asleep quite quickly, but my arachnid half didnt seem to be blessed with the same ability. I could only imagine that it was because it wasnt used to being allowed to rest, to fully rest. But I did feel at ease, being protected by the others, so after a good while, I managed to drift off anyway. I awoke in an odd manner. My torso was the first to be pulled out of slumber and not being able to feel sensations below it just felt strange, wrong even. I was still hugging Cellestra all while observing the vivid dreams that my other mind was having. I felt amused to see what I was dreaming about: running through a field similar to the third floor of the dungeon, with Cellestra on my back, and the spiderlings clutched to my abdomen. Even though they were large, I was simply on another level, so there was plenty of space for them to all grasp onto me and still watch what was going on around me. I grinned at the thought, and as soon as I did so, Elle jumped to hug us both, waking Cellestra up in the process. She and Elira were going to have so much fun together. I just knew it. 3.28 More Introductions… We tried to go through our morning routine that involved Cellestra eating some breakfast, but the bit of bread that she still had was stale and tough. I could see from her facial expression that she didnt like it after a single bite so I told her to just toss it out. Wed get something proper at my parents place. However First, there was the issue involving certain spiders. I had no idea how to get them to the farm. Sure, there was the method that Id used in my dream, and while it seemed like a viable option, it would just look weird to onlookers. Then again, was there any way five gargantuan spiders would not look weird, or even suspicious? I simply shrugged it away, seeing as no matter what I did, it wouldnt change things. Id just have them follow me, and in the time we had before leaving I made it very clear to them that they were not to interact with anyone until we reached our destination. There would be no threatening anyone, nor would there be any hugging. Elle and Amarys were the ones I was most concerned about, which is why I specifically mentioned these things. To make things a bit clearer for Amarys, I told her that anyone I interacted with was not a threat or to be attacked. That was, unless I specifically asked her to. I couldnt believe how many things there were that I had to explain and clear up, just so that we wouldnt run into any misunderstandings, or worse, retaliation. Finally, after making sure to go through everything, and praying to Elysa that I didnt miss anything, we set out to see my parents. Even though my talk took a while, it was still early enough that I was confident that Elira was still home. It might even be breakfast time, which would surely make our visit less convenient. I wondered how Elira felt about us not visiting yesterday. Hey, Cel, I said towards my rear with a soft voice. Is it weird that even if I dont want to see these as my children, I still do in a way? I mean, youve seen them. I cant help but feel this odd feeling very similar to how I feel about you. I dont think thats weird at all, She whispered back. You have a big heart, even if you try to hide it at times. Thank you, I replied, smiling as we started crossing the fields, my spiderlings walking in a line behind me like ducklings. I chuckled and shook my head when I thought about it. A few farmers were out and about in the surrounding fields, as per usual so they were used to my presence, and it was their reaction that I had feared the most. However, despite their stares, I couldnt find disdain in their looks. I did see one man shake his head, but I didnt know for what reason. Likewise, there was little reaction from the spiders. Myria was the closest behind me, and used my rear as some sort of massive shield, but other than that, they just kept moving like Id instructed them to. I supposed I wasnt doing too bad of a job regarding their upbringing. Yet, my heart started racing faster and faster as we got closer to the farmhouse. There was nobody outside yet, which led me to believe they werent done with breakfast yet, but this also meant that they couldnt see me coming, thus resulting in possibly greater shock. At the same time, I loved my parents, and they me, and I felt there was little that could undo that, even after wed been apart for so many years. Yet there was always that little spark of doubt in my mind, and I couldnt tell if that was me, or the dark, sinister influence that was always clawing at the back of my mind. I heaved a deep sigh, steeled my resolve, walked up to the window, and knocked. I didnt even look inside, but I heard the sound of a chair scraping across a wooden floor within a fraction of a second, and I smiled knowing exactly what it meant. Sis! I could already hear Elira call out before the door even opened. When it did, it was swung wide open as the elven girl hurried down the steps, but before she could charge at me, she suddenly halted, her eyes traveling to where I expected them to be. Woah! She called out. More spiders! How did that happen? Its a skill of mine. I summoned them to help out. Woah, thats so cool! She exclaimed as she carefully walked over towards me. Before she even got close, Elle reacted and charged at her. There was only a brief moment of shock on Eliras face for that was all the time she got before the massive spider reached her and took her in for a hug. I covered my face with my palm and couldnt help but snicker at the sight. For a moment, I was scared of her reaction, but the girl giggled and petted her assailant. Thats Elle, I said. Shes the affectionate one. Shes so big and fluffy, just like you! Kealyna? My mother asked from the doorway, clearly confused. Whats this? What happened? A skill of mine, I said. I summoned these to help out in our adventuring. I see, She said slowly. She looked to be in disbelief, perhaps even shock, and I felt compelled to elaborate further. And I can finally get some sleep at night with them guarding. Not only that, but they are smart as well. Im trying to teach them how to make clothes, too. That sounds interesting. It was evident she had no idea what to say, and neither did my father. Hed walked up behind her and was also left staring at the scene before him. And they listen to you? She asked, still with the same hesitancy in her voice. They listen to me, I confirmed. And they listen well. Maybe a bit too well. You see, Elle here has the tendency to hug, and I told her there would be none of that until we reached our destination, and lo and behold, were here and she just cant help herself. She? Ask Cellestra. I dont know how that works, but theyre all female according to her. I sighed deeply. I know it looks weird, and Ive been breaking my head over it for a while, but Im happy I did it. They are very intelligent, and they possess some great combat abilities that I cant wait to see in the dungeon. The last part was partially a lie but not entirely. They didnt possess many skills or abilities yet, but there was the devour skill that, when used often enough, would allow them to get quite strong. In that regard, that ability alone could be considered a great combat ability. And well, I think theyre kind of cute. No need to explain everything, My dad said calmly. By the goddess, I can feel the stress just dripping off your words. You dont have to worry about us, you know that. Thanks, dad, I said, feeling relief wash over me. That means a lot. As if she could feel what had just happened, Shalya came forward and skittered towards Elira, took a good look at her, received some headpats, before she skittered over to my parents, and just watched their faces. Thats Shalya, I said. Shes pretty curious about things. And with Shalyas actions, or perhaps my own sense of relief, it seemed the other spiderlings suddenly felt at ease as well. Faerith suddenly darted off and started running around the building, while Myria remained mostly out of the commotion. And I dont suppose I have to tell you about their personalities, I said in reaction. They are cute! Elira called, still hugging Elle. From behind the building came Shadow. If I didnt know any better, Id say he got spooked by Faeriths wild running. Fortunately for him, the first spider he really ran into was Shalya, who saw him appear and very slowly and carefully made her way over to the cat. Id say it was the best-case scenario for these two to meet. I imagined that if Elle had suddenly jumped at the cat, as good as her intentions may be, he would have gotten the scare of his life. Instead, some sort of very gentle introduction followed where they both curiously looked and seemingly sniffed each other. Even my mom, whose emotions had been hard to read, seemed to finally lighten up and smirk at the sight of the spider and cat who were both curious about what the other was. Seems we can learn from Elira, no? My father said with a wide smile, his hands on my moms shoulders. They do look kind of cute. 3.29 Cravings My fathers words caused indescribable relief to wash over me. All the tension that had built up over the past two days vanished as he walked down the steps toward Elira, leaving my mother behind. He was still smiling, even as Elle let go of Elira and skittered towards my dad instead. Without a care in the world, she hugged him, and without hesitation, my father petted the large spider who happily placed her pedipalps on his hand in return. Ok, He said. Thats adorable. And Im not one to state that quickly. You state it more than I remember you doing, I said, teasing him slightly. But hell if my memory is anything to go by. I saw my mother watching, still a hint of hesitation in her eyes, despite the small smile, but she eventually walked down the steps as well before immediately getting ambushed by Elles affection. I hope her tendency to cuddle is okay with you, I said softly as I approached. I promise she wont bite. If she doesnt, My mother started, before carefully moving a hand on the creatures head. Then thats fine, right? I smiled and petted Elle together with my mother, a smile growing on my face as I saw Shadow had made a new friend. The cat was rubbing its head against Shaylas abdomen, the softness of the white hairs being an excellent attraction. Elira saw it, and ran over to the two, spooking the spider momentarily and causing her to take a few steps back, before realizing what happened. When she did, she was all too happy to have the little girl play with her and Shadow. It feels a bit weird to me, My mother continued. But youre right, honey. They are adorable, friendly too. Yeah, I said. And Im trying to teach them all sorts of tricks, including tailoring. We practiced a bit of that yesterday. And how did it go? She asked curiously, smiling. Pretty bad, to be honest. They have a lot to learn, but thats fine. They are smart. Im sure theyll get there. Speaking of learning, She continued. Well have to take Elira to school. Ill do that, My dad offered. Thank you, My mom replied before my dad gave her a quick kiss before stepping towards the elven girl that was way too busy to even think about the time. She watched with delight as Elle let go of her and skittered towards my dad who took Elira by the hand and told her they should get to school. When they were about to walk off, Elle and Shayla did not intend on having them go. I had to call them to me so they would allow the girl and our dad to leave. They immediately skittered over to me and stared at me. I swore I could read the question in their eyes why? Because they have things they need to do, I explained without having been asked a word. They will be back later, but we also have a few things we need to do. They are good listeners, arent they? They are, I replied to my moms question. But as I said, a lot to learn. You plan on taking them to the dungeon today? Yeah. They more or less possess the same skill I do, so I wanted to go hunting with them. Just start easy, you know? Get them used to a few things and make them stronger. Again, dont tell anyone, please. For all anyone else knows, they are just my servants when it comes to making clothes. I paused for a second. That will be an excellent cover story come to think of it. Dont worry, sweetie, She said taking me in for a hug. Your secrets are safe with us. Thank you. I hugged her back and allowed her love to comfort me for a while before I spoke again. I was so worried about what youd think. You have no idea. Shh, its alright. They look like they provide excellent company, especially knowing how both of you dont seem to talk to many people. Thank you, I said again, just as Elle decided to join. Also, could we ask for some breakfast for Cellestra? She got a bit bored of eating stale bread. Of course, My mom said, running her hand down my hair one last time before breaking the hug and turning to Cellestra. If you want, you can get some here any day. Thank you, She called from the table she was seated at. Thats so kind of you. Im just happy to help you out any way I can. Let me bring something. She was about to enter the building when she halted and turned to me. Will you be joining us for dinner, too? Cellestra and I both nodded in response. Great, Ill have a little surprise tonight. Cant wait, I said with a large smile. She left us behind and I heaved a deep sigh of relief, and also, of happiness. That wasnt so bad, was it? I nodded as I used my nails to rub Elles head. I knew she enjoyed it and that she would have closed her eyes if she could. I should stop worrying. My family is so kind. I wish I remembered all of the warmth they gave me when I was younger. Maybe I wouldnt be so fearful now. Youve had it rough, Cellestra spoke softly. And it made you stronger in many ways, but now you have a hard time opening up to the people you love. And youve been of great help with that, I said warmly. Time helps, I noticed. It really does. Yeah, She continued. Weve both come a long way. How do you feel about your own parents? I asked. When do you want to try to find them if you want to try to find them? I dont know, She said, staring down at the gravel, looking a bit down. I dont know the answer to either of those questions. We have other things we need to do long before that, though. You dont have to do anything you dont want to. No, I do want to do these things, with you, Kealyna. Here, I know what I have, and I love it, love you She muttered the last words softly while casting a glance at the open door. Whether the same goes for my parents remains to be seen, if they are still alive, if I can even find them. Her voice became more and more saddened towards the end, and feeling her pain, Elle made her way over to Cellestra to give her a loving hug in an attempt to cheer her up. Your mom is right, She said. These are the best companions. She gently petted the spider before speaking her thoughts aloud. I wonder what they think of us. Ive always been curious what animals think of us, and how. I dont know, I said. And even though I can tell them what to do, Im happy I cant directly control them, or read their thoughts. That would just be scary. Still, they seem to love us unconditionally and I dont intend to betray that trust. I looked into the inquisitive eyes of Shayla whod skittered up to me and smiled at her. But at the same time, not everything is going to be as easy as we want it to be, and its probably a good idea to make it clear to them sometime soon. They need to know the world is a dangerous place, even if Im here to protect them. I sighed and put one of my hands on Shaylas head, showing her my affection. Do you understand what Im talking about? I asked her softly. She raised her pedipalps and shook them from left to right, Of course you dont, I said, petting her. You havent experienced or seen danger yet. Its dark and scary, but at the same time, it can be exhilarating, and sometimes you need to face danger in order to grow. She cocked her head in response and I could tell she had no idea what I was talking about. Youll find out. Dont know if its gonna be today, but Ill try to teach you. Cellestra giggled, watching the confused spider who had no idea what I was talking about. At least shes cute, She said. Shame that cuteness wont help her much in the dungeon. Cellestra nodded, just as my mother returned with some breakfast, which made me remember my own hunger. Truth be told, I was craving some of that Firag meat, but going that far into the dungeon with my spiderlings would be dangerous, and while theyd have to get exposed to that one day, I felt right now was a bit early. I guessed I could settle for one of those Bisons. And I imagined the spiders would love to have a bite as well. I wouldnt keep something so delicious from them. Thank you, Cellestra said politely as she accepted the plate with sandwiches. So, how is your home coming along? My mother said as she sat down. Id love to have another look. Soon, mom. Were having carpenters over today to get a few things fixed, and as soon as they are done, I think our home is more or less finished. And its all ready for winter? No idea, I said with a shrug. And I think preparing for that is a bit pointless for now. We dont even know if we will stay here for winter as much as Id like to. Id love to have you nearby, She continued before falling silent and eventually nodding. But I understand if you cant. Rest assured that Im trying to do everything so we can, but as I just explained to Shayla: sometimes you need to face danger to grow, and there wont be any of that if Im just gonna sit around. Spoken like a true adventurer, She said with a smile. Im looking forward to hearing how things went today during dinner tonight. And I look forward to having an interesting story to tell. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons. Thank you so much <3 chest25 ScopaVigalad 3.29 Cuteness My fathers words caused indescribable relief to wash over me. All the tension that had built up over the past two days vanished as he walked down the steps toward Elira, leaving my mother behind. He was still smiling, even as Elle let go of Elira and skittered towards my dad instead. Without a care in the world, she hugged him, and without hesitation, my father petted the large spider who happily placed her pedipalps on his hand in return. Ok, He said. Thats adorable. And Im not one to state that quickly. You state it more than I remember you doing, I said, teasing him slightly. But hell if my memory is anything to go by. I saw my mother watching, still a hint of hesitation in her eyes, despite the small smile, but she eventually walked down the steps as well before immediately getting ambushed by Elles affection. I hope her tendency to cuddle is okay with you, I said softly as I approached. I promise she wont bite. If she doesnt, My mother started, before carefully moving a hand on the creatures head. Then thats fine, right? I smiled and petted Elle together with my mother, a smile growing on my face as I saw Shadow had made a new friend. The cat was rubbing its head against Shaylas abdomen, the softness of the white hairs being an excellent attraction. Elira saw it, and ran over to the two, spooking the spider momentarily and causing her to take a few steps back, before realizing what happened. When she did, she was all too happy to have the little girl play with her and Shadow. It feels a bit weird to me, My mother continued. But youre right, honey. They are adorable, friendly too. Yeah, I said. And Im trying to teach them all sorts of tricks, including tailoring. We practiced a bit of that yesterday. And how did it go? She asked curiously, smiling. Pretty bad, to be honest. They have a lot to learn, but thats fine. They are smart. Im sure theyll get there. Speaking of learning, She continued. Well have to take Elira to school. Ill do that, My dad offered. Thank you, My mom replied before my dad gave her a quick kiss before stepping towards the elven girl that was way too busy to even think about the time. She watched with delight as Elle let go of her and skittered towards my dad who took Elira by the hand and told her they should get to school. When they were about to walk off, Elle and Shayla did not intend on having them go. I had to call them to me so they would allow the girl and our dad to leave. They immediately skittered over to me and stared at me. I swore I could read the question in their eyes why? Because they have things they need to do, I explained without having been asked a word. They will be back later, but we also have a few things we need to do. They are good listeners, arent they? They are, I replied to my moms question. But as I said, a lot to learn. You plan on taking them to the dungeon today? Yeah. They more or less possess the same skill I do, so I wanted to go hunting with them. Just start easy, you know? Get them used to a few things and make them stronger. Again, dont tell anyone, please. For all anyone else knows, they are just my servants when it comes to making clothes. I paused for a second. That will be an excellent cover story come to think of it. Dont worry, sweetie, She said taking me in for a hug. Your secrets are safe with us. Thank you. I hugged her back and allowed her love to comfort me for a while before I spoke again. I was so worried about what youd think. You have no idea. Shh, its alright. They look like they provide excellent company, especially knowing how both of you dont seem to talk to many people. Thank you, I said again, just as Elle decided to join. Also, could we ask for some breakfast for Cellestra? She got a bit bored of eating stale bread. Of course, My mom said, running her hand down my hair one last time before breaking the hug and turning to Cellestra. If you want, you can get some here any day. Thank you, She called from the table she was seated at. Thats so kind of you. Im just happy to help you out any way I can. Let me bring something. She was about to enter the building when she halted and turned to me. Will you be joining us for dinner, too? Cellestra and I both nodded in response. Great, Ill have a little surprise tonight. Cant wait, I said with a large smile. She left us behind and I heaved a deep sigh of relief, and also, of happiness. That wasnt so bad, was it? I nodded as I used my nails to rub Elles head. I knew she enjoyed it and that she would have closed her eyes if she could. I should stop worrying. My family is so kind. I wish I remembered all of the warmth they gave me when I was younger. Maybe I wouldnt be so fearful now. Youve had it rough, Cellestra spoke softly. And it made you stronger in many ways, but now you have a hard time opening up to the people you love. And youve been of great help with that, I said warmly. Time helps, I noticed. It really does. Yeah, She continued. Weve both come a long way. How do you feel about your own parents? I asked. When do you want to try to find them if you want to try to find them? I dont know, She said, staring down at the gravel, looking a bit down. I dont know the answer to either of those questions. We have other things we need to do long before that, though. You dont have to do anything you dont want to. No, I do want to do these things, with you, Kealyna. Here, I know what I have, and I love it, love you She muttered the last words softly while casting a glance at the open door. Whether the same goes for my parents remains to be seen, if they are still alive, if I can even find them. Her voice became more and more saddened towards the end, and feeling her pain, Elle made her way over to Cellestra to give her a loving hug in an attempt to cheer her up. Your mom is right, She said. These are the best companions. She gently petted the spider before speaking her thoughts aloud. I wonder what they think of us. Ive always been curious what animals think of us, and how. I dont know, I said. And even though I can tell them what to do, Im happy I cant directly control them, or read their thoughts. That would just be scary. Still, they seem to love us unconditionally and I dont intend to betray that trust. I looked into the inquisitive eyes of Shayla whod skittered up to me and smiled at her. But at the same time, not everything is going to be as easy as we want it to be, and its probably a good idea to make it clear to them sometime soon. They need to know the world is a dangerous place, even if Im here to protect them. I sighed and put one of my hands on Shaylas head, showing her my affection. Do you understand what Im talking about? I asked her softly. She raised her pedipalps and shook them from left to right, Of course you dont, I said, petting her. You havent experienced or seen danger yet. Its dark and scary, but at the same time, it can be exhilarating, and sometimes you need to face danger in order to grow. She cocked her head in response and I could tell she had no idea what I was talking about. Youll find out. Dont know if its gonna be today, but Ill try to teach you. Cellestra giggled, watching the confused spider who had no idea what I was talking about. At least shes cute, She said. Shame that cuteness wont help her much in the dungeon. Cellestra nodded, just as my mother returned with some breakfast, which made me remember my own hunger. Truth be told, I was craving some of that Firag meat, but going that far into the dungeon with my spiderlings would be dangerous, and while theyd have to get exposed to that one day, I felt right now was a bit early. I guessed I could settle for one of those Bisons. And I imagined the spiders would love to have a bite as well. I wouldnt keep something so delicious from them. Thank you, Cellestra said politely as she accepted the plate with sandwiches. So, how is your home coming along? My mother said as she sat down. Id love to have another look. Soon, mom. Were having carpenters over today to get a few things fixed, and as soon as they are done, I think our home is more or less finished. And its all ready for winter? No idea, I said with a shrug. And I think preparing for that is a bit pointless for now. We dont even know if we will stay here for winter as much as Id like to. Id love to have you nearby, She continued before falling silent and eventually nodding. But I understand if you cant. Rest assured that Im trying to do everything so we can, but as I just explained to Shayla: sometimes you need to face danger to grow, and there wont be any of that if Im just gonna sit around. Spoken like a true adventurer, She said with a smile. Im looking forward to hearing how things went today during dinner tonight. And I look forward to having an interesting story to tell. Faragi Special shoutout to my new patrons. Thank you so much <3 chest25 ScopaVigalad 3.30 How to Train your Spider(lings) We didnt stay for too long. We had a dungeon to visit, and my mother had work to do of her own, so after a proper thank you, we headed back to the forest. I had to instruct the spiders to not interact with anyone until I told them they could. It was partially for their own safety, but I knew there were people outside the dungeon that would look upon me with mistrust if I allowed them to run amok. And I didnt want to know what would happen to Elle if she suddenly charged one of the waiting soldiers, even if it was to hug them Like before, they followed me in a neat line, with Myria right behind me, and Amarys forming the rear. We didnt speak much, or rather, we didnt speak at all, and reached the dungeon entrance after a long silence. It was no surprise we caught all the attention we could, with the guards present immediately turning their heads to us and our fellowship. I considered us lucky as there was nobody else to watch this happen. But, they seemed to be okay with it, in a way at least. They acknowledged us and paid close attention to what we were doing, but we didnt do much besides pass through the area and step into the portal. Once on the other side, we spotted a titan anteater about twenty yards out. Before engaging, Cellestra put on her armor, while at the same time Shayla slowly skittered away from me and towards the creature. Suddenly, she halted before turning around to walk back to me. Good thing you remembered, I said. A few things you need to be aware of. First of all, anything in here that is not an elf, or even a human if they come here, should be considered hostile and dangerous. They can and will attack you if you get too close. Is that clear? The spiderlings formed an arc before me while I was explaining and nodded with their front limbs. Okay. Second of all, I dont know how strong you are and I dont want to lose you, so I''m going to help you to become stronger so you can hunt on your own. We will start small. This dungeon is the ideal place, and I look forward to what you can do. That thing over there I pointed at the nearby creature. Is a titan anteater, and it has large claws that can do quite a number on you if youre not careful. Do you understand? They all nodded. Okay. I want you to work together to take it down. Ill help you if necessary, but be careful. I imagined this creature would be an excellent place to start to see my spiderlings strength for myself. Theyd have to start somewhere and with an enemy like this there wouldn''t be a safer place to start. I had a variety of healing spells if things went sour, and I could fell one of these beasts with a single ice lance from afar if necessary. If youre ready to go, you can go for it whenever you feel like it. Faerith took my words to heart and was the first to turn around, starting what looked like a charge to jump at the anteater, but Amarys was quick to catch up to her and halted the other by jumping on her abdomen. Obviously, she didnt like the eagerness of the most active of minions. Amarys appeared to guide the others by using a few gestures of her legs once they had all caught up. Myria was the most hesitant, but the leadership shown by the shield-dotted spider seemed to inspire her more than the others. Then, the leader initiated the charge from the front with Shayla and Faerith coming in from the left side and Elle and Myria coming in from the right. I was ready to intervene, but it pretty quickly became obvious that the raw strength the spiders possessed was more than Id given them credit for. Amarys clashed with the beast, and although she was slightly smaller, she easily overpowered it, her pedipalps and legs keeping the enemys claws in place. At the same time, it was surrounded by the others who literally sank their fangs into it while assisting Amarys with holding it down. Your Spiderlings have killed a Titan Anteater. Achievement earned: Minion Commander I Have your spiderlings kill one adversary. You have been awarded 150 EP The anteater collapsed within seconds, succumbing to the large doses of venom, and interestingly enough, I saw two blue squares with my blessings text appear before me. The content was interesting, but I quickly waved them away as I was far more interested in the scene before me. Faerith was running circles around the anteaters corpse, skittering around on six legs while raising two into the air waving wildly. Amarys stood by it idly, facing my way as if awaiting further orders. Myria and Shayla looked like they didnt quite know what to do, and Elle was left staring at the dead creature in confusion. Cellestra was left giggling at the sight, and a large smile was painted on my face. Great job, I said as I approached. Very good. Not only was I relieved everything went so smoothly, but I was also filled with pride. After I said the words I had, the confusion that my spiders were going through disappeared. Once that was gone, it was Elle who was the first to react in her usual way. I patted her as she hugged me and let her know she did a great job. I repeated the words to the others when they approached, building their confidence before I told them it was time to move forward. Theyll be great hunters soon enough, Cellestra said in amusement as we walked through the next area, ignoring the black and white striped horses. What do you mean? I said with a grin. They already are. She giggled in response as we neared the next part of the dungeon C the long grass which hid dangerous predators C where I came to a halt. Okay, I said addressing the would-be great hunters. In here, there are enemies that will pounce on you out of nowhere. Stay close to me and be aware of your surroundings. Well get through here quickly. I wasnt sure if I should have them seek out and kill the lionesses just yet. Their strength had been beyond my expectations, but I didnt want to be the cause behind any major wounds. While they wouldnt last long physically I was certain they could last for a good while mentally considering they were still young. Besides, I was hungry and eager to get my hands on some meat. We were lucky. Not a single lioness showed itself during our little trip through the field, and soon, there was the other side where my next target roamed freely. I spotted a bison a good hundred feet out and eagerly made my way to it when Amarys suddenly skittered forward with the other in tow. It looked to me that she had read my intention of taking it down and was going to do it for me. No, I said, loud and clear. Im going to take this down myself. These things are extremely tough and strong. You can hunt one later, just not today. Not yet. Amarys nodded first, and the others followed her lead. Cel, could you wait here, with them? Want me to keep them in check? She asked with a smile as she stepped off my back. Yes, please. If thats no issue. Of course it isnt. Happy hunting. She waved at me as she stood next to Shayla, patting her. I swore, patting these spiders was just a compulsion. They were so incredibly soft and reacted to it so well, that it was challenging to resist. Listen well to Cellestra, okay? I told them. Ill take this down and I thought for a moment whether it was worth for my spiderlings to kill the Bison, but I didnt see what skills it could offer. Besides, its sheer size and strength would make it difficult for me to ensnare it. The best option Id have would be to use paralytic venom, and its hide was extremely thick and tough, leaving a paralytic venom-laden earthen spike as the only option. And that in itself would deal a lot of damage. All in all, too much of a hassle. And I was hungry. In my opinion, the best possible enhancements for them to obtain would come from the third floor. That was, if my experience regarding my own obtainable enhancements was anything to go by. I would be surprised if there was something incredibly powerful that I could get from any creatures without magic before then. I readied my weapon, even though I didnt have any intention of using it, and charged forward towards the unsuspecting animal. It wasnt paying attention to me, and was just grazing without a care in the world. Then, when I got in range, I cast my earthen spike spell twice in quick succession, impaling the animal and delivering a lethal blow. Its suffering ended quickly due to the major wounds, something for which I was grateful. You have killed a Common Bison: No experience was awarded. Great. It was time to eat and to see if my spiderlings liked bison as much as I did. 3.31 How to Train Your Spider(lings) 2 I cut open the Bison, exposing the still-warm meat, and I used my pedipalps to tear off small pieces, one of which immediately disappeared into my lower jaws. Save some for the others, will you? Cellestra said with a smirk as she approached, the five spiderlings following close behind her. Im uh just making sure the quality is good. She giggled. Terrible, terrible lie. I know right. Shayla, as expected, was the first one to approach me, and was focusing intently on what I was doing to this beasts corpse. I tore off an extra small piece of meat and held it in front of her face. Here, try it. She accepted my gesture and took the flesh with her own pedipalps. For a moment I was worried that she couldnt eat it in the same way I did C Cellestra had explained how spiders ate C but she brought it to where her mouth would be, and a few second later, she turned to me with expectation glowing in her large, red eyes. You like it? She nodded wildly. Thats great to hear. Go get your sisters and lets have a feast, shall we? She nodded and skittered to the others, just as Cellestra walked up to me with the largest smile. They are truly something else. I know, I said softly. I just I feel my heart melting whenever I watch them do, well, anything really. I continued eating while talking to Cellestra at the same time. I feared this could happen, but not in this way, not even close. Hey, Cellestra said softly as she leaned against my side, her arm around my back. Youre happy, I can see that, and thats the most important thing. I know, I whispered. I know. I mean, just look at them. If this doesnt make you smile, then I dont know what will. You certainly make an interesting bunch. I grinned and continued filling my stomach, but I withheld from eating too much as I intended to venture further into the dungeon soon, where I would have access to even more delicious meat. As for the spiderlings, well, I let them eat as much as they wanted. At midnight I would be taxed a certain amount of mana, and the less it was the better. Come to think of it, I hadnt noticed anything last night. It was probably because I was asleep, but still. It hadnt been enough for me to notice it in the morning. I must have already regenerated all of it by then already. So, I said. What should be the next step when it comes to training the little ones? I feel bad for suggesting it, but I think it may be wise to expose them, at least a little bit, to some danger, just so they dont rush in again as they did with that anteater. I sighed deeply. I know. I should. Im just, I dont want to have them deal with that just yet. Id just feel bad for hatching them, and then throwing them into danger the very next day. Youre afraid theyll hate you? She asked. Hate? I shook my head. No, not hate, but I fear it will leave them with a scar. I promised myself Id give them a better start than I had, remember? True. So, I think I may have them take down another anteater and then head home. I hope we can get through the grass without being ambushed. I was going to suggest taking this pelt with us, but it seems it''s kind of ruined now, Cellestra suddenly said. Ugh. Id completely forgotten about that. I hit my forehead with my palm. That would have been the smart thing to do. Oh well, She continued. We can always get more. Not like it''s hard for us to take down one of these beasts. Say, you think the carpenters are already working on that fence? Still feels a bit early to me. He said theyd come by in the afternoon. I let out a small chuckle. And I kind of dont want to scare them by having five gigantic spiders follow me into the nest. You even see that guy? Cellestra asked, grinning. Doesnt look to me he would be scared by much. Thats a good point. I just hope Elle will be able to contain herself. He didnt seem like a hugging person. Just tell her and shell listen. Never hug strangers, I said. Solid advice. I hugged her back with my free arm, resting my head against hers as I watched everyone eat. Im thinking of a few other things we can do while were down here, considering its still early. What other things do you have in mind? None. Thats why Im thinking about what we can do. It doesnt really help that they dont have any special skills to speak of yet. Theres very little I can have them do without having them put themselves in danger, and you know how I feel about that. I mean, if thats the case, why dont you just have them take down more anteaters and have them at least try to get abilities? I mean, who knows? Might just do that. Have them get a bit of experience before putting them up against more serious opponents. And then hit the second floor tomorrow? Cellestra asked. Yeah, I said, nodding. Id like to see how they hold up against a pack of wolves. That should be a good opportunity for growth. Anything beyond that, I dont feel comfortable with. What happened to the idea of having them eat creatures from the third floor? That will come after that, as a reward of sorts. Cant have them get lazy now, can we? I like that idea, She replied with a giggle. Yeah, I sighed. Well kind of have to get there as soon as we can. Dont stress out too much, Kealyna. Thats not healthy. Eh, Im trying, but I cant help it. Come, I said, breaking the hug. Lets have them take down some anteaters. Cellestra hopped onto my back and I called the spiderlings to follow me back to the dungeon entrance. Theyd been enjoying their meal, and I felt bad to interrupt them, but we had to keep things going. We encountered a single lioness on the way back, but Id seen it coming from a distance when the breeze caused the grass that it was hiding in to lower. I was able to take it down from afar with a single ice lance and noted the increase of power of the spell once more. After that, we spent a few hours near the exit, where I had the spiders kill anteater after anteater, and consume them. Over time, they became more fluid in their motions and more coordinated in their attacks. Once more, they exceeded my expectations, and at the end of it all, I decided to just give them some freedom by asking them a question. Do you want to try to take on something more dangerous? You know what that means, right? Faerith immediately nodded wildly while the others seemed to be thinking. Amarys eventually nodded with her pedipalps, and then repeated it, answering both questions. Alright, if youre confident you can do it, Ill leave you to it. Dont worry, Ill be watching over you. I watched Amarys, Faerith, and Myria nod, while Elle and Shayla looked intrigued. The next target is one of the creatures I killed in the grass. Its called a lioness and they will try to pounce on you when you least expect it, so be wary of your surroundings. You lead the way, Amarys. Ill follow close behind you. Think this is a good idea? Cellestra asked from my back. I wanted to give them some freedom, I said. So they dont feel like I pressure them into doing things. This was their choice, and I think they will be fine. I see. Amarys guided the others into the grassland, and I watched as they slowly advanced, knowing full well from the little encounter I had earlier that these beasts could hide anywhere. She orchestrated them to skitter in some kind of circle formation so that they had eyes watching all around them. I was impressed by the display of advanced tactics. Not only would they be able to see danger coming from every direction, but it also protected their most vulnerable parts. They started moving as one, and eventually, I saw some of the vegetation rustle and immediately focused on it. Within the next second or two, a lioness pounced from its hiding spot, aiming for Myria. Unfortunately for it, the spider was faster. She had her front four legs in the air and immediately brought them down onto her ambusher, forcing it to the ground where Amarys and Faerith helped her with keeping it down after breaking formation. From there, with its body pinned helplessly, it was just a matter of time until the spiderlings venom proved fatal. Your Spiderlings have killed a Steppe Lioness. Somehow, I could tell that they knew it was dead, for as soon as the message showed up for me, they ignored the animal and moved back into formation. Well, I let out, filled with pride. They never cease to amaze me. Not gonna lie, Cellestra said. Thats nothing short of impressive. 3.32 How to Train Your Spider(lings) 3 Ill have a small army to take down the more difficult opponents soon enough at this rate, I said before I chuckled. Might even have to cancel the request at the guild. Im not sure if youre joking right now. I am, but now well have to have an even greater emphasis on the fact that they cant be arachnophobic. Elle will make sure they like spiders soon enough. No need to worry about that. Heh, I let out. Thats a good point. I then shook my head with a smile. No, Id still like the extra party members. As much as my minions are good at listening, they dont really talk back. Still, their coordination is on point, and I have no doubt they will work well with whoever decides to join us. Big goals, Cellestra said. But theres still a while before thats going to be realized. Yeah. I suppose it wouldnt be a bad idea to have them hunt some more lionesses for the time being. They love me complimenting them, and it seems they are eager to continue earning it. I turned to the spiders. Right? All five of them nodded, ready to take down more dungeon creatures, and without waiting for me to talk again, they skittered off in their far-too-effective circle formation, looking for prey. Over the next two hours or so, they managed to find and kill several more predatory felines. Near the end, it had become harder to find any, and with the last ones death, a new message showed up for me. Achievement earned: Minion Commander II Have your spiderlings kill 25 adversaries. You have been awarded 200 EP I took in the words and relayed the message to Cellestra who was more than happy for me. Taking the spiderling skill and the complimentary upgrades for them had cost me many evolution points and I was happy to see some of them returned through achievements. Great job, all, I said as I approached them. You were amazing. Great job on leading them Amarys. I petted her head, earning the affection of the ever-so-serious spider. I was overjoyed to see that even she could show such a positive emotion in the form of a small hug from her slightly bloodied pedipalps. But I think well have to call it a day here. There is hardly anything left to hunt. They nodded again, and I turned around to exit the grasslands, but after a few yards, I noticed Shayla skitter off to the side. I was about to ask what she was doing, but she appeared to be focused on something, taking small steps through the grass, before halting and repeating the process. After like half a minute of watching, I decided to ask anyway. What is it, Shayla? She ignored my words and continued on. Eventually, she came to a halt and raised her pedipalps, beckoning me over. I was confused as to what was going on, but it was clear she wanted to show me something. Then, I saw it. Hidden in the grass lay the lower part of an arm, cut off at the elbow. The bone was undamaged, indicating it had been ripped off, rather than cut, and judging from the darkened blood and skin, it had been here for a while already. By the goddess, Cellestra let out, peeking over my shoulder. What happened here? I have no idea, I replied. And I dont know if I want to know. The question is, what do we do? Leave it? She suggested with a question, quite possibly grossed out by it. Not gonna happen, I said, shaking my head, before skittering around, pushing away the grass with my halberd, trying to see if there were any other body parts around somewhere. I had the spiderlings help me, but after half an hour of searching, we came up dry and gathered back where we found the arm. This is odd, I mentioned. Theres no body. Did this person lose half an arm and run away? But theres no trail of blood, Cellestra spoke my thoughts. Exactly. I reached out and took the arm, turning it around to see if there was perhaps a ring or anything else that could tell me more about who it had belonged to, but there was nothing. Nothing, except for a blackened scar that ran across the palm. My first instinct was that it was a result of whatever had caused his arm to come off in the first place, but upon closer inspection, I could clearly tell that this was a cutting wound, likely caused by a sword or knife. And because it hadnt healed and the sides of the incision were stained with dark blood, it must have been recent, as in, right before the arm was severed. You see what I see? I asked. I learned to recognize wounds. Thats unlikely to be caused by what tore off the arm, and its fresh. I nodded, happy that my conclusion seemed to be the right one. So, I continued. We have a bit of a mystery here as to who, why, and how. I think it would be wise to report this to the guards outside and probably take this with us. Shayla still stood in front of me with expectant eyes. I smiled and petted her with a pedipalp. Good job, Shayla. She happily accepted the pats before we moved forward again, the severed arm in hand. I was thinking about what we could tell the guards, but there was just so little information. Perhaps they knew more, a missing person or something, anything. We stepped through the portal to the surface, and before stepping forward to the chattering men in armor, I told my minions to stay behind. I didnt want them to be seen as a threat. Hey, I said, interrupting their conversation as I approached, presenting the limb. I thanked Elysa that they werent eating. The gruesome sight of this might have done their hunger in. I found something in the dungeon that I figured youd want to know about. The closest guardsman shook his head wildly before I saw his eyes narrow behind his helmet. Is that what I think it is? I fear so. We found this in the grassy area, hidden, and several things about it dont make sense. Could I ask if there is any person missing or something? None of your business! One of the other soldiers shouted, which caused the first to raise a gloves hand to shut him up. Pretty sure it is her business now, and Im afraid there are no such reports, nor do we have our own information on it. I cocked my head as I was unsure what he meant. You see, He continued. We keep track of whoever goes into the dungeon, and whether they come out. No person has disappeared in quite some time. Mind if I have a look? Sure, I said, stepping forward and placing the half-arm on the ground. One thing Cellestra and I both noticed is a distinct wound on the palm. We feel that must have occurred shortly before the limb was severed, or rather, the damage makes us think it was ripped off. He turned the arm so the hand was facing upward and scratched his head. And here I thought nothing ever happened around here. Halan, get the guild clerk. We have a situation here. The soldier whod been condescending to me stood up and left. Id be happy to provide any additional information, I said. But theres very little I know. We searched the area for about half an hour and found nothing. There was no body, no trail of blood that could indicate someone running off, nothing. Thats not nothing, He said. It might be a vital clue. He seemed to think for a few moments before speaking again. Thank you for this. I dont think there is much else you could have done. Well file a report with the guild and note your witness statement. If anything comes of it, well let you know. You pass through here often enough. I nodded. If that is all, well be on our way again. Good luck with this all. He nodded as well, as I beckoned the spiderlings over to continue our journey home, earning the stares of the nearby soldiers as we left. The sight had Cellestra giggling softly while I used some warm water to wash my hands, wanting to get rid of the awkward feeling that holding a lost arm had given me. The way to the farm was quiet, which allowed me to think about what this could mean, and how this came to be. When my parents residence came into view, however, I pushed everything away as my eyes fell on my little sister. I wouldnt let anything ruin my quality time with her or my parents. She was waiting for us and waved excitedly. Elle saw her too, and she immediately ran towards the elven girl. 3.33 Sadness The smile on my little sisters face as Elle eagerly hugged her was one of the brightest, warmest things in my life. Of course, Shayla couldnt stay behind at that. She too, made her way to the girl, who showered them with pats. Were back, I said with a chuckle as I approached. As you can see. Welcome back, My father called from the table. His clothes were all dirty with mud, and I saw a drop of sweat on his forehead. It was clear hed just finished work for the day, and was now enjoying a cup of tea while reading his so-called newspaper. How did the dungeon go today? Good. Much better than I expected to be fair. Thats great to hear, sweetie, My mom said from the other side of the table. She seemed to have slipped into clean, and more comfortable clothes already, which had me guessing it was her who picked up Elira from school. Want something to drink? I glanced over at Cellestra whod stepped off. Its not possible to say no to a nice cup of tea now, is it? She replied to the question. My mother smiled and made her way indoors while I was left watching Elira. Shadow had noticed the spiderlings arrive and had come out of hiding as well, only to climb on top of Shayla who petted the cat as it made itself comfortable on her soft thorax. I cant believe any of this, I said, shaking my head. Im so happy they get along so well. My dad didnt reply, but I could see in his eyes that he enjoyed watching Elira, especially when she was having fun like this. She was currently playing some sort of hide and seek, or at least, she was trying to hide behind Shaylas abdomen, all while Elle chased her down to give her another hug. Cellestra giggled as she took a seat, her eyes never leaving the girl. A bit of a playful idea shot to mind, which I quickly put into action. I summoned threads from my hands and wrapped them into a ball. When it was of decent shape, I threw it toward Elira, and it landed right next to Shayla, who took an immediate interest in it. She looked at it, and skittered around, never taking her eyes off the object. Lets see if they like to play fetch, I suggested. Oh, that would be fun! Elira said, the little elf bending over to collect the ball of silk before throwing it as far away as she could. But we didn''t get the reaction we wanted. Both Elle and Shayla were simply left staring as the object landed, not bothering to move in the slightest. It was Shadow who jumped off the spiders back and brought it back to Elira, which left Cellestra giggling, and my dad laughing at the sight. Either they dont get it, or theyre too smart to jump after it, I concluded. Im gonna go with smart. At least Shadow is having fun. I looked at the other spiderlings who seemed to be frozen in time. What are you waiting for? Go have some fun as well. That seemed to be the cue for Faerith to start racing around again, and for Myria to slowly approach Elira. Amarys didnt seem to be interested in this concept called fun. She stood where she was and just observed everything going on around her without moving as much as an inch. This was part of your blessing, right? My dad suddenly asked. Summoning them or something? I nodded. Yeah. They are supposed to be minions that grow stronger in the same way I do. Minions My father sad before taking a pause. But you obviously dont see them that way. Its easy to tell. I dont, I said with a sigh. I wanted to, but I just cant. Sure, Ill have them listen to me, but I want to give them as much freedom as I can. I paused for a few seconds, just watching Elira pet and play with the oversized spiders. I dont know if its the case, but I feel like Elysa had a hand in all this. Their personalities are so distinct, and their interests so genuine, theres no way a standard summoned creature is like that. I shook my head once more. Then again, I have no experience with it whatsoever, so I cant confirm anything. A small smile grew on my face as I kept my eyes on my little sister who was having the time of her life. Maybe Ill ask her, maybe I wont. It doesnt really matter. All that matters is that Ive grown really attached to them in the short time Ive known them and so has Elira it seems. My mother returned with two cups of scalding hot tea as my father continued. Well, they make you smile a lot, and Im happy whenever you are. I nodded to my dads reply and accepted the tea my mother gave me, thanking her as I started blowing on it. Ill get started on dinner, She said after delivering Cellestras tea. No peeking. She smiled as she walked past me before disappearing inside. I was left more confused than ever. Why the no peeking part? Isnt it way too early to start dinner? I asked no one in particular. You already forgot your mom said shed have a special surprise today? My father called. Ah, I let out. I see. I still didnt understand the secrecy behind it all, but I wasnt too worried about it. I was more interested in watching Elira. She managed to get on Shaylas back, and the spider was now skittering around, not concerned by the little elf at all. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it. Maybe shed seen me and Cellestra and tried to mimic it, thinking it was good to carry a person around. Whatever the reason, they were both having a great time. I drank my tea and then decided to show my dad their capabilities as weavers. To keep things simple, I had Myria and Elle create a small, round doily. Not too much later, they finished their work, which was undoubtedly much better than what theyd produced previously. Whether it was the simplicity of the project or the fact that they already had experience with something that was much harder, I couldnt tell. Either way, my dad was delighted to see them work, as was Elira. After washing and drying the silk to remove the remaining stickiness, he was happy to accept it and give it a nice place on the table. Not bad, He said. I have a feeling this could be lucrative. Im pretty sure that it usually takes way longer to have something like this made. Yep. Wait until they have experience. Im very eager to have them make more things when were not in dungeons. I thanked my spiderlings with words and affectionate petting, asking them if they would want to create a large rectangle cloth that would cover the entire table. Without hesitation, they went to work. About an hour later, they were done, and the result was breathtaking. There were no rough edges, the thickness was even, and the fabric was soft. It was finished just time before dinner as more and more aromatic smells escaped the window next to the kitchen. My dad excused himself to help my mom after I covered the table with the freshly-woven cloth. Speak of surprises, I said while making sure Myria and Elle were made well aware that their hard work was very much appreciated. Shell love it, Cellestra confirmed. Its beautiful and I suppose it is the easy solution to winter. I can see you selling sleeping bags made of silk. That makes me think, would the spiders get cold? I dont know if they know what that means, but I would imagine not with the amount of hair they have, but if they do, you know what Ill have to do. I chuckled and nodded at my own half-joke, just as my father exited the house with plates and cutlery, followed by my mom who wore mittens while carrying a large, flat pan that housed a most colorful dish. Not only that, but it smelled delicious. I somehow couldnt take my eyes off of it. The smile on my mothers face as she saw me staring was warm, but there was something else there and I couldnt tell what it was. I felt that she was expecting me to say something, to comment on the food, but in a different way than I was used to. My questioning look made her smile disappear, and instead, I saw a certain sadness in her eyes. For some reason, and I had no idea why, it also filled me with sadness. So much that I felt a tear form in my eye. Why? Oh, poor thing, My mom whispered. You dont remember? 3.34 Remember I I tried to speak before I felt another wave of sorrow wash over me. I feel like I should, but I dont. I dont know what youre talking about As soon as Id finished speaking, I felt a tear roll down my cheek. There was something I should have remembered, something I wanted to remember, a happy memory, but it had long been forgotten. The void that was there in its place hurt me a great deal. My mom hurriedly placed the large pan on a coaster my dad had placed moments before and took me in for a hug. The warm mittens were close to burning me, but I ignored them as I attempted to recall. You poor thing, She called again. I had no idea it was that bad. You really dont remember? I closed my eyes as I shook my head in resignation. This is was your favorite dish. Youd always watch me make it, your eyes filled with anticipation and beg to just have a taste while I was cooking. Then, when it was done, youd devour it in a heartbeat, making me wonder why I would spend so much time making it. But seeing you enjoy it so much, it was worth it, every time. I dont, I whispered as soon as I knew that none of this was anywhere to be found in my mind, no matter how much I wanted it to be. I wished with all my heart I could have seen exactly what she said, but I just couldnt. Im sorry. I feel terrible now. Dont, She cooed. Its alright. You cant help it. It smells so good, I said softly. I can totally imagine this being my favorite dish. Maybe it still is. I spoke my mind, and hopefully, it would help cheer my mom up. Shed spent so much time making this. What is it anyway? I asked. Its a dish with rice, a bunch of spices and vegetables, chicken, green beans, and, of course, tomatoes. Unfortunately, I cant make it too often as rice is rarely available, but I managed to get my hands on some for tonight. Why dont you just taste it? Im eager to know what you think of it. You know its good, mom, I said with a small smile. If I liked it then, Ill like it now. She smiled back and called Elira over before her eyes fell on the new doily. That is beautiful, She commented. I was told, but seeing it for myself, just, wow. I have big plans for more things, I said with a smile, just as Elira arrived and sat down in her usual spot. She didnt seem to have noticed my earlier conversation and sadness as shed thankfully been too occupied playing, for which I was more than thankful. Dinner was quiet, yet eventful in a psychological way. The second I tasted the food, there was a spark of recognition. I knew deep down that Id had it before and that I loved it, that there was more to it C the memories my mother told me about C yet the specifics still eluded me. But it was a sign that not all had been forgotten. My mother had said that shed help me remember the good times I had with them, and to just recall this, even if it was a tiny piece, filled me with happiness. That, in addition to the amazing combinations of flavors, way more complex than the raw meat found in the dungeon, put this dish back where it belonged on the number one spot. The Firag was amazing, but this beat it, and by a fair margin. It had me quiet throughout dinner, but every now and then, I saw my mom looking at me. I felt like she could just tell what I was thinking, even more so when she smiled warmly. We stayed for a while longer after dinner. Elira was more than happy that we did as it gave her more time to get to know my minions, but eventually, the sun was low over the horizon, ready to say goodbye for the day. Wed lingered for longer than initially planned, but had to take our leave whether we wanted to or not, much to the dismay of Elira and Elle whod gotten to be best friends in a timespan of a few hours. We thanked my parents for their hospitality and even got some fresh bread and eggs for the following morning to take with us. And so, we left, Cellestra on my back and the spiderlings in tow. We got some fresh bread and eggs for the following morning. On the way, I was suddenly reminded about the carpenters. Crap, completely forgot about them, I suddenly let out. The builders? Yeah. Guess we were having too much fun. Curious how far they got. She giggled softly but remained quiet until we reached our home, where I was impressed by the amount of work that had already been done. The workers had already left, but theyd progressed far enough for Shayla to be completely confused. She was skittering around aimlessly while checking out the new things. The line that I had pointed out for the fence to be placed had transformed into a narrow but deep trench, in which some fence poles were already placed. They were not reinforced yet, only held in place by some loose dirt at the sides, but I had no doubt that would come later. For now, it seemed that most of the work that had been done had been digging and measuring. Careful with that, Shayla. Dont knock over that pole, I warned the curious spider inspecting the beginnings of the fence. She quickly backed off and ended up behind me as Cellestra hopped off and I made my way inside, the others following closely. What a day, I said as I allowed myself to collapse in the opening in the webs, my face falling flat on the soft, comfy pillow. Youre telling me, Cellestra said, allowing herself to fall as well, yawning after she landed. It was a good day, though, all things considered. An excellent one. Im just so disappointed in myself for not remembering my favorite dish. Well, She whispered. You remember now. Theres no need to feel bad about it. I know, but I do anyway. I didnt like seeing my mom sad like that. Yeah, that was I see what you mean. Anyway, enough of that. What shall we do tomorrow? My arachnid eyes saw Faerith curl up, ready to go to sleep. It made me wonder how the other spiders kept guard at night, whether they took turns or something. If Faerith could get tired, then so could the others, right? I was certain they had some kind of solution for it. I suppose another round in the dungeon wouldnt be a bad idea. Lets get to the third floor and see what we can do there. Acquiring some magical abilities for them would be great. Yeah, that sounds great. Any idea when you want to visit the other dungeon? I wanted to do that, but then I got this spell, and at least here I know what I can expect. I sighed into the pillow. So well have to do that some other day. For now Im gonna need another pillow. She giggled as I went to work under the watchful eyes of the remaining four spiders. They were very much interested as to what I was making and how. I told them they could experiment trying to make this if they wanted to. They had all night, after all. And night was approaching quickly. The light outside was starting to dim, making the illumination from the spell orb all the brighter. It reminded me wed have to look for a few more of those as they made for wonderful, and safe, decoration. At last, I said with a grin as I handed the first pillow to Cellestra, who didnt hesitate to take it and lie down on it. Should have done that days ago. After drying the new one, I immediately put it to work and planted it next to Cellestras, my head on it, staring at her adorable smile. Glad you did it now then, She whispered before moving a hand towards me and into my hair. You know, that kiss the other day? What about it? I replied in an equally soft voice. I wouldnt mind doing that again. I smiled and invited her in for a hug which she gladly accepted. I wouldnt mind doing that again, either, I whispered as I carefully stroked her long locks of hair before planting my lips on hers, allowing myself to get lost in a loving kiss. 3.35 Cookin’ & Killin’ I felt my mind and body relax during the kiss. At the same time, I felt the same, pleasant warmth from earlier spread all throughout. When we parted, I found myself smiling back at Cellestras own. Its even better than I remember, She said with a quiet and short giggle. Well, this time you actually asked for it, I whispered. Last time you werent in the best shape. I know, She whispered back. But Im still happy you did it then. She smiled as she played with my hair, running her hand through it and over my shoulder, gently caressing my skin in the process. Im happy as well. Knowing that you like it too, it makes me all warm, soft, and fuzzy inside. Yeah, It feels great. She said with a smile as she closed her eyes and hugged me closer. Good night, Kealyna. I gave her one more quick peck on the lips before wishing her good night as well and closing my eyes, allowing darkness, which was comfortable now that I was in Cellestras arms, to take over. When I woke up the next morning, it appeared that Faerith and Amarys were the ones awake, with the overly active spider just skittering about, and the others sleeping, their legs curled up underneath them. I let out a soft giggle as I took a mental note Id been right in that they needed sleep. Id hoped it was soft, yet apparently, it wasnt soft enough to not wake up Cellestra, who was still in my arms and now yawning. Morning, Cel, I whispered before kissing her forehead. Hope you slept well. Couldnt be better. You even forgot to cast your spell. I did, but your dreams have been quiet as of late, havent they? Very. Feels like my mind is just so much more at ease with you around. Thats never a bad thing, I said, running a hand through her hair one more time before I forced myself up. But we still have work to focus on, I said, undoing the braid in my hair. It had gotten messy and I felt that Cellestra wouldnt mind redoing it. In fact, I felt like washing it before heading out. Thats true, but before we head out, could you make me some new bandages? Sure. I was just gonna take some time to freshen up myself. I imagined you wouldnt mind helping out with what comes after. I certainly wouldnt, but Im going to eat some first. Im starving I might also need your help. Hm? With what? The eggs I got are fresh, raw. Oh. And I think my flame alone wont be enough to cook them in a decent timeframe. Hold on, She said as she rolled over to reach for her backpack, from which she fished up a small skillet. Your mom gave me this. She figured it wouldnt hurt to have some cooking ware. When did she give you that? I asked, surprised. She giggled. All those eyes, but you didnt see that. I guess you were too busy watching Elira, which, to be honest, is understandable. Guess I didnt, huh? I said as I watched Elle awaken, her legs finding the web beneath them as they moved from under her body. As soon as shed found her footing, she darted over to Cellestra to hug her. Morning, Elle. Seems you slept well, too. The spider nodded with her pedipalps while embracing. The sight was just awfully cute and put a huge smile on my face. Then, I went to cooking. As in, I created a few flames from my fingertips to heat the skillet while Cellestra broke the eggs and allowed their contents to drop onto the metal. Shayla was forcibly awakened by Amarys at the same time, and within seconds, she skittered over to us to look at what I was doing, captivated by the flames. I had to push away her far-too-eager pedipalps with my own several times when she reached out to touch the fire. Her curiosity was fun, but she would have to learn to contain it or it could seriously hurt her one day. While cooking the eggs, I was filling the tub at the same time. Roughly around the time Cellestra started eating, it was ready, and I went on to wash my hair. Many eyes were on me, making it more awkward than it had been previously, which amused Cellestra as she ate. Think you can teach them to braid your hair? She asked when I started rinsing. Im sure I can, but that would take away your fun, and I wouldnt want to do that. How nice of you, Cellestra said with a grin. She finished breakfast and we went on to work on each others hair, after which I made new wrappings for us both, burning the old ones as we stepped outside. I helped Cellestra into her armor as I explained a few things about what we were going to do in the dungeon. We were going to cross through dangerous territory and I wanted the spiderlings to be aware of the dangers we could face, and have them stay safe. The grey-skinned monstrosities named hippos scared me. I hoped we could avoid them by running around them, in the largest arc we could if necessary. By the time we decided to move out, there were none of the carpenters in sight yet, but I imagined theyd be here about the same time they started the day before. Wed be back in a couple of hours. Maybe wed see them work, maybe wed see their results, either was fine by me. I swung my halberd onto my shoulder and with Cellestra on my back, and the spiderlings in tow, we headed for the dungeon. Our goal: killing phasing lizards, possibly Firags, to feed to my minions. If they proved to be numerous enough, I wouldnt mind trying to get some skills from them for myself either. On the way, I was once more reminded of our morbid find, what it could mean, and whom it had belonged to, but I quickly brushed it off as my thoughts shifted to something that had followed our discovery. Hey, Cel? Hm? You heard the soldiers yesterday, right? They keep track of who goes in and who comes out. Do you think they count the spiderlings too? Thats a good question, She replied, her hand under her chin. I smiled as we stepped into the clearing that housed the portal. Before we made our way to it, I decided to make a quick stop at the small camp to ask if they had learned anything new. A few headshakes and an apology later, we left them behind and focused on our new adventure. The first floor proved to be no match for our team. As much as we tried to avoid running into anything, completely avoiding everything was impossible. A lioness thought it was a great idea to attack, but it was caught, pinned, and killed by the spiderlings before it even knew what had hit it. I felt pride fill me as we moved on. Soon, we moved through the tunnel that connected the first floor to the second, and I warned the others once more for good measure. We were able to get past the wolves and Buffalos without issues. Yet, even though we walked around the Hippos with more than generous spacing between us, one separated from the herd seemed aggravated by our presence and charged. I immediately ordered the spiderlings to run away to the side as I fired off several of my high-rank ice lances, followed by a few bolts of necrotic venom. If I wasnt able to bring this thing down quickly, the venom would take it out over time. Still, I preferred to finish this fast so we could move on. Fortunately for me, the skill increase Id attained from the phasing lizards seemed to at least have some effect on the Hippo, with blood spots showing, next to the small, grey spots that had appeared because of the necrosis. I threw more ice lances at it, figuring their low cost made it a great tool to use repeatedly, and their accuracy and range were not matched by anything else in my arsenal. Still, I was forced on the run as the colossal animal closed the gap. A short pursuit followed, during which I tossed more ice at the creature until it collapsed and then died. You have killed a Caldera Hippo: No experience was awarded. Note to self, I stated as my spiderlings slowly skittered closer. These things are hellbent on destruction and will go way out of their way to chase you down in an attempt to kill you. Seems next time well have to stay even further away. No kidding. At least you only had to deal with one this time. I nodded. And fortunately for us, the new skill was way more effective this time. Makes me eager to get more. Speaking of, lets go and do exactly that. 3.36 Eatin’ & Growin’ The green scenery on the third floor was as beautiful as ever, and even the spiderlings were stunned as they laid eyes upon it. I didnt know everything about it, but there certainly was some kind of connection between me and them, and I felt that they were as amazed by the view as I was. Good to see you enjoy it, but theres also danger. The enemies we are about to face shift in and out of invisibility. I want you to stay safe until Ive brought them down. I sighed when I recalled the requirements for the devour spell to activate for the spiderlings. Speaking of, how am I going to fight them without killing them? Worst case scenario, I suppose you can heal them? Cellestra suggested. Macabre, but possible. I paused for a moment as I tried to visualize an idea that just now popped into my mind. Hold on. Let me try something. I summoned a myriad of threads in the air before me and kept them suspended as I tried to create something that resembled a typical spiders web. Then, I used my wind gust spell to launch it forward. My idea was to use it to ensnare prey before jumping on it to properly bind it. Thats a great idea, but I think it may be a bit slow. Yeah, I agree, which is why Im going to do it again, but faster this time. I cast the spell again and was able to do it much quicker, quick enough to convince myself Id be able to hit the phasing lizards with it. I knew they possessed a fire spell that could burn through the threads, but all I needed was a brief moment where they were vulnerable and I could capitalize on that. Besides their magic, they were fairly weak creatures, after all. I thought about how to keep the spiderlings safe and the only solution I saw was to keep them close to me where I could protect them with an elemental wall if spells were flung our direction before I could spot the assailants. So thats how we went to work, the six of us slowly skittering forward while Cellestra was safe and sound on my back, protected by my spells, her armor, and her multi-barrier. It didnt take long before we ran into the first bit of trouble as I saw the temperature to my right drop drastically within a fraction of a second, and I knew exactly what would follow that. I immediately erected a fire wall to absorb the spell and tried to spot the next place where it would appear. I had no idea yet in what direction it was moving and would need this bit of crucial information before firing a spell of my own. A fireball formed in the air and was fired at me. After it was completely nullified by my barrier, I created a web with lightning speed and shot it at where the lizard should be. I cheered in my mind when I saw my new ability hit the creature, which broke its invisibility. With a few steps and a small jump, I was right on top of it and pinned it down with my powerful legs as I called over my minions to finish it off. Your Spiderlings have killed a Phasing Lizard. They injected their venom and the lizard collapsed soon after. When it did, I let go of it and told my spiderlings precisely how their skill worked. I didnt know if they knew already, but what I did know was that this thing tasted bad. I imagined the prospect of becoming stronger could act as a sweetener. At the very least they were effective. Because there were five of them, they had no trouble working their way through the lizard and within mere minutes, a message showed up. Spiderling Devour (Evolving) Skill Activated: Amarys has acquired skill: Strong Fireball. Amarys passes this skill to nearby Spiderlings. Shayla has acquired skill: Strong Fireball. Faerith has acquired skill: Strong Fireball. Elle has acquired skill: Strong Fireball. Myria has acquired skill: Strong Fireball. Kealyna has acquired: Spiderling Upgrade - Strong Fireball Wow, Was all I could say in reaction to the extraordinarily long message before me. I didnt quite expect this, but it was clear in its wording. My spiderlings immediately stopped eating when it popped up as well, leaving me to believe they detested the creatures meat as much as I did. I couldnt help but let out a small giggle at the thought while I processed some more information. The skill theyd gained was considered Strong, which was several levels below what Id gained from the same creature. Now, I wasnt sure if this skill worked exactly the same as mine or whether there were restrictions on the spiders due to them being less powerful than me. Would it be possible for them to get spells of the same magnitude, perhaps even from the same monster type? Would they need upgrades to their mana reserves as I did? How did their mana reserves work either way? Elysa? I asked without even thinking. Your spiderlings have limited amounts of mana. This mana is replenished at midnight every day. The more they spend during the day, the more is taxed on you. Well, I guess I know now. What did you ask this time? They got a spell, fireball, so I got curious about how their mana works. They dont appear to have any kind of regeneration, so its going to be heavily limited how much they can cast each day. Fireball? Cellestra asked. Thats pretty nice. Though, Im not sure how much use it will have here. Id happily have them demonstrate, but I think its a better idea to do that on the previous floor. For now, I think its time to hunt some more of these things and see what we can get. She nodded as I moved forward, the spiderlings close at my sides, eager for more action if Faeriths twitching was any indication of that. Then again, it could be her hard-to-contain personality. Within a matter of minutes, we found another phasing lizard which I managed to bring down quite quickly, but as I jumped to it and pinned it down, another one appeared and attacked Myria out of nowhere. A fireball was flung her way and she was out of my effective wall range. Without hesitation, I fired a flurry of my strongest ice lances at it and watched as one of them hit, causing the fireball to explode at a safe distance. Myria and the others reacted by quickly skittering towards me while I sank my fangs into the restrained phasing lizard, administering a good dose of paralytic venom. Then, I tried to pinpoint our ambusher, but I needed to block another two spells, this time through the use of my fire wall, before I was able to toss my webs at it and ensnare it. After pinning it down and having the others kill it, I felt relief flood through me. I knew there was very little I could have done back there, but I still felt that Id been careless. I knew that it was unlikely that a fireball would severely harm my minions as they did have at least some resistance to magic, but the idea of them suffering just made my stomach twist. You okay? Cellestra asked quietly as the spiders went on to eat their latest kill. Youre quiet. Made a stupid mistake. And now youre agonizing over it, arent you? I nodded, my eyes closed. Mistakes will happen. The only thing you can do is learn from them. That fireball you intercepted? That was pretty awesome, though. You have to admit that. I guess that was pretty neat. Needed too. Cellestra paused for a while and I at one point saw a pained expression run across her face. She seemed to hesitate twice before talking again. I kind of dont want to say it, but do you think it would be useful for them to run into some danger? I mean Goddess forgive me. She took a deep sigh and struggled with her words. I mean, if that fireball had hit, do you think it would have helped them? You know what Im trying to say, right? I do, dont worry. And yes, I think it would have made them more than aware that danger can lurk in every dark corner, especially with the abilities these lizards possess. On the other hand, I think that attack spooked them, and made it evident that they had better stay close to me. Im not sure what they are supposed to do against attacks like that yet other than stay where I can protect them. Have them eat more, She said with a soft giggle. Thanks. I would have never thought of that, I replied with a grin. Shed managed to cheer me up just like she always did and focused on my brood eating their fill. I hoped that our time here would be well-rewarded in the form of new skills and abilities. There were still plenty to get and I was looking forward to how much of a fighting force we could form once properly armed. 3.37 Buildin’ & Questionin’ The first phasing lizard yielded no reward, but the second one was worth its weight in gold. The spiderlings obtained the Strong Magic Resistance skill from it, which had me overjoyed. Defensive skills. That was how I liked it, and there was still plenty of time left to find more. However, finding the creatures turned out to be quite the struggle. Due to their ability to hide well and us not being sure what their exact habitat was, we were left guessing as to how far in the dungeon they appeared. One thing was almost certain, though. It was unlikely theyd be close to, or beyond the living trees. Nevertheless, we were still able to find four more within the next few hours, and found yet another upgrade to their magic resistance skill, which was now considered Very Strong by my blessing. It left me wondering how to get physical resistance. As far as I was aware, those were my exoskeleton upgrades I got in the past. I reckoned my spiderlings obtained magic resistance from these creatures because those used magic themselves. As for physical defense Would the bisons be a good place to start? Their hide was tough and their skulls were immensely strong, hard enough to knock out many an animal and elves alike. Hmmm, I let out absent-mindedly as I thought about the subject. I couldnt come up with a better idea, so I felt like we might as well try this. At least Bisons werent difficult to find. Sure, they were spread out far and wide, but at least I could see them. What kind of idea did you just get? Cellestra asked in response to my noise. They got an offensive spell, they got proper magic resistance now as well, which leaves us with just one thing to go to form a strong basis. I see what you mean, and what did you have in mind? I was thinking those bisons on the first floor would be a good place to start. Maybe the bovines in the water on the second floor would work as well, but the issue there is the sheer number of them. I dont know if I can deal with them while keeping the spiders safe. Well, your intuition seems solid enough to warrant trying it, no? Besides, those arent tough creatures to deal with, at least not for you. Thank you for your confidence, I said with a warm smile. And yeah, that was the best I could come up with. Lets hope it works. For now, whatcha say we head back? Id like to see how the carpenters are doing. Sounds good. Do remember to tell the others, especially Elle, not to just jump on them. Oh, I think they know. I turned to the spiderlings whod lined up and were looking at me with their large eyes. Right? They all nodded in unison using their pedipalps. Perfect, I said before letting out a small chuckle. With arrangements made, we made our way back to the surface, but the moment we stepped out of the portal, something was off. The soldiers that were usually seated around a campfire were gathered close to the entrance and talking to a person that I hadnt seen before. His armor was nearly identical to the soldiers, minus the helmet, but a short, red cloak no longer than a foot was what set him apart. He immediately turned his head to us, revealing a wrinkled, battle-scarred visage. The damage hed sustained in what I thought to be his younger years didnt seem to be just superficial. His eyes were unfriendly, possibly due to what I was, but I couldnt be sure. So, He said, after staring at me from head to fangs in a condescending voice. Heard you found something. Care to explain? I looked at him, trying to find out what his intentions were. It was obvious this was about the arm wed stumbled upon, but the question, combined with this mans attitude made me feel uncomfortable. Ive already told the guards everything I know, I stated clearly. What would you like to have explained? How you found it, how you killed the person it belonged to perhaps? I found my eyes grow wide and felt anger grow within me at this accusation, yet I remained composed and tried to answer as calmly as I could. I havent killed anything except for dungeon creatures. That arm I brought here had obviously been left there for quite some time before I found it. Besides, it doesnt make sense for me to return it if I did kill a person, does it? So you did kill them? What was this person? Was he trying to frame me, or what? I did not. Dont you think youre taking this a bit too far? One of the soldiers spoke up to my defense. I dont think shed do such a thing. Perhaps, The caped man replied, shifting his gaze to the soldier, then back to me. Im just trying to get all the info I can, and I feel theres something shes not telling me. Ive already told these soldiers everything, I stated again. The only thing I dont know is who it belonged to. Now now. Theres no need to get mad. Seriously. What was this guys problem? Will you need anything else from me? I asked impatiently. Id like to get going. Ill be back here tomorrow most likely, so if you can come up with any proper questions, you can ask them then. His lips curled into a sinister smile which sent a shudder down my spine. No, that will be all for now. Ive come to know a thing or two. I did not like the sound of that, but I did my best to not show anything as I turned around and left, eager to put distance between us. Once far enough away, Cellestra broke me out of my ongoing quiet rage. What was up with him? No idea, I said, shaking my head. But I dont like it, and neither do I trust him. That felt like he was trying to frame me, goddess knows why. He was scary. Thats for sure. Agreed, and Im left with the nastiest of aftertastes from that little encounter. I paused for a second before an idea popped to mind. Hey Cel, do you feel like staying with my parents tonight? You mean in the storehouse? I nodded. Sure. Do you think your parents may be targeted or something? I dont know, but Im sure as hell not gonna take the risk. The building is large enough for all the spiders so I dont foresee any issues there. We better make sure to take all our things with us as well. Think we should ask Soranir who that person is? Cellestra suggested. Even if we do, what of it? He didnt look like he cared, just throwing accusations at me and all. No, something about him is off and I have no doubt hell be back tomorrow. What will you tell him then? Same as today. Theres very little to it. If he chooses not to believe me, then so be it. I know Soranir will, or even Elysa, but I dont like involving her over and over again. Thats fair. Still, I think it might be a good idea to talk to the mayor, just so he is aware of that persons attitude, just in case. If you think we should do that, then I dont mind. Suppose well head there first thing in the morning? I asked. Sounds good to me, She replied with a nod. Alright. Lets see how our home is doing, I said, regaining some composure. I really wanted to take my mind off of things, and seeing how far the fence had progressed was just what I needed. When we got to the nest, I was happy to see several men at work, including the person wed spoken to. They didnt at all seem bothered by the structure of silk behind them, and were using some threads of their own to measure. The foundation had been made. The trench had been refilled with dirt and what looked like some kind of filling material around the pickets to hold them steady in place. The middle of what would be the wall was already designated for a door, with a doorframe in place. Pretty much everything was in place. All that was left was applying the planks. Thats pretty impressive, I said. Looks very solid. I was talking to Cellestra, but my presence had obviously not gone unnoticed. The carpenter wed talked to before, now without the layer of sawdust, walked up to us and replied to my observation. Solid for sure. Just wait till it''s finished. When will that be? Any estimate so we can be here to finalize payment? Maybe tomorrow, but the day after would be more realistic. Transporting the heavy oaken wood may or may not take some time. Understandable, I said with a nod. Its looking great already, though. Cant wait to have it finished. Heh, He let out a small chuckle. I think the boys feel the same. Some of them werent too comfortable being here, but they have an act to keep up. I smiled widely. Well, they dont have to fear me, or the other spiders for that sake. I think well leave you to it. Were starting to get stares and Id hate for someone to hammer their thumb. Take care, He said after a single nod. I made a quick stop inside the nest where I gathered all our belongings in the form of Cellestras clothes and the spell orb, before skittering off. 3.38 Sleepover Id expected it to be later, but when I looked through the trees above, it was clear it was somewhere mid-afternoon. I hoped it was late enough for Elira to be home. She was surely going to be excited to get a chance to play with Elle and the others again. Guess this also means Ill have to inform my parents about our find, I said as I was reminded of the fact wed ask to sleep in the storage shed. I think that would be the polite thing to do, yes. Guess Ill have to do that after Elira goes to bed. Orrr, Cellestra let out, a cute smile on her face. I think shed like to sleep with us, like a sleepover. Didnt you see her last time? Hmmm, I hummed, considering the proposition. Will that be okay? I was thinking that would feel kind of awkward. I guess its okay. I have no problems with it, at least. Okay then. Ill ask my father if its okay, and talk to them both to let them know a thing or two. I suppose Elira will be too busy with the spiders to even notice. I can help if needed, Cellestra suggested. Take her for a small walk or something. That might be for the better. Soon, the farm came into view, and it didnt take long before I spotted the little girl. As we approached, I noticed Elle getting all twitchy with excitement. Just go, I said, prompting her to sprint forward. When Elira finally noticed the spider, it was already too late. She pounced on the girl and took her in for a hug. Afternoon, I greeted my parents when we got close, just as Cellestra went through the necessary effort of getting off my back. Id overlooked the fact that she was still in armor, and she seemed to have more or less forgotten about it too, as she asked me to help her out of it after coming to a halt. How are things here? I asked after my parents greeted us back. At the same time, I was helping Cellestra relieve her of her heavy outfit. Quiet, My father said. For the most part at least. Hoping we get some rain soon, otherwise that quiet is going to end very very soon. You gotta water by hand? I asked to which my dad nodded. Sounds like hell. If you want me to help out, just ask, okay? I hate having to ask you to help. You have more important things to do, He replied in an utmost serious manner. I dont know what to say to that. Sure, we have things to do, but youre my parents, and together with Cellestra and Elira, the most important people in my life. If you feel like you need some assistance, dont be afraid to come to me. I too have something Id like to ask. I finished helping Cellestra with her armor and gave her a look that let her know exactly what I meant. After stashing the metal away, she walked over to Elira and took her and Elle away with Shayla following closely. Is something wrong? My mother asked, clearly worried. Well, I dont know. We found something macabre in the dungeon C a severed arm C and brought it to the guards outside. Just now when we got out, a shady figure asked questions that seemed to imply he thought I was guilty of committing a crime, of killing a person. There was something off about him, something that scared me deep inside, and if possible, Id like to ask to stay here for the night. Oh, sweety, My mother said with love and concern. You know youre always welcome to stay here whenever and as long as you want. Thanks I said softly while my mother stood up to take me in for a hug. Is Soranir aware? My dad asked. I shook my head. No, and I dont like involving him with everything, but maybe it would be a good idea to at least notify him, ask if he knows this person. I shook my head again. I dont know. Calm down, my mom replied with a whisper while ruffling my hair. Just take it easy. Youre not being a burden to him at all, if thats what you feel like. Dont worry about it. I think this is something he should be made aware of. If you think so You sure he wasnt just investigating? My father said. Ive heard that they sometimes try to agitate possible suspects to get the truth. Im not sure. It could have been, but he did a bit too good of a job at that. It didnt feel like it had anything to do with investigating. It felt more like he truly detested me, and was trying to force an error from my part to frame me. I shook my head. Sucks to be treated like this after trying to be honest. Dont let it drag you down, My mom said in a soothing voice. You should speak the truth as much as you can. I know, I said before heaving a small sigh. Its only frustrating because it wasnt seen as such. Here I was hoping we wouldnt be involved further. Well, dont let it get to you, My mom said running her hand over my hair one last time before breaking the hug. Would you like some tea, sweetie? I nodded, smiling slightly. How can I say no to that? Dont suppose Ill have to ask Cellestra. I chuckled and shook my head. Nope. Tea is one of her favorite things. Dont think she can get enough of it, like, ever. Ill go make some then, She said happily as she walked back inside. And Ill prepare the shed, My father said with a nod. You know your way around, right? Yeah, dont worry. I was just a bit worried about space, but now that Ive laid eyes upon it again its plenty. No doubt about that, He said as he stood up. Shouldnt take too long. Thanks, dad. Cellestra returned, holding Elira by a hand with Elle and Shayla following behind them. Myria eventually felt comfortable enough to skitter up to them and get petted by the little girl. Everythings fine, I said. You want to ask her? Ask what? Elira curiously remarked. Guess its me, I let out with a grin. Were staying here tonight. Woah! Elira exclaimed in excitement. Her eyes lit up brightly, and the question was clear on her face before she even opened her mouth. Can I stay with you? Her eyes grew even wider when I looked into them, and with my arachnid eyes I saw Cellestra giggling softly while she nodded, indicating she was completely fine with it. Please? She asked during my pause. Alright. Yaaaay! She cheered before throwing her arms up and running in circles. Faerith saw it happen, and apparently took it as an invitation. She jumped into the fray and followed the elven girls lead, waving around her pedipalps in an attempt to mimic as best she could. Well thats just adorable, Cellestra commented, suppressing her laughter. I shook my head and watched Shayla, Myria, and Elle join in, just as my mother walked out with two cups of tea, confusion written all over her face. She asked if she could stay with us tonight, and I said it was fine, as long as thats okay with you? I clarified her behavior and decided to ask her just in case. Sure, thats fine. Just make sure she wakes up in time for school. Dont think that will be a problem. We drank our tea and chatted some more while Elira played. If this kept up, I just knew she wasnt going to be an issue tonight. By then, shed be completely worn out and would want nothing more than to sleep. When my father finally returned, he offered to visit Soranir after dropping Elira off at school, to which we could do nothing but agree. I had a strong feeling the same person would show up again soon and, while I was able to maintain my calm pretty well, if he was going to take these things too far, he may just get what he wanted in the form of my anger. Perhaps the mayor could do something in that case, or preferably even before that. The shady figure remained on my mind the entire time, partly ruining what I saw as quality time with my family. Even dinner, which consisted of my favorite meal again, for my mom had made a lot of it the day before, couldnt help with it. Fortunately, I did manage to not show it too much as when the day came to an end, Cellestra hadnt asked me about it, and she''d had plenty of opportunities. When we headed to the storehouse with Elira on my back, she seemed to find new energy where shed been getting quieter and quieter just moments before. When I undid the lock and stepped inside, she hopped off my back and leapt into the hay my father had laid out for us. I smiled and told my spiderlings to find a spot to get comfortable as well, just as I did the same. Isnt this more uncomfortable than your bed? I asked the little girl. Maybe, but this is so much cooler! Hope youll sleep well, Cellestra said, taking out the orb from her bag and placing it next to the oil lamp. When she returned, she sat down with Elira at my side. 3.39 Preparing Before we knew it, Elle had made her way to Elira and laid down in front of her, receiving more petting from the giggling girl. Cellestra chuckled at the sight, and I was left smiling as I watched. Hey, Cellestra? I asked after a while. Hm? Should we tell her about what we discussed earlier? What do you mean? About teaching. Oh. What? Elira curiously asked, looking at Cellestra and then me. Hmmm. Cellestra thought aloud. I dont mind, but if we do, we better tell your parents about it first thing in the morning. What is it? Elira asked again. I saw Cellestra staring and nodded. Elira, She said softly. Can you keep secrets well? Huh? She reacted confusedly. Elira, Im serious, She continued. I can help teach you magic, but you cannot talk to anyone about it outside of us and your parents. Woah! The girl let out in amazement. You can teach magic? Really? Cellestra nodded. I can, but again, dont let anyone know about that. If you can promise me you wont, She looked at Elira with the most serious expression Id ever seen. It sent shivers down my spine. Then, and only then, can I teach you the basics. I could tell that her words had the desired effect. Her cold gaze had silenced Elira utterly. She had no idea how to react and stared into the purple eyes for several seconds, before she turned her head to Elle in front of her. It then took a little while longer before she finally nodded. Okay, She said with a single word. Were serious, I added. At the same time, I tried to come up with some form of excuse to really hammer the severity of the consequences that would undoubtedly happen if she revealed this to outsiders. Something popped into my mind and I felt bad about using it as an excuse, but it could just do the trick. The only issue was that it involved Cellestra, and lying, two things I preferred not to do. I winced and opted not to tell her. I would have to discuss things first. If other people hear about it, I continued. We could get in a lot of trouble. I promise I wont tell anyone, Elira said after a quick nod while continuing to stare in front of her. And well talk to mom and dad about this tomorrow morning too, so they know. Okay, She said again. Good, I said, running a leg through her hair. Lets go to sleep for now, though. Well continue about it when youre home from school. Now I wont be able to sleep! She said, her voice showing pure excitement now that we had the formalities out of the way. Cellestra giggled before speaking, Youll be fine. Kealynas super soft. Youll fall asleep in no time. Thats true, I said in agreement. Just close your eyes and think of nothing. Before you know it, its morning. I petted her one last time with a leg before wishing the others good night. Good night, She replied while petting Elle whod placed her head on the girls lap, her legs spread out wide as she relaxed. Good night, Cellestra called as well as she leaned back further against my abdomen, her eyes already closed. I tried to make myself comfortable in the hay, but I just couldnt manage to find a good spot so I ended up reverting back to my old method of sleeping on my back. It took a while but eventually, I was pulled into the world of dreams. Both my minds awoke at the same time, and all was quiet. A few rays of light found their way into the shed through narrow crannies in the woodwork, indicating morning was already here. Shayla, Faerith, and Elle were the only ones awake, and they were still on guard, the latter being extremely happy I was awake. She showed it by jumping in front of me and hugging my arachnid head. Morning, Elle. Hope you slept well. She nodded with her pedipalps and then shook them when I asked if anything had happened. Well, I suppose it was better to be safe than sorry. I hoped all was well at our new home as well. I felt shivers run down my spine when I imagined what someone with wrong intentions could do to my nest. Burning was probably the biggest of my worries. To think all my hard work could be undone in an instant was excruciatingly painful. My talking had caused Cellestra and Elira to stir as well, and soon they were fully awake, ready to take on the day and get to school. But first, wed have breakfast. We woke up the others and then left the shed, closing it with the padlock from the outside, the key of which I laid on the table where my parents were already seated and waiting. Good morning, My mother said. How was last night? It was great! Elira spoke cheerfully. Sis is so soft! You should have seen her, I said. Elle hugged her all night. It was adorable. I can imagine, She replied with the warmest of smiles. But come, lets get you some breakfast and tea and get you to school. There will be rain soon and we dont want you to stay out and catch a cold. She was right. It was one of the first things I noticed when stepping outside. Even though the sun was bright, and the day was warm, it was also very humid and there was a large formation of dark clouds in the distance which was slowly creeping toward us. If the size was anything to go by, a heavy downpour was to be expected. Well, it does seem you got your wish, I said with a chuckle. Did you pray to Elysa for that? Maybe, My father said with a mischievous smile while my mother went inside in a hurry. It seems it worked this time. Dad! Kealyna said that Cellestra can teach me magic. Did you know that? My dads smile disappeared and he reverted back to his serious self as he took in the information and then nodded slowly, his eyes closed. Yes. We knew. We decided to tell her, I explained. But also mentioned the serious part about it, and really tried to make her aware of how things stand. Its probably for the best if you told her too. I see. He nodded once more before turning to his adopted daughter. Elira, I hope you are aware that with this comes great responsibility. I know youre very smart and curious, but we need to be careful with this. Kealyna told me. I understand. Dont tell anyone. You promise? I promise. Elira I let out, something coming to mind. If you tell anyone, it will put Cellestra and me in danger, and we will have no choice but to run away, I spoke the words with pain in my heart. We I continued before needing to get air as my voice broke up as I felt a lump in my throat. We may never see you again. She was shocked, horrified. I could see it in her eyes as she stopped moving and stood completely still. Seconds later, I saw a tear form in her eye before it fell down onto the gravel below. No, She said softly, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. No, I dont want that. She ran up to me and hugged me tightly around the waist. I want you to stay. I promise I wont tell anyone. I petted her hair gently, trying to regain my own composure. The words Id just spoken were harsh, I knew that, but they were also truthful. She deserved to know at least that little bit of truth, a grim reminder of Cellestras and my own fate as anomalies. My mom returned and saw the sight. At first, there was a smile, but when she had a closer look, and then looked at my dad shaking his head, it disappeared. She placed her items and food on the table before my father took her by the hand, walked a few yards, and started whispering into her ears, explaining the situation. You okay? I asked after a few more seconds had passed. Yeah. I think I am. Eliras voice was meek, but there was no more sadness in her voice. My mom and dad returned and the former called for us to eat. Breakfast was eerily quiet as everyone took in their new responsibilities and processed them. We did agree that we would talk about this again later in the afternoon, and that perhaps Cellestra could start explaining a few more things before beginning Eliras training. When it was time for the little girl to go to school, Cellestra and I decided to head back into the dungeon, hoping not to encounter the menacing man from before again. 3.40 TIps & Tricks I felt my heart pounding louder and louder the closer we got to the dungeon, my uneasiness rising. The relief I experienced when nothing was out of the ordinary near the portal was great, and my mood was further elevated when one of the soldiers waved at us. I decided to walk up to them to see what information they had. Hey, I said as I approached. Is it okay if I ask a few questions? I think I have a feeling what this is about, The soldier whod previously come to my aid said calmly. Ask away. That person from before. Do you have any idea who that was? Havent seen him before. Said he was an inquisitor that heard about your find and that hed like to investigate. Any idea if he was sent by the guild or something? Not by Thymhils guild, thats for sure. He showed us an authentic guild emblem that he said was from a city far down south called Arlnore. So he is an official, I concluded. Id hoped that whoever wanted to ask questions about things wouldnt have his kind of attitude, though. That did look a bit rough yesterday, The soldier said openly, his companions nodding in agreement. Especially considering our record-keeping determined it was impossible for you to have killed a person. Besides, it doesn''t take an expert to see that that arm was already several days old, if not even older. Thank you for that, I said in utmost honesty. At least I had some backing from these people. And truly, if theres anything you or the guild want to know, do ask away. He shook his head. Our only question is where this thing came from. Its starting to feel like someone brought this inside and left it there. Its odd, but Im confident our records are accurate. Huh, I let out. That would be something. Why would anyone do that, though? Good question, The soldier replied. Your guess is as good as ours. I see, I said while staring at the dirt in front of my lower eyes. Thank you. I nodded and turned around to go to the dungeon entrance, content with the information Id received. The whole ordeal was beyond strange, and this revelation added yet another layer of ambiguity Think we should stay with my parents for another night? I asked, coming to a halt just before the gateway. If you think that to be a good idea, then sure. They didnt seem to mind. They don''t, I said softly before turning my head to Shayla whod made her way up to my side. But thats enough of that. Lets see if my hypothesis proves true, shall we? She nodded eagerly, putting a smile back on my face. Alright then, lets go hunt some bisons. We entered the portal and Cellestra donned her heavy plate, before navigating our way through the first parts. We didnt have any run-ins with angry lionesses and exited the tall grass, ready for what lay beyond. Now this could get nasty, I remarked. I want the five of you to stay behind until Im sure its safe. They stood where they were as I skittered forward, towards one of the bovines in the distance. Now, Im just wondering how Im going to restrain it without killing. On the other hand, I dont have too many options. Just gotta make this work. I sprinted the last part and summoned two earthen spikes from the ground underneath the creature, each one laden with paralytic venom. I made sure not to have them impale the creature too much because then Id risk killing it, and that wasnt my goal here. The beast let out a roar of pain before turning around and starting a charge. It still had plenty of strength left to do that, which put me at ease. Now, Id simply run and wait for the venom to do its work. Certain that Id delivered a large enough dose to force it to collapse, I started running, the animal in tow. It didnt take long for my venom to take effect and after I made sure it wasnt going anywhere, I called in my spiderlings to finish the job. Your Spiderlings have killed a Common Bison. Well, dig in, I said with a smile as I planted my halberd in the dirt. And it seems I figured it out. Looking good as always. Cellestra said. Hows that armor coming along? I asked. Is it getting any better yet? A bit, but its still exhausting. I can never wait to take it off. Her lips curled into a smile. How about you? I mean, are you getting used to living without all that weight? Ill be honest, I dont miss the weight, not in the slightest It did offer a certain feeling of safety, though, and despite knowing my skin is as tough as my armor was, it still felt odd. It just wasnt the same. I am mostly used to it now, I sighed, smiling. And I am way more agile this way, too, but even if I wasnt, I think Id have a hard time going back. Lucky you. Aw, Im sorry, Cel. I truly wish it wasnt necessary. Its okay, She said softly. Ill get used to it eventually. Hope so, I said softly as I started looking around for the next bison. The spiders were making great progress with the bison and I feared that theyd already surpassed the threshold of the quantity they needed to eat to obtain a skill. I quickly ran to the next bison about a hundred yards out and repeated my spells, bringing it down in exactly the same manner as before. As it collapsed, I verbally noted that this seemed to be the way to do it, to which Cellestra agreed. I beckoned over the others and found that they had no issues following my commands from the large distance that was between us. I let them do their thing as I continued my hunt. We repeated this sequence of me hunting and paralyzing prey while my spiderlings finished it off and then dug in for a good while, yet we seemed to have little success in obtaining skills. It took about two hours before the first one showed up and I wasnt sure how to feel about it. Spiderling Devour (Evolving) Skill Activated: Myria has acquired skill: Heat Resistance (Level 1). Myria passes this skill to nearby Spiderlings. Shayla has acquired skill: Heat Resistance (Level 1). Faerith has acquired skill: Heat Resistance (Level 1). Elle has acquired skill: Heat Resistance (Level 1). Amarys has acquired skill: Heat Resistance (Level 1). Kealyna has acquired: Spiderling Upgrade - Heat Resistance (Level 1). Heat resistance level one, I muttered at the blue square before me. Wasnt expecting anything like that, but what do I know. Heat resistance? Cellestra asked. Makes sense, I guess. Well, its a skill so its at least something. We just havent seen a scenario where it can be useful. I mean, sure, its warm here, but its not something Id consider needing a resistance skill for. I wouldnt mind a heat resistance skill, Cellestra replied with a giggle. Best I can do is some ice-cold water, I said mischievously. Id love some of that. With that, we decided to have a small break. Cellestra even pulled out her small skillet and went on to cook a thin piece of Bison that she cut cleanly from a fresh carcass before the spiderlings got to work their way through. She grinned as I was channeling a hot flame beneath the pan to fuel it. What suddenly drove you to this? I asked. Not that I mind, but, you know? Dunno, She replied with a smile. Just felt like having some fresh lunch for a change. Oh, its fresh alright. Just cook it thoroughly, and if you feel weird, do give me a heads up. Theres I dont know how much venom in that beast. She giggled as I saw some activity near my rear. A foursome of adventurers had shown up in exquisite armor which reminded me of Cellestras. The same odd colorizations could be seen, leading me to believe it was also this wolf iron that the smith had talked about, but their most striking possessions were their weapons. Two of them possessed swords that were sheathed so I couldnt say anything about those, but two others carried spears, the tips of which seemed to be made of fire. They ignored us completely and passed us at a generous distance, yet my keen eyesight didnt fail me. I couldnt help but stare at those weapons with all available eyes, that meant my elven heads included. Seems like someone saw something interesting, Cellestra concluded, smiling warmly. You bet I did. Im going to ask Zearis if he knows anything about spears with fire tips. Fire tips? Yeah. Thats what I was staring at. I dont know if its some kind of enchantment or something else. Maybe he knows. That certainly sounds interesting. Leave it to you to spot something like that. I chuckled at her response and watched the adventurers walk out of sight, towards the second floor, still wondering what it was they had and where they got it. 3.41 Notes Cellestra ate, but I could see she had trouble with the steak. Not cooking it properly had left it tough. I chuckled at the sight of her struggling and she giggled in response, saying that it was still delicious. I didnt doubt her there. Soon enough, we were back in action and another bison lay felled and was being eaten. I wonder if I should eat one myself, you know, try to gain the heat resistance skill for myself. Think it would help against those Firags? Cellestra asked. Havent even thought about that, I let out. It might, but I dont know for sure. Cant say I''m keen on letting myself get hit by fire just to try it out. Cellestra giggled softly. You make a good point, I continued. But I dont feel like I desperately need it right now, so lets just keep that in the back of our minds and have the others get stronger first. Want me to write it down? She suggested with a smile. You know, in case we come across any other skills. I wonder if theirs and my own skill work in the same way, as in, we can acquire the same abilities from the same creature. I reckon it does, so in that case, it could be interesting to keep track of things in that way. Why dont you ask? Cellestra said, curiosity twinkling in her eyes. Good point, I said. Elysa? Skill: Devour (Evolving) and Skill: Spiderling Devour (Evolving) can acquire the same skills from any target although the effectiveness and levels gained can differ. As in, one might need multiple gains of the same skill to get to the same level, right? Affirmative. Well, guess theres our confirmation. Let me just write it down then, Cellestra said, taking off her backpack and digging through its contents. She pulled out an inkpot, a quill, and her notebook. She had difficulty writing without a hard surface but still managed in the end. Who knows, maybe well end up with a list. I chuckled. Who knows? Spiderling Devour (Evolving) Skill Activated: Shayla has acquired skill: Strong Exoskeleton. Shayla passes this skill to nearby Spiderlings. Myria has acquired skill: Strong Exoskeleton. Faerith has acquired skill: Strong Exoskeleton. Elle has acquired skill: Strong Exoskeleton. Amarys has acquired skill: Strong Exoskeleton. Kealyna has acquired: Spiderling Upgrade - Strong Exoskeleton. I stared at the square that had suddenly shown up before me, my lips slowly circling into a smile. The spiderlings immediately stopped eating and Cellestra stopped writing when she noticed the sudden shift in behaviors. Something happened? She asked, her quill still at the ready. We just got exactly what we were looking for. No way. Yes way, I said happily. Strong exoskeleton. Took a few hours, but our patience has been rewarded. Still a long way to go, but the foundations are there. Elle shared in my happiness and skittered up to my front to take me in for a hug. I giggled as I ran my hand over her head. Im glad to see you happy, but there is something else Id like to see today before we go home. Im sure youd love to as well, Cel. What may that be? She said as she carefully dabbed the end of the quill with a piece of cloth. I want to see what five spiders using fireballs can do against one of these things. I turned my attention to the creatures in question. I guess I dont really have to warn you about what these bisons can do, do I? The shaking of their pedipalps and the fact that theyd seen the speed and weight of these beasts firsthand confirmed that they knew exactly what kind of threat they posed. Alright. I then explained the bit of a plan that I had in my mind. Id try to get a bovines attention while the spiderlings skittered closer and unleashed all their firepower at once. With luck, Id keep them fixated on me as they dished out spells. Even if the fireballs werent the strongest, enough of them would eventually bring it down. Besides, this was an ideal practice target as the bisons fur had proved to be quite flammable in the past. And so we went to work. I charged up to an animal and ran my blade across its side, creating a cut that was merely superficial and not lethal in the slightest. Yet it was enough to anger the animal, and it turned to me to start a typical charge. As it stood there for that one second, it received a barrage of fireballs cast by Elle and the others. It was enough for it to turn around and shift its gaze to the others, but I wouldnt let it. I jumped right next to it and stabbed it in its undamaged side, and then again, and again. I didn''t put too much force behind the blows, but the pain it inflicted was enough to grab its attention back. It forced me on the run, just as another volley of fireballs was flung toward the beast. Those, combined with the previous assault, were enough to cause flames to spread all over its fur. It halted charging me and turned around once more, but the damage was already done. It couldnt continue further than a couple of yards and collapsed, the flames literally burning it alive. Your Spiderlings have killed a Common Bison. Not bad, I called out as we converged at the smoldering beast. But heres the real question. You each used two fireballs. Now, Im wondering how much more do you think you can use before depleting your mana pools? They seemed to be confused by the question, but I couldnt really blame them. Theyd only recently acquired the spell and none of them had pushed their limit regarding spellcasting capabilities yet. I supposed the only real way to find out was to have one of them cast the fireball spell over and over until they couldnt cast it any longer. Uhhh, I let out, thinking whether it was a good idea. Faerith, would you mind using the spell again and again until you run out of mana? She eagerly nodded and immediately threw a fireball into the distance. Wait a second there. Lets get back to the entrance and do it there. Well call it a day after that. I looked at the charred remains of their last kill and imagined that it wouldnt be the tastiest meal theyd ever had. You girls want to eat that, or? It seemed I wasnt the only one that agreed that blackened meat wasnt appetizing as the five of them almost immediately shook with a definitive no. Well, I wont force you to. Cellestra, how are you holding up? Could be better. Starting to get sore again. I can imagine. Lets get our business finished here and then help you out of that armor. We made our way back to the entrance without running into anything, and once there, I allowed Faerith to do her thing. She managed to cast two more fireballs before she made clear that she couldnt do it again. I felt a hint of sadness in the ever-so-active spiderling, but petted her as I told her I was proud nonetheless. Five fireballs is nothing to scoff at, I said. And with your sisters, that makes twenty-five total. Some more upgrades and youll be a force to be reckoned with. My inspiring speech prompted Elle to jump forward again to hug me. I couldnt help but smile and give her a quick pat on the head before leaving the dungeon. As I did, I felt anxious for a moment at the thought of the man from before being on the other side, but to my relief, there wasnt a trace of him when we got there. With a deep sigh of that same relief, I helped Cellestra when she took her armor off before we made our way back home. Another day of work is over, I commented. Im happy with our progress, but I hope well be able to hunt separately from each other soon, Im sacrificing my own growth right now and its making me feel conflicted. Well, you said it yourself, Cellestra said while running her hand over my back. Some more upgrades and theyll be a force to be reckoned with. I suppose that qualifies? Hm, I said with a chuckle. True. By the way, I believe Felmar is stationed at the dungeon again tomorrow. I feel like asking and informing him about the situation wouldnt be a bad idea. You mean with the inquisitor? That sounds about right, Id say. You still want to stay at the farm tonight? I do feel like it. I nodded. Unless you dont want to, of course. No objections here. Great. Then lets make a certain girl overly happy then, shall we? Cellestra let out one of her cute giggles but didnt say a word. It was clear she very much liked my family and it left me wondering if Id ever meet hers, and if our interactions would then be just as easy and carefree. Yet, anything regarding that matter seemed too far away to even imagine right now. Who knows? Maybe one day. 3.42 Taxing The forest was damp, incredibly so. Not only that, but there was still a drizzle going on. Though it seemed like this was nothing compared to what had fallen down before. The ground was just soaked and I felt my legs sink into the dirt ever so slightly once we were in the fields outside the forest. I know my parents wished for rain, but damn, I let out. They got way more than they bargained for it looks like. The skies were still filled with clouds and the time of day was hard to gauge due to the partial darkness they brought with them. I was glad that my family wouldnt have to water the fields by hand, but I longed to see the sun again. I could really do with drying all this hair right about now. You wont get sick, will you? She was obviously referring to the fact that I was hardly wearing any clothing. In fact, I didnt know if this silk counted as clothing at all. Doubt it. I dont feel cold in the slightest. How about you? This little bit of rain? She said, looking at the sky. Ill be fine, as long as it doesnt get worse. We can always hide in the storehouse as well. A bit of a sad end to a great day, isnt it? I said softly. Hope we get some sunshine soon. I imagine Elira is just jumping with excitement to learn how to use magic. If only she knew that its not at all as fun as she thinks it is. She sighed. The start was pretty painful, honestly. Painful? I asked for clarification. Really, really difficult. I see. We arrived at the farm and in the distance, I could see the clouds drift apart just enough for a ray of sunshine to break through and illuminate the world below. I couldnt help but allow it to lighten my mood as well. That, and a certain elven girl had her face plastered against the window. After she noticed the seven of us appear, she in turn disappeared, but within seconds, the door swung open and she came running. Her impulsiveness sparked the same reaction from Elle, who ran directly at her. Hey, sis! She called as she hooded the giant spider. How did it go? When can we do magic practice? I knew it, I said with a grin. As did I, Cellestra replied with a giggle. Youll have to ask Cellestra, and probably your parents too. I had barely spoken the words and they already appeared in the doorway, looking slightly concerned when they saw that most of my fur was all wet. Dont worry, I said, trying to reassure them before turning to Elira, and speaking loud enough so my parents could hear it too. And yes, the dungeon went well. We went out and hunted some of those large cow-like creatures. Woah, that sounds cool. Can I watch it sometime? Well. I stopped for a few seconds. Its not really safe. Maybe someday, but it could be quite some time before then. Sorry about that. Lets not keep you out here in the rain, My father suddenly spoke as he walked down the steps and handed me the storehouse key. Go warm yourselves up until this passes. This is nothing compared to what you had earlier by the looks of it. Guess you dont have to water the fields anymore, huh? Not for quite a while, My mother replied with a smile. But hey, go get dry. Well make dinner in the meantime. She took one step down and looked around the sky. By the looks of it, its going to be dry later, so thats a relief. Thank you, I said warmly. Can I come with you, sis? Elira asked with large eyes, prompting me to look at Cellestra who nodded. Sure. I dont think theres going to be any better time to get things started. You remember what we said earlier, right? I do, and I wont forget. Alright, lets get started then. I looked at my parents again. Its not a problem if we stay for another night, is it? Not at all. As we said earlier, youre welcome to stay whenever you feel like it, My father said reassuringly. Great. Whenever dinners ready, just call for us, or knock. He nodded. Will do. We made our way inside the shelter and closed the door after Cellestra had taken out her spell orb to light up the place as I used my flame spell to breathe new life into the oil lamp. Just give us a few minutes, I said to the girl whod launched herself into the hay. I think it would be a good idea for the two of us to get dry first. Sure! Cellestra knew what was coming and placed herself in front of me, a smile on her face and her arms lifted in the air. Without hesitation, I bathed her in a steady stream of warm air, causing her clothes and hair to dry in no time. When I was finished with her, I went on to do the same with myself and my spiderlings. Woah, thats so cool! Elira called out excitedly when she caught some of it. Cellestra giggled at her comment. No, its warm. I chuckled at her joke and then made myself comfortable in the hay, watching Cellestra get ready while telling the overly attached Elle to stop hugging Elira. There was no way she could practice magic like that. Then, when everything was set and done, Cellestra sat down on the wooden floor before me and asked Elira to join her. Your mana, She started. Can you feel it flow when you cast that spell we gave you? Flow? Elira asked, looking up to the other. I dont know. Try casting it to see if you can. It should feel like a stream that courses through your body, then to the focal point of where the spell is cast from. Do aim up high so you dont set things on fire here. Kealyna, are you ready in case things go wrong? I nodded. Always. Can I? The little girl asked hesitantly. Her energetic nature had made place for a rare seriousness. Cellestra nodded, and Elira started casting the spell. Can you feel it? She asked. It can be very faint, but feeling it is the first step to controlling it. The girl shook her head. I cant. I dont think so Should I stop? her voice sounded disappointed, but I knew that Cellestra had something to help out. Yeah, Cellestra replied. Conserve your energy. Now what? Came Eliras voice with a whisper. Im going to use a spell on you. Dont be afraid or scared. It can feel weird, but Im going to try to help you, alright? A quick nod followed and the mentor placed one of her hands on the girls forehead before closing her eyes. I saw Elira do the same, likely trying to imitate Cellestra in hopes of it helping. Maybe it did, I couldnt know. A few seconds later, I saw Elira shudder. It looked like she got scared and the hand was removed from her head. Are you okay? Im fine. That felt weird. Cellestra smiled at her. Thats okay. That happened to me the first time as well. You need to stay relaxed and just let it happen. If you dont, then this spell doesnt work. I did not know about that. Her spell had never failed on me. Okay, Elira replied as she took a deep breath. Lets try again, Cellestra spoke softly. Just relax and take it easy. When youre ready, just nod. She placed her hand on Eliras forehead again and waited until the other nodded. It was hard for me to tell how well things were going, but Elira shuddered again, slightly this time, before calming down quickly. It seemed it hadnt interrupted the spell as Cellestra was still going, her eyes closed and focus written all over her face. See, it isnt so bad, She whispered. Im trying to see where your mana is and how it flows through your body. It feels weird, doesnt it? Elira nodded softly and eventually Cellestra removed her hand before turning to me. Its there, but she cant see or feel it, which is fine. It happens. So whats next? I asked. She casts the sparkstorm spell while you trace her mana? Thats exactly what is next, but theres a bit of an issue. Which is? Shes young, and my spell appears to be quite taxing on her. Near the end of the cast, I could feel it was trying to actively avoid me, as if it had had enough. I dont dare to use it again just now. Well, damn, I said. So, we wait? Unfortunately, I dont think theres a way around it. 3.43 Training 2 So I cannot learn magic? Elira asked, clearly disappointed. Her head hung dejectedly and she seemed close to tears. Fortunately, Elle was close by and ready to offer her a hug, which she accepted, but it didnt cheer her up. You can, Cellestra said soothingly as she petted the girls head. Its just going to take a bit longer I think. Im not quite sure, but I think thats the case. Dont be sad, I said softly. Well try again later. What do we do in the meantime, though? I wouldnt mind resting a bit. Same, I replied to Cellestra. But I doubt any of thats going to happen with Elira about. I turned to the girl in question. Unless youre okay playing with the spiders for a while. Thats okay, She said with a nod before turning to the other. Thank you for your help! Cellestra smiled at her before sitting down at my side, her head resting against it. I too used the softness of my own body to lie down on, while looking at the ceiling above. Elira explained the rules of tag to a curious Elle, Shayla and Faerith, who had no issue understanding the game, but it soon became clear that they had a bit of an unfair advantage when they started running up the walls. It left Cellestra giggling, and I had to add an extra rule of not allowing that, otherwise there would be no fun in it for the little girl. What a strange day, I commented in such a way that only Cellestra heard it. Elira was far too busy chasing the spiderlings to even pay attention. And we actually forgot to check on the fence, too. Stupid rain. What if its done already? Well just have to go to the carpenters guild and pay for it there. I dont think its much of an issue. Thats the logical option, yes. I was just I sighed. I guess its irrational for me to think it may harm my reputation. Yep, Cellestra said convincingly. That is irrational. I think they are more than aware youre a woman of your word, and otherwise, Im sure they would have sent Soranir a message. Guess were making a trip to the town tomorrow, eh? I commented. Kinda neat since I was planning on visiting Zearis as well. Maybe we can check if he has any other equipment we can save up for. We just got this suit of armor for me and you got your weapon too. What kind of equipment are you talking about? I dont know. I was just wondering if theres something, anything that can help us out further. Id also like to know how enchanting armor works here. I think I heard something about it earlier, but I forgot. Well, if anyone knows, its him, right? She said with a smile. True. I sighed deeply. What should we do with the spiderlings? I dont think its a good idea to walk into the city with them following me around. I mean, I may have some reputation, but that just seems to go a bit far. I suppose you could leave them here? Theyll have someone to play with, or perhaps, you can have them help your parents with the fields? Those sound like something I came up with earlier. Wait, did I? She giggled and patted my back. Perhaps you did, so I wont take credit for it. I dont remember. I merely hummed affirmingly and relaxed as I watched the game of tag unfold. Eventually, Elira got tired of it, and she lay down in the hay next to us. A few minutes of quiet followed before Cellestra suggested shed try her spell again. Sure! Elira immediately exclaimed. The two got in the same positions as before and the mentor instructed her student to try to cast her spell while she was casting her spell on the girl. Both of them had their eyes closed while a cone of sparks was shot upward. I made sure that it was channeled in a safe direction, but at no point was there any danger of it setting other things alight. Cellestras spell came to an end and with it, Elira canceled hers. A few seconds of silence followed before the experienced spellcaster spoke up. Did you feel that? I tried to make it a bit more obvious to you. I apologize if that was painful. It stung a bit, Elira said quietly. But I could feel it. Is that what you talked about? Your mana flow, yes. Do you think you can feel it without my help? I dont get it. Do I need to feel it with my spell or without? The goal is to be able to feel it without casting spells, Cellestra clarified. And thats going to take some time. Youre very lucky to have a spell as it makes it easier to grasp your own mana when youre casting one. I suppose the easiest way of doing this is me helping until you can feel it, then practice on your own while casting. Eventually, youll know how it flows by itself. This is hard, Elira replied softly, looking at the floor in dejection. But Ill try! She then said with a sudden burst of optimism that put a large smile on my face. Seems youre a good teacher, I said with my arms crossed. And I must say youre a good student as well. Thank you, sis! She exclaimed happily before jumping at me to hug my waist. At that moment, someone knocked on the large wooden doors. Hello? I heard my father call from outside. If you girls are prepared, dinner is all ready. Were coming, I called out. Cellestra went ahead and opened the door, revealing clear skies and a warm late-afternoon sun beyond. I couldnt help but feel happy whenever the weather was like this and I was here. Something about it just made everything feel right. As food was served Elira couldnt help but explain everything that she experienced when it came to practicing, or rather, the first steps of understanding magic. She told so much that at the end of it all, Cellestra didnt have to do any additional explaining. We then spent some more time just talking about random things, and at the end, I promised wed invite them to see our home soon. Finally, when evening had arrived, we retreated into the storehouse. At that time, it seemed Eliras playing tag had taken its toll as she was asleep within minutes with Elle hugging her. It prompted Cellestra to move up to my torso where she lay down so she could give me a hug. Hey, She said with a whisper, giggling right after at the ridiculousness of the nonchalant way she said it. Hey, I whispered back. Missed me? I cant miss you when youre always here. Though, I admit I missed hugging you. Same, I replied. But I dont think we can remain like this throughout the night. I was obviously referring to Elira. I wasnt sure if we wanted to make our relationship public quite yet and the nod that followed from Cellestra confirmed that she thought the same. I know, She said softly. But I can, for now, if only for a moment. I brought my face closer to hers and ran a hand through her long brown locks, earning a smile before I took her in for a soft kiss, one she eagerly accepted. Is it me or does it feel better each time? I asked. No, thats not just you. I feel the same way, She replied with a shy smile. Shall we go back to our own home tomorrow? She said it in such a way that made me feel sorry for suggesting to spend the night here, even though I knew she didnt mean it that way. As much as I loved being near my family, I knew we would lack a certain amount of privacy here. That was, unless we asked for Elira to sleep in her own bed, but since this was a rare occasion, or supposed to be, I couldnt bring myself to disappoint her. Yeah, lets do that, I told her before rubbing her head softly with affection. And lets call it a night as well. Theres plenty to do tomorrow yet again. True. Do you want to reserve part of the day for building again? If theres any time left, perhaps. I wanted to go to the city and then head down into the dungeon again. I wonder if we should hunt Firags. One advantage that you will have is that they dont turn invisible or anything like that, so its a fair one-on-one, and I have no doubt youll win those. I nodded. Thats the plan. Lets hope the execution is as easy as you make it sound. I have no doubt well pull it off, She whispered before standing up and sitting back down at my side, next to a snoring Elira. Good night, Kea. Good night, Cel. 3.44 Enchanting Footsteps skittered across the wood rapidly, waking me up. My arachnid half, as was apparently usual, had its sensations return first and swiftly focused on what was the cause of the sound. Elira had apparently started playing tag with the spiders again. I quickly woke myself up, and wasnt surprised to see Cellestra let out a yawn due to the noise as well. Hi, sis! Elira happily called out. Hey, I said, yawning myself before raising my torso. Youre in a good mood, arent you? Yep. Can we do more magic training today? When we get back, Cellestra said before rubbing her eyes. So later today, sure. Yay! She exclaimed before running to unlock the doors and throwing them open. Well, theres yet another beautiful day, I said, observing the clear, sunny weather outside. But shall we get some breakfast first? I looked at Cellestra who was looking at the same thing as me before standing up and stretching. Sure. After a quick breakfast, tea, and sharing our plans for the day with my parents, we separated again as they went together to take Elira to school, getting groceries on the way back home afterward. As for Cellestra and I, we went off to the nest to see how far the builders had progressed, and, if it was completely finished, wed visit them on our trip to the city. Before leaving, I told my parents we''d come back here soon to leave the spiderlings behind while we went to the city. If the spiders had any task they could help with Id instruct them to listen to them. My father chuckled at it and said he would give it some thought while he and my mom were away. I smiled and Cellestra and I both waved as we were off. When we got to the nest, I was pleasantly surprised to see the fence completely erected, plated with heavy oaken planks on both sides, and a sturdy door in the center. There wasnt a trace left of all the digging that was done, and no equipment remained. It was easy to see the entire structure was already finished. The door at the center could be padlocked on both sides, and in fact, when I walked around the wall, there was already one there, but it was missing a key. Heh, I chuckled. I see what they did there. What are you talking about? Cellestra said as she walked around the structure as well. She seemed to be even more impressed than I was and took her time observing. Oh, She then let out when she saw the lock. Yeah, I see what you mean. You pay, you get the key. Exactly. I couldnt help but test the sturdiness myself and tried pushing against the fence, something which Elle and Shayla noticed and were eager to help with. I grinned as I quickly instructed them not to do that. They were confused but listened. This is supposed to be here. I just wanted to make sure its as strong as was promised and well, Ill be damned, this thing just wont budge whatsoever. Thats great. Hey, Kealyna? Hm? I just got an idea. You wanted to make walls of silk, right? Why not have your spiderlings do it while we go to town? If only their silk wasnt weaker than mine, I said, placing my weapon against my shoulder and crossing my arms. Then, that would be a great idea. I see, She said softly. I forgot that part. Thats fine. I giggled and patted her back. Lets go back to the farm and tell them to listen to my parents. I wonder what my father is going to come up with. Im sure he has something brewing in that head of his. Amarys had no problem understanding what exactly I meant, whereas Elle didnt seem to quite get it. I explained it once more, in a simpler way, yet she was still confused. Amarys, you can guide the others, okay? Ill leave you in charge. She nodded. I was glad that she could always be relied on when it came to more serious conversation. I could feel that most of them were unhappy to be left behind, in a sad way, not an infuriating one, but they had Amarys to look up to, and she managed to quell their unrest just fine. They werent the only ones that felt that way. I too had difficulties with parting, but I was lucky to be stronger of mind. For me, it wouldnt matter much if I didnt see them for a while. You got the money with you, right? I asked as we left. Wed left several things in the storehouse, including the bag which held Cellestras armor, and I wanted to make sure we had what we needed. Always. Dont you worry about that, She replied with a smile. Perfect. We left the fields behind at last to make our way into town where I couldnt help but look around to see if I could spot my parents. However, I didnt focus on it and we were gone from the center within a matter of seconds as I navigated towards the carpenters guild. After knocking, the same person as before greeted us, in his hand a key which he held up in a nonchalant way. I suppose you were looking for this? Well, I wanted to thank you for your work and deliver your payment, but I suppose the key would help. I thought I saw a smile appear on his face at my attempt at smalltalk, but the density of his facial hair made it hard to confirm. Cellestra paid him the predetermined amount and he handed over the key to her in return. Thank you for your patronage, He spoke politely. If you need anything else, dont hesitate to drop by again. Will do, I said. Will do. Thank you again. With a nod, he disappeared again, closing the door behind him. And now, lets see what Zearis knows, I continued. And more importantly, how it can help us. My upper two eyes were locked on my halberds blade on the way to the weaponsmith. I had no intention of changing it quite yet. Hell, I hadnt even used it to its full potential. The creatures Id killed inside the dungeon so far had mostly been too big to fight head on, forcing me to rely on spells and speed. In a way, it saddened me. I had spent so much time in my old life working on my martial prowess, my sword skill in particular. I was no newcomer to several other weapons such as the spear and halberd. Yet here, I had hardly been given a chance to show that skill besides some minor engagements. I hoped I could get some at one point. The spell that enhanced my melee capabilities made me yearn for it even more. And despite not using it much at the moment, I was more than interested in further ways to improve my weapons effectiveness, and what Id seen earlier had caught my interest. When we approached his shops unmanned stand, I could see him inside the workshop, watching and guiding one of his apprentices who was working on a blade. It looked like hed somehow sensed me as he quickly turned his head, acknowledged us with a nod, but went back to helping his student. We had to wait for a couple of minutes before he was finished instructing, but at last, he turned to walk up to us. Welcome back. I figured youd show up sooner or later. Why is that? I asked with a sly smile. Not confident in your work? My joke made Cellestra giggle and Zearis let out a hearty laugh as well. No. Its because you have a certain twinkle in your eye that I dont see often and I learned exactly what it means. Thats funny. I believe Cellestra said the same. I dont suppose this twinkle is hard to see then, eh? In your case, absolutely not. He smiled again. In any case, what can I help you with? In all honesty? We are looking for some information and Id also like a whetstone. Whetstones one silver. He opened a chest under the table, pulled out what Id requested, and laid it down on the table. Informations free. Ask away. Back in the dungeon, I saw a few adventurers in fancy-looking armor, but they had spears with tips of pure fire. I was wondering what it was. Essence smithing, Zearis replied quickly and confidently. Its not something I can do, but its no real use for you. How come? I asked without thinking. Its mostly used to exploit monsters weaknesses, but the tips, in this case, are about as strong as a normal steel weapon. It doesnt beat starmetal, though. Besides, I heard you use spells as well. Are any of them fire-related, by any chance? I nodded. Then why would you need flaming spears? I guess I dont, I said, disappointed with his answer. On the other hand, I was once more assured of the high quality of my current weapon. Is there anything else I can do to make it more powerful? Enchanting, he said, his arms crossed as his smile from before was now completely gone. And you wont like who the one person in Thymhil is that does it best. Oh no. He nodded. Yes. Faragi A friend of mine had this model 3D printed for me as a gift and I thought you might appreciate it :)) 3.45 Secrets I wasnt looking forward to having to talk to Emeris or to even getting close. Besides, she was pretty clear with her words last time. She didnt want to help us. Well, damn, I quietly cursed. Dont give up so quickly, Zearis said with a chuckle. Im a regular customer of hers. Im certain that if I show up with a batch of weapons that need enchanting and yours just so happens to be among them, she wont even realize it''s yours. In fact, she has no idea of your weapon. Thats very kind of you, Cellestra said from my back. Dont worry about it. Wouldnt be the first time I get things done for people whom Emeris doesnt like. Probably wont be the last time either. Anyway, do you have some kind of enchant in mind youd like on your weapon? Uhh, I let out. I hadnt thought of anything yet since I dont know how enchanting works, nor what the options are. In that case, allow me to hand you one of Emeriss flyers. They have the effects and prices listed on them. If you decide on something and youre in a hurry, see me tomorrow or the day after before noon as thats when I have several shipments of weapons that need her attention. That would work. Thank you. He nodded, went inside the workshop, and returned momentarily with a scroll, held together by a red ribbon. Here, He said as he handed it over. Think it through. I suppose Ill see you soon enough. Thank you so much, Zearis. Im not sure if well drop by tomorrow as Id like some time to think things through, but well try to make the day after, assuming Emeriss pricing is fair. Well, you know her. Her prices are what they are, but her work is good. Youre right. Weve seen her items and they are beyond beautiful. If her enchanting is half as good as the items she creates, were golden. In that case, I hope you dont mind if I go back to the forges. Not at all. Good luck. I watched him go back to his apprentice who had started forging a short sword. The master smith held up an arm to halt his work and inspected the blade before giving a thumbs up. Well, at least we have something, I said as I handed the scroll to Cellestra so she could stash it away in her backpack. You sound disappointed. Hmm, what can I say? I am slightly disappointed, yes, but on the other hand, not quite. If Zearis tells me that starmetal is just straight up better then I trust him. Regarding the fire, it is as he said, it seems to be made specifically to counter a specific weakness that enemies have and well, I got my own enhancement that makes my weapons attacks inflict additional fire damage. Lets get back to the farm and read what she has available, shall we? How much money do we have, right now? Five gold and five silver coins, Cellestra replied. I hope its going to be enough. Well, we wanted to go and hunt Firags today anyway. If we dont have enough, we could try to make up the difference that way. Sounds good to me, but theres one issue. Which is? I asked, curious what she meant. Well, youre going to eat the Firags right? That means we turn in the hides only. Its probably a good idea to turn them in as quickly as possible so that prolonged exposure to the warm temperatures in the dungeon without curing them wont spoil them. Is it an option for you to keep them cool? Possibly, but I dont think delaying for too long is a good idea. So move quickly, gather a few, and get back to the surface. Got it. Lets just hope that the usually unavoidable creatures are in a good mood today. That would help for sure, but we dont know yet if we need the additional money. We always need the additional money, I said as I left the town square. Sure, I have my abilities, but we need to start combining these things anyway. That does sound like the smart option, She said with a nod, eyes closed. Once we were out of the city and walking through the outskirts surrounding it, she called my name softly. Hm? I replied. Is there a possibility for us to look into that new ice lance soon? Oh, sorry. Ive been so caught up in this spiderling thing that I completely forgot about that. Hmmm, I started thinking aloud. I dont think its an issue to combine that with our plans as well. I mean, I can easily teach you as the others eat. I dont want to go out hunting for other Firags and leave them open to attack anyway. Thatd be great. Thank you. She smiled warmly as she said it and then kept that lovely smile until we got to the farm again where my parents were busy weeding the field that theyd previously plowed and seeded. The spiderlings were watching them, except for Shayla. She was trying to mimic them by carefully digging through the soil with her pedipalps. Are you teaching them how to get weeds? I asked curiously. How are they doing? They already finished the other thing, so I was like, why not? My father replied, standing up to stretch. Other thing? I had them plow a field that needed plowing. It wasnt our responsibility to do it, but now the landowner wont have to do it himself, so I doubt he minds. Goes quite fast when you have like forty extra hands helping out. I can imagine. When I helped you earlier it went quite fast already. I let out a chuckle. I would have loved to see it for myself, though. Elle stopped whatever she was doing to jump toward and hug me. Hey, Elle, you ready for something more exciting? She was slightly confused by the question. The way I understood it, she didnt mind doing this at all. Youre such a sweet girl. What I meant was, Cellestra and I wanted to go to the dungeon. Now she understood, and nodded in response. You had no issues communicating? I asked my father again. None with the other field. Here, they had a bit of an issue keeping apart the weeds from the sprouting crops, so I was in the process of making it clear to them. Well, too bad, I said with a chuckle. Sorry but Im afraid Im taking them with me. Thats fine, My mother added. Do take care out there, honey. Stay safe. Always. Well see you later in the afternoon. With that, we were off to the dungeon, and along the way, Cellestra read the scroll wed received from Zearis. I saw her eyes trace the words written on it, and her smile grew, making me turn my torso and look at her with expectant eyes. And? How does it look? It looks like we will need some more money, She said with a sly smile. But youll like what you get for it. Care to share? Nope, She said before giggling. Im gonna keep these a secret for tonight. Alright then, I said with a grin, but I couldnt hide the fact I was slightly frustrated. Nevertheless, Id give her a little bit of fun. Keep your secrets. I tried to forget about the enchantments and focus on the task at hand. This included casting my multi-barrier before entering the dungeon and then navigating through it all the way up to the third floor, where we somehow managed to get past the phasing lizard area without any of them attacking us. It seemed you somehow jinxed yourself, but in a good way, Cellestra commented. Nothings attacked us so far. Doubt it will stay that way for long. I see a Firag in the distance. I didnt immediately charge it, but explained to my spiderlings exactly what dangers the animal before us posed, and the things theyd have to look out for. I knew that the tube-like organ on their head was responsible for shooting balls that would explode and engulf the target in flames. Besides that was the obvious fact that they could charge, just like most of the animals wed encountered so far. It was going to be crucial for the others to stay close to me where I could protect them with my fire wall spell. Other than that, Id try to take it out quickly with my halberd. If I saw an opening, Id go for it. I activated my imbue elements skill and slowly approached it while the others followed closely behind me. Ready? Lets go. 3.46 Training 3 I managed to sneak within jumping range of the large stag and somehow managed to remain undetected. I couldnt tell if that was necessarily true or that the beast just had no interest in me, but from my earlier observations, Id have to conclude it was the former. These animals had proven to be quite aggressive. Not wanting to let the opportunity go to waste and after quickly warning Cellestra to hold on tight I jumped right next to it, my weapon high above me, and used the momentum of my jump, and all my strength to bring it down. The result was nothing short of astounding. With a single strike and a precise cut in the neck, I managed to cleanly sever the creatures head from its body. You have killed a Blazing Firag: No experience was awarded. The animal collapsed and continued to bleed as I looked at the eyes of the now lifeless head which were locked in a state of shock. At least it hadnt suffered; the way I preferred things to go. Ok, Ill admit, I wasnt planning to do that, but the opening was there and I took it. That was one hell of a jump. Im incredibly thankful for this armor though. I didnt even have to do much in terms of holding on to remain in the saddle? I grinned at her apparent inability to find the correct word. I guessed this was as close as it got anyway. Question, I said as my spiderlings slowly approached. They seemed eager to get to eating, but I ordered them not to as they couldnt get any upgrades as I was the one that killed it. I quickly apologized to them as I turned back to Cellestra to finish my question. Can we leave it like this for a while without things going bad? You mean for the meat and pelt? Yes It is fairly warm on this floor but the air is quite dry. Theoretically, it can remain here for quite a while before going bad and it certainly won''t spoil in the time we are inside here. A few hours is definitely no problem, especially if I cool the body down. Then, I suppose thats the way to do it. Well hunt some Firags, bring them back here, and then get all the eating out of the way in one sitting at the end where we can skin as the spiderlings eat. Does that sound like an idea? That sounds like a great idea. Let me get to work. She hopped off my back and did her magic on the dead Firag, lowering its temperature considerably. It wouldnt hold forever, but we didnt need it to. Alright, I said as she finished and stood up. Now the real question is: can I do what I did before, but instead of killing the Firag, I incapacitate it. Would a hit to the head work? She suggested. With the blunt part of my weapon? Perhaps. Im honestly in a bit of a situation here as my silk is probably not going to hold as it will simply be burnt through and Im trying not to damage the fur, either. The only other thing I can imagine is cutting off the beasts fire-creating organ and then trying to overpower it. I suppose trying to hit it is a good place to start. Worst case scenario, I daze it, but even thats useful. I trust your assessment, Cellestra replied. Im ready to go whenever youre ready. I turned to look at the spiderlings who were still trying to stay as close to me as possible and nodded, spotting another Firag in the distance. We made our way over to it, slowly, and in a wide arc so we ended up behind it, but unfortunately for us, it spotted us right before I got in range. In reaction, it immediately turned, lowered its head, and launched two balls from the tubes on its head. I was too far away to properly block the attack and opted to jump to the side, commanding the spiderlings through some sort of mental connection to do the same. Thankfully for me, it worked, and I had two fire walls up in time to negate the small part of the flames that could have potentially hit us. Then, the animal started a charge and in the middle of it, used the attack again. Thanks to the now smaller distance between us, I was able to absorb the attack before it could explode. I had to quickly cancel one of the walls in order to surprise the animal with a last-second earthen wall. It had never seen it coming. With a terrible crash, it hit the solid piece of stone Id placed before it. I felt my mana reserves take a hit from the impact for even if it wasnt quite as powerful a charge as the bisons had, it was still significant and easily enough to kill even armored adventurers. I instantly forced the wall to disappear and looked into the eyes of a confused and dazed but incredibly angry Blazing Firag. Without giving it a second thought, I raised my halberd and brought the blunt side of it down upon the creatures head. It was insult to injury, maybe, but it did help as the creatures rage was replaced with inability. It was left stunned and didnt seem to be able to attack and I wasnt about to let it. I jumped on its side, using my powerful legs to bring it down to the ground and restrain it. I then told my spiderlings to do their thing quickly before the Firag regained its wits. They were quick, but it still took a while for their venom to take effect. I was afraid the animal would regain its composure several times, but somewhere during that, Id given it another hit on the head which knocked it out cold. This gave the spiderlings plenty of time to kill their target, which turned out to be needed as their venom was quite a lot weaker than mine, but eventually, it proved to be lethal. Your Spiderlings have killed a Blazing Firag. Well, that worked, I let out with a sigh. Lets get this one back to the other, cool it down, and then continue the hunt. We did just that. After repeating the exact same sequence of actions a few times, with the exception of one time, where I was able to properly sneak up behind the animal to knock it out with my weapon, we had caught five Blazing Firags. After the first two, they had become more scarce, but we had continued nonetheless. When we finished dragging the last of the beasts to the others, we decided that that was where we would stop for the day. In order to best preserve the animals hides, I created a cut neatly in the middle of the belly and folded the hide up. It allowed the spiderlings (and myself) to eat without causing excessive damage, and as soon as I was done with my single Firag, I started properly skinning. I was unfortunate to not get any kind of upgrade, but was eagerly looking at the others each time they went to a new corpse. I hadnt forgotten about the part where the meat was actually poisonous, and as I had asked my blessing before, a message did show up telling me exactly that. For me, it was completely fine. As powerful as Id been made to believe it was, I could still completely negate it. As for my spiderlings Unfortunately, their basic resistance wasnt enough to deal with the effects of this strong poison. The good news was that I had anticipated this, and I had the perfect tool to help them out in the form of a spell called detoxication. I used it several times to remove any ill effects and aided them some more by using the healing tides spell, healing whatever damage the toxins had done. Then, during the fourth Firag, a message, or rather, two showed up. Spiderling Devour (Evolving) Skill Activated: Elle has acquired skill: Very Strong Toxin Resistance. Elle passes this skill to nearby Spiderlings. Shayla has acquired skill: Very Strong Toxin Resistance. Faerith has acquired skill: Very Strong Toxin Resistance. Myria has acquired skill: Very Strong Toxin Resistance. Amarys has acquired skill: Very Strong Toxin Resistance. Kealyna has acquired: Spiderling Upgrade - Very Strong Toxin Resistance. Spiderling Devour (Evolving) Skill Activated: Elle has acquired skill: Very Strong Fire Lance. Elle passes this skill to nearby Spiderlings. Shayla has acquired skill: Very Strong Fire Lance. Faerith has acquired skill: Very Strong Fire Lance. Myria has acquired skill: Very Strong Fire Lance. Amarys has acquired skill: Very Strong Fire Lance. Kealyna has acquired: Spiderling Upgrade - Very Strong Fire Lance. There was a lot of text, but what was written there could be summarized in only a few words. As much as I liked seeing these kinds of messages, I did ask my blessing if it was possible to consolidate them so there wouldnt be so much to dig through. Affirmative. Thank you, I whispered. Im just gonna assume that means you got some good news. I did, I said happily, smiling at Cellestra who shyly smiled back. I most certainly did. 3.47 More Questioning” I helped Cellestra skin the last deer crudely as the spiderlings devoured the insides and explained the two skills Id just gotten, or well, they had gotten. Five well-preserved pelts, I commented as we removed the last one. Four gold coins each. Thats twenty total. I was suddenly reminded of the words my parents said about their pay, which was only a few gold each month. Damn, adventurers really do have it better, dont they? Its a lot of money, like a whole lot to make in a single day, but keep in mind that I dont think the average adventurer can manage to get five Firags down in such a short time, She replied. And then there is of course the risk that this profession carries, especially if you dont have the money for good armor and weapons. Its kind of I dont know, sad? Cant argue with that. Money begets more money. Lets load these up and make our way back out. Dont know what time it is, I bet its late in the afternoon, and Im sure you still want to do some training with Elira. I smiled at her as we loaded the pelts on my abdomen. And you know what? We should do training of our own as well. Maybe after dinner at home? That sounds wonderful, She said with a smile of her own. What spell would you like to teach me? I was thinking about the new version of the ice lance spell, but if you fancy something else, feel free to choose that instead. Ice lance sounds fine. Its an easy, yet accurate and effective spell. Im kind of excited to find out if knowing the previous version of it will make this one easier to learn. Now you have me curious as well. Lets get these hides turned in Hey, Felmars here today, right? I believe so. Why, you wanna see if we can get a better price? I doubt we will, but if we had someone else, I can imagine them offering less. I let out a sly smile and made sure Cellestra saw it. Now, at least hell have to offer the same price again. She giggled as she hopped on my back, and I petted Elle whod eagerly taken me in for a hug after they had finished the last cadaver, all too happy to know that we just got stronger again. Great job, Elle. Lets have you try out that spell tomorrow, okay? Her pedipalps were lowered and appeared to be drooping, saddened by my words. I hadnt meant it like that, but now it made it appear as if I didnt want them to cast the spell at all now. I didnt mean it like that, Elle. Im sorry. Go ahead and do it if you want to see what it looks like. I know I want to. Immediately, she was cheered up and broke the hug before skittering a few yards away to make space and cast the spell. Much like its ice counterpart (Id assumed it was a counterpart due to the similar name) an icicle, but one of fire, appeared in the air above her head. Then, it was launched into the distance where it hit the grass and pierced it, burrowing into the soil where it was extinguished. Thats pretty awesome, I said cheerfully. Now Im kind of jealous. I want that too. Cellestra giggled again as Elle performed some kind of dance out of happiness, but after that, we left for the surface. One there, we got some funny looks from the soldiers when they laid eyes on our cargo. One of them even grinned, and in a friendly manner as far as I could tell. As expected, after knocking on the single buildings door, it was Felmar himself who showed up, and the once wary guild clerk immediately smiled when he saw me. It only grew when his eyes traveled to my abdomen and the huge amount of loot wed collected from the dungeon. Holy, He called out, shaking his head. You do know that if you bring me too many of those, the value is gonna go down, right? I dont know much about economics other than our own money, I replied. And even that, Im quite forgetful about, which is why Cellestra keeps track of things. Though, is what you said really a thing? Felmar chuckled, then smiled. Not quite yet. For that, youd need to supply us with a lot more, but I figured Id warn you. You know, just in case. Well, thanks for the heads up. Cellestra dismounted and started unloading the pelts which were still slightly chilly and had a decent amount of meat left on them in order to prevent them from drying out. It would have to be removed as soon as possible however, but Id been told there were people here ready to take care of such things. Five Blazing Firag pelts, Felmar muttered as he took a closer look, running his hands over some of the fur. And this coldness You did that? That was me, Cellestra said, raising a hand. To preserve it better. You really did try to keep it in excellent condition, didnt you? He said, looking at Cellestra and then me before shaking his head. Well, I suppose Ill have to offer the same price as before then. Four gold coins a pelt, times five makes twenty gold coins. He then paused a bit as he wrote on his clipboard. When there are monetary transactions made of this scale, I am obliged to ask another question. Would you like to donate one coin to the guild to supply new adventurers? Sure, I replied almost immediately. Only after Id said it did I look at Cellestra who nodded with a smile, one that said that she didnt mind or blamed me for speaking before consulting her. She and I both were in a position to help out those not as fortunate as us, and added to that was the fact that it would go against all I believed in if I didnt at least donate some to help others out. There was also the teeny tiny part where I feared that the Goddess would judge me if I didnt, or even worse make fun of me about it. She did feel like a little bit of a tease at times. Ill be back in just a second then. I nodded and watched the black-robed man disappear inside to collect our payment. When he returned with a coin pouch and started counting, however, movement at the edge of the clearing caught my attention, and I felt my heart skip a beat when I noticed the same ominous man from before approach. What made things even worse was the fact that he was followed by a group of ten or so soldiers. The sight caused the other soldiers around the campfire to stand up, but there was confusion on their faces. Their surprise was genuine, they were clearly in the same boat as me and had no idea what was going on. Felmar, on the other hand, merely gave him a quick look before he continued counting, not caring in the slightest. Cellestra moved away from the hides and stood close to me, apparently looking for what felt like safety. The spiderlings felt uneasy too, very much so. Amarys placed herself between me and the approaching man, but I mentally ordered her and her sisters to my side, close to the wooden wall. Kealyna, The man said as he closed the gap. You are hereby arrested on charges of the suspected murder of Nelion Qualthan. Please make this easy and come along quietly. Suspected murder? I raised my eyebrows at that. I had made abundantly clear, and it was impossible according to the guards, that I had no involvement in this. How he got to know the persons name was also a mystery to me. Something about all this, and this person in general, stank. On whose authority? Felmar calmly asked, clearly catching the other man off-guard as he came to a sudden halt. The adventurers guild in Arlnore, Came a raspy reply. Mind if I take a look at your orders? And Im going to assume you were given an emblem too, right? Thats the second time Id heard about this emblem. From what little I knew about it, I gathered that it wasnt carried by everyone and instead, seemed to bestow some kind of special power on the person wearing it. The inquisitor was visibly annoyed by the bureaucracy that Felmar laid before him, but pulled out a small scroll and metal object from his pocket nonetheless. The guild clerk walked up to him to inspect the items, but I noticed his legs shake. It was ever so slightly, almost unnoticeable, but he seemed to be nervous, even if his words and actions didnt show it in the slightest. He read the scroll first and handed it back before taking the metal object and observing it from up close. He nodded, handed the items back, and walked back towards the building. As I thought, He said before turning around. A counterfeit emblem. Care to explain? Faragi Apologies for the slow releases. I''ve been quite busy the past 2 weeks and my backlog has shrunk considerably as a result of that and me working a bit more on Elania as of late. Special shoutout to my new patrons. Thank you so much <3 chest25 ScopaVigalad Micaah Noah If you enjoy this story and/or Elania, my other novel, and would like to read further or support me, please check out my Patreon where you get access to the entire backlog, even in the lowest tier. It helps me out a great deal. Also, you get early access to a new story I''m working on (very slowly, unfortunately.) There are 5 chapters "Done" They will be heavily edited over time, but the framework is there. 3.48 Ashes If anyone should be arrested, it should be you, The clerk continued. Pretending to be an inquisitor and using a fake token to try to arrest a guild member on bogus charges I daresay all of that carries a heavy price. I noted that his uneasiness seemed to be gone now and completely replaced with confidence. Felmars words caused a wave of nervousness to wash over the other man as he reached for his sword with a shaky hand, rage emanating from his eyes and spilling over into the rest of his face. As soon as hed unsheathed his sword, the other soldiers followed suit and drew theirs. The guards sitting around the campfire were quick to get to their feet and had their own weapons drawn within a split second, hurrying to my side to oppose the false inquisitor. None of them seemed to have any idea what was going on, but their faith, and loyalty, apparently lay with Felmar. It did beg the question of who those other soldiers were. I focused on the man in black, my halberd at the ready, imbued by magic, and my barrier at maximum strength. From the looks of it, conflict was brewing and was likely already unavoidable at this point. We were in the minority, sure, but I knew just how much damage I could inflict. The only issue here was that I had no idea about the strength of my opponents. The sinister man then pointed his sword at me before he finally found his words. Slay the others, but bring her to me alive. Amarys refused to sit by idly and made her way over to me despite my earlier orders. I had to command her again to stay out of this with even more force in my thoughts than before. She was reluctant, but my will was absolute on this matter. The enemy soldiers remained far away and moved to create an arc to surround us, but despite the prospect of conflict, Felmar still remained standing in the doorway, awfully calm. What little I knew of him led me to believe something was off, and my doubt wasnt misplaced as suddenly a familiar voice sounded from behind the closest wall. Well, well, well. I had heard there were odd things happening here, but this is quite something. Sellerons voice caused everyone to freeze, his mere presence casting a shadow of intimidation over the would-be battlefield. As he appeared from behind the building, it became clear that the reason why Felmar wasnt worried in the slightest was that the captain was here, and with him, several soldiers. He walked forward and gave me a quick look with a slight smile before focusing his attention on the man whod caused me several miserable moments. Wild accusations, threatening, intimidation, and now, conspiracy to murder Thymhils guards and an attempt to kidnap a member of our citys guild. You arent who you say you are, and frankly, I dont give a damn. He spat on the ground next to him, adjusted his helmet and drew his sword with the soldiers behind him unsheathing theirs. He had brought a group of five with him, making the numbers about even, which should theoretically give us an edge. No matter, The short-cloaked man sputtered in anger, trying to sound calm. Annihilate them, He commanded. He himself remained where he was as the soldiers rushed in. The combatants on our side spread out in a half circle as well to each meet one of our opponents. It was only when our foes got close that I noticed that nothing was visible on their faces. Everything was hidden behind their helmets, and what little would otherwise be visible was covered by cloth for some reason. They charged in and my halberd was the first to strike a target. I used the tip to stab and felt it penetrate through the soldiers plate armor. That was also where even stranger things started happening. I pushed my target back, knowing the wound would be fatal, and with a yank, withdrew my weapon from the soon-to-be corpse. When I did so, I noticed there was no blood on either his equipment or on my tip. Instead, there was some kind of black oozing liquid that quickly evaporated. Around me, the soldiers on our sides seemed to experience the same. Their targets were hit fairly easily, likely due to the experience they boasted. Hell, if Selleron was here on Felmars request and they had some kind of knowledge of this guy showing up, I deemed it logical for him to bring a veteran squad. Our adversaries fell like flies, and soon enough, all of them were scattered on the forest floor around us. Yet, all of us had the same thing on our minds: What was that? Useless minions, The inquisitor called, frustrated but not demoralized. He pointed his sword forward once more. Again. Suddenly, the dead bodies before us were lifted and hovered a few inches above the ground as a black mist started seeping from the gaps in their armor. It swirled, much like the fire and ice in our spell orb, and it was sucked out of their bodies as it traveled through the air in a cylindrical motion, straight to their masters sword, which it entered. The magic that held the bodies in the air was dispelled, and they landed with soft thuds. None of us made a move and instead remained in a defensive formation. Then, our defeated enemies rose to their feet once more. What the actual fuck, I heard one of the soldiers say from my side. Remain calm, Selleron said. Weve killed them once. We can do it again. He then was the first to stab one of the newly risen warriors, and, while his sword easily pierced the armor, perhaps too easily, it came back clean. Besides that, the target hed just pierced didnt seem to care in the slightest over what should have been a fatal wound and simply remained standing. In fact, it made no sound whatsoever. Id at least expected a scream like Wait. There hadnt been a single scream at all. These things werent elves, were they? That much was already clear, but now, they were apparently even further from anything that could be considered a normal form of life. Selleron narrowed his eyes as he slashed his sword upward, removing the beings helmet with a well-aimed strike and revealed a skull with blue crystal-like orbs for eyes that peered into his own. Undead, Selleron exclaimed as he swung again, removing the skeletons head from its torso. Unfortunately, it remained standing and tried to stab the captain as a response. Id quickly summoned an earthen wall to block the attack and the captain had jumped backward to dodge. The attack would have missed him anyway but he still thanked me for my assistance. The others had already started hacking their way through the risen foes, but no matter how many body parts they cut off, they couldnt die, not by normal means anyway. Sellerons blade C which had seemed suspiciously ordinary for a guard captain even back during my trial run in the dungeon C started glowing red; some kind of magic or enchantment. Magic was what was needed to kill unconventional enemies like these, but I wasnt sure how strong his ability was. The person that was clearly controlling them let out a laugh as black mists flowed across the dirt to seep back into the skeletons, reattaching lost limbs to their bodies again and again. Selleron, Im going to get rid of these, but its a channeled spell. I might need some help. Gotcha. Ill add some of my magic to the mix as well, Cellestra called from my back before conjuring a fireball that she flung at the nearest skeletal warrior. Thank you, I said as I started casting my spell. A ring of light appeared on the ground around me and expanded outward with a ripple, washing over the enemies, a herald of what was to come. I needed a bit of time, but this was by far the best spell for me to use in this scenario. Several more ripples were required before I started doing at least a bit of damage as the light was starting to leave black burn marks on bone. Our team wasnt having the hardest time surviving, but the nature of our enemies and the fact that they kept regenerating, fueled by the magic of what I could only understand to be some kind of necromancer, meant that this was a battle of attrition. We had magic, which did some work, but the black magics before us were potent, and healed any wounds, the burns I was inflicting included. However, my spell would ensure victory eventually as it would do more and more damage with each pulse. At one point, it would simply turn any undead into dust. My spell grew in power and I could feel it starting to drain me of my mana. The damage I was inflicting was starting to overpower any regeneration capabilities, and I knew the end was in sight. Then, with a couple more ever more powerful waves, the soldiers bones disappeared before our very eyes, turned into ashes. The armor they wore dropped to the floor for the nth time, but this time around, wouldnt rise again. Necromancer I called out with disgust. My anger was mounting, as was my exhaustion, but my rage was so great that it completely forewent and masked any sense of tiredness. Youre next. 3.49 And Dust With his minions taken care of, there wasnt anything blocking my path to my new nemesis. Before I knew it, Id already cast a fireball out of pure anger. It impacted some sort of dark barrier and then scattered into flames. Useless, He muttered but his comment didnt seem directed at my attack but rather at the loss of his soldiers. At least I assumed so since that was what his eyes were looking at. Just like your resistance. I didnt know what he meant with that, and honestly, I didn''t give a damn. Selleron appeared at my side and started walking forward, but I was far quicker than him. This guy was mine, and the captain halted when I skittered up to and past him, a firm grip on my weapon and fury burning in my eyes. My resistance, I said calmly, but loud enough for him to hear. Ive fought hard for it, and I will use it to stop people like you. He started laughing maniacally while raising both hands into the air, forming a ball of the same dark, swirling mists that Id seen earlier. It eventually became more compact and was flung my way. I was quick to create a fire wall which absorbed most of the attack, but his magic was a strange one and part of the spell got past my first line of defense and impacted my barrier. I was too angry to care and simply refreshed my barrier as I closed the gap. Nothing here makes any difference, He continued before laughing again. Nothing will. Like hell it does, I said as I jumped the last bit, landing right before him. Say your prayers. He continued laughing and I tried to stab him with my weapons tip, but the attack was blocked by the same barrier. I swung wildly several times while the laughter continued, yet he didnt attack again for some odd reason. He just stood there as I hacked and slashed away at the magical shield until I saw parts of it splinter off. Futile, He said as I withdrew my weapon before pushing it forward in a mighty thrust. As soon as it hit his barrier, it finally shattered into a thousand tiny fragments of dark-shaded glass before impaling his stomach. Your actions are futile, He said again with a grin even after hed suffered a mortal wound, black blood oozing down the metal of my weapon to the ground. He laughed one last time before his legs gave out, however, my steel kept him in place. The master will have you. You cannot escape your fate. After those last words, he let out a deafening, unearthly scream, and even more of the nasty, ominous mist was ejected from his mouth before the same happened in other places. Like roots on a tree, they spread out from his body into the air around him before they vaporized and disappeared. There wasnt a body left, and his armor fell to the ground, just like the equipment of the skeletal warriors had, except, in this case, the metal and cloth all melted together without ever growing the red-hot that would usually require. The resulting mixture formed a puddle of what looked like liquid metal, and then, after a few seconds, it seeped into the soil, not leaving behind a single trace. Id finally come to the realization of what was going on here, and I kicked myself in the head with one of my large legs for not noticing it earlier. My heart was still beating like crazy, and my arms were still shaking with anger, when Cellestra appeared at my side. She didn''t say a word, and simply leaned her head against my torso. I was still considerably pissed, but her presence and closeness at least helped me to calm down. My hand found its way onto her shoulder and I let out a deep sigh, somewhat happy that this was over but still worried about the consequences of this. Selleron stood by idly, still next to the building, and inspected his men, giving us some time before he walked up to us. As soon as he did, Elle and the others thought it was safe to come out of hiding and also approached me, with the first carefully putting a leg on my back in an attempt to comfort me. Smiling slightly, I put a hand on her head in appreciation as I wiped the sweat off of my own forehead. The captain coughed once, getting my attention. Well fought, but do you know what he was talking about? Unfortunately, I do, I said, before taking a pause and heaving another deep sigh. Hograd A momentary shock ran over his face before he narrowed his eyes, seemingly fishing for more information. Hograd is apparently quite pissed with me. He and Elysa have some kind of feud when it comes to my fate. This I said as I looked down at my pedipalps and into my lower eyes. Is part of that. I dont want to go into it too much, but I guess its safe to say I am a target for his followers now. I kicked the dirt in front of me with two legs in frustration. And I knew about this too. I just hadn''t expected them to find me this quickly. I fear things will get worse from here. Hograd Selleron muttered quietly. An angry god sounds like terrible news. Yes. I nodded slowly. And whats more, it seems they want to capture me alive too. For what reason, I do not know. You saw for yourself how hard this pile of garbage tried to not harm me. Never mind that, He said. How do we continue from here? What do you plan to do? I doubt there is much I can do. If he knows where I am, theres no doubt more will show up soon enough. The only thing I could do is run, and thats just not in me. I have my family nearby and I fear that if I disappear, theyll take it out on them. I shook my head. No. Ill stay here and fight my way through whatever he throws at me. Well, He continued. Know that you are under the guilds protection and that well be there to help out our members, against whatever may wish harm upon them, even if they are followers of a dark god. Im sorry about that, I admitted in earnest. I didnt intend to be a burden. Thank you, by the way, for the help. I really appreciate everything youve done so far. You have the dungeon guards to thank for that. They contacted Felmar as they felt something was off. That is correct, The person in question appeared from behind the captain. When they mentioned the emblem of Arlnore, I heard alarm bells ring in my head. I know the guild master of the place and he is not quick to hand out emblems to anyone, let alone a shady figure like him. I, of course, immediately called Selleron and laid a trap. Im quite happy it all worked out. For the first time, I let out a small chuckle. I can imagine. I saw how nervous you were earlier, but good job on hiding it so well. Cant hide anything from you, can I? Nope, I said with a smile. I have too much experience, and too many eyes. Cellestra burst into a fit of giggles while Selleron was left chuckling and Felmar with an awkward grimace. But really, I continued on a more serious note. Thank you all so much. If you want to talk later, and I have the feeling that well talk again soon, Id be happy to have that conversation, but right now, Id love to just get home to my family. Its getting late, and I dont want them worrying. Understood, Selleron spoke confidently with a nod. Ill inform Soranir of the situation and may just request for the guild to have some additional guards stationed here, just in case. I felt bad to be responsible for the mess and had Felmar take another gold coin from our income to account for the additional expenses of the guild. He wouldnt accept it at first, but I insisted on the fact, even if it was to give me better peace of mind. Finally, after that was all said and done, Cellestra, the spiderlings, and I made our way back to the farm. How are you feeling? Cellestra asked. As always, I could feel the genuine care in her voice and couldnt help but savor the moment, my eyes closed. Angry I guess is the easiest way to explain it. I''m being hunted for reasons that Im unaware of and its pissing me off. Yeah, She whispered. That seems harsh. Glad that everything worked out well. For now, I added. But my goals are unchanged. I wont allow anyone to take my happiness away. I hope youll be with me for it? I understood I was putting her at risk as well and knew that she loved me, but this was still asking a lot. Her eyes trailed down my elven back and to the long hair behind it as she seemed to think, but only took a moment before a slight smile appeared. Always, Kealyna. 3.50 Options Despite overcoming the false accusations and the attack, and being happy to see that danger over with, I remained quiet for the rest of the day. I was happy to see my family doing well, and had Elira play with the spiderlings, but it was more than obvious to see on my parents faces that they knew something was off. It wasnt until after dinner, when Cellestra started her training session with Elira that they asked. We ran into trouble today, I explained. One of Hograds followers, I warned you about. I fear it wont be the last, and Im just concerned about your safety. Did everything go well? My mother immediately asked with a hasty voice. Yes, I nodded. We dealt with him, but as I said, hes probably the first of many. Im sorry. Sorry for what? My father asked. I was about to answer the question when he raised a finger. Yes, I know what you want to say, but do you think for a second that we mind? Well, I Kealyna, theres no need to worry about us. Well hire bodyguards if need be. I I tried again before nodding in agreement, accepting there was no changing his mind. Ok, I said softly. But in that case, I insist on helping out with that financially. We made a good amount of money today, like, really good. I wish we had the luxury of declining that, He said with a small chuckle. Nor do I think you would even accept it in the first place. I wont, I stated clearly, shaking my head. In that case, My mother interrupted. Thank you. By the way, for tonight, we werent planning on it, but I think wed like to stay one more night. Cellestra and I would like some time alone, though, so do you think you could help convince Elira? Of course, She said softly. Ill tell her later, but first, lets have something to eat, shall we? I couldnt help but nod with a smile. It was still hard for me to grasp just how happy I was to have my mother there for me, her voice as soothing as always. I explained a bit more about what happened but didnt go into too much detail, not that there was much detail to go into, but still. I did tell them that whoever this was, hed wanted to capture me alive. It had sparked my curiosity as well as Cellestras as to why. Then, finally, we had dinner, after which Cellestra and I retreated into the shed while my mom held back Elira, preventing her from following us. She was explaining to her what was going on as I opened the doors. I smiled and waved at her from a distance and waited until she waved back before we entered. I was left feeling slightly guilty, but Id longed for this little bit of freedom. It was still early, but that didnt prevent Cellestra from snuggling up to me in the hay, on the soft wolf pelts that had been there for the past several days. We hadnt turned on the oil lamp and only had the spell orb to illuminate the surroundings, but that was enough. I missed this, She whispered. As did I. Today was rough, wasnt it? Ive had worse. I didnt feel like my life was in any danger today. I suppose thats true, She said, still whispering. And I for one am glad that you werent. She paused for a few seconds and sighed as a small smile formed on her lips. So, is it time to reveal what the possible weapon enchants are? I grinned. You know me too well, I replied. But as much as Id like to have a look, Im far too comfortable to move, and honestly, after today, I just kind of want this day to end. I think Ill have a look in the morning before we decide what to do. You dont have any plans yet for tomorrow? Gee, Cel, you make it sound like Im the one making all the decisions without considering you at all. She let out a cute giggle and ran a hand through my hair afterward. I dont mind even if you do. Ill follow you anywhere, and honestly, I wouldnt know what to do. Our eyes locked and a kiss followed quickly afterward. After a few seconds, we broke apart and embraced each other even closer than before. We remained there in silence as the spiderlings around us seemed to be calling it a day as well. I was confident that Faerith had already passed onto the world of dreams, and even Elle had curled up without demanding any more hugs. Seems youre not alone in your thoughts, Cellestra commented. Seems not. You want to go to sleep? Yeah. Thats probably for the best. Also means I get to see your reaction sooner. Great. Now I wont get any sleep. She giggled again before wishing me good night, leaving me to do the same before burying the spell orb in the hay, causing darkness to fall over us, which eventually carried both of us away. When my arachnid half woke up first, as usual, I felt and saw Elle hugging my torso from behind. I was left feeling amused at the sight and almost instantly forgot about the trouble we went through yesterday, starting the day off feeling refreshed both in body and spirit. I quickly woke the rest of me up and did the same for Cellestra. After giving her a brief moment to get her wits about her, I couldnt help but contain my curiosity any longer and asked her about the enchants. Now thats the Kealyna I know. Good morning, by the way, and Im glad to see you doing well. Im sorry. Good morning, Cel. Hope youre doing well. I am. Now, are you ready? I nodded eagerly, prompting her to smile as she pulled out the scroll from her backpack. There arent that many enchantments on here, and I have the feeling that these are not all that Emeris has. Im going to assume that Zearis merely gave us the ones that he thought would be most interesting or these are the ones that are the most expensive she has. I will admit that the prices are there, but then again, you know how we are disproportionally advantaged. I didnt say a word and merely nodded in agreement as her eyes crossed the paper. The first one is called Gravity Control. It states that the enchant allows you to control the weight of your weapon more freely. With it, you can make it lighter or heavier, depending on what the situation needs. She looked at me, and I nodded in return which had her read aloud the next part. The second enchant is called Mana Bane. According to this flyer, it makes your weapon more effective against magical barriers and allows it to absorb some power of spells that strike it. She went on to the next without waiting this time. The third is called Spell Storage. It allows you to store a spell inside the enchanted weapon, with a higher upfront mana cost, which can then be released at any time at no cost. The fourth is called Channel. Its quite simple in that you can imbue the weapon with the element of a specific spell you possess. Lastly, theres an enchant called Illusionary Strike which will change the visuals of your weapon to enemies in such a way that it appears as if two attacks are coming, but in actuality, only one of them is real. I took in all the information and felt both my minds going into overdrive almost immediately, calculating, hypothesizing, about which of these effects sounded the most useful to me. Cellestra took another look but didnt ask anything quite yet. I felt like she had an idea of just how much I was thinking this through and didnt want to disturb me. Mana Bane, I finally said. I feel like that one is most appropriate as the others, I kind of already possess, in a way. The gravity one would be an exception, but I can already control my weapon without any effort. The damage it inflicts when I charge is beyond significant. I dont need anything else to acquire those results. I shook my head. I feel like dealing extra damage to barriers would be a great boon, especially after yesterday. Besides people like that, I imagine it could also be great against dungeon monsters such as those trees. What does that last part mean, though, about absorbing power? Im not sure. I think well have to ask Zearis about that. What about the price? I asked. Twenty gold coins. Oof, I let out. Thats significant. I suppose it is as Zearis said. These are quality enchants that you wouldnt just put on any weapon. Im glad I have this starmetal halberd. I petted Elle as I gave all this a second thought. There would probably be a third and fourth later on, but for now, I felt confident that this was the best option. 3.51 Donations I was still thinking over the enchantment options during breakfast, leading to my parents believing something had happened, but I assured them there was nothing wrong. Cellestra explained the matter which left them smiling, presumably at how seriously I was taking it. Even after we said our goodbyes to go our own way for the majority of the day, I halted after leaving the premises, wondering what to do. On one hand, a bit of time to think wouldnt be bad, especially as there was little we planned to do in the dungeon for which this enchant would be of great importance. On the other hand, the thought of getting more powerful equipment had been such a driving force behind my actions that it was hard to just dismiss entirely. What do you think we should do? I decided to ask Cellestra. Didnt you want to do some work on our home? Perhaps we can think things over while doing that? Hmmm. While that does sound like the best time to think about things, Id prefer to work on that in the late afternoon, you know, after progressing our goals for the day. In that case, lets head to the dungeon, hope we acquire some skills, and then visit the city tomorrow. Speaking of skills, lets practice a bit as we move to the third floor. Casting from my back doesnt seem to be an issue for you. Nope, She said with a warm smile. And Im happy its not. Its quite effective, and Id be lying if I said I didnt find it fun to do. I chuckled, shook my head, and smiled as I changed direction to the proving grounds. It was refreshing to arrive there without any prospect of conflict, even if it was for a short duration. At least Id enjoy the little while of peace that I had. Likewise, the soldiers that were there seemed to be in a good mood as well as they were laughing and had drinks delivered by one of them. At the same time, Felmar was scribbling down on his clipboard, finishing up business for a female adventurer whod brought in a lioness that lay in tatters next to her. Its fur was almost completely ruined due to wounds that appeared to be from spears. It came as no surprise to me that I saw only a few silver and copper coins pulled from the clerks pouch. Nevertheless, the novice adventurer, an archer judging from the recurve bow and quiver on her back, was happy with it. Then, when Felmar waved when I passed, and the girl before him turned to see what exactly he was waving it, she got spooked and fell to her bum. I saw Elle twitch, and I knew she was eager to go and offer a hug in comfort, but she withheld herself from doing so. I couldnt help but giggle at it all as we entered the portal. Surprised Felmar is still here, Cellestra mentioned once we were on the other side. I was about to say the same thing. I wonder if hes just stationed here for the day or whether he specifically requested it for reasons. Who knows? I said with a shrug. Lets get down to business. Lets see how learning this new ice lance goes. She nodded and we got to work on the way through the savannah, teaching her the ability as we went. Funnily but not completely unexpectedly, we had the spell mastered before we even left the first floor. Interesting how this blessing of yours works, She mentioned as we entered the tunnel leading towards the second area. I dont know how often I said it now, but its still incredible. Its basically the same ability, with a few more coagulations near the end of the cast that increases its power significantly, and at such a low additional cost in mana. Yeah, I said in the manner that conveyed I have no idea what that means. I did a good job at it too, for she was left giggling. Funny, She finally said. Think we can do some more? Sure. I decided to teach the detoxification spell, thinking she could learn such a simple spell before we arrived at our destination, but I was proven wrong. Apparently, there were a few limits that I hadnt thought of. First, there was the fact that she was trying it on me, and I wasnt suffering from any poison effect. Second, there was a contingency in the spell itself. Its mana cost would increase based on the potency of the dispelled effect, which, according to Cellestra, left several holes in the mana flows. She talked a bunch more words that made very little sense to me, but as far as I could understand it, she would have to practice the spell by filling those holes herself. I then got the bright idea of having her try it on the Firags. The spiderlings method of killing was venom and I thought it would be a great moment to practice on that. When we finally got there, and started our assault on one, it proved to be viable as I had no issue holding them down. I did remove their special organ in the meantime, though, just to not be surprised. According to Celletra, it helped, and after felling two more beasts she said everything was clear enough, at least to use it against venom of this potency, and quite likely, lesser toxins. Just like the day before, we managed to get a grand total of five Firags, which left me excited to collect payment as wed have another big cash-in. Wed have far more than needed for the enchantment, of which I was even more certain the Mana Bane would be the best suited. Yet, one couldnt ever have enough, right? There were plenty of things to buy, and if not, plenty of people who could use a little help. It had me smiling as Cellestra carefully cut open the first Firag for the spiders to eat. I just couldnt help but enjoy the thought of helping people. In fact, I was looking forward to donating some of the money to the guild. It reminded me of the archer wed seen earlier, and I was wondering if it was possible to donate to specific people. She looked like she sorely needed the cash. I bet Felmar knew who it was, he could help with that. If I could, the party whom Id helped recover that weapon in the dungeon would get some as well. At least in their case, I had their names. As for other things to do with the money, I wanted to make sure Cellestra had the necessary equipment to continue making potions and any other alchemical concoctions she had in her mind. As I was thinking, Cellestra and the spiderlings made progress on the corpses. It wasnt until they got to the last one that I noticed there was still no blue screen before me. For a moment, I feared that today wouldnt offer us anything, but at the very end, there was some relief. Spiderling Devour (Evolving) Skill Activated: Spiderling Upgrade - Very Strong Explosive Bolts acquired. The name had immediately caught my attention and upon closer inspection, I found out that this was the exact spell that the Firags had been using. By the goddess, Was all I managed to say when I found out. This was the spell Id been after for a while. Now, at the very least, I knew it was obtainable through the devour skill. All that was left was for me to get it. That sounds good. Yep. This is the spell I want. Im gonna kill these beasts myself tomorrow. You mean the spell with the orbs that explode into flames? Yeah. Thats awesome. Her voice was awfully excited and I couldnt help but smile slyly at her. I thought I figured out what she was thinking about. Sounds to me you want me to get that spell quite badly. Could it be that youd like to learn that one for yourself? Well, I She started before nodding slowly. Yeah. Id like to. No need to be shy, I replied happily. Goddess, I know I want it too. I grinned as Elle jumped up to me for a hug, and I petted her while Cellestra started gathering the hides for transport. Well, today was a good day once again. I hope Felmar is going to be able to allocate all these hides were getting. Im actually thinking about keeping one for ourselves. Maybe give one to my parents as well. Well, they do make for lovely gifts. Who wouldnt want something so soft and naturally warm? I dont think you can complain in that regard, I said with a sly smile, making sure to look her in the eyes as we loaded the hides onto my back. I left her giggling softly at that with a smile that always managed to melt my heart. 3.52 Building 4 We decided to keep one of the pelts for ourselves, let Felmar know about it, and inquired about the cost of making it into a blanket. So four pelts at four coins a piece, sixteen gold. The cost for having the fifth one prepared for your own use is five silver coins. He looked at us, awaiting an answer, and I nodded in response. That wasnt an issue at all. That leaves us with fifteen gold and five silver coins to pay out. Would you like to donate any to the guild? You know I will, I said with a smile. But I was wondering if I could donate to specific people. Its your money, He said, giving me a glance from behind his clipboard. You can do with it whatever you want. If you want me to help get it to certain people, Ill gladly help with that. Yeah, I nodded. Id like to donate one gold coin to that person you talked to earlier when we just arrived. The person with the bow that turned in a lioness. Id also like to donate a gold coin to a party consisting of Liare, Servas and Veleth. I believe they have a fourth member, but I dont remember their name. The clerk nodded and scribbled a bunch of words down before fetching our payment. Rest assured this will help them very much in their adventures, He said as he returned with his pouch. Thirteen gold and five silver coins. Thank you for your service to the guild. You should be able to pick up the finished pelt either tomorrow or the day after. We thanked him, and after Cellestra accepted the coins, we made our way to the farm. It was still quite early, but I was confident my mother wouldnt mind making dinner a bit early. It would give us some more time to work on matters at our home which was long overdue. Elira went to play with the spiderlings while the rest of us entered in conversation over some tea before my mom went to make that early dinner. I thanked her for doing it and promised wed have a gift for the both of them soon. Looking forward to it, She replied with a smile. I just hope you didnt go too much out of your way for it. Dont worry about it too much. We didnt. Im glad to see things are going well, My father said. How are things going in the dungeon? Business as usual. Were picking up quite a few skills, but Ill admit it gets a little tedious repeating the same thing over and over. Sure, the money is quite handsome, but you know, I need a challenge. Thing is, Im determined to get these spiders as strong as I can at the same time. That much I have come to know about you. If you want to chase that challenge as some kind of break, and think your spiderlings are getting in the way, I dont mind taking care of them here while youre out. Well, theyre not getting in the way, I said. But I know what you mean. I need to keep them in mind with every action I do in the dungeon. The idea was tempting. I was eager to find out what else could be found in there, and having them stay here would be a blessing when it came to that. Hmmm, I let out as I thought it through. Elle and Shayla skittered up to me, and I petted one while Cellestra petted the other as I thought. Its an interesting offer, I finally said. And they can help out on the farm as well. You dont mind helping, do you? I peered into Elles eyes and she was quick to wave no, as did Shayla. Eliras home tomorrow as well, My dad continued. Im sure theyd be happy to know that too. Elle instantly nodded wildly, then jumped towards my father to hug him. I would miss her, even if it was for a short while, but I felt like a little break from the new standard would be relieving. Okay. I nodded. Lets have them stay here for tomorrow. Cellestra and I will go to the city in the morning, and then the dungeon after that. I crave that weapon enchantment. I said, putting on my most serious face while shooting Cellestra a glance out of the corner of my eye. She was left giggling, while my dad just smiled as he gave Elle the attention she so demanded. After she got enough affection, she darted off to Elira again, who was currently being carried by Myria around the premises. And I highly doubt Elira will mind. I mean, look at that. Shes having the time of her life. He commented. I dont think she could have wished for a more amazing older sister. He looked down at the empty glass in front of him, a smile still on his face, but eyes that were dead serious. And I dont think I could have wished for a more amazing daughter. Dont you dare make me cry, I replied. In a way I was serious, but I told it in a lighthearted manner. I did take in his words, and felt genuine happiness flow through me. I do mean it though, and I dont intend to have you cry. He paused for a few seconds, looking at the sky above. I could almost see him thank Elysa in his mind, but of course, I couldnt know what he was thinking. I didnt wait to, either. Speaking of crying, and I hope you dont mind me asking. Im just curious, can you cry with your other eyes? Dad, they dont even have eyelids. I cant close them, and Im pretty sure I cant shed tears with them, either. Good. Thats relieving. How come? Cellestra asked quietly, seemingly even more curious than me as to why he asked it. The thought of you crying makes me uncomfortable. The thought of you shedding tears from five pairs of eyes would probably scar me. He grinned, but I knew he was serious about this, just like I had been before. It made me realize that perhaps Id gotten that from him. It made me realize that after all those years, despite being reincarnated into another world, and finding happiness and love, there was still a piece of them in me that had now surfaced, resurfaced perhaps. It made me happy, truly happy to know that Id carried it with me all that time and that it hadnt faded away. Goddess knows I already shed too many tears in my old life, even if I was alone at any time I did. But here, I dont have any reason to. He fell silent and just watched Elira play. After a few minutes of watching her race around, Cellestra decided now would be a good time to help her with her training. Together, my father and I watched as she repeated much of the same thing she did while we were in the storage shed. We were still in the very early stages of her training and it was important she got the basics right. Unfortunately, she couldnt continue for too long, but it was enough time for my mom to finish cooking. After another delicious meal, we thanked them and said our goodbyes for the day. I didnt inform Elira about what would happen tomorrow, and when I was about to, I looked at my dad, who gave me a mischievous smile. He knew what I was about to ask, and I could in his eyes: lets surprise her. Oh, she was going to have a great day tomorrow. We collected our belongings from the storehouse and were on our way, eager to continue where we left off. I still had that same sly smile on my face that I had since we left as we arrived. Everything was still where it was when we left, and without hesitation, I went to work, spinning threads between the tree stumps. At the same time, Cellestra started the final work on the sign that had both our names on it, and the spiderlings were left watching. Elle and Shayla were all too eager to help and had started spinning threads of their own, and I was left feeling guilty as I told them that it would be better if I did it all considering my silk was stronger. They were sad they couldnt help, but at least they could understand it. I apologized and continued my work, but at the same time, I tried thinking of something they could do. Then, a strange idea struck me. Cellestra, would it be a good idea to have a second floor? 3.53 Building 5 A second floor, like, a level on top of what we have right now? Cellestra asked, scratching the back of her head while looking at the top of the existing nest. Her eyes then followed the silken lines that were used to connect them to the trees. Dont you think the integrity will suffer too much? How would you even get to the second level? Well have to make new lines, I know, but I think Id just have the others go at it and see what they can come up with. Gives them something to do while I work on these walls. They are eager to show their ability, so why not let them? Elle seemed to love the idea and jumped to give me a hug. Faerith seemed to be energized and started sprinting around the place before skittering on top of the roof. Eager for sure, Cellestra replied. And I figured this would be a great opportunity for them to show me their problem-solving skills. Sure, I can tell them exactly what to do, but what good will that do? I want them to be able to act independently and see what solutions they come up with. If anything, I think having them build a second floor would be a great way to hone their skills, especially when it comes to working together. Those are some valid points. You make it sound like you really thought this through beforehand. She suddenly looked at me with a straight face, a hint of wonder across it. Did you? Nope, I replied with a grin whilst shaking my head. Literally just came up with it now, but hey, I guess having two minds helps? She giggled as Shayla, Myria, and Amarys skittered up to my front, waiting expectantly for me to say something. However, I just shrugged. You can go for it whenever you feel like it. Amarys, you can take charge if you want or need to. Lets see what you can build, shall we? Amarys nodded and led the others up onto the roof, where they walked in circles. As far as I could tell, they were watching closely and measuring, another example of their intelligence. Just the sight of it assured me that they could do this. If, for some reason, their threads did not prove to be adequate enough, there would be no loss here. What they would build was an extension of an existing structure and even if it failed utterly, we wouldnt suffer damage. Well, not in the usual sense, at least. Perhaps the spiderlings would suffer damage in the form of a morale penalty, or doubt in their ability, but if it came to that Id help them get over it. In the meantime, I started my own work by bridging the tree stumps together with some main lines of threads, the bones of what would be a proper and sturdy web. This process alone took longer than Id expected, and it turned out we were lucky wed started working on this early as it took another two hours before the first part was finished. It had cost me quite a bit of energy, and an immense amount of silk to create one wall, but the result was there. A strong web that didnt budge, no matter how much force I applied, now separated the nest from the outside world, well, at least on this side. There were still six more to go During my work on said wall, the spiders hadnt sat idly. Theyd looked closely at the lines going to the trees and had started their work by replicating those. Unfortunately for them, they didnt possess my ability to manipulate them with wind magic, and thus were forced to skitter into the trees, connecting threads, and walk back and forth over and over again until the fundamentals had been done. The one good thing was that there were five of them, so they still managed to get quite a lot done. When I was finished, I took in their work. They were nowhere near finished, but they did have a strong foundation set up. Now, all it would take would be massive amounts of silk to wrap around their base and wed have a dome on top of what we already had. Id let them finish another day and would likely wait for rain before Id even start thinking about removing part of our ceiling to make way to the second floor. I chuckled when I realized that I was hoping for rain soon. Its looking good so far, I commented as they all came down, realizing I had finished and was now looking at their work. Well continue tomorrow. Its starting to get dark and Im quite tired after all that. I petted Elle, who, unsurprisingly, had found the room to hug me again. Great job. I assume there were no issues. Amarys? She shook her pedipalps, and seemed quite happy, that was, as far as I could read a spiders expression. They looked like they had fun, Cellestra added. I completely lost track of time watching them. Heres the sign by the way. Will you place it on the wall? I should have gotten a hammer and nail from my dad, but I suppose some silk will do the trick as well. I covered the back of the sign with as much as I could and then pressed it against the wood, right next to the door. I found it stayed in place without issues, and took a few steps back to watch it from a distance before chuckling a few times and shaking my head. Its quite outdated by now, I said when I looked at Cellestras puzzled expression. Would you like me to make another? She asked earnestly. Id need another piece of wood, though. I feel like it would be fair to have them included. They are part of our little family, after all. As for wood, Ill get that fixed real quick. Without hesitation, I took my halberd to one of the tree stumps and carefully cut off another plaque. Cellestra said she needed it to dry before she could work on it properly, so I figured I might as well do it now so she could hopefully continue with it tomorrow. After cutting it off, and cleaning the rough edges, I took it with us as we headed inside, seeking shelter for the night. A strange day, I commented as I relaxed on the webs. But also a relaxing one, in a way. I hope things remain quiet for a while, Cellestra said as she unpacked a couple of things from her backpack. Her clothes were moved to the dresser once again, and the orb was left next to me to illuminate the nest. After finishing up, she stroked Faeriths head C the poor spider had already gone to sleep at the edge of the room C before placing herself next to my torso, inviting me to hug her. Couldnt agree more, but we know our fates wont allow things to stay this way forever. True as that may be, one can always hope. I kissed her hair before taking her in for the hug she was looking for, my legs assisting in the effort. I then let out a deep sigh, both in relaxation and in worry about what was yet to come. Think we should check with Elysa again sometime soon to see if she was able to find out anything else? If youre ready to take the ritual again, I dont see a reason to not do it, She replied softly. Its been a few days. I think Ill be fine, but maybe its a good idea to have a talk with Soranir first to see if he has any pressing questions for the goddess regarding the matter. Doesnt he visit the shrine quite regularly? Wouldnt the fires burn for him if she wanted to talk to him? Thats a good question actually. My eyes, which had started to slowly close, were suddenly wide open again, thinking about this subject. Soranir could at any point attempt to establish communication with the goddess, even if there were no fires. Hed just have to hope shed accept his audience. Maybe he already has, I continued. I am confident hes thought about this at least once. Dont think it can hurt to check with him. Maybe hes just too busy. That does appear to be a thing, and you certainly didnt take away any of that weight. I really didnt, did I? I closed my eyes and kissed her hair again. I suppose youre right, but lets not worry about it now. Well look into things tomorrow. For now, I think it would be best if we went to sleep. That sounds lovely. She placed her hands on mine and relaxed against me, letting out a soft moan of satisfaction. Good night, Kea. Good night, Cel. 3.54 Mana Bane Morning broke and our routine began. We did skip breakfast to grab some food at our parents place instead. Considering it was a short walk, I felt like just doing this every day. If not for the meal, I loved the company and the opportunity to share details about our upcoming adventures. And it seemed our timing was impeccable. When we arrived at the farm, they were about to eat. It did make me feel slightly guilty to drop in like that, and to interrupt, but my mothers warm smile told me she didnt mind in the slightest. After that, I told them about our plan to explore the dungeon further. And I hoped you wouldnt mind me leaving the spiderlings behind here, I concluded with a smirk as I watched Eliras eyes grow wide. Yay! She immediately exclaimed in ecstasy. She was far faster than me, but I still finished. So yeah, I was thinking they could maybe do some work around here, maybe in the fields, but it seems Elira has different plans. Cant say I blame her. Oh, Im sure shell have the day of her life, My father replied. Some help on the field wouldnt be unwelcome, though. Maybe I can teach them how to weed this time around. Well, Ill leave it up to you. Amarys, I called to the leader of the clutch, who skittered up to and looked at me, waiting patiently for my words. Listen to my parents when Im gone, okay? She nodded yes, and I couldnt help but smile when my little sister started darting around with her arms up in the air, closely followed by Elle and Shayla. Well, have fun yall. Well be back later. We smiled and waved as we made for the city. Today, we were free from the burdens of having five extra beings to watch over. It felt odd in a way as I wasnt used to prioritizing my own wants and needs, but the thought of the spiderlings having fun washed away my doubts. They still had a long way to go before I would feel completely comfortable about taking them, and Id definitely not take them to head into the unknown anytime soon. The unknown I felt the thrill of it starting to run through my body. I was excited to see what was beyond the Firags, but tempered that thought with caution. Whatever was out there, it was sure to use magic. Magic which a certain enchantment would help counter. Now we just hope that things will go smoothly in the city. I dont want this day to suddenly turn sour after such a great start. Have some faith. Well be fine. There it was, her warm, lovely smile that told exactly what she just said with words. When we arrived in the town square, there was another first for us. We had to stand in a queue before Zeariss stand. Apparently, today was a popular day to get new equipment. When it was finally our turn, the blacksmith seemed to be renewed in spirit as he greeted us with a wide smile and expectation written all over his face. When I chuckled at the sight, he placed his hands on his sides and looked me straight in the eyes. I can see youve made a choice. Was it the expensive one? I immediately turned around to see Cellestra giggling. I assume that means that the Mana Bane enchantment is the expensive one, doesnt it? Thats the one, The smith replied. Quite the versatile enchantment. I was hoping you could tell me a bit more about it. First off, its quite expensive, and secondly, the latter part as it is written is rather vague. Ah, yes. She insists on having it that way. I dont even know why myself. He paused for a second as he looked at a longsword on the table before him. As I said, the enchantment is versatile. It absorbs some of the magical properties of spells that it comes into contact with, lessening their effects quite a useful defensive trait. Yet, this energy remains in the weapon for a short duration, causing it to deal additional damage of the spells school. A fireball will make your weapon sear your enemies flesh, yada, yada, yada. Im sure you can imagine the rest. Ohhhh, I let out. That sounds even more interesting than before. Yeah, well, Emeriss skill is significant. One thing you should know if that enchanting is an art, and that their practitioners differ in styles. What Im trying to say is, that each individual in the trade will have a different arsenal of possible enchantments. If youre looking for other options, youd have to find one that suits your needs. I dont know how to thank you. Thats a very useful piece of advice. You look like you could use it. He said with a shrug. You know, since youre not from around here, and you seem unfamiliar with some things. Thats very kind of you. I appreciate that a lot. A friend of the mayor is a friend of mine. Now, lets get down to business, shall we? As soon as he said it, Cellestra reached for her coin pouch and handed it over. Do you see Soranir often? I asked while counting the money on the counter. From time to time. Great guy to talk to, especially when hes had a few drinks. Didnt take him for a drinker, I stated, wondering if Id misjudged the mayors personality. He always seemed to be so busy and serious. To think he even had time left for pleasantries simply amazed me. Its rare. Ill admit that. Mind if I take your weapon? Ill check if Emeris is available for my first batch of weapons today. I handed him my trusty halberd with a nod. Ill be back in a bit with an estimation of how long its going to take. You dont mind waiting a bit, do you? Well, we had plans to go to the dungeon, and Id rather get there sooner than later. If a bit of urgency is possible, Id surely appreciate that. Understood. Ill be back shortly. He left us for the workshop and whistled sharply using his fingers. Several of his employees who were currently not in the process of smithing stood up and followed him inside. Within a minute, they marched in a line, all sorts of weapons in their hands. Up in the front was Zearis with my own armament but also another starmetal weapon in the form of a greatsword. Nice try Zearis, I said soft enough so that only Cellestra heard it. But I dont think Emeris is stupid enough to not know that one of those is mine. Oh, she knows alright, Cellestra said in a seemingly taunting manner. But she doesnt have to deal with us directly. Lets hope her allure for coin is greater than her disgust for us. Twenty gold coins is quite the sum, but I dont know how much she earns on average. Considering Zearis has several batches of weapons that need her attention, I reckon its quite something. But there is no way those weapons will all carry such expensive imbuements. True. Did you hear what he said, by the way? Are you thinking what I think youre thinking about? She said with a smirk. Quite likely, I replied with an equally big smile. It would certainly be interesting to look into enchanting, Cellestra said, confirming she and I were on the same page. But I know very, very little about it. Do you think it will safe, though? I assume youre going to have to use magic. Maybe Hey, Kea, whatcha say we stop by at the shop where we got that spell scroll? The shopkeeper there probably has some books we could dig into. Besides, we were talking about getting some alchemy reagents for me a while back, and he has a few items that would be of use. He probably has more in the back area that I couldnt see. Sure, I dont see why not. Gives us some more things to do, and honestly, Id love for it to work out. Who knows what your style of enchantments will be? Getting a bit ahead there, arent you? She replied with a giggle. Ill try, but I cannot promise anything. Cant hurt to explore, I concluded. But I fear this might take a while to learn, unless your ability is somehow of use here, which we cannot rule out. Zearis reappeared as he and the others walked back empty-handed. He greeted us again and apologized right after. Its going to take about half an hour. Sorry about that. Thats okay, I said. We just thought of something we could just do in the meantime. Well go and do some shopping and come back here. Alright, He responded, nodding. Ill be waiting here for you then. Thank you, Zearis. Take care. With a nod and a wave, Cellestra and I were off, looking to expand our fields of knowledge. 3.55 Testing Finding said shop again turned out to be a bit of a struggle as the way to get there was quite maze-like. We managed, but only after having to reorientate a couple of times. Once there, Cellestra went inside with the remainder of our money and an awfully empty backpack. We had made it a habit to try to leave as many things back in the nest as possible so we could carry more loot from the dungeon with us. Now, if only we could get our hands on some new treasure. It had been a while. Either way, it was useful right now as it seemed Cellestra was fully intent on filling it up to the brim with whatever she could get her hands on. And she was at it for a while. I waited for what felt like the greater part of an hour before the door swung open again, showing a certain elf with the most guilty expression Id seen from her. I chuckled at the sight of it and then noticed her bulging backpack. Give it to me straight, I said with a smile. How bad is it? I spent everything we had left. Youre not mad, are you? Mad? I couldnt get mad at you, and this is one of the most useful ways to spend money. Always calculative, She replied with a relieved smile. But I think you too will like what I got. You do realize you just created a problem, right? She suddenly looked at me with genuine shock, a reaction so hilarious I couldnt help but giggle. I kind of want to see you use whatever you just got, but weve already made arrangements for the day. Now I cant wait for when were done. If you want to watch me use them, we should consider getting a table to put down outside. I dont believe you can see me through the silk, despite all those eyes. I cant, and that sounds like a good idea, except that we are out of money, unless we decide to purchase one after our dungeon run. Were bound to end up making some cash, right? I gave it a bit more thought while Cellestra hopped onto my back, the added weight was definitely noticeable. You know what, I just got an even better idea. If my parents are up for it, Id like to get their table and give them money to buy a brand new one. That way, we know we have one that can remain outside without issues and it saves us a trip to the city. Youre so impatient when youre excited, She replied with a warm smile. And your wiggling ears are cute, but sure, if your parents are up for that, why not? I just hope they dont get annoyed by all the gifts theyre getting. Its strange, but its one of my concerns. Youre just the generous kind, She replied with a soft voice before sadness filled her eyes, and looked down. How was that before? Did they not get to know that part of you before you were separated? I closed my eyes and faced the sky, allowing my other head to do the navigating as I thought about her questions, trying to dig up what little I remembered. Yet, no matter how much I thought about it, no matter how much time passed like this (and a fair amount passed without either of us saying a word) I came up empty-handed. Im sorry if that was a tough question, She finally whispered, causing me to shake my head in response. It was tough, but dont be sad. I dont think I can answer that question, but I dont think they knew I was like that. I mean, I only just recently have become able to be generous. What could I possibly have given them that had material value when I was eight years old? Very little, I suppose. Maybe thats why its so awkward for me. Not too long ago, in their memory, they were still providing for me, and now its safe to say that things have changed quite a bit in that regard. At least they dont look like they will cause a fuss about it. Hm, I replied in the form of a chuckle. Not so much no. Still, you have no idea how grateful I am to have a place to rest after running around in the dungeon, and to have the most amazing meals to boot. I have an idea, She said, smiling widely. I chuckled and continued my way back to the smith. Zearis was already back and hard at work instructing one of his apprentices. The moment we arrived at his unmanned stand, we heard him curse and take over the work of his student, hammering away in quick succession at what was supposed to be a longsword. Finally, he allowed the other man to continue as he turned to acknowledge us and then turned away again to head inside the shop attached to the workplace. He returned with my weapon which now had a slight purple glow surrounding the blade. I was captivated and had a hard time taking my eyes off of it. Only when Cellestra tapped my back did I break out of my stupor to watch the smiths grin at my reaction. Im glad you like what you see. And Im glad everything worked out. I was a bit worried about it. Dont be. Im pretty good at working things out with Emeris. I wont hold you up any longer. I can see youre eager to try it out, and well, I got a new apprentice that I need to babysit. Take care. Take care, Zearis, and thank you. With a nod, he turned around before sprinting to the anvil. Obviously, his new student had messed up again, but I didnt stick around to find out what it was. Who knew, he might just hit his finger if he turned around and saw me. I was amused at the thought and ran my hand across the halberds blade as we left the citys center. There was something in the steel that seemed to react to my touch. It was prickly but at the same time, warm. During my discovery process of enchantments, I heard giggling behind me. I know, I know, I commented as I looked at my own face from down below to see my ears wiggling rapidly. I cant help it, okay? Im not blaming you. I think its adorable. I didnt take my hand off my weapon until we reached home, where Cellestra unloaded all of the equipment shed bought and took it inside. Unfortunately for me, everything was tightly wrapped in paper so it wouldnt get damaged during transport which left me disappointed, my curiosity unsatisfied. Lastly, there were a couple of books that had to do with both alchemy and enchanting. I hoped they would be of use. When everything was safely tucked away inside and the curtain door closed, we made our way to the dungeon. Im wondering if we should have a test run on Firags, but at the same time, Id have to allow it to hit me in order to find out. Perhaps its safer to start with those lizards? Those fireballs dont go through my barrier, I said as we stepped into the dungeon and started a sprint through the steppe. Go for it, Was all Cellestra said, nodding. Id already stated that this was the safe way, and of course, she wouldnt disagree. A few minutes later, we entered the fields, searching for prey, and it didnt take long before we had caught the attention of exactly what we were looking for. Then, a hot spot in my thermal vision suddenly appeared, causing me to turn, my weapon held out against the source of the heat, with a fire wall and my multi-barrier behind it. A fireball struck the blade and then my secondary defense. When another cold spot appeared, I was quick to retaliate and shot a flurry of icicles in return, catching the animal by surprise which fell dead a few yards out as it shimmered and faded out of invisibility. My attention, though, was elsewhere. I was currently looking at the tip and edge of my halberd, which was faintly glowing red as a result of absorbing part of the spell. When I touched it, there was still the same prickly feeling as before, except it was more intense, but also warm. I like what I see, but now, Id like to do the same thing again. Are you ready? Im always ready except when Im not. I giggled. Smooth. 3.56 Orange Faragi We hunted another phasing lizard, and then another. Each time I intercepted a fireball with my blade, I felt the lingering effect in the metal grow stronger. After about an hour of hunting these creatures, it seemed to have reached its zenith. My weapons edge was searing hot, even for me, and it seemed no further kills increased its efficacy. Not only did it feel hot, but it was also visible, for the usual blue with a slight purple glow was now almost entirely white, with a red outline along the edges. Satisfied with the preliminary testing results, we ventured deeper into the dungeon until wed left the area where these nasty ambushing lizards roamed, and took a break to replenish our energy and mana pools. After a few minutes, I noticed a slight change in temperature in the weapon. It was slowly cooling off over time, the absorbed energies dissipating as was expected. Nonetheless, we, me especially, were happy with the results. In prolonged combat, particularly against foes using spells, this enchantment would really shine, and we hadnt even seen the secondary effect yet. That prompted another question: would using this enchantment allow me to kill those tree enemies without shattering their orbs? Then again, even if I could, would it have any use? I couldnt eat wood so they didnt have anything to offer me in terms of strength. We then went on to fulfill our intentions: explore beyond the Firag fields. We actively tried to avoid coming into contact with the blazing deer creatures but kept them in the back of our minds as we would hunt one on our way back. At least they werent nearly as aggressive as the hippos on the second floor, so sneaking past was easy. The fields were vast, and there was no end in sight, which I found odd, to say the least. Id expected the floor to end somewhere soon, possibly after whatever lurked here if we could find that. There was nothing to be seen, and I came to a sudden halt as I felt a shiver run down my spine. I hate this, I stated clearly. I hate not being able to see what were up against. Is there anything nearby? I cant tell. I sure as hell dont see anything. Then, in the blink of an eye, a green vine shot upward from the earth before coming directly at me. A swing from my halberd was quick enough to sever it, but multiple others had appeared. Not this shit again, I complained, referring to the roots the living trees had used against me, although those had been far, far slower, and more cumbersome. Fortunately for me, these were not protected, and although quick, they still withered quickly when I started using fire. Even small fireballs, flung in quick succession were enough to burn through the weeds. And I knew from experience that the best way to fight this type of enemy was to constantly be on the move. The only difference this time was that I had no idea what entity the vines connected to, or where it was. I created some distance between me and where the vines had popped up to inspect the field, to try to notice anything. Our adversary was either invisible, like the lizards, or underground. And that last one made much more sense to me. The only question was: where? I traced the shriveled appendages back, trying to find their source but found that they had appeared from such haphazard and random locations that it was impossible for me to see them connected to one, central structure. I charged through the area, swiping my blade through whatever weeds made themselves known, and using fireballs on those that tried to entangle my legs from the other side. If nothing else, I hoped this would at least weaken the plant-based monster. At least I assumed that was what it was. Id say it was a safe bet. Unfortunately for me, it also seemed to anger our target as that was when the spitting thorns happened. Large barbs were fired from new, and apparently hollow vines from all directions and in rapid succession. I could only manage to block so many of them with my double ice wall and my main target of protection was Cellestra. They didnt seem too deadly regarding pure penetrative power, but when I saw their impact on the walls, I noticed they were laden with toxins, their contents splattering all over the place. I did the only thing I could do and continued hacking everything that moved down. Not sure what would be the better place to weed, here or the fields at the farm, I stated in the brief respite we got. This is getting ridiculous. What is this thing even? No idea, but it has to be killable, right? She reacted with a nod, just as the next wave of tendrils surfaced. These were much thicker and slower than the others, and a set of twelve of them converged at us from a near-perfect circle. I immediately broke out of the encirclement and took down one large root with fire, and another with my halberd. Cellestra also burned one to a crisp with a large fireball. Strangely enough, the roots didnt aim for us, and instead, continued their advance to a central point where they intertwined and grew upward. I was about to charge again when I saw a green orb starting to grow quickly on top of the tendrils. Not knowing what was going on, I opted to take a defensive stance and wait it out, hoping that this would herald the revelation of our enemy. Instead, I saw the temperature of the object rise rapidly, and knowing what it could mean, I faced it and put up two barriers, one fire, and one ice behind it. Not a moment too soon as the orb shattered and exploded, sending a wave of strange, green flames in all directions. When the heat faded, I saw numerous barbs embedded in the ice. They had bypassed the fire wall due to the nature of their attack which left me feeling satisfied with my precaution. However, there was no time to celebrate. The roots that had congregated at the center were dead and withered from the powerful attack, yet the plant seemed to ready another similar attack as I saw the same thick vines emerge from the ground and crawl their way to a central point. Oh no you dont, I exclaimed as I charged forward, taking down several vines with my blade while Cellestra cast several well-aimed fireballs, completely obliterating a multitude of them as well. Within the span of just a few seconds, we managed to destroy all the appendages, yet another orb on a single vine rose upward from the center of the dead foliage. It too was green in color, but much less bright. In fact, it was nothing more than white with the slightest tint of green. This time, I didnt allow any time for it to ready its attack as I sliced through the stem in the blink of an eye. This, in turn, caused a tremor to run through the ground, followed by another, and then another. Without hesitation, I quickly skittered backward as I had traced the origin to be directly beneath the object that Id just severed. Then, from beneath the dirt, a bulbous orange object surfaced, pushing its way through the dirt. As it forced its way up, its shape and material became clearer. I was looking at what appeared to be a giant pumpkin. What the actual Was all I managed to say before tens of vines surfaced with it, surrounding the massive vegetable in the center. As soon as I took a step closer, they reacted and one lashed out at me. I cut it in two before it could hit me from above and tossed the severed vine aside with a leg. It would appear we found what we were looking for, Cellestra said. It would seem that way. Now what? Burn it? Sounds like a reasonable solution, She said, creating a large fireball before flinging it at the plant monster. But things were never as simple as they seemed. Before the spell could impact the creature, it shattered on an invisible barrier, and in reaction to the aggression, the being used its many roots to cover its heart in a cocoon of sorts. Yet, there were plenty more roots at its disposal as more and more emerged from the ground, and I recognized some of them as the ones that shot venomous barbs earlier. I quickly put up my walls again, blocking the incoming barrage as I created distance between us to think about a plan of assault. Whatever it is, its got at least one barrier, and means of attacking from range. I would suggest taking out those vines first as they didnt seem to be protected earlier. What do you say? You block, I attack? Cellestra asked. Yeah. Ill assist where I can. Sounds good. Lets go. 3.57 Spooky We fought defensively, as was our go-to attitude towards new and yet unknown fights and enemy patterns. I ran as swiftly as I could while still making sure Cellestra remained steady in the saddle. It added to our maneuverability, and despite our size, I rarely got hit by any attacks, and the few that did manage to go through my initial defenses hardly scratched my multi-barrier. Cellestra didnt get hit at all and inflicted great damage on our adversary. Roots burned and withered and others were cut off cleanly by my halberd. It wasnt the most difficult task, but it was certainly a long one. There were tens of vines that shot barbs, and even after wed cut those down, there were tens more. That part was easy, though, or well, it was supposed to be. After the last spitting vine had died, however, the ones that remained suddenly turned black, and it wasnt because they were burned. They didn''t seem to wither or anything either, which had me puzzled. When I skittered next to one and tried to cut it, all my weapon met was a rock-hard surface. It would seem the vines had crystallized or something. I didnt know what was going on. What I did know was that it neither seemed nor felt like there was a barrier protecting them. I reckoned that in itself meant there was little use trying to continue to hit them since Id only dull my blade and acquire nothing. What a strange creature to fight. I distanced myself from it once more, trying to think things over. This thing had to have a weak spot somewhere, I was certain of that. It was either that or wed hit our limit in ability, and I for one refused to accept that this was where it ended. Those Firags started to feel surprisingly easy at this point. Sure, they had their own danger, but the apparent difference in difficulty between them and this thing, whatever it was, was overwhelming. I could kill one of those with one single, quick strike from my blade and wed already fought this thing for well over a quarter of an hour and accomplished seemingly nothing. No, the difference was too great. Had we overlooked something? I took a good look around, but there was nothing that caught my interest, so I slowly skittered back to the central growth and did the most obvious thing to me. I swung my blade and was surprised to see it cut through the vines encapsulating the pumpkin. The moment I did so, the other appendages shot upward and were brought down on the grass with force, revealing the orange bulb once more. Seeing my chance, I cut them one by one, not wasting any mana on the issue at hand. When that was all done, I struck the pumpkin once more. Again, I was met with a barrier absorbing my weapons impact and backed off slightly after that, waiting to see if anything were to happen. Ten seconds passed and there had been no sign of aggression, prompting me to strike the barrier again. There was still no reply and for lack of other things to attack, I continued whacking, trying to break it, hoping my weapons new enchantment would assist in the task. Eventually, the barrier shattered. Thousands of pieces of transparent glass were sent flying in every direction, but they werent dangerous as they evaporated into thin air in a fraction of a second as the spells energy was depleted. This left us with just the pumpkin to go. It was as easy to hack away at it as it seemed. It wasnt much more than the vegetable I knew and hated. I was all too happy to try to slay something as disgusting as a pumpkin. Id been forced to eat it too much back in the orphanage and despite losing so many memories, I was furious that that one had stuck. At least the anger from remembering that made quick work of my new arch-nemesis. Before I knew it, Id cut it to ribbons, and Id hardly noticed the message that had shown up. It wasnt until Cellestra tapped my back that I realized I was trying to kill a corpse. Im sorry. I kind of lost myself there. That was stupid. Are you okay? She asked softly. I am. It seems like its dead. I sighed and asked Elysa to show me the message again. You have killed a Cucurpepo: No Experience was earned. Achievement Earned: Halfway Through the Trials. Defeat the middle boss of the Proving Grounds Dungeon. You have been awarded 300 EP. I suppose that explains things, I let out after another deep sigh. That wasnt just any monster, it was the damn floor boss. Floor boss? Cellestra exclaimed, not sounding surprised in the slightest. Yeah, that does explain a few things. And as far as I can tell, this is the halfway point of the dungeon. At least, thats what this achievement says. Its called halfway through the trials and it requires me to kill the middle boss of the dungeon. Three more floors to go? By the goddess, theres quite some challenges ahead of us then. Yup, I replied as I looked at the mess wed created. Suddenly, the black roots shifted back to a more natural green color, causing me to jump back in caution. After turning green they seemed to pulsate one more time as something seemed to travel through them like a ripple towards the destroyed pumpkin. Then, just as quickly as they had changed colors, they changed to dark brown as they shriveled and died. What was that all about? Cellestra asked, just as confused as me. No clue, but its already dead according to my blessing, so I assume its nothing bad? Still, I didnt dare approach the orange vegetable. Then again, I didnt have the need either. I was rewarded for my caution as the entire thing exploded. An explosion from within sent yucky orange paste flying everywhere. I was fast enough to put up two ice walls to block my front, but despite my best efforts, some of the pulp still landed on my rear. The rain of food eventually ended, and when it did, it left a metallic cylinder on a pedestal of shriveled roots behind. Even though my vision was excellent, I narrowed my eyes and had to do a double take to make sure my eyes werent deceiving me. A metal rod? What the? I let out, wholly unsure what was going on. Looks like it. Some kind of treasure? I cant imagine it being anything else, but what kind of treasure is that? I skittered closer, as cautious as ever to inspect the strange object. It truly was nothing but a thick steel rod, about a foot long and two thumbs wide. I pushed it with the tip of my weapon, and as one would expect with a piece of steel, it simply fell to the ground. Nothing seemed to be off about it. Well, that does look like treasure. I suggest asking Felmar about it. Good idea. I picked up the object and as soon as I did, I felt an odd sense of nausea as I saw a sudden shift in the world around me. The vast fields before us disappeared and in its place, a natural wall of granite appeared. Much like the one on the second floor, it had a doorway that, according to what I knew, would lead to the next floor. What the I let out. I looked at Cellestra who seemed to experience the same as me. She was looking around as well at the sudden change in surroundings and was just as baffled as me. Wow, She let out. Thats weird. You dont know what it is? You have more dungeon experience than me. Fair. I chuckled as I continued to stare at the object. It was clear that this thing had something to do with unlocking the way to the next floor so to say. Our question was answered, yet Id still like to talk to Felmar about the specifics of the item and what it can tell us about further dungeon exploration. That was interesting, though. The fight I mean, I said, concluding things here as I checked if there was any more loot or treasure. When I was certain there was nothing, I slowly started making my way back. Wonder if your enchantment did much there? Yeah, but I guess its hard to know. Ive never fought one of those without. Lets just go with yes, it did quite a bit of work. Sounds reasonable. Also, I think you may need a proper bath when we get home. She pointed at my abdomen, which was tainted by pulp and seeds. My once beautiful white was completely ruined by the orange gore. I sighed at the sight. Gods, I hate pumpkin. 3.58 Yuck! Cellestra had initially giggled at the comment but after making our way back, and slaying a Firag, which I dragged back behind us (minus its head as that had been severed) I could see in her eyes that she was lost in thought. Kea? She finally asked with her soft voice. Hm? You said you hated pumpkins. May I ask if it has to do with your previous life? Of course, I nodded. And yes, it does have to do with it. Unfortunately, Ive had too much of it, to the point where I dont think Ill ever enjoy it again. In fact, I never enjoyed it. I felt my mood sour just thinking about it. I hid it as best I could and remained calm, but I was sure Cellestra had noticed my change in demeanor. Sounds like you had an awful time back there. I sighed, deeply. Well, you know the story. I wish I could forget more than I already have, but its whatever at this point. She nodded and we didnt speak another word until wed reached the entrance and exited the dungeon. I still had the strange, steel object in my hand, my attention not leaving it. When I knocked on the door, I was more than glad to see Felmar appear with his clipboard in hand, as usual. Glad to see the two of you are doing okay, He said as he started scribbling as he muttered: One fully intact Firag. He then resumed in his normal voice. Seems you didnt get out of that unscathed. Congratulations on defeating the floor boss, though. Well, we are unscathed. I just couldnt avoid getting messy. I then held up the object we found. I have the feeling you know more about this than me. Mind sharing some wisdom? Its a key, He stated matter-of-factly. And youre quite lucky to find that. It allows access to the fourth floor of the dungeon without having to kill the boss on the third floor. Lucky to find it? Is it rare? And what did you say about not having to kill the boss? Is this item not necessary to continue? My barrage of questions had the clerk smiling slightly as he finished writing. About one in ten kills will yield one. One could call that rare. To answer your other question, no, you don''t need this to advance. When the boss dies, some time passes, and the way to the next floor will be opened. If you have the key, you can see the way forward and choose to ignore the boss. Huh, thats interesting to know. Thanks a lot. Glad to be of help. Im sure youll be delighted to hear your pelt is ready as well. Very much so, I said with a smile. Alright. Ill get that and your payment. I nodded and watched him disappear inside before my eyes traveled back to the rod. A key, huh? I mean, it makes sense. It does, Cellestra replied. But its not the typical type of key, thats for sure. Yeah, no kidding. Like, there has to be some kind of magic in here, right? Well, Ive been staring at it ever since I got it, and I still cannot figure it out. I dont see or sense anything. Cellestra shrugged and smiled. Hey, as long as it works, right? I chuckled and finally handed the object over so she could stash it away. In return, she gave me the now-empty pouch we used to store our money. Should we try to fill this one up a bit more tomorrow? I asked. Ill be honest, it feels awkward to be broke. Good thing it doesnt last long. Perhaps. Could be a good opportunity for the little ones to acquire more abilities as well. It kind of sucks to not know how much time we have before things get out of hand in the south. We should probably ask Soranir for an update sometime soon, but I dont think enough time has passed for things to be that evolved yet. Okay, Kea, Cellestra said with a straight face before taking a pause and a deep breath. I feel like youre putting too much on your plate. I get that you want to exploit your blessing as much as you possibly can, but dont feel like youre solely responsible for this, nor think youre the one that has to fix it. Youve heard the mayor, there are going to be many people involved in this. We should accept things as they are and learn to rely on them. Youre right, I said with a deep sigh. And I know that, too. I get your worries. Im worried too, but we simply cant move the world. Were doing as much as we can as it is. I nodded in agreement. True. Theres very little we can do at the moment except what we have been doing all this time. The only thing I can imagine is to donate more money, but Id like to talk with Soranir about that, maybe give it to him directly. Just make sure you keep enough for yourself, okay? I know you dont care too much, but its important to spend some on yourself too. I get it, I get it, I said as Felmar returned. I didnt like talking about this topic, but it did help a bit to calm my nerves. The mayor had talked about an operation of unprecedented scale earlier, after all. He deserved my confidence. The clerk held out a neatly folded Firag pelt in front of him with four gold coins on top of it. Just the sight of it made me almost forget about what wed just talked about, and I soon ran my fingers through the soft, warm hairs. I just knew my mother would love this. Its even better than I expected. Thank you so much, I said as I took the coins and then the fur coat. And I thank you for your service to the guild, as usual. Have a great rest of the day. Thanks, Felmar. Take care. I couldnt resist running my hands through the fur and then compare it to my own, the sight of which made Cellestra giggle. Were definitely going to get some more of this, I said. Somehow they made it even softer than it was before. Can I feel it? Sure. Just dont get it dirty. I gave her the items and smiled as I watched her do the exact same thing while making my way back to the farm. You know, I do wonder how things are going with my parents, whether the spiderlings are able to work the fields now. Im certain they are, Cellestra replied. They are very quick learners, after all. True. When we got there, however, the fields were unmanned, and those in charge were just relaxing at the table, drinking tea, while Shayla was running around, Elira on her back, followed closely by Faerith. The sight was as cute as always. Just as cute was Elle, who was the first to notice me and sprinted towards me to take me in for a hug. When she did, she caught my mothers attention, whose eyes immediately fell on my orange-smeared abdomen. Its fine, I said as I approached. Its just pumpkin. That wiped the worried look off of her face, as well as my dads. Yes, we fought a giant pumpkin monster. I know its hard to believe, but thats what happened. Took some collateral damage in the process. Pumpkin My father started. Monster? My mother finished his sentence. I nodded. Told you its hard to believe. Ill take a nice bath later to clean it. How are things here? I thought you were going to work the field? Already done, My father said with a grimace, which only intensified when he saw me look at him with large eyes, and not the ones below my waist. It only took a few minutes to teach your spiders what a weed was. After that, it was childs play. Having so many eyes, arms and legs certainly speeds things up. Told you, Cellestra said, smiling from ear to ear as she jumped off my back. Sis! Elira shouted as she ran up to me. Youre orange! What happened? Would you believe me if I said we fought a giant pumpkin monster that exploded when it died? Woah! A pumpkin monster? That sounds scary! It was for a moment, but we took it down in the end. Did I ever tell you I hate pumpkins? You do? So do I! Mom made some a while ago and it was just yuck! I couldnt help but laugh out loud, and even louder when I looked at my mothers quizzical expression. Id have to explain later that it had nothing to do with her cooking skills. Goddess knows they were the best I knew. The little girl took me in for a hug and I patted her as I let out a sigh at her carefree and infectious wonder. Part of me hoped I was exactly like her when I was young. 3.59 Past & Future Anyway, I finally said. Im sure you noticed this lovely pelt. Its from one of the Firags we killed. We had it treated and brought it to you as a gift. I held it out for her and saw her eyes grow wide with joy as she took a closer look, and just as I had before, ran her hand through it. Its so soft, She then repeated my exact words. Its beautiful. Thank you. Aaand, if you dont mind, and I know this sounds weird, wed like to purchase this table. What? Why? She asked, confused. We are going to do some work on our home tonight, and Cellestra is going to experiment a bit and wed like her to have a surface to work on, and neither of us felt like going to the city for it. Well make sure you get plenty to buy a new one if its no issue. Thats generous for sure, but at the same time, I can understand, and you seem to not care too much about the money. One perk we get to enjoy. She looked at my father who replied with a quick nod, not having to think twice about the offer. Well, I suppose shopping for a new table isnt the worst. Well go to the city for a new one tomorrow then. Thanks, mom, I replied with a warm smile, thankful for her assistance. No worries, sweetie. How is it looking anyway? Can we visit sometime soon? Theres still quite a lot of work to do, unfortunately. I hope we can get things sorted quickly and have something great to show in a couple of days. Hope its not a problem. Of course not. Take your time. Ill go make dinner so you can get working on it sooner. She ruffled my hair and smiled before taking the pelt inside. Shall we do some training? Cellestra then said, causing Eliras ears to stand up straight when she heard the words. It left me giggling softly at the sight. Yes! She said excitedly. But will it be more of the same? Afraid so, The mentor replied. I told you, this is probably the most important part. Its crucial that you understand it fully as anything you cast will draw upon this knowledge, and if there are any faults in it, well, things can go wrong. Her words carried more meaning than Elira could know for Id seen what could happen if things went wrong. Given things went wrong for a different reason, but still. I hoped it wouldn''t affect Cellestras ability to teach, but I trusted her when she said that this was the most basic of basics and that there was no risk involved. I watched both of them going at it while I sat with my father, drinking a cup of tea and just enjoying the sight. The spiderlings had created a circle around them and were just all too curious about what was going on in front of them. How are you feeling? He eventually asked. Do you want the short or the long version? Whatever you feel like telling. Its Im happy. Im happy to have you around again. Coming here after going through the dungeon always lifts my mood. But? He said, clearly reading the emotion in my words. But, despite all the happiness I we have, it feels like theres an enormous weight on my shoulders. Cellestra and I talk about it from time to time, and I understand theres very little I can do more than I already am, but I still worry about it. He sighed and peered into his half-empty cup of tea. I wish I knew how to help you with that, but that goes beyond anything Ive ever learned when it comes to parenting. All I can say, or ask is that you stay safe, and I know I cant keep you out of danger, thats not who you are. I did come to learn that in the little time Ive got to re-know you. Its weird, I said softly. This whole concept about dying, then coming to a different world, to meet you again. I shook my head. I cant even put into words what I wanted to say. Just take it easy. Take a deep breath, then try again. Thank you, I said as I did what he said. What I wanted to say was about this parenting. I lost you at a young age, and then when I showed up again, I was already an adult. Does that make you feel you missed out on something? I dont know how to say it. Of course it does. I havent told you before, but your mom cried the night we met you again. She was a mess, partially because of what you just said, and partially because, well, lets be honest, Elysa did quite a number of us. You mean with her magic and your memories? He nodded. That was quite the experience. I wouldnt want to go through that again. I can imagine. Id feared as much when she first told me about how her curse of sorts worked. Happy to see things go well with mom now, though. Well, she has been fine. It was only at that moment that she had a little breakdown. Other than that, shes all too proud to have someone like you as her daughter, even if she didnt get to raise you all the way. My gaze returned to Elira, who had her eyes closed, with Cellestras hands on her forehead. She was trying to focus long and hard, and eventually, the brunette started smiling. Something had obviously gone well. You know, I continued, quietly. I dont think it comes as a surprise, but I see me in her, and I like to think that youd have done the same with me, and it just makes me warm inside. In a way, its as if I get to see myself grow up, but in a happy way this time. As things should have been. I understand what you mean. But at the same time, I refuse to feel pity for myself. Things happened and cannot be changed. What does matter is that shes my little sister, and shes adorable. She is, huh? My dad replied with a large smirk. Most definitely. Cellestra and the girl in question were doing the same thing again and again, but it didnt become boring to look at. They appeared to be making progress from the expressions on their faces, but eventually, it seemed they had had enough as they walked back to us. Or well, Cellestra walked; Elira ran as always. How did it go? I asked as she came to a halt before me, with Elle skittering up behind her to take her in for a hug. Great. I could finally feel something. It feels so odd, though! Were getting there, Cellestra clarified. Slowly, but that was to be expected. She could feel her own mana for just a second. The next step is going to be her holding on to it for longer, before trying to have it go where she wants it to go. What one must do to cast spells, I said with a grin. I cant believe how troublesome it is. Yeah, well, we cant all get blessed by a goddess, I suppose, Cellestra replied as dryly as she could, but she was unable to hide her smile. It didnt take long for it to grow into a giggle when I looked at her. Anyway, She said. I can use my magic on her for longer now, but its still a bother. I cannot keep my spell up for too long, and again, I dont want to force it either. Well just have to go as far as we can every time without pushing things. She took a little pause before she seemed to remember something. I suppose it wouldnt hurt to use that sparkstorm spell some more. You at least know what youre looking for now. Maybe that can help you in recognizing your mana. Its worth a shot. Sure! Elira replied excitedly. Can I do that now? Dad? I dont see why not. Just be careful. I will! With that, she sprinted off a few yards before coming to a halt with Elle and Shayla immediately coming up to observe the upcoming show. Shes quite a handful, isnt she? My father asked, pouring another cup. He then gestured the teapot towards an empty glass and received a nod from Cellestra. Its nothing, She affirmed to him. I enjoy doing this. Ive sat on this knowledge for years and to have a student I dont know, it feels pretty nice. I wonder if Rose felt the same way. Im gonna go ahead and say its very likely. From what I heard, the company you provided her alone was priceless. Youre right. Thank you for reminding me, Kealyna. That makes me happy. 3.60 Sales & Concoctions Faragi In the process of moving to a different apartment so updates are going to be slow for a bit. Sowwy :( Cellestra fell silent after that and drank her tea in peace as we all watched Elira literally play with fire. My spiderlings were captivated by the show of magic but at the same time, were smart enough to keep their distance. Not too much later, the small window to the kitchen opened and my mother notified us that dinner was almost ready. My dad, like the gentleman he was, immediately headed inside to help. Dinner was simple, consisting of veggies and potatoes but it didnt take away from the fact that it was still delicious. During it, we caught my mom up on Eliras progression, which filled her with pride and gratefulness. I could read that much in her eyes. So, My dad started after dinner was finished. What are your plans for tomorrow if I may ask? Im not sure. We found a key that grants access to the fourth floor of the dungeon, but I dont know if we want to go there quite yet. Weve been thinking about visiting the other dungeon sometime soon. Im curious what creatures lurk inside, and moreover, what abilities we can obtain from them. Expanding our arsenal is our main goal, and I think well continue doing that tomorrow. At the same time, were making good money, though, we appear to be spending it just as quickly. And here I was hoping to have some helping hands tomorrow, He joked. Do you have that much work to do in the fields? Not at all. In fact, we did several days of work in one the other day. The landowner has been more than happy about all of this. So much in fact that hes given us a raise. Thats amazing to hear. My mother returned after cleaning the table and I took a deep breath, preparing myself to ask a question that had been on my mind for a while. Elira was already back to playing with the spiders leaving me free to talk about the more serious things. Mom, dad, I started, pausing momentarily until I had their full attention. Do you think theres a chance you can, you know, own this place? You mean, the building and land? My father replied, his expression changing to one of utmost seriousness while placing a hand on his chin. That is something wed like to work to. Despite being given quite a lot of freedom, its not quite the same as owning it all. Its not quite the same as what we had before. Do you know if hes willing to sell it? I dont know about that. Hed have to get a really good offer to even consider doing such a thing. Dont tell me you were planning on buying it. You know damn well thats why Im asking. He leaned back in his chair and heaved a deep sigh. Im not talking about the near future, I clarified. Our money is going to go to several more pressing short-term investments first, but you know, maybe somewhere down the line I get it, He said. And I would like to respond with you should buy a house for yourself first but you are in an extraordinary position in that regard. Ill ask. I have the feeling thats what were getting towards anyway. Thanks, dad, I replied with a warm smile, before knocking on the table. How much does a table like this cost? Couple of silvers, at most. Great, I replied. Cellestra, lets give them our cash and start from a clean sheet again. Lets focus on that tomorrow and, I turned to my parents again. Could you perhaps arrange a conversation with Soranir sometime soon? Well visit him tomorrow morning. Works done for the week anyway, so we have plenty of time. Thank you. Cellestra placed the four gold coins in my fathers hand. He was left staring at it before he sighed once more while slightly shaking his head. Just get something nice, okay? I said. That wont be an issue with this much money. Eh, its whatever. Thank you both so much for dinner. I think its safe to say that Cellestra and I both are looking forward to what youll get. My father chuckled, and my mother merely nodded, looking for words. Can we help you with moving this one? She finally asked. We just need to get it on my back. I dont foresee the rest being an issue. Even this shouldnt be hard with legs this flexible. Cellestra grinned as I used my powerful tools to lift the object and place it on my giant abdomen. See? Easy as that. Well, My father said before chuckling. Take good care of it. Oh, we most certainly will. Thank you so much. We bid them goodbye for the day and promised to be back in the morning the following day. As we left, Cellestra and I both couldnt help but giggle at the large eyes that Elira was giving us, with the table being the reason. I had to admit, it did look quite funny. You wanted the table to be dug in right? I asked when we were almost home. Yeah, Ill use one of the pelts to sit on. At least, that was my plan. Alright. And thus started another afternoon of improving our living conditions. It started by assigning the spiderlings their task again of working on the second floor of the nest while I prepared the table and then went on to wash myself. I was relieved to see the orange mess get out of my hair without leaving any trace behind. I had been worried about leaving it in for so long, but fortunately, it was no match for pressurized, warm water. Once I was fully freed, I allowed it to dry in the warm sun while preparing to work on the wall. And by prepare, I meant watching Cellestra place all kinds of paper-wrapped instruments on the table. Okay, I was distracted, and rightfully so. I had seen her backpack bulge, but I had no idea there was this much. Few items I recognized such as empty potions, several candles, books, and some ingredients which she had with her. Then, there were incredibly weird shapes of glassware with long necks and tubes coming from them. I was sure there was a reason behind their design and figured Id find out sooner or later. So is this what those laboratories look like? Thats what they call them, right? Where they make potions and do alchemical research. Hah! She let out loud, in a manner that was so unlike her that it even caught her off guard. No. I dont think so at least. I dont know. Ive never been in one. I was told they have much more delicate equipment, but these are the instruments that I know how to operate. I see. Well, dont hesitate to talk about what you are doing step by step. Ill make sure to keep an eye on you maybe more than one. She snickered softly at my bad attempt at a joke and continued preparing things while I did my own work on the wall. Well, if you want to know, I want to make a salve, the same one that I used on you all the way back when wed just met. Its quite simple and one of the herbs I need grows nearby. Im just preparing the other thing I need. Could I get a bit of water from you? She held up an empty glass, which I filled when she got to me, and then placed it on a metal burner stand over the small flame. We wait until it boils, and then we add a bunch of dried herbs I took with me from home. She pulled out a small pouch from her backpack and added the contents as soon as the water reached the desired temperature. And then we collect the fresh herbs that I mentioned before. She waited a few seconds, staring at the concoction, before she made her way over to the plants and grass surrounding the clearing. It didnt take long for her to return with several large leaves, which she tore into small pieces before adding them to the water. As it was cooking, she brought out another reagent Id never seen before. It looked like some kind of long, thin candle. She broke off a little off the tip and let it drop into the mix. And then we add a bit of thickener so well end up with an actual ointment when it is cooled down. And thats it? Thats it, She said. Simple as that. You just need to know what ingredients to use and in what quantities, but for this simple mixture you are allowed some leniency for it to still have the desired effect. Thats much easier than I expected. Do you have any recipes for things that are useful in combat? One thing at a time, Kea. I knew youd ask that, so I got a book with recipes for that purpose. Ill dig into it soon, but first, I wanted to look into the tome about enchanting. Just take your time, Cel. Dont feel pushed. She nodded and smiled as she mixed the mixture with a steel pin. At the same time, I looked at how far Id come. Another segment of the wall was finished, but there was still plenty to do. I paused only briefly before I went back to work. 3.61 Weaving & Enchanting Faragi Still terribly busy arranging things and packing/moving. Apologies for the slow releases. Well, Cellestra said after a few minutes of page-turning. Im going to need several weapons to practice. Wed better stop by Zearis again. Damn, I should have known this. I suppose Ill have to do with my knife for now. She retrieved said object from her backpack and took a good look at it, her eyes overlooking the metal as she pointed it away from her. I suppose any weapon works? I asked. That shouldnt be an issue. For now, yes. The quality wont matter until later on. It says right here that once enchantments get more complicated, the weapon needs to have a solid internal structure or it will just break apart. In other words, as the complexity of the enchant grows, so too needs the quality of the weapon. Interesting. And this complexity thing? How easy is it to make your first enchantment? Thats what Ill find out in a bit. The main issue that Im facing is that each weapon can only be enchanted once, and if its done improperly, it can severely harm the weapon in the process, so Im going to do a bit more reading before I attempt anything. No harm in being prepared. Exactly. Time passed as I worked and Cellestra read until she distracted me by humming out loud in surprise. I asked her if shed found something interesting. Apparently, you can even enchant glassware. Thats so strange. Ive never heard of anything like that. Despite all the alchemy books youve read? Thats why its so strange. Did Rose just not know? I highly doubt that. Makes me think theres a reason she didnt mention it. Is it safe? Its the same as enchanting weapons. Mistakes will cause the material to become brittle, or even fall apart, but I cant find anything about dangers. Maybe your type of magic? I suggested. But as long as you dont use it in large amounts its not an issue, right? Yeah, and these enchantments, at the very least the simple ones, do not require much at all. I might just attempt to enchant a vial first. What do those do anyway? Anything you can imagine, apparently. This book is about learning enchanting for beginners, but to draw people in, they did list a bunch of different things that go beyond this tomes scope. You start out with simple magic that increases the shelf-life of whatever is stored in potions, and eventually, you get to effects that increase the contents power, or even add different ones. Very interesting. Im very excited about all this, and so are you by the sound of it. Hah, She let out. That obvious, eh? Yeah, its amazing what you can do with this. One advantage I have is that I have learned to read these magic instructions quite well, and my control when it comes to small amounts of mana is very good. It shouldnt be difficult at all to make some progress today already. Ill stop bothering you then, I said with a wide smile. I still have plenty of work to do here as well. She smiled back as she went back to page-turning. The spiderlings didnt sit by idly either. They had finished creating a dome on top of our nest and were now covering the walls as best as they could to seal our home from any leakage. I might just have to test it myself for that as the skies didnt show any sign of rain anytime soon. They were completely clear and the afternoon sun was still shining brightly. Hours passed and I finished several walls in that time while Cellestra started doing some practice. She tried to enchant two vials, and the first one shattered and crumbled into tiny pieces onto the table. The second one didnt suffer the same fate, and judging from her smile, the enchantment had succeeded. That little victory came right when evening was about to hit. The light had already started to dim and darkness would be falling in soon, so her success was a great time for me to finally stop. I hadnt noticed it earlier, but I had used up a good deal of mana and was starting to feel tired. Tell me, I said as I skittered up to her. What did you do? Nothing special. Exactly what I talked about earlier. This enchant allows anything inside this vial to remain good for longer. Though it wont work nearly as well for high-quality potions and elixirs. You use different types of glass for those. That is one thing I did, in fact, know. Well, Ive already learned a lot of new stuff from your little dive into this. As did I, She said as she wormed her legs from under the table and stood up with a stumble. By the goddess, my legs are sleeping. I sat in the same position for too long there. I giggled at her shaking on her feet, trying to get the sensation back into them, smiling awkwardly at me. I suppose its time to go to sleep altogether. We still need to clean everything up and its going to get dark soon. Yeah, She said with a nod. The second I can walk. I couldnt help but chuckle as I took a few of the items from the table and brought them inside, stashing them away in the top drawer, which had remained empty up until now. I figured we would dedicate this to anything that had to do with Cellestras work. Another trip was needed to gather everything, and by then Cellestra managed to move again, but just as quickly had laid herself down in the webs after putting away her necessities. The spiderlings had tired themselves out as well and went to sleep quite quickly, with only Amarys staying awake for the time being. Building a home aint easy, I whispered as soon as Cellestra lay down next to me, pressing herself against me while I hugged her. Its starting to look like something now, though, at last. Its beautiful, She replied softly. Its warm and cozy, and its safe with our personal guards watching over us. Its also quiet. Ive grown fond of the quiet that I had back in the other forest, and now here as well. True, I replied. As much as I sought out quiet in the past, I was never able to find it, not anywhere close. Its so peaceful out here. Im glad you found it. Even with our lives in turmoil, Im happy were still able to enjoy them. As am I. Good night, Cel. I kissed her cheek and burrowed my face in her hair. Good night, Kea. The next day started just like any other, with us making some kind of plan for the day on our way to my parents for breakfast. We settled on hunting in the dungeon for both abilities and money. Id allow my spiderlings to get a couple more abilities before we would burden them with stronger opponents. I knew we could skip the third-floor boss, but in my opinion, that fight would prove to be a perfect challenge for the others. One thing that I would like to have for the spiders would be some kind of barrier ability. Mine had helped out tremendously. All Id seen so far were passive defense skills, which were still amazing to get, but completely nullifying attacks was preferable. Where would I obtain something like that, though? I had not seen such an ability used against me by monsters. Well, the closest thing was the barrier used by those walking trees, but wood was inedible. There was also the pumpkin creature that had used some kind of barrier, but killing that to obtain the ability would kind of forego its purpose. After all, the idea was to get such a spell before fighting that. In addition, my minions would have to land the killing blow to even be able to obtain the skill. For that, they would undoubtedly be put at risk. Also, pumpkins were disgusting. I hated them with such a passion that I would feel bad for subjecting the spiderlings to eating them. I shrugged it off. Maybe theyd enjoy it. Who was I to tell them what to like? We got to the farm where my family was already waiting outside, seated at a brand new table. They had gotten hold of that in record time, and not only that, but they had completely new and complimenting chairs as well. My mother waved with a smile and Elira, well, of course, she came running at me, and I simply lifted her up with my front legs as she hugged me. Good morning to you too, I said with a chuckle. Morning, sis! How are you doing? Im doing fine. How about you? Im doing fine as well. Good. I patted her head as I approached my parents, my eyes drawn to the quality piece of furniture they were able to acquire. And it seems youve done some shopping already. That is one fancy-looking table.