"Yes, my queen?" Aracnia rattled.
An hourglass-shaped feminine Westerian with black hair and eyes approached from an overhang above Queen Seseh Diddymous.
Above because she was gliding down by a thread so thin you'd have to squint to see it. She wore a dark shade of lipstick. Her feet touched the floor and she moved disjointedly forward into the light.
"Aracnia, the Spiderling," the thrall spoke, her calculating eyes roaming over to her. "Come, I have a singular quest for you."
Aracnia didn't know what was behind those cold eyes, only that it was Seseh speaking to her. It sounded like Seseh with a sore throat. She thought nothing of it.
Her back began to split as a sound compared to the breaking open of a melon. The sounds of cracking and popping like that of someone breaking bones sprang from Aracnia's vertebrae.
The spine split, clacking apart. Each section spread outward and reached the length of her shapely, beautiful biped legs. A round abdomen sprung out where her tailbone should have been. The spider-frame carried her Westerian body like a doll stuffed with hay. She towered beautifully over Seseh. Her feminine form hovered inches above the surface.
"You will bow before me, Aracnia. Do not show off, mistress of the Night. Ruler of webs."
Pain radiated up her legs as she closed up her true spider-like form. She was in agony, having to push every piece of herself back into her skin-tight package. She was like a bag of loose bones. Agonizing, burning, scratching pain radiated as her body bent in front of Seseh, kneeling before the queen impostor.
It wasn't Seseh's anger, yet it was Vanice. She flared as hot as the fires of Abbadoth. For even though she knew the inner workings of a Spiderling and their limits, she didn't care. She only loved what she could manipulate. Pain was another tactic Vanice used in order to manipulate someone to bend the knee.
Aracnia gasped, pain still shooting throughout.
'My pain doesn't matter.' Aracnia thought. 'I would lose a limb for my queen if I had to. It was her that took us in after the witch chased us from the North. It was her that gave us a second home after the witch killed my people and it is Seseh who now keeps my--'
"Impressive," the queen spoke smug and overtly sarcastic. "How long can you hold?" She didn't care for an answer. Seeing someone down before her in pain was entertaining on a personal level.
The Spiderling tilted her dainty chin, still on her Westerian-like appendages begging internally to emerge.
"They said it couldn't be done," Vanice spoke, moving her Thrall's lips. "They said I couldn't bend a Spiderling's will to my graces. Bring one to their knees. But I knew."
The queen's smile could be described as everything but welcoming. It was the very model of a villain's sneer. Yet, no smile villenous or otherwise could hide her dread stare behind 'blue eyes'.
Aracnia gasped. Not out of pain but shock. Seseh had bright, beautiful blue eyes more hypnotic than she had ever seen before. They stood out against the darkness with passionate allure. Aracnia swore she remembered the Queen having deep Westerian brown eyes.
She had seen eyes as blue as forget-me-nots only one other time. The Nymph who took the North from her people. This couldn't be Seseh. Aracnia was sure of it. Even the voice threw her off now that she concentrated.
"Remember what I hold over you."
"I remember. I'll obey you, my Queen." She would allow this to play out. She had to. "You have my loyalty- now till death. What quest does thou have for me?" 'Cruel slaver' she added in thought.
Aracnia wondered if Seseh could read her mind. Those eyes made her wonder.
"Lead an invasion into Hilltop."
"But why -"
"You dare question?"
The queen cursed and spat, standing straight. "I will kill them."
"Please don't?"
"If you want them safe, do not question your queen!"
"I will only do as thou hath commanded. But I beg you as a dying breed and a mother, let them live" her gleaming eyes welled up with tears.
"No, a Spiderling like you wouldn't help me, not to save your own life so I'll let them live as long as you carry my banner, Aracnia..."
"Why would you need my help? You're a powerful queen. I'm a lowly Spiderling."
"Aracnia, even you know you're far more than that." She toyed with the end of one of her thrall's fingers. "You manage to sneak through life barely noticed in shadow, wandering the hallways. You found and killed my scouts when I commanded. You have impressed even me. I believe you can do my simple little tasks."
"You'll leave them?" She seethed, then stood to meet Seseh's crooked blue-eyed gaze. In regular bipedal form, she was short. If she were tall, she'd certainly be dead. You don't stand over the queen, least of all one so unpredictable. To do so would mean the dungeon or death.
"I will lead them into battle as long as my children and husband live. If you kill them I'll have at thee myself, your royal highness. You understand?"
"Challenge? One other named Nyxith had challenged me. She rode the winds, changed form" She laughed deeply and turned her nose up at the spider lady. She stopped.
"I wonder where Nyxith could be now. That's a mystery. I can't really remember..." She paused dramatically. "Ah yes, I remember now, Aracnia. Nyxith threatened me and she died."
Aracnia nodded. "Of course. I'm still listening. May I bargain then? my life in servitude for my family? Let them all go, I plead."
"It's non-negotiable unless you decide not to help your queen they will drown."
She grinned and again sat down on her throne. "So it's settled. Go to Hilltop with my best set of men. An invasion force big enough to secure Southern Mountain Range and the old elven sanctuary.."
Aracnia curtsied in pain, her spider frame still tucked. "Sanctuary?"
"Yes, the old elven sanctuary. Their precious Hallow." She steeped her fingers and taped them together. "They test Westerian! They test Westerian and I shall have them! I'll have you chase the elven peoples 'down to the flames of Abbadoth 'round the eternal walls and 'through his kingdom in burning metal chains before I give up. They ignore me and my potential! I'M NOT A NOBODY!" She stood with both arms outstretched screaming to the ceiling. "I believe a recompense is in order or death to Elvenkind." she laughed. But she caught herself, seeing Aracnia was in fear. She fixed her crown, cleared her throat, and sat back on her throne.
"I am not my mother." She adjusted herself and looked for anything out of place.
"What did they do, Queen Seseh?"
She smiled warmly. As warm as a cold smile could be. Vanice knew why. Why she wanted war. Why she needed an all-out invasion. She'd have total dominance and weed out the weak in battle until Fonde was hers.
"The tree," Vanice continued with her ruse, "It had been poisoned and therefore the elves of Hilltop must pay for this blatant treachery. You understand?"
Aracnia shuddered. She had heard the story of how man and elve made peace.
"Of course, your majesty. They must pay." She dipped.
"One other thing. As a wife and mother, you should understand the strong, natural bond of family love. They took mine away. My poor Vinnan! Gone! My strong Tullious! Gone! They left me with NOTHING!"
Vanice fibbed a cry. "You need to understand that nothing will stand in my way now, Aracnia. I have your family locked away in my dungeon quite comfy, quite cozy in their cells. As you could be, my dear." She paused. "Wasn't it I who allowed you safe passage into my keep and gave free rein?" She chuckled and continued. "Yes, your pitiful family are safe. Cardamon guardsmen stand watch over them, Aracnia." Her blue eyes opened wide. Those cold blue, beautiful eyes mocked heavily. "I'm afraid the only thing that will get your husband and children killed is you. So, I know on a personal level, you understand."
"You should let them go if you understood, your majesty-"
"Do you want your family back or not?" she snapped. Her tears dried, revealing her fringe and dangerous personality unhinged.
Aracnia swallowed. "How do I know you'll keep your promise? How do I know this isn't a manipulation tactic?"
It was a manipulation. The more others believed elves poisoned the sacred tree, the more they'd help her.
"This is the best I can do."
Vanice clapped her thrall's hands and a guard walked forward with a young girl, smock covering her face.
"Let me see her."
"Guardsman Cassius, remove it."-she clapped again and Casius removed the covering-"the first battle you win will free Rose's bonds, the second will earn her sister's. The third, their father. Understand?"
"You want me to trust you while she's bound?"
Vanice arched a brow at Aracnia. A toothy arrogant smile spread across her face.
"Trust? no. You are mistaken, Spiderling but if it's trust you desire." She snapped her fingers together, twice. "Trust this. Cassius Longinus, you know what to do."
The guardsman pulled out a knife and ran it across the child's right arm, allowing red ichor to spill out.
The child grunted through her teeth in pain. Tears falling. "Mother, help me please!"
"Your mother can help if she cooperates." Her gaze turned from Rose to Aracnia. "You've gone to a lot of trouble to defy me. This is your last chance to do the right thing. This isn't negotiable."
"You have her spine bound."
Vanice nodded yes. Aracnia walked toward her, limbs unlocking. She couldn't bare seeing her child hurt. She wanted to kill the queen a million times. Her spider spine popped and cracked outward once more revealing her spider form and defying those arrogant blue eyes. The queen lifted her open hands in Aracnia's direction and sent a ball of darkness rolling at her.
She retracted her Spiderling legs, trying to run away but it was too late. It had struck her--
Aracnia found herself in the guardsmen's barracks with Westerian soldiers standing at attention beside bunks. Her black clothes did nothing to insulate her from the ice-cold stone floor. She began to speak as her family depended on her.
"Queen Seseh commanded I lead you rats into Hilltop. This is an invasion, Gentlemen!"
The embrasures let little light in. All wore gleaming armor with purple raiment covering their breastplate, a black dove embroiled on the fabric. It was a symbol of their loyalty. Just four stone walls, a stone floor, and blinding armored soldiers ready for the battlefield.
She was in charge of all that? If life wasn't on the line she'd be ecstatic...
Shaking-half with fear, half with rage-she walked the perimeter of the room, centered between the bunks, screaming obscenities like a military barker lashing a razor whip at all near.
She fought to keep her Spiderling frame inside against her fleshy, attractive anthropoid structure. The pain helped fuel her raging anger, yet all she could see was her bleeding little girl. "Listen!" Her voice echoed off the stone. "We leave tonight"
"Yes sir!" They answered and stomped, their feet hitting the floor, causing a collective clank echo.
"Let's move out, Westerians!"
****
The last thing Tallik saw before he jumped was the crooked smile on the spider creature's lips.
'A midden... Why did it have to be a midden?' he thought, falling backward.
Rolling on his shoulder, he fell onto a refuse pile at the edge of the castle steeple.
His head ached and a bell tole sounded off in his ears.
He grabbed for his sword. Looking up, he readied his blade, still laying on the putrid castle midden. He squinted at the upper window and laughed as he sheathed his serrated assassin's blade. His chuckle echoed through the courtyard. It wasn't a laugh for humor's sake, not a laugh of joy or a laugh of relief. It was a laugh of near insanity.
He was seeing spots and stumbled as he rose. The pain came in waves.
His hand clapped against some trash as he dizzily pulled himself up.
"There's no spider!" Fire engulfed his mind.
He stood as best he could and brushed the access kitchen debris and last night's supper from his pants. He kept walking until he met a few guardsmen at the castle gate.
One thing the two had noticed about Tallik was how bloodshot his eyes were, yet they recognized him and let Tallik pass. He stopped. Tallik Looked back, focusing up at the window to which he fell from.
'Could it be?' He thought and reflected on Queen Seseh Diddymous. She wasn't acting herself. All in all, Tallik felt it was a fever dream that he had to shake. If the birds were any indication of the change in Cardamon, he knew he couldn't shake it. Especially looking back at the beautiful, blue, and enthralling eyes of his queen.
'I remember her eyes being Westerian brown?' he shook and the courtyard vanished from site as he turned back to the path and began walking. To where? He didn't know. He wanted to walk out of his nightmare.
Tallik thought he'd still see the spires as he left the capital he found after leaving the village of Cardda. His mind became gradually fogged, trying to remember the fertile poppies of Cardamon and the kind old man. What was his name? He was starting to forget memories. Memories that were important to him. The world around him spiraled out of control. He imagined Draik would still be fighting the creature, that he was still the hardened, brash no-nonsense man he knew.
'Draik? Who's Draik' he thought, inhaling.
****
Hilda sat up from the bed. Disorientated, she jumped with a start, feeling the loss of a friend.
'Master Dante... He's gone.' she thought, falling back and sitting down on the firm cot.
She rubbed her head, feeling an ache. She was reminded once more of her missing eye as felt the cloth over her.
Her headache subsided and she fancied a harsh ringing in her ears.
Hilda heard the ringing change. Standing up, she firmly steadied herself, concentrating carefully on the ever-changing, piercing ring. She looked around the adobe bedchamber. Hilda sighed, walking over to a doorway, she crossed the threshold. Her dazed confusion only intensified. A smiling woman sat near a fire, looking at Hilda warmly with cool, faded but welcoming green eyes. Her skin was pale and sickly.
Her hair was decorated in beautiful green floral wreaths and thin hanging moss.
Hilda approached cautiously and sat on a wicker chair eyeing the strange, beautiful woman.
"Who are you?" the crackling fire dimmed. She said nothing, blinking at Hilda, and bit her lip as she shook her head no.
She stood and walked to Hilda. The woman clasped her hand and guided her from the seat. They left the adobe. She let go and kept walking some ways as Hilda followed her. They walked past glowing stalagmites and stalactites. Looking up, focusing at the cave ceiling Hilda noted the silkworm's work.
'So beautiful.' Hilda thought and reflected on the star-like brilliance.
All in all, the cave felt warm and inviting in its chilling, cold temperature. They came to a stop at a familiar mound of soil, an open canopy showing rays of light. The stranger bent down and knelt gracefully, sad, and tearful eyes looking down.
"Why are you sad, stranger?" Hilda asked and the lady placed a flat hand on the soil. She stood, allowing tears to fall. Without wiping? Without a word, She ran and hugged her as you would a lifelong friend.
Hilda awkwardly put her arms around her, perplexed at the situation. She eyed the area around them. Her tired mind thought back, trying to remember the center area of the cave they were standing in. Hilda and the stranger separated as she dried her face and smiled.
Hilda wondered at how odd the fair woman was, that she was maellem, elvish for mute. It was then she realized where they were; inhaling, she saw Eddipus standing on the soil, saw him walk away, saw the magic sage fruit tree. They were at Adeve, yet the tree was missing.
****
Rain fell.
The nerves in his hands thrummed. Flashes from the incident engulfed his waking world.
'What incident?'
He saw the images of the spider creature as night terrors. With a desperate cry, Tallik fell to his knees exasperated and trembling from thirst.
Silhouetted against the lush green mountains, a horse trotted calmly.
His vision was blurring. Confusion set in as his site became fuzzier.
'Was this still the nightmare?' He thought.
A hooded woman rode on a tan stallion.
His heart pounded. For if this was a nightmare, how could an angel be approaching? Her hood fell, revealing luscious locks of golden hair over delicate shoulders and bust. She wore brown nature tones and furs with a long cloak.
She reached down from her horse. In that brief moment, when he stared at her wild face, he realized she had elvish eyes. He quickly swiped his arm from her.
'The elves have killed King Tullious and Prince Vinan and are desecrating the magic Tree of Peace.' He remembered someone telling him that.
He turned. The air around him rippled with the glaze of raindrops. A bright light materialized around him as he blinked. Before he blacked out, he saw her grace as she bent and twisted, jumping down from her horse. She did it without seeming thought, with movement as precise as an elegant noblewoman. She walked to him and knelt. Her soft words ebbed and flowed. Her whispers slipped from her delicate-looking lips.
He struggled to make out her words. As beautiful as her voice was he wouldn't believe a word she had to say.
What was it someone had said? 'The elves are killers and they use poison'
Tallik knew better and couldn't trust an elvenkind. Not after what Draik had... Draik?
Tallik tried avoided going back. It came at him. The bite from that thing, the legs, the abdomon. He still couldn't fathom, couldn't shake the memory of the beast yet, he was forgetting everything else. He said something profane to her but his words slurred.
Her pale, peach-red hand caressed his cheek and he finally heard her clear. "It'll be alright."
****
Fire descended.
The giant dais laid before Creeu. Flashes from the backdrop engulfed the king of death's waking world. Abbadoth sat. He was a grotesque, reptilian skeletal form. He leered comfortably idle, sitting in a horrid slump half asleep on the slab. Silhouetted against the harsh blazing environment, The lizard waited. Dante sat uncomfortably so. Creeu's gibbet swayed, jostling the elve hither and thither.
'I need to get out and confront him' Dante thought.
The necrosis hooded, red and green Abbadoth stood.
He stepped forward. Dante wasn't afraid of the king, for he had an important quest. His hood fell, revealing its hideous sneer and Death's full red eyes. He bore barren ribs and an ichor-like skeletal frame.
He reached closer down to the rusted gibbet cage. At that moment, when he stared at Dante Abbadoth froze, realizing who the man was. Abbadoth felt a twinge of fear grip his heart.
Then he turned and sat back on his dais with a deep, dark chagrin. A bright light materialized around Dante. He seemed to melt, pressing through his bars. Dante floated through unscathed. He jumped down from his confines with a blinding, beautiful light permeating from his elegant spirit. Creeu was in shock as he dropped his chain. Dante walked to Abbadoth, sword materializing in his hand. His thunderous words rippled and rose. Even his low whispers were loud and deafening.
Abbadoth struggled on his dais to compose, as Dante's frightful voice thrummed like thunderous abandon. Like the Master, he stood his ground.
His glowing, blue soul was blinding and his ethereal sword was at the ready. "Face me, Abbadoth!"
****
"Alohiim." a soft voice called. "apha madr." heal him, she spoke.
Her prayer softly echoed in Tallik's ears but his eyes were still closed. He was barely awake but felt her words.
Each sentence felt important. Each syllable in her beautiful tone sent a tingle throughout his legs. His head calmed.
She stopped. All was quiet for a moment as he opened his eyes. She was close, his head on her knees. She had her hands clasped together.
A smirk crossed the female's lips as she opened her eyes and gazed down at him.
"Why were you running through the Forest of the Red?"
He felt fatigued.
"No... I. Cardamon. I was running from..." He slurred and squinted.
"I swear there are two of you." He blinked as his blurred vision began to clear. He was dazed.
Tallik heard a cool gust of wind, heard a bird or two above, and a small running stream. The rain had stopped.
The Forest of the Red was peaceful and inviting. A rush of relaxation blanketed his body.
"Friend or foe?" Tallik asked. He hadn't been hurt by her. yet, he didn't want to take any chances. He remained calm. As calm as a man who had fallen from a long distance. Last he remembered, he was running from his homeland. Why? He wasn't sure.
'How did I end up in the arms of a beautiful elve in the Forest of the Red?' He thought.
It was all a blur.
He heard a horse neigh.
"Well, you're finally awake. You certainly don't like elves." She said softly.
A fledgling chanted in the far distance.
She spoke without opening her mouth. It was as if she were speaking thoughts within his head.
"Could you help me on my path, Westerian?"
She closed her eyes once more, clasping her hands. "Anaya-Hym Alohiim." Thank you, master, She signed then pulled down her hood revealing her long golden hair. She had elvish ears, lite peach reddish skin, and big, bright slanted blue-green eyes.
"Your path?" He stammered.
"The voice in my head says she wants someone dead."
'Oh great, a craven elven woman.' Tallik thought.
"Ara'vestr." Westerian, she said. "Am I welcome in your presence? since you must hate me so."
Tallik jumped from her lap and slid to the nearest tree, resting his back against it.
Tallik looked at her questioningly.
"My name is Sister Lisa. I am of Hilltop."
Tallik had no intention of getting to know the strange, elven woman who heard voices.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. This is my stallion, Tana ma'hra. The lonely wind."
The horse let out a pulsating, low-pitched guttural neigh 'Pleased to meet you.' It nodded, kicking its right stark white foreleg.
"Are you insane? To think I'd hold a conversation with the likes of you after what your kind have done?"
"Is it the war of the Red you speak of? I was there. I was very young and led to believe I was rescued during a raid in the forest of the Red."
"I don't need a life story from you."
"Fine." She said, firm. "There's a prophecy among Hilltop. It speaks of Adeve, our tree. If she passes on, war will begin again. Could your feelings toward me be an omen?"
"I don't know, elve. I think you started such omens by poisoning the tree. As far as I know, my queen might be inclined to send an invasion force to put you down and restore the peace!"
Lisa was clearly flustered.
Her calm decayed and brightness enveloped, encasing the elve in a blaze. Lisa lifted up her hands and from her body, her soul sprang forth like a great light. Lisa had exploded from a shell of innocence and purity to darkened embers of unbridled rage. She stood before the shivering assassin seeming terrifying. Her beautiful blue-green eyes now held a terrifying glow.
Tallik stood and cowered back further against the tree.
"Ara'vestr? I dare your kind to test the might of our Master's magicka! We'll put you down like the curs you are! We won before," she beamed, "We'll win again!" She caught herself, knocked back by a gust from the Winds as the light of her soul subsided. She let her arms fall down, and all at once she was Lisa again. She slunk and smiled: a beautiful noble elven woman, clad in her furs and natural tones, whose gentle voice was soft and soothing again.
She sat on a log with heavy breaths. Tallik dared not move. Yet, he pressed his hand against his sheath. He peered, shaken by her actions.
He smelled baked bread, wild herbs, wafts of apple sweets, and strong incense. It was a calming scent and it came from Sister Lisa.
"Slee'sha'ora." Sorry, Lisa said timidly as she cupped her hands over her eyes.
She placed both her arms on her lap, smiling once more, tearing up as she tried to keep her composure. She had untethered her angry soul and allowed it to strike openly.
It hadn't only embarrassed her but broke her, gifting the spirit within her more power than she needed. It weakened Lisa's ability to concentrate. Tallik saw the sadness within her inquisitive eyes.
"Someone from the North had poisoned Adeve. A warrior, Eddipus was sent to quest for the cure." She stood, walked, and knelt to him. Lisa stopped at his face. She closed her eyes and opened them. She sat on the ground beside a redwood and clasped his hand, letting him feel her warmth. It soothed and calmed all his nerves.
"Please believe me, Ara'vestr. A spirit writhes within me. Her name is Nyxith. She'll do anything to have at a witch named Valaria."
"With great uncertainty, I shall grant you safe passage."
He was intrigued by the elve. Tallik wanted to know more about her. Yet, he felt consumed with rage.
An inner battle wrestled within him. He feared her, he was angry at her, he was intrigued by her, and he was enticed by her.
"The Winds. They call. They say you should accompany me now, Westerian." She paused, as if listening again to some unseen sensor. "First I must meet with your Queen."
"KILL VALARIA!" Nyxith scoffed. The heat within Lisa had flickered, showing her pale face. A lethargic and sick comparison to the angelic being Tallik met when he awakened. The smells turned pungent. Tallik frowned.
'Arise child.' The winds spoke. She feebly stood. Tallik rose and clasped her by the arm, helping Lisa to Tana. The horse's tan epidermis gleamed in the sunlight. She rode bareback except for a small, steady, brown satchel hanging over the horse's rear. She held on, caressing the animal's beautiful mane. Then Tallik clamored up and held Lisa to his chest so she wouldn't fall.
She straightened and smiled over her shoulder. The Man made a scowl as she turned back and focused forward. She relaxed her feet and tightened her legs against the stallion's sides ushering him to go. Tallik still felt lightheaded from his fall but he would do what he could for her. He would take Lisa to Queen Seseh.
Tallik clutched her as Tana gained speed. He hadn't ridden bareback before and found himself relying more on balance. He felt his core strengthen as he gritted his teeth.
He felt the wind, felt like he was flying, and eventually let go of all his worry.
"Anaya-Hym, Tallik." He wasn't sure what the word meant but it sounded nice to him. The words felt heartwarming and gentle. It made him feel appreciated.
"You helped me'" He shouted, "I am in your debt till you no longer need me." He felt something internally wrong. His head ached incessantly and he fancied a ringing.