Deep in the forest, winds were blowing furiously above the trees. Making the thick canopies shudder.
Here, beneath the tangled branches—light was scarce.
It was already evening so, the nocturnal creatures, predators and the prey, all the same—were leaving their lairs and burrows, the goal was naturally common—food.
Creatures big and small stirred as the night followed.
In the dark night, an eerie calm enveloped the entire forest. The predators were waiting for the prey to show and the prey waited till the predator was gone—just then there was a movement beneath the soft soil.
Moving the dirt aside a small creature observed the place in case of any danger before coming out of its burrow.
It had two long ears, sharp claws and fur covering most of its body.
The creature moved quickly, its long furry ears able to detect the danger even from a distance.
It gazed everywhere around in the dark with its tiny beads-like eyes.
The claws were for its own safety, in reality the creature only ate nuts and berries. Normally it would have taken long to find some fallen berries but surprisingly tonight the surroundings were filled with them.
The small creature quickly collected them into its burrow. As the winter was already upon the forest, these berries were no less than a treasure for the creature.
Therefore, the creature thought of collecting all of them, that way it doesn't have to risk its life for the rest of the winter at least.
Yes there was a danger of being seen by the predators so the creature had to do its work quickly.
There were many berries on the path as the small creature followed the trail of them.
After covering a short distance, it seemed it had collected every last one of them. Its claws were full of food. It was worth the risk after all—for the hungry ones waiting in the burrow.
At that moment suddenly, a sharp sound resounded from a distance, making its ears twitch. The small creature knew it was the cue to fall back.
Only if fate allowed it to.
The creature had no idea up until now that someone had lured it into a trap.
The place where the trail of berries ended was a cave.
A cave that belonged to an intelligent, far more terrifying predator.
When the small creature realised it was already too late.
From deep within the darkness, black abyss like eyes stared at it. Even one of them was enough to make the creature shiver from fear and there were three pairs of them.
Feeling the gaze of a dangerous predator, the shadow of death washed over the small creature as the berries fell from its claws.
Then a loud noise came as the already huge figure of the predator became colossal as it slowly stood up in the darkness.
Even for a small creature of lower intelligence—death wasn't some foreign concept nor did it allow one to be ignorant of itself.
Terrified, the small creature got paralyzed on the spot as it fell on the ground helplessly.
Outside, the winds had already calmed down.
The giant predator slowly stepped forward and brought down his pincer to take the remaining life of his prey.
The deadly attack landed piercing through the soft hide of the small creature. Crimson blood splashed everywhere painting the cave in its shade.
The attack was swift, taking the life in an instant.
For the small creature, the pain of fear was far greater than the death itself.
Then, piece by piece he put the creature into his mouth and ate it slowly in the darkness.
Only the sound of bones falling on each other and the chewing noises were to be heard from within the dark cave.
Slowly, the clouds parted revealing the pure light of the moon.
The light fell onto the pile of bones that filled the whole cave—serving as the trophies of the souls that fall prey to the harrowing predator.
Then the towering figure moved slowly, as it took some steps forward in the light awkwardly— his huge terrifying body ached from the old wounds.
Dragging his broken limbs into the light, the predator groaned in pain.
In the bright light of the moon anyone could discern the harrowing figure of the tyrant leader—
Or the fallen tyrant leader, the arachnid.
He was once an unstoppable force, an apex predator, an unchallenged ruler of the forest but it all changed that night.
A foolish decision cost him greatly.
That he had to stoop low and use his intelligence just to lure his prey into a trap. In order to remain alive.
Oh what a tragedy, the king who once ruled the forest with the fear of his presence alone, now was collecting small creatures in order to feed himself.
But did he have any regrets?
Not at all.
That day, fate gave him an opportunity and he took it. Then why regret?
He would do that all again if it means to evolve into a higher being.
That night, not only did he lose his army but two of his legs as well. His voice grew silent but his resolve of evolution only burned hotter.
Indeed, the battle against Sophia haunted him for years but it couldn't shake his confidence in himself.
What if the humans are strong, it doesn't make them unbeatable foes. It only meant that he had to face them after evolving up to their level.
As for the army? What was a loss of mere fodder against his huge ambition?
What good is a danger if it didn't take his life?
He was alive and that was the only thing that mattered.
He could take his time, properly heal himself and then start from scratch.
He had built an empire before. So, why couldn't he do the same again?
Fate had revealed two of them to him —already.
That is, excluding the only opportunity that resulted in success—when he took a life for the first time, that too —one of his siblings.
The next attempt to evolve however, resulted in failure. That time, he didn't have enough information and had to carry out the attack without ample preparations.
Unfortunately, in the recent one —he wasn't in any condition to act.
But, he was sure there will be more in the future.
He knew he had to be prepared for the next time—for when the opportunity comes.
And when it comes, he will not fail again.
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