Alexandre
"A mysterious exploration… For months, I've been chaining together small missions. Clean up, escort, report. Nothing glorious. Always enough to climb a rank, never enough for anyone to really remember my name. But this time, we're far from our peaceful Elyséan lands…"
A "special" quest—offered by the very mouth of the Guildmaster of Warren. A godsend. That kind of responsibility is usually reserved for the most seasoned adventurers, because it's difficult—sometimes too dangerous for the average member of the organization. When he asked me to take part and escort that explorer, I didn't answer right away. I just nodded, as if that sort of proposal were normal for me. But inside, something was already leaping. This time, he wasn't sending me to clean carcasses or escort frightened merchants! For the first time in my life, I felt like I was being taken seriously.
So in that case… why? Why did I have this bad feeling? This unpleasant sensation gnawing at me from within, making me tremble at random?
The sweat on my forehead wasn't only from this damned jungle's tropical heat. Something else was causing it. Something unhealthy. I could take all the distance I wanted and tell myself it was just me, but nothing changed. The black, macabre aura haunting every corner of this elven cave—the sick energy I'd felt since we'd shoved our way inside—it was unmistakably… real.
Noticing early enough that I was pale as a sheet, Ledo—the group leader—mocked me with his sharp orc grin:
— So, assassin! he bellowed. You pissin' yourself?!
I barely flinched. Not enough for him to enjoy it more.
— Try not to shout, I sighed. Keep it up and you'll end up attracting what you're looking for.
Instinctively I set a hand on my silver plate. The cold contact helped me steady myself. Brutal as he was, Ledo did that to pull me upward. In his own way.
— And for your information, I went on, lifting my chin a little, I'm a magelame. Not an assassin.
He smirked, then gave me an exaggerated bow.
— My apologies, Sir Alexandre.
— Between us… you're the one who should be clenching up. If the elves knew a greenskin worked here… they'd rush over to slit your throat! I added, giving him his expression back.
While we got lost in useless bickering—fair play, really—our client interrupted us with a grimace:
— Come now, gentlemen! Enough childishness—we don't have all day! I can't wait to discover what species of arachnids have taken refuge here!
— Yes, Sir Jean…
Jean H. Fabre—a renowned noble who decided to become an explorer and entomologist overnight.
"'Entomologist'… what a strange title. A monster is a monster—so why bother distinguishing them?"
He'd paid the Guild handsomely to notify him if insect nests appeared—and even more if it involved spiders. And given the gigantic sheets of webbing staining the cave entrance, there was no doubt that filthy things like that were hiding here.
Originally, the elves themselves had hired the Guild to investigate and clear this lair, after many of their kin vanished.
So the logical question is: "Why don't they handle the problem themselves?"
Simple: those damned long-ears live in symbiosis with nature. Killing monsters isn't part of their ideals. So they delegate all those grubby tasks to other species.
"What a surreal mentality…"
Deep down, maybe I should've refused this quest and kept doing my daily hunts. But the reward was far beyond what I could earn in one—maybe several—weeks of work.
Worried about my state, Ledo clapped his huge hand onto my pauldron and shook me like a fruit tree:
— Don't worry. Even if it's your first special quest, it'll go fine! he promised with another grin.
— Coming from a brainless savage who hits anything that moves… that's not exactly reassuring!
My cowardly jab made him laugh out loud. He'd known me long enough, and without teasing further, he took point again and pushed deeper into the gloomy cave.
Our torches crackled fiercely despite the humidity. Their flames reflected off the many webs coating the clay walls of the tunnel. The floor wasn't spared either. Even with my agility, my boots sank into it—too little grip—making the walk painful and tiring.
"How am I supposed to use my mobility in this cramped place that looks like one enormous, vulgar trap?"
Still, that was secondary. What obsessed me were our muffled footsteps.
"If we make no sound… what will warn us of danger approaching?"
As my anxiety rose, I suddenly thought of Natacha—an adventurer. My mind drifted despite myself. Her voice. Her smile. The way she'd leaned a little too close to me the day before.
Heat climbed to my cheeks—and with it, a new energy:
"After this mission, I'll go see her again! I'm sixteen cycles old and I still have my whole life ahead of me… There's no way it ends in this rat hole…"
My breathing eased. My shoulders relaxed without me noticing.
Even though Ledo kept an eye on me, my sudden calm seemed to convince him to keep moving without looking back. It was good traveling with that kind of partner. His presence reassured me more than the shiny plate he wore.
"With these light flickers, it shines like a lighthouse in the night."
I caught myself staring a second too long, then looked away.
At last the chaotic corridor ended. The place looked like an intermediate cavity—impossible to gauge either its height or its depth. Only that foul aura and the unpleasant sense of confinement remained.
Ledo raised a hand to stop the procession, handed his torch to one of his companions, and drew his absurdly proportioned hammer.
Maybe it was intuition, but he must've felt danger emanating from this place. Either way, I didn't see how he planned to fight with such a lack of visibility. Then again… he was a [Barbarian], and an orc on top of it. The kind of warrior who clearly didn't rely on common sense.
"Swinging at air isn't the real problem. But smashing into a wall by mistake like a brute would throw him off balance—leaving him vulnerable to any attack."
I shook my head as if to chase the thought away. Ledo knew what he was doing.
With a sigh, I stepped up beside him:
— You think there are monsters in this space?
Without answering, he pointed at strange, wide holes whose inner walls were coated. Even with our torches' reach, we couldn't see what might be hiding without getting closer. In any case, they seemed… occupied. The infernal rustling stirred by shifting light told us so.
My dagger was trembling. No part of me wanted to go check.
— Incredible! the explorer exclaimed. It looks exactly like an arachnid nest!
"Only now you notice, with all these damn webs?!"
The urge to say it to his face itched, but I had to stay professional. This quest was a chance I couldn't waste.
— You there! he added, pointing at one of us. Go check those holes—see if there's a specimen inside.
— Y-Yes, sir! the man replied, face drained.
When the finger moved past me to settle on someone else, I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. At least I could imagine the kind of monsters hiding in there—and judging by the poor bastard's face, I wasn't the only one.
He approached one of the gaping cracks and held his torch inside. The greedy flame partly ignited hidden webs packed within. A swarm of tiny spiders—imperceptible at first—suddenly stirred, making him jump. They emitted faint, shrill little screeches just as frightening, but it was only small fry.
Seeing the false alarm, everyone sighed with relief.
— Watch what you're doing, damn it! the explorer barked. I need to be able to study them!
— With all due respect, Sir Jean, the Guild's mission is to silence these pests. We'll have to kill any threats that come out of this lair.
— Tsss! What barbarism! I remind you we are in their home. How would you like it if I came into yours and killed your children?!
On the rare occasions Ledo looked disheartened, this was one. He understood the noble didn't grasp the situation. I nodded slightly to discourage him from pushing the point.
The adventurer who'd sparked it all seemed to feel guilty under the rising pressure:
— I-It's my fault… I'll be more careful nex—
Before he could finish his apology, a whitish filament suddenly hooked around his waist. He barely had time to register it before it yanked him toward the hole, slamming him against the wall.
— GYAAAH! H-HELP! he screamed, the echo racing frantically through the cave.
Despite the surprise, we rushed to free him from the grip dragging him into this tomb. He clung with arms and legs, trying not to fold beneath the monstrous force hauling him down.
In his panic, Ledo dropped his weapon and held him as best he could with his inhuman grip. I, meanwhile, wasn't thinking—only trying to cut the sticky matter imprisoning him. But nothing worked. I couldn't get it off.
— What the hell are you doing?! Cut that crap off him! Ledo snarled.
I tried again, hand shaking—this time from adrenaline. Same result. The thread had a baffling mix of flexibility and rigidity.
— I… I can't! I-It feels like steel!
— Grrr! You! Give me your sword and come help! he shouted to one of the others, frozen behind us.
Chattering teeth, the man obeyed too slowly, making Ledo angrier. If he could've slugged him in the process, he would've.
— On my signal, pull with everything you've got!… Now!
Everyone grunted and heaved. The tug-of-war was even more discouraging than our situation. A quick glance behind us: the entomologist looked thrilled, delighted to witness the spectacle.
"If I survive this, I swear I'll gut that bastard…"
As we gained ground for an instant, Ledo swung a vicious slash at the pulling thread. The impact was silent, and the sword nearly whipped back into his face.
— Damn…
The pull suddenly eased—as if the monster had given up. But it didn't last. It resumed with renewed force.
The adventurer's bones began to break in horrible notes. We ran out of strength quickly, and when that moment came, his body folded in half with a scream. He spat an absurd amount of blood across our stunned faces before vanishing into the hole in a final echo of agony.
Silence reclaimed the space. I heard only my heart—ready to burst.
We were speechless, panting. Even though it was brief, it felt endless. The lull ended when the weakest among us vomited his last meal, the acrid stench making the air even more suffocating than before.
— Fascinating! the explorer clapped. I don't know this species, but it's the first time I've observed this hunting method!
As he babbled incoherently—scribbling in a notebook—Ledo lunged at him like a fury, grabbing him by the collar with palpable rage.
— You find this funny, huh?! Watching monsters eat people is your little pleasure?! he hissed, eyes black and deep.
The noble dropped his things and raised his hands. His feet dangled under Ledo's ridiculous strength. Even if I enjoyed seeing him handled that way, I grabbed Ledo's shoulder.
— Let him go. He doesn't live in the same world we do.
Ledo exhaled like a beast and set him down, snatching up his hammer with every intention of leaving.
— We're getting out of here. We won't do anything more without pyromancers…
— Good idea, I agreed.
I nodded a bit too fast. I wanted to get out alive—more than ever after seeing that man die.
— What are you saying?! We must continue the exploration! our client protested.
— You keep exploring alone, Jean-whatever, Ledo spat. I just lost a man for nothing… Even if my mission is to escort you, I also have to protect my comrades. Easy choice.
— Ah! You strut around in your shiny armor, but you're still nothing but cowards!
Ledo didn't react to the contempt. He was ready to leave. As he gave final instructions, the sick aura I'd felt since arrival suddenly intensified. Before I could react, the warrior guarding the cavity entrance convulsed, groaning soundlessly. Our torches showed his spasms, but not what was happening.
Then he began to levitate—until a monstrous shape emerged behind him in the corridor's darkness. The mass made us all recoil, as if instinct commanded it.
"By all the gods…"
The creature was indescribable. It had the body of a giant spider, with a human grafted onto it. Despite its pretty features, its face was warped by a gaping maw. Its fangs pierced the adventurer's carotid, liquefying him on the spot as if it were drinking his very vitality.
We stood petrified, silently watching the spectacle.
"That could've been me."
Once its victim looked like dried fruit, it let him drop in a silence as macabre as the aura it imposed.
— Delicious… but a little weak, it concluded, licking its lips.
As soon as the words left it, its maw and fangs retracted until its mouth looked almost like ours.
And yet… this horror didn't unmake me. On the contrary: a strange sensation seized me, and I couldn't look away from its eyes. Against my will, I felt both fascinated and charmed by this monstrosity. And at the same time, I refused that such a thing could exist—outside even my worst nightmares.
In the heavy silence, its eight black eyes assessed us, as if choosing its next victim.