The sight in front of him filled Ander with a dark foreboding: Havis was almost certainly dead.
No—it couldn't be like this.
He prayed silently, willing the grim certainty to be wrong.
Turning to his last remaining guard he ordered:
"Yuen—climb up and cut it down."
Yuen froze.
The last thing he wanted right now was to climb anything.
Who knew what else might be waiting among the leaves overhead?
Before he could stammer an excuse a rough hoarse voice cut in:
"No need. Leave it to me."
It was Eddie.
He stepped forward drew an arrow nocked it in one fluid motion and loosed.
The single strand of silk holding the white cocoon snapped.
The pale shape dropped with a soft thump—far quieter than its size should have produced.
At the sound everyone instinctively closed ranks staring warily at the surrounding trees refusing to approach immediately.
After several tense heartbeats when no monstrous spider emerged Ander moved forward.
He used the tip of his sword to carefully peel back the thick webbing and whispered the missing man's name:
"Havis…"
Inside the cocoon lay Havis's mummified corpse.
Dark-gray skin clung tight to bone eye sockets hollow.
Only the dark-red hair and small mustache still faintly recalled the living man.
After a long heavy silence Ander drew his dagger cut off a lock of Havis's hair tucked it inside his tunic and gently closed the dead man's eyes.
He turned to the mercenaries voice low:
"You were lucky.
You finished the job in a single day."
Conrad asked quietly:
"Lord Ander—shouldn't we push deeper and take another look?"
Ander shook his head.
"No need.
It's clear now.
Everyone who went missing before is gone forever…
Now that we know these foul things infest the Wolfswood there's no reason to drag you all to your deaths.
When we get back I—"
"Above you—WATCH OUT!!"
Ander had just glanced upward—hadn't even registered what he saw—when Kevin slammed into him knocking him flat.
In the same instant a silver flash passed overhead severing a gray spider that had dropped silently from above.
Wiping ichor from his blade Ethan barked:
"Shields up—form on me!"
The others scrambled closer.
Those with shields raised them overhead.
Those without pressed tight against shielded comrades trying to avoid direct hits from the descending monsters.
Having survived the first ambush they quickly realized something important:
Though the spiders looked horrifying they were far less agile than their size suggested.
They were too large to crawl inside clothing yet small enough to be killed by determined armored men.
Knock them down—stomp them—stomp them all.
Huddled together they swept clinging spiders off each other and retreated steadily toward areas with thinner webbing.
Seeing the endless gray tide blocking their original path Ethan seized Ander's shoulder and shouted:
"Where—where is there open ground? No trees!"
"No trees—no trees…"
Ander stammered eyes darting wildly.
Then he pointed toward a distant ridge.
"There! A cliff—very high—and a river runs below!"
Ethan followed the direction.
A low mountain had been sheared almost in half leaving a sheer vertical face forty meters tall.
Below it a river more than five meters wide flowed past open grassy banks lined with low brush—a natural firebreak against the spiders.
"Ander—lead the way! Everyone—stay tight!"
At first the survivors moved cautiously toward the mountain's base.
But as the sinister rustling swelled around them fear overtook caution.
They broke into a run.
Perhaps the prey's flight had triggered a frenzy.
This time the spiders came larger more aggressive.
Without Ethan and Kevin—both in full plate—covering the rear and beating back the creatures none of them would have escaped.
Finally breaking free of the trees they reached the open cliff edge.
The wide river flowed below its banks clear of tall growth.
After splashing across without the canopy's cover the relentless assault finally slackened.
The spiders withdrew like a gray tide retreating slowly into the shadowed wood.
The ragged group collapsed on the far bank shedding heavy armor checking one another for wounds.
Fortunately when they had decided to turn back for Havis everyone had taken time to wrap exposed skin.
No spider fangs had pierced armor during the desperate flight.
Ethan had just begun to feel relieved that he himself was unharmed when he noticed Juan sitting strangely still.
"What's wrong?"
Ethan gripped Juan's shoulder to help him stand—but the man's body felt rigid as wood.
"I… I can't move. Everything's numb."
Juan's lips had turned black his face ashen limbs trembling uncontrollably.
"Ander—he's been bitten."
Ander pulled back Juan's collar revealing several small bleeding punctures on the back of his neck.
Eddie leaned in shook his head and added grimly:
"While we were running two spiders landed on him.
I knocked them off—but I didn't see if they bit him."
Apart from scout Eddie Juan had the weakest defenses.
His light leather armor left gaps the torn blanket strips had been wrapped carelessly—leaving skin exposed.
Conrad—who had been splashing river water on his face—saw the commotion rushed over and seized his brother-in-law's hand.
"Juan—what's wrong? Where does it hurt? Talk to me!"
Juan lay on the grass eyes unfocused pleading in a weak voice:
"I… I don't want to… I want to die…"
Conrad forced a shaky smile stroked Juan's hair and whispered desperately:
"You're not going to die—you're still so young.
Be brave—breathe deep—just breathe—don't stop!"
Juan lifted his gaze past Conrad toward the dark forest behind them.
"Conrad… take care of my sister…"
Under the helpless anxious stares of the entire group Juan's eyes stared wide—and then went still.
"Fuck—let's get the hell out of this nightmare!!"
Young Yuen could no longer hold back his terror.
He hurled his spear to the ground and shouted.
Ander slapped him hard across the face.
"Shut up!"
After the blow Yuen quieted covering his face and sobbing softly unable to stop.
Ethan had no intention of interfering with Ander disciplining his man—but he also could not allow panic to spread.
They needed a way forward.
He turned to Ander:
"My lord—it seems impossible to return the way we came."
Ander met his eyes.
"Captain Ethan—speak plainly."
Ethan explained:
"There are too many of those strange spiders.
They drop from the trees onto prey below.
We can't leave unless we greatly reduce their numbers.
I have the feeling we're being watched."
A faint rustling drifted from the distant trees—whether spiders or wind through leaves it was impossible to tell.
"Teacher—what do we do now?" Kevin asked quietly.
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
He stood and carefully studied the river's course.
Both upstream and downstream sections ran through dense forest—only this short stretch near the cliff lay open.
If they did nothing by nightfall the spiders would almost certainly descend the cliff face joining their kin in a pincer attack on the intruders who had stumbled into their domain.
In darkness with limited visibility coordination would suffer.
They might fail to protect each other—or even strike allies by mistake.
If anyone became separated annihilation was easy to imagine.
Ethan shared his analysis voice low:
"My lord—this river won't shield us for long."
Silence fell.
Everyone looked at one another saying nothing.
After an awkward pause Kevin spoke up hesitantly:
"I heard frogs eat spiders.
What if we catch some frogs from the river carry them with us—then run when the spiders panic?"
Every head turned toward him.
Kevin flushed and tugged his helmet lower to hide his face.
Ander continued:
"Captain Ethan—please go on.
I think you already have a plan in mind.
Why not share it so we can refine it together?"
Ethan cleared his throat picked up a dry twig and sketched the surrounding terrain on the bare earth.
"Here's what I'm thinking.
It's still day—but it's almost dusk.
Even if we wrap ourselves tightly and walk slowly we'll almost certainly be deep in darkness before we leave the forest.
At night the danger multiplies.
I don't believe anyone here can successfully cross a pitch-black forest avoid wild animals pitfalls and roots—and return to Rabbitpaw while pursued by those spider-things."
He paused letting his gaze move across every face.
"So—in the next few hours before full dark—we have to reduce the spider numbers as much as possible.
Kill them. Stomp them. Burn them—whatever it takes—until they can no longer gather enough force to overwhelm us.
Only after we know how many are left can we even consider resting through the night and trying to walk out."
Conrad considered then nodded.
"Makes sense.
So what exactly do we do right now?"
Ethan continued:
"From this moment we split into two teams.
One team gathers every piece of firewood they can safely collect nearby—then bundles it into stacks about waist-high.
The more the better.
The other team gathers every usable piece of armor we have puts it on and from now on goes to the riverbank lures the spiders to attack—and inflicts as much damage as possible.
If their numbers start dropping—that's ideal.
If the numbers don't drop—then we set the woodpiles ablaze and burn this whole cursed forest down!"
Conrad stared.
"This forest belongs to the duke…"
Ethan looked at Ander.
"What do you say?"
Ander waved a hand.
"Wildfires happen every year.
That's not the issue.
But how do we start the fire?
We can't just charge back into the trees can we?"
"Rockets."
Ethan pointed to the bow and quiver Eddie carried.
"Push the haystacks into the forest.
Once enough spiders gather light the arrows and shoot them into the piles.
Eddie—can you handle it?"
Eddie plucked the bowstring once.
"Don't worry.
I won't miss a target that big."
"Good.
You and Yuen gather the hay—make at least five big stacks.
Any problem?"
Eddie closed his eyes did quick mental math then nodded.
"None."
Yuen looked at Ander.
After receiving a silent nod he agreed:
"No problem."
"That leaves four of us.
Kevin and I have the heaviest armor—so we'll stand front and center shields up protecting the rest.
Conrad—tie branches to your spears.
If you see any dangling overhead sweep them down.
Lord Ander—you don't need to come ashore.
Stay in the water—keep a little distance.
If anything slips past us kill it with your sword.
Since there's no one behind you your own safety comes first—understood?"
Ander nodded.
"I'll watch."
Ethan finished assigning:
"Kevin and I will each use our shields to draw attacks—kill as many as we can.
If anyone gets hurt or exhausted—don't push.
Pass your weapon to Yuen and rotate out.
Yuen—besides gathering wood your second job is to stay ready to reinforce wherever needed.
Listen for our calls."
Finally Ethan looked around the circle.
"Does everyone understand their role?"
"Understood!"
"Yes."
"Got it."
After the quick council Ethan led the four melee fighters into tight formation and advanced to the open strip between riverbank and forest edge.
They began banging swords on shields—making deliberate noise.
Sure enough the spiders had not left.
They lurked in the tree shadows waiting.
When they heard prey moving they could not resist.
White silk strands whipped outward as they tried to drop onto the group.
Ethan and the others stood shoulder to shoulder—axes chopping swords stabbing fists smashing—snapping thin legs knocking the creatures to the ground then crushing them under armored boots.
The assembly-line slaughter ran smoothly.
Within minutes their boots were buried under foul-smelling broken carapaces forcing them to shuffle sideways toward cleaner ground.
"Back up—don't let them surround us!"
Seeing more and more gray shapes gliding in from deeper forest Ethan ordered a controlled retreat—halting only when their backs were at the river.
The spiders attacked relentlessly but without the advantage of overhead branches their efficiency dropped sharply—allowing the armored men to push them back farther.
During the brief lull everyone except Conrad (who held a makeshift shield over the group) and Ethan (who stayed at the very front) took short turns to rest and drink.
Kevin and Yuen swapped places.
Ander rested chest-deep in the rushing current.
Seeing his teacher standing immovable at the forefront Kevin worried.
"Teacher—won't you switch out and rest?"
Ethan shrugged.
"No need.
Don't underestimate your teacher—I could fight all night."
Hearing that Kevin bit his lip said nothing more—only took a few swallows of water then returned to stand beside his teacher.
Ethan wasn't boasting.
He genuinely felt little pressure.
If anything he was faintly disappointed.
This was it?
The difficulty felt lower than a five-man dungeon run.
After a short breather the group advanced again.
They expected another wave of moderate attacks—only to discover the spiders now surged forward with manic intensity as though driven into frenzy.
Just as everyone struggled to hold the line against the renewed assault Ethan's urgent shout cut through the noise:
"Watch out—big ones incoming!"
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