Something brushed against Xavier's cheek. His brows knitted together, the faint sensation tugging at the edge of his awareness. For a fleeting moment, he dismissed it as the residue of a dream. But then it came again—slow, wet, deliberate. Crawling.
His consciousness stirred, dragging him back toward reality. Breath filled his lungs, stale and heavy with an earthy stench. A clammy dampness clung to his skin, and the crawling touch slithered across his face once more.
Xavier's eyes snapped open.
At first, the world was a blur—shadows shifting, shapes distorted. As his vision sharpened, the truth before him froze his body in place. He was no longer in the cave. Or rather… this was not their cave.
The cavern around him resembled something born of nightmare. Thick layers of silk smothered the walls, stretched and tangled like veins beneath diseased flesh. Slime coated the stone, glistening faintly beneath pale streams of moonlight that filtered through a distant crack high above. From the ceiling and walls hung grotesque clusters of egg sacs, swollen and obscene.
Some lay still. while others twiched Others twitched.
Tiny, spider-like larvae spilled from ruptured eggs, skittering across the slime-slick stone before vanishing into cracks hidden deep within the walls. Xavier's breath faltered, uneven and shallow. His gaze lifted, drawn upward against his will. What he saw made his blood run cold.
Bodies. Dozens. No—hundreds.
Human corpses dangled from the ceiling, bound in suffocating silk like grotesque ornaments. Among them hung elven forms, some freshly cocooned, others reduced to skeletal husks suspended in eternal silence. Toward the far wall loomed something far larger—the corpse of a giant. Its massive frame had been half-swallowed by the stone itself, flesh collapsed inward to expose bone and blackened muscle. Eggs clung to its remains in swarming clusters, thousands upon thousands. Maggots writhed through the rotting flesh, feeding without end.
Something shifted near Xavier's hand. His heart lurched. A fat, pale maggot crawled lazily across the silk binding his arm.
"Ah!"
Instinct seized him. He thrashed violently, struggling against the sticky restraints. The webs tightened, constricting with every frantic movement. Panic consumed him.
"Get it off! Get it off!"
"Xavier."
The voice cut through his terror like a blade. He turned his head. Raiden lay nearby, bound in the same suffocating silk. Yet unlike Xavier, his expression was calm, his eyes steady even in the nightmare surrounding them.
"Stop moving," Raiden said firmly.
"What do you mean stop moving?!" Xavier hissed, his voice trembling. "Look around us!"
"I know."
"We need to get out of here!"
"And we will." Raiden's tone remained unshaken. "But if you keep struggling, you'll only tighten the webs around yourself."
Xavier froze. His chest heaved, breath ragged, but he forced himself to stillness. The silence pressed in, broken only by the faint twitching of eggs above.
"Then what do we do?" Xavier whispered, his voice trembling.
Raiden studied the cavern for several long seconds before answering. "I have an idea."
Without another word, black wings unfurled slowly from his back. The silk bindings strained against the sudden movement. With careful precision, Raiden maneuvered one wing until a single feather protruded beyond the cocoon imprisoning him.
"Xavier," Raiden called.
"What?"
"Bite my feather."
Xavier blinked at him. "What?"
"You heard me."
Confused but desperate, Xavier leaned forward and clamped his teeth around the dark feather.
"Pull."
Raiden jerked his wing back as Xavier tugged with his jaw. The feather tore free—detached cleanly—and in that instant hardened into a gleaming steel blade between Xavier's teeth.
Awkwardly, he began sawing at the silk with the improvised weapon clenched in his mouth. The webs resisted stubbornly, each strand thick and unyielding. Minutes dragged by. His jaw throbbed with pain.
Then— Snap.
The bindings gave way. Xavier staggered forward, shaking free from the last threads before landing unsteadily on his feet. He spat the metallic feather into his hand, gripping it tightly as he rushed to Raiden's side.
"Hold still," Xavier muttered.
He worked quickly, slicing through the cocoon that bound Raiden. Moments later, Raiden stepped free, his wings folding back against his shoulders.
Xavier's gaze darted around the cavern. " Oh no...no no no wheres Elra?"
Raiden's expression darkened as his gaze swept across the cavern's grotesque expanse. "I don't know," he muttered, voice low and tense.
Xavier's jaw tightened. "Then we have to find her."
Raiden gave a sharp nod.
Before either of them could move, a frail voice trembled through the shadows. "R-Raiden…"
Both men froze.
"…Help me."
A faint flicker of orange flame sputtered deeper within the cave. Raiden turned instantly, instincts sharp, and Xavier followed close behind. As they drew nearer, the light revealed a figure slumped against the wall.
Raiden's eyes widened. "Xylo?"
The young man looked ghastly. Half his face was riddled with small, festering holes where maggots writhed beneath the skin. Blood and pus soaked his clothes, each breath shallow and ragged.
Xylo lifted his head with effort. "Raiden…"
Raiden dropped to one knee beside him. "What happened to you?"
"I… I don't know," Xylo whispered, wincing. "I woke up here. Couldn't move."
Raiden brushed several maggots from his friend's face, jaw clenched. "Can you stand?"
Xylo shook his head weakly.
Raiden crouched lower, voice firm. "Xavier."
Xavier moved to Xylo's other side without hesitation. Together, they lifted him carefully, Raiden bearing most of the weight.
"Come on," Raiden said, his tone brooking no argument. "We're getting out of here."
Fear pressed in with every step, but stopping was unthinkable.
Supporting Xylo between them, the two men pressed deeper into the cavern. Their footsteps echoed against slick stone, each sound swallowed by the suffocating dark.
Silken threads clung to the walls like veins in diseased flesh. Patches of slime forced them to tread with care. The air was thick, humid, and tainted with a stench that spoke of rot.
Death.
Xavier's grip tightened around the steel feather blade. His eyes darted constantly, searching the shadows. The silence itself felt predatory.
Then—squelch.
Xavier glanced down. A maggot the size of his palm crawled lazily across the floor, its bloated body twisting grotesquely.
Crunch. Raiden crushed it beneath his foot without breaking stride. "Keep moving," he said.
Xavier swallowed hard and nodded.
The deeper they went, the more horrific the cavern became. Corpses hung overhead—human, beastfolk, elf—all wrapped in thick webbing, suspended like grotesque trophies.
Many of the bodies dangling above were long dead, reduced to brittle bones hidden beneath silk. Others… far too recent. Xavier's stomach twisted, and he forced his eyes away.
The tunnel widened suddenly, opening into a vast chamber that dwarfed the cavern they had just left. The ceiling vanished into shadow, swallowed by endless darkness. Against opposite walls lay two colossal corpses—giants, their skeletal frames half-fused into the stone. Thousands of pale eggs clung to their remains, clustered like tumors. Some had already split open, releasing swarms of spiderlings that scuttled across exposed ribs and rotting flesh.
Yet strangely, there was no stench. No rot. No decay.
Xavier's grip on Xylo tightened. His voice was barely a whisper. "This place… it feels wrong."
Raiden's eyes never stopped moving, scanning every shadow. His tone was clipped, controlled. "I know."
Then—something brushed against Raiden's shoulder.
"Freeze."
The voice was calm. Gentle. Almost soothing.
Instantly, their bodies locked in place. Xavier's pupils shrank as panic surged. His muscles refused to obey. He strained, but even his fingers remained frozen.
Raiden's jaw clenched, teeth grinding. "What the hell is this?"
Footsteps echoed softly, deliberate and measured, approaching from behind. A figure emerged from the darkness—familiar, yet unsettling.
Miriam.
She stepped into the dim light, her expression unreadable, eyes glinting with something Xavier couldn't place.
"Miriam?" Xavier's voice cracked, disbelief and relief tangled together.
Raiden's glare was sharp, his tone edged with accusation. "What are you doing here?"
Miriam raised a single finger to her lips. Her voice was quiet, but it carried through the chamber like a command.
"Shh."
Many looked long dead, reduced to nothing but bones hidden beneath silk.
Others looked recent.
Far too recent.
Xavier quickly looked away.
Soon, the narrow tunnel widened.
They entered another chamber.
This one dwarfed the previous cave.
The ceiling disappeared high into darkness.
Two enormous giant corpses rested against opposite walls, their massive skeletal frames partially embedded within the stone itself.
Thousands of eggs covered their remains.
Some had already hatched.
Countless tiny spiderlings crawled over exposed ribs and rotting flesh.
Yet strangely...
There was no smell.
No rot.
No decay.
Xavier's grip around Xylo tightened.
"This place..." he whispered.
Raiden remained alert.
"I know."
Then—
Something touched the shoulder of the Trio.
"Freeze."
The voice was calm.
Gentle.
Almost soothing.
Instantly—
Their bodies locked in place.
Xavier's pupils shrank.
His muscles refused to obey.
He tried to move.
Nothing.
Even his fingers remained frozen.
Raiden gritted his teeth.
"What the hell—"
Footsteps approached from behind.
Slow.
Measured.
A familiar figure emerged from the darkness.
Miriam.
She stood before them silently.
Her expression remained unreadable.
"Miriam?" Xavier called out.
Raiden glared at her.
"What are you doing?"
Miriam simply raised one finger to her lips.
"Shh."
THUD.
The cavern trembled. The trio froze.
THUD.
Something massive stirred within the abyss. A scraping sound reverberated against the stone walls—long, sharp, deliberate.
From the shadows, a glossy black leg emerged, chitin gleaming faintly beneath the moonlight. Then another. And another. Until eight colossal limbs carried a figure into view.
Xavier's breath caught in his throat. His heart nearly stopped.
The creature's upper half resembled a woman of breathtaking beauty. Raven-black hair cascaded down her shoulders like a silken waterfall. Her pale skin glowed faintly in the dim light, flawless and smooth. Sharp green eyes shimmered with intelligence, amusement, and something far more dangerous. Her face bore the elegance of royalty, the kind of beauty that demanded reverence.
But the illusion shattered below her waist. A monstrous spider's body extended beneath her human torso, its glossy black chitin marked with crimson patterns blooming like flowers of blood. Each leg ended in spear-like tips, capable of piercing flesh and stone alike. Standing tall, she loomed nearly twelve feet high—graceful, majestic, and utterly terrifying.
The spider woman approached Miriam. Her delicate fingers brushed against Miriam's cheek with unsettling tenderness.
"My child," she whispered, voice smooth as velvet. "You have returned."
Miriam bowed instantly, lowering herself onto one knee. "My Lady. I have brought you what you requested."
The creature's crimson eyes shifted toward the group. A smile curved her lips, elegant and predatory.
"Excellent," she purred. "These offerings shall nourish my children well."
Xavier's thoughts reeled. It speaks…
Her gaze locked onto him. She paused, then glided forward with terrifying grace. Each step echoed like a heartbeat in the cavern.
When she reached him, she bent low, her face inches from his. Long fingers traced his cheek with a gentleness that belied the horror of her form. Cold terror surged through Xavier's veins.
"Oh my," she murmured, her smile widening. "What a beautiful child. Those emerald eyes… and such radiant golden hair." Her touch lingered along his jaw, thoughtful, possessive.
"I will keep you."
Xavier forced his voice to question. "W-Who are you?"
The woman chuckled softly, the sound like silk sliding across steel.
"What a pleasant voice," she said, savoring the words. "Yes… you wont be wasted. I wont feed you to my children." Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous delight. "No… you are far too beautiful."
The spider woman leaned closer, her emerald gaze locking onto Xavier's. Slowly, deliberately, she pulled her face toward his, the faint feel of her warmth brushing against his skin. Her lips hovered near his neck, lingering just long enough for dread to coil in his chest. Then, with unnerving tenderness, she pressed a slow kiss against the side of his neck.
Xavier's body stiffened.
Her arms slid around him, wrapping him in a mockery of an embrace. The glossy black chitin of her lower half loomed behind, yet her human touch was deceptively warm, almost gentle. She held him as though he were a cherished possession.
After a moment, she pulled back, her hand remaining firmly on his shoulder. Her gaze smoldered, seductive and commanding.
"Yes…" she whispered, her voice dripping with velvet allure. "I will have so much fun with this one."
Her smile curved wider, elegant yet predatory, promising pleasures and horrors Xavier dared not imagine.
Xavier's eyes widened. His breath caught. "Wait…"
"There are only three of us here," Xavier said sharply, his voice trembling between fear and defiance. "You called us offerings. Where's Elra?"
Mother Celeste tilted her head, raven hair spilling like ink across her shoulders. Her smile never faltered. "The mutating girl?" she mused, tone silken. "Do not fret. My children shall feast upon her first."
Xavier's eyes widened in horror. "No!"
The spider queen's hand rose, fingers gliding through his hair with unsettling tenderness. "Do not concern yourself with such matters, child. Focus on me. You belong to me now."
Raiden's voice cut through the tension, sharp as steel. "You sold us out?" His glare snapped toward Miriam, venom in his words. "You bitch."
Miriam remained silent for a long moment, her eyes lowered. Then she gave a small, deliberate nod. "Yes."
She stretched out her hand. Beneath her pale skin, something writhed. The boys recoiled as a maggot pressed outward, forcing its way free before slithering across the stone to Mother Celeste.
"Mother Celeste offered me something I simply couldn't resist," Miriam said softly, her tone carrying that strange, old-fashioned lilt—sweet, almost girlish, yet chilling.
Xylo's weak voice trembled. "So you chose us?"
Miriam shook her head gently, as though correcting a child. "No, darling. I had planned to sacrifice the old man and Elra. But then those dreadful demon centaurs attacked." Her gaze flicked upward, meeting theirs with unsettling calm. "You saved us. So… I chose you instead."
Xylo stared at her, disbelief etched across his face. "You traded our lives for power?"
"Yes," Miriam answered quietly, without hesitation.
Mother Celeste extended one elegant hand. A golden spider crawled obediently into her palm. Without pause, she pierced its body with her fingers. The creature shrieked, and moments later she withdrew a glowing shard—its Soul Bone.
She offered it to Miriam. Miriam accepted eagerly. Purple energy erupted around her, violent and consuming. The Soul Bone fused into her spine with a sickening crack.
CRACK. CRACK.
Three pairs of sleek black spider legs burst from her back, blood splattering across the cavern floor. The limbs unfolded slowly, elegant yet deadly, lifting Miriam effortlessly from the ground.
Mother Celeste's smile deepened, proud and adoring. "My child. You look beautiful."
Xavier's voice shook as he stared at her in disbelief. "Miriam… my body, frozen like this… is this your spell's doing?"
Miriam nodded, her tone calm, almost cheerful. "Yes, sugar. My spell is called Commandment. It allows me to control others. All I need is physical contact… and knowledge of their name."
Xylo frowned, his voice weak but sharp. "And you're telling us this? Down to how it works?"
"I cannot lie," Miriam replied, her expression serene. "It's the flaw of my spell. Refusing to tell the truth causes me… unbearable pain."
Xavier clenched his fists, fury trembling through him. "You're horrible."
Mother Celeste laughed softly.
Unexpectedly, Miriam approached Xavier.
Standing before him, she hesitated.
Then suddenly—
She pulled him forward, for a kiss. In that moment a sudden mark appeared on her neck...He recognised it.. (a three headed dragon with two tails. with the two dragon heads on each side each biting its own tail) The mark description is not supposed to ne this long.
Their lips met briefly.
Before Xavier could process what had happened, she stepped back.
A faint sadness appeared within her expression.
"I was Right."
"Since the first day I saw you, i felt something about, something that drew my curiousity,." then she leaned in to whisper..." Cant wait to see you again"
Xavier stared at her speechlessly.
Raiden narrowed his eyes.
"You're a cultist, "
Miriam nodded.
"We believe sacrifice brings us closer to our god."
"Each offering guides humanity one step closer to Elysium, the land promised to us before our god was banished to Velnir, the godman's grave"
Its not real, Xylo said" A fallen god banished?, historians and archearologist hvae proven such a tale was entirely made up, You joined a cult for nothing"
" I born in a cult" she said" Never joined, and youre blind if you belive the words of sinners, Xylo"
Then—
Snap.
Miriam snapped her fingers.
Instantly, the invisible restraints vanished.
Control returned to Xavier's body.
Raiden immediately stepped forward, placing himself between Xavier, Xylo, and the others.
His black wings spread wide.
Mother Celeste watched with amused eyes.
A soft smile played across her lips.