章 9: Skeleton Spider
The spider creature lunged forward, its eyes with an unrelenting hunger for destruction.
'SCRAM!' Flynn yelled, but his warning came too late. The creature had already locked onto its first victim - one of Two-tooth's goons. The boy's screams were cut short as the spider shot out a stream of viscous white goo, dissolving him in an instant. The sound of his terror was replaced by silence, leaving behind a wet, slurping noise of his body disintegrating.
The spider's gaze snapped to its next target, and the remaining boys froze in paralyzed fear. With unnatural speed, the creature closed in, its legs a blur as it chased down its prey.
Three more bodies fell, each one dissolving into a gaping hole in the ground with a sickening 'Slurp... Plop... Crash.'
Flynn heart skipped, he knew they had to move - fast. The spider was relentless, and its next victim could be any one of them.
He sprinted to the wall, his gaze fixed on the spider creature as it pursued the boys, then eyes darted to the Jasper stones on the wall.
'.... What if...'
His fingers traced the surface - Not too slippery, but at the same time, rough.
Understanding formed on his face as he grasped one of the stones and pulled himself up. He secured his footing, took two more steps onto the larger stones, and realized it was their only escape route.
"CLIMB!" Flynn bellowed to the boys, whose terrified eyes snapped towards him. "... CLIMB THE STONES! AND FAST!" In that moment, Flynn took charge, directing their frantic escape.
Five boys took the lead, edging closer to the wall. As they began climbing, their legs found holds in the stone. Two-Tooth followed, but with a ruthless tactic - he used the boys as stepping stones, placing his feet on their heads to reach higher steps. During this, One boy lost his footing and tumbled back to the ground, instantly snatched by the spider creature..
"Zzt-zzt-crr..".
A hissing, acid-burning sound filled the air as the boy's body vanished.
The gruesome scene caused the remaining boys into frantic action. Thirteen survivors, clung to the Jasper stone, their hands grasping desperately as they scrambled toward the only escape - an open hole at the front.
Flynn was mere steps from freedom when he decided to look behind, only to see the spider's eyes locked onto him. Its body twisted, facing him head-on, and it charged backwards before rushing forward with terrifying speed. Flynn released his grip after seeing he was the next target, and dropped to the cave floor as the spider jumped on the wall.
Undeterred, he ran towards the opposite wall and quickly, his hands and feet scrabbling for traction on the jagged stones.
The spider again jumped down, and chased, its legs pounding the ground in pursuit.
"Damn this creature!" Flynn cursed, his fingers closing around a loose stone. He yanked it free, as the spider spew its acidic goo.
Again, Flynn let go, falling to the ground once more, dodging this attack. The spider eyes facing him, its fangs snapping wildly as it released another stream of corrosive venom.
"Sh*t!"
Again, he dodged the attack by mere inches. He darted sideways, but the spider was too fast, with sharp legs digging into the ground as it closed in.
And with its speed, the spider had reappeared in front of Flynn, who let out a frustrated tone.
"DAMN THIS MONSTER!."
It raised its leg to strike a deadly blow, But at this moment, Flynn placed his hands on the wall behind him and pushed his body downward, under the spider's body. This force he used caused him to reach the opposite wall, where he watched the Digger boys nearly reaching the top. He needed to get up there as well, but if he did now, it would be nothing but a death wish.
His eyes widened, "Wait a minute..."
It was then he realized he had pushed himself towards this spot with an unusual strength - a strength he had never had... until now. His face fell into a thoughtful expression. He held the Jasper stone in his hands and had an idea - a dangerous one.
...
Flynn took a deep breath and locked eyes with the spider creature, which swiftly turned to face him. The creature again charged towards him.
He needed just one of it's attack.
However, a stream of acid goo was released at him, and Flynn dodged swiftly, sidestepping the attack.
"Not this one!" he muttered to himself as the creature spat out another glob of acid. Each narrow escape left him barely an inch from disaster, with some of the goo dissolving parts of his trousers.
Fortunately, the acid goo wasn't as fast as the spider's movements, but its unpredictability made it difficult for Flynn to anticipate where to dodge. Another glob hurtled towards him, and he evaded it by a hair's breadth.
'Screech....'
The creature let out a scream surely annoyed for not being able to kill it's prey, and closed in. The spiky legs, striking the ground with a powerful blow, sending shockwaves through the air. Flynn narrowly avoided a fatal hit by pushing himself away from the creature, slipping underneath its massive body just in time, with the shockwave as an help as well.
'... Ah.... Ah....'
Flynn's brow furrowed as his breath grew short. He knew if he continues with the sliding, it won't take long before his strength runs out.
".... Is there no way to kill this creature.." He muttered. "Acid goo and a powerful strike?... Isn't there... Wait a minute—"
Again, a strategic realization struck him, "If I retreat, the creature would spew acid; but, if I close in, it would strike with its leg, momentarily immobilizing it in the ground! Good."
That brief window was all he needed, the opening he was waiting for — That which would lead him into blinding the spider creature's eyes.
Gripping the Jasper stone, Flynn filled his lungs with air and again, charged forward once more. The spider creature swiftly freed its leg, and Flynn offered a silent prayer as he mustered unexpected courage to keep running. He got closer, and Just as predicted, the creature's leg swung down, striking the ground with deadly force – its slowest, yet most lethal attack.
Seizing the moment, Flynn sprang onto the buried leg, using the creature's temporary immobilization to his advantage.
Flynn utilized the spider's legs, with their tiny spikes, to climb upward. But as he did this, his palm grazed a spike, slicing through skin.
"Ouch!.... Damnit ! I hate spiders!."
He continued his climbing, but didn't see what was coming next.
The spider thrashed about, desperate to shake Flynn off, but his grip was firm on the spikes. "Almost there..." he muttered, his goal within reach.
Just as he prepared to climb onto the abdomen, trouble had its way, when his trouser fabric snagged on the spikes.
Horror gripped Flynn as he quickly tried to free the cloth, but time was against him. "Come on!"
With no other choice, he tore the fabric, sacrificing a piece of his pant leg. The sudden movement coincided with the spider's leg breaking free from the ground.
In an instant, the spider kicked it's leg upward, with tremendous force. A swift kick which sent Flynn soaring upward in the air.
And without minutes to spare, the spider creature lunged upward, its mouth agape while, Flynn's fear reached a fever pitch. Time seemed to slow as his eyes went wide with terror. He felt the warm rush of air from below, confirming the monster's open maw was mere inches away.
An inch closer...
'No!... I don't want to die!...'
His body closer to it's Mandibles
'I still have a thousand things to do, and I haven't done a single one...
'Not now...
'I WON'T die!...'
'...'
The monotone voice instantly sounded;
[HOST CRITICAL SURVIVAL UNLOCKED!]
[MUSCLE DENSITY INCREASED!]
[BLOOD FLOW MAXIMIZED...]
[HOST'S STRENGTH MAXIMIZED!]
Flynn felt a sudden surge of energy course through his body. His heart pounded faster, and a rush of adrenaline flooded his veins. His body felt lighter, yet stronger, as it transformed for survival.
But it wasn't time to think about that now.
As the seconds ticked away, he felt death closing in. So, he again knew what to do.
With a swift, desperate motion, he turned his body to face the monstrous spider creature. Gripping the Jasper stone, he hurled it into the beast's gaping maw, and screamed,
"DIE! YOU MONSTER!."
The stone shot like a bullet, its trajectory, ripping through the creature's body with devastating force. The impact was instantaneous, tearing a straight line through the spider's torso. Simultaneously, Flynn's leg lashed out, kicking the creature's head with bone-shattering force.
"Crack... Crash!"
The sound of splintering chitin and crunching bone filled the air as the creature's head separated from its abdomen, sent flying in opposite directions.
Two-tooth turned his head towards the sound as some of the Digger boys and him as well, tried to escape, his eyes went wide open when he saw the scene, "What in the name of all that's holy is Bimpky's doing?" he exclaimed.
Two climbing ahead of him, halted and looked back. Their eyes as well wide opened as one had to say when he saw the scene, "By the saints! What sorcery is this?"
A bushy haired one, below them, grunted, "Keep movin', lads! We don't have time for gawkin'!."
Flynn however landed squarely on both legs. A few seconds passed as He panted, "
..T-thanl goodness that thing is dead," but his legs felt the ground vibrate.
Turning his head, His eyes widened with terror as the headless spider's skeleton abdomen rushed towards him.
"Don't you ever die!" Flynn yelled out as panic set in, fueling his desperate scramble up the Jasper stone wall. His grip was vice-like, his climbing faster and more frantic than ever. But the headless creature matched his pace, with relentless force shattering the stones as it pursued.
Meanwhile, the other Digger boys had already reached the top, and seconds ticked before he could get there as well.
He heaved himself over the edge of the hole, and, the headless spider made one final lunge upwards.
Flynn braced himself, fist clenched, and unleashed a mighty punch.
"DIE..."
A burst of air rippled around his fist as he landed a crushing blow on the spider's skeletal abdomen.
'CRACK!'
The bony structure shattered, sending the creature crashing back into the darkness of its cave.
Watching as the blue light which glowed in the spider's skeleton abdomen slowly dimmed, and its lifeless body fell back into the darkness, "An undead creature, How annoying!" He said, and quickly pushed himself away from the massive hole, but as he turned to face the Digger boys, they pulled back in unison. Two-tooth's face contorted in shock and horror.
"Who.... Who... W-who 're ye?" Two-tooth stammered.
Another boy spoke up, his voice trembling, "I... I reckon ye're one o' them monsters!" The group murmured among themselves, their fear and suspicion increasing.
Some, including Two-tooth afraid they would be next for such destructive blow, a revenge for all they had done to him.
But, Flynn raised his hands, palms outward, to calm them down. "Hey! It's not the time for that, and Do you understand what's happening here?...
Silence. Followed by words of "No."
".....I thought as much. This isn't a hospital or any place we know! We've crossed into another world!"
The Digger boys exchanged uneasy glances. Actually, The reality of their situation seemed to sink in, and none of them dared debate Flynn's words. Not at this moment.
Silence ruled as murmurs filled the air, no one had the strength to move and inch. Some of the Digger boys gave Two-tooth a dirty look, as he lamented.
"Alas, Billy hath met his maker!" Two-tooth exclaimed, his eyes shut tight in sorrow.
The other four Beggar boys, who had been dear to the departed, hung their heads in grief. A solemn hush fell upon the group, and those who gave him a dirty look did the same as well, for the ones he had caused to die.
"One of ours hath fallen, seven good lads lost to that fiend's cruelty," one of them spoke up, his voice filled with despair. "What say thee, friends? How shall we proceed, lest we cross paths with more fearsome beasts?"
The others murmured in agreement, their voices a gentle hum of concern.
'.... I'm more worried than most of you all...' Flynn muttered as he looked at the Ring. The monotone voice returned...
[FEED ME! CRITICAL HUNGER! - 91%!]
[SATISFACTION REQUIRE: 1 Soul shard!.]
He waited for the next words, probably what would happen if he doesn't do what was necessary. But, nothing came.
At this moment, he knew for sure the Ring had saved him earlier, but now wasn't the time to think about that.
"Rip..."
He tore and bound his bleeding palm with a tattered cloth, the spike of the spider's leg having torn through flesh. As he tended to his wound, he drew a deep breath knowing the Digger boys panic increased, and declared, "Definitely, we will encounter more creatures, this is certain...."
The Digger boys turned towards his direction, their eyes filled with desperation.
"....In this place, it's a death trap," he warned. "Don't wander off. Stay close..."
Then, he locked eyes with Two-tooth, his voice taking on a serious tone. "And listen to instructions. Or else we'll all perish before finding the main exit."
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