Capítulo 27: A Girl Called Jane

[Episode 27]

Their intentions were clear. "Be the Queen's next meal."

Along with the push of betrayal, a Luciano belting, "RUN!" accompanied it. My eyes met the purple glare of the Queen.

I threw myself in the opposite direction and attempted to pull myself up.

My arm suddenly got pulled, directing me away from getting stomped on, "COME RUVIE, MOVE!"

"Lynn..." I was shocked that she didn't leave me behind like the others.

We dashed towards the treasury opening we first came through, but the Spindoff's golden webs blocked our way. Although most of the Shulkerz members managed to get through, a straggler was trapped in with us.

HISS

The Queen Spindoff made a screeching, snake-like sound. We turned towards its large blue-red body in fear. A golden web sprayed from its vicinity, flying past us with great speed.

"GAHH!"

Fearfully we twisted our necks towards the deafening scream and were met with the most gruesome scene. The grey cave wall and multiple spiky webs dyed a deep red while pushing through a lifeless human corpse.

A dark feeling rose in my stomach. My last meal was clearly crawling back up my throat. I turned away from Lynn just in time. When I thought I had finished, the stench of my sick made me feel nauseous again.

"Ruvie! Are you alright?" Lynn patted my back clumsily with her shaking hands.

I briefly wiped my mouth staring anxiously at the Queen Spindoff, "Uegh. Y-yeah, I'm good now."

There was no time to be feeling sick. We had to find a way to escape this cave else we might've ended up dead like that guy.

But before I could even compose myself, we ended up being tied up together by its golden webs.

That's how we ended up at this point, being tossed around upside down as the Spindoff Queen carried us to its nest

"I'm really sorry Ruvie. If it wasn't for me-"

"Lynn, it's fine. At least we're not dead yet, right?" Of course, even I'm not sure how we're still alive. Why hasn't it killed us yet? Lynn and I lost our weapons and had no way to fight back. But as long as we can survive for long enough, I'm sure we'll automatically be teleported back to Haven safely.

The Spindoff firmly comes to a stop and violently tosses us to the ground.

"Ouch!" This stupid spider is really testing my limits. If I wasn't all tied up, had better skills and weapons and was in my old body, then I would've killed it easily! Well, not really, but I like to imagine myself being a little capable.

A smooth substance drips on my forehead.

Lynn widens her eyes, "AGHHH!" She flings herself violently causing my face and chest to be squashed into the ground.

"Lynn! What the heck are you- Ah..." I see why she screamed. I would've done the same if I had seen it first.

Many animal remains, tightly bound by webs, slump with pools of blood surrounding them. Their skin rotting and falling to the ground at the smallest movements. We stare at the horrific view for a couple of minutes as I bite my lip trying to prevent myself from crying. Lynn shivers aggressively heating up our bodies.

We notice the many unhatched eggs and determine that the Queen Spindoff probably threw us into her hatching room.

A harsh coughing sound permeates our fearful silence, "Hello? Is there someone there?!" She pauses briefly as we attempt to sit up in surprise, "Please help us, I'm so scared!" The mysterious girl starts sobbing. I can't see who it's coming from but the plea for help seems to be from under the pile of rotting corpses.

"Hey, it's okay, calm down! We're over here, can you see us?! We were also kidnapped by the Spindoff Queen so unfortunately, we can't help you but are you alright?" Lynn responds in a raspy voice.

The girl instantly ceases crying and sniffs, "Yeah! We aren't hurt. But because of these webs, we can't teleport back. We've been here since the second round, I've lost track of time now." She sniffs again, "We were in a group of four people but only my friend and I weren't killed by the Spindoffs for some reason."

What? So because of these damn webs, we can't just teleport back to Haven after the two hours are over?! Damn it! I shouldn't have come here! Now I'm going to end up like those rotting corpses.

Lynn continues questioning the girl, "Your other teammates that were killed, were they men?"

"Y-yes! How did you know?"

"I see. The reason we weren't killed right off the bat must be because we're women."

"Women? But I'm a guy!" I look down at my chest. "Ah, never mind..." I've been so stressed out that I even forgot the fact that I'm not even a male right now. "Well, perhaps it has a preference in taste for women. If so, we're probably baby food for the soon-to-be newly hatched Spindoffs."

"That does sound reasonable Ruvie dear but even I have to admit that it doesn't quite make sense since I myself am not biologically female." Lynn ponders deeply.

I completely forgot about that, then what else could be the reason? "Ah, maybe it's a system thing? You know, since mentally if you see yourself as a specific gender the system seems to note you down as that gender. Oh, but I guess since I see myself as a man it doesn't really make sense either huh."

It's all a bit confusing but there must be some logic as to why only women are taken to the nest.

The girl continues, "My friend Amy hasn't been tied up by the webs since she managed to run away, but when she saw the Spindoff trying to take me, she followed it in secret and hid us beneath these dead animals after it left."

Lynn intersects and questions the girl. "Amy? So where is this Amy girl then?"

"She's right here next to me, she wrapped some of the Spindoff Queen's web around her wrist to keep her from being teleported after we realised its effects."

So this Amy person is able to roam free? So why hasn't she said anything so far?

A woman in a dark green bob emerges from beneath the skin and bones looking all miserable, "Hey." She hiccups and turns red, "I'm Amly ow- I mean, Amy." She bites her tongue while trying to speak and decides to keep quiet again while tearing up from embarrassment.

Seems she's no good with words considering she misspoke her own name.

"Hey, sweet buns! I'm Lynn and this girl tied up with me in Ruvie, it's a bit of a rough situation but it's nice to meet you!"

She continues with her bright red cheeks, "I think I uhh can help get us all out, but we need a weapon t- to cut your webs and a distraction." Amy fiddles her fingers while kneeling on the ground. "I lost mine and so did Jane."

Jane must be the girl who was talking before.

Lynn proceeds to instruct her, "By lost, you must be referring to your weapons right? Amy dear, I'm going to need you to head back to the entrance of the Spindoff queen's layer."

Going back to the entrance is dangerous with all the Spindoffs about, just what is Lynn thinking?