Chương 147: Spiders (III)
"We'll go with that." Snow liked Jose's story. It reminded her of the account that she forgot about when she was a child, told by her parents.
She turned around. Heading straight towards the spider.
"So, you came to try to find my name?"
"Yes."
"Then, what is it?"
With a deep breath, Snow spoke. "Arachne."
The air around the spider rose up with blood lust. Snow weathered through the oppressive energy that spiked uncontrollably around her. She felt drained, stifled, and hard to breathe. The spider's blood lust was increasing in massive jumps that even she had trouble for a bit.
Quickly, with the magical power that she had. A powerful surge of magical energy burst from her body. "Shield." She whispered out of her lips. Encasing herself and all the players around her, she stifled energy that was bent on pushing them all to their knees. Some coughed up blood, others groaned in pain. They couldn't handle the power the blood lust let out by the spider as they buckled to their knees.
The only one that was standing was Snow herself, staring boldly back at the spider.
The spider woman was silent, examining Snow for a long time.
Snow could hear the beating of everyone's heart at the uncanny silence that pervaded the area. Even moving was a bad idea, making it even more stifling.
Taking every ounce of courage that she had, Snow finally had the guts to say something. "I assumed your silence is your answer that it is your name."
The spider finally moved. This time, the spider dipped low, coming down to Snow's level.
Snow tried her best not to flinch, thinking that the spider was just a giant cute dog or a beautiful swan to get over her dislike of spiders. Her fingers were itching to grab a fly swatter or a shoe to squash her, but she abstained.
She really really really wanted to kill the spider.
"Why do you think that?" The spider said with a threatening tone of voice.
"Because it is either your name that the God's have given you or a name that you despise that was given to you."
"You are sure it is my name?" the spider asked again, this time a bit slower than before, creating doubt in Snow's mind.
Snow took a moment, but she shook her head, clearing herself so she wouldn't doubt herself. "Yes."
With a barking laughter that caused Snow to flinch, the spider showed off her fangs. "I have never seen such a confident human before. Most would have cowered on their third question." She wiped away her tears. "I like you."
Thrown off guard by the sudden words, smashing her with a giant shoe was thrown out the window. Instead, she curiously asked the spider, "Why?"
"You're fearless and I can smell your blood lust to kill me. You came here to fight and destroy me, but instead, you choose a different path and entertain me with your words. Many would have raised their swords without a second thought." The spider got up and turned around, showing her back to Snow. She started to head towards her nest as her hand motioned towards Snow to follow. "These fools have all done the same and ended up dead as my food."
The squirming bodies hanging on the ceiling started to come back alive, but the spider flicked a few with her hand.
"So, was I right that it is your name," Snow asked, she was walking beside her. The other players huddled together. They were all released from oppressive energy that the spider was giving.
"Yes," the spider finally said. " My name is Arachne, and that fool of a god had turned me into this creature." A furious clacking of her teeth.
Arachne made her way through the intricate webs that she had created. The deeper they went, Snow noticed the patterns on the webs were a lot different than normal. She saw patterns and images, created with varying silks of color.
Many of the images were of Arachne herself, living through the times when Archne was human and eventually turned into a monster by the Gods. Anger, regret, pain, and fury were present in a handful of others strewn together with red and black. Images of fights against humans, elves, and even dwarves in the olden days were weaved to the point where Arcahne had fled from the people and ended up in the flying castle.
Even still, she was plagued by the players that fought to conqueror her and steal the tapestry that she had made. Out of all the intricate tapestries, she noticed one particular one—a spider trapped in a castle. In the castle was an overlooking black shadow hovering above her like a marionette.
Snow jaws dropped at the fine silk that was displayed all around her. She could tell that these tapestry-like rugs were going to be expensive when sold. They were hundreds and hundreds laid out all around them. The people around her gasped, their eyes in amazement at what they saw.
Some even tried to reach out to take them for themselves, but the others snapped at them to retract in whispers as they knew the Archne was still present.
Arachne stopped in front of her nest. It wasn't completely covered in the spider silk web. Instead, hundreds and hundreds of large pillows were piled up high into a bowl shape a bit high, but enough for her to climb in without too much trouble.
"Follow," Archne called out to Snow. "Only the human with the white hair, the rest can wait."
Arachne disappeared into her nest, leaving the group.
Quickly, the Players swarmed around her.
"Saintess, please do not go." One of the younger players called out to her. "We don't know what is in there. You will be by yourself alone."
"He's right," Olgom spoke, rubbing his chin. "You going in there alone is a death wish. I don't think it's wise."
Even Jose came over, grasping Snow's hand. He pulled, eyes watering with fear. His lips trembled, making Snow even more uncomfortable than before. She didn't want to leave them, but she needed to see this through.
"I'll be back." Taking Jose's hand off, which was much more complicated than she thought. His puppy dog eyes were gut-wrenching, making her fingers slightly tremble. "I promise."
Pulling away, she heard the others call out to her again. But this time, she didn't answer back and started her climb up the mountain of pillows.
At first, gripping the edges was difficult as the edges flopped a bit down, making the climb upwards a bit flimsy to get a good hold. Even still, Snow pushed onwards, pulling herself up one-by-one until she made it to the top.
With a grunt, sweating profusely, she pulled herself over. A heavy breath of relief escaped her lips.
When she looked up, she saw three familiar faces sitting down, drinking tea.
"What are you doing here?!" Snow shouted, completely stunned at the three vampires' appearance that she had personally asked for help from Mr. Rogers. They were just casually sipping away, drinking tea as if it was not such a big deal. While Snow and her group were having such difficulties, running through traps to get this far.
Rye, the white-haired vampire with long messy hair, had his black whip laid next to his side, taking a few deep sips of hot tea. He looked at Snow and didn't say anything.
"Well, if it isn't the saintess," Ego said chirpily. His short blue hair, swayed to the side, showing off his red eyes that stared at her with interest. Even behind the tight-fitting blue close, thick muscle peeked through. Black gauntlets, with twin hellhound faces, were neatly placed on the side. The usual intensity that she remembered was gone.
"It took you long enough," Bluvera snorted, known for his blue hair, with white streaks ranging from blue to white at different angles. Compared to Ego, who predominantly wore light blue, Blue Vera's clothes were more traditional Japanese happi with dark blue and black color designs, while his katana was laid down on his right not too far away.
"Wait, hold up," Snow brought up her hand before anyone of them could speak. She was already getting a headache from even trying to decipher why they were even here of all places. "Rye, you were with me when we rode the airship, right?"
Rye turned his head, with tea in hand. "Yes."
"Then why didn't you help?"
"Because I wasn't needed."
"You couldn't come and take me out of the tube, either?"
"Your magic was needed to fuel the ship." Rye's words were on point and short.
Snow fumed; she wanted to punch every single one of them and their nonchalant attitude. "Forget it," she gave up in trying to reason with the three. "Now seriously, why are you guys here?"
"We got lost," said Rye dryly. "Well, more like I found them and then got lost. Somehow I ended up sharing tea with our new friend."
"Friend?"
"Yes, you met her. Ms. Archne." Rye motioned his hand towards Arachne, who was interested in watching their conversation as if it were a soap drama in front of her in real-time. "She was kind enough to share some hospitality."
"You guys couldn't go and save the Players, and instead, you guys drank tea?" Snow baffled at his reply. "Do you not see them strewn up in the ceiling!?"
"Yes, we do." Rye turned towards me. "It isn't our problem."
Without thinking, Snow's fist collided with Rye's face. A loud boom followed after, where Rye had stopped Snow's hand in mid assault.
"Now. Now. Saintess. It seems you don't seem to understand the circumstances that you are in. Why don't you sit down and relax."
"I'll relax after I kick all three of your asses." Snow followed it with a spinning backhand fist.
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