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Chapter 42 - Unexpected Turns of Event
🕑 Added 2024-03-12 20:20:55 +0000 UTCMarvel was incapable of sucking blood like the snake, however, she did manage to pin her sharp legs into the battered abomination, roaming around over its massive body to tear off its flesh. Meanwhile, Shai dug into another hole after vomiting out all the blood she had absorbed from the previous one. Since the wyrm couldn’t attack them anymore, there was no need for them to fear it.
The only thing they needed to worry about was the stones crashing into them. The blinding light construct couldn’t hurt them badly, other than catching them off guard for a time. Then there was the web construct that could capture them along with the wyrm—this too posed little trouble. Nothing they couldn’t handle.
The wyrm could only scream, though its intensity had waned considerably since it had been voicing its grievances for almost two hours now. Together, they made a mockery of its station of iron rank.
“A jagged stone will come hurtling in two seconds,“ Marvel alerted in time as she jumped off the creature, yanking back the web attached to Shai.
Shai aided her escape, launching an [Arcane Shot] at the monstrous beast as her body hurled downwards faster. A huge jagged stone projectile came as Marvel predicted, missing both of them by a safe distance only to ram into the midsection of the wyrm, digging into its body. After their work on the abomination, it was unable to sustain its inherited defence of iron rank.
It screeched once again in a horrifying scream after a long silence. But the scream had no paralyzing effect, merely a manifestation of its agony.
“That’s got to hurt a lot,“ Shai observed.
“You have no idea,“ Marvel communicated. “If I were in a better mental state, I could let you feel a tiny part of it.“
“No, thank you.“
Shai was torn between delight and sorrow. Even if it was an abomination that only wanted to fill its stomach with their flesh, Shai couldn’t help but feel what they were doing was wrong. No, she didn’t have any qualms about killing it. Ending the life of a perverse, misshapen creature like this was a service to the Skysea—whatever that was. But Shai felt the manner of its demise was unjust. It deserved a swifter end. Making it suffer so extensively was unnecessary.
But this was the only way for them to deal with it. Shai resolved to pray for it to have a better next life after she was done with the deed. She wasn’t particularly religious, but considering her own rebirth, it seemed fitting to hold some beliefs.
“A couple more of those jagged stones and our task would be completed already,“ Marvel said, peering downwards. “I guess the crash will do it.“
“What crash?“ Shai asked. But Marvel only answered by swinging from one wall to the other, clutching Shai with another web. The strands of web thinned out rapidly as they descended. Shai was about to look downwards, but her danger senses screamed, prompting her to turn and face a huge chunk of stone hurtling in their direction out of nowhere.
Instinctively, Shai closed her eyes, channelling energy to empower herself. However, she need not have worried, as Marvel was prepared for it. The copper-ranked arachnid swung just above the stone that moved like a pendulum, with thick webs stuck to it, and manoeuvred her form to land on top of the stone. She didn’t move from there and waited for the wyrm to fall into the depths of the chasm.
The thinning webs couldn’t support the burden of the wyrm’s immense body as it came crashing down. It missed their block of stone, which continued to swing like a pendulum, but it couldn’t avoid the rest of the traps at the bottommost level of the training chasm. Blinding light, jagged stones, web construct, and smaller projectiles containing numbing poison hurtled towards the free-falling wyrm. It was completely incapable of evading those traps, as well as the crash.
“It’s as good as dead,“ Marvel declared. Her empathic waves conveyed relieved delight.
Shai finally looked downwards as the creature fell, creating a tremor upon its impact. They waited a couple more seconds, but the congratulatory words from the System Grandpa never came.
“Looks like we still need to play the last part,“ Shai observed as the empathic spider let them down slowly with a single continuous web emanating from its spinneret. No traps or other constructs assaulted them, as the wyrm had already cleared the way.
The wyrm lay in the uneven depths of the chasm, its body mangled and bloodied, with multiple jagged stones protruding. It wailed in its death throes, a far cry from the horrifying screams it once emitted. Even if they left it to fate, the wyrm wouldn’t last long.
“So,“ Shai inquired, “who’s going to do the honours?“
Marvel looked at her. “How about we do it together?“
That seemed like the best option, considering both of them had worked hard to bring down this abomination.
“Are you sure?” Yet she couldn’t help but ask. “Considering the one who dealt the last blow will probably get the lion’s share of the benefit?”
“I’m not as greedy as you,” the spider added triumphantly.
“All I do is for my survival,” hissed the serpent.
Marvel leapt up with Shai to reach the top of the wyrm. They moved over its battered head and exchanged a knowing glance. They readied one last move, taking their time, the wyrm incapable of stopping what was coming for it.
Unfortunately, both had to halt their attack, as they sensed something was amiss in the atmosphere. Something ominous was growing.
“Something’s coming,“ Shai called. three dangerous auras drew closer their way at a tremendous pace.
“What do we do?!“ Marvel transmitted, panicking again.
“Hide,“ Shai suggested, sliding off from the wyrm to hide in its shadow, almost coiling under its form. Marvel followed suit, similarly taking refuge in the huge shadow of the wyrm, though her form was more conspicuous than that of the snake. With the little time they had, this was the best they could do.
Soon, they spotted a figure flying through the tunnel, coming from the one direction the chasm led. A pair of wide dark wings spread behind him as he flew at a tremendous pace, carrying an armless figure.
It was those men, Shai thought as the flying birdman didn’t even bother to give the dying wyrm a second glance, much less search for them.
He flew upwards out of the training chasm. The blight chasing after him was dangerous enough for him to abandon all notion of anything else but fleeing.
But what could cause him to be so frightened? Shai didn’t have to wait long for the answer, as a darkening aura enveloped them, impairing her sight instantly. It came like a bale wind, darkness taking form in its wake, chasing after the men upwards.
Shai’s blood ran cold, even though she couldn’t see its form. If the wyrm was an abomination—an evil taken form—then the darkness was another grade higher in danger.
“What in Jesus’s name was that?“ Shai couldn’t help but ask. Even though she wasn’t looking for an answer, she got one.
“That’s...“ Marvel transmitted, a little shaken, “That’s Midnight!“
Both of them still had their eyes upward, even though those figures had vanished from their sight a moment ago. Unfortunately, they weren’t out of danger yet, as soon another figure appeared and stopped right in front of them.
It was an eight-legged creature—much like Marvel, though double her size—one that both of them recognized, causing them to exchange a glance, now in fear. It was none other than the spider matriarch, Serenity, who, unlike the others, stopped and found them in their hiding spot.
“Marvel, what are you doing here?!“ Serenity called out, her mental wave booming in their heads. “Have you lost your mind? And you, little greedy snake, what did I tell you last time?!“
They swallowed their fear together, and without waiting for even a breath, they started blaming each other, all the camaraderie they formed in the last couple of hours lost in the wake of the spider matriarch. She, in a way, was more frightening than the abomination.
They spat blame at one another so fast and simultaneously that even Serenity had trouble understanding, given the distress she was in.
“Both of you stop!“ Somehow, she managed to mute both of their mental communications as another spider similar to Serenity dropped next to her. It, or rather she, gave the dying creature a look, then at Marvel to Shai, and finally rested upon Serenity.
“I concur,“ she said, “you have every right to be worried for this little weaver.“
Serenity let out an exasperated squeak. “Go after Midnight. I will take care of them.“
The other spider cast an ominous glance in their direction once more and swung up on the devastated training ground.
“Serenity, it’s really not my fault,“ Marvel said, sliding past Serenity’s restriction on communication.
The spider matriarch said nothing. She hunched her head and stared at the dying creature in the eye. An intangible empathic pressure flooded out of her and assaulted the wyrm.
“Serenity, don’t,“ Marvel protested, but it was already too late, “my quest—“
Before she could finish, Serenity ended the abomination.
[Congratulations! You have defeated a Wyrm - Cursewalker (Abomination) Lvl 56.]
[You have achieved two small breakthroughs. Your path has grown to Favoured Hatchling Lvl 22. +2 to all Primary Attributes, +2 Unallocated Point.]
[Congratulations! You have completed the emergency quest. You’re eligible for the quest: Defier.]
[...]
“Oh, I still get the reward?“ Marvel exclaimed, unable to contain her joy. “Woohoo! I levelled up. Serenity, I—“
“Not a single word out of your mouth.“ Serenity hushed her again and wrapped her with webs into a cocoon. Even Shai wasn’t spared from her assault.
She tried to escape with all the power remaining, but alas! The struggle with the wyrm had rendered her body exhausted, her mind incapable of forming even the simplest skill.
In the end, she fell into a deep sleep under the duress of something spiritual and descended right into the grasp of the spider mama.
