Chapter 23: Broodmother (Patreon)

Adalinda took point again as we moved into the intersection.

“Elana…” Adalinda began, stopping suddenly.

“What is it?” I asked. The celestial was at the entrance of the intersection, and I couldn’t see into it as fully as she could.

She took so long responding that, for a moment, I thought she wouldn’t. “Maybe we should retreat.”

After deliberating the risk for a second and deciding it was worth it, I slipped further up the corridor and joined the celestial at the mouth of the section. Craning my neck, I peered carefully around the stone wall.

The first thing that struck me was the size of the intersection. It was larger than any of the others we’d passed and seemed to be a sort of central hub for the gutter highway.

The second thing was its primary occupant.

In the far-left corner and hanging down from the web stretching across the roof of the intersection, was a giant spider.

The spiderlings’ progenitor.

Giant, though, was a relative term. Where the spiderlings had been as large as Adalinda, the creature hanging upside down from the roof was the size of a… small house.

Seeing the creature, I realized why it hadn’t pursued us into the corridor—it simply wouldn’t have been able to squeeze itself through. The intersection had to be its nest, and the spiderlings, the minions who brought it… dinner.

“You think we can defeat it?” Adalinda asked, watching me.

I chewed on my lip, wondering the very same thing. Either the giant spider had not seen us, or it did not feel threatened by our presence, leaving us free to study it at leisure.

My gaze drifted over the massive web adorning the roof. It sagged considerably, given the weight of silk involved in its construction, not to mention the enormous spider hanging down from it. But even so, the web’s lowest point hung too far off the ground for Adalinda to reach with fire-breath. And it would take more fire arrows than I could summon to burn it with fire arrows.

So, the web couldn’t be destroyed, and the giant spider couldn’t be reached if it didn’t want to.

My gaze darted to the opposite end of the intersection and the corridor which began there. According to Vigil’s map, that corridor was where we had to go. But at least fifty yards separated us from it. Worse yet, the ground between was not clear of obstacles.

A stagnant pool filled the entirety of the intersection, leaving only the rim clear of water, and there was no way to tell how deep the water was without venturing in. Something I was loath to do while the giant spider watched on from above.

And I had no doubt it watched the pool.

Because floating all over the pool’s surface were the spiderling eggs. Hundreds of them. I sighed. There was going to be no easy way to do this.

The remaining spiderlings had returned to the pool as well, seemingly able to walk across it surface without trouble. Water spiders, indeed.

“El?” Adalinda prompted.

I stared at her for moment before belatedly realizing I hadn’t answered her question.

“I think… I think we can defeat us. But it’s not going to be easy.”

The celestial’s jaws parted. “When is anything ever?”

✵ ✵ ✵

Five minutes later, we were ready.

Down on one knee, I waited just inside the corridor with my bow drawn and an arrow knocked. “Go,” I instructed Adalinda.

The celestial slipped into the intersection, making no attempt to disguise her presence. Immediately, the surviving spiderlings orientated on her. In the left corner, I sensed the giant spider still.

None of the spiders moved to attack, though.

Adalinda walked up to the water’s edge. The closest eggs lay only a few feet distance. She opened her jaws. As if finally realizing her intentions the spiderlings burst into motion.

Adalinda has cast fire-breath.

A jet of flame streaked out of my companion’s mouth, bathing the eggs. Water sizzled and eggs cracked.

8 water spider eggs have perished.

In frenzied haste, the two dozen spiderlings converged on the celestial. My eyes narrowed, I did nothing but watch and wait. So far, everything was going according to plan.

The spiderlings crawled all over Adalinda’s armored hide, striking at her from every conceivable angle. For her part, the celestial ignored the attacks. Darting forward, she set foot in the water.

Immediately, her feet lost contact with the ground.

“It’s deep,” Adalinda confirmed. Using her tail to propel herself she cut through the water, moving even more swiftly than she did on land.

I smiled in silent relief.

The celestial has assured me that she was an adept swimmer in her lizard-form. I hadn’t quite believed her but saw now that she hadn’t exaggerated. Arrowing through the water, ploughed through one egg, then another.

A water spider egg has perished.

A water spider egg has perished.

…

…

A water spider egg has perished.

In the matter of seconds, the celestial laid waste to over dozens of eggs, and the spiderlings, still prodding at her back, were helpless to stop her.

It was this that finally got the giant spider moving.

Leaving the left corner of the room, it danced across its web. “Incoming,” I warned Adalinda.

Fifteen yards from the celestial, the giant spider pounced.

“Do it now!” I yelled, watching the enormous shape arc down into the water. Midair, the creature flipped itself over, leaving its feet pointing downward and ready to stab into the celestial.

But Adalinda was no longer swimming across the surface of the pool. On my command, she’d dived beneath the water.

What’s more, she’d begun unravelling herself too.

A level 21 broodmother has failed to ambush Adalinda!

Adalinda has evaded the attack of a broodmother.

Our foe landed with a mighty splash, sending waves rippling outward. Adalinda’s disappearance didn’t daunt her either. Raising her legs high, she stabbed blindly down into the water.

Adalinda has evaded the attack of a broodmother.

Adalinda has evaded the attack of a broodmother.

…

Adalinda has cast unmanifest.

My smile widened. This was the moment I’d been waiting for. Adalinda was clear of danger, leaving me free to attack. My fingers opened releasing the arrow I’d held waiting so long to fly screaming at my nearly unmissable target.

Not the broodmother.

The pool of water.

Your shock bolt has struck a body of water, electrifying it. Duration: 1 second.

A broodmother has failed a magical resistance check!

24 of 24 spiderlings have failed a magical resistance check!

You have injured 25 hostile entities, dealing air damage.

You have stunned 25 hostile entities. Duration: 1 second.

“It worked!” I exclaimed, exulted.

“You shouldn’t sound so surprised,” Adalinda said, sounding weary. “Next time I might not go along so easily with your plan.”

Ignoring her, I drew back my bow, and released a second projectile. Then another and another.

Your shock bolt has electrified a body of water.

Your shock bolt has electrified a body of water.

Now, it was only a matter of time.

The broodmother would die ignominiously—suffering a death by a thousand cuts.

But she’d die all the same.

✵ ✵ ✵

You have killed a level 21 broodmother.

You and your companion have reached level 16!

Your air magic skill has increased to level 5 and your summoning skill to level 15.

Adalinda’s tooth and claw and natural armor skills have increased to level 17.

Your Magic has increased to rank 10.

Adalinda’s Perception has increased to rank 4.

Celestial trait triggered! Core skills and attributes mirrored.

I lowered my bow wearily, letting it dissipate as the battle drew to a close. We’d finally killed the broodmother, and in the end, it had been easier than I expected.

Looking across the now still pool of water, I surveyed the spider bodies floating in its depths. I had no intention of wading through the muck, not even to loot any of the corpses.

I already looked disreputable enough, and I could only imagine what the city watch would do if they caught me wandering around the new city stinking of the sewers.

“There’s a much more interesting body in the right corner,” Adalinda said. “That’s where the blood smell I caught earlier comes from.”

I turned my head to look and caught the outline of a small shape resting in the spot Adalinda pointed out. A child? Walking along the edge of the room, I made my way to the corpse.

Upon closer inspection, I realized the body was that of a dwarf. Crouching down, I searched the body, and to my surprise, found a pair of Game items.

You have acquired the basic ability tome: basic analyze. This ability allows the user to analyze the level and Class of other players. Neither you nor Adalinda have the required skill to learn this ability.

You have acquired an apprentice’s ring. This is a rank 1 ring and increases your Magic by +2. This item has no requirements to equip.

So, the dwarf had been a player, yet had never returned to retrieve his items. Idly, I wondered why before turning my attention to his items.

The ability tome looked interesting, especially considering how often I was left ignorant of my foes’ levels until too late.

It was a pity I couldn’t use it. Thankfully, the ring suited me just fine. Pocketing the tome, I equipped the ring.

You have equipped an apprentice’s ring. Your Magic has been increased to rank 12.

Straightening from the corpse, I drew out Vigil’s map. It was time to leave.

And find Odenna.