Chapter 29 - In Which There Are Spiders

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Jax
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We're hacking through the undergrowth in the woods around the big castle here when Gerude tells us all that we shouldn't be hacking through it with the particular method that we're using now. He phrases it in a pretty creative way, though:

"YEEEAAAUUUUGH!!!"

I think pretty much anybody could understand that.

I didn't know you could shoot a tree dead, but I guess Arms can shoot anything dead. Kennit and Caerig manage to put three holes through the trunk of the tree that Gerude seems to be having a problem with before I realize that it was already dead-looking before he shot it. It's then that I notice that the trees in these woods are moving, but the air is stale and still. There's no breeze to make those limbs creak, so why are they--

Someone lets out a girlish squeal. I realize that person is me. I move on with my life, though - I don't dwell. By that I mean that I make all haste away from the tree I was standing in the shade of. It was - through whatever means - attempting to get a grip on my neck.

"These woods are strange," says Erynn in the most brilliant vocal observation of the year. He's got that frowny face, concentrating. That explains why he's not too worried. He doesn't have enough focus on this place to waste energy on something like worrying about it. He's probably trying to make the next Gate.

Okay, here's a neat trick - the Pass. It's one that we learn about pretty early on in Poet training, so as to avoid doing it on accident. It's pretty cool - you can use smoke or fog or whatever's around to use as a distraction while you step from one place to another place that's a lot farther away. My older brother Edward's pretty damn good at it, and apparently Erynn rivalled his skills in that when he was still training under Edward. So that's how we got here so quickly.

Unfortunately, it meant we had to ditch the horses. Erynn's specialty is doorways and arches, and he said he didn't want to risk anyone being on a horse while he was escorting such a "fresh-faced brigade", by which he meant that we're a bunch of untrained morons. At least he puts it nicely, unlike my older brother, who originated the "untrained morons" observation.

So, Erynn's been getting us through with Gates, which are his own version of Passes. He's pretty sure he can sneak us right into Lyiannethe Manor, but he has to find the right entrance to make. He was getting us to find a natural arch in the trees or foliage. That's when the trees starting getting all frisky on us.

All caught up? Great. I'm not sure how we're going to hide ourselves from the castle guards now that Gerude's opened fire on the arboreal assailants, but--

"We're deep in the woods right now. Forests have a convenient way of muffling sound." Erynn sounds so confident about it that I just don't doubt him.

Man, I wonder when I'll get skills like that. It feels like all I ever do is just wonder that, nowadays. Still, it's while wondering that I manage to trip across a fortuitous root that's conveniently at shin height. I plunge toward the ground - except the ground's not the ground, it's a big hole where ground really ought to be, and the hole's lined with wispy lengths of spiderweb.

Even with the terror of oh-shit-I'm-falling, I manage to notice how much my skin crawls upon that observation. Then someone grabs me by the collar of the shirt and manages to save my life in a way that almost garrotes me.

Amanda's breath is warm against my cheek as we fall back onto safer ground, and her face has that particular scowl that she adopts when dealing with me and my usual messes. "That's twenty-eight."

"That's not too high."

"That's because you've hardly been in the Halls lately, you idgit." She flicks a few stray strands of grass into my face, then sighs under the weight of all her sorrows. Then she just cracks up laughing. "Your face! You really thought you were going to die!"

For some reason Amanda always finds this to be the high point of any time she has to save my ass.

"Oh, nice!" Erynn claps his hands, dusting them off. There's an odd greenish stain on the back of one, his clothes look rumpled, and behind him Gerude looks as exasperated as Amanda. I guess we've been having similar misadventures, then. "You found the proper spot! Good job, Jax, I think you're growing fast as a trainee!"

I grin, hauling myself up. "Really?"

"No." He still has that big doofy smile on his face. "But you've got great luck, so why worry about it?" Huh. I never thought about it like that. He gestures to the place I tripped through. The root that tried to kill me is a part of a large interweaving circle of roots, as if they were trying to grow around a doorway through the trees. "Regardless, this is perfect. So let's go!"

I frown. "Through there? That place almost killed me!"

He nods, still grinning. "So will Lyiannethe Manor! It's a perfect match!"

* * *
Erynn
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The first thing I notice is the spiderwebs. At first I think that we really did fall into Jax's pit, but no - we're all standing up as lateral as you please. It's just the ceiling that's getting all in my hair, because the ceiling is thickly carpeted with spiderwebs.

Rachella is the first one to scream.

Oh, my mistake. That was me.

Gerude curses softly under his breath, which is his usual reaction to my antics. We're paired up quite a bit - I think because the Poet King has noticed Gerude's unusual hesitance towards killing me for things like this. "Erynn, you flake, it's just YAAAAUGH!" Two familiar reports sound off, followed by an otherworldly squealing that jellies my bones. Amanda curses next. I see a faint glint of silver, then hear the grind of metal against... carapace? It's so dark in here that I can't see much of anyone or anything that's being fought against, which doesn't give me firm footing as a Poet. If only there were some light around here...

Oh, there we go. A soft red glow permeates the chamber. I can see old stone walls - fine masonry on them. They're decorated with rusty but sturdy-looking chains, queer stains that turn my stomach, and spiders. Hundreds of them. Hundreds of tiny skittering black things with eight legs apiece that look just as poisonous as can be, I just know it.

Jhe h'Logos always says that kind of thinking is counter-productive, and Jhe Edward always said it'd get me killed. I never believed the latter on it, though, because he always sounded too hopeful. Now he sounds too right.

As frightening as a squirming, skittering cloud of spiders covering the walls - and probably floor - around us is, it doesn't explain what Gerude and Amanda could be making such a fuss about. They must be fighting something bigger. Of course, with the new light situation, I'm more able to make it out. Ah. Giant spiders. Giant spider-people. With red glowing eyes that oh-so-conveniently explain the newfound incandescence.

Sometimes the worst thing you can wish for is getting your wish...

Thankfully, there aren't many of them. Surely a reputable Armed such as Gerude can take them on with the help of two faithful Armed trainees.

Oh, and Jax might do something beside stand there with his mouth gaping open, a skill which is in fact marketable in some areas of Beleth.

Rachella is putting her crossbow skills to good use, which is admirable (albeit a bit nervous-making) in such close quarters. When she can't get a bolt between their eyes (and not directly into them, which helps keep the illumination going) she slams the stock of her crossbow into any sensitive spots the enemies may be showing. So between her crossbow, Amanda's many blades, and Gerude's guns, things are pretty well covered. Jax... well, I won't lie. He's not exactly taking charge in this encounter. I don't really blame him - fighting's a pretty icky sport when it comes down to it, all bloody and crunchy. Ghastly stuff. I'd rather just write about it and let someone else take care of it.

See, they're getting along just fine. Barely any spider-people left. We're all doing a fantastic job.

Wait, no. Spider-people are lessening, yes, but the spiders on the walls... they're starting to encroach on the floor. Normally, spiders aren't so brave. They understand that humans are bigger than them and own most of the houses. But these spiders must realize that they've got the numbers.

Jax, bless him, notices this first. He's the first to try stomping on the spiders instead of screaming at them like he's a five-year-old girl, which was my approach. I have to say, it's effective. He also tries the good-old-fashioned whacking them with a stick maneuver. Odd, I don't remember him picking that up in the woods, but there it is, a big sturdy man-height limb that's just perfect for swinging around. I suppose his Poetic abilities are showing through in subtle ways, then - I wonder if he even realizes he just wrote himself a stave.

Ah well, whatever. He's frightening off the spiders. Smart little buggers.

There's one last report, then silence. Well, more a rustling and dripping and panting, but there's a lack of screaming or clanging or exploding which, in comparison to the previous state of affairs, seems very quiet.

"Anybody bleeding?" Jax asks the question, stave still hefted midair in preparation for any more spiders. Goodness, I think he might even be ready to swing that stick at something his own size!

"We seem to be fine." Rachella's voice is relieved, but has that underlying tension to it that tells me she wishes there were a couple more spider-people around to rough up. Oh boy, stuck in an enclosed space with a bunch of Armed trainees who haven't even been knocked around enough by the Peacekeeper yet. What did I do to deserve this? Oh wait - I volunteered.

Amanda just grunts as she pulls a strip of ripped jacket material around a cut on her upper arm. It's shallow enough that I doubt there'll be any problems, but I hope she gets that cleaned soon - there's no telling what nasty infections you could get from getting cut by giant bipedal spiders.

"Alright. Door." Gerude is brief with words, but efficient enough at finding the staples. He finds a heavy-looking wooden door made of huge sturdy beams and reinforced with strips of old iron. "Are we ready to move on, Erynn?"

I'm eager enough to get out, too, but... well, a Poet's got to do what a Poet's got to do. "Just a mome. Hey, Jax? Could you come here for a second?" The trainee cocks his head, lowers his limb, and walks over to where I'm standing over a spider-person corpse. The shiny black thing is dead, but its red eyes are still glowing. "Look at this thing here."

Jax nods. "Lookin' at it."

"Good. Could you give it a kick?" I take a step back - merely to observe, of course.

Jax frowns, but draws back his foot and then gives the thing a good punt. "Ow! That thing's hard!"

"Yes, isn't that strange? Arachne-kin tend to be more... brown and fuzzy and approachable-looking. For horrible spider-shaped monstrosities, at least. Maybe these are a different breed. I've never really heard about them - Gerude?"

He frowns. He looks impatient to move on, but he's giving the question some thought. It is important to investigate while we're here. "We've had a couple mentions of some odd creatures out by..." he trails off for a moment, considering that we're speaking around trainees. Gerude and I both know a lot of things that are a bit higher-level in terms of secure information. Then again, why die with a secret? We all in here have the same job right now. "...out by Robinstead and in the surrounding desert. There's been reports of monstrosities around the Rhivend area and also the northeast coast of Audiva Rocale, but of course we couldn't investigate the latter very much. The general explanation is Nul-warped creatures, perhaps monsters that need sealing, or perhaps someone is messing with things that they shouldn't. You know, perhaps somewhere out in Lyiannethe, in a dungeon." He sighs. "I'm not sure why you talked us into going all the way out here instead of the Audivan Palace, Erynn, but your hunches are usually solid. I guess this would be proof of that. So, when we head out that door... will we find more of the same? Or even darker secrets?"

I grin. "So you're picking up on my skill for the dramatic, are you?"

Gerude rolls his eyes and snorts. "Not hardly, just preparing myself for the worst. You've gotten me through missions alive, but you have the tendency to drag me through the most ridiculous--"

And then, a peculiar thing happens - the door opens from the outside and someone pulls Gerude into the next room. Then, the door closes.

We all stand and stare at each other a moment, somewhat dumbfounded. There's no sound of a struggle from the other side of the door. Not even gunfire. Strange. I'm sure one of us should do something, but...

"So, we stay here, trapped, or we walk through that door, which is most likely a trap anyway." Amanda sums it up well.

"This spider-corpse is starting to smell," Rachella says as she holds her nose.

Jax hefts his stick and approaches the door. He stands right against the wall, ready to hit someone if they enter from it. Good. Rachella stands farther back from him, closer into the room but still able to fire off a bolt if the door opens wide enough. Cover fire. Excellent.

I'm still farther back into the room. Amanda stands in front of me. Ah, yes. Someone to protect the defenseless Poet. I do love these strategic formations. And they really are very useful in the appropriate situation. It's just...

"Could you give me a moment?" I take a look at what Gerude is doing, my right hand sort of twitching at the wrist down by my side. I can write in my head by now, of course, but it's hard to convince my hand that I'm not going to engage its services with a quill right now. It's not much of a distraction, though, and nobody in here finds it odd.

Meanwhile, Gerude's still getting his breath back after the nasty scare he just got, and is still convincing his Arms not to fire upon someone that is not, in fact, an attacker. The profuse apologies of his new friend fade into the background as his attention shifts to the room he's in. There doesn't seem to be much harm in it, and it's better lit, which are his chief concerns. They're alone.

He fends off even more apologies from the man, who seems to be quite elderly. "Jhe... I'm sorry, I seem to be at a loss for your name?" Gerude is almost certain he recognizes this Poet, but just can't recall his name.

"Ah. My apologies." The man bows, his shaggy white hair fluffing back and forth with the motion. His gangliness gives an awkward emphasis to the motion. He extends his hand after he uprights himself once more. "My name is Dougrasse Galeotto, formerly of Crux Radia. I am pleased to make the accquaintance of such a well-respected Armed as yourself." As Gerude clasps his hand in greeting, Dougrasse continues: "Unless some sort of scandal has arisen in my absence, Jhe Gerald?" His eyes twinkle.

Gerude groans. He sighs, still shaking the Poet's hand. "Gerude, if you'll be kind. Any of my brother's scandals are his own business."

Jhe Dougrasse! I remember him! It's been years since anyone's heard from him - he'd been written off as dead. Strange! Well, already the trip is worth it. I take my attention off of Gerude and focus on the room I'm still standing in. Everyone's staring at me, which means I must have been muttering aloud while writing. It's a habit of mine that's easier to just leave unchecked if I don't have to quiet it - especially since said mutterings tend to tip off any nearby partners to what's going on.

"I guess we can go on," I say. "It's all clear. We've got a friend on the other side!"

Jax tries the door. He frowns, tries again, then glares at it. "It won't budge."

The door opens, and we all behold Jhe Dougrasse's shaggy head peeking through it. "My apologies," he says, "I sensed an Armed and thought he'd come alone. I didn't want any of the Arachne-fovos to follow him. The door can only be opened from the outside, you see. I um..." he swallows, looking nervous. "I didn't think one Armed could kill them all, and the opportunity to save--"

Jax waves it off. "No worries, man. We understand. It's very high-stress down here, right?"

Dougrasse swallows and nods. "Right." He lets us all into the next room, which is indeed well-lit and even a bit warm and cozy. There's lots of fabric draped about, and huge spools of wispy, soft-looking string.

"Why does it open only from the outside?" Rachella's question is far too innocent for the reply given.

"Because it's only opened to toss in the food." Dougrasse shivers. "I um... how did you all end up in there? I've been in this room here for most of the day, and I've not heard of the Arachne-fobos needing so much, um... I mean." He dissembles. He's obviously not used to talking to so many people at once. "I'm quite relieved that you're alive, let's leave it at that."

I smile, extending my hand. "Erynn Blackirons. I'm not sure if you remember me, I was just a squirt of a teenager when I last met you. I Poetried our way into that chamber. It was the only way I could get us inside in secret. I suppose this area of the Manor isn't used much?"

He shakes his head. He opens his mouth to say something, then drifts before he can collect it, then makes another attempt. I can tell he's trying to hold together under a lot of stress. He's got a calm sort of detachment which is probably helping out with that. "Are you coming to rescue us?" He shakes his head, rubs it, then focuses on me again. "It's... it's been so long. We knew nobody knew about us... is that what's really happening? A rescue?"

I nod, then pat him on the back. He's got a bit of a hunch to him, but I remember him always having that. Dougrasse's been an old coot since anyone can remember him being around, after all. "Yeah. We're gettin' you out of here. We're going to need some directions, though. I got us in here pretty haphazardly."

He's still confused - there's a haze in his eyes that isn't just fatigue or shock. "Right, right... well, the Mistress will be along any minute now, so we really should prepare ourselves..." He sighs, then looks around the room, his face oddly contemplative and just a touch wistful.

Jax frowns. "What's wrong?"

Dougrasse's face is heartbroken in a way that makes me feel a little sick. "I was... working in here. Working on something for so long." He closes his eyes, then rubs his head with both hands. Rachella slides an arm around his shoulders, while Amanda stands by watching... and on guard, I notice.

"We need to get you out of here," I say. Dougrasse doesn't reply, just nods his head and lets out a little sob.

I look around the room once more. That strange thread is hanging all about the place - on spools in some places, coiled about in others. It seems to have been dyed in quite a few colors. It's even been spun into heavier thread and into a variety of different yarns. I have a hunch about what it could be, but...

...But I don't want to think about it.

Gerude's checking out the two doors that exit this chamber. One's larger and looks like it could face a hall - the other's smaller and probably adjoins a similar room. "Is there anything else in here -- anybody else in here that's important?"

"Oh... Jhe Haari'se. She's in the other room. Another Poet... we really should bring her along." Dougrasse has an odd wheeze to his words. "I'm sorry. Not used to speaking so much... not in this language. So few opportunities... no one comes down here to talk to me."

I feel very, very sad in that moment.

"Here, it's safe in the other room - that's where we do the fabric. Some blankets as well... beautiful stuff, really, but we can't take it all back... she knows how to make it, though. So come, please, and greet Jhe Haari'se. She'd love to leave this place too, I know, as much as we're both attached to our work." He opens the small door into the next room.

Gerude raises his Arms a second after the Arachne-kin within wraps its fuzzy long brown legs around Dougrasse and pulls him in.