Alys

The Spider

It was two days journey to reach the edges of the swamp, and once there, Ivon began leading us on the path to the temple. The swamp had a warm, noxious, earthy smell, almost overwhelming at times. Verulus and I stayed within the cart along with Ivon, taking turns sitting up front with the driver and escaping from the bugs that swarmed around. The going was slow, the ground tried to suck in everything that walked upon it, from horses hooves to the carts wheels.

About midday the cart halted.

"We canna go forward anymore! The ground sucks in the horses hooves! Any longer and they may get sucked in entirely!"

Ivon hopped out of the cart. "Then turn back to safer ground, our destination can be reached on foot from here. Its not much farther, from what I can tell."

"Like I can turn around! Theres no room for that!"

Verulus and I got out of the cart.

"I can use my magic to turn you around, don't worry sir. Your horses might be weirded out, but it's doable." Verulus offered.

Sir Silgum nodded. "I will send my men to accompany the cart to safer ground then, and I will go with the Lady."

I nodded. "Alright then, though maybe the horses should be unharnessed first, that way they're not spooked into bolting as soon as they feel ground under their feet."

The driver sighed. "Fine. Lemme detach the horses first before you wizard folk do your thing."

The driver and I unharnessed the horses, taking hold of their halters to guide them away from the cart. With a few words, Verulus lifted the cart into the air and carefully turned it around, setting it gently back down. I helped the driver reharness his horses, smiling as we finished.

I fished a few gold stags out of my pocket, offering them to the driver. "Thank you for your help sir."

"Keep your coin, Lady. I appreciate the gesture." The driver smiled. "I'll see you when you head back this way."

I nodded. "Safe travels then."

"To you too." He flicked the reigns in his hand and began to head back.

Most of the guard followed behind, leaving the cleric, dwarf warrior, Verulus and I.

Ivon began walking in the same direction we were headed, map firmly in both hands as he walked and read it. "It should be close by... at least that's what this map says."

"Then we follow your lead." Verulus started following after him.

"Shouldn't your caster friend be following me more closely instead of you, boy? After all, should a door still exist in this pest riddled bog and it was warded, she should be able to pass through unharmed." Ivon spoke coldly, causing Verulus to fall back a few paces.

I chill ran down my spine as I began to feel uneasy. Without a word I caught up to Ivon, trailing after him. Large webbing began spanning the gaps in the trees above our heads.

"I do say, that web must have been made by one giant spider." Sir Silgum paused. "The only large spider I ever heard of appearing showed up during the first Dark War."

I turned to Sir Silgum. "No spider showed itself during the first Dark War, it's an old wives tale told to keep children in bed."

"Ha! Shows what you know, human! Wives tale, ha! My mother's mother's mother saw it herself! It was Erwignan's champion!"

"The history books said all five champions could change form into dragons. It was an honor bestowed by the god Rosothion."

"No, only Rosothion's champion took form of a dragon! Erwignan's took form of a humongous spider! With one sweep of it's massive front leg could knock down a whole regimine of corrupts. It was terrifying to behold, but the champion never struck one of their own."

"So instead of possibly facing an angry dragon, we should also be on the lookout for a spider. I hate spiders." Verulus shuddered.

A few more minutes of walking and we came across a lone doorway, the area behind it a pile of stones and boulders. The doorway held no door, but lead down into darkness. Ivon started examining it, mumbling to himself.

"Who dares approach the place which I guard?" A voice rasped out of nowhere, sounding ancient as it seemingly echoed through the swamp. "I command you answer!"

"It is I, Alys of Vale, seeking out the hidden temple of Erwignan!"

I turned just in time to see a massive spider descend from its hiding spot among the trees. Verulus moved to stand beside me, trying hard to keep calm as he did.

"You seek to destroy my master's knowledge!" The voice emanated from the spider, slowly approaching us.

"No, I only seek for which he sent me to find. Darkness is returning to Alamer."

The spider halted its advancement, its head turning slightly. "He chose a new champion... am I not good enough, I his former champion?!"

I squinted at the spider, studying it. Along its abdomen and legs, multiple wounds long scarred over became more visible. One of its eyes seemingly had been gouged out.

I took a step towards it. "You are the original champion?"

"Of course I am the original champion! It was I who first faced the Dark One with my fellow champions! It was I who gouged out an eye to store the power of Erwignan!"

I took another step towards the spider, ignoring Verulus as he sharply whispered my name. "Grand champion, our god sent me to retrieve your eye. His power is needed once more, please let me take it!"

The spider took several steps towards me and picked me up with its two foremost legs, pressing them together to keep me from trying to break away as it examined me.

"If you are indeed his new champion you will find it hidden in his library. It is his test. It will call to you, so you must find it. You must go in alone."

"Then I will go in alone and find it."

"I will watch you carefully, your friends will be of no help to you. If you fail, you will die."

"I accept your terms, as much as I don't like the idea of dying."

The spider stopped pressing its legs together, observing me. "I will give you two minutes before the test begins. Your friends must be told to not interfere, or I shall devour them."

I was set down rather gently before it moved towards the doorway. Verulus sprinted towards me, hugging me tightly.

"Alys, you don't have to do this! No trinket or power is worth dying for."

"It's not power I am after, you know this. Just believe in me, that will be enough to ensure our success."

"I better see you come back out, then."

"You will Verulus, I promise."

He let go of me, worry and fear crossing his face as if it were ink spilt on a page. I smiled, a feeble attempt to get Verulus to smile. Knowing he wouldn't, I approached the first champion. Wordlessly, the spider picked me up.

"So you are ready. Almost. There is one final thing you must know before you begin to look for the Eye."

Before I could ask, the spider pierced my arm with a fang, injecting a burning, painful venom into me. I screamed and gasped through tears and the pain as the spider began its descent into the library.

"The longer my venom flows through you, the sooner you die. Only I know how to stop my venom."

"H-how long do I have before it kills me?"

"You have half an hour from the moment I set you down."