The soft light of the underground pools through cracks within the chamber. Broken statues intermittently spread across the perimeter while others lay in disrepair. Looking back the arachne gestures Mary forward, nodding as she steps up. A mound of stone heaves up and down in rest as heavy breaths kick up small puffs of dust. Taking her dagger, Mary raises her dagger into the air, carving a hole in the air as the sound of scraping stones is heard from above. The mound of stone stirs at the sound as it lifts its head into the air. A forked tongue slithers out from the arrow-shaped head as its body unfurls from beneath itself. A yellow light emanates from the edges of its scales while a jagged ridge traces from its head and down the body. Scanning the surroundings its serpentine slit eyes train on the 3 intruders, negative pressure drawing air into the wyrm as it takes a deep breath until a disk of rock comes down upon the creature. Dust and shards of stone explode outwards as the trio cover their faces from the incoming debris.

  Yellow light peers from the cracks in the rubble as the wyrm lunges out from Mary’s attempt at burying the creature. Crackling electricity arcing from its ridges as it lets out a screech in anger. In the light, Alexis could see the true scale of the monster. With a body, the width of a horse, and the length of a two-story building its winding body fills a section of the floor within the chamber. A horrid screech emits from its mouth, barring rows of needle-like teeth as a pulse of light shoots from it. Mary opens the aperture on her amulet, the green light focusing on a single point and expanding into a translucent shield. The pulse of light explodes over the shield as a shroud of smoke flows over, the shield flickering in Mary’s amulet before shattering. "Go, get a move on!” Mary shouts as she rushes forward, taking her dagger and sweeping it across as she manipulates the portions of the broken statue and throws it at the wyrm.

  Alexis runs off from the side of Mary, flanking the creature while the arachne does the same, splitting the group into three separate elements. Targeting an area where the scales have become fractured, Alexis goes to stab with the tip of her blade. The metal embedding into its hide, the wyrm is unphased as it throws off Alexis from where she struck. The arachne covers ground, her legs scurrying across the pocked surface as she quickly jumps on the wyrm, picking away the Wyrm’s scales as it thrashes about. Throwing her off as her multitude of legs gets her footing back on the ground. The wyrm screeches, curling in on itself. The chamber rattles until a sweep of stone is launched at the arachne. Shielding herself with her legs hollow thumps knock in front of the arachne as she looks forward. Seeing Mary having put an angled sheet of rock between her and the attack.

  Finishing its curling the wyrm shines with an iridescent sheen. Its body is like pearls as its stone scales have been shed. “Not good... This wyrm is going to be trouble if this keeps up.” Mary says as she holds her right wrist.

  “Squishy like a newborn. Now is the time to strike,” the arachne says as she goes to pick Mary up.

  “H-hey what are you-” Mary objects until she sits upon the arachne’s back. Her 7 legs gallop across the stone surface as she dodges spears of electrified teeth from within the Wyrm’s mouth.

  Utilizing the curving walls to maneuver around the monster. Alexis begins her approach once again, deflecting shards of stone being ejected from the wyrm with her blade, leaping from the ground before driving her blade into the wyrm’s hide. Sinking the blade halfway Alexis attempts to run her blade through the creature’s flesh. The wyrm screeches in hatred as it feels its hide being pierced, current flowing over its body as Alexis can feel her muscles beginning to tense. “Gah! W-what is this? I... I can’t pull away!” Alexis exclaimed.

  Electricity ran over the wyrm’s body, arcing across the ground and pulsing around the blade where Alexis had pierced. Her body contracting unable to let go of the blade, every pulse sending a sharp pain into Alexis’ arm that ran through her body. “Crap. You, get me to her before she gets electrocuted!” Mary demanded.

  Understanding the situation the arachne dove downwards, kicking Mary off from her perch and towards Alexis as she dove to strike at the wyrm’s face. A leg piercing the snout of the wyrm it snapped and lunged at the arachne, the 6 other legs positioning themselves as best she could while pinned with her leg run through the wyrm’s snout.

  Reaching Alexis, Mary held her dagger aloft as it shone with yellow light, striking the pommel of Alexis’ sword as a wave of electricity dispersed around the pair. Throwing the two back and freeing Alexis’ grip. Tumbling to the floor Mary collected herself as she held her left wrist. Her dagger having been thrown from her hand after striking Alexis’ sword she scans the arena as arcs of light strike the ground.

  Alexis’ vision tunnels. Color returns to her sight as her body aches. Being thrown beneath the bust of a figure wielding a spear. A slender light purple crystal embedded into the chest stood above as Alexis picked her head up. Her vision was blurry from being tossed around. Noticing purple wispy strands emanating around herself as they floated towards the purple crystal. Silhouettes of the arachne and wyrm scuffling in the darkness the arachne’s legs strike and thrash about while screeches echo into the chamber. Then a resounding crack like the splitting of an oak tree cuts the noise as the arachne’s body is thrown across from where Mary lay. Contorted in the thrashing as her remaining usable legs failed to gain any purchase on the floor.

  Great gashes leak glimmering red blood from the multiple wounds on the wyrm. The area where Alexis had stabbed the creature was agape as if a cannonball had ripped through it. The stringy sinew held together shards of bone to muscle as the wyrm writhed. Thrashing about its scorn is directed towards Alexis, dislodging the dismembered spider leg impaled through the roof of its mouth it lunges at her, maw open as blood coats rows of its teeth. The gap of space between the two closes in an instant as Alexis throws her hands up in instinct and shuts her eyes. The air shudders, the floor buckling beneath Alexis as she feels flecks of moisture flick on her face. Opening her eyes rows of teeth attempt to stick Alexis as the iridescent skin of the wyrm strains to reach her. Criss-crossing lattices dig into its skin, breaking the surface as silvery strands become stained with blood. Its skin being dug into by strands of silk as the arachne stands on 4 of its legs, pulling back as its legs dig into the ground. Kicking her feet to gain purchase of anything as she uses her hands to pull back on the multiple strands that have ensnared the wyrm.

  Taut strings vibrate and hum, sharp plinks tickling Alexis’ ears strands begin to break as the wyrm twists and strains to get at Alexis. Mary attempts to rise from her position, keeling from the pain as her hand clutches her abdomen. “M-move you idiot! Get a move on!”

  As Alexis gets her feet under herself the scraping of stone overtakes the sound as purple strands connect her hands to the statue above. Animating with the sound of scraping stones as the purple crystal within its chest shines with light. String-like light shifted its arms and body with Alexis’ motion. The wyrm thrashes about, breaking strands of silk snapping as the arachne is lifted from the floor, her strings going slack as the wyrm lunges towards Alexis.

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  Grinding stone roars through the air as the hand of the statue catches the wyrm as it goes to strike Alexis. Its grip is firm as the wyrm shakes its head to attempt to free itself. Its body glows before discharging electricity, unphased by the electricity Alexis motions her hand downward, the statue reacting in kind as it slams the wyrm into the ground, stone fracturing from the force as a crater is made by the wyrm’s body being crushed. Its body curls as its scales bleed crimson. Alexis shields herself from the chips of rock, raising her spear in the other hand before impaling the wyrm’s mouth. A torrent of blood flows out from the orifice as the spear runs down its gullet. The skin protrudes before the spear pierces through its hide. Pinning the creature to the floor before the statue’s two hands grip the mouth of the creature. Prying its mouth open a terrible screech hisses out from the wyrm’s throat before a loud crack silences the hissing. Exasperated wheezes escape the wyrm as the statue pulls its jaw apart, bisecting the creature as a squelchy mess dribbles down onto the ground. Its body is motionless and inanimate as the statue lets go of the two newly made sections of the wyrm. The crystal within the statue shatters as the purple strands tied to Alexis disperse into ephemera. Looking down at her hands before turning her attention to Mary.

  The pitter-patter of wet footsteps dries as Alexis approaches Mary, kneeling to offer a hand to her companion. Mary takes her hand, lifting herself from the stone floor as she clutches her midriff. “I’ll be alright, thanks. I didn’t know you had magic, Alexis.”

  Alexis looks at her hands, turning them back and forth before looking back at Mary, “I didn’t know either.”

  A shuffling stone catches the pair’s attention as they look at where the noise came from. Seeing the spindly legs of the arachne lift herself from the ground, a leg limp connected by only a few sinewy strands as she stands on the three remaining good ones. Convening together as the arachne breaks off the bad leg lagging behind herself. “Well done you two. As promised, I’ll leave the surface back to the light dwellers, just one last thing to provide to complete our deal,” The arachne smirks, draping her dismembered leg over her shoulder as she looks down at the pair.

  Mary reels back, looking away from the arachne, eliciting a reaction from her as a small huff exits from her, arms crossed as her gleaming yellow eyes cut through the dark and fall upon Alexis. Her mind churned through a list of names as their eyes gazed at one another. The arachne’s glossy purple carapace and yellow eyes give Alexis some recollections falling into her mind as images in her mind turn letters into words. A breath fills her lungs as her voice fills the empty air. “How about Gentiane?”

  The arachne pauses for a moment, her 6 eyes blinking in pairs trailing up to the two that sit beneath the crown of her hair before a smile graces her lips. “Gentiane? What an interesting name. What’s the meaning behind it if I may ask?”

  “You remind me of a kind of flower that grows where I’m from. So I want you to have a name that’s gentle with some fondness to it. Is that fine?” Alexis asks as she stands in front of the arachne.

  Mary watches on as the two interact but says nothing as the arachne gives a hearty laugh, “Ha ha ha! Gentiane, it has a pleasantness to it, I’ll admit. Ok then, Alexis. It’s nice to meet you,” Gentiane says as she extends her hand to shake the girls.

  Alexis nods, taking her hand and shaking it firmly as the atmosphere around Gentiane changes. “The pleasure is mine, Gentiane. It’s nice to meet you. Ah... you’re pretty beat up, will you be okay?”

  “This? I will manage. That wyrm will pay itself back for my missing legs. You’ve held your end of the deal, take whatever you need as proof that your job is done,” Gentiane turns to the wyrm, going to it before picking up a lump of flesh and consuming it as if it were a fruit.

  Mary nods, approaching the wyrm, and slices away a section of iridescent skin. The scales already hardened within the time that it had initially shed its outer scales. “We came at the right time. That earth wyrm was in the process of growing,” Mary explains as she pockets a number of the wyrm’s teeth and scales.

  The two girls harvest what they can carry along with them, securing it into their packs as chewing noises can be heard away from them. Gentiane eats her fill as the two secure their packs. Mary approaches one of Gentiane’s dismembered legs. “If it’s fine we’ll be taking one of these as proof we completed our mission.”

  “Be my guest,” Gentiane motions, “I have no use for it anymore.”

  Securing their share of the wyrm Alexis adjusts the straps on her bag before standing “We’ll be off then-”

  “Hold it,” Mary says, her attention directed at Gentiane as the arachne wipes the corner of her mouth. A streak of blood painted her pale skin. “You said that you obtained that form. How exactly did you? You say it like you haven’t had it for long.”

  Gentiane pauses, a crooked smile on her lips as she rests atop the spine of the wyrm as she leans to look at the two girls. “Mmm yes... Names aren’t the only thing given to beings; you creatures of light are quite creative when it comes to making names for creatures. So much so that you create titles for all things, even those that are nameless. Those in the red cloth ran screaming it, the violet terror.”

  A purple light emanates from Gentiane as she says her title. Yellow eyes cut through the dark before dimming once again. “But a name alone doesn’t determine one’s nature. Run along now creatures of light.”

  Alexis smiles, waving as Mary drags her by the hand. “Take care Gentiane. If we meet again, I hope it is more amicable than our first meeting.”

  Gentiane nods, giving a small bow as her eyes slowly fade away in the dim dark.

  “Well, are you happy?” Mary questions.

  “About?”

  “Giving... that creature a name.”

  “I am, as much as you were fine giving me a name.”

  “Hmm...”

  The accent back up is quiet and uneventful as Mary navigates their way back upwards. Aided by torchlight the pair climb their way back while following the markers set by Mary on their descent until a cool breeze bringing the scent of tree bark and grass wafts past the weary adventurers. Taking their time and sipping from their waterskins they emerge from the tunnels, chirping crickets and the sky full of stars come to greet the two. Mary stretches, airing out her outfit as she savors the forest breeze. “Finally, out of the dark. We’ll have to button down for the night Alexis, I’m beat,” Mary says as she settles against the nook of two overarching oaks.

  Alexis gathers a bundle of tinder from sticks and deadfall, taking her fire steel and striking her embers into the pile. Nursing the embers to flame as the pair prepare a small meal of roasted root vegetables and salted pork near the fire as Alexis watches Mary look off into the forest. “I can tell you’re thinking but I can’t tell what. You wanna talk about it?”

  “I guess so, yeah,” Mary responds, snapping from her contemplation as she directs her attention to Alexis, “I’ve been thinking about how... that thing, Gentiane was able to gain strength and sentience without ever having a name. If having a title was enough for her to gain strength. If enough people acknowledge that title then it imparts a certain level of power to that being.” Mary explains.

  “It’s certainly a theory... Important people like the Elven King would have quite an influence for the titles they hold if that were the case.”

  “Yes, well if that’s the case then he’d have the entire continent under his control. It probably only constitutes a fraction of his strength, boosting a person’s innate abilities. I’m more curious about your magic, Alexis. You’re an aether user?”

  “Aether? I’m not sure what you mean, Mary.”

  “Sheesh, you really are new to this all. Aether is a different kind of magic. Instead of molding elements and nature like mana, aether can manipulate inanimate objects. It’s a fairly obscure magic but maybe the guild has more information on it.”

  “So then that statue down there, I made it move with aether. But then why only that one? Why not the other statues or something like my sword?”

  “It could be because of that crystal in the statue. It seemed to respond to the aether that’s innately within you.”

  “That’s amazing... I’ll have to keep an eye out for similar crystals then.”

  “Speaking of equipment, once we turn in our bounty we’re going shopping. I think we’ll have enough to get us to Talonmaw.” Mary says, checking the wyrm scales within her pack.

  Alexis nods, scooting close as dinner is just about ready. Embers float into the air whilst stars shine down upon the two.