Hanging from a living nightmare of twisted silk and decay was the monstrous spider, the matriarch weaver. Its eight eyes shone like molten amber in the gloom, and its enormous, segmented body was cloaked in layers of sticky, venomous webbing. Every movement it made sent ripples along the silken drapery that adorned the walls, a silent promise that it was far from content to simply lie in wait.

  I activated levitation, rising a few feet off the ground to secure a better vantage point. The system notification was long gone, now, this was a fight for survival. Gripping my manifested hammer tightly in one hand, I let my other hand dance through the air to call forth a volley of energy darts and traps. The matriarch’s overwhelming presence filled me with a mix of dread and determination.

  The beast erupted into action. Thick strands of web shot from its swollen abdomen like whips, aimed directly at me. I barely had time to dodge as a barrage of sticky threads lashed the space. One particularly heavy strand struck my back, its acrid poison seeping into my skin. I winced, feeling my limbs grow heavy, each movement becoming a struggle against the toxic assault.

  Pivoting mid air, I manifested a shimmering shield to deflect the remaining webs. The matriarch’s eyes narrowed, and I could almost hear a clicking hiss emanate from its mandibles as it prepared its next attack. In response, I unleashed a series of energy darts, small, brilliant projectiles that tore through the sticky silk. They struck the webbing, causing sizzling burns that momentarily disrupted its formation. Yet, the creature was relentless.

  A low, guttural sound filled the chamber as the matriarch shifted its stance. Its abdomen began to pulse rhythmically, and I realized with growing dread what was happening. With a sudden, violent shudder, the creature’s lower segments split apart, and dozens of tiny, ravenous spiderlings spilled forth. They skittered out like living shrapnel, each one aiming for any exposed flesh.

  I dove even higher using levitation, manifesting a trap net beneath me, a cage of energy wires designed to capture and contain agile foes. I aimed it toward the advancing spiderlings. The net unfurled, ensnaring several of the smaller creatures in a tangle of crackling energy. Their frantic struggles sent bursts of static through the air, buying me a precious few seconds to reorient myself.

  But the matriarch weaver was far from finished. With an almost regal determination, it reared up and unleashed another volley of poisonous webs. I dodged to the side, but a stream grazed my cheek, the toxic sting intensifying the burning in my skin. Every step became a battle against the searing poison that threatened to sap my strength.

  Desperation drove me to manifest a series of traps along the ground, a line of razor- sharp wire combined with clusters of energy infused spikes. As I descended, I let these traps fall in my wake, hoping to slow the relentless onslaught of both webs and spiderlings. I could hear their tiny legs scurrying across the stone floor, and I knew I had to create some distance between myself and the matriarch.

  Darting forward, I used levitation to glide over pools of thick, venomous residue. My hammer swung in a wide arc as I managed to strike one of the matriarch’s outstretched legs, splintering part of its chitin. The impact reverberated through my arm, and for a moment, the beast staggered. Its eight eyes flickered with irritation as it adjusted its stance, and a fresh wave of webbing exploded from its body in a desperate counterattack.

  The very walls of the chamber shook as the matriarch reared back. From somewhere deep within, it released another barrage of toxic silk. The webs cascaded like a shroud, and the poison within them burned even hotter than before. I fought to maintain focus, manifesting another shield just in time to deflect the worst of the attack. The air was filled with the hissing of dispersing webbing and the frantic scurry of spiderlings that continued to emerge.

  In the ensuing chaos, I launched a four foot javelin at the matriarch’s abdomen, hoping to disrupt its rhythm and slow the birth of its spawn. The projectile struck true; sparks flew as the impact sent ripples through its silk covered surface. For one brief, glorious moment, its pulsing slowed, and the endless production of spiderlings faltered.

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  Seizing the opportunity, I closed in. My hammer swung in a ferocious downward arc, aimed directly for the creature’s head. With every ounce of my remaining strength, I drove the weapon into its chitinous carapace. A sickening crunch echoed through the chamber as the hammer penetrated deep, eliciting a shriek that vibrated the very air. The matriarch’s eight eyes flared wildly as it staggered, its web attacks faltering as if it were losing control.

  But even as it wavered, the creature was not defeated. From the shattered core of its body, more spiderlings burst forth, scattering in every direction. The onslaught was maddening, and I felt the poison in my veins intensify with each passing second. I struggled to maintain levitation as my energy ebbed away, and my shields flickered intermittently, the toxic residue taking its toll on every manifesting weapon.

  Desperation pushed me further. I ducked low, manifesting a razor sharp energy blade that cut through the air with precision. With a single, swift slash, I severed one of the web strands still clinging to the matriarch, destabilizing it further. The beast’s movements grew erratic; its once commanding posture now twisted into desperate contortions.

  Summoning every last reserve of strength, I activated a final trap, a pulsating cage of energy that I flung at the creature. The cage enveloped part of its massive form, constricting its movements and forcing it to convulse violently. In that moment, I rushed in with a flurry of strikes, each blow a desperate attempt to finish what I had started. My hammer slammed into its side again and again, drawing out a cacophony of shrieks until, at last, its colossal form shuddered and fell still.

  Gasping for breath and drenched in sweat, I hovered above the fallen matriarch weaver. Its eight eyes stared blankly upward as the tangled webs around it slowly began to settle.

  Then, as if summoned by fate, the matriarch stirred. From deep within her fractured form, a single, low frequency click emanated, a sound that froze time for a heartbeat. In that suspended moment, everything stopped. Then, with ragged determination despite her battered body, she lunged at me. She tried to ram me with all the remaining might of her corrupted form, but I dodged left, seizing the opportunity to plunge my spiked hand into a jagged crack in her armor. At that instant, I activated Astral Echo. A surge of raw, visceral emotion crashed over me, the deep hatred for the one who had dared destroy her nest, the burning need for revenge, yet underneath it all a wistful longing for the vestiges of a long forgotten happiness, of a time when living safely inside a nest meant being cared for, loved, and revered.

  My blocked skill tugged insistently at me, pointing toward the distant golden ocean, but I gathered my scattered thoughts. I envisioned a spike and sent it through the connection. The matriarch resisted at first, her massive form shuddering, but then, with one final convulsive tremor, she fell silent and died.

  Exhausted, I lay down on the cold stone floor, allowing myself a moment to recover. My limbs trembled with fatigue, and the poison still coursed through me like a bitter tide. Slowly, I pushed myself off the ground, methodically cleaning the remaining cobwebs off my body. I shook my arms vigorously in an attempt to dispel the lingering, tingly sensation even if it did little to ease the burden.

  I was becoming more adept at estimating the time I had left in the astral , I felt I still had an hour or so, enough time for a quick status check:

  Name: Alex

  Titles: Ascendant (???)

  Level: 81 (32810/33490)

  Attributes:

  ??Astral Body: 54 (+6)

  ??Astral Mind: 101 (+4)

  ??Astral Spirit: 57 (+6)

  Skills:

  ??Levitation (Common) – Level 38

  ??Manifestation (Common) – Level 54

  ??Astral Sight (Common) – Level 32 (+4)

  ??Inspection (Common) – Level 31

  ??Astral Echo (Unique) – Level 10

  ??Looting (Uncommon) – Level 5

  ??Energy Manipulation (Rare) – Level 10

  Quest: Exterminator (Completed!)

  Rewards:

  ??+1000 EXP

  ??Boots of Arachnid Ascension (Rare)

  Boots of Arachnid Ascension

  Legend holds that these boots were fashioned from the enchanted silk of the first matriarch weaver. They grant the ability to scale walls and cling to surfaces, and they provide a +8 bonus to Astral Body.

  I looted the matriarch’s shattered remains and managed to extract a rare crystal. Nothing else came my way, I guess Llin’s looting skill far surpassed my pathetic five level attempt. Beggars can’t be choosers, though. I even tried looting the elites, but nothing happened.

  I took one last, lingering look at the battlefield, absorbing every grim detail. I couldn’t believe this was my life now, I felt simultaneously blessed and cursed. One thing was clear: my life was no longer boring.

  With that final thought echoing in my mind, I began making my way back to town.