It didn't take long for Audery and Emrys to find the root of the problem, or maybe part of the problem. They were surrounded by a small group of spiders, as big as Emrys's fists. Audery didn't know that she was had Arachnophobia, but the simple sight of the large creatures with their eight legs, and huge eight, all black eyes balls, made her skin crawl. She cursed Axaxus, God of spiders, son of Fixton, God of nature, for creating them. But he was a God, and he probably didn't care what a mortal like her thought about his creation. She had her short sword in her hand while she counted the spiders. Forty-four, there were forty-four spiders, she swallowed.
"Are you alright?" Emrys asked, his voice steady without an ounce of fear. He was standing at her back, ever since the spiders surrounded them.
"I will tell you once we survive this," she replied.
"I didn't know that you were afraid of spiders," Emrys said, with a slight chuckle.
"Neither did I," she said under her breath, the first group of spiders rushed towards her. But suddenly stopped their charge, and started to pull their, one hundred seventy-six legs, from their own webs. Funny, she never would have thought that they could get stuck on their webs. She however didn't take long to respond, she swung with her short sword killing six of them, while they were not able to respond. The rest of the spiders started to hiss at her, maybe this was their way of voicing their anger. She didn't know she didn't speak spider, and she was not willing to learn it either. The spider closes to her, shot one of its webs. Making it imposible for her to move, let alone attack them. She needed to get rid of this, and fast. She started to pull at the sticky threads, and it was hard work. The spiders didn't wait for her to get off the webs, and some, not all of them, bit her in the legs. The pain was piercing, and, O fuck, those spiders could be poisons. No time to think about that, those buggers were close enough, and she wouldn't waste such an opportunity. She didn't time to count their corpses, but she knew that she killed a few. The remaining spiders once again hissed at her, and were trying to attack her once again. Audery didn't let that happen and killed three more, and then there was just one left. She had killed twenty-one spiders, at least she thought there were twenty-one spiders. The remaining spider, turned around and started running. Audery was ready to drop her sword, to make her hands free for her bow. But a screaming pain rushed to her veins, the poison. "Fuck."
********
Emrys didn't have time to respond to Audery's soft comment, he had heard it. But those buggers were not willing to wait any longer. The charged towards him, and in response he did the same thing. The metal of one of his great swords, cut through the first six. While his second one was dealing with another eight. A web flew past him, but he thanked which ever God, or Goddess that would listen that it missed him. Those spiders were quick, he needed to give them that. They avoided his second attempt to slim their numbers, at least they were able to jump out of the way of one sword, the other was able to kill just three. He was a bit bumped by this, those spiders were not even trying their best, they just charged and then jumped, or try to jump out his sword's way. That was until he stopped paying attention, and one of them bit him, while he tried to kill it.
"Fuck!" he screamed. "Keep your head in the game, Emrys!" This time he became angry at himself, this was a fight for Gods’ sake, and he shouldn't be slacking off. Another spider bit him, while he was reprimanding himself. He cursed once again and let his sword say the rest, killing the last spiders. That is when he noticed that one of them, on Audery's side, was running off. She went to the motions to drop her short sword, but then a curse left her mouth. "What is it?"
"Poison," her reply was short, but delivered the message. He was bitten too, but he didn't suffer from the poison. Lucky him. He opened his mouth to say something, but a loud hiss escaped the scrubs. Another group of spiders? Well, the whole forest around them was covered with webs, so he shouldn't be this surprised. But instead of a group, only one spider stepped out. One giant spider, it was the largest spider he had ever laid eyes on and never wished to lay eyes on ever again. Audery cursed again, she just had discovered her fear of spiders and was now facing the mother of the bunch. He couldn't blame her for her reaction. The giant spider shot her, he just assumed that it was a female, one of her webs towards Audery. But it flew over her, and that was in his books a good thing. Together, they rushed towards the spider, weapons in hand. Audery was able to hit the monster, he on the other hand was not as lucky. Something hot flew past his ear, a fire bolt? Where did that came from? The fire didn't hit the spider, however, instead it hit the trees behind it. The web allowed the fire to spread quickly, a curse from an unknown source flew through the air. Audery attacked the spider once again with her short sword, black blood was spilling out of the spider's wounds. Emrys attacked the creature as well, that is when another fire bolt hit the spider. It screamed loudly before collapsing, the fire still burning away its corpse. Emrys turned around, behind them there was standing a man, with hair that matched the colour of the flames behind them. Lights in various colours were circling around the man, a wizard. A hint of coldness, flew through the air and then the heat of the fire vanished. Not the fire he was currently feeling in his body, however. The man stepped toward Audery.
"Let me take care of those wounds," the man said in a low and ohh so hot voice. Emrys stepped away and closed his eyes. What in Heubin's name was this feeling? He has never felt this way before, not for any man or woman. But Gods be dammed, it felt good and bad at the same time.
*********
Those two were lucky that he arrived as soon as he did. He was able to hear them fight with the spiders from a couple of miles. Who were those two, and why were they fighting his mark?
"Thank you," the woman with honey blond hair and amber eyes said. Her voice was nice, soft and calm. "I was starting to lose my mind, not only from the pain of the venom." She was afraid of spiders, then why in Heubin's name was she in their den? Never mind that, he turned his head around and his gaze met that of the young man that was with her. This man with raven black hair, eyes as blue as the spring sky above them. Oh, boy, he was handsome and adorably young. From what Percy had seen, a good fighter too.
"Were you bitten as well?" Percy asked, the boy shook his head. His black hair waving with every motion. "Good, now if you excuse me. I need to see if there is some silk left, after one of my fire bolts missed its mark." He stepped away from the couple, he hoped that they were not a couple, and started to inspect, collect the spider silk.
"Here let me help you, Audery take some rest. That poison has made its mark on you," it was the boy, there was no other word to describe him. Did the boy call the woman Audery, was she by any chance Anthony's Audery? Maybe he will ask her later, once she had some rest. That boy was right, she was not looking that good, but that could also be of her fear. The boy worked hard collecting the webs, and he even got rid of some remaining spiders, that lingered around. "Can I ask you to help me? Audery is a bit out of it and I want to see if there are any eggs?" The boy asked him. Eggs? Were the two of them here for some giant spider eggs? Which shouldn't be all that surprising, those eggs will catch a high price, when the right person wants to buy them. Not that he would burn his hands, for something like that. "The First Druid hired us to get rid of the spiders, it seems to me that we got rid of the once that are a live. But I wonder..." So they were not here for the eggs. They were here at the request of a druid, which those not make any sense. Druids do not trust anybody from outside their circle, so this would be the first time he has heard that a First Druid hired some strangers to get rid of a problem. He looked around, there were still a lot of webs covering the trees and scrubs. Enough to make a lot of wedding dresses, maybe he should give Isabella all of it, so that the woman could sell the leftovers. Owen had told him that the woman lost her husband not that long ago and this would help her a great deal. But to come back to his original observation, there was indeed a problem. And why wouldn't he help this boy? The boy had helped him with collecting the silk, and he probably would help him collect all of it if he asked it of him.
"Why not," Percy answered. And he could swear that the boy was jumping from excitement. There were eggs a lot of them, and the boy didn't complain when he, Percy, burned them all. So, his story about getting rid of the spiders is holding up, for now.
"Thank you," the boy said, blowing out some air. "And here is all the silk, it is a lot of them. So I hope you have some kind of animal that is helping you to carry it." Nope, there is no animal whatsoever. Just him, that was indeed something he didn't think of. He wanted to let out a loud curse, but there was a woman close by, and he didn't know where she stood with that kind of language. "I am going to collect some fire wood, while you think of something. Audery are you alright?"
"I am fine Emrys, please stop worrying about me. And please promise me one thing," the woman named Audery said.
"I will keep my mouth closed about the poison, you kept your mouth, I will keep my mouth." The boy replied playfully. So his name was Emrys, that name fitted him. Percy sat down with a sigh, and pinched the bridge of his noise.
"Do not think about it too much, we will help carry it," the woman said. He nodded, and sighed.
"Thank you," he said, and now it was the time to ask her. "I am sorry that I am going to ask this, but do you know any Anthony?" Her sour expression said all he needed to know. "Again, I am sorry, but I heard a lot about you. Not from him, Daniel and Owen." She then nodded. "And may I saw, you are the luckily one. He is one of the worst," she gave him a smell, one that speak volumes. Percy started to hate that man more than he already did. He closed his eyes and gave her a warm smile. "My name is Percy Munk, wizard." He reached out his hand and she took it.
"Audery Treloar, ranger," she said. "And that there is Emrys Mildenhall, he is my adventure partner. His is the younger brother of my boyfriend, but he those not like being called that." He nodded and looked at the handsome boy. He was very handsome, and his brother was just a watered image from this boy. Even if he wasn't, it was always an upgrade from that douchebag named Anthony. He grabbed some food out of his backpack, and gave her some. "Thank you, we have some of our own. So you do not have to share yours." He smiled, this was the first time he heard something like this.
"You know, my team left me this morning for a higher paying job. I was not happy with that, so went on this job on my own." He said, and then told her his story. Later, Emrys joined them, and both of them told their stories. It was the most fun evening he had in years.
******
THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER I WILL POST PUBLIC
******
They enter Gibwater trail, which is part of the Faded forest. When they are attacked by two swarms of spiders. Which contains out of twenty-two spiders each which are the size of Emrys's hands.
Swarm 1 attacks Audery with bite, but that fails 1. They got stuck in their own web.
Audery attacks swarm 1 with her short sword. It works, she kills 6 out of the twenty-two spiders.
Emrys focusses on swarm 2, killing 6 of the twenty-two with his first attack. Killing 8 more with his second one.
Swarm 2, shoots a web at Emrys in response, but that misses.
Swarm 1, shoots a web to Audery. Slowing her down, she needs to pass this turn. Make 1-d8 saving throw next turn.
Emrys, first attack, fails. Second attack is a hit. Killing three spiders.
Swarm 2, attacks Emrys, and it works they bite him, but they do not poison him.
Swarm 1, attacks but fails.
Audery breaks loss from the webs.
Emrys fails both attacks.
Swarm 2 bites Emrys, it succeeds, also no poison this time.
Swarm 1 attacks it succeeds, it works, and she got poisoned in the process 1-d8 saving throw after turn otherwise 1-d4 damage.
Audery attacks, works, killing 10 spiders. Poison those not affect her this time.
Emrys attacks first attack lands, killing the last of swarm 2 is not able to attack swarm 1.
Swarm 1, they attack Audery but fails.
Audery attacks, killing three spiders. The last one runs for the hills. But she gets affected by the poison
Gaint spider attacks Audery, but the web misses.
Audery attacks spider, it lands.
Emrys attacks spider, he fails.
Percy enters the stage, attacking the spider with fire bolt, but it misses. Hitting a random tree instead.
Spider attacks Audery again, but misses.
Audery attacks spider it lands, poison saving throw succeeded
Emrys attacks, saving throw works.
Percy attacks it with another fire bolt, it hits killing the spider and burning down the corps
Audery cast frostbite to kill the fire, it works.
Percy in turn cast healing hands on Audery, it works.
