Lady Spyder's Story

It was raining.

It was always raining

For once, just once, I want to end on a happy sunny day! What is it with demons getting a soaking rainy day to die with ? The demoness thought. She knew she was dead, she felt herself down briefly, no stab wounds, body still in one piece. She nodded when she was happy she was all there. Then she remembered the hard way, no weapon, her sword she had left when she died.

She nodded happy she was in one piece but halted fast at the echo of a roar. OK thats not good She thought. Spyder turned and missed that first step that everyone warns about and plummeted fifty meters to a riverside before getting to her feet. "If this is my eternal reward, I hope its on the way to my true reward" Spyder grumbled dusting herself off, stopping cold at the echo once more before turning and running along the riverside towards a bridge not far off.

Unfortunately she was not looking where she was going and slammed into someone head on

Wit the sound of a cement truck on meth, crack cocaine, and raw caffiene and no brakes whatsoever, Spyder collided with..... A young man ? Laying on the grass Spyder stared at the sky Her vision foggy and dizzy "Can someone stop the ride please ? I'd like to get off" She sat up, her head in her hands. Oh what a headache

It was raining.

Therion loved the rain, it was where he was most comfortable, as he thoroughly enjoyed ice magic. Whenever the rain started to fall, or clouds started to gather, the Magi went for a walk, enjoying the atmosphere. He was wandering the Corelands, hoping to encounter more Orcs, Cyclops, or similar beasts that he'd ran into the past few times he'd been here.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking to the sky and walking aimlessly as he did. There was a distant roar, and Therion readjusted his course to amble towards the noise. Before long, there was the noise of someone running towards him, the boy looking down only barely in time to see someone slam into him. He was taken to the ground, sprawling on his back and grumbling to himself. Whoever had slammed into him was talking to themselves.

"Are you actually serious!? It takes less than a second to see where the crap you're going!" The Magi grabbed his head with one of his hands, before rubbing his temple with that hand. With a cough, the boy said "The ride doesn't end, not until it's too late. Snap to it or you're going to get eaten by whatever is making that aawwful racket."

Theri drew himself up on his feet, still a little rattled about being ran into, he started screaming out at the top of his lungs. "HEELLLLOOO! Come and BITE me you ugly trash!" He drew out his wand, and prepped himself for whatever was to come, turning back to the girl who ran into him. "Hey, can you fight? Town is that way if not." With a free hand, the Magi pointed towards Hayslem City.

Spyder just moaned as she held her head in her hands, her vision still fuzzy. "If this is the afterlife I wanna be alive right now" She mumbled before shutting up and staring as Theri got to his feet and started screaming for whatever it was to come and get him, was he nuts ?? She opened her mouth to speak then he turned and looked at her and spoke his question. She remembered, her sword left when she entered the Dreaming after saving Mark. It was normally a summons type of weapon. She did have her spit, so she could fight a little bit.

Her vision still fuzzy she at first saw six of Theri before she saw two "Could you stand still a minute so I can focus ?" Finally she saw one Theri and that was all she needed. She held up a hand as she quickly got to her feet at the echoy roar again. It sounded further away. Her crystal brown eyes glittered in the low light and heavy rain. "I didnt hurt you did I ?" As far as it appeared, Spyder was thin as a twig but insanely strong and sounded heavy when she crashed into him

The echoy roar went off again, this time it sounded as if coming to Theri's summons. Now Spyder wasnt a timd demon, far from it, it was just that she didnt have her sword, sure she could forge a new one, demonforged steel like her own weapons lasted a long time, longer than human weapons if she was lucky enough to find glitter steel. So without her weapon she ducked behind Theri as he turned to face whatever was coming.

It ended up being a shelob sized...... "Spider ??" Spyder asked confused, "You have spiders like me here ??"

What, sorry WHAT ?

The stranger said something about being in the afterlife and Theri pondered whether she hit her head harder than he thought. "W-What?" She appeared to be rattled, asking the Magi to stand still, before querying whether or not she hurt him. In truth, she had, but the boy wasn't going to admit that to a stranger; he had his pride, after all.

"Naah, I'm fine. Do you have your wits about you, I doubt you'll have time to run now." As he finished talking, the beast grew closer, until a large spider appeared. The stranger suddenly exclaimed that she was like the spider. "W....What!?" Therion decided she had indeed hit her head, WAY harder than he had thought. "I... no? Yes? I guess!? What! Are you related to this thing? D-do.. I... Can you talk to it???"

Small spiders can live off pollen, however larger ones are almost exclusively carnivores. Ones of this size? Definitely carnivorous. The hairs on the spider twitched as it worked its jaws and sized up it's potential prey. Theri flipped the wand about his fingers, catching it again with the same hand before condensing the moisture in the air into ice and creating a multitude of forearm sized icicles around the beast. He only prayed it wasn't a spitting spider.

At this point the Magi was thrown for quite a loop about the newly arrived stranger, and wouldn't be shocked if she were a spider cultist something or other. "You're not going to get mad if I kill it, are you?" While waiting for her response, he wondered if she were a stray mage who had wandered off from Astrius and spent too long poly-morphed into a spider.

Spyder at first had ni idea what to say as she held up a hand, index finger pointed up as the two before the massive spider made it confused as they conversed, clearly unsure of what to do as one felt oddly familar. "Ah aha" Spyder said simply trying to get a grip on the rush of questions. "Possibly, if you .... didnt do that I could possibly calm it." She meant the icicles. Briefly it made her shiver

The massive spider looked between Theri and Spyder, one seemed oddly familar, like its commanding officer in the army or some such crap, the other looked more like food that had a kick to it. What to do, what to do...

"I can try to calm it down.... or rather, her down... uh let me try something here uh..." Spyder moved closer to the icicles and broke a few apart to see the massive spiders face, forcing herself to calm down the black dressed woman. Spyder cleared her throat "Did I disturb your sleep ? You cant eat a fellow spider you know. Especially one like me" Spyder said, Oh dear Light please let this work! If this was Arcadia, it sucked already.

The Spider seemed to be shameful of what it had tried to do and looked shy all of a sudden to in the precense of another much more powerful Spider. It looked to Theri, almost hungry but then not so much. the spider chittered something. Spyder smiled gently almost blushing herself when she turned to Theri "Stiggio apologises for scaring us. specially me. Had he known another Spider was around, one as powerful as me, so he says, He'd have kept quiet"

And then camr the question of if she was related to the much larger spider. She shook her head no "No no, do I look that big ? I mean I can turn into a spider, but not as big as Siggio" Siggio, sounded Italian. He chittered something to her, She looked up at him "What ? Here ?" At the look the spider gave her Spider sighed and magic boiled around her body before both the spider and Theri

What Theri first saw was a beautiful dark haried woman with brown eyes was soon replaced by ther same woman but her hair was different, The top of her head was black, like a crown of sorts, while the rest of her hair was long and light brown. She turned to face Theri, at that pojnt a paid of spider manibles had appeared on her cheeks, like sidburns were she a bearded lady from the circus.

Even then it was clear to see that she was harmless, no sword, she had left it with Mark, when she died. Finally she said "I am confused" As she looked to Theri the mandibles faded "Where am I ?" The last thing she remmebered was getting stabbed in the ass and back with broken wood and steel and dying in a humans arms who said her debt was repaid and it was time to stop fighting Death

At the odd stranger's request, the icicles sublimed into steam, rising into the air with a hiss. The woman began talking to the spider like a cute pet, or perhaps a dear friend, and Theri's jaw dropped slightly as she referred to herself as a spider. Surely this woman had lost it.

The Magi's jaw dropped even further, as she seemed to be successfully calming Siggio. She informed him that she was a powerful spider, but not related to Siggio, who happened to be a girl spider. The two spiders exchanged more words, and the stranger suddenly changed looks and grew spider mandibles. "What....?"

"WHAT!? You're confused?! I"M confused. How do you not know where you are? More importantly, what are you? And why did the spider listen to you? Spiders eat each other all the time! Wait..." Therion backed away slightly from the stranger, raising his wand in preparation. "You're not... You're not a Black Widow, are you? You aren't going to eat me..?" It was a moment before he hesitantly informed her of their location.

"You're uh... You're on Origin. We're on the Rosetta Continent, in the Corelands, slightly North of Hayslem City." Curiosity overtook the boy, and he suddenly found himself ignoring the giant spider. "Why? Where did you think you are, and where did you come from?" Theri crept closer to the strange woman, walking around her and examining her in detail. He even used the end of his wand to move her hair slightly, trying to ensure it wasn't an illusion.

"Nah, humans are too thick in the blood' Spyder said in answer to her eating Theri, she shivered at the mere thought of it. It was even grossing her out! Spyder watched him, she took then motioned to Siggio, allowing the much larger minivan sized spider to amble off, apparently no food was to be had there!

"Yes I am confused." Spyder replied simply "Last thing I remember was getting stabbed in the butt with superheated wood when saving somebody. Next thing I know I wake up here after dying" She said. She gave him a curious look "Black widow ? Whats a blackwidow ?" Was that some kind of spider ?

She shook her head in answer to it "Nope, Not a black widow." She jerked a thumb at herself as she spoke "I am a spider demon, most spiders listen to my orders and the like, others try to aid or avoid me when they can." She said. She stared then, complete silence as Theri circled her, using his wand to move her light brown hair.

When he finally was in front of her again the confusion was even more visible on her face. "You mean this isnt Arcadia ? I'm supposed be dead, blissful eternal reward! I paid my dues perfectly fine!" then his question of what she was from "I'm from.... it doesnt matter, where I came from and where I am supposed to be. What I am supposed to be is dead. On my path to my eternal reward in Arcadia, blissful eternal peace"

Spyder then remembered her manners and stuck out her hand, for all appearances it was harmless, "I am called Spyder, I... I am a spider demoness. I guess I cant go full human anymore here. In Arcadia, from what we demons know ofi t, our natural forms are preferred over our human appearences"

And she just HAD to leave her sword with Mark

The Spider beast, apparently named Stiggio, began to amble away much to Theri's disappointment. The girl explained her last waking moment before arriving here had been being stabbed in the butt with a hot piece of wood, implying it should have killed her. Theri nodded, taking it all in quietly before speaking. The stranger before him introduced herself as a spider demon, and explained that it gave her domain over most spiders. I guess that explains the spider beast ignoring her...

The stranger asked again, where they were, implying that they might be in a strange place called Arcadia. The way she explained, Arcadia was some sort of heavenly after-life, where she should be right now. Admittedly parts of Origin were heavenly, but this place was far from a blissful eternal reward.

"Well, it sounds like you didn't pay you eternal dues quite good enough, because welcome to Origin. Home of the Magus Weather, which creates phenomena such as acid rain, or Firestone Hail." The Magi threw his arms wide, gesturing to the world around them as he spoke.

The stranger finally introduced herself as Spyder, the spider demoness and extended a hand. Theri eyed it for a bit, slightly suspicious, before grabbing it and giving it a few firm shakes. "So you're telling me, a hot piece of wood to the butt transported you somehow to Origin?" Spyder continued to explain she could not go full human anymore, and that her natural appearance wasn't human. "Well... uh... I could try to polymorph you if you want?"

The rain was getting worse, and if past experiences betrayed anything about the way the weather was going, it was going to get ALOT worse before it got any better. "Welp! You're free to follow me back to town, but I can't stay out here any longer. I like my clothes, and would rather not lose them in exchange for some serious acid burns." Therion wasn't convinced Spyder wasn't entirely crazy, and he wasn't keen about staying in the wilderness with her. He was also not entirely certain she wouldn't try to eat him, Astrius had taught that some demons did, in fact, eat humans.

"I paid my dues as they were termed, I owed a Life Debt to a guy, I saved his life by sacrificing myself, he said my debt ewas filled and not to fight off death, next thing I know I'm here" Spyder said in a very rapid dialect that Theri couldnt possibly understand. Then his suggestion hit her, she shook her head 'No no, I'll be alright." She felt the rainfall, it felt warm oddly so, like really hot water. But then Theri explained what it actually was.

Well her clothing didnt show any signs of melting away from the rain but his started to show bits and pieces that his magic could most likely repair if they got too far damaged. His offer of town seemed the most sensible and she nodded "Sounds like a good plan." At least she could make webbing if needed to do so when the need arose, a webb hammock was comfy to the point of possibly too dang comfy

If it wasnt for the fact she couldnt go fully human again, she actually looked rather pretty without the mandibles on her face. Otherwise, the light brown hair and black crownlike bit of hair on the top of her head made her look prettier stillThe black dress was long and looked ragged due to the sheer time she'd worn the thing, yet it was clean, and well kept. a brown leather corset of a sort covered her stomach. Her sleeves were long and taipered at the middle finger perfectly covering her wrists. Her dress was most likely enchanted demon clothing or the like

But that didnt matter, at that moment only thing that mattered was figuring out where she was. She was SUPPOSED to be dead. So maybe she was dead, and on the way to her reward ? Then she remembered "oh no, noo no no no this isnt good..." She felt herself down carefully, her belt, where was the gemstone ?? "Where is it ??" She cast a eldritch design and felt again around her waist, still no belt.

Oh dear

The acid was quickly eating through Theri's clothing, which was bothersome but not really an issue. Spyder, however seemed to be mostly unaffected. Perhaps her clothing... was made of Spider demon silk? The Magi dismissed the thought as readily as it came, it didn't matter in the end, so long as they both got to the City in time.

Spyder assented, and the duo quickly began their trip back to town. The Spider Demon, was... interesting to say the least, and Theri wasn't entirely convinced she was good people. However he hadn't come this far by being cautious, and she was a novelty on this planet.

Novel as she was, suddenly Spyder began to freak out, apparently her egress from wherever, to supposed Arcadia had lost her something, relatively important to her? Therion was curious, but also unwilling to stand in this acid rain any longer than necessary. "Hey, hey we'll sort it out later. I'm probably late for class or something, come on let's get out of here." Hayslem City wasn't much further ahead, they were nearing the edge of the Corelands, and certainly anything she had lost could wait until then.

Astrius Academy was home to a few diviners, perhaps they could find whatever she had lost, or even help tell Theri exactly where she had came from, how, and why. He was more than a little curious, she was acting like she had come from the Abyss itself, though, Most demons do, but she claims otherwise... The magi kept the errant thought to himself, she seemed a little confused, and confused people were the easiest to stir to violence. "If you lost something, perhaps the diviners at Astrius could help? As well as figure out just how you got here..."

Raising a hand, Spyder formed a shired of pale red energy over her and Theri to stop his clothing from melting away. "I cannot wait, though I kmow how to find it without the stone. But if someone were to find Elhazzard and were lured into it without warning..." Elhazzard...

She had said Elhazzard the Arciadian, or Faerie term for Jumanji

And if it was a stone...

At his confused yet concerned look she explained then "A friend of mine and I were lured to it by the sound of drums. Elhazzard is comprised of raw magic, terrifying dreamscapes, and the stuff of nightmares. Diadem and I found it, and she was sucked into it. But she willingly entered it of her own accord. I know how to find Elhazzard in Arcadia, it just took me a few dozen years, but now I know the way so it is easier to get there."

Absently she looked to her left arm, what looked like seven lines appeared in perfect black marks. Damn Spyder thought. Seven lives left. Diadem please hold on, I will find that gem again I promise! She saw then that Theri looked concerned and slightly upset of the damaged clothing. A flick of the wrist and Spyder had conjured some web like a cloak. She held it out to him "Here. Wear this, it will stop the rain from ruining your clothing." She said.

Well, she didnt try to eat him,... yet

Spyder explained that she needed to get to... somewhere awful. A chaotic part of the Faerie, somewhere Traf had mentioned in late-night lectures in long-winded rants about places he'd discovered one way or another. Elhazzard, Jumanji, a place where logic was only slightly sideways. The Spider Demon could get there from Faerie, and needed to get back? Theri pondered the thought, as she handed him a cloak of spider silk.

Well I suppose I did come out here to find some sort of entertainment.

"So remind me again, why you WANT to go there? And where exactly did the, uh, gemstone go!?"

Honestly it sounded right up Therion's alley, it was just the behavior of the odd the random stranger that had him on edge. There was a lot she wasn't saying, which tended to mean he couldn't trust her as far as he could throw her. However... She certainly seemed confident in her ability to navigate the Faerie. Imagine Traf's face when i start lecturing HIM on the fair folk...

Theri drew the cloak about himself, following Spyder carefully, and true to her word the cloak was acid-resistant. "Lead the way, I guess? Are we looking for the stone or going into the Dreaming...?" Astrius would never believe what he found in the Corelands.

Spyder shook her head at his words. "Its not that easy" She said. "You mentioned people who can find things. Diviners you called them ?" She looked thoughtful as they walked towards the city, "If they can locate Elhazzard before it traps another victim within its endless jungles, we can go there, but getting into the Dreaming wont be easy unless we find a trod or Shallowing bridge Once through I can find the path to Elhazzard easily, it is just a matter of locating the gemstone, hiding it again, and then going there through the Dreaming."

Seeing his confused look she asked "What ? You actually want to go through with this ? You really want to go to Elhazzard with me by way of the Dreaming ?" Most mortals cant take it, but some could. She wasnt sure of Theri, if he could make it through a Trod, then maybe it could work out ?

"First thing is first, and you said it yourself, we have to find a diviner, who can locate the relic of Arcadia. Soon as we get it back, I can hide it properly so none else get drawn into it. And then we have to find a Shallowing Bridge, or a Trod to get into the Dreaming..." She trailed off in thought as they walked along.

Finally she turned to him "You seem.... excited for some reason, why ? Was it my mention of Elhazzard, or something else ? Most mortals are freaked out when I talk about the Dreaming or Arcadia, but you... you seem.... more like you belong there actually now that I think about it"

Diviners, Magi who focused on the practice of seeking out the unknowns, the future, or the past through unique means weren't entirely uncommon at Astrius. However, finding one that was free and willing to help a student was another matter entirely. Perhaps a Spider Demoness would help make my case. No sense in fretting what might be now.

Spyder questioned Theri's resolve, his willingness to accompany her to the Dreaming. He thought about if for a minute, why was he so willing to head to an alien place at a stranger's behest. "Maybe... This place was always a bit alien to me. My parents died at a young age, and I was raised by people to who reality was only a guideline. Faerie seems more akin to my real world than... well, Origin. My parents often spoke in hushed voices that I wasn't quite their child, and I felt nothing when I ended them. Maybe I was never meant to live like a mortal..."

The demoness made a game plan, "First thing is first, and you said it yourself, we have to find a diviner, who can locate the relic of Arcadia." Theri nodded in response to her, the rain getting worse as he pulled the cloak closer around himself. He started walking a bit faster.

"Fair, let's see what kind of information we can garner from Astrius first. Finding a Trod should... be... something." Theri had heard of these Trods, places that disappeared after the Faerie was distanced from the Mortal Realm. Traf's lectures often went sideways and almost nonsensical, but at least they seemed to make sense when necessary.

"You seem... excited for some reason, why?"

"Hell yes I'm excited, Astrius was the only place that made sense to me in most of this Universe. To hear that Faerie is real, that Traf's stories aren't all wild dreams of a High Wizard. To think there is another world that, that, that... A world that makes sense... Arcadia, Elhazzard... Places that had once only existed in my wildest dreams..." Theri walked, daydreaming, and before he knew it, Hayslem City reared up before the two, acid rain stopping slowly as they got closer and closer. Astrius in the distance, the large buildings becoming dots on the sky-line

Spyder smiled, all they had to do was find a diviner, someone who could help them out, had time to kill, the works. But finding someone willing to help a student, or at least a teenager. Spyder took in Theri's form, he looked like a teenager, possibly a young adult at that. As they arrived in the city and went through it, Spyders eyes werent exactly taken by all the technology and magics around her. Working with Marcus Wolfe helped her come to terms with technology and magic at once.

However the sight of the Academy grounds was something else entirely. Than again it reminded her of her home in Arcadia. Briefly stepping onto the grounds a guard came over and asked for their papers. Spyder apparently knew what to do as she withdrew a pendant that Diadem had given her when they were both in Jumanji when Diadem had to remain and Spyder could freely leave. the guard let them be.

Soon as the guard was gone, Spyder looked to the ancient amulet and smiled "Who knew that Diadem's old Commander's Seal was still viable" She said softly before the two moved on to try and find a diviner with free time, and instead came upon a bipedal cat... or rather a pair of bipedal feline women, if Spyder didnt know better, she'd have theough them not related to each other, but as luck had it they were. But the young of the two smiled seeing Theri whie the older spoke.

"Linda, sweetie, was this the young man your father grilled three weeks ago ?" Heather asked, sure she was royalty, but her crown was more of a silver and sapphire hairband. On her dark calico fur pattern it looked beautiful

The younger feline woman nodded, the dark turquoise dress the teenage cat wore made her look even prettier. "Yes, Momma, this is Therion, one of my classmates. A magi. Once I explained to Papa he was a friend and it wasnt his fault, Papa relented, but Cliff... I think he's scared of me because of Papa." Linda sounded slightly shy at saying such words, it wasnt easy to find Cliff

Heather smiled "It is alright sweetie, you have class to attend and then be home by supper, and bring that little dragon with you, Spud I think his name was called, he was very sweet and the Rock Keepers loved feeding him." Linda nodded and after giving Theri a hug she headed for her next class, in this case, catography. looking to the two Heather asked kindly "You seem troubled. Do you need help ?"

Spyder kept her mouth shut, since the feline woman was only introduced to Theri and not her.

Astrius was as it always was, an incorrigible mixture of order, chaos, magic, and technology. Astrius was as close to home as it came for Theri, the familiar guard walking towards them to ask for their proof of right to be here. Therion was about to produce his Astrius Academy Handbook, along with identification but Spyder produced an amulet and the guard let them pass without incident.

Magical gear? Perhaps she really can take me to the Dreaming... The Magi barely overheard the demoness mention a 'Commander's Seal' when suddenly Linda came into view. She was with... another were-cat? Why, why me? Were-wolves, were-cats, were-spiders, why are these the only people I ever seem to run into. Therion remembered his werewolf roommates unique temperament and suddenly he was less sure about going to the Faerie with Spyder.

And Linda! I dont need to get caught up with the Royal family any more than I already have. The elder of the two were-cats mentioned Linda's father and Theri visibly paled. Linda explained that she thought Cliff was scared of her after... that incident. Therion shuddered at the thought himself, it wasn't a happy memory. Come to think of it, I suppose Cliff has been a little distant since then...

The elder were-cat was Linda's mother, which made her royalty. Linda hugged Theri and hurried off to class, he called after her as she left. "Take care Linda!" Then her mother spoke, saying something quite unexpected.

"You seem troubled. Do you need help?"

I-is she onto us? What would she think if I told her what our plan was? Theri smiled as amicably as possible for him and put a thoughtful finger to his chin. "Well.... Uh, you see, my Grace. This is my friend, Spyder, and she has lost something and can't seem to recall where she put it. I don't know if you'd have anyone who could potentially assist with this?" Afterwards, as if an after-thought, he did a light bow. Her husband was, not someone Theri wanted to anger again.

For a brief moment Spyder didnt know if she should bow or simply nod in greeting when she was introduced to the elder werecat, the dark calico fur pattern made all the more beautiful with the silver crownlike circlet in the feline womans hair. Ever fibre of the feline womans being screamed royalty, yet Spyder knew how to handle royals, though it had been a long time since Queen Arenel.

It was then that Heather noticed the amulet that Spyder carried, "The Commanders Amulet ? You carry it ?" She said, Spyder nodded "I see why the guards allowed you to enter, security here is very tight, they nearly did not allow me to enter until I showed my own symbol of my status." Heather said in a strange language before turning to Theri and speaking english "You need a diviner ?" If something was lost and had to be found.

Heather smiled and raised a slender pawlike hand, "Please, Master Judex, there is no need to bow to me here. Here I merely Heather, mother of your friend Linda. I have you to thank for getting her to safety in the medical halls do I not ?" Heather then thought a moment "What exactly was lost ?"

Spyder thought a minute, how to explain Elhazzard and not freak the werecat queen out of her mind ? So she did the common sense thing, she told the truth. "A gemstone, no larger than a mans head. It is colored emerald green and pink, it.... made a drumming sound. when Diadem and I found it we were drawn to it by the drumming. I do not remember where I hid it. I only remember that I hid it... a million years ago"

For being well past a million years old, Spyder didnt look any older thant 27, but her actual biological age was a hundred and fifty three.

Heather's eyes widened slightly. "Drumming.... from a gemstone ?"

"Yes" Spyder replied

"I know what you speak of clearly. On occasion in our city within the mountains to the west, some of us have reported weird drumming noises coming from a section of the mountains believed to be haunted. Those that ventered into the rocks and ruins never found the sources of the drums."

"I need to find it, put it somewhere safe, before it lures a new victim. It already has a army, a deadly army at that" Spyder said "We also need to find a Trod, to get into the Dreaming. Once inside the dreaming, I know the way to the vast jungles of Elhazzard."

"So what you need is the location of the stone ? And you do the rest ?" Heather asked, looking to them both. Turning her gaze to Theri, Heather said "My daughter trusted you with her life, and therefore, I trust you. What is your plan ?"

Spyder and Linda's mother exchanged a short word about the "Seal" that Spyder carried, it was only slightly flustering to think that these two women knew something about the Arcane that Theri himself was oblivious to, but as it was inevitable he ignored his juxtaposition.

Heather asked Theri something he hadn't dared to hope to hear. "You need a diviner?" As if those words weren't respite enough she continued to act down to Origin and calm, "Please, Master Judex, there is no need to bow to me here. Here I merely Heather, mother of your friend Linda. I have you to thank for getting her to safety in the medical halls do I not ?" Perhaps things would go over easier than the Magi thought. Perhaps Faerie was only barely out of his reach, and with Linda's mother...

Theri's thoughts had caused him to miss part of the conversation but he did hear Spyder say, "I hid it... a million years ago." Which caused him to pause. W-what...? No way. Even for a demoness that's.... No way. Heather asserted her trust in Theri, as he was good friends with Linda. Well, her mother is... more mature? Perhaps that was the responsibility that came with Royalty.

"No, Linda's incident was entirely my responsibility, I shouldn't have convinced her to go out with me, it was a lack of judgement on my part." Therion still felt bad about the incident, he probably would've been fine without Linda, but it caused her a lot of trouble. However Heather seemed swayed and ready to help them find the artifact Spyder had lost, which was simply tops for Theri.

"Uh... The plan's kind of fast and loose. We need to find the gem and stow it away somewhere where it won't entice more people. There's a certain desirability to powerful artifacts that's hard to sate... First thing is first we need to find it. I'm trusting my Senior here for the most part." He gestured towards Spyder, the woman he had found in the Plains only a few hours earlier. The person who claimed able to take him to a reality that made sense. Not for the last time he doubted the situation, but refused to back down from the challenge.

"I trust Spyder, once she finds the stone, we'll accomplish the rest. I swear it on my pride as an Astrius Student."

"My daughter has a good heart, and she insisted to help you, You ned not take the blame on your own it is as just as much her fault as yours, you need not burden yourself too much for her sake, she understands as do I, but her father wil ltake some doing, so dont worry, its is not your fault and I do not blame you" Heather replied to Theri, reassuring the young man of her trust in him and his magical skill. After all it was Theri who took her ot the medical facility due to the poison ivy reaction when she insisted to not worry about it.

Spyder sense Theri staring at her ewen she mentioned how long it had been, but when Heather said she knew of the gemstone and where it was Spyder thought briefly then said "Alright, do you have any that are blind, or at least color deferred ? Or deaf entirely to guard the temple site where the stone is ?" Once Heather had shown where the stone was hidden, using magic to make a mostly tangible scene of where the site was at for the stone to be hidden upon a pillar within a ancient temple. Heather nodded at the request

"How long will they be needed ?" heather asked

"As long as you can give us" Spyder replied, they had rthe gemstone secured, now all they had to do was find a Trod, and finding one of those wasnt easy in the slightest.

Heather nodded and smiled "Dont worry, the stone will be safely guarded, none will get near it." She gave them both a gentle pat on the shoulders before heading off, leaving both Spyder and Theri alone in the hall.

"She was nice" Spyder mused, then she saw Theri once more staring at her "What ?" Then she remembered him calling her his senior, oh dear then she remembered "I.... used a time spell to cast myself outside of time to try and find Elhazzard and Diadem within it. It took me I think a year or so to find the trod to just get to Arcadia. Then once I got through Elhazzards borders I got these" She showed off her left arm, there were 7 lines of solid black on it, like a tatoo, when she turned her arm they faded off. A life counter. "Diadem has them too, and when I found her, she had 5 left, out of nine"

All they had to do now was find a Trod

It was trhe mere sounds of plastic being shattered and holographic keybeeps going off every cretisecond that told the young Demoness that she was indeed in the right place. Police could help her recover someone she sought for sure. Stepping inside she ducked at the literal last second to avoid getting smashed int hre face by a flung coffee mug. She recognised the scent of a Gardener and it caught the spider off guard A gardener, here ? She wondered briefly

Going right to the desk, she saw exactly as she scented, of course she tracked the flung coffee mug backwards along its flight path and saw rthat it was infact empty and it missed the tray it was aimed for by a good meter to the left. Spyder stopped dead in her tracks and stared at who was behind the greeters counter.

The name plate said it all

POLICE CAPTAIN SMUDGIE BVETIN

OK. So he was a guard and a Gardener ? Maybe he could indeed help... wait, then again without the right translator Spyder possibly wouldnt be able to understand his rapid speaking ability,.....

wait

Was Smudgie actually baking donuts with his hind feet ?