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Loyal Dogs The Traitor By Evan Drake © 2019, Evan Drake, All Rights Reserved

Chapter 8: The Cave

Thern wasn't sure what bothered him more, finding himself once again underground or the idea of seeing giant disfigured spiders. Thoughts of what those abominations looked like plagued his vision, and he flinched at every shadow.

The tension was thick within the rest of the group as well. He could tell from their stiff movements and the way they never looked in a single direction for too long. Only the sound of their steps broke the silence.

The cave opened up into a much wider passage. The lanterns they wore barely reached the walls or ceiling, but there was no sign of the spiders. They maintained their tight formation and searched for an exit.

An alcove had been carved into the far wall of the cave. Inside the opening was a rusted elevator.

"An elevator?" Thern asked. "I didn't know this was a mining town."

"It isn't," Millian replied.

"Are we really getting on that thing?" Bayli asked. "I think I'll take the stairs."

"I agree with Bayli," Phen said. "How do we even know that device can support us?"

Millian shrugged and stepped onto the elevator. "We don't, but I can tell you it held the last time I used it."

It was a risk, but it was large enough to fit everyone so they rode it down at the same time. The elevator groaned the entire way down, but it held. Thern did not relish using it to return to the surface later.

They found themselves in another tunnel, this one much smaller than the first. An unpleasant smell permeated the air. A smell of something very old that had gone beyond the point of rotting. Thern brought up the rear again. Even though there was little need, he kept looking behind him for an ambush.

The small tunnel wasn't nearly as long as the first and it quickly opened up into a much larger chamber. In the center of the chamber was a massive hole.

They pointed the beam of their lanterns into the hole and a wave of angry gasps swept over the group.

The hole was much wider than it was deep, but it was carpeted by bones and tattered clothing.

"There must be hundreds," Firion said. "The spiders must've been attacking the town for a lot longer than we thought."

Millian growled. "No. The Blood Hounds would have heard by now. Someone's been feeding them."

"How did no one see this until now?" Phen asked.

Cecili was the one to reply. "Simple. Choose victims who wouldn't be missed. A vagrant, a lone traveler, a thief, a whore. What worries me is that something happened to the one who was responsible and that is why the spiders moved to the surface."

"Let's continue," Gaius said. "We can speculate at a later time."

They kept close to the wall to avoid falling into the pit and circled the room. Somehow the tension had gotten even thicker. It was hard to breathe. Thern's neck hurt from all the movement to watch every possible angle around him.

Another wide tunnel allowed them to descend further. This tunnel was much more roughly hewn forcing everyone to watch their step with everything else.

By Thern's estimate, it was close to noon, and there had been no signs of the spiders. A strange creeping feeling had moved up his spine and he couldn't focus.

"Can you sense them?" Gaius asked.

Thern started at the sudden break in silence and the fox's appearance next to him. "I've been feeling something, but I can't tell what."

"It's the spiders. They're pursuing us."

Thern's tail ducked between his legs. "I've been checking behind us this whole time and I haven't seen them. But why haven't they attacked us yet?"

"They're observing us and waiting for the perfect opportunity. That likely is how they got the better of Millian's group."

"So what do we do?"

"Nothing for now. Our best hope is to find the one in charge."

Thern nodded slowly. He couldn't stop looking behind him, but he didn't dare shine his light on the spiders. If he listened closely enough, he heard footsteps behind them.

He felt the familiar sensation of his fur standing on end and turned to Gaius, but before he could give a warning, a low rumble echoed through the tunnel followed by a dying shriek.

Without a word, the group surged forward. Thern kept a watchful eye behind them but saw nothing.

More sounds of combat, growing louder, echoed through the caves. The tunnel opened up into another wide cavern. Thern's vision was filled with a blinding light as heat washed over his body. The unpleasant smell of seared flesh filled his nose. He threw his arms over his eyes until the light faded.

"Of all the things to run into, it had to be damn spiders," a male canid said. "Well, at least there's company this time. You okay over there? My spell didn't hit you did it?"

Thern lowered his arms. The cavern had been plunged again into pitch darkness save for the lanterns they carried, all of them pointed on a cloaked coyote standing in the middle of a dozen charred spider corpses. The cloak hid everything about him except for his head and tail. He had a pale gray coat and one of his pointed ears had a piece missing as if bitten off.

Thern tightened his grip on his sword.

"We're all right, friend," Sirius said.

The yote threw his hood over his head and approached the group. "Well, first, I may be a bastard but I was taught manners. The name's Parris."

Millian stepped forward. "I'm Millian, and this is my crew. So how'd you get down here?"

"I was walking through the fields, minding my own business when the damn ground opened up and I fell down here. Twisted my ankle pretty good in the fall, too. Luckily, I know a little magic, or I would definitely have been fucked."

"I'd say you know more than a little," Bayli said. "To use a spell like that and not bring the whole cavern down on our heads says you were well-trained."

Parris chuckled nervously, his tail wagging slightly. "I wouldn't say well-trained, but I learned early on how to use my magic without hurting anyone I wasn't trying to. You piss fewer canids off that way so it's easier to find work." He looked over the group and scratched his mangled ear. "You lot were hired to take care of the spiders?"

"Yes, we were," Gaius said.

Parris smiled. "Want some help?"

"Why?" Cecili asked.

"Because these things are dangerous and I can't just walk away knowing good folk are risking their lives." He scowled a little. "Also, I'm looking for someone. I tracked him here, but there's a good chance the spiders might've got him. You haven't seen any fresh bodies have you?"

"Saw a pit full of bones," Thern replied. "Couldn't tell if any of them were fresh or not."

Parris sighed. "Then I'll assume he's alive. But that can come later. First, let's kill these eight-legged bastards."

It was then Thern took a good look at the spider corpses surrounding the coyote. It easily stood waist height, if not higher. Eight hairy legs, twice the length of its body, extended in all directions. He shuddered and turned away.

"Quick question," Parris said. "This seems like a small party for clearing out a spider's nest. Wouldn't it be easier to destroy the caves?"

"We don't know how far these caves lead," Millian replied. "You didn't even come in the same way we did."

"Also, we know how to defeat the spiders," Bayli added. "We find the one controlling them and the rest will scatter."

Parris's ears rose. "So you aren't trying to destroy the whole nest? Doesn't sound like a good idea."

"As you pointed out, we are too few to perform an eradication," Gaius said. "Millian, can you lead the way? We've lingered here far too long."

Millian nodded and they carefully maneuvered around the spider corpses, watching each one in case it sprang to life and attacked again.

Gaius whispered into Thern's ear. "Keep an eye on him."

"You think he's the yote we've been looking for?"

"No, I can only barely sense the taint within him." He glowered at the back of the coyote's head. "But it is there. For now, the spiders take priority."

"So what do you think happened here?" Parris said, his voice echoing in the chamber.

"Shh!" Cecili hissed. "Are you trying to bring the whole nest down on us?"

"My bad. I just don't like this whole situation."

"What's not to like?" Sirius asked playfully. "We're stuck in a stinking underground pit with giant, canid-eating spiders."

Parris chuckled. "Good point. But not what I meant. I mean the aether is thin here, breathable. That means the spiders came from further underground. Which brings up my main question: did they come to the surface looking for food, or did something worse drive them up here?"

An uncomfortable silence hung over the group. Thern admitted to himself the thought had never crossed his mind. But what worried him was the implication of the yote being aware of afflicted.

The next tunnel sloped downward. They moved slowly, taking care not to slip, and reached the bottom of the slope without incident. The air became heavier, a sign of the aether being denser. Unlike the previous chambers, the walls were lined with thick webs. Wide columns reached from floor to ceiling, resembling the inside of a beast's ribcage.

"Everyone, hold on," Thern said. "Something's wrong. Why haven't we seen any spiders yet?"

"Maybe they're sleeping," Firion offered.

"No, Thern has a point," Phen said. "They attacked Parris, but they ignored us. Why?"

"He was alone," Bayli said. "And we're armed."

"Well, to be fair, I did attack them first," Parris said sheepishly. When everyone shot a venomous glare at the yote, he shrank away and added, "What? I've never liked spiders!"

Millian sighed and rubbed her temple. "What does it matter who attacked first? The spiders are leading us into an ambush. I say we start killing them now and get this over with."

"First, we need an exit route," Gaius said. "The elevator we used to get down here is ill-suited for expedited evacuations."

"Fine, just figure something out quickly," Millian said, the growl in her voice unmistakable.

"Well, if we don't have to fear the spiders attacking us, let's see how far this goes."

The sound of heavy footsteps made them stop. Everyone got into a circle formation. In seconds, they were surrounded by spiders. The large arachnids covered the floor, clung to the walls, and dangled overhead from thick strands of webbing. They stayed just out of sword range, each one moving its mandibles as if licking them in anticipation or cursing their intruders' existence.

"I guess they got tired of waiting," Firion said. "There's a lot more than I was expecting."

Millian growled and raised her blade. "Who cares? I plan on cutting down as many as I can before I die."

"We can't fight them here," Gaius said. "Cecili, Phen, Parris, Bayli, on my signal, I want you to clear out as many spiders in our immediate vicinity. I will then fire a spell to make a path back to the entrance."

"Wait," a deep rumbling voice said.

The spiders stopped moving. Another spider came into view, its dark brown body filling most of the cavern. Six long slender legs raised it over everyone's heads. Two bulbous eyes stared down at the group.

Thern swallowed the lump in his throat and raised his weapon. His tail tucked between his legs.

"Hello, travelerss," the spider said.

Thern's arms hung limp at his sides. "Did...Did that thing just...speak?"

"Yess."

"That's not possible!" Cecili said. "Afflicted don't speak!"

"Afflicted?" the spider asked.

Gaius cleared his throat and sheathed his weapon as he stepped forward. "Forgive our manners. We did not mean to trespass so rudely into your home." He bowed deeply, never taking his eyes off the colossal beast. "My name is Gaius Felldren. What shall we call you?"

The spider was silent for a moment. "What are afflicted?"

"Sharp mind, this one," Phen mumbled.

Gaius's tail curled slightly. "Afflicted are what we call a creature that has been transformed by overexposure to dense aether."

"I wass not trassformed," the beast sounded offended--if Thern believed that possible. "I wass born thiss way."

"Born this way?" Phen asked. "So you're saying there are more creatures like you?"

"Yess."

Thern wasn't sure what to make of the information. He looked around at the others. They wore the same shocked expressions.

"Fascinating," Parris said. "Is this really a species of spider or something more?"

"What the fuck does it matter?" Millian mumbled.

"Well, I have answered your question," Gaius said. "Now perhaps you could answer mine? What do we call you?"

"I have no name."

"Surely, your children must refer to you by some name or title. Perhaps a sobriquet?"

The large spider was silent again. The smaller spiders started to shift in place, but none of them tried anything. They became still when the large one spoke again. "Nethen. Call me that if you musst."

"Very well, Nethen. We're here to negotiate."

"What?!" Millian cried. "That's not what we agreed!"

Gaius said nothing.

Nethen continued to stare at the fox. "Sspeak."

"You have been preying on the travelers in this area and hold a nearby town in a grip of fear. I politely ask that you cease and move your nest elsewhere."

Thern was shocked and mystified by their leader's word. In the given situation, it made sense to negotiate. The spiders could easily overwhelm them in seconds. But the gall of the request seemed unbelievable.

"We attacked no one," Nethen said.

Millian growled and stepped forward. Sirius tried to grab her, but she snatched her arm free. "Don't give me that shit! We saw the bodies!"

Nethen turned to her, his round eyes shining in the semi-darkness. "Bodiess?"

"Yes, of the canids you killed!"

Several spiders hissed angrily. Nethen's voice carried a low growl. "We do not eat flessh! The lifeblood ssusstainss uss!"

"What is the lifeblood?" Sirius asked.

"Wait! I know what they are!" Bayli said. "I've heard about creatures like these. They live underground near dense pockets of aether and feed on it. I've never heard of spiders doing it, but these aren't ordinary spiders."

"So they're not afflicted?" Cecili asked.

Bayli shook her head. "They're bodies are naturally resistant to the effects of aether. You can almost say they're immune."

"I don't care what they feed on!" Millian cried. Her fur stood on end as she pointed her sword at the spiders. "I watched them kill my guys!"

"If you attacked them on sight as Parris did, I can't blame them," Gaius said.

The hound turned on him with an immeasurable ferocity in her eyes. "What did you say?"

"I think someone had better get this conversation back on track before she stabs someone," Parris whispered.

To everyone's surprise, Phen stepped forward. "Nethen, was it? You have yet to answer Gaius's earlier question. Will you move your nest elsewhere? Many on the surface believe you to be the cause of their grief. If you continue to stay here, then more canids will come to kill you."

The massive spider turned to the fox pup with the same emotionless expression he had shown the others. "We cannot leave. Our home wass taken from uss."

"So if this intruder were taken from your home, would you go back?"

"Yess," Nethen replied without hesitation. "The lifeblood iss thin here, weak. We will sstarve if we sstay."

"You cannot be seriously considering making a deal with this thing!" Millian shouted.

"We accept your terms," Gaius said.

"Piss on that! I accept nothing!" She faced Nethen, her tail looking like a spiked bush behind her. "I came here to kill these things and avenge my guys, and that's what I'm going to--"

Gaius drew his sword and pointed it at her. "No, you will not."

As if on cue, Firion pinned Sirius's arms behind him. Cecili held her blade against the dog's throat.

"I'm sorry for what happened to your group," Gaius said. "But our goal was to kill afflicted. If there are no afflicted here and these spiders have done no wrong, we shall not harm them."

"I should've known that chivalrous attitude of yours would be a bigger pain in my ass than these damn bugs."

"And yet you still requested our assistance." He lowered his blade and motioned to Firius and Cecili. They released Sirius but kept an eye on him. Sirius remained where he was, staring daggers at everyone. "You're welcome to take your revenge on the spiders, but know that you act alone, and I doubt you'll last long."

Millian stared at the spiders for a moment before growling and shoving her sword back in its sheath.

"Nethen, what can you tell us about the creature that drove you from your home?" Phen asked.

A wave of fear moved through the cavern. Even Nethen looked apprehensive.

"It iss nothing like uss. It thinkss only of death."

"That sounds more like an afflicted," Firion said.

"But can you tell us anything else about it?" Phen asked.

"None who ssee it ssurvive." The spiders moved aside, creating a clear path to the other side of the cavern. "You can find it further below."

---

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