Chapter 100 - Infighting

“Your minion Rivia Ahst has gained 2 levels in the skill Pestilence, 1 level in the skill Rejuvenation, 1 level in the skill Immortal’s Infernal Blessing, and 2 overall combat levels. Your minion Atharost has gained 2 levels in the skill Firebolt, 1 level in the skill Wall of Flames, 1 level in the skill Fire Blast, and 2 overall combat levels. Atharost’s familiar, Boxamoth, has gained 4 levels in the skill Firebolt and 2 overall combat levels. Your minion Napoleon has gained 3 levels in the skill Cursed Firebolt and 1 overall combat level. Your minion Ezdeath has gained 1 level in the skill Polearms and 1 level in the skill Heavy Armor. Your minion Juila has gained 1 level in the skill Hand to Hand Combat, 2 levels in the skill Blunt Weapons, and 2 overall combat levels.”

He dismissed the notifications with a frown, glancing back over his shoulder sheepishly.

“I’m sorry about that everyone… I usually have it under control...” This was Trey’s second time apologizing to the group as they continued down the main passageway of silk tunnels. Somehow light still penetrated as they went down, though some of the party was convinced that the weaver threads themselves were semi-translucent. Truth be told it was hard to tell.

They had been traveling for quite a long time now, and had come across one other small group of weavers which they had this time hid from - waiting in the stinking mountains of corpses for them to pass.

“Master...” Ezdeath smiled understandingly as the rest of the men grew jealous at the expression she made while talking to him. Rivia could be counted among them with a growing irritation, though her jealousy ran the opposite way the men’s did as Ezdeath continued to speak. “There is no need for you to apologize. We are all fine, and it was not your fault. Even if it was, you are the Heir. It is our responsibility to keep you safe regardless of the decisions you make.”

“What a kiss ass…” murmured Claire, the pudgy raven-haired mage who’d come with Coctim’s party.

Taen smirked and then shrugged as the succubus tried to calm Trey down. “Well, imagine being cooped up for hundreds or thousands of years and then being set free by someone. You’d feel differently about them too and would absolutely give them a pass at a lot of things right? It’s only natural.”

“Yeah… I guess you’re right.” Claire gave a reassuring look back to her friend Coctim. “But I can still understand why Coctim is angry. I was sort of upset for a while too.”

“I cannot BELIEVE she threatened to EAT me!” whispered Coctim as they trailed behind the others. “That succubus BITCH!”

Taen snickered again. “Oh come on I’m sure you’ll get over it if we end up alive after this whole thing is over. Am I right?”

Coctim let out a humph. “Yeah, we’d BETTER get out of this alive! I just hope he doesn’t pull anything like that again, and he’d BETTER keep his new PET off of me while he’s at it.”

From far ahead, Ezdeath’s shiny black tail began to extend and shot out to wrap around Coctim’s legs - swiping out his feet from underneath him and causing him to fall onto his backside. She sneered back at the man as her tail withdrew to its normal length and continued to walk beside her master who was none the wiser to what had happened.

“I don’t think she likes you much!” exclaimed Taen with a laugh as he helped his friend up to his feet. Coctim did not return Taen’s smile.

From beside them on the ground, Napoleon was easily keeping pace with the stragglers as he examined a white pouch he’d picked up along the way. Taen wasn’t sure where he’d gotten the silky pouch, or when, but it looked rather odd. It was about Napoleon’s size, with webbing strands flowing off of it as it was turned over and over again while the rather intelligent imp sniffed and poked it.

“What’s that?” the young necromancer asked, curiously staring at the silk pouch while some of his zombified weavers trailed behind along the silk tunnel.

Napoleon didn’t bother looking up, but poked the white sack again and this time tore it open just a little bit to peer inside. With an affirming nod, Napoleon chuckled and did a little happy dance while they moved forward into the weaver den. “I got master master present!”

The others nearby still had no idea what it was though.

“And… what present is that?” Taen pressed, scratching his head curiously while moving a brown lock of hair out and away from his eyes.

The black, menacing looking imp pointed a claw at the hole - and then tossed the sack gently up to Taen. Taen caught it mid-air, and peered inside to where the imp was gesturing.

There were numerous round balls that looked like they were made from cotton. There were only a couple dozen of them, and each one was about the size of a golf-ball… but Taen immediately knew what they were.

“These are spider eggs…” Taen muttered aloud with a grimace. “Why’d you take them? Where’d you even find these things?”

Napoleon pointed a claw back down the tunnel from whence they’d came, and his demonic smile widened. “I find find in a gargoyle. Spider plant eggs there there. I take take for master. Master can speak spider. I give give master.”

Again, Taen was rather confused - but he handed the sack back to Napoleon to carry. “Trey can speak spider? Is that even a language?”

Napoleon nodded aggressively, wrapping his little claws around the sack and bouncing forward to catch up to Trey. “Yes yes!”

Scurrying around numerous sets of legs - Napoleon bypassed a couple of Coctim’s sailors, Atharost - who was flying slightly overhead next to Boxamoth and the phantom Coriana, Juila - who was deep in discussion with Ashe and Izumi about her recently found abilities as a demoness, and finally Jason - who was looking around skeptically at various small holes in the tunnel’s webbing.

Latching onto Rivia’s leg and startling the priestess just briefly, Napoleon quickly pulled himself up her body to sit on her shoulder underneath the light of her glowing infernal halo. The priestess scowled briefly after the imp had scared her like that, but she rather liked Napoleon so she just brushed off her ill feelings and instead smiled politely.

“What’s that you’ve got?” Rivia asked as Napoleon held out the white silky sack in Trey’s direction.

Ezdeath, from the opposite side of Trey on his right, glanced over as well through the slit in her ornate devil-faced helmet. “Is that…?”

Trey immediately knew what it was. As soon as he caught sight of the egg sack, his eyes widened and his mood abruptly became better. “Holy shit, Napoleon did you find this?”

Napoleon eagerly chuckled and stamped his little feet on Rivia’s shoulder as Trey took the egg sack gingerly from Napoleon’s hands. “I did did!”

Trey peered inside, quickly finding the couple-dozen soft, white spider eggs piled atop one another. It only took him a second to identify one.

Weaver Egg

Item Tier: (7) Rare

Bonuses: none

Requirements: None

Durability: 8/8

Special: Hatches a weaver spider.

“Napoleon you fucking rock.” Trey held out a knuckle and fist-bumped the imp enthusiastically as they made another turn down the tunnel. “If you find any more of these, let me know and bring them to me.”

With a snap of his fingers the weaver eggs disappeared into his shadowform, and he reached up the scratch behind Napoleon’s ears approvingly. “Great fucking job.”

Ezdeath was rather confused, and it showed. Her head was tilted to the side and her golden eyes narrowed, all the while her staring didn’t stop. “... Why are you interested in weaver eggs?”

Before he had a chance to respond, Rivia cut him off with a haughty laugh and smile from underneath her hood. “Because our master can speak the arachnid tongue. There’s a chance he may even be able to tame these lowly creatures. I was there when he acquired the Arachnid evolutionary tree, I saw it myself... perhaps he just hasn’t told you about it because he didn’t think you important enough to talk to?”

The obvious and uncalled for hostility was a little immature in its approach, but Trey just raised his eyebrows and sealed his lips. When he hesitantly glanced over to see Ezdeath’s fiery glare back at the culn priestess, he immediately determined that he wasn’t about to get in the way of this one.

The succubus pointed an armored finger in Rivia’s direction accusingly. “Culn wench, know your place. I am a Warden of Necranoc and a greater demon, you - are a lesser demon. Nothing but-”

“I am a priestess undertaking Alkir’s Path to Sainthood!” Rivia snapped back - obviously agitated as her red eyes flared underneath the tiny black horns of her forehead. Her usually gorgeous features were warped into anger, and she hissed the words as they came. “I have been chosen as the one to guide the Heir back to Alkir and saved him from Omastein’s wayward path. This halo is proof of Alkir’s anointment! I am more than just a mere culn!”

Ezdeath’s eyes narrowed even further until they were merely slits as the three continued walking, with only Trey awkwardly positioned inbetween the two fiery women as they glared at one another.

“You are not anointed yet…” Ezdeath hissed back, her grip on the halberd in her right hand becoming tight. “And even if you were to ascend, a Warden of Necranoc hold just as much esteem as a Saint.”

Rivia laughed audibly at that, her brows raised mockingly while she used her crucifix staff as a walking stick while trodding onwards. “What blasphemy is this?!”

“It is not blasphemy! It is fact! The Wardens were always viewed as equals to the highest of Alkir’s clergy when Necranoc still stood!”

“And yet the Wardens failed. Where is Necranoc now? In the hands of the angels.”

Trey felt a stinging anger from Eleknar burn into his soul at Rivia’s words, but quickly tamped it down. Obviously that was still a sore subject for the essence, and Trey’d have to make sure Rivia didn’t repeat the mistake.

“Rivia-” Trey cut in quickly before Ezdeath could make a retort. “I don’t think Eleknar likes talking about that kind of stuff. Let’s leave it alone, ok?”

Rivia’s perfect features immediately fell, only to have Ezdeath snicker from Trey’s right side.

“Some Saint you are, already angering the chosen one with your idiocy.” Ezdeath sneered and brought her stance up to a more confident pose. “And you know nothing of how we fought. We cost the heavens many millions of souls that day, and only lost because of a great treachery and betrayal. Do not speak of the things that were far beyond your time, you were born many thousands of years beyond Necranoc’s fall and are merely a babe. I on the other hand - was there. To spit upon the graves of your betters and ancestors is nothing short of sacrilege.”

Trey held up his hands to either side, with Napoleon hopping off Rivia’s shoulder to land on his own. “Girls, please play nice-”

“My IDIOCY?!” Rivia’s faltering had already recovered as her jealousy towards the succubus rose to greater heights - covering up the brief moment of shame she’d had. “The Heir would not even be ALIVE right now if not for me!!! I have saved his life COUNTLESS times now!”

“As a good slave should.” Ezdeath stated with a grin underneath the metal helm. She cockily brought her left hand up, took the helmet off, and rested it underneath her armpit to give Trey a seductive sideways glance that would’ve keeled over any normal man in an instant. A gust of succubus pheromones tore into Trey’s senses, and combined with the yearning look from the demoness and Ezdaeth’s perfectly symmetrical porcelain features, Trey’s heart nearly stopped right there. “Do you enjoy using the culn woman, my Heir? Tell me-”

Rivia nearly screamed the next words as her voice rose in pitch and strain. “You are just jealous that I am his favorite! That he chooses to sleep beside me every night and hasn’t asked you!”

Rivia’s teeth grated against one another in a snarl, and Ezdeath’s porcelain white skin pinked into a severe blush as she averted her gaze - mortified by the accusation.

After a solid couple of awkward seconds walking in silence, Ezdeath hesitantly glanced up at Trey. “I could do a better job.”

“YOU BITCH!” Rivia lunged at the succubus only to have Trey get in the way.

Wrapping his arms around the seething, swearing priestess - Trey gently put her down and took in a deep breath. “New rule - you two don’t attack each other, ever, and you will not talk to one another for the next 15 minutes. Cool down, and try to be polite. You’re both being ridiculous.”

In large part Trey was rather relieved to find out Ezdeath wanted to fuck him, he’d been daydreaming about it since he acquired her as a minion, but at the same time - he really liked Rivia now. If she didn’t want him having sex with the succubus, he doubted he’d do it. He valued Rivia’s opinion more than having another slam piece, that much was a given now that their relationship had come such a long ways.

That… and Ezdeath was certainly only interested in doing anything of the sort because of his status as the Heir of Eleknar. A religious figure that a significant portion of demonkind worshipped. It had nothing to do with him - another example of how women fell in love with what you were, not who you were.

Rivia snarled something under her breath, ripping her gaze away from the succubus and stomping ahead while clutching her staff with both hands - and Ezdeath grew an even darker shade of red as the embarrassment of ridicule settled in.

Napoleon on the other hand was just shaking his head and making loud sighing noises while judging the women audibly. “Stupid stupid females. Just cuz heir not mean Trey not ugly ugly. Master-”

Trey flicked Napoleon upside the forehead to shut him up, and the imp toppled off his shoulder on the ground while profusely swearing and shaking a clawed fist at the summoner before continuing on behind him.

***

Fifteen minutes had passed and they had happened upon a small alcove just barely big enough in the webbed architecture to fit their group in comfortably, with Butcher the flesh golem covering himself up with nearby corpses of gargoyles, lizard men and weavers to disguise himself just outside. Coctim was still limping and many of the others were exhausted from their previous fight, so Trey stopped the group and told them all to get some rest while he scouted ahead. After they had all sat down and made themselves comfortable, he surprised many of the newcomers by seeming to melt into the floor as a shadow itself. Seconds later the shadow had zipped out of the room and disappeared into the corridor - leaving the rest of them to relax in his absence.

“Pretty handy spell he’s got there,” commented Taen as he watched the dark spot on the floor glide far down the large circular hall of corpses. “Is that the shadowform he’s talking about?”

“It is not a spell, it is a physical attribute. But yes, it is shadowform” Izumi replied as she took her top-hat and goggles off. “He and Sithis, his symbiote, have been really working hard to master it lately. He’s come a long way in using it since acquiring it, but he says he still has a long way to go. He can do a lot of strange things like that.”

“Nice. When I get the ring I’m looking for I’ll be able to do stuff like that too then!” Taen happily threw a fist into the air. “Badass!”

Bann, Taen’s ghoul, removed his helmet and inspected his torn up armor. “Izumi, I have heard you are something of a smith.” He looked up timidly with his bald head catching the light seeping between the webbing. “...If we live through this, would it be too much to ask if you could repair my armor? It is all I have… I know that I am something of a monster, but I would hope you would look past that.”

Bann looked rather pathetic as he asked for the favor, and Izumi removed her pistol to set it down beside her cannon. She picked herself up, patted off some grime, and walked over a few feet to sit right next to the ghoul.

“Why do you think you’re a monster?” Asked Izumi with a sweet and innocent smile that could melt hearts. “I don’t think you’re a monster.”

Bann paused, and his completely hairless face furrowed in confusion. “...Did you not see me eat that corpse to recover my strength earlier? I am a ghoul.”

Izumi giggled lightly, but she nodded. “Trey is one of my best friends! And he does that sorta stuff all the time. Seeing Trey eat corpses is almost a daily occurrence for me!” She held up a finger and flicked Bann’s forehead, then gave him a wink. “You know what I think? I think you’re the most handsome ghoul I’ve ever seen! I’d love to repair your armor for you. When we get out of here, of course!”

Bann was speechless, and looked to the ground after a time of thinking. “You should probably avoid touching me. Though it is less likely than if I were to bite you, you can still contract the disease by contact. Even if you are using antidote to stave off the plague.”

“I’ve been here for months now,” snapped Izumi. “And I am absolutely fine. I don’t even use antidote anymore.” She leaned over and gave Bann a quick squeeze of a hug before letting go. “I’ll be fine I’m sure!”

Bann looked surprised, but he did not brush her off as she continued to lean against his shoulder and made herself comfortable.

“What do you mean by you don’t use antidote anymore?” asked Claire, suddenly with her interest peaked. She’d recently died and been turned into a ghoul herself, and she was definitely contagious. “How is that possible if you’ve been here so long and not contracted the plague?”

Ashe interrupted. “Jason’s antidotes are a little different than normal plague remedy. They work a lot better than most, and have already worked on numerous people over the months we’ve been here for getting rid of the plague completely.”

All eyes shot over to Jason.

“Is this true?” asked Bann. “Usually it takes months or even years after contracting the plague to rid yourself of it, and even then… it is no promise.”

Jason glanced to each of the ghouls warily, but slowly nodded his head and shrugging with a blank expression. “Yeah I guess. I just switched up the ingredients a bit after buying a new version of the remedy off a peddler, nothing too special. Didn’t know it was supposed to take months of treatment… I even cured myself of the plague just recently over the course of a couple days.”

“A COUPLE DAYS!?” Claire nearly shrieked as she got to her knees.

“Yup! That’s why we don’t need antidote anymore.” Izumi yawned, and continued to lean against Bann’s shoulder while shutting her eyes . “Bann, be a darling and stay still so I can get some shut eye while Trey scouts around.”

“HAS HE TRIED IT ON A GHOUL BEFORE?!” Claire yelled, startling Izumi into an upright position as she had just closed her eyes. “SOMEONE THAT HAS ALREADY TURNED!?”

Trey’s original set of companions were rather startled at the outburst.

“Ye… Yes? It’ll cure a ghoul of the plague, but not of undeath obviously. We traded the cure for information a while back and it definitely worked on ghouls too. Why?” Jason yawned in unison with Izumi this time, and he rubbed his eyes out of exhaustion. “Do you want some?”

Claire quieted down and calmed herself before responding, taking in this new information with a hand over her dead heart. Then she lifted up her skirt, and revealed a large black patch of necrosed tissue that seeped pus along her right lateral chest wall. The others winced upon seeing it, and she nodded with a lack of enthusiasm. “Yes… actually it is me that needs the cure. I died just recently, Taen brought me back. But I think I contracted the plague when I was killed…”

Ashe gave her a thumbs up. “You’ll be fine. Jason, go ahead and give her some of our plague remedy. Claire, take it every couple hours over the course of a few days and you should be good. We can check you for spots before getting back to Teretog.”

A wave of happiness engulfed the tanned foreign girl as she rubbed her fingers through her black locks of hair. Claire had been very scared about what her future held, and still was coping with the idea that she may not be able to go back to civilization sometime soon. In the back of her mind, she’d feared that she’d never be rid of it. Many people weren’t ever cured, so with an optimistic hand stretched out - she took the black bottle of plague remedy from Jason… and began to drink.

Only time would tell whether or not it’d work.