For Risu, the loveliest person in the world.
Vilemaw's offer had seemed…reasonable at the time. Elise would be free from the responsibility of feeding him for five years if she would only do this "tiny favor". "There is a sentient plant which still survives in the Kumungu jungle. It is the last of its kind. Kill it," the Spider God's words echoed in her head. Little had the Spider Queen known of the difficult jungle trek ahead.
She hacked away at the thick leaves, wiping the sweat from her brow. Her spider legs twitched with irritation. When she had asked, Vilemaw had refused to answer why he wanted this plant being dead. Elise sighed, continuing to push through the dense shrubbery. Her previous solution had been to simply crawl along the floor as a tiny spider, but that idea had quickly been abandoned as a group of large cats almost flattened her as they thundered by. Elise had been carefully using a tracking spell to find the largest source of magic that would lead her to the plant, and her destination was not far. As she continued on, more and more thorny vines populated the flora, almost strangling the trees and lesser plants in their embrace. The Spider Queen could barely walk at this point, almost tripping over the gnarly roots and into a pile of spiky bushes. That would have been pleasant.
Growling, she sent a small blast of fire towards the shrubbery in an effort to clear the way. Her original plan hadn't been to set fire to the whole jungle, but the place was quickly wearing at her patience. The response was immediate. The vines sprang to life, slithering along in the jungle dirt before rearing up like cobras. The fiery spell fizzled out, seemingly having no effect on them. Elise jumped back as the creepers stabbed at the area where she had been, razor sharp thorns coming terribly close to tearing her to shreds. She dodged again and took off running in the other direction. However, a mass of tendrils sported rapidly in front of her, blocking any means of escape.
The Spider Queen whirled around, eyeing the writhing vines with distaste. A pair shot out at her and she immediately blasted them away with dark magic. Elise's eyes widened as she realized her attention had been baited. Something curled around her neck, lifting her body into the air. The mage clawed instinctively at it, choking as the grip tightened. She expected to be punctured by several thousand thorns, but instead more creepers lunged at her arms and legs. She gasped for air, but the tentacle was doing an effect job of crushing her airway. A brief thought entered her mind, asking herself again if all this trouble was really worth it.
Elise kicked weakly, the beginnings of darkness creeping at her peripheral vision. The tunnel vision grew until she could barely see what was directly in front of her. She ceased her struggling, arms falling limply to her sides. She blinked sleepily as a pair of orange orbs flickered briefly in the dark. Suddenly, the vine around her neck released its iron grip. The Spider Queen gaped like a fish as sweet oxygen filled her lungs once more. She gasped, panting for more air as a dizziness washed over her.
"I have not seen your kind before. Why do you wander in my territory?"
Elise shook her head, barely able to comprehend the words. She closed her eyes, taking in several deep breathes before reopening them. Oh. A woman stood before her – a very beautiful one at that. Luscious locks of crimson hair framed her pointed pale face, highlighting the amber eyes that glared at her predatorily. The stranger's body was absent of any clothing; only leaves covered the bare minimum. Her limbs sported a sort of greenish armor, claws clenching alongside the thorny creepers that waved in the air. One of those creepers shot at Elise's face to tilt her chin up. "What are you?"
The Spider Queen opted to not answer, matching the gaze, of the other creature. Markings on its brow furrowed in a show of impatience, and it was only then that Elise noticed the giant plant behind her attacker. One could describe it as a Venus flytrap with actual teeth. It towered over the two, maw open wide and ready to swallow Elise whole. The tendril around her neck served as another reminder she did not have the upper hand.
A clawed finger poked at one of her spider legs and the Shadow Isler jerked in surprise. She scowled back at the redhead. "If I told you I was just passing by, will you let me go?"
The plant human blinked. "No," she said bluntly, "I am hungry."
"What about if I told you you're beautiful?"
The creature did not answer and merely cocked her head. She tugged at Elise's spider leg again, and the mage growled. "What are you?" her attacker asked again.
"Do you always talk to your lunch?"
The other woman tilted her head, considering the question seriously. "No, only-"
The Spider Queen took second chances seriously, and she saw an opportunity now. She lunged with a roar at the plant being, morphing into her monstrous spider form as she did so. Her sudden change in shape was unexpected, and the vines fell away, unable to contain such a large being. Elise snapped at the woman with her large jaws, hoping to catch her throat, but her enemy jerked away, the creepers attached to her shoulders writhing.
The two tumbled onto the ground and through a group of bushes. As they emerged on the other side, Elise realized they were on the side of a rather steep hill. They fell, clawing and biting at each other in an effort to land a killing blow. The vines were powerful as they held the Spider Queen back, and Elise realized she had only broken free by surprising her opponent. It was rocky here, the sharp stones cutting into both their bodies. Some were pushed loose by their struggle, rolling down with them. The ground abruptly gave away, but it took Elise a second or two to realize they were falling into a pit. She pushed the plant being away, attempting to find purchase on the stone wall to slow her descent. However, her opponent grabbed at her legs in fervent objection, and they fell into darkness, screeching.
It was quiet, save for the constant dripping of water onto the stone floor. Elise shifted lightly, groaning. At least her head had not been cracked open. Turning to the side, she found her right shoulder was badly bruised. She exhaled reflexively, wincing. Immediately, she felt something pin her down, a growl sounding aggressively above her. The Spider Queen bucked violently in response, trying to throw off her attacker. She blasted her magic blindly, until something grabbed her arms. The Shadow Isler opened her eyes, barely able to see the form of the plant human on top of her. Instead of attacking her however, the redhead, clamped her hand over Elise's mouth. "SHH!"
The mage was silenced by surprise, and she obeyed the command dumbfoundedly. The other woman seemed to be listening for something, but Elise heard nothing but their own breathing. "Mmmph…" The hand pressed into her mouth more tightly.
A few more moments and the plant slowly released her. The vines curled around her forearms unfurled, and the Spider Queen winced. That was going to leave a mark. "Why-"
A creeper immediately curled around her throat, but did not constrict her. "We fell into its tunnels," the plant growled slowly, "and we have no quick way out."
Elise blinked, attempting to fruitlessly adjust her eyes in the darkness. She looked around, seeing nothing above her. They must have slid rather deep underground after she had lost consciousness. She glanced back down at the tentacle that held her. Right. She had a job to finish first. Without warning, the Spider Queen lunged once more at the redhead, knocking her over. They tussled for a moment. Her opponent took a jab at her side, and Elise shrank briefly, realizing perhaps a rib or two were broken as well. "Stop!" the plant creature hissed.
The Shadow Isler was about to curl her hands around the other woman's throat when she heard a very distant screeching. It sounded like nails over a chalkboard, bouncing off the stone walls around them until Elise's head rang dizzily. A shot to her face from an angry vine whipped her head to the side, and the Spider Queen toppled over again.
She fell on her shoulder, crying out in pain. There was something on top of her, and she tried to push it away instinctively. It was cold and slimy, the complete opposite of what she had been expecting. Elise screeched as she realized it was a giant maggot, worming its way over her body. "SHIT!"
Her hands lit up with fiery magic, sending it raging towards whatever she could. The bugs curled in pain as they came in contact with the heat, burning to crisp. More fell from above and Elise blasted them immediately. Her fingers were still twitching reflexively as the fires died down. She threw a few spells toward the ceiling for good measure. She turned to find the redheaded plant still wriggling, whipping the squirming bugs away with her vines.
Elise sneered with amusement. The plant seemed to be having quite a bit of trouble clearing the worms. The Spider Queen summoned another fireball, strutting over to the struggling woman. "Well, this certainly makes my job easier."
Fear flashed for a moment in the amber orbs, but then the plant's eyes narrowed. She whipped a maggot away angrily with a thorned vine, severing it in half. "Kill me and you won't find a way out."
The Shadow Isler stopped. These tunnels were rather deep and there seemed to be a rather large something lurking about. She sighed, wishing the plant creature didn't have a point. "What's to stop you from trying to eat me again?"
The fireball glowed brighter, and the other woman shrunk away, even as she struggled. "I cannot."
Crimson eyes narrowed as the gears in Elise's mind turned. She tapped the ground, realizing the stone was likely thick enough to prevent any sort of flora from getting through. She sighed internally. "Very well," and released the fireball.
The redhead yelped, but was left unscathed as the maggots turned to piles of ashe. As the embers died, all that could be heard was the labored breathing of the two. Elise heard the other woman get up slowly and begin to walk away. "What was that thing we heard?" the Spider Queen called.
The other woman made a movement as if cringing and let out a sigh. "Something that will eat you if you do not lower your voice."
The Noxian snorted, but quickly followed in step, lighting a small fire in her hand for vision. "Do you even know where we're going?" she asked, albeit slightly quieter this time.
The plant did not answer. Elise crossed her arms, a bit peeved at having been ignored. The two continued, the light tapping of the Spider Queen's heels echoing through the cavern walls. She had long lost any sense of direction in this stone maze. This plant could be leading her to her death for all she knew. Eventually, the Noxian grew impatient and waved her hand, summoning a trio of spiderlings to skitter forth as scouts. She heard to redhead freeze for a moment. "You…can do that?"
Elise glanced over in annoyance. "Now you're talking?"
The plant ignored the jab. "There were many giant spiders in my home long ago…but they are all gone. Do you know of them?"
The Spider Queen was shaking her head, then realized the other wouldn't be able to see it. Or would she? "No."
The plant stopped again. "Something is coming."
Elise tensed. "What…"
She felt it too. A rumbling under her feet that was quickly approaching. Her spiderlings screeched in fear, skittering back to their mistress. She dismissed them with a wave of her hand. "This way!"
The plant creature grabbed her arm, running in a seemingly random direction. The Spider Queen yelped, almost tripping as she was dragged along. A loud earsplitting roaring sounded directly below them, making Elise's stomach flip. Her world shook violently as the creature passed by a nearby tunnel, causing stones to fall from above. There was a crash overhead, and the Spider Queen pelted faster past the plant creature, hoping to not be squashed under the rockslide. She heard more than saw the redhead trip. Elise instinctively looked back, coughing as the dust swirled around them. A rock fell directly on her injured shoulder, and the Shadow Isler cried out in pain. A boulder planted itself right in front of her, and she swerved off to the side. More rocks. It was useless. She was trapped. Elise huddled against the side, hand over her head, praying she would not be squashed.
Then it was over. As quickly as it had started, the tunnels fell silent. The Spider Queen inhaled cautiously, but was immediately sent into another coughing fit. She swallowed, almost gagging at the taste of dirt in her mouth. There was a groan somewhere to her left and Elise looked up in surprise, having thought for sure the plant creature had been crushed. Pushing away the smaller rocks that had attempted to bury her alive, the mage crawled towards the source of the sound, wincing as pain sparked in her side. Her fireball had gone out, but she rekindled it weakly.
The redhead had blood running down her face, likely from an unfortunate rock to the head. She closed her eyes at the sudden light, turning her head to the side. Elise could only see down to her shoulders, and quickly pushed the gravel away.
The plant creature had a few heavier rocks weighing her down here and there, but the Spider Queen didn't run into any real obstacles until she reached the redhead's calf. The woman's leg was wedged between two large boulders, and she moaned with pain as Elise tried to nudge one out of the way. It was too heavy.
The Spider Queen sat back on the rocks, ignoring their sharp edges, sighing. "The exit…" Elise looked up as the plant being coughed, "is not far…"
She raised her arm weakly, pointing in the direction they had previously been heading. "Two more turns…"
The Shadow Isler raised a brow, glancing behind her and then back at the redhead. There were large rocks blocking them anyway. The plant being seemed to sense her hesitance and let out a sound between a cough and a chuckle. "You came here to kill me anyway, did you not?"
Elise wrapped her arms around her knees, wondering again why the Spider God had wanted this person dead. They were leagues away from the Shadow Isles. What harm did a mere plant pose to him? "Perhaps."
A vine wrapped again around her neck and the Spider Queen froze. It did not constrict however, and fell limply to the side moments later. "Go."
Elise gave her a hard look. She held the fire up higher, deeming there to be sufficient room around them. Closing her eyes, she morphed into a giant spider, mandibles clicking as she stood over the plant. Still favoring her left side, she put her forelegs onto the stubborn rock, pushing with all her might. It didn't budge. Elise tried again, head flat against the stone. She shoved it once more, letting out a hiss. After a few moments, the boulder shifted enough for the other woman to wriggle out. Elise let the giant rock fall back into place, screeching lowly. She was briefly surprised by a hand on the side of her head. "Thank you," the plant whispered.
The Spider Queen bobbed once, "Only because you know the way out," her distorted voice echoed quietly. She turned around to shove the other offending rocks out of the way. The plant was struggling to stand, and Elise returned to her human form once their path was clear. Fire in her hand once more, she gave the redhead's leg a closer look. Her knee was badly bruised from the nasty twist it had received. She would not be walking on it anytime soon.
Elise hesitantly held out a hand towards the woman. The plant grasped it slowly, before throwing part of her weight onto the Spider Queen. The Noxian grunted as an elbow lightly jabbed her injured side. The two limped forward, slowly, but surely. A few more minutes and the Spider Queen could begin to make out the smooth walls of the tunnel. A few more and she extinguished the source of light in her hand. She could see the sky now, up the steep path that led to freedom.
This time Elise heard the roaring before she felt it. It sounded much clearer, as if they weren't hearing it through walls of stone. They probably weren't. "Quick!"
The two stumbled up the slope, occasionally slipping a few feet back as the ground trembled. The Noxian could see writhing vines gathering at the entrance, and they shot forth to wrap themselves around the redhead's arms to assist their ascent. Letting the plant go, Elise could hear the creature behind them. The slithering sounds as its scales or whatever rubbed against the walls made the hairs on the back of her neck rise.
She slipped. "Oomph!"
The Spider Queen slid a good ten feet back down, but quickly scrambled to her feet. The monster appeared from the darkness, screeching. Elise couldn't help but look behind her, eyes widening. It was a large, slimy worm-like creature with a large gaping maw and endless rows of sharp yellow teeth. At least that would explain the maggots from earlier. There were bulges on the side of its ugly head where eyes should have been. Not that it would need them underground. Its skin was a dirty brown color, covered in slime to help it move quickly and catch unlucky prey. The monster opened its mouth wider as it lunged towards its dinner.
Elise growled, baring her teeth. Hell, no. She was a not to become a meal for anyone anytime soon. She summoned a ball of webbing that exploded over the creature's mouth. It hovered for a moment, jaw opening and closing as more and more silk strands snapped with each stretch. The Spider Queen clawed her way up the steep slope, painfully slowly. The worm was about to snap at her again when a large thick vine whipped it squarely on the head, thorns cutting its soft flesh mercilessly. It let out a deafening screech. The Noxian felt tendrils wrap around her torso while the monster was distracted, yanking her upwards easily. She fell on the cool grass, with a grunt. Dazed, Elise watched as more vines surged towards the worm, slicing at its exposed flesh again and again until, with one final roar, it retreated back underground.
It seemed oddly silent after that. The Spider Queen let her head fall back to the ground, letting out a deep breath. There was a rustle to her side, and she looked up to see amber eyes peering at her curiously. "You saved me," the Shadow Isler murmured.
"Humans have an exchange system that is similar, do they not?"
Elise chuckled lightly, too tired to elaborate further for the plant. The plant. Crimson orbs found orange once more. "Do you have a name?"
The woman cocked her head. "Zyra."
Zyra leaned closer. "Do you?"
If the Spider Queen hadn't been so drained she would have found the closer proximity rather disturbing. "Elise," she breathed, "You still going to eat me?"
The plant shook her head, but then glanced warily at her. "Are you going to kill me?"
The Noxian laughed again, then winced. "Not worth it."
She felt an odd prick at her neck, and an immense feeling of sleepiness washed over her. Zyra's image grew blurry, and the amber eyes were the last thing Elise saw before she was lulled to sleep. She did what she had not done in a long while. She dreamed. She dreamed of a lush green jungle in the full bloom of summer. Birds twittered for the world to hear their music, and bright crimson flowers unfurled their petals in the bright sunlight. She dreamed of a beautiful woman, locks of red hair trailing behind her as she tended to her children. Orange eyes turned towards Elise, keeping her frozen, but content with their intense stare.
When the Spider Queen awoke, she was in a hammock made of leaves. Large palm fronds hung from above, blocking out the sun that would have otherwise been in her eye. Sitting up, she found an odd salve applied on her right shoulder and side under her clothes. The pain was mostly gone. Only a slight stiffness remained. Blinking, Elise leapt out of the makeshift bed. Zyra was nowhere to be found. In front of her was a thornless vine tied to a nearby branch. There was a blooming flower the color of the plant woman's hair, and Elise plucked it off, cradling it in her palm. The tendril led off to the right, and the Shadow Isler followed it closely. It twisted and turned but eventually, Elise found herself at the edge of the jungle where she had entered before. The message was clear.
Glancing back, the Spider Queen searched for amber orbs but found none. Smiling to herself, she raised the flower to her nose and turned to leave. She could feel eyes on her as she walked, but she payed them no mind. After all, the two knew this would not be their last meeting.