Author's Notes
Hi to everyone.
I'm terribly, truly terribly sorry for this long and absolutely unjustifiable absence and lack of infos. I have no intention to try hide my responsabilities behind some useless excuses, so I'll do nothing apart begging for your pardon and promise you that it will not happen again, I promise here and now in front of all of you.
By the way, the only thing I can say to justify all this is that this chapter was terribly difficult to write, at the point that more than once I startd writing it only do cancel everything and start again from the beginning.
See you soon with the next one!^^
Cj Spencer
3
Many days had passed since Dante and half of the Falcon-9 had left the ruined castle, and now, after days spent traveling across forests and mountains, they were officially within the Empire.
Those far and unwelcoming lands were still too far from the heart of the power to be effectively considered part of the Empire, but even then the risk of meeting a patrol or an Imperial camp was a bit higher, so the squad had to proceed with caution.
Of course, the more they advanced in the Empire's land, the more difficult it was to find a fresh enthium mine, since it was well known even among the Italians that the North was the official and most important enthium source for Sadera. Some of the mines the Empire used to fill its endless request of magic instruments belonged to private individuals, and the Falcon-9 had received enough suwani to buy one of them, but this didn't change the fact that it would've been really difficult to make use of a mine so far from Castria.
But then, an unexpected thing had happened: while investigating in a small village, Dante and his squad had heard about a recently discovered mine, in a sinkhole located in the depth of the eastern mountains, less than fifty miles from Omega Point.
According to the rumours, a local woodcutter had casually found the mine, but after a while the group of miners sent by the local feudal lord had left the sire, which was at now completely free.
Dante and the others couldn't believe such luck, and as soon as they left the village they had immediately moved toward the indicated position.
After having left behind the last remnant of civilization, they still needed three more days traveling among the deepest forest to finally reach the place they were searching for, which appeared in front of them all of a sudden the moment they left the trees, to the point that Santalba had to violently stop to avoid falling.
The sinkhole was no less than one hundred meters large and six or even more meters deep, with a flat, rocky bottom and surrounded by trees in all directions.
The edges of the crater were quite steep, but not enough to make them impossible to climb or descend; however, just to make things easier, there were some wooden stairs in various points along the rim, somewhat worn out but still usable, so Dante and his squad were able to descend into the sinkhole without problems.
Everything around them suggested that a couple of years before that small camp made of low barracks and some tents had probably known a glorious and respectable period of abundance, as much as a sudden and apparently inexplicable abandonment; and that's why Dante and his men were rather quiet while exploring it.
«Let's take a look.» the Major ordered. «Stay together and keep your eyes open. I have a bad feeling.»
«Yes, Sir.»
The squad then took different directions in search of anything that could explain why that place had been abandoned so hastily; Dante and Herera headed toward the apparent canteen, but the centaur princess was, if possible ,even more worried.
«There's something wrong.»
«Indeed.» Dante commented looking around.
«No Major, it's not this. I mean, we're in the middle of a forest, but despite this I'm not able to hear a single animal presence around here. It's almost like they're scared of this place.»
«Well, there were humans here after all. Probably that's the reason.»
«Maybe…» said a dubious Herera. «But even like this…»
Everything in the camp suggested that the abandonment had been fast and, probably, unexpected: some of the miners' personal effects were still in the dormitories, as much as the work tools. Even assuming that probably the mine turned out to be less profitable than expected, this didn't explain such behavior, and the presence of tombs in a corner was one more reason to think that something really bad was happened.
And the situation became even more paradoxical the moment when Munaron and Zori found a small barrack closed with a massive lock, and once opened they found themselves face to face with almost ten chestfuls of blue mineral.
«It's enthium.» Zori said taking a few of those shiny pebbles. «And of the purest quality.»
«It makes no sense.» said Munaron. «I can understand the tools and other things, but why in the world they left leaving behind such a treasure?»
Munaron headed toward a second barrack in search of something else to report, while Zori at the opposite carefully started walking towards the mine's entrance, a massive hole placed right at the center of the sinkhole.
Right in that moment, Dante was still inspecting the canteen all alone, after having sent Herera back to the jeep to inform Santalba of the situation and tell him to get ready to leave. There was something terribly off and obscure in that place, and the Major wanted to leave as soon as possible.
Suddenly, the Major felt a creepy sound behind him, turning behind in a whiff and firing a dozen of bullets against some sort of monster that was just about to pounce for him from the roof.
That thing collapsed to the ground, dead already, and at that point Dante was able to see it, and what he saw was some sort of giant spider, as big as a dog and with a massive, pulsing abdomen.
Betton arrived moments later.
«Sir, what happened?» he asked before noticing the monster's dead body. «What the fuck is that thing?»
«Call the others! We're leaving now!»
But it was too late.
In a couple of seconds, a terrified woman's cry echoed in the valley, and by the time that the two soldiers got outside once more, all they were able to see was Zori literally dragged inside the hole by some sort of invisible force. That poor girl was desperately using all of her strength to try and resist, but whoever was pulling her from behind was clearly stronger than her.
«Zori!»
«Don't come any closer! Get away now!» she yelled before vanishing beyond the edge, and by the time Dante finally reached the hole she had already vanished into the darkness.
«Fuck!»
«I'm… I'm sorry sir…» said a desperate Munaron. «We were checking the supplies. I got distracted for a moment, she approached the hole and… something grabbed her. She was dragged away before I could even try to help her. Oh God, it was some sort of…»
«Spider.» the Major said, continuing to look at the hole's bottom.
Right on that moment, Santalba, Herera and Lily reached the rest of the group as well, called by the shouts, and at that point Dante led everyone to the monster's dead corpse at the canteen.
«What the hell!?» said Santalba
«I know these creatures.» said a worried Herera «We call them ligzitge.»
«Death searchers.» Dante traduced for the others using knowledge that the same Herera had passed him about centaurs' language.
«They make their nests in caves and other underground places, and attack anyone passing too close to them. Even we centaurs have to be very careful to avoid their hunting places.»
«Now we know why the Empire has abandoned the site.»
«And we should do the same right now!» Santalba exclaimed. «They've already ate Zori, if we don't leave immediately we could be next!»
«Maybe…» said an almost embarrassed Herera. «Maybe lady Zori is still alive.»
«What!?» everyone answered turning at her.
«These creatures, the ligzitge… they hunt anytime they can, but they don't eat their prey immediately most of times, especially in this period, when they're preparing everything for mating season. What they often do is to create big depots of living food for the female and the babies to come, and so…»
That was all Dante had to know.
«All right, this is enough. We're going to save her.»
«What!?» Santalba exclaimed. «Are you serious, Major?»
«How many enemies can we expect down there?» Dante questioned Herera, completely ignoring his Sergeant.
«We're not on spring yet, so the female of the nest is probably still sleeping and hasn't laid her eggs yet. There shouldn't be more than a bunch of males like this one still awake.»
«But we're speaking of a mine.» Betton said. «Probably it's a true labyrinth down there. How can we hope to find her?»
«We can follow the GPS all demi-humans of Castria wear to prevent them entering in restricted areas. I checked it just a couple of days ago, it still works.»
«This is madness! Do you really want to make us go in a fucking spiders nest?»
At that point Dante turned to Santalba, roughly grabbing his neck while giving him a stony and scary glare.
«Do you remember how many times Zori has risked her butt to save ours? It's time for us to repay our debt with her.»
Everyone remained silent for a brief moment, but in the end everyone agreed with the Major.
«I'm with you, Sir.» Sarpi said for everyone
«Ehi, wait a minute.» Betton said. «We have a problem. If these are truly giant spiders, this means that they have a very powerful nose, isn't it?»
«Y… yes.» Herera answered. «They can also feel your presence even from a long distance. That's why they're able to hunt even though they're completely blind. But if you were able to hide your smell somehow, they may just ignore your movements, especially in a place filled with their own smell like the nest.»
«Hide our smell…»
Dante and the others looked all around in search for a solution, and the former casually noted an isolated barrack with a very clear sign, and an even clearer smell coming from it.
«Absolutely not, sir!» Munaron protested
«Absolutely yes, girl. You and Betton will come with me down there, Santalba and Sarpi will stay here for cover.»
The ones chosen for the mission looked at each other grumbling, then they ruefully headed to the barracks.
«Shit.» said Munaron
«You said it.»
When Dante, Betton and Munaron came back to their comrades, they were so covered of liquid manure that Herera and the others had to do their best to avoid puking.
«That place must be as stinky as you.» Santalba said giving them gas masks in addition to the night visors. «Maybe it's better for you to put these too.»
Then, he watched Dante right on the eyes.
«You know you won't come out of there alive, don't you?»
«Even if we die, you guys can complete the mission without us.» Dante replied with no apparent hesitation while switching his AR-15 for a shotgun
«That's not what I meant.»
«I know what you mean, Santalba.» the Major curtly replied. «But she's not like us. We're here because we're soldiers. She's here because we told her. She doesn't deserve to be left behind.» Then Dante gave a hint of a smile. «Not to mention that I promised Pietro to bring her back to him.»
«Pietro?» Santalba said before jumping in disbelief. «Wait, you mean that… your nephew… and her…»
«Just one more word and you'll taste shit as well as being covered in it!» the Major said while blushing
«Ok, ok. As you wish.»
But in the end, it was time for both of them to get serious again.
«We're not far from Omega Point. You and Sarpi take the radio and call every frequency you know. Maybe they can do something for us if we're lucky.»
«Yes sir.»
At that point, Dante and the rest of the squad headed to the hole, while the others instead got back to the LMV and began looking for help.
Everyone in the squad were all but worried just thinking about what was waiting for them down there, but at that point it was too late to come back.
«Maybe Santalba is right.» said Betton. «This is a suicide.»
«Less talking, more balls.» Dante answered jumping aboard of the wooden elevator. «Come on.»
After a bit more hesitation, the others followed him, and the hoist finally started descending in the depths of earth.
In a few minutes, they found themselves surrounded by the uttermost darkness, but thanks to the visors, they were still able to see the walls of the cave; there was an eery silence, only broken by the elevator's noise, and after an apparently endless descent, they finally reached the bottom. There was nothing but a single tunnel, so for now there was no risk to get lost.
Dante checked the locator: Zari's signal was less than two hundred meters north of them, and according to the biometric inputs, she was still alive, although likely unconscious.
«Pay attention.» he said using sign language. «Try to avoid noises.»
Then, their senses fully alert, the squad started proceeding along the tunnel, using visors to look for any trace of danger in the shadows all around; for now, there was no trace of other spiders, but if one concentrated it was just possible to hear their sinister hisses coming from the narrow passages along the way.
«It seems it's working.» Betton signaled. «They're not smelling us.»
«Do not lose concentration. Get ready to fire if necessary.»
Each passing minute was one more heartbreak for Santalba and the others still outside, now grouped all together close to the vehicles.
Sarpi was endlessly trying to call someone able to help them, but after countless attempt he was still unable to find a connection with some of the camps alongside the antennaes' line, and especially with the really close Omega Point.
Meanwhile, Herera seemed a bit worried, pacing all around the vehicles.
«You'll dig a trench if you keep on walking like that.» said an even more worried Santalba. «Not to mention that you're giving me a tremendous headache.»
«There's something strange. I have a bad feeling.»
«You're not alone.»
All of a sudden, Lily appeared from the trees, but both Santalba and Sarpi had too much on their minds already to see how frantically she was trying to catch their attention.
«Lily, what's happening?» asked the centauress
The little fairy then led her in the forest towards a big tree covered with so thick and strong cobwebs that it looked like it was dying for lack of sunlight.
At first sight, it didn't look too worrying: the females of the ligzitge used to lay some of their eggs outside the nest, in order to avoid overcrowding problems whenever the offspring seemed too big. The spiders born like this were almost surely doomed, and usually they did so by huddling close together, covering everything with webs and spending their few living days eating each other.
Herera initially thought that the tree was the past year offspring's refuge, and she carefully went closer while making noise by stomping her clogs to check for movement or responses. Once assured that there was no danger, she took a bit of silk with the point of the sword, carefully looking at it while tasting its unexpected viscosity among her fingers.
«It's… fresh…» she said, and at that point, utter terror appeared in her eyes too. «By the Gods!»
Then, she and Lily immediately went back to the vehicles as fast as they could.
«Mister Santalba, Mister Sarpi! You must tell them to get out of there immediately!»
«Why? What's happening?»
«The eggs! That female's eggs have already hatched!»
«What!? Shit!»
Santalba immediately grabbed the radio.
«Birdie to Hawk, do you hear me? Major, please answer! This is an emergency!»
But nothing answered except static: they were likely too deep below the earth already.
«Fuck!»
Right on that moment, however, something finally came from another radio.
«This is Omega Point Recon Unit. Falcon-9, do you hear me?»
The more Dante and the others ventured deeper into the mines, the more enthium they noticed sticking out from the sides, proving not only that the mine was still more than usable, but that it was literally filled with enthium. However, the mineral's pale glitter was of little help to provide some light.
«Pay attention where you shoot.» Dante signaled. «The enthium implements the power of any natural element. Even a small flame would be enough to provoke an explosion.»
Then, after a long time spent walking, the guys started noticing dozens of strange cocoons attached to the walls, the ground and even the roof of the mine, and just a brief glare was enough to distinguish all sorts of dead bodies inside them, from animals to humans, literally mummified for the lack of the liquids sucked by the spiders.
«What a horrible death.» Munaron couldn't resist commenting.
«Now we know what's been the fate of some of the miners.» Betton suggested, pointing at some picks and shovels scattered around.
The cocoons kept on getting more and more numerous, a clear sign that they were about to reach the heart of the nest.
A few minutes later, the three soldiers ultimately reached the enormous cavern at the end of the tunnel, almost ten meters high and as large as a small arena, filled as well till the roof with cocoons and dead bodies. Fortunately, there was no trace of spiders there, but they were probably hidden in some of the other tunnels departing from the other side of the cave: one more reason to make haste.
«She's here.» Dante said checking the GPS. «Let's search for her.»
The Major and the others then started opening all the cocoons, finding themselves face to face almost every time with nothing but skulls and mummies.
Finally, Betton noted a cocoon still moving weakly, and just by pointing his light towards it he was able to see a familiar figure barely visible under the silk.
«Here.» he raised the hand. «I found her.»
The others arrived immediately, and everyone struggled to stifle a joyous scream the moment Zori's face appeared in front of them; she was a bit confused and weak, but still alive.
«Ehi, wake up.» Dante said while slapping her.
«What… what are you doing here?» she said when completely awake. «I told you… to leave.» but then, a very unpleasant smell reached her canine and therefore unfortunately sensible nose. «Why are you covered with shit?»
«Shut up and get this on.» Dante said, covering her face with another mask. «Come on, let's get out of here. Are you able to walk?»
«I… I think so…»
However, before they could move, the whole cavern shook violently, at the point that some pebbles fell from the roof.
«What the…»
A moment later, the most enormous spider ever seen appeared from another tunnel; other than his size, it was different from the other spider even in the colors, with a big and red abdomen, black legs and a brown body.
«Shit! The female!» said Zori
The spider took two steps, stopping a few meters away from the group. And althoughs theoretically unable to see them, it was almost as if she could easily feel their presence, although Zori's smell was now covered by dung as well, glaring at them with eyes she didn't have and making the scariest hisses.
«We need to go, now!»
«It's ok, calm down.» Betton said. «She can't see us.»
«She can! Females have eyes!»
«What!?»
Only at that point Dante and the others saw the eight black circles over the giant spiders' head, all of them aimed straight at them; probably she was a bit confused at seeing some potential preys without being able to smell their presence, but it was just a matter of time for her to get her bearings.
And it wasn't over yet. In the blink of an eye, countless other spiders started coming out from every hole; they were quite smaller compared to the usual males, but they were at least over two hundred, and before they could think of something to do, Dante and his squad found themselves literally surrounded by countless monsters.
«Oh… shit…» Munaron said
The spiders started advancing, and everyone desperately tried to think something capable to save them. Luckily, while looking up, the Major noted a big lump of enthium appearing from the roof right above the female: it was, putting it lightly, a huge risk, but there was no other choice.
«Watch out!» he shouted, and he immediately fired at it with his rifle's grenade launcher.
The moment the bomb exploded, the mineral's power turned an already powerful explosion into some sort of tremendous eruption that instantly killed dozens of spiders, burning them alive, and caused a powerful collapse of the roof, burying the female and the rest of her underlinga under a pile of debris and creating a wall between them and the squad.
«Move, move! That will not keep them at bay forever!»
In fact, even before they could leave the cave, some of the stones started moving, proving that the monsters were very much alive.
Dante and others run as fast as they could, but in a few seconds they heard the spiders' hisses right behind them; they were still far, but they were so angry and fast that they would not take long to reach them.
«Run, for Christ's sake!»
While still running, a voice came from Dante's radio.
«Birdie to Hawk! Answer, Major!»
«I'm here, Santalba! We found Zori! Get ready to leave this place right now!»
«Roger that! We're waiting for you! And soon we won't be alone!»
«Just wait for us. We'll be out of here in a minute!»
When they reached the elevator there was still no trace of the spiders behind them, but the noise indicated that they were just a few meters afar.
«This thing is too fucking slow!» Betton protested. «We'll never make it on time!»
That was true: the spiders at that point were really close, and considering their agility and speed, it was impossible for the elevator to take them out of the mine on time.
«Hold fast!» Dante said, and with no hesitation, he cut the rope connected to the machine's counterweight.
Deprived of its balance, the elevator started ascending with incredible speed, at the point that once out of the ground it literally jumped into the air, forcing the squad to jump for dear life.
«Are… you ok?» Dante said trying to get up
«I… I can't believe we're alive…» Zori said. «I thought I was as good as dead. And more than once.»
But it was not over yet.
With no intention to let their pray escape, the spiders too had started climbing the mine's entrance.
«Run!»
The soldiers then started running again, and moments later, the spiders too appeared from the hole, led by the female herself.
Betton mistakently allowed her to be distracted, and as she put her foot in a hole, she violently fell to the ground.
«Caterina!» Dante shouted, stopping with the others.
She tried to get up, but a writhing pain forced her to stay on place, noticing as soon as she turned her head that said foot was almost completely turned.
«Shit!» then she turned to the others. «Don't bother! Get away!»
Wasted breath. Because in a few seconds Dante was above her, energically lifting her from the ground.
«Leeave me here, Major! I'm just a burden!»
«Shut up!» he replied while struggling to take her away.
Betton and Zori too went to help, but no matter if their efforts caused their lungs to scream, the spiders were always closer.
One of them, the closest, pounced at the group. Dante turned and fatally shot it, but another one did the same almost immediately, and this time the Major was too exhausted to react promptly.
Luckily, someone did in his place, and not just one.
All of a sudden, a veritable rain of bullets, bombs and high caliber tracers went over the spiders, killing dozens of then in a matter of seconds.
Dante and the others, shocked, looked in front of them, and a moment later a Centauro armored vehicle appeared over the edge of the mine, followed by ten soldiers of the Sassari Brigade and Santalba and Torrisi themselves aboard the LMV.
«Soldiers, support the allies!» said the Commander from the Centauro's turret, and his men immediately started shooting with mortars and throwing grenades.
«Target acquired!» said the gun operator, pointing his finder against the female «Gun ready sir!».
«Fire!»
A single shot was enough to turn that giant spider into mush, but her children refused to surrender and kept on advancing, even when Dante and the others were already safely among to their allies. Most of them were killed by mortars, grenades and the vehicles' .50 caliber, and the ones crazy enough to try attacking despite everything were finally wiped away with flamethrowers, forcing their few remaining friends to run back into the hole.
«Shit… don't ask me to do that again.» Betton said, trying to realize that they were still, despite everything, very much alive.
Dante left both Betton and Zori into the hands of the medic, then he headed towards the Centauro, respectfully saluting.
«Major Dante, Falcon-9.»
«Captain Masala, Sassari Brigade.»
«Thanks for your help, Captain. You've truly saved our lives.»
«Lucky for you, we were patrolling around here. Come on, follow us. We'll get you to Omega Point.»