Chapter 9
A Spark
H woke up to see Spiderweb Opal patrolling around her web "ah there you are, feeling better?" H nodded "good it's almost time for i believe the term is breakfast, as in having a break fast." H grinned as Spiderweb Opal moved off to settle a dispute between two spiderlings that appeared to be eating the food they were fighting over.
H emerged from the hole a few minutes later to see a sparking battery lying in front of her "are you going to eat that?" A slightly larger Spiderling approached her cautiously "as a matter of fact i am." H took a bite out of the battery and a feeble electric charge coursed through her re-energizing her gem "what's your name?" the spiderling questioned.
"H what's yours?" H responded confident that the spiderling would say Spiderweb Opal but instead said "mommy said my name is Fang because i have unusually large fangs." H nodded "an apt observation." she mumbled and took another bite of the battery "Fang are you harassing our guest?" Spiderweb Opal crossed across the chamber towards them "sorry mum but i'm hungry!"
Spiderweb Opal smiled "we're going hunting soon," she looked at H "if you wish you can join us." H finished her battery and nodded "sure no reason for me not to come," H followed Spiderweb Opal and Fang into the central chamber "I'M GOING HUNTING WITH FANG AND OUR GUEST SO FOR DIAMONDS SAKE BEHAVE YOURSELVES!" Spiderweb Opal bellowed and a chorus of "yes mum!" rang through the cavern.
Spiderweb Opal, Fang and H emerged from the cave "since you and your old friends eliminated the robots from my cave system we'll have to look elsewhere for prey." H nodded and looked around uneasily "hopefully we won't find any of them, I doubt they would take either of our presences lightly." A figure appeared on the horizon "ah energy." Spiderweb Opal positioned herself out of view and motioned for Fang to follow her "you can take this one" she whispered to H.
H looked closer at the figure and saw it was humanoid, had glowing red eyes, what appeared to be skin that was as black as night and long bone-like protrusions along it's arms,legs and back." It's mouth cracked open revealing long sharp white teeth and a red tongue, she approached it cautiously "hello? can you understand me?" She spoke in Gem as usual and the creature's eyes glowed brighter as it swiped at her.
H rolled out of the way "well never mind then your dead!" she summoned her chainsaw but every word she spoke only provoked the creature more. It swiped at her again catching her on the arm creating a long gash "OW! rude!" H swung her chainsaw at the beast creating a large bleeding wound on its side. It roared at her and pounced, knocking her over and pinning her to the ground its snarling jaws dripping with saliva only centimeters away from her face.
H tried to push it off as its claws dug into her shoulders and she gritted her teeth, it was then H noticed that the red design crisscrossing it's bone mask was in fact hiding a hexagonal gem embedded in the creatures forehead, H summoned her chainsaw with her free hand removing one of it's arms and sending blood everywhere. The creature howled in pain and sprinted away, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.
"What the heck was that?" Spiderweb Opal and Fang came running up to H "it looked like a corrupted gem but the only corrupted gems are you, Onyx and Tim." A snarling noise rose from the trees around them and several hundred pairs of glowing red eyes leered in the shadows "we should probably get out of here they outnumber us." Spiderweb Opal hissed and Fang and H couldn't disagree and they sprinted off the noise of howling and pounding feet only ever a few meters behind them.
H, Fang and Spiderweb Opal arrived at the entrance to Spiderweb Opal's nest only to find that Tim, Black Jasper and Nephrite were already there "get inside quick! we can explain later!" They all hustled into the cave pulling Tim, Black Jasper and Nephrite with them as the howling reached the cave entrance. "What is the meaning of this?" Tim protested as he was hustled along "we're saving your lives now shut up and follow us" Spiderweb Opal hissed.
They arrived at the central chamber "EVERYONE HIDE WE'RE ABOUT TO BE ATTACKED! Spiderweb Opal bellowed to her children and they scattered, Spiderweb Opal and H took cover while Tim, Nephrite and Black Jasper stood around bewildered "attacked by what?" Nephrite asked as a creature similar to the one that attacked H lumbered into view and pounced on Fang who had refused to hide from behind.
"FANG!" Spiderweb Opal shouted as the creature tore one of Fang's arms off then bit down on Fang's gem which shattered "YOU WILL PAY FOR KILLING MY SON!" Spiderweb Opal screeched and threw herself at the creature tearing it limb from limb and pounding the gem into dust, several more creatures emerged from the entrance then retreated as a loud howl echoed through the chamber.
Everyone except Spiderweb Opal dived into cover and a much bigger version of the creatures with longer bone growths and its gem also almost hidden in the design of his mask stalked into view, almost the same size as Spiderweb Opal "I Alpha you dead," Alpha growled and Spiderweb Opal spat on the ground "under my broken pieces." Alpha's claws twitched "agreed" and he howled again sending his minions howling towards H, Tim, Black Jasper and Nephrite while he dealt with Spiderweb Opal.
Alpha paced around Spiderweb Opal searching for an opening and he found it, he lunged forward and sank his teeth into Spiderweb Opal's shoulder, claws digging into the flesh of her back, hind legs raised and clawing at her stomach. Spiderweb Opal managed to pry Alpha off but at a cost of a majority of her shoulder which Alpha devoured greedily "hybrid, strange, beneficial."
Spiderweb Opal readied herself "come on i can do this all day," she swayed slightly but managed to catch herself before she fell over and Alpha licked his lips "as i" before charging forward again. Spiderweb Opal punched him in the gut with her good arm and Alpha recoiled instinctively then he grabbed one of Spiderweb Opal's legs, flipped her onto her back, lunged forward and clamped his jaws down on her neck.
A loud tearing noise that was accompanied by a howl of pain instantly stopped the fighting and all looked to see Spiderweb Opal's throat ripped open and Alpha with a spear embedded in his chest. Alpha staggered backwards "Pack run" he proceeded to slowly lope away "bring, dead, tonight, feast!" and with that final proclamation Alpha phased into the shadows of the tunnel and Spiderweb Opal was dragged after him.
One creature however remained mangled stump of an arm still bleeding, it snarled at them "never, forget" and dissipated into black dust leaving no trace of it's presence. "Well, that was certainly... something." Nephrite broke the somber mood with a classic example of her bluntness under stressful situations. "Ya think?" Tim shook his head and H was weeping curled into a ball on the floor.
Tim looked down at her "you weep for a monster? I thought not even you would lower yourself to such a standard." H stood angrily and Nephrite took cover and motioned for Black Jasper to join her "this does not look good." Black Jasper joined her as H went off at Tim "well at least i have a heart metaphorically speaking but still!"
Tim looked away "she was a monster she killed two of our friends she deserved to die and so do you for every innocent gem you have slaughtered for your own sick ne..." H cut him off with a slap across the face "get out now" she muttered and Tim rubbed the side of his face she had hit "you really shouldn't have done that," and he kicked her clear across the chamber.
H rose shakily "Now you've done it," she snarled summoning her chainsaw "oh boy this is not good." Nephrite said to Black Jasper only to realize that she had run to help Tim, Nephrite sighed and settled back to watch the show. Black Jasper and Tim summoned their weapons and H took a step back "I should have done this from the beginning." Black Jasper charged forward and impaled H with her Khopesh poofing her.
She raised her foot to shatter H but a shadowy figure came out of nowhere and pushed her over. "What the?" Black Jasper grumbled and rose to see the figure had picked up H's gem and was making a break for the exit "stop her!" Black Jasper shouted and Tim sprinted after her, the figure shed her black cloak revealing her figure in more detail.
She had pale skin, auburn hair and wore a black bikini-top, one stocking and was bare-foot. "Why is there a human down here?" Tim tried to tackle her but missed and she laughed "catch me if you can." Nephrite came out of nowhere and tripped her over, grabbing H's gem as it flew out of her hand "got H!" Black Jasper tied the human's hands behind her back.
"Unhand me!" she struggled against her restraints "you tried to steal H why?" Tim leaned in close "you didn't want her so i can't take her?" a loud howl drowned out Tim's reply "they're back hide!" Everyone dashed off leaving the human tied in the middle of the chamber "hey what about me?" she shouted as Alpha stepped into the room "oh Alpha it's you i thought it was one of your undesirables."
Alpha's form shrunk down and transformed into that of a normal gem "i thought i saw you so i came back to get you." Alpha cut her bonds "who tied you up?" The Female looked around "3 other gems; a Kyanite, Black Jasper and a Nephrite they have the Hackmantite as well but she's poofed." Alpha nodded "did you see where they went?" The Female nodded "they're hiding around here somewhere."
Alpha nodded "we find we kill," he handed her a small canister "stocks are low lately Cinder make the best use of it." Cinder nodded "i think there's a deposit or two in here somewhere keep an eye out." Alpha nodded and they started searching, "why don't we just attack them?" Nephrite muttered as H reformed and Tim covered her mouth "we're being hunted, Alpha could easily take out all four of us you saw what he did to Spiderweb Opal."
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Cinder sang tauntingly "but seriously it's been half an hour." Alpha muttered "Hey found some!" Alpha pulled a large hunk of red crystal out of the ground "nice that's a big one, wait red's explosive right?" Alpha nodded smiling "i think i see where your going with this." He handed Cinder the crystal.
"Okay i know you are still in here so listen up we're going to blow up this cavern you can either stay and die or fight us and most likely die." Alpha made a surprised noise "oh that's what we're doing i had a completely different idea involving rotten fish and bad mutton." Cinder made an exasperated gesture "Anyway before i was RUDELY interrupted you can either die or fight us."
Cinder placed the crystal on the ground and Alpha placed a rudimentary explosive on it, and Tim, Black Jasper, H and Nephrite stepped out of cover "we'll fight you." Tim said bravely and Cinder laughed "very well," she assumed a fighting stance and Alpha changed his hands into wolf paws "this will be fun," Cinder smiled as Tim, his friends and H summoned their weapons.
