Ever wonder who the title of the last chapter was addressed to?
Beta: Zaru
He'd tried his best.
Eight dark twitching legs plucked one by one
He'd put his life on the line to stop it.
Ancient scales gave way beneath mighty jaws
Death Spots.
Shattered ice that melted red and dark
It hadn't been enough.
Picking its fangs with a single shattered horn
It hadn't been nearly enough.
The body dangling by the hair from its paw was that of a woman above the waist, and below…
He'd failed.
-Nothing at all
His eyes snapped open as the dull, fierce pounding of blood in his ears echoed through his ears like thunder.
Thud
… It was just a…
Thud
No… there was no way it had happened yet, it was still there.
Thud
It hadn't happened… but it could… no, like hell he would let that-
Thud
But… what could he do? How could he...
THUD
The answer, when it came to him, was so simple that Haruhiro couldn't help but smile.
Heh… what I am getting all worked up for?
As he rose to his feet, the answer he'd found was so obvious, he couldn't help but laugh.
No need to panic...
Even as his knife returned itself to his hand, just as eager as he to put things right.
Can't hurt them, can't take anything from me-
Eager eyes settled upon a massive form that watched him in utter stillness.
If I kill you first.
She had to hurry.
He was back there, he was still fighting -he had to be okay- she needed to hurry.
Those were the thoughts plaguing Rachnera's mind as she pulled the bound, still unconscious Iormu behind her.
This was one of the times when she was grateful for her eight legs, monstrous though they were.
She had a lot more pulling power than her build would suggest.
… If only Iormu would wake up!
No… it wasn't fair to be angry with her. She had saved Haru, twice, after what was quite likely centuries of hibernation.
That didn't make it any easier! She had already… once before-
The Kobold was likely an Elder, or close to it, which explained why they were almost eye-level.
They both froze, a distance of a dozen feet separating them.
She had just rounded the corner, too distracted by-
I don't have time for this.
The Kobold's comrades rounded the corner, and though they were much smaller, there was half a dozen of them.
Annoying.
It's toothy grin, filled with malice, vanished as its ears caught a strange sound.
In the way.
A discordant, ominous clicking.
Get lost.
That of sharp, chitinous limbs clacking threateningly against stone.
Disappear.
Fangs bared in a silent scream, the Arachne pounced.
It managed to get the heavy head of its pickaxe up in time to prevent her sword from opening it from hip to sternum.
Meaningless in the end, because the force of the blow knocked it from its feet, and then she was upon it.
Caught between plunging hoof and unyielding stone, there was nothing left it could do.
A meaty crunch signified the end of the battle.
Centorea stepped off of the corpse without ceremony, flicking traces of blood from her blade as she turned towards her comrades.
No injuries among them, good, good…
Focus on the small victories, they need you to keep it together.
"Well done you two, are you able to keep moving?" She inquired dutifully, proud to hear her own voice remained level.
"... Yes." Yukio murmured without quite looking her in the eyes.
"Yep, let's go!" Tio chirped, her voice just a little high-pitched.
Inwardly she cringed as she picked up on the signs of their mounting stress.
… He would be able to lift their spirits, she was certain.
She was just a Knight without a Master, a blade without sheath.
… Centorea Shianus had never felt quite so helpless.
A distant part of him whispered that as a repeat incident, this probably wasn't a good one.
A less distant part of him pointed out that his head kind of hurt.
… That noise again.
A rhythmic, muffled thump.
Blurry eyes snapped fully into focus, and at last, he picked out the source of that noise.
There loomed the great beast, and -it was scared and he loved it- its great heart was pulsing blood through its veins with such force he swore he could almost see it, angry lines of pulsing red tracing its form like spiderwebs.
No… veins, webs… none of that was quite right.
It reminded him of that little green line… rather than leading through the air towards it, dispersed across its body like cracks… or seams…
Man… he couldn't wait to see what happened when he picked them apart with his fingers.
Huh, might take a while though… maybe he should just use something sharp… like the dagger in his hand.
Yeah… he really liked that idea.
It had made a mistake.
It had cornered them, hounded them at every turn, savored the stress and the fear as it remained always just one step ahead.
They did not expect it to be clever, to plan…
It had picked its teeth with the bones of all who had thought the same, thus far.
Yet, here it was…
Completely, utterly trapped.
Its instincts had failed it.
It was not a tiny, frail human it had cornered.
No, what it had cornered was a demon.
With blood staining its eyes, and Death itself lurking behind its smile.
The scent of blood struck her senses like a hammer.
She stilled, and held out her hand to stop the others.
They did so, and she caught the wide eyes among Yukio and Tio as they caught wind of it too.
Nodding to them, Centorea began to advance, sword pulled back and ready to thrust forward at the slightest disturbance.
What she found was not a scene of battle.
… No, something about it was too gruesome for that.
Struggling to remain standing, even on eight legs and leaning against the wall, was a woman with the lower body of a spider.
The wicked claws on the ends of her hands still dripping blood onto cold stone, spear-like legs drenched and stained.
Surrounding her in various states of ruin was somewhere around a half-dozen Kobolds, flesh pierced, skewered, or simply flayed from the bone and pulled to pieces.
The woman was not without her injuries, and what little clothing she had been wearing was torn and tattered to the point where she may as well have been naked, pale, heavy breasts heaving from the exertion.
Teeth grit, she turned her lovely pale face upon them, the blood caking half of it serving only to contrast moon-pale flesh further.
Centorea had been ready for the woman to attack… she had not been ready for the woman's gaze to alight with recognition.
"C-Centaur…?" Her trio of visible eyes blinked rapidly. "A Centaur!? Y-you're Haru's-!"
Centorea was already moving, they were all moving, yelling, demanding to know where he was when the spider woman screamed-
"Please you have to help him!"
"What happened!? Where is he!?" She barely managed to restrain herself enough not to haul the woman up by the shreds of her collar.
"H-he caused another cave-in… cut us off! There's no time- Death Spots will kill him!"
Centorea took a long, slow breath as someone gasped sharply.
"H-hey… who's that?" Tio managed to ask… oh, so there had been another person.
Breathing shallowly, passed out and trussed up, was a horned Lamia of truly impressive proportions… in more ways than one.
"Iormu… she healed Haru, but she couldn't- look there's no time!" The Arachne hissed.
"Can you lead us to Haru?" Centorea asked with a dreadful calm.
Haru was in danger, Haru was in danger-
"Yes."
"Tio, stay with this… Miss Iormu."
"B-but that's!"
"You won't be able to keep up."
"... Yeah, okay… please be safe."
"Yukio, hop on. Miss, will you be able to move, wounded as you are?" Centorea gently queried, as Yukio slipped onto her back and wrapped her chilly hands around her waist.
The Arachne looked her dead in the eye, and lifted an arm to her lips. There, just above the bicep where chitin ended, the woman sank her fangs into her own arm.
Intermingled with the crimson was a trace of violet liquid.
The Arachne shook her head to clear it and stood up to her full height.
"Yes."
Her own venom to numb the pain?
… Impressive.
"Cerea… you seem really calm…" Tio ventured tentatively.
Centorea responded by lashing out towards the wall with one fist.
The sharp crack that rang out was not from bone, and Centorea turned her head to smile at the wide-eyed Ogre.
"Is that how it seems?"
The great blade rose and fell, smashing Yukio into bloody-
Haru cut the vision to pieces by dragging his knife along the seam of a wrist thicker than his neck.
It howled, and this time it was not delight as it pulled Rachnera apart but-
Agony as bloodless blade clattered thunderously to the stone- a furred hand with no wrist attached still grasping it.
One less hand to wrap around Tio's-
As Death Spots stumbled back, Haruhiro calmly followed it, scrutinizing it curiously as he decided which seam to open up next.
Bringing those jaws further away from sinking into Iormu's-
It was annoying how it kept backing away, so he cut through the line above the knee next.
Maybe he should take the other one, let's see you run down Cerea without any-
Man, those cracks kept spreading, and now all the fun looking ones were much, much closer!
The Arachne was fast.
She doubted the woman (she really should have asked for a name) could match her on straight stretches, but in the twists and turns of the tunnels, those eight legs of hers allowed for fantastic stability, and she could go across walls as easily as floor.
Good… she would have lost it by now if forced to go any slower.
Yukio's arms were gripping her around the waist like a slender vice, no danger of falling there…
They turned the corner and the Arachne called back 'one more turn', but did not slow…
Just as unwilling to take the time for stealth… her Master had obviously made an impression…
Please, please be okay.
The Arachne skidded to a shocked halt, and Centorea managed a small gasp of surprise as she nearly plowed into her, barely avoiding sending all three of them to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
Throwing her arms back to keep her passenger stable, as Yukio's head bounced off her back, Centorea winced as the harsh grind of hoof sliding across stone echoed in her ears.
The Arachne clutched at her own head in pain, covering her ears.
She froze in place as an odd noise cut through the ringing.
Wet and harsh, like-
… Her heart lurched in its chest as past that ghastly sound, a calm, monotone muttering drifted towards her… and at last, she saw what had shocked the Arachne so.
Before her was Death Spots, the beast that had plagued them so, the beast that…
Would never do so again.
It was if the Kobold had been placed on a massive chopping board, but the knife used to butcher it hadn't been quite adequate to the task of cleanly butchering the corpse.
Yes, corpse, for what else could it be?
Great gaping jaws opened in a silent scream towards the pitiless stone ceiling, -limbs flayed and paws severed- laying at just the right angle to see the blood that matted the ruins where its throat should be -what was that sound?- the beast rested motionless on its back.
… That voice again.
"Huh, they're gone… no… could be a trick… let's make sure."
As Yukio slid off her back, Centorea absentmindedly reached a hand out to stabilize the Yuki-Onna before she began her hesitant advance.
That wet, ripping sound grew louder, more insistent as she entered the wide cavern, circling the corpse.
Dimly, she was aware that the others were following her hoof-steps, but she was far too busy working up the nerve to call out in order to pay them much heed.
"H-Haru?"
The cavern went silent in an instant.
It took all her courage not to bolt as something rose, swaying, from the ruins of a massive, open rib-cage.
Clad in crimson, the gore drenched figure rose to its full height and slowly turned its head to regard her.
Crimson but for two tiny circles of gentle brown, that perhaps she would have missed had they not immediately lit up in recognition, had they not been accompanied by a positively radiant smile completely at odds with the macabre scenery.
"Cerea, you're okay!" Haruhiro chirped brightly, unconcerned or unaware of the blood that caked him from head to toe. "I really missed you!"
She had raced to his rescue. Honestly, a future where she stood victorious again Death Spots was something she had never quite managed to envision, but...
Centorea would have died with a smile on her face if it had allowed Haru to draw even one more breath.
And yet, here she was, blushing like an innocent maiden, all of her resolve, all of the many, many questions she had slipping from her grasp like mist…
All before the honest, overwhelming might of his smile.
Honestly… he could be so cruel at times.
Distantly, she watched her Master as he calmly stepped off -out- of the massive corpse and onto the ground.
She tried not to giggle at the innocent, curious surprise with which he peered at the dagger clenched tightly in his fist. With a shrug, he gingerly placed the gory weapon onto the ground and stepped away from it.
The smile came back, and after they beckoned to her until then silent companions, his arms opened wide.
It took all her self-control not to trample him by accident as she slammed into him, engulfing her precious Master in a crushing embrace.
His indulgent chuckle muffled by her cleavage, Haru wrapped one arm gently around her, and then Yukio too, when her cold, fragile weight pressed against them.
"There, there… I'm sorry for scaring you."
Dimly, Centorea took note of how the sniffling she was hearing seemed to be growing in volume, her legs were no longer willing to support her, and, for some unknown reason, her vision was rather blurry.
None of those things were the warm-eyed young Master clutched desperately against her, and so for these lesser details, she had no attention to spare.
Quietly she watched with a wistful smile on her face as noble Centaur and graceful Yuki-Onna (at least, she was pretty sure that's what the woman was) broke down and clung desperately to the quiet young man, heedless of the blood that soaked him from head to toe.
Wiping some stray dust from her eyes, Rachnera turned away and silently made to leave.
Better he stay with those who cared for him, those who weren't a danger to him by their very existence.
It was fun while it lasted, she supposed-
She had made it a single step when a prickling sensation at the back of her neck froze her in place.
Slowly, she turned to find Haru's blood-framed eyes gazing at her.
She offered a tiny smile.
He smiled back.
She gave a gentle shake of her head.
Without quite unwrapping the arm that was around the pale woman's back, he beckoned her towards him with one hand.
…
… Stupid human scaring her with his stupid bravery, making her stupid heart flutter with his stupid smile.
Who did he think he was?
… Maybe she'd have to stick around... just long enough to put him in his place.
A still bloody claw hesitantly, delicately grasped a much softer, but just as bloody hand.
When hand curled around claw, she couldn't help but marvel at how warm it felt.
… And how even when the bearer of that hand sagged against the women embracing him, even as his tired eyes drifted gently shut…
His grip didn't loosen at all.
The first thing Haruhiro saw when he awoke were a pair of cracked blue orbs, dull red glinting invitingly between each jagged break, and below them, another, longer seam-
"-aster-? ...ong-?...ru!? ...lright… -...afe- now."
Running across the width of a pale, slender neck.
Haruhiro jerked away with a hoarse shout as the cracked figure reached towards him, struggling as it pinned his shoulders to the bed, and then wrapped its fractured arms around-
Huh?
… Bed?
"Haru!"
Haruhiro went still, blinking as those -tempting- red lines faded from view, leaving-
"C-Cerea?"
The Centaur in question gave a sigh of pure relief as he went limp, in her embrace, blinking in confusion.
"Yes… it is I, Haru… you are safe." She confirmed gently.
He was… lying on his bedroll, he was home, he was-
"Y-you're okay… w-where are… are they?"
"Yes… we are well. All of us, including the new friends you've made." Centorea giggled, releasing him and sitting back with her mouth covered by one hand. "Honestly, Master, you vanish in a mountain full of savage predators and came out with two lovely ladies at your side… I would not believe it had I not seen it for myself."
Haruhiro remained silent as the giggle faded.
"... I'm sorry for scaring you." He said quietly.
"Ah! I… that is… please, don't… I…" Haruhiro blinked in shock as his apology seemed to hit her with almost visible force. "Please… don't apologize… I… I swore to protect you, to fight at your side and yet… when you needed me the most, I could do nothing but fumble around in the dark!"
Centorea's bowed head twisted away from him, shaking fists clenched tight.
"I am so, so sorry… it seems I am in no way worthy to serve as your Knight… I… perhaps leaving my home was a-" Her words cut off with a sharp gasp as a hand gently cupped her cheek, held her breath as it slowly, patiently turned her head to meet those warm brown eyes she'd been so afraid to lose sight of forever.
"It's okay."
How unfair… that was all he needed to say, and she… she believed it... with all her heart.
Truly, her lovely Master was so…
Gods she was beautiful.
This is what you want.
Flawless, creamy white skin flushed with the room's sudden heat.
So stop holding back.
Hair soft and golden, as if the rays of the morning sun had been taken and woven into silk.
Take her.
Eyes the color of a clear morning sky, one he could spend hours gazing into without tiring at all.
Mark her.
Pale and plush, those pink lips parted just enough to invite his-
Claim her.
That huge, ripe bosom of hers heaving and straining against its thin white confines.
Stop lying to yourself, and just-
A pointed cough broke the spell, and he and Centorea both jerked their heads back with startled exclamations.
Blushing furiously, the fidgeting blonde averted her gaze as Haruhiro whipped his burning face away from her to find-
Rachnera, with one pale brow arched and a teasing smile on her face.
"Hmm, not interrupting anything, am I?" She smirked.
"N-n-no, we were just… you know..!" Haruhiro stammered. "... Didn't see you there, Rachnera."
"I wonder why~?" Rachnera mused, one long claw tapping against her cheek as a sultry giggle filled the room.
"... Well… anyways… Rachnera." Haruhiro looked her dead in the eye, suddenly serious.
"...Yes?" She inquired, keeping her tone jovial to hide her confusion.
"Thank you... for keeping your promise." He smiled up at her.
Six red eyes blinked in unison, before Rachnera smiled back down at him.
"You're welcome, Haru." She said.
Haruhiro suppressed a shiver as the warmth in her smile was replaced by something more dangerous.
"For the record, I'm not sorry at all, and it serves you right." Rachnera calmly declared, as she stepped fully into the room and off to the side… well out of the way of the door.
Haruhiro was still processing the enigmatic words when a shout shook the building to its roots.
"HARU!? HARU YOU'RE AWAKE!"
A teary-eyed Tio came charging into the room with all the momentum of an excited Ogre.
She seemed to realize that said momentum would likely kill her intended target, and her eyes widened in shock as she attempted to slow herself.
She's not going to stop in time.
Several people thought as she skidded to a halt, pinwheeled her arms desperately to avoid toppling, and failed.
The pair of things looming above him might have looked soft and inviting, but they were also bigger than his head, fat and warm and oh, also inviting, did he mention that?
Also, falling down upon him with such force and speed that he couldn't even begin to avoid them...
"Oh, so this is how I die."
… Even if he'd wanted to.
Some time later, after Haruhiro had recovered from nearly being glomped to death, and Tio had finished begging forgiveness for being the one to have done so, the group were at last reunited in one room, all sitting around Haruhiro's bed.
Seeing how his bed was just a mattress, they'd dragged it, and the others into the wide open space of the warehouse, since the side room was a bit small for six of them, and spread them out comfortably.
Somehow, they'd still ended up rather close.
Tio, after she'd recovered from her embarrassment, had decided to reassure herself of his continued existence by holding him like a teddy bear.
Even surrounded by delightful softness on all sides, being seated in a woman's lap like a small child was a little emasculating, and a bit distracting considering the back of his head was nestled in her cleavage.
Deeply nestled.
Yukio, after grabbing him by both cheeks and staring deeply into his eyes for a few moments, had allowed herself a content smile and then seated herself at his unoccupied side.
A cool blue hand had found itself on his lap a moment later, and he'd just naturally found himself placing his own hand atop it.
"Warm." She'd happily whispered, in a tone bordering upon reverence, and that was that. Cool and soft as she snuggled up against him, blissfully (or perhaps willingly) ignorant to how her molding herself against him was causing plumb, pale blue breasts to spill from their confines even more than usual.
He was glad they were in the safety of their own home, she, just like all the others, drew enough stares as it was, whether of the women's envy or the men's desire.
He hated when they stared.
Centorea was seated dutifully at his other side, Rachnera had a mattress to herself, and with her pedipalps folded beneath her, looked no different from any other woman seated with legs folded… if you discounted that the gigantic spider body seated behind her was attached.
Iormu, for her part, was lounging across one of her coils, and might have been contributing to the cramped (nah, he'd go with cozy) feeling, as rather than gather her coils beneath her, had stretched them out to hem in the entire group.
Now, they were sitting in silence, because Haruhiro couldn't figure out how to open his mouth without lowering the mood.
Seriously, where was he supposed to start?
"It's nice to have everyone sitting together like this." Everyone gave a little start as he spoke, but luckily, Tio's grip didn't tighten too much.
...Well, he tried. No one liked him for his voice anyways.
Not like he knew he was the only person in the room who believed that.
"Yes… I suppose it is." Cerea said for a moment, smiling ruefully.
"I feel like the introductions are out of the way by now, but…"
"Yes everyone knows each other, and yes, we've discussed whether Iormu and I will be sticking around." Rachnera filled in.
"Oh, well that's good…?" He trailed off hopefully.
"They are a most welcome addition, and it is reassuring to know that we are all here for the same reason." Centorea smoothly continued.
"You know, I do believe you gave us quite a fright, Haruhiro." Iormu spoke up suddenly, and wow was it scary having six (ten actually, Rachnera had spares) sets of eyes glaring reproachfully at him when there was no escape.
Even being held in the lap of an Ogre (which made him feel like a child, had he mentioned that?) hadn't made him feel this small!
… Seemed a little unfair.
"What was I supposed to do? Let it happen?" He muttered bitterly.
"... Let what happen?" Tio whispered above him.
"... You were going to die. I thought you did die. I… I couldn't tell if it was real or a dream."
"Is that why you…?" Iormu asked, expression thoughtful.
"Made sure it could never come true? Yeah, it kind of made sense at the time."
"... I see."
"... Haru, what do you remember, of the fight?" Cerea asked cautiously.
… Still worried, huh? Couldn't be helped if she was a little traumatized, he had been pretty beaten-up.
"All of it?" Still didn't quite know what he was supposed to say here, or why everyone seemed so worried.
"Then, do you… could you tell us what happened, after you were…" She hesitated, searching for the right words. "... Separated, from Rachnera and Iormu?"
"Uh, sure, but there's not really much to tell."
"That is fine."
"Well, after I fell off of Death Spots, I blacked out for a second, had a nightmare where he caught up to you and killed you all one by one-" Tio's grip tightened again, weird- "Which I didn't like very much, so I killed him first just to be safe." He concluded.
Seemed like a good enough summary, right?
"... How? How did you kill him, Haru?" Rachnera asked, scrutinizing him closely.
"Huh? What do you mean? Anyone will die if you cut them apart at the seams."
"... 'Seams', was it? And are you… have you ever seen these seams, elsewhere?" Iormu asked slowly.
He couldn't help but chuckle bitterly as the Jormugand shifted, bringing the seam across her neck into clearer focus..
"I wish I could tell you no." He murmured, his hair falling down to cover his eyes as he gazed down towards his (thankfully) empty hands.
He had no way of knowing, but as he spoke, the whites of his eyes slowly vanished once more…
As bright red pooled from beneath soft brown, and spread its way outwards once more in every direction until no white remained.
Go away… he didn't… not them… he wouldn't… he didn't want-
"Well it doesn't really matter, I guess." Rachnera said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Haruhiro blinked in shock, and the red faded away.
"Not at all." Yukio whispered, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
"Nope, I'm just glad Haru's safe!" Tio chirped with a little bounce of her body that was impossible for the Thief to ignore, given the circumstances. Enough wobble and jiggle from such a simple motion that being buried within her valley would not have been strange.
... Or unwelcome, but she didn't need to know that.
Cerea's warm hand fell upon his leg, accompanied by an even warmer smile. "Indeed, that is the only thing that matters, in the end."
Iormu merely smiled, and the next thing he knew they were all smiling, and man was it warm in here, and it was a little hard to breathe, maybe Tio was squeezing just a little tight because it felt like something was stuck in his throat, but…
Yeah, he could get used to this.
He'd face a hundred Death Spots if he could experience just one more moment like this, surrounded by people all looking at him, like-
Huh, guess he had still been a little tired, because I got really dark all of a sudden, and now he was-
Completely, utterly alone.
Okay, a little strange, but…
Haruhiro rose to his feet, deciding that if he was going to be awake in the middle of the night like this, he might as well get dressed.
That was probably it, come to think of it.
Being in the mine, where you couldn't tell day from night, must have messed up with everyone's internal clocks.
Especially Rachnera and Iormu, who'd been in there for who knows how long.
He didn't think they were anything to worry about, but their exotic nature was probably a bit… pointier than Altana was used to, so he'd meant to ask if they'd had any troubles so far, but...
"Where is everyone?" Slipping out of the side door they'd been using (they'd barred the main warehouse door, it was a little too open), Haruhiro stepped out into the night.
Altana never really slept, being a frontier town full of soldierly types keeping odd hours. Sherry's Tavern, for example, had most of its business after dark.
The girls had probably gotten hungry, but had decided to let him sleep a little longer.
Which he could appreciate, but man, he was so hungry he could probably eat a whole…
… Should probably never use that phrase in Cerea's presence, ever.
Brittany's tavern seemed like a safe bet if he wanted to track everyone down, and he also was curious if Death Spots had a bounty (probably already taken care of, Yukio was good for stuff like that), but more importantly…
Was it just him, or was the full moon really, really creepy-
The ground was getting further away, and his hands were tied.
Huh.
Haruhiro found himself twisting in the air, face-to-face with-
"My my, what a delightful little morsel I've caught in my web." Rachnera purred, suspended just high enough above him that his momentum played out, bounce by bounce, their chests would touch briefly together.
Peering curiously about, Haruhiro noted that they were currently hanging between their warehouse, and the empty one to its right.
"Hey there, Rachnera." He greeted, his heartbeat settling now that he knew he was safe.
… Probably safe.
"Mm, hello there, little morsel." Rachnera cooed back, pressing herself closer and walking two pointed fingers from just a tiny bit below his belt to right up his chest. "You know, I never did get a chance to thank you, for bringing me out from those caves."
"And…" Those sharp claws teasingly across his cheek. "I never did punish you for being such a naughty, naughty boy and scaring me like that after getting my hopes up with all those adorable little promises of yours~"
"Oh, so I am in danger." Haruhiro said to confirm.
"I know, isn't it hot?" She whispered in his ear in a voice like warm honey.
He couldn't help but nod in agreement.
"But… I think you're a bit overdressed, don't you?" Rachnera claimed, lifting those heavy breasts off of him.
… Well, okay, maybe she was being a little weird…
Hard to tell when a girl was that teasing all the time.
As she loomed above him, licking her lips with a sultry chuckle, a pale shaft of moonlight broke through the clouds, illuminating her pale, flawless skin and-
"H-Haru? W-what are you… what am I…" She trailed off in confusion, before giving a sharp gasp as her head shot upwards to gaze at the silvery orb gleaming high above.
"N-no this is bad! Haru, you have to get away from me, I'm not… it's not safe to be around me, not on a night like-"
"Already on it, don't worry." Haruhiro reassured her, reaching out to pat one of her legs consolingly, as behind his back, his small emergency dagger continued its work.
This wasn't the first time he'd been tied up by a hot girl, and really, it was still scarier when Barbara did it.
"Wait, how are you- no, don't cut that one, it's not long enough to-!" She would have caught him had she not hesitated, flinching away as her sharp claws descended.
"Reach the ground?" Haruhiro finished, as his dagger cut the last thread keeping him suspended. "Yeah, kinda figured."
And then he fell, catching a dangling thread to slow his descent just enough as Rachnera shouted in panic above him.
Then he was freefalling, smiling in what he hoped was a calming manner as-
The pounding of hooves reached him, and a pair of soft yet strong arms caught him well before the cobblestone had a chance.
"Thanks for that." He said with a smile, as Cerea kept running, mouth set in a firm line. Rippling and molding against his lean frame through her thin white blouse, that warm, massive chest of hers was doing a fine job of keeping the chill night air at bay.
... And distracting him from, well... pretty much anything.
His growing party seemed to use their boobs for that a lot, when he thought about it... wonder how much of that was intentional.
Come to think of it, he kind of expected to land on her back, but that might have hurt her so this was probably best.
Not looking at him, Centorea raised her voice over the din of her hooves. "Are you unharmed, Master?"
"Yep, just fine. So what's got Rachnera all worked up?"
"Tis the full moon, the… instincts of us Liminals are felt to a much greater degree." She explained as they raced through the streets. "The spider has spent some time alone, and you have made quite an impression, Haru… it is hard to blame her for not being able to resist."
"You seem fine though. And where is everyone else, anyways?"
"I have long been trained to overcome such… urges, so that my protection of my lord might never falter." Cerea proudly declared. "Once we'd realized that the full moon was upon us, we left Altana, intending to wait out the night in the forest, far from temptation's grasp. Rachnera's instincts were too strong, it seems, and after discovering she had slipped away, I left in pursuit, hoping to catch her before anything regrettable may have happened."
"... Regrettable as in…?"
Centorea's furious blush was answer enough.
"... I see. So, anyways, I've been meaning to ask but, isn't running towards the forest a bad idea?"
"Indeed, it is not safe for you there…" She trailed off (but didn't stop running), as she realized that at some point, they'd pounded their way straight out of Altana's open gates, and were almost-
"I forget how fast you can run, at times." Haruhiro admitted, just as they fell under the long shadows cast by tall trees.
Centorea cantered to a halt, and let him down by the edge of the forest.
Haruhiro chuckled, already considering his next move. It wasn't like he was against… certain things, but she wasn't exactly in control so it seemed wrong to take advantage.
"Master." Centorea began.
"Yeah, Cerea?"
The lovely Knight reached up with both hands, and tore her thin white top open.
As her heaving breasts were bared to the night air, and more importantly, her darling Haru, she calmly stated;
"It seems my discipline is lacking."
Haruhiro nodded agreeably, even as all that bouncing and jiggling caught his gaze and refused to let go.
"It falls upon you to punish your wayward servants for her failings, of course."
Seemed rather excited by the idea, didn't she?
"Makes sense, yeah. Fine then. Close your eyes, Centorea." He commanded sternly.
She did exactly that, though he wasn't sure opening her arms to the side in such an inviting matter was really necessary.
"Good, now keep them closed until I say otherwise, understood?"
"As you command." Cerea resolutely declared.
Nodding to himself, Haruhiro turned on his heel and ran into the dark forest without looking back.
… It was going to be a long night, wasn't it?
I imagine some of you were expecting a big, epic boss fight. You'll get one (several, most likely), but it was never going to involve Death Spots.
Death Spots was a bump in a long, bloody road, and you might have noticed, but after crossing this particular hurdle, something about Haru is just a little... different.
Which means that things are going to get both bloodier and sexier, so really, everybody wins.
Some of you are also probably wondering how Altana handled a pair of sexy apex predators at their front gates, but rest assured, it hasn't been ignored, the characters just had some different priorities.
Such as snu-snu-ing Haru, possibly to an early grave because he has a lot less comedic plot armor than the hero (the man, the legend) of Monmusu canon.