Chapter 16

The path was oddly neat and yet, Bad couldn't help but shutter. Suddenly, the King of the arachnid stopped, he turned to them and pointed to Bad only. "I guess I go solo from here… will everyone be safe?" he asked.

He got a gentle nod from the King who then turned to the men, they stood straight and nodded their heads. The silent command to keep watch and protect Garou and the others. With a deep breath, Bad nodded and began to follow the arachnid king deeper down the silk path.

He paused to an opening and the king brushed away the webbing that covered it. He allowed Bad to go in first and he was close behind. "Shit's getting weirder and weirder…" Bad muttered.

The path was dark, yet straightforward to say the least. When he came to the end of it, he was within a room covered from floor to ceiling in spider webs! If anything, the place almost looked like it was a fluffy cloud!

"I SAID I DIDN'T WANT ANY MORE MATES! BE GONE!" snapped a voice.

Bad jumped a little, he looked about and froze when he saw her.

The Queen that sat in the middle of this strange chamber, she was massive, to say the least. Back home, she would be classified as a level dragon threat easily! If he were to guess she would be as tall as a two story building. The wrapped up offerings that lingered above her didn't leave much to the imagination either. Bad saw arms and legs dangling out of some and shuttered at the thought.

He suddenly felt a gentle push come from behind him, the king was making him step forward. There was no other choice but to confront her, he needs her help after all.

"I… ain't here to offer myself as a mate!" Bad called.

Instantly, the Queen's eyes bore down upon him.

"YOU! SHADOW KING! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOURSELF HERE!" she demanded.

Something then struck Bad oddly, her size and then he turned to the King of the Arachnids that was standing behind him. It only made him more confused than ever before.

How the hell did the King of the Arachnids mate with her!?

"Excuse me… Your Majesty… I am not the same Shadow King who came before. I'm the new guy." He explained. "I go by the name of Bad… or there's my hero name, Metal Bat…"

"Do I look like I care!" she snapped back, but then, her eight eyes saw him. Lingering behind him was her former King. She froze as her eyes refused to blink. "Argo…" she whispered.

He stepped forward and bowed to her. "I am… so sorry for what happened…" Bad said with great sincerity. "If I could undo what was done, I would do so in a heart beat, but… the only thing I can go is offer him a chance to properly say good bye to you…"

The Queen sneered at him. "You think I will forgive the King of the Shadows for his actions!?" she demanded. "You may not be the one who took him from me, but you taunt me now!"

"What the hell do you want me to do lady?!" Bad snapped back.

"I refuse to mate with any other male for he was the last one I was with, but I cannot even produce his offspring since I lack the final component needed!" she said and crossed her arms. "I have to eat my mates in order to ensure their genes get passed on. I couldn't since the Shadow King took him and the strongest warriors at the time, bodies and all!"

Bad shuttered a little, but, since they are spider people it does make sense… it also explains the limbs he just noticed that littered the ground. 'What the hell do I do now?' he thought.

Then a gentle tap came on his shoulders. Argo as he learned, pointed to his shadow. "Huh? You got something?" he asked.

He nodded and his smile widened. Bad gave him a nod of approval as Argo vanished into his shadow, he was gone for no more than a minute before he returned and yet was pulling something from the depths of it. Bad helped him as they tugged on a shadow spider silk, but Bad couldn't be prepared for what was dredged up!

Argo's body.

It came out from the darkness and before the queen. Argo was smiling from ear to ear as he turned to the Queen and pointed to the body. "Wait, he kept it? The Shadow King keeps the bodies he takes?" he asked aloud.

There was no clear answer as Argo merely shrugged his shoulders to it all, the queen on the other hand was trembling. Not even she could believe it. "It's not decayed…" she whispered.

With gentle hands she reached down and picked up the corpse. At first she nestled and hugged it affectionately until she began to bring it closer to her lips. Kisses followed… then her jaw suddenly split open.

Bad couldn't look away as he watched on, he tried to hide his disgust, but as he turned to Argo, he merely watched on with great affection and admiration for his Queen.

She didn't leave a single scrap behind of him. Devouring the whole corpse with glee and savoring every inch of it. With the final swallow, she caressed her belly affectionately. "Finally… finally I can have them…" she whispered.

Her eyes drifted to Argo. He stared lovingly into hers.

Bad felt awkward as he tried to find a good time to ask for her assistance. Yet the Queen instantly brought herself back to reality. "Ahem!" she announced. "I… was mistaken about you… Shadow King Bad," she said and paused. "Be that as it may, I will not just offer my help on a whim. What is it that you need me for?" she demanded.

Bad took a deep breath and explained everything. "There is a Druid living in this world who is trying to bring humans over… to slaughter everyone. They have already attacked the near by Naga Villages and have killed many already. They are stopped for now, but knowing that asshole, he won't stop until he gets what he wants. I can't be here all the time, so I want to put an end to him before he tries to get any more inland. I need to know where he is so I can stop him once and for all." Bad explained.

She was taken aback by his words, he spoke with great sincerity in wanting to stop the druid. "How do I know he isn't working with you? I am more than aware of this Druid, I have sensed and tracked him for some time now. The last Shadow King had an arrangement with him…"

"That asshole has nothing to do with me!" Bad protested. "He wants to kill innocent people for what? Hell if I know, but he ain't going to be allow to do that anymore! Not as long as I am the Shadow King!"

She froze.

Bad looked down and realized his power was over flowing, he nearly covered the floor alone with black mist. He calmed himself down and the mist began to vanish. "Sorry…" he muttered. He felt like he just farted in front of her.

The Queen however nodded as she began to brush her hands along the silk that draped around her. "The Druid isn't the only issue you will be contending with." She said. "His five apprentices have all grown in power, his right hand man… has exceeded him but has yet to reveal it to his master. He is the one that should be stopped first… But Shadow King, are you aware of the connection?" she asked.

"Connections?"

"The Druid you hunt, is bounded to this world by another, the one who is connected to him is not aware of it. It has to be severed before the druid can die. However, I cannot speak of the one who is bounded to him. The curse is far too strong." She explained. Her hands made another pass over the silk. "You will need to go and speak with the dragons on the matter, for his apprentices have been lingering near their territory. Many are aware of the power these creatures have and they are not to be taken lightly. If one is able to absorb the soul of a dragon, all magic will be unlocked within that being. This apprentice is aiming for such a lofty ambition."

"Dragons huh? Okay, thank you…"

"You cannot leave!" she protested.

Bad froze, as did Argo. The Queen leaned down and stared Bad in the eye. "You claim to be a king, but you do not look like one. Before you leave, let me ensure that all know who you are. For you do not appear to be who you claim to be…"