Epic return ch 3
Ok so I'm just gonna go right along to the story. Sorry for the wait. Writer's block, internships, and college don't really mix.
Chapter 3: learning about the enemy or an ancient enemy remembered
Nim was entertaining a few Jinn who had sought safety in his tree. As soon as he saw Ronin and the gang enter he ushered them into a back room.
"Please tell me you aren't carrying around some mystic pod that could attract the attention of any enemies, I just had the floor repaired." Nim half joked.
"Not this time." Nod laughed.
"That's a relief. Now what can I do for you?" Nim rubbed four of his hands together.
"What can you tell us about spiders?" Ronin asked in a hushed tone.
"Spiders?" Nim asked in clear surprise.
"More along the lines of half-spider half-human things?" MK added.
"Oh… oh, I think I just read about those, follow me." Nim lead them down to the rings of knowledge.
"Wow," Jack breathed as he took in the spacious library of scrolls. He snapped a few shots as they went down, scaring the moths a little with the flash from his camera.
"Who's that?" Nim asked.
"He's my cousin, Jack." MK said.
"Nice to meet ya. Ok, now we need to go way, way back for this." Nim was saying absentmindedly as they exited the lift. He lead them farther back than they had gone when looking for instructions on what to do with the pod. They finally stopped in a dimly lit area of the tree. Nim skimmed through the scrolls before pulling a very old and dusty one from its hole.
"How old is that thing?" Nod asked.
"As old as this tree probably." Nim said, unrolling the paper with a flick of his wrist, "let's see, spiders, cat-face, jumping, wolf… ah, human-like spiders. Last sighting of human-like spiders was in the time of the spider queen."
"Spider queen? Could she be behind this?" Ronin asked.
"Not from what it says here. The last spider queen died due to a leafman's arrow to her heart." Nim said, "this thing even has her family tree." Nim turned the paper around so they could see the massive list of names, each with dates of birth and death next to them. The male names each had really short life spans compared to the females. At the end of the list showed the last spider queen and no spider king.
"Then how do you explain the creepy spider guy we saw on our way here?" MK asked.
"Wait you saw an arachne?" Nim gasped in shock.
"Yeah. Big guy, spider legs, human from the waist up." Nod described.
"Oh this is not good. This means the spider queen is actually alive or she apparently did have descendants. Blast those termites!" Nim looked closer at the scroll to see it had been eaten away at.
"So what do we do now?" MK asked.
"They caught us by surprise, I say we regroup and send a scout party in to find where those spiders have taken everyone." Ronin said.
"Maybe use some bait for the spiders? Let them lead you right to the nest." Jack mumbled under his breath.
"You know, that's actually not a bad idea." Nod said, "you'd make perfect spiderbait." He joked nudging Jack.
"I was totally kidding..." Jack tried but the look on Ronin's face told him that they may just go with that plan. Ronin and Nod began to talk strategy as they left the rings of knowledge.
"We'll gather a patrol, have them follow us as we let the spiders think they've captured us."
"They fly back and get more troops then come defeat the spider queen or who ever's running this show."
"Jack, you ok?" MK asked, noticing how quiet her cousin had just become.
"I just keep thinking about that spider that stole the key. Why would it take it?" He said.
"Ronin!" A voice called from the entrance to the tree. Clover came stumbling in, her left arm bleeding slightly. The Jinn parted for her, most gasping and muttering in shock.
"What happened, why aren't you with the queen?" Ronin demanded as soon as she was within reach.
"This was sent to the palace, her highness directed me to take it to you." Clover held up an envelope. Nim suggested they use the back room again. Ronin agreed, knowing panic was something they shouldn't raise right now. As soon as the door was blocked Ronin opened the envelope and read the letter once before reading it aloud.
"Addressed to her highness, Queen Anne of Moonhaven.
Dear Majesty,
As by now you have found that my warriors have taken a great number of your people hostage. If you wish for them to be returned in relatively one piece you will surrender MoonHaven and yourself to me by moonrise. If you refuse then I will have no choice then to send my armies to take what I desire.
Sincerely,
Her royal highness and excellency,
Bassaniana Arachne, Spider Queen."
Clover grew pale as the last of the letter was read, Ronin had handed her the envelope and she had pulled out a torn white daisy petal.
"We don't have time to assemble a patrol. Clover, do you think you can get back to MoonHaven…"
"Your second in command was preparing the remaining leafmen as I left. In all due respect sir I wish to assist you in your mission." Clover interrupted. Nod had never seen the rookie so serious.
"It would be better to have four experienced fighters." Nod added.
"Hey!" MK said indignantly after running the numbers of the party in her head.
"I was talking about your cousin." Nod whispered to her.
"I can fight, thank you very much." Jack shot back.
"Knock it off." Ronin said, pausing in thought. He heaved a heavy sigh and turned to Clover, "Alright, we can't waste anymore time. Now who feels like being spider-bait?"