Chapter 29: Infuriatingly Indebted
Once Charmane and Edwin had been patched up, the party resumed their exploration of the forest. South of the ruins was inhabited by weak tasloi, so they decided to veer east. As they ventured deeper into the forest, an unsettling stillness settled around them, devoid of the usual sounds of birdsong or buzzing insects.
Charmane swiftly dropped into stealth, her movements cautious and deliberate. She advanced with utmost care, her eyes scanning the ground as much as the path ahead and the trees above. Luckily, she managed to spot the giant spiders before triggering any deadly traps.
Putting distance between herself and the nearest one, Charmane hurled a dagger towards its abdomen. The weapon proved futile against its thick exoskeleton, but the impact was enough to draw its attention. Satisfied that she had captured the spider's focus, Charmane sprinted back towards her party.
Reacting swiftly, Khalid intercepted the charging monster, slamming his shield against it with a resounding clash. The diversion succeeded in distracting the spider from Charmane's retreat, allowing the rest of the party to join the fray. With their combined efforts, they swiftly brought down the giant spider, its demise coming in a matter of minutes.
Throughout the encounter, Jaheira's face held a mixture of fear and disgust, her features contorted by a deep-rooted aversion. Charmane had offered her the opportunity to join the back line and contribute with her sling but the druid had declined, determined to fight side by side with her husband.
Save for a few venomous variants, the next few spiders were much the same. However, as the party progressed further north, the forest became more densely infested with the giant arachnids.
Charmane's expression twisted in disgust when she caught sight of a big group of giant spiders lurking in the trees. By now she had become adept at distinguishing their different characteristics. Among them, she spotted six spiders with dull green abdomens, a familiar sight by now. Two others stood out with their vibrant orange abdomens, marking them as the venomous ones. However, there were two more spiders that she didn't recognize, their appearance stirring a sense of caution within her. Attracting a single one to engage in combat was no longer a viable option, for it would surely summon the entire pack.
As the party reached the cluster of spiders, a sight that filled Jaheira's heart with dread unfolded before her. A grey-coloured spider, larger and swifter than the ones they had encountered so far, charged towards them with unnatural speed. Its eight legs moved in a blur as it skittered forward, its fangs glistening with killing intent.
Reacting swiftly, Khalid swung his war hammer in an attempt to intercept the creature, but the agile spider evaded the attack with a swift and fluid movement, eluding his strike. As the other spiders engaged the fighters, Charmane attacked from the shadows. Her dagger found its mark in the critical spots between the spider's sturdy exoskeleton, piercing through the creature's defences and drawing a hiss of pain. Without missing a beat, she followed up with her magical club, striking with calculated force.
Despite her fear, Jaheira valiantly fought off four spiders, but their venom was taking a toll on her despite her swift reflexes and enchanted armour. Recognizing the urgency, Viconia swiftly intervened, her voice rising in a chant as she cast a powerful healing spell to restore Jaheira's strength.
In the midst of this chaos, a sudden, enchanting melody pierced through the air, cutting through the cacophony of battle. Charmane's senses sharpened, her heart skipping a beat as she recognised the haunting whistling. Without hesitation, she unleashed her innate ability, transported herself to the ethereal Shadow Plane. Time itself was frozen, the world around her a suspended tableau.
With astonishing speed, Charmane weaved past the frozen swing of Jaheira's scimitar, nimbly evaded the deadly legs of the spiders as if dancing through a macabre ballet. Every movement felt like an eternity as she made her way to the back line.
There, standing with his back turned to the party, was Edwin, a gaping wound marring his back. A spider she had failed to identify loomed menacingly before him, poised to strike at his unarmoured chest. Charmane's heart raced, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she swiftly slipped between the mage and the impending danger, and braced herself for impact.
The next moment time resumed its relentless flow, and the frozen tableau shattered like fragile glass. The spider lunged forward, its lethal fangs aimed at Edwin, only to be met with Charmane's buckler. The rogue deflected the spider's strike, diverting its venomous attack away from the mage. The impact of the spider's strike reverberated through her arm, sending a jolt of force that knocked her off balance. In a surprising twist of fate, she found herself stumbling backward.
Edwin's eyes widened with surprise as the rogue suddenly materialised before him and collided into his chest, causing him to instinctively wrap his arms around her, steadying them both. He could feel the warmth of her body against his, her hair tickling his cheek. Despite the chaos, and Edwin found himself momentarily disarmed by her act of protection.
As Charmane nimbly sprang forward, her buckler held defensively in her left hand, and her enchanted club poised in her right, Edwin's voice, laden with surprise and uncertainty, broke through the chaos. "You," he managed to utter, "How…? Why…?" His voice trailed off, his thoughts in disarray as he struggled to comprehend the unexpected turn of events. Despite all her bold declarations, he had fully expected Charmane to leave him to his own devices, yet here she was, defending him with relentless determination.
The giant spider loomed before Charmane, its legs poised for attack. She deftly deflected a vicious stab from one of its legs and seized the opening, to followed up with a powerful blow from her club. The weapon, imbued with a dryad's dying wish to vanquish unnatural foes, collided with the spider's leg, causing it to buckle under the force of the strike. The arachnid staggered back in pain, its movements momentarily disrupted.
Charmane risked a glanced at Edwin, her eyes meeting his briefly. "Can't have my favourite glass cannon dying on me, can I?" Charmane quipped with a smirk, her tone a mixture of challenge and reassurance.
Her words barely registered in Edwin's mind as a sharp pain coursed through his body, causing him to wince in agony. The spider's venom had taken hold, spreading its toxic tendrils through his veins. His features contorted with discomfort, and he could feel his strength waning.
In that moment, Charmane's concern overrode any sense of amusement she might have had. She swiftly reached for Edwin, her eyes scanning his face for any signs of distress. The pallor that had washed over his features alarmed her, and she knew immediate action was required.
Without hesitation, Charmane drew upon her innate powers, her hands glowing with a radiant golden light. She grabbed Edwin's arm, allowing the divine energy to flow through her fingertips and cleanse his body of the venom's taint.
As the rogue refocused her attention on the menacing arachnid, Edwin's brows furrowed in confusion. His mind churned with conflicting thoughts and emotions, struggling to make sense of the situation. "Humiliates me one moment... saves me the next," he muttered, his voice barely audible amidst the chaos. "Mere pawns," he asserted, frustration evident in his tone. "That's what they are, mere pawns in my grand scheme... But this... this gratitude I feel... it's maddening."
"A little help here?" Charmane called out, as she dodged the spider's pincers. Edwin's reverie was shattered by her voice, and he quickly snapped back to the present situation.
Putting his thoughts aside, the mage began casting, his voice rising and falling in a rhythmic cadence as he resumed his incantation. Within moments the spider's many eyes clouded over, its vision rendered useless. Blinded and disoriented, its next attack fell short, giving Charmane ample opportunity to capitalise. With a swift and precise strike, she aimed her enchanted club at the spider's head, delivering a crushing blow that caused repulsive green fluid to ooze out from the wound. The arachnid reeled in pain, its legs trembling as it struggled to maintain its balance.
Seizing the opportunity, Edwin shifted his attention to aid the front line. Speaking in a low incantation, he conjured a cloud of glittering golden dust that billowed forth, creating a mesmerizing spectacle. The shimmering particles selectively settled upon the swarm of spiders engaged in battle with Jaheira and Khalid. Blinded by the sparkling haze, the spiders momentarily paused their assault, giving the half-elf and her husband a much-needed respite.
"Viconia, move back!" Edwin shouted, his voice filled with urgency as he pointed toward the cluster of spiders. The cleric quickly heeded his warning, distancing herself from the impending danger. Just as she did so, a massive fireball exploded on the front line. The creatures writhed and burned, while Jaheira and Khalid suffered only mild singes.
"Watch it!" Jaheira's voice rang out, her irritation evident in her tone.
"Suck it up, druid," Edwin snarked in response. "Better burned than spider snack."
With Imoen's aid, Charmane managed to take the phase spider down and quickly ran back to the front line. With the threat to the backline dealt with, the party was soon able to clean up the remaining spiders.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the eerie stillness remained, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves and the occasional scurrying of woodland creatures. The party remained on high alert, their weapons at the ready.
Imoen meticulously examined every nook and cranny, her nimble fingers deftly disarming any traps that lay in their path. Meanwhile, Charmane's keen eyes scanned the surroundings, her gaze darting from tree to tree, searching for any signs of lurking spiders.
Soon they came upon an ettercap and a few spiders hanging upside down from giant spider webs in the trees. The fight was just as fierce as before, however, this time, Charmane made sure to deal with the phase spider before engaging the others. Finally, after much dodging of spider fangs and shouting for antidotes, the party managed to clear the area of the venomous monsters.
The ettercap had tucked a magical scroll in its many skin folds, which to Charmane's dismay turned out to be cursed. She idly wondered what the malodourous priest wanted with it as she made her way back to him.
"Ah, my scroll," the priest said, his voice filled with gratitude as Charmane extended the parchment towards him. "Take it with you, wanderer. It will increase your karmic essence."
Charmane raised an eyebrow, a mixture of skepticism and annoyance crossing her face. "This is to be my karmic reward? For battling deadly spiders to retrieve your precious scroll? Are you absolutely certain?"
The cleric nodded fervently, his eyes shining with unwavering faith. "Why yes, my friend, I can assure you it holds great power. It will open your mind and bring you enlightenment!"
"Well then," Charmane said, taking a step forward with a sardonic grin. "I must express my deepest gratitude for your generosity."
Without warning, Charmane swiftly swung her enchanted club, delivering a solid thwack across the priest's head. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious and unaware of his karmic fate.
With a mix of disgust and determination, Charmane shoved the cursed scroll into the cleric's mouth. The pungent odour emanating from him made her cringe, but she pushed through her discomfort, determined to teach the misguided priest a lesson.
"Urgh, this foul smell is making me nauseous," Charmane muttered, her lips curling in distaste. With a final kick to the unconscious cleric, she turned her attention back to her companions with a sigh. "Well, at least we've learned a valuable lesson on how to deal with these new types of spiders, right? Might come in handy sometime."
Jaheira, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and trepidation, spoke up, her eyes scanning their surroundings warily. "I do hope this is the last encounter with spiders for now. But something tells me that may be too much to hope for in these cursed lands."
With the sun gradually descending toward the horizon, casting a warm golden hue over the landscape, the party set their sights on a suitable spot to set up camp. Their footsteps resounded softly against the forest floor as they ventured south and soon they found a safe haven for the night just beyond the boundaries of their previous exploration.
As the camp came alive with activity, Charmane noticed that Edwin, usually brimming with biting remarks and mutterings, was uncharacteristically silent. She couldn't help but feel a mixture of guilt and satisfaction, attributing his subdued demeanour to the humiliating defeat he had suffered at her hands earlier that day.
Edwin clenched and unclenched his fists, his knuckles turning white as conflicting emotions swirled within him. This pesky feeling of gratitude was not something a Red Wizard should be harbouring towards a lowly barbarian. No, this would not do. He would definitely find a way to repay this debt, to restore the natural order of things. Soon, he would devise a plan to assert his superiority once again, to show Charmane that he was not to be underestimated. With these thoughts consuming his mind, Edwin withdrew further into his brooding silence, allowing the night to settle around him.