Wolverine and Spider-Man RPG Isekai

by WaSRI

Wolverine and Spider-man are transported to a Dungeons and Dragons style world with no idea how they got there. Naturally, in order to not starve, the pair gather a party and start taking quests. Contains strong language, sexual themes, nudity, gore, and OCs.

6. The Galas of Ries

WOLVERINE AND SPIDER-MAN RPG ISEKAI EPISODE 6 : THE GALAS OF RIES

"Dear Arianwyn of Boar Bramble and accompanying party,

You are cordially invited to the twenty-third celebration of the Strana Society of Philosophy and Higher Thinking.

In appreciation for your exceptional recovery of the remains of Sigmondus of Mons, you have been invited to this prestigious gala as featured guests. Please dress formally and RSVP as soon as possible.

Yours truly,

Elena of Ries."

Wyn finished reading the letter and looked to her party. The adventurers were sitting at their dinner table in the crowded dining room of the Boar Bramble inn.

"We're invited to a gala?" asked Spider-man.

"Yes," answered Wyn.

"For Sigmondus? Didn't we just get those bones yesterday?" asked Boksee.

"Well, they had to have a reason why they wanted them. The gala is scheduled for next week."

"Cutting it a little close weren't they?" asked Spider-man.

"Well you know city types," said Boksee.

"I resent that."

"Hrm," grumbled Logan taking a drink of his rum. "So how much are we gett'n paid for this?"

"We're not getting paid. It's an invitation to an event," scolded Wyn.

"That's what I was afraid you were gonna say. Uh fuck," groaned Logan.

"I agree," sighed Spider-man. "The words 'formal attire' already made my skin crawl."

"Mine too," agreed Boksee. "Barrels don't look all that darling in fancy dresses."

"Men, we're going. We were personally invited," said Wyn waggling the paper at them.

"You were personally invited," corrected Boksee with attitude. "She didn't even bother to learn our names."

Wolverine grinned as Wyn blushed.

"We're going," she said thunking the paper down on the table. "Better tell Madam Funda to get her needles ready!"

---

"A formal gala in Ries. How exciting," the old woman fluttered as she wrapped a tape measurer around Logan's thick neck.

It was the next afternoon. The group, sans Spider-man, had gathered at the seamstress to be fitted for their formal wear. Spider-man was still at his apothecary lesson.

Logan just squinted in indescribable revulsion as the little old woman measured him.

"So what counts as formal attire around here anyway?" he growled bitterly.

"Oh, you know, gowns, tunics, capes, surcoats. All that flowy, cumbersome stuff," said Boksee waiting across the room. She was fiddling idly with a spool of yarn.

"Sounds better than a tux at least," he said. "A tunic's like a skirt right? At least it'll let the boys breathe."

"You wear trousers underneath it."

"Darn."

"Alright, what do you think?" asked one of the sewing girls.

A few of them helped Wyn out of the back room. She was dressed in a flowing silk gown, silver with purple flowers. It was pinned in the back as it hadn't been fitted yet.

"Stunning!" cried Madame Funda.

"You're so beautiful. Even your muscles look good like that," the sewing girls fawned over her.

"Of course you'd find something gorgeous on the first try," said Boksee sourly under her breath.

She turned to Logan who was standing quietly.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" she asked.

"Bloke's ain't allowed to comment on gal's clothing. Anything we say we'll be taken as a creep."

"You bet your furry bum it will," said madame Funda. "Now then honey," she said to Boksee. "Let's see about finding something to…accommodate you. I'm sure we must have a dwarven gown around here somewhere."

Boksee sighed.

"Now where's Spider-man," snarled Logan as a few sewing girls held swatches to him. "Can't take that long. He better not be avoid'n this. If I gotta be here. He's gotta be here.

---

"No! Not like that! You incompetent young fool, have you never ground a burzur root in your life before?" snapped Gustel as he shambled through the back room of the apothecary.

"You know, remarkably, I haven't," sassed Spider-man losing his patience as he twisted away at a mortar and pestle.

"Bah, you kids are all the same."

"I'm actually an adult you know," he sneered. "I know you've been old longer than I've been alive but is that really an excuse to not be able to tell the difference anymore?"

"I don't even know what you're prattling on about," sighed an exasperated Gustel waving his hand about. "Maybe if you spent more time grinding and less time screeching like a cicada you'd get some adequate work done."

Spider-man gave him a death glare as he continued. After a few more minutes of twisting he finally finished grounding the root and held up his mortar to be inspected.

"Is this good enough?" he asked with resentment.

The apothecarist gave it a miserable look with his one good eye.

"Eh, that will do. Now, give it a taste."

Spider-man looked down at the bright orange powder.

"Are you just trying to poison me?"

"It's burzur you idiot! Never been in a kitchen before either?"

With some apprehension Spider-man dipped a finger in the powder and held it to his mouth. No spider sense.

He tasted it.

He coughed in surprise but just for a moment.

"Spicey," he said.

"Yes spicey," agreed Gustel. "Do you know what spice is?"

"Um, a chemical compound that accidentally stimulates the thermoreceptors in our mouths?"

"What? No! Spice is the magic of heat. It holds the power of heat without actually being hot itself," instructed Gustel. "Therefore the magic."

"Right…" said Spider-man raising an eyebrow.

He really shouldn't be so skeptical. He was here to learn after all, and he knew the potions worked so there had to be something to it.

"Look here you prancing little show cock," said Gustel slapping down a piece of parchment and grabbing a stick of charcoal. "All potions have five basic components. The subject, which is what you've got there, determines the nature of the potion. In this case you've got the subject of a rudimentary potion of heat. Change the subject and change the entire character of the potion."

"Hm, the subject is the primary variable. Ok," said Spider-man watching the apothecarist draw a diagonal line on the paper.

"Then you've got the catalyst. This is what sparks the magic into life. He drew another line."

"Then the fuel, like wood in a fire, this is what keeps the magic existing. No wood and the fire doesn't exist." He drew a third line creating a triangle.

Spider-man nodded.

"The vehere, which is usually water, carries the magic in a physical medium," he said drawing a swoop under the base of the triangle. "and finally the stabilizer," he said drawing a circle around it all. "This is a magic that contains the other magics. It keeps the magic in a state of stasis so a potion can be put away and used months, years later. You got all that?"

"I think so, yah."

"Good," said Gustel stiffly. "Not all subjects, fuels, veheres, or stabilizers work with each other or in the same strengths, so that's where the study comes in. Knowing what ingredients and what strengths work together is the corner stone of brewing. For the potion we'll be making today we've got the subject, burzur, and we'll be combining the ingredients with heat by fire. It's very common."

"Can you use the heat from a potion of heat to make a potion of heat?" asked Spider-man.

"Well, you could I guess," said Gustel raising an eyebrow. "But the heat you use has to be hot as fire. That's a strong potion to waste."

"Got it."

The old man lit a small flame in a hot plate and put a pot over it.

"While that gets started tell me. If burzur root, which is spicey, holds the magic of heat, what plant will hold the magic of cold?"

Spider-man thought for a moment.

"Mint?"

"That's right. Mint, which holds the power of coldness without actually being cold. Now if I added equal strength mint to our burzur root here in a potion. What would happen?"

"You'd get a room temp potion?"

"Yes. They would cancel each other out. They are perfect opposites and so would render the subjects inert, unless, that is you add a sixth component to the potion, a divider."

He added a line down the center of his drawing.

"A divider will separate the two subjects. Then you can add a timer."

He added another curved line with ticks on it to the drawing.

"This compound determines which subject is expressed first. In this case we will be adding a timer that expresses the cold first. Now to ensure the potion activates at the proper time we…"

"Ok slow down, I'm getting lost," said Spider-man.

"It's simple you blank. We are making a potion that starts off cool and then turns warm. It's a potion used by us elderly for our aching joints."

"Oh!" said Spider-man amused. "We're making Icy-Hot." He laughed. "I go through a ton of that crap."

"What? What use do you have for it you summer beansprout?"

"I get beat up a lot. I get aches."

Gustel let out an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes.

"Just go get me some mint," he said throwing a thumb at the garden.

"Uh… I don't know what mint looks like."

"UGHH!"

---

Gustel took the burzur and mint, put it in a tray and placed it on a scale.

"Now we have our subjects, can you guess what the vehere is going to be?"

"Water?" answered Spider-man.

"Look at that, a cicada with basic recall," sassed the old man sarcastically.

Gustel filled a cup with water from a bucket and added it to the scale.

"One part subject, three parts vehere for this potion," he said as he balanced out the scale. "Aha."

After measuring out the water and plants correctly he put them to the side.

"What's the catalyst?" asked Spider-man.

"Magic, what else? To activate static magic, active magic must be added. Learning the catalyst spell is one of the very first things they teach you in the academy."

"Oh," said Spider-man disheartened.

"But before we do that, we have to add one more component, the fuel."

Gustel pulled out a handful of some sort of shavings.

"River birch roots are excellent at storing magical energy," he said placing the handful on a slab. The slab had a few symbols drawn onto it with chalk and two large circles with a line running between them. He placed the root shavings into one circle then shambled over to a crate.

Throwing off the lid and reaching inside he pulled out a tiny grey mouse.

"Aww," said Spider-man.

With one flick of his thumb there was a snap and the mouse went still, its neck broken.

Spider-man gasped in horror.

"Now, it's important not to kill the thing," said Gustel without missing a beat. "When the mortal coil is released, the life force goes with it."

He plopped the paralyzed mouse in the other large circle. Then he aimed his hand at it and began chanting a spell. As he did the lines drawn on the slab lit and the shavings began to glow.

"And done. The mouse's life force, also known as its mana, is contained now in the root shavings."

He tossed the now dead mouse in a bucket.

Still as casually as ever, the apothecarist scooped up all his ingredients and added them to the pot.

"Now, we let this boil for about, ooh, for hours, strain out the used root shavings, then we add the divider. Let it separate. Then add the timer and the stabilizer. And that's how to make one of the world's most basic potions. Any questions?"

Spider-man just stared at the pot in horror.

---

"Took ya long enough," said Logan as Spider-man exited the apothecary. The group was there to meet him.

"So, how'd it go?" asked Boksee.

"Um, fine," answered Spider-man carefully closing the door behind him. "I don't think potion making is for me."

"What, after I go through all the trouble to get ya in?" asked Logan.

"No, I appreciate it. I really do. Thanks Wolvie, I owe you one."

The mutant just crossed his arms.

"What was wrong with it?" asked Wyn. "Learn some dark secret or something?"

"Or something," said Spider-man. "Uh, I did get some Icy-Hot out of it though," he said pulling out a round bottle of milky white liquid.

Logan snorted a laugh.

Boksee gasped.

"Aww, is that your first potion?" she cooed like a proud mom.

"Yep," said Spider-man. "First, and last."

---

The week passed by with little in the way of mishap or adventure. Different members of the party would take the odd quest here or there to make some coin. They trained, Wyn did her paladin studies, Boksee did whatever rangers did in the forest, Logan made a name for himself at the pub, and Spider-man worked at the stables.

A few days before the gala was scheduled the group prepared to depart.

"So," said Wyn as they loaded their luggage in the back of the wagon. "I've gotten us this ride to Newport. From there we'll take a ferry down river to Ries. That will be the fastest way."

"Well since we're leav'n two days early it can't be that fast," grunted Logan carrying over a bag. He and Spider-man had both bought some more clothes in the past week. They were currently dressed as civilians wearing outfits like any other villager.

"Hope no one gets seasick," said Spider-man.

"Yeah," said Boksee.

---

"Yeah," said Boksee weakly as she sat on the deck clinging to a guard rail.

"Deep breath in, deep breath out," coached Spider-man beside her. "Keep the wind on your face and keep looking at the horizon."

Boksee turned her head and started puking into the water again.

"So we're here?" asked Logan pointing at Wyn's map.

"No, we should be about here," said Wyn.

They were all standing on the deck of the ferry. The day was bright and exciting as they made their way downriver.

"We can't be here. Sun's over there. We're facing south. We gotta be either here or here and I bet we ain't here yet," argued Logan.

"Oh," said Wyn chagrined.

"Look," said Spider-man excited. "Water horses," he said pointing over the side of the boat.

Like a group of dolphins, a pod of scaley horses with long fish tales was swimming in their draft.

"They…" Boksee threw up. Spider-man just patted her back.

"They're called hippocampi," she groaned.

"Man Wolvie's right. This place does have a thing with water horses," said Spider-man.

Boksee just moaned.

It was at this point, looking at his poor team mate, as green as the hulk at this point, that the super hero finally came to a decision. After looking over his shoulder at Wyn and Wolverine who were still arguing about the map, he turned back to Boksee.

"Ok," he said quietly. "I'm going to tell you something but you can't tell Wolverine."

"Guuhh," she groaned.

Like he was revealing some deep unspeakable secret, he whispered.

"I get sea sick too."

Boksee just gave him a look.

"Not on small boats like this but on big ones. One's where you can't actually see that you're moving but you can still feel it. See I have a very acute sense of balance and when what I'm feeling doesn't match up with what I'm seeing-"

The ranger just swayed miserably as Spider-man prattled.

"-you know what? Never mind. It's not important. What I'm trying to say is that I have a secret method for dealing with seasickness and it might help you too if you're willing to try it."

Boksee looked over to Wolverine and Wyn still arguing.

"Webs, I'd be willing to try sacrificing Paladin to a river god at this point."

---

"You just can't admit you were wrong," said Logan as he and Wyn entered the berthing. It was getting dark and they were heading down to turn in for the night.

"I'm telling you, the captain is probably tired. That's why he agreed with you."

"You won't lose any fight will ya tuts," said Logan grinning.

"Um, what is that?" asked Wyn.

A silken pendulum was hanging from the ceiling. It was like a web cocoon but it was only attached by a single line at the top. It honestly looked like a giant chrysalis.

"Um Spidey?" asked Wyn approaching it, her obvious disgust playing out on her face.

"Ya turn'n into a butterfly in there?" asked Logan.

"Spiders don't turn into butterflies," said Spider-man walking past them in his sleep wear.

They both looked at him surprised.

"Spidey, what is this thing?" asked Wyn disturbed.

"Ask Boksee."

"Huh?"

Wyn opened the flap of the cocoon to meet face to face with a cinnamon haired three-fourths-ling.

"Wanna knock next time paladin?" she asked.

"What are you doing in there?" asked Wyn.

"Spider-man try'n to eat ya?"

"First you accuse me of metamorphosis, now cannibalism. What did I ever do to you Howlett?"

"This is my safety bubble," said Boksee. "Spider-man made it for me because he actually cares and I'm not leaving it 'til we enter Ries."

"I don't understand," said Wyn.

"This kind of cocoon doesn't sway with the ship," explained Spider-man. "Since it hangs freely it stays still while the ship moves around it."

"Oh, it's for seasickness ain't it?" asked Logan.

"Yep."

"And I'm not leaving it," said Boksee. "You all just go on about your day. Let me know when we hit Ries."

"Alright," said Wyn.

"You know that stuff is made out of his body fluids right? Nasty," said Logan.

"You and I both know I've put far worst on my body."

"Got me there," he said as the group started to get ready for bed.

"Want me to bring you some dinner?" asked Spider-man to Boksee.

"You're a sweet man. No thank you," she replied. "With the amount of sick I was making I don't know if I'll ever eat again."

---

More hippocampi frolicked in the waves as the ferry joined many other ships coming into port.

The adventurers, even Boksee, threw their heads over the railing as they rounded a bend and the city of Ries came into view.

It was a sprawling and vibrant metropolis. The buildings were glistening white, each coated in limestone plaster and the roofs were orange with terracotta tiles. They rose up and down across the rolling hills for miles upon miles in all directions interrupted only by patches of vibrant gardens and sprawling grounds. Colorful flags and banners hung from the massive wooden bridges that towered over the crowded river, and behind it all, a white castle loomed, regal and imposing, casting its shadow over the city.

"Aw," whined Spider-man disappointed as they passed under a bridge.

"What are you whin'n about?" asked Logan.

"I was hoping the buildings would be taller."

"Have you gone soft in the head? This place is enormous," said Boksee.

Logan just snorted.

"You're spoiled."

Their small ferry was dwarfed by a massive barge coming into port beside them as they disembarked.

"Ah sweet land," said Boksee. "Please tell me we're taking a wagon back," she asked as they made their way down the walkway.

"Oh great, how long's that gonna take?" asked Wolverine.

"Let's not think about that now," said Wyn. "Let's enjoy our time in Ries. The gala only lasts a few hours. Is there anything else you all want to do while we're here?"

"No," said Logan.

"Not really," said Boksee.

"The usual. Skulk around, scare the locals," said Spider-man.

They joined a busy street overflowing with people coming in from the docks. They were mostly men, but there seemed to be a healthy minority of elves and dwarves as well. They even saw a couple halflings and a tiefling and one point. Above the crowds, medieval flags of Strana and the capitol city fluttered proudly in the air.

"You all really should take better use of this opportunity. It's not every day we're in the capitol," said Wyn.

"I do have plans," said Spider-man.

"I'm hoping to hit up the library," she continued ignoring him. "The one here is the largest in Strana."

"If we let you in there tuts, you ain't never com'n out," said Logan.

"Well someone has to figure out this amulet," she said pulling it out of her bag. It was large as far as amulets go, about the size of a flat baseball and made entirely of metal with an intricate arcane symbol carved into it.

"Are you still on that?" asked Boksee.

"Well someone has to be. We find tracks of someone in mysterious ruins in the Ashen Woods that no one knows about and find an amulet with an engraved symbol that doesn't match any common iconography, and none of you are curious?"

"No."

"Not really."

"I have enough things to worry about, like Wolverine's morning breath," said Spider-man.

"Ain't like you smell like roses," muttered Logan.

"I took a bath."

"What's it even matter? A symbol could mean anything," said Boksee as they continued through the busy streets. "It could be just some random piece of jewelry for all you know."

"Yes, it could be, but claws gave me a great tip yesterday."

"Oh crap," said Logan as Spider-man gave him a look.

"Neither of us recognized the metal it was made of, so I took it to the blacksmith. He nearly passed out. It turns out this little amulet here is pure adamantite."

"Adamantium?" barked Logan.

"What? No, adamantite," said Wyn.

"I think I've heard it called adamantium," said Boksee.

Logan took it.

"That ain't no adamantium I ever seen. This is adamantium," he said ejecting his claws.

Where Logan's claws were a glistening steel, the amulet was black with a green shine.

"Well I don't know what to tell you," said Wyn taking it back. "But the blacksmith said it was adamantite. It's an extremely rare and valuable metal, nearly indestructible, prized for being made into the highest quality weapons and armor."

"Well if it's used for weapons, why did someone waste it on a piece of jewelry?" asked Spider-man taking it.

"No idea, that's the mystery. And that's what I want to find out," said Wyn beaming.

"Paladin, it seems to me the you just like the hunt," said Boksee.

"Yah, I feel like if you find the answer, you're going to be disappointed," said Spider-man looking it over.

"Huh, anyone else ever notice this little hole in the back?" he asked.

"Oh that?" said Wyn. "I doubt that's important."

After round two of Wyn and Wolverine fighting over a map, and Boksee having to ask for directions, the adventurers found their way to their inn, checked in, and dropped off their luggage.

"Well, we've still got a few hours before we need to start getting ready for the gala," said Wyn as they stepped back outside. "I guess I'll go hit up the library."

"I know what I'm going to do," said Spider-man. "Ha ha!" he exclaimed popping his civilian shirt over his head.

His spider suit was underneath.

"You were wearing that the entire time?" asked Boksee.

"I always wear it."

Leaping out of the rest of his clothes, wrapping them in a web sack and throwing it over his back, Spider-man dawned his mask and leapt up onto a nearby roof. He landed in a crouch to the sound of a few astounded gasps and cries from on lookers.

"I'm going to go explore the city. See you flat foots around!"

"Be back by mid-day!" shouted Wyn.

Spider-man somersaulted up onto a higher roof and was already out of sight.

The group was left standing.

"Well, that uh, happened fast," said Boksee.

"Hm," grumbled Logan.

---

The wind off the river rushed through the hills of Ries. Birds soared on the rising air currents, flags whipped in the breeze and a lone Spider-man sped across the terracotta roofs. The red and blue figure twisted and flipped and flung from roof to roof, pulling himself along with shooting web lines.

This is what he'd been missing!

His heart raced in excitement and adrenaline as he threw out a web line and launched himself across the river.

Pedestrians and ship workers alike looked up in surprise and wonder at the strange figure.

Sure it wasn't as good as web swinging from tall buildings, not by a long shot, but it was miles above walking and jumping through trees.

Spider-man spotted a tall tower. Running straight up its wall he surmounted it in four breaths and caught himself spinning on a flag pole.

He turned, the breeze whipping around him, and took in the full view of Ries from an angle he doubted many had the chance to enjoy. The white buildings gleamed in the full day sun, and the massive castle stood proud and majestic in the far distance.

Still breathing heavily, he let out a sigh.

"Yah, this is what I've been missing."

It was almost cruel to keep a spider man on the ground for so long. It had been what, like two weeks? Just cruel.

Man he wanted to go explore that castle, but he didn't think he had time. He also didn't want to get blasted off the sides by magic fire balls for suspected attempted regicide or something.

He let out another sigh.

"Maybe someday, if I'm still even here," he said to himself.

He spotted a large bin of hay below, and after spider sense said it was ok, he leapt from the tower, did a backflip, and fell from the sky landing in a cloud of straw. Flat on his back, he laughed.

"Leaping from towers into hay, why does that feel so right?" asked Spider-man hopping out and dusting himself off.

"YOU!" shouted a man running toward him.

Spider-man's first instinct was to run at the sound of a cop, but after seeing it was a civilian he switched his tone.

"I'm alright," said Spider-man throwing up his hands. "I landed in hay. I'm a professional."

The man caught up to him.

"You…" panted the man.

"Uh, that's me."

"You…"

The man started circling around him, scouring over him like a hungry vulture looking over a dead cow.

"Can I help you?" asked Spider-man starting to get creeped out.

"You…Take your shirt off."

"Do I need an adult‽"

---

With his hands in his trouser pockets, Logan made his way back to the inn. He had decided to wander the city himself, just at a more moderate, less conspicuous pace.

He spotted Wyn and Boksee at an outdoor table.

"Well there you are," said Boksee. "Did you have fun doing whatever a Logan does?"

He shrugged.

"Find anything about your amulet tuts?"

"No," said Wyn bitterly flopping her chin onto her hand.

Boksee snickered.

"Paladin got herself kicked out for pulling down too many books and making too much racket in the library."

"I said not to bring that up!" she snapped.

Logan chuckled.

"See I beat web head back here at least," he said looking around.

"Think again claws," said Wyn. "He's been back for an hour already."

"Well where is he?"

"Oh, he said he was going to be in that building there," said Wyn pointing.

"He went in there with a strange man," gossiped Boksee.

"Hrm,"

"Well, we're going to start getting ready," said Wyn as the women stood.

"Guess I'll go get Spider-man," said Logan rolling his eyes.

"He said he'd come out when he's done," said Wyn.

"Look, I just wanna get this over with. The sooner we arrive the sooner we can leave. I'm gett'n him."

Logan started off toward the building.

"Should we tell him?" asked Wyn quietly.

"No," said Boksee.

They both snickered.

Logan knocked on the double doors of the large shed.

After a few minutes of no answer, he headed in anyway.

As he entered, he noticed a hole had been left in the ceiling to let in a beam of sunlight. It landed directly on Spider-man, who was standing on a stage, strung up with web into an insanely flexible and dynamic pose, glistening with oil, and one hundred percent buck naked.

Logan's jaw dropped open.

Spider-man spotted him and screamed.

He yanked his limbs out of the web and covered himself as he fell to his knees.

The painter whipped around.

"Excuse me, this is a private studio. You're startling my model! Leave now or I'm calling for the authorities."

"Fuck, I ain't never gonna get that image outta my mind," said Logan his eyes wide. "Had no idea you were a rent-boy."

"What‽" cried Spider-man.

"Just hurry it up would ya?"

"JUST GET OUT!"

Logan closed the door behind him as Spider-man threw a paint brush. It clunked against the door.

Wyn and Boksee were outside waiting for him.

"You knew didn't ya?" he asked deadpan.

"Oh yah," said Boksee.

"I said it before, darl'n, you're lucky you're adorable."

Sometime later Spider-man emerged, redressed in his civilian clothes.

"So," smirked Logan, his arms crossed.

"Not a word," said Spider-man.

"I ain't judg'n. I mean when you got it, you got it. Might as well make some money."

"I did get paid, but that's because he's an artist and asked if I'd be a model for a painting."

"Sure. Don't worry kid. I've been a 'model' myself plenty 'a times," he said elbowing him. "You do what you gotta do, but don't tell the X-Men. Ol' slick will faint."

Logan let out a husky laugh.

"Hey, don't we need to get ready for the gala?"

Logan's mood instantly collapsed.

"Oh yah," he said bitterly. "I forgot."

Spider-man chuckled at him.

---

The four adventurers were getting ready at the inn in a downstairs lounge. It was a fancy set of rooms with dressing areas, couches, vanities, and of course places to answer nature's call.

Spider-man stepped out from behind a dressing screen in a long, belted surcoat, undershirt, trousers, and a new pair of boots, looking like a proper gentleman of medieval society. It was modest as far as formal clothing went, an off-gold color with a subtle pattern, but it was still probably the most eloquent thing he had ever worn.

"I feel so fancy," he said picking up the edge of his long surcoat and lifting it like he was doing a curtsey.

Logan, who was sitting on a couch scanning over a map, looked up with a face that could break glass.

"You look ridiculous," he scowled.

"I look beautiful. Better than you in any case."

Logan was in the same outfit except his was a mahogany brown with black embroidery. They had managed to wrangle back his hair into the tiniest little pony tail. Spider-man hadn't had enough hair to even try to pull back so they had opted to slick it back instead.

"I didn't fuck'n say I didn't look ridiculous too."

"Well someone's in a mood," tormented Spider-man. Still holding the edges of his surcoat, he twirled over to him. "What happened to blending in?"

"Like I said, depends on who I'm blend'n in with bub." Logan smirked. "At least you got clothes on now."

"We agreed not to talk about that!"

"I didn't agree to jack squat."

"Hey girls, I know I'm about to get slapped for this, but are you two almost ready?" asked Spider-man.

Wyn was sat in a chair as Boksee, in a dwarven sized green silk dress, worked on her hair.

"Not even close boys."

The men both groaned.

---

"And there. All done," said Boksee stepping back. The paladin's long lavender hair had been braided into an elegant up do with a single flowered hair pin sticking out of it.

"Wow! This looks fantastic," she said turning her head in the polished metal mirror. "Thank you."

"I'm not just a pretty face you know," said Boksee.

"What are you going to do with yours?"

"Oh," she said embarrassed. "Probably nothing. I'll just leave it in my usual buns. Mine's not long and majestic like yours."

"Come on. You've got to do something for the gala. We're in Ries. Maybe just let out the back?"

"Well, alright."

She let down her thick cinnamon hair, then made two smaller buns to the top leaving most of it curling down her back.

"There, I think that looks nice," said Wyn. "What do you think men?"

Wolverine and Spider-man were both passed out on a couch from boredom.

Spider-man startled awake.

"Huh?"

"Whose stabb'n‽" barked Logan shooting up ejecting his claws.

"AH!" cried Spider-man shoving them away.

"Tell Boksee she looks nice," commanded Wyn.

"You're beautiful," "Look'n good," they slurred in unison.

Boksee blushed.

"Alright," said Wyn. "Let's go."

---

The day was bright and bustling in the grand city.

Decorative carriages, carted by prim and tidy horses, pulled in front of an elegant hall and dropped off their aristocratic passengers. Feathery hats, pleated gowns, and bright colored surcoats paraded inside.

The group of adventurers, in comparison, were dressed rather humbly but they still seemed appropriate.

They walked up to the bottom of the steps.

"Ready?" asked Wyn.

"Rather fight Sabertooth," grunted Logan.

"I'll take that as a yes."

She held out her elbow to Spider-man.

"Uh?"

"It's common etiquette for proper ladies to be escorted by their male counter parts."

She waggled her elbow at him.

"We can't be a pair," said Spider-man offended. "Our metals don't match. My gold totally clashes with your silver."

"No it's fine," said Boksee. "You two are doing a solar, lunar thing. Hey wait. Wyn! You're just putting the short people together aren't you?"

"Well that made the most sense logistically. I mean, I would much rather have Wolverine on my arm but…"

"What?" asked Spider-man hurt.

"For fuck's sake stop the gossip'n and let's just do this already."

Wolverine grabbed Boksee's elbow and shoved Wyn and Spider-man up the stairs.

---

"Good afternoon," said a uniform at the door. "May I ask who I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"I am Arianwyn of Boar Bramble," said Wyn. "And this is my party.

"Ah yes," he said finding them on a long list. "This is the accompanying party of three?"

"Indeed."

"May I have the rest of the party's addresses?"

They all looked confused but Wyn apparently understood what was going on.

"This is Boksee Junior of Boar Bramble," she said turning to her. "The Spider-Man of…"

"New York," he said shrugging. "And he's from Canada," said Spider-man throwing a thumb.

Logan gave him a look.

"And The Wolverine of Canada."

"I've never heard of either of those places. How exotic," said the doorman. As they entered, he turned to the hall and declared.

"Arianwyn of Boar Bramble and The Spider-Man of New York. Boksee Junior of Boar Bramble and The Wolverine of Canada."

The man spoke loud and clear but didn't shout into the room and there was no fanfare or flourish. It was simply to inform the room who was now present and it was repeated for every group that entered.

Not three steps in and a woman with an entire dead bird adorning her elaborate hat and wimple fluttered over to meet them.

"Ah, you must be the adventurers who recovered Sigmondus," she twittered.

"Indeed we are."

"You four seem to clean up well. I'm Elena. Welcome to our gala. It's so exciting to have a proper party of adventurers. I have always been fascinated by the adventurer lifestyle and those who feel compelled to live it. I've written a thesis on it."

"Uh, thanks," said Spider-man giving her an eyebrow. "So what made you choose our party?"

"Oh it was all Lord Adaliz's idea. Lord Adaliz!" she called.

An aristocratic man, even by the gala's standards made his way toward them. He was stately, and frankly, rather handsome. His silver hair fell by his ears, and his black eyes were calm and aloof.

"Lord Adaliz, this is the adventurer party that recovered Sigmondus. Adventurers, this is Lord Adaliz of Losthip. Lord Adaliz is the President-Patron of our society and has graciously taken the time to attend our little shindig today. He's hosting his own prestigious gala tonight in celebration of the twenty-third siege of Fort Atree."

"Ah yes, twenty-third time is the charm," said Lord Adaliz cooly.

Elena started chortling.

The party just looked at each other awkwardly.

"Not that any of us have the social standing to attend," she laughed motioning to the adventurers, then she recomposed herself. "It was his idea to recover Sigmondus and he personally funded the expedition."

"Oh, so you were our pay guy eh?" said Wolverine.

"What made you personally pick our party?" asked Wyn.

"It really was an easy choice. Boar Bramble had the closest adventures' guild to the last sighting of Sigmondus. There was only one silver ranked adventurer, and she was currently in a party only ranked steel. What a bargain," explained the aristocrat with a placid smile.

"I knew we were the top hoe," said Logan bitterly.

"What?" asked Adaliz.

"Oh, nothing," said Wyn. She stomped on Logan's foot.

He grunted but changed his tune.

"So, what made you want his bones now all'a sudden?"

"Oh," said Elena. "This year, he was voted by the committee to be inducted into the society. We induct someone every year at the gala, and we thought it would be appropriate for him to be present."

"Wow, that's uh, macabre," said Spider-man.

"Oh not at all. We're sure that if he were still conscious, he would be quite honored," replied Elena.

"Yah, guy who farts on the mage's college sounds like he'd love all this frivolous pomp," muttered Boksee. Wyn stomped on her foot.

"Well I'll leave you to the festivities," said Elena as she took her leave.

Adaliz nodded and turned to do the same.

Logan's eyes went wide.

He elbowed Wyn.

"What?"

"Tuts, ain't that our amulet?" asked Logan. A black, shimmering medallion hung from Adaliz's neck.

The group all looked surprised.

"Excuse me my lord, before you leave, what is that amulet?" asked Wyn.

Adaliz stopped and turned to her, his face having lost all its professional pleasantry.

"Excuse me?" he asked coldly.

Wyn was taken aback and struggled to socially recover.

"Sorry, she loves metal work," said Spider-man awkwardly trying to smooth over the situation. "We just noticed, that's not adamantite is it?"

His face softened slightly.

"Ah, yes," he said looking at it. "It was a gift from a friend of mine."

"What does the symbol mean?" asked Boksee.

"Oh, it's simply a symbol important to my family. My friend got it engraved for me."

"What's the hole on the back for?" asked Spider-man.

At that the man's face finally fell in full.

"How did you know about the hole?" he asked, his black eyes absolutely blazing.

"We…we found one, just like yours," admitted Spider-man.

"What?"

The adventurers nodded.

"Where?"

"In Ashen, not too far from where we found Sigmondus."

"And you're certain?"

"Yes."

"May I see it?"

Wyn moved to pull it from her purse but Logan stepped in.

"Sorry bub. We didn't bring it with us."

Lord Adaliz looked surprised then his face fell into a quiet hatred at Wolverine. The two glared at each other, Logan's wild blue eyes locked onto the aristocrat's venomous black ones.

"That's…unfortunate," said Adaliz. "Of course, I suppose a party of mid ranked adventurers finding an adamantite amulet would be more than incentivized to keep it."

Logan huffed out a laugh.

"And I suppose an aristocrat covering his tracks would be well incentivized to take all the evidence," he sneered.

Adaliz rolled his eyes with a huff then walked off.

Logan rolled his shoulders smugly at his victory.

"Um, what was that about?" asked Spider-man.

"No idea," said Logan.

---

As the gala dragged on, the group meandered about somewhat awkwardly only answering a rogue question here or there. It seemed clear to the adventurers that they were practically a part of the Sigmondus exhibit. They weren't guests so much as a feature and not a very popular one at that. At least catering was provided.

"You like caviar?" asked Spider-man noticing Logan grabbing some from a literal silver platter.

"Not really, but it's the most expensive thing here so I'm gonna help myself to it."

Spider-man laughed.

Eventually it was time for the induction ceremony. Elena had the adventurers stand near the front as she began her speech. Sigmondus' skeleton had been laid out on a red curtained table decorated with flower wreaths like a winning race horse.

The adventurers, including Wyn, were all ready to fall asleep on their feet.

"…and if he were conscious," continued Elena through her speech. "though who are any of us to say that consciousness does not remain in the body after death, I know Sigmondus would be honored that his unorthodox contributions to philosophy and higher thinking were finally being acknowledged…"

Spider-man's bored eyes wandered. They landed on the skeleton. His brow furrowed. Something was…off.

"Hey," he whispered to Logan.

"What?"

"Do those bones look…off to you?"

Logan's own brow furrowed and he turned to look at them.

"Yah," he said surprised.

The bones seemed whiter than they had when they recovered them, and rougher. They weren't the shining smooth texture of bone, but instead a rougher chalkier texture, almost like…"

"Plaster," whispered Boksee who had been in on the conversation apparently. "Those aren't bones. That's plaster."

"Someone made a copy of the skeleton?" asked Spider-man.

"Maybe they just didn't want anyone to steal or damage the real one?" asked Boksee.

"Yah, but then why…"

"What are you all whispering about?" hissed Wyn.

"The bones are fake," answered Spider-man quietly.

"The bones are fake‽" asked Wyn at normal speaking volume.

The room went silent.

Wyn's eyes went wide as she realized what she had done. The rest of the party grimaced.

"What?" asked Elena, having paused her speech.

"You, you know right?" stuttered Spider-man mortified. "That's a plaster replica of the bones."

The entire room of well-to-dos was peering into him. Spider-man baulked under their scrutiny.

"You put 'em out to protect the real ones or someth'n?" asked Logan stepping in for the save.

"No," said Elena confused. "These are the bones. We wanted Sigmondus to be present. They were kept under the strict care of the house of the dead for us since you returned them."

"Well sorry sweetheart, but someone lied to you, 'cause those are fake."

"Lord Adaliz certified them this very morning," she said looking to him.

"Oh," said Logan raising his eyebrows. "So you stole 'em then?" he said loud enough for everyone to hear.

The crowd let out a few gasps and murmurs.

Adaliz's eyes went wide, his pupils pinpricks of hatred at Logan.

"I will not dignify such an accusation from a drunken, unkempt plebian. You'll need to go now," he said with absolute command. "You and your party are no longer welcome at this event."

A set of guards walked up to surround them.

The guests all looked concerned, muttering in confusion, anger, and empathy to themselves.

"Never wanted to be here anyway," growled Logan.

A cold smirk crossed the aristocrat's face.

"I'll need my amulet back," he said holding out his hand.

Before Logan could even retort, the guards grabbed each adventurer and started rummaging through their clothing and bags.

A guard pulled out the adamantite amulet from Wyn's purse.

"That's not yours you soft skinned bastard!" shouted Boksee enraged.

The crowd gasped.

The guard handed Adaliz the amulet.

Logan snarled and lunged forward but Spider-man managed to hold him back.

"Yes, I'm sure a quartet of mediocre adventurers from the most backwater town in Strana just happens to have an adamantite amulet that matches mine," he said smugly. "Count yourself lucky I'm not having you arrested. Now…"

Like he was swishing away a bad smell, Adaliz waved his hand, and the adventurers were escorted out of the hall.

---

The party found a small garden open to the public a far enough distance away from the hall. They settled around a stone table by some lush hydrangea.

"Well, that was a disaster," said Wyn flopping down and putting her face in her hands. They were all still in their formal clothing.

"It's ok Wyn. Being blamed for crimes you didn't commit is just part of the game," said Spider-man putting a hand to her back.

"What game?" she asked annoyed.

"Life?"

"I think that's just you," said Logan.

"Hrm."

"Well, now what?" asked Boksee as she also sat at the table. "Wanna see if we can just find a ride back home? Maybe hit up a pub or something? I'd like to forget this ever happened."

"Now what?" asked Logan. "Now what, we figure out what ol' slick is up to."

"How do you know he's up to anything?" asked Boksee dumbfounded.

"When you been around as long as I have, you learn to sniff out a rat."

"I'm with Wolvie," agreed Spider-man. "This is some classic evil doer behavior. Why would he need Sigmondus' bones?"

"We don't know he actually has them," said Wyn.

"Oh he has them," said Wolverine.

"Maybe he just wanted some bones," said Boksee.

"And that doesn't set off red flags?" asked Spider-man.

Wyn just gave them a skeptical look.

"Look, all I'm saying is we should sneak into his place and look around a bit," said Logan. "He's having his own pretentious party tonight so there'll be plenty of distractions."

"Break into a nobleman's home?" asked Wyn in disbelief. "For no reason? Are you insane‽"

"You're just mad he threw us out," said Boksee.

"And stole our amulet!" snapped back Wolverine. "You said it yourself tuts, there's someth'n to it."

"There was something to it but we figured it out. It's his," she said disheartened.

"Then what was it doi'n in Ashen in all those ruins?"

"Maybe he had sent someone else to find Sigmondus before hiring us," said Boksee.

"And gave them a copy of his pure adamantite amulet to go digg'n in the woods with?"

"Yah, that doesn't make sense," said Spider-man.

"Maybe it was another member of his family…who died. Or just gave up," said Boksee.

"No way. These people never do their own dirty work. That amulet ain't what he's say'n it is."

"Hey, isn't it a crime to unlawfully collect people's remains?" asked Boksee to Wyn.

"Is it?" asked Spider-man excited. "Yah! We could totally bust him."

"It's also a crime to break into the home of aristocracy!" snapped Wyn losing her patience with all of them.

"Come on tuts," said Logan.

"Look," said Wyn. "Even if he has the bones. Even if there's more to this amulet. Even if your wildest theories are true and it reveals some sort of grand dark secret, what does that have to do with us? What would we even be looking for? A nobleman might have stolen some bones. It's not the end of the world."

Spider-man and Wolverine looked at each other. It was clear they were both thinking the same thing.

With a slight nod from Logan Spider-man spoke up.

"It matters," he said cautiously. "Because it might explain us."

Wyn and Boksee both gave them a perplexed look.

"What do you mean?" asked Boksee.

"You know we're not from here but we're not from here, here," Spider-man tried his best to explain. "We're not from Strana, we're not from this continent, or this planet or maybe even this universe. We don't know how we got here either. We both just woke up in that river in Ashen the day we met you Wyn. That's one of the reasons we wanted to go back in there, to see if we couldn't find any clues of how it happened."

The women were both looking at them like they were crazy.

"Come on, in a world of magic and monsters and whatever, us say'n we come from a different world is that hard to buy?" asked Logan.

"And we did find a clue. A couple clues," continued Spider-man. "We found those ruins that no one knew about, and we found that amulet. It's true. We didn't give you enough credit Wyn. There really is something important about it because now it's showed up again around the neck of someone with a lot of power and clearly keeping some pretty big secrets. It's loose, it's really loose, but it's our only lead. The only chance Logan and I have of figuring out how we get home."

Wyn and Boksee both looked at each other, then back to Wolverine and Spider-man.

"You're serious?" asked Wyn.

They both nodded.

"Please, as a favor for us tuts. Webs and I don't know what we'd even be look'n for. We need your gals' help."

Boksee turned to Wyn unsure.

Wyn gave them one last scrutinizing look, those violent pink eyes looking for any sign of charade.

Eventually her face fell. She lowered her head and smiled.

"This is so, so very illegal," she sighed out.

"All the most effective things are," said Spider-man.

Boksee snorted a laugh

"Ok," said Wyn. "We break into Lord Adaliz's estate and try to find out the truth, about the amulet, about Sigmondus, about the ruins, about pretty much anything that might tell us how Wolverine and Spider-man ended up in that river. Then we get out of there before we're all thrown in the Ries gallows."

"Agreed," said Wolverine and Spider-man in unison.

"You know I'm in," said Boksee.

"Alright then men, make yourselves ready. We meet back here at dusk."

---

The night was warm, and the cluttered stone streets of Ries were filled in equal parts with lantern light and fireflies. The manor that Lord Adaliz called home was in the center of a grand estate, acres of rolling green yards and lush gardens.

As the adventurers snuck by the cobbled path to the mansion, they heard the sound of hooves.

Hopping off the road, they hid behind some bushes and a few tombstones as a carriage passed.

"What's with all the graves?" asked Logan.

"This is Losthip Abbey. It used to be the city's old house of the dead and the entrance to the burial catacombs before becoming the stately home of Lord Adaliz's family," said Wyn.

"How do you know all that?" asked Spider-man.

"Because I read up on the place. I said make yourselves ready. What did you all do?"

"He probably went to go strip again," said Wolverine.

Spider-man gave him a Charlie horse.

"Son of a bbiii…" Logan hissed through snarled teeth as he grabbed his thigh. "Why do you hit so hard you cock sucking, cuck dangling…"

"What did you just call me‽"

"BOYS! Wolverine language! Spider-man play nice! Men in general, stop talking!" snapped Wyn.

"I didn't say anything," said Boksee bitterly.

They hid silently as another carriage trotted past.

"What does cuck dangling even mean?" whispered Spider-man.

"Maybe because you hang people up in webs?" whispered Boksee back.

"Honestly, it just had good flow," said Wolverine.

Wyn stomped on everyone's foot.

---

Sneaking from one hedge to another up the mansion grounds, they eventually neared the front entrance. Extravagant carriages in all shapes and colors were circling the front as they dropped off their passengers who were just as flamboyant.

"Alright, how are we gett'n inside?" asked Logan.

"I could just sneak in through a high window," said Spider-man.

"You don't know what you're look'n for."

"Right."

"You could just pull us up after you, or leave us a web line to climb in," said Boksee.

"Wouldn't work," said Spider-man. "It would take too long. I'd already be pushing it just sneaking in myself with the amount of people around and the height of the building."

"It's four stories high," said Boksee.

"That's really short."

"Maybe we can just sneak in with the crowd," said Wyn. After all, we did wear our formals."

"I did see a couple dwarves," said Boksee.

A woman stepped out of a carriage in a bright raspberry dress. The skirt was as wide as a table, the sleeves bigger around then her head. Her hair was twisted up into a massive jeweled hennin and what appeared to be an actual drake head was hung over her back.

"Don't think that's going to happen," said Logan as the adventurers looked on.

"Yah, we look like hobos compared to these people," said Spider-man as the eccentric parade of nobility continued. "I mean, much more fashionably inclined hobos but still."

"Besides, I think we need an invitation," said Boksee.

"And here I got all dolled up for noth'n," said Logan.

"Let's see if we can't find another entrance," said Wyn quietly.

They carefully moved around the grounds.

As it was a lovely spring night, the flowers all in bloom, the gala was an indoor-outdoor event. Lavish gardens of sprawling roses and flowers Spider-man and Wolverine didn't even recognize were filled with regal guests and staff tending to them. The adventures continued around the mansion until they at last spotted a door with one lone guard.

"This looks like our best bet," said Wyn. "Now we just need to get the guard out of the way," she said pulling a blade.

"Out of the way without drawing attention to ourselves," said Spider-man pushing her hand down.

"If we just knock him out, web him, or worst, someone might notice he's gone missing."

"Hrm," said Wyn mildly disappointed.

"What we need to do is distract him while we move inside," said Boksee.

"Gotcha," said Logan. "Alright tuts, get your sweet ass in there and get him outt'a the way."

"What‽ I am a lady and a paladin. I am not going to reduce myself to seduction," she said sternly. "Besides, see the jewelry in his right ear? Clearly he is a man interested in familiar company."

"Your gaydar went off?" asked Spider-man.

"Ahhh…I get ya," said Wolverine. "Spider-man, get your ass in there."

"What‽"

"You'll strip for cash won't ya?"

"No one is getting their ass in there," said Wyn.

Logan scoffed.

"Fine, then I'll get my ass in there. Work'n with a bunch of amateurs here!" said Wolverine pushing his way out of the bushes as they tried to grab him back.

Logan sauntered up to the guard.

"Hey bub, know where a barbarian can get a stiff one around here?"

The guard turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

"You're a little short to be a barbarian."

"Just means I don't gotta bend down as far," he said giving the guy a look.

The party in the bushes looked on in disgust, confusion, and horror.

Wyn covered her mouth.

"Um, is he implying…" asked Boksee.

"No Boksee! Cover those pointed ears of yours!" whisper-cried Spider-man trying to throw his hands around her head.

"I think I'm older than you!" she whisper-yelled back fighting him off.

"He's a bad, dirty man. And what's worse. I think Wolverine might be our femme fatale. All is lost."

"I don't know what that is," snapped Wyn as her party flailed.

"You know…because we're doing like this heist kind of thing, except we're not stealing anything. Uh…"

"Shut it!

"Are you trying to seduce me?" the guard asked Wolverine point blank.

"Yep."

The guard chuckled.

"You don't want to kill anyone do you?"

"No more than usual."

"You know," said the guard looking him over. "The floorman really pissed me off tonight. I told him we needed more than one guy stationed at this entrance. Some Tom, Dick, or Harry with a bone to pick might come along to…rub me out."

Boksee face palmed.

"I suppose I could…lie down on the job, if you can make it worth my while," said the guard smiling.

Logan gave him a fanged smirk.

"Bub, I'm the best at what I do."

As Wolverine and the guard walked off, the rest of his party dashed inside.

---

They almost immediately ran into a crowded room, but managed to catch themselves in a small nook.

Quickly snatching a glimpse of the room, they ducked back into hiding.

"It's the kitchen," hissed Boksee.

There were at least thirty different workers preparing heaps of luxury foods up to and including cutting open a man-sized fish on a long wooden table.

"What do we do now‽" asked Wyn.

Spider-man, as far as he dared, peered out into the busy room.

There was no clear way across, nothing to hide behind.

"We need another distraction," he whispered.

"Yah, but I don't think pleasuring a spit-boy will do it this time," hissed Boksee.

Wyn looked to him.

"What?"

"Well I can't imagine anything more distracting in the kitchen then a rampaging Aranea."

Spider-man just gave her an astounded look.

"Oh! You should get naked!" exclaimed Boksee.

---

"No, no," said a cook to a spit boy. "You're turning the roast too fast."

With no warning, Spider-man, bare naked, crawled quickly across the kitchen ceiling shouting and hissing. He rolled his eyes back into his head and scurried in random directions bending his bare flexible body in grotesque and unnatural positions.

The kitchen staff shrieked as they fled, pots breaking and trays clattering as they screamed for guards and clergy men.

Wyn and Boksee quickly dashed through the empty room and through a side corridor with Spider-man hopping down and running behind them.

They slid into a closet just in time for the guards to hurry past and find an empty kitchen.

Wyn had her eyes covered as Boksee handed Spider-man his clothes.

"Not a word of this to Wolverine," he hissed taking them.

"Yah, you didn't even get paid for this one," she said smugly.

"Good work," said Wyn once it was safe to open her eyes. "But I think a giant spider would have been even more effective."

"I can't just turn into a giant spider…" he said offended yanking his surcoat over his head. "…on a whim."

"Yah, the Aranea needs a notice period for that," snickered Boksee as Spider-man wrangled his clothes on.

After the super hero was redressed into his formal wear, the trio peeked into the hall.

They ducked back inside as a group of guards, muttering about the crazy and overworked kitchen staff, made their way back down the long corridor and turned a corner.

"Alright, looks clear," said Spider-man.

"Let's go," said Wyn.

---

"What are we looking for?" asked Spider-man as they ran through the back halls of the manor.

"A library, an office, Sigmondus," said Wyn.

"Would you quiet down?" whisper-shouted Boksee as she and Spider-man jogged to a stop. "How can your feet be that loud in slippers?" she asked Wyn.

Wyn came to a stop, her feet thunking loudly with every step.

"I told you!" she snapped. "I've got no skills in stealth!"

"No kidding! You clonk!"

"You are a bit…clonky," said Spider-man rubbing the back of his head.

"Spidey, I think you should just carry her."

"What‽"

"Ok,"

Spider-man scooped her off the ground and threw her over his shoulder.

He and Boksee took off running again.

"Wow, even carrying your bum his step is still quieter than yours," whispered Boksee.

Wyn hung over Spider-man's shoulder sourly as they continued.

The hall came to an end at a lounge full of guests. They were standing around in their flamboyant clothing, chattering, drinking, and generally making merry the way only the most well-to-do can to the sound of live musicians.

"Can't go this way," whispered Boksee.

"We need to get upstairs. That's where I'm betting his office is," whispered Spider-man.

"How do you guys even know he has an office?" asked Boksee.

"It's a mansion. He's an important rich guy. He's gotta have an office," said Spider-man.

Wyn, still thrown over his shoulder, turned and nodded in agreement.

"Let's find another way around," said Boksee.

"Hey, what I miss?" asked a familiar voice.

"Logan!" they all whisper exclaimed together.

He gave Wyn over Spider-man's shoulder a baffled look.

"Did you finish off the guard?" she asked.

"Oh I finished him alright."

"So you like lead him to the bushes and beat him over the head or something…right?"

"But I thought we couldn't do that…" started Boksee.

"Sure tuts," interrupted Logan.

"After all the crap you gave me…" snapped Spider-man.

"Anyway, what are we doi'n?" he asked ignoring him with a smug grin.

"We need to get to the second floor," said Wyn.

"Second floor at least," said Boksee. "There are like two more after that."

"Sounds like we need to…"

"YOU!" shouted a voice.

The adventurers all jumped and whipped around.

The woman in the raspberry dress was making her way briskly toward them from the hallway,

"You! Young man, what are you doing to that poor woman‽" she demanded at Spider-man.

Spider-man baulked and quickly threw Wyn to her feet.

"Oh, um, I was…she…"

"I…" stuttered Wyn trying to think of some excuse.

"Wait a minute," said the woman walking up to Spider-man. "I…know you."

"Huh? Oh, I'm sure you don't. I get that a lot. I have that kind of face," he said throwing up his hands as she got in his personal space to examine him.

She snapped her fingers.

"I do! You're the one in the painting!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Spider-man's eyes went wide.

"P-painting?"

"Yes. I didn't know you were going to be here," she said grabbing him by the arm. "Oh artist! Artist!" she called dragging Spider-man across the lounge.

He looked back to his group for help.

"Just catch up," whisper called Boksee.

---

Wolverine, Wyn, and Boksee turned down another direction and ducked inside a room. It was night and this room wasn't currently in use so it wasn't lit. It was connected to many others so they ran through a few dark empty rooms, trophy halls, conservatories, bars, and sitting rooms, until they found a library.

"Library!" exclaimed Wyn excitedly.

"Do we have time to look?" said Logan.

"This is what we came for isn't it?" asked Boksee.

"Yah but there's a thousand books in here," he retorted.

"Claws," said Wyn striking a flint and steel on a desk breathing light to a candle. "You're dealing with the fastest reading silver rank in Strana."

"Do you think she actually has that title?" asked Boksee to Logan as they moved to guard the two doors to the library. "Or did she just give herself that?"

Wyn knelt down on the floor, candle in hand and started scouring over the books, yanking them to the floor and flipping through them vigorously.

"You don't have time to check the whole library," said Logan.

"I don't need to. I only need to check non-fiction historical and biographical works related to the Losthips or the Ashen Woods."

"Smart," said Boksee impressed.

After a few long minutes of Wyn scanning through the tomes, she gasped.

"What?" her teammates asked in unison.

"Sigmondus! He's here! It's a book of invoices. The Losthip family paid Sigmondus for something forty years ago!"

"How much money?" asked Logan.

"A poultry sum honestly but they were buying his…body."

"Sigmondus was a rent-boy?" asked Logan surprised.

"No, as in, his remains. Sigmondus sold the Losthip family the rights to his body after his death."

"Then he went and killed off in a place no one would find him?" asked Logan.

"Or at least maybe he hoped," said Boksee.

"That's why Adaliz stole the bones," continued Wyn. "He owns them."

"Is that even stealing?" asked Boksee.

"But why did they want his body‽" barked Wolverine. "And why now all of a sudden‽"

There was a noise.

"Quickly!" exclaimed Boksee. They tried to make a run for it and ran right into a suited member of staff.

"What are you three…"

Still in her silken dress, Wyn hip checked the man and sent him crashing into a small powder room.

Ripping a torch hanger off the wall, she smashed off the doorhandle, locking the man inside.

"Wyn!" snapped Boksee.

"He saw us!"

"We could have at least tried to make some excuse!"

"I panicked."

"UGHH!"

The man started banging and shouting.

"HELP! LET ME OUT! THERE ARE THIEVES IN THE LIBRARY!"

"We're busted! We gotta get outt'a here," exclaimed Logan as they ran for it.

---

Dashing through the dark rooms the adventurers suddenly found themselves at the entrance of another crowded lounge, but in this one the guests were all gathered around something at one end of the room.

"Yes, yes," said a voice.

"Oh I agree."

The adventurers looked to see what it was.

Spider-man stood beside the same painter from earlier that day as, sure enough, a vivid painting of him naked in all his glory was displayed behind them.

"Yes, yes," said the artist to the crowd once again. "What I really found incredible was the graceful and supple curve of the hip, so I just had to bring it to the center of sight."

The aristocrats made appropriate noises of intrigue as Spider-man had turned a fascinating shade of crimson.

"I thought you were going to bring your Men of the Docks," said a guest. "I heard it's a masterpiece."

"Oh I was, but I spotted this gorgeous young man dancing across the roof tops and just had to capture his essence. It was only a few hours ago. The oil is still wet."

The aristocrats clapped.

"Of course, I've used a shielding spell to protect it..."

"The poor man's being paraded like a show pony," whispered Boksee as they watched.

"At least it's a distraction," said Wyn. "We can make a run for the door!" she said noting an entrance at the far end of the lounge. It was the mansion entrance hall!

"How do we get Spider-man?" asked Logan.

"He'll just have to make a break for it," said Wyn.

"Alright, I'll go first," said Boksee. Silently, she quickly scampered across the lounge without drawing attention. The guests were still focused on Spider-man and the artist.

Not as quietly, Wolverine made a run for it next. He ducked behind a couch as a member of the crowd looked in his direction. He held his breath, watching for Boksee's signal. After a moment she motioned for him to continue and he made it the rest of the way to the entrance hall.

They both turned to look at Wyn.

She looked back and forth, her apprehension playing out across her face.

"Come on," mouthed Boksee. "You can do it."

Wyn took a deep breath, moved to run, but stopped. Instead, she pulled herself to her full height, made sure her hair was still tucked and tidy, then she walked calmly out into the lounge.

"What's she do'n‽" snarled Logan.

With both poise and confidence, she walked up to the crowd of aristocrats.

"Excuse me," she said walking right up to the artist. Spider-man looked at her surprised. "May I please have my date back now?"

"Oh, you came here with this young lady," asked the artist to Spider-man. "Oh yes of course my dear. I suppose we've hogged his beauty for quite long enough. Off you two go," he said giving Spider-man a little shove. "Such a modest and handsome young couple. You must let me know when children arrive," he called as Wyn practically pulled Spider-man away. "I'm sure they'll make lovely cherubs. Yes, anyway," said the artist turning back to the crowd none the less perturbed.

Wyn and Spider-man met up with Wolverine and Boksee.

"Spider-man, are you alright?" asked Boksee at his beat red face.

"T-they said things…about my body…" he said putting his hands to his chest. "Things I didn't consent to."

"It's alright buddy," said Logan genuinely giving him a few pats on the back.

"They talked about his penis didn't they?" asked Boksee to Wyn.

"And my butt!" whisper cried Spider-man. "So much about my butt!"

"Well you are rather gifted in that area," said Boksee.

"WHAT‽"

"Men we're escaping!" snapped Wyn.

As they dashed toward the door, it began to open.

They threw themselves into the closest room and hoped they hadn't been noticed.

This room did have some light coming into it from the lamps outside. It was enough light for them to see where they were.

"Hey! It's the office!" said Boksee.

"Wonderful!" said Wyn.

"The mansion already knows we're here!" whisper snapped Logan. "We don't have time to take a tour!"

"This was your idea and the whole reason we came!" retorted Wyn. "I'm not leaving until we at least get a quick look around. I didn't find anything about the amulet or the ruins in Ashen. Help me look and we'll be out of here faster."

At that the adventures quickly spread out and began scanning over the room in the dim light.

Wyn lit another candle as she went to the bookshelf.

"What's the office doing on the ground floor," whispered Spider-man. "And by the front door?"

"There is nothing weird about an office on the ground floor," said Boksee searching over the desk with her own candle.

"Yes there is. It's like having the master bedroom on the ground floor. It's weird."

"Sometimes houses are set up like that."

"But this is a mansion! There are rooms to choose!"

"Shut up and search!" snapped Logan.

They continued scouring the room.

"Here!"

Boksee pulled out a piece of parchment from a desk drawer.

"Look," she said as the group came over. It was a letter with the same symbol that had been engraved in the amulet inked onto the bottom corner.

"And that's not all," said Logan with a grin.

From the same drawer, he pulled out a familiar disk of glimmering black metal.

"That jerk," said Spider-man. "He stole our amulet just to toss it in a drawer?"

"What's the letter say?" asked Wyn.

"I don't know," said Boksee. "It's in elvish. Can you read it Wyn?"

"No, I only know a few words. See if you can't find the envelope. We can at least see where it came from."

They quickly scoured around the room once again.

"Here," said Logan pulling a sliced envelope from the trash.

Boksee took it.

"Looks like it's from Rünton," she said noting a stamp on the back.

There was a noise.

Wyn quickly stuffed the letter and the amulet into her purse.

They blew out their candles and all dashed to hide in odd corners, under furniture and on the ceiling as the door opened.

A guard entered the room. He took a quick moment to look around then he hurried off to the next one.

With the closing door, Boksee relit her candle as the party came out from hiding.

"Yah, we need to be quieter," said Spider-man.

"Hey guys, I think I found someth'n," said Logan.

They followed him over to the wall he had hid beside.

He knocked on it with the back of his knuckles.

"Hear that?"

It was an empty thunking sound.

"It's hollow," said Boksee.

"A secret passageway?" asked Spider-man excited.

"Doubt it, but he might be hide'n someth'n in the wall," said Logan.

He started feeling around looking for a way to open it.

"Here," said Boksee finding a panel. She pushed it and the panel opened revealing a pully lever. With a hard yank, there was a thunk and a portion of the wall slid upwards into the ceiling revealing a door sized entrance.

"Secret passageway," whispered Spider-man.

Logan groaned.

---

They made their way through the tight inner wall of the mansion, their candle the only source of light. After rounding a corner, the narrow corridor opened into a proper hallway. It was pitch black, but as they continued forward, their tiny flame unmasked a single, heavily bolted door looming ominously in the darkness.

The party made their way over to it and began sliding open the bolts. With some level of apprehension, as the final lock was unchained, the door was opened.

Like the hall before, it was pitch black, dust floating in the air but now they couldn't even see a floor.

Boksee lowered her candle and the first rung of a stone staircase came into view.

"This must be the old entrance to the burial catacombs," said Wyn.

"Charming," said Spider-man. "I'm not getting anything on my spider sense, but boy, if we run into any ghosts or ghoulies I'm out of here."

"You better hope we don't run into any ghosts," said Wyn as the party began to carefully descend. "We're at a strong disadvantage to specters without a magic user."

"Wait, I was kidding. What‽"

As the group continued down another light source slowly started to appear. It was a huge circle of shapes and lines strewn across the floor, thirty feet across glowing a dim but vivid red.

"What is that?" hissed Logan.

"Looks like some sort of spell," whispered Boksee.

As they approached they could see spots of darkness covering the lines. There were objects scattered around the room, blocking the light.

Finally stepping onto the bottom and meeting an aged stone floor, the light of the candle illuminated one of the objects.

It was a woman.

And she was alive.

A woman, a live woman, her head bent backwards to stare at them was uncovered from the darkness.

They gasped.

She was in nothing but a few rags clinging onto her body and was tied with her ankles and wrists behind her back. She was up on her knees, her head bent backwards, mouth and eyes opened wide, glassy and vacant.

On her bare chest an arcane symbol was burned into her skin above her sternum. It was glowing a vivid red, the same color as the lines and symbols on the floor.

Boksee screamed.

Wolverine and Wyn both leapt to cover her mouth.

As their eyes adjusted they saw it.

There were dozens of them.

At the end of every glowing line on the floor was a man or woman bound, frozen on their knees. Their heads were bent backwards, their chests thrust forwards, clothed in rags or stripped naked, the same arcane symbol burned onto every chest. They all glowed a bright red. The glowing lines on the floor formed a circle and in the middle of it laid the bones of Sigmondus.

"By the divine," gasped Wyn.

"The fuck is goi'n on down here‽" snapped Logan.

Spider-man bolted toward the first bound prisoner.

He grabbed her and recoiled. There was an electric snap and sizzle as he let go with a yelp.

"It's a spell!" shouted Boksee collecting herself. "There's some sort of spell being performed right now. Don't touch them."

"I'm not leaving them!" snapped Spider-man.

"Your fuck'n right we aren't!" agreed Wolverine.

Each of them had the same circular symbol burned into their skin, the exact same symbol. Each one a perfect, identical copy. It was oddly familiar.

"Wyn," said Boksee quietly.

"What?"

"Let me see that amulet."

She pulled it out and Boksee compared it to the burn marks.

The group all looked at it.

The burn was a perfect backwards image of the engraving.

They're eyes went wide.

"It's not an amulet," said Spider-man,

"No," said Logan. "It's a brand."

"What is going on down here‽" called a voice.

The adventurers whipped around as Lord Adaliz stepped through the heavy door. He had an orb of magical light floating behind him casting a long shadow down the stairs at them.

"Oh, I seem to have a pest problem," he said bitterly.

"You!" snapped Wyn. "You filth! You're a necromancer!"

"Oh yes dear. What gave it away?" he asked flippantly. "Was it the bones?"

Logan lunged at him.

Blood splattered as Wolverine was thrown off the stairs.

"Logan!"

The party ran to him.

Four enormous claw marks were slashed into his chest. He clutched at them, snarling and crying out.

They turned to see Adaliz's shadow had risen out of the ground. It was sinewy and an absolute darkness. The only color on its amorphous body was Logan's blood dripping from its slicing claws.

Instead of healing, the tissue around Wolverine's wounds began to grow sickly and grey.

"Necrotic damage!" gasped Wyn.

"What is that thing?" snapped Boksee.

"A shade atronach," answered Lord Adaliz calmly. "I'll leave you to it."

Adaliz slammed the door closed behind him with the sound of locking bolts.

A coldness swallowed the room like a gelid breeze.

Boksee's candle went out.

---

They were in the dark. The only light was the glowing red lines on the floor.

"Relight it!" cried Wyn.

Spider sense!

Spider-man blindly flipped to the side with no real plan, but felt the wind of something just barely missing an attack. He tripped and stumbled over a prisoner.

Logan snarled and grunted on the floor. He couldn't remember the last time he had been in pain this long. Hot, tacky liquid covered him. He could feel his flesh rotting and dying.

"Paladin! You're holy light!" shrieked Boksee.

"Right!"

Somewhere in the blackness, Wyn pulled her holy object and began to chant…

"I a warrior…"

Wyn was tackled by Spider-man as the air of the atronach's attack swished past her. Spider-man threw her across the room and rounded a kick on the monster, his spider sense leading the way.

His leg slipped through something silky and painfully icy. Spider-man gasped as his body went weak and he collapsed to the floor.

His spider sense screamed!

Just then the room was lit in a dim light. Boksee had relit the candle.

"Hey! Over here!" she called swishing the tiny delicate flame back and forth.

She reached down and ripped fabric from her dress and tried to catch it on fire.

"NO!" screamed Spider-man.

Like the thickest, blackest funnel of smoke, the atronach launched itself at her.

"I a warrior of the divine beseech requite..."Wyn started chanting again.

The atronach changed directions and went for her.

"No! Here!" cried Boksee throwing flaming fabric at it.

"…Give me flame in this dark and wicked night…"

Spider-man was back on his feet.

He flung himself into Boksee, moving them both out of the way just in time as the massive black claws of the shadow slashed over them.

"…Grant me this day my pious right…"

It noticed Wyn again and flew towards her.

"Bless us now, HOLY LIGHT!"

The room erupted into blinding white light. Every adventurer had to shield their eyes. They couldn't see but they heard an ear-piercing screech. They covered their ears as they ducked to the floor, eyes crammed shut.

As Wyn's miracle ended and their eyes not only recovered from the bright light but then re-oriented themselves to the dim candle light, the three adventurers approached what was left of the shadow beast, a black puddle on the stoney floor.

"Wolverine!" shouted Spider-man.

He, followed by Wyn and Boksee ran over to Logan.

He was still on the ground, still bleeding. His gashes weren't healing.

"Why isn't he getting better‽" snapped Spider-man.

"It's necrotic damage!" said Wyn. "It kills the flesh it touches."

Wolverine was snarling and gasping in pain.

"It's going to be ok Wolvie," said Spider-man dropping to his knees beside him.

"Course it is," he snarled. "But not if we don't get a move on. Help me up will ya!"

With a great deal of effort and obvious pain, they managed to get the mutant to his feet.

Spider-man moved to try to web him up some bandages.

"No time for that!" he snapped. "We gotta catch Adaliz!"

"How‽" cried Boksee. "He's bolted us in here!"

Spider-man looked to the heavy, reinforced door. Then he cracked his knuckles.

---

The gala was in full swing. Most of the guests had finally entered the ballroom for the evening dances and Lord Adaliz, after dealing with a few interloping laymen was making his way back to the event. His guests' long colorful dresses and regal surcoats swirled and swayed to the musician's waltzing tune as he made his way through the dance floor.

"Splendid evening," complimented a guest as he passed.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," he answered with all professionalism.

Despite himself, the lord couldn't stop a small smile from resting on his lips. His mind was filled with his imaginings. He thought about his atronach slicing the adventurers limb from limb, their rotting blood squirting across his prisoners.

His smile spread.

As he stepped up onto the observation stage, there were gasps. The music suddenly stopped. His smile disappeared.

Wyn, her silken dress torn and tattered ran into the middle of the room.

"Everyone you have to leave!" she shouted in her booming voice. Every eye in the room was on her. "This man is a necromancer!" she declared pointing at Adaliz.

The room went from quiet to stunned and confused by the sudden claim.

"That's absurd," said Adaliz at last.

"Madame, that is a very serious accusation," said an elvish guest.

The aristocrats and noblemen muttered amongst themselves.

"If he ain't a necromancer, explain me!" snapped Logan panting. He, Boksee and Spider-man came up through the crowd. He was doubled over Spider-man's shoulder, the flesh of his chest black and rotting.

A woman let out a shriek.

The crowd turned to Adaliz.

He stared back at the ballroom full of guests and intruders, the gears turning and twisting behind his black eyes.

He let out a furious sigh, grabbing the bridge of his nose.

"You've made an absolute mess," he hissed.

"Let's see you weasel your way out of this one!" shouted Logan.

"Lord Adaliz," said the elf. "Please, explain this," he said concerned.

Adaliz's mouth stretched into a frustrated grin, his hand clenched over his face. He shook his head.

"What an absolute mess!" he cried.

Without another word to his guests or to his enemies, the necromancer spread his hands and began chanting. A dark aura swelled around him, his hair and clothing starting to whip like he was caught in a massive wind.

"Stop him!" cried Wyn.

Before she or Boksee had a chance to run forward, Spider-man quickly pulled himself out from underneath Logan and threw out a web line. He flung himself across the ballroom and collided feet first with the man, sending the lord crashing through a massive window, but it was too late.

As Adaliz was sent tumbling into the garden in a rain of glass, something fell from the ceiling and clattered loudly to the floor.

The room went silent as everyone looked to see what it was.

A human femur was laying on the ballroom floor.

Everyone, including the adventurers, stared at it, their confusion quickly turning into a deep instinctual terror. A jaw, teeth and all, joined it, falling to the marble tiles, and snapping in half as it bounced.

Almost as one, the crowded room looked up.

As if they were rain weeping through leaking plaster, human bones began seeping through the ornate ceiling. The crowd gasped and then they started screaming. Noblemen and fanciful women shrieked and yelled as they covered their heads. Dozens of disarticulated skeletons pelted down on them. Bones clattered and snapped and bounced as the room of aristocrats fell and ducked to the ground.

"What is going on‽" shouted Logan.

Spider-man threw up web nets over the top of the ballroom keeping the rain of bones from the guests. They still continued to weep from the ceiling piling in the webbing above.

"Is everyone alright‽" he shouted from the observation stage. "Wyn, Boksee help everyone evacuate!"

The female adventurers immediately snapped to work and started trying to usher the frantic guests over the scattered bones and out of the room.

Before the first guest had even reached the exit, the bones on the ground started to shake and twitch. Suddenly bones were whipping across the floor of their own accord, joining and connecting with each other. Animated skeletons started forming. They were still missing legs, missing arms, missing heads but as soon as they had gathered enough bones to move they started scurrying and lifting themselves from the ground. Everyone, including the adventurers were surprised and confused. The first skeleton with all its pieces together made a lunge at the elven guest.

Wyn leapt forward and stabbed something long and sharp up into the roof of its mouth. She yanked it sideways, sending the sharp object crunching threw its eye socket and shattering the skull in half. She had shoved her hair pin into its mouth, her long lavender locks now hanging free.

"Adventurers!" she proclaimed. "Get your head out of your asses and put these hellspawn back in the grave!"

She kicked the skeleton in the spine sending it tumbling back.

At her words the party snapped out of their shock and leapt into action.

The skeletons started attacking. They clawed and bit and stabbed and hammered at anyone in their grasps. The noblemen and women screamed and shrieked and even fought back as they attempted to flee, colorful clothing ripping, hair yanking, blood splattering.

The adventurers were dashing around the ballroom, pummeling every skeleton they could wrangle. Even Wolverine, despite his rotting bleeding chest, was staggering about, slicing through bones with one set of outstretched claws.

The bones caught in the webbing hanging over the group were also shifting and combining into skeletons. As the skeletons formed they started clawing and biting at the webbing. So many boney mouths chewing at the web and it gave way.

Everyone ducked and covered as an entire army of skeletons fell down upon them.

As the adventurers fought back the horde, Spider-man saw that Adaliz had recovered outside. He was sprinting through the garden.

"You're not getting away from this!" shouted Spider-man swinging after him.

Soaring through the broken ballroom window, Spider-man flung himself into the dark outdoor grounds. Midair, he shot another line and yanked himself to the ground, right into Adaliz. The lord let out a scream as he was pummeled.

"You!" snapped Spider-man grabbing him by the collar and lifting him off the ground. "You're going to stop the skeletons and release the prisoners, now!"

His nose bleeding, face bruised Adaliz just laughed at him.

He grabbed Spider-man by the wrist.

Spider-man let out a scream as he felt a cold pain flood through his body.

He stumbled backwards and watched in horror as Adaliz's face healed itself.

"I have the power over life and death you idiot!"

He threw out a blast of magical energy at him.

Spider-man dodged.

Every plant in the garden where the magical energy hit shriveled and rotted. A rat that had been hiding amongst the foliage fell to the ground, it's flesh putrefying and withering before Spider-man's eyes until it was a rotten skeleton.

He gasped.

---

Back in the ballroom, Wyn had found a large, ornate metal candle stick. She was swinging it around two handed, the heavy foot of it serving as a mace head. She smashed it into the skeletons as they attacked the noblemen, breaking them into bones. Every so often one got a hit or a bite, scratching her face, tearing her already tattered dress but the paladin held her ground, defending the citizens as they screamed and kicked. One skeleton came at her from behind, arms reared to club her over the head.

Boksee sprinted up with a broken torch mount, wielding it like a metal club and slung it through the monster's ankles. The bones of its legs shattered. As it hit the floor it started crawling toward her. Boksee smashed it until it was splinters.

"Thanks for the save," said Wyn rounding on another undead.

"What else am I here for paladin?" she called busting open a skull.

Across the room, clutching his seeping chest with one arm, Wolverine snarled, his fang like teeth bared as he sliced through any skeleton that came in arm's reach. His claws weren't the most effective against creatures without flesh, but a few good swipes and the skeletons were dismembered enough to collapse. He staggered about, still in the fight, refusing to back down.

Sweating, exhausted, his vision starting to blur, Logan smelled something that made him gag on the air as he panted. It was a smell of rot unlike any he had ever smelled before.

---

Spider-man leapt sideways dodging a blast of necrotic magic. It hit the ground below and a few tombstones. Grass, flowers, and whatever animals had been living in them melted into sludge.

He tried to make a run at the lord.

Another blast of dark magic!

Spider-man was forced to dodge again.

He had to close the gap! He had to get in close or he didn't stand a chance!

Another blast, this one twice as forceful.

Spider-man had to leap with all his might in a glorious jump to avoid being putrefied. This time, he seized the momentum of his dodge and sent out a web line, swinging himself sideways toward Adaliz in a flying punch.

A solid wall of skeletal parts erupted from the ground and blocked him. His hand crunched on the bone, shattering femurs to splinters.

"GAH!"

He ripped his hand back out and jumped over the wall.

SPIDER SENSE!

Another web line and yank toward the ground and Spider-man just barely dodged another blast of magic sent shooting into the air.

He landed, mere feet from the necromancer. In a split second he saw a look of desperation on the lord's face and suddenly Spider-man knew he had closed the gap.

As Adaliz reared up to deliver another magical blast, Spider-man bolted forward and socked him right in the gut. The lord went flying.

Adaliz went tumbling through the graves until landing hard against a tombstone.

Not letting up, Spider-man sprinted toward him, webbing the lord's arms and legs to it before he had a chance to recover.

Breathing heavily, but relieved in his victory Spider-man jogged up to the restrained necromancer.

"So, any last words before I wring your neck‽" snapped Spider-man out of anger and adrenaline.

Stupid move.

"Omnes moriendum!" shouted Adaliz.

In an eruption of purple light, a wave of black energy exploded from the lord. Spider-man leapt straight into the air but he was still caught in some of the blast. A gnawing emptiness and burning pain unlike any he had ever experienced flooded through him. He landed collapsed on the ground, and saw in his blurring vision that everything around him was beginning to rot in a bath of black and purple aura. Spider-man tried to lift himself up, to run before he too began to rot but he couldn't.

"GET UP!" he internally cried at himself.

He couldn't.

He was growing faint.

"Get up!"

His vision was dimming, a blackness was swallowing him.

"Get…"

Blood shot into the air, but it wasn't his. Despite his bleeding, rotting abdomen, Wolverine had dashed forward, one set of claws at his side, through the aura of death, and sliced through Lord Adaliz.

The lord screamed as his body was cleaved apart, but in a fraction of a second he was dead.

The aura lifted and Spider-man gasped. The emptiness and pain left him like air being sucked from a room. Then he gasped again.

Scrambling to his feet, the super hero bolted toward the necromancer. He came to a stop, trembling at the sight of the massive cleaves through the aristocrat's body. Blood covered him like water, soaking through the webbing binding him, pooling on the ground beneath as it dripped. His eyes were locked open.

Spider-man stared at the corpse, horrified, and petrified, and nauseated, and overcome with a panic all in one dizzying emotion.

He pulled his head away and snapped it toward Wolverine.

"LOGAN!" he shouted shock turning into fury. "LOGAN! HOW COULD-"

Wolverine snarled, grabbing his rotting flesh. He vomited something black and putrid then finally collapsed, landing in the mess with a slap.

"LOGAN!"

Spider-man ran to him and flipped him over. He was alive, gasping and heaving. Spider-man could start to see bone through his rotting flesh. It was the worst thing he had ever smelled and he had to fight with all his might not to retch himself.

"h-HELP!" he called picking up Wolverine and running back toward the hall. "HELP!"

---

Pushing her sweaty hair from her face, Boksee clubbed the last crawling skeleton to bits.

"Good work," panted Wyn jogging up. "Is everyone alright?" she called to the ballroom.

The aristocrats, all worse for wear, nodded appreciatively.

"Oh," said Wyn to Boksee.

The ranger's dress had been torn across the chest revealing a breast.

"Well, that's a bloom'n shame," said Boksee looking down at it, her face turning red.

"Here, here dear," said the woman in the raspberry dress. She limped up and handed Boksee a large piece of her own torn clothing.

"Thanks," said Boksee taking it and tying it around herself.

"I've been informed the staff fled. I believe the authorities will be arriving shortly," said the elven guest approaching Wyn. "Thank you adventurers," he said giving her a small regal bow. Wyn bowed back.

"Speaking of adventurers," said Boksee looking around. "Where did Wolvie and Spider-man go?"

Just as she said it, the pair burst through the ballroom garden doors, Spider-man carrying Wolverine in his arms. The mutant wasn't conscious.

"Logan!" "Spider-man!" the women shouted in unison running to them.

"Put him down," exclaimed Boksee. "Here, put him down!"

Spider-man obeyed and levered Logan to the floor as he sputtered and heaved.

The decay on his chest was still growing. Black fluid was leaking from the side of his mouth as his eyes continually tried to flutter open, his pupils rolled back into his head.

"Please! Is anyone a healer‽" cried Wyn to the room. The aristocracy all shook their heads.

"The authorities are on their way!" shouted one.

"That might not be fast enough! He's dying!" shouted back Spider-man.

The adventurers were all crouched around their comrade as the crowd began to run off looking for aid.

"Will pouring booze on it help?" asked Wyn.

"NO!" snapped Spider-man, throwing his hands to his head. He was panicking.

"Spider-man, calm down," said Boksee sternly. "We can't help if we don't think clearly."

Spider-man nodded.

"Ok, ok," he said thinking out loud. "Necrotic damage. How, how do you fix necrotic damage? Wolverine can heal but not while he's being poisoned!"

"We need an antidote," said Wyn as Wolverine continued to rot and convulse.

"What's an antidote to necrotic damage?" asked Boksee. "It's not like it's natural."

"You're right!" exclaimed Spider-man. "Necrotic damage, it's not natural. It's magic! It's the magic of death," he said having a realization.

"What?" asked Wyn.

"The magic of death. It has to be!" reiterated Spider-man. "It gives death without actually being dead. I learned it at the apothecary. We need to counter it with the magic of life."

"Well what's that?" asked Boksee.

"I don't know," said Spider-man. "What gives life without actually being alive?"

He thought, watching Logan's skin slowly rot like paper burning in a fire. Then he had an idea.

Spider-man quickly ran up to the catering table. This was a rich people party. They had to have it right? Yes!

Spider-man spotted what he was looking for. Swiping every ounce of it he ran back to Wolverine and the girls.

"What is it?" asked Boksee.

Spider-man revealed a dozen gilded cups of tiny black balls.

"Caviar?" asked Wyn.

"It's eggs," said Spider-man. "Eggs create life but they're not alive," he said dumping them in a bowl. "This has to be it!"

"So you're just going to pour caviar on him?" snapped Wyn.

"No, we have to activate the static magic."

"And how do we do that?" asked Boksee.

"It's gotta be you."

"What, me?" asked Boksee.

"I don't know how to do magic," said Spider-man. "I don't even know if I could. But you can."

"What do you even want me to do?"

"You have to activate the magic in the eggs."

"How?"

"With a spell."

"I don't know the spell!"

"Neither do I but you can do it!"

"I don't the words or even what I'm supposed to do!"

Wolverine gagged, more black fluid spitting up from his mouth.

Wyn grabbed his face.

"Ok, ok," said Spider-man again. "Imagine the eggs are a big pile of tinder. Ok? You have to make one little spark. One flame and the whole thing will go up like a torch. That's what it'll be like to activate the static magic? Ok?" he ranted.

Boksee looked at him, then she looked to Wolverine.

"Ok."

"You can do it. He needs you," said Wyn.

With a final nod, Boksee looked at the caviar and held out her hand. She closed her eyes and started to repeat over and over again.

"Ignite... Ignite… Ignite…"

Her hair started to wisp around her. A light glowed under her hand.

"Ignite… Ignite… Ignite…," she snarled.

The tiny orbs of the caviar started to flicker in a soft light.

"It's working," shouted Wyn excitedly.

"Ignite... Ignite... IGNITE!"

The eggs lit into a bright yellow.

"You did it!" cried Wyn.

Spider-man quickly smashed his hand into the bowl and started squishing the eggs. Then he poured the juice into Logan's wounds.

They watched as the spread of the black decay halted.

Spider-man let out a sigh of relief.

"You did it!" exclaimed Wyn again grabbing Boksee.

Just then, emergency healers, apothecarists, and military ran into the ballroom.

---

Dozens of the city's official guards and constables made their way up the grounds and inside the once respected abbey. Massive pits of rot and erupted bones polluted the once beautiful gardens and the once lavish ballroom was filled with shattered glass and skeletons.

As various officials came to escort or tend to the wounded or traumatized aristocrats, Wyn found the elvish guest.

"Excuse me sir," she asked him. "Do you read elvish?"

"Of course."

"Could you read this for me?"

The elvish man took the letter.

A healer was tending to Wolverine as the apothecarist had already administered a proper antidote to the necrosis.

"Using caviar to combat necrotic damage. Quick thinking," said an apothecarist to Spider-man.

"Not quick enough," said Spider-man looking at the absolute state of Wolverine.

"It's miraculous he's only as damaged as he is. You saved his life."

"Actually I don't think I had all that much to do with it. Glad I could help somewhat though," he said watching as the healers cut away at hunks of rotten flesh.

"Are you new to the academy?" asked the apothecarist. "I don't think I've seen you around before."

"Oh," said Spider-man turning back around. "I uh, just have that kind of face. I get lost in a crowd."

"How is he?" asked Wyn coming over.

The healer sat back surprised after cutting away the last hunk of rotten flesh. The massive gashes in Logan's body were already beginning to fill.

"Looks like he's going to be ok," said Boksee to the healer's surprised expressions. "What'd the letter say?" she asked meeting up with Wyn. Wyn looked down at her notes and read off the translation.

Dear Spring,

Thank you for your generous gift. The livestock was much appreciated and served our shared purpose well. In return, I hope you will accept this rare assortment of tomes. I believe they may interest you in your chosen discipline.

Yours truly,

Summer

Spider-man made his way over to Wolverine. He felt sick and dizzy looking at the raw open flesh of his friend's chest and stomach.

"Here," said a healer handing him a blue potion.

"Huh?"

"You've had some life forced drained. You need a potion of mana while you recover."

Spider-man took it, and knowing full well what probably went into it, downed it in one gulp.

He shivered in disgust at the sharp taste, and pins and needles were sent through his body, but afterwards, he did admittedly feel better. He hadn't even realized how drained he had felt until he was more whole again.

He went to go sit by Logan.

As he did, the wounded mutant grabbed him by the arm.

Spider-man looked down at him.

"Thanks kid," he rasped out.

"Hey, no problem," said Spider-man with a relieved sigh putting his hand on his. "Though, you really should be thanking Boksee."

"Thanks…" repeated Wolverine. "For not wank'n on me."

"What‽" cried Spider-man pulling back.

"Well, eggs got the magic of life in 'em, so the other stuff must too right?" grunted Wolverine.

"Oh no! Logan no! You're ruining everything!"

"Thanks for not, you know, blow'n a load on me."

"Stop talking!"

"He is right though," said the apothecarist walking over. "Milt, semen, eggs, placenta, and mandrakes are all used in necrotic antidotes."

"I've had both the magics of life in me today," slurred Logan.

"No!" cried Spider-man hiding his face between his fingers.

"But I think he may be delirious," said the apothecarist.

"Gonna make some fish people."

Boksee laughed.

"I think his dying wish is to just make you as uncomfortable as possible," she said to Spider-man.

"I don't know what any of you are talking about," said Wyn covering her ears.

"Nah, if I wanted to make him uncomfortable, I'd get out my own magic of life," said Wolverine.

"Yah, no one wants to see that Logan," said Spider-man.

"Well, I mean…" said Boksee.

"Well I saw yours today kid, better return the favor," he said grabbing his belt.

"NO!"

---

The four adventurers, in the ripped and bloody remains of their formal clothing sat in the back of a cargo wagon making its way out of Ries. Logan was passed out but carefully tended to with bandages and a blanket. It was dark but this darkness was different. It wasn't deadly or cold or empty, instead it was soft, like a blanket itself wrapped around the adventurers as they huddled in close company.

"Sorry we never found out anything about how you and Wolvie ended up in the river," said Boksee.

"It's ok," said Spider-man. "It was a long shot anyway. I think we uncovered something more important."

The party sat silently watching the lights of Ries grow farther and farther away as their wagon slowly traveled into the dark countryside.

"So where are we going now?" asked Spider-man quietly.

"Where else?" said Wyn. "We're going to Rünton."

The end.