The Curse of Aranea

Ryoichi was hiding into the place introduced by his friend S. However, after they just arrived, they heard the explosion near the border. S went out for asking about the information. Ryoichi didn't tend to get involved but only wanted to check the situation, and he surprisingly saw the queen. He meant to call Katharina and escape together, but didn't expect she would throw her trident to him! Although successfully dodging the trident, he still got exposed, so that he was also caught up by Pulchritudinem soldiers and was taken to the Mariana Trench.

He was tied up with all queendom soldiers left and hung in the bottom of the small submarine, while the queen, the general, and the prince Jonathan were knocked out and locked in the main submarine.

Didn't know how long had passed, Ryoichi woke up from coma. What showed up in front of him seemed to be a deep valley under the sea, whose edge spread to the very far of his eyesight and could not see its opposite bank or the inside clearly.

The submarines and Pulchritudinem army landed besides the cliff, pushing the captives to the edge to kneel down. As gradually getting closer to the edge, Ryoichi saw a membrane-like net above the valley, through which he could take a glance inside.

Then he saw an image that could ever exist in a nightmare!

Beyond the boundless darkness, a giant and round creature suspended approximately halfway down the cliff. At first Ryoichi thought it was some secret base of the army, whose ceiling was covered with strange spots. Then, along with the scream of other people, he tried hard and saw it clear. How could a building have legs?! It was not a building, not a secret base down the valley, but a big-head spider! So giant was it that the web it made could connect across the valley. So huge was it that Ryoichi mistook its head as a building as the palace. So gigantic was it that the pressure and fear it provided were even than the darkness itself.

Those strange spots? No, it was not necessary for such creature to grow beautiful decoration. Those as big as spotlights were thousands of spider eyes grown on its heads. Take a closer look. Around each eye were a row of teeth and hair. As the sea water waved, those eyes flickered while hair floating.

Ryoichi could not stop trembling.

At this time, the queen was pushed out of the submarine followed by Fergus and Jonathan.

Prince Rodin from Pulchritudinem walked out slowly, wearing a gold gown and hiding his hands in the loose sleeves. He introduced: "The famous Mariana Trench. With the worst environment since the ancient times. No one never knows how and when it has bred the nightmare to us. Well, especially for your queendom people. You've been through it so you know it pretty well. The curse of Aranea."

Katharina was shaking and unable to say a word. So Rodin continued: "It happened when your father reigned. It's all said that it's because of your father married his relative sister, which enraged Poseidon who made punishments. The monster came out and ate many fish, people, including neighboring kingdoms. All the kingdoms and queendoms got together but realized it could not be completely killed, so just sealed it under the Mariana Trench. Wow, let's see." He stepped forward a little and checked, "For Poseidon's sake, what a scary, but beautiful creature! Shame that we can't let it out. But, I kinda like the idea who designed the seal for it. The net above the trench is a one way membrane, so the monster cannot get out. However, fish and maybe lost people can get in. Aha, no wonder the monster just can't die in there. But, but, but, but, this big appetite sweetie must be starving. It's not even moving, so let's send some treats down there to wake it up."

"What're you doing? What're you doing! Don't!" Katharina yelled, but Rodin ignored her. He reached his slim and pale finger from the sleeve, randomly picked one captive and then his soldiers cut his throat and tossed that guy to the trench.

With Katharina's screaming, the person's body got through the membrane and fell. The spider didn't move, but Ryoichi saw those eyes were moving quickly. Jesus! It turned out that each eye of it stood a smaller spider! At this time, those spiders had smelled the sweet blood and got together. Maybe less than a second, that guy was eaten up with nothing left. Being activated and woken up by the blood and flesh, the small spiders started to searching for more. Some of them climbed on the cliff to the membrane; some were stacking themselves with others to reach the membrane. A few moments later, the other side of the membrane net was filled up with spiders with their feet, eyes and mouth making rustling voice.

Rodin said, "well, well, well. That's a lot of them. They're asking for more."

This time, he pointed to a row of ten people, who were tossed and immediately torn up by the spiders right after they got through the net.

Katharina was about to break down: "No! Please! What do you want from me?!"

"Simple. I already said it. You come to Pulchritudinem and your brother takes charge of provide offerings to our kingdom. If you don't take it, that's fine. I'll just toss your people one by one to that trench. When they are all down, I'll go to your palace then and take your beloved sister. I'll toss your brother and sister in front of your face. My dear queen, life for them is only one time, just this one way membrane."

Katharina filled her eyes with anger, staring at Rodin: "I can take it, but only on one condition. You shall deliver Ryoichi to me!"

"Oh, that'll be easy. I'll take you to Pulchritudinem and then you can do whatever you like to him."

"Why can't I have him right now?" Katharina questioned and secretly took a look at Ryoichi besides the trench.

"Like I just said, he's already back to Pulchritudinem, so …"

Katharina realized something was wrong. Ryoichi was right over there, being tied up. How could Rodin not know him if he was the traitor? She re-considered the whole process and had a scary thought on her minds. Would that be possible that the traitor was not Ryoichi but Jonathan, who killed the ambassador on purpose and poisoned the fish army? She looked at her brother, eyes filled with tears unconsciously.

Rodin was a little bit impatient: "Deal? Do you accept it or not? I'll give you, let's say, I'll count to three, or I'll toss another round."

Ryoichi was in this batch!

"One …"

"Your majesty, you can't go with them! Our soldiers would rather die than trade our life with your safety!" General Fergus shouted.

"Two …"

"Sister! Please, just say yes."

"Two point five …"

"I'll go. I'll accept all your conditions." Katharina lifted her head, holding her tears. Her biting the lips showed the last stubbornness.