Chapter 5 - A new plan

Before the queen asks me to feast on the dead man, a sudden commotion erupts in the cavern. Arachnia's laughter comes to an abrupt halt as an enormous figure jolts into the scene, a massive spider whose presence dwarfs even the queen herself.

This colossal arachnid creature moves with a primal, predatory grace. His body, a fusion of spider and humanoid features, is covered in sleek, iridescent black chitin. Towering over the queen and her servants, he exudes a palpable aura of dominance that sends tremors through the cavern.

The enormous spider descends upon the spider queen with a breathtaking leap, his massive form pressing her down onto the silk-covered table.

With an assertive dominance, the spider forces the queen to meet his gaze. His eyes, fierce and unyielding, lock onto hers, and a silent exchange of power unfolds.

His voice, primordial and raw, reverberates through the cavern in bone-chilling yells. "Since when do we offer food to our preys?" he roars, the force of his words echoing off the walls like a thunderous proclamation. The very air quivers with the intensity of his primal voice.

The queen, pinned beneath his immense frame, struggles to respond, her regal demeanor shattered by the unwavering authority of the colossal spider. The servants now watch in stunned silence.

What is even going on?

"I am sorry," she struggles to say.

The spider, his fierce gaze unwavering, refuses to release his hold. He demands more than a mere admission of guilt – he desires submission, a supplication that acknowledges his authority.

"I am sorry, my king," the queen repeats, her words tinged with desperation as she recognizes the futility of defiance. But the king remains unyielding.

This is my cue to get out. Slowly, I walk back, retracing my steps until I reach the alcove where I find Mila inside, this time dressed.

"I heard shrieks—" she says, but before she can continue, I press my hand on her mouth.

"We need to get out," I tell her.

She looks at me puzzled, then with understanding. She grabs my hands and yanks it away from her mouth.

"Do not shush me ever again," she says, and throws some clothing at me.

"Where did you get those?!" I ask as I dress up in haste. She points up in the ceiling, towards the hanging bodies. I shiver but there is no time to waste. When I am dressed up, she walks ahead of me.

I grab my backup and my gear, then follow her. The tumultuous power struggle between the spider queen and the colossal spider king rages on in the distance.

If I had intended to kill the queen, I would have to kill the king.

I do not stand a chance.

The power dynamic in this layer was beyond my comprehension, and challenging the colossal spider meant a sure death.

"Are you coming?!" Mila asks, her voice carrying a twinge of exasperation. How can she be so chill in a situation like this?!

I shake off the unsettling thoughts and hasten my pace to catch up with her. The cavern echoes with the distant sounds of the ongoing struggle between the spider queen and the formidable intruder. As we navigate the shadowed passages, the oppressive atmosphere of the spider lair looms over us.

Mila leads the way with an air of determined nonchalance, as if escaping from the clutches of arachnid royalty is just another stroll in the park for her.

I can't help but marvel at her seemingly unaffected demeanor in the face of such supernatural chaos.

"I see you have your gear with you," she says. "Perfect, I remember where I hid my own before I got caught."

I look at her with a frown. Mila smiles.

I have no idea what she has in mind, but I need to get to the bottom of this place no matter the cost.

I've lost everything, I'm not scared of pushing myself to the bottom of this hell.

A man who has lost everything has nothing more to lose, not even his own life.