7. Crazy Old Woman

Ann crashed onto the earth with a powerful thud, but despite the great fall, she managed to stand, blood trickling from her nose and mouth. Despite that heavy fall, she still managed to survive, breathing heavily in ragged gasps, like a wild animal. She clutched the dagger in her hand with a very tight grip, an uncanny look etched on her face.

Charlotte struggled to stand, her vision blurring and her eyelids heavy. Each attempt to keep her eyes open were futile at this point as she collapsed to her knees. The liquid coursed through her veins, paralyzing parts of her body. Her face felt numb, sagging where the dagger had grazed her cheek.

"Why are you doing this?" Charlotte's voice wavered with a combination of pain and betrayal as her eyes locked onto Ann's.

Ann couldn't help but chuckle at the question. "Why do I do this, you ask?" Her smile faded, replaced by simmering anger. "If you had any idea of the years I spent in this hell of a place, you would dare question my actions!"

Charlotte's frustration boiled. "So you think killing me is a justified action? And I shouldn't question you?!" Her voice rose in anger, the tattoos on her skin glowing intensely.

Ann shrugged nonchalantly. "For me, it is," she said, her voice calm yet filled with conviction. She shifted into a defensive stance, her hand gripping the hilt of the dagger with renewed focus.

Their gazes locked, a silent understanding passing between the two of them—neither would back down from this battle. Ann was the first to make a move, charging at Charlotte with tremondous speed. Charlotte reacted instinctively, releasing a torrent of flames from her hands. Ann dodged with incredible agility, weaving through the fiery onslaught as she closed distance.

Finally, Ann reached Charlotte, leaping into the air with the dagger poised for the final strike. In that instant, before the dagger made contact with Charlotte's head, a cloaked figure burst from the trees next to the hut with blinding speed. Their fist connected with Ann's jaw midair, the impact sending her tumbling across the ground. Time seemed to slow down with Charlotte's gaze following the figure, a small part of their arm revealed, a muscular structure with tattoos as they landed gracefully, standing between she and Ann, ready to intervene.

Ann quickly rose to her feet, wiping the blood from her nose. Her eyes narrowed at the cloaked man, confusion and rage swirling within her. Who could that be? She wondered, her thoughts racing.

Charlotte's eyes widened in shock as she glanced up at the cloaked man, her breath coming in heavy, ragged gasps. His face was mostly hidden, with only two piercing red eyes staring down at her.

Seizing the moment, Ann charged at the cloaked man while ge had his attention on Char. Before he could turn and react, she struck him on the side, her dagger fining the mark. Meanwhile, Charlotte's paralysis subsided as her body healed, thanks to the system's cooldown ending. Without hesitation, she sprinted toward Ann, delivering a decisive kick to her face that forced her to release the grip on the dagger that was still lodged in man's left rib.

The cloaked man fell, but Charlotte caught him before he hit the ground. "Inventory!" she commanded with an urgent determination.

The system tab appeared, displaying the list of items she had collected in her travels. Without wasting any second, she selected 'Stranger's Drum.'

[Item: Stranger's Drum]

[Option: Use/Cancel]

Charlotte quickly tapped the 'Use' option.

[Stranger's Drum Used]

[Uses: 2/5]

Ann struggled to her feet once more, her eyes which was blue, altered to a purplish hue. She lunged toward them, her hand outstretched to grab Charlotte. But just as her fingers brushed the air where Charlotte had stood, the two vanished into thin air.

Both Charlotte and the cloaked man reappeared mid-air. Below them lay a small village with wooden houses and thatched roofs, nestled within a wide, gloomy forest. In the distance, a black mountain loomed, casting a shadow over the scene.

She struggled against the silky material that bound her, desperately trying to move her arms and legs. But it held her firmly in place, refusing to give her freedom. She even summoned her flames, hoping to burn it, but the web remained unaffected, even getting firmer.

Frustrated bubbled up inside her as she glanced around, searching for the cloaked man on only to spot him also suspended in the air by the same strange silk. "Hey, can you hear me?!" she shouted, but the man remained unresponsive, her voice falling on deaf ears.

Charlotte groaned at his apparent indifference. She glanced around the area, searching for anything like a weapon that could aid in her escape. But the forest was gloomy and the blue fog began to thicken, offering no salvation and leaving her trapped in this sticky situation.

Just as hope seemed to fade, a distinct sound caught her attention, a faint, rhythmic crawling noise, much like the scuttling of insects. Charlotte's heart raced as she peered through the blue fog, her eyes dancing. Emerging from this strange blue mist was a colony of massive, human-sized spiders, their many eyes glinting ominously as they crept closer, and as Charlotte saw them she finally understood. They had just caught themselves in a trap made by man-eating spiders, and they were seconds away from being its first or second meal.

Charlotte struggled even harder, desperately trying to free herself from the web. She mustered all her strength, puling her arms and legs, but the sticky material refused to budge.

"Aghh!!" she cried out in fear, tears welling up in her eyes.

The spiders crept closer this time, their grotesque forms triggering a flood of trauma Charlotte had during her childhood. Her heart pounded as she squeezed her eyes shut, turning ger face away in terror. The critters climbed the web, inching towards her, ready to make her their next meal. Just as one spider prepared to sink its fangs on her, a sudden whistling sound filled the atmosphere. An arrow flew through the fog, striking the one of the creatures, piercing its body. It fell to the ground, twitching violently before its life extinguished.

Charlotte's eyes shot open once more, her terror replaced by shock as she watched the creature draw its last breath. Then, a strange yodeling echoed through the forest. She glanced around, spotting dark silhouettes moving among the trees. They were dressed in tribal clothing as well, their features obscured except for the glowing eyes and pointy ears that glimmered in the mist.

The figures wielded bows and arrows, expertly launching projectiles at the spiders. Arrows flew with precision, striking the monstrous creatures while intentionally avoiding Charlotte and rhe cloaked man. Charlotte's fear mingled with awe as the barrage of arrows continued, the sheer number overwhelming the spiders. Despite her terror, she couldn't help but feel hopeful as the anonymous rescuers kept her safe from the advancing threat.

Minutes later after the spiders were successfully eradicated, one of the rescuers who appeared to be the leader descended gracefully from the highest tree. His movements were slow and deliberate as he approached Charlotte, his presence imposing and almost made Charlotte feel threatened. The glistening light of the sun finally revealed his full form.

He was tall with dark skin, his eyes completely white and unblinking. His pointy ears stretched wide from the sides of his head, adding to his otherworldly appearance. His skin was adorned with strange intricate white tribal designs and black, silky strands of hair cascaded from his head down to his back. His clothing, crafted entirely from animal skins—zebra, leopard, or perhaps lion—gave him a wild, yet regal appearance. In his hand, he gripped a bow tightly, the tension in his knuckles evident.

Charlotte gazed up at the mysterious man, her eyes widened and her neck cranked to take in his full height. Her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and awe surging through her every being. She could feel a small sense of fear and invulnerability, a childhood trauma she had from a young age when she glanced up at mascots of cartoon characters.

As he stood before her, others from his tribe began to emerge from the shadows. They varied in shape, size, color, and gender, but shared distinctive features that marked their connection—pointy ears, glowing eyes, and elaborate tattoo designs etched across their bodies. Each step they took seemed deliberate, their silent presence filling the forest with an air of mystery and power.

Charlotte bowed her head in fear, her voice trembling as she pleaded, "Please... don't hurt me."

From the crowd of mysterious individuals, two males stepped forward, their expressions unreadable. They approached her with a calm, deliberate pace. Without a word, they gently placed their hands on her skin, their palms moving smoothly over the areas bound by the sticky web.

At first, Charlotte found their actions strange and confusing, but as she watched, a soft white glow began to emanate from the intricate tattoos on their bodies. The light pulsed gently, and to her amazement, the sticky web that had held her captive started to dissolve. Slowly but surely, the web melted away, freeing her completely.