Chapter 17: Threads of Violence

As the group continued through the cave, Jalen's glyphs began to flicker green with excitement. His body was on high alert, but his mind raced at the thought of another fight. 

"Jalen, I wanted to ask, but what's up with your arm?" Lucio's voice reflected curiosity. "When we were in Stabilous, you didn't have those weird glyphs and since you've had them it seems like it has been growing up your arm."

"Oh yeah, I guess I should've told you a while ago but I basically had to nerf myself...." Pulling up his sleeve, Jalen revealed to the group his arm was covered in glyphs that pulsed and vibrated, wrapping around his arm like vines to a tree.

"So after my fight with Drow, my body was completely fried, I couldn't do a single thing. You remember Lucio, I crashed into the ground and was out cold for two weeks! " Looking back at his arm, Jalen continued. "In that time I encountered my soul tree and my anima nexus, forming this regulator onto myself so I wouldn't go overboard like last time and my power just doesn't spew out of my body."

"Anima Ne- What the hell are you talking about Jalen?" Lucio looked at him more confused than before.

"It's a long story, dude, and a creepy old guy who is basically the creator of this world as well but he isn't that important. That old geezer was just talking hot air."

"Oh wow... so how far can you push it?" Nathan asked.

"Well, as of right now I've only had to extend it once and that was to create that time-breaker form I used to beat you."

"We tied you idi-"

"Anyways as I was saying..."

"DON'T TRY TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT!" 

"Would both of you SHUT UP!"

SMACK SMACK

"Ow! you asshole"

"Bastard..."

Rhea and Stix both let out a giggle even when they were supposed to be serious or argue about their morals, the guys were still best friends nonetheless.

As the group continued deeper into the cave, the air grew heavier, thick with dampness and an eerie silence. The bioluminescent fungi on the walls had become sparse, plunging them into near-complete darkness. The only sounds were the occasional drip of water and the crunch of gravel beneath their boots.

Jalen's glyphs flickered green with excitement. His body was tense, but his mind was alive with anticipation of the inevitable fight.

Lucio swatted at a thick web that clung to his arm, gritting his teeth. "For the love of—these damn things are everywhere." He shook his hand, trying to fling off the sticky strands. "We're gonna get stuck before we even see the damn spider at this rate."

"Here, let me help," Jalen said, his hands glowing faintly as he extended them outward. The air shimmered around him before several torches materialized in his grip, their flames burning steady despite the cave's moisture. He handed one to Lucio with a smirk. "There. Now you can burn through them instead of complaining."

Lucio snatched the torch, muttering, "Smartass," but the relief in his voice was obvious as he used the flame to clear the webs ahead.

Nathan, who had been scanning their surroundings, glanced at Rhea and Stix. "You two, stay in the middle. Jalen and I will take point. Lucio, you cover the rear." His tone left no room for argument.

Stix rolled his eyes. "We're not helpless, you know."

"You're also not idiots," Nathan shot back. "We're in a giant death trap. Humor me."

Rhea nudged Stix forward, giving Nathan a mock salute. "Aye aye, captain."

As they continued, the cave's walls narrowed, forcing them to walk single-file. The torches cast flickering shadows along the jagged rock formations, making the twisted strands of webbing seem like grasping fingers reaching out from the dark. A faint clicking sound echoed from somewhere deeper in the tunnels, distant yet unnerving.

Jalen grinned, rubbing his hands. "Now this is more like it."

Lucio sighed. "I swear, you get excited at the worst times."

"Of course it is, it's easy money after all." Nathan laughed. "All I have to do is freeze time and you and Jalen can take care of the rest."

Lucio frowned. "You do realize I can't move in your frozen time like Jalen can, right?"

Nathan shrugged. "You'll figure it out eventually."

Stix let out an annoyed huff. "And what are Rhea and I supposed to do? Just stand here and wait? We came to help you guys! And I know you can't see my face, Jalen, but I'm frowning!"

Jalen stretched his arms with a yawn. "Well, Stix, I didn't want you and Rhea to come anyway. Ms. Velda was more than happy to watch both of you while we took care of things here—"

"And yet, here we are," Rhea cut in flatly.

Jalen laughed nervously before continuing, "—and as for you, Lucio, I'm still figuring it out, haha. So if we're mid-battle and you suddenly get hit with a surge of power, you're welcome."

Lucio groaned. "That's not how that works."

"Eh, we'll see."

As they ventured further, the cave opened into a massive chamber, the air thick with the stench of decay. The walls were no longer just covered in webs—they were cocoons. Some were collapsed husks, empty and torn open, while others seemed recently spun, their contents still shifting.

The group instinctively slowed down.

Jalen's torches flicker as the ceiling stretched high above them, jagged stalactites hanging like teeth. The ground beneath their feet grew softer, the stone replaced by a sticky, silk-coated floor.

Lucio gritted his teeth and lifted his torch higher. Something moving in the shadows. 

"Multiple. Shit."

A single clicking noise echoed from above.

Then, dozens more responded.

Before anyone could react, a wall of webs erupted from all sides, shooting out like living tendrils. Nathan moved to react, reaching out to freeze time—

But something slammed into his side, knocking him off balance before he could trigger his ability.

Lucio's torch was snuffed out as the first web caught his arm, yanking him backward. He barely managed to slash through it in time, but more descended from above.

"Damn it!" Jalen tried to summon a weapon, but his instincts screamed—MOVE.

A massive, chitinous form dropped from the ceiling, shaking the cavern with its sheer size. The Spider Queen landed between them, instantly cutting Rhea and Stix off.

Jalen, Lucio, and Nathan were immediately swarmed, their focus shifting to pure survival as the horde of smaller spiders lunged at them from all sides. Blades slashed, flames seared through webbing, and the crackle of energy filled the cavern, but for every spider they cut down, more took its place.

Rhea and Stix barely had a moment to react before a group of the creatures turned their attention toward them. Separated from the others, they drew their weapons—Rhea's fingers tightening around the grip of her pistol, Stix raising his sword with a shaky breath.

Lucio's training kicked in as Rhea steadied her aim, firing into the nearest spider's head. The shot rang out in the cavern, but instead of dropping, the creature jerked back before skittering forward again.

"Their shells are too damn thick!" Rhea cursed, adjusting her aim.

Stix swung his sword, slicing through one of the creatures' legs, but the lack of enhanced strength made his attack sluggish compared to what he was used to seeing from Jalen or Lucio.

"They're too fast," Stix gritted out, barely sidestepping a lunging spider.

Jalen caught glimpses of them between dodging razor-sharp legs, his mind racing. 'They can't handle this alone.'

He tried to push toward them, but a fresh wave of spiders dropped from the ceiling, cutting him off.

Nathan clicked his tongue in frustration, freezing one mid-lunge, but the moment he took his focus off the others, another tackled him from behind.

Lucio gritted his teeth, using his torch to burn through the webbing around his arm. He barely had time to slash an attacking spider before shouting, "Hold your ground! Aim for the joints, not the shell!"

Stix adjusted his grip, taking a deep breath. 'Focus.' The next spider lunged, and instead of hacking wildly, he feinted, then drove his blade into the soft tissue between its mandibles.

It shrieked, convulsing before collapsing.

Rhea adjusted her aim, lining up a shot just as another spider lunged. She exhaled—steady—and fired. The bullet hit right beneath its eye. This time, it dropped.

Before anyone could react, a thick webbing shot from the darkness—wrapping around Stix's waist.

"STIX!" Rhea shouted, reaching for him, but another web caught her wrist, yanking her backward.

As soon as Jalen saw the webbing shoot out toward Stix and Rhea, his heart stopped.

"NO!"

His body moved before his mind could process, a green flash igniting around him as he summoned a weapon mid-sprint. A massive axe, heavy and jagged, materialized in his grip, and he swung with everything he had, aiming to sever the web before it fully wrapped around them.

Too slow.

The silk tightened, yanking them upward.

Jalen didn't stop. He leapt, arms outstretched, fingers just inches from grabbing Stix's wrist—

Another web shot down.

Jalen barely had time to react before it slammed into his chest, hurling him back. He crashed against the cave floor, pain exploding through his ribs.

"Jalen!" Lucio's voice barely registered through the ringing in his ears.

Jalen coughed, struggling to push himself up. His eyes shot to the ceiling—Rhea and Stix were dangling above, thrashing against the webs as they were dragged into the darkness.

Rhea's voice was muffled, but she was screaming his name.

Stix's hands clawed at the webbing, his blade slipping from his grip. He reached for Jalen—desperate, terrified—but they were already too high.

"No, no, no, NO!" Jalen roared, slamming his fists into the ground. His glyphs flared wildly, shifting between green and black. The cave trembled as his power surged—his thoughts racing.

'I can summon anything. I can do anything. So why—why the hell can't I—?! WHY DO I ALWAYS HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING!'

He tried again. He summoned a spear, throwing it straight up toward the webs—

The Spider Queen snatched it mid-air, her massive fangs clamping down, snapping the weapon like a twig. She clicked mockingly, as if amused by his struggle.

Jalen's breathing hitched. His mind refused to process what was happening.

They were gone.

The shadows swallowed them, their voices fading into the distance.

Jalen's fists trembled, his breathing ragged, his vision tunneling.

Nathan cursed, wiping blood from his mouth. "Shit. They took them."

Lucio's eyes were locked on Jalen, watching his body tense, his glyphs flickering dangerously.

"Jalen," Lucio said, stepping forward cautiously. "We'll get them back. But right now, we need to—"

"Shut up."

Lucio froze.

Jalen wasn't looking at him. His head was still tilted upward, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt.

Lucio knew that look. Pure, unfiltered rage.

Jalen inhaled sharply through his nose.

Then he whispered, "I'm going to rip this place apart. Starting with them..."