D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

— Kat —

They chose the one with the webs. It was mostly Hedera’s decision, Kat did delegate it to her after all… but Kat agreed with the choice. Sure they could debate over it endlessly, but at the end of the day the chest covered in spiderwebs coming from the OP spider lady seemed like it was more likely to have something… interesting in it. Either something quite powerful or a trap, and there was no sign that the chests were trapped. Thyme hadn’t mentioned it.

“Well, now that’s sorted… do you want me to drop you off somewhat close to the old settlement?” asked Weaver.

Kat sipped at the tea she’d mostly forgotten about. Hedera had gone through multiple cups but for Kat it was still her first. “I think I know why… but would you mind elaborating on that a bit?”

Weaver shrugged and said, “My sight is rather limited now. When my webs are fully established and saturated in my power I can see all things that go on… but that was one of the first things they started to destroy and a large part of my seal. I know where things WERE but not where they are NOW so I can only guess at where you need to go.

“This is combined with the fact that many of my pathways were completely destroyed and not just sealed. I’m sure you’re interested in the difference so allow me to explain. The pathways that were sealed, are sealed only because of the grand working that happened after my defeat locking me here. It’s… hmm… I say you’ve broken it but it’s more accurate to say you’ve made number of cracks I can quickly widen had I the energy.

“The pathways that are simply sealed can be forced open again and thanks in part to that lovely meal of crab meat you provided I have enough energy to punch open a seal or two… but the ones that were destroyed? They were completely destroyed and the space in the area solidified somewhat. Theoretically I could still open a pathway through them…”

Weaver let out a long sigh, and the webbing that was pretending to be part of her body seemed to sag at the same time, reminding them, perhaps intentionally, that she wasn’t even whole in body, let alone at the peak of her power. “In practice it would take too much energy. Even back before I was sealed I worked slowly to open new pathways to avoid simply draining myself.

“That’s why I have the beacons. They are concentrated bundles of essence that I have attuned to their task. Sadly I had not the energy to make more… but I was always a bit of a worrier and pathways did occasionally close so I have some stockpiled. They are proving quite the boon now,”

Weaver paused again to see everyone is following along. “So, in this instance, I can either ensure that you’re dropped off at the same place you entered, or I can break open one of the sealed passageways that is, theoretically closer to the settlement. It’s possible it is now IN the settlement but I find it unlikely. The one I’m thinking of is at the bottom of a ravine that might be filled with muck. The ground isn’t particularly stable and it was one of my sneaker paths.

“That’s the main reason it was still around you know? Had I the ability to do so I would’ve fled out through one of the pathways. This was intended for such an eventuality. It’s not going to be fun… but I refuse to believe that whatever settlements exist in the area currently have completely abandoned the old city. They built there for a reason and even if it’s decline there still should be at least a town,”

Kat nodded and asked, “Actually… what were the cities or towns like? How many were there?”

“It depended on the biome,” said Weaver. “Winter only had the one city stubbornly clinging to life, spring was mostly a collection of little villages with a main city, summer had a single major city but a few… I hesitate to call them villages as they were more like waystations for travelling the desert. Finally autumn was sort of a mess. The place seems to flood semi-regularly destroying settlements on the regular. Sometimes they’d build one big town other times they’d build villages,”

Weaver shrugged. “It was a constant argument ‘we should spread out so not everything is lost in the floods’ or ‘we should stick together so we can best fight the flood’ and honestly they were never prepared. Individuals sure, but as a whole? Not really,”

“Lovely…” sighed Kat before turning to Hedera. “I’m ready to leave whenever, just make the call. Unless you want to stay the night here?”

Hedera glanced around nervously and Weaver smiled, “I’m happy to have you as guests for the night… assuming it is night? I still have no idea what time it is but I could check for you,”

Hedera yawned slightly. “I think there’s still a fair bit of daylight left… though I’ve been up for quite a while. It’s… it’s somewhat tempting to get some rest in now. Um… hmm…” Hedera glanced between Kat and Weaver a few times.

[Ah. I think she wants to suggest staying here to sleep while you go into the town and then meeting up once the mission is complete but she doesn’t want to suggest it. Especially after she claimed the rewards for it. Even if we were just balancing the ‘chest’ scales she’s feeling super awkward about it. Problem is… I think it’s the right call and if she’s going to stay here I probably should as well.]

*Really?*

[You sound oddly ok with that?]

*I might not fully trust Hedera… but I do somewhat trust Thyme pretending to be Weaver not to stab us in the back. Plus… this isn’t an instance where you’ll be hurt for long if it turns out one of them is a traitor. I won’t say I love the idea, but I don’t have any problem with it aside from wanting to spend as much time with you as possible, but that’s hardly new or unique and having my hands free might come in handy. I sort of doubt it, but it could happen.*

[In that case I think, assuming Hedera accept, I’ll stay here. I’m honestly quite tired after all of this and my idea of sleeping while the conversation was going on obviously didn’t happen. So… make the suggestion.]

*Sure, but do we point out that we’re assuming this is what Hedera wants or do I just say it’s your idea? Technically it’s true because you picked up on it.*

[Hmmm… Hedera’s not an idiot. We’ve been talking mentally for a bit, and even if we’ve gotten faster at this it’s probably still noticeable. She’ll figure it out even if you don’t point it out directly. So… best not to.]

*Alright.* “Lily was considering staying here for a bit to rest up while I head out, do you want to stay here with her?” asked Kat.

“Oh… um…” Hedera still seemed uncertain but after a moment she nodded. “Yes I think I need the rest. Though… hmm… should you take the Timmy that was following me around for a bit? I don’t know where the little guy is… actually… but um… if you’re allowed to take them along? Maybe?”

Kat glanced around the room and there was no sight of the little guy. Clearly Weaver counted as a challenge of some kind and Timmy wasn’t going to stick around to help with it. Either that or Timmy’s weren’t allowed in webbed area at all for once reason or another. It was possible Thyme had restrictions on them that weren’t disclosed. Probably should’ve asked about it.

“I guess send the Timmy my way if you can but I’m not too worried about it. I plan to be back before you guys wake up. Assuming the town or whatever is actually close by. If it takes longer, it takes longer,” said Kat with a shrug.

Weaver clapped a few times and tugged on her strings. As something was being reeled in she said, “Thank you once again for doing this. I am… somewhat scared of opening myself up to the world once again but frankly I need the source of food and it has been some time. I hope that the I’m mostly forgotten. Oh, yes… hmm… try not to say too much about me that they don’t need to know,”

“Of course,” agreed Kat with a nod. As she did so, a ball of thread came in through the window, it was notably different though. The thread was old and more of a metallic grey instead of silver. It also seemed to pulse slightly with power Kat couldn’t feel but Lily could. It created a small, but powerful distortion of space just by existing and Lily was quite sure it could open a pathway.

A moment later a little satchel also come through the window. “This is to carry it. Um… good luck?” offered Weaver.

“Thanks,” accepted Kat with a nod.