Oh come on, not again.

  “We need to move,” Sam hissed, trying to keep his voice low. It was almost certain that the denizens of the Dungeon were aware of their location, but he didn't want to make it any easier than he had to.

  He set off at a shuffling run, darting behind the rough-hewn columns that lined the ancient hall. The air was damp and thick with musk, but more than anything, it tasted old.

  While Bast’s temple had been something out of antiquity, somehow, this chamber felt even older. A weight rested on the stone, carved from hands that had died tens of thousands of years before he’d been born.

  The torch’s light only illuminated a small area, and each step brought them deeper into the gloom. The sound above them continued to grow louder, and he winced at the clopping of Molly’s hooves—each step an alarm alerting the monsters to their position.

  While the flames had burned away many of the cobwebs, he could now make out newer, shinier strands pulled taut between the pillars. The silk was imbued with the faintest hint of mana, which actually allowed him to see it more clearly in the dark.

  Out of habit, he poured more mana into [Arcane Eyes].

  He immediately regretted it.

  The entire chamber was covered in webs. Thousands upon thousands of strands crisscrossed the room at all angles, creating an impassable maze of glowing fibres. He stopped himself short just before connecting with one of them.

  If it hadn’t been for his mana sight, he never would have noticed it. He turned back to see that Siel and Molly both had strands hanging from them, yet they seemed blissfully unaware. His worry that Molly would give them away felt laughable. Clearly, whatever had spun the web knew where they were. It was only a matter of time before they were attacked.

  “What's wrong? Why have you stopped?” Siel whispered.

  “These cobwebs, they're just a distraction. The real webs are magical, nearly invisible. We’re all covered in them. Hiding will be useless.”

  “Then we need to keep moving. We’re too exposed.”

  Sam grunted in agreement and picked up the pace, cutting through webs with his spear as they pushed deeper into the room.

  The second he cut the first strand, the chorus of clicks and scratches shifted up a notch. Something about the sound triggered a deep, animal fear. He’d never loved insects, even when he'd been forced to study them in school. The scratching set his teeth on edge, and he found himself constantly glancing upwards.

  Despite pumping mana into [Arcane Eyes], he couldn't determine the source of the din. The clacking sounded as though it was only a dozen yards away, yet he couldn't make out anything in the gloom.

  The roof wasn't particularly high; it seemed as though the enemies should be right on top of them. It was as though they were there, yet somehow invisible.

  A creeping cold settled into his gut as an idea struck him. He’d grown accustomed to using [Apostate] to dispel [Divine Skills], yet he'd only really used it on his weapon. He knew that it could be used to shield them from spells, but could it also be used to break through them?

  He pushed mana into the title and then proceeded to channel the skill up and into his eyes. His vision flickered as the anti-magic fought against [Arcane Eyes]. Reluctantly, he released the skill, and in an instant, the world changed.

  The walls, which had been nothing but bare stone a moment before, were suddenly crawling with hundreds of black, glistening spiders. Massive fangs clicked in an unceasing rhythm as the horde surrounded them, covering almost every available surface.

  The smallest were no larger than cats, but the largest were almost twenty feet in diameter, their multi-jointed limbs crushing their smaller siblings as they greedily pushed their way into position.

  It was truly a vision of hell as the wave of pulsing black carapace encircled them like a whirlpool.

  He whipped his head around, but there was no clear path through the swarm. From floor to ceiling, the Dungeon had become a den of chittering death. There were no waves, no quest, no preamble. They'd been thrown into the worst the Spire had to offer with no warning whatsoever.

  With the illusion spell suppressed, the chamber itself took on a different cast. Far overhead, he thought he could detect the faint hint of light, shrouded behind a thick canopy of silk. At ground level, he could see a series of hallways that split off from the main chamber.

  He had no idea where they led, but the smaller openings would stop the biggest spiders from giving chase.

  “Don't ask why, just have Molly charge that wall!” His voice cracked as he pinged the wall on his HUD, being sure to share it with Siel.

  To her credit, she didn't balk at the sudden command, and a moment later, Molly took off like a horse from the gate.

  Her first few steps clopped against stone, but an instant later, the sound was replaced by the wet crack of shattered chiton. The moment the first spider died, the illusion shattered. Siel screamed, and Mai hissed from where she sat curled across her shoulders. The big cat leapt to the ground and released a wave of crackling golden energy. The spell expanded outwards in a ring, leaving a faint orange glow over the battlefield.

  “They've been weakened, Warriors. Take advantage of it.”

  Sam didn't hesitate and began wading through the remains of Molly’s [Reckless Charge]. His spear cut through the monster’s carapace easily enough, but there were simply too many to make a dent. The instant he pulled his spear free, another spindly-legged monstrosity arose to take its place.

  They surged up his legs, and he felt the pinch of fangs between the gaps in his armour. He stomped them down, smashing them with his shield, but the tide returned again, each time threatening to overwhelm him.

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  The wounds he’d taken from the ogres made him slower than usual, his body sluggish as he failed to counter the spiders descending from the ceiling.

  The first one that landed on him must have weighed three hundred pounds, and only his Bronze constitution stopped his knees from buckling. Fangs scraped against his armour, biting at his neck, trying to find purchase.

  It screamed in his ear as Siel put an arrow through the back of its head. The voice sounded far too human to be coming from the creature, and the uncanniness of it nearly made him drop his spear.

  He took a moment to inspect it as it fell, eyes growing wide as he recognized the name.

  [Tartaran Spinner - Bronze - Familiar of Arachne]

  Daughter of the Weaver. Her Familiars grow and multiply in the endless depths.

  It was the first time he’d inspected a Familiar not controlled by another Warrior. He knew Arachne was a character from Greek myth, but other than her being transformed into a spider, he couldn't remember the details.

  He didn't have time to dwell on it as he was forced to burn the active on [Iron Skin] to push his way through the steadily recovering spiders. Siel was barely holding on, and only Mai’s presence kept her on her feet.

  The sphinx moved like lightning as she darted among the swarm. Her strength was deceptive, and Sam watched in awe as she swatted one of the medium-sized spinners so hard it went flying across the room to splatter against the wall.

  The cat caused enough of a distraction that Sam was able to rendezvous with Molly, who was barring the entrance to one of the side corridors. Together, they cleared a path for Siel, and the group slowly made their way out of the hall and into the less-infested hallway.

  The webs were thicker, but the actual number of spiders decreased dramatically. The slight lull allowed Sam to take a moment to assess his situation.

  He was covered head-to-toe in gore. Ichor and bits of carapace clung to his armour and matted his hair. Blood seeped into his eyes, and he took a second to remove his helmet to try to clear his vision. His hands felt wooden, a deep, pervasive fatigue settling over his limbs.

  As the fight had gone on, he’d found the pain from his injuries had lessened, and even the new bites and cuts from the spinners were dulled. His body felt strangely distant, and he found it difficult to channel his Mana properly.

  Eventually, they came to a junction in the corridor. Both paths were equally packed with spiders, and at a glance, they looked identical.

  “Which way?” Siel cried over the din.

  Sam’s eyes lost focus for a moment as he tried to find some clue among the webs. His vision swam, and the next thing he knew, he was already ten feet down the right-hand corridor, cutting his way through the webs.

  The tugging in his gut had returned, becoming more insistent. It pulled him forward like a magnet, to the point Siel had to beg for him to slow down. He barely heard her over the pounding in his head and the unceasing sounds of the spinners.

  The corridor ended in a doorway.

  The door itself was made of stone and stood slightly ajar. Sam made for it without hesitation, putting his shoulder against it and shoving with all his might.

  Nothing happened until Siel joined in, her slight form adding enough leverage to slowly push the stone inwards.

  Mai slipped through the moment there was enough space, and a few seconds later, Sam heard her voice in his head.

  “It's clear. For some reason, the spinners have left this room alone.”

  Molly continued to watch their backs until they finally managed to push open the door enough for the War Boar to fit through. It was a close thing.

  Once on the other side, the Familiar was able to lend her strength to the task, and they had almost finished closing it when Sam had a sudden epiphany.

  “Wait!” he yelled, voice hoarse. “Leave a gap.” He noticed that there was no handle on the interior of the door. Had they pushed it all the way shut, they would have sealed themselves inside.

  “But what if they try and get through?” Siel asked, her pale complexion barely visible under the layer of sticky green ichor.

  “Then we deal with them. Something tells me if we close this door, we’re never getting it open again.”

  Siel nodded, and they slowed their advance, leaving an inch gap. A few of the bolder spinners tried shoving a limb inside, but they quickly gave up after Mai ripped them clean off.

  Siel summoned a few more torches and lit them, throwing them out into the pitch-dark room. The flames revealed a simple, square chamber. The far wall was dominated by a peculiar hearth, which almost appeared to contain some sort of altar. Piled high on either side were round clay pots, stacked nearly to the ceiling.

  The stone above the fireplace was carved in the likeness of a woman with long flowing hair. Precious gemstones were set into the carving, reflecting the light of the torches in a variety of colours. Her arms were held outstretched, as if to embrace those who entered.

  “Do you think that's Arachne?” Siel asked, pointing at the woman.

  No.

  The word echoed in his mind with such certainty that Sam didn't question it. “No, I don't think so. This place was called the Shrine of the Tenth Muse, right? And the title said it was corrupted. I'm guessing whoever that is, they were whoever the people who built this originally worshipped.”

  “I thought there were only three Muses,” Siel said softly, as she began the process of removing Molly’s armour and healing her injuries.

  “I think I remember there being nine,” Sam replied, head still swimming. His tongue felt thick, and the words came out garbled.

  “Sam, are you alright?” The words sounded strange, like the call of a distant bird.

  “Yeah, I'm alright, I just need a minute.” He didn't remember sitting, but the next thing he knew, he was on the ground.

  “Sam, Sam!” Siel’s voice was more insistent now, and he tried to focus on her face hovering in front of him. She’d cleaned off most of the gore, and it struck him then that she truly was beautiful. Somehow encapsulating both the rugged and the ethereal.

  “I can't feel anything.” He only realized it was true as he said it. He’d lost all feeling in his limbs, and the only sense that remained was one of pervasive cold.

  “You need to heal, Sam. Use the active for [Battle Healing]. You don't have any resistance to their venom.”

  The words should have scared him, but the clinical side of his brain took it in stride. Of course, he was feeling the effects of the spinner’s bites more acutely. Siel had resistance through her link with Molly, a bond that Mai had only strengthened. He had some constitutional defence against poison, but venom was another thing entirely.

  He reached out for his [Mana Network] and activated the skill.

  Nothing happened.

  He tried again and realized the sense of disconnection he felt extended beyond that of his physical body. His Chakras were completely cut off.

  The sense of weakness was twofold. He was once again experiencing what it felt like to be completely mortal. He was almost as weak as he’d been when he’d arrived on the Spire. The first night in the forest came flooding back—the panic and pain he’d felt by the light of the dying fire.

  That panic arose again as the darkness swallowed him, smothering him under its weight. He tried to cry out, tried to say something, but his mind was already being ripped away, dragged under by a relentless current.

  He thought he could hear a voice calling to him through the black, but he was too tired to make out the words. He strained to listen; he knew they were important, but his ravaged psyche couldn't process them, the sounds lost in the void.

  At last, the darkness claimed him.

  Or so he thought.

  For inside that well of emptiness, a single spark blossomed. And while his dreams were full of things that crawled in the shadows, full of gnashing teeth and ripping claws, he did not truly dream of them.

  No. Instead.

  He dreamed of fire.