Chp 1 - Web Across the Universe

Since time itself began, a complex ecosystem of strange creatures and phenomenon have existed beyond the realm of what humans can typically see. They fight, kill, die, and give back to the ecosystem in an endless cycle that will span an eternity. Mankind is but an insignificant insect, tightly bound by the threads of a web¹A web-like structure permeating throughout the entire universe. At every junction on The Web, there is the potential for an atom to be located there. It is possible to interact with the web. A web across the universe.

It has been 500 years²~500 years ago, the density of The Web across the globe (though more so in certain areas) drastically increased. Not one person on the entire planet knows why this happened since the beginning of the Weavers’³Weavers are humans that can interact with The Web, vibrating the strands between junctions and therefore interacting with the atoms located at the junction rise to prominence and in that time, countless wars have been fought over what little land hadn’t been lost to the spiderlings⁴Creatures born in pockets of high web density, started showing up more often ~500 years ago. North America, Asia and Africa are no longer habitable as they are overrun by the vicious monsters that claw at human skin and crunch on human bones. Spiderlings take on many forms, some may look close to regular fauna and flora, whereas many look like creatures far beyond anything you could imagine. To combat the spiderlings, many Weavers have risen and fought them using equally unimaginable powers and skills. However, many have also perished at their hands. Weavers that hunt spiderlings (and get paid to do so) are widely known as “Arachnophobes”. Arachnophobes are widely respected (read: feared) and enjoy wealth and status scarcely found elsewhere.

Weavers typically fall into one of four categories:

• Plain Weavers (those specialising in physical enhancement, typically upon themselves)
• Twill Weavers (those that specialize in support or long ranged attacks)
• Wranglers (essentially tanks, they attempt to draw the attention of spiderlings and then use their high vitality to keep them occupied)
• Satin Weavers (usually non-combatants, but just refers to anyone that weaves at a highly technical level ie: Spatial weaving or Alchemy)

By manipulating The Web (and in many cases, each other), Weavers have found their place at the top of this world, ruling it like kings. However, all it takes is a single spark in a single corner of the world to change the balance of power forever…

Earth/ Europe/Bertotia Kingdom⁵One of the many tiny kingdoms in Europe/14_08_2015:

(???): Oi brat! Get a move on, will ya? This ain’t no picnic we’re going on...

(The 15 year old brat in question): Aye Mr. Briggins, I’m just preparing to enter now.

What do you want me to do??? If I don’t do this properly, it’s not just me that’ll end up screwed…

(Mr. Briggins): That’s sir to you! It’s been 15 years since I took you in an’ decided to raise you, ungrateful piece o’ sh ~

CLANK CLANK CLANK, the handle screeches as I crank the mechanical door open and prepare to make my way inside. I gaze through the doorway and up at the roof of the recently abandoned warehouse. A series of faint scuttling noises can be heard from behind a shipping container towards the back of the building.

(Mr. Briggins): Alright then, Ivan, it’s just t’ usual then. You lure them over here and me an’ Tommy ‘ll squash the bastards.

Tommy’s mouth warps into deformed grin, showing to all his missing teeth and general lack of dental hygiene. I smile wryly at the thought that I'm trusting my life to this guy.

I guess all Arachnophobes must be like that, complete psychos…

I prepare my torch in one hand and grip the end of a rusted, iron pipe with the other. Edging my way through the doorway, I scan the surroundings for possible signs of life, knowing that any I find could lead to a gruesome end. By the time I’ve reached the first row of shipping containers, I am already at least 20m from the entrance. Sucking in all the air my lungs will allow, I ready my iron pipe.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BA~. The sound of the metal on metal rings out as I whack the pipe against the side of one of the shipping containers. Suddenly, several loud screeches eclipse the banging, followed by the rustling of dozens of bodies. Fear pours into me, filling me to the brim and promising to tie me to the spot, unable to move. I shake it off.

Like hell am I gonna die in an abandoned warehouse, that’s like step #1 in "Turning into a Poltergeist for Dummies"!

(Ivan): They’re coming!! Get ready to beat the crap out of ‘em!!

I begin to run, pumping my legs with all they’ve got, praying that my heart won’t explode, praying that I’ll make it back to the entrance, praying that I’ll survive this…