I hang from the roof of the tunnel, grabbing onto the stalactite things hanging from the ceilings of the cave. I am happy this passageway is so tall and open, they're unlikely to spot or hear me from my position up here.

Just as the Dungeon Master said, ten adventurers were moving through the bowels of the dungeon. Well, I say ten but two are in dirty rags and clothing with small daggers while the other eight are much more armed and armoured. Nothing I can't deal with.

My six eyes stare closer, looking for the mage with the satchel and sure enough, there it is. On the shoulder of a female.... yes, that's a female, the one with the big things on the chest. I think I'm female along with my siblings, we have the big chest things but no genitalia. At least that I'm aware of. Mother is only one of our species that technically has a gender. 

It's weird, humans seem to be attracted to us anyway, even though our species regularly kill them, me very much included. I'd know because I've seen how some male adventurers look at mother. Those are some low standards. I don't understand these furless apes, they come down into our home and take coins and items. They're as greedy as Dragons and as lustful as Succubi. Is it really worth your puny, worthless lives to come down here for some cash and items or stare at female monsters? As much as I value books, I wouldn't really risk my life to get them.

That's a lie, I totally would. Books are everything to me because my very existence and sanity rely on them. That female wizard has stolen from me by not immediately offering the books as tribute. I liked the meal, but books are superior.

I continue to scutter along the ceiling, watching the humans as I move. This stretch of the dungeon has some plant life. Glowing blue plants that survive of the mana generated by the dungeon. There was no sun in the sky, like in the books I've read, so plants survive another way. I've always wanted to see the sun, but I know it'll blind me instantly if I ever look upon it. Bright light like the torches they have already irritate my eyes enough.

Guess that's what happens when you're born in darkness.

The party of ten travel a bit further before finding a place to rest, sitting down by a few rocks. Now would be an optimum time to strike, but I need a plan of approach.

The most dangerous adventurer is the man with the poleaxe, as it would be enough to penetrate my exoskeleton which will cause the most damage to me. The mage with the books likely has a light spell too, which can blind me if I'm not careful. The torches they have may do the same to a lesser degree.

The others aren't too threatening, their swords aren't sharp enough to get through my exoskeleton and will only be able to inflict minor cuts on my skin. I don't see any crossbows either which is a relief, but there are two a bowman which may be irritating. Bows have a lot more trouble deeply piercing my skin than crossbow bolts which are painful as hell. It rivals the pain of falling forward and putting your hands out, only for you to slam you hands into small sharp rocks. Actually, its much worse than that.

My best option is to take out the poleaxe man, he's the biggest threat after the mage.

My six crimson eyes shift to the two people with daggers, they are as unthreatening as can be. Judging from their condition and what the Dungeon Master said, they aren't here willingly. They're probably going to be shoved into combat first or be too frightened to engage me when the fighting starts.

I think Goblins could do better. 

I push my dark red hair from my vision, god I need to cut this soon or Maybe I should tie it back like how humans do it. Interesting thought that'll be saved for later after I've retrieved my stolen property.

I observe the environment and notice something immediately: they are seated under stalactites. In fact, the majority of them can be killed or incapacitated using them as the cave's ceiling is littered with them. Well, it's difficult not to be, but the poleaxe man is conveniently relaxing underneath a somewhat sharp formation.

I produce some webbing to use stand-on before slamming my claws into the top of the rock formation. It hurt like hell, but I successfully managed to break it. What's better is the impact causes a couple nearby ones fall down too.

The stalactite moves slightly off-course as it falls, nevertheless, it meets its target. The rock lands on the man's shoulder and pulverises his arm with a sickening crunch and tear noise that can be heard from up here. Well, sickening to them, it is actually quite a satisfying sound for a twisted, cruel creature such as myself. He screeches for a few moments before passing out.

He isn't the only casualty as one drops right on the unprotected head of a bow user who crumples to the ground. Their head bashed in beautifully. Another falls victim as well, their skull flat. The final victim is mostly saved by her helmet but falls unconscious from the blunt force generated by the rock icicle falling on her head. One of them manage to expertly dodge it before it hits them.

Four down, four foolish humans remaining. This is a piece of flesh so far. Great, my plan worked, now to make my formal appearance. 

Oh, I've been spotted.

Oh, that's a fireball from the wizard. 

I move as quickly as I can to avoid the attack flying up towards me. However, because of how awkward it is to move due to the slickness of the stalactites, I don't get very far. The fireball explodes right beside me, the heat partially searing my grey skin as I go to avoid it.

Ah, a problem, I'm falling along with the roof rocks I'm grabbing onto. The explosion of the fireball causing more from the ceiling to break and fall. Swiftly, I produce a line of silk from my spinnerets and hurl it at the dungeon ceiling that isn't following me down. It sticks perfectly and stops my descent before I hit the ground, my weight causing an amusing boing noise as I bounce. I drop to ground harmlessly after letting go, now a lot less air between me and the dirt.

Falling is dangerous, us Arachne are heavy creatures and our abdomens can rupture on heavy impacts. It's a problem for tarantula's and its an even bigger problem for me. I stand taller than most humans and weigh as much as four, I'd make an audible splat noise if I fall from a height of nine metres. It isn't normally fatal as we heal, but it is the most painful thing an Arachne can experience.

As soon as I land on my feet, I skitter towards the closest adventurer who immediately turns his back to run. I dive side-to-side, avoiding a few arrows and a couple of spells. I drive my fist through their chest before turning them to the remaining bowman who had fired an arrow towards me. This human's corpse will serve as a great shield. I quickly turn the body at the wizard who had fired icicles at me. They skewer the human's body and leave me only covered in blood. I slide the human's body from my arm before licking the blood from it with a smirk.

Mnnnhmmm, that is delicious. Though I should save my feeding for when their insides are liquid.

I feel something impact with my forehead, chipping some of the flesh off but not causing a deep wound. It was like someone had flicked me in the face. I look down to see an arrow on the ground. My crimson gaze travels to the bowman who flinches as my gaze meet, his body quivering with fear along with the other humans.

I never really thought of myself as scary-looking, but from their perspective, I suppose I would be. 2.5 metres tall, six piercing red eyes, deathly grey skin, messy red hair, two black fangs and two pedipalps coming from my mouth. Now that I look at them and myself, I am shockingly petrifying. Nice.

"Give her the slaves! We'll run while she's distracted," the female mage yells, prompting the last two adventurers to grab the duo of slaves and throw them in front of me.

I let a devilish, haunting cackle as the slaves shake in fear before me. Do they really think that will work, even after witnessing my intelligence? Hell, I doubt that will work on the majority of my siblings. The slaves aren't very well fed, like the boy from before, while the three fighters are much healthier. The fighters will me more nutritious and contain more proteins than the gaunt sticks at my feet. Additionally, t's a well-known fact (among monsters) that magic-users taste is better than anyone else due to the mana in their bodies.

Mana is like flavouring for predatory creatures like myself, it makes prey taste better. It's why low mana monsters like goblins taste so bland and bad to me. Oh, and because they're utter filth.

"You going nowhere," I say in... Human-speak? Humanish? Humanese? Humanian? Human-Tongue? I don't know the name of their language, but I'm speaking it. Not very well, mind you. I can read it well, but I don't often hear it spoken.

"Goddess save us!" The bowman looks like he's going to faint... well, he's pissed himself.

"Yes, I do," my voice wasn't the most pleasant thing to the ears, but what do you expect? I'm not a Siren, I'm an Arachne. "You food, come willing and less pain in death."

In my humble and honest opinion, my offer is very fair. I am a merciful and civilised Arachne, not cruel or sadistic in the slightest.

"Take the slaves! Please spare us!" the mage yells, stepping back and pointing at the two slaves who were shuffling to the side.

"No, you food too, come here and I'll kill quick. You have nowhere run. I own place." This language is annoying, I prefer Monster-Standard and Arachna.

"Goddess help us."

Monster-Standard is an okay language: every monster learn it inexplicably from a young age due to the Dungeon's influence. Humans can't learn or comprehend it, so I have to speak in Humanese. 

"Stay back foul beast!"

I think I'm going to go with Humanese, that name just sounds right to me in my head. Yes, that is the name of their language. I continue my thoughts as I approach, twiddling one of my mouth pedipalps idly. A bit of a habit I've developed, mostly because Mother does it too. 

"Stay away."

Oh, I'm getting distracted, time to kill. I smirk as I approach, my finger-sized fangs leaking venom already.

"Stop coming closer! Take the slaves, I beg of you!"

I'll spare you the details of what happened to the remaining three adventurers, but I now had eight meals on the ground that need to be wrapped up and hauled back home. I pick up the mage's tome and the satchel containing the book. I hold the objects both to my chest, giggling to myself with glee. Mission accomplished, books retrieved. Now, I can go home with my food.

As I squeeze the books to my chest, I hear a wripping noise. Oops, I broke my clothes and now my top half is bare again.

Wait, where is this mist coming from and why is it conveniently surrounding my top half? There is literally no other mist anywhere else, so where in the dungeon is it coming from? Oh, it's probably the Dungeon Master. Why is he even doing that?

Well, whatever, time to haul in my meals for the next month. Wait a moment, I still have two human's behind me. What to do with them? Welp, waste not want not. I turn back to see the two humans missing, footsteps in the muddy cavern floor indicating they made off with themselves.

Oh, they've already ran. Damn, the adventurer's plan actually did work! Just not for them! I'm an idiot! I hate myself, I hate myself, I hate myself! I'm going to remember this for the rest of my life, until the day I die, and when time ends. This is a stain on reputation. At least they're going to die in here. I doubt there is any universe in which they see the light of day again. 

So there escape ain't all bad! They're probably gonna die a despair-filled, painful death in the end.

Now, time to get moving.