Jury could not elaborate on her dream any further. But the idea of a library was interesting. If there was a place where a tale would belong, then it would certainly be a library.

Nav unfortunately did not know anything about this place or if it even existed.

This strange library became food for her thoughts as the horses moved slowly now.

These steeds were the first to sense the presence of something sinister ahead. Weapons were held close by and near the murder holes as everyone observed their surroundings now.

Faint glimmers shone every so often behind the tree lines. These were the thread of the Anid. They became thicker as they entered the mouth of their nest, which appeared inconspicuous compared to the rest of the forest.

If one lacked the knowledge of the Anids prior, then they wouldn’t have even known they were walking straight towards their deaths. They were confident in their group, boasting a good number of combatants, with one being vastly more powerful. Additionally, they had a healer on their side to alleviate the need for the slow-working, low-grade potions they had on hand.

Interestingly, only high-quality healing potions were capable of regenerating wounds. The low-grade stuff they had could only replenish HP.

These dull-colored flasks rattled in the back of their caravans, playing as the ambience of this silent forest. The threads spanned and swayed to an invisible wind.

Alice held her breath as she clutched onto her mother’s waist, all the while Calfasio tightly gripped onto the pendant in hand and another object within the pocket of his suit-like wear.

All were afraid for what was to come.

Frost noticed movement behind the tree lines and at the ends of these strings. Something was weaving them together before they suddenly slipped away.

Thankfully, she was not the only one who noticed.

 

 

“Trianids already… they’ve expanded this much in only a month?” Via commented warily.

Trianids?

“The three-legged variant of the Anid. They are the weavers of the outer nests. The first thing one usually sees. They are as normal as any regular spider. Mostly harmless as well. Just…”

Just?

Nav did not even need to finish its sentence. The smaller Trianids were suddenly replaced with giant, adult sized creatures all bearing the same three, segmented legs. Frost’s blood chilled to near absolute zero, all the while Jury looked on and whispered into her ear:

“They look kind of yummy.”

“You see them now, I presume? Many of the Anids can grow to about the size of an adult human.”

I… I can see that.

Frost desperately wore a straight face. As much as she despised having to deal with giant spiders, in the end, they were all destined to end up in her mouth one way or another.

The Trianids in question were a lightly armored three-legged spider, colored a pale-white. The three beady eyes were plastered across their face. They were smooth, as if their exoskeletons were made from metal.

“The Quadranid scouts have already took notice of us. Stay sharp! DO NOT RELEASE A SINGLE ARROW NO MATTER WHAT! DON’T GIVE THEM A REASON TO BELIEVE WE ARE A THREAT!” Jaris’ voice reverberated through the forest. “STAY VIGILANT!”

If the Anids only assumed they were here before, then they definitely knew they were here now. As alarming as it was, everyone kept themselves composed.

Everyone that could fight, that is.

The people in the caravan with Frost trembled with debilitating terror, the fear seeping through clenched teeth like a mist.

It was even worse for Alice, who had to imagine the horrors of the Anid. It would have been better if she knew about them beforehand. The mind was capable of terrors that exceeded any reality, after all.

To make matters worse – these creatures didn’t even emit a single sound. Their scuttering around the forest were as silent as the windless breeze that brushed past their strings.

 

 

The four-legged Quardranids ran deeper into the forest with impressive speed. Their sharpened legs left stake marks in the dirt, and yet not a single sound was made. An eye resided on four different sides. These creatures were able to move in any four of the cardinal directions equally.

They did not latch onto the trees like traditional spiders, or the Trianids for that matter. They appeared incapable of doing so.

“The scouts of the Anid nest. Quadranids are the four-legged variant that relay information back to the inner parts of the nest.”

To what exactly?

“A Decanid. At least one must exist for a nest to be a ‘nest’. They are what you would call the central nervous system of an Anid nest. At least for a basic one. They are a creature capable of reasoning and holds control over the Anids in its territory. Lesser-limbed Anids are at the mercy and control over those higher up in the hierarchy.”

The roles are related to the number of limbs they have, huh… I-Interesting. How many limbs can an Anid have up to?

“The Millinid is believed to be the last form of an Anid. It is the presumed mastermind of the entire Anid race, located in the region called Gnawer just northwest of Grandis, past the Great Marshlands. Their societies are quite spectacular according to my knowledge.”

It alluded to the Anid being a highly eusocial race.

No. It actually confirmed it. There were defined castes in their nests; a role that only certain-limbed Anids were capable of fulfilling. The major difference between the Anid and most highly organized insects was that they had no queen to reproduce with.

Other races needed to be assimilated into their race as broods by the Hexanid as a result; the six-legged Anid that oversaw reproduction.

Frost’s face twisted when Nav revealed this information.

“… so fucking disgusting.” She uttered beneath her breath as Jury wore a face that wondered why this was so.

She didn’t need to explain. Neither did she want to. Jury was as innocent as a soul could get, and she did not want to tarnish her with this forbidden knowledge.

“Aren’t they? But try not to say that out loud. The Anids are capable of understanding you Blessed. Strange how you can speak to almost anything. They’re monsters, but… some people see them as beautiful creatures.” Via quietly explained as the webbing grew thicker. “And to the hopeless few; they are entities of salvation.”

The fog may as well be non-existent at this point. The silken strands were so thick that they blocked the light itself, capturing it like climbing ivy desperately reaching for the light of the sun.

More of these creatures roamed these parts now. The silence persisted, almost drowning the sound of the clopping hooves and the creaking of their caravans. Before long, the strands resembled something so closely that Frost needed to double check if she was seeing things correctly.

“Steel wire?” She whispered out loud.

The strands were woven into braids that bared an uncanny resemblance to pale, steel wire. They sprawled this inner part of the forest like the walls of a fortress.

“Those are the strands of the Octanid, created by reconstituting the sinew of its victims. They are the soldiers of the Anid nest. Careful not to cut their strands while they are taut. It can spell a disastrous whipping. The thinner Octanid strands are just as deadly for the same reason.”

I can only imagine. You wouldn’t even be able to see it coming. They’re not setting us up for an ambush, are they? I don’t see anything that looks like it’ll come our way but… I’m on edge now.

“Doubtful in many ways. The Anid don’t outright kill unless necessary. If a being cannot be used as a brood, then they can at least be used as material to spin their strands.”

Huh. Then what created the strands from Via’s Script?

Frost was curious. A strand that could not be damaged, burnt of cut must have come from an unfathomably powerful Anid.

However, Nav disagreed.

“It is the product of Act X’s technology, founded by Beholder Marionette. That is all what I know.”

Regardless of this, Frost believed they were at least related in some capacity.

And there, she saw them. The eight-legged behemoths the size of a large car. Where the previous Anids were silent, she could feel the ground thump as they marched forward along the path, with others flanking through the tree lines.

They were plated with so much armor that it flared from their segmented joints like shields. A tank came to mind. The pale Octanids were as terrifying as they were breathtaking.

How could such sinister creatures look so… so refined?

 

 

“So those are the Octanids.” Frost’s voice was heard by many as they instantly peered out from the half-walls but were unable to see a single thing.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Via whispered.

They dismissed it for moments until they finally saw their silhouettes emerge from the fog, instantly causing every horse to freeze. The reins did not have to be pulled to remind them that they were in the heart of hostile territory, and in the presence of many of these creatures.

“You… how did you… see them?” Via was flabbergasted by Frost’s vision. But this was quickly transformed into caution as the Octanids slowly approached their carriages. “Stay here. All of you. But if you can fight, then stand up and head out with us. Just… don’t do anything sudden.”

Calfasio hesitated. He wanted to help but his weakness prevented him from lifting a single finger. He trembled like the rest as Hellen tightly held onto the hand of her shivering daughter.

“And Frost. Jury. We’re absolutely going to need you out there.”

“We’re one step ahead of you.” Frost stood up with Jury by her side, ready to fight.

“No… I don’t mean for you to fight. Hmm… Now’s a good time to explain the other half of the reason why I brought you aboard.” Via hopped down from her driving seat and moved to the back of the caravan.

“There was a second half, wasn’t there?” Frost spoke sharply when the doors flung wide open.

At least 40 other people were gathered outside, each brandishing their weapons as the Octanids drew nearer. They were surrounded from all sides now by these beasts.

“Healers have an interesting relationship with the Anids. Remember when I said that some see these creatures as entities of salvation? 50 years ago, Grandis and the greater part of the world persecuted the healers to do their bidding. Slavery. Rape. Drugged. Magically bound. Kept as prized possessions. Shackled. Tortured and forced to heal themselves just to persist in their miserable existence.” Via uttered, her eyes set firmly on the eight-legged monstrosities that were easily the size of their caravans.

And when Frost stepped out, the Octanids suddenly froze in her presence, somehow becoming calmer. Tame. Passive, even. She didn’t need to use scrutiny to understand that the flames in their hearts were blue.

They all took an instinctive step back, as if commanded by a higher authority.

“But the Anids were different. They were their salvation. The earliest rendition of the Wandering Healer and the Wayfarer legend depicts a humanoid Anid wandering our lands with a pale-haired healer.” Via spoke as if reciting sacred scripture, confident in a plan that the other Patrons disregarded with all their heart.

“… shut up… these things could attack at any moment… and you’re still blabbering about that myth?” Jaris scoffed beneath his breath.

“Miss Frost. The second half is that you are our bargaining chip to get through this without causing needless blood to shed. They called me a liar, but I know it’s all true… Because the Wandering Healer I saw told me of this tale… So please Miss Frost, do you think you can communicate with the Anids?”

Her coat ruffled before them all. Frost shut her eyes momentarily. She did not need to think twice about helping them. She just needed a moment to digest the horrifying history of the healers.

“Help them?” Jury quietly asked, staring down an eyeless Octanid that eventually stopped right before them. It lifted one limb and pointed directly at Frost.

“… N-No… is it really… true?” Jaris could hardly believe his eyes. He was the only one to speak from the crowd, also unable to comprehend the sight before them.

With a deep breath and heart clad in steel, Frost finally gave her answer:

“Yeah. We’ll help them. However –” She carefully walked towards the Octanid as the others took many steps back, save for Via who watched on with elated eyes, knowing that she was right after all.

The Octanid consumed her vision. It was far larger than she realized. The metal armor that was its integument was easily thicker than her forearm. No bladed weapon was destined to puncture through this armor unless it possessed physical-defying characteristics.

Even bullets wouldn’t make it halfway through.

“Are you an enemy?” Frost sternly asked, getting straight to the point.

The limb rocked left and right as her coat ruffled again.

What a relief… this coat is unbelievable sometimes.

“Can it speak?” Jury questioned as the limb rocked sideways again. “No?”

“Oh, right. You can also speak to it since you’re a Blessed as well. Are the voices of anything that isn’t a Blessed gibberish to them?”

The limb moved up and down, as if tugged by an invisible string.

“No complicated questions then. Alright. Will you kindly let us all pass?” Frost spoke with a powerful voice.

She could not afford to make herself appear weak before them. There was still not guarantee that they were safe.

It didn’t move its limb. Instead, it beaconed her before it turned the other way.

Such an eldritch feeling… So this is a monster. Not wildlife. I finally understand the difference now. Plus, they’re capable of reasoning. Thank goodness for that.

“To follow huh. They’re a lot less…” Frost trailed off as Via quickly issued an order to return to the carriages.

“Scarier than you thought?” Jury finished, tapping Frost’s head.

“Yeah. Huh… Did the library teach you how to read minds as well?” She needed to joke just to set her mind straight.

Her voice was quiet enough for only Jury to hear.

“No, but the gibberish written in the books taught me that reading your face is a lot easier.” Jury, to Frost’s surprise, joked back.

“… aha. Is my face really that readable?”

“Only to me.” Jury proudly stated.

Frost managed to break into a small smile.

But the uneasiness remained in Frost’s heart. They had only seen 3 of the supposed 10 Anid types in this nest so far. Additionally, there was no telling where they were being led to.

However, should the situation arise where the Anids bare their fangs towards any one of these people behind her –

– Then she’d have to bare hers as well.