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Table of Contents

Updates and progress Amatherean Tales - One Flew Over The Dragon's Nest Book 1 Chapter 1 - Squished Chapter 2 - The Computer Says No Chapter 3 - T's & C's Chapter 4 - Evad Si Eht Tseb Chapter 5 - Starter Zone Chapter 6 - First Combat Chapter 7 - Level Up Chapter 8 - Lore And Order Chapter 9 - Farming Chapter 10 - Badger, Badger, Badger Chapter 11 - Soooooo Sad Chapter 12 - Doe a Deer Chapter 13 - Grey Areas Chapter 14 - Freeeeeedom Airlines Chapter 15 - Hoglings Upgrade Chapter 16 - Killic Chapter 17 - Tailor Fizzlewick Chapter 18 - Eye of the Town Chapter 19 - Bath and Bored Chapter 20 - Graveyard Shift Chapter 21 - Shopping Chapter 22 - Crypt Diving Chapter 23 - Salty Chapter 24 - Water Fight Chapter 25 - Makes No Sense Chapter 26 - Profession Chapter 27 - Hidden Gem Chapter 28 - Cheat Chapter 29 - The Pox Chapter 30 - The Docks Chapter 31 - The Wandering Ogre Chapter 32 - One Good Deed Deserves Another Chapter 33 - You Would Think He Would Think Chapter 34 - Visitor Chapter 35 - Bob! Chapter 36 - Announcements Chapter 37 - Discovery Chapter 38 - Heresy Chapter 39 - A Bolt From The Blue Chapter 40 - Martial Arts Chapter 41 - Not So Familiar Chapter 42 - Up, Up, and Away Chapter 43 - The Not Living, Living Chapter 44 - Adjudicator Chapter 45 - Breakfast At The Hogling Arms Chapter 46 - Compound Chapter 47 - Burn Baby Burn Chapter 48 - When It Rains It Pours Chapter 49 - Bordon The Brandisher Chapter 50 - Distracted Chapter 51 - Thanks Chapter 52 - Looking Down Chapter 53 - Broken Heart Chapter 54 - Emotional Progress One Flew Over The Dragon's Nest Book 2 Chapter 1 - Training & Development Chapter 2 - Cottages Chapter 3 - Homemaker Chapter 4 - Mushroom, Mushroom Chapter 5 - Skill Selection Chapter 6 - Not Leaving The Past Behind Chapter 7 - Kata Claws Chapter 8 - Missing Gnoll Chapter 9 - Oooo Shiny Chapter 10 - Homeward Bound! Chapter 11 - Friends Of The Forest Chapter 12 - Mountains And Mithril Chapter 13 - An Idea Perhaps Chapter 14 - Insanity Chapter 15 - What's A Borzie? Chapter 16 - Amatherean Stand-off Chapter 17 - Charge Chapter 18 - Legionnaire Chapter 19 - Second Chance Chapter 20 - Sandboxes And Sandcastles Chapter 21 - Future Remembrance Chapter 22 - What Mana Chapter 23 - Council Chapter 24 - Gobbler Chapter 25 - Professional Opportunity Chapter 26 - Acquaintances Chapter 27 - Proposal Chapter 28 - Votes Count Chapter 29 - Who, What, Why Chapter 30 - Angelic Presence Chapter 31 - What! Chapter 32 - Magical Transference Chapter 33 - Fire Chapter 34 - From Above Chapter 35 - Wyvern Chapter 36 - Darren Chapter 37 - New Allegiances Chapter 38 - Setting Quests Chapter 39 - There And Back Again Chapter 40 - Missing Chapter 41 - Into The Dark Chapter 42 - Pit Chapter 43 - Following Orders Chapter 44 - Grey Matter Chapter 45 - Unknown Chapter 46 - Progressing Well Chapter 47 - Don't Go Down There Chapter 48 - The Root Of All Evil Chapter 49 - Archery Chapter 50 - Mistake Chapter 51 - Highs And Lows Chapter 52 - Secrets Chapter 53 - A Binding Oath Amatherean Tales - One Flew Over The Dragon's Nest Book 3 Chapter 1 - Road Trip Chapter 2 - Cuopi Chapter 3 - Mollic Chapter 4 - If It Happens Chapter 5 - Asterfal Chapter 6 - Introductions Chapter 7 - Future and Foresight Chapter 8 - Breakfast and Bed Chapter 9 - Freefall Chapter 10 - Petunia Chapter 11 - Dinner Party Chapter 12 - Carlito Chapter 13 - Confirmed Chapter 14 - Searching Chapter 15 - Quiller Chapter 16 - Black Griffin Chapter 17 - Shark Bait Chapter 18 - Caged Animals Chapter 19 - Release Chapter 20 - Class Development Chapter 21 - Job Chapter 22 - Mind Games Chapter 23 - Incomprehensible Chapter 24 - Property and Proposal Chapter 25 - At Long Last Chapter 26 - Moon and Sickle Chapter 27 - New Branch Chapter 28 - Zigferd Chapter 29 - Proposition Chapter 30 - Levels Don't Matter Chapter 31 - Triple X Chapter 32 - Marriage Chapter 33 - Paranoia, Pets, Possessions Chapter 34 - Vows Chapter 35 - His Lordship Chapter 36 - Diplomatic Relations Chapter 37 - Synchronisation Chapter 38 - Saviour Chapter 39 - Normality Chapter 40 - Sunstone and Lollipops Chapter 41 - Paws for Claws Chapter 42 - The Squirrel Sphere Chapter 43 - Departure Chapter 44 - Clock Tower Chapter 45 - Warehouse Chapter 46 - It's a Trap! Chapter 47 - Audits and Enchantments Chapter 48 - Confronted Chapter 49 - Payback Chapter 50 - Life and Death Chapter 51 - Going Home

In the world of Amathera

Visit Amathera

Ongoing 3124 Words

Chapter 24 - Water Fight

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On arriving at the inn, SJ dropped the box of spices off with Floretta, the inn’s skeleton cook. She had been very grateful and promised to treat SJ to something special for her evening dinner. Then she went upstairs and freshened up, washing the remaining gloop from her. Then, she ordered herself a hogling sandwich and headed back to see Stanley after drinking two mugs of coffee. Stanley had done as promised and handed her five bags of saltwater mix. She had dipped her finger into one to see how strong it was, her face contorting from the sharpness of the salty mixture.

After placing the bags in her inventory, SJ confirmed she could recall them easily before adding the other four. They reminded her of large waterbombs, and their material was thin and flimsy. Thanking Stanley, SJ headed back to the crypt.

The torches she had lit earlier were still burning, and she relit her own before venturing back down the steps. The initial chamber where she had met the rats was now empty. The corpses had disappeared. SJ assumed it was the same as the hoglings she had fought and that they just vanished in time. As she approached the room where she had been captured, she slowed.

Her hands felt clammy, and she was not wearing her claws as she did not want to chance to puncture one of the bags and waste its contents. Holding the torch in front of her and a homemade water bomb in the other, she moved forward with trepidation. Peering from the entranceway, she could not see the corpse of the initial spider or any signs of the level 7. The ceiling wasn’t visible. The torchlight wasn’t bright enough to cast its light that far.

SJ noticed a new web, consisting of thick, gloopy strands, had been strung across the chamber. Staring upwards, she slowly entered the chamber, creeping towards the web, checking her step so as not to trigger any strands that may be on the floor. Reaching forward with the torch, holding it against the strands, she stared upwards, watching for any movement, until the flame eventually caught. Backing away and moving quietly back to the entrance, she watched nervously.

The spider that had attacked her had been huge, and considering it had spun her five-foot-five frame in its forelegs, she was unsure if it could fit in the narrow corridor. It did not take long for SJ to hear scuttling across the chamber. She saw the reflection in the spider’s eyes before she saw its body. The eight orbs gave it almost 360-degree vision. She shivered, seeing the creature. It stood at least seven feet tall on its legs, and they spanned twelve feet easily, its body dangling from its limbs like a baby’s cradle. They tapped the chamber’s ground as it moved towards the burning web.

It hissed as though talking and turned to look directly at SJ.

“I think it knows you are here,” Dave said unhelpfully.

SJ did not reply and, nervously, threw the first waterbomb towards it. The spider watched it fly through the air, and as it approached, it lifted one of its legs, blocking it. The bag exploded on impact with its leg, showering the creature in the saltwater mixture. It screamed in pain and pulled back. Using its appendages, it attempted to rub the water from its body. SJ could see what looked like burn marks appear, reminding her of the acidic burn she had suffered on her arm. The spider’s health had dropped by twelve. It now had 68 of 80 hit points remaining.

SJ did the quick math and knew that she would have to resort to melee to finish it if she managed to do similar damage with the other four water bombs. Wishing she had asked for more now, the spider began to skitter towards her. Backing further into the corridor, she held the second waterbomb ready. It tried to enter the corridor, but even by squeezing its legs in, its body was too wide, preventing it from entering the narrow entrance. SJ took the advantage, hurling the next waterbomb at its head.

The waterbomb hit true at the close range she was. The spider could not move from the entrance in time before it struck it, shrieking in pain and withdrawing back into the chamber. SJ saw its bar drop by fifteen more hit points. The waterbombs were brilliant and did exactly what she needed. Cautiously moved forward, she couldn’t see the creatures form in the light from the burning web in the chamber or the light of her torch. Now, only having three waterbombs left, she had to maximise the damage she did before facing it in melee.

“WATCH OUT,” Dave cried.

A strand of web flew from the darkness at the side of the chamber. SJ pulled away in time as it struck the corridor wall at head height. It had come from the left. Quickly moving and looking around the corner along the length of the web still attached to its spinner, SJ threw the waterbomb with all her might. The spider recoiled, seeing the object coming towards it, and jumped sideways, its agility for its size surprising her. Its massive form just moved out of its way as it burst, hitting the chamber wall behind it. The salty mixture exploded harmlessly.

“Damn,” she cursed, stepping back into the corridor. “Two left.”

“You could always leave and get more?”

“I could, but now it knows it would be even more cautious than it is.”

“Shame you don’t have a hose or a pump you could spray at it.”

“I know. I wish they had water pistols in this world.”

“They do.”

“What? Why did you not tell me before?”

“Oh. You can’t get them here. I have only ever seen them in the capitals. They are a gnome contraption and are rather expensive. They are a toy of the rich children.”

“Water pistols are for the rich?”

“Yes. They are enchanted. They are probably not like the water pistols you are thinking about.”

“I see. I may have to get one eventually. Having a portable spider deterrent, looking at the size these things grow, would be something worth investing in.”

“It could be useful, but it’s a very specific item to carry for only one purpose.”

“Damn, where is it now?” SJ could no longer see the spider in the chamber, having no idea where it had gone. Its ability to climb and move around the chamber at will in the partial darkness was terrifying.

“I need to try and draw it out from wherever it is hiding.”

“How? You have nothing to use as bait.”

“I am not even sure what would bait it.”

“A kobold, perhaps. There was the one at the stall. You could always ask him to come down here?”

“Really! I am not going to put someone else in danger.”

“Meh. Your decision. What about one of the gnoll children we saw playing?”

“DAVE!” SJ shouted, shaking her head.

“Dwarf?”

“STOP.”

“Okay. I was only trying to be helpful.”

“Talking about using bait like that is not helpful.”

“Shame you killed all the giant rats. I bet one of those would have worked.”

SJ did not argue with his comment this time. “Yeah, that may have worked. Although I do not think it would have been happy being picked up and thrown into the chamber.”

“No. But it would have been funny.”

SJ had to finish this fight. She was determined to complete the quest and needed the experience to reach level 5. Replacing the waterbomb in her inventory, she equipped her Badger’s Blades.

“Oooooo. Going for up close and personal.” Dave said excitedly.

“I have to do something.”

SJ snuck back to the corridor’s mouth, still holding the torch. The light from the web in the centre of the room was fading as most of the web had now burned. Not being able to see the spider. Cautiously edging from the entrance until only a couple of feet inside the room. She saw the flash in the torch’s light, diving backwards as a new web strand flew past where she had been standing. The spider was trying to snag her again. This time, it had come from the right.

“This is not fun,” SJ said.

“Go miniature.”

“Miniature against that thing?”

“No. Go miniature and sneak up behind it. You are supposed to be an assassin, after all.”

SJ had not even given it a thought, but it made sense. The spider was expecting a humanoid, not a six-inch tall fae. She placed the torch on the corridor floor, which remained burning and shrunk to her miniature size. Returning to the entrance, she stuck to the wall and crept into the room. She still had her claws equipped, and she cautiously began to skirt around the edge, keeping her back to the wall. The thick strand that had missed her looked massive now that she was tiny.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, moving into the room in the dark with no torch, but she kept going. Edging around towards where the last of the web, strung across the middle of the room, was starting to burn out. Looking back towards the corridor entrance, she could still see the flickering of her torch. Then she saw it. The dark form moved before her, blocking the torch’s light. Seeing it up close and personal while this size was terrifying, as she now stood behind it.

Taking a deep, steady breath, she called one of the waterbombs from her inventory, holding it carefully and making sure her sharp blades did not touch it, and she thought about being large. As she grew, the size of the spider, although still intimidating, was not quite as terrifying as it had been. It was stationary, perfectly still like the predator that it was awaiting its prey. SJ pulled her arm back and threw the waterbomb with all her might, and as soon as it left her hand, she shrunk back down and began to run to the right.

The waterbomb hit perfectly, bursting over the spider’s back. It screeched in pain, moving forward from where it had been and spinning around. SJ had moved a few feet and positioned by the strands on the floor. Standing perfectly still. The spider had taken another 14 damage from the hit. Its health was now just below half. She had one waterbomb left and needed to cause maximum damage with it. She had an idea. It was a downright stupid and dangerous idea, but at least it was an idea. The spider skittered around the chamber before eventually coming to rest again and stood to the left of the entrance. When it prowled, it was perfectly silent, even at its size. Its long, hair-covered limbs were placed silently on the stone floor.

SJ began to move towards it. This time, she did not work around it but underneath it. It stood looking toward the entrance, gently tapping one of its legs on the stone floor as though impatiently waiting. As soon as SJ worked her way behind and underneath the spider, she thought about being large. Reaching maximum size, she threw her left hand and claws up, cutting across its abdomen, and at the same time, forced her right hand containing the final water bomb into the wound she opened. It all happened within a second of each other. There was not enough time for the spider to react fully, and her clawed hand dug into the sickly ichor from the open wound, the waterbomb bursting inside.

The spider’s sound now was unearthly, and she slashed out quickly with her claws as she again began to shrink in size. The spider jumped upwards away from the strikes and clung to the chamber’s ceiling. Crying sounds worse than a screaming child pierced her ears, and she quickly pushed herself in her small form backwards across the damp ichor-covered floor. Her body was soaked in the putrid liquid.

The spider’s health had dropped massively with the dual strike and the extra slashes from her blades. It was now only on eight health. The waterbomb had achieved massive damage by exploding inside the spider. As SJ watched, she saw the spider’s health tick down to 7 hit points, then to 6. She could not believe it. The saltwater inside the spider must be poisoning it. SJ lay there watching in hope as it slowly ticked down. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and then stopped.

It had one hit point remaining. She wanted to scream in anger at being so unlucky, biting her lip in frustration. Then again, she had just been a sneaky little assassin, and that made her feel good.

“I have to compliment you on your last move,” Dave said.

SJ did not reply. She was still lying on the floor in the chamber with the huge spider hanging from the ceiling above her. She needed to move. Slowly crouching, only able to see the spider’s vague outline clung to the ceiling, she slowly began to inch her way back towards the corridor entrance. It may only have one hit point left, but it was still a massive creature that could shoot webs and pin her down.

SJ made it back, and once down the corridor and past her burning torch, she grew to her large size, letting out a sigh of relief. She expected the spider was wondering what had happened to it, not seeing its enemy with its eight eyes surveying everywhere nearly all at once. SJ put her claws away. If the spider was hanging on the ceiling, she only had two options: throw the torch at it or her stiletto. She had never thrown a knife before and had no skill in it, but it seemed the better option than trying to throw the unwieldy torch and knew it did at least two damage. She withdrew the dagger. Removing the blade from its sheath before adding the sheath back into her inventory.

Again, she had forgotten to get a new belt and had not attached the sheath to the one she had. She judged the weight of the stiletto in her hand. It was not that she knew what she was doing, but she had watched several YouTube videos with knife throwers in her time and had always seen them do it. The stiletto felt well balanced, and she gripped it by its blade rather than its handle, again copying what she had seen in films. Knowing where the spider had been, she approached the entrance. Quickly glancing around and up, she thought she vaguely saw its form still in the same position hanging on the ceiling.

Taking a steadying breath, she launched into the room, pulling her arm back, aiming upwards, and letting the stiletto fly. The blade spun away from her hand as she yelped in pain, feeling the cut that had been left across her palm. She must not have been holding it right. Hearing a dull thud, the dark shape began to fall to the ground as the spider hit zero.

She stood gripping her hand now, cursing at her stupidity.

“I bet that hurt,” Dave said, laughing at her.

SJ’s display triggered.

 

Quest – Free the Crypt – Complete

You have successfully cleared the infestation.

Rewards: 150xp

Return to Lythonian to receive your reward:

1 x minor healing potion

45 x coppers

 

“Woot. It’s completed.”

“Well done, my young loophole finder, on finishing your first quest.”

“Thanks.” SJ beamed. She walked back to where the torch still lay, spluttering against the corridor floor, and picked it up while wiping her bloody hand from her thrown dagger on her dress. Walking back into the room, she began to look around it properly. Bending to pick up her stiletto where it lay. It had not stuck into the spider and only just hit it. To her annoyance, she saw a torch on the side of the entranceway that she had missed previously, lighting it. There were three more within the chamber which she lit.

Now bathed in light, the chamber no longer had the scary and dread feeling it had while pitch black. Looking at the smooth stone surfaces and high arched ceiling visible above, this was a perfectly crafted resting place for the dead. The walls housed its members, and plaques were placed on them, naming the lost souls.

Across the chamber was a tunnel cut wide and led upwards at an angle. Walking over it, SJ held the torch to bathe it in light. She felt a gentle breeze, allowing air into the crypt’s depths, and assumed it was where the spider had carried her.

Shuddering at her cocooned memory, she walked over to the spider’s body and looted it.

 

3 x spider silk, 1 x spider fang, 2 x silver, 50 x coppers

 

As SJ looted the spider corpse, her display was triggered again.

 

Congratulations on reaching Level 5

You have been awarded the following:

5 hit points

5 mana points

+1 Dexterity

+2 free points to distribute as you wish

 

Level 5 is your first stepping stone in your new life as a Legionnaire. The following are now available to you:

Armour Class – what you wear now offers protection

Primary Profession – decide on your new path of discovery in Amathera

Reach level 10 for your next opportunities.

 

SJ jumped up and down excitedly, doing what could only be described as a happy dance. She gyrated her hips and circled her arms, singing, “Oh yeah, oh yeah.”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Dave asked.

“Dancing with happiness.”

“You look more like a floundering fish.”

SJ stopped dancing and placed her hands on her hips. “How to destroy a girl’s moment. I can’t even celebrate reaching level 5 without you giving me abuse.”

“I was not being abusive, just factual. I have never seen a dance like that where you gyrate your hips in a circle. It made you look like you were acting like a fish out of water.”

“I will have you know that I was a good dancer back on Earth.”

“You didn’t do it professionally, did you?”

“No. Why?”

“Because you wouldn’t have made any money if you did,” Dave’s typical sarcasm appeared.

“Anyway, I need to go and see Lythonian, and then I need to look through all this profession stuff and now have an armour class available.” Dave could not dampen SJ’s mood.

SJ made her way back through the crypt to the graveyard.


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