‘Well this is all crap’ Lilith said looking through piles of the goblins hoard. ’I’m lucky I found at least something to wear’

  ‘The goblins would have taken any weapons or anything useful’ said Alastair

  ‘Yes but couldn’t they at least kill people with a good selection of clothes?’

  ‘These demons killed comrades of mine’ Alastair said sternly with an undertone of anger.

  ‘Then your comrades had terrible taste’ Lilith said tossing aside some more clothing.

  ‘Even for a demon you are foul, I should strike you down right now’

  ‘Just because you were happy with the first thing you picked out doesn’t mean I have to subject myself to some droll greens or browns, besides my body may technically be dead but I really don’t like these scratchy materials’

  ‘I’d like to scratch you with my sword’ said Alastair

  ‘I love the enthusiasm but I don’t think now is the time for sex, the other will be back soon’

  ‘I didn’t mean…’

  ‘Although you are pretty cute for a human’ Lilith patted her lips with her finger and looked Alastair up and down.

  ‘Don’t look at me that way’ Alastair shouted

  ‘You do look a little weak, I don’t think you’d survive anyway’ she giggled

  ‘I could survive anything you threw at me’ he shouted in defiance.

  ‘Well now we’re talking’ she said, in a blur she had dropped her robe and was stood Infront of him. Hi jaws dropped as he stood in shock her alabaster skin reflecting the torch light, the flames bringing out the red in her eyes.

  Her arms slid over his shoulders and she leaned in close, ‘I could show you things not even the night wives would know’

  He shook his head coming to his senses and grabbing her by a wrist and the throat pushed her backwards onto an old wooden table that groaned under the additional weight.

  ‘Well looks like you have some moves of your own’ she smiled

  The table groaned again and the legs gave way Alastair the pair landing with a bang on the floor.

  ‘

  ‘Should we come back in ten minutes?’ Asked Ash standing in the doorway.

  He was looking down at the pair entwined on the floor, Alastair’s hand still at her throat.

  ‘I’d give him five tops’ said Lilith smacking Alastair on the behind.

  He quickly let go and got to his feet, blood engulfed his face as his cheeks flushed.

  ‘

  ‘We were just talking and she…’ he began

  ‘Lilith, why are you still naked? You were supposed to grab some clothes and meet us in the main hall’

  She bowed her head jumping up and grabbing the garb that she had dropped ‘Sorry, I got distracted’ she said

  ‘Nina and I are waiting for you and all we can hear is shouting and crashing and whatever else is going on in here’ Ash said

  ‘Nothing is going on in here’ said Alastair defensively.

  ‘If you say so’ Ash said chuckling and turning away.

  Nin was standing in the main hall where previously Alastair had been hung upside down, she looked around at the timeworn carving and made various notes in her book.

  Ash’s approach drew her attention ‘What was that racket?’ she asked

  ‘Oh, Lilith is winding up Alastair’ he smiled ‘they shouldn’t be too much longer’

  ‘Good, the smell of burnt goblin isn’t one that I care to be around’ she scrunched her nose ‘ Do you think we can trust her?’

  Ash looked up at Nina ‘Yes, I think she will behave herself’

  ‘It would be foolish to trust a demon, by their very nature they are deceptive and cruel’

  ‘I understand that but I’m not one to judge a book by its cover, she had a rough start ill grant you. He said thoughtfully

  ‘Well you do what you like however I’m going to keep an eye on her’ she said

  ‘Ha ha I’m sure Alastair can help with that’ he chortled

  ‘What do you mean’

  ‘Nothing its just something funny in my own head’ he replied

  ‘I got the feeling you were a bit funny in the head’

  ‘Hey, that’s not nice’

  Nina simply smiled.

  ‘We should make it back to town tomorrow if we leave soon’ Nina said

  ‘Does that allow for bickering along the way?’

  ‘How mush bickering?’

  ‘I was not staring’ shouted Alastair

  ‘Maybe a day or two’ Nina sighed ‘If they carry on like that it’ll be a day for me and two for them’

  ‘If we left them alone, I’m not sure they’d come back, well maybe one of them’ sighed Ash

  The back and forth arguing went on between Alastair and Lilith, until they made camp

  Korbash grunted through the brush, snapping branches and twigs. He did care whether he was heard or not, his clan would be avenged. He’d gathered as many of his brethren as was possible, they weren’t the best hunters or fighters, but they were all he could cobble together after the wretched humans had torn his clan apart. The others pleaded for him to return to the ruins, it was still a good clan base and they would be able to repopulate and rebuild their numbers and strength. This was in all honesty a sound and sane plan, but Korbash was not operating on a level that could be described as sound or sane, he had held the body of his betrothed limp and lifeless by his own hand, then to add insult he looked up at the human scum that had tricked him with its filthy magic and was not even granted the mercy of death.

  At least then he would’ve been granted a worthy death, protecting the clan and his family, but no, it had been denied him, the filth didn’t even acknowledge him enough to end him.

  The pleas of the remnants fell on deaf ears, his clan was gone, his home was gone and there was only rage and revenge.

  The scent was still in the air, their putrid smell enveloped his keen nose, the smell of human and fire, they had made camp. The seven other goblins at his back fell in step with him, holding what little weapons that could be saved or salvaged on the way.

  Talk of returning had been silenced when the most vocal of them had his throat crushed by Korbash, even if they didn’t like it no one would go against the chief and there was no doubt that Korbash was the strongest and therefore Chief.

  Strength ruled supreme in the goblin world, the biggest and strongest gave the orders and the smaller followed in step. It was engrained in their nature and into their very being. They all fell in when he stopped taking in the scent they had spent the entire day tracking. Although he was obviously mad, Korbash was obviously a very skilled hunter still and was the clan’s best tracker.

  They huddled together a makeshift clan made of three females and five males only 3 of which were any use. The females were well versed in weaving, butchery, and the cooking of meat. They had foraged for what food they could and made the typical goblin meal which was a stew consisting of what you could find and what you could catch.

  Two of the males were wounded one missing an arm that wielded a spear still blackened from the fires of their home, the other sporting a nasty wound across his torso which looked like it was beginning to fester and turn a dark green almost black. If left too long his meat wouldn’t even be fit enough for the stew the only way he was even capable of contributing towards the survival of the clan.

  The able three were Korbash the maddened as he had been dubbed, Scratch an archer that limped lamely on a roughly bandaged ankle and Gorp the only other goblin that was on par strength wise but lacked in the brain department. It was often suggested that he was the union of a goblin and a particularly unintelligent boulder just not to his face, he was not one to take slights lightly and often took the offenders head in his paw of a hand and simply closed it till the legs stopped kicking.

  They stood for a while until Scratch made his way forward to Korbash.

  ‘Humans ahead’ said Korbash.

  Scratch made to move ready to make the scum feel the sting of his poison laced arrows when Korbash’s arm flew out to halt his advance.

  ‘Other smell on wind’ he snorted through his enlarged nostrils.

  Scratch joined him in taking in the night air.

  ‘Smell no good chief’

  ‘No’ Korbash said ‘Like death and nothingness’

  ‘What we do boss?’ Scratch said.

  ‘We go round camp, make sure we the only hunter and attack from both sides’

  ‘Yes Chief’ he replied scrabbling back to the group.

  They all picked up their weapons and Scratch took off with two of the females carrying small clubs fashioned from fallen branches, the spear wielder and the wounded old goblin

  Korbash took Gorp and the remaining female the opposite direction.

  Scratch continued carefully his keen eyes darting back and forth, after a few minutes walking he swore as the death scent grew stronger. He was on high alert moving among the trees that after a while lost their colour and looked ashen with white wispy foliage.

  He could hear the shouting off not far in the distance, which must have been the humans party, he could smell them upwind two humans, the fire and an elf.

  They would have to proceed cautiously with an elf in the party, they smelled like the forest which is why he hadn’t picked the scent up until now and the forests natural odour had vanished in the now monochromatic scene.

  They continued on hampered by the progress of the injured goblin, Scratch had mentally been calling him lunch as he was little use now than as a walking meat bag. He turned to address his team when he noticed that ‘Lunch’ was missing.

  ‘Where other go?’ he hissed.

  They all looked around no one able to recall when they had last seen the goblin. The spear wielder walked back a few paces and wandered poking the glistening ground with the bottom of his spear.

  A sudden rustle from above had everyone look up into the ashen leaves, light barely cascading through the upper branches a shadow moving between the trees.

  Backing up the female in the group came in touch with a trunk pulling herself away she found the tree laced with a sticky fibrous material, she immediately withdrew her hand and shook it to attempt to remove the webbing. The world seemed to go silent when she turned and looked skyward but what caught her attention was her reflection showing in eight beady little eyes.

  Korbash had successfully led his pack to the other side of the campsite, he watched the man folk sit around talking. His hand squeezed the pommel of a makeshift sword that far from the polished steel of man would not be capable of a swift death but more a long lingering drawn out affair where the goblin could have his fill of fun before their prey expired. He awaited the signal from the other side that they were in place and ready to strike, he was starting to lose patience when a scream rang out, the spear wielder came bursting into the campsite running straight onto the flames in the middle of the camp.

  ‘What was the fool doing?’ wondered Korbash but there was no time for thinking ‘Attack’ he yelled.

  Charging into the clearing his eyes opened wide as a spider the size of a wolf burst through the tree line pouncing down upon the spearman goblin who’d managed to pull himself from the fire, fangs piercing the small figures chest and abdomen.

  The arachnid made to pull its meal to the cover of the trees however a shout from the elf brought a bout of flame from underneath the spider singing its hairs and carapace. Korbash took the opportunity to run at the figure in black, the one who’d brought him shame and let out a scream that was half pain half rage, the figure turned to face him and his sword met nothing but smoke which weaved down and to one side. Time and time again the swings of his sword met nothing but smoke and the crisp night air, his resolve never ending and his rage ever building Korbash kept up his relentless attack.

  Gorp ran in and instead of attacking the humans made to save the goblin caught in the maw of the spider his thick arms tearing one leg off the spider and grabbing one of the exposed fangs dripping with toxin. He pushed it back and brought his fists down on the spider like a boulder, the carapace splitting and breaking leaking ichor from its crushed body. He raised his arms to bring them down again for a ‘double tap’ when his arms froze mid swing, looking up his arms were held in place by a sicky web. He pulled as hard as he could bringing a spider flying through the air which he didn’t expect as the arachnid came into contact with his face.

  The roar from Gorp could be heard for a mile or so as he prized the spider from his head, blood dripping down his face from the spiders wicked fangs. It was pulling its fangs back closer for another bite when an arrow sunk deeply into the spiders head killing it instantly, he threw it to one side as it curled up into a ball.

  The fight continued, The spiders and the goblins, blade verses bite, Gorp had slain a dozen or so spiders assisted by Scratch whose bow flung arrow after crooked arrow into the frey.

  ‘Where Chief?’ Asked Gorp stamping down on the fallen spider under his foot.

  ‘Fighting human’ Replied Scratch loosing his last arrow, dropping his bow and taking out two very dark looking daggers.

  Korbash was out of breath, tired and full of rage, nothing would stop him from taking this humans head. He charged forward with an over head chop which the man sidestepped however Korbash was getting used to this mans tricks and used his momentum too shoulder bash his target, finally bringing him to the floor.

  He held up his sword ready to bring down on this filth when the smoke quickly darted out to his left, recognising this as the way the man had been moving he adjusted the swing and brought it down upon the escaping smoke but again hit nothing, the smoke tril dissipated and the human was still in the same spot but had now gained his feet and brought one of them square into Korvashes chest.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Spiders were bursting into flame as the elf yelled out her commands with a shining knight repelling the spiders with the light from his shield then bringing down his sword.

  The demon witch was nowhere to be seen but her shadow danced among the flaming spiders, gouging long rents in the arachnid armour.

  More and more bodies were curling up dead and Scratch began to feel hopeful that they may actually win this battle, he heard Gorp land a massive blow behind him shaking the earth under his feet. Turning he saw that Gorp had finally succumb to the bites to the head he had received and was on the floor eyes spinning wildly.

  ‘Get up big brute, we fight’ Scratch said

  Tendrils of silk flew through the air landing on the large goblin, Scratch swore and screamed as he stood on his peer taking his knives to the threads that sought to hoist and drag his brother away.

  ‘Korbash’ He screamed ‘Help’

  Looking around, the goblin were not doing so good as he thought, the were a pile of spiders where the females had ran to, a charred corpse where the spearman had dragged his charcoal body before bleeding out and Korbash looking like he was dancing around trying to hit a ghost with his sword.

  ‘Chieftain!’ He screamed

  Korbash turned and saw Scratch standing atop the prone form of Gorp he let out a snarl and continued to attack the human with a renewed vigour.

  ‘Human killed tribe’ he swung

  ‘Human killed mate’ he thrust

  ‘Human take everything’ He screamed

  The rage building up in him so much that blood vessels in his eyes had burst and tears of blood ran down his cheeks. One hit, just one sound hit and this human would fall beneath his blade and pay for the wrongs that he had done. He would pay with fear, with pain, with blood and screams.

  Scratch was busily cutting threads and staving of assault by the spiders, blades lashing out, cutting through chitin.

  The most disturbing part of fighting spiders, was they made no noise, even when in the throws of death. The silent armies numbers were lessening and hope was in sight when an almighty tug pulled Gorp suddenly along the ground kicking up dead leaves and twigs leaving Scratch to pick himself off the floor.

  He looked up as a spider three times the size of the others pulled Gorp below it and Scratch cried out and watched as if in slow motion its fangs like elephants tusks were brought down upon his brethren.

  ‘No’ he cried and ran at the Goliath in desperation and hopelessness.

  Korbash felt the earth shudder as his subordinate was impaled, Scratches cries rang on deaf ears, there was only him and the human.

  As the fight continued, many a clang of steel and parry footsteps like a herd of horses approached, Khorvash turned to see the matriarch of the spiders, black with ashen hairs it loomed over like the alpha predator it was. He rolled just outside of its biting maw as it lunged at his bringing his sword across one of its outstretched legs.

  He couldn’t help but notice the green blood-stained fangs, four of its eyes were slashed open while a fifth had a very dark dagger protruding from it. It was now he looked around for his clan, he only saw the humans party, spiders and the remains of the spearman hand outstretched in his direction.

  ‘Why must everything be taken from me’ he thought

  ‘Twice I have lost my clan’ he scoured ‘There will be an answer in blood’.

  He danced between the matriarchs legs his sword swung and brought forth geysers of yellow sticky ichor, he could see the human evading the giant spiders attacks.

  ‘He’s mine’ he thought ‘Ill kill you first but he will be mine’

  The other spiders gave glancing bites which he deftly avoided bringing down his sword between their beady eyes and watched as the rolled away in their death balls.

  He grabbed one of the trunk like appendages as it was rising and let go to be tossed into the air landing on the bristly back of the beast bringing down his sword it bit through the side but stayed rooted in place, he gave it a few tugs but did not manage to budge the sword.

  He made his way along the back jumping from the thorax to the sternum looking down at the shiny black orbs and a dully glistening dagger.

  He leapt down grabbing the dagger and began to scream as he frantically plunged the dagger into the remaining eyes and the holes they were once contained in, yellow black liquid spurted and oozed from the carnage and eventually the spider much like its haemolymph family began to curl.

  As it did Korbash fell from the beast as its body was brought low kicking up earth and detritus into the air. Khorvash looked around seeing flames going off in the middle distance, the shining shield and dust settling back to the floor.

  He turned to look at the spider and saw that it had rolled oved and one of its legs had pinned the human filth to the ground.

  At last his time for vengeance had come, he looked down at his bare hands, he’d dropped Scratches dagger in the commotion but no matter he could do this with his bare hands.

  As he made his way over, memories of his clan, feasts, hunts and celebrations played over in his mind but with every step closer the sight of his slain chief, his mate dying in his arms, the laughter that had rang out from that filth afterwards.

  He clenched his fists and leaned over the leg, the man was just coming round and looked up into his face, the last face he would ever see.

  ‘For my clan, and for Korbash’ he screamed wrapping his fingers around the humans throat.

  His eyes bulged as more pressure was added, the strength of his clan ran through him and in this moment Korbash smiled a wickedly sharp smile, dripping with blood, some his own, some the spiders.

  He began to scream down at the man, spittle ran down and joined the other fluids as the man began to lose consciousness.

  ‘Not today you little green bastard’ Lilith said gripping the goblin by the head.

  She squeezed until the things head crushed like a ripe melon only gooier and greener, the body slumped over the spiders leg.

  Nina and Alastair soon joined and pulled the leg off their friend and dragged him out from under it.

  ‘Is he alive?’ Alastair asked panicked

  Ash regained consciousness and coughed out loud bringing up phlegm and blood, spitting it to one side.

  ‘Did we win?’ he asked

  Well everything else is dead’ said Lilith ‘So by that measure id say so’

  ‘Here’ said Alastair offering his forearm for Ash to grab as he was hoisted to his feet.

  ‘What the bloody hell was that all about?’ Ash inquired ‘It was like out of nowhere a half naked green fella runs into our fire and brought along his mates and giant spiders’

  ‘I don’t think the spiders were on his side, I saw them fighting’ said Nina.

  ‘Yes, there were some carried away by the spiders’ said Alastair

  ‘Did this one look familiar to any of you?’ Ash asked.

  Lilith chortled before saying ‘I think id remember a goblin with a busted open head’

  ‘You know what I mean’

  ‘He’s from the clan of the den we just left’ Lilith said

  ‘I guess that makes sense, they were after us for revenge’ Ash shrugged

  ‘Normally goblins are mindless creatures, they would normally hunker down somewhere and rebuild their numbers before starting to hunt again’ Nina said in an informative voice

  ‘I get that but this one seemed really pissed off with me?’ he said

  ‘Well its dead now so issue over’ Lilith said

  ‘I guess so’ Ash said ‘Does anyone mind if I loot the bodies?’

  ‘you are sick, I love it’ laughed Lilith

  ‘Calm down I only have to touch them or have the slayers permission’ he chided

  TOOL SYSTEM

  Would you like to loot

  Goblin x 4

  Spider Underling x 15

  Ashen Spider Matriarch x 1

  ‘Yes’ Ash gave the mental command

  You have completed hidden quest ‘Eight Legged Freaks’

  You receive

  Goblin ears

  Blackened dagger

  Crude sword

  6 Spider carapace

  12 Spider silk

  Spider Egg

  Spider Core

  Spider Poison Gland

  50 Silver pieces

  ‘Wow we got quite a haul’ said Ash ‘ Anyone want to try to absorb a spider core?’

  No one spoke out.

  ‘Well after what I saw with the bandit leaded I don’t fancy using it myself’ Ash said ‘Im already happy with the amount of eyes, arms and legs I have’

  ‘Its not necessarily a physical change, it could give you a venom spit power or the ability to climb walls’ Nina offered

  ‘I don’t like those chances’ said Ash

  ‘That’s fair enough, I’m sure someone at the market will buy it off you, its quite a rare one actually not many people survive a fight with an Ashen Matriarch’

  ‘I also got an egg’ said Ash

  ‘can I see it?’ Asked Lilith

  ‘Erm ok’ Said Ash opening his shadow portal bringing out a solid black orb the size of a magic eight ball only missing any signature markings.

  ‘Wow, can you push your mana into it?’ Lilith said

  ‘I don’t know’ he said beginning to gently push his mana in

  ‘Wait’ said Nina too late

  The mana draw suddenly tugged like a fisherman’s spool when hes fishing for mackerel and hooks a tuna, Ash feel to his knees holding out his hand gripping the orb the mana seeping almost visible like the waves above a flame.

  His other arm gripped his wrist as he cried out the mana draw almost too much for him to cope with. Suddenly the egg cracked, the mana leaking out through the seams with a start he dropped the egg and it fell to the floor turning to dust as it hit the floor.

  ‘What the bloody hells were you doing?’ said Nina ‘Do you know how dangerous it is to try to hatch a magical creature, one – on your own and two – with no way to regenerate your mana and three – without ensuring your mana channels are ready’

  ‘Calm down elf, he’s fine’ Said Lilith

  ‘That was an Ashen spider he just tried to hatch’ She protested ‘entire cities have been lost to their ilk’

  ‘Well were not in a city and he is just fine’

  ‘Fine?’ Nina said ‘Look at him he can barely stand.

  Alastair moved over to Ash and proffered his arm as support to bring Ash to his feet, no sooner than Ash held out his hand a spider ran out from his sleeve and from the back of his hand reared up its front four legs in the air. Alastair quickly pulled his hand away letting out a yelp. Ash looked down at the Arachnid on the back of his hand, he was never scared of spiders however the idea of a tarantula climbing on his skin would have petrified him but for some reason this situation didn’t bother him.

  A familiar golden glow in the corner of his vision came into view and with a mental command he brought up the tool system.

  TOOL SYSTEM

  New Category Added

  Familiars

  You have hatched and tamed an Ashen Matriarch.

  Would you like to name Ashen Matriarch?

  ‘Guys, I think its my pet’ he said

  ‘Well of course, what did you think would happen?’ Lilith said

  ‘It could have rejected him, bit him, paralysed him and the fed on him for days as it dissolved him from the inside out’ said Nina

  ‘Well yes, but it didn’t happen, so there we go’ Lilith said flicking her hair over her shoulder.

  ‘Guys what should I name her?’ Ash said tickling her under what he assumed was her chin.

  ‘Im not sure what to name a city scouring monster, death on eight legs?’ said Nina

  Lilith chortled ‘You elves really have a thing against spiders then’

  ‘Yes, in fact centuries of tales of ‘The Ashen Death’ have been passed down, if a nest is found it is dealt with swiftly and thoroughly, It is one of the only times that elves are allowed to desecrate woodlands it is taken that seriously’

  ‘Oh you wouldn’t do that would you Mildred’ said Ash

  ‘Mildred?’ The three companions said

  ‘Yeh my favourite Aunt was called Mildred, she used to give me money to get sweets at the shop whenever I visited and we always had almond fingers’

  ‘You are calling a monster Mildred?’ Said Nina

  ‘I like it, its got Dread in it, sounds quite fitting to me’

  ‘I don’t care what he calls it as long as it stays away from me’ said Alastair.

  ‘Aww Alastair, Milly just wants to be friends’ he said holding up the spider.

  The spiders eyes reflected the firelight as it turned in Ash’s hand to face Alastair.

  ‘No’ he said and walked away.

  ‘Its ok Uncle Alastair will learn to love you’ Ash said in a way of speaking reserved for infants

  ‘Will not’ Alastair said from the other side of the camp.

  The spider turned and went back up his sleeve.

  ‘Are you going to let it live in your sleeve?’ asked Nina looking repulsed.

  ‘Oh she’s not in my sleeve’ he said pulling up his shirt sleeves ‘I opened a portal to my storage, it just felt like the right thing to do’

  ‘Its actually a bit weird like I can still feel her in there’

  ‘Well master I think it’s a pet deserving of someone of your stature, imagine mowing down your enemies atop the back of your own fully grown Matriarch’

  ‘I’m gunna need bigger sleeves’ said Ash.

  ‘We should get some rest before we head back tomorrow, we only have a few hours until dawn’ Said Alastair

  ‘I’ll take watch’ said Ash ‘ I’m probably not going to sleep anyway’

  Alastair lay by the fire resting his head on a woven sack bag while Nina sat crossed legged wrists balances on her knees.

  ‘I want to talk with you more master’ Lilith said

  ‘I’ve told you I’m not your master, please stop calling me that’ said Ash

  ‘We need to talk about your inner shadow’ Lilith said looking serious

  ‘Yes I guess we do’