Broodmother Spider

Seranas had been hungry for a long time.

When she had still been inside an egg, she had been brought to Dalaran. A mage had cultivated her in a laboratory. When her eight eyes first beheld such intense light, it had driven her madly scratching at the glass jar, but to no avail.

That dreadful monster had taken her out and conducted horrifying experiments on her. Even now, the deep-red patterns covering her furry carapace recorded those inhuman acts. Scalding blood had been injected into her body, and she could only endure it. Until one day, the careless mage forgot to replace her prison with a larger one. She smashed it with her furry claws and desperately rushed into the sewers, finally escaping that terrible laboratory.

But there was nothing here except rats. She searched the sewage for filthy food. She and her children hid in the wastewater, their once-smooth skin covered in rotten blotches. She wanted food, but the glowing red patterns in the darkness were practically announcing to every living thing that a great monster had arrived. She could only send her children out to hunt. They did not have red patterns, yet even so, it was difficult for them to find food—enough food.

All she could do was endure. She led the swarm of spiders charging toward the light.

Eat!

"What is that?!" Liadrin's voice warped with fear. The several-meter-long red lights within the black tide were enough to prove that a dreadful monster was charging toward them. "It looks like something terrifying!"

"A spider!" Krasus could barely believe it. The information relayed by the Mage Eye made even his dragon scales stand on end. "It's as big as a whale!"

Two furry chelicerae, like the boughs of spruce trees, thrust out from the cavern. The starving monster threw itself desperately against the thick mass of ice. Salorian drew Quel'Delar with lightning speed. Krasus's gaze flickered as he looked at Cromie; the bronze dragon had also recognized this powerful weapon blessed by dragons.

Quel'Delar sliced easily into the chelicerae. The enchanted longsword cut through them like butter. The spider jerked them back even faster, but the severed limbs could not be restored. They fell among the frenzied spider swarm. Pain-filled, furious howls echoed through the darkness, while terrifying light glittered within eight shining crimson orbs.

"Good thing we have three mages." Even Uther wiped away sweat as he watched the magic gleaming in the three men's hands. "Isn't it?"

Three powerful fire spells surged from their hands. Krasus used Dragon Breath, a formidable spell the high elves had developed based on dragon breath. When cast by a dragon itself, its power naturally rose to another level. The magic around Krasus even formed the phantom of a dragon's head. The head opened its jaws slightly, and wherever his fingers pointed became the direction of the dragon's breath.

Cromie's spell was much simpler and more brutal: Flame Storm. It was a delicacy every fire mage had to taste; any fire mage who could not cast it was unworthy of calling himself a spokesman for flame. A terrifying wall of fire blazed through the darkness. The little spiders had only just charged through Krasus's Dragon Breath when they met the fire wall, and the air was immediately filled with a scorched, nauseating stench.

Lister's spell was entirely different. A chilling white mist spread from Ebony Chill, and the surrounding ground froze over. This was the famous frost spell, Ice Ring. His casting was extremely skillful. He first used Ice Ring to reinforce the wall of fat, then cast another layer of Frost Armor over everyone to ensure their survival.

Ice Ring's true brilliance did not lie in that, but in the sudden plunge in temperature. After rushing through the dreadful flames, even the little spiders that survived and reached them were burning hot. They had not inherited their mother's fire resistance—and when the temperature suddenly dropped—

The instant they stepped onto the ice, the little spiders burst apart one after another like burnt cream puffs. Foul green bodily fluid leaked from their bodies through their cracked carapaces. Their movements became incomparably sluggish, and the warriors slaughtered them with ease.

"I can't think of a more ingenious response." Krasus nodded in approval. "You cleverly used the temperature difference to nail these little monsters at the final gate."

A heaven-shaking shriek came from the pitch-black giant doorway. When the red orbs appeared again, everyone discovered there were only seven left.

Everyone looked at Korthira. The elf tilted his head, then drew his bow and nocked another arrow. "Will the Council of Kirin Tor cover the cost of the magic arrows I just used?"

"Of course." Krasus's hand gestures changed without pause, each change unleashing a powerful fire spell in an unbroken chain. The dazzling firelight kept the broodmother spider from advancing an inch, while also allowing everyone to see what a terrifying monster it was. If Uther was the incarnation of the Holy Light, releasing its power at every moment, then Krasus was the sovereign of flame.

At last, the black tide of little spiders stopped charging. More than half had died or been wounded, and they fled behind their mother. The enormous spider mother continuously smashed the ice wall with her intact chelicerae, but received only merciless retaliation. Her earlier rash attack had cost her two chelicerae. It would be difficult for her to breach this wall now.

Lister took out handfuls of potions. "Antidote, super healing potions, defense potions. Take one each."

Without hesitation, Salorian drank an antidote and a defense potion. Falon and Solanar followed close behind. Everyone drank their potions. Uther pinched his skin and flesh, which had become exceptionally hard. "Heh. Even getting hit with a hammer doesn't feel like much now."

Salorian charged at the very front. Krasus's flames still burned, but the magical armor around the elf completely warded them off. He quickly rushed to the other side. The enormous spider mother raised one giant chelicera. The two chelicerae that had just healed were regenerating rapidly, but the newly regrown limbs were still extremely fragile. She intended to crush this little bug to death.

The elven warrior did not dodge. Arcane radiance blazed across his body. Every elf could use Arcane magic, especially Salorian. He was the commander of the royal guard stationed at the Sunwell—how could he not know Arcane magic? It was simply that, like Lothar, he had woven spells into physical combat.

He thrust out his left fist. A powerful Arcane Torrent collided head-on with the chelicera, buying him a brief instant. Salorian then swung Quel'Delar in his right hand with explosive force, slashing several times in a single second and severing another chelicera!

The broodmother spider let out a piercing scream. With a casual fling, she smashed the broken chelicera viciously into Salorian. Even after drinking a defense potion, Salorian's head was split open, blood pouring down his face. Liadrin hurriedly called upon the Holy Light, but at that moment, the Holy Light seemed no longer willing to answer her. Sweat instantly covered her brow, and an unspoken terror nearly destroyed everything within her.

Sacred radiance shone in the darkness. Uther raised his right hand, and the Holy Light poured down. Salorian's wounds rapidly healed. The broodmother spider realized something was terribly wrong and called her children to fight. Only then did the frightened spider swarm react and rush forward, but they were already too late. Everyone followed Salorian inside. Powerful flames forced the spider swarm back step by step, leaving them utterly unable to resist.

The warriors immediately spread out, encircling the broodmother spider from every angle. Falon and Solanar worked in perfect harmony, joining forces to chop off one of her rear chelicerae. The broodmother spider felt catastrophe looming. The red patterns across her body contracted, and her venomous mouthparts abruptly opened. A pained shriek echoed through the darkness. Every time she used her fire abilities, she first burned herself—this was the price she had paid for escaping before the mage could complete the final experiment.

"Watch out!" Krasus roared. He was already preparing to transform. "It's preparing a spell!"

The spells of magical monsters like this were mostly instant-cast. Casting was instinct to them.

The giant spider suddenly spat out a stream of scarlet venom. The flaming toxin blanketed the sky and earth, leaving almost no one any chance to escape. Lister raised his hand, and Ebony Chill once again bloomed with dazzling blue light.

The surrounding air condensed into a huge ice wall, like an upside-down bowl covering everyone beneath it. Scalding fire venom poured down over their heads, burning to death many little spiders that had failed to dodge in time as well.

The spider mother's unwilling, furious roar sent chills through everyone's hearts. They had never imagined such a terrifying monster would be here. Even if she burned her own offspring to death, even if her freshly healed wounds burst open from using magic, she still wanted these intruders dead!

But she had no chance left. Several Arcane Missiles formed in Lister's hand, and the spiraling missiles shot toward the spider's vulnerable abdomen.

The bloated abdomen was bombarded in turn by several missiles. The first blew apart the dense, hard bristles covering it. The second shattered its tough outer skin. The third finally managed to pierce its flesh. The broodmother spider fought in a frenzy, but she could not escape. The elven warriors entangled her with exquisite skill, and the defense potions allowed them to face the danger of sweeping chelicerae with ease. The only problem was the sea of little spiders around them, but with the powerful healing of the two priests and Cromie's magical support, they had no worries behind them.

The sustained bombardment of Spiral Missiles completely blasted through the broodmother spider's abdomen. Glyphs allowed Lister to cast the missiles almost instantly. So long as he had sufficient mana, vast numbers of unlaid spider eggs poured from the wound. These pigeon-egg-sized spider eggs were incinerated by flames the moment they fell. The badly wounded broodmother spider hurriedly fled deeper inside, but she had no chance left.

Korthira fired another arrow. The mithril arrow, infused with massive Arcane power, pierced straight through her head. Violent Arcane energy instantly blew apart her ugly skull, and her huge body crashed into the sewage. The little spiders tried to flee, but there was nowhere to run. Ebony Chill froze everything around them. Everyone spent a great deal of time killing them one by one. It was absolutely necessary; otherwise, who knew whether another monster like this would appear?

"How much is the Council of Kirin Tor willing to pay?" Lister's question made Krasus frown. This was the real problem. "Let's divide the spoils first." The dragon spoke with difficulty. "This spider seems to have some rather good things on it."