Martin Manor (2)

Green swept his gaze around. White cobwebs filled the place, and tangled among them were many enormous "cocoons" over a meter tall.

He slit one open with the tip of his sword, revealing a human corpse inside. Its face was twisted, and it still wore a maid's uniform. She must have worked at the manor, trapped in the cocoon until she starved to death.

Green frowned. Suddenly, his figure blurred, and a cold flash of steel followed.

The next instant, a massive shape fell from the roof with a thud. At first, nothing was visible. A second later, a line of blood appeared, revealing a huge blue-and-black spider with only seven thick legs.

The spider monster was as big as a calf and could turn invisible. It had hidden on the roof, concealing its presence so well that even Green had failed to notice it. Only when it prepared to pounce did it betray itself. Green sensed it and cut it down with one stroke.

Green flicked his sword. Not a drop of blood clung to it. As he studied the giant spider, his doubts deepened.

The spider looked frightening and could turn invisible, but it was only moderately strong, barely at the Official Beginner level. With Mrs. Hilgaf's fighting ability, even an ambush should never have defeated her so easily.

Still puzzled, Green focused, trying once more to locate Mrs. Hilgaf.

This time, however, some force blocked both the Faith Line and the Soul Link. Green could sense nothing.

Meanwhile, inside the manor's strange main building, Mrs. Hilgaf strode along in heavy armor, carrying a Bone Shield and a warhammer. She smashed the skull of a shriveled Zombie and called out her subordinates' names as she walked. "Wenger! Ferg! Malti! Becken!" Her booming voice carried far, with no concern