Annan did not act rashly. He climbed the rock wall, squeezing past the swarming spiders as he made his way up, then watched from above for a while.
Once he was sure the Dark Elf was gone, he leaped down and landed lightly on the carpet woven from webs, then approached the sacrificial altar.
The spiders surged around the altar like a tide. Annan bobbed through them until he reached its edge, then quietly climbed up.
Apart from the surging spiders, not a sound came from the cavern. Annan reached the top of the altar without trouble.
He circled its edge, returned to the center, and looked around the empty altar. "There doesn't seem to be anything special here..."
Then a shadow fell over him. Annan looked up and saw several strands of silk extending from the darkness. Like wings, they held the coldly beautiful Dark Elf as she slowly descended.
"Found you, little one."
Annan raised his two forelegs. "Don't misunderstand. I mean you no harm!"
"I know. But that doesn't matter."
As she spoke, the Dark Elf reached toward Annan.
Though she was several meters away, Annan felt a sudden throb in his chest, as if something had seized his heart.
The next instant, the protective spell inscribed on his Mage Robe activated, teleporting him into the tide of spiders below the altar.
Whoosh—
The moment Annan appeared, the spiders around him scattered.
He blinked to another spot, and the spiders dodged again. Wherever he appeared, a wide space opened around him.
A teasing laugh drifted down from the altar. "Still trying to run, little one?"
Realizing there was nowhere to escape, Annan tried to negotiate again. "Do you know Mora? Moxi? Ellia? Or Lothermar..."
At one of those names, the Dark Elf's playful expression vanished. "Did that