Section 59: Goblins and the Female Mage

Little Spider clung to its Web in the corner. Trailing a strand of silk, it lowered itself bit by bit onto the bedside table.

Its two front legs held a neatly wrapped insect carcass. Fighting the night wind blowing through the window, it climbed down the table and onto the pillow.

"This human is always feeding me. He must be giving me all his own food, right?" The spider huffed and puffed as it dragged the insect carcass to the sleeping Annan's mouth, then planted its legs on its hips in delight. "I saved this for you..."

Watching it all from outside his own body, Annan saw "himself" wake at the touch. He discovered the spider and dead insect beside his pillow and screamed, swatting at the pillow.

A rush of air sent the panicked spider tumbling. It hid beneath the bed, trembling with fear.

As Annan searched and thrashed about on the bed, dust sifted down underneath it. A draft rolled the carefully wrapped insect to the helpless spider. Its eyes filled with frightened tears. It didn't know what it had done wrong...

The next morning, "he" ran to the Morning Breeze Inn and tearfully told Andrew Luna, Michael, and Soluman Copperbeard, "There's a spider in my room."

"Don't worry, Big Nan." Michael pulled a chunk of bread from his pocket with his short, round hand. "Spider bait!"

"This bait is laced with deadly poison. Spiders can't resist it. Put it in front of that spider, and your problem's solved."

Bait in hand, "he" returned to the attic and found Little Spider in its Web.

Little Spider shrank back when it saw "him" approach, retreating into the corner. "He" stuck the bait to the Web and stepped away.

"Such sweet-smelling food... Is it for me?" Little Spider crawled toward