As they continued their pace with Silvari leading the way, her small hand firmly grasping his, Lassim finally asked, "So, where exactly are we headed?"
Silvari glanced back at him with a bright smile that made her mandibles next to her lips twitch upwards. "Well, it’s the afternoon, so of course I have my meal and then weaving lessons. We can give you a room in the nidus for you to wait in until I finish!"
Lassim glanced at the surrounding Widows and sighed again, his predicament growing more out of control by the moment.They made there way through the densely webbed forest towards the center of what he suspected was "the Funnel" as his map had labeled it.
As they approached, the sight that greeted him was truly awe-inspiring. The architecture was unlike anything Lassim had ever seen, resembling structures from a seemingly ancient, otherworldly civilization.
The buildings were intricately designed, with sweeping curves and tiered roofs that seemed to float on delicate, silken threads. Elaborate spires and multi-tiered pagodas were adorned with golden filigree, the patterns reminiscent of the finest embroidery.
Suspended bridges of webbing connected the various structures, creating an intricate lattice work that shimmered in the ambient light.
Everywhere he looked, there were millions of different spiders and species, each more fascinating than the last as they moved about the nest—or rather, the metropolis.
He even saw some spiders that looked similar to the Innkeeper from the swamp town with the big bulbous head. There were also tiny slings running around, probably newly hatched, and every other kind imaginable. Some spiders had bright pink and purple colorations, almost like mimicking a specific flower and others faded away into their surroundings with almost a white-web based camouflage.
There were also numerous male and female humanoid half-spiders, each distinct in their coloration of browns, greens, and iridescent hues, clearly different branches of the spider species. Lassim had seen the Widows and even that scorpion-man back at the Swamp Town, but it was so interesting to see how different their lower halves could be when it came to spider species.
It made him wonder if everyone was compatible or if it was a mess trying to find your partner amidst all the various spider-kind.
Lassim was genuinely amazed as they progressed deeper into the city that was "the Funnel".
The path gradually led them more towards the underground, revealing a sprawling burrow with tall ceiling cave systems. Stalagmites and other rocky surfaces were covered in webs, creating a surreal, almost ethereal landscape.
The deeper they went, the more intricate the webbing became, reflecting a sense of ancient artistry and purpose.
Eventually, they reached a central palace-like structure within the burrow. The webbing here was different and more unique; it transitioned from the silvery, opaque threads to pure golden strands at the border of the palace’s walls.
As they neared, Lassim could sense a significantly weighty presence deep inside the palace. It wasn’t as overwhelming as the divine presence he had felt in the past from standing in the presence of multiple gods, but it was remarkable how one individual within the mortal realm could emanate such spiritual pressure simply by existing.
The source of this c𝓸ntent is freewebnøvel.coɱ.
It was clear to him they weren’t making any effort to rotate any sort of cultivation or beastial empowerment technique.
The very moment they crossed into the golden threads of the palace, with Silvari still holding his hand, Lassim felt as though the existence deep inside the palace locked onto him.
The pressure from the gaze was titanic, the entire weight of this magnificent being bearing down on him completely. He had the urge to buckle his knees feeling such an intense gaze. That one second seemed to last for an eternity before it quickly vanished, returning to normal.
Lassim’s back was drenched in sweat from the sheer murderous intent contained in that gaze. It felt as if he had been observed by a war god, one whom had slain hundreds of millions of beings.
The little girl and the Widows were oblivious to the situation, or at least appeared to be by giving Lassim odd stares as he was visibly shaken.
Silvari ignored his situation and thought it was just a quirk of his before continuing to drag him toward the inside of the palace.
The first thought Lassim had was, ’Isn’t the inside of this palace remarkably... normal?’
The architecture and decor were akin to what Lassim might expect in a grand estate of a human kingdom. The floors were polished marble, reflecting the soft light from chandeliers that hung from the high ceilings. Walls were adorned with intricate tapestries depicting scenes of nature and history, the colors vibrant and meticulously detailed.
Portraits of regal-looking spiders, likely ancestors or notable figures, lined the corridors, adding a sense of lineage and prestige.
All along the hallways, which were more traditional in style with almost no webbing except for a thick golden thread that ran along the edges, were various humanoid spider creatures dressed as maids and butlers. Their attire was formal, complete with crisp uniforms and polished accessories, adding to the stately atmosphere.
Each time they passed, they bowed deeply to the princess, showing their deference and respect; another human kingdom quality. Their movements were precise and elegant, a sign of intense etiquette training and the high standards of the palace.
Yet, there was indeed one peculiar detail that stood out to Lassim—the hallways were much, much wider than in any palace he had seen before. The expansive corridors seemed almost excessive, designed to accommodate more than just foot traffic.
The extra space allowed for the passage of larger creatures, perhaps even some of the enormous spiders he had seen outside like the swamp town’s guardian.
Eventually, Silvari led them to a large room with a long dining table, set with a veritable feast of various meats and insects.
The table was laden with dishes, each more exotic to Lassim than the last. There were platters of roasted centipede segments, bowls of beetle carapace in salad bowls, and skewers of grilled tails of some creature he couldn’t identify.
There was even a particularly large platter in the center that held dragonfly wings, arranged in a delicate pattern that resembled the wings of a giant butterfly.
Silvari’s eyes lit up with excitement as she spotted the dragonfly wings. She let go of Lassim’s hand and rushed over to start eating. "[Look, big brother! Dragonfly wings! They’re my favorite! You have to try them!]" She held out a piece to him, her eyes shining with anticipation.
Lassim politely declined, taking a seat and listening as Silvari continued to ramble about her favorite foods and foods she hates.
After this went on for a few minutes, she paused briefly to ask, "[By the way, I don’t even know your name. What’s your name, big brother?]"
Lassim introduced himself, "[I’m Lassim. I come from the Vanthar and Rohese families and I’m on my way south to the Lightning Sect. I’d like to keep going as I’ve already lost some time in trying to go there, so, I was wondering, if there’s a possibility to find a creature that would satisfy your needs for a beast mount in the nearby Threads? I’ll go catch it and bring it right back]"
Silvari seemed unsure and turned her gaze towards the Widows around the room. None of them offered any suggestions. Lassim sighed again, feeling the weight of the troublesome situation he was in.
In the middle of her meal, Silvari’s head twitched upwards as she glanced at a vibrating golden thread along the edge of the ceiling in the dining room. Lassim noticed the vibration too, but was unsure of its significance. Silvari suddenly stood up in a hurry. "[I’m late for my weaving lesson!]" she exclaimed, turning to one of the Widows. "[Show him to his room, please.]"
Lassim was promptly escorted out of the dining room and taken to one of the rooms within the palace. The door shut behind him with a decisive click, locking him inside.
Sitting on the bed, Lassim mentally checked in with Mari and Zaphy. "[So, what should we do now? I don’t think we can get out of this without helping her get a beast mount. Were either of you listening to her demands? I started tuning out after the first few minutes. Do you have any ideas what we could get for her?]"
Mari’s voice was thoughtful. "[It’s a tricky situation. She seems to want something extraordinary. We’ll need to think of something that stands out. I wonder if one of the beast species book you have could give us some ideas]"
Zaphy chimed in, "[Maybe a creature that’s rare and powerful! Yah, that’d be suitable for a princess—something that could really represent her. But you know more that me if there’s anything like that around here.]"
They brainstormed ideas, but ultimately, they were unsure if there was a beast within the Threads that could meet the princess’s high standards. Lassim felt at a loss, unsure of what to do next.