Lassim and Silvari set out into the night, their mission clear: to find a suitable companion for the young princess.
The moon cast a pale glow over the landscape, illuminating the vast expanse of the Threads.
Silvari clung to Lassim’s hand, her excitement palpable as they ventured deeper into the web-covered forest.
For the next few hours, they wandered through the intricate landscape, witnessing the unique wildlife adapted to the Threads.
The biodiversity of non-arachnid creatures they encountered were fascinating, yet peculiar to Lassim—large, insect beings with glowing eyes and intricate patterns on their exoskeletons, almost like spider variants with bioluminescent markings, and all adapted to the webby terrain with delicate legs.
Despite the captivating sights of the various denizens of the Threads, their search for a suitable mount proved fruitless. They didn’t encounter a single one of the creatures Lassim had studied in the catalog at all.
Lassim noted that Silvari’s low cultivation and slower pace hindered their progress significantly; they simply couldn’t cover enough ground in the limited time they had.
This situation meant they could only explore the creatures nearest to the Funnel which were primarily insect-like in nature, their adaptations perfect for navigating the dense webbing but unsuitable and much too small for Silvari’s wants.
As the time limit to return approached, Lassim and Silvari made their way back to the palace.
Silvari’s initial excitement had waned, replaced by a quiet disappointment. They separated at the palace entrance, with Silvari heading off to her quarters under the watchful eyes of her protectors.
Lassim was escorted back to his room, where he sat on the bed, deep in thought.
He wished hunting for something could just be easier, like why couldn’t he visit a shop that could suit their needs.
As he pondered their next steps with that crossing his mind, his thoughts wandered back to the Myriad Spirit Academy. He remembered first exploring the academy’s store with Lustria and Sirium where he recalled the back area filled with cages. It was a place where beasts were sold to student beast tamers and those other students seeking mounts in exchange for their academy points could go.
With such a convenient place to obtain a potential companion, he wondered if such a place existed within the Threads.
"Ah-ha!" Lassim exclaimed, the idea striking him like a bolt of lightning.
"There must be a similar shop or merchant near the edges of the Threads, a place similar to the Swamp Town where non-Arachnid adventurers or merchants did business, much like Cirra and Gregor." He said out loud, mainly to himself instead of Mari and Zaphy.
With this new plan in mind, he went to bed, determined to ask one of the maids or Widows about it in the morning.
The next morning, Lassim joined Silvari for breakfast. The room was filled with the scent of various dishes, this time there seemed to be more palatable options for a regular person like Lassim from sweet fruits to savory meats.
Silvari seemed in better spirits after a night of sleep as well, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"[Good morning, big brother! You have an interesting look on your face. Did you think of anything new overnight?]" she asked, nibbling on a piece of dragonfly wings once again.
Lassim nodded, turning to one of the Widows standing nearby. "[Do you know if there’s a shop or merchant within the Threads that sells beasts for mounts or tamed companions? In the kingdom I come from, my academy had one on our campus where spirit warriors could obtain one. I wonder if there’s something like that in the Queen’s domain?]"
The Widow, who was one of Silvari’s "sister" guards by her side at all times, contemplated his question for a moment. Then, without a response, she approached the golden thread running along the edge of the floor. With precise movements, she plucked and tapped it several times, waiting patiently for a response.
After a few moments, a vibration ran through the thread from somewhere far away in the palace, and the widow nodded as she turned to Lassim. "[Your hunch is correct, child of man. There is a beast tamer merchant in a town on the western side of the Threads, near the Radiant Empire’s border. They specialize in selling and training beasts.]"
Silvari’s eyes widened with excitement. "[The Radiant Empire! I’ve heard about them from my daily briefings! They’re known for their military prowess and mercenary beast masters. Did you know that they were once a collection of warring kingdoms? The Radiant Emperor united them a few hundred thousand years after Mother created the Threads.
Now, instead of fighting each other all the time, they instead export trained beasts and mounts all over the continent region. That’s exactly the kingdom that gave me the idea to get my own mount!]" She beamed, proud of her knowledge.
Lassim smiled at her enthusiasm. "[That’s fascinating, Silvari. It sounds like this merchant might have exactly what we’re looking for.]"
Determined to proceed with their plan immediately, Silvari focused for a few moments as the golden tiara-like horn on her forehead glowed brightly as she closed her eyes.
Lassim watched in silent observance as she was clearly focusing incredibly hard on whatever it was she was doing..
After a few moments, Silvari opened her eyes, a satisfied smile on her face. "[Mother said we can go, but we have to be careful. The Radiant Emperor might get some funny ideas if he learns I’m there. She wants me to cover myself up, and only you can protect me. The Widows would make it too obvious who I am. But Mother said if anything happens to me, she knows where the Aurora Kingdom is, so… anyway!
Let’s go!]"
Lassim shuddered at the implied threat but quickly shook it off and tried to not let it bother him too much as he focused on their goal.
They quickly finished up their meal and headed outside the palace in a pair once again, this time without the Widow guards. After they crossed the underground burrow and exited the mouth of the entrance to the Funnel’s arachnid metropolis into the less busy outside, Lassim paused to offer a suggestion.
Given the distance to the merchant, Lassim offered to carry Silvari. "[Silvari, it’s quite a distance to the town where the merchant is, and your cultivation level won’t allow us to get there quickly. How about I carry you?]"
Silvari tilted her head, curious. "[Carry me? How?]"
Lassim smiled. "[I have an idea. I can create a water sphere to hold you above the ground and have you follow behind me while I use my [Tempest Steps] to travel quickly. Mari can help control its shape, so you’ll be safe and comfortable.]"
Silvari’s eyes widened with excitement. "[That sounds fun! Let’s do it!]"
Lassim nodded and reached out to Mari. "[Mari, can you help me with this? We need to create a stable water sphere for Silvari.]"
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Mari’s voice was reassuring. "[Of course, Lassim. I’ll ensure the sphere is stable and also has plenty of air holes for her.]"
With Mari’s assistance, Lassim carefully formed a water sphere around Silvari, ensuring it was secure and breathable. Silvari floated inside, her eyes sparkling with delight.
"[This is amazing, big brother! I feel like I’m flying!]" she exclaimed.
Lassim chuckled. "[Alright, hold on tight. Let’s get moving.]"
She nodded eagerly. "[Let’s do it, big brother!]"
Lassim took a deep breath, activated his cultivation, and began using [Tempest Steps] to race towards their destination.
Although he had to make an effort to reduce his speed significantly to ensure Silvari’s safety, they still moved much, much faster than if they had walked at her pace like they did last night.
Silvari laughed and cheered, letting out cute but odd hissing and clicking noises as they sped through the Threads. "[This is amazing! You’re the coolest, big brother!]"
Lassim couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm.
The incredibly dense web-covered landscape gradually thinned as they left the area around the Funnel, though the threads still were present regardless and marked the arachnid territory. They passed through the less intense webbed landscape, witnessing more of the unique flora and fauna of the Threads.
Eventually, they approached a town in the distance, situated right on the border between the Threads and the Radiant Empire. The town was bustling with activity, a blend of arachnid and human influences visible in the architecture and market stalls.
Lassim gently lowered Silvari to the ground, and she adjusted her disguise to ensure she wouldn’t be recognized.
They approached the town gate and were ready to pay their entrance fee as the air was filled with the sounds of merchants hawking their goods and the clinking of armor from the Radiant Empire’s soldiers just past the entrance.
"[Remember, Silvari, stay close to me and don’t draw attention to yourself,]" Lassim advised, his voice firm but gentle.
She nodded, her excitement tempered by a sense of seriousness. "[I will, big brother. Let’s go find my new friend!]"
Together, they ventured into the town, their eyes set on finding the beast tamer’s shop, hoping to get the perfect companion for the lonely princess.