Red Twilight the Weaver chapter 27

Chapter 27:

Into the Unknown

With the turning of the next day the prophesized hour comes. The streets of Graywall begin to fill with spiders then the song of Scara can be heard carried on the wind, the monster's spider queen is coming.

All the armies of the kingdom gathered it is everyone's wish to stand and fight, one last glories battle to mark the end of an era. Even Jessica briefly gives into this idea, standing atop the walls of Graywall she holds her hand's high blessing her people so that the spiders can do no harm, but when the queen herself comes onto the battlefield, the Weaver's grace is shattered.

Scara holds up her mandibles showing off her epic scale "Keeper of Tamriel. Do if feel the magic of my father upon you? I am a princess; you are a court jester. What do you hope to do to me?"

Jessica summons her ancient power turning to flames to fly over the battlefield to meat Scara face to face. The kings and the apostles gather at the castle watching with much interest and fear as the battles come underway. Odidimus looks about noticing that Jessica has flown off. "What on earth is she doing?"

Baba-Yung looks unapproving "making a fool of all of us."

Corn slaps Odidimus on the arm, "Jessica told us to go North did she not? Now is the time, we must fly." The apostles nod and move with purpose, the brave and the strong move to the front to make room for the young and old alike to start their retreat.

Scara looks down at Jessica as she stands before her holding out her staff ready for battle.

"You have Mana on your side, how interesting." Scara lowers her head to get eye to eye with Jessica. "it will do you no good." Scara brings one claw down to crush Jessica.

Jessica holds on hand aloft cascading light from her body that stops Scara's attack, Jessica movie her hand forth and the shield becomes a wall of water flowing fervently into Scara momentarily pushing her back. Quickly Scara adapts, and the water magic does not affect.

Jessica glows brightly with purity as she commands "leave now and no one needs to suffer."

Scara enters Jessica's mind letting Jessica see the hive minds of the spiders, all at once she can see through all their eyes, feel all they can feel, taste all they can taste. The air is thick with death, the people of the kingdom are fighting bravely, but all the armor all the weapons and skill the races bring to one another is amounting to so little. The blight of the spiders seems a hopeless swarm to overcome. "Silly girl, we have you outdone a thousand or more to one. Fight all you like but this is my sandbox, and I will do as I please."

Distracted by an overload of her senses Jessica is defenseless. Scara movies in for the kill taking Jessica in her mouth, Scara seems to have mouths within mouths to use as more and more teeth come from all sides punching and squeezing leading her into its body. Jessica can do nothing but give in. Jessica's eyes close as she is drowned in saliva.

The battle is chaos, there is no order, and even if there where the spiders can outrun or our maneuver most anyone with little thought do to the link they share. The Rok are the strongest of the ranks, and stand the best chances of survival with hit and run tactics, picking up spiders in their claws and tossing them away, or eating them. But the spiders learn there tells fast and counter by setting traps and binding the birds to the ground.

The Unpine are smart; their rock bombs kill spiders fast. But their artillery is not unlimited. Of the races, the Unpine are the smallest and so are quick to turn tail when the battle turns tide. The spiders can see this and attack from the flanks.

The cats are skilled hunters attacking from dark corners, jumping atop their pray and crushing them in a single blow more often than not. The cats trust in their armor, lair over lair of skin wood and metal. Their weakness lies in their code of conduct, the cats like to fight alone, and if only they knew how to fight shoulder to shoulder their shields would make a nearly unbreakable defense. The spiders do not fight one on one, they fight a hundred to one whenever they can.

In the underground Darklings are something to be feared on the surface they are weak. The light blinds them, there sword smiting is without equal in this land but a sword is of little use when you cannot swing it.

kobolts count on their speed and sharp ears and noses in a fight, their skills are balanced, and they have no exploitable weaknesses. Numbers are all you need to overrun their ranks and that is just what Scara had in mind.

Only half the town reaches the rear gate before the spiders take control of most the city.

Ownlog stands probe the only Darkling that has adapted to fighting on the surface. Tor, Odidimus, and Sigh watch the rear gate protecting it and ushering others to escape. Caliguluse has taken to flying in and out of the battlefield with Dux and Warwing by his side caring away whoever they spot to the outside of the walls. This quickly becomes a hunt and peck mission.

A dozen spiders move in to ambush Odidimus, Sig and Tor. Ownlog is well adapted to this attack and movie in to assist. Ownlog runs up the wall of the nearest structure and Jumps Atop a spider drilling her swords into its eyes as it springs the trap.

Odidimus swings his staff pushing against one but his staff is of little effect against spider armor, the Grate and Powerful Rodney throws his ax to aid the king of mice. Pepper steps between Sigh and her attacker grabbing the spider by the teeth and twisting it to flip the monster.

Preston stabs down with his short blade to finish off the beast.

Ownlog is a berserker; she dances from monster to monster in a spiral of blades killing four singlehandedly. Rodney pulls his knife and steps into the next spider driving his knife into the soft under-skin of its jaw and into its skull. Rodney call to Ownlog as the struggle carries on "Maybe someone will write a song about us."

Ownlog snarls and barks "shut up and fight."

Pepper finds a discarded mace nearby taking it up reading himself for the next monster. Corn fires a cluster of arrows into an approaching monster to aid her son. "this is not going so well." Corn expresses.

Odidimus yells out "Jessica! Where are you."

A baker's dozen fireballs rain from above creating a funnel the spider must run through to narrow their assault, Baba-Yung calls down "Killed in battle with Scara."

Odidimus head drops in despair. "I'm sorry. I should have acted sooner."

Pepper yells at Baba "what! Why didn't you protect her?"

Baba yells back "Why didn't you?"

"you are the hand of god, aren't you? Summon some monster or something…"

Baba squawks "I can't do anything without Kari telling me to."

More spiders start to rush the gate, the battle is over. Any who have not escape already simply will not. Odidimus waves the last line on. "it is time to go, Sig destroy the gate."

Pepper calls to Odidimus "But not everyone is accounted for?"

"the cost of war boy. There is nothing left for us to do." Odidimus explains as he retreats.

Pepper is determined to stay until Corn takes him by the arm offering him a kiss repeating the order "it is time to go."

Tor turns to Ownlog "thank you for your help."

Ownlog grabs Tor by the back of the head and pulls him down onto her sword impaling him, Ownlog doesn't kill Tor, she mortally wounds him, she takes him by the hair and throws him to the ground in the spider's path sacrificing him "of course master." Ownlog's path for vengeance is over.

The walls of Graywall come crashing down. The spiders are still coming; this only buys a moments head start. The Apostles run alongside the kings protecting them as they bring up the rear of the exodus. Rodney steps alongside Preston taking a knife from the knight to rearm himself "thank you chap. So, I fancy fish for dinner tonight how do you feel?"

With hardly a time to breath, spiders start jumping out of the grass at them. Preston braces his sword with is forearm rolling a spider over himself. Rodney stomps on the spider's chest then dips into a kneel stabbing it in the side of the neck then keeps paces with Preston. "I feel like the cost of this fight is quickly becoming unacceptable."

Rodney chuckles "but what a story to tell the dumplings."

From a short way ahead, Penelope calls "status report."

"one-third of our troops are unaccounted for." Preston explains "Update." He requests.

"Air support is running out. Caliguluse believes the spiders haven't reached the river yet. Should I hold this position?"

"Negative. No one else is coming." Preston grabs Penelope and she joins their run.

***

Scara walks into the heart of Graywall gloating over her victory. The acids of Scara's body slowly melt the dead remains of Jessica… until she opens her eyes, her eyes now a burring purple. The sky overhead rips open as the mighty void comes into this world, in all its glory it covers the day sky from horizon to horizon. Scara stands frozen unsure what is happening.

The void speaks in a tongue no living beast speaks but everyone alive understands it "For three thousand years I have slept in this world. Only my dreams walk amongst you whispering history to me. Scara daughter of my sister, for too long you have eaten from my plate. Feasted on the souls of those that are rightfully mine, my Avatar gave you an avenue of escape. You thought it would be more fun to smite me? Behold the King of Tamriel has risen.

Scara giggles "good morning father. I'm just playing. Go back to sleep."

"play or no play you raised enough hell to call me here. Return now to our kingdom or I will drag you there." Scara has a moment's hesitation as she looks about at her playground. Jessica wraps her fingers around her staff, and it grows along hooked blade from its tip forged of evil fire, Jessica swings the blade down into the spider's intestines cussing a vomit reflex spitting the Weaver onto the earth.

Jessica speaks with the voice of Cravixs overlying her own. "you can have it your way Scara." Tornado's start ripping out of the earth sending rocks thousands of feet in the air, fire spills from the cracks in the topsoil. Ice swirls around the Weaver's hands. Jessica punches her hands off to her sides, and a web of darkness entwines the town. All the spiders and anything else caught in the web dies instantly; their lifeforce sucked into Jessica to feed her growing need for strength

Scara cries "Father, stop!"

Jessica glares into Scara, Jessica's glance alone starting to turn the spider to stone. The void sends down a set of hands forged form lightening to pick up the dying goddess and suck her back into their world.

In a flash, the battle is over, but the integrity of the island is compromised, water spills in from the groundwater tables starting to drag the land back to the bottom of the sea. Jessica turns to fog flying to land's end.

***

When she turns back to herself, she has grown even younger, back to the prim of her life. She is strong and sexy, her body reset to when she was but sixteen seasons old, her glasses now hinder her so she hides them away.

The survivors of the battle are just arriving Jessica appears. Still possessed by Kari Jessica looks to the ocean stabbing her reaper into the ground and calling forth a whirlpool to part the ocean and reveal a ship made of steel half the size of the island itself it seems. Holding back the water with her force of will she orders the people of the kingdom to flee to the ship. No one dares do otherwise.

Pepper runs up to Jessica hugging her when he comes into sight. Still burning with power, she reaches down placing one hand on his back holding him to her body taking in his warmth. "I thought you fell in battle."

Baba-Yung explains "she did. Look at her eyes, that is not Jessica the Weaver, that is

Kari." Peppers head lifts to look into Jessica's eyes, what Baba has claimed is surely true.

Jessica rubs the boy's back, her head up and tail raised exhilarated by the ecstasy of warmth on her skin. Jessica turns to the apostles. "Go to the ship. It is time for our exodus." The last of the vagabonds make their way to the sunken ship. Once Jessica has set foot on it the ship wraps with silver and the years of rust melt away bringing the ship to the peak of its glory.

Glowing orbs line the ship, so it never grows dark, wood, sliver steel, and glass adorn the walls with an artistic flair like few have ever seen, even Caliguluse finds himself amazed by the grace of the ship "Allure of Seas" is written on the side of the boat: it is more than 40 bodies length form the desk to the top of the tallest tower on the vessel, there are more than 3000 doors lining the ship, each door leading to a new room, walking from corner to corner of the main deck takes 3555 paces. Every cupboard aboard the 'Allure of seas' overflowing with food, no matter how much food is taken out the cupboards never have any less food.

The see falls back into place, and the ship is afloat, for days the void is all that can be seen in the sky, but once is retreats the sky is still dark. The ship movie of its own will as if pushed on its path by the ghost of the fallen. Jessica stands unmoving, unbreathing for days on in at the port of the ship watching the world roll by. Life on the ship is good for a time, no one grows ill, and in fact, many believe that they are growing younger and stronger as the days pass.

Weeks, maybe months pass as the ship movie across the gray water and blind white sky. From time to time Jessica enjoys a moment's clarity, and in that time, she tracks down Corn to keep her promise teaching her how to use the ancient power. But quickly the darkness retakes her.

As luck would have it, Corn learns that Jessica had given knowledge of the ancient power to many beasts around the land, including Sigh, Caliguluse, Baba-Yung, and Odidimus (who in turn was Monty's teacher) Corn seeks out the other practitioners of the ancient power to try to understand what has become of Jessica.

Monty is the first to conclude "most beast can call on the ancient power but we are limited in the ways we can forge it. But only a few can even choose what shape the power takes. Jessica is ended something special; her power is nearly without equal. But she reached her plat toe years ago. But when Kari touched her, she took in more power than her body could handle. It looks to me as if to protect itself the mind created a second Jessica, one that is as we remember her, the other a monster that hungers endlessly for things of the flesh. An Id and an

Ego."

Corn ask him "can you heal her like she healed so many of us?"

"I don't have that type of magic at my fingertips. Maybe Baba-Yung?"

"How long can she live like this?"

"if not for the blessing of the fire princess I imagine she would have died long ago. It is the ancient power that is killing her and the ancient power keeping her alive."

Corn hunts every book and studies every spell for a year looking for the magic she wishes for. Many find so much strange about the ship. The young do not grow old, the old grow young, no new lives can be brought onto the ship and it is of no lack of trying. The ship encourages its riders to read and practice art. But not everyone is impressed with the accommodation after some time.

Many unwise souls question if a new home will ever be found. Jessica is angered by their lack of faith "Have I not given enough yet? I grant you your dreams! I grant you long life! I grant you wellness like few have ever enjoyed! I ask nothing in return. If the ship is not to your liking, then feel free to step off the side." When some grow even angrier and try to take control of the ship, this leads to punishment. Those that try to fight Jessica turn to stone.

Only a fourth of those that boarded the ship on judgment day live long enough to see land, how long were they at sea? Some think a hundred sessions. Those who are left are not as they were when at last the ship finds land. The tribes have grown close, that which make them different has become hard to see, Unpine and Koblot are but one races with only their wings accenting the divide, the Darklings have grown smart and adapted to light, the cats have lost their taste of flesh, and the Rok have forgotten why they dislike their fellow Graywaller's. They are now a new race; they are five tribes but with only one flag between them. They will keep the name of Graywall, but now it is not a name for only Koblot's it is a name for their shared history. It's even put to a vote as to if all their children should be given a uniform education so that all may share the ancient power.

The ship beaches itself, Jessica leads them to their to be home. It has almost no resemblance to the world that was left behind; the air is dry and salty. The ground is stained red with clay; sand reaches out for miles in all direction. A lonely river marks the road they will walk from here on out.

***

For seven and a half days Jessica is herself, sharing her most beloved of stories, it then becomes clear that Kari's power is fading as food runs dry and the sand and salt sting bare skin. But all are so pleased to have found a new home that this is quickly overlooked. As the sun sets over the sea of red sand on the seventh day, Jessica mounts her staff into the ground overlooking the land ahead. A sense of childlike wonder finds her lip. Her staff talks to her "It is time Jessica."

Jessica turns to the apostles. "Here in the valley of red sand new stories await you. We have walked around the world, our past is lost but not forgotten, a new generation will soon arrive. You will brave the last mile of this trip without" Jessica point to a fork in the river they are approaching. "you will walk west, I will walk east, if the gods of this land are kind, we will meet again, and it will be a day of celebration. But kind or unkind gods this trip is not over. Build walls, make them strong. Build a new castle with your back to the river, live the north and south sides open to take in the wind so that you will all ways be able to see where you have been and where you will go next. Build a courthouse where you will rule from a chair not above your people but alongside them. Be fair, be kind, and whatever you do, do it with the greater good in your heart."

The seventh night a fire is built, and there is much dancing. Love is strong that night; a strange zin overtakes many. Today is the last day of the old ways with the rising of the sun a new kingdom will be born. What will that kingdom have in its future? For the first time in a lifetime, not even the Weaver knows.

With the first light, Jessica vanishes. Baba-Yung tries to follow, but their link is gone, as is Baba's magic, Baba is free of Kari's grasp, now she is only a Gloomwing and could not be happier.

Odidimus has awakened with the first light, wise with age he understands what has happened and has taken no measure to try to undo fate. Baba flies to Odidimus side "your mate is gone." She sits on Odidimus arm.

"she was gone long ago. That soup all those years ago marked our last meal together. The day Scara appeared Jessica died so that we may live." Odidimus explains "Baba-Yung, I want to build a stairwell in that valley down yonder, we will dig out this gully my stairwell to heaven will be 2000 paces by 2000 paces, and it will reach 500 paces into the sky there at its peak we will place a bell, we will cast it out of bronze and call it the 'Weavers Bell' the bell will sit in a cradle and on that cradle I will write all our names. I see no reason what we did together should ever be forgotten. Cravixs claimed he had slept for 3000 years, so our stairwell must stand for 3000 more years."

So, it was written, and so it was done.