The night came as the moon replaced the sun. They had continued their pace until they finally reached the other of the mountain. The cold breeze of the night gently caressed the trees and the members of the Hunting Party.
Jin, Dunn, Rina, and Fushigiro, who were carrying Fatty on his back, stopped... Causing the four teenagers and Caleb behind them to follow. In front of them, the last obstacle of their journey. The Spider Town! Literally to its name, it was the home of Tier 8 Spider Queen, one of the culprits that breached the Wall of Rose! It's not her strength that made her dangerous, but her child, or the army of Tier 9 spider monkeys!
Caleb looked ahead of him. H took in the sight with awe on his face. Alone in the dark, lay ahead dilapidated buildings. Specifically, in front, there was a massive six-meter metal gate with the emblem of a spider in the middle. There is an unknown language different from the ones Fushigiro and other uses to speak.
"What kind of gibberish is that? Can any of you guys understand the words written at the gate?" Dunn scratched his head. He looked at Jin, expecting the great walking encyclopedia for answers.
Seeing this, Jin was speechless. Did the bastard really think he knows it? Honestly, it was also his first time seeing such a language. He didn't understand any word. He shook his head, still speechless.
"Do you think I'm some ancient person? All the knowledge I have in me could easily be accessed from the libraries before the invasion of the Apokalips. And the language aspect isn't really my forte. I'm more into facts and a bit of science."
'So they don't understand it?' Hearing their conversation, Caleb scanned the weird language written on the metallic gate. It was a blood-red color, as if the one who wrote it used human blood as their ink. Due to his Universal Language Art, he could certainly understand it. Yes, he could understand the words, but he was clueless about the meaning. The text says:
"In moonlit threads of silver spun,
A spider's work is never done.
But does it weave to catch its prey?
Or dreams to chase the light of day?"
Luna's eyes brightened at this moment. A look of hope appeared on her face. "You mean there's something that could treat Fatty there?"
"I mean, there might be advanced facilities there or some healing type-Destiny. It's better to try than doing nothing, right?" Jin knew that what he was saying might be a false hope. However, it was the only option left to them now.
Hearing this, Dun let out a sigh. "Let's proceed then. The longer we stay here, the higher than chances of the spiders from discovering it. We have to take advantage of the fact that they aren't aware of our presence yet."
"Then I have to remind you guys again. We just need to pass this town. We don't need to fight. No, we have to avoid fighting as much as possible. If one spider discovers us, it would be enough to alert the other kinds. Worst-case scenario, the Spider Queen showing up. At that time, nothing would be able to save us." A solemn expression appeared on Fushigiro's face, making Andre, Luna, and Clifford nervous.
Since the start of the journey. The group fought a lot of abominations. From the outskirts of the Quincy Mountain to the Mountain Range, and now, they have to face Apokalips again.
'Another bout of escaping for our dear lives. This world is really helpless.' Inexplicably, Caleb felt a tinge of pity for the humans in this world.
As someone born from the Peaceful era, what he needed to do in the past was just to work and think about his three meals a day. Not only that, his problem was just about the quality of life and the future. In this world, on the other hand, they are under the constant threat of death. Apokalips could appear anytime, take their precious ones, and take their lives. They are living in fear. It's not to say that Earth was a hundred percent peaceful... There are still crimes and human evil. But at least, it's not as hopeless as the situation in this world.
...
Just like that, Caleb and the others arrived in front of the metallic gate. They were surprised to find out that it wasn't closed at all. There was a small gap enough to let five people pass. As if the town was welcoming anyone. However, it made sense for them. After all, what lives in the city aren't humans... But the arch-enemy of the human race and the ones that almost brought human extinction. Apokalips!
Caleb gave Fushigiro a deep look as the latter entered the door, acting as their pathfinder. Then at his friend on the latter's back. 'I hope it's not too late yet. We have to reach the City in time.'