Book Three Chapter Thirty Seven: TT_Hunter_Room

Book Three Chapter Thirty Seven: TT_Hunter_Room

Having finished staring at the urn containing the future Definitely Bad Guy, the rest of the party spread out to look for other hidden alcoves, leaving just the Hero staring at it. Qube hesitated a moment, staying by his side.

Are you all right? she asked. She wouldn't have thought the Hero would be so shaken by seeing a future theyd managed to avoid. He wasnt generally prone to brooding over such things.

If we hadnt broken the Evil Emperor, Definitely Bad Guy would have died, he said.

Yes, Qube agreed, confused.

I he struggled to find the words. I didnt think the [Traitors Curse] would actually kill him.

Of course it would have, Qube said, even more confused now. What else would it have done?

I dunno, damaged his power output or nerfed him somehow, the Chosen One said, his voice steadily rising. I didnt think it would kill himkill him. I didnt he trailed off again, and returned to staring at the urn. They didnt say anything to me, he finished. Did they just not think about it?

Aha! the Bard exclaimed, pointing out a faintly red gem next to the words The Hunter. The Chosen One, jolted out of his thoughts, finally stepped away from the urn and turned around. The drawer was on the opposite side of the room from The Mage, but the Hero easily vaulted over the coffin in the middle.

That would be mine, Sexy Screamy Spider Lady said, scuttling over to the closed drawer. She eyed it with interest. Do you think itll be past, present, or future? It would be delightful to have double of me, wouldnt it? she asked the Chosen One, batting all her eyelashes at him.

The Hero didnt look particularly pleased by this prospect, but instead of answering he pressed on the gem. Same as the others, the panel slid back, revealing a flower missing half of its petals. The Chosen One glanced at Sexy Screamy Spider Lady, who just looked back.

Shall I? he asked politely. The Hunter reached past him, and gently stroked the flower with the tip of a claw. Once again the walls flew away from them and the coffin sank into the ground, before everything dissolved again.

Whoever designed the Temples really needed to be more creative.

---

Wow they really got lazy with this, didnt they? the Chosen One asked, looking around the clearing. They were inside the beginning of the Forbidden Forests Temple, staring into the dark pit that theyd run through so long ago. The roots still burst out from the ground, forming twisted pathways that eventually lead to the other side, and a cliff edge waited at their feet. The only differences between the original Forbidden Forest Temple and this were the lack of animals in the pit, and the fact that everything was the same leeched grey as the cemetery outside the mausoleum.

The music was eerie, with subtle creaking sounds and rustling moans like wind through leaves turned into song. It was almost like the song was trying to make people think it was coming from the Temple itself but Qube could remember what it sounded like without the music so it wasnt fooling her.

This does seem familiar, Sencha Bard concurred. The Chosen One grinned.

Hey, remember when I made you into a horse so you could carry me around? he asked Qube.

Qube didnt dignify that with a response. Or by pointing out that riding on someones shoulders does not make said person into a horse, thank you very much!

Look, over there, she said, ignoring the Hero and pointing. In the centre of the floor, just visible between the enormous roots was a small, child-sized wood elf and

Ruler Wefton? Sencha Bard peered into the surprisingly misty pit.

Father? Sexy Screamy Spider Lady whispered.

Qube squinted to try and bring the grey-coloured pair in the pit into focus. The wood elf adult did, indeed, look very much like Ruler Wefton had, the last time shed seen him. But shed never seen the child he was talking to. She had long, dark brown hair, and was wearing a short skirt and one-shouldered halter top. She looked absolutely adorable.

She was also wearing a vine-woven belt with two daggers tucked into it.

The Hero, disappointed by Qubes refusal to reminisce about her pony days, dropped down into the pit. With a sigh, Qube followed suit, the others thudding as they hit the ground behind her. Together they joined the Hero as he strode towards the Ruler and child in the middle of the pit.

You must be ready for the trials, Ruler Wefton suddenly started saying as soon as the Chosen One entered the leaders field of view. The child pouted.

But Father, I was

Father? Was this a memory of the Hunters? It couldnt be! The wood elf child looked nothing like Sexy Screamy Spider Lady. For one thing, she wasnt a giant spider with childrens faces stitched onto her. For another, she lacked the raw sensuality that the Hunter oozed. Which, considering she looked to be around seven years old, was probably a good thing. But Sexy Screamy Spider Lady was an only child, wasnt she? How old had she been when she was transformed into a spider?

The first, and most important, thing is selecting a suitable bodyguard. This will be the man you will marry, so choose wisely.

The treedog thing ignored the Heros pleas and lunged around the Hero, trying to get to Svetlana.

These are memories, Sencha Bard said, pulling out his rapier and thrusting it into another treedog. While noble, your concerns are unnecessary!

A bolt appeared in the side of a half-rabbit, half-rock that was bounding towards Definitely Bad Guy and Sexy Screamy Spider Lady.

Got it! Svetlana piped up happily from behind the bulk of the frantically negotiating Hero.

Im just saying, okay, but them being memories doesnt mean they cant think and I dont want to feel bad about murdering a bunch of ghost things that it turns out have feelings, he was protesting as he used his unwieldy shield to bash the treedog trying to circumvent him.

The Mage instantly started hurling fireballs, lighting several of the more wood-like beasts on fire. Squiggles was batting at several vines attempting to slap her, making it look like she was playing a game with them.

Theyre nothing but ghosts, Noble Patron, Sencha Bard said, whipping his blade across the face of a rock-rabbit. Abominations. Theres no harm in killing them.

The Chosen One glanced guiltily at Qube, the action costing him dearly as the treedog, having destroyed Qubes magical shield, slipped past the Fighters actual shield and bit him.

Ow! Fine! the Hero shouted as Qube cast [Lesser Shield] and [Lesser Heal] on him. [Shield Bash]!

During the fight, Sexy Screamy Spider Lady hadnt moved. Even her child self was doing more damage than the fully-grown Hunter, happily peppering bolts into various enemies, and carving any that got too close with her wicked little daggers.

Looks like that will hurt. Maybe someone can kiss it better! Svetlana cried. She was clearly still working on her battle banter.

Even this young, Sexy Screamy Spider Lady said sadly. I never realised

Whatever the Hunter had been about to say was lost in the final wave of the beasts. If they hadnt had Definitely Bad Guy the fight would have been substantially more difficult; the fact that the majority of the forest fighters were merged with wood meant that the fire-based magic ripped through them.

As it was, every attack of his not only crippled, if not outright killed, his target, but it rapidly spread, the wooden sections of the animals catching alight and carrying it to those deeper in the wave.

All too soon the fight was over, the enemies disappearing, none of them leaving even a single bag of loot behind. Within minutes it was only Svetlana and the party left in the pit. Ruler Wefton, for all his claims of watching over the fight, didnt reappear.

Huh, the Chosen One said, looking around the empty area. Maybe we were just supposed to murder everything. That seems weirdly simple. Theyre recycling assets too; did they just get lazy on the final Temple? I would have thought wed see her getting turned into a spider or something cool.

I dont think its just defeating the room, Qube said quietly to the Hero. He looked at her and she indicated where the Hunter was slowly approaching Svetlana.

Hello, Sexy Screamy Spider Lady greeted herself. Svetlana blinked up at the arachnid towering over her.

Hello, she replied clearly. You seem familiar.

Im you, the Hunter replied. Im what you become.

Oh. That would explain it, the child replied, accepting this at face value. She frowned, then squinted at the Hunter. She rapidly bobbed her head back and forth. Her frown intensified.

When I move too fast, you kinda look like a giant spider, she explained to the giant spider.

I kinda am a giant spider, Sexy Screamy Spider Lady replied in all seriousness. But a part of me is still you.

Oh. Svetlana digested this for a while, fingering the arc of her crossbow. Finally she looked back up at herself, and winced, her little face screwing up in pain.

Does being a giant spider make things easier? she asked at last.

It was sometimes difficult to decipher the Hunters expression, her face being so different from a persons. But there was no mistaking the tears welling up in her eyes, and the wide smile she gave.

It means I give really good hugs, she offered, opening up all her arms. Svetlana, betraying none of the nervousness a regular child would when confronted with such a sight, simply walked into the monsters arms, and wrapped her arms around her thorax, hugging for all she was worth. Part of her was instantly eaten by the Hunters body.

That does make it easier, Svetlana said, satisfied, before she dissolved into nothing, leaving behind only a tiny hourglass.