So… this is where I die. Eaten by some spider queen in a cave that stinks of flowers… with a lizardman and an unconscious arsehole. Fucking perfect. One of the spiders has wrapped Alastaire in some webbing and is carrying him on its back as it walks along the ceiling. At least now I know why there weren’t any tracks on the ground. These things don’t even leave a trace on the ceiling… they leave no imprint whatsoever… how?

  Mind you, I have to admit… Damecus has some resilience. It took one fang to render Alastaire completely unconscious. Damecus took two in the arm and he’s still fine. He can’t move his left arm at all… but he’s still mentally sound.

  Dwynfel: “Why are we letting them lead us down these tunnels?”

  Damecus: “They do not attack if we do not threaten them.”

  Dwynfel: “Alastaire didn’t threaten them.”

  Damecus: “I believe they have a connection to the plants. They did not do anything until he destroyed those vines.”

  Dwynfel: “True. So, why’d you draw your axe?”

  Damecus: “Impulse. I put it away once I realised.”

  Dwynfel: “Incidentally… I thought you said that there were only plants in these woods.”

  Damecus: “I said there were also insects.”

  Dwynfel: “These aren’t insects… they’re arachnids.”

  Damecus: “Apologies, I am a botanist, not an entomologist.”

  Dwynfel: “An arachnologist would have been more helpful.”

  Damecus: “Only one of my arms is paralysed. I can still punch you.”

  Dwynfel: “Fair point… where are they taking us anyway? To be eaten by their leader, I assume.”

  The tunnel began to open up into a large cavern.

  Damecus: “I believe, that is what we are about to discover.”

  This cavern is absolutely beautiful. There are colourful flowers everywhere… all up the walls… along the ground. The floor is soft… hang on… is that grass… honestly… if it wasn’t for the spiders this place would be an underground paradise.

  The spider dumped Alastaire on the floor next to us. He was still unconscious… which I was glad about in all honesty. Then the spiders all began to back away. The large flower in the centre of the wall in front of us started to move. It started to crawl down the wall… that’s not right… flowers can’t crawl… what the hell is this thing?

  Once it reached the floor, the creature stood up slowly. It was a bewildering sight… the flower was actually growing out of the back of this creature… this giant of a creature. It had four legs and four arms… so I assume some kind of spider… but the trunk of its body was hidden under a large cloak so only the arms and legs were really visible. It had a black cowl over its head and a disturbingly emotionless white ceramic mask, preventing any view of its face. It was incredibly gangly… once it stood up fully, the arms disappeared into its sleeves, the legs disappeared under the cloak, and it kind of glided along the floor.

  The arms were almost of long as the legs… and they had horrendously course hair… and what looked like barbs poking out of them. It also had these horrid green tendrils coming out of its back around the flower that protruded from its spine. It was altogether a most peculiar looking creature.

  Yup… this… this thing is going to eat us, isn’t it? Just typical… after all this shit… travelling all this way… we get eaten by some insane spider creature right next to the damn port.

  Creature: “Why… did your companion… harm my flora?”

  Oh gods… its voice is horrible… it is so deep and croaky… it sounds like it has been swallowing razorblades… what the hell is wrong with this thing?

  Damecus: “Apologies, we came down here looking for his prince. He panicked when the tunnel was blocked…

  Creature: “My flora lives… it is a living being… all flora here… alive… connected… we protect it… he had no right… to harm it.”

  Damecus: “I am sure that if he had known that, he would have stayed his hand. He was too worried about his prince to think.”

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Creature: “This prince?”

  The creature gestured to the side of the room. At what looked simply like another flower, then the petals began to open. Inside lay a boy… he looked to be slightly older than the boy who came to find us. He had the same dark skin… but this one had long black hair which was tightly tied back. The boy looked groggy but like he was in the process of waking up.

  Damecus: “I am unfamiliar with the prince, so cannot confirm that.”

  Dwynfel: “He looks to be waking up… maybe you could ask him.”

  Creature: “I have… no need… to ask him… questions. I know… who he is. He has played… in my forest… for years. Unlike most humans… he does not destroy… my home. You… lizard… why did you… only take cuttings? Most creatures… pull up whole plants… cut down trees… show no concern… for the flora… you are different.”

  Damecus: “I heard that those who do not respect this forest never return from it. I was endeavouring to show respect.”

  Creature: “A wise choice.”

  Dwynfel: “May I ask… why is he wrapped in a flower?”

  Creature: “Curative reasons… boy was harmed… now he heals… flora is restorative.”

  The creature moved towards Damecus. It placed its hand on his arm where he had been bitten… vines began to wrap around his arm. When it removed its hand there was a red flower where its hand once was. Damecus began to move the arm that had previously been paralysed from venom.

  Creature: “Keep arm still… heal slower… with movement. Flora remove itself… when healing complete.”

  Damecus: “Understood. You have my thanks. Do forgive me for asking, but I have never come across anything like you before. What exactly are you?”

  The creature turned and walked away… gliding over Alastaire… it clearly has no intention of healing him.

  Creature: “Questions wait… boy wakes.”

  The boy’s eyes were fully open now. He sat up and went to move his legs but was unable to.

  Creature: “Slow… child… head healed… leg need time.”

  The boy did not seem disturbed or upset by the sight of the creature. He was incredibly calm given the circumstances. If I had awoken to see that thing in my face I probably would have screamed and either tried to stab it or run. Not that he can run with his leg like that, but still.

  Boy: “Thank you, Flora.”

  Dwynfel: “You two know each other?”

  Flora: “Said before… boy play… in forest… for years.”

  The creature turned back to the boy.

  Flora: “These creatures… came to find you. One on floor… harm my flora…”

  Boy: “I am dreadfully sorry, Flora. He is one of my knights. I shall make sure he never does so again.”

  Flora: “See… that you do.”

  Boy: “Is he ok?”

  Flora: “He lives… but paralysed. Will wear off… eventually.”

  Boy: “Thank you again, Flora. And I also thank you for your restraint.”

  Flora began to examine the boy’s leg and he looked in our direction.

  Boy: “You are certainly an unexpected search party. May I enquire as to which of my knights currently lies on the floor?”

  Damecus: “I believe his name to be Alastaire. I assume you are the prince that we set out to recover.”

  Boy: “Indeed I am. Svampe Uddin, pleased to meet your acquaintance. May I ask your names?”

  At least the prince seems very polite and respectful. The knight never bothered to ask our names.

  Damecus: “I am Damecus, son of Herius, of the Sawtooth clan.”

  Dwynfel: “Dwynfel Vesidia.”

  Svampe: “You have a halfling name.”

  Dwynfel: “That is a long story, my lord. If you don’t mind me asking… how long have you known this… Flora?”

  Svampe: “I injured myself while playing here several years ago… Flora healed me and sent me home. Nobody believed me when I told them about her. Instead, Bo was told to accompany me at all times. Tell me, does he fair well?”

  Damecus: “He does. He is back at the city now. It was him that alerted us as to your injury.”

  Flora removed the petals from Svampe’s legs and stood up again. She then placed her hand on his leg and vines wrapped around it in much the same way that they had wrapped around Damecus’ arm.

  Flora: “You may stand now… but remain close… bigger distance… slower healing.”

  Svampe: “I cannot thank you enough, Flora. You have been an absolute godsend.”

  Flora: “You are… too kind.”

  Flora turned and glided across the floor in that creepy way that she does. She stopped next to Damecus and I.

  Flora: “Understand… you have questions…”