In the dead of night, at the capital of the Javelin Arachnoforms, Cave Silom.
Most Arachnoforms had retreated to the residences, but a lot remained in the cavernous capital.
Some places only opened in the night, so it was hard to have no one active at any time.
In that nocturnal bustle,
Tinted red by the mushrooms everywhere,
A brown Arachnoform scuttled as fast as her 4 legs carried her.
She was wearing a brown cloak, wrapped around her, hiding all 4 of her arms.
She rushed on the wide, grass filled roads, following the crowd sometimes, and sometimes not.
After some time, she reached a grand looking building, about halfway down the depth of the cavern.
It was made of a dark grey stone, and rose until it almost touched the roof of Silom.
The roads around the place were noticably wider here.
She shifted uncomfortably, and the almost hidden straight patterns on her became more obvious.
This was the Central Tower, better known as the Elder's Pavilion.
This place was the hub of all the activities carried out under the elder's orders.
This was the place that was the only entrance to the bottom layer and the lowest layer of Silom.
People knew what was at the bottom layer, even when silk from all the Elders blocked all openings to that layer.
Because that was public knowledge.
The bottom layer was infested with Glowing Blood Bats, and was being cleared and buildings were being constructed for expansion.
The reason this Arachnoform girl shifted was the same reason why this place was called Elder's Pavilion.
All the elders meet at the topmost floor almost everyday.
The Arachnoform girl was hired by one of the elders to spy on the Hysuans and Menerics.
This was a VERY major task, and barely her fourth, and she had really just brought 5 pieces of information.
→ Location of a Hysuan outpost, in construction.
→ Location of 2 Meneric camps
→ A terrifing Hysuan of the younger generation.
→ One from the Meneric side too.
→ Strength of both sides.
"I hope this is enough..."
She prayed inaudibly, and entered.
The place was mostly empty, minus the lines at some counters.
Those counters check the strength of a person, and then give them passes to enter the bottom layer for clearing out Glowing Blood Bats.
She looked around, and spotted the counter labelled 'information', and made her way there.
"Good Evening how may I help you?"
Said the lady in the counter at midnight in the most professional tone one could muster at midnight.
She was at a loss for words.
'I was given a secret mission by the elders'
No,
'I want to meet the elders'
No,
'Are the elders available?'
She had no idea how to proceed.
And like a guardian angel, one of the other desk workers recognised her.
"Hey, aren't you the girl summoned by the elders yesterday?"
The brown cloaked Arachnoform nodded.
"Go straight to the roof, take this pass."
The other receptionist pointed towards the 'staircase' with one hand and gave her a piece of paper which was actually just silk with another hand.
The staircases of the Arachnoforms were unique, and tactical.
The floors were connected by a straight cylindrical hole, with holes dug at equal spaces to hold and climb.
Using all four of their arms and legs, an Arachnoform can just blaze through these, while the bipedal peasants cry about an obstacle course.
The brown Arachnoform girl now stood at the bottom of the staircase.
As soon as she touched the wall, her skin turned dark grey like the wall, and her cloak soon followed.
51 floors.
Let's go.
And that's 25.
A net blocked the way up, and 3 guards approached her.
"Ma'am are you going up?"
The Dark Grey Arachnoform nodded, and the pass dropped from her hair.
"Roof."
She had no idea what to say, but since all the guard's eyes widened, she didn't care if she sounded rude.
"Right away, ma'am."
Two of the guards climbed up and removed the net like a poster from a wall.
It was smooth sailing from there on out.
Floor 50.
The stairs ended here, and this floor was empty, except for 7 rooms, and a hole in the center of the ceiling, where the Silomic mushroom's red glow entered.
She moved towards the hole, and...
"Sia greets the Elders."
She spoke with reverence.
"Enter."
Two voices sounded from the Roof.
One was whispering and the other was rumbling like thunder.
And then Sia, The Chameleon Arachnoform climbed up.
She saw 7 Arachnoforms, all with Lines, Circles and Arrow patterns on themselves, sitting on a large table
The one on the rightmost was a pitch Black Arachnoform, with very dark grey patterns.
The 7th Elder, Liquid Shadow Arachnoform,
The one who found her in the first place.
In that same whispering voice, he spoke again.
"Hello again, Dear."
"7th Elder, I have completed the Task Given by you... All."
The First Elder was 6 Slaughter Tarantula, Mainly Red, with Black Patterns. He looked the Most Ferocious out of the 7, With Much Longer Arms.
He didn't say anything.
The Second Elder was Violet Mist Spider, Mostly Violet, with Black Patterns. In a Voice that was dripping with Honey, with venom underneath, he spoke,
"It's good to see you return in One piece, girl."
The Third Elder, Armed Thunder Tarantula, With Yellow skin and Amethyst Patterns, Spoke sharply like Crackling Thunder.
"So not do the talking, Two. Sia, You tell us what you saw."
"Yes Elder. Firstly, I found the Locations of A new Hysuan Outpost and Two Meneric Camps."
Her Cloak fell down, Revealing her 4 slender arms. One Holding a Map, One Holding a lot of Throwing Spikes. If you could call that that.
They had a spike, and a ring. The ring was used to hold the spike.
The 5th Elder, Weaver Arachnoform, Shot a web of silk, and Grabbed the Map, The Red glow of the mushrooms reflecting fairly brightly from his White body.
The 6th Elder, Molten Iron Tarantula, just sighed. His Red body with White patterns somehow shrinking.
"Secondly, The Younger Generation of Both The Hysuan and Menerics have new prodigies, Destined to Rise at the top. Together."
The 6 elders, minus the 2nd, became alert after hearing that. And at the last word, Even the Second Elder sat up straight.
"They seem to have Similar Powers and—"
But the words didn't leave her mouth, as Sia realised.
Because Sound Itself Stopped when He appeared.
Destruction Anthem Arachnoform Monarch, Niji was here.
With Absolutely No fanfare.