[DING! QUEST COMPLETE]
[REWARD: 200 EXP / SPIDER SILK ARMOR (PENDING)]
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 3]
All Stats +1
+4 Free Attribute Points
I closed the menu, deciding to hold onto my points for now until I knew exactly what hurdles lay ahead.
I looked down at my feet. At least twenty hatchlings were swarming around my boots, some even clinging to my pants. But what startled me most was the tiny one that had somehow materialized on my shoulder, sitting there as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I reached up and gently patted its fuzzy head. "Hello there, little one. You're pretty cozy, aren't you? Well, I'm about to eat. You want some? All I have is rabbit, so I don't know how you'll like it."
The small spider began to vibrate, scurrying in a circle on my shoulder like it had been injected with pure caffeine.
"I'll take that as a yes," I chuckled. "Though I should probably ask if I'm allowed to make a fire in here..."
I looked down at the swarm. "Hey, can you guys show me the way to your mother?"
As if they were a single mind, the spiders—except the one on my shoulder—turned and began moving in a wave. I followed them for twenty minutes until they stopped at the entrance of a massive, silk-draped chamber.
"Roselyn? Are you here?"
"What do you need, my dear?" Her voice drifted from the darkness, laced with a playful edge. "Or are you here to see me naked again?"
I felt my face turn bright red. "No! I just... I wanted to know if I could make a fire to cook some food. For me and this little one," I said, gesturing to my shoulder.
Roselyn stepped into the light. Her gaze fell on the hatchling. "I see. One of them has claimed you as her own. If you wish, I can help you with a Monster Bond Contract. It is quite simple."
"If she's sure, then I don't mind," I said.
Roselyn laughed, a loud, echoing sound. "Oh, she is very sure. She has already marked you with her scent. To form the contract, place your hand on her head. Feed your mana into her and give her a name. If she accepts, the bond is forged."
The little spider practically teleported from my shoulder to the floor in front of me, looking up with all eight eyes in eager anticipation.
I knelt down, placing my hand gently upon her. "I think I'll call you Rose, after your mother. It's a fitting name. I hope you grow as big and strong as she is."
A warm current of mana flowed from my palm. Suddenly, Rose began to glow. To my horror and amazement, she started growing at a violent rate, her body expanding until she was the size of the adult Shadow Spiders I had fought earlier.
"Um... Roselyn? Is that normal?"
"Yes," Roselyn said, watching with pride. "When a monster is named, they evolve. In her case, she has fully matured. But really... naming my child after me? Do I leave that much of an impression on you, Silver?"
I looked away, my ears burning pink, but I didn't answer. Roselyn just smiled.
"While you are here, would you like to pick your treasure?"
She led me to a wall of silver webbing. With a wave of her hand, the silk parted like water. My jaw dropped. Behind the curtain were small mountains of gold, weapons, gear, and ancient-looking books.
"What do you need, Silver? Anything specific?"
"A better wand... or maybe a spellbook."
"Choose the book," Roselyn recommended. "A wand is a tool for a moment; a spell stays with you for life. They are over there."
I walked to the corner she pointed out, finding fifty or sixty dusty tomes. I expected a long search, but one book practically screamed at me.
[SKILLBOOK: FROST NOVA]
Description: Release a wave of frost centered on the caster. Deals 100% M-ATK damage to all enemies within 4 meters with a high chance of knockback.
"I'll take this one, please," I said, showing it to her.
"A wise choice. A good defensive skill is what keeps a mage alive long enough to become a master."
I opened the book, and it dissolved into blue light, flowing into my mind. I finally had an Area of Effect (AoE) skill.
[Updated Skills]
Icicle Lance: Single Target (Ice)
Aqua Heal: Single Target (Water)
Frost Nova: AoE (Ice/Crowd Control)