Chapter 36- Area of Effect

[Level up! Level 10]

[Player Garett: Strength +5, Perception +3, Intelligence +4]

[Strength: 18](+4 Fanged Club)

[Dexterity: 2]

[Perception: 6]

[Charisma: 7]

[Intelligence: 10]

[HP 65/65 MP 35/35]

[Player Garett has obtained crafting tree]

[Alchemy: Level 1]

[Enchanting: Level 1]

[Smithing: Level 1]

[Handiwork: Level 1]

[Player Trevor: Strength +4, Dexterity +12, Perception +8, Charisma +6, Intelligence +8]

[Strength: 14]

[Dexterity: 32]

[Perception: 22]

[Charisma: 16] (+5 with cultured beings)

[Intelligence: 24]

[HP50/50/ MP 60/60]

[Player Trevor has obtained passive skill: Infinite quiver. (Arrows never run out)]

[Player Trevor has obtained active skill: Arrow Volley. Shoot [Perception roll] number of arrows at numerous targets for [Dexterity roll] Damage. Costs 5 MP]

[Player Samantha: Strength +3, Dexterity +3, Perception +4, Charisma +10, Intelligence +10]

[Strength: 10]

[Dexterity: 10]

[Perception: 14]

[Charisma: 32] (+5 Halo)

[Intelligence: 26]

[HP 40/40 MP 70/70]

[Player Samantha has obtained skill: Magical Resistance Down (Lvl 1). Reduce an enemy magical resistance by [Intelligence roll]/5 points. Lasts for [Perception roll] Seconds. Costs 5 MP]

[Player Ashley: Strength +4, Dexterity +4, Perception +3, Intelligence +26]

[Strength: 12](+5 Against Defenseless)

[Dexterity: 12]

[Perception: 13]

[Charisma: 3] (+5 with lawful beings)(+5 With subjects)

[Intelligence: 64]

[HP 45/45 MP 130/130]

[Player Ashley has obtained Spell: Mass Terrorize. Spread fear throughout an area. Will only work if Intelligence roll is greater than 40, and effectiveness is dependent on Intelligence. Costs 15 MP]

"Exactly as planned", Trevor said. "It seems that the system somehow responds to our desires when giving us skills, and we've obtained some skills that will allow us to take care of large hordes of monsters"

"That certainly is a useful way of thinking.", Garett replied.

Trevor stood there looking proud of himself, confident that they had won, however it was not the time to be cocky. The four remained back to back, waiting for another wave of spiders to arrive.

One spider fell off the edge here and there. Trevor took them out easily with his bow. The baby spiders were yellow and transparent, just like the eggs. They would likely look different when fully grown, but for now they looked more like larvae than spiders.

"What's going on up there?", Samantha asked, nervously.

"We don't have the luxury to find out. Staying right here and taking care of anything that comes our way is the best bet on living until things calm down. Now that we have all our health and mana replenished, we should be able to maximize efficiency if me and red take care of the stragglers, and if you two save your energy for when a wave appears", Trevor noted.

Ashley nodded, and remained vigilant, watching for any changes in the situation at the top of the craters.

They continuously heard the screams of the baby spiders- both dying screams and victory cries.

Who were they fighting?

Was there someone else up there?

----

Coran and Berith were hiding in an alcove after they saw those creatures fall from the sky.

They watched breathlessly as the creatures fell into the cave, and waited patiently, both of them sweating in fear and horror.

Who were those beings?

They fell from the sky. Did they come from mothers web?

If so, were they defeated and thrown off by mother, or perhaps...

Coran couldn't even imagine his mother losing. Compared to him and Berith, his mother was overwhelmingly strong, however after seeing the giant explosion caused by the black haired ghost, Coran wasn't exactly confident in this opinion.

Berith hid behind him, her humanoid arms on his shoulders. He could feel her trembling. This was the little sister he knew. Not a cold blooded killer, but his timid little sister who his behind him in the face of danger.

The little sister who he had to protect.

"What.... what was that?", she quietly asked.

"I... I have no idea. It looked like... no, I don't know. My eyes must be playing tricks on me.", Coran responded.

Coran was terrified. Even if he knew that he had to kill his own siblings... even if he had already stained his hands with their blood... even if his precious sister had also stained her hands with their blood...

Hundreds of them had died in an instant.

How could he not feel anything as hundreds of his own kin were mercilessly slaughtered?

But could he really say that he was any better than the monsters who just fell down?

No. He couldn't.

But what dawned on Coran was exactly that.

Coran had stained his hands with blood, and he was no better than those monsters who had mercilessly slaughtered hundreds of his brethren in that instant.

With this, Coran realized exactly what he must do- no. What he must become- in order to survive.

He had to become a monster, bathed and born in the blood of others.

Coran held hatred towards his siblings because they were nothing like him. If they were allowed to live, they would simply become monsters like his mother. No, maybe even worse. They did not hold intelligence, so they would simply be killing machines.

But even so, they were still blood relatives.

What did that even mean, to be related by blood?

'I give up', Coran thought. There was no longer any point thinking about this.

In order to survive, he would become a monster. In order to protect his sister, he would do whatever was necessary,

But right now, it was necessary to remain hidden.

Both Coran and Berith could feel a horrible aura coming from the crater. Whatever was in the craters, they held an enormous amount of power.

Suddenly, he heard a sound.

It was a cracking sound.

The eggs were hatching.