D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad Chapter 1864 Leaving the Web

--- Kat ---

They chose the one with the webs. It was mostly Hedera’s decision, Kat did delegate it to her after all... but Kat agreed with the choice. Sure they could debate over it endlessly, but at the end of the day the chest covered in spiderwebs coming from the OP spider lady seed like it was more likely to have sothing... interesting in it. Either sothing quite powerful or a trap, and there was no sign that the chests were trapped. Thy hadn’t ntioned it.

"Well, now that’s sorted... do you want to drop you off sowhat close to the old settlent?" asked Weaver.

Kat sipped at the tea she’d mostly forgotten about. Hedera had gone through multiple cups but for Kat it was still her first. "I think I know why... but would you mind elaborating on that a bit?"

Weaver shrugged and said, "My sight is rather limited now. When my webs are fully established and saturated in my power I can see all things that go on... but that was one of the first things they started to destroy and a large part of my seal. I know where things WERE but not where they are NOW so I can only guess at where you need to go.

"This is combined with the fact that many of my pathways were completely destroyed and not just sealed. I’m sure you’re interested in the difference so allow to explain. The pathways that were sealed, are sealed only because of the grand working that happened after my defeat locking here. It’s... hmm... I say you’ve broken it but it’s more accurate to say you’ve made number of cracks I can quickly widen had I the energy.

"The pathways that are simply sealed can be forced open again and thanks in part to that lovely al of crab at you provided I have enough energy to punch open a seal or two... but the ones that were destroyed? They were completely destroyed and the space in the area solidified sowhat. Theoretically I could still open a pathway through them..."

Weaver let out a long sigh, and the webbing that was pretending to be part of her body seed to sag at the sa ti, reminding them, perhaps intentionally, that she wasn’t even whole in body, let alone at the peak of her power. "In practice it would take too much energy. Even back before I was sealed I worked slowly to open new pathways to avoid simply draining myself.

"That’s why I have the beacons. They are concentrated bundles of essence that I have attuned to their task. Sadly I had not the energy to make more... but I was always a bit of a worrier and pathways did occasionally close so I have so stockpiled. They are proving quite the boon now,"

Weaver paused again to see everyone is following along. "So, in this instance, I can either ensure that you’re dropped off at the sa place you entered, or I can break open one of the sealed passageways that is, theoretically closer to the settlent. It’s possible it is now IN the settlent but I find it unlikely. The one I’m thinking of is at the bottom of a ravine that might be filled with muck. The ground isn’t particularly stable and it was one of my sneaker paths.

"That’s the main reason it was still around you know? Had I the ability to do so I would’ve fled out through one of the pathways. This was intended for such an eventuality. It’s not going to be fun... but I refuse to believe that whatever settlents exist in the area currently have completely abandoned the old city. They built there for a reason and even if it’s decline there still should be at least a town,"

Kat nodded and asked, "Actually... what were the cities or towns like? How many were there?"

"It depended on the bio," said Weaver. "Winter only had the one city stubbornly clinging to life, spring was mostly a collection of little villages with a main city, sumr had a single major city but a few... I hesitate to call them villages as they were more like waystations for travelling the desert. Finally autumn was sort of a ss. The place seems to flood semi-regularly destroying settlents on the regular. Sotis they’d build one big town other tis they’d build villages,"

Weaver shrugged. "It was a constant argunt ’we should spread out so not everything is lost in the floods’ or ’we should stick together so we can best fight the flood’ and honestly they were never prepared. Individuals sure, but as a whole? Not really,"

"Lovely..." sighed Kat before turning to Hedera. "I’m ready to leave whenever, just make the call. Unless you want to stay the night here?"

Hedera glanced around nervously and Weaver smiled, "I’m happy to have you as guests for the night... assuming it is night? I still have no idea what ti it is but I could check for you,"

Hedera yawned slightly. "I think there’s still a fair bit of daylight left... though I’ve been up for quite a while. It’s... it’s sowhat tempting to get so rest in now. Um... hmm..." Hedera glanced between Kat and Weaver a few tis.

[Ah. I think she wants to suggest staying here to sleep while you go into the town and then eting up once the mission is complete but she doesn’t want to suggest it. Especially after she claid the rewards for it. Even if we were just balancing the ’chest’ scales she’s feeling super awkward about it. Problem is... I think it’s the right call and if she’s going to stay here I probably should as well.]

*Really?*

[You sound oddly ok with that?]

*I might not fully trust Hedera... but I do sowhat trust Thy pretending to be Weaver not to stab us in the back. Plus... this isn’t an instance where you’ll be hurt for long if it turns out one of them is a traitor. I won’t say I love the idea, but I don’t have any problem with it aside from wanting to spend as much ti with you as possible, but that’s hardly new or unique and having my hands free might co in handy. I sort of doubt it, but it could happen.*

[In that case I think, assuming Hedera accept, I’ll stay here. I’m honestly quite tired after all of this and my idea of sleeping while the conversation was going on obviously didn’t happen. So... make the suggestion.]

*Sure, but do we point out that we’re assuming this is what Hedera wants or do I just say it’s your idea? Technically it’s true because you picked up on it.*

[Hmmm... Hedera’s not an idiot. We’ve been talking ntally for a bit, and even if we’ve gotten faster at this it’s probably still noticeable. She’ll figure it out even if you don’t point it out directly. So... best not to.]

*Alright.* "Lily was considering staying here for a bit to rest up while I head out, do you want to stay here with her?" asked Kat.

"Oh... um..." Hedera still seed uncertain but after a mont she nodded. "Yes I think I need the rest. Though... hmm... should you take the Timmy that was following around for a bit? I don’t know where the little guy is... actually... but um... if you’re allowed to take them along? Maybe?"

Kat glanced around the room and there was no sight of the little guy. Clearly Weaver counted as a challenge of so kind and Timmy wasn’t going to stick around to help with it. Either that or Timmy’s weren’t allowed in webbed area at all for once reason or another. It was possible Thy had restrictions on them that weren’t disclosed. Probably should’ve asked about it.

"I guess send the Timmy my way if you can but I’m not too worried about it. I plan to be back before you guys wake up. Assuming the town or whatever is actually close by. If it takes longer, it takes longer," said Kat with a shrug.

Weaver clapped a few tis and tugged on her strings. As sothing was being reeled in she said, "Thank you once again for doing this. I am... sowhat scared of opening myself up to the world once again but frankly I need the source of food and it has been so ti. I hope that the I’m mostly forgotten. Oh, yes... hmm... try not to say too much about that they don’t need to know,"

"Of course," agreed Kat with a nod. As she did so, a ball of thread ca in through the window, it was notably different though. The thread was old and more of a tallic grey instead of silver. It also seed to pulse slightly with power Kat couldn’t feel but Lily could. It created a small, but powerful distortion of space just by existing and Lily was quite sure it could open a pathway.

A mont later a little satchel also co through the window. "This is to carry it. Um... good luck?" offered Weaver.

"Thanks," accepted Kat with a nod.