Dianne: "Yes, take us in, nice and slow. I hope she sent us to the outskirts and not the city center..."

Armin rolled through the portal with agonising slowness. Behind them, Fred stood alone on the grass, watching them depart.
.
When the front of the car broke through, they would see themselves just outside the city. Luxia was standing with her arms folded, beckoning them impatiently. Armin drove the rest of the way through and steered away to give Jerry room.

Dianne: "Oh, good..."

{Jerry drove in next. The sky above Alacria was dark as thick clouds, heavy with rain blocked out the sun. The city itself was dark and abandoned, just as it was when Armin first saw it.}

Dianne: "Ok, Barnabas, where is the temple?"

Barnabas: "You see the great cliff overlooking the city? See that large, ornate building on it? That's the temple."

Dianne: "Hmmm. Y'know, it might just be easier to fly us all there."

'Oh, yes please,' said Armin. 'Fly above the spiders. You can carry Aava, Jerry and Luxia, and the rest of us can fly.' Even though they were on the outskirts, his eyes kept darting around, looking for the first signs of giant legs or eyes.

Dianne: "Yeah, we're better off leaving the vehichles here."

{Getting out, Dianne retrieves her weapon from the back.}

Dianne: "Aava, Luxia, Jerry, I'll fly you all up there. The rest of you, stay close."

{Dianne shifts, waiting for them to get on.}

Luxia smiled and walked over to Dianne. She drew up power, and with a creaking, growling noise, the earth beneath her moved, forming a small hill. She used this as a step to climb aboard.
.
Ryder jumped out of the truck, shifted to dragon form and stretched his wings. Rex, Armin, and the other vampires all shifted into a variety of birds, except for the female vampire, who became a bat.

{Aava and Jerry climbed onto Dianne's back and they were away. Dianne stayed very high, but even from their altitude, they could see the massive spider's nest in the center of the city, absolutely crawling with hundreds of the things on a mass of webs}

Jerry: "Sweet mother of god..."

Dianne: "Stay focused. We're getting in, then right out."

Armin nearly seized up in mid-air when he noticed the scurrying mass of spiders below. Rex swooped closer to him, speaking telepathically to keep him focused. //Stop staring at them, you idiot. How is that going to help?//
.
Luxia gave a wistful sigh as she gazed down. 'Very good for potions, araneo venom...'

Dianne: "Well, now you know where to get literal metric tons of the stuff."

{Reaching the front of the temple, Dianne sets down in the courtyard in front.}

Dianne: "Ok, we get in and out, quick as we can."

Armin was reluctant to land. //Uh, do you think there are araneos inside there?// he asked nervously. As he and Rex circled above the temple, everyone else came down and shifted to human form, drawing their primary weapons and preparing to follow Dianne inside.

{Jerry and Aava hop off, looking around. The temple was dark inside, save for a beam of light illuminating a web covered statue of Kynigos. The courtyard was large and ended at the cliff. The cliff edge showed signs of recent collapse.}

Dianne: "Judging by those webs, I'm willing to bet that there are some here."

Jerry: "Some of us should stay here. Make sure the araneos don't hem us in."

//Yes, if it's beneficial to you, I'd rather stay here,// said Armin. //I can warn you if anything enters the building. Maybe even stop them before they do.//
.
'I'm going in,' said Ryder. 'And these guys can send messages back to the people outside if anything goes wrong.' He indicated the three vampires.

Jerry: "I'm staying here with Armin."

Dianne: "Ok, Armin, shift back for a moment. I want to give you the other thoughtstone ring."

Armin swooped down and landed in front of her, shifting back. This whole place, with its desolate city and lonely clifftop, gave him an unsettled feeling. However, he was glad to have a task that did not involve going inside the temple.
.
'Tell me everything that happens,' he said.

{Dianne hands him the ring.}

Dianne: "We be quick as we can. Watch for araneos out here."

{With that, she starts to head into the dark temple.}

Armin pushed the ring onto his finger, then drew his sword and stood by. Rex perched on top of the temple, keeping a wider lookout. Ryder and the others followed Dianne.

{Aava followed Dianne closely.}

Dianne: "Ok, Barnabas, where to?"

Barnabas: "There's a stairway in the back room, hidden behind a false wall. Be quick and quiet though, there's a good number of sleeping araneos above us."

{Sure enough, there were nesting araneos sleeping above them.}

Dianne: //There are spiders on the ceiling in here, asleep. Be quiet out there.//

//Oh, wonderful. Don't wake them,// said Armin.
.
Ryder kept one eye on the ceiling as they progressed. He briefly considered the idea of shooting them while they were asleep, but quickly realised the noise of one shot could bring the whole horde onto them.

{As they continued, they reached a doorway in the back wall.}

Barnabas: "This is the common area. We need to keep going in past the living quarters. The spiders can't fit back here. "

'OK, cool,' said Ryder quietly. 'No spider infestations here.'
.
He and the vampires kept to the back of the group, staying alert.

(In case it comes up: those unnamed vampires are all unimportant NPCs, and you can do anything to them.)

(Ok, noted.)

{Dianne continued to follow Barnabas through the rooms. They were all very old and in disrepair. Pieces of ancient furniture, signs of squatters, graffiti, and even some skeletal remains were scattered about the compound. This was a ruin after all.}

Dianne: //No spiders further in.//

{While that group made their way through the priest's quarters, Jerry had approached the cliff, looking at the harbor with a pair of binoculars.}

Jerry: "Armin, you might want to see this..."

'What? What is it?'
.
Keeping quiet, Armin walked over to Jerry and let his gaze follow the same direction.

{Jerry hands Armin the binoculars and directs his gaze to the harbor. What was unfolding was rather unusual. In the harbor was a flotilla of wrecked ships. Araneos were going back and forth, dragging nets of spider webs filled with fish into the city.}

Jerry: "I'm no Arachnologist, but I'm pretty sure that's not normal spider behavior."

'Well, nor is so many of them living in a city,' Armin murmured, watching the scene with a kind of horrified fascination. 'I was wondering how they ate. But they can't be smart enough to have learned this.'
.
//We've seen spiders down by the harbour, catching fish in web nets,// he said to Dianne. //That's not normal, is it?//

Jerry: "I think someone is controlling them. A sorcerer, maybe."

{Dianne lifts her head at this.}

Dianne: //No, it's not. There might be an arachnomancer in this city. That would explain it.//

Armin nodded as he continued watching the spiders.
.
//Why, though? I can understand controlling them for war, maybe. But what's the purpose of it here? What are they - pets?// he said to Dianne, not knowing whether he wanted to find the answer or never think about it again.

Dianne: //There's only one reason you'd want this many. War. Right now, we need to focus on curing Aava, but we should probably come back and wipe these things out before they have a chance to attack any cities.//

{A flicker of unease slipped through, with the message.}

Those words, along with the feeling that accompanied them, did absolutely nothing to ease Armin's concern. 'Dianne thinks the only reason a sorcerer would have this many araneos is to use them for war,' he said to Jerry, quietly.
.
//I don't suppose you know any evil arachnomancers personally?// he asked Dianne.

Jerry: "Makes sense. When we get back, I'll anonymously let the hunter community know. Maybe they can deal with it."

Dianne: //No. Normally, the skill is useless, but with this many...They may be a problem.//

'You would need a lot of hunters to deal with this,' Armin observed. 'There are hundreds of them.' He queasily handed the binoculars back.
.
//I can see it's a problem. Anyway, is anything going on in there?//

Jerry: "If the Bloodrazors hadn't broken themselves trying to get Dianne, they could have handled this..."

Dianne: //Still making our way through the living quarters. These rooms are too small for the spiders to fit.//

{The group makes their way to a large bedroom. It was empty and dusty, with a large stone relief of the patron deity.}

Barnabas: "Here, the false wall is behind this carving. You just have to..."

{Barnabas pushes the wall in, then shoves it to the left. It slowly opens with a grinding sound. Behind it is a dark staircase that leads down.}

Barnabas: "Tada!"

Dianne: //Ok, we found the door. We're headed in deeper.//

An unpleasant thought struck Armin. //What if we run into the sorcerer while we're here? They'll probably feed us to their spiders,// he said.
.
Ryder whistled. 'OK, down into the dungeons we go. It's kinda like an adventure game.'

Dianne: //If we kill the sorcerer, the spiders will become disoriented, buying us time to escape, so if they show up, shoot them in the head.//

Dianne: "Yeah, the video games seem to have captured the essence of dungeon crawling quite well."

{With a small flashlight, Dianne descends into the darkness.}

Dianne: "Barnabas, what was this space for?"

Barnabas: "This was the inner sanctum. We held the temple's riches here, our sacred texts, preserved goods, and it kind of served as a panic room in the event of invasion."

'I wonder if any of the riches and sacred things are still here?' Ryder wondered, keeping his tone low as he followed them down the stairs.
.
'It might have been pillaged by now,' murmured one of the vampires.

Armin watched the harbour for a bit longer, then turned and walked along the clifftop to keep a lookout on the rest of the city. He didn't want anything sneaking up without their knowledge.

Barnabas: "Unlikely. The priests likely took it all when they left. Can't just leave priceless relics lying about."

{As they reached the bottom, they found a large chamber. On the wall was a massive carved map of the entire continent, inlaid with stones and painted beautifully. There were dorways leading off to other rooms and one ancient looking vault door with sealing runes faintly glowing on it.}

Dianne: "That's what we're here for. Someone give me more light."

Dianne: //Found the map. Won't be much longer now.//

One of the vampires produced his phone and turned the flashlight on, illuminating as much of the map as he could. Ryder was gazing curiously at the sealed door.
.
'Wonder what's in /there?/ It looks important...'
.
//OK. Don't be any longer than you need to,// said Armin edgily.

(I forgot Luxia existed)

Barnabas: "That's the valuables vault. There shouldn't be anything left in there, but I suppose it's worth a look."

{Dianne produces a map of the continent, putting it down on a stone ledge. The wall map showed a total of three hidden Kynigos temples and libraries, along with some in major cities that no longer exist. She begins to work out where they are on her own map. Barnabas approaches the vault door, placing a hand on it and saying something in an archaic dialect of the common Vallian language. The runes stop glowing and the vault creaks open. Inside was some old books on a stone pedistal.}

Aava: "It's just books?!"

Barnabas: "What? They left with all the gold, but left our sacred texts? What heretic was running this place?!"

(XDDD)

Ryder glanced uncertainly between Barnabas and the books. 'Well... maybe you could take them, or... something?' he ventured.
.
Throughout everything, Luxia had been pottering along at the back of the group, occasionally mumbling or pausing to run her hands over a wall or object, but otherwise silent.

Barnabas: "Yeah, I think I will. Anybody have a backpack I can put these in?"

{Aava wanders in further. Spotting something in the corner, she goes over to pick it up. She comes into the light with full horn of a Ferrosian Marbled Dragon. It is very large and heavy, with Aava strugling to hold it up.}

Aava: "What's this thing?"

'Only this.' Ryder produced a good-sized satchel that he had been using to carry some impact grenades and knives. 'I think you can squeeze a few books in here. I'll carry them for you.'
.
'Ooh!' said Luxia, coming back to reality. 'My dear, surely you can tell what that is? Your friend has one - no, two. Very valuable, these. Oh, the wondrous things I could make with this.'

Barnabas: "It'll have to do."

{Barnabas stuffs what he can into the satchel. Aava just looks confused at Luxia's words.}

Aava: "It looks like...a horn. A lot like...Dianne's horns...Dianne..."

{Realization suddenly washing over her face, she quickly forms her hair into large hands and picks the horn up more securely.}

Aava: "Dibs!"

Luxia had started to shuffle forward; she then stopped with a huff.
.
'Do you want me to make a list of all the amazing, life-changing, life-saving potions and many other things that I could make from this horn alone?'

Aava: "Do you have any idea how many Ferrosian Hares I could buy from selling this thing? Besides, how were you planning on moving it with your weak little arms?"

Dianne: "Hey, be nice over there. I'm trying to map."

'Children these days, no respect for their elders,' Luxia grumbled. Then she smiled cunningly. 'I'll let you have it, if that's your desire. But beware, for sweet vengeance may nip at your heels should you do...'
.
Ryder hefted the satchel of books and peered at Dianne's map with curiosity and respect.

{Meanwhile, outside, Jerry suddenly approaches Armin with alarm.}

Jerry: "Armin, the spiders in the harbor just got up and left. I don't know where they're going."

Aava: "Vengeance? What vengeance? Finder's keepers, it's basic salvage law."

Dianne: "Luxia, don't hex her. I'll buy the horn from Aava and give it to you as part of the payment. Relax."

'Well, which direction were they headed?' Armin peered over the cliff into the city, scanning the streets below for any groups of spiders that might be moving more quickly or purposely than others. 'If they're coming up here, then we have a problem.'

'Oh, fine. But the other way would have been much funner,' Luxia muttered.

Jerry: "Looked like they were headed for city center. Maybe the-"

{He stops abruptly when he hears scuttling from inside the temple.}

Jerry: "Aw, hell..."

{Grabbing his shotgun, he racks a shell.}

Dianne: "And potentially traumatizing. The poor thing has been through enough."

Luxia flapped her hands and started talking animatedly. 'I was going to bodyswap her with you, but then I remembered Bob's interference, and I thought 'well, what else can I do?' And so maybe...' She continued to talk, but it was trailing off into a muttered ramble.

Armin spun around. 'From inside - shit, did the sleeping ones wake up?'
.
He drew his wind magic sword, but his hands were shaking and it seemed unlikely that he'd be able to do more than fling strikes wildly. Rex appeared, in human form and carrying a shotgun as well.
.
//We can hear spider noises in the temple,// Armin said frantically to Dianne.

Dianne: "Yeah, Bob would be pissed..."

{Dianne had just finished with her map, hastily putting her supplies away.}

Dianne: "Ok, we got what we need. Let's get out of here."

Dianne: //On our way up//

Dianne: //Cr@p....Ok, stay out there, we're coming.//

Dianne: "Sounds like the sleeping ones at the entrance woke up. Double time it!"

{Jerry continues to scan the entrance, looking for spiders. About 20 appear, scuttling towards the daylight.}

Jerry: "Let 'em have it!"

{Jerry starts to open fire on the creatures, aiming for their heads.}

Rex opened fire an instant before Jerry did. While Jerry aimed for their heads, he targeted their front legs. Armin's eyes widened, and he began to stumble backwards, throwing a projectile strike in an attempt to cut through the spiders. Through their ring connection, Dianne would catch a massive burst of uncontrollable, primal fear.

Ryder and the vampires hurried after Dianne, firearns at the ready. Even Luxia followed.

{Aava brought up the rear, clutching the horn. the spiders in the direct line of fire basically exploded into a gooey mess. Armin's strikes stopped a few in their tracks, but more were coming.}

Dianne: //We're coming, just hold on!//

{As Jerry was fighting, he glance back down the cliff to see a terrifying sight.}

Jerry: "F$%k, the main horde is coming up behind us!"

Armin rapidly looked back and forth between the spiders in front and the ones coming up the cliff, his whole body rigid and ready to flee. He made himself imagine Jerry, Rex and Dianne being slaughtered by spiders, and it gave him a modicum of control.
.
'Keep shooting those ones!' He then fished a few impact bombs out of his pocket and started hurling them down the cliff at the horde.

{The impact bombs kill a few in the front of the horde, but don't do much to slow them down.}

Jerry: "We have to kill the ones in front and get into the temple! Try to bottleneck this horde!"
{One smaller spider was faster than the others, and appeared to be a species of jumping araneo. It lunged at Rex, aiming for his face.}

(*killed and didn't, thanks auto correct. >:( )

Rex jerked his weapon up with vampiric reflexes and blasted the spider full in the face as it leapt at him. Armin threw a mix of wind strikes and bombs into the smaller horde. He couldn't think anymore; this all felt like a nightmare to him.
.
'I can hear a lot of noise,' said Ryder. 'We need to hurry.'

Dianne: "I know!"

{Dianne rushed through the living quarters, readying her mace. Rex got a face full of spider innards but was otherwise unharmed. Using a combination of his shotgun and impact explosives, Jerry and Armin's attempts successfully thinned the horde, making it possible to run inside, as the remaining araneos retreated back to the safety of the ceiling.}
Jerry: "Inside, now!"

Armin didn't want to run in there, but he wanted to stay outside even less, with the army racing up the cliff. He hurried inside and immediately headed towards the doorway that the spiders couldn't fit through. Rex wiped his face with his sleeve and followed.

{Jerry trailed behind, firing at the massive horde as it came over the cliff. As Armin approached the doorway, Dianne burst out of it.}

Dianne: "Armin, let's get the hell out of here!"

Jerry: "Not an option!"

{As Jerry caught up, the spider horde was charging through every opening. Not giving Armin a chance to freeze, she grabs him and pulls him through the doorway}

Rex waited until Armin and Jerry were through, then stepped through the door himself. Armin was in a state of mild shock. He couldn't seem to speak, even with telepathy, and he was shaking badly.
.
'Woah!' exclaimed Ryder from behind them. 'Uh, what now?'

{Dianne takes Armin a bit deeper, taking off her helmet and looking at him.}

Dianne: "Armin, look at me, are you hurt?"

{The spiders stop at the doorway, seeming to understand that they can't fit.}

Jerry: "Barnabas, are there any other exits?"

Barnabas: "There's an escape tunnel through the inner sanctum. It leads to the back of the temple."

Armin looked at her for a moment, then shook his head very slightly. 'I want us to leave,' he choked out.
.
Ryder glanced back the way they'd just come. He was quite calm, ignoring the spiders for the most part, since they couldn't get in. Rex was obviously not in a forgiving mood. He fired a single shot through the doorway, exploding one of the spiders.

Dianne: "I'm working on it..."

{The spiders backed up a bit in response to Rex's agression.}

Jerry: "Ok, secret entrance it is, let's go."

{As he headed towards the inner sanctum, he was interrupted by a female voice outside.}

???: "No, that won't do. My children have already blocked it."

Jerry: "Um...Excuse me?"

Rex kept his gun up, scenting the air like a wolf. 'Who the hell's that?' he said gruffly. Armin barely reacted to the voice other than to turn his head vaguely in the direction it came from. Ryder glanced nervously at Dianne as if hoping she had an explanation.

{Dianne just sighs.}

Dianne: "Arachnomancer."

???: "I am Leelza. Master Arachnomancer. Why have you come here? Are you thieves? Assassins?"

Dianne: "No. We are mere travelers on a quest of mercy. We meant you no harm."

'We came here to look at a map, if you'll believe that. Now kindly call off the spiders so we can go home,' said Rex. He kept shooting concerned glances at Armin. He wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, for Armin's sake if nothing else.

Leelza: "No, I do not believe that. Something called to me, while I was in the city. Something...Of Kynigos...Something dark and angry. You are here on his behalf?"

Dianne: "No, we are not. One of us bears his curse, and we-"

Leelza: "What?! The divines do not curse mortals lightly. What is your crime?"

Aava: "My only crime was touching an old trinket..."

Leelza: "Explain, child."

'He must curse mortals lightly, because she didn't do anything wrong,' added Ryder, defending Aava. Rex had shifted closer to Armin and was trying to get some response from him. Luxia just stood there, head cocked curiously as she listened to Leelza's voice.

Aava: "It was 500 years ago. I was a scout and medic in the Trident Rebellion. I was sent on a mission to acquire a powerful relic for the war effort. However, the relic was cursed. It fused itself to my sternum and now I'm cursed to become a bloodthirsty creature every three days. If not for my friends, I would be no better than a wild animal right now."

Leelza: "Intriguing. Kynigos is the the patron god of all hunters. He called upon me and my children to hunt you. He must be very displeased with your seeking a cure. Is that not why you're here?"

Somewhere in the back of Armin's mind, he felt a flicker of anger at that. //Kynigos is still trying to stop her from being cured?//
.
Luxia stirred and smiled. 'Silly gods and their silly games; do they think anyone cares about them in this day and age?' she murmured, seemingly to herself.

Dianne: "Yes, we are. And we will cure her, whether he wants it or not."

Leelza: "I see. Your determination is commendable. Normally, I would honor the hunt, but...prey as weak and pathetic as this cursed child? She's not worth the time."

{The spiders then move away from the door.}

Leelza: "Go home. But, in return for my kindness, I expect you to never return."

Ryder glanced around uncertainly, then started forwards. He was eager to leave. The other vampires began to follow. However, Rex nudged Dianne and whispered telepathically, //She might be waiting for us to get close, and she's going to spring us.//

{Dianne holds Ryder back, watching the spiders. The majority of the horde began going down the cliff. Standing expectantly by the entrance was Leelza, a hand on her hip. She was of very thin stature, wearing a black dress and adorned with gold. She wore a crown inlaid with rubies and her eyeshadow was charcoal black.}

Leelza: "Go on, leave. I have important things to do."

Armin wrinkled his nose. //She looks like a spider herself.// He kept close to Dianne's side, not moving unless she did.
.
'You must have something up your sleeve if you're not worried about us shooting you,' said one of the vampires, walking for the entrance while keeping his rifle trained on her.

{Leelza tilts her head, glaring at the vampire.}

Leelza: "Of course I do. I'm a sorceress after all. Your primitive weapons are useless against me. You would threaten me, after I was so kind as to let you go?"

Jerry: "No, we're just a little wary, that's all."

{Taking Armin's hand, she leads him out, walking for the exit.}

Everyone walked out. Ryder and the three vampires did their best to surround Armin, Aava and Luxia, seeing them as the weakest members of the group. Armin's skin crawled as he imagined spiders leaping out of nowhere and pinning them to the ground.

{Leelza scrutinized Armin as he passed.}

Leelza: "Children...Always fear what they don't understand..."

{Dianne leads them out, holding her mace ready. Once they got outside, Dianne immedisately shifts.}

Dianne: "Jerry, Aava, Luxia, and Armin, get on, we're leaving."

Armin immediately jumped on, gripping her scales. Luxia did a spell to raise the ground, like last time, and laboriously climbed up as well. Rex, Ryder, and the other vampires shifted and began to take off.

{Jerry and Aava hop on as well, with Aava still carrying the horn. As soon as everyone was ready, Dianne took off, heading straight for the cars.}

Dianne: //We're almost home. Don't worry.//

Armin said nothing. Ryder let out an audible sigh of relief as they got into the sky. He did a quick check around, making sure that everyone was present and accounted for. 'Why didn't Luxia just make a portal inside the temple so we could all escape through it?'
.
'Nobody asked,' said Luxia breezily. 'You should ask nicely if you want something.'

Dianne: "Because I didn't want to risk Luxia running out of energy to get us home. If Leelza wouldn't let us through, I would have asked Luxia."

{Landing at the cars, Dianne waits for everyone to dismount before shifting back.}

Dianne: "Let's go, quickly now!"

'So, you want a portal now?' said Luxia innocently.
.
'Yes,' growled Rex, protectively bundling Armin into the front of the truck. He then jumped into the back, where Ryder and the other vampires followed.
.
Luxia drew up power, let out a dramatic battle-cry and opened a portal, which she promptly walked through. Armin sat there for a moment, then mechanically turned the engine on and rolled through the vortex. It came out beside Bloodwater Lake.

{Jerry followed along, getting through the portal. Now back in Vallis, Dianne takes her helmet off, looks at Armin with a little concern, then turns to the people in the back.}

Dianne: "Good work, everyone. I think that's enough adventure for today. I need to figure out which of the three locations we're going to check next, but wherever it is, it won't have araneos like that."

There was a general murmur of assent. 'OK, how about you text me or Fred tomorrow and let us know what the next step is? I'll come along and help again,' said Ryder.

Dianne: "I will. I'll coordinate with Fred and he'll give you the details. Armin, drive us into the city, please."

Armin set off for the city, driving normally enough, but with the same glassy-eyed, traumatised look on his face. Rex looked less than happy, sitting in the back with his shotgun across his lap. Ryder just smiled awkwardly amid the tension.
.
'Yeah, sure. So, you guys are just going to chill out for the rest of today?'

Dianne: "Yeah...I think we've all earned it."

{Aava just sat in the corner in a tight ball, holding onto her prize. Rex's clear discontentment was making her uncomfortable}

'Where are we going?' said Armin after a moment's silence. 'Pythia's house?'

Dianne: "Yes. The rest of you can go your separate ways once we get there. Rex, will you be headed home?"

'Yes. I'll stay until you get home, and then I'll fly back. I want to make sure he doesn't crash the car.' Though Rex was clearly unhappy and concerned for Armin, his voice, when he addressed Dianne, did not sound accusatory. It just sounded grim.

Dianne: "Alright. Armin, how are you feeling?"

'...I just had hundreds of gigantic spiders chase me down. How do you think I'm feeling?' said Armin, his voice slightly tremulous.

Dianne: "Are you ok to drive? Do you want Rex or Ryder to drive for you?"

'No. I can drive.'
.
Armin continued on his way to Pythia's house. He clearly wasn't OK, but he stayed slow, and the journey passed without incident.

{Dianne just watched Armin with concern. Once they got to Pythia's, Dianne gets off.}

Dianne: "Armin, let's go pick up Esme."

Armin slowly climbed out with her. Ryder and the three vampires hopped out of the back. 'We're heading off, OK? Keep me in the loop,' said Ryder.
.
If anyone had been paying attention, Luxia wasn't there. After everyone got out of the portal, she had allowed them to drive away without her, smiling and waving.

{Dianne figured Luxia could take care of herself, and wasn't concerned.}

Dianne: "I will. Have a good afternoon,"

{Aava leaves her prize in the truck, following Dianne and Armin inside. Pythia answers the door, looking them over.}

Pythia: "Ah, you're back. Find what you need?"

Dianne: "Yes. Esme behave herself?"

Armin didn't feel much like talking. He looked Pythia over, then looked past her to see if Esme was in sight. He didn't see her. He just settled back and let Pythia speak.

Pythia: "Yes, she was a sweetheart. Come in."

{Pythia leads them into a room where Esme was with her toys.}

Pythia: "Esme, mum and dad are here to pick you up."

Esme looked up from a nondescript pile of building blocks. She had been playing quietly, building different things and then destroying them. When she saw her parents, she chirped and padded over to them. She stood on her back legs and bumped her head against Dianne's arm.

Dianne: "Hey, sweetie."

{Dianne picks up Esme and nuzzles her.}

Dianne: "Hey, Armin, come here for a second."

{Not giving him a moment to respond, she pulls him into a tight hug with Esme.}

Caught by surprise, Armin was still for a moment. Then he leaned into the hug and kissed the top of Esme's head. She chirped, half-surprised, half-bemused, and headbutted his shoulder playfully in response.

{Dianne holds him tightly, kissing the side of his face.}

Dianne: //We're ok, see? It's over, and there won't be any more spiders any time soon. Everything is great.//

{Aava simply watches from the doorway, wanting to be away from Rex.}

//It's not great. That was horrible. I can still see them running towards me,// said Armin. A slight tremor passed through his frame and a flicker of revulsion came through the telepathic link.

Dianne: //Well they're not here, and they never will be. We never have to go back to Alacria again. Come on, let's go home so I can take your mind off it.\\

//You can try.//
.
Armin pulled away, rubbing his face wearily. He started for the door, only glancing briefly at Aava when he realised she was lurking there.

Dianne: "Barnabas, gather Esme's toys and meet us at the truck. Pythia, thank you very much for watching Esme."

Pythia: "You're quite welcome. Let me know when you need me to watch her next."

{With everything ready to go, Dianne and Aava head back to the truck.}

Armin climbed into the now much more spacious truck. Only Rex remained, sitting in the back. He glanced at Armin with concern, but continued to sit quietly in his corner.
.
'OK. Home...' said Armin.

(Well, Rex and Aava in the back.)

Dianne: "Let's go."

{Dianne sat quietly with Esme for the ride home.}

(I meant before Aava got into it, since she followed them to the house and Rex didn't.)
.
The journey passed without incident. When they finally ground to a halt outside Dianne's house, Rex stretched and climbed out with his shotgun.
.
'Going home,' he said gruffly. 'Look after him, alright?' He then turned to Armin. 'I'd hug you, but I probably have gore on me.'
.
'Yes, you reek. Go home,' said Armin, waving Rex off as he climbed out. Rex chuckled without much humour, gazed at him for a moment, then shifted and flew away.

Dianne: "I will. Fred will be in touch. Armin, let's go inside."

{Dianne gingerly leads him inside.}

Aava: "I'm...going to put my loot in my room."

Dianne: "Ok, we'll be in the rec room in a little bit. Armin, let's go upstairs."

Esme glanced at everyone in turn, then scurried off. Armin numbly allowed Dianne to lead him.

{Dianne leads him to the bedroom, sitting him down on the bed. After taking off her armor, she pulls him into a tight hug, leaning back with him.}

Dianne: "Come here. Focus on me."

Armin took off his armour as well, tossing his sword in a corner. When she pulled him in, he gave a shaky breath, then buried his face in her shoulder.
.
'Wish it were that easy.'

Dianne: "Here, let me help..."

{She starts to stroke his hair, nuzzling into his neck.}

Dianne: "I love you, so, so much. I'm so sorry you had to see that, but we needed the map locations. And now, we have them and nobody dies."

'Yeah... That's good... And anywhere we go next should be a hell of a lot more pleasant than this. You don't have to apologise; I chose to come.'
.
Armin settled against her, closing his eyes and focusing on the soothing sensation.

Dianne: "You we're so brave, watching our backs in there. There won't be any more spiders from here on out."

{She started to rock gently with him, lovingly stroking his hair and kissing the base of his jaw.}

'Thank the gods... Actually, maybe not. The gods are assholes.'
.
Feeling a little more at ease, he nuzzled into her neck, breathing in her familiar scent.

Dianne: "Yeah...That's it, I feel you relaxing..."

{Dianne continues to sit with him, cuddling him affectionately.}

After a while, he shifted his head and nipped her affectionately.
.
'I'm not sure if I saw it right, but wasn't Aava dragging around a giant dragon horn...?'

{Dianne smirks at this.}

Dianne: "Yeah...while we were down there, we opened the vault...it's a Ferrosian Marbled Dragon horn. It's worth a small fortune. Aava found it and called dibs, but Luxia really, really wanted it, to the point that she basically threatened to hex Aava over it."

'Oh no.' Armin couldn't help but be amused by the thought. 'Judging by what she did to /us/ that time, I wouldn't put it past her.'

Dianne: "Yes, but that poor girl has been through enough. I agreed to buy the horn from Aava and give it to Luxia as part of the payment."

'Alright, that should work. Aava gets her riches and Luxia gets her potion ingredient.'
.
Armin drew back and looked her in the eye for a moment, before leaning in and kissing her. A warm glow of gratitude ran through their mental link.

{Dianne closes her eyes, kissing him slowly. From her, he felt only a wave of love and affection.}

Dianne: //Feeling better? I'm glad to feel it.//

//You're very much responsible for that.//
.
After a few moments, he pulled back slowly.
.
'Let's relax for this evening. Instead of you cooking, maybe I could take you and Aava to a restaurant, or to the lake for a fish grill? Or we can just order something. Whatever you like.'

Dianne: "Let's go to a restaurant. That fish place you like so much. But right now, I need to shower, then call Fred."

'Alright.' Armin stretched, then began to get up. 'I guess I'll just go and wait until everyone's ready to go.'

Dianne: "I think Aava's in the rec room. Go keep her company. She gets anxious when she's alone."

{Gathering a t shirt and jeans, Dianne heads to the bath.}

Armin watched her go. Then, he headed off to the rec room, entering cautiously, not wanting to startle Aava. He felt better now, and knew he'd feel more like himself after a good night's sleep.

{Aava was resting on the bean bag, slightly curled. She was in her shorts and shirt, having put away her armor and coat. She seemed to be unhealthily fixating on her scars when Armin stepped in. Quickly looking up at him, she addresses him.}

Aava: "Oh, hello, Armin."

'Hey.'
.
Stifling a yawn, Armin sat down on the floor beside the beanbag, giving her some space. He pulled out his phone and idly scrolled through messages.
.
'Everything alright?' he said casually. He had noticed her fixating on her scars, but didn't want to bring it up directly.

Aava: "Y-yeah, everything's just fine."

{She says, trying to smile.}

Aava: "Here, let's see what's on the magical viewing window."

{Seeming eager to change the subject, she flips on the television. The first channel was the news, talking about state of the province and recent events.}

Armin eyed her sideways, a little surprised by how quickly and naturally she turned the TV on. 'Seems like you're getting used to the modern technology stuff,' he observed, turning to look at the screen.

Aava: "Yeah, I'm getting along just fine. A few things still confuse me though. Like, how does that metal box in the kitchen make the air cold? And what are these people talking about. Shackle....stone? What is that?"

'Eh, it'll start to make more sense over time. Shacklestone... That's the city where I used to live... And Dianne, for a while. It's all abandoned now, though, after that evil vampire we mentioned tried to take over. We stopped him, but most of the population was killed.'

Aava: "Oh...That's unfortunate. They're saying it's attracting all kinds of shifty types now. And they're concerned about them coming over to here."

'I wouldn't be surprised. It's a leaderless land, with nobody to stop people doing what they want. They probably hide contraband and sell slaves over there,' said Armin, only half-joking.

Aava: "Horrible. Well, what can we do? Hopefully something is done about it eventually."

'We could go and wipe them out, but that won't stop people coming back. It's like a rat infestation. Oh well, let's not worry about it now.'
.
He shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable on the floor, and resumed looking at his phone.

{Aava continued to flip through the channels, squinting at unfamiliar programs. Upstairs, Dianne had finished with her bath and called Frederick. She was sitting on the bed, looking over her map.}

Fred picked up within moments and answered in his usual businesslike tone. 'Dianne, hello.'

Dianne: "Hey, Frederick. So, I'm looking at the map coordinates we got from Alacria. There are three locations on this continent. One in the north east, a thousand miles north east of Frostwood, One is three hundred miles north of Mallow, and one is on an island off the coast of the tundra, west of the Mountain of Frozen Sorrows. I suggest we check the one north east of Frostwood."

'Is that because it's the closest one, or because you think there is a greater chance you'll find what you are looking for there?' Fred asked.

Dianne: "Because it's closest. We have no way of knowing which, if any of these locations, are still in use. We'll just have to check them one by one."

'Agreed. Will you be setting out tomorrow?'

Dianne: "I'd like to. Do you think they would mind noon?"

'Not at all. I'll let everyone know. Do you have any specific information about the place itself that may factor into what weapons and equipment we should bring?'

Dianne: "I honestly don't know. Most people don't even know this place exists. Best I can expect, be ready to fight werewolves. "

'Very well. Should we arrange to meet you by Bloodwater again at noon tomorrow?'

Armin put his phone away and yawned, looking up at the TV. 'Well, I'm pleased to see you've given up asking inappropriate questions about me and Dianne.'

Dianne: "Yes, please. And Frederick? Thank you for doing this for me. I really appreciate it."

Aava: "Well you seem pretty set on not telling me any more. But since you brought it up...."

{She begins to grin mischievously.}

'It's no trouble. You've assisted us enough times that it seems fair to return the favour. Hopefully, this will end with your friend being cured for good.'
.
'Nope,' said Armin. 'Not doing it. If you're so dead-set on finding out what our intimate activities are like, ask Dianne herself.'

Dianne: "I hope so too. She didn't deserve this.I want to set things right."

{Aava scoffs.}

Aava: "Are you kidding? To dragons, asking about their intimate lives it construed as an insult. No, I'd rather ask you what her reaction is when you touch her inner thighs."

'Of course. And I'm sure we'll all do what we can to help.' Fred then hung up without saying goodbye.
.
'And if you're aware of how personal it is to her, then you shouldn't expect me to betray her by talking about it,' said Armin, raising his eyebrows slightly. 'Maybe you should go and get some, so you'll stop thinking about Dianne for a few minutes.'

{Dianne looks at her phone quizzically.}

Dianne: "Huh...Kinda rude...No goodbye..."

Aava: "Armin, if it was that easy to go get some, don't you think I would have gotten some by now? I don't know where I am, how things have changed, or anything really. Besides, I'm a short, skinny elf whose covered in hideous scars....Who could possibly want me?..."

(Fred: I always do that. :I)
.
'Some people find scars hot, you know. Yes, they'll be some who are disgusted by it, and some who will pity you, but others might see it as a survival thing, and admire you for it. Or just not care. And what's being short got to do with it?'

Aava: "What's short got to do with it? All the most attractive people are tall. Not a lot of people want them short...At least, in my experience...."

'My ex-wife was even shorter than you,' said Armin. 'Dianne used to screw around with a guy shorter than her. A lot of people don't care, or even prefer them shorter. There's more to attractiveness than just height.'

Aava: "Really? Dianne screwed around with somebody? Huh, I never would have guessed...but, there's still the terrible reality that I'm still cursed. If not for this golden bracelet, I'd be a big dog thing, chewing on some poor, innocent bloke..."

'Yeah, but the bracelet is stopping that from happening. And with time, you're going to be cured completely. I don't think you realise how determined Dianne is to fix this.'

Aava: "Yes, I know she's going to help me, but right here and right now, I /cannot/ take this thing off, or else people are going to get hurt. Sounds like the sort of thing that would turn off prospective partners."

Dianne: "Which is why we're working as fast as we can to get you better."

{Dianne says, entering the room.}

Dianne: "We're leaving to check the first location tomorrow at noon."

'Oh, thank you so much for not making us get up at the crack of dawn,' said Armin sincerely. 'I needed a lie-in.'

Dianne: "Yeah, I figured we all needed a rest after today. Aava, there's no reason to feel self conscious about yourself. You were the victim of a cruel curse, cut yourself a break. The person I knew 500 years ago was a really great gal. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

Aava: "Thanks, Dianne. I....I needed to hear that..."

{Dianne sits on the bean bag next to her, prompting Aava to hug Dianne tightly.}

Armin glanced at them, then returned to looking at the TV. He kept quiet, letting them have their moment.

{Dianne sits with her, gently rubbing her back. After Aava pulls away, Dianne looks around the room.}

Dianne: "So, who's hungry?"

'Not exactly hungry, but I would like some fish,' said Armin. 'If everyone feels up to going out.'

Aava: "Yeah, I'd like some food..."

Dianne: "Ok, Aava, get ready to go. I'll grab my coat and we'll go eat."

Armin stood up, leaned in briefly to kiss her, then went to the foyer to put his shoes on. Esme slunk out of another room to wait by the front door.

{Aava puts her coat and shoes on and heads for the door. With her coat, Dianne scoops up Esme and heads for the truck.}

Dianne: "Aava, you like fish, right?"

Aava: "Yeah, fish is pretty good."

'Good, because we have it often.'
.
Stepping out into the bitter dusk, Armin climbed into the truck, waited for everyone to be seated, then took off towards the city.

Dianne: "Yeah, he really likes fish."

Aava: "I'm so hungry, I don't think I'd care what we're having."

'There must be something you hate. Esme turns her nose up at venison, and Dianne... Actually, I don't know what you hate either.'

Dianne: "Escargot."

Aava: "I can't stand horse meat. Gross. And broccoli. Broccoli sucks."

'Properly prepared snails are better than those rancid volcano molluscs you used to eat... And yeah, horse meat is horrible. But that's partly because I like horses.'

Dianne: "Eating snails in general is an abomination."

Aava: "Same. And horse meat is so stringy..."

'Well, eating horse meat isn't common around here, so I don't think we'll encounter any.'
.
Before too long, they arrived at the restaurant. It was lit up in a welcoming manner against the darkening backdrop. Armin hopped out and started towards it.

{Dianne and Aava follow him in. A waiter shows them to a table.}

Aava: "Hmmm...What to get?"

'I think I'm getting fishcakes this time,' Armin mused, only giving his menu a cursory examination. Esme was gazing around the restaurant, seemingly happy with any food she might be given.

Dianne: "I'm getting the salmon."

Aava: "Fishcakes are good for me."

Dianne: "We'll get Esme the cakes as well.."

Armin tossed his menu aside and looked pointedly across the room until he caught the attention of a waitress. Once she had taken everyone's orders and walked away, Armin leaned back with a massive yawn. The day's events had left him tired, and he was looking forward to getting into bed.

{Dianne glances at Armin, idly feeling her ring.}

Dianne: //Tired?//

//A bit. I guess being terrorised by giant spiders takes a lot out of you. I kind of just want to get into bed and snuggle up with you.//

{Dianne smirks at him, a wave of affection coming through the link.}

Dianne: //You will, very soon. Aava is begining to look tired. She'll probably want to go right to bed when we get home.//

He couldn't help smiling as he recognised the feeling seeping through.
.
//I love you. I love how comfortable you are to snuggle with. I love the noise you make when I rub your back. I love when you call me Amateotl... I could go on, but this is getting slushy.//

Dianne: //And what's wrong with slushy?//

{Reaching over, She pulls Armin into a hug. Aava just looks on, smirking.}

//Well, at least this is private communication. I could say anything I like to you, and nobody will hear it...//
.
The corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk, and he leaned slightly into the hug.

Dianne: //Yup, no one here but you or me. But what could you say that you couldn't out loud?//

//How about the adorable way you squirm when I push you down on the bed and have fun with you?// he said in a falsely innocent tone. //Or that high-pitched noise you make when I claw your stomach?//

{Dianne chuckles at this, looking at him flirtatiously.}

Dianne: //Gestures of passion, to be sure. But two can play this game. How about the way you fruitlessly squirm whilst I pin you down? Or how you beg me to move on while I'm having a good time?//

Armin met her gaze for a moment, then looked at his menu, feigning nonchalance.
.
//Oh, sure. And you're so sensitive, I bet I could bring you to completion without even going the whole way. You nearly fall apart just from me teasing the back of your neck.//

{Dianne leans her head on her hand, looking at him with amusement.}

Dianne: //Yes, I nearly have a couple of times now. It wouldn't take much. But then, it wouldn't nearly be as fun for you. It behooves you to go slow and gentle, and not just for my own sake.//

Armin smiled slightly as he continued pretending to read his menu.
.
//I will. I don't like rushing things, anyway. But still, it's pretty hot to see your reactions to everything. I hope that, over the years, I'll discover more things you like.//

Dianne: //You probably will. Heheheh, glad you enjoy yourself. I know I do. //

//Heheh.//
.
Armin sat back and looked around casually, hoping Aava hadn't noticed anything strange. She wouldn't have heard them, but he had a feeling that they hadn't exactly been subtle with their expressions and glances.

{Aava was watching them, smiling knowingly.}

Aava: "I don't know what you two were communicating about, but it looked pretty spicy."

Armin tried to think how to respond to that. 'Well... You'd probably think that no matter what we were communicating about.'

Dianne: "Heheheheh, but yes, it was very spicy."

Aava: "I knew it!"

'Yep,' said Armin. 'That's one of the great benefits of a private telepathic link. I can say dirty things to her whenever I want.'

Dianne: "Aaaarrrmiiinn."

{Dianne says, laughing and pushing him playfully.}

Dianne: "But yes, he's a huge tease."

Aava: "Hey, I can't pretend like I wouldn't do the exact same thing in his place."

Dianne: "Give it time, I'm certain you'll find your own partner to whisper dirty things to."

'And you'd probably do it a lot,' Armin observed. 'I think you're like me. Someone whose brain devolves into the gutter every so often.'

Dianne: "Oh, no, she not like that. Her brain /is/ the gutter."

Aava: "Aw, come on, no! I'm only this frisky because it's been too long since I got anything."

'Are you sure about that? I know that you used to flirt with her constantly 500 years ago,' said Armin. 'Sounds like you were just the same then.'

Aava: "Yeah, just flirting. I didn't ask her intrusive, personal questions about her private business."

Dianne: "You've been bugging Armin for intimate details, haven't you?"

'Constantly,' said Armin. He gave Aava an unimpressed look across the table when this was brought up.

{Aava seemed to shrink a little at this. Dianne just chuckles.}

Dianne: "Hey, relax, I don't mind. I know Armin won't reveal anything too personal, and even if he lets something slip, It's you. You won't go blabbing it to Ivy or something."

Aava: "O-of course not. I wouldn't do that."

'I told her some superficial stuff the first time she asked,' Armin muttered. 'I felt sorry for her because she kept saying she might be dead in a week. She kept pestering me for more but I didn't tell her anything else.'

Dianne: "That's fine."

{Just then, the food arrived.}

Aava: "Ooh, looks great!"

Armin and Esme both started on their food quite eagerly.
.
'It's pretty good.'

{Aava took a bite, her face lighting up.}

Aava: "Wow, this is great! Did everyone 500 years ago just suck at cooking?"

Dianne: "Heh, no. You were just eating rations in wartime."

'Well, it's good that you seem to like all the food in this time period.'
.
Armin didn't talk much, focusing on his meal, only pausing to sip the lemonade he'd bought with it.

{Aava ate ravenously, focusing on her meal. Dianne ate at a more leisurely pace, enjoying her food and just being happy to be sitting amongst family and friends.}

Once Armin was done, he settled back, finishing his lemonade and gazing at the darkening street outside the window. //I wonder what tomorrow will bring? As long as it's not spiders, I think I can handle it. ANYTHING sounds better than spiders right now...//

{With Dianne and Aava finished, Dianne looks around the table.}

Dianne: "Ok, are we ready to move ?"

Aava: "Yeah...that meal was great, and I'm sleepy now..."

Armin nodded in agreement and got up. Esme jumped down onto the floor to follow him, and they headed out to the truck.

{Dianne lingered behind to pay for the meal, then headed out to the truck.}

Dianne: "Alright, take us home."

Armin glanced at Dianne as he started the truck, the drowsiness beginning to show in hia face.
.
'Sorry. I meant to pay for that... Slipped my mind...'
.
They eased off down the road, through the alternating darkness and bright city lights.

Dianne: "That's ok. Let's just go home and sleep. Big day tomorrow."

'Mmm...'
.
Armin stayed quiet for the rest of the journey. An owl called out in the distance as they approached Dianne's house, illustrating the peaceful solitude. Parking the truck, Armin slid out and headed for the front door.

{Dianne and Aava followed him in.}

Aava: "I'm going to shower, then go to bed. Goodnight, you two."

Dianne: "Ok, goodnight, Aava."

{As Aava heads up to the bath, Dianne turns to Armin.}

Dianne: "Bedtime?"

'Night,' Armin called back as Aava left for the shower. He glanced at Dianne, then began to head straight for their room, running a hand through his hair. 'Yeah. Let's go.'

{Dianne walks with him to the bedroom and changes to her sleepwear. She then sets the alarm for 10am, then climbs under the covers.}

Armin followed suit. Pulling the covers up cosily, he flopped over to lie half on top of Dianne, his head on her shoulder and his arm extended across her body.
.
'You're comfy...'

{Dianne smiles at the gesture.}

Dianne: "So are you. My adorable Amateotl..."

Armin smiled and snuggled closer, getting himself settled into a comfortable sleeping position.
.
'Goodnight...'

Dianne: "Goodnight..."

{Skip?)

(Yes. I'll put a new room up first.)