Viv’s rage did not evaporate when something heavy smashed through the palissade, but it did take a hit when she saw the culprit.

[Siege Tarantula]

“Holy shit.”

The creature plowing ponderously through the fence was a massive beast with large fluffy legs ringed black and white, and a head apparently designed for ramming into things. Large, chitinous plates covered most of the sturdy body, particularly towards the front. Viv charged a few bolts and let out, fully expecting the creature to be followed by a horde, yet it was not the case. The monster had come alone.

The spells landed on the armored plates, pitting them and nothing more. It barely penetrated at all.

It was, by far, the most durable thing she had ever faced.

The spider bore down on Arthur and its objective was made clear. It was here to finish the job. Thin the line. Viv focused and called a massive blast. The ball of energy lifted over her right shoulder, collecting runes as she infused them with meaning. She needed to get through. She had to. Arthur was still struggling to free herself though she did have some success. Viv was too slow, too weak to help. Eliminate the threat first. Meanwhile, Marruk was sprinting back with Solfis on her back. At the last moment, she turned and put her shield on the ground.

The large spider was on them. Viv was distracted by the absurd sight of Marruk trying to stop the arachnid equivalent of an elephant on steroids. It was brave. It was stupid. It didn’t work very well.

The spider put its face down, stabbed two scythe-like pedipalps into the shield, then lifted. Viv was pretty sure the maneuver could uproot a baobab. Marruk was a solid girl and a powerful combatant, but she was not a baobab. The attack sent her flying in the air. Literally spinning for a few seconds before she crashed into a house out of sight.

“Fuck. Blast!”

The powerful artillery spell hissed through the air. The tarantula did not try to evade. Instead, it rotated on itself and presented a thick black leg.

The artillery spell went through it anyway.

Undaunted, the siege beast started moving back, presenting its armored side and legs to Viv, who was more eager to help Arthur move faster. The dragonette had finally resorted to setting herself on fire. It had burnt through her prison and left her flesh unmarred. The tarantula completed its exit before Viv could launch another spell.

She really had to finish that circle.

More importantly, she had to find her Kark.

“Marruk? Marruk! Are you okay?”

Stupid, stupid. Of course she wasn’t fine.

Viv hesitated, but a noise distracted her. The tarantula had left only to return as it created another massive breach in the palissade.

“You fucker!”

Nevermind that. She had to handle that first. Woman and dragonette sprinted forward, Viv spooling up another artillery spell. She stopped by the edge of the perimeter and made ready, but the thunderous noise of trunk-sized legs went away.

Hesitating, she looked through the freshly made hole. The siege tarantula was in full retreat. Immediately, her instinct screamed at her. She raised a shield, but was pushed aside at the last moment instead. Only the lack of danger sense saved the unknown person from an annihilating death. The sound of metal impacting metal silenced Viv’s curses.

It was Marruk. Marruk had pushed her aside. She appeared fine.

“How are you still walking?” Viv asked.

“I pathed up!”

“What?”

“I pathed up. I’m fourth step! I’m a Pillar of Kark.”

“Wow that’s amazing! But, errr, are we in danger?”

//The foe has retreated.

//For now.

Viv saw that her valiant bodyguard had two organic-looking daggers embedded in her shield. The nasty things shone an ominous red in the shade of the wood wall.

“What the hell is that?”

//Fangs of Octas.

//Assassination tools.

//The Herald can most likely generate them at will.

//She was waiting for you outside.

“Damn, trying to trap me like that?”

//I estimate that she was hoping you would attempt to finish off the siege tarantula.

“I estimate that this entire planet should be blasted from orbit for the crime of having ‘siege tarantulas’ among the available species.”

//Nevertheless, she will make regular attempts on your life.

“I can protect you better! The Pillar path is quite strong in one-on-one combat. I can face multiple enemies, monster or men! It is a defensive path.”

“Right, fourth step is a huge deal. We should celebrate!”

//Yes, but later.

Marruk looked on, crestfallen.

“He’s right. We face destruction. There will be time later. Oh, and we must make mushroom beignets. It’s the tradition.”

“We should ask the villagers.”

“Yes. That would be… nice.”

***

Viv returned to circle building, and Marruk, to brooding. Viv had not expected that from the stalwart Kark, but it seemed that hitting this important threshold really depressed her. Viv was pretty sure it had something to do with her past, but when probed, the proud warrior deflected.

“There will be time for talks later. I cannot let my guard down.”

Viv finished her circle and realized that it was considerably more exposed now. However, there was no direct line of sight to the outside and so Solfis decided that it was safe enough for now.

The circle was good and would help her kill siege tarantulas if they returned. Solfis thought fangs might go through, however.

//A standard circle will take too much energy.

//We must remain close.

//I think we can no longer patrol while you are exposed.

“I could go back while you patrol?”

//That would work.

//Make sure that you are surrounded by villagers.

//Octas has a limited amount of control over her lesser servants.

//Red hivers will go for softer targets whenever possible.

“I’ll make sure to keep the kids on the outer ring then since they’re the least valuable defenders,” Viv joked.

Marruk blanched.

//I wish you were serious.

//But you fleshbags have some strange affection for creatures you can always make more of.

“You’ll understand when you become a dad.”

//I find this scenario unlikely.

“I was joking Marruk, please don’t cry.”

“Squee.”

“Yes, I am sorry for suggesting putting your followers’ in harm’s way, oh great forest wyrm.”

“Squee!”

***

After the child shield incident, the village settled into a routine. Viv would occasionally move to separate houses on supplies-retrieval operations and once to burn a cocoon the herald had prepared for them.

//The herald sacrificed many spiders to feed one.

//It would have popped out of the house when we have our backs turned.

//We are doing well fighting her off so far.

Meanwhile, the rest of the villagers kept busy. They decided to fortify the place around the two houses they were holing up in out of, Viv suspected, cabin fever.

There was one fatality, an older man who had volunteered to work on the outside was set up by a species they had never seen, one that appeared transparent so its inner organs showed. A few casualties followed, but they had saved a couple of antidotes and no one else died.

Despite the death, an aura of optimism filled the main room that night. Villagers used their mana for lights and prayer, gathering around the shrines of the light gods. The altars were little more than carved statues, yet Viv felt presence across the room. She stopped before the shrine of Neriad on her way to her quarters.

It felt weird to pray. She had prayed before since her private Catholic school encouraged the practice, but it had always felt silly. Wasteful. It left her cold and awkward. Not here though. She kneeled and prayed. Soon, Romus and Marruk joined her.

Viv did not talk to the god, this time, but she felt the tiniest drain on her mana, then it replenished faster from the day’s work. More importantly, she felt warm.

Neriad was there.

Of course, Viv was not following a religious path so she could not just suddenly receive divine powers, but the god of righteous conflict let her know he was paying attention. It helped to remember that they were not forgotten out there in the spidery boonies. Others knew of her plight. They cared, and it mattered.

After she was done, she retired to her room with Marruk for a quiet evening meal. She used her ring to check for poison and found nothing. Romus checked the room for intrusion and found nothing. It appeared to be safe enough. She finally relaxed.

“So, want to talk about it?” Viv asked.

“What?” Marruk replied, more guarded than unusual.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have mushrooms for her special dish.

“Today’s a big day for you. I wish we could celebrate like you deserve and we will, but I didn’t expect you to grow so despondent.”

“You and your big words.”

“Fine. You’re sad.”

“Yes, I’m sad.”

Viv saw the Kark was getting defensive and decided to drop the whole thing.

“Fine, I didn’t mean to pressure you.”

“No wait. Wait.”

A deep sigh shook Marruk’s mighty frame. She deflated under her armor and picked at her porridge.

“A fourth step is named by the tribe. It’s a big occasion and a cause for celebrations for everyone. If I were back on the steppes, I would be one of the youngest named fighters in recent history. For the tribe, I mean. It would make my family proud. What’s left of it anyway.”

Viv remembered that Marruk’s mom had been killed by dark blades. The Kark still harbored a deep resentment towards anyone even remotely connected to the Pure League and its expansionist assholes.

“So what’s the tradition? Food?”

“Yes, food. Buttery mushroom pastries and root alcohol. I would make a demonstration of my skills once sober and a second time drunk, then tell glorious stories. Guests are supposed to ooh and aahwith as much passion as they can. In return, one of the stories has to be embarrassing. Usually, everyone hoos the hardest there. Even better if there is a scar. One of my uncles showed his ass to the village elders so they could see exactly where the deepgrass snake had bit him. He was a legend. Until he died in battle.”

Marruk’s good mood evaporated. Viv felt useless.

“We lose too many people too quickly. And I left. I think I made the right choice even now. I could have stayed and then what? Marry another tribe’s princeling for three pakars and a sack of flour? Pumped out more kids and see them return on their shields? It’s all fucked there. But… But.”

“You miss them.”

“Yeah.”

The red-faced woman looked up and her gaze met Viv’s with a singular intensity.

“Make no mistake you’re a good warchief, Veev. There isn’t a man I have regretted killing under your banner yet, and that’s saying something. But you’re not Kark. It’s not your fault.”

“I can understand enjoying the current company and still missing the past one, Marruk.”

“Yeah. I guess you really can.”

“So I know that I can’t replace your family or your childhood friends. That’s okay.”

“Yeah.”

They fell into companionable silence while finishing the meal. Marruk was not done, however. Viv could tell. She was just ruminating on something.

“I wonder what they would do if I returned now, with steel and new ideas on warfare.”

“I mean, that’s the plan, no? I am trying not to die but once I’m stable, we can go there? Or you could go by yourself. You know enough already.”

“It is bad luck to plan for three years in advance with an enemy at the gates. Calls Enttiku’s eye upon you.”

“I’m sure she’s bored by now.”

Marruk munched on a piece of bread.

“Guess you’re right. I feel like I’m avoiding the question. I’m just scared of returning and being banned the same day. Or everyone is dead. It happens.”

“It won’t. Don’t think like that.”

“Yeah yeah. I’m feeling… better. Thank you.”

“No problem Marruk, Kark Pillar.”

“Hah! Got a nice ring to it. Now I can buy myself a husband and he would have to cook mushroom beignets for me…”

The Kark’s eyes grew dreamy while her skin took a slight blush.

“And massage my back.”

“Do Kark women often buy husbands?”

“No, almost always the contrary. But I am rich in iron. I can do whatever I want.”

Marruk gave a vicious smile. Romus, behind her, was sweating quite heavily. Viv remembered that Enorian education presented women as naturally caregiving and gentle. Apparently, a taste of the real deal was making the veteran uncomfortable. Viviane could only assume his wife did not openly talk about purchasing a masseur. Ah well.

Viv fell asleep quickly and without a bath this time. The day had been tiring between the circle and the constant vigilance. Even the small forays in neighboring homes had taxed her with the cloaky boots and occasional werfer spells. Curiously, she wasn’t terrified of the herald. It just felt like being on the frontline, not facing a literal goddess. Anyway, so far so good, which made it even worse when she was woken up in the middle of the night by Solfis.

“Ngh? What are you doing here?”

//A siege tarantula is coming.

//Energy optimization supersedes your need to sleep.

“Huh?”

//I need you to kill it, Your Grace.

“Huh, sure.”

Endurance +1