Sharp

I backed off from the spider to direct them as they were off course. I intercepted them before they burst out into the farmland.

“Did you find it?” Josh asked.

“Yes, but it heard you lot in the bush, so it knows we are here. There seems to be only one, and it is a rune Spider—a large one.” I went on to describe the webs and the barn and what I had seen.

“We should lure it out into the farmland,” Gail said. “More room to manoeuvre.”

Josh nodded and said, “Go and get ready. We will set up near the barn.”

I considered this a bad idea as we would be in the open and a target without cover, but Gail had dashed off, and Josh was already moving, with everybody following. We approached the barn, and I split off. I was on restricting its movement.

I saw Pete summon his serpent, Smokey. It was large, like the size of the Eelish, and it was only Iron Rank. Its heat was like a cobra’s head, and smoke was already arising from where it touched the ground. It was hot. He started summoning his Iron snakes. Ardisia was going to stay away from the serpent.

Maiele’s harpy appeared. It looked like a child covered in reddish brown feathers with similar wings. I noticed it had claws rather than fingers and toes.

I kept to the edge of the bush. Where was Iris? How close did she need to be for her sand? Everybody was set up like the rune spider was going to come out to them, but I saw no reason it wouldn’t stay in the bush and shoot webs and elemental energy from there.

I heard Gail coming fast and the spider behind her. She yelled a warning, and I used Blend to hide as a pulsating line of web shot between the trees. Gail shot past me, running from branch to branch above my head. A wind essence looked fantastic for moving fast like that.

The spider was moving slower than she was. It was high in the trees as well. It stopped at the tree line as I expected. A number of ranged spells were thrown at it, but most were blunted by the trees. We needed to get it down closer to the ground for the melee people.

The Spider had fired a bunch of web out to the others, but I hadn’t seen the effect. I cast my Hunter's Tether on the side of a tree near the spider, so the tethered reached out and dragged it sideways which bought it closer into the open.

I heard a lilting tune, which was quite subtle. I couldn’t see the effect on the spider, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one.

I then cast the Hunters Tether again on the side of the barn, and it half pulled it into the gap between the barn and the trees.

Sand blasted across the carapace, but I couldn’t judge if it had any effect. It was still above our heads.

Gail came at it in a rush of speed, but this was a bronze-rank spider with bronze-rank reflexes. She hit some electrified web full-on and dropped to the ground, twitching. I was afraid it was going to go for the trees again when the massive Smokey launched himself from the barn roof, landed on two of the legs on one side, dragged them down with his weight, and flared into flame.

Val and Cal darted in to attack while it was low to the ground, and Josh was close behind. I saw Iris drag Gail away, and poisoned arrows bounced from the carapace from Anji.

I cast Hunters Tether for the third time underneath the spider to try and drag it lower. I noticed that the wall of the barn was on fire.

The Spider started firing off elemental attacks at everyone it could see. I saw Val dodge an ice bolt but get caught on a web and have to waste time cutting herself free. Josh deflected a fire web, which kept burning for a long time after it was free of the spider. Pete was right in there with his spider, and they almost had two legs off on their own. I saw a frost web steam and bubble against them. They must be chewing through their mana.

I had felt a bit useless so far, so I climbed a tree nearby. The useless attempt to blind it hadn't worked, and it was pulling itself back higher and out of reach. The Kai’s rushed up to join me, and I absorbed them before leaping with Mighty Oak onto the main body of the rune spider. As I did, I noticed a number of runes had lost their colour, so they couldn’t be used again without recharging. I didn’t know how long that would take, but we were wearing it down. It might outlast us at this rate.

I landed on the main body. Kai ranked up my Claws, and Pierce was active in penetrating armour. I pierced the carapace and used Rend to rip it wider, and a crack appeared and widened. It was a shame I didn’t have many Blessings of the Reaper to use.

A Kai emerged from each hand and slipped under the broken carapace to start devouring the spider from the inside. A hand came loose as the spider tried to get rid of me. I created a handful of Resin and smothered it over a bunch of eyes as I slipped off and fell onto the webbing below. My claws were bronze rank sharpened with Kai and my skill, and I used Rend to slice my way to the ground and roll away.

I was a bit worried about the two Kais, but we needed to start causing damage to this thing. They are called Devouring Rats for a reason. I was always worried about losing my Familiars, but I also knew this would be a long, hard week, and not having two Kais would be a huge hamper to my usefulness.

I created a shield, drew my axe, and attacked the leg closest to me. My weight had dropped the spider back down. I would chop the joint with my axe, then use Pierce with the spike on the reverse side to crack the leg exoskeleton, and then chop again. I glanced around, and three of the four legs were off on the opposite side of me, and one was off on this side.

I noticed Gail was back in the fight, and my cracked carapace had widened. There was the occasional elemental attack left in it, but mostly, it was just a hard slog to kill it now.

The thing never seemed to die. It broke Pete’s leg before it was done, but there were only minor other injuries. Everybody was exhausted except Kai, who was bloated. I switched them out at the end, so all four got to feast. I only saw one of Pete’s Iron Snakes left at the end, but Smokey seemed fine.

Iris’ Refreshing Oasis washed over us, speeding up our healing. It seemed to take energy from the dead monster, so that might be why she could only use it after a fight.

My Reaping Magic gave me too many choices. Bronze Rank: Meat, Carapace, Lighting Web, Frost Web, Fire Web, Sticky Web. Iron Rank: Monster Core, Spirit Coins. I figured we had fire covered in this team, so I went for Lightning and Frost.

I had plenty of cooked meat in my storage from the astral spaces, so I pulled out a hunk and munched down on it as the others rested.

Suddenly, Overseer Agere was there and looking at the area. “The farmer is going to be pissed at his barn burning down,” she said. “Come on, we have another contract to do before the day is over.”

There were a few groans, and I saw a few potions being downed. I am lucky most of my skills are not mana-intensive.

We trooped back to the skimmer and were soon back on the road. It was a two-hour drive to the next site and an hour in, Overseer Williams said, “Theo, You are the next leader unless you want to pass.”

“No, that is fine,” I said.

“There is a report of a small pack of five bronze-rank Ratlings.”

I nodded and got out my Monster Compendium. The ratlings had several variants, so I will have to scout and see.

“OK, everyone,” I said. “There are several variants of ratlings, so when we get there, you will all stay by the skimmer while I go and scout. When I have confirmed what we are dealing with and how many, I will come back, and we will form a plan.”

“And if you don’t come back?” a smart arse said.

“Then the overseers will appoint the next leader, probably you.”

There were a few chuckles.

When we stopped, I reinforced that everyone was to stay close to the skimmer and no loud noises.

Then I went to scout. I found a farm with a destroyed crop and killed animals, although they were uneaten. The ratings were scavenging around the area, and I counted six, not five. They were about half my size and were just as likely to scatter and hide as to attack. They looked like oversized mice and stood on their hind legs. The bronze ones will be fast but not overly tough.

I also scouted the lay of the land and then went to see the others.

“OK, listen up. There are six, not five, and they seem to be the normal variant, so fast but with no special abilities. What we are going to do is lure them into a trap and then pound on them. I want the two with earth essences to come with me. The rest of you wait here so we don’t contaminate the area with your smells.”

“Won’t ratlings just run?” Josh asked. “How are you going to get them into a trap?”

“All you need is the right bait,” I said. “Wait here. We will be back.”

Iris and Anji came with me. I laid out what I wanted for the trap, and they moved the earth. It was a narrow gorge, and they also steepened the sides a bit. Once the pit was dug, I retrieved bundles of javelins from my storage and used them as spikes. Anji jumped into the pit with me and touched each of the javelin tips, poisoning them with his venom.

I cut three studier poles and laid them across the pit in the line of the gully. We covered it all in brush, and I went back to get the others.

“OK, we are ready,” I said.

“About time,” came a mumble which I ignored.

“I will lead you to a hide we created. It is downwind of the trap, and you need to be silent. When the rats have entered the trap, you will come and attack, but no sooner. I will give the signal. Gail and Val, you are probably the two fastest here, so you are on perimeter duty. You chase down any ratlings who get out.” The two nodded. “Maiele, you and Vynora are to confuse them once they are in the trap so they can’t figure out how to get out.” She nodded, “Follow me.”

“I don’t understand how you are going to get them in the trap. Are you going to drive them in?” Josh asked.

“If I have to, but I don’t think I will have to. Iris is the backup there with her area control and sand. Now quiet from here on.”

There were several who didn’t know how to be quiet. I was tempted to use the Resin on them.

I got them in position and waited. Then I gave the imminent signal, and three Kai’s appeared, running and dodging six ratlings hard on their heels. The Ratlings were fast, and I was worried for Kai. I was lucky he was small and fast himself.

He almost made it. Two Kais darted across the stronger poles I had placed, but the third was clipped by a set of teeth and flung sideways. The Ratling tried to turn to go after him but was too close to the pit. One near the edge did turn to where Kai had been flung, but I was already in action, and the go signal was given.

I appeared to be the one rattling that avoided the pit, and it started to run, but Gail and Val were already on their way. The others started to stab and pound their skills on the rattlings in the pit as a sorrowful song rose above the sound.

I absorbed the wounded Kai, as he had a ripped hide and multiple broken bones. Then I got my spear and went back to contribute to the slaughter.

It didn’t take long, and Iris came back with a successful Val and Gail. They all turned into rainbow smoke, and I retrieved my javelins before we filled the hole.

Overseer Agere came out and said, “Better. No injuries and no damaged property.”

I saw Josh frown as it was obvious who she thought I was better than.