//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7 
// Story: I can be social. Probably. Maybe 
// by Heavensguard 
//------------------------------//

I can be social
----

“Now, Zecora, what exactly do each of these do?” I ask the zebra Mohawk as I raise various vials. There was a multitude of colors to each one and I wasn’t quite sure if I was even safe carrying these.
“Each concoction carries different effects, so listen well to each subjects.” I swear she does that just to mess with others.
“To cure your wounds, choose red. That way, you will not end up dead.” Yea, she really loves doing that.
“For when something has poisoned you, green will be that which cures you.” That’s cheating, Zecora. 
“Yellow is a particular fellow, caution for it bears an explosion.” Now that’s just fuc- wait. what?
“Explosions?” 
“Yes, would you like to test?” HOW! DOES! SHE! DO! THAT! 
Rather than let this rhyme master that could give both Mr. Rogers and Doctor Suess a run for their money continue, we both exit the zebra’s hut to see what these yellow vials really are. Despite the fact that Zecora lives deep in the Everfree forest, there are some parts here that are clear of trees. An odd thing for such a haphazard forest. Not too far from her abode, Zecora and I enter one of these clearings. 
There was a hay mannequin near the center, oddly shaped human. I leveled a look at the zebra, who apparently takes it in stride as she leads me closer to the center of the clearing, there were some bales of hay strung about.
“Someone planned this test out...” I say as the zebra places several vials of various colors upon a bale of hay.
“A test for your tools, so you would not be caught a fool.” She slips through her lips so easily. She carefully arranges the vials so that they are organized. I still have yet to learn how these ponies grasp things with their hooves, but then again that is but a nitpick against more important things. Like how Zecora knows how to make these potions.
“You wouldn’t happen to have magic skills now, would you?”
“A unicorn, I am not. But in all of us, magic trots.” Ah... I have no idea what she meant there.
“Right. So, what kind of explosion does this make anyway?” I turn the test tube with a cork on top containing the yellow liquid about. It swishes silently within. So far, it seems pretty stable.
“Against flesh and plant alike, it shall deliver a powerful strike.” 
After a moment of Zecora and I moving bales of hay to make an impromptu bomb shelter, I stood several feet away from the hay dummy. I gave the zebra a glance, maybe she’ll stop me and say this is a bad idea, and then I throw the vial. 

Perhaps there was something quite hard underneath all that hay because that vial shattered quite easily. Oh, it also vaporized the dummy. 

Yea.
I was surprised.
And salivating.
Mostly surprised.

The moment the vial broke against the target, there was this distortion. I believe it would be a shockwave that bent light. It rippled out and along with the waves, the dummy convulsed apart into pulverized strands. The ground bore evidence of the shockwave as there were dust clouds of dirt kicked up. Along with all this visual distortion came the audible boom to the ears. My ears popped and there was an annoying ringing in my sound-holes. The little dust in the air settled and I turned towards the zebra, digging into my ear with my pinky. 

“What in bloody hell was that?” My voice sounds distorted.
“A concoction that causes concussion, an ability to distort used as a last resort.” That actually makes some sense. Some.
“How did you accomplish this?”
“A concoction that can be known as Triton, when mixed well can take down even a titan.” For sure.
“Alright. I assume that these vials are somewhat hard to break?” If they are too fragile, I am not carrying those with me.
“I I have a case for the vials. You would not need to worry.” 
“Hey, you didn’t rhyme there. I knew you could speak normally.”
“Speaking in iambic pentameter, not always a parameter.”
“Now you’re just fcukin’ with me.”

Zecora resumed her list of vials that she has given me. She apparently has been making plenty of these concoctions and just storing them. They were never something she planned on using, but created as so to satisfy the mystery behind each mixture. She was genuinely happy that I was going to field test the lot of them. I got a satchel from her that had a hard case inside for the vials. It was designed that it would be easy for me to reach in and grab a vial (If i practice, I could get what I need without looking) without worrying about any of the vials falling out. 

“Hey, Zecora.” I interrupt the zebra’s monologue about the process of making her potions. 

“Would you happen to know anything about a group of royal soldiers passing by?”

“What purpose would soldiers have in these parts, is there something brewing before Nightmare’s eve’s starts?” I shake my head and spread a map across one of her tables.

“Well, the princess has sent a group of her most trusted followers here to investigate a strange occurrence here.” I point towards a section of the map, an edge of the Everfree forest. “Surprisingly, this area hasn’t been properly documented or even searched. So the princess wants me to see what happened to her subjects.” 

“Ah, a place even some of the more ferocious of beast never wander, for it is beyond what this forest holds secret and ill wonders.” Zecora gives me a contemplative look before glancing back to the map.

“Would you happen to know how to get to the edge faster? I would like to avoid complications along the way.” I really don’t want to be attacked by the manticore, He has yet to make a move since that last time. I’m getting a little paranoid.

“There is a dirt path that winds from the back, it shall lead you to the edge if you stay on track.” 
“Thank you, hopefully I don’t get mauled to death later. Take care until next time” 

I waved my farewells and left the zebra’s hut. It was roughly late morning as the forest was still on the dim side. Spring air breezes by and I tug my coat closer to my body. I really have to hand it to Rarity for making this.
Rough leather formed from the bear I killed a couple weeks back made my coat. It was dark brown and did pretty well in fending off cold and water. It is a bit on the thick side, but it did nothing to hamper my mobility. Underneath the bear coat, I wore a thick white tunic of nothing significant, but it was warm. I would have gone with slacks today, but I decided against it. Instead, I went with brown breeches. I wore dark brown leather boots that are a true masterpiece by Rarity, they were sealed tight, waterproof, and fit snug. My bow was tight against my back with the bow string gripping me across my front, the sword that Celestia gifted me is secure in its scabbard attached to my belt, and the satchel of my necessities was strapped to my shoulder and secured against my belt. Can’t be too careful when one is carrying several vials of explosives and combustibles.
Especially that last one.
How did Zecora get wildfire?

-

I’ve never really liked the Everfree forest. I’m sure I’ve gotten this message across a few ponies several times.  Nearly everything in this place wants to kill me. Though, so far only the manticore wants to do so, but I’ll safely assume that everything else wants to follow suite. 

With what wants to kill me aside, the forest isn’t too bad actually. There were a plethora of fauna that were appealing to the eyes. Some cater some extravagant smells, but then again some of them are deadly to inhale in some amounts. Its fairly quiet with the occasional white noise of animal noises and wind. There are some hillside clearings within the forest that offer a nice view of the land. So yea, the Everfree forest isn’t a screaming, slithering, slimy, death zone. 

It has its benefits.

Hey, it’s starting to rain. I’ve always liked rain. Not to be melodrama-

Why does the rain taste like chocolate milk? 

Once again, this world does wonders to my preconceptions. 

Oh well.

~Chocolate Rain!
Some stay dry and others feel the pain
Chocolate Rain!
A baby born will die before the sin~

A loud howl drags me from my fit of song. My eyes quickly dart across the sides of the path. That sounded pretty close. Damn, I knew my singing would be the end of me. I increase my pace down the path, best to get out of this forest sooner. With each step taken, the beating of my heart quickens. Every so often, the howls would return, each one closer than the last. Eventually, there was going to be a climax to this tension.

That would be the the source of the howling leaping onto the path. 

It was big. Much bigger than I imagined. White fur, maybe silver fur. Large paws and long legs. It easily matched my height. A long snout that carried a large mouth of sharp teeth. Yellow eyes locked onto my own. By all that was holy.

It’s a dire wolf. A big one at that.

“Ah, fudgenuggets.” I was truly drawing a blank on to what to actually say in this situation. I mean, yea I’ve seen dire wolves before, but they were in movies. To the best of my ability to tell, this was a legitimate dire wolf in front of me. It howled once more and to my worsening morale, a few more distant howls responded. 

I need to go. 
Now.

I immediately dash off the path and into the fauna-filled forest. I could hear the footfalls of the wolf giving chase. Leaping over roots, hopping through bushes, winding through vines, and sliding under overhangs seem to do the trick of putting some distance between me and the wolf, but not much.
Its ragged breath steams against my neck. It exhales vibrate within my ears. It’s honed eyes burn into the back of my head. I really could do without that on my mind. 

I could see a bright light beyond the trees. There was the edge. I directed myself towards the light. I felt the beast follow suite easily. My breath laboured and sweat dotted my body. 

Just as I was about to clear the forest, I felt something snag into the back of my coat. A force lifted me off my feet and launched me forward. To my horror, I realized that the wolf had just taken a bite at me and caught my coat. He had me in his maw, but we were moving too fast coming out of the forest. Chocolate rain was still falling and the ground was muddy, the wolf and I were sliding. Just out of the forest was a ledge, we flew over said ledge.

The jaw of death released me as we tumbled down the hillside. We rolled and rumbled in the muddy slope. I had a huge fear that the vials on my person would burst in all of this rolling. As the sky with pink clouds and the dirty muddy ground constantly switched positions, the wolf and I eventually came to a halt. This cease to our rolling came to be as we apparently sloshed into a swamp. Or perhaps it was a marsh.

Finally free from the beast’s fangs, I swim to the surface to catch some much needed air. It was then I realized that the water wasn’t that deep. I stand up to take stock of the situation: the water level was about my chest height, it was brown and murky, and that wolf just broke the surface just a few feet away from me. It roars at me before howling to the skies. Unfortunately for me, it was answered and when I looked to the top of the steep hillside, there was a pack of the dire wolves.

Luckily, they had the common sense not to leap down the steep slope and promptly ran off to probably find a safer route. Nice, but that still leaves me with one wolf that is more than eager to take a bite out of me. 

Its eyes met my own. Yellow met brown. It roared

And something just brushed past my leg.

My body went still. What creature could be in these waters. Marshlands, or is this a swamp? A snake monster or perhaps a river kraken? Hopefully, it only responds to movement or sounds.

The wolf lowered itself in preparation to lunge. I really didn’t know what to do. 

Do I stay still to avoid being taken by whatever’s in the water?

Or do I move out of the way of a predator lunge?

My answer came when the beast took to the air. It only clears a few feet ascension before a small figure also leaps out of the water and collides with the wolf. Their trajectory changes and more figures pop out of the water and cling to the wolf. I felt more things brush past me. 

We definitely disturbed a pod of whatever lives in these marshes.

The wolf continues to thrash about, trying to rid itself of these creatures. There was no better time to make my exit. Swiping away my fears of being dragged down, I began to trudge through the murky depths. Each step was emphasized by the wolf’s continued plight. Eventually, I made it to the water’s edge. I grip the grass and dirt and pull myself out of the water.

Oh, something just grabbed my leg.

I was plunged into the bile water and a humanoid figure came upon me. My fist shot out and hammered the side of the creature’s head, I would presume. It drove that away to my side, I looked down towards my leg only to see beady black eyes staring right back. I brought up my free leg and slammed it down on those eyes. Whatever clung to my leg was now no longer doing so. 

With desperation clinging to my muscles, I took to the surface. I broke the water medium and quickly scrambled over the grassy mound out of the marsh. I made sure I was a good distance away from the water before finally slumping down on my back. I took breathes that were very much needed. I took a curious glance towards the sounds of the wolf. 

IT was green, almost a dark teal. IT had black beady eyes that bore no pupils. IT had a pale yellow beak that was fairly short. IT had bowl-like shell on its head that was white in color. IT was all wrong and wet.

IT could only stare at me.

My mind supplied the potential name of this creature. Kappa. A river spirit or creature. 

This creature continued to stare at me. ITs eyes bore into my own. I broke the eye contact and made to my knees. One glance told me it was still staring at me. 

Perhaps this might work.

I bowed my head until my body was parallel to the ground. I held this position for a moment or so and lifted back up. It appears that the creature had return said bow. It gave me one last glance before turning towards the commotion behind it and dove into the murky depths towards it.

I just realized. It stopped raining chocolate.

---

It is a testament to my mental capabilities that I can suspend my beliefs for extreme durations. Talking ponies, I can handle that. Magic, I can handle that. Manual weather, yup I can deal with that. Hell, I can deal with Pinkie Pie. Most of this probably would break a lesser man (Pinkie Pie probably would break anyone that was left), but I persevered because I apparently had a large tolerance for the insane. 

Now, perhaps on its own, this abomination would probably not phase me much. However, when placed upon an ever growing pile of stuff that just doesn’t make sense, even I could lose my cool.

“Rodents of unusual size. Fcuk. I’m in an rpg for sure.” 

Right before me is what I believe is a rat with black fur and tiny brown eyes. It was about the size of a dog. It was roughly small starting from its snout, but it grew more rotund as I get towards its rear. Its rear would probably be best described as a giant boil covered in fur and has a tail sticking out. The giant rat snarled at me and I was a little agitated for the moment. I drew Celestia’s sword and made to swipe at the blasted rat. Before I could commit to the swipe, the furry little bugger ran off deeper into the forest. 

The forest isn’t too bad. Sure the trees largely tower over the trees of the ones in the Everfree and are pretty thick. One could easily fit the girls inside one of thes- What the hell just leaped at the giant rat?

I didn’t want to identify it, but I can’t necessarily ignore it either. A giant black spider with gray legs had leaped out from behind a tree and snagged the rat. Its fangs bit into the rodent and the arachnid dragged the rodent up a trunk. This prompted my eyes to follow it up towards the tree tops. I truly wish I didn’t.

Spiders. So many spiders. I thought the reason this forest was just as dim as the Everfree was due to the tree tops. It was actually due to the fact that there was only webs above. Webs full of spiders.

“Spiders, why did it have to be spiders?” My voice was shaky. I couldn’t help it. Where was a rolled-up newspaper when I need one? Bloody spiders.

The daylight could barely make it through the webs and skittering bugs. This was not something I wanted to go through. I hate spiders. Hate ‘em. If I had a flamethrower and no sense of planetary protection, I would torch this forest right now. Sadly, I had neither. 

I needed to leave this place.

“Join us~”

I froze. My eyes darted to my surroundings. There were creatures skittering in the treeline, but none seem to be the likely source of the-
“Join us ~”

Something was calling me. Its voice cold and soft with a raspy edge. Its very sound chilled my lungs and spine. I felt something frosty grasp my body.

“Join us in the Hollow~”

The icy grip steeled and I felt my body compress. Then came the compulsion to come deeper into the Hollow. The Hollow. That’s the name of this forest. I don’t know how I know it, but it was on my mind. I struggled against the compulsion and the grip on my body tightened and the temperature dove several degrees. I could brush these minor aches easily, I’m used to the cold and I can ignore body compressions somewhat.

It would seem that whatever is in this forest did not like the fact I was resilient. There was a flash over my eyes. What I saw would haunt my dreams for nights long after this task.

Death.
So much death.
“Join us”
Images of ponies. 
Dead ponies.
Skeletal ponies.
“We shall make you”
Decaying ponies.
Rotten eyes.
Shattered bones.
“We shall make you whole”
A purple unicorn stares at me.
“GET OUT OF MY HEAD!”

Perhaps thrashing around when I can’t see anything of my surrounding was a terrible idea, but at least it stopped the images. My head smashed into a tree trunk and left me dazed out upon the ground. Not the best method to getting something out of one’s head, but it works. I managed to get to my feet and I felt slightly dizzy, but also relieved. The icy grip on my body was gone and my mind was silent. I still felt a compulsion to go deeper into the Hollow, but at least it was more of a suggestion rather than a directive. A suggestion to get myself killed, but nonetheless a suggestion I could choose to go along with. 

Which I did. 

Dammit. 

Yea, as I walk through the valley in the shadow of spiders. 

---

Wherever this blasted compulsion is taking me, it is giving me some sights I would rather live without. Apparently, there are bigger predators deeper in the Hollow. Could explain why the spiders closer towards the outside world were far more laid-back, no big spooky monsters out to eat them there. 

Proactive usage of my bow seemed to be my giant spider deterrent. Also carrying a torch helps too.

I also noticed that the deeper into the Hollow I go, the darker it becomes. The tree tops got more cluttered with layers and layers of webs and web sacks. 

However, I knew the torch wouldn’t be a spider-keep-away for too long. I knew this the moment I lit the blasted thing. 

I had just reached the point where the webs were no longer above head level to just about everywhere I look, there is webbing. The dog-sized spiders that were at the edge of the Hollow were nothing compared to these beasties. These spiders were a range of varying colors, but black was one that they all shared. These arachnids were about the size of cows now, which reminds me, I believe I did hear cows from within some web sacks. A variety of them kept a wide circle around me when I came into their territory. Now that I’m in full on web territory, they were becoming more bold. 
It was no longer safe within the light of the fire. 

One spider of black and yellow lunged from my unprotected back, it met a swipe from my blade. It retreated, but only a step before it contemplated another action. I pressed my attack and drove my blade into one of its eyes near center. It shrieked and leap back, gushing out yellow-green pus. Despite my show of aggression, this only incited the bugs to swarm.

Wild slashes and swings. Fangs lunge and hairy legs strike. Webbings are shot and stingers are thrusted. A euphoria of desperation. A clusterfcuk of hunger. 

Well, good thing I have just the thing for this situation. 

Among the fury of ravenous arachnids, I got sight of my target. I slipped my hand into my satchel and prayed that I grasped the right vial. The next chance I got, I slipped past kick and a bite, then I threw the vial at the tree. I swung my sword in a wide path, catching a few of the spiders in the legs and eyes. I felt hard jabs from legs kicking from behind me. I’m sure a few of these blasted bugs sank their fangs into my legs and arms a couple of times. A green flash followed by terrifying shrieks informed me what I had tossed.

Wildfire.

Bless you Zecora. If I had no sense of self and pride, I would become your human servant for life.

The green fire began to spread, quickly consuming the combustible webbing all around. Spiders were igniting about and fleeing to the trees only to bring fire to the trees themselves. I stepped away from the chaos, Wildfire was pretty quick. One should practice caution when dealing with it. I managed to avoid most of the scrambling eight-leggers, but the fire was spreading pretty quickly. So while focusing on the fire during my escape, I missed the drop in terrain.

I was able to adjust my descent so I wasn’t tumbling down the slope, but sliding. 

How in the world is there so much webbing?

Eventually, I came to a stop. The terrain of the hollow has changed, severely. Gone was the webbing from before, instead there is dark earth that has not seen water for a long time. The trees are withered and barren, a harsh cold draft of wind whirls through the gaps, and even though the trees are paler and more worn than the ones prior, the sun still doesn’t pierce through to the ground well. The sky is blocked by branches interlocked like braids, not a single leaf to be seen. 

Why was this so much more scarier than the webbed part of the Hollow?

Before I could comment on the thought, a sweet voice interrupts.

“The itsy bitsy pony went up the Hollow’s path~ 
Down came the spiders, to web the pony up~
Out came Arachne and dragged the pony out~
The itsy bitsy pony went up Arachne’s mouth~”

What a beautifully butchered mess of a nursery rhyme. 
At least I now know where the ponies are.

I follow the voice as it continues its dreadful variation of a rhyme. It winds around trees and swirls in my ears, but it held an underlying frost to it. Like a witch’s voice if one were so inclined to give it a name.

“You tread into my domain and make no announcement? How very-” 

That voice was far too close now for comfort. I whirled around, but nothing came to view that would inform me the source of it. Nothing ground level. Perhaps then, above me? 

I look up.

“-RUDE!”

I fell to my buttocks as I came face to face to very, very, VERY, human-like creature. 
It had four eyes, two ‘normal’ sized yellow eyes with black pupils, and two smaller eyes of the same color slightly outside of the first two eyes.  It has a pale yellow-green face that was bright in the center, but dimmed out towards the edges. No nose and its mouth bore a chesire-like grin with white teeth and elongated canine fangs. It bore no eyebrows or hair. Its hair was replaced  by what I would assume is carapace that appeared like a hawk’s crown that curved into horns.  Black carapace covered her (I’m going to genderize this as female) back and good portion of her front, though oddly enough it gave her what appears to be a brasserie. She had pale skin(?) from her face, down her neck, around her collar, and some portion of her chest. Her arms were covered in that dark green carapace and her fingers were pointed.   Her top half would be the only thing even remotely resembling human. 

After the chitin that could vaguely be called a brasserie or corset, it was all parts of a terrible arachnid. 
Six terrifying black furry legs. 
A large black with white hairs thorax.
An even larger black abdomen with white furry circles at the rear.
A large stinger at the end of the abdomen.

My mind dictates that this creature would be called an Arachne.

Something else wants to called it a Spider-girl. 

If I were anything, but a reasonable young man, I would have the strangest boner.

Thankfully, I’m mostly reasonable and normal.
~Then again, look how human it appears.~
No! That “Thing” is nowhere near human.
~Look at its face, its lips, its breas-~
Shut up! I have standards! What I want, is something COMPLETELY HUMAN!

Well, that shut up that annoying little thought.

“So you are the reason my fellow arachnids are crying out for their lives and homes. You are the source of that fire.” She says as she descends upon me. Fear grips my body and stills my hands. The arachne slithers along my form, her carapace dragging across my clothes. She had her legs drape around me.

“I should thank you. They have always been such annoying little minions that always need incentives to recall that this is my territory.”  Her front four legs slide under my body and the creature lifts me off the ground, my body refuses to obey my need to panic and squirm.

Twas only a moment though as the arachnid drops me unceremoniously upon rough dirt. The trees are slightly different here as they seem to be covered in some kind of ichor. I also notice some web sacks high in the trees, more importantly, they have something living within them. They contort and bulge at erratic intervals. 

“Hmm” The creature’s eyes trail over me, “It is a good thing that I have already eaten. It has been awhile since I’ve had an ape enter my domain.” 

Oh, nice. She was doing this thing with her tongue (Good lord, that morsel is glowing) over her lipless mouth. I got that feeling she wasn’t talking about food or fighting.

“Now let’s remove these pesky layers.”

“Hell no.”

My sword takes a swipe at the monster. It seems I have my steel again. The monster backs off slightly with a smile on her face. I slide my legs under me and rise to my feet.

“Ah, I’ve always love a little fight in my meals.” She rasps out.

“You’ll get that and more with me.”

“I shall enjoy this.”

First things first. I don’t know how to fight.
I swing the blade while stepping forward. The arachnid merely steps back, out of the reach of Celestia’s blade.

“Before I enjoy you, allow me the knowledge of your name, hairless ape.” She asks

I know the concepts of a fight, but actually fighting? With a sword no less?

“Ned... Just letting you know, I don’t plan on dying here.”

Planning and execution are two very different things.

“Delightful, I am called Anansi.” 

A black leg slams into my side, launching me across the ground. I roll onto my feet to see that the arachne is already upon me. She slashes at me with her claws, but I save my face with my off-hand. Her claws sink into my wrist, but I kick off along the force. 

I fly off to the side once more, but I am able to maintain my footing. 

Anansi still has her body stretched out, but looks towards me with a smile upon her visage. 

She is merely playing with me.

How do I fight this?  
Is there even a chance of winning?
I’m no hero.
I’m just a college kid.
In a situation way out of my element.

~Is it really?~

Anansi grew impatient (I would presume) and leaps out at me. Her front legs act like poles and stab down towards me. I juke to my side, not enough to be clear as one of her legs clips my shoulder. I spin and I couldn’t keep my footing. I drop to the coarse earth and felt a brush of air pass my head. I land belly down and quickly flip over to see that one of Anansi’s legs are over-stretched.

~Are you truly out of your element? ~
Yea, fighting abominations of both man and spider isn’t something I do everyday.
~Really? ~
Yes. I live an absolute normal life of awkward teenage to young adult transition.
~Awkward because of the sheer amount of videogames.~
Well, yes. Is this really something I should be focusing on? You know, with my life at stake here.
~Skyrim~
Skyrim? What about Skyrim? 
~Dragon’s Dogma~
What?!
~Dark Souls~
Why are you listing games?
~What are they?~ 
Games, I just said that.
~What do they have in common?~ 
Uh, heroes, monsters....magic......quests.
~There we go~
That’s not skill or experience, or really anything!
~It is what you can envision~

That is when it hit me.

Well, Anansi almost did anyway.

I roll over quickly to avoid the arachne’s foot stomping upon my face. I make sure to add a few more twirls on the floor to distance myself from the walking nightmare. I rise to my knees, stab the sword into the earth, and relinquish my bow from my back. 

Kyuudo

Not a manticore, but hell, I guess it will do.

I ready the bow with my left and retrieve an arrow from my quiver with my right.
Practised ease. The arrow is notched. The string is taut. 

The arrow is shot.

Or rather, I wish all of that happened. It would have been so nice.

Like clockwork.

The moment I had my bow ready and I was going through the motions of drawing my arrow, Anansi had recovered from her missed attack and pounced on me. Her legs smashed my bow out of my hand and sent me flying. Again.

I hit the dirt hard. The air is knocked from my lungs. I catch a glimpse of Anansi leaping at me again.

“Now let’s have a taste of that flesh!” She shrieks delightfully.

She lands over me with her legs digging into the earth around me. Her maw opens wide and descends towards me. Her eyes gleaming with vicious ferocity.

~You are not defenseless~
~She merely has you on the submissive position~

My eyes widen and I brought my right hand low to my body. As her head closed in, my right hand rises quickly. My fist meets her chin and forces her head up. My left hand is stretched to my side and it curls into a hook that meets Anansi’s cheek. Her head violently whips to the right, but I grab the back of her head (the ridges of her carapace make great grips) and pull her into short elbow.

My elbow would not have much force, but adding my pull and its slight swing, it gets the job done. My elbow digs into the arachne’s eye. She shrieks out.

My fingers on my right hand brush against something.
~You aren’t completely disarmed~
My Quiver!

I bring my right arm back and grab an arrow. I quickly extend the arm and twirl the arrow till its point was directed at Anansi. I drove the arrow head into the arachnid.

My aim was slightly off as I drove the tip into her collar (I would presume, again.). Anansi screams out and her form skitters off of me. I quickly roll to my knees and rise to my feet.

Where is my sword? 
There it is.

I dash to it and rip it out of the ground. I raise the blade towards Anansi. 

Her right eye was leaking a dark green liquid, probably blood. The arrow wound in her right-side collar was leaking the same substance. At first she bore an expression of absolute fury, but her features soften and a very inappropriate smile graced her lipless mouth. 

“Oh... you definitely are a bit of a fight. I shall return this ten-fold.”

She grabs the arrow and rips it out. The green blood flows more vibrantly and the arahne throws the arrow away.

I realise something.
Skyrim doesn’t really show much on sword style. Just swinging haphazardly.
~Is that truly a problem?~
Yea, if I want to live. Swinging like crazy doesn’t help.
~Then don’t use Skyrim.~
Dragon’s Dogma and Dark Souls don’t really help. It’s not like I can copy Dante either.
~Then don’t take from games. You didn’t just play games remember~
Then what? 
~Then perhaps someone you believe is the best sword master?~
I have short sword, I need a katana for the best-
~Then think of a short-sword master.~
Well, I could then - No, he isn’t the best I know of.

Wait. There is that one.

I bring my off-hand to the bottom of my sword’s grip. I hold the blade slightly away from my body, angled off along my shoulder. My feet are spread slightly wider than my shoulders.

Anansi charges forth. So do I.

~Übel~

As we close in, I lead in with my left shoulder and begin to raise my blade. Anansi kicks out with her front right leg and whips out with her right claws. I take another step out left with my left foot and bypass her attack. 
My blade is above my head.
I curve my body towards the spidergirl.
I bring my sword down in a crescent swing. 
My blade cleaves off Anansi’s attacking leg on the backswing (What I would assume is the backswing anyway).

~Blatt~

I immediately step away and assume a stance towards the monster.
The moment my blade sank its edge into her leg, she screamed out once more. 
This time, a hell of alot more vindictively. 

“I AM TIRED OF PLAYING!” She screeches out.

I hear loud cracking and snapping. Suddenly, two talons burst from Anansi’s back. They protrude from her back, over her shoulders, and hang in front of her for a good few feet. They are dark grey, nearly black, in color like the rest of her carapace. They are also covered in some kind of transparent substance.

“I told you, ‘you’ll get a fight and more from me’.” I shouldn’t be giving banter to this madness.

Her sick smile from before was long gone. Now she bears an expression of total fury. Good, now we both feel miserable. I didn’t want her to be enjoying this either.

Anansi speeds forth, this time her speed is double that of what she was prior. I was caught off guard and I barely managed to deflect a talon to the side. I had taken a sudden deep breath in response to her quicker haste. 

Only one though as the other rips past my left cheek. It takes a strip of flesh off my face. The side of my face was like it was on fire. The nerves screamed out in agony as cold air scratched against layers below the skin. It was hard to keep my left eye open as the pain stung into my retina for some reason.

I don’t even know if I was now showing muscle fibers of my cheek or just bloodied scratches. I just barely bit back my cry. 

I step away as fast as I could and create some measure of space between me and the enraged arachne. She kicks off a tree and charges upon me once more. Rather than give into her rage, I match her charge. She makes the same mistake as before and strikes dead center. I perform the same steps as before and go off towards her side. 

Her other right-side leg raises up to strike me. I immediately drop down to my knees and the leg goes over me. My blade was suppose to cut across her chest, but I was forced to lower against her chitin-covered base. The blade simply glides across her natural armor.

However, only part of her bore her natural chitin. When my blade passed the thorax, it dug into her abdomen. About half a foot of the blade dug into the soft, hair-covered sack of the arachne, before I continued to cut across the length.

Her shrieks of anguish, surprisingly made me smile.

I rise to my feet and leap away once again. I turn to see the status of that wretched bug. The abdomen of the arachne seems to be in a semi-deflated state as it spilled out fleshy tubes and sacks. My ears continue to ring and vibrate as the arachne continues to screech out in agony. A large white fleshy sack catches my attention as it bulges and contorts. 

There is something alive in there.

“I WILL KILL YOU!” Anansi screams.

I raise my blade once more. Odd. My fingers can barely flex. My joints are stiff. I was feeling a constant ache in my limbs. My cheek is still on fire and there was an addition ache around the wound. 

What the hell? 
~It is not shock. Poison?~
A venom. She is a spider, but she didn’t sting me or bite...

My eyes lock on the two talons. They are covered in transparent substance. I thought that was something similar to saliva or something. Those talons are the only things covered in that substance. That’s the poison. Feels like a paralysis agent or something.

My brows furrowed as the arachne finally stops screaming.

“I will rip you limb from limb. I will ensure that you will endure the pain of having arachne offspring bursting from your body. You will know pain, that no other living being has ever experienced!”

I match her glare.

“Come on.” I motion her with my sword. “Bring it.”
In a moment she is upon me.

My arms are stiff. There is no point in attempting to run.
My fingers are numb. I will not be able to dodge.
My legs are heavy. I can only strike back.

Anansi’s talons descend upon me. I drive forth Celestia’s blade.

Two forces meet. Points penetrate flesh. 

I give agonized breathes. 

It is over.

Celestia’s blade splits Anansi’s visage upon the space between her eyes. The steel sunk a foot and a half into her cranium, dark green ichor ooze around the blade. 

I did not go unharmed as well. My off-hand may have pushed down a talon, but, instead of my chest, the talon dug into my left abdomen. Her other talon sunk into my right shoulder. She may have broken bones. My wounds burn as the poison cycles through my vessels.

Anansi’s body goes limp. Her legs are wobbly and she teeters side to side. I extract myself from her form, but the talons give resistance. A moment of force causes the poisonous tips to pop out along with a blossom of pain erupting from my increasingly damaged body. 

I stumble back and my rear meets a tree. I lean back and my knees go soft. I begin to slide down the lifeless bark.

So tired.

Limbs far too heavy.

I’ll just close my eyes.

I could use a little rest.

It’ll only be a moment.

~Don’t you have something important to do?~
It can wait.
~Are you sure?~
I can barely move.
~Didn’t stop you from killing that spider.~
My life isn’t in danger right now.
~But someone else’s is.~

My eyes widen before they shut. 
That’s right. There is a reason I’m here.

My eyes scan the barren earth and fall upon the white fleshy sack. It continues to contort and bulge.

My legs aren’t responding easily, but my arms were. I use the tree as support and rise to my feet. I forcibly command my legs to move, but at a deliberate pace. Moments later than it should be, I am next to the sack.

“Well... Let’s hope you’re alright.”

I dip the sword into the meat until just the tip of the blade sinks in. I drag the blade across the surface (Albeit, unsteadily.). Soon, the cut is too much for the sack and whatever’s inside spills out.

Yellow-ish pus spills out across the dark earth. A white skinned pony also slides out of the meat-bag, which I assume now was a stomach. Furthermore, this pony was male. He is also a unicorn. He appears disorientated, but given that he was just in something’s stomach, that is expected. He has medium length blue mane and appears to have a navy blue shield with a pink star on it as a cutie mark.

His eyes open to reveal light blue eyes that lock onto my own.

Then his horn glowed purple.

All I see is white and a sense of weightlessness. 

Followed by a violent force throwing me back. I am given only a brief moment of air before slamming into what I assume is a tree as I hear loud snapping. The air is effective knocked from my lungs and my sword flies from my grasp. A large lance of pain slashes up my spine.

My eyes are blurred as my head smacks the bark. I distinctly hear something drop near me.

“Alright! Bring your worst! I will avenge my- huh? You’re not that spider monster.” I hear the unicorn say.

“Ugh. Last time I checked, no I’m not.” I can be flippant, right?

“Wha-what are yo- wait. You must be that ‘human’ that Celestia spoke of.” He seemed to put emphasis upon human.

“Yea. The one that you probably just broke the spine of.” Really, my back is adding onto my already agonizing pain.

I noticed I wasn’t bleeding all over the place. I chance a look down towards my abdomen. Odd. There is this transparent gel substance covering the wound. The area was numb, but it also burned. Despite this, the gel seemed to be acting like a gauze of sorts.

“S-sorry. I just reacted.” The unicorn bows his head sincerely. He raises his head abruptly. “H-have you seen the rest of my team?”

So far, you’re the only pony I’ve seen. Anything else has been spiders and rats. No other signs of life.

Hold that thought.

I look to my side. There was a web sack that was contorting. I look back to the tree tops and see a few more sacks.

“I think your fellow ponies are in those sacks,” I weakly point towards the branches high above the unicorn, “Though, I’m sure that is only part of your group, no?”

Said unicorn looks up, gasps, and says, “I’ll get these pods down. Can you open up the one next to you?”

I groggily nod and rise to my feet. I approach the sack and glide my sword across its surface. Just as I cleared the edge, the sack explodes outward, and causes me to stagger back. What remained is another white unicorn, but with pink eyes and brown flowing mane. Her cutie mark of a blue shield with a cyan star.

“By Celestia, it was extremely uncomfortable in there. Thank you for setting me free.” The unicorn stretches out her limbs. “Now, if you would inform me the whereabouts of that insidious spider, I would like to bestow great Celestia fury upon her.”

“Kind of late for that, I already killed her.” The unicorn’s eyes fall upon me.

“That is impressive, I can see why Celes- YOU’RE HURT!” Her pink eyes widen as they take notice of my gaping wound in my abdomen. Which brought to mind that it still stings.

“I’ll be alright, tis just a flesh wound.” Ow, no I’m not alright, but I’ve always wanted to say that.

“I can take care of this, give me a moment.” The unicorn’s horn then glows blue and she presses it into the wound. I release a hiss of pain as the wound burns like needles now instead of a skillet. 

The burning quickly changed to soothing. My gut felt cool and the feeling was washing over me. Like someone was rubbing aloe over my abdomen. She removes her horn from my body and I take a chance to inspect the damage. 

Except there wasn’t any. There was the damage to my bear coat and shirt, but the patch of skin underneath was unblemished. 

“There, good as new. Is there any other injuries?”

“Well, I have similar wound in my shoulder,” I tilt my body to give the unicorn a better look. “Kinda stings when I move this arm.”

The healer does her work and my shoulder feels great once more.

“Thanks, uh. Name’s Ned.”
“I already know, the Princess has been talking about you. You may call me Bedivere.”

….How odd a name...

The two of us glance over towards the other unicorn. The blue-haired unicorn seems to have brought down the other web sacks and has already bust them open.

There is now two unicorns (Bedivere included), two pegasi, and one earth pony in total. Also something to note, that is the biggest earth pony I’ve ever seen. Even larger than Big McIntosh. 

We got introductions out of the way pretty quickly.

Blue-haired unicorn = Shining Armor
Brown-haired unicorn = Bedivere
Red-haired Pegasus = Percy
Yellow-haired Pegasus = Gawain
And finally the black-haired giant pony = Lancer

And to make things better, Armor said that they were Canterlot’s Knights. 
Hmm... Oh dear. I just humored a thought of seeing a ponified Saber....

-

“I still can’t believe we’ve lost more than half of the men.” Armor growls.
“Tegyr was the first to go wasn’t he? Told that colt to focus on his training and not on his mares” Lancer barks.
“Lancer! Tegyr died with honor. Respect our fallen.” Gawain retorts against the larger pony.
“Be that as it may, his skills were lacking. At least it was better than how Kay died. I did not think that the Arachne would mate with him and be quite violent.” Lancer says.

Wait, that spider monster did what now?
I will not register that in my mind.

…..

Odd. The voice is gone. For that matter, so are the compulsions.

“Sir Ned? Are you alright?” 

I snap out of my thoughts to see Percy hover over to my side. She (yes, Percy is a she) seems to have no sense of personal space.

“Yea, just fine. Stop being so close.” I made shooing motions with my hands.

We are making our way through the Hollow. My objective was only to find out what had happen to Celestia’s knights and then bring them back. They were suppose to find out the cause of this forest. 

They did.

Turns out the Hollow isn’t a natural forest. Well, that was obvious. Anyway, the Hollow was created by the opening of a vault. This vault, explained by Bedivere, is the sealed location of the dark age creatures that both Luna and Celestia informed me. According to Armor, Anansi’s nest is nowhere even near the center of the Hollow. To the best of my knowledge, an Arachne is nowhere even close to being one of the most dangerous of monsters. 

The seal that holds this vault closed is broken. Beings from over a millenia ago are spilling into Equestria.

Great.

I am socially awkward...but I can kick your ass.