By Yaza
The cave spirit and spider observed as the cavern echoed with the crunching and cautious footstep the adventurer took. Darkness enveloped them and the footsteps had grown more annoying due to the slow pace of the adventurer.
“This is taking forever… he should have hit the trap already” whispered Spinnekop.
Forvitinn whispered back “I could float over and scare him to speed him up.”
“No I like it when it happens naturally. Plus, you bet me five flies and a small mouse he would miss the trap. They always hit the trap.”
“Do you like the flies that much? Honestly, I thought you were joking about the mouse…a-a-are you going to… eat the mouse?”
“In fact I do like flies very much. Oh I would never do that…I was more thinking about keeping it as a pet.”
Forvitinn glared at the jade spider in disbelief. “For a spider, you really are odd.”
“Firstly, immortal spider. The distinction is important. Plus, I told you that I think they mice are cute because they have only two cute little dark eyes and it can’t really hurt me since I can’t die… because I am immortal… so maybe I train it to bring me stuff.”
“Shhh. You talk too much…he is about to get to the trap door.”
So it was by proximity and their joy of watching adventurers perish that this unlikely pair became friends. However, even this entertainment had begin to wane as both were cursed to spend their an eternity maintaining the traps and to lead adventurers to their ultimately and untimely demise. Their original mandate long forgotten with the passage of time. Routine had overtaken their days and with it boredom.
Neither were strangers to observing the adventurers seek the treasures which rest within the belly of the cavern. They had seen many a weary adventurer enter but never leave this cavernous trap. The adventurer took two more steps forward as his torch began to flicker and dim.
Forvitinn uttered, “If I could still get old I would have died of old age.”
Spinnekop slowly turned toward Forvitinn and lifted its claw. “What if we help this guy find the treasure.”
The cave spirit dismissed quickly “Are you daft?”
“No wait, hear me out… we always watch these guys fall through the trap door, get shot by the arrows in the next area or get sliced in half by the swinging pendulum when they get towards the end. And we always reset everything for the next adventurer to wander in the next week. Why do we even reset the traps each week?”
“To make it fair for the next one? If I were a dead adventurer I would be mad that I made it easier for the next guy.”
The spider stared stupidly at the cave spirit as if to mock him.
“Fairness? You idiot. We were cursed to do this. I used to tend sheep like forever ago before that wizard turned me into this.”
“Now that you mention it. Why do we even protect that treasure? I don’t even remember that wizard’s name. He said something like protect … something…”
“He seemed pretty important but I am pretty sure he is dead cause he isn’t… immortal. He could have just become a spider but I guess being dead is better than being an immortal spider. Or so he thought…that’s kinda depressing now that I think about it.”
“Get back on track. You are right. He did kinda did trap us here for all eternity. We don’t owe that guy anything.”
“Plus, watching these simple adventurers die each week gets boring. Who knows, maybe if they get the treasure it breaks the curse?”
They both turned towards each other with new resolve. Forvitinn said “I’ll go introduce myself to the adventurer. I’ll say I am a friendly cave spirit.”
“Since when are cave spirits friendly?”
“Starting now?”
“It’s worth a shot. Good luck.”
Forvitinn floated towards the adventurer out of his line of sight and slightly above his head. Like a deflating balloon Forvitinn descended until directly behind the adventurer and whispered “Hey buddy. Don’t be scared. I’m here to - “
Terrified the adventurer leaped in the air and dropped his torch. The adventurer fumbled and strained to pull his sword from his sheath and Forvitinn looked on. Now the adventurer was backing away closer and closer to the trapdoor. The torch flicker and died with the smoke filling the air. The darkness surrounding and clouding the adventurer’s senses until Forvitnn began to give off a soft yellow glow. The sword unsheathed and a loud cry burst forth from the adventurer trembling lips “STAY BACK FOUL SPIRIT. I SHALL VANQUISH THEEEEEE.”
The adventurer sliced through Forvitinn to no effect. They both stared at one another unsure what to do. Forvitinn finished his sentence “help…I’m here to help. There is a trap door behind you.” Forvitinn floated toward the torch and lifted it. For a moment Forvitinn’s eyes glowed and the torch ignited with a bright flame.
“Here, this won’t go out. Take it.”
The adventurer was confused but with one trembling hand gripping the sword he reached out with the other for the torch. He grabbed it and pulled away quickly, turning to see the trap door mere inches away from his position.
“You…you saved me?”