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V ivienne and Lewis bolted down the tunnel, their footsteps echoing in frantic urgency. The distant chittering grew louder, an eerie symphony that made her skin prickle.

As they rounded the corner, she skidded to a stop, her whole body recoiling. The cave seethed with pale, glistening creatures, their spindly legs gliding soundlessly over the stone. They moved like liquid silver, an ocean of shifting bodies, each the size of a large cat. Their segmented forms shimmered under the faint glow of the ignis bark, their pearl-white fur catching the light with hints of violet and silver. Their faceted turquoise eyes reflected the cavern in a fractured, otherworldly pattern, adding to their spectral presence.

Cirrus was pinned against the far wall, paralyzed with fear. His breath came in shallow, panicked gasps, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned bone-white. He didn’t move, didn’t speak—he was completely frozen.

Vivienne barely had time to register his terror before she saw them—dozens of the creatures swarming the commander. Her stomach knotted in horror.

“Owen!” she cried, lurching forward.

He was eerily still, save for the shallow rise and fall of his chest. His fevered body was completely at the mercy of the creatures crawling over him. Several of them lingered on his wounded arm, their delicate legs moving with purpose.

“They’re killing him!” she gasped, rushing forward.

Lewis caught her wrist, holding her back with surprising strength. “Wait—look!”

Vivienne’s breath hitched as her mind processed what she was seeing. The creatures weren’t attacking. Their spinnerets twitched, working with graceful care as they wove fine strands of silken thread around his arm.

It wasn’t just silk—it was binding the wound, encasing the infection, cocooning the blackened veins in a shimmering protective layer. Her mouth fell open. The realization struck her like lightning.

“The legends… the silk…” she whispered, eyes wide.

Lewis exhaled, awestruck. “Arachsylphs.”

The word alone sent a shiver through her.

Their silk was rumored to be indestructible. It was woven into ancient battle armor, used in bindings for sacred texts, and whispered to have healing properties beyond mortal medicine. But no scholar that Vivienne read had ever confirmed their existence.

“They’re not attacking him,” Lewis murmured. “They’re saving him.”

Vivienne inched closer, her breath tight in her throat. The Arachsylphs didn’t react to her presence—they simply continued their work, their movements eerily synchronized, as if they were born knowing exactly what to do. Her gaze flicked to Owen’s face. His fever still raged, but… his breathing was steadier now. Less strained.

Her hand hovered for a moment, then reached out to touch a strand of silk. It was cool to the touch, finer than the most delicate thread, yet impossibly strong. She gave a careful tug. It didn’t break. Even when she pulled harder, it held firm and unyielding.

The Arachsylphs finished their final layers, then, to Vivienne’s astonishment, they turned—not to scurry away, but toward her and Lewis.

She tensed. Are they expecting something? Do they want food? One of the creatures paused in front of her, then—dipped its head under her hand.

Her breath caught. “What…”

It pressed its pearl-white body against her palm, a soft, clicking purr thrumming from deep within its chest.

Vivienne let out a breathless laugh, her earlier terror melting into bewildered amusement. “It’s like a cat.”

More of them followed suit, weaving between her and Lewis, taking turns nudging against her touch. Their silky fur brushed against her fingertips, warm and weightless.

Lewis grinned, petting the one beside him. “Okay… I’ll admit it. They’re actually kind of cute, but completely terrifying at first.”

Cirrus, however, was still pressed against the wall, his breathing ragged.

Lewis, ever the opportunist, flashed him a devious smile. “What do you think, Cici? Should we adopt one?”

Cirrus made a strangled sound, his voice barely above a horrified whisper. “I hate you.”

Vivienne pressed a hand to his shoulder, grounding him. “They’re gone now.”

Cirrus gave a stiff nod, still looking like he wanted to fling himself off the nearest cliff.

Lewis stretched with an exaggerated sigh, flopping onto a rock. “Finally! A creature that doesn’t want to kill us. That’s a refreshing change.”

Vivienne’s smile faded as she turned back to Owen. The fever was still there. The venom still burned beneath his skin. But… for the first time, there was hope. The Arachsylphs had given him time.

She ran her fingers over the silk one more time, awe settling deep into her bones. This was more than legend—this was a miracle.

They weren’t out of danger yet. But now?

Now, Owen had a fighting chance.

* * *

The Ignis bark’s light flickered against the cave walls, casting dancing shadows playing tricks on her weary mind. Vivienne sat cross-legged a few feet from Owen, her eyes fixed on the entrance to the tunnels stretching deeper into the mountain.

The flickering glow of the Ignis bark sent twisting shadows along the cave walls, making them ripple and shift as if the darkness itself were alive. Vivienne sat cross-legged, her fingers curling and uncurling against the stone floor as she stared into the yawning tunnel ahead. The damp air carried a deep, earthy scent, tinged with something metallic. The unknown pressed against her like a weight on her chest.

"We can’t just sit here," she said at last, shattering the tense stillness that had settled over them like a burial shroud. "There has to be something we missed—something deeper in the tunnels, about the flower or the curse."

Although the Arachsylphs silk had slowed the spread of the venom, Vivienne couldn’t deny the signs of Owen’s condition worsening.

Behind her, Owen shifted, suppressing a grimace as he adjusted his wounded arm. His breathing was uneven, his body trembling beneath the fever’s relentless grip. "I’m not stopping you," he muttered. "But I’m not going anywhere. You’d have to drag me."

The anxiety in her body felt like a tight braid.

Lewis, perched on a jagged rock beside the commander, raked a hand through his sweat-damp hair. "So, what’s the plan?" he asked, glancing between them. "We can’t all go exploring and leave him here alone. If something happens?—"

He gestured toward the stagnant pools at the edge of the cavern, their murky surfaces shimmering with an oily film. "We’re low on food. We’re out of clean water. If we go back to the Zephyrus, Owen won’t survive the journey."

Vivienne swallowed hard, her throat dry. "We can’t take him with us."

The words tasted like betrayal.

Owen gave a weak, breathless chuckle. "But you can leave me behind."

Her head snapped toward him. “Owen, no?—”

"You don’t have a choice, Vivienne," he said, his voice low but steady. "If you stay here, we all die. I’m not under any illusions—I might not make it out of here either way."

The reality of it thundered through her. If they stayed, they’d watch him waste away. If they left, he would die. She might never see him again.

Lewis let out a slow breath, his expression hardening with resolve. "I’ll go. I’ll go with Viv."

"No, you won’t," Cirrus interjected before Lewis could even stand.

Lewis turned, his eyes narrowing. "Now is not the time to be territorial, Cici. "

Cirrus gave an impatient wave of his hand. "Blume, if anything attacks you down there, you can’t fight." His gaze flicked to Vivienne. "Banns needs someone who can wield a weapon. The only other option is currently incapacitated."

Lewis opened his mouth to argue—then shut it. He rubbed the back of his neck, exhaling sharply.

"I mean… he’s got a point." Vivienne grudgingly accepted the truth. "Fine. Cirrus, let’s go," she said, snatching up her smaller pack and slinging it over her shoulder. "We don’t have a moment to lose."

She cast one last glance at Owen—his bronzed skin now ghostly pale, his chest rising and falling in uneven, shallow breaths. Don't die. Just hold on.

She turned and sprinted into the tunnel, Cirrus at her side. The ignis bark cast a ghostly glow along the stone walls, faintly illuminating their path into the unknown.