Chapter Forty-Seven: Tiny's Chest
If I still had ears, Id be grinning to both of them. Freddies boss has no idea what hes getting into. At least his relaxed smile falters a bit when he turns and sees the look on Freddie's face.
Whats wrong? he asks the younger, before looking around. Nah, theres no traps around. Well, aside from that quest, heh.
Uh you remember the big spider that Yvonnes group rode to go fight Neverrest? asks Freddie, unsure how to actually explain what that quest entails. The small big guy nods.
Ah, yes, Miss Yvonne. I wish I could have given her more insight to her unique condition.
Well, that big spider is Tiny.
He blinks. Thats not tiny at all.
Freddie smiles. Yeah I think the dungeon named him that just for that kind of reaction. Tiny is also the boss of the maze, he says, and motions for his boss to follow. At the hedge maze, the scene is now a little different than usual. I had Fluffles clear the maze while the two were walking from the cemetery, and hes now coiled at the entrance, and the usual runners are all standing around chattering, confused at the change.
Freddie sees everyone and raises his voice for them all to hear. The dungeon has a quest in the maze for High Priest Torlon. To loot Tinys chest. The crowd goes silent for a moment, before murmuring about the news. Torlon looks like hes starting to understand the magnitude of the quest now, as Freddie turns to face him.
See theres a couple chests in there that people try to get, and Tiny tries to catch them before they can. Oh, and theres dire rats that try to steal your stuff sometimes, too. Anyway, Tiny has his lair in there, and some people have said theres a chest in there, too, but nobodys been able to get it yet. Even Mr Tarl hasnt been able to get it, he adds.
To his credit, Torlon looks more intrigued than concerned. And if Tiny catches you, he webs you and you get carried out? I remember hearing something about you losing something to a spider guardian? He thinks for a few moments before speaking up again. Are we allowed to fight Tiny?
The young orc scrunches his face up in uncertainty. Uh kinda? I think just about everyone has taken a swing at Tiny, but he doesnt seem to take it personally. He tends to take weapons away after webbing people who try to attack, though?
The gnome smiles and seems to start warming up; hopping in place, wiggling his fingers, just getting the blood pumping. Maybe if I was more of a fighting class Id try my luck, but Im not. Did you know, Freddie, that I wasnt always an adherent to the Crystal Shield?
Uh I mean, you had to be a kid at some point, right? he replies, clearly having no clue where the priest is going with this.
The priest/illusionist comes to a stop as he sees Tinys lair, and Tiny guarding the last chest. The trees make a dense canopy overhead, giving some room for vertical movement, but not much. Sunlight filters through, leaving it bright enough to still see clearly, but also producing shadowy areas to potentially hide. A thicket to the north is Tinys actual spawner/lair thing, and the chest and spider are more or less in the center.
Torlon surveys the area, before his eyes land on Tiny. Itll take more than a simple Phantasm to distract you now, hmm? he says with respect in his voice. Looks like hes been having a harder time than I thought he might be, which is great. His fight so far with Tiny has been making me some good mana, and I get the feeling itll be a drop in the bucket compared to whatever will happen next.
He raises his hands and a large shape starts to form overhead. Simulacrum! he shouts and it suddenly comes into focus: a giant wasp. Im pretty sure its an illusion? The leaves seem to be rustling from the beat of its wings, and dust and detritus from the ground is being blown around, too, so its difficult to tell. If it is fake, Torlons pulled out all the stops to fool every sense he can think of.
Blur! he shouts and his form becomes hazy, indistinct and multiplies. Theres four of him now, as well as the big wasp.
But Tiny hasnt been idle while Torlon prepared. A large web flies at the wasp, as Tiny tries to deal with the major threat first. Its stinger sweeps through the air and slices the web in half, though it can only dodge part of it. The wings are entangled, forcing the angry thing to land with a puff of dust. Its feet even leave marks on the ground as it charges Tiny, and the two grapple.
The blurry Torlons, meanwhile, all take wide routes to the webbed chest, and start slowly working through to it. Im pretty sure all he has to get through it is some knife or something, but I still dont know which is the actual Torlon.
Tiny and the wasp tumble and wrestle, trying to web or sting their foe into submission. My spider knows to keep the two ends of the wasp from getting too close to him, but focusing on defense like that makes it difficult to get any offense going properly. And hes against the clock, as well as the wasp. It doesnt need to even hurt him, it just needs to keep him busy long enough for Torlon to get the chest.
Looks like Tiny has a plan for that, though. As they wrestle and roll around, he manages to slowly steer them towards the other half of the large web. He manages to land the wasp on its back on the web, sticking it to the ground for just long enough to get his spinnerets into gear. Just as he gets it restrained enough to no longer be a problem, the wasp vanishes as do the other illusions.
The initial webbing was never cut in half. Tiny stands over a pile of restraining web, and the large one he threw. Over at the chest, a single Torlon stands, breathing heavily and leaning on the freed chest.
I hope this counts as a win he huffs, wiping sweat from his brow. It sure counts in my book. Tiny agrees, and walks forward. Torlon stiffens as he approaches, but the big guy just waves a leg at the chest, and the gnome gives a tired smile.
Whew heh. That took everything I had. Well, lets see whats in the chest. He smiles and hefts the large lid up, coins spilling as the seal is broken. Once he gets it open fully, he stares at what lays atop the pile of coins and gems. His battered shield.
Tiny reaches over and plucks it from the pile and brings it to his mouth, giving it a solid bite and a new chip, before offering it to the stunned priest. He accepts it, his hands tracing each ding and nick, each scratch and chip, memories clearly filling his head. A tear falls and he smiles at Tiny.
Thank you.
