Nightmare Game
Copyright© 2025 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 89
They left the Cavern, delivered the necklace to the Village Elder, and exited the Elder’s House.
The group headed for the Shrine, passing the Guesthouse. To their surprise, Ethan veered inside.
Unsure but trusting, they followed.
“What’s up, man?” Oliver asked.
“My room, first,” Ethan said, heading straight for the second floor.
His serious expression silenced their questions. They trailed him into his room.
Five people crowded the small space, a massive Spider crawling its web, its red eyes glinting as it watched them.
“Remember this morning, when I said we’d go to the Shrine tonight?” Ethan asked.
They nodded, confused.
“I lied. We’re not going anywhere.”
Their eyes widened, baffled.
Wasn’t he worried the room’s Spider would grow and devour them?
He’d pitched the Shrine to avoid that very threat. Why the change?
Seeing their confusion, Ethan explained. “I wasn’t trying to trick you. I was aiming for the one watching us.”
“You’ve noticed, right? Outside of daytime tasks, where rules let her strike, she hasn’t touched us.”
“Is it mercy? No. I think she can’t act by day.”
“But at night, those Human-Headed Spiders try to break in. That’s her real move.”
“When night falls, her limits loosen, making the village deadly.”
Hazel, biting her finger, caught his drift. “You’re saying sneaking into the Shrine at night is risky, especially since it’s her home turf?”
Bennett nodded, catching up. “With Arachnis’s tricks, she uses intel to weave traps.”
“Exactly,” he said. “You faked the Shrine plan to throw her off, make her waste effort.”
“But...” Wesley hesitated, glancing at the massive Spider behind them.
Their words were spoken under its gaze, surely reaching Arachnis’s ears.
“Yeah,” Oliver added, frowning. “And this Spider’s still a threat. The Shrine’s dangerous, but staying here isn’t safe either.”
Ethan rubbed his chin, then dropped a cryptic line. “The Spider in our room’s fine. It’s Arachnis’s avatar.”
The group blinked, confused. An avatar of Arachnis wasn’t more dangerous?
Seeing their puzzlement, Ethan continued. “What’s this Dreamplay called?”
Madam Arachne.
It hit them, eyes widening with realization.
“Right,” Ethan said. “Not Arachnis, but Madam Arachne. Ever hear that name in the village?”
“She calls herself a God in the game. So where’s Madam come from?”
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