In a strange world as a Doppelganger

Chapter 32 - Knocked down a peg

The goblins told me it would take several days to finish processing what I had brought them, so in the meantime I've been spending the past few days tracking down another creature to try out my powers on. They didn't really have any recommendations for me so I left and went back to my glen and from there further south towards where all the bugs were.

I chose to veer off a bit and followed some webbing towards a large cluster of webbed cocoons. Inside one there was the remnants of a dead bird and in another I found a badger. I look around for the spider that did this but see nothing, it must be off somewhere else, in a burrow maybe or feeding?

Barely 3 steps after those thoughts I hear the twang of tension being loosened quickly. I barely manage to lift my foot in time to not get stuck in a mass of sticky webs that are shot down from above.

Web comes shooting again and again, the third one actually catching me as I scamper away to find open ground among the dead trees and underbrush.

As the massive eight-legged creature descends toward me I turn my hands toward it and muster the magic. Again pulling from the reservoir that seems to exist somewhere within me I unleash a directed torrent towards the spider. The spider seems completely unfazed and keeps climbing down its webbing, the water missing it by some distance. Damn, I really should have practiced before running headfirst into an area I knew was going to be rough.

Dumbluck though, the webs hit by the blast of water break under tension and the spider soon falls the last bit down, landing directly in front of me. Still with one of my legs stuck in the webs it shot at me I repeat my feat during the skunk battle. I pull the water from our surroundings and will it to shoot toward the spider. I can't tell if the fall hurt it or not but there's no time to lose. Making a fist and pulling it down toward the ground the water comes flying at a sound-breaking velocity. The impact resounds with a crack and as the spider stands back up I can see fluids leaking from cracks in its hard surface.

It comes to pounce on me and its massive mandibles come at me, dripping with venom. I manage to sidestep by twisting my stuck leg in a painful angle. The fangs of the spider striking the ground and a faint hiss comes from the impact site.

This close in melee makes me filled with both confidence and caution. I have been used to close combat up till now but the casting of magic usually prefers to be done with some distance between both for aiming and the focus needed. Staying on the track of repeating the fight with the skunk though, I hold my hands towards the spider and muster the wide cascade to burst forth. Doing another of the bigger spells leaves me with the definite sensation of being drained and I could probably only get off one more of these big castings.

While the water blocks the sight between us I cut myself free from the webs and prepare for the onslaught. Mandibles chomp down on where I had been standing but a moment ago and then just inches from my torso, hitting the bark of a tree. Third times the charm, they get me. Nothing more than a scratch but I can feel the burn under my skin. Within a fraction of a moment I feel my leg go stiff and my vision blurs. The venom acting in my system already.

I stomp my food hard and shake my head, regain a semblance of motor control. I am too stubborn to die here! Ignoring the venom and its impact I bring out the very last of the potent magic within me and shoot forth another powerful burst of water. The spider having no chance to avoid it this time is hit by a powerwash directly in the face, which caves in with a crunch. No time for celebration! The venom is still running through my body, I can feel it. The darkness creeps in around my vision, I have to sit down. My consciousness fades. Is this it? I hear the crying, the sad person is crying again. I reach my hand out and feel their hair and tears. Such a warm kind face.

I lurch awake, hand held out. On the brink of consciousness, I feel like I could pass out any moment again. I look down on myself, focusing my senses. It's one thing to feel my current condition and another when the knowledge of 1/16 is my quantified current amount of life. A single point from death. Though it feels like I was actually closer to death a moment ago. Somehow I made it back. One point is better than none! I need to regain points somehow. Better than nothing, I think and go up and shove my hand inside the spider through the cracks and openings now visible on its body. Retrieving a chunk of its flesh I start munching it down.

It tasted gross, bitter and slimy. It's not inedible though and as I haven't died from it yet I take a few more hand fulls and eat. Yanking one of its mandible free from its face, I then sit down against the nearest tree. Holding the mandible in front of me like a readied weapon I relax, keeping my wits about me and eyes trained on any movement I let my body rest and recuperate.