Spider-Bots Rising

Chapter Five: Abby's Nest

Abby, Chuck, and the Dreamseeker had been walking for a long time. Beyond The Center, The Duskmare Forest seemed to stretch on and on. The forest floor was bathed in dim green light. On either side of the path, the trees grew so closely together that it was hard to see through them. The wide green leaves of the trees seemed to whisper to one another. Or was it just the breeze?

As they walked, Abby and the Dreamseeker were deep in conversation. Chuck lagged a few steps behind them. He kept his arms crossed and his eyes squinted at Abby.

Every once in a while, the Dreamseeker thought she felt other eyes on her from somewhere nearby. But every time she looked, it was just some twisted knot in the bark of an old tree.

"Spider-bots prefer to b-b-build their nests far away from The Center," Abby said. Even in her robotic tone, there was a hint of excitement in her voice. She seemed pleased to have someone to talk to. "They like p-p-places where others can't find them. Quiet. Corners. Dark. Nooks. That's why we have to go s-s-so deep into the forest."

"Sounds like a perfect place for a little eight-legged ambush if you ask me," Chuck mumbled to himself. "But hey, nobody around here is askin' me..."

"We are close to arriving at the nest where I was m-m-made," Abby went on. "It is the only place I know where to find sp-spider-bots. If that is still what you wish to do." Her head swiveled toward the Dreamseeker.

"It is," the Dreamseeker replied. "We've got to find them, and we've got to follow them. It's the only way we'll find out what they're doing with all that stolen imaginanium."

"Without getting eaten by crawling robots in the process, if possible!" Chuck called from behind. "Y'know, if it's not too much to ask!"

The Dreamseeker continued. "Abby, before you left the nest, you're sure you never heard anything about this? Some kind of plan? A rumor of what they might build with that much imaginanium? Some kind of, I don't know, spider-bot...plot?"

"Nothing. I. Am. Sure," Abby replied. "I left long before the raids began. And the others never trusted me. Like I s-said. I. Was. Different."

"Yeah, well I'd like to make somethin' perfectly clear," Chuck said, stopping in his tracks. The other two turned to face him. "I don't trust you neither, XZ108-9blahblah or WHATEVER your number is. I don't trust ya as far as I could throw ya. Never met a spider-bot I liked and this seems like an odd time to start. I am here to help the Dreamseeker on this mission, and I will do whatever it takes to do that. BUT just 'cause she trusts ya, don't mean I do. Kapeesh? You get me? Which is why–," Chuck turned to the Dreamseeker, "we would be outta our freaking minds to walk right into a spider-bot nest with this chick! It's like putting ourselves on the menu!"

"Chuck I–" the Dreamseeker began, but Chuck cut her off.

"Listen, Dreamseeker, please. You just gotta think this through a bit more. For me, your buddy, your pal. I–"

But now it was the Dreamseeker's turn to cut him off. As Chuck had been pacing around making his speech, she had noticed something. The spaces between the trees had gotten wider. More light was filtering through onto the path.

"Chuck! Quiet down," she whispered, pointing. "We're here."

"What?" Chuck yelped. The Dreamseeker rushed over and covered his mouth with her hand.

Slowly and quietly, the three of them crept to the very edge of the tree line. They hid behind a pair of thick, twisted tree trunks and poked their heads out.

Just beyond them was a clearing. Inside the clearing was a large dwell. It was surrounded by low blue and yellow walls. Over the walls, the Dreamseeker could see the tops of a magic grove, and many empty imaginanium tanks. She also saw a number of strange machines she didn't recognize. But she didn't see any movement.

And it was very quiet. Too quiet.

She looked at Abby.

"This. Is. It," Abby said, her sensors focused on the dwell. "This is the nest where I w-was made."

"Where is everybody?" the Dreamseeker asked. She felt like every hair on her body was standing on end.

Abby stood perfectly still. Her sensors glowed brightly and shifted back and forth. "Scanning...scanning...scanning," she droned.

After a moment, her eyes dimmed once again. "It is empty," she said flatly. "There are no spider-bots anywhere in a 15 notion area. But the dwell is still arm-arm-armed."

"Empty?" the Dreamseeker said, still whispering. "Are you sure? But why? Where did they go?"

"I-I do not know," Abby replied. She sounded confused. Maybe even a little scared. "This. Is. Strange. This nest should house exactly 49 spider-bots. When I was young, the nest was n-never left empty. G-guards were always left behind during raids. Something. Is. Not. Right."

"Lotsa things aren't right, these days," Chuck piped up. "But if this is a spider-bot free zone, that's the first thing that has gone right in a while. Let's get outta here."

"No," the Dreamseeker said, standing up. "We have to go in. If all those spider-bots have abandoned their nest, there must be a reason. We have to go in and see if they left any clues behind about where they went."

"Oy," Chuck sighed. "But you heard the misfit metal-head," he stuck his thumb out toward Abby, "the place is still armed! Who knows what kind of booby traps they left behind in there!"

"Well then," the Dreamseeker said, already stepping into the clearing, "I guess we'll just have to fight our way through."