Chương 5: Moonweaver Cave

That… was his brother's name. The Moonweaver had taught Carcian the breathing technique? It even knew his brother's name? It took a few moments for everything the creature had said to sink in. His thoughts kept circling back to the breathing technique and Carcian.

"Yes," Kal said.

"Carcian is my eldest brother."

"Excellent," the Moonweaver said.

"Do I need to explain further?" Kal had begun putting everything together, but there were still cracks in his theories. The cave he was in should have been the Moonweaver farm his family had… but it didn't really feel or look like a farm. Still, everything pointed toward that. Yet instead of a farm, it looked more like a… well, an operation. The Moonweavers were creating Moonweave silk and trading it to his clan. But what else was happening? Why was the target of his hunt a Moonweaver?

Or perhaps it wasn't, and he had provoked one for no reason and almost gotten himself killed. Everything pointed toward it being deliberate, at least in part. Had Carcian done the same? Carcian had turned twenty-three a month ago, which meant that seven years ago, he had been sixteen and taken his Coming-of-Age quest. Kal guessed that his brother had met the creature back then, during his quest.

"Umm..." Before he could even ask, the same chuckle rumbled inside his head.

"I know you have a lot of questions," the Moonweaver said as the chuckle stopped.

"What you call the Coming-of-Age Quest is different for the members of the main family. The heirs." It stopped after that, its big obsidian eyes staring at him.

"The members of the main family are sent to face one of my kind. It's usually one of the younger Moonweavers."

"Everyone?" Kal asked. The creature didn't say anything, as if it had already said enough. Kal slowly nodded. Everyone had faced a Moonweaver for their Coming-of-Age, but all of them had faced a younger one—a Moonweaver they could actually defeat, or at least try to. Then why had he faced the biggest and strongest creature he had ever seen?

"Why did I face you?"

"Hmm... this year is different," it said.

"The demon folk had flooded the mountain, and most of my children, the stronger ones, are hibernating. I couldn't leave an heir of Ithon the Demonbane to risk his life." His heart still thudded against his chest, but there was nothing he could do about it. Even though the creature was friendly and capable of killing him whenever it wanted, he still had his doubts. Not that he could do anything about them.

The only thing he could do was get his act together and hope that what the Moonweaver was telling him was the truth. Everything so far had raised too many questions in his head, about... well, everything. He also wanted to get at least some of them answered, if he could.

"I thought Lunvale's men cleared the mountains?" Kal said after a few moments of silence. Just as he said it, the name of his great-great-grandfather echoed in his head. Ithon, the founder of House Lunvale. It was the first time he'd heard that he was called the Demonbane. Kal wanted to ask the Moonweaver about it, but the words caught in his throat.

"They did. The demon folk arrived hours after your father's men retreated from the mountain." Kal's head started pounding as memories from the last few moments of his battle with the Moonweaver began appearing in his mind. Before everything had gone dark, they had been surrounded by demon folk, and the Moonweaver had done something to them. Were they the ones who hung up in the cave in cocoons? Kal wasn't sure how much time had passed since the headache began. The pain was still there, but it was manageable.

There was still just a slight pounding. The Moonweaver... he wasn't sure what it had done. The demon folk had floated in the air, terror on their faces. How had it done it? After he managed to calm his mind, he asked the creature a few more questions. Was it the cause behind his memory loss? What were the demon folk doing on the mountain? He didn't receive an answer. They simply stared at each other.

Finally, when he realized he wasn't going to get any answers to his questions, he decided to at least try to find his sword.

"My sword?" Kal asked. The voice resounded inside his head again.

"It's in the cave you woke up." It didn't say anything after that. He finally stood up, still breathing with the same rhythm the technique required. The more time passed, the harder it became for Kal to maintain the rhythm, but he pushed through. Ending it now would just bring him back to how he'd felt moments before, and that state wasn't helpful at the moment. The cave was enormous, and it was filled with the silk his family was known for, along with the eggs… There were a lot of them.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to be here when they hatched.

"So, what happens after I fight you... or one of your children?" Kal asked. He still wasn't completely sure he believed the words coming from the creature. For one, creatures didn't talk and weren't as intelligent as humans. That was something every book about them stated. There were a few exceptions, but those were creatures so overwhelmingly powerful that they could understand speech and, at the very least, imitate it.

"Once the battle ends," the creature said, and a hint of a chuckle leaked through the way it communicated with him.

"I take you around the operation that keeps your family afloat before… well, teaching you the breathing technique. But you already know it… little Carcian was too impatient." It stopped and began moving back through the tunnels they had come from. Kal followed.

"After your great-great-grandfather defeated me in battle, we came to an agreement about the best way the Moonweavers—a name he gave us—and your family could coexist in the same territory." Its mandibles clicked audibly.

"He found a solution: we would help each other. I would take care of the Moonweavers and make sure they didn't cause any trouble for your family, and in return, your family would leave us alone in the mountains. The agreement eventually evolved into what it is today. We create the silk, and in return, we get… hmm, you'll find out when you need to. We also protect the mountain from other creatures that would cause havoc and attack humans. In return, your family keeps other humans away from our territory."

Kal took everything in. The deal seemed pretty good, at least from what he understood. Moonweave silk was one of the most valuable trade goods his family dealt with, and it was the same silk used to make everyone's clothes… well, mostly the warriors' clothes. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. They returned to the cave, where the Moonweavers were creating the silk and preparing it for transport.

"What do you think?" the creature asked again. His memory of the first time he'd been in the cave was hazy, but he remembered having the same impression.

"It's effective," he muttered. The Moonweaver didn't say anything and continued toward the cave where Kal had first woken up. Along the way, Kal saw everything differently. He wasn't under the effect of whatever had influenced him the first time around, and without it clouding his judgment, he could see just how impressive the Moonweavers' work was. After they returned to the first cave, Kal finally asked the question that had been bothering him.

"How come you can talk?" He was still very interested in that. It felt… wrong. The creature turned, and Kal took a step back. Even after learning everything, he was still deadly afraid of it. Its fangs clicked.

"I don't know," the creature said.

"Ever since I can remember, I have always had the ability."

"It's the ability that allowed me to make a deal with Ithon… just as he was about to separate my…" The sentence was followed by a coughing sound, like a creature trying to imitate a human's cough. It sounded nothing like one. Kal didn't know how to react, or even what that meant. A few moments later, he pretended like it had never happened and nodded slowly.

"How did my brother do?" He was curious about it, since his brother had always been vague about his quest. The only thing he ever said was that the battle had been the toughest he'd ever fought. He never mentioned anything else about his experience during the quest.

"Little Carcian… well, let's just say he did better than you." Kal didn't feel bad about it. His brother had always been a sword prodigy and the most talented fighter of his generation. He had never even thought he could do better than him, at least not with a sword. The situation also gave him an opportunity to learn more about his father. But before he could ask, he pushed the thought aside. That would be disrespectful.

"How about Luke?" Kal said.

"The one who took the quest before me, two years ago... I think."

"Hmm… that boy was a strange one. Let's leave it at that." Kal wanted to ask more about it, but for some reason, he had the feeling that even if he did ask, he wouldn't get an answer. So, he just shut his mouth and followed along. A chuckle resounded inside his mind, but the creature didn't say anything else. From the little time he'd spent with the creature, Kal had noticed a few things. The creature didn't hold back when answering the questions it wanted to—or was allowed to.

But there were also dozens of questions it didn't even acknowledge. Soon, they arrived at the place where he'd been stuck to the… wall. The web that had held him there was cleanly cut and still lay on the ground. A few meters away, his blade was stuck in the wall. He slowly moved toward it, grabbed the sword by the hilt, and tried to pull it free. He failed miserably. The web holding it was much stronger than he was. For once, the Moonweaver didn't seem like it was going to laugh at his misery.

It moved next to him. Kal instinctively took a few steps away from the sword. The creature didn't comment on it. It moved its leg far faster than Kal could follow, and the blade fell to the ground, the metal rattling against the stone and echoing through the huge cave. As soon as the creature stepped away, Kal picked up the blade and inspected it closely. The blade wasn't damaged, even after he'd struck the creature's leg with all his strength. It was just another sign of how good the sword was.

A few moments later, he slid the blade back into the scabbard still hanging from his hip.

"Now what?" Kal asked.

"How was your inspection of the farm?" The voice resounded in his head.

"Great," Kal said. What else was he supposed to say? It wasn't like he could say anything negative about it. The creature was too scary for that, and he valued his life. Even if the operation was fast and efficient, he had no clue what happened to the silk afterward, and he wasn't really in the mood to study business. He just wanted to go home, take a nice hot shower… awaken his core… and try out all the spells he'd read about in the book he found.

He spent the next few hours recovering while talking with the Moonweaver. The creature never introduced itself, so he kept calling it Moonweaver. Well, only in his mind. Most of the time was spent with Kal asking questions while the creature simply ignored him. It still provided a few answers, but they were mostly about basic stuff. After some time, he gave up, as he didn't want to accidentally make it mad and get himself killed.

The smaller Moonweavers had remained motionless for a few minutes before all of them left the cave and went deeper into the cave system, which Kal imagined must be enormous. From talking with the creature, he learned that it was at least a hundred and fifty years old, though his gut told him that it was even older than that. The creature had known his great-great-grandfather, the man who had subdued it and established the arrangement with his family. It had been producing silk for them ever since.

He wasn't sure if his father was stronger than the creature or if the Moonweaver was simply loyal to his family. Whatever it was, it was great that they had it. Kal at least hoped it was true. He still wasn't certain whether the creature was a friend or a foe, but it wasn't like he could do anything about it even if he learned that it was a foe. It was overwhelmingly powerful, yet Kal was still alive. That had to mean their fight had been more difficult for the creature than he'd initially thought.

The difficult part had been holding itself back from killing him by accident. An hour later, the voice returned in his head.

"It's time." The voice wasn't as calm as before. There was a hint of anger, or something else he couldn't recognize. Whatever it was, something was wrong. Kal stood up, his hand closing around the hilt of his sword. It made him feel more comfortable, even if there was nothing he could do against the creature.

"You need to leave," the voice said.

"The pact has been broken." He wanted to question it, but didn't. He followed the creature toward the entrance of the cave. Soon, Kal stepped outside. Bright sunlight stung his eyes, forcing him to squint. His eyes had become accustomed to the darkness inside the cave, and it took a few moments for his vision to adjust.

"Where do I go?" Kal finally asked. He had no idea where he currently was. The oversized spider extended one of its legs toward the side, and Kal looked. Hidden behind the trees was a path that looked like it had been made by wheels. Was this how they picked up the Moonweave silk?

"You need to follow the road, and it will lead up to your territory," the voice said.

"It… it should take you two days' walk or less, depending on how fast you move." Kal slowly nodded. The voice continued, "Inform the head about the demon incursions, and tell him to send the convoy to pick up the next package."

"I will," Kal said. A bright cyan core suddenly fell into his hands, nearly making him stumble. It took everything he had to catch it. It almost fell to the ground and shattered. He held it before his eyes and studied it for a few moments. It was one of the brightest ones he'd ever seen. He didn't know what rank the color represented, only that it was high.

"Wyvern," the voice said.

"It's a Wyvern core." Kal's eyes widened. Wyvern cores were some of the best ones for awakening. The one he held in his hands was one of the most powerful cores he'd ever laid eyes on. He doubted that even his brother—with his current strength—could have hunted such a powerful creature.

"T-thanks," Kal muttered, then caught himself. He straightened his back.

"Thank you," he said and bowed slightly toward the creature. The Moonweaver clicked its mandibles.

"Don't mention it, kid. It seems like it would be of great use to you." Kal didn't know what to answer and thought for a few moments. Just as he was about to say something—"There is no time." He heard the voice, but before he could even register the words, the creature had already lifted him onto its back. His body shook again as the creature started running at full speed, yet its steps… didn't make a sound. It was… like its legs weren't even touching the ground. Everything around him was a blur.

His eyes couldn't perceive the world around him at the speed the Moonweaver was moving. Before he could even register what was happening, the creature spoke.

"Listen closely." The words resounded in his head. The usual playfulness and humor were gone. The only thing he felt was the seriousness of the voice.

"I can't take you all the way down the mountain, but I'll get you close enough. The place is swarming with demon folk, and only two awakened among them." Kal didn't feel like he would like the creature's next words.

"Since you didn't have a proper Coming-of-Age, this would do."

"This would do?" Kal said, struggling to get the words out as the wind assaulted him.

"What would it do?" Kal didn't like whatever the Moonweaver had planned for him. The memories of their encounter slowly cleared, and the last moment before he fell unconscious became clear—the demon folk. The Moonweaver's power… the creature had used mana outside of its body. To pursue mana is to become one with mana, and to wield it as a weapon outside our bodies—to become a mage. Kal recalled the passage from the book. Was the Moonweaver a mage?

Suddenly, the creature stopped, and Kal felt like the contents of his stomach wanted to come out. The suddenness of it all made him sick. He blinked, trying to clear his blurry vision, and took a few slow breaths, trying to calm his stomach.

"I don't have much time, an—... is approaching my home." Kal squinted, he was sure that the Moonweaver had said what was approaching its home, but… he didn't hear it?

"The way down is mostly safe, except for the two awakened and a few dozen demon folk, but it's nothing you can't handle." A few dozen? Two awakened? Kal wanted to ask, but before he could, the Moonweaver continued.

"They will serve as your Coming-of-Age. Leave the mountain and report the demon folk's activity to the head. He will know what needs to be done." The Moonweaver suddenly turned toward the direction they came from.

"I must go. Good luck, and try not to die… I don't want the head to complain too much." Then, the Moonweaver vanished. Dozens of questions appeared in Kal's mind. He felt thirsty for answers.

"What's your name?" Somehow, with every question in his head, that was the first thing that came out of his mouth. He would have probably regretted it, but the Moonweaver was already long gone. He frowned and took in the area around him. It was the same path he'd seen near the cave. Around him, the area was filled with trees, just like most of the mountains in their territory. If he had to guess, he was halfway down the mountain.

A trip that would have taken him more than a day's walk took the creature less than a minute or two. Kal wanted to laugh. He had really thought that he had a chance to beat the creature.

"Naezil," the same voice resounded in his head.

"Oh, I almost forgot. The wyvern's core will give you a higher chance of... let's just say, accomplishing your dream."