Otherwhere 2, Castle Reach: Chapter 3 Doorway Part 2

“Era! Get away from there!” Astra shouted.

Six foot long spider-like monsters poured through the opening in the ceiling. They were on Era in an instant, pinning her down and stabbing her over and over with their abdomen mounted stingers.

Lir fired arrow after arrow into the mass of arachnids and Lugh rushed forward, laying about with his axe but he was too late for Era. She lay in a bloodied heap on the stone dais as more spiders trampled her body.

Leela rushed into the room and let go with a blast of life energy which incinerated three of the spiders. She needed to rest after an effort like that however and the spiders rushed her. Lugh placed himself between her and them and held them off with his shield and axe. Lir peppered them with arrows. Head shots brought them down, but they bobbed and weaved so hitting such a small moving target was far from easy.

Leela fired another blast, hitting four clumped together and killing them. She looked pale, the effort of channeling so much energy taking its toll. Between them. Lir and Lugh accounted for three more before Leela rallied to blast the remaining. She sat down heavily after, drained.

“LOOK OUT!” Rory yelled from the other room.

Spiders poured up, out of the channel in the floor, rushing the group in the other room. Dee quickly fired arrows into the oncoming arachnids but they were as tough as the creatures in the other room. Colin rushed forward, spearing one in the face as it climbed out of the channel. It’s death-throws tore the spear from his hand so he drew his sword.

Rory channeled life-energy, much as Leela had, frying three of the creatures and causing the remaining to rush her. Colin blocked them with his shield and cut at them with his sword while Dee emptied her quiver.

Rory was deeply drained by the blast she had sent their way, she was less adept than Leela but knew that she was their only chance. Colin and Dee were putting up a good fight but the sheer number of creatures was about to overwhelm them. She summoned as much energy as she could and hurled it at the creatures, killing three more.

“Ungh,” she groaned, collapsing to the ground, her last sight Dee firing arrows into the last spider.