Demonic Dragon: Harem System

Chapter 223: The only survivor

It was just an ordinary day for the group of adventurers. The sun filtered through the dense canopy of the forest, casting a dance of light and shadow on the leaf-covered ground. The silence was almost comforting, broken only by the soft sound of their footsteps and the rustling of leaves. They were there to explore an unknown area, seemingly peaceful, far from the usual battles and confrontations with fierce creatures. A day of rest, some would say, though in their lives, rest always carried a certain level of tension.

However, as they pressed on, the carefree laughter turned into genuine chuckles when one of the members, Loran, tripped over something. "Hey, watch your step, Loran!" one of the companions shouted, laughing as they saw him sprawled on the ground.

Loran, a young mage, looked back with a grimace of discomfort, rubbing his leg. "I swear I stepped in something sticky... it's gross!" He tried to stand up but noticed his boot was stuck. Frowning, he pulled harder. "It's... it's stuck!"

The others kept laughing, amused by the situation. "Maybe you stepped into some kind of hunting trap," Haden, the group's warrior, said as he approached. "Here, let me help you."

He pulled Loran by the arm, but the mage cried out in pain. "Stop, you're making it worse!" Loran's face was red with effort as Haden tried, unsuccessfully, to pull him free. "It's stickier than it looks."

"Sticky?" Sylvia, the rogue, knelt beside Loran and touched the substance that held him down. Her fingers came back covered in something viscous and translucent. She frowned. "This isn't mud... it looks like... webbing?"

"Spiderweb?" another member of the group, an archer named Mara, asked. "What kind of spider makes webs on the ground?"

The carefree atmosphere quickly dissolved, replaced by growing tension. Haden gave one more tug, and then everyone froze as they heard a soft, almost imperceptible sound — something moving in the shadows around them.

"Did anyone else hear that?" Mara asked, raising her head and gripping her bow tightly.

Sylvia, always the most alert, stood up quickly and scanned the area. The shadows in the trees seemed to shift subtly, as if something was lurking, watching. "There's something here," she whispered, drawing her daggers. "Something big."

Loran, still stuck, began to sweat. "I... I can't get out... help me, please!" His voice now carried a hint of panic.

It was then that they saw it.

Emerging from the depths of the shadows, a massive spider, the size of a wolf, silently appeared. Its eyes gleamed menacingly in the faint light, and its long, thin legs moved with lethal precision. It walked slowly, as if savoring the fear that was beginning to take root in the group.

"By the gods..." Haden whispered, gripping his sword tightly. "A giant spider."

Sylvia was already in a combat stance, but her heart raced as she saw not just one, but dozens of smaller spiders crawling out of the shadows around them. They slowly encircled the group, their sharp mandibles ready to strike. "We're surrounded."

Mara notched an arrow and aimed at the larger spider, but before she could release it, another spider, even bigger, emerged from the trees. This one was twice the size of the first, its legs thick and covered in dark, blood-matted fur. "We've got a big problem..." Mara muttered as she released the arrow, which flew towards the spider but bounced harmlessly off its thick hide.

The laughter turned into screams of panic as the group realized the horror of their situation. The smaller spiders began to advance, their shiny black bodies moving with impressive speed. They attacked Loran first, the adventurer still trapped in the sticky web. He tried to cast a spell, but his hands shook so badly that he could barely speak the words.

"No! Don't leave me here!" Loran screamed, his hands frantically trying to swat away the creatures, but it was too late.

One of the spiders leaped onto him, sinking its sharp fangs into his leg. The scream that followed echoed through the forest, drawing even more of the creatures. Smaller spiders followed suit, crawling up his legs and arms, biting and tearing at his skin. Blood poured from his wounds, soaking the web that trapped him. His companions watched, horrified and helpless, as Loran thrashed in vain, his body slowly becoming entangled in webs, silenced by pain and terror as the creatures continued their vicious assault.

"Shit! We have to get out of here!" Haden shouted, gripping his sword and charging at one of the spiders. He sliced one in half, but another came from the side, sinking its fangs into his calf. Haden cried out in pain but fought on, his sword swinging wildly as he tried to fend off the swarm.

Sylvia rushed to help, her daggers flashing as she cut down spider after spider. But for every one she killed, three more seemed to take its place, descending from the trees or crawling out of the shadows.

Mara fired arrows as fast as she could, but even her skill wasn't enough to stem the tide. "We need to fall back!" she yelled, her face slick with sweat and terror.

"Fall back where?!" Sylvia shot back, leaping aside and driving a dagger into the skull of a spider, its body convulsing as black ichor sprayed onto her hands. "We're surrounded!"

Panic gripped them as they realized they were being picked off one by one. Haden fell to his knees, another spider jumping onto his back, biting into his neck as he screamed and thrashed desperately. His hands faltered, and his body was quickly enveloped in sticky webs, the spiders feasting on him alive as his screams faded into ragged gasps.

Mara, wide-eyed in horror, watched as Haden's body was consumed, his flesh torn apart by the ravenous creatures. "No! Haden!" She tried to run to him, but a massive spider lunged at her from the side, sinking its fangs into her thigh and dragging her down. Desperately, she reached for her dagger, but before she could use it, more spiders were upon her, their jaws tearing into her flesh. Mara's screams filled the air as her body was quickly wrapped in webbing, devoured alive.

Sylvia was the last one standing. Tears filled her eyes as she watched her friends being massacred before her. "Bastards!" she screamed, attacking with blind fury, but the spiders were relentless. Even as she slashed through their ranks, they kept coming.

She felt a searing pain as one of the giant spiders attacked from behind, sinking its fangs into her shoulder. Sylvia cried out, dropping to her knees as blood poured from the wound. She was surrounded by the horror, the sight of her companions' bodies torn apart filling her vision. The smell of death, the acrid stench of blood, and the grotesque sound of the spiders feasting overwhelmed her senses.

Haden, Loran, Mara... all gone. All except her.

Her muscles trembled with exhaustion, her daggers, once precise instruments of death, now felt useless against the endless swarm of creatures closing in around her. Her shoulder throbbed, and blood dripped from her wounds, but Sylvia was still alive. She was a survivor, and surviving was what she did best.

A giant spider approached, its dark eyes reflecting an insatiable hunger. Sylvia, panting and weakened, heard the creature's movements, the scraping of its legs on the dry leaves and earth. She knew that if she stood still, it would be the end. Death would come swiftly, brutally, just as it had claimed her friends.

With a desperate scream, she mustered the last of her strength, rolling to the side just as the spider struck. Its fangs clicked in the air where she had been only a second before. Without thinking, she threw one of her daggers straight into the creature's eye. The sound of metal piercing the spider's eye was drowned out by its high-pitched screech as it writhed in pain.

"I won't die here," Sylvia muttered to herself, forcing her body to stand. Adrenaline surged through her veins, pushing the fear deep into the back of her mind. She was fast, agile, and above all, determined. No matter how many of those damn spiders there were, she would fight to the end.

The creatures, sensing her unexpected resilience, hesitated for a brief moment, reassessing their prey. The smaller spiders circled her, waiting for the right moment to strike, while the larger ones seemed unsure, giving her a crucial window of time.

She wasn't done fighting yet.

With heavy breaths, Sylvia seized the moment. She knew her chances of survival hinged on getting out of there as quickly as possible. The webs covering the ground were a deadly trap, and she would need to be cautious. Moving deliberately, she avoided the densest areas of webbing, cutting through any strand that came too close.

For a brief moment, the sounds of battle around her faded. Chaos gave way to an oppressive silence, the kind that always preceded something worse. Her hands trembled as she gripped her dagger, ready for the next attack. She knew more creatures were coming, lurking in the shadows. But she also knew she had to keep going.

The pain in her shoulder was unbearable, but she pushed it aside. There was no time for weakness, not now. Her sole objective was to escape this hell alive.

She began to back away slowly, her eyes scanning for any movement around her. She could feel the hungry gaze of the spiders on her, like predators waiting for their prey to slip up. But Sylvia wouldn't make any mistakes. Not anymore.

As she retreated, her foot caught on something. Her heart nearly stopped, the fear of being caught in another web rising in her throat, but then she realized she had tripped over a leather pouch—Loran's pouch. It was heavy, packed with potions and magical items. A flicker of hope lit inside her as she quickly opened the pouch and found a small, glowing glass vial. A potion of invisibility.

Without hesitation, Sylvia uncorked the vial and downed its contents, feeling the warmth of magic coursing through her body. Within seconds, her form vanished into thin air. The world around her grew quieter as the spiders, confused, began to scatter. They still knew she was nearby, but without being able to see her, they hesitated.

With the magic flowing through her veins, Sylvia moved even more carefully, doing her best not to make a sound. Time was against her—the potion wouldn't last forever, and she needed to get out before its effects wore off.

The spiders, unable to find their target, began retreating into the shadows of the trees and into the dark corners of the forest, where thick webs covered everything. Sylvia saw her chance. Silently, she ran.

Each step was measured, each breath soundless. The path to safety seemed endless, but Sylvia knew she couldn't stop. If she did, she would die. Adrenaline kept her senses sharp, but exhaustion was creeping in. Her muscles burned, and her vision blurred, but the fear of death drove her forward.

She didn't know how long she had been running, only that finally, when her strength was nearly gone, she saw a clearing. The glimmer of sunlight was like a promise of freedom. She sprinted with everything she had, breaking through the trees and out of the dense, web-laden forest. When she reached the light, Sylvia collapsed to her knees, gasping for air.

Fresh air filled her lungs, and the overwhelming sensation of survival washed over her. Tears streamed down her face as she looked back at the forest behind her, knowing she had lost everything—her friends, her group, everything. But she was alive.

The distant sounds of the spiders faded, but Sylvia knew she would never forget what happened in that place. Her companions had been slaughtered, devoured while she watched, powerless. And now, all that was left was her—Sylvia, the lone survivor.