Fenrir’s breaths were still labored from the change, but his wagging tail betrayed his excitement. His gleaming eyes fixed on Noah, and it was clear he couldn’t contain his budding joy over his new powers. In his own way, he was eager to express his gratitude to Noah, and Noah could practically feel the anticipation building in his oversized, fiery companion.
"Oh no, you don’t!" Noah barked, holding out a hand to ward off the overenthusiastic beast. He knew his giant, clumsy canine too well. Every haggard breath Fenrir released sent out a puff of ashen smoke, with the occasional spark of ember drifting from his open maw. If Fenrir was anything like he’d always been, Noah knew he’d try to smother him with sloppy, affectionate licks, completely oblivious to the trail of singed fur and lingering smoke cloud that would follow. Just the thought of the enormous, flame-riddled mutt barreling toward him was enough to make Noah sigh in resignation.
Fenrir, however, looked undeterred, his tail now wagging even faster. The wolf’s clumsy affection was inevitable, and Noah couldn’t help but feel a wave of warmth at the sight, despite the very real possibility that he’d end up covered in soot.
Noah braced himself, ready to dodge out of the way of the oncoming, smoke-breathing Fenrir. But before he could react, a spiral of thick webbing shot from the side, landing squarely on Fenrir’s face. The massive wolf let out a surprised yelp as the sticky strands clung to his snout, causing him to stumble and shove his face into the dirt in a frantic attempt to wipe it off. His paws clawed at the ground, and the surrounding area quickly became a cloud of dust, ash, and web as he struggled.
"Arachne, that wasn’t necessary," Noah sighed, exasperated, glancing over at the eight-legged culprit.
Now standing just a few feet away, Arachne leveled a fierce glare at Fenrir, her multiple eyes narrowed in a mix of indignation and judgment before turning to meet Noah’s exasperated gaze.
"You told him to stop," she replied matter-of-factly, her gaze sliding back to Fenrir, who was still wrestling with the webbing. "He didn’t..."
Fenrir, at last, freed himself from the sticky webbing with a vigorous shake, scattering flecks of dirt and sending a puff of smoke into the air as he snorted to clear the stubborn strands from his nose. Once free, he cast a defiant look toward Arachne, his eyes glinting with a hint of challenge, as if to say, That all you got?
But the moment their eyes met, his bold stance wavered. Arachne’s steady, unwavering gaze bore into him. Fenrir’s ears drooped, his once-bristling confidence retreating. Though he often pushed boundaries, he couldn’t deny his respect for her, or the fact that her watchful eyes missed nothing. His tail gave a small, sheepish wag as he looked back at Noah, as if to say, I’ll behave... for now.
The dynamic between Fenrir and Arachne always left Noah speechless. Even here, deep within enemy territory, he found himself smiling helplessly as he watched them. Their relationship was an odd mix of rivalry and respect, with each of them pushing and supporting the other in their own way. For all of Fenrir’s fiery bravado, he deferred to Arachne’s wisdom, and for all her authority, she seemed to understand his boundless spirit.
But while, within the forest’s shadows, Fenrir’s flame attributes were a striking reminder that he still needed to do something for Arachne, especially if she wanted to fight the owner of that aura from when they entered. Her strength came from long drawn out fights; even creatures that were originally stronger than her would have a hard time defeating her. Her ability to sap away at an opponent’s strength was probably even more deadly than a direct approach. Yet, that advantage only held if the enemy allowed the fight to drag on.
"Arachne, come here," Noah called, gesturing for his spider companion to join him.
At first, Arachne felt a pang of unease, wondering if she might be in trouble for webbing Fenrir. But as she looked at Noah, she noticed the calm set of his shoulders, and the focused yet warm look in his eyes. It reminded her of that time he’d given Fenrir the last of her snack, all because of the mutt’s persistent whining. He’d made it up to her by taking her hand in his, promising he’d repay her properly later. It should have irritated her, but she felt something else; a quiet anticipation. Find the newest release on NoveI-Fire.ɴet
The more she thought about it, the more she realized she looked forward to these moments with Noah. The gestures, his touch, even his rare smiles meant more to her than any material reward. She wasn’t quite sure why she felt this way, and that lack of understanding was why she’d never mentioned it aloud. Yet, here she was, hoping his call meant she might feel that warm connection again, even if she’d never say it outright.
Arachne slowly approached Noah, her steps tentative yet curious. She tried to maintain her usual aloof composure, but her heart was beating faster, a quiet excitement stirring within her. Noah’s gaze never left her. When she was close enough, she was expecting Noah to extend his hand to her, palm open, just like before.
Instead, his materialized arm reached towards the revealing skin of his original arm. The tip of his finger morphing into a sharp blade that pierced through his flesh to draw blood. Although he was using skill that gave his blood an euphoric allure, Arachne was still drawn to the source of the tantalizing scent.
Before she realized, that smell was much closer, and before she understood what was happening, awakening to find his arm inches away from her face. Dazedly, she continued to stare at his dripping arm, her mind entranced, fantasizing about how it would taste.
"Ahem!" Noah cleared his throat to get her attention. "Arachne, I want you to drink it....Remember that skill that allowed you to gain a part of me and mutate? I want you to drink my blood, focus on that part of me again and see if it would trigger another change."
Arachne blinked, snapping out of her trance as Noah’s words registered. His blood... she hadn’t realized until now just how alluring it smelled, how it drew her in without her even understanding why. Part of her felt embarrassed by the thought of indulging in it, but at the same time, the idea of becoming stronger, of evolving through Noah’s essence, made her hunger for it.
She looked up at him, her eyes bright with a mix of surprise and excitement. Instinct took over as her hands, more human than not in their shape, wrapped firmly around his arm, guiding it closer. Her mouth closed over the wound, drinking with a surprising gentleness as her small mandibles stayed retracted, careful not to pierce his skin. Her tongue moved slowly, savoring each drop, as though tasting something rare and precious.
Noah knew that only a drop of his blood was technically necessary to activate her skill, but he felt no need to stop her. If this simple act gave her comfort or satisfaction, he could allow it, especially after the conflicting emotions she’s been subjected to as of late.
As Arachne continued to drink, Noah noticed the subtle shift in her, his Nexus vision revealing the changes that his human eyes couldn’t detect. Her body began to hum with an energy that radiated from within her core, like the glow of a forge that had just begun to heat up. It started small, barely noticeable, but then it expanded outward, swirling through her veins, wrapping around her muscles, and settling deep into her bones. The transformation was gradual but undeniable, as if every drop of his blood was slowly rewriting something fundamental inside her.
Her body suddenly froze, her lips still pressed against the wound on his arm, but her body no longer moved. For a moment, Noah feared she might be overwhelmed by the power coursing through her. But the tension in the air was thick with anticipation. The aura building around her grew more intense, as though she was becoming a vessel for something much larger than herself.
Her form pulsed with energy, the faint glow surrounding her intensifying until it enveloped her entire body.
Noah stepped back, believing that she would maybe enter into another cocoon state. But the moment the aura fully encased her body, the lower half of her that contained her spider portion suddenly lost the magical aura. The ’life’ of her other half lost its strength as her spider body slouched onto the ground, leaving her human half standing on its own.
The part connecting her human form and her spider body together suddenly began to pulsate, its firm exterior stretching and then restabilizing each time. It was as if some form was attempting to pull them apart.