NOVEL NEXT 33. Webs of Ruin
Third Person PoV:
In a time long past, nestled within the serene landscapes of Ancient Greece, there stood a small and humble city.
The city was known for its white-washed stone buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, and the melodious echoes of philosophical debates that drifted through its air.
But fate had its own plans for this settlement, plans that would shatter its tranquillity in the most unexpected way.
One fateful day, as the sun bathed the city in its warm glow, an eerie hush descended upon the streets. Residents noticed an unusual shadow crawling across the walls, growing larger and darker by the moment.
Panic swept through the town as the sky seemed to darken prematurely, leaving the sun's radiance veiled in a suffocating gloom. From above, an ominous cloud of shadows loomed, blotting out the light.
The source of the darkness soon became apparent as countless beasts descended upon the city. Spindly legs, glinting fangs, and a chilling intent marked the arrival of a relentless horde of spiders cloaked in dark shadows.
As they swarmed the city, their numbers seemed endless, and their movements were synchronized with uncanny precision and inhuman speed. Chaos erupted as the city's inhabitants fled in terror, seeking refuge within their homes or attempting to escape through narrow alleyways.
But the spiders were relentless, crawling up walls, invading houses, and filling the once-peaceful streets with their malevolent presence. Their chittering and skittering echoed like an eerie symphony of doom.
Buildings trembled as webs stretched across streets, squares, and even statues. Ancient architecture was cocooned in a sticky embrace, slowly succumbing to the destructive force of the arachnid onslaught.
The once-white stones were now adorned with intricate patterns of silk, and the city's beauty was being ensnared in a macabre tapestry woven by the spiders' unrelenting advance. The only other colour visible was that of blood.
The city's defenders, armed with spears and swords, tried to fight valiantly against the arachnid invaders. But it was all for naught. The battle quickly turned into a desperate struggle for survival, as the inhabitants realized that their city was under siege by an unnatural force that defied comprehension.
In the heart of the city, the grand temple dedicated to the gods stood as a symbol of hope and faith. Yet even this sacred sanctuary could not escape the onslaught.
The spiders' unceasing advance reached its hallowed halls, their webs draping over pillars and altars, rendering the once-sanctified space unrecognizable.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an eerie twilight over the city, the spiders' dark dominion was complete. The once-thriving streets lay in ruins, their cobblestones obscured by layers of webbing.
The last voice the citizens heard before their untimely demise was "For Mother!" or "For Master!". They did not have time to make sense of this as they had already closed their eyes for the final time. Their bodies were carried away elsewhere leaving no trace.
The only reminder of their existences was the devasted city. The city whose grandeur had been reduced to a haunting state of desolation, a testament to the wrath of the arachnid horde.
The memory of the city's destruction would not be forgotten by time, as the echoes of its tragedy would resonate throughout history, serving as a haunting reminder that even the most peaceful corners of the world could become battlegrounds in the grand tapestry of existence.
The city's downfall would weave its way into the annals of time, a small but profound piece in a mosaic of forgotten tales and untold legends.
The ruins of the once-vibrant city would stand as a grim reminder of the unfathomable power lurking within the shadows of the world, waiting to be unleashed by forces beyond mortal comprehension.
This scene was just one of many, as numerous individuals throughout time would meet a similar fate. The lone city in Ancient Greece was merely a single chapter in this grim saga.
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Far away, the bodies of the fallen citizens had been assembled, forming a sprawling mound that stood as a somber proof of the collective tragedy.
This mound was just one among many, each representing a different minor city that had been led to ruin.
The shadows shrouding the spiders faded, revealing their original white hue. The shadows shrouding them were merely shadow demons.
As the cities crumbled and the chaos escalated, fear gave birth to superstition, and whispers of malevolent demons began to spread like wildfire. The shadow demons reveled in the terror they ignited, for it masked their true role in the calamity.
These shadow demons, under the command of an unseen master, were agents of chaos and deception. They were weavers of the threads of destiny, manipulating events from the shadows to serve a hidden purpose.
They selected their targets with meticulous care, orchestrating tragedies that would reverberate across time. They detected the cities that had to be attacked as well as mislead people into believing this was an attack of demonic beings.
If someone investigated, a false chain of clues had been prepared that would eventually lead to the demon Jaldabaoth.
Of course all this was false. But it was merely a small piece in a bigger puzzle. One that still had a very long time to be completed.
After some time, a time door opened, reminiscent of the one that unleashed the spider scourge upon these hapless cities. Emerging from the rift was a foreboding undead Overlord, accompanied by a few elder liches.
With calculated precision, the Overlord and the Elder Liches turned their attention to the piles of lifeless bodies. In unison, they raised their bony hands, fingers curling with necromantic energy, and chanted incantations that echoed through the air like a grim dirge.
"[Create Middle Tier Undead]."
"[Summon Undead]."
The bodies, still fresh in their decay, responded to the arcane call. Dark energy surged through the corpses, knitting bone and flesh together once more. Limbs twitched and torsos contorted, reanimated by the dark magic. The magic casters spoke one more:
"[Create Low Tier Undead]."
"[Summon Undead]."
After multiple similar spells were cast, the empty plane was now filled with newly raised undead. The Overlord and Elder Liches immediately turned around upon finishing their work and walked through the time door.
In the near future, this desolate and isolated location would house a time sanctuary. The foundation was being meticulously laid to transform it into a worthy place to ultimately host the Supreme Being.