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The company walked in silence. Shepra trotted beside Toryn with her tail tucked in between her legs. The soldiers had volunteered aware of the dangers they faced, but Shepra would not be tethered, and had whimpered until Toryn relented and set her free. He patted her head, thankful for her company but hoped she would not suffer in the coming raid. He had done his best to treat her wounds, but her fur had been scorched, and Toryn noticed she constantly licked her teeth as if trying to rid herself of the taste of aralak blood.

Toryn stumbled over a stone. He looked down. His trousers up to his knees were soaked by the long grass still damp with the morning dew. But in parts, the grass was burned away by the Amayans’ conflict with Cymori. He glanced over his shoulder, desperate to see them ride out of the forest. But Toryn knew it was unlikely. They would need time to recover from their ordeal — today they fought alone. He searched the grassland for the old tree stump where the Nym were due to emerge. Toryn guessed it would have stood at the old forest’s center before his ancestors had built the road. But as yet, he could not locate it and grew anxious as they neared the web-laden trees ahead. Their pace began to slow as others shared Toryn’s trepidation.

Gundrul held up his hand. ‘Halt.’ He turned to Toryn. ‘We’re getting a little too close for my liking. If those brutes see us out here and attack… well, you don’t need this old guard to explain.’

Toryn checked their path of flattened grass back to the point they had left the South Forest. ‘We’ve followed their directions. It has to be here somewhere. If I could enter the Song, I could find it, but my way remains blocked.’

‘Then I assume you can’t cover us as you did at Vortimo with your... magic.’

‘Toryn.’ Janae tapped his shoulder. ‘Could that be the stump over there?’ A patch of brown grass stood proud of the ground to their right. Toryn and Janae hurried over. She kneeled. ‘It’s here beneath the turf.’ Toryn turned and waved the company over.

Gundrul prodded the remains of the tree with his foot. ‘Not exactly a landmark of repute, eh.’ He looked about them. ‘Now what? Do we call them?’

Toryn could not take his eyes from the cobweb-strewn trees ahead. What if the spiders came for them now? The captain coughed. ‘Toryn? The Nym?’

He looked to Gundrul and the expectant faces of the company. ‘I had hoped our presence would summon them. I will—’ His face chilled. A shimmering curtain rose from the dewy grass encircling the stump. It grew, forming a barrier many times their height. The veil glistened with the colors of the rainbow as the Nym rose from the ground. Toryn saw dozens of tall, wispy figures within the haze. Shepra cocked her head, then looked back to Toryn.

Gundrul gasped. ‘I guess these must be the fellows we’re waiting for.’

Toryn whispered. ‘You may all feel a little strange. We’re about to leave the world we know.’ The veil curved to form a dome over their heads. Toryn glanced to the web still visible outside the Nym’s curtain. He did not voice his fear they were about to enter a nightmare. But for the moment, the glimmering mantle made them forget what lay ahead.

Toryn looked at his companions’ faces. They appeared as children, enthralled by the old magic as they entered a different time, and briefly, one of wonder, and one without danger. But they could not stay under the protection of the Nym at the stump for long — they had a nest to destroy.

A lone Nym beckoned Toryn towards the veil. It spoke. Then Toryn turned to instruct the company. ‘No fire is to be used. It will make our task harder, but the Nym will not tolerate our flames amid the trees. They will strike down any who bears a torch. We must act fast. The aralaks alone may not be able to break the Nym’s shield, but if the spiders have help…’ Gundrul nodded — none needed reminding of the dangers.

The company reluctantly set off and the dome moved with them. Toryn peered through the Nym’s mantle. Now only a short distance ahead, the dew-laden web resembled a glistening wall of stone. But the sentries on this wall had six eyes to watch their approach, and eight legs ending in sharp claws to defend their territory. Toryn found a spot between two large aralaks. It looked wide enough for them to enter without the Nym’s veil engulfing the watchers. They stopped short of the web. Toryn checked no spiders sat inside the wall where they would enter, then waved the company forward.

The Nym’s shield passed through the close-knit gray strands. Toryn had hoped its touch would dissolve the web. But the veil served only to slow the passing of time within, and not undo what had been made in the mortal world. Two Archonians slashed at the thick strands, but their heavy blades proved useless as the damp web wrapped around them. Janae stepped up. She drew her light sword and with a few swift strokes, sliced a gap wide enough for them to enter in single file. Ahead, Elrik took a deep breath as he ducked through the sticky strands. Toryn recalled the times they would dare each other to dive into the River Tam’s icy waters in the middle of winter. Elrik had always gone first back then, shaming Toryn to follow his lead. Toryn found he too took a breath. A wry smile crossed his lips as he squeezed through the tattered curtain. The disturbance would attract the attention of the spiders poised on the gigantic web. He imagined their frustration when they could find no trace of intruders. But he knew their entry close to the nest would soon bring many more enraged aralaks their way.

Inside, Toryn choked as he took a breath of humid, stale air. This would likely be the most difficult day of his life, and the eerie sunlight filtering through the gray wall did little to raise his spirits. He whispered, but his voice seemed to carry deep into the trees. ‘Remember, any spiders we encounter at the nest, and whatever hatches out of the sacs, will be within our time and need to be dealt with quickly.’ He glanced to the mantle. ‘And don't forget the lessons of how to kill an aralak… if this is penetrated.’ He could say little else. All knew the nest would eventually be encircled once the aralaks found the damaged web. And none believed they would make it out of the nest if their shield was breached. Toryn hoped the Nym would act and attack the spiders, but that could not be guaranteed. The thought crossed his mind the Nym could just as easily abandon them to protect the trees.

The forest darkened. Toryn glanced up and groaned. They had found the nest. Three large, bulging sacs hung from strands as thick as mooring ropes. The trunks sagged under the weight and looked ready to snap. A large aralak perched beside the nest. Toryn pointed. He whispered. ‘Be ready. It will see us the moment our shield passes over it.’

Hands tightened on spears and swords as they edged closer. The spider’s features sharpened as it was brought into the mantel. Its legs flexed. Its small head twisted towards them, startled by the company’s sudden appearance. It sprang. Elrik set his stance and planted his spear. The spider was committed and could not change course. Its great weight landed on the spear tip, piercing its abdomen. Its squeal was cut short as Lorek removed the head with a swift blow. Its long legs splayed and twitched as the spider died. Elrik grunted as he tugged his spear free. He laughed nervously. ‘Well, if they’re all as easy as that…’

Gundrul gave the command. ‘Let’s not be standing about admiring Elrik’s kill. Time to get this done… and done fast.’ He split the company into three with each surrounding a sac. Two kept watch on the Nym’s shield, now looking too fragile to defend against what would inevitably come their way. Toryn drew his sword and approached the base of the sac hanging above his head. Gundrul whispered. ‘Not like the nests we get in our barns, eh.’

Toryn grimaced. Inside the translucent skin, dark shapes the size of his head wriggled. Gundrul called out. ‘Right. On three, lads.’

They raised their blades. The captain completed the count, and the gruesome undertaking began. Toryn instinctively jumped back as the contents spilled onto his feet. The company slashed with their blades and stamped with their feet, crushing the soft skin, splattering themselves in a gray liquid that stung at the touch. But they could not afford to stop and rest. It was a grim task. The unborn aralaks had yet to develop the hard shell on their abdomens. But they were soft and slimy. Both Elrik and Lorek slipped and fell into the gray mess, now thick with short legs like twigs on a forest floor. Toryn looked up as more cuts opened the sacs to release more eggs. He groaned. This would take hours. Gundrul bellowed. ‘Don’t stop! Don’t stop until every last one is squashed.’

Toryn gagged on the stench. He clamped his jaw shut to hold down his revulsion. Outside, the light dimmed. The first spiders approached. They moved slowly compared to the time within the mantle, but ominously, the shimmering air of the shield darkened as more gathered.

Whether it was the proximity of the aralaks, or just bad luck, the eggs began to hatch.

The man next to Toryn fell back as a newborn sprang and latched onto the guard’s face. Toryn grasped the soft body and squeezed. With a sickening squelch, it burst, leaving its orphaned legs wrapped around the man’s head. His hands went to his face as he frantically wiped the slime from his eyes. But Toryn had no time to help. A spider scampered up Toryn’s arm. He grabbed two of its legs, but the rest jabbed at his forearm, all the time its tiny black eyes glowered at him. Despite its size, it was strong. Toryn yanked hard and hurled it against a tree. It ruptured, leaving its legs clutching at the bark before they twitched and dropped to the ground. He twisted as another snatched at his ankle. Shepra dashed forward, bit into a leg and tore it off.

The company were covered with dozens of squealing spiders. Swords were useless as they risked injuring their fellow guards. They punched, kicked, and grappled. Pulling spiders off the backs of the soldier next to them, while struggling to keep them off their own faces. Toryn saw Lorek fall. As soon as he went down, he was buried under a seething swarm of gray bodies and legs. ‘Elrik!’ Toryn and his friend rushed to Lorek’s aid. They had no choice but to draw their swords and slash across the dozens of tiny aralaks scrambling to claim their first kill. Lorek’s hand reached out. Elrik grasped and pulled him to his feet. They slapped, punched, and stabbed until Lorek was free. He bent forward and spat. ‘Aargh. Damn thing got into my mouth. Don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat anything again.’ Toryn swiped the last one from his back. The ground and tree trunks had stopped moving. The screeching had stopped; only the gasping and retching of the company could be heard.

Shepra sat panting by Toryn’s side. He crouched and used the only dry part of his tattered shirt to wipe Shepra’s face clean. ‘There you go, girl.’ He stroked her damp head. ‘Quite the bravest dog I’ve ever met.’

Behind, Gundrul sagged against a tree trunk. ‘Well… I’ve never seen anything quite so… so vile.’ All about them, the ground was covered with twitching legs, split gray skin, and a glistening fluid that clung to their boots. The captain clapped his hands. ‘Now let’s get out of here and wash this—’ He gawped at the mantle. Toryn’s shoulders sagged. He had been so engrossed with the horror’s inside, he had failed to notice their shield was almost black. Aralaks surrounded them. Some had risen onto their hind legs, appearing as if frozen in their frustration and rage. But they must have had help. How could so many have gathered already in the short time that had expired outside their shield.

Toryn saw their next challenge. As soon as the company attempted to retreat, their shield would bring the spiders at their rear into their time. But his companions were exhausted and in no state to fight angry, full-sized aralaks bent on revenge. They would surely be torn to pieces.

Gundrul staggered to Toryn’s side. He struggled to breathe. ‘We’re finished.’ He nodded to the way out. ‘We can’t move without one heck of a fight. If we had a day to recover, we’d still be done for. Can you do anything with this magic of yours?’

It took all Toryn’s resolve not to sob. ‘I cannot gain access. My way is still barred.’

The captain pointed to the shield. ‘Will the Nym help? Or will they stand aside and watch us die?’

‘I cannot vouch for them. Their first duty is to the forest. But if I can convince them the aralaks could still lay more eggs, then perhaps they will act.’ Toryn searched for the Nym. Only one was visible, and barely visible, even for a Nym. It appeared weak. The shield still held, but for how much longer? Toryn pleaded with the Nym. ‘Will you fight the aralaks? Can you get us out?’

Toryn strained to hear its weak voice. ‘Our power lies south. The mantle requires all our remaining strength. We can move, but progress will be slow.’

Toryn thought fast. ‘That may help.’ He turned to Gundrul. ‘I have an idea. We’d struggle to fight a fully-grown spider, but we can fight them one bit at a time.’

Gundrul picked a spider’s leg out of his beard. ‘I don’t get what you mean.’

Toryn held up his hand and interlocked his fingers in the shape of the shield. ‘If we retreat slowly, the mantle will overlap their forelegs first, then their eyes and heads. Their back legs will still be outside. They won’t be able to leap. If we act quickly, we can cut them to pieces. We won’t have to fight a whole spider.’

Gundrul’s eyes lit up. ‘I get it. Slice and dice, eh. It won’t be pretty, but by the Three it could work.’ He turned and called the company to him. He formed them into three lines and faced the rear of their shield. ‘Now listen up, ladies. Another ugly task I’m afraid, but this may be easier.’ He ran his sword across the rear of the mantle. ‘When we move, whatever pokes through that wall will be met by our keen blades. Keep swinging, keep stabbing, and keep slicing. Then on my command, rotate like we would in a shield wall.’ The captain glanced to Toryn. ‘Best we also keep an eye on the other side. I’ll put Lorek onto it, he’s still a bit wobbly following his early lunch.’

Toryn checked none could overhear. He lowered his voice. ‘I don’t want to dampen their spirits, Captain, but I sense there’s another force out there. And we both know what that might be.’

Gundrul nodded. ‘I do know, lad. But let’s keep that to ourselves for now, eh.’ He threw back his shoulders and turned to the company. ‘Ready, folks. Let’s get out of this hole and back in time for supper.’ Toryn signaled to the Nym. The first line readied their weapons and edged forward. Toryn followed in the second row with Shepra still by his side. The shadows of the aralaks loomed on the mantle; their wrath evident in their raised forelegs hung in the air ready to strike.

Another step. Dark tips of their pincers poked through the barrier. Gundrul whispered. ‘Hold it. Not yet. Save your strength for when there’s more to lop off. It’ll be like pruning a hedge.’ The captain crouched. ‘Ha. These brutes won’t know what’s hit them until their heads are rolling on the floor.’ Another step. Toryn wondered whether the spiders would see their own claws disappear as they pierced the Nym’s mantle. Another step. Pincers twitched, more of the legs emerged as if reaching through a curtain to steal food. Gundrul gave the command. ‘Now, ladies! Now!’

Swords sliced through the forelegs. Their pincers snapped, then dropped to the ground, falling like dead birds from the sky. They took another step, hacking at anything entering their domain. The first head appeared, and Toryn was certain the spider looked stunned. Gundrul bellowed. ‘Change!’ The first row retreated through the supporting lines, gasping from their efforts. Toryn leaped forward and slashed at the head peering through. But it became harder. As they advanced, they had to walk over the still twitching body parts oozing dark blood and making it slippery underfoot. Toryn skidded on a piece of shell but regained his stance as more claws and forelegs penetrated the shield. He swung and chopped through a large claw, desperately grasping for a throat to choke. Six eyes emerged. Toryn lunged, driving his blade deep into the aralaks skull.

‘Change!’ Gundrul roared. ‘It’s working. Keep this up and we’ll soon be—’

‘Toryn!’ Lorek yelled from behind. ‘Something’s here.’ Toryn turned to see a tall, dark shape loomed at their rear.

Gasping for air, he ran to Lorek. Shepra barked at the shadow. Toryn gaped. ‘As I feared. A warlock!’

The captain called over. ‘Need help?’

‘Not yet. Keep going. Don’t stop.’

The warlock circled its arms and brought its hands together. Toryn noted with dread, it moved at the same speed as those within the mantle. Eyes locked onto Toryn from beneath its hood. He froze as its glare pierced the veil. The warlock grinned as a sword formed in its hand. Toryn balked at the long, glistening blade that resembled the shard Uldrak had used to end the resistance at Drunsberg. It oozed wrongness. Toryn could taste its corruption. Lorek grasped his arm as he realized he had been shouting. ‘What do we do? Toryn! What can we do?’

Toryn’s mouth moved, but no words came — too many thoughts raced through is mind. What could he do? The warlock held out its arms. At its side, two monstrous aralaks took shape, and to Toryn’s horror, grew to the size of a horse. Their bulbous bodies quivered, their legs twitched, and a steaming yellow drool oozed from their jaws. Toryn staggered back as their eyes met his. And Toryn knew their mind. Consumed by rage, they eagerly anticipated tearing to pieces the mortals who had destroyed their nest. ‘Toryn!’ Lorek tugged at his arm. ‘What can we do?’

He snapped out of his stupor. The Song! The warlock directed all its power into commanding the beasts and the weapon that would split the mantle. He turned to Lorek. ‘Get Gundrul and four guards with spears. I’ll take the warlock. You and the guards hold back those spiders.’ Toryn shuddered. ‘Any way you can.’

He straightened and slowed his breathing. Outside, the warlock raised its blade in both hands, ready to plunge it into the shield. His thin lips muttered a curse that struck Toryn like a hammer blow. But he held firm. He knew the warlock was now bent on splitting the shield. Toryn entered the Song as the blade struck. His vision blurred. The Nym cried out. Their mantle trembled.

Toryn surged back through time, seeking the old forest before its division. He strived to find a source of power to strengthen the Nym. The warlock’s blade screeched, paining Toryn’s ears as it tore through the Nym’s veil. Lorek and the guards cried out. Shepra barked. But Toryn could not allow himself to be distracted. He saw the world change. Trees shrank back to the saplings that had replaced the great, dying giants of the old world. A thick fog surrounded him. Toryn reached the limit of his powers and could go no farther. Through the haze of the Song, he saw the crack in the mantel widen as the warlock plunged the blade deeper. He had to act. Toryn withdrew, retreating towards the present day. A droog! During the drive south, leading to the battle at Gormadon, a captain of the Ul-dalak had entered the forest with a droog. Toryn’s stomach turned, but he had no choice. He would have to bring the droog back and hope it would turn on the warlock. He weaved his hands around the shape of the worm’s bloated body and hauled it to the present day. The droog writhed and flopped onto the ground at Toryn’s feet. He recoiled as the droog sensed who dared to command it. But just as it was about to turn on him, the warlock stepped into the shield… and into the wide, slavering mouth of the worm. The splinter in the mantle snapped shut. The droog guzzled down the warlock and slithered away from the spears to digest its catch. Toryn fell back, drained by his efforts but content the worm would soon return to its own time. He leaned against a tree, ready to collapse. But Gundrul, Elrik and three Archonians spun around to face a threat Toryn could not see. He turned. Shepra faced the wall. Her fur stood up on her back. Toryn groaned.

One of the monstrous aralaks had entered before the mantel had sealed. It reared up and sprayed the face of the nearest spearman. The Archonian cried out as the creature sprang. Four drove their spears at its back but could not pierce its thick shell. Large pincers clamped into the Archonian’s throat, but his suffering was not over. The spider yanked him into the air and shook him. The guard’s limbs flailed as the aralak flung him at Gundrul.

Toryn barely had the strength to watch the unfolding terror. To his left, Elrik had slipped on the wet ground and lay on his back. But it gave him an advantage. As the aralak leaped to crush him, Elrik thrust his spear deep into its belly. It writhed, wrapping its hind legs around the shaft. It snapped. But the others saw their chance and struck. Gundrul lunged as Shepra jumped onto its head and clamped her teeth into the spider’s eyes. Its claws snatched at the air, desperate to find its assailants’ throats. But the more it struggled, the deeper the spear tips pierced, and the deeper Shepra’s teeth sank. It fell dead with a sickening squelch as its body split.

Toryn could barely stand. His vision blurred as he tried to steady himself against a tree trunk, slick with gore. With all his effort he raised an arm. ‘The droog. It will fade soon. But be wary.’ The worm’s yellow eyes found Toryn. Why had it not gone? Did the warlock inside prevent its return?

The droog’s skin bulged. Toryn cried out. ‘Get back!’ He threw an arm across his face as the worm burst. Flesh and putrid bile splattered the guards. The droog was dead, but the warlock had not accepted defeat. It stumbled from the carcass. But even a warlock was not immune to a droog’s innards. The warlock lurched, but before he could recover, Gundrul struck. He thrust his spear into the chest of the most daunting foe the old captain had faced. The screech knocked them from their feet. The shaft burned bright, then disintegrated. Gundrul flung the ash from his scorched hands. But before the guards could regain their feet and finish the wounded warlock, it reopened the split and staggered beyond their reach.

Gundrul gasped for breath and brushed his smoldering hands on his tunic. He turned to the lines of guards still slicing their way through the aralaks at their rear. ‘By the Three, let’s get out of this place.’

Toryn was carried along with the injured and fallen. Although no longer under the command of the warlock, revenge for the destroyed nest had united the spiders. The Nym’s mantle had held, and they left a gruesome trail of legs, heads, and bodies of their foe. After what seemed like hours, they finally emerged from the gloom of the forest. But the aralaks had also gathered beyond the trees. But just as Toryn thought the exhausted survivors could fight no longer, they arrived at the stump where the Nym had emerged earlier that day. The mantle strengthened. It swirled about them, expanding, ripping to shreds any creature daring to approach the Nym’s source of their old power.

Toryn let his head rest on the cool grass. He stared at the reddening evening skies. The clouds spun as his head had yet to settle. He was vaguely aware of raised voices. With all his remaining strength, he pushed himself up onto an elbow, dreading another attack. Toryn blinked, unsure of what he saw. His vision cleared. Three figures strode across the grass. The Amayans came. But something had changed. At first, Toryn thought it was a trick of the late evening sun, but as they drew near, he saw the air about them shimmered with a blue light, and their eyes shone brighter than ever.

Eryn kneeled at Toryn’s side and laid her hand on his brow. He felt her warmth spread through his body. She looked down and smiled. ‘You and your company have struck a major blow today.’ Toryn tried to speak, but his throat was dry and sore. Eryn read his mind. ‘We took Cymori to the stone. She is free now. Her true Amayan soul will prevail. And our time in the presence of the Amanach has prepared us for the next challenge.’ She tussled Shepra’s fur. ‘This lass has done you proud. I’ve only known horses, but perhaps I should get a dog.’ Toryn smiled. He tried to keep his eyes open. Eryn stroked his face. ‘Sleep now, Toryn. We will heal and keep watch over your company. Sleep, for tomorrow we shall ride together into battle.’