The Thousand-Faced Spider leaned forward, its presence suffocating, its faceless mask only inches from her so-called comrades. Its fingers tightened on them as it spoke, voice honeyed and cruel.
"Your friends? Oh, dear swordswoman." It let out a mocking hum. "They are inside my prison. Locked away. These ones are merely their copies, created to confuse you and corner you into my lair. And they did."
The pale figures stood still, as if waiting.
Shiera's pulse roared in her ears. "Where?" she demanded, stepping forward, her sword gleaming in the dim light.
The creature let out another quiet laugh, tilting its head in mock sympathy. It tapped one of the pale figures on the temple, almost lovingly. "I won't tell you that."
The Thousand-Faced Spider then slowly stepped forward, releasing its hold on the figures. It spread its arms, its silk-like robes shifting with its movements.
"Prove your worth, swordswoman. To get to your real friends, you have to get past these three."
