Chapter 25: 21: Favor

Parting ways with the two Alicia was on her path to meet the lake spirit. As much as she wanted to learn more about them she knew they had they had limited time and didn’t wish to delay them. ‘I forgot to ask what they were, they obviously weren’t human… hm… I’ll ask later when they aren’t in a hurry.’ As for her own errands; she was still carrying the bow from the acrobat girl that she needed to return and her use of magic the previous day raised some questions that she needed answers to. Of course she had some theories and understanding based on her own experience and observation of the events however it’s better to be sure. For example how can supposed energy that can create very real and tangible matter, how they behave, where they come from for starters. As for the last thing she wanted to know was what exactly changed with the soul scrying. If it necessitated the need for her to be pulled back to that place again, it must have been important.

It was easy to get lost in the forest where everywhere there are trees that look the same. Alicia learned of this recently in a particularly painful way, specifically by wandering into a dangerous place placing herself in a rather precarious situation which cost her a lung, a few broken ribs and a heart. With this bitter lesson under the belt she was much more cautious and attentive to her surroundings, avoiding  trouble and distant fights between monsters. This was when she started to become an expert at traversing the forest.

Alicia reached the lake mirroring the blue sky. Oddly this time the spirit didn’t come to greet her. It was the first time she had to call out. With her shouting “Hello? Are you there?” inciting to spirit to reveal herself.

Her face held hints of concern.

Spirit’s turquoise eyes sharpened into loose glare as if to communicate that she shouldn’t try to deceive her or hide something, although Alicia herself didn’t know, her expressions were extremely subtle. This was thanks to her body which worked in a unique fashion. When it comes to her movements, it is usually the result of both of their selves agreeing on an action unconsciously. However Alice isn’t accustomed to muscle movement of the expressive human face and its forty odd muscles. Which causes Alicia’s expression to be delayed and stiff. Difficult to perceive as it may be, for the ancient spirit that lived with humanoids for thousands of years it wasn’t especially hard, to a certain degree that is, it was still possible for her to misinterpret things without the emotion. 

And the elusive behaviour of Alicia was indicative of her not wanting to say everything. Changed clothes were evidence too.

Her eyes seemed to lose its shine somewhat, and an insidious smile crept up into crescent shape…

Alicia was in panic, grabbing her by the shoulders shaking her desperately to dissuade the spirit from murder.

‘Dodged a bullet there. I don’t want innocent people to be slaughtered because of something so small. Well she does have a point, even if it’s heavily biased… I don’t think she’s quite in agreement, I have to think of something to change the topic…’

‘Good, any chance she has to forget about the elves the better. Besides I think I do owe her some.’

‘Is that some fancy way of calling me a spider? If that’s true then…’

There was a slight delay before she continued.

‘Right, she looks like a person but really she’s made out of water. So insects laying eggs… in her body for them to later hatch and… Yeah I can see how that can be more than uncomfortable.’

‘I can only eyeball the dimensions. If I assume this kidney shaped lake is about  over 2000sq meters. Covering that much area with a silk net is possible just going to a while maybe a few days. I'll just go around the shore connecting the threads to the nearby tree trunks using it as an anchor point. And then just work inwards I hope the silk can hold up my weight… Knowing how much time I have will help... Since I’m doing this, might as well do it right… ’

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‘That’s kind of sketchy but whatever… Unlike a normal web where I go crosswise and start with the draglines and anchor threads. I have to start from the outside and work inwards… Well, no time like the present.’

As she started to cover the lake in a net of silk the water spirit was observing  Alicia work. Before much progress was made;

There was an awkward silence and a staring competition.

‘Okay… Is it about the chemical composition as well then? Since ice is denser than liquid water it’s going to have more water molecules and an iron atom has more chemical weight than water a molecule.’

With the spirit’s instruction Alicia held her hands together envisioning how she would create webs, outer anchor threads, inner spirals, connecting adhesive silk, an unusual warmth emanated from the point of contact. Separating her hands slowly revealed a glint of white silk, although she was the one who made it she wasn’t expecting it to go well. Encouraged by her results she further poured in more energy, increasing the rate of synthesis before long her hands and fingers were filled with silk; it wasn’t the spiral orbweave she hoped for but it was a proof of concept.

Alicia presented her empty hands proudly.

Her words struck Alicia’s head like a thunderbolt ‘Have I been nude all this time?!’ 

Snapping back into reality with a jerk.

‘Oh thank god… I don’t think I could look at those two in the eyes if I was wearing the real life equivalent of the coat from the emperor's new clothes… Calm down everything’s fine…

…

..

.

If what she said is true that would explain why insects crashed straight into my webs even when I wasn’t done spinning it. I thought it was strange how they would just swarm into my webs… 

then my net that I’m making here should be mostly invisible to the insects that will come, that just makes things simple huh, how convenient. Wait didn’t she say she knew something was there?’

Shortly contemplating the new information Alicia finalized her plans. ‘I think I know how to create the world’s most sophisticated glue fly trap.’

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