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Spid's Adventure Across Hilto.

A story about a young Puffball who embarks on a journey across the world known as Hilto, for the sole purpose of eating spuds. Spid will meet new friends and enemies, he will come across many dangers and tragedies. Will he prevail and make it to his destination? And will he end up uncovering the hidden secrets of the world? Stay tuned to find out!

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If you look closely at the scenery in the Taigas of Dunderlow, you may be able to spot a very small and fragile creature. Those creatures are called Puffballs. Much like the mushroom they’re named after, Puffballs will shoot puffs of their fur when they feel threatened, causing the threat to become confused, giving the Puffballs time to hide. Puffballs work together to create small villages in the trees and bushes around them. Their main diet consists of Poalberries, small berries that are sweet in flavor and are very common in environments that Puffballs inhabit.

There’s one Puffball though, that doesn’t eat Poalberries, or any berries actually. The Puffball in question is named Spid. At an early age, Spid came up with a recipe for making spuds, and now chooses to only eat spuds. Spid’s dream is to find a home with other creatures that make spuds. Though this is a relatively simple dream, it will require Spid to travel across a dangerous world to find the colony he so desires to be a part of.

This is the story of Spids journey across the world called Hilto.

“Mrrp?” a sleepy Spid mumbled while standing up from his cot in his little wooden hut. The day was fairly windy, causing Spid to shiver from the sudden bursts of cold. Though Puffballs tend to thrive in cold environments, Spid despises the cold, and often relishes in warmth whenever possible. He was, to say the least, an outcast in his village. Everyone thought of Spid as a “Dundergol”, which meant “freak” in their town language. Spid was slowly becoming fed up with the brutish treatment. Nevertheless, he continued to live a miserable life in Dunderlow village.

“Hrrllw” Spid would say to whoever he walked past whilst going to collect ingredients to make his weekly spuds. Of course, everyone would ignore him, or show visible disdain towards him. Once he got to the usual spot where he hid his ingredients, he noticed the door was already open. Quickly making his way inside, he saw all of his beloved and well-prepared ingredients had been destroyed by his fellow Puffballs. Fed up, Spid hurried towards the Puffballs he believed guilty of destroying his beloved ingredients.

In the end, the four that were guilty had beaten Spid, causing him to lay on the ground, defeated. That was when he decided it was time for his dream to come true. Spid would pack up his most prized belongings and head off as soon as possible. He wasn’t sure exactly where this colony was located, but he was determined to find it, no matter what may happen, it’s not like he had much to live for in the first place. And besides, what could possibly go wrong?

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Later that day Spid grabbed his trusty pack, which he dubbed “Sir Carry Stuff”, and filled it with his favorite and most necessary items. This included his scarf, his bowtie, eight pairs of socks, a beanie to keep him warm, a canteen, a “health kit”, a ball of yarn and string, and some ingredients he managed to salvage, as well as a “Bugstick”, a stick that has a Glowbug attached to the end, and a few extra items. Once he had everything, he took a walk around Dunderlow village for the last time, reminiscing on his favorite memories, and trying to forget his least favorite.

Two years ago, his dad had made Spid a very special spud for his birthday, even though it was practically illegal to eat anything out of the ordinary. This made Spid ecstatic, he swore to never forget that day. Unfortunately, that was the last birthday he would be able to spend with his father, as he was soon killed by a Springlysuchus. Spid loved his father even more than he loved spuds, his dad was one of the few Puffballs that treated him kindly and with love, which was proven when he sacrificed himself on that wretched night in order to save Spid.

Another good memory was when Spid met his first, and only friend. Misha was her name, unlike Spid, she resembled a koala instead of a cat. Misha was very nice, she was talkative but sweet, and most importantly, she showed genuine kindness and respect towards Spid. She encouraged him to make his first spud, and to continue making them for however long he wants, no matter what anyone else would think. One day, Misha’s family decided to move to a neighboring village, to which they were never seen again. Spid, unfortunately, was never able to say goodbye to Misha, and continues to make spuds in her name.

A memory Spid wishes to forget is when he met his first and worst enemy. Lind, an awful rat-resembling Puffball. Their first meeting consisted of Spid being verbally harassed until he felt so beaten down, that he cried for hours that night. It didn’t make anything better when Lind made fun of Spid’s father after his horrific death. Spid and Lind are mortal enemies, and Spid can’t wait to never see him again.

After remembering a few other memories, Spid was ready to say goodbye, not that anyone would care.

“Mllr” Spid announced to whomever he could about his departure, most passerbyers simply ignored him and continued to walk. One of the village elders handed him an inscription, wishing him a safe journey. The inscription read the following words: “Puffballs; we may be small, but we are mighty. We will fight for whatever we feel is right. Even if our enemy is not our size, we still put up a tough fight. No matter where life takes us, we never let go of our home. No matter where we may go, we can always return to our home.”.

And with that, Spid headed off on his journey, not sure if he would make it, but excited nonetheless.

One foot in front of another, he gradually made his way down the countless ladders, headed towards the ground. It had been years since he had touched the ground with his feet, as Puffballs typically have enough resources to stay within their compound. The soft grass mixed with podzol brought him comfort when he touched it with his tiny little nubs of feet. Unfortunately, the ground was cold, and had snow in some places, to which Spid was repulsed. He quickly looked in his pack and grabbed two of the socks he brought, putting them on followed by his beanie and scarf. Then once again, Spid was off on his adventure.

What exciting and beautiful sceneries would he come across? What dangerous, vile creatures would he face? Would he make any friends along the way? And most importantly, would he make it to his desired colony, and would they accept him? These are the questions that raced in his mind, his home that he had known for his entire life, fading into the background behind him.

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The sound of the leaves being crunched beneath Spid's tiny feet could be heard throughout the forest. Everything seemed so silent, so peaceful, but with that silence also came dread. Puffballs are small, weak, and fragile creatures, they can easily be crushed from a falling branch, or from the foot of an innocent beast. Though Puffballs are typically brave, Spid has always been very sheepish, rarely wanting to leave his house, let alone his entire village.

He had already come so far, his home was no longer in sight, he left in the morning, and it now seemed to be midday, meaning he had been walking for a few hours.

Spid decided it would be a good time to take a rest, after all, he does have very short legs. He sat down along with “Sir Carry Stuff” and tried to calm his nerves.

Snap!

Spid heard a loud crack among the trees, causing him to quickly get on his feet. A dark shadow could be seen climbing through the trees. The tail of a chameleon, the head of a dragon, the body of a lizard, and the back feet of a human hand. It was a Springlysuchus. Spid began frantically looking for a place to hide whilst staying quiet, if the vicious predator realized he was there, his journey would end much sooner than anticipated.

Crack!

The Springly jumped and leaped between tree and tree, until it eventually was nowhere to be seen.

“Mrrf” Spid sighed, relieved he survived that dangerous encounter, he would have to be more careful going forth. Springlys are rare in Taigas, as they prefer humid wetlands, but when food gets scarce, they travel to other locations. This would mean getting to the colony would be an even bigger challenge for Spid, as Springlys have been seen forming “packs'' in areas where food is incredibly scarce. Spid kept a note in his mind to not go anywhere near a humid, or wetlands biome, and to be extra careful when he’s surrounded by trees.

The sun shone itself behind the clouds, its light illuminating the forest below, and bringing with it, comforting warmth. The birds began to chirp their song, the bugs began to fill the frigid air. The whole forest seemed to come alive, Spid wondered if there were other Puffballs like him, going on a journey away from his old life. He desperately hoped to find a friend on his expedition, maybe he would even find Misha? But, that was unlikely, her parents were always very strict, if she’s even still alive.

Spid tried to not doubt himself, but he was so tiny and weak, what would he be able to do if put in a life-or-death situation? Deep down he believed he would never make it to his destination, but he didn’t let that stop him. In the meantime, Spid chose to focus on the future, and what he would do if he became a part of that colony. What new spud recipes would he come up with? How many more ingredients will be in the surrounding environment? And would he get along with anyone there, maybe even make some friends? First though, he would have to actually make it there.

Spid often felt lonely, trapped in an eternity where he is doomed to live alone. No family, no friends, no purpose in his life. Those thoughts constantly plagued him and put a weight on his heart. Spid knows he shouldn’t think this way, but why is it so easy? So easy to give in to the dark thoughts? He feared he would never know the answer to that question.

Many hours had passed since Spid set off; it was now nightfall. The freezing air caused Spid to take shelter inside of a hole that was in a tree stump. It was small, but cozy. He took out a blanket his mother had made specially for him. When Spid was very young, his mom was “taken by the wind”, at least, that’s how the village elders described it, she flew away just like the seeds on a dandelion.

Spid was able to rest peacefully that night, knowing his mom and dad were watching over him, cheering him on.

That night while Spid was in deep sleep, he had a dream. In the dream, a huge waterfall was seen. Waterfalls are very dangerous for Puffballs, as they can easily get dragged away by the rushing water. Spid approached the base of the waterfall, having the feeling that he would need to climb. There was thankfully a path leading up, but it was rocky and slippery, and water often splashed it, causing anything on it to be scooped off their feet and drown. The path was simply too dangerous to go on, but there was no other option. He couldn’t climb, his legs could barely keep himself up, if Puffballs were indeed “created” by someone, he would love to meet that person and curse them for giving his species such “useless” bodies.

Spid slowly made his way up the path, barely inching forward. After many minutes, he made it to the actual dangerous part. Water often fell on the ledge in this spot, and the spot had to be at least ten feet long, which is a lot for Puffballs as they’re only about five inches tall. While walking, he often slipped, the water made his fur heavy, causing his legs to wobble. He almost got past the worst part, when he was suddenly scooped up by a big rush of water, causing him to fall off. After that, he abruptly woke up.

(Surely that won't ever happen in reality though, right?)

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It took Spid a few minutes, but he eventually came to his senses after having the nightmare. It left him confused, and a little worried, though he didn’t know why. His stomach started to grumble; it had been a fews days since he had eaten. Spid needed to make a spud, and fast.

Spid took out one of the few potatoes he had brought with him in “Sir Carry Stuff”, and laid it out on his blanket, to keep it from getting dirty. The only other ingredients he had with him were Spink leaves, brownish-pink vegetables that could be used in many recipes, Joolin peppers, salty and slightly spicy peppers that tasted good in many dishes, and Fillo mushrooms, mushrooms with an almost bread-like taste to them. Unfortunately, this would not suffice, Spid would have to forage for other ingredients in order to make his spud.

Spid made a list in his head of what he needed. He needed to gather some Poalberries, a few Butternuts, nuts that when squished would taste similar to butter, and one tomato. After compiling what was necessary, he headed off.

The first and easiest ingredient would be the Poalberries. They are very common, so all it took was a little looking, and Spid found plenty. Next up was the tomato, they are not as common, and can be far off of the ground, making it hard for him to collect. Spid decided to go to a more open area, as tomatoes typically didn’t grow around the trees. This, however, would mean less places to hide, as it was fairly open.

Spid began to quickly waddle towards where he believed tomatoes to be. It was a relatively calm day, but something felt off. It was probably just his nerves, he thought to himself, but there’s always a chance that it’s more than that. It's better to be safe than sorry.

He spotted a tomato plant and dashed towards it as fast as he could, Spid despised being out in the open, not only because of the dangers, but it was also colder. When he got to the plant, however, he realized it was a few feet off of the ground. Spid was only about five inches tall, and he wasn’t good at jumping, as he often lost balance. The only thing he could do was climb the plant.

Spid began to climb, though it was difficult, his fur suctioned to the stem, making it less dangerous and easier to grab ahold. Eventually, he made it to the tomato. Spid carefully picked it with his tiny arms, and placed it in his pack, then began his descent.

The next ingredient he needed was the Butternuts. Butternuts are very difficult to get, as they are high up in the branches of trees, though some do fall down, they typically break from the impact, causing them to be dirty and unusable. This would prove to be Spid’s greatest challenge yet, but he refused to give up. He needed to make his beloved spud the correct way.

Another problem, he soon found out, is that he had no way of finding the Butternuts from the ground. Spid would have to climb each tree until he found at least three of the nuts, not to mention, a Springly was recently roaming the area through the trees. But Spid already came so far, he saw the nearest tree and began to climb.

Fortunately, the tree stump had many ridges, allowing for Spid to walk some of the way instead of climbing. “Mrrhg” Spid huffed, it took a lot of his strength to climb. His fur kept getting stuck on the wood, which obviously hurt, but he knew he had to keep going. Inch by agonizing inch, he climbed.

A gust of wind lifted him up for a second, which frightened him, but it was in his favor, as it pushed him further up the tree. After many long minutes, he finally made it to some of the branches. Spid desperately searched the branches, but to no avail. Feeling defeated, he did not want to climb up another tree, his legs were too tired.

Spid decided the best option would be to jump, as Puffballs could use their fur to glide down instead of just falling. He gathered up the courage and began to sprint towards the edge of the branch. Whilst running, he noticed a few Butternuts on a branch of a nearby tree, meaning he should be able to glide to it. And with that, Spid began his descent, the frigid air pushed him along as he slowly made his way towards the branch.

Safely, his tiny feet landed on the branch. Spid breathed a sigh of relief, today had been stressful, and he was hungry. Carefully, he gathered enough nuts and made his way to the ground, gliding.

Spid quickly ran to his temporary camp and placed his ingredients by the potato. Next, he would need to start a fire in order to warm the potato to the desired temperature. He eventually got a good enough fire going and held the potato over it.

It took a while, but eventually the potato became softened enough to eat. Spid placed the potato back down and cut it open, he then chopped the tomatoes and added them along with the Poalberries and Spink leaves. Next, he crushed up the Butternuts until they made a nice paste and mixed it into his spud. And last, he chopped up the Joolin peppers and Fillo mushrooms, then he added them into the spud as well.

Finally, after a couple of hours of struggle, his spud was finally ready. The good thing is, the spud was so large that it would fill him for another day or two. Softly, he bit into the smooth and delicious spud, the flavors bursted inside of his mouth. “Hrrf” Spid felt at ease immediately, he could tear up at how wonderful the spud was.

Spid knew the journey would get more and more difficult going forward, but as long as he could eat his spuds, he was ready for anything coming his way.

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After preparing a few things, and putting his blanket away, Spid continued his expedition. He was getting near the end of the Taiga forest, and heard that the next area he would enter would be a grassland biome. Spid had never left the forest before, he had no idea what to expect, but he continued onward anyway.

It was getting close to sunset, but he didn’t bother waiting another night, as that would just push him back even further. Sure, nighttime could be a bit scary, but Puffballs do have decent night vision, so Spid wasn’t too worried about that. The truth is, he didn’t know what he was worried about, but something felt off. It felt as though someone, or something, was watching him.

The night was soon upon him, and yet the feeling only strengthened. Spid would dart around every once in a while, just to make sure nobody was following him, but he never saw anything.
Was that tree always there? Surely he was just imagining things, so he continued to walk.

The paranoia was beginning to become unbearable, a heavy weight felt as though it was weighing down his entire body. He shivered at every sound, terrified something would jump out at him.

Woooosh

A flock of birds flew out of a tree, Spid nearly collapsed from terror. He brushed the leaves off of his white, fluffy fur, and continued further into the forest. The trees blocked out the moonlight, he was surrounded in complete, utter darkness. The wind tickled his neck, the snow encased his feet with every step. Needless to say, he couldn't wait to finally be out of the Taiga.

“Hhhhhhhhhs” a sudden voice let out a whisper, which sent shivers down Spid’s spine.
“Whrrr” maybe it was just a tree groaning, that wasn’t an uncommon thing, but something felt very wrong.

Suddenly, out of the corner of Spid’s eye, he spotted a strange tree. It looked almost as if limbs were curling around it, slowly, so painfully slow. He turned, frightened, and could barely comprehend what he was looking at.

A horrid beast, its structure made no sense. Limbs that were twisted and way too long, a face that struck fear into all who witnessed it. The creature continued to slowly curl its long, grotesque arms around the tree stump.

“Will… you be my… friend..?” A strange voice asked. Spid could barely see the creature’s face, as it was now hidden behind the tree, so it was impossible to know if it was talking, or if he was just imagining a voice.

“Mrrp?” Spid asked what it meant. The beast sluggishly moved its head from behind the tree, showing a big, awful smile, full of jagged teeth. “Friend..?” The voice asked again, it was high pitched, and spoke in an almost mumbled whisper. Spid decided it would be best to run away, as being around the beast repulsed him.

As he slowly backed away, the creature stepped completely out from behind the tree. The sight horrified Spid even more. Its skin, oh god its skin. It looked as if the beast had killed and skinned many different creatures, then stuck their flesh onto its body.

" friend ” the creature spoke demandingly, whilst taking a step towards Spid. The legs looked like they would collapse at any moment, barely able to hold the creature up. Spid had heard tales about a beast similar to this.

The legends told of a lonely beast, who roamed the forests at night. The poor beast was always so cold, and everyone screamed at the sight of it. Whenever it came around, everyone would yell “Run! It’s the Treehugger!”. All the beast ever wanted was a friend, and eventually, it grew bitter, and sought out revenge.

One night, a village full of Puffballs who were all asleep, was attacked by the “Treehugger”. It tore down every house, nobody was left alive. It skinned every Puffball, and used their flesh to keep it warm. This satisfied the beast, as it deemed it's only friends the trees. Eventually, any sightings of the Treehugger were forgotten, and it was believed to only be a tall tale.

Spid realized how wrong everybody was. This so-called Treehugger was very much real, and it meant to do him harm. The encounter quickly turned into a life or death situation. Spid ran as fast as he could, but realized there wasn’t just one Treehugger, there were many, as they kept appearing from behind trees. Was this going to be the end? As he was running, Spid suddenly fell into a small, but deep hole, most likely from a snake or a similar creature. The Treehuggers began to dig at the ground, though it was difficult with their long, brittle claws.

Each time their hands made contact with the ground a disgusting Snap! could be heard.

After a few terrifying minutes, full of sounds of the ground being disturbed and nails breaking, a sudden noise was heard, it sounded like a growl, followed soon by inhuman screams. What was happening? Spid decided it should be safe to check, as the beasts had stopped digging at the ground. When he poked his head up, he gazed upon a grisly scene. The previously mentioned Springly was attacking the Treehuggers, causing them to disperse, and disappear into the night.

Laying on the ground, were several mangled bodies. They appeared to be Treehuggers, but it was hard to tell, as they were very disconfigured. “Was he saved, or was he in even more danger?” Spid thought to himself. Either way, he would have to spend his night in the hole, nighttime in the Taiga was obviously dangerous, and even worse with the Springly roaming near.

The night was awful, Spid could barely sleep, and the smell continued to get more and more unbearable. After what seemed like ages, morning eventually came. Spid hadn’t heard any movement, besides the occasional small animal, for a few hours, and deemed it safe to continue his travel.

The night had been near traumatizing, and it didn’t help when he stepped out of the small hole causing him to fully see the corpses. He quickly ran away, making sure to stay quiet. The end of the Taiga was right in his sight, he dashed towards the treeline. As soon as he touched the long, soft grass of the Grasslands, he sighed, relieved he had at least made it out of the forest. What awaited Spid in the grasslands? He was excited, and also nervous to see.

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The breeze was cool, but subtle. The delicate wind brushed through Spid's fur. The soft, pillowy grass softened each of his steps. Spid loved these euphoric plains. All that was in sight was rich, green grass, with the occasional tree or puddle. The weather was beautiful, not too hot nor too cold, it was much nicer than the Taiga Spid had grown to know.

With no sense of where he was going, Spid walked straight, wondering where it may take him. There were not many signs of life so far, he wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad sign. Spid breathed a sigh of relief, everything felt peaceful. He let his guard down, which may have been a mistake, but we'll get to that later. He leaned down towards a flower, it seemed to be a common dandelion, though he had never seen one in person. Spid blew on it, watching as the seeds flew away in the wind. His father once told him: "If you are to encounter a dandelion, make a wish, and blow on it. Never tell anyone the wish, or else it may not come true". Spid missed his father dearly, but he couldn't change what happened, he had to let it be.

He was starting to get a bit warm, it would take a little bit to get used to the warmer temperatures, not that he minded, of course. A tree was close by, Spid decided to sit in the shade for a little bit. Luckily, a pond was nearby as well, he could drink some of the water in order to stay hydrated. Finally, Spid was able to relax. It had been a rather stressful journey so far, in fact, this was the first time he had been able to sit down without fearing for his life. Spid gratefully took this moment of peace, and closed his eyes to maybe even fall asleep.

Crack

Spid darted his eyes open, he must have dozed off. The sound of a branch cracking was nearby. Was something watching him? He decided it would be best if he stayed still, for all he knew, it could just be a harmless creature, and he wouldn't want to startle it.

Crunch

Another noise, it seemed to come from the other side of the tree. Begrudgingly, Spid peeked around the tree, being careful to not make a sudden sound or movement. As the creature who made the noise came into his line of sight, Spid noticed it was a small, lizard looking creature. It must be a Plentheos. The creature noticed Spid, and scurried away towards tall grass. Spid followed cautiously, he desperately wanted to befriend the creature, as they were good traveling partners.

As Spid came up to the grass, he could see the Plentheos hiding, it looked very frightened. He slowly reached his hand out, showing the creature he was not a threat, he even got a Poalberry out as a food offering of peace. The Plentheos sniffed both him and the berry before eating said berry, which seemed to calm it down a bit. It was short and long, but overall small, a little bit taller than Spid.

"Pleeh" The Plentheos spoke, saying hi and that it's name is Figo. "Mmrg" Spid responded, telling Figo his name, and that he is not a threat. They talked for a little bit before Spid asked the big question. "Mprr" he spoke in a hopeful manner, asking if Figo would like to join him on his adventure, to which Figo replied "Pree!", meaning yes. This was the first friend Spid made in a very long time, so obviously, he was ecstatic. The two of them continued to relax by the tree, even after the sun had long since set.

You see, everyone needs a break sometimes, it's important to stop and relax before you overexert yourself. As the sun fell and the moon awoke, with the stars shining gloriously in the sky, the two new friends fell asleep, ready to continue onwards the next morning.

The crickets crooned their song, the birds rested in their nests all around, the bugs buzzed until they sought sleep, the night was silent and amiable.

As dawn approached and the sun shone its great light to the world, the pair woke up, albeit a little slowly. They had a nice, and very much needed rest that night, causing them both to feel energized and ready to go. It was a bit warmer than the last day, but of course, that wouldn’t stop them, Spid would just need to be a bit more careful going forward to not overheat.

While on their journey, Spid realized the Plains were quite small compared to the Taiga, as a beach-like area came into view not long after they headed off. It would take them a little bit to get there, as they were both small, but they agreed it would be best to explore the unfamiliar terrain.

As they drew closer to the beach, the two noticed an odd looking object in the water. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be some sort of form of transportation across the water; they also noticed another creature controlling the odd float. Figo commented that the creature resembles a Skinger.

Skingers are intelligent human-like creatures, they’re mostly known for building markets and having created a form of common currency.

Skingers use Constelis as their money, and they use it for everything. They are widely known for their greed, and clever tactics, they’re also famous for scamming innocent bypassers. Unfortunately, Spid and Figo both knew in order to continue onwards, they would need to use the float in order to cross the water. So the two decided to wait until the Skinger left, to then sneak onto the float and safely cross without being caught. It may be difficult, and could easily take a while, but the pair knew it had to be done.

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The two waited silently and patiently in the thick grass, hoping the Skinger would go away soon, but to no avail. They had already been in the same location for a few hours now, but they were determined to cross without having to pay, as they had no Consteli. Waiting was a tedious task, but thankfully the Skinger started to walk away, though it was not getting far away from the float, just the fact that it was moving made the pair feel relieved.

Suddenly, the creature darted off towards the right of the float. The two travelers finally had a chance to steal it. Cautiously, they made their way towards the compact float, eventually making it onboard.

Spid and Figo had done it, they successfully stole someone’s float. Wait, wasn’t that against the law? Spid soon realized they had done a bad thing, but it was too late now, as they were already heading away from the shore. The pair began feeling guilty, but it had to be done. Surely the Skinger had other ways of returning from where it came. Suddenly, The Skinger spotted them, and tried to swim after the float, but fortunately, they weren’t great swimmers, and it soon had to return to land.

The water stretched on for miles, from where the two were, they could see no land in sight. Was this what an ocean is? Spid had heard tales told about the ocean, about the treacherous expeditions, and gut-wrenching sea monsters that lurked deep underneath. Needless to say, this did not comfort Spid one bit, and he soon became restless.

The pair was silent, there didn’t seem to be much to discuss. The waves were subtle, but there were many. When each wave passed under the float, Spid felt a surge of uneasiness spread throughout him. He didn’t like getting wet, it always made his fur stick to him, only to then poof out when he became dry, and right now he was drenched.

On the other hand, Figo quite enjoyed the water, the salt blowing out from the ocean and into the air satisfied him. Figo was lost in his thoughts, the waves rocking the float never bothered him once, Spid couldn’t fathom how that was possible.

Out in the distance, Dolphins could be seen swimming gracefully along the water. Their elegant moves were an embodiment of just how unusual the ocean truly is. From the surface, it seemed beautiful, and just a bit mysterious. Meanwhile underneath, it was a horrid place that you would never want to step foot in, unless you have a death wish.

“Sppeef?” Figo finally spoke up, asking if Spid was okay, to which he replied “Mrrwo”, meaning he was indeed not okay. Figo got closer as an attempt to comfort Spid, and make him feel a bit safer. Spid knew there would be dangerous and terrifying moments during this journey, but he never imagined they would need to cross an ocean.

Many different species of fish could be seen swimming around below the float. Each of the float’s movements would cause the fish to hurry away, only to rinse and repeat. It was a fantastical place, to think creatures could survive underwater, and in fact, only be able to live underwater. Spid never understood how that was possible.

While the pair were lost in their thoughts, a sudden force lifted the float into the air, causing it to land harshly in the water, making the two almost fall off. What was that? Could it have been one of those previously mentioned gut-wrenching sea monsters? Spid and Figo would soon find out.

Whilst being thrown around the float, Spid ended up flying out, and into the ocean. Figo quickly dove in after him, right before the float was swallowed whole. The only thing they knew about what had attacked them, was that it was a gigantic sea creature, and it was now coming for them.

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As the creature finished devouring the float, it began swimming towards them. The duo were of course panicking, especially when the monster descended into the depths, leaving them exposed. Spid had never been taught how to swim, seeing how Puffballs are very much land dwellers. Figo helped keep him afloat, Plentheos are natural-born swimmers, so it was fairly easy for him.

The water was cold and clear, even still they could not see the monster anywhere. Maybe it decided to leave them alone? Or maybe it was preparing for the right moment to strike. The water was still, an eerie feeling washed over the duo along with the waves.

Slowly, there they waited, staying afloat, being careful to make the slightest of moves possible. The only noise heard was the ever so often wave crashing, or the faint noises of other sea creatures, but never the one they encountered.

Figo began to slowly swim, while still holding onto Spid, in order to hopefully find land nearby, though that was unlikely. While Spid was being carried, he noticed a dark shadow rapidly appearing closer under them, seeming to follow their path. He desperately shouted to Figo, telling him the monster was returning.

And with that, the monster surfaced once more, barely missing them. Figo dived under the water just in time, and spotted what looked like a small crevice. The two hoped for an air pocket to be in the cave, and thankfully their wishes were indeed fulfilled.

They gasped for air, the terrifying creature could be heard outside of the cave, it seemed to be attempting to break the rock, but it failed to do so. Spid felt as though he weighed triple what he did before, which may have been the case. They were both so cold and drenched, with barely enough room for the two of them to fit.

Was this the end? Those thoughts ran through the pair’s minds over and over, slowly causing them to give up hope. With all of the disturbance happening to the outside of the cave, water began to fill it slowly. They were running out of time, and had to act quickly. The traveling partners shared a glance at each other before being forced under the water.

Everything seemed to become silent, there was no thrashing from the murderous monster outside. Neither Spid nor Figo attempted to move or resurface for air, they had long since accepted their fate. As Spid’s consciousness slowly floated away, along with the burning, ripping feeling in his lungs, Spid thought about how far he had made it. Surely that was some sort of accomplishment, right?

Everything began going dark, no proper thoughts could be formed anymore, he was simply a soulless body by now. After what felt like hours, but had actually been a minute or two, a light suddenly appeared. Spid could see it even from behind his closed eyelids, as his body finally touched the sand.

The light seemed to gradually get closer, almost as if it was reaching towards his body, until it eventually encapsulated him completely. Almost like he was in a cocoon, Spid regained his breath, gradually regaining consciousness. A very small orb appeared to be in his hands, allowing him another chance of life, to which, without thinking much further, he took.

Spid had looked around for Figo, but didn’t spot him anywhere, assuming Figo had also been given an orb, as that would only be fair, he decided to stop looking, they could always rendezvous later. The magical and mysterious orb seemed to carry Spid back to the surface and towards what looked like another float, owned by someone else.

To Spid’s luck, it was indeed another float, with a different Skinger controlling it. The Skinger quickly pulled him up, and asked him a bunch of questions, to which Spid could only somewhat answer, as he was still in shock from what went down. He has still not seen Figo, but since Figo was such a good swimmer, Spid imagined he had already arrived safely to land. Atleast, that’s what he hoped.

The Skinger hurried Spid back to the nearest port in order to do a checkup and make sure everything was okay. Spid decided that once he was cleared and let go, he would search around the town for Figo, and they would continue onwards towards the elusive and treacherous desert.

Chapter Text

As Spid arrived at the port, he was greeted by a magnificent sight. Breathtaking pillars and over-the-top glorious shops could be seen all around. If he had any doubt about it before, he now knew he was in Storelar, the biggest city in Hilto.

When they docked, Spid was immediately greeted by medical experts, who quickly took him to the nearest facility. They made sure to thoroughly check his health, making sure he had no lung damage or anything along the lines of that. After a few hours of observation, he was ruled out to be completely healthy.

Spid decided to keep the orb a secret, though it had proved to be difficult to hide, thankfully he managed to succeed. Before leaving, Spid rushed through the facility, asking anyone he could if they had seen Figo. It felt like he had talked to hundreds of people to no avail, but he refused to give up.

Spid began asking people all around the town, but nobody seemed to have seen him. Maybe Figo arrived elsewhere? Spid knew he was perfectly fine, seeing as he would’ve been given an orb and swam to safety, Spid just needed to find him, then everything would be okay again, and they could continue to embark on their wonderful journey.

Spid had spent hours aimlessly walking around the port, asking any passerby for information, but nobody knew anything, and he was beginning to get very tired. Near the end of the day, Spid arrived back at the docks, to where his heart was shattered into a million pieces. There, on a different float, laid the lifeless body of Figo.

Spid ran as fast as he could to it, falling to his knees and grasping the corpse in his arms. Never before had he cried so hard, not since his father had died. People gathered around him, some attempting to comfort him, and others trying to pull him away, but nothing worked. Eventually the crowd of people left, it was now Spid, the lifeless body of his beloved friend, and the Skinger who had found him.

After Spid had stopped crying, as he had no more tears, the Skinger told him how they found the body floating in the ocean, almost peacefully, with no signs of the cause of death, besides the obvious possibility of drowning. Nothing could make Spid feel better, he eventually fell asleep with Figo’s cold corpse still in his arms. The Skinger gave the sleeping Spid a blanket, and with that, the pair were once again alone, although one of them had tragically passed on.

The next morning, Spid woke up, still in both shock and pain from the night before. He refused to leave his friend behind, Spid promised to help Figo find his family again, and he would make sure that happened. So after somewhat composing himself, Spid began to carry and drag Figo onwards, they would finish this expedition together, one way or another.

The first stop Spid made with Figo, was a small cafe. The hospital had given Spid one-hundred Constelli since he was new to Storelar. With the money, he was able to purchase a spud from the cafe, and he couldn’t wait to try it with Figo.

After a few minutes of waiting, one of the waiters brought out the spud, and Spid was in awe. It was by far the most beautiful spud he had ever laid his oversized eyes upon. He started stuffing his face full of the delectable potato, not forgetting to give Figo some of course.

The Plentheos laid there, unmoving, no longer breathing, with a mouth full of cooling potato. Once Spid was done, he grabbed “Sir Carry Stuff” and Figo. Spid dragged him, imagining he was walking alongside his friend. With their bellies full, and everything prepared, the pair headed off once again. Only this time, one of them would be staying behind.

As the sun stood high in the midday sky, a cloud oddly resembling Figo could be seen, until eventually disappearing, never to be seen again.

Chapter Text

In Spid’s mind, he had convinced himself Figo was still alive. I mean, how could such an awful thing happen to such a wonderful person? It’s almost like someone planned his demise… strange. Anyways, Spid had been dragging the body behind him for quite some time now.

Even though he had been walking for awhile, it was almost as if he hadn’t moved places at all. Everything looked the same, the sun hadn’t moved in the sky, nothing was different from when he started walking. Could it have been something to do with the orb he still had with him? Spid asked himself that question, but it didn’t seem plausible the small orb could do such a strange thing.

Spid decided to try walking backwards, maybe it was just some optical illusion. Unfortunately, it was not, and nothing changed. Frustrated and confused, Spid sat down. Since nothing was working, he decided to take a break, and laid down to rest his eyes.

Spid ended up dozing off, but only for a short while. When he opened his eyes, everything was still the same, was he stuck in some sort of time loop? Then the fear began to settle in.

Surely this wasn’t a normal occurrence, something bad must have happened. Did he die? Had the previously mentioned sea creature actually gotten him? These thoughts began plaguing his mind.

In the span of about five minutes, Spid continued to stray further and further away from logic. All of a sudden, something caught Spid’s attention. Figo’s corpse began rotting and decomposing at a rapid rate. Spid could make out the shape of something odd in Figo’s stomach, but before he could determine what it was, everything suddenly disappeared.

There he was, in a white, empty space; was he truly dead? And then began the dread. Something awful was happening, it must have been caused from the orb, that is the only thing that made sense. Unfortunately, “Sir Carry Stuff” was nowhere to be found along with everything else, meaning the orb was gone too.

Out of nowhere, a soft voice began speaking, “Hello there little Puffball.” Spid darted his head everywhere and could not see anything but a white void. “I imagine you are quite confused, I do apologize for subjecting you to all of this. See, you came across something very dear to me, and I would like to inform you a little about it.”

“Many years ago, I walked along this world, as do you. How powerful I was, with so many under my command, worshipping me as a god. You see, I am no deity, I was simply lucky during my time.” A rush of wind brushed over Spid’s body, allowing him to know where the voice was coming from.

“When I was very little, just a little bigger than you, I came across something truly magical. Unbeknownst to everyone, a small cave rested near our residence, and what was inside could only be described as spectacular. As I explored, I came across many small runes that were gleaming with wonderful, colorful light. At first, I mistook them for simple rocks, but I could not have been more wrong.” The voice shifted directions again, everything was so overwhelming, Spid didn’t know how to process any of it.

“To put it simply, each of these runes have special abilities. They aren’t the most overpowered abilities, but they can definitely help you in many difficult situations. The only thing to be wary of while using them is that they need to recharge, and recharging takes time. The runes will begin to fade once they are out of power, so the more power they have, the stronger the light will be.” So, that's what the orb was. It was actually a powerful rune.

“It’s quite simple, actually, you just need to be observant and smart with your timing. When I was eventually taken from this world, my dear runes were scattered all about. All but one, which I managed to take with me into the afterlife. Some may consider me a god, some may consider me just an old legend; whilst others fear me, thinking I may return one day to reign havoc across Hilto; but in actuality, I am but a simple mortal just like everyone else. And now, my dear little Spid, you have been given a very important choice, you can either choose to collect every rune while continuing your journey, or you can simply ignore them. Keep in mind, these runes were meticulously placed in very dangerous areas, but I shall leave this up to you. In the meantime, I will reverse your entire trip across the ocean, and let you keep the rune you previously collected, that way, your little buddy can travel alongside you for at least a little while longer.”

The voice began to fade away, and time itself reversed right before Spid’s eyes, until eventually, stopping him back at the Grasslands with Figo, where they were waiting for the Skinger to leave the float.

When he eventually came to, Spid stared at Figo for a while, before hugging him tightly. He eventually told Figo all that had happened, and while he was searching for the rune in his little pack, he noticed a map had been carefully placed inside.

It was a map of Hilto, and it showed every location of the runes. After they talked for quite some time, the pair decided they would choose what the strange voice had told them; they would collect every rune while also continuing their journey.

They could have stopped right then and there, and decided to just spend the rest of their days in the peaceful Grasslands, but what was the fun in that? Spid now had an even bigger purpose, and he refused to let that voice down. Maybe if they would have stayed behind then- Actually... nevermind. You will find out what I mean for yourselves.

Chapter Text

It all began with Spid starting off on a dangerous adventure in search of a small village that specializes in making spuds. Spid was all alone, and was bullied and shamed by everyone in his home village, Dunderlow. After some complications, he set off on his journey, where he quickly found out a Springly was roaming nearby.

Spid set up camp in a hole of a tree stump, and had a strange dream that night, though it probably didn’t mean anything important. He rested well that night, with the ghosts of his mother and father watching over him.

Spid decided it was time to eat, he needed to make one of his spuds. He would need to gather Poalberries, Butternuts, and a tomato. It was easy enough to find a Poalberry, and a tad bit difficult to get the tomato, but the Butternut was an incredibly difficult ingredient to gather. Spid eventually climbed a tree and found one by using his fur to safely glide from branch to branch. He was finally able to eat his delicious spud, and enjoyed every bite of it.

After Spid had finished his spud, he continued his journey. It quickly became night and the paranoia began to set in. Suddenly, he came across a terrifying creature that was hiding behind a tree, a “Treehugger” was what it was called. Spid began running away, but more Treehuggers appeared from behind what seemed like every tree. He eventually made his way into a hole when all of a sudden the Springly he saw earlier, began to kill each Treehugger. When morning came, Spid ran away from the gruesome scene, and made his way to the wonderful Grasslands.

Spid journeyed on into the Grasslands, it was beautiful, but he struggled with the heat. He eventually made his way to a tree and sat down to rest. Spid was suddenly awoken by a noise, and encountered a Plentheos, which he soon learned was named Figo. Figo agreed to join Spid on his adventure, and they started walking towards what resembled a beach. The pair found a float on the water that was guarded by a Skinger, they decided to wait until it left so they could steal it.

The pair waited hours for the Skinger to leave, but it wouldn’t budge, until it finally darted off. They saw their chance and took it. The two boarded the float and began to go across the water. The Skinger tried to retrieve it, but failed, as they can’t swim. Whilst in the ocean, after Spid had begun getting scared from the water, a vicious sea monster attacked them, swallowing the float whole.

The creature swam towards them before descending below them. Figo attempted to carry Spid and swim to find safety, but the pair had to rush into the safety of a tiny cave. The creature began slamming into the rock, causing the water to rise. Spid nearly drowned, but a strange light pulled him to safety.
Spid came across a float, and the Skinger that controlled the float, took him to Storelar, Hilto’s biggest port/city. He was checked on by doctors, and eventually ruled out. Spid looked everywhere for Figo, but his heart was shattered when he saw Figo’s lifeless body that had just been pulled up to the docks. After a night of crying, Spid continued on his journey while dragging Figo behind him. Spid decided it was time to travel to the desert, but one of the two would be staying behind forever.

As Spid was attempting to leave Storelar, things quickly went wrong. Time itself seemed to stop, and before he knew it, Figo’s corpse had decomposed with what looked like something in his stomach, but before Spid could make out what it was, everything disappeared. A strange voice began speaking to Spid, informing him of the runes and their special properties, whilst also telling Spid a little bit about who the voice used to be. The voice reversed time to where it was before the pair went onto the ocean, while still allowing Spid to keep the rune. After a reunion, Spid told Figo everything that had happened, and the friends agreed to search for the runes while also continuing on their original journey. If only they had stayed behind, maybe… No, I won’t spoil the fun for you.

Chapter Text

Spid and Figo begin to scrutinize the map in search of where they should go next. After a few minutes of searching, they decided to head towards the closest rune location. The map says that the rune rests somewhere in the Grasslands, which should be easy enough, seeing as they’re already in the Grasslands, right?

After deciding their next location, the pair begin to pack up and gather a few things that they could eat, in case of an emergency. Most of what they gather are oranges, apples, and various tree nuts. They also pick up a few seashells on the beach, mainly because Spid thinks the seashells are pretty, and they remind him of Misha, his old friend, as she always carried a seashell with her.

Once they found where they were on the map, they began heading to the location of the rune. It wasn’t too far away, so it shouldn’t take very long. The only thing is, the area they were headed seemed too calm and safe for one of the powerful runes to be there.

Well, their suspicions were correct, there is no rune where the map says. After a few moments of confusion, and frantically looking around, Figo spotted something. It was an entrance to a cave, it wasn’t very far from where the rune should be located, so the pair decided they would head inside.

Surely the cave wasn’t that big, I mean, all it would need to do is curve to the left and the rune would be there, right? They couldn’t have been more wrong, soon into the journey, the cave made a big drop, down into the darkness. The friends would have to find some sort of rope to help them down and back up.

With that, the friends began to look around in the cave for any old materials that may have been used by others who explored the depths. Soon enough, Spid found a rope, it looked thick enough to hold them both and transport them down and back up. Though, the pair wondered why a perfectly good rope was left in this cave, along with a few other supplies. The other supplies consisted of what looked to be a grappling hook that was broken, a headlamp that was also broken, and a pair of climbing hooks that looked good enough to use, in case of emergencies.

Figo grabbed the climbing hooks and helped Spid put them in Sir Carry Stuff, making sure to tie the pack back so nothing would fall out. After that, Figo told Spid they should use the seashells in order to mark where they’ve been. Spid was reluctant of course, they were his seashells after all, but Figo eventually got him to agree, after promising they would pick up the shells after they got the rune.

They two made a plan in case of danger. The plan was, if they were being chased, they would each run separate ways, that way, the thing that was chasing them would only be able to choose one of the two, and the other would be able to figure out a way to help their friend. It was obviously a foolproof plan, nothing could possibly go wrong with it, and even if things somehow managed to go badly, the pair were convinced they could figure it out easily.

Spid also added into the plan, that if they were to run into a path leading two different ways, they would always choose the left. It sounded smart enough, left is a nice word and an even nicer direction, nothing bad would ever choose to go left. The rune also rested somewhere in the left area of the cave, so it made perfect sense. Once they would eventually come across the rune, Spid declared that he would be the one to carry it out, which made sense, as this mission was deemed onto him.

Figo looked down and noticed just how dark it was in the cave, he began to ponder what they could do to change that. Spid had thankfully packed a Bugstick when he first left on this adventure. All he had to do was tap the end of the stick, and the vibrations would cause the Glowbug at the other end to light up. The Glowbug was already dead, but they could still illuminate after death. It may be a bit heartless, but it’s practical, and we like practicality here.

The two were about to descend into the depths, when Spid’s stomach began to growl. Spid hadn’t eaten in a few days, and he wanted a spud. Thankfully, the ingredients they had gathered earlier would suffice, so all he had to do was make a fire and cook the potato.

Spid sat down on a nearby rock, and began to make a spark, at least he tried to. Figo had to help him out, as Spid nearly caught himself on fire. After a few minutes of struggling, a fire was finally created, and Spid began to cook a potato for both him and Figo.

After the potato was cooked enough, Spid began to add the ingredients. He had collected an extra tomato earlier, he also still had a bit of the Butternut left, as well as some Poalberries. Spid added in a couple of different tree nuts he had found, and began to mix everything together.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the spuds were finally complete. The pair began to eat, each bite was like heaven to Spid, and Figo also enjoyed his delicious spud. It didn’t take long for them to finish their food, as both were quite hungry.

With all of that out of the way, Spid packed up some things, and the two began to prepare themselves. They attached the rope to a rock that looked like it had been sculpted for such a job, and threw the other end into the depths. It took a little while, but they finally heard it hit the cave floor.

What would the two friends encounter in the darkness of a cave they had never explored before? I’m sure we’ll find out very soon. Figo started descending the rope, followed by Spid soon after, slowly crawling their way to the floor of this mysterious, and creepy cave.

Chapter Text

As the pair made their way down the rope, they noted just how long it was taking them. The cave had to be huge, it didn’t help with how small they are. Eventually, Figo’s feet touched the ground. Figo had to pick up Spid off of the rope, as Spid was too afraid to step away from it himself.

The two friends gazed at their surroundings in awe. It was dark, they couldn’t see anything. Spid grabbed the Bugstick and tapped the end, the vibrations causing the bug and the other end to light up. It wasn’t the most efficient source of light, but it would definitely help.

When the light came on, they gazed at their surroundings in awe, this time actually being able to see things. The cave was much bigger than expected, and it was beautiful. Lush greenery lay at the entrance, sounds of water could be heard close by, the pair were full of excitement to explore further.

Spid began to run forward, Figo following close behind, as they ran towards the rune. When they arrived at the place the map said the rune would be, there was nothing there, just two different paths. With both feeling a bit nervous, they chose the left as per the plan, and began to walk down the left path.

Pretty soon in, the lush cave went from being, well, lush, to something entirely different. Bones could be seen scattered along the cave walls and floor, some were placed in odd locations that couldn’t have been natural. Despite their fear and instincts to turn back and leave, the pair continued on, as they had to get the rune. And pretty soon, they had another path to choose, this time it was three instead of two.

They thought about it for a while, and they chose the left once again, as there seemed to be less bones in it. Further on the path, the cave walls suddenly got smaller. It was still incredibly big for them, but they noted the odd change. Spid then noticed how the walls of the cave looked odd, almost carved out, had someone made this path?

The further the pair went, the more and more unnatural the cave seemed. They didn’t think much of it at the time, as the cave was quite empty so far. It was only once they heard those weird sounds, that they then became on edge.

Those sounds, it almost sounded like something was chanting, albeit far away. Every word seemed to echo through the cave system, how had they not heard this earlier? Spid and Figo could not understand any of the words, but they could tell the words were being repeated over and over again.

As the sounds became louder, an awful smell hit them. It reeked of rot, mud, and something else that they couldn’t quite figure out. Whatever it was, it burned their noses, causing the pair to gag and wheeze as they continued to walk. They should have turned back a long time ago, and they knew that, but Spid knew they were super close to the rune.

And soon enough, the small tunnels expanded into a giant room in the cave. Needless to say, the pair were shocked. Not only was the big room a surprise, but the rune was right in the middle.

As Spid shone the light around the area, they suddenly realized what had been chanting. Staring at the rune, were countless horrible beasts. The beast's bodies were very large, and very wormlike, with many legs protruding from their bodies. As the two friends peered closer, they noticed each had a face, ones with empty eyes and an empty open mouth.

The chanting had come from these horrid beasts, without a doubt. As Spid and Figo were spotted by one of the creatures, all hell broke loose. The one who had spotted them screamed, sounding an alarm.

Most of the beasts started running towards Spid and Figo, who were frozen in fear, while some seemed to run to the rune and protect it. The beasts kept trampling each other, desperate to terminate the traveling pair. As one suddenly jumped down in front of the two, it suddenly hit them that they should be running.

The pair began running as fast as they could, the worm-like creatures close behind, their words roaring in the small tunnels. The tunnels were only big enough for one creature to fit at a time, so they kept fighting each other in order to get in the front. As Figo looked back, he noticed how the beast’s legs kept retracting to then protrude in a completely different spot, allowing them to move however they wanted. Oh, and the beasts could stick to the walls and ceiling of the cave, because retractable legs obviously weren’t enough.

Figo stayed behind Spid, pushing him faster as Spid was naturally slower than Figo. Right before one of the creatures could grab one of them, they split up, one making a sharp turn left, the other making a sharp turn right. Unfortunately for them, their plan didn’t work so well, as the beasts split up too.

The tunnels where Figo was at suddenly got bigger, allowing two of the creatures to fit at the same time. No matter how fast he ran, they continued to get closer to him. Eventually, one of the disgusting creatures grabbed him, quickly returning back to the rune with Figo in its hand.

Spid, on the other hand, continued running, staying ahead of the creature as the tunnels kept curving and getting smaller. He was quickly becoming out of breath, but his adrenaline kept him going. Spid’s little legs had never run so fast in his life, he was honestly amazed out how well he was doing.

Unfortunately for Spid, a hole suddenly appeared in front of him, and he fell down into a swarm of the sickly beasts, losing his Bugstick in the process. He somehow managed to remain uncaptured for quite a while, slipping in between each of their grasps. Eventually though, he was inevitably caught, and the creature who had caught him took him back to the rune.

Spid and Figo were tied up and set down on each side of the rune. The beasts were oddly careful with them, and Figo noticed the ones that had handled them had ten legs instead of eight. Figo began to theorize what these creatures could be, and Spid began to wail, making all of the creatures uncomfortable and annoyed.

After all of that, the horrid beasts took their places, and began to chant, almost as if they were worshiping the rune. The rune glowed, and the pair could almost touch it. Spid stopped wailing, as he began feeling odd when the rune’s glow touched him. As all of this was going on, Figo finally realized something, but what was it?