Heavy Metal

"This makes it…"

"Fourth one."

Before Rusty could count, the glowing black light in his eye socket replied to inform him about the number of spider lairs that they had inspected. He was in the process of descending from one of the trees, his iron frame clanking softly as he landed on the ground. It became clear that finding a usable body would not be a straightforward task.

This was already the fourth attempt, yet the spider webs held nothing but half-eaten bodies, animal remains, and old skeletons. Rusty sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly as his metal limbs touched the ground. The forest seemed endless, and though his metal body granted him limitless endurance, the constant climbing and searching had taken its toll. Each failed attempt only deepened his frustration.

"We're not making much progress here."

Rusty muttered, resting his sword against his shoulder. Alexander's calm voice chimed in, steady as ever.

"Patience, Rusty. The forest is vast. We'll find one eventually."

Aburdon, on the other hand, was far less sympathetic.

"Perhaps you're just unlucky. Or maybe the universe has a sense of humor. That would explain this predicament of mine..."

Rusty would have rolled his eyes - if he had any. Instead, he opened his chest plate briefly to check on Gleam. The little ant twitched slightly. She had recovered from the toxins but had, for some reason, become quite fond of the little hiding spot inside his chest. She had even asked if she could add softer materials, as though planning to build a nest of her own. Rusty had to remind her that when he swapped out his loadouts, the proposed nest would inevitably be destroyed. That had finally discouraged her - at least for now.

" ( ˶°ㅁ°) "

"Yeah come to think of it, the day is ending, it will be hard to avoid those threads…"

Gleam mentioned the time of day, they had spent the entirety of it searching for a good replacement body. During the day, the spiders were far less active, relying more on their traps and nests for hunting. But as night descended, their behavior would change. They'd emerge in droves, actively hunting anything that wandered into their territory. The group had wandered deeper into their territory and the odds were turning against them.

"We can't keep pushing forward in the dark. We need shelter."

Rusty nodded, his iron form glinting faintly in the dimming light.

"Let's find somewhere safe before it gets any worse. I can light the way."

After reaching into his inventory, he pulled out a torch, its flame sputtering to life after some help from Gleam. With just a few sparks, the torch's flame sputtered to life and cast flickering shadows around the area. Gleam perched on his shoulder again, her antennae twitching nervously at every sound.

" ( ó﹏ò ) "

"Don't worry we'll be fine, we just need to find some temporary shelter!"

Rusty tried to reassure Gleam. He was a monster, one who didn't require sleep, and could easily stand guard through the entire night. Once daylight returned, they could resume their search for that elusive replacement body. He had to find one before they reached the next settlement. Still, Rusty knew the forest offered no guarantees. It was entirely possible they wouldn't find anything here - or worse, they might stumble into a dangerous situation. Yet, despite the odds, he wasn't in a hurry. Patience was a virtue his metal body afforded him, time was one of his allies and with each slain spider, his experience points grew and he was one step closer to evolving.

They moved carefully, the torchlight illuminating the dense forest but doing little to ease the creeping dread. The sound of skittering legs grew more frequent, accompanied by the occasional gleam of many eyes reflecting in the dark. More than once, the group was forced to fight off ambushes from smaller spiders, Rusty's sword and Gleam's magic keeping the group safe. However, it became clear that the attacks were increasing in frequency and ferocity.

'If it wasn't for the silence spell, we might have been overrun by now, we have to find shelter somewhere and wait it out…'

Rusty was well aware of the dangers lurking in this forest, and his concern for his friend weighed heavily on him. As a living armor monster made of metal, he was something the spiders couldn't truly digest. Their only likely target was Gleam.

The torch they carried allowed them to spot the nearly invisible threads and burn a path forward, but it also acted as a beacon, drawing the spiders closer with every passing moment. Rusty knew their current strategy wasn't sustainable. What they needed was shelter - somewhere safe to stay hidden and still in the darkness until daylight returned. Finally, they stumbled upon the entrance to a cave, its yawning mouth offering the promise of temporary safety. Rusty glanced back at the others.

"This should do for now. We'll set up camp here and wait for morning."

The group - comprising a suit of armor, an ant, and the two glowing orbs that served as Rusty's eyes moved cautiously inside. Rusty's torch cast eerie, flickering shapes on the walls before he quickly extinguished the flame. Navigating in near-total darkness posed no challenge for him as he had spent much of his existence in the dim confines of a dungeon.

It seemed the webbing didn't extend this far. Perhaps this cave could serve as a safe haven for the night. The cave was dry, its jagged walls tapering inward the deeper they ventured, creating an oppressive yet secure barrier against the dangers outside. Rusty found a relatively flat section of the cavern floor where they could rest. Satisfied with the location, he sat down in silence, Gleam making her way inside of his chest again as they waited.

"Are we just going to wait here until morning?"

Asked Aburdon, who seemed quite bored with the situation.

"I suppose we will?"

"Well, that's rather boring…"

Rusty had taken to keeping his two guides summoned throughout the entire day and night cycle. After the initial summoning, his mana would gradually recharge, allowing them to remain with him indefinitely. Like Rusty, they didn't require sleep, food, or breaks. However, unlike him, they weren't as adept at staying occupied during long stretches of inactivity. Rusty could sit in complete silence for hours, unmoving and content. The two guides, on the other hand, seemed to thrive on finding ways to bicker with each other, filling the quiet with their ceaseless chatter.

As the hours passed, the oppressive silence of the cave was broken only by the faint skittering of spiders outside. Occasionally, the group could hear the crunch of something being dragged across the ground, followed by the grotesque sound of flesh being torn. It was a grim reminder of the danger lurking just beyond the cavern's entrance.

Rusty sat motionless, his iron frame blending seamlessly with the dim surroundings, while Gleam rested inside his chest plate, occasionally peeking out through the narrow gaps. Alexander and Aburdon floated inside his helmet, their glowing orbs casting faint light from within his eye sockets.

"This is intolerable."

Aburdon finally broke the silence.

"Is there really nothing that we can do here? Why don't we move deeper into this cave, what if we find something there?"

"We seem to be safe here. Why should we push our luck?"

Alexander said, his tone laced with doubt as he questioned the sanity of such a decision. They were still surrounded by monsters, and without the constant use of the silencing spell, Rusty's clanking metal body would be discovered quickly.

"If we rush out, we risk being surrounded and overwhelmed."

"Bah, aren't you supposed to be the adventurer? Where is your adventurous spirit?"

Aburdon interjected with his usual sarcasm.

"It died when I did"

Alexander replied dryly.

"( •᷄ ᴗ •́ )"

"Yeah, they're quite the pair, aren't they?"

Rusty said, directing his words toward Gleam.

"Don't worry about them. Try to get some rest."

Gleam, the only one in their group who actually needed sleep, had been snoozing inside Rusty's chest compartment off and on. She now seemed unusually alert, her small antennae twitching as her head poked out. Her tiny eyes scanned their surroundings while the others continued their bickering.

"( ╹ -╹)?"

"There's something there?"

He asked while trying to look in the direction of where her antennae were pointing at. There he saw some strange markings on the ground. Once he focused more he noticed that it looked similar to tracks left behind by the convoy of merchant carriages he was involved in recently. Rusty tilted his head, the glowing orbs in his helmet glowing brighter as he studied the tracks Gleam had pointed out. They were faint, etched into the dirt and stone floor of the cave, but unmistakably artificial. The distinct grooves, likely made by wheels, suggested recent passage.

"Tracks? Here?"

Aburdon who was bored out of his mind muttered, his interest showing.

"Could there be other people here?"

"Those tracks aren't too fresh at least a few weeks old. They probably left already."

Alexander responded to Aburdon's question almost instantly, attempting to dissuade Rusty from investigating further. He knew the demon lord all too well and suspected he'd try to convince Rusty to take unnecessary risks. Meanwhile, Rusty crouched closer to the faint tracks on the cavern floor, his metal fingers tracing the shallow grooves. He wasn't an experienced tracker, but the markings clearly led deeper into the cavern. Perhaps there was something worth discovering ahead.

"Wasn't this spider-infested forest supposed to be off-limits to merchants?"

Rusty muttered, suspicion creeping into his tone. He'd spent enough time around humanoids to know they rarely put themselves in danger willingly. Using roads to transport goods was the norm; venturing into a forest thick with spider webs was downright reckless.

"It shouldn't be used, no"

Aburdon replied, his voice laced with disdain.

"But if cutting through it saves a few days of travel and spares them some toll fees? Greed makes people do stupid things."

"Sometimes it's not just greed"

Alexander added, offering another perspective.

"If someone's on the run, they might take a harder path to avoid pursuit. A forest full of spider monsters isn't just dangerous - it's a deterrent. Perfect for evading anyone chasing them."

Rusty considered this explanation as he straightened up, his glowing eyes fixed on the tracks. Whatever had happened here, it wouldn't make sense unless he investigated further. His curiosity was piqued, and despite Alexander's caution, he was already leaning toward delving deeper to uncover this mystery. The tracks could mean survivors - or worse, fresh danger.

"We're going deeper."

Rusty proclaimed in a resolute voice which caused his group to react in various ways.

"◝( ᵔᗜᵔ )◜"

"Typical."

"Hah, I knew you couldn't resist."

Gleam seemed eager to see what lay deeper inside, her antennae twitching with curiosity. Alexander, on the other hand, was clearly uneasy, while Aburdon gloated, pleased that something intriguing might finally await them. With the decision made, the group moved cautiously further into the cave, using the tracks as their guide. Rusty led the way as Gleam perched comfortably on his shoulder. Her mana reserves had replenished, allowing her to recast her silencing spell to keep those metal joints silent.

"Could this be some kind of hidden shortcut?"

Alexander wondered.

"The walls... they look worked on by someone. Not natural."

As they ventured deeper, it became clear he was right. What had seemed like a natural cave entrance gave way to a man-made tunnel. The walls had been deliberately enlarged, likely to allow larger objects or creatures to pass through.

"It could have been a mine"

Aburdon suggested a hint of greed in his tone.

"What if we stumble upon gold or precious gems here?"

"I doubt it"

Alexander replied dismissively.

"If there was anything valuable left, this place wouldn't have been abandoned so easily. Sure, the spiders make it dangerous, but with enough investment, adventurers or soldiers could clear them out. There's probably nothing worthwhile inside."

"At most, this is an escape tunnel, something a noble or merchant had built to flee without being seen."

"Why are you so sure? It could have been made by that Thieves Guild of yours to smuggle goods. What if there are some hidden treasures inside?"

Rusty listened silently, his thoughts focused on the tracks ahead. Whether it was treasure, danger, or merely an abandoned tunnel, there was only one way to find out: keep moving forward.

The faint grooves of the tracks continued, winding further into the tunnel and occasionally intersecting with strange, shallow scrapes that seemed too irregular to be natural. Gleam perched attentively on his shoulder, her antennae twitching as her tiny eyes darted from one shadow to the next. Aburdon's occasional mutterings of greed and speculation echoed faintly, while Alexander remained on watchful, ready to call out if he saw any danger.

"Can you two quiet down? Something doesn't feel right here."

The tracks they were following eventually led to a wider chamber, and the air grew heavier, carrying a faint, acrid scent of decay. Rusty's senses picked up a distant, rhythmic tapping sound that seemed to reverberate through the tunnel. It was faint but unnerving, like the slow march of a predator pacing just out of sight.

He stopped before entering the chamber as he saw something inside: several carriages, their frames webbed up in thick, silken threads, were scattered across the cavern. The carriages bore intricate designs that had long since dulled under layers of dust and cobwebs. Rusty approached the nearest one cautiously, his sword at the ready, while Gleam hopped off his shoulder to inspect the ground near the wheels.

"Carriages. Multiple."

Rusty muttered, his eyes scanning the chamber.

"This wasn't just a passing group. It was a convoy… like that one."

"They didn't just abandon their goods. Looks like there was a fight… Was it those spiders?"

The carriages were still loaded with boxes and various goods, though half were smashed or scattered. Something didn't add up. These merchants had made it this far, which meant they'd somehow handled the spiders outside - but here, they'd been overwhelmed. Those spiders hunted from treetops; ambushing was their way. They didn't nest in caves. So, what had drawn them here? Or was there something more at play?

" (｡•́︿•̀｡) "

"It's okay Gleam, stay calm."

Gleam scurried back to his shoulder after a quick survey of the ground, her delicate antennae twitching in erratic, agitated movements. Rusty reached up instinctively, offering a reassuring pat to calm her. But her unease mirrored his own, and for good reason.

There was something here, lurking in the shadows, watching, waiting. The air felt heavier now, a faint weight of danger pressing against his senses. The devastation around them told a grim story: whoever - or whatever - had done this was strong enough to annihilate an entire merchant caravan.

Half-crushed crates, spilled goods, and shattered wheels lay scattered like broken bones in a graveyard. The question gnawed at his mind: was the creature still here? If it was, had it already spotted them? and was he strong enough to beat it…