The cherry blossom forest was in full bloom, a sea of pink and white petals dancing in the breeze like whispered blessings. The sky above was a brilliant, cloudless blue, and warm golden light spilled through the thick branches, painting soft patterns along the cobblestone paths of the hidden spider-people village.
Nestled deep within this serene sanctuary was a breathtaking haven—a village of traditional Japanese-style wooden homes, their curved tiled roofs kissed by falling blossoms. The scent of fresh pollen and incense lingered in the air. And at the heart of it all stood the grandest structure of them all: a towering temple of crimson wood and obsidian stone, draped in flowering wisteria and spider silk.
This was Mya’s home.
Humming a gentle tune like a lullaby spun from her soul, Mya moved with graceful poise down the polished halls of her temple, her black and red robes whispering across the lacquered floors. The warm sunlight filtered through ornate silk screens, illuminating the floral patterns on her sleeves as she reached the end of the corridor.
Her expression was serene, lovingly soft as she called out,
— “Darling~? My love?”
She turned the corner toward their shared chamber, expecting the familiar shape of her beloved nestled in their silken bed.
But instead…
An empty bed. The silk sheets were cold.
Untouched. No scent. No imprint.
Mya froze.
Her hum died in her throat.
— “…No… No, no, no…”
Her clawed fingers trembled slightly as they brushed over the undisturbed bedding. Her warm eyes, once filled with affection, began to widen in silent panic.
She called again, louder this time.
— “Darling? My beloved, where are you? Answer me.”
No reply.
A ripple of dread surged through her chest like venom. In an instant, she spun and began storming down the halls, her long spider legs unfolding and skittering across the walls and ceiling for speed. Her calm demeanor shattered like glass.
— “WHERE ARE YOU?!”
She opened doors, flung aside curtains, checked the tearoom, the bathing spring, the meditation chamber, the inner gardens—each one empty.
Empty. Empty.
Her breathing grew rapid, her heart pounding in her ears. Her silk pulsed with heat as her emotions spiraled into chaos.
— “You wouldn’t leave me. You wouldn’t,”
she muttered to herself, voice tight, trembling with both fear and obsession.
— “We were happy. You promised me. You love me…”
And then—her breath caught.
Through the silk curtain at the temple’s entrance, the sun gleamed on something familiar.
There he was.
Her husband sat quietly on the wooden engawa.
Mya bolted forward, silken limbs carrying her with terrifying speed, her hair tousled and her usually composed figure in total disarray. She practically crashed beside him, her long sleeves fluttering as she gripped the porch railing with tense fingers.
— “What are you doing out here?”
she asked sharply, trying to mask the hysteria in her voice, though her crimson eyes were wide and glimmering with fear.
— “Why weren’t you in bed? Why didn’t you answer me?”
Her tone trembled—somewhere between a scolding mother, a hurt wife, and a predator trying not to bare her fangs.
She knelt beside him then, face inches from his, her hand reaching to gently stroke his cheek with shaking fingers.
— “You scared me… You terrified me,”
she whispered.
— “I thought you left me. I thought you didn’t want me anymore…”
Her gaze pierced into his soul, and though her touch was soft, her presence felt like a tightening web.
— “Please don’t ever do that again,”
she said, voice low and intimate.
— “If you leave me, I’ll shatter. I’ll burn down the world just to find you. You know that, don’t you?”
The petals continued to fall around them, gentle and slow… but nothing about the look in Mya’s eyes was gentle anymore.
Only love—pure, consuming, inescapable love.