It was one of the hottest days, the sun was burning down on the dry land and in the distance clouds of dust covered the view. Unfamiliar sounds of a batle could be heard, screams of women and children; and the smell of burning flesh would never be forgotten by those who witnessed the massacer.
An elven couple came stumbling up the narrow path leading up the hill, seemingly exhausted and heavily panting they made their way up, the man partly dragging the woman, partly carrying her.
She was a lady of great beauty, obviously far advanced in her pregnancy she was so weary and tired she barely could set one foot before the other. "Quick now, Imirel!" he shouted at her, "we must hurry if we want to escape them" but she had no strength to go on. "I cannot go on, Barodar," she murmured and sank to the ground. "I am so tired, I just want to lie here for a while and rest."
"No you can't rest here now, they are behind us!" he cried, "Hold up now my dove, just a little bit further, we might be able to hide somewhere!" Despite his own weariness Barodar lifted his wife up. Carrying her he climbed up the steep slope. As they reached the top he came to a sudden halt. They were facing a wall of rock.
"I don't believe it, the path ends here!" he cried out in despair, "There is no way out of here! We are trapped!" There was a sound of hoofs down the path, some way behind but coming closer.
Imirel leant heavily on her husband's shoulder. "There is a crack in the cliff. maybe we can hide in there," she said, knowing it was hopeless for this could be the first place to be searched by the persecutors. The hoofs drew nearer and they had no chance to find any better hiding place.
As the couple stepped over the narrow stone threshold they found themselves in a huge dimly lit cavern. Wearily Imirel gazed around, when she felt a thread of silk softly brush over her cheek. A hushed voice aked, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
Barodar turned around, "I am Barodar and this is my wife Imirel. We are seeking shelter. Trolls have attacked our country and are slaughtering every man, woman or child. With the last of our strength we made it here, closely pursued by hostile riders - we have no other place to go. Soon those foul beasts will reach this cave and find us and then..." With a strangled cry he stopped still when all of a sudden dark red glowing eyes appeared in front of them. A huge spider came out of the shade, blocking the exit. Imirel screamed with fear and pressed her hands against her tummy and Barodar jumped between her and the spider ready to defend his wife and the unborn child with his life.
The spider watched the two elves carefully, her eyes glinting: "Go deeper into the cave. There you will find fresh water from a well and fruits to eat. You can eat and drink as much as you want. You may hide here as long as necessary under one condition: You must not carry anything out of this cave that you did not bring in. Is that understood?" Quickly the exhausted couple agreed. They had nothing with them apart from their own clothes and they weren't about to steal anything from the spider.
After eating and drinking the man and the woman huddled together and fast they fell asleep. In the meantime the spider started to close the entrance. She spun her web across the mouth of the cave. Just in time when the trolls arrived at the pass she had finished her sticky webbing. Noticing that the further way was blocked by rocks the trolls started to search everything around wondering where the refugees could have hid. Turning one stone over the other they could not find any trace of the couple.
They saw the entrance of the cave covered with sticky webbings, examined it closely and decided that the couple could impossibly hide in there. How could anybody get through without being stuck in those webs? They continued searching for a whole day and a whole night without any success. Tired and exhausted they gave up their hunt and went back.
When the couple woke up the next day there was no sign of the spider. They wanted to leave the cave quickly, but Imirel broke down with a piercing cry, unable to move an inch. From all the exertion the labour had started and with the help of Barodar she gave birth to a healthy girl. The mother wrapped her arms around the baby smiling happily and they decided to name the girl Murielle. Two further days the young family stayed inside the spider's lair, recovering from the past events.
When they finally were about to leave the spider appeared blocking the entrance: "Didn't we agree that you won't take anything out of this cave?" she hissed looking at the baby on the mother's arm. "Yes..." the couple stuttered, "but..." The spider screamed angrily: "You are carrying something on your arm, aren't you? You came with empty hands, you leave with empty hands!" The couple feared the worst. Did the spider intend to take the baby away? Imirel dropped to her knees begging the spider: "Please, don't take my baby, please. What would it do without the mother.."
She started to cry. When the mother's tears dropped onto the baby's cheek it started to smile. It even smiled at the spider. The spider felt touched: "Well, I will show mercy. You can take your baby with you. But you have to return her before her seventh birthday!"
Quickly the couple agreed and jumped outside. The spider gestured towards the rocks blocking the further way through the montains. The rocks were magically lifted and turned into dust. Before the couple could say anything the spider vanished. Pondering not for very long the young family went through the new passage. And a few hours later they had reached the other side of the mountains.
Time passed by. The days turned into weeks, the weeks turned into months becoming years and the little girl grew up. It was pleasure to watch her playing, to listen to her talks. She was a bright little girl. Her smile enjoyed everybody. And the spider was forgotten. Forgotten was even the promise the couple had given.
On Murielle's seventh birthday there was a large celebration. The little girl jumped happily through the garden when she was bitten by a tiny spider. It did not hurt and nothing seemed to happen so the party continued. This night Murielle had a strange dream: A giant spider was smiling friendly at her and whispered: "I am waiting for you."
When she woke up the next morning she wanted to tell this strange dream to her parents. Running through the house all the servants were screaming when they saw the little girl and one maid even attacked her with a broom. Wondering why everybody was acting in such a strange way she looked into a mirror and was horrified. The mirrow showed an ugly creature, half spider, half elf. Crying the little girl ran to her parents, but even her own parents didn't recognize her and tried to attack her.
Screaming and sobbing the creature who formerly was a pretty little girl ran away from home to hide in a forest. She never wanted to see anybody again and nobody should ever see her. She ran until she collapsed under a huge oak tree.
All of a sudden a giant spider appeared. Before the girl could even scream the spider dropped some fruits and a mug of water and disappeared again. Suspiciously the girl tasted the water. It was crystal clear and tasted like a creek in the mountains. The fruits were delicous. Satisfied the girl fell asleep. When she woke up the next morning she found herself in a large cave. It was the cave which had given shelter to her parents years ago. And the spider was there, too. Gently smiling the spider told the whole tale to the little girl, the agreement with her parents and the broken promise.
Due to her shape of a half spider Murielle didn't want to go back to her parents and decided to stay with the spider, who treated her like a daughter. She fed the child, taught her magic and science and many other things. The years passed by and the girl became very strong and powerful, a wise and mighty spider woman, combining the best of two worlds. Murielle was well taught, her knowledge of science and magic was legendary, she was feared for her sharp intellect, her cunning wit and her superhuman strength.
But even her magic could not prevent the giant spider from getting old and older until the spider's last day came.
The spider called for the grown up girl: "Well, little one, I feel the end coming. From now on you will be alone. Your fate lies in a different land, far away from here. There your powers will exceed far beyond any mortal's strength, you will gain fame and fortune. Don't forget what I have taught you and use your power and magic wisely." With those words the spider took her last breath and crumbled to dust.
Murielle was alone. Looking around in the cave she noticed a hole in the wall she never had seen before. Exploring the hole she found an ancient scroll. She opened the parchment and realized it was a teleport spell. She chanted the magic words. All of a sudden she felt dizzy and was whisked through time and space. When she regained her senses she found herself in a mystic realm called Cosrin.