Wood Demon - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Twisted Family Portrait

The silken threads, a horrifying extension of Rui’s will, remained wrapped around Jack’s limbs, not painfully tight anymore, but a constant, unsettling reminder of his captivity. They guided him, or rather, dragged him, through the dark, web-choked labyrinth of Mount Natagumo’s forest. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, decay, and that faint, sharp odor of spider silk that now seemed to coat everything, including the inside of Jack’s nostrils. Skittering sounds echoed from the shadows – spiders, he assumed, monstrously large ones if the webs were any indication, going about their nightly business. He tried not to think about what that business might entail.

“You know, for a kidnapping, this is surprisingly well-orchestrated,” Jack muttered under his breath, the threads around his neck making even quiet speech a minor effort. “Efficient, if a little lacking in basic amenities like ‘not being bound by razor-sharp demon string.’ Usually, my captors at least offer a vaguely threatening monologue about their evil plans. You guys are more of the ‘silent, terrifying puppet show’ persuasion, huh?” Rui, gliding silently ahead, gave no indication he’d heard, or cared.

After what felt like an eternity of being unwillingly paraded through the nightmarish woods, a structure loomed out of the oppressive gloom. It was a house, or what remained of one, perched precariously on a slight incline. Dilapidated, its wooden timbers warped and rotten, it looked as ancient and corrupted as the forest itself. Thick, grey cobwebs, far larger and more robust than any natural spider could produce, draped over it like a macabre shroud, connecting it to the surrounding trees, making it seem less like a building and more like a giant, grotesque cocoon. A faint, sickly yellow light flickered from a few grime-caked windows.

“Home sweet horrifying home,” Jack breathed, his earlier attempt at levity dying in his throat. “Or maybe ‘Home Sweet Cobweb.’ Looks like the Addams Family mansion had a really bad breakup with Shelob. Wonder if they get good cable, or if it’s all just… web-based streaming?” He shuddered. The place radiated an aura of profound neglect and sorrow, overlaid with the same cold, predatory menace that clung to Rui.

Rui paused at the threshold of a sagging doorway, the threads pulling Jack up short beside him. “This is our home,” Rui announced, his voice flat, devoid of any warmth or pride. “Where our family lives. Where you will live.” He then glided inside, the threads compelling Jack to follow.

The interior was no better than the exterior. Dust lay thick on every surface, cobwebs hung like macabre chandeliers, and the air was heavy with the smell of mildew, old blood, and something else, something uniquely demonic and unsettling. In the center of a large, sparsely furnished room, illuminated by a few flickering oil lamps, three figures stood waiting. They turned as Rui and Jack entered, their movements stiff, almost unnaturally synchronized.

“Family,” Rui said, his voice echoing slightly in the cavernous, decaying room. “I have brought a new addition. Your new older brother.”

Jack’s eyes scanned the assembled demons, his own demonic senses trying to parse the undercurrents of power and fear in the room. His System, ever the helpful (and terrifying) informant, began to flicker with data.

The first one to truly capture his attention, by virtue of sheer, grotesque presence, was the one Rui clearly intended to be the ‘Father.’ He was a hulking brute of a demon, easily seven feet tall, with a broad, powerful build. Like Rui, he had stark white hair, though his was much longer, cascading unbound across his massive shoulders. But his face… dear God, his face. It was a nightmarish fusion, as if a human head had been violently merged with that of a monstrous arachnid. Several pairs of multi-faceted black eyes, glinting with a dull, predatory light, were set above a horrifying set of chitinous pincers that clicked softly where a mouth should have been.

`Scanning Target…`

`Target Identified: Spider Demon (Father)`

`Role: Rui’s “Father” (Forced Persona)`

`Level: 18`

`Abilities: Brute Strength, Venomous Bite (Minor), Web Generation (Crude), Exoskeleton Plating (Partial).`

“Okay, so that’s ‘Dad’,” Jack thought, a wave of nausea mixing with his fear. “Charming fellow. Looks like he went headfirst into a tackle box full of angry spiders and then decided to accessorize with a bad wig. And he’s Level 18, same as me? Guess brute force doesn’t always equal high rank in this demonic hierarchy. Or maybe Rui just likes his ‘dads’ strong, silent, and utterly horrifying to behold.” The Father figure merely grunted, a low, guttural sound, his multiple eyes swiveling to fix on Jack with a distinct lack of welcome. He seemed… dull-witted, his menace more animalistic than intelligent. And beneath it all, Jack could sense a tremor of fear, directed squarely at the small, pale demon beside him.

Next to the Father stood the ‘Mother.’ She was his antithesis in many ways. Pale, slender, with the same Rui-esque white hair, though hers was styled to look softer, almost sorrowful, framing a face that was undeniably beautiful, but in a tragic, haunted way. Her large, dark eyes were wide, perpetually filled with a profound, unspeakable terror. She flinched when Rui spoke, her movements small, hesitant, as if expecting a blow.

`Scanning Target…`

`Target Identified: Spider Demon (Mother)`

`Role: Rui’s “Mother” (Forced Persona)`

`Level: 17`

`Abilities: Web Manipulation (Defensive), Puppet Threads (Weak – Single Target), Healing Saliva (Minor – Self Only), Emotional Dampening (Self – Attempted).`

“And that must be ‘Mom’,” Jack’s internal monologue continued, a strange mix of pity and apprehension welling up. “She looks like she hasn’t slept soundly since the Precambrian Era and is approximately one harsh word away from shattering into a million pieces of beautiful, tragic porcelain. Definitely getting ‘unwilling captive’ vibes, not ‘happy homemaker.’ Another white-haired wonder. This family has a serious aesthetic theme going on. Is it a cult? A really exclusive, monochromatic fan club for Rui?” His gaze lingered on her for a moment. “If circumstances were, oh, about a billion percent less terrifying and coercive, she’d be a knockout. Right now, she just looks perpetually knocked out by fear.”

The final member of this grotesque tableau was the ‘Sister.’ She stood slightly behind the Mother, as if seeking shelter. She was younger-looking than the Mother, with a delicate, almost doll-like frame. The obligatory Rui-white hair fell around her shoulders, contrasting sharply with her dark, fearful eyes. Her features were exquisitely formed, and her figure, even beneath the drab, ill-fitting clothes she wore, was undeniably… striking. Jack, even in his current state of terror and bewilderment, couldn’t help but register that. She was a classic beauty, albeit one who looked like she was constantly expecting the ceiling to fall in.

`Scanning Target…`

`Target Identified: Spider Demon (Sister)`

`Role: Rui’s “Older Sister” (Forced Persona)`

`Level: 15`

`Abilities: Web Traps (Concealment), Scent Camouflage (Self), Enhanced Agility, Venomous Scratch (Minor).`

“And last but not least, we have ‘Sis’,” Jack observed, his mind a whirlwind. “Wow. Okay. She definitely drew the long straw in the genetic lottery for this creepy family, even with the mandatory ‘Rui tribute band’ white hair. She’s got that whole ‘delicate porcelain doll who could probably also kill you with a well-placed web trap’ thing going on. Shame about the terrified rabbit eyes. Level 15, huh? So she’s the weakest link, at least on paper? Or just better at hiding whatever power she has?” His old instincts, the ones that appreciated beauty, flickered faintly, a deeply inappropriate spark in the oppressive darkness. “If I wasn’t currently a hostage in a spider-themed horror show run by a pint-sized psychopath, I might actually try a charming, witty line. Something like, ‘Did it hurt when you fell from heaven? Or did Rui just dangle you there with his creepy threads until you agreed to join his nightmare family?’ Yeah, probably best to keep that particular gem locked away in the ‘never say this aloud ever’ file.”

As Jack took in the three figures, a chilling realization dawned on him. The white hair. The similar, delicate facial structures (discounting Father’s monstrous arachnid overlay, which seemed almost… grafted onto a more humanoid base). They all bore a distinct, unsettling resemblance to Rui. He thought of his own `Flesh Manipulation` ability.

“Wait a goddamn minute,” he realized with a jolt of horrified understanding. “They all look… a bit like him. Did he make them look like this? Using Flesh Transformation? That’s not just creepy, that’s next-level, Grade-A psycho. Like a demonic dollhouse, and he’s meticulously changing all their outfits and hairstyles to match his twisted little ideal. This family isn’t just dysfunctional; it’s actively, forcibly curated by a monster with a serious control complex.” The thought sent a fresh wave of revulsion and fear through him. He was just another doll for Rui’s collection.

Rui gestured vaguely towards Jack. “This is your new older brother,” he repeated, his voice devoid of any warmth. “He will protect me. He will protect our family. He will fulfill his role.” The pronouncement hung in the air, heavy with unspoken threats.

The Father merely grunted again, his pincers clicking. The Mother flinched and looked down, her hands twisting in the folds of her drab dress. The Sister… her eyes darted towards Jack for a fleeting second, a complex emotion flickering within them – fear, yes, but also something else, something that might have been a spark of weary curiosity, or perhaps just resentment at another victim being added to their miserable ranks.

Jack could feel the oppressive weight of Rui’s power in the room, a constant, suffocating pressure that kept the others in a state of terrified subservience. There was no affection here, no camaraderie, no warmth. Only the cold, unyielding iron of Rui’s will and the palpable, shivering fear that bound them all together. This wasn’t a family; it was a meticulously constructed prison, each member playing a role assigned by their diminutive, terrifying warden.

“You,” Rui said, his attention now fixed on the Mother. “Show him to his room.”

The Mother jumped as if struck, her eyes wide with terror. “Y-yes, Rui-sama,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. She scurried towards a dark hallway, casting a frightened, fleeting glance at Jack, urging him to follow with a small, terrified gesture.

The threads controlling Jack loosened further, though he could still feel their phantom presence, a reminder that he was on a very short, very sharp leash. He followed the Mother, acutely aware of Rui’s cold gaze on his back, and the unsettling, multi-eyed stare of the Father.

The Mother led him down a short, dark corridor, the floorboards creaking ominously beneath their feet, to a dilapidated wooden door. She pushed it open with a trembling hand, revealing a small, tattered room. It was even more depressing than the main living area. Cobwebs, thick as surgical gauze, coated every surface. A rickety, three-legged stool and a pile of what might have once been straw in a corner constituted the only furnishings. A single, grime-encrusted window, crisscrossed with more webs, offered a sliver of the moonlit, oppressive forest outside. It was less a room and more a slightly upgraded cell.

“Charming,” Jack muttered, stepping inside. “Rustic. Very… organic. Lots of natural light, if you happen to be a spider with a fondness for gloom. Definitely needs a woman’s touch. Or, you know, a flamethrower and a complete structural overhaul.”

The Mother lingered at the doorway, wringing her hands. “If… if you need anything…” she began, then her voice trailed off, her eyes darting nervously back down the hallway as if expecting Rui to materialize. She looked like she wanted to say more, to offer a warning, perhaps, or a word of commiseration, but the fear was too deeply ingrained. With another terrified, apologetic glance, she practically fled, her soft footsteps disappearing back towards the main room.

Jack was left alone, or as alone as one could be in a house that felt like it was actively listening. He let out a long, slow breath, the air tasting of dust and despair. He walked over to the grimy window, peering out at the web-choked trees. This was his new home. His new prison.

“So, new life plan, Jack,” he said softly to his reflection in the dirty glass – a gaunt, haunted face he barely recognized. “Phase One: Survive the psycho spider-family from hell. Phase Two: Don’t piss off the Lower Moon Five who thinks I’m his big brother and has a penchant for lethal string theory. Phase Three: Somehow, some way, find a tree in this godforsaken spider-infested mountain to secretly hug for EXP, because my plant powers are currently about as threatening as a mildly irritated houseplant. Phase Four: Avoid any and all Demon Slayers who are inevitably going to show up looking for the source of all these damn webs. Phase Five: Try not to completely lose my ever-loving mind in the process.” He shook his head. “This is getting complicated. Maybe I should have just taken my chances with the sunrise back at Woody’s. Nah,” he added, a flicker of his old, stubborn defiance surfacing. “Too easy. And Woody would have been disappointed in my lack of follow-through.”

The weight of his situation, the sheer, overwhelming hopelessness of it, threatened to crush him. But beneath the fear, beneath the guilt, a tiny, resilient spark of his old self still flickered. He was trapped, yes. But he was still alive. And as long as he was alive, there was a chance – however slim, however insane – that he could find a way out of this. Or at least, make it marginally less horrifying.

He looked around the tattered room again, a grim, humorless smile touching his lips. “Right. First order of business: redecorate. This place needs a serious demonic intervention. And maybe a really big spider swatter.”