For a moment, silence reigned.
Not just the kind that filled the air, but the deeper kind— the kind that pressed against the mind itself. Even the constant hum of the forest beyond the webbed space seemed muted, as if reality itself was holding its breath.
Tyler stared into the unblinking eyes of his adversary.
He wasn't one of those people who suffered from a phobia of spiders. Back on Earth, he could squash one without much thought. But this… this was different. This creature wasn't just a spider—it was a thinking entity, one that could reach into his mind as easily as breathing.
And right now, it had him completely at its mercy.
Tyler tried to move his fingers.
Nothing.
Tried to grit his teeth.
Nothing.
The paralysis wasn't physical. His muscles weren't locked, his nerves weren't damaged. It was far worse than that—his mind had been forcibly disconnected from his body. He was conscious, alert, aware… and utterly helpless.
