Joshua blinked, his breath hitching for a split second. That name—he had heard it before.
Kweku Ananse.
The moment it left the old man's lips, a flood of memories stirred in Joshua's mind. He wasn't sure where he had first encountered it, but then, like a whisper from the past, his mother's voice echoed in his thoughts.
"Kweku Ananse, the trickster. The weaver of stories. The giant spider who could walk as a man."
Joshua's eyes widened. As a child, he sat at his mother's feet, listening to tales of the past, stories that danced between myth and truth. Among them, one stood out—a tale of a cunning spider who could shift into an old man, deceiving kings, outwitting gods, and bending reality itself with his tricks.
And now, that legend stood before him, very much real.
Joshua took a step back, his mind racing. "Wait… Kweku Ananse? You mean the Kweku Ananse? The trickster? The spider who—"
The old man smirked, tilting his head as if amused. "So, you've heard of me?"
Joshua exhaled sharply. "Yeah. My mother used to tell me stories about you. About how you tricked the gods, stole wisdom, and spun webs of deceit. She used to say you were the cleverest being to ever live."
Kweku Ananse chuckled, stroking his beard. "Your mother was a wise woman."
Joshua narrowed his eyes. "So is it true? You're really him?"
The old man spread his arms, his smirk deepening. "Who else would I be?"
Joshua hesitated. Legends were just that—legends. Stories meant to entertain, to teach lessons. But standing here, staring at the man who had just spent days training him, it was clear that some legends were more than just words passed down through generations.
His fists clenched. If this was really Kweku Ananse, then what did it mean? Why was he here, in this place? And more importantly… why was he helping him?
Joshua's gaze hardened. "If you're really Kweku Ananse, then I have to ask—why are you training me?"
The old man's grin lingered, but there was something unreadable in his gaze. "That, boy, is a story for another time. For now, you still have a lot to learn."
Joshua exhaled, forcing himself to push aside his questions. Whatever the reason, one thing was certain—his journey had just taken a turn he never expected.
And Kweku Ananse held the answers.
Joshua's mind raced as he stared at the old man before him. That name—Kweku Ananse—it wasn't just a name. It was a legend. A story passed down through generations. His mother had told him bedtime tales of a cunning trickster, a giant spider who could weave fate itself, shifting between forms at will. And now, here he was, standing in front of him in the flesh.
Before Joshua could voice his thoughts, a distant noise shattered the moment—a mix of frantic shouts and guttural growls. His head snapped in the direction of the disturbance.
Kweku Ananse smirked, his sharp eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Seems like we have company."
The noises grew louder, and before Joshua could ask, Ananse turned, walking toward the sound at a casual pace. "Come, boy. This is a good opportunity to see if you've truly learned control."
Joshua followed, his pulse quickening. As they crested a ridge, the scene below unfolded before them—a group of desperate fighters locked in battle against monstrous creatures.
The beasts resembled wolves, but with grotesque mutations. Their six powerful legs moved with terrifying agility, and their fur bristled like sharpened quills. Then, as if sensing fresh prey, one of the creatures reared back, its maw stretching unnaturally wide.
A swirling light formed in its throat.
Joshua's eyes widened. "That thing is—"
A blast of fire erupted from its mouth, incinerating a chunk of the battlefield.
Another creature let out an ear-splitting howl before unleashing a torrent of water, sweeping two fighters off their feet and crashing them against a tree. A third beast opened its jagged maw and fired a bolt of crackling lightning, barely missing a warrior who rolled out of the way just in time.
The fighters were skilled, but the creatures' elemental attacks made them unpredictable. Weapons barely made a dent against their tough hides.
Joshua clenched his fists, red energy crackling around them. "We have to help."
Kweku Ananse simply chuckled. "Well then… show me what you've learned."
Joshua exhaled sharply and stepped forward. This wasn't just another lesson. This was real.
And he was ready.
Joshua launched himself into the fray, red energy crackling around his fists. The moment his feet touched the ground, one of the monstrous wolves lunged at him, its six legs propelling it forward with terrifying speed.
Joshua barely had time to dodge as the creature's gaping maw snapped shut just inches from his shoulder. Without hesitation, he twisted midair and fired a concentrated blast of energy straight at its side. The explosion sent the beast skidding across the dirt, but to Joshua's shock, it recovered almost instantly, its fur barely singed.
Before he could react, another wolf-like creature leapt at him, its mouth stretched unnaturally wide as a torrent of water erupted toward him. Joshua crossed his arms, forming an energy barrier just in time. The impact sent him sliding backward, his boots digging trenches into the earth.
These things are strong.
A third creature charged from the side, its fur crackling with electricity. Joshua ducked as it lashed out, but the beast was fast—too fast. Claws raked across his arm, sending a painful jolt through his body. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay focused.
The fighters battling alongside him weren't faring much better. One man swung a sword at a lunging wolf, only for the beast to twist midair, avoiding the strike before countering with a blast of searing fire. Another warrior barely dodged a surge of wind blades that sliced through the battlefield, leaving deep gashes in the ground.
Joshua clenched his fists. He needed to end this. But their numbers, their resilience, their elemental attacks—everything about them made this fight harder than he expected.
Kweku Ananse watched from a distance, arms folded. "Struggling already?" he mused. "Perhaps I overestimated you."
Joshua growled in frustration. He had to do something. And fast.
Then, an idea struck him. He couldn't outmatch their strength alone—but what if he used their power against them?
He narrowed his gaze, tracking the creatures' movements. If he timed it right…
Another wolf lunged, jaws glowing with crackling energy. Joshua feigned an opening, drawing it in. At the last second, he sidestepped, and the creature's lightning attack shot past him—straight into another wolf that had been charging from behind.
The second beast howled in pain as electricity surged through its body, its legs buckling beneath it.
It worked.
Joshua exhaled sharply. "Alright," he muttered. "Let's see how you like fighting each other."
With renewed focus, he prepared for his next move. The battle had only just begun.
The air grew thick with tension as the wounded wolf-like creature let out a piercing howl, its six legs trembling with fury. The others responded in unison, their eyes glowing with primal rage. Their breaths came out in huffs of steam, and their fur bristled violently, crackling with unstable energy.
Joshua's heart pounded. The more they got hurt, the angrier they became.
Without warning, the injured wolf surged forward, its speed doubling. Joshua barely had time to react before it lashed out with its claws, striking him square in the chest. The impact sent him crashing through a tree, splinters raining around him.
"Damn it!" He groaned, forcing himself back to his feet. His ribs ached, but he couldn't stop now.
Another creature roared, its massive jaws stretching wide before launching a scorching wave of fire. Joshua rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the flames as the ground behind him turned to molten rock.
"They get stronger when they're hurt!" a warrior shouted from across the battlefield.
Joshua's eyes widened. That explains their increasing speed and power. He had already sensed their aggression intensifying, but if their strength actually grew with damage, then brute force wasn't the solution.
A beast, its fur smoldering from a previous attack, snarled as its muscles bulged unnaturally. It let out a thunderous roar, its body crackling with unstable energy before it launched forward with even greater speed. Joshua barely had time to react before a clawed paw slammed into him, sending him skidding across the battlefield.
He groaned, coughing as dust rose around him. His body ached, but he forced himself to stand. "So they adapt… They feed off the fight itself." His red eyes flickered with understanding. "Then I need a new approach."
Kweku Ananse, still watching from the sidelines, let out a thoughtful hum. "Huh". So that's how they work? His smirk returned, amused. "I never noticed." I always kill them in one strike.
Joshua clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "Well, I don't have that luxury."
Ananse chuckled. "Clearly."
Another wolf lunged at him, its jaws unhinging wider than before, gathering energy for an attack. But this time, Joshua didn't dodge—he charged straight at it.
Just before the creature could release its blast, Joshua's fist, glowing with raw energy, struck the side of its face. The force of the blow sent a shockwave rippling through the air, launching the beast into another one behind it. Both creatures tumbled across the battlefield, momentarily stunned.
Joshua exhaled sharply, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "If they get stronger the more they get hurt…" He narrowed his eyes. "Then I need to end this before they become unstoppable."
With renewed determination, he surged forward. The battle wasn't over yet.