Adam's mind was a silent scream of pure, undiluted terror. 'This is it. This is how my legendary bad luck finally cashes in.'
He and Noodle were frozen, pressed against the cold stone, every scale and hair willing themselves to be invisible. Adam's Deep Camouflage was at its peak, his Seismic Sense recoiling from the sheer, oppressive aura of the creature below. He didn't just see it; he felt its monstrous weight, the vibration of its ancient, patient heart.
'Why? Why is it always me?' he thought, a familiar, weary despair mixing with the fear. The one time I'm actually being cautious, the universe drops a cataclysm on my head.
The Arachnowyrm took another step, its obsidian leg sinking into the stone with a sickening crunch. For a heart-stopping second, Adam dared to hope it would just pass by.
Then, it stopped.
