Scratch

Now I'm mad. I just started a story about a special student just yesterday and you forget it. Grumble grumble.

Well, the academy's teachers grabbed all of you and brought you back to the academy. They tell you you can't go outside the school for two reasons: one, the dangerous creatures, two, a VIP student had disappeared and they don't want anyone else to go until they find him. They have a feeling someone in the academy kidnapped him.

The speakers say a grand reward will be given to anyone who finds the boy named Keesh. They say he has rare powers which could be used very wrongly.

They reply "10000000000000000000000000 million (whatever the currency is). He's the only one of his kinds."

Shade notice a trail that was probably created by the snake and follows it.

Palandir is beginning to wonder why the creatures are afraid of his small light.  Does the staff have a special power unknown to him?  He will figure this out later.

Suddenly, a yell comes from inside the cave, along with several flashes of light.  Disregarding Palandir altogether, the entire army of snakes and spiders rushes out of the cave.
Except one.  The largest spider remains inside, and a shriek is heard, after which the yelling stops.  It then comes outside, followed by a young academy student trapped in a web.

Unfortunately, he cannot reach them because he is tied up.  Palandir shoots a bolt at the web, but it does nothing more than alert the spider.  It whirls around to face him, and drops the student on his head.  Palandir casts a spell to keep him from getting hurt badly.

The spider tries to hurt Palandir, but he keeps teleporting out of its way.  However, this also means that he doesn't have enough time to cast an attack spell in the meantime.  He decides to use his natural agility instead of teleporting.  The spider attacks, Palandir springs aside, and the spider is wounded by an elemental bolt.

He is able to hit the spider several times, but then it does something unexpected.  It spins a rope from its web, and trips Palandir when he leaps aside.  Then it grabs the young student and runs away, leaving him tied up outside the cave until Shade and the others arrive.

Shade falls out of a tree and cast a wind spell at the spider. It's blown back against a tree and then he uses a spell to cut the web and free Keesh. "There you go buddy." Shade says smiling.

"I'm still tied up here!" Palandir shouts.

Suddenly, one of the larger snakes returns.  It is a giant combination of python and Egyptian snake, and is about to bite him.  Palandir manages to roll to one side just as it strikes, and its teeth cut the web.  He gets up, but the snake is about to strike again.

Also, at this time, the spider has recovered, and has attacked Shade and Keesh.  It ties them up and leaves, taking Shade's knife and staff, and Keesh's sword and drawing materials.

(This is the main spider and snake, don't kill them until the end of the story!)

Palandir tries to teleport, but any spells are practically useless without his staff.  The spider must have taken it as well.  Suddenly, hearing a sound from the woods, the snake turns and slithers off just as Shade and Keesh appear.

"What do we do now?" Palandir says. "They took our staves, and everything else.  I guess we failed..."

Before he can say more, something hits him on the head.  Turns out, his staff had gotten caught on a tree branch when he fell, and was just now knocked down by the wind.

"Well, almost everything.  But one staff won't do much...unless..."  He remembers how the monster army was afraid of the light in his staff, and examines it closer.
"E-ngolv e-Chalad," some writing reads.  This is the staff of a powerful Light Archmage!  Unfortunately, it cannot do much more than strengthen Light spells.

Palandir tries to lead them back to the academy to get help, but they are now surrounded by the army of smaller spiders and snakes.  He raises his staff and the bright light shines, allowing them to pass through.

"Elessanyen, ar firyanyes!" he shouts, and one of the snakes falls dead.  He keeps doing this as they walk along, but he can only attack one enemy at a time this way.

Shade puts his hand into a fist and then opens it. A small red orb appears and he throws it. It bursts into flames.

Keesh gets down and writes 'Every giant snake and spider in this cave shall die.' in the dust. As they continued walking, there seemed not to be many spiders or snakes attacking anymore...

And the Bloodstone, that would create and extra powerful gray magic attack.