"....I..." Adam muttered.

"I don't think we can reason with it." he said.

"But why?" he asked. "Why is it...?" he started to ask further, before looking more closely.

"It's... corrupted." he realized.

"We... we need to kill it, somehow."

"Maybe. It depends on how deep the corruption is rooted." Adam replied.

"But the chances we can save it are... low." he admitted, dejection in his tone.

"Regardless, we need to worry about ourselves right now." he told her.

It was then that the spider raised one of its legs, and Adam tackled Callie out of the way, narrowing dodging a stomp from the giant arachnid.

"That was close!" he exclaimed.

"....I don't know." Adam admitted.

"I have ideas, but odds are they're not bright." he commented.

"We might need to cripple its legs." he told her.

"Force it down to our level." he reasoned.

"Because we are at a very large disadvantage here."

The dodged another stomping from one of the legs, and Adam looked around.

"I... hm." he muttered.

"I could probably launch you up there." he told her.

"I can grow a plant that has some... volatile and explosive pollen. It might be able to get you up into the canopy in a hurry." he suggested.

"But it's your decision."

"Callie!" Adam called out to her, but it was too late.

She had disappeared.

"Ah crap..." he muttered.

He then watched as a large leg came up, ready to stomp down. He dodged it, and grew a large plant with red and black petals, standing over it.

The spider stomped down again, but Adam dodged, and the flower exploded, causing the spider to recoil a little.

"CALLIE!" Adam exclaimed, as he started to race towards where the leg had come down.

"CALLIE, SAY SOMETHING!" he yelled further.

The spider then stomped down again, barely missing Adam, but causing him to lose his balance and be sent flying forward, landing in a bit of a crumpled mess.

"Ah, damn it." he cursed.

"Callie!" he repeated loudly, scrambling to his feet, and checking the area for her.

Adam saw what she was doing, and looked up at the spider.

He saw that it was screaming and writhing in agony, and looked to be desperate.

It opened its jaws, corrosive poison and venom dripping from its fangs, before it launched a glob of it right towards Callie.

However, before it hit, a large blue broadleaf erupted from the ground in front of her, blocking the substance.

"Keep it up!" Adam said.

"I'll protect you!"

"Callie, no!" Adam called out, biting his lip.

He wanted to go after her, make sure she was okay.

But he couldn't... he'd risk himself, and probably her even more.

"Damn it all." he cursed, as he looked back at the giant spider.

The humongous arachnid was getting ready to attack again, but Adam was quicker. He placed his hands on the ground, and dozens of hardened spear-like vines shot out from where he was, piercing the beast in various places... with him trying to aim for vital areas.

"...I'm sorry..." he whispered.

"Please... be at peace..." he said.

"........." Adam was silent for a moment, as he witnessed the spider's final moments.

The final moments that he was responsible for.

He tried to rise to his feet, but found he couldn't. He could only slump to his knees, and stare at the dead creature, before falling forward on his hands.

"...what have I done..." he whispered.

"I've taken a life... and the life of a guardian, no less." he said further.

".....damn it..." he cursed again, his voice quivering.

"............" Adam just remained silent, before rising to his feet.

"Mm." he mumbled.

He then started to walk forward, though his steps were heavy.

"Come on, then." he told her.

"Still need to get to the shrine." he said.