“Any ideas?” Poli panted as they stood in a small circle, facing the wasp generals and dozens of bugs buzzing around them, while their Queen still hovered some distance away, watching the fight.

  “Well, I’m all out of coins and energy...” Ren sighed, wiping off the sweat from her forehead.

  “They want to take us alive,” Leinor murmured, surveying he battle. He was also almost out of energy and could barely stand, his legs shaking. He constantly supplied the others with his own, but the enemy only fought a few rounds before retreating and rotating, grinding them down nonetheless.

  “I’m not liking the thought of that.” Isha shivered, shaking the thought from her head.

  “Don’t worry, my Father should arrive in time.” Ren tried to ease their worries, but she was not so sure, as they had been battling for two hours now without rest.

  Then, with no notice until it appeared, a sharp, buzzing sound assaulted their hearing, and Zern was the first to be struck. From nowhere, the Queen emerged and struck out with her sharp tongue, striking Zern in the abdomen. His defenses were the strongest in the group, yet the barb-like tongue easily penetrated his stomach and exited through his back. Yet, even then, only a grunt left his throat before he grabbed onto it as the spikes on the gross-looking weapon pierced through his palms.

  “Got her!” Zern moaned, coughing up blood, while Poli was already there, sshing downwards. Yet, even with his full strength behind the swing, his sword only let out cnking sounds when it made contact, accompanied by sparks as it slid along the surface of the tongue.

  “Fuck you, bitch!” Isha screamed, aiming for the Queen’s head, but their generals quickly blocked her way, thwarting her attack.

  “You are all mine.” The bug’s leader buzzed as her tongue constantly drained Zern’s energy and blood, soaking it up like a sponge through her tongue.

  “No, you are mine!” Ren answered as she blinked next to her, striking with a palm strike at her head.

  Even though the hit was solid, the Queen only flinched, her head twisting from the force behind Ren's attack before punching back, hitting Ren in the stomach, sending her rolling away.

  “Know your pce, human!” she ughed and soon pulled her tongue back, ripping out the flesh from Zern’s body and striking Poli’s sword away.

  They were too exhausted to keep up the fight, and she knew that it was her time to bring them to their knees. And she was right... as it didn’t take long before two male wasp demons were on each of them as they held everyone down.

  “The small one said their reinforcement is coming. Drag them back; live food is the best for the growing children!” she ughed as her voice sounded like millions of small insects buzzing, feeling extremely grating to the human ear.

  “Taking to where?” came a voice from above them just then, and when they looked up, Xendar was standing in the air with a cold expression, looking down at the bugs, his eyes fshing with blue lightning.

  “I told you….” Ren giggled with blood dripping from her mouth, but her voice was snuffed out by the arriving thunder, rumbling through the skies, catching up to Xendar.

  “W-what… is this… aura?” The Queen blinked her bug-like eyes separately, recalling a feeling from her early years. Deep in the forest, when she was still a tiny, young wasp, she stumbled upon another's territory. She only remembered the golden eyes, watching her from afar in the darkness of the forest. When she noticed the gaze, she immediately knew that whoever owned those eyes was alone enough to squash her. Luckily, whatever THAT was, it let her pass through and did not bother the young wasp. And right now... the human's eyes... they carried the same feeling.

  “Release them. Now.” Xendar ordered, sparks flying from between his lips.

  “You think we would? Do you want them, human? Then-” but she couldn’t finish as he was already between them and holding two severed heads of her generals.

  “Too slow. Now your lives are forfeit.” Xendar whispered, squashing the heads and punching out, which was followed by a blinding fsh. Without anyone seeing how, he instantly pierced through another four with a long, lightning spear now in his hands.

  “Stop! Regroup! Don’t run!” The Queen screamed, as every other wasp tried to flee in terror. No matter how loud she yelled, the instinct of her children was already taking over, like when prey meets a predator; the only thought in their minds was about running away.

  “I told you… after evolving, they develop some… human traits…. Wasps would fight to the death… but not those who have human… thoughts... ahaha… serves you right….” Ren moaned as she crawled next to Zern, trying to quickly take care of his wound, which was still severely bleeding.

  “Are you okay?” Isha arrived, too, somehow looking even more worried than Ren, but Zern just nodded, trying to regute his breathing.

  “He will be fine,” Leinor said, pcing his hand on the wound, trying to help heal it with the remainder of his energy.

  “So awesome… So strong…” Poli gawked and watched as Xendar quickly destroyed the male wasps, only leaving the Queen behind.

  “Of course, he is my Dad~! Imagine if he had trained like us!” Ren smiled proudly. "He would be even stronger!"

  “W-who are you! Do you know-” The Queen started to speak, but Xendar immediately cut in, waving his hand.

  “Stuff it. I don’t care. You hurt my baby girl; you die. Choose,” he said while looking at her with a deadpan look.

  “Huh?”

  “I said, choose. How do you want to die?” he repeated.

  “Don’t screw with me!” she struck at him with her tongue, but Xendar caught it barehanded without a scratch.

  “This is your weapon? Pathetic.” he stretched out his other hand, and it was immediately covered in lightning, its crackling sound echoing all over the forest.

  The currents through the air made everyone's hair curl upwards. Meanwhile, Ren and Poli, who shared the same affinity, felt a numbing sensation rushing through their bodies as their natural affinity accepted the dominant force present before them. When the General punched out, right as he pulled on the tongue, his fist nded square on the torso of the Queen, sending a sonic boom out that toppled trees behind her... Yet she was still alive, and his hand didn't punch through her.

  “Surprisingly tough, aren't you?” he sighed, watching the demon folk gasping for air as inhuman blood flowed out from every hole imaginable on her body. “Let’s try something else then.” Xendar pulled again, one hand holding her head while the other began ripping out her tongue and throwing it to the ground. "You didn't choose. Now you will suffer."

  Xendar’s aura rampaged like a storm as he lifted the Queen up into the sky, and soon, from almost nowhere, lightning strikes fshed above them, coming down straight at the Queen, making her scream with agony.

  “Your father seems… really angry,” Leinor muttered, looking up, watching it py out.

  “Yeah, I never saw him this way either...” Ren nodded, feeling warmth gathering inside her chest.

  The buzzing and screaming sted only a few seconds more as lightning constantly kept striking the wasps' Queen. Xendar did nothing else; he just held her up with one hand until she crumbled into burnt, bck pieces, then was blown away by the wind as bck ash.

  “Are you okay?” He asked worriedly as he nded before them, watching the battered group.

  “Yes, luckily, you arrived quickly!” Ren showed a V sign as her father let out a relieved sigh.

  “Good, good. You all did well staying alive! Come, I’ll escort you all back!” he said, helping up Zern first.

  “Aren’t you happy? The famous General of the Empire princess carries you!” Isha giggled, giving a light smack on Zern’s forehead

  “Not… really….” he murmured with a smile as an answer. "It hurts..."

  “What, am I not good enough?” Xendar asked, making Zern chuckle and choke simultaneously, unsure of how to react, while Isha ughed out loud, followed by the others. Even Xendar smiled, seeing they seemed all right and just exhausted, as if a big boulder had been lifted from his shoulders.

  …….…..

  “It seems the bugs were destroyed.” A calm, enchanting voice resonated in a cave lit with strange, blue crystals that emitted an otherworldly hue throughout the insides of the cave.

  Deep within, in a rge pool filled with natural, steaming spring water, a voluptuous dy sat there, lying back, enjoying the bath, humming to herself. After a deep breath, she raised her head, covered by snow-white hair, cascading down behind her like a silk bnket, while two furry and towering fox ears twitched on the top of her head. She only smiled when she opened her bright, golden eyes, looking at the other young female demon fox kneeling below the basin she was occupying. The girl appeared to be in her te teens, with her growing body covered in reddish fur clothes and a long, fluffy orange fox tail sprouting from her back. Her brownish-red hair was tied up neatly, decorated with flowers, going around her fox ears, as she just knelt there, still bowing her head, waiting for a response.

  “Bugs always act like bugs, flying into the fme knowingly." The young one said.

  "There are many of them; it’s not a consequence if they are exterminated. Others will take their pce,” answered the white-haired fox demon.

  “It was the humans who did it,” continued the kneeling figure, trying to warn her ruler.

  “The one who retook their fortress?” the white fox questioned, with a little more interest in her voice.

  “Yes, My Queen.”

  “Mm. I see. It was their own stupidity to provoke him to come out and py." She shrugged, "It won’t disturb our peace. You don’t need to report something like this,” she said calmly, closing her eyes and leaning back in the hot spring.

  “There is something else.”

  “I'm listening.” She hummed, keeping her eyes closed.

  “It seems some other tribe… defected. They asked for the help of the humans. That's why they… He came,” the young girl muttered, her fingers balling up while expining.

  “Oh?” The white-haired figure suddenly sat up, and her eyes snapped back open. “That’s… unexpected. Which tribe was it?”

  “One of the butterflies. We fear that if this news spreads, some other weak-minded may follow suit.”

  “You think? I doubt that." The Queen muttered, thinking about it, "Humans would massacre them first... They may take in evolved demons, but not the younglings, because they do not look like or act like humans do. You don’t need to worry. Let those who wish to leave, leave!”

  “But-”

  “Let them. We will see how this goes. Do not interfere!” The Queen ordered in a stern voice, lying back again, “Other tribes will not watch this from the sides anyway; let them act.. Why sacrifice our kin if others will willingly jump in?” She ughed as her voice filled the cave, enchanting even the young woman kneeling before her, making her blush. “You can go. Continue observing the movements of others. From afar.”

  “As you command,” she bowed, her head touching the ground before leaving the cave that led out to the top of a hill. Looking back into the foxhole, the young girl shuddered with pleasure as she stretched a little while another, simir, young girl with a wagging foxtail rushed up the hill.

  “Sister! Sister! How was it? Did you meet the Queen? Is she as beautiful as the others say?” the little child asked, who only looked like an eight-year-old, with way too much excitement radiating from her eyes.

  “Yes, she is. Don’t worry, you will meet her when the time comes, but you need to train! If you are weak-willed, you won’t stand a chance against her charm, and your mind will be ensved. Never sneak in... understood?”

  “I... Yes, I know! I’ll work hard!”

  “Good girl~!” she ughed, hugging her as they walked down from the hill, into a small vilge that had proper, wooden walls surrounding it. Behind them, multiple houses were built just as humans would construct them, with almost a hundred young and adult demon foxes, men, and women working and living together. From far away, it would seem like an ancient human town, not one built by demon folk.

  Yet, deep in the cave where their Queen remained, she just took a deep breath, submerging herself entirely in the water.

  “The north is in turmoil… if we lose the south's independence….” The Queen whispered to herself, feeling a bit troubled. "Our peace will also be shattered... Caught in the middle of a storm..."

  …….…..

  “What do humans think?!” roared a dangerous voice, smashing a tree apart, and between the splinters flying through the air stood a chimpanzee, almost three meters tall, wearing armor made of other animals’ skins. “They just waltz in and kill wantonly?! Fuck them! Fuck all of them!” he screamed, thrashing around with rage.

  “Boss, what should we do?” other chimps began asking, more than a had smaller than their leader.

  “Do you even need to ask?!” he smacked him on the head, sending him tumbling forward. “Tell the others, we're going to hunt! We will teach those idiots. This is our forest, not theirs!”

  The other apes immediately seemed excited and started to shout, smashing on the floor and their chests, screaming, causing the whole forest around them to be in an uproar, drowning out any other sounds.

  …….….

  “How’s Zern doing?” Ren asked while sitting in the mess hall as Isha came and sat next to the rest, where they were finishing dinner.

  “He will be okay; the doctors patched him up. He is sleeping right now after I helped him eat his dinner.”

  “Just like a housewife.” Poli giggled.

  “Stuff it.” Isha rolled her eyes while Ren joined in on the giggling, too.

  “Well, we all deserve a good rest, that's for sure.” Leinor yawned. “I feel like falling asleep just sitting here.”

  “Agreed. I’m beat!” Poli grunted.

  “Then go back and sleep; I’ll go up to the wall for a stroll.” Ren stood up, stretching, already recovered.

  “You still have energy?” Isha moaned, not believing her eyes. "Did you two finally do it?"

  "No," Leinor answered, making Ren put.

  “That was too fast an answer..." She muttered, shaking her head, "I ate a good dinner; I feel fine!” Then, without giving Leinor time to react, she leaned in, kissing his lips.

  ............

  While strolling under the bright moonlight and taking in the fresh air, Ren felt indeed rejuvenated. Yet, after the second round, she noticed a small, red fairy sitting on the edge of the wall, silently crying as her teardrops fell into the deep abyss below.

  “It’s okay. You are safe now.” Ren whispered, going next to her and gently patting her head as she sat down on the edge.

  “I... I know.” The little one sniffed, trembling a little at her touch before wiping away the tears from her eyes.

  “You are Rem... Yes?"

  "Um..." She nodded.

  "Then... Thanks. Father told me it was you who flew here so fast to call for help. You saved us!”

  “I… just wanted to return the help,” Rem murmured, sniffing.

  “You did, and if anything comes up, just ask, and we will help you again,” she said with a smile, dangling her legs fearlessly over the edge.

  “A-aren’t you afraid of falling? You can’t fly!”

  “Ahaha, no, I’m not afraid. And why would I fall?” Ren ughed, “It’s fun sitting up high, watching the stars, no?”

  “You sound like Oyna….” Rem murmured as she kept looking at her.

  “Oyna…?”

  “My… wife. She… she was the one who… who went to find you first when they… attacked,” she sniffed in a sad voice, on the verge of crying again. Just by mentioning it, Ren immediately recalled the small body they found at the camp when they first arrived.

  “I see… sorry for your loss...” She sighed as she slowly caressed the little fairy's head.

  "Thank you..." She muttered, wiping her ears, "What's your name...?"

  "It’s almost the same as yours~!” she ughed softly. “It's Ren! We could be sisters.”

  “Ah…?” Rem blinked her eyes, surprised.

  “What, you don’t think it’s possible?”

  “True… you are the smallest human I have ever seen!” The fairy nodded her head rapidly, making Ren flinch.

  “Ugh… right in the feels…” she twitched her mouth with a hurt expression.

  “Ah, s-sorry, I didn’t... I, um!” Rem yelped out, trying to figure out what she said that was bad.

  “Ahaha, easy, it was a joke! A joke! Don’t panic!” Ren patted her panicky face. "We humans like to joke. It's fun... and I like having fun."

  “Ohh… I’m still… not used to… humans. Ahaha… ah… Hauh...”

  “Worry not; you need time to heal and rest, getting used to us, so just take it easy, and in the meantime, we will protect you all, Rem." Ren whispered, smiling at her, "You have my word for it. Come, I’ll take you back to the others!” She stood up, smiling, and stretched her hand towards Rem with a warm expression. As the little fairy took her hand, forming a small but still smile on her plump face, there was a feeling bubbling up inside Ren that maybe, just with a little push... The demons may not need to be fighting with the humans at all.

  Corty