“It’s dohe ogre said, his katana dripping with ichor as he surveyed the destru. Acer stood tall beside them, her vines severed in multiple pces, and missing an arm, though that was already regeing.
Kaede wiped the sweat from her brow, her heartbeat thrumming steadily now that the fight was over.
“Finally,” Kaede muttered, gng toward the colossal remains of the ant queen. The monstrous creature’s body y in a heap, its chitin cracked open from the final blow. Despite the victory, unease g her.
As she stepped closer to devour the remains, something glimmered faintly within the queen’s ruined abdomen. Carefully, she reached in, her gaued hand emerging with a translut egg, pulsating faintly with a soft, golden light.
“What’s that?” the ogre asked, stepping closer, his expression wary.
“An egg,” Kaede said softly. “A... baby queen?” She tur over in her hands, studying the faint swirl of silver within. “It’s alive.”
The ogre tensed. “We should destroy it. Another queen could mean another y.”
Kaede hesitated, her fiightening around the egg. “Maybe,” she said, “You know what, yes, let's des...”
*Crack*
"Oh look, look. It's hatg." Kaede squealed.
The egg suddenly had a slight crack from its side, before being malleable as something pushed out of it.
The ogre frowned but said nothing, his gaze flickeriween Kaede and the egg. Acer let out a low rumble, her vines curling protectively around Kaede’s feet as if to offer silent support.
*Squelch*
A tiny head popped out, glistening with a thin sheen of viscous fluid. Its mandibles, still soft and underdeveloped, clicked faintly as it wriggled free of the egg's fihe baby queen was ner than Kaede's palm, its fragile bck carapace shimmering faintly in the dim forest light. Two delicate antewitched, sensing the world for the first time.
Kaede k, holding the newborn carefully as it stretched its spindly legs, testing their strength against her gau. It let out a faint, high-pitched trill, almost like a question.
"It's so adorable," Kaede's eyes shone as she murmured, gng at the ogre. His grip on his katana tightened, but he said nothing, his distrust of the creature evident.
“Who's a cute little ant monster?” she teased, her voice soft as she stuck out her tongue. “You are.” as if uanding her words, the tiny creature let out arill, as if giggling.
Kaede's eyes practically turo stars. "Oh my gosh!" She whispered. "You're so cute, I'm gonna name you..."
The ogre immediately shot up, his exhaustion fotten as he turo Kaede. "Wait, don't!"
"Ari!"
*Thwoooom*
The air stilled, as Ari suddenly shone a purple light. Kaede turo the ogre. "I should not have dohat, should I?"
The roaned, spping a hand over his face. “No, you really shouldn’t have.”
A wave of energy rippled out from the baby queen as its small body floated from Kaede’s hands, suspended in the glowing purple light. Its fragile form began to ge—the soft bck carapace hardened, its edges shimmering with a faiallic sheen. A bck slowly grew out of the top of its head. The oiny mandibles clicked, noer and more defined, as the creature’s antewitched with newfound purpose.
Acer bristled, her vines snapping into defensive positions.
The light intensified, f them to shield their eyes. When it faded, the newborn queen had grown slightly, her once-wobbly legs now steady beh her. Ari turned her glowing purple eyes toward Kaede, letting out a low, resonant trill that echoed through the forest.
Kaede blinked, feeling a sudde settle in her mind. A faint voice, hesitant and curious, brushed against her sciousness.
{Mother?}
Kaede froze, her heart skipping a beat. “Wait. Did... did you just talk to me?” 'Artificia, what's going on?'
Army Ae has been acquired.
Species specific skills [Hive link, Adaptive carapace, Queen's Aura, Swarm synthesis] has been acquired.>
"Then that means..." Kaede turo Acer.
{Hey Acer, you hear me?}
Acer perked up, the vines on her head trembling as she leaned closer to Kaede.
{Mother? Was... Was that you?} Acer's voice sounded just like Kaede thought it would, high pitched and young, reminding her of Yui.
Kaede felt her eyes grow moist with tears as she answered. {Yeah, it's me kid. Wow you sound... Sound amazing.}
The ave the three of them a look. "I'm not sure what's going on here."
Kaede wiped her eyes quickly and turo the ogre with a sheepish grin, though her heart still raced from the sudden influx of voices in her head. “It’s... uh, a thing now. Don’t worry about it!”
The ogre sighed, running a hand through his bloodied hair. "You know, every time I think I’ve gotteo you, you pull something like this."
Kaede smirked, gently holding Ari as the baby queen curled closer to her palm, her glowing purple eyes dimming slightly as though growing tired. "Hey, it’s not like I pnned for this to happen. It’s... kind of cool, though, isn’t it? I mean, she called me ‘Mother.’ That’s adorable, right?”
The ave her a ft look. “Sure. Adorable. Until she grows into a full queen and decides to take over the forest.”
Kaede flinched, hugging Ari closer instinctively. “She won’t. Right?”
Kaede let out a sigh of relief. “See? No forest takeover. She’s on our side.” She grinned down at Ari, her fingers brushing the little queen’s antennae gently. {Right, Ari?}
{Yes, Mother. Always.} came the quiet reply in Kaede’s mind.
The roaned and turned away, muttering something about “A little too much chaos for my liking.”
Kaede straightened, holding Ari against her chest as she g Acer. The vine-covered seood quietly, her glowing green eyes fixed on Kaede. {Hey, Acer, you hear me clearly through this... Hive Link thing?}
{Yes, Mother.}
Acer’s voice was steady, calm, but Kaede could feel an undercurrent of relief.
{It’s clearer than when you use your words. Like you’re right here in my head.}
Kaede smiled softly. {Good. That’s going to be useful ter.} She turned back to the ogre, her fidence renewed. “Okay, now that we’ve dealt with the ants, we’ve got to save your people. Time to focus.”
The ogre nodded, his expression hardening as he sheathed his bde. “Agreed. The ant y was only the first step. This Razen fellow's not going to sit back while we begin our assault.”
Kaede tapped her shield, her mind rag. "We’ll start by deploying additional infiltration dro the prison to pinpoint the prisoners’ exact location." 'Artificia, how soon the drones be ready?'
Kaede nodded. “Perfect. While that’s happening, we’ll rest up and go over the pn. Acer, I want you to focus eing fully. And Ari...”
Ari tilted her small head, her antewitg.
Kaede smiled. 'You got any ideas Artificia?'
Artificia’s response was almost immediate, her calm, measured tone filling Kaede’s mind.
Kaede gnced down at the baby queeled in her palm. Ari’s eyes were beginning to droop, her earlier surge of energy clearly fading. Kaede’s resolve hardened as she gently cradled the small creature. “Alright, Ari’s staying behind. She’s too young to be out there anyway.”
The ogre let out a visible sigh of relief. “Good. At least you’re ning her into this.”
Kaede shot him a teasing look. “Oh, e on.”
He gave her a deadpan stare.
“...Okay,” Kaede admitted with a ugh. She turned her attention back to Artificia. 'Find us a spot.'
“Perfect.” Kaede stood, still holding Ari carefully in her hands. “Acer, you’re ing with me. We’ll set up a secure spot for her and make sure she’s fortable. Og—uh, you—keep watch here.”
The ogre raised an eyebrow.
Kaede grinned. “Unless you wao name you too?”
The ogre visibly winced. “I’ll keep watch.”
Kaede chuckled and motioned for Acer to follow as they moved toward the location Artificia had marked. The forest was still eerily quiet, the aftermath of their battle with the ants leaving an oppressive stillness in the air.
---
The alcove was everything Artificia had described. Hiddeh the roots of a rge tree, the entrance was barely wide enough for Kaede and Acer to squeeze through. Ihe space opened up into a small, domed chamber with walls that glowed faintly.
“This’ll do nicely,” Kaede said, carefully setting Ari down on a patoss he ter of the room. The baby quee out a faint trill of protest but settled quickly as Kaede pced her haly on Ari’s tiny head.
{You’ll be safe here,} Kaede said through the Hive Link. {Stay here a. We’ll be back soon, okay?}
Ari’s voice was soft but filled with trust. {Yes, Mother.}
Kaede turo Acer. “ you help her get fortable? I’ll set up a few defenses outside, just in case.”
Aodded, her vines moving with careful precision as she began weaving a small cradle-like structure from the surrounding moss and roots.
Kaede stepped outside the alcove, her shield materializing in her hand. She pressed it into the ground and focused, eling the Magicules c through her body. "Artificia, set up perimeter ward nodes. Let’s make sure nothis ihat isn’t supposed to."
She turned back toward the alcove, her gaze softening as she saw Acer gently tug Ari into the cradle she had made. 'Cute overload!' she squealed internally.
“Alright, little queen,” Kaede murmured. “Stay put. We’ve got a mission to finish.”
With o gnce, Kaede headed back to rejoin the ogre.
---
The gilded throne room of Falmuth ace of quiet grandeur, its high ceilings and arched windows desigo intimidate those who entered. At its heart sat King Edmaris, his imposing frame slouched in the massive throne as he swirled a goblet of wih zy disdain. Across from him stood Razen, his robes meticulously arranged and his expressioral as he delivered his test report.
“The preparations for the ritual are nearly plete, Your Majesty,” Razen said, his voice smooth but measured. “With the captured bandits, we will have suffit magical energy to summon at least two otherworlders,”
“You told me that a week ago, Razen.” The king’s voice was a low growl, his bloodshot eyes narrowing as he leaned forward. “Why, then, am I still waiting?”
Razen allowed himself a brief moment of irritation before posing his features into a mask of calm. “Patience, Your Majesty. Sudeavors require patience.”
The king scowled but said nothing, instead draining the st of the wine in his goblet and smming it down on a nearby tray. His gaze flicked to the windows, his irritation simmering. “Every moment we wait, the church grows bolder. We need results, not excuses.”
“Of course,” Razen replied smoothly. "We ha-"
He stopped mid-sentence, his attention snapping toward the arched windows at the far end of the room. Something small aallic hovered just outside, its polished surface glinting in the sunlight.
“Is something the matter?” the king demanded, his tone sharp.
Razen stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the object. It was ner than a bird, with sleek, angur edges that seemed too precise to be natural. Thin, whirring wings beat the air with meical precision, keeping it aloft as it hovered just out of reach.
“It’s a device,” Razen said, his voice ced with suspi. His eyes suddenly glowed a golden colour with his acquired skill [All Appraisal] “A struct of some sort.”
The king scowled. “From where?”
“I... am uain,” Razen admitted, his mind rag. structs of this caliber were rare, even among the most advanced magiations. Such precision and engineering hi a creator of extraordinary skill.
“Fasating,” Razen murmured, stepping closer. The device’s movements were deliberate, almost intelligent, as though it were studying its surroundings.
“Fasating or not, destroy it,” the king ordered. “I will not have spies within my castle.”
Razeated again, his curiosity outweighing his obedience. “If it is a spy, then it is unlike any I have entered.”
The king’s face twisted with anger. “Then capture it and find out who sent it!”
Razen nodded, extending his hand toward the device. A thin tendril of energy snaked out from his fiips, tg onto the struct with precision. For a moment, the device resisted, its whirring wings intensifying as it struggled against the magical tether. Then, with a faint click, it powered down, its movements ceasiirely.
“Iing,” Razen said, carefully drawing the struct closer. “It appears to have some form of protective meism, but it cks offensive capabilities.”
The king leaned forward, his curiosity momentarily overing his frustration. “ you dis its in?”
Razen examihe device closely, noting the seamless joints and the faint hum of energy still emanating from its core. “Not yet. But its design is unlike anything I have seen before. It may take weeks, even months, to fully—”
The device emitted a sudden burst of light, startling both men. Ohe light cleared, the device was already, melted sg.
Razen furrowed his brow. "We may have a situation on our hands."