The Bee Dungeon

It was morning of the next day. Belissar and the soldier bee army gathered by the Tower entrance. Chief Rohsuak soon arrived with Metsaitti and a group of karnuq hunters, and moved to greet Belissar.

“Hello Sacred Den Master.”

Belissar nodded at them.

“Hello, thank you for coming.”

Chief Rohsuak inclined her head.

“Of course. Would you mind sharing your plan with us?”

Belissar nodded and motioned to the bee army overhead.

“The bees have been training for this, so they should be able to handle it. If you don’t mind, could you come with me to the other side of the room? It would help if you could guard that, in case something goes wrong.”

Chief Rohsuak saluted in the karnuq fashion and turned to Metsaitti, who commanded the hunters to move out. Belissar turned to the queen leading the army today.

The bees all danced their own salute as one, and then Belissar moved to join the karnuq and walk to the other side of the Flower Meadow. The karnuq were glancing around and gripping their weapons, but the Hunger didn’t stir. Chief Rohsuak smiled slightly.

“So, it’s true. We really won’t be challenged just for our presence in the Sacred Den.”

Belissar nodded.

“Looks that way. That’s really convenient, you should be able to move it once we’re done here.”

Chief Rohsuak’s smile grew.

“So it seems.”

With no remnants appearing, the group made their way to the Flower Meadow exit without any issue. The karnuq eyed the Bee Barracks curiously but Metsaitti barked orders at them. They tore their eyes away and began to take up positions by the tunnel through the barracks to the room’s exit. Chief Rohsuak turned to Belissar.

“That’s the place you’d like us to guard, correct?”

Belissar nodded.

“Yes, thank you.”

Chief Rohsuak nodded and watched the group arrange themselves. A few moments later, she turned back to Belissar with a serious expression.

“We are ready whenever you are, Sacred Den Master.”

Belissar nodded and then shifted to his Tower sight. No bees were present in the Dirt Tunnels at his request, so he was able to move it without any concern. He placed it in front of Flower Meadow and removed the second entrance for now, so that the only exit was out into the far side of the Flower Meadow.

Once he confirmed the changes, the Tower’s mana rumbled. The gate in the Flower Meadow shifted into a cave opening into the Dirt tunnels. Meanwhile, the Orchard moved up to the second floor, and the exit of the Flower Meadow now displayed the staircase heading there.

The soldier bee army buzzed their wings and held their positions. Belissar sent them a message.

“Everyone ready?”

The queen in command saluted. Belissar took a deep breath.

Attempt expansion purification? Estimated purification strength: small.

“Ok, here we go.”

Expansion purification attempt commencing.

The karnuq jumped and glanced every which way as the Tower’s mana began to surge. Soon the gate in the Dirt Tunnels slammed opened and the Hunger began to coalesce once more. The karnuq shivered as the chill of the Hunger passed through the Tower’s mana. The bees stood at the ready.

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Belissar paid them no mind, his sight focused on the entrance as the Hunger began to coalesce. It was down on the ground, so probably not a flying shade…but then it split into two before the shade began to emerge. Or, in this case, shades.

Two sets of paws dug into the subterranean dirt. Short and rounded feline heads emerged with two pairs of glowing red eyes, one set forward in the normal position, a second set on the sides of the shade’s head. The body was mostly feline, similar to the mountain lions Belissar knew but a bit smaller and far more lithe. Also, with a pair of bug-like wings on their backs. They ended with long and thick tails stretching out behind them.

Expansion purification begun. Remaining hostiles: 2

“It’s started!”

The karnuq refocused at Belissar’s shout, while in the Dirt Tunnels the shades let out a roar and began to run. Belissar’s eyes widened as they crossed the entrance room in an instant.

Fast!

The shades’ feet launched their light forms across the rooms, their wings beating to push them forward. They didn’t fly but they moved so far with each step they were practically gliding. Their long tails extended outward, keeping them stable even as they soared.

And they launched right over the first Pit Trap without even touching it.

They did slow down somewhat as they approached the first turn, but their wings spread out and their tails whipped around, allowing them to reorient themselves with minimal speed loss. They flipped around and began to run along the walls for a bit before straightening out, one taking up a position behind the other as they flew through the tunnels. The Sticky Honey Traps Belissar had placed activated, but the shades were long gone before honey even left the nozzles.

It seemed this time the Hunger didn’t plan to fight the bees at all.

“Be careful! There are two ground shades moving super fast! They’re probably planning to run right past you!”

The commanding queen saluted and began to give out orders to the army. They tightened their formation around the entrance, forming a near solid wall of chitin around it. Belissar was incredibly grateful for the Dirt Tunnels, as the twisting labyrinth gave the bees a chance to adapt. Still, he was worried. With the bees so tightly packed, a single attack like the wolf-shade’s mist or the bird-shade’s lighting would cause massive damage. But with the sheer speed the shades were currently displaying, he didn’t think there was a good alternative. He would just have to hope these shades didn’t have an attack like that.

The shades rushed through the tunnels, though several times they hit dead ends and had to backtrack. Belissar noticed that they never checked the same tunnel twice…probably because of the trail of blackened dirt they left whenever they touched the ground. That was unfortunate, but the Dirt Tunnels still bought some time, far more than they would have had otherwise. Still, the shades’ sheer speed meant they were approaching the exit far faster than Belissar might have hoped. He called out as they rounded the last corner before the exit.

“Here they come!”

A group of sprayers took up positions right in front of the entrance, abdomens already pointed down the final hallway. The shades rounded the corner and slowed slightly. They growled at the sight of the bees in front of them and then spread their wings. Black mist gathered around them and then they swung their wings. A burst of black mist pushed them forward, causing them to surge down the hall.

The sprayers, though, were already launching their attack. The queen, heeding Belissar’s warnings and Niobee’s further description of the shades, had ordered them to spray their toxins before the shades came into range. The venom spray was thus flying through the air before the shades made it through.

The venom caught the first shade right in the eyes. It howled and twisted, trying to paw at its face. As a result, it tripped and tumbled to the ground, falling right into the final Pit Trap of the Dirt Tunnels. It fell with a crash and then was covered by the honey trap at the bottom.

Unfortunately, with its wings spread wide, all of the toxic spray had hit the first shade. The second shade behind it was unaffected and pushed forward, leaping over the pit. It pushed its wings forward and gust of wind poured out of the entrance, pushing aside the sprayers as the shade burst into the Flower Meadow.

At which point it was set upon by the soldiers.

A solid dome of soldier bees collapsed on the shade from all sides. It beat its wings again and pushed some of the ones in front off course, but the bees on its side and top managed to land on it and thrust their stingers into its body. The shade howled and took off running, but the soldier bees clung on tight, expecting it to try and escape. They continued to sting it over and over.

The shade tried to whip its tail and beat its wings, but both of these were designed for speed. The tail was too thick to whip all the way around and the bees evaded it with ease. The wings were too light to do anything meaningful to the tough soldiers, and they simply ignored the ineffectual blows. The shade tried to stir up its black wind but the soldiers kept clinging on.

With no other course, the shade took off running, hoping the bees would fall off. But as it did, a second encirclement took up positions and launched their attack. With its attention focused on the bees already on its back, the shade failed to react. Another group of bees landed on its face and shoulder and began their own attacks.

The shade howled and collapsed to the ground about halfway through the Flower Meadow, just within range of the karnuq’s sight. They gripped their spears tight but the ball of bees and black mist didn’t move any further.

Shade purified. Remaining hostiles: 1

Belissar released the breath he was holding and then turned his attention to the other shade. Smoke billowed out of the entrance to the Dirt Tunnels as the Apiary soldier bees had already dropped flame radishes on the other shade.

All hostiles defeated. Purification successful.

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