The Bee Dungeon

Chief Rohsuak made her way to the Sacred Den once more. She was currently kneeling by the Shrine of Bees, her eyes fixed on the sight before her. Spread out on some basic cloths were trays of golden honeycomb, along with several shimmering flowers. She frowned, furrowing her brow as she looked up. There stood a young man with hardly any fur save for his head, and tiny ears of pure flesh attached to the side of his head rather than the top. He was trying, and failing, not to fidget as he waited for her response.

She slowly shook her head.

“I am sorry, Sacred Den Master, but we cannot trade for these.”

The young man scowled at that.

“Why not? Are you saying it’s not good enough?”

Chief Rohsuak quickly shook her head and held up her hands.

“Quite the opposite. We have nothing at present that would be equal in value. We would starve ourselves if we tried.”

The Den Master froze, blinking repeatedly.

“Huh?”

“Sacred Den Master, do you not know what it is you have brought today?”

The Den Master crossed his arms.

“Um, mana flowers and mana honeycomb, right? I mean, I figured the mana part was special, right? But...it’s still just honey, right?”

Chief Rohsuak exchanged a glance with Metsaitti. Metsaitti’s fellow hunters were not so subtle, and simply balked at the Den Master’s statement. Chief Rohsuak’s mind raced.

Leaving aside the young man’s assertion that honey itself was not an exceptional luxury, any object containing this much mana was a priceless treasure. Much less if it was an edible foodstuff. Such a thing could be used as is to stimulate the growth of a person’s mana, which, if successful, would make them capable of deeds beyond the mundane. And even the most minimal of processing could turn a mana-infused food into either a powerful medicine or a deadly poison.

A mana flower, on the other hand, wasn’t as readily useful, but was just as, if not more, valuable. It contained a more basic form of mana which would require further processing to achieve any particular effect, and thus greater knowledge and skill to put to use. But the flip side of that was that it was far more versatile, and had countless potential uses in the right hands. It could be cooked into magical foods, brewed into magical potions and poisons, burnt to power mighty spells, or crafted into magical artifacts...and those were just some examples that Chief Rohsuak was aware of. And this mana flower, in particular, had no discernible attribute besides the faint Nature one all plant life contained...which meant it could be used to achieve practically anything, though it would be less efficient than a flower with a more specialized attribute. But given how rare such flowers were to begin with, having a flower on hand that could work for any intended use case was beyond valuable.

Which meant the Den Master’s statements were either made from complete ignorance or unbelievable wealth. He either had no idea of the true worth of what he possessed, or he had so much of it that it was worthless in his eyes. And Chief Rohsuak needed to determine which.

The Den Master presented himself as the former. He seemed deeply uncomfortable, even fearful of them despite the fact that he held their very destiny in his hands...not to mention the army of bee monsters flying overhead. He wore tattered clothing that was clearly patched by hand and without much skill. At first glance, he appeared more impoverished than they did, despite their long and desperate travels.

But still, a part of Chief Rohsuak could not help but remain wary. While every Sacred Den was different, all of the masters she was aware of tended towards imperiousness. They were powerful figures who were blessed by the gods and possessed mighty armies loyal only to them. Most such individuals did not hesitate to assert their authority. Those that acted humbly were the most dangerous, crafty schemers who preferred to hide their hand and disarm with a smile. She could not completely rule out that this was all some sort of elaborate game, and that the Sacred Den Master was taking their measure to adjust his schemes.

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On the other hand, though, this was the smallest Sacred Den Chief Rohsuak had ever heard of, much less personally encountered. And this Sacred Den Master had shown his hand. Even now, his larger monster bees flew overhead, while their smaller members kept a constant watch on the camp. Thus far, his overall actions were indicative of a lack of experience as opposed to an elaborate deception.

But that situation was no more comforting than the first, perhaps even less so. For if this Sacred Den Master was truly as inexperienced as he appeared, then he would be quite unpredictable, maybe even volatile. If he was this nervous just conversing with her, how much or how little would it take to make him lash out? What would he consider an insult? What would he consider a deception or betrayal? Did he truly wish for nothing from them, or was he stockpiling his grievances until the day he would break and avenge them all?

For example, Chief Rohsuak could remain quiet, and trade the basic seeds and tools the Den Master requested in exchange for the incredible treasures he offered. She could simply state that his ignorance of their value was not her responsibility, and that she simply accepted the price he offered. She could even take advantage of his ignorance and drive a harder bargain, using the situation to gain immeasurable profit. But if she did so, and sometime later he came to understand exactly what their value was, and then came to realize that she had known from the start...how would he respond? Would he shut the doors of his Tower, barring them from the blessings of his patron? Would he react in violence and rage and drive them from his lands altogether?

Long had their people wandered, driven out of land after land until they were but a shadow of their former selves. They knew firsthand what the displeasure of a Den Master could look like...as well as what the friendship of such a person could provide. This one was acting like frightened prey, expecting to be hunted at any moment. But even the most docile prey was dangerous when cornered, and a herbivore provoked to violence even more aggressive than the most vicious predator.

So, when a young man with the demeanor of frightened and unpredictable prey held the power of a Sacred Den...only the most foolish of hunters would dare to provoke him. How much less when the lives and futures of her people depended on his good graces?

“Sacred Den Master, what do you know of magic?”

His eyes glanced about rapidly before he looked away.

“Um...not much?”

Chief Rohsuak nodded and made her decision. Initially, she had intended to deal with the Den Master cordially, but distantly. In truth, her people were at the end of their rope, their numbers cut to the edge of collapse, and their resources all but drained. They could not afford to continue sojourning. They needed time and a place to rest. So, they would have no choice but to give in to any demands the next Sacred Den Master made of them. She had been prepared to fight such a person in the field of negotiations, to try and satisfy their desires while preserving her people as much as she could. Such was the only way to deal with an imperious Den Master who ruled over their lands.

But this Den Master...was not imperious enough. Of everything she had prepared to deal with, no demands save not to harm his defenders was not a situation she had ever anticipated. And while it seemed incredibly fortunate for her people, she felt it was dangerous to leave the Den Master in his present state. If her people were to make this place their home, then they at least needed predictable reactions from the Den Master that ruled it. They needed him to understand and protect his own interests lest they accidentally provoke him.

“Then, would you like to learn?”

The hunters gasped at that. Even Metsaitti was taken aback. One of the more...excitable of their number spoke up.

“Chief, you can’t be serious!”

She silenced him with a look before turning back to the Den Master as his face scrunched up.

“The items you have offered are incredibly useful for any number of the mystic arts. The only thing we possess of similar value right now are our own techniques in those arts. So, how about it?”

In truth, she intended not only to teach the Den Master magic, but the art of leadership as well. Of course, success in that could mean consequences for her people. It was her intention, therefore, to establish a closer relationship with the Den Master.

However, her people had embarked on their long sojourn due to such a relationship gone wrong and would not be eager to bow to any authority. Likewise, she predicted the Den Master would recoil if such a thing were offered. So, she decided to start slow, and create the opportunity for further interactions. Both sides could grow more used to one another, and if she were to help the Den Master grow she would hopefully give him a positive opinion of her people, such that he would use what she taught him on their behalf.

It would be risky, but the alternatives were to leave and give up the best opportunity for a homeland they would ever find, or else to walk on eggshells for the rest of their lives, hoping they would not provoke an unpredictable Den Master. Chief Rohsuak would not have led her people this far if she didn’t know when to take a calculated risk or two.

Besides, a close relationship with a Den Master could bring a people unimaginable boons. And she felt that this Den Master would not likely demand unacceptable terms in response.

The Den Master frowned even more, narrowing his eyes at her. She met his gaze with a smile.

“I...want to see what your magic looks like, first.”

She nodded.

“Of course.”

And so, Chief Rohsuak decided the future of her people. She could only hope that she had chosen wisely.

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