The Bee Dungeon

The Firstborn finished her pondering as she laid another egg. The karnuq told of her of many things and the blessings of the gods. The Firstborn was not so sure about that after some consideration. Initially, she thought it would be a given that she would grant her devotion to the Queen of All Bees…but was that the case? She was innately a member of the Hive of All Bees as all bees were, but her first loyalty was to the King and his hive of hives. If she were forced to declare her allegiance, would it be to anyone other than the King? Would the Queen of All Bees approve of a bee who followed a hive other than their own, even hers?

The Firstborn could not answer those questions. But the blessings of the gods was not the only thing the karnuq spoke of. The Firstborn decided to focus on one particular aspect of the fighting one’s advice and in doing so found she knew what to do next.

She turned to the nearest communer and sent her decree through her hive.

“Will train with soldiers now. One day, will fight with.”

Her hive’s reaction was immediate.

“Queen mother, no!”

All of her nearby workers began to swarm over her, forming a protective ball that also served to restrict her movements. The soldiers on guard at the barracks entrance flew inside and lent their bulk to the pile. Even her daughter queens ceased their own hive management and crawled over, antennae flicking and wings buzzing in concern.

The Firstborn remained still and allowed them to express their refusal. Monster bee hives were normally ruled by their queens, but her authority was not absolute. If her children felt her life was in danger or the very existence of the hive was at risk, their instincts would take over. She could guide those instincts but to refuse them outright would be difficult, to say the least.

And that is exactly what she needed to do now.

She waited for her hive to calm down, remaining still. The workers began to slow down, resting on top of her for a moment. They slowly began to drift away from the ball, watching her every move as they did so. She continued to stand in place. The workers took distance as they grew reassured she was not about to fly away and into danger. Soon, the last worker let go of her and gave her enough room to dance.

“King decided to save Beero when crippled instead of leaving to die, as normal. Now, hive of the fallen is critical to safety of hive of hives.”

Her children buzzed again when she started to move but calmed down when they realized she was dancing.

“Fourth of the Seventh decided to save drone instead of exiling. Now, drones crucial to tie hive of hives together.”

The communers danced their agreement with that.

“First of the Fifth gave us honey. Could not have built big army if rival queen didn’t decide to help instead of fight.”

The Firstborn noted her workers and gardeners antennae droop at that. She walked over to them, brushing their antennae and spreading soothing pheromones.

“Hives of the First Dynasty fell using normal swarms. Third Queen of the First Dynasty of the First Spawner tried something different. Bee army uses her tactics to succeed.”

The soldiers could only dance a salute at that. The Firstborn spun, looking at each of her children in turn before she continued.

“Hive of hives does not act normal. Cannot act normal. Cannot defend hive of hives with normal method.”

One of her workers began to dance.

“But…doesn’t mean queen needs to fight!”

A wave of agreement dances passed through her hive, but the Firstborn was firm in her reply.

“Does. Queens lead hives. Fourth of the Seventh explores Beyond herself. First of the Fifth tastes honey and changes processing method herself. Second of the Sixth heals wounded herself.”

She looked at each of them once more.

“Only Flower Meadow queens don’t. Hive can’t protect hive of hives if queen won’t.”

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Silence hung in the air as not a bee stirred. Eventually, one of the soldiers started a hesitant dance.

“But…if queen dies, hive dies.”

The Firstborn, though, immediately denied that.

“In normal hive, maybe. But we are hive of hives. If wounded, will join hive of fallen. If fall, daughters can take place. Even in normal hive, workers can raise new queen if first queen cannot do job.” ȒÁŊΟBÈs̩

She then did a direction dance, causing her workers to turn and look around them, to the other hives filling the barracks.

“And even if hive falls, hive of hives will endure. As long as protect King and Tower, true hive will never die. So, must protect, no matter what.”

Her hive stood still once more, with the occasional buzzing of wings. Her workers and soldiers stirred, though none of them performed a full dance. The Firstborn said no more, standing still as she let them consider her dance.

She knew what they would decide. They were her children and she was their queen. She knew them as they knew her. They would have to war against the strongest instincts they possessed…but they were the defenders of the hive of hives. They were those who faced invaders that could destroy entire hives in an instant. They flew into the jaws of death without hesitation. There was no danger nor terror that would hold them back.

And so, the Firstborn was not at all surprised when one of the soldiers danced the slowest, most hesitant salute dance she had ever seen. One by one, her workers, soldiers, and daughter queens began to join in, until her entire hive saluted as one. The soldiers then began to dance.

“Ok…but will protect queen. Queen must listen, stay as safe as possible.”

The Firstborn danced her own salute, even as her antennae began to twitch. Now that they had agreed, she would follow any stipulations they gave. After all, she was asking the most difficult challenge she could of her children, to risk that which they wanted to protect most for the sake of the hive of hives, and they were rising to the challenge.

She could not be prouder of them.

Tyhgak and his friends joined the rest of the karnuq hunters as they gathered at the entrance of the Tower, led by Chief Rohsuak and with a small swarm of bees buzzing overhead. They stood in the very first cavern of the first Dirt Tunnels, right next to the gate to the outside world and the first Shrine of Bees that stood there. Chief Rohsuak turned and faced them, straightening to her full height. She frowned at them, her eyes glowing softly like the embers of a fire.

“Who among you will challenge the Tower? Who among you will face the enemies of the world, to be found worthy in the sight of the gods? Who among you will risk life and limb to defend our home and its keeper?”

The karnuq hunters all shouted and saluted together. The bees danced a salute dance as well. Chief Rohsuak nodded grimly.

“Then face your Tower as a challenger must, and may the gods find you worthy.”

She stepped aside and the first group gathered. Tyhgak and his squad, now including Noigakkuq, stepped forward first. They checked their weapons and supplies, took deep breathes, and nodded at one another, as well as the squad of bees that would follow them. They steeled themselves as they peered into the tunnels ahead, faintly illuminated by flickering beeswax candles.

“Let’s go.”

Tyhgak could swear he felt something in the air shift as he spoke and took a step forward. It was as if the air solidified, now resisting his steps instead of flowing freely. He felt as if something was watching him, and felt a slight chill go down his spine. His expression grew grim.

He could feel it in his core. This was no longer their home. This was like the Underway, where danger lurked in every corner and predators stalked their steps.

He stayed light on his feet as the group crept forward. Noigakkuq frowned.

“Wait, trap ahead.”

Tyhgak nodded and poked the ground. The seemingly solid ground vanished, revealing a pit. Confirming that the Tower’s defenses would now activate against them.

Like the Sticky Honey Trap that began to spray from the other side of the pit.

Fortunately, Tyhgak had stayed on his toes and so was able to leap back before he was drenched in the purple maddening honey. Equally fortunately, the group had come prepared for a pit trap this time. Once the honey trap stopped, he and his fellow spearwoman gave Noigakkuq a boost to leap across the pit. She was able to secure a rope that the others could use to cross.

And just like that, the first group of karnuq hunters resumed challenging the Tower, with more following after each had some time to proceed. As for the first, Tyhgak kept his eyes moving and his spear close. Chief Rohsuak and Metsaitti had heavily impressed upon them all that, even though the Tower Keeper did not intend to hurt them, the danger would be very real. The Tower Keeper couldn’t stop them from falling into a pit.

And the shades that appeared to fight them would show them no mercy.

Tyhgak leapt back as a small wolf shade pounced at his former position. The karnuq originally trained to hold their ground but Tyhgak was trying something new. He had watched the bees as they fought and trained, observed as they flew in, struck quickly, and flew out before a shade could retaliate.

So, he tried to float and fly about like a bee, dodging and weaving out of the way of attacks. And then, when the shade’s momentum came to a halt, he moved to sting.

He thrust his spear forward, trying to wrap it with his mana like Noigakkuq had described. The spear plunged into the shade, but Tyhgak didn’t waste any time celebrating. He pulled his spear out from the shade as quickly as he could, leaping back before it could retaliate as a soldier bee squad would.

For the briefest of moments, he thought he saw his mana stay behind, still stabbed into the shade, but he had no time to look again. Already he was moving into his next attack, intending to keep up a constant rotation of dodges and stabs.

Just like the soldier bee army would.

One by one, the shades fell to the young karnuq hunters, and they made their way through the Dirt Tunnels…

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