Chapter 445 - A New Generation of Bee-fenders? (Patreon)

Today was shaping up to be a busy day for Belissar. No sooner had he finished congratulating the new bees did he find Chief Rohsuak requesting his final approval to take the spiderkin children into their first battle. Belissar was still reluctant, but ultimately decided to follow Chief Rohsuak’s judgement.

Still, he asked the bee army to send a formation in case they needed to intervene and kept a close watch on things through his Tower sight. Chief Rohsuak and Metsaitti gathered with the spiderkin children in the karnuq settlement, then led them to Belissar’s new challenger branch. The chief kept them away from the traps and flowers for now, both for safety and to stay out of the way of the other challengers, and instead roamed in an open area to hunt remnants.

Soon, they came upon their first challenge. One of the small wolf-shades appeared, growling at the group. Chief Rohsuak nodded to the First Spiderkin Queen, then stepped back, leaving it to her.

First Spiderkin Queen spun around in a happy salute, then focused on her enemy. Her eyes narrowed and her gaze locked onto the shade, then she hefted her weapon. The spiderkin children were each equipped with a bundle of smaller javelins, First Spiderkin Queen took one and began spinning a web, wrapping it around the end of the javelin. The other spiderkin followed her lead, once they were all ready, First Spiderkin Queen hoisted her javelin high.

“Attack like hive of hives!”

With a shout, she charged to the left, half of the rest of the spiderkin following along with her. First Spiderkin Queen then turned to head straight towards the wolf-shade, surprising Belissar with the speed at which her spider legs carried her. The shade snarled and ran to meet her, but First Spiderkin Queen veered off, pulling away from the shade…much like a soldier bee squad aborting a dive.

And, just like how the hive of hives would do it, the other half of the spiderkin charged in from the right while First Spiderkin Queen’s group evaded. They thew their javelins and one managed to strike home. The wolf-shade yelped as a spear lodged itself in its backside, then again as the spiderkin pulled on the web attached to the javelin, stopping the shade’s charge.

The wolf-shade wheeled around to assault its new attackers. But, now that it had stopped pursuing her, First Spiderkin Queen spun around and resumed her own attack. With the shade coming to a halt as it turned, First Spiderkin Queen’s group had a much easier time aiming. A volley of javelins fell upon the shade.

The shade burst into mist, the smaller remnant version unable to withstand the damage. First Spiderkin Queen, who had been reaching for another spear, paused…then threw her hands into the air and shouted.

“We did it! We won!”

All the spiderkin children began to shout and spin around, until Chief Rohsuak stepped up to them and cleared her throat.

“Well done, hunters…but your hunt has only just begun. Remember what I told you?”

First Spiderkin Queen jumped and then rushed around to hush the others.

“No making noise while hunting, need stay quiet.”

Chief Rohsuak smiled.

“Then, have at it. This was only the first of your victories.”

The spiderkin children all nodded, trying to hold in giggles as they smiled, then First Spiderkin Queen led them in another hunt. Belissar took the opportunity to start a Tower conversation with Chief Rohsuak.

“The spiderkin…are stronger than I thought.”

Chief Rohsuak chuckled.

“Spiderkin grow quickly, it’s what made fighting them so difficult in the past. With their ancestral memory, they were already born with the knowledge, they just needed a bit of practice to turn it into experience. They even inherited some techniques from your bees.”

Belissar nodded along.

“I noticed that, were they trying the squad attacks on the ground? That would help if they fought alongside the bee army…and if they used those web spears to tie a shade down…”

Belissar started to imagine the spiderkin taking part in a battle. If they could throw spears from a distance, then they wouldn’t be in as much risk as he had feared. And if they could hold an enemy down, then they could help the bee army’s lancers get a dive in, or give Beero’s battlecasters time for a spell-dance.

Chief Rohsuak smiled.

“That is precisely their hope. First Spiderkin Queen always talks about how they’re going to fight with the hive of hives, so she has specifically trained with their methods.”

Belissar’s eyes widened. When imagining the spiderkin children fight, he had always been imaging them fighting alone. To think that, all this time, the spiderkin children had been training to fight alongside the bees. To one day help the hive of hives, however they could.

Belissar couldn’t help but smile along too.

“When they’re done, I’ll tell them they can train with the bee army, maybe join them for some purifications.”

Chief Rohsuak grinned.

“They’ll be very happy to hear that, Tower Keeper.”

***

Belissar fully intended to welcome the spiderkin children back from their hunt, but they would spend most of the day challenging, so Chief Rohsuak said she would inform him when they were wrapping up. In the meantime, Belissar decided to tackle another group he had neglected.

So, he requested a meeting with Auchias, with Hirkolos and Sehfitis along to assist. Hirkolos and Sehfitis brought Auchias to the karnuq settlement, to the structure that had previously been used as a prison for Hirkolos’ former comrade. It was empty now, but it still had some furniture, so it made for a convenient meeting place.

Auchias marched in and gave a salute.

“Tower Keeper, you have need of me?”

Belissar nodded.

“Yes, please sit. You both too, Hirkolos, Sehfitis.”

Once everyone was seated, Belissar got into it.

“How are the former Tower Guards doing?”

Auchias kept his face neutral as he replied.

“We appreciate the mercy you’ve shown us thus far, Tower Keeper. A steady supply of food has alleviated many concerns, though I’ll admit it’s been an adjustment gathering it ourselves. Many of the Tower Guard did not expect to find themselves farming, particularly those that only surrendered at the end.”

Belissar frowned.

“Will it be a problem?”

Auchias shook his head.

“Those who came with me are just grateful to be alive. Those who surrendered later are not, but they understand your power even better than us. They cannot complain now that you have beaten them so thoroughly, such is the way of dragons. The strong do what they will, the weak suffer what they must…and they are clearly weaker.”

Belissar didn’t particularly like that train of thought but decided to switch topics since there wouldn’t be a problem.

“I would like to talk to you about that, actually, about having some of you do some other jobs. You met with Lord Aratodel on challenge design, right?”

Auchias nodded, so Belissar continued.

“The fair folk would like some of you to act as instructors, to guide their dungeon masters and their own challengers on how the Tower Guard earn their blessings.”

Auchias furrowed his brow.

“We would be sent to the…fair folk, then?”

Belissar shook his head.

“Not at first. The fair folk…aren’t entirely comfortable letting humans into their homes. Some of them have come here to challenge my Tower, though, so you’d be helping them.”

Auchias relaxed a bit.

“We will do as you command, Tower Keeper. I have to admit, though, I’m relieved if we’ll be remaining under your rule. The stories of the fair folk are hard to ignore.”

Belissar crossed his arms.

“The fair folk have been nice to me so far…well, mostly. But they won’t hurt you, at the very least, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

Auchias gave a light nod.

“You have my thanks, Tower Keeper. There are some former captains among us besides myself, all ones that I trust. They would be well-suited to that role, or else can recommend former subordinates who can assist.”

Belissar then moved on to his next request.

“Thank you. Besides that, are any of the Tower Guard ready to join my Tower?”

Auchias froze, then his eyes went wide.

“Tower Keeper…do you mean you will now take us as your Tower Guards? I know we spoke of this before but…will you truly trust us with that honor?”

Belissar nodded.

“Hirkolos has already become a great defender. And, you all, the ones who surrendered first, chose to stop attacking when you realized it was wrong. I think, now that you have enough food, that some of you can start meeting the rest of the Tower. And if you can earn the blessing of the God of Bees, then I can only approve.”

Auchias fell silent for a while. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he finally replied.

“I see. In that case, I recommend Soltiotis, Germistis, Fulepou, and Beroura. They were the first to take a stand, the ones who sought the will of the gods, and the ones who convinced me to act. If there are any among us who deserve a second chance at this life, it is they.”

He glanced over at Sehfitis.

“Auger, I should let you know that Beroura initially trained as an auger before becoming a Tower Guard. It was he who contacted the God of Light and discerned her will. Perhaps…”

Sehfitis smiled.

“I would be pleased to resume his instruction, should that be the role he desires.”

Sehfitis then paused and began rubbing his chin.

“In fact…we have much sacred work that could be done in this Tower and few dedicated to doing it. The God of Bees is unknown to the Conclave and we have not yet established how best to worship her. If he would be willing, I would request his help, even.”

Auchias bowed his head.

“I am grateful, auger.

Belissar then tilted his head.

“How about you, Auchias?”

Auchias sat back in his seat, heaving a deep sigh. He took a moment before he began to speak, bowing his head as he did.

“Tower Keeper, I thank you for your trust. However…I am old. I dedicated my life to serving Lord Starami and the God of Dragons, only to have betrayed them both in the end. It was the right thing to do and I do not regret it…but I think my time as a Tower Guard is over. I apologize, but I cannot fulfill your expectations.”

Belissar just nodded.

“That’s fine, you’ve been really helpful just taking care of the other Tower Guards. Let me know if you change your mind.”

Auchias lifted his head and blinked.

“…Tower Keeper Belissar, I mean this in the best way but…you are very different from Lord Starami.”

Belissar actually smiled at that.

“I’m happy to hear that. I don’t want to be anything like a Tower Lord like him.”

And so, the group discussed a few details. Hirkolos would reach out the former Tower Guards Auchias had named, if they agreed Belissar would then introduce them to the rest of the Tower. Auchias would arrange from some instructors that Belissar would introduce to the Silver Host, while Belissar would also invite the Circle masters to come and meet with the instructors at their convenience.

But, through it all, Belissar developed a nagging feeling, as if he was missing something terribly important. He glanced over at Sehfitis, who kept coming to his attention for some reason.

Then, all at once, it hit him. His eyes opened wide and began to quiver.

Sehfitis had been busy watching over the former Tower Guard recently, so he hadn’t been present at the end of the special purification. As a result, Sehfitis, the former auger of the Conclave, the person in the Tower who revered the gods more than any other…had missed the God of Light’s incarnation. Belissar hadn’t even told him about it yet.

All Belissar could think of then…was how angry the Oracle of Flowers had been at Tarwantrad…

Author’s Note:

Amazing, incredible! First Spiderkin Queen wants to help the bees! Now that is a good defender for best dungeon!

Unlike some other sillies. See, Sehfitis, if you had been taking care of the bees instead of the silly non-bees, maybe you wouldn’t have missed the queens of all things. It really is your fault for prioritizing silly things instead of amazing, incredible things. It definitely isn’t because King forgot.

Anyways!

Will the spiderkin get to fight alongside the hive of hives? Will the silly non-bees contribute to the Tower? Will Sehfitis realize his, and definitely no one else’s, egregious mistake? Tune in next time, to find out!