The alvearix charged forward and clashed with the spider brood. Resuming the carnage, however, this time it was much different. The spider's aggression was dialled up to another level. Throwing any caution to the wind.
A warrior clashed with a spider head-on. Reflexively, the warrior swung its bladed arm at the spider, without care, the spider lunged into the blade, impaling its head through its arm. My son tried to dislodge the blade, but the spider's body gripped it too tightly, preventing it from moving. With one weapon down and a spider weighing him down, he never stood a chance.
I gave the order to retreat, sacrificing ground to make space between us and the spider.
“Just what's got into them!” Sally, Penn, and I retreated to the rear of our army at the same time. I sent a signal throughout the hive, pulling away as many combat-ready units as I could to reinforce this front.
<SPITTERS! Focus fire on the commander. I want it to be a steaming pile of organs by the time you're done!>
Almost immediately, a rain of green blobs flew from outside the square onto the commander. The blobs splashed onto the spider's body like nothing else, turning its white armour a deep green. However, the acidic venom didn’t do anything except roll down the side of its armour.
<Dammit! It's tough! forget the commander, focus on the smaller trash!” I tapped into the weave and pulled some of the combat units from the other front to reinforce this position.
<Sally!>
<You don’t need to say anything, mother!>
She jumped into the fray. As she soared, green and purple blood pulled towards her and mixed to form a spear.
“AGHHHAHAAAAA! GET OUT OF MY WAY,” she landed square on a spider's head, crushing it and swiftly jabbing her spear into another nearby spider. Before the spiders copse touched he ground, she was off. Slicing through the approaching spiders, removing heads and limbs with ease, creating a small gap.
My children, seeing the gap, charged behind her, making a spear, splitting the army spiders down the middle. Once Sally was through
“PENN! How do we kill that thing?”
She let out a bloody cough that caused her skin to go pale. Dammit, don’t tell me.
“Penn! PENN! I NEED ANSWERS DAMMIT. How do we kill that thing?” No response. She was utterly unconscious. Crap at a time like this… I looked at the two warriors by her side. <Watch Her.> My gaze turned to the commander. That thing is trouble. With armour that tough, I don’t think Sally has the tools in her arsenal to deal with that. So that leaves only one other person. My vision blurred and went black as my mind disconnected from the fly. My eyes opened to the sight of an empty wax-covered room.
<I hate this>
I looked at my hand and watched as black mana flared up between my fingertips. This will probably work, but my hand clenched into a fist. No! This has gone on long enough. If I can end it in one blow. Then there is no question. I shot to my feet and started walking.
<Mother? Where- >
<I'm going to the front lines. Keep digging that tunnel. >
I didn’t wait for them to speak before bolting down the tunnel in a blur. I'm confident my mana can go through its armour. However, how do I do that? I have no doubt that the moment I arrive, all chaos will break loose. I will need to be quick. However, I also need it to be ranged. Think diva, think. My wings unfurled as I arrived at the hole that led back to the hive. In a flash, I took off and bolted upwards, black mana swirling out of my hands and body.
I kept going up and up until finally I burst into the hive. I quickly scanned around. The usually busy hive was now deathly silent. The nurses were hiding away in the nursery, and the workers were scattered. Assisting in the fight in any way they can. My wings beat like a regimental drum as I flew out of the mushroom farm and quickly made a beeline for the battlefield. At the same time, I played with the black mana that flowed out of me. Something ranged, huh? The mana was collected and spread out into a thin line.
<This might work. Bah, my mana manipulation is still ass, but I think I might be able to pull this off if it works.>
The line of mana I made curved in towards me in a crude, uneven way.
<dammit! It will have to do, but this battle has highlighted several shortcomings. Just hold on, Sally, I'm coming. I'll put an end to this as soon as I can>
Sally pov……
Dammit. There are so many of them. I hurled the spear forward, impaling one of the spiders in the head. Instantly, my poison blades shot out of my arm. The spiders saw the gap and jumped at me, but I was much quicker. My blade quickly found the neck of two spiders, beheading them on the spot. Quickly, I dashed to the side, causing another spider to overshot and send itself into the ground. I was ready to finish it off when suddenly one of the warriors crushed its head and joined me.
<Cover my rear!>
<Yes. Sister.>
I got ready to move when I caught a glimpse of a tendril flying towards me. Dammit. I pushed the warrior to the side just in time for the tendril to implant itself in the ground. Perfect. I grabbed hold of the tendril and pulled hard. The tendril went taut as I ragged the massive spider towards knocking dozens of spiders to the side.
< There's a space! Push!.> I sprang forward, leaving the jester to be dealt with by the There was a clear path leading to the commander. I had to push. I charge through the space, followed by a bunch of combat units. I pulled the remaining blood towards both my hands, making two spears. It's not much, but I have to do something to get rid of that thing.
My eyes locked onto the commander's many heads, and he did the same to me.
< Let's dance, big guy>
I leapt past the trash and charged down the commander. The commander's head focused on me and began to move. The first head swooped down
*SCREEEIIIIIEEKKKKKKKK*
My hands snapped to my ears as the shrill shriek stopped me dead in my tracks. My vision blurred slightly as a wave of sickness washed over me. Dammit sally. Pull yourself together! I held down the vomit and kept moving, getting closer. The shrieking got louder. Causing the world to twist around me
<gyaghha! WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY!>
I hurled both spears at the spider's mouth, one went wide whilst the other implanted itself inside the soft flesh of the spider's jaw. The spider reeled back, smacking its head against the wall and sending wax and rocks onto the ground and most importantly, stopping the shrieking entirely.
I gave my head a good shake and kept moving. I looked behind me and saw the remaining warriors and combat units fight off the remaining spiders. Dammit, it looks like I'm alone. I drew in more blood and made more spears, hurling them at the spider's head. The commander tried to move, but its body collided with the side of the tunnel. Its large size is working against it.
The spears found their target, hitting the spider. But annoyingly, its armour was tough, causing most of them to bounce off. Dammit. Think, Sally, think. What else can I do with this blood around me? Maybe I could-
A loud shriek hit my ears again, but this time it came from the other head. Before I could react. A green, noxious gas spewed from the spider over the battlefield. The gas had an awful smell similar to rotten eggs. However, besides the awful smell, there is nothing else. No poison, no illusions. Just what does it aim to do with this-
My eyes bulged as several yellow sparks suddenly appeared from the spider's head.
<EVERYONE RETRE->
Suddenly, my vision went white.
A Few moments later…..
<Sally>
A familiar voice hit my ears. Who is it? I like this voice.
<Sally.>
Who is this person? And why do they sound worried? Is something wrong?
<SALLY!>
My eyes snapped open. I was staring at diva. Her face was a mixture of pain, relief and worry.
<Mother…. What are you…what happened.>
<Don’t worry. Your safe. I got here just in time.>
I looked to the side, mother's wings flapped gently in the air. However, there was something wrong with the edges of her wings, which were smouldering with black embers.
<Mother, your wings.>
<Don’t worry. I'm fine.>
A loud, shrill shriek hit my ears. Dammit, it's still alive.
<mother. I can->
<You’ve done enough. I'm gonna end this now. We've lost too much>
Mother's eyes glanced towards the ground. I did the same. What I saw made my eyes bulge; the ground was scorched and pitch black. Nothing was left. Friend or foe, it was all incinerated.
<mother. This is.>
<dont say anymore. I will.... process this later. Right now, I need to end this.>
She flew down towards the ground and settled me down next to Penn. She was completely out. Her skin was starting to blister and boil, but she was still alive. Dammit, if only we had an antivenom. We could've stopped this.
Suddenly, a loud, shrill shriek hit my ears. I looked towards the commander; green gas was still spilling out of its mouth. Dammit, I need to help mot-
“Listen here, you overgrown house spider.” Black mana erupted out of her palms, spreading out from her body.
“You come here into my territory, My Kingdom, and slaughter my children! Killing you isn't enough! I'm gonna erase you. Not even the earth will remember you after I'm done!”
Mother mana erupted into violent bolts of block arcing out around her and leaving thin grooves in the ground where the mana hit. Out of nowhere, the mana coalesced and formed a solid black bar that bent backwards at the end. Mother turned the bar vertical, and suddenly, a thin black wire connected the ends of the bar together.
<Mother……Is that a bow… When did you…>
Black mana erupted from mother's other hand. The mana twisted and formed into an arrow that flickered, hissed, and oozed malice.
The creature let out another shrill shriek. And suddenly, dozens of spiders started to flood into the tunnel.
“Too little, too late”
Mother pulled the arrow against the string. As she did, her mana ramped up and up. The arrow grew in length, reaching a good 1 meter long. She held it for a brief moment, and then finally she let loose.
The arrow launched, crossing several meters in a blink as it tore the ground beneath it, leaving a dark gash in the land. The commander noticed something was wrong and tried to escape, but it was too late.
The arrow hit the spider dead centre, barely slowing down, it carved through its body, tunnelling through its carapace and out the other side, leaving a large circular channel through its body. The spider didn’t even have time to register its death before it collapsed on the ground. Blood and organs leaking out of the channel like a leaky tap.
What powerful magic….
…..
Somewhere in the consecrated forest…
*sigh* <What a complete failure….> My connection to him was severed. What happened. The last report was that the false queen showed up, and then he died. Just what did she do? This is all very annoying. So many pawns lost for no gain. Well, that’s not entirely correct. The false queen has lost many as well. No way she will be able to rebuild quickly.
<Mom. Is everything fine?>
I looked towards the spider drone. Annoyingly weak creatures. If they were stronger……. Whatever. The past can't be changed, and besides. I do still have a few cards to play. But I will need to wait first, and when the time is right. I'll have her head.
……
Diva pov:
< It's…. over> A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over as the bow fizzled into nothing.
New Spell added
Voidpiercer.
A bow and arrow of destructive magic. That erases everything in its path.
I swiped the box away to pull up my status; that one attack used almost 90 per cent of my mana. I'm lucky it I wouldn’t get a second shot if it didn’t.
My mind tapped into the weave. Ordering all the combat units to devour the remaining spiders. Like Penn said, as soon as the commander died, they became totally useless;, their bodies were rolling on the ground uncontrollably. Speaking of Penn. I quickly moved to where her body was. She was luckily only on the outskirts of the blast.
“Penn, are you still with me?”
I waited for a moment. Still no response. I put my ear to Penn’s chest there was a heartbeat, but it was faint and very slow.
“Dammit. Even if I heal her, the poison will still be in her system.”
Her heart was still weak and getting weaker. Dammit, to lose her so soon is annoying. She had potential.
“Mother…”
I turned around to see Sally limping towards me, her skin was burned, revealing the pale yellow endo skeleton that was beneath her skin.
<is she…. Can you->
< She's a goner. Shame she had potential.>
<Is there nothing you can do?> her voice oozes concern for Penn. It's rare to hear her voice show concern for anybody else besides me.
<Nope, healing her is pointless as long as the poison is in her system, and besides, I think the damage may be too much for my current healing abilities.>
Her eyes glanced towards Penn.
<I thought you didn’t like her>
<I thought her being here was redundant and a drain on resources for the hive. But seeing her leap into defend the hive…. Maybe I was wrong about her.>
<Do you want her back?>
Sally's face lit up. <can you do that?>
<No promises. But I have something in mind that might save her>
<Alright. It's not only because you are my only daughter, but she will be your responsibility if she survives.>
On cue, 4 pincers shot
Are you sure you want to spend 10,000 biomass?
YES NO
My mind focused on yes. It's been a while since I converted something. I forget just how intense it is; my body was like a furnace. The heat is increasing. I looked towards Penn and pulled her into an embrace.
<Sally, I leave our bodies and the hive in your care”
She nodded <As you wish… and thank you, mother.> With those words, my pincers swung down into her body.
Immediately her eyes shot wide open and she let out a hoarse scream. Magma hot fluid gushed down my pincers into her body. And like before. Her blood vessels started to turn pitch black. I felt a tiredness wash over me. Signalling that it was time for me to enter her mind. I pressed my head against her forehead, and soon the world went black.
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