The Bee Dungeon

As Belissar met with the Circle dungeon masters, the bees and the karnuq prepared for an Underway expedition. Metsaitti led the karnuq this time, consisting of their most veteran hunters along with Noigakkuq for her nose. They were accompanied by several squads of monster bee soldiers and a contingent of medicinal bees from the Second of the Sixth’s hive, while the digging and blinding bees would form a forward screen. Juosiutik supplied them with as many antidotes and potions as they could carry.

The goal today was only to reach the sigmaka and deliver a formal message on the situation, but Metsaitti had no delusions that the spiderkin would not be watching the entrance tunnel Paloiku had retreated to. There was every chance they would have to fight their way through and back and he prepared for that exact scenario.

The digging bees, on the other hand, would start scouting the immediate area and try to determine just how close the spiderkin were, and then set up lookouts to keep an eye out. If possible, they might begin tracing the webs. The main goal, however, was just to ensure the karnuq wouldn’t be immediately ambushed upon entering the Underway proper.

The digging and blinding bees flew ahead, using workers as their main scouts this time. The workers made their way through the entrance tunnel until they arrived at the Underway proper. There, as Metsaitti had feared, they found web strands hanging across the entrance and the ground, small enough not to be noticed. The bees could fly past without disturbing them, but the karnuq would definitely snap them. Even if they got through the ones across the entrance, the ones on the ground would register the vibration of their footprints, just like how the digging bees did.

The digging workers spread out and checked the Underway immediately beyond, but did not find any sign of the spiderkin. After confirming there wasn’t an immediate ambush waiting, they got to work. For the web strands hanging across the entrance, the workers used wax and propolis to glue the strands to the edges of the entrance and then chewed through the parts hanging in the air, keeping the strands leading deeper into the Underway taut while clearing the way. For ones on the ground, they carefully chewed through the part heading into the Underway, then used their own Ground mana to stabilize the ground nearby and minimize vibrations.

Once this was completed, they signaled the main force. The karnuq and the non-digging bees were thus able to travel to and from the sigmaka without issue. Afterwards, some of the digging workers stayed behind and began to map out where the webs led…

Belissar had brought the Circle masters to the Orchard, where Chief Rohsuak, the First of the Fifth’s First Daughter, and a representative for the battle meadow queens, the First of the Second this time, were coordinating the Tower’s preparations. There, the immortal, centuries old masters of the Circle could share all the wisdom of the fair on the art of war.

There was just one slight hick-up.

“You’ve…never actually fought anyone? None of you?”

“It’s not my fault, Beely! No one in the Compact is allowed to fight anyone except in boring old duels with even more rules than the actual Compact itself!”

Tarwantrad still couldn’t meet his gaze.

“So…um…those of us born after the signing of the Compact…haven’t had to deal with any intruders besides the Hunger…um, I could go ask Nenavann for advice? He might have fought someone…way back when…”

Tamosmed just shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m a craftsman first and foremost. I can advise on your fortifications and provide weapons and armor, but I’m not arrogant enough to tell you how to use them.”

Chief Rohsuak’s eyes lit up at that.

“That would be immensely helpful, Dungeon Master Tamosmed. Our hunters could very much use weapons and armor, as you’ve no doubt seen.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Tamosmed grunted.

“That’s certainly true. I’ll be back, then.”

Tarwantrad quickly began nodding her head as Tamosmed walked off.

“Let me speak with Juosiutik, I can provide whatever alchemical ingredients she may need, as well as some potions of my own. Please let me know if you wish to use any plants in your plans as well, Belissar, I can help you grow them quickly.”

With that, Tarwantrad went to speak with Juosiutik before returning to the Compact as well. Belissar turned to look at Princess Finnakynne.

“What? Why’s everyone looking at me now?”

Princess Finnakynne tried to hold her head up and away…but she soon crumbled under the combined gaze of Belissar, Chief Rohsuak, and the bees, and began waving her hands around.

“I don’t really make stuff like them, ok?! But I’ll be helpful, promise! I can do traps and illusions and stuff! Magic! I have pixie magic! Just let me at them and I’ll have them dancing in the palm of my hand!”

Of course, since they were currently in the Orchard by the joint hive, workers from the Fourth of the Seventh’s hive were flying about, tending to their daily tasks. And, of course, being the Fourth of the Seventh’s workers, they always kept an eye out for anything new happening while conducting their tasks. So, a pair of those workers was listening as Princess Finnakynne protested. One of them turned to the other and began to dance.

“But…small King-thing’s palm too small? How dance on?”

“Don’t know but want to see! Will tell queen mother how once know!”

Princess Finnakynne fell silent and then slowly drooped down to land on the ground, holding her head.

“I’ll be helpful. I-I’ll definitely be helpful. I’ll definitely mess with those spiders for you, Beely! Just you wait and see!”

Before Belissar could say anything, Princess Finnakynne shot into the air and flew into the nearest shortcut. And then sheepishly flew back a few minutes later, covered in volcanic ash, and turned to the nearest bee.

“Um…can you tell me which way the exit is?”

Later that day, Tamosmed and Tarwantrad returned along with Nenavann. Belissar and company filled Nenavann in on the situation and awaited his evaluation.

“I see. I have indeed fought with spiderkin in the far past, though that was before the time of the Hunger so I am not certain how much of my experience applies here. The spiderkin I’ve fought were only one piece of ancient human armies and we fought on the surface, I suspect our battles were much different than the one you will face.”

Belissar frowned.

“So…do you have any advice? Or could you help directly?”

Nenavann rubbed his chin.

“I have little experience with subterranean combat and your bee army seems well organized as is, so I cannot comment on their techniques or battle plans. I will say this though: make sure you guard your rear as heavily as your front. Keeping the path for your supplies, your reinforcements, and, in the worst case, your escape route open and safe is of key importance in war.”

Tarwantrad frowned.

“Couldn’t you flood the tunnels, Nenavann?”

Nenavann shook his head.

“It would be possible, but I would caution against that as anything but a last resort. I cannot condone the indiscriminate loss of life and destruction of the environment as a member of the Circle, and my direct participation in this war would complicate things with the Compact as well. Moreover…you can never be sure just what is dwelling in any given part of the Underway. It’s best to avoid such widely destructive measures unless we are certain we will not earn the ire of something worse. Depending on how close to the surface the area is and how much mana we use, we could even call the Hunger down into the Underway in the worst case.”

Chief Rohsuak’s face darkened.

“A lesson we learned firsthand…”

Belissar’s face fell, but Nenavann walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

“What I can do, Belissar, is keep watch over your Tower while you fight. I absolutely can flood the tunnels here should the Hunger attack while your defenders are occupied, or if the spiderkin maneuver around you to strike at your home. I will ensure your Tower does not fall, no matter what happens.”

Now that put a smile back on Belissar’s face.

“Thanks, Nenavann. That helps a lot.”

Nenavann gave him a smile and a nod before glancing around.

“…speaking of complications, I don’t see Princess Finnakynne? I was under the impression she visited today?”

Belissar frowned.

“She rushed off to try and mess with the spiderkin, or so she said. The bees are blocking the entrance to the Underway since it’s dangerous, she’s trying to convince them to move. I figured we should stop her, right?”

Nenavann heaved an exasperated sigh. A pouting Finnakynne was retrieved later under threat of getting her mother involved and the promise to include her in the battle plan.

Belissar’s Tower and allies spent a few days preparing as the digging bees slowly followed the webs through the Underway. Tamosmed equipped the karnuq hunters with metal weapons, though he had to put together new armor to fit the large bearkin. The bee army and karnuq trained together in the Underway while the trapper did her best to prepare them for the webs. The sigmaka suffered an attack as well and pledged to join the assault in response.

And then the scouts reported back. The digging workers had located the spiderkin, who were indeed setting up a permanent settlement…and their numbers would soon grow if left alone. The time had come to launch the assault.