The Bee Dungeon

Side Story 203.1 - The Best Laid Plans of Non-Bees

With the victory celebrated and the choices made, the time came for everyone to depart for the night. Belissar turned to Tarwantrad after dismissing the queens back to their hives.

“So…I should inform you about purifications, huh? Both when we start and when we finish?”

Tarwantrad nodded with a serious expression.

“Indeed. If you are willing to have me there, I would even join you for the purifications. I will not let your tower fall.”

Belissar blinked at that for a moment before tilting his head as a question came to his mind.

“What about the daily purifications?”

Tarwantrad stiffened.

“…daily purifications? As in…you face a purification like this…every day?”

Belissar waved his hands as he shook his head.

“Ah, no, not one like this. One of the smaller ones, you know, the ones the Tower makes us do once a week but that we can do early? We do one of those every day, they aren’t as dangerous since they’re smaller and don’t send anything new at us that I’ve seen.”

Tarwantrad’s expression remained stiff.

“I…see. Belissar, if I may ask, how long has it been, then, since you’ve become a Tower Keeper?”

Belissar paused, tilting his head once more.

“Huh, I’m not sure, actually. I haven’t really been keeping track. It’s definitely been longer than a month, maybe a couple? The seasons don’t change in the Tower so it’s hard to tell.”

Belissar blinked as he found Tarwantrad gaping at him. He was trying to think of what more to say when she closed her mouth and flattened her expression.

“I see. In any case, no, I don’t think it will be necessary for you to inform me about the daily purifications if you have been handling them without issue thus far. Do inform me about any larger ones, however, or even if one of the daily ones causes you concern. I will help you however I can, Belissar, and if need be the Circle will as well. Do not forget that our people’s future depends on your tower’s survival.”

Belissar blinked once again before slowly nodding.

“Got it. I’ll let you know if anything happens. And…uh…thanks, Tarwantrad. I appreciate the help.”

Her face softened back into a smile at that.

Tarwantrad walked through one of her gardens under the night sky. She furrowed her brow and rubbed her chin, muttering to herself. She hardly paid attention to where she walked but roots and vines seemed to move themselves out of her way.

Belissar had proved far different from what she first assumed from the tour. Many of her and Urubran’s takes on his dungeon had just been proven wrong, or else inaccurate in magnitude. The most concerning of which was the sheer danger Belissar faced.

Daily purifications. Daily. Belissar’s dungeon was purifying so much Hunger that it could manifest a purification every single day. The dungeons of the Circle did so once a month, if that. They channeled their power through the Compact’s wards to protect the entire land of the fair, and yet did not face that level of assault outside of emergency situations. Tarwantrad trembled when she thought of what those situations might translate to for Belissar’s dungeon. And all that on top of not only being rejected, but actively attacked by his own people.

And yet, Belissar had survived. Not only that, his dungeon was far younger than Tarwantrad had assumed, and yet had still survived. That, along with his handling of the dungeon’s purification rewards, painted him in a different light from her first impressions. His achievements grew far greater and his flaws much lesser in light of the far shorter time frame in which they had occurred.

Additionally, the council he had held afterwards revealed that the dungeon was not as monster-led as Tarwantrad and Urubran assumed. Belissar had been clearly in command, the bees hung on his every word while the karnuq deferred to him in dungeon matters. He had done his utmost to listen to all the defenders of his dungeon and take their opinions into account, yet he had clearly been the one making the decisions in the end, and setting forth the direction the dungeon would take. She had wondered whether the efforts the bees were making had been them taking matters into their own hands, but now it seemed they were striving to achieve Belissar’s vision with their own efforts. Belissar was simply not micromanaging them at that level, giving them room to grow on their own.

Tarwantrad wasn’t sure whether to be worried or relieved. Belissar faced far greater danger than she had assumed and she could not help but fear what may befall his dungeon in the future. Yet, Belissar turned out to be a more capable leader than she had feared and had achieved much in the face of adversity greater than any master of the Circle could imagine.

That gave Tarwantrad hope. Hope that not only would Belissar be able to adapt and survive, but that he wouldn’t need to change who he was to do so. That he could remain the man who built Belissar’s Beehouse while leading a dungeon strong enough to endure what the Hunger and the world would throw at it.

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She stopped pacing about, her expression loosening even as she clenched her fist. She nodded to herself.

And from now on, he wouldn’t have to do it alone. Not if she had anything to say about it.

Second Queen Berbiya resisted the urge to rub her temples.

“We have been over this, Penaseconza. We cannot reach out to the Sacred Den Master’s enemies because they are innately hostile to our people.”

Third Queen Penaseconza scoffed.

“So we have been told, solely by the servants of the Sacred Den Master. Hardly a credible source in this matter.”

Second Queen Berbiya held her retort. Letting herself get drawn into yet another heated argument would cause this day to end as many before it, with raised tempers and zero progress towards an actual decision. Instead, she let the third queen smirk all she liked while she herself organized her thoughts. Indeed, if she thought clearly, Third Queen Penaseconza had a point. The only thing they knew about the supposed invaders was what Chief Rohsuak had told them, and she would be clearly biased about the enemies of the Sacred Den.

So, why then did Berbiya feel the way she did on the matter? And how precisely should she convince the others of her opinion.

Penaseconza frowned.

“Hello? Berbiya? Don’t tell me the obvious truth has shocked you into silence?”

Berbiya spared her a glance before looking around to make eye contact with her fellow queens.

“No, you are right.”

The sheer shock on Penaseconza’s face was almost worth that admission on its own. But Berbiya had bigger things on her mind, like the future of her people.

“It is true that we know nothing of these supposed attackers and cannot trust what the Sacred Den has to say on the matter. I will admit as much. But it does not matter.”

Penaseconza frowned, but Berbiya turned to the First Queen instead. The First Queen held her gaze for a moment before motioning for her to continue.

“Our isolation is broken now, whether we like it or not. We cannot afford to remain uninvolved any longer, even if we attempt to hide ourselves the Sacred Den Master knows of our existence. If and when these attackers return for the Sacred Den Master, we will have to make a choice.”

Penaseconza crossed her arms.

“Does it? What does their fight have to do with us?”

Berbiya now gave the third queen her attention.

“Because, even assuming Chief Rohsuak lied about their opinion of beastkin, they are at odds with the Sacred Den Master with whom we have an agreement. Once their hostilities resume and both sides are aware of us, both sides will want us to take a side, will attempt to force us to do so, and will fault us if we do not. Should one side prevail over the other while we remain on the sidelines, they will then turn their attention to us and it will not be favorable. Or worse, what if the attackers attempt to use our territory for their assault? If we did nothing to prevent it, that would break our agreement with the Sacred Den Master, who would thus be free to do as he pleases with us should he survive. Or what if the attackers prevail and take our lack of support for tacit allegiance to the Sacred Den Master? We must make a choice, lest it be made for us. And the earlier we make that choice, the better prepared we can be for the consequences, and opportunities, that may result.”

Penaseconza fell silent. The First Queen furrowed her brow.

“So, if another assault occurs we could be committed to one side or another regardless of our intentions.”

Berbiya nodded. The First Queen rubbed her chin before letting out a sigh.

“Second Queen Berbiya is correct. If we will be committed regardless of what we do or don’t do, then isolating ourselves from a conflict is no longer an option. Our best course of action is to decide whose side we will take, prepare ourselves for that eventuality, and do our utmost to ensure our chosen side’s victory. The question then is…whose side should we take?”

A Tower rose in the middle of the smoldering, charred remains of a forest, surrounded by tents on the ground and flying reptiles in the air. Deep within, in its very core, Lord Starami stood, clad in dragonscale armor. His similarly clad Tower Guard stood at attention, surrounding one very despondent man kneeling on the ground. Lord Starami ignored him as he passed through a newly built shortcut straight to the exit.

He made his way to his tent, pausing for barely an instant at the sight inside. He managed to control his expression as he made his way into the tent, greeting the unexpected guest sitting on his throne.

“High Councilor Stadvolous. I did not expect to see you out here.”

The high councilor scoffed.

“Of course you didn’t, Starami. The movements of the High Council are not yours to know.”

Starami held his expression.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Stadvolous waved his hand as he took another sip of Starami’s dwindling mead supply. His only consolation was that Stadvolous paused after the sip.

“Huh, this is unexpectedly high quality. It even bears the hints of mana. Where did you acquire such a drink?”

Starami’s expression darkened.

“From the village that fool burned.”

Stadvolous shook his head.

“So yet another egregious failure on your part. I will have to make do with what remains, then.”

Stadvolous then sneered as he placed the cup on a side table.

“But I am sure you grow tired of the reminders of your current position. So, rejoice, Starami. Circumstances are such that you have the opportunity to redeem yourself in our sight and bring such things to an end.”

Starami narrowed his eyes but nodded.

“Go on.”

Stadvolous steepled his fingers.

“Your failure nearly cost us everything. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what the sudden inspection of your affairs by the High Council meant for our designs, or the lengths we went to prevent such an outcome? Even now, the High Council’s gaze is fixed upon you.”

Starami frowned and nodded silently. Stadvolous then slowly rose to his feet with a smile.

“But therein lies your opportunity. We have confirmed the High Council’s gaze is fixed entirely upon you at present.”

Starami raised an eyebrow slightly. Internally, however, the dots began to connect in his mind. High Councilor Heigiosa spent all her time chasing the gods above, while High Councilor Rippotis thought of nothing but war. He was now leading a war that the gods themselves had directly intervened in. It was a miracle neither high councilor had insisted on leading the effort themselves.

“I see. So, you wish for me to keep their attention?”

Stadvolous smirked.

“I am glad you still possess some wit about you. Indeed, you have made good time thus far. It would be suspicious for you to linger now and we need updates for them to hear, so you cannot slow your pace. That does mean, however, that you will reach the edge of the rogue Towers you have scouted before we are ready. You must find a way past the sea of the Hunger by the time you do, so that you can continue to make active reports to the High Council past that point. And if you manage to arrive at your destination after all, you must ensure the situation becomes as complicated and drawn out as possible.”

Stadvolous’s smile turned slimy.

“If you manage to survive and if you manage to hold their attention long enough, then perhaps you might still be of use to us, enough even to justify our efforts in keeping you around. So do try not to disappoint me again, Starami.”

Starami narrowed his eyes as Stadvolous took yet another drink of his mead.

“As the High Council commands.”

Stadvolous gave him another smirk at that.