Pax wasn’t the only one who flinched as they heard the growing noise of Astra’s wings buzzing while she zipped back toward their group from across the field of flowers. The ones who’d been stung multiple times during the battle or cut by the guardian’s air attacks were the most sensitive. It might take some time for their instincts to connect that sound with an ally instead of an enemy.

Pax peered into the distance behind Astra and relaxed when he saw Talpa leading the others back who’d gone out to take care of things with her. Traveling by ground was definitely much slower.

Titus, of course, was all smiles as he held out another handful of treats for his new companion as she returned and hovered in front of him. The breeze churned up by her wings blew his hair back from his face. His grin filled with self-satisfaction when he turned back to Pax. “I bet you didn’t count on how much Astra would help us with today’s mission.”

Pax had to smile, shaking his head with a bit of wonder. “I hadn’t even thought of all the benefits. She’s amazing.”

Titus was right. For a normal Taming, the advantages in battle, like fighting or scouting, were obvious. But by Taming a member of this beast nest, they now had inside knowledge of everything in the area.

Astra had shown them all the passageways on the third level and the best way to get up to the fourth. The glitterflare hive members hadn’t built up there, but they’d explored enough to know where everything was.

When Titus had described the altar to her, she’d known exactly where it was. As soon as those following Astra got back, they’d head up together. Astra had also explained that the drones and the queen were harmless other than a last ditch defense should something attack them at melee range.

“Now we don’t have to wipe out the entire nest.” Titus cast a greedy look toward the remaining members of the beast nest, still busy with flowers and comb. He looked back at Pax with plans swirling in his eyes. “Can you imagine a squadron of warriors and mages with glitterflare fighter and guardian companions? Imagine the hit-and-run tactics they could manage.”

Pax nodded, visualizing how powerful a combined wave of air attacks would be. They could drop fragile containers full of all kinds of the dangerous things Tyrodon loved coming up with. Even concentrated stinging attacks hitting from all angles could be deadly to enemies.

“And scouts.” Enthusiasm filled Titus’ voice as he shook his head and smiled. “They could easily relay orders and critical information across distances in real time. Astra says she has a top speed she can’t show off inside here and a range that I think translates to fifteen or twenty miles.”

“If only we didn’t have to kill so many.” Pax looked at the broken bodies around them.

Titus shrugged. “A lot of the fighters leave the hive at first light, so there will be plenty still alive out there. Blocking off their return paths will keep them from getting back into their home until we get back with Taming volunteers. Beasts grow fast and besides, scouts and spies are going to want younger and smaller beasts, anyway. Speed and stealth are more important for them.”

“We’re back,” Dahni called out, a bit out of breath but smiling as he and Rin jogged up behind Talpa and the two stonepaws.

The earth-based companions looked quite pleased with themselves, too. Girrec and Crissim, who brought up the rear, both had the expressions of impressed surprise that were becoming pretty commonplace around Pax and his crew.

“You closed off all the exits to the outside already?” Surprise flared in Pax who’d thought they were coming back for rest or supplies.

Dahni grinned in pride. “With Rin’s Levitate, we could get right where we needed to instead of spending forever climbing up. Talpa just swam up through the walls to get there and help out. And Onyx and Warden were a big help manipulating the earth to make it stable enough to hold. I don’t think any of the glitterflare fighters are getting back inside until we let them.” He paused and scanned over the terrain above them. “Though, with enough time, I expect they could dig a new entrance, especially if they sense the alarm pheromones or signals released during the battle. So, we should get things ready for them in a day or two, pretty much as soon as we can after finishing up with the altar.”

Astra’s buzzing intensified, and Titus nodded at them. “She agrees that we should take care of it all soon. The fighters often stay out a night or two in the Wilds, but when they come back and find the entrances blocked, they’d go nuts.”

Pax nodded. “Then let’s go take care of the altar so we can get back and take care of that.”

It didn’t take too long for everyone to get back into a formation. Titus and his crew were still in front, but this time, Astra, with a torso almost as long as his, led the way.

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She led them directly toward a columnar rock formation at the back of the cave. The area was a mix of contrasts between nature and constructed structures. The field of flowers that would look normal up on the surface glinted under the unnatural light radiating from the comb covering most of the walls and ceilings.

Now and then, Pax caught glimpses of remnants of what must have been orderly rooms on an administrative level of the light headquarters. Chunks of wall bulged up between flowers. An almost intact window protruded out of the comb along one wall, mostly overrun by the hive's chaotic expansion. Under the thick, pulsating comb, Pax could occasionally make out a piece of a tapestry or a pattern that suggested a piece of furniture lay beneath it.

The faint glow over everything added an eerie, otherworldly light to it all, casting strange shadows and highlighting the change to the floor wrought by the glitterflare beasts. The air was thick with the strange, cloying scent of the flowers mixed with the sharp tang of battle behind them. An occasional whiff of musty stone or something like old paper added to the confusing contrasts of the place.

Pax couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for the lost beauty of a significant chunk of the mages' domain, now forever altered by the hive's invasive presence. Yet, despite the changes, there was a strange sense of harmony adding life to what had become an ancient tomb.

Thankfully, the entrance to the ascending stairwell wasn’t too much of a climb over the jumbled chunks of broken wall that the glitterflare residents had simply flown over.

With little difficulty, both crews made it into the stairwell, returning to a territory that looked like a building instead of some weird amalgamation of meadow, beast nest and ancient offices.

Without the comb providing its odd illumination, they all switched on their light sources. Shadows jumped everywhere, especially when Pax’s crew pulled their headlamps out of their inventories and strapped them to their foreheads. Pax was glad Tyrodon had remembered to have him renew the Illuminate spell on them this morning before they left.

Pax felt everyone’s tension return around him as they made it to the opening to the fourth level. One door hung askew while the other was completely missing. Astra flew right through, seemingly unconcerned.

Eyes sharp everyone, Pax sent the reminder over the Echo.

Titus replied as he took the first step out onto the fourth level. Astra says there’s nothing alive up here. She’s leading us right to the altar and promised to warn us about anything unexpected.

To Pax’s surprise, their travel across the length of the fourth floor to the altar was completely unopposed. After fighting for every step on the level below them, it was a welcome break. Up here, ‌it seemed not much had changed at all, other than the ravages of time.

Anything that could fall apart, had. Scattered piles of dust sat in corners and on pieces of still intact furniture, kicked up as they traversed the wide hallway. Someone stifled a cough as they took the time to check the rooms on either side for any active dangers.

Some of them extended into suites, with additional rooms shooting off the main one. That, more than anything, reassured Pax that they had found the right place. Extravagant spaces like those were usually the domain of the most powerful of leaders. He assumed they’d want the nexus of the base’s control, the altar, nearby.

A faint light from ahead pierced the darkness around them. Astra flew right toward it. As they stepped up to a wide entrance, Pax glimpsed the familiar outline of the altar in the faint light beyond. The doorway was taller than any other on the floor, with remnants of intricate carvings decorating its frame. The ceiling flowed up from it to a lofted center arching over the wide and spacious chamber.

Natural light filtered in through broken sections of the ceiling, casting some light over the surroundings and making Pax wonder if there was another shaft leading to the outside to bring in natural light. They’d found something similar feeding light to the bramblemaw in the power room deep below them when they’d first explored this place.

Everyone stashed their lights and kept weapons ready as they stepped inside the large altar chamber and looked around. The altar stood directly in the center of the space, holding the central place of importance.

Made of a dark, almost black stone, it seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it. Its surface was polished to a near-mirror finish, somehow shedding the layers of dust and debris that should have settled it over the years. Pax could make out faded engravings and symbols adorning its sides, making him hope he could discover clues to forgotten runes among them.

Tyrodon must have noticed the same thing. Pax heard him suck in an excited breath behind him, but thankfully restrained himself from rushing forward.

The altar itself was about waist-high, an octagonal column with a flat top that had shallow depressions and grooves, as if many hands had rested atop it over the years. What looked like precious metals capped the eight corners, with four of them larger and more ornate than those between them. Now they were tarnished and corroded, but still hinted at the wealth and reverence once associated with this place.

On the walls, Pax saw images the ancients had carved into large panels of what was either a light wood or thin metal. Gunk and debris shrouded many of the details. Still, excitement filled him as he wondered what they’d find once they cleaned things up.

Pax could see hints of mosaic tiles decorating the floor around the altar. A few areas clear of debris revealed a pattern that radiated outward, emphasizing the altar's central role in the chamber. Pax wondered if he’d find similarities to the patterns in his student light manual.

Finally, there were stone benches arranged equidistant all around the edges of the chamber, with fanciful beasts carved into the legs that begged for a closer examination. Slight depressions in the benches made it clear that many people had used them for years during ancient times.

Pax felt a chill run down his spine as he stepped closer, the air around the altar cooler than the rest of the room. He couldn't shake the feeling that time had frozen here, echoes of the past just waiting for someone to come and reawaken it all.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Amil nudged Pax to take another step forward. “Time to see if that altar will make you king of this place, right?”