In their own native language, the insectoid grunts are murmuring, bored and complaining. It was weeks ago since the last elven raid against the insectoids. There are no skirmishes happening right at the outpost. The formicidae insectoid lazily patrols at the outpost. The outposts lead to the prison cells and to the queen’s hive.
“I heard that those two-legged beings taste good.”
“Better than the usual fungi and weeds, it’s getting more stale than ever.”
“Humans, dwarves and elves are firm but juicer.”
“Why does the queen have to get all the two-legged beings? I want to taste it too.”
“Keep quiet! Unless you want to lose your head. The elite insectoids could be watching us”
Taking the lead, Averill and the rescue team take a peek from a safe corner. The others halt at their position meters away so that the insectoid grunts won’t notice them from afar.
“I wonder what they are talking about. They do chat like us.” Milas whispers at Corbin who diligently spies at the bumbling insectoid grunts.
“Shhh, use your eyes only.” Corbin lightly shoves off Milas’s annoying prodding.
“I have yet to start a tactical charge. Can you aid me, Corbin?” Averill is yet to experience actual warfare. She graduated from the elven knight’s academy years ago.
“A distraction is needed. You can command us later.” Said the experienced berserker.
Corbin silently goes back to the others waiting for command.
“Listen, prepare your weapons. Aim higher and target the gatekeepers. After they scatter, Averill will lead us.”
The elven knights with ranged weapons agree and take their arms. The archers load up their crossbow bolts, bow and arrows and slingshots. A group of larger adventurers wind up themselves to throw their heavy spears and nets. Some mages open up their spell books and begin to cast elemental missiles.
Going back to Milas and Averill, Corbin makes a tactical signal to the frontline. They give a quiet nod back to Corbin.
“Oh World Tree, give us strength till our last breath. From the days of tranquility, we charge towards the day of battle. To protect the forest in the name of Ironthorne.” Averill kneels and chants the elven knight’s oath. Plants and mosses begin to spring below her. The other elven knights recited the same oath and their equipment grew roots and thorns.
Corbin musters his strength to pull out a massive boulder. He makes a mighty turn of the boulder, then flinging it at the insectoid outpost. Milas watches in wonder as the projectile flies across the sky. The boulder crashes and smashes the unaware insectoid grunt.
“INTRUDERS!!!” The other insectoid squeals to his companions. At afar, its warning sounds like between a hissing serpentes and squashed sponge.
A hail of bolts, arrows, iron balls, spears, nets, and elemental missiles follow up. The waves of projectiles hit their targets. Larger insectoid grunts use their carapace to deflect the smaller projectiles. But there are bolts, arrows and spears that manage to snipe the weaker grunts. Their frail bodies are no match with the hail of projectiles.
“Charge!” Averill bravely picks up her shield first and proceeds to advance. Corbin, Milas and the other elven knights rush forward after the hail of projectiles. They clash against the insectoid grunts while they are still distracted.
Corbin parries the insectoid claws and mandibles with his mighty sword. He easily slashes the insectoid, penetrating their hard carapace . Milas uses her gauntlets to deliver body blows against the insectoids. Each punch shakes the insectoid’s soft insides. The insectoid grunts are confused how they are getting outmatched. Before today's raid, the earlier elven raids were not that stronger. It was the combined efforts of every race to defeat them.
The rest of the adventurers take down the outpost gate with goblin explosives. While setting up the explosives, the elven knights protect their allies..
“Take cover!” The human sapper signals everyone to evacuate.
“Hahaha, the weaklings are retreating again.” Cackled by one of the insectoid grunt, not knowing what is happening next.
A powerful, reddish explosion disperses at the outpost gate. The outpost gate crumbles and some insectoid grunts fall to the ground. Other insectoids panic and decide to retreat back to the hive.
“Listen my dear allies-in-arms, we split up into two and find the prisoners.” Averill commands a search and rescue formation. Two elven knight platoons take the frontlines while the adventurers
“We have to move fast, Averill, a swarm of insectoid drones are flying back to the queen’s lair. They could be warning the queen and sending more reinforcements.” Another female elven knight notifies Averill.
“Understood, we take the eastern wing of the compound. You take the western part.” Averil, Corbin, Milas and the rest march to the eastern compound. The other female elven knight leads the others to the western encampment.
At the southern wastelands, Ayala, Nia, Calma and the negotiation team march vigilantly. Unlike the turbulent battlefield, the wasteland is very barren. There is barely any vegetation growing. Even the creeks are dried out.
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“Can you find the insectoid hideout, Ayala?” Calman inquires the eager elven knight.
“Yes! If my bearings are right, they are currently retreating to that cavern. They often leave some trail.” Ayala confirms.
“This place could barely sustain life. I wonder how the exiled insectoids manage to survive.” Nia thinks aloud.
“The wasteland is Ironthrone’s boundary. The vegetation never reaches here. It is too harsh for anything to grow here.” Explained by one of the human negotiators
“Don’t be too relaxed, keep yourself vigilant.” Reminded by a senior elven knight.
The negotiating team enters a moist cavern. Strange enough, the disgusting-looking fluids smell sweet. The elven knights survey the surroundings for any hostiles. Ayala dips her finger at the pink fluid, smells and tastes it.
“Uhhh, are you sure it’s safe?” Calma looks worried at Ayala.
“This is a plant nectar. They probably brought some saplings to regrow it here. Let's follow the nectar trail.”
“So these insectoids are the queen’s foragers?” Nia concludes.
“Exactly! They are incapable of fighting for themselves. The grunts serve as the insect's backbone. There are also insectoid drones who send messages to the queen. And the elite insectoids serve as the queen’s protection. They are very tough and terrifying.”
“The elite insectoids can wipe out a squad of elven knights. We barely survived an assault against a single elite.” An older elven knight sighs in sadness.
“I hope Rez, Prince Randor and the rest are safe, they will face challenging enemies.” Nia expresses her concern.
While the negotiating team treks the cavern, they suddenly hear rumbling screeches. A stream of yellow string ensnares Nia. She struggles to pull herself out the yellow strings. Then several streams of yellow string disarm the elven knights. Ayala use her nimbleness to dodge the yellow strings. Calma conjures holy barriers to stop the yellow strings from further ensnaring the group. A group of weak insectoids ambushes the negotiating team. They consist of tubby coccinellidaes, fleshy annelidas, portly aphidoideas, immature coleopteras and white formicidaes.
“I thought they were friendly insectoids.” Calma is about to conjure a holy combat magic when Ayala halts her.
“We come in peace.” Ayala starts speaking in tongues. She proficiently mimics the insectoid's foreign language.
“What do you want?” An decrepit aphidoidea crawls from the ambush team. It looks wrinkled and grayish compared to its greenish companions.
The ambush team stops and pops off their stick yellow strings. Calma assists Nia in removing the sticky trap. The rest wipes off the strings from their weapons and armors.
“We have heard your plight. The queen has relieved you from your duty as her personal servants.” Ayala negotiates.
“Yes, and what is your concern? We no longer have a reason to live.”
Nia suggests a milder conversation to Ayala. She knows how to pacify an agitated individual.
“Please don’t look yourselves down. Every living being is sacred, even yours.” Ayala relays Nia’s message.
“Those arrogant elite insectoids drove us away!” An angry formicidae cries from the back of the insectoids.
“We are no match against them.” A pair of coleoptera twins tweet in unison. They are limping and look terribly injured from a skirmish.
“They were feeding the queen something strange.” A little coccinellidae crawls and begins to chirp. Its elder coccinellidae tugs its youngling away from Ayala.
“What strange food is that?” Ayala walks toward the young coccinellidae
“It looks like a metallic cube with foreign, shiny stones!” The young coccinellidae attempts to sketch the metallic cube using the plant nectar. The sketch looks rough but somehow resembles the metallic cube.
“Apologies for my child’s mumbling, it has been peeking at the queen out of curiosity.”
“No need to be sorry, please continue.” Ayala insists.
“A metallic cube? I do remember seeing one.” Nia remembers the incident at the Florescent Woods.
“What is the cube?” Calma inquires at Nia.
“If I recall, that relic came from the beings called The Visitors. The cube corrupts any living being into something sinister.” She had chills, remembering how the old geezer they met expired by simply possessing the relic.
“Who brought the relic to the queen?” Ayala inquires.
“The elite insectoids first brought it from the surface land. They were quite possessive of the metallic cube until they offered it to the queen.” The elder aphidoidea replies.
“That relic must be disposed of since it’s malicious! We have to rejoin the assassination team immediately.” Calma suggests.
“Unfortunately, we are too far flung from the assassination team. It would take days until we reach them and relay the information.” The senior elven knight argues.
“Or we can use this runic tablet.” Ayala pulls out the runic tablet from her pocket. She begins to concentrate on reaching out to Randor. The runic tablet begins to glow and a rough image of Randor forms.
While both sides exchange information, a formicidae larva clings from the ceiling. Then it glomps at Ayala while she's distracted.
“Hey, that tickles! Slow down will you?” Ayala giggles while getting distracted. She places the runic tablet on the floor and stops glowing.”
“Hand over the princess, she’s our hope!” The elder aphidoidea panics as Ayala plays with the larva. She pets the formicidae larva and gently hands it over to the older formicidae.
“Wait, is she the future queen?” Calma wonders out of the blue.
“When a queen falls, another successor would replace her.” A coccinellidae nurse nods while trying to communicate with the non-insectoids. Ayala then translates the coccinellidae’s message to Calma.
“It could be too late to save the queen so we have to secure the colony’s future.” A dower coleoptera creaks.
“Wait, are you plotting a coup d'etat?” Ayala gets surprised.
“Sadly, the former queen passed away right at that moment devouring the metallic cube. What we have now is a shell of its former glory.” The elder aphidoidea bows down, weeps and bows down.
“I’m very sorry for your loss.” Nia approaches the grieving aphidoidea and strokes its back. She may not understand insectoid language but she can empathize with sadness. The aphidoidea stuffs its teary eyes and stops bowing down.
“So, the new plan is to replace the queen with this baby formicidae. If I have a chance, I would like to name her Hope. And you there, I shall name you Gimbal since you look squishy!” Ayala tries to cheer the aphidoidea and others.
“A name?!” The hoard of exiled insectoids exclaimed out of fear.
“What? Naming an individual is normal.” Calma is confused.
“We never have names, only the elite insectoids and royalties have that privilege. Other than the princess, we don’t deserve names. We are only humble servants.”
“Ayala can you tell this to them?” You all deserve names, it provides you identity and purpose in life. You are no longer nameless servants, you are all worthy of better lives.” Nia makes a moving statement and Ayala successfully conveys it. The exiled insectoids begin to cry in joy.
“Alright then, we will move out of the wastelands and join your companions. Everyone, including the larvae, will storm the hive and stop the queen!” Moved by Nia’s words, Gimbal rallies out every insectoid. Ayala, Nia, Calma and the rest of the negotiators followed the insectoid horde on foot. Some insectoids agree to carry the negotiation team by land or air.
“I’ll think of other names for the rest of you along the way!” While reattempting to call Randor through the runic tablet, Ayala gets excited to befriend the insectoids.