Rose, The Elite Scout (Officer)

Something known as the final snow has passed. The days have slowly gotten warmer, and every hive is starting to become more active. The last of the cold days have seemingly passed, and the trees themselves have begun to sprout buds. Enemy hives have started to move, and I believe they are called bees. We follow them to fields where flowers grow, learning how to find them ourselves. We ate a few of their workers, and demolished one of their hives that were too close to us.

As a whole they were much less organized than we were expecting. They didn't seem to really notice when we picked off their scouts. They even accepted us as one of them after covering ourselves in their scent. Our Queen explained that we shouldn't end too many hives, unless they were too close to us. The overall goal was to take over all of the flowers and pollinate them like the bees did. Our scouts had bushy legs, and hairy jackets to do this better than the bees. Even some of our workers were larger, just to tend to the bigger flowers better.

Every week, a new type of worker would be made to pair to a specific flower. The enemy hive dealt with, we began to make honey just like they did. The idea behind it, was that our Queen didn't want to get in trouble for taking out one hive. We had to be extra certain that no blood was mixed with the honey, since this was to feed the bigger creatures that would collect the honey and fruit. The dead enemy hive was being expanded on, just for our new workers and scouts. More honey should be better, and we even got a new wingless worker to taste the honey and make certain none of our blood was in there.

It was a little much, but our Queen was never wrong about these things. Brick himself admired the comb structure, giving orders to my workers when it came to building a better fake hive. Even taking the time to see through the eyes of a couple after we found the biggest enemy hive we knew about. It was easy enough to map out the territories of the enemy hives and make our own new ones a little further away. Even more specialized workers were made, in order to claim a couple enemy scouts and feed it to a new worker type that just coats us in their scent. There was a slight problem that a couple errant bees would find our fake hives, but they were just extra food for us to enjoy.

There was so much to deal with, all so I could enjoy the flowers and buds. It only took a couple weeks, but now we were expanding and the lumbering creatures noticed us. We were ordered to not sting them, and while they were wary we allowed them to take some of our honey. The Queen said they were likely to test it and make sure it was fine for them to eat. Honestly the hardest part about all of this, was having to eat a few petals and kill a couple flowers, just to make a worker pair with them as best they can.

Still, the more we are able to spread out, the happier our Queen will be. She'll know about people coming to her home faster, and we can chase them off if we need to. If everything goes well, we'll be able to claim all the flowers and slowly starve all the enemy hives. I mean really, they aren't even much of a threat. It's beyond me, as to how they lived this long.

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Officer Beru

I could only thank the Queen for the task she bestowed upon myself. Despite my misgivings about being covered in drool, and calling Drake a little tyrant. I truly have become fond of my charges. I was able to watch how Lady Cynthia took care of her child, and little Sarah. Things the Queen herself was interested in given her desire to have a child with Richard. Every bit of what I saw was important, and I came to understand the love.

Those precious moments where Sarah and Drake would sleep together with the lady. How little Sarah even called Lady Cynthia her mother, before tearing up. The lady holding her close telling the little girl it was fine. That she would be her mother. How Master Raul was accepting of this fact as well, and spent less of his time out during the night, to spend time with the three.

Drake himself even called the master, "Da-Da," in one of the few times he was able to speak. I was worried that such beautiful moments were causing my loyalty to the Hive to waiver. I had to ask her myself, and while she went through my memories she stated that there was nothing wrong. That my hive was meant to protect them, even at the cost of every member perishing. What mattered most was the safety of Drake and Sarah, followed by the Lady and Master.

Of course, it wasn't always wonderful. There had been a few attempts in the last week. Individuals hiding themselves in stolen priest clothes had come. Two groups of three as it were on different days. We watched them as they claimed to be new, and how they searched for hiding spots. When they spoke freely, not believing anyone was around to listen, I would learn the truth. They were kidnappers sent to steal Sarah, or even assassins to confirm Drake's death.

Thanks to Scix's memories and how he assassinated targets, we were able to inform the Lady and put such individuals to sleep. They were bound and there was slight panic about what to do with the bodies. I helpfully reminded the lady that the sewers held another of our nests. Something to discuss in the presence of Master Raul. The Lady was against myself, Raul, or our Queen killing anyone. Though taking them into the sewers where they were likely to perish was a compromise.

Raul himself met Gray, and they discussed exactly what was to happen to those that tried to harm my three charges. Raul himself was rather pleased, after it was explained that Gray made no agreement or promise to not kill. Even using fancy words to state that the bad men would be 'reborn' as productive members of the Hive. Something readily accepted by the master, and a wonderful way for Gray to get more bodies to use.

I would not hesitate to break my oath, if it meant saving the life of either child. The same would extend to lady Cynthia, and even master Raul if need by. These members of the Hive were a source of happiness for our Queen, and she looked forward to the reports I could give her. Truly, our queen is the most glorious in existence, and wise beyond words. I once again clicked my mandibles, exclaiming the glory of both Hive and Queen!

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Brick, The Elite Worker (Builder)

It is good to see that Rose's Hive is doing well, despite her not actually making reports to me. I would have preferred to make the fake hives more resilient, but that was not their purpose. I thought about it for weeks, as to why the buildings above and below have different shapes. Why the different sizes, and even pored over the Queen's memories of the noble houses. It was after thinking about it for so long, that I realized that the buildings are the way they are, to serve the purpose they were built for.

The cheaper buildings of the slums were built with poor materials. Open spaces with room for the people inside them to fill in as they needed or wanted. All in order to use less material, while still giving protection from the wind and rain outside. The bare minimum and least expensive. These were places meant for others to take or live in for very little coin, and made it easy enough to repair if anything was damaged.

Structures like a bank, or anything built with a stone foundation was made to last. The marble columns a display of wealth and power. To give security to those who would place their trust in such. The schematics that I had Scix read, the ledgers, and templates for buildings both the Underground, while Berry explored the nooks and crannies of the places above. How materials were tested, and what to use where and why. Asking Argus to direct scouts while I poured over every page the Queen graciously recalled in perfect detail. Listening to the conversations of the working people.

Most of the buildings with stone used earth magic to move such where they needed to be. Impacting the ground, and ensuring a solid base for objects to build upon. The framing, and pouring of concrete slabs, made from different stones and sands, mixed with water and powder. The setting phase where one could only wait, and those groups moved on to tend to other projects. Material by itself was worthless, it needed to be refined, mixed, allowed to set, and so on. Then there was the practice of fire elementalists burning metal to create searing bands that were then shaped around the frames, or nails made on the spot for the task at hand. Magic permeated the entire building process, but those without magic would make do with the tools alone.

Those that did not use their magic were the ones I watched the most. Their crude behavior and bawdy jokes as much a part of the process, as the magic used by others. Like a sort of unspoken ritual that breathed life into their buildings, a prayer to some god to allow such to stand for generations. It was impossible for me as I am now to make structures that surpass the people that built such marvels. If I had a body like Gray, it might be more feasible, but Argus was next to receive such a thing, followed by Scix, and then myself.

Which lead back to the small hives we were building out of bone, stone, and blood. The creatures in the Underneath were impossible to identify with our current senses. Many of them moving about, struggling in their own way to survive. The goal of my hive was to spread out, and observe their habits for the Queen to deal with when she arrived. Small hives spread between each other, hidden with the stone on the outside to look like small bumps as we burrowed into the walls, was what we needed.

These points were spread out, to only observe and slowly grow. Monsters that did find our hives were disappointed by how much work they needed to do to eat our kin. Allowing us to rebuild those points and dig in more. Food was not an issue, as we were able to eat the rotting remains of beasts slain by others, tunnels leading between points built to share resources as needed. Most of the creatures we found at the entrance, were Fukuma with their pride leaders. Deeper in, we would discover Cheshire monsters, or the monsterized version of the Fukuma.

The solitary creatures were more than happy to ignore us, since we were not interesting to them. Though our Queen decided they were first on the menu. Their fur allowing them to turn invisible, save for their teeth and eyes, how they enjoyed toying with their prey. Sometimes even hunting together to take down other beasts. The ecosystem was alive with many different types of beasts and monsters for our Queen to consume. It would take years to create a proper barricade to keep such things from creeping out into the Underground. Yet, each dead-zone that had an entrance or exit to the Underground was protected by one species or another. Making it clear they were supposed to be the top of their food chain in such an area.

There was so much to explore in the Underneath, that I'm afraid even years might not be enough to properly map it all. We found were the waste settled, and the creatures that lurked there. The Queen was reluctant to eat such creatures, but understood that such would be needed to make workers and hives better capable of living in the sewage. There were plans set for after the war was over, now we only had to wait for it to finish. Best of luck to you, my kin.

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Berry the Elite Worker (Jack of All Trades and Resident Test Subject)

It shouldn't bother me, but it kind of does. I mean, why are the other officers without names, modeled after me? Sure, we have backups of everyone spread among the three main Hives, but why me? |"Hey Berry, are you paying attention? I understand that you cannot sense magic, but I still need to know the path is clear."|

|"Yeah Gray, everything is looking good on my end."| I showed him what I was seeing out here, a little more upset that another Berry found a stash of sugar Underground. I wanted some too!

|"Understood, from what I understand you are the original correct?"| Gray was making small talk, and of course all the other Berries identified as myself.

|"Pretty sure, when I ask the Queen she says I have the talent so I'm the first and only one that really matters. Speaking of, do you know why she made so many of me?"|

There was a second, as he was no doubt asking. Gray's voice came back a little cheerful, |"Would you like the short answer, or the long one?"|

|"What I want is sugar, but since I'm stuck here I wouldn't mind either one."|

I could hear Gray laughing through our connection, before continuing. |"It's your sweet tooth trait. Plus the fact that you don't take up as many bugs to recreate, for whatever reason. In other words you're simple, but still unique and that makes you perfect. Plus, you can think of this as another test."|

I groaned a little, sure I was allowed as many sugary goods as I wanted, but dying again and again wasn't exactly fun. Still, the Queen would give me a little more sugar than asked to always make it worth it. Something that I just knew the other Berries were enjoying from their own tests. |"Alright, how is this one a test? What kind of sugary goodness am I getting out of it?"|

A mystery person was walking down the alley, I let Gray see what I saw again. He was waiting for them to get closer to the manhole cover. |"Which Berry is the real one? If your talent goes to another, does that make them Berry or you? How do you know which you is the real you?"| The man walked right over the cover, while Gray silently slide it open. The man in question lighting a blunt. The next thing he knew sharp hands were pressed against his mouth and chest as he was dragged below.

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|"I don't know, I mean I was told by the Queen herself that I had the talent because I was the original. Come on Gray, I don't need a crisis of existence please."|

He laughed through our connection again, |"That's the test though! Something I'm very curious about myself. It's clearly easy enough to convince you or the other versions of you that they are the original. Will that make it harder for you to synthesize into a body? Is the original soul necessary for that, or only the memories and the belief? Will a new soul just create itself if enough are together, and believe itself the real one, or can there truly be one Berry?"|

I watched the path, while Gray took some of the man's blood. The lies he told the guy not important, something about not being the right target, and to not ask questions. The guy was dropped off back above the sewers, the still burning blunt put between his lips as Gray hypnotized the man a little to forget what happened. I thought about the test this time, trying to come up with an answer. |"Don't we need to have a soul to hold talents?"|

|"An excellent observation Berry! You are the only version of you that can hold your talent, and I can tell you that information is correct. Still, you can't tell the others you are the real one since that will ruin the test. Then you don't get any sugar, or honey from Rose's hive. Lady Cynthia's muffins will not find their way to you, and even the cookies will no longer appear for you to steal."|

|"H-how do you know I stole cookies?"| I fidgeted a little, worried about my secret connections being found out.

|"The Queen knows everything about us, Berry. She is always watching, and everything she does is for the Hive. Even as Richard helps her true personality develop and coaxes it out. Even the addition of Midnight is helping with that."| I could feel the admiration he held towards her.

Gray crept out of another manhole, two bodies moving at the same time. It was creepy how he was able to do that sort of thing without any issue. Both bodies had a simple mask that hid their faces, with cloaks acquired from raiding, or stealing. The hands a pale blue with dark clawed fingers that stretched twice their original length. The four stingers only reaching just past his shoulders, still covered by the hood. Gray had a habit of trimming the fat off his bodies, letting them heal into a more ideal form, even removing organs and allowing other members of the Hive make nests in the stomach. He was a walking small hive by himself, a corpse riddled with holes in its torso.

If there was anyone in the Hive that scared me, it had to be Gray. While the Queen always took the first spot in who could be scariest, Gray was just naturally intimidating. A true predator, moving to hunt for our Queen and to make her happy. He spoke again, |"Lost in your thoughts again?"|

|"Yeah, I don't get it, but that's good enough for me. At least, right now. Thank you for helping me realize I am the true original Berry. Good luck with your hunt... brother?"|

He laughed a little, |"The same to you, and your tests, brother."|

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Argus The Giant (Officer)

I had to face it, my shell just isn't strong enough to serve as a shield for our Queen. Sure, the new bodies were a little more resilient, but they were imitations of the armor she wore. Anything that could pierce her shell, would go through mine just as easily, if not maybe a little faster. Still Gray was awake again, and talking to him had been helpful. I didn't need to be a physical shield to help our Queen, I was already doing my part by protecting the warehouses, and moving swarms so she didn't have to.

Gray also wanted my talent, since he was effectively the only officer without one. Though the Queen herself told me to make him work for it, and to give it to him if he really needs it. Which works just fine for me since he would settle for telling me just how he intended to use it to try things, that I could try myself in his place. A way to help us both grow our magic, and it kept Gray from feeling like he was the only one trying to improve the Hive.

Even now I was switching between my blue colors to flex my magic muscles, while the guards in the warehouse watched me now and then. They often muttered about how nice my shell looked, and were thankful I wasn't causing trouble with this body. Cheshire himself would teleport in to check up on me. All he got was me staring back at him, in silence. There were plenty of workers and a couple other giants in the room with me, but I still stood out. Mainly because my double color shell clearly meant I was special compared to the ones around me.

While I was tempted to try talking to the guards, the Queen forbid it. Mainly since she knew I'd slip up and give them my name, and tease them. Still, I was going to join the hunt tonight and with the swarm we would shield the other members of the hunt. All I had to do was wait for it, and keep an eye out for other things. The people of the tribes were getting used to the giants that we were letting them find. Cheshire made guards move around to pick a few up and add them to my room. There were only maybe a hundred walking around, and whenever the room had twenty, I decided to have them start moving around the warehouse again. A mildly annoyed Cheshire simply told them to just keep us from leaving the warehouse.

It was starting to become a little fun, as I finally got a chance to properly explore where they were keeping me. Better yet, even more giants were trickling in to play with the little ones. They were pretty amazed when ten got together and mad small balls of fire to spin around. We had a few thousand more giants on the borders, so Cheshire wasn't winning this fight~

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Scix The Elite Ghost (Assassin)

The Arena fight was over, which meant it was time for the rest of today's missions to be completed. The biggest one had us killing the speakers of the Fiend's Eye. It went well, a little too well in fact. The enemy was clearly aware we were coming, but they made no actual attempt to stop us, despite knowing our bugs were there. Even the speakers looked right at us and lowered their heads in unison, to invite us into killing them. The job was done quickly, but that unit was destroyed. The hag with the red gnome cap had made an attempt to connect with the Hive itself. I was more than happy to have them all disconnect giving them a final order to kill themselves.

Despite my success, the earlier attempt I made on Richard still haunted me. He had learned too much, and his brazen disposition towards the Queen had been unacceptable. I had moved to kill him on the spot, without the Queen's approval, which forced her hand. She was coming to a decision before I moved, and my actions resulted in my death that day. That body was discreetly controlled by her, and left to rot.

I still cannot bring myself to trust those not properly connected to our Queen. We as a Hive, are meant to protect her. Telling others secrets, and our plans, it was risky. So much safer, to merely keep all information from them. It was why the Fiend's Eye discovered most of our plans, and moved accordingly. I still wanted to kill Carter, but that was still the Queen's decision to make. Out of all the other officers, I am the only one that voices opposition to her plans and actions. I ask her to explain her plans more, so I can properly fulfill her goals.

She of course, knows this very well. Having forgiven my attempt only after a couple days, but still I pleaded to make up for that error in my judgment. Which was why I was given the important task of collecting information, and killing targets once again. Argus was the shield that would protect our Queen, while I was dagger that silenced her enemies. Gray was the staff, and Beru the sword. We all had our roles, and we needed to carry them out.

Target spotted

The man was clearly paranoid, after all those in his position mysteriously ended up dying in their sleep. He was older, one of the wealthier merchants of the Underground. A man that made his coin through smuggling in slaves, a part of the slaver guild. Particularly, the one that was behind the ring our Queen stumbled upon months ago. After all, traveling outside the walls for new slaves carried risk. You couldn't just steal away the ones working the field, no they were protected by the Guard.

This man was old, but his life was stained with sin. Merely saving the children would accomplish nothing, if the ones behind it all were allowed a chance to recover. In truth, I didn't understand why our Queen wanted this done. Those little creatures were not a part of our Hive, and yet she chose this as my path to redemption. What I did understand was why she wanted to establish a connection to the enemy in the last few seconds they would be alive. To gain information, and interrogate them inside their own minds.

The guards outside the door were on high alert, looking for anything that might come and issue harm to their charge. They were paid exceedingly well if their coin purses were anything to go by. Night had only just come, so why was this individual hiding away so early? Did he hope to escape by not being seen on the streets at night? The answers to these questions would come soon enough. Twenty of us moved to the top of the building, under the lip, where another guard sat on the roof. We crawled down in groups of five, the first group reporting everything they saw to me. There were no traps or wards we could detect. The target's scent was everywhere, which made sense as he had lived here a while.

A chemical smell lingered in the air, the kind we were used to finding in the dens where they kept prisoners, or those they wanted to break. These were the big guys that weren't just enslaving children, this man was part of that ring. Our first group moved to find the open ledgers while the other three went to find the target in question. I moved alone, tracking the freshest scent as only I could. Everything in the house was mapped, while I trailed the freshest scent towards a wall in the back room. It cut off behind a book case, a secret room?

It was rare for us to find such things, though I suppose the higher up one went, the more likely the target had something they wanted to hide. Perhaps, this was just a secret room to keep him safe? That would be for the best, but that chemical smell lingered and seeped through the cracks. I ordered the ones reading the ledgers to stay behind and continue turning the pages, while the other three moved to me. We fanned out between the books, discovering a small hole where a sleek rat likely tried to eat it's way into the room behind. I chose to investigate the tunnel, while hoping it would lead to the hidden room behind.

It was spacious enough for me to fit comfortably, but flying was impossible. The scent of the sleek rat was faint, suggesting it had moved on weeks ago. The chemical smell becoming stronger still. I moved further in the sensation of cooler air seeping through the cracks. I ordered the other groups to enter the hole with me, as we started to bite in an attempt to break through into the room. We moved slowly, not letting any dust fall through to the other side. I could finally see through a hole, and I saw the old bastard going about his task trying to break in a new slave.

This was why I hated those outside our Hive, this practice was all too common. If they had the power to do this to our Queen, they would without hesitation. How many of these individuals had I killed, that idly suggested capturing and taming the daughter of Bo'chi? How many of their people were waiting around for a chance to try and track her down? It was less about saving the oppressed, and more about dismantling the system that would move to harm our Hive in the future.

The man's whip froze midair, as we started to establish a connection with him. He wasn't asleep, so he could keep us from connecting. A smile crept on his lips, as if he was suddenly relieved. He accepted our link, |"I take it you are my would be assassin?"| His tone was arrogant, while I made contact with the Queen about this development.

|"Potentially, but you might have something to change that. At least judging by your tone, and your smile."| The hole was big enough for us to filter into the room, while he went to a chair to sit down. All manner of torture equipment lined up and polished. He clearly enjoyed his work.

|"Why yes, and now I can see how you managed to sneak past the guards. You used mental attacks, hypnosis, or even illusions to simply walk right in. Unfortunately for you, I am a rather gifted mind mage myself. I even have a talent for when you try to overtake me."| He was smirking now, not even noticing the black spots on the wall that silently crawled towards the ceiling. His vision was terrible in his old age.

|"Okay, thanks for the information. What exactly does your talent do?"| I did my best to sound afraid, but this was just indifference. I had taken out dozens of men like this one. The only difference was that he could do something about our link to him.

He laughed a little, |"My Mind, is Stronger Than Yours. That is my talent, and it has never failed me once. The second you try to overtake me, I will overtake you."|

|"I suppose there is a point to this? You could probably try to overtake me right now, but you haven't, why?"| We were in position to drop down and make the man sleep. Just a single sting was needed.

|"Work for me, a man of your talents could be polished and refined. Tell me who you work for, and I will provide training and teaching for you. You'll live a life where you want for nothing, making better use of your skills to break the weak and their will to fight you."|

A couple ghosts dropped down, spiralling before unfurling their wings and gliding to land behind the man's shoulder. He jumped when he was stung, two of them flying away. |"Don't worry, that was an illusion. I have a talent as well, to make you think you feel pain from my connection to you."|

He was frowning now, but didn't even see or hear my ghosts. |"Bah, are you saying that you can kill me whenever you want?"| He was angry, then that anger turned to slight fear as he slumped in his chair, falling asleep. The link was still active while he was caught in a dream.

|"I don't need to say anything like that. All we need is a single bug to kill one person. Fly straight into their mouth, and let the monster blood do the work when they die. Something so easy, even a worker could do it."| I entered the man's dream, finding it to be a mess of chains and coffins suspended above a bloodstained ground.

The man kept himself hidden, while I walked observing the dream itself. Arrogance and pride on full display, as he took the time to label the coffins with the names of those he broke. The meaning of it all filtering into me. |"What are you?"| He sounded worried.

|"Your assassin, the manifestation of your sins coming to claim you. Perhaps, I am a monster that merely enjoys killing people. Better yet, a judge here to weigh your sins. What you think of me, is not my concern."| My form changed as his perception of me changed. The important thing was to let him think I was powerful. To fuel his fear, but to his credit he realized such.

|"You can't hurt me, not here. My mind is stronger than yours!"| I felt weight bearing down on me, threatening to crush me.

I blinked, and saw the body in front of me with the weight still on it. An invisible hand, threatening to slay the mind I switched with. |"True, your talent is decent so we shall claim it. Though at any moment, I am able to leave you here and kill you. I am in your hidden room, and there are hundreds of minds I can switch between to break your will. So, why don't you start telling me everything you know?"|

Another hand slammed down on me, the body in front of me being crushed, while I just blinked again. Old worker minds that were the least likely to come back to the Queen, their soul sent to the crossroads as their bodies collapsed in the hive far away. Nothing was lost by losing them, their hearts simply giving out while the man's fear made them appear bigger than they would otherwise. There was still plenty of time in the day, and the other target was spotted. We would learn everything we could from this man and how he used his magic. All enemies of the Hive would be dealt with, because I am the dagger that moves silently, and ever closer to our enemies.