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Fairy Insect Tale [Book 1]
Part I: Family evening

Part I: Family evening

“So, you crossed the entire plateau?” Toslevi is leaning on the table with his hands.

Sely is sitting on a stool. She holds an herbal tea, prepared by Toslevi, smelling its aromas. It is a very good herbal tea and different from the medical ones that her mother prepares.

“Yes, it took more than eighty days.”

“I guess it was a tiring journey” Toslevi pauses, and turns to look at his daughter. “I didn't think I'd ever see you again…”

Sely is perplexed. “Why? Eighty days of walking is a long time, sure. But nothing impossible.”

“That's certainly not the reason, sorry. I'm darkening the atmosphere for nothing, I'm happy to see you again. You've grown a lot; I didn't even recognize you in the dark.”

“Hm-Hmm, don't worry” Sely sips from the cup. After days and days of cold, a hot drink is what she needs.

“How is Tossyllia?”

“Mom is fine, she is as vigorous as ever. Even if she is worried, before my departure she seemed empty...”

Toslevi massages his beard and takes a walk into the room.

“Does she have anything to do with what you have to tell me?”

Sely nods.

“Eh, okay” sighs the man. “I was hoping to chat a bit, but it's clear that what you have to tell me is more important. Tossyllia would never have sent you to me otherwise.”

“Why do you say that? Didn't you and Mom love each other?”

“Yes, we loved each other.”

“She doesn't talk about you much. She doesn't talk much in general. But she says some nice things about you.”

Toslevi smiles. “I guess, but there are things you can't understand. It's too early. If you ever fall in love with a human, you'll figure it out on your own.”

To those words, Sely would like to reply that it's not too early; that she is curious, that she can understand. However, the topic itself makes her think of Endya, of his funny beauty.

“You see? You blush just thinking about it, ah ah ah" The man takes a chair and sits down. “Come on, tell me what you came for. Is there a rush?"

“No, no rush. It's more of an omen. Mom used to look at the sky, she does it for hours sometimes.”

“I know, it's a family interest.”

“Ninety days ago, or so, she spotted…” Sely clears her throat. “A flying city eclipsed the moon for a few minutes.”

Toslevi gasps.

“Are you serious!?"

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Do you think I would come all this way to lie to you?”

“Sorry, sorry, you're right. It's just… do you realize what that means? Did Tossyllia tell you what it means?”

Sely shakes her head and looks at her reflection in her cup. No, nothing specific was said to her. Initially, she was afraid, but during the journey, she relaxed. Now, her father's words fuel her dormant restlessness.

What does it mean?

“Well, I'll tell you then” The man stands up and goes to take a card from the table.

It's a map, full of stains and tears and colors.

Sely leans forward to get a better look. Some lines curve from top to bottom, from left to right. Writings, lots of writings, and numbers in a language unknown to her.

“This is a map of the world” Toslevi holds it open, standing in front of her daughter.

“W-wow… a map… of the entire world?”

“Yes, at least from the ancient world. Older than the flying cities themselves.”

“What was there before flying cities?”

Toslevi places the paper on the ground and kneels. He begins to indicate points with his hand.

“City. Gigantic cities were as large as an entire region. With millions and millions of inhabitants. Traffic, techniques, and dark arts. Golems and artifact intelligence. All that will lead to the emergence of flying cities following a collapse!”

“Ooh, Dad… how do you say those things?” Sely amazed, incredulous. The same word "million" appeared again.

“In my travels, I have collected evidence, artifacts like this map.”

Sely looks at that colored surface.

The father is bending over it. It is strange, in the Silver Chronicles we never talk about the before; of what existed on earth before insects descended upon it.

Millions of humans in a single region…

Sely doesn't quite understand the implication, but now is not the time.

“But, does it have anything to do with the flying city that mum saw?”

“Flying cities were the last song of humanity. For nearly a millennium, over a land made desolate by ancient humans, those enormous cities flew.”

“How desolate!? What about insects? In the Silver Chronicles, it is written that we descended from the moon, conquering a green and lush land.” Sely isn't sure what to feel, amazement or fear? Amazement at the revelations fear that they could undermine her young certainties.

“Be patient, my daughter. In fact, in these thousand years, the earth has returned to reinvigorate itself and adapt. I don't know how many men contributed, certainly, the abandonment of the soil was providential. So yes, when the Hive Monoliths descended, the land was lush. From here everything is like in the Silver Chronicles.”

Sely sighs and smiles again.

Luckily, Dad doesn't say heretical things.

Toslevi gets up from the map and claps his hands on his knees. “Ouch, ouch, this knee.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Forget it, middle-aged pain.”

“Hmm… okay. But I still haven't understood, if these events are older than the Silver Chronicles, why should the sighting of a flying city be a bad omen?”

“How why? Think about it, I know you can understand?”

Sely ticks her index finger against her lips and supports her chin with her fist.

“Eh, I'm not good at these things… the only hypothesis that comes to mind is that there could be ancient humans.”

Toslevi coughs, he nods seriously.

“Yes. And if this is the case, if the city is coming and Ganivre should find out... well, the Marquise of Diamonds will not be as merciful as your mother. She will kill us all, and Vanoge will disappear. And all out of paranoia.”

The Marquise of Diamonds is an elderly insect lord. She is one of the Hive Monoliths. Sely heard about it from her mother. It is the reason why she moved away from the hive, separating from Toslevi.

Everything makes sense now. Mom sent me here because she's worried about Dad…

“Dad, what if the city doesn't pass? After all, more than eighty days have already passed since the observation.”

The man shakes his head. “No. Flying cities are slow, slower than a cloud, and often stop. So, say the legends. If this is true, we have time. But we must prepare. Prepare for the worst.”