- Erys -
Escalation!
That's all that comes to my mind at what transpires now in front of the wall, as the pheromone picture from my messenger shows me.
Not like I would actually get a view on what happens there, as by now I'm truly forbidden from exposing myself.
Well, I might be able to force it, but my better judgment tells me I would be ill-advised to do so.
Generally, it seems like the enemy has mobilized and starts approaching our position.
Despite not having set up their trebuchet again, they seem either confident or simply compelled enough to try without its firepower.
I actually find some similarities in this with how Chera is acting regarding her hive.
Not like I would speak that out loud in her presence.
The enemy is bringing their artillery closer, paying keen attention to erect as much cover as possible against counterfire.
Which there is.
Both from the ballistas we got on the wall and all the archers Tarsona has manned the wall with.
Against those, Koreso sends placeable shield constructions and an overwhelming number of crossbows into the field.
The archers on our side have orders to prioritize their own safety instead of making a shot, so for now the number of dead and injured on our side remains limited.
However, this comes at the price of correspondingly limited harm to the attackers.
If we go for a more aggressive approach, the archers, with their advantageous position, could do much more.
Still, the order stands.
I’m keeping myself informed by messengers, as I, just as Liseti "suggested", have established a bit of a network.
They tell me that the enemy brought their own catapults and ballistas close enough now to make positioning for our troops extremely risky.
While they can't do all that much damage to the reinforced dirt, people aren't safe with so many heavy projectiles flying about.
Worse, they were able to establish their forward position, camps, and secure sites to prepare even more nefarious means to go on the offensive.
At one place they're even going about setting up that so-called "bad neighbor".
I just hope they won't excavate too much earth as that could lead to trouble.
However, even though I know the enemy is leading their war out there with as much force as they can muster, I feel surprisingly safe in here.
I'm surrounded by a huge partition of my brood and there are so many more drones around.
Even if Koreso would manage to break through our defenses, there's no way they could fight all their way through to me before I get evacuated and am all the way safe back home in the main hive.
Yet I'm still too concerned about what happens here to leave.
At least I want to see the next steps through.
But then something unexpected happens.
We are informed that a visitor from the capital is about to arrive here.
They apparently changed down to the underground passages, as the surface has by now this annoying downpour of heavy projectiles going for it.
So I prepare to receive them, finding that I'm not the only one heading out.
When I arrive, I see that Liseti had the same idea as I did.
Not like there'd be much else to do other than investigating what is about to happen in this underground base.
There was rather early a certain area established, where deliveries and transports from the Tarsonan part of the system would be processed.
So this is where the new arrivals are about to be received.
My messengers told me early that they are a purely human delegation.
Once they come into view I quickly notice that they seem used to Formicean presence, as others are far more apprehensive when confronted with them for the first few times.
Then I spot among them a familiar face.
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Aaron, the first man of the king.
While I wonder about the reason for this visit, I hear Liseti's thoughts in Formicean.
Did she expect them?
Aaron naturally takes position right in front of the group.
He lets someone hand him a package and then approaches.
Stopping short in front of us, as carelessly approaching wouldn't go well with our escorts, he bows towards us and presents me the package.
"Your esteemed princesses, I thank you for this welcome." (A)
Then he opens it and starts unwrapping the object inside.
Beneath several layers of cloth, some weird grey orb that is glowing in light-blue color through a translucent surface comes into view.
"With best greetings from Valera. This artifact is the pride of the royal museum of magic and arcane magitech." (Aaron)
Uh, what?
"I'm still having difficulties with this smell sense, but I believe you had a question?" (A)
"Ehk, well, yes. What exactly is magitech?" (E)
"You don't know? Quite astounding. It's not like the knowledge is restricted. Yet it might not have been of relevance to you before." (A)
"Could you please just tell me?" (E)
"Of course. It's quite simple, yet with a certain complexity to the topic. Do you remember the lightbringers in the palace?" (A)
"Those magic stones you're using instead of torches? Sure." (E)
"Well, that's about it. However, while this kind of magic engineering is a rather new development, those trinkets wouldn't qualify to be called an artifact. True magitech are only the relics found within the dungeons of the ancient. The only place where you find the original objects, which even after all the passed time retain their function. All magic engineering exists on the concept discovered by studying said relics, but none of it can ever come even close to the complexity and sheer genius that went into those ancient artifacts." (A)
"So this..." (E)
"As I said, it's the pride of our collection. A so-called voice amplifier. You speak into it and the magic will carry your voice through the air to everyone in a wide distance around the speaker." (A)
This sounds like a great thing for public speeches.
I can see why a king would want to have something like this if they're intent on impressing a big crowd of people.
It certainly must be worth an unbelievable fortune.
But how is something like this going to help us on this battlefield?
"I appreciate the gesture, but why are you bringing us such a thing?" (E)
At this, Liseti steps right next to me, about to inspect this artifact.
"For what reason?" (E)
Liseti stares at me while emitting the usual disconcerting pheromones that tell me she can't believe I didn't already figure out everything by myself.
Yes.
A diplomatic approach.
A possibility to prevent this depressing loss of lives and give those people conscripted into this war a last chance.
By doing so, we might be able to avoid having to go for our most drastic measures.
There's but one problem.
This doesn't sound at all like Liseti.
This princess really is a politician at heart.
Thinking of using her influence to obtain a special item with properties she deduced humans would rely on.
Doing so, not to avoid a loss of human lives, but to work on the reputation of the swarm.
...
Speech?
Me!?!