For some reason, Marcus was feeling strange.

He could not focus his thoughts over anything in particular. His mind was numb, and all he could experience was a peaceful, cozy and relaxing feeling of being submerged into some kind of lukewarm liquid.

He didn't even feel the need to breathe. All he had to do was float... let the warmth cradle him... let his mind and body rest in that blissful forgetfulness...

Then, after an undetermined amount of time, he felt a sharp pain in his lungs. Suddenly, he felt himself gasping for air, his body twitching while the sticky, warm liquid was restraining him.

He started panicking, moving desperately to free himself, and he felt some kind of membrane surrounding him like a loose straitjacket.

He jerked even harder, trying to rip through that substance, while painful flashes appeared in his head.

He felt his newfound consciousness starting to fade, but fear and survival instinct lent him one final moment of strength, and he finally sensed the membrane tearing apart.

Marcus slid out through that opening and onto a cold, hard surface, finally able to breathe again. The air that was going through his throat and lungs seemed ice cold after the previous warmth, but he breathed gratefully nonetheless, stopping only to cough out some liquid. He just laid there for a while, covered in a weird, viscous liquid, while coughing and trembling. 

It took some minutes for him to collect his wits and start thinking again, but even then he felt too tired to stand up properly. Still, he wanted to know where he was and what was happening, so he sat up and opened his eyes.

The first thing he noticed was that, despite being very dark, he could see perfectly, although in weird black and white tones.

The second thing he noticed was the huge monster that was staring at him.

Marcus tried to jump back, screaming in surprise... but he failed at both actions. His limbs were too weak, and the “jump” was just a slight crawl, while the “scream” ended up being a wet wheeze.

But luckily the humongous creature was just staring at him and didn't move, at least for the moment.

Feeling too weak and scared to move, Marcus studied that weird being.

It was like a weird hybrid between a reptile and an insect. The lower half was similar in shape to that of a bloated lizard, but it was covered by a purple chitin exoskeleton instead of scales. Meanwhile the torso resembled that of a praying mantis, as it had a thin waist, long, scythe shaped arms and a big insectoid head with four huge yellow glowing eyes that were staring at him. The head didn't have antennae, but a single sharp horn between the two upper eyes.

The beast was at least 4 meters tall, and although he couldn't measure it with accuracy Marcus was sure that it was at least 20 meters long.

The two kept staring at each other for some time, but after a while the monster started moving towards him.

Marcus instinctively tried to escape, but something weird happened: it was like a huge, incomprehensibly powerful presence had grabbed his mind and was keeping him still.

He could only stare in horror as the creature extended one of his scythe shaped limbs towards him, slightly caressing his cheek with its claw.

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The gesture didn't contain any hostility, only curiosity, and it was actually quite delicate, like a mother caressing a child.

Marcus was surprised, and thought that maybe this creature wasn't that hostile...

Then, without any warning, the claw stabbed Marcus in the shoulder, pinning him to the ground.

He screamed in pain, a shrill sound that he didn't even recognize as his own voice. He grabbed the claw, trying to free himself, but he was too weak to make it budge.

The monster kept him helplessly pinned for a minute, as Marcus kept trying and failing to free himself, and then it finally let him go.

The man immediately crawled away, trying to put as much space as possible between him and the insectoid being, but the latter was just staring at him again.

The presence that had touched Marcus's mind appeared again, this time in the form of a voice full of disappointment.

Weak. Very weak. Fully formed but weak. Why? Nourishment was strong. Very strong. Why new queen weak then?

Marcus body was just sitting there trembling, but his mind, now fully awake, was full of questions. Where the fuck was he!?! What the hell was that creature!?! Why was he hearing that fucking voice in his mind!?! And most importantly: what the fuck was happening!?!

Do not understand. But weak queen is just useless. Weak, too weak. The Vex would grow weak with weak queen.

The disappointment in the voice increased.

Making new queen with that nourishment was a mistake. Weak, too weak. Can't make Vex stronger. Useless, too useless. Waste of time and nourishment.

Then the voice turned cold and completely emotionless.

At least can use weak queen body as material for warrior.

The powerful presence grabbed Marcus's mind again, only this time it was much stronger and more violent, as if it was trying to crush him.

Die.

The word was projected directly in Marcus's head, and order with such an absolute authority that he felt the instinctive need to obey it.

Darkness was enveloping him again, a sensation of sleepiness that was somehow familiar. He felt that it would be nice to close his eyes and let himself go...

NO!

FUCK THAT!

With a desperate act of will, Marcus forced himself to stay awake.

He didn't want to die! He wanted to live!

And even if he HAD to die, then he wouldn't go down without a fight! He'd at least take that fucking monster with him!

The presence in his mind sensed something, and tightened its grip, while the command Die was repeated multiple times. But now Marcus wasn't listening to it.

Powered by his rage, he opened his eyes, staring directly at the monster looming over him, and he clenched his teeth before finally managing to stand up on his feet. His balance was horrible and he felt dizzy and nauseous, but he stood up nonetheless, his pose full of prideful defiance.

The surprise in the monster increased, and when Marcus made a step in its direction the creature cowered back a bit, a small tinge of fear and confusion emanating from it.

Do not understand. Body is weak, very weak. But mind is strong, very strong. Newborn queen with no swarm should not have mind this strong. Why? Why?

Marcus made another step, raising his fist to hit that hideous monster, but then the presence grabbed him again. Only this time it wasn't trying to kill him, only stopping him in his track.

He struggled within that telepathic grip, trying to free himself. He felt that the creature was now having an hard time keeping him still, and this only made him try harder.

Mind so strong. But why? Did nourishment do this? But how? Maybe strength of nourishment came from mind and not from body? Could it be possible?

The insectoid monsters looked appraisingly at Marcus, who returned a glare full of defiance.

Strange mind. Strong. Independent. More like flesh-things mind than Vex mind. Body is weak, very weak, but maybe new queen strength come from mind. Worth testing. Worth trying to create new hive.

Another command was then given to Marcus. As if the creature had made up its mind, this command was even stronger than the previous one.

Sleep.

He struggled against it, grunting and trying desperately to stay awake. But the strength of this order was overwhelming, and in addition to that his body was genuinely tired and in need of rest.

He fought back even more, but it was a losing battle. Marcus fell to the ground, slowly drifting off into sleep. He never stopped fighting that command though, clinging himself to his senses as long as it could.

This is how he was able to perceive the last words of the creature.

Sleep. Warriors will take new queen away, to a far, very far place. There new queen will be able to make new nest, new hive. Sleep now. Real struggle is about to come for new queen.

And then, Marcus finally fell asleep.