Upon returning to the vicinity of the hive, Adam and Lancer found themselves near the hive's staging area, where an extraordinary scene unfolded before them. A veritable army of Zentarrans stood at attention, their disciplined ranks stretching across the clearing. At the center of it all, Hive Empress Zara herself sat upon a makeshift throne, her gaze sweeping over her assembled forces.
The excitement in Zara's eyes was palpable, and Adam couldn't help but wonder what had her so thrilled, and what required such a massive show of military strength. As he and Lancer approached, they stood out among the still, waiting crowd. Zara's attention was drawn to their movement, her eyes locking onto them.
Adam's gaze shifted to the General, who stood at rigid attention to the right of Zara's throne. His face momentarily scrunched up in disdain, but he quickly regained his composure and schooled his features into neutrality.
"Why the long face, little prince?" Zara teased Adam, a smirk playing on her lips.
"No reason," he replied curtly.
"I expect civility from both of you until the time comes for your inevitable clash," Zara commanded, addressing Adam and the General. "I won't have anyone compromising my plans. Is that clear?"
"As you command, Mother Zara," Adam nodded in acquiescence.
"Yes, Your Highness," the General bowed to his liege, his tone respectful.
Zara's excitement seemed to grow as she addressed Adam. "You've arrived at the perfect time. I'm about to gain a new unit, and I can hardly contain my anticipation for the possibilities they'll bring to my armies. You'll see them soon enough, so I won't spoil the surprise." Her eyes sparkled with eagerness, hinting at the grand reveal to come.
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the loudest roar he had ever heard, causing him to jump slightly due to its unexpectedness. Regaining his composure, he turned to the source of the commotion and saw a colossal emerald lizard, bound and being dragged by tendrils connected to several hive units.
Curiosity piqued, Adam studied the formidable creature.
[Forest Drake, ??? (Tier ???)]
'Yep. That's one mean-looking beast,' Adam thought, captivated by the creature before him. After all, every young boy dreams of slaying or riding a mighty dragon like a legendary hero, and now he was witnessing a dragon's lesser cousin. Zara had once taught him about the various races in the Dreamverse, including some of the more exotic beasts she had encountered. It seemed that most of Earth's mythological creatures existed in some form or another in the Dreamverse. In fact, she had told him that these beasts could assume humanoid forms once they reached certain ranks based on their bloodlines. The more intelligent beasts were capable of forming powerful galactic factions to advance their own agendas.
Unable to contain his excitement, Adam abandoned any pretense of decorum and pleaded with Zara. "That's so cool! Can I have one too, Mother? Please, please?"
Zara chuckled at Adam's enthusiasm, clearly amused by his reaction. "Well, it's not as simple as just asking for one, my dear," she said, a teasing tone in her voice. "You'll need to prove yourself worthy of such a powerful companion. Show me your strength and determination, and perhaps one day, you too can command a creature like this. But this one? This one will expedite my plans to conquer Lenus."
"Can I at least ride it?" Adam asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes.
"Perhaps, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. I still need to parasitize the beast. It's been quite some time since I've had the pleasure of commanding a giant unit, at least not since I was taken from the midst of the War of Hegemony with my clutch sisters and brought to this world. My preparations should suffice, but if they don't…" Zara trailed off.
"General, what is the status of the parasite?"
"Your Highness, it is ready and has been adequately nourished," the General replied.
"How many parasites did it consume?"
"It cannibalized 430 tier 0 parasites and 63 tier 1 parasites before it was suitable for converting tier 2 giants, Your Highness," the General read from the report in his hand.
"And what of our parasite reserves?"
"We are down 38% for tier 0 and 54% for tier 1. We require more tier 1 incubators to compensate for the deficit, which will impact some of our plans for rapid unit creation and recovering from our war losses," the General answered, concern evident in his tone.
"No matter, I'm confident that my new unit will help us vanquish more of our enemies, who can then be used to incubate new parasites to make up for the shortfall. In fact, we should start preparing more tier 2 parasites for giants. There are more forest drakes we can convert into loyal members of my army," Zara dismissed the General's concerns.
Adam's attention began to wane as Zara and the General discussed logistics and the day-to-day operations of the hive and its armies. He felt more at home thrusting his spear into his enemies' necks and leading small units than focusing on less exciting aspects, such as securing provisions for an army.
His gaze returned to the forest drake, studying its serpentine head and the razor-sharp teeth that protruded from the makeshift muzzle fashioned from tendrils after it had roared. The magnificent creature captivated him, and he couldn't help but imagine the thrill of riding such a powerful beast into battle.
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The drake appeared calm as it surveyed the army of hive that encircled it. Adam thought he could discern a glimmer of intelligence in its eyes.
'I mean, it's tier 2. It's definitely not going to be stupid. I wonder what it's thinking right now?' Adam mused.
"Give me the parasite. I will personally see to this conversion," Zara commanded.
"May your will be done, Empress." The general handed a fat, worm-like creature to Zara.
As Zara approached the forest drake, Adam noticed that the beast seemed to recognize its impending fate. He saw the precise moment when the great creature decided to abandon its patience and attempt an escape.
The drake began to struggle, quickly ripping some of the tendrils from its body as it desperately tried to break free. The Zentarran units that had captured it piled onto the beast, with the units whose tendrils had been torn apart by the drake regenerating and rejoining the fray to subdue it.
The drake managed to free one leg and used it to swipe at the units below, injuring and killing several of them. Adam's concern grew as he observed the epic struggle between the battalion that had brought the beast to the hive's staging ground and the drake itself. He wondered why the army remained motionless, offering no assistance to the beleaguered battalion.
"Enough!" Zara unleashed her pressure, causing everyone to freeze in place.
Adam found it difficult to breathe, as if a colossal predator were bearing down on him – and he wasn't even the primary target. The drake trembled, now unable to move a single claw under Zara's immense pressure.
"Little drake, cease your struggles. I see no better fate than for you to join our mighty race."
Zara stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the forest drake as she held the squirming parasite in her hand. The silence was palpable, broken only by the labored breathing of the beast and the hushed whispers of the soldiers. The tension hung heavily in the air, every eye riveted on the dramatic scene unfolding before them.
"Join us in our quest to bring the great Overmind's plan to fruition. For all shall be consumed by the hive races until only peace and order remain."
Approaching the drake, Zara held the parasite aloft, then slowly lowered it onto the creature's head. The drake's eyes widened in terror, but it could do nothing to escape its fate. The parasite burrowed into the creature's flesh, worming its way deep inside as the drake let out a heart-wrenching scream of pain.
"Let the parasite do its work, let your mind fade and become one with the hive. [Giant Hive Conversion]." Zara used an ability, going stock still while she engaged in a mental battle with the drake. Adam had seen her use a similar skill called [Hive Conversion] when he was younger, when the hive wasn't as large as it was today. The skill allowed her to hasten the process of conversion by entering a battle of wills with the host of the parasite. She hadn't needed to use the skill in many years, and would be happy to let the parasites naturally replace the minds of their hosts.
Adam watched, a mixture of awe and unease churning in his stomach. He couldn't help but empathize with the majestic creature, even as he understood the necessity of Zara's actions. The drake's conversion would undoubtedly strengthen the hive and bring them closer to conquering Lenus, yet the cruelty of the act left Adam feeling conflicted.
‘It's easy to ignore the suffering of those being converted when they're in the conversion sacs, but it's another thing to witness it in person. No, I can't be weak. I need to get used to this if I'm going to war with the hive.’
As minutes stretched on, the parasite continued its work. The drake's screams gradually subsided, replaced by ragged, labored breaths. The once-proud creature now appeared broken, its spirit crushed under the weight of Zara's will.
At last, Zara stepped back, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. "It is done," she announced triumphantly. "Behold, my newest weapon – a powerful ally to aid us in our conquest!"
The hive soldiers erupted into cheers. Adam forced himself to smile and join the celebration, all the while wrestling with his own emotions.
As the hive reveled in their newfound power, the forest drake stood before them, its eyes no longer filled with the fierce intelligence that had once captivated Adam. Instead, they seemed hollow and lifeless, a mere shadow of the creature it had once been. Adam couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for the drake, even as he knew that its conversion was necessary for the hive's success.
‘It's going to take some time for that glint of intelligence to return to the drake's eyes as the parasite adjusts to its new body.’
Zara, sensing Adam's inner turmoil, placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know it's difficult to witness, my child, but this is my only choice, it is my talent, I cannot change it. My sisters looked down on me when I received my talent. A hive queen who was unable to create her own units…"
Hearing the rare display of vulnerability in Zara's voice, Adam was reminded of the suffering her awakening had caused her and the rift it had created between her and her sisters. When each person awakened their talent at level 10, depending on their talent's rank, they would receive a weakness to balance their power. Zara's talent weakness had been especially brutal, affecting her identity as a hive queen within her mother's hive.
Feeling apologetic, Adam's concern for the random drake faded. "I'm sorry, Mother. I just... I wish there was another way."
"Sometimes there is no other way," Zara said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "But remember, in our conquest, we are also bringing order to a chaotic world. We are uniting the lands under a single banner, creating a better, more stable future for all."
Adam nodded, knowing Zara was right. Though the methods may be harsh, their ultimate goal was one of unity and stability. With that thought in mind, he resolved to push aside his doubts and focus on the bigger picture. The hive's success depended on their unwavering commitment to the cause, and he couldn't afford to let his emotions stand in the way.
"What was that force you exerted? It was overwhelming."
Zara smiled, "That was my aura, which I can release when needed."
"Is it a skill?" Adam asked, puzzled.
Zara laughed. "No, it's not a skill. It's based on my charisma stat, something I've noticed you seem to be neglecting."
Adam's face scrunched up in disbelief, as if he had just tasted a sour lemon. "There's no way charisma does something like that."
Observing his reaction, Zara explained, "When charisma reaches a high enough level, it grants various benefits like that. It's not merely a stat to make someone appear more attractive; it expands their presence and compels others to listen to them. For example, it allows me to intimidate my opponents. It's a core stat for leadership classes."
Adam listened, now intrigued a bit by the potential power of the charisma stat. Zara's demonstration had opened his eyes to the importance of this attribute he disdained to spend his points on.