Our journey continued for some time, with occasional stops to rest or sleep. Along the way, the boys found various plants and curiosities they deemed fascinating. One of the more unusual discoveries was a mushroom shaped like a tiny jar, filled with a strange powder. If someone ventured too close, the mushroom would contract and release the powder in a sudden burst. While harmless, the powder caused relentless itching, like a natural form of itching powder. We also stumbled upon a peculiar fruit resembling a papaya on the outside but with an interior more akin to a fig. In addition, we encountered carnivorous plants attempting to ensnare us with the lure of sweet nectar, hiding their sticky traps beneath.
We came across creatures we had never seen before. Among them were writhing green roots that moved on their own—something akin to Wappos, but not quite the same. There was also an unusual fusion of an owl and a hawk, which, to our relief, appeared herbivorous, happily feeding on fruit. At night, we discovered firefly-like creatures with termite-like bodies. Their abdomens would inflate and glow, shifting between shades of light green, creating a mesmerizing display in the darkness.
Thankfully, being airborne kept us out of reach of the most threatening predators. From above, we spotted strange wolves and massive creatures resembling black hippos and bear hybrids, unmistakably carnivorous as they feasted on freshly hunted prey. Facing them head-on would have been disastrous, but since we could fly, we avoided such dangers altogether.
Occasionally, we had to contend with less imposing threats like birds, bats, and other flying nuisances. These encounters, while annoying, posed no real challenge, and we handled them without much trouble. By the third day of our journey, we had progressed without any significant setbacks.
Now, we were approaching a human city, and my stomach churned with unease. It wasn’t that I held any particular grudge against these humans, but what if they saw me as a threat simply because I’m… different? Monster, bee, mutant—whatever they might label me, their reactions worried me. I prayed we could pass without incident, but if anyone dared to harm my boys, I would not hesitate. I would destroy anyone or anything that tried.
"Queen Mother! We’re ready to pass over the human city," one of my royal guards announced.
I glanced around and saw the vast swarm of bees surrounding me. Below, the human city came into view—a sprawling metropolis surrounded by circular stone walls with four imposing gates at the cardinal points. Within the walls lay rows of buildings crafted from stone and wood, crowned by a towering castle at the center. Beyond the walls, smaller houses dotted the landscape, interspersed with fields and dirt roads. Carts trundled along the pathways, and tiny figures, likely humans and animals, bustled about in the distance.
"Very well," I replied to the guard. "Let’s move. I want to be out of here as quickly as possible."
The guard nodded and relayed the order. Soon, the hive ascended higher, rising above the city until we were enveloped by the clouds. The plan was simple: stay out of sight, avoid provoking the humans, and ensure we remained beyond their reach. We would pass unnoticed, and this leg of the journey would become nothing more than a fleeting memory—that time we flew over a human city.
Above the clouds, the world transformed. The sunlight painted the sky with hues of blue, orange, and pink, casting a serene glow on the endless sea of clouds below. The air was crisp and cool, the wind brisk but in our favor, guiding us forward.
"Ah, this is so relaxing," I murmured, sipping nectar from a large, ornately carved cup gifted by the cooks.
"It’s much more peaceful than I expected," Ken admitted from beside me.
"See? Not every path needs to be riddled with conflict," I said with a grin. "Sometimes, taking the peaceful route is just as rewarding. You should enjoy the journey while you can—because once we reach our destination, we’ll be working day and night to rebuild the hive."
Ken gave me a skeptical look. "The hive isn’t focused on violence; we just believe in plugging all the holes to prevent surprises."
"True," I conceded, "but you all tend to overdo it. Not that I mind—it’s better to be safe than sorry—but you could relax once in a while. Look at this view! Enjoy the quiet moments, because hard work is waiting for us at the end of this journey."
"You’re too carefree," Ken muttered. "We’re carrying the hive’s future—you, to be precise. No one here will rest until you’re secure behind seven layers of fortified protection."
Before Ken could continue his lecture, something shifted. A sharp, almost electric sensation rippled through the air. We all felt it—a surge of strange, potent magic, like a lightning bolt streaking through the sky, heading straight for us.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ENERGY?!" Max yelled, flinging himself off the bee platform as a swarm of magical bees buzzed around him in a frenzy.
“Different!”
“Strange.”
“Dangerous.”
“Unknown…”
“New?”
“Familiar.”
“Menacing.”
The whispers of the mages and spellcasters around Max created a tense hum as their eyes glowed, fixed on the incoming spike of energy.
"IT'S AN ATTACK!" The magic club roared in unison. Without hesitation, they conjured small spheres of crackling blue energy, no bigger than ping-pong balls. The orbs merged midair into a larger, shimmering blue sphere, radiating raw power. It hovered briefly, then dropped like a ripe fruit, streaking through the sky as though teleported.
"WAIT! NO—" I shouted, trying to intervene, but it was too late. My magical vision activated instinctively, cutting through the cloud cover. There, I saw a towering figure—1.70, maybe 1.80 meters tall—racing toward us. Beneath her, an odd rod-like object hovered, its tip emitting a blazing torrent of magical energy that burned like dry straw in a fire. She stood poised on it, almost as if surfing through the air.
The massive energy sphere reached her position, forcing the figure to veer sharply upward to avoid a direct hit.
Breaking through the clouds, a woman emerged. She wore flowing white robes with intricate openings along the shoulders, arms, and chest, adorned with patterns in cobalt blue, gold, and silver. Chains of shimmering gold dangled from her outfit, giving her an almost celestial appearance. She looked to be in her late twenties, her deep blue hair cascading to her waist. Her black, pitch-like pants and leather shoes, inlaid with glittering stones, added an unusual yet striking contrast. A satchel rested on her hip, and scrolls hung neatly on a belt at her waist.
But it was the object she rode that captured my attention—a broom, or something akin to one. Its shaft, crafted from a strange white metal, ended in a glowing blue jewel. Instead of bristles, black feathers, likely from some unknown creature, fanned out like a tail.
"What are—" she began, but her words were cut off as the crackling energy orb from earlier tore through the clouds behind her. Her eyes widened in shock.
With a swift motion, she raised her hand and pointed at the incoming sphere. A glowing magic circle appeared before her finger, conjuring a smaller, identical blue orb. She fired her counterattack, but to her astonishment, the larger orb trembled violently, shattering into dozens of dart-like fragments that swarmed her like angry wasps.
“Damn it! How did they—?” she hissed, pulling a scroll from her belt. Pouring magic into it, the parchment ignited, transforming into a glowing sphere of energy. It expanded into a protective wave, deflecting the incoming projectiles with ease.
Her sharp gaze snapped to me, her expression unreadable—a mix of curiosity, irritation, and perhaps a hint of unease. What the hell are you? her eyes seemed to ask. Before she could act further, Hans and the LifeGuardians surged toward her, the magic club trailing behind in a synchronized swarm of glowing bees. The buzzing mass encircled her, spinning faster and faster like a disorienting cyclone. Zack led the first strike, commanding his group to unleash a storm of thorn-like projectiles. As the barrage rained down, the woman pulled a strange metal sphere from her satchel—a cat toy-like object encasing a glowing jewel. She tossed it upward, and it floated in place, projecting a translucent magical barrier around her. The thorns shattered harmlessly against it.
Aldy joined in from above, spewing an acidic substance alongside his group. The woman, quick on her magical broom, dodged with a sharp maneuver, her movements precise and fluid.
The magic club rallied into a new formation, spreading apart to reveal Max at their center. He held a shimmering mana bubble brimming with small, vibrating seeds. The members formed a chain, channeling their collective energy into Max to stabilize the spell. His fingertips cracked under the strain, glowing with ominous blue veins beneath his chitin skin. With a final effort, Max hurled the bubble forward like a basketball before collapsing into the arms of his comrades.
The bubble floated aimlessly for a moment until a group of Scout and Carrier bees swooped in, snatching it up like a balloon. They carried it swiftly toward the battlefield, releasing it directly above the woman. Ral acted next, casting a [Magic Bullet] to detonate the bubble midair. The seeds burst free, glowing with volatile energy before exploding into a thick cloud of poisonous pollen. The woman’s confusion was evident as she eyed the seeds. Realizing the danger, she rummaged frantically through her satchel. The pollen cloud grew denser, blinding and choking the air around her.
Before she could act further, the battle’s intensity surged as the combined forces of the hive closed in, their whispers and spells building to a deafening crescendo.
"Did it work?" Zack asked to Max.
"Uhf-- Uhm... Hmf.. M-It must have worked... I put all the energy of the united magic club into that thing, even if it doesn't kill her, it should be enough to at least-"
Without letting Max finish, several lights and sparks light up inside the pollen cloud, and soon the entire cloud begins to burn rapidly in the sky, like magnesium powder on fire, leaving behind only the figure of the woman with a frown on her face.
"Damn monsters!" The woman said through clenched teeth.
"Damn it!" Max spat in frustration.
I could soon see the woman creating a magic circle in front of her body, a magic circle of orange colors like amber, the magic circle gave me an immediate sense of danger and discomfort that made my blood run cold.
'Everyone get back! This attack is going to be dangerous!' I yelled to everyone through the link.
Soon everyone started to come back and circle me like a large swarm, ready to serve as a meat shield if they couldn't dodge the attack. Seeing that the imminent attack was on its way, I had no choice but to go on the offensive.
"SLUT! YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY BABIES!!" I yelled at the woman, which made her frown deepen even more in confusion.
Soon I created several bubbles of magic around me, then I started filling them with various powerful and potentially dangerous spells like [Tainted Touch], [Flash], [Life Drain], [Paralysis] and everything I could create, then I started forcing the bubbles containing the different magics to merge into one, which made the bubbles start to shake violently as I could see the magic refusing to follow my orders.
Not caring much about the will of the magic, I started to literally "Tie" the magics together by force, creating a kind of chain spell that was so unstable that it could explode in my face at any time, but that was exactly what I wanted, something very dangerous to throw in that bitch's face.
No long after, the woman's magic circle was finally completed, and from there a sort of crackling red star began to form. The star then began to run around us like a missile, heating the air around it, demonstrating its enormous heat. In response, the hive opened as a whole and I threw the bubble of spells in the direction of the projectile that was coming towards us with a quick movement of my hands. As soon as the two forces met, the bubble of magic quickly bursted, creating a huge explosion that generated a menacing-looking purple cloud, but successfully stopping the woman's spell. Seeing that her attack had been neutralized, the woman let out a "Tsk" in displeasure and began to fly faster with her magic broom, trying to get closer to us.
"How do we kill this fucking bitch?!" Ken shouted to Hans.
"We need to find a weak point in her and exploit it to get out of this place as quickly as possible," Hans said as he analyzed the woman meticulously.
"That's can't be a human, righ?! That's shit is a fucking killing machine! How is it possible that she escaped without a scratch from our combined attack?!" Max said from the side.
"And Trevis still thought we could fight a bunch of them!" Ken said.
"I told you we needed more levels to fight them! And I guess I was right about that! Look at that thing!" Trevis said pointing to the human on top of a broom flying with us while rummaging through her bag.
"All of you, shut up! This is not the time to fight! It's time to think about how to finish this woman!" I said to everyone.
"What about that story about avoiding conflict, and being more friendly?" Ken said a little mockingly.
"You want me to grab you by the waist and throw you over there so you can try to have a friendly conversation with her?! The chance to make friends is already over! Now it's last one standing wins!" I yelled at Ken a little irritated.
Of course, i wanted to try the "Hi, how are you? We're just passing through, can we go this way please?" approach. But then the boys started bombarding her with attacks before I could think about the situation, so now I need to find a way to get rid of this monster.
"Wait a minute! The broom!" I shouted to everyone.
"She can't fly without the broom. All we need to do is destroy it, and the problem's solved."
"Great! Now how do we destroy this thing?! MAX?!" Ken asked, his voice slurred.
"Uhm... If it’s a magical item, we just need to destroy the energy source, or the channel connecting the source to the rest of the structure," Max explained as several [Healers] gathered around him, tending to his hands.
"Great. So how do we do that?" Ken pressed.
"Someone... would need to dismantle it. Or overload the magical structure with energy until the formations powering the spell—or whatever makes the thing fly—break down," Max suggested.
"But how are we supposed to—"
Before we could finish, the woman started casting again. She formed a ball of wind with a light green magic circle and hurled it toward the hive. The spell was fast, and we, flying just over 30 km/h, had no time to dodge. My heart dropped into my stomach for a moment, and then I felt the impact—as though we’d been slammed by something.
Looking outside, I saw that the outer layer of the hive’s bees had been struck by the spell. The wind ball hit as hard as a human swatting at a bee in mid-air. I felt 21 members of the hive take heavy damage, enough to knock them unconscious. They fell, but the others managed to catch them, keeping them tethered to the swarm.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
"Damn it! We need the [Guardians] out there now! Get the injured inside!" Ken barked, adopting a more commanding posture.
I stood frozen, staring into space, my mind focused solely on the pain flooding through the link. I could feel the fear, the worry, the anger, the sadness—hundreds of voices echoing inside me.
And my blood began to boil. My heart hammered in my chest from pure rage, and the noise of everything happening around me started to fade away. I could sense more attacks coming our way, striking my babies, and I saw the world turn blood red. My consciousness began to slip away.
And then, everything turned red.
----------------------------------------
"What the hell are these creatures?" Cecil asked herself. Cecil was now flying her [Arcane Glider] after a cluster of unknown monsters that had been identified by the adventurers' guild. Normally, they wouldn't pay attention to monsters flying over the city, after all, 99% of the time they are just weak magical creatures in emigration. But this cluster of monsters caught their attention for a specific reason. Their mana signature. The energy that these things emanated was like a lantern in the middle of the night, emitting a type of strange energy unknown to the guild or to Celestia's bestiaries. This aroused the curiosity of many people who wanted to try to catch a glimpse of the mysterious creatures, but everyone was afraid of being attacked in the process. After all, creatures capable of emanating so much magical energy volatio in this way are either in a large group or are very powerful. But that didn't stop Celestia's bestiaries from rushing to the adventurers' guild and placing several requests for high rewards for any adventurer bold enough to bring the mysterious creature down. But even those who wanted to accept the request couldn't do much, after all, Celestia is known for attracting adventurers who are willing to do work for merchants, not adventurers who fight or who don't even know how or have the means to fly.
But for Cecil this wasn't a problem at all, as a silver-level adventurer, specialized in long and medium-range combat, she invested heavily in having her own [Arcane Glider], which cost her a small fortune, but helps her move around easily and fight safely. So when he saw the reward far above her usual income, Cecil just thought: "Why not? After all, I just need to make the creature fall."
And without wasting time, Cecil climbed into her [Arcane Glider] and flew into the sky after the mysterious creature quickly, afraid of it flying away while thinking about everything he could do with the fat payment that was being offered.
But before he could even get close, Cecil could soon feel a massive magical attack coming towards him, without thinking much about it she simply dodged the attack without difficulty and followed her path to the surface of the clouds. Arriving there, what she saw left her very confused, it was a girl of about 8 years old, with a strange appearance, as if she were half human and half insect, looking at her with big black eyes and a stoic face. All while floating above a cloud of strange-looking bees, and was surrounded by several other bees carrying boxes, and large unknown objects.
'What the hell is this? A new variant of the [Faey]?' Cecil wondered in her mind.
"What are-" Cecil began, but before she had time, she soon felt an imminent danger coming from below, and soon she could see the sphere of magical energy that she swore she had dodged emerge from between the clouds and rush towards her.
'What the hell?!' Cecil thought before pointing at the threatening ball of energy and casting a quick [Mana Bullet] spell, but to her surprise before her spell met with the ball of magical energy, the ball began to crackle and tremble before splitting into hundreds of small points of crackling energy that rushed towards Cecil like small meteors.
"Damn it! How did they do this-" Cecil spat, a little shocked by the situation, before pulling one of her precious magic scrolls from her bag and pouring her magical energy into it, causing a current of magical energy to appear around Cecil and swallow the hundreds of magical projectiles as if they were nothing.
Cecil then turned to the creature/child who hadn't changed her expression at all, keeping the same stoic and cold expression as if he hadn't just tried to kill her. Soon Cecil could see small humanoid bees running and swarming around her, which made her immediately tense, if the creatures started to attach themselves to her and attack her, she would have no other option but to retreat.
After all, she was at a disadvantage having to fight in the air.
To Cecil's displeasure, several attacks soon followed, with bees sending threatening thorns in her direction, bees throwing acids and poisons at her and small projectiles of concentrated magic, all of which could be easily dodged and contained with a little skill and precious magic scrolls.
'Damn monsters! They already made me spend 2 medium scrolls! I need to at least get one of them so I don't leave empty-handed.' Cecil thought as he tried to catch one of the creatures around him alive, but they were fast, slippery and their bites were not at all consistent with their small size.
Distracted by the frustration of not being able to grab one of the creatures and retreat, Cecil was completely oblivious to the attack happening right above her.
The creatures had created a strange bubble of unconventional magic and thrown it in her direction. The bubble soon burst and several bright blue seeds appeared around Cecil. Cecil, in turn, did not immediately understand what the seeds were, but a quick look assured him that they were anything but conventional seeds, since they were full of chaotic magic that would soon combust.
In a split second, Cecil then pulled out one of her most expensive scrolls, without having time to think about the high price he had paid for the scroll and the meals he had skipped to save for the high-level item.
The strange seeds soon exploded like grenades, producing a dense lime-green mist of pollen that burned Cecil's skin upon contact. Gritting her teeth in anger, Cecil finished activating her scroll, which soon created a magical barrier around him and created a small magical explosion, burning the harmful spores and healing Cecil with magic before her magical shield fell.
"Damn monsters!" Cecil screamed with hatred in her eyes as he machine-gunned the strange, stoic-faced creature with her sharp gaze.
Irritated, Cecil immediately began to activate one of her 4-tab spells, [Inferno Lance], with the idea of forcing the creatures down and make them take this fight on the ground. But soon as she activated the casting of her spell she saw the insect girl's stoic expression change for the first time, taking on a cold and threatening expression as she showed her teeth lined up like saws, making Cecil swallow dryly with the chill in her body.
Then, in front of Cecil's eyes, she saw the girl being surrounded by a ball of bees, completely disappearing into a waiting pool of insects that floated in the air. Before Cecil could understand the meaning of this, her spell had been completed, and without delay, Cecil fired her spell towards the orb of insects that seemed to have no way of defending itself from the attack.
To Cecil's complete shock, the ball of bees quickly dissolved, revealing the insect girl inside again. Looking at her, Cecil could see what seemed to be a soap bubble between her hands. Looking at the bubble, Cecil couldn't help but look at her with an expression of shock and intrigue.
'Expression magic? How can monsters use expression magic, no- The main question, is how is a monster using expression magic of this level?!' Cecil thought in her head.
Expression magic is not common, it is seen as "archaic" and "inefficient" by the entire magical community, but there is a single factor about expression magic that makes the occasional appearance of users of this type of magic: its volatility. Expression magic is directly linked to the magic user, talented users can create very destructive magic, despite needing much more mana and time to cast their spells.
Without letting Cecil be surprised by the little magic show, the insect girl threw the bubble of magic that volatilized towards Cecil's spell, as soon as the 2 magical phenomena met, the insect girl's spell burst like a soap bubble and generated a large wave of magical energy compressed in a single location, which combined with Cecil's fire magic generated a large explosion in the sky that generated a cloud of toxic purple smoke.
"Tch!" Cecil hissed as he grabbed onto her [Arcane Glider], and ran forward to approach the ball of bees.
'It's dangerous to stay here, if these things can use expression magic, then it's best to retreat for now... But if I can catch even one of them... I can sell it for a good price... DAMN!' Cecil thought, before flying towards the floating ball of bees while preparing several [WindBreak] spells.
Even though she was in great danger, Cecil thought that even if she couldn't catch the "Big Fish" she might leave empty-handed, so catching one of the strange creatures that looked like a cross between a fairy and a bee would be enough to earn her a gold coin or two, plus if she got close enough to cast spells at close range, the insect girl wouldn't dare cast truly destructive expression spells.
Getting closer, Cecil began to cast several spells on the bee ball, trying to make at least 3 or 4 creatures detach themselves from the ball and fall into her hands, but to her surprise, every time her spell knocked out one of the creatures, the creatures around him would grab onto him and sink him into the floating orb of bees.
"Are you serious?! Come on, you idiotic insects!" Cecil shouted irritably as he cast another barrage of spells.
Cecil was so focused on taking down one of the insects that she failed to notice the strange activity unfolding within the mass of floating bees. The tiny creatures, once intent on guarding the sphere's contents, began clutching their heads and emitting guttural grunts as though overwhelmed by some unseen agony. The sphere of insects slowly unraveled, collapsing in a cascade of boxes, bags, and an assortment of strange items plummeting to the ground.
It wasn’t until Cecil heard the piercing, metallic screech that her instincts screamed danger. The sound was sharp, like nails dragging across steel, and it cut through her ears with a pain that made her wince. She froze, realizing too late that something had gone terribly wrong.
The golden bees began to thrash, emitting eerie cries that transitioned into bloodcurdling screams. Their eyes, once a glossy black, now glowed with a malevolent crimson hue, shimmering like cursed rubies. The chaotic ball of bees unraveled further, exposing grotesque, wingless creatures clinging to their airborne brethren. These malformed horrors snapped their jagged mandibles, growling like feral beasts, ready to strike.
From deep within the swarm, a figure emerged—a shape larger and more ominous than the others. Its presence exuded malice, and its three enormous, glowing golden eyes locked onto Cecil with an intensity that sent a cold shiver racing down her spine.
“Damn it!” Cecil spat, panic overriding her instincts. She pivoted, activating her [Arcane Glider] and hurtling downward at full speed. Her heart pounded in her chest as she glanced back. The swarm was in relentless pursuit, moving faster than seemed possible, gliding effortlessly through the air as if mocking her desperate escape.
She broke through the clouds, her city now visible on the horizon, a glimmer of hope in an otherwise grim scenario. But her relief was short-lived. The swarm burst through the cloud cover with a monstrous roar—a sound so guttural and raw it resonated like a chorus of unearthly beasts.
"RAAAAAAWR!"
The air itself seemed to shift as black rain began to pour from the swarm. The droplets hissed upon contact with Cecil’s skin, searing her flesh and releasing acrid plumes of smoke. She bit back a scream, but the pain was relentless, her arms trembling as she gripped the glider.
Then came the sound—a pulsating, otherworldly vibration that rattled her senses. Her vision blurred, and her thoughts became foggy. She shook her head, struggling to focus, but the damage was already done. Her [Arcane Glider], always so dependable, flickered and stuttered beneath her feet.
“What?! No, no, no! It was fine a second ago! How—”
Her words were cut short by another deafening roar, this one louder and more primal. She dared a glance upward, only to see a dazzling display of thin, shimmering threads descending like spider silk. They danced in the sunlight, reflecting iridescent patterns that momentarily captivated her. But beauty turned to horror as the threads lashed out, binding her arms, legs, and even her neck with a terrifying precision.
“Gah—!” she gasped, struggling against the constriction.
The threads yanked her upward with violent force, sending her spinning through the air. Her glider plummeted to the earth below, useless now. Pain flared as the bindings tightened, cutting into her skin and digging deep into her feathers. She twisted and thrashed, but there was no escape.
Hoisted like prey, Cecil dangled helplessly before the swarm. The golden-eyed figure loomed closer, its vast presence radiating pure malice. Around it, countless blood-red eyes glared at her, their collective killing intent so suffocating it made breathing feel like an impossible task.
“ARGHHH!” Cecil screamed, her voice raw with terror and pain.
It was then that Cecil noticed the horrifying wounds forming where the threads constricted her body, as if her skin had been grated away. Purple smoke rose steadily from the raw injuries, and the unnatural pain made her clench her teeth so tightly her jaw ached. Every breath became a struggle, the agony threatening to consume her entirely.
The swarm paid no attention to her suffering. From within the swirling mass of enraged bees, a figure began to emerge—a being with three glowing golden eyes. As it floated forward, its form became clearer: a humanoid figure, just over 1.50 meters tall, clad in chitinous armor as black and reflective as obsidian. Its torso was slender, almost childlike, resembling that of a young teen. Yet its eerie proportions were anything but innocent.
Two thin arms, long and clawed, extended from its torso, each covered in the same glistening black armor. Its legs, delicate yet deadly, ended in blade-like feet, with upward-curving spiked heels that resembled the talons of a predatory bird. On its back, two peculiar wings fluttered furiously. They seemed almost ethereal, formed of radiant, shimmering energy. Though they were disproportionately small for the creature’s body, they kept it aloft with unnerving ease, vibrating so rapidly they appeared to blur.
The creature’s face was otherworldly. Silken white hair cascaded down its back, flowing like liquid moonlight, its strands shifting gently in the air as if animated by an unseen breeze. Atop its head, two small, golden horns jutted forward, framing long, graceful antennae that added to its regal, alien allure.
Its face, though far from human, radiated an elegance so captivating it was hard to look away. Three enormous eyes dominated its features, their deep black depths punctuated by golden, cross-shaped pupils and luminous white irises. Two of these eyes were positioned where human eyes might be, while the third sat vertically on its forehead, giving it an unblinking, omniscient gaze. Below them, a delicate nose and full lips, gilded in golden hues, stood out starkly against its jet-black skin, as if the creature itself were an artist’s masterpiece—a blend of beauty and menace.
But Cecil had no time to admire or fear its strange majesty. Her wounds screamed with unrelenting pain, forcing her to clench her teeth harder, tears spilling freely from her eyes.
“N-no, this can’t be happening! D-damn it... I-I can’t die like this!” Cecil hissed through gritted teeth, her voice trembling with desperation.
Her mind raced as she considered her dwindling options. There was only one spell that could give her a fighting chance—one so powerful it could destroy both her and her enemies in a single blast. A 4-ring spell. It was the most advanced incantation she had ever mastered, one that carried a slim chance of survival even under ideal conditions. But survival wasn’t the goal anymore—escaping this nightmare was.
With a shaky breath, Cecil gathered her focus. Her trembling fingers traced the arcane symbols as four luminous magic circles began to materialize in front of her, one nested within the other. The spell pulsed with raw energy, its light illuminating the gloom around her. The pain tearing at her flesh became background noise as she poured every ounce of her will into keeping the spell stable. Sweat streamed down her face, her vision blurring from the strain.
But then, the creature’s gaze shifted. Its three golden eyes locked onto the glowing circles, and in an instant, the spell began to disintegrate. The intricate runes crumbled like sand, their once-brilliant light fading into nothingness.
“N-no! H-how?!” Cecil gasped, her voice cracking in disbelief.
She stared at the empty space where her last hope had vanished. Her heart pounded, her chest tightening with dread as she realized the creature had unraveled her spell with nothing but its gaze. Desperation clawed at her, the enormity of her peril sinking in as the threads tightened further, drawing her closer to the swarm.
The creature’s previously calm and composed face contorted into a grotesque scowl, its alien elegance replaced by something nightmarish. Slowly, it opened its mouth, revealing rows upon rows of jagged teeth, lined up like the ridged throat of a leatherback turtle. But the horror didn’t stop there. Cracks spiderwebbed across its face, and the surface began to split.
With a sickening crunch, its entire face bloomed like a grotesque flower, exposing an interior lined with spiraling layers of teeth. At its core was a dark, endless void, pulsating with a primal, predatory hunger. From this abyss, a fleshy, whip-like tongue emerged, coiling and writhing as if alive.
“GHAAAAHH!!”
The creature’s roar shattered the air, a deafening cry that sent shockwaves through Cecil’s skull. Her ears rang painfully, and a high-pitched whine drowned out her thoughts. Droplets of the creature’s saliva landed on her skin, sizzling upon contact and searing her flesh with a burning agony. Cecil screamed, but her voice was drowned out by the creature’s roar.
Before she could react, its clawed hand shot forward, gripping her chin with such force that she thought her jaw might shatter. Immobilized, Cecil could only watch in terror as the creature leaned closer, its horrifying maw retracting into something almost human again. Its tongue, long and serpentine, slithered out and began to drag slowly across her face. Each pass left behind its toxic saliva, the searing pain spreading like wildfire across her skin. The burning sensation was unbearable, like molten fire eating away at her flesh.
The creature suddenly recoiled, spitting as if disgusted by her taste. Its golden eyes narrowed in disdain before it opened its maw once more, emitting a guttural, vibrating sound that resembled a bone-rattling growl. Without ceremony, it released the threads binding Cecil, letting her body drop into the void below.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Cecil’s heart stopped in sheer panic as she realized the gravity of her situation. Without her [Arcane Glider], the fall would kill her. Her mind raced through spells—[Slow Fall], [Float], anything—but the creature’s earlier interference left her unable to invoke even the simplest incantation. Helpless, she plummeted, gravity pulling her toward an inevitable end.
The wind roared past her ears, a cruel accompaniment to the maelstrom of emotions consuming her. Pain, raw and unrelenting, coursed through her battered body. Fear clawed at her heart as she replayed the horrific image of the creature’s face splitting apart. But more than anything, anger surged within her—a white-hot fury directed at herself, the adventurer’s guild, and the damnable bestiaries that had failed to warn her of this nightmare.
“Damn it all...” Cecil whispered hoarsely, her voice lost in the howling wind.
She had bet everything on this mission—a high-risk, high-reward gamble. The promise of gold had blinded her to the reality of facing the unknown. It was supposed to be worth it, but now, as the ground rushed up to meet her, it seemed like the end of the line. Just another foolish adventurer lured to their doom by the glint of coins.
In her final moments of consciousness, Cecil caught one last glimpse of the creature. It darted southward, moving with inhuman speed, its shimmering wings propelling it like a streak of lightning across the sky. It didn’t even glance back at her, discarding her like a broken, unneeded toy.
The world spun. The pain, the fear, and the anger all blurred together. And as her vision faded, the last memory burned into her mind was that of the creature’s horrific face splitting open, revealing its abyssal maw—a sight plucked straight from the deepest pits of a nightmare.
Then, everything went black.