Caelum’s breath came in shallow gasps as he pressed himself against the resinous wall of the nest, hidden within a narrow passage. His Camouflage flickered, the strain of maintaining it starting to wear on him. He had made it deeper into the nest than he’d thought possible, but the tension in the air told him that his luck was running out.

The nest was alive with movement. The buzzing of wings reverberated through the tunnels as wasp patrols moved with mechanical precision, sweeping the hive for intruders. Every step Caelum took was deliberate, slow, his senses heightened by the oppressive atmosphere. He could feel the Queen’s presence lurking somewhere ahead, powerful and looming. Aurelia was close—he knew it.

But he wasn’t alone anymore.

Caelum paused, his antennae twitching as he sensed a disturbance nearby. He closed his eyes and focused on his Appraisal, scanning the area ahead. A cold sweat ran down his spine as several dark shapes appeared on the edges of his awareness. Soldiers. Stronger and faster than the patrolling drones he had avoided so far.

They’re coming.

Caelum’s heart raced, and he quickly retreated into the shadows of the tunnel. His Wind Magic swirled softly around him, muffling his movements, but it wasn’t enough. The wasps were heading straight for him.

Too late.

The soldiers appeared in the corridor, their large, armored bodies blocking the path ahead. Their multifaceted eyes gleamed with a predatory gleam, and they buzzed with deadly precision. One of them turned its head slightly, and Caelum’s Camouflage flickered again. The wasp’s gaze locked onto him immediately.

The air seemed to freeze.

In an instant, the soldiers were upon him.

Caelum barely had time to react before the first wasp lunged at him, its stinger flashing through the air. He threw himself to the side, activating Instinctive Dodge as his body twisted out of the way just in time. The stinger missed him by inches, embedding itself into the wall where he had just been standing.

The wasps were faster than he had expected. Much faster.

No choice. I have to fight.

With a sharp breath, Caelum released his Camouflage and summoned his magic. His body surged with power as he activated Fire Magic, conjuring a ball of flame in his hands. The corridor lit up with the orange glow of the fire, and the wasps buzzed louder, their wings beating furiously as they prepared to strike again.

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Caelum didn’t wait. He hurled the ball of flame toward the closest wasp, the fire exploding in a burst of heat as it struck the creature’s armored body. The wasp screeched in pain, its wings seared by the flames, but it wasn’t enough to stop it. The other soldiers closed in, their stingers poised to strike.

Caelum’s mind raced as he focused on his next move. Earth Magic. He slammed his hand against the ground, channeling his energy into the floor beneath him. The earth rumbled in response, cracks spreading through the resinous walls as he pulled the ground upward, forming jagged spikes that shot toward the wasps.

The first two soldiers were impaled by the spikes, their bodies thrashing as the earth pierced through their armor. But the others weren’t deterred. They swarmed toward Caelum, their movements quick and precise.

Too many!

Caelum ducked as one of the wasps lashed out at him, its stinger slicing through the air where his head had been moments before. He activated Instinctive Dodge again, his body moving on reflex as he narrowly avoided another strike. The corridor was too narrow, the walls too close. He had no room to maneuver.

Another wasp lunged at him, and Caelum gritted his teeth, summoning another blast of Fire Magic. The flames roared to life, engulfing the creature in a searing inferno, but it wasn’t enough. The soldiers were relentless, their attacks faster than he could counter.

I can’t keep this up.

Caelum felt the sting of a sharp blow as one of the wasps grazed his side, the pain flaring as venom began to spread through his veins. He staggered back, clutching the wound as he tried to focus. His Poison Resistance kicked in, slowing the effects, but he could feel his strength waning.

He couldn’t win this fight. Not like this.

I have to get out of here.

With one last surge of energy, Caelum slammed his hand into the ground again, using Earth Magic to create a wall of stone between him and the soldiers. The earth groaned in response, the wall rising from the floor to block the corridor, cutting off the wasps’ pursuit—at least temporarily.

Caelum’s breath came in ragged gasps as he turned and fled, his legs shaking from the effort. He couldn’t afford to stop. He needed to regroup, find a place to recover before the soldiers broke through.

He stumbled through the twisting passages of the nest, his body aching from the battle. The venom still burned in his wound, but his Poison Resistance kept it from spreading too quickly. He just needed time.

As he ran, he retraced his steps, making his way toward one of the tunnels he had dug earlier using Burrow Maintenance. He reached the hidden passage, slipping inside just as the buzzing of the soldiers grew louder behind him. He collapsed against the wall, his heart pounding in his chest.

He had been discovered. The soldiers would be on high alert now, searching for him. He had injured several of them, but they would recover soon enough. And the Queen… she would know.

But he wasn’t finished yet.

Caelum took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. His body was battered, but he could still fight. He just needed to be smarter, faster. He needed to stay one step ahead of the swarm.

“I’ll get you out of here, Aurelia,” he whispered to himself, his resolve hardening. “I won’t let them stop me.”

He had come too far to fail now.