The oppressive heat and thick air inside the nest made it feel like the walls were closing in on Caelum. He pressed his back against the cold resin of the tunnel, his breath coming in shallow bursts as he strained to listen for the telltale buzzing of the wasps. The sound had been constant, but now, there was something different—more coordinated, more focused.

She knows I’m here.

Caelum’s Appraisal skill had confirmed his worst fear: the Queen had detected him. He could feel her presence, a looming, crushing force that seemed to fill the entire nest. Her awareness spread like tendrils, reaching through the tunnels, touching everything and everyone inside the hive. The drones and soldiers were moving faster now, more purposeful in their actions. The Queen was preparing for something.

And Caelum had become the target.

He had barely escaped his first encounter with the soldiers, but now, the situation was growing worse by the second. The Queen wasn’t relying on random patrols anymore. She was sending her elite guards—powerful wasps with far more precision and strength than the standard drones. He could hear them moving through the tunnels, their movements sharp and deliberate, hunting him.

Caelum’s pulse quickened as he pressed himself deeper into the tunnel. His Wind Magic had allowed him to move quickly through the nest so far, but now the air felt heavier, as if the very structure of the hive was fighting against him. The Queen was tightening her grip on the nest, and Caelum knew he couldn’t hide forever.

He had to stay ahead of them.

With a deep breath, Caelum activated his Earth Magic, placing his hands against the floor. The resinous material of the nest began to shift under his touch, softening as he manipulated it. He pulled the ground upward, forming a makeshift barrier that blocked the tunnel behind him. It wasn’t a permanent solution, but it would slow the elite guards down.

The buzzing grew louder, closer. Caelum’s heart pounded in his chest as he turned and sprinted down the tunnel, his Wind Magic pushing him forward. The air rushed past him as he darted through the twisting corridors, moving as fast as his legs could carry him. He needed to stay ahead, but the tunnels were a labyrinth, and every turn brought him closer to a dead end.

He could feel the Queen’s presence growing stronger with every step. She was aware of his movements, tracking him through her elite guards. The pressure in the air was suffocating, and the further he went, the more he realized how dangerous the situation had become. The walls themselves seemed to pulse with her will, guiding the guards as they closed in on him.

Caelum skidded to a halt as the tunnel ahead of him forked in two directions. His Appraisal flickered to life, but the paths ahead were equally dangerous. The Queen’s elite guards were coming from all sides, converging on him.

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No time to hesitate.

Caelum darted to the left, sprinting through the narrow passage as the sound of the guards grew louder behind him. He could feel their presence, the vibration of their wings reverberating through the nest. They were closing in fast.

I need to slow them down.

He stopped briefly, slamming his hands against the wall of the tunnel. His Earth Magic surged to life again as he pulled the ground upward, creating another barrier. This time, he pushed harder, forming a thicker, more reinforced wall. The resinous material groaned under the pressure, but it held. For now.

Caelum’s body ached from the constant use of his magic. He had already been drained from the earlier fight, and now the strain of maintaining his spells was wearing on him. He couldn’t keep this up for much longer. The elite guards were too fast, too strong. They would break through his barriers eventually, and when they did, he would have to face them.

I need to find a way out.

He stumbled forward, pushing through the pain as he continued down the tunnel. His Appraisal flashed again, warning him of more guards ahead. His heart sank. He was surrounded. The Queen’s elite forces were closing the trap around him, cutting off every escape route. There was no way out.

The buzzing was deafening now, the sound of the elite guards just beyond the walls. Caelum’s mind raced. He could try to fight them head-on, but he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance in his current state. He had to stay one step ahead, keep moving, but there was nowhere left to go.

Think, Caelum. Think.

He focused on his Appraisal again, scanning the structure of the nest. The tunnel he was in led deeper into the hive, closer to the heart of the Queen’s domain. It was a dangerous path, but it was the only option left. If he could reach the lower levels of the nest, he might be able to lose the guards and find a way to regroup.

But time was running out.

With a surge of determination, Caelum pushed forward, racing down the tunnel as the buzzing behind him grew louder. His legs burned from the effort, his magic nearly spent, but he couldn’t stop now. He had to reach Aurelia. He had to stop the Queen before it was too late.

I can’t let her win. Not now.

The tunnel began to slope downward, the walls growing darker and more oppressive as Caelum descended deeper into the hive. The air was thicker here, heavy with the Queen’s presence. He could feel her, lurking just beyond his reach, her power suffocating and relentless.

As he ran, Caelum’s mind raced with thoughts of Aurelia. She was still somewhere within this maze of tunnels, trapped and weakened, but she was alive. He could still sense her presence, faint but steady, a beacon guiding him through the darkness.

But the Queen was closing in. And so were her guards.

Caelum skidded to a stop as the tunnel opened into a larger chamber. His breath came in ragged gasps, his legs shaking from the effort. He could hear the elite guards behind him, the sound of their wings growing louder with every passing second. There was no more time to run. He had to face them.

He turned, his hands raised as he summoned the last of his magic. Earth Magic crackled in his palms as he prepared to fight, his body tense and ready.

This is it.

The buzzing intensified, and Caelum braced himself for the onslaught. The Queen’s elite guards were coming, and there was no escaping this battle.