Janis felt off-balance, like the ground beneath her feet had suddenly turned out to have more give than she expected. That wasn’t actually the case, of course, it was all in her mind.

Janis? Regina asked, concerned. Are you okay? You know, you don’t have to talk to this old lady if you don’t want to. I can have one of the others speak for me.

Janis suppressed a smile. Only Regina would so easily refer to the elemental, a monster, as a lady, like some old human woman who caused trouble. That was another thing, she’d learned a while ago that Regina didn’t see much of a difference between expressions of status or rank, and just spoke of everyone like they had the same social rank unless she had a specific reason not to. It was something about her society, the one she had grown up in. And wouldn’t that piece of Ancient history ruffle some feathers if people learned of it.

But Janis’ small amusement didn’t last long, as her thoughts turned back to what prompted it. I’m fine. I do want to talk to her.

At the moment, they were following Volance. It was slow going, since they’d picked up Zoe and were carrying her, as she was still weak. Well, the other two carried her, since even Ria was stronger than Janis.

“Are you coming?” The Air Elemental asked, turning around from where she walked a few meters ahead.

“We are,” Janis said, glaring a little. “But Zoe is still injured and I don’t want to make it worse.”

“Oh, well.” Volance glided closer to them, ignoring the way Ash tensed, and laid a hand on Zoe’s shoulder for a moment. Janis could sense the flow of mana. “There we go.”

I think that was Greater Heal, Regina commented silently.

Janis didn’t react, but she was inclined to agree. While she couldn’t cast the Spell herself, Regina could, so she would expect her to recognize it. It wasn’t something you would associate with air, though. A water elemental, maybe, but air? Clearly, Volance was not to be underestimated.

Her grandmother. Janis still had a bit of trouble wrapping her head around that revelation. She had known there was a chance she would meet an ancestor of hers here, and had even hoped for it, but now she realized she hadn’t really been prepared for this.

With Zoe fully healed, their pace increased, and they quickly reached the place the elemental was leading them toward. It turned out to be a nice, secluded mountain glade with a waterfall crashing over a rock face at one side and a small incline leading into a wooded area on the other. The grass was lush and vibrant, dotted with pretty wildflowers, and Janis had to admit that the place offered a fantastic view over the mountains and their outskirts.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Lady Volance,” Ria said, inclining her head at the elemental as the group found places to drop their packs and sit down. Janis suspected the drone realized that she might react negatively and was trying to cover for it.

“And for the help,” Zoe added.

The elemental smiled as she sat cross-legged in the air. It was faintly eerie how her face could be so expressive while lacking any substance. “Don’t mention it. You four have got to be the most polite guests I’ve ever had. I suppose that might come with the territory, being fellow monsters and all.” She laughed.

“I’m pretty sure I’m technically a demihuman,” Janis remarked. She wasn’t even sure why she felt the need to say that. Maybe she just wanted to be contrary.

“Of course you are.” Volance kept smiling, and Janis had to suppress the feeling that she was making fun of her.

“We came here because we were curious,” Ria continued. “The gnomes have apparently had trouble with your kind.”

“Oh, those roaches.” Volance waved dismissively again. “Don’t mind them.”

Janis narrowed her eyes at her, trying not to show how the elemental’s casual, contemptuous dismissal shocked her. “Those ‘roaches’ have been perfect hosts and are the first people to trade with us,” she said sharply. “I appreciate the healing you’ve given Zoe, but they’ve been better to us than almost anyone, and they’ve certainly done more to earn our goodwill than you, grandmother.”

Volance paused and cocked her head in a bird-like motion. She seemed to straighten up, suddenly looming over them, her gaze boring into her. For a moment, Janis thought she’d made a big mistake. Then the elemental slowly smiled and the atmosphere lifted.

“I suppose you have a point,” she said. “Do pardon me if I have been rude. I wouldn’t want to offend your precious trade partners. Or, worse, your Hive Queen.”

Janis sensed the others stiffening a little, and she frowned. “Our Hive Queen? I’m sure we haven’t mentioned anyone like that.”

Volance smiled again, though this time it seemed lighter. “I might not be old enough to have seen Hivekind for myself, kid, but I can recognize the proverbial dragon when it is in front of me. Besides, you think I wouldn’t recognize a psychic presence hanging around this close to me?”

Well, I guess that means the game is up, Regina said. No point in hiding me or trying to deny my existence.

Janis nodded. “My Queen greets you and wishes she could be here to meet you in person,” she relayed Regina’s directions through the psychic link. “She has indeed been watching.”

Volance took a step closer. “Oh? You are actually part of this Hive, to the point of being included in their telepathic union, Janis? How interesting. I did not know that was possible. Although I suppose much has been lost when it comes to knowledge of your kind.”

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Janis exchanged a look with the others. “What do you know about the Hivekind?” she asked, echoing Regina’s mental question.

Volance shook her head. “Little beyond common knowledge. They were one of the races new to the world during the Cataclysm, and like everyone else, they lost almost everything and most of their people in it. In the troubled times immediately following the apocalypse, they were eradicated. I’ve heard that none of their older queens survived, only newly made ones, who were driven mad with grief for losing everything, their homes and most of their children.” She paused. “That part of the story is a bit melodramatic, I have to admit.”

Because they lost everything twice, Regina murmured quietly, and Janis sensed an echo of her emotions, a hint of sorrow, wistfulness and grief of her own. Their homes, their world, their identities and memories, and then their new lives and everything they’d started to build. She sighed. Still, I’m not sure I believe the ‘mad with grief’ part.

“What else do you know?” Ash asked, leaning forward with obvious interest. “Anything about our biology or culture, or anything like that?”

“Well, I know they were structured like insect hives, with a queen and drones.” She looked at them and raised an eyebrow. “Obviously true. Beyond that, I doubt anyone but the gods could give you more information. Well, perhaps the elves or the gnomes.”

Janis nodded and made herself take the opportunity to get the conversation back on track. “Judging by your earlier words, the elementals really don’t seem to get on well with the gnomes, do you?”

Volance leaned back and shrugged. “That depends somewhat, really. What do you know about us elementals?”

Janis glanced at the others. “You’re powerful and few in number,” she replied. “And you are associated with one of the foundational elements, obviously.”

“Broadly correct, although you are missing several important details,” Volance said briskly. “We’ll have to speak privately after this, Janis. My point, though, is that we are very few and solitary. In fact, there are only two of each element living here in this area.”

Janis raised an eyebrow. She’d known there were few elementals, but she hadn’t realized the number was quite that low. “So how do you get along with the others?” she asked.

Volance gave her a quick grin. “Now you are asking better questions! To answer it, though, it depends on the individuals. We are, as I mentioned, solitary, though. While we might occasionally meet and chat, we don’t really have a proper organization, let alone something like a government. So if you’re here to arrange some kind of treaty for your little friends, you’re going to be disappointed. You’d have to make not just one arrangement, but several agreements with everyone. And let me tell you, a few of my fellows are not likely to agree to anything any stranger asks of them. We can barely get them to visit without starting a fight every single time.”

Janis winced slightly. They hadn’t really come here to work out a treaty, but she realized this would make things harder if they did want to mediate some kind of agreement or truce. She was a bit more interested in this information for personal reasons, though.

"Well, it’s a good thing we don’t have such an ambition then,” Zoe said with a smile, clearly echoing her thoughts. “Thank you for the insight, though, Lady Volance.”

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Janis spoke up, making an effort to be polite. “You talked about the other elementals, and previously you mentioned someone named Cendis. What about him?”

Volance paused and glanced at the others. “Perhaps it’s time to continue that conversation in private, if you’d rather?”

Janis nodded. She had to admit she would prefer that. Sharing experiences with her Hive was nice and all, but for some things, having a bit more privacy would be nice.

I’ll leave you to it, Regina told her, and Janis sensed her attention withdrawing. Call for me if you need me, otherwise I’ll leave you your privacy.

Thank you, my Queen.

Janis followed Volanance a short distance away. They stopped behind a weathered boulder, which mostly blocked them from the sight of her companions. They weren’t far enough to stop a determined Hivekind from listening in, but she sensed the elemental weave magic, a curtain of air that would stop sound from traveling that far.

“To put it bluntly, yes, your great-grandsire is one of the belligerent ones,” Volance said. “I’d be cautious about approaching him even if you were alone, and bringing your companions would be even riskier.”

Janis sighed. “I was afraid of that. Although, it does make me wonder …” She hesitated, but she couldn’t see a way to phrase the question that would be polite. “I expected any elemental ancestor I found to be male, for obvious reasons. I admit I’m a bit surprised by you being female.”

Volance laughed. “Oh, child.” She shook her head, still smiling. “I’m an elemental. I am only about as female as two of your friends back there. That is, it does not matter at all most of the time. You must have realized we are using magic to have children?”

Janis nodded and shrugged. “I guessed as much, although I’m still a bit confused about the details. According to my studies, creating life is not as simple as that. Could you explain?”

Volance hopped into the air and settled on an invisible ledge just off the boulder. “It needs very powerful magic,” she agreed. “In this case, elementals actually have something of an advantage. We don’t have physical bodies as such, so there’s no physical aspect to get in the way. I’d explain the details but frankly, they’re complicated, boring, and not something you could use.” She paused, looking wistful all of a sudden. “Your grandfather was an adventurer who tried to explore the mountains. Fun fellow. Good at making me laugh. He mentioned that he wanted to have children, but had problems with it, so I decided he’d be a worthy partner.”

Janis blinked. That didn’t quite match the story she’d heard from her parents, although, come to think of it, they’d never given her any details. “I don’t suppose you’d explain how your magic works?” she asked hopefully.

Volance regarded her silently for a moment. “Do you know what level I am?”

“No, how could I?”

“Fair point, but it was a rhetorical question. The answer is that I’m level eighty.”

Janis whistled silently. Level eighty! That was far and away the strongest person she’d ever met, and one of the highest she’d ever heard about, too. “I see.”

“I was born at level eighty,” Volance continued. “When I die, hopefully a long time from now, it will be at level eighty. That is the way it works for elementals, we do not use the System the way most do.”

Janis frowned. “That seems a bit unfair.”

The elemental shrugged. “It is the way it is. Truthfully, I don’t mind. Unless you meant it is unfair to humans and others that we would have such a high level? Then I’d point out that life isn’t fair, and even the System often isn’t.”

Janis thought about Regina and her abilities and the Hive, nodding. Volance probably had a point about that. She still appreciated the ability to level up, and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to cope with being unable to. But what if she was born like that and had never known anything else?

“I think I’m actually thankful not to be a full elemental myself,” she said, “and surprisingly, it’s not because of the monster thing. Thank you for telling me, anyway, grandmother. I promise I won’t betray your confidence.”

“Your Hive Queen will likely know what you know,” Volance pointed out. “But I was aware of that, and I don’t mind. Even if people knew my level, in all likelihood, it would not do them any good. It might even encourage them to stay away more readily.”

Janis nodded. “I don’t suppose that counts for me?”

“No, you can feel free to visit any time. Even if you do someday reach my level.”

Janis smiled. That sounded like a distant dream, but she felt it was an achievable goal.