To no one’s surprise at all, trudging through three to four feet of snow is a serious pain in the ass when you are just short of being five feet tall…

Yes, I have more than enough strength to just walk through the snow and ice, but then my clothes get soaked and I have to keep shoveling snow out of my face as it builds up in front of me. So, I tried making a plow with shadows to push the snow aside, digging out a path for me to run through, but it got embarrassing because the others would all follow behind me in a line like a bunch of baby ducks while I did all the work.

So, I tried other methods of getting around.

I tried riding on Nathaniel’s and whoever else’s shoulder that would let me. My small size with their big shoulders means that I can sit comfortably on one shoulder, but it just didn’t feel right for traveling long distances. I don’t like the idea of using my Demons as chairs… Maybe for just a short while, like if I want to talk with them or mess with them or something, but I don’t want to be getting carried around like some lazy Queen that can’t be bothered to walk.

Which lead to me traveling by jumping from branch to branch while everyone else is plowing through the snow. Even with many of the branches being covered in snow and ice, I have little issue with navigating them to get around. Even with everyone sprinting through the snow as fast as their giant bodies can carry them, I am still easily able to outpace every one of my Fiends.

And they run fast. Each one of them, standing anywhere from seven and a half to nine feet tall, are currently plowing through the woods and the snow at around forty miles per hour or so. Swinging from branch to branch, I look down and watch as Frank, the tallest of the lot at nine feet tall, fails to avoid hitting a pine tree that is in his way. So, instead, he just shoulder checks the tree and reduces it to splinters as he runs through the damn thing. Just going through a freaking tree like it isn’t even there. He doesn’t slow down.

“Guys, you need to practice navigating more. It’s nice that you can just plow through stuff, but you won’t be able to do that if you have to run though a place with civilians. Treat the trees like they are people on the street and avoid them.”

I get a few nods and yeses back as everyone starts to focus more on avoiding the obstacles. Bobbing and weaving around trees and jumping over bushes.

Leading them through the woods and leaving behind eleven trails in the snow, we draw closer and closer to an area that the army had marked as a hazardous location. It is an old town to the south of base that has been overrun with the nests of different kinds of beasts. Giant bats, rats, plenty of roaches, probably some raccoons and other things that will prey on the swarm species.

It is the perfect environment for my Demons to get some practice before we try dealing with the approaching tide of Goblins that we will most likely be facing in or near the city.

Stopping at the periphery of the town that is being steadily reclaimed by nature, I signal for everyone to stop. Hanging upside down by my tail from a tree, I pull out our papers and then bark out our job/training for today.

“Ok… Let’s see here. This town has approximately thirty some nests in it. We got all the creepy crawlies to look out for here. From big-ass rats and bats to football sized roaches and other nasty bugs. Even got a nest of centipedes on here, yuk… With it being winter, their activity is low right now, most should be sleeping, but the second you start messing up a nest, expect it to turn into chaos instantly. At least we shouldn’t have to worry about having the whole town on us from start to finish.”

Putting away the papers, I continue.

“Ok, some things to expect and stuff to remember. Keep your helmets on! Some of the bugs are still small enough to fit in your mouth, so unless you are looking to get some extra protein in your diet, keep your helmets locked on tight and your visors down! Next, you are going to be getting dirty. The swarms are going to cover your bodies and be skittering all over you, and by the time that we are done here, you are going to be caked in layers of filth. Get used to it! There is a river nearby that we can washup in later, after we are done here. So just remember that the faster we get done, the sooner you get cleaned.”

Nathaniel raises his hand, “What about destroying buildings?”

“Don’t care, go nuts. The army has no plans for using this place, so if you want to bust through walls or bring down entire buildings, feel free and have fun. The goal is the eradication of nests and getting some experience, nothing else. Well, except for me. I have my own job to do, but that has little to do with you guys.”

“Use of fire? Asks Xander.

“Not until after we are done. Just going to be controlled fires to burn what’s left of the nests, so that nothing will want to reclaim them after we leave. We’re risking a forest fire if we aren’t careful, and we are still too close to home to risk it.”

“What will you be doing?” Asks Sam.

“While I am observing your progress, I’ll be doing some experimenting. Playing around with my magic, and grabbing a live sample for the researchers to play with. For now, just focus on yourselves and use this as an opportunity to learn how to deal with swarms of little enemies. Go in solo, duos or teams. It’s up to you.”

“Use of firearms?” Another asks.

“Nope. Bullets run out, and I need you guys to all be used to using your bodies in the thick of it. You can start using guns again once I am confident that you will be fine without them. Besides that? Feel free to use melee weapons and whatever you can get your hands on. You want to swing around street signs or even trees and cars, go nuts. Anything else? No? Then get going! Sooner we clear this place out, the sooner we get to go home! And don’t forget to have fun!”

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Letting go of the tree branch, I fall and tuck in on myself to rotate in mid-air and land on my feet. Straight into a deep patch of snow, burying myself up to my shoulders…

“Hah… Fucking snow!!! I can’t wait for Spring to get here…"

Sam walks over as everyone else goes charging off into the town, a smile on her lips and a laugh being barely held back. “Need some help?”

“No…”

Trying to hide the blush of embarrassment on my face, I use my shadows to form some tentacles from my back and lift me up into the air. With my arms crossed and now hanging above the couple Demons that remained behind, I look them over as they try to hold back some laughs. “What?!”

“The Demon Queen got defeated by some snow, hahaha.” I hear Nathaniel giggle to Tyler.

“Oi! Mmrrr~! Get your asses in that town and start breaking stuff before I throw you idiots down there! Get going!”

“Yes ma’am!”, “Yes Lain!”, “Yes Demon Queen!”, “All hail the Demon Queen!” They all call out as they go sprinting for the town.

“Stop calling me Demon Queen!” I call out at their backs as they disappear from view. It doesn’t take long until I start to hear the sounds of walls getting busted down, tree’s falling over, something that sounds like a car getting thrown through a building, and then the sounds of screaming creatures and little monstrosities making a ruckus.

“Well, at least they are motivated… Better get going myself.”

Coiling up the shadow tentacles that are lifting me into the air, I lower myself to the floor as they tighten like a pair of springs. Once they are wound up good enough, I let them loose and launch myself into the air, the snow and everything behind me getting blasted away as I am propelled into the sky like a rocket. A single swipe from my shadows has all the branches in my path removed as I am set flying out from the canopy and up and over the town.

From up high, I look down as gravity starts to take control again, watching as a building off to one side collapses in on itself, plumes of dust and snow going everywhere as the building becomes nothing but rubble and buried corpses.

Forming a large parachute, I catch the cold winter air and slow my descent so I can look the town over from on high. Watching the destruction caused by my rampaging Demons – that are probably having a bit too much fun breaking stuff – I eventually settle on a four-story tall building that looks like it is covered in a giant paper nest. Throwing myself towards it and storing away my shadows, I plummet towards the building feet first with my arms crossed, and plow through the weakened snow-covered roof as well as the topmost two floors before finally stopping on the second floor. Above me, the roof is already collapsing into the upper floors in a great mess of snow and clattering bricks and torn plaster. With all of the noise, everything inside of the building becomes agitated and starts buzzing around in a big fuss as they get roused from their winter slumbers.

“Hmm, Giant Murder Wasps. Lovely, no wonder the Army said fuck no to this place. These things are as big as a person, meh... Hohoho! Merry Christmas! Santa is here to kidnap one of you! Or would that make me Krampus? I am a Demon after all…”

Looking over the agitated wasps as I joke around to myself, it doesn’t take them very long for one to notice me. It immediately jumps for me. Shifting slightly to dodge a bite from its massive mandibles, I reach out and grab it by the head. It responds by trying to stab me with the stinger on its abdomen.

"Nu'uh, naughtily little kids get put in the sack!"

Grabbing it by the needle with my other hand, I see as some clear liquid get excreted from the tip. Poison probably. Maybe a paralytic? I did see this one anime that had an island full of giant bugs, and the wasps stung people to paralyze them and carry them away as live food for their young.

Or were those hornets? Can’t remember, too long since I watched it, and it was a weird anime anyways… Girl got drained by a freaking butterfly, and the part with the parasite and the mayfly… Ehh~ Yuck. Better off not thinking about it…

…

But on that subject? I wonder if these things do that? I haven’t heard of any people getting carried away by huge murder wasps yet, so I hope not. That would be a really shitty way to go…

As I was looking the thing over and letting my mind wander off, the other occupants of the hive have taken notice of the intruder in their midst.

As I see that they are all charging me from all sides, I extend out several shadowed tentacles with sharpened edges. Swinging them around at anything that gets near, I bisect and dissect anything that tries to get close to me.

Ignoring the pissed off swarm of human sized homicide bugs. I keep looking over the one that I have caught in my hands. The thing is absolutely livid and is trying to bite my face off while also trying to get out of my grip. But no matter how hard it beats its wings or wiggles its legs; my shadows already have me anchored to the floor. It can’t even move me, so the best it can do is uselessly flail around like a fly in a glue trap.

“Hmm… Dr. Doe did ask that I bring back a live sample. Would this be good? I could just bring back a mutated rat or a cockroach… Mmm, no, something like this would definitely be much better. The size change from finger sized to human sized, plus still maintaining a mostly unaltered appearance from its original… This would make a much better live sample than some tumor filled rat or a big nasty roach.”

Nodding my head, I give the thing one last look over and a big toothy smile. “Yup, this will do. I’m sure she’ll love it! Good for you fella! I’m going to take you home and let the mad doctors play with you, yes, I am! How does that sound? That sound like fun? I’m sure it does!”

The thing seems to grow even more frantic in my grip as it fights back harder. Though I doubt that my words are the reason why. It probably has to do with all the bodies of its fellow wasps that are now littering the floor around us with their innards spilled everywhere. Some of them are even still twitching or trying to crawl towards me even as they are missing their lower halves.

“Ehh, yuck… Well! I’m going to take you home! So, be a good wasp and try not to struggle too much, ok?”

Wrapping it up in a cocoon of shadows, I force its wings down against its body, its legs snuggly tucked in, and wrap up its mandible and stinger so that it can’t hurt anyone.

I’m very careful in how I wrap it up, making sure that is tightly packed, but not forcing anything in weird directions or breaking anything. I want to bring it back healthy and whole.

Once I have my new friend all packed up and snug as a bug, I heft it onto my back and have the shadows form some straps for me to help secure him in place as a big pissed off backpack. With the thing being person sized, I probably look like one of those soldiers toting around those massive green packs of theirs.

Only instead of being a backpack with everything I need to survive plus several spare pairs of socks, it is instead a big-ass bug that probably wants to unalive everything.

“You comfy back there?”

I just get a bunch of pissed off muffled buzzing in response, but I’ll take that as a yes.

“Ok, got the sample, now to clear the nest. I wonder what the queen looks like. Mhh, would it Bee too much to ask that the queen is a sexy anthropomorphized wasp lady?”

More angry buzzing.

“No? Oh, well, that’s disappointing…”