Darian felt the familiar spongey floor underfoot, though it now seemed distant as if he no longer fully inhabited his own form. Everything around him was coated in fleshy, organic material, stretching through chamber after chamber until he found himself in an impossibly large hallow. In the center of this hallow was a pulsating mass of flesh that hung suspended by thick tendrils, swaying as if beckoning him closer. He moved toward it, compelled by an invisible force.

“Come to me, my newest creation,” echoed an omnipresent voice resonating from every corner of the chamber and within his very mind.

Like a moth to the flame, Darian advanced closer until the sickly sweet aroma of the fleshy nodule filled his senses and reeled him in further, tightening its control over his mind. Darian reached out and placed his tiny claws against the entity. As he made contact, again his mind shifted, and knowledge coursed into him. A massive encyclopedia of information swelled in his brain, and though he tried to make sense of it, it all sort of passively existed simultaneously.

“I have been eagerly waiting for your arrival and am pleased to see you have hatched and are ready to add to our numbers,” the voice was all that existed in this realm, flowing over and within everything.

“Mother?” the words slipped from his mind subconsciously.

The High-Queen was completely silent before a laugh filled the chamber in a startled burst as comprehension hit her. It was a tender sound, laced with genuine amusement. When the moment passed, she spoke to the newborn, “Yes, I suppose I am your mother, as I am to all of our kind. It is a pleasure to meet you…” she reached into Darian’s mind deeper, probing the furthest reaches and illuminating the darkest corners, “Young Darian”.

Darian felt embarrassed, he didn’t know how to process the attention put on him, and her effortless entry into his mind left him feeling violated. This was just his humanity talking, after all, to be so connected with his mother was the highest honor and he knew that as a simple fact of life.

“Caretaker says I’m ready to produce offspring, but I don’t know how to do it yet,” Darian broke the silence, explaining his predicament. However, she had likely already figured this out.

“Yes, you don’t need to worry about that,” she responded gently. “It will happen naturally. The reason you’re here is to receive knowledge from the Vescora core. We can only provide so much at birth; the rest will be transmitted through this link. I’ve shared what I believe is essential information about the genetic material from countless creatures we’ve consumed as a species. With this knowledge, you can guide the development of your offspring to thrive in your current biome.”

“I may begin now?” Darian asked, his form nearly ethereal in this place, but still, he reacted as he would in the physical world, shuffling in place anxiously.

“You may begin. Reach into yourself again and allow the knowledge you have to take form in your mind. Develop your drone here and I will observe. In the future, you will be able to more rapidly accomplish this task on your own. I will leave you to it.”

Trying to narrow his thoughts, Darian turned to the task at hand, creating drones to support his hive.

“What makes a drone?” he thought to himself as he pondered the functions of a drone and what he would need from this beast of burden. After a short deliberation with himself, he had decided.

“It should be durable, but I doubt I will need it to perform any combative actions. I think a good drone should have a tough outer shell, but only enough to handle the work environment. They need to be powerful, so much so that they could carry several times their body weight.” Darian nodded to himself in agreement before perking up,

“Oh, and maneuverable, they need to be strong but flexible, they need to be able to handle the eggs with care instead of just exploding them on contact.” Rapidly he found himself lost in contemplating, considering all of the choices, second-guessing himself, triple-guessing himself, returning to the original idea and scrapping it all.

“Do I even want a worker drone first? Shouldn’t I make a hunter, something that can bring me food? I know Caretaker is looking after me, but how long will the stores truly last?” The gears in Darian’s mind began turning until he lost track of time.

After careful deliberation with himself, Darian had decided that a little help around the hive would be best and it would give him the experience needed before developing a much more complex organism. He had chosen the ideal spawn and all that was left was to shape it in his mind.

“I want a sturdy yet unassuming creature; it should be low to the ground and capable of blending in with its surroundings. The drone should have a lightly armored exoskeleton with overlapping plates to provide easy movement. Plenty of legs to keep itself upright, and maybe a heavy wide tail to assist in moving earth, but also act as a counterweight to balance itself when moving larger objects?” he racked his mind to bring to the surface other thoughts he had pondered over the unknown quantity of time he had spent in this realm.

“Yes, yes, yes, and we can’t forget front-facing eyes. The drone shouldn’t have to worry about attacks once I develop the warrior caste. Besides, it will have the same access to the vibrational sense I do.” He verified that his will could override the drone as needed for more advanced maneuvers or commands.

“It needs to be able to judge distance accurately for more fine-tuned motor skills. Hmm,” he pondered, “Since it is a poor fighter, it should have overwhelming stamina. I don’t want them to be tired out after a couple of days of hard labor; that wouldn’t do at all!” he declared enthusiastically, happy with how the mental image of his drone would turn out.

Satisfied with the mental blueprint, Darian smiled as the image of his drone took shape in his mind. “Yes, that’s everything,” he affirmed, his claws still pressed against the fleshy node, anticipation building as his vision awaited creation.

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"An excellent creation. This is not far from the design many of my children have settled on, though I look forward to seeing what impact your subtle variations will provide. Is there anything more you require of me, my child?" The voice reverberated in Darian’s mind, sharp yet strangely comforting, as if the piercing pain it threatened to cause was mirrored by the warmth of its tone.

“According to Caretaker, I am the result of Vescarid genetics fused with the human known as Darian. If he was truly worthy of birthing a queen, then I wish to resemble my genetic donor. Is that possible?” Darian murmured, voice timid yet brimming with a deep eagerness.

“You hatched only today, and yet you have shown great promise, young queen. Your genetic material indeed comes from a potent lineage. I will grant you your wish and share a glimpse of the final moments of the life that contributed to your being. As you grow, I know you will better understand your Vescarid heritage. You are welcome to return to our image, provided you are sufficiently sustained. Best of luck... Darian.” The voice faded, yet it lingered, its words swirling in his mind before giving way to fragments—images and sensations from his predecessor's past.

Darian’s senses jolted as the vision consumed him, transporting him to the edge of a small hive encircled by vast plains. Smoke billowed, flames crackling through the grasses as terrified humans fled the chaos. Trapped within his predecessor’s body, Darian watched as the figure moved, every motion purposeful and sharp. He yearned to control the movements, to look around and assess his surroundings, but he remained a mere passenger, watching through familiar eyes with unfamiliar instincts.

The ground erupted beneath, forcing the vessel to spring backward. A monstrous creature lunged from below, snapping vicious mandibles at anything in range before retreating into the earth. Dust and soil cascaded into the hole, only to be thrust back out as a stream of massive, armored drones poured from the entrance, surging forward with relentless purpose. Despite their size, they moved with terrifying speed, a lethal force more daunting than anything Darian had yet imagined. His mind raced, cataloging their forms and functions, making mental notes for future reference. In these glimpses of the past, he sensed the strength of his lineage and began to understand the path laid before him.

Darian felt the encumbering weight of the blade his vessel drew from its sheath. It was a massive piece of steel that could shatter stone, but his vessel held it as the Vescarid would hold a worm within his mandibles. With one clean strike after the other, dozens of drones succumbed to his blows; their carapaces shattered to pieces, flesh rent by his blade.

Hours blended into one another as Darian’s vessel stood amid the carnage of both Vescarid and human; the heavy scent of blood and death scorched his nostrils. His muscles trembled with each ragged breath, and his vision blurred from the sweat and blood dripping down his face. Thoughts of his failures gnawed at him, mingling with the bitter memory of those he couldn’t save. With a shudder, the human forced himself upright, driving his blade into the earth for support.

Those who could flee had likely only just reached safety; if he could only hold out a little longer, the Duke’s knights would arrive to secure the town, or so he prayed. Stumbling forward, he set his sights on the temple at the center of the square, each step an act of will as he passed the familiar faces of friends and neighbors, fallen and lifeless.

Reaching the temple, he wedged the door shut in a crude attempt at barricading, pressing his weight against it for a moment as he whispered a quick prayer to his god: a hope for salvation, a plea for strength. His hands shook as he forced himself up the stairs, straining against every step. Finally, he reached the bell tower, collapsing near the edge as he searched for any sign of the Duke’s banners on the horizon.

Slouching down against the temple's stone walls, the human took a moment to rest, absolutely exhausted from the previous events. Then, like thunder, rising in intensity, the sounds caused his heart to leap, as his hope rekindled… until he saw them: a dark, unending wave of Vescarid warriors flooding over the land, clawing toward him. With little to no effort, they broke through his makeshift barricade below; the sound of claws scraping stone filled the air, echoing from inside the tower and creeping closer from outside. He gripped his weapon, exhaustion overtaking him as the monsters swarmed into the building, and his world faded to black.

Darian awoke slowly, his body feeling like he had just battled hundreds of foes. With a moan, he arose to his feet and stumbled back down.

“Stay still, your majesty. You have been through much,” the familiar and soothing voice of the Caretaker rang through his mind.

“Where was I? What happened?” questions swam in Darian’s mind as his stomach churned with hunger, and his body shook with exhaustion.

“For the briefest of moments, you were linked with the High Queen. Seeing as you have proliferated, this would suggest a favorable interaction?” Caretaker gazed down at the bundle of eggs lying beside his master and admired them with approval.

“Oh?” Darian remarked, following Caretaker's gaze and observing the eggs quizzically. “I created those?” he asked aloud.

“Indeed you did, and if I may add, they appear to be in exceptional health.” Caretaker skittered around them, careful not to disturb the eggs, yet eager to assess their condition. “They will make for a fine start to your brood,” he proclaimed, returning to meet Darian’s gaze.

“I have no memory of laying these eggs, but I do recall my interaction with mother,” he stated with no specific emotion, rather recalling their conversation with cold, calculating logic.

“These worker drones will do well to sculpt your surroundings. However, you should know that while you produce offspring, you will not be consciously aware of your surroundings and will return to the hive deeply fatigued.” Caretaker gestured to Darian’s present state and continued, “This is why a powerful warrior caste is important, as you will require protection in the coming years. There will be time for your questions later, for now, you must replenish your strength.” Caretaker pleaded, using their more refined limbs to assist Darian to his feet and direct him toward the feeding chamber.

After a thorough feasting, Darian returned, once again full to bursting. “Caretaker, I was shown the death of my human predecessor and given the means to craft my flesh in his image. I would like to do this, I would like to change my exterior, as I had changed my identifier.” Darian requested, his body heavy and his urge to proliferate increasing with every passing moment.

“As a member of the Royal caste, this is well within your ability to accomplish. Much like the creation of your drones, you will need to return to your core and recreate your form to suit the hive's needs better. If you have determined this is in our best interest, I suggest you begin sooner rather than later, for it will consume a large portion of your nutrients that, I imagine, are already funneling themselves toward egg creation.” Caretaker extended their arms to each side and beckoned for Darian to come close.

“You may evolve in my embrace. I will provide you with any energy you require that exceeds your current stores. Please be sparing, as my stores of energy are finite and my primary function is not combat, but I will be sufficient in protecting you while you evolve. Should I have been defeated when you awake, reach out to the queen, and she will send a replacement. I have faith in you Darian; this hive will change the very world.” Caretaker took Darian in their arms, and Darian returned to his core. In little time, a stone-like chrysalis began to form around him, and as this change took place, Caretaker blended his appearance into the stone, standing, waiting for any threats that may arrive.