PONon-Bee 441.1 - Bee-feating Evil

General Rippotis, Oracle Heigiosa, Queen Vanieskon, and their top subordinates stood around a table set up in a tent. General Rippotis smiled.

“The new Dungeon Gate features are established and linked, we know have a full supply line between my Tower and Heigiosa’s that is completely hidden and protected. Having access to all the supplies in the Tower of Light vastly improves our logistics, we will have no trouble sustaining our campaign now. And once our subordinate Tower Lords complete their missions, we will be able to travel between their Towers at will.”

Heigiosa made a vicious smile.

“And the traitors’ continued siege of the City of Light now serves no purpose whatsoever.”

Rippotis chuckled. It had been a while since Heigiosa had displayed her more bloodthirsty side, but she had led a rebellion against the Sorcerer Kings back in the day. Heigiosa’s smile did turn more gentle a moment later, though.

“Additionally, the God of Light informs me that Tower Keeper Belissar and a fair folk dungeon master by the name of Tarwantrad have also established Dungeon Gates in their Towers. In fact, they apparently helped the God of Light prove the concept and develop the feature.”

Rippotis blinked.

“Yet another thing we must thank the Tower Keeper for, it seems.”

Heigiosa nodded, then furrowed her brow.

“It does raise a new course of action, though. The God of Light says that if we want to connect our Towers with theirs, she will coordinate with the God of Bees and God of Flowers to facilitate. We could, therefore, establish a direct link between Conclave territory and the Land of the Fair, right now, and seek additional support from the Calwaskon Compact. However, one of us would need to be there to meet with our allies, so at least one of us would need to head back now.”

Rippotis shook his head.

“In that case, we should conduct our initial strike first. We’re nearly to our targets as it is and we need Her Majesty’s glamours to move freely. If we take out a couple of Towers first, we can use their external shortcuts to return quickly.”

He glanced at Queen Vanieskon.

“Plus, the fair folk are not quick to move. Best we solidify our position, it may take them time to send us additional support.”

Queen Vanieskon waved a hand about.

“It’s your call, general.”

Heigiosa glanced over at the pixie queen, then turned to Rippotis with a serious expression.

“Speaking of additional support, I have a proposal, general.”

Rippotis gave her a nod, so she continued.

“The current plan is to split the Dragon Banner Army in half and have them assault two dungeons, with the Disciples of Light providing support. I propose we take my City Guard and form a third force and place it under Queen Vanieskon’s command, so that we may hit three Towers simultaneously.”

Rippotis immediately raise an eyebrow and couldn’t help but glance over at the pixie.

“Is that wise? Your City Guard aren’t trained for a Tower siege.”

Queen Vanieskon smiled.

“No need to be polite on my account, general. Go ahead and speak plainly, you don’t trust me, do you?”

Rippotis didn’t justify that with a response, instead focusing on Heigiosa. Hegiosa turned her attention to Queen Vanieskon and addressed her.

“General Rippotis is correct, my City Guard are not trained nor prepared for a conventional Tower assault. If I have them attempt one, they will take unacceptable casualties for little gain. But…Her Majesty Queen Vanieskon of the Pixie Court is powerful, easily a match for a young Tower Lord. She is cunning, deceptive, and, most of all, currently unknown to our enemy. I imagine that she will not need to conduct a conventional siege to conquer a Tower?”

Queen Vanieskon returned Heigiosa’s stare with a sly smile.

“I may have an idea or two of how to speed things up, yes.”

Only then did Heigiosa turn back to Rippotis, softening her expression.

“As you told me, General Rippotis, if we wish to bring peace between our peoples when this is all concluded, we must openly stand alongside our new allies. If we cannot trust her in this, then we cannot trust her as a true ally in the first place. And we must make the greatest use of her mischief while the traitors are still unaware of her. It is a waste to keep her alongside one of us.”

Heigiosa turned back to lock eyes with Queen Vanieskon once more.

“Plus, we have come to an understanding on the futures of our peoples. I believe our interests are in full alignment for the time being, so I will entrust you with my people’s lives.”

Queen Vanieskon smirked.

“But of course, Oracle Heigiosa. Your trust is not misplaced.”

Rippotis glanced between the two of them. He had been worried that the righteous Heigiosa and the manipulative Queen Vanieskon would butt heads, but they appeared to have worked things out. Though, to be honest, with the pixie queen involved, that only made him more worried…

But, Heigiosa’s assessment was on point. Queen Vanieskon’s power and her indirect approach might be enough to make up for the City Guard’s lack of experience. And the first strike would be the easiest, Konilias and his co-conspirators were not yet aware that Heigiosa had escaped her Tower and joined her forces with his own, nor that the Pixie Queen was supporting them and concealing their entire army. All subsequent attacks, though, would not have the same element of surprise, so if they could form an additional army and take down another Tower in the first wave, they’d improve their situation substantially.

He still felt uneasy about letting Queen Vanieskon go off on her own, much less giving her command of their own forces…but the potential benefits were worth the risk. He ended giving the two a nod.

“Very well, let’s get a move on, then. The longer we take, the more likely Konilias will suspect something is off.”

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Tower Lord Leipistos wrung his hands as one of his Tower Guard arrived.

“Anything?!”

The Tower Guard frowned.

“High Councilor Konilias is still unavailable. High Councilor Stadvolous said the previous orders still stand.”

Leipistos yanked on his hair. What were the High Councilors doing?! He had committed his monster army to the siege of the City of Light as ordered, only for High Councilor Heigiosa to wipe it out with some new attack! He had then been ordered to send the respawns to reinforce the siege, as if that would stop the Oracle of Light herself from wiping them out again. It did not escape his notice that High Councilor Konilias had not provided any more Great Wyrms to the siege.

So, his army was away conducting a pointless siege that seemed to be doing nothing and that could be broken at nearly any moment. High Councilor Stadvolous assured him there was a plan, yet declined to provide any details on said plan. High Councilor Konilias was missing entirely. Leipistos was beginning to suspect he had been hung out to dry and that even if there was a plan his well-being was not a part of it.

Yet, what else could he do? There wasn’t a shade of a chance that he could defeat General Rippotis or Oracle Heigiosa on his own. Could he try to defect, perhaps try to convince the kind and righteous Oracle of Light that he had been forced? It wasn’t like he could disobey his High Councilor’s orders, right? He was just a victim, like them!

Perhaps that could work…but only if Oracle Heigiosa was the one to come for him. General Rippotis…was not known for his mercy. He was the victor of the Blackwood War in the days before the Hunger, the man who had wiped out an entire civilization. Leipistos had even heard rumors that the general fed baby blood elves to his pet dragon during that event and High Councilor Konilias had declined to comment when he asked about it!

So, he would definitely be fed to a dragon should General Rippotis come for him. All he could do now, then, was pray that Oracle Heigiosa came for him instead…and try his best not to think about the rumors of what Oracle Heigiosa had supposedly done to Sorcerer Kings and their servants in the past.

Then he stiffened…for he felt a massive amount of mana appear on the borders of his territory. He trembled, fearing to look…but not knowing was worse, so he took a peek with his Tower sight…

He blinked…and then smiled. There, shining in the light of the sun, marched an army of light. Soldiers in perfectly polished armor marched in gleaming columns, with the banners of the God of Light flying above. And at their head…was Oracle Heigiosa herself.

He had a chance! He might survive this after all!

Leipistos made some preparations as the oracle marched for his Tower. After all, there was a chance that the oracle might not believe his pleas, so it’d be best to have a backup plan. Perhaps, if he could draw her into his Tower, Leipistos might be able to take the oracle hostage! Then, not only would he survive, but he’d have immeasurable leverage over General Rippotis, his own masters, the entire Conclave, and maybe even the gods themselves! Everything would work out in that case!

In fact…Leipistos started to realize…perhaps that would work out even better than receiving Oracle Heigiosa’s mercy. Perhaps that shouldn’t be the backup plan…but the primary plan. It was risky, Oracle Heigiosa was extremely powerful. But this was his Tower, with all his Tower Guard, his traps, and his powers available. Perhaps, with all that, if he could get her alone…

Well, he’d have to see how it went. Eventually, the army arrived and made camp outside of his Tower. Oracle Heigiosa then walked up to his gate and…smiled.

“Tower Lord Leipistos, let us talk before more human blood is shed in vain. I know that you had no choice, that High Councilor Konilias would have forced you to go along with this madness and that you would have been powerless to respond. Come and repent before me and I swear by all my oaths to the God of Light to treat you well and to protect you from Konilias. You will be safe and no one will die today.”

Leipistos beamed. This was it! This was the best case scenario! Oracle Heigiosa realized the truth, she believed his pleas before he even made them!

And if that was the case…then perhaps he could hope for more. He sent a messenger to agree to her proposal…so long as she would meet with him in the first room of his Tower. He chuckled to himself as he checked the traps there one last time.

Oracle Heigiosa…was far too trusting. She walked into his Tower, alone, and waited in the center of the room, right on top of a Pit Trap that would drop her into a room with no entrances open to outsiders. Leipistos, to keep up appearances, walked through a shortcut and approached her, hunching over and doing his best to sniffle.

“Oracle…thank you. Thank you so much.”

She gave him a bright smile that made him hesitate.

“But of course, Leipistos. I know it was not your fault. Come now and be free of him.”

Leipistos, though, could not help a sneer.

“No, Oracle. Thank you…for being so gullible!”

With that, he manually trigger the Pit Trap. He knew that would not be enough in and of itself, though, so he unleashed a fire breath upon her to distract her. His Tower Guard rushed in from shortcuts around the room with their glowing dragon cloaks, aiming to tackle the Oracle down into the pit should she have endured.

And then he heard…a dramatic sigh.

“Really? You’re really going to fall for this, a deception so simple it’s nothing more than a formality? They told me you were easily convinced, but this is…”

A gust of wind swirled around the center of the room, dousing his flames and pushing back his Tower Guard. Oracle Heigiosa stood completely unscathed…and did not fall even an inch despite the void under her feet. She crossed her arms and wore a disappointed frown.

The Tower Guard tried to pick themselves up, but Oracle Heigiosa casually waved a hand and the air behind them shimmered. Her own City Guard appeared, already surrounding Leipistos and his Tower Guard…and blocking all of the exits and shortcuts. The oracle looked down upon Leipistos.

“Now then, what to do with you?”

Leipistos…threw his head on the ground.

“P-P-Please spare me! I repent, I repent! Konilias forced me to do it!”

Oracle Heigiosa chuckled darkly.

“Oh, it is far too late for that, Leipistos.”

Leipistos mind raced, searching for something, anything, that might save him.

“Y-Y-You promised! You swore by the God of Light to treat me well if I repented!”

Oracle Heigiosa flew up to him…Leipistos only noticing now that she had some kind of wings on her back…and gently lifted his chin. She gave him a smile…and her eyes turned red.

“Why, Leipistos, you haven’t realized yet? Promises to the God of Light mean nothing to me…for I am not Oracle Heigiosa.”

Leipistos froze as the woman’s face began to twist and morph. Oracle Heigiosa vanished, replaced by a demon that couldn’t possibly be here. Leipistos decided that this must be a dream, some sort of terrible nightmare conjured by his stress.

Yet…no matter what he did…he couldn’t seem to wake up.

Meanwhile, the Fourth of the Seventh’s nomadic bees were helping by flying around the Tower Lord’s territory and keeping an eye out. One of them, however, spotted something and dove down to the ground. She found a bunch of large upside down baskets…that each had bees flying in and out of them.

“Hi new bees! Want join hive of hives?”

But as she was greeting the new bees, a King-thing came out of the nearby King-thing hive. The King-thing lifted one of the hives, looked inside, and nodded to itself. The Fourth of the Seventh’s worker fluttered her wings and spun around.

“Is beekeeper, like King! Amazing, incredible!”

She gave the King-thing her full attention, maybe this King-thing would do new things! She could tell her queen-mother and maybe even King himself!

The King-thing then started digging a hole in the ground. The Fourth of the Seventh’s worker spun around again. Was the King-thing going to make a nest for bumbles? A hive for digging bees? Or something new? She couldn’t wait to see…

At least, until the King-thing started making a fire. The Fourth of the Seventh’s worker began twitching her antennae. King had his fire pits, but those were for enemies and these hives weren’t under attack? Was an enemy coming?

Then…it happened. To the worker’s absolutely horror, the King-thing picked up a hive…and put it right over the fire.

She immediately started buzzing. This…this was no keeper! This was a hive-burner!

The Fourth of the Seventh’s worker immediately called for help. The soldiers that had come along dove down from the sky, heading towards the hive-burner. They struck with such force that the hive-burner was knocked to the ground. The hive-burner immediately began screaming, their heavy clothes no match for nomadic soldier bee stingers. Soon, the hive-burner was in full retreat.

The Fourth of the Seventh’s soldiers wanted to pursue, but there were more important things to worry about…like a hive to save! The worker called the soldiers over and, together, they all grabbed onto the hive as they could and started to lift. They found it…surprisingly easy, for the new bees’ hive was smaller than any in King’s realm. As such, they were able to move the hive away from the fire. The worker then got to work calming down the new bees and assuring them that they were safe now.

But…this would need to be reported to her queen-mother and the hive of hives, maybe even to King. These new bees needed protection, but the Fourth of the Seventh’s bees already had a mission and couldn’t stay there forever. They would need the hive of hives to decide what to do…