The Bee Dungeon

Chapter 353 - Last Minute Bee-inforcement

When Starami’s Tower Guard conducted their sweep and set up their barriers outside of Belissar’s Tower, they focused on things containing mana. Nothing that possessed any mana of its own would be able to slip into the camp without notice, whether it be a living creature, inanimate construct, or a spell of pure mana. Neither fair folk nor monster could approach without dealing with the barrier.

Well, Henilett did object to that, claiming the pixies could find a way to slip into the barrier if they wanted, but wanted to give Starami a false sense of security, but the point was they advised him not to send in his bees. And so, the barriers remained secure. Even the handful of nomadic bees the Fourth of the Seventh kept behind to patrol the skies above couldn’t see past it.

The Tower Guard did not, however, set up the barriers against most mundane objects. Mages from time immemorial knew that was a bad idea, even Tower Guards blessed by the gods needed air to breathe, after all. Additionally, setting it up to alert the Tower Guard to all living things, magical or mundane, would result in a cascade of false alarms as countless tiny, mundane, harmless insects went about their business, rending the barrier completely useless.

As such, mundane honeybees going about their business flew in and out of the barrier without any fuss. Mundane honeybees that were not created by Belissar’s Tower nor born of the hive of hives...but that were still a part of it.

So, the hive of hives could still see what Starami’s forces were doing in their camp.

To an extent, the foraging honeybees didn’t normally pay much attention to the humans and dragonkin in their midst, but the hive of hives could ask them to scout general areas of the camp. And though it was night, a few of the foraging honeybees had stayed too late, and so clung to flowers or trees or even the sides of tents and buildings to rest...and so were still around.

Belissar thus watched through the hive of hives and his Tower senses and relayed Starami’s actions to his allies. So far...the Abyssal Trench was doing its job well. Belissar...tried not to think about what happened to the kobolds sent into that room. It was all too clear that the Abyssal Trench would take Starami some work to get past.

As such, neither his bees nor his allies were engaged in battle at the moment, save for the digging monster bee assassin and Captain Karpakynne stinging away at Starami’s dragon. The dragon hadn’t noticed them...but it also did not seem to be affected by the stings just yet. So, even repeated monster bee assassin stings wouldn’t bring down a true dragon. Belissar was deeply concerned about how they were going to deal with that monster...but it wasn’t attacking them right this second, so they at least had more time to think of countermeasures.

So, Belissar decided to use the time to acquire as many new countermeasures as possible. He took his council to a corner of the command tent to resume their discussion on the God of Light’s rewards. He started with the perks, seeing as they might immediately strengthen his Tower.

Mana Photosynthesizing

- All creatures and objects regenerate mana while exposed to light

- Regeneration strength is dependent on the intensity and mana-density of the light source. Solar light sources are the most effective.

- Effect is improved for Light-type creatures and objects and greatly improved for naturally photo-synthesizing beings

Belissar...had to ask the fair folk what photosynthesizing meant. It turned out that was the process of plants making food out of light. So, photo-synthesizing beings generally meant plants.

A useful perk indeed, especially for his nightshade summoners...

Photosynthetic Regeneration

- All creatures heal faster while exposed to light. Inorganic objects capable of self-repair are also affected.

- Healing magic and abilities are more effective while exposed to light.

- Regeneration and healing strength is dependent on the intensity and mana-density of the light source. Solar light sources are the most effective.

- Effect is improved for Light-type creatures and objects and greatly improved for naturally photo-synthesizing beings

This perk was much like the first, only for healing instead of mana. Belissar was greatly interested in that one...particularly since his bees almost always fought during the daytime and would thus always benefit from the healing. Not to mention, wasn’t the venomous slime rose supposed to be able to regenerate if it had water? Wouldn’t this perk work really well with it?

Tarwantrad indeed confirmed a lot of plant monsters had natural regeneration and that a perk like this would greatly boost their survivability, only increasing Belissar’s desire to take the perk. But he still had one more to go.

Energizing Light

- All creatures and animate objects receive a boost to speed while exposed to light.

- Light-type abilities related to speed are stronger while exposed to light.

- All Light-type abilities and mana may be cast more quickly while exposed to light.

- Effect and duration of the boost is dependent on the intensity and mana-density of the light source.

...and Belissar was conflicted yet again. Speed was his bees’ number one defense, healing wouldn’t be needed if his bees didn’t get hit in the first place. This perk thus improved one of the bees’ most important stats.

Belissar was short on time, though, and had multiple perks to go through, so he turned the decision to the hive of hives and listened to their evaluation.

“Go faster under light? Bee army can dive faster?”

“Foragers fly faster too! Good for honey production!”

“Healing good too? King doesn’t like bees get hurt, make sure bees can join hive of fallen instead of Hive of All Bees?”

Then, unusually, the First of the Fifth’s First Daughter interrupted the conversation with a dance of her own.

“Faster good. But Firstborn and Fourth of the Seventh already go faster, use mana to make faster. Healing good. But Second of the Sixth already heals, uses mana to heal. Hive of hives uses mana for everything.”

“That true. Firstborn uses mana go faster, also uses mana sting harder, make chitin harder.”

“Workers and honeypots need mana make honey! Queens need mana lay eggs!”

“Beero and hive of fallen too! Can make more mana stingers!”

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Belissar blinked. That...was an excellent point he had nearly forgotten. The bees used mana for everything. If they had more mana...they could do more of everything, healing and boosting speed included.

The First of the Fifth’s First Daughter soon reported the hive of hives’ unanimous decision.

“King! Hive of hives thinks more mana good!”

Belissar smiled.

“I agree.”

Mana Photosynthesizing selected.

Belissar quickly moved onto the next perk choice.

Revealing Light

- Light-type abilities and mana-filled light strips away illusions, disguises, and deceptive abilities. Allies are not affected unless specifically targeted.

- Light-type abilities and mana-filled light cleanses perception-altering and mind-affecting statuses. Enemies are not affected unless specifically targeted.

- All creatures with eyes have their vision improved and gain an increased ability to notice important details and discrepancies. Effect improved for Light-type creatures.

- All beings feel discomfort when acting dishonest while exposed to light.

Belissar might not have understood the value of this perk...had it not been for his allies in the Compact. Even now, a monster bee assassin was stinging a dragon as she pleased because a pixie was hiding them both from the dragon’s notice. The God of Mischief himself appeared in the dungeon and Belissar didn’t notice as first because he took the form of a bee.

Who was to say that Starami didn’t have some sort of invisible dragon Belissar hadn’t noticed? Or that some other Tower Lord didn’t have illusion magic? Or even just if one of the karnuq ended up accidentally stumbling into one of those dangerous flowers the pixies had given him that had made Starami’s monsters dance until they collapsed?

This perk could address anything like that...before it became an issue.

On the other hand, it didn’t actually make his Tower directly stronger, unlike the next perk.

Piercing Light

- All Light-type abilities and attacks gained improved penetration.

Well, that one was simple, much like the Piercing Stingers perk he had seen as well. But that didn’t mean it wouldn’t be effective. If even the deadly monster bee assassin couldn’t bring down Starami’s dragon, perhaps stronger attacks were exactly what his Tower might need.

But...unlike the stinger version of the perk, this one only affected Light-type abilities. And right now...only the shining bees had any of those. Unless Belissar acquired some of the Light-type traps he had available and set them up. Then he recalled that he had a Light-type dragon now, which certainly had Light-type attacks...though he didn’t imagine that would let his newly hatched dragon take on the much bigger, likely much stronger dragon stalking the skies outside his Tower.

...there was the Hall of Purification, too. Would this perk affect that room’s abilities? In fact, would this perk affect the Tower’s purification altogether?!

Belissar decided he needed to know and asked Velebee. The God of Bees said the God of Light confirmed the Hall of Purification’s ability would be affected, but that the Tower’s general purification would not.

So, he’d be taking this perk for shining bees, the new dragon, and the Hall of Purification. But...he hadn’t actually used the Hall of Purification yet, or let the new dragon fight, so he didn’t really know if either of them needed the perk. It might be risky...especially compared to the next perk.

Blinding Light

- All Light-type abilities and attacks may blind enemies that view them.

- Blinding effect persists beyond the attack, with the duration determined by the brightness of the ability and attack and the enemy’s ability to resist Light.

- Effect is strengthened for abilities and attacks that already had a blinding effect. Such abilities and attacks may also disorient affected enemies, depending on the strength of the blinding effect.

Belissar knew this perk would be useful, as the shining bees had used their abilities for that exact purpose before, blinding the hostile spiderkin when Belissar and his allies had attacked their nest. So, not only would it make the shining bees better at their proven role...it would help keep the rest of the bee army safe.

On the other hand...the God of Light had offered to bless one of his defenders. If the shining bee queen received that blessing, the shining bees might naturally develop more powerful light, just as the Third of the Sixth’s hive now had stronger fire. The shining bees might not require a boost like this.

Belissar turned the choices to the hive of hives...but they did not have as strong an opinion on this one, as only the shining bees would be affected.

“Shining bees blind enemy better?”

“Piercing light help shining bees’ sting? Help Beero if learn how make light stinger?”

But then, an unexpected dance came...from on top of Belissar’s head.

“Queen of All Tricks got close to King and bumble helper! Hive of hives didn’t notice until was already there! Could have hurt King! Hive of hives need stop!”

Niobee was buzzing loudly as she danced, even extending her stinger. Apparently, she was not as pleased with the God of Mischief’s visit as Belissar was.

A wave of buzzing passed through the hive-link as the hive of hives grew agitated as well.

“King, need light stop tricks!”

“Need protect King!”

Belissar did his best to brush Niobee and calm her down, while sending his own mana towards the hive of hives.

“Ok, ok, we’ll take that perk.”

Revealing Light selected.

The bees did raise the same point Belissar had thought of, his Tower...didn’t really have many options to deal with illusions or deceptions. Well, perhaps the fair folk could help with that seeing as they were good at that sort of thing...but it was the fair folk themselves who warned him to be careful trusting them too much. In fact, it had been Finnakynne who had constantly warned him to post guards around his honey and his mead...because Captain Karpakynne might try to sneak in and steal some.

Belissar though he could trust the pixies based on how they had acted so far...but if the pixie princess herself said not to, then he supposed he should listen. In any case, it would be good for his Tower to have some defenses in case someone else tried something worse than sneaking a drink of mead. That reassurance was perhaps worth giving up the boosts that would only affect one of his hives and some new, untested defenses.

In any case, he had one more perk choice to go...and Starami’s Tower Guard were preparing to brave the Abyssal Trench, so he decided to hurry.

Bountiful Photosynthesis

- Photosynthesizing beings that produce resources produce more and better-quality resources as long as they have access to light.

- Photosynthesizing beings have improved mana reserves as long as they have access to light.

- The effects of these boosts depend on the strength and mana-density of the light source for photosynthesis. Solar light sources are the most effective.

“More nectar! More pollen! Amazing, incredible!”

The happy dance of the bees perfectly expressed the benefits of that perk.

Nurturing Photosynthesis

- Photosynthesizing beings receive more nutrition from photosynthesis.

- Photosynthesizing beings grow faster as long as they have access to light.

- Photosynthesizing beings heal faster as long as they have access to light.

- The effects of these boosts depend on the strength and mana-density of the light source for photosynthesis. Solar light sources are the most effective.

“Can grow flowers faster! Amazing, incredible!”

This time, it was Frelis and the gardeners’ dance that summarized the perk. They had shaken out of torpor once the hive of hives realized the nature of the perk choices. Frelis and the gardeners were all too happy to join in.

Empowering Photosynthesis

- Photosynthesizing beings receive a boost to all stats while exposed to light, with a larger boost to vitality, healing, mana reserves, and mana regeneration.

- The strength and duration of the boost is dependent on the intensity and mana-density of the light source. Solar light sources are the most effective.

“Stronger flowers! Amazing, incredible!”

Frelis was the happiest with that particular perk. And since all of them were related to flowers, the hive of hives began discussing immediately. Belissar didn’t even need to prompt them.

The First of the Fifth’s First Daughter danced first.

“Is for flowers so...Frelis, gardeners, what think?”

Frelis and the gardeners were fully awake at this point and sent dances to each other across the hivelink. Frelis soon reported their evaluation.

“Think nurturing best. Can grow more flowers, can cross-pollinate more. If flowers eat more, then bees can forage more without hurting.”

Belissar smiled and relayed Frelis’ opinion to Tarwantrad for confirmation. She confirmed the reasoning was sound, particularly since flowers were first and foremost food sources in Belissar’s Tower. Belissar went ahead and confirmed the choice.

Nurturing Photosynthesis selected.

And just in the nick of time. Belissar had just finished selecting the last perk when the first of Starami’s Tower Guard attempted to step into the Abyssal Trench.

Now Belissar would see if that room and its mana storm could hold back the Tower Guard...or if it would soon be time for his bees to fight...