The Bee Dungeon

PONon-Bee 370.1 - Whispers of Bee-volt

The sweep of the forest surrounding Starami’s camp went...poorly. The wave of divine power had not been for show, the forest had come alive and begun fighting back against the kobolds he sent to fell it. After a number of kobolds were dragged underground, poisoned by pollen, or swarmed by bees despite the lack of visible hives, the kobolds subsequently refused to approach the trees. The wranglers had to stay right on top of the kobolds to get them hacking again...at which point the wranglers were attacked as well, leading to the complete breakdown of discipline among the kobolds.

Starami...wasn’t sure whether it was the fey or the gods themselves. Direct displays of divine power like that were rare outside of Towers...but there were a few recorded instances. But either way...it meant his forces would not be able to expand their clearing, so the fey would have all the cover they wanted to approach his camp the coming night.

As for the coming assault, the afternoon was wearing on when his army finished preparing. At this point, the assault would likely go on into the night; Starami did not fancy trying to defend two surface camps against fey infiltration, so he delayed the assault until the next day.

In order to give his assault forces a chance to sleep as well as to minimize the damage from the fey’s harassment, Starami ordered his main camp moved back down into the Underway. A holding force was left to both keep the Tower entrance under siege and to guard the entrance down to his new camp, but all the tents and supplies were moved underground. The surface barriers were removed and replaced with barriers in the Underway tunnels where the fey would, presumably, have less places to hide and maneuver. Some weaker barriers were set up around the holding force with soft enough alarms not to reach the camp below...but these were not expected to catch the fey so the night watch would have to be on their guard. Starami assigned them many nocturnal monsters, though, so he expected them to do their duties regardless.

Then...Starami got word that a new tunnel had appeared branching off from one of the previously safe supply routes. That must mean the fey had already reached underground, the new camp he had just retreated to was no longer secure!

Starami clutched his head and screamed.

And in the chaos of the move, no one noticed a group of Tower Guards huddled around a ritual circle drawn at the edges of the camp...not even when the circle lit up with bright light...

In the new camp, a Tower Guard captain was resting by his tent, a rare captain with grey hair and wrinkled skin despite his powerful blessings. At the moment, he was sitting on a rock he had found while nursing a drink in a secluded corner of the new camp. As he stared into his mug, a pair of Tower Guards approached him, one stumbling about in a daze, the other marching with grim purpose. He raised an eyebrow.

“Germistis...and Beroura, was it? Any reason you’re bothering me while I’m off-duty for once on this Hunger-bitten campaign?”

Germistis stood tall with a hard look on his face.

“Captain Auschias, do you remember what we discussed?”

The captain scowled.

“I thought I told you to leave it, boy. You swore an oath to the gods to serve Lord Starami, we all did. It’s up to the gods to judge his decisions, we will be judged by whether we fulfill what we pledged to do.”

Germistis stared him down.

“And if the gods themselves have other ideas?”

Captain Auschias narrowed his eyes.

“Careful, boy, your words are dangerous. I’ve been tolerant so far, but there’s some things even I can’t let slide.”

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Germistis just turned to look at his companion, Beroura. Beroura’s eyes were unfocused, staring off into the distance. Captain Auschias paused.

“Tower Guard Beroura...do you have something to report?”

Beroura snapped out of his daze at the captain’s tone and focused on him. The Tower Guard trembled as he spoke.

“...she spoke to me, captain. The God of Light herself...she spoke to me...”

Captain Auschias stood up, drew his sword, and placed it on Beroura’s neck.

“Do you understand what you’re saying, guardsman? The God of Light has not even spoken to her oracle, High Councilor Heigiosa, since before even Lord Starami was born. You claim she has broken her silence for you, who is not even an augur? That sort of heresy warrants immediate execution, I would be condemned if I did not carry it out myself. Withdraw your words and I will pretend I heard nothing for both our sakes, say any more and I will be forced to act.”Beroura blinked as the cool steel touched his neck...but then he glared back at the captain.

“It is true, Captain Auschias. The God of Light spoke to me and I will not deny it. I will not deny her, not anymore. Kill me if you have to, but I won’t take it back.”

Captain Auschias stared at the Tower Guard. Beroura stared back, not breaking eye contact. Eventually, the captain blinked first and lowered his sword. He sat back down with a sigh.

“...Hunger take me. We’ve lost enough guards without me having to cut down another myself. Very well, boy. You’ve doomed us both, I hope it’s with good reason.”

Beroura nodded.

“The God of Light has confirmed that Lord Starami is in the wrong, more than we could have ever imagined. He’s part of a coup targeting the Oracle of Light, and so are we! He has been ordered by the gods to stop and atone, but he has refused.”

Captain Auschias shook his head.

“And? It still does not change the oaths we swore.”

Beroura stood tall.

“The God of Light confirmed that the gods are united in condemning the coup. She said that, though we may break our oaths to the God of Dragons, the rest of the gods would intercede on our behalf and prevent unreasonable punishment. And that...they would look favorably upon us, should we take a stand for them and refuse to continue this attack. If we take a stand for the God of Light, our saviour. You know we are making war against the gods right now, we will die if we continue as surely as we will die if we rebel. I would rather die for the gods than against them.”

Captain Auschias did not respond. Germistis used the chance to cut in.

“Captain...we need your help. No one will believe us if we try to tell them, not even with all the clear signs of the gods’ displeasure with this campaign. But you trained most of the Tower Guard here, if you were to act, everyone would listen. You could save the Tower Guard!”

Captain Auschias sighed deeply, letting his shoulders droop.

“...you overestimate me, boy. You think I can take any of the young and hungry captains, much less Starami’s Claw or our lord himself? I would doom all who followed me and I would spend my last breath killing our own people, watching us tear each other apart on my command. That is something I cannot bring myself to do. Even if it is right...”

Germistis shook his head.

“You wouldn’t have to, sir. We have a plan...Fulepou’s heading to the Tower for his shift right now.”

Captain Auschias chuckled darkly.

“Your plan...is to surrender to the fey? After we besieged their Tower?”

Beroura gave a firm nod.

“Yes. The God of Light herself asked us to.”

Captain Auschias blinked and looked up to make eye contact with Beroura once more. He blinked again when Beroura didn’t.

“...huh.”

Germistis and Beroura watched silently as Captain Auschias pondered their words, waiting for him to come to a decision...

The latest guard shift within the Tower came to an end. A new group of Tower Guards cycled into the Tower, their captains marching them to the fortifications they had set up on the double and shouting at anyone who glanced up at the statues around them. As soon as they were in position, the previous group was marched out at an equally hasty pace.

The fortifications themselves were small so privacy was lacking and no Tower Guard would go off alone during a Tower assault...but even the Tower Guard were not immune to nature’s call, so there was a designated place for relieving oneself while on duty. Still in view of the other guards, but as far away as was safe.

Tower Guard Fulepou walked to that place now and pretended to adjust his pants. He then sent out just a bit of his mana out into the Tower, like he had been trained to call Lord Starami’s attention back home, though he was extremely careful not to touch his bond with his lord. After reaching out, he started to whisper to empty space.

“Tower Lord of the God of Light and God of...Bees, I think? Tower Lord, if you are listening...there are some of us who want to surrender. We will make our move soon, if you can find it in yourself to forgive us, please have mercy when we act.”

There was no response and Fulepou didn’t expect one. He just had to hope that the Tower Lord had heard him...