IMPERIUM INSECTUM

I quickly descended down the deep hole towards the core.

<I don’t like this…>

< I know, Mother, but this is the safest place for you at the moment>

I was followed down by Sally, 10 warriors, 30 workers and azuura. We hit the ground quickly, and before I knew the

<Dammit, whoever is attacking us will regret this! I'll make sure of it!>

<That we will do, Mother, but right now, we have to focus on securing our home> The walls crumbled as we sprinted into the core room.

<this will do for you now, Mother. I'll be heading back up to help with the fighting.> She got ready to leave when I grabbed her by the shoulder.

<What is it, mother…>

<I hate the fact I can't get involved. Give them hell for me. Don’t hold back. Do what you have to understand.>

<Will do, mother.> And without further word, she bolted away with 2 workers in toe. I held my arm out and, on cue, a swarm of black and yellow insects. Flew out of me. Everything I had, all 400 of them.

<I don’t need to explain it to you. Do what you need to and help your brothers.> They didn’t hesitate and flew down the tunnel as well. As soon as the last one left, Green mana swirled at the base of the door, and soon, it was sealed shut. Unlike before, however, the walls looked harder and were made of a darker stone.

I looked at the two workers embedded in the walls and gave them a nod. I turned around to see Azuura already coordinating with the workers. He is making an escape tunnel for me, as long as I live. The hive will continue. But am I hell just gonna sit here on my ass and wait. I closed my eyes and felt my mind sink into the weave. I won't go down too easily.

……

Pov: Penn

“Well, this is a scenario I didn’t see coming.”

I skulked around the mushroom forest. To think 10 minutes ago, I was documenting the workers' behaviour when all hell broke loose. Suddenly, all the workers fled naturally, and I followed them to see what was happening. Frankly, now I wish I hadn’t. I skulked between piles and piles of dead workers. I briefly examined the piles. They all oozed inky green blood and were devoid of any life.

“Dammit, where are my autopsy tools when I need it.”

No matter, I can deduce what happened here without them. All of the bodies had 2 large circular puncture wounds in their main bodies. If I had to guess bite marks. But from what? The workers aren't small by any imagination. My measurements have them all averaging around 1.4 meters tall. So, for something to do this…

I looked a bit closer and noticed something peculiar hanging off one of the bodies. Something thin and white. I peeled it off the body and played with it in my hands. This texture…. Could it be… there hasn’t been a sighting of one in a while. I heard they were all hunted into extinction…

“If it is that. Then diva may have some trouble with her hands.” Suddenly, several loud cricks hit my ears.

“Those sound different…. I haven't heard something like that before….”

I got closer to the sounds. These were definitely different. While I can't understand the alvearix, I can make out their tones and sounds. This was not those tones. I followed the sounds to another tall pile of alvearix. Whatever is attacking has been busy. I quickly shuffled against the pile until I made it to the edge.

“You’ve piqued my curiosity. Now let's see who's responsible for this carnage.” I slowly piqued my head around the corner

“Just what I thought,” I whispered. 8 tall white legs, 6 big black beady eyes and a large spiked abdomen. Yep, that’s a silkwrith juvenile. This isn't good. I peeked out a bit more and noticed the Juvenile was feasting on a worker's body. This isn't usual behaviour; usually, they wait until they are back at the nest to-

SCRIEEK!

My eyes darted to the side just in time to see 7 combat units leaping onto the Juvenile, tackling it to the ground. Height-wise, the Juvenile was double the size of the combat unit, but what they lacked in size, they made up in numbers.

The moment it touched the ground, they got to work 3 of them kept the creature pinned as the remaining four clamped their jaws around its legs and pulled. Almost immediately, a loud scream roared from the Juvenile. They didn’t stop. The moment it was incapacitated, the remaining 3 combat units got off its body and moved its head. Where in unison, they all clamped around its neck and pulled; there was a brief scream before a large splurt of purple blood shot all over the place.

“Fascinating”

I reached into my satchel for my notebook. It's rare I get a good look at them fighting. That manoeuvre, whilst simple, was executed perfectly. Like they have done this 100 times over. I have to document this whilst it is still fresh in my-

SCREEK!

My head snapped around the corner again. The combat units were all looking upwards. I did the same just in time to catch several sharp, pointed tendrils flying towards them. They quickly spread out, but not before losing 2 of them, getting taken out.

“That’s not good. If that is what I think it is….>

The tendrils latched themselves into the ground and became taught. I looked up just in time to see a large spider hurtling towards us using its tendrils.

“Whilst I do like to just observe, I think I may have to make an exception in this case.” I put my notebook back and pulled out 2 glass balls with silver liquid inside.

Suddenly, a loud buzzing hit my ears; I looked behind just in time to see a reinforcement of 5 spitters.

“Well that’s good for us.”

“It is” My head snapped around just in time to see a black wasp hovering next to me.

“Was that you…. Why do you sound?”

“Like diva. Because it is me, I would explain, but I don’t have the time or energy to do.”

At that moment, the large spider crashed into the ground with a loud thud.

“These bastards, don’t get yourself killed. You're not useful to me dead,” The fly said as it flew away. I peeked around the corner once again.

“Just as I thought silkwrith Jester” Instantly, its rear abdomen opened like a flower, and several fleshy, bladed tendrils whipped out, slicing everything they touched to shreds.

“That’s not-“

My body dropped just in time for the tendrils to sail overhead, slicing the pile of bodies in half next to me. One of the combat units adeptly jumped and dodged the tendrils before landing next to me.

“I've gotta plan, but I'm gonna need your help” I showed him the two silver orbs before pointing to the spitters above, who were also adeptly dodging the tendrils.

The combat unit looked at me before looking back at the spider. The spider's tendrils were like a guillotine, chopping and dicing everything in their path. I forgot just how awful these creatures were and why they were hunted to near extinction. The relentless attack lasted a few more moments before finally stopping. The spider's abdomen shook as it reeled in all its tendrils. Now’s my chance!

“Close your eyes!” I yelled as I flung the 2 silver orbs at the creature. The spider turned in my direction and started to open its abdomen. But it was too late. The orbs landed at its feet and exploded in brilliant white light. The creatures hissed and snarled, and at that moment, the combat units moved in. The remaining 5 pounced on the spider; like before, they went for the legs easily, pulling 3 of them off the spider's body at the same time, the spitters started hurling volleys of concentrated acidic poison at the spider

“FOCUS THE ABDOMEN” I yelled as I ran towards the spider. On cue, the acid landed and started melting through its hide.

“That’s enough” The fire stopped just in time to reveal a hole melted into its body. Perfect! I lunged at the spider and buried my fist into its abdomen. Pain seared across my arm and down into my body. But I pushed through. If I remember correctly, it has to be somewhere in A-HA!

I felt something soft and pulsating. I wrapped my hand around it and pulled. The spider screamed and squirmed.

“HOLD IT STILL,” I yelled as I pulled and pulled until it finally tore free. Instantly, the spider fell limp, and I fell to the ground, holding its motor sack. I held the sack up to the combat units.

“It’s the motor sack that controls the tendrils. It needs a direct connection to the heart for it to function. You remove this, and the spider instantly bleeds to death.”

I dropped it to the ground. My arm was covered in green gunk that burned into my flesh. Damn, I didn't think that part through. I need to deal with this quickly. I reached into my satchel with my other arm and pulled out a pitcher of water with which I doused my arm with. Quickly washing away the acidic venom. After that, I reached in and grabbed 2 bottles. One was green, and the other was purple. I poured those over my arm as well, and pain shot all over my body as the 2 potions got to work. The green healed the injury, while the purple tried to neutralise the venom. Emphasis on try. From my observation, Alvearix venom is quite potent. All I can hope is that the General anti-poison lowers the dosage enough that it doesn’t kill me.

“Fuck. No more spiders. I am done with-“

Screek!

“Me and my big mouth”

I looked up towards the sky and saw several more tendrils approaching us. Dammit. I tried to move, but my arm screamed otherwise. The combat units around me quickly dashed out of the way, avoiding the sharp tendrils. I looked up just in time to see one heading straight for me. This is how I go out, huh, Damn. What a shame.

“Sorry, little bro. I guess I won't be keeping my promise after all.” The tendril got closer and closer. I closed my eyes and waited, and waited, and waited some more. It sure is taking its time. I opened my eyes just in time to see a maid towering over me, holding the tendril in its armpit.

“Sally?!”

“Mother told you not to get hurt!” She yelled

“Hahaha….” I said through pained grunts. “ I got caught up in the heat of the moment.”

She rolled her eyes. “You said to aim for the motor sack, right?”

“How do you….. It doesn’t matter. Yes! It's in the centre of the abdomen.”

She nodded and, without missing a beat, wrapped its tendril around her arm and pulled. A loud screech sounded across the tunnel as she pulled and pulled, wrapping more and more of it around herself until finally, the spider appeared, flying towards us. Sally quickly used the momentum to her advantage, yanking the tendril down, causing the spider to smack into the ground with a thunderous thud.

“Now!” I cried. Instantly, she pounced. Her bladed arm shot out as she swung at the spider's abdomen, splitting it open and then, without hesitation, she dove her arm into it.

“Towards the head and to the right.”

Like before, the spider screamed as she messed around with its insides until.

“Got it,” Pained screams echoed through the hive, followed by science. There was one loud scream before silence. Sally held the spider's still pulsating organ for a few moments before she crushed it in her hand.

“Thank you, Sally.”

“No probleugggghhhh”I threw up red chunks onto the floor. My head felt like it had been dragged through the mud. Not good. I tried to take a breath, but that just made it worse.

“You got some of the poison in your bloodstream….” Sally said as she came to my side.

“Yeah….. I figured,” I said through painful breaths. I reached into my satchel for another purple vial and drank it. It tasted like old boots and rubber, but I held firm. You're meant to dilute this, but I think this case is an exception. “

You guys have an antivenom lying around.”I asked. Sally solemnly shook her head. “We never made such a thing.”

“Figures….” I sat down and took a deep breath. Slowly, the potion worked to take the edge off. But I'm not out of the woods yet…

“Wait here. I'll get the workers to take you to Mother. Maybe she can help you….”

“No!” I yelled, “We go forward and finish this for good.”

“Penn, that’s preposto-“

“We don’t have the time, Sally! I'm the only one who knows this enemy inside and out. You need me there. Now hurry; you don’t want me to keel over and die before I can actually do anything, do you?.”

Sally stared at me for a moment before her face filled with purpose; before I knew it, I was in princesss carry, charging forward to the main battle.