Chapter 37: Reme-Bee-rance
Belissar took a deep breath and forced down his feelings. He forced himself to smile as he turned around to look up at the soldier bee army hovering in the air.
“Great work. Thanks everyone.”
The air buzzed as the soldier bees all danced a salute, while Belissar shook his head. Truth be told, this was an excellent outcome. The purification had been completed, the shades had been defeated, and they had only lost a single squad of soldier bees. He had feared the worst when the shades managed to escape the Pit Trap, so to take them down with fewer losses than even the initial minor purification was a great victory.
Belissar, though, couldn’t help the pain in his chest as he thought of the soldier bee looking up at him. After all, it was he who decided to conduct this purification now, instead of waiting for the corruption to recede over time, and he who decided a stronger purification would be manageable. He was tempted to blame himself for the losses.
But he did not. He forced himself not to.
And the reason for that was the same memory of that soldier bee looking up at him. The loss...the sacrifice...that was a choice that she had made, that they all had made. They had sacrificed themselves to keep the shades down and achieve this victory. Belissar felt that he should celebrate what they had achieved more than he should mourn their loss. And, therefore, he could not permit himself to wallow in guilt.
Instead, he would honor their sacrifice, and make use of the rewards of their victory. And just like that, the words of said reward appeared before his eyes.
Unprompted, for he did not plan to consider it until after the funeral...
Minor+ Purification completed! Please select a reward: