《The Spoken Queen's Swarm》


 Chapter 1 - Prologue (1/4)

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

 Chapter 1 - Prologue (2/4)

    As the team''s scout, he should have been the one most aware of his surroundings. The one to watch for any sign of trouble. And the one to avoid any unnecessary danger. But in his haste, he failed to notice the tunnel was slightly different from the dozens of ones they had already closed. This tunnel wasn''t natural. It was dug out.


    Alexa, already preparing a scolding for the careless man, jogged forward, Relcter close behind. Johnathan, already crouching over the bomb kit looked up at the approaching figures, an exasperated expression on his face.


    <i>Shling!</i>


    A flash of movement, a sparkle of reflected light. A spray of blood.


    Johnathan''s expression froze as a razor-sharp blade pierced his chest, bursting out his back in a shower of gore. His eyes went wide in shock as he looked down, staring at the weapon that had just killed him. A chitin-covered scythe. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.


    "Fuck!" Alexa shouted, pulling her sword from its sheath. "Relcter! Vex ahead!"


    Before her, a small squad of the creatures poured from the tunnel. Two of them were the large, bulky juggernauts, their thick armor plates making them nigh invulnerable. They were massive creatures, standing near three meters tall and heavily built. The remaining three were reapers, quick and nimble drones with four bladed limbs instead of hands. They were easily capable of putting a dozen cuts on the unprepared in the blink of an eye.


    Standing at the entrance to the tunnel, one of the reapers stood in front of the lifeless corpse of her former teammate. It glanced to her, meeting her gaze. It lifted it''s blooded blade-like arm, and licked it. It''s eyes never left hers.


    "Damn you!" Alexa cursed. She charged forward, her shield held up high.


    The two juggernauts moved in to block the entrance to the cave, their bodies covering the entire tunnel. Relcter, having caught up to Alexa, threw a holy ward in front of her, protecting her from the oncoming attacks. She ducked behind her shield, letting it absorb the impact of the reapers'' strikes. A series of rapid clangs echoed out as half a dozen hits impacted her shield in a fraction of a second. The ward collapsed near instantly, overwhelmed by the incoming damage.


    Sharp pain filled her as deep, bloody cuts opened on the parts of her arms and legs that failed to fit behind the shield. She grit her teeth, ignoring the pain as she pushed her way forward.


    Her rage and despair overwhelming her reason. She should have fallen back, but her mind was reeling at the sight of her friend''s body. <i>He could still be saved,</i> she told herself. <i>There was still time.</i> She denied reality and charged into the whirlwind of razor blades with relentless fervor.


    Alexa was no tank. She wasn''t meant for this. Relcter was their bulwark. And with the juggernauts in the way, he''d need time to get to her. A pair of minor warding spells landed on her, but she didn''t notice as the magic was quickly expended.


    "Fall back!" Relcter shouted as he tried to move past her. "You can''t take them!"


    Alexa ignored him, letting out a scream as one of the blades pierced her armor and dug deeply into her side. She ignored the pain and pressed on, swinging wildly with her sword. Her blade was met with the clang of metal as the Vex blocked, the impact causing the blade to slide away, barely grazing the creature''s carapace.


    The drones were instinctual creatures, little more than animals in most senses. Sure some may show a bit of cunning here and there, but the drones were not sapient by any means. They had no true skill when it came to their natural weapons. But that mattered little when it came to raw, overwhelming attributes. They moved like the lighting to her senses, striking from every angle at once.


    Every swing of her sword cost her in blood. More often than not, the simple steel failed to even penetrate the weaker chitin of the reapers. The only reason she wasn''t already dead was because the juggernauts still haven''t caught up to the skirmish; their massive size making them slow, yet unstoppable.


    Alexa ducked, keeping her shield up constantly and swinging opportunistic strikes. There was a thump as an insectoid limb fell to the earthen floor below. The pressure from the hurricane of blades easing ever so slightly.


    The sound of chitin on steel rang out mere centimeters from her neck, the blade that had almost decapitated her redirected by Relcter''s timely intervention. His tower shield slammed into her side, the man pushing his way into the fray and forcing her away from the eye of the storm. Immediately the tide of the battle shifted as the Vex''s attention turned to paladin.


    Relcter''s shield glowed brightly, a warding spell cast upon it, making it much sturdier than Alexa''s. The man was a paladin, and his defensive magic was powerful. Their party of two was caught off guard by the ambush, and they were on the back foot. But as soon as the paladin was in formation, the tides seemed to shift.


    Relcter was calm, his shield blocking every blow. His longsword stabbed out between each attack, seeking to end the battle as quickly as possible. Though he was primarily a defensive fighter, his class was no slouch when it came to offense, and his sword was enchanted to better penetrate the chitin of the Vex. Where Alexa''s blade could barely scratch the creatures, his pierced through as easily as butter. Nonetheless, Alexa played her part. She supported him from the side, dealing as much damage as she could manage while he held their attention.


    One reaper finally fell. Its body riddled with holes. Relcter''s breath was labored, and he was splashed with blood. The wards were spent. It was a bad fight.


    Alexa wasn''t faring much better. She was exhausted. There were too many open cuts on her body, too many bruises, and her armor was shredded. She was covered in blood. Her muscles ached, and her grip on her weapon was loose.


    Another duck, another swing, another costly attack. More wounds were taken between the two as a second Vex finally dropped.


    The two friends had worked together for years now. Their teamwork was flawless. They fought in sync, each move practiced countless times before. The paladin was the anvil, and the warrior the hammer. There was only missing one person. The smallest chink in their formation, but one the Vex took full advantage of.


    Alexa was a warrior, a fighter class that focused on melee combat. She was more than competent at what she did, but she wasn''t a scout. She had no area control, no ranged control, no support from behind to keep their health up and warn them of the battlefield as a whole. Focused as the two were on wearing down the remaining reaper, they had lost track of the heavies. The two juggernauts had taken the opening to charge forward, building up momentum.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The ground shook as the two juggernauts barreled forward. Their heavy footsteps pounding the ground as they ran. Relcter''s shield was large and thoroughly reinforced, but the two creatures were massive, and he could never hope to stop their charge. The humans never saw the attack coming.


    Alexa let out a grunt as she was suddenly lifted in the air and sent flying. She tumbled to the ground, rolling to a stop some ten meters away.


    She struggled to stand. Her vision blurred. She was disoriented. Everything hurt. She felt like she''d been hit by a wagon. Her shield was gone. Her sword was gone. She couldn''t feel her shield arm at all. Pain spiked through her as she took in a wheezing breath. At least two broken ribs. She coughed, and a trickle of blood dribbled from her lips.


    Her head was pounding. She couldn''t focus. She looked around, searching for her friends. She saw Johnathan, his lifeless eyes staring up at the cloudless sky above, his body still and cold. Relcter was lying next to her, his armor dented and cracked. He was hurt, badly. Perhaps even worse than her. But even now, he was rising to his feet, positioning himself in front of her.


    The two massive Vex had kept moving after their charge, unable to stop their momentum. It gave them a bit of distance to breath, but not much. Meanwhile, the remaining reaper Vex was already upon them. This time, sensing the weakened prey, it charged towards Alexa, ignoring the paladin entirely.


    Alexa, her head still spinning and unable to stand, had no means of avoiding the attack. She didn''t even see the blow coming as it sliced clean through her already broken arm. The limb was severed just below her elbow. Her screams echoed out into the forest, the sound piercing the serenity of the meadow. The pain was beyond anything she had ever experienced in her life, and the shock alone was nearly enough to kill her. The ground was suddenly wet with her blood as the wound gushed freely.


    The paladin roared and swung with all his might, his enchanted blade cutting deep into the reaper''s side. The reaper hissed and jumped away, avoiding the strike. Its attention was now on the paladin.


    Alexa laid on the ground, her body shaking, her breathing shallow. She felt cold. Her head spun, the world around her faded in and out of focus, a distant haze. Her vision darkened as the blood loss caught up to her. The world became quiet. The sound of battle faded. She heard nothing.


    Then, something wet touched her lips, forcing her jaw open. She couldn''t breathe, she was drowning. Confusion and panic filled her as she struggled to understand what was happening. Then, the taste of a healing potion hit her tongue, the familiar bitterness snapping her to consciousness. A familiar hand was on her face, holding her mouth open. A bottle was pressed to her lips, pouring the contents down her throat. She swallowed. It burned her throat, but she didn''t care. The liquid was warm, a soothing heat spreading throughout her body.


    It didn''t stop the bleeding. Just slowed it down and recovered some of precious fluid in her veins. The wound was far too large for such a minor potion, but it bought her some time, and that was enough.


    She saw the body of the final reaper lying next to her, dead. She slowly turned her gaze upward, finally taking in her friend''s state. His armor was battered and torn. It hung loosely from his shoulders, held in place by a few remaining straps. Blood dripped down his sides, his chest, and from his lips. He was covered in bruises and cuts, his flesh pale. He was barely standing, leaning on his shield for support.


    Yet he still stood.


    Alexa struggled to rise, but Relcter placed a firm hand on her shoulder.


    He cleared his throat, his voice cracking. "Alexa, I want you to promise me..."


    The two juggernauts had made their way back. Their massive bodies towered over the field as they approached. The first of the two behemoths swung its massive fist, the heavy blow crushing a nearby tree to splinters with a single strike.


    Relcter''s gaze was hard and his words were quiet. He was holding something. She couldn''t see what it was. "Promise me that when this is over, and you leave the forest... That you''ll go find Mary. Make sure she and my daughter are okay. Take care of them, Alexa. Please... promise me that."


    Alexa shook her head. No! No, no, no, no! She wanted to shout, to cry out in despair as she listened. But her voice was too faint. She barely had the strength to pull in a breath, let alone speak. But their eyes met, and he nodded.


    He laid his massive tower shield down on top of her, covering her and almost pinning her down in her weakened state.


    Relcter stood slowly, fighting with his broken body to remain upright, facing the two opponents that he could never beat in a  fight, let alone in his current condition.


    He gripped the explosive vial tightly. His hands were shaking, but his stance was solid. He didn''t speak. He didn''t look back. He just moved.


    Alexa watched, powerless to stop the inevitable. She knew what he had planned, and it would only end one way. It was the only option they had left. And she hated herself for it, for that faint spark of relief in the back of her mind. She would live.


    She watched as the man who had been her friend for so long, who had saved her life more times than she could count, charged into battle without fear. He was a paladin, a defender of the innocent. And now he was sacrificing himself so that she might live.


    It broke her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched him go, knowing that she would never see him again. Both him and Johnathan. She was going to lose them both. She wanted to scream, to cry out for him to stop, to tell him that it wasn''t worth it, but her voice was gone, the pain in her chest too great. So, she could do nothing more than watch as the man she considered almost a brother lifted that vial up, and crushed it in his palm.


    The explosion was instantaneous. A wave of heat washed over her, followed by a shock wave that knocked her to the back several meters, rolling helplessly. She didn''t hear the detonation. She couldn''t. She heard nothing at all. But the world shook and the earth trembled beneath her. The air itself seemed to pummel her already broken ribs to a pulp. She tried to gasp in pain, but there was no air in her lungs.


    The heat was unbearable. It burned her skin and scorched her hair. The blast was so intense that it scorched her throat, leaving it raw and blistered. But she couldn''t scream. Her voice was gone. The world was gone. All that was left was the fire. It consumed everything.


    She had been terribly close to the epicenter. Far too close. But she had survived. The twisted metal of the former tower shield lay a short distance away, warped and radiating heat after absorbing the burnt of the blast. She gazed at it, her heart throbbing, screaming in pain both physically and emotionally.


    But Alexa needed to move. She was already feeling dizzy again. Her head swiveled from side to side, looking for a solution. She had no time to waste. Her severed arm was still bleeding, her body was broken. If she didn''t move now, Relcter''s sacrifice would be wasted. She tried to stand, but her legs gave out beneath her. She fell hard, landing on her knees. The impact sent another spike of agony through her shattered ribs, the broken bones grinding against each other.


    Her eyes found Johnathan once again. He was still wearing his pack, and it looked mostly intact. She crawled. One meter. Then two. Three. Finally reaching his still form. She fumbled, her single hand clutching at the straps. She pulled it free and ripped it open, her eyes frantically scanning the contents, searching for something, <i>anything</i> that would help. Finally, her hand grasped a familiar flask. An advanced healing potion. The team''s only emergency vial. It was unbelievably expensive, but it could bring someone back from the brink of death if taken in time.


    Johnathan would have survived if he had had time to drink it.


    She clutched it tightly in her fist. Her numb fingers shaking, nearly dropping the precious liquid. She bit down on the cork and pulled. The cork came loose and she brought the vial to her lips, swallowing the liquid in one go.


    Almost immediately, she felt a surge of energy flow through her. The pain in her chest dulled slightly as the potion kicked in. She could breathe again, and her head cleared. She could think again. She could see again. Her severed arm stopped bleeding, the stump sealing over. She was numb, but she could move. It would be many weeks, maybe months before she could be considered recovered, however.


    With renewed strength, Alexa stumbled to her feet and took off at a brisk walk. She didn''t look back. The tears streamed down her cheeks as she willed her legs to move. She felt shame, anger, and an ocean of despair as she left her teammates behind. But she had made a promise to Relcter, and she intended to keep it.


    She needed to live.


    The Vex may be defeated, but there was no telling if any had escaped. Not to mention the forest itself held plenty dangers of its own. There were countless other beasts and predators that would love to make a meal out of a weakened and unarmed human. She had no time to mourn. Not until she got back to camp. Only then would she allow herself to weep. Only then would she allow herself to break.

 Chapter 1 - Prologue (3/4)

    Alexa stumbled into camp hours later, as the sun was falling. Her body was a mess. The potion had kept her alive, but it didn''t fix everything. She was barely conscious, her vision blurred by pain and exhaustion. Her eyes stung, her tears having all dried up over her long trek back. Her clothes were still wet from the blood of a dozen minor wounds that failed to fully heal.


    She was surrounded by people. Voices calling out in concern. Hands grabbing at her, steadying her. She didn''t pay them any heed. She just kept walking. She needed to find her tent. Her team''s tent. She needed to lie down and rest. To sleep.


    She didn''t make it.


    The world went dark as her legs gave out from under her. She collapsed, falling to the ground in a heap. Her head struck the dirt. She didn''t feel the impact. Her body was numb. The voices around her faded. Everything went quiet. And she slept.


    <hr>


    Two days had passed since the battle ended. The Vex were dead. The hive had been purged. Not a single egg nor pupa was left alive. Scouts still scanned the area for any possible survivors, but none had been sighted so far.


    The army was in a celebratory mood, the soldiers drunk and merry. The night was bright, torches burning, music playing. The air was filled with laughter and joy. Adventurer teams joined in the merriment, drinking barrels full of ale and rum and engaging playful banter with the soldiers. The atmosphere was festive and carefree.


    But not for her.


    Alexa sat alone in her tent, her knees drawn up to her chest, her remaining arm wrapped around them. She wore a simple cloth shirt, her wounds dressed. Her shredded scraps of armor had been removed. They were unsalvageable, and would have to be melted down back into raw materials and resold. She had nothing. No weapon. No shield. Not even her friends. Her teammates. Her comrades. She had no one. She was alone.


    She felt empty. Hollow. A gaping void in her chest that no amount of drink or food or song would fill.


    All she had left were memories. Memories of three adventurers who had set out together for glory and gold. Who had fought side by side for years, who had become closer than family. Memories of two people had died so that she could live. She sobbed quietly. She didn''t want to cry, but she couldn''t help herself. She couldn''t stop the tears. She couldn''t stop the pain.


    All she had left were memories, and a promise. She promise she had to keep it. Relcter''s family deserved to know what happened. She owed him everything. And that child, she would bend the heavens and the earth to make that child had a good life. No matter what. And Johnathan''s partner, she would tell that girl just how much the man had cared for her. She would make sure they were all taken care of.


    So, sun set on the third and final day of the mission, Alexa stood and marched out of the tent. Her team bled and died for this mission. It was time they paid up. Her face was hard and her eyes were cold as she marched to the paymaster''s tent.


    The officer, the very same man that had signed their mission, contract, was sitting at a small wooden desk with papers spread across it. He glanced up as she entered the tent.


    "I''ve come to collect the bounty."


    The man didn''t recognize her at first. Fair, given that he had likely worked with hundreds of adventurers over the last few days. But she was not in the mood to offer him much grace.


    "Adventuring party, Platinum Fist." She explained. "We had closed at least a dozen tunnels. Killed 5 Vex. 2 Juggernauts, 3 Reapers. I''ve come to claim the reward. I submitted my report yesterday."


    The officer paused for a moment, studying her. After a second he seemed to recall her. He gave the tired sigh of someone who was more than ready to go home and flipped through a few papers.


    "Ah, here it is." He said. "Looks like we have you registered for fifteen confirmed tunnel closures, five confirmed Vex killed. Party of three...? Ah, only survivor. I see." His tone was completely without emotion. Just the monotone droning of a bored salary man. He looked up from his papers, his eyes meeting hers. "You will receive 120 delwin standards for your work. Would you like the coins upfront, or transferred to a local bank?"


    Alexa stared at him for a few seconds, her mouth hanging open. The man''s face was blank. His eyes were cold. He showed no sign of compassion or sympathy, only a mild annoyance at having to deal with another adventurer.


    Alexa''s fist tightened. She was shaking, her teeth clenched. This man... this bastard didn''t even flinch when she said her whole team had died. He didn''t care. And that sum...


    "Sir, my party was promised 100 delwin <i>each</i>. You''re short changing us by 180 coins."If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The officer sighed and shook his head. "That is correct, one hundred each. However, as you are the only survivor, you will receive 100 delwin, as agreed, as well as an additional 20 delwin in compensation for your missing limb. You are the sole claimant on this bounty."


    The man''s voice was matter-of-fact, his tone indifferent. He had the gall to sound annoyed that she was taking up his valuable time.


    Alexa''s fist tightened even further, her knuckles white. She felt a surge of anger and rage, but she held it back. "And why, are my fallen comrades not getting their full rewards? They worked for them. Died for them." Her voice was cold and flat, barely restrained anger lacing every word. "Or are you telling me their families aren''t getting a single damn delwinbit for their loss?"


    "As stated in the contract, all <i>active</i> members of the expedition will be paid their due. As your friends are no longer active, they are no longer eligible for payment owed. We will not be paying out the full reward."


    Alexa saw red. The fury that had been building inside her finally broke free, and her hand lashed out, knocking away the cup of tea that had been sitting on the officer''s desk, spilling its contents onto the ground. She stomped forward, almost reaching for the man.


    "How dare you!" She yelled. "My friends died! They gave their lives for this mission! And you''re going to sit there and tell me you won''t pay out their full bounties!? That their families won''t be compensated for their deaths!?" She was seething. Her eyes were burning, her breathing heavy. She wanted to strangle this man. To kill him. To rip his throat out with her bare hands.


    The man didn''t flinch. He remained seated, staring at her. He merely scowled at the loss of his beverage. An instant later, three guards burst into the large tent, weapons raised. They pointed their swords at Alexa, ready to strike her down if she so much as moved.


    The officer waved them away, his gaze never leaving her face. "Now then," he said calmly, "If you''re done making a scene, please make your choice on how you would like to receive your payment. If not, then kindly let those men escort you to the prison card, and allow me to resume my work."


    Alexa kept her death glare on him for a handful of seconds, before she felt her heart sink. She was helpless. She could do nothing, here. All she could do was stand there, trembling, her eyes filled with hate and anger. Ultimately, she was forced to take a deep breath and relent.


    "I''ll take the coins upfront."


    The officer nodded. "Very well." Without another word, he pulled out a large sack and began to count out her payment. The guards kept their full attention on her as the officer counted, making sure she didn''t try to sneak any extra.


    When he was done, he pushed the stack of coins towards her and put his coin pouch away under the desk. Likely in a magical safe of some kind. She swiped her bounty of the desk and stormed out, radiating helpless frustration.


    She went back to her tent and flopped down on her bedroll, ignoring the pain the movements caused her. She sat there in a daze, staring at nothing. After some time, she looked down at her hand. She opened it and looked at her palm. It was covered in blood. Her fingernails had dug into her skin. She stared at it for a while, her mind racing, her thoughts scattered.


    She needed to get back. She needed to tell Relcter''s wife the news. She needed to tell that poor little girl that her father was a hero. She need to pay for her recovery. She needed to...


    She needed her friends back.


    And she wanted, oh how she wanted them all to suffer for what they took from her. The army, the Vex. All of them. Let them all burn for all she cared.


    She couldn''t sleep that night, so lost was she in her brooding. Eventually, sometime near midnight, she decided. She knew what she would do next. Her face twisted as the plan started to form in her mind, but it was the only thing she could think of in the moment. It was a stupid tantrum of a plan, but it was something to keep her hands busy, at least.


    She sat up and pulled on a set of clothes and grabbed her bag. She then left the tent and made her way out of camp, slipping away into the darkness. She made her way through the woods, taking care to hide her tracks and keep her presence hidden. It didn''t matter if they found out she''d left, but the beasts of the forest were a whole different matter.


    Eventually, after about an hour of walking, she reached her destination. A familiar tunnel, and a bloody clearing. The site where her team had died.


    There were no remains left of her team. Animals had long since picked the area clean. So instead she gathered up all the discarded equipment in the surroundings. Scraps of bloodied clothing, twists chunks of metal and leather, and even the packs that the other two had once carried. Anything and everything she could find. She buried everything in a small grave, keeping only the coins they carried with a promise every single one would go to their families.


    She stayed there for a few moments, collecting herself. Then, she spoke aloud. "I''m sorry Johnathan. I''m so sorry. You deserved better than this. Better than all of this. You were a good man, and I will miss you dearly." Her voice was soft and quiet, barely audible over the wind. "And Relcter, you bastard. I''m going to make sure your girl grows up safe. I promise. She''ll never know hardship. She''ll never know pain or sadness. She''ll be happy and loved. I''ll see to it. For you."


    She planted a stick vertically at the head of the grave and hung her head to grieve.


    Then, when she had nothing left to give, she stood, dusted off her knees, and make her way to the tunnel.


    The Vex were not an advanced species. Crafting of any type was considered far beyond them. And while they had no use for concepts like currency, the Vex were known to be hoarders. When raiding towns and villages, drones always returned to the hive with armfuls of various junk. The vast majority of it all was worthless trash, seemingly collected without rhyme or reason. Although, sometimes in fallen hives, it was possible to score a lucky break and find something worth salvaging. It was rare, sure, but not unheard of.


    It was true that many, many people had already made their way through the catacombs of the nest, purging it and no doubt picking up a few trinkets along the way. But Alexa was desperate and far from a rational state of mind. She was convinced that they had to have missed something. Something good that she could sell when she got back to the city and make up for what the army stole.


    And so, with a torch in her hand, fresh from her pack, she made her way down the winding tunnel.

 Chapter 1 - Prologue (4/4)

    Her eyes scanned the darkness, her ears alert. Every now and then, she would hear the skitter of a bug or the hiss of a snake, and she would jump, her heart racing. But there was nothing to fear. This place had been thoroughly purged. Just common insects and forest critters, coming to claim the now unoccupied territory.


    Eventually, she reached the first chamber. It was a small room, maybe six meters across, with a large hole in the middle that descended deeper into the earth. The room was littered with bones, the bodies of fallen adventurers or travelers that wandered too close. A thick layer of ash had settled over the piles, and the air was thick with a foul odor. The room itself was also coated in a thick layer of dried and charred gore from the purge. The room was covered in a fluid as black as pitch, and stunk like rotten meat mixed with tar. She covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve to keep from gagging. This place had seen a lot of death on both sides.


    She kicked around a few of the bone piles, but found nothing worthwhile. She stepped carefully over the disgusting layer of dead hive, and made her way to the pit. It was about three meters in diameter, and had rough, sloped walls, forming a tunnel down. She lowered herself down, and slid down to the next chamber. Her feet slipped in the slickness of the fluid, and she fell to the ground, her hand sinking into the muck. She gagged in disgust, wiping her hand on her pants. She slowly stood up, trying to ignore the smell and the way her skin crawled. She couldn''t help but grimace a bit at the sensation of the slime on her skin.


    She continued onward, making her way through the hive. The tunnels were long, winding, and confusing, and it took her a long time to find her way around. The further she descended, the more Vex corpses she found. The rooms and halls grew wider, the creatures larger and more varied. There were no more skeletons. The army had done a thorough job, purging every trace of life. The occasional human corpse was mixed among the piles, the armor and clothing easily recognizable.


    Alexa snatched a few of the more intact bits of armor on the bodies that were left behind, hoping to resell the parts to a blacksmith or something. It wouldn''t be worth much, but she still had plenty of room in her bag. She took what she could and moved on.


    As she delved deeper, the tunnels became more and more maze-like. Worried about loosing her way, she started drawing arrows in the dirt to help her find her way back. She was getting tired and her torch was starting to flicker out. Soon, it would be too dark for her to continue searching. She needed to head back. A short while later, she finally found something promising.


    A pile of junk. It was the largest pile she''d seen in the nest, at least three meters tall, and just as wide. It was made up of various items, from pots and pans to old weapons and armor. It seemed that the Vex had been a bit more selective with their collection this deep in the hive. The pile wasn''t all just random bits of garbage anymore, it was actually filled with a fair number of potentially useful objects. Nothing of any true value, of course, the pile had clearly already been looted thoroughly, but a few bits and bobs remained that she could sell. She approached the pile and began to rifle through it, pulling out anything that might have survived the intense flames. She set the torch on the ground nearby, its light casting flickering shadows on the walls.


    It took quite some time to rifle through the entire thing, grabbing only the most valuable looking crap. She even managed to exchange a few of her previous acquisitions for more promising loot. Overall, however, the trip was a complete let down. Even when only carrying the best stuff, her bag filled to overflowing with random items, she doubted she would earn more than ten delwin for the lot.


    Still, at least she would have something to show for her efforts, she supposed. She was about to turn around and leave the nest when her eye caught something. She never would have noticed it, normally. But the torch had been flickering dimmer and more infrequently. And by pure chance, she noticed a discrepancy in the shadows. It was so well hidden it was almost invisible to the eye.


    A false wall. It was just behind the pile of scrap, and had gone completely unnoticed until now. Alexa''s heart skipped a beat, excitement and fear filling her. She had no idea what was in that hidden chamber, but something in the back of her mind told her that she needed to see it. That she needed to know.


    She pulled a rusted knife out of the pile and dug into the dirt, carving out a hole just large enough for her to crawl through. The gap opened up into a small cavern. The chamber was nearly empty save for a single Vex corpse. A hive queen''s corpse.


    Alexa''s heart raced as she saw it. The queen sub types were the most terrifying type of Vex in a nest. Not for their strength, or raw power, or numbers. But because they were the brains of the entire operation. They were the true threat in any Vex nest. A single queen could take control of any drone with their mind, directing the entire hive telepathically. They were no more dangerous physically than a human, but they were smart. And when they could summon a hundred drones out of nowhere with a mere thought, they were not easy targets to fight by any means.


    Though this hive was already dead. There were no drones left to control. The crippled warrior took in a deep breath and forced herself to relax.


    She also noticed there was no detectable Aura from the corpse. Not even the smallest hint of Mana radiated off the body. She was no expert on monsters, but she had always assumed that these things were supposed to be a rather high level, and have a pretty intimidating presence. Instead, it was almost as if all the Essence had been completed drained out. Weird.


    She approached the body. This one was not burned, unlike the rest of the hive. This room was never discovered, apparently. Though, given by the wounds the Vex wore, the queen had likely tried to escape and hide in this room, only to die of her injuries. The corpse was already starting to rot, and the smell was overwhelming. She nearly threw up just from being near it. But, her eyes weren''t focused on the rotting corpse. No. She was looking at the single egg next to the body. It were the size of her fist, and still shown with health and vitality. She knew instantly what it was.


    A hive queen egg.


    She had no idea why the corpse was alone in the room. Normally, queens were well protected by their drones at all times. This one had died hidden away and alone, sealed in from the outside, and only laid a single egg. She couldn''t even begin to imagine why. Perhaps, as the queen was dying, the egg was an last attempt to save her species? It made a sort of sense, she supposed. She hoped it''s death was slow and painful. A vision of Johnathan appeared in her mind, skewered through by the Vex reaper. The ember of fury still burnt brightly in her heart.


    Her attention returned to the egg. Alexa had already raised the rusted and dull knife, prepared to destroy the egg before it could hatch and bring another accursed Vex into this world. But against her better judgement, she hesitated.


    A thought had crossed her mind. A stupid, stupid thought that was surely born from trauma and anger.


    The egg could be worth a fortune. In the right market, that is. It was a hive queen, after all. The rarest Vex subspecies by far. And the most dangerous. Anything dangerous always had a buyer.


    A fully matured Vex queen dropped in an enemy nation could slaughter thousands of civilians, and redirect the attention of entire battalions of soldiers, turning the tides of a battle. It was a cruel tactic, but it wasn''t unheard of.


    Collectors were known to pay a fortune for exotic beasts and other monsters. Kept in gilded cages to show off to guests. And of course, there was always a place for collections with academia. The study of monsters was essential to know how defeat them.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    There was always a buyer for this kind of treasure.


    Alexa struggled with herself. This was beyond stupid, even in her irrational, emotion-fueled haze, she realized that. She couldn''t count how many laws she would be breaking by smuggling this egg into the city. She would be executed for treason, full stop. And that wasn''t even counting all the damage that could be done by the Vex itself should it escape or, stars forbid, be purposely released. This was absolutely not something she should do.


    And yet... And yet she remembered her promise. She would fix things. She would take care of them all. And this egg would the ticket to make that happen.


    One sin, and that little girl would never know hunger nor pain again. Just one more stain on her conscious, and her friends'' families would live a life of luxury. And so could she.


    She would never take another quest. She couldn''t... Not anymore. Maybe it was time to finally retire.


    The weary woman glanced down at the knife in her hand. She let her grip loosen, letting the blade fall to the cavern floor. Then, with shaking hands, she picked up the egg. The thing was warm to the touch. She shivered as a wave of revulsion rippled through her. But, she didn''t let go. She wrapped the egg in an old shirt from her pack and tucked it carefully away before turning to leave. It was time to go home.


    She was done.


    In her emotionally exhausted mental state, she never noticed the faint Aura coming off the egg.<hr>


    The wagon rocked and swayed on the rough road, its wooden wheels creaking and groaning as it bounced over every stone and bump. The horses pulling it snorted and huffed, their hooves clattering on the ground. Alexa was sitting in the back of the wagon, her back pressed against the side of the cart. She had her eyes closed, trying to sleep. Her arm was still covered in bandages, and her ribs were still aching, but the pain had mostly faded. Despite two days of recovery, she still looked like hell. She felt like it, too.


    The sun was setting as the distant city of Saltbrook came into view. The walls were tall, almost overwhelming in their scale and presence. They stretched for many kilometers in either direction, and stood forty meters high. Smoke from the massive city beyond could be seen rising into the sky. It had been Alexa''s home for a few years now. She wasn''t a native to Saltbrook, but the city was prosperous. Full of opportunities. She had traveled far when she first started adventuring, and this was one of the few cities that had a warm, temperate climate. It was a place where even a foreigner with a different accent could find work. Her team never stayed in the area for more than a few months at a time, always out on some mission or another. But they seemed to keep finding their way back here in the end. It called to her in a way other places never could.


    She knew the city well. The winding streets, the market squares, the grand cathedral that dominated the skyline. It was a place she knew, and yet, for the first time, she suddenly felt like a stranger here. She was alone. She clutched the strap of her bag tightly.


    As the caravan finally passed through the gates, the woman didn''t hesitate to hop down and abandon the procession. Her sore feet took her off the main road and down a cascade of seemingly random alleyways. She didn''t want any prying eyes following her. Not with the egg still in her pack. So, she had to be careful. It would take her longer, but she could make it to her destination without drawing attention.


    After nearly two glasses of walking, she finally made it to the seedier part of the city. The buildings here were old and run down, their windows cracked and boarded up. She was not a regular of this area, but she had traveled this route a few times. There were few better places to collect information for riskier missions, after all.


    Alexa paused in front of an unassuming door on a narrow street. She knocked three times, paused, and then knocked twice more. After a moment, the door swung open, and a man appeared from behind it. His eyes were bloodshot, and he had a scraggly beard. He wore a dirty robe, and he smelled of alcohol. His hair was messy, and his skin was pale. The man didn''t speak as he looked at her.


    Alexa spoke up. "I''ve come to sell a copper fish." She said. The code phrase was common knowledge for anyone who knew about the local black market, and the man nodded.


    He nodded and stepped aside, letting her in. She entered the house and walking into a small living room. The place was filthy, the furniture worn and stained. A fire crackled in the hearth. There were no other occupants in sight.


    The man walked towards the corner and pushed aside a worn and stained chair, and shifted aside the puke-smelling rug under it. There, a trap door was revealed. He lifted the door and motioned for her to enter. She nodded and stepped down a short set of stairs, and the trap door was shut behind her.


    The steps led much further down than the scale of the building would indicate. She had to be at least three stories underground by the time she reached a narrow, claustrophobic passageway. The tunnel lead on for half a kilometer before ending in a sudden door. She opened it, and stepped through.


    On the other side, was an enormous underground bazaar. There were hundreds of people there, buying and selling everything from drugs to weapons to exotic beasts. Every single person hid their face, and she was no exception. She had tied a rag around her face, covering everything but her eyes. A long winter cloak was draped over her shoulders like a cape and covered her bulging pack.


    The atmosphere was tense, as it was always was in this area. People constantly glanced back over their shoulder, paranoia running rampant. Many people had one hand near constantly on the hilt of a blade, ready to draw at a moment''s notice. The only reason this market had ever existed was because of its secrecy, and no one wanted to be the idiot that brought it to the guard''s attention. But trust was not something the people here tended to share.


    Alexa walked through the crowd, her cloak pulled tightly around her body. She kept her head down and her hand to herself. She passed by many carts and stalls, scanning for anything that looked like a potential buyer for her... goods. Eventually, she found what she was looking for. The stall was selling various exotic monster eggs and hatchlings in cages, all from various dangerous species, both local and foreign.


    The merchant was a middle-aged woman with a severe expression and a sharp tongue. Alexa approached her and cleared her throat, getting the merchant''s attention. One glance at her crude and worn attire, and the merchant visibly dismissed her. "You seem to be in the wrong place, girl." The woman spoke. Her voice was laced with contempt. "Cheapest merchandise is 200 standards a piece."


    Alexa grit her teeth at the dismissiveness. "I''m not looking to buy. I have something to sell."


    The old woman raised an eyebrow, curious. "Is that so?"


    The former warrior pulled off her bag and carefully fished out the bundle of cloth containing the creature in question. Slowly unwrapping it, which was quite difficult to do with a single hand, she exposed the hive queen egg.


    The merchant focused intently on it, before pulling in a sharp gasp. She eyes flickered up to Alexa, full of both judgement and greed. "Vex egg, still fresh. But not a common drone." It was a statement, not a question. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Is this what I think it is?"


    Alexa didn''t answer. She didn''t have to. Instead, she just held the woman''s gaze.


    The woman huffed. "You''ve got a hell of a spine, bringing that here." She said. Her eyes scanned the surroundings. "If the city guard ever got whiff of that thing..."


    "They didn''t."


    The woman glared at her. "I''m aware. If they did, you''d already be hanging from a rope. So, let''s get to business." She glanced down at the egg, her eyes flickering. "How much?"


    "Five thousand."


    The elder wheezed, incredulous. "Five thousand?! Have you gone mad, girl?" She hissed. Her eyes narrowed. "Even if I had the money, you don''t have the leverage to demand a price that high. I ought shout and call the guards on you right now for such a ridiculous request."


    Alexa shook her head. "No, you won''t. You and I both know this thing is worth at least that much to the right buyer. If anything, I''m giving offering this at a fraction of what it''s worth."


    The older woman scoffed. "If you''re offering it at such a ''steep discount'' why even bother? Just take it to a collector. Get a better offer." Her tone was dismissive.


    Alexa didn''t relent. "Well, if you don''t want it, then..."


    "Oh don''t give me that shit. We both know you aren''t going to walk away. I see that desperate look in your eye." She crossed her arms. "I''ll give you 600 standards for the egg. Take it or leave it."


    Alexa glared at her, but she didn''t have much room to negotiate. She grit her teeth. "Three thousand, paid after you find a buyer. Otherwise I take my chances with finding a buyer directly."


    The merchant was silent for a second, seeming to judge whether or not Alexa was bluffing. She wasn''t. Eventually, the woman sighed and put her face in her palm. "Fine, girl. Three thousand, paid out after the sale. You''ve got yourself a deal."


    Alexa nodded, feeling both relief and an intense disgust at herself. She had basically just handed a living weapon to the highest bidder. Whatever came of this, any blood spilled, any lives lost, it was on her hands.


    As she signed the magically binding contract, handing over the egg, she tried hard not to think of what kind of hell she might have just unleashed upon the world.