Published at 6th of January 2026 8:02 am

Chapter 316: Always a Way

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The one with his Blade kept on running, though its direction turned. Fleeing now not from Nicolai, but the army of Hornets.

A figure emerged from that army, glinting. A Hornet wearing radiant golden armour, flanked by guards wielding large weapons. It sped after the fleeing Hornet, and from it stretched something monstrous. A Soul Sense, one that moved like the arm of God across the sky, fell upon the jungle containing that distant, speeding figure like a hawk taking a mouse. Slender, sharp spiritual fingers snapped closed like great talons and gripped tight.

From this distance, and with all the ripples in the air, he wasnt able to feel the moment the fleeing Hornets Soul Sense broke. But from what he saw it lasted barely even a pair of seconds. Soul Sense broken, the Hornet was towed ignominiously back toward the golden figure. Like an unruly child dragged behind a mother whod entirely run out of patience.

He saw his Blade tugged from the Hornets hands. It rose away, held between one finger and thumb of that great hand. His Blade.

He burned with the need to seize it back. But it couldnt be. Never had it been more out of reach, and within him the Dark was twisting itself in furious knots at that thought. With crushing mental discipline Nicolai forced his Soul into order, banked the Thrill and gripped the Dark, then he turned his whole focus to hiding and fleeing.

He Shelled his Soul, engaged the Lurker, wrapped himself in his poncho. With a Pegasi ring he began to float downwards.

Through zoomed-in cameras on his skinsuit, he clearly saw the other Tier 2, the crystal summoner. Flying beside the golden-armoured figure, the Hornet was gesturing wildly, pointing right at him. He wasnt sure if it had somehow seen him, or was just pointing where hed last been seen. It didnt matter either way.

The golden figure, flanked by numerous others, turned and came for him, trailing its Soul Sense tendrils.

He dropped straight down, using the Pegasi ring merely to slow his fall. Landing, he deactivated it in favour of his Burrowing Symbiote, which could be used without ripples so long as he used the Lurker.

Nicolai sank into the ground. The process was relatively fast but at that moment it seemed horribly slow. He knew he couldnt escape this enemy. Hiding was his only chance. Just keep digging down down down.

He felt a heavy spiritual weight from above, sensed it even through his Shelled Soul. He could feel it on some level, and it was all around him. Pressing through the jungle, into the trees, into the earth.

It welled through the ground around him, like water leaking through a roof. He struggled, snarling and ripping at it, but to little result. The earth tore and his stomach dropped as he was wrenched upwards.

Nicolai burst from the ground, a rat torn free of its den. Trees blurred around him as he was plucked out the jungle, dragged into the sky, yanked backwards by irresistible force. He was helpless as a babe. The Dark burned through his Soul, infusing him with energy as he tore at the spiritual grip, but to no effect. The world blurred dizzily around him.

And then he was once more up high in the sky, floating before his latest captor. The golden armoured Hornet gazed at him with malicious curiosity. A she, he dully realised. Surrounding him and her was a sphere of black-armoured Hornets, most of them wielding large weapons he immediately recognised as Tier 2 Artifacts. More cut from the same cloth as the four whod captured him. There was also a Tier 1 who he recognised, with a burned line through its eye. That one was flying off, leaving the cluster around the golden armoured one.

Everywhere he looked, Hornets. They formed a cyclone, spinning slowly around the central point that was the one before him, and all he could hear was the endless, deafening droning of wings. They seemed somehow natural and fitting in this great funnel-shape, a part of the storm almost. But here in the centre there was no rain nor wind, as some great, barely visible shield wrapped the army.

Suspended, surrounded. The Soul Sense that gripped him was the most powerful hed yet encountered. It shone yellow, and Threat Analysis identified the actual, physical holding effect as being similar to whatever the bird had employed, back in the castle.

Threat Analysis built a list of all those nearby to him, working to identify everything of importance via ripples and data analysis.

On the outside, in a spherical shape that surrounded him, the Queen, and a number of other Hornets, were the majority of black-armoured male Tier 2s, wielding Artifacts. Elites, as Threat Analysis chose to tag them.

Topping the list of those inside the protective sphere, his captor, the golden-armoured Hornet. Female, Tier 3 and likely at the peak. This, Threat Analysis felt sure, was the Queen. Psychology said that they had no way of knowing if these gigantic, bipedal Hornets actually bore that much of a similarity to wasp species on Earth, and went into some detail waffling on about this. Threat Analysis waited a polite moment for it to finish, then it applied, quite firmly, the tag of Queen to the Hornet.

Either side of the Queen were two Tier 2 Hornets, also females. And again, we have no way of knowing began Psychology, only for Threat Analysis to stamp both of them with the tag Princess. One of them was big and bulky, the other slight and slender. Cyberwarfare helped out with the naming schema. Big Princess and Small Princess.

To the side of them was another Hornet, a male. This one, alone amongst the group, was Tier 1. He was staring at Nicolai with curiosity.

To Nicolais right were two figures, both much more familiar.

The Tier 2 crystal-summoning Hornet, whod held his Blade but lost it. Threat Analysis had decided this one was reasonably high-up in the hierarchy, and clearly aligned with the Queen. Therefore, Prince. Though he had much in common with the Artifact wielding guards, so possibly they were all Princes, too.

He was hovering close to the Queen like a puppy seeking protection under the legs of its mother. From that safety he was rippling angrily, pointing one finger in furious stabs at the final nearby Hornet.

The Tier 2 with that powerful spear-like Symbiote set, whod had such a greed for his Blade. That one was bound up just as tight as Nicolai, wrapped by the same yellow force, and he wasnt silent. He was rippling back, in a way that seemed both angry and mocking.

A few more Hornets were coming towards them all. The sphere of elites turned to face them, and there was some angry rippling from both sides before they eventually moved to let this new group within. The freshly arrived Hornets immediately moved to flank the bound onein a way that suggested they were on his side. One of them pointed at him then at the Queen, rippling angrily.

With a sudden confusing burst of ripples from everywhere, all of them started speaking. All except the Queen, and the Tier 1. The Queen was staring around, emanating annoyance and confusion. The Tier 1 was watching proceedings glumly.

The Queens eyes fell on Nicolai. He was doing his utmost to come across as passive and unthreatening as possible, habitually looking to sow the ground for his next escape attempt. Her gaze moved away. For the moment he was ignored.

That was good. That gave him time. Simulations was paired with Threat Analysis, who was sharing its ever-deepening knowledge of ripples.

The pair were burning hot, working out this strange language. The sudden eruption of conversation, paired with high emotions bleeding from Souls, was ideal for them to do so.

They were running back over all past ripples heard from these creatures, and already surprising progress had been made. Simulations claimed they were approximately 36% of the way to understanding and even speaking the languagethe first he encountered that wasnt automatically translated by his Mark. Progress was speeding up, too, as the more that was learned, the more the rest fell into place.

In the meantime he mulled over what he knew merely from what hed witnessed. There was some kind of schism here, an ongoing power struggle. These creatures had schemes of their own, and Psychologys in-progress profile for the race classed them as duplicitous, murderous, power-hungry beings.

Escape was increasingly unlikely. But there might be another route through this. Based on that profile, these were precisely the kind of beings who might be interested in employing someone like him. Of course, his real desire was to break free, kill them all, and retrieve his Blade. A desire constantly reinforced by the slow pressure of the Dark, burning ever within him, banked for now but eager to spring free.

However, things being what they were, hed far rather be employed by them, than go through the doubtless painful and terminal things he anticipated the average captive would experience. Avoiding that fate was his first priority. If he could secure employment he would have time to work his ways; kill, steal, scheme, until hed dug his way out from a position of defeat to one of victory.

He needed to get the fact that he could be useful, no, very useful, across, and in the most persuasive manner he could manage. Speaking their language would make him far more convincing.

Still and silent, his eyes moving slowly over them, Nicolai plotted. All his latest attempts to get his Blade and escape from these creatures had failed, yes, but giving up was a foreign concept, to him and the Modules both. He wouldnt stop struggling, wriggling. Not until death caught up with him and Satan seized his Soul.

Until then Wriggle wriggle.

###

SILENCE! boomed Vexira, the great ripple of her voice brushing aside the arguments and accusations of the others. Her Soul Sense wrapped tight enough around Vorath, whod been yelling at Xyrrith, that the Hornet was no longer able to speak. It felt extremely satisfying to be able to do so. Something only possible without the Binding frying her because she was sure hed entirely broken the rules.

In the ensuing silence she pointed a slender finger at Xyrrith. Tell me everything. Go slowly. Miss nothing.

No, you must release him! You have no right to bind a Highspawn! Veliren frothed, thrashing his arm angrily. The tall Highspawn was hovering to the side of the bound Vorath.

She has every right, Xyrrith spat back, considering his crimes!

Khoren is dead! seethed Veliren. If there has been a crime, it has been against us! I demand the release of Vorath and to know what He flinched as a powerful Soul Sense curled around him. One of Vexiras stingers scraped over his shield.

It is my hive, and you will not countermand my orders. She glared at Veliren. Be quiet or Ill make you quiet. Speak, Xyrrith.

Her son straightened, radiating righteous anger. We went to scout the Grey Bugs, as you requested. Myself, Drekhul, Khoren, and Vorath. Once there, we were surprised to see a human. He gestured at the bound, floating figure, and she and the others followed the motion. Armoured in dark-grey armour with a strange, flowing pattern, it floated silently in the grip of her Soul Sense. A strange creature, its Soul was unusually silent. Not a hint of the terror typical of a human captured by Hornets. She almost thought it might be unconscious, except she could feel its Soul where she gripped it. Hot with activity, in a way that suggested a great deal was going on inside.

I recognised this human, continued Xyrrith. For some reason he was emanating some pride. We spotted him he trailed off significantly. In the City. You, yourself, saw the conversation Drekhul and I had with him.

Vexira hummed with surprise, recalling. I see. Good. We need more with correct access.

Xyrrith bowed his head, spread his arms as though anticipating applause. Thus I ordered a quick capture. The Grey Bugs, so busy and making such a noise, wouldnt even notice. We spread out and prepared to ambush the human. However, somehow it recognised we were above, and immediately attacked.

Get on with it, said Vexira impatiently. She had no interest in hearing the blow-by-blow of how they overwhelmed some Tier 1 human. What happened to Khoren?

Xyrrith paused. Glanced at the human. The human, uh, well, the human the human struck him down. And then his Soul was

What? burst out Veliren, the word barely finished before he broke into a spray of dismissive laughter. What is this this madness? The thing is Tier 1. Khoren would have crushed it with a single finger. Release Vorath so we might hear the

The human struck him down! yelled Xyrrith, before continuing with mandibles spread in a grin, Then Vorath killed Xyrrith fell suddenly silent, before falling into a kind of fit, his Soul squirming.

Vexira recognised that fit. It was the sign of a Lesserspawn whod made some kind of agreement with a Highspawn attempting to go back on said agreement. Xyrrith had made a promise, of some kind, to Vorath. The Empresss magic, working through bloodline and the Binding on her head, enforced that promise.

You have been bound, she told him pointedly. Xyrrith stared at her, seeming both furious and uneasy. Despite her endless lectures, her sons continually failed to watch their wording when speaking with a Highspawn. All of them were liable to fall afoul of the bloodline magic. It was the same reason she couldnt trust them with the deeper details of any of her plansa Highspawn could compel them to speak truthfully.

Only her daughters were immune, and even then only partly. Them, and one other. She glanced at Serrin, the only Tier 1 in her presence other than the human. Floating there in typical sullen silence. Such a shame one as gifted as he, was. as he was.

Veliren was staring suspiciously at Vorath now, doubtless for the same reasons she was. She could feel the White Spear he now held. It was easy to work out what had happened. Only one part of it confused her.

How did the human strike down Khoren?

Xyrrith pointed to the Tier 3 Artifact, gripped by her Soul Sense. A powerful, dangerous weapon. It was a long time since shed seen an Artifact she actually wanted, and nearly as long since shed been near something that could kill her. She gazed at it somewhat uneasily, as one would at a venomous snake. Certainly something she was glad to have in her grip, but this thing could strike through her shields, kill her as easily as she would slay a Tier 1.

The human used that. And it fought very well, he added, with a glance at the creature. Vexira was surprised to realise Xyrrith was wary of the human.

How well?

It lasted several minutes, with all of us trying to sting it. It killed three Tier 1s, through use of some strange tools that fought alongside it. It also possesses the Spectral Claw, and it did that thing, with Intent. Like Serrin does, where you can never tell where hell attack from. Serrin looked up, staring. It forced Vorath to sacrifice a finger. Xyrrith pointed at the Highspawn, and she realised that indeed, Vorath was a finger short.

Following that, I attempted to return with the captured human, and the Artifact, continued Xyrrith. But on the way he slowed, and spoke carefully, testing. Vorath flew over and attacked me. He stole the Artifact. He perked up, realising that whatever promise hed agreed to didnt stop him speaking on that. He came over, demanded it, and attacked me! I attempted to fight back but with the White Spear he was too strong. He seized it from me. However, I did my best to slow him as he tried to get away, allowing time for you to arrive. He straightened with pride. He attempted to steal from the Hive! He might even have killed Drekhul! he cried, excited.

Veliren et out another laugh, this one disgusted. Ridiculous, he muttered.

At last Vexira released her Soul Sense, where it tightly bound Vorath. As she did so she had the Artifact Blade come over to her, plucked it from the air and ran a finger down it. Felt its power, and then Voraths jealous glower.

What do you have to say for yourself, Vorath?

The Highspawn spread his mandibles in a sneer. I demand Xyrrith be punished. He struck at me, a Highspawn.

What? She scowled, a spike of sudden fury pulsing in her skull in time with the pressure of the Binding. It was activating, because apparently he had a claim! Do you deny you stole this from him? she snarled.

Xyrrith shrugged. I do not. He was weak, so I seized it.

Then he was only defending himself, as is his right. And what of Drekhul?

No, he was not merely defending himself. Xyrrith continued to pursue me, and attacked me in concert with that he waved toward the human, creature, even after the issue was decided. Drekhul was more reasonable, and is unharmed.

A sudden fatigue settled on her. She looked at Xyrrith. Is that true?

He stared at her. I yes? He would have fled with the Artifact. I thought you would want me to stop him!

She was glad he had. But the rules were the rules. You attacked a Highspawn, outside of self-defence. When we return to the Hive, you will be lashed She considered, feeling at the pressure of the binding. Seven times. That satisfied it.

Xyrriths rage burned out of him at this. She glared back. What?

Nothing, he muttered, sullen.

Vorath and the other Highspawn released amused ripples. She would have so loved to tear their heads off. But Vexira had been Queen a long time. She was used to the Binding, the unfair rules. And she was calm, because she knew that one day, one day shed get the better of it. One day soon, if her plans went well. Until then, she just had to live with it, live with the infuriating, shameful fact that Vorath had tried to steal from her, yet she was not permitted to harm him for it.

I want the human killed, too, added Vorath. It annoyed me.

He will be killed once his Mark and Symbiotes are harvested, she snapped.

No, now. I have the right to demand it! He attacked me, and he is not part of your Hive, thus has no protection!

Vexira sneered, mandibles spreading. A pointless act done only to cost her the Mark and the humans Spectral Claw. But the Binding was pressing at her, and though she wanted those things she saw no option but to grant Voraths petty wish. How she wished she could tear these pests out of her Hive.

Great Queen, I specialise in solving difficult problems, spoke a foreign voice, through oddly shaped ripples. I believe my skills could be very useful to you.

She stared around, trying to work out where, who, what had spoken. It was when she saw Serrin staring at the human, mandibles limp with shock, that she realised. It floated there under their gazes, a strange being possessed with a strange confidence.

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