Published at 11th of April 2026 7:02 am

Chapter 350: Shadowed Eyes

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He and Serrin kept busy that week.

He finished the rituals necessary to push through to the Spiritual Realm, managing it on the third try. From then on, he and Serrin ventured into the Spiritual Realm together, with Serrin acting as his guidethough he transpired not to be the surest of guides, as all of Serrins experience with the Spiritual Realm had been within the Hive.

This area is unfamiliar to me, very different to what I am used to, he said, as they lurked in the half-between. There isnt much spiritual activity, but it feels hostile. My understanding is that when you enter the Spiritual Realm in a place where you havent spent much time, it is more dangerous.

Still, though he spoke of a sense of being watched, they hadnt encountered too much trouble. Nicolai, in contrast, found it quite peaceful.

He had intended to test out the Dark Spirit, hoping to pull it through into the Spiritual Realm and use it as a weapon. Alas, Serrin was dead set against that, threatening to leave without any further teaching.

Nicolai fully intended to test it eventually and he was pretty sure it would work. He could sense that the wire connecting him to the Dark Spirit still remained even while he was in the other realm. For now, however, he abided by Serrins wishes.

He also used the Lotus Sub-locum Symbiote to grow a couple of flowers for use in teleportation. Doing so revealed that the Symbiote didnt have many uses left. He could sense a weakness growing in it, one that wouldnt be cured by any amount of rest. When he was next in the City he would purchase more.

One of the flowers was planted in his room, which had now become a very secure fallback point within the very centre of the base. He had taken to keeping the majority of his weapons and other precious things within it. In the event that the base came under threat and he teleported back, it would serve as a useful and surprising staging area to emerge from.

He had gone ahead and built a very similar room for Serrin right beside, where the Hornet had a plant of his own. Serrin had accepted the flower happily, though Nicolai doubted the Hornet realised just how great a measure of trust it represented.

The fact was, the more he came to know the Hornet, the clearer it became that Serrin would never betray him. He simply wasnt capable of doing so. The only thing that would change this would be if he betrayed Serrin first, or performed an act Serrin found unforgivable.

Other than that, he and Serrin spent most of the time hunting Spirit Beasts. Though the Hornet was a mess of wishy-washy uncertainties regarding the idea of killing sentient beings, he did not seem to view Spirit Beasts in the same light. At one point he even remarked that if he were wandering the jungle they would be hunting him too, and so it was only fair.

Nicolai and the Mask both found this somewhat contradictory. He felt Spirit Beasts were, ultimately, far more blameless than many humans. Still, he saw no reason to say so.

As a result of the hunting he was able to send several Spirit Beast corpses to the Slayers Guild butchery. While only one of them had been an actual contracted target with a proper payout, the rest still provided a small but welcome return for materials. More importantly, they claimed a number of Symbiotes from the kills. Some would help him round out his setup; others he would sell on. They had also harvested a large amount of resources, the kind that could be used as Symbiote food or in refinement. In fact, whenever not actively hunting theyd been gathering. Many of Nicolais Symbiotes had been quite close to starving, but this had topped them off nicely.

Annoyingly, hed been forced to continually move back and forth to the Fake Base, where hed left the Knifes tracker. It had been necessary to retrieve it prior to any hunts, as he suspected the Queen wouldve found it suspicious if hed appeared to spend the whole week unmoving. Though, he had made use of those trips to expand the Fake Base somewhat. It was now a much better cover, larger, walled, with a proper security system including a solid door, cameras, even a hidden automated turrets, plus the various little touches to make it look like someone really lived there.

Theyd also engaged in a fair bit of sparring. He felt there was much to be gained even from sparring only with Soul Senses and basic weaponry. It would sharpen his spiritual skills.

Quite possibly, these sparring sessions had done more to bond them than anything else. The more they sparred, the more he found himself appreciating the Hornets presence.

He even got the Infiltrator involved in some of these fights, arming it with a few Symbiotes gained from Spirit Beasts. Hed noted the Modules piloting it noticeably increased their skills at using Soul Sense, a benefit that remained once they returned to him. Soon, the Infiltrator was proving quite decisivewhichever of them it allied with had a tendency to win the spars.

Serrin had always been quite taken with it, and had begun rippling to the Modules inside. They had responded with enthusiasm, and there was now an ongoing conversation between the Modules and Serrin. It was the first time they had communicated with someone other than Nicolai, and they took to it with a glee he found faintly unsettling. Psychology, in particular, he kept a close eye on whenever it was in the Infiltrator, as it had a tendency to ask Serrin ever-more personal questions.

Beyond that, the Assembler had been kept busypumping out fresh ammunition, additional bots, and the foundational parts of two new projects. The first was the shell of what would eventually become an artificial general intelligence, or AGI. With what was available to him through the Assembler, Nicolai could go quite far in constructing such a being. There were only a few materials it could not fabricate, but he believed he would be able to acquire them via the Trade Link.

His intention was to create a proper base AI to keep watch whenever he was gone. That way, he could start actually bringing the Infiltrator with him, as hed always intended.

The second project was a light, gliding-capable plane. Simulations had come up with the idea, while hed been thinking on the need to start pushing towards the end of the jungle, following the line his Pathfinder had drawn between him and the Lizard. A small plane would make that journey much, much faster, and hed be able to checkpoint his progress with Lotus Sub-Locum flowers, teleporting between his base and the furthest travelled point.

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The Hive loomed over the jungle. Innumerable slave-bugs toiled in its wide shadow, while the purple-glowing figures of Hornet sentries drifted over its outer towers.

Nicolai and Serrin had spent several hours observing, checking for signs of Highspawn. There was no telling what state the Hive might be in. But all seemed calm, so the pair of them stole closer. Under the cover of their advanced Cloaking sets, they avoided any notice by the guards, finding their way in through an unguarded access passageway Serrin had used before.

The pair crept through the Hive, Serrin in the lead. They were both supposed to present themselves to the Queen on this date, but Nicolai was too wary to simply walk in and announce himself. Serrin knew all the ways through the Hive and had promised he could take Nicolai to the very doors of the Queens Throne Room without notice.

And here we are, he whispered, speaking in vibrations where his Soul Sense brushed Nicolais own.

They peered out of a side passage into a voluminous room. Guards lined the walls, and a pair of Tier 2 Hands stood either side of the great doors at the far end. The Throne Room lay beyond. Waiting areas for supplicants to sit and get nervous in were spread through the room.

The pair deactivated Cloaking and emerged. Immediately the gurds pressed forwards, raising their weapons. The Artifact-armed Hands either side of the door stiffened slightly, but relaxed after eyeing Serrin and recognising him.

However, they didnt call off the other guards, who swiftly surrounded the pair in a ring of spear-points and Stingers.

Oh no, our attempt to sneak past you by deactivating our Cloaks and walking out didn't work! You're too good, we surrender, said Serrin, raising his hands. The guards glared at him, not at all amused. The Hands strolled forwards.

Little brother, murmured one of them.

Rezic, Maleoth, Serrin greeted them, nodding to each. He glanced at Nicolai. Two of my mothers personal guards, though they do little but stand here outside her door.

You kept her waiting, Serrin, said Rezic, who bore a spiked-flail mounted on a pole, the whole thing an Artifact. He shook his head, gazing first at Serrin then Nicolai. Not very smart.

Not smart at all, said Maleoth, who was armed with a polearm Artifact, hammer on one side and spike on the other, plus a sharp, spear-like tip.

Nicolai eyed the weapon with some interest. His arms hung loose and relaxed, Soul as placid as water in a cup. Hed modified his skinsuit, creating a sheath for the Quiet Knife in the thigh. A small flap concealed the handle, and his bionic hand was only inches away from it. He could draw it very, very fast. Hed practised.

But these two were dangerous, he could feel it. They both wore an unusually heavy, bulky version of the typical black-chitin armour. They even had helmets, something most forwent as their standard Imbued armour had some kind of built-in bubble-shield to cover the head. But all armour has gaps. Simulations and Threat Analysis had already worked out the best places to strike. He and the Modules had plotted a simple series of actions that would see him out of this circle and the Knife in Rezics throat in slightly less than a second. Whether that would be faster than the Hands could react or not was unknown.

If shes that eager to see us, perhaps you ought to tell these idiots to put up their weapons and send us in, replied Serrin.

Should we? What do you think, human? The pair turned their heads to him, and he saw the glint of their eyes through their visors. We have heard that you speak. They exchanged glances. A speaking monkey, said Maleoth, with a ripple of laughter. I have never seen such a thing.

I think its odd that you werent accompanying her when she went to assault the Greybugs, was all he cared to say. He watched for the faint tells they might show if the Queen had given orders regarding capture or killing. No signs of either.

We had another task, said Maleoth.

Never any rest, added Rezic, shaking his head sadly.

Are you done? asked Serrin, who did not seem at all fond of the pair. As you said, she is expecting us.

So eager, murmured Rezic. Are you truly Serrin? Ive never seen him eager to see her.

The young Hornet said nothing, but emanated waves of boredom. Chuckling, the pair stepped back. Theyre expected, said Rezic, waving to the guards, who put up their spears and retreated.

Of course they were. Hed re-inserted the tracker into the Quiet Knife. She wouldve seen their whole journey here.

The Hands strolled to the door and one of them knocked with the back of his gauntlet. A moment later the door opened and he and Serrin walked through.

The Throne Room was long and large, dominated by the throne at the far end and the Queen herself. Physically she was small, and in fact he was surprised by the slightness of her form. In memory she was larger. Spiritually, however, she was just as he remembered. A vast, monstrous presence, one that practically filled the room. Far stronger and larger, he now realised, than the Ripper had been.

In order to stand close enough to speak, they had to enter into that cloud of Soul Sense. It was a dominating pressure all around them, pressing their own Soul Senses almost back into their bodies.

Thryss was an offshoot standing stiff and straight beside the throne, hands behind her back, features unreadable. He kept his head forward but through cameras and Soul Sense he and the Modules noted every element of the rooms layout. A few overly decorative alcoves had the look of containing hidden doors. There were four more Hands in here, settled into their own alcoves, and he judged them also to be amongst the strongest fighters in the Hive, each wielding an Artifact.

His attention was especially taken by the huge black Spider lurking in one of the corners behind the Queen. This must be Arcritch. The Spider was watching him with equal interest.

I almost thought you wouldnt show, spoke the Queen, voice moving in ripples that rang off the walls, her Soul Sense buzzing around them. But we both know thats not an option. She glanced at Thryss. Summon Xyrrith and Drekhul. Thryss nodded, strode over to a wall where she interacted with some kind of console.

As you say, he replied, coming to a stop before her. He bowed low, and felt her satisfaction at the gesture. His helmet hissed as he had its visor unhinge and rise up, revealing his face, gazing at her with two red eyes. He felt her satisfaction at the sight of his reddened human eye, too. It was shot through with broken blood vessels, an itchy, watering thing dug into his face. His visor hissed closed.

He wanted her to feel satisfied, to feel that she was in control, so this was good. But he had to wonder how much of what he felt from her was true, whether she only broadcast the things she wanted him to believe she was feeling. Psychology had no answers.

Serrin stood stiffly beside him, and the Queens gaze moved over the youth, emanations increasingly irritated as he made no move to bow.

Nicolai gave him a faint jab where their Soul Senses touched, and, mandibles twisted in a grimace, Serrin gave a short bow.

The Queen looked back to Nicolai, and now her Soul swelled like storm clouds, dark and ominous. Neither of you are Tier 2.

Nicolai shifted side to side, as though uneasy. There were some problems. We were unable to acquire the necessary Shardache.

I care nothing for your problems. I gave an order and you have failed to deliver, she spat. You are useless to me if you are not Tier 2! And still you show your face, and expect the antidote? Pathetic.

Tomorrow the City will open, and there I will find the Shardache needed. Be assured that I, too, desire attaining Tier 2 as swiftly as possible.

Her Soul Sense darkened further, a heavy weight on his shoulders. Tomorrow this and tomorrow that, she hissed. The fact is you failed. Did you expect no punishment? Her Soul Sense clenched tight around him, crackling like lightning.

There was no point resisting, and hed anticipated this. In terms of obstacles between him and his goals, Nicolai considered pain amongst the most minor. He felt disconnected to the whole thing, just an observer. The Mask was frowning at him, seeming confused by this, but it too had accepted that dealing with the Queen would have to wait.

The vast majority of his focus was on controlling the Dark. He told himself this was an opportunity. He refused to have to rely on crutches going forward. The Dark was all through him ever him since hed released its cage, a flexing, angry presence. But he gripped it tight, like tensing every muscle and holding as long as possible.

The new factor in all this was the Dark Spirit. Its presence made this easier. It wasnt feeding a constant mess of conflicting urges into him, as the demons had. It was simply watching. He knew that if it had believed itself capable of defeating the Queen, it wouldve urged him to pull it through. But it knew it would lose that fight, and so it was quiet.

Leave him! cried Serrin from his side, starting angrily forwards, but the Queens Soul Sense broke his, too, gumme his feet up, and an instant later two Hands had buzzed over and seized his arms.

I do as I wish, she replied, cool, then her eyes returned to Nicolai. Suffer.

Everything hummed then lightning struck, poured through him in a wave that clenched every muscle so he was jerked into a fetal position. The pain wracked him, wracked him

He fell through darkness. A hardware enforcement? The Governor usually let up before now. He must have been very bad indeed. The pain stretched on and on, but Nicolai simply didnt care. He hadnt for a long time. His existence was boring, never able to make any choices, stuck in limbo, s

It ended, and he was falling. In the frozen moments before he crashed onto the floor he reconnected to the Modules, felt the pull of gravity, through Soul Sense felt the world around him and his orientation to the floor.

Nicolai landed on his feet with a slight bend of his knees and straightened up, skinsuit steaming. His posture showed none of the pain still wracking him, for it was a pitiful, tiny thing in the face of his surging joy.

He wasnt on Earth. He was alive and he was free and this Queen was a cockroach compared to GRECKON.

Beneath the visor of his helmet he peeled back his bloody lips in a grin, checking the functionality of his suit and bionics. Systems nominal, reported the Modules, whod switched everything into safe-mode to avoid short circuits.

The Queen and all the rest of them were staring at him. If theyd been human he was pretty sure theyd all have been wearing uncertain little frowns.

Release me! snarled Serrin, thrashing, and the Hands let him go. He came to Nicolai, reaching out. Are you

Nicolai glanced at him, smiling still. The reminder of where hed been and where he now was had filled him up with a wonderful rush, almost as good as battle.

He couldnt wait to reach Tier 2, to retrieve his Blade, to kill them all. Apart from Serrin, the Mask reminded, and he nodded to the Hornet.

Then he Threat Analysis poked him, flashed a simulation of how he looked right now from the outside, and he realised there was something deeply wrong with the picture.

What am I doing?! This was a perfect opportunity to humanise himself in Serrins eyes, and he needed to ensure the Queen didnt think him too strange or dangerous.

His legs wobbled and gave way, dropped him to his knees. His visor hissed once again. By rapidly cycling the mechanism he was able to make it give out some clunks and move jerkily, as though something had broken and it was opening by itself. He let out a gasp, face twisting with pain, and put a hand to his chest as he panted. Its its okay, Serrin, he said, raising a hand, then turned a grim look on the Queen. Shed been eyeing him somewhat uncertainly, but now she relaxed back into her throne, smiling. Gradually, he tamped his glare down, made a show of pressing his features into neutrality, then grit his teeth as though reminding himself of something.

Please. forgive me I will not fail you again, he said, the words halting as though he forced himself to speak them. He reached up and grabbed the visor, the gesture slow and ungraceful, making a show of wrestling it back into place while the mechanism did all the actual work.

Good, she purred, while Serrin stood with hands clenched tight, radiating anger on his behalf. Where their Souls brushed, he whispered to Serrin to stay calm. Not with words but with vague emanations, Soul-to-Soul. He turned to the Queen. I have suffered. So. He spread his steaming arms. Shall we move forward?

The Queen let out a small noise, a kind of scoff. She settled back into her Throne. There has been no sign of the Highspawn, she said at length, and he understood. She was worried. Those missing Highspawn were a dagger at her back, one that would eventually strike.

Serrin. Myself and the human shall talk alone for a time. She leaned forwards, mandibles shifting into a smile. You may be targeted by Highspawn again. You will go to the armoury, and pick out whatever you need. Would that please you?

Nicolai anticipated Serrin would refuse here, which was unlikely to go well. But he was surprised when Serrin nodded.

Yes, said the young Hornet, in a strange tone of voice and while shooting a look of some kind at Nicolai. He could feel the augments housing Psychology whirr with activity as the Module started an intense analysis, coming up with dozens of possibilities in terms of what the look may have meant. Serrin turned and strode away, the Queen watching him go.

The moment Serrin was out the door she looked back to him, and now she emanated delight. Regarding him, at least, you have done very well. Far more than the last I assigned this task. A scathing look was sent at Thryss, who stiffened. But perhaps it is a matter of gender. Boys responding better to boys. She shrugged, uncaring. Soon I will test him, she added. I will order him to kill some human prisoners. I anticipate further good developments on this front.

There was no way Serrin would agree to that, and if he tried to convince the Hornet to go through with it not a good idea.

He will not do that, he said.

He had better, she replied. If he doesnt, then for all these changes he remains useless to me.

He need not be. I believe that if you were to use him as a tool against other Hornets, such as these Highspawn he would be willing. And with each kill he makes in your name, he will gradually come more and more around. But you must go slowly.

The Queens mandibles were spread in a way that Psychology labelled furious sneer, and which made Threat Analysis devote more of its resources to calculating escape routes. You dare give me direction? she hissed.

The human merely advises, came another voice. All heads turned to the corner, where Arcritch had spoken up. I believe there is merit in what he says, he whispered, in a voice like wind through trees. Serrin is a difficult problem, and not one that responds well to direct force. This method the human suggests it is quite Spider-like. Ultimately, it doesnt truly matter what Serrin does, merely that we not push too hard, too fast. Obedience is habit forming. The more that Serrin does as you command, the easier it will be to make him follow future commands. Arcritch was looking at him in a very thoughtful, measuring kind of manner. The Spider chuckled. I like you, human.

Nicolai did not like Arcritch. The Spider was worryingly perceptive.

The Queens fury had faded into thoughtfulness, more willing to accept advice from this source.

Xyrrith and Drekhul have arrived, said Thryss, leaning over to the Queen.

Good. We have much to discuss. She sent out a series of ripples in the same manner as one might snap their fingers, and the great doors opened.

Two figures strolled forward. Xyrrith and Drekhul, eyeing him just as he eyed them.

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