The Bee Dungeon

Hirkolos walked over to the karnuq apiary. One of the karnuq, Paisijik, smiled and waved him over once she saw him. He returned her smile and joined her as she checked on her hive.

The bees had buzzed at him at first but a flash of mana from Paisijik had apparently calmed them down. He could thus now stand and watch as she checked the brood, smiling as he watched the worker bees crawl about and continue their tasks even as Paisijik lifted their comb. Paisijik finished up and then gathered the daily tray from the hive, breaking off a piece for him.

He tried to refuse, but as usual she just shoved the piece into his hands and went about with her day.

Hirkolos's gaze followed her to the rest of the karnuq village. There, he saw the supposedly vicious beastkin assembling a village not unlike his home. He saw them work and chat and walk about with smiles on their faces. He saw one of those giant bumblebees that tanked fireballs and knocked soldiers right off their mounts playing with laughing children, tickling them as one climbed on top of it. He saw those soldier bees that stung soldiers and wyverns to death now working together to lift a beam of wood on top of the roof of a home.

One Tower Lord took the honorable Tower Guard and set them to pillage and burn villages. Another took vicious beastkin and monsters and used them to build a happy one.

He thought of what might happen if the two should meet again.

He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.

The next day, Belissar found himself without any urgent tasks, so started to catch up on some previous ideas. He asked for the Third of the Third and brought her over to the karnuq. There, he put her in contact with Chief Rohsuak and Muuraqi, asking them to provide any construction materials she needed for her projects, in exchange for her help coordinating bee assistance for the karnuq's own.

Just as he was leaving, though, he heard someone call his name.

"Tower Keeper Belissar?"

Belissar turned around to find Hirkolos slowly approaching him.

"Hi Hirkolos. Do you need something?"

Hirkolos shook his head and then slowly knelt and bowed his head.

"Tower Keeper Belissar, would you accept me into your Tower?"

Accept offer of allegiance?

Belissar blinked in surprise for a moment before breaking out into a smile.

"Definitely."

You have gained 1 sworn defender.

Hirkolos took another deep breath and kept his head bowed.

"Thank you, Tower Keeper Belissar. I swear I will protect the Tower that you've built, and the home you've made for your people."

Belissar gave him a nod before realizing that Hirkolos was still looking down and couldn't actually see it.

"…thank you."

Unsure of what else to say, Belissar decided to just extend a hand. Hirkolos glanced at it for a moment before clasping it. He let Belissar pull him to his feet and nodded, his resolve clear in his intense expression.

Belissar was still trying to figure out how to respond when he caught sight of the karnuq apiary nearby and smiled.

"How would you like to meet the bees, now that you can talk to them? I'm sure Velebee would love to speak with you."

Hirkolos blinked before his eyes widened.

"I…can talk to bees now?"

Belissar just grinned and motioned for him to follow. The two made their way over to Velebee's hive, the queen immediately climbing out to greet them.

"Hive-Builder! What need?"

Hirkolos's eyes trembled.

"I…I can understand her…"

Velebee turned to him and then started zipping about.

"Nice one can dance now!"

Hirkolos gaped, opening and closing his mouth several times without speaking as Velebee spun about in the air. Belissar chuckled…at least until Velebee started glowing.

"Queen of All Bees says nice one should pray at shrine!"

Belissar blinked and then turned to Hirkolos, about to suggest they head over. He found Hirkolos trembling, the young man falling to his knees.

"I…I…received a mission from the gods?"

Belissar blinked yet again. Well, that was new.

"I…see. Well, we better not keep her waiting. What do you need to do?"

Hirkolos gulped.

"Just…pray at the Shrine of Bees? It can't be that simple…right?"

Belissar thought back to his own missions before chuckling.

"You'd be surprised."

After giving Hirkolos a moment to gather himself, Belissar led him to the room's Shrine of Bees. Hirkolos bowed before the shrine as Belissar gave him some room. The man had barely spoken a word when the shrine lit up like the sun.

Belissar had already moved to shield his eyes, as he had somewhat expected this. The God of Bees had, several times, given him missions to pray at the shrine in order to hand him a reward. As for Hirkolos, the man had protected Velebee's hive from both shades and the rest of the humans on a long and perilous journey. In Belissar's opinion, he definitely deserved some appreciation for that.

A challenger has been fully blessed.

Gained 20 DP.

As expected, the God of Bees shared that opinion. Hirkolos trembled as he knelt before the shrine.

"This is…I…I don't deserve this…"

Belissar shook his head.

"As far as I'm concerned, you do. If it weren't for you, Velebee wouldn't have made it here. That was the entire reason the God of Bees even sent you this way, you know?"

Hirkolos didn't turn around or respond, but Belissar saw him slowly begin to nod.

A challenger has selected a blessing unique to your patron.

Gained additional 10 DP.

Hirkolos slowly rose to his feet and turned around. He had a frown on his face but firmed his expression as he began to salute.

"I see. I…don't know know if I agree, but I promise as your Tower Guard and as a Bee-fender, that I will use this power to protect. As I always should have done."

Belissar found himself silently nodding along. He and Hirkolos agreed on one thing. This is what the Tower Guard should have been.

Tyhgak leapt forward, thrusting out his spear. A full stinger made of mana wrapped around the tip and shot forward with a buzz, stabbing into the small shade ahead. A second shade pounced at him but he stayed light on his feet. Bee wings of mana formed on his back and boosted his speed as he dodged the blow, already moving out of the way so his fellow spearwoman could step in and strike. Just like the soldier bee squads did it, he thought with a grin.

The spearwoman sighed.

"You're real lucky, aren't you, Tyhgak? We've both been challenging for just as long, so why are you the only one with a blessing?"

Tyhgak shrugged.

"Well, I was lucky Noigakkuq agreed to teach me about hers, Kypinnik. I'm sure you'll get yours soon too!"

Kypinnik huffed. One of the archers rolled his eyes.

"And…have you thought that maybe us three might also want some help with getting blessings?"

Tyhgak blinked a couple of times.

"Oh…did you?"

Kypinnik smacked her face while the archers glanced at each other. The other archer shrugged her shoulders. Noigakkuq kept herself busy sniffing for more shades.

"He's always been an idiot."

The first archer sighed.

"True. Ok, Tyhgak, let me spell it out for you. Can you show the rest of us how you're doing all that?"

Tyhgak gulped under his team's withering glares.

"Oh, um, sure? I, uh, just tried to be more like the bees?"

Kypinnik stared at him with half-lidded eyes.

"Details, Tyhgak. More like the bees how?"

The second archer slipped away.

"I'm asking Noigakkuq. If she could teach this idiot, she can teach anyone."

And so, the rest of Tyhgak's team started forming their mana into stingers as well. And since, like Tyhgak, they had also already received numerous partial blessings from their earlier challenges, it did not take them long. All would be forgiven when they prayed at the shrine later that day.

Toivenaq fidgeted as he stood before the Shrine of Bees, averting his gaze from the eyes of the bee statue.

"Are…you sure I should be here?"

Chief Rohsuak raised one of her eyebrows.

"We've spoken about this, Toivenaq. I cannot answer that question for you. Only you know if you are ready to devote yourself to a patron, and if your efforts were sincere. Only you can decide if you are satisfied with your work."

Her expression softened as Toivenaq frowned.

"I will say, however, that the shields you have made can block a strike from Metsaitti or a shade, so there is no question as to their usefulness. Likewise, those shields are now in use defending the patron god's tower, and allowed us to face a shade in place of the bees. From an outside perspective, you have done well. Only you can say, though, whether that is enough for you. All I ask is that you commit to whatever decision you make."

Toivenaq slowly nodded and looked at the shield in his hands. It was not a particularly elegant piece of work. He had gotten it thinner and easier to handle than the thick slabs of his first attempts, and managed to get it mostly straight. It still wasn't a match even for those aged antiques they found in the nearby ruins, but he could honestly say it was the best thing he could make right now.

However, he couldn't help but remember his first visit to the Tower, when he tried to offer one of his grandfather's knives. He had barely had the chance to hold a hammer, so he thought nothing he could make would suffice. Likewise, he had been a poor hunter, brought on the hunts only due to the desperate needs of the clan. He knew he could not compare to the others, either in terms of the quarry they could offer or the challenges they could overcome. He had thought that he had to do something, and that hopefully the god would bless him with the skills he needed.

He had been foolish, and now he could not help fear that he had permanently offended their patron god. He had done what he could to make himself useful, but he had abandoned all thoughts of ever receiving a blessing. He was merely grateful he was allowed to live within the tower and benefit from its abundance, so tried to make the most of it.

Chief Rohsuak had other ideas however, and had pointed out that it was the god's decision who to forgive and who to hold in contempt. Toivenaq was now willing to work on her behalf, to thank this god whose generosity enabled him to take up his ancestors' craft instead of stumbling about trying to hunt. The only concern was whether the god would even tolerate his presence…but as the chief said that was her choice, not his.

So, he took a deep breath. All he could do now was submit to the god's judgment.

He opened the chest and placed the shield within, then knelt before the shrine. He bowed his head, not daring to look up at the statue.

"Oh, God of Bees. Please forgive me for my earlier insult, I did not mean to offend you. I've brought you something I made myself this time, I hope that what I've made has helped you and your tower. I promise, I'll do whatever I can to defend your tower, whether or not you can forgive me. I just…wanted to offer you something I made. Please, accept this offering, and my apology."

Toivenaq gasped as he was hit with a flash of light bright enough to make its way through his close eyelids.

The tenth person illuminated at the Shrine of Bees, in fact.