Despite Regina’s fears, the digging seemed to work out very well. The Workers’ excavation Skill was very useful, and they had a good intuitive understanding of how far and how wide to dig to avoid a potential collapse.

She went to inspect the beginning of this more literal hive the same day she laid more normal drone eggs. She’d decided on one of each Template for now. While Workers were more useful immediately, the coming war meant she didn’t want to fall behind on Warriors, and Scouts had already proven useful.

Tia seemed proud as she showed Regina around the small cave. They’d started it on a hill at the edge of the forest, which was probably good for making the entrance. So far, there was just a dim cavern, barely big enough for a few drones together, although that was probably a good thing when it came to defending it. Then they had the beginning of one tunnel leading away from it on a curving path, and a niche where a second tunnel would start.

“We intend to dig deeper here and lead a tunnel underground towards the center of the village,” Tia explained. “But we’ll need to talk with the Warriors about where best to place that entrance so we can hide it.”

Regina nodded. “Makes sense.”

She looked around and smiled. There wasn’t much light, but she didn’t have a problem seeing in the dimness. The place felt cozy, even if the walls were just bare dirt.

“Keep up the good work,” she told Tia and the other Worker with her, Ina.

“Of course, my Queen.”

Regina blinked against the sunlight as she climbed out of the cave, but her eyes adjusted quickly. She stepped away from the entrance, looking out into the forest.

“I think we should go hunting again,” she said.

“Of course, my Queen,” Max responded. He had hung around outside, but he liked to keep an eye on her, especially if she was close to or in the forest. “Do you want me to come?”

Regina considered it for a moment. “Okay,” she said. “Just the two of us once again.” Max was the strongest drone in her hive, Tim was busy training with the other Warriors at the moment, and bringing lower-level drones probably wouldn’t help much, especially when it came to experience.

She still took along a single War Drone, just in case she needed an extra set of hands (or hand-analogues). Then they set out into the forest, heading directly away from the camp. The two of them walked quietly, trying not to spook any potential prey.

Stronger monsters had begun slowly trickling back into the area, although from the reports she got, it still wasn’t anything she’d have to worry about. Still, they had only walked for fifteen minutes before they encountered the first level 10 monster, a Flametongue Wolf that appeared to be a loner.

Regina gestured at Max, then stepped aside and crept forward. After a moment, he leaped at the monster, which was sitting in the sun in a small clearing. The wolf jumped up immediately, but Max’s Charge brought him there in an instant.

Regina exhaled and launched a Firebolt. The attack struck the wolf in the side, just as it was ducking a swipe from Max. Its fur sizzled and it jumped aside and shook itself. There didn’t seem to be any major damage, though.

Maybe she should have expected it to be resistant to flame-based attacks. Regina narrowed her eyes and stepped closer, then dodged to the side as a tongue of flame lashed out at her. She felt the heat on her right arm and side, but she’d managed to evade most of it.

Max made the monster pay for it, cutting a deep gash into its side. The wolf started to back away, perhaps looking for an opening to retreat, but Regina stepped to the side and launched a Magic Missile at it.

The attack hit its injured side, and the force of it sent the monster stumbling and losing its footing. Max pushed it down, then cut it again. Regina approached and thrust at it with the simple spear she’d taken along, ending its life.

“That was good,” she said, grinning. “I can have the War Drone take it back to the camp and we can continue.”

“As you wish, my Queen. Perhaps you should summon a second one, then.”

Regina nodded. That would be more efficient than sending one back and forth. She focused on it and sent the commands out telepathically, which she found easier to do with the simple drones.

Then they continued on. For the next hour, they didn’t find any other monster worth a fight. They had to change course and head sideways because she didn’t want to get too far from her hive. The forest was thicker here, the underbrush making it harder to move, especially without making much noise.

Then, they finally found a level 11 Troll. They crept closer slowly, since it seemed occupied with picking bugs from under a fallen log. But then it stopped and turned towards them, growling.

Max jumped forward, capturing its attention. Regina circled to the side and did a few probing stabs with her spear. The monster wasn’t very good at evading, though it had thick skin. They settled in for a long fight, as she cut the Troll and opened several bleeding wounds while Max kept its attention and weathered several blows.

Then Regina heard a soft rustle and smelled a new scent. She broke off and turned to the side. After a moment, she lunged forward, stabbing her spear into a bundle of darkness that was just on the side of another tree.

The Shadowing Stalker hissed, its disguise fading. She hadn’t managed to score a major injury, but the Troll turned towards them, roaring. Max used the opportunity to send two swings into its neck in quick succession. The monster stumbled for a moment before falling. Regina retreated, holding the Stalker off. A moment of focus showed it was level 10.

Then Max used Charge again, appearing at its side quickly and scoring a deep gash in its flank. The monster yowled and turned at him, but he ducked its swipe. Regina focused for a moment, then launched a Magic Missile. The magical projectile hit it right in the eyes, and it shivered violently, seizing up.

But Regina didn’t watch its death throes, as she finally got the notification she’d been hoping for.

You have leveled up

Regina glanced at the System screen and frowned. She’d been hoping for another Spell. Maybe having learned one herself had an effect?

She shook her head and decided to think about it later. For now, she ordered the War Drone to carry the dead Shadowing Stalker, then set off back towards their camp with Max. She hadn’t been in this part of the woods before, and looked around, trying to imprint it on her memory.

“Which level are you now again?” she asked Max.

“Still level 11,” he responded with a sideways look.

“And you didn’t get another Ability?”

“No, I’m hoping there’ll be one for level 12.”

On the way back, they kept talking about their Class Skills, trying to speculate which ones Max and the other Warriors might get later. He was hoping for something that increased his toughness and ability to defend others. She’d noticed he was clearly focused on defense. Regina was just curious to see how things like that would impact the way his stat points would be distributed as he leveled up.

After a while, they neared the camp and she realized that there was more noise than she would have expected. Regina frowned and reached out to her telepathic connection, taking a look through the War Drones’ senses. Then she started running to get back, with Max following her. I really need to get into the habit of checking on the hive when I’m away.

They had more visitors. This time, there was a wagon, standing on the field near the cabins with two horses being unhitched from it. About six elves had accompanied it, including Bianorn and a few others she recognized.

The drones all kept working as she returned, clearly unsurprised at her and Max’s approach. Bea was helping a red-haired elf with the horses, letting them graze on the field. The other visitors turned to them.

Bianorn stepped forward and inclined his head. “Hive Queen Regina! It is good to see you. I apologize for dropping by unannounced.”

“No need to apologize, we’re happy to see you,” she replied with a smile that was mostly genuine. “In fact, there were a few things I wanted to discuss.”

“Oh?” The others started unloading the wagon or just looking around while he continued the conversation. “We brought some things that should help you establish yourself. Chiefly some fabric and various tools. Is there anything we need to discuss right away?”

“I don’t think so. I was hoping to accompany you to your city, though, or at least send one of the others.”

Max tensed up a little beside her, probably unhappy with the idea that she’d be leaving. Bianorn raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t seem particularly surprised.

“We will need to adjust our defensive measures, as I believe Anuis mentioned to you,” he said.

Regina nodded. “I know, but this is important. There is a lot of knowledge that we need, which I hope to find in your city. It’s simply the best place for it. It will allow us to grow stronger. Which, I believe, is in your interests, considering what you told us of this war.”

“Does that mean we have your promise to support us in the war?”

“Of course not. Does it look like we have the ability to fight a war, even if we wanted to?” Regina gestured at the surrounding camp. This was all they had, a few simple huts and some low-level drones. “But our people do grow in strength quickly, and we wouldn’t just meekly go away if someone sent soldiers and tried to move in on this area.”

Well, if they were obviously outmatched, then she would probably cut her losses, even if her territorial side disliked it. She didn’t point that out, but he probably expected it anyway.

"I see,” Bianorn replied with a faint frown. He inclined his head. “I will be happy to accompany one of your people to the city, in any case. Who should I be expecting?”

Regina glanced at her drones. A few warriors were hanging around. The older and stronger drones stood closer to her.

“Tim,” she said after a moment.

She hadn’t missed the elf’s look. While Tim might be a warrior, he was certainly no muscle-head, and he seemed to have gotten along well with the elves when they had helped them previously.

“I won’t disappoint you, my Queen,” Tim promised. He gave the elf a slight smile. “I look forward to it, Bianorn.”

“Likewise,” the man responded with a nod.

Regina sat back on her seat and took a moment to consider the situation. Her gaze was drawn to Ada, who stood waiting and watching with a serious expression on her face.

She’d heard the scouting group’s report when they got back, and had the feeling there would be consequences in the future. She didn’t blame any of the drones. They’d acted pretty well in the situation they’d found themselves in. At least it hadn’t come to violence, and Janis would probably not betray their presence to the Delvers or anything like that. Still, it was entirely possible that other humans had seen them, or that Janis would mention the encounter after all.

In any case, it had caused her to rethink her idea of sending drones to the human village to ask for knowledge or training. She couldn’t rely on them to handle things perfectly, which wasn’t their own fault, just a consequence of their short lives, lack of experience and the situation. While she could give them directions, that would require her to know when to focus on them, so it wouldn’t be very helpful for surprises. And even if they were perfect diplomats, things could still go very wrong. With the humans apparently preparing for war and maybe even to move into the forest, giving them information on her hive seemed like something to avoid.

She hadn’t seriously considered doing as Janis suggested and moving deeper into the forest. They’d built too much here for her to simply abandon it, and she wouldn’t let the shadow of war chase her out of her own territory just like that.

Regina glanced around at her hive again, smiling to herself a little. They were growing, and quickly. With more information on this world, she’d be able to guide her hive even better.

And they needed to level up. Monsters were one thing, but the forest only had so many of them, and their levels also seemed pretty limited, at least out here. Regina had no desire to kill people, but maybe this war wasn’t such a bad thing in some ways.

She’d just need to play her cards well. But why shouldn’t she look to strengthen her hive, and maybe expand her territory, if people were already going to war?

Regina shook her head to herself. First things first. She didn’t even have an army capable of playing any role in such a big conflict. Yet.