They managed to sort things out pretty quickly, to Regina’s relief. The hive would be a little short on manpower for now, but that couldn’t be helped. She decided to leave some tasks alone and focus on what they needed right now. Which wasn’t just guarding their prisoners, but also training.

She’d pushed herself and laid new eggs for one Harvester, mostly for testing purposes, three War Drones and one Production Drone, also to see what that type was about. She would have liked more of them, but fighting drones had priority right now.

Regina knew she couldn’t afford to take a passive or halfhearted attitude to gaining experience and levels anymore. She sat down with Max and Tim and worked out a training schedule that would push their warriors and even the other drones to their limits, but help them rise through the levels quickly. They incorporated every trick they could think of and everything they’d discovered through their experimentation.

She had free access to a supply of monsters, and she intended to make use of it.

Regina herself stayed at the hive, guarding the prisoners together with the workers and warriors not on shift in hunting expeditions or training. They’d also bring back monsters to fight here, and she could heal some and have them fighting again and again. The System rewarded victory more than death. It helped that her drones had all gained levels, another bit of evidence for that discovery.

The average level for her Warriors was now 12, with Max and Tim both at level 14. The levels for the Workers were slightly lower, but catching up. The War Drones were lower still, but they’d risen to about level 10, which was actually really fast growth. For the survivors of the fight, at least. Regina was confident they could grind out a few more levels quickly.

She’d had Ivy, her single new Harvester, help with odd jobs around the camp. Her type seemed to be a bit better suited to combat than a normal Worker Drone, but she was still clearly meant for something else, mostly. Regina had the feeling there was something she was missing there. Hopefully it would become clearer with time and a few more levels.

Around midday, when they’d finished cleaning up and setting up everything, and were settling into the new routine, she got a new notification from the System.

You have leveled up You may now select another Ability

Regina whistled quietly. She’d been expecting to level up quickly, but this was still a welcome surprise. Clearly, she’d gained a lot of experience for fighting off a threat to her hive and was still getting some from their efforts. That she already had another Ability choice was what really made her grin, though. Quickly, she leaned against the wall of the house behind her, taking a last look around, before she looked at the System screen.

You may now select your second Class Skill. Please choose one of the following: Hive’s Roster: Your Hive is manifold. Unlock the next two Templates you would gain access to immediately (one each for sapient and Swarm Drones). Requirements for unlocking new Templates will be lightened. At higher levels, you will gain access to the chance to customize Swarm Drones more easily. Mage’s Focus: Your path is one of magic. Your rate of mana regeneration will be improved, as you will get an effective bonus to your Wis stat, the size of which depends on your Int stat. Learning new spells will be easier for you. At higher levels of mastery, you will have greater control over casting your spells and be able to cast two at once. Infect: Your Hive is all-encompassing. Induct a foreign creature into your Hive. They will be treated as Hive members by your magic and Abilities and count towards your Hive limit. Be careful, for introducing hostile elements may negatively affect your Hive. Inducted Hive members will have their speed of Experience gain increased. At higher levels of mastery, you will be able to use this Ability more often and grant further benefits to inducted Hive members.

Regina stared at the screen, feeling her heart start to beat faster. She knew what she was going to take as soon as she read the option. This time, she didn’t even take time to think about it.

She reached out and mentally clicked on Infect. The screen dissolved in a shower of sparkles, and she felt a slight shift in her mana. There was no other visible reaction this time. She was still confident that it would work.

Regina kept smiling as she pushed off the wall and kept walking walking through their settlement. She’d been half-hoping to see Mage’s Focus again, or maybe even another ability that would help her magic even more. But she didn’t regret passing on it now. Infect was going to open up all new possibilities.

She probably shouldn’t use it on enemies, or rather on unwilling targets. The warning aside, she didn’t think her psychic strength was that great, yet, and trying to keep someone actively fighting it under control would get old. She couldn’t exactly puppet their body all the time, even if it wouldn’t make it harder to control her own. They could probably work things out if she really needed a specific person under control, but it would be much less of a headache to work with a volunteer. And then she would be able to look through their eyes, talk to them telepathically, and just generally use their strength for her own.

Regina grinned. She had some questions about the specific mechanics of this, but she’d just have to find the answers to those in time. For now, just having the option supported her decision to stay here.

She had considered packing up and moving, but to where? Anywhere else she could think of would either be also in the potential line of fire, or too close to powerful monsters, like deeper in the forest. Dealing with warring sapients would probably still be easier.

Besides, she just didn’t want to let this be. Even if you left aside considerations of anger or vengeance, these humans were a threat, and she didn’t want to leave them at her back. She wanted to crush the threat. Even knowing how irrational this thought was given her situation didn’t change that. Well, for now, she’d see what she could get from the elves.

In any case, they should have some time still. Ulric had been planning to move today, if what she’d learned was true, and she didn’t think anyone would be looking for him for at least a day after that, probably more. It would also likely take some time to assemble a bigger force even if they intended on leading one here. Regina still planned a schedule for posting some drones to keep an eye out for approaching humans.

She was a little sorry she couldn’t pick the first Ability choice, since new Templates might have been something useful. One of them was probably a specialized warrior type. But again, it sounded like she wasn’t getting anything she couldn’t unlock with more time, effort and levels anyway. The possibility of customizing Swarm Drones in the future was tantalizing on its own. Still, as she looked around, she shook her head and made herself focus on the present.

“Regina?”

She turned to see Max hurrying towards her once more. He was still injured, so she’d insisted that he stay in the camp, where he was supervising the other warriors and helping to guard the prisoners. “What is it?”

“The Cleric, Barkle, has finally woken up. He still seems to be a little under the weather, but he’s mostly coherent.”

Regina smiled. “Good. Let’s go talk to him.”

They moved two of the other human prisoners out of one of the huts so they could talk to him undisturbed. Regina mentally called back Ben and Zoe and added them to the guard detail for the prisoners, just to be safe. They’d both just leveled recently, anyway, fighting a small pride of Lionits Ben and his team had brought back to the Hive.

Gavin Barkle didn’t look too good. Since she had just reached the same level, Regina could see that he was level 15. He had dark shadows under his eyes and his skin looked sallow, but he followed them with his eyes when they came towards him. Regina crouched down, but still kept herself above where he was lying on the floor, half-leaning on the wall.

“Mr. Barkle,” Regina said. “I see you’ve woken up. You don’t look too good. You were asleep for about half a day in total, I’d say.”

He grimaced slightly. “And I see the situation changed considerably in that time. I don’t suppose you’ll let me speak to my companions, Hive Queen?”

“Considering what you were apparently going to do to me, I don’t think you’re in a position to make demands, Cleric.”

He lowered his eyes for a moment before he raised them to meet her again. “Fair enough. Be assured I would not try something like that gain.” He winced a little. “My goddess has rather pointedly expressed her displeasure.”

“How?”

He blinked. “You were there. I should think it’s obvious.”

So, she knocked him out, and he might still be weakened. “What, exactly, would you have done?”

He frowned, then answered after a moment of silence. “It’s a rather standard spell of divine magic. It not only reduces a patient’s sensation of pain, but also relaxes their minds, being used to suppress emotional turmoil and help with negative emotions, such as what you would experience after suffering a significant injury in battle. If given more power, it can induce something like faint euphoria and a certain disinhibition of the mind. It is at its core an innocuous, beneficial treatment.”

“Most of the time, I see.” She ignored the way he ducked his head again, frowning to herself at the description. It sounded a bit like a magical opiate or another psychoactive drug.

Not that she couldn’t appreciate the benefits. There was a use for painkillers and even depressants or whatever for someone acutely affected by trauma. Still, the Spell didn’t seem very magical to her, in terms of wondrous capabilities. At least it was pretty clear what they’d intended to use it for.

She shook her head and shelved that line of thought. They had more important things to consider. “So, you follow Alianais. What’s she like?”

Barkle blinked. “I beg your pardon? I’m not sure I understand the question.”

“I’d like you to tell me more about the goddess. Don’t assume I know or believe anything and explain like you would to a five-year-old. That’s not beyond the scope of what a Cleric can do, is it?”

He still looked surprised, then cleared his throat. “The goddess is generally considered one of the major gods of the pantheon. She is worshiped in human as well as elven lands, and, it is said, even by dwarves and more distant peoples. Oh, Alianais is called the goddess of Change and Progress. She’s usually depicted in a humanoid form, sometimes with pointy ears like the elves, and white hair and eyes. Unlike some of her fellows, she prefers not to visit mortals often. There are several churches under her name, though they are nominally integrated and do cooperate. What else do you want to know?”

Regina crossed her arms. “That’s a good start.” Change and Progress, huh? I guess I can see why she might be interested in my progress. Especially if she’s aware of the knowledge I have.

Then again, if this world literally had a goddess of progress as well as magic, why was it still at what seemed to be a medieval technology level? Couldn’t a deity just wave their hand and give them computers and spaceships? Well, maybe that was as silly as it sounded. She really didn’t know anything about it.

“When were you supposed to report back in?” she asked next.

Barkle hesitated, glancing to the side. “I’m not sure.”

Regina didn’t know if she believed that, but on the other hand, that would be the case for any answer he gave. “Who’s in charge after Ulric?”

His gaze flickered, as he probably wondered if Ulric was dead. “Beltis, then Oak.”

Regina nodded. That was good to know, and it matched what the two others she’d asked this question had said. Of course, the Earthen Shield, Beltis, had died alongside Ulric, and Oak was still not exactly in good shape.

“Your size doesn’t seem typical for human squads, or adventuring companies for that matter.” She was taking a stab in the dark here, but his reaction should be informative.

He winced a little. “We were twelve the last time we set foot into the forest. Getting better conditions for signing up before being drafted wasn’t the only reason Ulric wanted to enlist.”

That explained why their group’s makeup might be a bit lacking.

“Alright. You seem to be an honorable sort, Gavin Barkle. I promise you good treatment if you give me your word you will not make trouble or attempt to escape.”

He hesitated, scrunching up his face as he clearly thought deeply for several seconds. Then he nodded. “Fine. You have my parole, Lady Regina.”

“Good.” Regina smiled. She didn’t intend to let her guard down, but that should hopefully keep him quiet. At least until the elves arrived.

When they stepped out of the hut and she checked on her hive, one of the War Drones posted to keep watch in the direction of the city saw a group making its way towards them.