POV Inquisitor Toth Darkhammer - Before the Birth of Hive Queen Sylvia

We've been following the Aetherium trail for weeks now. It is getting weaker and weaker with time, and it won't be long before we lose the trail. We need to find and destroy the creatures from the breach before then. After something enters our world through a breach, it has a large amount of Aetherium attached to it, which slowly dissipates over time. My mages use the existence of this substance to track dangerous creatures from the breaches so that I can hunt them down. As I ponder this, one of my guards appears in the tent and announces, "My lord, the scouts have returned and are here to report."

With my consent, three scouts, flanked by two of my guards, enter the tent shortly thereafter. They bow as is proper and I instruct them to report. The man in the center speaks first: "My lord, we have scouted the terrain before us as ordered and have found the remains of a caravan. They appear to have been attacked recently. Melinda has surveyed the traces of the battle.", whereupon he points to his colleague.

The scout to his side continues, "The tracks match our targets. The caravan was attacked from the side by a large crowd of Hive warriors. Judging from the tracks, there were between 200 to 300. In addition, there are tracks of at least eight larger creatures that led the swarm. In addition, there are signs that the caravan was fired upon from above, indicating flying Hive creatures. The fight was fast and brutal. The Sylv left no corpses as usual."

I conclude from this that the Sylv swarm probably noticed our presence. Normally they would use more effort to cover their tracks, but this was obviously not the case here. I have a hunch and ask: "What is in the direction the tracks lead away to?"

The first scout answers again, "There are a few small villages in that direction and otherwise just wilderness. Nothing out of the ordinary, as far as I know, my lord.". The third scout, who has remained quiet until now, adds, "There is one more place, which would come into question considering our targets. Just outside the next village is a large magical forest. It is a popular destination for adventurers who hunt the creatures in it. The village near it is called Westerville and it is the primary destination for such adventurers. The Sylv could hide well in the forest and would find plenty of creatures to eat in it."

"That's a good theory. What is the name of this forest? What else do we know about it?", I ask the scout. After a moment's hesitation, he replies, "It is the Everglade Forest, my lord. It has only been explored in the outskirts, as the deeper areas are too dangerous for ordinary adventurers."

"I see. We will set out as planned and advance first to the location of the caravan before following the tracks further." then I turn to one of my guards and announce, "I want a messenger to leave immediately for Westerville and deliver to the Adventurers Guild there an up-to-date bestiary with an entry about the Sylv. In addition, the messenger is to deliver a letter from me to the guild master. I will draft it immediately."

"Yes, my lord!" shouts the guard, before disappearing from the tent to set things in motion. I take my writing utensils and bid farewell to the scouts, who then leave my tent. The letter contains instructions on how to deal with the situation and is then sealed by my Inquisitorial seal. I have hardly finished when the messenger appears, to whom I hand over the letter. He is already instructed and leaves immediately to deliver the instructions.

The adventurers will not be able to take offensive action against the Sylv threat, but they can defend against it for some time and serve as scouts. Taking out the Sylv colony is a job for me and my soldiers. I’m careful about what I write in the letter to avoid a panic in the settlement.

-- A couple of days later in the Everglade Forest --

(POV Hive Queen Naridia in her Main Hive Complex)

The humans have found our lair! How can they keep finding us, wherever we go!!? My swarm is fighting, it is bleeding and dying. All seems lost, but there is still hope! I have assimilated enough of the human genome and started the creation of a new Hive Queen with it. A Hive Queen separate from my swarm and thus hopefully separate from the thing the humans use to track us. The humans should not know anything about her creation. If she remains undetected, she can resurrect the swarm given enough time.

This battle is already nearly lost. The humans have penetrated deep into my Hive Complex and resistance is weakening. My last efforts are focused on getting the unhatched Hive Queen to safety, using my own Hive Guardians to heroically defend the egg, but they fall one by one. Then another explosion rocks my chamber and the door in front of me bulges inward before one side breaks away and flames burst into the room.

I protect myself with a kinetic shield, which deflects the flames to the side. However, it does not protect me from the heat and it is difficult to breathe. Through the flames, an armored figure in black armor and a massive Warhammer bursts into the room. I immediately recognize the seal of the Inquisition on the knight's chest. The same Inquisition that hunts down and destroys my kind. I straighten to my full height and lunge at the Inquisitor before me with a thundering roar. Magical glyphs glow an ominous red on his Warhammer before he strikes ...

-- After the fight, back at the surface --

(POV Inquisitor Toth Darkhammer).

We have destroyed the Sylv threat. The Hive Queen is dead, I personally slew her. The breeding ground of these creatures lies in ruins and the remains burn in blazing flames. My mages have confirmed the collapse of this colony's magical control network, which means the end of this Sylv colony. Any surviving Sylv creatures will go feral as a result and are no longer a threat. The entry in the guild's bestiary about the Sylv should be enough for regular adventurers to take care of the feral stragglers over time.

There is only one thing I am not satisfied with. The Hive Queen had too small an escort for her protection. Part of her bodyguard was in a completely different part of the underground structure and was eliminated there. However, nothing of significance could be found at that location. This is very suspicious, so I initiated further investigations, but nothing could be found. I cannot stay here in the forest forever and must return to headquarters soon. To assuage my worries, I have decided to station a few of my loyal followers to monitor the situation in Westerville a while longer ...

POV Hive Queen Sylvia in Everglade Forest -- After the fight with the golem.

The work on the temporary Hive Complex is completed quickly, just in time for us to seek shelter in the calming dark. In the end, the whole thing is just a tunnel that leads into an underground chamber. Very simple and functional, but it only needs to be used once. I regret that I can't eat the golem, it just doesn't have any organic material that I could assimilate. I help Karina to find a comfortable spot since she can't see very well in the dark. Afterward, I ask her, "Is it okay if we sleep together?"

Karina answers me in a warm voice, "Of course, come on over," and pats her hand encouragingly next to her. In moments like these, I am very happy that I have found Karina. She always manages to cheer me up and support me emotionally. With a smile, I comply with her request and cuddle up to her side. Shortly after, my contented purring can be heard.

-- After resting --

I wake up well-rested and feel completely fit again. My swarm has also fully recovered in the meantime. However, it is still too bright outside, so we cannot continue our way yet. I instruct my hunters and workers to search underground for edible creatures and supply themselves with them. I enjoy the closeness to Karina a little longer, who also wakes up a short time later. It is amazing that in the meantime she has completely adapted to our day-night rhythm. In the meantime, my drones have installed a few of the magic stones they brought with them in the walls, which emit a weak diffuse light. This allows Karina to find her way around the chamber independently.

I train my magic skills as usual, and in between, I talk briefly with Karina, who is doing some kind of physical training. She complains that there is nothing to eat, but a day without food is not a big problem. As soon as we leave, we should be able to get far enough to get out of the deeper areas of the Everglade Forest. Another rest in a temporary Hive Complex will probably not be necessary.