Scix, The Pack

The elves were moving painfully slow, as they were helped along with whatever hounds I could spare. I kept the Fukuma in reserve, hoping to take a few of Kobe's champions with them. Most of the fifty had split up into pairs, with Kobe standing firm with his war ax's head on the ground. Much like a staff or cane. My bugs were still being drawn in by the will of those entomancers, making any assassination attempts useless.

I would lose this fight in the streets, but I had burrow worms in the dead-zone. They were digging a pitfall that would drop them right on top of twenty of my hounds. The shock would allow me to take a few, and turn the tides of this battle in my favor. I didn't need to win, I just had to force the Minotaur to retreat. It was unfortunate that the bulk of my hounds were likely going to be sacrificed just to save a few elves.

Abandoning them was an option. I considered it as I lost another ten hounds to Kobe's champions. No matter how this fight went, I was going to lose a lot of bodies. If I showed a willingness to protect the elves at their weakest, I was hoping they'd repay their debt and gather more bodies for me. I was comparing all of them to Irma, and it was a gamble no matter what I did. Kobe's champions were advancing, and getting closer to those I had spent the day saving.

It hurt, as I made three Fukuma jump into the air. One teleported right in front of the ice lances that would have pieced a nameless elf, while the other two cut open the attacker's throat. To my surprise ice formed over the wound instantly sealing it shut. More lances piercing the two Fukuma before they could teleport away. These bastards were on a different level compared to the last batch they sent. The cyromancer put up their hands while a flesh weaver worked on restoring the vessels so they didn't die.

The same cyromancer walked behind Kobe with a displeased look before sitting down behind him. It was bittersweet to know Kobe was more interested in keeping his men alive than throwing them back into the battle. Though, even with the one out, there were still forty-nine more. I spoke to Irma, |"I don't care if you have to carry your people back to the Den, get them moving, or leave them to die. I'm running out of bodies too quickly."|

Irma relayed my message to the others, as they scrambled to help each other. Kobe's champions were approaching, even as another dozen hounds were lost. It cleared up a lot of my focus, but I was down to maybe a couple dozen more hounds in the area. The bugs inside the rats weren't worth saving, just as the rats weren't. They were easy to find and completely expendable. It did make the pyromancer pause as I did get a viper rat to bite their shin. Kobe laughed it off, as the same flesh weaver removed the poison. Two 'down,' great.

There was another pyromancer that was better with their magic. The two were probably brothers since the second was showing off now. A wave of fire washed over my rats, before rising to vaporize my bugs. I had a better grip with so many lost, pulling those I could back. I bought the elves another thirty seconds as a swarm flew into the mouths and stung a group of five. Flesh weaver somehow got the poison out and told the five to go behind Kobe. He had an orb of blood floating around him now, as the Entomancers quickly hurried forward to regain control over my bugs.

I felt their connections torn from me, as the second pyromancer vaporized them all in the air. The bombers exploded, showering a couple of unfortunate humans in their black blood. It wasn't enough for them to be taken out of the 'fight,' but they did take the time to get cleaned up with some water magic. It was very clear that the Minotaur was playing around since I didn't have much of a chance to stop him if he got serious. This was his game, and I was either playing by his rules, or he'd destroy everything I had before I could get it to safety.

The elves finally made it past the last of the buildings, and into the dead-zone. Kobe swung his ax over his shoulder, walking after his champions as they fanned out to make sure every last body and bug in this territory was destroyed. Over half my hounds, and one-third of my bugs would be decimated. I moved them around, just to buy more time. I had lost this battle, and something deep down told me that the Minotaur could end me if he decided to pursue. Only five hounds left, they let out their last laughs throughout the territory. Just loud enough to be heard by whatever champion was close by.

Gray, The Grand

I had seen enough, the Minotaur's forces were spread out. The ten minutes it took for this battle to take place had been used to send the children home for the day. I didn't know how much of Scix's Hive was in this territory, but on the off chance he would be left crippled or destroyed, I had to act. It was very fortunate that I was sent here to inform the local vampires of what the Duke wanted from them.

Five quiet howls echoed at once, and I couldn't risk connecting with Scix. I couldn't risk infecting him with the Count's smoldering embers of domination. It hurt my heart, but at least my involvement could be explained as one of opportunity. Kobe had his heavy hitters here on the battlefield, and from what I gathered the other dukes in this area were young and willing to show themselves. Five bodies appeared behind the fools attempting to slay Scix's hounds.

They were tugged back by the shoulder before a stinger drained their blood for the magic. Their partner reacted too slowly, as I burned the blood of those five bodies. I stopped my claws on their neck, masked faces tilted slightly. "You're out." The ten gritted their teeth, a couple even trying to take one last strike at the body in front of them. A quick teleportation back to my warehouse, and they were safe. Another body took its place just a few meters away.

Less than a second passed as my workers were given the order to carry the displacer bugs to those bodies. The two I had on reserve opened up the torso with surgical precision within the next five to refill the teleporter sac with the magic fluid. The ones that attacked quickly realized they were outclassed and made the smart decision to return behind the Minotaur. Ten down, plus the seven Scix managed during his fight. There were still thirty-three more, and now these champions were onto me.

Each body put its hands up, "Before we fight, allow us to speak to your leader." This gave the others pause, allowing Scix's hounds to slip away with their tails between their legs. I would have to hunt them later to prove this move wasn't one intended to help the Hive. The politics of it all was frustrating, but perhaps my Queen might gain more insight from these actions of mine. Five bodies slowly walked past the champions that followed after. I kept the sixth on the rooftops to give them vision so they might teleport as needed.

Kobe snorted when he saw five masked figures approach, clawed hands raised. "Greetings, Kobe. It is such a shame we have to meet like this." Four bodies stood behind the front one, bowing to the Minotaur as a sign of respect. "This area was to be claimed by the Leeches next week. I understand that your time is valuable, so we may negotiate terms and reparations."

Kobe tilted his head, as he eyed each of my bodies over. He stroked his goatee, "So the Leeches are finally making their move again? You bastards have been here longer than any other gang, but I've never seen you do anything. Why are you interfering?"

"Pride," I stated, "Next week was supposed to be our grand revival." The four bodies spread their arms wide, "While it is disappointing that you cleared away our prey, we can still make this work." I caught a pebble thrown at my head by a man with vulpine features. I vaguely recalled him from memories of the Arena our Queen participated in. Then I realized what I caught had been a seed.

"Don't listen to him!" The green-eyed man exclaimed. I tilted my head out of the way as the seed exploded with a sharp shoot of bamboo. "That's the bastard that turned Isaac, and forced me to kill him!"

Kobe raised a brow, "What are you talking about, Gerald?" Ah, that was his name. I honestly forget about him. He botched the Minotaur's attack on the Fiend's Eye during that night. I'm surprised he's still a champion.

Gerald held four more seeds between his fingers, ready to throw them at me. I tossed the spear shoot away, as he started to speak. "I told you Isaac was turned into a vampire his last moments, that I had to kill him." He pointed at me, "This was the masked bastard that did it!"

Kobe tilted his head towards me, "Well? What do you say to that?"

Four bodies put their hands up again, "Isacc was dying because a tamed fiend had crushed his bones. While I did turn him, it was done to not let such potential be wasted. Gerald here killed Isacc at the top of the warehouse you claimed. I killed the fiend and took care of the gnomes inside the warehouse. I allowed you to claim that warehouse despite your losses. Now I have been forced to reveal the true nature of your victory that night." I had the front body bow in respect.

The Minotaur snorted, as he glanced at Gerald. The man had bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, his knuckles white as he clenched his free hand into a fist. The four seeds between his fingers were swirling with his magic. He couldn't say anything, because I was right. Kobe's voice came in a few octaves lower, "Gerald, you're out. We'll talk about this later." He turned back to me, "As for you, I don't much like how you just implied my men are too weak to even take a warehouse."

The four bodies kept their hands up, while I bowed again, "That wasn't my intention. I know very well how powerful your group is, and would still like to negotiate."

Kobe bobbed his head a little, "Before that, why were the Leeches moving against the Fiend's Eye? What happened during the night of the Blind Eye?"

The front body shrugged, "They cursed someone they shouldn't have, and we were forced to act."

Kobe snorted, "That's what I thought, it's a shame I hate the King of Eclipse so much." A grin crept on his face. "Today's going to be one of those days, I see that now. You're a young blood, aren't you?"

The five bodies nodded in unison. "What about it?"

Kobe softly shook his head, "You were forced to join the Leeches, what with being a vampire and all that. I have an eye for capable people, and I'll accept you into my gang after we're done here. It's your choice." He took a breath, bellowing out his call. "Champions! To me!"

My sixth body looked around, while I was left confused. Then I saw it, hundreds of skeletons marching towards our position. I didn't notice them sooner because I lacked bugs in this area. "What's going on!?" I had the front body call out to Kobe, as his champions drew their weapons.

Kobe chuckled, "What did you think was going to happen whenever a bigshot from another area strolled into a territory where they didn't have influence? Every little gang leader and wannabe assassin is coming out to play. You clearly weren't born in the Underground." He twirled his war ax, holding it in front of his chest. "When the bug man killed my boys and left one alive to send a message, he gave these punks a spark of defiance."

My bodies quickly climbed up the closest buildings to get a full view of the situation. Kobe bellowed out a laugh, "Where are you running? I thought this was your territory? You can't deal with an army of skeletons?" Scix, what have you started? I asked myself that question, as Kobe stepped forward. I saw his magic surging from his muscles to his weapon as he swung it at the first dozen skeletons that poured out of the alleys.

"I'm not very good with creatures that don't have flesh and blood." Kobe's strike landed cleaving through the animated bones. "I'll go find the necromancer controlling them!"

Kobe laughed as spears of ice, and fireballs went past him. "That's a good idea! You're paying us since we're defending your territory. How does a silver a skeleton sound? Oh! Maybe five silver for anything else. You're buying this territory from me after all." Kobe swung his ax again, another wave of magic crashing into the skeletons.

This was going to get very expensive, very quickly. Five of my bodies jumped from roof to roof, following the threads of magic towards their source. The sixth staying behind, "Deal! I hope you are okay with waiting while I gather the coin. It's been wonderful negotiating with you! We'll hammer out the details in a week, is that acceptable?"

Kobe swung his ax again, the skeletons not even managing to get close. The buildings developed thick gouges in their stone walls as they took yet another blow from the Minotaur. "My ledgerman will work something out later." He raised his war ax, "You heard him! Let loose, we're making more money defending this spot than it's worth!"

I heard his laughter echo over the roofs, as I had my bodies follow the mass of black magic tendrils towards the source. It took a few minutes to find someone dressed in deep black robes. They were hiding inside an abandoned home, the doors and windows boarded up. I peeked through and teleported a body inside. The necromancer jumped, when I touched his shoulder, "Good sir, I kindly ask that you stop."

The necromancer was shaking, "How did you find me!?" His lack of focus already had the skeletons toppling over. "This doesn't matter!? I'll kill you... wait you're a vampire! Why aren't you helping me kill the Minotaur!? This is our chance! His gang took my mother from me!"

The poor guy was insane, so I left a body there to talk with him. I heard a loud howl followed by four others and quickly moved my five free bodies. The necromancer wasn't hostile, and if he could make an army of skeletons, there would be a use for him at some point. Body one was listening to his sob story while consoling him with the promise that there were plans to slay the Minotaur in time. Lying was the easiest way to get him to my side.

Bodies two through six arrived close to Kobe's square to find five werewolves spreading out. They looked like they were about to rush out of the alley and tackle into Kobe's champions and the Minotaur himself. They were stopped by my own bodies jumping down on them from above. I saw the gang watching with amusement on their faces. Each of my bodies holding onto the backs of these werewolves.

Two stingers went into their shoulders, as I drank their blood. It tasted awful, but it gave me more blood to burn. I increased the strength of those bodies with the blood they drank, putting more pressure on the throats of the werewolves. With their supply of air cut off, they slowly started to pass out. Their movements were frantic, then subdued as I kept holding until they were fully asleep. Their regeneration would make them amazing blood fountains, so I dragged the bodies into the closest building. Behind closed doors and out of sight, I allowed two bodies to slump while a teleporter brought me thick chains from inside their merged bodies.

The werewolves were bound together, to be dealt with later. The teleporter went back to my warehouse, as I almost started to tear up. The bodies that weren't tying up the werewolves had been sent to the roofs. They saw two dozen of Scix's hounds running towards the square. He was better off than I had imagined, though it meant I had to slaughter some of his bodies to keep up appearances.

They abruptly turned, heading towards a plume of smoke that began to rise. This was a message, and Kobe's men weren't following. I teleported the bodies two through six back to the warehouse to distribute the blood, and recharge. I swapped them out, while body one still spoke to the necromancer.

I moved the fresh bodies towards the plume of smoke in the distance. Two and three were left to watch Kobe's square. He was being paid to defend himself, but hopefully, the coin was enough to keep this from escalating.

Argus, The Homunculus

Dark black smoke rose from the furniture we were burning. Scix had sent some of his hounds to my territory to be slaughtered earlier today, then he just sent a couple to try and connect with me. He reached through my bugs, running away whenever we came to attack his hounds. It was hard to imagine that Kobe himself was here of all places. All of my personalities were here with me, it was time for answers.

Five of Gray's bodies arrived, as Scix spoke through our link. |"I'll make sure no one comes close or is able to see us."| Ten of his hounds rushed off, while I crossed my arms.

Gray's vampire bodies were interesting. At least how they worked, while I stared at their souls. Threads connected his bugs to the Hive he was in control of, while the vampire's soul was bound to the bug itself. Destroying the bug, or severing that binding would free the soul. I wasn't sure what would happen if the true soul of the vampire body was severed, but at the very least it wouldn't be able to use magic anymore. Gray spread his bodies out, as I offered him a chance to connect with us.

He rejected the invitation, while I told my other personalities to keep the smoke going for a few more minutes. |"He's not going to connect with us Scix, so I'll have to do the talking."| I tilted my head towards him, "Been a while, hasn't it?"

Gray took off his mask, the same face all his bodies had greeting me. He smiled, his noble features reflecting some kind of pain. "Indeed it has, I do want to apologize for not keeping in touch." He was putting emotion behind his words. I couldn't keep him from slipping away, so I had to refrain from trying to get everyone to latch onto his soul and forcing a connection.

I gestured to Scix's hound, "He wanted me to thank you for coming to his aid earlier. It helped him save a few bodies, but it kind of goes against the rules of our little war."

Gray let out a soft laugh, "Rules that I no longer need to follow. Have you seen the bounty placed on our Queen? It's listed under my name for a reason. It is so wonderful to see you have both grown well during our time apart. I hope that you will choose to retreat and hide when I come for you. I have something in the works, and I plan to take both of you out of this war in a few months."

"It doesn't have to be this way." I leveled my gaze onto him, "Why did you place the bounty? Our Queen gave me the task to subdue you and find out what this is all about. She knows you have to have your reasons. This is your chance to tell us!" I stepped towards him, as his body took a step back.

"Your Queen," he managed through gritted teeth. I knew he was forcing himself to emphasize the point. His face was a mask of regret and longing. "She is no longer my Queen." He still referred to her in a respectful way, he was lying to me. Gray, please tell me what this is about. "I cannot serve her, I cannot connect with her, nor any of you. Disregard all false notions you might have, do not hesitate for I have gone rogue."

|"Then why did he risk himself to save me!?"| Scix bared his fangs at Gray.

"Scix demands to know why you came to his rescue. Gray, is this because of the warehouse? Is this my fault?" I gave the order to let the smoke die down on its own. My subordinates did as they were told. I gave them memories and thoughts so they could understand what this was about.

Gray paused, then shook his head, "I cannot allow someone else to kill either of you. For the memories I cherish, I seek to end you both by my own hands than let you succumb to a foreign entity." There it was! He was telling us he still considered himself a part of the Hive. He hadn't rejected our Queen, but he was in a dangerous spot. I told Scix what I felt he was trying to convey, and he reluctantly agreed.

I barely kept myself from smiling at him, "Does that mean you'll aid us here?"

Gray raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

"The Minotaur was a foreign entity even our Queen felt she was not yet ready to meet in combat. We have all grown, but while our bodies are weaker than the Queen's, we can take out everything around The Minotaur. Who do you serve now, Gray?"

Gray was conflicted, and shook his head once more, "I serve the Count, and follow under the banner of the Leeches. Until they decide the Minotaur should fall, I will protect this territory and not take action against Kobe or his gang." I see now, the Count was behind Gray's defection. He wasn't the type to submit to idle threats. He always acted based on proof, over emotion and memories. I hated that part about him, but I understood he wouldn't do something like this without a very good reason.

I lowered my head, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you then, just as I cannot protect you now. Pandora informed me that Robert will be coming soon. This war has given us the perfect chance to exchange traits and features between our Hives. Our bugs will become stronger, can you say your Hive has a chance of keeping up? We might not kill Kobe, but we will make it clear we'll put aside our grudges and fight him if we need to."

Gray narrowed his eyes, mask held just below his nose to hide his scowl. "You wouldn't dare. No, of course, you would." Gray teleported each of his bodies away.

|"He's probably changing his bodies out if they can still only teleport twice. His territories are still guarded by other bodies. Though they do not seem to know what he does. It might be like the personalities the Queen gave you, except they are all copies of himself."|

I nodded, |"Yeah, that's the likely answer. I can move between my bodies to meet his assault if he chooses to attack while I'm fighting here. Our goals are to get whatever evolutions Robert's Hive has gotten from the Underneath, and to keep him and other key members of the Wraiths alive."|

|"We cannot allow Gray's loyalty to be called into question if he's being forced to work for the Count. The vampires might have a way of killing him or our Queen that we do not know about. Can you take out his bodies? I'm running rather low on my own forces."|

I smiled, |"No problem, vampires make good kindling, Scix. I'll start keeping kennels in my territory to trade you for the information you've been gathering. We'll discuss it later."| I ordered my subordinates to my side, "For now, let's work on claiming the Southside for the glory of our Queen." Scix's hounds let out a soft howl for the glory of the Hive.