Mimi

The 'battle' was over before it even started. Exhausted pirates put their all into sailing back to their captains. The hour-long fight, coupled with the hour it took them to retreat to the pier. Only, their captains had already been turned and trained into more elite vampires. While the first mates desperately tried to explain the situation, or even figure out what happened, my four groups converged.

Any will they had to fight back was shattered as I let their magic wash over my armor. They did nothing to me, they couldn't scratch my armor, they couldn't hurt myself. After explaining their situation, they chose to work under myself. I now had a small army of people prepared to go out and fish. Not all of the pirates were dealt with, as the faction was more ambiguous, but I had piers and boats. That was all I needed for now, while the rest could fight with the church.

My new fishers headed out, while teleporters dropped off giants and breeders for the ships. They would be gone for a week, while a few first mates stayed behind to inform the other pirates about what happened. The 'captains' were going to get reinforcements, while the others needed to stay in the city to defend their plunder. A week was all that was needed for the small famine to set in. It would push the foreign forces to fight for food, on top of everything else.

No one questioned it, as none of the pirate captains wanted to be the ones that asked for help from the real captains on the islands. Winston Jr was brought along, as far as they knew, making the claims even more legitimate. Word spread fast, while I spent the rest of the night 'persuading' the gang members that had hoped to join one of the crews. Just to make certain the piers and warehouses were utterly under my control, I brought in the newest members of the Wraiths that had been itching to prove themselves.

All I needed to do was watch the price for food go up while growing my Hive. Big shifts happened between the factions and each of them needed time to think of their response. There was nothing I needed to do, which left me with a few days to mourn, hunt, or whatever else ended up occupying my time.

|"Mother, I have managed to make healy-bugs."| Pandora sent me a message, just as I thought about training the dark elves some more. The news made me smile, as I looked over what she had managed.

|"Excellent work, I see you merged two caste templates to make something more. We should call them Knitters."| I sent back, happy that she managed to make something that worked. The template wasn't clean, but for a first attempt, it was phenomenal.

|"I want to call them healy-bugs though."| Pandora pouted a little, putting her foot down. Her thoughts and feelings transferred, all along the lines of how she made them herself so she should name them.

The conclusion was already decided the moment she felt so strongly about it. |"Very well, the new caste shall be called healy-bugs."| I basked in the joy and accomplishment of my daughter as she mentally cheered. A cross between flesh carvers (one of the worker types) and trappers, made by my little one. It wasn't perfect, but she'd make them better as she practiced. The news put me in a joyful mood. |"We should celebrate, shouldn't we?"|

Pandora was a little confused by my question, |"Why? We never celebrate whenever you make a caste."|

Others celebrated trivial things; the birth of their young, a union, or even just holidays to remember certain figures. |"Are you saying you'd rather not?"| I gave her a teasing emotion to let her know it was her choice.

I felt her emotions shifting as she thought about it. Her mind grasping at the potential consequences of accepting or declining, how such could be good or bad. Then a thought pushed her to an answer, |"Yes, but only if we can celebrate the first caste anyone makes."| She was thinking about Ember and the other sisters she'd eventually have.

|"Very well, how should we celebrate?"| I couldn't keep the smile from my lips, even as the dark elves settled in for sleep. It was still early in the morning, as the last hues of the sunrise started to fade. Everyone had their objectives, most simply tired after the nightly raid. Nothing was pressing, beyond the bugs exploring the other parts of the city we had not focused on.

|"I am not sure, all the things I can think of sound like fun. Though we could do them at any time. We need to have a cake at least, it isn't a celebration without cake."| Pandora stayed at the warehouse, watching her healy-bugs do their job. Subtle adjustments were made as the people she captured writhed with their vocal cords severed.

|"Agreed, all the sapient races celebrate with cake and alcohol. We're not in a good position to enjoy coffee, perhaps another time?"| I mused, |"We don't have to follow their customs, however. I'm inclined to say we should try something new, an activity we haven't done before."|

Pandora perked up, thoughts filling her head. She couldn't decide which one of them would be the best. Her mind was damaged, she loved everything, it was one of my deepest regrets. |"We should involve father! At least, in some way. You said he'd be arriving today, didn't you?"|

|"Yes, he's moving quickly. He should enter through the main gates around noon. What if we did something to surprise him?"| I gently offered, helping her discard a few ideas. A message was sent to Whe'Di, the ingredients slowly gathered as Pandora worked on the puzzle. She knew that I had a plan now. She just needed to figure out what it was.

|"Something to surprise him... are we going to meet him at the gate? No, the people are already on edge. How will he be involved?"|

|"Indirectly, he may reap the reward of our efforts. Then he can praise you, after we accomplish our task."| Those words made my daughter a little more excited. Flour and eggs were acquired, it would take some time for the Bew milk to be acquired. I searched through the memories for recipes while Pandora watched my movements.

|"We're making something."| She stated calmly, still trying to figure out what we were going to do.

|"Baking, cuddle bug."| I teleported inside the base with those in the know. Don's men snapped to attention the second I appeared, "I require five kilograms of sugar, cooking utensils for baking, as well as some yeast." I addressed the few caterers placed here to take care of any needs I might have. Don was very thorough when it came to keeping me satisfied. No questions were asked, as the men immediately left, the guards now putting in an effort to keep the room secure.

|"We're missing ingredients, aren't we? No, you cheated."| She puffed out her cheeks, while the workers cleaned the blood off her chitin.

|"How so?"| I gave her a small laugh through our connection, she giggled in response.

|"You teleported and made people go fetch the other things we need. I wasn't paying attention because you were still watching the people in Whe'Di."|

|"Correct, have you guessed what we're baking?"| I sent another message to Brick, asking for some of the dried berries he managed to recover

|"Cake!"| She giggled, before arriving in the kitchen before I could physically walk there. I scooped her up into a hug before my antenna gently rubbed against her horns. We looked through the memories of those minds we took, sampling them as they were remembered. The taste, the texture, the moisture, all those little thoughts that made the cakes the best to each respective memory that still lingered. We settled on a mixed berry cake with honeyed syrup.

Teleporters brought in the freshest ingredients while we had the bugs clean everything we were going to touch. Pandora let her snakes out to play, as we casually 'celebrated.' Something so small and meaningless in the grand scheme of things, yet this was practice. Practice for when Richard arrived, as these were the moments that he enjoyed the most.

A few hours passed as we wasted time making extra cakes. Working together to get the texture and consistency perfect. None of the cakes we made would be as precise as what Richard could make, but it was supposed to be a surprise for him. A small meaningless thing to show our appreciation, that we cared for him. Even if we didn't understand what made this meaningless act so important. We were at least going to feed it to him, even if we had to restrain him to do so. He still never picked up on what it meant for a Queen to feed another.

Pandora just giggled, as we shared thoughts and emotions. She hid what she felt about my thoughts on this. Such treachery couldn't go unpunished, so I tickled her neck when she least expected it. We burnt a few of the cakes during our little 'war.' It was a waste of resources, especially while we struggled so hard to keep so many mouths fed. Still, I couldn't bring myself to feel too upset over it.

Taste-testing all the results led to a strange conclusion. The slightly burnt cakes tasted just a touch better than the worst tests, even though they shouldn't have. I narrowed my eyes at Pandora when she burst out laughing, my little cuddle bug was keeping secrets from me. It gave me a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that she knew what to keep from me. Foolish little things that we were certain the other would figure out, nothing that would harm the other.

Richard entered the city, the hive on Di'Rex's back allowing us to keep track of their movements at all times. "Pandora," I said, "Would you rather we make the best cake, or bring him here now?"

She shrugged, giggling, "If we bring him here now, then it won't be a secret anymore. What are we going to tell him?"

I smiled back, "Tell him that I have too much to tend to, that I want him to find me. Think of it as a test, a way for him to realize how much he has grown. We will come to him when the time is right, though you should only tell him such tonight." She looked back at me, the question written on her face. "We're going to spend a few more hours together, before we start on our personal projects again."

My little cuddle bug hugged me once more, "I love you too." I returned the embrace, letting the bugs enjoy the cake we wouldn't eat. I knew Pandora was committing this moment to memory. A part of me felt it was a waste of space, as we could just make more moments like this. While another wanted to make it redundant so it could never be forgotten. I compromised, allowing my main body to keep such a thing, just like all the others.

The rest of our day was spent idly hunting prey spotted by one of the nodes, myself watching Pandora as she fought. It was a shame she couldn't feel the elation I did when facing something stronger, the proper high of victory after winning. Her fighting style was developing nicely, from leaving strings on solid surfaces to slow down and bind the enemy, to delicately snipping with her lower arms to let blood spill out. Her body was weaker, while still being incredibly flexible. It was up to her to determine the limits of what she could and could not manage.

Fiends proved too much for her still, as their numbers in the forests dwindled with each passing day. She'd win if she had time to prepare, yet that wasn't a guarantee. Her body was made for ambushes, it was her favorite tactic when making 'friends.' Yet, we both knew she wouldn't be on the defensive if called in for help. Still, she was getting stronger by the day. Pride was what I felt with her, just a touch more than the personalities.

Night came and Pandora went to meet her father. Richard accepted our little lie, happy to find us in his own way. He was relieved after Pandora informed him that I was alright. The two talked, though she kept most of the conversation from myself. Then they separated, to tend to their endeavors.

Robert finished the last of the walls, the gnomes informed me that the bodies were ready for the Phalanx, they revived without issue, followed by Mark discovering more wisps with a high potential to find a Wisp Mother. All pleasant surprises by themselves, all of them together made today even better. A new monster to kill and devour, someone tasked with an important job was freed up, and the remnants of Argus were awake. I might be able to use them to piece together a new Argus, even if her talent was lost to us. It wouldn't fix the grief caused by her passing, but it would help a little.

The Phalanx needed time to properly recover, while also helping Whe'Di and the community. Robert deserved time with his wife and a proper break. That left one option for spending the rest of my night, while I waited for the factions to figure out what they were going to do. With a thought, I arrived at the closest node. A message was sent to Mark, and both of us arrived at the same spot.

Mark put a hand over his chest as he bowed with as much respect as he could manage. "Greetings, mistress." Through the Hive, I gave him all the information needed. A smile revealed his fangs, as he set off towards the first village Richard and myself found. The dead place that had been looted by Mark and the other vampires after it became clear it was just better as a node.

It took minutes to find the first wisps lazily floating through the air, the spectral beings likely resting until needed. Mark was ordered to return to his duties, as undead were at an extreme disadvantage against this monster. My ears twitched at the song the Wisp Mother was singing, the eerie notes carrying through the veil of fog that surrounded them.

I stepped into their domain, the fog swirling around my body as their song stopped. The bark of the first tree I saw was black, festering veins letting me know she had been here for some time. "Are you able to talk?" I kept my voice low, as wisps moved around me. Black sand mingled with dark earth, the ground shifting around me as I touched one of the dry spots on the trunk.

"To what do I owe this pleasure? It is not often that other monsters come to visit me." Her soft voice echoed from all sides, her from shifting through the fog. Giants were placed moving inside teleporters as my escort left the fog.

"Do not lie to me, the sand comes where monsters die. I know, because I have hunted them for a long time." I could feel the roots moving beneath the ground. She had too many wisps for this to be a natural occurrence. Someone was feeding her people. I moved from the tree I touched, walking through the fog towards the next one. It was the same, even as their roots moved a little faster.

"You have come to my home, why?" Her voice became harsh, as more wisps began to circle. They were becoming agitated.

"To check on you, to know if I needed to slay you." I put my hand on the new tree's trunk, gently rubbing the dark wood. Black sap coated my hand as it oozed from the small amount of pressure I put on it.

There was a pause, as the wisps stilled. Their ethereal flames floated as beacons amidst the fog. "You think you are capable?" Came her reply, she barely attempted to keep mockery out of her tone. Notes of laughter laced her words, "Have you fought a Wisp Mother before?"

"No," I answered honestly, "I have read about your kind. You linger here because your 'children' have taken the trees. I can sense around two hundred wisps, though it is difficult to tell tanks to your fog. You likely have bodies hidden among the roots, the night is still young and you will only become stronger as our battle continues." I turned towards her real body, smiling, "That said, I have a lot of ways to kill you. I'd rather avoid it since you are able to think and speak. Who is supplying you with these bodies?"

A few of the wisps moved to attack me, a probing strike as they went through my body. Ice formed on my armor, as they tried to shake my soul. Unfortunately for them, I had two that centered each other. Mind and Soul were my main domain of magic, making it even less effective. I had grown so much stronger since we visited that dead village. "What do you intend to do, with such information?" She moved away, stopping only after I looked away.

She probably felt that was the range of my perception, that she had some potential to best me. I walked to the next tree, away from the pathetic trap they were attempting to set. "I simply do not know who has been doing this. It was likely one of the nobles, it explains why the village mostly harvested wood, yet had tools and weapons for your wisps to claim. I don't care that you've been killing others, it is your nature after all. What were the terms?"

A cluster of wisps moved to attack me, ten of them bunched together in the hopes that they'd do some damage. Unfortunately, I was quickly losing interest in keeping the Wisp Mother alive. The blue flames of the Passion Slayer were special, they were able to hurt wisps. If anything, the Passion Slayers were the natural predators of such undead. A monster that would be summoned just because the souls of children weren't allowed to move on.

Screams came from the wisps that hit my wall of flames, the fog burning as the Wisp Mother shrieked in pain. Her visage was now visible, a tightly bound female form covered in straps and leathery black sacks. Only her stomach showed in a diamond shape as a part of those sacks smoldered from my flames. She was the fog, as much as her true body allowed her to remain here. I stared right at her, "You... YOU!" She screamed, "YOU KILLED MY CHILDREN!"

The wisps quickly moved away from me, as roots tore out of the ground in an attempt to grasp my form. Her fog moved away, making a thick wall to keep my vision to a minimum, even as I effortlessly tore the roots in my combat form. "You can stop now, or I'll slowly capture them and make them mine."

"YOU CAN'T KILL US ALL! YOU ARE ALONE HERE, EVEN WITH THOSE DAMNED FLAMES!" She wailed, as corpses started to rise from the next batch of roots. This Wisp Mother was probably single-handedly responsible for the banshee population that existed in the Underground. Dozens of zombies rising, carried up from beneath the dirt by the roots of their siblings. Some of them even had wisp-cursed weapons.

"Good thing I'm not alone then." I shot a ball of fire through the fog, making the Wisp Mother scream in pain again, as my giants were teleported to where they needed to be. The teleporter itself opened so they could just as easily teleport away without any lag time for the giants to skitter out. They caught my blue flame, growing it as they fed Aether to it. Slowly, the fire was spread to encircle the fog. Wisp Mother pulled it back, terrified of the flames.

A few cheeky zombies took a stab at me, only to be slain outright. More roots were torn, while the Wisp Mother tried to float upwards. "WE'LL LEAVE!"

I shot a blue fireball upwards, making her stop. "That's your final warning, I will make a dome if I have to. The more wisps that are killed, the less valuable you become. Now, answer my questions, or I will kill and eat you."

She wrangled her wisps behind her, trying to keep them from harm. "Please forgive us, we did not mean to invoke your wrath." She did her best to stay hidden in her fog, though it moved to reveal her clasping her dangling sleeves together in prayer. "I will answer anything you ask, just don't hurt my children anymore." She shook her arms, begging.

"Why are you lying? If I was weaker than you, I'd be torn to pieces. It's fine if you're angry with myself, but I will not tolerate lies. How long have you been here, who has been feeding you, what was the deal you struck?" I held up three fingers, waiting for their answer.

"Over five decades, great one." I lowered one of my fingers, letting her continue. "We struck an accord with the house of red leaves and purple vines. They would supply a village nearby with bodies and metals my children might like. We would form a group of banshees in the Underground. My daughters would claim their enemies so we could make more, while providing the weapons to them for sale."

The Blood Vines were a known noble group in Eclipse with close ties to the Guard. They weren't small, but they also weren't the largest. The fact that their wealth had come from trading weapons made it clear they had a part in the mines. Yet, this revelation helped to explain where the dozens of cursed weapons floating around the Underground had come from. She was also a guardian, likely dealing with wandering monsters before they reached the walls of Eclipse.

"Are you happy here?" I asked.

She moved a little further away, "I was until it became clear this was now your territory. May we leave now, great one?"

"Stop calling me that." I crossed my arms, tapping my biceps in thought. "You probably got a new village once every five years, didn't you?" She nodded slowly as I continued, "Truth be told, I'm debating with myself on what to do. I'll make a deal with you, how does that sound?" I grinned at the Wisp Mother.

"Terrifying, but I do not feel there is a choice beyond accepting." She hugged one of the wisps that floated close to her, the group starting to spread out.

"Good, if you leave I will kill you. You'll stay here unless I need you somewhere else. I will provide you with bodies and you will make more banshees since a good number of them died when the Guard attacked the Underground. Pretty much the same deal you had with the Blood Vine household, only I will take you somewhere to help make another of your kind if needed. Your potential for making a capable force is what has kept you alive. I will potentially pay you in goods if we find anything useful to you or your wisps. Do you accept?"

"Those terms are more agreeable than we initially expected. You are aware of how more of us are made, correct?" The fog spread out more, as my giants let the blue flames die. I let it wash over myself, as she moved around.

"Noblewomen, I'm sure I'll be able to find a few. I'll be setting up a node nearby, we'll be in touch." I teleported back to my base in Fis'Ton, while thinking of a few people that could go missing from the Church. The sooner things between them and the pirates escalated, the better.