The teenagers were whining and tied by their hands to the back of the dump truck, in which we could hear the moans of the elves who could barely keep themselves alive.

They walked at the truck's pace. Then it stopped.

The monster jumped off the platform and cut the ties that held them to the truck but their hands were still tied.

Marauder Monster: "Queen's orders..." and he handed them a canteen.

We're almost there.

The monster's attitude had changed in a few moments.

They began to hope...

"Please, lady Vespalian...don't hurt us.."

Monster: "If we had wanted to, you would already be in pieces... but from prisoners, you have just become "guests"... orders of the queen!" But we're keeping your bonds... you're still enemies until further notice..."

Monty: "And the elf soldier? "

"He will be subjected to the "Question" and then probably eaten... We have to eat too!"

Raven gagged.

The area became rocky and a huge rock structure rose up and, like a watchtower, overlooked the whole area but it was a hole hidden by the rocks that caught their attention.

There was a coming and going of monsters. There were hundreds of them... tanks were coming out and then going in through an inclined plane while monsters were landing on platforms and others were taking flight.

From time to time one could hear screams...

All sorts of prey were brought in, gnomes, elves, fairies, deer, bears, and other monsters like saber-toothed tigers. All were drooling... curarized...

Children screamed but were released and ran away, ignored...

At least they spared the children...

The 2 captains couldn't stop crying...

Then it was their turn.

They entered the abyss which was extremely well guarded. A real modern fortress.

On both sides, batteries of ground-to-air missiles were placed around the structure, making an aerial approach difficult, and a network of diapason antennas protected the structure.

The network of galleries was impressive but everything was concreted, the cables were protected and there were Vespalian guards everywhere.

Then... in a corridor, walking freely, a group of dwarves with toolboxes in hand.

Monty wanted to call out to them but the dwarves looked at them for a moment, then lowered their heads and nodded negatively, looking grim...

They feared the queen's anger... and were terrified of the Vespalians.

One of them muttered, "To think that these monsters might have been elves before..."

"No... they were devoured by a larva from within... It's not possible otherwise."

"It gives me the creeps... I know these youngsters... they are the chancellor's children... I hope the queen doesn't incubate them herself.."

"Yes, she is a monster.."

Then Raven continued through the maze and they arrived in front of a temple like in the Village with a threatening hydra statue.

The monster stopped and the two humans knelt before the idol of the infernal goddess.

"Please Enka... Please Enka.... we are only poor humans...Lord devourer, don't kill us.."

The monsters relaxed and then cut the ties

Monster: "May the goddess hear your pleas. But do not forget the Djizera!"

Monty showed raven a stone dagger on the bas relief.

He cut himself "Do as I do!"

And both of them made a blood offering to the goddess. A few drops but it was the gesture that counted.

Then they moved on, but as they did, some elves who had regained some of their movement were dragged before the abomination.

Raven shouted behind her: "THE Djizera!!! "but the elves were too proud... and were taken to another room where they were stung and put into cells where a sad fate awaited them.

From some of the cells, larvae were emerging with their little red eyes.

Then came the screams.

The sting...and the egg that passed through to be lodged in the belly...

and the egg which passed through to be lodged in the belly

The spider silk and the impossibility to escape from it.

Anti-magic runes prevented any escape.

Others, too thin and screaming and begging were simply put in pieces to be devoured and distributed to a horde of scytes, jaws and sharp teeth.

The screams were appalling.

Soon they were drowned out by the noise of workshop and assembly plant machinery.

Tanks, tanks and all sorts of parts were being assembled. There were also hundreds of dwarves working there.

Then trucks loaded with wheat and all kinds of food were going through an underground tunnel.... leading to the dwarf kingdom, to the fortress of Cranedur.

But their attention was quickly diverted when they arrived to a kind of palace with columns... Guarded by androids and Vespalians side by side.

The doors opened and it said "Vespalian Palace".

It was very luxurious and the "Marauder" resumed her fairy form and invited the teenagers to follow her.

They climbed the steps and passed through the huge bronze doors.

Inside, a huge room supported by imposing columns carved in Greek style.

Low reliefs to the glory of the hydra and the constellation decorated the place a little.

A soft heat emanated from braziers leading to a staircase ending in the heart of the room, a bit like the heart of a church, the room being the nave.

And, at the back, a throne, guarded by no less than STAR...Hans' right hand man.

A giant red crystal showed surveillance videos of several locations including the Cranedur throne room.

And, at the bottom of the throne... Waspy....

The fairy waved to star to take leave and leave them alone...

But the little fairy didn't have her jovial and innocent look anymore... She looked mature, severe and, how to say... dark...

The two teenagers did not move. They were under the shock...

Waspy??? the queen??? the queen of the Vespalian Monsters???

It was a joke in Waspy??? no... in fact, there was no more comedy... Just facts.

They were terrified, stunned. But Waspy didn't say anything. What to say???

Then, she jumped out of her seat and went down the stairs.

But the teenagers backed away, they were afraid...

Waspy: "Raven...Monty...are you okay? are you hurt at least?"

They dared not say anything.

Waspy: "Follow me, I will take care of you..."

They then entered a smaller room with sinks and cabinets containing bandages and ice.

She snapped her fingers and both teens were clean, their clothes once again spotless, as if ironed and with deodorant.

The cuts and scrapes left by the bonds disappeared and only a slight tingling and redness remained as traces.

"If it bothers you, there's ice in the fridge."

Then they sat down at a long table, very long table and the ends were taken. Raven had a bandage filled with fresh water that she applied to her wrists to calm the remaining irritation from the tight ties.

Then she spoke.

"Waspy... Are you the queen? The queen of the Vespalians???"

Obviously, the two captains were surprised and frightened but now, a feeling of betrayal, disgust and anger was gradually taking place.

Monty: "Why???? Why didn't you tell us?"

Waspy: "You are my friends and I was afraid to scare you... I have suffered so much. All my friends were just enemies who wanted to get rid of me. Nobody wanted to play and I met you. Humans... a legendary creature, like my master and God Hans!. You are gods to me!"

Monty: "You are not answering my question..."

Waspy: "I was going to tell you... I tried several times but I couldn't do it... I was afraid to lose you, to lose our friendship..."

Monty: "Then why didn't you tell us?"

Waspy: "You must have suspected it anyway... I never hid that I had a stinger and a wasp's back!!! and I was fighting with the dwarves....and the tanks... "

Monty crashed... crushed by the raw truth.... "Why Waspy... Who are you?"

Waspy : "I have always been a general of Hans...his right hand man...and his lover..."

Raven: "You are a liar...! You traitor!!!"

"Traitor??? And you??? We saved your life!!! we gave you a city and food... we trusted you and ... you as a thank you blew up Hans and his base!!! and worse, you didn't even help us or try to save him under the rubble... and to top it all off, you allied with the rest of the elven forces, joined with your Russian the enemy, the false god...

You licked the boots of Tyrant... our worst enemy... And the dwarves... you let them starve!!! So... who are the traitors?? the liars!?"

Raven: "Waspy, I hate you!! you will pay for this... You are monsters! I've seen what you do. It's an abomination!"

Waspy stood up and stepped back, instantly taking the form of the Vespalian queen.

She was three times the size of her soldiers and her head touched the ceiling some twenty feet higher.

"So, Raven... I'm a monster????"

Monty stood before his beloved...

"At least we can see your real face..."

Waspy "I have always been faithful to Hans who took me for what I am and my appearance is my adult and evolved form... I have nothing to be ashamed of what I am... but know that I have never harmed a human or a dwarf.. I have always kept my word.

Raven: "When the war is over... why devour the elves and gnomes...? Why all these tanks...? You are going to be pulverized by the Ummites..."

CLAC CLAC CLAC made her scythes/paws as she approached the two teenagers who were about to shit their pants...

"Rest assured, I still consider you my friends even though we are on opposite sides. You are free here in the hive but don't try to leave or warn the others. You will not succeed. I would be sad to have to treat you again... Ah... how I wish everything was different, that we could still have fun like before..."