Lair

Chapter 023 - Under The Moonlight

By Skalsar

[Broodmother].

Sora called me that just now.

Nobody in the hive knows why and "Hivemind" is still weak and decided to sleep some more.

On his own accord that is.

After getting more magic power, he finally realized what he had been doing and stopped.

But before going to sleep he said that something big changed in the hive.

He couldn't really describe it.

Just looking at me weirdly and deciding to go to sleep.

But if names come from the memory of humans we aquire, how can I be called a [Broodmother]?

I build my appearance from watching animals and monsters and changed it according to the situation I'm in currently. Shouldn't I be unique right now? Could it really be that there was something like me before?

But Sora can't really tell.

Just that the thought of me being a [Broodmother] came to her somehow.

And the other creatures in the hive said so, too.

There must be more to the names and terms.

I want to know.

That isn't right. I must know.

If something is influencing us, besides the memory of the [Soul] we were created from, that is.

Maybe we are being manipulated and in danger?

On the other hand I feel really unique right now.

Not one of the other [Queens] is able to evolve to a [Broodmother] right now.

I registered as the variant, like with the [Drones], but if they try, they just know that it would fail.

Something about only one [Broodmother] being hard on the hive already.

Like with the second [Dungeon Lord] having to sleep, because the hive is too weak.

It might get to wake up if I were to change back to being a [Queen].

But I don't want to right now.

I feel amazing.

Sora will have command over the hive for a while.

Even if "Hivemind" is sleeping and a [Hero] in the village, I will go to the forest.

I want to move around. See what it's like to be in my new form.

The atmosphere changes the moment I step through the [Black Gate].

I feel.. free?

Sure, the minds of my [Hiveworkers] and [Drones] are there, their bodies sleeping on my back.

But after understanding that we are all just children, I feel relieved.

I thought I have to be something great.

That I would have to keep the hive safe and fulfill his expectations.

But he too is just a child, only knowing about devouring.

Learning new stuff every day.

But I still don't know what Lily meant.

After I saved her she turned to me and looked worried.

>Who was that beautiful woman?I didn't understand. But she told me, that when she asked me to save her, a woman was besides me.

A beautiful woman, dressed in black.

She seemed to whisper in my ear and as she did, I saved Lily.

This is really disturbing.

I never saw any woman.

No one did. I will have to think about this later.

For now, I watch Lily happily dancing through a field of flowers.

If I review everything like that.. we were like children throwing a tantrum about a world we don't understand yet. Trying to destroy while not being destroyed.

The moon is shining.

I remember.

[Wisps] surround me.

We didn't know before, why they are only visible in moonlight.

But now I get it, I can feel it myself.

The bond between body and [Soul] strengthens.

It allows magic power to flow more easily.

Strengthening the body of small and otherwise weak creatures.

While I can't do that for bigger creatures, I can at least grant that feature to the [Hiveworkers] and [Drones]. It's quite easy. Just a small change of how the core emits the magic power into the flesh.

Done.

The creatures on my back vibrate weakly for a short duration, changing.

If we want to be part of this world, we have to adapt.

Our deity was lost.

Creatures are just monsters for other races.

Staying in places only to devour.

We have to change.

>Come, we will go back now.>Can't I go see daddy now?>No.

I'm not yet ready to give up my experiments.

>We have to try teaching you how to talk first.

Not that annoying stuff with a voice though.

Guess she doesn't get it.

After saving her, she grew fond of me too.

It's kind of.. nice.

Can't blame [Blazing Hellhound] for it anymore.

Lily and I talked about the village for a while, her father seems to be the [Local Lord].

She travels through villages and cities quite often because of that.

Most of them are inhabited by humans, a few by beastraces.

Lily says, she saw people with ears like that of a cat and fur all over their bodies.

Guess this is a really interesting world after all.

'Alright guys, listen up!'

I connect to everyone in the hive.

Even "Hivemind" wakes up and listens.

'We have been wrong.

Sure, devouring and growing are what made us.

But that isn't all.'

"Hivemind" is confused about what I'm saying.

'I don't want anyone to stop doing so, don't worry.

What I want to say is.. We have to evolve and adapt.

If we want to stay in this world, we have to interact with it.'

[Blazing Hellhound] is getting up and looks happy.

'Does that mean I may play with Lily?'

I nod in approval.

'We need to change the hive and our way of acquiring food.

The humans are everywhere in the world.

Building villages and cities.

They can do so, because they acquired a steady income of food.'

"Hivemind" looks at me interested now.

'So, you want to tell us to let prey leave alive after getting their magic power?'

I nod again.

'But not every prey.

We can't take too much risks.

If some strong prey attacks us, we will kill or imprison it.

But other than that, we will grow our prey to that point and only devour the magic power!'

They finally understand.

We will change the form of our food to concentrated magic power.

Humans and monsters enter our hive in order to acquire treasure and experience.

If they do so, they grow stronger and are able to produce more magic power.

As long as we don't sacrifice too many creatures, we can get our hands on our own livestock.

We will expand our hive and create something new and powerful.