Chapter 34: The First Flames


JUSS


Somehow, even after all these years, there were still things that could blow him away.

Lembit stood at the center of the short mineshaft leading in from the cliff ledge outside, flanked by his equally speechless companions, staring at the wide tunnel of pure pink before them that stretched deeper into the mountain. He understood now why the locals had called this place Crystal Peak, as large spikes of the namesake positively covered it from the ground to the cave ceiling. It was beautiful (even if the man couldn't tell the mineral's type; definitely not ordinary amethyst). In the silence, he could even hear a faint chime coming from them. However, all it didn't take away from their hazard, both in their sharpness and energetic nature.

The latter was part of the reason why they were there, after all, along with collecting the first 'flame' for Grimm, which, when concentrating, he indeed felt not far ahead. Now it was a matter of locating the Grimmkin that had gathered it and collecting it from them, something he suspected wasn't going to go very peacefully. Though, since they probably weren't too different from the thing he'd seen in the night, that likely wouldn't be much of a problem. He would simply have to make sure he caught the torch before it fell between the crystals, as the tiny 'child' had gone with Hornet, being completely inseparable from her, to hunt down the flame above Hallownest's capital, while Max did the same in Greenpath.

They and their escorts were doing their parts, now it was time he stopped gaping and got to his own. To do that, however, he needed to make it across the pink-filled tunnel, or at least further into it, for which there appeared to be no good way, as the only evidence of any bridge having been there was a crudely cut-off minecart track going a bit over the edge of the walkable ground.

The human questioningly glanced around and down at the small pill bug who'd lead them here, having been singled out to be the guide due to the lantern-helmet and pickaxe she wore and carried, not to mention only showing up in Dirtmouth yesterday evening, slightly before Grimm's arrival, quickly turning out to be a prospector for the Peak's crystals. So, once the others had started underground, she, though clearly scared out of her wits, had brought them to a metal lift by the town's graveyard that'd heaved them up to the ledge they'd entered from. It seemed to him now she hadn't thought this fully through.

"While you're thanked for taking us so far, miss, I'd like to know how we'll head on from here."

"I- Y- you wished t- to go that far inside," the miner girl, Myla, asked in a stutter, quivering under his look. She buried her mask in a hand. "Of course. I- I'm sorry! I'm s- so stupid. I j- just wanted to be d- done with this fast. Oh, why'd I do so? I never even c- come up here myself. The crystals are t- too hard and scary to reach."

"So, there is no good way across," Lembit, proven correct, stated, sending a momentary, frowning glance down the gem-laden cavern.

The young bug nodded lightly. "I'm sorry. P- please don't p- punish me too badly. I will take you back down and through where I dig. That shall lead to the mines."

"That won't be necessary," the human responded, having spotted a walkable spot of ground jutting above the sharp crystals. At this point, using unconventional means to get there was a quick decision. Before it, however, he glanced at the now confused-looking Myla. "I'm continuing alone from here. While I'm off, you're going to mine us some of these scary to reach crystals. Consider that your punishment if you will."

He then turned to his other companion, who appeared to still be gawping at the tunnel ahead. "Lane." That snapped the other human's attention to him. "Make sure she gets those crystal pieces the right size. You're free to try and load them into the gun, but make sure to show the process once I return."

"Got it, Sir," the soldier assured with a nod, already pulling the heavily modified rifle from beside the nail on his back.

As revealed by his and the General's visit to Doctor Bright, the weapon's sudden malfunction during the occupation had been because the small crystal that'd powered it had simply run out of energy and disintegrated, explosively. The remedy to that was just to acquire more of them and replace when needed, much like any other gun, something Lembit, while not as involved in gunsmithing as some others in his circle, was interested in seeing the mechanism of.

He turned to get going for the dream-flame, when Lane continued: "Though, with all respect, it'd be good to know how 'n the hell you're plannin' to cross that."

"I thought by now you'd know not to question these things," the older man replied. "Just do as you're told and see that she digs. I'll be back soon." Without awaiting an answer, he leaped from the cart rail's edge onto a smaller piece of rocky ground before the expanse of crystals, where he drew his sword, aiming its tip towards the other 'island' in the distance. He needed to be precise with this one.

His hand and blade lit up with their usual gold, of which there was then a flash, though one not as bright or loud as those he cast in the heat of the moment. Still, it left him on the ground that'd been afar just moments ago, looking ahead in order to find the next surface he could continue onto. Instead, however, his sense and sight were drawn to a tall staff standing only a few meters away, its top identical in appearance to the lantern in the cliffs. It was the Grimmtorch, although seemingly unlit and unattended. Appearances were often deceiving.

And he'd be back very soon.

Lembit stepped cautiously towards the long stick, but that was all it took, as in a flare of red, its tip burst into a flame, his goal, and small hands materialized holding it, before pulling it with their owner into the air. This grimmkin was actually different from the one who'd intruded in his house in that they looked even weaker, being far shorter for one, less than half as tall as the torch they held, with the only notable features being the 'troupe-styled' mask and their arms sticking out of the grey, all-encompassing cloth cloak.

There was an actual bug under there, right? Wouldn't've even been surprising if there wasn't.

Regardless of that, the grimmkin stopped to float over the crystals ahead, waving their torch at him goadingly.

"One of the summoners! Come for the flame," they asked excitedly in a high pitched voice.

"I'd say so, yes," the man affirmed, bringing up his sword.

"Take it! If you're worthy," the cloaked little thing urged with a giggle, themselves shifting to a tad bit more aggressive position and steadily beginning to hover towards him. He waited, still, until they were close enough, before swiftly slashing forth, only for the imp to swerve backwards out the way equally as fast, letting out a cheer, then another, as they dodged the more reaching cut he then tried to go for.

"Hee hee! Too slow," they laughed, slightly approaching, followed by a quick dodge away from Lembit's third missed attack. "Can't catch me!"

"Won't be hurt by you either," he spoke back, unbothered. Whiffs were to be expected with an enemy this teeny. And, especially since they seemed to try and make him, he wasn't going to get angry here, not overly or yet, at least. Instead, he'd annoy them a bit as well. "Really, are you just going to fly around like that or shall we actually battle?"

The imp halted midair, at a safe distance, even their idle snickers momentarily stopping. "Fine! Let us dance, then!" Cackling, they then waved the Grimmtorch towards the human, making three red fireballs launch out of its flame. With relative ease, he dodged one, his sword dissolving the second on contact, while the third just missed entirely. The troupe member huffed indignantly and, unleashing a not-at-all threatening cry, suddenly barreled at him, which was the likes of what he'd anticipated, prompting him to dodge this time, as well as land a successful strike that took off the opponent's cloak's tail end.

Barring a yelp of pain, the little guy didn't stop giggling anymore. "Yes! Dance! Fight! Let us honor the Flame!" Despite the big words, they mostly continued to play chicken with the man's blade, throwing at him a couple more balls of flame (that thankfully didn't appear to deplete the torch's power) as well. Lembit silently soldiered this, just preparing for the grimmkin's next dash, against which he'd deal another real blow. Had he even a little bit more stepping room, this would've been done with this far faster, but alas that wasn't the case.

The small bug indeed soon charged again, gaining out of it only a cut across their cloak's width, which began leaking crimson mist. T'was clear they wouldn't last too much longer.

The imp too was aware of their worsening condition, however, and, still managing the odd annoying chortle and excited shout, kept their distance now, basically only lobbing more flames. Those were, again, easily evaded, but didn't let up for several minutes at the least, to a point when the fight's length finally started to bother the General, making him decide on a rougher, settling counterattack come the next dash at him, on the off-chance his sword wouldn't finish them then.

To draw out the melee attack quicker, he began to feign tiredness, letting his movements slow down just enough so that he was grazed by a couple of the fireballs, which, despite a little hurt and clearly permanent singes on his coat (that he otherwise didn't wear too often anyway), scored the desired enthusiasm from the small bug, who, after not much longer, unleashed yet another squeaky battle cry and rushed for him speedily.

Suddenly allowing his reflexes to their fullest again, Lembit snatched tightly onto the grimmkin and –torch, aiming to wrench the two apart. However, the little imp's strength somehow, even discounting their injuries, matched his amplified own and their claws didn't budge from around the staff, as if something was holding them together.

"No, no, no! Not like this," they whined, trying to struggle free, which, at least, they couldn't. "Won't give like this!"

"Alas, that's not up to you," the human growled back, opting for a new tactic that consisted of raising the opponent slightly, before slamming them full force at the ground. To his shock, though, instead of impacting, the cloak-wearer disappeared in a burst of red.

Alert, his gaze moved about the rock platform, until it found and stopped on the tiny bug, who, from another burst, emerged from between the crystals below, waving the torch and giggling like mad, along with spewing childish taunts that the man didn't bother listening to, instead drawing with the left hand his bolt-action that'd so far been, of course, neglected to not risk the red flame being dropped down to where it'd be near impossible to recover.

But taking it methodically was no longer on his mind. Besides, he wasn't going to actually hit the grimmkin.

Instead, the red trail that appeared after the gun's loud *pew* went right by the imp's head, eliciting from them a shriek and a hasty dodge to the side, from where they immediately had to move again in order to avoid the reaching slash of the man's sword, getting out of its range. His response was another barely off-target shot from the pistol, the round having gotten automatically rechambered with a bit of directed magic. He wasn't planning on giving them even a moment's rest, determined to wear out the wounded bug's clearly last ditch effort.

Even still, the grimmkin showed little sign of finally tiring and giving the necessary opening to end it. Their laughter and taunts may've died down, but not their speed, prompting him to fire the third round, following up with two jabs, which, at last, seemed to take its toll on the opponent, but just slightly not enough of it and Lembit readied the fourth shot. Before he could take it, though, a pink laser suddenly went through the floating bug from down the cave, making them look there in surprise.

A perfect opening.

The man swiftly cut at their arm, severing it with the Grimmtorch. Instead of just watching it fall, he cast both his weapons aside and jumped after, grabbing it. Before he could be eviscerated by the crystals, his free hand flashed gold, sending him back onto the platform. Holding the wood pole, he realized how much shorter the fight would've and should've been had he done that sooner and not dawdled so long.

Damn, he'd been an idiot. At least that'd still gotten them the flame.

He moved to pick up the dropped equipment, but was interrupted by a pained cry from the grimmkin, who he looked to be clutching what remained of their arm, while their whole body now smoked with red.

"Please, end our dance proper," they pleaded meekly, approaching. "Don't want to fade slowly without flame. Hurts."

The man just nodded, taking his sword and thrusting it through them. "There."

"Thank- you," the small bug croaked. "Like master- we live- and die- and live again." They were then engulfed in a flare of red, disappearing from view with it.

"You're welcome," Lembit said, unfazed. He finished holstering his weapons, before glancing back at the spot they'd been and muttering under his breath: "Tüütu raisk sihuke."


Shortly after, with a burst of his light, the human, Grimmtorch in hand, reappeared on the ledge he'd left the others on, being met with Lane, who stood brandishing his modified rifle.

"Sir," the soldier greeted. "Got what we came for, I take."

"Affirmative. I can see you did as well," the officer replied, eyeing his weapon.

"Works like a charm, Sir," Lane affirmed, looking at it himself. "Shame I missed that little bastard with it. Shot came so close. Seemed to help you somewhat, at least."

"It did, yes," Lembit nodded, before explaining: "And you actually hit the shot, it just didn't do anything. They're part of the troupe's ritual." He pointed at his newer charm. "Only the kids and I can hurt them." The hastily reached conclusion might've been wrong, but he'd a hunch that wasn't the case.

"Hm, that's gonna give them some trouble in the caves," the other man said with a more serious look.

"Ah, I'm certain they'll be fine," the General said dismissively. "I was." His genuine confidence in that aside, just in case, he could try and reach Hornet to warn of the grimmkins' ability, though not right away. "Look, let's focus on the gun." He looked back at the blocky firearm. "How many more of those crystals did she mine up?"

"Take a look for yourself, Sir," Lane replied, motioning behind himself, the officer glancing there to properly take in Myla humming softly and pecking away with her pickaxe at a bigger chunk of pink, while beside her were piled several dozen of ones that, from there, appeared about the Doctor's described size.

Noticing their regards, the miner girl shut and jerked into a quicker pace. Still, her finishing with the larger crystal took some time, which the men used to trial the gun, finding it (obviously) indeed laser accurate and capable of seven shots before the gem inside needed replacing; not too bad, considering their effectiveness. They didn't try anything else, as the rifle was otherwise battle-tested enough and the small bug was also done now.

Having pocketed the 'ammo', its amount seemingly ample to last Lane these crucial days, the General lead the way outside. All he'd have to do now was wait for the others to return. He doubted the young warriors would face too much hardship getting the other flames, even if only they could wound the troupe bugs. Their companions could aid in other ways. Hell, assembling the two smaller teams like he had allowed direct communication between them, making it strange that Max had seemed so apprehensive over it.

Likely had to do with the 'unpleasant' past night, the nightmares of which the boy hadn't been spared.

Weirdly enough, Hornet hadn't recalled having any.

By now, he was sure they were both doing fine with their respective companions.


MAX


The young male hopped over a wider bush growing in the middle of the road, feeling not the least bit happy. It wasn't that Greenpath didn't appeal to him; the exact opposite was true, actually. It felt quite nice to be in the moss- and leaf-covered caves again. However, he couldn't really enjoy it with how worried he was over how their flame-hunting packs were made up, as well as miffed they were still doing this for Grimm at all.

Max knew the tall bug had vowed to help them too, but then he'd given him and almost everyone else in Dirtmouth those nightmares, not to mention harassed Hornet in the tent earlier.

And now, because that creep's ritual needed to be done pretty fast and only he, the General and her could collect those flames (as, he'd been forced to to accept, the charms enabling it weren't coming off their clothes and the others hadn't cared to swap), he'd had to split with the female, so they could get the scattered fires quicker. To make things worse, the human had had her be accompanied by Adrian (not to mention the Grimmchild that didn't show a sign it'd stop clinging to her). Max hated thinking like this, but couldn't help it, still concerned over his uncle's subtle dislike of Hornet that, from what he'd noticed in the morning, hadn't gone anywhere since yesterday.

At least the young male had to admit Juss' reason for grouping them together was sound. The hive mind was helpful and he'd already used it a couple times to check up on the other pack. Though, without constantly pestering his relative, he couldn't know everything that was going down on their end.

What if those sideways glances gave way to insults? What if that lead the two to actually falling out, which, in turn, got in the way of their task or even made them seriously hurt one another?

All of a sudden, Max registered a mossed pillar in front of him, halting just before he could slam into it head first. He shook the latter, realizing how little of his attention the overthinking left to the surrounding cavern. That needed fixing, so he took a good scan around. Straight ahead, the stone path led through a narrower passage to the next cave. Having reattained awareness proper to his kind, the hornet headed for it. His worry for the others was still there, but no longer the focus, which was back on what mattered more at the moment: getting his flame. That in mind, he made to keep going.

"Hey, bug! Mind waiting up a sec," he, however, then heard from behind, along with heavy footfalls, turning to look at his human companion, Green, striding to catch up. The soldier had been paired with him, as they could talk without the charm. Max really hadn't had any real opinion of him, nor Smith. Like Lane, who seemed okay enough, they kept to themselves, sometimes joined by Kent, or their posts and did what Juss ordered. During the trip so far, his partner had been a little more talkative, though mostly about directions and other things pertaining to their mission.

"Damn. You ought to've got I ain't that light on my feet," the man huffed, having reached the bug, who hung his head for a moment.

"Sorry. Had stuff on my mind. Got carried away by them."

"I noticed." The soldier glanced back at the pillar he'd nearly hit, before saying with a stern look: "You know we can't have somethin' like that out here."

Still guiltily the hornet nodded. "I know," he admitted, then adding in a more determined manner: "Won't happen again."

"It better not," Green uttered. "Any news from your uncle and the princess, on how close they're to their torch."

Max shook his head, suppressing a wince at them being brought up. "Nothing, for a small while now."

"Alright. What about us? How near is ours," his questioning went on, the human digging from a pocket the map given by Oro, folded in a way that most of Greenpath was still readable. The boy took a better gaze at it, seeing a fiery red spot, courtesy of Grimm's charm, shimmer into view on top of the cave that ought to have been just ahead, if the strange pull he was feeling towards there was anything to go by.

He relayed this to his companion and they continued through the green-covered passage.

The cave the two entered was a lengthier one, with the stone path running on along its middle, lined on both sides by ditches full of green acid. Not even this place was perfect, Max guessed. He could also feel a leafy scent here familiar from yesterday, and not for very good reasons, prompting more alertness, as he kept going, now taking the human's pace into account.

It didn't take long of following the paved road for the tiny pack to both hear a low rustling from ahead, when suddenly, a tall hill off moss sprung up from the ground and charged towards them, making Green shout out and raise his gun. Before he could fire, though, Max, learned from Hornet, had shot forward, nail drawn, to meet the attacking mound with a slash, which caused the large disguise of the creature to fall apart, the tiny actual thing scattering away for dear life.

Feeling spiteful for yesterday's scare, the hornet lunged after, cutting that short, literally. Wiping the blade, he glanced at the human, who'd an impressed look.

"Good kill," he said. "Wasn't much, that thing, but still. You bugs are vicious." Max nodded gratefully, smiling, as he looked down at the dead beast. "So, we're gonna take it with as game? The small ones around Dirtmouth tasted pretty good." To that, the bug gave a questioning glance. "Look, the green shit the townsfolk had was practically inedible, so we dug up and gutted a pair of those plated critters, cooked 'em in our cabin."

Understanding, the boy nodded again. It figured there were things other than raw meat humans couldn't really eat that bugs could. And he agreed it was a pretty good idea to replenish their supplies. The topic of food also made him realize that his uncle hadn't eaten since before he woke up as a bug, which gave another reason to take the prey.

Crouching back down to cut the meat, however, he suddenly froze, feeling through the hive strong surprise from Adrian, followed shortly after by aggression.

He didn't need (or have a chance) to ask, as right then the older hornet buzzed: "Hivemate, we found the torch. Bearer's not just giving it, though."

Max gave an affirmative, before standing and turning towards a slightly concerned Green, saying: "They found their torch, but have got to fight its holder, as'll we, probably."

"Hmph, I guessed as much," the soldier murmured, then saying: "Might as well get it done quick. So just cut this little bastard up and let's go."

Max nodded readily, the rush from Adrian's shared sensation making him too feel a lot more hurried to reach their torch, so much so he kicked the corpse aside, hastily explaining: "It'll only slow us right now and we'll surely find better prey later anyway."

The human didn't object and they began down the path again, eyes open and forward for the clawed pole that it turned out they'd still have to put some effort into getting.


HORNET


A fair bit earlier

Having both prodded their blades far enough under it, the two bugs pried open an decorated, old hatch, which Hornet proceeded to gaze down into the shaft below, one so tall and dark not even she could glimpse the bottom.

Upon parting from Max and the hyu-man at the entryway to Greenpath, she, Adrian and the Grimmchild, the latter's moniker having come from Max, had continued through the Crossroads, making their way past the pathway leading to the passage into the Fungal Wastes utilized yesterday, as well as the Hot Spring. The only trouble they'd met (if one could call it so) had been the following stretch of cave infested with goams, the large, thick-hided worms blindly reaching out of their rock nests, none no less sluggishly than during the years of the Infection. Evading their claws and fangs had been easy a task for the warrior and child, while providing a good exercise of agility to the recently changed male, one that, as the female had seen, may've yet been slightly too much for him. Despite that, however, any offer of hers to assist at more difficult moments had been met with cold refusal.

Fortunately, he'd reached the cave's end with only a few light scratches and the trio had carried on, advancing through the long abandoned commoner village at the Crossroads' eastern end, then down another corridor, until they'd come to the great liftway, alike the one laying in ruin below the City of Tears, that connected down to the capital's storerooms, exactly where their target Grimmtorch was supposed to lay. Of course, riding the ornate cage had been out of the question, if only because of the racket it would've made, so the maintenance hatch had been located in short order.

Now looking up from it, Hornet spoke: "I shall descend first, you two follow me." While bugs were largely impervious to most falls, dropping the full height of the lift shaft would've risked wounding and quite certainly been very uncomfortable. The female still remembered the soreness from when she'd woken from the plunge into the Abyss.

"Alright, go ahead, then," Adrian replied with crossed arms, his tone again carrying a sense of unfriendliness.

Without time to question it now, though, the warrior heeded, climbing through the hatch and onto the shaft's wall, soon joined by the male. With her the lowest, they began the long way to its bottom, the Grimmchild simply hovering downwards beside them, every once in a while eliciting an encouraging chirp.

It was still hard for the warrior to believe such an innocent creature had been born of a bug as wicked as Grimm. Granted, the small grub knew not even speech yet, but one'd have expected to see hints of their parent's elegance. Instead, the young being behaved more like Deepnest's hatchlings, having thoroughly investigated through the female and Max's hut in the morning, this energetic curiosity having continued outside into Dirtmouth, though thankfully mellowing once the hunting packs had headed down the well. The Grimmchild's juvenility, alongside their fondness for Hornet, who they'd yet to stray far from, had already given the spiderling a slight soft spot for them as well (though she definitely wouldn't show that).

That hadn't changed her opinion of Grimm himself. She was yet vexed over the troupe master's immodest advances towards her yesterday, even more so over the fact she couldn't punish him for them, owing to their alliance. At least the child was going to make collecting these torches of his far more bearable.

Reaching the first, despite the two wingless bugs' serviceable pace, would, however, clearly still take a fair bit of time. To make it less mundane, quite out of the blue, she decided to strike up a conversation, asking her companion: "How are you faring?"

For more than a few moments, there was no reply, which she wasn't content with. "I asked-"

"Why do you want to know," the hornet interjected, tone irate, momentarily taking her aback.

"I simply wished to pass the time in here," she then said, her own voice less friendly now. "Conversing seemed a good idea. And I was curious."

"You- fine," came from above. "I'm fine. If you're wondering, my queen changed my mind well enough, so everything's like it's supposed to be with it and-" He paused, descending over a rougher spot in the rock wall. "-and the night's almost forgotten as well, though you probably don't care about that, now do you?"

Hornet frowned. He was speaking of the night-long night terrors nearly all in the village had complained of in the morning, with not even Max and Lembit having been spared. Strangely, however, the female had, her sleep having actually been quite pleasant. But that meant not she wasn't concerned about them. She didn't want her allies and those close to her to suffer any vision, be it dream or nightmare.

"Anything that causes Max upset, I do care for," she claimed icily, glancing up the best she could.

"That- okay, that I understand," the male responded, not sounding too apologetic.


After that, the two fell silent for some time, keeping at their decent. Periodically glancing downwards, Hornet soon began to discern a glow from the bottom, which quickly became visible. Even with it in sight, however, they'd yet a ways to go. Seeing as her companion clearly didn't want to talk, she focused on covering that ground.

She didn't expect Adrian speaking up: "You mind telling what this torch's going to be for? I understood from Juss there's kind of ritual, but basically nothing else."

The warrior shook her head. "I know not much more myself, only that the flames within are needed for the ritual and that Grimm shall aid us for their delivery." She tried her hardest to spit the name.

The hornet snorted. "So, you don't even know what to expect?"

"No. It is why you're with me," the spiderling coolly said. "Need there be fighting for the torch, you'll help. You're trained."

"Yeah, for only half a day," her companion pointed out. "I know some of my skill's innate, but was that enough for a hunt.

"Well, most is learnt from experience. And you already showed the needed ferocity yesterday," Hornet replied, recalling the frighteningly powerful blow she'd thankfully blocked from him, "especially towards me."

She heard an amused huff. "Hm, I nearly got you bad, didn't I," he asked, much to her surprise, which he noticed. "I'm sorry. That was stupid of me. No one deserves to get slashed that hard training, not even you."

This broke the straw for Hornet. She halted, prompting an inquisitive chirr from Grimmchild, and glared straight up at the male, who'd suddenly a worried look. "Why are you-" She paused, noticing how close they'd come to the shaft bottom, with only a short expanse of wall separating them from it. "We shall speak of this on the ground!"

She nimbly made her way far enough down, before leaping to land on the lift platform, scanning around for any sentries. She saw and sensed none, but noticed (partly by scent) the smaller entryway from the wastes that'd stood sealed for the longest time had been broken open, likely by them. A few moments after, she was joined by the grub and hornet, whom she faced. "Now, why these jabs against me, Adrian," she demanded, arms crossed. "Have I somehow offended you?"

"Okay, you're right. That last one was a bit too much," her 'companion' admitted, "though I didn't expect it to make you this-"

"That's of no matter," Hornet cut in, fuming. "Answer my questions! Why the hostility?"

To that, the hornet nodded, sighing. "I'm sorry. You haven't done anything. Is just that it's hard to help it with what you are."

The female's eyes narrowed. "And what is it I would be that you begrudge? And why?"

"Half god. Look, when retooling my mind, queen Acrie gave me an aversion to our kind's rivals. That includes the king," the older bug explained. "I know you hate him too, but you're related and I can't like you because of that."

"I- see," Hornet replied, processing what'd been told. This was unfortunate. She'd seen the negative side of the male's change in his loyalty to that insufferable ghost and excessive aggression that had made him think it acceptable to ambush Max. This was yet another inconvenience from that.

In hindsight, it was clearly the reason her malefriend had acted so, at the time, strangely anxious about her and his relative heading off in the same pack.

She voiced her observation, to which the male nodded with a frown. "Yeah, noticed it as well. I'm fairly sure I can feel his worry right now," he spoke. "After yesterday's training, he probably fears I'm going to try and hurt you down here." This earned a suspicious look from the warrior, causing him to roll his eyes. "Not like I'd ever do that. Come on, Hornet, I may not like you, but you're my ally, plus basically family. I still have some respect for you."

"Truly," Hornet, perhaps a bit pettily, asked. "You'd an interesting way of showing that during our descent."

"Hey, I said that was stupid of me," the hornet shot back. "I'm sorry. Instinct got the better of me. I promise I'll keep myself from saying things like that again, okay?" Arms yet crossed, the Weaverling nodded. "This doesn't mean we're friends again."

Another nod. "Obviously, merely reconciled."

"Good. Then we should probably get going, uh, whichever way that flame was."

Again, he spoke truth. Their exchange, while helpful, had cost good time, not to mention left them exposed, even if both of them would've scented and heard any nearing threats. So, Hornet again showed her agreement, before starting into the doorway that was opposite to the wastes' entrance, rousing Grimmchild, who'd landed by her feet during the argument. The short hallway beyond it opened up into a great cavern, one carved and built in an excessively elegant manner reflecting the rest of the city below. Everywhere in neat rows were stone vessels of no doubt long-spoilt goods.

They had entered the storerooms.

Now it was a matter of finding the torch, something that wouldn't go impeded by sentries, as none still appeared to be near. Helped also by what almost felt like a soft pull at her gaze, it took very little for the warrior to spot a claw-tipped staff standing on top a platform on the side of the cave wall. Having brought it to the others' attention, she wasted no time and approached with a swift climb. Just as she reached to take hold of the wooden pole, however, it lit aflame and a red hand appeared around it, belonging to a small, crimson-robed figure, who dashed a small distance away from her.

"You must be the harvester," she greeted, warily strengthening her grip of her needle. "I've come for the flame. Hand it-"

Hornet couldn't finish, for the grimmkin suddenly charged forth, which gave her only a moment to jump out of the way, landing down beside her companions, the younger of whom gave a worried chirrup. She ignored it, though, raising both her blade and angry gaze back up at the impish bug, who declared: "Too much talk! You want it? You fight!"

The female growled to herself, before turning to Adrian. "Let Max know we've to fight to gain these torches."

"I hear you," the hornet nodded, having taken up a fighting stance as well. After a pause, he commented: "Don't look like this'll be much of a fight, though."

"Looks can deceive," Hornet stated, although she hoped he'd be right. "I shall clash with them, you strike whenever you've a chance-"

"You're still talking," called the grimmkin, his voice already becoming grating "Come forth and fight me already!"

"As you wish," came in return from the warrior, her fellows again watching on, as she swiftly leapt up and dashed, needle aimed forward, for the tiny nuisance, who held the torch as if he'd a chance of warding her off with it. Before she could skewer them, however, the bug shot backwards, halting over the next platform, where he burst into manic cackling.

This, along with the mislead's gall, only frustrated Hornet further and she shot after the imp, prompting him to again retreat, although this time, she didn't give him another chance to stop. Unfortunately, neither did his laughter, which rang through the storeroom, as the spiderling pursued him throughout it, soon beginning to gain on the grimmkin, whose uncanny swiftness, in the end, couldn't match hers. Swinging from a chain once probably used to haul cargo, she closed in for the kill.

However, she was once more robbed of it, as the torch bearer vanished in a flash of crimson. Landing from her attack, Hornet furiously looked around, as did Grimmchild and Adrian. A few steps behind the latter, their adversary suddenly reappeared, casting three flameballs from the grimmtorch. The male reacted a moment too soon and was grazed across the left arm by one of them, making him grunt in pain. He lunged for the tiny bug, who shot up, out of his reach.

"Get back, you coward," the hornet shouted, as he circled above him, still giggling.

Hornet jumped to his side. Making sure not to express too much concern, she asked: "How fare you?"

"I'm fine. Barely even felt it," he claimed, meanwhile rapidly shaking the struck limb. She rolled her eyes, eliciting from him a soft growl. "Look, just get that little doma back here so I can hit 'em properly."

"It'll be done," the warrior assured. Firstly, however, she took aim and threw her needle at the grimmkin, whom it actually managed to hit, before he vanished as he'd before, reappearing a small distance away, their laughter finally at an end. Having caught her blade, Hornet darted after him and the chase started anew. She was quickly on the now panicked fiend's tail, where, as promised, she began to drive him towards her companion using light, harassing stabs. With a final, sharply angled dash from the cargo-chain, she forced the wicked bug into barreling straight towards Adrian, who'd his nail readied.

If this wasn't the killing blow, then it'd for sure create the opening for it.

The hornet swung, his weapon cutting right through the red fiend, only to leave him completely unscathed. He halted a safe distance away, before bursting into mocking laughter again, as the two hunters stared on in disbelief.

"Truly thought you could cheat, huh," the grimmkin asked smugly, then declaring: "This is a ritual battle! For ritual participants only!"


MAX


Minutes before

An unpleasant jolt ran through the hive mind, causing Max to wince, which got his companion's attention.

"Something wrong?"

The hornet nodded. "My uncle took a hit," he replied, knowing that for a fact.

"Damn. He alright?" The bug, at that, focused on his hivemate, feeling he was no less energetic, albeit far angrier than before. Relieved, he gave a more confident nod, making the soldier smirk. "Good to hear." They both then turned their attention to the tall unlit wooden pole that stood right up ahead on the path. The plan to get it was simple and hopefully quick. "So, you ready?"

"I guess I have to be," said the hornet a bit indifferently and stepped forward, unsheathing his nail. "Wait for my word, okay? And don't shoot me." He glanced back to see the man giving a thumbs up. He stopped a few feet from the grimmtorch, which still looked inactive, pointing his weapon at it.

"Hey, we know you're, uh, in there. Just come out and let's settle this."

The moment he'd finished, the torch burst to life and its tiny red holder appeared, a pout on his mask. "Fine! If you want to make it so boring!"

Max shrugged. "That's basically the idea, yeah." He was about to yell for Green to shoot, but cut himself off, when the small bug suddenly dashed to the side, above the acid, over which he then dangled the torch.

"Well I don't like it," he huffed, "so you better dance interesting or I'm wasting your trip!"

The boy stared in horror. While not enthused with the task, he still didn't want to fail it. "Alright," he sighed, vexed. "We'll dance." Aiming to still end this quickly, he promptly swung at the bratty grimmkin, who dodged with a cheer, his demeanor having changed on a whim. The imp's laughter continued, as he evaded every following attack, growing Max's annoyance even more. Then all of a sudden, he rushed at the hornet, who was nearly ran over, but got in a small cut at his backside. This achieved nothing other than a pained yelp, though, and the song and dance of every attempted slash missing repeated over the other acid ditch.

Fortunately, the young hunter now knew to expect his opponent swapping sides again. When the manic bug did dash for him, he was ready and smacked him with the flat of his blade, leaving the tiny thing momentarily stunned over the path.

"Shoot, now," Max shouted to Green, taking a quick, cautionary step away. A burst of earsplitting cracks rang through the cave and the hornet looked at the grimmkin in morbid anticipation. However, instead of snuffing it, the other bug just shook his head, before breaking out in laughter again and he was shocked to notice not a single bullet hole in him.

Just then, he heard Adrian, sounding panicked, buzz: "Hivemate? Hivemate, only Hornet and you can hurt them!"

Hearing this, Max turned towards the equally surprised-looking human, seeing him take aim again. "Stop, it won't work!" The soldier looked back with confusion. "Only I can touch 'im!"

"That's right," the imp taunted, having somehow understood that, "though-" He was cut off by Max angrily lunging for him, to which he, in a red burst, teleported out of the way, between him and Green. "-if your fleshy friend wants into the act this bad, I might as well let him. So give us some space!"

He swung the grimmtorch towards Max thrice, each time launching three fireballs from it. As was intended, the hunterbug had no way of dodging them all in place and was forced back, while the little devil charged at the literally defenseless human. He'd retreated a fair distance when he evaded the last trio of flames. A bit winded, he caught his breath, noticing himself far enough that the acid moats edging the path had ended to give way for ground and plantlife.

Max got set to run back and help Green, before seeing a trio of leafy bushes moving towards him. Alarmed, he raised his nail, but then recognized the small green masks on top of them: they were those Moss Knights' from Deepnest.

Confirming that, one of them then spoke up, rustling: "Warrior Maxwell, the Path's whispers told us to seek you here, as well as of a vile, unfamiliar being. Please, let us battle with you against it."

The young tribal had to shake his head. "Sorry, but only I can attack him. You'd just be in the way," he replied. Looking at the warriors' bushy cover, though, he suddenly got an idea. "But you help distract him. I'll get him here and-"

"No! Goddamn it, get off," sounded Green's terrified voice, who he glanced at to see being pushed into the acid lake by the sadistically gleeful bug, with no way to push back at him, only hold on to the rock at their side. "Help! Oh, fuck!"

"Just spring up when he gets here, okay" Max hastily finished, not waiting for an answer to rush towards the man and grimmkin. He stopped some distance away, picking up a loose stone and tossing it at the small devil.

"Hey, Guest performers are great 'n all, but I'm still your main opponent here!" While making him cringe inwardly, this had the needed effect, as the red-wearing bug stopped tormenting Green, leaving him clinging to the cave wall, and faced him.

"Fine," he said with clear disappointment. "But you better not try making this boring again." The hornet shook his head friendlily, before turning around and booking it, the grimmkin chasing after and quickly gaining on him. He'd just about knocked him over, when Max reached between the concealed Moss Knights, ducking rapidly, so the imp instead flew over his head. He dealt the little pain a dazing blow with his blade's flat, before the green warriors stood up to surround them, letting him hurry back towards Green.

"Took your sweet time, bug," the human grumbled, as Max pulled him back onto the path and on his feet. Balance regained, he glanced around at the fizzling green he'd nearly been pushed into. "Though, thanks still for the help." Noticing them, he then turned towards the Moss Knights. "Who the hell are those things? And where's that little shit? You kill hi-"

Before he could finish or the hornet shake his head, there was commotion from the leafy bugs, as they each backed away, shields up, from the again clear-headed grimmkin, who swung his torch a time more, before pointing it at the young warrior.

"So much for being the main opponent, huh, summoner? You're lucky that was fun enough! Now take this!" His cloak bursting alight with red, he charged for the man and bug. Max, realizing he'd not thought of exactly how he would finish the imp off, prepared to meet him with his nail, before suddenly getting a far crazier idea. Dropping the blade, he grabbed the soldier's slung gun to a surprised 'hey'. He had never shot a rifle, but had held one, as well as seen Kent and even Adrian fire it at the former's questionably legal home range.

With that in mind, plus the few shooters he'd played at home, he held the gun as firmly as he could towards the rapidly approaching masked fireball and pulled the trigger. Loud, bright shots fired and recoil kicked in, making him release it, hands tingling.

He looked ahead, seeing the grimmkin had stopped, back to normal, and this time, with two very visible holes between their widened eyes. A moment later, he burst into a cloud of the troupe's red, leaving the grimmtorch, which fell. Thinking quickly, Max dashed forward and managed to catch the thing before it hit the ground. He looked at it, relieved. His job here was done.

"I did it, I won my torch! What about you," he buzzed, getting no response other than his uncle's worry.

From behind, Green approached. "Good shots, but never pull somethin' like that again, understand," he spoke, to which the boy nodded. He'd barely able to control the gun; a stray shot could've easily hit someone else. A rustling from the side then brought their attention to the mossy warriors, who had also come closer. "Now please tell me these things are friendlies."

Likewise, the leading Moss Knight asked: "Who is this creature, warrior Maxwell? Are they of your previous kind?"

"They're with us, yeah," Max replied first to the soldier, then said to the green-covered bugs: "Indeed, he's a human."

"Mrm. He bears a powerful weapon," the mosskin commented. "But his scent is strong. Impractical." Max couldn't help but nod, smirk even. While he didn't know how a clean human's smell was, after surviving the last few days, the ones with them honestly reeked pretty bad, far worse than a hunter like him could.

"So, why were you searching for me, other than to help with the battle," he asked, a bit worriedly adding: "Everything alright in Deepnest?"

"Quite so. Very well, to be truthful," the knight began, his two companions concurring. "Whatever possessed them to do so, the Wyrm's forces' retreat from these lands they'd invaded allowed the mantises to recover their young, as well as us ours. However, it's left us restless, this day and a half of no word from you, particularly due your warning that we've only a short time to vanquish the pale one. Come this morning, we mosskin decided to seek you and see if all is alright."

The younger warrior understood. He remembered the General had said he'd wanted to get in contact with them yesterday, but then everything with Grimm had come between, something the tribalbugs didn't know a thing of. "Don't worry, it is. We have liberated Dirtmouth. The main invasion is still happening as well," he promised. "We'll come down sometime to tell you where we'll plan it."

Though, the mosskin didn't seem satisfied by the reply. "Apologies, hornet, but I must ask you tell us something more to deliver back, something decided," their leader pleaded. "You see, with the youths' freeing, some among us, despite your victory in the trial, have come to doubt your and the human General's word and with so little news, we fear others may soon share this view. We need what would keep us loyal."

Max, quite overwhelmed by all that, couldn't begin to think of an answer. "L- like what?"

"That place of meeting you mentioned would do greatly, as well as the time," the knight offered. "Please, warrior Maxwell, give us your assurance."

The young hunter shook his head. "I'm sorry, I'm really not in the position to tell important things like that," he nervously tried to explain.

"Nonsense, your word means as much as the Great Human's," one of the other mosskin spoke up. "After all, it was you who prevailed in the battle, more so than the Wyrmchild-" The hornet let out a growl. "My apology, the princess. Still, that prowess must reflect in your ability to lead."

"Indeed, thus we beg that you tell us it."

The hornet seriously wasn't sure what to do. Telling 'rivals' like them where to find the den would've not only made Acrie angry, which, granted, he'd no problem with, but probably Adrian too. Plus, calling this kind of shot wouldn't have sat well with Juss, he was sure.

"Hey, you alright. What do these guys want," Green, noticing his hesitation, asked. The bug gave him the gist of it, getting a sympathetic nod. "Mm, yeah. Don't know what the General'd think of that, but it's your call."

Max took that into consideration. Also, what would've happened if he did not tell, quickly realizing that losing the tribalbugs' support was far worse than the others' ire. He turned back towards the mosskin, who looked at him expectantly. While he didn't think winning that fight made him too important, they looked up to him for it. That had to be live up to.

He took a deep breath. "Very well. Though I can't tell when we will get there." The Moss Knights accepted and he began explaining as well as he could the path to the den's inconspicuous entrance.

"You've our gratitude, warrior Maxwell," the leafy warrior said once he'd finished, turning to head off, as did other two. "We shall bring these directions to those cleverest of us, so they may go and wait for you there. Farewell."

Likewise, Max said goodbye and started walking to pick up his nail and finally get back to the surface with the human. Halfway to the blade, though, he remembered they had yet to hunt for food as he'd promised. This gave him another idea.

"Wait," he shouted, catching up to the knights, who each looked back, confused. "I want to ask if you know any good prey in these caves."

The leader hummed in affirmation. "We mosskin favored soil and fruit to meat, but we knew what traded to others. Stay, Moh, and aid their hunt." One of the others nodded, stepping over to Max, who thanked, before turning around to actually get his nail.

He hadn't heard from Adrian for a good while, though his buzz in the hive still went strong, as well as a fair bit closer than before, making him hope his uncle and Hornet had also finished their task and he was just too busy to reply.


HORNET


After Adrian's alert to Max

The revelation that she solely could harm the grimmkin complicated things greatly, wholly relegating Adrian to the side for one. Now the Weaverling had to battle the crimson nuisance on her own, drawing out even more what had already looked to be a lengthy enough battle. This was contributed to by the small bug's increasing usage of his vanishing, lessening the damage from her stabs (that the imp's cloak already enfeebled), as well as firing of the torch's flameballs, which made landing even those attacks difficult.

As the hornet watched on from a safe spot, the duel, or chase, rather, soon devolved into a routine, as Hornet and her would-be prey repeated the same course through the storerooms. This was infuriating to no end for her and making it worse was that the lack of surprises gave no more reasons for the grimmkin's high-pitched laughter to stop, even with the increasing shallow punctures in his back or Adrian's jeers at him. All this, she was quite sure, was starting to wear at her sanity.

But matters would still worsen, for when they were coming to the end of the third familiar, volant 'lap' about the spacious cave, she found herself beginning to get fatigued, her pace ever so slightly getting more sluggish. As an upside, so was her opponent's, his cackles also lessening. However, he didn't slow enough to be delivered the killing blow and they started the fourth ring around the old warehouse. About a quarter of the way through it, as the chased reappeared away from her again, Hornet's leg got stuck behind the cargo-chain and she plummeted down instead of leaping from it, falling by the roof of the passage to the city below decorated with elegant, yet sharp spikes. Thankfully, she only suffered a single, albeit painful scratch to the side, before landing besides the way down.

As she regained her bearings, the grimmkin floated in front of her from above, panting quite heavily, but still wearing a grin. She threw a desperate jab, which he evaded.

"Too slow, summoner," he taunted, keeping the safe distance. "Maybe your fellows'll come closer to earning my flame." Hornet had nothing to retort. She could tell that with her wound, despite its little size, and her tiredness, there was no way she could deal another blow to the quick devil. He was right, she'd lost. She nodded sadly, making his grin grow. "Just accept this 'parting gift', then."

He swung the grimmtorch back, to which her expression hardened and she readied herself. She at least could still dodge a measly attack like this. However, before the troupe bug could cast the flaming spheres, one suddenly hit him from behind, doing no harm, but making both him and the warrior look in surprise, as Grimmchild, who'd so far been able to do naught, but spectate like Adrian, floated down, belching another with a similar lack of effect.

The imp burst into laughter again, speaking: "Little idiot! You might be the master's spawn, but you're still a useless gru-"

From his new behind, a needle impaled him, pinning him to the wall.

"The sole idiot here was you," Hornet hissed betwixt heaves, having recovered from the surprise earlier to take her only chance at killing the damned nuisance, who she now watched rupture into crimson flames along with the torch, which were then absorbed by the grub.

A part of her wondered why they had waited so long to aid, while the most was glad they had at all.

She was about to thank them for it, when a voice rang from the stairway down to the city: "There! You heard that, right." There were other, more distant speakers. "Didn't sound like any beast I've heard. And it's not abandoning our post; it's right up here." Another muffled reply. "To the Void with you grubs, I am taking a gander." Moments later, a sentry stepped up, immediately spotting the warrior. It took another instant of staring, before shouted, raising his nail for a slash, which she moved to avoid and to grab her blade. Neither had completed their actions when Adrian suddenly rained down on the soldierbug, his nail eviscerating the beetle's midsection.

"There," he uttered atop the corpse, tugging the blade out, before looking to the female. "Max just told he's got his torch."

"That is good news," she replied, glad her beloved too had succeeded. "Let him know our flame's collected as well."

The hornet's eyes widened. "Oh? Okay, right awa-"

"Hey, Reim," interrupted him from the passage down. "That did sound quite serious. Did you kill it? Are you alright? Reim?"

"We'd best get going," Hornet spoke.

"Can't we take them," Adrian asked in an eager tone, standing up.

The halfling shook her head. "Not before reinforcements arrive or the king notices."


They had just made it onto the storerooms' main level when angry cries of alarm sounded from below. The hunterbugs and Grimmchild wasted no time in hurrying towards whence they'd entered, quickly reaching the hallway that'd lead into the large cave. Glancing behind, Hornet glimpsed at least four sentries in pursuit, one of them a winged female. This made fleeing back up the tall shaft not the brightest idea. Instead, she directed Adrian through the doorway into the Fungal Wastes, entering herself after pulling the lever to call the lift to, if only momentarily, distract the guardbugs.

Persisting through their scent, the trio ran through the noxious caves, shortly finding the path that they'd taken with Max and Lembit yesterday. Not soon after, they were already in the taller cavern that connected to the Crossroads, about hallway up which they decided to stop and rest, as the sentries were no longer in sight or earshot.

As Grimmchild settled between her horns as they'd the evening prior, Hornet spotted something different about the ledge to when she and her companions had passed it before, that being a crudely tied snare connected to a rope leading into a dark, suspicious smelling cave. This wasn't (largely) the source of her interest, but instead the glimmer in the middle of it, which, upon a closer look, turned out to be a charm. Taking care not to disturb the grub resting atop her, she crouched down, before swiftly snatching it from the trap.

"Huh? What is that thing," Adrian asked, having noticed her inspecting it.

"A charm," the Weaverling replied. "Could be quite beneficial. If only it wasn't this fragile." Truly, the magic ornament looked as if it could suffer only a few blows before shattering.

"Well, we can probably find out more 'bout it in Dirtmouth," the male spoke. "Let's go."

"Very well." Hornet placed her find in a cloak pocket and flung back her head, prompting Grimmchild to take flight, though with a disappointed squeak. They then continued their way upwards, her dreading to find out how long they had made the others wait.


Surprise, surprise. I am not dead, though I arguably ought to be, because this chapter is inexcusably late for what it mostly filler fights and inaccurate ones at that. It's just been quite a bit since I last played HK, so I buffed the Grimmkin Novices way up, which I only noticed too late into writing. The good guys were a bit nerfed too, especially Juss, who went pretty smoothbrain (kinda like me when spending two weeks to write him). I hope the little bits of setup were good enough.

A part of why this took so long was the minor depression I got when I saw how drawn out it was getting. With how long this and the other last few chapters have taken, I think it's safe to say I won't be able to finish the story by December, especially since I've another project I want to work on in November. Aiming to finish up in Q1 on 2021, though.

As alway, leave your opinion of the chapter, as I will read it. Also, if you haven't, go listen to the new Neil Cicierega album. It's fire

Every day, the nights get longer.