Nasty cliffhanger from last time, hm? Well, this is the aftermath, and we get to see how the HiveWings are handling this...
Cricket could tell something was off.
She was in the lab with Bumblebee again, running some tests to double check her own blood. The infection she got toward the end of Wasp's reign hadn't taken hold, but it never hurt to be cautious. Bumblebee was with her, doing some basic chemistry to keep her mind busy. Nothing harmful, and really, the bubbling of liquid was soothing to her.
Cricket's ears flicked when she heard the rapid beat of claws outside. She just assumed it was someone running, but there were more. That's when she noted the clank of armor. Guards? Why were they running?
Motioning for Bumblebee to stop her project, Cricket moved to the door and peaked out the window. Royal guards were bustling back and forth, shouting orders.
"Cricket!" A voice came from behind them. By its tinny sound, it was that pipe system that was used. She recognized the voice to be her father. "Cricket, are you okay?"
"Yes!" Cricket spoke into the pipe. "What's happening?"
"I don't know, but some HiveWings have attacked the palace. I think the guards have it under control, but stay in the lab and lock the door." Malachite ordered. Bumblebee was already on it before Cricket could ask. "I'm with Lady Scarab and Queen Jewel in the throne room. If they get in, fly out of the palace. Your mother and I will be okay."
"Do we know why they're attacking?"
"I do." Scarab interjected with a growling hiss. "My niece still has her powers. She's staging an escape."
Cricket's blood ran cold. "She found out about the execution."
"She did. The HiveWings don't have white eyes, so she is not in direct control. However, she still has a sizable amount of followers. She must have worn down their minds." Scarab spat out. "Stay there. I'll keep you apprised as needed."
Cricket heard them move away and immediately scrambled to the lab equipment. The lab doors were sturdy, but Wasp knew who she was. The moment she found out Cricket was here, there was a high chance of attack. Cricket was not one for combat, but she was one for science.
And the royal laboratory had just what she needed to make defensive weapons.
"Okay, Bumblebee, if anything should happen to me and I can't throw these, I want you to know what they do." Cricket gestured for Bumblebee to come over and held up a green vial. "This is acid. Throw it in the face of any attacker and it'll probably blind them."
"Will it melt the face off?" Bumblebee sounded disgusted.
"Doubt it's strong enough to go past the scales, but in the eyes.. oh, yes, that'll cause serious tissue damage." Cricket held up a clear colored one. "This is alcohol. Throw it and it'll splash all around them. Once you do, throw this one." She indicated a blue one. "This is flammable."
"Alright." Bumblebee nodded slowly. "What about explosives?"
"My, aren't you a little deviant? Wonder where you got that from?" Cricket rolled her eyes. "Anyway, yes, this brown vial has powder the humans used for explosives. Once it comes in contact with fire, boom."
"Cool." Bumblebee marveled at it.
The fighting drew closer, and both HiveWings got ready. They heard the shrieks of servants and guards bellowing orders. Cricket wanted to go out there and help, but she was no combatant. She may also accidentally make things worse with her vials.
"Seize them!" Cried a HiveWing who then attempted to burst down the door. They wore black armor striped with yellow. The mandible-like helm reminded Cricket of an angry wasp.
"Get the window open." Cricket whispered to Bumblebee. "We'll have to make a fly for it."
"What if there are attackers outside?" Bumblebee questioned.
"We're not really having a choice."
Bumblebee opened the latch of the window, ready to fly out at a moment's notice. Just as the attacker rammed down the door, Cricket threw acid at their face. The HiveWing howled in agony, allowing Cricket and Bumblebee the chance to fly out the window.
Outside the palace was chaos. Guards and attackers swarmed each other, although the guards were slowly starting to win. But what caught her eye was the prison. There, she spied an incredibly large dragon being flanked by several armored dragons. The deformed face could be seen even from Cricket's distance.
Wasp was loose.
"We need to stop them!" Bumblebee shouted.
"We can't." Cricket grabbed Bumblebee's tail to stop her. "We'd be killed or worse if we tried."
Bumblebee growled but didn't fight. Cricket dove down with her, escaping the chaos. As they flew away, Cricket noted that the attackers were starting to retreat and huddle around the escaping Wasp like she were a queen bee. Too many to attack directly. Some of the guards gave pursuit, others flying back inside.
SLAM!
Cricket was struck by an attacker and pinned on a balcony. She dropped her vials from the impact, them rolling around just out of reach. A powerful claw grabbed her back the neck, squeezing tightly.
"Do not resist." The HiveWing growled. "Our Queen wants you alive."
Cricket struggled against the HiveWing, but he was much too strong for her. With no stingers, she was helpless.
Splash! The strong scent of alcohol filled the air. The HiveWing turned, now soaked in the liquid. Another vial was thrown, striking the attacker. Flames erupted along the back, searing the scales and flesh and heating the armor. Cricket seized the chance and slashed with her talons, striking the face.
The HiveWing was dislodged, trying in vain to put out the fires that now began to eat away at his wings. He shrieked and howled as flames consumed him, falling off the edge and into the hive below. A faint thwak echoed upward as he struck the ground. Cricket looked down, seeing a bloodied corpse below that slowly burned away.
Cricket turned to Bumblebee, seeing her hovering in the air, shivering as if in the Ice Kingdom. Cricket slowly flew up to her, pulling her into a gentle hug. Bumblebee's eyes were widened with shock and terror.
"I understand." Bumblebee's voice was quiet. "I understand what you said before now…"
"Shhh, it's okay." Cricket stroked her back soothingly.
"No, it's not!" Bumblebee shook her head into Cricket's chest. "I just… the shrieks… the smell, I…"
"You saved me." Cricket tried to get her to focus on that. "It was the only choice. If you tried to ram him, you'd be captured too."
"I know it's the only choice but I…" Bumblebee shuddered in her arms. Cricket felt tears on her chest.
"Come on, it's not safe here." Cricket carried Bumblebee higher, trying to find the entrance to the palace. As she flew up, she looked off toward the SilkWing home only to see a burning orange light emanate against the starry skies. Her eyes widened, as did Bumblebee's.
"Dad!" Bumblebee cried out. She tried to wiggle out of Cricket's arms, but she was held back. "Let me go!"
"If we go there, and there's an attack force, we'll be killed or captured." Cricket's voice trembled at her own words. "We have to talk to the queen and tell her what we saw."
Bumblebee gave her a cold look. Cricket wanted to let her go. She was terrified that something bad happened to Blue and Luna. Sundew and Willow were likely there, too.
"Clearsight, guide our path." Cricket murmured as they went back inside the palace.
Inside was a wreck. Bodies of both guard and attackers lay strewn about. Blood painted the walls and floors. Injured on both sides were separated and treated. Bumblebee had a questioning look on her face as to why the attackers were being treated.
"They need them alive for interrogation," Cricket answered Bumblebee's unasked question. "That, and there's a chance they may have been influenced or controlled."
Bumblebee only nodded, staying close to Cricket. Blood stained some of the walls and flooring on the way to the throne room. Elite guard stood before the entrance, and upon identifying herself, allowed passage up to the throne.
Queen Jewel had taken as many civilians as she could into the throne room, including Cricket's parents. Katydid and Malachite both rushed over and embraced the two of them, nearly knocking off Cricket's glasses.
"Mom, can you take Bumblebee?" Cricket whispered to Katydid after Bumblebee wiggled herself away. "She… just went through a traumatic experience." She frowned, glancing at her daughter. "She had to kill someone to save me."
"Oh no…" Katydid's face paled, as did Malachite's. "The poor thing."
"Yeah, she's not going to be sleeping tonight." Cricket shook her head sadly. "I've seen what it does to dragons."
"What's it like out there?" Malachite questioned.
"Battle's over. Long story short, Wasp's on the run now." Cricket spied Queen Jewel speaking to Lady Scarab on the opposite side of the throne room. "I need to tell this to the queen."
Both of her parents nodded and went over to comfort Bumblebee. Cricket made her way through the crowd, approaching the queen, who recognized her immediately. She told both her and Lady Scarab what she saw, and to say they didn't take it well was a grave understatement.
"I knew it." Queen Jewel spat. "I knew she was planning something."
"I think the SilkWing home is burning, too." Cricket added on quickly.
"Of course it is." Lady Scarab hissed.
"Oh, she is wicked." Queen Jewel snarled, fangs bared. "I suspected an escape attempt. Where did she get the time – and forces – to plan an assault!?"
"Four years." Scarab stated as if it were obvious. "She has her powers. She must have been reaching out that entire time to plan everything."
"We need to help the SilkWings." Queen Jewel stood straighter. "Queen Luna is reasonable. She'll understand that it was not us who did it."
"Let me go first." Cricket suggested. Both older HiveWings turned to her. "I'm dating someone in the royal family. If anyone is going to convince them of anything, it'd be me."
"I'm not having you go alone." Queen Jewel shut her down.
"I'll go." Lady Scarab announced. "We'll bring a small force and rout whoever's left. You are queen; you cannot be caught in this battle."
Queen Jewel looked ready to protest but after a few moments, relented. "Fine. Take some of my honor guard. I'll have the rest search the Hive and nearby territory to find my cousin."
With the plan in motion, Cricket hugged her family goodbye. Bumblebee was still withdrawn, and although Cricket wanted nothing more than to scoop her up and never let go, she had to leave.
She just hoped that she wasn't too late to make a difference.
Blue lashed out with firesilk, beating back a HiveWing attacker that sought to swoop down on a mother and dragonet. Upon contact, the attacker let out a yelp and withdrew. A swarm of angry insects stung and bit the attacker before she dropped to the ground. The insects then flew back to Sundew, who stood with notable strain.
It never ceased to amaze Blue how she managed to train insects to return to her. Did it have something to do with Leafspeak? No time to question.
The HiveWings had largely dispersed by this point, but a few harassed the Chrysalis still. The attack was quick, precise, and over before anyone had a chance to figure out what was happening. Blue himself had taken a few nasty blows, but nothing compared to what happened to the council.
He couldn't see it properly due to all the flames, but he counted at least ten dead bodies.
"Alright, I think that's all of them here." Sundew reported before collapsing. She waved off any attempts to help her up, drawing an annoyed sigh from Willow. "Go find Luna. I saw Swordtail take her that way."
"Will you be alright?" Blue asked them.
"We'll be fine." Willow reassured Blue.
Nodding, Blue took to the skies. He knew where they went; Luna had explained to him the last time they were here about the cave system. It'd be the only logical place to go. Flying as fast as his four wings could carry him, he quickly found the entrance to the cave. SilkWing soldiers were standing guard, funneling survivors. Although the HiveWings had retreated, the fires still raged.
Inside the caves, Blue tried to remember which way to go. Was it the emeralds? Rubies? No, wait, topaz! That's what it was! Taking off down the path, he quickly found himself staring at a collapsed part of the cave. A HiveWing claw poked out of the rubble.
A bomb had gone off here. Time to find another way around. If there even was one.
What felt like hours went by before Blue was able to come to the other side of the rubble. When he did, he almost wished he hadn't. The sight before him made him sick to his stomach with worry and even a hit of fear. His concerns had come to light.
There were three HiveWing attackers, completely mutilated by flamesilk. Appendages were torn off and the stench of burning flesh perforated the air. Their deaths weren't quick. One was even still alive, all the talons gone from their claws.
And standing above them, flamesilk wrapped like a lasso around her wrist, was Luna.
She had the most anguished, rageful look on her face that Blue had ever seen. Blue never thought he'd be able to see someone's soul ever be physically crushed, but upon looking at his sister, was proven wrong. Her eyes were dead, tears streaming like overflowing rivers.
That's when he noticed Swordtail wasn't with her, and the collapsed cave behind her. His own heart stopped for a moment.
"Luna," Blue spoke softly, as to not spook her. She whipped her head at him like a wild animal. It scared him. "Luna, it's me."
"Blue…" Luna whispered, dropping the flamesilk.
"What happened?" Blue slowly approached.
"What happened?" Luna asked as if he had asked the world's stupidest question. "What happened?" She pointed at the rubble. "What happened was that we were followed, and an explosion killed Swordtail. His body is under that rock! And these bastards are the ones responsible!"
Before Blue could stop her, she whipped out her flamesilk once again and tightened it around the HiveWing's neck. She tightened it, and the head came right off. Blue's eyes widened with horror.
"… That wasn't satisfying," Luna whispered. Her face had fallen, but not out of guilt. No, vengeance burned like the flames that consumed her home. "He's never coming back, no matter how many I kill."
"Luna, please, no more." Blue pleaded with her. "I…"
"You what, Blue?" Luna turned her attention to him. "Go ahead, tell me I shouldn't have done that. That you disapprove. That Swordtail wouldn't approve." She scoffed. "Well, guess what, he can't weigh in on that, can he?" She shook her head. "Before you start, I know that Queen Jewel didn't do this. Not after that peace meeting. This was all Wasp's doing."
Luna stepped over the decapitated corpse, standing in front of Blue.
"However, I hold her accountable for not executing Wasp." Luna snarled. "She should have done that four years ago. And now Swordtail is gone, my home was attacked, and my subject's lives were jeopardized. We'll have to do a body count and then I'm beating down Jewel's door."
"Luna, please don't be rash. We have to focus on home first." Blue didn't know how he was managing to keep steady. Swordtail was dead. His sister was a wreck. He'd just taken part in something that Winter and the others had back in Possibility.
He was so shocked that he couldn't feel anything. Yet, his mind still worked. How?
"I will be." Luna slid her eye back, her voice cold. "And once I am done, I'll be marching on Wasp Hive and doing Jewel's job for her."
"What!?" Blue's eyes widened. "You mean to invade!?"
"No." Luna shook her head. "I have no desire to conquer. My desire is to kill Wasp, and I will not be denied."
"Luna, this isn't you." Blue ran in front of her. "I know you're upset. I am too. I haven't even processed all of this."
"I've had a few moments to process this, Blue." Luna glared at him. "My mind is set. Either help me or get out of my way."
"I'll help you bring Wasp to justice. Just, please, don't march on the Hive. We don't know if there was an invasion there, either." Blue pleaded with her. "Don't throw the SilkWings into another war. Not now."
"I have no war except against Wasp and those who follow her." Luna's fangs bared. "Once she is killed, and all those who followed her punished, I will leave the HiveWings alone. But not one second before."
"Luna." Blue stood rigid before her. "You're still talking about invasion. Even if you have no intentions of conquering, it's a slippery slope. Will you occupy territory? Because that's still installing your rules over another tribe."
Luna said nothing. Blue knew his words hit home, though.
"I didn't get to say goodbye, either." Blue averted his gaze.
"I just…" Luna's rage fell away, leaving her drained and tired. Tears flowed once more as she trembled. "Not one hour ago, we were joking about the tapestries. We were… I…"
Blue embraced her gently as she began to wail in his arms. Her cries echoed through the cave, drawing the attention of some nearby SilkWings. They didn't say anything, but Blue caught them glancing between Luna and the dismembered HiveWings further down. Murmuring came next when they realized Swordtail wasn't with her.
Blue shut them out. Right now, Luna needed him.
And he needed her, as tears of his own slid down his face.
To say Luna was a wreck would've been the understatement of a lifetime.
She barely willed herself to leave where Swordtail died. She knew his body was still trapped underneath. The dragonet side of her, where the mask she always wore was placed, still held out hope that he might be alive. That he was trapped. Some of the HiveWings had burst out before the explosion.
But even if the rocks did not kill him… the bombs did. Whether it was the one that knocked them both out of the sky, or the one he had on him. She still felt his lips on hers, the coppery taste of his blood in her mouth. It was there that she knew he was dead.
Yet, accepting it was another story. She followed Blue back up to the city, where most of the fires had been doused. HiveWing attackers were rounded up, being interrogated by the guard. HiveWings who had no part of the attack were apologizing up and down to nearby SilkWings. She wanted to feel bad for them. Luna knew they were innocent.
Yet all she felt was rage whenever she saw a HiveWing. And she hated that. Cricket was a HiveWing, and her sister in law at this point. Bumblebee was Blue's – adopted – dragonet. Luna had no choice but to be around them.
"Luna!" Io's voice called out. Luna immediately paled. She should have expected that Io would come searching the moment something went wrong. Blue's face visibly fell, too, and he exchanged a look with Luna.
"Io…" Luna whispered, jaw trembling. She couldn't even pretend that things were okay, not that she wanted to. One look at Io, and she saw Swordtail's resemblance. Sure, her scales were an iridescent violet and she was considerably taller than both of them, but it was impossible to shake the family resemblance.
Io immediately knew something was wrong. Her relief quickly gave way to worry as she examined the surroundings with increasing distress.
"Where's Swordtail?" Io asked, her posture rigid. Luna didn't answer. Her voice died in her throat. "Luna, where's Swordtail?" She whipped her head to Blue. "Blue, answer me!"
"I'm sorry, Io," Blue whispered.
"No… no, no, no, you're lying." Io stepped back, nervous laughter erupting from her. "He can't be… he's too stubborn for that! He can't be dead. Right?" She looked to Luna, who could only turn away. "Right!?"
"He died saving me." Luna finally found the will to speak again. "A bomb got him, and in his last act, he collapsed the caves to prevent the HiveWings from getting to me." She looked to Io, who had a look of such devastation that it nearly rivaled her own.
"No!" Io snapped, tears brimming her eyes. "This can't be happening, this can't be… Swordtail, he…"
"He's gone, Io." Luna approached Io slowly.
Somehow, the two SilkWings found themselves in an embrace, sobbing uncontrollably as reality sank in. Swordtail was dead. He was never coming back. She'd never heard another one of his stupid jokes. See his smile. Feel his body against hers every night. Taste his lips against hers.
Things she had taken for granted, a mainstay, now seemed so fleeting. Just this morning, she woke up with him next to her.
And now she'd have to go to sleep alone. If she ever slept again.
Luna ended up sobbing out what happened to Io. How Swordtail died was one of the most difficult things she had to recount. She'd done it to Blue, but she was so full of anger that it blurted out. Now that it was gone, it felt like someone had a vice grip on her throat.
"I killed them all, Io." Luna cried. "All the HiveWings that either broke through or swooped around. Every last one of them."
"I would've done the same." Io sniffled. "What are we going to do?"
"… I don't know." Luna admitted, finally pulling away. "There's… I need to get the SilkWings rallied."
Luna didn't need damage reports to tell her how catastrophic it was. A good portion of the Chrysalis was gone, and many displaced SilkWings looked to her for guidance. She had to put on her mask again, but it was impossible. Every other order, she just about broke down.
The body count started to come in. Ten council members, dead. Morpho was one of them. She began to wonder if he was right, in the end. Maybe Luna should have tried harder to get Wasp executed.
She was certainly paying for it.
Hours passed in a blink. Sundew had come up to offer condolences, and Luna barely remembered what she said. At this point it was going through the motions. A part of her still didn't register Swordtail's death. She kept expecting him to be there whenever she had to turn a corner or anything.
Blue and Io never left her. And once their parents found out, they didn't either. It was like Luna was being shielded from the world. But, she was queen. She had to act. She had to be a leader.
"Stop." Blue raised a wing in front of Luna. "You need to rest. You've been doing damage control for a few hours now."
"What?" Luna now realized that the sun was creeping over the horizon. "Oh…"
"The council knows what happened." Blue continued. "What's left of them, anyway. They're taking command alongside the guard. You need to get some sleep before Lady Scarab arrives."
"She's coming?" Luna barely registered what he was saying.
"Yeah, Cricket just contacted me." Blue held up a Dreamvisitor. "I don't know how, but she can do that when awake now. It's like I can hear her in my head. Given everything going on in Phyrria, something likely happened to them."
"Yeah, that makes sense," Luna said blankly.
Luna didn't protest as she was led to her dorm. The instant she stepped inside, it was like all strength left her. She could smell Swordtail's scent slowly fading. All the tears came surging back out like a tidal wave as she collapsed. Somehow, she made it to the bed.
Swordtail was gone.
And she couldn't even see him in her dreams.
I think we can confirm Swordtail is officially dead, making him the second major character to die in this continuity. First Coral, and now Swordtail. Also the dreamvisitor change will be explained in the next update of Moons.