Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kabbu took the last sip of water from his shell bowl before setting it down on the table. He looked around the room - He was still the only customer at the bar this early in the morning, which made the open room feel especially spacious. And lonely.

It was about time for him to go, so he looked back at the cricket staffing the counter to check if he was busy. He wasn’t, naturally, since the place was empty other than the two of them. He usually stood around with his arms crossed he didn’t have the friendliest air, but Kabbu had found him to be nice enough during his time in Defiant Root.

“Thank you again, Trey, as always.” He said.

“Heading out already?” The cricket asked, “Feels like you’re always going out there.”

“Of course,” Kabbu said as he gestured with a hand in the general direction of the desert, “For the good of the town, I mustn't get complacent!”

The bartender hummed something to himself and said, “Well don’t let me stop you. Board’s been pretty empty, though.”

Kabbu looked over at the job board - It was empty. The only one posted there right now was one of the innkeepers needing a courier to deliver something to the Termite Kingdom, but he didn’t want to leave town for that long or to take all the jobs for himself. Even if he could use the berries.

Pushing his worries aside, he assured the bartender, “No. No need to worry about that - I’m just happy to help. This town gave me a new life, and I owe it to the people to keep it safe.”

The bartender gave Kabbu a skeptical look, but whatever he was thinking he said, “We appreciate it - Just take care of yourself.”

“Have a good day!” Kabbu said. He carefully set the bowl on the counter before walking out onto the street.

A warm breeze blew down the sandy road from the town’s entrance to the west - Enough to be comfortable without kicking up the sand into his shell. The main thoroughfare was still empty save for a couple others, which gave it an eerie feeling under the orange of the rising sun. Kabbu could hear the bustle of merchants opening up shop in the bazaar down the cross-street behind him, below a canopy of brightly colored triangle-pattern cloths. He took in a deep breath of the dry air as he passed Isau’s clinic. She spotted him through the open door and waved, and he stopped to wave back before looking around.

He turned his head to look up at the giant tree that towered above the town - Its name came from one of the tree’s roots that stuck out into the sands and refused to wither. The bee kingdom’s hive was visible way up there, at the top of a long lift. Kabbu could just about make out the banners that hung near its entrance. He wished he had more reasons to visit his friends there, but duty called.

The noise had faded into the distance by the time he reached the edge of the town, where a couple bees stood guard. He waved at them, but he only got a slight nod of acknowledgment. The guards were never very talkative - They were born to guard, so they guarded, the way Vi explained it. It never sat right with him, but the bees were a different people and he didn’t feel like it was his place to question them. He was fortunate that beetles didn’t have to worry about that.

He wondered where Vi was right now. Probably getting into - or causing - trouble on her quest for fame and riches. Actually, it was probably both. Before his frown could settle in, he reminded himself that she could take care of herself, for better or worse. The people here needed him more than she did, something he was sure she would remind him of if she ever had the chance. She could come and ask him any time if she needed something, he told himself. He started on his route.

He knew his patrol along the main caravan route through the Lost Sands well enough that he could walk it with his eyes closed. The sand pits and thorn beds that littered the area weren’t so bad when you knew the safe path. These days it was even fairly pleasant out here before the mid-day heat settled in. It had been a long time since he’d seen any real trouble along the path. Though it may have been lonely sometimes, he had vowed to prevent the bandits from returning to their reign of terror over the trade route leading to the Ant Kingdom.

Defiant Root’s entrance was barely visible on the horizon behind him when Kabbu spotted a trader’s wagon coming along the road towards him, pulled along by a snail. He waved to the cicada driving it, who came to a stop to talk.

“Hello, fair traveler!” Kabbu said, “I hope your journey has been safe. I am-“

He was interrupted by the other bug waving back enthusiastically and saying, “Oh, you’re Sir Kabbu! I would recognize you anywhere - They tell stories about you in the city all the time!”

“Th-They do?” Kabbu asked, caught off-guard. He hoped the stories were good ones, rather than about the time he’d-

His thoughts were interrupted by the merchant, who stopped his snail and was giving it a gentle pat.

“Of course,” The trader answered, “You’re one of the explorers who stopped the Wasp King! It’s an honor to meet you - But what are you doing out in the middle of the Sands?”

Seeing an opportunity to steer the conversation back to where he wanted, Kabbu pushed back his discomfort and pressed on.

“Really, I was doing nothing but my duty to the Kingdom! Just like I am doing out here by making sure that the road to Defiant Root remains safe. You haven’t seen any signs of bandits on your way here, have you?”

After shaking his head, the merchant said, “I haven’t heard of anyone getting robbed on this route in… Well, a while now! I take it you’re to thank for that too?”

The gratitude was validating, but he didn’t need fame for fortune. A few extra berries might come in handy, but… He didn’t need it!

The merchant’s story matched all the other ones he had heard recently, including reports from the bees and the ants, but something was still bothering him.

“Maybe, but I think they may just be keeping their heads down for now. I’d hoped this would be over by now, but… I asked the Queen to consider offering some leniency to the bandits. She refused me outright.” Kabbu said.

The merchant was incredulous.

“Mercy for the bandits? After everything they’ve done?” He said.

With a sigh, Kabbu rubbed his forehead. He didn’t expect anyone to really understand, but when push had come to shove, the bandits’ leader had been an honorable enough bug. He’d even helped Kabbu and his friends out a little, even if it was only after he’d first tried to kidnap them and sell them to the wasps as prisoners. Maybe if they could talk again…

Kabbu still didn’t have any leads on where they had moved to, but it couldn’t have been too far because they had still mounted robberies on this road until very recently. Where were they now, and what were they plotting?

“Uhm, Sir Kabbu? Are you alright?” The trader asked, rousing Kabbu from his contemplation.

“O-Oh! Sorry!” He said, doing a poor job to conceal the embarrassment in his voice and posture, “Anyway, thank your for the information. That’s all I wanted to ask.”

He clearly hadn’t dismissed the cicada’s concerns, but the merchant turned his gaze towards the town on the horizon.

“I know that it’s just ahead, but would you mind walking me to town? Maybe you could share some of your stories along the way?”

Kabbu hesitated to answer. Stopping his patrol early felt like abandonment of his duty, but the merchant was right - He hadn’t spotted trouble along this route in a while. If it would make this cicada feel better, then why should he refuse?

“If you wish, Sir cicada, then I will escort you to the entrance,” He said with a gesture in the direction of town.

Beaming with delight, the merchant set his snail in motion again. Just as they started, the merchant asked his first question.

“Hey, is it true that you got so excited from winning at cards that you broke a table?”

Kabbu exercised all his willpower to resist a sudden urge to shrink into his shell.

“Wh-Where did you hear that from?” He demanded, with less authority and more desperation than he would have liked.

“Leif told a group of us about it one night.” The merchant said with a grin.

Of course he had. Leif had found that whole incident funny. Kabbu would have to tell him to stop the next time he was in the city. He was supposed to be a role model!

“Well… Yes, it did happen, but it was an accident! I made sure to pay for it, but after that I left the card-playing to Leif.” Kabbu said to the merchant. Fortunately for him, he wasn’t asked for any more detail than that.

They continued on their way, and given the speed of the creature there was plenty of time for him to ask about all the tall tales he had heard, and for Kabbu to do his best to offer corrections.

“…The spider wasn’t that big,” Kabbu said as they approached the edge of town, “Where did you hear all these stories anyway? Are they putting shows on at the theater?”

“It was back in the city! At, uhm… Maybe it’s better if I don’t say.” The merchant said.

Kabbu had a feeling he knew already.

He lowered his voice and asked, “Was it Doppel’s place?”

The merchant looked surprised.

“You know about it? You don’t seem like the sort.”

Just the mention of it brought to mind how he had almost started sobbing when he realized consorting down there made him a criminal. Kabbu did his best not to think about it.

He implored the merchant to understand by waving his arms for emphasis and saying, “Times were desperate! We needed all the help we could get.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Sir Kabbu.” The merchant said with a laugh, before suddenly stopping to look past him. He pointed in that direction.

“I think someone’s trying to get your attention.”

“Hm?” Kabbu said before turning about.

There was an Ant Kingdom courier, marked by the emblem on her hat, running down the street straight at them. She looked like she was completely exhausted when she finally came to a stop in front of them, and bent over.

“Take care there! Stop for a moment.” He urged.

When he reached out a hand to give the ant a reassuring pat, she reached up and stuck a sealed envelope into it.

“Urgent message… From the Queen.” She managed to get out between breaths.

Kabbu stood in stunned silence going over the reasons he’d receive such a letter. Did he mess something up? Was there some danger he had overlooked?

He saw the merchant giving them both - and the letter - a curious look. Kabbu decided that he’d have to cut their conversation short there.

“I-I better take a look at this. Enjoy your time in Defiant Root!” He said, masking his worry with cheer.

“Thank you Sir Kabbu! I will leave you to it.” Said the merchant before driving his wagon down the road, not prying any further.

Before opening the letter, Kabbu gave the courier one more look to make sure she was alright. She made a vague waving gesture to reassure him, and he tore open the letter.

Sir Kabbu,

I hope that this letter finds you well. I require your presence at the palace immediately. The details are a delicate matter that I must discuss in private. Show this letter to the guards at the tunnel entrance and they will grant you passage.

Queen Elizant II

Kabbu read it over a second time to make sure he hadn’t missed any details, but there were no details to miss. Whatever this was about, he would have to wait to find out. The Queen was often secretive, but his gut told him that this was going to be trouble.

“Thank you…” He started to say, before he caught the courier peeking over his shoulder at the letter. He gave them a stern side-eye glare.

“S-Sorry!” She said before backing away. Kabbu caught her looking past him, and he turned his head to see the merchant looking over his other shoulder.

“Really?” He said as he waved his arms up and down, “Have you no respect for the Queen’s confidentiality?!”

“I was just curious, I didn’t mean any disrespect.” The cicada said with a tinge of fear in his voice.

Realizing that he was flaunting the letter out on the street, he sighed and started to fold it up.

After a brief, awkward pause, he said, “Nevermind. Think nothing of it,” before turning back to the courier.

“Thank you. Please make sure to rest before you continue - Or at least get something to drink at the bar.”

He handed the courier some berries to pay for a drink. Even though he didn’t have much to spare these days, he knew it would have been wrong not to offer.

“It’s the least I can do.” He insisted before the courier had a chance to refuse.

“Thank you, Sir Kabbu,” The courier said when she took them, “Can I ask what was so important?”

A stern look fell on his face, but he didn’t chide the courier for asking.

“I’m afraid I don’t know any more than you do. I doubt I could share even if I did, but it seems Her Majesty is summoning me to the palace immediately. Safe travels on the rest of your deliveries.”

“Safe travels to you as well, Sir Kabbu.” The courier said. After judging that she had caught her breath, she stood upright again and waved goodbye before making a beeline towards the bar.

“Thank you.” Kabbu said again, under his breath. He waited to see that she didn’t double over again before setting off. As he walked down the main road, towards the tunnel entrance at the other end of town, he had a feeling he’d need all the well-wishes he could get.

The center of the Queen’s tunnels was directly below the palace’s entrance, only a short walk from the city’s plaza. Under other circumstances, he would have liked to stop by the house he’d bought with Vi and Leif, but considering the urgency of the summons it was best to head straight to the throne room. He knew the way well, and his mind wandered off wondering whether he’d have time to visit his friends or not when he rounded a corner and bumped into someone.

“M-My apologies!” Kabbu said as he steadied his footing. When he looked up he found himself face-to-face with someone familiar - A blue moth with yellow-spotted wings that he wore like a cloak and a little tuft of fur around his neck.

Kabbu’s initial surprise was quickly overcome by joy at the sight of his friend. He immediately pulled the moth into a hug.

“Leif!” He said, “What a pleasant surprise to run into you here!”

He’d missed having him and Vi around, though he didn’t want to admit just how much. They had their own lives to lead and he didn’t want them to see him as needy.

Leif’s response was hesitant, but he did return Kabbu’s hug with a faint smile.

“We are happy to see you too, Kabbu. Are you also here at the Queen’s request?” He asked.

Kabbu withdrew and considered Leif’s question. Their group had been afforded a break from official explorer duties ever since they defeated the wasp king. If they were both called here now… Well, he wasn’t sure what it meant.

“She did send for me, yes,” Kabbu said, “And it sounded urgent. There will be time for us to catch up later - We shouldn’t keep Her Majesty waiting!”

He really wanted to say something about telling other people embarrassing stories, but it could wait.

Leif hesitated, but he nodded.

“You are right. Let’s go.”

They didn’t have to show their summons or announce themselves when they reached the door to the throne room - The guards were already expecting their arrival and motioned for them to go straight on inside. Side-by-side, the two of them stepped through the imposing double doors.

The throne room had a long carpeted walkway which approached the raised section in the back where the throne was. The Queen, dressed in her purple finery and wearing her four-eyed mask, sat while she waited for their approach. The royal guard kept an eye on them, though his posture was relaxed in their presence.

Great stained glass windows decorated the wall on the approach to the throne, commemorating the friendship the Ants had built with the other great kingdoms of Bugaria. It was still not long ago that half were being kept hidden behind curtains. Things had changed quickly after the King’s attack.

When they approached the throne, both Kabbu and Leif bowed their heads.

“Your Majesty!” Kabbu said, “I came as quickly as I could.”

Leif nodded his concurrence.

“Time is of the essence today,” Elizant said, “So we will dispense with formalities and get straight to the point of why you are here.”

Two of their team were here. Where was Vi?

“We are very curious.” Leif admitted, though his voice was as dry as ever.

Kabbu didn’t want to admit he’d been wondering it most of the way through the tunnels.

Elizant stood up and approached them, to where she stood tall above them on the raised section of the hall, with her hands behind her back. Kabbu could just barely hear her sigh behind the mask, but didn’t dare to make an acknowledgment of it.

“I take it that I do not have to remind you of the power the Wasp King wielded through his crown.” She said.

“No, you do not.” Kabbu said. He still remembered the shame of being swept aside by his magic, in this very room. Not just him - All of them.

“Once we rebuilt after the conflict, Queen Vanessa and I agreed that we should try to understand more about it - Where did it come from? Did the Roaches make anything else like it that we need to worry about? These artifacts have already caused us enough harm… I think you would agree.” She said, giving Leif a pointed look.

They were good questions. Kabbu wished he had thought of them himself.

“We had wondered some of the same things,” Leif admitted, “Have you found out anything?”

“Not much, I am afraid. We did our best to trace the crown’s origins, but we didn’t get very far. The trail ended at the Swamps - and it may lead somewhere even beyond.”

Mention of the Swamps stung him with a pang of grief, but he pushed himself past it. The pieces were starting to fit together now.

“Then am I to understand you are looking for a team who is willing to explore further?” He said, gesturing outward with an arm.

The Queen paused and looked down at him directly. Had he said something out of line?

She answered him before he could apologize.

“Not quite. I already chose a team of explorers to go and investigate. I’ve summoned you here because they were supposed to scout the swamps east of the wasp’s hive and report back, and they haven’t returned.”

“Was it Sir Maki and his team?” Leif ventured. It was a good guess - The mantis was the Queen’s most renowned knight and one of her strongest warriors. He even had his own fan club among the other explorers.

But Elizant shook her head and said, “No. Maki has a different assignment, though it is no less important. I assigned three explorers to this mission - Vi, Levi, and Celia.”

A heavy air settled over the three of them. Kabbu’s thoughts started to race through his head. No wonder Vi hadn’t been here. All three of them were missing? Vi was as tenacious as anyone he knew, and Levi and Celia were already a seasoned duo that had helped him, Vi, and Leif out on more than one occasion. Those swamps could be treacherous, but it shouldn’t be anything that the three of them couldn’t handle.

He still remembered the last time they traveled through there.

“How long?” He blurted out, banishing the thought before he could dwell on it, “How long have they been missing?”

The Queen took his worried interruption with grace. She held her posture when she answered, though she looked directly down at him as she did.

“It has been a week since they were supposed to make contact. I know you want to run off immediately to find them Kabbu, but don’t be reckless or else I may end up needing to send even more explorers after you next.”

Kabbu hesitated. He knew that she was right, and glanced over at Leif to see if he had any guidance. His friend had kept his composure much better, and hardly moved a muscle when he spoke up.

“We are curious what you learned about the crown before sending them off. Why the Swamps? We can’t imagine anyone wanting to go there without a good reason.” He asked.

The Queen nodded.

“The wasp’s library has books with some information about the crown, and some of the roaches who came from the dead lands shared what knowledge was passed down to them. In older and more hostile days, the wasp’s strength was enough to frighten the roaches. They were the ones who created the crown as a trump card to play if the wasps ever attacked them. Sometime after they sealed away the sapling, they threw it away.

The king bought it from a trader on Metal Island. Likely it was fished out of the lake. As for where it originally came from, the roach’s suggestion was to look around the wasp’s borders. The swamps proved the most promising lead for our latest expedition. If there are other artifacts out there, we should know.”

Leif considered the words and rubbed his chin before nodding.

“We understand your concern then.”

Kabbu had to agree. What if the roaches saw any of the other bugs as potential threats? Had they devised means to seize control over them too? The bees, ants, and termites had never been as hostile, but the things the roaches had done…

He realized he was staring at Leif and consciously turned his attention back to the Queen. His initial panic had subsided, and he put a hand to his chest.

“My Queen, please forgive my outburst! You have my word that we will bring them back here, safe and sound!”

The Queen nodded at him too and said, “I know you two are up to the task, but don’t forget that the three explorers I’ve already sent were capable too. If you find something you can’t overcome yourselves, return to the wasps and share what you know. The Kingdom can’t afford to lose brave bugs like you.”

Kabbu nodded rapidly.

Leif spoke up and said, “We will be cautious, Your Majesty. We will freeze the whole swamp if we have to, and Kabbu knows the dangers of that place better than most.”

Kabbu stopped nodding.

No. They’d made it through before, despite his recklessness, and they could do it again. He just had to keep a level head.

“We will be careful.” He promised.

“Good,” The Queen answered, “Make sure you are prepared, and then leave as soon as you are able. Vi’s team stopped near the wasp hive before venturing further - You should start your search there.”

Leif and Kabbu both bowed their heads.

“We will find them before long,” Leif said, “And… thank you for trusting us with this.”

Kabbu glanced his way. Why wouldn’t she?

“I would not ask this of you if I did not believe you were up to the task. Now go. I will await your return.” Elizant said to them.

Neither Kabbu nor Leif said anything until they were out of the throne room and on their way to the palace’s exit.

“We should stop at the house,” Leif said, “And the market.”

“It’s a shame we won’t have time to stay with your family. I had been hoping to come visit again.” Kabbu said.

“They will understand. In truth, we are happy for the excuse to get out again. Things have been too calm in the city. We could use some excitement.”

“If you were bored, you could have always come to Defiant Root. I could use some help tracking the bandits.”

The offer hung unanswered in the air as they continued to walk. Kabbu was bothered by the awkward silence, but he didn’t know what to say to break it. Was there something he’d said? Kabbu found Leif hard to read sometimes, but he had the feeling something was bothering the moth.

It still took him until they were outside and almost to the city’s main plaza before he brought himself to ask.

“Have you been well, Leif?”

Leif didn’t answer right away. He looked like he was deep in thought.

“Leif?”

This time, he answered.

“We have been a little restless, so we think this mission will be good for us. That’s all. Has life in Defiant Root been treating you well?”

Of course it had been, even if making ends meet could be a little tough, and his hunt had come to a dead end…

Maybe a change of pace wouldn’t be bad for him either. Even so, he felt he should try and keep the mood up.

“Things have been well, but I am always ready to go wherever Her Majesty needs me… And to help out my friends, of course!”

“We appreciate it. Vi will too, even if she won’t admit it,” Leif said, “We wonder why she didn’t come to us in the first place.”

Kabbu wondered that too. He would have gone if she had asked, even without a mission from the Queen. Hopefully they’d have their chance to ask her soon.

They arrived at a small, red, and boxy building right on the edge of the city’s main plaza: The home of Team Snakemouth! It may not have been much, but it had served them well in their days of traveling to and from the city. They let themselves in to find it mostly as he remembered it, though judging by the random items left scattered on the bunks and on the dresser, Vi had stayed here before heading out. There wasn’t much else to clutter - The furnishings here had always been rather sparse. At least Leif’s card tournament trophy still hung proudly on the wall.

“She never cleans up before leaving. We should pile everything onto her bunk next time.” Leif noted, miffed but utterly unsurprised by the state of the room. He stepped inside and started picking up and sorting things into the drawers.

Kabbu smirked and shook his head. This was classic Vi. He started to help sort through everything, setting aside whatever they should take with them - Honey, nuts, and… a berry bomb? He set that one down very carefully.

“I hope the Ants don’t mind that she’s keeping explosives in here…” He muttered while he finished sifting through the items on the bunks.

“Kabbu…” Leif said from behind him.

Kabbu continued to work while he answered.

“Yes, Leif?”

“Do you remember how, after we defeated the King, we put his crown on the top shelf?”

“I do. Did one of the Queens ask for us to return it for their research?”

He found it a little strange that they had been allowed to hold on to it, but then again, hardly anyone knew that it was here. And they had earned the trust of all the Kingdoms’ rulers. It may have been safer here than in any of their vaults.

“Not that we know of.”

Kabbu stepped back and looked up to the top shelf where they kept it.

It was empty. Leif was staring at the same spot.

Kabbu took a moment to process the empty space before saying something.

“You don’t think she…”

“Oh, we are quite sure she did.” Leif said, “It was here just before she left. Plus, she is definitely that reckless.”

Kabbu couldn’t figure out why she would have taken it with her. Even she wouldn’t stoop low enough to try and pawn it off for some berries. She didn’t think she could use it, did she?

“We need to hurry. I will finish packing up here, you go to the market and get more food.”

“We agree,” Leif said, “We will meet you at the tunnels when we have said goodbye to Muze.”

As he redoubled his efforts, Kabbu hoped that Vi knew what she was doing. He’d have more than a few scolding words for her when they finally caught up.

Their path took them back to Defiant Root first, and after a brief stop there, the two of them headed out. Passing through one of the gates in the great wall surrounding the desert, they emerged immediately into the dense grasslands that discouraged travel by the unprepared. There was hardly anything that could be called a road here, but the closest thing to a pathway led the way to the hive, just short of where the the terrain gave way to the wetlands in the low area next to the lake.

On their way, they had some time to catch up with one another. Kabbu was curious how Leif’s family had been, and how everyone in the city had recovered following the wasp’s attack. No matter who he asked after, it seemed that things had gotten better. To his dismay, Kabbu's feelings were mixed on hearing it. Chasing down the bandits was important, but now that he was here with Leif, he realized that he’d really been waiting for something new for them to tackle together.

He told Leif about his work in Defiant Root, and his pursuit of the bandits. His words were met with silence as he recounted his adventures up to that point, but Kabbu knew Leif was listening. He was just comfortable with silence.

When they saw the gate in front of the wasp’s hive, it was the first sign of anyone else they saw since passing the great wall. It was guarded by a compliment of soldiers, who fixed their eyes diligently on the duo as soon as they came into view.

All the other kingdoms had been at peace with the wasps since the King had been defeated, but Kabbu still felt anxiety swell in his chest as they approached. He’d gotten plenty of scrapes from the tips of those spears…

“State your business, travelers.” The soldier at the front said when they were close, though there was a flash of recognition across his face.

“We are Kabbu and Leif, here on a mission from Queen Elizant, at the request of Queen Vanessa!” Kabbu said.

Leif impatiently added, “We should be expected, and have no time to waste. Let us through.”

Kabbu felt the air leave his chest.

“L-Leif!” He said, “We are their guests! Show some respect!”

“We are only telling the truth. They know who we are.” Leif said.

The soldier didn’t look pleased with either of them, but after quickly conferring with one of his comrades, he stepped back and gestured through the gate.

“Go on through, and follow the way to the right. The explorers’ campsite is along a path past the hive. Don’t get lost, though I doubt you’ll be able to miss it.”

“Thank you! We appreciate your hospitality!” Kabbu said, and pulled Leif along before he could say anything else that might land them in trouble.

Once they were through the gate, they followed the directions they had been given, away from the road leading into the hive.

“We have received warmer welcomes here.” Leif said once they were out of earshot of the gate guards.

He was right. The wasps had been so grateful towards them after the king’s defeat. Kabbu had to imagine they still were.

“It has been some time since we came to visit together, not that I think they’ve forgotten anything that happened.” Kabbu said.

Leif stopped walking and put a hand behind his head, with his gaze drifting upwards.

“Yeah… It has,” He said thoughtfully, “It’s good to be traveling with you again, Kabbu. We missed it more than we realized.”

Hearing it warmed Kabbu’s heart. He raised a hand to place gently on Leif’s shoulder. His body was cold, but Kabbu didn’t pull away. With a smile he said, “I would venture back into the dead lands again for you, or any of our friends! All you need to do is ask!”

Leif’s gaze turned downward again to look Kabbu in the eye. His expression turned to a faint smile.

“We hope that isn’t ever necessary,” He said, “But we would do the same. Now, let’s keep going. We can enjoy our reunion properly once we find Vi.”

Kabbu nodded, and without any more words to spare, they continued down the path again.

Most of the hive’s activity was inside, but there were still a handful of buildings clustered around the road.

“They have rebuilt quickly after the king’s neglect.” Leif commented as they passed through. Kabbu had been thinking the same thing and nodded.

They soon found themselves in a small outdoor market, a new addition since Kabbu’s last visit. It was only a few stalls and the crowd was pretty thin, but on their way by he could see a few merchants peddling their wares - A weathered-looking ladybug with a big cloak selling food from the golden hills, a beetle with a spiky brown shell with a selection of different plants, and a jovial-looking termite showing off a selection of furniture and woodcrafts.

It brought a smile to his face - When he’d first come to Bugaria, such a sight would have been unthinkable. He hoped they’d succeed, even if he didn’t have the time or berries to buy from them right now.

They continued down the path, well past the edge of the hive’s clearing, until they came to the campsite. Against Kabbu’s expectations that it would be deserted, there was a brown moth sitting on a stick by the campfire, facing away from them. Something was very familiar about them, but he couldn’t quite place it from behind.

“Greetings!” Kabbu said as he and Leif circled the campsite to get a better look at them.

“Hmm?” The moth hummed. He shut the cover of his book and looked up at the both of them. When his eyes met theirs, he let out a slight gasp.

“Kabbu! Leif!” He said, “I heard that the wasps requested some more explorers to come - I should have guessed it might be you two!”

“And with the roaches involved, we should have guessed you would be here Professor.” Leif said.

Kabbu failed to muster an easy greeting. It was suddenly a struggle to breathe steadily. He had been prepared for the Swamps, but not for this. Once both the Professor and Leif were staring at him, he forced some words out.

“N-Neo!” He said, “What a pleasant surprise to meet you here! It’s been too long!”

Professor Neolith smiled warmly and set his book side.

“It really has been! I had meant to return to Defiant Root, but Queen Vanessa asked me to help with this research. It was a little awkward staying here at first, but they’ve provided me with everything I could hope for so far.”

Kabbu was still too flustered to string together a few coherent sentences. At the edge of his vision, Kabbu saw Leif looking from, to the Professor, and then back again.

“Now that we think of it, we are hungry. We will be back soon.” He said before turning back to the path they had just come from.

“You can eat here at the camp!” Kabbu said, doing his best not to sound desperate, “We will not be offended.”

Leif replied with a deadpan stare.

“We will purchase some food from the wasps,” he said, “to preserve our supplies for when we are in the Swamps. It will not take long.”

Without allowing time for further objection, he started back towards the hive.

Abandoned by his teammate and left to fend for himself, Kabbu felt a powerful urge to curl up under his shell. Instead, he sat down across from Neolith so he wouldn’t have to depend on his shaky legs.

“He’s right, Kabbu,” Neolith said, “You may be in there for a while if you’re going to find Vi and the others. We had planned for the possibility that this could be a long scouting trip.”

Kabbu shook himself out of his stupor. He had to stay brave.

“I didn’t doubt his wisdom! I just wanted to make sure he felt welcome to eat here if he wanted.”

“That is kind of you, though I don’t know why he wouldn’t.” Neolith said.

An awkward silence settled in over the two of them, the only sounds coming from the distant bustle of the hive.

Kabbu reminded himself that he had handled much worse situations than this. He could definitely think of something interesting or impressive to say. He had this.

“Have you… Been reading any good books lately?”

Or maybe he didn’t.

The professor chuckled.

“Of course I have - That’s much of what I do, after all! Now that the wasps are willing to share what’s in their library, I’ve been able to learn a lot I couldn’t before. That’s what brought explorers back out here in the first place.”

Oh, wait, that had actually worked.

“R-Really?” Kabbu said, “I’d be interested to hear more about what you learned! Maybe once we’re back with the others. I can tell you about everything you’ve missed in Defiant Root too!”

“That would be nice! I’ve been wondering how the town has been… And I’ve been missing Crisbee’s donuts.”

“It’s a plan then!”

And then, against his will, he started laughing out of relief. He put a hand up to his mouth, but he couldn’t help himself.

“What’s so funny?” The Professor asked.

“Oh… Oh, it’s nothing! I don’t know what came over me,” He said as he calmed down, “But I am glad to see that you are still safe and happy. It sounds like there’s no shortage of work for you, even after discovering the sapling, but… How about outside of your research? How have you been doing?”

The Professor looked uncertain how to answer, with his hands clasped together nervously in front of him and antennae drooping. Kabbu worried that maybe he’d hit a sore spot.

“Well,” Neolith said, “Preparing for this expedition has kept me busy for several moons now. The hive’s library has been my most common companion. Even though one of the assistants to the librarian has been very interested in my work, I can’t say I have been making many friends. They’re eager to learn more, but a little overbearing.”

While he spoke, Kabbu listened carefully and thought. There had to be something he could do to cheer his friend up, even if it had to wait for their return.

“I’m sure you’ll find friendly faces among the wasps when you have the chance to meet some more of them!” Kabbu said, doing his best to be reassuring, “It sounds like you could stand to get out a little more. I know the area around here isn’t safe to walk around on your own, but how about when we come back, I show you the path down to the lakeside? The view is even better than the one from the pier in the Ant Kingdom, and I swear you will be safe with me!”

Neolith’s frown turned into a faint smile.

“I think I’d like that. Is that a promise, then?”

Kabbu nodded emphatically, “On my honor as an explorer!”

Neo chuckled. Maybe that had been a little too dramatic.

“I’ll make sure to hold you to it then, sir knight!”

Kabbu found himself smiling, and he was happy to sit there and enjoy the moment together. A sense of peace and comfort flowed through him… until a question crossed his mind.

“Neo, may I ask you a something?” He said, breaking the quiet.

The moth’s antennae perked up.

“About what? The expedition? Though you’re always welcome to ask me anything, Kabbu!”

Kabbu shook his head.

“N-No, not exactly at least. Before Vi and the others left, did they ask you about anything… Unusual?”

Did he know about the crown?

“Unusual? Like what?”

“Just… Anything out of the ordinary about the Roaches, or their artifacts.”

Kabbu didn’t want to have to answer the kind of questions he might get if it got out that the crown was out there in the swamps - At least for now. He would explain everything once they returned and everything was made right.

“No… Not that I can remember,” Neolith said, “You sound like you have something specific in mind. Can I ask what it is?”

Drat. Neo was on to him.

“Well…” He started, but before he had to try and come up with an explanation, he could hear footsteps behind him. And the sound of Leif munching on something. His friend had returned to save him!

“We hope we aren’t interrupting.” Leif said.

Kabbu shook his head and said, “No, nothing of the sort, Leif! The Professor and I were just chatting. I am ready to go if you are - Our friends are counting on us!”

“We are ready now.” Leif said, eyes shifting back and forth between the two of them appraisingly.

Though just a few minutes ago he would have been eager, Kabbu was a little reluctant to leave now. It took him a second to will himself back onto his feet.

“It was good to see you again, Neo. We will talk again once we return.”

“Be careful, you two.” Neolith said. A concerned frown swept over his face.

“We will!” Kabbu promised, “We will be back with the others before long.”

“We will keep him from rushing into danger.” Leif said with a smirk.

“I’m sure you’ll try!” Neolith said.

Kabbu frowned, but he let the joke slide.

They waved their last goodbyes, and then Kabbu followed behind Leif on the path leading into the Swamps. He was happy to keep his thoughts to himself for a change while his nerves calmed down, but once they had put some distance between themselves and the camp, Leif spoke up.

“So… Did you finally tell the Professor how you feel? How long will you make him wait?”

“W…What?!” Kabbu said. His panic suddenly rushed back to fill his body. How could he know about that?!

“I don’t know what you mean! I was just catching up with a friend.”

Leif stopped and turned around to stare him in the eyes, face to face.

“Kabbu,” He said, “You are a terrible liar. Plus, it was obvious from the first time we met him together that you had feelings for him. Did you say something or not?”

As quickly as he’d gotten worked up, he was filled with defeated exhaustion and his posture sagged. Was it really that obvious? Did that mean Neo could already tell too?

His mouth felt dry, but he wouldn’t leave Leif unanswered.

“I… It has never felt like the right time. We are both busy, and I don’t want to impose on him…”

Leif allowed him to trail off without protest, but he kept on studying Kabbu until he’d weighed the response.

“Kabbu, don’t leave things unsaid to the people you care for. We can speak from experience.”

Kabbu frowned. Leif was right, and he had failed his friend - Failed to understand the lessons he had tried to share.

“I will talk to him when we return. I promise.”

“Do you want to turn back now? It is not too late to do it before we leave.”

It was tempting… But their mission still had to come first. There would be time for the rest when everyone was safe.

“No. Everyone is counting on us to find our friends, and the sooner we do it the better!”

Leif stared at him for a few seconds longer. It was impossible to discern if there was any judgment behind his eyes.

“If you are sure, Kabbu. We will hold you to your promise - You deserve to be happy too.”

That left him at a loss for words. Leif was seldom one for heartfelt remarks, but when he was, it was important. It left him reinvigorated, and his determination redoubled.

“Lead the way, Leif!”

Leif nodded, and then as if their conversation hadn’t happened, he turned back around and continued on down the trail.

Two days into their expedition, and Kabbu was as certain as ever that nothing good ever happened out in the wilds at the edge of Bugaria. That was doubly true for the swampy lowlands beyond the wasp kingdom. Kabbu was certain of that. The last time he’d come through here, he’d almost lost both of his teammates. The first time, he had.

The incessant sound of life surrounded them on the muddy paths, but whatever was making the sound was always just out of sight. Trails frequently ran into thickets or were interrupted by stagnant water stained with the area’s characteristic purple hue. It was easy to get lost even when going down a known path, and this time Kabbu wasn’t sure exactly where they were going.

Though they had been constantly looking for any signs of their friends, they only occasionally found one - The leftovers of a recent skirmish with the leafbugs or the remains of a campfire. The last fire pit they had passed still had a few glowing embers. Kabbu knew they had to be both on the right path and close, even if Leif maintained a healthy skepticism.

After some time in silence moving single-file down a narrow path, walled in on both sides by thick grass, Leif spoke up.

“We find it strange we have not met the leafbugs yet. The last time we were here, they set up ambushes for us. We have seen signs of them, but no more than that.”

“If they were hunting our friends, they may be focused on following their trail. All the more reason it’s important we find them soon! They are clearly in danger.”

The leafbugs were native to the swamps, aggressively territorial, and spoke a language unfamiliar to anyone from Bugaria. Kabbu would have preferred to have dealt with them peacefully on his previous visits, but unfortunately the circumstances made it impossible. He wasn’t getting his hopes up that it would be any better this time either.

“We agree,” Leif said, “They will be tired if they have been chased this whole time.”

“You’re right. Let’s pick up our pace!”

He could see the path end up ahead, giving way to an open clearing.

“Be vigilant - If we do get ambushed, it will be up ahead here when we are about to get out into the open.”

He glanced back to see Leif nod, and they both fell quiet, keeping their senses focused on their surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary - yet.

They marched out into the clearing quickly, but their caution was unnecessary. There was no ambush. There was, however, a path that wound its way through the clearing before stopping in front of a massive wooden construction, immediately after which the ground suddenly fell away. It was tall and rectangular, with ropes and what looked like massive wheels at the base. There was more next to it, atop a cliff.

“More of these buildings… We’re surprised to see them this far out,” Leif said as he tilted his head back to take in the full height, “…Is this a drawbridge?”

Kabbu looked at it again. Leif was right - Those weren’t wheels, but large mechanisms for lowering and raising the bridge.

“It is! I wonder where it leads, though if our friends had crossed it, it would be lowered already.”

“Assuming it even works. If you really want, we can try when we come back through-”

Leif suddenly stopped. Kabbu listened.

Some grass rustled just to their right.

Both immediately assumed a formation with Kabbu in front, ready to defend from attack. Two figures emerged from the overgrowth…

But they were not leafbugs. They were a ladybug and a blue ant, both armored and respectively carrying a sword and a shield. And instead of launching into an attack, they walked out and waved at the two of them. Both of them were covered in scrapes and splotches of mud, and above all looked exhausted.

“Kabbu?” The ladybug said.

“Leif?” Said the ant.

“Levi! Celia!” Kabbu said, his spirits lifting for the first time since they had come here, “See, I told you Leif!”

“We are glad to be proved wrong,” Leif said, “But if you two are here, where is Vi?”

The two looked at one another. Levi answered for them.

“She left not along ago, up onto that cliff,” He said, pointing to the one next to the bridge, “We were looking for a way to lower this bridge. The chasm is far too deep, and too wide to fly across, even on her own.”

“Where did she go?” Leif asked. He was surveying the top of the ridge.

“We’ve been beset by the leafbugs ever since we came to the Swamp, and it was no different here. They surrounded her while she was up there, and she ended up leading them away.”

Celia gave him a look before adding, “Well, most of them. We still had to fight a couple on our own. We were in the bushes avoiding any more attacks and checking one another for any serious wounds, but fortunately we’re both fine!”

Kabbu didn’t answer. He was already looking around the clearing for a way they could get up the cliff and follow. There was a large rock that he might be able to roll over with his horn. It might not be tall enough, but it was worth a shot.

He didn’t register what Leif was saying to the others while he strode straight over to the rock, got his horn under it for leverage, and flipped it over in the direction of the cliff. It was far heavier than he judged it, and stopped to take a few breaths after just the first turn.

He realized the others were all looking over at him.

“Do you need some help with that?” Levi asked.

Kabbu was still too winded to answer. He nodded, and everyone walked over.

By the time they arrived, he could speak again.

“If we can push this over, it might be enough to let us climb up! There’s no time to waste while Vi is in danger!”

“Good thinking!” Celia said. She stuck her shield into the soil and got ready to help push.

Kabbu lifted the rock from below again, and with the help of the other three it was much easier work. They were able to tumble it head-over-tail until it was resting up against the cliff face.

Immediately, he climbed up to see if he could pull himself up the cliff’s edge, but it was just out of reach.

“Is there anything else we have that we might use to get up? Maybe I can give you a boost?” He asked.

“…We have an idea.” Leif said from just behind.

Kabbu knew that mischievous, slightly smug tone, and his heart froze. He turned around to meet him face-to-face.

“Leif… What are you doing?”

“Stand still for a moment.” Leif said before throwing an arm out towards Kabbu.

The next thing he knew, the others were gone from in front of him, and he was chilled to the core. While doing his best to suppress his shivering, he looked around the clearing for them.

“Leif?!” He called out.

“We are right here.” Leif said from up above.

Kabbu turned to see the three of them atop the cliff. Levi and Celia were kneeling down, offering him a hand up. He waited until he was up on top with them to say something to Leif.

“Why didn’t you warn me you were going to freeze me? That wasn’t funny!”

“Vi got used to it,” Leif said, “And using you as an ice block was the fastest way up.”

As much as he didn’t like it, Kabbu couldn’t argue with that. They had to hurry. They’d talk team etiquette later.

“Fine, it can wait. Levi, Celia, please lead the way towards wherever you saw Vi run!”

The pair gave a quick salute before leading the group into the thicket.

The path was not hard to follow - There was a trail of trampled grass, snapped twigs, and the occasional unconscious bug. She’d left quite the trail in her wake.

“She did this on her own? Vi has gotten pretty good.” Leif said.

Celia chimed in, “You should have seen her earlier! Her beemerang got three of them in one throw.”

“Her aim is impressive, but explorers still don’t travel alone for a reason.” Leif said.

They didn’t have to follow the trail for much longer before reaching the next clearing, right on a nearly-stagnant creek. Out by the water’s edge, they could see a group of leafbugs all out cold on the ground surrounding a bee who was face-down in the mud.

“Vi!” Kabbu shouted as soon as he caught sight of her.

“Kabbu…” Leif started, but he was already too late. Kabbu was already running out into the clearing.

“Vi! Vi! Can you hear me?” He repeated as he flipped her onto her back. She didn’t look like she’d been in too bad of a scuffle, but she was clearly out cold from a hit on the head. Kabbu didn’t hesitate to lift her up onto his shoulders. He would carry her all the way back to the hive if he had to.

Her bag had been hidden underneath her. Kabbu stopped for a moment to look at it, but he was more concerned with making sure she was safe. When he glanced back over his shoulder, Levi had run ahead to catch up while the others were trailing behind.

“She isn’t seriously wounded, but she’s unconscious. Let’s get her back to camp. You grab her bag, and I’ll carry her.” Kabbu said to Levi.

“Do you need any help?” The ladybug asked while he knelt down and slung the pack over one shoulder.

“Don’t worry about me - I’ll be fine, at least for now.” Kabbu assured him. The two turned to start walking back and meet their friends halfway.

When Leif approached, he recoiled with a pained look on his face.

“Oujas n’ifbuv juat.” He said, speaking in the old Roach language.

“Leif?!” Levi said as he offered a hand to steady the moth.

“We are fine,” Leif said once he took a deep breath, “It just happens when-“

He stopped himself and gave Kabbu a pointed look.

Right - The crown! It must be in Vi’s bag. That was good news, and all the more reason to get away quickly. He gestured for his friends to turn back.

“Let’s hurry and get out of here before-“

A sharp chirp sounded through the clearing, loud enough that Kabbu could feel it vibrating in his shell. Before he got over the shock, he could see bugs streaming out of the dense grass around them, weapons at the ready. Kabbu immediately recognized them by the tan color of their outfits.

“Bandits?!” He called out, “Ready yourselves, friends! It looks like we’re going to have to fight our way out.”

They must have followed him and Leif, but he could worry about the how and why later.

Everyone jumped into action, but there was no time to get into a proper formation in the middle of the ambush. Leif was able to freeze some of them before they could advance, while Celia defended his flank. Though he was still carrying Vi on his back, Kabbu stepped forward in front of them.

“Behind me, everyone!” He shouted.

Kabbu readied his horn and knocked a ladybug back when they came in for a strike. Though he wouldn’t be agile while carrying Vi, he could at least make use of the added weight. He lowered his head before charging ahead to clear the way. He felt the thud of three more bugs as he bowled them over with his momentum.

Once he made it to the edge of the clearing, he was able to set Vi down on the ground and turn to fend off another group of bandits as they approached him one at a time. Leif wasn’t far behind, able to freeze the soggy ground before him and quickly slide his way there in Kabbu’s wake.

Levi and Celia were trailing behind while they fought off the brunt of the assault, slowly advancing while back to back and beating away any of the crickets, ladybugs, and wasps who came in for a strike.

“Keep it up!” Kabbu shouted to encourage them while he and Leif made a stand of their own. The bandits were as relentless as they were numerous, but once they all regrouped, he was confident they would be able to at least make an escape, if not defeat them all.

But more bandits kept coming into the clearing from the edges, and a dragonfly swooped in and hit Levi across the back of the head with his tail, sending the ladybug stumbling, and Vi’s bag tumbling to the ground.

Celia stepped back to cover him, but the momentary lapse was all their assailants needed to put the pressure on them.

A wasp darted out and struck at her twice with a pair of needles, making it through her guard. She yelped in pain and almost stumbled over her teammate.

They weren’t going to make it without help, and he wasn’t going to leave them behind - Nor could they afford to lose the crown. He gave Leif a quick look as he stepped forward.

“I’ll be right back!”

“Kabbu-“ Leif said, but before he could finish, Kabbu was already dashing off through the bandits again. The more prudent ones let him pass, while the rest were knocked aside, and some of them got in strikes on Kabbu’s shell that were sure to leave him sore in the morning.

The bandits who were trying to press their advantage against Levi and Celia were surprised by the sheer recklessness of Kabbu’s charge into the fray. Their hesitation proved to be just enough for his allies to regain their footing.

“Get going! Now!” Kabbu said to them. Leif was conjuring up icicles and throwing them at bandits to try and keep a clear path for their retreat.

They didn’t need to be told twice and made quick use of the brief reprieve. Kabbu would have been right behind them, if not for Vi’s bag. The group of bandits was starting to encroach on him already, and the bag was right at one of their feet - A cricket.

Kabbu was bigger than him, and throwing his weight around had been working so far. He lowered a shoulder and checked the bandit, causing him to tumble back. Before he could get surrounded, Kabbu quickly bent down and scooped up the pack by the strap and started to retreat.

“Kabbu, hurry up!” He heard Celia call from behind him. Seeing that Celia and Levi had made it to Leif’s position to help defend the trailhead, Kabbu turned and broke into a run for the edge of the clearing.

Another icicle flew past Kabbu, and he heard it strike someone close behind. To his own disbelief, he was going to make it.

At least, he believed he would make it right up until there was a rustle in a nearby bush and someone jumped out and struck him across the face so quickly that he didn’t have time to get a proper look at them.

“Guh!” He sputtered as he spun around. His vision blurred for a second as dizziness overcame him. His friends were shouting something at him, but they sounded muffled. All he knew was that he was in even more danger than he’d thought, and he didn’t have much time to act.

He wound up a throw and tossed the bag into the air towards his friends. It started up in a long arc, but before it could get too far, his assailant jumped into action again, leaping into the air past Kabbu and snatching the bag out of the air. When he landed, he turned to face Kabbu.

Brown body, blue eyes, blue cloak, one arm - Kabbu knew all too well who this cricket was. He should have guessed as much from the speed of that strike. His heart rose into his thorax as he started to regain his senses and wits.

“Astotheles,” Kabbu said, “I should have figured you wouldn’t be far behind. What are you doing here?”

The bandit leader glared at him, “You’re in no position to be asking questions of me as long as you continue to serve that witch. Now tell your friends to stand down, and no harm will come to any of you.”

Kabbu looked from side to side and saw that he’d been surrounded on all sides by the bandits, each ready to strike. For now, they held back, waiting for their leader’s command. The others were still fighting back the bandits, though they wouldn’t be able to hold their position for much longer.

If Astotheles made a guarantee of their safety, Kabbu was inclined to believe it. For all his faults, Astotheles had been honest the few times they had crossed paths.

But his friends could still escape, and even if that meant some harm might come to him, Kabbu felt that was a worthy trade.

“Run!” He shouted, “Get Vi to safety!”

“Kabbu!” Leif shouted back, like he was about to give a scolding.

He knew he could be too eager to take one for the team, but this wasn’t the time for Kabbu to doubt himself.

“Just go! You need to warn everyone!” Kabbu insisted. If the bandits figured out that they had the crown… Well, he didn’t want to think about what might happen.

“We’ll come back for you!” He heard Celia shout from within the fray.

Leif erected a wall of ice to separate them from the bandits - And from Kabbu. With that, he could at least breathe a sigh of relief at their escape.

It didn’t last long under Astotheles’s stern glare.

“Always a thorn in our side,” He said before gesturing towards Kabbu and ordering his men, “We’re taking him with us - He’ll fetch a good ransom from the Queen. And be careful with him, he’s a worthy foe.”

Hearing the orders caused Kabbu to tremble - Not with fear, but with indignation. He’d dedicated himself to stopping their schemes, and he wasn’t going to go down without fighting to the last.

Astotheles was still holding Vi’s bag. Maybe if he took them by surprise, he could snatch it and make a break for it into the thick grass. It was desperation, but if that’s all he had, it’s what he would take.

Kabbu lurched forward and snatched the bag away from Astotheles, but he only made it a few steps more before the bandit leader had caught up and whacked Kabbu across the back of the head again, sending him stumbling and down onto the ground.

“That wasn’t very smart,” Astotheles said as he stood tall, casting a shadow over Kabbu, “But fortunately for you, you’re worth more to us alive than dead.”

Before Kabbu could retort, Astotheles struck him across the face again, and everything went dark.

Chapter Text

Leif poked the small fire with a stick. He’d warned the others that it might invite unwanted guests, but Levi insisted that they needed the warmth. Leif couldn’t deny that the flickering light brought some small amount of comfort against the dense, dark backdrop of the swamp surrounding them. They had run until their legs wouldn’t carry them anymore. That would have to be enough.

Levi and Celia sat across from him, faintly illuminated by the glow while they checked one anothers’ injuries and cooked mushroom skewers for the group. Leif’s hunger was gnawing badly enough that he considered eating them raw, as bad of an idea as it would have been. Instead, he returned his attention to Vi, who laid on the ground next to him. The more his attempts to rouse her failed, the more anxious he grew wondering at the extent of her injuries.

He was pulled away from his ruminations when Levi said to him, “So, what are we going to do next, Leif? We can’t just leave Kabbu with those villains!”

Celia was sitting with her legs close against her chest, staring distantly into the fire. When her teammate spoke up, she perked up, looked Leif’s way, and said, “Y-Yeah! But… Thank you for making sure they didn’t overwhelm us too. I don’t want to think of how it would have gone without you two.”

Leif could take a guess, but it was best left unsaid. After playing out the possibilities in his head, he still wasn’t sure what to do. Their foes outnumbered them many times over. Despite his magic, he’d be spent before they had a chance to take on them all, even if they got the advantage. All that was without considering their leader, a dangerous and lightning-fast fighter. He wanted to pursue them anyway, for lack of better ideas if nothing else, but what if Vi needed to be taken back to safety to recover? This was exactly the sort of situation where he’d normally be able to count on Kabbu or Vi to make a decision, but they couldn’t help him now.

Levi waited on Leif, but after waiting more than a polite amount of time he said, “You’re awfully quiet over there, Leif. Is everything alright?”

No, it wasn’t. This was bad.

“We are fine,” Leif said, though the strained furrow of his brow said what he wouldn’t. “We’re just thinking about what to do next. You’re right that we cannot leave Kabbu in captivity, but we worry that Vi may be more seriously hurt than we first thought. Helping one might endanger the other, but we don’t know which we should do. If only we had been with your group from the start, then this might not have happened at all.”

Levi considered Leif carefully before he answered, “If you are worried about Vi, then we can bring her to the wasps and return with some help from the hive. I doubt they’ll be any happier then we are that outlaws are roaming around here and abducting explorers. It will take a day or two, but now that we know the way it won’t be so bad.”

It was clear that Vi hadn’t told them about the crown. It had definitely been there - he felt its magic when it was near. Leif sighed and scratched the back of his head before looking down at his sleeping friend. Normally he would have wanted to scold her, but he couldn’t bring himself to be angry with her now.

There was nothing to gain from keeping secrets. Leif returned his gaze to Levi and said, “We don’t know if it’s a good idea to bring the wasps here. There is something important that Vi hasn’t told you.”

His fellow explorers exchanged a glance before Celia invited him to continue with an inviting gesture. “A secret? What do you mean?”

Putting it off wouldn’t make this any easier. Leif leaned forward, looked each in the eye, and explained, “When she left on this expedition, she took the ancient crown the wasp king wore. We suspected as much when it disappeared after she left, but getting close confirmed our suspicions. We could feel its magic coming from her bag.”

Levi gave him a questioning look, and after a little hesitation said, “The king’s crown? For what purpose?”

Leif glanced back down at Vi. That was the burning question, wasn’t it? He looked back up, shook his head, and said, “We can only speculate until we can ask for ourselves, though we’re sure she wouldn’t have taken it unless she thought it would help. What matters now is that the bandits have it along with Kabbu, and we aren’t sure what they might do once they realize what they have.”

Astotheles was no Hoaxe. Leif was pretty confident of that, but not much more. He considered himself fortunate not to have crossed paths with the bug since the search for the sapling.

Celia kept a tight grip on her shield, planted into the soft soil next to her. Shaking her head, she said, “Well, then doesn’t one of us need to go and warn Queen Vanessa? Whatever happens, the kingdoms should know.”

Levi nodded and added, “They know the threat this poses - I’m sure they will send help!”

They were right that the wasps should be warned. The king had already caused them to suffer enough. If anything could be done to help prepare them for the worst, then they deserved it. Still, Leif’s thoughts turned back to Kabbu. “But we-,“ he started to say, when Levi raised a hand to stop him.

“Leif,” Levi said, “Kabbu and Vi will both be fine. I swear that we will make sure of it. We took a beating back there, but the bandits had the upper hand. You defeated the king! Those ruffians won’t stand a chance when you’re prepared!”

Levi’s confidence was reassuring. After taking a moment to calm his racing thoughts, Leif said, “It is true that our pride was wounded more than our body. You two aren’t slouches yourselves. Okay. Together, we can find a way to fix this. We’ll be eager to get some payback too.”

The worry on Celia’s face softened, and she took one of the skewers off the fire to hold out for Leif, saying, “Here, have something to eat.” She didn’t have to ask twice for him to take it and start munching on the mushrooms. The other two followed suit.

They didn’t speak any more while they ate, and Leif’s head started to clear as his hunger subsided. By the time he was done, he’d thought of a plan. When he put the stick back down next to the fire, he said to the others, “It is clear to us that we cannot choose one path or the other, so we will have to split up again for now. You two must track the bandits and learn where they are taking Kabbu and the crown. We will take Vi back to the wasp hive and tell them what has happened. As soon as we can, we will come find you.”

The two of them considered his proposal while they ate. Levi was the first to speak up in between bites, and said, “I agree, but are you sure you want us to be the ones to go ahead?”

No, but Leif was as close as he could be right now. He nodded and answered, “It’s best to go as a pair in case you run into trouble. You two are already teammates and will work best together. Vi is ours, and it’s our responsibility to make sure she is safe. It’s also our fault in part that the bandits have gotten the crown. The Queen should hear it from us.”

Celia was frowning. “If you’re sure,” she said while wringing her hands together.

Now that he was feeling better, Leif managed a faint smile when he said, “Our team may have gotten the credit for defeating the king, but you crossed the giant’s lair and fought the monsters there too. We wouldn’t have made it without you then. Be careful, and we are sure you will be fine.”

Her frown turned to a warm smile, though one still tinged with apprehension. “Thank you, Leif. That means a lot coming from you.” Leif didn’t feel like he’d said anything that wasn’t clearly true, but he supposed that was her point. He nodded.

Levi stood up and stretched before poking at the coals with his stick. The fire was dying down, and it was already well past dusk. Crossing his arms, he looked down at Leif and said, “I can’t argue with your reasoning. With that decided, I say it’s time that each of us got some rest.” Leif and Celia both nodded, and Levi continued, “It seems like we found a nice spot to stop, but I’m going to stay up and keep watch just in case. I’ll wake one of you up later.”

Eager to get some rest and get moving, Leif saw no reason to argue. “Wake us first,” he said, “And when we have woken Celia, we will leave.”

With everything settled, Leif laid down on the ground, using a pack as a pillow. It wasn’t comfortable, but he was so exhausted that it didn’t stop him from falling asleep quickly. Before he knew it, Levi was shaking him awake for his turn.

While whittling away the darkest hours of the night, listening for the telltale rustling or snapping of something approaching through the grass, Leif looked up through the breaks in the bladed canopy to see the starry expanse up above. He wondered what was up there, beyond where any bug could fly. Did it really matter if they could never reach it?

Maybe, but not while his friends were still in danger here and now. If there were ever a way to fly that high, it wouldn’t feel right to go without them. He waited out his watch, grateful for the little bit of time to himself. Removed from the comforts of the city, he realized that he’d missed being out and about, danger and all. Looking back at Vi for perhaps the hundredth time that night, he still felt his worry, but also a faint sense of calm. He was fortunate to have so many good friends.

Glancing back up at the sky, he could see the moon up above emerge from behind a cloud. Against the darkness surrounding him, it was beautiful. It brought an old memory rushing back of a night just like this, long ago, well before his new life had started. Overcome by a pang of sentimentality, he muttered to himself, “We’ll get them all through this, Muse, just like we know you would.”

The late night and early morning passed slowly while Leif took one step at a time, carrying Vi the whole way. When he felt his arms getting weak and his legs wobbly, Leif forced himself to stop for a snack. He knew he was close, but it wouldn’t do any of them any good if he collapsed first. While he munched on chopped leaves, seated atop a rock, it occurred to him that he’d hardly been without company for this long since waking up back in Snakemouth. He reached down to gently touch Vi on the head and said, “Hopefully not for much longer.”

The explorer’s campsite where they’d met Neolith had just entered sight when he felt Vi twitch. He came to an immediate halt and observed her carefully. Soon, there was another one, and then a faint groan. Leif’s antennae shot up and he started to gently shake her in his arms while saying, “Vi? Vi! Can you hear us?”

Vi tried rolling over in Leif’s arms, sending him scrambling to keep her from dropping onto the ground. Faintly, she muttered, “Leif? Come on, just give me five more minutes.”

Normally Leif would be ready to say something snappy, but between her absurd request and the immense relief washing over him all he could do was chuckle and pull Vi close to himself in a clumsy sort of hug. That woke her up faster than any of his shaking or pestering would, and squirming in his arms, her eyes shot open and she yelled, “Hey! What the heck has gotten into you, Leif?! I’m sleep-“

Her efforts were too successful for her own good, and she tumbled out of Leif’s arms into the mud with a loud, “Yowch!” Leif sighed and reached down to gently help her back up. Though she wasn’t quite steady, she was at least able to get back to her feet. That was a good sign.

Once he was sure she would be able to support herself, Leif let go and said, “We’re glad that you’re finally awake. Do you think you can walk on your own? Do you even remember what you were doing before?”

She put her hands on her sides, looking him in the eye with a smile while saying, “Just a little sore is all! You don’t need to worry about me! I was just…” After her voice trailed off, her smile quickly turned to a frown and her eyes shot wide open. Worriedly looking around in every direction, she asked, “Wait, where are Levi and Celia? Where are we? Why are you here? And where’s my stuff?!”

Leif tried to answer each of her questions, but was cut off by her next one before he could get an opening. He only got his chance after she’d finished with them all and gotten herself worked up, but before he could start he noticed her swaying on her feet and her gaze growing distant. Just before she fell over, he held out a hand to steady her.

Shaking his head, Leif said, “We will answer all of your questions, but first we need to get you back to the hive. You were hurt pretty badly out there.”

Vi waved a hand in his face to push him away. She insisted, “I’m fine, Leif! I just - ugh!” Despite her insistence, she nearly fell over again, held up only by Leif’s support.

Before she could protest any further, Leif picked her up once more and told her, “The hive is not far now. Don’t push yourself, or you may hurt yourself even worse. We will not be taking ‘no’ for an answer.”

Vi fumed silently at first, but when she looked Leif in the eye her expression softened. While Leif walked along the path she said, “Hey, uh, if you carried me all the way here, I must have gotten a pretty good beating.”

Leif answered, “We were not there, but it seemed like it. Not as good as the one you gave the other bugs, though.” He smiled, though only briefly, and continued, “We were worried. You were out for a long time.” They were nearly at the camp, nestled in its little clearing, and Leif could see it was empty. Part of him was relieved that they wouldn’t run into the Professor immediately, though he knew that was just delaying the inevitable. He’d have to know too.

Vi didn’t allow the quiet to linger for long before she asked, “Leif, are you gonna tell me what you were doing all the way out there? Not that I don’t appreciate it.”

They had reached the campsite, and Leif came to a stop. He gently lowered Vi onto one of the sticks around the fire pit while he remained standing. Looking down at her he said, “You were overdue to report back here. Elizant sent the two of us out to go looking for your team.”

Vi crossed her arms and pouted. “We were about to head back,” she muttered, before realization crossed her face and she added, “Wait - two of you?”

Looking first back in the direction they had come from, and then back to Vi, Leif explained everything that had happened since he’d left the city, minus a few potentially embarrassing details regarding Kabbu and the Professor. When he reached the end of the story, he reluctantly added, “Kabbu was his usual self. We could not stop him from running in to make sure the others escaped, and he ended up taken prisoner. The others stayed behind to track their movements while I brought you here to ask for help.”

Vi slammed her hands down on the wood and shouted, “What hole did those losers crawl out from anyway?! Didn’t we beat them already?” She paused, calmed down again, and then asked, “You said they took my bag too?”

Nodding, Leif said, “Yes, and before you say anything else, we already know about the crown. It’s safe to say things could start looking pretty bad once they realize what it is.” More than anything, he wanted to ask her what she was doing with it in the first place, but he wanted to make sure she got some proper rest before he pressed her with questions.

Offering her a hand to help stand up, Leif said, “There will be plenty for us to talk about later, but you need to go see a doctor. When we are done here, we will be going to rejoin the others and save our friend, and you need to be ready when we do.”

She took his hand without hesitation and got to her feet, gingerly at first to test her balance until she was satisfied. Once she was, she nodded and said, “Fine, I get it. You’re right, but what about you? You look, um… not great yourself.”

Leif took a glance down at himself. He had splotches of dirt and mud on him and was desperately exhausted, it was true, but he couldn’t rest just yet. With a shrug, he said, “We will get some proper sleep before we leave, but first there are some things we need to take care of. The hive isn’t far now. Let’s go.”

He expected her to immediately start prying into his business while they walked, but to his surprise she left it alone. When they came in sight of the hive, she sheepishly said, “Hey, you’re not upset that I went with Levi and Celia instead of you and Kabbu, are you?”

The truth wasn’t flattering, but she deserved it from him. He told her, “To be honest, we were, but only in retrospect after you left. Don’t worry about it. We are mostly curious why you didn’t ask us in the first place. We would have gone, and we’re sure Kabbu would have too.”

Leif watched her carefully as her eyes turned downward, overtaken by an uncharacteristic lack of words. He waited patiently for her to look back up, at which point she said, “Well, you seemed like you were pretty happy staying with Muze and gramps, and Kabbu was doing his hero thing in Defiant Root. I wasn’t sure how he’d feel about going back to that place either, and it just felt like, I dunno, like I didn’t want to take that from you guys.”

Silence followed, and for a change it was Leif’s turn to be uncomfortable with it. When he had thought of a way to answer he said, “That’s unusually thoughtful of you, Vi, but we would have left to help you no matter what you asked. Even if you made us travel all over Bugaria for a can of paint again.”

He gave her a dry smile, which caused her to chuckle. It was a small relief to lighten the mood a little. He could see the relief in her eyes too, even though she tried to hide it when she said, “It was worth every berry, and don’t you forget it! But thanks, Leif. You’re the best sometimes!”

Giving her a blank stare, he put on a stern tone and asked, “Only sometimes?”

Cheekily winking at him and giving him a playful jab on the arm, she said, “Okay, maybe more than just sometimes! But fair’s fair, Leif, so if you were happy going exploring again, then why didn’t you just tell me? You were the one who told us you wanted to spend some time in the city.”

It was fair, but that didn’t make it any easier to answer. Not that he felt reluctant to share, but it was a feeling that he only barely understood himself, let alone had the ability to put into words. Still, he had to try, and so he told her, “It was easy for us to know what we were doing while we were still chasing the sapling. Finding it was Leif’s,” he paused to correct himself, “Our goal. It didn’t have anything to do with you or Kabbu, but when we finally had some time to stop, we just needed some time to think. About us, about our purpose, and about the future. But now we think we may have been over-thinking it. We have our home, our family, and our friends. We have the peace that we won and a just Queen. Just being Leif may be enough purpose for us.”

While he wasn’t sure what sort of reaction to expect from Vi, he wasn’t too surprised when she smiled at him and said, “Well, yeah, obviously you thought too hard! That sounds like a lot of worrying over nothing! You could have told me earlier, but at least now we’ll get to go back out there together and show those bandits who’s the boss!”

Rather than being upset by her brushing off his concerns, Leif felt a little liberated by her unbreakable spirit. With a smile, he looked in the direction of the hive and said, “You have an unusual way with words, Vi, but sometimes you say exactly the right thing. Now let’s get going. The sooner we get back on the road, the sooner we’ll save Kabbu.”

After taking some tentative steps forward to check her balance one more time, Vi nodded and said, “That’s the spirit! So, uh, I’ll go look for a doctor while you do whatever you’re doing?”

With a sense of relief, Leif started forward and told her, “Something like that. Rest if you need to, and meet us outside the throne room once you’re done if you can.”

Vi kept pace with him, reached up to give him a little pat on the shoulder, and said, “Sounds like a plan! You can bet you’ll see me there.”

Once she started off and passed by him, Leif walked slowly behind her for a while to watch and make sure she didn’t stumble or fall again. When he was confident that she would be fine, he picked up his pace down the path to the hive’s main entrance. He knew he needed to talk to the Professor, and the sooner he got it over with, the better.

Once he was past the main hall where wasps mingled with a few other bugs, Leif found himself traveling through grand hallways decorated with the red and gold banners of the kingdom. He would have quickly gotten lost in the maze on his own, but whenever he needed directions from one of the guards, they were happy to help him along the way. It was a pleasant reception compared to the one he’d gotten at the border gate a few days earlier, and he was thankful for it.

He didn’t expect much of the wasp’s library compared to the one in Elizant’s palace, so when he stepped inside to find a room easily twice as big and packed more tightly with shelves, he had to take a moment to make sure he’d gone to the right place. Once he was certain, he looked around and saw that he was in a little fenced-off entry area. Just ahead, there was a librarian sitting at a desk next to the thorax-high gate that allowed access to the rest of the room.

Leif stepped forward. The wasp had a black exoskeleton and bright yellow, curly antennae that matched the sheen of his wings and the bandanna around his neck. He looked young - no older than Vi was, if that. Currently, he had his face buried into a book and didn’t notice Leif step up to the desk. Leif reached down and knocked twice on the desk, startling the librarian into dropping the book.

The wasp leaned down to grab it off the floor, ignoring Leif entirely, while muttering “Ah, come on, really?” Only once he’d set it back on the desk did he seem to realize someone was waiting for him. Once he got a good look at Leif, his eyes opened up wide in shock. Standing up and leaning forward across the desk, he asked, “Hold on, you’re Leif, aren’t you? What in the goddesses’ names are you doing here?” Before Leif could answer, the wasp shook his head and said, “Actually, never mind that. This is exactly the sort of chance I’ve been waiting for!” He stopped only to search frantically for something to write with before asking Leif, “Do you have a moment for a question? Or maybe a few questions?”

Taking half a step back, Leif strained to maintain his composure. He’d encountered his share of starry-eyed bugs eager to meet him or one of his teammates, but today he didn’t have the time, energy, or patience. He said, “Yes, that is us, but we don’t really have time to stop and talk. Is Professor Neolith here? We need to speak with him.”

Returning to an upright position, the librarian’s posture sagged before he gave Leif an appraising glance. With a cryptic intensity in his eyes, he said, “Yes, the Professor is here, doing his research in the back like normal. The Queen has him researching our history and roach artifacts, and I’ve been assisting him. Is that why you’re here too? If you want to know about them, I promise I can help you too. I may not know as much as he does, but-”

Leif held up a hand to stop the librarian from continuing, and then said, “We are not here looking for books. Our business with the Professor is a personal matter of sorts. Can you please let us inside?”

After being rebutted a second time, the librarian finally conceded defeat. Reaching over to undo a latch on the gate, he held it open and said, “Of course, but if you do need anything or want to look at one of the books, let me know right away.” He gave Leif a hopeful look as his mandibles opened and closed idly.

Leif passed on through, offering the librarian a simple, “Thanks. We will,” before continuing towards the back until he saw a pair of tables in one corner of the room, empty but for the Professor and his stack of books at one of them. Taking a short pause to refocus himself, Leif stepped forward and sat across the table from the Professor.

Neolith casually glanced up from his reading, likely expecting to find the librarian. When he saw Leif instead, he gasped, put a hand up to his mouth, and said, “Leif? You’re back already? You look…” He trailed off, but Leif could guess the end of the sentence.

Leif rested his arms on the table and said, “We know, but we decided to come straight here. You should hear what happened directly from us.”

Neolith repeated, “What happened,” while looking past Leif and towards the entrance of the library as if he were expecting someone else.

Putting his hands together, Leif said, “We will tell you everything, so listen carefully.” The Professor nodded and watched Leif intently. Without hesitation, Leif proceeded to recount the past days’ events the same as he did to Vi. When he reached their encounter with the bandits, the Professor’s eyes widened before his expression turned sullen.

At the end, Leif added, “We understand that this is a bad turn of events, but Vi will be returning with us and we will rescue Kabbu as soon as we are able. Time is of the essence.”

Neolith’s worry turned to confusion and he asked, “Do you not trust the wasp’s soldiers to be able to deal with the bandits?”

Leif felt a sudden and overwhelming urge to find a nice bed and fall asleep. He forced himself past it, and said, “There is one more thing that we need to tell you. The crown that you have been researching was entrusted to our care after the destruction of the sapling. Vi took it with her when she left for the swamp, and now the bandits have that too.”

Neolith stood up, his antennae standing up and wings open in shock, and said, “What?! Leif, please tell me you aren’t serious!”

Leif remained seated. He didn’t feel much better about it than Neolith, but it wasn’t going to help either of them if he went into a panic. Looking up at Neolith with a frown, he nodded solemnly and said, “We would not joke about this, but know that we will do whatever we need to in order to make this right. The crown was our responsibility to keep safe.”

Leif stopped to consider his next words, but before he thought of them he heard a loud thumping off to the side. Both he and the Professor turned to look, and they saw the librarian standing above several fallen books. At first he thought it was a simple accident, but then he noticed that the young wasp was trembling. Leif cursed his luck and said, “You heard that, didn’t you?”

Neolith walked towards the wasp with a concerned frown on his face, and gently reached out an arm to the wasp while saying, “Are you alright, Tez?”

Given that the Professor knew the librarian better than he did, Leif was happy to let Neolith try and calm him down. At the Professor’s approach, the wasp quickly bent down to scoop up the fallen books and responded, “N-No! I mean yes! I was just putting these back on the shelf, and then I-I,” he stuttered before finishing, “Do they really have the king’s crown?”

Once Neolith was close enough, he reached down and rested a hand on Tez’s shoulder, offering him the most comforting smile he could put on. He said, “I know this is frightening, Tez, but Leif and his friends are more than capable enough to get it back. They’ll make sure everything is alright. They’re the ones who defeated the king, after all!”

Instead of comfort, Tez’s fearful expression was replaced by one of rage. He tore himself away from Neolith and, glaring past him straight at Leif, he said, “Them?! They’re the ones who are responsible for this in the first place! W-Why would they ever think taking something like the crown out there was a good idea? And how is he going to do it with one of his friends prisoner?” He pointed accusingly in Leif’s direction as he spoke, jabbing repeatedly for emphasis.

Leif waited patiently for Tez. While he listened, he glanced over at Neolith, but the Professor was being held at bay by the shield of books scooped up into Tez’s arms and the incessant tirade.

Showing no signs of stopping, Tez kept on shouting, “Don’t you understand what’s at stake here? After everything the hive went through already! All of Bugaria! Why should we trust you to fix it?!”

When Tez eventually ran out of breath, Leif took his chance to respond, “We understand your anger, but losing it is not going to help. We won’t let anything happen to the hive.”

Tez kept glaring at Leif, only turning his head away when a tear started to form in his eye. He shoved his books onto the shelf into a haphazard pile, quickly spun around, and stormed off in the other direction.

Neolith started following him, reaching out to try and catch the wasp by the shoulder and saying, “Tez, please wait!” It was in vain. The librarian took off at a run and turned the corner towards the exit.

The exchange left a gnawing anxiety in Leif’s thorax, but he pushed the feelings aside. As he rose to his feet. he told Neolith, “Let him go, Professor. We don’t think anything we say will help him right now.” That wasp would definitely need some space. Leif sighed and continued, “We had best go and speak to the Queen now. It would look bad for us if she heard about it from someone else first.”

“You’re right,” Neolith said as he turned to the shelf and started arranging the books that Tez had haphazardly left behind, “But I wish I could do more for him. He’s been friendly and curious while I’ve been working here, and he’s got a knack for roach technology. He’s a good assistant, even if he’s a little strange.”

As best as Leif could tell, that meant the librarian was always this excitable. He wasn’t sure if that was better or worse, but at least it wasn’t going to be his problem. He walked up to the Professor to bid his farewell and said, “If you see him again, tell him we are sorry. We should have told you about this before we left, but we did not want to cause needless worry.”

Looking at him with concern, Neolith said, “I’d have liked to know, but I understand. Don’t be too hard on yourself about it. I’m sure Kabbu is right now.” He lowered his eyes towards the floor, his expression turning downcast.

That was undoubtedly true. Leif hesitated before he said, “He will be back before long if we have anything to say about it. We’ll even drag Astotheles in here as an ice sculpture if we can. We need you to stay calm and help the hive however you can, just in case. Keep your spirits up.”

When Neolith managed to put on a faint smile, Leif felt a little better. Neolith nodded and said, “I’ll do whatever I can do, I promise, as long as you promise to take care of yourself.”

Leif was still looking forward to his rest and, when this was all over, a good meal with his teammates. He smirked and said, “We think we can take that deal. See you soon, Professor.”

With their goodbyes said, Leif left the library, pausing only to regard the now-abandoned desk. He trusted that the Professor would calm Tez down with time, and was soon on his way back to the heart of the hive. His next stop would be the most important one.

To Leif’s relief, Vi was waiting for him in the main hall by the time he returned. She waved to him when he entered, as if there were a chance he would miss her among all the wasps. He walked directly to her and asked, “We take it you are fine now?” He glanced up the stairs towards the throne room. It could wait another minute.

Vi flashed a smile and responded, “Nothing permanent! Or at least that’s what the doctor said. He just told me to make sure I get plenty of rest before I go out again and make sure I don’t get hit like that again. So what do you say we go and find somewhere to kick back for a bit? You look like you need it almost as much as me.”

It was tempting, but Leif glanced back up again. He shook his head and replied, “Soon, but first we must go and speak with the Queen. She needs to know what has happened, and it is important that we do it now. Come with us. We’d rather not do this alone.”

Taking a step back, Vi looked up at him hesitantly. “What? Why now? I mean… haven’t you considered that we can just go out there tomorrow, fix this ourselves before there’s a problem, and then it’ll all be okay? Nobody has to know!”

Of course she would suggest that. Admittedly, it was a little tempting, but their hands had been forced now. He glanced back the way he’d come from and said, “You know we can’t do that. Besides, one of the wasps overheard us while we were talking to Professor Neolith about it in the library. He broke down in a panic and ran away, and we don’t know how soon he might start telling others. If you want to come back and explain to Queen Vanessa why you hid it from her, then be our guest. We’re going to talk to her now.” He didn’t have the patience to let her argue it any more, so without waiting for her to respond he started up the stairs.

He could hear her following after him. She ran to keep pace and said in a harsh whisper, “Great, you told Neolith too?! You might as well put out an announcement on the request board while you’re at it.”

Stopping at the top, Leif gave Vi a harsh look. Before they went into the throne room, there was one thing he needed to know, and so he asked, “Why did you take the crown? Why didn’t you tell anyone? We want to believe you had a good reason.”

Vi frowned and looked around at the bugs around the hall, keeping her voice low while she answered, “Well the second one’s easy! I didn’t tell anyone because everyone would have told me no."

Leif put his head in his hands and said, “That figures.”

Vi continued, “As for why? Well, when we went to places like the sand castle and Snakemouth, we always had to bring something of the roach’s to get inside. I figured if we’re looking for another one of their towns or labs, and we think the crown came from there, then maybe we’d be able to use it to get inside!”

It took a few seconds for Leif to follow her logic. He said, “That’s a leap, but it’s not the worst idea you’ve had. You really took it just for that?”

She crossed her arms, looked up at him with narrowed eyes, and replied, “Okay, fine. It was a close call when we were out there before, so I also thought that maybe I could use it if we got into a tough spot. Turns out the thing’s pretty useless though. I think we might have broken it when we beat the king up. I put it on once when the others weren’t looking and it didn’t do anything.”

Had he heard right? Leif looked directly at her and asked, “You tried to use it and it didn’t do anything?” Vi nodded her head. Relief passed over Leif and he said, “Well, it was definitely still magic when we found you, but if you couldn’t figure out what to do with it, then maybe Astotheles won’t either. It could buy us some time at least.”

With his questions answered, he felt as prepared as he would get and started towards the throne room again saying, “Let’s get this over with so we can get some real rest.”

The guards nodded at their approached, and they were able to walk in without any ceremony. Vanessa was seated in her grand throne, and Leif could see General Fuff off to the side having a conversation with some soldiers. When they approached, he bowed briefly and said, “Your Highness, we are here to report on the expedition into the northeastern borderlands.”

Vanessa regarded the two of them warmly, but it did nothing to make Leif feel any more relaxed. The tension only grew worse when she said, “I’m glad to see the two of you return safely, but where are the other three explorers? Tell me everything.”

Leif took a second to steady his nerves. There weren’t many others in the throne room, but they had all turned to see what he had to say. He looked down at Vi, and she gave him a reassuring nod. That was all he needed.

Looking back up at the Queen, he said, “Then let us start from the beginning.” He proceeded to tell Vanessa everything he knew about what had happened from the time Vi took the crown and left up until their arrival back at the hive. As he recounted the story, the air in the room grew increasingly grim. Fuff abruptly ended his conversation and walked closer to listen more attentively, though he did not interrupt. By the end, Leif was wondering what Kabbu might say to try and lift everyone’s spirits, but the best he could come up with was to add, “We’re sorry, Your Highness. We will defeat the bandits and get the crown back, but we needed to come to warn you and ask for help. The four of us may not be able to do this alone. We don’t think Astotheles would make a move against you unprovoked, but we also don’t know what he was doing out there to begin with. It’s too important to rely on a guess.”

The room fell into a dismal silence. Nobody wanted to speak before the Queen, and she spent a while leaning forward and looking between the two explorers. Finally, she started, “Vi-” but was quickly interrupted by Vi herself.

“Look, I’m sorry, okay?! It was dumb to bring the crown without telling you! It was probably dumb to bring it at all, but making me feel bad about it now isn’t going to help! Like Leif said, we’re going to fix everything!”

Leif gently kicked Vi to try and knock some sense into her. There were a growing number of upset faces around the room, but fortunately the Queen wasn’t among them. Vanessa answered, “You’re right, Vi, so let’s focus on what’s next. We can’t take any chances, so you two should continue with your plan. If you see an opportunity to get the crown back, then take it. If you think they’re going to try and bring it to the hive, then try and warn us before going to the other kingdoms.”

She then looked at Fuff, who was still standing at attention, and said, “Fuff - we’re going to ask Elizant to send some backup. While we wait, you need to find our best soldiers who were unaffected by the crown to join them. We won’t be sitting by helplessly through this.”

Fuff nodded and said, “Right away,” before stealing a quick glance towards Leif and Vi. Leif didn’t think he looked angry, but definitely betrayed. If anything, that felt worse. Maybe it was Kabbu rubbing off on him, but Leif knew that whatever happened, he wasn’t going to let it come to retreating and leaving the wasps to their fate. He hadn’t spared Fuff for nothing.

Finally, Vanessa turned her attention to the rest of the room, where all who had been listening stood around restlessly. Raising her voice, she announced, “As for everyone else, all I ask is that you stay calm. We won’t be caught by surprise this time, and we don’t stand alone! We’re more than capable of handling this.” Her words seemed to reassure some, but there was still apprehension in the air.

Satisfied for the moment, she returned her attention to Vi and Leif to say, “I will make sure there is a room for you two tonight. Return soon and someone will show you…” She stopped and turned her attention to the entrance. Leif followed suit, and saw someone running in, so hurried they were half-stumbling. It was the librarian, now hauling a full backpack that had some odds devices strapped to it. What was he doing here?

Tez came to a stop just behind the two of them. After giving them both a nervous glance he pulled himself up into a straight posture and looked right at the Queen. With an obviously forced look of confidence on his face, he said, “Y-Your Highness, sorry to interrupt, but please, let me go with them!”

Leif stared at Tez, and when he processed what Tez had said he scoffed, “What? No. When you overheard us talking to the Professor, you started crying and ran away. This will be dangerous, especially for a wasp. You should stay here and work with Neolith where you’ll be safe.”

Vi sounded equally skeptical when she added, “Yeah, who the heck are you?! No offense, but you don’t look cut out for this sort of thing. Aren’t you worried about getting your mind hijacked again?”

Tez trembled, but instead of talking back to either of them, he looked to Vanessa for approval. Leif didn’t have to see her face to feel the sorrow in her voice when she said, “Tez, is this what you really want? These are the most capable explorers in the land aiding us. You help more than enough here in the hive.”

Despite all the warnings, Tez maintained defiance in his voice, even as it wavered, and started rambling, “I know I may not look like much, but I’ve been preparing for this day since you freed us from the king! This is more important to all of us here than you or anyone else, so I think we deserve to have one of our own help see this done! As for the crown,” he said, his expression turning grim, “You don’t need to worry about me. Some of us aren’t affected by it. Plus, I’ve made things like this to help in a fight.”

He reached around his back and grabbed a strange device from the side of his backpack. It was a long, sturdy, and straight piece of metal. A section just above the bottom was wrapped in rubber, and a bundle of small blue crystals were wrapped in wire and attached to some sort of mechanical switch at the base.

Leif had no idea what to make of the thing, but he could feel the faint magic in the crystals. Wanting to get this over with, he decided to humor the librarian and said, “Uh, what is it?”

Grasping the rubber with one hand, Tez flipped the switch with the other, and with a sudden sparking, the metal started to hum as it was electrified. Vi’s antennae stood up, and she exclaimed, “W-Woah!” Tez had a pleased look on his face and looked between the two of them expectantly.

When Neolith had called the librarian resourceful, Leif hadn’t pictured this. It was impressive, but he still wasn’t convinced. The stakes were too high to risk a rookie making an even bigger mess than they already had. He repeated, “No, Tez. Your device is interesting, but it’s not going to protect you from inexperience. If you get hurt, it would be our responsibility for letting you come along.”

Tez flipped the switch on his weapon off, but instead of putting it away he shook it in Leif’s direction while saying, “You may be better than me at this, but that doesn’t mean I’m helpless! I’m not going to let you turn me away, and if you want to stop me then you’ll have to get them to lock me in the hive!” When he was done with Leif, he turned his attention back to the Queen with a pleading look on his face, saying, “Please, Your Highness. I need to do this, and they’ll need all the help we can get. I can handle it!”

Glancing at Vi, Leif was expecting her to back him up, but instead he found her staring at him with a hesitant frown across her face. He knew that look well - she was going to side with Tez but didn’t want to say it. He stared at her until she let it out, telling him, “Look, Leif, maybe it does sound a little crazy, but he reminds me of how I was back when I first left the hive and met Kabbu. If we didn’t get a chance back then, we never would have gone to Snakemouth together, and I don’t need to tell you how bad that would have been. It was tough, but we handled it!”

She had Leif there, as frustrating as it was. He knew that if Kabbu were able to add his voice, as concerned for Tez’s safety as he would be, he’d also want to give him a chance. Leif groaned and turned around to face Vanessa again. Looking up at her, he said, “We will defer to your judgment. What do you say, Your Highness?”

Vanessa had watched the whole exchange intently, and when the question was posed to her she closed her eyes to think. They were all left waiting just long enough to feel uncomfortable before she hummed, opened her eyes, and declared, “I can see that you’re set on this course, Tez, and nothing I say will change your mind. I hope that you find your peace at the end of it. You may go, but listen to Leif and Vi. We owe them much, and they can share their wisdom with you. If you know you are getting in over your head, don’t be afraid to return home. No matter what, you’ll always be welcome here.”

So, that was that. He turned around to see Tez literally vibrating, though whether it was from excitement or nerves was unclear. Judging by the confused look in his eyes, it may have been both. Once he’d processed her words, Tez bowed and said, “Th-Thank you, Queen Vanessa! I promise, you won’t regret letting me go.”

Vi smiled at him and said, “Just don’t do anything too crazy, and you’ll be fine! We’ve done much worse before.”

Leif put a hand behind his head and stared at Tez. He hoped the kid would actually listen when things got tough, but he didn’t see any option now other than to offer him some benefit of the doubt. Seeing the wasp all packed up, he said, “You may be ready to go, but we aren’t. We walked through most of the night to get here. Meet us tomorrow morning just outside the hive, and we’ll show you the way.”

Tez kept looking back and forth between him and Vi without actually saying anything. Vi stepped up and waved a hand up in front of his face, which snapped him out of it. The wasp took a couple uneven steps back before speaking. “Oh, uh, sorry about that. I just didn’t expect her to actually say yes. If you need any help getting ready, just let me know! Otherwise, I don’t think we’ve really been introduced. I know who you two are, obviously, but I’m Tez! I’m the assistant librarian here in the hive,” he said, pausing suddenly before correcting himself. “Well, just the librarian now.”

Vi offered him another smile and a handshake. “You’ve got some weird hobbies, Tez, but good job breaking the mold!”

Getting over his reluctance, Leif shook Tez’s hand too, telling him, “We must admit, it will be nice to work with someone from the wasp’s hive now that things have calmed down around Bugaria. The Professor spoke well of you after you, uh, left.”

Tez winced, but quickly shook the embarrassment off and said, “Well, with that out of the way, I’m going to see if I can’t get a few more things ready before we leave. Oh, and I should tell the Professor I’ll be joining you. See you in the morning!”

They watched Tez take a few steps back before he turned about and left almost as quickly as he’d come. When he was out of the throne room, Vi patted Leif on the arm and said, “He’ll be fine with us, Leif. Let Kabbu be the one worry about everything when we go break him free - that’s his job!”

Who was supposed to do Kabbu’s job when he wasn’t here? Leif sighed his dissatisfaction. With any luck, it wouldn’t matter for much longer, and he knew she meant well. He said, “Yeah, you’re right. We just got a bad first impression, though we think there’s still something off about him.”

Grinning with satisfaction, Vi started towards the exit. She said, “Yeah, well, that sounds familiar too. Explorers are made of unusual stuff! You seriously need to go eat and relax. Let’s go to one of those stalls outside!”

That was something Leif could agree to readily, and he nodded. “We will join you soon. Just give us a moment longer with the Queen.”

Vi shrugged and said, “Suit yourself. I’ll make sure to find the best one while you catch up!” She didn’t need to wait to hear any more before she strode off, not that he could blame her for wanting to get a decent meal.

He turned around to face Vanessa again. She was looking down at him, unsurprised to see him linger. Leif thought to ask some of his questions about Tez, but the only one he felt like asking out in the open was simply, “Is he okay? You mentioned him looking for peace, and he reacted badly when he first heard what happened. We need to know if he’ll cave like that again under pressure.”

Vanessa looked down at Leif as if she were judging whether he was worthy of an answer. When she had decided, she told him, “The usurper’s rule affected everyone in the hive - some differently from others. I wouldn’t have agreed to let him go if I didn’t think he could help, but please keep him safe.”

It didn’t answer much, but Leif had to accept that it was all he would hear for now. Before he left to join Vi, he bowed his head and said, “We will, Queen Vanessa.”

Chapter Text

The first thing Kabbu felt when he came to was the throbbing pain in his head, followed by the stiffness in his body. He shifted around in his seated position, but found that he couldn’t budge. He’d been tied tightly to a post behind him. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was back in the vicinity of the great drawbridge. The bandits had set up their camp with the morning sun still low in the sky, casting stark shadows across the clearing.

Everything from the previous day suddenly came back to him. Quickly surveying his surroundings, he saw groups of bandits idle around the camp, but none were standing watch over him right then. He needed to get out of there while he had the chance. No, he needed to find the crown! Panic, despair, and shame all washed over him. Oh Venus, how could he have let this happen? Were his friends safe?

He stopped to try and calm himself. He was alone now, so he’d have to be careful while he found a way out of this. Digging out wasn’t going to be an option this time unless he could get himself untied, though he didn’t know how far he’d get in the mud anyway. He tried lowering his head to see if he could bite at the string trying him up, but it was too far down for him to reach. Drat.

Before he had a chance to think of a better plan, he heard the sneering voice of one of the bandits nearby say, “So, the big scary beetle finally woke up, huh?” Kabbu looked around until he saw a dragonfly hovering in the air up above him. “Hope you like our hospitality! Make yourself at home - the boss wants to talk to you. I’m sure he’ll come right over!” The bandit did a little loop in the air before flying off across the encampment.

The last thing he needed was to be face-to-face with Astotheles, especially in his current position, but no matter how hard he pulled or wriggled, the string tied around him didn’t break or loosen. After tiring himself out with no progress to show for it, Kabbu decided he’d have to save his energy and wait for another opportunity, though he had no clue what it might look like.

He didn’t have to wait for long for the one-armed cricket to show up, complete with a couple of his bandits tagging along. Astotheles stopped about ten paces from Kabbu, standing tall and looking him in the eye before saying with vitriol, “The Queen’s favorite attack bug falls into my lap. Truth be told, I’ve been looking forward to this moment since you ran us out of our home. Your safe return will fetch us a good price, I’m sure, but before that,” he took a couple steps forward and knelt to be at eye-level with Kabbu before continuing, “I’m curious what you’re doing out in this dreadful land. Surely you didn’t come all this way to throw us in prison?”

Kabbu was taken aback by the sheer force of the animosity in Astotheles’s voice, but he shouldn’t have been. Even if he was following the queen’s orders and their crimes did justify a trip to Rubber Prison, that day had never sat right with him. Deciding to tread carefully with his words, Kabbu said, “I-I only came out here to make sure my friends made it home safely. They were gone for too long, and we were growing worried.”

Astotheles mockingly said, “Ah, yes, the friends who have now left you to your fate.” He then reached under his cloak and pulled out the ancient crown before asking, “Are you sure it didn’t have anything to do with this instead?” He held it out and waved it a little, tauntingly.

While he briefly considered playing dumb, Kabbu knew that it would be transparent. The bandits had all the cards here. A dread chill crept through him. After a deep, defeated sigh, he responded, “I promise that I came here for them. The crown was secondary. Please, Astotheles, don’t tell me you’re thinking of using it. Nothing good has come from that thing.”

With a satisfied look in his eyes, Astotheles placed the crown atop his head, though it didn’t quite fit and tilted at an angle. Offering a coy half-shrug, he said, “I wish to lead my own people, not the wasps, but it may have its uses before we’re done out here. Like you, it will be another bargaining chip when we’re ready.” He stopped to stand back up and pluck the crown back off his head before continuing, “Admittedly, we could use a little expertise in these things. Maybe we can get that friend of yours to help out - the archaeologist?”

Kabbu knew that Astotheles was toying with his emotions, but bringing up the Professor was a step too far. His despair flared up into defiance and he shouted, “Leave Neolith out of this! I swear, if you harm him at all…” He stopped short of issuing a threat, knowing that it wouldn’t count for much from where he was sitting now, and not wanting to give away any more than he already had.

Oh, Neolith… Kabbu hoped that the Professor was still safe, and that he would forgive Kabbu for making him wait longer. Leif had been right - he should have stayed behind to tell Neo everything before they left. Now he had to hope there would be a next time.

The bandit lord waved to draw Kabbu’s attention away from his thoughts and firmly stated, “Cooperate with us, and nobody else will have to get involved. Now tell me: What were you and the Queen’s other servants really doing bringing something like this here? You’re looking for more roach treasure, aren’t you? Maybe another laboratory?”

Kabbu tilted his head back to look up at him in bewilderment and responded, “How did you know that?” Immediately after, a terrible realization struck him and he answered his own question with, “Wait, is that what you’re doing too? Astotheles, their artifacts are very dangerous! You and your bugs could be in danger if you find one!”

His expression unmoved, Astotheles nodded and said, “So, you were. What did you find?”

The persistent hostility was wearing Kabbu down. He hadn’t expected anything like this, though now he felt like a fool for thinking it could be any other way. The bandits clearly knew more than he would have guessed, though he didn’t know how. Shaking his head, Kabbu said, “We don’t even know if there are any other artifacts out here. The first team was sent out to scout the area, and Leif and I were sent to find them when they failed to report in. The only sign we found of anything unusual in the area was that.” He looked up at the giant drawbridge, towering over the camp.

After shooting it a quick glance, Astotheles opened his mouth to ask the next question when one of the others who’d been watching their back and forth stepped in to whisper something to the boss. With a solemn nod, the bug was dismissed and Astotheles said to Kabbu, “The local bugs are disturbed by our movements here. I’m going to make sure we’re well-defended while you think hard about what else you have to share.” He didn’t deign to wait for Kabbu, and turned about.

Kabbu, still off-balance from his interrogation, blurted out, “After everything that happened with the wasp king, I’d hoped for better from you, Astotheles. Did you learn nothing when our paths first crossed?!”

Astotheles stopped, becoming still as a statue. The two bandits accompanying him glanced back at Kabbu with mortified looks. Before he had a chance to gauge their reactions, Astotheles turned back around, his face contorted by rage, and started walking towards him, jabbing at him aggressively with his one arm and shouting, “I was the one who was willing to put down my arms and turn over a new leaf with the kingdoms, but the queens decided that they wouldn’t offer me or my followers any forgiveness! If you want to scold me on the meaning of mercy, then you should at least make sure your rulers understand it first!”

He’d raised his voice so much that the entire camp had stopped to look in their direction. Once he was done, Astotheles stormed away, fuming all the way and leaving his two accomplices behind. They glanced uncomfortably back at Kabbu before going their own ways.

Kabbu hadn’t had a chance to get a word in, but he wasn’t sure it would have been a good idea to try. Were Astotheles’s accusations true? His anger seemed too real to be a lie. Kabbu had spoken to Elizant about giving amnesty to bandits, so long as they put their criminal ways aside and made amends, but he’d never heard anything about Astotheles coming forward himself. He wished he had a chance to ask about it more, but he doubted that Astotheles would be in the mood to give him helpful answers anytime soon.

If the bandits were out here looking for more artifacts, it wouldn’t end well for anyone. Had someone in one of the kingdoms shared information with them? Were they treasure hunting and heard a rumor on their own? Kabbu knew that none of the bandits were likely to be forthcoming, but maybe he’d be able to get something out of one of them while he was stuck here. For now, he’d have to be patient and trust in his friends to come for him.

His friends… how he missed Leif and Vi right now. Their presence had prevented him from sinking into despair in worse situations, but now he felt so alone, so frustrated at his own helplessness. They should never have come back to the swamps. Nothing good ever happened here.

For the rest of the morning, Kabbu was left alone, though there were always a few bandits close enough to keep an eye on him. They didn’t bother to speak with him, and he didn’t try to talk to them either. What would be the point? The argument with Astotheles was still bothering him. Why did things have to be this way?

Without anything to do, he was left questioning his decisions over and over again, going back and forth. Had it really been necessary to destroy the bandit hideout? Should he have pushed harder for leniency? Had Elizant been hiding something from him? Was anything Astotheles had said really true in the first place? Should he try to apologize? What good would that even do? He couldn’t settle on answers to any of these questions, stuck in a loop for goddesses-knows how long.

Someone walked up to Kabbu and cast a shadow over him, drawing his attention. They were a hooded member of the gang - a ladybug by their stature. Unable to hide his weariness, Kabbu asked, “What is it now? Come to rub it in some more?”

The bandit’s eyes darted both ways, but when he answered it was Levi who quietly said, “Well, I can try if you want, but I’d rather get you out of those binds. I don’t know how long we’ll have before Astotheles is lurking around again.”

Alarm surged through Kabbu’s mind at first. He hadn’t even recognized Levi in the tan attire of the gang, though the way the hood and mask obscured his face wasn’t too different from his helmet. Lowering his voice to a whisper, Kabbu answered, “L-Levi?! Sorry, but what are you doing here? They’re everywhere!”

Levi looked Kabbu in the eye with reassuring confidence and said, “Celia and I lured one of them away from the camp and jumped him. An ant wouldn’t fit in with this gang, so I had to be the one to put on the disguise.” He stepped aside and, without trying to make it too obvious, surveyed the handiwork the bandits had done tying Kabbu up. “They did quite the job with that string. I think I’ll have to cut you free. Can you run?”

Though he was still sore, Kabbu didn’t think he’d have a problem finding the strength. Levi’s assurances started to dispel his worries. He said, “Don’t worry about me, Levi. I’m… fine, everything considered, but how are the others? Are Leif and Vi here too?”

Without missing a beat, Levi circled around to Kabbu’s back and said, “No. Leif told us everything about the crown before taking Vi to see a doctor. They’ll both be back as soon as possible. He told us to keep an eye on the bandits, but I felt like we could do better than that, so here I am!” Kabbu heard the soft sound of Levi cutting at the string with a knife before grunting, “It’s tougher than it looks. This is going to take a minute.”

While Levi sawed away, Kabbu turned his head downwards again and stared at the mud in front of him. He said, “I’m sorry, Levi. If we had told you before, or if I had been faster,” until Levi shushed him.

“Kabbu, that’s enough. You already made sure Celia and I escaped, and it’s not like that time you ruined Doppel’s table - losing the crown wasn’t your fault,” Levi said.

Kabbu sighed. Was nobody ever going to let that one go? He said, “Y-Yes, and I’ve sworn off the way of the card ever since. Why does everyone always talk about that? Does Leif tell everyone who will listen?”

“Well, you have to admit it was pretty funny,” Levi said.

“You weren’t the one who spent a week doing Doppel’s dishes,” Kabbu groaned, “But we can talk more about that later. Get me out of here, and then… I don’t know. We need to get the crown back.” Astotheles was more wrathful than he’d have guessed. Kabbu slipping the net wasn’t likely to make that any better. What would he consider doing with the crown then, especially if they backed him into a corner?

Levi responded calmly, “I agree completely, Kabbu. In fact, we’ve got a plan, but the first step is setting you free.”

Before Kabbu had a chance to ask what sort of plan it was, he looked back up and saw Astotheles walking hurriedly in their direction. Kabbu’s eyes went wide as he felt a jolt of panic. He squirmed and harshly whispered, “Levi, he’s coming! You need to go!” The soft sound of the cutting stopped.

Levi stepped back around to Kabbu’s front. Rather than make a hasty retreat, he stood his ground and looked straight at Astotheles. He sternly told Kabbu, “I’m not leaving here without you unless there’s no other choice, Kabbu. We crossed the dead lands together, so have a little faith in me!”

Beyond baffled, Kabbu sputtered, “L-Levi, are you completely insane?! You cannot possibly fight them all!”

Standing with a wide stance, ready to draw his weapon at a moment’s notice, Levi said, “Maybe not, but I only need to fight one of them.”

Levi waited for Astotheles to approach, who stopped a safe distance away, also ready for a fight at any moment. They stared at one another for a few seconds until Astotheles said, “I don’t recognize you, and we had someone go missing this morning. A ladybug, about your height. Same outfit, too.”

After a tense second of silence, Levi answered, “He’ll be fine, but you’ve got some things that don’t belong to you. I came to get them back.” Levi didn’t flinch, didn’t twitch, and kept his eyes forward. Both were watching one another for any openings. It suddenly dawned on Kabbu: Was Levi planning to have a duel? For him?

“You could pay for his freedom,” Astotheles said bitterly, “but it would take a queen’s ransom for me to consider it.” While they were speaking, more and more of the bandits gathered around to see what the commotion was.

Kabbu looked up at Levi and tried to warn him again, “Levi, you don’t have to do this!” His plea went ignored, and Kabbu’s frustrations started rising again. Why hadn’t Levi just finished cutting him free so they could try their luck running? Now he was still useless.

Undeterred, Levi offered, “Are you sure, Astotheles? What if I offered you a challenge instead of berries? If I win, then I get to walk away with my friend. If you win, then you’ll have another explorer to bargain with.”

By Venus, Levi really had lost it. What was he thinking? This couldn’t possibly end well!

Glaring at the two of them, Astotheles said, “Tch, you want a duel? Why should I agree?”

Taking one step forward, Levi gestured around them and taunted, “Why not? Are you afraid you’ll lose in front of your followers, in your own camp, after they already roughed me up last night? Bug against bug, it would be more than even for you. Or do you think I’m wrong?”

At the provocation, Astotheles drew his needle from his side and held it out, pointed at Levi. He said, “If the queen’s lackeys want to throw themselves at my feet, I won’t complain. To be fair, I’ll give you one chance to leave on your own, now.”

Levi drew his weapon, holding it out in front of himself, ready to both defend and to strike. Firmly, he said, “I’m not leaving without Kabbu.”

Astotheles twitched slightly. He stepped forward, saying, “Then you won’t be leaving at all.”

They watched one another in silence. Neither wanted to make the first move without an opening. The longer the standoff lasted, the heavier the tension in the air grew and the quieter the small crowd of spectators became. Soon, it seemed everything in the clearing had fallen still, save for the faint rustling of the wind. Kabbu was as taut as the string binding him.

Then, suddenly, Astotheles leaped forward to deliver an aggressive thrust! Levi narrowly deflected the attack, and their clash began in earnest. The two moved so fast that Kabbu had a hard time keeping up, exchanging attacks and deflections and continually dancing around one another, sometimes moving apart and circling for a few seconds. The bandits had formed a circle around the fight and watched in attentive silence.

As far as Kabbu could tell, it was an even match in skill, with the two trading blows in equal measure and Kabbu wincing every time Levi was struck. Levi deserved more credit than Kabbu had been giving him after all. It was going to come down to which of them was worn down and made a mistake first.

Levi raised his weapon to deflect another one of Astotheles’s thrusts, but with a quick flick, the cricket caught the edge of the weapon and swept it out of Levi’s hands, leaving him disarmed. Before he could react, Astotheles rushed in and struck Levi square in the chest with the point of the needle. Kabbu heard a faint crunch, and the ladybug skidded back before falling to a knee. As quickly as the fight had started, it ended.

Kabbu gasped and shouted, “Levi!” His fellow explorer was beaten down, clutching at his chest while looking up at his victorious foe.

Though he also sagged with weariness, Astotheles kept his weapon raised, the tip just a short distance from Levi’s face as he said, “You fought well, but not well enough. Surrender now, and I can at least promise you will be treated fairly as a prisoner.”

Levi hesitated to respond, stealing a glance to where his fallen weapon lay in the mud before lowering his eyes to the ground. It was answer enough for Astotheles, who lowered the point of his needle and motioned with his head for some of his followers to come over. “Make sure our new guest isn’t too badly hurt and patch him up. Keep the two of them separated.”

Two of the tougher-looking ones stepped forward. They were ready to hoist Levi up by his arms when another ladybug burst through the crowd surrounding the spectacle. Waving both arms to get their attention, he said, “Boss! An ant just tried to swipe your things! It was the same one we fought yesterday, but we managed to chase her off before she got anything.”

That could only be Celia! There was more to Levi’s plan than just hoping everything went in his favor after all.

Astotheles listened to the report, then looked back down at Levi with a renewed disgust. Levi, on the other hand, looked him in the eye laughed weakly before wincing in pain. He said, “Well, it was worth a try, wasn’t it? I had a feeling you wouldn’t be able to turn a challenge down. It made for a great show, didn’t it?”

Before Astotheles could answer, a sharp whistle sounded through the clearing, just like the one that had signaled the ambush the previous day. Everyone turned to look in the noise’s direction. Kabbu could see some movement off on the far end of the clearing. Astotheles looked around at all the other bugs and motioned for them to get moving as he said, “The leafbugs are making their move. Everyone get ready to defend!”

The bugs that had assembled to watch the duel suddenly surged forwards, shifting into a jumbled mass and hurrying to return to their positions around the camp. For a few seconds, everything in front of Kabbu descended into chaos. It was just long enough that when everything cleared, Levi was no longer kneeling where he had been before. It took another second for Kabbu to spot him, headed towards the thickets nearby. He’d grabbed his stick back and was using to support his weight while he kept his other hand on his chest.

Astotheles quickly spotted Levi and shouted after him, “Where do you think you’re going?! You made a deal with me, remember?”

Levi stopped hobbling away and looked back over his shoulder, his eyes weary. He said, “Don’t you have more important things to worry about right now? Your bugs need you more than you need me.”

Kabbu encouraged him, “Levi, just go!”

Astotheles glared at the both of them in frustration, but ultimately his eyes were drawn to where the leafbugs were already closing in on his loyal followers. He scowled and said, “As duplicitous as I should have expected. Get out of here before I change my mind.”

Though it caused him audible pain, Levi laughed once more. He resumed his escape while shouting over his shoulder, “Stay strong, Kabbu!”

Overwhelmed by relief, Kabbu answered, “You too, Levi!”

Once Astotheles was satisfied that the battered explorer was making a proper retreat, he looked at one of the few lieutenants who had stayed behind, pointed at him and then Kabbu, and said, “Keep an eye on him. Make sure the explorer doesn’t come back. I’m going to join the fight.” When he turned to look Kabbu in the eye, Kabbu got the feeling he wanted to yell again, but instead he just said, “We’ll have more to discuss later.”

He hurried off, leaving Kabbu to wait once more. It wasn’t long before he could hear the sounds of the fighting begin to take over the clearing.

Kabbu waited, but not for too long. Just long enough to watch the bandit left behind to guard him pacing back and forth anxiously. He was a mantis, with a green hue that stood out against the browns and tans that the bandits wore, and he didn’t look happy to be stuck watching Kabbu.

Whenever he was facing away, Kabbu tested the strength of his bonds again. Levi may not have finished cutting them, but he’d weakened them enough that Kabbu thought he might be able to break them. He just needed the right opportunity and a bit of time.

Looking up at the bandit, he said, “I know Astotheles told you to stay here, but from what I can see here, your fellow bugs in crime need you more.”

The mantis eyed him with suspicion. Stopping and looking down at Kabbu with the sickle hanging at his side serving as a warning, he said, “What does it matter to you? I remember what your soldiers did to our garden. He’s right to be cautious with you.”

Venus, he was never going to live that down. Worst of all, he was feeling like he deserved it. What had it accomplished? Astotheles was more dangerous than ever. Where was this supposed to end? He was able to speak earnestly when he said, “I… regret how things have turned out. I wanted to see you all return to Bugaria as reformed citizens, not this. I came to respect Astotheles after how he behaved during the search for the sapling, but now I fear the course he’s taking. Don’t you?”

The lieutenant’s expression was conflicted before he turned away from Kabbu. Looking in the direction of the fighting, he said, “The boss hasn’t been the same since that day, but can you blame him? The only thing we still had was our dignity. He took care of us, though, like he always has through thick and thin. I trust him with my life.”

While he was facing the other way, Kabbu tried working the string, rocking back and forth and pushing against it. Slowly but surely, he could feel it starting to come loose as the strands frayed behind him. When he realized the bandit had stopped talking, Kabbu tried to keep him going. “Do you even know what he’s brought you all here for? The swamps are a terrible place,” he said, gazing down at the ground, “I’ve… lost people here. Nobody deserves that. I wouldn’t want to see it happen to you.”

He had to stop when the lieutenant turned back to face him. Drat, he was so close too! The bandit looked at him, nodded, and said, “You’re being sincere, aren’t you? It’s a little late for a change of heart, but… thanks. The boss didn’t share all the details with everyone. I know we’re looking for a roach thing, though I don’t know what sort of thing it is. Not too different from what you explorers like to do. It’s not even criminal, if that matters to you.”

That gave Kabbu pause. Everyone was here for the same reason after all. That couldn’t be good, but how bad was it? He asked, “And what does he want to do with it? Try and sell it off to the kingdoms for payment, like he will with me and the crown?”

With a shrug, the bandit said, “I don’t know the details, so don’t bother asking, but he said that if this works out we’ll be able to have our own home again. So of course we all followed him out here.”

Kabbu wanted to press for more information, but this was starting to drag on. The fighting probably wouldn’t last too much longer, and he wanted to be gone by the time it was over. He’d have to take a risk. Glancing upwards to look the lieutenant in the eye, he asked, “What’s your name? You probably know mine already, but I’m Kabbu.”

With crossed arms, the lieutenant shrugged and said, “Spring. I’d say it’s nice to meet you, but given the circumstances I’m sure you couldn’t say the same.”

Kabbu nodded slowly. “Well, Spring, even if we must be enemies, I hope that you and your friends make it out of here safely. I’m sorry for everything that’s happened… and for what’s next.”

Spring looked at Kabbu like he was an idiot. “You can take your apology to the boss after the fight, but what do you mean?”

With a final burst of exertion, Kabbu snapped the string holding him in place. Before Spring could understand what was happening, Kabbu had already jumped up and tackled the bandit to the ground. He’d taken the lieutenant completely by surprise, and took off at a run before Spring could react. He wasn’t looking for a fight now, just to finish what Levi and Celia had started without hurting anyone more than necessary.

Kabbu didn’t slow down to look behind, but he did yell, “I’m sorry!” The mantis was undoubtedly starting to chase after Kabbu already, but Kabbu could pick up quite a bit of speed when running in a straight line. As he sprinted to the opposite end of the camp, Kabbu hoped there wouldn’t be any hard feelings towards Spring from the other bandits.

Unfortunately for Kabbu, the fighting had spilled into the camp while he’d been stuck talking. Bandits clashed with leafbugs, and the one thing going in his favor was that they were too focused on one another to care about him. Though he didn’t know exactly where he was going, he knew it couldn’t be far. Circling around a clash between some crickets and ninjas, Kabbu spotted a gathering area ahead where two rows of mats had been laid out on the ground, with one at the head. A bag sat at its edge. That had to be it!

Before he made it all the way there, he heard the noise of a struggle off to his right. When he looked, he saw a trio of injured bandits on the ground with Astotheles standing between them and the large club-wielding leafbugs attacking them. Astotheles, already battered from the duel, struggled to stay upright. He still held his ground while grunting, “That blasted explorer… tougher than he looked.”

With Astotheles in no position to stop him, it was the perfect time to grab the bag and run. It was the smart thing to do. Still, Kabbu was stuck in place, looking between it and the bandits with increasing reluctance. What was going to happen to these bugs if they lost this fight? They’d already lost everything, and he was partly to blame.

Kabbu knew he was going to regret this, but he’d regret not doing it even more. He picked up a rock off the ground and threw it at the giant leafbug, striking it square in the chest. It didn’t do much harm, but the bug turned its head to look at Kabbu, leaving Astotheles with an opening to strike swiftly. He hit his foe in the chest three times, sending them stumbling back before falling to the ground.

When Astotheles turned and saw Kabbu, his face twisted in a mix of shock and anger. “You,” he said, “What are you doing here?!” Kabbu had no idea how to explain what he was doing to himself, let alone someone else. There wasn’t any time for it either. A couple more of the leafbugs were approaching, and Kabbu called to the cricket, “Behind you!”

Astotheles turned around with just enough time to swing his weapon and deflect the needle one of the smaller bugs had thrown at him. He quickly closed the gap and struck the bug across the head, causing them to twirl around before falling over. Kabbu, meanwhile, had run up and lifted the giant club with a huff. It lacked finesse, but with a wide swing he smacked the other bug over before letting go.

When the leafbug returned to its feet, they turned to make a hasty retreat. Kabbu was happy to let them run. When he turned to Astotheles, he saw the leader’s attention torn between the fallen bandits he’d been defending and another clash nearby. Kabbu said, “Go and help them - I will get these bugs to safety!”

Astotheles’s expression fell somewhere between incredulous and annoyed, but he nodded and dashed off in the direction of the fight. Kabbu walked over to the fallen bandits, and one at a time hoisted them up to carry them over to the mats, where he carefully laid them down. Two of them had been knocked out cold, and the third was still too dazed to say much beyond a muffled, “Thanks.”

Having done his good deed with satisfaction, Kabbu set down the last bandit and turned to go collect Vi’s bag, only to see Spring standing between him and it. The mantis held his sickle at the ready, though not threateningly. He motioned for Kabbu to stop before saying, “I’m not sure what your game is, breaking free just to help some of us in the fight, but I still can’t let you walk away. What sort of trick are you pulling?”

The last thing any of them needed was more fighting. Kabbu’s heart wouldn’t be in it right now. He shook his head, taking a few slow steps backwards and saying, “N-No tricks, I swear, I just couldn’t stand by while they were hurt! Please, I don’t wish to fight you! That bag contains something extremely dangerous - let me take it and go in peace, for all our sakes.”

Spring shook his head and said, “Even if I wanted to, it’s not up to me to decide.” Kabbu kept backing up until he felt himself meet the point of something sharp. He turned to see Astotheles, glaring with his needle raised. Kabbu was stuck between the two of them. He hadn’t been fast enough.

Astotheles’s face softened a little before he said, “Twice now you have been my prisoner and spared my life when you could have taken it or left me for dead, and now you’ve even helped tend to some of my own. I don’t understand why, but… thank you for making sure my bugs were safe.”

Spring closed in on Kabbu from the other side, but waited before acting any further. “Boss?” He said, “He helped you?”

Kabbu shook his head and sighed before saying, “I-I wasn’t going to leave them to their fate. This place has claimed enough lives already! I understand you’re angry, Astotheles, but I never wanted things to end this way. I didn’t even know you had tried to reach peace with the queens!”

Astotheles waited a second, then lowered his weapon and motioned for Spring to do the same. Putting it at his side, he said, “Whatever the truth of your words is, you still bear responsibility for what happened, and I can’t afford to repeat my mistakes. You will be staying here, but at least you’ve proved yourself better than your queen once again.”

Kabbu was tired. He might be able to run, but… not yet. Not without the crown. Barring escape, Kabbu could at least learn more, and maybe convince the bandits to stop on their current course. He asked, “And what about when you find whatever the roaches left out here? What do you plan to do with it? Do you even know what it is?”

After giving Spring a tense look, Astotheles calmly answered, “Not exactly, but that doesn’t matter. I was promised a new home for all of us in exchange for it.”

Kabbu grimaced. There weren’t many bugs who could make such a deal. No matter which one of them was hiring Astotheles, it wouldn’t be good. That promise was going to be hard to beat, but he still held on to a faint hope that the bandits might see reason.

Kabbu said, “Astotheles, I may not know who it is, but surely you know that anyone who wants an artifact that badly won’t do any good with it. You should consider turning it over to the kingdoms. They may be willing to reconsider amnesty if you act in good faith.”

Shaking his head, Astotheles said, “It’s too late for that. I’ve already made my promise, and the queens already squandered whatever hope I had in them. Now, my only question is if you plan to give us any more trouble. Cooperate, and I can still promise you will be treated well.”

Kabbu knew his friends would come for him as long as he could hold out for a while longer to let them regroup, but would they make it in time to stop Astotheles from finding the artifact? He didn’t know what it was, but he didn’t want to take any risks. Until then, their best chance might lie in Kabbu trying to earn the bandits’ respect back. Maybe he could still convince them not to take it, or barring that, swipe the artifact away when they didn’t expect it.

With a bow of his head, Kabbu said, “…Fine, you’ve won this time, Astotheles. If it gets us all out of here faster, then I will go with you willingly. I just hope you know what you’re doing. If you’re not careful, all of us will pay the price, not just you.”

From behind, Kabbu heard Spring say, “Smart bug.”

Relief softened Astotheles’s expression further as he shut his eyes for a few seconds. Then he looked from Kabbu to Spring and ordered, “Keep your eyes on him at all times. Don’t let him leave the center of the camp, but if he behaves well, then let him stay unbound. We’ll be leaving soon anyway - this bridge is about to lower.”

Looking skyward, Kabbu gazed up at the chasm-spanning drawbridge. Despite its size, it still seemed too small to have been built by the giants. What could have possibly led to a construction of its size? Was there no other way around this immense canyon?

His thoughts were interrupted by Spring giving him a gentle push forward. While Kabbu stumbled a few paces ahead, Spring said, “You did a good thing today, hero, but you’re still our prisoner. Get moving.”

While he watched the other two, Astotheles added, “Don’t think this makes us even. You still have a lot to answer for.”

Kabbu started forward while complaining, “N-No need to push!” As soon as he was walking, he was already questioning his decision. His friends would want to fight to the last - was he letting them down? He could picture Leif and Vi telling him that this was a terrible idea, that he was too trusting and being too reckless. No, he reminded himself, only his own doubts were telling him that. They would understand.

He hoped that they would catch up and stop this before they had to see if he was right or wrong about Astotheles. He whispered to himself, “Leif… Vi… please hurry. Everyone here needs you.”

Kabbu sat in the middle of the camp while everyone started to pack up their things, with Spring keeping a watchful eye on him. They passed the first span in an awkward silence, until Spring said, “I don’t know why you did it, but thanks for helping the others out.”

Shaken from his half-slumber, Kabbu looked up at the mantis and said, “Oh, well… I meant what I said before! It was nothing, really.”

Spring stared at him blankly before responding, “You’re a strange one, Kabbu. Bet you have some interesting stories, though. Maybe you wouldn’t mind passing the time telling one?”

Kabbu was initially reluctant, but figured there was little harm in sharing tales many already knew. He started telling Spring about his adventures with Leif and Vi. It didn’t take him long to get into a flow, and thinking of those days helped take his mind off his current predicament. He went on for a while until he said, “…so that was our first, unfortunate meeting with Mothiva and Zasp. I never wanted to fight them, but their desire for fame was so great that they left us no choice. I think Vi and Leif were happy to get a chance to cut into their ego.”

Spring turned his head up slightly and asked, “I’ve heard of her. What ever happened to the two of them?”

“Well, after we defeated the king-,” Kabbu started, before a loud groaning sound drowned him out and caused him to stop. Both of them looked up and saw the drawbridge slowly start to lower. It made worrying creaking sounds as the gears slowly turned, until the massive slab slammed into the ground so hard that it sent a rumble through the ground.

Spring waited for Kabbu to stand up and said, “You’ll have to finish another time. We’re about to get moving.” The bandits, who had finished packing their few belongings, were all gathering near the bridge. When Spring gestured for Kabbu to step forward, Kabbu felt a wave of weariness. He’d nearly forgotten the situation he was in during the conversation.

When they approached the crowd, Spring calmly asked from behind, “Your friends mean a lot to you, don’t they? The other explorers, that is.”

It wasn’t the sort of question Kabbu expected, but it was one he was able and willing to answer earnestly. “They do - they’ve become like family now more than anything. We spent some time apart before we came here, and it’s only now that I’m realizing how much I missed them.” Why hadn’t he stuck with them? He wanted to help Defiant Root, but had it really needed him?

After a few seconds of quiet, Spring answered, “That’s not so different from how the boss talks about the rest of us sometimes, though you didn’t hear it from me. Just remember to do what he says and you’ll get to see them again before long.”

Kabbu wanted to protest, but as they merged into the small crowd of bandits, he thought it better to keep that conversation to themselves. Spring had surely meant the comparison as a compliment, but there was no way he was much like Astotheles. He waited in a sour silence for the rest of the bandits to gather and Astotheles to step onto the bridge and face the group.

“We’re close,” he said to the crowd, “I know many of you are tired, and some of you are hurt, but we need to put some distance between us and this place before we are attacked again. Then we can all take a well-deserved rest.”

Everyone murmured in agreement until someone Kabbu couldn’t see shouted, “Din is missing!” Whispers went through the crowd, and Astotheles stared directly at Kabbu, who couldn’t understand why until the cricket spoke again.

“The explorers who snuck into our camp earlier took him to disguise themselves,” he said, keeping his voice even despite an undercurrent of anger, “Normally I would turn back and look for him, but we don’t know where they might be hiding. They’re not done with us yet, so we might as well force them to come to us and rescue him then.”

Kabbu heard some of the bandits around him vocalize their doubts in lowered voices. One said, “…Do you really think they’ll follow us?” Another suggested, “Maybe we could split up? We shouldn’t leave one of our own behind.” In the end, nobody voiced a better suggestion, and Astotheles’s plan won out. Kabbu listened carefully, in case he could use some of those doubts later.

With the path forward laid out, Astotheles took the lead across the great bridge. The rest of the bandits followed behind in a loosely organized formation. Kabbu still marveled at the sheer scale of the thing, and on their way across he asked Spring, “Whoever built this bridge must have been able to find a better way across this gulch, surely. Why do you think it’s here?”

Spring shrugged and said, “Not sure, but it does seem pretty strange. I’m just glad it still works.” Kabbu wasn’t sure he shared the sentiment, but that would depend on whatever waited for them on the far side.

After crossing the bridge, the way forward was even more overgrown than the paths that had led through the swamp to this point. The mass of bandits was forced to narrow into a double-file line, which left the mood nervous and claustrophobic. Spring walked alongside Kabbu, keeping a vigilant eye on him all the way.

After a long walk on a gradual decline, the could see another clearing ahead. The mood started to lift, and despite Kabbu’s own apprehension towards whatever awaited them, he had to admit that he was interested to see what they would find at the end of the path. The rising noise of conversation ahead as more of the bandits stepped out into the open only made him more curious.

When he and Spring finally stepped out to somewhere they could get a view of the landscape, both of them stopped to take it in. Kabbu muttered, “By the Queen…” The ground ahead turned down sharply into a crater, and the first thing visible was the gray spire towering up above the center. It was a monolithic structure and had some sort of scaffolding built around it all the way up to the top. There, the spire supported a platform that held a large blue crystal, which emitted a constant beam of pale blue light down towards the base, which sat out of sight.

Surrounding the spire was a great metallic bowl, which had sunken into the crater. From where Kabbu stood, he was still too far away to see all the way down into it. What he could see was a structure in decay - the metal was visibly rusting in many places and fallen apart in others. Where it was still intact, supports built onto the slanted surface supported boxy buildings, many of which looked to be in the process of falling apart themselves. As he followed the edge of the bowl around clockwise, he saw that on the edge to his left, part of it had been modified to build a dam, holding back a reservoir that sat on lower ground.

Between the two of them, Spring was the first to speak. He asked, “What is it?” He sounded both fascinated and apprehensive at the sight of the thing. Kabbu felt that way too. He was curious to see what was at the bottom, but the place was giving him a bad feeling.

It wasn’t as if Kabbu had any better answers than Spring, but there was something familiar about the whole thing. It was definitely built by bugs, as far as he could tell, so there was only one answer as to who was responsible. They’d found it. “It has to be another roach… laboratory? A city? I’m not sure, but it’s seen better days.”

Astotheles turned to face the gathering of bandits, gestured at the great structure, and said, “Here it is, slumbering in the deepest parts of the swamps! A new home is in our grasp, my friends! Now we make camp, and in the morning I will lead the way to our prize!”

The confidence he projected and the promise that deliverance was at hand for the group turned the initial reluctance into enthusiasm, at least for most of them. Kabbu noticed that Spring was still staring at the spire rather than joining in the cheers. Kabbu knew that whatever was ahead, he needed to be there whenever Astotheles finally found it, for all their sakes.

Chapter Text

That night in the wasp hive was the best sleep Vi had ever gotten. Maybe a little too good. When she finally opened her eyes, Leif and Tez were already up. Leif stood by the door, ready to go, and Tez was in the middle of packing the last of his things. Vi slowly sat up to test how she felt. The dizziness from the previous day was gone, though she’d still have to shake off the sluggishness from her sleep. She was back in action! Looking over at the others, she asked, “Okay, how late is it?”

Leif shrugged and said, “If it were late enough to matter, we would have woken you up. Are you feeling well enough to go?”

Tez shifted in place anxiously, adjusting the straps on his backpack before adding, “I hope so. We don’t have time to lose.” He put on an eager face, but Vi noticed his shoulders were sagging already.

She asked, “Tired?”

The wasp immediately straightened his posture. His eyes darted from Vi to Leif and he said, “W-Well, a little bit maybe. I, uh, didn’t sleep as well as I’d like. Just… too excited, is all.”

Glancing back at him, Leif said, “Just make sure you keep up with us.” He turned his head back towards Vi and asked, “How about you? Do you think you can come?”

Vi hopped off the bed. “I’m feeling fine, I’m just waking up,” she said, “Those bandits aren’t going to arrest themselves, so we’d better get going!”

She smirked when, on double checking her things, she saw that everything was there - even her beemerang! It was a lucky break none of the bandits had nabbed it while she was out. This mess had been so embarrassing, but all she had to do was go get Kabbu and the crown back and it would all be fine! Elizant would totally forgive her as long as she could think of a good way to explain everything.

Leif handed her some supplies for the road and said, “Alright. We’ll eat and then get going immediately. Levi and Celia will be waiting for us, then we can plan our next move as a group.”

They were all in agreement, and before long they had eaten and were back on the trail. Leif and Vi took the lead while Tez followed behind. At first he eagerly took in all the new surroundings, looking all around with gleaming curiosity, but the further they marched into the gloom of the swamp, the more his eyes darted around nervously. Once they were well along the trail, he suddenly asked, “So… you two fought the king, right? What was that like?”

Vivid memories from that day still made Vi shiver a little. She said, “Once we cornered him it was going great for a while, but after he ate the last bit of the sapling I thought we were done for! Good thing our team is unbeatable together!” Maybe it had also involved a little dumb luck, but she wasn’t going to admit that. Instead, she offered Tez a confident grin.

Rubbing the back of his head, Leif added, “We were pretty scared too, but more focused on stopping him than worried about ourself. Fortunately the sapling’s power wasn’t limitless.” He looked over his shoulder at Tez and asked, “You were living in the hive then too, correct? Did you ever meet him?”

There was a long pause. When Vi looked back, she saw Tez still following closely behind, with a blank stare on his face. She asked, “Hey, uh, you alright there?”

Tez’s attention returned to the two of them and he stammered, “O-Oh, uhm… I’d rather not talk about it. Sorry. Those days weren’t good ones.” As far as Vi was concerned, that was a “yes.” She’d find a way to get the details out of him eventually, but for now Tez had returned to watching their surroundings anxiously.

Vi wondered where all the determination she’d seen the day before had gone. Leif, clearly thinking similarly, whispered to her, “We told you that he was not ready. We’ll have to spend as much time watching him as watching for danger.”

No way was she going to let him win this easily, even if there was a chance he might be right. Defensively, she answered, “Y-Yeah, well maybe he just needs a little bit of time to adjust. It wasn’t easy my first time outside the hive either, and I did just fine!”

Leif shook his head. “We don’t have time for that. This isn’t a job for a rookie.”

With a dismissive wave, Vi whispered back, “And neither was Snakemouth! You know what? Just let me worry about him. He’ll be great with a little guidance from someone who actually believes in him - I’ll show you how it’s done!” She immediately regretted the challenge. She wasn’t even sure why she was so adamant about it, but she wasn’t going to take it back either.

Offering her an incredulous look, Leif shrugged and answered, “Fine, but you better teach him quick. Don’t forget why we’re here.” He stopped, looked ahead, and said, “Speaking of, Levi and Celia should be somewhere up ahead.”

Tez must have noticed their conversation, because Vi soon heard the rattling of his backpack approaching from behind them before he said, “Hey, uh, what are you two talking about?”

Vi wasn’t sure how to answer that. There was an awkward pause before Leif said, “Uh, Vi said she was willing to show you the ropes. Is this your first time out of the hive?”

After mumbling something to himself, Tez said, “I’ve been outside before, but this is the furthest I’ve been, yeah. I’ll be fine, but… thanks, Vi. I won’t waste your time! Where do I start?”

Before Vi could come up with something on the spot, she saw bits of red and blue against the gloomy background close ahead. “Hold on,” she said, “I think I see the others!” As they rounded a turn in the narrow pathway among the grass, they saw the explorers sitting on the ground, resting against some of the tall blades. Levi’s chest was bandaged, and he sat with his head down. Celia had looked up to watch their approach, with a worried look on her face. Next to her, there was… another ladybug? They looked like one of the bandits, and were asleep on the ground. Leif hadn’t mentioned that part of the plan.

“What the heck,” Vi said, “Leif, you didn’t tell me that you guys got beat up this bad! Or that you got one of the bandits!”

Celia smiled at Vi nervously. Leif answered, “That’s because we weren’t, and we didn’t.” He turned his head to look at Celia, eyes narrowed, and said, “Celia, what happened?”

She tapped the edge of her shield nervously before answering, “Well, everything was going to plan when we saw this bandit on his own. Then we came up with a new plan.”

With a pained groan, Levi looked up at the three of them and continued, “We lured him out and jumped him, then I used his outfit as a disguise to get into the bandit’s camp. I tried to save Kabbu and make a distraction so Celia could find the crown and steal it back. It… almost worked.”

Vi was pushed aside by Tez, who stepped to the front, looked Levi in the eye, and asked, “What do you mean, ‘almost’?”

Levi wearily looked Tez over in return. Celia seemed to have noticed him for the first time. It was Levi who answered, “Before I could finish freeing Kabbu, Astotheles came to us. To buy Celia some time and try to win Kabbu’s freedom, I challenged him to a duel.”

Nodding, Celia added, “And you can see how that went. I was spotted and chased off before I could find where they were keeping the crown.”

Then, Levi said, “And I was close, but I wasn’t strong enough to beat him. Sorry.” Looking between the three new arrivals, he said, “It’s good to see you two well.” He focused on Tez and asked, “Who might you be? Did Queen Vanessa send you to help us? This won’t be safe for one of your people, you know.”

Tez’s mandibles opened and closed a few times before he responded. “I, uhm, asked to come, actually. After I heard about the crown, well,” he said before a look of fierce determination crossed his face, “I wasn’t going to sit by and let it happen again! I know it’s dangerous, but someone had to do it. You can count on me to do whatever it takes!”

That was more like it! Vi added, “This is Tez! He’s still pretty new, but the Queen said he could come along. We need all the help we can get, and I’m going to show him how it’s done!”

Bowing his head, Levi said, “Your courage is appreciated, Tez, but take care when you encounter the bandits, especially if they-.” He winced in pain and clutched at his side. Once it passed, he continued, “If they try to use the crown. I’m Levi, and this is my partner Celia.”

After looking at her partner with a concerned frown, Celia looked back at Tez and smiled warmly. She continued, “We’re explorers from the ant kingdom, like Leif and Vi. Let us know if we can help you.”

Nodding repeatedly, Tez said, “Nice to meet you two! I won’t let you down! And, uh, don’t worry about me. The crown doesn’t work on everyone.”

“Huh,” Celia said, “I guess you got lucky then!” Tez didn’t respond. He glanced down at the dirt.

Leif hadn’t said anything yet, and Vi didn’t feel like giving him all day, so she went ahead and said, “Okay, that’s enough introductions! Are the bandits still there? I’ve got a score to settle with them!”

Shaking his head, Levi said, “Not anymore. Let me explain how I escaped.” After pushing himself upright from his slump, he told them about his loss in the duel, the leafbug attack, and how he’d kept an eye on the camp from a distance after patching himself up. At the end, he said, “I couldn’t follow them across the bridge, and I don’t know where they’re going, but I did see Kabbu with them. He didn’t look like he was seriously hurt, at least.”

As if he’d be a pushover for some thieves. Kabbu was tough. She knew he’d be able to hold out until they caught up to him. Tapping the side of her head while she thought about their next moves, Vi said, “The wasps are gonna be sending more reinforcements after us as soon as they can. Since you’re pretty beat up Levi, how about you stay here to show them the way when they get here?”

“Just give me a little bit of time to rest,” Levi protested, “I’ll be fine.”

Vi didn’t believe that for a second. Leif must not have either, because he said, “Levi, you are in no shape to fight now.” He glanced aside at Tez and Vi, saying, “Vi, you should take Tez to check the area by the bridge. Maybe the bandits left something behind in the fighting. We will stay here and talk with Levi and Celia about our next move.”

Tez’s antennae perked up a little and his expression brightened. “Sure,” he said eagerly, “We’ll be back before you know it!”

It wasn’t a bad idea - she’d get a chance to see how this kid handled himself. With a smile, she said, “If there are any stragglers, we’ll give them a good wallop!”

They left together, and soon after starting down the path down the path again, Vi said, “Hey, how about you take the lead?” He clearly needed a confidence boost, and she didn’t know how to give one to him other than to let him do something for himself, even if that something was just leading the way.

Shock quickly spread across Tez’s face. He answered, “W-Wait, me? Are you sure?”

Vi stepped aside and gestured for him to go forward. “Yeah! Don’t worry, I’ll be right behind you the whole way. You seem like you want to prove yourself, so I’m gonna give you your shot!”

Though his arms trembled a little, Tez nodded and stepped forward and pressed on.

By Vi’s estimation, this kid had the right instincts, even if he was a little rough around the edges. He was attentive to his surroundings, but was always getting distracted by every little noise and losing track of what was in front of him. He kept looking back at her, his eyes searching for approval or guidance, and she’d offer him an encouraging smile. Tez needed a test to find his courage. What better place than here, and who better to make sure he got out of it in once piece than her?

Still, he was a tough nut to crack, and if she was going to help him, she needed to get in his head. On their way to the bridge, she asked, “So, uh, what made a librarian want to start making crazy inventions and go out exploring? No offense, but I wouldn’t have guessed you were the type just from looking at you.”

Slowing his pace, the wasp turned his gaze down to the mud in front of him before he said, “W-Well, I don’t need to tell you what the king was like. Things were always strict around the hive before, but everyone was taken care of. It was bad with him around, and nothing’s ever felt the same since then. I can’t stand sitting around all day knowing that something like that might happen again! I need to,” he paused, taking a moment to choose his words. He turned around and stepped up to Vi, looking her in the eyes. When he started again, he said with an intensity she could feel, “I need to understand the roaches more. Not just how they made something like the crown, but what made them do it in the first place. Even with the Professor and the villagers from the Giant’s Lair there, I can’t do that in the hive. The other wasps don’t understand me, but you do, don’t you?”

Vi leaned back a little. Okay, he was back to being pretty intense again. Gently, she pushed him back a step before answering, “Yeah, I think I get it, but it seemed like the Queen still cares about you. It may take a while for them to understand, but don’t blow everything up with them just because you think they’re trying to hold you back. She probably just wants you to be safe.” She’d already learned all of this the hard way, but he didn’t have to.

After stepping back, Tez fiddled restlessly with the straps on his backpack before looking away and saying, “Yeah, you’re right. I know it. I just want them to take me seriously, but bugs from the hive don’t often, erm, change like this. We do what we’re supposed to do. It just stays that way.” He looked around anxiously, taking half-steps forward in a couple directions as if searching for an escape, before he said, “I don’t know. I’m not sure the queen knows how to handle it either. Let’s just keep going.” He turned back around and started walking, with Vi following close behind.

She could sympathize with that, even if it wasn’t in quite the same way. He was still being evasive about whatever happened to change him, but she remembered the sight of the hive when they’d snuck in during Hoaxe’s reign. The only things that hadn’t been a wreck were the soldiers and the throne room. Thinking of the prisoners left in their cells without food brought a frown to her face. Without really thinking about it, she found herself asking, “They didn’t hurt you, did they? When we broke in, we saw some of the others who weren’t under his control. Most of them weren’t doing so great.”

An awkward silence preceded Tez saying, without looking back, “No, it wasn’t like that. They didn’t put me in jail or beat me up. It was just, I dunno, complicated I guess. I already told you I don’t want to talk about it - that’s in the past now, and it should stay there.” Picking up his pace slightly, he added, “Let’s just focus on what’s ahead.” After a short, awkward silence, he said, “Speaking of, I think I see it now!”

Vi looked ahead. The bridge was certainly hard to miss, even though it didn’t have the same imposing effect now that it was lowered. There was no sign of the bandits, just the churned-up soil from where they’d been fighting. She wasn’t hopeful that they’d find anything, but at least she could see how Tez approached the situation. Stepping up alongside him, she said, “Looks like they took everything with them, but let’s split up and take a look around to see if there’s anything worthwhile. Holler if you find something!”

She was already walking away when she heard Tez muttering, “Uhm, okay.” Though Vi did do some poking around in the mud, she mostly snuck looks back towards Tez to see how he was handling himself. He spent most of the time looking around with a lost expression on his face, but he was at least making a complete sweep through the area.

Something glinted in the mud, drawing her attention away. Vi bent over to check it out - a little silver necklace had been pressed into the mud underfoot at some point. Sweet! Finders keepers! That was going to be worth a few berries for sure.

Her appraisal was cut short when Tez suddenly shouted, “Aah! Get away!” Vi looked up and saw him on his back, trying to scuttle away from one of the small green leafbugs. Were they scouting out the aftermath too? They stood threateningly over Tez, though they hesitated to step forward and strike down at him.

Vi reached for her beemerang, but before she could line up a throw, she saw a spark at Tez’s side. He pushed himself up and swung at the leafbug. It made contact before they could react. For a split second, there was a blinding flash. When Vi could see again, the leafbug was sprawled on the ground. A wisp of smoke lazily curled up into the air above them.

“Oh crap,” Vi said under her breath. That thing was a lot more powerful than she’d been expecting. She could see Tez fiddling with it while grunting in frustration. Had he busted it? She started jogging over to him. Before she could make it all the way, the leafbug twitched, then flipped onto their back and looked up at Tez. This time, instead of preparing to attack, they were trembling and holding up their arms to shield themselves.

When Tez noticed the leafbug still moving, he immediately raised his weapon to strike again. After briefly glancing at the cowering leafbug again, Vi ran forward, waving at Tez to try and get his attention. “Hold up a sec!”

With a heavy overhead windup, Tez swung his baton down at the leafbug, but they were able to roll over onto their chest. The baton sunk into the mud, giving the leafbug a short window to try and crawl away, but they found themselves up against a giant blade of grass before long. Sitting upright again, they faced Tez advancing on them again.

Vi caught up just in time to reach forward and grab Tez’s arm before he swung at the cornered leafbug again. When he turned his head to look at Vi, his expression was both surprised and a little dazed. He asked, “What are you doing?!”

She frowned, and after slowly lowering his hand she pointed down at the leafbug and replied, “Well, take another look at tell me what you see?” Both of them glanced down, and saw the leafbug continue to hold a defensive posture. The longer Tez went without delivering another blow, the more they started slowly relaxing and lowering their arms, though they still looked between the two of them, eyes wide with fear.

Tez’s eyes flashed with recognition. He said, “He’s… not attacking us. He looks afraid. But the leafbugs attack anyone who come here, don’t they?”

Vi nodded, and finally let go of Tez’s hand. “Only ‘cause we’re in their turf. If they come at you, you only gotta rough them up enough to scare them off. That weapon of yours looks like it did a number on him!”

Now that Tez seemed to get the point, Vi stepped back to open up a passage for the leafbug. At first they didn’t move, but then Vi made some gestures first pointing to them, then past her and Tez out of the clearing. Following some more nervous looks back and forth between the two explorers, the leafbug scrambled to their feet and took off running away from the two of them.

“Huh,” Tez said while they watched the leafbug leave, “I just always read they were hostile. I didn’t know they were, uh, I don’t know exactly. Okay?”

Crossing her arms, Vi said, “Yeah well you can’t learn everything out of a book. They’re pretty dangerous in groups, but this one probably just wanted to get home. No point in beating him up any more.” Looking the wasp right in the eye, she added, “You've gotta learn to control yourself, alright? You’ll get yourself hurt if you don’t, or worse.”

Tez glanced down at his weapon, now hanging at his side, and sheepishly said, “S-Sorry. I was just startled is all, and I didn’t realize that this would be so... effective. It’s the first time I actually used it.” Bringing it up closer to his face, he turned it over again and seemed to find whatever flaw he’d been looking for before. After a quick bit of tinkering, he flipped the switch and it started to buzz again. He switched it off before hanging it from his pack again.

Watching him handle the weapon, Vi wondered if she could get one of those, or at least do something like that with her needles. Later, she reminded herself. Another look around the area didn’t reveal anything she hadn’t seen before, and she said to Tez, “Look, it’s alright, just try not to freak out and I think you’ll be fine. You did well defending yourself. Just know when to stop.”

Tez shook out his arms, looking up at the sky and then back down in front of him. “Y-Yeah. Thanks. I’ll do better next time.” He surveyed the area again before his eyes settled on the bridge. “I don’t know about you, but I didn’t find anything else. We’re just going to have to follow the trail.”

Thinking about the necklace she’d stashed away, Vi said, “Nothing but junk for me either. At least the way’s clear!” Waving for him to follow her, she added, “Alright, let’s go get Leif. Kabbu’s waiting for us, and if anyone thinks they can stop us they’ve got another thing coming!”

After jogging to catch up once she got started, Tez kept pace alongside Vi. While they were on their way back, he asked, “Do you think your friend is okay? I know you’re all tough, but if they beat you already, they must be tough too.”

Vi didn’t have to think for long before answering, “Yeah, he’ll be fine. They got some cheap shots off, but we’ll wipe the floor with them in a fair fight! I don’t think they’d hurt him once they nabbed him either. If anything, he’s probably worried about us right now.”

Following a couple moments of quiet, Tez said, “He’s that kind of bug, huh? I’ve got a friend like that back in the hive. He won’t be happy when he hears I came out here.”

It all sounded a little familiar. Vi asked, “Did you two get in a fight before you left? That happened to me with my big sister before I left the bee kingdom.”

Shaking his head, Tez answered, “No, it wasn’t like that. It just doesn’t feel the same as before. It’s more like we’re drifting apart, but he doesn’t want to let go. I mean, I don’t either, but I can’t change how I feel. This is just how it is, you know?”

There weren’t many things that made Vi feel stumped, but she didn’t know what to say. She tried to picture a day when she no longer felt like she belonged in a team with Leif and Kabbu, and had to say goodbye. She couldn’t. Trying to offer some measure of reassurance, she said, “Well, maybe some time apart will help anyway. It helped with me and my sister. If he cares about you, he’ll understand.”

When he didn’t answer, Vi looked over at Tez. He looked deep in thought, with his gaze tilted down towards the path ahead of them. Better not to bother him now. She left him to his thoughts while they returned to the others, and she thought about how she was going to explain the situation to Elizant.

She still didn’t have an answer by the time they reached the camp. Leif was already standing, watching their approach, while Levi and Celia sat nearby watching over the bandit. Leif said, “We are ready to go. Did you find anything?”

Tez looked over to Vi. If she told him what happened, Leif would just take it as proof that he was right and rub it in her face. She said, “Uh, not really, they must have totally cleared out of there fast. Tez did a good job, and it’s pretty obvious where they went. What about you guys, are they staying behind?”

Levi, still sitting on the ground, said, “Leif made his point. The wasp forces will hopefully arrive before long, and we will show them the way to the bridge. I don’t like it, but I’m too hurt to fight, and I need Celia to stay here with me in case something happens.”

It made sense, but it still sucked. How many bandits could just the three of them handle before they were overwhelmed? Hopefully that backup would be closer behind than they thought. Vi said, “Okay, even if we can’t find Kabbu, we’ll soften them up for everyone!”

Stepping forward to join them, Leif said, “We will find him, Vi, don’t worry.” Looking at their new companion, he continued, “Maybe we were wrong about you, Tez. Vi isn’t easily impressed. Be careful and stick close, and we’re sure everything will be fine.”

Nodding his head repeatedly, Tez said, “I know, don’t worry! Just lead the way, a-and I’ll help you however I can. We’ll get your friend back before you know it!”

Vi hoped his confidence would pay off. At least Leif’s presence proved reassuring. She waved goodbye to Levi and Celia, then looking between her teammates, she said, “Alright, no time to waste, let’s go!”

It didn’t take the trio long to return to the bridge. Neither Leif nor Tez spoke much along the way, only glancing at one another occasionally. Vi missed Kabbu’s near-constant chatter. Even Celia and Levi were lively by comparison. By the time they started crossing, she’d had enough of it and broke the silence. “So, Tez, what does a wasp librarian do anyway?”

The others both looked at her, then at each other. Tez’s antennae twitched a little before he answered, “Nothing out of the ordinary. Keeping the kingdom’s books organized, helping bugs find the ones they want, and assisting visitors like the Professor with their research. Why?”

She shrugged and said, “I dunno, just got tired of the quiet. We went to the one in the ants’ palace a bunch, but I never asked anyone there.”

Leif added, “We noticed your hive’s library is much bigger as well. We wouldn’t have guessed.”

Nodding again, Tez’s posture relaxed a little as he explained, “We’ve recorded a lot of our history, and what we learned about our enemies. You probably already know we fought the bees and the roaches in the past, but there were also some conflicts with the bugs to the north.” He stopped, then looked at the two of them anxiously and added, “Uh, just to be clear, I’m happier with the way things are now.”

“Huh, no kidding,” Vi muttered. She guessed those wasp soldiers had to get that tough somehow, but fighting everyone seemed like it would be too much. Maybe that was why Vanessa was a little more chill than she’d expected.

Looking aside at the chasm down below, Leif asked, “Do you remember any of your books mentioning this path? It seems like the sort of place we would remember to take a note of.”

Tez’s eyes wandered downwards while he thought. Eventually, he said, “No, not that I can think of. Sorry.”

That seemed pretty weird to Vi. “Do you think any of those bugs from the north built it then? It felt like the leafbugs were trying to keep us away from it, but I don’t get the feeling it’s theirs.”

Tez shook his head. “I don’t have any idea, really. Bugs from our kingdom haven’t come out this way much.”

After that, the conversation trailed off again. When they reached the far end, the path forward narrowed. The grass was even denser here and cast foreboding shadows over the way ahead. Vi wasn’t fazed, though. They’d still been places far worse than this.

Once they had walked through the overgrowth for a while longer, Tez struck the conversation back up. “Hey, I know you two have been explorers for a while now, but did you ever have any doubts when you were getting started? You know, that you could do it, or if you were making a mistake.”

Thinking back to that time, Vi knew she had hesitated just a little before she’d left the hive, but after getting into fights and blowing up everything with everyone she knew there, she never considered going back to her old life. Not even after fixing the broken bridges later. “Nuh-uh,” she said, “Not once I started, at least. Working up the courage to leave was the hardest part, but it was the best decision I ever made!”

After Vi finished, Leif said, “We didn’t have much of a choice at the time. There were questions hanging over us, and joining with Kabbu and Vi was our only chance of getting answers. Even if there were other options, though, we made the right choice.”

Tez watched each of them intently as they answered, and when they finished he turned his gaze back to the path ahead. When it became apparent he wasn’t going to say anything himself, Leif pointedly asked, “Are you having second thoughts now that you’re here?”

“N-No, I’m not backing down,” said Tez, though he pulled his arms in closer and hunched over slightly, “But it’s a lot to manage, even with you here.”

Reaching out to offer him a pat on the back, Vi said, “You’ll figure it out when we get there! That worked for me!”

Leif sighed. “We wish we could say you were wrong, Vi. Again, just stick close to us and we will make sure you are fine.”

Tez nodded and said, “Right… right. I will.”

Quiet fell over them again, but this time it felt different. Vi could tell they were getting close, and the anticipation in the air was building. The further they went, the less sunlight broke through to the ground. She could tell the others felt it too, from the way Tez took his steps more carefully, and from the glances Leif shot her way. She was still surprised by what they found when they finally reached the end of the trail.

A crater, a spire, a bowl with structures built all around its inside… But it was the billowing black smoke rising from the center that caught their immediate attention. Vi’s antennae stood up on end and she shouted, “What the heck?!”

Looking over the landscape ahead of them, Tez muttered, “Looks like it could be roach construction… the Professor was right! But, it’s not supposed to be doing that, right?”

Meanwhile, Leif was surveying their more immediate surroundings. Pointing towards the ground, he said, “Tracks in the mud, but no bandits. We guess they must have gone down to… whatever that thing is, and Kabbu must be with them.”

For the first time, Vi seriously worried for Kabbu. The bandits were one thing, but it didn’t look like they were the only problem here now. Following the path further downward, she saw it wind down to the edge of the bowl, where it met a boxy metal building. Pointing towards it, she said, “Well, then we don’t have time to lose! They must have gone down there!”

Though Tez glanced nervously at the plume of smoke, he nodded with conviction and said, “I don’t know what’s going on, but we’ll stop them!”

The three of them ran down to the building together. A door on the side sat open, and from inside Vi could hear the sound of some sort of alarm blaring every couple seconds and the distressed chatter of bugs. She looked back at Leif, who narrowed his eyes and nodded. He was ready to go. Tez was just behind him, fiddling with his weapon. He’d gotten the idea too.

Drawing her needles, Vi slowly approached the doorway. When she was ready, she rushed inside and brandished them, shouting, “Alright you freaks, where’d you take Kabbu?!” A couple dozen bandits, clustered around the center of a large room lined with stark metal walls and filled with consoles and screens, turned their heads to look at her. “Oh crap,” Vi muttered when she saw how many there were. Kabbu and Astotheles were nowhere to be seen.

Tez and Leif entered after her and stood at her sides, wielding rod and ice in case things broke out into a fight. Following a tense few seconds of the two groups staring at one another, one of the bandits spoke up from within the crowd with a sonorous voice. “I can tell you, though I don’t think you’ll like the answer.”

The bugs parted to make way for the speaker: A green mantis who carried a sickle at his side. He stepped forward with his arms raised in a sign of peaceful intent. Behind him, Vi could spot some bugs lying on the ground, with their uniforms partly burned away and black marks on their exoskeletons. She frowned and, gesturing menacingly with her needles, said, “Then spit it out! I think you guys have done enough damage already!”

Lowering his arms to his sides, the mantis calmly continued, “He’s down below, where our leader is too. If you want to see him out of here safely, then our goals may be aligned for now. Astotheles matters more to me than any treasure or settling any scores with you. I hope you’d feel the same about your friend, with how fondly he spoke of you.”

This bandit thought he knew Kabbu? Ridiculous! Before she snapped back, she glanced aside at Leif in search of guidance, but found him distracted by one of the large screens on the wall. It was the source of the alarm that they’d heard on their approach, and displayed roach text in large red lettering along with a map showing the crater flashing red and a large white line off to the left of it.

With a sinking feeling in her abdomen, she asked, “Leif… what does that say?”

Tez followed their eyes and squinted at the screen while muttering, “Let’s see, it says…”

Before he could finish, Leif answered, “It says ‘Containment Failure - Evacuate all bugs beyond the firebreak’.”

Okay, that sounded bad. Very bad. Containment of what? The three of them all looked back to the mantis, and Vi said, “Alright, I think it’s about time you explain what the heck’s going on. Then we can talk about whether you’ll get a team up or a beat up!”

The mantis didn’t seem bothered and nodded slowly. Keeping a relaxed posture, he motioned for the rest of the bandits to stay at ease and said, “We don’t have time to waste, but I’ll do my best. Let’s take it from when we got here this morning.”

Chapter Text

Even with more than adequate sleep, Astotheles was sore. The previous days’ battles had taken their toll on him, but he said nothing to the others. With the challenges they had faced, his bugs needed to view him with confidence, not doubt. If everything went well, they would be in and out of this place before the day was up. He didn’t know how they’d slip the net the explorers were surely preparing for them, but it was a question for later. For the moment, he was sitting in the middle of their camp planning their next moves while drowning out the noise around him.

First, they had to find the treasure. For that, he was bringing a small group of some of his best: Halloway, Spring, and Marigold were each coming along and bringing their favorites. In total, it would be about ten of them, which was enough to deal with problems they might encounter, but not so many that they’d be slowed down.

He didn’t expect any trouble, but it was better to be prepared. Though it hadn’t looked like anyone had been here in countless moons, there were worse things to encounter in a place like this than other bugs. They were often abandoned for a reason.

Then there was the explorer, Kabbu. He made Astotheles wish that he were a lesser bug. Then he could have been content to throw the beetle over the bridge on their way here and been done with it. In theory, having him as a prisoner would be leverage to use should his friends or one of the kingdoms come for them. In practice, since he was one of Elizant’s favorites, it would only bring more heat down on them.

Now Kabbu was joining their trip into the big dish. It was risky to bring him, but it would be riskier to leave him without proper supervision. He’d already made that mistake twice, just like he’d made the mistake of placing his faith in the explorers’ good nature. They’d have to keep a close eye on their prisoner, but at least this way if something went wrong, he’d be stuck in it together with them.

A high-pitched voice disrupted his thoughts. “Everyone’s ready to go, including that mopey beetle!” Astotheles opened his eyes to see Halloway hovering in front of him - a small dragonfly who liked to carry an equally small silver knife. For as long as he’d been part of the group, even Astotheles wasn’t sure if he’d ever had to use it on anyone, or if it was just flashy enough to threaten with. Hopefully it would stay that way.

Holding back a snappy remark for the unwanted interruption, Astotheles reminded himself that Halloway was doing what he’d asked. After a single, quick nod, Astotheles said, “Thank you. Go around the camp one last time and make sure everyone staying behind understands their responsibilities.” The little bandit gave him a quick salute before buzzing off.

Astotheles sprung to his feet. He double checked that his cloak was properly fastened and that his needle was secure at his side. Then, crouching down, he flipped open the flap on the bag that they’d taken from the bee. The crown was still nestled inside. He wasn’t sure what good it could do them, but he felt better having it at his side than not. It was, if nothing else, another piece of security when such a thing was hard to come by.

Once he was completely satisfied with his preparations, he left the camp behind and walked a short distance down the hill towards the dish. On his approach, he saw that the rest of their scouting party, minus Halloway, was already assembled there and waiting for him to take the lead.

Marigold stuck out like always. There weren’t many moths in his crew to start with, and fewer who were bright yellow. She would have been much more at home somewhere she could trade their goods and information under the table, and she made it known with her crossed arms and the frown that had permanently occupied her face since they stepped foot in the swamp. Though she didn’t look like much, Astotheles knew better than to think that meant she wasn’t dangerous when she wanted to be. He still felt bad for dragging her out here, but there was nowhere else for any of them to go.

Spring, on the other hand, possessed the ability to look relaxed no matter where he was, and today was no different. Astotheles had given him charge of the prisoner, and the two of them were standing nearby, speaking quietly with one another. With some of the others, that might have made Astotheles nervous, but he had complete faith in Spring’s loyalty. Astotheles wasn’t sure what he had done recently to deserve it, but it was one of the pillars keeping him steady through their trials.

Stepping up to the group, he briefly looked past them to the spire at the center of the dish. Briefly, he wondered whether it was built by the roaches or the giants, before reminding himself that those weren’t questions they were here to answer.

Turning his attention back to the other bugs, he made sure to stand tall before pointing out towards the big dish. “Whatever we might see in there, remember that we’re only here to find the treasure. Now that the wasps and the explorers are aware of our presence, time is of the essence. Nothing else matters, except that we all get out of here at the end of the day with our prize. Now, are there any more questions before we go?”

Raising an arm, Marigold said, “Yes: What am I doing coming along on this excursion, exactly?”

Astotheles had anticipated this exact question, and answered, “I know you didn’t sign up for this sort of thing, but you’ve got a sharp mind and a keen eye. I don’t know what to expect, but those are going to help us more than strength. This isn’t the same as roughing up the ant’s lackeys.”

Marigold sighed and stepped out in front of the group to stand face-to-face with him before she said, “Alright, but we’d better be leaving right after. I’m not putting up with this forever.”

The open criticism, bordering on defiance, was enough to draw an irritated glare from Spring. Astotheles knew better than to take her words at face value, since she’d always made a show of maintaining her sense of independence. He kept a straight face and, playing it carefully, said, “None of us want to stay here longer than we have to, Marigold. We can be out of here by nightfall if we do this well, and then we’ll be on our way to getting our new home. Do I have your support?”

She made him wait for a second, but with no further fuss she shrugged and said, “Well, we have come this far already, and you did ask me nicely. Let’s get this treasure and put this behind us.” She shrugged, then walked back to her place among the others.

Taking another look around, Astotheles asked, “Anyone else? If you’re having second thoughts, now’s the time to say something, but I will say that we are close. We’ve suffered more than our fair share of indignity at Elizant’s behest, but soon it will be over.” He looked pointedly over at Kabbu, who shrunk back into his shell slightly at the jab. If only Astotheles could count on him staying that way.

Spring glanced aside at Kabbu before he turned back to Astotheles. “You’ve got my support to the end, one way or another.”

Feeling as sure as he could that they would all stick through it for the day, Astotheles said, “Halloway will catch up when he’s ready. Let’s get going and see what we can find.”

The others parted to allow him to take the lead, and Astotheles started following the poor excuse for a road down towards the edge of the bowl, where it met with a rectangular metal building. That would be as good of a place as any to start. When they were close, he glanced back behind him. Halloway had caught up and joined the group sometime on their way down. Everyone was here.

When he drew close to the door on the side of the building, it slid open on its own. He paused, unsure of what it meant. This place lived on beyond its creators, but was it welcoming them inside, laying a trap, or simply indifferent to whoever approached?

He pushed past his hesitation and stepped over the threshold. Inside, he found himself in an expansive room that still felt small with its bare metal walls, clusters of screens and consoles along the long walls, and musty air. It was dark when he first stepped in, but after a few seconds crystals hanging from the ceiling illuminated everything with their soft blue light. The computers followed soon after, lighting up one at a time along the walls. Astotheles kept his hand close to his needle.

No danger came. The only sign that something was amiss was all the roach writing displayed in a harsh red color in the monitors. Looking back, he motioned for the rest of the crew to follow him inside. Even if they could understand the language, he wasn’t sure they’d have time to go through the abundant information in here. They needed to act quickly.

With the others close behind, he stepped closer the biggest computer, near the center of the room on the wall facing the dish. It showed what looked like a map of the facility from a couple different angles, broken up into sections. Most of them were highlighted in red, aside from a few along the edge and those around the center. A bright blue dot sat at one edge.

Marigold spoke up from just behind him. “That must be where we are,” She said, “Though I can’t make sense of the rest of this.”

Astotheles nodded - that made sense. He looked around at the others, but they didn’t offer anything else. Then his eyes found Kabbu. The beetle had gone searching for roach artifacts plenty of times. He might know something, but whether he would share it was another question. Astotheles said to him, “You’ve dealt with this sort of thing before. What do you know?”

Kabbu looked nervously around the room before answering, “W-Well, I don’t really understand it much better than you do. I can’t read roach script. We always have Leif for that, or…” He trailed off, turning his head away.

Not that it mattered. Astotheles knew the answer already. “The Professor,” He finished for Kabbu. When he’d mentioned the moth the previous day, it was to twist the knife in a moment of fury. It wasn’t his proudest moment, but he’d have been lying if he said it didn’t bring some satisfaction.

Kabbu looked back at Astotheles with a renewed fire in his eyes and responded, “What has he ever done to you?! He deserves to be left alone, so just leave him out of this, okay?!”

It was clear that Kabbu cared for that moth’s wellbeing more than most. Astotheles had no intention to hurt any of them unless he needed to, but he could make use of Kabbu’s protective nature if he needed to. It wasn’t the path he’d prefer to take, but he reminded himself that these were desperate times for the people he was responsible for.

Meeting the beetle’s gaze, he said, “I’ll be happy to if you can help us instead. Now, are you certain that you don’t know anything of use here?”

Waving his arms in his exasperation, Kabbu said, “I swear that I don’t! I can’t prove what I don’t know, Astotheles, so please just be reasonable!” Spring reached out to hold Kabbu back in case he tried to charge ahead, and to remind him of his place.

Astotheles grunted. Kabbu was likely telling the truth. He turned around and walked up to the console, hoping that looking at it more closely might give him a sense of direction. He’d only touched the edge of it when old speakers crackled to life, and a distorted voice spoke dispassionately in the roach language. “Woikanam, Tuan. Pjadn aisy 999 lakan igalif.”

He drew back immediately, but whatever Astotheles had started was already done. The screeching and groaning of metal filled the room as shutters on the wall behind the consoles retracted, straining against moons’ worth of rust. Once they were open, revealing large windows overlooking the dish, the room returned to the quiet humming of crystals and computers.

Astotheles looked behind himself. The rest of the group looked as surprised, and as wary, as he was feeling, but everyone was fine. “Stay back,” He warned them before stepping around the console and up to the window. From this vantage, he had a clear view of just about everything in the dish, including the very bottom, where the spire’s beam was directed.

Following it down, he could see a bed of ice filling the lowest sections of the dish, with the blue light hitting it in the center. A light mist clung to the ice, but he could make out a bright yellow-orange light glinting in and out somewhere below the ice.

Apprehension rooted him in place. While he could try thinking of reasons to avoid going down there, Astotheles knew that whatever was glowing down there must have been what they were hired to retrieve. The client had told him that he’d know it when he saw it, but how were they going to reach that?

Spring broke the silence by gently prodding, “Boss?” Astotheles turned back around, unsure of how long he’d kept them waiting. Marigold had already wandered off to the far end of the room, poking her head out a door opposite the one they had entered through, but the rest were looking at him uncomfortably.

After stealing one more look out the window, Astotheles stepped back and rejoined the group. Looking around at all of them, he said, “We’ll have to find a way down to the center, at the base of the tower. I can see something glowing down there, but it’s encased in ice. It has to be the treasure.”

Spring glanced out the window and said, “Then we’d best get looking now. Think you can spot something for us from up above, Halloway?”

The dragonfly buzzed before saying, “Yeah, no problem! I’ll be back before ya know it,” but before he had a chance to leave, they heard a loud clanging sound when Marigold rapped the metal wall.

Once she had all their attention, she casually gestured towards the doorway and said, “I can save you the trouble. Come and take a look at this.”

Motioning for them to follow, Astotheles went to see what she’d found. Looking through the doorway, he saw a tunnel that led towards the center of the dish, with a large, flat lift to run down its length. It was too dark to see the far end, but with any luck it would go all the way to the bottom. He looked back to see Marigold smiling with self-satisfaction, and he said, “Good job. Hopefully it still works.”

When he stepped out carefully onto the walkway around the lift, the metal floor. Astotheles walked onto the lift while the rest followed closely behind. The only controls were a panel on one end. When he drew near, lights on its buttons flickered to life, followed by overhead lights on the tunnel’s ceiling, one at a time, running down its length.

“Seems like this place is keen on inviting you in,” Marigold said as she leaned against the control panel, giving him a probing look, “Anything you’re hiding from us?”

Astotheles scoffed. He didn’t need her jabs right now. “I’m just going first. Maybe you should try it sometime if it’ll make you feel important.”

“Maybe I will,” She said, though he knew she wouldn’t. Trading barbs was just one of their traditions. Taking a look over at the panel, she asked, “So, where to?”

He had no way to be sure. The labels next to the different buttons were wearing away, not that they were of much use to him. The top button was illuminated blue. He said, “As far as it’ll take us.”

Before pressing anything, Astotheles turned around to take count of the group. Everyone was there. Unfortunately, when he counted Kabbu, he recognized the look that the beetle was giving him. He wanted to say something. Better to get it over with right away. Pointing at Kabbu, he said, “Alright, what is it?”

Kabbu gestured around at the structure surrounding them and said, “Look at this place, Astotheles. Surely you can tell that this place is going to be dangerous. Whatever is here isn’t worth it. Even if you don’t care for my safety, or your own, don’t you care about everyone else here? I promise, it’s not too late to turn back.”

Astotheles had his doubts about this from the start, but their options were few. Now, he looked around at his followers. Spring remained as cool and collected as ever, but he could see the uncertainty among the others. There was risk involved for them all, of course. If he could take it all on himself, he would, but he couldn’t do this alone.

Turning back now would be breaking his word that he would get this job done. Even worse, it would be breaking his word to his family that he would see them through their hardship and find them a new home. The only way out of this now was success or failure, not retreat. “They’ll be fine,” He said, though the confidence in his voice wavered, “I’ll make sure of it.”

On the way down, the group stood scattered apart in tense silence, watching the rusting walls and dim crystal lights pass them by with only the loud whirring of the lift’s mechanism to keep them company.

Astotheles was bothered by Kabbu’s words more than he should have been. From the few times they had met and from his reputation, he was inclined to believe the explorer’s concern for them was genuine. That only irritated him further. They’d been struggling on their own for a long time. Who was he to step in and decide what was best for their family? And yet, maybe he had a point.

He’d been led to believe this wouldn’t be a complicated job, but there was clearly more going on here. Despite the size of this place, it was remote and unknown to the kingdoms, so how had his client known they would find something here? He wished he’d learned more about them, but they’d been working through a mutual contact and asking too many questions wasn’t standard practice in this business. The only thing he knew for certain was-

They reached their stop and the lift came to a sudden halt, jolting Astotheles from his thoughts. He turned about to see the rest of the group already gathering by the door to disembark. At his approach, the door slid open with a faint squeak. He hesitated at the threshold and looked carefully around the hallway before him. The building’s consistent responses to him were starting to unnerve him.

He stepped out into the hall. Nothing unusual happened. The only thing he noticed was that air was cold and damp here compared to up above. Astotheles gestured for the others to follow before continuing ahead. The passage led in an arc, circling around the center of the dish. All they had to do was find another way down. As they walked, he spotted double doors coming up on their left, its windows fogged with condensation.

Coming to a stop, Astotheles briefly debated passing on by, but as long as they were here, he wanted some answers. If his client didn’t want to share what they knew with him, then he was going to find out more for himself. Glancing back at the group, he kept his voice quiet when he said, “Quick detour: I want to know more about this place before we go deeper.”

He received no objections and wiped away the fog from the glass to get a look inside the room. Though he could make out tables and racks in the big room beyond, it was still hard to see more. He pushed through the doors and stepped inside. The equipment in here had been left in an orderly manner, abandoned to degrade in their proper places. He had no idea what any of the tools were for, so Astotheles turned his attention to some of the papers left on one of the desks. Even if there were anything he could read, long exposure to the humid air had made them soggy and bled the ink into illegibility.

When he was ready to write the stop off as a waste of time, he heard a familiar beetle’s voice shouting, “By the wasps’ sharp stingers!” He quickly dashed across the room with his hand on his needle the whole way, but when he found Kabbu, Spring, and a couple of the others standing in a side doorway, it seemed there was no immediate danger.

Pushing forwards past them, Astotheles asked, “What is it?” Before he got an answer, he saw what laid ahead: A small prison with cells all along the walls. Lying on the floor inside one ahead of them was the body of a long-dead bug, though in the poor light he couldn’t make out much more than their general shape. They looked like a wasp, or maybe a bee.

Kabbu stepped forwards, up to the bars of the cage, and sorrowfully said, “Rest well, stranger. No bug should have to die alone in a place like this.” Turning around to face Astotheles, he gestured around the room as he explained, “This is all awfully familiar. In Snakemouth there was a lab where the roaches experimented on other bugs to further their own research. I had my fears when we entered this place, but I didn’t want to believe I would see it again.”

Astotheles’s first instinct was to ask if he was sure, but he couldn’t think of many other reasons that these cells would be attached to the laboratory. He felt a little nauseous thinking about it, but pressed on and asked, “Was it in a similar state?”

Shaking his head, Kabbu said, “No, it was even more ruined. The roaches were killed by their own experiments, and we had to fight our way through them. On top of that, it was pretty flooded.”

At least they could be grateful that they hadn’t encountered anything like that yet. Astotheles gestured for Kabbu to join them again, but the beetle shook his head and continued, “Astotheles, do you believe any good can come from whatever caused these bugs’ suffering?”

He was too tired to have this fight. Fortunately, Marigold decided that it was her time to interject and said slyly, “Well, their suffering will be truly pointless if it was for nothing, won’t it? We can’t change the facts, so we might as well make some good use of it. You need to think practically.”

Spring, standing close behind Astotheles, added, “Cold as ever, Marigold, but I suppose you’re right. We can’t undo whatever happened to them, but maybe we can give it some meaning. Isn’t that worth something, Kabbu?”

Kabbu shook his head and looked down at the floor, saying, “I-I don’t know. Don’t any of you ever feel wrong benefiting from another’s misfortune? Despite everything your band has done, I still thought that you might be better than that.”

The truth was that he did, a long time ago. When he’d first started out, this was the last way that Astotheles wanted things to go, but the ants and their bee allies had fought him at every step. Survival had meant setting aside that remorse. Kabbu didn’t know what his dreams had cost him. He turned around and said, “Don’t judge us so quickly. I’d rather you came along with us, but if you insist on dragging this out, I will leave you behind.”

He heard the soft patter of Kabbu walking across the metal floor before hearing him say, “Astotheles, I’m worried for you and your followers as much as others! I wish I had a way to prove it to you, but please trust me!”

When he could feel the anger start welling up in his thorax, Astotheles wasn’t sure if it was because of how patronizing the explorer was being, or because of how brazenly he was displaying his ignorance. This beetle had taken away everything that they had built and still wanted to lecture them? He managed to restrain himself from an outburst like he’d had the previous day, but realized he was still trembling.

Still, he needed to let something out, or else he’d risk losing it later when it mattered more. Astotheles turned around and, emphasizing every word with his disdain, said, “What I’d like from you is for you to stop assuming that you’re the hero that everybody needs, and understand that maybe we can decide what’s best for ourselves. Have you considered that your Queen has created many of her own worst problems? Why are we the only ones you blame for the fact that we have to fight?”

Silence hung over the room after he finished. Kabbu looked mortified. Astotheles chastised himself: He’d lost control of himself in front of the others again. They looked to him to keep a level head, and he was failing them. Well, it was done already. It was better to just move on.

He turned back around and led the way back out into the hall, while the rest quietly followed behind. After they all had exited the lab, Halloway flew up alongside him with a buzz and quietly asked, “You okay there, boss? You’ve been on edge for a while now. Everything good?”

Of course it wasn’t. Halloway could surely see that. Astotheles said, “There’s a lot that depends on this job. It’ll be fine when we’re done. Stay focused.”

Halloway lowered his voice even further and said, “You need someone to take care of that pesky explorer?”

Astotheles shook his head and said, “He is exhausting, but he isn’t one to go back on his word. Besides, if anything happened to him now, his friends would make sure we paid for it. Be patient.”

Nodding with understanding, if not agreement, Halloway fell back to stay close to the rest. They soon reached the end of the hall, where the ceiling had collapsed just in front of the doorway. Fortunately, there was still room to crawl below the debris and into the next room. Astotheles said, “Alright, carefully now,” before getting down and slowly making his way under the wreckage.

When he stood up on the far side, he found himself in some sort of foyer for the lower levels of the facility. A pair of stairs led up and down towards the edge of the bowl and towards its center respectively. Compared to the hallway, it was fairly open, and at each level hallways broke off leading around the dish. Each had a screen nearby, though only a couple were still functioning enough for any roach text to remain. Some of the doors looked inoperable too, and several more would lead to corridors in worse disrepair than the one they’d come down. Only one mattered anyway.

At the bottom of the stairs was a double sliding door leading into the center. Astotheles could only guess what lay on the other side, but the effects of the spire were more apparent than ever, as the doors and the immediate area around them were covered in a layer of frost.

“Boss,” He heard Spring say from close behind him, “Ready to keep going? Everyone’s through.” Astotheles glanced back and saw that it was true. He was a little surprised that Kabbu had fit through, but stopped himself from making a remark about it. He gestured for them all to follow and walked down towards the frozen doorway.

The chill in the air grew starker the closer he drew. Though the handle was frigid to the touch, he gripped tightly and tried to slide one of the doors open, only to find it stuck from the ice. With only one arm, he didn’t have the strength to force it open. Suppressing the pang of embarrassment he felt, he turned to the group and said, “I could use some help with this. It’s frozen shut.”

To his surprise, Kabbu stepped forward, with Spring right behind to keep a close eye on him. They each tugged on one of the doors, and with a soft cracking sound, the ice split and the doors opened with a jerk, grinding through the frost on their rails.

Stepping through, he found himself in an antechamber where every surface was covered in a thin layer of ice, and water dripped from icicles on the ceiling. A massive, thick door stood in front of them. Through a small window embedded in it, Astotheles could see the massive lake of ice that stood in the center of the dish. The ice refracted the pale blue light of the spire’s beam along with the same orange light he’d seen from up above. It was still too far away to make out the source.

Kabbu, after following him in, looked up at the door while shivering. “It-It seems like a lot of trouble, even if they were keeping an artifact here.”

Soon after, Marigold strolled in and up to a panel to the left of the door, which had a large sliding switch with a handle and a display with an outline of the spire in blue and a red lock on it. She reached up and tried to give the switch a pull, but found it uncooperative. “Well, it was worth a try,” she said, “But it’s stuck. Maybe you should give it a shot, Astotheles.”

He didn’t encourage her prodding with a reply, but he did follow her over to the switch. At his approach, the screen flickered for a few seconds before the lock turned blue. He lifted his arm to grab the switch, before somewhere up above another speaker crackled to life, and in a distorted voice that echoed off the walls of the small room said, “Woikanam, Tuan. Pasdovaj alif eislux.” Asotheles hesitated.

It was just long enough for Kabbu to walk up and bother him again. He was still shivering, but said, “Wh-Whatever’s behind that door, the roaches wanted to make sure it stayed closed. It’s still not too late to walk away, Astotheles. You’ll all have your health if nothing else, and a prisoner if that’s still what you want from me.”

Astotheles shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong. We’re committed now, until this is done.” Yet, he still hesitated.

Taking notice, Kabbu continued, “I still believe that you’re better than this, Astotheles, but can you at least tell me what this is all for? Are you sure that this is going to get you what you want?”

What was this all for? Astotheles still hesitated and breathed deeply. The truth was that his dreams were long crushed and scattered to the winds. There would be no kingdom of his own, no home for his family and any other bugs who wished to live beyond the other kingdoms and their anthills and hives. They would have a place to live, but only in another land, not their own.

From close behind, Spring said, “Boss? We have your back, whatever you decide.” Astotheles turned his head to look at the rest of the group. Spring, Marigold, Halloway, and many more were still counting on him. They relied on him, even in his moments of weakness.

He grabbed the handle and said, “You already made sure that I wouldn’t get that, Kabbu. This is about what we need. I think you would understand that.” He pulled the switch down, and whatever Kabbu tried to say to him next was drowned out by the blare of an alarm and a loud hissing sound before the light from the spire’s beam disappeared.

After a short wait in silent anticipation, the ice started to turn to water. When more and more dripped from the walls and ceiling, the pattering on the metal floor sounded like a light rain. While they waited, Astotheles looked through the window into the vault and saw the water turning to steam. All he had to do was wait for it to clear, and then he’d finally have what he needed, even if he’d never have what he wanted.

Astotheles paced while they waited. Nobody talked. The process was far faster than was natural, aided by the unknown technology built into the dish. It still slow enough to give him plenty of time to grow uneasy. When it was done, the alarm blared again. He could feel the rumbling in the floor as the heavy vault door slowly slid open and a warm mist flowed over them.

He couldn’t see far through the fog, but when Astotheles stepped through he could at least guess that the area ahead was open and flat around the base of the spire. Through the haze, he could see the same orange light up ahead, blinking and flickering. It was quiet aside from the lingering hums and hisses of the reactivated machinery. His instinct told him he still needed to be careful. He drew his weapon and held it ready as he advanced.

“What do you see?” Spring asked from close behind, keeping his voice low.

“Not much,” Astotheles said, “That’s the problem. Stay on guard. We’ll grab the treasure and get out quickly, so there’s no reason to be sloppy here.”

On to his left, Halloway said, “We’ll be watching your back, don’t worry!” Astotheles nodded, and kept moving ahead slowly towards the light. The fog was slowly dissipating, allowing more of the daylight to shine through. Soon, he could see a silhouette on the ground in front of him. He approached with his needle pointed down at it.

It was a fallen bug, or rather the blackened exoskeleton of one. Reflexively, he drew back and looked around. As the air cleared, he saw more of them scattered around the ground. At first it was a few, then more, and more. A few dozen, at least, in total that had been trapped beneath the ice. He stopped.

Straight ahead, he finally saw what they had been looking for: A bright coal that sat atop a pedestal in the shadow of the spire. Despite the thick ice that had been there only minutes before, it still burned.

Kabbu stepped around in front of Astotheles, took a look around, and then turned to face him. “Maybe it’s foolish to think you may still listen to me, but do you think we will fare any better in claiming this treasure than these fallen bugs?”

He hated that Kabbu was right. How were they going to get a flaming rock out of here? Still, he wouldn’t be dissuaded. He said, “We didn't come this far just to turn away at the first sign of trouble. The roaches put it here, so there has to be a way to remove it. I just need to figure out what it is.”

Spring hovered close by, keeping his watchful eye on Kabbu while the rest of the group gathered to their position. When Astotheles moved to step around Kabbu, the beetle grabbed him by the arm and gently held him back, prompting Spring to step up and yank the prisoner away. “No touching the boss.”

He left further arguing for the two of them and continued on to the pedestal to carefully inspect the treasure, keeping his weapon in hand. Once he drew close enough, he could feel the heat from the flame quickly grow in intensity.

Then, suddenly, the coal lurched at him. The only thing Astotheles had time to do was swing up his needle out of pure instinct. It hit the burning rock and knocked it high into the air, sailing over their heads. While he tried to follow its path, he noticed that his needle felt hot and looked down to see the tip was already glowing orange from the brief moment of contact.

He heard Kabbu shout, “Are you okay?!” He and Spring were the first to run up to him, with the rest not far behind. Astotheles said, “Yes, but…”

His voice trailed off while he tried to find where the flame had landed. It only took a moment to see its bright glow in the distance, where it was slowly rolling along the ground until it came to a stop by bumping up against one of the fallen bugs. The flames immediately spread over the husk. Then, it slowly stand up, holding the coal in its arms and looking in their direction.

Marigold glared at him harshly and said, “You didn't mention anything like this.” Most of the others started to murmur nervously and inch away in the direction of the door.

How would he have known? If their client knew anything, they hadn't mentioned it to him either. Astotheles cursed his luck and his judgment. Maybe he’d been a fool from the start to hope at all.

The flaming husk started moving in their direction. On its way, it gently brushed up against some of the others. They caught fire too, and soon joined its swift march.

Astotheles’s thoughts ran in circles trying to make sense of it when Spring said, “Boss?” It shook him to his senses, and he noticed the others looking at him for his direction.

Kabbu gestured towards the door and urged him, “We should go, now!”

He was right. If his pride were the only thing on the line, he might have stayed, but not with the others here. They were in danger. “Okay, we didn't sign up for this,” he said, “Let's get back up top and figure out our next move. Quickly!”

Nobody needed convincing, and everyone started running back towards the door. The flaming husks were sill distant, but closing in and adding more to the numbers every time one bumped into another of the fallen. Astotheles, now taking up the rear, shouted, “Back to the lift, as fast as you can!”

Once they crossed through the door, he remained behind to try and force the switch back up, but it was jammed and the control panel was displaying some error.

Great. He didn’t have time to play around with this.

Leaning aside, he could see the husks approaching the door. He was running out of time, and turned about to chase after the others. Kabbu and Spring were standing guard up the stairs while the rest of the group crawled back under the collapsed ceiling. Kabbu kept motioning for the others to keep moving while shouting, “Go on now, quickly!”

A loud alarm sounded repeatedly throughout the whole chamber. Astotheles looked back to see that the first of them had crossed out of the vault door and into the antechamber. They weren’t exactly running, but they weren’t slow either. By the time they reached the bottom of the foyer’s stairs, it was just him, Kabbu, and Spring left on their side.

“Boss,” Spring started to say, but before he could continue, Astotheles pushed him towards the crawlway.

“No. You’re going first. Now hurry up.” It was harsher than he’d meant to be, but it wasn’t the time to be delicate. Spring wouldn’t - and didn’t - dare to contradict him, and started crawling through obediently.

While he watched his loyal lieutenant leave, he heard Kabbu say in a warning tone, “Astotheles…” When he looked up, he saw the beetle holding a piece of metal debris from the floor, ready to throw.

Astotheles froze before raising his needle. He’d been caught off guard. Betrayal by a bleeding heart like Kabbu was the last thing he’d expected.

Kabbu drew it back and let it loose. The metal rod sailed past Astotheles’s head, and he heard a crunch soon after. Looking back, he saw that it had struck the nearest of the flaming bugs, and it crumbled to the floor with a hiss as its flame was extinguished. His relief was very short-lived. There were more of them close behind. Too many more.

They didn’t have time to crawl after the others before they’d be overtaken. Making a split second decision, he shouted, “Lead the others out, Spring! We’ll find another way!” He didn’t pay close attention to the response, though he could hear the worry in Spring’s voice.

Kabbu met his gaze and nodded before gesturing further up the steps. “It doesn’t matter where we go, but we have to go,” he said. Astotheles nodded in return, took one quick look back, and followed behind his enemy.