Yellow predators turned lifeless and fell into their own golden graveyard. The sighs of the tired and wounded humans were the only music inside the hive. Lying onto the cold floor, some are aiding the other. Awoke and elated by the victorious battle between the supreme leader of the hive, they decided to rest. "Is everyone awake?" Kent asked her classmates. Their heavy bodies weighed them down, but they managed to nod. "Great. Guys, because of all our efforts, we emerged victoriously. We may still have some problems like how we get out from this maze-like hive, but I know we will, soon." Kent's voice assured her team.
"Jay, I didn't know you can grow spikes from the front of your body, too. I thought you could only grow it from the back." Confused. "I could, but I don't, since it's a hassle whenever I walk," Jay replied. Kent nodded and stared intensively at Jay. She remembered the promise that Jay said about his story of how he got those powers that he would share after everything was done. Jay immediately knew what Kent's eyes meant as she gazes into Jay, wanting an answer. Jay smiled. "I know, I know." Jay, although wounded, started to stand up. "Before I was captured by the bees, I wandered around in the marshland like you. But I managed to meet a person. Hmmm, not "really" a person but a feline human." Jay said. "You mean a cat person, who can transform just like you?" Alex replied. "Yes."
"How did you two meet?" Kent asked. "I don't know. He just came out from nowhere." Jay answered. "What's his name?" asked Matt. "Noel, a tall, veiled man with sharp claws. His feet and hands were of the cats. I can't see his face properly since he's got a tattered cloak covering himself. He wears black clothes making him hardly seen at night. Like a hunter that lurks in the shadows." Jay explained. "I only managed to notice his claws since he gave out an injection which he said will help me survive this place. He warned me that this place is not I thought it would be, but full of monstrous creatures that I haven't seen before." Jay added. "What do you mean by an injection?" Kent asked. "It's an injection that I used to gain this shape-shifting ability. I was hesitant at first, but I used it since I had nothing to lose, and voila! A human porcupine at your service!" There was silence. Kent tried to think of the things that the feline man said to his classmates. Why would someone give out a valuable power to someone he just met? Kent thought but decided to ask Jay about something. "That means he's very knowledgeable about this place. Maybe he knows about how we got here and how we get out from here. Did he say anything about how long he has been in here?" Kent asked Jay. "He didn't, but he sure said something about the marshland not being the only place in this world. And immediately left." Jay replied. "That means we aren't alone, and there's something big beyond the horizon." Alex interrupted. They looked at each other. The marshland is already extensive for them to wander for a week. What are the other places look like? Do they have monstrous creatures like the queen bee there? Thoughts gathered inside Alex's mind. Excitement? He doesn't know. Fear? He also doesn't know. His heart's pounding, curious about the world they are now part in. The bees are already horrifying enough to send shivers that pierces their bones. What if there were other creatures who were more frightening than what they had experienced? Will they be able to survive it? If they die here, does that mean they can't come back from their past world, or will they wake up from this awesome but scary dream? Alex knew that his past world was a mess but safer than this. But it seemed like he didn't want to go back there. Instead, survive this place and explore this unending land. Alex wanted answers, but this wasn't his past world where he could easily search for the answers. There's no map in here. They march towards either a safe haven or an inevitable death every move they make. "We will explore this place and continue to survive. We have already defeated one obstacle. We could surely defeat another, together." He muttered. Kent smiled.
"I love the enthusiasm, guys, but how do we get down from this massive throne? It's like a hundred feet from the ground." Christian said, who just recovered little of his strength from the fight with the queen. They walked around the throne and looked below. A golden graveyard of bees piled from the ground. "We can't survive the fall; we can't also climb down since the structure hasn't got any budges we can step on," Jessie explained. "Wait." Interrupted Alex. Alex walked towards the queen's corpse, limping. He checked her remains and smirked. A stiff, elongated tool touched his hands. "I knew it." He whispered. "What have you got there?" Kent checked. "This." Alex raised an item of what looks like a type of injection like the one Jay used when he started to transform. Their mouths widened. "If we use that? will we be able to transform?" asked Christian. "I don't know, but I am quite sure we will, like Jay," Alex replied.
The team gathered around at the center of the throne to discuss what would happen to the tool they had just found. "Use it on Alex. He's the one who found it." Matt exclaimed; the others seemed to approve. "What are you guys saying? I wasn't just the only one who contributed a big part to this escape. We all did." Alex explained. "But you're the one who thought of a plan to defeat the queen. You deserve it." Added Jessie. "Yes, Alex. I think you should be the one to acquire the queen bee's ability." Kent said. Alex hesitated; He's not sure if he deserved it. But what if it doesn't work on him? Unlike Jay, who's athletic enough to inherit a good power, he's nothing but a thin man who spent his time reading books rather than playing outside. He's just lucky that he's among the agile ones even without proper training since he used to walk a lot on his way from home to school. "Don't think too much and just inject it in your body," Kent said. She gave Alex the syringe, and Alex extended his hand and grabbed the item. Alex thought he didn't deserve it. Alex knew to himself that a queen should possess a good leadership skill that empowers his constituents. Alex stood up. "You're the one who should use this." Alex moved slowly towards Kent. "Kent didn't just lead us to get out from the cell. Without Kent's last attack, Jay would've had difficulty making the queen not notice his surprise attack. Because of that, it concluded the battle's result to our victory. Surely the plan was mine, but it was made better with Kent's interruption." Alex smiled while making his classmates see his point. "Do you agree with me?" his classmates smiled and nodded. "Of course! Kent would be an awesome queen." Alex clapped, and everyone followed. Kent extended her hand and grabbed the syringe. With a smile on her face, she promised to take good care of the power she had been given. "We'll all survive." She injected the item into her left arm. "She just got stung." Christian joked while looking at Kent. Alex laughed too, but he was happy with his decision. "What do you feel?" Matt asked. Kent removed the injection from her body. "I don't feel something special or something changed," Kent replied. "Don't worry, just wait. And when you do, remember the feeling. So, you won't have a hard time transforming again." Jay explained.
"What is this?!" Kent screamed. Her body became heavier, her back became itchy like being bitten by a hundred ants together. Her skin changed from tanned to yellow, a big thing started to come out from her butt. Something had erected on her forehead - two strings that looked like an antenna. Her back released massive silver wings. A furry collar on her neck emerged. And her limbs became thinner but more potent. Unlike the queen, who had four arms, she remained the same with just two. Her face turned yellowish, but it turned out the same. Kent did become a bee. However, unlike the queen bee, who was prominent in size, Kent's size remained the same. The team was shocked but delighted with the successful transformation. "I thought you would become something very hideous." Christian joked. "But girl, you look really gorgeous. The best animal costume goes to you!" he added. Everyone laughed, and Kent, too. "How does it feel?" Jay asked. "Nothing. I feel natural."
Kent replied. "Yeah! Now, get us out from this place. Lol!" Kent flapped her wings; the wind followed Kent's command and helped her fly, releasing her into the air. Kent seemed like she already knew how to do it. Like, it has already become her the moment it was transferred to her body. Kent flew swiftly into the air in circles, enjoying the feeling of having wings. She laughed and smiled, her face painting every inch of happiness in the world, making Kent the happiest girl alive for a moment. Everyone looked at her with glee. They didn't know Kent could release such happiness from her face. She was not the type when she was still in their past world. But this world has made her become something unexpected. Her true colors had been shown to them, making them also feel happy for their class mayor.
"Wait." She muttered; I think I could do something that the queen had done." Kent added. "What do you mean?" Kent decided to get back on the ground and raised her arms. Suddenly, a yellow liquid formed from the floor, revealing a creature that surprised them. "You summoned a guard!" Christian shouted. Kent tried to make another one and successfully did it and stopped when she successfully made three of them. "I think it's my limit. I can't anymore." She explained. "How did you do it?" Jay asked. "I don't know. I just feel like I already knew everything that this body could do." Kent replied. "But it's the best I could do. I can't make any of them." Kent used her antennas and communicated with the guards. Five-foot-tall creatures flew and grabbed the humans. Jay turned back to his human form and let the creature carry him towards the exit. Kent has been one with the hive. She knew which path to take for them to get outside.
As they flew past the tunnels, the common bees flew towards Kent, celebrating the birth of their new queen. Kent was elated by the scene. Kent communicated with the bees, and the bees continued with their jobs. Suddenly, a brilliant light flashed to their eyes. They raised their arms and covered the forgotten light that the sun always gave.
The creatures safely put down the team on the ground outside the hive. And went back to get all of the class who were left inside. Although wounded and scathed. Having experienced the intense battle inside the hive, they have emerged victorious. They were now again witnessing and adoring the vastness of the marshland.