"Any ideas?" Poli panted as they stood in a small circle, facing the wasp generals and dozens of bugs while their queen still hovered some distance away, watching the fight.
"Well, I'm all out of coins and energy." Ren sighed, wiping off the sweat from her forehead.
"They want to take us alive," Leinor murmured; he was almost out of all energy and barely could stand. He constantly supplied the others with his own, but the enemy only fought a few rounds before retreating and rotating.
"I'm not liking the thought of that." Isha shivered.
"Don't worry, my Father should arrive in time!" she tried to ease their thoughts, but she was not so sure as they had been battling for two hours now without rest.
Without another notice, a sharp, buzzing sound assaulted their hearing, and Zern was the first to be struck. From nowhere, the queen appeared and struck out with her sharp tongue, striking Zern in the abdomen. His defenses were the strongest in the group, yet still, the barb-like tongue easily penetrated his stomach and went out through his back. Only a grunt left his throat before grabbing onto it as the spikes on the gross-looking weapon stabbed through his palms.
"Got her!" Zern moaned, coughing up blood, while Poli was already there, slashing downwards. His sword only let out clanking sounds, accompanied by sparks as it met with the tongue.
"Fuck you, bitch!" Isha screamed, who was, in the meantime, aiming for the queen's head, but their generals quickly blocked her way.
"You are all mine." The bugs' leader buzzed as her tongue constantly drained Zern's energy and blood, soaking it up like a sponge through her tongue.
"No, you are mine!" Ren said as she blinked next to her, striking with a palm at her head.
Even though the hit was solid, the Queen only flinched before punching her in the stomach, sending Ren rolling away.
"Know your place, human!" she laughed and soon pulled her tongue back, ripping out the flesh from Zern's body and striking Poli's sword away.
They were too exhausted to keep up the fight, and she knew that taking time to strike gave her ample advantage to bring them down. It didn't take long before two male wasp demons held everyone down.
"The small one said their reinforcement is coming. Drag them back; live food is the best for the growing children!" she laughed as her voice sounded like millions of small insects buzzing, grading to the human ear.
"Taking them back to where?" came a voice from above them, and when they looked up, Xendar was standing in the air with a cold expression, looking downwards.
"I told you…." Ren giggled with blood dripping from her mouth, but her voice was drowned out by the arriving thunder, rumbling through the skies, catching up to him.
"W-what… is this… aura?" The Queen blinked her bug-like eyes as it was like what she felt deep in the forest once when she was still a tiny, young wasp stumbling upon another's territory. She only remembered the golden eyes, watching her from afar, from the darkness of the forest, and its gaze was enough to squash her. Luckily, whatever it was, it let her pass through and did not bother the young wasp.
"Release them. Now." Xendar said, sparks flying from between his lips.
"You think we would? Do you want them, human? Then-" but she couldn't finish as Xendar was already between them and holding two severed heads of her generals.
"Too slow. Now your lives are forfeit." Xendar murmured, squashing and punching them out, followed by a blinding flash. He quickly pierced through another four with a long, lightning spear while they hurriedly tried to flee, not worrying about what would happen to the humans.
"Stop! Regroup! Don't run!" The Queen screamed, but the instinct of her children was already taking over, like when prey meets a predator; the only thought in their minds was about running away.
"I told you… after evolving, they develop some… human traits…. Wasps would fight to the death… but not those who have human traits… ahaha… serves you right…." Ren moaned as she crawled next to Zern, trying to quickly take care of his wound, which was still severely bleeding.
"Are you okay?" Isha arrived, somehow even more worried than Ren, but Zern just nodded, trying to regulate his breathing.
"He will be fine," Leinor said, placing his hand on the wound, trying to help heal it with the remainder of his energy.
"Awesome… So strong…" Poli gawked and watched Xendar quickly destroy the male wasps, now only leaving the queen behind.
"Of course, he is my Dad~ Imagine if he would have trained like us!" Ren smiled proudly.
"W-who are you! Do you know-" The Queen started to speak, but Xendar immediately cut in, waving his hand.
"Stuff it. I don't care. You hurt my baby girl; you die. Choose." he said while looking at her with deadpan eyes.
"Huh?"
"I said, choose. How do you want to die?" he repeated.
"Don't screw with me!" she struck at him with her tongue, but Xendar caught it barehanded without a scratch.
"This is your weapon? Pathetic." he stretched out his other hand, and it was covered with lightning, and its crackling sound resonated all over the forest.
The currents through the air made everyone's hair curl upwards, while Ren and Poli, who were of the same affinity, felt numbing sensation all over their bodies. When the General punched out as he pulled on the tongue, his fist landed square on the torso of the Queen, sending a sonic boom out that toppled trees behind her, yet she was still alive, and he didn't punch through her.
"Surprisingly tough, are you?" he sighed, watching the demon folk gasping for air as inhuman blood flowed out from every hole imaginable on her body. "Let's try something else then." Xendar pulled again, ripping out her tongue and throwing it to the ground before grabbing her head and flying upwards, holding her like a toy.
Xendar's aura rampaged up in the sky, and soon, from nowhere, lightning strikes flashed above them, in the sky, before zapping the queen, making her scream with agony.
"Your father seems… really angry," Leinor said as he looked up.
"Yeah, I never saw him this way either." Ren nodded, feeling the warmth inside her chest.
The buzzing and screaming lasted only a few moments as lightning constantly struck her. Xendar just held her up with one hand until she crumbled into burnt, black pieces before being blown away by the wind.
"Are you okay?" Xendar asked worriedly as he landed before them, watching the battered group.
"Yes, luckily, you arrived quickly!" Ren showed a V sign as her father let out a relieved sigh.
"Good, good. You all did well staying alive! Come, I'll escort you all back!" he said, helping up Zern first.
"Aren't you happy? The famous General of the Empire princess carries you!" Isha giggled, giving a light smack on Zern's forehead
"Not… really…." he murmured as an answer and with a smile.
"What, am I not good enough?" Xendar asked, making Zern choke, not knowing how to react while Isha laughed out loudly, followed by the others as Xendar smiled, seeing they seemed to be all okay and only exhausted.
…
….
…..
"It seems the bugs were destroyed." a calm, enchanting voice resonated in a cave that was lit up with strange, blue crystals that gave out an otherworldly hue.
Inside, a big pool filled with natural, steaming spring water, a voluptuous lady was lying backward, enjoying the bath. After a deep breath, she raised her head, covered by snow-white hair, lying behind her like a silk blanket, while two furry and tall fox ears twitched on the top of her head. She only smiled when she opened her bright, yellow eyes, looking at the other young female demon fox kneeling below the basin. The girl below her looked like someone in her late teens, as her privates and budding breasts were covered with reddish fur clothes, as behind her back, she sprouted a long and fluffy fox tail. Her brownish-red hair was tied up neatly, decorated with flowers, around her fox ears, still bowing her head, waiting for a response.
"Bugs always act like bugs, flying into the flame knowingly. There are many of them; it's not a consequence if they are exterminated. Others will take their place." answered the white-haired fox demon.
"It was the human who did it." continued the kneeling figure.
"The one who retook their fortress?" she questioned, with a little more interest in her voice.
"Yes, My Queen."
"Mm. I see. It was their own stupidity to provoke him to come out. It won't disturb our preparations! You don't need to report something like this." she said calmly, closing her eyes and sitting in the hot spring.
"There is something else."
"Speak." She said, keeping her eyes closed.
"It seems some other tribe… defected. They asked for the help of the humans. That's why they… He came."
"Oh?" She sat up, and her eyes snapped open "That's… unexpected. Which tribe was it?"
"One of the butterflies. We fear if this news spreads, some other weak-minded may follow suit."
"You think? I doubt that. Humans would massacre them first! They may take in evolved demons but not the younglings because they do not look like or act like humans. You don't need to worry. Let those who wish to leave, leave!"
"But-"
"Let them. We will see how this goes, do not interfere!" The Queen ordered in a stern voice, laying back, "Other tribes will not watch this from the sides anyway; let them act. Why sacrifice our kin if others willingly jump in?" she laughed as her voice filled the cave, enchanting even the young woman kneeling before her, making her blush "You can go. Continue observing the movements of others."
"As you command." she bowed before leaving the cave that led out to the top of a hill. Looking back into the foxhole, the young girl shuddered with pleasure as she stretched a little while another, similar, young girl with wagging foxtail rushed up the hill.
"Sister, how was it? Did you meet the Queen? Is she as beautiful as the others say?" she asked the little one, who only looked like an eight-year-old, with childlike excitement radiating from her eyes.
"Yes, she is. Don't worry, you will meet her when the time comes, but you need to train! If you are weak-willed, you won't stand a chance against her charm, and your mind will be enslaved!"
"I-i know! I'll work hard!"
"Good girl~" she laughed, hugging her as they walked down from the hill, into a small village that had wooden walls surrounding it, houses built just like humans would make them, and almost a hundred young and adult demon foxes, men, and women were working and living together. From far away, it would seem like an ancient human town, not one built by demon folk.
In the cave where their Queen remained, she just took a deep breath, submerging entirely in the water.
"The north is in turmoil… if we lose the south…." The Queen whispered to herself, feeling a bit troubled.
…
….
…..
"What do the humans think they are?!" roared a strong voice, smashing a tree apart, and between the splinters flying through the air stood a chimpanzee, almost 3 meters tall, wearing armor made of other animals' skins. In contrast, others, smaller but still averaging 2 meters tall apes, surrounded him. "They just waltz in and kill wantonly?! Fuck them! Fuck all of them!" he screamed, thrashing around everything with rage.
"Boss, what should we do?"
"Do you even need to ask?!" he smacked him on the head, sending him tumbling forward. "Tell the others, we go and hunt! We will teach those idiots. This is our forest, not theirs!"
The other apes immediately seemed excited and started to shout, smashing on the floor and their chests, screaming. Soon, the whole forest around them was in an uproar, drowning out any other sounds.
…
….
….
"How's Zern doing?" Ren asked, sitting in the mess hall as Isha came, sitting next to them. Ren, Leinor, and Poli were just finishing their dinner when she arrived.
"He will be okay; the doctors patched him up. He is sleeping right now after I helped him eat his dinner."
"Just like a housewife." Poli giggled.
"Stuff it." Isha rolled her eyes while Ren giggled too.
"Well, we all deserve a good rest, that's for sure." Leinor yawned. "I feel like falling asleep just sitting here."
"Agreed. I'm beat!" Poli nodded.
"Then go back and sleep; I'll go up to the wall for a stroll." Ren stood up, stretching.
"You still have energy?" Isha moaned, not believing her eyes.
"What? I ate a good dinner; I feel fine!" Ren giggled and stood up, kissing Leinor's lips. "Next time, I am going to order the same; it tastes good~" she smiled, smacking her lips before leaving, going up to the walls while the others decided to hit the bed.
While strolling around under the bright moonlight, taking in the fresh air, she soon saw the small, red fairy, sitting on the edge of the wall, silently crying as her teardrops fell into the deep.
"It's okay. You are safe now." Ren whispered, going next to her and gently patting her head.
"I-i know." Rem sniffed, trembling a little at her touch before wiping away the tears from her eyes.
"Thanks. Father told me it was you who flew here so fast. You saved us!"
"I… just wanted to return the help."
"You did and if anything comes up, just ask, and we will help you!" she smiled at her, sitting up next to Rem, dangling her legs fearlessly over the edge.
"A-aren't you afraid of falling? You can't fly!"
"Ahaha, no, I'm not. And why would I fall?" Ren laughed, "It's fun sitting up high, watching the stars, no?"
"You sound like Oyna…." Rem murmured.
"Oyna…?"
"My… wife. She… she was the one who… who went to find you first when they… attacked." she sniffed in a sad voice, on the verge of crying again, and Ren immediately recalled the small body they found at the camp when they first arrived.
"I see… sorry for your loss!" Ren sighed as she slowly caressed her head. "What's your name?"
"Rem…"
"Oh? Mine is Ren. It's almost the same!" she laughed softly. "We could be sisters!"
"Ah…?" Rem blinked her eyes, surprised.
"What, you don't think it's possible?"
"True… you are the smallest human I have ever seen!"
"Ugh… right in the feels…" she twitched her mouth with a hurt expression.
"Ah, s-sorry I, I didn't. I, um!" Rem yelped out.
"Ahaha, easy, it was a joke! A joke! Don't panic!" she patted her panicky face.
"Ohh… I'm still… not used to… humans. Ahaha… ah…"
"Worry not; you need time to heal and rest, getting used to us, so just take it easy, and in the meantime, we will protect you all, Rem. You have my word for it! Come, I'll take you back to the others!" She stood up, smiling, stretching her hand towards Rem with a warm expression as the little fairy took her hand, forming a still small smile, but a smile nonetheless on her plump face.