I could scarcely believe what was happening as I turned to face the arrogant bee. A quick glance at my friends did reassure me a bit, but I felt they were being far too confident. Why wouldn’t I feel nervous? Nothing about this small expedition had turned out as expected.
It all started with Elofan’s blasted reports. She had become inspired by the ash running into the river, and asked my father directly whether she could try poisoning the river. Many hated her for it. Enfla was among those who decried her idea; after all, how was intentionally infecting the river, the source of life of the forest, a good idea at all? How did that protect the forest?
Follo thought it was genius. To nobody’s surprise. If it harmed the humans, then a bit of pain suffered by the forest was worthwhile, in his eyes.
But I was still unsure. Was this small retribution against the humans worth hurting the forest? If we were to do something of this nature, the time was now. If there were no creatures in the forest, then at least that danger could be avoided.
But still! We only assumed there were no creatures remaining besides the squirrels, and the river does continue out of the forest into other lands. So would the humans really be the only ones in harm’s way? I wasn’t convinced. However, it was one argument she introduced that instantly made my father agree, and did make me consider the plan.
The Shroud. Or rather, the reason behind its disappearance.
It was a risky play, for sure. I argued that perhaps a benevolent force had finally destroyed the wretched vulture king. But my father… I understood where he was coming from. For the Shroud to disappear was a world-shattering event, something that spelled disaster. It was a constant from before his own father’s time, throughout his entire rule, and should have continued throughout my own time as Highchief.
I didn’t quite blame him for digging deeper into his lutice weed stash than usual. Which was saying something.
“Since you are the experts in this competition, Feltan, I will allow you to begin at your behest,” the large human, Grehn, said with a bored expression. I knew it wasn’t him speaking, but the bee across from me. Disturbing.
“Of course, Beatrice. If you would, Follo?”
As my friend walked to the center of the hastily made dirt ring to present the rules, I stared at the bee. These creatures… they’re dangerous. The one in front of me had a shockingly powerful Mind. Each of the bees hovering nearby had powerful Minds as well. But none of them compared to the presence I had felt for a moment, once when Ben first encountered us, then later when the other bees appeared.
The others couldn’t sense it. I did. Fair to assume that the presence was the creature responsible for the Shroud’s disappearance. And it was most likely the queen bee of Ben and his siblings’ hive. And it was a supremely dangerous creature. Even if it wasn’t the true reason behind the Shroud’s sudden vanishing, it was still clearly capable of great things. It had taken control of humans, possessed the knowledge of humans, was able to quickly interpret our language, and even knew of such things as a Battle of Minds.
“Alright, listen up. A Battle of Minds has been enforced, with Lowchief Feltan Mossed challenged by Beatrice the bee. This Battle will be decided either when a combatant is removed from the ring, or their head touches the ground. The challenged has requested no time limit, which the challenger honors. The challenged has requested a pure Mind trial, meaning no use of weaponry, tools, or the body, which the challenger honors. The challenger’s goal is temporary subservience of fernenkind to the hive of the Mother, lasting three months from the moment of Battle’s end. The challenged has countered with the goal of a border arrangement within the forest between fernenkind and the Mother’s hive. Are you ready, challenger?”
“Yes.”
“Are you ready, challenged?”
“Yes.”
“The Battle will begin once I, Follo Barked, a judge alongside Grehn Ratanbe, step outside the ring.”
Follo turned and began slowly making his way outside of the ring. Funny. It was usually me presiding over his foolish contests. I suppose he’s learned the ceremony from the countless matches he’s had.
I dug my heels into the mud. Whatever the case was with this new, unpredictable force in the forest, one thing was certain. We would not allow them to harm it. We - I - would do everything in my power to ensure that neither the humans, bees, nor fernen would directly or indirectly bring harm to the forest for as long as I live.
When Follo stepped out of the ring, I immediately felt a wave of force wash over me. So strong! Despite the power, I didn’t budge a bit, which made the bee’s eyes widen. And with that, I smirked.
I could win this fight.
Another wave, but still no effect. I wouldn’t waste the opportunity. It may be risky, but if I was correct, then the bees knew everything the humans knew about us. To some, that might have been a disadvantage. For us?
Well. I focused, my tapped Mind spiking as I grabbed at the insect and the air surrounding her, causing the flustered bee to waver in surprise. With a yank, Beatrice’s spindly form flew downwards, threatening to end the match early, but with a simple wave of force, she pushed herself upwards.
Her Mind truly was strong. Stronger than many I’d seen. But such a trait wasn’t unusual with creatures like bees, who had naturally potent Minds. The reason she and the other bees were so threatening was their imaginations. They were completely unlike other bees I had encountered countless times in the forest.
But from this Battle, I understood something. The power of this frightening hive came from a young queen bee with an exceptionally powerful Mind and a deviant imagination. They used odd tactics, strange techniques, and trickery to succeed, such as whatever they did to make the humans do their bidding. But in a direct encounter, they were unpracticed. Inexperienced.
I yanked again, but Beatrice’s Mind easily held her in place. I didn’t want my secrets to fall into her hands, so I changed tactics, moving my arms in the air. I thrust them forwards, and with that motion, pushed with all my might to force Beatrice out of the ring. She barely moved before readjusting her Mind, easily staving off my attack. So, I yanked downwards again, this time putting all my weight into it and making the yanking motion with my arms.
We continued like this a few more times, with my clearly telegraphed attacks becoming less and less effective. With one final thrust, I pushed my arms outward and Beatrice braced.
And her abdomen hit the ground.
“Urgh!”
A clicky grunting noise escaped Beatrice’s mouth as her head snapped up, grabbed at the last moment with her power. She had hit the ground, but the surprise attack wasn’t enough to finish the Battle.
As I thought. The bees, and Beatrice especially, were simply too inexperienced. My trick was an obvious maneuver taught to young fernen children as a means of scoring points in ball games. To use such a trick in a Battle of Minds was insulting the prowess of one’s enemy. Not that I intended it as such.
I wanted to take a moment to rest. To collect my Mind before resuming my attack. In theory, that would have been the correct move. Follo would have done it by taunting the enemy with scathing remarks, trying to affect their concentration.
I simply got on all fours and ran at Beatrice.
Her wings buzzed frantically as she rose, trying to get out of my reach. Another sign of her inexperience. My current strategy was an attack on her mental state as Follo might try, but mine didn’t give her a moment to attack. If I stood around talking, I knew she would use that opportunity. If that happened… worst case, she would discover my secret. Taking all that into account, then factoring in her inexperience in battle, I had a unique opportunity.
We had agreed beforehand that this contest would be one of Minds. A pure Mind trial. So I would be disqualified if I attempted to punch or kick the bee.
As my fist sailed, Beatrice tensed, preparing to blast me away with another wave of Mind, so I pushed, knocking her off balance and sending her careening towards the outside. I was never going to punch her, of course. It was simply a more direct way of collecting my thoughts and destabilizing her own.
Despite my efforts, Beatrice froze in midair as if grabbed by a giant fist. Follo was looking, making sure she was still within the ring’s confines, but I could still tell she was safe. She shook herself and thrust her own arm out, and it was all I could do to push against the blast of wind that knocked into me and blew away some of the fog gathering in the clearing.
Wind? Damn, she’s figuring it out.
“I see,” the bee said. Either she had suddenly become incredibly confident, or she was attempting my aforementioned stalling strategy.
“Your moss-like coats are resistant against Mind. Pushing and squeezing you directly does nothing. Perhaps you should have at least tried to act like something was happening when I squeezed you just then.”
Unbelievable. Our secret the humans in Yiwi still hadn’t figured out was discovered this quickly? These bees truly were dangerous. When had she tried to squeeze me?
“I’m confident in my theory, even if you won’t indulge me with a response. After all, I’m squeezing you right now. I think surrendering is an attractive option for you.”
Seriously unbelievable. I concentrated and did, in fact, discover a trace of Mind squeezing my left arm. Naturally, the hairs did not react to the force, unlike the fog, which must have been what confirmed her suspicions. I would have tried to feign no reaction to the blast of wind, but it was simply too strong.
“I’ll admit, I’ve underestimated you, Beatrice. Or rather, I didn’t properly asses the full range of your capabilities. It’s true that you’re inexperienced in combat, or even in a wide range of Mind usage, but your perceptiveness exceeds my expectations.”
As usual, my Mind ebbed and flowed. Right now it was a storm, its tide erratic and wasteful. Beatrice was taunting and speaking, so I would gladly take the offer and recover myself. After all…her Mind was still stealing my breath. It was so vast, so calm. Like the effort expended in this battle was comparable to a simple puzzle.
She knew the secret of the fernen. Her Mind was still ready to crush me. Any moment now, she would begin another assault, employing tactics that could indirectly force me out of the ring or to the ground.
“I will not surrender. Too much is riding on this Battle, after all.”
As soon as I finished my sentence, I could feel the force of her Mind rumbling, begging to crush me. The vague sense that she became immovable popped into my head, as she probably anchored herself in place. So be it. In response, I began channeling my second Ability, digging my hands and feet into the mud. Despite the new sun beating down on the eastern forest, my shadow suddenly disappeared.
Then a blast of wind slammed into my body. With all my physical might, I tried to hang on to the ground, even catching a rock, to no avail. I nearly got pushed out of the ring, but the wind’s ferocity abated somewhat, giving me the chance to anchor myself in place. The fog swirled around me, pushed away by the wind. Thankfully, Beatrice didn’t blow away all the fog - or rather, smoke - that was beginning to slow her thoughts. My first Ability, [Chieftain’s Hospitality], worked like a charm. It was only a matter of time before my second Ability, [In the Shadow of the Great], finished the match.
To my surprise, the wind stopped completely. What? The smoke shouldn’t have dulled her that much yet. Looking at Beatrice, I couldn’t help but suck in some air seeing her face. Fierce rage twisted her features, and even as the smoke seeped into her body, her Mind swirled like a nascent explosion.
Somehow, my Ability wasn’t affecting her.
“An Ability that directly affects the victim’s mental state? Quaint. Such a thing will not work on bees.”
A lie. Not a total lie, but a lie nonetheless. Despite her apparent rage and twisting Mind, the lie was made evident by the fact that she couldn’t seem to attack. Her attempt with the wind had been cut off not because she wanted to change tactics, but because she wanted to conserve energy. My Ability makes the mental state of others become more passive and agreeable, and although Beatrice was able to fight it and consciously understand the situation, it can be difficult to act on conscious desires.
All of this was fine with me. Beatrice was currently unable to truly act, and my Mind was struggling to keep up. If I wanted to push Beatrice down, I’d need to contend with the vice-like grip she had placed on her body, and even at full strength, I wasn’t sure if I could do it. But my Ability could do it. So I was fine with betting everything on my Ability working before Beatrice managed to break out of the passivity.
“Affecting the minds of others is no small feat. WE will have it!” Grehn yelled, his eyes widening. I grunted. Beatrice was truly showing her hand.
At that moment, the smoke around her burst outwards, leaving her in clear air. Ah, smart. Very smart. The outburst she had through Grehn was actually a result of her breaking out of passivity, embracing her emotions and feelings to their fullest. A difficult task, but perhaps the shared Minds of bees did provide some advantages against mental attacks. But she was too late. My second Ability activated, and as if smacked by a falling tree, Beatrice exploded downwards. At the same moment, I felt an unbearable pressure, and my body fell forwards at alarming speed. She hit me! I tried to resist, but my Mind was spent.
I saw the ground rush up at me, and before my vision went dark, I heard Beatrice’s desperate, useless buzzing echoing in my head.
I could scarcely believe what was happening as I turned to face the arrogant bee. A quick glance at my friends did reassure me a bit, but I felt they were being far too confident. Why wouldn’t I feel nervous? Nothing about this small expedition had turned out as expected.
It all started with Elofan’s blasted reports. She had become inspired by the ash running into the river, and asked my father directly whether she could try poisoning the river. Many hated her for it. Enfla was among those who decried her idea; after all, how was intentionally infecting the river, the source of life of the forest, a good idea at all? How did that protect the forest?
Follo thought it was genius. To nobody’s surprise. If it harmed the humans, then a bit of pain suffered by the forest was worthwhile, in his eyes.
But I was still unsure. Was this small retribution against the humans worth hurting the forest? If we were to do something of this nature, the time was now. If there were no creatures in the forest, then at least that danger could be avoided.
But still! We only assumed there were no creatures remaining besides the squirrels, and the river does continue out of the forest into other lands. So would the humans really be the only ones in harm’s way? I wasn’t convinced. However, it was one argument she introduced that instantly made my father agree, and did make me consider the plan.
The Shroud. Or rather, the reason behind its disappearance.
It was a risky play, for sure. I argued that perhaps a benevolent force had finally destroyed the wretched vulture king. But my father… I understood where he was coming from. For the Shroud to disappear was a world-shattering event, something that spelled disaster. It was a constant from before his own father’s time, throughout his entire rule, and should have continued throughout my own time as Highchief.
I didn’t quite blame him for digging deeper into his lutice weed stash than usual. Which was saying something.
“Since you are the experts in this competition, Feltan, I will allow you to begin at your behest,” the large human, Grehn, said with a bored expression. I knew it wasn’t him speaking, but the bee across from me. Disturbing.
“Of course, Beatrice. If you would, Follo?”
As my friend walked to the center of the hastily made dirt ring to present the rules, I stared at the bee. These creatures… they’re dangerous. The one in front of me had a shockingly powerful Mind. Each of the bees hovering nearby had powerful Minds as well. But none of them compared to the presence I had felt for a moment, once when Ben first encountered us, then later when the other bees appeared.
The others couldn’t sense it. I did. Fair to assume that the presence was the creature responsible for the Shroud’s disappearance. And it was most likely the queen bee of Ben and his siblings’ hive. And it was a supremely dangerous creature. Even if it wasn’t the true reason behind the Shroud’s sudden vanishing, it was still clearly capable of great things. It had taken control of humans, possessed the knowledge of humans, was able to quickly interpret our language, and even knew of such things as a Battle of Minds.
“Alright, listen up. A Battle of Minds has been enforced, with Lowchief Feltan Mossed challenged by Beatrice the bee. This Battle will be decided either when a combatant is removed from the ring, or their head touches the ground. The challenged has requested no time limit, which the challenger honors. The challenged has requested a pure Mind trial, meaning no use of weaponry, tools, or the body, which the challenger honors. The challenger’s goal is temporary subservience of fernenkind to the hive of the Mother, lasting three months from the moment of Battle’s end. The challenged has countered with the goal of a border arrangement within the forest between fernenkind and the Mother’s hive. Are you ready, challenger?”
“Yes.”
“Are you ready, challenged?”
“Yes.”
“The Battle will begin once I, Follo Barked, a judge alongside Grehn Ratanbe, step outside the ring.”
Follo turned and began slowly making his way outside of the ring. Funny. It was usually me presiding over his foolish contests. I suppose he’s learned the ceremony from the countless matches he’s had.
I dug my heels into the mud. Whatever the case was with this new, unpredictable force in the forest, one thing was certain. We would not allow them to harm it. We - I - would do everything in my power to ensure that neither the humans, bees, nor fernen would directly or indirectly bring harm to the forest for as long as I live.
When Follo stepped out of the ring, I immediately felt a wave of force wash over me. So strong! Despite the power, I didn’t budge a bit, which made the bee’s eyes widen. And with that, I smirked.
I could win this fight.
Another wave, but still no effect. I wouldn’t waste the opportunity. It may be risky, but if I was correct, then the bees knew everything the humans knew about us. To some, that might have been a disadvantage. For us?
Well. I focused, my tapped Mind spiking as I grabbed at the insect and the air surrounding her, causing the flustered bee to waver in surprise. With a yank, Beatrice’s spindly form flew downwards, threatening to end the match early, but with a simple wave of force, she pushed herself upwards.
Her Mind truly was strong. Stronger than many I’d seen. But such a trait wasn’t unusual with creatures like bees, who had naturally potent Minds. The reason she and the other bees were so threatening was their imaginations. They were completely unlike other bees I had encountered countless times in the forest.
But from this Battle, I understood something. The power of this frightening hive came from a young queen bee with an exceptionally powerful Mind and a deviant imagination. They used odd tactics, strange techniques, and trickery to succeed, such as whatever they did to make the humans do their bidding. But in a direct encounter, they were unpracticed. Inexperienced.
I yanked again, but Beatrice’s Mind easily held her in place. I didn’t want my secrets to fall into her hands, so I changed tactics, moving my arms in the air. I thrust them forwards, and with that motion, pushed with all my might to force Beatrice out of the ring. She barely moved before readjusting her Mind, easily staving off my attack. So, I yanked downwards again, this time putting all my weight into it and making the yanking motion with my arms.
We continued like this a few more times, with my clearly telegraphed attacks becoming less and less effective. With one final thrust, I pushed my arms outward and Beatrice braced.
And her abdomen hit the ground.
“Urgh!”
A clicky grunting noise escaped Beatrice’s mouth as her head snapped up, grabbed at the last moment with her power. She had hit the ground, but the surprise attack wasn’t enough to finish the Battle.
As I thought. The bees, and Beatrice especially, were simply too inexperienced. My trick was an obvious maneuver taught to young fernen children as a means of scoring points in ball games. To use such a trick in a Battle of Minds was insulting the prowess of one’s enemy. Not that I intended it as such.
I wanted to take a moment to rest. To collect my Mind before resuming my attack. In theory, that would have been the correct move. Follo would have done it by taunting the enemy with scathing remarks, trying to affect their concentration.
I simply got on all fours and ran at Beatrice.
Her wings buzzed frantically as she rose, trying to get out of my reach. Another sign of her inexperience. My current strategy was an attack on her mental state as Follo might try, but mine didn’t give her a moment to attack. If I stood around talking, I knew she would use that opportunity. If that happened… worst case, she would discover my secret. Taking all that into account, then factoring in her inexperience in battle, I had a unique opportunity.
We had agreed beforehand that this contest would be one of Minds. A pure Mind trial. So I would be disqualified if I attempted to punch or kick the bee.
As my fist sailed, Beatrice tensed, preparing to blast me away with another wave of Mind, so I pushed, knocking her off balance and sending her careening towards the outside. I was never going to punch her, of course. It was simply a more direct way of collecting my thoughts and destabilizing her own.
Despite my efforts, Beatrice froze in midair as if grabbed by a giant fist. Follo was looking, making sure she was still within the ring’s confines, but I could still tell she was safe. She shook herself and thrust her own arm out, and it was all I could do to push against the blast of wind that knocked into me and blew away some of the fog gathering in the clearing.
Wind? Damn, she’s figuring it out.
“I see,” the bee said. Either she had suddenly become incredibly confident, or she was attempting my aforementioned stalling strategy.
“Your moss-like coats are resistant against Mind. Pushing and squeezing you directly does nothing. Perhaps you should have at least tried to act like something was happening when I squeezed you just then.”
Unbelievable. Our secret the humans in Yiwi still hadn’t figured out was discovered this quickly? These bees truly were dangerous. When had she tried to squeeze me?
“I’m confident in my theory, even if you won’t indulge me with a response. After all, I’m squeezing you right now. I think surrendering is an attractive option for you.”
Seriously unbelievable. I concentrated and did, in fact, discover a trace of Mind squeezing my left arm. Naturally, the hairs did not react to the force, unlike the fog, which must have been what confirmed her suspicions. I would have tried to feign no reaction to the blast of wind, but it was simply too strong.
“I’ll admit, I’ve underestimated you, Beatrice. Or rather, I didn’t properly asses the full range of your capabilities. It’s true that you’re inexperienced in combat, or even in a wide range of Mind usage, but your perceptiveness exceeds my expectations.”
As usual, my Mind ebbed and flowed. Right now it was a storm, its tide erratic and wasteful. Beatrice was taunting and speaking, so I would gladly take the offer and recover myself. After all…her Mind was still stealing my breath. It was so vast, so calm. Like the effort expended in this battle was comparable to a simple puzzle.
She knew the secret of the fernen. Her Mind was still ready to crush me. Any moment now, she would begin another assault, employing tactics that could indirectly force me out of the ring or to the ground.
“I will not surrender. Too much is riding on this Battle, after all.”
As soon as I finished my sentence, I could feel the force of her Mind rumbling, begging to crush me. The vague sense that she became immovable popped into my head, as she probably anchored herself in place. So be it. In response, I began channeling my second Ability, digging my hands and feet into the mud. Despite the new sun beating down on the eastern forest, my shadow suddenly disappeared.
Then a blast of wind slammed into my body. With all my physical might, I tried to hang on to the ground, even catching a rock, to no avail. I nearly got pushed out of the ring, but the wind’s ferocity abated somewhat, giving me the chance to anchor myself in place. The fog swirled around me, pushed away by the wind. Thankfully, Beatrice didn’t blow away all the fog - or rather, smoke - that was beginning to slow her thoughts. My first Ability, [Chieftain’s Hospitality], worked like a charm. It was only a matter of time before my second Ability, [In the Shadow of the Great], finished the match.
To my surprise, the wind stopped completely. What? The smoke shouldn’t have dulled her that much yet. Looking at Beatrice, I couldn’t help but suck in some air seeing her face. Fierce rage twisted her features, and even as the smoke seeped into her body, her Mind swirled like a nascent explosion.
Somehow, my Ability wasn’t affecting her.
“An Ability that directly affects the victim’s mental state? Quaint. Such a thing will not work on bees.”
A lie. Not a total lie, but a lie nonetheless. Despite her apparent rage and twisting Mind, the lie was made evident by the fact that she couldn’t seem to attack. Her attempt with the wind had been cut off not because she wanted to change tactics, but because she wanted to conserve energy. My Ability makes the mental state of others become more passive and agreeable, and although Beatrice was able to fight it and consciously understand the situation, it can be difficult to act on conscious desires.
All of this was fine with me. Beatrice was currently unable to truly act, and my Mind was struggling to keep up. If I wanted to push Beatrice down, I’d need to contend with the vice-like grip she had placed on her body, and even at full strength, I wasn’t sure if I could do it. But my Ability could do it. So I was fine with betting everything on my Ability working before Beatrice managed to break out of the passivity.
“Affecting the minds of others is no small feat. WE will have it!” Grehn yelled, his eyes widening. I grunted. Beatrice was truly showing her hand.
At that moment, the smoke around her burst outwards, leaving her in clear air. Ah, smart. Very smart. The outburst she had through Grehn was actually a result of her breaking out of passivity, embracing her emotions and feelings to their fullest. A difficult task, but perhaps the shared Minds of bees did provide some advantages against mental attacks. But she was too late. My second Ability activated, and as if smacked by a falling tree, Beatrice exploded downwards. At the same moment, I felt an unbearable pressure, and my body fell forwards at alarming speed. She hit me! I tried to resist, but my Mind was spent.
I saw the ground rush up at me, and before my vision went dark, I heard Beatrice’s desperate, useless buzzing echoing in my head.
