The Bee Dungeon

Chapter 372 - Cornered

Starami paused for a moment, resisting the urge to react immediately. Panic was the fey’s goal and he had already paid the price for rushing, so he took a moment to assess the situation before responding, observing the scene through the eyes of his Tower Guards and monsters.

The spiderkin had already overrun the supply base’s guards and was on the verge of overrunning the Tower Guards that came down to investigate. Starami didn’t count on the guards and monsters there as part of his assault force, so the loss would not diminish the strength of his army...but the survivors now retreating with one of his captains didn’t manage to grab any of the supplies. Starami now had no food with which to feed his army. The purified zone of the young rogue Tower was fortunate enough to have some former farmland...but without a fully rebuilt ecosystem or exterior settlements, the area would not support an army of hungry dragonkin for long.

Starami could lead his army to retake the supply base...but chances were the spiderkin would loot and move the supplies by the time he did. He was unlikely to recover any of his stockpiles. The flow of supplies from his Tower to the supply base would continue...but it was only meant to maintain his stockpiles, not rebuild them. And a new delivery would take a long time to make it all the way from his Tower.

His expression turned grim as he reached his conclusion. One way or another...this siege was over. Dragonkin would not suffer starvation, the monsters would turn on each other even if they were Tower-bound not to turn on him. And morale was already poor among the Tower Guard, a lack of food would make it all the worse. Kobold stew might manage to fill their stomachs for a time but would not improve morale...and even kobolds would not consent to be eaten quietly. He could no longer wait for a purification to hit the rogue Tower.

So, he had three options now. He could break through the spiderkin and attempt to return home. His army would march hungry but every step would shorten their supply line, so he’d likely make it home intact. But he’d be returning home completely empty handed and in disgrace, with a battered and demoralized army, and with a swarm of spiderkin hounding his steps. His future prospects upon his return would...remain disheartening.

Another option would be to strike at the spiderkin swarm, to try and trace them back to their nest and destroy it. They were a foe he was far more familiar with than the fey and there was a chance of recovering some supplies from them too. But...there was no guarantee of success. He knew nothing about this spiderkin band, he didn’t know the size of the swarm, the location of the nest, or if they had a Tower under their control. Maybe this was a small band and he’d squash them like a bug...or maybe this was an even greater opponent than the fey and he’d march to his death. He had no way of knowing before he tried it.

And...even victory over the spiderkin would mean abandoning the siege, even if temporarily, undoing all their progress and giving the fey all the time and space they wished to build new defenses. If he tried to come back afterwards, he’d be starting over from scratch...minus all of the casualties the spiderkin would inflict upon him. Could the army he would possess after that then defeat the fey? He doubted it...and defeating yet another spiderkin band would not be enough of a victory to redeem him in High Councilors Stadvolous and Konilias’ minds.

The third and final option...would be to take every soldier and monster he had and launch an all-out assault on the rogue Tower, personally leading the charge. To abandon all caution and wisdom and commit everything to defeating the fey, here and now. The risks were...immense. After the previous assaults, he had no illusions that he would not lose much of his forces, maybe most of them, if he were to succeed at all. He had not come up with countermeasures to the Tower’s defenses yet, pushing through now would only be accomplished through blood. His own death was a very real possibility.

But...if by some miracle he succeeded...he’d have a Tower under his control, with which he could resupply whatever forces he had left. He could supplement them with the Tower’s own monsters, then use its defenses to withstand the spiderkin. He might end up trapped and under siege himself if this infestation was particularly large...but that would be fine. He’d have an excuse to hole up in the Tower and explore whatever secrets the fey had in store...like necromancy, a school of magic that could easily replenish all that he had lost in this campaign. A great taboo...but he had already lost the gods’ favor and was unlikely to regain it.

And if he failed and perished...then what could he say but that he had been beaten? Would he prefer to die at the hands of the fey in battle...or at the hands of Stadvolous in humiliation?

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Starami made his decision and sent a message to every Tower Guard and Tower monster he had left.

“All forces, arm yourselves and gather before the Tower. Today, we end the fey, once and for all.”

It was the only option that had the possibility of success for Starami at the end. So...the time had come to cast the die. Whether his forces were ready or not, whether or not he was prepared for the tricks the fey had in store for him...Starami would take everything he had and march to his destiny.

Belissar rushed over to the nexus door room to discuss the arrival of the spiderkin. Wardmaster Varilold, Duke Turuhave, Chief Rohsuak, and Fourth Queen Pezuya had all remained there to coordinate the defense. At least one battle meadow queen remained present at all times as well, while the First of the Fifth’s First Daughter flew over to join Belissar.

Once gathered, Belissar relayed the situation as the tunneling nomadic bees observed, mainly that a large army of spiderkin had arrived and had attacked one of Starami’s bases deep underground. Wardmaster Varilold had already told them all that Queen Vanieskon set up her glamour to redirect invaders around the purified area...which would inevitably direct them into each other if there were multiple enemies present. The scout bees had already caught one skirmish between the spiderkin and Starami’s forces, but the spiderkin had immediately left the area after that.

Belissar thought that maybe they had run off since the spiderkin force in question was small compared to the Tower Lord’s army at the time...but apparently they had just gone to prepare a much larger attack, once that had finally arrived. Belissar...felt a bit vindicated that it was Starami getting suddenly attacked this time, rather than him.

The fair folk, for their part, seemed quite pleased at this turn of events. Duke Turuhave grinned.

“For once, I don’t mind the Pixie Queen’s mischief. Wardmaster, have you considered a counterattack? You already have Dungeon Master Nenavann on the way, if we combine his monsters with Tower Keeper Belissar’s own and the Silver Host, we could pincer our enemy with the spiderkin below. Now might be the best moment to strike at him directly.”

Wardmaster Varilold rubbed her chin.

“I have. The risks cannot be ignored, however. The Tower Lord’s forces are still substantial and we don’t know how well the spiderkin will match up against them. There is also the risk that the spiderkin overwhelm the Tower Lord and attack us as well, they’re attacking with much greater force than we expected. We could end up trading one siege for another if we come to blows with them. And it must be said that the Underway is not an ideal battlefield for any of our armies save our beastkin allies.”

She glanced over at Fourth Queen Pezuya, but the sigmaka shook her head. She had also started frowning when Belissar explained the situation.

“We do not have the numbers to intervene in a battle of this scale. We can guide you through the Underway and help you raid the flanks, but we cannot bear the brunt of the fighting if you plan a direct assault. We also need to consider what this spiderkin force means for us, our home will be vulnerable to them after the Tower Lord is defeated.”

Chief Rohsuak, meanwhile, turned to Belissar.

“The karnuq fight at Tower Keeper Belissar’s command, as we have sworn. I do have to admit, though, that our numbers are even less than the sigmaka’s.”

Wardmaster Varilold nodded.

“Understood. We’ll prepare to take advantage of any opportunities, but for now let’s see how the battle develops. Tower Keeper Belissar, do your scouts have any more information for us?”

Belissar turned to the First of the Fifth’s First Daughter. While he could check on all the scouts directly, the monster bee empress was still better at watching multiple bees at once, so she’d have a better idea of the overall picture than he would.

But before he could even ask, the First of the Fifth’s First Daughter and Niobee both started buzzing their wings. The First of the Fifth’s First Daughter danced as fast as her feet could carry her.

“King! Hive burners moving towards King’s realm!”

Belissar blinked and used his own Tower senses to confirm. Through the Underway scouts, he could feel Starami’s forces in their main camp on the move...but they were marching up towards the surface instead of down towards the spiderkin. The entire camp was moving, the scouts couldn’t feel the vibrations or mana of even a single person remaining behind.

Belissar’s stomach dropped.

“It looks like...the Tower Guard are heading this way, not towards the spiderkin.”

Duke Turuhave stopped smiling, while Wardmaster Varilold furrowed her brow. She narrowed her eyes, though, and began barking at the nearest wardens.

“Sound the alarm and prepare our forces for imminent assault! And tell Dungeon Master Nenavann to hurry it up, we need him here now! Duke Turuhave, you get your wish. We’re deploying all of the Silver Host you haven’t withdrawn yet. No matter the risks.”

Duke Turuhave gave Wardmaster Varilold a grim nod and then turned to give orders to his own subordinates. Wardmaster Varilold then let out a small sigh.

“I’m sorry, Tower Keeper, I miscalculated. The Tower Lord is more desperate than I thought. This next battle will be difficult and likely costly. But it should be the last, at least with the Tower Lord. Are your forces ready to fight it?”

Belissar glanced over at the bees...who were already dancing a salute, led by Niobee.

“Bees ready, will protect King and hive, sting hive burners.”

Belissar turned back to Wardmaster Varilold and gave her a nod. He wasn’t looking forward to this...but if it would be the last, then...

“Let’s end this.”