Chapter 109: Chapter 109

Two more days came and went. Belissar got a minimum+ strength boost for his soldiers, as well as Hidden Wax Cells. He didn’t particularly have use for them yet but figured he would take them just in case.

Additionally, there were some developments among his bees. The Flower Meadow queens had successfully reproduced, a new generation of queens had joined the Bee Barracks. They would need time before they could contribute any soldiers, but Belissar was already noticing more and more workers in the Flower Meadow, so it seemed to be going well.

Additionally, some of the Apiary queens were waiting for him when he visited this morning. He found some new honey types when he gathered the trays for the day.

Sleepy Mana Honeycomb Tray

- Description: A tray of honeycomb containing sleepy mana honey. Made by monster bees with the nectar of flowers with sedative properties, this honey has relaxing and, in high dosages, sedative effects.

Gelatinous Mana Honeycomb Tray

- Description: A tray of honeycomb containing gelatinous mana honey. Made by monster bees with the nectar of flowers with gelatinous properties, this honey is thicker and retains a semi-solid state unless distrurbed.

Antidote Mana Honeycomb Tray

- Description: A tray of honeycomb containing antidote mana honey. Made by monster bees with the nectar of flowers with restorative properties, this honey can counteract the effects of numerous toxins, including weak mana-based ones.

Belissar blinked a bit, but then began to smile.

“I look forward to it.”

The karnuq’s eyes widened. She stood there blinking for a bit herself before she shook her head and turned around, leaving without another word.

Belissar, did, in fact, look forward to her return. Combined with the ground flowers offered by the other karnuq earlier, he was now at four of the needed five samples. One more, and he might have a new mana flower for his bees.

With that done, he returned to the Apiary to get a bit more sleep before the sun rose.

Metsaitti’s group was exploring the Flower Meadow once again. Another shade appeared and this time Metsaitti said nothing, stepping back. The two spear wielders charged forward while the archers drew their bows. The archers released with perfect timing, such that the arrows landed just as the shade was about to move. The shade yelped…and was thus distracted as the other two karnuq lunged forward. One spear stabbed through its torso while the other struck its head, and then the shade vanished. Metsaitti nodded as he watched.

Three of the hunters turned to each other and grinned, but one of the archers had his eyes fixed forward.

“Hey, does anyone else see that?”

The other karnuq turned to look. The spearwoman gasped.

The other spearman, Tyhgak, smiled.

“That’s the mana honey, right?”

A large piece of honeycomb was just lying there on the grass, without a monster bee in sight. Metsaitti nodded but said little else. Tyhgak happily stepped forward before skidding to a halt.

“Wait just a minute…”

He began poking the ground ahead of him with his spear while slowly creeping forward. Suddenly, his spear shot poked right through the ground…which vanished to reveal a pit trap. Metsaitti made a slight smile. The boy was learning after all. As was the Sacred Den Master.

Tyhgak and the other spearwoman nodded at each other and both began circling the pit trap in either direction. As soon as they reached the end of the pit trap, they found another on either side. And then another pair.

The honeycomb was completely surrounded by pit traps, such that there was no way to reach it on foot. Metsaitti chuckled.

“It looks like we found our first challenge from the Sacred Den Master.”

“How are we supposed to get it, then?”

“That’s what you’re supposed to figure out.”

Tyhgak rubbed his chin, then suddenly smiled and turned to Metsaitti.

“Can’t you just jump over the pits?”

Metsaitti shrugged again.

“I can, if you don’t want any of the honey, that is.”

Tyhgak frowned again. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He and the other karnuq grouped up and Tyhgak turned to the spearwoman.

“Can you make the jump?”

She just stared at him.

“What if we give you a boost?”

“How am I supposed to get back afterwards?”

Tyhgak frowned again.

“Oh, right. Um, what if you take a rope with you?”

“Did you bring any rope?”

The archers shook their heads. Metsaitti couldn’t help but chuckle as he listened in. He remembered his first Sacred Den challenge. These kids didn’t know how easy they had it, this Sacred Den Master was far less violent and cruel than some others he had known.

In the end though, the group concluded they didn’t have the tools. They hung their heads as they turned away from the honeycomb. Metsaitti raised an eyebrow.

The spearwoman sighed.

“What other choice do we have?”

Metsaitti shrugged as the group hung their heads. Then he ran towards the pits and leapt across, just making it to the other side. He opened his bag, grabbed an empty pouch of sufficient size, then wrapped up and stored the honeycomb. He then leapt back over. The young hunters were staring at him. Tyhgak began to smile.

Metsaitti gave him a grin.

“Oh, this is for me. You’ll have to get your own.”

The hunters all groaned.