Chapter 226: Chapter 226
A short while later, one of the bee monsters returned, carrying a more normal sized bee on her back while several more honeybees buzzed around them. The augur watched as they hovered before the Tower Lord…or Tower Keeper, as he preferred to be called. And a wise man does not defy a Tower Lord if he can help it.
“Thanks for coming. So, the God of Bees wants to say something after all?”
The bees flew about in seemingly random patterns and circles as far as the augur was concerned. But the Tower Keeper derived meaning from them, one of their many gifts from the gods. The Tower Keeper nodded and stepped to the side.
The augur watched as the small bee lifted off of her larger counterpart’s back and flew towards him, accompanied by the rest of the honeybees. So, this was the oracle that had traveled with them? Part of him wondered how a bee who couldn’t speak with any tongue of man could be an oracle but the augur knew better than to question it. He had had the privilege of speaking with oracles in the past, as well as speaking with others who had as well, so he knew that oracles came in all shapes and sizes. A talking tree, a pool of water that imparted visions, even a pile of bones that formed words when dropped. If the God of Bees, as it were, chose a bee as their oracle, then that was their right. So, the augur rose to his feet to greet that oracle.
It did make him curious as to how he would receive the response. The Tower Keeper could translate for the bee, it seemed, but an oracle should be able to pass the will of a god directly. Besides, the augur himself had failed to understand the intentions of this god even after receiving a direct message. He did not wish to hear another filtered through the Tower Keeper.
He bowed his head toward the bee.
“I’m honored to speak with you, Oracle of Bees.”
The bees buzzed. The augur waited for a bit, then cleared his throat.
“Prisoners? What that?”
Belissar rubbed his chin.
“Um, maybe…bees from other hives?”
Niobee flew about unsteadily.
Belissar furrowed his brow.
“Um, kind of. They were intruders but now they aren’t fighting.”
Niobee buzzed her wings.
“Push intruders out, sting if have to! But…other bees but not intruders…”
Niobee swayed in the air for a bit before starting to dance.
“Ah, had one worker from other hive try to follow. Lost hive, looking for new one. Worked hard, so bees let into hive. Joined hive.”
Belissar’s eyes widened and then he smiled.
“I see. Thanks, Niobee.”
Niobee zipped about happily as Belissar turned back to the old man.
Belissar took a deep breath.
“I’ll let you help, then.”
Sehfitis blinked and then started to smile, but Belissar then narrowed his eyes and glared at the man.
“But hurt my bees, or the karnuq, or try to contact the Tower Lords, or anything like that, and we’re done. Got it.”
“Of course, Tower Keeper.”
Belissar brought up the sworn defender description one more time.
Sworn Defender: An outsider who has sworn to defend a dungeon. Bound not to harm the core or the dungeon master, and to defend it from existential threats. Immediately gains a minor blessing from the dungeon’s patron and may interact with dungeon mana. Remnants will not spawn around a sworn defender unless they specifically intend to be challenged. Do not cost mana to upkeep, but mana may improve the bond with a given sworn defender, unlocking additional interactions with dungeon mana.