Chapter 228: Chapter 228
Belissar noticed his karnuq students approaching.
“Velebee, would you mind if I let the karnuq watch when I check your hive? I’m teaching them how to take care of bees.”
Velebee stopped zipping about for a moment, but quickly resumed.
Belissar then thought of something.
“Ah, is it possible to keep your workers from stinging us during the lesson?”
“Can! Will tell not to sting.”
Belissar smiled at her.
“We’ll watch a few rounds and then jump in.”
The Firstborn danced a salute and then flew off. Metsaitti gathered the hunters into a line so they could all see.
“Watch closely, everyone. We’ll need to coordinate with them from now on.”
The hunters saluted and focused on the practice fight. Metsaitti settled in to watch as well. As he had seen before, the bees relied on hit and run tactics, rotating their soldiers in and out of the fight. They kept the enemy off balance with continuous attacks, ensuring that another squad was diving in as the first retreated.
Metsaitti rubbed his chin. The karnuq were used to fighting in the enclosed spaces of the Underway where there was little room to maneuver. Some of the older hunters like himself still knew how to stay light on their feet, but the younger among them tended to stay immobile and face the enemy head on. That had its place…but if they were going to be fighting in a wide-open field from now on, it might do well to start taking advantage of the extra space.
Eventually, the bee on Metsaitti’s shoulder started to glow and her mana touched his. He could somehow see her dance even without looking at her.
“Queen asks if karnuq squad wants turn?”
“Yes. You four, with me.”
Metsaitti and some of the older hunters took their turn using some practice spears. Metsaitti didn’t bother adjusting their formation or tactics this time, wanting to see how it would hold up. So, they rushed forward as a tight group, thrusting a wall of spears towards the bumblebee. The bumblebee buzzed its wings and flew to the side, out of the way of the spears. Metsaitti shouted but, as he feared, their formation was too tight and they weren’t used to wheeling around on the fly. The bumblebee turned and slammed into the hunter on the left side, knocking him back into the hunter next to him. As they tumbled, their spears waved around, colliding into the spears of the hunters still standing. Metsaitti himself was at the right side of the formation and so couldn’t intervene with the others in the way.
The bumblebee soldier was about to pounce on them when a squad of soldier bees dove down from above. Metsaitti shouted.
The hunters scrambled to their feet as best they could and rushed back with no semblance of coordination. They looked to the ground as Metsaitti lead them back to the rest. Metsaitti then pointed to the next four.
“You bunch are up next.”
Metsaitti thus led the hunters squad by squad, each of which got knocked over by a bumblebee. He couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle. The karnuq might be experts in the Underway, but they had a lot to learn.
Finally, the youngest group went, consisting of Tyhgak’s group plus Noigakkuq. This bunch spread out like they would against shades, the two spear wielders standing forward and to either side to give the archers clear shots. The archers opened up with a volley, forcing the bumblebee to dodge immediately. The two spear wielders advanced forward in the meantime, aiming for the bumblebee’s intended landing spot. The sprayer crawled out at that point.
Which is when Noigakkuq struck.
The small karnuq suddenly appeared behind the bumblebee, charging forward with her spear. She managed a hit on the bumblebee’s abdomen. The bumblebee buzzed its wings and the sprayer stopped its attack.
At Metsaitti’s shout, the group backed off, just as another squad of soldiers dove in. Metsaitti smiled as the group walked back.
And indeed it was. The youngest and least experienced among them had performed the best. That was largely because they had learned to fight in this very meadow and against the types of enemy the bumblebee soldier was simulating, but that was little comfort to the embarrassed older hunters. Metsaitti had no doubt the rest of the hunters would work hard to adapt now.
As the day wore on, the Firstborn flew over to the karnuq once again.
“King said to let karnuq fight but…is ok? Karnuq had trouble in training.”
Metsaitti shook his head with a smile as the hunters all hung their heads.
“We’re just a little out of our depth in this field. We’ll fight in the Dirt Tunnels and fall back if it’s too much for us.”
The Firstborn saluted. Metsaitti turned to the hunters groaning on the ground and selected the oldest nine.
“Let’s show the bees how we normally fight. Get ready.”
The hunters steeled their faces and grabbed their spears. Shortly thereafter, Chief Rohsuak and the Sacred Den Master arrived for the purification. At Metsaitti’s request, the Sacred Den Master moved the Lava Field away, connecting the Dirt Tunnels directly to the Flower Meadow. Metsaitti and the other nine hunters stood in the final hallway with the Flower Meadow to their backs.
They shivered as they felt a chill on the edge of their mana after the Sacred Den Master’s message. They knew immediately that the Hunger had arrived.
“Looks like it’s the fast ones, be careful!”
“Brace spears and brace yourselves.”
The hunters nodded and assembled into a tight formation of two rows, digging into the dirt as they held their spears forward. And then they waited, sweat dripping down their faces as they imagined the foe to come. After what felt like an eternity, they felt a chill growing on their skin, and knew that the Hunger approached.
Two cat shades appeared, zipping down the hall. The monsters snarled as they saw the karnuq arranged before them.
Metsaitti shouted to steel up the hunters’ nerve, not that it was needed. Nervous though they may be, these were the veteran hunters who had faced many a danger on their journey, and not one took a step back. The two cat shades spread their insect like wings as they rushed down the hall at blistering speed.