Chapter 113: Bee Bold!

    Belissar first turned the question to the bees, as usual. The First of the Fifth was first to speak.

    “Burning honey...like King’s fire chasms? King’s fire best fire!”

    Belissar chuckled. Well, he was slightly proud, even to this day, of beating a shade of the Hunger with a hole in the ground and a makeshift fire, so he’d admit he enjoyed hearing his bees praise him for it.

    The Second First of the First was still hesitating but managed to convey her opinion.

    “Bees need be stronger.”

    Belissar could always agree with that. He turned to Chief Rohsuak.

    “All of the options have merit, Sacred Den Master. Fire resistance is a must for anyone who doesn’t want to be burned by their own blaze. It also sounds as if you’ve already made use of honey and wax as a fuel source, and reinforcing your existing efforts makes them all the more potent. As for the embers...the more ways you have to reinforce your fire, the stronger it will become.”

    Belissar stared at her for a moment. At this point, he figured Chief Rohsuak was intentionally holding back her true thoughts, given the vague answers she gave nearly every time. He knew because Mrs. Imokomos used to do that when she was teaching him beekeeping, telling him she wanted to learn for himself. He guessed Chief Rohsuak was trying to help him learn something, but he’d much prefer she gave a straight answer. Their lives were at stake here!

    But she just silently smiled at him so he had to give up and think for himself, once again. The First of the Fifth was right in that Honeyed Fuel would build upon his existing defenses. If he added Fire Spouts on top of that, he could even skip the pits and apply the honey-fueled fire plan directly. It would strengthen a proven plan he had pulled off countless times before.

    And that...was why he hesitated now. The First of the Fifth’s praise reminded him that this was something he had done before, since the very beginning. But the Hunger had just demonstrated that it would adapt to his defenses over time, so wasn’t it risky to continue relying on the same plan? If he spent all his choices on the honey-fire trap combo, wouldn’t he end up in trouble if they encountered a shade that could survive it? The cat-shades, for example, had already run past his Sticky Honey Traps. Wouldn’t they also run past a Fire Spout too, then? And even if not, if they didn’t get hit by the honey first than Honeyed Fuel wouldn’t help, right?

    Well, Chief Rohsuak also said that the more he committed to one specialization, the more options he’d get to overcome its weaknesses, so maybe it was the other way around. But that seemed like he’d end up in a race with the Hunger, trying to adapt his one plan to the Hunger faster than the Hunger could adapt to him. Belissar was not certain he’d be able to stay ahead. As much as he hated thinking about them, it was true that Tower Lords were better prepared to become, well, Tower Lords. So, maybe if he had been raised as one he’d feel confident. But he had not.

    But what then, should he do? Fire Resistant bees as the Second First of the First wanted was a good option, but it didn’t do as much for the Fire Spout – Sticky Honey Trap combo as Honeyed Fuel would. If they ran into a shade that could survive the traps and that didn’t use fire of its own, wouldn’t both choices end up useless then? Maybe it was better to just go all in on the traps...

    At that moment, Belissar’s gaze passed over the Third of the Sixth. The new burning queen, the one who had fulfilled the mission and unlocked these choices in the first place. He thought to the efforts he and she had gone to before she could evolve. How they had required new flowers and an entirely new beehouse design. A new idea began to grow in his mind.

    “I think...I might have a risky idea.”

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    The Third of the Sixth began her reply dance with no hesitation.

    “A bold decision. I enjoy those. And I can tell you that the God of Fire does as well, he would be pleased with such a move.”

    He smiled back and then turned to the First of the Fifth, lowering his head.

    “Sorry we aren’t going with the one you wanted. Maybe we can see if different honeys and waxes can work with fire even without the perk?”

    He thought for a moment, remembering an instant where honey caught fire.

    “Maybe Juosiutik might be able to help?”

    Chief Rohsuak stifled a laugh.

    “Maybe she might.”

    The First of the Fifth burst out into a frantic dance.

    “No! King not sorry! King is best king, King’s choice best choice! King sees more than bees, makes choices bees can’t make! King is best king! Not sorry!”

    Belissar held his hands up.

    “Ok ok, I’m sorry...um...for being sorry? Or, um...”

    Belissar took a moment to clear his throat. He thought for a second and then reached out his hand. The First of the Fifth froze. Belissar then pointed at his hand until slowly, gingerly, the First of the Fifth flew over and landed on it. He then smiled at her.

    “I just want you to know that even if I make a different choice, I like hearing your opinion.”

    The First of the Fifth again went completely still, as rigid as a rock. Belissar got a bit worried about her until Niobee intervened, and then the First of the Fifth burst out into a happy dance.

    Belissar once again hoped he’d made the right decision, and that he’d be able to live up to the bees’ expectations of him...