The Bee Dungeon
Chapter 68: Proper-Bee Rights

The day wore on and soon it was time for the next purification. Belissar once again prepared the fire radish slivers while the soldier bee army gathered by the entrance, this time positioned high in case of an aerial opponent. Belissar took a deep breath.

“Ok, here we go.”

Minor+ purification attempt commencing.

He triggered the purification and once again the Hunger coalesced. However, this time it did not gather midair, but on the ground. The Hunger split in two and two small wolf-shades appeared as in the first minor+ purification. Belissar frowned.

The minor purifications had always been the same, but apparently the minor+ purifications could change from day by day. And now, for only the second time ever, his bees faced more than one opponent.

The bees quickly reoriented themselves, a second sprayer squad diving to join the first as they started their attack. Both shades roared as they were greeted with toxic sprays coating their entire bodies. They retaliated with two breath attacks but the sprayers had already retreated. A third and fourth squad began their approach, the shades noticed and broke off into a run. The sprayers broke off but two squads of regular soldier bees dove in from the sides. The two shades moved closer together and swung their tails to either side, warding off the soldier’s attack.

But then, one of the shades yelped and vanished, falling into the first Pit Trap where it was doused by the Mad Honey Sticky Trap. The other shade stopped and turned to look inside the pit. The third and fourth sprayer squads then pulled up and assaulted it.

The shade yelped and launched another breath attack, but caught nothing. It glanced around at all the bees surrounding it. Then, just like the first time they faced two shades, the second shade jumped down into the pit to regroup with the other and take shelter from the bees.

But unlike the first time this happened, Belissar and his bees were prepared. The Apiary soldier bees were already on their way, grasping fire radish slivers with their hind legs, ready to handle the very situation that prompted their training. They flew over the pit, just high enough to avoid any breath attacks, and released their slivers with practiced precision.

The slivers fell into the pit. Smoke and then small flames grew from them as they reacted with the mana honey.

Soon, a roaring fire filled the pit and black smoke climbed into the air. Smoke mixed with dissipating black mist.

All hostiles defeated. Purification successful.

Belissar crossed his arms and nodded as he thought back to the first battle against two opponents. He cracked a small smirk.

“That was for the soldiers.”

Minor+ Purification completed! Please select a reward:

- +75 DP

- +15 Max Mana

- Hidden Wax Cell (Rarity: Common, Type: Bee, Trap)

This choice was fairly easy. Hidden Wax Cells appeared again…but Belissar didn’t currently see the need for them. His bees didn’t really hide much and he was going to try and get a shovel from the bear people, so he could make something similar if he felt the bees needed it. So, he went ahead and grabbed the extra mana, bring his current total up to three-hundred and thirty-five. He nodded at that, his reserves were growing nicely, which was good given he was gaining more and more things to spend it on.

And with that, the only thing left to do was the celebrate the victory. Belissar made his way over to the Apiary to grab some honey trays…and was greeted with a surprise. He saw one of the Apiary queens leading their workers, carrying honey towards the Orchard and the Flower Meadow. He thought they only did that in special circumstances, maybe a minor+ purification counted? He smiled and nodded at the queen as she caught sight of him and then moved to gather some honey trays from his own stockpile…

The next morning, Belissar was in the Flower Meadow working on the beehouse when he noticed the bear people arrive at his dungeon once more. Metsaitti and his hunters were there, along with Chief Rohsuak and Juosiutik. He finished up the beam he was working on, and then walked over to the Apiary and grabbed the fire radish pot before making his way over. The soldier bees, including the queen that was with them, broke off their training and accompanied him as usual.

As Belissar approached the entrance, the bear people noticed him. Metsaitti inclined his head.

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“Good morning, Sacred Den Master.”

The other hunters glanced at once another and followed suit.

“Oh, um, hi.”

Belissar waited to see what they wanted but they said no more and moved into the Flower Meadow. Belissar blinked, shrugged, and then turned to Chief Rohsuak and Juosiutik.

“Good morning, Sacred Den Master.”

“G-Good morning.”

Belissar waved his hand.

“Hi. Did you need something?”

Chief Rohsuak shook her head.

“Only to see if you wished to resume the potion lessons anytime soon.”

Juosiutik nodded at that. Belissar thought to himself.

“Hm, that would be fine as long as I can keep working on my project. Maybe in the mornings?”

Juosiutik nodded repeatedly.

“Yes, please!”

Chief Rohsuak chuckled. Belissar turned to her.

“I, uh, also have a request? Do you have any shovels or other digging tools? I’d like to make a trade if so.”

Chief Rohsuak hummed and rubbed her chin.

“We do. Did you have something in mind?”

Belissar nodded and put the fire radish pot in front of them.

“I got some more fire radishes from the Tower, so would that work?”

Juosiutik raised an eyebrow.

“You’re trading them back?”

Then she froze.

“Wait…did you say…more fire radishes?”

Belissar tilted his head.

“Um, yes?”

Juosiutik began leaning towards him.

“As in…you grew these in your Sacred Den? Like the healing herbs the hunters gather?”

Belissar blinked.

“Um, yes?”

Juosiutik began stepping towards him before Chief Rohsuak placed a hand on her shoulder.

“As in, you grew new ones in the few days since I gave them to you?”

Belissar nodded.

“Yes?”

Juosiutik inhaled a large breath…until Chief Rohsuak tightened her grip and Juosiutik let it go.

“Ok…um, may I see one of the new fire radishes?”

Belissar nodded and pulled one out of the pot, handing it over to her. Juosiutik looked over it with a furrowed brow. Chief Rohsuak also looked over her shoulder at it.

“It…appears entirely healthy from what I can tell but…chief?”

Chief Rohsuak nodded.

“Yes, I can feel the fire mana within. This one should be more potent than average.”

Juosiutik slowly turned her gaze back to Belissar. Something in her eye made him take a step back subconsciously.

“So…if we give you plants…you can grow more of them?”

Belissar gulped.

“Um, it depends? But if the plant will grow in one of the rooms I have, then yes?”

Juosiutik tensed and tried to step forward but Chief Rohsuak’s grip was firm and Juosiutik turned back to look at her. The chief just had her eyebrow raised. Juosiutik turned back to Belissar and lowered her head.

“Sacred Den Master, if I give you whatever plants I have, would you be willing to share with me? Maybe grow them by the front or by the healing herbs so the hunters can gather some?”

Belissar’s eyes widened.

“Oh, that would be great! And, sure, that sounds fair? Um, I should mention that the Tower needs to absorb a certain amount before it can grow them…and again, I, can’t guarantee that any particular plant will grow in the rooms I have right now.”

Juosiutik looked up to him, her eyes narrowed.

“How many do you need?”

Belissar gulped and took another step back.

“Um, it depends. It changes for each plant and how whole the pieces so I, um, won’t know until I hold the specific plant.”

Juosiutik began to tremble. She took a deep breath and turned back to Chief Rohsuak, pleading with her eyes.

“Chief…”

Chief Rohsuak chuckled and shook her head.

“The Sacred Den Master has already agreed.”

Chief Rohsuak had barely eased her grip when Juosiutik vanished, sprinting out of the Tower and back towards the bear people’s camp. Chief Rohsuak sighed, though with a smile still on her face as she turned to Belissar.

“Thank you for your patience, Sacred Den Master. I know Juosiutik can get a bit…passionate.”

Belissar shook his head.

“It’s fine…as long as she doesn’t set the Tower on fire. And, um, this deal is pretty good for me.”

Chief Rohsuak rubbed her chin.

“I see, in that case, would you be open to extending the deal to other plants besides Juosiutik’s herbs? Something more mundane, like food or wood?”

Belissar nodded.

“Sure, that’d be great. Anything with flowers, especially.”

Chief Rohsuak smiled and nodded back.

“Wonderful, I’ll see to it then. Would one third of harvested material suffice as tribute?”

Belissar blinked.

“Tribute?”

Chief Rohsuak nodded.

“We will be imposing upon your den for resources, it is only natural to offer some back, is it not?”

Belissar tilted his head.

“Um, I thought that was in exchange for giving me the stuff in the first place?”

Chief Rohsuak rubbed her chin.

“Perhaps but that’s a one time thing. We would like to continue gathering into the future if you are willing, so a more permanent compensation would be natural, right?”

Belissar frowned.

“Is that so? But, it’s the Tower growing it, right?”

The only thing he knew of tribute was that the Tower Lords had demanded it of him and his village. He had done a good job putting them out of his mind recently, so he didn’t particularly like the reminder.

Chief Rohsuak shook her head.

“It is your Sacred Den, and you are the one growing the plants, by our request even. You should receive your portion from each harvest of your own land.”

Belissar furrowed his brow.

“That’s…right?”

He guessed that was true. It wasn't like before, where the Tower Lords were taking stuff from land outside the Tower. Instead, they were coming into the Tower to gather stuff from it. And he was the master of this Tower and he did use up some of his total mana on the resource nodes. So, if he was going to share, he guessed it did make sense to get something back for it. Especially since the plants would be placed further away from the hives, making it harder for the bees to gather from. The bear people would even be taking away some of the flowers that bees could otherwise gather from…that would grow back on a daily basis but the point still stood! When Belissar thought of it that way…

He narrowed his eyes and nodded quickly.

“Yes, that’s right. One third seems like a lot, though. How about one tenth for me and you give one tenth to the God of Bees? And you still can’t hurt the bees when you gather, ok? If you have anything you can give them too, then please share.”

Chief Rohsuak’s smile grew.

“Very well, one tenth to you, one tenth to the God of Bees, and offerings to the bees themselves as well as care not to disrupt them. Is that acceptable?”

Belissar nodded and Chief Rohsuak continued.

“Good, then I will make the arrangements. Thank you, Sacred Den Master.”