B1 — 29. Undying Appetite

POV Change:  Camellia (Eldest of the Thélméthra Sisters; extremely dedicated … not very talented)

Recap: We learned that Tiffany is scary and that she’s very much a Witch.  She’s putting to practice the Milgram Experiment.  Azalea and Eltha are learning the art of torture.

In the meantime, we catch back up with Camellia, the eldest of the Spider Sisters!  She was sadly left in the dust as her two younger sisters raced off ahead of her; the poor thing.  T_T

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^{Elinor’s Currently Known Skills}

^{Monarch of Death (Cluster Skill):  The physical manifestation of her authority as the crown and veil (comprised of the Death Element) atop her head.  The following are skills a part of this cluster (meaning they do not work if this main branch is not active).}

^{Lesser Aura of Supremacy (Connects to Imperial Presence):  Releases from her crown.  Casts Horrify on others, if Horrify fails, casts Fear.}

^{Lesser Minion Mastery: Provides buffs to her minions within a certain range.}

^{Prose of the Potentate: Allows her to talk any language her minion knew in life (if her minion was an idiot, then her speech vocabulary and flow to the recipient would not be translated well).}

^{Call of the Empress: Week cooldown, releases a burst of Death Energy that resurrects everything available in range at a base cost and set period of time.  It bypasses any limit cap on how many minions she can summon and are all unintelligent.}

^{Other Skills:}

^{Lesser Possession:  Allows Elinor to take physical control over one of her unintelligent minions within a certain range.}

^{Herald of the Empress: Advanced form of Lesser Corpse Detecton (absorbed into the skill).  Allows Elinor to scan the area around herself for possible minions and gives her a rough estimate of their potential.  A ranged means she can use to raise the dead.}

^{Racial/Kind Skills}

^{Imperial Presence: Makes her act more dignified and regal while also implanting that mental image in weak-willed creatures around her.}

^{Life Tap: Corrupts Life Energy into a usable form for Elinor to use.}

^{Lesser Corpse Detection: Allows Elinor to detect bodies within a short range.}

^{Raise Skeleton: Ignites fire at her hands; the embers can bring create the undead.}

^{Emotional Loss: Does NOT get rid of all emotion, but dulls Joy, Trust, Fear, and Sadness, while leaving Anticipation, Anger, Disgust, and Suprise alone.  This creates an imbalance in her emotions, but Imperial Presence also affects her behaviors, causing her unfiltered emotions to burn below the surface of her cool appearance.  Inspired by Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions.}

^{Minion Ranks:}

^{White – Poor}

^{Green, – Common}

^{Yellow – Uncommon}

^{Blue – Rare}

^{Purple – Heroic}

^{Red – Epic}

^{Orange – Legendary}

^{Dark Orange – Mythic}

^{Pearlescent – Transcendent}

 

^{Elinor’s Current Minions:}

^{Transcendent-Grade: Rank 9}

^{Tiffany (Former Mother) – Royal Wichery Title, over all Witchery related Classes}

^{Edmon (Former Father) – Royal Gatekeeper Title, over all Elite Defender Classes and the Empress’ Personal Guard}

^{Iris (Thélméthra Queen; Otherworldly Tank-Spider) – Royal Executioner, over all Assassin Classes}

^{Mythic-Grade Minions: Rank 8 (General Class)}

^{Violet (Youngest Spider-Sister) – Close to Transcendent}

^{Legendary-Grade Minions: Rank 7 (General Class)}

^{Azalea (Middle Spider-Sister)}

^{Epic-Grade Minions: Rank 6 (Commander Class)}

^{Camellia (Eldest Spider-Sister)}

^{Uncommon-Grade Minions: Rank 2 (Foot Soldiers)}

^{Garu – Ri’bot that allows Elinor to speak Ri’bot.}

^{Quin – Elite Hunter of the Quen’Talrat; allows Elinor to speak both Quen’Talrat and Yaltha’ma.}

^{Common (Fodder) Minions: Rank 1}

^{x17 Normal Quen’Talrat; Skeleton Type}

^{x1 Thélméthra Drone}

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Camellia breathed out an annoyed sigh as she followed her sisters out of the tunnels, wind whipping around her as she rounded a corner and passed Tiffany.

She caught the Witch’s smile as she waved, yelling, “Happy hunting!”

Camellia really respected the woman; she had a similar edge like her mother, and had a way of explaining things that sparked her imagination.  Tiffany also didn’t look down on her, unlike Violet.

Still, the frustration ate at her, and she didn’t want to let her mother down or whatever Tiffany saw in her.  She couldn’t help but feel pressed to prove herself, and desperately wanted answers to this new change.

Violet and Azalea had always been vastly more similar to each other than to her, and even though her mother said she had a different method, she felt like a failure.  She brought back more food than the drones, hunted more often than both her sisters combined, and pushed herself daily, but all she saw was a looming mountain ahead of her.

Once again, she was lacking, unable to even follow her younger sisters to the surface.  The pressure ate at her three hearts as she reached out a telepathic communication.  Mom, Violet and Azalea aren’t as fast as they used to be; I’m slower, too.  I wasn’t as fast as them before, but I’m at even more of a disadvantage now.  Why am I slower?

Her mother’s regal, cool, and collected voice entered her mind.  “It is this change we are going through.  I have been probing this new system we have been connected to by the Empress, and we may not be everything we were, but the expansion is beyond any memory of the Queens.  

“Edmon and Tiffany have given me the necessary information to assess the opening horizons before us.  Do not be distraught, Camellia, you have advantages your sisters do not because of your Class.  We are not what we were.”

I’m trying not to be frustrated, mom, but they understand things so much faster than I do…

She ran across the walls and ceiling while her exoskeleton generated a strong adhesive force that moved down to the tips of her spear-like legs to keep her stable.  The glowing lights she passed over swayed as she passed them, swiftly moving beyond the large underground lake before curving around to the hole in the underbelly of the Infernal Ape’s former fortress; she couldn’t even hear her sisters talking anymore.

“You were at quite a disadvantage, my daughter; it’s a product of the Queen’s reproduction process, your inherited genetics manipulated by the food I ingested, and the environmental mutations you developed once allowed to express yourself in this world.

“However, this new system gives you things your sisters cannot obtain.  It is a rather fascinating network of possibilities that rewards each creature differently … it appears to adapt to your own desires and goals in many ways.  I expect your sisters to do well with this; however, they can only follow their own path, and you yours.”

What do you mean, my path?  Is it different from Violet and Azalea’s?  Is it because of my Class?

“Yes.  We will have a little time for me to explain in a moment.  You will go outside the fortress, to the south, and toward the jungle; I will come to you in a moment.  I must first obtain the genetic imprint of a Ri’bot prisoner called Dalria.”

I’m not like you anymore … oh, yes, mother.

“And, Camellia.”

Yes, mother?

“You are no longer in the same type of competition you once played with your sisters; there is no need to be so frustrated or to compare yourself to their abilities.”

I see …. I’ll wait for you to explain that to me when you’re not busy.  I don’t quite understand how that’s possible.

Her mother didn’t respond, making Camellia slide her tongue across the inside of her teeth.  She entered the dark bottom layer she’d stepped into what only seemed days earlier, orange gem-like eyes glancing around.

A slight rumble vibrated around her, transferring to her central nervous system through the air-tight microscopic hairs protruding from her exoskeleton.  Is it a storm?  I love storms!

Her mood improved dramatically, and a weight lifted off her hearts as she spotted the pathway the Quen’Talrat built to get to the surface.  Moving in that direction, she ran up the spiral exit toward the surface, eight legs skittering across the stone floors and walls.

I’m not in the same type of competition … I don’t have to compare myself to them anymore.  What does that mean, though?

Camellia wanted to bite her lip with the nervous anticipation that was cycling her body; everything she did in her human form was magical, addicting, and she wanted nothing more than to experience it more but knew she needed to follow Tiffany’s advice.

She continued up the staircase, steeling her nerves as she sent out a tentative telepathic probe to Tiffany.  Umm … Tiffany?

“Yes, dear, something on your mind?”

You—aren’t busy, are you?

Tiffany’s soft giggle made Camellia shift her labium around in her mouth, but her apprehension quickly evaporated with the Witch’s smooth and patient tone.  “Darling, talk to me.  I’m here to help you transition, and if something’s eating at you, then I’m more than happy to help.  So, what’s on your mind?”

Camellia was a little shocked at how much control Tiffany had over her emotions; she’d seen her bouncing with joy, regal the next moment, and more casual with those beneath her than she’d ever thought possible for a superior.  She knew it had to do with her human experiences, and it was all so unfamiliar to her, but she loved the Witch’s mannerisms.

“I’m … not the same as my sisters, right?  My Class is different?  I just don’t get how all that works.”

Tiffany’s soft musical hum echoed in her mind.  “I think I understand what you’re experiencing, Cami.  Actually, a song came into my mind.  Would you like me to sing it?”

Tingles of excitement filled Camellia’s body as she exited the underground structure to a raging storm, and she tried her best to restrain a squeal of anticipation as a hissing breath passed through the glowing light-red joints on her plated abdomen that pushed the air out.

With her pause, Tiffany’s voice returned with mild interest.  “Still there, Cami?”

Oh, yes, yes, Tiffany, I apologize.  It’s just … this storm, and singing … I’m just so happy.  I love rain and thunder; it makes hunting so easy.

Another crack of thunder passed through her body with the taps of the pelting rain as the water struck her exoskeleton, sliding into the joints and damaged cracks in it to clean and tickle her cushioned interior.  Still, her joy was tainted by this strange dissatisfaction that ate at her mind.

She paused for a moment, determining which way was south by the magnetic fields in the atmosphere as Tiffany spoke again.

“Ah, yes, storms can be calming.  Ironic, since they’re raging forces of nature that terrified the civilizations of the past as the foul mood of the gods.  Anyways, give me a moment to compile my thoughts and recall the tune and words.”

Of course!  Camellia replied, moving down the street.  

The heavy droplets pounded against the granite ground, running into depressions and grates, but it seemed like they were beginning to back-up in a few places.  This was the first time she’d seen the surface of the Quen’Talrat fortress, and it was all alien to her.  She hadn’t seen anything like this in the Ri’bot villages she’d raided in the past.

Tiffany chuckled softly.  “You girls seem to enjoy music, but if you’ve never experienced it before, then I’d be addicted to it, too.  Your question, I feel, is less about your Class and much more personal.  It’s the culmination of your entire life colliding with this recent change, from what I understand about your culture and history with your sisters.”

Maybe … I’ve tried everything I could to compete with them, and I’d get so close … then I’d find out they weren’t even serious, and I’d be thrown back down this colossal mountain.

“What has your mother said about your feelings?”

Camellia glanced around at the black granite buildings, noticing wooden lining inside coating the stone walls.  She hadn’t thought about or even noticed most of these things before; her entire life had been focused on one thing, getting stronger, faster, smarter in combat, to one day beat her sisters.  Now, her mother said everything she’d worked for in life was over, and she was no longer in competition.

I know many things have changed … my mother will not die from aging, which means my sisters will not be taking her place.  Umm … my mom said she’d talk to me about it when we meet up … she’s—I guess you know what she’s doing.  I just…

She swallowed, slowing as she drew closer to the southern buildings, body dripping with water as she studied the muddy stone road.   I don’t know how to express what I’m feeling inside.  This is so … it’s like—like I’m not my mother’s daughter.

Tiffany was silent a moment, making Camellia’s stress rise, but when she spoke, it was in a song, and Camellia slowed to a stop, letting the rain cascade around her as she listened, tingles shooting through her body.

“When you were standing in the wake of devastation.  When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown.  And with the cataclysm raining down, insides crying, save me now; you were there, impossibly alone.

“Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?  You built up hope, but failure’s all you’ve known.  Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go.  Let it go … and in the burst of light that blinded every angel, as if the sky had blown the heavens into stars.  You felt the gravity of temper grace, falling into empty space, no one there to catch you in their arms…”

When Tiffany ended her song, Camellia felt a little stunned.  That was … beautiful … horrifying … it felt so close in my hearts … how did you know?

“Honey, everyone feels this way throughout their lives.  No one is perfect, not even the Empress, but that’s why we’re here, and it’s why I’m here talking with you, Camellia.  You’re not alone, and yes, your sisters also feel frustration, sadness, and as if they’re not good enough.  I’m positive your mother felt the same way.

“When you talk with your mother, you will start to understand how things are changing, and I think you’ll like them.  However, change can be very scary, even for creatures that are built to adapt.  Humans are extremely adaptable, but we have our own limits, and so do you.  Give yourself time and know that you have an entire network at your disposal.”

An entire network … I’m not doing this alone?

“No, dear, the Empire is one body.  You’ll learn your place, and yes, you have one.”

Camellia would have smiled if she could.  Thank you, Tiffany.

Tiffany’s voice became soft as she talked, but it grew darker and colder.  “In your deepest pain.  In your weakest hour.  In your darkest night.  You are lovely, and we all know you act for the Empress.  Remember that, Camellia, and know that even your sisters care about you.  We are a tool serving one purpose; we all have something to give the Empress.

“Every one of us is disposable, even if the Empress wishes against it; need outweighs desire, and her safety reigns supreme above all … even her own orders.  It is what she raised us for, and I will destroy heaven and hell to achieve that goal.”

A shiver ran through Camellia’s core as she felt the hot and cold fire raging through her connection to Tiffany’s mind.  Even the Empress’ own desires … I hadn’t thought about that.  If she gave us an order that would harm her, then we could not follow it.

“We could, and there may even be a semblance of disorder between Court Members,” Tiffany stated with a cold tone.  “This is the one weakness that the Empire has we must be aware of … our ability to determine things with our own minds, yet it is also a strength.”

Camellia began climbing the nearest building to reach the black wall that connected to the structure, liquid parting around her legs as they pulled her up the rough surface.  I suppose there are things that we must be scared of, then … I was terrified when my mother fought the White Infernal Ape.  It was the first time I even felt like my mother might lose.

Tiffany hummed softly, and Camellia could imagine the Witch holding her hands behind her back, orange irises aflame while her red lips turned into a cold line.

“Caution, yes, fear, no, my dear.  The Empress is what gives us life, and what are we?  We are not creatures of fear; no, we are the cataclysmic embodiment of an apocalypse.  We lust for the flesh of those that resist the Empress; the ravenous stomach of the Empire is nothing but a cavernous black abyss filled with salivating endless rows of esurient teeth.

“The Empress is the only dam restraining our voracious hunger which ravages everything it touches, and like hundreds of desperate savages, we consume everything that stands before us.  The rapacity of the Undead is immeasurable and without the Empress, untenable.

“A monster does not have the luxury of fear, but caution, calculation, adaptation … we harbor a gluttonous appetite you haven’t quite noticed yet.  I know you’ll feel the spark blaze to life once you begin the hunt.

“I could see it hidden in Azalea’s small hints in conversation; her addiction to the taste of fear is unconfined to dimensional lines.  Even Violet’s slothful mannerisms will be transformed.  I’m just going to set up Azalea’s dining table to flavor our new selection, now … oh, I have some fine horror prepared for her to savor with this ritual; I’ll need to find a wine to pair up with it.”

Camellia breathed out a long stream of hissing air as Tiffany’s words painted a scene in her mind; she’d never heard her mother or sisters describe things in such ways.  I’ll feel it too … then, we haven’t acclimated to this change yet?

“Oh, of course not, Cami!  Appetite must be aged, but the immeasurable flame will soon envelop your doubts.  We each feel it differently, but it will always forge us into an exquisite tool for the Empress to use.  What we have is complete loyalty to the Empress, and there is no evil more terrifying, feral, and relentless than those born out of the protection of those you love.

“If they do not bow, then they will die and be raised as loyalists.  War is coming, Camellia, and no creature can withstand the torturous fever that follows resistance.  All defiance will be trampled under the Empress’ feet; death itself is a pawn, nothing compares to the Empress of the Dead, and be it love or fear, all things are insects for her to play with, dust beneath her boot.”

A resolve set in Camellia’s hearts as her new purpose became clear.  Thank you for being so patient with me, Tiffany.  All things dissolve in the face of that purpose.”

Tiffany’s soft chuckle held no amusement.  “Yes, we all have these times where we feel lost; it’s natural, but the craving voracity of our function incinerates all fear and hesitation within us.  Ah, on that note, I need to sort through all these lovely ingredients the Yaltha’ma have brought me.”

Thank you, Tiffany.  I will keep your words in mind.

“Anytime, dear.  Happy hunting!”

Reaching the top of the wall, Camellia walked across the wide walkway between the towers; the wall in front of her had collapsed, massive bricks littering the ground in piles.

She shifted her body to gain a full view of what she could see of the lush valley, dimmed slightly with the dark night; most of the scene was blocked by the thick mist of water that fell from the black clouds overhead, and occasionally a flash of bright light would split the sky.  The wind was cold, but it didn’t feel the same as when she was alive.

All things are under the Empress, and for her entertainment.  Tiffany has an intense outlook, but I wonder what Mother thinks, and if I’ll feel the same.  She did say that we each would develop in a different way, but we’d all harbor the same feelings for the Empress.

A long hiss passed by her plates while she sighed.  I still don’t quite get the change in the relationship between me and my sisters.  Why am I not the same Class as Mom?  Perhaps…

Camellia jumped back as the presence of her mother flared to life inside her mind; right beside her was a slim white Ri’bot with blue spots that glowed with a faint light.  She knew the creature squatting beside her was her mother.

Iris’ new form reminded Camellia of the stronger warriors that somehow used the mist in their attacks against the Infernal Apes.  Her large eyes burned with an inner yellow light, and her long tongue slid through her lips to glaze over the three protruding jagged teeth on either side of her mouth.

“M-Mother?”

Her mother’s voice had deepened slightly, and the tone held a slight accent she hadn’t heard before that made her sentences quick and sharp.  “Yes, Camellia.  I know this form must be shocking.  Do you recall hunting the clan with this skin color?”

“I do … they were quick, and it was like they could fly through the mist they came with.  Those were one of the few Ri’bot that could kill the drones.”

“Yes, and they did manage to cut one of your legs once.”

“They did … but I grew out of that exoskeleton,” Camellia mumbled.

Iris rose to her full height, stretching around to test her flexibility.  “That, you did … they don’t have the range of motion humans do, but they have considerably more power.  The Ri’bot that was captured, Dalria, has a distant ancestor from that tribe, and I found most of the stronger traits were within it.”

Before Camellia’s gem-like eyes, Iris’ wet white flesh changed to green with orange spots, arms thickening before morphing back to her slim white and light blue form, studying her hand with a strange crease in her face.

Her mother’s tone was amused, “I can manipulate the full spectrum of their DNA with my Title as the Royal Court Executioner; however, there is still much to explore with this new system.”

“W-What about my human form?  When can I go back into it?”

“You may do so now if you like,” her mother commented.  “Thirty minutes will arrive soon enough, and I expect you will catch up to the western Ri’bot group after your skill has reset.”

“Thank you, Mother!”  Camellia jumped up and down excitedly, shadows filming over her body as her form changed.

The world turned black; she could finally close her eyes again, head rolling around as her stiff hair clung to her back.  Raindrops tickled her skin and slid down her naked body as she stretched out her arms, puffing out her chest.  “I—l-love this feeling!”  She sighed, toes pawing the rough stone beneath her feet.

A snug sensation wrapped around her upper and lower half, curiosity opening her glowing light-red eyes.  She was greeted by her mother’s bare-skinned human form, black white-highlighted hair encircling Camellia’s body.

The moment her bra and shorts were created, Iris shifted back to her white Ri’bot shape, and beside her was a similar type of bag that Tiffany had.  “I made it removable as Violet did with her own; you must simply untie the back and side to slide it off.  I suspect the humans will be more comfortable if you wear something they’re accustomed to.”

Camellia worked around her mouth for a moment, tongue sliding around her teeth before she tried talking.  “Thank you—Mother.  I hadn’t thought of t-that.  What will I hold it in?”  She asked, eyeing the bag beside them.

Iris reached down and picked it up, handing it to her.  “Tiffany seems to carry things in objects like this.  You can simply loop one of your legs through it; I crafted the strap to match the circumference of your front left leg.”

“Thank you, Mother!”  Camellia cheered, bending back to do a backbend; she managed to perform the action but hopped on her left foot as she messed up her balance again.

Iris hummed softly as she walked to the edge of the wall, shifting her body from side to side, causing several light pops.  “Let’s go.  I’ll explain along the way.”

Without expecting an answer, her mother hopped off the edge, her hands and feet skidding down the slick stone surface as she slid down the steep wall.

Camellia quickly followed, hair flying up as she used it to attach to the top block; her descent was much less elegant, the wind blowing her off course.  Her fingers and feet pressed against the granite, trying to stabilize her drop, but her landing was less than desirable.

She landed with a jarring sensation that rippled up her legs, making her grit her teeth.  C’mon!  Stupid hair…

The tips of her hair halfway down her back cut the extended silk, her long rope-like silk hair detaching from the top of the wall to blow away in the strong gusts of wind.  She expected it to dissolve and disappear in the storm’s rough weather.

Iris managed to somehow jump near the base, leaping toward a large pile and using it as a springboard to continue leaping up the pyramid to disappear over the pile of broken bricks.

Mom just got that form!  Seriously, what’s my malfunction?  Camellia growled, regaining her balance before jumping up the bricks to follow her mother.

When she reached the top, she almost bit her tongue; her mother was somehow beside her, glancing up at the sky while her long tongue slid across her teeth again.

“M-Mom—h-how—you keep appearing o-out of nowhere!”

Iris hummed softly as they both descended the ruined wall to the red soil below.  “It’s a product of being over every Assassin Class; I can hide my presence even from the Empress’ network.  I am, by all rights, the head of assassination.”

“T-That’s amazing,” Camellia mumbled, doing her best to run at her fastest pace, but the soft clay-like ground made it difficult to accelerate.

Her mother didn’t seem to have an issue in the slightest as she casually let Camellia set the stride; the rain increased in ferocity, but it didn’t appear to bother her.  “You are not an Assassin, Camellia.  Tell me, what are you?”

“Umm—I’m a-an Elite W-Warrior,” she replied.

“Yes,” Iris paused as a rumble shook the sky; a flash of lightning struck across the heavens.  “What does that mean?”

“I—don’t really know,” she admitted.

Iris’ tone lightened with a giggle, that made Camellia snap her head her way; foot slipping, she tumbled across the ground, mud flying everywhere.  Slowing with a low moan, she landed in an embarrassing heap with dark red and brown mud coating her body.

I can’t believe this!  Can I even run properly?  Mom must be…

Her mother laughed, causing Camellia to quickly sit up, wiping mud off her face before speaking telepathically.  Mom … are you feeling okay?  I just … I haven’t heard you laugh like that before.

“I’m fine,” Iris chuckled, squatting before her, and Camellia swore she was wearing a smile with her tilted lips.  “It’s a part of this form’s personality.  I pull personality traits from genetic code.  You okay?  That was a bit amusing.”

“Y-Yeah,”  Camellia mumbled, cheeks flushing as she pulled back her mud-caked red hair.  The shoulder bag had slipped out of her arms and flown several feet away.  She jogged over to retrieve it with a low growl.  “Sorry.”

“No harm,” Iris said with a soft moan as she stretched her legs.  “I need to get used to these traits before meeting the Ri’bot group.  So, you ready to go?”  She asked, nudging her thumb back toward the jungle.  “They’ve got a head start, but they also are traveling heavy.”

“Yup, yup,” Camellia whispered.  “I was just—yeah, I’m ready…”  She repeated, pulling the strap back over her shoulder as the water began loosening the soil off her skin.

“Onward, then,” Iris said with a deadly tone, glowing yellow eyes sparkling.  She let Camellia set the pace again.  “Edmon showed me a map of the area before we left, and it appears like they might use the river to transport their goods.  If they make it there, then it will take me a bit longer to catch up to them, and we will both be far outside the range of the Empress’ communication network.”

“We w-will?”  Camellia asked, feeling the bag whip against her side with the strong gusts, but it didn’t cause any discomfort.

Her mother licked her lips again before jumping into the air, long tongue whipping out to stick onto a wooden plank lying on the ground two meters away.  Her tongue returned nearly faster than Camellia could see, left hand closing around the top of the plank before using her momentum to throw it ahead of her.

The plank’s sharp edge stuck into a soft pool of steaming water before her mother landed on the blunt end, making it press further into the ground, and she used it to jump ahead of Camellia, flipping elegantly a few times in the air.  She nimbly landed on both feet before leaping forward, far outstripping Camellia.

Mom’s in a less mobile body and is still more flexible and balanced than me … I have so much to learn.

Iris slowed to allow her to catch up, running around the small pool.  “T-That was a-amazing, Mom!”

“Hmm, it was alright,” she mumbled.  “My accuracy and execution could use work.  Ask yourself what Elite Warriors specialize in.”

A little caught off-guard by the sudden change, she asked, and the answer came, making her eyes widen.  The rain continued to slide down her smooth skin as she thought, thunder rumbling around them.

An Elite Warrior is a well-rounded physical combatant.  I’m not supposed to be a super mobile fighter like an Assassin … there are different types of Elite Warriors, but I fall into the Juggernaut Sub-Class.  I charge in and overwhelm my enemies with power.

“I’m a Juggernaut,” she muttered.

“An excellent Sub-Class,” Iris said as they entered the jungle.  “Ah, interesting … hail, is it?”  She whispered.  “It has been a long time since I’ve sensed this shift in the atmosphere.”

“Hail?”  Camellia asked, looking up at the sky, but all that met her was cold drops of water.

Her mother giggled.  “It will strike soon, and it should slow our prey.  Perfect.”

Camellia followed her mother as she took the head, shifting between trees.

“Do you smell it, Camellia?”

“Umm—I smell … not really.”

“It’s faint … very faint,” Iris whispered.  “Edmon, Tiffany, and Empress Elinor passed by this area before.  We’re backtracking their scent to the others to get back to their camp.  Keep your senses sharp.

“Now, Camellia, you are no longer in competition with your sisters, and I will explain why.  Listen closely,” she said, tone softening to a whisper as they ran.  “You must learn how to communicate softly with your human voice.  You never know when you might need to use your voice instead of the network.

“If we leave the network around the Empress, then we cannot use that telepathic pathway and must speak aloud.  Understand?”

Camellia swallowed a lump in her throat.  “Y-Yes, m-mother.”

“Excellent.  You have been competing to become Queen, taking my position when I die.  However, there is no longer a Queen position to obtain.  I am the Royal Executioner, and that will not be passed down, but if I fall, then someone else will take that place.  We are now in a system with exceptionally powerful creatures.

“You already have a powerful Grade, and currently, even Tiffany and Edmon are not clear if a person can increase their Grade.  Time will tell, but one thing is clear; only one creature can ever hold a Royal Court Title in this world.  There might be some caveats with that, as Tiffany explained, but for now, you must recognize that your purpose has changed.”

Camellia took a deep breath before letting it out, feeling her hearts pumping inside her chest as they ran through the dense undergrowth.  She tried speaking as fluently as possible and made some progress while concentrating.

“Tiffany talked to me about it, and, well, she seems to have a view that is a little different than what I saw of the Empress express, but I could just not be that observant.”

“Hmm,” her mother’s lips fell a little.  “No, that is actually quite astute of you, Camellia.  Yes, Tiffany follows the Empress explicitly and loves her more than anything.  However, she does have a personality that clashes with what the Empress currently envisions, and she’s doing her best to follow what the Empress wants instead of what she feels she should want.  Does that make sense?”

Camellia’s lips fell a little.  “I … think.  She wants to follow every desire of the Empress, but she also has a bit of resistance h-herself to the Empress’ vision.”

“It’s expected,” Iris whispered.  “Tiffany has been granted an abnormal amount of knowledge by this system that gives her a different overall view of how things might turn out.  However, Edmon also contrasts pieces of that with his own granted knowledge.  You could say they’re born enemies; their combined bickering helps the Empress gain a more rounded grasp of a situation.”

“S-She said … if the E-Empress wants to h-hurt herself…”

“Yes,” Iris’ tone fell sharply.  “I understand her position and disagree with it.  It is something each of us must decide for ourselves, and there is no easy answer.  Absolute obedience to the Empress vs. absolute defence of the Empress from threats, including herself.

“That is a hard line to cross, and will likely happen to us … we have eternity, and Tiffany would rather die than allow the Empress to receive harm.  Ironically, Edmon is on the opposite spectrum as the Gatekeeper.”

“D-Do I need to make that decision?”  Camellia nervously asked.

“You should choose in your heart, but you should also follow the Royal Warlord, whoever that may be.  You are a soldier, and though you may lead a small group of individuals, you are not to make decisions on a grand scale; there is a hierarchy.”

“Y-Yes, Mother,” Camellia replied with a relieved sigh.

They traveled in silence for a minute before Iris slowed, glancing around the dense jungle.  Camellia noticed traces of battle and could smell several Ri’bots’ lingering sweat.

Without a word, her mother shot forward, and Camellia followed; they ran for a few minutes before reaching a large clearing that showed obvious signs of a Ri’bot camp, and the rain started to turn hard, clouded balls falling from the sky.

Iris smiled as she looked up.  “Beautiful ice … it’s been a long time.”

The pellets struck her mother’s smooth white skin, but she didn’t seem bothered by it, and Camellia felt the falling ice and chill, but it did no damage to her metal-like skin.

Camellia’s toes pawed the mud; small streams were forming into temporary rivers that weaved through the terrain as Iris closely examined the clearing.

“At least two or three hundred Ri’bot … the scent of death is in the air,” she mused, glancing around at the littered skeletal remains of the Ri’bot and humans that had been left in broken heaps of bones.  “I suppose they didn’t feel comfortable bringing these back.”

She pointed west.  “That way; follow the trail, and remove your clothes, you’re about to change back.”

“Oh, right!  Sorry, I was a little distracted,” Camellia growled, fingers fumbling with the bow under her left armpit and on her right hip.  They came undone easily, and she stuffed them into the bag before transforming.

“Don’t lose the trail,” her mother stated with a sharp glare.  “Bring as many Ri’bot and humans back as you can alive.  I don’t quite understand what the Empress wishes to do with them all, but if she wants them dead, then we can kill them back at the fortress; returning with what we can is the goal.”

“I understand,” Camellia sighed, stretching out her long front leg while prodding the strap down each segment.

“No need to be elegant and reserved, my daughter,” Iris said with a soft giggle.  “You’re a blunt rock, not a sharp stick.  Smash everyone you need to into paste.”

With those parting words, her mother seemed to vanish before her eyes; she couldn’t sense her anywhere.

That’s amazing, but … yeah, I guess I’m not like that.

Walking to the west, she stopped beside a thick branch and quickly slammed her front right leg against it, smashing it into pieces.  “I g-guess I am a blunt object.  Smash, smash, smash…”

Camellia was shocked and slightly annoyed that moving through the mud was easier in her original form.  She passed dozens and dozens of scents, following more than sixty Ri’bot, carrying off over eighty human captives, and she also smelled the rotting corpses of both humans and Ri’bots.

Okay, it’s time to show the Empress how useful I can be.  I may not be competing for a Queen’s position, but I can achieve more than my sisters.  Just you watch Azalea, Violet, I’m going to save every living human there, and I’ll finally understand what most humans are like!  

Recalling some of the strange phrases Tiffany used, she said without stuttering once, “I’m the cataclysmic embodiment of an apocalypse!  Whatever that means…”

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