Chapitre 118: Before the Queen

While most palaces towered in their majesty, Ykeyk's palace burrowed into the ground. Reversed as it may be when compared to a traditional one, it more than makes up for it with the intricate but eye-catching architecture of its insect builders.

A sight seldom witnessed by other races for the Queen rarely allowed foreign visitors to step into their hive-palace. What sort of agreement did Melsa have with the Queen for her to be granted the privelage of coming and going as she pleases?

A batallion of wasp guards standing at the entrance all showed respect by nodding as the alchemist made her way past them.

How does one get inside the palace to have an audience with the Queen, then?

Through a mediocre lift?

Insects they may be, the kingdom must still showcase grandeur.

Approaching from the seemingly dark tunnel, the sound of multiple legs thrummed, fast approaching Melsa and Vicious.

A giant centipede encased in golden chitin had come to lead them deep inside the hive. Above its head appeared to be a carriage. A ride not for the faint of heart.

With no reservation in using a giant centipede as their mode of transport, Melsa and Vicious hopped inside the carriage.

Its movements fast and slick, their seats barely wobbled as the be centipede descended into the tunnel.

"Shouldn't we rendezvous with your sister?"

Sitting across Melsa, Vicious asked.

"No, I promised Selma an army. We will not leave this kingdom until I have amassed one." An effort that had been going swimmingly until that dark elf crashed her data gathering experiment. The beetle warriors granted to her by the Queen are now decimated.

"And how are you planning that?"

"You'll see once we're face to face with her highness." Melsa smirked. She still had one last ace up her sleeve to curry the Queen's favory.

+++

The centipede halted. Dropping them off at the huge castle gate.

Inside was what you would expect from every palace. Gaudy decorations and guards stationed about.

Guards different from the wasps above, down here it was the Queen's elite that are in charge of security.

The warrior castes that Melsa are far too familiar with could be found from every corner of the palace. Their carapace armor brown, lacking the tampering of Melsa that granted resistance to magic, they are still as hard as ever. Hard enough to contend against dwarven steel.

Before meeting the Queen however, they must first take a stop and schedule an audience.

A female scholar scarab stood between Melsa and the Queen's chamber. The two warrior beetles on both of her sides ensured that the scholar would be unharmed if any altercation occured.

"Lady Melsa, for what purpose does your visit hold?"

"I have proposal for the Queen. Allow me to have an audience with her."

"Then let's hear it."

"I apologize, Shdelar. It is a proposal reserved only for the Queen. I hope this will not be an issue?"

Shdelar's directives were clear, let the alchemist come and go as she pleases. It was but her curiosity that led her to ask.

If only she wasn't the Queen special guest, Shdelar could have squeezed more info out of her. Information, after all, was a scholar's lifeblood. A way to earn more reputation amongst her caste.

But this time, Shdelar would have to concede.

"No issues, Lady Melsa. The Queen is waiting for you right past this door."

Shdelar spoke in an insectoid language. A command for the two beetle warriors to push open the massive gate.

The loud creaking gave way to expose the Queen's gaudy chamber. In here were the red beetle warriors that Melsa experimented upon and traded for the Queen in exchange for a whole company of said warriors.

The Queen's throne was more fit to be called a lavish bed, for her constitution towered. Her bottom part was that of a six legged insect while and extra blades similar to what mantises have. Her upper body was mixture of insect chitin and humanoid features. Her green and gold carapace exuded regality.

The Queen rose from her throne, height was similar to the drider that have crashed Melsa's laboratory.

Her voice layered but still contain majesty within them, it was only natural for the Queen to be able to converse in common tongue.

"Melsa, I believe our deal has been concluded. For what purpose do you stand before me?"

Melsa kneeled. Even though her true loyalty lies to Hele, an evolutionary wonder like the Queen was something Melsa had no qualms in bending her knee.

Her words supreme inside the kingdom were supreme, the whole hive revolved around her existence. If she dies, the whole kingdom withers away. The order of the insects will be broken, leaving them scattered and devolving into drifters.

"I came here to bargain, your Excellency."

"A bargain? Do speak."

"In exchange for secrets of my formula, me and Vicious would request asylum and another batch of your warrior castes."

The formula in question was what separated the red beetle warriors from their brown carapaced brethren. Through several molting, an alchemical solution was applied by Melsa into their carapace. The red hue signifies the rejection of mana, and a harder than usual cell to boot. A process that turns the Queen's elite warrior castes into supersoldiers. Regarding Melsa's second demand, the diplomatic immunity provided by the Queen will render them untouchable to those pesky Elarians. IF the Queen accepts Melsa's terms.

"You must be in deep waters if you are parting that prized formula of yours..." The Queen was adamant. Her beetle warriors are already formidable and their kingdom is not at war at the moment. But the red carapace do indeed look more threatening than their usual brown and the added resistance to magic was truly lucrative. "...very well then, I accept your terms. In exchange for handing the formula to my scholars, I shall alot you the excess warrior castes I have produced. Use them as you see fit. Regarding the asylum, I shall grant it to you as long as you stay here. Leave and it is void. Those are my terms."

"You have my gratitude, your Excellency. I shall hand the formula to Shdelar right away."

In Melsa's eyes the she only needed to stay until the next step of their plan. When that time comes, Helel should be at her full power and it would be no exaggeration that none in the entire mortal plane would be able to stand against the fallen angel.