Now that the human delegation left things grew quite a bit quieter here.
Particularly worried I am about the idea that my family might find it now a bit too foreign here.
They could feel like outcasts in this place full of creatures from another species.
Also, they could grow bored down here.
And the constant darkness is another point that might affect them negatively.

 

<Hey Ery, is something wrong? You look so downtrodden.> (F)

 

Just because I look a bit sullen during the meal.

 

"It's just... Are you all okay here? I know it's quite different from before. Do you think you can live in here?" (E)

"I like it! They are always friendly and it's cool!" (To)

"It's maybe a bit dark, but the work is decent and there's no lack we have to complain about." (R)

"Ehk, Ie thienk we might need a biet of a change, so thiengs won't grow too dull heere." (F)

"What do you have in mind?" (E)

"Whye not a triep to thee surfAce?" (F)

"Really?!" (E)

 

I didn't really think about this, but actually, the passage to the surface is not too far away.
Maybe some hours.

 

"What do you think?" (E)

"Sounds fun!" (To)

"You've heard him." (R)

"Then I'll immediately begin with the preparations, my princess." (K)

 

Kyska has really a thing for merging with the background.

Then it goes quite fast.
An escort is prepared and soon after this, we can already depart.
During the journey, Toris got carried most of the time by a worker.

After half the distance I get some rather disturbing flashbacks.
This is because I realize the route.
It's the same I was initially taken here.
We're traveling to our old farm.

Eventually, we arrive.
The last meters of the tunnel got covered again but the accompanying drones need only moments to remove the earth.

The view is a bit hard to take in.
There's barely anything left.
Of our former home only the scorched ruins remain and on the burned fields grow now other plants.

 

"WEll, there's not reeally anythieng lEft to rebuield." (F)

"But we have another home down there!" (To)

"I guess our decision to live down there wasn't too bad. Some even said that this area is nowadays frequented by Koreso. There were many other refugees coming from this region." (R)

 

They seem to be taking it rather well.
However, the nostalgia and depressing implications aside, the sky is so bright and nice.
Even if the sun hurts in my eyes, being on the surface is soothing.

 

Since not much is left of our old home and like this the things we can do here are quite limited we decide on something else.

 

"How about thee lake? Iet'z a biet far but thee water should bee nice." (F)

"No, no, the princess can't be subjected to such a cold environment. This would be detrimental for her production." (K)

"Kyska!" (E)

"Uhh..." (R)

"Anyeway, iet mieght still be niece just to go there. Alone for thee atmospheere." (F)

"I want to swim!" (To)

 

Seems like it's decided.
So we're going to the lake.
Fortunately, we have some fabric to dry ourselves later here.
That's one of the boons of being a princess.
One has always someone to carry your luggage.

 

             

 

- Kyska's POV -

 

I'm not sure why my princess fancies this environment so much.
The light obstructs our vision and causes pain.
The "wind" is taking the bit of warmth we have.
And worst is that we are exposed to all sides.

My princess always makes such troublesome decisions.
Alone the effort we had to prepare to secure the area and ascertain that we'll be ready for a laying was extraordinary.
However, it's clear that this venture has a positive influence on her mind.
And this is enough to justify this.

If her production even slightly improves from this we will gain more units which will advance our swarm as a whole.
For this purpose, a bit of effort is a reasonable exchange.

As her personal nurse, I naturally get informed about every little thing that happens in the vicinity, as it's my duty to assure that the princess has a pleasant time and in the worst case to evacuate her.
Naturally, the whole area was many times scouted and many groups of hunters patrol the nearby "forest".
The other environments are overseen by interceptors from above.
Those are backed up by troops of workers and guardians, which lie in wait in case hostile parties may arrive.

I stand in attendance close to my princess, but far enough that my presence won't interfere with her rest.
It's important to pay attention to that as she might otherwise feel bothered.

Abruptly one of our interceptors flies in my direction.
The directive not to bother the princess during this time was given to all our drones, so I receive the message in her stead.

 

<We discovered a greater number of humans, closing in on our position.> (interceptor)

 

This is unfortunate.
I wouldn't want the princess to be negatively affected.
For now, I need more information.

 

<Can you tell me more?> (K)

<Some of them are moving faster than the others, by utilizing strange four-legged creatures.> (interceptor)

 

My princess once elaborated this concept to me.
It's about "riding", where one uses a primitive creature from another species so it may carry an individual.
Such an application is certainly novel as we would only trust our own for such maneuvers.

 

<Aside from those there are also many who move the normal way, on their own legs. They do so in a coordinated manner.> (interceptor)

 

With this much, I can be quite sure that those humans are soldiers, and l know that I have to take measures.

I look over to my princess.
She currently sits on some fabric, close to the water source, and makes a very content expression while looking at her family.
I shouldn't put an end to this.
However, a reaction is necessary.

I know perfectly well, that my princess likes to avoid human causalities.
So I will first try to negotiate.
Yet, as I know that my princess cares about my well-being I will take precautions.
Otherwise, she would grief, which would contradict the point not to bother her.

Without raising any attention on me I move away, to the border of the forest we're currently located in.
According to the directive to avoid killing humans our units avoided direct contact until now.
When I arrive I see them.
Hundreds.

I take cover behind a big plant.
According to my princess, it's called a "tree".
From behind my cover, I call the humans out.

 

"I'd like you to leave, humans!" (K)

 

The response is immediate.

 

"What!?"

"Who's there?!"

 

Next, one of the riders speaks.
It seems this one holds authority.

 

"We're the proud soldiers of Koreso! Show yourself or you can't expect any mercy!" (officer)

 

It doesn't seem like they're going to follow my request.
But I have another possible way to reach my purpose.
I will simply reveal myself.
I know that humans are apprehensive of my kind and like this should react accordingly once they see what they're dealing with.
Also, our existence is by now widely known, so there's no point in hiding.
So I move next to the tree.

 

"I have to insist on my request! My princess wishes for peace and respite, so I cannot allow you to disturb her! Please understand!" (K)

"What the fuck is this!!!"

"Shoot it!"

 

Immediately projectiles are flying my way.
I can just in time take cover behind the tree which obstructs them most effectively.

Those particular humans are terribly unreasonable.
I understand now very well that there are great differences between them.
There's no similarity to princess Erys' family.
As there are such differences it's only right to treat them differently.
Nonetheless, the directive to avoid killing humans still stands and so I would like to avoid it.

 

"Humans, you are ought to leave now! Otherwise, we will commence defensive measures to protect our princess!" (K)

 

Hopefully, this will work out.

 

"Sir, it's still there!"

"We had causalities in this region. This creature might be linked to it." (officer)

"Sir, it said "we"! There might be more! if this is the case it might be dangerous to follow.

 

Doesn't seem like it.

 

"Send the slaves!" (officer)

 

From behind the men "dressed" in unitary fabric, other humans step forward.
Those are wearing fabric of considerably worse quality and are distinctively malnourished.
They are more or less violently pushed there, till they're standing at the front.

 

"Listen, dogs! Whoever brings me this thing might be rewarded. Maybe even your freedom!" (officer)

 

Unfree!
That's an interesting revelation.
But it doesn't change a thing.
None of them can come close to the princess.
All threats to her have to be subdued.
This isn't even a thing I could control.
No, the drones won't allow this.
It's fairly easy, they're hostile, they die.

The first of them are already close, yet with very hesitant steps, which makes them slow.
As soon they gain a better sight of me they become even more anxious.
Now I see that they all have metal around their necks.

They come ever closer, wielding metal blades in their hands.
But if I move away now the projectiles might hit me.
However, this isn't necessary.

When one of them is only an arm's length away, which he is already extending in my direction, he gets promptly tackled by a worker which hid closeby.
The other units don't need any longer.
The workers are the most prominent, but the hunters reach them slightly faster, while the guardians, due to their massive build, are the slowest.
It only takes seconds and they're over them.

The hunters jump at them and the men panic and run in the opposite direction.
But they're simply too slow.
Those who choose to fight can maybe stab the hunters mangling their bodies but there are so many that they're still overwhelmed.
For certain when the workers overrun them.
I don't consider joining them, a nurse has no value in a battle zone.

Despite the trees, the soldiers on the field can see enough of what happens here to become afraid.
A common reaction of less-devoted creatures in a conflict.

 

"Formation!" (officer)

 

The rider shouts and the soldiers follow.
They step together and close the gaps with wide metal plates while pointing several sharp metal objects of different lengths in our direction.
Maybe I underestimated them.
They show concerning

 

"Archers! Ready!" (officer)

 

Behind the first line a second one forms, this one with strange objects in their hands.
I can spot in them the very same projectiles which are stuck in this tree here.

Then our drones swarm out of the cover of the trees to the open field.
The hunters are as quick as before, the workers close behind them.
The first line lowers their stance and the humans of the second point those foreign objects at them.
Some of those things expel their deadly load at our forces, but the hunters don't make good targets.

 

"Hold the fire!" (officer)

 

They follow that order, which means that the hunters eventually reach them.
But they're met with fierce resistance, the metal tools slaying a greater number of them, and the hunters' bites are unusually ineffective against their skin.
However, the workers follow close behind them.

 

"Shoot!" (officer)

 

At this moment a whole volley of projectiles is ejected at us.
They hit with incredible force and effortlessly penetrate the workers' carapaces, which are mowed down by the dozen.
However, a good number still reaches the line of humans.
Those are now considerably stronger pressured but somehow can still withstand our attack.
It threatens to turn into a costly battle but we have still our guardians who can push through their ranks.
But I fear what happens if another squall of projectiles is ejected at those.

They already started to prepare those tools to use them once more.
Slow and steady the guardians' approach and slow and steady the humans become ready to shoot again.
Then riders rush forward and intercept our guardians.
They can still successfully defend themselves, but the impact with the combined strength of the humans and their slave creatures proves to be lethal for some of them.
The issue is that the second line of the humans had now enough time.

At this moment, Skiras comes from above and with the other interceptors descents upon the second line.
They have no chance as their tools aren't made for close combat.

 

"It's hopeless!"

"We need to flee!"

"Retreat!" (officer)

"Run!"

 

With this, it's decided.
They're trying to escape, but the hunters are in a frenzy and the other drones cannot forgive that our princess was threatened by them.

Not only won't they be able to outrun our forces but there are many more in the vicinity.
In reality, there was never a chance we'd lose.
Those who retaliated were only those closest to them, but we had greater forces lying in wait.
A princess cannot be left unguarded so we have thousands more units in the tunnels below the surface and dug many more routes to the surface, in case of an emergency.

Even the few left riders cannot escape.
Those are either picked off by the interceptors or caught by the hunters.
The latter very effectively directly process the corpses.
The outcome wasn't as I wished but at least it's now safe for my princess.
As there's nothing more for me to do here I return to my princess's side.

On my way, I can ascertain that the area was sufficiently secured by our units so there was no chance any hostile entity could approach our princess.
Any living being in the vicinity was thoroughly annihilated.

I find my princess at the water, dipping her feet.
I hope this won't cause an issue.
But she looks well and talks happily with her family.

Then she notices me.

 

"Ah, Kyska! I couldn't find you anymore. Where were you?" (E)

"I was assuring that you can properly enjoy your time here, my princess." (K)

"Oh, well, thank you." (E)

"You sound elated, my princess." (K)

"Yes, I hope we can repeat this. It's nice to have a peaceful day once in a while!" (E)

"If you wish so then we'll make it happen." (K)