Albert was right about this creature. It was intelligent, too intelligent to be left alive. It was too observant, too cautious, too complex, and far too out of place here on Wyn. This was one of the few places in the world without a trace of ruins, and as a result one of the few places inhabited solely by natural beings, particularly humans. 

There were no scary monsters or anything of the like. Just livestock, humans, and grass for miles.

It made no sense for a monster like this to appear on the edge of the world far from any ruin where it may have spawned. How did it even get here so discreetly?

News of a monster that had psychic powers and a high level of intelligence would spread like a wildfire. 

Wyn was a decently sized island nation, and although our village withheld our traditions and lived in the forest, we weren't completely disconnected from the rest of the nation. It might take a while, but even we would be informed if a monster like this made its way towards our island. 

How did it even find its way here? Ellinia wasn't even close to the waterfront ports that connected us to the central continent.

None of this made sense, and it was better to concentrate and figure out how I was going to answer this creature's questions and save the village at the same time. 

 

***

 

As the creature's piercing gaze bore into mine, I could feel sweat trickling down the back of my neck despite the cool forest air. Its questions were probing, each one digging deeper into our village's secrets. 

Given the silence and smell of entrails in the air, it was clear it had slain my fellow huntsman while I was unconscious, and it was already planning to make a move on to my brethren back home.

Strength, number of men and women, occupations, layout, it was apparent that it was going to use this information to assault the village despite its “promise”….and would mostly likely succeed given who was left.

It started with simple things, except that somewhere along the line it got lost in its curiosity as it interrogated me. Minutes passed, yet the creature seemed to become more intent on learning our ways than the ins and outs of our settlement. 

《It's quite intriguing, isn't it?》The creature mused, its telepathic voice smooth and unsettling. 

《Living in such isolation, away from the rest of the world. Tell me, what keeps your small community tethered to this remote corner of the island?》

I swallowed hard, my mind racing for an answer that would satisfy its curiosity without revealing more than what I already had. The sword that was pressed against my neck didn't exactly help me focus.

“We...we cherish our traditions," I replied, my voice faltering slightly. "Our ancestors settled here generations ago, and we've...we've simply carried on their way of life."

The creature's beady eyes narrowed, its sharp intelligence evident in the way it scrutinized my every word.

《Fascinating. And yet, I sense there is more to your story than mere tradition. What secrets do these woods hold, I wonder?》

I hesitated, feeling the weight of its gaze like a physical pressure. “The woods hold many mysteries," I said carefully, choosing my words with caution. "But they are our home, and we protect them fiercely."

The creature's mandibles buzzed, almost as if it was laughing. 

《Protect them, you say?》It murmured, almost to itself. 

《And yet, here I stand, uninvited. What do you make of that, I wonder?》

Before I could respond, a sudden rustling behind us broke the tense silence. Instinctively, I tensed, unsure what to do next as I watched the monster turn towards the sound.

Had the creature left someone else alive? Animals? Whatever the case, this might be the only moment I could catch it off guard. 

It hurt, but I managed to rip the sword out of its grip as I grabbed the blade with my bare hands. But as I prepared to correct my grip, I realized with a sinking feeling that it was too late. It didn't need the sword to kill me.

With lightning speed, the creature lunged forward, its movements a blur of sinew and shadow. I barely had time to react before its mandibles found their mark on my chest, tearing through flesh and bone with brutal efficiency.

Pain exploded through my body as I stumbled backward, the world spinning around me in a dizzying haze. In the brief moments before consciousness slipped away, I caught one last glimpse of the creature's inscrutable gaze, cold and calculating in the dim light of the forest.

And then everything went dark. 

 

Kyraa POV

The audacity of this human to go against me while I was distracted. Now he was dead and I had nothing to work with. All because I lost my focus. I mean sure he was a goner no matter how you looked at it, but I wasn’t even close to extracting all the information I would've liked to know.

Lost in my thoughts, I almost missed another instance of subtle sound that had drawn my attention in the first place. With a jolt, I refocused my senses, my mental tendrils reaching out once more to probe the darkness.

There it was again, the faint rustling of underbrush, accompanied by a soft whisper of movement. But this time, it was closer, more pronounced, sending a shiver of anticipation down my back.

More humans? It was coming from the direction of my children….and yet, there were no new blips on my radar.

With hurried steps, I approached the source of the disturbance, my telepathic senses once more reaching out to probe the surrounding area.

And then, as if emerging from the shadows themselves, two figures materialized before me from beneath the foliage. At first, I couldn't make out their forms clearly, but as they drew nearer, the truth became evident.

My children.

A surge of pride and excitement coursed through me as I beheld them, their metamorphosis complete, their new wings shimmering in the small bit of sunlight that reached the forest floor. It was a moment that had come far sooner than anticipated, and I wasn't exactly how sure to react. It had only been an hour since they encased themselves after all. 

I thought this was a long process, something that was supposed to take at least a day. My children were growing a bit too fast for my liking, and I was afraid their appetite would do the same.

One by one they shuffled through the undergrowth, gathering together at the base of my feet. They were far larger now, and for the first time I actually considered taking count of them all. 

A closer look at my twenty children brought my attention to their new forms, far more sizable and diverse than I remembered. My children, once small and inconspicuous, now stood before me in what seemed to be three distinct forms I hardly recognized. Gone were the tiny, fist-sized hatchlings I remembered at birth, and in their place stood a diverse array of insects..….monsters…monster insects? I'm not sure what to call them.

About a third took on the appearance of rather bulky beetles, their ebony exoskeletons drawing the most attention. They were the biggest of the three, each one the size of a human head at the bare minimum. A sturdy looking frame and clearly powerful mandibles spoke of strength and resilience. I’m not sure if they would be able to fly with the wings on their backs given their size, but I would assume they functioned much better than my own. 

About half assumed the form of slightly smaller creatures, their rustic bodies reminiscent of winged ants as they moved with a grace that belied their size. Their delicate wings caught the sunlight, casting shimmering patterns on the forest floor as they fluttered with effortless ease. Among them, the sole males in the group, no doubt agile, and both their sets of mandibles signaled an unmatched fierceness compared to their brethren. 

And then there were those that bore a striking resemblance to spiders, their ten legs poised for movement as they navigated the forest floor with agile precision. Wings adorned their backs, making them more of a unique combination. They were the tiniest among their group, yet their diminutive stature did not diminish their value compared to their larger peers. 

At the sight of the disorderly forest, they immediately set out to take care of the human bodies, skittering around as they…..directed their brethren to organize all the human bodies into a pile of mangled corpses?

Apparently they possessed a form of intelligence above that of their larger sisters and brothers, and I had a faint hope for intellectual conversation. We already spoke the same language, so I wonder if I could teach them as the scientists taught me?

Each of my offspring possessed unique forms and characteristics, their diverse appearances reflecting the rich tapestry of life within the forest. As I watched them move and interact with their surroundings, I couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of nature and the endless possibilities contained within these creatures. My creatures.

Then it dawned on me. Perhaps this was my perk? Offspring that only took the best qualities from yours truly. My body and powers may be a failure given how inconsistent they are, but the symmetry and balance in each of the creatures I observed was exactly what the scientists were looking for. They had created exactly what they wanted, threw it away before it matured, and I was going to make sure they regretted their decision. But first, a home. My children and I needed a place to stay and gather information. 

This forest would work well. Once the humans were gone at least.

 

 

---

 

 

Wings

Insect wings are adult outgrowths of the insect exoskeleton that enable insects to fly. They are found on the second and third thoracic segments, and the two pairs are often referred to as the forewings and hindwings, respectively, though a few insects lack hindwings, even rudiments. Different wing shapes, sizes, and natural compositions allow insects to achieve various flight behaviors, from agile maneuvers to long-distance migrations.