Chapter 216: Meeting the Queen

At first, Ned was reluctant to name the queen. But after seeing her at close distance, he was sure, Kon Sas Koron was an elf—or was once an elf.

"Human," Kon Sas Koron said with her eyes boring Ned. Deep and dark eyes as if seeing all things.

For a moment, Ned felt a chilling aura. An aura he was well accustomed to.

The two beasts, on both Ned's sides, took a step farther away from the queen.

The queen used a skill that would make any weak-minded beings succumb to great depression. Not even his beasts could take on the skill directly.

But not Ned. He was way beyond that. He remained standing on his spot as the chilling aura engulfed him, then the air around him, then the whole chamber.

A loud clank of metal against leather echoed behind Ned. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Cotilis on both his knees, while Moloatiss shrunk as if squeezed of any liquid off his body.

After the two fell, the parasite leeching behind Ned trembled then detached itself away from Ned. But was soon crashed as the aura was too much for it to handle.

"You are an abomination of beauty and gracefully sorrowful for an elf." Ned played with his words and thought how big an idiot he was.

She was an elf, clad of beauty, and evolved of disaster. Or was she? It might be her choice that she became like this. Ned shouldn't have said those words. The last thing he needed now was an enemy inside the hive of beasts, and if curse permitted him, he might have made an enemy of the queen of the beasts.

The chilling aura around Ned slowly defused but was followed by a ring of blazing fire that circled the floor around him.

It was Cotilis conjuring spell trying to engulf Ned of fire. Trying to make Ned look like him.

As the queen's aura was almost gone, Cotilis made a move on Ned by standing. Then the flame rose like a fountain and was—

Cut by the queen's damascus blade, the flame vanished in an instant in one swoop.

"Enough, Cotilis," Sas Koron said.

Cotilis then bowed and muttered words.

Surprisingly, Ned could fully understand them, even though the parasite has retracted itself.

Then his confused face was answered by ICE.

[I have fully decrypted their language from the link the parasite has been receiving from Moloatiss.]

Good job, Ned thought with a slight grin. "Now," he said, "this is something useful."

"Forgive him, human," Queen Sas Koron said.

"I don't mind surprises from time to time, elf." He responded.

"What!" Moloatiss exclaimed in their beastian language. "You can understand us!"

Their language was a mix of rattling chords, and puffing breath. Which Ned had to imitate to converse with the beasts.

Ned had to try several times to control his jaws and tongue to produce the proper words and sounds. Which he did in less than a handful of seconds.

"I hope you are not offended by my words, Kon Sas Koron," Ned said looking up at the queen. "But I bore no harm upon my words. It was rather a compliment."

The queen pulled himself away from Ned with the blade back to her waist. Her aura was gone, and he went back to the place where he once stood, or hovered, or suspended.

She raised her hand, adorned with nothing but her soft skin, and said: "Leave us. Moloatiss. Cotilis."

"Kon—"

The queen spun around to meet Cotilis's eyes and the latter bent to hide his fear.

"You will have time with him later," Moloatiss eventually said. Seeing that there was no other way to persuade their queen. "Let's go."

Moloatiss words were firm, but his actions were doubtful. Whether they liked it or not, they must obey the queen's words. So they did as they left the queen's chamber and the iron gate closed, this time, with a soft thud.

"What are you?"

Sas Koron asked Ned with concern and confusion all over her face, too unusual for a queen that lured thousands of beasts. She bit her lips with a hiss as she waited for Ned to respond, but non she got. Although slightly irritated, she wasn't offended though.

"No," Ned said after a long moment. Luckily, the queen and her massive abdomen rested against the floor. Which made Ned look at the queen from an even angle. "What are you?"

"You said it yourself, human," she said. "I am an elf."

"Yes," Ned said, "but more. Most of the elf I've seen were evolving, not physically but internally. Increase in power, control over mana, control over nature. But you. You have evolved massively."

Ned's eyes ran the queen's body. Her limbs were that of spiders but more solid, stronger, and almost indestructible. She wore leather in silver. But her ears showed the struggles she once had.

"This is the product of myself foolishness and selfishness, and eagerness," the queen said as her eyes looking down her body. She held up as if the past has been long forgotten. "People saw me, they ran, others collapsed unconsciously. But you, you never flinched. You're a cub as a human. But something inside you smells different."

With Rassus inside me, Ned thought. I could say: "I am worse."

The queen then stood with her limbs crunching against the floor. She stared down at Ned with enough ambiguity.

"Enough, human," she said. Her voice this time was a chord of bass shaking the chamber. "Tell me, or you die. How did you know this is the Third Sanctum?"

"Um," Ned said, humming. "It was written at the entrance."

"Fool!" She cried. What a turn of her gear. "Those words were written even before legends were born. Not even your kind could understand them. Do not lie to me, human. You were spared out of curiosity. Do not waste it this time."

[Those words were wired into my system, Ned.]

[That is how and why you can understand them.]

ICE explained as the queen was about to explode with anger.

What are those words? Ned asked ICE.

[Those were the words of the beast.]

[Fragments of them were written in my system. But enough for me to understand the writings on the gate.]

"Words of the Beast," Ned said as his eyes laid at the cracked mana stone on the floor.

"Indeed they are," the queen said. "But even for me, the rest of the writings were difficult to understand… that is why."

Ned looked up.

Was she really the Lord that conquered the Du'kki island? He thought with wary. Maybe this was her way to convince humans to join her. To look sympathizing.

"Why am I here, Elf?"

"So Moloatiss haven't told you yet."

"Not a word."

"Very well. Follow me."

The queen crawled away from her usual spot. Now that Ned was closer to her, the spot was actually a stone tablet etched with words that Ned couldn't understand as it was shaded with still shadows. Ned followed the queen going to the darkness to their right.

As the queen breathed, the mana stones lit brightly, giving vision to the walls of the chamber. It was another hallway, hidden under the shadows.

The hallway was broad, specifically made for the queen's massively bulging abdomen. She crawled with her limbs, striking the floor like a hammer against a hot iron. Sparks flew under her eight limbs.

After turning several corners in these vast hallways. Ned stared at the door ahead of them. Ned frowned as it was too narrow for the queen to fit. Yet, they continued.

Ned suppressed his emotions that were rising like a tide and walked through the halls.

This place was like a castle built of alabaster, a magnificent world suffused with a regal atmosphere.

If one raised their head to look to the ceiling, they would see crystal stones hanging from the ceiling at fixed intervals, radiating blue, yet warm light.

The broad hallways had brilliantly-polished stone floors, which reflected the light from the stones in a way that made it seem like twinkling stars were embedded in its surface.

The two stopped with the door ahead of them. If a visitor ( if ever she had one) opened the doors on both sides of Ned, his attention would be captivated by the decadent furnishings within.

Anyone observing this scene would probably be staring in awe.

Why is she taking me here? Ned thought as his eyes went to a massive stone carving plastered against a white wall but were engulfed by total blackness.

The room was filled with papers on different writings, furnaces, and tables lined to his right.

For a moment, Ned had forgotten about the queen. He looked over his shoulder only to be presented by the queen's delicate body. Her spider half? Ned asked. Was it detached? How could she fit through the doors?

"This was the only place where I can assume my humanoid form."

"So that's it." Ned turned to follow the queen. "This place must be the deepest part of the Hive."

"You could tell?"

"The mana—too thick, and purer than the one outside."

The queen reached for her chin. Rubbing it with her cut and black nails. "Interesting."