IMPERIUM INSECTUM

               

A grin grew across my face as I held his head high into the sky.

<I KNEW YOU WEREN'T IMMORTAL>

Blood gushed from his dismembered head onto the massacred mess of a stump where his head was. I dropped my hands down to the side and let out a sigh of relief. 10 times. That’s how many times I pulled his head off. Every time I pulled it off, another one would grow. I raised his head up to my face and smiled. It was like a work of art. The anguish and pain were perfectly preserved. Maybe I should preserve it?...... No, best not. I don’t think Apollinaris would like it. I turned around and threw his head towards the workers, who devoured it instantly.

<*SIGH* im exhausted> I took a few steps across the blood-stained floor and dropped myself onto the ground.

< I'm tired. Please take me to bed.>

On command: The workers flew towards me, wrapped their claws on my arms, and lifted me up and out of the hole. As I moved up, I could see just how deep the hole went. The repairs for all of this are going to be expensive. I will need to head back to the hive and move money to cover it. We reached the top in no time, and my children gently dropped me on the floor.

<You three go find Sally and move her to her bedroom. Once that’s done, take a day break and then go back to your usual assignments. The rest of you move the assassin to the warehouse basement and use your nature mana to secure him.>

All the workers nodded and scurried off into the mansion. I took a long sigh and walked over to where Apollinaris was sleeping. As I did I steepd over rubble and destroyed bits of library. All of this to capture her. I felt my hand ball up in anger. The people responsible for this will pay, and unluckily for them, I already have an idea who they are.

I kept walking until, eventually, I made it in front of her. Unfortunately, her body was still covered in that earth dome.

<Dammit, That’s annoying. I guess I have no option but to punch through it.>

I Pulled my fist back building up as much power possible before final-“

<Mother stop> My fist screamed to a halt as one of the nature workers called out to me.

<Let me.> His mandibles grew bright green, and the entire dome crumbled into dust.

<Thank you, You are a good boy. Now go help your brothers. I can handle the rest.>

<Mother, are you sure I can->

I walked over and patted him on the head, causing him to stop.

<You have done enough. Now go help your brothers and go rest.>

He nodded and left. I swiped Apollinaris into a princess carry and started walking.

“Oh, what a day, huh, Apollinaris. Who could've seen all of this coming.” I looked down, and she was fast asleep. Like a baby. In no time, I was down the corridor and into the room where I fought Mirage. The mansion was so quiet now. It was hard to believe that this place had been a battlefield earlier. I kept on walking, and soon, I was at the main landing. I took a sharp turn, and went up the stairs past where Sally was sleeping. She was so useful today. I'll have to thank her tomorrow. I continued walking and soon made it to the second floor.

“Almost there.”I walked down the battle-torn landing towards the master bedroom. My body ached, but I kept walking until I eventually reached the master bedroom. I pushed the door open, and thankfully, the room was completely untouched. I laid Apollinaris down into her bedsheets and sat on the edge of the bed.

<What a shit show!> I said with exhaustion. I stretched my back, and a sharp pain from my chest ravaged my body.

<Owwwww> I moaned, looking down at my chest to see a dark brown spear still in me. Hahaha, so that’s why my son wanted to help.

<How could I forget something so obvious.>. My hands slowly crept around the spear and held it securely.

<Okay..3…2..1 Pullaghaaaaaaaaa!>

 

My vision blurred as the pain washed over me, but I pushed through. I put my hand, and inky black and green mana went around the wound.

 

I threw the spear to the side and slowly crept up into the bed.

<What an awful day. Status! Let's see what I've earned after a long, hard day's work>

The menu opened, and I was instantly hit with a barrage of notifications I was ignoring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Woah boy. There is a lot to unpack there. Okay, let's talk about the big elephant in the room. I can evolve! I remember Cindy mentioning it, but I didn’t think it would happen so soon? So what will happen? Will I just…..Change? Just like that? I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time I changed into a new body. I was just hoping this time, I would have some say in it.  *Sigh* No matter, I need to get stronger, and if this evolution is a path for that, then so be it!

I had a quick look through the notifications until I reached one that mentioned Sally. So, any xp she earns, I get a percentage of it. That’s good to know. But why only a percentage of it? If I had to give a reason why, is that whilst she is a part of my hive, she never came from one of my eggs. So the system doesn’t class her as one of my children. Nice, this means I get the benefit of my level-based xp earning ability as well.

I closed all the menus and opened up the status screen

 

So now what? Do I just evolve? There's no button or menu for this. Maybe I have to-

 

3 days huh. I looked towards Apollinaris, who was sleeping softly beside me. Will it be okay for me to disappear for 3 days? What if those people come for her again? I mean, It’s highly unlikely that will happen. Those guys weren’t just your run-of-the-mill thugs once the people behind this find out their plan failed. The people behind this will most likely take time to regroup and re-strategise. But that’s a big assumption, Diva. What to do. What to- That’s it!

I reached over to our bedside drawer, opened it, and retrieved a pen and a notebook.

<Now let's see.>

Apollinaris, by the time you read this. I have started evolving and will be doing so for the next 3 days. I know you have a lot of questions, but they can't be answered easily on paper. What I want you to do for your safety is to go hide in the underground training room. Bring as many supplies as you can down there with you. Please show this letter to Sally.

Sally, you are to remain up here in the regular mansion to keep up appearances and guard me whilst I evolve. NOBODY is allowed to come to see me. If Andre comes around, tell him I will meet him when I wake up.

I know this is a lot to ask of both of you, but you are the only people I trust with this.

-Diva.

I reached over and placed the notebook on her bedside table. Good, now, one more thing. I placed my hands on her body, and green and black healing mana flew from my hands and into her body.

<[lesser heal]>

The wounds on her body started to close slightly, and she let out a slight groan. It’s not a full heal, but it’s the best I can do for now. on cue my head began to spin, and I pulled my hands away.

<woah, Let's get this over with, shall we>

I flicked back to my system and focused on the yes button. The menu blipped out of existence and before I knew it, dizziness and tiredness washed over me and then darkness.

******

“Helllooooooo. deeeeva. Are you there? Come on I’m getting bored watching you.”

“*groan* Piss off I’m trying to sleep.”

“Come on, don’t be like that. You wanna evolve, don’t you.”

I groaned loudly again. Is a hive queen not allowed to sleep in peace. I slowly opened my eyes and looked towards the voice.

“There you are! Sleepy cat! Now come! I've been waiting for ages to do this!”

I slowly sat up and rubbed my eyes. After a brief moment, I was able to focus on this little girl who was completely blue. Just who is she, and why is she talking like she knows me?

“Who are you?” I said as I slowly stood up. I was back in the black void again, but this time it was different. It was…. Warmer and more welcoming. It's not like the place where I usually meet Cinidi.

“Oh Diva, don’t you recognise me! We've spent so much time together!”

I slowly shook my head. “No…. not at all. You don’t seem familiar at all. I think I would have noticed a bright blue girl walking around!”

She crossed her arms and pouted. “Do you honestly not recognise me!”

I shook my head. “Not even one bit.”

“Hmph! Fine. Maybe if I do this.”

Without warning, her body exploded in a cloud of blue smoke, and in front of me was my status screen.

“….No you can’t be. You are-”

“Correct!” She said, turning back to the little girl.”

“I am your system! And I am here to help you evolve.” Suddenly, there was a loud explosion of smoke and confetti as she was suddenly wearing a party hat and blowing into a party horn.

“You….. I have so many bones to pick with you! Are you the one who’s writing-“

“I know you have lots of questions, But we need to hurry up. Just follow me!”

Before I could say anything, the ground in the void started to shake. Something was coming. I looked around, And behind Me, a giant golden fence towered above. It was so tall that I couldn’t even begin to see the top. I looked to the side, and my eyes bulged.

“it…it goes on forever.”

“That it does. Follow me”

“No, wait- I have so many questions, And you need to answer them!”

“Nuh-uh, Time diva, time. We don’t have a lot of it. Just follow”

The little girl skipped forward, and I reluctantly followed her. When the system, I mean “she” told me I was gonna evolve, I didn’t think it would be like this. I kept walking until I was in front of the golden fence.

“Is my evolution through there?”

“Ehh no. I wouldn’t get too close tho.”

I ignored her and peeked closer. I couldn’t see much except the same black void. However, I did notice something several… figures, for lack of a better word, moving around.

“What's behind there?”

The little girl looked at me and smiled.

“Oh, that. That’s for later. You are not ready for what's behind there.”

“Is that so?”

I kicked the fence hard, and suddenly, several differently-pitched growls rang out towards me.

“Diva… Please.”

I looked toward the girl. And back towards the figures.

“Fine, I guess I'll leave it… For now. Gotta remember it was curiosity that killed the cat.”

I walked toward the little girl who was standing slightly away from the fence.

“Now, what do we do. Sys.”

“Sys?”

“Yeah? It’s short for system. Calling your system feels a bit weird. What? Do you not like it?”

“No. I like it. It's just nobody ever gave me a name before.”

“Really. Did Cindy not give you a nickname or something like that?”

“no, Cindy was always…….. It doesn’t matter. Let's focus on this.”

She snapped her fingers, and there was a light rumbling. Suddenly, a golden pedestal rose from the inky black ground in front of us with a gold chalice with some greenish fluid in it.

“When Cindi made your body, it was originally a lot more…. Complex. So much more complex that we thought it would overwhelm you and make it hard for you to adjust. So, what she decided was to split the original body into two. The one you are occupying now and this one you are going to evolve into.”

I picked up the chalice and looked into the green fluid. It felt familiar in a way.

“So you could say that  is my other half?”

“That’s one way of looking at it, yes. The last piece of a puzzle needed to complete it.”

I swirled the fluid around. “What will change exactly? Will I get wings? Grow horns. Be able to breathe underwater?”

The girl chuckled. “Now, where is the fun of that Diva. What life with a few uncertain surprises. Go on drink.”

“Hmmm.” I swirled the fluid around more before letting out a long sigh. I've already come this far. It's kind of too late to turn back now. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

I put the chalice up to my lips and started drinking. Immediately, my gag reflex activated. As the foul, sour fluid touched my tongue.

“What the hell Sys? This is awful!”

“Hey. Blame Cindy for the taste.”

I pushed through the foul taste and quickly finished the drink. I slammed the chalice down and glared towards Sys.

“Now. What.” I said, still recoiling from the taste

“Now we wait.”

*BA BUMP*

My hand instantly shot over my heart.

“What AGHHHHHAAAA!”

*BA BUMP*

I dropped to my knees as pain shot from my heart all over my body.

“Why? Why does this hurt so much!” This was the worst thing I've felt by far. Worse than getting my pincer eaten. Worse than getting impaled by a spear. Worse than literally anything else. WHAT IS THIS SHIT! I fell to the ground and curled into ball.

“There there Diva. Just go with it. Do try and fight it.”

I wanted to snap back at her, but the heart pain was too much. It was like I was being staked in the heart over and over and over again While having a heart attack. I felt a hand softly rest on my head.

“It’s okay, Diva. I’m here. I will always be here. In your highest moments to your lowest lows. I will always be with you, and I will always have your back.”

I felt my vision begin to blur as a tiredness took over me. Am I going to sleep? Why? I’m not tired…..I think?

“This will be the last time we talk for a while. It was nice to finally meet you. Thank you for the name. I like it a lot.”

Before I could respond, the tiredness took me, and I was back in a familiar warm blackness.