Metamorphosis: The Story of a Butterfly

Caelum stumbled out of his burrow, his entire body trembling from the exertion. His tiny limbs shook beneath him, barely able to support his weight. He collapsed at the base of a twisted tree root, his breathing ragged, and his mind spinning with images of the battle he had just fled. The swarm of wasps. Aurelia, surrounded. Her final command still echoed through his thoughts.

Go! You can’t… save me if you’re dead!

The guilt was overwhelming. He had left her behind. His heart pounded painfully in his chest, his instincts screaming at him to turn back, but he knew it was impossible. Not like this. The wasps had been too organized, too powerful. If he had stayed, he would have been captured—or worse—right alongside her.

“I’m sorry, Aurelia,” he whispered, his voice cracking as he curled himself into a tight ball. The forest was eerily quiet around him, the only sound the faint rustling of leaves overhead.

Caelum’s mind raced, replaying every moment of the ambush. Aurelia had fought so hard, her Sting flashing brilliantly against the swarm, but even her strength had faltered against the sheer number of enemies. His own spells—Fire Magic, Wind Magic—had barely kept the wasps at bay. In the end, it hadn’t been enough. He hadn’t been enough.

He shuddered, closing his eyes tightly. “Aurelia…” He reached out through their Telepathy, hoping—praying—that she was still there, still alive.

The connection was faint, barely more than a whisper at the edges of his mind. But it was there.

“Caelum…” The sound of her voice was weak, distant, as though it was fading with every passing second. The bond between them flickered like a dying flame, but it was enough to reassure him. She was still alive. “They… took me. I don’t… know where…”

“I’m coming for you,” Caelum sent back urgently. “Just hang on. I’m coming, I swear.”

But there was no response. The connection dimmed, slipping further from his reach until it was gone entirely, leaving an empty, crushing silence in its wake.

Caelum’s heart sank. He had to act quickly. If he waited too long, whatever plans the wasps had for Aurelia would unfold, and he might lose her forever.

He straightened himself up, forcing his body to stop shaking. He couldn’t afford to wallow in fear or self-pity any longer. Aurelia needed him. Now was the time to plan, to think, to prepare.

Appraisal. The skill flared to life as Caelum focused on the surrounding forest, gathering as much information as he could about the enemies they had just faced. The wasps were unlike any other creatures they had encountered so far—ruthless, coordinated, and terrifyingly fast.

[Appraisal Activated]

Species: Giant Wasps

Rank: D

HP: Varies

Skills: [Sting] [Flight] [Coordination Instinct]

Details: A highly organized and aggressive species of wasps. Their strength lies in their numbers and their instinctive ability to coordinate attacks. Led by a central figure, typically a Queen, they are extremely territorial and will defend their nest at all costs. The elite guards are significantly more powerful than standard wasps, protecting the Queen and leading the swarm.

The information blinked in his mind, confirming his worst fears. The wasps were a deadly force, but more importantly, they were organized. That coordination wasn’t natural—it had to come from the Queen. She was the key.

“I have to get to her,” Caelum muttered under his breath. His mind raced as he pieced together what he knew. The Queen would be somewhere deep inside their nest, protected by her strongest guards. Aurelia had been captured for a reason, not just as prey, but for something else. The Queen likely had plans for her, and whatever those plans were, Caelum knew time was running out.

He clenched his mandibles, determination replacing the fear that had gripped him before. He wouldn’t let them take Aurelia. He would find a way to rescue her, no matter how impossible it seemed.

But he had to be smart. Charging in blindly would get him killed. He needed to learn more about the nest, about the Queen, and about the wasps' behavior.

Caelum began exploring the forest carefully, using his Appraisal skill to gather as much information as possible about the creatures and plants around him. Every scrap of knowledge could be useful. As he moved, he found traces of the wasps’ presence—broken leaves, discarded insect carcasses, and faint trails of venom. The closer he got to the nest, the more hostile the environment became. He needed to learn their patterns, their patrols. Every detail mattered.

Hours passed as he worked, honing his spells and setting up escape routes in case things went wrong. He practiced his Water Magic, drawing moisture from the air and ground to create small barriers and traps. His Wind Magic was refined further, enabling him to move more swiftly and quietly.

He tested the soil, digging shallow burrows using his Burrow Maintenance skill. If things went south, he would need quick access to the ground to evade the wasps.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Caelum paused, standing at the edge of the wasps' territory. The nest loomed in the distance, its massive structure barely visible through the thick foliage. His body was tired, his mind buzzing with the weight of what was to come.

But he couldn’t stop now. He couldn’t give up. Aurelia was waiting for him, trapped somewhere in that hive. And he would save her.

No matter what.

With a deep breath, Caelum steeled his resolve. Tomorrow, he would enter the nest. Tomorrow, he would find her.

“I’m coming, Aurelia,” he whispered into the night. “I’m coming.”