Eliona's War 1: Hesitant Healer

Chapter 10

Severance traced his path back to the creek, each step feeling like he walked along the deepest part of the ocean floor. It took a long minute before the feeling of Weakness faded, and by then, he was passing by Lady Joveline and her tree.

She gave him a knowing smile, one that only fueled his irritation further. He crossed across the bridge and pretended she didn't exist.

This time, he approached the Star Flower meadow with great caution.

The bees zipped around in the air above the meadow. It was a wonder how he'd failed to notice them the first time. They looked a lot like the bees on Earth if one ignored how ridiculously large they were. He could see their wicked stingers protruding like lethal needles.

Severance moved along the outskirts of the meadow, watching them carefully. None of the bees made a move to attack him. The second he stepped into the meadow, however, their droning changed pitch into a higher, louder frequency that let him know they didn't appreciate his presence in their territory.

Still, none of them attacked.

Maybe if he moved slowly and made no sudden movements, it'd be alright. He reached out to touch a flower. Before his fingers could even brush the petals, two bees separated from the horde. They buzzed towards him like two fighter jets maneuvering to intercept an enemy craft.

Severance backpedaled. Something delicate crunched beneath his feet. He only had time for a horrified gasp before the bees screamed towards him with all the grim determination of a kamikaze pilot.

You have Fallen.
You have gained Weakness.

White stars faded from his vision and the familiar sounds of Ascendance serenaded him merrily. Severance opened his eyes, his teeth grinding against each other in poorly suppressed irritation. Those bees. Those freaking bees!

He stalked back towards the meadow, ignoring Lady Joveline's little wave along the way. He'd deal with her later. There was no way she couldn't have known what hell she was sending him into.

Before he even stepped into the meadow, he had his fancy tree branch ready. He pointed the leafy end at the nearest bee.

"Bolt," he coolly stated. The leaves on the end of the Staff began to glow, lasting only a second before an orb of light shot towards the bee like an arrow. The bee fell in one shot, dissolving into a shower of purple sparkles before it even hit the ground.

1/20 Thelma's Bees

Severance didn't have time to admire his work, because the entire swarm took notice of their buddy's death. Every last one of them turned their soulless eyes onto Severance. And then they dive-bombed him as one.

You have Fallen.
You have gained Weakness.

"Stupid bees," he growled softly the second he opened his eyes in Ascendance.

If they thought they could just scare him with their giant size and many numbers and one-shot kills, then they were entirely correct. He was going to have nightmares about them for weeks. Still, his desire to see them dead was greater than his fear of getting killed again, so off he went once more.

This time, when he passed her, Lady Joveline was occupied with talking to another player, so she wasn't able to give him that annoying little smile. He appreciated that a lot, and reached the meadows in a slightly better mood.

Okay, he thought, staring at the swarm of bees. If I attack one of them, they all come to kill me. If I try to touch a flower, two of them try to kill me. So if I kill those two, maybe I can pick the flower without getting killed by the others.