The Bee Dungeon

The God of Fire let out yet another sigh. His flame body had gone dim and cool, like a smoldering ember, while a cloud of heavy smoke hung around him. He tried to stoke himself with other thoughts. The Blazing Berserker herself had taken on an apprentice in the art of fire…though there was the slight complication of said apprentice being a dungeon monster created by Bee. He supposed there’d have to be some negotiations that Bee would no doubt exploit again. Though, Urubran would likely benefit from anything he offered Bee’s dungeon now that her master had joined the Circle, so it wouldn’t be a complete loss.

And yet, even one of his favorite champion passing on her love of fire could not distract him for long. He could not help but think of the delicious mead that Bee and Flower were no doubt drinking…that he wasn’t. He sighed again. Now, he knew it wasn’t Belissar’s fault. The boy was only educated by his adoptive beekeeper who herself had only learned to read due to her interest in various theological texts, so his knowledge base was understandably limited. So, it was natural he wouldn’t have realized that burning honey would kill off any normal yeast.

But did he really have to wait until after all the other meads were ready before checking?! Fire let out a third cloud of smoke. Well, at least the boy had gotten a hot spring…that Fire may or may not have ensured contained heat-resistant yeast. He just had to be patient and try to distract himself…

Just then, a spot of green broke through the ashes coating the ground of his domain. Shoots grew and twisted together before starting to bloom into flowers. They took the shape of a woman…holding two bottles in each of her hands with an infuriating grin on her face.

“Heyyy Fire! Hey, check this out! It’s mead! Mead made from the nectar of flowers, imbued with mana and sincere feelings of gratitude!”

Fire’s body began to burn a bit hotter as he crossed his arms.

“Yes, Flower. I can see that.”

She lifted her bottle.

“Then let’s make a toast…”

“Oh wait, you can’t! And why’s that? Because Bee’s dungeon master completed my mission and not yours! Because he knows which god he should…”

A roar rang out through the room as all the flames leapt high into the air. Blinding flashes of light appeared in all directions and the sky turned dark with ash and smoke. The God of Fire grew several times larger as his body changed shades, settling on a bright blue as he snarled.

“Do NOT provoke me, Flower! You forget who you are speaking to!”

Flower snapped out of her revelry. Her smile dropped and her eyes widened as the flowers comprising her body began to wilt in the heat. Fire didn’t care.

“I understand you are protective of your relationship with Bee and hurt that she let me into her first dungeon before you. I respected your relationship with her in recognition of that fact and because you indeed went out of your way to support her like I had not. But I did so as a favor to you and you had best remember that. If your intention is to disrespect me then I will accept your challenge and remind you just who it is you compete with!”

He let the weight of his accumulated authority suffuse his realm. Flower hunched over as her surroundings pressured her very being and started to tremble. But the God of Fire’s patience was truly at an end.

Until he heard the buzzing. Burning bees began to fly out of the flames and gather into a swarm ball. A moment later, they dispersed, revealing the God of Bees. Fire’s body crackled.

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“Do not interfere, Bee, lest you wish to suffer my wrath as well.”

Bee remained in between them, though, and began to dance.

“Sorry, is my fault.”

Fire grew even larger and brighter.

“You want to take credit for disrespecting me so?”

Fire let his authority weigh upon Bee as well. She collapsed to the floor, but did not flee. Fire shrunk by just the tiniest amount as he narrowed his eyes. ȑ

“There are consequences for such poor judgement. Are you prepared to pay them, Bee?”

Bee couldn’t dance so she had one of her surrounding burning bees do it for her.

“Will.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Fire took a deep breath, his whole body flaring up, before letting out a deep cloud of smoke. He glared at Flower one more time and she winced. He turned his attention back to Bee.

“I am taking the Third of the Sixth as a new champion, and not a joint one. She fights in my name now, and the glory earned by her hive is mine. You are to give Belissar a mission to that effect. Should the Third of the Sixth decline my blessing you will instruct Belissar to raise me three champions instead, at least one of which must be one of your bees. I will add my shrine to all Fire attributed rooms in his Tower as Flower has already done for her domain and you shall not discourage any karnuq or challenger from offering to me. Do you understand?”

Bee’s wings buzzed but she instructed her worker to dance.

“Understand.”

Fire let out another puff of smoke and shrank somewhat. He lightened the pressure on the pair, allowing Bee to stand once more. He eyed them both sternly.

“In that case, I shall forgive Flower for this indiscretion, but it will not happen again. Neither of you shall encourage Belissar to disregard me. You are fortunate that this situation was unintentional on his part, and that he has shown the appropriate concern for even an accidental offense. Flower, you will now offer Belissar a mission to complete my quest, with rewards on par with the bonus you gave him for yours. It is shameful that a mortal with so little knowledge such as he has shown much greater sense than you.”

He waited for Flower to give him a shaky nod then swung his hand, causing a firestorm to swirl around them.

“Now begone! It will be dangerous for either of you to be in my presence until this matter is resolved!”

Fire let out yet another sigh as the pair vanished. And then promptly began searching for something to set ablaze.

He really could have used a drink about then…

Bee and Flower appeared in Bee’s realm, smoke wisping off their bodies from Fire’s final display. Flower collapsed to her knees, covering her face with one of her elbows. Bee flew over to her and resisted her instincts to drink from the flowers. She did not need the powers of a gardener to understand her flower was in pain. She tapped a dance on Flower’s back.

“Sorry.”

Flower jolted at her touch…and then began to sob. Only the Queen of All Bee’s power kept the bees present from trying to drink the nectar streaming down her face.

“Bee…do you even like me? I gave you my authority and my nectar, I made all these beautiful flowers just to attract your attention.”

Bee began to gently groom Flower, rubbing the hairs of her legs to spread the pollen stuck to them around the different flowers.

“Love.”

Flower dropped her arm and turned to face Bee, glaring at her.

“Then why…why did you invite the God of Fire and not me?!”

Bee paused her grooming to dance.

“Didn’t.”

Flower’s face twisted into a snarl.

“Didn’t? Didn’t?”

Bee didn’t pause in her dance.

“Didn’t. Was building on own. God of Fire invited self, saw dungeon because champion of fire moved in.”

Flower’s face fell and her head and shoulders slumped forward.

“But why…didn’t you invite me?”

Bee once again resumed grooming Flower.

“Got dungeon, got excited. Wanted to make own dungeon first. Flower always helped, gave lots. Didn’t want to take more from Flower, not until could help too.”

Flower shook her head.

“That’s dumb…I don’t care about any of that…”

Bee buzzed her wings and her antennae drooped.

“Sorry. Was silly.”

Bee sent her power out to the bees and several of them began to land on Flower. Soldier bees, sprayers, lancers, communers…and gardeners. They began to tend to the wilted flowers under the gardeners’ instructions.

“But now have dungeon, can make bees in world, can offer to dungeons. Now bees can help flowers like Flower helped me. Will send new bees to Flower’s dungeons now.”

Flower slowly looked up, staring at Bee with wide eyes.

“So, you don’t…dislike me?”

Bee immediately danced the negative.

“Don’t! Flower is best flower!”

Flower’s eyes dripped nectar once more and she jumped on Bee, wrapping her in a hug.

“I love you, Bee. I love you so much. Please, don’t forget me for Fire or anyone else.”

Bee resumed grooming her.

“Won’t.”

Bee and Flower stayed there for a long while as the bees began to drink up Flower’s tears.