Chapter 3: Unexpected Reunion
The creatures continued to hold Alex's unconscious body in the air, buzzing loudly above the vast marshlands, looking like a yellow predator on top of the food chain. Their ability to shoot the target precisely no matter the distance made them terrifying to the prey on the land. With their poison arrows, one shot could be lethal, for it contained a toxin that would lead its victim to become paralyzed. Although bees were widely known for their vital role in the environment because of their ability to pollinate, these five-foot monstrous creatures were a different matter - they were born to fight.
Alex finally gained consciousness. He opened his eyes slowly and realized that he was looking from the sky. The scene made Alex's flesh shrivel tremendously. Are they going to drop me? He thought. Both of his arms were locked by the creature's arc-shaped hands, his body hanging around the spacious sky. Even captured, Alex still could not stop being amazed at how extensive the marshland was. Trees of varying sizes and the muddy grounds separated in the different parts of the land look like a paradise for various animals and insects alike. The creatures hopped, swam, and walked around the swamps, where they made use of the marshland's serenity and abundance. Alex knew that this scene was a canvas for his perception of beauty and wonder. Still in the sky, his eyes continued to wander around. His mind tended to forget about the dreadful situation he was in, for he had already been captivated by the land's beauty.
His eyes stopped wandering when he saw a massive structure standing gallantly on the great land of the marshes. Upon the grass stood an enormous building with holes of varying shapes. Giant bees continued to swarm around it, carrying things Alex did not want to know. Loud buzzes echoed around the gigantic hive. The scent of sweet nectar soon entered his nose as they continued to go nearer to the hive.
Alex tried to behave, prepared to be a future sweet delicacy. The holes grew more prominent as they went nearer and nearer, revealing the sticky walls filled with nectars. To his surprise, common-sized bees were also inside, and not just these monsters who came to kill him. The holes became tunnels as they went deeper into the hive. A series of shining lights of gold guided Alex and the creatures into the hive's depths. Along the way, the same creatures continued to do their jobs as they passed one another, but they never talked and were somewhat strangers to each other. Guess this type of bee doesn't treat their comrades as their friends. Alex thought to himself. With a sudden turn, the bees scurried into the hive and left Alex in shock as he witnessed the center of the gigantic building.
A massive space filled with solid nectars as its walls filled Alex's sight as he continued to be carried through it. The center looked like a giant arena in his past world, where people went to watch concerts, only that it was filled with blocks of solid nectars instead of seats. The creatures responsible for Alex's capture flew towards the center, where a giant tower of solid nectar stood majestically and brightly. The solid nectars glowed the color of gold and overwhelmed the entire space with brilliant lights.
As they continued to fly upwards, Alex saw a much bigger creature in the middle. Sitting on a throne that was still made of the same nectar. The creatures put Alex down, stepping onto the golden floor. The creatures bowed in front of their queen, leaving Alex confused about what he must do. Alex bowed too, awkwardly. Instincts told him to do so apparently.
The creature in the middle spoke in a different language. A language that Alex could never decipher. Then the queen bee looked at him and finally talked, "You, human. How did you get here?" pointing her furry finger towards Alex. Alex secretly clenched his fist, trying to be calm. But he needs to be honest. "I don't know that either, I just woke up, and suddenly, I was already here." He answered.
The queen stood up. Alex turned pale as he witnessed the queen's size. He could not see it since she was sitting before. But the queen is more significant than any other bee-like creature. A seven-foot-tall human-like bee stood up in front of him, looking like the sweet god of death. Her hands did not possess any weapon but he knew that it could kill him by just strangling him. The queen's neck had a round fur that looked like a neck pillow, making her look grander than the rest of the bees. She also had two sets of arms as well and her feet were long, pointed, and different from her guards.
"Another human." The queen muttered.
"What do you mean, another human? Am I not the only one here?" Alex asked, out of the queen's intriguing statement.
The queen laughed and then turned angry. "Humans are disgusting! Such foul creatures walking around my kingdom!" She turned her back to Alex. The queen's butt was bigger than other bees. The queen bees were the ones who lay eggs for the other bees to be born, it must be so. Alex guessed.
"Into the dungeon!" the queen bee commanded the creatures. Alex tried to fend off the nearing guards but his actions were trivial and was soon held captive again.
The creatures immediately grabbed Alex's hands and flew right where the dungeon was. A series of tunnels had been passed by them. While Alex tried to become familiar with the architecture, he realized that even when he escaped, there was no way he could get past these tunnels. Flying deeply into the cave, the creatures continued to fly rapidly. Not very long when Alex saw a prison that was also made from solid nectar.
Alex let out a painful noise after he was thrown inside a dark cell. Until familiar faces greeted him with glee. "Alex!" shouted Darline, her face didn't change, but her uniform became torn and dirty too. It seemed like she had been here for quite a long time. "Oh my god! What are you doing here?" said Alex while getting up. The creature immediately locked it and flew away. "Captured, of course. I was having a nap after I finished swimming in the river, but these bees came and chased me with an arrow. I couldn't help but run and still ended up as a prisoner. Oh well, it's not like I would be the one getting eaten at first." She said jokingly. Alex couldn't help but smile. In this misfortune came a blessing – he met his friend again.
Darline pointed to the other cells, and Alex was shocked that his other classmates were there too. "Everyone's here except you. But then here you are! Attendance's good, guys! All are present!" she shouted. The guard bee let out a hiss and made Darline shut her mouth. His classmates greeted him from the other cells by waving their hands and showing their smiles to the newly captured classmate.
Still shocked, Alex asked Darline, "How long have you been here?"
"About a week now, but Kent is the first to arrive here. She's slow, so I'm not really that surprised. Maybe she was immediately captured after waking up. Hahahaha!" Darline joked.
Alex could not help but laugh, too. Why does his friends still manage to laugh while being in a dangerous situation? We're talking about becoming the next meal here! He thought. But hope seemed to flourish again. It felt like they were gonna escape this prison. Now that they're together.
Darline and Alex talked like they had never seen each other for decades. Darline said she also thought that the poison gas was their end. But it was not. She woke up on the wet ground and roamed around like what Alex did and eventually ended up in the same place too.
"So, what are your plans to get out of this cell? "Alex asked Darline, trying to whisper so the stationed guard could not hear them.
"Don't worry, we do have one. Check this out." Darline crawled into the backside of the cell, away from the golden light from the outside. She then grabbed a piece of solid nectar that was in between them and their other classmate's cell and successfully removed it, opening a passage between them and the others. "How did you do it?" Alex asked.
"Nectars are food, dude! How did you think we have survived until now if we didn't have something to eat in here? This place is like the gingerbread house in a famous fairytale but with one recipe only. It's sad, but it doesn't matter, wouldn't it? I also feel like throwing up and will soon succumb to diabetes if this goes longer." she answered, grossed out. "The cell here is nothing but hardened food. One could get away easily if they just beat the shit out of it." Darline added.
"But how did you eat it? It's very hard. There's no way you could easily munch through it!" Alex asked again.
"We lick it until it becomes soft and easy to break, of course. Just like a sweet lollipop. Christian's been here for a long time, together with Gloyd, they made the best team in licking." Darline laughed hard. She put her hands on her stomach, trying to forcefully stop herself from extreme joy.
Alex laughed, too. "Okay, so what's the plan?" Darline stopped giggling and guided Alex to walk inside their other classmate's cell. They hugged each other and shared their own stories of how they got there. Most of them were captured after taking a nap, and some were too slow to run and captured immediately after waking up.
"So good to see you, Alex." A familiar voice said. Kent walked towards him. Although Kent was known for being a snob in their past world, he could not deny the fact that she hugely cared for her classmates, mainly when she was tasked to become a mayor (a classroom president). It may be a façade to others, but Alex did not bother. Alex immediately hugged Kent, and Kent asked them to gather far, away from the cell's entrance. So much for being a mayor. Still being one in a supposedly another world. Alex thought and smiled.
Suddenly, the flow of the wind changed as Kent, together with their other classmates, laid out the plan to escape the hive. After hours of discussions and suggestions, they eventually made a plan with the highest chance of escaping.
The hope that was lost when Alex was held captive came rushing back. Then, Alex realized that together, they would escape this hive.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone