“The plan has not changed, Klbkch. But we have. And not in the ways that we desire. I am weary, and you—ten years. No; the change comes from the others. The Grand Queen speaks. The other Queens once again question our lack of success.”
“Yes. But they grow impatient with time. The Grand Queen speaks more than she acts. However, she is correct. We cannot continue this endeavor for nothing to show for it. Ten years. They speak of recalling us, idly for now. But they do speak. That is why I will allow this risk. Take twelve Workers. Let them visit this Solstice child. It may harm, but we have been a decade of failure.”
Perhaps the Grand Queen was right and this was all folly. Perhaps this was a mistake. And he was only waking up to it today. But Klbkch knew they could level. They were just not…
It was a sign, perhaps, that he was growing tired. Losing focus. Perhaps he should ask the Queen, petition the Grand Queen for a Prognugator to replace him.
“Of course. Every person of note and power on the continent is a gambler who plays for the highest of stakes, Erin Solstice. Except for the Antinium Grand Queen. I’m afraid she only takes safe bets with acceptable risks. But until I am sure I play against her and her alone, I must resign myself to uncertainty. And to minimize that risk, I find it is important to get to know people.”
“I should like nothing more than for the Antinium to all become individual. That would mean they are people, and people can be manipulated, flattered, bribed, intimidated, or threatened. A swarm simply devours everything in its way. But it will not happen, because while the Queen in Liscor is a visionary, the other Queens and the Grand Queen lacks her ideals. No, it will not change what is to come.”
It was at this moment that the Antinium did something unprecedented. They attempted to sue for peace. Antinium [Workers] bearing white flags approached armies en-masse. While they were often cut to ribbons, many survived and the letters they bore were all identical. The Antinium Grand Queen – a position that was entirely new to the Drake and Human leadership – requested an immediate peace treaty between the Antinium and the rest of the continent.
[Couriers] and [Mages] kept the army in almost constant contact with the other cities as the army approached the main Hive where it was believed the majority of the Queens and the Grand Queen of the Antinium resided. Only a few Antinium forces challenged the army, and they were quickly destroyed.
To the great surprise of all, the Grand Queen of the Antinium still sued for peace despite the massive losses suffered by the Southern Alliance. [Strategists] speculate that this was a pragmatic move; although the Antinium may have destroyed the First Unified Army, the Second would doubtless cost more lives and resources, and leave the Antinium prey to another attack if the Human Coalition entered into a combined assault.
Whatever the case may be, the First Antinium War ended with a signed accord by the Walled Cities, the Grand Queen of the Antinium, and the Human coalition led by Magnolia Reinhart. Further hostilities would be limited to a few instances of adventurers straying too near to the Antinium Hives until the famous Goblin King’s rampage coincided with the assault on Liscor and the surrounding area by the Necromancer Az’Kerash—
“Because my Queen stands lowest among the six Queens under the Grand Queen. Her work here is experimental, as are her ideals. And so she is restricted from utilizing the Hive’s full potential, denied certain resources and equipment.”
“Each Hive’s Queen has special dispensation to create their own unique type of Antinium. The Grand Queen is privy to every Hive’s secrets, but besides her, each Queen hoards her own unique type of Antinium and method for improving our species.”
“A delegation of Antinium will arrive shortly. They will assess whether or not Pawn and the other Individuals are truly Individual. Then the Queens will debate and the Grand Queen will decide what to do with the information.”
