Chapter 5.33 B

Chapter 5.33 B
Chapter 5.32 G	Interlude – Blackmage
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Chapter 5.33 B is the 35th chapter of Volume 5, and the 13th chapter of Book 8, Blood of Liscor.

tl;dr[edit | edit source]

Communication between the Free Hive and the other Hives is established. Bird proves his worth to the Free Queen by singing.

Synopsis[edit | edit source]

Zevara questions the Free Antinium queen by remote proxy of Klbkch, who generously interprets her words. He assuages Zevara’s worries.

Hawk visits the Runner's Guild of Liscor to fill out some paperwork. He sees a fellow Courier: Baiss from Oteslia. Baiss is relieved to see Hawk, who is more familiar with the Antinium of Liscor, he figures Hawk can assist with verifying the identity of his recipient: Klbkch. He had been hired to carry out a delivery request from the Antinium Hives. Baiss delivers the package to Klbkch and assures him that he could return his bag of holding later.

Klbkch brings the bag of holding down into the Hive and to his queen. Inside the bag of holding is a dead Antinium queen replica, whose body acts as a receiver for the Grand Queen. A scrying mirror is used to amplify the mental connection between the Drone and the Grand Queen, allowing for enhanced remote communication. This allows the other Hives to establish their own ways to communicate with the Free Hive. But the Grand Queen denies the Free Hive the same privilege.

The two Queens and Klbkch discuss recent developments, and then the Grand Queen cuts the connection. The Free Queen resents the conversation. Still angry she questions the usefulness of the five Individuals. Klbkch agrees that they are not true Antinium. He suggests that the Queen is being unduly harsh. She can see the use of Anand, Belgrade, Garry, and Pawn. She is unsure of Bird's status as an asset to the Hive.

Bird recalls that he will be meeting the other Antinium Individuals. He brings snacks from Erin's inn to the Hive for their meeting. They play chess, eat food, and discuss what they have been doing since they last met. The other Individuals express their envy at Bird's time at the inn.

The Free Queen sends for Bird to visit her. Klbkch tries to prepare Bird. Bird speaks honestly to the Queen, She recognizes Bird as flawed from an imperfection during his creation. The Queen begins to crush Bird with her feelers, but stops when Bird begins singing. This is the first time she has heard song within the Hive. She tells Bird that he is worthy, and has him sing more for her. She wants him to stay and sing for her, but Bird declines. He tells her that he does not want to stay in the Hive, and that he would rather be above hunting birds. The Queen tries to convince him and offers to fix his mind. Bird refuses and tells her that to fix his mind would mean that he is no longer Bird. She accepts his decision and lets him go, tasking him to return with a bird and sing for her again.

Bird leaves the Hive and goes to Liscor's marketplace. Krshia finds Bird speaking with a Gnoll bowyer. Bird purchases an expensive bow with gold given to him by the Queen and returns to the The Wandering Inn.