The river

Chapter from the Perspective of the Insectoid Men

The Grand Elder of the Insectoid Men sat upon his throne, gazing at the fragile, withered creature before him.

He had once admired its brilliant blue hue, but now, the being was nothing more than a pale, lifeless shell.

Where had things gone wrong?

His hardened fingers tapped impatiently against the armrest of his throne, his irritation growing with each passing moment.

"Bring the doctor, now."

"Yes, Grand Elder."

A guard entered alongside an aging insectoid man with four long, slender arms and a single horn atop his head. He carried a wooden case filled with tools.

The Grand Elder slammed his fist down, the impact so forceful that the throne's armrest cracked beneath his touch.

"Harris! You are late!" he roared.

"My deepest apologies, Grand Elder. Gathering my tools took longer than expected." Harris bowed deeply before shifting his attention to the frail creature on the floor.

"Never mind that. Just fix it," the Grand Elder ordered, reclining in his seat, his sharp yellow eyes burning with fury. "And bring me the one who captured this thing—immediately!"

The guard gave a swift nod and left at once.

Harris, meanwhile, knelt beside the creature, his multiple arms carefully examining its weak form.

He had never seen anything like it in his entire life.

"Amazing…" Harris muttered under his breath.

"What is it, Harris?" the Grand Elder asked, his tone calmer now.

"This… this creature is fascinating! Just look at it! Its skin is almost translucent—I can see its heart if I focus. And its body… it's as delicate as a fish!"

"Harris…" the Grand Elder growled, warning him against his rambling.

"Ah—! My apologies… What I meant to say is… throw it into the water." Harris's voice wavered, his hands clenching as he sensed the Elder's irritation.

"The water?" The Grand Elder narrowed his eyes.

"Yes. If its body is anything like that of a fish, then it cannot survive outside of water for long… at least, not in this dry environment."

The Grand Elder stroked his beard, deep in thought as he observed the fragile being before him.

Dryness… Was his trophy chamber too dry for this creature?

Perhaps he needed to alter its environment—or at least improve it.

Yes… And while he was at it, he should expand his collection to include some feathered creatures as well.

A slow, satisfied smile crept across his rigid face.

—

"Grand Elder, I have brought Mikmik."

The guard returned, dragging a much smaller insectoid behind him.

"Mikmik," the Grand Elder addressed him, brushing his beard with an air of authority. "Tell me… where did you find this creature?"

Mikmik trembled, sinking to his knees. His hands fidgeted anxiously, and his yellow eyes darted about in fear.

"G-Grand Elder… In human territory, near the Old Mountain," he stammered.

The Grand Elder's expression darkened.

"Human territory, you say?"

Mikmik fell flat against the ground, raising all six of his arms in desperate plea.

"Please, Grand Elder! I meant no harm! I swear upon my very soul!"

"I forbade trespassing in human lands without permission. Do you wish to spark another racial war?!"

His enraged voice thundered through the chamber as he lifted the remains of his throne with a single hand and hurled it at Mikmik. The impact sent him sprawling to the ground.

"I… I only wanted some ore from the Old Mountain, Grand Elder! I desired nothing more! I swear upon Krug himself!"

"And tell me, Mikmik… can you even smelt fossilized ore?" the Grand Elder asked coldly.

"…N-No, Grand Elder… I cannot…"

"Then why did you seek something you have no means to use?"

Mikmik faltered, his trembling hands betraying his fear. The Grand Elder did not wait for an answer.

With a flick of his hand, he ordered several of his soldiers to take the weakened creature to the river.

Mikmik and Harris remained behind, watching in silence as the guards carried out their task.

—

Four insectoid warriors arrived at a wide, glistening blue river. Without hesitation, they tossed the fragile being into the rushing water.

For a moment, it remained still.

Then, slowly… life began to return to its body.

The guards observed in quiet fascination as color and energy seeped back into the creature's form.

—

From the shadows of the trees, a figure watched with a sharp-toothed grin.

A man, draped in a feathered cloak, crouched unseen among the branches, his piercing eyes locked onto the scene before him.

"Oh? What do we have here?" he mused, his voice laced with amusement.

His gaze flickered between the insectoid warriors and the small, newly revived being.

"What are these bugs up to?"

With a smirk, he rested his hand on his chin and chuckled, shrouding his head once more with his feathered hood.

Now… all he had to do was wait for the creature to move away from its captors.

And he did not have to wait long.

The moment the creature drifted far enough, the cloaked man made his move.

With a swift leap, he landed right in front of the stunned, water-drenched being.

The insectoid warriors shouted in alarm, quickly brandishing their spears.

But they were too slow.

The feather-cloaked man snatched up the frail creature with a single arm and launched himself into the trees.

Laughter rang through the air as he leaped effortlessly from branch to branch, carrying the stunned being with him.

The warriors howled in frustration, their shouts of anger fading as the thief disappeared into the depths of the forest.

—

Terrified of the Grand Elder's inevitable wrath, the four insectoid men fled, knowing that their failure would not be forgiven.