The chamber air was saturated with the sharp, medicinal scent of crushed sap and damp, healing leaves, mixed with the earthy fragrance of old moss.
This was washed over by a soft, unwavering emerald-green light from the bioluminescent fungi.
Beatrice finished treating the injured Butterfly's wounds, wrapping each sap-covered injury meticulously with medicinal leaves.
I didn't expect those Monarchs to act so...irrational. I hope everything is being handled.
Beatrice's hands clenched slightly around the resin bowl of sap.
Her rigid posture tightened, focusing on the chamber entrance as she wrestled with the sudden, unauthorized departure of Ignatia and the unexpected chaos now undoubtedly brewing in the Grand Meeting Chamber.
Beatrice withdrew her hands, the sap clinging thinly to the hardened plates of her fingers.
Her shoulders settled back into alignment, breath controlled, posture returning to regulation stillness.
"There. That will suffice for now."
Her gaze remained on the treated wounds, not on the one before her.
"Complete recovery will take weeks, possibly months. Use the time granted here to rest."
The injured Butterfly drew a shallow breath, his wings tightening once before easing again.
His jaw set as he steadied himself against the woven bed, eyes lifting toward her with visible effort.
"Thank you."
A brief pause followed, his voice quieter when it returned.
"May I... ask your name."
Beatrice straightened, the faint tension along her arms easing as she stepped back from the bed.
Her antennae remained steady, eyes level and unyielding.
"I am Corporal Beatrice."
"I see."
Garren voice slowed, carrying a note of restraint rather than weakness.
"My name is Garren. I am one of the guardians of our Kaleidoscope."
A brief pause followed, his eyes drifting toward the chamber entrance before returning to her.
"Tell me… when will that ant return. I wish to thank him."
Beatrice lifted her gaze, a brief note of surprise tightening her expression before it settled.
"You mean Ari?"
"He's in a meeting at the moment. There hasn't been any alert, so the Monarchs haven't caused conflict."
She shifted her weight back, posture steady once more.
"If that remains the case, you should be seeing him soon."
Garren let out a slow breath and eased his head down into the woven leaves, his wings drawing in closer as the tension left his frame.
"That sounds good."
Nova's antennae twitched as the conversation reached her, a quiet breath easing from her chest as the tension finally released.
So then Ari is still alive… thank goodness.
She settled back into the woven bed, sticks and leaves shifting softly beneath her as her body relaxed.
It's not like I was worried. Or that I even care about that fool.
I'm just… glad he survived.
A faint, unguarded smile lingered on her face as her antennae slowly eased, the glow of the fungi reflecting gently across her exoskeleton.
Nytheris lingered against the chamber wall, drawing in a deep breath before turning toward the entrance.
"Nytheris… where do you think you're going."
One of the Butterfly guards had shifted, wings tightening as his attention locked onto him.
Nytheris slowed and turned back toward the Butterfly, his steps coming to a halt.
The light caught along the dark plates of his exoskeleton as his gaze settled, colder than before, unyielding.
"Isn't it obvious."
His breath left him evenly.
"I refuse to remain in a space this confined. It sickens me how far the Kaleidoscope has fallen, to be desperate enough to seek aid from these tunnel dwellers."
He angled his body toward the exit once more.
"I'll patrol the outer grounds."
A brief pause, just long enough to be deliberate.
"If I'm not back within the allotted time, inform Ignatia."
With that, he continued on, his steps steady as he passed through the chamber's threshold.
Garren turned his head toward the space Nytheris had just vacated, his gaze fixed there as his jaw tightened.
The set of his expression held a restrained fury
Moonlight spread across the colony entrance, pale and unwavering, revealing worn stone, raised seams, and long shadows stretching outward into the silent night.
Brooks leaned against a nearby rock, its surface firm beneath his exoskeleton.
His antennae lifted slightly as his eyes turned upward, a faint smile forming.
"I didn't find the time to look at the moon tonight. It's a good sight."
A quiet breath passed him, the smile lingering at the corner of his mouth.
"The night was hectic," he continued, unhurried, "yet time moves slowly."
Brooks paused within the shadowed passage, attention settling on the faint spill of light filtering down where the tunnel tightened and rose straight upward.
A dark figure moved through it—Nytheris—his black wings folding and driving in controlled bursts as he used the narrow shaft to gain height.
For a brief moment, his dark exoskeleton caught the light at the highest point of the passage, then he was gone, ascending with precision beyond the colony's bounds.
The quiet beat of his wings vanished almost at once, swallowed by the open night beyond the walls.
Brooks remained in the shadows, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Well now… would you look at that. Seems my intuition wasn't off after all."
Armored feet settled softly against the dirt packed ground behind him, a familiar weight filling the space.
Brooks didn't turn, but his antennae shifted back in acknowledgment.
"What are your orders, Lieutenant?"
As the cloud slid clear of the moon, pale light reacheduwhere they stood and caught a brief glint in Brooks' eyes.
His posture straightened, the easy calm still present.
"Follow that butterfly...Discreetly."
Back within the grand meeting chamber, Luminara stood before the throne.
The Queen remained seated, posture composed, her attention fixed fully on the white-winged Monarch.
"We are butterflies of a meadow not far from your colony. For generations, we lived in quiet order, tending our fields, gathering nectar, and carrying out our days without conflict."
Her posture remained steady, white wings folded close behind her.
"At that time, our Kaleidoscope was ruled by our mother, Monarch Solenne. The name Magnus was known only as a rumor spoken among guardians, nothing more."
A brief pause followed, measured.
"If you are unaware...our kind draws greater strength from daylight. Our abilities rise with the sun. At night, the balance shifts. The moths grow more dangerous, more erratic."
Her hands tightened slightly at her sides.
"For many years, they have attacked our collectors, stole nectar, and struck from darkness. We endured these attacks and repelled them as they came."
Her chin lifted a fraction.
"Until the day launched a large scale assault in order to steal one of our sacred artifacts."
A controlled breath.
"They sought the Moonveil Blossom."
Ignatia's fist drew tight at her side, the dark purple chitin along her knuckles tensing.
Her indigo wings remained still, held in check.
Nearby, Ari shifted his attention toward her, antennae angling slightly as he continued to listen to Luminara, focus sharpened by the change in Ignatia's posture.
Queen Celeste's gaze remained steady on Luminara, one hand lifting slightly from the armrest.
"You speak of the Moonveil Blossom as a foundation of your Kaleidoscope. What is it and what role does it serve?"
Luminara's lips curved into a small, composed smile as she shifted her weight, white exoskeleton settling softly against the chamber's floor.
"The Moonveil Blossom bears pale, silver-blue petals. At night, it gives off a faint natural glow. More than five centuries ago, thousands of such flowers existed."
Her head declined slightly.
"Today, only one remains."
A brief pause followed, deliberate.
"This blossom is not ordinary flora. Once every hundred years, it enters a period of bloom. During that time, it reacts to intent."
Her hands folded calmly before her.
"It can mend severe illness, restore what would otherwise be lost… and grant power. Not indiscriminately, but in accordance with what the bearer truly seeks within their heart."
The faint smile faded, replaced by quiet gravity.
"When active, its power is absolute."
Valeria closed her eyes, a slow breath passing through her chest as her shoulders settled.
"So you are saying this flower is the source of the power Magnus seeks… the means by which he intends to claim dominion over this region?"
Luminara gave a single, controlled nod, the motion slight beneath the green cloth covering her eyes.
"Precisely."
Understood — here is the corrected version, removing plate implications and keeping it clean:
Elder Junon stepped forward, his exoskeleton tightening as his posture sharpened.
His antennae angled rigidly, disbelief set hard across his face.
"So we are expected to believe the fate of this entire region hinges on a single moth and a glorified plant?"
His hand cut through the air in dismissal.
"This is an affront to the Queen's judgment. Do not presume to deceive us as though we lack the sense to see through it—"
"Silence!!Elder Junon."
Queen Celeste's left hand struck the armrest, the impact carrying through the chamber and drawing a sharp breath from Princess Tanya at her side.
"I do not recall requesting your counsel."
A pause followed—deliberate, heavy.
"Utter another word in my presence without acknowledgement...and you will be removed from this colony."
Her gaze settled on him, cold and unwavering.
"I offer my apologies, my Queen."
Elder Junon bowed stiffly, his head lowered while frustration and humiliation tightened his features.
Around him, the remaining Elders sat frozen in silence, unsettled by the weight of the Queen's warning.
"Now then…"
Queen Celeste turned her gaze back to Luminara, her antennae easing into stillness.
"Please continue."
"That flower was guarded by the butterflies for two centuries… generations before us. Monarch Solenne herself kept it hidden, protected, and safe."
Luminara continued her tone even.
"The first time it was used was for the prosperity of this region… it brought abundance—nectar, fruit, life—to every meadow and grove. That was our intention for the coming hundredth year."
A pause followed.
The air felt heavier.
"However… Magnus learned of the Blossom's existence. He chose his moment carefully—when my mother vanished."
Her weight shifted, measured and restrained.
"My sisters and I stood against him. Again and again, we drove back his moths using our seer abilities. Yet, in one encounter, the balance changed. He moved with foresight… as though our paths had already been revealed to him."
Her hands rose slowly.
Fingers brushed the edge of the green cloth.
For a breath, nothing moved.
Then the fabric slipped free, drawn back with deliberate care, revealing her face to the chamber for the first time.
Princess Tanya's hands rose to cover her mouth, her antennae lifting as her eyes widened in stunned disbelief.
A sharp intake of breath rippled through the chamber—Sergeant Samuel and several Elders audibly reacting at once.
Tavian stiffened, the tension clear along his shoulders, though his expression remained controlled.
Valeria drew in a slow breath and let her arms fall from their folded position, her focus fixed forward.
"I lost my sight… to his decay."
Luminara held the green cloth between both hands, her fingers tightening around the fabric as the chamber's light fell fully across her face.
The damage was unmistakable—darkened tissue marred the delicate structure around her eyes, the surface uneven and lifeless, stripped of its former purity.
A faint shift of air stirred her blonde hair as she moved, the motion small, restrained.
"It was all according to his design. To diminish our strength."
Her hands stilled.
"And he succeeded."
Ignatia turned aside, her crimson eyes closing as tension pulled tight across her expression.
Her purple hair shifted against her shoulders, the guilt she carried left unhidden in the set of her face.
Seraphina remained upright and composed.
Her orange and black wings held steady, orange hair unmoving, blue eyes fixed forward without a blink.
"So… this was Magnus's doing?"
Queen Celeste's expression remained composed, untouched by the sight before her.
"And this moth—does he truly possess the means to wield such power?"
"Yes. He possesses the ability to induce decay through contact with his mandible blades."
Luminara's fingers tightened around the green cloth, the fabric creasing softly between her palms.
"My sister Seraphina attempted to reverse it… to restore what was lost but... She was only able to slow the spread."
Seraphina stepped forward.
She lifted a hand and swept her orange hair away from her neck, revealing a darkened mark creeping along the exposed skin beneath.
The damaged area appeared dulled and uneven, the boundary faintly unstable.
"He struck me as well."
Her hand paused near the wound before lowering.
"At first, it was only a graze."
A measured breath followed.
"Now… it continues to worsen."
"So now you understand—Magnus is already a tyrant of considerable danger."
Luminara held her posture steady, hands gathered before her.
"Tell me, then… what do you believe will follow if he acquires even greater power through the Moonveil Blossom he already holds?"
"If what you say is true… then our colony stands in imminent danger should we fail to put an end to his schemes."
Queen Celeste rested her hands against the armrest, fingers interlocking beneath her chin as her gaze remained steady.
Luminara smiled softly as she lifted the green cloth and tied it back into place, the fabric settling over her eyes.
Her blonde hair shifted with the motion, brushing lightly against her shoulders.
"We have only two days remaining to reclaim the Blossom from Magnus's grasp… before he is able to invoke its power. Our Kaleidoscope has already suffered severe losses."
She stepped forward and bowed before Queen Celeste, her posture precise and composed.
"I ask you to stand with us in a temporary alliance until this threat is ended. I am aware the path ahead carries grave risk. Even so, united, I believe we can overturn the advantage he holds."
"Sister…"
Ignatia's breath caught as her crimson eyes widened, her posture stiffening where she stood.
"Well now… that was unexpected, seeing Luminara grovel."
An amused smile touched Seraphina's lips, blue eyes glinting as her orange and black wings adjusted once before settling.
"If we are to succeed… what, then, is to be gained in return?"
Tavian's hand remained firm on the hilt of his unsheathed mandible, the metal resting motionless at his side.
"And the Moonveil Blossom—do you intend to claim its power for your own ulterior motives?"
Ignatia stepped forward, her red eyes locking onto Tavian as tension drew tight through her stance.
Luminara lifted a hand, placing it gently against her sister's arm, halting her in place.
"It is true… my sisters originally safeguarded the Blossom so that my sight might be restored, and this decay undone."
Luminara's hands tightened briefly around the cloth at her face.
"But that is no longer our priority."
She straightened, her voice steady.
"I would sooner fade to dust than allow Magnus to succeed."
A pause settled over the chamber.
"You have my respect, Luminara, for your resolve and your willingness to place your life upon this cause."
Queen Celeste's voice carried evenly through the chamber as she rose from her throne.
"From this moment forward, a treaty between our colony and Kaleidoscope will be established."
It's been the longest night for me… I'm relieved they were able to settle their differences.
So it finally came to this…
Ari thought, a breath leaving him and pressing lightly against the rigid surface of his chest.
His thoughts returned to the earthworms' tunnel digging, the centipedes' attack in the southern craters, his first encounter with Ignatia and the moths, and the conflict between his colony and the butterflies, all compressed into a single night.
I'm beginning to think… this is where I belong.
His hand tightened at his side, the firmness in his arm holding as he remained still.