Tik Tik stirs to wakefulness, groaning. Her whole body hurts, but her stomach rumbles the most as she climbs out of the cell.
As the kobold stumbles forward, a worker bee catches her, supporting her and buzzing out to another of her kind.
That’s when a larger worker arrives, thrusting her spear toward the kobold, just short of stabbing her snout. Angry buzzes and gesticulations have the wizard backing up away from the guard, her hands up high.
“Oh, dang, Tik Tik!” gasps the voice of Cynwrig, who flutters beside the soldier, lowering the weapon with a steady hand. He rushes to the cell and sits beside her. “How are you feeling? Are you, ya know, you?”
Tik Tik’s head throbs, and the kobold rubs it. “Ugh… Tik Tik feel like had bad drink day.”
Cynwrig offers a quick, sad smile, patting the back of her hand“The nurses did what they could for ya, but, well…”
“No problem,” Tik Tik fills in the awkward gap, picking herself up, standing on the edge of the cell, and narrowing her eyes at the guard. “Tik Tik is fine. Want see Queen. Want know what happen!”
—
Through the burnt corridors, Tik Tik regains her footing, holding onto a bloated stomach and leaning on her bodyguard. Everywhere, bees stop carrying off chunks of wax and the broken bodies of the undead and the false queens. Despite the general buzz of activity, it is dull, dark, and dangerous.
“Well, here it is,” says Cynwrig, stepping up to the scene of the battle. There, the jeweled exoskeleton of Vaspaja dangles upon a stand of wax, propped up and defaced by the weight of a thousand bees. 
Tik Tik shudders, stepping back. “This bit morbid.”
Cynwrig stares at the corpse, the thing dangling there like an empty suit of armor, clenching his fist.
“You alright?” asks Tik Tik.
“This death is better than she deserves. After what she did to you, I–”
“It’s okay,” Says Tik Tik. “Really.”
“If it’s any solace,” Cynwrig offers, “the Queen’s retribution was not swift.”
“And neither is it over,” hums the voice of the newest queen, still holding her abdomen. “Do you feel her, too, Tik TIk?”
Tik Tik holds onto her stomach and turns toward the grim reminder of the fight. “Vaguely,” she admits. “Tik Tik need to research. Have magic and medicine at home. Probably get rid of eggs and poison.”
“That’s what I was hoping,” says the queen. “I also hope that perhaps some of us could return with the hive who traveled to Anteronia.”
Tik frowns. “Some?”
The queen steps past the kobold, hands upon her hips, and stares up at the fortress the wasp excavated. “What Vaspaja uncovered about our home has me intrigued. What do you know about the fonts of magic?”
“Tik Tik would have to research it back home.”
“And you plan to use your magic to travel there?”
“Of course.” The kobold says, her hand rubbing at her wrist where her device rests.
The queen looks over her shoulder. “Is something the matter, Tik Tik?”
“No, just think it time Tik Tik get going,” the kobold licks her lips, takes a deep breath, and holds up her arm.
Nothing happens.
The queen’s crimson eyes focus on the kobold as she turns around. “You aren’t leaving?”
Tik Tik unattaches her wristband, inspecting her transportation device. “Tik Tik doesn’t understand. It not working!”
The queen steps forward, looming over Tik Tik, her eyes glowing red as she growls, “You mean none of us can escape from this accursed place!?” 
A flash of memory hits the kobold, and Tik Tik stumbles backward, catching her heel upon a broken cell, and falls back.
For a moment, she sees not the queen but focuses her gaze upon the lifeless exoskeleton, staring its crimson gaze at her.
“You mustn’t lie to me, Tik Tik. Are you keeping your power from us?”
“No!” The kobold shouts. “I can’t teleport! I’m stuck here!”
The queen reaches out, a hand grasping the device. “Then, perhaps your magic isn’t strong enough. I’ll use it!”
“Hold on, Bro!” Cynwrig shouts, jumping between the queen and the kobold, grasping her arm and keeping her at bay. “This is not bro behavior!”
The queen buzzes and twitches but soon relaxes. “I’m sorry, bro… it’s the voices. They still linger. They still tell me what to do and think, and… it’s unsafe here for you or Tik Tik. You need to go. Go, and don’t come back!”
“I can’t leave you,” Cynwrig gestures all around, “Whatever is happening to you! I’m your bro, and bros stick together!”
During this, Tik Tik wraps the device around her wrist and draws a magical circle through the air. She clambers onto the energy disk she forms and smiles back at Cynwrig. “Then, you don’t have to go.”
Cynwrig whirls around. “Wait… seriously?”
“You found a place to be a hero, Cynwrig, and they may need you again.”
“But Tik Tik, you… need me.”
She shakes her head. “No, Cynwrig, you needed me.” She floats up to him and places a kiss on his cheek. “But realizing you didn’t anymore makes you a hero.”
“I just wish we could reward you properly for saving us,” the queen hums, slumping slightly. 
Tik Tik snickers and flies off to the exoskeleton of the wasp. There, she grabs its skull, yanking it off with a hefty tug. “Tik Tik think she’ll take this trophy!”
Cynwrig flutters up beside Tik Tik. “Wow, uh, you really keeping that?”
Tik Tik holds the skull in both hands, lifting it in front of Cynwrig. “Lots magical power. Plus, if place is curse, then this might be font of curse. Tik Tik take it and use it for magic. Keep it far away from bees.”
The queen collapses to her knees, grasping her head. 
“B-bro?” He asks, zipping back over to her.
“I… I’m fine,” she says. “Whatever Tik Tik thinks… it’s close to the truth.”
“Then, that means…?
“Tik Tik better leave now, before evil spooky undead get angry.” She says, winking and flying off on her magical conveyance, leaving her friend behind, but with a new purpose.
—
Tik Tik zips through the floral forest, sitting on her saucer and jotting down notes in her journal. “Oh, I can feel you, but you’re so weak. How is this for your immortality, eh?” She giggles. “I wonder, what sort of lingering will resides within your shell? Oh, we’re going to have so much fun together, ghosty Vapy.
The skull of the wasp stares up at her with an expressionless stare but with all the seething in the world.
“Oh, this will be the beginning of a new friendship,” the kobold giggles, only to double over. “Ghn… just need… ngh… to get rid of these… eggs somehow.
—
Under the cover of night and rain, two figures arrive at the roadside inn. The pair keep their wet cloaks on, drawing the attention of the other patrons, who quickly turn back to the drinks.
They make it to the bench where the man in the suit waits for them, quirking an eyebrow as the two slide into their seats.
One of the figures produces a small case, patting a mechanical hand upon it. “Got it right here—the so-called Stick of Champions.”
“I’m intrigued by how you accomplished the task,” says the man in the suit.
The second figure sighs, shaking their head. “Now that, sir, is a story.”
“What will you do with it?” asks the first figure.
The man in the suit places a pouch on the table, and they exchange trinkets. “The gods had their fun last time,” says the man. “This time, it’s time for mortals to organize their own competition, don’t you think?”