Infestation - Angels of Ecovia

Infestation

Pomola, the angel of fruits, was restless with concern for her pome when she found it in pain from a bug boring inside it. Desperate to help, she suppressed the icky feeling in her core and extracted the bug by its antennas. Looking into his unapologetic black eyes, still feeding on the insides of her fruit, made her determined to do something about it.

"Melina!" Pomola yelled, calling for the sprite of insects, knowing she would be somewhere trespassing inside her orchard. "Get over here now!"

Storming around, Pomola found her relaxing on her picnic blanket, helping herself to some sweets. Melina donned a black silk dress with a fitting maroon bodice. Its capped sleeves and bustled high-low skirt showed off her thin and long arms and legs.

"Tell your creepy crawlies to stay away from my orchards," Pomola demanded, flinging the insect at her. "I do not want my fruits turning rotten like him."

The bug flapped its wings, squeaking in complaint at its sprite.

Melina met her glare with attitude through her enormous, round sunglasses —like dragonfly's eyes. "You angels are the same," she creaked in her shrill voice. "Always mistreating my insects, thinking you are better than us."

"Hey!" Pomola objected. "I wouldn't say anything if they didn't invade and vandalize my orchard all the time."

Melina ruffled the antennas of her bug, smiling to cheer him up. "My insects will do as they please," she declared, challenging her. "They can even dwell in your fruits if they wish."

"Stop bugging me and leave my orchard," Pomola pointed to the exit.

"Our days of sneaking around in darkness will soon be over," Melina spat, getting to her feet. "You may think my insects are weak because they are small, but we have numbers on our side. Someday, we will plague every corner of Ecovia's Egg, and I will show no mercy."

"Ha!" Pomola laughed at her threat.

"Mark my words," Melina allowed her insect to crawl up her arm, "You will fear us one day."

The bug peeked over her shoulders and triumphantly smirked through his mandibles, teasing Pomola for getting away with his crime.

Melina scurried away, distancing herself from the orchard, and rested under the damp darkness of a rock near a small stream. Yanking the bug from her back, she held him at face level. Gravely staring into his blank eyes, she questioned, "Did you extract the seed as I had asked?"

"Yes, I have," he replied, producing it from under his wings. "Here it is... full and in pristine condition."

"Well done, little beastie," Melina wickedly grinned, showing her appreciation by affectionately wiping the guts of the fruit off her insect's face. "Finally, I have acquired the final ingredient for my elixir."

With the wrath of the world in her eyes, Melina traveled south to the thick jungles of Oxino. She spent the next few nights in her hideout, brewing an evil portion in a cauldron over an open flame. Once the black, tarry goop boiled to the perfect toxicity, she called a meeting with the matriarchs of her various insect tribes.

"Thank you, mothers, for coming," Melina greeted. "I have invited you all because I need your cooperation. I intend to take over every corner of Ecovia's Egg and destroy everything the angels hold dear."

The matriarchs silently glanced at each other, wiggling their antenna in the intrigue of her suggestion.

Melina crawled up the wall, taking center stage to make her case, "For far too long, we have tolerated others treating us with disgust. They have shooed us into the darkness, shunning and demeaning us on our appearance and size. We have always made do with the refuse left behind by mammals and birds, but it is time we get ourselves a fresh carcass to feed on. It is time everyone takes us seriously."