The Empire's Descent (First Draft)

Chapter 43: Gio-Vamped Sanctuary

A/N: Creatures galore!
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"Good luck kisses, huh"? Marabella smirked at Luca who was able to stand a little straighter on his own. He flashed her a knowing smile and raised his index finger to his lips, hushing her.

They were right outside the outer gates of the sanctuary, an unmanned entrance.

Bella raised an eyebrow, but complied. Then, Luca shifts his right hand and raised his talons. It takes another minute for the tips to glow a brilliant blue, and Luca uses them to rip the fabric of this dimension. A tiny tear, just wide enough for a Nawsbog to fit.

Sensing Luca's intention, the Nawsbog emerged fully from the pocket dimension, diffused into a gaseous portal and took on its humanoid form, the only visible difference to humans were the ancient markings in glowing white ink on its bicep.

"You take orders from me now. You only report what I allow you to to Rosalia. Got it?", Luca wasted no time in commanding the Nawsbog.

"Yas, syr!" It telepathically responded.

"Good. I'm always at this sanctuary. I'm always doing whatever is on the treatment course, the enrichment programme and the medical diet. Each time she asks for an update, you give her falsified positive feedback on any of the aforesaid areas. Understood?" Luca spoke firmly.

"Yas, syr!" The Nawsbog projected.

"Any other activity of mine is your blindspot and that goes for the rest of the hive. I know you guys have a hive-mentality. Well, I'm the Queen. Rosalia only receives what I've stipulated," Luca reiterated.

"Yas, syr! Will you pay us too?", the Nawsbog reminded.

"What does she pay you?", Luca returned.

"Florene," it said simply.

"What is that?" Luca showed a confused expression.

"The nectar of a native Florence Isle flower, the Flowerence. It's important to us," it informed, adjusting its speech to the language preference of its master.

"Then, keep taking it from her...," Luca thought that was obvious.

"Double the request, we should have double the nectar," it wouldn't budge.

"Are you shitting me?" Luca wondered incredulously.

"No, we use our shit to fertilize the soil we've planted the Flowerence to get more Florene, I would never waste it," it seriously answered.

Luca was getting agitated and he could feel the next wave of reactions to the withdrawal coming.

"Show me what you're talking about and how it works for the Nawsbog," Luca commanded.

The Nawsbog returned to it's gaseous state, Luca inhales it like a pull off a Toscano cigar. It's mesmerizing and expands in his chest before it clears like fog and he can see the images of Florene at work in the hive construction, hive diet and larvae nutrition. Further visions are annotated with the scientific research of the compound, Florene.

Slowly, Luca exhaled the gas and the visions in his head faded.

"Okay, what if I have an alternative that operates in the same way Florene does, is that acceptable payment?" Luca countered.

"We are willing to try it. Payment every second and fourth week. It alternates with Customer Rosalia's payment weeks," it agreed.

"Good. Now, go," Luca waved off the bug who graciously reentered the thinly veiled pocket dimension, already reporting to Lia about the safe arrival of Bella and Luca.