The Weaver of Time

Chapter 1: The Hive

Bry'nk winced, bracing their face against the sharp icy wind that whipped the frozen landscape of Illiad. It's rolling hills of snow seemed almost ethereal, as if it's soul was being whisked away by the tempest and scattered into the horizon. Slowly, the creature's purple eyes opened to risk another glance at the great bowl of stars and auroras that twinkled across the sky above, casting the black void into a waltz of colors.

The ghostly howl of nature's fury against the small cubby of ice the entity found themself hiding in, was enough to send a shiver down the carapace of the bug. Bry'nk remained silent, allowing the sight before them to have center stage, waiting for some sort of cosmic crescendo as fingers tugged a heated Terra-Cloth that was wrapped tightly around Bry'nk's neck, struggling in a futile effort to keep up with the creeping cold.

"Who-g- th-?" The voice was lost caught in the tide of the wind, and Bry'nk's lack of focus on anything but the spectacle before them.

"I said who goes there! The queens have given no permissions to leave Grestion!" barked the voice again, this time snaking between the peaks of the wind's chant. Not much unlike a startled cobra, Bry'nk snapped their gaze in the direction of the voice, antenna standing alert atop the head as they did.

For a moment Bry'nk's eyes struggled to rapidly adjust from luminous twin moons of Illiad to the darkness that lowered into the ground below, but the moment of silence was split by a soft timid voice.

"I...I...I was just-" The insect cut themself off and locked it's gaze on the shadowy figure that barked within the darkness of the cave. Finding those details however, turned the bug's stomach as they put together the pieces, a royal purple colored flag, a set of ominous glowing burgundy runes that bobbed and weaved, refracting along the walls. This was a disciple. "I meant no disrespect to queen Verillian" The bug's words squeaked out, seasoned with an often practiced tone of regret. The white fur that encircled Bry'nk's neck began to prickle as it waited for a scolding, and the possible punishment that would follow the third repeat offense of this occasion. It's mind began to race, thinking of what the prude, queen would do for directly disobeying her orders.

"Wait a minute... Bry'nk?" The voice from the dark returned, before letting out a grievous sigh."For the love of the Queen! What in Verillian's name are you doing out here? AGAIN?"

Out from the glimmering ice walls stepped a stoic looking creature, standing tall in heavy iron armor adorned with burgundy colored runes that glowed in the darkness.

Each plate seemed to dance and float around their body, unlike a normal outfit, instead, they adjusted themselves in mid flight to protect whichever body part was exposed at any given time. Underneath was a scarred and worn brown carapace that rested within a large shell upon it's back, similar to how one might identify a pill-bug on Gaia. The guard had an angled, sharp face with one missing antenna and green eyes that shone like emeralds and spoke of the experiences of a long life.

"Kah'ruk!" Bry'nk huffed in astonishment, letting out a sharp breath and quickly raising it's antenna before hastily stepping in line before the guard. It was lucky that it had been Kah'ruk, any other guard would have flayed Bry'nk with punishment. The towering bug simply stared with piercing eyes in a moment of silence before finally letting out a groan.

"Don't 'Kah'ruk!' Me! " They sighed before sliding a hand off of a sideways sheath of intricately carved wood like material that rested along the inner lining of their shell; The other waved in front of Bry'nk in frustration. "You were told explicitly to never go above the surface for a reason!"

For a moment, Kah'ruk watched the smaller bug with an inscrutable gaze, gesturing for Bry'nk to follow along with a sharp heel turn and the soft billowing of the purple flag behind the guard.