Although the giants were close enough that I could examine them in detail, in reality, flying toward them would take my squad at least a couple of minutes.
And we were already tired from the way here. The stamina of my girls was only half-full. I was faring better, since I had 13 more endurance points and proportionally more maximum stamina. But I was tired, too.
However, now that we were in sight of Camp Rich, my ’Homeland Protector’ title increased the boost it was giving to us from 10% to 20% increase to strength and stamina.
A small boost, but one that to my squad and I was like a second wind!
We dashed toward the giants as fast as we could, but clearly, Vit was going to reach Camp Rich faster than we could intercept him.
I really wished we had reliable dragon mounts.
I saw more bees gathering at Camp Rich’s entrance, about to rise to defense—but even without the system, I could tell that they weren’t in their best state. Smoke turned their clothing and faces black, and tiredness made them walk around instead of flying.
They didn’t even have hammers. Were they Forager Bees, not even Foremen?
Suddenly, Jit—the youngest—pointed in our direction with a hook-like finger and shouted something. In the distance, a small dragon took flight, frightened by the sharp voice.
Vit stopped walking and turned around, looking at us. We must’ve been absolutely tiny to the giants, but there were three dozen bees in my group.
Enough to be seen from afar.
My eyes widened as a new hope rose within me.
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As long as the humans were distracted by us, they weren’t attacking the already devastated Camp Rich!
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"Commandos!" I turned to the Commando squad that joined my Beemarines. "Go right to Camp Rich. Tell them that the help is close, and that if they have more people able to attack, they should get ready."
Sergeant Commando saluted and silently separated from our group together with her squad. They all descended closer to the ground and flew directly to Camp Rich, and I hoped the time we got from humans’ distraction would be enough.
"Beemarines, let’s shout something! Really get the attention of the giants—show them what will kill them!" I told the bees that remained with me.
"Yes, Father!"
"We will avenge our sisters!"
"You can’t harm the Bee Empire and leave in peace! Die, die, die!"
"They will hear our voices and tremble in fear!"
The faces of my Beemarines were stoic, but their eyes showed their enthusiasm for bloodshed. I grinned at them.
There was a moral dilemma to bemoan at, but right now, I let the vengeance and xenophobia of my daughters to charge me up.
"TREMBLE IN FEAR!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
"TREMBLE IN FEAR!" Beemarines echoed as one.
I wasn’t sure if our voices reached the humans, but at least Vit stopped completely and looked only at us.
He and the other humans exchanged words. Then Jit dropped his stone pillar like it was a stick—it fell over the forest, breaking a few trees and raising clouds of dust—and hurriedly took off his outer jacket, showing a short-sleeved tunic underneath it.
Jit ran up toward us, shouting something excitedly.
Before then, my squad and I were halfway to the giants—now, within seconds, Jit was in front of us and waving his jacket at us!
The piece of cloth unfurled over us, covering half the sky.
"Dodge!" I shouted, beating my wings even harder than before.
Although it was just a piece of cloth, being hit with it could easily give someone a contusion!
My Beemarines dashed after me, dodging as a unit.
I was the first one to fly past the approaching shadow. The jacket descended past my back, creating a gust of wind that threw me and my daughters several meters forward.
"Ah!"
I gasped and turned to see that three Beemarines got caught by the edge of the sweep. The blow threw them to the ground in disarray—but thankfully, none got terribly wounded.
Despite suffering some 8, some 9 damage, they all landed safely and began gathering strength to take off again.
But so Jit was gathering his jacket again, preparing for the next sweep. Other two humans just watched for now.
They didn’t consider us a threat—a terrible mistake!
However, with the speed their size allowed humans, I knew approaching them head-on would be too dangerous.
I kept flying in a circle around Jit to prevent him from smacking us easily again, and to get behind his back. At the same time, I accessed the situation and came up with a plan.
"Beemarines, we are going to split. Destroyer, you stay with me. Malevolence," I looked at the Sergeant of the second Beemarine team with me. "You will move stealthily and close to the ground. Sneak into this giant’s pants and sting him to death!"
"Yes, Father! Death to the enemies of the Empire!" Malevolence saluted, going toward the ground where her contused comrades were waiting.
I hoped their stings would be enough to at least make the humans retreat. From my perfect memory, I knew that a lethal dose of bee stings for a non-allergic person was 250-500 stings. There were those kinds of numbers in Camp Rich, but for them, stinging humans will be a suicide.
Even with all the venom boosts, I knew Malevolence’s team won’t kill a giant outright. But as long as they made him howl in pain and roll around in agony, I would consider it a success!
"What about us, Father?" Destroyer asked.
I looked at myself and my shiny Forever Greatest dragonscale armor. As much as I loathed this, stealth wasn’t a viable option for me, even if I tried to use the trees for cover.
"We, Destroyer, will be the distraction that will let Malevolence do her part. Shout your loudest battle cry and full charge into this bug bastard’s face!"