The God of Fire let out yet another sigh. His flame body had gone dim and cool, like a smoldering ember, while a cloud of heavy smoke hung around him. He tried to stoke himself with other thoughts. The Blazing Berserker herself had taken on an apprentice in the art of fire…though there was the slight complication of said apprentice being a dungeon monster created by Bee. He supposed there’d have to be some negotiations that Bee would no doubt exploit again. Though, Urubran would likely benefit from anything he offered Bee’s dungeon now that her master had joined the Circle, so it wouldn’t be a complete loss.
And yet, even one of his favorite champion passing on her love of fire could not distract him for long. He could not help but think of the delicious mead that Bee and Flower were no doubt drinking…that he wasn’t. He sighed again. Now, he knew it wasn’t Belissar’s fault. The boy was only educated by his adoptive beekeeper who herself had only learned to read due to her interest in various theological texts, so his knowledge base was understandably limited. So, it was natural he wouldn’t have realized that burning honey would kill off any normal yeast.
But did he really have to wait until after all the other meads were ready before checking?! Fire let out a third cloud of smoke. Well, at least the boy had gotten a hot spring…that Fire may or may not have ensured contained heat-resistant yeast. He just had to be patient and try to distract himself…
Just then, a spot of green broke through the ashes coating the ground of his domain. Shoots grew and twisted together before starting to bloom into flowers. They took the shape of a woman…holding two bottles in each of her hands with an infuriating grin on her face.
“Heyyy Fire! Hey, check this out! It’s mead! Mead made from the nectar of flowers, imbued with mana and sincere feelings of gratitude!”
Fire’s body began to burn a bit hotter as he crossed his arms.
“Yes, Flower. I can see that.”
She lifted her bottle.
“Then let’s make a toast…”
He really could have used a drink about then…
Bee and Flower appeared in Bee’s realm, smoke wisping off their bodies from Fire’s final display. Flower collapsed to her knees, covering her face with one of her elbows. Bee flew over to her and resisted her instincts to drink from the flowers. She did not need the powers of a gardener to understand her flower was in pain. She tapped a dance on Flower’s back.
Flower jolted at her touch…and then began to sob. Only the Queen of All Bee’s power kept the bees present from trying to drink the nectar streaming down her face.
“Bee…do you even like me? I gave you my authority and my nectar, I made all these beautiful flowers just to attract your attention.”
Bee began to gently groom Flower, rubbing the hairs of her legs to spread the pollen stuck to them around the different flowers.
Flower dropped her arm and turned to face Bee, glaring at her.
“Then why…why did you invite the God of Fire and not me?!”
Bee paused her grooming to dance.
Flower’s face twisted into a snarl.
Bee didn’t pause in her dance.
“Didn’t. Was building on own. God of Fire invited self, saw dungeon because champion of fire moved in.”
Flower’s face fell and her head and shoulders slumped forward.
“But why…didn’t you invite me?”
Bee once again resumed grooming Flower.
“Got dungeon, got excited. Wanted to make own dungeon first. Flower always helped, gave lots. Didn’t want to take more from Flower, not until could help too.”
Flower shook her head.
“That’s dumb…I don’t care about any of that…”
Bee buzzed her wings and her antennae drooped.
Bee sent her power out to the bees and several of them began to land on Flower. Soldier bees, sprayers, lancers, communers…and gardeners. They began to tend to the wilted flowers under the gardeners’ instructions.
“But now have dungeon, can make bees in world, can offer to dungeons. Now bees can help flowers like Flower helped me. Will send new bees to Flower’s dungeons now.”
Flower slowly looked up, staring at Bee with wide eyes.
“So, you don’t…dislike me?”
Bee immediately danced the negative.
“Don’t! Flower is best flower!”