The hivemind is conquering for me?

The Praetorians swiftly left the area once Thespius ordered them to leaving Nerissa, Rhapso and I behind amidst a sea of already rotting Drakoshi.

In unanimous agreement, we decided to get on the bike and drive a short distance away before parking the beut’ once more.

Once we were off, I pulled up the new communicator and just looked at it funnily for a moment as I tried to figure it out. ’Where is tech support when you need it?’

As I began to fiddle, I failed to notice Nerissa and Rhapso mumbling amongst themselves until Nerissa spoke up.

”Apollo?”

”Hmm? What’s up? Do you know how to get to the call part?” I asked.

”Yes, give it here. Nerissa began to fiddle and within two seconds, most likely because I helped, the communicator was where I needed it. As she handed it back, I was about to dial a number, but she continued.

”Apollo, who is Kronus? You said he was Zeus’ father, but that isn’t possible.”

I paused for a moment, not knowing how to answer. I didn’t want to spool a web of lies anymore than I already had. I didn’t want things to get messy. ”Honestly, if you don’t know, It’s probably better I keep my lips closed.”

Nerissa sighed and Rhapso just stayed silent. This was going to figurative kill her for the next few days, but if Apollo didn’t want to share that was fine. She would just ask him another time when he was perhaps more loosely lipped.

Nerissa smirked, that wasn’t a bad plan and already knew of ways to go about it.

Meanwhile, Rhapso finally spoke up and asked as I was typing in the number chain. ”Apollo, who are you getting in contact with?”

I smiled and replied, ”The only person whose communication number I actually know, considering she forced me to sing it in a catchy song at least fifty times. Now where was I? Oh! 725...3”

...

”Get up! I barely grazed you. If I punched you, you would know it.” Valerica tutted as she watched her student moan about her punch breaking his heart, and not in the romantic way it sounded either.

As she turned to the next victim- Training dummy- The next sparring initiate, the whole class suddenly flinched as the sound of chiming began to play out.

”I said no communicators!” Valerica roared. Distractions in her class were severely punished. She looked around for the source of the chiming, ready to deal out extreme levels of ’personal training’ with the one responsible before she realised something.

”Oh! That’s mine?” She declared, as she looked over at her jacket prompting everyone to let out a sigh of relief. All except Valerica. After walking and picking up, she frowned. This particular communicator was for serious threats that involved the entirety of Spartari or for when war councils were called.

With communicator in hand, she took a deep breath and steeled herself. ”This is Valerica Hyllus.” Her voice dripped with a silent seriousness to show she was ready for anything.

”Hello Valerica, it’s me.”

In a complete 180 Valerica beamed a smile, scaring her entire class thinking something bad was about to happen.

”Apollo! My Baby! You are alive! I have missed you so much! I am so glad to hear your voice! Are you well? Are you safe? Why aren’t you Speaking? Apollo? Are you in danger? Answer me please? Please An-”

”Mother!” I yelled to cut through whatever else was about to come out of Valerica’s rambling.

”I am fine.” I proceeded to say softly and I heard Valerica let out a massive sigh of relief.

”Good. I am glad. Are you almost back? *Gasp* Has that slut put her hands on you? Tell me baby. I swear if Serena has touched you I will kill her.”

”What? Why would Serena touch me? I haven’t seen her since I woke up.” I asked, confused, prompting Valerica to hum. ”Hmmm~ Alright, I will believe you. You have no reason to lie to me after all. So what can I do for my one and only?”

I began walking away from Rhapso and Nerissa as I began speaking, ”Actually, Valerica, I kind of have some bad news.”

The other end went eerily silent for a few moments before I heard a weak. ”Ok...”

She must have known what I was going to say as I too was really bummed out about the whole situation. ”Valerica, I won’t be coming back to the college after the war has finished. I have been asked by King Sigismund to perform a task.”

”You Idiot!” Valerica suddenly roared through the communicator. ”I thought you were about to tell me someone died!” She then took a deep breath to calm herself. ”Sorry baby. Go on, what task has the King granted you?”

”I have been asked to partake in a diplomatic mission into Coalition space. We take a brief detour to Ecumenopolis 1 after the fighting is finished, which looks to be any day now, then I am heading over there.”

”I see...” Valerica said, not happy or sad.

”Look. Can you tell Orchid and Janine I am so sorry. I wanted to come right back to them and Janine... Please try and make her understand that I am not abandoning her. I just have to do this.” I explained.

”Well of course you have to do it.” Valerica said, understandingly. ”You might be a Sentinel now, but denying a personal request from a King? That is just a foolish idea. You are doing the right thing, my baby. I am proud of you.”

Hearing her say that made me happy. Really happy. ”Thank you, Mom. Now, I won’t keep you any longer, I promise to call again from this Crystal once the war is concluded. Take care and I love you.”

”I LOVE YOU TOO!” Valerica yelled back with glee, not even a second after I finished speaking. It made me feel warm inside.

I was about to hang up the communication before Valerica suddenly yelled.

”Wait!”

Catching my attention I told her I was still here at which point she warned me.

”Seriously, Apollo. Watch out for my sister. Only I- my daughter can have you sexually. I don’t want her defiling you.”

I frowned hearing that again, but humoured her. ”Ok, I will look out, though I promise you, Serena has not shown any indications of wanting anything to do with me in that way. I think you are just being overprotective... And I kind of like it.”

”Hehe~” Valerica giggled at my admission before saying goodbye.

Once the call was finished, I turned to see Rhapso and Nerissa hastily pulling down their crystals from the side of their helms. I then recalled a fact about the Crystals, when they split, the other shards from the same crystal could still be used to listen in.

I shrugged my shoulders. It didn’t matter for this call after all, but still, it made me remember why I didn’t like using them to begin with. I also didn’t say they couldn’t listen in, so it wasn’t a big deal.

Once I arrived back in front of them, I pointed to the bike and asked, ”So, should we catch up with the others and help finalise this war?”

...

Valerica hung up the communication with her only child and hugged the device tightly to her chest. That was everything she needed.

Her boy, whom she had raised all by herself, had come so far under her tutelage and love. He was the perfect man. Strong and respectful of his most beloved woman, his mother.

She let out another happy sigh before a thought came to her about the conversation that just occurred. A thought that excited her greatly.

She then began to walk to her next destination as a plan began to form in her mind.

...

”Are we supposed to stay here?”

”She got some good news? Perhaps she had to leave for something?”

”Should we go then?”

”Are you crazy? This is clearly a test. If we move we are done for!”

”No, I don’t think so, I think she has just abandoned the class.”

”Then get up then. Leave.”

”...”

”No. No I don’t think I will... I am enjoying the feeling of the grass on my skin. I am staying here, because I want to!”

...

”Orchid? Have you seen my helmet? I have combat practice with Fergus!” Janine yelled from the top of the stairs while changing.

Orchid, who was sitting on the couch, reading a book on Psionic entomology, looked over towards the front door where a coatrack was. Upon it was a helmet. Where it always was. Every single time the question was brought up.

”No.” She replied before looking back at the book. It was really getting her in the mood to eat. She wasn’t sure if she would go and get some more blue meat or go to Apollo’s kin for the Psionic flavoured food.

Neither was what she truly wanted, she wanted the crunchy exoskeleton of this beetle species, the gooey interior that she could slurp down, the thought left her stomach growling.

Just as her appetite was getting to the point of requiring action, a knock at the door occurred. She knew who it was by scent alone and ignored it, or tried to before the figure burst through the door.

Orchid looked over at Valerica expecting the same usual sadness, but was surprised to see excitement? Her excitement was then quickly shared by Valerica as the best words she had heard in months were yelled,

”Janine! Orchid! Pack your shit! We are going to see Apollo!”