Hope has hands as rough as clay

with holes and cracks

that cut and bleed

Love, like Hope, prefers to hide

behind the lies that mend my cuts

and trickle easy down my hands

they are young girls

who hurt to hold

within chapped hearts

if only I could

stoke their fire

shield them from my blood-warm tears

then perhaps Dame Luck

would smile down

upon my bleeding heart

Tick-tock

Oh dear, cards crashing down

As tailing guards rush forth

Their faces red with anger

And perhaps a hint of rouge

Tick-tock, tick-tock

Oh dear, oh dear, would you look at the time?

It’s teatime, teatime, why don’t you look at that?

No need to trip all over yourself

No need to follow me down this winding trail

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, I mustn't be late!

Cricket-green blades of ever-sharp grass

Blood-red blossoms that snap at me

Tear-clear sap trickling down my back

Tick-tock, tick-tock

Oh my Queen, please wait for me!

Why must this world taunt me so?

I shake like a leaf at the sight of it all

This world makes me go mad, go mad I say!

Tick-tock

M-my Queen, m-my Q-Queen, please stop the guards

I-I’m here, I-I’m here, p-please look at me

T-the blades will soon pass right through me

M-MY QUEEN, IS THAT A GIRL I SEE?

Tick-tock

I can see her golden hair

The fire in her amber eyes

Hidden ’hind the spit-clean windows

Of your father’s ’57 Chevy

I don’t got no balls of steel

And my blurry vision

Leaves but dried-up tears

Yet I long to say my vows with her

Before the pillars of Heaven

The sight of her burns like fire and ice

Melts me into a puddle of sweat

Drowns me in my faded blue jeans

Till’ there’s nothing left but my soul to see

The rolling thunder beckons me forth

Tellin’ me it’s the devil’s last chance

I slide out from my hiding place

And run like a bat out of Hell

Torn leather jacket flapping like wings

Wings that chase after her

Wings that will take her from you

Inspired by Robert Frost's Spring Pools

These stars that, though in darkness, still shine bright

Upon the ocean waves that crash down with a fright,

And like the world beneath them, ever so changing,

Will like the world beneath them remain incomplete,

And together remain ever so longing,

Though the two may never meet

The seas that have it in each curled wave

To flood the world and cleanse the grave

Let them think again before they raise their scars

To judge these sinful sparks of life this day

This heavenly earth and these earthly stars

Blessed by the kiss of the wind only yesterday

I'm the finely chopped onions

Sprinkled upon a bed of noodles

that hide naked beneath the soup

I'm the finely chopped onions

Peering over the edge of the bowl

Witnessing the crispy, tender meat,

the silky, bouncy tofu,

and the soft, fluffy rice

all come and go

I'm the finely chopped onions

Carrying the burden of chili oil

While suffocating from the flavorful steam

that constantly rises into my face

and escapes the cage

that I cannot

I'm the finely chopped onions

Desperately clinging onto the warmth of the sinking noodles

While gasping for air

as I sink with them

Into the suffocating world of hidden spices

Into the embrace of savory waves

that slowly wash over me

I'm the finely chopped onions

That stick to chopsticks like a leech

That rise and fall as they command

While catching a glimpse of the sweet, sweet world

that I can never dream to join

I'm the finely chopped onions

That notice the abandoned peanuts

from the very first dish,

shivering in the cold

while longingly looking at the lively dance

of the newly arrived mango puddings

I'm the finely chopped onions

Left in the bowl at the end

Feeling soggy and wet

Alone and unwanted

But also unscathed

“He was such a quiet man…”

I grimace and try to hide my face behind the mirror hanging down from the roof of my car, Sure he was. But a little too quiet, don’t you think?

I hear hushed voices flooding the neighborhood as I swing my right hand behind the car seat and grip it so hard that my knuckles turn white.

“He always seemed so kind as well.”

“I know, right! He always offered to make us coffee and tea.”

I scoff at the foolishness of my absurdly ignorant neighbors as I crane back my neck to get a better view of my car’s rear window, but the death grip of my left hand on the wheel makes it hard for me to turn into the uphill driveway of my humble abode.

Everything about his home just seemed so perfect. Every single bush lining the path leading to his door was neatly trimmed to the leaf, and there wasn’t a single bump on the concrete of his driveway, but I could see through the facade. I live close enough to see it all through the small window beaming at me from his base of operations.

I knew there was something wrong with him from the moment I caught him pouring that pearly white substance into a bone-dry bowl before shaking in some golden rings. Whatever he was trying to do, it must’ve turned out to be disgusting, because I saw him dig a little grave for it in his backyard that very afternoon.

Everybody called me an anxious man, but I knew something was wrong, I knew from the very start.

When I finally get out of my car, I try to close my door as quietly as possible but of course my efforts bear rotten fruit. I sigh at the rubber flesh of my car door peeking out from behind the crack. My heart pounds as I aggressively yank it back open and slam it as hard as I can. I immediately crouch down behind the car, and I wait for the burning sensation in my face to subside.

Now that I think about it, that man drinks some sort of pearly white substance every morning… I saw some resting at the bottom of his cup while he poured in this clear, brown substance that came from what looked like boiling water soaked in the ashes of dead cigarettes. About a week ago, he was sharing some with a nice young man in a dark leather jacket, jet-black pants, and some shiny black shoes. Those two were happily chatting away with a noticeably large briefcase resting under the glass table. The juvenile disappeared at one point in time, but I must’ve stopped paying attention by then, because I had better things to do.

Oh, and there was that one time he poured it in before adding some steaming hot water soaked in some sort of weed. I hadn’t thought that I would ever see him tap dance on his table the way he did.

I try to take a little peek from behind my car, but my eyes are blinded by the sunlight reflecting off of several chunks of shiny stone wrapped around each of his wrinkly fingers.

I slump to the ground with my back pressing against the hot metal of my car, and I sigh with relief as I listen to the soft, soothing clink of his metal chains.

This criminal of a man, who pours in milk before his cereal, coffee, and tea, deserves to be condemned for life.

I want to let go

Matted hair that strangles anything foolish enough to run through it

Red, puffy eyes that have seen more than they could bear

Breath that can haunt ghosts with nothing but its presence

I remember seeing the starry night in his twinkling eyes,

feeling the warm crackle of a comforting fire in his embrace,

kissing a steaming bowl of salty soup whenever I pressed my lips onto his smooth, sweat-drenched head

All that remains is the stinging cold of a desert haunted by the darkness of night,

a bone-dry pile of dust that can no longer comfort me with a warm embrace,

a world that no longer has a place reserved for me

The pain of knowing what could have been shrinks at the pain of what is

I've been walking a tightrope on my toes,

desperately grasping at dwindling rays of light

I reach out to grab what little warmth is left for me,

but my outstretched fingers only push it away

I am losing sight of the light that remains

I am sick of fighting the biting cold

I am tired of trying to hold on

And so I let go

On the night possessing considerable finesse, on the night of passion forlorn. ’Twas the day I met you dancing in the ocean-deep puddles of rain with an unforgettable youth’s bravado. You kicked away with your naked feet, and you ignored the booming thunder yelling in the distance like it was never there. I flinch at the flash of light in the air, while you dance on like it never happened. I am honored to bear witness to your dance of sorrow shining in all its glory, as I stand atop this grand clock tower. I share your sorrow from my first row seat, and yet I cannot act upon your silent plea, as I am consumed by a silent plea of my own. Your dance sends you soaring in the air with tireless wings, and yet I can see arms that are beckoning forth the deadly light violently kissing the surface of the earth from above. The unwavering flow of your silhouette tell me we are both chasing naught but shadows of dreams. What better chance have we got than to jump, and run from a heartless tomorrow? BOOM! With the sudden flash in the sky, I see a message sent from above delivered through your passionate movements. I see that your arms do not beckon me forth to Death’s embrace, but into the embrace of your warm Heart.

I would like to challenge @ChrisSadhill to write a response following the original prompt’s key words.

Note: The story is from the perspective of the bolded labels

Ren of the Bumblebee Elves

Appearance: A combination of a humanoid bumblebee (https://milk-magazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/melissa-bee.jpg) and an elf (https://www.worldanvil.com/media/cache/cover/uploads/images/a6a7885913ce2ded96bbae49894da9b0.PNG)

Clotted clumps of yellow fuzz stick to the clear, sticky substance that is violently splattered across the tree trunk of the Great Kapok Tree. The two thin hairs that stuck out from the lightly wrinkled bark of the tree are all that remain of the juvenile’s legs. The mutilated remains of the young Golden Protector seared into all of our minds. His name was Amal.

Image of Great Kapok Tree: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/kapok-tree-profile-1-400x400.jpg.optimal.jpg

Kai of the Fire Ant Orcs

Appearance: A combination of a humanoid ant (https://www.reddit.com/r/characterdrawing/comments/3zwyuz/rf_humanoid_ant_for_udas_lizardman/) and an orc (https://assetsio.reedpopcdn.com/its-not-easy-being-green-a-brief-history-of-orcs-in-video-games-1580836292361.jpg?width=1600&height=900&fit=crop&quality=100&format=png&enable=upscale&auto=webp)

The Fire Ant clan erupted into absolute chaos the moment the news reached us.

A Golden Protector murdered within the forest? Impossible.

I’m pushed forth by the powerful wave of fellow Orcs against my will. As I ride the wave that is rushing towards the Great Kapok Tree, I peel my ears and do my best to gather bits and pieces of information traveling along with me.

“The Golden Protectors are bound to their promise to protect us from the styga. But can they truly do so if they cannot even protect themselves?”

“There’s nothing we can do, endless creatures of darkness lurk within the shadows and can only be vanquished by the power of the Golden Protectors.”

An elderly Orc pitched in, “It’s true, those Golden Protectors may have been tasked with protecting all of us from all those uncivilized monsters who refused to sign the contract of peace, but now all they do is fight styga and guard the borders from those pesky Termites.”

Ah, styga. Those troublesome parasites live in the shadows with no physical form until they find a living creature to spiritually bind to and control. Luckily, Golden Protectors can prey on the spiritual essence of the styga to purge them. Even the arrogant Bumblebee Elves are all buzz and no bite; they can’t do a damned thing when it comes to fighting shadow styga. Then again, neither can we.

At last, I can see the magnificent glow of the Great Kapok Tree radiating from my end of the crowd, the only light with the ability to penetrate the uncomfortably thick tension filling the air. Despite being part of a three-way peace contract, there has always been an undeniable sense of distrust and rivalry amongst the three strongest clans of the Taputini Rainforest: the Fire Ant Orcs, Bumblebee Elves, and Golden Protector Wasps. Naturally, our clan, along with the Bumblebee Elves’ is among the primary suspects for the murder of the juvenile Golden Protector. Even so, there is a sense of respectful mourning shared amongst us all. After all, whether or not we like it, we are all irrefutably under the protection of the Golden Protectors.

The golden rules of the Taputini Rainforest, engraved in the Great Kapok Tree, look more ominous than usual:

Never harm another being without good reason

Hunting for game is forbidden, but hunting for food with moderation is allowed

Major clans are forbidden from killing outside of their designated territories: Ant Orcs are restricted to the roots of the Kapok trees and Bumblebee Elves are restricted to the canopies of the Kapok trees

ALL beings are FORBIDDEN from harming Golden Protector Wasps in exchange for their protection

ALL beings are FORBIDDEN from harming ANY trees of the Taputini Rainforest

Violators of this contract will become shadows with no physical form, cursed to live forever in the darkness

Addition: Termites require special permission from Golden Protectors to enter the Taputini Rainforest

That’s right. The styga are creatures of our own making; violators of the golden rules. Nobody had expected for the styga to end up being such problematic monsters. Personally, I think the Golden Protector was killed by a styga, but I suppose it’s hard to believe since it’s never happened before.

I crane my neck up to witness the rare sight of countless Bumblebee Elves gathered in the canopies of the Kapok trees surrounding the Great Kapok Tree alongside just as many Golden Protector Wasps. The three great clans are nearly never found gathered together in the same area at once. It truly is quite a rarity. Slowly, I lower my neck and upon seeing them, I enter a further state of shock.

The Termites. Those disgusting fiends. It’s really no wonder they are banned from the forest. Those monsters are all the same. In fact, they are no better than styga. All they know how to do is steal wood from the Taputini Rainforest. If they were a part of our contract, it’s no shocker that they would violate it immediately; it’s simply impossible for them to resist their innate desire to scavenge wood. What are they doing here?

Though it is near impossible for us Ant Orcs to witness a large gathering of Bumblebee Elves and Golden Protector Wasps, it is even more impossible for us to witness a large gathering of Termites. Wait… Termites require permission to enter the Taputini Rainforest, which can only mean…

The booming voice of Rue, one of the Golden Protector clan leaders, suddenly rings in the air, “Thank you all for arriving on short notice. Now that we have you all gathered here, the meeting shall commence”

A crisp silence sweeps through the air, as the three Golden Protector clan leaders join their clan gathered atop the Great Kapok Tree.

“It is with great sorrow that we, the leaders of the Golden Protector clan, must regretfully inform you all of the death of a young Golden Protector, here at the Great Kapok Tree. This honorable location is a fitting memorial for the final resting place of such a brave, young wasp. Amal truly was an exceptional fighter, and he was always a defender to the very end. Amal, we all hope that you can rest in peace knowing that you did your best to protect this forest. Unfortunately, not much is known yet about his cause of death, but we are currently conducting an investigation in hopes of finding out the culprit soon”

All eyes drift towards the Termites, who are trying to penetrate our ranks. Then, our eyes drift over to the Bumblebee Elves whose gazes had shifted to us as well.

“Please do not point fingers until the matter has been more thoroughly investigated. We hope that this incident will not serve to form a divide within the union of our clans. We must remain strong and put up a united front in the face of adversity. Speaking of which, we have a new guest here today: the Termites”

Rue pauses for a moment as if waiting for applause, only to be met with an awkward moment of silence.

Rue clears his throat, “As of now, we are assimilating the newly officiated Termite clan into the Taputini Rainforest. They will follow our customs and abide by our rules, but will not officially sign the contract until their loyalty has been proven. That is all. This meeting is dismissed.”

Tori of the Termites

Appearance: A humanoid termite (https://www.deviantart.com/csvanstromer/art/Termite-humanoid-483518383)

I look down and try to ignore the piercing stares boring into us from every direction, full of distrust. Not that they’re wrong to distrust us. We may have been wrongly accused before, but after what we did to get into the Taputini Rainforest…

Not that we had much of a choice. Since we were banned from the forest, we had to resort to… other… methods of obtaining food. We depend greatly on the fibers of wood, but with limited access to the Taputini Rainforest, neighboring villages are suffering severely from dangerously high rates of famine and malnourishment.

At last, we have been granted full entry to the Taputini Rainforest. Though being excluded from the contract may appear to be a form of probation from the outside, in reality, it is a gift. By being left out of the contract, we Termites are free to take wood from the trees of the Taputini Rainforest without falling victim to the curse. Before, the only thing keeping us from entering the Taputini Rainforest was the Golden Protectors bordering the forest. All of us were too weak from malnutrition to have a fighting chance against the well trained wasps. Now, things are finally starting to change.

I slowly lift my head and look at the Golden Protectors huddled by the tree with pity. I can see a battle between sorrow and fear playing out in each of their eyes.

Those poor wasps. They don’t even know that the culprit is hiding in plain sight, standing right before them.

Ren of the Bumblebee Elves

I aggressively kick a pink flower hanging down from a Kapok tree, “Damned Termites, I can’t believe they had the nerve to show their faces at the ceremony like that.”

Images of Kapok tree flowers: https://media.istockphoto.com/id/1329156851/photo/blooming-cotton-tree-with-red-yellow-flowers.jpg?s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=5mpBrKqIk21ndXlfxdFvkwmWgcsuXWDG8VQPinVZf24=

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6T06bsmyjk/VP3R7whvlAI/AAAAAAAAO7w/rtmIu6I_K8w/s1600/lapok_flower.jpg

“Yeah, I can’t believe those filthy creatures managed to make their way into here. If you ask me, they’re the ones who killed Amal,” Kyo, my coworker, pauses to stare at me, “Bro, if you kick the pollen like that, it’s not gonna stick.”

“Right, sorry,” I lightly brush my legs against the fuzzy anther of the flower, and ponder for a while, “Not that I would put it past them, but why would the Termites want to kill anybody?”

“Revenge, obviously. Who are the ones keeping all those pests from getting into the sacred Taputini Rainforest? Who are the ones securely guarding the borders of the forest from threats like them? In fact, the new leaders of the Golden Protector clan just sent out a fresh batch of newly trained recruits to the borders in response to the incident with Amal.”

“Oh, really? Huh, those new Golden Protector leaders are quite capable. It’s only been about a week since they’ve replaced their predecessors, and they’re already handling the situation so well.”

“True, it’s really quite a shame that the Golden Protector clan just lost their previous lil’ trio of leaders to old age. The timing is nothing short of inconvenient.”

“Actually, it seems a little bit too convenient, especially for the Termites. It can’t be a coincidence that they were granted entry immediately after the murder of Amal. Maybe this was all a part of their plan!”

“Huh, maybe you’re right. Now that I think about it, despite their competence, the new leaders of the Golden Protector clan really are quite the fools for sanctioning the entry of those rascals.”

I hear my boss’ voice call out from the distance, “When you’re all done for the day, head back to the hive to drop off any pollen you’ve collected and pick up some scoops of nectar. Today’s delivery day, so we’re going to be trading a few scoops of nectar for wasp venom at the Golden Protectors’ nest.”

Tori of the Termites

I listen as the other two leaders of our newly formed Termite clan laugh amongst themselves while lounging upon the roots of a sturdy Kapok tree, “Haha, I can’t believe our luck! They’re fools, all of them! Only a few days ago, we were out in the wild, begging woodpeckers for bits and pieces of wood. Now look at us!”

“That’s right, if we hadn’t witnessed the murder of that little brat, we never would’ve been able to strike such a great deal with the Golden Protectors!”

“Golden Protectors, my a**! More like Golden Devils! Those poor little wasps have no idea what they have coming for ’em!”

“It’s almost funny how little those fuzz balls know about their leaders. The kiddo shouldn’t have threatened to expose his leaders on the spot. What was his name again? Amal, was it? Yeah, that kid was too honest for his own good.”

Finally, I sigh, “I pity the kid. He’s got more morals than all of his leaders combined. If he hadn’t found out about how the leaders of the Golden Protector clan are just styga hiding in the skin of young wasps, then he never would’ve been killed.”

“We’re lucky we were eavesdropping with him, though. I’d say all of this wood is worth the price of our silence.”

Sigh… We aren’t much better than the leaders of the Golden Protector Wasps. I am only able to hold the title of “clan leader” now because I chose to prioritize the lives of my fellow Termites over the life of a wasp I had never seen before in my life.

Around a week ago, desperate to maintain their position of power, the elderly leaders of the Golden Protector wasps killed a small group of protestors who rebelled against the rule of their leaders. Perhaps they thought they would be excused for their actions on account of their contributions to the Taputini Rainforest. At any rate, for breaking a golden rule, all of the leaders were sealed out of their bodies and transformed into styga on the spot. In a moment of desperation, they tried to re-enter their bodies, and somehow managed to pull it off. But their brief moment of success came at a cost: they were forced to endure excruciating pain as long as they tried to remain in their corpses. Eventually, they decided to write a will including the names of each of their successors. Then they staged their deaths, making it seem as though they had all passed on from old death. At that point, each of them were free to exit their corpse and possess the body of their chosen successor. Mission successful. Anyone who raised suspicions regarding the deaths of the clan leaders were killed by them in secrecy, and the “new” clan leaders only had to claim they were sent off to guard the borders of the forest (we were able to find out their entire plan a while after Amal’s death, only after piecing together what we knew about styga and the corrupt rule of the Golden Protector clan leaders, and of course there was some guesswork involved as well).

They might have actually been able to pull off their plan, if Amal hadn’t gotten himself involved. The poor guy caught his clan leaders murdering several wasps in cold blood after returning to his nest late after a long night of patrol duty. The clan leaders must've been trying to silence another group of rebels. Instead of running away as fast as he could to inform some other clan leaders, Amal foolishly marched forth and confronted them. By the time he realized the reality of his situation, it was too late. He only made it as far as the Great Kapok Tree before he was murdered as well. Little did the Golden Protector clan leaders know, three Termites (myself included) on their way to appeal for more permits of entry had been inside the hive at the moment.

The three of us, now clan leaders, took a young wasp hostage and followed the four wasps to the Great Kapok Tree. We, along with our hostage, were able to witness the gruesome murder of Amal by the hands of no other than the Golden Protector clan leaders. At the moment, I was too focused on trying to save my family from starvation to consider the immorality of my decision to simply stand by as a young wasp was brutally murdered by his own kind. But now, his death haunts me to no end.

Slowly, the three of us (along with our hostage) approached the three wasps with caution. One of us kept an arm tightly wrapped around the neck of our hostage and another hand tightly clasped over the hostage’s mouth. The young wasp, helpless in the deathly tight grip of the termite, had already given up on trying to escape by then.

One of the Termites announced, “It is nearing daybreak. If you were to attack us now, you would not be able to finish us off along with our hostage before it is time for everybody else to come out. Even if you were to try to attack us, there is nothing stopping our hostage from running back to your nest to inform his fellow wasps about your misdeeds.”

The clan leaders were trapped and had no choice but to listen to the Termites’ demands. In exchange for the witness and the Termites’ promise to keep the entire incident a secret, the Golden Protector clan leaders signed a contract (separate from the contact engraved on the Great Kapok Tree) agreeing to openly announce permission for all Termites to enter the Taputini Rainforest. Quite the trade indeed.

I heard a little later that the hostage was taken away by the Golden Protector clan leaders, then quickly killed and buried before the ceremony announcing Amal’s death. Official news has it that the young wasp suddenly went missing the night of Amal’s death, and that his disappearance may have something to do with Amal’s death, but nothing is confirmed since no body has been found.

The Bumblebee Elves were also supposedly the first to discover Amal’s body after his tragic death.

Gasp.

In the corner of my eye, I can see a faint light reflecting off of what appears to be the wing of a Bumblebee Elf peeking out from behind a nearby tree root. I start to dash towards the light and get ready to stop them from escaping, but then I stop.

I suddenly remember the way the life slowly seeped out of Amal’s once bright, shining eyes, the way the pure faith he once had in his leaders was mercilessly crushed along with his body and soul.

And I let the Bumblebee Elf go.

Ren of the Bumblebee Elves

"...If he hadn’t found out about how the leaders of the Golden Protector clan are just styga hiding in the skin of young wasps, then he never would’ve been killed," I hear a distressed sigh full of pity and remorse.

My eyes widen and I lose control over my body, causing my nectar to slide out of my hands and slowly trickle down to my toes.

Who on earth would say such a thing?

“We’re lucky we were eavesdropping with him, though. I’d say all of this wood is worth the price of our silence.”

I flutter down to the roots of the Kapok trees, and I snuggle myself in between them.

Of course it's the Termites. We should never have given them a benefit of the doubt. But the Golden Protector clan? I refuse to believe that they were involved as well...

I slightly peek over the root blocking my view, and I freeze.

Damnit, I've been caught.

Without a second to lose, I break eye contact with the traitorous Termite, but not before I catch a glimpse of what appears to be... relief?

No, I must be imagining things. There's no way a Termite would be relieved that they've been caught.

But as I turn my head to look back one more time before I take off, I am shocked to see the Termite's back facing me. I can't help but crack a small smile as I zoom off and mouth words to the air that I pray the wind will carry to the Termite: thank you.

Tori of the Termites [One Year Later]

The day I let that Bumblebee Elf go, the truth about the Golden Protector clan leaders spread like wildfire. Golden Protectors immediately detained their clan leaders and went out to search for evidence of their crimes. By the next day, all three of the styga were eliminated. The body of the young wasp who was taken hostage on the day of Amal’s death was later found and given a proper burial.

Eventually, all of the clans in the Taputini Rainforest were officially dissolved, and all the beings in the forest agreed to live together in harmony as one. To ensure that no more beings would become styga, the contract between the three formerly greatest clans was officially terminated.

Up until the incident with the former leaders of the Golden Protector clan, nobody believed that anybody within the forest would actually be possessed by styga. After all, everybody had complete faith in the Golden Protectors’ power to protect us all. However, we have all come to learn from our mistakes.

As it turns out, many styga who managed to possess a living body had actually been living among others in the Taputini Rainforest undetected. Golden Protectors underwent additional training to learn how to determine which beings had multiple spiritual presences living within their body. Other species learned how to use the venom of the Golden Protectors to force styga out of their hosts. All beings living within the Taputini Rainforest worked together to defeat the styga until they were all eliminated.

Tori of the Termites [Two Years Later]

"Mama, look I can fly!," my precious daughter yells in delight, happily zipping around in the sky.

"I'm so happy for you, dear! But be careful, there are Wasps working up there today," I call out, hoping she will heed my warning, "Maybe if you stay on the lookout, you'll be able to catch your Papa in action!"

It took a long time, but we Termites were eventually pardoned for conspiring with the styga posing as clan leaders. Our efforts to get rid of styga alongside the rest of the forest gained widespread recognition, allowing others to realize that we had only worked with the styga to fight for our survival at the time.

It's been three years since the incident with Amal, and I have finally attained my long-desired life of comfort and peace in the Taputini Rainforest. I have even found the time to settle down and start my own family with Kyle, a kind and caring Golden Protector Wasp who saved my life during our battle against the styga. Ren, formerly a member of the Bumblebee Elf clan, is now my one and only daughter's godfather.

At last, I am full of everlasting warmth and joy. At last, I can look at the Taputini Rainforest not as a faraway dream, but as a place I call my home. At last, I am able to smile with pride as I reflect on my role in how far this forest has come.

ADDITIONAL BACKSTORY:

Rango (aka Rue) of the Golden Protector Wasps (approximately a week before the start of this story)

I am glad it has been long since we Wasps have suffered under the oppression of those tyrannical Termites. All those who live under our protection in the Taputini Rainforest have finally learned to place their trust in us, rather than their contempt and suspicion. It seems they have long forgotten the old ways of this forest…

A voice calls in from the entrance of the nest in a loud, booming voice, “We request an audience with the leaders of our esteemed clan!”

“You may enter,” I try to reply in the strong, commanding voice of a leader and I sigh when I realize how much weaker my voice has gotten from old age.

I am shocked when I see that there are not only two to three but over twenty Termites marching into the nest, fully dressed for battle, but unarmed. I glance at my fellow leading Wasps and seek some form of understanding but I am met with nothing but equal parts confusion and fear.

What on earth is going on?

“We are here to call for an end to the clan system. We request that you dissolve the union of the three greatest clans, to let all of the beings within the Taputini Rainforest live as one,” announced who appeared to be the leader of the bunch.

Suddenly, I think of the bruises once tattooed into my back and arms from flying shards of rocks launched with the intent to keep us wasps out of the forest. I hear the taunts of all those who once ruled over my people ringing in my ears, “You filthy wasps. You are nothing but useless scum mooching off the rest of us in this forest. Keep yourselves and your venom out of our sacred home.”

I was a weakling who knew nothing beyond an empty stomach. The current generation has no idea how hard we have worked to come this far. How hard we have worked to alienate the filthy Termites. How hard we have worked to establish the contract of the unions.

I refuse to allow this forest to slip out of my hands, back into the past.

I feel anger boiling in my blood, and I struggle to hide the burning fury in my eyes as the innocent, young wasps bow their heads in respect, a sign indicating their hope that we leaders will consider their suggestion.

I try to calm myself down, but then I turn my head to my left and see that my fellow leaders of the Golden Protector Wasps share my sentiments, and so my burning passion returns, securing my resolve. I lock eyes with them. I can see that they understand what I am planning to do, and they nod in agreement.

The poor, young Wasps misunderstand our gesture and their eyes shine with gratitude, “We truly thank you for your careful consideration. You won’t regret th-”

The three of us charge forth together and slit all twenty of their throats without missing a beat. Remorse sends a chilling tingle down my spine, but for no longer than a moment.

I had no choice. It had to be done, for the good of our entire clan. And then I remembered… the golden rules.

How could I have been so blinded by my emotions? Despite being Golden Protectors, we are not exempt from the consequences of the contract. No, perhaps we are exempt. We should be exempt. After all, we have saved so many lives from the horrendous styga lurking around everywhere…

*Gasp*

I suddenly feel myself slipping out of my body like water sliding down a smooth rock. I frantically turn to my partners in crime and give them a panicked glance, but they are too occupied to notice, as they too are experiencing the same problem.

It can’t be. I can’t have turned into a styga.

I find myself reduced to a puddle of darkness, chained to the shadows of my nest. I refuse to accept this reality. I am not bound by my own rules.

I concentrate on the essence of my spirit, then I lunge forth in an attempt to return to my body. To my great surprise and relief, I have returned to my body without so much as a scar. I see to it that my companions do the same.

All of a sudden, I feel lava running through my veins and my entire body feels as though it is burning in flames, “AHHHHHHHHH!”

I scream in agony, and I pray that nobody else in the nest hears my pained cries. Before the others meet the same fate, they quickly slip out of their bodies and return to the shadows. But I refuse to give in.

I ignore the agonizing pain that comes with each step, and I get myself out of the nest. I have no time to seek a more suitable body, and therefore have no choice but to dig a hole while in my own corpse. The burning sensation eats away at my mind with each and every single movement I make, and yet I persist. Eventually, the others eventually follow my lead. The pain leaves me begging for a blissful death but we manage to hide all the bodies in the ground in time. Within the past hour or so, I had also managed to come up with a plan to recover from this… minor… setback.

By the time I finish explaining my plan to the others, we don’t have much time left to prepare. But we manage to draft a will by the time the sun comes up and the young Golden Protectors emerge from their resting places.

“My dear Golden Protectors, my pride and joy, please gather forth,” I call out with all the strength I can muster, then I slowly sit myself down to calm my trembling legs.

“We, the leaders of the Golden Protector clan, are now announcing our official retirement from our positions in this prestigious clan”

I try to smile through my grimace of pain as I bear witness to the wistful sadness brewing in the misty eyes of my loyal followers.

“Fear not, for we have selected three very capable candidates as our trustworthy successors. Marcus, Rue, and Tengi, will you please step forth and accept your new role as the worthy leaders of the Golden Protector clan?”

I hear roars of approval and rigorous applause, and I feel satisfied with my decision. The three Wasps called forth come to us and bow their heads in acceptance of their newly given roles.

Their presence confirmed the quality of our decision… These three truly are the perfect choice…

I give them a nod of approval and they reclaim their positions in the crowd.

“There is one more announcement we must make. It is our honor as the Golden Protector clan of this forest to increase the effort we place into our avowed roles in this forest. As such, we have sent a dispatch of approximately twenty of our strongest fighters to the front lines around the borders of the forest. May we purge all the styga once and for all!”

Cheers fill the nest and slightly dull the raging pain of my curse, but I know that I cannot last in this body for much longer.

I immediately shoo everybody out of the nest except for Marcus, Rue, and Tengi. Such young bodies, thriving in their prime.

I grin at the eagerness twinkling in their eyes and tingle with anticipation, “Forgive me dears, but I can’t wait for much longer.”

Without waiting for a reaction, I swiftly slide out of my body and I hear the thump of my corpse hitting the ground behind me as I lunge into Rue’s strong, healthy body. As I strangle Rue’s spirit to take over control of his body, my actions don’t summon even a tiny sliver of remorse.

Perhaps this curse is but a blessing in disguise.

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind, the lifespans and activities of the fictional characters/life forms in this story are not 100% accurate to their real-life counterparts.