The ruins of the hive smoldered behind him. Flames licked the remains of twisted resin, devouring the brittle tunnels and mutated fungus that had once pulsed with alien life. Smoke coiled through the canopy above, a warning beacon that the invader had not only entered—but scorched everything in his path.
Riven exhaled, the molten aura of Heatblast still shimmering along his obsidian arms. But the adrenaline from the fight was fading fast. He could feel the burn in his chest—not from fatigue, but from overuse. He needed to conserve what little time remained in this form.
And so, with a hiss of steam and a flickering green pulse, the flames vanished.
The Omnitrix symbol dimmed.
Heatblast receded.
Riven stood once again in his human body—soaked in sweat, clothes tattered and stained with soot. The adaptive relic armor and Nullshift returned in a shimmer of light, forming over his body and slotting seamlessly into his right hand. The familiar weight grounded him. The hum of the sword's core felt steadier now, recharged slightly from his downtime during the transformation.
He let out a breath, glancing at the ruined corridor of the hive's mid-layer.
"She ran," he muttered. "But she didn't flee far."
No, the Queen had retreated deeper.
And whatever she was protecting… was worth fighting for.
The deeper levels of the hive no longer looked like a swamp-dweller's nightmare.
Here, the organic structures had hardened. The walls were darker, smoother—less like resin and more like obsidian. Pulsing mana lines ran through the floor like veins. The air was heavier too, soaked in a strange warmth. Almost humid with magical pressure.
Fewer drones appeared now. Those that remained had either died in the fire above or followed their Queen.
The silence was unsettling.
Riven advanced with care, his grip on Nullshift firm, steps measured.
Eventually, the corridor opened into a grand chamber. Massive in scale—like a cathedral forged from insect flesh and glowing crystal. Thorned pillars spiraled into the ceiling. Clusters of mana cores floated midair, held in stasis by transparent sacs. It was eerily beautiful.
And at the far end… she waited.
The Queen.
Her chitin was cracked and scorched from the previous battle, but she had regenerated parts of her limbs. Her body was larger now—pulsing with mana. Her wings extended like fans, laced with alien runes.
But it wasn't just her.
Standing beside her was something new.
Something wrong.
Riven narrowed his eyes.
A humanoid creature—nearly his height, but built thicker, with four muscular arms and plated armor etched into its body. Its skin was a muddy-black with shimmering blue highlights, and its eyes glowed violet like the Queen's. Its mouth was vertical, split down the center. No wings. No tail.
But it stood.
Not like a drone.
Not like a beast.
Like a warrior.
The Queen hissed, mandibles spreading. The chamber vibrated with her shriek. Her psychic voice echoed faintly in Riven's mind—more focused than before.
"You are not welcome. You are not worthy."
The creature beside her stepped forward, cracking its knuckles. Its forearms split slightly, revealing bone-like blades beneath. Unlike the beasts he'd fought earlier, this one didn't roar.
It studied him.
Analyzing.
Riven exhaled. "So… you evolved one to stand upright, huh?"
The Queen shrieked again, and the creature surged forward.
It was fast.
Almost too fast.
Riven barely brought up Nullshift in time, blocking the first blow. The impact rang like a bell—forceful enough to send him skidding backward.
He slashed upward, but the creature ducked, rolling to the side and striking with both its lower arms. One caught his ribs, the other his shoulder.
Riven stumbled, coughing.
This wasn't a beast.
It was trained.
"Perfect," he growled, switching stances. "I needed the practice."
The creature lunged again. Riven twisted aside, ducked under its strike, and delivered a clean upward cut with Nullshift. Sparks flew as the blade bit into armor—but didn't pierce fully.
Its plating was tougher.
It retaliated with a spinning elbow—one of the upper arms landing square against Riven's jaw.
He hit the ground hard.
The Queen shrieked again.
Drones poured into the chamber from the walls—climbing down in swarms, surrounding him. The chamber's light dimmed as their silhouettes filled the ceiling.
"Of course," Riven hissed, staggering to his feet.
Nullshift's core flickered—low on energy.
And his breathing was growing labored.
The warrior-creature walked forward again, tilting its head.
Behind it, the Queen's wings pulsed, and a blast of mana energy surged across the chamber—hitting Riven directly in the chest.
He flew backward, crashing into one of the pillar-like growths. Cracks formed behind him.
He slumped.
Groaned.
Everything ached.
His vision blurred slightly, and the buzzing of the swarm began to rise to a deafening pitch.
He looked down at his hand—Nullshift trembled faintly, barely holding its sword form.
"No more games," Riven whispered.
He looked at the Omnitrix.
Its green glow flickered faintly.
Still charged.
Still ready.
He didn't hesitate.
The warrior-creature charged.
Riven slammed his palm down on the Omnitrix.
Green light erupted.
A crystal pulse flashed across the room.
The swarm froze.
The Queen hissed.
And in Riven's place, the crystalline form of Diamondhead rose from the flare.
No words.
Just a low growl.
He raised his arm.
Formed a jagged blade from his forearm.
The chamber began to quake.
End of Chapter.
Thank you for reading.