Styx

Hornet

Sir, I have brought a Queen’s Egg, at request of Bellhart’s couriers. It was a hazardous journey, but the creature inside has made it here alive.

Sssssss! How sss-ssublime! To think that my dear misss-stress would be the one to deliver the preciousss package! I had feared for the competence of those feeble couriersss...

Hornet

It surprises me to know you correspond with them. I must wonder where else you go and who else you speak to after you scurry back up into the darkness...

Ssss. My whispersss-ss travel far, misstressss. You need not worry yourssself with my comingsss and goingss-ss. All I do... is in your sssss-service.

And now, pleasssse... give her to me... the little queen!

While you sss-stalk through the black-ravaged world, morsss-ssels will I grow. For the promiss-sse of what my misss-tress will become... I will toil, alwayssss...

Sssss. Your hunger betrayssss-ss you, misstress. The morsel was not yet grown, but let it anger you not. I will grow you another... for I am your sss-ssslave.

Ssss! You have come to claim me, and I am yourssss. I am your humble sss-ssslave!

Hornet

I’ve no interest in mastery over you, sir. If my cutting down of those black masses aided you, it was merely by chance. Farewell.

Farewell...? No... the sss-strong claim the weak, and the weak must sss-ssserve! I am yoursss, my mistress, and you muss-sst protect me!

Sss-ssee what I have built here! Prepared, for the coming of my mistressss. My powerful missssss-tress!

While you are away hunting, I will grow you... ssss-something good. But the work takesss time. Return to me sssss-soon, and you may have what I grow...

Ssss! You have come to claim me, and I am yourssss. I am your humble sss-ssslave!

Hornet

I’ve no interest in mastery over you, sir. If my slaying of these creatures aided you, it was merely by chance. Farewell.

Farewell...? No... the sss-strong claim the weak, and the weak must sss-ssserve! I am yoursss, my mistress, and you muss-sst protect me!

Sss-ssee what I have built here! Prepared, for the coming of my mistressss. My powerful missssss-tress!

While you are away hunting, I will grow you... ssss-something good. But the work takesss time. Return to me sssss-soon, and you may have what I grow...

Sssss! I saw you. I sssss-saw what you did!

Strong you are, misstress! Sss-ssmall, but so so deadly. And your ssscent! Well-aged!

Sssss! Such sssss-sounds, plucked from the air and caught in your Silk! A marvel, my misss-stress...

Hornet

It is a skill that any can learn. You could master this sound yourself, if you cared to.

No... a slave must grow morsels for his mistresssss. But the sssound... is so ssssss-soothing...

It is done. Our nessst is larger, and the little queen beginssss her toil.

More morsss-ssels can I grow for you now! Are you pleasss-sed with me, my missstress-ss?

Hornet

You are diligent at your work, and have raised no claw against me. If it remains so, I will have no reason to be displeased.

Ssss! Then my work will continue! For I am ever your devoted sss-ssslave!

Ssss! Mistress, is the morsss-sssel I grew worthy? You must conss-sume... conssss-sume and become sss-stronger.

Thissss is how I will sss-sserve my misstress-ss. While you hunt, I will prepare morsssels. Alwaysss, preparing them for my mighty misssss-tresss...

Hornet

Continue this work if it pleases you sir, but do not call me your mistress, for I am not.

Sss... but you are... missstress. You are ssss-strong and I am weak.... a sss-sslave. Alwayss-sss, your ssss-slave...

With thissss... ssso caringly delivered by the misstresss... our nesssst can be expanded!

Misstress, you called for your ssss-slave? I obey... for you are ssss-sstronger. My gatheringsss can wait.

Tending to the morss-ssels is a delicate tasssk, and requiresss much patience. Let me toil for you, missstresss, under your exquisite protection...

A ss-sslave must feed his misstress-sss. Morsss-sels will I grow. While you hunt, I am working... alwaysss-sss...

Ssss! My misstress hasss returned to me! Under her protection, I have no fear of the ssslithering black sssss-sstringss!

How the world trembles in their terrible grassssp! In such times, only the mighty sssurvive... and those who loyally ss-sserve them...

Hornet

I cannot remain here to protect you sir, but know that my aim is to cut this land free of the black threads. In the meantime, you should concern yourself with your own safety.

Ssss. I hear more than your words, misssstress. I hear your true dessiresss, pulsing within you. To see them met, I will continue to toil for you... alwaysssss.

Hornet

I would speak again. Show yourself.

Take. Ahhh, my reward. Give them.

I can sense you. Hidden.

Give them. Take wrong. Ssssomeone, ssssave me.

Hornet

I can sense you there, hidden in the darkness. Show yourself.

The morsselssssss. Give them. Take.

Yes, give it here!

Not right. Nothing. Go.

Show again. Speak yourself.