Endless Horde: Through the Eyes of a Godking

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"Let's not jump to any conclusions just yet. There is much we don't understand about Void Creatures."

"Moreover, I don't think that this one, in particular, has any reproductive organs. Its intentions might be completely different from what we think they are. It is a Void Creature, after all."

Chief Blackwood stated this, sounding a little sure and hesitant himself as he stared at the wailing Squealer. The researcher in him kept wondering what's this all about, because throughout the years that they've been studying this thing, this was the first time it reacted this way.

"Of course. But it's also under the assumption that the translation was correct."

A voice cut through the silence. Rousing some interest within the group.

Chief Blackwood, Willow, and Cedric, as well as the other staff who have been working with the team for a long time, turned their attention towards the speaker.

It wasn't hard to guess that this person was a stranger to them. After all, only someone like that would have the audacity to say something like this, especially if they've seen Cedric at work.

"Y-You said it yourself: we have very limited understanding of Void Creatures. We've always been struggling to comprehend their language. Hell, we never even thought that they had one in the first place!"

"How can it be so easy to understand what they're saying? Especially after only listening to it once?"

"This subject might've originated from a place beyond the Danger Zone, but I don't think its sentience is that advanced. It's common knowledge that most of those void creatures answer to their instincts. Some more than the others."

"So, are you saying that this unusual behavior of our 'test subject' isn't one of those 'instinctual' urges, then?" Willow's voice sliced through the words of the speaker just now.

His voice was flat and even, yet the way he delivered his words carried undeniable authority and was very confrontational. It's as if he's challenging the speaker just now.

"This..." the speaker was stumped. He looked to his colleagues as if subtly asking for any help or assistance, yet none of them stepped forward.

Biting his lips and deciding to push through since he has already ridden the proverbial tiger's back, he said:

"Yes, I believe it isn't..."

"Oh?" A clear amusement could be heard from Willow's voice. "Can you elaborate on that? Because I could've sworn that it was also you who said that we have no clear understanding of all Void Creatures. It was also you who said that most of them still answer to their instincts. Yet when asked, you also believe that this reaction isn't instinctual."

"Which, if I might add, was the very thing we were alluding to before you decided to open your mouth to state and share your...'wisdom'...with us. But I digress..."

"I'd like to hear more about why 'you' believe that this 'isn't an instinctual reaction. Where does this 'belief' of yours come from? Is it backed up by any scientific research? Hours upon hours of study? Is it a mere theory, or has it been proven? I'd truly like to hear more about it."

"And while we're at it, why don't 'you' tell us what exactly the translated words of the test subject are? Word for word, you know the drill; we can't be too careful. We are researchers, after all, and we only pursue the truth and data to understand the world around us."

"So please...step forward and begin explaining. I am 'very excited' to hear your 'wisdom,' if you're ever so generous to impart it with us...whoever you might be."

"..."

Chief Blackwood said and did nothing to stop his apprentice from confronting their visitor.

Sure, everybody knows that Willow was trying to pick a fight and was already cornering the fool, but his concerns were well within reason.

That fool just had to open his mouth and say some bullshit that even he doesn't understand himself. He dared to doubt one of their best translators around, yet his words contradict themselves.

If he's not a fool, then what is he? How the hell did he even land a position with the Occult Decoding Team with that behavior?

"...hmm, do you maybe need more time to express yourself? Do you need the system AI to help you create a speech or something, anything that might sound convincing? I can point you to one of the empty rooms within the lower floors of the building, if you want. I think that's better than you wasting all of our time here."

Willow's voice turned frigid at the end of his words before he turned around and began walking next to his master.

Anybody with a working brain cell could understand that Willow, and maybe Chief Blackwood too in extension, has completely dismissed the presence of the fool.

Of course, the fool wasn't feeling anything better. He felt extremely humiliated and ashamed that he just wanted to curl up to himself and die. If it were possible for his soul to crawl out of his body and leave this place immediately, never to show himself ever again in front of them, it would've happened by now.

Alas, he shot his own foot by opening his mouth. But of course, who likes admitting that they're at fault? Wouldn't it be easier to point fingers to make himself feel better?

Of course he would blame Cedric for all of this, because it is easier that way.

Unfortunately, though, his problems don't end here.

The fact that, from this point onwards, he will be isolated from all of this because he decided to be a smartass was a giant headache already.

He recalled his own master telling him to behave and be respectful, and he had done the complete opposite of it. His master will, for sure, hear about this.

His words practically invalidated the hard work of this branch of the team; of course, they would make a big deal out of this.

He's already dreading the punishment even before it came. Ah, damn this mouth of his, truly.

Why did he have to be born so...inferior? Why didn't he turn out special? Like that translator over there? Why was his 'All Speak' leagues above the rest? Will he even leave a mark in history after he's dead?

'Curse it all!'

Unable to endure the looks he's receiving, he marched away in shame, deciding to leave this building and this campsite altogether.

They all see him do this, but none of them stop him. If anything, they were glad that he's gone.

"Alright, now that the distraction's out of the way, what's our next course of action? Because I highly doubt that our dear test subject over here would stop squealing unless we return it to the void," Willow asked, his voice having gone back to its usual tone.

"Excuse me, can I ask something?" One of the researchers of other branches of the Occult Decoding Team raised a hand.

"What is it?"

"Do we have any equipment available that we can monitor its location and movement? Like a camera that records videos, snaps images, captures sounds, and could be tracked even in the depths of the True Abyssal Zone?"

"I like the way you think," Chief Blackwood replied, "but sadly, that level of technology is beyond us still, and not just specifically in this branch of the Border Patrol Guardians."

"If it makes you feel better, it's not like we haven't thought about it." The Chief continued, "In fact, we're already trying to develop something like that, because that would be immensely helpful to our cause, not limited to just monitoring any void creature we release. But like I said, every attempt we've made turned out to be duds so far."

As the chief was explaining this to the rest of the group, Willow turned to Cedric, who's been silent all this time. He saw him watching the test subject intently, and he figured that he must have been listening to its whining since then.

Willow nudged him and asked, "Hey, any bright ideas? Also, has it been saying anything else?"

"Ah, well... I can't offer any solution that you guys haven't thought about before. Plus, I'm new here, remember?" Cedric smiled wryly under his visor. "As for the whining, well..."

Willow took note of the long pause on Cedric's words. He didn't interrupt or distract him because he might be thinking of something.

"It keeps howling about this 'Queen,' and I can't help but be curious. 'Cause, you know...a Queen? They have hierarchy?"

Cedric then faced him and said, "Remember how it used to refer to itself as the 'King' of the Abyssal Death Valley? I was just wondering why it hadn't said anything about a 'Queen' or, at the very least, a spouse. You'd think that it would at least boast about that during our last confrontation, but it didn't, so that had me thinking."

Willow's eyes widened upon hearing this. And it wasn't just him. Chief Blackwood, as well as the rest of the researchers around, were listening intently to him too.

Cedric faced the wailing test subject once more and said:

"And...I don't know, maybe I'm just overthinking this, but its eyes...they're dull. It doesn't have its usual luster, if you know what I mean."

"It's like..."

"It's like being controlled." Chief Blackwood completed his words, his voice raising just a tad bit sharper than before. "Like it's instinctively trying to respond to something that's bigger than it and beyond its control!"

"Is it some form of a hive-mind response, then!?"