The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 905: ’You Smell Divine’

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Previously on The hivemind is conquering for me?...
The protagonist and Nerissa hold the line against charging Drakoshi, while Skaja provides support. The battlefield is chaotic, with Nymphs clearing bodies and defensive walls holding strong. An Emoth Silver pauldron attempts a suicidal charge but is killed by plasma fire. Alex Zeva racks up kills with her plasma cannon, considering future expenses. Skaja observes the battle's progress, noting the emergence and quick death of a Drakoshi warlord. As the fighting intensifies, the Praetorians unleash their Psionic powers to create a massive opening, and the protagonist orders his elites to exploit it.

The fighting that commenced, if you could call it that, wasn’t even close. While the Spartari side did take some casualties during the engagement, the amount of Drakoshi being butchered left right and centre made it a rarity at this point.

It was a bloodbath. After the initial charge, the Drakoshi just kept getting pushed further and further backwards. Zircon cut through one, then another and another. I didn’t even have to worry about defence at this point as the Praetorians I was fighting alongside were acting like living shields with their presence.

Zircon found the neck of an armoured Drakoshi, blood began to pour and made a popping sound as an airtight seal was formed around her blade. As I pulled her out I heard the Drakoshi’s death rattle gurgle on for a few more seconds before hearing nothing.

Silence.

Except for the sound of dying, except for the sound of cheering behind me. There was no sound. No enemy. Just a sea of death. The Drakoshi had fought. The Drakoshi had lost.

Spartari had won.

...

The following day was a blur. Taking the orbital cannon was trivial at that point, there was no defence. The Drakoshi’s boomsticks on the walls stayed silent as we approached. Once the gun was ours, the navy had free reign of the planet. Bombing every last scrap of Drakoshi resistance they could find without having to send a single unit to the location until they knew it was safe.

With not much for us, the Psionic elites, to do at this point, we made our way back to Fort Amberrock. Once there, there were already preparations made for them to leave, making it time for me to say farewell.

The first one I spoke to was Skaja. "I’m sorry." I said, confusing her.

"What for?"

"Well, you tried to make me the leader and I kept running away leaving you in charge. Honestly, it was the best choice in my opinion, you are clearly the better leader anyway. Putting up with your feud with Serena for so long proved that."

Skaja then proceeded to look at me like I was a moron and replied, "Apollo, are you a moron? I was happy to act the way I did because you were leading from the front. Risking your life for the safety of the rest of the squad. Trust me, most of my squad are from my world, Vallaheimr. The way you have acted, the way you have led. As a true War leader should. I have been honoured to play the role needed for the mission while you have non stop taking the fight to the enemy. So don’t apologise anymore. We have won."

She then closed the distance between us and placed her hand on my upper arm. "A shame you are forced to leave us here. The parties after war tend to get pretty wild." She then leaned up on her tip toes and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Hopefully I won’t have to wait long to see you again, Apollo. You are quite the unique one and I know I want to see more of you in my life, now excuse me, but I need to go and check the rest of the troops to make sure they aren’t smuggling anything back they shouldn’t, or, making sure they don’t have the good stuff, that’s for me."

"See you around Skaja, you and my other friend. It has been my honour getting to know you both."

Skaja gave me a final nod and began to jaunt away to the ship they were departing in.

I watched her for a moment before feeling a hand wrap around my waist and a male voice speak up. "Hot piece of ass, that Skaja. Wouldn’t you say, Sentinel?"

I pulled away from the uncomfortable way the man was now leaning against me and replied, "Morrgan. Don’t talk about one of your leaders that way behind their back." I scolded at which point the man laughed.

"Oh Apollo, you are such a goody goody. I can’t believe you are strong enough to take on a Warlord and win single handily. I mean I can believe it, you are strong and an even more hot piece of ass than Skaja, but you are such a prude at times. It doesn’t fit the whole ’might makes right’ air about you."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I just don’t like talking about people behind their backs if I can help it. That doesn’t mean- Hey, wait a second, I swore I heard you died at Amberrock?" I suddenly remembered. When I was fighting the warlord, a good portion of the elites died and I swore I saw his name on the casualty list.

Morrgan placed his hand on his chest and gasped. "Me? Apollo, what do you take me for? I am built out of hardier stuff, you know this. To think, after all that alone time we shared in the bunker; you think that I would be killed off in a little siege... How uncouth of you."

"Sorry Morrgan, I must have read it wrong. Forgive me. I am of course glad you are alive."

"Prove it..." He said, folding his arms away and pouting.

"How would you like me to prove it?" I asked, and immediately regretted asking as a glint passed in his eye that made it look like it changed colours for a second.

"How about a hug? A proper hug. A farewell hug?"

I sighed, the man was a little intense with his... Appeal for me, but he was still a good guy as I had come to know. I found no reason to refute and extended my arms to the side. "Come on then."

Morrgan gasped, like he didn’t expect me to agree before jumping at me. He pulled me into a tight hug and began to squeeze, very hard.

So hard I was surprised to find my bones creak as he lifted me off the ground. I began to apply my Gyrokinesis to help myself down and only after going eight times over the local gravity did my feet touch the ground again.

’Stronger than I thought for sure.’ I couldn’t help thinking. I then jolted, my thoughts being taken elsewhere as Morrgan let out a sigh of comfort.

"Hey... Morrgan?"

"Yes Apollo?" He basically sang out.

"Can you... Kindly remove your hands from my rear?" I asked.

"Are you sure?" He questioned, giving my glutes a single squeeze.

"Quite certain." I replied, looking around.

"Fine~ But only because you asked nicely and now I have something to think about on the way home." He said, giving me a wink after he pulled away.

"Ok then Apollo, I’ll leave you and those hams of yours alone, till the next time we meet of course, take care." He said, giving me another wink before walking away in the opposite direction of the ship.

"Hey, Morrgan." I called out, he turned around.

"What? Want more already?" He asked.

I shook my head, vehemently before pointing with my thumb behind me. "The ship is there, where are you going?"

Morrgan shook his head. "Well, I didn’t plan on making it the world’s business, but I have to take a tinkle. Don’t worry, I won’t be missing my ticket off this planet, I promise you that."

I mouthed an ’Ah.’ And was about to turn away to let the man go and do his thing, but before I did, he raised his voice.

"Oh! Apollo, one more thing!" He paused for some reason, looking confused and slightly annoyed by something. So I just asked,

"Yeah?"

His annoyance disappeared and his lips then curled upwards into what I unfortunately imagined was a lewd smile. " I just thought you should know. You smell outright divine up close... Toodles!"

I felt my hair stand on end as the man said that. I went to ask him just what he meant by that, but I lost him, he vanished.

I decided after a few moments not to panic. I think he was just flirting again. I recalled some interactions with the mercenaries at the start of last year, they knew some stuff about the term god and stuff, they were more worldly. Divine might still be used here and there, just not in the same context as I am thinking off.

For my sanity, I decided that was what he meant. No, it was what he meant.

...

’Idiots! Complete utter idiots!’ Morrigan shouted at herselves as she walked through Amberrock unnoticed.

’I couldn’t help it! He is so fun to tease. And you smelled it on him, just as I did. The man is just on the path of divinity! How fun is that?’

’I am glad he is. We need more long lived friends to play with.’

Morrigan was seething at herself. Especially a certain horny voice. But she couldn’t fault herself either. She knew there was a reason that aspect of her got a lot of control when around Apollo. His mind was delicious and so was his body.

She pushed the thought aside. She could think about that later, for now she made her way to a cargo loading bay where a figure was waiting for her outside a small ship used to carry rations and other such goods.

As she approached, the woman looked her up and down cautiously before Morrigan spoke. "Clementine. Banana. Cattywampus."

"You?" The woman asked, confused. "I was told I was escorting a woman to Coalition-"

"Keep. Your. Voice. Down. Idiot." Morrigan spoke coldly and the woman shut her lips as Morrigan passed into the ship.

The pilot followed behind and closed up the ramp behind them.

"Take off your clothes." Morrigan stated as she, or rather, he still at the moment began to do the same.

The pilot was told to follow every single order to a letter no matter what, so with a gulp she did, turning away to save as much dignity as she could. To make the process less awkward she spoke.

"So, I assume you have a plan for getting past the life sign and biometric scanners? I am supposed to be the only one on board during take-off after all."

A few seconds later, she heard a voice that made her shudder, it was her own. "Yes, darling. I have thought of everything. Don’t worry about that little detail."

The pilot turned around hastily and her eyes went wide. She was standing before herself, a naked version of herself, only the smile on her own face was one she had never made a day in her life.

"Don’t worry girly, your family will still be compensated, the Coalition are many things, but they are honourable. Try to slip away into the next as fast as possible, ok?"

Before the woman could react she felt a fire and a cold sensation on her neck before her vision turned blackness and then nothing.

Morrigan looked down at her body, checking out every little detail. "Perky! MMhh~ I missed being in a feminine body too much. I will just take those clothes you graciously put to the side for me, thank you very much!"

Morrigan then got dressed, humming jovially as she thought of all the fun she has had in the last few months. As she began prepping the ship for flight, she was smilling. SHe hadn’t expected to have so much fun with her recon target. Of course, she wouldn’t be telling the Seer everything about what she has seen, heard and done, just enough for her pay.

She owed Apollo a debt bigger than anything the Seer could give her after all. Because of him she was quite rapidly getting access to all her former strength. She was still far away from what she once was, but his Gene enhancements had unlocked the door to her past and future. All she had to do now was enjoy the present a little bit more...

Especially since Apollo will be coming right back to her in a matter of days...

"Oh I wonder how I will break the ice! This is going to be so much fun!"