The Bee Dungeon

Belissar has always lived a peaceful life, if not a particularly easy one. Though he lost his parents, he was taken in by a kindly villager who taught him his life's calling: beekeeping. But one day the local lord's ruthless son, Ruckanos, comes to their humble village to claim his own tower, slaughtering everyone. Luckily for Belissar, as he lies dying with an arrow in his back, a tiny worker bee decides to interfere, and he wakes up not only alive but a whole new bee-ing.

Not long ago, all Belissar wanted was to be left in peace to tend his apiaries. But that ended when Ruckanos, the brutish son of the local lord, slaughtered his village to make way for his new tower. Rescued by a bee—who happened to be a core—the one-time beekeeper then became king of his own bee realm. Belissar quickly learned how to thrive not only as a leader but as a fighter, using his winged minions to battle the dreaded Hunger that threatens all life. Now, aided by the mystical bear folk who share their knowledge and wisdom with him, he must continue to grow.

Having one's entire village wiped out by a high-born brute and almost dying in the process would really put a damper on things for most people. But Belissar isn't most people. Not anymore. After being saved by a little lone bee core, he found himself with his own tower and gained not only legions of cherished, fanatically loyal pollinating minions but also a host of new powers, weapons, and warriors to protect his beloved hives.

As a kind-hearted beekeeper, young Belissar was never one to boast about anything. But after he was rescued by a beneficial bee core and gifted a tower, life has certainly exceeded his wildest expectations. In fact, he's become a serious contender in a world in which the unworthy very quickly become the unalived. And that's the ending a whole juggernaut of strong, nigh-eternal, highborn tower lords have in mind for Belissar. They're on the way, and they want him annihilated—along with everything he's ever created.