The Fae’s Gambit: Frost and Circuitry [LitRPG]

'Thought'

"Speech"

( This Chapter will be system heavy but this should be the last chapter for set up/explation in that regard.)

(Ivory POV)

The echo of the system message still hung in the air.

"We require more minerals."

I scoffed, a mix of frustration and disbelief bubbling inside me. "Did we seriously just get hit with a StarCraft resource warning?"

Jack, still hovering beside me, let out a breathless chuckle. "Yeah, and you look way too bothered by it."

I rubbed my temples, trying to wrap my head around it. ' I'd expected some kind of magical territory system, this was the Fair Lands, after all, a place built on stories and raw, chaotic magic. But this? This was something else. A full-blown resource management system? What kind of cosmic joke was this?'

Jack tilted his head, amusement flickering in his icy blue eyes. "Well, standing here won't get us more minerals. Let's see what we're working with."

I exhaled and pulled up the Faction Menu with a thought. A shimmering interface unfurled in my vision, translucent and edged with faint, light green light.

___________________________________________________

[Faction Menu: The Court of Frost and Chaos]

* Territory Map

*Resource Income

*Unit Management

*Evolution Tree (Locked)

*Court Upgrades

*Diplomatic Standing (Locked)

___________________________________________________

I immediately selected Territory Map if I was going to figure out how to expand this base and get some minerals, I needed to know where we stood. The display shifted, and before me a world map unfolded. It reminded me of Civ 6's hex-grid display a bird's-eye view of the surrounding landscape, darkened in a fog-of-war effect that blocked out everything beyond our immediate area. Only a few squares were revealed, the most obvious being a glowing purple tile, pulsating softly in the center of the map. A tooltip appeared above it:

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[Court of Frost and Chaos: (Core Territory)]

*Resource Production: +0.3 Minerals per Hour (via Zerg Creep)

*Influence Radius: 1 Tile

*Unit Cap: 10

*Defensive Rating: 1 (Minimal)

___________________________________________________

I narrowed my eyes. The .3 minerals per hour were something at least, but at that rate, it would take literal days to gather enough to evolve another larva. Meanwhile, the influence radius being limited to one tile meant our territory was barely a speck on this map.

Jack peered over my shoulder, which was weird considering he wasn't physical, but I didn't question it. "Huh. Not exactly an empire yet, huh?"

"No kidding," I muttered.

I zoomed in, looking at the terrain details of our one claimed tile. As I focused, the screen displayed more information.

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[Biome: Twilight Forest]

*Primary Features: Dense trees, small lake, fungal creep growth

*Terrain Effects: Zerg creep slowly spreads over natural ground, granting passive resource generation (+0.3 minerals/hour).

*Local Fauna: Unknown

*Hostile Presence: None

___________________________________________________

Jack clicked his tongue. "Alright, so we're in some magical deep woods, we barely make any minerals, and we have no idea what's around us. Solid start."

I hummed in agreement, zooming back out to view the unexplored lands. Unlike our purple square, the rest of the hexes were darkened, obscured by swirling mist. Only the vague shapes of the landforms were visible hints of rolling hills, mountain ridges, and what looked like a river system further east.

Jack crossed his arms. "Looks like we're going to have to do some exploring if we want to expand."

"Agreed," I said. "But first, let's see what else this system has for us."

I backed out of the map and opened Resource Income. The numbers that popped up were, frankly, depressing.

___________________________________________________

[Current Resource Stockpile]

*Minerals: 0

*Vespene Gas: 0

*Supply Cap: 2/10 (Zerg Drones count as 1 food unit each)

___________________________________________________

"Well, that explains why we can't make another Drone," Jack said. "We're flat broke."

"Not just broke," I grumbled. "We have no income besides the creep."

Jack whistled. "This is starting to feel a lot less like ruling a magical court and a lot more like managing a startup in a recession."

I groaned. "Tell me about it."

Alright, this wasn't going to work. If I was going to establish a proper court, I needed ways to gather resources faster. I tapped the Court Upgrades section, hoping for answers.

___________________________________________________

[Court Upgrades (Available at Lair Stage)]

*Expand Influence Radius (Cost: 120 Minerals)

*Establish Resource Nodes (Cost: 30 Minerals per Node)

*Upgrade Defensive Structures (Cost: 15 Minerals, 5 Vespene Gas)

*Build structure (Variable)

___________________________________________________

Every option was locked.

I clenched my jaw. "We can't even expand our land until we get at least ten minerals. And right now, we're getting half of one mineral per hour."

Jack made a face. "So… over twenty hours to get just one node? That's terrible."

"Yeah, no, I'm not waiting that long," I muttered. "There has to be another way." I froze, my eyes flickering over our surroundings.

The trees.

Jack followed my gaze and grinned. "Oh? Looks like we've got ourselves a deforestation project. "I rolled my shoulders, already opening the Unit Management tab. "Alright. Let's make our drones useful."

I exited the Court Upgrades section and moved to Unit Management.

Inside, I saw a breakdown of the only two units I had.

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[Zerg Drone Units (2/10 Cap)]

*Worker 01: Idle

*Worker 02: Idle

___________________________________________________

I selected both and hit the Harvest Trees option. The screen flickered, confirming their new objective. A secondary prompt popped up.

[Each Twilight Forest Tree harvested = +6 Minerals. Confirm Resource Extraction?]

Let's do it," I confirmed.

The drones responded instantly. The first one slithered out of the Hatchery's entrance, its float bladder humming with an eerie energy as it hovered low to the ground. The second followed close behind, their fleshy webbed appendages flicking outward as they moved. Jack and I watched them go, the creatures moving toward the tree line.

The Twilight Forest was dense, the trees twisted and gnarled, their bark a mix of deep purple and silver. Strange bioluminescent vines coiled around their trunks, faintly glowing in the dimming light. For a moment, I worried the drones wouldn't be able to process such alien material. But when they reached the first tree, the lead drone halted, assessed it… then extended both of its long, scythe-like limbs from its sides.

With an unsettling shhk, it sliced cleanly through the tree's base. The tree lurched, vines snapping, before toppling over with a heavy thud.

Jack whistled. "Well, damn. That was efficient."

The second drone moved in, using its appendages to break down the fallen trunk, stripping it into smaller, more manageable chunks. As they worked, the first drone picked up a processed chunk and brought it inside the hive, the moment it crossed the boundary of the entrance my Faction Menu updated.

[+2 Minerals Acquired.]

I felt an odd surge of satisfaction. I pulled the menu back up and issued the same command again harvesting another tree. The drones obeyed instantly, moving onto the next one, and within minutes, I saw another system prompt.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

An Hour and a half passes

The Faction Menu flickered in my vision, displaying our steadily growing stockpile.

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[Current Resource Stockpile]

*Minerals: 48

*Vespene Gas: 0

*Supply Cap: 2/10

___________________________________________________

The number was finally climbing, but not fast enough. The two drones were working at full capacity, moving from tree to tree with eerie precision, their float bladders humming softly as they hovered. Each time one of them sliced through a tree trunk, it sent a faint ripple of magic through the air—remnants of whatever enchantment once bound the trees to this land.

Jack hovered beside me, watching with a mix of amusement and curiosity. "Alright, I'll admit it, this is kinda cool. It's like watching tiny alien lumberjacks."

I rolled my eyes. "Tiny alien lumberjacks that are our only workforce."

[+2 Minerals Acquired.]

The number ticked up, and I didn't hesitate.

I opened Unit Management, selected the Hatchery, and hit Spawn Drone.

A deep, resonant hum pulsed through the Hatchery as the system acknowledged my command. The fleshy structure quivered, the pulsing creep around it thickening, and then, from one of the cocooned sacs lining the walls, a new Zerg larva twitched to life.

The cocoon split open, spilling the larva onto the Hatchery floor. It writhed, its slick, segmented body shifting as it absorbed the nutrients of the creep beneath it. And then the larva began to change, its soft form hardening, elongating. Within moments, it rose, its newly formed limbs twitching as it took its first breath in this world.

Jack let out a low whistle. "That is never not gonna be weird."

I smirked. "Welcome to the workforce, little guy."

I immediately issued the new Drone its first task scouting for alternative resource deposits. The trees had been good, but the slow trickle of minerals was still holding us back. If we were going to expand, I needed more options.

The new Drone floated forward, undulating through the air as it skimmed the ground. After about ten minutes, it reached a cluster of large boulders nestled at the edge of the clearing. Unlike the trees, they weren't enchanted—just raw, dense rock formations likely rich in trace minerals.

I checked the Faction Menu as a notification sounded out.

[New Resource Node Discovered: Twilight Forest Boulders (+1 Mineral per Extraction/+3 per hour with extractor)]

It wasn't much, but every bit counted. I reassigned two Drones to continue logging while the new one got close to the boulders before its mouth seemed to whirl and start to grind against the boulders.

Jack watched as the Drone carved through the rock "Y'know, the way they just… do what you say without hesitation is kinda terrifying."

I smirked. "That's what makes them the best."

Minutes passed, and our mineral count steadily climbed. By the time our stockpile hit 200 minerals, I knew it was time. I pulled up the Court Upgrades tab and selected our first real Zerg structure.

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[Spawning Pool (Cost: 200 Minerals, 1 Drone Required)]

*Type: Biological Structure

*Tier: Basic

*Function: Unit Production

*A large, organic pit filled with thick, bioluminescent fluid, the Spawning Pool serves as the foundation for early-stage Zerg military production. Pulsing with unstable genetic material, it accelerates the evolutionary process of Zerg larvae, allowing them to metamorphose into Zerglings swift, lethal frontline warriors. The pool's fleshy walls pulse rhythmically, secreting a viscous substance that enhances biological adaptation and unit replication.

*Passive Effect: Creep Generation – The Spawning Pool enhances the spread of creep, strengthening the territorial hold of the Zerg.

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Jack raised an eyebrow. "Alright, and what exactly does a Spawning Pool do?"

I turned to him. "It lets us make Zerglings."

Jack blinked. "Oh. Well. That's terrifying."

I grinned. "Yep."

I selected Worker 02 and issued the command. The Drone twitched, acknowledging the order. Then, without hesitation, it glided toward the center of the clearing, the creep beneath it pulsating in response to its new directive.

The Drone came to a halt at the chosen site. Then, with eerie deliberation, it folded in on itself, its limbs tucking inward as its body began to swell.

Jack recoiled. "Wait, what the hell is it—"

The Drone burrowed into the creep, its form twisting, and reshaping. Within seconds, the ground itself warped, flesh-like tendrils unraveling as the Spawning Pool began to form. Thick, pulsing membranes stretched outward, congealing into a grotesque, organic basin filled with swirling, bioluminescent fluid. The structure shuddered, solidifying layer by layer, its chitinous walls darkening as it grew minute by minute.

I felt the psionic link strengthen a deep, instinctual awareness settling into my mind.

A new system message popped up.

[Spawning Pool Constructed. Zergling Evolution Now Available.]

Jack was staring at the structure, eyes narrowed. "I'm gonna be real with you, Ivory. That thing looks like a boss arena."

I laughed, stepping closer. "That's the point."

I could feel the potential radiating from it. The Spawning Pool pulsed like a living heart, its bioluminescent glow casting eerie shadows across the creep-covered ground. It was warm beneath my feet, subtly shifting as if the entire structure was adjusting to my presence. My mind still hummed with the echoes of its creation, the psionic link between myself and the hive tightening like strands of an intricate web.

Jack stood beside me, arms crossed, his spectral form flickering slightly as he observed our new organic war machine. "Alright," he mused, "What now?"

_______________________________________________

[Court Upgrades (Available at Lair Stage)]

*Expand Influence Radius (Cost: 120 Minerals)

*Establish Resource Nodes (Cost: 30 Minerals per Node)

*Upgrade Defensive Structures (Cost: 15 Minerals, 5 Vespene Gas)

*Build structure (Variable)

________________________________________________

My eyes flicked to the Expand Influence Radius option. I selected it, and the territory map appeared, displaying our single hex tile in glowing purple.

Jack hovered over my shoulder. "Yeah, still pitifully small."

I tapped the expansion option, and the tile directly adjacent to our court brightened.

[Court Territory Expanded. Influence +1 Tile.]

It wasn't much, but the Creep responded immediately, writhing as it spread into the newly acquired ground.

Jack watched with mild fascination. "That stuff moves fast."

"It has to," I said, watching the pulsating bio-organic carpet stretch outward, claiming more land for the Court. The deeper my influence grew, the more I could feel the Fair Lands pushing back as if some invisible force was aware of what I was doing but it didn't stop me.

I pulled up the Faction Menu again and checked our Resource Stockpile.

________________________________

[Current Resource Stockpile]

*Minerals: 60

*Vespene Gas: 0

*Supply Cap: 2/10

_________________________________

I tapped Spawn Drone, using 50 minerals to create another worker unit. The Hatchery's core rippled, birthing another squirming larva that quickly metamorphosed into a third Drone. The fresh unit immediately took off toward the mineral deposits, joining the others in munching away at the boulders.

Jack gave me a sideways glance. "That brings us to three drones mining, plus the trees we've got left. Think that'll be enough to start actual production?"

"It's a start," I said, but my mind was already calculating ahead. We had one military structure and it was time to use it.

After hours of resource extraction, the moment we reached 200 minerals I pulled up the Faction Menu again. It was time. I selected Spawn Zerglings from the Spawning Pool. The system asked how many I wanted and I selected 2 eggs.

__________________________________________________________________

[Zergling (Cost: 100 Minerals per Egg)]

*Type: Light Biological Unit

*Tier: Basic Infantry

*Function: Swarm Tactics, Fast Assault

*A small, hyper-aggressive predator, the Zergling is the backbone of the Swarm's ground forces. Born from accelerated evolution, these creatures are engineered for speed, ferocity, and overwhelming numbers. With razor-sharp claws, hardened chitin plating, and an instinctual pack mentality, Zerglings excel at hit-and-run tactics and swarming larger, slower enemies.

* Passive Effect: Pack Instinct– All Zerglings spawn in pairs per larva. Causing Zergling units to share the same population cap.

__________________________________________________________________

The Spawning Pool churned, the thick, pulsing membranes of the incubation sacs swelling as the creatures within thrashed against their organic confines. The moment stretched, tension thick in the air, as Jack and I stood at the edge of the structure, watching.

Then, in an almost violent burst, the cocoons ruptured. A sickly, wet tearing sound echoed through the Hatchery as two Zerglings spilled onto the ground, their chitinous hides gleaming under the faint bioluminescence of the creep. Their muscles twitched, legs adjusting to movement as they pushed themselves up, their needle-sharp talons clicking against the organic floor. They were perfectly normal Zerglings no strange mutations, no eerie fae influence. Just pure, unfiltered ferocity, exactly as they were meant to be.

Before I could react, the Spawning Pool pulsed again. Two more cocoons shuddered and split apart, and another pair of Zerglings tumbled out, completing the unit of four.

Jack blinked. "Huh. I thought we only spawned two?"

I checked the system messages before reading the passive effects of the Zerglings letting out a slow breath in realization. I turned back to my newborn creatures. They stood completely still, watching me. Their heads twitched, their elongated skulls gleaming under the dim light. Their bodies were lean and lethal, built for nothing but speed and slaughter. The moment I thought of giving an order, I felt their response in my mind.

They were connected to me. Not like the drones where my commands were issued like a director to an actor but in a way that felt instinctual. They waited. Ready.

Jack's expression shifted, his easygoing smirk flickering with something more serious. "You're telling me these things are just… waiting for you to sic them on something?"

I nodded slowly. "They don't need instructions like the drones. They already know what they're meant to do."

Jack exhaled. "Yeah, that's not terrifying at all."

I smirked, but my attention remained locked on the Zerglings.

The four Zerglings stood in perfect formation, their clawed feet pressing into the creep, chitinous hides glistening under the faint glow of the Hatchery's bioluminescent light. Their muscles twitched, heads shifting ever so slightly as if detecting subtle vibrations in the air. Even in stillness, they radiated raw predatory intent, like a pack of starving wolves waiting for the signal to strike.

I barely had to think before they moved.

"Scout to the south. Test the local wildlife."

The moment my mental command hit the psionic link, the Zerglings snapped into action.

They didn't move like normal animals.

There was no hesitation, no wasted motion. One second they were still silent, waiting the next, they were sprinting forward in perfect unison, claws digging into the living carpet of creep, their spined backs rippling as they surged toward the tree line.

Jack, watching from beside me, let out a low whistle. "I gotta be honest, that was… unsettling."

I smirked. "Yeah? You'll learn to love them in time but We're only getting started."

Jack huffed but said nothing as we turned back toward the Faction Menu. If I was going to keep producing units, I needed to increase our population cap. I scrolled through the Unit Management tab, quickly selecting the Overlord option.

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[Overlord (Cost: 50 Minerals)]

*Type: Recon & Detection Unit

*Tier: Support

*Function: Surveillance, Stealth Detection, Population Expansion

*A massive, hyper-specialized aerial organism, the Overlord serves as the watchful eye of the Swarm. Engineered for detection and battlefield reconnaissance, it drifts through the air using an internal gas bladder, scanning the land below with mutated sensory clusters. While lacking any combat ability, its heightened psionic awareness allows it to uncover stealthed or invisible threats.

*Passive Effect: Hive Nexus: Expands the Swarm's unit cap, allowing for the creation of additional forces.

Psionic Surveillance – The Overlord enhances the hive's battlefield awareness, increasing detection radius and reaction speed for nearby Zerg forces.

__________________________________________________________________

A new larva wriggled free, its pale, slug-like form twisting as it moved toward the center of the creep. Then, the evolutionary process began.

Its body distended, growing rapidly as its exoskeleton thickened, translucent sacs forming along its length. Its head folded inward, replaced by bulbous sensor organs, the beginnings of mutated optical clusters.

Jack made a face. "I don't know what's worse watching these things grow, or knowing that they already know exactly what to do the second they hatch."

I crossed my arms. "Efficiency. The Zerg don't waste time figuring things out. They exist with a purpose already built into them."

Jack shook his head. "That's what makes them terrifying."

I couldn't argue with that.

A system notification pinged, alerting us that it would take 2 minutes for the Overlord to finish hatching, leaving us enough time to ponder the next move.

Jack and I moved toward the edge of the Hatchery, where the creep met the grasslands. The further we expanded, the more I could feel the land itself—its magic, its resistance, slowly fighting the spread of the creep.

I brought up the territory map again, scanning our limited view of the world.

Jack floated beside me, arms crossed. "Alright. If we're gonna find actual civilization, where do you think it'd be?"

I exhaled, considering the geography. "If we're going off basic logic, settlements tend to form around major resources—rivers, trade routes, defensible positions."

Jack pointed to the faint outline of a river east of us. "That looks promising. If people exist around here, they'd need water."

I nodded. "Agreed. The other option is the mountain range to the north. High ground, defensible, possibly home to more supernatural creatures."

Jack hummed. "Sounds like a pain in the ass."

I smirked. "Which means it's probably exactly where we'll have to go eventually."

We both fell silent for a moment, contemplating the expanding map. The Fair Lands were vast, their territories shifting based on magical influence, seasonal change, and who controlled what.

I had no idea where the nearest fae court or mortal city was.

But I knew one thing for certain.

'They'll know we're here soon enough.'

[+1 Vespene Gas Acquired.]

I blinked. That was unexpected.

Jack noticed my confusion. "Wait, we weren't mining gas, were we?"

I shook my head. "No. Which means…"

We turned back toward the Hatchery, searching for the source of the notification. Then we saw them.

The Zerglings moved with eerie precision, dragging their fresh kill across the creep, their talons clicking against the organic ground. The deer's lifeless body trailed behind them, its throat torn open, its still-warm flesh streaked with deep claw marks.

Jack and I just stared.

"Uh…" Jack finally broke the silence, pointing. "Did we… tell them to do that?"

I shook my head, watching as the Zerglings dragged their prize inside the Hatchery, their movements uncaring. "No. I told them to scout and test the local wildlife, not drag it home."

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[Current Resource Stockpile]

*Minerals: 87

*Vespene Gas: 1

*Supply Cap: 5/18

__________________________________________________________________

Jack leaned over my shoulder. "How the hell does a deer equal Vespene Gas?"

I frowned. "No idea."

We both turned back to the Hatchery, watching as the Zerglings dropped the deer's body near the organic walls. The creep pulsed, tendrils slithering up from beneath the flesh-like ground, pulling the corpse deeper inside. The deer's lifeless body lay half-submerged in the creep, its once-vibrant eyes now dull, glassy orbs staring into nothing. Tendrils of biomass had already begun absorbing the corpse, the organic ground pulsing rhythmically as it fed on the remains.

For a moment, I thought about dissecting the process, trying to understand how a dead animal somehow converted into a gas normally found in geysers. But the more I thought about it, the less sense it made.

'And that? That was frustrating.'

Jack ran a hand through his white hair, sighing. "So, what? Did it just… decide the deer was gas now?"

I exhaled slowly. "Maybe the Zerg have a way of breaking things down differently here. The Fair Lands don't follow normal physics—maybe that means the Zerg don't either."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe this whole thing is a cosmic joke."

"Could be," I admitted.

A low rumble shook the Hatchery interrupting the conversation, followed by a wet, gurgling noise from outside.

Jack and I turned just in time to see the overlord emerge.

The Hatchery's upper carapace split open, releasing a thick cloud of steam as something massive crawled forth.

The Overlord was unlike any other Zerg I'd seen so far—where the Zerglings were compact and feral, this creature was massive, its bloated body hovering effortlessly above the creep. Its entire form pulsed with eerie, bioluminescence, and translucent sacs filled with chemical-rich fluids hung from its underside, shifting with each slow, deliberate movement.

It had no claws, no weapons, no mandibles—just a cluster of writhing optical tendrils alongside massive eyes set in its body, each twitching and scanning its surroundings like a watchful sentinel. Jack took a slow step back, his gaze locked onto the thing as it lazily drifted upward, gaining altitude until it began to orbit the Hatchery like a satellite.

The Overlord pulsed, its sensor tendrils writhing as if acknowledging our presence. I felt its connection to me, a strange but familiar awareness, like a new set of eyes added to my vision.

It wasn't like the Zerglings who moved like predators awaiting my orders. No, The Overseer was something else entirely. It wasn't waiting for me to command it. It was simply… watching. Observing.

Like a silent, living sentinel, ensuring that nothing went unseen in my growing domain.I exhaled, closing my eyes briefly trying to center myself against the new stimuli.

I opened my eyes, glancing toward Jack. "Let's see just how far we can push this."

Jack smirked. "Now you're speaking my language."

I turned back toward the territory map, mind racing with possibilities.