Regalia wiped her mouth after taking another sip of water. Her fingers shook around the pouch.
"Thank you... Ari."
"It's nothing," Ari said.
His eyes moved across the gathered ants. One broke a piece of berry in half and passed it to the ant beside him. Another scraped the last berry piece from the ground into his palm.
Ari glanced down at the bag in his hands. His fingers tightened around the pouch.
"Don't worry," Gor said.
Ari turned toward him.
"We've survived worse."
Ari looked away from Gor and turned toward Regalia.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did it come to this? How did your entire colony end up as prisoners of Zyroth?"
Regalia lowered her head. Around them, the other ants began gathering closer. One limped forward before lowering himself onto the hard earth. Another wrapped an arm around a companion's shoulders.
Regalia pressed her lips together. Her fingers curled against her knees.
"It started... nearly three winters ago."
She paused, staring at the ground.
"Our colony was small compared to the others in the region, but we were thriving. My mother, Queen Elira, ruled over us. She believed strength came from unity."
Regalia's eyes shifted toward the ants gathered around her.
"We gathered food, expanded our colony, and raised our young. We avoided unnecessary conflicts and focused on keeping everyone safe."
"But everything changed one winter."
Regalia's fingers dug into the ground.
"Zyroth arrived with his generals. They demanded that we surrender our colony and submit to their rule."
She paused, her jaw tightening.
"My mother refused."
"Zyroth didn't accept her answer. His forces stormed our colony, tearing through our defenses."
Regalia's voice faltered. She lowered her head.
"By the time it was over... almost everyone was dead."
Ari's fingers curled into a fist.
"I see," he said.
"Back then, Zyroth had a specific reason for conquering other colonies," Gor said.
Ari turned toward him.
"He wanted slaves to build this fortress."
"They overwhelmed us. We fought with everything we had, but even our strongest soldiers couldn't stop them."
Regalia's hands tightened against her knees.
Ari glanced at Gor. His fist was clenched, and his eyes remained fixed on the ground.
"After most of our soldiers had fallen, Zyroth's generals gave us two choices. Surrender or die."
Regalia took a shaky breath.
"But my mother refused to give in. She wouldn't surrender our colony, and she wouldn't let them decide our fate."
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"So they killed her. Right in front of all of us."
"After that, our colony had nothing left. Zyroth's forces rounded us up and brought us here. Those who were strong enough were forced to work. Those who were too young or too old..."
Her voice trailed off. She pressed her lips together.
Ari raised his hand.
"That's enough. I understand where this is going."
"But somehow..." Ari's voice lowered. "After everything you've been through, you're still here. Even after all those days of being forced to work, you haven't given up. That's something to be proud of."
Regalia's eyes widened. She shook her head and glanced toward Gor.
"If it weren't for Gor, I don't think I would've made it this far."
Gor shifted his gaze toward her.
"He was the one who kept me going when I wanted to give up."
Ari turned toward the bulky ant. Dust coated Gor's shoulders, and grime covered his face.
"You're not just an ordinary worker, are you?"
"You're right," Gor said.
"I was a lieutenant in Queen Elira's army."
Ari's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"When Queen Elira ordered the final evacuation, she entrusted me with protecting the princess at all costs. But when the plan fell apart..."
Gor's arms tightened against his chest.
"I lost my chance to get her out. After that, I blended in with the workers to avoid drawing attention to myself."
"And you managed to keep her alive all this time?" Ari asked quietly.
"Barely," Gor replied.
"It wasn't easy. Food was scarce, and they beat us whenever we slowed down. I had to save whatever food I could find for her. I made sure she never had to carry the heaviest loads, and whenever I could, I took the punishment meant for her."
Regalia lowered her head. Her hands came together in front of her.
"Thank you so much for everything you've done for me, Gor. I'm truly grateful."
Regalia turned toward Ari and bowed her head.
"And thank you, Ari. We owe you so much."
"Don't thank me just yet," Ari said.
He stood up and looked toward the ants gathered around them.
"Even if you escape this place and rebuild your colony, do you really think Zyroth will let you live in peace?"
Ari paused.
"He conquered your colony once. If he finds out you've escaped, he'll come to finish what he started."
"Then what should we do?" Regalia asked.
"For now, just go back to what you were doing."
Ari pointed a thumb toward his chest.
"Leave the rest to me. I'll take care of what I came here to do. If I win, you'll all be free. You can leave this place, find somewhere safe, and rebuild your colony."
He turned toward Regalia.
"And you'll be at the center of it all as their queen."
Regalia's hands shook. She glanced at Gor before looking back at Ari.
"But their strength... It's terrifying."
"Do you really think you can defeat Zyroth and his generals?"
"I don't know."
Ari raised his eyes toward the sky. A breeze passed through the clearing, stirring his hair and rustling the leaves overhead.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the fortress corridors.
Valeria led the way, her feet striking the stone floor. Brooks followed close behind, with Lily, Beatrice, Isla, and Lancelot keeping pace.
Lancelot glanced over his shoulder before looking ahead again.
"Captain! We've got incoming!"
Valeria's feet scraped against the stone floor. She pivoted, leaned forward, and burst into a sprint.
Both mandibles slid free from their sheaths.
A dozen grasshopper soldiers charged toward them, their four mandibles in hand.
"Kill them all!" one shouted.
The first one swung at Valeria.
She lowered her shoulder and slipped beneath his attack. Her right mandible flashed upward.
Shlk!
His arm spun away and struck the floor.
"AAAAH!"
He staggered backward, clutching his shoulder as blood dripped between his fingers.
Valeria left mandible swept across the chest of another grasshopper.
Shink!
He collapsed at her feet.
A group of grasshoppers rushed her at once.
Valeria lowered her stance.
In the next instant, she shot forward.
Silver arcs streaked through the corridor as Valeria's mandibles flashed between the grasshoppers.
Then she stopped.
Her back was turned toward the remaining grasshoppers. Both mandibles hung at her sides.
For a brief moment, nobody moved.
Thud!
One after another, the grasshoppers collapsed.
Isla's eyes widened. Her fingers tightened around her weapon.
No way... She took down all of them without even breaking a sweat.
So this is what Captain Valeria is capable of when she stops holding back...
Valeria flicked both mandibles. Blood droplets scattered across the floor before she slid the blades back into their sheaths.
She glanced over her shoulder.
"Let's move."
They continued through the fortress corridors.
When they reached a narrow passage, Valeria raised her hand. The others immediately followed her lead, crouching behind a stone wall.
Several grasshopper soldiers approached.
"Stay on high alert! Intruders have entered the fortress!"
One of them scoffed.
"I heard they were just ants. Isn't it a bit excessive to deploy all of us?"
"Reports say over seventy-nine grasshoppers are dead, and the number is still climbing. Those aren't ordinary ants."
The soldiers continued down the corridor, their footsteps gradually fading.
Valeria waited until the sound disappeared before releasing a slow breath.
"All right. Listen up."
She glanced at each member of the group.
"Thanks to the distraction Helena's soldiers provided, we can proceed with our mission. However..."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Zyroth's four generals are still inside the fortress. Sooner or later, we're bound to run into them."
Isla swallowed.
"If you encounter any of them, try to escape and lose them. Their strength is overwhelming. If you attempt to fight, you'll end up dead."
Lily raised her hand in a quick salute.
"I'll try to remember that, Captain!"
Beatrice pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Please take this more seriously."
Brooks glanced between them.
"So, what's the plan?"
"We'll split into three groups."
Valeria pointed toward Brooks and Lancelot.
"Brooks and Lancelot will be Group One."
She shifted her finger toward the others.
"Lily, Beatrice, and Isla will be Group Two."
Beatrice's lips parted.
"Wait. That means...You're going alone?"
"That's right."
"But, Captain—"
"I've already made my decision."
Valeria's gaze sharpened.
"Aside from Brooks, the rest of you would only slow me down. This battle is different from the others. I can't protect you and fight at the same time."
Lily tilted her head.
"Are you sure you want to do this alone, Captain?"
"Considering our situation, we don't have much of a choice."
Valeria folded her arms.
"More importantly, we haven't seen Ari since entering the fortress. That means they haven't found him yet. Keep an eye out for him."
"I doubt he's even in the fortress," Beatrice said. "He probably got cold feet."
"No."
Valeria shook her head.
"From the moment I met him, he never once backed down, even when the situation seemed hopeless. He's here. You'll see him soon enough."
Lily smiled.
"You know she's right, Betty."
Beatrice's eyebrow twitched.
"Stop calling me that."
Valeria turned toward the passage ahead.
"Let's move. We'll free the princess and put an end to Zyroth's reign."
The others nodded.
Without another word, the three groups split up and disappeared into different corridors.