"Alright, everyone, listen up." Ari's legs scraped against the packed soil as he shifted his weight, sending a faint crunch through the leaf litter. "Everything is in place for the invasion attempts that will happen today."
He raised his antennae, scanning the assembled soldiers. "As we speak, your scouting team is on their way to locate the rival colony." A bead of sweat rolled along the ridge of his carapace in the humid morning air.
He paused, letting the distant rustle of leaves settle before continuing. "Once they give the signal, everyone will get into position and prepare to defend our colony."
A few murmurs rippled through the assembled ants, the soft scraping of legs against the dirt filling the brief pause.
"He may not be one of us, but… he's okay, I guess." A military ant shifted his weight from one leg to the other, antennae flicking with caution, his tone grudging but respectful.
"I still can't believe I'm taking orders from him. If this is a trap, I swear I'll kill him myself," muttered Valeria.
She crouched low beside her squad, the hilts of her sheathed mandibles resting against her sides. The sharp, earthy scent of damp soil pressed against her senses as she adjusted herself, keeping her exoskeleton flush with the ground.
Her squad blended into the undergrowth, muscles tensed and limbs coiled, moving in silence along the edge of the battlefield. Every subtle vibration through the soil and every faint shift of air made her antennae twitch with alertness.
Above them, the scouts moved with precision along the tall stalks and twisted bark, limbs gripping tightly as they climbed until their silhouettes disappeared into the canopy. Moments later, sunlight reflected off their signaling shards—three quick bursts.
"So, there really is a colony in this direction. I didn't expect it to be this close to ours," Valeria whispered, her antennae flicking rapidly as she scanned the shadows.
She froze.
"What? I hear footsteps… Could it be…"
The rhythm of synchronized marching grew steadily louder. Tiny vibrations pulsed through the soil beneath her feet. Dust stirred as hundreds—no, thousands—of enemy ants swept through the underbrush, their exoskeletons glinting in dull brown. The ground shuddered with their weight, and the sharp metallic scent of their movements reached her senses even before they were fully visible.
"Their army is more than twice the size of ours. There's no way we can win," an ant muttered nervously beside her, his knees pressed tight into the dirt as he shifted uneasily in his crouch.
"Stay quiet. We don't want to mess this up early," Valeria hissed, her heart pounding against her exoskeleton. Her jaw clenched tight, and she peered carefully between the leaves, eyes narrowing as she tracked the enemy's movement. Her antennae flicked anxiously.
I hate to admit it, but he's right. We might not stand a chance—especially with a General-level ant in their ranks. But… I'm putting all my faith in Ari's plan. It's the only hope we've got. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't even know we were about to be invaded. What would have happened if we hadn't listened?
Valeria drew a slow, deliberate breath, the air cool against her face as she readied herself for what was coming.
"General Ivan, at our current pace, we should arrive at the colony in approximately three hours," reported a soldier near the front. His voice wavered slightly before he steadied it under Ivan's stare.
"That's good news. Based on the little but useful information Vladimir gave us, it's safe to say their army is like water in the desert compared to ours, which is like the sea," Ivan responded with cool confidence, his gaze locked forward. Each step he took was precise and controlled, and none of the soldiers dared fall out of rhythm.
"Not to mention he got some of their army to leave the colony, which decreased their strength significantly. And there's the fact that they know nothing about this. It's practically like taking berries from a little baby ant," another said, his smirk brittle, the edges of his voice betraying unease.
"Indeed, it is. Listen up, men. Be sure to take all their belongings and ransack the place. Leave no ant alive," Ivan said, his voice grinding like stone.
The soldiers froze for half a breath before answering. "Yes, sir!" they shouted, the sound thunderous but edged with fear.
Back on a tall stalk, a scout adjusted the reflective shard between his hands, angling it just right to catch the sunlight and flash the signal three times.
Ari narrowed his eyes. The sharp glint of light struck his face before fading, leaving a faint afterimage in his vision.
"Looks like they're close, and not only that—there are a lot of them since he flashed it three times," Ari said, his chest tightening as he exhaled.
He turned and raised his voice. Dust clung to his throat as he shouted, "They're closing in. Get ready, everyone. This will be the toughest battle you've faced."
The soldiers with him straightened. Exoskeletons creaked softly as they adjusted their stances, mandibles shifting in their sheaths.
The air turned heavy. Vibrations trembled faintly through the soil, steady and growing stronger with each passing moment. Antennae twitched across the line of waiting soldiers. At the colony's edge, clusters of defenders pressed shoulder to shoulder, their breathing tight and controlled.
Soon, the enemy arrived. General Ivan came to a stop, his legs sinking slightly into the loose dirt as he studied the silent colony ahead.
"I'm confused. Shouldn't there be worker ants all over the place at this time of day? This place is too quiet. And what's with that wall? Something's off. I assume this is Vladimir's doing," Ivan said, his antennae twitching as his eyes swept over the still barricade.
The silence cracked apart with a roar.
"Charge!" a soldier from Queen Celeste's forces bellowed from behind the wall at the colony's entrance. The shout echoed, bouncing across the packed dirt and stone.
Ivan's jaw tightened before he barked, "Yes! It seems they expected us, but their army is so small it doesn't matter if they knew. No matter—we can still take them out. Go ahead and slaughter them all."
The line of soldiers in front of him crouched low, shoulders tense. Hands tightened around weapon hilts. Some flicked nervous glances toward each other instead of at the enemy. Their antennae shifted restlessly, betraying the fear etched across their faces.
Ivan's eyes narrowed, cold and sharp. "Remember why you're here. I gave you a choice. Don't make me regret it."
The words cut through them. Spines straightened. With fear driving their limbs, the army pushed forward—only to be struck at once by a sharp, coordinated assault from both flanks.
The enemy was surrounded.
"Stop! Hold your formation!" Ivan shouted, his command snapping across the field.
From the tall grass and shallow trenches, squads burst forward. Their movements were razor-sharp and silent, mandibles flashing as they struck into exposed sides. Blood splattered across the dirt. Screeches split the air. Exoskeletons cracked under heavy blows.
Then, as if on cue, they pulled back again—regrouping in tight crescent formations that curved around the enemy like closing jaws.
Ivan's eyes widened. For a moment, surprise flickered across his face before he smirked. "What the hell is this? I lost so many in the blink of an eye. Looks like this colony planned a strategy. Not bad. And it still works in my favor."
One of his soldiers trembled, crouched low with antennae twitching violently. "General Ivan… how is that possible?"
Another staggered closer, voice shaking as much as his hands on his weapon. "General… what should we do? Please… tell us."
Ivan's cold gaze didn't shift from the enemy lines. His silence pressed heavier than words.
Behind the barricade, Ari caught sight of the towering figure at the rear of the enemy's ranks. His chest tightened.
"There he is," Ari muttered. "That has to be their commander. I need to let Valeria know."
Ari sprinted across the chaotic battlefield, boots striking the dirt with sharp thuds. He ducked beneath swinging mandibles, sidestepped lunges, and slid beneath flailing limbs, feeling the heat of dust and grit against his exoskeleton. He burst toward Ivan, swift and silent.
The general's eyes widened in shock. He quickly unsheathed one of his mandibles, the polished curve glinting in the sunlight, and swung at Ari's neck. The rush of air from the strike brushed against Ari's cheek, but he ducked in time.
With a deft motion, Ari slapped two gooey materials onto the general's shoulders. The sticky substance squelched as it clung to Ivan's exoskeleton.
Ivan's eyes narrowed. He muttered calmly to himself, Wait… what are these? It won't come off. He tugged at the goo, feeling it resist. The material stretched and stuck, fusing his hand to his shoulder. A faint chemical tang filled his nostrils.
"Well… looks like it's stuck." He shifted on the uneven ground, claws scraping against dirt and grit. How did that ant just now manage to slip through our formation and do this to me? Dust prickled his exoskeleton as he flexed his legs. That takes extreme skill.
He glanced at the faint scrape marks where Ari had dodged his mandible strike. He was also able to dodge my blade… maybe a Lieutenant at best, though.
A bead of sweat ran down his temple, mixing with dust and grime. He exhaled sharply, claws brushing the dirt. But what I don't understand… why didn't he attempt to kill me? He flexed the fused arm cautiously. Although it would be futile, he smirked slightly.
A soldier staggered toward him, exoskeleton scraped and dust clinging to the joints, eyes wide with panic. "We just lost a hundred and fifty ants, General Ivan! What should we do?!"
A female soldier trembled nearby, antennae quivering slightly. "General… please help us…" she cried, her voice trembling. "I don't want to die…"
Ivan clenched his teeth, feeling the sharp scrape of his claws against the dirt. I expected them to at least put up a fight… but I guess they're useless, as expected. His gaze swept the battlefield, noting the chaos: fallen soldiers, flying dirt kicked up by scurrying ants, the scrape of exoskeletons and mandibles clashing. I mean, look at our sheer numbers… and yet we're cornered. He exhaled sharply, feeling the tension on his shoulder. Well, at the very least, whether we lose this battle or not, our colony still gains.
"We must retreat. All of you, fall back and regroup," Ivan commanded, voice steady despite the chaos. His legs flexed as he adjusted his stance, claws pressing into the dirt.
Before any of his soldiers could move, a glint of sunlight caught something moving rapidly toward them. Valeria's squad surged forward, mandibles glinting sharply.
"You really thought escaping would be that easy?" she snarled, stepping over the fallen with precise, rapid movements. The scrape of exoskeletons on dirt punctuated her advance.
They were waiting to ambush us this whole time? Ivan thought, his gaze sweeping the battlefield without urgency. I thought this colony would be easy to crush, even with a low-rank force. But apparently, we're up against a strategist. Not bad—their formations are clever, precise… makes me wonder who's in charge. Maybe that ant. He remembered Ari sticking that sticky, cold goo onto his shoulders—an unexpected, oddly meticulous move. Huh. Impressive.
Ari crouched on a rise overlooking the battle, eyes scanning every movement. His heart pounded, sending sharp thuds through his chest beneath his exoskeleton.
I can't believe it… I almost died again, he thought, claws digging slightly into the dirt to steady himself. Dust and grit clung to his joints, and the scrape of mandibles from nearby combat made him flinch.
That ant… he was insanely fast. I thought I lost my head back there. His chest rose and fell in shallow, rapid breaths, and a thin film of sweat slicked his exoskeleton.
"Other than that, everything is going just as I planned," he murmured, voice low. "They're boxed in. Victory is inevitable."
Ari felt the coarse soil pressing against his abdomen, grit clinging to the ridges of his exoskeleton. Faint vibrations traveled through the ground with each marching step, the tremors forming a rhythm he could almost read—the pulse of the battle beneath him.
The battle raged below. Screams cut sharply through the air. Mandibles clashed against exoskeletons with metallic scrapes. Antennae snapped beneath the scurrying soldiers. Dust rose in swirls, drifting over fallen bodies as the pale moon climbed higher.
Ivan watched calmly from the center of his forces, every movement precise and measured. His claws pressed lightly into the dirt, unbothered by the chaos. The shattered remnants of his army—a mere hundred—scrambled around him, but he did not flinch.
"Something is not right… All these soldiers on the enemy's side are privates and Lance Corporals at best. Coming to war with such powerless soldiers doesn't make much sense. Whatever the case, we have to win," Valeria whispered, her pulse hammering against her exoskeleton.
She spotted Ivan. The resin still bound his hand. He stood upright, calm, his posture steady. Despite the handicap, every movement radiated strength and control.
Valeria lunged forward. Ivan's eyes tracked her instantly. With measured precision, he unsheathed his free mandible, ready to strike.
Their mandibles collided with a sharp clang, sparks scattering into the air. Ivan swung again, his restrained hand useless, but his free arm delivered heavy, exact strikes. Valeria twisted and dodged, dust and grit scratching her carapace. Her breaths came harsh and ragged.
His strength was formidable. Even restrained, his movements were precise and controlled. Still… something felt off. Valeria shouldn't have been able to match him, not with the difference in rank and experience so evident.
He's still this dangerous, even like this? she thought, her arms trembling slightly and she winced as she blocked the force of his swings, the vibration rattling through her carapace.
Ivan's gaze stayed steady. A faint smirk touched his lips. "I assume you're their strongest soldier deployed, am I right?"
"And what if I am?" Valeria replied in a cold, even tone, her breath coming fast.
"It doesn't matter," he said calmly. "What concerns me is thinking that your strength alone can defeat me."
He lunged, slashing upward with his large cleaver-like mandible, moving only his free hand. Valeria rolled aside just in time, scraping her side across the rough dirt and feeling grit dig into her carapace.
He's pushing me back… No, I can't lose here. The colony depends on it. I can't be the weak link!
His swings drove her closer to the edge. The scent of blood and sweat mixed with dust in the air, sticking to her antennae.
"Go ahead and fall already, Lieutenant," he said with a smirk.
"Not a chance!" she shouted, deflecting his mandible with both of hers and forcing him back.
Not bad… he muttered under his breath, breathing steady but slightly ragged. The resin held his left arm limp. His legs wavered slightly under the effort.
Looks like I'm at my limit… I'll end this now, he thought.
"Hey, soldier, why don't you die for me?" he asked, calm but calculating.
Valeria's grin was grim. "Because I'm not fighting alone. I've got everyone backing me up. And I'm not letting you tear that apart."
He swung wide. She ducked left, spun, and slashed deep across his chest. He flinched. Valeria dropped low and swept his legs. Ivan toppled.
His mandible slipped from his grip, clattering against the dirt.
He tried to rise, but she immediately leveled her mandible at his throat.
Ivan's eyes flicked to her grip, noticing her mandible tremble slightly. Yet she held it steady enough to keep him pinned.
"It's over now, General. Your army has been defeated. If you move an inch, you'll join them in death."
His head lolled back. His army was gone. The battlefield was silent, littered with corpses—nothing remained.
A faint smile crossed his face as he exhaled a single word. "I… surrender."
Valeria lowered her weapon, trembling.
"Take him away. Make sure he's well secured."
"Yes, ma'am!"
She remained in place, mandibles still shaking from the fight. The soldiers dragged General Ivan away. The sound of his surrender echoed hollowly in her ears. As the distance between them grew, she let out a long, shuddering exhale, shoulders finally slumping.
I can't believe we did it… I really can't. Against all odds… we pulled it off. I don't even know how many times I doubted him and his plans. But he never wavered. Not once.
She wiped a smear of dust from her carapace and turned, spotting Ari standing among the troops. Moonlight glinted off his armor, and the faint smell of sweat and crushed leaves hung in the air.
She walked over, her legs still aching from the fight.
"It's just as you said. We were going to be invaded, and your counterattack plan worked perfectly—not to mention that stunt you pulled on their general. How did you even manage to reach him unscathed?"
Ari brushed dust from his shoulders and smirked. "I'm not even sure myself, but it had to be done. I was certain you wouldn't have been able to spot who was in command on your own. And let's be real—you couldn't have beaten him one-on-one if your life depended on it."
"Tch. You sure like running your mouth. Try saying that again, and see if I don't knock you out cold," Valeria growled, swinging a fist into his gut.
Ari bent over, wheezing and laughing. "I never thought I'd hear a phrase like that come out of your mouth."
They stood in the dust and moonlight, the soft clatter of the remaining troops moving around them punctuating the quiet. The air carried the lingering metallic tang of battle and the faint warmth of exertion. Victory smelled like dust and sweat, but it also tasted like relief.