Ari stood at the edge of the battlefield, the ground scattered with abandoned weapons and motionless soldiers. The silence pressed in on him, broken only by the faint crackle of settling debris.
All of them… gone.
Defeated so easily… without a single loss on our side. His voice muttered the words aloud, though unease coiled tight in his chest.
He shifted his weight, antennae flicking as he recalled the enemy general being escorted away earlier. Not even their general killed anyone, and with his strength, that shouldn't be the case, Ari continued, watching the soldiers tending to the minor wounds of the injured.
That's… really disturbing, he added silently, adjusting his stance.
Something about this invasion doesn't sit right. Were they really after our resources, or was it something else entirely? Whatever it was, at least it's over.
He exhaled, letting out a sigh of relief. And now I can have my freedom.
"Oh crap, that's right! I almost forgot about the princess. She must be scared and confused right now," Ari said, glancing around as he stepped forward.
"Valeria, give me a hand. We still need to find the princess," he added, adjusting his footing before starting to move.
"You're right. It slipped my mind as well. Lead the way," Valeria said, her voice firm, as she fell into step beside him.
They ran off together, their footsteps echoing lightly in the passage.
After a few moments, Valeria glanced at Ari, her brow slightly furrowed, the tension in her shoulders betraying her concern. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"Ari," she said, her voice tight. "Do you know where the princess is?"
Ari's eyes stayed fixed on the tunnel ahead, his lips barely moving as he replied. "Just a hunch."
Valeria let out a soft sigh. "A hunch, huh?"
She straightened, squared her shoulders, and forced a small, determined smirk. "Well, that's good enough for me. I'm going to check on something first—I'll catch up to you later."
"With that, she pivoted at the next turn, slipping into the shadows and disappearing from view."
Ari nodded. "Alright then."
Valeria ran through the tunnels, she kept her eyes on Ari for a brief moment, noting the precision in his movements.
I get an uneasy feeling when I'm around this ant.
Her jaw tightened slightly as she adjusted her pace. I know he's like us, but there's just something so different about him. He's a great strategist, and he's really fast, like the ones in the stories my father used to tell me.
She glanced at him again, noting the absence of any markings. I mean, he has no markings, yet he has that speed. He's a pretty alright ant in my book.
Valeria paused for a moment as she considered the truth in her thoughts. I hate to admit it, but part of me almost wishes he wasn't going to leave.
Princess Tanya woke in a dark, damp space. The air was cool and musty, pressing lightly against her skin. She could barely make out the faint outline of a log above her.
"Where am I? What is this place?" she murmured, her voice low and unsteady, the sound barely carrying in the silence.
Shadows shifted faintly in the corners of her vision as she recalled the last moments before losing consciousness—Vladimir's betrayal. The sting of the stink bug gas, the disorienting swirl of darkness, and then… nothing.
Tanya's fingers traced the cool, damp ground beneath her as she shifted slightly. Oh, that's right. Vladimir betrayed the colony. He used stink bug gas on me, knocked me out, and left me here.
I've known him my whole life… never noticed any evil intentions. How could I have been so blind?
I guess Ari was telling the truth. He cared about our well-being.
A flicker of frustration ran through her as she flexed her wrists against the resin, the sticky resistance reminding her of how powerless she felt.
And what did we do? Call him a liar. I said things I shouldn't have, when all he wanted was to be heard.
Her gaze swept the dark area, eyes lingering on the log above and the walls around her. If I hadn't been so focused on my own guilt, I could have asked the queen to listen. Now… this colony may be gone for good.
A small pang of worry twisted in her chest—not fear, exactly, but the weight of responsibility pressing down on her.
Tears welled in Tanya's eyes, her chest tightening as a flicker of helplessness washed over her. I have to get out of here.
She flexed against the substance binding her hands, the viscous resistance pulling at her fingers. If the colony is going to cease to exist… maybe I'll disappear with it.
Her jaw set, and she pressed harder against the bonds, the rough edges of the dirt below her grazing her shoulders as she strained.
She kicked at the log above her with her legs, but it didn't budge.
The rough wood pressed firmly against her feet, scraping slightly through her shoes.
"It's no use. It won't move. What am I going to do? Am I going to die here?" Tanya's voice cracked as tears slipped down her cheeks.
"I don't want to die here."
The damp air clung to her skin, and the faint smell of mold filled her nostrils as she glanced around the dark space, searching for any possible escape.
Ari sprinted through the winding tunnels, barely noticing the sharp turns and uneven floor beneath his feet as urgency drove him forward.
Before the invasion, I asked the queen where Vladimir's chamber was, and she told me.
His chest heaved with each breath as he twisted through the narrow passages. I didn't tell her my reason for wanting this information, but that's the only place I think he would hide her.
"To make matters worse, I don't know which one of these is Vladimir's. Princess Tanya! Where are you? Princess Tanya!" Ari shouted, his voice bouncing off the cold dirt walls.
I can hear Ari calling me. I must be imagining things. Everyone must be dead by now, Tanya thought.
She kicked upward at the log, feeling its weight against her feet, and scanned the area for any weak points.
"Ari!" she cried out, her voice cracking, sharp and tense. "I'm over here."
Ari's heart skipped a beat, his stomach tightening as the sound of her voice cut through the tunnels. I hear banging in that chamber. Could she be…?
He sprinted toward the noise, the sound growing louder with each pounding step.
When he reached the chamber, he called out again, "Princess Tanya!"
Tanya thrust her legs against the log above her, each kick slow but forceful. Her muscles tensed with the effort, and her voice cracked as she shouted, "I'm here!… Please get me out!"
Ari's eyes locked on her figure behind the massive log. He planted his feet and braced with all his strength, the log scraping and inching forward under his effort.
"There you are. I finally found you," Ari said, his voice tight as he took in Tanya's tear-streaked face.
Tanya's voice cracked slightly as she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Ari. I should have believed you about Vladimir." She cried the pain of betrayal lingering.
Ari carefully worked to peel the resin from her hands, his fingers steady as he freed them one by one.
"It's understandable. It's natural to trust someone you've known your whole life over a prisoner you've only just met," he said, his tone calm, the tension of the moment reflected in the set of his shoulders rather than his voice.
Ari flexed his fingers, careful as he removed the last traces of sticky resin from Tanya's hands.
Tanya's eyes searched his face, her tone sharp with concern. "Why are you so calm? What about the colony and the invasion?"
Ari let out a slow breath, feeling the chill of the tunnels against his skin.
"Rest assured, all of that was taken care of. It's a long story. You should get some sleep and recover your strength before I tell you all that has happened."
His voice carried a reassuring edge, though a cold shiver ran down his spine as he glanced toward the darkened passage beyond.
Tanya's eyes widened, and she froze as a shadow loomed at the entrance of the chamber.
Vladimir stood there, his cold eyes fixed on them. A malicious grin curled at the corners of his lips. He shifted his weight slightly, the faint rasp of his chitinous exoskeleton moving audibly with each motion.
A shocked expression overtook Tanya's face. "No… no, not him…" she whispered, panic rising in her chest. Her hands trembled as she pressed them to her mouth.
Instinctively, Ari immediately grabbed her, pulling her to the side. The tip of Vladimir's spear jabbed into the stone floor where they had just been standing, sending a shower of tiny sparks and dust into the air.
I should've known the wardens couldn't handle him. Damn… what do I do now?
Ari's grip clutched around her as he steadied himself.
"Looks like you were able to find her… well done, I'm impressed," Vladimir said, yanking his stinger spear from the floor. The scraping sound of metal against stone echoed through the chamber. He paused, letting his gaze linger on Ari.
"To think someone like you could be capable enough to convince the queen of my treason… and command in a time of war… who are you really?" His words came slow, deliberate, each syllable rasping as his chitin plates shifted with a faint, grinding sound.
"Well… now it doesn't matter," he continued, drawing out the pause, his hands tightening on his stinger spear. "Because I'll pierce you… right where you stand."
Tanya's legs shook as she took a hesitant step forward, her antennae drooping under the weight of his presence. The chill of the chamber pressed against her exoskeleton, making her shiver. Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
"Why… why would you do this?" She demanded her words cracked, a mixture of fear, disbelief, and pain. "Why did you betray us Vladimir? Everything our colony fought for, everything we believed in… was it all meaningless to you?"
Vladimir tilted his head, a slow, deliberate smile curling across his face. "Meaningless? No, Princess. I have… other plans. Greater plans. You wouldn't even be able to comprehend."
Tanya's eyes narrowed, her hands trembling along her forearms, antennae quivering as she searched for the truth behind his mask. "Plans? You mean killing, deceiving, destroying the people who trusted you? That's your idea of a greater plan?"
His smile widened, almost casual and unsettling. "Trust… is a tool. Loyalty… is temporary. And strength… is everything.
Tears welled in Tanya's human eyes, sliding down her cheeks and streaking the smooth surface of her face. Her wings drooped slightly, quivering with each sob, while she clenched her hands at her sides, her exoskeleton making a faint scraping noise against itself. "So… all the time… all the memories we've shared… it meant nothing to you?"
A small, dark laugh escaped him. "Trust… is a weakness. And you, Princess, are so naive. My objective was merely to get close to the Queen… and nothing more. You were the naive little fool who made it happen."
Her knees nearly buckled. "I… I trusted you!" she choked out, sobbing. "I thought… I thought you were one of us…"
Before Tanya could steady herself, Vladimir shifted forward, the movement deliberate. Ari's exoskeleton tensed as he stepped into the space between them, chest rising and falling rapidly. His fingers brushed against Tanya's trembling shoulder, instinctively moving to shield her as his gaze locked onto Vladimir.
"Please stand back, Princess. He's after me. Get out of here," Ari said, his voice shaky, a mix of fear and determination. He took a protective step in front of Tanya.
"But I can't just leave you here! He'll kill you!" Tanya cried, her voice breaking. Tears streaked her cheeks as she stumbled backward. Her hands reached out, gripping Ari's arm.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be alright," Ari said firmly, forcing the words out as he forced her toward the exit. His heart hammered, but his eyes never left Vladimir.
Tanya's eyes lingered on him for a final, agonizing moment before she forced herself to turn away. Her legs carried her down the corridor, but her heart stayed behind, weighed down by the crushing belief that Ari would never follow.
I promised her I'd be fine, but that was a lie. He's stronger than me—far stronger.
Ari's hands shook before he clenched them into fists. I'm terrified… but if I give in to it, I'm already dead.
"I must commend your bravery, especially since you have no weapon to defend yourself. Don't worry, I'll make this quick."
Vladimir lunged, spear flashing in a blur.
Ari ducked low, the tip slicing past his ear. He staggered back, breath ragged, as Vladimir pressed forward, each strike driving him closer to the edge.
Ari dodged another strike, but Vladimir's boot slammed into his chest, launching him into the stone wall with a sickening crack.
Air tore from his lungs, and he grunted, forcing himself to rise even as his body screamed in protest.
Vladimir advanced without mercy, spear angled to finish it.
"You're fast, I'll give you that," Vladimir said, his tone cold but laced with cruelty. "But you can't dodge death forever."
The spear lunged again. Ari rolled aside, heart pounding, the weapon's tip grazing stone where his ribs had been.
Relief barely had time to register before a blur of movement caught him off guard—Vladimir's fist.
The left hook smashed into his jaw, snapping his head to the side and sending him crashing into the chamber walls, the impact rattling his bones as he slumped to the floor in a haze of pain.
"I told you it was no use. Now be a good ant and hold still for your death," Vladimir snarled, his patience wearing thin as he raised his spear for a final strike.
Ari coughed, blood running from his lips. This is it. I'll die again… I wonder where I'll end up next, he thought, closing his eyes in resignation.
There was no impact.
Valeria's mandibles struck Vladimir's spear with a ringing clash. The force traveled up her arms, shaking her muscles as she held the weapon firmly. The sound of metal against metal filled the chamber.
"I… didn't feel an impact," Ari muttered, blinking and opening his eyes in confusion.
Standing before him, Valeria held Vladimir's spear firmly with her mandibles, stopping it from striking Ari.
"You must be glad I got here on time, Ari," she said, her voice steady but edged with relief. She pushed against Vladimir, forcing him to stumble back several steps.
Ari gasped for air, his chest heaving. He could hardly believe she had arrived.
"I didn't think he could take on Commander Seth by himself in his condition. But I was wrong. I found Seth unconscious on the floor, and I knew exactly where he'd go—and that's after you, Ari," Valeria explained, eyes darting to Vladimir as she assumed a defensive stance.
Vladimir sneered and stepped forward. "You're foolish. If Seth couldn't beat me, what makes you think you can?" he taunted.
Valeria's grip tightened. "I don't need to. I just need to hold out long enough for Lieutenant Brooks and the others to arrive."
Vladimir's smile twisted into something colder and more sinister. "I see. I won't be sticking around for that. My objective is complete. The Queen's essence was not found, which means Queen Celeste doesn't possess it."
"What do you mean by essence? Answer me, Vladimir!" Valeria shouted, anger sharp in her voice.
Vladimir's eyes narrowed. "This will not be the last time you see me. next time… you'll all meet your end."
With that, Vladimir forced his way past them, making his way out of the colony.
The walls were scarred and cracked from where his spear had smashed through them, splintered stone littering the floor.
Dust hung in the air, settling slowly around them, a stark reminder of how close they had come to death.
His threat still hung heavily in the air.
Ari slumped against the wall, exhausted and shaken, but alive—for now.