"Wow, this is a whole lot less ant than I was expecting," Ari muttered, his eyes scanning the colony.
The faint hum of activity surrounded him, but the number of recruit ants moving about was surprisingly small.
Towering tunnels stretched in every direction, their damp walls slick with condensation that dripped onto the stone floor.
He ran a hand along the cool, uneven surface.
"Judging by the military system here, worker ants must outnumber the soldiers at least five to one. And with a colony this size… The population is maybe six thousand at most much smaller than the ones in my world."
Ari trailed his fingers over the mandibles he now carried, feeling the dull edges and the surprising weight in his hands.
He flexed his fingers, testing the balance.
I wonder what kind of training they have in mind for us… and why Valeria would give me the last memory of her father, he murmured, his voice tight.
His grip clenched involuntarily.
I'm not worthy of it. Why would she trust me with something so precious? I've only just arrived here… I'm not strong like her. I'm not even sure I belong.
"Wait, you there! Over here! I've been looking everywhere for you!" a female ant shouted, sprinting toward Ari alongside a male ant.
Her brown hair bounced with each step, and the sound of her voice ricocheted sharply off the stone walls.
Ari caught the blur of movement before her voice reached him, his eyes narrowing slightly as he braced for their approach.
"Um… how can I help you?" Ari asked, blinking and shifting his weight slightly, his mandibles resting uncomfortably at his sides.
"You're that ant who's not part of the colony, named Ari, right?" the female ant asked, panting lightly, her chest rising and falling quickly.
She beamed at him, eyes wide, as if meeting someone she had only heard about in stories.
"Uh, yeah, that's me. How did you know?" Ari asked, tilting his head slightly, his antennae twitching in genuine puzzlement.
"Oh, come on, how could I not know?" the female ant exclaimed, her voice rushing as she bounced on the balls of her feet.
"You outsmarted Queen Helena's entire army! Seriously, that's insane!"
She leaned forward, eyes sparkling, and her words spilled out before she could catch her breath.
"I've heard all about it—you're kind of famous now."
"Yeah, and let's not forget," the male ant interjected, his tone firm and steady.
He stepped closer, eyes sharp as they studied Ari, his mandibles strapped at his side shifting slightly as he moved.
"You faced General Ivan with no formal combat training. That's not something just anyone could pull off. You earned respect on that battlefield."
"While we were cowering, not knowing what to do, you just stepped up like it was nothing! And you're not even from here!" the female ant blurted, bouncing slightly on her feet.
She ran a hand through her hair, eyes wide and sparkling.
"Seriously… how did you stay so calm? I—I would've completely panicked!"
"Your guts—your strategy—it's what pushed a lot of us to stop playing it safe," the male ant said, crossing his arms, a quiet smirk tugging at his lips.
His gaze stayed fixed on Ari, steady and unwavering.
"I don't like falling behind people like you. That's why I joined the army. I want to prove I can do just as much. Maybe more."
"Oh, that's right—I totally forgot!" the female ant piped up, bouncing slightly and nearly stumbling on her own excitement.
Her antennae twitched rapidly, and her eyes shone with enthusiasm.
"I'm Isla! I was a top-tier worker ant for two years—I was really good at it! But then I heard about what you did, and I—I couldn't just stay in the tunnels stacking berries anymore. I wanted to be like you. So… um, thanks for that."
"And I'm Rory," the male ant said, standing straight, arms crossed over his armored chest.
His gaze stayed steady on Ari, calm but intense.
"I was training to be a warden ant. I used to think staying safe was smart. But you made me realize there's no point in hiding if you're too scared to fight for what's out there. I'm aiming to be stronger than you one day, just so you know."
Ari blinked a few times, then let a small, genuine smile spread across his face.
"Nice to meet you both. I guess… I'm glad I made a difference."
"Nice? That's it?!" Isla yelped, her antennae flicking sharply as she threw her arms up in frustration.
Her exoskeleton rattled slightly with the movement, and her eyes sparkled with incredulous excitement.
"Come on—you just changed our lives! You've gotta give yourself more credit than that!"
Rory snorted quietly, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
He shifted his weight, armored feet scraping lightly against the stone floor.
"Yeah, don't get soft on us now. You've already set the bar—we'll see if we can match up to it."
As the ants continued to chatter, their voices echoed through the colony, ricocheting off the damp stone walls.
"Silence!" Valeria barked, her voice sharp and commanding.
She stepped forward, standing tall above the mass, her brown exoskeleton gleaming under the flickering bioluminescent fungi.
Her mandibles, strapped securely at her sides, caught the light with a faint metallic sheen.
The recruits stiffened immediately, antennae twitching in attention, and all talking stopped as they shifted into disciplined formation.
"For those who don't know, my name is Valeria, commander of the Queen's military ants," she began, her voice steady as she scanned the recruits.
Her exoskeleton gleamed under the dim lighting, and her mandibles stayed firmly strapped at her sides.
"I was promoted from lieutenant after our clash with the neighboring colony."
She paused, letting her gaze sweep across the crowd.
"As you all know, our former and only commander, Vladimir, was tasked with protecting the princess. But due to his recent treason, we lost a high-value soldier. This has left our colony significantly weaker in military strength and more vulnerable to enemy attacks."
"The only remaining high-ranking soldiers are myself, Seth—the commander of the warden ants, who is still recovering from his injuries—and a few lieutenants," Valeria continued, her gaze sharp as it swept over the recruits.
Her armor shifted slightly as she leaned forward, emphasizing the seriousness in her words.
"We aim to increase both our numbers and our skill, so I expect you all to work diligently toward that goal."
She straightened, mandibles glinting at her sides.
"I have been put in charge of getting you battle-ready by our Queen. I will be overseeing your training to ensure that. With me is Corporal Beatrice, who will be leading your exercises. The few who prove themselves will be taken under my wing. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Commander!" the mass shouted in unison, their voices vibrating through the damp stone corridors.
The echo bounced along the walls, making the entire chamber hum with energy.
Valeria's eyes swept over them, sharp and unflinching.
"That's good. I respect your determination."
She paused, letting the silence settle before continuing.
"For the first part of your training, you will travel in troops of thirty, each group heading in separate directions for five days. You will then have three days to return to the colony, after which we will proceed to the next phase."
She shifted slightly, the metallic clang of her exoskeleton audible as she moved.
"At the end of each route, there will be a unique type of plant marking the checkpoint. It will serve as proof that you have reached your assigned distance."
Her gaze scanned the sea of recruits again, steady and unyielding.
"Failure to collect those plants and return within the time limit will result in immediate termination from the training."
"What? But how are we supposed to last so long?" a worried ant called from the crowd, antennae drooping.
"If we've been given such a long time limit, does that mean we'll be traveling really far?" another added, voice trembling slightly.
"What if there are other insects out there that will harm us?"
Valeria's head snapped toward them, her eyes narrowing.
"Silence!" Her voice boomed, reverberating off the stone walls.
"You knew exactly what you were signing up for. Stop acting like spineless cowards!"
She leaned slightly forward, gaze fixed on the trembling ants.
"You were born with strong mandibles for a reason—to protect and to serve. If you are attacked, you will rely on each other, and you will trust your instincts to survive. Fail, and you will not only fail yourselves—you will fail the colony."
"You have ten minutes to form your squads and move out," Valeria barked, her words snapping like a whip across the chamber.
The recruits flinched at the force of her command, their antennae twitching as the weight of urgency pressed down on them.
Ari swallowed hard, a dull tightness spreading through his chest.
Wow… Valeria is really serious about this. She's like a completely different person when it comes to military business. Wait scratch that she's entirely the same.
Before his thoughts could spiral further, Isla bounced to his side, her smile bright enough to cut through the tension.
"Well, I guess we'll be sticking with you on this journey then!" she said, her voice light and eager.
"Yes, we're better off staying with Ari anyway," Rory said, his steady gaze cutting through the chaos and offering quiet reassurance.
Ari exhaled and gave a small nod.
"Okay… let's make it back together in one piece."
"Alright. Now that the squads are formed, you may leave," Valeria declared, her voice booming against the damp walls.
The recruits surged forward, jogging in groups.
The sound of dozens of armored feet striking the stone tunnels thundered through the colony, their rhythm carrying the weight of the expedition's first steps.
"Alright… this is it. My first expedition as an ant outside the colony. I need to stay cautious," Ari thought, tightening his grip on the hilt of the mandibles strapped at his side.
The cool metal pressed against his palm, grounding him in the moment.
On the outskirts, Evelyn was busy plucking berries from a low branch when she caught sight of the marching squad.
Her eyes widened. Spotting Ari among them, she straightened up and waved both arms high.
"Hey, Ari! Up here!" she called, her voice bright but carrying a tremor beneath it.
Ari blinked, surprised, then raised a hand in return.
The corners of his mouth tugged upward—just seeing her familiar face sent a warmth through his chest.
"Be safe, Ari!" Evelyn shouted again, her tone breaking despite her smile.
"Please don't die on this journey—come back to us safely!"
She kept waving until the light on the horizon swallowed him from sight.
"Say, Commander Valeria," Beatrice spoke as the recruits disappeared into the distance, her voice carrying just above the fading rhythm of marching feet.
"What is it, Corporal Beatrice?" Valeria replied, her antennae giving a slight twitch as she turned to face her subordinate.
"Do you think they'll be alright on this voyage?" Beatrice asked, her brow tightening, unease written across her features.
Valeria folded her arms across her chest, her expression unchanging.
"I understand your concern, but they should be fine. The route I assigned them has already been scouted. An encounter with another ant—or any insect at all—is highly unlikely."
Beatrice exhaled through her nose, still watching the tunnel's mouth where the last squad had vanished.
"I'll take your word for it," she said quietly, though the concern in her eyes lingered.