After three days of much-needed rest, Ari, Isla, and Rory were finally starting to feel whole again. Their bodies still carried the memory of Valeria's brutal training—the soreness, the fatigue, the moments when collapse had seemed inevitable—but now, something had shifted.
Their muscles no longer trembled with weakness. Instead, each movement felt precise, controlled. Legs lifted and landed with a newfound swiftness, reflexes snapping into place almost before thought. The harsh drills that had left them gasping for air only days ago now seemed distant, replaced by a strange, almost startling clarity in their bodies. Even the rhythm of their breathing felt lighter, sharper, as if every exhale carried strength rather than exhaustion.
But not all of them were at ease.
Isla sat on a woven bed of sticks and slim pieces of wood, layered with leaves that ranged from smaller than her hands to broad ones that curled like a canopy around her. She stretched her sore limbs as a soft breeze drifted through the resting quarters, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and the rustle of shifting foliage.
"Today makes four days," she murmured, her voice low and hesitant, brushing a fingertip over a small leaf that quivered under her touch. She nudged the dirt with her foot, feeling the grains shift beneath her. "And Valeria still hasn't come back… I mean, I'm glad for the extra rest, but… do you think something happened to her?"
Her eyes flicked toward the forest beyond the quarters, scanning the shadows where leaves of all sizes rustled and caught the moonlight, and a cold knot of unease tightened in her chest.
Rory lay sprawled on his back, one hand lazily brushing against a cluster of small leaves that had settled on the ground around him. He shifted slightly as a larger leaf rustled overhead, letting the breeze skim across his shell.
"Now's not the time to worry about that," he said, his voice casual but carrying a hint of amusement. He waved a hand dismissively, scattering a few tiny leaves. "I mean… who could even stand against someone like Valeria? She proved it when she fought all of us at once—even while holding back—and we still lost. Just enjoy the break while it lasts."
But Ari wasn't convinced.
Valeria was never late.
Something's going on… he thought, his mind racing. Something tells me she's planning something, but I don't know what. Could it be a test that's already started? Or something we should be doing right now?
He pushed himself to his feet, antennae twitching as he stepped out of the tunnel. The cool night breeze brushed over his exoskeleton, carrying the faint scent of earth and fallen leaves. From the edge of the training grounds, he scanned the forest beyond. Shadows moved between the trees, and the occasional snap of a branch echoed somewhere in the distance. Something felt… off. But he couldn't pinpoint what.
Then—
A shadow shifted.
A sudden rustle in the underbrush caught his attention. At the edge of his vision, a glint of mandible blades flashed.
Ari's antennae shot forward, twitching with alarm.
He twisted his body just in time as a hooded ant exploded from the darkness. The figure's mandibles swung in a lethal arc, held like sharpened blades in its hands.
CLANG!
Ari slammed his own mandibles up, the impact rattling through his arms and chest. Sparks scattered where the blades collided. His legs braced on the dirt, muscles coiling beneath the rigid plates of his exoskeleton.
They're fast… he thought, eyes narrowing, jaw tight, antennae quivering as he prepared for the next strike.
The hooded ant stepped back, circling him under the dim moonlight. Its movements were quiet but precise, each footfall deliberate, claws scraping faintly against the dirt.
Ari's antennae twitched as he kept his eyes locked on the figure. His mind raced. I've seen this ant before… back when Vladimir betrayed the colony. One of his collaborators…
A shiver ran through his exoskeleton as he adjusted his stance, muscles coiling beneath the rigid armor. Every sense was alert—eyes scanning, mandibles ready, antennae picking up the slightest shift in the enemy's posture.
But there was no time to dwell. The enemy lunged again, faster, more aggressive.
Ari's antennae flicked instinctively, and his body moved before his mind caught up. He sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the slash of the enemy's mandible blade aimed at his throat. The clash of air and metal rang sharply, and the thud of his feet against the dirt echoed in the still night. His movements felt lighter, sharper, every step precise. He leapt backward, creating distance, chest heaving but breathing controlled.
Wait… I'm faster than before.
The realization hit him in an instant.
The brutal training, the endless drills, the punishing endurance tests—they had done something.
He wasn't the struggling, half-broken ant he'd been just days ago. He was faster. Stronger. Sharper.
"Ari?! What's going on?!" Rory's voice bounced off the low, earthen walls of the tunnel, the sound reverberating through the resting quarters on the training grounds.
In an instant, both he and Isla sprang forward, feet crunching over dirt and scattered sticks. Their eyes locked on the enemy, muscles coiling beneath the hard plates of their exoskeletons.
"Who… who is that?!" Isla's voice trembled, caught between panic and disbelief. She took a hesitant step, antennae twitching nervously, and her hand hovered over the hilt of her sheathed mandible, shaking slightly.
"I don't know!" Ari called back, lowering his stance, both mandible blades clutched tightly in his hands, muscles coiled beneath his exoskeleton. "But they attacked with intent to kill."
Rory didn't hesitate. "I'm backing you up!" He drew both of his mandible blades, gripping them tightly, muscles coiling beneath his exoskeleton.
Before he could step forward, a second figure stepped from the shadows. Slightly taller and broader, scarred across the chest and arms, the ant carried the weight of experience in his stance.
Without a word, he charged at Rory, feet thudding on the dirt, mandibles raised and ready.
Rory shifted quickly, swinging his mandible blades in a downward arc to block.
CLANG!
Their mandible blades collided with a deafening crash, the vibration jolting up through the ground and Rory's arms. His armored feet dug into the dirt, scraping against small stones as he strained to hold his position. He groaned, muscles tensing under the exoskeleton, fighting to find stable footing against the relentless force.
But… he didn't falter.
I can hold my ground? His jaw tightened, eyes widening as the strain ran through his arms. I'm not weak anymore.
For the first time, Rory felt it—his muscles steady, his grip firm, and his stance unshakable. He could fight back.
"What should I do…?" Isla whispered, her legs trembling as fear tightened around them, making each step unsteady.
From the treetops, a blur of movement dropped down toward her. Another ant—about her size, lean and quick—dashed with speed almost impossible to track.
"Time to cut you to shreds," the attacker sneered, her lips curling into a grin beneath a hood of woven leaves.
Isla's chest seized. Somebody… Her heartbeat slammed against her ribs.
"Ari! Rory! Help me!" she screamed, stumbling backward as the enemy's mandibles slashed toward her midsection.
Her breath hitched. Her legs locked in place.
I'm going to die! The thought ripped through her.
But then—her arms moved. Mandibles swung up in a desperate block.
CLANG!
The force rattled through her arms and shoulders. Her body shuddered, breath coming ragged.
I… reacted?
She blinked, wide-eyed. Her body had moved on its own, pulled forward by instinct and survival.
The hooded ant chuckled, pressing one mandible against Isla's shoulder while the other dug casually into the dirt as if she were leaning on it.
"Well, would you look at that," she said with a smirk. "Guess there's a spine under all that trembling."
Tears blurred Isla's vision, but she refused to collapse. Her stance held.
The battle had truly begun.
The bulky ant hammered down strike after strike, mandibles clashing against Rory's with sharp, echoing crashes that slightly shook the ground beneath them. Each blow rattled his arms, the vibrations biting into his joints as he held his ground.
"That's all you've got?!" Rory barked, teeth clenched as he shoved back against the force. His muscles screamed, his arms trembling under the pressure, but his stance refused to give. His spirit didn't waver.
Ari seized the opening, his body thrumming with newfound speed. He lunged, mandibles cutting in a sharp diagonal arc.
The hooded ant snapped theirs up just in time—steel struck steel, the clash ringing in Ari's ears.
He pressed forward. His left mandible sliced low, aiming for the ant's midsection. Blocked. His right came immediately after, an upward strike toward the neck. Deflected again.
The enemy stumbled a step back, forced to match Ari's rhythm, their movements tightening under the pressure.
Ari ducked beneath a counter-slash, feeling the rush of air skim across his hair as the blade missed his head by inches. He pivoted, feet grinding dirt, and drove a thrust forward. The hooded ant twisted aside, mandible scraping against Ari's mandible with a jarring screech.
Their blades locked. For a heartbeat, Ari stared into the glint of the opponent's eyes beneath the hood, both straining against each other's strength. Then he pushed off, breaking the bind and stepping in with renewed force.
Steel rang again and again, every clash shaking his arms and rattling through his chest plate. The hooded ant's defense faltered; their guard cracked under Ari's relentless strikes.
Ari's eyes narrowed. They can't keep up.
Ari twisted his body, driving his mandibles into a powerful strike that sent his opponent staggering backward, the impact knocking them off balance.
There it was.
The opening.
His steps bit into the dirt, every muscle tightening as instinct carried him through. His mandibles carving a clean line toward the opening at their throat—
A sharp voice cut through the clash, firm and commanding.
"Stop."
Ari froze.
His mandibles hovered inches from his opponent's neck, the tips trembling with the force he had held back. His chest heaved, every breath ragged, adrenaline burning hot in his veins.
The hood rippled from the gust of his halted strike, sliding back just enough to reveal her face—an ant, female, her eyes burning with both fury and fear.
She's… a girl.
Ari's stance faltered, the words echoing in his mind. Slowly, reluctantly, he drew his mandibles away and stepped back.
His opponent crumpled to the dirt, gasping. Her chest rose and fell in shallow bursts, eyes wide with shock. Sweat gleamed on her exoskeleton, strands of damp hair plastered to her face.
Valeria approached, arms folded across her chest, her gaze sharp and steady. The air seemed to tighten around her as she stepped closer.
"That's enough," she said, her voice calm but carrying the weight of authority.
"Commander… V-Valeria!" Isla gasped, relief flooding her face. "You're… finally back!"
Rory, still panting, lowered his mandibles, keeping his stance ready as his opponent stepped back and sheathed theirs.
Valeria's eyes swept over the scene, assessing each of them with precision. "You have all performed beyond expectation. Consider this test complete." Her words were measured, carrying authority without a trace of unnecessary emotion.
"You may remove your hoods now," she commanded, her tone firm, leaving no room for argument.
The hooded ants complied, pulling back their cloaks to reveal themselves.
"Allow me to properly introduce Lieutenant Brooks and Corporal Lily," Valeria said, her gaze sweeping over the trio. "You are already acquainted with Corporal Beatrice from the termite incident."
Ari stepped toward Beatrice, who was still on the ground, shoulders tense and chest rising and falling rapidly. He hesitated for a moment before extending a hand.
"I… I'm sorry about that… Are you… hurt?" he asked, voice low, antennae flicking nervously.
Beatrice drew a deep breath, then sharply slapped his hand away and rose to her feet, brushing dirt from her exoskeleton.
"There's nothing for you to apologize for, you fool," she said, voice clipped, and strode off without another word.
Brooks, the taller ant who had battled Rory, rolled his shoulders casually, as if the fight had been nothing.
Beatrice, now standing in line beside Lily and Brooks, fixed Ari with a sharp, steady glare. The intensity of her stare sent a shiver through his exoskeleton, and he quickly looked away.
Lily, the nimble ant who had attacked Isla, grinned teasingly, lips curved slightly in amusement. "Aw, Valeria… just when I was starting to have fun, you had to ruin it," she teased.
Valeria ignored her. She stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the three recruits, calm and unyielding.
"This was a test," she announced, her voice carrying authority.
I knew this was her doing… but she still caught me off guard, nevertheless.
Ari sighed, antennae twitching as he ran a hand through his hair, chest rising and falling as he tried to shake off the lingering tension.
"What?! A test?!" Isla shrieked, her antennae flicking nervously. "But… we could've died!" Her feet shifted on the dirt ground as she glanced between Ari and Rory, panic still lingering in her stance.
Valeria raised an eyebrow, arms folded. "Unlikely. You're stronger than you realize. None of them intended to kill you, but they fought seriously. They did not hold back."
Ari stared down at his mandibles, fingers trembling slightly around the handles. She's right… I've become stronger than I expected.
Rory wiped sweat from his brow, letting out a short breath. "So… does that mean we passed?"
Valeria's gaze swept over them, steady and unyielding. "Yes. Welcome to the military. You are now officially Lance Corporals."
Isla's eyes went wide, and she gasped. "We actually made it?!"
Rory cracked his knuckles, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "About damn time."
Beatrice's eyes lingered on Ari, a flicker of unease stirring deep within her chest. She shifted slightly, antennae brushing against her exoskeleton as if trying to steady herself.
Later that evening, Valeria sat on a stone-carved stool, the cool surface pressing against her legs, alongside Beatrice, Brooks, and Lily. The stars gleamed faintly above the open chamber near the training grounds, their light catching off the polished edges of the stone and the subtle sheen of the ants' exoskeletons. The air was quiet, punctuated only by the occasional rustle of leaves outside. This was their moment of assessment—the calm after the storm of the day's test.
"So," Valeria began, her voice measured and firm, echoing softly off the walls of the chamber, "what is your evaluation of these three?"
Brooks leaned back slightly on the stone stool, exoskeleton creaking softly as he shifted his weight. His gaze lingered on the empty space where the recruits had been. "Rory… he surprised me," he said quietly, voice calm and deliberate. "Didn't crumble under pressure. Strong resilience for one so young. With guidance… he'll go far." He let a faint, approving hum escape, as though savoring the thought of helping a promising young soldier grow.
Lily swung one leg over the other, resting her chin lightly on her hand. Her lips curled into a teasing grin, eyes sparkling with amusement. "And Isla," she said, voice light and playful, "she looks terrified on the outside… but she moves when it counts. Those instincts? Can't teach that. Not me, not anyone. I'll take her under my wing—whether she's ready or not." She wiggled her fingers as if imagining the fight all over again, leaning back with a laugh that hinted at mischief.
Beatrice's gaze dropped, the light catching off her sharp eyes as her voice lowered. "Commander… I have concerns," she murmured, her tone careful but edged with unease.
Valeria raised an eyebrow, the subtle tilt of her head showing measured curiosity. "Oh?"
Beatrice's voice sharpened. "Rory is adequate for a Lance Corporal. Isla shows exceptional potential. But Ari…" She hesitated, drawing in a deep breath, exoskeleton faintly creaking as she shifted her stance. "He's different. His speed, his strength, his instincts… he's at least Corporal level."
Valeria's gaze darkened, the shadow of her brow deepening as her focus sharpened.
"If you hadn't stopped him when you did… I probably would have been dead," Beatrice admitted, and for a moment, the silence felt heavy, almost pressing against the walls.
Lily whistled softly, tilting her head. "To get a reaction like that out of my dear friend Beatrice… I'm a little jealous," she said, pouting dramatically. Then her grin widened. "So the rumors about Ari are true, huh? He caught General Ivan off guard and wiped out an entire termite colony with his strategy—that's no small feat. I'm definitely interested in him now," she added, teasing and light, eyes sparkling with mischief.
Brooks nodded slowly, a faint hum escaping him as he considered the recruits. "With Valeria's approval of his strength… I'm convinced," he said, voice steady and measured. "He's… something else entirely." He tapped a clawed finger lightly against his arm, as if weighing the weight of his words.
Beatrice frowned, lips pressed into a thin line. "Then why rank him only as a Lance Corporal?"
Valeria's voice remained calm, precise, and unwavering. "Strength alone does not make a leader. Ari has potential, yes, but he has not yet earned that rank. He has just become a soldier and is still unaccustomed to the discipline instilled in us through our upbringing. I can make recommendations, but the Queen has the final say."
She paused, eyes drifting toward the distant stars, her expression distant yet unreadable. "Ari has saved this colony more than once. He's intelligent, a natural strategist. But he lacks restraint. He nearly killed without hesitation. I fear… that somewhere deep inside him lies a hatred for other insects. That is not the kind of power I can recommend recklessly."
Beatrice fell silent, her gaze lowering as she processed the weight of Valeria's words.
"He needs time," Valeria continued, voice steady. "Time to find discipline, control, and a reason to fight beyond survival."
Brooks let out a short chuckle, shoulders shifting as if eager for the challenge. "I'll keep pushing Rory. That kid's going to climb fast," he said.
Lily leaned forward, eyes sparkling with mischief. "And I'll turn Isla into a fighter who won't need anyone's help—even if I have to rough her up a little to do it," she said, lips twitching into a sly grin, the hint of a laugh lingering in her tone.
Beatrice exhaled slowly, her gaze steady and sharp. "And I'll do my best to guide Ari… if he's willing to listen," she murmured, voice quiet but firm.
Valeria inclined her head, tone quiet but firm. "Good." Her gaze lifted to the star-filled sky above. The wind whispered through the open chamber, brushing against her hair and the edges of her exoskeleton.
Winter is coming… it's that time of year again, isn't it, father?
Her expression softened as her quiet thought drifted into the cold night, mingling with the chill air and the distant hum of the forest.
This is only the beginning.