Antelligent Design

89. The Third Ambush, Part 2

Hunkered down amongst the trees, I wait along with my fellow ants—mostly scouts—for the enemy to arrive. We’re roughly a hundred metres from the road and would have to charge across open ground in order to get close enough to launch our acid strikes. Only the soldiers with sufficient speed and range have been chosen to take part in the first phase of the ambush. For good reason too.

There’s more risk to this plan with a potentially greater payoff. Moving away from the tunnel-based strategy we’d employed in the previous two battles meant we would be more open, but ensured we won’t become predictable and play into the enemy’s hands. Such a strategy will be well worth it.

“Steady, people, they’re coming,” I scent from my left.

The horde crawls into view. A seemingly endless tide of monsters walking with eerie quiet, their natural instincts suppressed to the point they’re alien to me. Well, more alien than the crazy, vicious monster-creatures who spawn out of thin air underground that they normally are.

We continue to lie low and wait, concealed behind the tree line. The plan isn’t to hit the front of the horde, which we’d done in the past, just in case they were prepared for such a tactic. Five minutes we wait after the first monsters pass us by before we creep out of our hiding places and begin to sneak our way closer.

The scouts have all taken Stealth as a Skill, and at this point, they probably have more Levels in it than I do, since I don’t get much of an opportunity to train it anymore. It feels nice to drop into my old habits, flexing my six legs to keep my body low and close to the ground, sticking to the darker shadows and avoiding the light.

This is a night raid, which is one reason why we are comfortable advancing over the open ground. Somewhere overhead, the moon shines down on us—I assume, I can only see a vague shininess overhead—which doesn’t really help me sneak, since I’m so shiny myself.

If I get any more sparkly, they’ll think I’m a vampire. The lame kind! But I do love my Diamond Carapace. After my evolution, the first thing I’m going to upgrade is my carapace to get MOAR diamonds! Gwehehehe. The birth of the crystal ant is not far away!

Slow and purposeful, my team of scouts and I creep ever closer to the enemy. No magic assault at all in this attack, in case we’re detected. The horde appears lifeless and their behaviour is off-putting. Whatever it is that controls these monsters, I don’t like it.

We’ve still not been sighted. Things are looking good so far.

I’m actually not the ant in the front for this manoeuvre. Wills put herself out there since so many of her fellow scouts are the first in the firing line for this plan. I can see her now, a little larger than the other scouts due to her inflated stats, ahead of me and to the left.

Wait!

She paused!

Slowly, the lead scout begins to raise her business district into the sky, huddling her lower body toward the ground until her acid barrage is primed to fly like the third quarter profits, in a high arc. At this signal, the rest of the scouts and myself form up into a line with Wills, and assume the same aggressive posture.

Time for a hostile takeover.

Despite being covered in darkness and utilising our Stealth Skills to their limits, we are still treated to the drill instructor-like shouting of Wills as she organises her scouts.

“Not yet, you scum! Why are you so impatient? Are you scouts or are you larvae? Form up the line! Wait for my signal!” she harangues her troops.

I assume she’s not talking to me, at least. If she was, I might have to have words…

POW!

Along with a pheromone shout of “NOW!” Wills unleashes the first shot of the barrage. One which is quickly followed by dozens more.

POW! POW! POW! POW!

I fire my acid at a steady pace, aiming for power and distance as opposed to accuracy or concentration. The acid arcs high and separates into a wider spray as it falls, reducing the concentration of damage. We don’t really care. The horde is so large and dense, that every bit of acid we unleash will land on something.

A dull, muted thump resounds as the acid bursts out, fortunately too quiet a noise to reveal our position. Just like a new product being launched with a stealth marketing campaign. A torrent of acid is in the air before the first of it lands, alerting the enemy to our attack. The sizzle of flesh and the roars and groans of monsters are the first signs that battle has begun.

At first, the enemy isn’t able to spot our position and the monsters mill about, confused and angry. I gleefully continue to empty my acid gland along with my siblings.

POW! POW!

Eat acid, suckers!

Then things change.

A light erupts, blazing into existence above the horde with an intensity that blinds me before it fades a little, allowing me to see. As my vision focuses, three great balls of light now hang in the air above the horde, illuminating the surroundings and stripping us ants of our Stealth.

We’re exposed!

“Run for it!” I shout to the scouts as the horde turns to face us and charge, hungry to feast on ant flesh.