Fated Antagonist

68. Gathering

“Are you sure you aren’t responsible, Eldest?”

“What are you talking about, Sloan? I’ve been the soul of caution out here. All of this can be blamed on the plant. How are we supposed to know that the ka’armodo and the bruan’chii are having some sort of dust up?”

The general flicks her antennae in irritation.

“We’d heard that there might be something of the sort going on, but we never expected it would matter to us. Even though the ka’armodo sand empire is close to the former border kingdoms, we haven’t done anything to provoke them, so we never expected them to act so aggressively toward us.”

“Seriously though, what’s the issue between the tree and the lizards? What could they possibly be fighting over?” I ask.

“From what we’ve been able to gather, it has something to do with resources and land in the fourth stratum”

I stare.

“How in the name of heck are you able to figure that out? We haven’t been anywhere near the fourth stratum!”

“We have our sources, Eldest.”

I eye the smaller ant.

“You want to act all mysterious now? Fine. So what’s the plan?”

“The Colony is still restructuring and expanding above, so we want to avoid a major conflict if at all possible. We need to defend the garden until the Grove Keeper has arrived so we can learn why the Mother Tree has chosen to reveal herself to us at this time.”

“That makes sense. I’d love to know what’s going on inside her head. How many are we up against?”

“As far as we’ve been able to learn, there aren’t actually that many ka’armodo in the nearby demon cities, though they have a functioning portal in each one.”

“Meaning, we don’t expect that many to come, but it could possibly be a heap?”

“Right.”

“Darn. How many are we bringing?”

“Ten thousand.”

Oof. That’s a lot. Most of them are going to be tier four, with a good chunk of tier five mixed in, but that’s still a heck of a lot of monsters.

“When are they going to arrive?” I ask.

“They should be here in the next ten minutes. I left with them and rushed ahead to get here first. There are already scouts roaming ahead to find the approaching force. Things will come to a head here within the hour.”

Quicker than I expected. Nice to see everyone is so organised, I suppose.

“All right then, I’ll go and take a sticky-beak at what’s happening.”

“Eldest…”

“I’m not going to fight anyone! Yeesh. Have a little faith, would you?”

The doubting… it’s almost enough to hurt my feelings, honestly. I bid farewell to the general and scuttle down the side of the rock we were standing on to rejoin my companions below. It’s barely been an hour since the garden grew, and already we’re in this mess. I have to thank the tree for her help the last time, but on this occasion, she’s thrown my family in the deep end, and insects can’t swim.

Although, ants in the Amazon are known to form living rafts and float along the flood waters, their entire colony clinging together, with their queen in the centre of the mass, in order to survive. We might have to do that, I suppose. Although, I think I’m far too heavy for the surface tension of the water to support my weight… Perhaps Pangera has particularly dense water?

[What do you think, Crinis? Do you think we’re strong enough to take on an army of ka’armodo and their attendants?]

[We are much stronger than we were the first time we faced one, master. I believe you can keep us safe.]

[Come on, Crinis, you’re just as strong as I am. How about we keep each other safe?]

[V-very well… Master.]

[How about you, Al? Do you feel like joining in on this one? And please don’t appear in midair on me, my heart can only take so much.]

After a short pause I hear the demon’s thoughts echo across the bridge.

[I will not,] he says. [I do not seek to make enemies of the ka’armodo. It is not my fight.]

[More than fair,] I admit. [Well, I suppose you’ll be hanging around anyway, just make sure you keep your distance. Things are likely to get hairy.]

Which reminds me.

“Protectant and company. Make sure you keep your wits about you. Pitched battles are a difficult place to be on bodyguard duty, so don’t overdo it.”

I don’t get a reply, but I know they’re listening.

I wonder if Sarah is going to come out for this one. Probably not, considering her reaction to being contacted by Jim. I’m sure she doesn’t want to risk being contacted by him again. So long as she stays up in the city back in Orpule, then I don’t see any way that he could get up there and bother her. I wouldn’t put it past him to try, though…

The dude has an unhealthy obsession, to say the least. Shouldn’t matter in the long run, since he’ll soon pay for his crimes. In the meantime, I better do my part to protect this stupid garden so we can find out what the damn tree wants. Looking into the distance, I can still see the big lizard and four setsulah attendants standing atop the outcropping. With a sigh, I decide I may as well head over and attempt a diplomatic resolution.

Let me just say going into it that I don’t expect it to succeed. In fact, I kind of feel like it’ll end up with the ka’armodo attacking me. Don’t ask me why, but I get the impression that no matter how hard I try to be accommodating, the parties I try to negotiate with always seem to end up in a rage. I can only assume that people on Pangera have short tempers or something, since I have been the soul of courtesy from the beginning.

I snap a bridge into place as we draw closer and try to sound as cheerful as possible with my smooth opening line.

[Getting any sun up on that rock?] I say, waving my antennae in a cheerful wave.

No reply, but I definitely feel a simmering anger across the bridge. Already? What did I even say?!

[Look,] I try a different approach and assume a more serious tone, [I’m sure you don’t want any of your brethren to suffer, or Gandalf forbid, die for the sake of pruning a stupid weed. Why not just let this one slide, eh? What’s the harm?]

The giant lizard shifts slightly on the rock, and I can feel the irritation bubbling away under the calm, near-motionless exterior. Something flickers between the attendants, and I feel one of them connect to our bridge.

[The lord no longer wishes to address you, insect,] I am curtly told.

Immediately, I feel them attempt to cut the bridge, but I hold onto it, rebuffing their initial attempts.

[You probably don’t think we’re strong enough to fight you, which is totally fine. Ants, right? First stratum monsters and all that. I get it. I just want to warn you that this might not go how you think it’s going to go. You turn up here with a hundred, we’re going to bring more. You turn up here with a thousand, we are going to bring more. And if you think we aren’t able to hurt you… well, I guess you’ll find out, won’t you?]

Having said my bit, I allow the bridge to be cut, then turn so I can walk away, though I do in fact wander past the outcropping so I can catch a glimpse of the lizards who are on their way. Right now, I can’t see them, but it won’t be long until they get here, and then we get to throw down in a big battle again. Finally!

…I mean. No. Bad.