The Antventure Begins

106. The Endless Battle Begins

I run along the trail of workers, snapping, and biting at everything that obstructs their path towards the escape tunnel. My main purpose isn’t to kill these monsters, but to try and get every worker I can to safety.

“Into the tunnel! Into the tunnel!” I constantly shout as I snap at claws and arms that threaten them.

What is the state of the brood chamber in all this chaos? Did we get all of them out?

Worry pierces my chest when I think about the defenceless grubs that may not have been shifted in time.

I need to try to save them!

[Tiny, protect the tunnel!]

I can’t even be sure the ape heard and understood me in all of the madness, but I don’t stay to check. Speeding toward the chamber, I start channelling my Gravity magic into my mandibles. Any ant caught or stuck on their path towards the escape tunnel, I immediately reach out with the gravitational energy, yoinking them to me and closer to safety.

I get a few very startled looks after they’ve unceremoniously flown right at me. I’m not sure if it was the shorter distance or finer control on my part, but the ants manage to land on their feet, the larvae they carry safe and sound.

Phew!

Most of the monsters I’d first sensed growing in the walls have emerged by now, snarling and biting, tearing into the first thing they see. So many of these monsters bear no resemblance to anything I’ve seen so far in the Dungeon. Inhuman, illogical, unnatural creatures of darkness and shadow. Impossibly large mouths, limbs bent at insane angles and with more joints than they could possibly require.

These monsters were taken straight out of a nightmare!

But I won’t be distracted from my purpose.

When I see no more ants emerging from the brood chamber, I charge along the wall and make my way inside, threading between the creatures, lashing out with my mandibles whenever I’m threatened.

Strange as they may be, they still don’t like it when I chomp one of their limbs off.

Bursting into the brood chamber my heart drops low in my thorax. There are still dozens of larvae here. Tiny little grubs that are completely defenceless against the nightmare horde that has emerged from within the very walls of their sanctuary.

Already several young have been destroyed by the conflict.

Dammit… We weren’t fast enough.

Little grubs they may have been, they were members of my family! They have become the first members of our colony to be sacrificed to the wave.

Regret floods me. If I’d kept a better track of time. If I’d been a little quicker. A bit stronger. I could have saved them.

Hold on. One larva in the middle of the room is wiggling furiously towards me as vicious beasts battle all around it. Just before it gets stomped under the foot of an ignorant combatant, I flash back to my senses and activate my mandibles.

YOINK!

The tiny grub flies through the air, rocketing out of the brood chamber and slamming directly into my face.

I didn’t have much choice. If I tried to catch it in my mandibles, I’m likely to injure the thing, they’re so little and spongy! Using my face to absorb the impact may not have been the most sophisticated of solutions, but it seems to have done the job.

The lucky grub squirms with joy at its emancipation. This larva seems unusually active and aware for a creature nearly without senses.

You ok there, little one?

I couldn’t save the others, but I’ll absolutely save this one!

With no more workers inside the chamber, and hopefully none coming back, I turn my back and leave, unable to do anything for those that remain inside.

Come on, Anthony, get this little one to the escape tunnel. Save this one larva. Then you can vent your rage!

My eyes are nearly blinded by my grief and guilt. I’m determined to see this one to safety. Lowering my head, I bull my way out. Monsters screech and scratch. One scythe-like limb stretches out of the darkness to scrape along my side, sending sparks flying as it scores my Diamond Carapace.

I don’t respond, I can’t respond. I won’t risk anything until I can save this defenceless member of my family.

Before me a horrific monster rises, twisted and broken like a spectre of death itself. The painful stinging of death energy rolls over me as it draws closer.

No!

The HP drain might be something I can deal with, but it’ll be enough to kill this larva in just a few seconds.

[Tiny! Kill!] I roar in my mind.

From the other side of the queen’s chamber, a deafening shriek overpowers the snarls of the chaos as Tiny unleashes his mind affecting vocal attack. All monsters in the room shudder with pain as the sound scatters their consciousness.

Without ears, the grub is sheltered from the attack, but the power of the sound waves vibrating through its fleshy body threaten to shake the poor thing to bits.

The nightmare beast before me reels backward, disoriented from the blast. Before I can even react, a blinding flash of light erupts in my peripheral vision.

Tiny is still channelling electricity throughout his entire body, looming over the monsters around him like an angry god, the current in his hand flashing ever brighter.

With anger contorting his bat features, he throws his hand towards where I stand.

I have no idea what he’s doing at first, but a moment after he thrusts his hand, a terrifying arc of electricity bursts forth, burning the monster before me to shreds!

Nice, Tiny! Motor on!

Legs scrabbling in the dirt as fast as they can, I stumble and lurch my way forward, sacrificing balance to eke out every ounce of speed I can muster. Go, go, go, Anthony!

Dive!

The mouth of the escape tunnel is in sight. Workers have already formed a defence line, using their numbers to try and fend off their attackers.

Spotting a gap in the line I hurl myself through the air, leaping for the finish line.

A sudden, sharp pain explodes from my abdomen. Looking down, a hideous beast with tremendous spikes on the ends of its limbs, climbs out of the dirt beneath me. One arm has been extended, the spike piercing straight through my abdomen and coming out of my back.

Holy crud that hurts! My HP has plummeted!

Save the little one first, I’m so close!

Thudding painfully onto the ground, that terrible spike still piercing me from beneath, I drag myself towards the escape chamber, the little larva still gently gripped in my mandibles.

Scattering earth and new limbs click as the beast emerges from the dirt behind me.

I’m nearly there! Just a few more feet.

This wound is excruciating!

Inch by inch, I move towards the tunnel, my blood staining the earth of the queen’s chamber. Another worker notices me approaching and rushes forward, closing the gap between us in just a second. Tenderly the worker takes the larva and rushes deep into the tunnel. The last I see, the little grub is limp in the workers mandibles, hardly moving at all.

I hope you make it, little one.

As for the thing behind me…

You should never have stabbed me in the business district.

Taste my justice!