I was anxious.
Madhuri was pretty banged up. There didn’t seem to be anything broken, but blood continuously leaked from the claw wound. She shuddered like a leaf tormented by wind, about to break away from the branch. How could we let her separate from us?
Bella had to poison Madhuri to keep her still. Her movements aggravated her wounds. It was the toughest time of my life.
We disinfected the wound with honey and sealed it up with a mixture of dirt and saliva, but she didn’t wake up.
The two had to hold the wound until the mixture dried, but to think the cement could be used in this way; of course, the idea was a growth of my mind. Only a worker that had been harassed by other workers for outing them to the authorities, and had the experience of almost dying to the rapidly drying cement could have thought of using it in such an innovating way.
Honey was Barry’s idea. He had enough baths in the royal jelly and honey to know that the two were interchangeable. Thankfully, the claws hadn’t punctured Madhuri’s body or we may have lost her, just like that.
However, it was a dire situation. I felt like I would implode onto me from worry. Her fever was going out of control. She was burning up. That’s when Bella came through with an idea. She dug a burrow and buried her inside it. Of course, Bella made sure to keep Madhuri’s face outside so she could breathe.
She said it would keep Madhuri cool and not to mention protect her from predators, because the mound hid and masked her at the same time.
It was a dream come true to watch her extradite dirt from under Bella and then back over her. There was no way a worker ant would ever come close to her way. Digging was built into her. Her long rear legs were exceptional at digging and throwing stuff away, and at the rate that they moved was just gorgeous. I think my heart broke a little to see her work being unrecognized. Well, I made sure to tell her how beautiful she was while she worked.
Barry and I couldn’t help her in covering Madhuri, but we could help remove the bloodstains of which there were a lot. The red pungent blood once again reminded me of the moving mountain. It had slowly slipped from my mind, but still represented the same amount of terror as the day I had realized the truth.
However, having seen predators being preyed one after another, I was starting to believe that the moving mountain might not be all there was that the world had to offer in terms of either size or strength. It was not a line of thought I was comfortable with, but a distraction I very much needed.
We weren’t far from the rock formation described by the merchants. If they were right and my skill hadn’t doped me, then we were right outside the territory of the 47th city. There was just one problem. A whole swarm of termites occupied the territory and surrounded the city, even the sky. The whole area smelled of them. And by the amount of or lack thereof activity by the ants I was sure they had been pushed deep into the city, and most likely into the vault with no escape. They could also be all dead.
So the princess was right. The raid on our city was in fact a distraction. The termites had successfully managed to bait us to the west, which was in the completely opposite direction, while they comfortably ate away the most important city in our history; since never before had a daughter city managed to grow and prosper more than the mother.
However, those were my assumptions. My life had been kind enough to prove me wrong at every step, and teach me the wisdom in my first teacher, the aged warrior’s words. She had advised me to never assume anything, whether strength, weakness, or in this case, the truth.
It meant I needed to go through with my task no matter how impossible it looked. I had to get into the city, even if meant being chased by the whole termite swarm. I should have expected this; it’s just that, I was so busy surviving that there was no time to think about my destination. My journey was far too extraordinary.
It was not a good sign. I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a rescue mission. There was no saving anyone. I was not capable enough. I would need a miracle to survive myself.
And this was the cause of my anxiousness. So close to my destination, I didn’t want to waste a single more minute, but Madhuri was hurt and unconscious. I couldn’t simply leave her on her own; that would be akin to abandoning her. It was not going to happen.
However, as the day passed and he termites grew into action I could wait no longer. I had already wasted too many days, too much time. In the world of ants, kingdoms fall in a matter of days.
So with a heavy heart, I got up to leave, but Barry noticed me and my intentions. A bond had formed between us. If I could tell his innermost thoughts from the slightest of buzzing, then it was no wonder that he could do the same.
Look —he told Bella who was feeding Madhuri honey from her reserves— someone is trying to commit suicide.
She didn’t pay attention at first but gave up after Barry’s consistently poked her on the back. Where? She said with zero enthusiasm.
There, that little guy thinks he can just up and leave and no one will notice anything.
Does he now? Bella was done feeding. And from the way her abdomen swayed, I say she was getting ready to pounce at the poor little guy trying to escape the two monsters.
What do you think are his chances? Barry continued with the buzzing. I see that there are plenty of termites around. And his destination, the group of rocks, is pretty far.
If he went alone there is no chance of him making it? But what is if he has help? Hmm, from someone who knows how to get in and out of places, quietly. Someone who can be stealthy and wouldn’t stand out with their over the done colors and bloated size. Barry pulled back at her shift of attention. Do you know anyone like that?
Yeah, well, I might. He said, buzzing his wings to peace. Please have a go, is what he meant. That all about sealed my fate.
It made me amused and sad. It was funny to see how easily Bella could curb Barry’s enthusiasm, but also sad that she was asking to accompany me on this mission that they deemed risky, and I was going to agree. I was sure Greed was laughing at me, but the circumstances demanded me to be selfish.
Will there ever come a day when I won’t have to put others' lives on the line? The thought echoed in my mind but was caught by someone before it could take hold and leech from my mental capabilities.
Sure. The little voice in my mind lectured. You might lack strength now, but you will get there someday. When and how depends upon your will and desperation. And then you will learn that lone strength can only take you so far.
Bella had already made the decision, but my heartbeat again. I felt helpless. But Madhuri, I worried, causing Barry to come into action. He flew up and took perch atop the mound that was her.
I’ll take care of her. He announced. So you take care of him. Don’t let him die. He told Bella.
I wasn’t planning to.
So, what now? I asked Bella and as it turns out she had everything planned out from the start. Meaning she expected to be doing this. I assumed she wasn’t a thinker, and I was wrong again.
Now you learn to sneak. Bella looked me over from head to the back and changed her mind. That might never happen. She admitted to herself. But you will still need to learn to hide and walk like a wasp.
We don’t have time for games.
Do you want to get caught for having your leg out when hiding?
It seemed like a bad thing so I shook my head.
Bella continued. I can’t take care of you all the way. The group of rocks is too far. She said buzzing to impatient. Most of what I do is done with speed. So you will have to show me you can at least keep up with me. I doubt it but come on: Show me how fast you can go.
Just do as she says. Barry buzzed to annoyance. I remembered the little talk we had after taking flight with the merchants in tow. We had been together for so long that I had forgotten she was still a parasitic wasp. Even the big bad hornet listened to her. And why did it matter if we were a few more minutes late? It wasn’t like the termites were stirring a commotion or getting ready to sweep the city clean.
Do you want my quickest?
Yes, don’t hold back. You can attack me if you want.
Don’t be stupid. Barry scented. It was amazing that he could still laugh and tease, even in his condition.
She released amusement as I took a position. Legs bent, abdomen raised, head straight. She asked for my fastest. Well, by charging up I could go pretty fast. And she was surprised to see me flying straight at her. I was aiming for a head butt, but there was a burst of sound from her wing and she disappeared from my sight. The skill canceled when that happened, sending me into a roll and causing me to eat dirt, something I had already perfected.
The key to rolling with an ant’s inflexible body was in letting the momentum be the guide. Rolling was far easier than trying to use the momentum to do a front flip and stand back on the feet in one sleek motion. That bit was far too complex for my ant brain to comprehend and my body to perform.
She was standing back in the same position when I turned around, antennae erect in earnest. I don’t think she was expecting that.
Can all ants do that?
No.
Figure; I wouldn’t have managed to get so many children out of your kind if all of you were so impressive.
That was plainly blunt of her. Maybe she was retaliating? Well, whatever it was I expected nothing less from her uncaring egged ass.
However, Barry had a much difficult question to ask. Can anyone else do that? The answer to that lied in my silence. I was not going to humor him. What he asked was a secret I had long decided to take to my grave. And I wasn’t planning to die any time soon.
Just where did that come from. I was hoping she wouldn’t ask me for the details and was thankful when she decided to let it go.
She had other things to ask. Like: How good is your control?
What do you mean?
I mean, do you overshoot or under? Can you do this?
She swayed, her wings fluttered, there was a burst of sound and then disappeared out of my sight, reappeared next to me, and then disappeared once again before I could touch her.
I couldn’t find her anywhere. No senses worked. Then she walked out from behind a nearby grass shoot.
When did you get there? I asked in surprise.
When you were not looking, She buzzed to amusement.
I saw Barry scratching his head. It was no wonder that she could move about so freely around the hive. How do you catch someone you can’t see? You just pretend they don’t exist.
You want me to move like that? I can barely perform it a dozen times before it becomes too taxing for my body.
She wasn’t surprised. That I can get behind. I’ll take note to not push you too hard when we are finally on the move. Are you hiding any more surprises?
I didn’t have any skills related to hiding so the answer was no. As a result, she asked me to hide from her. We’ll go once I can’t find you in less than three heartbeats. But she always found me and told me how she did it.
You left a scent trail. Your foot was showing. You left prints all over the place. Do you call that hiding? Your scent trail makes all the dead ones roll in their graves. Be still. Stop moving. Become one with your surroundings. What’s the point of digging a hole if you are going to leave the signs all over the place? And then finally, she hesitated and fell into the trap I had dug for her. I succeeded; I slipped through her detection.
What are you doing earning this thief like skill? Don’t tell anyone how proud that makes me. It’s the perfect skill to *omitted*.
You have acquired a new skill: Sneak
[Sneak][Lv-1/10][Tier-1][Active]
[Your steps leave behind no clues.]
[The skill consumes 1 point of Endurance every ten steps. Deactivates automatically when your endurance drops to 50%.]
I did it!
You did it! You showed her. You—
That was unexpected. She said. It was my way of deterring your motivation, but with this and what you can do with your movements; maybe we’ll have a chance.
I was ready.
We said goodbye to Barry. I did it from far by waving my antenna, while she exchanged honey, transferring her reserves to him so he could feed Madhuri from time to time. He needed all the motivation he could get. Done with the pleasantries we were on our way. Luckily, we had fallen far from the termite occupied area; otherwise, we would have had it for real. It was a long walk ahead of us. Half an hour later, and the distance was getting on our nerves.
This would have been so much easier if we could fly.
She agreed. Anyone with a pair of wings would say the same. Any idea why they are roaming the sky like they own the place? Don’t they fear being attacked by a sky predator?
I did my best to ignore the jab and answered her as earnestly as possible.
They could be planning to raid the 47th city. That’s how they attacked us. I told her. The termites made their royal lineage carry the soldiers and deposited them on top of our tower. It was a desperate situation. No one thought the city would ever see an attack mounted upon her by anyone, much less by termites. We had grown far too comfortable and paid for it dearly.
No wonder your queen went on war. Heck, I would do the same if anyone tried to touch my burrows.
Not the same. I never told her that.
She had heard my story and knew my relation with Princess Tinbuji and how I became her royal guard. She asked me about her and I entertained her to the best of my ability. Still, I can’t figure out how praising Princess caused Bella to hate her.
I could almost taste the lush sarcasm that she coated the chemical words in when explained that it was my decision to go on this journey. I could have kept going because I liked talking about Princess, but something told me I would be better off staying clear of that landfill for now.
So I changed the topic to our current circumstance and the termites: how to deal with them, what to do if cornered, or if they found us out; those sorts of things. However, somehow or another we still wound around talking about my story, at least this time the topic was different.
What if I caught some termites for you to perform an I.C? Won’t they know everything that has happened here? It’ll be so much easier than infiltrating a city in the middle of the day, with no idea whether it’s occupied by the termites or empty inside.
No, no, I shuddered at the mere mention of that. I’m never doing that again. The last time I tried it on a termite the connection almost killed me and put me out of commission for a whole day.
Come-on, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
What? No. There is something wrong with them. It doesn’t work and I’m not doing it?
She stopped in the middle of our trek through a dry bush to ask me I was sure. I told her I was absolutely sure.
Then you better come back here. Her words puzzled me. There’s a termite outside, on top of that blade of grass. It hasn’t seen us yet, but it will if you keep going that way.
I followed her and hid, but when I looked there was no termite anywhere.
Just checking to make sure you follow me. She nonchalantly said and went ahead to climb the grass blade behaving like nothing was wrong. I watched her for a time before following, wondering what had I gotten myself into.
But that was the first and last time she played a joke like that on me. I followed her up to the grass blade and she was moving ahead without an inch of hesitation. We kept to the top of the blades, and I only learned a bit later than we had entered the area patrolled by the termites when I smelled a group of them pass down below.
On top of the blades, I was neither fast nor nimble as her. She had her wings to fall back to whenever she missed her stepped, which she rarely ever did, but I had to keep wasting my charges to keep up with her.
One charge used meant one less point of endurance. And it was not just a measure of my skills, but also stamina. Needless to say, I was beyond uncomfortable following her and slowing her down at every step, which she bluntly admitted to and berated me for.
I would have an easier time getting going there alone. I might even be able to return by the time you reach the city —which in itself is a big if. How about it?
But will you know what to find? I retaliated, calmly because we were in termite territory. How will you differentiate between something wrong and regular? And I can follow you. It was the truth. No one would expect a meager ant to keep up with a wasp, but I was doing it.
She faltered.
And so we continued on our mission. Over the blades and inside the shades; she made me hide in the space between two sibling grass shoots, and under the foliage. Where ever there was a place to hide we hid; and she gave me my third lesson when we were cornered.
If there is an option to hide, you hide. She said. We looked at a group of termites, five of them coming directly toward us. There’s always a danger of getting detected; there is no need to add to is by needlessly butting heads with your opponents. But there are times when you can’t hide.
The termites had caught us naked at the wrong time. There was no way to hide without getting detected and causing an alarm; hence the dilemma.
We had made it deep into the termite occupied territory, and so close to their advanced posts the territory was crawling with their white soldiers. There was no account claiming to have seen termites moving about out of their wood carved cities.
And they were very efficient in their duties. It should be noted that I had managed to slip through the patrolling guards of my city when I didn’t even know anything, and now we were backed up to a wall even though I was following a master of sneaking.
We were only hidden from them because there was a difference in our line of sight. But we were sure to get caught if they came closer.
What would you do in this situation? Bella asked me. There had been many such questions on the way, some of which I had answered wrongly and others easily. This one, however, took me through a wild chase at the end of which I found nothing. So I fired in the haze, hoping to get lucky.
We remain hidden? Maybe dig—
Can you dig fast enough without them finding out, and also cover the traces? Even I don’t claim to be good at both.
No,
Then think about it again. There is no need to hurry or worry.
It was difficult to get used to her. At one moment she would be absolutely serious with no leeway, and then suddenly she’d flip and make a joke, usually a sarcastic one. That was her in a nutshell. The more time I spent with her the more I was realizing that she like Barry had found her own way of coping with stress. That’s what her untimely jokes were.
I came up with an answer. Do we need to distract them?
You are right, She said. I felt a weight lift from my chest but a thorn takes its place when she told me to distract them, and disappeared with a subdued buzz of wings.
The buzzing might have been subdued, but the termites noticed me none the less. Their large heads were equipped with vibration sensors. I wondered if she didn’t know or didn’t care. It was most likely the latter, again. The females around me really had no respect for us of the opposite gender.
However, I didn’t have to move. Bella appeared behind the group out of nowhere. I saw their antennae standing erect and heads quiver in fear. But there was nothing they could do. I got a firsthand display of the terror that a cornered wasp could cause. There was a reason her kind was feared by all that lived in the shade.
She skewered one, injected another, pushed a soldier at the one rushing toward me, and separated the head of the last one —all in one seamless motion. One moment they were standing and in the next moment they were done, dead, and breathless.
She disappeared again with a burst of sound from her wings, and appeared standing above the two she had subdued. Her abdomen pointed at them, the ovipositor glistened with a drop of her decomposing poison. A poison was so strong it made my head dizzy just by standing nearby, in a quantity that could have easily dissolve the two termites into compost and dissolved that compost into the dirt.
Good distraction. She lectured me while the two termites squirmed underneath her like earthworms. But distraction is not enough when you are infiltrating. When trying to escape then sure, but you don’t want to alert your opponents in any form or shape otherwise.
I worried that the termites would mark us, putting an end to our spying, but they didn’t for some reason. I didn’t realize that I was being swayed by her poison even though I was helped by the system, while they were basically naked.
In the end, she skewered the one that was acting courageous and trying to bite her leg in the eye and broke the last one's neck.
The best method is to kill them as quickly and quietly as you can. That’s the only way to be sure that no one notices. You will need to hide the bodies though.
I charged toward her with my mandible straight and the aura of stab coating the edges and stabbed through her… afterimage, dealing with the termites she had only injected. The termite had gotten up. They system congratulated me for killing a Gluttonous Termite and granted me experience, but I had something else on my mind.
You didn’t poison her!
I had to see whether you could handle one on your own or you were simply a whistleblower. She looked at the termite that lay at my feet, chest blasted pen, and its fluids marring my face. Pretty impressive, but how do you plan to clean that mess?
I hadn’t thought about that.
We hid the bodies in the space between the grass shoots and pushed them down so they wouldn’t rise up. I had the brilliant idea of digging them a grave until Bella called me stupid. She didn’t tell me why it was such a bad idea.
We finished cleaning the place and were on our way, however, we had only just passed the advanced post that we entered, what can only be described as a battlefield.
It was fresh. The battle hadn’t happened long ago. The plants still bore signs of poison damage and the dirt still had the stench of death to it. Torn limbs littered the whole place. Most of them belonged to ants, legs, mandibles, all broken and mangled.
This is not the work of anyone sane. Bella commented.
Are you all alright? She asked. I was not. She understood and gave me time to adjust. The advanced post to our right was close enough that I could barely see it sticking out from above the grass shoots. I had an inkling that they were the culprit.
I was still lost in thoughts when Bella pushed me. Sentries, she said and we were hurrying to find a place to hide. We found a small burrow. It had seen usage because there were scents lingering inside, scents that belonged to ants, to ants I personally knew.
The 5555th soldier, the one who had almost gotten me killed and the hateful ones was here and alive. The scent was recent and if the following trail said anything they had been taken alive to the advanced post.
Turns out, there was no need to go around the advanced post, after all.
