"Alright, everyone, listen up. Everything is in place for the invasion attempts that will happen today. As we speak, your scouting team is on their way to locate the rival colony. Once they give the signal, everyone will get into position and prepare to defend our colony," said Ari, his voice sharp and deliberate as it cut through the humid morning air.
A few murmurs rippled through the assembled ants.
"He may not be one of us, but he's pretty cool," said a military ant, his tone grudging but respectful.
"I still can't believe I'm taking orders from him. If this is a trap, I swear I'll kill him myself," muttered Valeria. She crouched low beside her squad, the sharp, earthy scent of wet leaves pressing into her mandibles sheathed at her side as they hid under thick foliage. Their carapaces blended with the green, barely stirring as they crept along the edge of the battlefield.
Above them, the scouts maneuvered deftly along tall stalks and twisted bark, climbing until their silhouettes disappeared into the canopy. Moments later, sunlight flashed between the leaves—three quick bursts.
"So, there really is a colony in this direction. I didn't expect it to be so close to ours," Valeria whispered, her antennae twitching.
She froze.
"What? I hear footsteps. Could it be..."
The sound of synchronized marching swelled. Dust kicked up in a low cloud as hundreds—no, thousands—of ants in gleaming brown armor swept through the underbrush, their presence deafening even before the first one was visible.
"Their army is more than twice the size of ours. There's no way we can win," someone breathed beside her.
"Stay quiet. We don't want to mess this up early," Valeria hissed, heart pounding against her exoskeleton. Her teeth clenched tight as she peered between the leaves.
Her jaw twitched.
"I hate to admit it, but he's right. We might not stand a chance in hell. Especially because they have a General level ant in their ranks. But, I'm putting all my faith in Ari's plan—it's the only hope we've got. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't even know we were going to be invaded and raided. What if we hadn't listened? What would have become of us then?"
"General Ivan, at our current pace, we should arrive at the colony in approximately three hours," reported a soldier near the front.
"That's good news. Based on the little but useful information Vladimir gave us, it's safe to say their army is like water in the desert compared to ours, which is like the sea," Ivan responded with cool confidence, his gaze locked forward. Each step he took was precise and controlled.
"Not to mention he got some of their army to leave the colony, which decreased their strength significantly. And there's the fact that they know nothing about this. It's practically like taking berries from a little baby ant" another said with a smirk.
"Indeed, it is. Listen up, men. Be sure to take all their belongings and ransack the place. Leave no ant alive," Ivan said, his voice like stone grinding over gravel.
"Yes, sir!" came the thunderous reply.
Back in the trees, a scout adjusted the reflective shard between his hands, angling it just right to catch the sunlight and flash the signal three times.
Ari narrowed his eyes, the reflected light dancing across his face.
"Looks like they're close, and not only that—there are a lot of them since he flashed it three times," Ari said, his chest tightening.
He turned, shouting, "They're closing in. Get ready, everyone. This will be the toughest battle you've faced."
The air turned thick. Distant vibrations grew steadily stronger beneath their feet. Antennae twitched in anticipation. From the colony's outskirts, the defense lines tightened, small clusters of soldiers aligning shoulder to shoulder.
Soon, the enemy arrived. General Ivan halted, his front legs sinking slightly into the dirt as he surveyed the eerily still colony.
"I'm confused. Shouldn't there be worker ants all over the place at this time of day? This place is too quiet. And what's with that wall? Something's off. Did Vladimir betray our trust?"
The silence shattered.
"Charge, men!" a soldier from Queen Celeste's forces bellowed from behind the barricade that was built in front of the colony's entrance.
"Yes! It seems they expected us, but their army is so small it doesn't make a difference if they knew. No matter—we can still take them out. Go ahead and slaughter them all," Ivan ordered.
But no sooner had his army surged forward than a sharp, coordinated strike hit from both flanks.
The enemy was surrounded.
"Stop, men! Hold your formation!" Ivan shouted.
From the tall grass and shallow trenches, squads burst forward. Their movements were razor-sharp, silent, and surgical. Mandibles glinted as they carved into the enemy's unguarded sides. Blood splattered. Screeches erupted. Exoskeletons cracked beneath brutal strikes.
They retreated just as fast as they struck, regrouping in crescent formations.
Ivan's eyes widened.
"What the hell is this? We lost so many soldiers in the blink of an eye. How is that possible?" Asked one of the enemy soldiers with fear.
Ari, watching from behind the barricade, spotted the towering figure at the rear of the enemy ranks.
"There he is. That has to be their commander. I need to let Valeria know."
He sprinted across the chaotic battlefield, ducking beneath swinging mandibles, sidestepping lunges, and sliding beneath flailing limbs. He burst toward Ivan, swift and silent. With a deft motion, he slapped two gooey materials to the general's shoulders.
Ivan roared. "What the hell is this? It won't come off!"
He tried yanking it off—but his own hand became fused to his shoulder.
"Damn it, it's stuck. How did that bastard manage to slip through our formation and do this to me?!"
A soldier staggered toward him, eyes wide with panic. "We just lost a hundred and fifty ants, General Ivan! What should we do?!"
Ivan clenched his teeth, mandibles trembling with fury. "What the hell is going on?! We're cornered. We must retreat. All of you, fall back and regroup!"
But before they could flee, Valeria's squad surged forward, her blade-like mandibles catching sunlight.
"You really thought escaping would be that easy?" she snarled.
"They were waiting to ambush us this whole time? I thought this colony would be weak, but it seems we're up against a strategist. Who the hell could be in charge of all this?"
Ari crouched on a rise overlooking the battle, watching carefully.
"Just as I planned. They're boxed in now. Our victory is set in stone," he murmured.
The battle raged. Screams cut through the air. Metal struck chitin. Antennae snapped underfoot. The moon climbed higher.
General Ivan's forces dwindled to a shattered hundred.
"Something is not right... All these soldiers on the enemies side are privates and Lance Corporals at best. Whatever the case, we have to win," Valeria whispered, her pulse thrumming in her throat.
She spotted Ivan. The resin still bound his hand. He stood with a fractured pride, but his strength had not diminished.
Valeria charged.
Her mandibles clashed against his, sparks flying with each hit. Ivan snarled and swung, his arm clumsy from the restraint but his strikes heavy and wild. Valeria dodged, each breath a ragged wheeze.
His strength was monstrous. Still, even with all the power he had, something felt off. Even handicapped, she shouldn't have been able to match his strength—the difference in their ranks alone was proof of that.
"He's still this dangerous, even like this?" she thought, her arms buckling slightly as she blocked.
Ivan glared. "You think this is enough to stop me? I'll crush you!"
He lunged. She barely rolled aside, scraping her side across the rough ground.
"He's pushing me back... No, I can't lose here. The colony depends on it. I can't be the weak link!"
His swings drove her closer to the edge. The scent of blood and sweat mingled with dust.
"Damn you! Fall already!" Ivan roared.
"Not a chance!" she screamed, deflecting his mandible with both arms and forcing him back.
His breathing was ragged now. The resin held his left arm limp. His legs quivered.
"Why... won't you die...?"
Valeria smiled grimly. "Because I'm not fighting alone. I've got everyone backing me up. And I'm not about to let you tear that apart."
She ducked left, spun, and slashed deep across his chest. He shrieked. She dropped low and swept his legs. Ivan toppled.
His mandible fell from his grip, clattering beside him.
He tried to rise. Failed.
His head lolled back. His army was gone.
He breathed out one word. "I... surrender."
Valeria lowered her weapon, trembling.
"Take him away. Make sure he's well secured."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Valeria stood in place, her mandibles still trembling from the intensity of the fight. The soldiers hauled General Ivan away, his surrender echoing like a hollow victory in her ears. As the distance between them grew, she let out a long, shuddering exhale, her shoulders finally slumping.
"I can't believe we did it… I really can't. Against all odds… we pulled it off. I don't even know how many times I doubted him and his plans. But he never wavered. Not once."
She turned and spotted Ari, surrounded by troops.
She walked over.
"It's just as you said. We were going to be invaded, and your counterattack plan worked perfectly—not to mention that stunt you pulled on their general. How did you even manage to reach him unscathed?"
"I'm not even sure myself, but it had to be done. I was certain you wouldn't have been able to spot who was in command on your own. And let's be real—you couldn't have beaten him one-on-one if your life depended on it," Ari teased.
"Tch. You sure like running your mouth. Try saying that again, and see if I don't knock you out cold," Valeria growled, slugging him in the gut.
Ari bent over, wheezing and laughing. "I never thought I'd hear a phrase like that come out of your mouth."
The two stood in the dust and moonlight, surrounded by their victorious troops, the scent of victory still fresh in the air.