Inside Zyroth's fortress, the ants continued their labor. Their bodies trembled with exhaustion, and their eyes had grown dull. Each step dragged across the hard-packed soil as they struggled beneath stones twice their size or thick branches slung across their backs.
A young female ant with wings stumbled forward, clutching a large rock in both hands. She managed another step before her body swayed to one side. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the hard-packed soil.
The rock slipped from her grasp and struck the ground beside her.
She struggled to catch her breath, her chest rising and falling in quick, uneven movements. Her eyelids fluttered as her vision began to blur.
Why?
Her fingers dug into the soil, clutching handfuls of dirt.
Why do I have to suffer such a fate?
Day after day, they force us to work without rest. And if we collapse... they kill us.
A tear slipped down her cheek and fell onto the ground.
"I'm at my limit... I can't take this anymore."
Her lips parted slightly, but only a faint, unsteady whisper escaped.
A grasshopper glanced in her direction before walking over.
"You again... Get up! You were fed, weren't you? So get back to work."
She didn't flinch. Her body remained motionless against the ground, her eyes fixed ahead.
The grasshopper clicked his tongue.
"Looks like she's broken..."
He drew his blade and looked down at her.
"Since you're no longer of any use to us, you might as well die."
He swung his weapon, but stopped when she made no attempt to move.
The grasshopper's smile widened.
"Heh. Not even going to run?"
He raised his blade once more.
Nearby, a muscular ant carried a large rock in both hands. He turned toward the commotion, and his eyes widened.
The rock slipped from his grasp and struck the ground.
"Princess Regalia!"
He broke into a run, stretching out one hand toward her.
Regalia slowly closed her eyes.
So this is where I die... Funny. Why am I okay with this ending?
The corners of her lips lifted.
Clang!
"Huh?"
Regalia's eyelids fluttered open. Through her blurred vision, she made out the silhouette of an ant standing between her and the grasshopper.
Ari pressed his mandible against the grasshopper's weapon, slowly forcing it backward.
"Who... are you...?"
Her lips parted slightly as she struggled to get the words out.
"No way... How? How were you able to stop me?"
The grasshopper stumbled a step backward, his eyes fixed on the stranger.
"Who are you?"
The figure slowly raised his head.
"Could you keep it down? You'll attract the rest of your kind over here, and dealing with all of them at once would be a pain."
"No way... You're an ant! But how were you able to—"
Footsteps echoed through the area.
A group of grasshoppers emerged from the nearby passage, their mandibles drawn as they approached.
"Where's the intruder?!" one of them shouted.
The first grasshopper pointed.
"It's that ant! I don't know how he managed to slip past the gate while we were on patrol!"
"Are you going to just stand there in fear?! He's just a single ant!"
The other grasshopper gritted his teeth.
He lunged at the ant, all four mandibles raised. Their edges caught the light as he swung them toward him simultaneously.
But Ari vanished from his sight.
The grasshopper's attack struck the ground, leaving cracks across the hard-packed soil.
"What? Where did he—"
He appeared behind him in a blur. He pivoted on one foot and drove a powerful punch into the grasshopper's back.
"Gah!"
The grasshopper was sent flying across the clearing. His body slammed into the fortress wall, rattling the stones. A section of the wall crumbled around him, and he dropped to the ground as small chunks of stone fell beside his body.
"No way... He defeated him with a single punch..."
One of the grasshoppers stared at their fallen comrade, his eyes widening.
"How is he so powerful?!" another stammered.
"Be careful!" a third warned. "We might be dealing with a Lieutenant... or worse, a Captain!"
"Surround him! All of you, attack at once!"
One of the grasshoppers shouted.
The others immediately rushed forward, spreading out until they had formed a circle around him.
Ari glanced from one opponent to another, his eyes briefly following their movements.
The grasshoppers roared and lunged in unison.
Ari's hand moved to the mandible at his side. In a single motion, he unsheathed them.
The first grasshopper brought down his weapon, but Ari raised his mandible and blocked the strike. Sparks scattered from the point of contact.
The ant twisted his wrist and knocked the weapon aside.
Another grasshopper rushed in from his left.
The ant lowered his body, allowing the blade to pass over his head. He pivoted and swept his mandible across the grasshopper's side.
"GAH!"
The grasshopper staggered backward, clutching his side before collapsing.
Two more rushed him from opposite directions.
The stranger shifted his footing. He deflected the first attack with the flat of his mandible before twisting his body to evade the second. His weapon flashed through the air, cutting down both grasshoppers.
Blood sprayed across the ground as they collapsed with two heavy thuds.
A fourth grasshopper charged from behind, raising all four arms.
The ant glanced over his shoulder and shifted to the side. The grasshopper's weapons swept past him.
He tightened his grip.
"Too slow."
He swung his mandible.
The grasshopper raised two of his weapons.
CLANG!
The impact forced him backward, his feet scraping against the soil.
Ari stepped in.
He swung upward, then followed with a horizontal slash.
CLANG! CLANG!
The grasshopper blocked.
The ant shifted to the side.
SHINK!
The grasshopper's body stiffened before he dropped to the ground.
The others rushed him.
His mandible flashed repeatedly, cutting through all of them.
Within seconds, the clearing fell silent.
Ari slid his mandible back into its sheath.
Around him, the other ants stood motionless, their eyes fixed on him.
Ari exhaled slowly.
"Just as I thought... None of them even come close to Zyroth's strength."
He turned around, a few hundreds of ants staring at him. Several had gathered near the fallen grasshoppers.
"He saved us...! He's here to save us!"
"Thank goodness!"
"We're saved!"
The voices spread through the crowd as more ants began gathering around him.
Ari blinked.
"What?"
Ari raised both hands.
"Um... Don't get the wrong idea."
His gaze shifted toward Regalia.
She looked up at him.
Ari paused.
Wait...
His eyes moved toward her wings.
She's just like Emilia... so... she must be a princess.
Without another word, Ari strode over to her and knelt beside her. He slipped one hand beneath her head and gently lifted it from the ground.
He reached into his makeshift bag and pulled out a shriveled berry and a pouch of water.
"Here. Try eating this."
Ari carefully brought the berry to her lips.
Regalia opened her mouth slightly and took a small bite. Her jaw moved slowly as she chewed, but she suddenly broke into a cough.
Ari tilted the pouch toward her lips, allowing her to take a few small sips of water.
Slowly, some color returned to Regalia's face. Her breathing became steadier, and she managed to lift her head.
"T-Thank you..."
She looked up at Ari.
"Just who... who are you?"
Ari rose to his feet and turned away.
"Wait..."
Regalia placed her hands against the ground and struggled to crawl after him.
"Please... wait."
Ari's footsteps slowed.
"Why did you save me?"
He released a quiet breath before turning around. After a brief pause, he reached down and helped her back onto her feet.
"I came here to save my princess. Saving you was purely by chance."
"I see..."
Regalia lowered her gaze, her fingers resting against her chest.
"At the very least... could you tell me your name?"
Ari paused.
"Just call me Ari."
"And... you're royalty, aren't you?"
"Yes. I used to be."
Regalia's eyes glistened as she lowered her head.
"My name is Regalia. I was once a princess of a colony. The ants you see before you are all that's left after Zyroth destroyed everything."
"Princess! I'm glad you're alright."
The muscular ant released a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing.
"Yes, I'm fine, Gor."
The corner of Regalia's mouth lifted slightly.
"All thanks to Ari."
Ari glanced up at Gor before lowering his gaze.
This wasn't what I came here for...
His fingers curled into tight fists at his sides.
I'm sorry, Emilia. Just hold on a little longer.