The six emerged from the forest and stepped onto the Dew Grass Plains. Moonlight stretched across the open field, illuminating the tall grass swaying in the night breeze.
Captain Valeria led the group, her feet pressing into the damp earth. The others followed close behind, their footsteps rustling through the grass.
"How much longer until we reach the Northern Bridge?"
Isla's shoulders sagged.
"We're almost there. Quit your complaining."
Lancelot said.
"Easy for you to say."
"You remember the battle near the Northern Bridge, don't you, Lieutenant Brooks? The one against those wasps?" Beatrice asked.
Brooks nodded.
"Yeah. But that was a long time ago."
He scanned the plains ahead.
"We're here."
She stopped, prompting the others to halt behind her.
Isla looked past Valeria, searching the open plains. She titled her head.
"Wait... What are we doing here, exactly? Shouldn't we be heading for the fortress?"
Lily and Beatrice exchanged glances.
"We came here for reinforcements," Valeria said.
Beatrice's eyes widened slightly.
"Wait... You don't mean Queen Helena's colony, do you?"
Valeria nodded.
"I spoke with their queen two days ago."
An ant emerged from the darkness ahead. Two others followed her, their footsteps pressing into the grass as they approached the group.
The female ant came to a stop in front of them.
Isla's mouth opened slightly.
"Wait... Isn't that Captain Nyra?"
A second figure emerged from the darkness behind her. His heavy footsteps struck the ground, and one of his cleaver-shaped mandibles rested across his shoulder.
"So, Queen Celeste's colony has finally arrived."
The corner of Ivan's mouth lifted his gaze lingering on each soldier before settling on Valeria.
"Hmm. I expected a larger force."
He lowered his cleaver-shaped mandibles.
"Still, marching into unfamiliar territory takes a certain amount of courage. I'll give you that."
Isla's hands began to shake.
"General Ivan, too..."
Valeria crossed her arms.
"Last I checked, I only requested Captain Nyra's assistance in this battle, along with a few of her lieutenants."
Ivan let out a deep laugh.
"Whether you like it or not, Captain, you'll need me to carve a path through Zyroth's fortress."
"Unless you believe your little expedition can break through his defenses without suffering casualties."
"Oh, really?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"If I recall, you lost to me when I was still a lieutenant."
Ivan's antennae twitched. He turned his head away and drew a slow breath through his nose.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I wasn't taking you seriously back then."
He glanced at her.
"Besides, that little runt had to handicap me just to give you a chance."
"Wow, I've never seen anyone get under our captain's skin like that. Well, except Ari."
Lily tilted her head to the side.
Ivan glanced around the group.
"By the way, where is he?"
"He's... already at the fortress," Valeria said.
"I see..."
"Anyway..."
Valeria bowed her head.
"Thank you for agreeing to help us."
Nyra gave a small nod.
"There's no need to thank me. The treaty we formed helped our colony survive the winter. We're simply returning the favor."
Her eyes remained fixed on Valeria, her lips resting in a straight line.
Isla leaned toward Lancelot and cupped a hand beside his ear.
"Who are those two?" she whispered.
"How should I know?" he whispered back.
The female ant stepped forward with a smile.
"Since this is our first meeting, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lieutenant Arlena. I've heard quite a bit about you."
Beside her, the male ant pointed a thumb at his chest.
"Leon. Also a lieutenant."
Isla's antennae perked up.
"Wait, I don't remember seeing either of them at the meeting."
"They weren't there," Nyra said.
"Arlena and Leon lead our scout and execution squads. They returned from a mission just yesterday."
"And how did you just appear out of nowhere?" Isla asked.
"It's our queen's authority," Nyra replied. "The Invisible Kingdom allows her to conceal our colony from anyone she hasn't invited."
Her lips formed in a straight line.
"That's how we've remained hidden for years."
"WHAT?!" Isla and Lancelot shouted in unison.
"That's enough questions. Let's move out," Valeria said.
She turned and continued across the plains.
The others followed.
The walls of Hopper's fortress towered above the surrounding land, casting long shadows across the earth.
Inside the fortress, ants hauled boulders across the ground, carried heavy timber, and swung pickaxes against the hard earth. The steady clang of stone echoed through the area.
Bruises marked their arms and faces. Dust clung to their exoskeleton, and their eyes were lifeless.
"Well, would you look at that? I almost feel sorry for them," one of the grasshoppers said.
"It's their own fault for refusing to comply with Zyroth's will," another replied.
A third grasshopper released a slow breath.
"They should've surrendered without a fight. Now look at them. A bunch of worker ants who surrendered, and a princess who chose to share their miserable fate."
He folded his four arms across his chest.
"The world was never fair. Some are born strong, others weak. And the weak..." He chuckled. "Well, they were created to serve the strong."
The three grasshoppers laughter and turned to leave.
One of them had barely taken a step when his body stiffened.
His antennae jerked upward. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing at the empty stretch of land behind them.
"...Did you feel that?" he whispered.
The other grasshoppers stopped.
"What's the matter, Courtois?" one of them asked.
Courtois stared into the shadows for another moment. His fingers tightened, then loosened at his sides.
"It's nothing..." He turned away. "I'm coming."
He hurried after the others, his footsteps fading.
Behind a nearby pillar, Ari remained crouched in the shadows.
His gaze followed the three grasshoppers until they disappeared from view.
His fingers curled into a fist and his nails pressed into his palm.
Outside the fortress, the ants crouched in the tall grass near the rear entrance. Crumbling stone walls towered above them.
Isla's legs trembled.
"That was scary! I never expected the Northern Bridge to be an actual bridge, and the water flows upward instead of downward!"
Lily pressed a hand over Isla's mouth.
"Keep your voice down," she whispered.
Isla's eyes widened. She nodded quickly beneath Lily's hand.
A short distance away, two grasshoppers stood guard at the rear entrance. One tapped his foot against the stone while the other shifted his weight from one leg to the other.
Valeria glanced at Nyra.
Nyra nodded.
Both drew their blades and rushed out of the grass.
"Huh? What's that?"
One of the grasshoppers turned.
Shink!
Blood sprayed from his chest as he collapsed to the ground.
By the time the other grasshopper turned around, Valeria had already swung her blade upward.
He fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
Nyra peered around the corner, checking the area inside the fortress.
Valeria waved the others forward.
"That's our cue."
Arlena rose from the grass, and the others followed.
Lancelot and Isla stood frozen, staring at the fallen.
"No way... They took those grasshoppers down like they were nothing," Isla whispered, her heart pounding.
"What did you expect? That's our Captain for you," Lily said with a grin.
They slipped through a cracked passageway, keeping close to the walls as they hurried forward. A moment later, they emerged into a wide-open area.
A swarm of grasshoppers filled the space before them. Their four mandibles gleamed as they turned them.
One of them smirked.
"You thought we wouldn't notice we had intruders?"
We've been spotted...
Beatrice unsheathed her mandibles, gripping her them tightly.
The grasshoppers chuckled.
"Hope you didn't come here expecting to leave. You're all going to die."
Isla stepped back. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and her fingers tightened around her weapon. She bit down on her lower lip until she tasted blood.
No. Never again.
Her knees trembled, but she forced her feet to stay planted.
I won't give in to fear.
Nyra stepped forward.
"Leave this to us."
Ivan rested his mandible against his shoulder. Arlena and Leon followed, drawing their mandibles as they took their positions beside him.
"Are you sure about this?" Valeria asked.
"Rest assured. We know what we're doing," Arlena said with a smile.
"We'll create an opening." Nyra glanced over her shoulder. "Complete your mission."
The grasshoppers rushed at them.
Nyra ducked as one swung all four mandibles at once. The blades sliced through the air above her head.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
She blocked another grasshopper's attack, twisted her body, and swung her mandibles across both of their necks.
"Ghk!"
The two grasshoppers collapsed, hitting the ground with heavy thuds.
Nearby, five grasshoppers surrounded Arlena and Leon. The two ants stood back-to-back, their mandibles raised.
One of the grasshoppers lunged at Arlena.
She caught his attack with her mandibles, the impact forcing her arms back a few inches.
Leon stepped in from the side and swung his mandibles at the grasshopper's exposed flank.
Ivan walked slowly toward the group of grasshoppers blocking his path.
"So, who wants to bite the dust first?"
The grasshoppers lowered their bodies and rushed at him.
"All of you at once?"
The corners of Ivan's mouth lifted.
"Fine by me."
He brought his mandibles down from his shoulder and swung at the first grasshopper.
The grasshopper raised all four arms, crossing his blades.
All four blades shattered on impact.
"What?!"
The grasshopper's eyes widened.
Ivan's strike tore through the grasshopper's chest, sending him crashing into a stone pillar.
The remaining grasshoppers stumbled backward, their mandibles lowering as they stared at Ivan.
Ivan rested his mandible on his shoulder again.
"To think this is all the mighty grasshopper race has to offer. How disappointing."
"Let's move! Now!" Valeria shouted.
She rushed forward, her feet pounding against the stone floor.
Lancelot, Isla, Lily, Beatrice, and Brooks followed close behind.
The clash of mandibles rang out behind them. Blades shrieked against one another, followed by the cries of fallen grasshoppers.
Isla glanced over her shoulder but kept running, her grip tightening around her weapon.