"1,497..."
Lancelot pushed himself upward, his arms trembling beneath the weight of the boulder resting across his back.
"1,498..."
His elbows shook as he fought to straighten his arms.
"1,499..."
Sweat dripped from his hair and ran down his face before falling onto the dirt beneath him.
"1,500!"
With one final push, Lancelot forced himself upright. The boulder rolled off his back and slammed into the ground with a heavy thud.
Lancelot immediately collapsed onto his back, breathing hard. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he stared up at the sky. After a few seconds, he clenched his hands.
"I need to get back to training..."
He tried to push himself up, but his arms gave out.
"Ugh..."
His vision blurred.
"I'm so tired..."
He closed his eyes for a moment.
Footsteps approached from across the training ground.
Lancelot slowly opened his eyes.
A pair of feet stopped in front of him.
He looked up.
Isla stood over him with her arms crossed, staring down at him.
"Are you really going to run yourself into the ground? It's been three days now."
Lancelot planted his hands against the dirt and slowly pushed himself upright. His arms shook beneath him, and he stumbled as he got to his feet.
"Yeah..."
"Ari's currently on a mission with Corporal Beatrice, so I'm using this time to get even stronger."
Isla's eyebrow twitched.
"Sometimes I wonder what's wrong with you. I think this is starting to border on obsession."
"Maybe it is."
Lancelot clenched his fists.
"But every time I think I've caught up to him, he's already moved further ahead."
He looked toward the training grounds.
"And now he's probably out there training with Beatrice while I'm still here."
His jaw tightened.
"I'm not going to stand around and let that happen."
He looked back at Isla.
"So say whatever you want."
"I won't stop until I catch up."
Lancelot slowly turned toward the boulder.
Isla let out a long sigh.
"Fine. Do whatever you want. Collapse for all I care."
She turned and walked away.
Lancelot watched her leave for a moment.
Then he crouched beside the boulder and placed both hands against its rough surface.
He lowered his head.
"She'll never understand..."
He wrapped both arms around it and lifted.
His legs shook as he carried it across the training ground. The sun had climbed higher into the sky by the time he reached the other side.
He set the boulder down and stood there, panting.
He straightened and unsheathed his mandibles.
He began swinging.
Again.
And again.
Each swing struck the air with a heavy whoosh.
But after several more repetitions, his arms began to slow.
He lowered his weapon.
"What am I even doing?"
He lowered his head.
"Maybe I should just go back to being a Warden."
"You're Lancelot, right?"
Lancelot looked up.
Lieutenant Brooks stood several feet away, watching him.
"Lieutenant Brooks..."
Brooks glanced at the boulder, then at the weapon in Lancelot's hand.
"Hard at training, I see. You're one devoted soldier."
Lancelot looked away.
"Yeah..."
His grip tightened around his weapon.
"But this all seems pointless."
Brooks raised an eyebrow.
"How so?"
"No matter how much stronger my swings get, or how much I improve my defense, I'm still too weak to make a difference when it matters."
Brooks was silent for a moment.
Then he walked toward him.
"Show me your swing."
"Ah... okay."
Lancelot raised his weapon.
He planted his feet and swung.
Lancelot swung a second time.
"Stop."
Lancelot froze.
"What is it?"
"You're putting too much force into your arms."
"What?"
"Your hips aren't moving with you. Your stance is too narrow, and you're forcing the weapon through the swing."
Brooks stepped beside him.
"Plant your rear foot. Keep your front foot angled slightly outward."
Lancelot adjusted his stance.
"Now turn your hips first."
Brooks watched his posture.
"Let your shoulders follow. Then your arms."
Lancelot nodded.
He raised his weapon again and took a deep breath.
He turned his hips.
His shoulders followed.
Then his arms snapped forward.
Whoosh!
The blade cut through the air with a sharp crack.
Lancelot's eyes widened.
He stared at his weapon.
"That..."
He looked at Brooks.
"It felt faster."
Brooks nodded.
"Exactly."
"You're not wrong for wanting to become stronger. A soldier should always strive to improve."
Brooks paused.
"But strength alone isn't enough."
Lancelot looked at him.
"How you channel that strength matters just as much. A poorly executed swing can waste all the power behind it. With the right stance and technique, you can turn that same strength into something much faster and more effective."
"So all this time..."
Lancelot looked down at his weapon.
"You just need to use the strength you already have," Brooks said.
Lancelot's eyes widened.
"I finally understand."
He looked at Brooks.
"Thank you, Lieutenant Brooks."
"Don't mention it."
Brooks waved a hand as he turned away.
"Now, if you really want to thank me, go get some rest."
Lancelot straightened.
"Right."
Ari walked beside Beatrice through the forest. A gentle wind slipped through the canopy, brushing cold air against their skin.
Beatrice walked with lighter steps, occasionally touching her lips. Every so often, she glanced at him. He slowed and turned toward her.
"Is something wrong?"
She quickly shook her head. "It's nothing…"
He scratched his cheek and chuckled.
Looks like last night's food is still on her mind.
"Your arm… is it feeling any better?" she asked.
"Well, the numbness in my right arm is gone, but… my left arm still hurts."
Beatrice let out a breath. "Well, at least it isn't broken. It shouldn't take more than a few days to get back to normal."
"That's a relief."
"Say, Beatrice, I didn't know you knew about medicine."
"Yeah. I learned from Corporal Sylvie. She's been obsessed with plants ever since we were recruits. Now she's an expert. Thanks to her, I've been able to save a lot of lives."
Come to think of it, it's been about two weeks since I last saw her. I wonder if she's still exploring the outer forest. She thought.
"When you have time, can you teach me a bit about them?"
"I don't mind, but why ask all of a sudden?" Beatrice asked.
"I guess I just want to be more competent."
They reached the entrance to the colony.
"I'll go ahead and give the report to Queen Celeste. You should get that arm treated and get some rest."
"Yeah… Thanks, Beatrice."
Ari headed down one of the branching tunnels.
Beatrice watched him for a moment.
He's really something… but at the level he's at now, he won't be able to free us from our misery.
She turned and walked down the main tunnel.
The boulder sealing the grand meeting chamber grinded open as Beatrice entered. Soft bioluminescent moss glowed from recessed niches along the walls. At the far end of the chamber, Queen Celeste sat upon her throne.
Beatrice knelt before the dais, one hand resting over her heart.
"Rise, Corporal Beatrice," Celeste said. "You have returned ahead of schedule. I assume the mission was… eventful."
"We located the target, a large armored millipede that was unusually aggressive. It had strayed close to the forest's foraging routes, posing a significant threat to our workers. According to the reports, several of them were injured."
Celeste leaned forward slightly.
"And the outcome?"
"Neutralized. Single combat. By Ari," Beatrice said. "He engaged it alone and took it down. However, he was injured, so I sent him to the recovery chambers."
"I see," Celeste said. "Thank you for the report. You may go."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Beatrice bowed and straightened. She turned toward the exit.
"Before you go," Celeste said. "Captain Valeria would like a word with you in her chambers. As soon as possible."
Beatrice paused.
What for?
"I'll see to it now."
At the outskirts of the colony, Ari stretched and looked up at the sky.
"I'm tired." He shivered and cupped his hands around his mouth, blowing warm air into them. "Is it just me, or is it getting colder?"
He rubbed his hands together and glanced up at the sky again.
"Must be because winter's getting close."
He lay back in the grass, then rolled onto his side.
He blinked once.
Then again.
A figure was moving slowly away from the colony.
They glanced left and right before ducking behind a wall. A moment later, they emerged again, keeping low as they moved.
Ari narrowed his eyes.
"Wait… who is that?"
Ari sprang to his feet.
A patrol group walked past.
The figure let out a slow breath and started forward again.
"Where are you going, Princess Emilia?"
"Eek!"
She jumped and spun around.
"Ari… what are you doing out here?"
"I should be asking you the same thing."
Her antennae drooped.
Wait… why is she carrying that? Don't tell me she's planning on leaving the colony.
"Listen…" she started.
"I just wanted to see the stars," she blurted out.
"What?" Ari blinked.
"There's a spot I heard about from a worker…"
She looked down, one hand resting against her chest.
"One that gives you a clear view. I've wanted to see it for myself for so long."
"So that's why you left."
She looked up at him.
Ari reached out his hand.
"Why don't we go together?"
Emilia hesitated. Her eyes lingered on his hand before she slowly took it.
"Thank you."
Ari walked beside Emilia through the trees until they reached a clearing.
"This is the place."
Ari looked around.
For someone who almost never leaves the colony, she sure knows her way around.
Ari's mouth opened slightly.
Wait… isn't this the place where I first met Ignatia?
"Look! The stars are changing color!" Emilia pointed upward, her face lighting up. "Beautiful…"
Ari followed her gaze.
The stars shifted slowly across the dark sky, their colors changing from pale blue to violet, then to soft gold. Their light spilled across the clearing, catching on the leaves and grass beneath them.
"You're right."
Ari turned toward Emilia.
Her eyes glistened in the starlight.
"It's strange. The world feels so much bigger than the colony. There's so much I don't know… and so many places I still want to explore beneath this vast sky."
She turned to him.
"Being out here like this makes me happy. Thank you, Ari."
She smiled and held his hand.
Ari's chest tightened.
He looked away.
"It's… no problem."