The Northeast Crater stretched wide across the open field.
The air was cold and carried a steady chill that moved across the soil.
Clouds hung low and gray, blocking most of the sunlight.
The ground near the rim was damp and uneven, small patches of grass pressed flat by the collapse.
The crater dropped sharply into one main tunnel at the center.
The walls were rough and streaked with dark slime that glistened under the dim light.
The surface of the slime looked wet, sliding slowly down the packed soil and rock.
The smell coming from it was strong and sour, mixed with the heavy scent of earth and moisture.
Loose dirt shifted under each small gust of wind.
Pebbles rolled down the slope in short bursts of sound that carried through the hollow space.
Air moved in and out of the tunnel with a faint, uneven hiss.
The sound was low and constant, changing pitch each time the wind shifted direction.
The field around the crater was still, no movement, only the slow flow of air through the opening and the distant scrape of falling debris.
Then the silence broke.
A faint screech came from inside the tunnel.
The sound was sharp and high, lasting only a few seconds before echoing up towards the surface.
After a short pause, a heavier sound followed—the wet slice of a blade cutting through flesh, clear and short, followed by a dull impact somewhere deep below.
The air trembled slightly afterward, dust loosening from the crater's edge and drifting down in thin streams.
Lily flashed the edge of her mandibles clean, the residue smearing into the dirt before she slid the twin blades into their sheath at her side.
Her breathing steadied as she stepped over a patch of torn soil and scanned the crater's interior.
The air was still cold, rising faintly from the tunnel and brushing along her armor plates.
"Looks like that was the last earthworm to bite the dust," a small grin formed on her face.
"Mark those carcasses beyond the collapse line. The workers must know which are safe for retrieval to stay out of danger."
She stretched her arms above her head, joints clicking softly under her chitin armor.
"Yes, Lily," the other three Corporals responded together, their voices steady as they moved without hesitation around the tunnel.
The sound of wood striking flesh followed as they drove sharpened sticks into the dead worms, each impact dull and heavy.
Rory stood a short distance away, watching her movements.
Her size had made him doubt her at first—the way she carried herself, always relaxed and often smiling, gave the impression of someone careless.
This ant, Corporal Lily. I always thought she wasn't capable—short, always causing mischief, energetic to the point of annoyance. But in missions, in combat… she's nothing like that.
The gap between a Corporal and a Lance Corporal is much wider than I thought.
Rory clenched his mandibles tightly in his hands.
He could still feel the weight of her strikes, the sharp edges cutting through the earthworms without hesitation, the way she moved with controlled speed and no wasted motion.
Isla lifted her hand, looking down at the slime coating her forearm.
She wiped it off, but it only smeared further across her armor.
The odor rose sharply, bitter and heavy.
Her antennae drooped as she exhaled through her nose.
"This scent is going to take weeks to get out of my hair."
"Oh, come on, it's not that bad."
Lily's finger flicked one of Isla's antennae lightly.
"Besides, it's proof you've improved. You didn't freeze this time and you even helped slay a few. If you carry the smell, then carry it proudly—it means you've fought."
Her hand came up to her nose, pressing against it.
"Though it does reek."
"Hey, you're mocking me, aren't you!"
Lily's breath came out in a short laugh.
She turned toward the tunnel.
The surface light had weakened; only a faint reflection traced the edge of the crater walls.
The air that came from below was colder now.
It brushed along the plates of her exoskeleton and carried a sour stench that clung to their bodies.
"I hope the mission's going smoothly on your end, Beatrice."
The wind moved again through the crater, faint and even.
Small grains of soil slid down from the higher edge, landing with soft taps.
The field was quiet except for the scrape of their armored feet against dirt and the sound of their breathing against the cold.
I didn't expect earthworms and centipedes to look like that in this world.
The insects I've met so far still had faces like ours or at least some human traits, and they are capable of speech.
Ari's antennae twitched as he shifted his weight on his armored legs, feeling the slight give of loose soil beneath his feet.
His mandibles flexed in his hands, the cool metal grounding him as his mind replayed the encounters—Valeria the first time he appeared in this world, the termite queen in the hollow stomp, and Zippy's sudden ambush.
A faint grit clung to his exoskeleton, brushing against his smooth chest plates as he breathed in the stale, cavern air.
I can't mask that I'm terrified, Ari thought, breathing heavily.
His hand trembled as he clenched it over his mandible, trying to steady the cold metal.
That creature is massive, almost impossible to pierce with my slashes. Still… it isn't as strong as it appears. I can hold my ground against it.
Dust shifted under his armored feet, small stones rattling as he braced himself.
However… Ari's gaze shifted to Nova.
She pressed her palms against the rough wall of the pit, antennae twitching at every vibration.
Her eyes held a faint glaze of disorientation.
Step by careful step, she moved forward, armored feet crunching softly against loose soil, each movement steady despite the tremor in her legs.
She took more damage from that fall than I did, even though I took the impact. With her hurt like this… I can't fight that creature at full strength. I can't protect her and attack at the same time. And I'm not unscathed either. I need to find an exit before that centipede rises again.
A faint vibration ran through the soil under their armored feet.
Ari's antennae twitched, sensing the movement of something burrowing below.
Slightly behind him, Nova's vision blurred.
She clutched the side of her head, fingers pressing against a sharp, sudden ache.
Her head thudded, ears ringing, and she stumbled toward the ground.
Ari reached her just in time, catching her under the arms and steadying her.
Her body wavered, trembling as she fought to keep her balance, slowly losing consciousness but gripping the walls of the pit to stay upright.
"Do you want me to carry you? Your wounds don't look severe, but they're clearly affecting you," Ari asked, his voice calm but firm.
"I can go on by myself just fine, but… I'm grateful for the offer."
Her eyes shifted away, cheeks flushed red, a faint tremor running through her hands as she straightened herself.
I don't want to burden him any further, not after what he did for me…
She whimpered, pressing her hand to the side of her head, trying to shake the sharp pain.
But… why… why did he dive into the pit after me?
The tunnel stretched on endlessly.
Hours seemed to pass as they moved, crouching or crawling where the path tightened.
Nova's exoskeleton scraped against a jagged rock, the faint screech echoing through the tunnel.
She flinched, antennae quivering at the vibration beneath her feet.
Every movement made her tremble; a misstep could alert the centipede.
They paused briefly, catching their breath, then continued along the narrow path.
After a long silence, Nova's antennae twitched at a subtle shift in the air.
She leaned forward slightly, voice low and urgent.
"Ari… there's wind."
His hand rose, testing the current himself.
"Faint, but it's there. Stay close and behind me."
The slope began to rise as they followed it.
The soil grew firmer, drier; the tunnel felt less confining, hints of an exit brushing at their senses.
Yet the terrain remained treacherous.
Loose soil shifted under every armored step, forcing Ari to adjust his footing carefully, Nova following with tentative, measured movements.
At last, the narrow tunnel opened into a large cavern.
At the top, where the slanted ceiling met jagged rock, a thin shaft of pale light filtered through a crack.
Dust motes shimmered in the beam, drifting lazily in the cooler, cleaner air.
Nova tilted her head upward, tears welling but quickly brushed away.
Her voice trembled, antennae flicking with fragile hope.
"We… we can get out…"
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled violently.
The centipede erupted from the soil, armored legs hammering in a rapid rhythm.
Chunks of loose dirt and small stones scattered into the air, clattering across the cavern floor.
Each chitinous segment flexed as it surged upward, sending deep vibrations through the ground that rattled Nova's and Ari's armored feet.
Dust plumes rose around them, stinging their eyes as they tried to cover it with their arm.
Ari quickly drew his second mandible, settling into a controlled fighting stance.
He scanned the creature's movement, every muscle in his arm tensed.
"Nova, get to the surface through that opening. I'll hold it off, just move."
Nova, pain lancing through her head, drew a slow breath.
She drew both mandibles, planting her armored feet firmly on the loose soil.
"I won't run and leave you behind," her voice stayed steady, though her body trembled.
"I'm done being afraid. We either take this creature down together, or we die trying."
You're the only one planning to die down here, idiot.
Ari's lips curved into a grin, antennae angled forward.
"Follow my lead—let's finish this thing."
The cavern seemed to narrow around them.
Dust shifted beneath their feet, stones rattling softly as the centipede's legs shook the ground.
Nova's muscles coiled, ready to move in sync with Ari.