The tunnels were carved from packed earth, the walls firm and uneven where tools had shaped them over the years. Thin moisture clung to the dirt and darkened the grooves, the air holding a cool, grounded scent.
Lines of bioluminescent fungi traced the lower walls in steady bands of blue and green, their glow strong enough to guide anyone moving through the dim passage.
The butterfly group moved with careful steps through the passage, their wings folded tight against their backs.
Ignatia and Seraphina kept to the front, antennae angled forward as they adjusted to the dim light.
Luminara walked between her two guardians, each keeping a light hold on her arm to guide her along the firmer parts of the floor.
Another pair of guardians carried the injured butterfly, his shallow breaths breaking the steady rhythm of their footsteps.
Valeria, Ari, and Beatrice led the procession deeper into the colony, their silhouettes clear in the fungi's glow as the colors shifted across their exoskeletons.
Far at the rear, Nytheris moved without a sound, his dark eyes tracking every rustle of wings and every faint scrape of feet against the smoothly carved tunnel walls as the passage narrowed slightly.
Seraphina slowed, her eyes following the delicate shimmer lining the walls.
"What a peculiar world you tunnel-dwellers have down here…" Her voice carried lightly through the passage as she reached toward a cluster of glowing threads.
Her fingertips brushed the fungi. The strands brightened at her touch, a soft blue hue spreading across her hand and reflecting off the smooth plates of her purple exoskeleton.
Her wings gave a brief, intrigued flutter, the motion stirring a faint shift in the cool air around her.
A few steps ahead, Valeria kept her pace, armored feet pressing into the packed earth with a steady crunch as they descended deeper into the colony.
Her mandible blades rested at her sides, sheathed, yet her posture stayed firm.
"This fungi is our illumination source." Valeria's voice carried down the tunnel, firm and even. "It keeps the deeper tunnels visible. Do not touch too much—you'll disrupt the light cycles."
The glow along the walls shifted across her exoskeleton as she moved, each step steady against the packed earth.
Seraphina's mouth shifted only enough for the words to escape. Her eyes stayed fixed on Valeria's back, the muscles around them drawing in just slightly.
"You don't say. That was very obvious."
No flicker of emotion, only the faint tension at the edge of her gaze as she watched Valeria move.
The group continued in silence for several steps. Footfalls, the scrape of armor, the faint pulse of blue light along the walls.
Luminara lifted her hand a fraction, the motion small but clear. Her two guardians responded instantly, matching her pace as she eased her stride.
A faint smile touched her lips, the movement controlled and brief. Her blonde hair shifted as a thin current moved through the passage, brushing lightly against her cheek.
"It's been a whole year since I last saw you, Seraphina." Her voice stayed calm, a faint shift in the band of cloth over her eyes. "How have you been faring?"
Seraphina didn't answer immediately. The pause felt intentional.
Her wings shifted a fraction to the side, the movement precise and brief—small enough that most would overlook it, but Ignatia's eyes caught it at once.
A quiet hum left her, low and unimpressed.
"'Holding up'?" The corner of her mouth lifted just slightly, a sign of ridicule. Her tone stayed flat, her posture unchanged. "Luminara. You make it sound as if I'm fragile."
Luminara's smile settled softly, the faint lift of her antennae shifting in the tunnel's still air.
"I asked because you matter to me, Seraphina."
Seraphina's eyes narrowed a touch, the muscles around them drawing tight.
"Your concern isn't needed. That's why I didn't respond."
But Luminara only nodded, steady and unbothered, as if the reply had been predictable.
"Even so… hearing your voice from time to time brings me a bit of peace in all this turmoil."
Seraphina's step slowed for the briefest moment, the shift so slight it was hard to tell whether it happened at all.
She corrected it instantly, posture straightening as if nothing had changed.
Her gaze moved away, tone cutting and controlled.
"You know, sister… your sentimentality is more suffocating than these tunnel walls."
Ignatia's crimson eyes swept across the low ceiling, a short flick of her indigo wings breaking the still air around her.
"This place is smothering."
The words came sharp and steady, though a thin edge beneath them hinted at pressure she refused to acknowledge.
Walking on her right, Ari shifted his mandible blades at his hip, the motion small but restless.
"It opens up after a while," he murmured, keeping his voice low in the narrow passage. "There are larger chambers and areas deeper in. The airflow gets better, too."
Ignatia exhaled through her nose, a short breath edged with impatience. Her wings tightened against her back, the indigo membranes giving a faint rustle.
"I'll take your word for it."
Ari's throat tightened. His antennae drew in toward his head before he forced them steady again.
What have I gotten myself into… I only wanted to offer them a place to rest. I didn't know it would turn into this political mess. Brooks didn't even warn me this was coming—though he did say I'd have to take responsibility… Now I have to deal with those annoying elders on top of everything else.
A faint sigh slipped out before he could stop it, his shoulders easing in a quiet slump as they walked.
Beatrice eased her steps until she aligned with Ari, her exoskeleton giving a soft, deliberate creak in the narrow tunnel.
"Ari." Her voice stayed low, her gaze fixed ahead. "We need to talk."
Her hand slipped around his wrist, warm against the hardened plates of his forearm. She drew him a few steps to the side, creating a small pocket of space between them and Ignatia.
Ignatia's shoulders stiffened at the shift. Her crimson eyes narrowed, following them with a sharp, silent suspicion, but she didn't press—just held that glare for a breath before turning her attention forward again.
As Beatrice released his wrist, Ari's pace eased, his stride shortening but never fully halting. His antennae shifted toward her before he forced them still.
"What is it, Beatrice?"
Beatrice's steps tightened in rhythm beside him, her shoulders held firm, her breath steadying once before she spoke.
"Explain to me why you broke formation in the forest and disregarded Valeria's tactics."
Ari's shoulders dipped slightly, a quiet breath easing out of him.
"Oh… so that's what this is about."
His fingers brushed the hilt of his mandible, a restless motion he couldn't stop.
"I'm sorry for abandoning the squad, but… I just felt like I had to move in that direction. That's how I ended up finding those butterflies."
Beatrice's hand rose briefly to her shoulder, fingers pressing into the joint before she let her arm fall back to her side.
"That doesn't justify your actions. You put all of us at risk when you act independently. On missions, we are one unit and of one mind."
Ari let the thought settle, his antennae easing into a slow drift above his head.
I didn't think about it that way…
When I was human… I was always alone. Home, school, every place I went—empty spaces where no one ever reached for me.
His fingers tightened, the hard surface warming beneath his touch as Keiko's smile surfaced in his mind.
She changed that.
It was lonely… but back then, I never had to stand for anyone. No weight pressed onto my shoulders, no one depending on me.
His antennae lowered a fraction as the thought tightened in his chest.
This is different. I've changed—yes—but…
His hand brushed against the sheathed mandibles at his side, the cool metal steady against his palm.
I'm not sure I've faced the hatred I used to carry as a human. Or the fact that my mother is gone. Not fully.
"Tell me…" Ari's voice dropped low, his shoulders drawing in slightly as he looked toward Beatrice.
Beatrice turned toward him, the natural armor along her arms tightening with a subtle shift as her attention focused.
"Did everyone in our platoon make it back… and what about Nora?"
His fingers pressed against the hardened surface of his exoskeleton, a small tension spreading through his chest as he waited.
"They all made it back."
Beatrice shifted her stance, her posture firming as she continued.
"The others returned to their chambers, and Nova was sent to the recovery sector to treat her wounds."
A quiet breath left her, steady and controlled.
"Of course… hers weren't as serious as yours."
"I see…" The words slipped out quiet, his focus drifting as if he were sorting through thoughts he couldn't voice yet.
"Ari." Beatrice's voice dropped lower than before, her gaze shifting away as her hands tightened briefly at her sides. "I also… wanted to apologize."
Ari blinked, confusion tightening his brow.
"Apologize? For what exactly?"
Beatrice didn't meet his eyes. Her gaze stayed fixed on the path ahead, jaw set, breath held too long before she released it.
"For not coming after you."
Her tone stayed flat, clipped at the edges. "You were injured, and I still chose to prioritize bringing the squad back. I left you behind."
Ari shook his head, his steps slowing before he found his pace again.
"Beatrice… you don't have to apologize. You didn't have a choice. I was reckless. I was the one who ran off without warning."
He paused, breath steady, expression calm.
"You did the right thing. And I don't blame you."
"I know you don't."
Beatrice's jaw tightened, her posture stiffening as she kept her eyes forward.
"And don't think for a second that I'm asking for forgiveness." Her voice cut in without hesitation, blunt and unsoftened. "I'd leave you out there again if the situation arose."
They walked a few more paces in silence, their steps echoing lightly through the tunnel.
Beatrice's shoulders squared, her voice coming in firmer than before.
"I'm giving you a warning. Never pull that stunt again on any mission without consulting me first. You got it?"
Ari nodded, his posture straightening a touch.
"Loud and clear. I'll be more careful."
"On that note… how did you even manage to meet these Butterflies? And how did you get healed? You were badly injured, but now it's almost like it never happened."
"Well, that's—"
Ari barely got the words out.
Valeria's hand shot forward, fast and precise. She caught his antennae between two fingers and yanked, the sharp pull jerking his head down before he could react.
Ari jolted, knees bending under the sudden sting, a tight wince pulling across his face.
"Ow—! Ow, ow—! H-hey—!"
"Keep your mouth shut." Valeria's voice came out flat, the edge unmistakable as she held his antennae in place for another beat. "Save your breath. You'll need it in our meeting."
"You're—ah—gonna rip them off!"
Ari tried to lean back, breath catching as he tilted away from her grip.
"I sure hope they do."
Valeria muttered it under her breath and finally let go.
Ari stepped back with a small stumble, both hands coming up as he rubbed the bases of his antennae, working at the sting like he was easing bruised nerves.
"That looked painful… what a shame."
Seraphina's wings lifted in a slow, unimpressed rise before settling again. Her gaze slid toward Ari without a hint of sympathy.
"I never expected you were already on a leash. Too bad."
Valeria shifted her focus ahead, her stride never slowing.
"Beatrice. Lead the Butterflies to the recovery chambers."
She gave a brief nod toward the injured Butterfly being carried by the guardians, her expression firm.
"That one looks like he could use treatment before anything else."
"Yes, Commander."
Beatrice stepped forward immediately, posture locking into place as she brought a sharp salute to her brow.
Valeria's gaze shifted to Luminara—blindfolded in her green cloth, her stance steady only because the guardians kept a guiding hand near her arm.
"Oh—Luminara, was it? After we finish our meeting, an escort will be sent for you and your sisters."
Luminara inclined her head in a controlled, elegant bow, the green cloth shifting with the motion but never revealing what lay beneath.
A faint, composed smile settled on her lips.
"Your hospitality is appreciated. My sisters and I will remain at rest until we are summoned."
Her guardians guided her forward with steady, careful steps, keeping close at her sides as Beatrice turned and led them toward a branching tunnel.
Valeria and Ari continued down the tunnel in silence.
The air shifted with their steps, and every so often Ari's eyes drifted toward her, searching her expression.
"Listen to me."
Valeria kept her gaze forward, her voice low and controlled.
"Be prepared for the worst when the Board of Elders hears about this. They'll assume you betrayed the colony."
Her stride didn't falter, the weight of her words landing without softness.
"I'm warning you now—I may not be able to defend you this time."
The meeting chamber held a heavy quiet as Brooks and his squad lowered themselves into a deep bow before Queen Celeste.
When they rose, Brooks stepped forward, hands resting calmly behind his back, posture relaxed yet respectful.
"We discovered the cause of the disturbance in the earthworms' burrow south of the colony," he began, voice steady. "A large centipede drove them out. That's why they fled in our direction and northeast, according to the other squads' reports."
Queen Celeste listened without interruption, her wings folded neatly behind her as she regarded him with composed authority.
"I see. Everything falls into place with that incident."
Her tone softened only slightly.
"Your report is appreciated, Lieutenant. You and your soldiers are dismissed."
Brooks dipped his head in a slow, respectful nod.
His squad mirrored him, saluting before turning to leave.
As they stepped out into the quieter corridor beyond the chamber, Brooks released a slow breath through his nose.
The faint lines near his eyes deepened—thoughtful, calm, and quietly burdened.
Although everything seems clear… I can't shake the feeling that something's missing.
Brooks settled his hands behind his back as he walked, eyes half-lidded in quiet thought.
Well… I suppose I'll leave it to time.
A small, knowing smile eased onto his face—gentle, patient, touched with quiet amusement as if he'd already accepted whatever answer would eventually come.
As Brooks passed Ari and Valeria in the narrow tunnel, he gave a small nod.
His antennae shifted in a slow, approving tilt as he walked by, the faint scrape of his steps echoing against the packed earthen walls.
I see… so he managed to convince her. Impressive, Brooks thought.
His calm expression didn't change, but there was a subtle lift at the corner of his mouth—quiet acknowledgment before he continued down the tunnel.
Ari's gaze followed him for a second, his own antennae tightening in a short, uncertain twitch.
Wait… Brooks was in there. Did he tell them about the butterflies?
Ari's jaw tightened, the mandible handles at his hip tapping lightly against his thigh as he shifted his weight.
No… now's not the time to overthink. Beyond that boulder are the Elders—and the Queen.
He drew in a slow breath, the cool tunnel air brushing across his skin as he steadied himself and stepped forward.
Princess Tanya let out a quiet yawn, her wings giving a light flutter as they unfolded and then folded back against her spine.
A faint warmth lingered around her eyes, and she brushed away a small tear with the tip of her finger.
I never expected this to be so tiring… but their missions are interesting, she thought, the corners of her lips lifting as the tiredness eased just slightly.
Suddenly, the boulder at the entrance shifted with a low scrape, stone grinding against stone as it was pushed open.
A faint draft moved through the chamber as Ari and Valeria stepped inside.
Tanya's head lifted.
Her eyes widened, the movement sharp enough that her antennae rose with them.
Ari… he's still alive…
Her chest tightened once, a quick breath catching before she pushed herself upright.