Marcus waited outside the mountain for hours, watching the dawn fade until it was swallowed by the full brightness of day.
Two hours had passed since the sun rose, enough time for many of the students to have already ventured inside, fought, and perhaps been eliminated in a tunnel too narrow or a swarm too hungry. He remained there, alone, still, following the first step of his strategy.
Even while waiting, he couldn't stop his mind from turning over everything. He reviewed his performance in the exam, plainly, without embellishments, without excuses. He had been a transformer for just three weeks. Three weeks since his body, his fighting style, even the way he breathed had changed. Expecting perfection was absurd… yet he had performed well. Better than he himself would have bet. He didn't hesitate when it was time to act, read the situation correctly, and executed without faltering. There were mistakes, of course, and he saw them all—but for someone still learning to live in this new body, the result was better than he would admit aloud.
Finally, he moved.
The mountain's front wall loomed before him, rough and damp, marked by the traces of ancient excavations and the activity of thousands of titanic ants moving back and forth. Marcus took a deep breath, raised his hand, and channeled his ether into his fingers. The familiar tingle ran through his nerves as he activated his trait. Gray plates formed over his skin, hardening, aligning, taking the shape of compact, sharp claws.
He dug his fingers into the rock. The mountain yielded just enough.He advanced.
As he climbed, his thoughts drifted to the inevitable: the others. Especially Liora. Not out of attachment or worry, but out of respect. She was dangerous. Intelligent. The kind of person who never wasted information, analyzing every creature, every behavior, every possibility. Marcus was sure she already had a strategy to locate the egg, and more than that, he was certain she had mapped a complete tactic to neutralize each type of ant according to its function. Liora didn't improvise. She calculated.
He reached the crevice.
Marcus slipped into the narrow passage that opened before him. The walls and ceiling were embedded with gems, small stones emitting a steady white glow, enough to illuminate the tunnel.
For a brief moment, a fleeting thought crossed his mind: he wouldn't have to face total darkness. One of his fears for this event was gone. The academy had thought of this, and Marcus acknowledged the efficiency of that choice with a simple mental nod.
He moved cautiously, hugging the wall, measuring every step. His strategy was clear: enter from above. Most of the ants would have already descended to engage the students who entered through the main entrances, fighting at lower levels against the bulk of the enemy force. That left these upper tunnels relatively empty, or at least with less risk of ambush. Marcus preferred the tactical advantage; simple, direct, and effective.
As he moved, his mind reviewed the second phase of his plan: locating the egg. He wouldn't search blindly like the others, hoping for luck.
The passage finally opened into a wide cave, its walls softly glowing with the embedded gems, and a faint echo of distant movement reached his ears. Without rushing, Marcus planted his ethereal claws on the rock and used his activated trait. The gray plates still covered his fingers. With calculated movements, he began climbing the wall, using every crack and ledge.
Within minutes, he was above the cave entrance. From there, he could observe the interior and the tunnel's extent without exposing himself.
Marcus waited until he heard footsteps. Two figures emerged from the tunnel, their bodies bent with fatigue, breathing heavily and covered in small cuts and scrapes. Silently, Marcus dropped behind the last one.
In a second, a sharp strike to the back of the knee made her kneel. With his left arm, he grabbed the neck from behind, and with his right hand, rested the second claw on it. The pressure was enough to immobilize without serious harm.
The first figure turned sharply, eyes wide. Short blond hair caught the dim light, and a column of black smoke began curling from their right hand, signaling readiness to attack. Marcus remained still, gaze fixed.
—Relax —he said softly, firmly—. I won't hurt you if you give me what I want.
She inhaled sharply, controlling the tremor in her fingers as the black mist swirled.
—Tell me where the egg is —Marcus said, firm.
—I don't know if I should —she replied—. I'm not sure I trust you.
— That's the thing; you can't trust me. You can only speak.
—It's… closer to the central core, I think. That's all I know —she said, avoiding his eyes.
—"Think"? —Marcus repeated—. You sound unsure.
—Yes… well, someone told me… and I've also seen the ants' patterns. I'm not certain, but it's the most reliable info I have.
—Who told you? —Marcus asked—. I need to know the source is trustworthy.
—The person didn't want their name known —she said—, but I trust the information.
—That's not enough —Marcus said. If you give me wrong data, the consequences are yours.
She hesitated, breathing fast, and finally gave a more concrete version:—It's at the fork toward the central core. I confirmed it with someone reliable and also by the ants' patterns. That's all I can say.
Marcus frowned. —Patterns? What do you mean by "patterns"?
—The paths they follow, how they move through the tunnels —she explained—. It's not random. There are fixed routes they repeat, which allowed me to deduce where most of them are heading.
Marcus processed the information and asked—If the egg is below, why are you up here?
She frowned, as if weighing how much to reveal. —Too many ants down there. It's too dangerous. They came up here to rest… and to wait for the other students to clear the lower tunnels.
Marcus raised an eyebrow, evaluating each word.
—Sounds like they have strategy, and not a little.
—Yes —she admitted—. They don't move randomly. Each group has a function, and the routes are organized by the queen. It's not safe to approach without knowing the patterns.
—Still, you're hiding something —Marcus said, unmoving.
—No… well, maybe I don't know everything —she said, voice tense—. I only know the fork is the safe point to get close to the core.
Marcus tilted his head slightly, keeping the claw's pressure. —Better. But any attempt to lie, I'll know immediately.
She lowered her hand slowly, shoulders tense but watchful. Marcus said nothing more. With a controlled motion, he dragged the captive behind him, ensuring they couldn't move, until they disappeared into the shadows of the tunnel.
Once out of immediate danger and in a safe spot, Marcus released the captive. She stood, breathing in relief, still alert but free. The information was secured, and Marcus could continue with his plan.
The control room was silent, only the hum of the holographic screens showing tunnels and student positions. Victor leaned against the wall, arms crossed, saying nothing. Samara stood at the table, eyes fixed on Marcus as he moved precisely through the tunnels.
—Look at him —Samara whispered, almost to herself—. That kid is sharp. At first glance, he seems just like any other close-combat fighter, but he's much more than that.
Victor raised an eyebrow, silent.
—Watch how he handles the event —Samara continued, hands on the table—. He doesn't act randomly. He uses his abilities, knows his limits, and adapts in real time. He's not as meticulous as Liora, nor as strategic as Victoria, but he's smart. He knows when to attack, when to wait, and how to use what he has to his advantage. Not an ordinary soldier; he can lead, even without realizing it.
She paused, taking a breath.—If anyone could guide others through this, it's him. He doesn't just defend or attack; he makes decisions, exploits every situation, and maintains control. That's leadership, and he has it even if he doesn't yet see it.
Victor stayed silent, leaning against the wall, while Samara continued watching Marcus, recognizing in every move that he was far more than a simple fighter.