My training under Anastasia, the newly appointed commander in Queen Celeste's army, would be starting soon. However, I first needed to observe the rigorous training to understand what was expected of me—and what I had gotten myself into, Ari thought to himself.
"We're here. This is where ants who enlist in the army train," said Commander Anastasia as they arrived at a wide, dusty plain lined with crude boulders and packed dirt. "They'll stay here until their training is completed, which will determine their standing in the army. To put it simply, if they fail the final task, they become wardens, are stuck on guard duty, or become workers—their choice. However, if they succeed, they will join the expedition squad as either Privates or Lance Corporals, depending on how much knowledge they demonstrate in battle."
"So their military hierarchy is similar to ours. That's really surprising," Ari thought to himself, watching a wave of recruits run by with strained faces.
"Come on, pick up the pace! If you want to be soldiers in the army, at least try to look like it!" shouted Seth, his voice booming over the training ground.
"But sir, we've been running for three days straight! We're exhausted!" one of the ant recruits cried out, barely keeping his legs from giving out.
"I don't want to hear any excuses!" Seth barked. "Anyone who stops will have to hold up this rock that weighs fifty times our weight for three hours! I want to see those feet moving!"
Ari watched the recruits stumble forward, some dragging their feet but forcing themselves to keep going. "Commander Seth recovered quickly from the beating he took from Vladimir," Ari said, glancing at Anastasia.
"Yes, he's doing well these days," she replied, her arms crossed as she observed the recruits with a stern gaze. "He's not a hundred percent recovered, so he insisted on training these recruits since he's unable to perform his regular duties. He doesn't like slacking off, even if it's out of his control. But… I'm glad he's still alive."
"How so?" asked Ari.
"If he had passed away, I'd be the only commander this colony has."
"Wow, so you mean to tell me there are only two of you?"
"Well, his commander rank is complicated, but… initially, Vladimir and Seth were the only two commanders. There were three lieutenants, including myself, thirteen corporals, fifty lance corporals, and a total of five hundred privates."
"This colony's army may be small, but they have a lot of experienced soldiers," Ari thought to himself, taking note of how structured and disciplined they seemed despite their limited numbers.
"Vladimir was supposed to be promoted to captain, but he refused and continued watching over Tanya. To think that he betrayed the queen's trust," Anastasia said quietly, her voice tinged with something bitter.
"Hey, Ari! How's it going? Everything alright?" called Evelyn, waving as she approached.
"Yeah, I'm fine. How does it feel to be a full-fledged worker ant and free from prison?"
"It feels good, and it's all thanks to you that this happened. I owe you one."
"It's all good. Just do your best and stay out of trouble, okay?"
"Yes! And I'll make sure Grandpa doesn't cause any mischief either," Evelyn said with a bright grin.
Ari watched her go, feeling a warmth he wasn't used to. "To think I used to despise them so much, and now I'm growing fond of them—their bonds, their hard work. Before I died, I had no friends except Keiko, and I felt lonely. Maybe that's why my view of them has changed—because I'm not alone anymore," Ari thought as he sat down on a rock, quietly reflecting.
"Ari, can we please talk for a minute? It's really important," Tanya's voice called, soft yet urgent.
Ari looked up, surprised. "What's wrong?"
Tanya hesitated as she approached, her antennae trembling slightly. She clasped her hands together, struggling to meet his gaze. "We haven't spoken in a while, and a lot has happened… but it's been eating away at me. I… I need to tell you everything that's been weighing on my chest.
I still feel guilty for what I did. You poured your heart out to me, telling me nothing but the honest truth, yet I let logic get the better of me because I had known Vladimir my whole life. To make matters even worse, I said all those horrible things to you. I was manipulated by the ant I had trusted for so long. If it weren't for Anastasia, who saw through his facade and placed her trust in you, our colony would be gone by now. In the end, you still rescued me from Vladimir, despite me not trusting you. I'm so sorry, Ari."
Her words hung between them, heavy with regret.
"Don't be sorry, Princess. You did what you thought was right—trusting the ant you had known your whole life over an imprisoned stranger. You couldn't have known he was planning to betray all of you, so it's not your fault," said Ari, his voice steady but kind.
"So… you don't hate me, then?" Tanya asked softly, her antennae drooping.
"I have no reason to, so don't worry, Princess."
"Please drop the formalities. I want you to call me Tanya, if that's alright with you, Ari."
Ari blinked, caught off guard by the gentle way she said his name. "Wait a minute… why did she look so cute saying that? I mean, she's just an ant, right? Is it the human features on her giving off this beautiful image?" Ari thought, his heart beating oddly fast.
Just as he opened his mouth to call her name, a loud clang shattered the moment. The sharp metallic echo cut through the colony, followed by deep, rumbling vibrations that jolted Ari to his feet. His antennae twitched, picking up the urgent stomping of many feet.
"Princess, get to the colony now! I have to go check it out!" Ari shouted as he bolted toward the source, his legs propelling him forward, his pulse quickening with each stride.
When he arrived, Anastasia, Seth, and the assembled army—five hundred strong—stood at the ready, weapons drawn, their expressions sharp and focused. Yet, facing them was only a single ant.
"Who are you, and why have you come to our colony?" Anastasia demanded, her voice cutting and cold.
"My name is Ruth, a commander serving under Queen Helena. As for the reason I'm here, my queen has requested a meeting with your colony to negotiate General Ivan's return in exchange for resources. As proof of my sincerity, I came alone. I can't take on so many of you at once," Ruth said, her tone composed but urgent.
"And why should we agree to your request? So you can rebuild your strength and attack us again?" Anastasia's eyes narrowed.
"I know what we did was wrong, but if we want to survive as a colony, we need Ivan," Ruth said, lowering her gaze. "Please give it some thought and discuss it with your queen. Remember to tell her how much we are willing to offer. You know where our colony is, so please show up."
With that, Ruth departed without another word.
"Alright, everyone remain on standby," Seth ordered, motioning for the army to return to their stations.
"Let's go to their colony, Anastasia," Ari said firmly.
"What? Are you insane? They attacked our colony! Why should we trust them? Plus, we have to consult Queen Celeste first. Who do you think you are, barking orders at me?"
"Just trust me. I believe the queen will love my plan since both of our colonies will benefit," said Ari, confidence gleaming in his eyes.
"Fine, but if this all goes south, I'm killing you before they kill me," Anastasia muttered.
"Thank you for being so understanding. You know, that's one of your most beautiful traits," Ari said, grinning.
"Shut the hell up," Anastasia snapped, punching him hard in the shoulder, her face flushed.
When they arrived at the enemy colony, they were greeted by Ruth, who was visibly relieved to see them.
"I'm glad you decided to come. Please, follow me to meet Queen Helena."
Inside the royal chamber, Queen Helena sat atop a stone platform, her expression weary but determined.
"Queen Helena, these are the ants sent to represent Queen Celeste in this meeting," Ruth announced.
"So they at least want to hear us out. That's good," Helena said, sitting straighter.
"Listen, I know we attacked your colony, so you don't have to believe me. But we were tricked into it by a strange ant who covered himself and only appeared at night. He used our lack of food to manipulate us into thinking that conquering you would make us better off. Instead, it has only worsened our situation. Our army is depleted, and we are nearly defenseless without General Ivan. Now, with what little resources we have, we want to free Ivan so that he can serve our colony once more. Please consider it, and forgive me once more."
"I'm afraid I'll have to refuse your request and make a counterproposal," Ari said calmly.
"A counterproposal?" Queen Helena raised a brow.
"We'll only free Ivan if you agree to form a treaty with our colony."
"A treaty? And why would you offer us such kindness when you're holding the upper hand? Surely you know we are weak, and you could simply refuse our request and let our colony collapse."
"Because I genuinely want to help your colony get back on its feet. You've lost a significant number of soldiers in that pointless battle. General Ivan is in our custody, and you have no way to force our hand. But instead of pressing our advantage, I want to build something better between us. I believe our colonies can thrive together. We can share resources, help defend each other, and finally put this war behind us."
"Are you insane? Queen Celeste would never agree to this," Anastasia hissed, her jaw clenched.
"Just trust me, Anastasia. I'll convince her somehow."
Queen Helena's gaze softened as the weight of Ari's words settled over the room. "In our current situation, that proposal seems like the only option we have. Plus, it's for the best. I've decided to agree to your terms."