"Wow, this is a whole lot less ant than I was expecting," Ari said to himself as he looked around. The colony buzzed with activity, but the number of soldier ants was surprisingly small. Towering tunnels stretched in all directions, the walls glistening with condensation. "Based on how the military system is set up here, the worker ants greatly outnumber the military ants—about ten to one. Not to mention, the population of the colony in this world is really small. I'd say around roughly six thousand or less."
He trailed his fingers over the mandibles he now carried, their edges dull but still holding weight. "I wonder what kind of training they have in mind for us, and also, why did Anastasia give away the last memory of her father to me? I'm not worthy of it." His grip tightened. "Why would she trust me with something so precious? I've only just arrived here. I'm not strong like her—I'm not even sure I belong here.
"Wait, you there! Over here! I've been looking everywhere for you!" shouted a female ant as she dashed toward Ari along with a male ant. Her voice echoed along the stone corridors.
"Um… how can I help you?" Ari asked, blinking.
""You're that ant who's not part of the colony, named Ari, right?" the female ant asked, slightly breathless but beaming as if she were meeting a legend.
"Uh, yeah, that's me. How did you know?" Ari asked, tilting his head, genuinely puzzled.
"Oh, come on, how could I not know? You're the one who outsmarted Queen Helena's entire army! I mean, seriously, that's insane!" she said, her words tumbling out in a rush. "I've heard all about what you did—you're kind of famous now."
"Yeah, and let's not forget," the male ant cut in, his tone firm and steady, his eyes sharp. "You faced General Ivan with no formal combat training. That's not something just anyone could pull off. You earned respect on that battlefield."
"While we were cowering, not knowing what to do, you just stepped up like it was nothing! And you're not even from here!" the female ant blurted, almost bouncing where she stood. "Seriously, how did you stay so calm? I—I would've completely panicked!"
"Your guts—your strategy—it's what pushed a lot of us to stop playing it safe," the male ant said, crossing his arms with a quiet smirk. "I don't like falling behind people like you. That's why I joined the army. I want to prove I can do just as much. Maybe more."
"Oh, that's right—I totally forgot!" the female ant piped up, almost tripping over her own excitement. "I'm Isla! I was a top-tier worker ant for two years—I was really good at it! But then I heard about what you did and I—I couldn't just stay in the tunnels stacking berries anymore. I wanted to be like you. So, um, thanks for that."
"And I'm Rory," said the male ant, his voice low but his competitive edge cutting through. "I was training to be a warden ant. I used to think staying safe was smart. But you made me realize there's no point in staying behind walls if you're too scared to fight for what's out there. I'm aiming to be stronger than you one day, just so you know."
Ari blinked, then smiled genuinely. "Nice to meet you both. I guess… I'm glad I made a difference."
"Nice? That's it?!" Isla yelped, throwing her arms in the air. "Come on, you just changed our lives here! You've gotta give yourself more credit than that!"
Rory snorted, amused but determined. "Yeah, don't get soft on us now. You've already set the bar—we'll see if we can beat it."
As the ants continued to chatter, their voices echoed throughout the colony, bouncing along the damp, stone walls.
"Silence!" shouted Anastasia, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. She stood tall above the mass, her brown armor polished, her mandibles dangled at her side sharp and gleaming.
The entire population of recruits acknowledged her, and all talking ceased immediately.
"For those who don't know, my name is Anastasia, commander of the Queen's military ants. I was promoted from lieutenant after our clash with the neighboring colony.
"As you all know, our former commander of the military ants was Vladimir, who was tasked with protecting the princess. However, due to his recent treason, we lost a high-value soldier, making our colony significantly weaker in military power and more susceptible to enemy attacks.
"The only remaining high-ranking soldiers are myself, Seth—the commander of the warden ants, who is still recovering from his injuries—and a few lieutenants. We are hoping to increase both our quantity and quality, so please work hard toward that goal.
"I have been put in charge of getting you battle-ready by our Queen. I should be overseeing your training to ensure that. Here with me is Corporal Beatrice, who will be leading your training. The few who come out on top will be taken under my wing. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Commander!" shouted the mass in unison, their voices rumbling through the colony.
"That's great. I love your enthusiasm.
"For the first part of your training, you will be traveling in troops of thirty in separate directions for five days. You will then have three days to return to the colony, after which we will move on to the next step.
"There will be a unique type of plant marking the checkpoint in each direction. It will serve as proof that you have reached your assigned distance.
"Failure to collect those plants and return within the time limit will result in immediate termination from the training," said Anastasia, her gaze scanning the sea of recruits.
"What? But how are we supposed to last so long?" asked a worried ant in the crowd.
"If we've been given such a long time limit, does that mean we'll be traveling really far?" asked another, voice wavering.
"What if there are other insects out there that will harm us?"
"Silence. You knew what you were getting yourselves into, so stop acting like spineless cowards. You were born with strong mandibles for a reason, to protect and serve. If you are attacked, you'll have to rely on each other and trust your instincts to survive.
"You have ten minutes to form your squads and move out," said Anastasia, her words snapping like a whip.
"Wow, Anastasia is really serious about this. She's like a completely different person when it comes to military business," Ari thought to himself, feeling the weight of the mission settle in his chest.
"Well, I guess we'll be sticking with you on this journey then," said Isla with a bright smile.
"Yes, we're better off staying with Ari anyway," said Rory, his steady gaze offering quiet reassurance.
"Okay, let's make it back together in one piece," said Ari.
"Alright, now that the squads are formed, you may leave," said Anastasia as the ants started jogging to commence their journey. The sound of dozens of feet tapping against stone echoed through the colony as the expedition began.
"Alright, this is it. My first expedition as an ant outside of the colony. I must be cautious," Ari thought to himself, tightening his grip on the mandibles.
While collecting berries on the outskirts of the colony, Evelyn noticed Ari running by in the squad.
"Hey, Ari! Look up here!" she shouted, waving both arms high above her head, her voice bright but strained.
Ari noticed her and waved in her direction, his heart lifting at the sight of her familiar face.
"Be safe, Ari! And please don't die on this journey—come back to us safely!" Evelyn shouted, her voice cracking slightly as she continued to wave until he vanished from view.
"Say, Anastasia," said Beatrice as the recruits disappeared into the distance.
"What is it, Beatrice?" asked Anastasia.
"Do you think they'll be alright on this voyage?" asked Beatrice, her brow furrowed.
"I understand your concern, but they should be fine. The route I've provided them with consists of areas that have already been scouted. An encounter with another ant or even any insect is highly unlikely," said Anastasia, folding her arms with calm certainty.
"I'll take your word for it," said Beatrice, though the concern lingered in her eyes as she watched the last squad vanish into the horizon.