"I'm finally done with this!" A triumphant cry echoed the dimly lit room; his voice laced with exhaustion and satisfactions. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, slightly trembling from the days of relentless working. The glow of the monitor bathed his face with pale blue light, shining with his achievement like divine light, reflecting the final codes that he had written.
A game. Not just any game, but one he had poured his heart and soul into. A simulation of nature, where every specie thrived, evolved and battled for dominance in the lands. A true survival of the fittest. He had done it neither for money nor the fame to be attached to his name. He did it for his one and only little sister. She was always fascinated by the endless possibilities of evolution, and the numerous beautiful and elegant animals she would come across online, she would rather be read a theory on biodiversity than a bedtime story. It was her dream to one day, interact with nature in its wildest form. A frown enveloped his face as he thought about her.
He leaned back on his chair, letting out a deep sigh admiring hos work. The game's complexity far advanced then anything on the market. With over a thousand species, each code written meticulously by his hands, designed for perfection. But among them all, his personal favorite were the ants. Tiny, tireless, relentless in their struggle. They lacked brute strength, but their evolutionary adaptability made them the most versatile species. Warriors, builders, foragers—each one played a role, creating a kingdom greater than any single creature could achieve alone. He chuckled, rubbing his eyes surrounded by dark circles. "Damn, I could really use a cup of coffee."
Slipping off his headphones, he turned off the lo-fi music and placed them on the table. The room was a mess, empty coffee cups, stacks of paper with unreadable notes and a half-eaten sandwich. The only source of order that could be found was his screen, lines of pristine coding forming the backbone of his creation.
He stretched, feeling the stiffness in his shoulders as he stood up. Dressed in plain white t-shirt and black sweatpants, he made his way through the door, pushing it opens with a soft creak. The hallway was quiet, a usual treatment for him, illuminated by a single lightbulb. As he walked down the corridor, he turned his head slightly to the right. His gaze landed upon the pictured frames hung on the wall.
His family smiled back at him, the scent of incense filled his nostrils, a delicate ring of flowers arranged around each frame. His breath caught in his throat. He tore his gaze away, his fingers clenching into a fist. He continued down the hall. He sat on the floor to slip on his shoes, then stood, grabbing the hoodie from the wall hook. Pulling the hood over his head, he sank into its warmth, his face shadowed beneath the fabric. He stepped outside. That was the last thing he remembered.
A dull ache throbbed in his mind, as if he had woken from a restless sleep. His thoughts felt sluggish, his senses muddled, yet something gnawed at him, a discomfort he couldn't quite place. His body felt heavy, yet strangely light at the same time, as though gravity itself had shifted in some peculiar way. The first thing he noticed was the sound. A rhythmic clittering, although faint at first, started growing louder. It was an odd noise, like the chitter of countless tiny jaws snapping open and closed. Where was it coming from? More importantly.
Where was he?
His thoughts stalled. Darkness loomed around him, but as his eyes adjusted, he began to make out his surroundings. The walls were rough, uneven, and damp, their color a mixture of brown and dull gray, streaked with what looked like veins of darker earth. The air carried a heavy and murky scent, rich with damp soil and something faintly metallic.
A cave?
The realization made his pulse quicken, though even that felt different, subdued, controlled. He took a step forward. The movement felt wrong. His body swayed, nearly loosing balance, his footing oddly precise yet unnervingly light. He tried again, but it was less walking and more... loitering? No, skittering. A prickle of unease crawled up his spine.
He continued deeper into the cave, the dim light gradually revealing something ahead. A massive structure, pulsating with a faint ethereal glow. A crystal...no, a behemoth of a crystal. Its surface shimmered with a blueish hue, radiating an otherworldly presence that sent a chill through him. He couldn't help but stare. How big was it? Two meters? Three? Perhaps even larger. It was embedded deep into the earth, pulsing, alive in a way that made his breath hitch.
He reached out.
The instant his limb made contact with the crystal, a fresh wave of shock slammed into him. His fingers—
No. Not fingers.
His arms weren't arms. They were black, hairy, segmented.
A cold realization settled in his chest, but before he could process it, a bright message flared before his eyes.
________________________________________
[System Initialization Complete]
________________________________________
As he stares at his black, hairy, and segmented limbs, his breath quickens. His mind struggles to process the alien sight before him.
"What… What the hell?" The words feel strange as they leave his mouth, if it can even be called a mouth anymore. His voice sounds different, softer, almost clicking in tone as he spoke. He takes a step back, but again, the movement feels unnatural, his body shifting in ways he doesn't recognize. His legs, no, there are too many, all move in unison, yet the control is foreign. His gaze flickers back to the enormous blue crystal before him, its surface so smooth and reflective that he can see his own image. And what he sees makes his mind go blank.
A creature stares back at him. A black ant! His six legs tremble as realization sets in, his antennae twitching erratically as if rejecting the very reality they perceive.
"No no no—this—this isn't right!"
A sudden, loud chime rings in his head, and before he can react, words appear in his vision.
[Synchronization in Progress…]
[Recognizing Host Consciousness]
[Establishing Link with Core System]
His mandibles clatter against each other involuntarily, an eerie sound that sends a chill down his spine—if he even has a spine anymore. His head feels heavy, as if an overwhelming force is pressing against his thoughts. Then, another message pops up.
[System Detected. Initializing…]
"No! Stop! What is happening to me?! Someone—"
More messages flood his vision.
[Ant King System Fully Synchronized.]
[System Introduction Commencing.]
The messages continue their relentless march forward, drowning out his thoughts, his confusion turning into full-blown panic.
[Welcome, Ant King.]
His screams echo through the cave.