Sly groaned as he slowly pushed himself off the ground, his exoskeleton scratched and dented, the open wounds from his fight with Ari still visible, his mandibles shaking slightly in his grasp. Blood dripped down his arm, but he paid it no mind. His eyes, sharp despite the pain, stared out at the distant battlefield where silence now reigned.
"Looks like Hopper lost. Huh… he actually pulled it off," he whispered to himself, a faint edge of disbelief in his tone. He adjusted his grip on his mandibles and smirked. "There's nothing tying me here anymore. Guess I'm back to roaming the world. Until we meet again, Ari."
His figure limped away, vanishing into the smoky horizon.
Ari dropped to his knees, then collapsed onto the dirt, completely spent. His arms trembled as they gave out beneath him, the adrenaline that had kept him going during the fight finally running dry.
"Are you alright?" Anastasia's voice came from behind him, breathless but steady.
"Yes… I'm fine. Just tired," Ari muttered, eyes half-lidded as he rested his weight on his elbow.
"Of course you're going to be. That battle was a tough one, you know," Anastasia said as she knelt beside him, brushing debris from her leg. "To be honest, I'm still confused about how we won."
"You're forgetting about your wounds. They're deep. How are you still standing?" Ari asked, glancing at the gash along her stomach that hadn't stopped bleeding.
"Maybe that's because I'm not a weakling like you," she retorted with a proud smirk. "A commander can't let injuries faze them."
Ari chuckled softly, then winced as pain surged through his body.
"Oh, that's right. The princess… think you can cut her free from that cage for me? I don't have the strength."
Anastasia nodded and pushed herself up, limping toward the cage of thorns that had imprisoned Princess Tanya. She clenched her mandibles tight and began cutting through the tough stone, slicing in wide arcs until a narrow opening formed.
Princess Tanya wobbled forward, her legs struggling to support her. Her wings and exoskeleton were dirty, but her eyes—glassy and wet with emotion—were fixed only on one person.
She stumbled out of the opening Anastasia created and saw Ari—bruised, bloodied, barely able to hold himself upright. Her lip quivered. Slowly, almost as if afraid he might vanish, she took one step toward him, then another—until she was running.
She threw her arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Ouch! Careful, Princess. My body is aching," Ari groaned, caught off guard.
"Ari…" her voice trembled. "I was so scared. It was so lonely and excruciating being in that cage for so long. It was painful to watch you both getting bloodied and battered like that. I couldn't bear it. I can't believe you risked your life to save me… and you did it. You won. You defeated Hopper."
Ari gave a faint grin. "Well, I made a promise to you, didn't I?"
He reached into his pouch and pulled out the small, rare stone she had once given him.
"I promised that I would protect you… and I'm glad I did."
Tanya wiped her tears with trembling fingers and leaned in, pressing her lips softly to his cheek.
"What… Princess?" Ari's eyes widened. He reached up and touched his cheek in disbelief, an awkward blush flooding his face.
"That was… to thank you for saving me and our colony. It made me happy," she said, a soft smile lighting up her face, her own cheeks blushing faintly.
"Princess!! How dare you!!" a loud voice rang out from the distance. All heads turned. Footsteps crunched across the ground as three familiar figures appeared.
Anastasia stood up immediately. "Beatrice… Lily… Isla." Her voice was filled with relief. "Looks like they all survived. That's good."
Corporal Beatrice exhaled deeply, her exoskeleton beaten and bruised.
"Commander Anastasia… you actually did it. You defeated Hopper."
"Well, I did defeat him… but I didn't do it alone." She tilted her head toward Ari, still crumpled on the ground.
"Ah, I see. Ari really is something special, isn't he?" Beatrice said with a slight laugh.
"I'm just glad we all made it through alive."
"Although… not unscathed," Anastasia replied, placing a hand gently on her wounded torso.
"Hands off, Princess," Lily said suddenly, her tone teasing and her eyes narrowed.
"Um… You're… Corporal Lily, right?" Princess Tanya asked, still holding onto Ari's arm.
"Yes, that's me. And as I said—hands off him. You may be royalty, but he's mine," Lily said playfully, slipping her arm around Ari's.
"Wait—since when am I yours?" Ari asked, bewildered.
"What do you mean by 'he's yours'?" Tanya replied, just as confused and slightly affronted.
"I saw you," Lily said, pouting slightly. "You think your little peck on the cheek is enough to woo him? Think again. He kissed me. On the lips."
"What?! That's not true!" Ari protested, jerking his head around.
"Oh, don't be shy, Ari. Go ahead and tell her," Lily said, smirking.
You're enjoying this, aren't you? Ari said to himself.
"Hold on…" Anastasia's voice darkened. "So you mean to tell me that while everyone was fighting their hardest not to die, you were out there making advances on Lily?"
"Wait—Anastasia! I can explain! It wasn't a kiss!" Ari flailed his arms.
"Save it." She cracked her knuckles and punched him square in the face.
"Gah! That hurt!" Ari clutched his jaw.
"Well… that's actually not the case, Commander," Beatrice chimed in. "Lily was on the brink of death and unable to drink the mixture from the flask to heal her wounds, so Ari had to force her to drink it using his own mouth."
"Way to ruin the fun, Beatrice…" Lily sighed in disappointment.
"Isla… you've been quiet this whole time. Are you okay?" Ari asked, rubbing his sore face.
"Yes, I'm fine," Isla replied softly. Her expression was distant, her hands trembling slightly. "Just… still a bit shaken from all this."
"That's war for you," Beatrice said, placing a hand on Isla's shoulder. "I'm just glad we won."
"I wonder if Rory is doing alright…" Isla murmured, her voice almost inaudible.
"Ah, so there you guys are!" came a booming voice from behind.
They turned to see General Ivan emerging from the corridor, dragging the unconscious form of Leon over his shoulder. He looked like he'd been through hell—his armor shredded, bruises blooming along his arms—but he still wore a devilish grin on his face.
"General Ivan… Commander Ruth… and the lieutenants—you made it out alive! I'm glad," Anastasia said, rushing over.
"You think any of those weak green-skin monsters could take me down?" Ivan scoffed with a smirk. "Think again."
"We encountered a strong grasshopper named Denzil, but General Ivan defeated him," Ruth explained. "And he fought him alone."
"Oh… I see. Well, that explains his wounds," Anastasia said, impressed.
"You're one to talk—you look like a mess, Commander," Ivan said with a chuckle. "But I've got to hand it to you—for defeating a grasshopper of that caliber, your Queen will be proud."
"Um… who is that ant on the floor, all bruised up?" asked Amelia, confused as she stepped over the rubble of the ruined corridor.
"His name is Ari," Lily replied softly, kneeling beside him. "He's a Lance Corporal… and my hero." She smiled and gently rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes glimmering with affection.
"Hey! Stop doing that!" Princess Tanya snapped, her antennae twitching with a hint of jealousy. Her voice cracked slightly as she took a step forward.
"Or what?" Lily teased, flashing a smirk.
"Would you guys please stop? You're giving me a headache," groaned Anastasia, massaging her temple with a heavy sigh. The day's chaos had clearly worn her patience thin.
Ari stirred, slowly blinking open his eyes. "Still feels like I got run over by a freight beetle…"
"So, Ari, where the hell were you when we started this operation?" General Ivan asked, arms crossed, towering above him with his cleaver-like mandibles at his sides. "Did you even help at all?"
"Well, actually," Lily interrupted, standing up to glare at him, "he single-handedly defeated General Sly. So yeah, he contributed—big time. Don't question him, you big oaf."
"What?" Amelia blinked in shock. "For a Lance Corporal, that's quite a feat…"
"Nice to meet you," she added, turning her attention back to Ari. "My name is Lieutenant Amelia, and this is Leon—also a lieutenant—but he suffered major injuries from Denzil. He's unconscious."
"I see," Ari said, his voice weary but grateful. "Thank you both for helping us with the rescue mission." He turned his head slowly to look at the others. "And you two as well—Ruth, Ivan. Thanks. It means a lot."
"You've really grown, haven't you, Ari…" Ruth murmured under her breath, her eyes distant as she studied him like a memory she hadn't quite come to terms with.
Just then, heavy footsteps echoed across the stone floor. Brooks appeared, carrying an unconscious Rory slung over his back. The young ant's armor was cracked, and his mandibles hung limp at his sides.
"Lieutenant Brooks," Beatrice gasped.
"Is Rory alive?" asked Isla quickly, rushing to his side.
"Yes," Brooks answered as he gently lowered Rory to the ground. "He's just exhausted. He really fought hard today."
"I see… that's good," Isla said, a wave of relief washing over her face. She knelt beside Rory and brushed the dust from his shoulder.
"Well, it looks like everyone survived. That's good," Anastasia said as she looked around at the group, her voice softening for the first time in hours. "This mission was a success. We achieved our objective, saved the princess and the colony… and with zero casualties. You all should be proud."
"Well, I think it's time for us to go home," Lily yawned, stretching her arms. "I'm getting really homesick."
"You can say that again," Beatrice replied. "I can't wait to write my report on what happened here today."
"On that note," she added, turning toward Anastasia, "what are you planning on telling the Queen about all this? I mean, you did go ahead and challenge the grasshoppers, putting the colony at risk—and without her consent."
"Quit being a worrywart, Beatrice," Lily said with a grin. "We all made history today. We defeated the infamous tyrant Hopper—he controlled over sixteen ant colonies in the region for a decade, including ours! How could the Queen be mad about that?"
"Lily is right," Anastasia said, nodding. "But if she does punish us… well, that's still better than being a slave to those bastards. It was worth it."
"Oh, that's right," Ari mumbled as Lily and Isla helped him to his feet, slinging his arms over their shoulders.
"What is it, Ari?" asked Lily.
"I made a promise," he said, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. "To the ants who were held captive here… that after Hopper fell, we'd help them rebuild. Winter's coming, and there's no way they'll be able to rebuild anything in time. So, for now, let them come along with us. They have nowhere to go. They won't survive on their own."
"What did you just say?!" Anastasia shouted, spinning on her heel. "You see how dire our situation is, and you—the one who caused this whole mess—go ahead and make such a massive decision on your own? Honestly, you're the worst!"
"How is it all my fault?" Ari groaned.
Anastasia didn't answer.
The cold wind swept softly through the battered remnants of the fortress as the group prepared to depart. The faint creak of stone and the rustling of broken vines were the only sounds that lingered in the air. The battlefield was silent—but within the silence, a quiet voice rose.
Princess Tanya took a small step forward, her legs still trembling from the ordeal. She stood before the group, her posture delicate but determined, the royal poise returning to her frame despite her ragged wings and bruised exoskeleton. Her hands clasped together tightly, her eyes shimmering.
"Everyone… please wait a moment."
The others turned, surprised by her tone—gentle, yet carrying a weight that demanded attention.
Tanya bowed low, her antennae brushing the ground.
"I want to thank you all. From the bottom of my heart."
No one spoke. Even Ivan and Ruth held still, watching her quietly.
"If not for all of you… I wouldn't be standing here. I was trapped in that cage, helpless, while Hopper tormented our people. But you all—you risked your lives for me. For our colony. You endured wounds, loss, fear… and you still fought. You still came."
She turned slightly toward Anastasia. "Commander Anastasia… thank you for leading them here. Your strength gave me hope when I had none."
Anastasia blinked in surprise, then nodded solemnly. "It was our duty. But I'm glad we made it in time."
Tanya turned to Beatrice, then Lily, Isla, and the others.
"To all of you—every one of you who fought, who stood firm when giving up would've been easier… thank you. I saw your courage. I felt it, even through the walls of that cage."
Finally, her gaze settled on Ari. She stepped closer, her voice softening.
"And Ari… I owe you everything. You didn't just fight for me—you risked your life for me. You were the light of hope I had in that darkness… and I'll never forget it."
Ari, still leaning on Lily and Isla for support, gave a tired smile. "You don't have to thank me, Princess. I just kept my promise."
"I know," she whispered. "But I still wanted to say it."
Then she raised her head again and looked around at the full group. Her voice steadied.
"I may be a princess, but in that cage, I was just another ant. And you reminded me what it means to be part of something greater. A colony. A family."
She bowed once more, deeper than before.
"I will never forget what you've done for me. For all of us."
Silence followed, thick with emotion—until Lily cleared her throat and muttered, "Okay, now you're just making me feel guilty for being mean to you earlier."
A few light chuckles rippled through the group.
"I think you did well, Princess," Beatrice said, arms crossed but a faint smile tugging at her face.
"Yeah," Ari added, groaning as he tried to shift his weight. "Now let's just get home before we all pass out."
With that, the group turned once more toward the path that led back to their colony, a little more united… and a little more whole.
A cold wind blew through the broken walls, carrying with it the whisper of winter.
As soon as the group of ants stepped past the fortress, the wind shifted again—and with it, three shadowed figures appeared in the heart of the fortress, stepping forward from thin air as if summoned by the void itself.
"Hm. Seems like we're too late," one of them said, his tone smooth, almost amused.
"Do you think this was caused by the beetles? What do you think, Reinhart?" asked a second voice—casual, yet unnervingly calm.
"I doubt it," said Reinhart. His figure was lean, draped in flowing black armor, and his mandibles—long, curved blades—glinted even in the dull light.
"The beetles are far more powerful than the grasshoppers and wouldn't even bother acknowledging them as threats. This was done by ants, no question. Specifically… from my colony."
"Vladimir," said the second figure, glancing toward Reinhart, "you think the ants from your colony are capable of such destruction?"
"No," Vladimir replied. He was tall, regal, with pale armor etched with strange, archaic patterns. His stinger spear was strapped to his back, yet his eyes were restless. "But it's just a hunch."
They stepped forward into the remains of Hopper's chamber. The scent of stone and broken shell still lingered in the air. Hopper's body lay mangled near the center of the room—limbs shattered, torso torn open, his once-proud exoskeleton reduced to ruin.
"Whatever the case," Reinhart said coldly, "we still need Hopper. He was meant to serve a higher purpose… something far beyond this pitiful end."
"Calcithrax," he ordered without turning, "carry his limbs and body. Osmodious will know what to do."
A towering figure stepped forward—Calcithrax. His body was encased in a grotesque, bone-like exoskeleton, and his mandibles were jagged blades, honed like saws. Without hesitation, he hoisted Hopper's remains onto his back, securing them with black webbing that glowed faintly.
"Looks like the colony has really gotten stronger since I left…" Vladimir whispered to himself as he turned away from the scene. His eyes narrowed. "But you'll all be seeing me soon."
And with that, the three vanished—like fog in the wind.