Mikhailis stared at Lira’s face as she slept beside him, her breathing soft and steady. He could feel her warmth, her hand still loosely resting against his chest. He sighed deeply, feeling a mix of confusion and guilt tightening in his chest. He had to know what exactly happened, and there was only one person—well, one AI—who could tell him.
"Rodion," Mikhailis whispered, his voice barely audible.
"No jokes, alright? I need you to fill in. What happened?"
Rodion’s voice carried no humor, and it made Mikhailis frown.
Drinking?
Serelith?
Maid?
Suddenly, it all ca back in a flash. Mikhailis winced as the mories surged forward, a jumbled ss of images and sensations. He rembered returning to the castle, the adrenaline of his kidnapping still fresh, and Serelith offering him a drink—sothing strong to help him unwind. Then, Lira had been there, and things had… escalated.
Mikhailis ran a hand through his hair, trying to steady his breath.
"Oh, shit. I rember now." He muttered under his breath, his voice low and almost drowned out by the quiet rustling of the bedsheets.
He sat there for a few monts, just staring at Lira, his mind reeling.
What had he gotten himself into?
He shook his head, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He needed to figure this out.
But first, he needed to calm himself.
The guilt gnawed at him, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it now—he had to face it eventually, but not like this, with Lira peacefully sleeping beside him, unaware of the turmoil she had thrown him into.
Then finally, the mories, the vivid mories of what happened flowed in.
___
Mikhailis was still reeling from his capture and everything that had happened afterward. He lay on his back, panting heavily, the intense session with Elowen leaving him completely spent.
The queen herself was sleeping soundly beside him, her silver hair cascading over the pillow, a serene smile on her face as she rested. He reached over, squeezing her hand gently before leaning over to press a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Good thing you’re okay, Mikhailis..." Elowen murmured in her sleep, a faint smile gracing her lips as she turned slightly, her fingers curling around his hand.
Mikhailis felt his heart soften at her words, a warmth spreading through his chest. He whispered back, his voice barely above a breath.
"Yeah, I’m fine, Elowen."
For a mont, he thought about getting up, heading over to the small table where his computer was set up to check the progress on his chira ants. But as he looked down at Elowen’s peaceful face, he decided against it. It was better to just stay here with her, to enjoy the quiet mont of calm they had fought so hard for. Besides, he could always see the ants’ progress through his glasses.
There was no rush.
Rodion’s voice chid in, the familiar hint of sarcasm coloring his words.
Mikhailis smirked, shifting slightly to get more comfortable.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m wise sotis, aren’t I, Rodion?"
Mikhailis couldn’t help but chuckle softly, trying not to wake Elowen. He adjusted the glasses slightly on his nose, making sure they were in place.
"Alright, Rodion. Show the chira ant colony status."
Mikhailis nodded, his eyes glancing towards the virtual display that appeared before him. The queen ant was shown surrounded by dozens of worker ants, the eggs neatly tucked away in chambers deep within the nest.
"That’s a pretty solid number," Mikhailis mused quietly.
"It’ll definitely help if we can start using so of them for surveillance. What about the queen’s condition?"
Mikhailis felt a flicker of pride as he looked at the image of the queen ant in his display. The bio-chip had been an ingenious addition, one he had designed himself. He smiled, leaning back into the pillows.
"It’s kind of convenient, isn’t it, Rodion? The live analysis, the increased details… I’ve got to say, that chip is a ga-changer."
"Of course, you’re all about ethics now, aren’t you?" Mikhailis retorted with a grin, his voice a little softer as Elowen stirred beside him. He shifted, holding her closer to make sure she didn’t wake up.
There was a slight pause before Rodion spoke again.
Mikhailis frowned, his gaze shifting to the digital display where a new image appeared—a depiction of two human figures, bound and trapped in one of the chambers. They looked dazed, weak, their faces pale.
"Right, those guys..." Mikhailis rubbed his temples, the situation returning to the forefront of his mind.
"I told the ants to keep them alive, didn’t I? No killing... just yet."
Mikhailis’s face turn into a wry smile whe he heard the words ’Their limbs are immobilized’.
"That’s... a little sadistic, Rodion. I an, I knew it was going to be rough, but still..."
Then suddenly.
Rodion’s voice was devoid of its usual sarcasm, carrying an unusual edge of seriousness.
Well of course.
I guess he ant that killing people could hurt my psychological health.
Mikhailis closed his eyes for a mont, his thoughts whirling.
He rembered the Technomancers, their eyes filled with hatred as they tried to capture him.
He rembered the blade aid at his throat, the monts he could have died. No, that part doesn’t matter. But when he imagined Elowen, that was fighting before him, getting hurt, he could feel his heart turning cold.
He opened his eyes, his expression hardening.
"Rodion, these people tried to kill . They wanted gone, wiped out, whatever it took. And not just , but my dear wife as well. And this? This is necessary. If we’re going to make a stand, we have to do what it takes.
Sotis that ans being a little... heartless."
There was a mont of silence, then Rodion responded.
Mikhailis let out a breath, the tension in his chest easing slightly.
"Eight weeks, huh? That’s not bad. At least it’ll help keep the colony growing strong." He paused, his gaze flicking over to where the image of the bound Technomancers was displayed. He swallowed, feeling the unease bubbling up inside him again.
"Rodion... could you, uh, turn off the feed for that chamber? I don’t want to see it. Watching them... being taken apart would be a bit too much, even for ."
Mikhailis nodded, his heart pounding.
"Thanks, Rodion."
Mikhailis couldn’t help but chuckle softly, his voice tired.
"Always the charr, aren’t you?"
He looked back at Elowen, her face so peaceful in her sleep. He pulled her a little closer, his fingers brushing gently against her arm. This world was brutal, unforgiving, and he had to be prepared to make tough choices, no matter how difficult they might be. But here, now, in this room, he had sothing worth protecting.
"Let’s keep moving forward, Rodion. We’ve got a kingdom to protect, a queen who deserves better, and a bunch of ants who need their king."
Mikhailis closed his eyes, letting the warmth of Elowen’s body against his calm the turmoil inside him. Whatever happened next, he’d be ready for it.
___
Chira Ant Queen & Colony Status:
Queen Chira Ant: Evolved into a magical beast with heightened intelligence. Now resides in a newly constructed underground nest.
Colony Units:
Workers: 70. Digging and foraging specialists. Currently expanding tunnels and creating chambers for the nest.
Soldiers: 40. Colony defenders. Successfully defended the queen against threats like the Burrow Grub. Equipped with enhanced coordination and strength.
Colony Nest:
Chamber System:
- Food Storage Chamber: Completed. Currently being stocked by workers.
- Hatchling Chamber: Designated for new eggs. Under construction.
- Defense Chambers: Surrounding queen’s location for protection.
Special Projects:
- Variant Eggs: Four eggs potentially containing hybrid ants with unique traits (e.g., magical frog properties).
- Neural Relay Chip: Installed on the queen, allowing real-ti surveillance and control.
Current Objective:
- Defend the nest from the Glimr Beetle.
- Expand nest further to accommodate variant eggs and prepare for future adversaries.
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