Once I get close enough I'm quickly recognised by the people and the reaction is a unlike what I expected.
Firstly the humans seem unusually comfortable with having a monster ant wandering up to their area. I guess they've seen plenty of ants wandering here and there over the last few days.
Secondly they seem a bit… reverential. When they recognise me (I look different enough from the other workers I suppose) they fall quiet and still. There are hushed whispers and people rushing off towards the rear of the settlement where the shelter is. Other people are gesturing in my direction and talking animatedly to the people next to them. Even the children are pointing and whispering.
….
Annoying!
So annoying! What are these people doing anyways?!
I wait impatiently on the edge of the settlement, not willing to wander in and subject myself to more pointing. After a few moments Enid and the white robed priest Beyn came rushing over. She looks a bit nervous but he appears positively beaming with joy.
Hastily I weave together a mind magic transformation construct and connect to Enid whilst she patiently waits for me to complete the magic.
[Enid. Have your people managed to stay within their bounds?] I say abruptly once the mind bridge is finished.
[Yes. We've been staying within the boundary you set very carefully] she says nervously.
….
It appears to be true. When I detect the pheromone trail on this side of the settlement with my antennae it does seem to be fine. I'll check the other side before I leave as well.
be more people
from Liria. It appears the monster horde is moving further south. These people arrive only this morning and we herded them in here as quickly as we could so that
[Eaten?]
[… right]
...
to do?] I ask. More to the point… how long are they going to
us are content… surprisingly content, to remain here and build a temporary shelter.
I brighten up immediately.
don't want to stay forever? Head back
….
long is the wave going to go for? Well.. As long
know we came with very little and have made do with what we have. We have access to the
even notice anymore. I do spend most of my time underground, to
This land isn't tame by any stretch. The colony is chewing through a lot of the local beasts on the surface but there isn't
we'll perish. We have to forage for food, perhaps try to clear a field that we can sow
is untamed, uncultivated wildlands there are woods everywhere, plenty of places to go foraging. If they want to clear a field though, that's going to be a heck of a lot of effort.
help them out a little. If they get off to a good start they'll have less reason to
some trees and bringing the logs to the edge of
they can start foraging but not to come closer to the anthill. I'll mark a new boundary
mean the world to
begin to flood down his face and he kneels in
….
to regret this
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!