A delivery system of flesh and bone. That’s what the horde truly was. As an instrument of the dark will that controlled it, the massive gathering of enslaved monsters had been used to scour the kingdom of Liria and possibly neighbouring kingdoms as well. Here and now? That mass of bodies served a different purpose. To deliver Garralosh and her children to the target of her wrath as easily as possible.
Sloan knew that only when they had destroyed enough, thinned enough of the horde away, would the true enemy show its face. Until then, Garralosh and the Kaarmodo would be content to stay back and allow their unwitting soldiers to absorb the punishment.
"The key to this battle, is holding enough strength in reserve that we can deal with the Croca-Beasts when they come," Sloan had declared at the planning meeting.
To that end, the colony had prepared waves of tricks and schemes that they could employ. The horde would pay dearly for every inch of ground they took. The worry was, the primary reserve force of the colony still hadn’t woken up.
The Eldest was still sleeping!
Sloan couldn’t help but clean her antennae over and over again in an attempt to calm her nerves. Something her sibling couldn’t help but notice.
"Calm down," Victor advised.
"I would if I could!" Sloan snapped back.
"The Eldest will awaken in time. How could you doubt it?"
"You do realise what will happen if they don’t?"
"I suspect that we’ll all be wiped out and the colony will cease to exist," Victor replied, unruffled.
"Y-yes! That’s right!"
does you stressing about it change anything? Have a little faith in the Eldest. When have they
storm, stirring up change wherever they went, but to date they had never let the colony
generals were positioned in the main nest in a chamber close to the surface. In a room next to them, scouts came and went at a furious pace, passing information
is progressing," Victor suggested
her mandibles
that we are stuck here,
sighed, but
just as much as you. But the two of us are the best generals in the colony. We can best serve the colony from here. Don’t go
that far," Sloan
relatively calm generals, the war chamber was a flurry of activity and filled with the muffled scents of a dozen different conversations. Ants crawled carefully
wall has done its
proposed. "If we commit the reserves from the second wall we could hold on for another thirty minutes, at
The outer wall wasn’t built to hold and was never intended to resist
two of them did their best planning. One proposed a plan, the other tried to tear it down. After the back and forth was done, they felt comfortable that they had the best
then. Time to sound the
to the scouts waiting to carry
the first wall. Prepare the reserves.
raced off to deliver their prepared messages whilst the two generals turned their eyes back to the map. Ants poured over it once more, making the delicate adjustments based
ran over the top of each other as they hastened to reach their assigned positions. The potential for devastating loss was huge. The retreat needed to be managed carefully, with precision. An orderly retreat back to the second wall was the aim, not
end, Proppelant had taken her place amongst the
the word came for the retreat, the spell slinging ants leapt into
it!" Proppelant bellowed, "draw
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!