The entire city was abuzz about the upcoming match. Among the humans who made their homes within the nest, several hundred at this point, there was little conversation about anything else. The Great One, as the ant was usually referred to by the people of Renewal, hadn’t been seen by the people for a long time. Even aside from the new, fanatical following that Tunnel Ball had created, every human who could get a ticket would have shown up just to see the famous ant in the flesh.
“OH GREAT ONE! BLESS US WITH YOUR GLORIOUS PRESENCE!”
“We praise the Great One!”
“YOU ARE MIGHTY! A CREATURE OF CHITIN AND POWER, WHERE WE ARE FLESH AND WEAK!”
“Reforge us in your image!”
Peter watched the gathered crowd of the faithful from a… safe distance. Priest Beyn had practically begun vibrating the moment he’d learned the object of his faith would be within his sight once more. The preaching had begun immediately, and hadn’t stopped for the last ten hours. The farmer had thought they’d run out of steam, but, if anything, they’d gained momentum as the time ticked past.
“Looking forward to the match, Peter?”
Someone called from behind him and he turned, smiling, to answer the question.
“Very much so,” he said sincerely.
“What do you expect will happen?”
It wasn’t the first time he’d been asked that question since the announcement, or the hundredth, and his answer had been the same every time.
“I have no idea,” he said. “I know I’m supposed to be the expert, but I just don’t know.”
The old man who’d spoken to him sucked his teeth in, a pensive expression on his face.
have some advice, I was looking
Peter frowned.
know how the Colony
raised his
little flutter. There ain’t no
not how
waste of time and resources. The
the Colony was close to banning betting on Tunnel
PRIVILEGED TO WITNESS
ourselves
match started. Possibly, they wouldn’t even stop
Peter? The Tunnel Ball
match. He turned with a smile. If it was about
said. “And I have no idea what will happen in the
frowned quizzically at
sent to find you. Are
“Uh, yes?”
you come with me,
led him to the edge of the relatively open human compound the Colony had built and towards the more narrow tunnels that led deeper into the nest. Two ants waited there and he felt a mind bridge
you could
ask where we are
is in need of your expertise regarding Tunnel Ball. We hope you
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!