“You intend to defend these creatures against my Legionaries? There are many in my ranks who were born in Liria. Are you truly willing to fight against your own people?”
“I can say the same to you, Commander,” Enid’s eyes hardened. “You have brought war and destruction down on this colony who has done nothing but help me and my people. How can you be seen as anything but an enemy?”
“And what of the people of Rylleh?” Titus demanded. “The city was overrun weeks ago. Have they too been spared the creature’s hunger?”
“There are a number of people from that city amongst our ranks today,” Enid returned. “It seems many consider the arrival of the colony a liberation, rather than a death sentence. That city has not been harmed by the colony, far from it.”
The commander’s frown only deepened. It was beyond his expectations that this colony would act in such a way, but it wasn’t totally unheard of. The abomination had clearly influenced the ants not to prey on the human population, but for how long would that last? If that creature born of another world were to perish, how long before the ants reverted to their true nature? For that matter, how long until the abomination itself lost its sense of self and sank into the murderous carnage that claimed them all in the end?
This changed nothing. The hard lines of Titus’ face didn’t budge.
“The Legion has given its orders and I do not intend to debate the righteousness of them here. We will destroy these creatures and stamp them from the Dungeon so that not a single one remains. If you choose to take the field against us, then I must warn you we will not show mercy to those who side with the creatures of the Dungeon against their own kind. I will give you four hours to talk to your people and inform them of our position. During that time, should anyone approach our lines, they will be let through and given safe passage to wherever they want to go. Should they remain, they will die alongside the insects.”
So saying, the commander snapped out a crisp salute and turned back to his people. Enid only sighed. This was the outcome she expected, but it still lay heavy on her heart. To the Legion, the people of Renewal were now traitors who abandoned the sapient races to side with the ancient enemy. It was inevitable once they made the decision to stand with the colony.
“Would you think we did the right thing, Derrion?” she wondered aloud.
With the discussions over, she began the walk back to the nest where an open gate awaited her. She had much to discuss with her people.
Titus gave orders to have the Legion pull back and widen the tunnel to allow for a temporary camp to be created. The Legionaries rested and conversed in quiet voices as Titus and the tribunes moved from group to group and informed them of what awaited them in the battle ahead. Some expressed sadness, others anger, most felt a level of disbelief that their own people would stand against them on the side of monsters, but none were unwilling to fight. They made war on the Dungeon. Always.
Enid moved amongst the people inside the gate. Farmers, traders, crafters, and town guards before the last wave, now they stood firm in their resolution to defend those that saved their lives and gave them hope. Some were dismayed to find their own kind would fail to see the goodness of the colony—let alone its holiness—but their resolve was unflinching.
When the four hours elapsed, not a single person had abandoned the colony.
Disappointed, but not surprised, Titus once more formed up the Legion and they began their simultaneous approach toward the gates of the nest. It wasn’t long until they were able to look up and see the huge metal gates ahead. The giant ant head carved into the centre stared down at them indifferently, projecting an alien aura that seemed to say what lay beyond did not belong to humankind. But it would soon, Titus promised himself.
The mighty Legionary gripped the haft of his axe tight in both hands as he stoked the demon within. The gate loomed large in his eyes. Come what may, he would crush that thing beneath his boot before the day was done.
123. The Siege, Part 1
Gwehehehehe. I have succeeded in dodging the meeting! Once my mutation was complete, I used every ounce of my guile and cunning to slip away. Of course, I needed to find a place to wait out the time before the battle started where the council wouldn’t disturb me, so I naturally headed straight for the gates to while away the time with the ants and humans stationed there.
When I poked my head out of the tunnels and the great outer gate of the nest loomed before me, I was more than a little surprised to find the entire council gathered and waiting for me.
“Ah, the eldest has arrived at last,” Advant observed with a perfectly flat scent. “Now we can start the meeting.”
You smug little…
“How did you even know which gate I would go to?” I demanded. “I could’ve gone to the other side of the nest for all you knew!”
“The assault is expected to be concentrated on this side of the nest,” the soldier responds without acknowledging my question. “How are our preparations looking at this point?”
Defeated, I have no choice but to sit in and listen to the council go over many of the details we already expected. We were cut off from the other nests, who dug themselves in to the greatest possible extent in preparation. The Legion and golgari had loosely cooperated to form a wide net that locked us off from the Dungeon and had since established defensive positions at every exit.
The colony was effectively boxed inside three separate cages. From our scouting, we’ve determined the enemy has concentrated their forces here, at the main nest. Clearly, they intend to deal as powerful a blow against the colony as possible in the time they have. Makes sense, considering the rising threat of a wave. If they can cripple us enough, then they may not even have to lift a finger to destroy the rest of us as the other nests may be too weakened to survive the wave on their own.
Meanwhile, the Legion and golgari could just clean this nest out, re-establish the gates, and wait out the storm. I’ve no doubt they would be able to manage their own defence against the monsters that will come.
By the end of the meeting, I’ve almost fallen into torpor. It’s important stuff, obviously, but there really isn’t anything to go over that we don’t already know, or didn’t suspect would happen. All that’s left to do is hold the gates. If we can do that, we will survive—if not, then we won’t.
When the discussion finally wraps up, someone pokes me back to my senses and I notice Propellant shaking Vibrant out of torpor. Then it’s off to the gates to prepare.
Once there, I learn things are already well underway. Enid steps out for our agreed-on appeal for sanity, only for it to unsurprisingly fall on deaf ears. The Legion was never likely to back down, but I kind of hoped they would. To my surprise, not a single one of the villagers or folks from Rylleh decides to cross the fence, despite making it perfectly clear they could if they wanted to.
The humans give off a determined and solid air, as if they are enduring a trial they cannot contemplate failing. At least, that’s the sort of thing Beyn has been shouting for the last hour. The man is a preaching machine and has put his Skills on full display today. It’s a while before the battle is expected to begin, and he’s out here pumping people up with fiery words and blazing passion. How he keeps going without tearing his throat apart, I have no idea, but he does. The people are loving it and their energy has risen to a fever pitch even as more sensible people like Enid and Isaac look on from the side, bemused.