Just as the long-range strikes begin, the Legion appears to make a decisive move, advancing rapidly toward the wall. The wounded and exhausted warriors are being picked up and moved to the rear of the column, which flows around them like water even as the axe-wielding hulk bullies his way forward at their head. The imposing soldier batters aside projectiles directed at him, or just plain ignores them, allowing the acid and spells to smack into his crackling armour as if uncaring of his own safety.
With each step, he gathers momentum, and I begin to sense an ominous energy building within the head of the axe. Brutally wild and hungry for violence, that’s the sense I get. An unrestrained thirst for blood and vengeance emanates from the weapon, and many ants within range of the baleful aura react with insectile rage. The energy contained within the weapon grows and grows as the figure draws closer, climbing to unbelievable heights, but even so, the strike isn’t unleashed. What the heck are they aiming for?
Then it hits me.
[He’s going for the gate!] I roar at Invidia. [Shield, now!]
The demon has nothing if not a quick mind, and before I even finish the thought, a flow of Mana around the gate behind me is swirling and shifting as the little eyeball shapes it into barriers.
“He’s going to try and bring down the gate! Hit him! Defend the nest!” I blast the entire tunnel with pheromones, snapping every ant within range to attention.
“FOR THE COLONY!” they roar as they rush into battle.
This guy wants to bring down the gates himself? He’s either mad or far more powerful than we expected, and I’m terrified it’s the latter.
Even so, what can we do? If we must fall to preserve the colony, then that’s exactly what we are going to do. Filled with this resolution, I drop from the tunnel roof and position myself between the lone Legionary and the gate, putting my exquisite diamond form in the firing line. Come on then, you stupid spectre of death. Let’s see if you can charge into the mandibles of the colony and walk away unscathed!
127. The Siege, Part 5
I regret my choices. Many of them. How did this situation wind up with me facing down this inhuman axe-maniac whilst he charges his weapon with what feels like enough energy to cut a mountain in half? The things people do for their families, that’s all I can say.
The colony and Invidia are working overtime to establish all the shields they can as quickly as possible, layering protections across the already potent enchantments of the gate. Hopefully it’s going to be enough.
[Crinis, get off me.]
[NO!]
[IT’S AN ORDER! GET OUT OF THE WAY!]
I refuse to let her get caught up in the fallout here. Her Skills and mutations are totally unsuited to facing down this kind of situation, all that will happen is she’ll get herself killed for nothing. That’s an outcome I won’t allow.
I barely register as my loyal friend peels herself off my carapace and disappears into the shadows along the side of the tunnel. My focus is solely on that dreaded axe. Minds churning, I try to think of anything I can do to help mitigate this attack.
Sinking into the depths of meditation, time almost seems to slow. Do I have enough time to whip together a spell? Probably not, judging by the speed the axe is gathering energy, it’s almost ready to go. Can I create a physical barrier? Digging maybe? Unlikely to help. This guy is trying to cut down solid steel gates with an axe. If I put a few rocks in the way, it isn’t going to make a difference.
There has to be something, think!
The lone Legionary continues to sprint under the combined bombardment of everything the colony can throw at him. Tiny is blasting with lightning. Acid rains from openings in the gate and walls. Spells radiate as the mages spit out a plethora of magics. Maybe I can use a little Gravity Magic? I don’t need to spin a construct for it, and I’m well-practised at the basic forms, my main mind doesn’t even need to get involved.
Quick as a thought, my sub-brains begin to form and throw out basic Gravity Bolts at the onrushing juggernaut in the hopes that it does something. All I can really do beyond that is try and get up in this guy’s face. I dig my claws in the stone to get a firm grip and take a moment to steady my nerves.
DASH!
As fast as I can, Dash!
Right into the jaws of death!
Because that’s exactly what it feels like. My senses are going crazy at the sheer amount of energy pouring off that demonic weapon, so much that the very air itself seems to warp with it. An aura of bloodlust and violence permeates the air around the charging figure, leaking from the axe itself, saturating the minds of everyone who draws too close.
Even sunk into meditation, my emotions pushed to one side, I can feel it. A rage that bubbles up from within and eats away at my thoughts. I don’t let it. Even the cold logical thoughts of my own brain, severed from my emotions, tell me this course of action is illogical. I don’t listen. Even the Vestibule, the gateway through which the Will of the colony leaks into my being, is begging me to turn aside and allow others to go in my place. But I won’t.
I don’t know why. Explaining it is impossible. Something deep within my carapace is simply telling me this is a pivotal moment. He cannot be allowed to sunder the gate. And I won’t let him.
The figure looms large in my vision as we close on one another at hectic speeds. My mandibles stretch open wide, the dark energy of the Doom Chomp manifesting around me. More and more Gravity Bolts fly, peppering the figure all over without slowing his unstoppable momentum. Just before I reach him, my mandibles begin to snap shut as every cell in my body screams for me to flee this danger, to get out of the way and preserve myself because this is something way out of my league.
I don’t listen.
I was never very good at being what other people expected of me. Not in this life, or the last.
With a shout that impacts the air, the lone Legionary stretches back his arms that tiny bit more, like an elastic band stretched right to the breaking point, before unleashing his strike.
It’s so fast I don’t even see the axe move. One minute it’s over his shoulder, the gauntlets gripped tight around the haft, the next, the axe is buried in the stone at his feet, all the way up to those same gauntlets.
My mandibles strain for a final second as the world flickers before me and a tidal wave of energy explodes in the air in front of my face. It’s a blade of axe light like none I’ve ever seen. Instead of the normal soft glow of white light, this arc of power is bloodred. Rather than the size of a blade, it stretches from the ceiling to the floor in a vertical line of pure destruction.
Too late to prevent the strike from being unleashed, I pull myself to one side, but in a flash, the strike is upon me. Then it’s gone. One of my sub-brains triggers my healing gland without my conscious thought and a feeling of almost puzzlement flutters in me. Why—? Then the pain comes. Searing agony explodes down the right side of my body as I struggle to comprehend what just happened.
[Master! I’m here!]
My thoughts are sluggish. What’s going on?
The darkness is pitch-black and a forest of tentacles envelop my entire body in their embrace. Before my eyes are covered, I make out the sole Legionary in front of me on one knee, his weapon still buried in the ground as he draws deep, shuddering breaths. Despite being so vulnerable, no attacks fall on him. Why isn’t the colony attacking?
I’m sinking and I can’t even process the sensation as Crinis pulls me into the shadow, dragging my body through the darkness and out the other side. Where am I? …This pain is intense.