Ari swung his mandibles.
CLANG!
The blades struck Zyroth's carapace and bounced away.
Ari's arms jerked from the impact.
"What...?"
His eyes widened as he stared at the unmarked carapace.
Zyroth slowly lowered his head.
His eyes settled on Ari.
"Who is this?"
His grip around Emilia's throat loosened.
She dropped to the ground.
"Ghk!"
Emilia immediately grabbed her throat and bent forward.
"Haah... haah..."
Her shoulders rose and fell rapidly.
Her wings trembled against her back.
Why would he...
Beatrice clenched her fist.
"Ari, why...?" Valeria whispered.
Her lips trembled as she stared at him.
The elder ants stood frozen.
One elder's antennae slowly lowered as his eyes darted between Ari and Zyroth.
Another elder took a small step backward before stopping himself.
"Our entire colony... will be wiped out."
Vraijow's grin widened.
"Well, well... looks like this one's got some backbone."
He stepped forward.
"I'm gonna enjoy cutting you in half."
Zyroth raised one hand, stopping him.
"Enough."
Vraijow stopped.
"I'm impressed by your resolve, ant."
Zyroth paused.
"It's been ten years since one of your kind dared to attack me."
Ari raised his mandibles and lowered his stance.
"Leave Princess Emilia alone!"
Zyroth glanced down at Emilia.
"So she's your reason."
He looked back at Ari.
"If you want her that badly, then come and take her."
Zyroth spread one arm toward Emilia.
"She's right here."
He tapped his chest with his other hand.
"But first, you'll have to get past me."
Ari tightened his grip around his mandibles.
"You'll pay for underestimating me!"
No... at this rate...
Valeria's antennae stiffened.
"Haaaa!"
Ari lunged forward and swung both mandibles.
CLANG! CLANG!
The weapons struck Zyroth.
No way...
His breathing grew heavier.
I can't even scratch him...
"Is that all you can do?" Zyroth said.
"Your blades can't even pierce me."
He slowly rolled his neck.
Crack.
"So you really thought you were strong enough to save the princess?"
His four arms flexed at his sides.
"You're nothing but a weakling."
Then—
He vanished.
The ground where his feet had been split apart.
Dust burst from the cracks as small stones bounced across the chamber floor.
Ari's breath caught.
Where did he?
A shadow moved across the ground.
Zyroth appeared directly in front of him.
All four of his fists came down at once.
Ari dropped his body.
WHOOSH!
One fist passed inches from his face.
The force of the strike tore through the air beside him.
Ari's feet left the ground and was thrown backward and slammed into the tunnel wall with a loud thud.
Dust fell from the ceiling as Ari crumpled against the stone.
"Ari!" Lancelot shouted.
He drew his mandibles and stepped forward.
Valeria grabbed his arm.
"Captain, what are you doing? I have to help him!"
"Don't you dare move."
Valeria lowered her head.
"That's an order."
Valeria's hand trembled.
She clicked her tongue and looked toward Ari.
Damn it.
"Oh no..."
Isla's voice came out thin.
She brought both hands toward her mouth.
"Ari..."
Ari struggled to push himself up as his head swayed. He coughed and spat blood onto the ground.
"Kh..."
He planted one foot beneath him and forced himself upright.
Before he could steady himself, Zyroth drove his foot into Ari's midsection.
Ari's body lifted off the ground and shot backward.
His back slammed against the tunnel wall.
Blood spilled from his head and the corner of his mouth.
Ari dropped to his knees, one hand pressed against his stomach.
"Haah... haah..."
A large hand seized him by the throat.
Zyroth lifted him off the ground and hurled him across the tunnel.
Ari's body spun through the air.
Before he could reach the chamber wall, he caught him by the leg and swung him downward.
Ari slammed into the ground.
"Aaaaaah!"
Pain tore through his body as his mandibles slipped from his hands.
Zyroth drew his mandibles with all four arms.
Ari lifted his head.
He planted his hands against the ground and slowly dragged himself backward.
"Stay... back..."
His fingers slipped against the dirt.
Zyroth raised all four mandibles.
Valeria suddenly stepped between them.
"Stop!"
Tears streamed down Emilia's face.
She crawled toward Ari, dragging herself across the ground.
Her hand stretched toward him, her fingers trembling.
"Please... no more..."
Her voice cracked.
"Please... don't hurt him anymore."
"Lord Zyroth. I beg you, spare him."
Valeria's voice trembled.
She dropped to her knees and bowed her head until it nearly touched the ground.
Zyroth tilted his head.
"Oh?"
"And what purpose does he have for living if he opposed me?"
Valeria lifted her head slightly.
"He's the one who designed and built the new structures."
Her hands pressed against the ground.
"That's why we had such a fruitful harvest."
She swallowed.
"That's why you received more food this season."
"Without him, none of it would have been possible. Killing him now would serve no purpose."
Zyroth released a slow breath.
"Very well."
He lowered his mandibles.
"If he serves such a purpose, then he can live."
He leaned closer to Valeria's ear.
"Though I do wonder what your father would think..."
Valeria's lips parted as her face tightened.
Zyroth smirked.
"Seeing you bow before the grasshopper who tore him to shreds."
She bit down on her lower lip until it bled as her head remained lowered.
"How pathetic."
Zyroth straightened.
"Now then..."
He turned toward Queen Celeste.
"My apologies for the destruction, Your Majesty."
His gaze passed over the damaged chamber.
"But your soldier acted when he should have known better."
"And since I've decided to let him live, I'll be taking twice the amount of food you provided this season."
"What? But we've already finished the collection!"
The elder shifted uneasily.
"If we send everyone out on another expedition, we'll be caught in the cold!"
"Find a way," Zyroth said.
"You have fourteen days."
He looked over the elders.
"If you fail to produce the tribute, this entire colony will be destroyed."
"We won't survive the winter if we go out there now," one of the elders said.
Zyroth glanced at him.
"Then maybe you should've kept him under control."
One of his lower arms reached toward Emilia.
His hand closed around hers.
Emilia's breath caught.
Zyroth lifted her off the ground.
"Ah!"
Her legs kicked helplessly as she grabbed his wrist.
"Let me go!"
Zyroth looked at her.
"I'll be taking the princess."
Emilia stopped struggling.
Her breathing became unsteady.
"What...?"
"If you want her back, then you'll fulfill my demands."
"All right, Zyroth."
Celeste's voice cut through the chamber.
"We accept your terms. You'll have the tribute before the deadline."
"Good."
He turned away.
His generals followed as they headed toward the colony entrance, dragging Emilia along with them.
"No... Princess..."
Ari planted his hands against the ground.
His arms shook as he tried to stand.
His vision blurred.
Emilia stumbled as Zyroth pulled her forward.
She twisted around and looked back at Ari.
"Ari..."
Her voice trembled.
"You didn't have to save me..."
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
"I never wanted you to get hurt."
"I was so scared..."
Emilia's smiled.
"But when you stood up... for a moment, I wasn't scared anymore."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."
She reached toward Ari as Zyroth dragged her farther away.
"Please don't die."
Emilia disappeared beyond the tunnel entrance with the grasshoppers.
"No..."
Ari's head lowered.
I couldn't keep my promise.
His breath shook.
I couldn't save her.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Ari slowly lifted his head.
Valeria stood before him.
Her jaw was clenched, her hands were balled into tight fists at her sides.
"Do you realize what you've done?"
Her voice cut through the chamber.
"You nearly doomed this entire colony!"
She stepped closer.
"All because you couldn't control yourself!"
Ari's hand curled against the ground.
"What was I supposed to do?Just stand there and let him choke her?"
"What you did was reckless," Valeria said.
Her voice cracked.
"You didn't think it through."
She clenched her fists.
"Zyroth is the most powerful being in this entire region. How could you not see that?"
Ari stared at her.
"This... this isn't like you, Valeria."
His voice softened.
"You're strong. You're brave. You're not afraid of anything."
His gaze dropped to her trembling hands.
"And now you're shaking."
"Why?"
Ari turned toward the other ants.
"And the rest of you... what's wrong with you?"
Several ants lowered their heads.
"Why are you just standing there and letting them take everything you've worked for?"
Ari's voice rose.
"Why are you willing to suffer like this?"
"He took her, and all of you just watched!"
Valeria's hand struck his face.
Ari's head snapped to the side.
The chamber fell silent.
Valeria stood there, her hand still raised.
Her lips pressed tightly together.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she lowered her hand, turned away, and stormed out of the chamber.
Ari held his cheek.
"I... I can't believe this happened," Isla whispered.
Lancelot clicked his tongue.
"I knew letting him join the colony was a mistake," one of the elders muttered.
"We should've sent him away when we had the chance," another said. "Now the colony's future rests in the hands of monsters. Look at the mess he's caused."
What you did was the right call, Ari.
Brooks watched him.
It just wasn't the right time.
Brooks glanced around the damaged chamber.
Fear for the colony's future clouded our judgment. But you... you attacked Zyroth without any fear at all. You were the light we were looking for... just like Vanguard Terence.