Giant Ant Swarm

Cough!

The bishop's cough rang in the room as he stood by his favorite window. Watching the scenery of sea of trees in its spring leaves rubbing against each other and birds flew in the horizon above it.

Anna sat on the sofa with a cup of tea in her hand, occasionally sipping it, her breath relaxed and her mind calmed.

The sinking sun graced them with its last ray of the day.

"What is in the catacomb?" Anna asked, her voice full of curiousity.

Cough

The bishop coughed and took a deep inhale of the fresh air coming into the room by that window.

"The to-tomb of Sa-saint Atis…" the bishop coughed, green liquid splattering his hand. His voice shaky and his strained red eyes becoming more visible and evident than before.

Cough

Each cough he let out of his mouth spurted a greater amount of green liquid from it than before. His body trembled as his face as pale as an unpreserved corpse.

"That Saint Atis? His tomb isn't mentioned in any of the church's document," Anna questioned, her voice curious as she tightened her grip over her cup and leaned forward.

As Anna pondered over the name – Saint Atis – her mind remembered all the history class taught to her.

"He's…"

Cough!

His vitality was diminishing.

---

His rapier glinted from the shining of the sarcophagus.

Henry's grip tightened around his rapier, his stance reminiscent of a master duelist. His eyes observed the ant queen, tracking its every movement.

"Are you just going stand there and make this beautiful lady wait?" the queen taunted, a seducing smile showcased by her milk-skinned and charming face.

"…" Henry remained silent, unmindful of the queen's taunt.

Dash!

He dashed forward with an unperceivable speed, like a blur cutting through the air. His rapier pointed like a spear toward the queen.

The ant queen's eyes widened, revealing her crimson black eye. A burst of shockwave of air from the attack that hadn't reached her blew her short hair backward.

Her muscles tensed, pumping itself with blood as she leapt and landed softly on the ground behind her. Narrowly avoiding his grave thrust

"Yo-you! You're powerful!" her breath was taken from her. Her lungs gasped for air as sweat trickled down her forehead, anxiety filled her mind.

Henry mouth moved not but his muscles worked as he rushed forward with his rapier ready to thrust and cut.

His vision sharpened and his wrist moved, slashing a horizontal strike from west to east. A light-blue like energy was produced, flying through the air in an insane speed as he continued charging.

Scrap

A high pitched sound of metal meeting metal could be heard. A cloud of dust formed around the queen's ant as the blue-like energy landed on her.

Then she emerged from the curtain of dust, rushing forward toward Henry.

Her hands, once human and delicate replaced by to wide and sharpened claw like the jaws of her children. Her face transformed, her scaly and armor-like skin with its metallic surface protected her face.

"My turn!" she exclaimed, while slashing on Henry. A purple-like energy was formed by the slash.

Henry's brows wrinkled, as he readied himself to defend.

---

"Sleep time! Sleep time!" the familiar voice of the guard shouting on top of his watchtower could be heard.

"What? We haven't even finished working out yet!" Hubert mentioned, his warmed up body drenched in sweat as he stood shirtless. His muscles improved exponentially since the start of his tragedy in the parish.

"…" Ron gave his usual blank stare at him.

"Let's go Ron," Hubert told, as he equipped his shirt and began walking toward the slaves' quarter.

They made it to their usual place, though it was different.

Since the event that happened in the mana stones mine, the number of slaves that once crowded the slave's quarter reduced visibly. The casualties and number of missing people were too high for the church to find a replacement in such a quick time.

Hubert sat on his habitual place. His eyes glanced lightly on the place beside him, where Robert usually sat, accompanying him with his friendly conversations and vibrant smile before they went to sleep.

"Robert…" he muttered softly, wondering of the fate of his captured friend.

Though once, Robert abandoned Hubert to fend his for his own from the merciless flurry of fists and kicks from Brad's underlings. All Hubert could care to remember was the vigorous and lively smile Robert greeted him with.

"Will he be alright?" Hubert asked himself as his eyes peered up to the window from which the cold moonlight poured into.

He felt lonely, Robert, his friend, who once accompanied him to eat and sleep, was captured by the ants just yesterday.

Pat

Ron extended his arm and patted Hubert on his shoulder.

Hubert looked at him, his eyes still and calmed.

Sigh

"I know Ron, I know… thank you," Hubert said, relaxed. Ron's gesture became a brief sanctuary for his stressed out mind.

---

"Ha… Haa…" the ant queen's lungs gasped for air arduously. Her muscles overworked and sweat trickled down her scaly skin. The claws attached on her hand now serrated and damaged from the countless strike she exchanged with Henry.

Henry stood opposite her, face to face, his mouth inhaled deeply and exhaled long. His grip over his rapier weakened as his white gloves rugged and his tailored suit holed and slashed. His rapier in the brink of collapse, dented and chipped away.

Clasius and Kira broke through the encirclement of ants as they reached Henry, standing beside him.

"Not bad, coachman," Kira said, though her tone bitchy and slightly mocking.

"I have deep respect for you now, coachman," Clasius said, his voice stern and deep as always.

"Ha… Ha-hahaha!" the ant queen broke out into a laughter upon seeing Kira and Clasius. Her high pitched laughter, sinister-like, echoed against the wall.

Clasius clenched his great sword and Kira, her flail. Henry stood, his stance unchanged, as he recovered himself from the arduous and laborious fighting.

"It seemed that weaklings have joined our duel!" she exclaimed, amused by the sight in front of her, slightly chuckling.

"What's so funny, ant?!" Clasius barked, his stern voice degrading the queen.

The sound of agony and bravery, struggle and determination, killing and healing continued, echoing through the hall of the catacomb.

Soldiers fought, their weapons and magic massacred the swarm. Ants fought, their sharp jaws and poisonous bite killed the party.

Their blood puddled on the cold and depressing stone floor as their corpses littered it. Their number, once seemingly infinite, lessened.

The soldiers were not in a much better state. Their weapons have been chipped by the constant fighting, their shield broke by ceaseless charging and their mana exhausted by continuous casting.

In the face of such mighty adversary, their healers, once determined, weary of the increasing casualties. Their fighting spirit and bravery dwindled in each soldier they lost.

Henry's eyes looked to the left and to the right, scanning and observing the situation. Dedication reflected in his eyes as his fingers curled around the hilt of the rapier, ready to exchange another attack with the queen.

Then the queen's antlers vibrated.

"I guess I would need to use this…" the queen muttered, once energetic and underestimating, now gradually replaced by desperation upon realizing the situation.

The ants heard her cry and they heeded. Their once threatening and dangerous jaws and glare turned from the soldiers, stopping all the fight and the sounds produced by it.

Their number, though weakened greatly from the constant fighting, gathered behind their queen.

The ants merged.

Bigger and larger they became.

Like a mountain of black rubbish, a giant ant swarm.

The pile was humongous, as tall as the ceiling of the catacomb, as wide as half the catacomb's length. Its appearance akin to a monstrous demon of greediness.

Its presence dominated the tight and narrow field of battle. Once, the field filled with sign of struggle and fight, now replaced by a sign of dread, doom, grim and anxiety.

The soldiers, once brave and dutiful, trembled in such horrifying scenery of terror. All their trainings and experienced was futile in such a decimating opponent.

"Wh-what is that…?" a soldier muttered, his tone shaking. His hand trembled and his grip over his weapon weakened. His muscles frozen in fear.

Many were the same.

Clasius gritted his teeth, his eyes still vigorous.

A slight blush appeared on Kira's cheek, akin to a pervert, after seeing the pile of ants.

Henry gripped his rapier, prepared to cut.

"Men! Fear not, the Goddess is with you all in this fight! Defensive formation!" Clasius rallied, his sword raised up to the sky like challenging the giant ant swarm.

His words like the Goddess' embrace, blanketed over all the doubting and fearful soldiers. Their once nervous sweat disappeared and their once trembling body calmed.

They obeyed Clasius command. Forming a defensive formation in front of Clasius, like the one they had been using since the entrance of the cave until reaching the catacomb. Though lesser in number and weary in power, strength and stamina.

"Behold! The wrath of my children!" the queen showed her spectacle of the masterpiece.

The soldiers, Henry, Clasius and Kira readied themselves.

The Giant Ant Swarm attacked.