Escalation

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Larry heard it all, as well as Jonas.

God knows how much he wanted to deny Raven's claims. But as he glanced at the situation around him, what else could he say?

Everything he said was right. He also felt that they're just dealing with some oversized ants, no need for his superiors to come here and call him useless for not being able to handle this situation.

He should've realized it. He shouldn't have underestimated the ants, if he just treated the ants more seriously, then he would've realized that there really is a colony below them. It was now clear to him as to why, after all of the years of his service, he still wasn't promoted to a higher rank.

"Railed by lightning? You mean that Ant Queen could command lightning?"

"No. The kind of lightning I'm talking about is 'Tribulation Lightning'. Something that comes naturally when the queen has to survive to prove it's worth to evolve. If she successfully endured and survived, then the whole outer area of the kingdom will plunge in chaos because her children would receive a huge boost on their prowess too."

"The Worker Ants would truly awaken their Lord Ant Bloodline and would grow in size, comparable to a hill. Just five of those could completely wipe the civilization nearby. The Soldier Ants would be even more terrifying, they would at least Veteran Knights in equivalent, and you know most of the knights that reached that level are rare. But this colony? Who knows how many of them are there? After all, no one even bothered to check the depths of the colony at all."

"There's also the Alpha Soldier Ants, the one's who that's allowed to mate with the queen, they too will receive a boost. And in just short of a month, the Queen would give birth to an Empyrean Ant King. And he would be at least a Silver Knight equivalent to humans. If he grows up, then the horrors he could do is something I don't even want to imagine."

Larry's eyes dilated in horror. His heartbeat quickened and cold sweat poured down his back.

Now the consequences of his actions are bearing down on him like a huge mountain. His mind started to spiral and images of a chaos all around the outer area of the kingdom filled his mind. There he saw many people fleeing, houses were burning, livestock murdered, dead bodies, crying children and a horde of massive ants spreading destruction everywhere.

"You know all of this is going to happen, yet you're not doing something? I can't believe you." Ellen asked.

Larry heard Raven sneered inside and said: "Yeah and so what? Didn't that Larry asked us if we think that what they do here is joke? I answered no since it's not really a joke anyway. What they do here, is allowing the destruction of the kingdom. And who are we to interfere? It's not like we're knights or something, we're just ordinary citizens who happen to volunteer while the real knights relax and scratch their asses on their comfy couches. Nothing more. Honestly, I would like to see the look on his face once he realizes what he caused. He would be regarded as one of the biggest sinners of the entire kingdom."

Larry's entire body shook. His face paled as he involuntarily stepped back in horror. His mind was plunged into chaos and guilt started creeping up on his skin.

Chaotic images started flooding his mind, his entire body was shivering and his teeth were also clattering in fear. His brain was being overloaded with negative images that he was experiencing a mental breakdown. It was then that he felt a chop on his neck and he abruptly lost consciousness.

It was Jonas, who also heard everything that Raven said. He showed mercy by knocking Larry unconscious. He took a long careful glance at the tent in front of him, before gnashing his teeth and deciding to drag the unconscious Larry back to the tent.

As soon as their silhouette was gone, the people inside the tent heaved a sigh of relief and felt bad for them.

"Your methods are quite harsh you know?" Mark raised his brow towards the smiling Raven.

"Is it? I personally think that isn't enough you know."

"What? The poor guy almost died with foam in his mouth because of that and you still think it isn't enough? You are very mean..." Paul scratched his head in frustration.

"I just can't tolerate this carelessness that's all. This rag tag bunch of people felt too much comfort behind the walls of the kingdom, thinking that it's invincible. I don't like them." Raven smiled as he explained.

Luna sighed and pouted as well. "I just hope Brother plans to change this. Or else, I will truly snatch the crown off from his head."

"You go girl!" Ellen cheered on the side.

"Anyways." Raven stood up and patted the dirt on his body. "We've had our fun here guys. Let's leave and let them deal with this situation."

"Wait, we seriously aren't going to report this?" Anne asked.

"No need." Raven shook his head, "Someone's already on it."

***

"State your purpose."

"My name is Jonas, a recruit from Camp 7 under the supervision of Commander Larry, he sent me here to report something urgent to Sir Valorheart."

The guards took the letter and saw the seal of Larry within. They looked at each other and stepped out the way, allowing Jonas entry to facility.

As he walked inside, he breathed a sigh of relief. He looked up and tried to look for the office of the Hawk. This didn't served as much of a problem since it was quite it was very obvious by the emblem hanging on the door.

He knocked several times and he heard a deep voice inside saying: "Enter."

Jonas shivered and started sweating nervously. But he took a deep breath and wore a determined face before stepping inside.

There he saw a man, standing tall while feeding a Hawk on his shoulders. The man turned around and gazed at him, and Jonas could swear to god that he felt very naked in front of this man. His gaze felt like it was stripping him with all of his privacy and allowed no lies.

"You don't look familiar. What's your purpose on coming here?"

With a loud thump, Luis was stupefied to see the man kneeling in front of him while wearing a deep, guilty expression on his face.

"I beg for your help Marshal. Please, help us. I beg of you..." Jonas shed tears as he kneeled in front if person that he never met before.

"I am not sure how I'm able to help you if I don't know what's going on? Care to fill in the details for me?" Luis calmly stated as he sat down his desk and looked carefully at the kneeling man. "And stop kneeling, you may sit down."

"Thank you Sir." Jonas calmed himself down, "My name is Jonas, a new recruit from Camp 7 under Commander Larry, it all started when..."

Jonas then started narrating what happened in the camp at least a week ago. He told Luis about how they heard about the rumors, their deployment, their battles, the situation they faced. He described their foes, the amount of people injured on a day to day basis. Until he reached the point where Raven and his crew came, the events that transpired when they met Larry, their first battle, their first show of force, the deafening silence in the battlefield, the great battle, his request for reinforcements, up until they overheard the discussion within Raven's tent and the mental breakdown of Larry.

"...and that brings us to this point Marshal. I know that we are not under your supervision but please, help us deal with those beast." Jonas pleaded once more.

He kept his head down all this time, it was quite hard for him to do all this since it wasn't his responsibility in the first place. Actually, the letter he presented towards the guards earlier, was something that he alone crafted, he borrowed the seal on Larry's deck and went all the way here to visit the famous Hawk to ask for help. He never imagined that this is the way he and his idol will meet.

After quite sometime, he heard Luis sighed. He looked up and saw him writing down something. Once he finished writing, he beckoned and a hawk appeared in his shoulders. He placed the letter on the compartment attached to the foot of the hawk. He fed it once more and it disappeared instantly.

Luis stood up and whistled. As soon as he finished whistling, a figure emerged behind him with a bow asking: "Julius reporting for duty Sir."

"Issue a Level 3 alert. I want our forces to be gathered in an hour including the elites. Ready the supplies and prepare for a week long trip. We have ants to exterminate. Are my instructions clear?"

"Loud and clear Sir."

"Good, you may go."