THE AMBUSH; A TEST OF STRENGTH

After three days of much-needed rest, Ari, Isla, and Rory had fully recovered from the grueling training Anastasia had put them through. Their bodies, once battered and exhausted, now felt stronger, their movements sharper. The brutal exercises that had once left them gasping for breath now seemed like a distant memory, replaced by an unexpected feeling of power.

Despite this, Isla couldn't shake the growing unease gnawing at her.

"Today makes four days," she muttered, stretching her legs as she sat on a woven bed of sticks. "And Anastasia still hasn't come back. I mean, I'm glad for the extra rest, but… do you think something happened?"

Rory, lying on his back, sighed, clearly not sharing her concern. "Now's not the time to be worried about that. Just enjoy the break while it lasts."

Ari, however, wasn't convinced.

Anastasia was never late.

He stood up and walked outside, feeling the cool night breeze against his shell. His antennae twitched as he gazed at the surrounding forest, an unsettling quiet settling in his gut.

And then—

A shadow moved.

A sudden rustle in the leaves was all the warning he got before something lunged at him.

An ant—its body partially concealed by leaves—exploded out of the darkness, mandibles gleaming as it struck.

Ari barely had time to react.

CLANG!

His mandibles shot up, intercepting the strike just in time. The force rattled through his body, but—he didn't stagger.

They're fast!

The hooded ant backed off, circling him in the dim light, its movements swift and precise.

Ari's mind raced. What's this? This ant… I've seen them before. It's one of the ants that Vladimir collaborated with!

Before he could process it fully, the enemy struck again.

Ari dodged instinctively, his body reacting before his mind could catch up. He sidestepped smoothly, avoiding the deadly slice of mandibles aimed at his neck. Then, he dashed backward, putting some distance between them.

Wait… I'm moving faster than before.

The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.

The rigorous training. The endless endurance tests. The brutal muscle conditioning.

It had changed him.

His body no longer felt heavy. He was faster—stronger.

The sound of clashing mandibles echoed behind him.

"Ari?! What's going on?!"

Both Rory and Isla had burst out of the resting quarters, their eyes darting to the enemy.

"Who the heck is that?!" Isla shouted, fear creeping into her voice.

"I don't know," Ari said, keeping his stance low, ready to react. "But they attacked with intent to kill." Rory then attempted to assist Ari with the fight.

But before Rory could respond, another figure emerged from the shadows.

A massive ant, broad-shouldered and towering over the others, stepped forward with the air of an experienced warrior. His mandibles were chipped, the signs of countless battles marking his body like scars.

Without hesitation, he charged at Rory.

CLANG!

The impact of their mandibles meeting sent shockwaves through the ground beneath them. Rory gritted his teeth, pushing back with all his strength, his legs digging into the dirt. To his surprise, he wasn't overwhelmed—he could hold his ground.

I'm not weak anymore.

The thought filled him with a strange confidence.

Isla, trembling, tried to step forward to help—but another figure appeared. "Ari!! Rory!! Help me!!" She Shouted

A smaller, more agile ant darted toward her, its movements lightning-fast.

With terrifying precision, it lashed out, aiming straight for Isla's throat.

She screamed, barely managing to dodge.

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

But then—her mandibles moved instinctively.

CLANG!

She blocked.

I reacted?

Her body trembled, but she was still standing.

The battle had begun.

The bulky ant with mighty strikes hit Rory with his mandibles, however, Rory managed to block his attacks with his mandibles. "That's all you got" said Rory while fending him off.

Ari wasted no time. Now fully aware of his enhanced speed, he pressed forward, attacking his opponent with rapid, precise strikes. His mandibles clashed against the leaf-covered ant's, sparks flying as they exchanged blow after blow.

To his shock, he was overpowering them.

His opponent's movements, once sharp and controlled, became desperate to survive. More on the defensive side than the assault that started the fight.

He twisted his body, delivering a powerful strike that sent the enemy staggering back due to the impact.

And in that moment—

He saw the opening.

Instinct took over.

His mandibles darted forward, aiming to kill.

A single strike—one clean movement—and his opponent would be dead.

But—

"STOP!"

Anastasia's voice sliced through the battlefield.

Ari froze.

His mandibles hovered just inches from his opponent's throat.

His breathing was heavy, heart hammering in his chest.

Slowly, he stepped back.

His opponent collapsed to the ground, eyes wide in shock as her life flashed before her eyes.

Anastasia stepped forward, her expression unreadable.

"That's enough," she said firmly.

Ari exhaled, his muscles still tense from the fight.

"Anastasia! You're finally here!" Isla cried, relief washing over her face.

Rory, panting and bruised, lowered his mandibles as the bulky ant he had been fighting backed off and put away his mandibles.

Anastasia surveyed the scene before nodding approvingly. "You all did well."

The hooded ants stood up, shaking off the fight.

Then, they removed their disguises.

"Allow me to introduce Lieutenant Brooks, and Corporal Lily," Anastasia said, gesturing toward them. " you guys have already met Corporal Beatrice when we had the termite incident " said Anastasia.

The three ants dipped their heads in greeting. Beatrice, the leaf-covered ant, had sharp, piercing eyes. Brooks, the towering warrior, rolled his shoulders, seeming unbothered by the fight. And Lily, the smallest of the three, offered Isla a knowing smirk.

"This was all a test," Anastasia continued.

"A test?!" Isla shouted. "We could've died!"

Anastasia arched an eyebrow. "Unlikely. You're all strong enough to hold your own against elite soldiers. And believe me that they never once went easy on you in that fight. Haven't you noticed how much faster and stronger you've become after resting?"

Ari looked down at his hands.

She's right… I've become frighteningly strong.

Rory wiped sweat from his brow. "So that means… we passed?"

Anastasia smirked. "Yes. Training is over. Welcome to the military, Lance Corporals."

Isla gasped. "We actually made it?!"

Rory smirked, cracking his mandibles. "About damn time."

"Looks like I'm finally a military ant. I feel stronger and I know that I have a strength that's strong enough to protect this colony" Ari said to himself, his eyes filled with determination.

Later that evening, Anastasia gathered with Beatrice, Brooks, and Lily to assess the recruits.

"So then, what do you guys think of these three?" Asked Anastasia as she sat.

Brooks, the towering warrior, crossed his arms. "Rory surprised me. When I first attacked, I expected him to buckle. Instead, he almost matched me." He let out a low chuckle. "That kid has real potential. His physical resilience is Corporal level at the very least. With training and under my guidance, he'll go even higher."

Lily, the petite ant who fought Isla, smirked. "I had my doubts about Isla, but I see something in her. She's scared, yeah, but her instincts are sharp. When I attacked, she reacted on pure survival. That's a rare trait. If trained properly, she could become something incredible. I want her in my unit."

Beatrice who was a bit shaken spoke up. Commander," she began, her tone serious. "I have concerns about the rankings you assigned."

Anastasia raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Beatrice folded her arms. "Rory is strong—too strong to be a mere Lance Corporal. Based on Brooks' assessment, he's at least at Corporal level. And Isla—while hesitant—has incredible reflexes. Lily wants to train her personally."

Anastasia listened in silence.

"But Ari…" Beatrice hesitated before continuing. "He's different. His strength, his speed… even his intent to kill. He's at least Lieutenant level."

Anastasia's gaze darkened slightly.

"If you hadn't stopped him when you did… I would've been dead," Beatrice admitted.

For a long moment, Anastasia said nothing. Then, she nodded.

"I'm aware of how special Ari is."

"Judging by your reaction to the fight with that ant Beatrice, he must have been really strong to leave that impression, he just as fast as the rumors said about him" said Lily. " And to have Anastasia's approval as it pertains to strength that means he must truly be quite the specimen" commented Brooks. "He managed to catch general Ivan off guard which is an insane feat."

"Then why rank him so low if he's so capable?" Beatrice demanded.

Anastasia's voice was calm. "Because power alone doesn't make a leader."

Beatrice frowned.

"Ari is strong and he's a great strategist as well, saving our colony on multiple occasions. " Anastasia said. "But he lacks restraint. He nearly killed you without hesitation. Although that's a good trait to have on the battlefield I fear that Ari has inner hatred towards all insects as to why he can easy take a life. 1That kind of unchecked power isn't something I can promote recklessly."

Beatrice fell silent.

"He needs time," Anastasia continued. "Time to learn control, discipline… and purpose."

Beatrice sighed, but she didn't argue.

Brooks smirked. "I'll be keeping an eye on Rory. That kid's going places with his brute strength."

Lily grinned. "And I'll make sure Isla learns to fight properly."

" I'm not sure if I can teach Ari anything but I'll try to" said Beatrice.

"Good". Anastasia looked up at the stars.

This is only the beginning." It's that time of the year again, winter is about to arrive, right dad?" Anastasia asked as she continued her gaze.