THE CHILDREN OF THE COLONY

Loud smashes echoed across the training grounds as dust rose in small clouds. Ari dodged to the side, his legs moving in a blur just as Rory lunged. Rory's mandibles slashed downwards, slicing the air inches from where Ari had been standing a heartbeat before.

"Damn it, stand still!" Rory growled, panting slightly as he turned sharply to face Ari again.

Ari smirked, his body relaxed, as if he weren't even taking the fight seriously. "If I did that, you might actually crush me to death."

Rory gripped his mandibles in frustration. With a grunt, he charged again, trying to anticipate Ari's movements. He adjusted his attack mid-stride, aiming to cut off Ari's usual sidestep. But Ari was faster—too fast. Just as Rory thought he had him cornered, Ari ducked low, spinning to the side in a blur before sweeping Rory's legs out from under him.

With a heavy thud, Rory crashed onto the ground. Silence followed for a moment before Isla burst out laughing, tapping one of her legs against the ground in amusement.

"Hah! I knew it! You didn't even last a full minute!" she teased, her antennae twitching.

Rory groaned, rolling onto his back. "Shut up, Isla."

"I mean, I get that Ari is fast, but you went down way too easily. Kinda embarrassing, don't you think?"

Rory sighed, covering his face with one of his hands. "I hate you."

Ari chuckled, extending an arm to help Rory up. "You put up a good fight," he said, though his tone carried a teasing edge.

Rory scoffed but accepted the help. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get you next time."

Isla rolled her eyes. "Sure you will."

From a short distance away, Beatrice and Lily watched the match, their expressions filled with awe.

"He hasn't even drawn his mandibles yet," Beatrice observed, her voice laced with admiration.

"He's really cool," Lily added, eyes shining. "He's so fast, it's like he's untouchable."

Rory, meanwhile, clenched his mandibles, frustration twisting inside him. After our fight with the flies, I asked Ari to spar with me so I could get stronger. I can't say I don't understand my own reasoning, but… why him of all people? He barely put any effort into dodging me. Damn it, now that I've really fought Ari, I get it—he's not just fast, he's terrifyingly strong. There's no way I can win against him. That much is clear. But… I refuse to remain weak.

I barely held my own against a few flies, while he wiped out dozens and injured their leader. I'm not frustrated because he's stronger. I'm afraid. If an enemy ever comes that even he can't defeat, what am I supposed to do? I'd be dead weight. That's exactly why I have to keep fighting him.

His mandibles clenched, his determination igniting like a flame. Get ready for round two, Ari.

With a burst of speed, Rory rushed at Ari once more, this time feinting to the right before pivoting sharply left. He put all his strength into a wide swing of his mandibles, aiming to finally land a hit.

Ari's antennae twitched—something wasn't right. A faint sound reached him, cutting through the tension of the fight. It wasn't Rory's attack. It was coming from below, deep within the colony.

"Wait, Rory."

But Rory didn't hear him. He was too focused, too intent on landing a hit. Ari dodged once more, but his focus had shifted, his movements just a fraction slower. Rory's mandibles grazed his side—but before Rory could even celebrate that small victory, Ari spun behind him and sent him tumbling to the ground once more.

This time, Ari didn't extend a hand to help him up. Instead, he was already turning toward the source of the noise. "Did you hear that?"

Rory groaned from the ground but turned his head toward the tunnels, finally noticing the faint scuffling sounds. Isla's amusement faded as she, too, focused on the noise. "What is that?"

The training grounds had gone eerily still. The usual sounds of sparring, grumbling, and laughter faded into the background as Ari strained his senses. A faint noise reached him—not the sharp clash of mandibles or the rhythmic stomping of feet, but something distant, muffled. It wasn't from the surface. It was coming from below.

Rory, still catching his breath, blinked at him. " Yes its faint but I hear it.

Ari was already moving, his legs carrying him toward the tunnels before he could explain. The deeper he went, the clearer the sound became—a scuffle, hurried movements, someone scrambling. Then, a shadow emerged from below. A smaller ant, younger than any of the soldiers, clawed his way up from the lower tunnels, his movements clumsy but determined.

Ari narrowed his eyes and stepped forward. "Hey."

The young ant froze, his antennae shooting up in alarm. He turned sharply, locking eyes with Ari.

"Who are you?" Ari asked, tilting his head slightly.

The younger ant didn't respond. Instead, he tensed, preparing to run.

Before he could, another voice echoed through the tunnel. "Edwin!"

The young ant—Edwin—flinched. Then, from above, a figure dropped down swiftly. Anastasia.

Ari watched as she landed with practiced ease, her gaze immediately locking onto Edwin. "You again," she muttered, exasperation clear in her voice.

Edwin scowled. "Let me go, Anastasia! I'm not staying down there forever!"

Ari blinked. "Wait… you two know each other?"

Anastasia shot him a glance before grabbing Edwin by the back of his thorax. "He's my younger brother."

Ari's antennae twitched in surprise. "Your brother?"

Edwin struggled. "Let me go! I don't belong down there! I should be training with the others!"

Anastasia's patience thinned, but her voice remained firm. "You know the rules. Worker ants aren't allowed on the surface until they turn sixteen."

"That's a stupid rule!" Edwin snapped. "I'm fourteen! If I were born a soldier, I'd already be up here training! It's not fair!"

Anastasia sighed, her grip relaxing slightly. "Edwin—"

"I don't care what they say," Edwin interrupted. "Father fought! You fight! I should be allowed to fight too!"

Ari studied Edwin, his thoughts swirling. He had never given much thought to the younger ants hidden away deep underground. His gaze turned to Anastasia. "So they're just… locked away?"

"It's for their safety," she insisted. "The surface is dangerous. If they were up here before they were ready—"

"They'd have a chance to grow strong instead of being treated like helpless larvae!" Edwin interrupted. "I want to fight like you and Father did!"

Anastasia's expression faltered, something unreadable flickering in her eyes. "Father didn't want that for you."

Edwin flinched but stood his ground. "You don't know what he wanted."

A heavy silence settled between them. Finally, Anastasia sighed. "Come on. We're going back down."

Edwin clenched his mandibles but didn't resist as she guided him toward the lower tunnels. Ari hesitated before following. He needed to see this. He needed to understand.

The deeper they went, the cooler the air became. Then, the tunnel opened into a vast cavern filled with young ants of all sizes. Some barely past the larval stage, others closer to Edwin's age. They were playing, training, talking—living in a world completely separate from the colony above.

Ari exhaled slowly. "I had no idea…"

Anastasia glanced at him. "Most don't."

Ari studied the young ants, his thoughts sharpening.

Edwin's antennae twitched. "Now do you get it? We're not weak. We're just kept down here, waiting."

Ari studied the young ants, his thoughts swirling. He had spent so much time training, fighting, and pushing himself to survive in this world. But these ants—these children—hadn't even been given a chance yet.

He turned to Anastasia. "Maybe it's time that changed."

She looked at him sharply. "That's out of the question, especially with the season we're entering. This rule has been in place for generations to ensure the colony's survival. There are insects out there that feed on the younger, weaker ants, and because of their naivety and lack of strength, they're easy prey," Anastasia said.

Neither of them said anything more as Edwin was led back to his place among the young. But as Ari turned to leave, he knew one thing for certain—he had to protect all of them from the dangers on the surface.