Waking Up (2) The Loot

"They're tough little guys, aren't they," Mikhailis said softly, a small smile tugging at his lips as he watched the Chimera Ant workers scuttle over the shattered remains of the cavern. Their movements were precise, mechanical, but there was something strangely comforting in their silent industry.

The faint glow from the serpent's crystal shards painted the workers in ghostly light as they diligently repaired the cracks in the walls and arranged fragments of the monster's core into neat piles. They operated without complaint, without pause, their focus absolute.

Rodion's voice crackled into Mikhailis' ear, its usual formal tone carrying a faint edge of satisfaction.