Bridge of Filia Cross stood tall between two mountain range of Mount Fega divide by the great red river below. The mountain is tall and steep, almost impossible to access, the river current is treacherous and cold, should you fall there’s only wall of high rock which is slippery and wet with moss making it hard to climb back up even for the ant. For most people once you fell in the river it over. If you’re lucky someone might found your body floating in Albion sea or wash up on Nadia port and you would be return to your family.
The great red river and mountain range mark border between Republic of New Terra and Fia. Today first year student of Alana gather to witness one of the great wonder of their time, bridge of Filia Cross.
“Alright making sure no one missing” Prof. Tonia count the student and talk with Prof. Rio while we wait for their guide.
“Incredible” Josh exclaimed with hanging mouth after they walk out of a giant tunnel which was dig through the mountain itself.
“It’s truly is impressive” Eirian agree.
Everyone look up at a giant wires hanging above their head the wire it self is larger and longer than a tree and several of them tie the bridge and mountain together. The bridge it self only have several acute angle pillar on each side which pierce deep into mountain but it was these long steel wire that keep the bridge in place.
“There is no builder like ant” Amy said proudly.
“Human build this bridge too you know” Bill added but he is too impress to argue more with Amy. This bridge is indeed a prouding achievement of human and ant ingenuity. On the bridge there are two main road for vehicle and a sidewalk which mostly consist of ant who can’t drive, many also carry a large bags on their back. At the center of the bridge divide both road is a rail for train to move ore between Orenda ,Alp and ore mine deep inside Fia.
“You’re early” a middle age human male in a suit walk up to Prof. Rio and Tonia.
“Hello Mr. Aang will lady Aya join us today?” asked Tonia.
“I sure hope so. She was called to take care of some work back in the first colony. Didn’t see her for over a month now.”
“Good to see you did miss me” an old ant get down from the car and walk toward the student. She’s missing one of her leg and other two seem to bend in weird way. It’s must took some effort for her to keep walking straight.
“Aya” Aang smiles when he saw her and shake her antenna. Aya then rub her antenna with Tonia while Rio just bow.
“Alright everyone welcome to Filla Cross. My name is Aang and this is Aya. We’re both lead engineer who work on building this bridge since its conception. The bridge is our baby and today I will tell you all about her. Come along now.”
Everyone walk on the side walk with the view of great red river below as Aang start to tell its history. Some student choose to stick on the road side after they saw how high they are and how strong wind is pushing them, only bird and few brave soul feel confident enough to stand next to the fence where river rush below.
“Filia Cross is not the first bridge constructed to make a passage way linking land of Fia and New Terra. There are many attempt and all kind of bridge built along the pass here but most of them never last long due to the weather and storm that hit these area every few years.”
Aya take turn to speak with Aang “When Princess Alana gifted the land of Fia to our people after we emerge from extinction queen Amora the third is very grateful for Princess Alana and humanity generosity for giving us a land to call home, they honor the treaties every races sign at the end of first coalition war. At the time New Terra was at war with Eardwulf over claim of these land, both side have lost many lives trying to gain control over territory but despite all that Princess Alana have a talk with Fenrir and declare land of Fia belong to the ant. The queen is thankful to both human and wolf thus as a symbol of friendship with New Terra we started a project to connect our two nation so our people may travel freely between one another.”
“The construction of this bridge took many years and the project actually been scrap many time due to tension between two nation from many political incident during great cleansing. Me and Aya isn’t the first engineer who attempt this project and even this bridge you standing on is not our first but second bridge that was constructed. The first bridge we built fall apart in the earthquake just as it was about to complete...Now no need to panic this bridge is built to be much better than the first I assure you”
Aang turn to smiles at student when he heard sound of shock and see panic in children eyes.
For the people who afraid of height Aang word didn’t help much when the wind is howling louder than his voice and even Aya stagger to the left a little when wind hit her.
“Here” Aang offer his back and Aya climb up on him.
‘Did she just climb up on his back?’
“That first bridge took over 12 year.” said Aya “We start about a decade before the great cleansing officially end. Everyone is looking forward to the completion of the bridge but an earthquake hit us out of no where and I lost my leg under the rubble.”
“She lost it saving my life really. We been a good friend ever since.” Aang speak as he continue to walk with Aya on his back, all of her remaining 5 leg wrap around him and she place her head on his but he don't mind.
“Back then everyone was just about giving up hope 12 year waste and not the first time too. They said these valley is curse and no one should ever attempt to cross—no bridge should ever be built, all bridge which were built before end up destroyed one way or another.”
“But Aya and I we didn’t give up. We go back to drawing board and design it to make it better than ever. Took a while to make everyone and both our government agree to try again but after other 18 year we finally did it. The wire replace our old design and remove center pillar that used to block the river way. Our other pillar on both end now dig so deep into mountain the only way to bring this bridge down is to blow the mountain itself even if more powerful earthquake happen this bridge will not fall.”
“Soon after the tale of curse fade away, now everyone know this place as Filia Cross, the bridge of friendship. As long as this bridge stand the friendship between human and ant will hold forever more.”
Two engineer keep telling detail of bridge history but most student already check out so they let everyone rest in the middle section where there is seats and space to watch the view.
Amy who try to stay away from the edge can’t help but look at Aang and Aya. She never see an ant get close to other species like that before. They must be very close.
“Come on guy the view great” Josh wave and try to call everyone to the fence but only he and Calamity dare stand next to the edge.
“We’re good” said Eirian.
“Don’t worry if somehow you slip I fly down and catch you.”
‘If I want to see the view I will have to climb the fence since it’s taller than me. There no way I’m doing that.’ Amy content with the view she saw from Orenda side before step on the bridge.
“I thought you’re a bad flyer?” said Amy.
“What!? I’ am not that bad. Don’t believed what Blake said.”
Josh voice got interrupt when a train pass them by.
“That train doesn’t have smoke?” Bill noticed.
“Yes one of our experimental train power by magic.” said Aang “One of the grandmaster design it, I must say it is much quieter and much more cooler when you see her inside but I heard they’re having problem making a core that can store enough magic to replace the train we normally use, the one we got in that train is an object of power since no core we can make is good enough.”
“Can we see it?” Bill look excited for a moment but have to be disappoint.
“Sorry only the staff can see her control room and I hope everyone enjoyed the view because we need to move on with the schedule.”
When they reach Alp the city of ant Aya get down “Welcome to Alp you all just cross border into Fia, easy isn’t it with open border agreement we don’t even need a passport. You should have been here when we have to pass a check point every time we went and came back on that side the queue is nightmare and we have to do that almost everyday.”
‘Every nation since the great cleansing have open border agreement anyway.’ Amy think when she noticed a smell.
Water / need worker
Food/ need worker
Retreat/break
‘Been a while I smell this many pheromone’
A train pass them and return to Orenda, an empty train now full of rock.
Alp is not your typical city because most of its population is ant they don’t need a house to sleep so most building here is a warehouse or storage. Any house you see its inhabitant would most likely be human or trader from other nation which is why the student can’t stay here for the night. They just don’t have good enough hotel to accommodate the children according to some parent. Anyone who have business here will either have to built a place for themself or rent a place on Orenda and travel here but since Orenda is consider more develop other races always choose to live on Orenda side and cross over when they need to.
“Since we’re still staying at the same hotel for the night we need to follow schedule if we want to return to hotel and have dinner before the sun down.”
“Oh I was hoping we would get to meet Queen Amora” said Biscuit.
“As much as our queen would love to welcome you student from Alana the first colony is too far for us to travel and back at Orenda within a day and I know most of you will never sleep in an ant colony so we plan our trip with what we can to let you guy see how ant work and live as much as possible.” said Prof. Tonia.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
“Next on schedule is a musical performance by our royal band. They travel here just to perform for you guy so behave ok?” Tonia then take everyone into one of the open area they prepare with seat
While waiting everyone talk about rumor of an attack on human village yet all they heard is that Alana has sent someone to handle situation but no one know for sure what is happening.
This should be an important topic everyone is talking about but for them all they can do is just that talk and gossip until the news reveal what has been done to resolve this international incident.
Before long the group of ant musician enter the stage and everyone clap as they get ready.
“Wow to think ant also able to play this many instrument” Biscuit look at drum, piano, cello, clarinet, trombone, trumpet, saxophone and even violin.
“Yes, mother—queen Amora the fifth is a lover of music” said Amy “Even since before her ascend to the throne she always love playing music and have written many song. Her favorite genre is Dixieland Jazz and so jazz sort of become our people favorite kind of music as well. Before her our people have no interest in anything beside work and food but thank to her investment in school of music and inviting famous musician from all over the world to perform here in the colony our people start to develop more interest in music, a song written by her is favorite of many worker.”
“A song we will play for you today is compose by Queen Amora herself ‘Morning dew’ please enjoy” said the conductor.
“Eh is it just me or all musicians are a girl?” Josh whispered as the music start playing.
“Of course, only ante lady can enroll in musical school. Most our men already have a duty in military and labor. Music is more fitting for a women to perform and women can do it better.”
“Right...wait that ant with square head, he’s a guy right?” Josh look at the only ant who look more rugged than other.
“Oh right I heard of him” said Amy “He show his interest in music since young and play clarinet in a way that no one can match even professional clarinetists from Eardwulf said that he never see anyone play clarinet so wonderfully. In the end his tale of talent reach queen Amora and in her boundless generosity granted him a royal decree and he was allow into the music school, now he perform as the only man in royal band in service to our colony.”
“What about worker ant” asked Eirian.
“they are not allow in to the school since they have important duty elsewhere but there is no law banning anyone from playing instrument in their free time. From what I heard most worker ant would just made cheap instrument themself or trade one from other foreigner.”
“Make sense” Bill utters but doesn’t seem to have more opinion to share.
“But aren’t these instrument quite expensive? Worker ant don’t get pay much where are they getting money to trade?” Eirian voices seem to get higher.
“They collect money and take turn share instrument, use what was thrown away or steal if I have to guess.” Bill speaks as if he was a worker ant knew from experience.
“My people wouldn't steal...” Amy got interrupt when her chair shake. It’s was Prof. Tonia and Rio eyeing her group to stop talking.
Knowing they are being rude no one speak further until the performance is finish.
“Thank you everyone for visiting us today” said the conductor “Queen Amora herself would like to welcome you all to her royal palace but unfortunately due to schedule you can only see an outer part of our country and not our capital, the first colony. Oh how I wish you could all see a marvel underground city our people have built but alas it won’t be so. At the very least your highness wish for all of you to get a chance to hear a music that hold our people heart so dear hence she sent us forth to perform for all of you today. I hope you all enjoy it”
“Queen Amora believed that everyone have a music in them and as the sound echo through the earth so too her love shall echo in every ant no matter who they are. Because of her our people found their love in music and even as they toil in the dark under she know they shall have music in their heart to guide their way so no ant is lost and we hope you will found a music that capture your heart one day as well. Thank you everyone for listening”
Everyone clap and after stage is clear Prof. Tonia announce for everyone to choose their next destination. They could choose to visit a mine operate solely by ant where they will travel by rail cart or for those who don’t like dark tunnel they could also go with Prof. Rio to visit the site of Nikki, a once great tree.
Amy have no interest seeing a smaller mine than the one she live next to back home choose Nikki, same as Biscuit and Josh.
Bill, Calamity and Eirian went to the mine. For Bill he seem to hope to see more of MAM tech that human share with ant to help their work faster.
“Nikki huh” Josh look in a gigantic tree trunk far away which they all see even before step into Fia. While on a van he now try to see where they are on the map.
“Nikki and Elswyth; the two world tree that was said awaken by magic”
“When lady Estellia bless us with Naas yes” said Josh.
“So the great tree Nikki really can talk before?” Biscuit doesn’t seem to know the story so Amy start to tell what she heard about Nikki when she was young.
“Of course, They said Nikki is a beautiful women she have body like Amiel or human but her hair is like a willow tree, it hang from the branch and so she can only walk around her tree trunk. She was a kind tree who let all sort of animal and creature make home on her body and around her. Before she pass her body is a largest home to aphids, a small bug who evolve along with us ant. We take care of them here and in exchange we get honeydew from them but after Nikki die those little bug scatter away, now we only have small area where we can take care and exchange honeydew with them, such a shame they are a few source of sweet we can produce ourself.”
“What this on the map” Josh point to the south area of Fia which said do not enter.
“I don’t know the detail but that is where the fourth colony is. They said a curse or some evil spirit haunt the land and all ant inside fourth colony is lost forever never to be hear from again. Queen Amora the fourth ban anyone from going near it. I don’t know why either but there are many horror story I heard since I was just a larva. We best steer clear of those area.”
“Where was I? Right, how Nikki die” Amy start to feel angry when she remember the story “it was human who kill her.”
“Human?” Biscuit cover her mouth feeling lucky that Bill wasn’t with them right now.
“I heard one of high ranking human visit Fia for diplomat reason but saw Nikki beauty and fall in love with her. All the while he was here he lust after her, dam men, keep asking her to come back to New Terra with him but she denied all his request. When he has to return he order his men to cut all her hair and take her away with him. There in the human city she won’t eat anything and beg him to let her go everyday until she dry up completely and die with tear.”
“I think Queen Amora the forth almost go to war with human over this. There might be some small skirmish if I don’t recall wrong.”
“That is so sad” Biscuit look out the window to a dead tree trunk which they are getting closer.
After a few hours ride they reach Nikki. This place is now cover in green grass from plant nearby. There are worker who seem to be keeping the area clean just for people to visit and they do so with respect to the dead tree. The area surround and tree trunk itself is nothing special since it is still just a dead tree although a very big one. Up close it is bigger than any house the student have seen but with the passage of time hers trunk and branch is all cracked and dry.
“All right everyone feel free to look around though I suppose there not much to see” said Prof. Rio “You can climb the tree if you have wing or six leg otherwise please do not attempt to climb or ask your friend to carry you. I don’t want to rush around trying to catch falling children.”
“What that no fun”
“There nothing here”
“I should have go to the mine”
Some student complain when they realize there really is nothing to do here but stare at the dead tree after riding for an hours.
“That too bad I want to show you the view from up top Biscuit” said Amy.
“Don’t worry about me. You and Josh have fun now.” Biscuit wave as Amy start to climb before praying to show her respect to Nikki.
This isn’t the first time she climb Nikki. Amy doesn’t have much of a free time outside her duty and study as an ante but when she could she always find times to come here.
She always has a dream of travel the world to see what lie beyond the mountain but since Alp is too far away top of Nikki is the only place she can come to see the world above, an open sky so vast unlike the dark tunnel she live in.
“Race you to the top?” Josh shouted as he fly over Amy.
“Go away”
‘You are ruining my mood. This is my quiet place.’
“How about I carry you up?”
“I’m not gonna put my fate into a claw of crow”
“Aw don’t you trust me?” Josh land on a branch above.
“You didn’t vote for me so I guess you didn’t trust me either right?”
Josh taken back for a moment but quickly smiles “Just not as a team leader but I see how you treat Biscuit Amy. I know you care too.”
“I’m not letting you grab me in your claw and fly over.”
“Afraid of height?” Josh teases.
“I been climbing this tree since young I not afraid of height!”
“I see so you been here before” Josh look at the branch he stand, dry and crack but the tree still stand tall after all this time “this place must be full of memory for you fine, I’ll be silent so you can climb in peace”
“...thank you”
Amy then continue to climb with short break along the way. Josh keep his distant but keep up his level with Amy by pretend to walk around on a branch to watch scenery then fly after her until they both finally reach the top.
From up here they can see almost all of Fia, mount Fega and Alp is within sight and the world feel small under their feet. The sun burn hot but the cool wind continue to blow that they can’t feel the heat at all.
“That guy who threw a pot at Biscuit thinking about him make me remember all the story when other races try to destroy our, it just make me so angry. ” said Amy.
“You don’t like other races much huh”
“Well I have good reason to be so aren’t I? So many tale of other races who betray or take thing away from our people. I know it not you guy who did it but...”
“You still mad when look at us.”
“Yes.”
They both gone silent for a while.
“Such a shame Biscuit didn’t get to see this”
“It’s truly beautiful but since you guy can fly I’m sure you saw a much better view from even higher altitude than this.”
“View from top of top of mount Moonlight is indeed much more incredible than this but sight seeing on a trip is much better with friend don’t you think?”
Amy turn to him “you would consider me friend? I don’t even trust you.”
“Lot of people don’t trust crow” Josh shrugs “but trust and friendship require a little leap of faith first right?”
“Leap of faith, that a little much don’t you think. Most people just said hello and then they already friend. We ant are all family by default too.”
“Not that kind of friendship, I’m talking about true friend who you trust and share everything with. To gain that you must let yourself be vulnerable first right, show your flaw and all that.”
“Sure, but I don’t know if I want to do that with you.”
“Ouch, That ok. We’re a team now I’m sure we’ll get there one day that the purpose of this school right? To foster friendship between all races.”
‘Am I being too harsh?’
“I guess we’ll see.”
Both of them look around for a while before Josh speak up again “To think no one try to climb to the top at all but if I don’t try to follow you I suppose I would have give up long way down before this.”
“Nikki is very tall after all and the wind is harsh even half way scenery is already beautiful. Climbing is not easy nor flying if you’re not built for it.”
“I pity our friend that they still have to use primitive thing like stair”
Amy laugh with Josh.
“Hey you did ask me about flying before right?”
“yes?”
“How about you ride on my back on our way down? Better than hear me explain don’t you think? Not everyday a bird would let someone ride on his back you know.”
“What? Me? Fly with you?”
“Or you don’t want to?” Josh pretend to walk away.
“Wait wait—I—fine. Can can I ride on your back.”
“Say please~”
Amy bite her jaw “Pleas—”
“Haha I’m just joking with you” Josh laugh and kneel so Amy can climb.
‘Is this what lady Aya feel like...’
Amy feel like saying something snarky but hold her tongue. He’s the one offer to carry her after all.
“Hold tight but don’t bite!”
Josh leap off and spread his wing for a moment she feel like falling to her death but before Amy knew it she was flying in the sky with a wind on her face.
“Is it everything you hope for?” Josh shouted.
“...Yes”
‘I guess not all of them are so bad after all’