Carlos was angry. He couldn’t let it go. His girlfriend was out there with that monster. Who knew what sort of things were happening. Carlos struggled to contain his feelings. He had tried talking to Scott about it but that gone nowhere. Now he was trying again with some newcomers.

In the room with him were two new guys. Derek had arrived the other day. He was a mechanic from the body shop in town. Derek was stocky, with a weathered face and hands that showed a lifetime of physical labor. Derek was straightforward, with a no nonsense view of the world.

Evelyn was a school teacher. She had straggled in a few days ago. She was a cautious and pragmatic sort. She had short, neatly trimmed hair and was wearing practical clothing. There was nothing fancy about her. Since she arrived at the shelter, she had busied herself with the care of the children. True, there weren’t many children at the shelter, but caring for children was her life’s passion.

Carlos started the conversation cautiously. “I’m glad you all could meet. There’s something festering here I think we need to discuss.”

“What’s that chief?” Derrick the new guy asked.

“Gavrin.” Carlos replied.

Evelyn replied with a concerned look. “What about him? He’s been quite helpful since all this started.”

Carlos continued on. “That’s just it. He’s becoming too powerful. What if he decides to use that power against us?”

Derek slowly rubbed his chin. “I’ve seen what he can do. It’s unnerving, sure, but he hasn’t given us a reason to distrust him.”

Maya interjected. “Power in itself isn’t bad. It’s about how you use it. Anyways, what could we realistically do to him to stop him? Make rules? This world isn’t like that anymore where men and women are constrained by the rule of law. Who would enforce the rules? Honestly, someone like Gavrin would be needed to handle someone like Gavrin going rogue.”

Raj nodded thoughtfully. “I think Carlos has a point, though. We can’t just blindly trust someone because they’ve been helpful. We need safeguards, a way to ensure that no one individual can overpower the rest.”

Carlos responded eagerly. “Thank you, Raj. That is it exactly. We need to think of the safety of everyone. What if Gavrin, or anyone for that matter, loses control or gets corrupted by power?”

The group fell into a contemplative silence. Each person weighing Carlos’ words against their experiences and beliefs.

Derrick broke the silence. “I think I am with Maya on this one. Whatever framework we decide to use, it requires an enforcement mechanism. We simply don’t have one aside from Gavrin. This is all just pretty words. We need to be out there gaining levels and getting stronger. Carlos, if you don’t like the guy and are worried about what he is doing, you should be out there leveling up. Instead, you are just sitting around talking smack around the guy who just built us walls.”

Carlos realized he was losing the group. He was about to reply when he was saved by the sound of footsteps running by the room and a loud clamoring from outside.

Evelyn stood up. "I think we should check that out."

They left out the door and joined the crowd making all the noise.

Someone yelled. “Everyone to the walls. Monsters are attacking from the west.”

Someone was ringing a bell. Carlos looked to Raj and nodded. “Let’s go. I think we are probably the highest levels here.”

When Carlos got there he was met with a horrifying sight. Large, menacing ants, each the size of a small dog, swarmed towards the camp’s walls, their mandibles clicking and antennae waving menacingly.

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The ground trembled and rumbled. A tunnel burst opened and more ants surged out. Their approach was swift and coordinated, a sea of chitinous bodies and gnashing jaws.

Scott was on top of the wall, rallying everyone to defend. “Use whatever you’ve got! Defend the camp!”

Everyone rushed to the walls, each person readying themselves for the impending battle. Evelyn grabbed a makeshift spear, her hands steady despite the fear in her eyes.

Derrick wielded a large wrench, his face set in a determined grimace. He positioned himself where the ants seemed most concentrated.

Maya focused her newly acquired earth magic, causing thorny vines to sprout from the ground, creating barriers to slow the ants’ advance.

Raj had been planning ahead and was prepared. He directed some of the less combat ready survivors to safer positions while throwing Molotov cocktails he had made, creating a wall of fire to hold the ants back.

The ants began to climb the walls, their powerful mandibles biting into the wood and earth. The defenders fought bravely, stabbing, slashing, and using whatever abilities they had. Some, like Carlos, used their newly acquired skills effectively, taking down several ants with tactical precision.

There were others, overwhelmed by the sheer number and size of the ants, struggled to maintain their ground. A few, paralyzed by fear, retreated, unable to face the monstrous insects.

As the ants began their assault, Ava initially felt a surge of fear. However, her innate creativity and problem solving skills quickly took over. She understood that conventional methods might not be enough to repel such an unusual threat.

Ava had been exploring her magical abilities since the system’s emergence, discovered she had an affinity for illusion magics. Her abilities had not worked on the undead, but this time she was certain it would work on the ants.

As the battle raged on, Ava concentrated, casting vivid, large scale illusions. She created the images of giant predators, swooping down or charging at the ants. There illusions were startlingly realistic, causing several of the ants to falter in their attack. Ava even managed to cause some fear among her fellow survivors her illusions were so real.

Recognizing the value of teamwork, Ava coordinated with others on the wall. She shouted cues to Derek and Maya, timing her illusions with their attacks for maximum effect. For instance, as Derrick swung his wrench at an approaching ant, Ava’s illusion of a large bird would swoop in, making appear as if the bird was attacking the ant, startling it and making it an easier target for Derrick.

Ava also used her illusions to shield the less combat ready survivors. By creating the illusion of a solid wall or blazing fire, she was able to keep some ants at bay, protecting those who were overwhelmed or unable to fight. Raj appreciated her help as her actions made his Molotov cocktails even more effective.

Her actions proved pivotal when a group of ants breached a section of the wall. Ava conjured a massive, terrifying creature that roared and charged at the ants. This illusion was so convincing that it caused the group of ants to retreat in confusion, giving Raj and others a chance to push them back and fortify the breach.

When the ants first attacked, Isaac quailed at the sight of so many monsters. He thought they were doomed. There was no way he could kill that many ants at once. He would run out of mana all too quickly.

During the battle, Isaac conjured magical barriers at critical sections of the wall where the ants were close to breaking through. Isaac’s barriers were not only physical blockades but also absorbed the impact of the ants’ attacks, reducing the strain on the physical defenses.

Isaac’s class of spellweaver demonstrated its power and versatility. He combined wind and water to create a swirling vortex that swept several ants off the wall, he didn’t kill the ants but his actions still relieved the fighters fighting up close and personal.

The ants did something to reduce visibility. Dust and darkness swept across the field. Isaac conjured orbs of light and gusts of winds to clear the air.

Isaac used the spellweaver’s ability to buff fellow allies as a way to preserve his mana. He boosted Derrick’s strength, allowing him to swing his wrench with greater force, enhanced Maya’s earth magic, making her barriers stronger and more resilient.

Just as the situation seemed to be getting out of control, with the ants breaching several parts of the wall, Gavrin appeared. Harnessing his magic, he caused the ground beneath the ants to churn and shift, creating fissures that swallowed many of the creatures. Spikes of earth began rippling out from the wall, spearing many ants that couldn’t get out of the way fast enough.

As the last of the ants were defeated or driven off, the camp was left in disarray, the walls damaged but still standing. The survivors, panting and exhausted, looked around at each other. Some with a sense of triumph, others with the dawning realization of the dangers they now faced in this changed world.

The ant attack was not just a physical battle; it was a test of the survivors’ resolve and unity. While it revealed the courage and resourcefulness of many, it also exposed vulnerabilities and fears that they would need to address in the days to come. Much work remained to be done in the coming days.