With a glance at Diana, Kroma ventures beyond the threshold of the town. The locals resume their routine of construction and conversation... preferring to keep a distance from Kroma.

The mountain’s sonorous rumble punctuates the silence. She turns towards it, observing as the beast's unsteady hind begins to convulse, conjuring a swirling shroud of sand about its form. Diana advances, placing her right palm on the cool, firm earth.

Diana " I don't want to fight an uphill battle. How about... YOU COME DOWN FROM THERE! TAKE THIS! FLATTENING PALM STRIKE!"

The roaring impact resonates within Kroma's ears, her senses tingling with the surge of an unseen force. With an agile leap, she vaults over the ethereal wind blade slicing toward her. Touching down, she feels the earth pulse beneath her, waves undulating like a living, breathing sea. A breathless pause, then the motion subsides.

She blinks in disbelief at the transformed terrain, a once mighty mountain replaced by a flattened battlefield.

Kroma "So this is the power of the high commanders. It's... SO AWESOME! Okay, calm down, Kroma. You have a job to do. Don't make a fool out of yourself and defend this town. High Commander, you can leave the town to me!"

Diana "Enough with the fancy commander bullshit. Just call me, Diana."

The colossal insectoid fixes Diana with its sextet of sallow eyes, which flare to a fiery red. Its expansive abdomen throbs, birthing peculiar egg-like protrusions that fringe its body. Diana narrows her eyes, readying herself for—

Diana "Fuck! I knew it! That bastard is summoning a whole fucking army. Kroma! If any of them get past me, deal with them. Don't let them get to the villagers! Okay!"

Kroma "Yes! Lady Diana! I will try my best!"

Diana spins to face the monstrous bug battalion, each bearing a striking resemblance to the Herculean beetle, but bulkier and endowed with surplus limbs. With a calculated stomp, she sends a seismic ripple through the ground, toppling many beetles onto their glossy, armored backs. Despite the setback, they right themselves, a forest of horns zeroing in on her.

Their charge, however, seems sluggish, even awkward. A few stumble mid-step, bringing their onslaught to an abrupt halt. Puzzlement is etched on their faces as they exchange glances, eyes dropping to the earth beneath. Diana's lips curl into a predatory grin...

Diana "HAHAHA! Holy shit! The friction shit is so much stronger now! You fuckers are ready for one hell of a beating! Here I come!"

Propelling herself forward, she lands a potent punch into the skull of the closest beetle. The force sends it careening back, spinning wildly, its carapace splintering, and inadvertently impaling its comrades in a grotesque kebab formation. Gripping another by its horn, she hurls it earthwards, reducing it to a flattened mass with green ichor splattering across her arms.

Diana "Who wants more?! Come on! Come at me you oversized cockroaches! Or beetles... Whatever! I'll take you all down!"

Unresponsive to her taunts, the creatures reroute toward the town. Observing this, Diana shouts, her formidable roar bringing their march to a halt. She storms in, her fists laying down a relentless barrage that splashes emerald blood and dark cerulean shell fragments across the battlefield. She selects the queen insect with a defiant gaze, her finger slicing across her throat in a bold declaration. The monarch recognizes the gesture and furiously pounds the earth with her massive legs, spawning moving mounds of sand.

Diana "You got to be kidding shitting me! Underground, really?! That's just cheap! Alright, two can play that game!"

Diana springs skyward, her fists pummeling the air below. By manipulating the air's friction, her punches launch invisible bullets that bore through the sandy landscape.

Loud "Sqeel" noises can be heard.

Kroma watches from the rear, seated amidst the chaos, transfixed by the attack... it's like a shower of air. Her awe of Diana's prowess escalates to an apex, her thoughts veering into self-reflection. Comparing her own prowess to Diana's might, a sad realization dawns upon her. The harsh truth that she, deep within, is—

Kroma " AAAAH! What is that thing?!"

A serpentine behemoth emerges from the depths of the sandy battlefield. It boasts a row of jagged, burnt orange plates along its immense spine, reminiscent of terracotta tiles adorning rooftops. A grey underbelly is patterned with intricate spirals, and upon closer inspection, an army of miniature legs skitter across its length.

Sqeel!

Kroma sidesteps to the left as the creature's drill-like head plunges down, blossoming open in a grotesque mimicry of a flowering bud. But instead of delicate petals, the bloom reveals an arsenal of menacing daggers. With a vigorous shake of its head, it expels the copious sand it has devoured.

Kroma "S-Stop r-right there! Y-You won't get any further than this! I Kroma-

In a swift, brutal move, the creature severs one of her fingers, sending Kroma crumpling to the ground. As it slithers away, an air of pity trails behind. Yet, Kroma rises in fury, wielding her ring like a blade, and delivers a ferocious strike to the creature's head. The ring cleaves through its flesh like butter. She swiftly wraps her maimed hand with a bandage from her pocket, then suddenly turns her attention— a large trench now marks the battlefield.

Diana "Woah! I punched so hard that the surrounding sand turned into sandstone! Ha! What now, bitch?! Your insects can't make it over this line!"

The queen insect fixates her gaze on her, then redirects it skyward. Observing this, Diana pales, and she propels herself over the daunting trench. Seeing the wielder closing in, the queen hastily slices open her own abdomen, releasing a cloud of mosquito-like entities. Diana pauses, quickly gathering rocks and launching them like missiles, bringing down the airborne pests in clusters. As Kroma's eyes track the fallen creatures, she notes an ominous twitching... something within them stirs.

Kroma "Lady Diana! The corpses! There is something inside them!"

Alas, her calls go unheard, failing to pierce through to, The Aspect of Law. Hoisting herself up, she unsheathes her weapon. A murmuring voice seeps from one of the twitching corpses. Suddenly, the fleshy husk ruptures, spewing forth a torrent of oversized maggots. They are eerily featureless, devoid of discernible faces or bodily openings... save for one exception. This maggot, oddly distinguished, boasts a single eye, a humanoid mouth, and... a top hat?

Kroma "Is this some kind of sick joke or something? Why is that thing wearing a hat?"

?? "Excuse, young lady! But that thing has a name! I am The Magnificent Tom. I am an Ego insect."

Kroma "An Ego Insect? What the heck is that? And how can you talk?"

Tom "Well you see my dear. I was once the greatest magician in Brazil but my fate was sealed when I encountered those two monstrous fiends. You know the fellas with the red robes. Such an unpleasant audience those two were. They didn't have the patience of witnessing my performance before devouring my body whole-

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Kroma "I'm gonna stop you right there, Tom! You are telling that you're a victim of theirs but you keep your conscious even after being devoured! How do I know you are telling the truth? What if you are trying to trick me so you can get close and kill me? Are you working with them?!"

Tom "Calm down, young lady. Such baseless accusations will get you nowhere in life. As a show of good faith, I shall eliminate these brainless nuisances out of your hair. Now... Let me just... oh where is it... AH! Here it is! My trusty blade cane. I recommend you stand back, my dear."

Kroma takes a few steps back, and in the blink of an eye... the remaining maggots are neatly dissected. Tom has sprouted a pair of stubby appendages which he used to reveal the hidden weapon.

Kroma "Dude... you like crossed out a lot of anime cliches, man. But I guess I can trust you as long as you help me defend this town."

Tom "My mind was already decided. I wanted to give that big sack of worm a piece of my mind as soon as I was out of it. You know how horrid the inside of that thing's body is! Well, it's a labyrinth but goes in all directions and instead of fine stones carved with historical knowledge, it was flesh... smelly... bloody veiny flesh. Very unpleasant."

Kroma "That sounds awful but I think attacking the queen won't be an option. It is too dangerous. We should focus on defending the village."

Tom "Nonsense, young lady! To move up in this world you have to be brave and strong! Take hold of fate by its reign and ride through the road of destiny! Besides, you wouldn't want that brave warrior to fight by herself, would you? Tell me your conviction. Let it be heard!"

Kroma "I want... I want to fight alongside her! It's just that... I'm weak! And I lied! Okay! I don't know how to use this legendary weapon at all! All I did was swing it around to make it look cool!"

Tom "Now. Now. Doubt is the precursor to Failure. A powerful will is enough to overcome the odds. Hey! Not to worry, I shall be your guide!"

With a leaping wiggle, Tom maneuvers his wormy form from the sandy ground to perch on Kroma's shoulder. He brandishes his cane, directing it confidently toward the queen.

Tom "Together! We shall defeat that monstrosity no matter what! Us three heroes shall spell its doom!"

Emboldened by Tom's words, Kroma's demeanor shifts. She locks eyes with the queen, hoisting her metallic ring aloft, and heads toward Diana. The sound of scurrying feet makes Diana swivel around.

Diana "Hey, kid! I thought you were going to defend the.... villag-Ummm, what in the fuck is that thing?"

Tom "Greetings, brave warrior. My name is Tom. I was once a magician until I was swallowed by that foul creature. Luckily, my consciousness persisted and here I am now. Ready to take revenge and help you out."

Diana "I don't really get it but since Kroma trusts you, I can as well. The name is Diana by the way. Though this is a bit of a bad time. I feel a massive wave coming. So be on guard!"

The trio observes the beast's erratic behavior; its mandibles clasp and unclasp spasmodically as its colossal rear end flaps wildly, resembling a violent seizure. Gradually, it settles down, its mandibles moving with a disturbing slowness. From the gaping cavity of its mouth, a resonating voice begins to ascend.

?? "Ha. HahahahahhahA! We finally did it! No... I have finally done it! I have achieved what the others could not! Now, I shall be unstoppable!"

Diana "These voices. Hey! You two were still in there!"

M# "Yep. We were... slowly gaining back our intelligence. Swimming. Pushing through a sea of consciousness. Hordes of pathetic minds! Such an embarrassing experience but it was all worth it! Because we are now one! I am, M#! Now with my perfect new body. No one can oppose me! NOT EVEN YOU!"

Tom "We shall see about that, you foul creature! The price for your hubris will be as heavy as ten million stones. Your sins will not be forgiven!"

M# "Errr... who are you again? And how the fuck do you still have consciousness?"

Tom "You seriously don't remember the one and only, The Amazing Magician Tom! You two devoured my being and took away my life. However! My will was so strong that I persisted and lived beyond the mind. Now creature... Prepare to meet the might of The Mighty Trio Exterminators."

Kroma "What?! Since when did we decide on a stupid name like that?! I was thinking more like The Eldritch Three. It sounds a lot more badass."

Tom "That name is too bland, young lady. But I am proud that you learned to step to me. I'm truly touched. We shall go with your suggestion."

M# "Ugh! Gross! Enough of this stupid squabble! Once I'm done with you three, I'll make sure that you will all be eaten alive from the inside! OVER AND OVER!!"

M#, contorting its form into a knot, morphs into a sleek white cocoon similar to a teardrop. From its sides, an onslaught of monochrome centipedes erupts, swarming over the smooth shell.

Diana buries her hand in the sand, scooping up a generous handful. She channels her lawful energy into each grain, transforming them into lethal projectiles. With a swift toss, she unleashes her sandstorm, the grains slicing through the air at mind-bending speed and puncturing the onslaught of centipedes.

Diana "OH YEAH! Sand Shotgun! That was fucking sick! HERE'S ANOTHER!..."

Tom "Ah... now I see why she probably doesn't need your help, Kroma. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of enemies for us to contribute. Remember skills do not matter. Courage does. So go for it! I will watch your back!"

Kroma spots a cluster of centipedes bypassing Diana's sandstorm. She charges headlong, brandishing her ring wildly. In an unexpected stroke of luck, her erratic onslaught succeeds in lopping off a few heads. However, the final centipede retaliates, its bladed tail slashing a sizable chunk from her thigh. Kroma crumples to the ground in pain.

Tom "Hold on, young lady! Tom is here to the rescue! But first to deal with this rude savage."

Tom twirls his cane, swiftly unsheathing it to impale the creature's eyes and tail in a blink. He then dismounts from Kroma's shoulder, positioning himself by her wound, and commences spitting onto it.

Kroma "EW! What the hell... OW!!... are you doing?!"

Tom "Don't fret. My tamarind-colored saliva has the incredible property of sealing the wounded. I don't know how it works exactly. Just be grateful that it does."

Tom's saliva congeals, morphing into fibrous strands that draw together the gaping wound's edges. The excruciating pain dissipates, and Kroma, filled with relief, scoops up Tom, holding him in a grateful hug.

Tom "Now is not the time for such affection, young lady! We must go and assist, Lady Diana! Oh... what?!"

As they turn to survey the battlefield, the gruesome tableau of gore-drenched carcasses and gelatinous green ichor is near indistinguishable from the sandy terrain. The white cocoon in the midst of the macabre scene thrashes and jerks about, mimicking the tantrums of an irate toddler.

M# "What the fuck?! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?! YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT WEIRD HUMAN!!!"

Diana "Sheesh. Stop acting like your some high and might race or something. You were once human like us. So I think... YOU SHOULD COME CLOSER."

Diana darts towards the cocoon, delivering a solid kick to its side. Unaffected, the rubbery exterior merely shudders under the impact. She attempts to withdraw her foot but it's stuck... a sudden wave of agony engulfs her. A ring of pincer-shaped teeth has seized her foot, biting off a sizable chunk before releasing.

Diana "AUGH! What the hell was that?! Did you just EAT ME? Oh hell no!"

Diana retreats to Kroma and Tom. Once again, Tom leaps down and anoints the fresh wound with his saliva. Strangely, she finds no revulsion in the act. As her foot regenerates, she whirls around to witness a bizarre scene— the cocoon sprouting mouths across its surface. The earth trembles as ten ghostly white spider legs extend from the cocoon's base.

M# "This feeling... this flesh.... this godly... delicious FLESH! YOU! I MUST EAT YOU! ALL OF YOUR PRECIOUS BODY! YOUR LEGS! YOUR MEATY ARMS! YOUR SCRUMPTIOUS HEAD! EVERYTHING! IT SHALL BE MINE!"

Diana "What the fuck?! You have gone completely insane! I ain't letting you have a single piece!"

M# lunges forth, its colossal legs aiming to crush the trio. Diana hoists Kroma and Tom onto her back, adroitly dodging the stomping onslaught and managing to hitch a ride on one of the legs. She ascends, navigating through a torrent of budding mouths.

Kroma "Lady Diana! What do we do?! How can we kill this thing?!"

Diana "I don't really know, Kroma. But my guts tell me that you are the key. I think the ring can cut this thing wide open. Tell me Kroma... are you ready? The fate of our group will be in your hands! So I ask again! Are you ready?!"

Kroma "I... I... I am! You can leave it to me!"

Tom "Now that's the spirit! Go forward and grow beyond your weaker past. Defeat this monstrosity!"

Reaching the cocoon's apex, Diana catapults Kroma skyward. Fear surging through her, Kroma channels it into a powerful downward thrust, driving her ring through M#'s form from top to bottom. Emerging victorious, blood-splattered but unbroken, Kroma raises her hands triumphantly. A rush of adrenaline sparks within her... a realization that she's capable of more, far more. Quickly, she darts from leg to leg, severing their bases, and sends the cocoon crashing to the ground.

Diana "Woah. Are you sure you are just a kid? How old are you even?"

Kroma "Oh. I'm 12. Yeah, but I don't know what exactly happened. Like I felt a connection with the weapon and the next thing I knew... I was filled with excitement. Then... this happened."

Tom "That was the call for greatness. The encouragement of success can drive a person to want to achieve more to satisfy their need. To keep the feeling going. You should be proud, young Kroma."

Diana "Anyway, you guys can get a break. You have done enough. Let me take it from here. Hey! I know you are still breathing!-

The cocoon shatters into four segments, each undergoing an uncanny transformation into humanoid insect forms. One towers over the others, a hybrid blend of human and grasshopper. Another stands compact and short, a curious fusion of human and water bugs. The third one is bulky, a unique cross between a human and a pill bug. The most peculiar, though, is the last— with a head comprising of a multitude of insect eyes, its body consists of strands of red and green veins arranged in a humanoid silhouette.

Diana "Oh shit. Time for round two!"

(To be continued)