James followed the ants and beetles at a distance. He wondered why beetles were helping the ants but he had to formulate a plan. The ant line was moving directly south. The monsters didn’t attack him and merely held their fruits or vegetables in their jaws.
He recalled an old black and white movie his dad watched. James didn’t want to see it because it wasn’t in color but he sat next to him mesmerized by the giant creatures on the screen. It was called, “Them.” And the film involved an ant colony that morphed into giant size monsters through atomic radiation.
He moved through the bushes and he heard the sound of buzzing before he saw the giant ant hill. Ants guarded a large round elevation. From James's vantage point, he saw the beetles stopping at the entrance of the colony dropping their wares at the entrance. The ants then gave the beetles a glowing water drop. The beetles left into the forest on the right side.
“So, chief what is the plan?” Meryl said.
James almost jumped and then realize it was Meryl. He shook his head. “I’m not sure. It looks impossible. Can you help me?”
The fairy was standing on the ground almost hidden by the shade coming from the shrubbery. “Nope, I’m only your guide but I can suggest what to do.”
“Well,” the fairy looked at the group of insects in the front. “I think you should take out the ant guards and level up.”
“What about the other ants inside the colony?” He said.
“Don’t worry about it. Remember, this is only the beginning tutorial,” she said. “And the Dominion is watching you.”
“Yes,” he said. James wanted to look at the sky.
He counted about ten mutants ants standing guard. Scanning backward, he notice the beetles and line of ants had stopped coming. It was probably the best time to attack but if he did he could be overwhelmed. He needed a diversion of sorts, kill a few ants if lucky, gain some levels, and then kill the rest.
He wasn’t sure he could do that but then he spied a few of the beetles still waiting for their glowing water drop.
James said, “Meryl, what are the water drops the ants are giving the beetles.”
“Those are sweet water the ants make in their colonies. The beetles love them,” she said.
“Do the ants and beetles hate each other?” He said.
“Well yes, but the beetles would do anything for the sweet water,” the fairy said.
James understood. Both these creatures probably fight for the same resources.
He said, “Do ants usually take crops from the farmers?”
“No, not usually, the ants have their food.”
“So, something or somebody is doing this to the ecosystem.”
Meryl said, “What’s an ecosystem?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
James was thinking about how to change this to his advantage. “Tell me about the beetles and ants. Is there something the beetles have that the ants want?”
She said, “The real reason the ants and beetles are mortal enemies is that the ants love to take the beetle’s grubs, and feed it to their queen and her consort.”
“Really. Do the beetles live underground?”
“No, the beetles live in the large trees down the valley.”
“Is it far?”
“No, not really,” Meryl said.
“Let’s go.”
The fairy guided him around the ant hill and into the deeper forest. The trees crowded around him making the path almost impassable. Meryl had to move around certain thick passages and lead him to the higher ground. The mountains loomed closer to them. He could sense it.
“Wait.” The fairy stopped. “We’re getting closer. The beetle's den should be around this bend. But I have to ask you if you think you’re going to get one of their grubs and take it to the ants?”
“Yep, that’s the plan.”
“That’s stupid. You should have told me that’s what you're doing. There’s no way the beetles would let you do that.”
“And why would you think that wouldn’t work?” He said.
“Because they can hear you,” she said.
“Wait. Why didn’t you say that before?” he said.
The trees and shrubbery before him started to shake and rumble. Several giant beetles came out of the forest. James focused and a health bar appeared before the insects.
“Meryl, how do I find the level of the beetles?” He said.
The fairy said, “You have to level up first before you can see their stats. You could only see their health bars.”
James ran. The beetles came through the underbrush toppling trees toppling and breaking them apart. He had to jump out of the way while one of the insect’s gigantic jaws tried to eviscerate him. He didn't want to fight them yet, and he merely ran through the insects looking for the nest.
More beetles came toward him. The insects were built like tanks made of a large carapace body and long pincer jaws. His extra speed and dexterity helped him dodge the attacks. He ran up one of the trees and noticed there were small beetles up there as well. He dodged another attack. He wanted to strike out but wanted to find the baby grubs first.
James’s thinking was that if he took some grubs and take them to the anthill. He could have the ant and the beetles fight. It was a good idea but will it work? He wasn’t sure.
Right now at this moment while he was dodging the beetles, he thought it was an insane idea. He could abandon and leave right now. It would be no harm. Yet, he thought about the Dominion and wondered if they thought humanity was quitters when things get tough.
James climbed up a tree to get a better view. He scampered along a large tree limb and jumped across; he barely made it to the other tree limb. He looked around. All he saw were beetles all around him attacking in force and he knew he couldn't keep this up m, but he had an idea. He thought about the small beetles and wondered if the small bugs were the nursery.
He scrambled back to where he saw the smaller insects and traveled back toward that area. The tree was more heavily guarded. A large beetle attacked him. Its barbed legs almost skewered his arm. He jumped on top of its shell. Punching downwards, he heard the sound of a crunch. The beetle stopped moving.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
James dove past two large insect guards. The small beetles instantly appeared and then scuttled away from him. The tree he was in was gigantic with rows of limbs thicker than a car. He looked upwards and saw white round appendage-like sacs attached to the thick branch.
He jumped upwards and ran along the tree. He was face-to-face with one of the sacs. It moved a little and he saw an eel-like creature inside. It made a cracking sound as he yanks the sac off its perch. The grub sac felt warm to the touch. He didn't want to do this but he had to go on with his plan.
He held the grub almost like a football. It was small enough. Looking along the tree, he saw beetles coming toward him on both sides. He jumped along another tree branch. A beetle came through the leaves and pushed him off. He fell and hit another branch and bounced off.
He saw the darkness before his eyes and then he awoke. James still had the sac next to him. Luckily, he didn't squish it. James shrugged off the pain he had in his body. He wasn't as bad as he thought.
Pushing himself upwards, he scanned around him. He saw the tree he fell from and saw the beetles coming down and rushing toward him. He had a few precious minutes before the insects would be next to him.
He pulled up his map. It showed where the ant hill was and where he was located. He wasn't that far away. He jumped and somersaulted in that direction. He moved faster than any human on earth could have done. He had to slow down and let the beetles get closer to him. His body healed almost instantly. He still had small scratches all over his arms and legs.
The eggs sac squirmed while he ran and he had to keep a tight hold on it. He looked behind him and saw the whole beetle colony running toward him. He nodded and hoped this was going to work.
He saw the anthill from his vantage point in the bushes. He saw the guards in the front and he threw the egg sac toward the ants. The beetles screamed as the beetle grub sailed in the air and landed on the awaiting mandible jaws of an ant guard. It was too perfect to be real but it was. James was never a real athlete, but with his enhanced speed and dexterity, he felt like he could do anything, anything at all.
James jumped over the ant hill and guards flew toward the forest. He stopped within a group of bushes and watched. He saw the ant holding the beetle grub pause and didn’t move. The troop of beetles rushed toward the ant guards and stopped. The ants and beetles stared at each other. James felt the violence between the two insect species.
James held his breath and knew everything he had done up to this time hinged on the actions of the ant guards. None of the insects moved except the ant holding the grub. The ant held the grub, turn, and moved back into the ant hill. The beetles squeaked a loud thunderous noise and ran towards the entrance of the ant nest.
James watched both sides of the insects start to run toward each other. More ants flooded out of the nest. Then everything paused again like it did when he was on the pirate ship before. He saw word appear before him.
Calibrating …
The ants started to shimmer and change. The heads of the ants became a human face and it was somebody he recognized. It was his step dads visage, Gil, and large mandible jaws. Then everything was unpaused and the word disappeared.
He heard the Gil Ants saying something. He couldn’t tell what it was until he moved a little closer. It was a mantra of vile words. “You’re a loser. You cannot protect your mom. I beat you up good.”
James almost ran to the nearest ant to kill it. But he stopped himself. It was hard enough to see the Gil visage on the ant’s faces but to hear this man’s voice. It was sadistic. The Dominion was sick-fucks who wanted to make him fail. But he didn’t want to give in to this taunt.
The beetles rushed to the ants and gored a few with their longer jaws but the ants came out in droves running the beetle's first wave of attacks. The beetles seemed to have retracted. Yet, it was a ruse. The ants rushed forward.
A group of larger, powerful beetles shot from the left like a group of cavalry riders mowing down the hapless ants, killing a score of them. Yet, more ants came out of the nest. James was enjoying all this. He realized he wasn’t gaining any experience and waited for his turn.
He noticed off this right two combatants; an ant and beetle attacking each other. He focus and saw their health bar was almost done to zero. But he had to be careful.
He jumped out and kicked the beetle on its side, smashing its inside. The beetle instantly fell and then disappear in a puff of smoke. He saw a small sack on the ground. Sensing the ant close to him, he moved to the side. The ant tried to spear him with its mandibles.
His stepdad’s face snarled at him. “You’re a loser. Come on son.”
He looked at the ant and saw something. It was faint and because he was up close to the mob he saw vulnerable points on its skin like a tattoo. With his speed, he punches the ant on a spot on its body. He felt vindicated as the ant exploded outward.
“Aha,” he said.
Words and screens popped up before him. He waved them away. Another beetle powered forward. With his extra speed, he easily dodged the running creature. He couldn’t see the vulnerable spots because the beetle moved fast. Kicking out at it, he broke the mob's front legs causing it to fall forward. He punched in its face.
Insect's guts rained behind the mob. He almost waded into the battlefield which was now covered with ants and beetles carcasses. Blood and innards pooled in front of the ant hill. Instead of going crazy and killing all the mobs he could find, he waited for the last combatants to fight.
He saw a group of four insects - 3 ants and a large beetle. They fought to a standstill. He decided to do a quick check on his menus. He had received 35 XP and he was level 2. His HP and KP went up 2 points. He also gains 2 attribute points. He needed to assign them.
He used one point to his strength and another point to his defense. His body felt stronger. Watching the last battle, he wanted to end this fast. He crept closer and noticed the vulnerable spots of the mobs were brighter on the creature's anatomy. Some spots were smaller and other spots were larger.
He rushed forward and hit an ant on a large spot on its flank. He heard a large snapping noise and the insect flew away. James smiled and jump and dodge around each of the creatures hitting them at different spots. He killed all of the remaining insects.
The last mob was a beetle. It struck him on his chest with a barbed leg making gorges on his body.
“Ouch!” He said.
James struck the beetle so hard that his hand went deeply into its face. The mob exploded and rained down innards all over him and the surrounding area. He fell to the ground and clasp his chest. The battle was done. All of the mob was dead or broken.
The pain in his chest hurt. From his hot tabs, he clicked on his healing potion. Instantly, James felt better. Looking around the battlefield, he saw a few of the mobs were still alive. He thought easy XP and proceeded to kill the remaining insects. He kept an eye on the ant hill just in case the ants had more troops but none appeared.
After he was done killing the remaining creatures, he had a decision to make. James knew the farmer's crops were inside the ant hill but was he ready to go inside?
He checked his new stats:
Human Monk Level 2
Strength 16
Intelligence 18
Defense 15
HP 12 / 17
KP 7
Experience 35
Then he looked at his monk powers:
Fast Reflexes - Lev 1 Auto
Strong Punch - Lev 1 (+5 Attack) 1 Ki Point
It was still the same. James looked at his inventory. He had only 3 minor spells left. James scanned the battlefield and saw the mobs he killed changed into small containers. He almost hit his head with his hands. He forgot about loot and he realized he could only get loot from the mobs he killed.
He went to the first container and tried to open it but nothing happened.
“Meryl!” He said.
The fairy appeared. “Nice. You killed something. You’re filthy.”
James noticed he was covered in insect viscera. “Hey, you didn’t help me. How do I open these containers?”
Meryl flew around the battlefield. “Just walk on it.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep.”
He looked at the fairy to make sure she wasn’t making a joke. Walking into the container another screen prop up.
1 gold, 1 beetle wing.
He clicked on the gold and he heard a jingling noise. He left the beetle wing. He went to all the containers and took only the money. Only two of the mobs gave him coins. The other insects were just beetle wings or ant legs. He only received 2 gold coins and 5 XP per each of the mobs.
He should go back to the village of Orvall and buy one more minor healing spell but he trudged forward. He jumped into the ant hill before he could rethink his decision. He was inside a large cave with other tunnels branching outwards to other areas.
The path was illuminated by some type of glowing grass plants that were inside the cave. He didn't know which way to take. The air was warm and musty. Choosing the path on his right, he moved ahead.