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Chapter 1667 - Border Tensions
🕑 Added 2025-09-03 02:00:04 +0000 UTCRuminominex is a creature of change and flux. The Shaper of Earth creates and destroys in a constant cycle, guided only by her own inexplicable design.
There are some who suspect the Ancient is an elemental of stone or earth, but the cultists who worship her do not believe so. In their dreams, they have caught glimpses of Ruminominex through the ever-shifting mountains in which she makes her home and describe her as a sturdy, dense, animal-like creature, with skin that shifts and changes, flowing like water just as the mountain around her does.
When she surfaced, Ruminominex found her way to a mountain range, which promptly collapsed, only to be remade according to the Ancient’s wishes. The Ancient’s Spear is how the range is now known, though most have no idea why. How they explain away the pillar-like mountain, easily twice as tall as the next highest, I have no idea.
- Excerpt from ‘Collective Wisdom of the Cults’ by Granin Lazus
“Look down there,” the scout said, keeping her scent as light as possible. “Do you see?”
“I do,” Bella whispered back.
These tunnels were far from the mountain nest of the Colony, right on the edges of the territory they had claimed. Barely patrolled and not fully explored, they were dangerous in the extreme, filled with powerful monsters who looked to reestablish their territories after the wave had died down, but there were other perils lurking as well.
In the distance, barely visible at all to her ant eyes, Bella could see a group moving cautiously, sticking to cover as much as they could while advancing deeper into the land of the Colony. A mix of well armed and armoured Folk and golgari were moving together as a group. It was clear that these people were experienced delvers.
“See their odd movements? There’s definitely a sixth member, but we can’t see them with the naked eye,” the scout told her, and Bella nodded to show her acknowledgement.
Thankfully, a core shaper like her had ways to overcome her own weaknesses. With a mental command, she urged her loyal pet Hooticus to investigate. Originally a Razorbeak Shadow Owl, Hooticus had been modified by combining the original core with that of a Haptofowl, an eight-eyed, flightless bird from the first stratum that relied on its extremely keen senses to stay alive.
Floating on soundless wings, her pet flitted from shadow to shadow, melting into the darkness as it drifted closer. While it was still hundreds of metres away, Hooticus was able to confirm the scout’s suspicions.
“They’ve concealed themselves from sight, hidden their heat signature, muffled their sound and masked their mana,” Bella noted softly, and the scout waggled her antenna in exasperation.
Going so far to try and remain hidden… just who was this shy guest in the Colony’s lands?
Despite all the precautions they’d taken, they hadn’t succeeded in hiding their shadow, and it was this little pocket of energy that Hooticus had picked up on. With so little information, she still wasn’t able to identify them, and that was precisely the reason she had come all the way out here.
“They’re coming deeper. We need to pull back,” the scout told her, and Bella agreed.
Ordering Hooticus to keep an eye on the invaders whilst keeping himself concealed, she retreated further into the tunnels, doing her best to follow the scout's lead. So far from the Colony and without support, she had to rely on her pets to keep her safe, but there was no guarantee they would be able to defeat some of the deadly monsters roaming these tunnels.
Remaining hidden was the safest bet, so they kept low and out of sight as much as possible while Bella received a steady stream of updates from Hooticus.
As expected, the delvers had shown themselves to be capable. They fought when they had to, avoided any other conflict and continued to make their way deeper into the tunnels. Just what were they here for? The scouts had reported seeing several of these delver groups sniffing around starting two weeks after the wave receded, yet it still wasn’t known why.
At first, the Council had thought it was simply a matter of delvers plumbing the Dungeon for wealth and experience, as they always did. Yet these groups behaved oddly. They didn’t fight that much, concentrating more on covering ground than defeating monsters. They didn’t bother to fully harvest the monsters they did defeat, which was highly unusual for delvers. Lastly, there was the secret of the hidden person smuggled into every group. After failing to identify the invisible tagalong, Bella had been called in to investigate. Only scouts and core shapers were allowed to range this far from the nest, and the scouts had repeatedly failed, despite their best efforts.
The ants tailed the delvers for hours, waiting for an opportunity to present itself. After fighting and sneaking their way through the tunnels, doing their best not to draw attention, the delvers decided to establish a base camp. Using various methods of concealment, they pitched their tents, laid out their supplies and made themselves comfortable.
Clearly, they intended to be in these tunnels for an extended period.
The camp itself was almost as well hidden as the secretive figure, invisible to the eye, all signs of mana erased, and yet, the hidden person still didn’t reveal themselves.
Bella didn’t have a choice, she would have to use desperate measures.
Reaching into the bag slung beneath her carapace, she withdrew a glass cylinder.
“Stand back,” she warned the scout.
Inside, a small creature could be seen, wiggling happily as she lovingly tapped the glass with her antennae.
The Thought Leech was native to the fifth stratum, but this one was modified. Normally, the parasite was able to hunt by homing in on the thoughts of their targets, helping them find more intelligent monsters with larger brains.
This little one was different. It didn’t eat brains, but thoughts.
Hooticus returned, swooping down on silent wings before picking up the cylinder and flying away. After thirty tense minutes, the owl returned, dropping the leech, still safe in its containment, back into her mandibles.
[Well done, Hooticus,] she praised him, but the owl merely turned his head and started tidying his feathers. He was always trying to act aloof.
[And how did you go, my little hungry one?] she said to the leech, who wriggled happily.
Regurgitating thoughts wasn’t easy for the leech, and she hated making him do it, but she couldn’t think of any other way to achieve their goal. After she processed what the leech had managed to steal, she understood why their foes were being so secretive.
“It’s a priest from the Church of the Path,” she hissed to the scout. “They’re hunting for members of the Colony!”
Comments
Kirk Foster
Ohh let's gggooo it's time to burn the church of the path to the god damn ground
Jon Wolfman
Honest opinion. This leech scary as f. Now, let the manhunt begin!
Toni Rayner
He is gonna be big mad
Fred Bright
Perhaps the Sanctum ants will dispose of this threat to not disturb the rest of the Eldest...aided and abetted by the Shadow and the other pets of the Eldest, I almost feel sorry for the church delvers...not.
Sean
I just realized I desperately need to see a chapter with the crazy antmancer/former church of the path preacher. Can’t remember his name offhand. But he’s a good character and he’s been gone for a while.
McMax
Indeed
KingGoomba
I think this is like Anthony’s last evolution. The Church of the Path must have high level dungeon seer that knows the big scary ant is evolving so this is the perfect time to strike. Not him but the family
alt31415
Well, no. The spark that started it all was the path kidnapping and murdering a member of the Colony.
Gabus Deux
THE URGE TO PURGE IS BEGINNING TO SURGE, AS SHADOWS CONVERGE AND NIGHTMARES EMERGE
bobby2dreki
We all knew a war was coming from previous chapters and now we finally got the spark that started it all.
Slapjack
Its such a great idea to use Anthony's evolution time as a way to flesh out the wider story and show other POV's.
Tyrunex
It needs a Mutation or skill that lets it know the thougts through digestion without regurgitating
Vibious
War it is
Koala Man
Ohohoh the war starts ! So good :) Anthony’s going to be able to give that guardian what for this time around
BelligerentGnu
Hooticus is wonderful and must be protected.
Sir
Eu
Huy Ngo
Plot thickening
Cylar
THE URGE TO PURGE IS STARTING TO SURGE
KooZnack
CRUSADE!!!! PURGE THOSE EVIL PRIESTS FROM EXISTENCE!!!
Theweird12345
Gosh I love the core shapers. They are by far the most independent of the normal ants, and there’s so much potential for each one! Bella has a pet that eats thoughts. Utterly insane. Who knows what other type of creatures that these proto-Gandalf creatures can create. Man I love pets and these ants
TheLostGolem
Oh boy. Well. They messed up this time.
Roombot
Ohhhhhhhhhh this means WAR.
Napalm078
'Going so far to try and remain hidden… just who was this shy guest in the Colony’s lands?' Hmm '“It’s a priest from the Church of the Path,” she hissed to the scout. “They’re hunting for members of the Colony!"' >:O
Shaitan
Oof, this is going to go badly for them lol. Silver city must be pissed they weren’t invited to play tunnel ball lol
Codered999
The guild found out about him quite late and were ultimately too late to succeed. Anthony is now on the fifth stratum and behind several layers of mana enriched enchanted walls and defenses and ants and sapients. Detecting his evolution this time will be much harder than it was previously.
Ben
Hell yes!! Time for a crusade against the church of the path!
Sneaky Duc
Dun Dun Dun
Xx xX
I thought it had something to do with the fact that the eldest is evolving so they were trying to hunt him. Just like when he evolved last time I think with the guild trying to hunt him
jeffrey niski
Fuck those priests. Also I think they are going to be so so sadly mistaken once Anthony wakes up. I can't fucking wait.
Codered999
No, that just makes more enemies, feed them to the wuffers.
Codered999
Full agree.
Codered999
Silver city, not golden
Sapphire Rose
WAR
Ether's Blessed One
Time for some Cities to burn. F*ck those damned path priest.
lelo452
TYFC
Bethany Bluebird
Iiiiiit's MURDER TIME. but is it REALLY murder if they're trying to kidnap, torture and kill your sibblings....?
Caleb Herring
Siege arc coming our way?
Caleb Herring
Oh, it’s about to go D-O-W-N
alt31415
I'm sure this won't have any long-term consequences.
fair3238
TYFTC Uuuu is this the prelude of the aforementioned war? only doom await to the enemy of the colony!!
James Seymour
OOOH is the the prelude the destruction of the golden city?
Ez
KILL
No_Creative_Name
Path priests can just… fuck right off the bat
Hayden Leech
Hooticus is a top tier name btw.
Hayden Leech
Gasp! Feed them to the krath!
