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Chapter 1047 - Full Mobilisation
🕑 Added 2022-09-20 11:26:16 +0000 UTCAnts flooded through the tunnels, called to action stations by urgent pheromone messages distributed by the still under development “automated noiseless announcement system.”
If Sloan had any hair, she would be pulling it out of her carapace right now. Instead, she had to settle for tugging insistently on her antennae with her mandibles as her brain tried to spin the logistics needed for the required movements.
“It’s fine,” she said to the other council members, who stared at her, doubt plain in their eyes. “No, really. All we have to do is mount a campaign to secure this location, protect the Eldest and develop our defences, whilst simultaneously attacking into the teeth of a ravenous horde of demons on the third stratum to rescue the Queen. Simple.”
“How is any part of that simple?” Propellant scoffed. “This problem doesn’t go away or shrink into insignificance just because you pretend it’s easy. We need you in reality, Sloan.”
“Reality isn’t my friend right now.”
“Nobody is disagreeing with that. There has to be a way to turn this around. We need explosive action!”
“We need a calm, measured response,” Coolant rebutted. “If we rush we might make a critical error.”
“If we don’t rush we’re going to be too late! We don’t have time to think.”
“Both of you be quiet,” Advant said with authority, causing the two mages to subside. “Sloan has already described what we need to do, and it is simple. There has to be a defensive force left here to protect the Eldest until they complete their evolution. There also has to be an extensive force assembled and launched into the third stratum to protect the Queen and prepare for a possible demon invasion.”
They fell silent as they began to comprehend the scale of the task, and the limited amount of time at hand. It was an impossible ask.
“It could be even worse than that,” Sloan said. “If something is turning the demons rabid, then we have to consider the possibility that it may also happen to our own allies.”
If the demons within their own cities turned on them….
“I didn’t think of that,” Propellant said, looking shocked. “If that happens, this could escalate even further.”
“Which means we need to move fast. There’s too many council members here to properly manage the crises on the third stratum, so we need to divide ourselves between the two locations. I suggest that the bulk of the fighters be sent to combat the demon threat, while the crafters remain here. Obviously one general and one soldier will need to remain on this stratum.”
“I nominate Leeroy,” Advant said.
“What?” the armour clad Immortal burst out. “Why?”
“If an assault occurs on the Eldest while they rest, then it’s likely to be far more dangerous than just demons. We need to keep our best here for the toughest fight.”
“Well… I suppose that’s alright then.”
Advant nodded solemnly while the rest of the council gave her thankful nods. Without the chaos of the Immortals and their antics the rescue mission could proceed much more smoothly.
“Alright then, let’s get to it. Good luck everyone,” Sloan said. “I’ll be in the command centre down here if anyone needs me.”
The council quickly sorted themselves and before long a huge procession marched through the gate provided by the Mother Tree. Hundreds of thousands of the most battle hardened and highly evolved members of the Colony returned to the blazing heat of the third stratum.
All through the Colony the alarm had been sounded. Reinforcements from the upper layers of the Dungeon rushed to descend in columns kilometres long, covering the vertical roads they had built in orderly rows of determined ants.
The Queen was in danger, there wasn’t a single one of them who wouldn’t answer the call. Despite their fervour, at all levels the Colony kept in mind the wisdom of the Eldest. It was ensured that normal operations wouldn’t be compromised, despite the grand muster.
So it was that as the hours passed, more and more ants flooded into the third stratum. Demons gazing down from the occupied cities were confused at times, wondering if the Colony outnumbered the larvae on the plains. The great pillars on which the plate cities rested were covered in the crawling forms of the family as tens of thousands descended every hour.
At the forefront was Victor, directing traffic in the emergency command post established above the tunnel the Queen had taken down into the deeper layers.
Wills had already descended with an advance team of scouts, rushing to locate the trail of their lost parent, and once she’d found it, the massed might of the Colony would follow quickly behind.
Already the staging ground covered several square kilometres as more and more ants arrived, were assigned to teams, and found their place. The logistics of feeding such a force was a nightmare, but not one that couldn’t be met.
Hunting teams swarmed throughout the lower second and third stratum, delivering an avalanche of Biomass to the army. The queens even refused to take their full quota, determined to do their part to ensure the Queen was returned.
Victor held herself in the centre of a whirlwind. Messages came and went in a blur, numbers, team allocations, supply counts, all were handled by her team as she paced back and forth waiting for the only message that truly matted: the counting report from Wills.
It would be pointless to lead this enormous force into the tunnels without knowing where the Queen had gone, and so they waited. What they would be fighting, and where, were complete unknowns, but the general didn’t worry. With so many of her siblings gathered, and with such fervour, she would back them against any force in the Dungeon.
“Come on Wills,” she muttered as she skittered back and forth impatiently.
She felt like a dam wall holding back a flood. The moment she gave the word, the Colony would pour into the lower levels of the third stratum like a tidal wave.
They hadn’t planned to make such a move this early, but current events demanded they act. The demons would learn to fear the Colony, or they would vanish from the Dungeon. It was as simple as that.
Comments
shifter1987
The council . member says "I reject your reality and substitute my own....the queens are saying....."I'm doing my part".....wills says " I'm doing my part too"....... narrator says.....WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE!?
Isiah Debarros
I think so too if it was normal tier 8 but even one of the demon gods followers should be supernaturally strong as tier 8 compared to others I can still see the colony killing just one without Antony but it would be the start of the end for them the in my opinion.
Rahsheem Reid
Idk seems like a ton of demons out and about
Cindermoth
The timing of this title is very amusing.
Danidreye
Personally this feels like the Queen's chance to evolve, or at least realize the need to evolve. I think that she will get very close, but this fight will be used for anthony's pets to evolve as well.
Marter
Im going to use the “Reality is not my friend now” in conversation hope you don’t mind
Angry Bengal
I hope the queen kicks some crazy demon ass and shows the colony she doesn't need saving lol
Brandon14754
If there weren't now 3 tier 8s with the colony highest being tier 6 I would agree with you, maybe if it was just 1 tier 8 I could see the colony being able to solo it.
Navdeep Sugandhi
i think vibrant and anthony's pets have more chance especially invidia as he has been tier 6 longer than the other three.
Frank Moore
Thanks, More Gandolf!
Nospacess
Aaaaaaah I need more
Dan K
Wonder if the queen will be the next one to I evolve to tier 7. Or if it will be one of Antony’s pets that gain the needed exp while defending him.
Sarah Stillman
I honestly wish that he doesn't wake up. This is the time for the colony's might to shine. While the numbers have been mentioned before, they haven't been "fully mobilized" before. How many queens are there throughout their outposts? And if they're able to lay thousands of eggs per day... Well, the sheer quantity of ants would be insane and this will be a great show of the power which has been talked about in the "future sections".
Sarah Stillman
... that's the more likely outcome at this point.
Joakim Berube
It would be funny if this was all about them overreacting and the queen were to turn up a few hours later perfectly fine
Isiah Debarros
Hopefully Antony wakes up soon. He's got to go safe mom
