Mikhailis blinked as the grogginess cleared from his vision, feeling the raw roughness of the rope snapping under the relentless chewing of the soldier ant. He flexed his wrists, the bindings finally falling away. He slowly lifted his head, a smirk forming at the edges of his lips.
"Rodion, give me a status report. Anything I should know before we get this show on the road?"
Mikhailis cracked his neck, loosening his stiff shoulders as he sized up the two men who were facing away from him, busy admiring the torture tools spread out on the table. His gaze shifted to the two chimera soldier ants that crawled in through the crack in the wall, their black carapaces shimmering faintly under the dim light. His hands balled into fists, and without hesitation, he sprung up from the chair with surprising speed.
The two masked men turned, their eyes widening as Mikhailis closed the distance between them with terrifying swiftness. His hands clamped down on each of their necks, his fingers like iron as they squeezed.
"You know," Mikhailis said, his voice surprisingly casual.
"This is not exactly my proudest talent... but let's just say I have the strength to make this work."
His fingers tightened, the veins on his biceps bulging as the men struggled to break free. They tried to yell, to reach for their weapons, but Mikhailis's grip was unyielding. Their eyes rolled back as they slumped, their bodies going limp. He slowly eased them to the ground, making sure there was no sound, no thud.
He let out a sigh, shaking his head.
"Well, that wasn't fun," he muttered under his breath, looking down at the unconscious men. He rubbed his neck, grimacing as he felt the lingering ache from where they had knocked him out.
Mikhailis couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips. He glanced around, making sure the coast was clear, before leaning down and rummaging through the men's belts. He found a few odd-looking devices—small metallic cylinders with runic inscriptions—but nothing that seemed immediately useful.
"Rodion, you said you positioned a worker ant to scout the whole base, right? You got the map ready?"
Mikhailis gave a nod, a smile tugging at the edges of his lips.
"Perfect. That's just what I needed to hear."
He glanced at the two men in front of him, studying their features. Their skin was pale—much different from the people of Silvarion Thalor, who were known for their sun-kissed complexions. A thought crossed his mind, and he glanced over to where the chimera ants were waiting patiently for his next command.
"Rodion, what do you think? Are four soldier ants enough to drag these guys back to our little underground lair?"
Mikhailis gave a satisfied nod.
"Alright then, that's good enough for me. But what's the plan now? I mean, we want to get as much information as we can out of these guys. Maybe find out if there's any connection to the Saintess of the Elder Tree?"
Mikhailis raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"Why so pessimistic, Rodion? I thought you'd be more excited about extracting data."
Before Rodion could respond, there was a sudden explosion—a deafening roar that echoed through the walls. Mikhailis staggered slightly, catching his balance as he turned to face the direction of the noise. Dust fell from the ceiling, and a large crack spread along the wall as if the whole place was about to collapse.
The door to the room was suddenly flung open with such force that it banged against the wall, nearly coming off its hinges. Mikhailis's eyes widened at the sight before him.
There she was—Queen Elowen, in full battle gear. Her golden armor shone under the flickering light, her silver-white hair flowing behind her. Beside her, Vyrelda stood with her sword drawn, her face twisted into a scowl of sheer fury. Serelith was behind them, her eyes glowing with residual magic, the remnants of a portal shimmering around her. And to Mikhailis's utter surprise, Earl Vaelis was also there, his stern face looking slightly out of place amidst the chaos.
The technomancers who had been attacking the building had their backs against the wall, their eyes wide with shock and confusion. One of them screamed.
"How did they know?! It's impossible!"
Vyrelda didn't even blink, her eyes cold as she approached the terrified man.
"You think I have an obligation to answer your questions?" she muttered, her voice dripping with disdain.
Mikhailis was momentarily struck by the scene. It was like something straight out of the dramas he used to watch. He couldn't help the small smile that formed on his face. But his thoughts were cut short as Elowen's gaze found him.
"Mikhailis!" she called out, her voice filled with relief and urgency. She dashed forward, and before Mikhailis could react, she had leaped into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
He stumbled back slightly, caught off guard by the weight of her armor. But then he steadied himself, a smile forming as he looked down at her.
"Hey there, beautiful," he said, his voice softening as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Glad to see you too."
Elowen pulled back slightly, her golden eyes meeting his, her expression a mix of relief and worry.
"I was so worried," she whispered, her eyes searching his face. "I thought—"
Mikhailis shook his head, his smile gentle.
"Nah, I'm tougher than I look. It's gonna take more than a bunch of masked weirdos to take me down."
Elowen gave a small laugh, her eyes shining with tears she refused to let fall. She leaned her forehead against his, closing her eyes for a moment, just letting herself feel that he was there, alive, and in one piece.
Behind her, Mikhailis could see Lira standing there, her head bowed, her face flushed, and her eyes glistening with tears. When she looked up, her gaze met Mikhailis's, and she quickly looked down again, her cheeks turning an even brighter shade of red.
"Thank you, Your Highness," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Thank you for keeping me safe."
Mikhailis gave her a small nod, his eyes warm.
"Hey, no need for that. It's my job, right?"
Vyrellda, on the other hand, was glaring at him, her lips pressed into a thin line.
"You are reckless," she hissed, her eyes narrowing as she took in his appearance.
"You could have gotten yourself killed."
Mikhailis looked at her, raising an eyebrow as he gave her a lopsided grin. "Aw, Vyrelda, I didn't know you cared."
Her glare only intensified, her knuckles whitening around the hilt of her sword.
"I don't care about you," she snapped.
"I care about the Queen. And if you got yourself killed, it would devastate her."
Mikhailis's smile softened slightly, his gaze flicking to Elowen, who was still holding onto him tightly. He reached up, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"Yeah, well… I'm not planning on going anywhere," he said, his voice soft.
Earl Vaelis, who had been silent up until now, cleared his throat, drawing their attention. He gave Mikhailis a small nod, his expression stern but approving.
"You handled yourself well, Your Highness," he said.
"But I do suggest that next time, you avoid getting captured in the first place. It would save us all a lot of trouble."
Mikhailis chuckled, giving the Earl a lazy salute.
"I'll keep that in mind, Earl Vaelis."
Serelith stepped forward then, her eyes flicking to the unconscious men on the floor. She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a small smile.
"Quite the handiwork," she said, her voice laced with amusement.
"I suppose you didn't need our help after all."
Mikhailis shrugged, his smile turning mischievous.
"Well, I wouldn't say that. I mean, it's always nice to have backup, especially when it comes in such a beautiful package." He gave Serelith a wink, which earned him a roll of her eyes.
Elowen finally pulled away, her gaze shifting to the room around them. She frowned, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene.
"What did they want?" she asked, her voice serious.
Mikhailis's smile faded, his expression growing more thoughtful. He looked down at the unconscious men, then back at Elowen.
"They wanted information,"