John, still angry about the situation and determined to maintain his dignity, tried to stand up on his own. However, the pain in his broken leg made him stagger and almost fall. He tried to hide his weakness, but the reality of his condition was bad, especially the smell from his leg that was generating a strong odor.
Viktor, observing John's struggle, remained calm, approached him and, with a gesture, supported John, helping him to balance himself. Realizing that he had no other choice, John accepted Viktor's help.
"It's okay, let's go. Time to get out of here."
Viktor, for his part, simply ignored John's complaints and tried to ignore the smell of his leg, but it was difficult. He focused on the task at hand, carefully helping John walk and get out of there.
Adjusting to the rhythm of John's steps, Viktor was determined to make sure they both got out alive. The narrow, dark passage seemed endless. But they didn't have much of a choice at the moment.
/////////////////////// /////////// ///////// /// // /////// ///////////////////
Meanwhile, the ARES Squadron was aboard a rescue ship, desperately trying to escape the frenzied beasts that were chasing them. The creatures, affected by the pheromones that still lingered on the soldiers' clothes and skin, were in a state of frenzy, attacking everything in their path. Wherever the ship passed, other beasts in nearby areas sensed the pheromones and began to chase them, forming a swarm of crazed creatures.
The squad leader, trying to maintain calm, shouted orders to the soldiers.
"Keep the ship steady! We need to get out of here before they catch us!"
The ship shook violently as the soldiers struggled to maintain stability, their faces tense and sweaty. The emergency lights flickered, casting a red-orange glow over the cockpit.
The sound of alarms echoed through the corridor, a sharp and piercing noise that seemed to penetrate their ears. The ship swayed up and down.
"Captain, we're losing altitude!" shouted one of the pilots, his voice filled with panic.
The squad leader, Marcos, with a tense face and eyes fixed on the control panel, quickly moved to the pilot's cabin. He needed a quick solution or they would be brought down by the beasts.
"Veer left! We need to gain more altitude and get out of their range!" ordered the leader, his voice firm despite the desperate situation.
The pilots immediately complied, adjusting the ship's controls. The ship banked sharply to the left, trying to escape the path of the beasts.
The creatures continued their relentless pursuit. Their thunderous roars turned into absolute terror. Each time the ship changed direction, the beasts followed suit, determined to catch their prey. The ship rocked violently, and the soldiers grabbed onto whatever they could to avoid being thrown into the air. Inside the ship, the soldiers braced themselves for impact.
"BRACE FOR IMPACT!"
Leader gripping one of the safety handles tightly.The ship rocked violently as they held on with their teeth and nails.
Fortunately, the pilot had plenty of experience using storms to his advantage, and the ship managed to gain enough altitude to escape the beasts' reach. Marcos let out a sigh of relief.
"Stay vigilant!!" His voice still carried tension and fatigue.
As the ship moved away from the creatures, the soldiers began to relax, but danger continued to pursue them relentlessly. However, a ray of hope appeared on their horizon when they spotted the heavily armed Union HQ, surrounded by a massive, intimidating wall. To them, it was a safe haven. A place they called home.
The captain, seizing the opportunity, ordered them to land on top of the walls.
"Land there, on top of the walls!" He shouted.
The pilot, surprised by the order, hesitated. "But sir, it's too risky! We might not be able to land safely!"
"That's an order!" replied the captain firmly.
With no other choice, the pilot adjusted the controls and directed the ship toward the base's walls. The ship descended rapidly, swaying as it approached the walls. The soldiers held on tightly, prepared for a rough landing. With skill and experience, the pilot managed to land the ship on top of the walls despite the difficulties.
The transport ship descended rapidly, swaying as it approached the walls. The soldiers held on tight, ready for a risky landing. Thanks to the pilot's skill, he managed to land on top of the walls despite the rough weather.
"Prepare to defend the position!" ordered the captain.
The soldiers quickly exited the ship, positioning themselves along the walls, ready for any danger.
One of the wall platoon leaders recognized Squad ARES.
"Identify yourself... You? What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised.
Before he could get an answer, a deafening roar echoed through the air. Everyone turned and saw a herd of crazed beasts with insane minds charging toward the base.But what frightened them even more was what they saw behind the beasts.
"It can't be…" murmured the wall leader, his face pale with fear.
The sight before them was one of pure desolation. The beasts, with their red eyes and gaping mouths, charged toward the base as if driven by an unknown force. Behind them, a dark figure emerged from the mist, its eyes glowing with a frightening blue light.
"What is that?" asked one of the soldiers, his voice trembling with fear.
"I don't know," replied the captain, as he looked toward the horizon and smiled bitterly.
"But right now, the only thing I'm thinking about… is surviving."
/////////////////////// /////////// ///////// /// // /////// ///////////////////
The cave was enveloped in a growing atmosphere of tension. Viktor, supporting John, who was struggling with the pain of his broken leg and complaining about the smell of his skin, walked carefully.
The environment around them began to change drastically. The heat increased, and the ice crystals that had previously covered the walls were melting rapidly, creating puddles of water that reflected the dim light that entered. Viktor noticed that the ice was growing faster than usual and melting instantly with scorching heat as they passed through the cave. The heat melting the ice, turning it into water. The cold freezes where it touches, forming ice crystals, forming an imaginary line between ice and fire. He couldn't see completely, but he could feel the temperature rising more than usual and heard the sound of water dripping through the cave.
"It seems the tremors have stopped... I was getting worried..." John said, sighing in relief.
However, Viktor did not share the same relief. He felt uneasy, thinking about what might be lurking above them.
"Hey, why are you so..." Jonh began to ask, but he was interrupted by a strange noise echoing through the cave walls. The sound was unusual and made Viktor furrow his brow, but Jonh, an experienced hunter, immediately recognized the danger.
"Get away from the wall, kid!"
Jonh ordered urgently. Without fully understanding the gravity of the situation, Viktor stepped back slightly, saving himself but leaving a lock of hair behind. Suddenly, a dark red ant, the size of a child, emerged from the wall.
"Damn! Now I know where we are! Of all the holes we could have fallen into, it had to be here!!" Jonh shouted, a mix of fear and anger in his voice.
In a quick and instinctive reaction, Viktor plunged his vibrating knife into the creature's head before it could react, splattering blood on his jacket and the arm he used to shield his face. The ant dropped dead instantly. Jonh looked at Viktor in disbelief.
"Why did you do that?" he asked, his voice heavy with concern and fear.
"Wasn't I supposed to?" Viktor replied, confused by Jonh's reaction.
John shook his head in despair, running his hand over his head as he leaned against the cave wall.
"That was a fire ant larva. We're in their nest! Killing an adult fire ant is already dangerous!!! killing a larva under the queen's care is certain death!!!" Jonh explained with palpable urgency.
Jonh reflected on his life choices as he thought, What did I do to deserve meeting this kid? Seriously, how did my life turn upside down like this?
Surprised by Jonh's response, Viktor decided to consult Atlas.
'Atlas, is he telling the truth?'
'YES, USER!!' Atlas replied in Viktor's mind. 'ACCORDING TO THE DATABASE OF HUNTER RECORDS IN PUBLIC FILES, KILLING A LARVA CAN ATTRACT THE QUEEN OR WORSE, THE ENTIRE COLONY.'
Atlas continued. 'SCIENTIFICALLY, THEIR BEHAVIOR IS WELL DOCUMENTED. THE INCREASE IN HEAT AND THE MELTING ICE CRYSTALS ARE CLEAR SIGNS THAT WE HAVE ENTERED THEIR TERRITORY.'
"How do you know we're in a fire ant nest?"
Jonh sighed deeply.
"I have experience with these creatures. In the past, I've faced fire ants at the request of settlements below us, but they never stop appearing. Moreover, local hunters have studied them extensively."
Feeling disheartened and trembling with fear, Jonh added.
"The last time an idiot killed one of the larvae under the queen's care… it was a disaster… we need to leave now!! she must already be looking for her larva."
Viktor, surprised by the response, had a quick idea and asked if there was any way to map the ant colony and find an exit route.
'Atlas, can we map the colony?'
'YES, BUT THIS WILL REQUIRE STRAINING YOUR HEARING, IMPAIRING IT BY 25%!' Atlas replied.
With no other choice, Viktor knelt down and placed his hand on the ground, waiting for Atlas to begin.
"Do whatever it takes, Atlas."
"Hey, what are you doing? We need to get out of here!" Jonh shouted at him. But Viktor ignored him.
Atlas started the mapping process, using the sound generated by the movements of the ants. The intensity of the sound was so high that it began to impair Viktor's hearing, causing his ears to bleed. Ignoring the pain, Viktor held firm until the mapping was complete.
'COMPLETED.' said Atlas. 'THE SIZE OF THE COLONY IS EXTREMELY LARGE, BUT THERE IS A SAFE PATH. SURVIVAL RATE…75%.'
With his ears still throbbing in pain, Viktor struggled to get up. "Let's go, Jonh, I found our way out."
John nodded, still worried. "What are you… you better know what you're doing, kid."
'Does he have super hearing?' John kept his thoughts to himself.
"I do too…" Viktor replied, helping Jonh move.
"What do you mean?" John asked, scared and afraid of the answer.
"Come on, John..." Viktor interrupted.