In the dead silence of the night, Ari took a deep breath and endured the sharp, throbbing pain in his limbs as he tried to pull himself upright. As he stood, a groan escaped his lips and he staggered backward, nearly collapsing again before catching his footing. He clenched his jaw tightly, his breath hissing between his teeth.
"Damn... my body hurts like hell," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse and strained. He glanced down at his exoskeleton, cuts and bruised in several places, and then looked ahead. "I can't complain about this pain. I have to get stronger… not only for Tanya's sake but for myself. And for the colony."
He glanced toward the walls of the underground chamber where he had been resting—hidden, forgotten. "I've already wasted an entire day doing nothing but resting. I still haven't made any progress with recovery. Tomorrow makes it two days… and I've only got twelve left to train and rescue Tanya."
His antennae twitched with agitation. The air was heavy with silence, thick and unmoving, as if even the wind had paused to listen.
"I know I won't get any help from the colony. They've already turned their backs on the idea of fighting and would rather negotiate with those grasshoppers with food, So I'll have to go rogue," he muttered, lowering his voice further. "I'm sorry, Lily. Anastasia. I know how you both feel about this, but… I have to try. I have to try and stop this, even if it means I might die."
He began to walk, his steps unsteady at first but growing more firm with each stride. His injuries cried out with every motion, but he refused to let them slow him. Elsewhere in the colony, nestled deep underground where the tunnels coiled like a labyrinth, two guards patrolled the dim corridors.
"Man, these hours are tight. I barely get any sleep anymore," the younger guard grumbled, his antennae drooping slightly.
"Oh, come on. Grow up. This is your life now. Work till you're old and drop dead," the older guard said, laughing coldly.
"When you put it that way, that's kind of a terrible fate…" the younger one mumbled.
A gust of wind rushed past them, a brief and subtle whoosh. Both guards froze.
"What was that?" the younger asked fearfully, lifting his sharp mandibles in alarm.
"Calm down, it's just the wind," the senior one scoffed, laughing as he looked around. "Storage rooms are drafty sometimes."
"Yeah but… we're deep in the colony. Wind shouldn't be able to reach down here," the young guard replied, voice trembling.
"Oh come on, you coward. I know you're new, but try to act brave."
Behind them, unnoticed in the shadows, Ari crouched silently. His breath was shallow, controlled. He had made it to the storage room without being seen. He exhaled slowly.
"That was close," he whispered. "Can't believe I managed to pull that off with these injuries."
He moved quickly, taking off a makeshift bag woven from sticks and reinforced with leaves and vines from his back. Quietly, he began packing it with a variety of food—berries, roots, dried vegetables. When he reached for something behind a crate, his hand sank into something slimy. He recoiled instantly, gagging.
"Ugh… that's a caterpillar. Big and disgusting."
His eyes narrowed.
"But I'll need protein. No choice."
With a grimace, he drew one of his mandible-blades and carved off a chunk of the caterpillar's flesh, quickly wrapping it in a leaf and tucking it into the bag. The smell made his antennae twitch with disgust.
"That should do it."
He slung the bag over his shoulder with a wince. His muscles screamed in protest, but he kept moving. Reaching into the bag again, he pulled out a berry and threw it into the hallway. The sound of it bouncing off the stone floor startled the guards.
"Oh, it's just a berry," said the young one, stepping toward it. "What's it doing all the way out here?"
"Must've slipped through the cracks from storage," the older guard said, turning his back to the hallway.
It was the moment Ari needed.
With a burst of speed, he zipped past them, completely unseen. The wind stirred once again.
After constant evasion, ducking between shadows and crawling through unused tunnels, Ari finally reached the outer gates of the colony. He was drenched in sweat, his breathing ragged and uneven.
"That was painful… but worth it," he said, panting as he clutched his side.
He was just about to step into the moonlit wild when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Ari!"
He froze.
Turning slowly, he saw Evelyn standing behind him, her eyes wide with concern. Her soft features were twisted in worry, and her antennae were rigid.
"Ari, why are you carrying that load on your back? Why are you leaving the colony this late?"
"Well, that's…"
"I already know," she interrupted. "I overheard some of the military ants talking. They were mocking you… blaming you for the princess being captured. But it's not your fault. I know it isn't. You stood up for what was right."
Ari said nothing. He stared at her, guilt and determination warring in his eyes.
"That's why I don't want you to go. I waited here all day because I just… knew you were going to do something like this. You're going to try and save her alone, aren't you?"
"Yes," Ari answered firmly, nodding once.
"I see…" Her voice trembled. "But why go through all this for her? Why can't someone else take the risk?"
"Because everyone else is more worried about survival than freedom," Ari said, stepping toward her. "I made a promise to Tanya. I told her I would protect her no matter what. Even if I have to die trying."
"No. You can't die," Evelyn said as she ran forward and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
"Whoa—ouch, quit squeezing me. I'm still in a lot of pain," he chuckled, wincing.
"Promise me," she said, voice muffled against his chest. "Promise me that you'll come back alive after this is over. If you die, then I don't know what I'll do. Please, Ari. Promise me you'll live."
He looked down at her, and something inside his chest ached—not from injury, but something deeper. Something unfamiliar.
"When I was human… no one, except Keiko, ever treated me like this. Like I was something special to them he said to himself. I… I'm happy, thanks Evelyn."
He lifted one hand and gently patted her head. Her eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, met his.
He wiped them away.
"I promise I'll come back alive," he said with a small, emotional smile. "So stop crying, alright?"
A pink tint rose in her cheeks as she nodded.
"Yes…"
He adjusted his bag and stepped back.
"Alright. I'll be back, Evelyn. Wait for me."
With one last glance, he turned and took off into the wilderness, the night swallowing his figure.
Evelyn watched him go, her hands trembling as she clutched them to her chest.
"Please," she whispered. "I'm hoping with all my heart that you survive this, Ari…"