Chapter 1412 – The Eggs that Were Left Behind

Things are happening all over the place. More and more ants pour down into the fifth through the entrance. Even now, hours into the invasion, the flow of troops has not slowed. In fact, it has only accelerated. I can sense them all through the Vestibule, feel their iron-hard resolve and selfless determination.

Then I sense someone who has a little too much selfless determination.

Is that Leeroy? What in the name of heck is she doing down here? I haven’t exactly gone out of my way to learn all the details of the plan, because my brains would probably explode if I tried, but I find it hard to believe bringing her and the Immortals down here is a good idea.

I’m sure Solant has a plan, but I can’t think what it could be for the life of me. Perhaps Leeroy bribed her to allow them to find eternal rest in the fifth? I wouldn’t put it past the moronic ant to give it a try.

There’s so much activity going on, it’s dazzling. If I let my mind dip into the stream of Will for even a second, I feel like I’ll get swept away in the torrent. There’s fighting everywhere. As the Colony extends our zone of control deeper into the fifth, the number of fronts grows larger and larger. Native monsters are throwing themselves at my sisters in mindless rage all over the place. More and more wuffer stations are being established, the carvers and mages working at a furious pace to establish the network of channels and pipes that are necessary to maintain our position, and indeed, to expand it, because we aren’t done yet.

In fact, there’s a heck of a long way to go before we hit the mark that Solant is demanding, and things are going to get even more crazy before we get there.

We finally broke through the acid lake, which was a heck of a sight. When we were done with the thick, sludgy acid, it changed into something else entirely. I’ve got no real clue what it was, but it didn’t burn or poison us, so… winning?

The issue is what we found beneath the lake.

“There’s definitely a series of caverns down there,” Tungstant stated, prodding at the floor beneath us.

The carvers were able to create a dry spot by raising up walls and pumping any liquid out, which is where we now stand, preparing to continue digging down.

“Naturally formed?” Solant asked, intent.

“Let’s go with half and half,” Tunstant replied, continuing to waggle her antennae back and forth as she sensed the stone. “Some of it has definitely been dug out… but by what method, I have no idea. The shape of the rock is… strange.”

“Perhaps it was melted away with acid?”

Tungstant clacked her mandibles thoughtfully, concentrating on what her more esoteric senses told her.

“That’s possible,” she said slowly. “It would explain how smooth the walls are.”

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Solant nodded, satisfied.

“We found them,” she said, looking entirely too smug.

“Found who?” I ask, glaring.

“This is likely to be a hiding place for the Krath. A village, of some sort. I expect it will have been abandoned by now, but this is an exciting find nonetheless.”

My antennae slump.