Chapter 1735 – Night Time in the City Above

It has always been a challenge to stand between the Colony and the outside world in matters of business and finance. In my heart of hearts, I am an ant, and I agree wholeheartedly with the way my siblings view money. Largely unnecessary, a sign of a lack of cooperation, or perhaps of an inherent selfishness, it’s perfectly possible for a society to function without it.

A society of ants, at least.

This was the reason why the Colony would habitually seize riches from the wealthiest individuals whenever they conquered new territory. To them, any one person hoarding so many resources was simply selfish, and there was no reason for them to indulge such an individual when they didn’t have to.

I have created vast fortunes for others in my dealings, caused some to become colossally wealthy through trade agreements with my family. I smile, and clack my mandibles happily, I share a cigar and clap them on the back as the papers are signed.

I like business, I enjoy commerce, it’s all part of the great game.

But deep down, I do not like those people. They are selfish to the core, hoarding for themselves rather than distributing for the benefit of all. After all, I have no personal fortune of any kind. Everything goes to the family.

– Excerpt from the private notes of Merchant.

Battle raged in the tunnels below and all in Green Mountain were aware of it, to some extent. Word travelled quickly. Vibrations caused by the fighting could be felt at the guard stations and barracks in the lower reaches of the city.

Discussions rippled through Green Mountain, indecision and fear warring with anger and daring.

Should the remaining army sally forth and join the fighting? Should the delvers be dispatched to seek their revenge against the monster that had tormented them? Was it too risky? Was it necessary?

Ultimately, it was decided that meddling in the battle at this late hour would be more hindrance than help. With a Judgement Battalion and four thousand troops from the Mountain, they should have more than enough to get the job done.

Tense, unwilling to let this opportunity slip, some still pushed to be allowed out of the city, but were ultimately denied. The risks were too high, the need was too low. Instead, the majority were stood down, sent back to their beds as night fell over the city.

Lights were put out, windows drawn down, globes extinguished as the citizens of the Mountain went to sleep, uneasy, fearful of the battle raging below.

Of course, the Nameless didn’t care for their worries or concerns. The Nameless came for one thing and one thing alone.

Delvers lived all over Green Mountain, not in any one place, district or borough, so the list of targets was long. Merchant had secured the needed addresses; anything could be purchased for the right price, after all.

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Shadows deepened to the purest black and stretched along the quiet streets, sliding down walls and creeping under doorways. Like water, they dripped and pooled, thickening until it was possible to glimpse the many-lensed eyes looking back out from within.

The first were taken without a whimper. They simply vanished, swallowed whole by the darkness, sinking into their beds or consumed by shadows that rolled over them like a breaking wave. Silent and unseen, the Nameless struck again and again, citizens of Green Mountain disappearing from within their houses, sometimes with their spouse asleep by their sides.

With thousands of targets and a very limited window of opportunity, this many Nameless had not been assembled for some time, yet they were prepared. They were always prepared.