Chapter 104 The roar that follows the dark (1/2)

In attempting to leave the front of the tunnel I'm forced to push my way through the innumerable eager workers piled up behind me, ready to contribute to the dig. I slowly push my way out, letting my smaller siblings climb over the top of me in their eagerness to rush forward. At this point the walls and ceiling are also covered in workers a.s.sisting the dig. Truly a three dimensional work effort!

Eventually I make it through the worst of the crowd and begin to make better progress. I was probably only digging for a couple of hours but the tunnel has become much longer, perhaps doubling in size!

This is the power of the excavation skill! Not to mention being significantly larger and stronger than the rest of the workers….

Anyway! Progress has been made.

When I arrive in the Queens former chamber I'm shocked by what I see. Or rather, what I don't see

It's completely dark! I can barely see a thing!

The illumination caused by the mana veins in the walls has completely vanished, plunging this chamber, the entire nest and I can only a.s.sume the whole Dungeon into pitch black darkness.

It's a bit spooky.

Placing my fancy new feet here and there on the Dungeon walls I try to see if there is any mana for me to soak up and unfortunately I'm coming up completely empty! The mana veins are bone dry.

Thinking back to what Formo told me, that must mean the mana has completed receded. After which it would…. Come rus.h.i.+ng back… like… a tidal wave…

….

Uhhhhh….

[Tiny? Can I get you to come back up here to the chamber?]

I can feel the ape's agreement in my mind without him having to actually form words.

Whilst I wait I continue to s.h.i.+ft my feet about, doing an awkward ant dance as I try to sense the presence of mana returning.

Nothing at the moment.

Hang on, where is the brood? The larvae and pupae? I don't think we've secured the next generation!

Feeling about desperately with my antennae I make my way towards the heat signature given off by the newly dug brood chamber above Queen's room.

Dammit! The entire brood is still here in this room!

Inside the chamber no more than five workers are tending to the next generation of ants, s.h.i.+fting them about, cleaning them and ensuring they have food.

We have to get these guys out of here!

Rus.h.i.+ng forward in a panic I can't think of anything better than to shout ”we have to move them, it's dangerous here!” and grab the closest larvae in my mandibles.

The attendant workers seem stunned by sudden intrusion, antennae swirling in the dark as they 'listen' to my message. Remarkably, after a brief pause they too pick up a larvae and start running after me.

Thank Gandalf!

With a small wiggling grub in my mandibles I rush back into the Queen's chamber where Tiny has arrived, the enormous ape humming to himself contentedly as he rests on his backside.

[Stay here Tiny! There will be a fight soon!]

[Fight!]

Tiny visibly perks up at the prospect of combat. Small sparks of electricity start twisting and sizzling in the air around him as he stands up and looks around for something to punch.

[Soon I said!]

I roar at him as my small convoy of workers rushes into the tunnel after me. About one hundred metres in, before the crowd becomes too large I carefully place the young larva down and shout ”the brood has to be moved to here!” as loudly as I can.