Chapter 613 A Determined Enemy (1/2)

They're digging in for the long haul, and I hate it. I hate it! I don't want them to be this sensible! Constructing a fortified position? Securing their supply lines? Pus.h.i.+ng forward with caution? No! This isn't what I want to see! I want them to charge ahead, frothing at the mouth and underestimating us to the point of stupidity!

I can wish, can't I?

After digging our way out of the tunnel and healing up our injuries, my pets and I retraced our steps until we met up with the relay scouts. After sending word back to the Colony, I decided we'd be best served here, keeping an eye on this new threat, determining how severe it was, and sucking up all the XP in the area. The more we take for ourselves, the less that they'll get. Not to mention, the number of levels I need to complete my fusion, my next big power spike, is getting lower and lower.

But spying on this mystery army is proving to be a right pain in the rear-zone. We can't get anywhere close to them. Their guard is up so high I can't even see over the top of it. Those stupid monster detecting crystals are in place, they have mages in every patrol around the outside of their camp, a camp they built with almost ant-like efficiency, I might add. It seems as though they have every method of monster detection I know of installed already, as well as a few I don't. When I sent one of my babysitters to go investigate as best, they could, even they were detected before making it much past the guards.

How the heck were they able to detect them?! There must be some method I haven't heard of yet… Since then, they've been relatively quiet, but it's been less than a day. They send out patrols to investigate the nearby tunnels, but they don't go far. Certainly not far enough that I feel comfortable trying to engage them, they're just too close to the reinforcements.

Their numbers are another thing we don't know. There's more of them than I initially thought, and the camp that's been set up certainly seems like it would hold hundreds, but I just don't know enough.

And Morrelia. I'd kind of hoped that she'd come out here I'd have a chance to talk with her, ask a question or two. Like, ”Hey Morrelia, how have you been? Why are you with these armoured murder-bots who are trying to take my head off?” When was this something that happened?!

Too many questions and I have no answers.

I find myself seated in a disgruntled tangle of legs, my senses focused on the tunnel ahead which twists and turns and after three kilometres leads to the zone inhabited by those tin cans when a fresh scout approaches.

”Eldest! Word has come from the Colony!”

”Finally! What's happening up there?”

I've been waiting a long time for this! Although, I have to admit that the relay system the scouts have worked out is lightning fast. These poor scouts have run a heck of a long way to the Colony and back.

”The Golgari invasion force has been sighted, and preliminary engagements are taking place.”

”Holy moly!”

”Indeed. Only indirect combat is the information I have at this time, Eldest.”

”Do we have a picture of the strength of their force?”

”I'm not aware of it if we do, Eldest.”

Dammit.

”Alright, thanks. I appreciate your hard work.”

The weary scout tips her antennae to me and stumbles back to her waiting post, clearly on her last six legs. So much to think about. Thinking isn't my speciality! To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what my speciality is… I can work that out later! Gah! I'm going crazy just standing around here cleaning my antennae, watching this mystery force entrench themselves whilst I can't do anything about it. I need to move.

Problem is, the place where the Colony is clas.h.i.+ng with the Golgari is ages away. If I were to rush there, it'd take hours to get there, and then what if something terrible happened here whilst I was on my way?! We have two areas of conflict, and as far as I know, I can't be in two places at once! I didn't think it was possible, but my irritation at Morrelia's new goon squad has risen to an even higher pitch. I address the team.

[Let's get going. There's no point sitting here banging our heads against the wall. We need levels and Bioma.s.s, and if these punks are going to give us time to get it, I'm not going to say no.]

My pets are ready to go in a moment, stepping forward (or floating, or just hanging onto my carapace) eager to go into battle once more.

”I'm going to keep grinding,” I tell the scouts nearby. ”If something happens, come and get me, I'll leave a pheromone trail, but I want you all to be very careful. We don't know enough about what's happening here, and I don't want to see my siblings waste their lives.”

The ants acknowledge my scent and go back to their careful monitoring of the tunnels, and I head upwards, ready to dig into more Bioma.s.s and harvest some experience.

Nearby.

”Keep focused you daft boy! Things are happening!”