Chapter 661 The Siege pt 6 (1/2)

The Legion advances to where I lie convalescent, still recovering from my grievous injuries. The only blessing I can see is that the one man army who cut through half of the gate is no longer in the frontlines, replaced by a wall of armoured bodies that hold their weapons and s.h.i.+elds with perfect discipline. Once Crinis has pulled me clear, the Colony continues their barrage and a horde of my siblings sally forth from the gate to surround me.

”Get me back behind the gate,” I squeeze out, ”we didn't plan to take a stand here.”

The ants around me don't respond at all and I wonder if they smelled what I had to say at all.

”H-h.e.l.lo? You need to either move me behind the gate or leave me here. What the heck are you doing?”

”Eldest, I mean this with all my respect, but please shut your pheromone hole. We're trying to heal you and you need to stop moving.”

Who was that?! Mendant?! Where the heck do you get the nerve to speak to me like that?! The healer looks completely unperturbed, as if an enemy army wasn't closing on her position with each pa.s.sing moment. Are these ants crazy or what? We can't fight here, we'll get slaughtered! If I can't be moved, then just retreat to safety, I'll fight my way out! This won't be the last you see of me! Before I get the chance to insist, the ants have already formed ranks around me, hundreds turning into thousands in mere seconds. I quickly realise that they aren't going to give me up.

[Crinis! Can you move me again? Through the shadows?]

[I can't master, I'm sorry. It took almost all of my shadow mana to get you this far,] she sounds panicked.

[It's going to be fine,] I rea.s.sure her, [my face is almost back together, see? I'll be in biting shape again in no time.]

She doesn't seem to be encouraged by my words. I see her twisting herself into mind bending, non-Euclidian shapes that I'm certain are formed of more dimensions than there should be in her anxiety.

[Invidia, get the buffs onto Tiny. I get the feeling there's going to be a sc.r.a.p in here shortly! Tiny, you are NOT allowed to die! That's an order!]

I can't see much now, the ants are swarming over me as the healers continue to administer their healing fluid to help regenerate my flesh, but I can sense something I never expected and moments later, I see one. What the h.e.l.l are the humans doing out here?!?!? Led by that manic priest, at least a hundred humans have marched forth from the gate to squeeze in amongst the much larger bodies of the soldiers and scouts in the front ranks between me and the Legion. The priest himself has a short spear gripped in his one good hand which he waves back and forth with frantic energy as he bellows words I can't quite make out to the gathered humans. His voice rolls like thunder with the power of a war drum as he urges his fellows to battle.

When the Antmancers activate their Skill, their bodies ignite and begin to spread an aura that envelops every ant and human within reach. Even I can feel it, giving strength to the limbs I still possess and filling my heart with courage. It doesn't help that the Vestibule continues to whisper of the ant's desire for battle, to make the enemy pay for the damage they've done. It's difficult for me to ignore them in the heat of the battle. I feel the urge to scurry forward on my three remaining legs and try to stab the Legionaries to death with my one remaining mandible.

I don't think that will go too well.

”Can I be moved yet?” I whine to Mendant.

Her antennae twitch and I swear by my Mother that she almost thwacked me.

”Any other member of the Colony would be dead right now. No, you can't be moved,” she tells me as she continues to work.

Dammit. This is going to get ugly.