Formicea

 

- Erys -

 

I've got stupidly busy lately.
Currently, I'm inside my newest quarters looking over papers, smelling report pods, and assigning drones if the need arises.
All to advance this operation.

Okay, so far my idea seems to work out.
Disturbingly well even, as the strategy the other princesses and the queen developed in detail has been smoothly applied.
The strategy I scribbled down on that map.

 

 

The first part was possibly the most critical one.
We had to get Tarsona's territory back.
Not only because it wouldn't do to leave whole towns occupied by those tyrants, abandoning the people there to their fates, but also, which was the reason that mattered to the others, because the terrain is a crucial factor for what I had in mind.
It was this part where we might've had to face the whole of Koreso's forces if they would've committed to a counterattack.
While a victory for our side would've been rather likely, with even the general Tarsonan army having an advantage in open-field battles, it would've defeated the purpose of this plan that has the goal to avoid further fights altogether.
Yet it was necessary to take that risk.
The northern Garanas simply poses the biggest natural obstacle in the whole country, and the surrounding terrain at least reduces the amount of effort we need to put in to make it happen.

As for what my plan exactly is, I already said it.
We'll build a wall.
Though, not your average wall.
Rather the biggest artificial determent that was ever created.
From the southern Drega Mountains to the summits of the grand northern edge, it's going to be one continuous line, leading along the whole river.
Whoever intends to cross would have to climb it on the other side.
Which is not going to be fun.
No, we'll dedicate every bit of effort to build it as high as possible.

Of course, such an endeavor is going to leave us rather vulnerable, more so with the Koresoans ready to strike out as I just mentioned.
This is where phase two of our plan came into function.
We'd simply face them in battle.
An insect army would be deployed, consisting of the drones the main hive could still muster at short notice, which conveniently was even rather close to the deployment area.
Yet as one might know by now, not with the intention to fight them for real.
If I learned one thing at the royal court then it’s this.
It's all about appearances.

Due to some political shenanigans, the area south of the Drega Mountains is officially accepted to be part of Koreso's territory, even if they just stick behind that river there.
So if an insect army would occupy this very place, this would be nothing they could simply ignore.
It might've been a gamble, but we managed to get them to detach their forces from the northern front to face the threat in the south.
Once they arrive, Uma's forces will simply dig down again, close the tunnels, and leave Koreso's army befuddled out in the open.
As armies don't exactly move fast as a whole, and setting up camp and leaving again at short notice is a logistical nightmare, we should've won at least two weeks.
Hopefully more.
Which means we actually had the room to go about our little project.

This also answers the question, of where I currently am.
Right below the center of the wall construction site.

While my quarters in this base are far from what I had in the main hive, I need to say that things are taking shape here.
One could begin to cautiously call it a mini-hive.
At least we got a nursery, storage halls, sleeping chambers, and all the other most basic facilities.
Even the foundations of a mycelium that makes use of the river water are to be found. However, it's all still totally provisory.
The main reason for this is that the focus lies on working on the wall above, as well as precautionary measures underground.
Liseti seems to be very adamant on having defensive lines underground.
Even more so, she insisted on establishing protection points, channels, and many other measures against sudden water flooding, going as far as making them a priority before the wall.
Being below a river makes her apparently super afraid of drowning.
Though, maybe she got a point.

I on my side can't complain.
It's rather comfortable here and I start feeling safer the more profound everything becomes around me.
I certainly wouldn't want to live here permanently, right at the border with all this conflict, but as a temporary place to stay, it would serve for a rather pleasant vacation.
On a rather peculiar note, it’s been so pleasant that even my overall production improved a bit.
At least Kyska is happy about that particular detail, if nothing else.

I also made it a habit to include one or two royal guards in each of my laying intervals.
This many are just short of putting too much strain on my body.
Their numbers declined, so I had to do something about it, but I didn’t want a repeat of what happened previously.
Unfortunately, no one informed me that even this minor amount wouldn't do anything about the size of the individual eggs.
Let's just say I can very well distinguish which one it is when it's their turn during a laying session.
And that an ovipositor can feel sore while we're at it.
For a few hours, sitting down can become quite uncomfortable.
One of the reasons why I'm on the move so much more frequently than usual during the recent days.

 

<My princess, what are you intending to do?> (Kyska)

 

Sigh, my nurse became such a worrywart since this little kidnapping incident.

 

<I wanted to go up and check how the work is progressing.> (E)

<You can easily do that from here. Should I bring you more pheromone pods?> (K)

<No, I want to oversee everything myself. The pods might be accurate, but nothing beats your own perspective.> (E)

 

Especially the surview of messengers is rather helpful to get a feeling for the progression, but I still prefer to look at things with my own eyes, so I can adjust my intake of information as I want to.
Not to forget, being able to see the surface is a reason in itself.

 

<The surface is too much of a dangerous place. This area was only recently reclaimed from those hostile humans. It's certainly not a suitable environment for you.> (K)

<Kyska, there are so ridiculously many drones up there that I doubt even the whole Koresoan army could fight their way through to me.> (E)

<This still doesn't completely eradicate all possible threats.> (K)

 

Yep, we pulled quite the workforce together here.
While this task of building such a great monument in such a short time as two weeks may require an insurmountable effort, thanks to Uma I have all the workers I need at hand, in the form of every single capable drone of my brood.

Of course, the other broodmothers each sent their own contingent.
If anyone thought the twenty-thousand drones Uma initially sent to the capital was quite the number, I can only say, try quintupling that number.
My head started to swirl when I tried to get an estimate of the numbers the last time.
Though, by now there might be even more.
No, there certainly are more, considering what I saw when I recently visited the youngest of my brood in the nursery.
Conveniently, thanks to a "certain unfortunate incident", in which I may have been involved, there was even the required logistics at hand to supply such a grand number of drones.

So Kyska reins in, and once I exit one of the many, many tunnels that lead into our underground construction base, I'm outside and see how far we already came.
Also, at this very same moment, immediately a bunch of my royal guards which I assigned as watchmen and construction officers gather around me.
They became somewhat paranoid since "that incident".
Some may fear that the Koresoans who are still holding the other side might make an attempt on my life.
Though, now there shouldn't be many left.
The reason is quite easily apparent.
The Tarsonian longbowmen, who are stationed around the many crevices of this literal anthill.
Of course, we wouldn't do all the work alone.
No, in fact, we had Tarsona do almost all of the fighting.

However, the part we provided was nothing to bat an eye at either.
Nope, truly not.
In both directions, the wall already extends far beyond the horizon, and here at the enemy camp erects the highest hill into the sky.
While I call it a wall, this might be a little bit generous at this point.
I mean, it serves the same purpose, but basically, it's only a very long hill made of dirt.
There are barely any stones in it.
Only the dirt, carried by worker upon worker right from the underground up to here to simply drop it on the pile, adding to the total.
This most simple method was necessary, as we're here to make a point.
It doesn't have to look good or be extremely fortified.

Aside from some greater strongholds at the few crossings over the river, we mostly only erected a nine-meter-high hill with a small rampart that also provides cover for any archers Tarsona wishes to station here.
This way, in the future, any invasion force will first have to find a way to cross the river and then get over the other side under heavy archer fire.
Of course, we also plan to further reinforce and solidify that wall, but until then, the dirt will have to suffice as a barrier.
Yet just coming from the looks of the fortress I'm standing in, I'd say even sandcastles can serve their purpose.

This leaves only the southern border of the country open.
However, Uma already told me that she plans on enacting measures that will ensure that no hostile forces will be able to parade right over her hive in the future.
To be concrete, she kinda made Tarsona resign ownership over this strip of land that their borders covered in the vicinity of the hive.
Due to the unfortunate location next to a monster forest, the Drega Mountains, and Koreso's border, it was never all that populated, aside from a few villages and farmers like us.
Considering this and who was requesting the land, it's not like the king had much of a choice but to agree.
Uma can be very convincing if she wants to.

So I'm also rather sure she's going to give anyone playing with the thought of crossing her territory in the future a very good reason to think again about it with whatever she's planning to build there.

Suddenly, some messengers are approaching me, wildly relaying that a princess, Liseti, is coming!
Is everything already settled so much in the South that she won't be needed there any longer?
Does that mean Koreso is already on their way back?!
We have a good partition of the wall standing, but I'd seriously like for everything to be a bit sturdier before their main force returns.
After all, it has to look so big and impenetrable that they'll lose any will to attack.

But there she is.
Regal as always, she strides straight in my direction.
Probably, she directly planned to convey to me whatever happened in the South.

 

<Liseti! I didn't expect you so soon.> (E)

<Yes, it's fortunate that the tunnels leading to this place were already finished. While I find the direct connection above the surface to be faster, this particular territory proved rather problematic with those flying scaled creatures attacking our messengers.> (L)

 

While I didn't really mean the transportation system, the bit about flying scaled creatures makes me a bit anxious.
As a former local I'm rather familiar with the rumors regarding the Drega Mountains.
There are very few paths in and out of those mountains, with sheer cliffs forming nearly the entire outer edge.
As such, only flying creatures are ever spotted from the outside, and that rarely, however, the mountains themselves are rumored to house all kinds of monsters.
And not just any kind, but the truly ancient ones which became wise enough that they won't be lured by the Evergrove anymore.

And the most famous legends about this place are of course about dragons.
There's even a story about a cult that built a temple with one as its master.
Quite the tall tale, I need to say.
However, Liseti was probably only talking about wyrms, the fallible offspring of dragons, and not that she stirred a real one.
That wouldn't be good.
I mean, it's a big part of why this wall makes sense here.
The Drega Mountains, as well as the northern edge, are simply no places one would traverse.
Even if Koreso would somehow make it through, establishing supply lines would be completely impossible.
Yet as Liseti's pheromones imply that she's unconcerned, I will just assume that everything is going well.

 

<So I take it everything went as intended? As you see, we're not quite finished yet, but due to the simultaneous start of our building operations along with the first attacks, we already made great progress.> (E)

<This is correct. The diversion was a full success. Also, the battle there concluded satisfyingly.> (L)

 

Battle!?

 

<I, I thought we agreed on no fighting? What about that?> (E)

<This isn't quite correct. The conclusion was that we would avoid sacrificing our drones if there's no need to. Which there wasn't. However, I saw a battle I could easily take without incurring losses to speak of.> (L)

 

Oh damn, so she really battled it out?
And won?!

 

<So you fought Koreso's army and defeated them?> (E)

<No. I didn't.> (L)

 

Damn, talking with Formicean princesses can be so irritating.

 

<What do you mean, you didn't? You just said you did!> (E)

<I said I took a fight that was convenient. Never that it was against their main force. You should be more attentive to such peculiarities. They have meaning.> (L)

<So you only fought a partition of their army?> (E)

<One could say so. Yet it isn't quite correct.> (L)

<What do you mean?> (E)

<I dealt with the kind of group you would commonly refer to as 'slaves'.> (L)

 

Slaves?
That... That's harsh.
Those people never even wanted to fight for Koreso.
Drafted into service with threats to their lives and those of their families.
Not even having the bare minimum of equipment.
No wonder Liseti thought she could take them easily.
I can't blame her though.
Koreso used them as weapons.
She simply disarmed them in this regard.
It's nonetheless disappointing.

 

<You're emitting sullen pheromones. What is wrong? I thought you would be content that your plan moves in a promising way.> (L)

<Sorry, but I can't be all that happy that more or less innocent people got slaughtered. I know it was probably the best and smartest decision, but it is nonetheless not easy to hear about.> (E)

<I see your point. Truly, it's slightly unfortunate that the circumstances were a bit too uncontrollable to allow for a save removal in all cases.> (L)

 

Huh?

 

<Re-removal?... What did you do?> (E)

<It's quite simple. You relayed the details of your capture, did you not? The information was stored by a scholar in a pod.> (L)

 

Great, that means my worst moment will forever be stored for future generations to access.
Given my life expectancy, I will probably even be present then to catch the reactions.

 

<One thing in particular was of interest to me and Mother. The device they dared to use on you. It only required little interaction with the human 'cooperation officer' to discover the nature of how humans force other humans to fight for them.> (L)

 

The slave collars!
But why?
Don't tell me she wants to use them!

 

<Why did you ask about something like this?> (E)

<Because all knowledge can turn into an advantage. In this case instantly. The most crucial point was the existence of a 'kill switch'. To think, the life of another being at the mercy of such a minor action. Given the scale of 'slave' forces pitted against us it's truly astonishing. So many otherwise unwilling subjects put to use for a goal that isn't their own.> (L)

 

I don't like this way of thinking.
It almost sounds like she would be willing to put a collar on every man, woman, or child in the country.

 

<These people neither wanted nor deserved this. It's wrong! You, you know Honiu, right? I heard her story. Do you deny that she's a total mess since then?! Would you truly support enforcing this on such a scale?> (E)

<I didn't say so. I was merely pointing out that the given circumstances were rather peculiar.> (L)

<So what?> (E)

 

I seriously don't get her.
Sometimes Liseti says one thing meaning the other.

 

<So I captured them.> (L)

<You... captured them?> (E)

<Yes. I saw an opportunity presenting itself and used it to rein in as many humans as I could. Fascinating how wastefully they were sent out when they time and time again proved to be at least on par with our drones as opponents. So the most advantageous outcome would naturally be to acquire them and turn their abilities against their old masters. Though, for this to happen it would've been detrimental were they to die by this 'kill switch'. I assumed that if a conscious action is required to cause the death, it would be rather difficult to apply it instantly during the chaos of a battle, which at least granted a bit of time.  Yet these collars were the tricky part. They had to be removed, but the samples I got indicated that they were durable enough to at least make removal a tedious task. Fortunately, we had quite a bit of potent acid at hand gathered from the body of a certain worm. With this, it wasn't all that difficult to destroy the structure.> (L)

<You... freed the slaves?> (E)

 

It's kinda funny.
Whenever I believe that Liseti is cold and calculating, she often proves to me that she looks for a way that will hopefully be the best for everyone.
While she pushes through with her strategies, it's rather often so she can save as many as possible.

 

<Naturally not! I kept them. They're a valuable workforce.> (L)

 

And then she crushes my expectations.

 

<You, you freed people just to enslave them right again?> (E)

<One might see it this way. During this crucial time we need any kind of further working assets, so putting them to use will be recommended. It's quite convenient that these humans feel a considerable fear of our kind and should be therefore rather inclined to follow our demands. As transport of the whole group might be difficult, it would be more recommended to have them establish fortifications above the surface to protect our hive.> (L)

 

Yeah, humans forced to build overland structures at the command of giant insects, and surely huge ones at that, as I know Formicea love overdoing things.
Not the slightest bit of an unsettling horror image.

 

<What after this?> (E)

<It's questionable how beneficial keeping them in the long run is going to be. Yet this is mostly a question for after things have settled down.> (L)

 

Sure.
Why not just push away talking about unimportant stuff like human rights?

 

<Can you even sustain them?> (E)

 

That they don't starve to death should be the bare minimum.

 

<This won't be an issue. In preparation for these trying times I already long ago refocused work allocations on maintaining additional myceliums. This human merchant you're acquainted with was as well rather pleased to learn about this fact.> (L)

 

Great.
At least there'll be food.
Yet something makes me a bit intrigued.

 

<You knew that we'd need more food?> (E)

<Certainly. From the moment we arrived at the surface and saw how they rationed it.> (L)

<You planned to supply them?> (E)

<Sigh. No, I did not. The additional supplies were necessary for us, which is also why I added further nectar units and told you to start producing your own.> (L)

<For us? Why would we have needed it?> (E)

<Please, this isn't so difficult. Food is essential for moving any greater number of drones and stationing them at strategic places. Food allowed us to send out the army to save you, scout these lands, and now to proceed with this operation.> (L)

<Wait, you knew that we would need to deploy an army?> (E)

 

Abruptly, Liseti becomes completely still.
She looks me straight in the eyes and speaks.

 

<Erys. It was clear from the start that due to your involvement with these human affairs, we would need to intervene, one way or the other. This was predestined. I just took it upon myself to be prepared.> (L)