Chapter 2936 - Chry 151

The pressure was crushing. All over the fortress, the systems that Solant had so thoroughly built, so painstakingly tested and reinforced, were reaching breaking point.

The internal cleansing system, with its interweaved network of channels, had endured enormous strain ever since the vents had started dumping incredibly concentrated toxic mana inside the fortress. The work of the construction teams had been nothing short of heroic, braving extremely dangerous conditions to conduct emergency repairs and keep the energy flowing.

In truth, they had lasted longer than Solant had expected. A testament to their skill, bravery and endurance. Yet even with such dedicated ants giving their all to the task, the system was starting to crack.

Solant clacked her mandibles as she read over the report. The channel system had experienced multiple, massive failures in a short amount of time. Sections of the fortress had become flooded with toxic mana, making them inaccessible and putting even more strain on the channels that remained functional. Emergency repairs would rectify the situation in hours, but if something else were to go wrong, the system could break entirely and the fortress itself would be lost.

She had pushed the system as hard as it could possibly be pushed. It was time to step back. Nearby, messengers waited for her to pass the word. The air in the headquarters was always tense, but now it felt so thick she thought she might be able to cut through it with a bite of her mandibles.

"Send word to the teams on the platforms. Shut off the intakes."

She'd barely finished getting the words out of her pheromone gland before the rush of movement occurred. The messengers were gone, the mages were working their spells. Word would be spread in a matter of minutes, the massive intakes, bringing in thunderous amounts of corrupt energy, would be shut off.

It wouldn't provide immediate relief for the overworked carvers, who were in desperate need of help, but it wouldn't be long. With the amount of energy being brought in reduced by more than half, the remaining channels shouldn't break and the danger could be averted.

Solant turned to her advisors.

"I want to hear directly from the storage where our levels are. Get me word as soon as you can."

Another burst of activity. She had done everything she possibly could to keep the energy flowing. Everything depended on the storage, the fate of the fortress, the life of the Eldest, the victory that Solant craved.

The entire fortress was built for the sole purpose of converting mana. Solant had determined early in the course of her planning that fighting against the fifth, and the Krath, was impossible if you tried to play by their rules. The home field advantage was simply too strong. But if that advantage could be flipped on its head, then the possibilities began to open up.

"Send word to the platforms," she said. "I want them on standby to prepare for withdrawal."

The battalions fighting out there were another point of failure right on the verge of breaking. As the wave had worn on, the level of attrition had continued to grow. The hospitals were full, the medics weren't complaining, which spoke of just how dire the situation had become. Only the platform manned by the Legion had been anything like stable, since the Krath had avoided it assiduously.

Everywhere else had been engaged in a never-ending, brutal and deadly struggle for survival. The losses were high, too high, but they had held the line against impossible odds and given the Colony a chance of victory.

Solant turned her gaze to the model of the fortress. Updated constantly, it showed many, blaring warnings and issues. Dozens of high-grade alerts, reports flooding in every second. There was no way she could possibly resolve all of these matters in the short term. If the number came back from the storage sufficiently high, then nothing else would matter.

All they needed was for the wave to recede.

"Word has been sent to the platforms, they are preparing the withdrawal formation."

"Tell them to abandon the defensive tools and apparatus," she instructed them. "Don't waste time trying to bring them in. I want our people inside the walls and safe."

"Yes, General."

There was no need to risk them any further. They were heroes, each and every one. A rest was the least that they deserved.

All she needed was the number. If it was high enough… she had won. If it wasn't… then she would have to try again another time. There was no backup if the fortress failed. After everything they'd done to keep the energy flowing, it had to be enough. Surely.

The headquarters was eerily still.

Messengers arrived with urgent word, but none of it would matter if the order to retreat was given.

"The intakes are shut off!" someone announced.

"Let the construction teams know," Solant said calmly. "They'll be able to move with more confidence knowing the flow is greatly reduced."

They wouldn't have to fear every second channel would burst beneath their legs, more to the point.

And then… they waited.

It was Leonidant who rushed into the chamber, not even hesitating to climb over the gathered generals, scouts, mages and others waiting to see what would happen next. She ran directly up to the General and whispered something for her antennae only.

Solant clacked her mandibles thoughtfully.

"Give the order for the battalions to retreat from the platforms. Full retreat. Everyone inside the gates and prepare for the defence. Send word to the mages, we will need to regulate the flow of cleansed mana, we don't need to cover the platforms anymore."

She gave out a string of orders, and hundreds of ants sprang to life. All of a sudden, there were a thousand things that needed to be done instantly, and they all rushed to do them.

It wouldn't be long until the fortress was fully sealed, the gates would slam shut and the Krath would begin their final assault, trying to break through the walls. It would be a torrid defence, but Solant was sure that the Colony would hold.

In the eye of the storm, Solant stood, an island of calm in a frenzy of motion.

Leonidant leaned close to her sister.

"Is it enough?" she asked. "Did we win?"

"If it is or it isn't, we still have to shut the fortress," Solant replied. "We've done everything we can."

"But is it enough?" the scout insisted.

Solant dipped her head and cleaned her antennae, thoughtfully.

"Leonidant. You should know by now, I always win."

As long as the Eldest survived, the Colony would do what had never been done before: a full and total victory over the fifth.

Don't let me down, Senior.

-x-X-x-

It was galling to Zluth to find just how extensive the hidden path network of the Gluzzgith tribe proved to be. All these hidden tunnels and connections which drove straight through the heart of the Dungeon!

Revealing its existence to them was a great show of faith on behalf of the Krath'lath, Thulziss, but also a demonstration of power. He was letting them know that his mighty tribe had access to their territory whenever they'd wanted it, a chilling thought for the Lirz, Bulg and Thuuz.

As for the Slee? It didn't matter to Zluth if a slug like Thulziss could access their territory, the Gluzzgith could annihilate such a small tribe without even lifting a finger. What did he care?

What he found so annoying was just how cunningly and expertly concealed the network was. He'd passed multiple entrances during recent months and hadn't noticed a thing! For someone who prided himself on his ability to observe and scout within the fifth stratum, it was absolutely galling that something this size had been able to slip by him.

Despite the sly and ingenious tunnel network, some modifications had to be made on the way. The enormous size of the insect monster required them to widen many of the entrances, and even if the secret passages were safer, they weren't free of mucus or monsters, requiring the slugs to move carefully and fight their way through on occasion.

Despite the challenges, the group was more than capable of dragging the captive monster all the way down, to what Zluth viewed as the very depths of the stratum, but could be nothing of the sort.

Despite the danger of the journey, which was very real, even the Krath were not safe during a wave in the fifth, Zluth still found it impossible not to watch the unfolding attitudes of the powerful Krath'lath around him. The deeper they travelled, the more vicious and gleeful Chozth became. She had lost many warriors of her tribe to the ant monster, and its impending doom filled her with savage joy. She would often strike the ooze surrounding the creature, spitting and snarling.

The others, including Zluth himself, left her to vent her anger. Chozth was, even in present company, a deadly and vicious fighter. There was no need to risk antagonising her and turning themselves into the target of her ire.

With them were also Ulliz and Mulzoz, leaders of the Bulg and Lirz tribes. The two spent a lot of time together, whispering and scheming. Zluth had attempted to listen in on their discussions, but they were so secretive and cautious that he hadn't been able to get close enough. It was obvious they were plotting a course of action, perhaps even a temporary truce between their two rival tribes, to strengthen their positions once the invasion had been defeated.

Perhaps they were even trying to collude against the Gluzzgith, whose influence in these upper areas of the fifth had grown immensely. Zluth judged it unlikely, however. What reason would Thulziss have to fight over these territories, even if he easily could? No doubt he was worried about other powerful tribes in the depths. There was no such thing as a tribe of Krath that didn't have rivals and enemies. The slug tribes fought and schemed amongst each other as naturally as they breathed.

Zluth turned his gaze back to the giant ant, completely entrapped with ooze. Such a powerful monster brought down by the toxins, it was almost strange to be this close to it, after what he had seen it do.

The other Krath'lath acted as if the invasion was already over, now that the ants had lost their best soldier. Yet the mission remained the same. The invasion needed to be completely crushed in order to send a message to those responsible in the higher layers of the Dungeon. The singing had to be extinguished, the creatures responsible subjected to the greatest horrors the slugs were capable of.

And of course, the second monster they had been ordered to turn. Theorazzn had spoken and Zluth intended to see all of the tasks fulfilled. As he was ruminating over this, he felt something reverberate through the stone beneath his foot. Then again.

The heart, they were getting close.

Again he turned his eyes towards the ant monster. It wouldn't be long now until it was turned. Once they had submerged it in the viscous slime of the Ancient, what would it look like when it emerged? He couldn't deny he felt a little of Chozth's glee at the prospect. He wanted to be there when they sent it back against the ants. Hopefully the fortress hadn't been broken before then, so he could see the hideous monsters torn apart by the one they had counted on to protect them.

It would be glorious.

Thulziss slid back towards them and all eyes turned toward him.

"Not far now until we enter the heart. We will wait here until more members of my tribe arrive to bind your eyes and bring you inside. I won't allow any of you to see the hidden ways inside the Slimeground."

Many of the Krath'lath bristled at this. They weren't used to this treatment, but Zluth had expected nothing less. Thulziss had no care if they liked him or not, they didn't matter in his eyes. The security of the Slimeground came above all, especially around other Krath.

"Will your people be able to drag the monster with them?" he asked. "We won't be much help with our eyes covered."

Thulziss noted him with a slight nod, which was more than any of the others got.

"I have sent for my warriors to drag the creature. Make sure none of you perform any unexpected movements. It's dangerous to move blindfolded during a wave. Very dangerous."

An evil grin spread across the Krath'lath's face and Zluth wondered which of them wouldn't arrive within the heart alive.

-x-X-x-

Finally noticed I've been using the wrong names and tribe names for several of the Krath from the deeper locations. Shoutouts to big G for persistently letting me know.

I've been saying Gluzzgith for the tribe who live in the heart, but its meant to be the Zissth, and their Krath'lath is Soluzz, who've I've been calling Thulziss.

I'll make the changes in past chapters, but going forward.

Gluzzgith tribe -> Zissth tribe

Thulziss (big powerful Krath'lath) -> Soluzz

(Thulziss IS the Krath'lath of the Gluzzgith tribe, but they don't live in the heart. This is a case of mistaken slug tribe).

-x-X-x-

When the blindfold was removed, Zluth was relieved to see that he was, in fact, within the heart and not in some secretive kill-chamber about to be devoured by a blubbeast. Without being too obvious, he turned his stalks a little this way and that, trying to see who had not made it. What he saw caused him to become concerned once more.

They were inside the Slimeground of the Zissth, to be sure, the great walls of the heart beating all around him. The floating structures, secured to the roof high above, in which the Krath lived were nearby, but he himself was on a platform with Chozth by his side and Soluzz, flanked by two large, powerful warrior slugs before him.

"No need to worry," the massive slug burbled, "I have no intention of killing you here."

He grinned, revealing his needle-pointed fangs.

"Somewhere else, maybe."

That was as much of a joke as a Krath was capable of, but neither of the two laughed. Chozth bared her own fangs in a sign of vicious defiance.

"What is it you want, Soluzz? We came here to see the will of the Ancient done. Not even you would interfere in that."

The huge slug held up his many arms in a placating gesture.

"A little patience. To trap the prey, a true Krath knows they must be cunning and patient. A slug who can't master their base instincts will soon die, don't you agree?"

This was a lesson that Zluth had drilled into himself relentlessly his entire life. Twice as much after he met Goszi. Striking with savagery was part of being Krath, but so was waiting for the right moment.

"Do you mind if I ask which prey you have in mind?" he asked slyly.

He didn't think Soluzz was talking about the ants, or the invasion at all.

"You may have noticed the other Krath'lath have been scheming amongst themselves, I know you have, Zluth of the Slee."

"I don't care," Chozth spat. "If they come for the Thuuz, we will rip them apart and devour them whole."

"It's possible that you could," Soluzz allowed, acknowledging the fearsome strength Chozth had cultivated, "but there is no need to take such risks. With my support, two promising Krath'lath like you could expand your territories and grow strong very quickly, wouldn't you agree?"

Now this was interesting, exactly the kind of offer Zluth had been looking for. All he needed was a chance for the Slee to supplant one of the larger tribes, and with the help of the mighty Zissth, anything was possible. With an agreement in place with Chozth as well, the Slee may well be able to take the place of a major tribe like the Bulg or Lirz!

He would be remembered as a legendary Krath'lath among the Slee who had turned a weak and unknown tribe into a power in the region. And why stop there? The invasion was still ongoing, there would be many chances yet for Zluth to win greater glory. Slugs would fear and revere him, serve under him and join their fates with his.

Chozth did not look convinced. She had much less to gain than he did, but Zluth desperately needed her to agree. She was much closer than the Zissth and in a better position to help him. All he needed was something she valued to gain her interest.

"Of the Bulg and the Lirz…" he began, "... which one has the better Slimeground? I imagine the Thuuz could use a second home, just reward for the warriors they have sacrificed."

Chozth's eyes flashed red. She knew exactly what he was offering.

Join with me, and we will destroy both of your rival tribes, and you can take your pick of their territories.

A tempting offer indeed, and one with a great reward.

"Something for us to think about going forward," Soluzz burbled. "For now, our task is not yet complete. But soon, it will be. That's when the most cunning of Krath'lath will have already laid their plans."

Chozth and Zluth eyed each other. The large Krath spoke truly, it would be best to have made arrangements well in advance of the invasion being over. With the turning of the giant ant, that might not be far away.

"Let us see to the monster," Chozth hissed, "then I will be prepared to talk."

She spat the final word as if it stung her tongue like acid, which it may as well have. She was not a feared Krath'sizz because of her diplomacy. Even so, Zluth took it as a good sign. If she was willing to talk, then she was willing to be persuaded.

The ascension of the Slee, and of Zluth, was close.

"The others are waiting for us a little further down," Soluzz said. "It's a dangerous trip down to the sludge."

"Can't we just throw the monster in from here?" Zluth wondered.

They were at the very top of the beating heart right now, with the turning pool right at the bottom. Surely they couldn't miss?

"This pool is a little different than the tiny little puddles you have in your slimeground," Soluzz gurgled dismissively. "This is the real thing, left by the Ancient himself. We will treat it as such."

Zluth couldn't help but be a little intrigued. Was there really such a difference? If so, then he wanted to see it for himself.

"Let's get on with it," Chozth spat. "I didn't come all this way to delay. I want to see that ant twisted in the Ancient's way. I want to see the horror that comes out of the pool with my own eyes."

Soluzz grinned, pleased with her vindictive savagery.

"We will lead the way."

Thick ropes and webs of mucus connected the structures that made up the thriving and, frankly, enormous community of the Zissth tribe to the walls and ceiling of the heart itself. How they managed to keep still despite the constant pulsing of the giant heart was beyond Zluth. Some wonder of Krath magic, perhaps?

Being surrounded by the rotten and slime-coated walls of the giant organ gave Zluth a strange sense of belonging. The mana flowed so dense and thick here, his eyes stung and his mouth was seared with pain every time he opened it. The Krath who endured these conditions since hatching and survived would be strong, with powerful internal acid and endurance. No wonder the heart was such a treasured slimeground.

To get to the lower reaches of the heart was not simple, as Soluzz had said. They found the others waiting on a lower platform, with the ant still bound beside them. Mulzoz and Ulliz watched them distrustfully, but Zluth paid them no mind. Of course everyone was scheming against each other, they were Krath. What else could be expected?

From there, they needed to move the enormous monster from platform to platform, lowering it with ropes as they descended deeper and deeper. Soon, the lower chamber was in sight.

-x-X-x-

The descent into the lower chamber of the heart was a difficult one. The flesh of the chamber walls was sagging and leaking mucus, yet even so, the way was narrow and dangerous. The Zissth had created a path, but dragging such a large and heavy monster through wasn't easy. Once they were through, Zluth could feel the change in the air instantly.

Rising from below were such potent and toxic fumes that his skin began to bubble and burn when they brushed against him.

Down there was the pool of sludge left by Theorazzn, from which the pools in every other slimeground in the region had been drawn. He couldn't wait to see it up close, but was wary. Respect for the dangerous elements of the fifth was exactly what kept the Krath alive in this environment.

"How close are we going to get to the pool?" he asked Soluzz directly.

The big Krath knew exactly what he was getting at.

"It's so potent even I will melt if I get too close," he replied. "From a hundred metres away, we can roll the monster in and watch the change take place. Any closer than that and I can't guarantee your safety."

Even from a hundred metres away? Zluth was even more intrigued. Every Krath had a deep-seated respect for the Ancient, but no idea of what Theorazzn was truly capable of. To think that a pool of his perfect sludge could sit here in the heart for thousands of years and still be so potent!

Chozth was not feeling the same reverent emotions as Zluth, continuing to glare at the still form of the slime-wrapped monster. She struck it once more with venom.

"Not long now, filth," she hissed. "Soon you'll hate everything you ever loved."

"Still one more to go," Zluth reminded her. "The task isn't finished yet."

"The other one didn't kill my warriors. This one did," Chozth spat, her acidic saliva bubbling on the platform.

"Once we have turned this one, we can return to the fortress and destroy it. With that, the singing will come to a stop and two thirds of the Ancient's task will be done," Soluzz said.

"There may be more," Ulliz, Krath'lath of the Bulg, spoke up. "Now that the Ancient is awake, we should be prepared for more visitations."

"I will be prepared, but you don't need to bother," Chozth bit off each word as she addressed her rival. "Theorazzn will only speak to the worthy."

Considering he had spoken to Chozth directly, it wasn't something Ulliz could refute directly. Before they could retaliate, Soluzz cut them off.

"We're here. Be silent from this point."

He gave no other warning, but glared with bulging red eyes to ensure they knew he was serious. Lowered by thick strands of mucus, the platform made from hardened mould that had been melted together with acid touched down at the lower reaches of the heart.

Looking up, Zluth was still astonished at the size of the thing. A beating pump of poison and toxicity, the heart was the centre of this entire section of the fifth, through which all the mana flowed, enriched by the miasma of the Ancient. The walls pulsed on either side, forcing the flow of energy, a constant cycle of contamination that had made the Krath who they were.

Soluzz noticed him looking and caught his eye with a wave of his hand. He pointed to the side and Zluth stared.

Huge pillars of ossified flesh rose up from the floor of the heart, dozens of them clustered together, the tops puckered open and sucking in vast torrents of mana.

The openings of the vents! Zluth had known of the vents his entire life, but never seen the source of their energy with his own eyes.

The group continued to move down a roughly built pathway that kept them above the sticky flesh of the heart. Behind them, the monster was dragged by a group of powerful warrior slugs, hauling it towards its doom.

With every moment, they drew closer, and the air of miasma grew thicker and thicker until Zluth felt as if he could barely breathe. Looking at the others, he knew they were suffering the same, but refused to show weakness in front of their rivals. If they weren't, he certainly wouldn't, so he continued to breathe as normal, despite the searing pain.

Soluzz wordlessly led them on until at last he came to a stop. Indicating for the others to draw closer, he pointed down at something they couldn't see.

Even before laying eyes on the pool itself, Zluth could see the vapours rising from it. They warped and twisted the air, easily visible despite having no real colour. It was as if the world itself was infected by it, changing and warping by sheer proximity to something so toxic.

As he approached the edge of the path, Zluth looked down and immediately felt a bright, burning pain in his eyes.

The pool was so incredibly potent he could barely look at it. In the slimeground of the Slee, they had a pool of change, but it was diluted, with barely a mouthful of the pure sludge within it. A deep, deep yellow streaked with virulent, bubbling green, the toxic stuff of Theorazzn was so unbelievably strong he could feel his own flesh beginning to warp and sizzle just by looking at it.

He lunged back, taking his eyes away and gasping for breath, even though every inhalation seared his insides.

The Ancient had created that? And thousands of years ago?! It was impossible. Could a Krath ever hope to cultivate something that strong? Just thinking about containing it within his flesh made Zluth quiver. He would be destroyed in an instant.

When he had recovered, Zluth turned to see he wasn't the only one to have a strong reaction to the pool. The other Krath'lath were all slumped over, gasping, all except for Soluzz. The large Krath was in great pain, but he held his position, expressing his superiority by standing where they could not.

He raised his hands, waving his warriors to bring the monster forward. From here, it would slide down the edge of the pit in which the pool of change was located. They would only need to tip it over the edge.

In the act of making the gesture, Soluzz paused. A change came over the air within the heart, a ripple that seemed to pulse upward, originating from the centre of the Dungeon. Immediately, the mana began to thin, the concentration of energy starting to drop.

The wave was over.

He grunted. It had lasted longer than it should. At least now they would be able to move through the tunnels much more easily. Bringing their strength to bear against what remained of the fortress would be simple. With his gesture, the warriors pulled the ant forward, still wrapped in its cocoon of slime. Though that protection wouldn't last long. The slime might be able to resist the mana of the fifth, but it couldn't protect from what lay below. Already, it was starting to dissolve.

With a final heave, the warriors tipped the monster over the edge, and Soluzz, joined by Chozth, watched eagerly as the creature began to roll and slide down to its doom.

That's when the shaking started.

-x-X-x-

The moment it began, Zluth was on alert. His first suspicion was that Soluzz had set a trap, but when he turned his stalks towards the Krath'lath, he looked as mystified as the rest of them.

If anything, that was worse. Zluth was prepared for betrayal, as any sensible Krath would be, but this was something else.

"Are we under attack?" he demanded.

"Impossible," Soluzz spat. "Here in the heart? Who would have the guts? Who could?"

"It's the ants!" Chozth frothed. "They've come to save their champion after all!"

The large ant was still tumbling down the slope towards the pit, and Zluth wasn't too keen on going back to take another look. It couldn't be more than seconds away from plunging into the sludge, after which there would be no going back.

The shaking grew more and more pronounced, forcing the slugs to flatten their bodies and tighten their grip on the surface they clung to.

"What is happening?" Soluzz raged at his warrior escorts, but none of them had an answer for him.

With a hideous tearing sound, the flesh of the heart gave way as something pierced through, rapidly widening the opening and extending into the cavity within. Zluth was so shocked to see the heart invaded that he needed a moment to recognise just what he was seeing.

"The tree?!" he hissed.

"She wouldn't dare!" Soluzz bellowed, but the evidence of their eyes betrayed his words.

Extending into the heart right in front of them was a giant root, widening and hardening with every passing moment. The slugs seethed at this blasphemous trespass, enraged that the hated interloper had gone so far as to pierce the heart.

"Kill it!" Soluzz ordered his warriors. "Send word to the tribe above! We finally have an excuse to hunt down and annihilate this foul tree once and for all!"

Snarling, he began to gather his immense magic, only to hesitate as something unexpected poked its head out of a small hole that had grown in the thickening wood, covered with a bubble of blue mana.

Two antennae emerged, followed by a little ant head, causing Chozth to froth with rage.

A moment later, a voice rang out in their heads.

[Nailed it on the first try. To be expected, I suppose, I'M BRILLIANT!]

Zluth recoiled. She was in his head? How?! He hadn't felt the bridge connect? And yet it had, he could sense it now. What strange method was this? He immediately moved to sever the connection, but not before the cheerful, energetic voice spoke again.

[Not a great place to stand, sluggies!] Then the voice seemed to shift, as if it were speaking to someone else. [We found the spot! LET IT RIP!]

Maniacal laughter echoed in his head until Zluth finally managed to cut it off, breaking the bridge between them. How? Why!? One thing was for certain: this moment was dangerous. He didn't understand what was going on — and that meant he needed to be cautious.

"We should retreat until we know what is happening," he suggested to the others, preparing to flee.

"Retreat?" Chozth spat. "We attack! If they save the captive, then we have achieved nothing."

That was a good point. Zluth felt himself torn. His instincts screamed at him to run, to hide and wait for his chance to strike, yet the Ancient demanded that he stay and fight to ensure the ant was turned. Fortunately, his decision was made for him.

To his right, the great stack of vents began to violently shake. A low rumble could be heard, followed by a high-pitched whistle sound as vast amounts of air and mana began to screech out of the openings. The flow of energy had reversed, something was coming out of the vents, not in.

That was all Zluth needed to see. Between the tree-root, growing larger and thickening each second, and the strange behavior of the vents, he was unsettled enough to make his decision. He didn't announce anything, or draw attention to himself, he simply flattened himself and began to run, seeking higher ground.

He wasn't the only one, nor was he the first.

Krath raced back along the path, trying to reach the platforms they could use to winch themselves higher. Zluth didn't bother with the platform, he launched himself onto the slime ropes themselves, gripping tight with his foot as he began to squirm his way higher.

Chozth and Soluzz looked to hold their ground for a moment, but when the rest of the Krath ran, they saw the writing on the wall and joined them.

That slight delay would prove to be fatal.

With a final eruption of mana and sour air, the tops of the vents exploded as a geyser of pure blue liquid burst out of the top. With so much pressure behind it, the fluid blasted a hundred metres into the air before it began to rain down.

Zluth cursed and picked up his speed, rushing to get higher. He recognised the stench of that liquid, knew it for what it was, even if he didn't know how. The ants were attempting to corrupt the heart! That was tainted, concentrated mana that they had violated! They were pumping it straight back to the source!

Looking down, he could see the sludge pool, sizzling and frothing with great bubbles wherever even the slightest drop of the crystal blue liquid touched it. A horrified realisation came to him.

They weren't trying to cleanse the heart… they were trying to cleanse the entire stratum! The heart would pump the foul energy they had created throughout this entire section of the Dungeon! And… and if the sludge were overcome…

The source of the energy within the entire fifth stratum could be at risk.

Horrified, Zluth redoubled his efforts. He needed to alert the Krath above. Chozth was right, they had to fight!

He twisted a stalk back down towards the deadly Krath'lath. As always, she was faster and more powerful than the others, racing to make up for the ground she had lost. He knew she would be safe, she only needed a few more moments.

That's when a single drop of the purified energy landed on her back.

Chozth collapsed in an instant, writhing as the energy ate into the corruption in her flesh. Zluth grit his fangs, but there was nothing he could do. He wasn't going back down there, not now.

It was with a little comfort that he saw the bundle of ooze that was the giant ant splash into the sludge pool and sink beneath the surface.

Too late, he thought savagely. Your moment of victory is about to turn into one of crushing despair.

-x-X-x-

Something doesn't feel right. Like, there's layers to not feeling right. You put your foot into a wet sock, it doesn't feel right, it's icky and unpleasant. Coming home to a suspiciously quiet house and the door handle is broken? Feels really off. I now know that it's likely to be debt-collectors, and they're just doing their job, but the first time it happened… I got the heebie-jeebies.

This experience I'm having right now? Blows those out of the water. Whatever is going on around here is deeply, deeply disturbing. Pump the brakes on this wild ride, I'm ready to get off.

[Master? Do you feel that?]

[Are you talking about you wriggling your tentacles around my organs or the disgusting, mind-shuddering nastiness hanging in the air?]

[The… the second one.]

Thought I didn't notice, eh? Trying to be sneaky, huh? Unfortunately, I have more important things to focus on than chewing out my invasive associate.

[I don't know, but if you pressed me, I could probably hazard a guess.]

[I think I have the same guess as you.]

[Nards. That's not good.]

Obviously, we still can't see out, still wrapped up in a protective layer of ooze as we are, but our mana senses have never been so attuned. I've gained a few levels, in fact, refining my ability and narrowing my focus so the Krath don't notice me sniffing about. It hasn't been easy, but I've been getting better at it! Crinis is still way better than I am….

[That means we've arrived in the heart and they're moving us towards the pool of doom-goop. We're almost out of time. Has the lousy wave ended yet?!]

[I… I don't think so, Master.]

Crinis sounds genuinely concerned. We might end up in the worst case scenario after all, breaking out of the ooze while the wave is still ongoing. It's practically a death sentence, but I might not have a choice at this rate.

Checking on my condition, I can see that I've managed to fully recover from the damage I'd experienced. Cleansed of corrupting mana and my body healed, I'm ready for action. I'd much rather that action not be within the heart during a wave, but beggars can't be choosers.

[Get ready to bust out if we have to, Crinis. Try extending your senses a little and I'll do the same. If we have to go down fighting, we can take out as many of the Krath as we can on the way.]

[I'll make them regret ever laying hands on you, Master,] she says, rather evilly.

I want to tell her to chill a little, but you know what? If anyone deserves the wrath of Crinis, it's the Krath. Who am I to hold her back?

Thanks to my tunnel sense, I can tell we are still being brought down lower, and the sense of wrongness is only getting stronger. The more I try to extend tiny little feelers of thought to check the general mana, the more frustrated my efforts are by the trace foulness emanating up from below. The soup of Theorazzn is so dang potent that my mana sense is getting thrown off. I do not want to take a dip in that.

[Crinis, you getting anything?]

[It's really hard to tell. I think I can sense a large source of… darkness mana? But… I can't be sure.]

[Darkness mana? That doesn't seem right. Could just be the interference from the goop. Alright, get ready to break free. I'll hold out until the last possible moment, then I'll give the word.]

[Alright.]

I really don't like how this feels. I can't even tell what the mana level is like right now. If the wave were to end, would I even know?! The closer we get to the pool, the worse my ability to sense gets! Do I just go now? Or do I wait?!

Oh? Oh. I think I'm rolling now. Not in a 'oh I've really started getting into my groove', but more in a literal, 'snowball down the side of a mountain' type of rolling. I think they tipped me off the edge of something?

Alright… this isn't okay.

[Master! I sense darkness! It's coming closer!]

[What?! I think… I think I sensed something else as well. There's something crazy going on out there.]

What the heck is happening?! I hesitate, again, for a moment. This rush of power I feel, is it even real? Is it a concentration of tainted mana? Am I about to jump out and instantly get whacked in the face with an extra toxic dose?!

Then I land in the pool, and everything changes.

In an instant, the ooze is burned away, and the pure, uncontaminated toxin of an Ancient comes into contact with my carapace.

[Crinis, GET INSIDE MY CARAPACE NOW.]

Unable to resist my direct command, she shrinks wholly within my body as the searing pain rolls over me and starts to penetrate my flesh in an instant. This is insane. This isn't anything like the mana of the fifth, even during the wave. The mana of the fifth stratum is a pale imitation, a fake, barely even a shadow.

THIS is the real deal, and it eats into me so fast I barely even realise it's happening before it's nearly reached my core.

My brains slam into gear and put the brakes on the invasion. I'm barely even aware of my body scrambling to emerge from the pool, launching myself out of there, drawing on the power of the Altar to empower my Dash and get out as fast as possible.

The moment I'm out, I shake vigorously, trying to get every drop, every toxic speck off of me. All of my sub-brains are dedicated to the internal war, which is rapidly getting out of control. The influence of this goop is insane! It copies itself so quickly and eats into everything it touches so rapidly. I can't believe something this dangerous is even real!

This is the power of an Ancient?

Holding on for dear life, I almost cry out with joy as a surge of highly concentrated, purified mana washes over me.

-x-X-x-

It's hard to get a sense of exactly what's going on, so much of my energy is focused inwards. Pretty much all of it, in fact. The incredibly dense liquid mana is attacking any remaining doom-goo on my carapace, but it can't do anything to help the toxin that's already gotten in.

Every ounce of my strength is diverted to containing the rampant spread of the infection. The stuff is like normal fifth stratum mana on fast-forward. Everything it touches is instantly devoured and repurposed, changed into more of itself. If it actually manages to touch my core… I think I'll just instantly be dead.

Or worse.

As the amount of cleansed energy around me rises, I feel a presence by my side. More than one, in fact.

"Get around the Eldest. What's their condition?"

"Protectant?"

She ignores me, the gall of her!

"That bad? Get ready. We'll take all that we can."

"Take what? Hello? What the heck are you doing?"

I don't have the attention to spare, otherwise I'd dig into the Vestibule to see what these ants are up to. All twenty are nearby, I'm pretty sure at least, which means the area immediately around me has been fully cleansed.

"Any chance a few of you are healers? I could use a little help."

"Of course we're going to help you," Protectant pats me on the head with one leg. "What did you think we were put here for?"

All of a sudden, the internal strain is sharply reduced as a third of the infectious mana is sucked away from me. I clack my mandibles reflexively in shock, so relieved at the lessened burden.

I redouble my efforts, trying to hold onto the ground that I've suddenly gained, but a sliver is spared to help me better take in my surroundings. As expected, the twenty defenders are there, arranged around me in a defensive formation, Protectant near my head. Sapphire blue liquid mana is still rocketing out of the vents as if a dam had burst, raining down and filling up the heart from within. Somewhere behind me, I can see a violent storm of smoke and froth rising up from the sludge pit as it reacts violently to every drop of cleansed energy that touches it.

I don't know what Solant has planned here, but I'm really starting to wonder if any amount of cleansed mana could fix that pool. If we threw a few wuffers in there, they'd be instantly turned to something awful.

I go to thank my defenders for coming to the rescue, when I realise that they don't look particularly good. Which gets me thinking. What happened to the mana that was taken out of me? Where did it go?

"Protectant… tell me you didn't."

"Didn't what?" she says, right before she collapses.

"Oh, you little idiot!" I yell, surging to my feet so I can stand over my defenders who are all falling over, one by one. "This stuff is way too dangerous for you to handle!"

"So we should leave it… inside of you?" Protectant snaps. "Don't be… foolish."

How did they even get it out of me? Having any effect on the energy inside of another creature should be impossible, or at least absurdly difficult. There's no way they're strong enough to pull off something like this.

Unless… some of them had evolved and mutated for specifically this purpose. I'm sure there are organs, abilities and mutations that will assist in doing something like this. Dammit.

"I need healers here!" I yell, filling the heart with my pheromones. "I need them NOW!"

From within the tree root, a great darkness has been swelling. At my words, it finally spills out, running over the ground like a fluid until it wraps around my feet and surrounds the twenty struggling ants. Slowly, they sink into the ground, vanishing into the shadow.

"Be careful," I warn my unnamed siblings. "That infection is so contagious it'll jump to you if you look at it."

Surrounded by darkness, Crinis begins to emerge from within my carapace, her tendrils extending to sense the air.

[I knew I sensed something,] she says. [I just didn't expect to see them here.]

[Your little secret police force?]

[...]

[Well… they're here.]

I turn my attention above. I can tell the Krath are rallying up there. They won't let us take the heart without a fight. This place is the literal and figurative centre of their entire society, at least for this section of the Dungeon. Losing it would be a never-before-seen disaster in the eyes of the slugs. They're going to come back down here like rampaging demons.

[Crinis. I get the feeling there's going to be a fight soon.]

[I won't leave you, Master.]

[Don't worry about me. I can hold on now that they took a chunk of the infection away.]

Well… for now, anyway.

[It's more important that we win. We have to hold this heart, Crinis. I can't fight, so I need you to go in my place. Make them afraid, Crinis. I want the slugs to shiver at the mention of your name going forward.]

She's reluctant, I can see that much, but the chance to finally latch her tentacles onto the Krath? That's an offer she can't refuse.

[I'll make that FILTH wish they'd never touched you,] she vows.

A stone-shattering roar echoes out of the tree root and fills the heart, reverberating off the walls. An apex predator has announced its presence, letting everyone know they should fall back or face his wrath.

[Well, you better move quick,] I chuckle to Crinis. [Otherwise, your brother will get there ahead of you.]

-x-X-x-

By the time Zluth reached the settlement of the Zissth along the roof of the heart, it was already a storm. The slugs could feel the tempest of mana at war in the chamber below and were already up in arms. Zluth found Zaluss, the scout and pet master who'd captured him on his first visit to the Zissth.

"What's going on down there?" he hissed from atop his hulking pet spider.

All of the Krath were assembling, gathering their war-beasts and pets as well. They'd need everything they could summon to ensure they won the fight. Losing was not an option.

"The heart has been invaded," Zluth told him quickly. "They are filling it with contaminated mana, hoping to use the heart to spread it through this entire section of the Dungeon. If we don't stop them, we're all dead!"

If it actually managed to fill the heart, it would soon start flooding the main artery tunnels, and from there spreading out to all the capillaries. As long as there was enough of it, and Zluth suspected the invaders would surely have enough, then there wouldn't be anywhere to hide. The cleansed area would spread throughout this entire sector of the fifth until it ran into the border of the next. He already knew what would happen after that.

The ants would come, with their disgusting jelly monsters. They'd pull the exact same trick again, soaking up the energy of the fifth, tainting it with their blue filth, then sending it straight back. Only this time, they'd have an enormous safe zone in which to operate, huge chunks of the fifth that were perfectly safe for them to move in.

The very thought made him sick.

"Where's Soluzz?" the scout demanded. "Don't tell me the Krath'lath died down there?"

Before Zluth could offer a denial, a powerful voice burbled from behind them.

"Your Krath'lath doesn't die that easily."

Zluth froze in the act of saying Soluzz had been killed by the invaders and turned. Soluzz may have escaped, but he had paid a price. Down one side of his face, a deep, blue trench had been cut into his flesh, the path a drop of the blue liquid had travelled after landing on his head.

One could only imagine what he'd had to do in order to survive such close contact with the purified energy.

"Gather everyone and everything," Soluzz burbled. "We are going to make them regret ever daring to imagine they could come to this heart."

The presence of their mighty Krath'lath further galvanised the slugs of the Zissth, and they rallied to defend their slimeground, as did the warrior slugs of the other tribes who had accompanied them on the journey down.

With Soluzz in the lead, the combined might of the Zissth charged down the narrow and winding paths to the lower chamber. Blubbeasts, Cannon Snails and Vileslimes, ranks of them, along with hundreds of Krath warriors.

Zluth hoped it would be enough.

When he made it deep enough to see the lower end of the heart again, it was like a scene out of a nightmare. The blue liquid continued to fountain out of the vents, crystalline and clear, raining its filth down to the floor of the heart, already several feet deep.

His eyes turned straight to the turning pit, and he saw a whirlpool had formed above it, noxious fumes and hissing corruption bubbling up from below. The giant ant was still down, collapsed in the liquid with shadows and darkness underneath.

The tree root hadn't grown much larger, but it was already dozens of metres thick. Who knew what could be contained within? There could be a million ants about to pour into the heart, as soon as the area was cleansed.

Even so, what attracted his attention was something different.

Atop the tree root, he could see three monsters.

The giant ape was the first. Enormous, with arms thicker than Soluzz' entire body, burning red eyes and electricity crackling along his black and white fur, the beast was an intimidating sight. When it stood tall and stretched its black wings wide, Zluth swore he could feel it staring at him.

Beside it, a being of pure darkness writhed in a maelstrom of lashing tentacles. From within its ever-shifting form, he glimpsed gnashing mouths filled with nothing but hunger and malice. Already the creature was reaching for them, desperate to seize any Krath it could get.

Beside them, a small form fluttered, an eye with tiny wings and stick-thin arms. Despite its frail appearance, Zluth could feel the force of the mind behind that eye as it turned towards the descending Krath. Beneath the hovering body, the air split as a horrifically wide mouth opened, black tongue lolling out from between its jagged and razor-sharp teeth.

The ape roared and slammed his palms into his chest, urging the slugs to come down faster so he could destroy them.

"There's only three," Zluth said to himself. "There's no way they didn't bring more."

The rest of the Krath, following the lead of their Krath'lath, either disregarded the possibility, or perhaps it didn't matter. If there were more, then they would have to be defeated too. There was no other choice.

They charged.

Zluth went to go with them, but his caution saved the day. The darkness to his left seemed a little too dark, and he hesitated, for just a second.

The net emerged like the snapping maw of a turtle. A thing of darkness and shadow, it burned and hissed when exposed to the mana of the fifth. Zluth shrank his body, compressing himself down to duck under the path of the net.

After it had flown overhead, he rose to retaliate, only for the shadow to be gone, as if it had never been there. He'd been too slow.

Except, not entirely. He was quick enough to see the slug closest to him being dragged into a pool of darkness, struggling and writhing to slip through the netting that dug into his flesh.

An ant head emerged from the darkness and seized the Krath with its mandibles, pulling it in slowly, its eyes shining at Zluth, promising he would be next.

Of course there would be more.

-x-X-x-

The healers were around me before I even knew that they were coming. After my twenty defenders were dragged into the tree root and, I presume, shuffled back to the fortress, they came back for me, grumbling all the while.

"Having a nice nap, Eldest?"

"You know this is a war zone, right?"

"Serves you right for jumping off the platform."

Look, I'll tolerate a lot from the healers, I know how badly they get overworked, and the futility of trying to keep ants from getting injured, but that's a bit much.

"Excuse me? 'Jumped off the platform'? What sort of revisionist history is that?! I heroically and nobly fell from the platform."

"You're really going to bother replying to that when you should be using all of your mental energy to keep yourself alive?"

"You just expect us to do it for you, don't you? Typical."

"Hey, I'm working very hard to keep myself alive!"

"Then why isn't it working?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because the virulent toxin of a literal Ancient is eating through my insides?"

"Sounds like you're slacking."

Honestly, I would like to reply to that, but I do actually have to spend almost all of my energy on containing the slowly unfolding disaster within me. Protectant and the others really helped me by pulling some of it away, but even a single drop is enough to be dangerous, and I've still got way more than that inside me.

To be honest, it's awful. I can feel myself mutating inside. The mana isn't just destroying, it's changing me as it goes, twisting and warping everything it touches on its way through. I've already tried to flush the regeneration gland through my body, but it doesn't attack the morphed tissue like it should, as if it recognises it as belonging to my body.

"I… I could use a little help," I tell the healers. I just don't have the strength to argue with them.

"What do you think we came here for?" one of them huffs, already poking and prodding at my carapace with her antennae. "Well, we came here for a few reasons, but you're one of them."

If the heart keeps filling up at this pace, I'm going to be underwater soon, condensed liquid mana putting everything except my antennae below the surface. Just how much of this stuff did we make?!

Overhead, the battle has been joined. I'm vaguely aware of it, but I truly can't spare the energy to see how it's going. Tiny, Crinis and Invidia are there, I'm sure of it. They'll take care of everything.

I have to believe that.

"Oh, what else did you come here for?" I ask the healers. "Complaining to me directly? You could have just sent me some mail."

"You think we don't have anything better to do than complain to you?"

This is a new scent. From the corner of my vision, I see a healer emerge, larger than the others.

"Mendant? What are you doing here?"

The healers around me are pouring in their energy, trying to arrest the spread of corruption. It helps, but the stuff is so damn durable. Trying to break it apart is like a thirty step process, and if you fail at one, the whole thing unravels and the mana reforms, as if I'd never touched it at all.

It's exhausting. Thankfully, I have enough ants around to refresh my mental energy, so I can keep going, but the same isn't true for the healers.

"Healing," Mendant sighs. "You think this heart is going to survive shock therapy like this?"

Huh?

I turn my attention to the walls of the heart. Oh, I think I see what she's talking about. The fifth may not have always been the toxic mess it is now, but the heart has been soaking in that corruption for… who knows how long. Wherever the blue liquid contacts, the flesh of the heart is… burning.

On closer inspection, it looks as if the filth is being cleansed, but after so long, that doesn't leave all that much behind. If nothing is done, the heart will be healed, purified, only to collapse shortly afterwards.

"More work," Mendant grumbles. "It's not enough for us to heal the wounded, we have to heal the Dungeon as well? If this becomes a regular thing, I'm going to demand we double the number of healers in the next ten generations."

"I thought we let the hatchlings choose what they wanted to do?"

"Oh… yes. Of course. Anyway, I'm busy."

Off she goes, with more and more healers emerging from the tree root. There are hundreds of them, maybe thousands in there, and they leap into action. Soon, the floor of the heart is a carpet of healers, pouring out their energy to repair the flesh even as it breaks apart, holding the beating pump of the fifth stratum together.

"Wow. That's really impressive. I don't want to make too fine a point of it, but there are actual… you know… soldiers in that tree root, right? Not to diminish what you're doing at all, but you know, isn't there a battle going on up above us?"

"As if we can't take care of ourselves," one of the healers climbing on my carapace snaps, slapping my carapace with an antenna. "Aren't you a patient? Be quiet and let us do our work."

"I'm still doing most of the work here," I point out, only to get another slap.

"Not to worry. I'm fairly sure Brilliant has rounded up everyone she could," another healer assures me. "Now shush."

Shush? I've been shushed by one of my own siblings? This is a low point. I'd be more upset if it weren't for the all-consuming poison in my body. Well, the nameless are here, things can't go too badly with them around.

"WE SEEK!"

Oh no…

-x-X-x-

"Sisters! We arrive now at the final battle!" Leeroy called, her voice ringing out within the darkness. Her precious siblings were around her, even if she couldn't see them. They were a presence that she could never deny, a wordless embrace she would never refuse. "The enemy has taunted us for so long, thinking themselves outside the reach of our mandibles. They were fools, the Immortals can charge anywhere!"

"WE SEEK!"

"Deep in the heart of the stratum. Surrounded by enemies on all sides, the poisonous filth of the fifth all around us. What better place for us? What more could we possibly wish for?! Our enemies yearn to bring us death! I welcome it!"

She felt the rising hunger of the Immortals around her. They still burned for sacrifice, she did too, and this was a golden opportunity. As the last of the healers in front of them left the shadow realm, Leeroy began to gather her strength in her legs.

Within her body, she felt the fungus awaken, stirred to life by the aura of battle and struggle. Soon, it too would be unleashed on the battlefield. Like her, it hungered for sacrifice.

The Eldest had been right. This was the right evolution for Leeroy and her sisters. She had chosen wisely. She stepped forward, ready to emerge.

"Sisters! What is our purpose?!" she roared, then charged.

"WE SEEK!" they answered her as one.

The full might of their armoured column advanced, slowly at first, but with a gathering momentum. They burst out of the darkness and found themselves in a bewildering scene.

The walls of the heart shuddered and thundered around them as blue mana warred with toxic and foul energy all around them. The Eldest was down, surrounded by healers, their eyes burning with inner suffering.

Leeroy suppressed a twinge of jealousy and focused on her mission. She was here to fight, and to find her ending.

The Immortals crashed to the ground, their feet deep in the rising liquid-mana, and continued their charge, speed and power mounting by the second. At their head, Leeroy wore her new armour, forged by Smithant over the last few days. Cunningly concealed holes allowed the fungal fibres that now twisted around her carapace to wind their way about the armoured plating as well, while several gaps at the back gave room for the mushrooms that poked through. To her left and right were the only other tier seven Immortals, flanking and supporting her, their armour mirrored to hers.

Casting about, Leeroy found the enemy, high above, warring with the guardians and shadows. The nearest foes were at least two hundred metres up, the bulk of them were five times that far. Weighed down by their armour, the Immortals weren't built for climbing or fighting in the air. They were made to smash into their foes headlong and fight to the bitter end.

So that's what they were going to do.

"Ignite the road to the beyond! Hoist the Reliquary high!" she roared.

"Ascend!" the Immortals chanted back at her.

Not all of the Immortals were Soldiers, though that caste made up the bulk of them by far. There were mages, carvers and others along with them, all part of the armoured charge. They had made sure that there was nowhere the Immortals couldn't go in search of their final rest.

Even far above, the Krath were not safe.

Metal-clad ant legs thundered along the ground, but, after a brief pause, that was no longer true.

A golden pathway formed, just before Leeroy's legs, that lifted them off the ground and curved, higher and higher, until the armoured column of the Immortals was charging directly upwards.

Carried forward by the unstoppable momentum of her sisters, Leeroy used every ounce of her strength, her legs gripping hard on the golden road and pushing. Her stamina plunged precipitously as she Dashed again and again, each step a new activation of the Skill. Braced by the Immortals in front and behind them, the entire column accelerated upwards as they screamed their warcry.

"FOR THE COLONY!"

The armoured might of the Colony could not be denied.

Leeroy burst through the edge of the safe-zone and rushed headlong into the poisonous atmosphere of the fifth. Smithant's enchanted device activated immediately, enveloping her in a temporary bubble. She hoped against hope that it would run out.

Before her loomed the beasts of the Krath, gibbering mouths and slime-launching snails, their shells aglow with power as they sucked in mucus and mana. That was perfect.

Leeroy lowered her head, shifted her path, and launched herself forward.

At the same time, the mushrooms along her back sprang to life, bursting out a trail of spores that streamed behind her with glittering light, like motes of gold floating in the wind.

With joy soaring in her heart, Leeroy closed in on the beast as it swelled with foul energy, her mandibles wide and ready to strike. Behind her, the rest of the Immortals reached the end of the road and similarly flung themselves from it, each having picked their target. The force of their charge was such that they fired from the path like steel-clad rocks flung from a catapult, like spears launched from a ballista.

The beast before Leeroy barely had time to roar in defiance before she crunched into it, biting and ripping. Acid and mucus poured down on her like rain, but she didn't care. Her charge had crunched through the snail's shell as if it were paper, and she soon heard the notification ring in her ears.

Disappointed the fight hadn't lasted longer, she found her bearings and sought out another target. Already, the Krath were beginning to rain down their acid and poison on her, but she welcomed it gladly. Today, Leeroy knew, she would give her life for the family she loved.

Then the spores would come, and the fungus would put her back together.

When she awoke, she would be whole once more, and, on another day, she would get to do it all over again.

Truly, she had found a most blessed existence.

-x-X-x-

Soon after the Immortals somehow ran into the air on a golden road, they started coming back down again. Not particularly gently, either. With enemies gripped in their mandibles, the armour-clad ants are literally dragging their opponents to the floor of the heart, crashing into the liquid mana with tremendous force and holding their victims down as the purified energy breaks them down.

Honestly, if the liquid hadn't risen so high, I think the fall would have been enough to bring the enemies and the Immortals to a rather messy end. In fact, I suspect that might have been the point. More than one of the 'victorious' ants can be seen grumbling as they pick themselves up and start scaling the walls of the heart, no easy feat with all that armour weighing them down.

I'm starting to get genuinely worried one of them might fall on me, and I'm in no position to get out of the way. With so much of my focus on trying to halt the spread of the toxin within me, I don't have the attention to spare for dodging. I'll just have to hope they're careful enough not to squish me along with themselves.

Then again… my carapace might be enough to withstand the impact, the gravity compressed diamond is no joke.

Neither is my wrath, which I will unleash on the first ant who lands on me!

Or… uh… what? What the heck was that?

A sense of unease stirs in me as I wonder where on Pangera that stray thought came from. Is… was that Dark Anthony? Has he stirred from his restless slumber?

I search inside myself, but I don't see any trace of Dark Anthony, no evidence that he's taken over at all. That's… that's not a good thing.

"I don't want to alarm anyone, but a strange and unfriendly thought popped into my head a moment ago," I tell the healers.

"That shouldn't be possible," one of them snaps, latching her antennae onto my head. "The corruption hasn't gone anywhere near your brains, nor your core. How could it be affecting your thoughts?"

"I don't know! Either I'm just really angry and wanting to chomp my own siblings, which has never happened before, or the toxin is getting to me!"

"This is a problem…."

"Really?!"

I don't want to become sludge Anthony, sludge Anthony is a massive jerk and probably leaks mucus out of his eyeballs. No thanks!

"We might have to move you back to the fortress immediately," the healers tell me.

"Is that really a good idea? At least I'm swimming in cleansed mana here, almost literally."

I can tell it's having a positive effect on me. The little bits of Ancient Goop that clung to my carapace have been purified now, which means no more corrupt mana is getting into me. Honestly, digging a hole in my carapace and pouring the stuff inside me might do the trick, but I'm a little worried my organs won't hold if dunked in such purified mana.

"You might… be right," the healer sighs, still poking and prodding at me.

Honestly, the situation isn't looking too promising right now. We're managing to hold our ground, but we aren't pushing the toxin back. In fact, if Protectant hadn't taken some of the infection away, I might well be toasted already.

I hope she's doing alright, her and the others.

So I can crunch them myself!

Ohhhhh no. Newp. Don't like that at all.

A mass of darkness shifts above me and, to my surprise, the six Templars step out onto my carapace.

"Where the heck did you come from?" I ask them. "And should you even be here?! This is dangerous!"

Alis stamps her foot, on my back, mind you.

"Everywhere you go is dangerous! Aren't we supposed to protect you? You saved me… so you can't complain when the situation is reversed."

Well… that's fair, I suppose.

"Yes, alright, but I wasn't talking about the battle, I was talking about the concentration of mana in here."

I don't need to point to the liquid mana still literally raining down around us. If a regular human were to touch the stuff… I don't think it will go well for them. Very quickly.

"The toxin is hurting you spiritually," Jern says, seemingly ignoring my concerns. "It isn't affecting the Nave right now, but we can feel it. It's changing you."

Well great. I guess that explains the twisted impulses I've started getting.

"Is… is there anything you guys can do to help me with that?" I ask, a little reluctantly.

I'm supposed to be the one putting myself on the line to save others, not the other way around!

It's Bertram who answers.

"I think so. A few of us are going to have to stay in contact with you. Not all of us have the exact same Skills, so we can't all do the job. That frees up some of us for winning the battle."

"You're going to fight?"

The older man blinks, scratching at his stubbled cheek.

"Well, not me. Or Alis. But the rest can."

The kids?! Ah, heck.

They're glaring at me too, they know what I'm thinking. I'll need to tread carefully, otherwise they'll start guilting me into more things.

"Just… try not to get hurt," I sigh.

-x-X-x-

It wasn't long into the battle before most of the platforms the Zissth had constructed were completely destroyed. The armoured ants, in their insane zeal, had smashed everything they could in their charge, latching onto the Krath's trained monsters, forcing themselves into their mouths, or simply flinging themselves into the air, dragging their victims down with them.

Now Zluth could see the cursed creatures were slowly pulling themselves up the walls of the heart, eager to try again.

The battle had moved to the walls and roof of the lower chamber, the Krath and their beasts clinging to the moving surface and fighting with the ferocity and cunning their kind was known for.

But even here, there were nightmares waiting for the slugs. The shadows themselves had turned against them. No patch of darkness remained ordinary and safe for long, they deepened, and moments later, nets would fly out, or flashing mandibles. He'd seen more than one Krath dragged into the pooling shadows, surely never to return.

Danger was everywhere, and Zluth could feel the acid surging in his flesh as he tried desperately to keep himself alive. Flat against the wall, he conjured the power he cultivated inside of him and spat it forth, a jet of acid that seared across the wall and burned into the mucus coating the heart.

He was too slow, the shadow he'd targeted had already faded. Or perhaps… moved. Zluth's eyes twisted atop their stalks, trying to see in every direction at once.

The creature of shadow and teeth wasn't far away anymore. Every minute that passed, those grasping, lashing, squeezing limbs got closer and closer. He would need to move further up soon, but if things didn't change, then soon there would be no space left and the Krath would be forced back to the upper chamber.

He gathered his acid once more and prepared to spit, a condensed ball of power, sent straight to the heart of the forest of tentacles, but something caught his eye at the last second. Zluth flung himself to the side just as the axe crashed into the heart right beside him.

Zluth reacted instantly, turning and unleashing the ball of acid, but he struck nothing, his shot flying too high. Unbelievably, a human was there, thick shoulders, corded muscle on his arms and a hefty axe in his hands. The man was buried up to his waist in shadow. As Zluth watched, he sank back into the shadows, his brown eyes burning with dangerous intent.

A shiver ran down the length of Zluth's flesh. That human was hunting him. Hunting him.

Baring his fangs in anger, the Krath'lath of the Slee felt the rage ignite within him. How dare this creature hunt him, a Krath, within the beating heart of the fifth!

Humans did not belong here. Humans could not survive here.

An ear-shattering, piercing cry split the air. It came from the huge beast, electricity crackling around his chest and arms, hanging from the slime ropes. Something about that screech speared into the Krath's brain, stunning and freezing him on the spot.

Only for a moment, then control reasserted itself, just in time for him to contort his body once more.

The axe flashed past his face, so close he felt the wind from it on his tongue. Infuriated, he spun and snapped with his jaw, eager to take a bit from this absurd human. Somehow, the weapon was there, between the soft flesh of the attacker and the Krath. When he bit down, he tasted only metal. A second later, the human was gone, retreating back into the shadows and taking the axe with him.

So angry his flesh boiled and popped as the acid within him bubbled and frothed, Zluth lost track of the battle, looking only at the shadows around him, waiting for the would-be hunter to emerge once more.

It took until the third explosion for Zluth to snap back to his senses. The detonations were deafening, the concussive force rolling through his body with each blast, and they were getting closer. Gripping tight to the wall of the heart with his foot, Zluth compressed his body and camouflaged himself as best he could while racing away from the explosive magic.

The battlefield was so hectic, so chaotic, it was impossible for the Krath to mount an organised defence. They were fighting hard, but more and more ants continued to emerge from the root. At this rate, they would soon be outnumbered. Once that happened, there might not be a way to turn the fight around.

Zluth's eyes burned red as he glared down at the cursed root. That damned tree would be cut down and used to feed the mould farms when this was done, the tribes wouldn't settle for anything less. For now, he just needed to destroy that root, then they would have a chance.

Unflattening his body, Zluth whirled and spat a dense wad of mucus from deep within his body. A patch of gathering darkness on his left was scattered as the sizzling goop splattered over it.

The slug hesitated. He could have sworn…

Searing pain exploded from his side, and Zluth hissed furiously as he twisted away. The gleaming blade of the axe sizzled with bright green acid as it pulled away. The human sank once more into the shadows, his steady gaze burning with intent as Zluth cursed and spat.

A deep gouge had been cut into his side, but it wouldn't be fatal. Already the acid in his flesh had cauterised the wound.

How had the human managed to trick him? Again, the slug turned his gaze down to the massive root below.

He didn't have time for this….

-x-X-x-

If the ants kept flooding into the heart, then the fight was completely lost. Zluth had grasped the numbers the insects had brought to the fifth while scouting their cursed platform. Rank after rank emerged from within the walls, no matter how many were injured or forced to fall back.

With so many Krath still at the fortress, they couldn't hope to compete with a tenth of what the cursed insects could bring to bear. The invaders had to be stopped.

Zluth twisted himself around, his eyes spinning atop their stalks. Darkness and shadows lurked all around him, any of which could be used by the axe-wielding human. Danger was everywhere, but standing still wasn't any better. The only choice was to move, and he had a target in mind.

He compressed his body flat against the wall and began to race as fast as he could, using camouflage to conceal himself and pulling the mana around him tight and close. He suspected his would-be hunter was still able to trace him, but there was no reason to make it any easier than he needed to.

If the tribes were seeing any success in this fight so far, it was due to their cannon snails. Specially bred monsters who sucked in mucus and toxic mana before launching it in dense balls of power. Without a pool to feed them, the snail handlers were doing their best to guide the creatures towards the thick slime coating the walls of the heart so they could soak it up and fire it below, but they were being constantly hounded by the ants of darkness.

Two antennae popped above his flattened body, Zluth zigged and zagged his way along the wall, angling towards the massive, bloated snails. The wound in his side ached fiercely, but he did his best to ignore it. If he allowed himself to be tricked again, it wouldn't end with just this injury.

The hunter was still around him now, he could feel it. The darkness around him waxed and waned, growing stronger and fading away like a living creature. At any moment, that wicked axe blade could emerge again, from any angle.

This time, the scout was determined to see it coming.

He almost didn't.

Every shadow around him darkened at once, leaving him surrounded. Staying still would mean certain death, so he continued his charge, pushing his foot to the limit to extract every ounce of speed he could. All the while, he watched, waiting for the axe to emerge, waiting to see which of the shadows contained the hunter.

At the last second, he realised the answer: none of them.

Zluth screeched to a halt, arresting his momentum so quickly he felt like his eyes almost fell off their stalks.

THUNK!

The axe smashed into the sludge-coated meat of the heart right in front of him. Whipping his eyes around, Zluth could see the hunter sinking into a shadow under a destroyed platform held up by strings of mucus. In seconds, he would come to retrieve his weapon; this was the only moment of safety the Krath was going to get.

The slug launched himself forward, sliding around the oversized weapon, gathering speed, and then he leapt off the wall.

For a dizzying, heart-pounding moment, he hung in the air looking down at the swelling pool of blue mana below. If he fell…

He stretched forward, jaw open wide, and latched onto a mucus string. His spindly hands snapped shut around it as his bite severed the strand, sending him swinging out through the heart, angled towards the cannon snails.

When he released his grip, he'd underestimated the speed he'd gained and hit the wall with tremendous force. Splatted against the heart, he was barely able to recover and grip the surface properly before the wall pulsed and threw him off.

"Soluzz!" Zluth croaked, then expanded himself a little and tried again. "SOLUZZ!"

The Krath'lath of the Zissth was directing his forces against the ants without much success. His powerful acid magic was barely enough to fend off the shadows and grasping limbs of the nightmare creature, but he wasn't making any headway against the forces massing below. Boiling with anger and frustration, the leader turned at the sound of his voice, mouth agape and fangs glistening.

Zluth pointed.

"We have to use the cannon snails to destroy the tree! It's our only chance!"

No Krath'lath wanted to be told what to do, especially in their own slimeground, especially by an inferior, yet Soluzz hadn't risen to his position by virtue of his strength alone. Even in the depths of his rage, there was a calculating and cunning light in his eyes. With one quick glance down, then another toward the struggling beast tamers, he made his decision.

"Rally around me!" he bellowed. "Secure the snails!"

As a crowd of Krath formed, Zluth was quick to force himself into their midst. Surrounded by slugs on all sides, he was surely safe from the hunter. If he emerged here, the Krath would welcome him gladly, with their fangs.

"Is there a mucus source we can feed the snails?" Zluth demanded once he managed to draw close to Soluzz.

"Be quiet!" the Krath'lath hissed. "Do you think I'm stupid?!"

There was only one right answer to that. Zluth shook his head and slunk away, letting others press between them so he was no longer in Soluzz' view.

As long as the leader of the Sizzth knew what needed to be done, that was enough.

"Chase away the shadows!" Soluzz bellowed, and Zluth hissed and spat along with the other slugs. That was an order he could certainly get behind.

-x-X-x-

It is not the purpose or mission of the Nameless Ones to use their abilities to fight on behalf of the Colony.

Formed by a cadre of dedicated, some would say fanatical, ants of all castes, with the guidance of the Shadow, their stated goal has always been to enforce the will of the Eldest upon those who insufficiently respect it. Within the Colony, there is no infraction more common than failing to abide by the regulations regarding rest.

To ensure that the directives of the oldest amongst the ants are followed, they have developed a frankly quite astonishing network of infrastructure, spies and capabilities. Members of the Colony are regularly abducted, mid-sentence, vanishing into the shadows so quickly it appears as if they just disappeared, only to appear again the next day, well rested, polished, fed nutritious food and meticulously groomed.

There have been few occasions when these remarkable capacities have been put to use in warfare. Though it should be noted that, when they are, it is to devastating effect.

Excerpt from 'Secrets of the Colony' by Rathwyn Werilos

The Nameless One watched the fighting unfold from within the shadows. She couldn't 'see', not exactly, but being connected to the mana-filled pools of darkness provided a window for her mind, and she saw everything.

The Krath were canny fighters, cautious and calculating on the defence, but savage and decisive on the offence. Yet, having their own shadows turn against them had rattled the slugs. Not enough for them to make any major mistakes… yet… but the Nameless One could sense their fear, could scent it in the air, a sweet smell that only grew stronger with every slug dragged away into the darkness.

The human appeared beside her, crouched down in the world of shadow, his axe at his side.

Nameless One, he signed to her, it looks like they seek to destroy the root. The snail-monsters are being primed to fire.

Indeed, she could see that this was true. The slugs had reinforced their tamed monster handlers and chased away the shadows. No longer harried by the darkness, the snails were being fed on the plentiful mucus still clinging to the walls of the heart, condensing it within their bodies. She judged they wouldn't have nearly enough fuel to bring out the creatures' full potential, but it was likely they would succeed in their intention.

She signed as much to the human, and he frowned, puzzled.

Shouldn't we stop them? he signed.

We do not need to win every fight in order to win the battle, she replied to him. They focus on the root, but it is not the thing that will bring victory.

The human considered these words, extending his own senses throughout the shadows, trying to feel out the state of the field.

The vents, he eventually signed.

The Nameless One nodded, pleased.

So long as the vents continue to pour out the cleansed mana, we will win. When the heart is filled with it, how can the Krath fight back? They cannot.

The two of them watched as the slugs desperately fought to protect their snails while the shadows darkened around them. With every passing moment, the safe-zone within the heart expanded, bringing the guardians and the ants that little bit closer. Soon, there would be nowhere left for them in the lower chamber.

The snails sucked in all the sludge they could reach, their shells glowing a bright orange colour as they condensed it down to pure fifth stratum mana. Watching from the shadows, the Nameless One and the human observed as the snails coordinated their assault, launching a sequence of deadly blasts that smashed into the root with tremendous force.

Even within the shadow, the Nameless One was able to hear the furious rattling of the Mother Tree as her root burned and melted under the concentrated acid. Despite the efforts of the ants, they were unable to prevent the hollow root from collapsing. In order to prevent the spread of corruption, the Mother Tree was forced to cut it off from the rest of her network.

No more ants would be able to enter the heart using that method, a small victory for the Krath, no doubt.

Indeed, as the Nameless One watched, the slugs seemed to celebrate, revealing their fangs in savage grins as they moved to resume their assault. The scent of fear had become muted in the face of the Krath's growing confidence. Perhaps they believed they would be able to defeat the number of ants currently in the heart, or perhaps having something finally go their way had gone to their heads.

As the slugs spread out and took positions around the upper reaches of the chamber, the Nameless One clacked her mandibles with satisfaction.

They found safety in numbers, but have so readily thrown it away, the Nameless One signed. It appears as though some lessons must be taught multiple times before they will properly sink in.

The human nodded.

I will go back to work, he replied, before slinking away into the darkness.

There would be a lot of work for the Nameless Ones before this battle was done. Expanding her senses, she checked the strength of the shadow mana around her.

The shadows were vulnerable to the mana of the fifth, and they wouldn't be able to maintain this level of activity for much longer. However, there would be enough in reserve to do what needed to be done.

Looking down, the Nameless One looked at the Eldest, bore witness to the titanic struggle going on within.

It was time for her to become involved more directly. The Krath could not be allowed to spread themselves so thinly. Only when they were terrified and clumped would Solant be able to execute her plan.

Silently, the Nameless One sank into the darkness and vanished.

-x-X-x-

Leeroy was enjoying the battle, an emotion she usually didn't get to experience. For the most part, the Immortals didn't get to fight like this. They usually charged until they got bogged down, then slugged it out with whatever they were against, right up until their Phoenix Fire Organs kicked in and healed them, allowing them to get stuck in all over again. At this point, most opponents found they'd had enough.

The unusual terrain in the heart, along with the massive weight of the Immortals' armour, meant that they were fighting in very short bursts, followed by a great deal of climbing. Was the climbing all that enjoyable? No, of course not. Leeroy was on her third climb at the moment, and her poor legs were struggling.

Yet, she was still having a good time. After all, there was something about throwing herself at an enemy, dragging them from their perch and pulling them down to their doom. Then doing it again. And Again!

By this stage, the joints in her legs were aching fiercely, but the pain in her limbs was not enough to stop Leeroy from doing what she loved, and she knew the rest of the Immortals felt the same way.

Cleansed mana continued to fountain out of the vents, filling the heart, and the Krath were being forced higher and higher. It wouldn't be long until they were out of this chamber entirely.

Leeroy supposed that was a good thing, but she couldn't help but feel a little cheated that they were getting further and further away. The fall was more exhilarating the higher up she started, but the climb back up was only getting longer.

"Hurry sisterrrrrrrr," a falling Immortal called out to her as she plummeted from above, a thrashing beast trying to throw her off.

"I'm working on it," Leeroy grumbled, hauling herself up another few metres.

She should have worked on her Grip Skill a little more. How was she supposed to know that she'd be required to climb while wearing full armour?!

"I don't suppose you feel like helping?" she asked her fungal passenger.

The Zombie fungus didn't respond, not that she'd expected it to. In truth, Leeroy wasn't entirely sure how it worked. Clearly the fungus had some sort of mind of its own, otherwise how could it take over when she 'died'? They were in some sort of symbiotic relationship, but how much they could actively cooperate, she didn't know. The fibres that had spread throughout her body and carapace didn't impede her in any way. In fact, they seemed to have strengthened her, if anything, but she couldn't actively command them to do anything.

She did have a sense of the spores that had been spread all through the heart, however. They clung to every enemy now, subtly sapping their strength, ready to be recalled once she 'died'. It gave Leeroy an odd sense of comfort, knowing that she could go all out, even to the point of death, and still her body would fight for the Colony. The final twinge of guilt for disagreeing with the Eldest that she may have felt when stuffing herself into the waiting maw of an enemy monster was now gone. A freeing sensation.

Step by painful step, she continued to claw her way up the wall of the heart. It was taking time, but she was getting closer. She could already see her target. Those snails had been a right pain in the backside, taking potshots at the Immortals as they climbed, and they'd combined their efforts to smash the root not long ago. One in particular, fatter than the others, had caught Leeroy's eye.

Her aim was to climb above it, then launch off the wall and carry the creature off its perch. The two of them would fall hundreds of metres down to the rising liquid mana, thrashing and fighting each other the whole way down.

It would be glorious! All she had to do was get there.

A few more painful steps and Leeroy halted, digging her mandibles into the wall as she shook out her legs one at a time, trying to loosen up her joints. Interestingly, she didn't even consider taking her armour off; it was almost a part of her at this point, just as much as the fungus was.

The sludge barrage came as a complete surprise to Leeroy. She'd made herself a stationary target, and probably should have seen it coming, perhaps she was a little too comfortable. Regardless of the reason, several of the snails targeted her with a devastating barrage, and Leeroy was caught entirely unawares.

The searing acid and corrupting mana ripped into her body, leaking through her armour and nearly knocking her clear off the wall. If she hadn't locked her mandibles in the flesh, she would have fallen, which may have saved her as the cleansing mana below would have washed away the corruption.

But it was not to be. Leeroy held on as long as she could, but she could feel her life fading, her thread being pulled so thin it was about to snap.

There was nothing she could do.

As she drew closer and closer to death, she could feel something stir within her. The Zombie Fungus was coming alive. It called out to the spores, who responded in their billions and trillions, drifting back towards the host, carrying tiny motes of vitality with them.

As she faded into oblivion, Leeroy could feel the fungus rise to full wakefulness, turning its alien savagery against the filth that had dared to invade the host, pulling the body back together and driving out everything that contaminated it.

And then, she was gone.