Leo was gone.

Ellie didn’t understand how—only the crushing emptiness where his warmth should have been.

A soft, broken sound escaped her throat before she could stop it, tears forming in her eyes.

Ellie approached the doors to save Leo, but no matter how hard she pushed, the doors did not budge. Her fire was ineffective, the doors barely warmed by it. She’d entirely circled the building looking for windows, cracks, anything.

There was no way in.

The sun had already begun setting when the pair discovered the bank. Darkness was now fully creeping in. Ellie curled herself up into a ball in front of the doors, determined to wait through the dark, and hope that Leo emerged by morning.

This was the first time she had been alone in her entire life—in or out of her egg. Leo had always been by her side, and if not him, then Ashley. It was an uncomfortable feeling that made Ellie not want to sleep, not want to think about life without him.

Just as she started to drift off to sleep, eyes heavy, the sound of light tapping filled her ears. The tapping grew louder, a few became dozens and it was getting closer. Standing, Ellie tried to find the source, but the darkness was hampering her vision. She trotted to the bottom of the steps to try and hone in better.

Using her nose, a familiar scent came crashing in.

Enemy.

It came from everywhere. The streets surrounding her started to all smell like them. Thoughts of what she could do started flashing in her mind. Run, hide, fight…Without Leo it was hard to know.

The answer came to her like a strike of lightning, Leo’s voice somehow echoed in her head—a figment that she created.

“Run!”

She took off like a bolt, and just in time too. Antlings started to flood out from every alley like a tsunami. All of them converging on her location.

The little dragon bobbed and weaved through the alleys towards the camp, beats of her wings sending her forward in small bursts to dodge and gain ground. The dark made movement difficult, but her senses were enough once she caught the smell of allies, the smell of Ashley she knew so well.

Ants tried to snap at her, spit at her with large globs of stinky acid, there were even those that burst into flames and tried to crash into her.

Each time she managed to dodge past them her stamina grew lower and lower. If she slowed down at any point it would surely end in death. Her Rebirth skill wouldn’t work if Leo was dead, and she didn’t want to test it—barely understood it.

She just kept running.

~

Just before dusk, the Ant Queen sat in her throne room surrounded by ants of varying sizes and levels. She had felt the change, felt the coils that bound her family loosen as the sun hit its apex. The dome had shattered, no longer stopping her children from venturing out to the outer city. Only those that were of a lesser evolution were able to venture out there.

Those were the runts of the litter.

The Goliath variant was a creation of the system, not something she was able to create herself. Those of the lesser variant were chosen to evolve randomly into the kind that the humans had fought thus far, turned into experience for those that slay them. There was nothing she could do to help them.

The lesser species were affected by the curse of torpor, forcing them to sleep at night until attacked. Only during a blood moon were those lesser ants allowed to move freely at night, and those did not come often.

The humans had done something they thought beneficial, but it would soon prove their downfall.

Now that the dome was down, the ants could roam free.

Now that the dome was down…

The night was no longer safe.

~

Ashley, Cecelia, Bjorn, Ron and Marco walked slowly back to camp, a day’s worth of battling evident on their apparel. Green ichor staining swords and armour. Dirt caked faces. The fights against the antlings had taken a clear toll.

The spoils were great however, each of them netting at least a level in their class. They’d also come across many buildings that held loot, including an item to upgrade Ron’s quiver into one that generated arrows quicker and made them stronger. His only reaction was a nod of approval at that one.

Ashley groaned. “Is it much further? I’m totally tapped and need to wash. I feel disgusting.” She said this while pulling a chunk of antling from her hair.

“Not much further, lass,” Bjorn chuckled. “But you already knew that, stop whining.”

“Today was a good day,” Cecelia interjected happily before Ashley could say something that would devolve the conversation further.

“We gained strength, items for ourselves and our crafters, and valuable intel about how strong the enemy has become within the dome. Once we return, we will hold a meeting with Nolan’s group and Leo to pool information.”

“Can we at least bathe and sleep first?” Ashley pleaded.

Cecelia sighed. “Why can’t you be like Ron or Marco? Those two only speak when necessary, and never whine.”

Ashley just huffed in response.

“That reminds me. Marco.” She stepped up beside the man in question. “You were good today, but your skills and timings need work. I suspect it will come with more practice, but keep at it. Your shadow magic is impressive, those bindings you use to keep the numbers from overwhelming us will be crucial against these new enemies.”

Marco just nodded, the young man too nervous to speak more than a few words. “Th-thank you. I’ll do better ma’am.”

Cecelia nodded while Ashley rolled her eyes. Bjorn patted the young shadow-mage on the back, hard enough to knock him off his stride but with no harm done.

Before long, the group were back at camp, the sun almost setting. Ashley looked around for Leo, asking those who were closest to the entrances if they’d seen him. They’d all replied with firm no’s.

Not a single person had seen him or her daughter.

Worry started rising in her chest as she stared down the street that they were likely to return down. She kept an eager watch like her life depended on it. Thoughts about what she would do if they didn’t return kept coming like acid reflux as she forced it back.

“Come on,” she repeatedly whispered to herself. Pleading to any god that would listen while her foot tapped absentmindedly.

The sun had fully set at this point, the moon had begun to rise. The street was fully lit thanks to torches that someone had crafted and lined up. They burned brighter and lasted much longer than normal torches would, simply lit by fire and cloth. These were magic torches.

Suddenly, a figure skidded around the corner and Ashley’s face lit up, her little Ellie had returned!

She was running so fast, clearly due to excitement on seeing her mother again. It wasn’t until she got a little closer that Ashley noticed something was wrong—really wrong. Ellie looked bruised and distraught, blood running over a closed eye, constantly glancing over her shoulder.

It just so happened that Cecelia was also watching nearby, unwilling to proceed with her sharing of info until Leo returned.

The little dragon let out a cry of distress and Cecelia and Ashley both moved.

Cecelia immediately used one of her skills from her profession.

Call to Arms (Uncommon)

As a commander you will need to sound the call for battle, raising your troops and alerting them to danger. This cry will be heard by anyone within 50 metres that thinks of you as commander.
Cooldown: 1 hour

The feeling of the skill rose up within her throat, her voice carried across the camp.

“Enemy incoming! All those able to fight, gather arms at the entrance towards the inner city!”

Just as she finished her call, a swarm of antlings started pouring around the corner, all chasing the young dragon.

Cecelia called out to the healer beside her, “Ashley! Is it ready?”

“I don’t know! I’ve never actually tested it!”

“It’s now or never. If those are all the non-lesser antlings, we’re finished.”

Ashley looked back and forth between the street and the middle of the camp, indecision clear in her expression.

“Ellie needs my help!” She started running to meet her but a hand from Cecelia stopped her.

“If you don’t stop them then we all die! I’ll keep her safe. I swear on my name.”

“Aaargh! Fine!” Ashley called out and dashed to the middle of the camp. Cecelia moved to collect the waning dragon, it was clear that she was on her last dregs of stamina and struggling to keep up speed.

Using a skill to charge forward, silver light glistening from her body, Cecelia got to the dragon before the ants did and scooped her up in her arms.

She took a quick look at the approaching horde and counted at least twenty of them, with more still coming. Far too many for them to fight without preparation. Especially this variant.

Ashley, now arriving at the center, knelt down and uncovered the device she’d been creating since she’d first discovered how to. A quick identify confirmed that it was at least functional, but its prowess was yet unknown.

Luminarch Runebox: Sanctuary Pattern (Common)

An item created by a budding new Luminarch, this item is a staple of the profession. This runebox has a sanctuary pattern inscribed within. When activated, a shield of light will emanate and protect those within it for as long as mana is supplied.

Shield strength is based on crafter’s proficiency and mana provided.

Ashley had learned that runeboxes were a staple in the profession and there were many different types she could create if she managed to find the correct ingredients.

This one had been baked up using anything she could find, a mishmash of parts and ingredients, and a special item from the tower. It was a wonder that it was designated as a proper item at all.

Ashley focused on infusing the box, pushing all the mana she could into it using the methods she’d been practicing. It sucked up mana like a storm drain in the street collecting water.

Within moments, her mana was drained all the way. She gasped in pain, a brutally agonising headache piercing through her mind. She quickly downed a mana potion just to alleviate the pain a little, even if it made little to no dent in the emptiness.

Regaining her wits, she checked the box.

Its charge was only 30%.

“I need more mana!”

Her exclamation got the attention of many people around her, most of them having come out from their slumber to the commotion.

“Everyone who isn’t fighting, quickly put your hands on this box and pour mana into it, if you don’t know how to do that then what the hell have you been doing these last few weeks?!”

Hesitantly, people started approaching one by one. Each one who touched the box was drained to the point of a headache, but Ashley didn’t let them complain as she made them make room for the next. The bar was filling quickly, they just had to hold until then.

“Keep them back!” Cecelia commanded, her sword coming down on a particularly slim antling.

The ant moved like a snake around her blade, but Cecelia didn’t blink. Her sword quickly came up to parry and as the mandibles of the antling touched her blade, the glowing white, intricately detailed sword cleaved its head off in an instant—the speed belying its size.

A notification followed, but there was no time to care.

A scream from her left as an antling devoured the leg of one of the lower level fighters causing her to curse in her inability.

The frontline they had quickly formed was still barely more than a speedbump for the onslaught they were facing. Fighters were reinforcing by the moment but the camp had focused on quality over quantity, keeping people safe by using the strongest members.

“Marco, restraints!”

The young shadow mage spoke under his breath, dark shadows forming as his hands shook. Blood started running from his nose due to the focus the man was exhibiting, trying to push past his limits.

He suddenly shouted in the loudest voice anyone had heard from him, a roar of effort.

Dark tendrils came from every single antling’s shadow and constricted dozens of legs all at once. The skill had suddenly turned the slow defeat into a pyrrhic uncertainty.

“Form a stronger line! Keep them from crossing the boundary until the shield goes up!” Cecelia was pulling the man who had lost his leg back from his certain doom, the man screamed in pain while he tried to fumble a health potion from his satchel.

Spells and arrows continued to rain upon them as the ants struggled to pull free from their tendrils, each hit caused at least a stagger or screech of pain.

Globules of corrosive acid were sent in response, but the knights—mainly Bjorn—were deflecting them as best they could but some still landed true, dissolving weapons and skin like water on tissue.

Marco dropped to one knee as he continued his spell, his mana was almost completely empty and Cecelia knew it. It was a miracle he’d lasted this long in the first place.

She just needed him to buy her a few more precious seconds while she activated another skill from her recently evolved profession, her profession now upgraded from Overseer to Argent Marshal.

Form the Meridian (Uncommon)

You call your allies to align around you in a stabilised defensive arc. As you speak the order, a faint silver trace spreads across the ground, marking optimal footing and spacing. When the cast completes, all allies within range assume a steadied stance, gaining a temporary increase to damage resistance, balance, and resistance to stagger.

The command fails if the cast is not completed.

Scales with Wisdom and Will

Cast time: 2.5 seconds

Cooldown: 24 hours

The seconds felt like hours as they ticked by, patiently waiting for everyone to get into position to defend. Only once she couldn’t wait any longer did she begin the cast.

Silvery eyes lit up with a fierce glow, small lines of moonlight forming over her face. Her mana took an instant 50% hit but she did not blink—only focusing on the skill.

The lines traveled down to her throat, infusing her with power that was ready to be unleashed.

“Form the Meridian!”

Glowing lines shot down through her feet and into the ground, coursing through anyone who was nearby and giving them a faint sheen of power. It continued in both directions until they were properly formed up.

At the same moment, Marco collapsed onto the stones, unable to continue—mana completely drained.

She had someone ready to pick him up, he was too valuable to just be a sacrifice after all. Jonah had been bravely standing guard and dragged him over his shoulder with ease as he dashed back, ants on his tail immediately.

“We hold them here! We will not die to lowly insects. Fight. Fight and survive!”

Roars of battle sounded out from those who weren’t completely terrified, which was a surprising number.

The antlings clambered over one another in a mad frenzy after being released from their bindings. A tide of at least thirty in the small street. This could be the end for them all if they could not force them back.

All the combatants prepared themselves to strike, weapons raised, spells ready.

The antling in the lead pounced like a lion, sharp mandibles wide and aiming for the kill.

Cecelia readied her blade once more with steely, silvery eyes. But as the antling was about to reach her, a glowing white wall was suddenly erected before her.

It stretched upwards and extended outwards. It kept growing until it formed a complete dome around the camp.

All of the antlings impacted the shield and simply clattered into it until they formed a wall of their own, made of their own soldiers.

Cecelia let herself breathe for just a moment, hoping the shield would hold.

They all did.

“Do you think it’ll hold?” Bjorn asked skeptically.

“I hope so,” she replied, breathing heavily. “Although I’m not sure for how long, or what we will do if it falls.”

“I hope the kid’s okay,” Bjorn said, worry evident in his expression.

Cecelia looked at the dragon who was barely standing behind her, then back at the horde in front of her.

“I do too. We’re going to need him.”