chapter 115: It begins

<are the preparations complete?>

<As much as they can be mother… > Sally replied as we were walking down towards the staging area. Everything up to now has culminated in this, but finally, we march for those spiders. It's been long overdue.

<Sally, I trust you know what to do?>

She nodded <I am to go with the above-ground force and support where I can. Relax, mother, we've rehearsed the plan countless times.>

<I know, I know. I'm just making sure> I looked down towards my hands they were trembling slightly

<Mother…. Are you okay? Should we postpone? Are you scar->

<I’m not scared. It’s the opposite, actually. I'm actually very excited. I just can't contain myself. I can't wait to see that face of hers when we take everything she holds dear>

I let out a small chuckle as I arrived at the split in the tunnels. <We part here, Sally. I trust you can handle it>

<Ive only ever failed you once, mother. It won't happen again>, and with that, she disappeared.

<You are still hungover from that incident. Personally, Sally, I don’t think you’ve ever failed me at all.> I turned to face the opposite tunnel and started moving. As I walked down my tunnel, I ran through everything over and over again, making sure I had everything in place and before I knew it, I was approaching the staging area. As I got closer, the tunnel drastically widened, nearly quadrupling in size before finally opening up into a large gaping chasm where he was waiting.

<Oh my. You’ve grown>

The once-humongous larvae had grown exponentially, reaching the height of 2 houses and nearly as long. It’s no wonder that azuura rushed the construction of this room. I stared up at him in awe. Thank god they don’t come out that size.

I admired that the once-smooth skin had hardened into multiple articulating plates of dark green chitinthat allowed it to move. Along the green chitin were hundreds, if not thousands, of little spikes and spouts that oozed wax. From my understanding, the wax spreads along the surface as it solidifies, and allows the tunnel to hold its shape without caving in.

My eyes moved towards His maw, which was nearly as wide as he was and filled with a spherical set of sharp teeth that could grind anything to dust, all of that funnelled towards the deep, dark abyss that was its belly. Scary stuff.

I took a step into the staging area as I did, I felt a wave of happiness wash over me. It was him, unlike my other children, he couldn't communicate like we usually do, instead he sent suggestions and feelings to all of us. It wasn't a lot. But then again, he has one role and one role only, Tunnel

<I guess it's time to get this how on the road>

I manoeuvred deeper into the staging area connected to the main room, where dozens of other rooms housed hundreds of units. All eager and waiting for the order. Towards the rear was an elevated platform overlooking the room where a wax chair was waiting for me.

< I think throne would be more accurate>

My wings unfurled as I shot into the air and landed next to it. I took a moment to admire my waxy throne before sitting on it. I took a moment to breathe it all in. Everything has led up to this. Should I give a motivating speech? No.... there's no need, my children dont need such a thing, all they need is one word.

I closed my eyes and sank into the weave, instantly connecting with hundreds of minds. I breathed, took it all in, the feeling of it, an army to control, doing my bidding, crushing my foes. This feeling I've never noticed before. It feels good, it feels correct. I enjoyed it for a few more moments before finally focusing on the task

<March>

Suddenly, like an engine coming alive, the hive moved. A guttural roar came from the tunnel. Its humongous body surged forward, chewing through stone with ease.

<And now it begins>

Sally pov

I raised my hand, signalling the army to stop. I slowly crept forward toward the clearing

<this is the place> just as mother described. I quickly surveyed the area, confirmed there were no patrols nearby, and gave the all-clear. I raised my hand to my mouth and bit into it, causing a trickle of crimson to spatter onto the floor.

<Now let's put that new technique to work>

I flicked my hands forward, sending small splatters of blood allover the place. I quickly focused on the blood, infusing it with my will as the blood moved across the air, it quickly pooled into 5 small golf ball-sized blobs that quickly moved into position

<Blood nexus: detonate>

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of crimson, followed by an enormous thunderous roar of an explosion that pushed me and a few of the skirmishers back

<still need to dial it in>, but it got the job done.

<Lets move skirmishers with me!>

I leapt forward; the once-destroyed clearing was now a deep, dark hole. I lept in, followed by several skirmishers. Before we knew, the darkness enveloped us whole as we fell down the whole. As we moved, I slowly drifted to the right, getting as close as possible to the wall. I'll only have one chance at this. My blade shot out of my arm, and without skipping a beat, I buried it into the wall. Immediately, my speed dropped. I looked upwards to see dozens and dozens of skirmishers doing the same.

We kept moving down until finally the ground appeared. I quickly retracted my blade, letting me land nice and neatly on the ground.

As I landed, we were met by a single large tunnel that led down. Behind me, dozens of chitinous feet landed with a loud thump. I

<All here? good.> I quickly connected to the weave and gave the go-ahead for the units waiting above ground. Unlike us, they can't survive the fall down here, so they are gonna have to take the scenic route.

< Let's move>

I charged forward down the tunnel, moving as swiftly and as silently as I could until finally I spotted a spider. It was around the same size as a worker, but it had pale white skin. The spider turned to look at me with its black, beady eyes, but it was too late. My blade easily shot down his body, splitting him in two and turning him into a fountain.

<Mmmmmm first blood.> It's purple blood splashed onto my face. I stuck my tongue out and gave a good lick. It was a mix of salt and vinegar. I snapped my fingers, causing the blood to rise into the air and pool into a small blob above me.

I looked ahead and saw more spiders, but they were fleeing. I chuckled and watched as dozens of angry chitin shot past me down the tunnel. One of the skirmishers easily caught up with the spider and crushed it into the walls with ease.

I retracted my blade and followed them as they moved deeper and deeper down the tunnels, and we bumped into more and more worker spiders who scrambled to escape but were instantly sliced into pieces. The once-purple silk walls were slowly stained a deep purple. We moved deeper into their network until we hit a large room filled with dozens of spiders. And 3 large tunnels that moved deeper into the hive.

The skirmisher didn’t hesitate, butchering everything in sight. Their blades sliced, cleaved, and chopped. Purple blood and spider limbs danced in the air as we got our overdue revenge. Everything was going well, a little too well.

Suddenly, there was a loud screech echoing up the tunnels, followed by the loud pitter-patter of hundreds of feet.

<expect resistance. You all know what to do!>

We all retreated to the back of the room and waited. If my timing is correct, our backup should be here soon.

The skirmishers and I waited and waited until finally the silkwriths juveniles arrived, and they were just as ugly as I remembered them, an 8-legged mass with pale white flesh and a spikey abdomen.

The juveniles locked eyes and got ready to lunge when, suddenly, a loud, audible rumbling came from the tunnel we had come from

<Right on time>

A mass of yellow chitin swamped out of the tunnel right into the silkwriths. Hundreds of combat units smacked straight into him, carrying him deep down the tunnel and ripping him asunder.

<Good, all of you split up and delve deep into their home as they did ours!>

The tidal wave of combat units suddenly split, charging down the tunnels. It's nice to see the plan worked. We will advance down the hive as deep as we can and draw a lot of their forces towards us, giving room for the mothers' forces to breach with the main force.

I looked towards my skirmishers

<Stay here and hold until the workers arrive. Once they are here, we will split up. Some of you will act as a rear guard to protect our flanks.>

The skirmishers nodded as they split off into their roles. Now, hopefully, mother can start her part as soon as she can

Silkwrith queen pov

“DAMMIT, HOW DARE THAT BUG COME HERE AND-“

“Mother the bugs are coming down the-“

I grabbed the useless spider by the neck “DON’T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT! SEND EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO THE FRONT. WE WILL NOT LOSE HERE”

I threw it to the side immediately; the useless thing scurried away. tchk’ you can't find good help anywhere in this accursed nest. Dammit! This is annoying. How did that false bitch find this place so soon? I made sure to-.

Suddenly, a memory flooded my mind. The mole man. The RAT! He told her GYAAGHHHHAAAA! When I find him, I'll gut him alive in front of his family; that is a promise!

*RUMBLE*

The entire nest shook. “What now?!”

I skulked toward one of the silk tunnels when, suddenly, a worker drone came running down the tunnel.

“WHAT IS HAPPENING? TELL ME NOW!”

“GIANT BUG! IT’S ..ITS…”

“SPIT IT OUT!”

“IT'S GONE THROUGH THE ENTIRE NEST!”