In the dead silence of the night, Ari took a deep breath and endured the sharp, throbbing pain in his limbs as he forced himself upright. A strained groan escaped his lips, and he staggered backward, nearly collapsing again before catching his footing. His breath hissed between his teeth as he clenched his jaw tightly.
"Damn... my body hurts like hell," he muttered, his voice hoarse and strained. He glanced down at his exoskeleton, cut and bruised in several places, then looked ahead with grim resolve. "I can't complain about this pain. I have to get stronger… not only for Tanya's sake but for myself. And for the colony."
His gaze shifted toward the crude walls of the underground chamber where he'd been hiding—a forgotten, dusty space no one bothered to check. "I've already wasted an entire day just lying here. I haven't made any real progress. Tomorrow makes it two days... and I only have twelve left to train and rescue Tanya."
His antennae twitched with frustration, the heavy silence pressing down on him. The air felt dense, unmoving, as if even the wind had paused to listen.
"I know the colony won't help me. They've already given up on fighting. They'd rather hand over our food to those grasshoppers and bow their heads. So... I'll have to go rogue," he whispered, lowering his voice. "I'm sorry, Lily. Anastasia. I know you both want to find a smarter way, but I can't sit still. I have to try. Even if I might die."
His first steps were shaky, his legs burning in protest, but he pressed on. Each stride grew more stable, more determined, as he moved through the winding tunnels.
Elsewhere in the colony, deep within the labyrinthine halls, two guards patrolled the dim corridors, their voices echoing faintly in the silence.
"Man, these hours are brutal. I barely get any sleep anymore," the younger guard grumbled, his antennae drooping with exhaustion.
"Oh, quit whining. This is the life you signed up for," the older guard shot back, laughing coldly. "Work till you drop. That's the job."
"When you put it like that, it sounds miserable..."
A gust of wind swept past them, faint but noticeable. Both guards froze, their antennae flicking up sharply.
"What was that?" the younger one whispered, lifting his mandibles in alarm.
"Calm down. Probably just a draft," the older one said dismissively, but his eyes darted around the dark hallway.
"But... we're deep in the colony. How can wind reach down here?"
"You're overthinking it, rookie. Storage rooms are drafty sometimes."
Hidden in the shadows just meters away, Ari crouched, his breath steady and quiet. His heart pounded against his ribs, but he stayed completely still, perfectly concealed.
"That was too close," he whispered to himself. "Can't believe I managed that with these injuries."
He slipped silently into the storage room, quickly removing his makeshift bag woven from sticks, leaves, and vines. He moved swiftly, methodically packing it with whatever supplies he could find: berries, dried vegetables, roots. As he reached behind a crate, his hand sank into something slimy.
"Ugh... caterpillar," he gagged, pulling his hand back quickly, antennae twitching in disgust.
His eyes narrowed. "I need protein. No choice."
With a grimace, he unsheathed one of his mandible-blades and carved off a chunk of the caterpillar's flesh, wrapping it tightly in a large leaf before tucking it into his bag. The foul scent clung to his antennae.
"That should be enough."
He slung the bag over his shoulder, wincing as the strap pressed into his sore muscles. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself to move.
Pulling a berry from the bag, he tossed it into the hallway. It bounced loudly across the stone floor, grabbing the attention of the guards.
"Oh, it's just a berry," the younger guard muttered, stepping toward it. "How did that get all the way out here?"
"Probably slipped through the cracks from storage," the older one shrugged, turning his back.
In that instant, Ari bolted past them, a silent blur. The wind stirred faintly once more.
He weaved through abandoned tunnels and crawled through narrow passages until he finally reached the colony's outer gates. His breathing was ragged, sweat dripping from his faceplate, his injuries throbbing relentlessly.
"That was painful... but worth it," he panted, clutching his side.
As he stepped toward the moonlit wilderness, a familiar voice called out behind him.
"Ari!"
He froze, his body stiffening. Slowly, he turned to see Evelyn standing there, her eyes wide with worry, her antennae trembling.
"Ari, what are you doing? Why are you carrying that load? Why are you leaving this late?"
"Well, that's..."
"I already know," she cut him off, stepping closer. "I overheard the military ants. They were mocking you, blaming you for the princess being captured. But I know it's not your fault. You fought to protect her. You did the right thing."
Ari lowered his gaze, guilt and determination warring in his chest.
"That's why I waited here. I knew you'd do something like this. You're going to try and save her alone, aren't you?"
"Yes," he answered firmly.
"Why? Why does it have to be you? Why can't someone else take the risk?"
"Because the others care more about surviving than about being free," Ari said, taking a step toward her. "I made a promise to Tanya. I told her I would protect her, no matter what. Even if I die trying."
"No. You can't die," Evelyn said, her voice breaking as she rushed forward and hugged him tightly.
"Whoa—ow! Careful! Still pretty banged up," he winced, though he couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.
"Promise me," she whispered against his chest. "Promise me you'll come back alive. I don't know what I'd do if you died. Please, Ari. Promise me."
His chest tightened, a deep ache blooming in a place untouched by his injuries.
"When I was human... no one except Keiko ever treated me like this," he thought, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar warmth. "No one ever begged me to live. No one waited for me to return."
He lifted his hand and gently patted her head. She looked up at him, tears shimmering in her wide eyes. He carefully wiped them away with his thumb.
"I promise I'll come back alive," he said softly, a small, fragile smile forming on his face. "So don't cry, alright?"
Her cheeks flushed pink as she nodded, her grip on him loosening.
"Yes... I'll wait."
"Alright. I'll be back, Evelyn. Wait for me."
With one last look, he turned and disappeared into the wilderness, the night swallowing his figure.
The cold air bit at his skin as he ran, each step sending fresh jolts of pain through his body, but his mind clung to Evelyn's face.
"Hopper really is a monster," he murmured to himself, his voice cold and sharp. "He didn't just destroy everyone's life in the colony. He destroyed Evelyn's too. Killed her father. Crushed her colony. And still, she found the strength to care about someone like me."
His teeth clenched tightly. "I can't let him get away with this."
Evelyn watched him vanish, her hands trembling as she pressed them against her chest.
"Please," she whispered, her voice quivering. "I'm hoping with all my heart that you survive this, Ari..."