Soon… ants were pouring out from every crack, rock, and crevice in the forest.
Some scrambled over jagged stones, others descended from the high branches, and thousands more crawled through the thick, damp moss beneath their feet.
Tens of thousands of tiny, glistening bodies moved together with astonishing, chilling purpose.
Mira stared, stepping back slightly to avoid crushing them.
“…I have literally never seen this many insects gathered in one place in my entire life.”
Neither had Lyra.
The strangest part wasn’t their countless numbers—it was their behavior.
They weren’t scattering randomly or searching for food.
Every single trail, coming from every direction, was merging into one uncanny, living highway that cut straight through the wilderness.
As the living stream reached Lyra’s boots, the workers neatly parted into two streams around her soles, acknowledging her presence without breaking stride, before locking back into formation.
Lyra slowly stood up, her eyes following the dark line as it wound deeper into the foggy woods.
“…They’re going somewhere.”
Mason stepped forward, staring at the precise line cutting through the moss.
“Do you think it’s a natural migration coincidence?”
Lyra watched another stream merge with the main path.
“No. Not in a place like this.”
Myrmor’s calm, gravelly voice finally echoed inside her soul.
“Follow them Lyra.”
Lyra smiled faintly, feeling a spark of hope.
I had a feeling you’d say that.’
Mira looked back and forth between Lyra and the marching insects, her jaw slightly slack.
“…Wait. Are you telling me we’re actually going to follow a line of ants through a monster infested forest?”
Lyra nodded firmly.
“They haven’t led me wrong yet.”
Mira scratched her head, thoroughly bewildered.
“You’ve… followed ants through dangerous situations before?”
“…Not exactly,” Lyra admitted with an awkward grin, well not counting the numerous times it happens to always show up when ever she was sad, or to avoid something or someone (mum) from catching her in the act.
Mira let out a long, dramatic sigh.
“…I think this might officially be the single strangest day of my entire life.”
“It probably won’t stay that way for long,” Mason noted quietly from behind them.
Mira groaned.
Without another word of debate, Lyra stepped onto the path, carefully walking alongside the living highway.
Exchanging helpless, amused glances, Mira and Mason quickly fell into line behind her.
The ant road guided them deeper and deeper into the virgin heart of the forest.
As time slowly passed, the surrounding terrain became increasingly ancient and difficult to navigate.
The trees grew thick; some trunks were so unbelievably massive that ten grown adults joining hands couldn’t surround them. flowering vines hung from twisted branches like thick ropes, and strange, luminous blue flora bloomed in the shadowed hollows.
Yet, not once did the marching ants hesitate.
Their tiny legs continued pushing forward with unwavering, mechanical certainty.
Eventually…
Lyra noticed a unsettling shift in their environment.
She slowed her pace, looking around carefully.
“…Has anyone else realized that we haven’t heard or seen a single wild beast for the last hour?”
Sarah paused, taking in the environment.
“…You’re right. There haven’t been any roars.”
The forest had become dead quiet.
No predatory growls echoed in the distance.
No birds sang in the canopy.
Not even the usual hum of wild magical insects could be heard.
The silence was eerie, heavy, and completely unnatural.
The only sound in the vast wilderness was the faint, collective rustle of millions of tiny legs marching over dried leaves.
Mason rested his hand firmly on the leather grip of his greatsword.
“Apex beasts are avoiding this sector entirely.”
“Or something deeper in these woods is making them stay away,” Mira whispered, a cold shiver running down her spine.
The weight of her words settled over all three of them.
They continued marching onward in silence.
Nearly another hour passed before the living black highway finally began to slow down.
The countless merging trails converged at the foot of an enormous, sheer cliff wall draped in thick, centuries-old ivy and hanging vines.
The worker ants climbed up the weathered stone wall one after another, disappearing entirely through a narrow, dark crevice almost completely hidden behind the dense layers of foliage.
Lyra carefully stepped up to the cliff face and pulled the heavy vines aside. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Behind the curtain of green… was the hidden entrance to a massive subterranean cavern.
Cold, damp air drifted out from the pitch-black darkness within, carrying the faint, ancient scent of ozone and crushed stone.
Mira swallowed hard, staring into the dark hole.
“…Please tell me we’re not actually going into the dark, very scary cave.”
Lyra looked down at her feet.
The ant road was flowing straight into the cavern without a second of hesitation.
Every single trail they had seen in the forest ended right here.
Myrmor’s calm voice echoed softly in her mind.
“They have brought us exactly where we needed to be.”
Lyra sighed inwardly.
‘You knew this place was here all along, didn’t you?’
“I suspected,” Myrmor replied evenly, not bothering to explain further.
‘One of these days, Myrmor… you’re going to answer a question directly without being so cryptic with me.’
“I look forward to continuing to disappoint you.”
‘At least for now.’ Myrmor thought.
Lyra let out a short, quiet laugh despite the tension gripping her chest.
Mason stepped up to the cave entrance, his sharp eyes attempting to pierce the thick gloom inside.
“I’ll take the lead. If something attacks in the dark, I’ll be able to.fight it head on.”
Lyra shook her head gently.
“No need.”
Both Mason and Mira looked at her in surprise.
“The ants brought us here,” Lyra said, taking a deep, stabilizing breath as she gripped her silver bracelet.
“I’ll go first.”
Before either of her companions could object, Lyra pulled the ivy back and stepped directly into the cold darkness of the cave.
“Wait for me! Don’t leave me out here alone!” Mira squeaked, scrambling inside right behind her.
Mason silently followed, his heavy great sword already drawn and held in a low, defensive guard.
Behind them, the thick curtain of hanging vines slowly swayed back into place, sealing out the pale violet daylight.
The entrance vanished as if it had never existed at all… as though the ancient realm itself had swallowed the three of’em whole.