Evolution begins with an ant colony

Keleora and her team stood at a distance, their eyes wide in disbelief as they observed the bewildering transformation of the anthill into a humanoid city. They exchanged baffled glances, their expressions a mixture of confusion and amazement.

Keleora shifted on her feet, her brow furrowed, as she muttered, "What in the world is going on here? Did we take a wrong turn?"

Rokar scratched his head, his eyes squinting at the structures before them. "I thought anthills were supposed to stay anthills, not become... cities."

Kaldor squatted down, examining the humanoid ants with antennae. "Look, some still have antennae. It's definitely the ant colony. But this... this is bizarre."

As they discussed the surreal scene before them, Argon approached with a malevolent grin, his posture exuding an air of superiority.

Argon's voice dripped with condescension as he taunted, "Lost, are we, dear sister? Not much of a leader if you can't even find your way."

Keleora's fists clenched at her sides, her jaw tensing. "Argon, I dont need your help here, You shouldn't be anywhere near this place."

Argon's grin widened, his gaze sinister as he responded, "Oh, but I have every right to be here. It doesn't matter if it's a colony or a city. It's all the same to me."

Selene exchanged a wary look with Aria, both of them silently questioning Argon's motives.

Argon's tone grew more menacing as he continued, "In fact, I find it even better this way. Now, when I crush them all, they'll be able to scream in pain."

He raised his hand, gesturing for Keleora and her team to follow him toward the transformed anthill city.

Argon's smirk deepened as he taunted, "Now, come along, insects. You have much to learn from your new ruler."

Keleora's fists tightened, her frustration mounting. Her eyes narrowed with determination as she resolved to challenge her brother's usurpation of her leadership within the team.

Keleora thought to herself, "This is insufferable. I won't let him take control. But we still need to figure out what's happening here."

With a shared sense of reluctance, she and her team reluctantly fell into step behind Argon, their bodies tense, and their minds abuzz with questions and concerns as they ventured towards the enigmatic city.

As Keleora and her team cautiously followed Argon toward the transformed anthill city, their presence did not go unnoticed.

From a distance, two ant guardians, Zara and Mara, spotted them. The guardians exchanged worried glances and knew they had to act swiftly.

Zara turned to Mara, urgency in her voice. "Mara, do you see that? Those guys approaching the anthill, something feels off about them. We should get Leona."

Mara nodded, her expression tense with concern. "You're right, Zara. Let's go find Leona and tell her immediately."

Together, they hurried towards the anthill's central hub, where Leona was overseeing some of the evolved ant activities.

Zara approached Leona with an urgent demeanor. "Leona, something strange is happening. We've spotted mysterious people approaching the anthill. It seems they've come looking for trouble."

Leona's brows furrowed with worry as she regarded Zara and Mara. She wasted no time in making a decision. "Gather the other ant guardians. We'll go meet these "guests" at the wall."

Zara and Mara swiftly relayed Leona's command to the other ant guardians, who quickly assembled at the anthill's wall facing the approaching figures.

Leona called for her team, her expression determined. As they reached the wall, jumping over it, they formed a line, presenting a unified front.

The ten ant guardians, including Leona, faced the figures, their bodies poised for action. their gazes were unwavering, ready to assess the situation.

Argon, leading Keleora and her team, sneered in disdain upon seeing the ant guardians blocking their path. His posture grew more defiant as he prepared to confront them.

Argon's voice dripped with arrogance as he spat out, "Insects! Clear the way. I have business inside."

Leona met Argon's haughty gaze with a stern one of her own. Her body language conveyed a steadfast determination, and her tone was unwavering. "State your business and identify yourselves."

Tensions mounted as the confrontation between Argon's group and the ant guardians escalated, the air crackling with uncertainty and unspoken threats.

Argon, with an air of malevolence, leaned in slightly as he addressed Leona and her team. His words dripped with menace. "A friend of yours took something precious to my family, so I came to take it back." His eyes glinted with a dark intent as he continued, "And, of course, to cause a little chaos along the way."

Leona, her expression hardening, placed her hand firmly on the hilt of her Katana. The message was clear: she was ready to draw her weapon at a moment's notice. Her stance spoke volumes of her determination to protect her anthill city.

Argon, noticing Leona's defensive posture, smiled sinisterly, his lips curling into a chilling grin. "Well, well," he sneered, "if it isn't a group of ants thinking they can stand in my way. How amusing."

Leona's tone turned stern as she responded, her voice carrying a weight of authority. "If you've come looking for trouble," she warned, "you'll find none here. You and your companions had best be on your way. If you choose to stay, be prepared to face the consequences."

Argon's smile only widened at Leona's warning. He leaned back slightly, his eyes locking onto hers with a malicious glint. "Oh, insects," he drawled, his voice dripping with disdain, "that's supposed to be my line. But by all means, try to stop me."

Argon then looked over at Keleora and her team, his gaze cold and calculating. "All of you," he said, his voice a dangerous whisper, "leave these ones to me. I want to enjoy this."

Keleora, feeling a mixture of frustration and apprehension, started to speak up. "Argon, this isn't—" But before she could finish her sentence, Argon turned his icy gaze directly on her.

Argon's stare was like a vice grip, paralyzing Keleora's words. The chilling intensity in his eyes sent shivers down her spine. He didn't need to say a word; his silence conveyed the unspoken threat.

Selene, standing beside Keleora, exchanged a wary glance with her leader. Argon's presence was a dark cloud looming over them, and the anthill city braced itself for what was to come.

Meanwhile Akun stood before the crystal ball, his hand outstretched towards it. The adventurers in the guild watched with keen interest, anticipation etched on their faces.

Darius leaned towards his companions, his voice a hushed whisper. "Let's see how this goes."

Akun's fingers made contact with the crystal's smooth surface, and for a moment, nothing happened. The room was filled with an uneasy silence. Then, a confused murmur rippled through the onlookers.

Adventurer 1 whispering to their friend, "Is it just me, or is nothing happening?"

Adventurer 2 nodding in agreement, "You're right. Maybe he's not as powerful as he looks."

The woman behind the counter, who was conducting the magical power test, furrowed her brow, her eyes darting between Akun and the crystal ball. She seemed genuinely puzzled.

Woman Behind the Counter mutterd to herself, "This is odd. It should have reacted by now."

Suddenly, without any warning, the crystal ball exploded in a burst of sparks and shattered glass. The woman gasped and stumbled backward, nearly tripping over her own feet. The adventurers closest to the counter jumped back to avoid the shards that rained down.

Adventurer 3 wide-eyed, "Did you see that? The ball just... exploded!"

Adventurer 4 scratching their head, "Weird. Maybe it was just a faulty crystal."

Darius shot a knowing glance at his party members, who all shared a subtle nod. This outcome had been somewhat expected, but they had to be cautious about drawing attention.

Darius speaking softly, "Looks like our friend here has a bit more power than meets the eye."

As the counterwoman scurried off to find a replacement crystal ball, Akun contemplated the situation. He knew he had to be more discreet about his abilities to avoid unnecessary attention.

Akun thought to himself. "I can't let them see the full extent of my power just yet. It's best to keep things low-key."

The adventurers in the guild began to whisper among themselves, their speculations ranging from Akun's weak magical abilities to the crystal ball being old and unreliable. The room was filled with a sense of uncertainty, and Darius could sense that things were starting to take an unfavorable turn.