Evolution begins with an ant colony

The entire party was shocked and puzzled as they checked their status windows and saw the significant drop in their levels and grades. Darius scratched his head in disbelief, muttering, "What in the world just happened? How did my level and grade drop so drastically?"

Elara looked equally bewildered, her eyes scanning the status window again and again. "This can’t be right," she said. "I was a level 40 mage expert before, and now I’m down to level 7 mage novice! This forest is playing tricks on us!"

Gromm’s brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of the situation. "Something’s not right here," he grumbled. "We need to be cautious. Maybe it’s some kind of curse or illusion."

Lyra nodded, her hand instinctively reaching for an arrow in her quiver. "I’ve heard rumors about this forest," she said. "They say it messes with adventurers’ minds, making them see things that aren’t real. It’s a test of strength and resilience."

Torin, the cleric, closed his eyes in contemplation. "If that’s the case, then we must stay focused and stick together," he advised. "Let’s not let this illusionary magic get the best of us."

Raela, always on alert, scanned the surroundings, her sharp eyes darting from tree to tree. "Agreed," she said firmly. "We can’t afford to let our guards down."

Darius furrowed his brow as he chimed in, "Wait a minute, this doesn’t feel like any illusion magic I’ve encountered before. My high-level skills are all locked, and when I tried to use them, nothing happened. It’s as if the forest itself is suppressing our abilities."

The rest of The Brave Vanguard exchanged puzzled glances, realizing that Darius might be onto something. Elara spoke up, "He’s right. My most powerful spells feel... restrained. This forest isn’t just playing with our minds; it’s interfering with our magic as well."

Gromm grunted, adjusting the grip on his axe. "This is no ordinary forest, that’s for sure. But whatever it is, we can’t let it break us. We came here for the cores, and that’s what we’ll get."

Darius nodded in agreement with Gromm’s plan. "You’re right. Let’s go get the cores and get out of here as quickly as possible. There’s no telling what else this forest has in store for us, and I don’t want to stick around to find out."

Meanwhile back at the anthill, Akun approached Leona with a genuine smile of admiration on his face. "Leona, I have to say, the wall you and the rest of our comrades built around the anthill is truly impressive. You all did a fantastic job, and I’m grateful for your hard work."

Leona blushed slightly, a mix of pride and humility in her eyes. "Thank you, boss. It was a team effort, and I’m glad we could contribute to the colony’s safety." n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Akun looked around, puzzled, as he examined the wall. "Hey, Leona, I don’t see any doors or openings to get over this wall. How are we supposed to get inside the anthill?"

Akun pondered to himself, "I mean, sure, I could use aspect power to levitate all of us over the wall. But that’s not gonna work out every time. What if I’m not here and the other ants need to get out?"

Akun stood there, jaw dropped, as he watched Leona effortlessly walk up the wall vertically. He blinked in disbelief, unsure of what he was witnessing.

"Wait, what?" Akun stammered, trying to make sense of it all. "You can just... walk up the wall like that?"

Leona turned to him with a playful grin. "Of course! As ants, walking on vertical surfaces is natural to us." With that, she continued her ascent, defying gravity with every step.

Ember and Ivy giggled, following Leona’s lead. They easily scaled the wall, their movements fluid and graceful.

Akun couldn’t help but think to himself, "Wait, can I do that too? It looks so cool!" He watched in awe as Leona and the other ants scaled the wall vertically with ease, leaving him behind.

Akun hesitated for a moment, then shrugged and decided to give it a try. He positioned himself in front of the wall and concentrated, With a determined expression, he took his first step, and to his surprise, his foot stuck to the wall as if it were glued.

"Whoa!" Akun exclaimed, grinning in amazement. "This is incredible!"

Leona chuckled. "Told you it was easy."

Akun chuckled as they made their way up the walls. "You know," he said, "walking up walls like this makes me feel a bit like a certain superhero I used to admire back on Earth."

After they got up the wall, Akun’s eyes widened with wonder as he looked around at the ants in their human forms, laughing and playing together. Seeing them so carefree and joyful brought a smile to his face, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of happiness.

"Look at them," Akun said, pointing at the ant comrades enjoying themselves. "They seem to be having so much fun."

Leona nodded, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Yes, they do. It’s heartwarming to see them like this."

Ember and Ivy joined in, watching the ants’ interactions with amusement. "They’re just like us now," Ember said, his voice filled with delight.

"They really are," Ivy added, a grin spreading across her face.

Akun beamed with happiness as he shouted, "I’m back!" to all the evolved ants in the anthill. Their cheerful response filled him with warmth and a sense of belonging.

"Welcome home, boss!" they called out in unison, their voices filled with genuine joy.

With newfound confidence and excitement, Akun followed Leona’s lead as they gracefully walked vertically downward from the wall, heading towards the ant hill.

Once they reached the bottom, Leona turned to Akun with a proud smile. "You did great, boss! You’ve got the hang of it already."

Akun chuckled, still amazed by the experience. "Thanks, Leona. It’s all thanks to you guys for showing me how."

With newfound determination and a vision in mind, Akun addressed the gathered ants in the anthill. "Listen up, everyone. I’ve been thinking about our future, and I believe it’s time for us to dream big. We’re not just normal monster ants anymore; we’re a team, a family. And I want us to build something incredible together."

The ants listened intently, their eyes filled with curiosity and excitement.

"I want to build a city right here in the god forsaken forest," Akun continued. "A place where we can call home, where we can thrive and grow. We’ll expand our walls, make them stronger and taller, and ensure that we can protect our territory."

A murmur of approval spread through the anthill, and the ants exchanged looks of determination.

Leona stepped forward, her eyes shining with eagerness. "That sounds amazing, boss. We’ll make it the best city in this entire forest!"

As Akun gazed at the anthill, his mind filled with excitement and determination. "I want to create something special in this new world, something that we can all be proud of. And I know with this amazing family of mine, we’ll achieve incredible things together."

Meanwhile as Darius and his party ventured deeper into the god forsaken forest, they couldn’t help but be captivated by the unique and rare herbs that adorned their path. Lyra, the party’s mage, couldn’t contain her excitement as she spotted each new discovery.

"Look at these herbs! They’re extraordinary!" Lyra exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with fascination. "We can use them for alchemy and create powerful potions!"

Darius smiled at her enthusiasm but also felt a sense of urgency. "Lyra, I know these herbs are amazing, but let’s not get too distracted. We have a mission to find the ant hill and retrieve the monster ant cores."

Lyra pouted slightly but nodded, understanding that their primary goal was to complete the quest they had embarked upon.

Following the rumors they had gathered, the party moved cautiously through the dense forest, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of the anthill. The journey was filled with challenges, from treacherous terrains to strange creatures lurking in the shadows. But they pressed on, driven by the promise of reward and the thrill of adventure.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of searching, they spotted it—the anthill. In the distance, it stood as a testament to the incredible world of the god forsaken forest.

"There it is!" Darius exclaimed, pointing towards the anthill. "Our destination is within reach!"

Lyra’s eyes widened with excitement, and the rest of the party exchanged looks of relief and anticipation.

"Everyone, be on your guard," Darius cautioned, eyeing the stone wall surrounding the anthill with suspicion. "We don’t know the reason for that wall, and it could be there for a good reason. Let’s approach cautiously and stay on our toes."

The party nodded in agreement, their excitement tempered by the realization that they needed to proceed with caution. Lyra tucked the vials of herbs she had collected into her satchel, still eager to use them for alchemy later, but understanding the need for vigilance now.