High Baron Levi Ashdale, Lord of the Bloodriver Valley, rode through the Halirosa gates early in the morning, accompanied by three retainers. The group drew shocked looks of amazement and disbelief from Guards, Adventures, and Citizens alike. One wide-eyed youth in a fresh Guard's uniform dropped his spear and rushed off towards the City hall, running faster than he ever had before. It wasn't the Baron's disheveled and travel-worn appearance that captured the crowd's attention, however. Nor was it the fact that the Baron and the men who followed him had been pronounced dead for over a month, victims of the failed Ant extermination that had killed so many others.

No. It was the Ants.

The four copper-colored, massive ants that the small group rode one, as well as the dozen or so smaller workers that followed behind them. So strange and incomprehensible was the scene before them that the gathered crowd on the roadside stood in absolute silence as they watched the parade of insects march slowly towards the Nobles district. It wasn't until the group had made it far past the gate that the spell was broken. Then, like a dam breaking, the crowd rushed into motion; citizens fled, some in a panic, others simply following the crow. Informants from various Guilds and Organizations rushed off to tell their masters. Guards and Adventurers alike surrounded the ground, though hesitated to make any rash movement.

The Baron's presence and the still fresh terror of the expedition stayed most of their hands and left the group in confusion. What was going on here? How had Baron Ashdale survived? More importantly, why was he RIDING the Ants? Finally, the procession neared a hastily crafted barricade along the main road. A human male, slightly older than Ashdale, stood in front of the barricade, a heavy spear planted firmly into the ground. His armor, though intricate but worn and battle-scarred as if it had seen just as many years of service as the man himself. As the Ants approached, the older man billowed out in a deep, commanding voice.

"In the name of the Halirosa Senate, you will HALT!"

The Ants continued, unheeding, but at a pat from Ashdale and what seemed to be a few whispered words, the Ants slowly came to a stop several yards away from the barricade, close enough to not have to yell, but outside of either side's immediate range. Baron Ashdale looked down at the older man with a frown, his shoulders slumping in tired resignation.

"Good afternoon, Guard Captain Stonewall. It's good to see you again; I'm glad to see that you made it back in one piece..."

The old Guard Captain stared up at Baron Ashdale, a storm brewing in his eyes. Stonewall billowed out once more, not even bothering to lower his voice from his previous volume.

"Dang, it Ashdale! What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time?! What happened during the Extermination?!"

The last question roared out with enough force to shake the air around them and cause several of the lower rank Guards and Adventures to wince with pain. Baron Ashdale could only sigh and shake his head. When he spoke, his voice was tried,

"It's... complicated. A lot has happened, Captain. More than I could explain in what short time we have."

The Guard Captain billowed once more, his dark, sun-hardened face turning a deep red.

"BULL! Don't play with me, Ashdale! I might think of you as my own brother, but I WILL NOT allow you to endanger Halirosa or its people with whatever the hell... this... is!"

This time, it was Baron Ashdale's turn to yell, all of the frustration and uncertainty of the past few days rushing out in a torrent.

"DAMMIT, URICK! I'M TRYING TO SAVE US ALL! Do you not get it?! Did that Extermination not make you think?! If you don't let me pass, Halirose is done for. And not you, or I, or anyone else will be able to save it from what's to come!"

The Guard Captain stared wide-eyed, stunned at his usually calm and composed friend's outburst. His grip on the spear tightened till his knuckles turned white. His voice was quiet but rumbled like a brewing storm.

"Then explain it to me! What the hell is going on, Levi?! Have you sided with the Ants?!"

Baron Ashdale was silent for a long moment.

".... I'm sorry, Urick. I promise, I'll explain everything as soon as I can. But please, for all our sakes, if you've ever trusted me with anything, trust me now."

The Guard Captain was silent for a long moment before his rough, low grumbling grew louder. Then, he lifted his spear with a roar and drove it back into the pavement with enough force to leave a small crater. The surrounding guards and adventures went deathly silent, leaving only the sound of the Captain's heavy breathing. Then, with a flick of his spear, the older man turned around towards the barricade.

"Make way!"

One of the higher-ranked guards stepped forwards with hesitation,

"A-are you sure, Sir? This is against regu-"

"I SAID MAKE WAY!!"

The man and the rest of the guards instantly snapped to attention.

""""YES SIR!""""

As one, the guards began to move the barricade away, much to the displeasure of the gathered Adventurers who continued to stare at the Ants with fire and anger. Of all the forces gathered for the Extermination, the Adventure's Guild had been the hardest hit, a combination of their lack of coordination, overall lower quality equipment, and high numbers. Suffice to say, many in the Guild had been calling for a second expedition to be arranged, both to snuff out the threat and to restore their lost honor. But the Guard held the real power in the City-State. As much as they wanted to sink their blades into the "enemy" in front of them, they were more afraid of Captain Stonewall, a man who was once called the most powerful Adventurer on the continent.

As the road was cleared, the Ants and their riders continued on their way. As they passed, the Guard Captain, Baron Ashdale, couldn't bear to meet the burning eyes of his friend. Still, he called down from his mount.

"Thank you, Urick. I promise this will all make sense in time. And again... I'm sorry."

Guard Captain Urick Stonewall simply harrumphed and crossed his arms.

As they moved further away, one of the smaller Ants glanced back in Stonewall's direction. For reasons he couldn't quite place, the cold glint of intelligence he saw within its eyes made the ex-adventurer shiver to his very core...

Baron Ashdale sighed; well, that had gone about as well as it could have. Honestly, he'd been surprised one of the Adventurers hadn't tried anything. Their kind tended to be very... impulsive. Not that it would have mattered, honestly. Instinctively, Ashdale rubbed the thin band around his neck, hidden by his fur, where the explosive collar had been implanted. Not that he would have tried to disobey, of course, not knowing what he knew now. Though "Alpha," as the strange creature had called itself, had insisted on... extra precautions. Ashdale turned back to glance at the two Spirit-Wolf Adventurers and the mysterious Dragonkin who had accompanied him on this trip.

The adventurer's appeared as nervous as he felt on the inside, though the Dragonkin was a stoic and calm as he'd been since the moment they'd been captured.

A strange one, that one. The man didn't seem phased by anything. Then again, maybe that was simply how Dragonkin were. Not like they visited Halirosa often. The Dragonkin tended to be much more reclusive than other races, rarely venturing out of their territory. What had brought the one named Ti'so, neither the Adventurer's Guild nor Ashdale had bothered to ask; they were simply happy enough to have such a mighty Warrior at the ready.

Turn back to face the road, Ashdale fell into deep contemplation. They had a mission here. One that very well would decide the fate of Halirosa. They couldn't afford to fail. Not now.

And their first stop would be his own Estate. Or rather the one he used while the Senate was in session.

Slowly his mind drifted off towards the meeting that started all of this. For better or worse, the meeting that had sealed the fate of himself, the Ashdale Clan, and possibly all of Halirosa.

~~~ Three Days Earlier ~~~

Ashdale stared up at the strange creature in front of him, eyes wide and mouth open. He... wasn't totally sure what it was he was looking at. At first glance, it appeared to be some kind of giant, metal crab; a small carriage size, disk-shaped body supported on several long, spindly legs. But something seemed... off, at the same time. At first, he couldn't place it, but the more he looked, the stranger the creature seemed. It wasn't just the dozens of odd "horns" that decorated its body, nor the metallic sheen. Instead, if he had to put it into words, the creature seemed too... perfect. Its lines were too straight, with a symmetry that didn't seem like it belongs to any living creature. Its movements were smoother and more elegant than any creature this size had the right to be.

More than anything, though he could see no eyes to speak of, he could feel the creature watching them, not with the dull eyes of a creature driven by instinct, but the sharp sting of intelligence. No, more than just intelligence...

The rest of the small group that had followed after him when the Ant had led them from the "cells" stared in equal shock and confusion. They had expected to meet a Queen, or at best, a Tamer. Not... whatever this was.

Suddenly, one of the female adventures, a young Elf, squealed in excitement and rushed the creature. Ashdale couldn't remember her name off the top of his head, but he knew she was a talented Puppetmaster. The rest of the group panicked as the girl ran up to the creature, all of them expecting a repeat of the event with Rooster a month back. To their shock, however, other than shifting its position slightly, the creature barely reacted as the young girl's twirled around its figure, bombarding it with questions.

"How did you support the joints to..."

"Is this Flare-Copper? No, no, its alignment is too chaotic, perhaps its..."

"Did you condense the Spirit generator? Or is it a telescopic connection? But how did you..."

To the group's surprise, the creature not only didn't squish the rude girl but cheerfully answered her questions as best as it could. Even more surprising, the voice it used was the same as the Solider Ant that had led them here. It was then that Ashdale realized what he was looking at.

It was a Puppet.

They ALL were...

Ashdale looked around the room at the over a hundred Ant Puppets going about various tasks and gave a nervous laugh. What the hell had they walked into? What kind of Monster could control so many Puppets and perform so many different tasks simultaneously? The Baron wasn't sure if this was better or worse than his previous theories. But at the end of the day, it didn't change anything. Shaking off his nervousness Ashdale stepped forward and spoke up, once more putting on a regal and dignified air as best as one could in front of the truly powerful.

"Lord Senior! A-As Senator and Lord of the Bloodriver Valley, I would first like to apologize on behalf of Halirosa. Unfortunately, we were unaware that the Ant Colony that was attack belonged to you. I beg your understanding in this matter; Ants of this species have caused untold damage to our lands and that of our neighbor many times in the past; thus, we acted on instinct before fully confirming the situation.

This one also thanks you for taking the time to speak to us. I'm aware that you're busy, but I feel that I owe it to the rest of you... Guests to ask. Why are we here? If you wish to random us off, I assure you that the Ashdale Clan will be more than willing to pay any payments for all of those you're currently holding. That is the least we can do to make reparation. We only ask for your assurance of continued safety. "

The strange Crab Puppet broke off its discussion with the elf girl and turned towards Ashdale. It slowly approached, towering over the old Spirit Wolf and making the Baron's blood run cold. Then, with one fluid motion, the large, disk-like body lowered until it was level with Ashdale. Ashdale found himself looking into a strange, reflective orb set into the surface of the Puppet. From behind the orb, he could feel that same cold, sharp intelligence staring back at him. The Baron stared for an awkward moment into his own nervous, slightly warped reflection before it spoke, its voice pleasing and masculine, but oddly... cold.

"Greetings, Baron Ashdale. It's good to finally meet someone with some manners in this backwater place. These kinds of things tend to go very... differently, in my experience. Nevertheless, I'm hopeful we can reach a mutual understanding. Yes?"

Ashdale took a step back, rapidly shaking his head up and down.

"Y-yes, my Lord. I think an understanding is best for all parties involved."

The Baron didn't know how, but he could feel the puppet grin.

"Goooood. Good. I'm glad. Understandings make my job so much easier. As for why you are all here, it's simple. Information."

Ashdale swallowed.

"Information, my Lord?"

"Yes. Information. You see, I'm still new to... these lands. I'm still getting my feet wet, as it were, testing the waters. Oh, don't worry, I'm not some psychopath who's going to dissect you or stick probes in your orifices or anything like that. I'm not into THAT kind of thing. No, the information I'm looking for is more of the... common variety. Geography, politics, various powers, and Market information. That kind of thing."

Baron Ashdale nod again,

"Y-yes, my Lord, that's understandable; it's perfectly reasonable to want to understand your new home. We'll be glad to assist you in any way. B-but I feel like I must ask. Why here? Are you simply passing by? or do you plan to stay for long?"

The Puppet was silent for a moment before speaking again.

"Hmmm. Well, now, I don't think that's any of your business, honestly. My work is my own. But, of course, if I need any assistance, I'll be sure to ask, but I'm a man who enjoys his privacy."

Ashdale narrowed his eyes and stood up straight, the submissiveness in his voice changing to something colder, harder.

"That is fair enough, my Lord. But as a Senator of Halirosa, I feel like I must warn you. If you have any... mischievous plans for the City, you'll not find it so easy a target. We may only be a small part of this Continent, but we'll not go down without a fight; not to Medved, not to you, not to anyone."

The Puppet was silent for a long moment before rising to its total high. Ashdale stood firm, however, refusing to back down. He knew that, individually, they didn't stand any chance against this Hidden Master. But even then, he would make his stand on this issue. If the Strong of the world thought they could simply bully the weak, they'd soon come to learn the lesson that enough Ants could take down even a Dragon.

Then the beeping started.

Ashdale's eyes went wide, and his body began to shake. The group around him quickly fled, afraid of being caught up in what was about to happen. Ashdale's shaking hand raised towards his neck, and out of the corner of his eyes, he caught a flashing red glow bouncing off of his hand. The same red glow from a month ago that still haunted some of his dreams. His breath came in ragged, hot drags, but drawing on every last ounce of willpower he could muster, the old Baron lowered his hand and placed them behind his back, standing straight once more.

So be it. He would not falter in this conviction. Maybe those who came after would call him foolish, but no one would be able to say that at the end, Baron Ashdale did not stand for Halirosa.

Then, with one last glare at the strange Puppet, the old Spirit Wolf closed his eyes and awaited the End.

.....

But the end never came.

As quickly as it started, the beeping stopped, leaving the cavern in silence. Nervously opening one eye, Ashdale glanced around, confused.

Suddenly, Loud laughter echoed through the cavern.

"HAHAAHAHAHAH! GOOD! VERY GOOD! I have to say, Mr. Ashdale. I despise those arrogant pricks who think they're at the top of the mountain but have no idea what REAL power is."

The Puppet lowered itself once more until Ashdale was once more staring into the strange, reflective orb. Then, the Puppet spoke again in a much quieter voice.

"But I hate brown-nosers even more."

Baron Ashdale could only stare, his mouth open. He was sharp enough to understand he'd passed some kind of test, but such a close brush with death had left him unable to find any words in response. The Puppet continued.

"But I'm afraid there's been a bit of a misunderstanding here. While I harbor no ill will for you or your people... at the moment... don't think I'm simply some common thug. On the contrary, my actions so far have been a warning. YOU attacked ME. If I wanted to do the same, there is nothing you or your people could do to stop me."

Ashdale took a deep breath, calming his shaking hands, and spoke out more boldly.

"My Lord, for one who claims to hate the Arrogant, that is quite the boast yourself. Halirosa may be small compared to other forces, but our reach extends to every part of this world. So much so that even the great Mages of the Counsel show us respect, and even the Awakened Beast Clan has failed to bring us under their heel. What makes you different? Why should we trust you?"

The Puppet once more laughed.

"Hehe, because my dear Baron. You don't have any other choice; your life is in my hands. And no, I don't just mean your own life or even the lives of the people here. Come, let me show you what I mean. I'm sure that once you understand fully, you'll come to see my point of view."

With that, the strange Puppet turned and started to move down a large tunnel, further into the caves.

Baron Ashdale hesitated for a moment, then glancing back at the rest of the group, quickly followed into the darkness.