[Okay, there's a monster about four hundred yards to your left. It's a bit of a long walk, but you'll be fine.]

As I start walking, I ask curiously, [What kind of monster is it?]

[I don't think you've fought its kind before. How much do you know about anteaters?]

I freeze, two legs hanging midair. [You're kidding, right?]

[Of course not. You're as large as it is, and I'm pretty sure it's fire-based, if the heat readings are accurate. It'll be easy as pie for something like you.]

[It's an anteater! They're not called that because they eat spiders!]

[And once again, you are far superior! Your abilities, your intelligence, your strategies - literally the only thing it has on you is an inch or two!]

I flatten my body, clacking my mandibles in irritation. [No! I refuse!]

[...It gives a whole lot of void energy.]

I jump to my feet and look around cautiously, still not convinced.

[How much?]

[Let's just say that you'd be able to get to the size you've been wanting.]

Darn it, that's a good argument. Ever since I discovered that I could grow larger I've been wanting to get to a point where I was bigger than Noah, more out of a desire to better than him at something, and this provides a perfect opportunity.

[Fine. Let's kill the anteater.]

A few minutes later, I'm hiding in a tree, watching the bane of my species' existence walking around casually.

I look a little closer. [Doesn't this place seem a little familiar?]

Joule thinks about it for a moment.

[Isn't this right near your...]

[My old colony!]

In the forest below, the anteater seems to smell something and slowly meanders to a small nub of dirt poking from the grass.

I lunge from my position without any further thought. I may not be the ant I used to be, but I would rather die before I let my colony and my queen die, regardless of whether they appreciated it.

Opening with a Void Bite, the anteater senses me and dodges to the side. My bite misses it just barely and carves a small trench into the ground.

[Joule, we can't let it get to the colony!]

[I understand!]

Standing between the hill and the monster, I snap my mandibles fiercely, a thin layer of frost forming on them.

[What's the fastest way to kill this thing?]

[If I'm analyzing it correctly, it's got a tough hide. Your Void Bite should be able to cut through it, but it's somehow moving faster than you are. We're going to have to play it smart, all right?]

[Let's do this!]

The head of the anteater begins to glow red, and the light travels down the ugly snout of the creature until a focused stream of fire erupts from it. Sidestepping, I manage to avoid it, and the flame ceases. [It can breathe fire?!]

[I told you it was fire-based!]

[I didn't know you meant that!]

The anteater, eyes narrowed, begins to turn, trying to escape rather than face me.

[NO YOU DON'T!]

I sprint forward and summon an Extended Bite, and the ghostly mandibles snap down on its side.

It hisses in pain and backs away, but I'm not done with this fight until one of us is dead, and it sure isn't going to be me!]

Its image wavers slightly, and I suddenly can't see it very easily.

[What's it doing?]

[It's making a heat mirage! It'd be nice if we had an AOE attack right now...]

[What's an AOE?!]

[Doesn't matter! Just bite it!]

I run forward and bite blindly. I can feel resistance, but not nearly enough, and I hear its growl die in its throat.

Stepping backward, I eye the anteater's corpse with anger. Did you want some easy food? It was a mistake to think you'd find it here.

[who, you?]

I hear my former queen's voice in my head and turn, almost bowing from instinct. Briefly unsure how to respond, I decide on an answer.

[I'm just an ant.]