Chapter 4

Ten minutes. That’s all it took to cover the distance between the farm and my little home town and I wasn’t even winded. Despite how upset I was about becoming an insect I still had to admit, that was crazy fast.

Ember was bobbing her head happily as the wind rushed by. I got the feeling that if she had a tongue it would be lolling around like a dogs’. It was a short journey and Ember, to her credit, tried to pack as much information about my body into my head as she could. Mostly simple things, like what to eat, how to use my new appendages, pointers on how to form letter sounds so I could talk, etc.

I paid particular attention to the bit about talking, as I was having major problems with it. Part of why I was having so much trouble was that I had to consciously pull and push air in and out of my mouth now since my new body took in oxygen through its exoskeleton. The few times I did manage to actually speak a few words they came out stilted and rough, like I was chewing up every syllable and spitting it out.

I ended our conversation when the town came into sight though and focused on how to explain my current condition to the others…

The town was in dreadful condition. It had only been a month, but plant growth had crawled over many of the roads and up sides of buildings. I passed through my old neighborhood and saw several of the houses on the outskirts were totally wrecked, some even had giant holes where something large crashed through the walls.

‘Tarantulas…’

When I reached my own house I stopped and stepped inside.

‘? Master why have we entered this building?’

‘It’s my home.’

‘Really? How interesting, may I explore the grandeur of my Master’s home?’

‘Uh, if you want. Don’t expect much though.’

‘Thank you!’

Ember climbed off my back and scuttled around, studying everything in sight. As for me I went to my bedroom and found, to my pleasure, the other sword I had left lying on the bed. My scimitar was still strapped to my waist but now with my increased strength I ought to be able to carry my greatsword around easily too. Fortunately, despite the moisture in the air and oxygenated atmosphere, neither sword had any rust in it.

I made a satisfied grunt and turned to leave. It was bittersweet seeing this place again, knowing that the married life I wanted was unlikely to happen. At least the building was still intact. There were a lot of memories stored in this house after all.

‘Ember, we’re going.’ I said, walking back into the living room. I gestured for her to leave the house first.

‘Stay a safe distance ahead of me and keep lookout while we’re escorting my friends, alright? Don’t let any of them see you or else they might figure out who I am.’

‘? Yes Master, but don’t you plan on telling them who you are anyway?’

‘I do, but if I just come out and say it, it will be a problem.’

‘How so?’

‘It doesn’t matter, just be quiet for a while so I can think.’

‘Yes Master!’

And with that the little spider dashed away, keeping an eye out for anything that might intrigue her precious master.

In truth, I was very reluctant to tell them who I was. After all, I could predict their reactions.

Carol would freak out and maybe even start crying, Niel would try and convince everyone that I couldn’t be trusted and Delilah…I didn’t want to think about that. Anyway, that was assuming they even believed me to begin with. For now I would just try to gauge their reactions to a giant ant monster who happened to be friendly to humans.

I decided to walk through town so as not to freak everyone out. There would surely be someone keeping watch and my speed would definitely cause alarm.

The damage to the main body of the town was worse than the outskirts. Many of the buildings were marked with the same sorts of holes as the houses in my neighborhood were. Some were even totally collapsed, no doubt due to a Tarantula rampage.

‘Mother nature sure took a battering ram to this place…’ I thought as I examined the debris of the coffee shop.

I was examining the remains of my favorite coffee shop when Ember suddenly interrupted me.

“Masteeeeeer! Bad news, bad bad news!’

‘What is it?!’ I said, turning towards her direction, the direction of the store.

‘M-M-Master, there’s a Cleaner in front of the store!’

‘WHAT?! I thought you had your wasps keeping watch!?’

‘They weeeeeere, but when they engaged the Cleaner…well…’

‘Don’t tell me, they were all killed?’

‘S-Sorry Master, but Cleaners are made for fighting low-level enemies, a few measly Scouts would never be able to defeat one. The best they were able to do was wound it..’

‘Dammit! Is everyone inside still ok?’

‘Yes Master, as of now the Cleaner is still nursing its wounds from the battle, but there is no doubt that it will attack that building after It has recovered.’

So everyone was still safe. That much was a relief at least, but that safety definitely wouldn’t last very long. Now I need to figure out a way to get everyone out of that store without getting the Tarantulas attention. I could try and sneak everyone out the back entrance, but that would only delay the problem. Those Tarantula were made to hunt and kill, making an escape would just turn into a chase. The monster had to be dealt with, but how?

‘Um Master, if I may make a suggestion?’

Gasoline and fire…? But where would I find gasoline in the post-apocalypse? The pumps were undoubtedly closed, and I didn’t have the time to dig up the foundations of the gas station to get at the underground tanks…

‘Master, you could always…’

Would poison work? Probably, but that comes with the problem of acquiring poison and getting the Tarantula to eat it. Injecting something like that through a hard exoskeleton would never work. Gah! This was all just conjecture anyway, I had no idea where to find poison!

‘MASTER!!! Please listen to what I have to say!’

‘Hm, what? Do you know about some secret weak spot those guys have?’

‘Weak spot? Goodness no but, um, there is a far more simple way for a Candidate to eliminate a Cleaner…’

‘? Well, what are you waiting for, tell me what it is.’

‘…You must fight it, Master.’

‘To hell with that idea!’

‘Please reconsider!’

‘Why the hell would I do something like that? Are you trying to get me killed?’

‘Of course not! But one way or another you will have to battle the Cleaners one day, and this may be the best chance you have to get some practice in before the fight comes to you. And when that time comes it won’t just be low level non-combatants like Cleaners and Searchers. The Queen has forces that are the stuff of nightmares, and they WILL find you, so I have to do everything in my power to prepare you until then and since you’re adamant about not eating healthy food the best substitute would be actual combat experience. Your enemy is weak and you’re stronger than you’ve ever been before so this should be a cakewalk for you Master.’

I could hear the desperation in her voice, even telepathically. It upset Ember more than I thought it would that I wouldn’t eat insects, but what could I do? The thought disgusted me. Call me a sissy, but eating bugs wasn’t the sort of thing that I could get used to easily. Still…

‘…Perhaps you’re right. I have gotten a lot stronger and faster, it’s just…they frighten me. The very first thing I saw after the fog rolled in was a Tarantula murder a friend of mine. Those things are monsters and there’s no way I could beat one when even your swarm couldn’t.’

‘Oh my Master…’ I could hear her legs as she hurried toward me. She didn’t have to go far, I had already moved into a house next to the store.

When she got to me she reared up on her back legs and nuzzled my face again. She seemed to enjoy doing that, so I pat her head a bit.

‘You have nothing to fear, Master, for you walk with purpose. You willingly gave yourself to me just for a chance to protect your loved ones, proving your courage. You spared me your rage even though your old life was ripped out of your hands, proving your kindness. Even after being stricken with the Scouters venom you still managed to stay awake and fight until you could verify your loved ones safety, proving your strength. Please, if you can’t do it for me, then do it for them. And if you can’t do it for them, then do it for yourself! You are too great a Master to run away, and you are too strong a Master to die!’

Ember's words, as always, were filled with hope and love. She truly believed in me with all her heart and soul.

Why? I was no one special, just some nobody factory worker from some small town in the middle of nowhere Ohio. Anybody would do the things I’ve done, given the opportunity, wouldn’t they? Protecting your family, sacrificing yourself for your friends, sparing the innocent, these were normal things to do…weren’t they?

Besides it’s not like I’m some angel, I’ve got my share of sins as well. Selling my soul for power, reveling in my strength over others, nearly murdering the only one who was there to help me after I awoke…

Yet Ember chose to believe in me. Carol chose to trust me. Delilah chose to support me.

And here I was, cowering in fear while that Tarantula was preparing to kill those bonds of trust.

It made me mad. Mad at the Tarantula for daring to threaten my friends. And mad at myself for thinking I was too weak to fight back. Who cares if I can or can’t win? Like that matters when I’m the only thing standing between them and certain death.

I didn’t need any more convincing, I will not cower!

Ember sensed my resolve and moved away from me onto the second floor where she would watch the fight from a safe distance.

I would not lose, I would protect the things I love, I would crush the enemies in front of me, one by one and keep all that I treasure safe under my protection!

With a bang I obliterated the wall of the house I was in, punching through brick and drywall, and shouted my defiance at the Tarantula.

The noise that came out of my mouth was ghastly, somewhere between a shriek and a roar.

The Tarantula, who had been nursing a missing leg and a puncture wound in its back, started at my sudden appearance. But, rather than run away or lunge at me, it slowly turned its body to face me, eight eyes glaring as though they were trying to burn a hole through my chest.

I met those eyes.

****

‘Tch, damn those stinging pests. How dare they attack me! When I find the Caretaker they were working under…!’

I stamped my right forelimbs into the earth threateningly, though nobody was around to see me.

‘…tch. Still though, why were they so determined to protect the humans in there? The selection period is nearly over for this area anyway, they would have lived longer had their Caretaker been more competent.’

Yes, a foolish master led his foolish minions to a foolish death.

‘Heh heh heh hear me now dead fools, I shall find your director and avenge your unnecessary deaths. S’not like anything of value would be lost, an incompetent leader like yours would never be able to produce a real Lord anyway...’

Yes, a Caretaker who targets such well guarded humans instead of finding a more available target is worthless to Her Majesty anyway…

‘Still, it would be bad if I were killed before I could claim my prize inside of the humans den. For now I’ll let these wounds heal. Not like the humans could escape anyway, but I’m not foolish enough to challenge a foe when I’m hurt. Not like those Scouters, challenging a foe they couldn’t beat. Or that human…’

I remembered him, surrounded by Scouters. He actually managed to kill one of them with a sharp bit of metal.

‘Heh, a fool. An amusing fool, but a fool noneth-’

BOOM

The wall of a neighboring human den exploded and came crashing down, spewing dust and rubble.

‘What the-’

‘SHKREIAAAAAAAAAAA’

A noise like nothing I had ever heard before blasted out from the debris cloud. It was as if someone had given fear itself a voice, because that was all I could feel right now. My heart was beating quickly and I felt the presence of death looming. All my instincts were screaming at me to run, but…

‘I…will…not…COWER!’

And with that I turned myself slowly, deliberately to face this new challenge before me. What I saw chilled my blood.

His carapace was a deep, dark blue that brought to mind the night sky. It even speckled where the dim light refracted off of him, creating an illusion of starlight. His eyes glistened with murderous intent, betraying great intelligence. He walked on two legs, just as the humans did, though unlike them he walked on legs of chitin, each step leaving his mark on the earth. I could see it in his eyes, he wanted to kill me.

The form he held, the pressure he exerted, and that unquenchable, undeniable desire to kill…there was no mistaking who he was.

The first Lord had awoken.

And with him he would bring despair like no other had before or since. He would wade through an ocean of blood and devour all who stood in his path. Starting with me.

I was afraid. There was no point denying it in front of such majesty, and yet…

‘Ha..haha…ahahahaha! So am I to be your first meal then? No, I will not die like some cornered rat, so hear me! I am Enginar! And If you were looking for an easy meal, then you should have stuck to those weakling Scouts!’

****

‘Hear me! I am Enginar, and if you were looking for an easy meal then you should have stuck to those weakling scouts!’

The Tarantula’s voice boomed out in my head. I was surprised, I didn’t think they were capable of language.

‘Cleaners are all meatheads. Despite their paltry strength, they live for battle.’ Ember chimed in, practically gloating over the Tarantula.

‘I don’t care who you are, all I care about is protecting my friends. I’ll give you this one chance Tarantula, leave now or I’ll finish what the wasps started!’

The Tarantula stopped for a moment, as if seriously considering my offer, then-

Then, faster than the human eye could follow, the Tarantula dashed towards me, attempting to run me over. With its size and weight it would have been like being hit by a train.

I had anticipated this though. After seeing how the Tarantula had rampaged through town, knocking down walls and destroying buildings, it was clear that they had a penchant for throwing their size around. Just before he slammed into me I jumped up high. Too high.

I figured I would be able to jump over the Tarantula and then land behind it, then I would slash one of it’s back legs with my greatsword. What actually happened was that I jumped from the street into the parking lot of the convenience store, 20 meters away from where I was originally standing.

I turned around quickly, which was fortunate because the Tarantula had only been surprised for a moment after my jump. It had already covered half the distance between us, so I took up a stance with my sword.

When the Tarantula reached me it reared up in it’s hind legs, reaching a height of over 15 feet tall, before smashing it’s remaining forelegs into the asphalt where I had been standing creating a small crater. I managed to dodge to the right of his assault and, with all my might, I swung my greatsword into one of it’s right forelegs.

HACK

With a single stroke I severed the last third of the leg causing the Tarantula to retreat momentarily. It’s pace had slowed slightly, but I wasn’t going to get cocky. This fight had just begun.

****

‘GAAAHHH! Damn it!’

The pain was great, but it wasn’t unbearable. No what truly pained me was the gap between myself and the Lord before me.

My initial assault failed spectacularly. He saw right through my sneak attack and then, as if to mock me, he showed off his superior mobility by jumping over me and in front of the building those humans are hiding in.

‘As if to say, I’ll be taking that prey you worked so hard to find!’

I had hoped I could win simply by crushing him, but he easily dodged and relieved me of another leg!

‘With that sharp bit of…metal?’

Then I remembered another who fought with metal, that foolish human from before whom was being chased by the Scouters…could it be…?

‘…So, you survived, eh?’

Tch, this wouldn’t be an easy battle to win, I’d have to make some sacrifices but…I would never surrender.

‘I will defeat you.’

****

The Tarantula was poised for a counterattack in case I tried to make a move. It’s remaining forelegs were raised up into the air, ready for action. It seemed to be inviting me to try my luck.

I was still standing next to the leg I had severed earlier, debating with myself…over whether or not I should try eating it. After all, I was certain to get some kind of power from the leg right? If it would help me win this fight then…

I was about to pick it up but then I saw, in the corner of my eye, a face looking through the gaps in the boarded up windows of the store. It was Carol, looking pale but still healthy. Her eyes were wide with disbelief at the scene that was unfolding in front of her store. Well, seeing a giant ant fighting a giant Tarantula wasn’t the sort of thing that happened every day.

I understood Ember’s desire for me to eat and grow stronger, but I couldn’t do it in front of them. I would have won this without Tarantula powers.

Speaking of the Tarantula, he must have sensed my distraction, because he took the opportunity to again attempt barreling into me. I saw it coming again and dodged, this time to the left, while swinging my greatsword behind me. This time I took half of a back leg with me.

I was starting to enjoy myself. I knew my opponent had started this fight injured, but the fact that he couldn’t land a hit on me was doing horrible things to my ego.

‘Heh heh, to think I was so afraid of you before. You really are just a big brute, aren’t you? No strategy at all. Let me guess, you’re going to back off and rear up on your hind legs, right?

Once again the Tarantula retreated, this time even slower, and took up a counter stance.

‘Just like I thought. Guess I’ll just have to take your bait, Mr. Tarantula!’

If I could laugh I would have. As it was, I made a choked series of noises roughly simulating laughter. Then I rushed into his stomp attack. Like a bullet I raced toward him, sword held aloft for a vertical slash. Then-

KSHING

My blade left a gash, six feet wide, In the Tarantulas abdomen. Though clearly in pain the Tarantula attempted to carry out it’s stomp attack but, as always, I dodged easily.

Perhaps it was finally coming to its senses, because when the Tarantula backed off this time it didn’t stop moving away. Once it got to it’s usual distance it turned around and started running with surprising speed, given the fact that it was short three legs and was sporting several nasty wounds.

‘Hee hee, trying to run away are we? You started this fight the moment you made my friends your target, I’m not gonna let you off with just scratches!’

I kicked hard off the ground into a sprint, leaving another small crater where my foot had been, and covered half the distance between us in a matter of seconds. In just a moment I would catch up to the Tarantula, so I was readying myself to chop off the rest of it’s back legs. I brought my sword to my side for a massive horizontal slash, tensing my muscles and readying my blade.

FInally, when I was almost upon him I swung my sword and-

THUNKTHUNKUNKUNKUNK

****

‘DAMMIIIIIT!!!’

Was all I could think when the Lord sliced my bottom open. The pain was reaching unbearable heights, especially after losing three legs. If there was any consolation it’s that the wound, while long, was shallow.

‘Bastard! You’ll pay for that, I swear it!’

Yes, I still have one more weapon at my disposal. It may not be as convenient as simply crushing you, but now I can make you walk headfirst into my trap! As soon as I run away you’ll give chase you arrogant ant!

I backed off, creating enough distance between the two of us so that I had time to prepare my little present to the Lord. Once I reached a suitable distance I turned tail and ran. I couldn’t move as fast as I wanted to, but that didn’t matter. I just needed to get the Lord right behind me.

Just as I thought, the Lord immediately sprinted after me. His speed was ridiculous, his whole body becoming a blur when he ran. It had been only a handful of seconds when he caught up to me and prepared to swing his metal stick.

‘Yes, just like me you’re too stubborn to let your prey get away, aren’t you? You’ll chase, and by the time you realize what’s about to happen it’ll be too late to dodge!’

Almost there. Almost there. I was so close to winning this fight, I just needed him to be a few feet closer...There! Now is the time!

‘GAHAHAHAHAH, NOW PAY THE PRICE FOR YOUR ARROGANCE!’

Quick as a flash I dislodged the hairs covering my abdomen. Each was a foot long and pointed at the end and when released they shot out with incredible speed and power, enough to pierce wood and dent metal.

Sure enough, I could hear the sounds of impact right behind me, followed by a sputtering noise from the Lord. Even if that didn’t kill him, he had to be in worse condition than I was.

I couldn’t contain my excitement, in a few moments I would devour the Lord, and all of his powers along with him!

‘To think that I, Enginar, would get to feast on such a meal. To think that I would get to become a Lord myself! Gahahahahaha!’

I turned around, already salivating at the prospect of such a delicacy. I looked to where the impacts had resonated from, a few feet behind me, but couldn’t seem to find the body. There was a spot where a few of my hairs were lying on the ground, but besides that all traces of the Lord had disappeared.

What happened? Thinking that perhaps my attack had blown him back a ways, I looked up the road but there was nothing to be found there either.

!!!!

I sensed danger.

****

I realized what was happening almost immediately. The way the Tarantulas hairs were suddenly stiffening up made me remember that some species had the ability to fire off their hairs as a defense mechanism.

I made to jump out of the way but I underestimated their speed. A few of the hairs, foot long brown spikes that raced through the air like arrows, struck my sternum.

Admittedly, I thought I was done for. But to my surprise, while the spikes banged against my chest, none of them were able to pierce my sturdy carapace. Though they certainly still hurt.

Still, to think I was taken by surprise by a cheap trick like this. Just like before I had gotten cocky, even when I told myself I wouldn’t. What was wrong with me? Was I trying to die? Just thinking about my own stupidity was pissing me off.

‘Tch. I’ll yell at myself later. For now, let's finish off this Tarantula.’

He was no doubt reveling from having caught me in his trap, but he hadn’t checked behind him yet. Rather than wait for him to see me, I made an executive decision to jump up, as high as I could go. Not a moment too soon, because the moment I left his line of sight the Tarantula decided to turn around.

I was quite high up. Higher even than when I had jumped into the parking lot earlier. I thought I would need to angle myself to land on it’s back, but the Tarantula moved to where I had been standing.

I wasted no further time thinking, rather I simply angled my sword for a downwards thrust and let gravity do the rest. With my last mighty swing I brought my sword down onto the monsters head, severing it from the sternum.

The body collapsed, and blue blood gushed violently from the place where the head had been. The head itself had rolled a few feet away from the body and was sitting there, blinking at me. It was still alive, but the Tarantula was on it’s metaphorical last legs.

‘My Lord…’ a voice spoke in my head

‘Ember, Master was already weird enough. ‘Lord’ is too much.’

‘I know not know….who Ember is. I am….Enginar.’

‘? The Tarantula? Why would you call me ‘your Lord’?

‘Because…that is what you are. One who…was chosen…to receive the power of a Lord.’

‘A Lord…so that’s what the ‘Candidates’ are selected for. And all the ones who survive…?’

‘Yes Master, all who survive attain the status of Lord. By growing stronger and defeating enemies, you will raise your status even higher.’ Ember chimed in.

I turned to the Tarantula and said ‘If I am your Lord, then why did you attack me?’

‘?What an odd question…You were the one who wanted to kill me, were you not? Not that it matters…We would have come to blows eventually…Your power will draw all of us to you, for the sake of becoming powerful ourselves…You Lords are given the one thing we don’t have, something you inherit from your human selves…Something that all of us…desire above all else…something

…something…..’

The Tarantulas consciousness was fading.

‘What do I have that you want? Tell me.’

It’s eyes were glazing over, there would be no more information I could get out of this head. I turned around and was about to walk away when I heard-.

‘My Lord…?’

‘…What is it, Tarantula?’

‘….Our battle…was a good one, yes?’

‘…Yes. Before our fight, I was afraid of your kind. But…Fighting you cured that fear and that has made me stronger…Enginar.’

With a final satisfied sigh, Enginar the Tarantula died. A fool, but a valiant fool.