The ghostly serpent hovered above them for a short moment, its powerful core glowing bright in Columbant’s eyes. Then it bared its fangs and lunged for them.

[Dodge, Garg!]

The beetle-beast tucked her legs and rolled to the side as the others threw themselves from her carapace, barely avoiding the lightning fast strike.

[Garg, up front! Slither, sneak attack. Rist, behind me. Standard formation, everyone.]

Her Pet Detection array sparked to life inside her, giving the ant a perfect picture of where her allies were positioned and their general state. The Skills she had trained so diligently came to the fore as she tried to squeeze out every advantage for the coming fight.

Pet Commander gave bonuses to any action she ordered her pets to complete. Pet Coordinator allowed her to direct and position her pets with maximum efficiency. Even the more passive Skills that made her pets grow faster and stronger, increasing their Skill growth, stirred as her pets drew on their abilities.

Before the serpent could retract for another strike, Garg was already there, recovering from her roll and charging in headfirst, trying to land a blow with her horn. The monster was too quick for that, twisting its long, ethereal body to dodge, and pulling back for another bite.

Despite herself, Columbant couldn’t help but admire the elegant design of the monster. So simple, yet so brutal. Somehow, the creature had lucked into a powerful evolution despite being completely wild. A rare event, but with millions of Dungeon monsters being spawned and killed every hour, it happened more than most would think.

Balls of fire streaked overhead and again, the serpent twisted, coiling itself with incredible speed to avoid the flames. It didn’t realise that the explosions were coming.

BOOM!

A deathly hiss filled the tunnel as the flames scorched the monster’s ghostly flesh. Fury ignited in the serpent's eyes as it locked onto Rist, the source of the offending fire.

[Slither!] Columbant called.

The slug revealed itself, rearing out of the shadows not two metres from the serpent's tail. His mouth opened and he spewed forth a torrent of black, acidic goo.

In a flash, the giant serpent reacted, spinning to slash at Slither with its tail. In one blow, the loyal pet was launched from the safety of its shadow and splatted against the distant wall.

[Slither!]

[I’m fine,] he replied as he reformed his body and sank into the shadows again. [Much faster than I thought.]

[Charge!]

Garg had reoriented herself and rushed forwards once more. It was her only move, but it was a powerful one.

The giant bug blurred as she lunged, utilising her Skills to the fullest extent to reach incredible speeds. Not even the serpent was quick enough to uncoil itself to avoid the charge and Columbant felt a surge of triumph as the beetle-beast struck home with her deadly horn.

Garg bellowed joyfully as she felt the contact, twisting her head to maximise the damage, but the response didn’t feel right. Columbant could see the ghost-flesh of the serpent didn’t sustain injury the way a normal body would.

Threads broke off, translucent strands that drifted through the air like the dark weeds that floated in the shadow sea. Clearly, the monster had suffered damage, but rather than writhing in pain at the grievous blow, the serpent instead rose up, baring its fangs.

It doesn’t feel pain!

[Garg, dodge!]

Her pets were well trained and Garg reacted instantly, pulling back and rolling, except she couldn’t. The unhealed wound in her flank reared its ugly head at the worst possible time. She staggered as her middle-left leg spasmed, the muscle tearing as she put too much force through it.

The snake bit home.

Two enormous fangs punched through Garg’s hardened carapace, tearing into the flesh beneath.

Dammit, no!

Fire roared overhead as Rist unleashed his remaining arsenal, trying to protect his fellow pet. Columbant poured her efforts into forming a healing mana construct, pumping out the precious life-giving energy as she blasted acid at the snake.

Their efforts were enough to force the serpent to release its grip. Garg quickly scuttled back out of range, but was deeply wounded. Columbant didn’t need her advanced Skills to know that. Only her incredible carapace saved the big bug from instant death.

[Hold still, Garg, I’ve got you.]

[I can fight,] she groaned, [I’m alright.]

[Don’t be stupid.]

The core shaper sent every drop of healing energy into her loyal pet that she could and felt the wounds begin to close. She cursed her lack of energy, but gave everything she had to Garg.

[Get yourself out of sight and recover. That’s an order!] she snapped before she turned and rushed at the serpent.

Unable to refuse, Garg ground her teeth in frustration and limped to the shadows, still burning with pain.

This is far from ideal.

The serpent hissed as it loomed over the smaller ant. Columbant thought furiously about what she could do. With Garg out of action, Slither wounded and Rist running low on mana, they were in a near hopeless predicament.

The serpent was strong. It would be a tough fight if they were in peak condition, but they were far from that.

I could run. I could order Slither, Rist and Garg to charge and then escape.

It was what core shapers were meant to do; they were the true investment of the Colony, not the pets. The Eldest had demanded that they preserve their own lives to the fullest extent, but she knew she wouldn’t do it.

Guess I’m a failure of a core shaper.

[Rist, give it everything you have left! Slither, we need more acid!]

It wouldn’t work, but she would go down fighting alongside her pets to the end. Columbant gnashed her mandibles and charged for a final time.

The serpent swerved through the air, mouth wide and ready to bite down on the puny ant rushing toward it, when it felt something cannon into its side.

Columbant almost couldn’t believe her eyes when a monstrous turtle rumbled forward and pounced on the snake, snapping at its ethereal flesh.

She knew that turtle!

“Magellant?” she called.

“You look like you’re in rough shape,” her fellow core shaper called back. “Good thing I was in the area!”

Two more pets sprang out of the darkness, a bear tyrant and shadow spider, throwing themselves at the serpent, which hissed with fury as it suffered yet further damage.

[Let’s go, Slither! Can’t let them take all the glory!]

Looked like she wouldn’t have to die after all.