Mikhailis sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes lingering on the closed door. Elowen had left earlier to attend the usual morning council meetings. She had a light step, a grace that seemed so natural to her, even in the stiff formality of a queen. It had been three days since he'd given her the glasses, and everything seemed to be changing, even if only a little at a time.
She came back earlier from work, usually around seven in the evening now, rather than her usual nine or ten. She even seemed happier these days—less burdened, more at ease. The glasses were clearly helping her.
He leaned back, smiling to himself. He knew it was just a small thing, but for Elowen, it seemed to mean the world. They had dinner together every night now, which was something he found he looked forward to more and more.
He glanced around the room, and it felt strangely empty today. Lira was in the kitchen, helping with preparations for the upcoming lunch—something about an important guest. That left Mikhailis alone. He grabbed the remote, flicking on the TV, and after flipping through channels, he settled on an anime he'd been wanting to catch up on.
He chuckled at the over-the-top antics on screen, the heroes shouting attack names and the villains monologuing about their motivations.
This is part of his bliss, enjoying his life just like this.
After about half an hour, a familiar ping interrupted his thoughts. He knew what it was even before Rodion's voice spoke in his ear.
<Mikhailis, it is time for the daily nest report.>
He sighed, putting down the remote and standing up. He stretched, his joints making a satisfying pop, before grinning.
"Finally, I've been waiting for it too, Rodion," he said. "Come on, show me what's happening in the nest."
<Initializing real-time overview of the nest. As always, I am here to ensure maximum observation efficiency, regardless of your obsession with ants.>
Mikhailis chuckled, walking over to the sofa and flopping down. He tapped the side of his glasses, the familiar feed coming up on his lenses as the underground chambers came into view. These days, he rarely even bothered with his old computer—having the feed directly in his glasses was just too convenient.
He watched as the lenses displayed a bird's-eye view of the nest, with Rodion's voice narrating alongside the visuals.
<The new batch of workers and soldiers have now matured, ready for dispatch. Current count: three hundred and fifty worker chimera ants, one hundred and twenty soldier chimera ants. One frog variant soldier remains active, as well as forty-three fire scarabs, utilized both as sentries and combatants.
Additionally, the Scarab Containment Area holds two hundred scarabs, serving as both additional workers and as a secondary nutrient source for the colony.>
Mikhailis smiled as the visuals shifted to show the scarabs moving inside their containment area. There was something almost amusing about the way they moved—mechanical, yet strangely orderly.
<And of course, four Scurabons have reached dispatching age.>
"Scurabons, huh?" Mikhailis muttered, his lips twitching into a grin. "Look at those little guys. I wonder if they'll be tough enough to surprise us."
Mikhailis felt like he was floating.
It was dark all around him, an endless blackness that seemed to stretch on forever. But it wasn't the kind of darkness that scared him—it was warm, comforting. He felt as if he were cradled in something soft, something that wrapped around him like a blanket.
There was a strange sensation—like he was submerged in something thick and fluid, something that cushioned him from every side. He could feel it against his skin, a gentle pressure that seemed to hold him in place, keeping him still, keeping him safe.
He tried to move, but his body felt heavy, like the fluid was resisting his movements. He blinked, though there was nothing to see. The darkness was absolute, but there was something about it that didn't bother him. It was almost... peaceful.
He could hear something—muffled, distant. A heartbeat? His own? Maybe. It was steady, rhythmic, a comforting sound that seemed to echo through the darkness. He closed his eyes, letting himself drift, the warmth seeping into his bones.
He felt strange—like he was in two places at once. He was aware of his own body, the way it floated in the darkness, the fluid holding him. But at the same time, he felt like he was somewhere else—somewhere vast, expansive. He could feel something around him, something alive, pulsing with energy.
Continue your journey with empire
It was like he was connected to something bigger than himself—something ancient, powerful. He could feel its presence all around him, enveloping him, almost like it was a part of him. It was comforting, in a way he couldn't quite explain.
And then there was a sensation—something soft, brushing against his skin. It was gentle, almost affectionate, like a hand running through his hair. He could feel it, even through the darkness, even through the fluid. It was like someone was there with him, holding him, reassuring him that everything was going to be okay.
He wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come. He tried to move again, but his body was heavy, too heavy. He let out a sigh—at least, he thought he did, though there was no sound, no movement of air.
And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the sensation began to fade. The warmth ebbed away, the darkness seemed to pull back, and Mikhailis felt himself being lifted, pulled away from whatever it was that had been holding him.
He blinked, and the darkness shattered, the world coming back into focus.
____
Mikhailis woke up with a start, his head jerking up from where it had been resting against the arm of the sofa. His glasses were askew, and he reached up, adjusting them as he blinked, trying to clear the haze from his mind.
He could hear something—an alarm, blaring loudly. Not just one alarm, but several, overlapping, echoing through the room. His computer, his tablet, his phone—even the small monkey-shaped robot in the corner was making noise.
"Ugh... Rodion..." he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "What's going on?"
The alarms stopped abruptly, and Rodion's voice came through his glasses, a hint of urgency in the otherwise even tone.
<Mikhailis, the Queen is undergoing an evolution.>