When I woke up the next day I was being carried by Diana in my arms as if I were a doll, we were outside the Dungeon in a very busy corridor with people running in the opposite direction in a hurry.
I look down confirming that I have clothes on, I'm glad she remembered to dress me this time, I look up to find Loba's gaze focused on me, I can see the anxiety in her eyes.
"(Looks like something happened?)" (I)
ραΠdαsΝοvel.cοm "Good morning or so you'd like to say, but something happened, didn't it?" (I)
"Yes, we are in the middle of an evacuation as you can see." (Diana)
"Just to confirm, but how long did I sleep?" (I)
"2 days, but Erica didn't want to wake you up, waking you up wouldn't change anything either." (Diana)
"These people are being taken to a separate floor, right?" (I)
"Yes, they won't join anyone until they get approval from Caitlyn, Lilith, and you." (Diana)
"That's good, where are we going?" (I)
"I noticed you were just about to wake up when your eyes nearly opened in bed earlier, so I got you ready and brought you to one of the meetings going on since last night." (Diana)
"..." (I)
Sigh
"(Always a damn problem...)" (I)
I looked around at the people running, some were looking strangely at Diana, and they had fear or fear in their eyes, not ready to enter the Dungeon, clearly, Caitlyn wasn't done brainwashing her... I mean, she wasn't done influencing them to a path that doesn't make me kick them out.
I just used my connection to Nix to ask the Spirits to keep an invisible watch on these people, I don't want any of them getting anywhere near the safe room on the floor they're going to without approval.
As I finished sending orders to Nix, I was carried in Diana's arms to a room where Elizabeth, Zadiris, and the Insect Empress by the name of Marlack, two of them had serious expressions on their faces while it was impossible for me to understand Marlack's expression since his features are too far from a humanoid face for me to understand.
"Glad to see you awake, I was thinking of kicking you out of your bed later in the evening." (Elizabeth)
"Thanks for the kind words, now tell me what's going on." (I) "Didn't you tell him?" (Zadiris)
"Didn't have time, he woke up on the way here." (Diana)
"He should have been woken up the first day, what kind of leader sleeps through a crisis?" (Marlack)
"I agree, if something so serious is happening to cause this evacuation then I really would rather have been woken up." (I)
"Sit down, I'll tell you what's been happening the last few days." (Elizabeth)
After leaving Diana's arms she went to help people transport some things or something like that leaving me alone with these three.
My sister starts to tell me everything that happened in the last 2 days with the Insect Empress complementing some things on her part.
To put it simply, another attack was coming, it was actually supposed to be two attacks in a row from the start, the insect army was supposed to be a second layer of distraction for us to belatedly notice the next attack, it also seems that the illusion was not just a bait, it was also a trap and that's why that crystal was there inside the illusion.
The illusion was better for them as they avoided 2 powerful attacks and followed up with an ambush which could have been better if they had had more time, however the biggest problem if the next planned attack had come at that moment or when everyone was more tired, we will have lost or many could have died.
It looks like this next attack was from a Bugs weapon, something called Poison World, which I suppose the name exemplifies almost perfectly, I still haven't found a Poison strong enough to work on me, but considering they must know about Zadiris and Navar, I never want to test that Poison.
After hearing about this new attack, Elizabeth started the evacuation process in a way that I would accept, she knew that I had not yet approved the people of this base and they had not yet undergone the Awakening Ceremony, so they were isolated on a floor of the Dungeon just for them, Astrid made all the arrangements on her side working together with my sister to make this evacuation go smoothly.
I also asked why this secret weapon used for this attack didn't come along with the insect army, of course, I also didn't forget to ask when it would arrive in this world since a few days have passed and it seems that it still hasn't arrived.
According to the Insect Empress, she left a Moth Queen under her service as a guide for them, it seems the size of this thing is too big to hide for long periods of time, so it had to come from a greater distance from the insect army not to reveal part of their plan, but Marlack made his servant slightly change direction, gradually moving away from the correct path, so we gain time, which according to his calculations should be 4 to 5 days.
I look at everyone in the room before settling my eyes on the Insect Empress.
"You say your servant did this on her orders, but was she trustworthy?" (I)
"She was trustworthy like all my servants, she also knew that this mission would be her last since sooner or later someone would realize what was happening and kill her." (Marlack)
"If you're saying..." (I)
She speaks as if it's obvious her servant is loyal, I don't know how she can be so sure about the loyalty of her servant who she knows has been sent on a suicide mission.
"Normal Bugs only follow those of higher rank, but Servant Bugs, Guardian Bugs, and Royal Bugs bind permanently when choosing to serve or being born serving an Insect of higher rank." (Elizabeth) "Hierarchy is what defines our existence, the lowest are pawns to work for the swarm, the arms, and legs, the leader is always the one responsible for controlling the rest of the body, there is no such thing as a brain asking the arm to move, what happens is the brain wants the arm to move and it happens because it does." (Marlack)
"I understand." (I)
Her logic seems extreme to me, but I can't deny that it's exactly what I've seen so far from the insect race.
"Can someone tell me what this Poisonous World is?" (I)
"A weapon normally used in the territory where the swarm lives as protection..." (Marlack)
"Venomous World is what they call a nest where more than billions and billions of Poisonous insects are born, grow, and die in the midst of brutal fights, it is the size of a small moon, but the space inside is greatly enlarged." (Zadiris)
"Just as a world has its own spirit that we call Gaia, a Poisonous World also has consciousness, its very existence contaminates the environment with poison, it can control the Poisonous creatures within it and the same happens with the countless poisons created, perfected and maintained within you, the poison itself is alive." (Zadiris)
"This thing can destroy an entire world all by itself." (Zadiris)
"They were restricted by many, their venom has no cure and affects even the Soul, the mother made us all go to them with an ultimatum." (Elizabeth)
"The swarm remembers, a choice to be exterminated or to restrict the use of the Poison Worlds." (Marlack)
"It was the existence of this weapon that allowed the insects to take permanent possession of a solar system where their Swarm remains today." (Elizabeth)
"But for that to be coming here doesn't mean..." (I)
"Times have changed, the Gods have other things to take care of, and the Bugs no longer use a Poisonous World to forcibly take over a planet, at least not until now." (Zadiris)
"The planet will be fine, but more than 90% of the creatures will be wiped out." (Marlack)
"Was there any way to stop these things? You've struggled with this before, haven't you?" (I)
"This poison can permeate the body, Soul, energies, Auras, and even vitality, only Authority works to hurt this thing and defend itself as well." (Elizabeth)
"Where do we go from here?" (I)
"We haven't discussed that yet, I've been waiting for you to wake up." (Elizabeth)
I think for a while, there was still a lot I needed to do, I had Maia to dig up information about the enemies, I had Awakening Ceremonies to do as well as many other things.
"We are away from civilization for a long time, we must go back to Border Town and tell about everything that happened." (I)
"We may need their help too, the Apostles of Truth are stronger than we think and their Allies even seem to know great things we don't know about them." (Zadiris)
"Checking the surroundings is one thing, but we don't know what to expect from this thing..." (I)
"That's why it's good to go back, we can ask for help against these enemies, there must be more..." (Zadiris)
There were too many things to remember to do and I feel my days passing by and making my body slower by the day, now I also have this thing coming after me.
"Let's go before that thing gets here." (I)
"That's the plan." (Elizabeth)