As his pre-programmed lifespan drew to a close, he slept fitfully, his body weakening. Life force drained rapidly, signaling impending death.
Surrounded by false queens and puppet ants, including the spider-like honeypot, he lay on a dirt bed near the lake. Soldier ants guarded the hideout entrances.
His tentacles, still active, would leach from nearby sources if life force levels dropped critically. This setup ensured his survival instincts remained operational.
As life force dwindled, tentacles attached to false queens, draining their energy. The spider ant retreated and advanced according to programmed orders, spraying glowing green water on the puppet master's body.
This precarious balancing act between life and death continued through the night, with false queens being replaced as their life force was depleted.
By dawn, 17 false queen corpses surrounded the dirt bed, testament to the intense energy transfer.
As I assessed my new form, I thought, "What have I become? A mutated Eldritch flesh ant?" My body had transformed – thorax and abdomen merged, exoskeleton shed, and legs detached.
My current size and soft body posed mobility issues. "I'll renovate the nest," I decided. "False Queens will lead construction, supported by other castes."
I issued orders, and while awaiting results, practiced soul force and mind control. Two days later, half the reconstruction was complete – strengthened with wooden pillars, enlarged, and expanded.
A labyrinthine structure with hidden passages and camouflaged doors was constructed above the nest.
The puppet master's tunnels were built differently – granite fragments stabilized the ground, robust wooden pillars supported reinforced ceilings. During the renovation, he reassessed plans, experimented with lake water, and extensively reviewed the Queen's memories.
The Queen's ability to determine offspring characteristics fascinated him. Exposure to lake water amplified this ability, allowing her to create new ant forms.
Examples included larger soldier ants (false queens) and door head ants for protection. Recognizing the potential value, he delved deeper into her memories – thoughts, emotions, and experiences.
"If my hypothesis is correct, I can create something remarkable – perhaps even a functional body," I thought, sending new instructions.
Three days later, construction was complete. I had experimented with captured insect queens, turning them into puppets – 27 queens in total.
The queens included:
1. 8 termite queens (eggs used for food)
2. 2 army ant queens
3. 7 honey ant queens
4. 4 large aphids
5. 1 door head ant queen
6. 5 pavement ant queens
I fed them lake water, had them lay eggs, and repeated the process to acclimate them to the lake's effects. On the third day, I instructed them to lay eggs with varying structures and sizes, including:
1. Ants with spider-like legs
2. Fat ants with four pairs of legs
3. Ants with two pairs of wings
"I'll wait a month for results, then gather resources," I thought, sending a telepathic message to the queen to summon the false queens.
Forty-five false queens assembled, including the general. "I'll need more resources and workforce," I calculated. "Using the remaining 15 door heads will have to suffice."
The door heads, originally 37, had been partially used as hidden door gates. With my current needs, I would utilize them for support.
The door ants, despite limited combat ability, possessed impressive attributes: large size, formidable armor, and great strength, making them ideal for load transport.
"I need queens – many queens," I thought. "Insects with strong reproductive abilities. I'll send an army to raid nearby colonies, retrieving their queens."
With scouts returning – over 200 flying drones and 300 ground scouts – I would soon have a detailed geography chart of the area.
After compiling scout data and memories, I gained a clear understanding of our surroundings. We were in a forest-meadow hybrid environment with scattered trees and vast grasslands.
The landscape featured:
- A central mountain-like structure
- South: Flower fields with a large tree housing the Southern Bee Queen's colony, dominating the area
- West: Hornet territory with trees, weedy grass, and a small desert; home to the ruthless Hornet Queen and giant hornets
- North: A large body of water with aquatic life and predators, beyond which lay a treacherous no-man's-land
The East is home to our honey ant supercolony, driven by our queen's ambition towards the southern lands, rich with honey.
This sets the stage for potential conflict between our colony and the Southern Bee Queen's domain.