I watch the kaarmodo force turn and walk away with decidedly mixed feelings. Obviously, them leaving is a good thing and should be celebrated. We didn't have to kill any of them, they didn't manage to kill any of us, therefore this can be pencilled in as a win. We have managed to preserve the garden of the damn tree and not escalate our conflict with the reptiles beyond the point of no return!

Whoo!

On the other hand, we did have a rather deadly magical confrontation with them. I have to say I was actually a little surprised that the shield managed to hold as well as it did. Though Invidia helped a lot, he can't match up to the mental firepower that the lizards brought all on his own. Not even close. We also have to consider the possibility that the kaarmodo will simply return with a larger force and steamroll us. It might take them a day or two to put together such an army, but I wouldn't put it past them considering how much they seem to hate the bruan'chii.

I suppose we can only hope that the garden finishes spitting out someone we can talk to before too much time has passed, because if we need to bring another twenty or thirty thousand ants in here to fend off the kaarmodo then the chances of the confrontation being bloodless are practically nil.

On top of all that, I have another damn cultist to worry about!

I'd almost forgotten about the followers of the Red Truth, which probably isn't that surprising since I only met one other member, the chap who was following Garralosh around, but I really didn't want to attract the attention of more of these nutcases. I already have Granin and his triad latched onto me and while their advice is useful and they are happy to let me have my freedom and go about things my own way, I can't guarantee that other cultists will be willing to let me roam loose when they see the potential for their world's salvation in me.

Not that the weird lizard with the arms had much to say on the matter, he basically asked me if I knew what the cult was and if I knew what they were about. When I replied in the affirmative, he turned tail and moseyed off with the rest of his reptilian crew.

Stay away from me!

[Do you think we should follow them, Master? Perhaps we can pick a few off as they retreat.]

[Now's not the time to be so aggressive, Crinis. We have to play it cool at least a little while longer. Once we've heard what the tree has to say, then we can be more confident in the direction we move.]

[I worry that they'll be back and strike at us again.]

[I hear you Crinis, and I think you're right, but for now we are on the defensive. We just need to play a stronger hand than they do.]

[Very well, Master. Try to keep yourself safe.]

[When do I not?]

[…]

I can feel the ominously writhing tentacles on my back as Crinis considers all the times I might have not acted with my own safety at the forefront of my mind. Think I might just leave that one there.

"Senior! Are you seeing this?" Brilliant cries as I approach where she's been watching over the garden.

"I mean, I can see the plants just as well as you can, but I suspect that isn't what you're talking about."

"No! Not the plants! The energy! The way it moves, and where it comes from… I swear this is some sort of pocket or naturalised gateway that she's moving this material through. It's fascinating! I just wish I could see it closer!"

"I mean… why can't you?"

"I can't go in the garden, she won't let me in," Brilliant flips her antennae as if I'm an idiot.

THWACK!

"Ouch!"

"Don't get uppity with me, you were just a hatchling only a few weeks ago! I'm not talking about going into the garden, I'm talking about digging underneath it! You're an ant aren't you?"

She stops rubbing her head and stares at me for a second.

"That's genius! I'll do it right away!"

With no further ado, the energetic little ant turns and practically throws herself into the dark soil of the third stratum, gnashing and chomping like a mad creature as she starts to dig her way underneath the soil to better spy on the source of the garden's mana. It wouldn't be quite as disturbing a scene if she weren't cackling madly the entire time, her pheromones flooding the surroundings with her almost giddy giggling.

"I'm going to find your secrets! I'll see everything! You can't hide them from me! I'll reveal it all, layer by layer!"

Good lord. If she ends up attracting a following that takes after her… mercy save us.

With nothing else to do, the ant army that assembled to fend off the kaarmodo falls into a defensive position around the garden as scouts head out on patrols or to tail the retreating lizards. I don't bother involving myself, but I know that the leadership are calculating the likely strength of a second wave and making sure they have the antpower on hand to repel any such attempt.

In the meantime, all I do is sit down, and wait.

In the end it only takes half a day before the leaves begin to rustle and a faint tremor can be felt through the ground followed by a tall, wooden looking form stomping out of the green depths, a broad smile on its face. A moment later it extends a bridge to me and I gladly accept it.

[Hmmmm. Hello there, ant-friend. It is nice to see you once again.]

Huh? This guy doesn't look the same as the grove-keeper I saw before…

[We've met?] I ask.

The big tree-figure shakes slightly with mirth.

[Mother has made me a little quicker than she usually would, so I do not quite look myself, but yes, I am the same keeper that you met outside your nest.]

[Well. Okay then. Nice to see you again. Wonderful of you to join us out here in the third stratum. The pleasure of your company is felt both warmly and deeply. I just have one question though, if you might indulge my curiosity for a brief moment?]

[Hmmmm. Of Course!]

[Great. What the hell are you doing out here?]

To his credit, the big guy doesn't flinch, in fact, if anything, he seems amused by my slightly hostile question.

[Ah yes. Mother was concerned that you might not appreciate her appearance in this area, particularly so close to her enemies.]

[Something tells me she wasn't all that concerned.]

The leaves behind the keeper writhe with barely concealed amusement.

[I knew it you stupid plant! Why are you making a mess for us up here you weed!]

The grove keeper holds up two gnarled wooden hands.

[Peace, friend. In this case I must defend the mother tree. She is not able to manifest herself anywhere she pleases. This happens to be the first point in this stratum where she has sensed your presence.]

[Why not just contact us further up in the second stratum? She already has a full forest set up there!]

[She withdrew those resources and redeployed them where they were needed, along with my fellow bruan'chii. Even bringing this small garden into being has been an expense she can ill afford right now.]

That surprises me a little.

[Are things really that bad?]

The grove keeper nods sadly.

[It has been a challenging time lately. Our enemies have moved against us in ways that we did not expect. We believe the kaarmodo may have even nurtured a monstrous species, much like yourselves, to unleash on us. Even now these creatures attack our heartlands, threatening our mother in the seat of her power.]

[Monsters? Really? I thought that was frowned on.]

[It is.]

[What sort of monsters are they? I might know a little something.]

[We hope that you do. What can you tell us about termites?]

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