Evolution begins with an ant colony

In the grandeur of the throne room, surrounded the luxurious furnishings and the hushed whispers of those present, the atmosphere was filled with tension. King Leonheart, his face was etched with visible anger, fixed his piercing gaze upon Hestria. His voice, though controlled, carried a weight of authority as he addressed her.

"Is what you say true, Hestria?" His words echoed off the throne room’s walls, demanding an answer that could sway the course of nations. "That your comrades were wiped out, while you alone survived? And now, you dare to claim that the king of those... monsters demands my presence in their land?"

Hestria stood before the throne, her expression calm despite the storm brewing in the king’s eyes. "Yes, Your Majesty," she replied, her voice steady though her heart raced with uncertainty. Inwardly, she mused, "I omitted the fact that I also met my end as well, and was resurrected. But I dare not speak of it now; I doubt he king would entertain such an absurd notion."

As she awaited the king’s response, a sense of fear and uncertainty gnawed at her. Would he dismiss her words as folly, as the delusions of a lone survivor? Or would he heed her warning, recognizing the gravity of the situation that loomed over their kingdom?

King Leonheart’s brow furrowed with suspicion as he listened to Hestria’s audacious proposal. Around him, nobles of esteemed lineage nodded in agreement, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and disdain.

"The absurdity of your suggestion knows no bounds, Hestria," the king said, his voice cutting through the slience of the chamber like a blade. "To entertain the notion of venturing into the realm of monsters, to parley with their king as equals... It is madness!"

The nobles murmured their thoughts, their disapproval could be felt in the air. They exchanged knowing glances, their suspicion of Hestria’s intentions could be seen in their guarded expressions. To them, her sudden return, unscathed while her comrades perished, seemed nothing short of treachery.

But Hestria stood firm, her gaze unflinching as she met the accusing stares of everyone present. "You misunderstand, Your Majesty," she interjected, her voice filled with urgency. "If we do not act swiftly, if we do not secure the your cooperation, there will be carnage on a scale we cannot comprehend."

Her words hung in the air like a storm cloud, casting a shadow over the assembled gathering. For a moment, the chamber fell slient, broken only by the faint rustle of their accessories and the soft murmurs of disbelief.

But the king remained unmoved, his jaw set in a firm line as he surveyed the scene before him. "I will not entertain such reckless notions," he said, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "If the knights exist for a purpose, it is to defend our realm, not to consort with our enemies."

With a wave of his hand, he signaled for the guards to take Hestria away, his expression a mask of steeled resolve. As they moved to obey his command, Hestria’s voice rang out one last time, a desperate to get rlyrough to the king.

"Mark my words, Your Majesty," she cried, her voice tinged with desperation. "Without your cooperation, the bloodshed will be unimaginable!"

As Hestria’s words fell on deaf ears and the guards began to escort her out of the throne room, a massive boom echoed through the air, shattering the calm atmosphere of the royal palace. The ground shook beneath their feet, sending fear through the hearts of those gathered in the throne room.

Startled, the nobles casted their gazes toward the massive windows, their eyes widening with fear and confusion as they saw a sight they could not believe. Outside, in the heart of the city, a section of the wall that surrounded the capital was crumbling before their very eyes.

With a massive boom, bricks fell down, the sturdy wall was now reduced to rubble. Buildings nearby collapsed in on themselves, and the sound of people screaming from the werckage could be heard.

The nobles gasped in horror, their hands trembling as they clutched their robes, powerless to intervene as the devastation unfolded before them. Each crash and rumble echoed through the throne room, a reminder of the fragility of their existence in the face of such overwhelming destruction.

For a moment, the throne room was left in absolute silence, broken only by the distant cries of panic rising from the streets below. It was as if time itself had come to a halt, suspended in a state of disbelief at the calamity that had befallen their once beautiful city.

As the reality of the situation sunk in, the nobles exchanged grim gazes, their expressions etched with concern for the safety of the citizens. Their minds raced with questions and fears. What force could wield such destructive power? Was their beloved city under attack, or was this some unexpected natural disaster?

During the chaos, Hestria’s ears caught the distant sounds of panic echoing through the corridors of the palace. With a sense of urgency weighing heavy on her heart, she turned to the king, her voice filled with urgency.

"It’s now or never," she insisted, her words carrying a weight of the chaos that unfolded outside. "If we don’t act swiftly, the consequences will be dire."

But the king’s brow furrowed in frustration, his patience wearing thin at Hestria’s persistent warnings. "Enough of your nonsense," he snapped, his voice filled with irritation. "We have more pressing matters to attend to."

With a dismissive wave of his hand, he motioned for the magic knights to depart, his gaze hardening with resolve. "Move out," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument as he turned his attention back to the unfolding crisis outside.

Despite Hestria’s dire warnings, the king did not change his decision, his faith in the kingdom’s strength unshaken. But as the chaos continued to escalate beyond the palace walls, a sense of unease settled over the throne room, casting a shadow of doubt over the path that lay ahead. Experience more tales on NovelBin.Côm

Meanwhile, back outside, as the damage caused by their attacks unfolded before their eyes, Leona couldn’t help but feel remorse at the destruction brought by their actions. The once beautiful streets now lay littered with debris, the echoes of screams mixing with the acrid scent of smoke hanging heavy in the air.

Turning to Oliver, she placed a hand on his shoulder, her voice firm yet pleading. "We need to hold back our strength," she urged, her eyes reflecting the gravity of their situation. "Our goal is to bring the king back with us, not unleash mindless chaos upon innocent lives."

But Oliver’s brow furrowed in frustration, his reluctance could be seen as he frowned at Leona’s words. "We need to show them the extent of our power," he argued, his voice tinged with defiance. "They won’t take us seriously otherwise."

Feeling a surge of frustration, Leona met Oliver’s gaze with her piercing gaze. "Listen to me," she said, her tone turning serious as she issued her warning. "If you dare to take another innocent life, I’ll give you a thrashing you won’t forget."

For a moment, tension hung thick between them, the weight of their words matching the gravity of their predicament. But as Oliver met Leona’s piercing gaze, a flicker of understanding passed between them, a silent acknowledgment of the stakes they faced.

Oliver, finally agreeing with Leona’s words, let out a sigh as he could feel the weight of her warning hanging in the air. Together, they both started to make their way towards the castle, putting down every knight who stood in their way.

"But honestly, Leona, you’ve gone soft," Oliver mumbled, his voice filled with frustration, as he turned around to face the massive structure of the castle.

Leona’s jaw tensed at the remark, but she chose to brush it off. "Enough of that," she replied, her tone firm yet controlled. "We should begin to make our way towards the castle." Her eyes scanned the advancing knights, their shields raised in a defensive formation.

"So you’re saying we should take out all these knights without destroying the city in the process, right?" Oliver muttered, a hint of skepticism in his voice, as he momentarily glanced at Leona.

"Preferably, yes," Leona murmured, as she shifted into a battle stance. With a deep breath, she prepared herself for the imminent clash, her mind already calculating the best course of action to minimize collateral damage.

"Everything suddenly feels so boring," Oliver mumbled as he pulled his bow and a mana arrow materialized.

Leona, catching Oliver’s discontent, countered with a serious tone. "If you’re so bored, then let’s put an end to this swiftly," she suggested, her voice cutting through the tension of the moment. @@novelbin@@

As the knights began to chant their incantations, Oliver’s keen eyes tracked their movements. Without hesitation, he unleashed his mana arrow. The arrow split into multiple parts mid-flight, each fragment tearing through the shields and piercing the chest plates of the knights’ armor with a huge thud.