Evolution begins with an ant colony

The silvery glow of the moon dimly lit the ant city of Akundia, the capital of Arcadia.

Despite it being the time of day when the residents should be asleep, the Kingins and evolved ants were eagerly putting things in place for their massive celebration that Akun had called for—a celebration of the completion of all the constructions that now comprised Arcadia, or New Arcadia as Akun had decided to refer to it.

Sitting atop one of the buildings, Kael, Finn, Mara, and Zara observed the bustling activity below.@@novelbin@@

Kael leaned forward, furrowing his brow as he mumbled to Finn, "Finn, why does it feel like we never do anything important, despite being Guardians?"

Finn nodded thoughtfully, scratching his chin. "I helped the Sirins construct some sort of underwater structure. Didn't you assist any tribe with something?"

Kael sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. "I helped the Archnas, but they're strong and naturally hard workers, so I didn't do much. I'm feeling really bored."

Mara, sitting beside them, straightened up and gestured with her hands. "Maybe we should hone our skills," she suggested, her eyes brightening. "You never know, there might be a day when we have to fight again." She glanced around at the group, while she smiled.

Zara shifted uncomfortably, her brows furrowing as she spoke up. "I don't think I need any training Mara," she said, her voice tinged with frustration. "I got all the training I need when I was assigned to help the Dryads with my nature-related skills, but they were more skilled than me at manipulating nature. So I basically watched them the entire time..

gaining some exprience in the process." She sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. "Lately, I've been feeling more and more useless... Not being able to actually do something useful."

Mara gazed at Zara thoughtfully as she spoke, she then said. "But.. shouldn't we be happy that there is peace and not much to do?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Kael then said, "Nah, I would prefer to grow stronger during combat or at least by defeating a strong enemy. What I want is a real challenge, I feel like senarios like that are the ones that give my life meaning."

Finn leaned back, crossing his arms, his brows furrowed in thought. "Well, it's true that challenges can lead to personal growth and a sense of meaning," he began, his tone thoughtful.

"But they're not the only things that make life interesting." He paused, gesturing with his hands as he continued, "Life offers a massive collection of other options that do that as well, like the moments of peace, joy, connection with others, and self-discovery." His expression softened, a faint smile playing on his lips. "They all contribute to making one feel like they've led a meaningful life."

As Finn spoke, he turned around to face the others and noticed they were gazing at him awkwardly. His eyebrows lifted in surprise, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

The three of them suddenly yelled, "Who are you and what have you done with Finn!" Their eyes widened with disbelief, and their mouths hung open in shock.

Finn chuckled, slightly taken by surprise. He scratched his head sheepishly, his expression a mix of amusement and confusion. "What are you guys trying to say, that I can't say something cool?"

Kael then chimed in, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back against the rooftop. "Well, that's part of it, but I expected you to be on my side and want to find a challenge or some epic battle, you know, since you like swinging around your great sword." He raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing.

Mara then said, "You and Luna are usually always at each other's necks," she shrugged, her expression reflecting skepticism, "so suddenly hearing you talk about peace and all those other stuff felt sort of contradictory." She exchanged glances with Kael and Zara, who both nodded in agreement, their eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

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Finn's annoyance became obvious as he leaned forward, his brows furrowing. "You're forgetting Luna is always the one who starts fights and teases me about my great sword," he replied, his tone slightly defensive. He gestured emphatically with his hands, emphasizing his point. "Don't change the story and make me look like the bad guy."

"Alright, alright," Kael said with a grin, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "We won't paint you as the bad guy."

Mara added with a smirk, "But you've got to admit, it's always entertaining to watch you two go at it."

Finn crossed his arms, his brow furrowing slightly as he continued, "It's not always entertaining. It can be exhausting sometimes, you know." He said, his expression showing a mix of frustration and weariness.

Zara clapped her hands together and smiled brightly, interjecting, "Well, that's settled then! Let's focus on something positive, like when the festival will be starting!" She leaned forward eagerly, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

The others chimed in, nodding in agreement. "Absolutely," Mara exclaimed, "I can't wait for the festival to start either!" Kael nodded in approval, a grin spreading across his face, while Finn simply nodded, his expression softening as he looked forward to the upcoming festivities.

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Meanwhile, as Oliver and Leona made their way through the grand halls of the castle, their footsteps echoed against the polished marble floors, they passed by fine art pices hanged on the walls and the soft glow of light rune lighting their path.

Arriving before the imposing doors of the throne room where two guards were stationed, Oliver and Leona exchanged a brief glance, their expressions calm yet serious.

"Permission to enter, please," they said at the same time, their voices calm but firm, as they awaited their Liege's response from within.

"You may come in," Akun's voice echoed from within the throne room.

Hearing his words, the guards stationed by the doors pushed them open, granting Oliver and Leona passage. Stepping inside, they maintained their composure, their attention focused on the figure seated upon the elevated throne at the far end of the chamber.