Evolution begins with an ant colony

Ember's gaze landed on Finn, his fairy-red hair mirrored his, his eyes narrowing with excitement, although he maintained a facade of calmness. As he spoke, Ember's hand unconsciously drummed against his thigh, a subtle sign of his anticipation.

Ember then asked, "What do you mean?" His body leaned slightly forward, conveying his interest in Finn's words.

Finn replied, "I simply mean I don't think the orcs are a match for you. You should take on an opponent who can be an actual challenge to you." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, a nervous tic showing his confidence.

Ember then asked with a slightly intense tone, "Do you intend to challenge me?" His fists clenched at his sides, a reflexive response to the idea of confrontation.

Finn smiled and replied, "Perhaps." His shoulders relaxed, a small gesture of nonchalance.

Ember's demeanor suddenly became playful as he added, "Well, you're going to have to get in line." He pointed behind him at the long line of orc warriors eager to test their strength against him.

Finn awkwardly looked at the lengthy queue and asked, "You can't be serious... right? This line looks like it goes on forever." He said as he scratched the back of his neck, hinting at his discomfort.

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While looking, his eyes finally saw the end of the line, as he did, he also observed two beast folk join the line.

Finn raised an eyebrow and gestured toward the line, his expression puzzled. "Wait, are those beast folk lining up too? I thought it was just orcs. What's going on?"

Ember's face lit up with enthusiasm as he nodded. "Anyone can join if they want! The contest is open to everyone."

Finn's gaze drifted to Ivy, who was collecting gold coins from an orc before placing her hand on the table to signal the start of the match. "What contest, I thought it was just a test if strength?" he asked awkwardly, his eyes widening in confusion, noting the exchange of currency.

"We use gold now?" Finn questioned, his tone incredulous, his arms slightly raised in bewilderment.

Ivy looked at him in surprise, her movements graceful as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "What do you mean? We've always used gold. How else do you think our economy has been running?" Her brows furrowed slightly, a hint of confusion mirroring Finn's.

Finn stuttered, taken by surprise, his hand scratching the back of his head in disbelief. "But whenever we're hungry, we just step into any shop and eat or grab whatever we want from a stall."

Ivy shrugged nonchalantly, her shoulders rising and falling in a dismissive gesture. "Well, we're the guardians. No one would charge us for anything."

Finn was shocked. He had never noticed such a fact all this time. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, processing the information.

Finn leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So, what's the prize for the winner?"

Meanwhile, Ember grappled with another orc, his muscles tensing with effort as he exerted his strength. Amidst the struggle, he glanced over at Finn and chuckled. "Honestly, we didn't think about that at first," he admitted between grunts. "Some orcs just showed up and said they wanted to have a go at me.

So, I just decided to call it a contest." His expression turned thoughtful as he considered Finn's question. "Since a prize wasn't thought of beforehand, I guess the winners will get.... bragging rights?" he concluded with a grin, his victory clear as he pinned the orc's arm to the table.

Finn let out a sigh of exasperation, his shoulders slumping slightly as he shook his head. "This is all just stupid," he muttered under his breath, his frustration evident in his tone. He then looked directly at Ember, his eyes narrowing with determination. "Let's just have a match already," he declared, his voice firm and resolute.

Meanwhile, in the middle of another arm wrestling match, Ember asked, "So are you suggesting you want to jump the line?" His arm strained against his opponent's, his muscles tensed with effort.

Finn's brows furrowed in contemplation as he questioned, "Does the line really matter?" His arms crossed over his chest, a gesture of uncertainty.

Ember pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Fair point," he conceded. With a swift motion, he defeated another orc challenger, his eyes then shifting to Finn. "Alright, let's have a go," he declared, a glimmer of anticipation in his gaze.

As Finn brought his hand down on the table, Ember couldn't help but voice his curiosity. "By the way, why do you want to arm wrestle me so much?" he inquired, his expression one of genuine interest.

Finn paused for a moment before responding. "Well, I just want to defeat someone to see how far I've come with my training. And who better to have as an opponent than the guy hosting an arm wrestling contest?" His tone was confident, his eyes locked on Ember's.

Ember nodded in understanding. "Makes sense, but you've made one mistake," he remarked cryptically.

Perplexed, Finn questioned, "What do you mean?"

With a grin, Ember leaned in closer. "You won't be defeating any opponent here," he revealed, a hint of challenge in his voice.

Undeterred, Finn countered, "Why don't we find out?" His tone was determined, his eyes gleaming with resolve.@@novelbin@@

Ivy watched the exchange between the two guardians, sensing the tension building between them. She observed their expressions carefully, noting the competitive spirit that ignited within them.

..

As Ember and Finn got ready to arm wrestle the news rippled through the line of orcs, excitement buzzed in the air like static before a storm. "Oi! Did ya 'ear? Them guardians are 'bout to arm wrestle!" one orc exclaimed, his voice echoing through the crowd.

"Get over 'ere quick! We don't wanna miss this!" another orc shouted, gesturing wildly to those farther back in the line.

Within moments, the line began to dissolve as orcs abandoned their places, eager to witness the showdown between the guardians. "Move it, ya slowpokes! This'll be the match of the century!" a burly orc bellowed, shoving his way through the throng.

Voices clamored with excitement as they called out to their comrades. "Hurry up, Grim! You don't wanna miss this!" one orc urged, grabbing his friend's arm and pulling him along.

"Oi, Ratbag! Stop chattin' and get over here! This is gonna be epic!" another orc yelled, beckoning to a group of orcs who lingered nearby.

The crowd swelled around the arm wrestling table, eager faces pressed close together as they jostled for a better view.

Amidst the commotion, Ember and Finn exchanged a glance, both recognizing the surge of energy radiating from the crowd. With a shared nod, they prepared themselves for the impending showdown, their expressions a mix of seriousness and excitement.

Ember cracked his knuckles and flexed his fingers, the muscles in his arm rippling with tension. "Looks like we've got an audience," he remarked, a grin playing at the corners of his lips.

Finn nodded, his gaze steady as he adjusted his stance. "Let's give them a show," he replied, a spark of competitive fire igniting in his eyes.