Father

Helia Baldr felt her vision blur as she saw her point of view change.

The ants, which had pounced onto her, rip into another ant, which she had just switched places with.

Crunch

The ants rip into their comrade, instantly killing it.

““Disparar!””

Time seeps by, like water from a soaking cloth.

The earth that makes up the circular cave breaks off and shoots toward the gathered ants. The stones pierce their bodies, sending them to death's doorstep.

“Gah!” Helia quickly dodges another ant that slashes at her with its leg. “Cambiar!”

Helia's location swaps with an ant on the other side of the passage, causing the incoming attack to implant itself into another ant.

“Haah… Haah-” Helia’s breathing turns heavy. Repeated use, on top of yesterday's events, means I can only keep it going for a few more times…

The ants quickly recognized the situation, turning back towards Helia.

“Cambiar!” Helia calls, turning towards an ant as far back in the horde as she can see. Her body becomes light as her vision shifts, allowing her to look at the backs of hundreds of ants.

“Haah, Cambiar!” Helia repeats, looking to the back of the horde, finally seeing the end. Her vision becomes a sea of writhing black as she appears in a less claustrophobic spot. Next to her, a stone cage is indented into the wall. So I’m back here…

Helia’s first thought was to run; however, this left Neia on her own to face someone who rivaled her father in strength. I know better than anyone how impossible that is…

Her next idea was to take care of the ants before her, then return to help the girl with the scary eyes.

“Haah, Haah. Okay!” Helia raises her arms, placing them in front of the ants, which had slowly turned towards her. “-!”

–

A world of indescribable color expanded in front of her, the sounds of nature singing into her ears.

“%(%%$(#@*%&&$%$(&%%” A strange voice, made up of the singing speaks.

“I wish to help my future classmate!”

“&%$_&%$*&%$%)?”

“I… I want it all to-!”

The world, made up of indecernable infinity, became dead with an orange tone. Then, more colors invaded, as if painting the world before her. The singing voice, made up of the sounds of wind blowing and rocks falling, the flickering of fire, and the rushing of water, bellowed.

The voice and her own converged.

“ “Fall from above and crush them all, Aplastar!”

The ceiling of the passage immediately collapses, rocks tumbling downwards onto the army of ants.

CRAAABOOM!

The boulders and rocks crush the ants, flattening their exoskeletons into the ground.

“Haah, Haah… Yes!” Helia celebrates. The collapsed roof, whose debris had finally killed the ant army, remained on the ground. Still, it would be quite easy for Helia to return the Neia’s side.

“Okay, I’ve got to go help her-!”
“Tssssst.” A sound came from behind her.

Helia’s eyes locked with the creatures, an ant like the rest, but much larger. Its abdomen seemed to carry an army inside, just fitting in the large pathway. The queen had arrived, as despite its incorrigibility, its anger is clear.

–

Helia Baldr is Studious.

That was the only way one could describe her. Whether it was academically or not, Helia Baldr was a good student. Perfect grades and attendance, Helia Baldr relied on these things to determine her self-worth.

Helia Baldr did not like herself.

No… That’s not entirely accurate. Helia Baldr liked her academic grades, but that is it. Perfect marks are the only way for her to be worthwhile.

This belief did not come from how Locke Baldr raised her; he was a quiet man, but not one to withhold his love due to someone’s merits.

It came from her mother.

Though it's not as if her mother had emphasized studies herself, in fact, she had homeschooled Helia all of her earlier life. Her teachings were fun and placed more emphasis on learning than grades.

So how did Helia become the way she was?

I know how.

It was that day, or perhaps a few days earlier.

The day mom died. The day she was killed.

She was always so smart, her inventions were so cool, and she could always answer what I asked.

I wanted to be just like her…

But she’s gone, and I know… I did it…

I know it was me, I made it so that my mother had to die…

Da- Father says it’s not true, but won't tell me anything…

I know I said something I shouldn’t have, to someone I shouldn’t have…

But I can’t remember what. I don’t know why I got Mother killed…

But, if I become as smart as she was… Then maybe I can remember.

If I had been smarter then, I may not have said those things…

I need to get everything perfect, one mistake and…

I’m sorry, Dad.

–

“Aaah!” The front left leg smashed into Helia’s side, a crunch resonating from her chest. “Guh!”

Helia smashed into the bars that had once trapped her. Her limbs are going limp.

The two had engaged in a quick fight, with Helia attempting to switch places with it; however, the queen easily caught on, smashing her leg into Helia’s abdomen.

“I-i…” Helia muttered, the queen raising its leg. “d-d-”

“Ts-ka!” Perhaps for revenge, the queen made a noise like a victory cry. Her left leg came shooting downward.

Ffffsh!

Both froze as a slight wind swept through the passage, carrying with it smoke.

The queen only stopped for a moment before shooting its leg forward at an even faster speed.

“D- FATHER!”
FFFFSHHHI

The smoke shoots forth, wrapping the queen's body fully.

“CRAAA!” The queen fights back in vain.

The massive ant, which had fostered over a million children, was dragged like a toddler into the smoke.

A moment passed, then another. Faint steps came from the smoke.

A familiar figure appeared, in his mouth a burning stick.

“Helia…”

“Da- Father!”

“...” Locke reaches Helia and hugs her. “Are you okay?”

“I… I think it cracked a rib…”

“...” A strange look appears on Locke's face, before continuing, “You can call me dad…”

“I-it’s improper!” Helia responded, attempting to stand with her father's help.

“... Where’s the blond one?”

“Ah! We need to help her!” Helia quickly grabs Locke’s shoulders, “She’s fighting that guy with the silver armor!”

“Crap… Okay, let’s-”

ROOOOOAR!
A familiar sound resounded as the now collapsed ceiling gave way. A scaled snout revealed itself. The mouth was attached to the familiar head of an azure dragon, whose scales had the occasional gold leafing.

“Dragon!?”
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” On the nose of the dragon, which now slithered down the passage towards them, was a young man. “H-HEEEEEEEEEEELPPPPP!”

“Wha!?”

“EH!?”

The two quickly duck into the stone prison as the dragon quickly slithers past. Its scales share Azure and gold, and at the bottom of its mouth, a red stain stains its chin.

“Ah!” Helia lets out as something clicks into place.

The passageways, which had been suspiciously circular, had been carved out by the dragon. This place was its nest, a ground for it to feed on the ants who lived here.

A few minutes pass by as the scales move outside the stone bars.

“Let's get going.”

“Yeah!”

The father and Daughter now head to face the silver spear.