On membrane wings, thinner than a human hair, the tiny ant lifted itself into the air. Its wings flapped so fast they became nothing more than a blur, creating waves in the air that resulted in an incessant buzzing.

If it hadn't been for this moment of clarity, gained from the overflowing power she had received from her living battery, Astra might not have noticed the little ant amongst the chaos of everything. It's tiny buzzing imperceptible beneath the chattering screeching of ants, both those being slaughtered and those witnessing it unfold.

This ant in particular had long, almost metallic legs that were sharp at the point as well as mandibles that were almost as big as its entire head. They were curved outwards and pointing forward, like the horns of a beetle.

It bobbed through the air, it's little wings having some trouble navigating this tumultuous air, but the strange thing was its direction. It was not fleeing the battle, like Astra would have assumed. Instead, through its almost drunken flying, it was heading towards Alfie, most likely because he was simply the closest to it.

He had his back turned at the time, still focused on the exploded remains of the ant as he analysed something only he could see on an invisible status screen. Thus, he was completely unaware of its approach.

However, before Astra could raise the alarm or even raise her hand to make an attack to stop it, a silver streak shot past her and snatched the flying ant from her vision. She had to follow the blurring silver trail it left behind to find the ant, discovering it pinned to a nearby tree with a pure silver arrow pierced through its tiny body.

An electrical signal appeared behind her, manifesting out of thin air like a phantom. However, Astra didn't panic, She didn't even bother to turn around. She had spent enough time with this overactive mind to know its chaotic storm of a signal anywhere, although she was curious how he had managed to appear like that.

"That little thing, is how it controls the nest. Pulled something similar off of our rotting friend, who finally got what he wished for.

I wouldn't recommend trying to touch one, by the way. The bugger tried to burrow into my hand. It just chose the wrong hand."

"Controls the nest... But if there are multiple, then it can't be the queen..."

"No, unfortunately not. I have no idea where she might be. Maybe that's where the nest was running to, I should have let it run and followed it."

"I think... that was its plan."

Astra narrowed her glowing white eyes, focusing her senses again as she stared intently at the mound within the earth where the little ant had come from, as if she was trying to burn a hole through it.

An assumption that wasn't entirely wrong, as she was trying to penetrate the mound but not with her eyes. Instead, she was looking underneath the compact earth with her senses, once again looking at the mass of nervous system activity occurring beneath their feet.

At first she assumed it to be a collection of the weaker ants, such as the small one that had burrowed out from beneath the mound. However, with the revelation that those ants controlled the nests, then it made more sense that perhaps this was where the source of the nests was also hiding.

That Seth had been led away on a wild goose chase and that this was not in fact a mass of little creatures, but the activity of one especially large creature.

"Do you mind if I take care of the noise? It's getting annoying to speak over."

"By all means, It would be rather helpful."

She turned her head to Seth, giving him a soft smile - by her standards - before turning and strolling over to the mound while she let him get on with his self assigned task. She had barely taken five steps before she heard a choked screech from a dying ant, followed by the weighty thump of its body hitting the ground.

With ever step, the sound repeated, as if he was intentionally timing it to her footsteps. Each step, a silver blur would shoot through the underbrush and pierce through the carapace like it was paper. Each step was another life claimed.

Catching Alexandra's attention, she gestured to the the mound with a nod of her head.

"There's something under there, buried somewhere in the ground. Think you can drive it out?"

"No problem-o, leave it to me sparkles."

With a hearty chuckle, the stone skinned Amazonian bounded over to the mound before sinking into a ground. With her hands flat and fingers pointed like the blade of a dagger, she plunged her hands into the earth and closed her eyes as she concentrated.

While Alexandra worked, Astra whistled to Fox as he stood to the side, checking the condition of his perfect blade. With two fingers she pointed to her own eyes, then at the mound that Alexandra was working on.

"Time for some regicide."

He flipped his blade, resting it on his shoulder and gave her a curt nod. Astra couldn't help but wonder what sort of things went through that old mans head. Did he do all these things because he thought it made him look cool?

He definitely seemed like the type.

The earth beneath their feet began to tremor violently, as if they were in the midst of an earthquake, before a section of the large earthen mound began to shift. Under Alexandra's control, the earth churned and moved, forcing the cowardly creature out from her underground hiding spot until finally...

SCREEEEEE!

Chunks of dirt and mud exploded outwards as the Queen burst out from the ground, her long legs wriggling in the air as they desperately tried to find solid ground. Her large mandibles clacked together, spittle flying as she hissed in annoyance that her perfect tunnel had suddenly began to collapse onto her for no reason.

However before she could even fully draw her body, mainly her massive bulbous behind, out of the hole she had created, the executioners blade was brought down on her neck.

As Fox's blade bit into her neck and green blood started to spray outwards, a curious phenomena occurred. A powerful wind blew through the forest, causing the trees to sway and leaves rustle from the force and yet, the air was not disturbed in the slightest. There was wind... without the wind. Just the force of it.

The tree nearest to the Queen Ant churned, the wood shifting as a voice cried out, carried by the airless wind.

"NOOO! STOOOOOP!"