Evolution begins with an ant colony

Memorina's voice quivered with joy as she wrapped her arms around Phenor, tears of relief streaming freely down her face. "I'm glad... I'm so glad you came back to me," she whispered, her embrace tightening as if to confirm his presence.

Among the gathered kingin, Keleora's heart raced with a potent mix of excitement and trepidation. Her eyes locked onto her father's figure in the distance, and she felt a surge of determination to reach him. Ignoring the chaotic crowd, she shouted, "Father!" Her steps carried her closer, but just as she was about to approach, Ember intervened.

With a stern gesture and a voice laced with a threatening edge, he halted her progress. "Watch it. You move when you are asked to move."

The severity of Ember's demeanor sent shivers down Keleora's spine. Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt a bead of sweat trickle down her left cheek as she anxiously stood still, respecting his authority.

Amid this tense moment, Akun, who had been observing from a distance, decided to intervene. With a nod to Ember, he instructed, "Let her through." Ember's posture relaxed, and he lowered his hand, granting Keleora permission to approach her father.

With a mixture of relief and urgency, Keleora rushed into her father's open arms. The emotions that had been bottled up surged forth, and she murmured, "I thought that I would never see you again." Her words were laced with the depth of her fears and her heartfelt joy at his return.

Phenor, now reunited with his family, responded to Keleora's embrace with a soft smile and gentle words. "My little star, your father won't be going anywhere. I still haven't seen you grow up yet."

Keleora blushed at her father's affectionate words. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of emotions as she looked up at him.

Akun, didn't really care for the reunion he'd facilitated, he turned away from the touching scene. His expression one of seriousness, and he fixed his gaze on Xalender, who stood nearby. With a commanding tone and an air of authority, he addressed the god of death.

"Xalender, 'educate' Phenor on how exactly he should act from now on." The underlying message was clear: there were pressing matters that needed attention, and Akun had no intention of wasting time. Stepping forward, he began walking toward the gathered kingin people, his every step purposeful and resolute, ready to address the challenges that lay ahead.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Facing the remnants of the once-mighty kingin tribe, Akun raised his hand, and the atmosphere around him grew charged with an unusual energy. With a commanding voice, he activated his taming skill.

In an instant, the world around them shifted. Multiple ethereal purple chains erupted from Akun's outstretched hands, snaking their way toward the necks of every kingin present. The chains wrapped around them with a gentle yet undeniable force.

Phenor, who had been observing the proceedings in awe, was now deeply perplexed. He couldn't fathom how this seemingly ordinary mortal had come to wield such extraordinary power. Turning to Xalender, the god of death, he voiced his confusion, "Lord Xalender, how is it possible that this... insect still lives?"

Xalender's skeletal visage remained emotionless as he responded, "That 'insect' is now my master, and I am bound to obey his every command."

Phenor's bewilderment only deepened. "But, my lord, we had a contract," he protested, seeking answers in the terms they had agreed upon.

Xalender's response was curt and chilling. "A contract I fulfilled," he stated, his tone colder than the underworld itself.

The kingin ruler couldn't comprehend the situation unfolding before him. "Then why is he still here? What is he doing to our people?" he pressed, frustration and offense tainting his words.

Xalender's empty sockets bore into Phenor's eyes with an intensity that sent shivers down the kingin's spine. "Who do you think you are to demand answers from me, Phenor? Watch your place when you speak," Xalender retorted, his voice cold and unforgiving.

Phenor sensing the seriousness in Xalender's tone fell silent, shivers ran down his spine. Realizing how he spoke was out of line, he composed himself.

With a final admonition, Xalender began to fade away, his form dissipating like mist. "A word of advice, child," he uttered before vanishing completely. "My master, Akun, is a being to be feared and respected. He vanquished me in the underworld, took my authority, and through forces I couldn't comprehend, subdued me.

He enslaved me, using the authority he stole he resurrected himself, and it was at his request that you were resurrected."

Phenor was left dumbfounded, his thoughts racing as he grappled with the unimaginable turn of events. The reality of their situation was dawning upon him, and it was far more complex and perilous than he had ever imagined.

Xalender's haunting words lingered in the air as he prepared to depart from the mortal plane, bound once again for the underworld. His skeletal form remained as imposing as ever, but there was a hint of solemnity in his empty sockets as he addressed Phenor one final time.

"For you to continue living peacefully," Xalender began, his voice carrying an eerie weight, "it would be in your best interest to heed his every command without hesitation. Should he become enraged and decide to end your existence, even in death, you will find no peace." Read new chapters at empire

With those chilling words, Xalender's presence gradually faded from view, returning to the realm of the underworld. Phenor was left standing there, his thoughts in turmoil, fully aware that his life had irrevocably changed with the arrival of the enigmatic and powerful mortal known as Akun.

The implications of Xalender's message hung heavily in the air, and Phenor could feel the weight of responsibility settling upon his shoulders. The contract he had forged with the god of death, one that he believed would ensure his tribe's prosperity, had been shattered. In its place stood an unpredictable, formidable master who demanded not only allegiance but unwavering subservience.