Antares stood silently on the marble dais, his eyes tracking every movement of the Cradle-Wardens. They moved with a synchronized, eerie grace, lifting the thirty crimson, oval eggs and settling them into the crystalline cradles. Despite his Essence Balance sitting at a flat zero, he felt no regret. The investment in these caretakers was already paying off; their specialized hands handled the fragile eggs with a level of care no ordinary soldier or servant could provide.
As the last egg was nestled into its glowing berth, the System interface flickered to life, projecting a detailed developmental timeline before his eyes.
[Brood Development Cycle: Genetic Fusion Variant]
Stage 1: Egg (Duration: 1 Week) – Inactive .
Stage 2: Larvae (Duration: 3 Weeks) – Upon hatching, the larvae will be the size of a human infant. Activities: Constant feeding and occasional resting.
Stage 3: Magical Cocoon (Duration: 2 Weeks) – A hardened shell forms around the larvae for final metamorphosis.
Stage 4: Emergence – The fully grown antman hatches.
[Estimated Time to Maturity: 1.5 Months]
Antares frowned as he studied the "Larvae" stage. The image projected by the system showed a pale, soft-bodied creature with no limbs and a voracious appetite. Feeding thirty infant-sized larvae for nearly a month would be a massive logistical hurdle. He refused to drain the food stores of the antmen or the other clans; he would not be a King who starved his existing subjects to feed his new ones. He calculated his own private supplies—though not infinite, they would be enough to sustain the brood until they reached the cocoon stage.
He then turn his attention to Solara.
The effort of the birth had been monumental. Solara, still in her towering, golden-bronze Queen form, had slumped against the dais, her consciousness fading into a deep, restorative sleep.
"Take the eggs to the Brood Chambers," Antares commanded the Wardens. "I will remain with the Queen."
The Queen's Chambers were a sight of dark, regal beauty. Unlike the humid, earthy Brood Chambers below, this room was built from polished obsidian that seemed to swallow the light. The walls were draped in heavy silks of royal gold, and the floor was layered with thick, white furs to cushion Solara's massive insectoid weight. High above, a vaulted ceiling was embedded with massive crystals that cast a soft, eternal amber glow, making the room feel like a sacred sanctuary.
Outside the heavy stone doors, Eli and Levi stood like statues, their spears crossed, guarding the King and Queen.
Antares sat beside Solara's head. She was a marvel of biological engineering; a natural golden crown had grown directly from her armored skull, its jagged, regal points shimmering as part of her very body. He reached out, his hand looking small against her golden chitin, and affectionately stroked the crown.
System, he thought, give me advice on the Queen and the Brood.
[System Advice]
To maximize growth, the Brood must remain in high-mana zones like this Tower. The eggs absorb mana from the atmosphere to mature faster and stronger.
[Feeding Recommendation: Larvae should be fed mana-rich food to ensure their potential is fully realized.]
Mana-rich food? Antares wondered where he would find such a thing in abundance. He looked at the notification again and noticed the placeholder name the system had given his elite units. He looked at the deep, vibrant red of the shells.
"System, rename this batch." he commanded. "From now on, they are the Red Sons."
[Ding......... renaming process successful]
Just as he was enjoying his little victory, a low, vibrating groan echoed through the room as Solara stirred. Her red eyes snapped open, and suddenly she erupted in her massive form, looking around frantically, her antennae twitching at high speed.
"The eggs! Antares, where are the eggs?" Her voice was a mix of human desperation and a metallic hum.
Antares offered a warm, calming smile. He was relieved to see her motherly instincts were so fierce. "Calm down, Solara. They have been taken to the Brood Chamber. They are safe under the care of the Wardens. They are resting in the cradles."
She let out a long sigh of relief, her massive form relaxing against the furs. Then, she looked down at her six limbs and the heavy, armored abdomen behind her. "Antares... how do I turn back? This body... it's hard to move in. I feel so heavy."
Antares let out a short, nervous laugh, looking like a guilty man caught without a plan. "To be honest... I have no idea."
Solara began to panic, her mandibles clicking. "What? I can't stay like this forever!"
"Calm down," Antares urged, taking her large, clawed hand in his. "Focus. Breathe in and out. Relax every segment of your body and visualize your original form. Your mind controls the power, not the other way around."
Solara closed her eyes, focusing intently. Slowly, the golden chitin softened and receded. The massive legs folded back into her body, and her towering height shrank. Within minutes, she was human again. She immediately lunged at Antares, kissing him with a desperate, joyful intensity. They had done the impossible together.
Antares flashed her a mischievous, lingering smile, his heart racing. He wanted her right then and there, but he kept his calm. "We should go back to the palace now," he suggested, reaching for her hand to lead her out.
Solara pulled her hand back, her expression hardening. "No. I'm staying here, Antares."
Antares blinked, surprised by her tone. "Solara, you've just been through an ordeal. The palace has the best healers, the best food, and Zarah is there to look after you. This tower is... it's cold. It's underground."
"My children are here," she snapped, her eyes flashing with a lingering trace of that Queenly fire. "I can feel them through the floorboards. I can feel their hearts beating in the dark. How can you ask me to leave them?"
"I'm not asking you to abandon them," Antares argued, his voice rising in frustration. "I'm asking you to recover! You can barely stand. Let the Cradle-Wardens do their jobs. That's why I spent the essence to create them!"
"They are our sons Antares, my sons, Antares! Not just some units in your system!" Solara stood her ground, her small frame looking surprisingly imposing. "If you try to force me to go back with you, I will transform again and I won't be so gentle about it."
Antares stared at her, stunned. He had never seen this side of her—the fierce, uncompromising Mother of the Hive. He opened his mouth to command her as King, but the look in her eyes stopped him. It wasn't just stubbornness; it was a motherly bond he couldn't break.
"Fine," he muttered, throwing his hands up in defeat. "Stay. But if you get a chill or if you're hungry, don't blame me."
"I'll be fine, Antares," she softened, stepping forward to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear. "Just bring me the food I need. For them."
Reluctantly, Antares teleported back to the palace with Eli and Levi, leaving Solara in her sanctuary. He found Zarah and Ian waiting anxiously in the throne room.
"Where is the Queen?" Zarah asked, her eyes darting around.
Antares sat heavily on his throne, rubbing his temples. "She's staying in the tower. She refused to leave the eggs." He then began to explain everything the transformation, the red eggs, and the birth of the Red Sons,keeping the secrets of the System to himself.
"Red Sons..." Ian mused, his old eyes twinkling. "A Good name my lord."
Antares smiled with pride because he had chosen the name.