The air reeked of evaporating acid, mingled with the earthy smell of swirling dust.
The nobles edged along the side of the road, trembling as they tried to stay as far as possible from the thousands of motionless war beetles.
The swarm stood like black sculptures, their sharp forelimbs folded, their compound eyes fixed on empty space.
There was no screeching, no restless movement. That sense of order chilled them to the bone even more than the slaughter had.
The procession inched toward the warehouse, forced to pass that line of black insects.
Baron Kru walked among them. His face was pale, but his steps remained reasonably steady.
He kept reassuring himself: It's all right, Kru. You've seen them in the Newly Reclaimed Land. They're just oxen and horses with a little extra strength. They're obedient. They help clear wasteland...
Just as he passed a giant war beetle, the creature's antennae suddenly twitched.
"Ah-! Stay away!!"
The baron from Hundred Flowers Province beside him jumped in fright and slipped.
It was not really a question of how formidable they were. Those thousands upon thousands of compound eyes packed together... he could not help feeling his scalp crawl.
Seeing his colleague make a fool of himself, Kru felt some of his fear fade, replaced by a warped sense of security. As long as he stood with Lord Veylin, this terror would be the strongest shield against their enemies.
On the other side of the crowd, Diana stopped studying the swarm and lightly nudged Roland beside her.
Roland understood. As a high-ranking knight, he knew that superior numbers were not an insurmountable obstacle before overwhelming power. Such discipline might frighten a few weaklings, but to a true expert, it was not enough.
He quickened his pace and came alongside Veylin.
"An impressive