Evolution begins with an ant colony-Chapter 386: What Were You Up To

Salden hoisted Vorpax's arm over his shoulder, a grimace forming on his face. "You were basically asking for death back there, weren't you?" he muttered, more to himself than Vorpax.

Vorpax, still dazed from the blow, mumbled incoherently.

Without waiting for a response, Salden continued walking, making his way through the bustling elven streets. "Let's regroup with the others. This little detour wasn't exactly part of Alzureth's plan."

Vorpax, slowly regaining his senses, furrowed his brow. "What do you mean detour? We were about to—"

"You were about to get us vaporized by beings who could swat us like flies. There's a time and place for your theatrics, brother, and that wasn't it." Salden cut him off with a sharp glare.

Salden's voice was filled with a hint of something Vorpax couldn't quite decipher. It wasn't anger, exactly, but a touch of excitement that sent shivers down his spine. Salden rarely spoke in such a way, and it was a clear sign things were more serious than he was letting on.

Vorpax, wisely, decided to drop the subject. He knew Salden wouldn't share whatever plan he was formulating, at least not yet. There would be time for explanations later. For now, they needed to prioritize rejoining the others.

They walked in silence for a while, the weight of the encounter hanging heavy in the air. Salden's steps were calm with a touch of pride, his gaze fixed ahead. Vorpax stole a glance at his brother, his own mind racing. Whatever game Salden was playing, Vorpax knew he was just a pawn. But for now, he had no choice but to follow his lead.

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Salden and Vorpax made their way through the final crowd of elves before turning down a deserted alley.

Reaching a seemingly unremarkable tree house tucked amongst the shadows, Salden approached the doorway. It appeared boarded shut, weathered and forgotten. Yet, as he neared, a faint shimmer could be seen across the surface.

With a knowing smirk, Salden traced a series of symbols in the air, the wooden boards dissolving into wisps of smoke to reveal a glowing purple portal.

Vorpax, still nursing a headache from the finger flick, hesitated. "Where are we going now?"

Salden didn't reply, simply stepping through the portal. With a sigh, Vorpax followed, the portal disappeared behind them.

The interior wasn't what Vorpax expected. They were in a well-lit chamber, furnished with plush rugs, comfortable armchairs, and a large tactical map sprawled across a central table, it was their base.

Several figures huddled around the map. Elrith turned around, concern etched on her face. "Vorpax! Are you alright?"

"Just a little worse for wear," Vorpax mumbled, surprised by Elrith's immediate concern.

Saquin, her silver hair flowing down her back, smirked from across the room. "Looks like someone got a taste of their own medicine."

Elrith shot her a withering look. "Enough, Saquin. Now's not the time for your barbs."

Before the argument could escalate, Salden stepped forward. He raised a hand, silencing his siblings.

"Enough," he said, his voice calm but intimidating. "We have more important matters to discuss."

He turned his gaze towards the central figure huddled by the map. Alzureth, their eldest brother, sat with his back to them, an emotionless expression on his face.

"Alzureth," Salden began, his voice measured. "We need to talk about what happened today."

Alzureth remained motionless, as he frowned intensely. The flickering lamplight stretched across the muscles in his jaw, a clear sign his anger was growing by the moment despite his calm exterior. Finally, he spoke.

"Where in the nine hells did you two disappear to, Salden? You know this entire operation hinges on a precise timeline. Was it another one of your 'unforeseen encounters' where you bumble into trouble and expect me to clean up the mess?"

Salden, wearing an indifferent expression, kept his response clipped. "A minor detour," he said simply. "Nothing that will derail our grand plans."

Alzureth slammed his fist on the table, the map scattering momentarily before settling back into place. The other siblings flinched at the sudden outburst.

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Alzureth roared, his voice echoing in the chamber.

"We spent hours meticulously planning this invasion, accounting for every elven patrol and potential roadblock. And you, with your infuriatingly nonchalant attitude, waltz in here claiming a 'minor detour' caused us to miss the finalization of the entire route?"

A look of amusement could be seen in Salden's eyes, a silent taunt that only further enraged Alzureth. Alzureth hated how Salden always seemed two steps ahead, how his calculating mind saw everyone else as pawns in his game.

"Relax, brother," Salden said with a smug tone. "I assure you, the delay was… productive."

"Productive?"

"Enlighten me, then, oh great strategist. What earth-shattering discovery did you stumble upon during your little detour?" Alzureth spat the word like venom.

Salden's lips curved into a sly smile. He knew he had Alzureth exactly where he wanted him – dangling on the precipice of curiosity, frustrated by his mysterious words. But revealing his plan now would be a gamble. He needed more information, more time to solidify his thoughts before unleashing them on his already suspicious sibling.

With a sigh, he met Alzureth's narrowed gaze. "There's more to this 'detour' than I can explain at the moment," he said finally. "But trust me, brother, it will prove to be…instrumental. For now, let's get back to the invasion route. We have a kingdom to conquer, and wasting time on trivialities won't get us any closer."

Alzureth's jaw clenched so tightly his teeth seemed ready to shatter. The desire to strangle his infuriating brother was so strong he felt like he could lose himself.

But he was able to calm himself down, knowing that despite his arrogance, Salden's actions always served a deeper purpose. He pointed to the map.

"Very well, Explain what changes need to be made, assuming your…delay didn't completely derail our plans."

Salden stepped forward, with the look of a predator in his eyes. As he traced his finger along the map, outlining a new path far more audacious than anything his siblings could have imagined, a plan far more complicated than simply conquering a kingdom, began to take shape in his mind.