Chapter Text
The Mantis Lords
The Mantis Tribe had always been a matriarchal one. The historians of Hallownest had lost the texts that contained most of the Tribe’s history, but the earliest recorded ruler of the Mantises had been a female named “Lady Lefia”. When Lefia died, her only daughter ruled the Tribe as “Lady Pershina”. Pershina had several sons, so when she abdicated to the eldest, he had the title of “Lord”. The son died from a mysterious illness shortly after he began his reign, so the title and responsibilities passed to Pershina’s second oldest son. When he died from the same sickness, everything went to the third son, and this continued until the last child, Pershina’s only daughter, was left. Everyone was worried that she would not live long, so she called herself “Lord Ruho”. The bad luck that had fallen upon her brothers did not affect her, and she ruled for many years as the Lord of the Mantis Tribe. Her only child, a girl, would succeed her as “Lord Masha”.
Masha and her mate had four children. The eldest was a frail, sickly boy named Antimony. No one thought that he would survive infancy, but he did, and remained sheltered from the dangers outside of the Mantis Tribe’s territory. His triplet sisters were the complete opposite of Antimony: strong, athletic, intelligent, powerful, and skilled with nails. They were named Latanie, Timoria, and Laskeva, and they doted upon their older brother. They spoiled him with gifts and attention, and they promised him that one day, they would all rule together. And because of this promise, four thrones were commissioned for the siblings.
Word spread through Hallownest of a strange illness, and word of it eventually reached the Mantis Tribe. The symptoms were easy to recognize: bloating, blisters of orange pus, and a complete loss of will. Anyone who succumbed to this Infection would become hostile and violent.
“We should keep to ourselves from now on,” said Timoria, the youngest and most diplomatic. “The alliance with the rest of Hallownest shall stand strong, but we should not leave our territory anymore.”
Laskeva, the eldest and most cautious, asked, “What if the Infection were to breach our borders? How can we protect ourselves from giving in to this temptation?”
“We can only train our minds to resist and fight the ones who give in,” Latanie, the middle triplet and most skilled fighter, said. “If the minds cannot stand strong, then the bodies have no hope of surviving.” Her sisters agreed.
Antimony had not been present at this meeting. While his sisters debated on their course of action, he took a risk and escaped the Mantis territory. He had hoped that, by observing the Infection up close, he could identify a weakness in the sick bugs. His intentions were noble, but he was still foolish and weak. Although he had reached the Core of the Fungal Wastes, he somehow made the trek back to his home, where a Mantis Warrior on patrol found him.
The majority of the Mantis Tribe thought nothing of what had happened, for the Young Lord’s intentions had been pure. But his sisters kept a close eye on him for three days and three nights. During this time, they watched as Antimony’s eyes became orange and his body grew unnatural features. He became broad-shouldered and tall, but all this came at the cost of his mind. Against their own words, the sisters begged him to fight against the Infection. “Resist, brother!” “Don’t listen!” “Don’t look!” “Don’t give in!”
On the fourth morning, the triplets went to their brother’s bedchamber, and found it empty. They found him in the Mantis Tribe’s arena, where he preached loudly to a crowd of young, wide-eyed Mantis Youths. “My sisters wish to keep this knowledge from you all!” He declared. “But I have acquired strength that surpasses them all, and I have gained wisdom that rivals the minds of all others! Will you let them keep this glory out, or will you welcome it?” Much to the horror of the triplets several spectators cheered and followed Antimony as he charged into Deepnest. The triplets followed the crowd as their brother led his new followers into the Fungal Core. They did all they could, but in the end, too many of them gave into the Infection and acted with hostility if one of the sisters approached. Antimony soon realized that his sisters were there and asked if they had seen the error of their ways. Timoria begged for her brother to see reason and hoped that it wasn’t too late for him, that he could still recover from the Infection. Laskeva warned him that the Infection would only bring doom upon him, and that if he chose to keep the Infection inside of him, he would not be welcomed back at the Mantis Village. Enraged, Antimony charged at his sisters. With his new strength and speed, he would have landed a fatal blow. It was Laskeva who intervened, saving her sisters and banishing her brother and his followers from the Fungal Wastes and all lands near Mantis territory.
From that day on, only three thrones were visible in the Mantis Tribe’s arena.
Antimony and his followers made a new home for themselves. His followers stood by his side, and although many of them believed what he said and adored the Infection, there was one who was different. She feared the Infection and Antimony, who she had gone with, but not of her own will. She had been taken by force when the Infected Mantises left their home, for Antimony had decided that she was to be his wife. But that is a story for another time.