An examination of hive mentality. Recorded by the Archivist in situ.
Statement
An incomprehensible number of ants make up the walls and floor of the tunnels as Jordan crawls through them. He cannot tell what kind of ants they are, if he will crush them, if they will bite. He knows there is no way out of here but keeps going to prevent the ants from consuming him. Eventually he will not be able to stop himself from screaming and feels that ants will fill his mouth. He arrives at a crossroad and picks the smaller, though he has lost sense of size. He feels rock beneath him and hopes that he will be safe for a few moments. The ants that are there begin to bite him and he flails in panic, screaming.
Leto can hear screaming but does not understand it. He wants to investigate but cannot move without crushing the ants around him. He reminisces of a time when he was connected and loved by the ants. He believes they are each as alive and valuable as humans but he is now disconnected from the colony and forced to stay in the tunnels, constantly afraid of crushing the ants.
He hears Jordan approach and yell but cannot make out the words. Jordan, covered in his own blood, flails and stamps his feet, killing many ants. Leto is enraged by this and lunges at Jordan. Jordan sidesteps him and Leto crashes into the ground killing numerous ants. Jordan asks Leto if there is a queen ant he can kill to stop this but Leto reveals that there is not one and the ants act as one collective.
Jordan already knew there was no queen but had held onto the idea to keep hope. He continues through the tunnels and is swarmed by ants again.
Post-Statement
Martin has been listening to this statement and says that the "Jordan" in this statement refers to Jordan Kennedy, who is in fact only a few tunnels away from where they are now. John knows this, and is not sure what to do with him, remarking that he owes him for what he did against Jane Prentiss. They discuss the avatar of this domain, who turns out to be the collective hivemind of every single ant in the tunnels. If John were to destroy the ants, The Corruption's influence over this domain would end, but The Buried would take it for its own, keeping John and Martin entombed for some time.
They travel to the tunnel containing Jordan, finding him screaming for help. John uses his powers to refocus The Eye on Jordan, shifting its focus and turning him into an avatar. John explains the mechanics of the new world to Jordan, who does not want to be an avatar and hurt people but prefers it to being a victim. As they begin to leave, Jordan asks, if he tells the ants to attack them, could they actually do it? John answers no, nothing in the new world can really touch them anymore.
Continuity
- Related Entity: The Corruption and The Buried; perhaps the The Vast.
- Jordan Kennedy gave a statement in MAG 55 and was one of the nightmares in MAG 120