Xy's Magic Jeweled Ants

Good grog in the Kingdom of Xy

At the Trog’s Obsidian Ax

That Tavern where they’re known to try

To gamble their lives to the max

Piles of gold and gemstones gleaming.

Won or lost should one's dice roll wrong

Backgammon’s doubling cube dealings

Fortune smiles if your skills are strong

Captain Stryke passed Zapper the cube

A wall of five Zapper must break

Captain Stryke said something quite rude

When Zapper double six did make

Captain Stryke, the cube did decline.

‘cause there were no men to get off

“Ten thousand in gold is now mine

Pay up!” Zapper said, with a scoff

I have something you will want,"

The Captain said, "With a sneer

A small bag was held up to taunt

The Wizard who saw through it clear

That ant is of no use to you

A jewel to lock in a tower

Secret things I can make it do

You can’t use its magic power

“Just how much off my golden tab,”

Captain Stryke asked the sorcerer?

Two thousand gold, I must be mad,"

Said the credited inquisitor

“Magic Ants are worth more than that,”

the Captain said to the Wizard

“Those who squander find their wealth lacks,”

Zapper responded to Stryke’s words

“Five hundred more to that I stick,”

The Wizard finally added

“Then if you want to buy all six

five grand in gold,” Stryke commanded

Zapper produced a folded cloth

I unfolded it and reached inside

Ten bags of platinum were got

those bags were down on this side

“Will Platinum coins do,” was asked Stryke?

So, each handed over their loot

they took the treasure that they like

‘Twas congealed sweat passed with a scoot

Zapper took an ant for a look

Three different sized gems in a row

Legs of Mithril that could be hooked

And mandibles of sharpened woe

A face of diamonds joined with gold

Gold bound the whole ant together

Its feelers made it look quite bold

Its stinger, a pain injector

The ants were placed in a line narrow

Zapper spoke an incantation

And they formed a pointing arrow

Pointing in a new direction

Stryke, ask, “To what does it point?”

Zapper said, “The place they were born

It will be a secluded joint

Of arcane magic of some form

Big books I’ll have to look upon

I will bring a party of five

I’ll be ready to leave by dawn

So, your party best look alive."

High into the mountains, they went.

On roads that had not been traveled

Two weeks wandering they had spent

When the earth shook, moved, and rattled

The shaking came from one valley.

The one, the ants, were pointing to

The squad paused and dilly-dallied.

Hearing strange sounds that no one knew

Loud shrill horns made horses jumpy.

The low hums were just outright strange

Everyone was getting grumpy

It all put a strain on your brain

Horses one could no longer ride.

The group walked for quite a long turn

Up a mountain trail not too wide

When they came to a cavern

The sounds were coming from inside.

But the horses would not go in

Pick the best six they did decide

That those would be the ones to send

The rest would go and make a camp

Where the horses would get some rest

They got their things, and off they tramped

Determined they would do their best

Zapper and Captain Stryke led them

Into the source of the loud din

Six souls against such racket grim

They’d find where these sounds did begin

Down a path, they walked for away

Till an iron gate. Their route was blocked

They searched for the rest of the day

So that they could release the lock

Zapper threw a spell to see

How to open the portcullis

Revealed a lever pulled must be

Just on the other side of this

Zapper lined the ants in a row

Then was done an incantation

Into the darkness, they did go

Passed the block of their progression

An hour after the ants escaped

The portcullis began to move

Down the passage, another gate

It fit within the left wall grooves

“Must get through,” Zapper was yelling

Above the noise and vibration

“If the ants release this opening

there’ll be no evacuation

they can only hold one open

leave now, or you’ll be locked in

Captain Stryke yelled, “We’ll be stayin’.”

Then they heard the incantation

Creaking the first gate slowly closed

For a time, nothing changed places

Groaning, the next gate slowly rose

Zapper entered the secured spaces

Up some stairs and into a room

A great chair, behind a console

A grand chamber below did loom

With many parts moving just so

Zapper could see where a cave-in.

Had blocked some hammers crushing ore

The shaft screamed as it tried to spin

It vibrated and shook the floor

Zapper sat down at the console.

Then threw a spell which would reveal

Which levers that would have to throw

So, it could end that horrid squeal

They were glad for this silent stunt

The vibration and noise were gone

But, the loud horn made them all jump

Other things were still going on

The horn meant the hoppers were filled

They saw overflow on the floor

Ant parts everywhere had been spilled

It should be all cleaned up and stored

When Zapper got real close, they saw

The ant body parts were diamonds

Scattered body parts in the raw

Caught the eye of every person

Golden pellets scattered around.

Along with mithril for the legs

The cleanup of the mess was bound

For those pieces, Zapper would beg

Soon everybody had picked up some

Lots of diamonds in their pockets

And Zapper wanted everyone

but none gave back once they got it

Once the platform was cleaned of junk

Zapper stepped back to the console

A brass lever moved with a thunk

One body gem came out of the hole

It was picked up by a pincher

And Zapper pulled a lever

The head was installed with a cincher

And Zapper pulled a lever

Thus, the other end was put on

And Zapper pulled a lever

Thus, an ant and its stinger bond

And Zapper pulled a lever

Each of its legs was now bonded

And Zapper pulled a lever

Now a set of feelers mounted

And Zapper pulled a lever

Then its mandibles were installed.

And Zapper pulled a lever.

The next two gems were used as eyeballs

And Zapper pulled a lever

That finished ant was set aside.

And Zapper pushed a button.

And pulled each lever that was tried

The contraption started runnin’

It made ants of diamonds and gold

With the twinkle of an eye

As the number of ants did grow

Captain Stryke asked Zapper, "Why?

All the diamonds must be used.

To make a lot of silly ants

Excuse me. I must be confused

Because the group has other plans."

With that, the fighters took their half

Of the diamonds in the containers

And they took half the golden stash

They had become treasure raiders

Zapper had become very mad.

Zapper said, “None shall pass the gate!”

While the others felt that they had

Merely taken their half of their stake

“Come now you must see it our way,”

Captain Stryke said to the Wizard

With how many ants can you play?

You must share and be a giver.”

“Fool!“ Zapper said, “They’re for the King

Xy could use an army of ants

You take your pay in that there bling

And will see to you what Xy will grant

I’m bound to the Kingdom of Xy

I am the Kingdom’s Magician

From my Bag of Tricks, we will try

To defeat our competition

Dare you leave me to be one short

And thus, the Kingdom to be lost

You explain it all to Xy’s Court

I’m sure they will accept your cost.”

Stryke returned their half of the take

That was taken from the hoppers

To fulfill the pledge for Xy sake

Captain Stryke was not a usurper

Of the overflow in their pockets

Zapper let each one keep their stash

Diamonds made for a nice profit

Gold made for some nice cash

The contraption ran for three days.

Making many ants of high grade

Thousands of ants were stashed away

Quite an ant army had been made

If you want to stand against Xy

A bag of tricks stands in the way

And if you really want to try

Diamond ants will ruin your day