"I am number 1 now." Number 1 replied with his divine sense.
"What? You have an awakened mind now?" Doofus asked in shock.
It isn't only his size that has changed since he was a grub. Chubby grubby has become the next in line to become Number 1. It is the oldest and the strongest royal guard in the current service of the queen.
"Yes."
Doofus was confused, "Then why are you still in service of the queen."
"I'm not like you. I don't have a choice yet."
"Has the queen become so strong as to control an awakened now?" Another escapee asked.
"She is about to. That's why we have to escape right now." Helios shouted to them to remind them of their situation.
Doofus bid farewell before he turned to leave. "Goodbye, then brother. We wish you well."
"I wish you well too." Number 1 said to him.
Each one of them said their goodbyes to Number 1 as they left. The escapees didn't speak with Helios while they escaped but they were communicating in their language. Meeting Number 1 really affected them. It came to them as a shock to see an awakened royal guard in the service of the queen.
The moment a royal guard awakens is the moment when they become willful. It is also the moment that they gain their divine sense. Their divine sense resists the mind control of the queen. Helios knows the queen has yet to become a transcendent or demigod, so she can't control awakened royal guards yet. She is using a shortcut to control Number 1 and the others.
What they didn't want finally happened. The queen broke through to become a demigod on their way out. Her divine power began to cover the entire ant mound marking it as her domain. The escapees picked up speed without the need for Helios to hurry them.
Doofus spoke to Helios when they finally passed the exit, "I understand why the colony is under attack now. The queen is getting stronger and the giants don't want that. It is a good thing that you saved us before we are forcefully conscripted for her war. We are even more grateful for your kindness."
"It's not a problem. It was easy to do and as the son of the sun god, I can't pass by when I see injustice. Besides, we helped each other too. I needed your help to escape. Go now, before it is too late."
Doofus didn't understand how they had helped him but it doesn't matter now especially since they could sense the divine power of the ant queen that has covered the ant mound. It meant that the queen is more than capable of controlling them now.
"I hope to see you again," Doofus said one last time before he left with his brothers.
'All it took was a little fire. You might not have escaped this conflict as you had thought.' Helios thought to himself as he waved them off.
Breaking them out helps him in more ways than one. For starters, they will be his alibi when he explains how he escaped the ant mound. There are other more important advantages he is gaining from freeing them and all it took was a little special flame.
His fire is special, no doubt. But it cannot cure the royal guards of their fungi problem, at least not permanently. What they are experiencing is a brief relief as the exposed parts of the fungi were burned away. The implanted sabotage protocol is still there under their diamond carapace and they still need the queen to stunt its growth.
If they don't stunt the fungus, it will grow again and freeze them. The queen will send royal guards under her control to bring them back since she is able to track them with the implants. She will then keep them in a cavern for the time she is able to control them. They won't be able to escape again unless another nosy person set them free which is even more unlikely now that she can control them no matter how willful they are.
Their escape is not futile though. He has reasons for freeing them which will come into play soon. The royal guards don't need to be free of fungus to be useful to Legion.
'We will meet again. Probably very soon. But for now, the show must go on.' Helios thought to himself as he watched them leave.
He removed his armor and the artificial arms. He became his normal figure except his skin is white to match his eyes instead of being yellow. The golden runes on his skin showed clearly. They showed clearly as the golden sun on his back. The change is due to the increase in divine power he got access to through the Stigmata. The power of the sun god is thrumming within him.
"This stigmata always leaves me in wonder." He said appreciatively.
He really liked the stigmata but he is saying it out loud to the benefit of those listening to him. If they think the power of his rune is due to his stigmata, they will think it is Stelios's work. They will bother Stelios for it instead of him. Then he flew into the air towards the front lines. They must be expecting him.
Meanwhile On The Frontlines.
A temple has been built within the headquarters. There was no building before within the headquarters, only posts, but the meeting of the gods requires a temple. It's not like you expect the god's avatars to just stand around under the sun even though they can't feel the heat of the sun or any discomfort since they are gods and also since they are not even here in their real bodies.
The temple may not be performing the useful function of protection, but it is performing the "very important" function of style. You just can't seperate gods from style and luxury.