Chrysalis

In attempting to leave the front of the tunnel I'm forced to push my way through the innumerable eager workers piled up behind me, ready to contribute to the dig. I slowly push my way out, letting my smaller siblings climb over the top of me in their eagerness to rush forward. At this point the walls and ceiling are also covered in workers assisting the dig. Truly a three dimensional work effort!

Eventually I make it through the worst of the crowd and begin to make better progress. I was probably only digging for a couple of hours but the tunnel has become much longer, perhaps doubling in size!

This is the power of the excavation skill! Not to mention being significantly larger and stronger than the rest of the workers….

Anyway! Progress has been made.

When I arrive in the Queens former chamber I'm shocked by what I see. Or rather, what I don't see

It's completely dark! I can barely see a thing!

The illumination caused by the mana veins in the walls has completely vanished, plunging this chamber, the entire nest and I can only assume the whole Dungeon into pitch black darkness.

It's a bit spooky.

Placing my fancy new feet here and there on the Dungeon walls I try to see if there is any mana for me to soak up and unfortunately I'm coming up completely empty! The mana veins are bone dry.

Thinking back to what Formo told me, that must mean the mana has completed receded. After which it would…. Come rushing back… like… a tidal wave…

….

Uhhhhh….

[Tiny? Can I get you to come back up here to the chamber?]

I can feel the ape's agreement in my mind without him having to actually form words.

Whilst I wait I continue to shift my feet about, doing an awkward ant dance as I try to sense the presence of mana returning.

Nothing at the moment.

larvae and pupae? I don't think we've secured the

way towards the heat signature given off by the newly dug brood

entire brood is still here

the chamber no more than five workers are tending to the next generation of ants, shifting them about, cleaning them

to get these

think of anything better than to shout "we have to move

seem stunned by sudden intrusion, antennae swirling in the dark as they 'listen' to my message. Remarkably, after a brief

Thank Gandalf!

grub in my mandibles I rush back into the Queen's chamber where Tiny has arrived, the enormous ape humming to himself contentedly as he rests

There will be a fight

[Fight!]

the prospect of combat. Small sparks of electricity start twisting and sizzling in the air around him as

[Soon I said!]

workers rushes into the tunnel after me. About one hundred metres in, before the crowd becomes too large I carefully place the young larva down and

I turn and run back

buggers! If they can survive to maturity then the colony will nearly double in

The small white grub wiggles in protest at being manhandled in this way but I don't have the time to be too gentle!

relieved to see a flood of workers running in, roused by my crude summons. There are two things that ants will protect at any cost, the Queen and the brood! Both represent the future

return to the Queen's chamber my heart sinks as I realise

Something from my feet.

it. From the tips of my little ant claws the faintest sign, almost undetectable, a

no oh no oh no

It's coming!

We don't have long!

Anthony! Get your

my wriggly charge into the tunnel as fast as I

coming! GOGOGOGO" I shout at the top of my