Chrysalis

I’m no longer human, I get that, but coming from my world, I understand things like the sanctity of life. Even those soldiers that were killed by Tiny, justified as I felt ordering their deaths due to the massacre of my family, my stomach still twists thinking about whether those soldiers had families themselves, children, wives, parents.

Mindless killing serves no purpose. These villagers may be misled, or just incredibly dumb, but I don’t especially feel the need to massacre them because of it. They aren’t a threat after all, I could probably fight a village full of farmers by myself.

Almost as if they could sense my thoughts, Enid and the Queen immediately turn to me to plead for the life of their associates.

[These villagers are misguided, monster, there is nothing to gain from their deaths. Won’t you spare them?]

Well, I have no intention of killing them, but that statement isn’t technically correct.

[The colony would gain Biomass and experience. Hundreds of workers have died recently, our numbers need to be replenished] I point out.

It’s not like we would gain nothing, right?

The Queen’s face falls and so does Enid’s when my words are relayed to her. Enid looks even more despondent when she questions the Queen and her ruler has to reply, I think she’s explaining just how my colony ended up losing hundreds of members. More specifically, how I lost hundreds of my siblings.

Grrrr.

pleads with me, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. The Queen looks

you to spare the townspeople, they are ignorant but not malicious. She offers you her own flesh as payment, I too am prepared to offer my life

keen on saving a pack

to beg me for favour is something I couldn’t have dreamed of happening in my last life.

Muahahahahaaaaaa!

Down, Dark Anthony! Down, you fiend! Back to

mentally shake myself free of the influence of the dark one. I mustn’t allow myself to fall down the black path, I’ll end up being some cartoonish supervillain who’ll no doubt be killed whilst scheming for

these villagers but if I can extract maximum value from the Queen and protect

is no failing greater than ignorance. If you wish for me to spare these people, as well as to

I’m preparing to try and make a deal here. If I can keep the colony out of it and only expose myself to the risk then I’m prepared to take it on in order to get those cores. With so many of the precious gems in my mandibles I’ll be able to strengthen my entourage to the point where we will be invincible in the top layer of the Dungeon. We could secure the colony for ages as well as accelerate the timetable for my

towards making an agreement. Her eyes narrow as her expression turns thoughtful. To spare the townspeople she will need to turn their fervour to a less suicidal cause. These people are afire with religious zealotry, simply saying ’no’ won’t be sufficient to turn them from their cause. She also needs to somehow return to the city and

hash out a plan. I’m not particularly a great fan of it, but I think

I always have to get hit

true Queen has almost fully recovered from her wounds and continues to rest inside the farm, defended by her loyal workers. Myself and a small taskforce have spent the majority of our time working towards the success of our plan whilst Tiny has been mostly sitting on the Queens guard captain and eating. The Queen herself spends her time with Enid, hashing out the details of what will

have clear instructions to stick with Tiny and not get into trouble, before collecting the Queen, then Enida and

flooded with angry looking farmers, the crowd leading up the small hill to the church doors is easily ten times the size it was the last time I was here. There must be hundreds of these morons! Maybe over a thousand?! Where did they find all of this

me to wince. Such a waste! The priest is still there, standing before the energetic throng, his frenzied voice rising above the buzz of the people and reaching us even from the edge of the woods. This guy has some serious pipes on him. Good to know he has skills that don’t rely

ever closer to the town. I make no attempt to hide myself this time, sneaking up isn’t part of the plan. Thanks to our setup the crowd shouldn’t attack me, but if they do I’m prepared to make like a tree and leave at a moments’ notice! This ant knows not to