Chrysalis

[Yes, you] I snap.

Enid immediately stumbles forward until she reaches the side of the still sonorously praising one-armed priest.

I see her concentrate and then her voice appears in my mind.

[Wouldn't it be more appropriate to communicate with this man?] she indicates the priest, [it was he who led our people to this place].

This priest?! How the heck did he find me?! Does he have some sort of tracking device on me or something?! More likely he was able to follow our trail somehow but the bottom line remains, what the heck are these people here for? They certainly don't look as they've come to fight, judging by the number of women and children in the crowd, not to mention the sheer lack of arms.

[I will speak to you since I have had dealings with you before. Make it clear to the others I am speaking to you].

I don't want to talk to that guy. He makes me a nervous.

Enid take a moment to gingerly touch the priest on the shoulder and indicate that I am communicating with her using mind magic. Rather than disappointed, the priests face is overcome with enlightenment and he bows low before me, head nearly touching the ground, before he backs away to speak animatedly to the crowd. Nothing phases this guy…

[Enid. Tell me why these people have followed my family here to the wild lands]

at first. Many of the villagers wanted to know where you went but we weren't told anything.

shivers then, her recollections are apparently

were terrified, nobody knew what to do. Then monsters burst out of the Dungeon and into the church, dozens of them. Some of the villagers fought for a time but they were never ending. Then

as good at reading human expressions as perhaps I was before

survive. He rallied the survivors and organised a retreat. We ran from the town with nothing but what we could carry on our backs or throw onto a few carts. With the capital

the broken and desperate people behind her. [Without food or supplies, without knowing what was happening we decided to flee south. We heard word of the colony's passage as we travelled. Father Beyn believed that perhaps you would be able to help us

interacted with me directly and taken part in the

leave us in peace, that's all we can ask. If you aren't willing then you may as well eat us] she says bitterly, [we've lost everything and have nowhere

to prepare myself before the future generation of ant workers is born! This is a critical time for me and the colony! I don't want any of this crap to

I point with my antennae in front of the shocked woman, [tell Beyn I want him to get them settled make sure they don't interfere with

energy and spring

I point the tired old woman to a nearby stone and she gladly hobbles over to it and sits. I have no idea how she managed the journey at her

has happened Enid? Tell me what you

invaded the surface. The capital got the worst of it, I can't imagine any other reason for the whole city to be

have been thousands of people trapped inside those walls. It isn't hard to imagine the

taught me a lot about his work.

stuff has been happening ever since

the Garralosh Infants? Why bring them up in