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]

the assault on the castle things settled down at first. Many of the villagers wanted to know where you

recollections are

We were terrified, nobody knew what

a moment, unable to go on. I'm not as good at reading human expressions as perhaps I was before but she seems overwhelmed with sadness and tears are streaming

retreat. We ran from the town with nothing but what we could carry on our backs or throw onto a few carts.

to 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

hold much hope. Having interacted with me directly and taken part in the deception to save

and 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 else to

to prepare myself before the future generation of ant workers is born! This is a critical

people to go make camp at least one kilometre in that direction] I point with my antennae in front of the shocked woman, [tell Beyn I want him to get them settled make sure

a little light returns to their dark and dull faces. With a little more energy and spring in their step they turn as

there] 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 age,

Enid? Tell me what you

the surface. The capital got the worst of it, I can't imagine any

inside those walls. It isn't hard to imagine the chaos

me a lot about his work. It isn't normal for monsters to approach the surface like this. Something strange is

about that. To me, strange stuff has been happening ever since I

mentioned the Croca-Beasts? I mean the Garralosh Infants? Why bring them