Chrysalis

"What do you think, Ellie?"

"They're magnificent, Bella. Works of engineering, imagination, and unyielding effort! This must be the art that the Eldest spoke of when we were in training."

"I agree! This is art!"

"Do you think the other members of the council will agree with us?" Ellie asked hopefully.

"Not a chance," Bella replied.

The two Core Shapers didn't allow the perceived dearth of culture in their fellow council members to dim their enthusiasm at the successful culmination of their project. The colony had entered the mandatory rest period now and almost all members of the family had entered torpor. As non-combatants, the two Shapers were not expected to participate in the battle. But that didn't mean that none of the Shapers caste would be present. Fifty Shapers rested in the large chamber that had been constructed once the colony had approved the project.

These shapers were young, barely hatched in time through the dedicated nurturing of the Breed Tenders and then put through a brutal, accelerated training regime in the academy in order to bring this project online in time.

"I wonder if this is how the Queen feels. Gazing down on her children," Bella wondered aloud.

"Perhaps," Elligant mused. "Though, as beautiful as our creations are, can they really compare to the wonder of the ants the Elder created?"

"Of course not!" Bella scoffed. Then, "I do wish we could have gotten one more evolution into them before they were forced into battle."

"No point fretting. We were lucky to get this project off the ground at all. Don't you have confidence in our work?"

"How could I not? The Eldest put us onto this path with their own words! It's sure to succeed!"

"Which do you think will perform better, the Manglers, or the Reavers?"

Core Shapers with pet soldiers. How could they not? The Eldest deployed

modified troops. Elligant's design, the Shadow Reaver, boasted enhanced arm strength, more devastating claws and fangs than the regular beasts. The Mangler, Bella's concept, sported increased leg strength and a streamlined body, dramatically increasing

away at the Cunning and Will of the original monster. With the Core Shaper controller, fully tooled

remember how they performed in the Dungeon?"

I do! Wasn't

could have imagined the devastation

didn't lose a single one! Mark my scent Bella, after this battle the Core Shapers will rise high in the colony! The Shapers will became the true elite force

chamber with eyes that sparkled as they imagined the bright and glorious future of their caste. The thought that they might lose the battle never entered their

Elsewhere in the colony…

mages will cause the most

wash away the stain of the invaders by the hundreds. If

be scared off by getting DAMP?! My Mage-Ants will be causing explosions, not hosing down the enemy! Are you trying to hurt them or clean

the chamber. Soldiers patrolled the space as this chamber was below ground level, a deliberate choice in order to afford the mages a chance

continued to swell in the build up to the battle. Of the four base elements that were the cheapest and easiest to train, the vast

open field will have an impact

tunnels?" Propellant queried, her earlier ire

been thinking about the impact of the

you have in mind? I can't imagine the bolt spell will be much less

be more useful due to the increased range. But

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Propellants eyes lit up.

them

"Quite."

calculated the mana expenditure against the

to be