Chrysalis

As Garralosh lies, heaving in pain, her aura diminished almost to nothing, I receive healing from a team of hastily summoned ants. Though the battle has drained them to the point of exhaustion, they manage to squeeze out enough healing mana that I’m able to push my legs underneath my body and stand up once more.

"Eldest." Victor speaks up as she approaches from my right. "Is it over? Do you think Garralosh can still fight?"

"I don’t know. I’ll go and sort it out. Get the colony back to safety. If the Croca-Beasts come back, we could have trouble."

I see her hesitate for a brief moment.

"Are you sure? We can send a team of soldiers."

I must look like absolute hell. Truth be told, I feel that way. The healers have done what they can, but even then I’m barely together. The cracks and holes in my carapace are in the process of closing over, and my organs are back on the inside of my body, which is a win. The pain is still incredible though, and to be honest, I’m desperate for a nap. But I won’t risk anyone else, not after what happened to Grant.

"I’ll go. Stay back."

With that, I begin to pick up my legs, one at a time, and walk toward my fallen foe. Even most of the way dead, Garralosh is still mighty in appearance, her enormous frame dwarfs me as I approach. The pure madness is gone from her eyes now. Instead of rage they are filled with pain and anguish. Which isn’t surprising. The Gravity Bomb has taken a massive chunk out of her. From her left shoulder to her mid-section, part of her body has been perfectly carved away where the sphere of the spell touched her. What’s incredible is that she was able to prevent the rest of her body from being dragged in, even though she was so close. Being that strong has its upsides, I guess.

Shudders ripple through her as her nerves are afire with agony. To think, she wouldn’t have ended like this if she hadn’t chased after a few hundred survivors and me. Hundreds of years of fighting in the Dungeon, reduced to this. I can’t find any sympathy in me, can’t find much emotion at all, to be honest. I’m just tired.

My brains are collectively fried, but still I push myself and spin together a mind magic construct as I slowly approach. It takes time. Both to arrive at Garralosh’s exposed neck, and to form a mind bridge between the two of us. I can feel something drag me forward. The Collective Will Vestibule is whispering to me, even as it trickles life giving energy back into my body. A thousand tiny voices that urge me to one action. Not that it would have mattered. I’d have done it anyway.

As I approach, I see her eye track me, barely focused.

[This could have gone better for you,] I observe to the fallen crocodile.

[... My... My... ]

draw closer to her, my mandibles opening wide. She’s alone in this moment, her children

Name... My

[Her name, was Grant.]

CHOMP!

have slain level 132 Unique

[You have gained experience.]

level 2, One Skill point

have reached level 3, One

have reached

senseless violence, she is just Biomass now. Nothing more, nothing less. And if I’m not mistaken, quite a lot of Biomass. In fact, there are thousands of monsters worth of

in this moment, to exist in this place, but I can’t explain it. I feel relief, I suppose. Damn, I’m tired. I slept for so long, and I’m tired again already.

colony has begun to gather around. Those who had emerged already, those who remained behind the walls, even the core shapers and their pets who had hidden

me. The Queen is still resting in the Dungeon, of course, defended and guarded by a watchful contingent. The Brood Tenders are doing their thing, I’ve no doubt, but just about everyone else

watchfulness like a huge crowd of ants can. They don’t move, they don’t speak. They physically can’t blink. Not even a whisper of pheromone in the

for a second Anthony! If you were a giant ant monster who’d just achieved a long sought after victory, what would you want to hear? Wait a second.

Here goes!

"Ah. Hello."

Nice start! Smooth.

against Garralosh and

have one. Thousands of blank ant faces stare back at me. Even their antennae don’t twitch. The air is perfectly still now. After the chaos and calamity that has occurred here, the silence

there a bit, I can admit it, keep pushing forward! "We lost many members of the family today. It’s important that their struggle isn’t forgotten. They were not soulless creatures who served unthinkingly, that was what

into me, I grow stronger and I grow more