Chrysalis

Vibrant bit down hard on her prey and the System notification rang within her head a few moments later. Without pause, she flung the Biomass behind her and pressed forward whilst a silent throng of furious monsters swarmed in her wake. Her group was all around her, she could feel them now, ever since her latest evolution, sharing her strength. She'd become something between a Soldier and a General now, empowering those members of the colony who were willing to join her group. Not only their speed was enhanced, but also their Skills, an increase to movement and bite-related abilities that turned them into Dashing, Dodging and Chomping machines with boundless energy. Vibrant pushed hard and they pushed hard alongside her. Always the vanguard. No retreat.

The Eldest had called them, and the family had answered. In all directions, the colony had exploded outwards in aggressive expansion. Thousands of ants filled the tunnel, ripping and tearing everything in sight and dragging it back to Queens to fuel future expansion. The academy had graduated many new siblings for Vibrant and her fellow council members and all were hungry to work for the family. The colony was exploding with energy right now and the catalyst had been the arrival of the guardian.

"Vibrant!"

"Who's that?"

The pheromones were thick in the air as ants battled and communicated with each other, trying to coordinate, calling for assistance, it was hard for Vibrant to make out the scent of who was trying to contact her. Frustrated, she backed out of the fight and allowed others to climb over her to reach the front.

"Over here!"

The tingle in her antennae told her what she needed to know and she turned to her left to find Victor waving in her direction. At first, Vibrant didn't recognise her sister, there had been quite a change.

"You've evolved?"

A nod.

"Just yesterday."

Tier

and we are pushing hard

healers, in particular," Vibrant proposed, "we need them more than anything else

considered for a moment before

the word out. That's not why I'm here though. The guardian found something and we

"Where?"

a single member of the colony was willing to wait for even a second whilst the Eldest languished in need of

"Follow me."

fresh soldiers who had been hovering behind the front lines. Off they raced, through the dark and cold

every death of a colony member was a waste? A waste of potential, a waste of labour, a waste of resources! It couldn't be borne! As new soldiers, scouts, generals and healers had poured out of the academy the number of ants

guardian looming in the tunnel. Powerful, writhing tentacles filled the space around

you been? I haven't seen you for

other, Vibrant bounced up to her

mage ant struggled hard for a minute before connecting

can't talk ant. What have you found, Crinis?]

the place where Master vanished, I'm sure of it. At the end of the tunnel.] She used a tentacle to indicate the solid wall in front of them.

We're finally