Chrysalis

Beyn Antseeker, for that was now his name, tread forward with reverence. This was a sacred place, and one toward which he felt only the deepest respect. They were all around him now and he did his best not to disturb their paths and they moved passed him with purpose. They were always so sure of themselves, the Path was clear before their multi-faceted eyes and their many legs could not stray from it.

[Hurry your step, human. There is much work to be done.]

Ah!

[I apologise, holy one. I was distracted, also it is difficult for me to carry these with only one arm.]

It was true. Currently, Beyn was carrying an arm load of ten unstrung bow staves in a delivery to the Colony under his one good arm. There had been tremendous excitement amongst the faithful when the offer of the Colony to enchant weapons for the Village. Such a thing was yet more evidence of the righteousness of their cause. How could anyone continue to hold doubts as to the nature of this Colony, to the sanctity of the Great One? Such an offer only put more fuel on the fires of faith and Beyn had immediately held a public gathering to preach in the Village square, praising this news to the heavens.

Enid had been quite annoyed with him at that. Considering the transaction hadn't been finalised and the craftsmen in particular had not yet agreed to take part. Beyn had scoffed at such meagre constraints. Such things would be swept away by the current of destiny that had seized them all in its waves!

village than Enid was, yet she held herself back from truly embracing the new Path. She'd never been

She had witnessed the miracles of the Colony from just as close

you sure that I shouldn't carry them for you?] His escort flexed her mandibles

agreement stated that we must deliver the material to you directly and I do not intend

and continued to lead the way toward

idea why the council had agreed to let this human inside the nest she would do her job and escort them properly. If he so much

about the Colony, more than the ants suspected in all likelihood. He couldn't help it, he was endlessly curious about this manifestation of a miracle, as were his followers. Once the ants had begun to interact with the people of Village in an attempt to learn what they knew of production, construction and civilisation, the faithful had begun

seem to particularly trust humans and were, quite naturally, very insular. It was to expected, after all. Divine monsters they may be, but the nature of the Colony was to be loyal to itself. Even so, every drab of information was hoarded, analysed and ruminated on. Every utterance of an ant was taken as

a picture nonetheless. For instance, they learned that it was the will of the Great One that directed the Colony to interact so closely with the Village. They also learned that the Colony was actively making use of their newfound knowledge as much as possible. Enchanting, forging, building. Every day the ants would come back with more detailed questions, as if they'd taken what they'd learned that day, tried to apply it

with the Great One, was to have access to the nest. They craved it! Oh how they craved it! Even though he knew it was a pipe-dream. As if the ants would ever let them inside their most

Beyn.] He was warned by his escort and he

larger ant emerged from the ground to his right. He started. He hadn't even noticed the opening in the ground