Chrysalis

Turns out that the tier four healers have a whole new range of tricks up their carapace. Some of them have even replaced their acid production with a variant that allows them to shoot regenerative fluids instead. They've literally got medic guns! The things that are possible in this world, I tell you. When I come around, a group of healers is clustered around me, fussing over my injuries. I immediately glance back at my shattered rear-zone and sigh with relief when I see that it's started to regenerate. It doesn't look pretty, that's for sure. In fact, it looks anything but pretty. A pulsing blob of flesh, covered with a congealing layer of glittering, clear shell hangs off of my thorax. Yuck.

Luckily, it's growing and regenerating nicely. When I check my status, there's no change in my glands or organs, which is great. I'd have been majorly ticked off if all of the hard work I'd put into mutation, not to mention all the itching I'd put up with, had been lost in the business district. I'm feeling surprisingly good considering a third of my body was smashed to nothing. That strike was completely nuts, by far the most powerful Skill I've seen. The armoured Golgari are not to be messed with, that's become clear. Maybe after I've evolved again I'll be able to go up against them more evenly.

The Colony around me doesn't seem to share my relaxed attitude to my injury. There are at least twenty ants hovering around me right now, screaming constantly about the situation.

"We need more regenerating fluid! Hurry up with it!"

"I'm all out! There's a lot of healing that needs to get done around here!"

"THEN GET THE HECK OUT OF THE WAY!"

"Do any of you healers know healing magic? NONE of you?! Why the HELL don't we have magic healers in this group?!"

… I kind of feel nervous about telling them that I have a healing magic. I mean, I've been using it on myself, don't get me wrong, they just seem very tense. I could also let them know that Invidia is perfectly capable of healing, but I've got him out healing the injured ants in the tunnels and don't need him to be dragged back here to look after me.

"Let me through, step back a little, let me through."

A calm, authoritative voice broke through the babble and soon Propellant appeared next to me.

"You look a little worse for wear, Eldest."

"Ah, hey there. What's the damage like?"

I know we lost people. I just hope it wasn't too bad.

"Not as bad as you might expect, Eldest. The healers are doing great work, as they always do, and the overwhelming numbers advantage allowed us to effectively swarm the enemy."

enough," I sigh. "Were there any

Granin and the others have

the fight. They are under guard right now. I thought you

news! Where

I ignore the shouting of the healers and start dragging my battered body towards my erstwhile allies. I find the three of them standing calmly, surrounded by dozens of monstrous ants. Tiny is there also, joking around with Corun as the two of them throw playful punches at each other. When I appear, Granin and Torrina turn towards me and I feel their combined minds reaching out

so glad you survived!] I greet

Granin huffs.

[You look like crap.]

take in the slowly morphing blob

think I got off

up to run

lot of my people have died here. This isn't going to turn out

I offered to just let you guys walk away, back to your city where we would never be seen again. That moron insisted on battle, even if the situation was

figured,] Granin sighs, [it sucks, but it was predictable. The Nobles won't back down once they've been given a task. That's just

rest of the ants around

what you've done here.

my antennae and kick

did,] I confess. [I wanted my Colony to thrive, to be successful.

for a moment and Torrina steps forward to fill

Anthony, but you have to understand how others are going to react when they find out what you've done. A normal Colony of ants is considered a scourge. What you've created here will be seen

just been doing its thing, raising young

shakes her

exploring, keep expanding, then you'll run into other Dungeon powers eventually. The lower you go, the more crowded it becomes. Battles for territory happen all the time down here and nobody wants to share. If your Colony shows up they are going

Granin breaks in. [The Dungeon is all

what that has

heck. We