Chrysalis

As if the first gate wasn't impressive enough, the second one is even larger, thicker and more heavily enchanted than the first. Not to mention it positively bristles with ants in defended lookout posts. How anyone could possibly break through, I've no idea. If another wave happened, we'd be laughing at the monsters on the outside. Unless a battering ram made from living metal happens to spawn nearby, I don't think anything will get through.

That's not a challenge, Gandalf! Don't you dare create that frickin' creature just to spite me!

After passing through the second gate, the procession began to break up. Sarah and Jim are led to a nearby chamber to rest as the scouts, soldiers and generals break away to find their own chambers to enjoy their rest. As they march past me I don't see the grateful ants I thought I would, but tense and somewhat resentful ones. You hate rest that much?! For a brief moment I contemplate increasing their enforced break to twenty four hours, but managed to contain myself.

"I told you they wouldn't like it."

"Sloan? Bah! Who cares if they don’t like it? Rest is important and we're all extremely fatigued. They need it."

She shrugs.

"You may be right about that. I know I'm exhausted."

I look at her appraisingly.

"That's not something I hear many members of the council admit to, Sloan. Is this indicative of growth?"

not. Perhaps I've just

now, so you

"True."

me the stink eye

is off. Only when I pause, causing a few hurried ants to crawl over me since I'm holding up traffic, do I realise the difference. In the first nest, tunnels were usually round and fairly narrow. Like you would

to exist, one on the floor and one on the ceiling. More than that, the shape of the floor and ceiling aren't flat, but rather folded into waves, like the letter 'w'. By watching the ants travelling around me, I realise that this increases the surface area that can be gripped, allowing more ants to move through at the same time. The ceiling is shaped the same way, but with the dips

a metal plate, indented with numerous grooves that form a strange pattern. I look at the thing with interest, unable to

rest is

"Gah!"

the thing. What the heck was that?! It speaks? Obviously I know that it isn't speaking as an ant would, of its own volition. This is clearly a clever

antennae, in the hopes of detecting exactly what is happening. I can't sense a damn thing though. Once it had spread its message, all sign of pheromones have vanished without a trace. Are they magically developed? That would be nuts.

all constructed with that same wavy rise and fall, dotted with side tunnels. My antennae tingle with a constant stream of ant communication and the persistent trails that advertise where each

would ants like statues?! It makes no sense! I feel a bubbling rage building up in my carapace and for a moment I'm tempted to go down there and smack the thing down, but rather quickly I start to get noticed. Which isn't hard when Tiny, Crinis and

ants slow down a touch when they see me, some of them

a comfortable chamber and get some sleep. We'll go out

[Hmm. Slip.]

Master. You won't go far, will

[No…]