Chrysalis

From what I understand, we expected the gates to be abandoned at this point, so I'm more than a little shocked to find this one fully manned. Not that it did them much good, as it turned out. Surely by now the city knows exactly what is attacking them? What did they really expect gates to do? We're ants! Never happier than when we're digging!

I should also say that the generals have got together and created specialised digging teams. Only a colony of ants would have the resources and spare bodies to be able to dedicate individuals to such a niche task as breaking through hardened and magically reinforced stone, but here we are. Turns out that when mages who’s sole pursuit is breaking down earth enchantments are paired with huge soldiers that have dedicated every ounce of Biomass and evolutionary energy to ripping through stone with their mandibles, that you can really dig a tunnel. As it happens, you dig the heck out of a tunnel, regardless of what people have done to try and prevent you from doing just that.

So ten of these teams went to work and I was able to burst out of the wall in suitably dramatic fashion with hardly a wait. The Queen was able to come out at just the same time and I have to say, the poor defenders looked as though they fair browned their trousers. In less than ten seconds they were overwhelmed and pinned to the ground, multiple ants gripping them by their limbs and pinching their necks at just the right pressure. At that point they became very still indeed. When Tiny and Invidia leapt out (Crinis is still with me), they became practically statues.

"Well, that went fairly smoothly," I observe to the Queen.

She dips her antennae, but I can tell she's anxious, looking for the next fight.

"We have done well so far, child, but we must advance. If the others reach the city before us…"

She's worried that they'll take the brunt of the return fire when she and I should be absorbing it instead. Good 'ol mother! Always thinking of her children.

"Not to worry, they know to hold back and give us a little time to get ahead of them. Let's get this gate down and then we can move on."

Working together, the two of us approach the massive gate, nearly as impressive as our nest gates, and get to work opening it. Since we're on the inside, there's no need to try and tear the thing down, we just leverage the bar off its mount and bam, gate’s open. With that job done we are able to welcome Beyn within the city without much fanfare.

of intelligent ants was more likely to terrify them than the thought of a human invader with a horde of ants under their control. So once he's inside, we task Beyn with trying to sound like he's in charge (not hard for the priest) and getting information out of our captured defenders. I didn't think they'd talk much, but I was genuinely surprised at how much they were willing to cough

to the city. At the moment we are still in a well-shaped tunnel, but I can see it opens up roughly a hundred metres ahead. After all the fuss, I'm quite keen to see what this city looks like!

Ready to charge forward recklessly and

THWACK!

she reprimands me firmly, "we are attempting to focus attention on ourselves as we are in the best

that it's basically the same thing in the end. Mother has a look in her eye as if she knows what I'm thinking

Come on Tiny! Keep up Invidia!"

invasion stuff going on. For now, it's best to avoid giving her opportunities to punish

At the east gate.

much longer do you anticipate the Eldest will need before they move

but I think we can afford a little more buffer time considering the gate abandonment has gone according to plan," Victor

"Agreed."

you think the Queen

done all that

"I'm just worried!"

"We're all worried!"