Chrysalis

In this world.

All things.

Flow.

To the Colony.

• Spoken by Cobalt at the seizure of the lightning mines of Al'Razza.

The plan has to have a name, of course. What is it with these ants and their insistence on stupid names?! I shoot down a few of the more obnoxious ones, like "Omega Seed Shield" and "Phoenix Ant Flames". I mean… why?! What the heck does flames have to do with anything, even if there are phoenix flames? That's just stupid and I administer a phew THWACKS to drive the point home to these thickies.

In the end, I manage to sell them on "Slow Grow".

"There's a chance that through some unknown magical means, the enemy may be able to interpret our pheromones," I tell them, "so any reference to seeds or phoenixes may lead them to uncover the plot and immediately know what it means. From this point, Slow Grow will be used to refer to this concept, and any pheromone messaging related to it will be scrubbed as thoroughly as possible. Acid wash the whole room if you have to."

The council agreed immediately. No measure is too extreme when the survival of the Colony, and indeed, our entire species may be on the line.

"Make this a priority," I inform them, "for my part, I'm going to get myself back out into the tunnels, scouting and fighting. I'll make sure not to get too far away, and I'll keep a scout relay between me and the nest at all times. Vibrant, you should get your team back out into the field as well. Skills and levels are going to win us this war, we need to get 'em."

"Are you sure you don’t want to go with Vibrant again, Eldest?” Sloan asks, "your last expedition was very fruitful as I understand. The expanse you conquered is certainly one of the largest we've yet seen."

"Be careful in there," I warn her, "the big spider mother in there wasn't defeated and I get the feeling she holds a grudge. She's a sneaky so and so, don't take any risks. If she's still in there, we'll need an extensive digging project to get her out."

Leeroy looks like she's about to volunteer something, but her fellow Soldier, Brendant, puts a claw on her back and she quiets. Sending her and her squad after a large, powerful monster would be exactly the sort of thing she'd be looking for to enact her 'glorious sacrifice' plan. That's not happening.

it's become clear that she

and Cobalt shift in their

of the artisans feel that it's a waste to pour their effort into making things that we get naturally. If we want tougher defences, just mutate your carapace, if

words that they, in part, seem to agree with this sentiment. Sheer stupidity in my

If we manage to continue to expand and we exist as a stable family for the next hundred years, that'll change, but for now, it's not. So if a soldier has maxed mutations for carapace, mandibles and whatever other organs they have which are combat related, they are no longer able to get stronger until they evolve, which

used in the meantime to shore up

can evolve. It's win-win. After my next evolution, I myself intend to order a set. I'll certainly get one

spread word of that around, a few more crafters may be

have to do," I tell them, "just get Smithant the help that she needs. Asking her to produce enough sets to clad even a small force of ants on her own is just ridiculous. The amount of work that goes

I have a think.

a visit to our prisoners before I leave," I announce, "from what I hear, we haven't gotten much out of them,

speaking with the two new ones you brought in, Eldest," Mendant tells me in her gentle,

their heads

approach, we need to meet back here as a matter of urgency. Until then, continue the expansion, continue to develop our defences and networks, and put Slow Grow into action as soon

the council members as I make my way out. The Colony is growing too large to be managed by just these twenty individuals. Perhaps not numerically, there are plenty of cities with one hundred thousand people in them who get by with a council, but geographically we are covering a huge amount of space. The two new nests are one thing, but the hunting territories around them, the various expanses that the Colony has conquered, the extensive mining operations, there's a whole lot going on. Sometime soon I'm going to have to ensure that the council

rate the eggs are going to be laid, we'll be up to a million strong Colony before too long! What an exciting and scary thought! If the golgari were scared of us before, they'll be terrified of us then!

threat of the impending invasion. A million things to do, but all of them will be dropped the instant one of those

a shake of my antennae, I try to brush my concerns away. The only thing I can do, is try my best to do my duty as the strongest ant in the colony. Get stronger, and allow my siblings

end, we need MOAR

out into the Dungeon, Master?]

in pheromone language, Crinis. I just walk around assuming that you know

know,] she huffs, [I've been considering acquiring a pheromone sensory gland when I next evolve, but when I checked the menu last time, it

Just remind me and I'll be

I will do that, Master,] she sounds

the by, what

21 Master,] she

Why are