Chrysalis

Titus stifled his grimace as he walked from the battlefield. To others who looked at him, he was as stone faced and unshakable as ever, but inside, he was tired. High stats and the superhuman abilities of a powerfully levelled Legionary were able to sustain him for a long time, longer than almost any other type of soldier on Pangera, but not forever.

A few days ago, by the Legion, only a few days? A few days ago the ants had escalated the conflict, no longer content to delay and cede ground. The rise in intensity had required that Titus and his troops match their fervour.

"Are you alright, commander?"

Titus recognised the voice of his daughter, and the concern that she had. She knew better than most that he hadn't rested in almost a week.

"Fine," he replied.

He heard a doubtful snort from behind him and nearly smiled. Morrelia had not learned grace as she aged, much like her mother.

"I didn't expect that you would need to fight so much yourself, isn't it a bit overkill for you to show up?" she asked.

Without turning, Titus gestured for his daughter to walk by his side. After a moment she was there, her hands resting easily on the hilts of her blades. Although she looked relaxed and confident on the surface, Morrelia's emotions were far from settled. Battling against the Colony was still something she couldn't bring herself to do, and fortunately, she hadn't had to up to this point. Even though Titus had entered the fight, even as one of his assigned guards, she simply didn't have any opportunity to fight, her father destroyed every ant he could reach.

The Colony had adapted quickly to his appearance on the field and began to avoid combat the moment they realised he was around, something Morrelia was more than grateful for.

"Time is against us in this campaign, daughter," he told her, "the insects are being careful, trying to force us to expend our strength and waste our time. Every day that passes, our supply lines grow longer, our Legionaries more weary, and for what? Are we even killing the creatures faster than they are replacing themselves?"

The Commander’s hand gripped tight around the handle of his axe for a moment before he relaxed again. The spirit trapped within raged without end but he crushed it with his will after a brief struggle. Whenever he grew frustrated, angry or tired, the foul beast would attempt to break him. Laughable.

gain access to their nest and kill every Queen we find, we won't be able to make real progress. Once that's done we can take our time to hunt down and extinguish

silent for

all that they're sapient?" she asked,

Titus raised a brow.

"No."

hand on the armoured

is that which they serve. I'm surprised that

defences the ants had just abandoned. No matter how many times the Legion foiled their traps

have worked

monsters that can think and

lower strata had to deal with. Though rarely would anyone encounter it in the second strata of all places. Monsters became more intelligent, built societies, traded and

were, fundamentally. When the cataclysm occurred, the old Legion records showed that these supposedly 'peaceful' creatures had rallied behind the Ancients and helped lay waste to the surface. The Legion never forgot and never forgave. For them, the war had

her, "you'll come to see the way of things, in time. Follow in the footsteps of the veterans and you

slight sigh his daughter

suppose so,"

he went to consult with the officers, leaving Morrelia with some precious time to

Morr!" called Myrrin who approached enthusiastically, "how

to see

are