Chrysalis

The Storm rages in the sky

The Madness lurks in the dark

The Eye watches all

Whilst

Their Master sleeps

Until The Day

When All Become One in Him.

- Prayer of the Faithful

With reluctance I let the construct dissolve away and give my brains a chance to rest as the battle draws nearer. I'm still not proficient enough with it to employ the thing in battle, better to give my all to pump out a gravity bomb and then do what I can to support the ants around me. No matter how sneaky I get, the bombs haven't managed to inflict any casualties after the first, but if I stop throwing them then perhaps the Legion would start to spread their numbers thinner and push us harder on a wider front, something I don't want. So every fight starts with a bang, so to speak, as long as I'm around, just to keep them on their toes.

"Are you ready, Eldest?" Wills asks as my pets and I push our way to the front.

"Rested as I've ever been," I lie, "how about you? Manage to get a bit of torpor in between battles?"

My antennae poke forward in an accusatory manner as I ask my pointed question. The scout backs up defensively.

retreat as I move forward. "I'll get

I raise an antenna.

That's

I lower the appendage.

tell the scout, "but you have to remember that rest is a weapon. We need our decision makers to be sharp and thinking clearly,

through my mental reserves just before showing up to a fight. Thankfully, I have the Vestibule in my

Eldest, it's just hard to find the time,

Colony isn't saying the same thing since the day they were born?" I ask sceptically. "Find some scouts

to take shape around the defences. The closer we get to the nest, the more thorough and elaborate the preparations the carvers have been able to make. Where once were simple tunnels, walls and ambush points are now pit fall traps, rock falls, hardened rock stakes, reinforced compacted stone barricades and more. I can only imagine how irritating it is for the enemy to clear one set of walls after a tough fight, only to find an even more elaborate set of walls waiting

layer on layer of ferocious insect ready to fight, the Legion has begun to form up opposite us. Similar to us, they are strangely

Won't be long now.

After almost ten of these conflicts over the last few days, the process has become somewhat routine. Indeed, things begin to follow the expected pattern. Recognising my presence, the Legion soldiers begin their measured approach in the face of a hail of spells and

from the second I unleash it. Even with Invidia helping to distract them by unleashing all

the main threat dealt with, the advance begins anew, steady and slow as the Colony continues to fling everything they have at them. After a few moments to rest, I whip together an ice construct and start hurling spears at the approaching wall as fast as I can. This much is totally standard by this time, things are proceeding as expected. If it continues along the usual lines, I expect that we'll see a charge from them soon, followed by the full on melee until we eventually

his chest and bellowing his rage at the encroaching Legion soldiers. The great ape’s eyes have turned

Tiny, you alright buddy?]

When his blows fail to leave much of an impact, his anger grows even stronger,

big guy, don't do anythi-

Too late.

fury and desire for battle, the massive ape unfurls his dark wings and leaps forward from the wall, hurtling himself toward the Legion in a spectacularly

doing you idiot!?] I mentally roar at