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 some rest after this one, I promise!

I raise an antenna.

Four hours! That's

I lower the appendage.

trying to bully you," I tell the scout, "but you have to remember that rest is a weapon. We need our decision makers to be sharp and thinking clearly, not fatigued and

before showing up to a fight. Thankfully, I have the Vestibule in my back pocket, which means I'll be able to recover to nearly peak condition soon enough, even if the emotional fatigue is starting to

to find the time, there's a ton

the same thing since the day they were born?" I ask sceptically. "Find some scouts you can trust to help cover

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,

enough to stop them. Even as the ants form themselves into silent ranks, layer on layer of ferocious insect ready to fight, the Legion has begun to form up opposite us. Similar to us, they are strangely quiet as they arrange themselves in rows of heavily armed soldiers, their

Won't be long now.

the front of the line and they clearly see me, so I don't see what would be the point. 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 acid, their

bomb is ready, I unleash it upon them, the horrifying darkness and screaming of the air driving away all thought of anything else the moment it appears. The enemy responds smoothly to the appearance of the magic, doing everything they can to weaken it from the second I unleash it. Even with Invidia helping to distract them by unleashing all the magic he can, the soldiers stand firm and manage to disperse the spell by combining their efforts. Still, I can see the toll it takes on them. Several mages are forced to retire to the rear of the Legion forces, totally spent by the mental effort

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

going as expected. Rather than his usual restless moping during this part of the battle, Tiny is agitated, thumping his chest and bellowing his rage at the encroaching Legion soldiers. The great ape’s eyes have turned a deep red and lightning has already begun

buddy?] I ask

shake his fists at the enemy and blast them with arcing bolts of electricity. When his blows fail to leave much of an impact, his anger grows even stronger, his snarls

big guy, don't

Too late.

desire for battle, the massive ape unfurls his dark wings and leaps

I mentally roar at him but