Chrysalis

Chapter 651

Deep within the main nest of the young race of ants that he had come to know as 'The Colony', the sage who had named himself Grey sat in deep meditation. Nearby, his apprentice, White, sat and watched patiently as her master performed those feats of the mind she was not yet capable of. For though he sat still, not a single muscle moving across his entire frame, his mind roamed wide, seeking and communing. After several hours of stillness, he finally opened his eyes and breathed a deep sigh, relaxing the tension that had seized him.

"What were you able to find, Teacher?" White asked him.

In response he only shook his head. A moment later she felt his mind nudge against her own.

[You know better than to speak out loud in this place,] he admonished her. [The Colony are not our enemies, but they are not Folk.]

The fox-girl ducked her head to acknowledge the reprimand.

[I understand. I feared you would be tired after your Seeking and did not wish to tax you.]

Her concern warmed his old heart, but he did not allow it to show on his face.

[I am stronger than you give me credit for, youngling. I have no need of your coddling.]

[Putting that aside, were you able to contact the Bruan'chii?]

[Impatient as ever, my disciple. Yes. The Grove Keeper has awoken and begun to tend to her children. The Grove has grown so quickly, I fear that the anger of the Mother Tree has been roused.]

[Isn't that rare? I had read that the Mother Tree was a lover of peace.]

Grey leaned back and rubbed his legs secretly, trying to keep the motion out of his young charge’s eyes.

[The Mother Tree is, before anything else, a tree. She can be vicious when it comes to matters that touch on her survival, or that of her children. From what I could glean, she has felt the presence of the Abyssal Legion in this place and she has no love for them, putting it mildly.]

White nodded. Knowledge of the war between the young races and the old was important history to their people. The conflict between the Legion and Bruan'chii had been particularly fierce, at the height of which the Mother Tree herself had been under siege, even wounded, by the Legionaries. Had the alliance not been brokered in time, it's possible that the Legion would have been successful in their attempts to cull this new race from Pangera.

[Do you believe that they will intervene?] she asked her teacher.

[I do. I'm not sure if they will risk open conflict at this stage, but I think a show of force will be the least we can expect from them.]

[And our people?]

deep breath and

consensus amongst the Folk, you know that, White. The decision to accept the Colony as a young race and allow them to join the alliance will take years,

weight there, Master.

at her. She sat still, hands folded in her lap as she looked back at him steadily. Her eyes were clear and focused,

The Colony, haven't you child? You desire our people to reach forth their hand

do,] she acknowledged, not attempting to deny it. [I do not believe you should extinguish an entire race

'evil' are not so clear. Do you think the Legion to be evil? I do not. They simply do what they think is right, as do we all. It is rare indeed to find the individual who walks

these words before,] his normally demure student told him, her mind firm, [but they do

White released when she saw his actions and instead pondered the answer to her question. Was he willing to act? Usually so confident in

Deeper in the Dungeon.

so close to the tendril of the Origin Tree, he knew no harm could come to him. So long as the Mother watched over them, they would be safe and act to carry out her will. In this moment, her will was clear. Anger and indignation rang throughout the Grove until every branch and leaf quivered with it. The hated enemy had been found attempting to extinguish new light, just as

each vine, flower, tree and shrub. To the outside eye, it appeared as if a flourishing ecosystem of plants had sprung to life here in the most harsh of environments, a miracle of nature. The Keeper roamed amongst

of plants, but one entity. All was the Mother Tree, each and every lifeform in the grove just another expression of her careful design to draw in the power of the Dungeon and transform it to fuel her people. That energy was already being put to good use. The Keeper turned back to the tendril, the filament that extended from one of his mother's roots and saw the dozens of shapes beginning

of the Mother being born. It wouldn't be long now until they emerged, fully formed and ready to become the vessels

In the Legion camp.

against the table and examined the various scout reports laid out atop

gate made of steel?" he

"That's right," Aurillia replied.

"Twenty tons?"

"At least."

the other

"Yes."

one hand to pinch

"They’ve developed so fast…"

thing we're

leaned back and thought for

of the gate but I'm worried about the

industrious,

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