Chrysalis

The Legion advances to where I lie convalescent, still recovering from my grievous injuries. The only blessing I can see is that the one man army who cut through half of the gate is no longer in the frontlines, replaced by a wall of armoured bodies that hold their weapons and shields with perfect discipline. Once Crinis has pulled me clear, the Colony continues their barrage and a horde of my siblings sally forth from the gate to surround me.

"Get me back behind the gate," I squeeze out, "we didn't plan to take a stand here."

The ants around me don't respond at all and I wonder if they smelled what I had to say at all.

"H-hello? You need to either move me behind the gate or leave me here. What the heck are you doing?"

"Eldest, I mean this with all my respect, but please shut your pheromone hole. We're trying to heal you and you need to stop moving."

Who was that?! Mendant?! Where the heck do you get the nerve to speak to me like that?! The healer looks completely unperturbed, as if an enemy army wasn't closing on her position with each passing moment. Are these ants crazy or what? We can't fight here, we'll get slaughtered! If I can't be moved, then just retreat to safety, I'll fight my way out! This won't be the last you see of me! Before I get the chance to insist, the ants have already formed ranks around me, hundreds turning into thousands in mere seconds. I quickly realise that they aren't going to give me up.

[Crinis! Can you move me again? Through the shadows?]

[I can't master, I'm sorry. It took almost all of my shadow mana to get you this far,] she sounds panicked.

[It's going to be fine,] I reassure her, [my face is almost back together, see? I'll be in biting shape again in no time.]

to be encouraged by my words. I see her twisting herself into mind bending, non-Euclidian shapes that I'm certain are formed

I get the feeling there's going to be a scrap

the humans doing out here?!?!? Led by that manic priest, at least a hundred humans have marched forth from the gate to squeeze in amongst the much larger bodies of the soldiers and scouts in the front ranks between me and the Legion. The priest himself has a short spear gripped in his one good hand which he waves back and forth with frantic energy as he bellows words I can't quite make out to the gathered humans. His voice rolls like thunder with the power of a war drum as he urges

that the Vestibule continues to whisper of the ant's desire for

don’t think that will

yet?" I whine

by my Mother that she almost thwacked

other member of the Colony would be dead right now. No, you can't be moved," she tells me as

This is going

me?! The battle right in front of the gates and I'm not even going to be able to participate?! This must be some sort of

support the Colony,] I ask her, [they're going to need

are heavily injured, Master. You need me here to

family more. Go on,

enemy. All I can do now is lie still and wait for the healing to complete as the sounds and vibrations of battle rise to a fever pitch moments before the two armies crash. Even now reinforcements pour out from behind the

the stone on which I lie the two opposing armies clash for the first time. There is little yelling or talking (with the exception of Beyn), the ants communicating in perfect silence whilst the Legion are too disciplined for random noise, yet the sound is still deafening. The clash of steel on carapace, the vibration and detonation of activated Skills and spells fill the air until I can't tell what is happening anymore. All the while my antennae are battered with a

"FOR THE COLONY!"