Chrysalis

Alberton and Titus stood in grim silence as they awaited the emissary of the Colony to approach. The elderly woman looked the same as she had before, her expression the same resigned weariness that she had borne the first time they had met.

"I apologise for making you wait," she greeted them, "my old bones aren't as nimble as they once were."

Titus was in no mood for pleasantries.

"My daughter," he ground out, "does she still live?"

If Enid was surprised by his coarse attitude, she did not show it.

"She is still alive, of course she is. She spent many weeks with us helping the survivors of the Garralosh wave. I personally count her as a friend and would not see her come to harm."

It was such an infinitesimal change that only Alberton, through his long years working alongside his commander, saw the release of tension in Titus when he learned that Morrelia had not perished during the battle. Ever since his daughter had berserked and charged headfirst into the enemy lines he'd been wound as tight as a void-steel trap.

"What do you desire in exchange for the safe return of the prisoner?" he asked, his voice stiff.

Enid paused.

"You desire a prisoner exchange? Pardon my rudeness, but I do not believe you have captured any of our people…" she left a deliberate gap, "… alive."

monsters, the Legionem Abyssi

a reprieve? Leave the Colony alone for a period of months? The ants would be more than willing to accommodate such an offer,"

multiplied into the millions. Multiple Legions would need to be deployed, probably even golems and praetorians. Such an expensive campaign would drain them of precious resources at a time when they couldn't afford it. Besides which, the

stated flatly. "We have come here to exterminate this threat and that is what we

Enid nodded in understanding.

does it commander?" she pointed out. "There must be a point

"didn't you say moments ago that she was your

regarding her safety. They are fighting for their existence because of you. The idea that they would baulk at them killing a prisoner when you slaughter every

to hide it, the contempt she felt for

would weigh the lives of monsters against those of humans?" Alberton

give no weight to the lives of monsters, and then expect them

the man's voice was enough to silence the others in an instant. "No more games, Enid Ruther. You are a skilled

they had agreed on what the arrangement should be long before she had walked out to parley, but it was necessary that they

field for the remainder of this battle. Should your forces be victorious, you find her within the nest, safely ensconced in my rooms. Should you pull back for whatever

More than that, he was worried of the growing tree-kin presence in the tunnels below. Scouts reported

not take the field, more of my soldiers will die in order to

to the biggest anthill

will