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."

true. On campaign against the monsters, the Legionem Abyssi did not take prisoners. Never

of months? The ants would be

these ants would have multiplied into the millions. Multiple Legions would need to be deployed, probably even golems and praetorians. Such

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

Enid nodded in understanding.

to keep your daughter alive though, does it commander?" she pointed out. "There

demanded, "didn't you say moments ago that she

fighting for their existence because of you. The idea that they would baulk at them killing a prisoner when you

she felt for their actions seeped into her voice as

monsters against those of humans?" Alberton scoffed. "And then expect us to do

of monsters, and then expect them to

others in an instant. "No more games, Enid Ruther. You are a skilled negotiator and I have

the power of the commander rolled off him in waves and Enid needed a moment to steel herself before she spoke. With Morrelia's help, they had agreed on what the arrangement should be long before she had walked out to

battle. Should your forces be victorious, you find

the growing tree-kin presence in the tunnels below. Scouts reported that the forest spread further by the hour and movement had been spotted within several times. Most likely, the grove-keeper was already awake and the others wouldn't be far behind.

will die in order to see that those living

to the biggest anthill I've ever seen and

will