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."

against the monsters, the Legionem Abyssi did not take prisoners.

offer a reprieve? Leave the Colony alone for a period of months? The ants would be more than

and praetorians. Such an expensive campaign would drain

orders," Titus stated flatly. "We have come here to

Enid nodded in understanding.

much reason to continue to keep your daughter alive though, does it commander?" she pointed out. "There must be a point at

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

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

hide it, the contempt she felt for their actions seeped into her voice

lives of monsters against those of humans?" Alberton

monsters,

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

help, they had agreed on what the

commander Titus, do not take the field for the remainder of this battle. Should your forces be victorious, you find her within the nest, safely ensconced

they would be forced to retreat. More than that, he was worried of 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. The Loremaster inwardly cursed. That infernal tree would hound them any chance it got. How unlucky they had stumbled on a root stem out here in the middle of nowhere. The odds of it were

in order to

surface, right next to the biggest anthill I've ever seen and I'm doing just

people will still