Chrysalis

Coolant looked out from her perch next to the upper sally port of the great gate and felt nothing but confusion.

"Do you want to go tell him, or should I?" she said to Sloan who was clinging to the wall next to her.

The general shook her head, bewildered.

"I mean. They have to know, right? There's no chance that they don't know."

"I assume they know. I mean, what are the odds the two forces aren't communicating to this extent?"

"Almost none, surely. Such a lack of organisation in our foes would throw our plans way out."

"Hasn't this thrown them way out anyway?"

Sloan hesitated.

"That's… true."

The two of them looked out in silence for a few more moments at the totally unexpected scene before them.

"What do you think we should do?" Coolant asked, her scent as calm and unruffled as it always was.

"I don't know!" Sloan fretted. Why would these idiots perform this sort of moronic action now of all times? It didn't make any sense!

mental communication washed out over them, rippling through the ambient mana

here, or this one, a

inside the first gate, a procession of golgari stood with one of their own forced to kneel on the ground at sword point whilst an elaborately armoured figure reclined in a chair next to him, watching all that occurred with an expression

have to mean the Eldest… Who else could

no idea, but the Eldest isn't here. There is almost a zero percent chance that they don't know that! Surely!" Sloan said. "… We have to

kill another golgari for some reason, why not let them do it? One less for them to fight when

that we don't understand," Sloan sighed. "Anytime something weird happens, it's usually to do with

Eldest gobbled down trouble like a Queen taking in Biomass. The end result was something good, but the appetite appeared

out to them?" Coolant offered. "I'll need to move a little closer, I don't think I can extend a mind

"I'll arrange an escort."

away and had a thousand ants ready to escort the mage closer to the enemy in a matter

a thousand may send

"What do you mean?"

"eight golgari over there. If we walk closer with a thousand, might

with an antennae. A thousand didn't feel

of a hundred and one ants cautiously advanced toward the golgari delegation, ready to flee at a moment's notice. Sloan had considered things carefully and the delegation contained a healthy mix of mages, for raising shields, scouts, for detecting foul play, and soldiers, to hold the line in the event the others needed to retreat. Once they had covered half the ground toward the first gate, they very obviously stopped and parked themselves for a moment. Acting with

formally, [I have come to clarify exactly what it

stone-people all communicated with each other for a long moment before

ant. We want you to bring them here so that they may duel the High Blade Balta.

this. This guy came all the way out here chasing the Eldest? For what? Some imagined insult? She couldn't possibly comprehend the meaning behind such actions, but she didn't let her