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

one, a

of their own forced to kneel on the ground at sword point whilst an elaborately armoured figure reclined in a chair next

Eldest… Who else could they possibly want?" Coolant wondered

almost a zero percent chance that they don't know that! Surely!" Sloan said. "…

why?" Coolant asked. In her opinion, if one of the golgari wanted to kill another golgari for some reason,

might be some element at play that we don't understand," Sloan sighed. "Anytime something weird happens, it's usually to do with

only nod to that. It was true. For whatever reason, the Eldest gobbled down trouble like a Queen taking in Biomass. The end result was something

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."

escort the mage closer

think a thousand may send the wrong

"What do you mean?"

counted quickly, "eight golgari over there. If we walk closer with a thousand, might they think they are

with an antennae. A thousand didn't feel like many to

should be fine. Shortly thereafter a procession 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

Colony,] she started off formally, [I have come to clarify exactly what

stone-people all communicated with each other for

here so that they may duel the High Blade Balta. He wishes to expunge the

here chasing the Eldest? For what? Some imagined insult? She couldn't possibly comprehend the meaning behind such actions, but she