Chrysalis

It didn’t take long to locate the two golgari advisors within the Colony. Corun and Torrina were anxiously awaiting news of the outcome in Enid's rooms. The Colony had been unwilling to allow the two to fight on the frontline, despite them putting forward numerous requests. In the end it was the Eldest himself who shot them down, relegating the pair to tea and biscuits with the mayor as the fight to determine their survival went on without them.

Needless to say, they were more than a little shocked to be summoned to the gate during the battle, and even more shocked to learn of the circumstances when they got there.

"By the granite gonads of my forefathers!" Corun swore. "Is that idiot noble seriously trying to fight an honour duel against a monster here and now?! With Granin's head on the line? This is madness!"

Torrina stared hard at the gate, as if her gaze were enough to pierce the hundreds of tons of metal that stood between her and her mentor.

"We have to save him," she turned to her fellow triad member, "we can't just leave him there."

The usually cold and distant Torrina was nowhere to be seen, replaced with someone whose eyes brimmed with fear. For once, the talented Shaper appeared to have no clue how she should proceed. Seeing the change in her, Corun drew quiet as he wracked his brain trying to find a solution.

[I have to tell you,] Coolant told them, [at the moment we have no intention of bringing the Eldest here to do battle with this person.]

Corun was taken aback by how direct the mage was being with him, but he couldn't support their decision when his mentor's life was on the line.

[I assure you], he pleaded, [Anthony would not want Granin to die!]

Coolant eyed him.

[They probably wouldn't,] she admitted, [but is the Eldest willing to sacrifice hundreds of their siblings in order to come here and fight to the death against a foe of unknown strength? Indeed, it would seem to be in the best interest of the Colony to take this decision away from the Eldest, and allow them to focus on the battle in front of them.]

[Is that how the Colony treats its oldest member now?] Corun asked. [You control Anthony and make decisions for him?]

[Do not presume to judge how we treat members of our own family!] the usually placid mage displayed her rising anger in her furious tone, [the Eldest is fighting for the survival of our entire species. What is one golgari, regardless of who, against that?]

could not tell Coolant that she was wrong. He wrestled

nothing we can do?] he pleaded. [Granin has done so much for Anthony. It's not right that we would

brightened as an idea struck

let me go,] he said, [perhaps they would take me instead. I could reason with them, or fight in

faced silence as Corun tried to

you mustn't!] she broke in, [you'd be cut down in

fellow triad member set

of that," he said out loud, "I'm

In a one on one fight, you wouldn't stand a chance. If

survivor of a triad was not something she was willing to bear,

do you propose we do?" Corun hissed, his frustration bubbling up, "they won't get Anthony, and if nobody goes out there then Granin is as

a new voice pierced the gloom that had descended over the two Shapers, "I may be

Balta was

bring the beast here

do not know, High Blade," the leader of the Shaper triad managed to hide his exasperation and reply with proper deference. How could he possibly know?! These

when he realised there was movement at the gate once more, the giant, looming ant head split as one side of the gate was pushed open slightly and a figure emerged. It wasn't an ant, which was disappointing, but at

level. There was a confidence, a balance in every step that only those with true power possessed. From what the High Blade knew, there shouldn't be such a person here with these miserable ants. He resisted the urge to lean forward to see better so as not to give away

carry no weapons, with the hood pulled up

person drew within twenty

figure made no move to draw back their hood as they responded. The voice that emerged was steady and

have come to negotiate, on behalf of

was a moment of pause before

he demanded, "if you are an ant, you are surely a strange