Chrysalis

Coolant and Sloan watched, gobsmacked as the fight unfolded before them. At first it seemed as though everything had gone well, after Grey had walked out and spoken with the Golgari, the kneeling form of the Shaper, Granin, had risen to his feet, had his bindings broken and painfully jogged his way toward the gate. It was clear at that point that the negotiations had been a success. In the distance, the small camp the golgari had erected was disassembled by the mages and the two figures of the noble and Grey stood a slight distance apart, both of them watching as the newly freed Granin made his painful way to the nest.

When he arrived the gate was pushed open slightly as a few ants emerged to welcome him. Mage ants all of them, they reached out with their minds to reassure him before leading him inside where he was sure to be greeted and cared for by the two who had pled so strongly for his life. Against the odds, their wishes had been granted and their mentor had been returned to them, all that was left was to witness the outcome of the battle.

"How do you think it will go?" Coolant asked her more martially knowledgeable sister.

Sloan started, her concentration broken.

"Sorry, what?" she said, distracted.

"Who do you think will win?" Coolant tried again with patience.

The general turned slightly toward her sister.

slightly! From what we know, they don't even

sagely, "their species doesn't change, but they have a 'class'

Sloan shrugged.

the two figures in the distance, "but I

matter to us? Who wins

Granin released to their custody, the outcome of the duel didn't seem to be all that important. The Shaper was only relevant to the

ally, of a sort. It would obviously be better

to watch as the distant figures bowed to one another in a strange display of etiquette before they

potent energy that rippled through the hardened 'skin' that coated his body. No armour was worn for this duel apparently, the noble had dispensed with it, revealing his true skin for all to see. The stone was streaked with golden rivers of mana that rippled and flowed as he moved, casting light around him in a dazzling display of power. Whatever mineral or ore had been used it was clearly top shelf, Sloan had never seen anything like it. She wagered Smithant would give an antenna to study it for five minutes. The sword itself was slender

two were still as statues, watching each other for the slightest movement, the next they had shifted. It was as

So fast!

blade was so great it felt to Sloan as if a thousand tons of rock was descending on

too fast to see before he danced back out of reach, both hands extended. The noble golgari took his time righting himself as he gripped the hilt of his sword in one hand, using the other