Chrysalis

Chapter 784

[Alright Invidia, you can spit her out now.]

With a wet splat the hatchling is deposited onto the tunnel floor in front of me still dripping with demon saliva. With a shiver she begins to shake her legs and abdomen in an attempt to cleanse herself of the goo. She has a little success before furiously cleaning her antennae, dragging them through the elbow joints of her front legs over and over again to clean the delicate hairs that line the appendage.

"I really thought we were getting past that whole thing," I point out to her. "You're getting your answers aren't you? Just be patient."

She keeps cleaning but gives me a look that I can only interpret as "Patience? What even is that?".

"Well, keep trying if you want," I shrug my antennae, "it just means more time with your second instructor and lets me rest. Now, are you ready to see this next part of the nest?"

Finally finished getting the worst of the mess off, the hatchling immediately looks around excitedly, only to be disappointed to find we are in a plain tunnel without anything remarkable about it.

seem that exciting,"

my antenna down on her head

I take a breath. "Where we are headed is the industrial heartland of the Colony. This is where all the raw resources that we collect are gathered to be processed. The ores, the wood, the gems and other precious materials that we might find in the Dungeon. Smelting, carving, crafting, enchanting, smithing. All of it goes on here. Hundreds of tons of raw ore is shipped here every

filling the air with that metal on metal discordant whine that only grows louder as it draws closer. It resembles a mining cart, except far larger, the

side in order to make way and the soldier gives a nod of gratitude as she focuses on her work of hauling. Only when she starts to go past do I realise that there is more than one cart. Three in total make up the train, attached together by a locking mechanism. At the rear of

of those carts is packed to the brim with ore, I can see it from here! Maybe ten cubic metres worth

which causes me to look more closely also. Which leads me to another discovery. As the wheels shift forward the track lights up just before they touch, matched by a glow from the wheel

Or both?

are somehow enchanted to reduce friction as the wheels pass over, perhaps with some variant of water or ice magic? I've no idea.

this is where the raw ore is brought in to be processed," I tell the still staring hatchling, "let's move in a little

we follow along behind the cart as it continues its journey into the heart of the antdustrial empire. Two things become readily apparent as we walk, the temperature is gradually rising and the noise is continually building. The ringing of metal, the crack and crash of hard stone

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