"Explain to me please, why you would ever think that sticking your head into a blast furnace would be a good idea?" I demanded of the hatchling, still dangling from one of Crinis' tentacles.
"I wanted to see what it looked like inside!" she protests.
"Inside? Inside is nothing but fire, superheated gas and liquid metal!"
"REALLY?!" she goggles at me. "Sounds awesome!"
"Yes," I nod sagely, "it IS awesome. It will also melt your face off and you will be dead."
"And that's…. Bad?" she asks.
My mandibles clack together slowly.
"Do you need more time out?"
"… I do not."
"Then tell me that it would be bad if you died."
"It would be bad if I died."
"Good."
[Put her down Crinis.]
had indeed been amazing. Six mage ants had surrounded the base of the huge metal construction, lined with bricks, reinforced stone and enchanted on the inside to resist the insane temperatures. When it came time
impurities that had bonded to the limestone, and out the other had poured the liquid iron which would be
around here, time to go meet a particular carver and say
my way out of the huge furnace area, picking my way between the many rows of smelters, furnaces and tracks for bins laden with ore as we walk
required by the ants and our allies. There's delicate work being done, fine wires of various metals intertwined and experimented on to see how well they handle delicate enchantments, as
ant at work and see what they might be up to, asking questions and generally being a pest. I tolerate it for a little while,
we need to move
I'd promised I'd come and meet at some point after I'd evolved. I find the insane ant hard at work at
How are you doing, you metal
turns to see my massive frame looming over her workstation and clacks her mandibles
successful customer! How did you like that armour I made for you, eh? I heard it worked out perfectly! Are you
is practically bouncing with excitement but I'm getting massive waves of 'meh' energy from Tiny once I explain what she
you to remake it for
armour kept you alive. As in, you know, not
for a moment. Then another moment.
think this long, moron!] I screech at him. [Just how low did you take your intelligence on this evolution? You kept
me a thumbs up, a wide, confident
stare at him
high is
He raises two fingers.
left you with… but still kept it above the minimum I set… If it means
turn back
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!