Chrysalis

I don't mind sharing with you, my dear readers, that as much as I enjoy travelling around the wonderful world in which we live, exploring its many incredible, unbelievable sights and relaying them to you in my own quirky fashion, I do miss my bed. Oh! Such comfort! Such bliss! The means with which you have so graciously afforded to me my readers, they have not gone to waste! Enchanted stone-wood frame, carved ever so intricately with doves and vines, the mattress, with its three layered structure providing the perfect level of support and softness. The bottom layer, made from earth infused deep sponge, is my personal favourite. Stern and unyielding, but forgiving and with a warm heart. This is topped by the second, a cheeky four inches of water infused sea-king reeds which give the mattress that slight wobbly feel I love so much. Finally, the top layer, a full, luxurious six inches of tight stuffed down from the Cloud Ranging Sky Goose. It's like resting atop the fluffy pillows of the sky itself, dear readers.

Needless to say, this was not the level of comfort I enjoyed when staying at the Hill of Rest in Renewal, but Mrs Bellweather's establishment comported itself far better than I expected this distance from civilisation. I awoke refreshed and excited, ready to face another day in this remarkable land of ant and human.

After a short yet hearty breakfast, I was greeted just outside the establishment by my guide for the day, arranged by Mr Bellweather the previous day. A chatty know-it-all who would be more than happy to spend hours answering endless questions from an old duck, he assured me. I was quite pleased to find this was indeed the case when the young girl in question, a Ms Emilia Cretherton, greeted us with a warm smile the moment we stepped out the door. The first thing I had to ask was the nature of the particular garment she wore, which included a rather striking set of antennae like attachments to a band she wore through her hair. As Emilia was delighted to share, all members of the community who chose to take the ant related Class line wore such a headdress as an indication to others that they are available to work as translators between the ants and the residents!

A special Class line! I was stunned to hear of such a thing! Especially being shared so openly! Of course, I had to know more. Luckily, the cheerful young girl was all too willing to share. Supposedly, this information isn't even an open secret throughout the city, it was just something that was freely shared. Emilia informed us, quite proudly the dear young thing, that she had reached the first Class evolution, turning her 'Antmancer' into the well regarded 'Antspeaker'. This Class gave her the incredible ability to utilise mana to produce pheromones, which in turn allowed her to communicate with the ants without the need for any sort of mental magic! Incredible! Indeed, this ability was soon put on display as we made our way throughout the town. Some might have thought the residents would hide their close affiliation with their insect-monster allies, but nothing could be further from the truth. Ants roamed throughout the city, walking right alongside everyone else. The monsters themselves were of various sizes, ranging from large dog all the way up to a bull.

When one of them walked past us, I just had to know, so I turned to our guide and asked if she could please interpret for us so that we might converse with the fascinating creature. My two bodyguards were not at all happy about being so close to a monster they weren't allowed to kill and I was repeatedly warned from this course of action, but I heeded them not! If you have a chance to speak to a giant ant-monster reader, you take it!

Through our interpreter, I was to learn that this particular individual ant (unnamed, though I discovered than many ants choose to take a name, a fascinating subject all of its own) was in town to study the growth of crops. Of crops! She had recently graduated from the ant 'academy' and desired to study agriculture on the surface before attempting to take the lessons learned and apply them below ground. I had to ask, as I'm certain that you are also wondering, reader, what on Pangera an ant would need crops for, and she replied it was for the sapient population living under the care of the Colony, as if it were the most natural thing in the world!

And watching our Antspeaker communicate was a fascinating thing all of its own! Both Emilia and the ant made no sound, all our human translator did was raise one hand, glowing softly with the tell-tale light of mana to produce the pheromones, the scent that the ants use to communicate with one another. Just incredible!

After a brief chat, our ant friend went on her way and we continued our jaunt around town. Fear not, dear reader for there was so much more to see!

Four of 'Traveling Tolly in the lands of the Colony' published in the

I thought she'd been cured of the worst of it, yet here we are, in the middle of a literal city of demons, and she runs off on us?! If I hadn't been so distracted she never would have been able to slip from

We need to find

Are you telling me that none of you saw her sneak off? How

rather disgruntled looking Protectant appears behind

role is to watch you, not her. Though it is remarkable that none of

have the stealth Skill! I looked at her core myself! How is it possible that one little ant can be

her head with

sense of timing? Or just pays close

for an escape artist, then

and find her!"

"But…" Protectant hesitates.

do you have any idea what the Colony

Crinis! Invidia! We have to hunt down

to

to you Al, but we need to go and find the hatchling who was with us, she's