Chrysalis

My tour through Renewal had been just wonderful, but it was only a portion, merely half of the equation when it came to this remarkable place. The people I met were delightful, open and friendly folks who had pieced their lives back together after an unspeakable tragedy. I can't speak highly enough of them, really! On the other hand, I was yet to unravel the true mystery, that of the ants!

I was somewhat shocked to learn at just how open the insect monsters were to people. I'm honestly not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn't what I found! When news of this strange place, where monster and human worked together in harmony first reached me, I pictured savage cultists feeding their children to the monsters to ensure their cooperation or something equally horrible. Instead, the people were just lovely, and the insects?

Well that's a story of itself now isn't it?

After completing the tour, I approached our guide, Emilia Cretherton, and asked what the chances were of gaining some access to the Colony. I was halfway to offering a bribe before the bright girl smiled widely and praised my bravery.

"Most people are a little hesitant to approach the Colony at first," she assured me as she took me by the arm, "but they're quite lovely, really. The hill is this way."

I don't think it's ever been this easy to talk my way into a dangerous place!

My two guards were far from pleased when they learned of our destination, but the two strapping lads had been well paid and Emilia was quick to assert that no danger would come to us. After all, had any of the ants posed a threat to us thus far? Clearly not! So persuaded, we made our way toward the outskirts of the city. Already I could see the massive anthill we had spied on our approach to the city from the air peeking at us between the buildings. As we walked, the human traffic didn't diminish, but rather thickened, as well as an increase in the number of ants moving to and fro.

Eventually we make our way out of the large gate on the western side of town and the second we are through it looms over us like a mountain. It's ridiculous to call it an 'anthill', such a word doesn't do justice to what I see before me. It's a castle! It's a fortress! It's a palace! It's a mountain!

So large it must stretch hundreds of metres into the air, if not a kilometre, the entire thing is formed of gleaming, polished rock that shimmers in the air, revealing its reinforced and condensed nature. A wide road has been built between Renewal and the hill, expertly constructed and lined on both sides with imposing statues of ants carved in such loving detail that each one appears almost lifelike. For a moment, I actually thought that they WERE alive, just preternaturally still but a quick question to Emilia relaxed my nerves.

smiled and laughed as she gestured to the mighty edifice that

and slaughter once and for all. The Colony doesn't name their nests, as such, they have a unique identifying scent, but that doesn't really translate into a name. For our part, we

• lands of the Colony' published in the Monthly

flowing in and threatening to dazzle me with its intensity. Teams of ants roamed everywhere in the city, pouncing on any demon who showed a sign of resistance. Through the Vestibule, I quickly learned that there were two main pockets of resistance to be found, both of them unsurprisingly centred around the two tier seven demons remaining. It was an easy bet

the group and immediately dash toward the centre of the city, my legs a blur of

turn it into strength, filling my body with vigour and helping me run even faster! Aha! Behind me, Invidia and Al disappear as they split off to deal with another threat whereas Crinis

can hear the roar of the fighting before I see it, the constant hiss of acid being

I'm coming!

and spitting acid as Grokus himself, surrounded by a cadre of his most loyal demons, attempts to storm out of his compound. The city lord has undergone a hideous transformation, if that is even possible. The humanoid torso that sits atop his bulk is bellowing and cursing constantly, spitting a stream of abuse toward my siblings. The main mouth that splits the front of the body in half is off the ground for a change, revealing the wide

appears less a mouth but more a portal to a separate dimension entirely reserved for suffering. His throat yawns like a void behind rows of

I burst onto the scene, a

"The Eldest is here!"

"They've arrived!"

We've been