Chrysalis

The hot air of the third stratum burned against his skin and Jim cursed as his tender flesh seared in the open air. He wasn't built to be exposed like this which was probably why they demanded he come out of the protective soil for this discussion.

The demon city of Arkesh loomed high above them, the five tiers of plates disappearing in the smoke and ash far above. He shuddered and the rings that made up his long form coiled and twisted uncomfortably.

Now that he had revealed himself fully the three kaarmodo who awaited him at the base of the pillar stepped forward, accompanied by their attendants they approached him as he writhed slowly with pain.

Without preamble he felt the combined weight of their minds slam into him, smashing his thoughts aside in the most brutal way possible. If he had any illusions as to how high he was held in their regard, then this deliberate, crude intrusion would make them clear.

Fortunately, or perhaps not, depending on the perspective, Jim was under no illusions as to what the kaarmodo thought of him. To them, he was a tool, nothing more, nothing less. He viewed them in much the same way, and if it helped him achieve his goals then he would gladly suffer some indignities. After all, hadn't he lived imprisoned by the golgari for a decade? Compared to that, rough treatment from the giant, sentient lizards was nothing.

[We have protected you, as we promised we would,] the lead kaarmodo declared, [this is evidence enough of our sincerity, I am sure?]

Jim wanted to snort and scoff at the ridiculousness of that statement. Protect him? They'd very nearly left him for dead! If he hadn't slithered directly towards their city they may well have let that idiot, Anthony catch him! But he couldn't do that. The kaarmodo were touchy when it came to questioning their morals, regardless of how questionable they were.

back just a smidge. [I would also like to think that my efforts have also served

stood to attention around them. It was so difficult to try and read a kaarmodo, their faces almost never moved, if they wanted to they could stand perfectly still for days at a time, their bodies

the left told him, breaking into the conversation for the first time. [We have

in so long ago, slapping a palm against his forehead. He no longer had palms, or

a single ant can become so powerful. Reaching tier

left the thought hanging, trying to allow the supposedly aged

thousands of such creatures?

of the thoughts was loaded

how fast they work. By now there will be tens of thousands of them, hundreds of thousands maybe. They can spread over an enormous amount of Dungeon

are all future concerns, far off and theoretical. Little to justify our continued efforts to

any teeth he would have grit them in frustration. These damned lizards were such an unwieldly and slow instrument to work with! When his betrayal of the Colony had failed, when the golgari and Legion had fallen short of eliminating the pest, he had despaired of ever being able to pry Sarah away from the insects who pushed her to the edge of her sanity in their own defence. They were far too on guard for him to

He knew that land in the third was more heavily contested than it was in the second, all he had to do was try and find some of the ant's new neighbours and give them

Colony in a matter of weeks. It won't be long before