Chrysalis

I watch the kaarmodo force turn and walk away with decidedly mixed feelings. Obviously, them leaving is a good thing and should be celebrated. We didn't have to kill any of them, they didn't manage to kill any of us, therefore this can be pencilled in as a win. We have managed to preserve the garden of the damn tree and not escalate our conflict with the reptiles beyond the point of no return!

Whoo!

On the other hand, we did have a rather deadly magical confrontation with them. I have to say I was actually a little surprised that the shield managed to hold as well as it did. Though Invidia helped a lot, he can't match up to the mental firepower that the lizards brought all on his own. Not even close. We also have to consider the possibility that the kaarmodo will simply return with a larger force and steamroll us. It might take them a day or two to put together such an army, but I wouldn't put it past them considering how much they seem to hate the bruan'chii.

I suppose we can only hope that the garden finishes spitting out someone we can talk to before too much time has passed, because if we need to bring another twenty or thirty thousand ants in here to fend off the kaarmodo then the chances of the confrontation being bloodless are practically nil.

On top of all that, I have another damn cultist to worry about!

I'd almost forgotten about the followers of the Red Truth, which probably isn't that surprising since I only met one other member, the chap who was following Garralosh around, but I really didn't want to attract the attention of more of these nutcases. I already have Granin and his triad latched onto me and while their advice is useful and they are happy to let me have my freedom and go about things my own way, I can't guarantee that other cultists will be willing to let me roam loose when they see the potential for their world’s salvation in me.

Not that the weird lizard with the arms had much to say on the matter, he basically asked me if I knew what the cult was and if I knew what they were about. When I replied in the affirmative, he turned tail and moseyed off with the rest of his reptilian crew.

Stay away from me!

[Do you think we should follow them, Master? Perhaps we can pick a few off as they retreat.]

[Now's not the time to be so aggressive, Crinis. We have to play it cool at least a little while longer. Once we've heard what the tree has to say, then we can be more confident in the direction we move.]

[I worry that they'll be back and strike at us again.]

[I hear you Crinis, and I think you're right, but for now we are on the defensive. We just need to play a stronger hand than they do.]

[Very well, Master. Try to keep yourself safe.]

[When do I not?]

[…]

tentacles on my back as Crinis considers all the times I might have not acted with my own safety at the forefront

I approach where she's been watching over

plants just as well as you can, but I suspect that isn't

it moves, and where it comes from… I swear this is some sort of pocket or naturalised

why can't

the garden, she won't let me in," Brilliant flips her antennae as if

THWACK!

"Ouch!"

I'm not talking

head and stares

genius! I'll do it right

energetic little ant turns and practically throws herself into the dark soil of the third stratum, gnashing and chomping like a mad creature as she starts to dig her way underneath the soil to better spy on the source of the

find your secrets! I'll see everything! You can't hide them from me! I'll reveal it

attracting a following that takes

kaarmodo falls into a defensive position around the garden as scouts head out on patrols or to tail the retreating lizards. I don't bother involving myself, but I know

I do

and a faint tremor can be felt through the ground followed by a tall, wooden looking form stomping out of the green depths, a broad smile on its face. A moment later it extends a bridge to me and I

ant-friend. It is nice to see

This guy doesn't look the same as the grove-keeper I

[We've met?] I ask.

tree-figure shakes slightly with

quicker than she usually would, so I do not quite

out here in the third stratum. The pleasure of your company is

[Hmmmm. Of Course!]

are you

credit, the big guy doesn't flinch, in fact, if anything, he seems amused by my slightly

yes. Mother was concerned that you might not appreciate her appearance