Chrysalis

"Termites."

The council recoils in shock, snapping at the air, their antennae twirling violently through the air.

"That is quite uncomfortable," Coolant observes in a detached way, as if she weren't currently gnashing empty space as if it had a head she wanted to remove.

"WhataretermitesI'veneverheardofthembeforebutallofasuddenIwanttofightthingsrealbad!"

"Vibrant…"

"Sorry-sorry! Sometimes I forget. Anyway, I really want to fight something right now, why is that?"

The council all turn to look at me.

"It's not easy to explain. I had the same reaction," I tell them.

I hesitate.

How much do I want to reveal right now? If I tell the council all about termites, won't they quite reasonably want to know where I came by my knowledge? I've never explicitly explained my origins to my siblings, and I don't see why it would matter, but I feel a little awkward now that I'm on the spot. Bah! To hold information back just because I'm a little uncomfortable would be ridiculous! Ant lives are on the line here!

"Termites are a social insect, much like us. They have a Queen, possibly a king, they produce eggs which hatch into nymphs that eventually mature into workers and soldiers. They are known to eat wood which is likely why the kaarmodo decided to use them against the bruan'chii. They can even hollow out trees or logs and form their nests inside. Since the reptiles are using them as a weapon I'm sure they've done extensive modifications to the core of the Queen in order to influence the offspring and the overall species. In truth, they could be a very powerful enemy and we should be extremely cautious."

The ants gathered around the council table all nod solemnly as they consider what I've said.

"So when do we attack?" Leeroy asks.

"Dammit Leeroy!" I crash an antenna down on the carved surface of the grand circular table. "This is serious business, not your usual 'charge in recklessly' routine!"

time," Sloan says, her foreleg tapping thoughtfully against

the normally

From you, Sloan? I feel like

for my stance, Eldest, if you

apology. "This whole thing has me stressed out. I'm sorry, go

"Right then."

our eyes focus on

really hate the sound of these 'termites' and

solemn nods as each of the council

SLAM.

"You can't be serious!"

of these fiends stirs the mana in

for the Colony as a whole! Am I wrong? It was only a few weeks ago that I was telling you all off for rushing into the third layer too quickly, now you want to rush off into the

both her forelegs

the fourth stratum," she eyeballs Leeroy for a second, "… I think. Slowing our rate of progress and being more deliberate with our expansion has yielded dividends already and will continue to do so into the future. When we do start to expand our holdings in the third we will be in a much better place than we were before to safely hold that which we take. We currently don't have anything like the strength required to conquer ground in the fourth, but we don't have to, right? We just have to fight against these termites. Which means all we need to do is send an

I'll go! Send me! I want to go

volunteer already, thanks

"No problem!"

the termites. Will we be able to destroy the infestation and annihilate their nest immediately? No chance. But we can dig in and

there," I fret. "Even the tree and the bruan'chii are struggling, which means these termites are powerful, perhaps more powerful

success," Advant agrees. "We commit to a defensive strategy and dig in as hard as we can. As long as we blunt the offensive and relieve the pressure from the tree, then she'll be satisfied

to go personally," Cobalt chips in, "working in a whole new environment is going to be difficult to say the least and if I'm on location I can provide the best support

can't afford to lose any of you,

make sure our operations on the third don't stumble like they did before!"

look

I'm going to the fourth, are you nuts?