Chrysalis

The discovery of the termite foe was of great import to the broader Colony. Of course, it precipitated several profound immediate changes, such as the large scale rescue mission that was launched into the fourth stratum, unlocking that most important realm to the family for the first time. More than that, there was a shift in the mentality of every ant, from the brood chambers to the mines. The Colony had always been in conflict, with the Dungeon, fighting off waves, with the golgari, or the Legion, but for the first time it felt as if we were at war.

We were all seized with strange, manic energy, even they who will not be mentioned seemed to relax their vigil as the Colony shifted to a new type of footing. Most of us had never seen a termite, and would never see one, yet we were possessed of new rage that drove us to work ever harder, be ever more perfect.

During this time the second wave of expansion was completed, bringing the number of completed nests to sixteen, the number of active, laying queens to seventeen. Shortly after each of them was elevated to the sixth tier through the relentless efforts of the workforce, maximising egg production and brood quality. It felt like the dawning of a golden age, as our numbers rapidly swelled and even greater swathes of the Dungeon fell beneath our influence, all the while we simmered as we contemplated our rivals below.

And once again, all at the behest of the Eldest. Their designs ever moved our family forward, from the very moment of our creation. I believe, as others do, that even back then the Eldest had seen what was to come, and the inevitable conclusions that would be reached.

• Excerpt from 'The History of the Colony Volume 2, by Historiant.

Seeing all this water is just a special type of bizarre. I mean, where the heck are we right now? We're in the Dungeon! We are deep, deep underground right now. I don't even know how far down we are now, hundreds of kilometres? A thousand? I have no idea how deep the third is, since we only touched the first layer of it, but how in the hell am I looking at this freakin' lake right now?! It's insane.

From far above, some unfathomable distance up in the air, water falls in a fine mist and I presume that somewhere up above there are a few of those islands that somehow manufacture limitless amounts of water. I'm super keen to figure out how that works, but for now we need to get over this water somehow.

I can smell the scent trail laid down by Vibrant and her crew, it's right here in front of me and it leads directly over the water. How in the hell they got over there, I haven't the foggiest, but I'll have to head to the mountain opposite to see if the trail gets picked up on the opposite side.

[Any ideas, folks?] I ask the group.

[We can ussse a platform to carry usssss,] Invidia hisses.

[Ah! Good call, I forgot you can do that now.]

[You helpsss. Givesss it to me!]

help, but that's a rude way of

will

the water. Sometimes I forget how heavy I am. Keeping this thing aloft is serious work. I mean, Sarah is most definitely heavier than I am, not that I'll ever say that to her out loud, and she happens to be wearing her armour, which doesn't help. The end result is that

water, looks very deep,] Crinis

much moving

can sense. The water itself is also a potent source of mana, it's not like anything I've ever

born with when the mana is this thick. Come to think of it, imagine what it's like two strata down from here. It's going to get crazy

to go that

the

pulled in that direction. May as well go

that is what you want, then I'll follow,

to go deeper and punch some super

ape as a broad grin spreads across

one, big guy. Invidia? What about you champ? Actually, never mind, I know

eye flashes with energy before he looks away, as if disappointed he didn't get to

hear a whisper trickle across our

land on the other island without incident, passing beneath the falling mist to get my first shower in this new life. Didn't take long, only…

a possessive plant. It doesn't even feel right to call it a 'mountain', really, it's so damn vast, and so stupidly tall. And these things probably ring the entire stratum, all around the planet. This whole world is just insane, how

Magic. It's good stuff.

you

up and down

here! Seems to head up

[hopefully we can