Chrysalis

Hello my dear readers, it is wonderful to be able to share with you the next instalment of my adventures amidst the lands of the Colony! When last we spoke, I had been assured that a meeting with THE Queen was quite simply impossible, outside of a crusade of the most bloody sort to fight through tens of thousands of fanatical insect soldiers! I enjoy a good crusade as much as the next person, but I have to say that even I am not that eager to score an interview.

So with a great deal of reluctance I abandoned the idea of speaking to the Queen. I was, however, eager to continue to explore in the pursuit of finding the 'Great One', the Eldest! Exactly what had this ant done in order to secure such devotion from its Colony? Of course, my guide, Emilia, was replete with stories of this particular individual's excellence. Great battles fought, duels won, incredible feats of strength, cunning, bravery and derring-do!

I have to say, reader, that there could be a very good book in the telling of this ant's exploits. Might I suggest, this author's tenth best seller?

Naturally, I assume some level of exaggeration to be in play, but I am far too polite to push my guide for the exact details! That simply wouldn't do! It pays to be polite at all times, this has been my policy for decades.

My guards and I continued to enjoy the hospitality of the Colony within the second stratum and I must say the sights I beheld were quite beyond my expectations.

After the well regulated expanse in which vast fields of trees hosted the aphids raised by the Colony, we visited a mine. Emelia was quick to assure me that this mine was typical of those operated by the ants and I have to say it appeared to be a model of efficiency. A replenishing supply of Cold Iron, the brittle, freezing ore that can appear in the Shadow Sea, was being efficiently harvested by a rotating team of ant workers. The entire operation was conducted in perfect silence, a trait of the ants that I struggled to adapt to.

It's so strange! No matter how many of them are gathered in one place, the tikky tak of their claws is basically all that one can hear. Emilia assured me that the ants were constantly communicating and were, in fact, quite chatty, but without the ability to understand their pheromonal language, it isn't possible to partake in these conversations.

After visiting the mine, we followed the trail taken by the raw ore into Anthome itself, whereupon it was delivered into the largest foundry I have ever laid eyes on. The heat was so intense, even within this frozen stratum, that the viewing area we were taken to was lined with cooling enchantments on the walls. The air outside wavered and shimmered in the heat rising from the enormous crucibles of molten ore. At least a dozen of these literal melting pots could be seen from our position and Emilia took the time to point out the different minerals being processed and the final products they would be turned into.

to constantly flow, with waste product and separated liquid metals flowing from controlled outlets at the bottom. From there the precious metals were funnelled

like this? A hundred? And this was far from the only such foundry, I

was especially pleased to be able to meet this individual hard at

the original smiths in the Colony and the first to craft armour specifically for use by ants," Emilia told me, a touch of awe evident in her voice as we stood to the side as the large ant beyond feverishly worked the tools of her trade. “It isn’t often that she returns to this stratum,

in front of me looked basic. Even my guards were impressed as we watched the dark coloured ant shape the metal; the speed at which she worked was incredible, taking a raw ingot, firing it, and then using a strange, enchanted hammer to pound it into shape. Her six legs were constantly

as she worked it, keeping it cherry red as she plunged one claw deep into the molten steel. In fact, she needed no equipment to touch or move

onto a rod of glowing iron with her jaws directly! Sparks flew as she chomped several times in rapid succession, her mandibles acting as hammers to compress

the more I felt I wasn’t looking at a smith, but an entity who had designed its entire being around metalwork. She had moulded every aspect of herself to better suit her chosen

remarkable individual, but Emilia

ask her what she's

go for the safe questions first,

me didn't respond in any way, even after Emilia turned towards her and (I assume) began to

new archetype of heavy armour. Specifically, the Mark

"Mark 10?"

of this particular armour, I believe. I must confess, Ms Tolly, I am not too certain

she mean