Chrysalis

We warred for survival. That was our driving motivation for so long that when we eventually reached the point that survival wasn’t threatened, we almost didn’t know how to act. We had established enough power, enough allies, that the forces who sought to exterminate us were unwilling to pay the cost, and thus secured our ongoing existence.

Some theorise that it is only when one doesn’t have to struggle day to day that their true personality can shine through. In that case, this period would reveal who the Colony was, what our priorities were, and who we saw ourselves being in the future.

Even the Eldest, so often the driving force behind our development and direction, stepped into the background. Left to our own devices, the Colony had to search deep within itself to find a new direction, a new channel in which to place its bottomless energy.

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• Excerpt from the private notes of Historiant

Turns out, it takes a lot of mana to create a volcanic eruption.

[Stay away from the master you trash! Die!]

[GRAAAAAH!]

[Ssssurrender your livesss to me!]

BOOM! BOOM!

And it requires an extreme level of concentration and focus.

[Succumb to fear! Retreat from the shadows!]

[Ahhh. The experience isss mine!]

[HRAAAAAAAAA!]

[Can you keep it down, dammit! I’m trying to focus!]

[Sorry, Master!]

a moment to push away my irritation. It’s not exactly reasonable to expect

your best up there and I’ll try and get this

[Okay!]

soldiers to start scissoring away at it. Even the workers are capable of nibbling at the stone and tearing it down piece by piece. Since neither I, nor Invidia have the energy

his attention to whipping up some stone, but

spell is such a

mind constructs and condensed before they are added to the intricate

to be standing next to when it goes off, but I don’t know

Exciting!

There’s more

name of all that is ant can there be

don’t know, but

tunnel corner like literal water, a

no matter what is happening, to come and defend the queen. In fact, the ka’armodo might have found their mental control breaking if they tried to deny the termites their

few lizards with mighty headaches out there

I can do about it!] I tell them. [Unleash everything you’ve got. I need more

[I-I’ve got it, Master.]

hasssss it! Givesss it

time, the green light shredding through everything it touches. It looks like it’s shredding anything that even

now his eye is bleeding, thick ichor dripping onto the tunnel floor beneath his hovering form. That

it, Invidia,] I tell him.

willssss be,] he replies with

can’t. Instead, I turn and pour all of my attention into the spell, weaving threads with all the delicacy and speed I can muster. Within, the omni-elemental

damn thing

mana,

out in triumph. [I’ve