Chrysalis

The war is over. Well, this war, anyway. Man, the Colony really gets into too many wars. Can’t an ant take a break?

And no, it’s not my fault! Most of the time!

This conflict with the termites wasn’t started by me at least, and the skirmishes with the ka’armodo are also not my (direct) responsibility. My conscience is clear!

I lie on the still smouldering ground for a while, keeping a watchful eye on the lava flow to make sure that I don’t get baked while I flop. The mountain is still a smouldering wreck, belching smoke and fire into the normally pristine skies of the fourth stratum. The voice of Gandalf still rings inside my mind, letting me know there are still termites inside the nest somewhere getting roasted.

I don’t even want to begin wading through the barrage of System notifications I received. I must have killed hundreds of thousands of termites with that spell, and maybe a few ka’armodo. The bulk of them would provide me with almost no experience, being a much lower tier than me, but hey, one experience apiece from a million monsters is still a million XP!

I’m almost nervous to check my level. Was that enough to push me over the top and get me to one-sixty?

“You look comfortable, Eldest,” Coolant observes from nearby.

“Eldest, you HAVE to teach me that spell. That was the most glorious thing I’ve ever seen in my life!” Propellant gushes.

I suppose a volcanic eruption would be rather exciting for a fire magic specialist. Judging by the stars sparkling in each of the thousands of lenses that make up her eyes, Propellant isn’t going to leave it alone until I tell her.

“I’ll try,” I say, “but the spell requires combining a number of mana types, compressing the heck out of them, and it isn’t cheap, cost wise. Without all of the relevant skills, you might not be able to use it until you hit tier six.”

After all, unlike a specialist like Propellant, I happen to be able to use whatever elements I like.

“Noooooo!” Propellant howls. “I have to evolve! I have to evolve NOW! Coolant, let me kill you.”

“Excuse me?”

You wouldn’t deny your closest sister her dreams would

THWACK!

I tell your sister to coat you in ice. Yeesh. Be a little patient and you’ll make it to

on the ground rubbing at her wounded head, for a moment before

Eldest. Have

I shake my head.

a bit. Me and the crew were a little too close to getting flambéed. I’m pretty sure Tiny’s feet are medium rare

a new scent breaks into the conversation and I roll a little to

general looks tired, but triumphant. The battle is won, another great victory for the Colony, but her work is still far from

to evolve to the next tier, then that will

her

do you mean? I’d just be evolving right? I’ve maxed out my mutations, you don’t even have to feed me. Let me rustle up

silence around as the council members all shuffle back and forth. In the end, it's Coolant who breaks the

having you available to protect us is a bigger issue than

isn’t so weak,” I scoff, “what are you so worried about? It’s getting to the point where you don’t even need me around anymore, and I’m happy about it. I’ve got other important work to do besides

Like grub tickling.

to pitch in. “You’re an important part of the Colony, and we need to

are they talking about? I give all three of them the stink eye as I try to work out what is going on here. However, I’m saved from over-taxing my brain by the appearance of Protectant, the nigh invisible

protection detail placed around you at the time of evolution,” she says, blunt and to the point. “They fear you’ll reject them if

and Sloan all slap themselves

that?” Sloan complains. “Now the

I stare at her.

while I evolve? Did you think I was going to wander over to a ka’armodo fortress and evolve on their doorstep

A pause.