Chrysalis

“Congratulations,” Enid smiled down on the still recovering young woman.

“Thank you mayor,” Lilin replied, radiantly happy despite what she’d just been through.

“We’re very happy,” her husband Phillip said as he stared lovingly down at his wife.

“And how has the care you’ve received been?’

“Oh, just perfect,” Lilin said.

“We couldn’t be happier, mayor. Thank you,” Phillip said.

“That’s good. After the effort we put into building this place, I’m glad it’s all come together.”

[We told you it would be fine,] the on-rotation ant-medic said. [I still don’t understand why you doubted us in the first place. When is the Colony anything but first-rate?]

[I should have believed in you,] Enid admitted, [but even I wasn’t sure how well you would be able to run a maternity ward. You don’t know anything about human reproduction.]

[Bah,] the ant groused, [our queens give birth hundreds of times every day. You think we can’t heal someone who has given birth only once? Don’t be ridiculous. Now get out of the way, I need to check the patient.]

Healers, medics and doctors always managed to be rude and ill-tempered. Even the non-human ones! In some ways, Enid took comfort knowing that this fact of life was even more universal than she’d thought.

rested in. Even if the eyes didn’t quite reach, the antennae certainly did. The recovering mother was lightly tapped and brushed by those curious feelers as

moments, the antennae glowed brightly as they imparted a

began to make

be fine,] she said, [the baby has been cleaned up

healer ant. For a moment, Enid was forced to confront just how bizarre it was that she could see a genuine Dungeon monster skittering around with a newborn in its

the new ant said cheerfully, and Enid could only assume it was a younger, less evolved healer. She hadn’t had time to

her eye. Such a touching scene, one that she would never tire of. How long

I will leave you to it.

and she smiled at

own hospital? It was less than a year ago that they had fled the ruins of their homes, and already they thrived as they never had

one hand to pat at the expertly cut stone walls before she exited the facility, doing her best to stay out of everyone’s way. She stepped out into the streets of Renewal, and finding herself in a reflective mood, began to appreciate

and expensive, which made it rare, at least, rare before the catastrophe. Every street in Renewal was formed this way, crafted by the carvers with exacting precision. Not only that, the layout of

felt. Traffic flowed so smoothly,

questions were on their minds. She welcomed it. Where not long ago these exchanges were a never ending series of disasters as too few resources were divided amongst too many people, now that

fact, the people were thriving. Renewal had more than

chambers in time, her own office situated in the same building. She walked behind her desk and

so stiff these days, and healing

limber enough, she grabbed a pen and began to compose a letter. It wasn’t overly long, but she carefully pondered each

and seal it, but decided against it. A waste of