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.

of the bed Lilin rested in. Even if the eyes didn’t quite reach, the antennae certainly

few moments, the antennae glowed brightly as they imparted a quick burst of healing mana to the

done, the ant backed up and began to make her way

[the baby has been cleaned up and checked. It will return to this room in

how bizarre it was that she could see a genuine Dungeon monster skittering around with

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

As Phillip leaned in to embrace them both, Enid brushed a tear from her eye. Such a

you to it.

they replied and she smiled at them once

year ago that they had fled the ruins of their homes, and already

out of everyone’s way. She stepped out into the streets of Renewal, and finding herself in a reflective mood,

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 the town itself was a masterful stroke

for that, but even there, the influence of the Colony was felt. Traffic flowed so smoothly, it was rare to see

see her and unafraid to approach and ask whatever 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

the people were thriving. Renewal

found her way back to the council chambers in time, her own office situated in the same building. She walked behind her desk and sat with

few minutes. They were so stiff these days, and healing magic didn’t help at all. It wasn’t

a letter. It wasn’t overly long, but she carefully pondered each word, which dragged out the time. As it turned out, she finished just before the meeting was due to

the time to place it in an envelope and seal it, but decided against it. A waste