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.

bustled forward, its head just barely high enough to see over the top of the bed Lilin 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 Lilin’s eyes took on that slightly glazed expression of a person

a few moments, the antennae glowed brightly as they

began to make her way out of

she said, [the baby has been cleaned up and checked. It will

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

he is,] the new ant said cheerfully, and Enid could only assume it was a younger, less evolved healer.

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

I will leave you to it.

you, mayor,” they replied and she smiled at them once more before she exited the

would have their own hospital? It was less than a year ago that they had fled the ruins

best to stay out of everyone’s way. She stepped out into the streets of Renewal, and finding

expensive, which made it rare, at least, rare before the catastrophe. Every street in Renewal was formed this way, crafted by the

town council could take some credit for that, but even there, the influence of the Colony was felt. Traffic flowed so smoothly, it was rare to see someone

minds.

were thriving. Renewal had more than

same building. She walked behind her desk and sat with a weary sigh, her

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

she carefully pondered

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