Chrysalis

Chapter 1040

Peter and the steadily growing audience of farmers continued to become more invested in watching the Colony members compete in this strange activity, showing up everyday to talk, laugh and spectate.

Even when the teams they had been following so closely moved on to other things and a new group came through, their passion wasn’t dimmed. In fact, it was further inflamed. A new ‘season’, watching the ‘players’ grow from their hopeless first attempts and build their strategy and skills as they went, added a whole new dimension to the experience.

For Peter, he found himself enjoying those afternoons spent by the anthill more and more as time went past. So unexpected, so welcome. The longer it went on, the more he and the others wanted to invest themselves in this pastime. He and Andis had been in the process of building a more permanent and comfortable seating setup on the side of the pit when they were finally approached by a member of the Colony.

[What are you doing over there?]

The voice rang inside the old farmer's head and for a moment, he had no idea what had happened. He swung his head wildly, staring up at the sky to try and see where the voice was coming from. Only when he noticed a smallish ant down in the pit staring up at him did he realise what had happened.

Mind magic. One of the ants was speaking to him directly! A first for him.

[Uh,] he tried thinking, [can you hear me?]

[I can.]

The voice was definitely female, and faintly amused. He swallowed and did his best to answer properly.

[We are… my friend and I, that is, are trying to make some seating. So we can sit… I suppose… a bit more comfortably when we come to watch.]

[I can see that much for myself. I’m wondering why you come to watch at all.]

Well that was a question. Peter found himself flummoxed for a moment, but then decided to be perfectly honest.

[It’s fun,] he said.

[Fun?] the ant replied, her antennae waggling in confusion. [Watching young ants going through their training exercises is fun?]

Again, there was a lot he could say, but he decided to just be honest.

[Yes.]

He nodded for emphasis.

[Why?]

and ability, grit and determination that made a team a winning one. The tactical depth of the game was endless, the ability of the collective

[I see,] she replied.

I can,] he blurted, [could I ask what the purpose

other groups, the challenge adapts to them and their approach, forcing them to continually seek improvement. My sisters and I have used this as part of the academy training for several months now,

[Your sisters?]

[The Brood Tenders.]

were very rarely seen outside of the nests, as he understood it. He stood a little straighter and tried to find a more polite way to stand, giving up after a few moments of

said. [Though the

Tunnel Ball. It worked.

ant bid him farewell and disappeared underground. He and Andis had finished up the work and gone home, only

was a huge construction of tiered seating,

darling!”

in slack-jawed shock to see his wife in the front row, with her best dress on and

where you were disappearing to every day. I

said, “why

come and watch an event. The whole town’s been buzzing about it. There wasn’t even seating for everyone who showed up, they’re in the process

turned to see a dozen or so ants climbing about on the other side of the pit. Moments later, stone began to take shape, seemingly out of thin air, as they began

never invites us

his head. What had that Brood Tender gone and done?

[There you are.]

ant from yesterday

[Ah! I mean… hello.]

We need you to

[What?] he said stupidly.

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