Chrysalis

The resources of the third stratum proved to be a boon to the Colony, but none more so than the Fire Iron, as we called it. Found in naturally replenishing reserves between layers, the precious metal had several properties that made it of enormous interest, especially to those like me.

Obviously, it was heat resistant, but to such an extreme degree that it was shocking to us. Our finest quality enchanted steel couldn’t compare to even the unprocessed ore.

The first challenge was trying to find a way to smelt it. The metal was usually found submerged in lava, or at the very least coated on one side with it. Producing a temperature hot enough to melt it was difficult, to say the least. It was Propellant who eventually solved the issue, creating a circular heating system that required five fire mages to keep it running.

The air within the furnace was so hot, we had to create a system to prevent the air from touching the walls to prevent those from melting too.

The first thing I did once we managed to smelt and shape the Fire Iron was make a new smelter out of it. From that point, basically all equipment in the Colony that needed to be fireproofed was formed of Fire Iron. I would be lost without my new tools, I barely have to cool them.

- Excerpt from “Antdustrial Revolution” by Smithant.

“What in the name of Eldest’s left foreleg is going on down there?” the scout leader, Amantsen, demanded.

“It’s the demons!” the poor, harried scout replied as the medic worked on her burns. “They’ve gone crazy. It’s all out war!”

“Between who and who? The demons are attacking someone? Is it the ka’armodo?”

A conflict between the lizards and the demons would suit the Colony down to the ground. While their most powerful fighter was asleep, the various spot-fires around the place cooling down would be ideal.

scout shook

everywhere! The second those crazed creatures find something to fight, they attack, doesn’t matter who or what

more questions the more she looked into it. The poor scout lay on the ground before her as the medic continued her ministrations, grumbling pheromones

to occur were so high. If the demons were being as indiscriminately violent as advertised, it

missions and small teams were out. Which left only a large-scale investigation, which may only serve to

good,” she muttered,

as they underwent evolution. Even so, this situation sounded

her, “you’ve done well to bring us word of this trouble. Rest and be healed, then report to the barracks for torpor. You

the scout began

the shadows around them deepened, a cold

long… for torpor,” she

Amantsen nodded.

to, but

machinery of the Colony was efficient

now?” Burke demanded of the air when the message had finally reached her. “We’ve got enough on our plates already. I

fight the beast, which they had eventually done. Not to mention, the

task force to investigate, we can’t go flying into this blind. Start looking for scout

and apprised her sibling of the danger. She similarly wasn’t impressed with the Eldest’s timing