Chrysalis

The ant stared at them. Rillik, Elly, Drake and Lacos stared back.

A pause.

Rillik swore viciously, then began to turn the boat around, not bothering to hide his frustration.

“Let’s just kill it and get on the mountain,” Drake said. “There’s only one.”

Rillik didn’t bother answering, still openly cursing.

“There is never just one,” Lacos quoted the advice their leader had imparted earlier in the day, then he pointed over the monster.

Drake turned to see where his friend was pointing, it took a moment, but he eventually noticed several sets of antennae poking from behind trees or around the edge of a bush. It was like the ants were hidden, but not so well that they wouldn’t be found if you actually tried to find them.

The ant in front of them clacked its mandibles several times, the sharp, percussive noise ringing out in a rhythm that felt distinctly like mocking laughter.

“Ah, shut up you damn monster,” Rillik growled as he hauled on the oars.

The rest of the crew slumped in the boat.

“That’s the fourth time we’ve tried to land today,” Elly groaned. “How are they always waiting for us when we get there?”

we could force a landing,” Drake grumbled. “They’re only

held his chin in one webbed hand,

landfall already, maybe hundreds. The ants should have their… jaws? Do they have jaws? Their jaws full dealing with those

off the oars for a moment, staring back at the

why I never trust jobs without enough information,” he spat over the side,

wasting time,” Drake said, “other groups are out there earning money and we’re just getting laughed at

seat, glaring at the mountain as he clutched the

know about, Drake? If this is about money, talk

the man, but he still simmered

said quickly, “nothing like

Path, how many times do I need to show you the folly of rushing in blind before the message starts to sink into your thick head? Are other groups on the mountain? Yes. Are they making money? Yes. Will they all make it back? Not

be ants, but isn’t that a good thing? They’re first stratum monsters, not fourth, and they have

just shook his

and you think you’ve found a free buffet? Don’t be daft. And look at the way they behave. I’ve taught you to analyse monsters, what do you think we are actually

younger mercenaries considered the evidence they’d gathered from a morning of trying

said after a moment. “There’s a watch on the shoreline, there has to be. Except

aren’t showing normal signs of monstrous aggression. Baiting tactics, laying traps, even openly taunting us. All signs

possible they even have some sort of primitive tracking device

as if he were

he groused. “There’s thousands and thousands of the little buggers lighting up that

sat in silence for a long while