Chrysalis

Chapter 1057

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?”

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

in one webbed hand,

The ants should have their… jaws? Do they have jaws? Their jaws full dealing with those

cursing and laid off the oars for a moment, staring back at the

he spat over the side, “and why we play it as cautious as we can until we

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

glaring at the mountain as he clutched the hilt

you have debts I don’t know about, Drake? If this is about money, talk to

of the man, but he

said quickly, “nothing

your thick head? Are other groups on the mountain? Yes. Are they making money? Yes. Will they all make it back? Not even close.

Elly asked. “I get that we didn’t expect it to be ants, but isn’t that a good thing?

just shook his

think for a minute, would you? You see a monster from the first stratum laughing it up on the fourth 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

a

after a moment. “There’s a watch on the shoreline, there

Baiting tactics, laying traps, even openly taunting us. All signs of intelligent behaviour,” Lacos

us somehow,” Drake said. “It’s possible they even have some sort

looked at him as if he were insane,

and thousands of the little buggers lighting up that mountain like

sat in silence for a

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