Chrysalis

My first nap as a tier seven, a deep and satisfying torpor that I luxuriate in. Indeed, life is only complete when one gets their eight hours! I’ve been flat out for way too long, to the point I’ve started to worry that the Torpor Police might disappear me.

That would have caused quite a stir, I’ve no doubt.

They do an incredible job of hiding, those little ninjants, but ever since I picked up the Vestibule, it’s been impossible for them to conceal themselves from me.

Unlike my bodyguards. Whatever it is that they use to create the strange forgetful effect was powerful enough to give me trouble for a little while. Ever since my evolution, though….

I reach out with one leg and poke at the air.

….

I poke again.

….

Another poke, harder this time.

“... Is that really necessary, Eldest?” Protectant complains.

Gweheheheh.

“I just find it fun, how easily I can spot you now.”

The guard smells decidedly unhappy about it.

“We would like to know how you do it,” she grumbles, “out of professional courtesy.”

just try and find a way around

that there is one. As far as I can tell, as long as they’re ants who believe in me, they will provide me

I can’t see Protectant with my eyes, or even feel it when I poke her with my leg, or detect the scent when the guards communicate with each other, despite knowing for

level of stealth they’ve achieved is absurd.

to

Please stop it,”

Heheheheheh.

tier seven, you all need to make the push to tier six,” I tell the invisible squad of babysitters. “If I’m going to be rumbling with tier eight enemies,

if we evolve, we’ll be able to hide from you

poke her

from already. You need to seriously bump up your stats and combat prowess. That concealment organ has soaked up way too much evolutionary energy, don’t waste the next evolution on

Just

home the point, then I turn to Crinis and the others

We’re fresh, we’re ready for action and we need to get some Levels into you, pronto. Hunting in the fourth stratum is likely to be our best bet, but at the same time, we need to be on standby in case they need us in the third. There’s some

of them nod in unison. It’s rewarding having an audience of active

we should make sure to contribute to the Colony stockpile, since you three are all maxed

abate until I wipe that species from the Dungeon!

and I stop to let her catch up. “Eldest. They want to see you down on the shoreline. It’s about

They’re my highest priority on this stratum, I won’t let them get a foothold. I rumble down to the shoreline,

host of ants that watch their every move with preternatural stillness. The leader, a fairly burly-looking golgari,

radiate out around me like

latch onto the mercenary, then I bring his two

them. [Excellent, excellent. I suppose your hunt

impacts onto their own, and I make

of them begin unloading the cargo in their boat, depositing a dozen

quickly, all things considered,] the leader grunted warily. [The Dungeon seems to be spitting them out at quite a rapid clip. We sailed two mountains west

everywhere on this level of the Dungeon.