Chrysalis

Hello, dear readers! Once again, it is I, your friend Travelling Tolly, writing to you of my adventures in the lands of the Colony!

And such a grand adventure it has been. From the charming city of Renewal, to the wonders of Anthome and the incredible things these industrious monsters have created, I must say I have been positively delighted with my experience.

Also, it cannot be overstated, that the tea and biscuit service has been as fine as one would find in the Golden City itself. That is not something I say lightly, dear reader! But it is true!

So many people neglect the importance of the little things when going on tour. Yes, obviously, seeing wondrous marvels that cannot be seen anywhere else is important, but getting a decent cup of tea and a bikkie for dipping is what elevates an experience to the truly unforgettable!

That is my position and I shall not be dissuaded from it!

I must say that my guide, the wonderful Emilia, had been beyond patient. I had originally engaged her to tour Renewal and the nearby nest, and here we were, weeks later, about to descend to the third stratum. She was the soul of patience, and very accepting of my constantly shifting priorities.

“As long as you’ll have me, I will be happy to accompany you throughout the lands of the Colony,” she told me. Such a lovely and caring young lady!

She was very particular about our sleep schedule though.

So it was at last that we descended into the third stratum. Now, as you may know, reader, the third is not a popular destination for travellers. Abysmally hot, hard to breathe, and not much to look at unless you enjoy looking at millions of wriggling demons trying to poke each other in the eye.

Nevertheless! I have committed to exploring ALL of the Colony’s territories, and so I shall!

On the day of our departure, my escorts and I gathered together with Emilia within the walls of Anthome. The three of us had been confined to a special “acclimation zone” for several days to allow our bodies to adjust to higher mana densities in comfort, a welcome innovation to say the least.

Tolly,” Emilia smiled, “I hope

with all the excitement - don’t glare at me,

strict on

am pleased to hear

she led us through the

relentless in its dedication to overcoming my expectations, so I was quite excited to see what they had in store for us

asked, a

into the Dungeon,”

fairly largish chamber, perhaps forty metres across, with a solid metal floor. There were other people gathered

taking a

just like it, were built to move people and cargo between the second and third

it take? It’s a

arrive in

“An hour!”

say the least, dear reader. However, I swallowed my doubts. The Colony had proven me wrong many times

continued to fill with

your feet in through the loops,”

to see that small, metallic loops had been released from the floor at regular intervals. All around me,

do as they do! That’s my advice, reader, and I

the others and I found, much to my amazement, that the loops tightened themselves over my feet once I’d slipped them through. Quite remarkable! And comfortable enough, I might

told me calmly, “the