Chrysalis

Granin stirred as the wave washed over him.

"W-was that?" Corun asked breathlessly.

"It was," the triad leader stated.

Torrina sucked in a breath, letting the shock register on her face instead of her usual stoic expression.

"This is a lot sooner than we expected," she said after calming herself. "Are you sure?"

Her teacher shot her a slightly annoyed look and she looked down. Granin snorted.

"You're too smart to ask a question like that," he scolded her, "we just got punched in the face by a wall of mana. Of course I'm sure."

"I know. I suppose I just didn't want it to happen now. I don't think I'm ready."

"Nobody is ready for what's coming. They might have spent three thousand years preparing themselves, but they still aren't ready."

At least we won't be the ones to pit ourselves against the overwhelming strength of the Ancients. I'm happy to leave that to those with far more hubris than I.

Corun warred with the sense of excitement and trepidation. World shaking events would take place, and soon. A wave the likes of which the world hadn't seen since the Time of Rending was building. It was possible the events of the past would repeat themselves, with the Ancients causing devastation on a global scale. Naturally, he was nervous.

the old Shaper scrunched up his

far as we know, Yarrum is yet to wake, so it stands to reason that there are others still sleeping. That being the case, the mana level isn't high enough, but it's getting close. If I were to guess, I'd say that those

He shrugged.

The wave after this, or the one after that? Less than a year is my guess. If we don't have a solution by that

the Ancients took matters into their own hands.

hope Anthony makes it in time," Torrina said,

person?" he said, and she thought for a moment

for some religions, but amongst the cults, it meant coming well within eating range of an all-powerful monster. Granin imagined it may be a very moving experience, to see Yarrum

thought, not for long,

ravenous of the Ancients. There would be little point keeping Granin alive, so

might still

"Our only chance of staving off disaster is to present a new Ancient. That was the task laid on the founders of the cults, and we are running out of time to deliver. If we can meet their expectations, there's at least a chance they

only tier seven," Corun fretted, and Torrina raised a

seven? Anthony was perhaps the first tier seven ant in the history of Pangera, and a mythic monster at that. Considering where he'd started, it was a remarkable journey. In fact, recalling he hadn't even been born amongst his Colony, but in the tunnels by himself, it was beyond a miracle he'd survived to this point. She understood what he was saying,

that front," Granin said. "This wave is going to be like nothing we've ever seen before, and the next will be even worse. If you want to train a

their vantage point high in the fortress nest below Roklu, the three had a huge range of view over the plains below. Torrina and Corun leaned forward to see what he was pointing

didn't die down, it only grew worse, and worse, and worse. Larger demons began to climb up through the belching streams of lava, fighting and tearing at

golgari felt their lungs burn when they breathed. Not from the smoke, but from the faint tinge of pure destruction in the air, now strong enough to

filters in order to breathe,"