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.

you think?" he asked Granin and the old Shaper scrunched up his

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 who aren't awake are stirring at the least, and those who are already risen are moving around, reaching out. This wave

He shrugged.

than a year is my guess. If we don't have a

what it meant when the Ancients took matters into their own

makes it in time," Torrina said,

the Worm in person?" he said, and she thought for a moment before she

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 with his own eyes. A creature of legend and

thought, not for long, but I'd be

the Ancients. There would be little point keeping

might still

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 don't destroy

tier seven," Corun fretted,

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, though. Compared to what he needed to

to worry too much on that front," Granin said. "This wave is going to be like nothing we've ever seen

their vantage point high in the fortress nest below Roklu, the three had a huge range

in activity, lava flooding across the landscape as demons rampaged endlessly. As they watched, it didn't die down, it only grew

from the smoke, but from the faint tinge of

may need to create filters in order to