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.

he asked Granin and the old Shaper scrunched up his

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

He shrugged.

the one after that? Less than a year is my guess. If we don't have a solution by that time, then

knew what it meant when the Ancients

hope Anthony makes it in time,"

the Worm in person?" he said, and

all-powerful monster. Granin imagined it may be a very moving experience, to see Yarrum with his own eyes. A creature of legend and unfathomable might, capable of smashing all the golgari had built to nothing if he

be awed, he thought, not for long, but I'd be

There would be little point keeping

still

mind to the current conversation. "Our only chance of staving off disaster is to present a new Ancient. That was the task laid on the

still only tier seven," Corun fretted, and

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,

we've ever seen before, and the next will be even worse. If you want

a huge range of view over the plains below.

total, chaos. The Plains of Leng had exploded in activity, lava flooding across the landscape as demons rampaged endlessly. As they watched, it didn't die down, it only grew worse, and worse, and worse. Larger demons

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 begin to unmake

filters in order