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.

think?" he asked Granin and the old Shaper scrunched up his face. "Your

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 isn't going to be

He shrugged.

my guess. If we don't have a solution

it meant when the Ancients took matters into their

in time," Torrina said, and Granin

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

god might be a happy occasion 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 with his own eyes. A creature of legend and unfathomable

thought, not for long, but

the Ancients. There would

might still be worth

he said, returning his 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 founders of the cults, and

only tier seven," Corun fretted, and Torrina

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

not need to worry too much on 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

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

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 began to climb up through the belching streams

swirl of ash and smoke, thickened, to the point where the golgari felt their lungs burn when they breathed. Not from the smoke, but from the faint tinge of

filters in order to breathe,"