Chrysalis

My time amongst the Colony taught me one lesson more than any other, and it was an important one to learn. I always considered the pompous attitude of the Cults to be undeserved. After failing to produce an Ancient for thousands of years, what right did we have to be arrogant? None at all. Yet so many of my fellows believed the accumulated knowledge of the cults to be complete.

Complete? We had barely scratched the surface of what was possible! Hubris blinded too many of my colleagues, and only a few possessed the frenzied drive required to push our understanding further.

The ants showed me that the amount we still had to learn was far more vast than even I had believed. What they, a ‘weak’ and overlooked species, became capable of, the evolutionary paths and abilities they unlocked, were far beyond what anyone had imagined.

Beyond that, the Colony possessed a relentless, almost fanatical drive to complete their understanding of the System and its intricacies. If the Cults had possessed a fraction of that energy, they would have completed their task a millennium ago.

- From the personal notes of Granin Lazus.

I end up having to wait a little while for Tiny and the others to finish their own powerup sessions, but when they’re done, we group up and I march off to find Granin, Torrina and Corun.

Apparently, the three of them have been holed up in their offices through the start of the wave, and I don’t fit in there anymore, so I have to send a scout to run a message for me.

When the triad eventually emerge, I can see the surprise on Granin’s face. That’s saying something. The man has a layer of solid granite over his features, so it isn’t always easy to register his expression.

He’s literally stone faced.

[What’s happening, Granin? Taking some time to relax?]

The big golgari blinks at me. As large as I am now, it’s easy to forget that he’s about eight feet tall.

[I wouldn’t say we’ve been relaxing,] he rumbles in my mind, [I don’t think anyone is relaxing in the third, given the,] he waves vaguely out the window toward the chaos, [goings on.]

[Fair enough….]

trail off, not really sure how to continue. I’ve been hiding stuff from these three for so long it feels kind of

out, Anthony,] Granin frowns. [Seeing you hesitating over what to say is creeping

sound like

says bluntly.

I came clean about what I can do and get some advice regarding Skills you might

surprised, as are Torrina and

you were ever going to tell us the specific details of your species. And that’s fine,]

to me and the Colony. I’m often bumbling my way forward and that seems

see a twinkling in Granin’s eye. I’m not sure

a little more comfortable so we can work,] he says and we shift to a spot where the three of

just lower my carapace to the ground and flop my legs out. I’m not sure the Colony has built an ant-chair my size yet. I’ll have

top. Unless you’re willing to let

I hesitate.

tell you,

Let’s hear

a good job at hiding his eagerness, but Torrina and Corun aren’t. The latter is bouncing in his chair like a puppy. At least Torrina

a three-stage series that started with Juvenile Colony Paragon,] I start. [The feature of this evolution was that it provided me with an organ that allowed members of my family to provide me with energy in the form of Will. It’s called the Collective Will Vestibule. It was handy, more than handy, since the energy would keep me fresh, wipe away fatigue and replenish resources like acid or my regeneration gland. The

at the three, who

[Clear so far?]

[K-keep going,] Granin coughs.