Chrysalis

Granin felt as if he had a headache coming on. Scratch that, he felt like a boulder split straight down the middle. Shock after shock had come from that gigantic ant until he felt as if the ground were shaking under his feet. It was even more aggravating that Anthony had no idea what he had become. To the people of the Cult, an Ancient was a god. A peerless being of almost fathomless power. The strongest creatures on Pangera, each and every one of them could destroy cities, or devastate armies, with contemptuous ease. And they had, during the Rending.

Anthony had become a proto-ancient, a demi-god, with power beyond what a normal monster would have. Every Mythic monster was powerful, but what he was now capable of went beyond that. Granin was certain that the young monster had no idea just what the Cathedral inside him would enable.

The ant had described the torrent of power that came flooding through the Vestibule. Hundreds of thousands, possibly more than a million ants were currently within range, so the flow of Will was doubtless enormous.

But the Colony was only what… a year old? Maybe two? What would happen in ten? Or fifty? With enough mutations, Anthony might be able to fit a billion of his siblings within the range of the Vestibule. What then?

After a long life working toward a single goal, to have that goal suddenly so close to hand was almost painful to Granin. The weight of the combined Cult members, from all of the Cults around Pangera, over thousands of years, pressed down on his shoulders.

Success here could stave off a second Rending. Would bring fruition to the grand design of the Ancients.

Failure would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“No pressure,” he rumbled to Corun and Torrina, “but we need to give Anthony some advice, and it had better be good. He’s finally opened up to us, we can’t let him down.”

“My mind is completely blank,” Corun stated, still in shock. “All I can think about is centipedes.”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t know!”

to his youngest student,

please tell me you have

stared at him for a long moment, her eyes clearly critical of him. Her stare asked the question

I have a few ideas about what he might do with his acid gland, and there are some Skills that Anthony has definitely overlooked. Predictive Thinking would be an excellent addition, given his ability

Granin praised her, calming himself down a little. “What about the Nave, though? He wants ideas

go through all of the options with Anthony, and we all know he isn’t

true…. Any thoughts,

have so many legs? And the claws as

him. Thoughts on the Nave,

the Altar, and that mutation will allow him to squeeze more power out of it. After that, he should carefully consider mutations that accentuate the unique properties of the Nave. It allows him to

be invaluable. Perhaps there’s an option which will allow others

given the number of mind constructs he can host,” Torrina refutes. “It would be

Well done keeping a cool head.” Granin turned a hard frown at Corun who still seemed lost to the winds. “This idiot is going to get

other Skill suggestions? There’s a couple more I could suggest, but

to have higher rank Skills than many low-ranked ones.

big golgari pondered for a

will work well for him

three of them were able to move back to the table at which Anthony was waiting. The ant was an intimidating sight; the force of his aura, even when he wasn’t actively flexing his Will, was unstettling. Even as a physical presence, he was domineering. His diamond carapace gleamed a faint purple, along with his mandibles, and the light almost seemed to get pulled into him. Sitting on the ground, his legs propped

with what we suggest. Given more time, we can cook up some more interesting combinations,] Torrina apologises for them and the big ant waves one antenna to brush it