Chrysalis

“MORE POWER, DAMMIT!”

“We don’t have any more! We don’t have the power!”

“It’s so close. So close! Empty the tanks, we need every drop!”

“But… but that’s madness!”

“It’s not madness… it’s BRILLIANT!”

Electricity crackled, lightning flashed and sparks fell like rain from overhead as the ants scurried to follow the orders of their leader. Atop her observation spire, Brilliant cackled, her mandibles snapping together in a staccato rhythm as the flashes and explosions lit her from below, projecting her demented shadow onto the wall.

“Th-th-the b-backup m-m-matrix is collapsing!” Assistant whimpered.

“It’s fine, we have three backups!”

“This IS the third backup!” Experimant roared.

“Not to worry, I installed a secret fourth backup matrix and didn’t tell you!”

“That’s just a lie, isn’t it?!”

Another explosion rocked the chamber and Brilliant teetered on the edge of her spire, a hair's breadth from losing her grip and falling into the swirling maelstrom of light below. The many-faceted eyes of the mage were filled with an unearthly glow, and for a long moment, Experimant was convinced she’d finally lost her mind.

“Dump the tanks and then hit the cages!” she shouted and hundreds of lab ants rushed to follow her orders.

“Th-th-th-th-th-this will overflow the matrix for sure!” Assistant said.

the cages,” Experimant replied as she snatched up the

w-w-w-will save the

think she’s beyond

liquid mana emptied, sending the volatile substance flowing through the underground pipelines and into the gate matrix. As predicted, the matrix

EVERYTHING!” Brilliant roared. “I CAN SEE

she could reach out and touch it. Within her heart, Experimant

“L-l-leader! Be c-c-careful!”

“BAH! CALL ME BRILLI-”

room in a second.

from above. The chamber had been built to withstand magic detonations, but that last one had been beyond even what Brilliant was

five minutes before the room stopped shaking and Experimant felt confident enough

we get a quick headcount? Sound

said, emerging

course you are…” Experimant said

you want to know how I

“Not really-”

I’m Brilliant!” she boasted, slapping herself on the carapace with a front leg. “And that was

“Y-y-you're alive?” Assistant mumbled.

of the cages. We’ve got to

as she

ones. But that’s fine, I got a

said, then realised she said it out loud, went to apologise,

My brain, that is. Come on! We are on the verge of a breakthrough after this one, I can feel

rummaging about, shouting and exclaiming all the while. Assistant hesitantly made her way from the perimeter as the rest of the staff began to clean up

her two front legs as an array embedded into a reinforced stone pillar flickered

order, she’d either repaired or fatally damaged all

liquid mana was just what we needed. See these readings? Are