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.

carrying you to the cages,” Experimant replied as she snatched up the smaller ant, threw her on her back and rushed to the

who w-w-w-will save the

think she’s

emptied, sending the volatile substance flowing through the underground pipelines and into the gate matrix. As predicted, the matrix blew almost instantly, rocking

SEE EVERYTHING!” Brilliant roared. “I CAN SEE

unstable mass of power she could reach out and touch it. Within her

“L-l-leader! Be c-c-careful!”

“BAH! CALL ME BRILLI-”

white, then expanded rapidly, enveloping the entire room in a second. Brilliant never got a chance to

rained down from above. The chamber had been built to withstand magic detonations, but that last

five minutes before the room stopped

we get a quick headcount? Sound

here,” Brilliant said, emerging from the

course you are…”

want to know

“Not really-”

boasted, slapping herself on the carapace with a front leg. “And that was the best

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

on, all of you out of the cages. We’ve got

of our sensor arrays melted?” Experimant grumbled as she helped the rest

ones. But that’s fine, I got a good look at what they

realised she said it out loud, went to

hand, “I can project it if necessary. My brain, that is. Come on! We are on the verge of a breakthrough after this

in the dust and began 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

as an array embedded into a reinforced stone pillar flickered to life. “Someone

with a bite before running to the next. In short order, she’d

at this! LOOK AT IT! The kick of power we got by infusing the liquid mana was just what we needed. See these