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.

as she snatched up the smaller ant, threw her on her back and rushed to the

who w-w-w-will save

she’s beyond

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

SEE EVERYTHING!” Brilliant roared. “I

upside down from her spire, so close to the unstable mass of power she could reach out and touch it. Within her heart, Experimant said

“L-l-leader! Be c-c-careful!”

“BAH! CALL ME BRILLI-”

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

ants ducked for cover as stone and debris rained down from above. The chamber had been built to withstand magic detonations, but

stopped

a

Brilliant said, emerging from the

are…” Experimant said

to know how I

“Not really-”

with a front leg. “And that

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

of you out of the cages. We’ve got to

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

that’s fine, I got a good look at what they were

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

My brain, that is. Come on! We are on the

began rummaging about, shouting and exclaiming all the while. Assistant hesitantly

YES!” Brilliant punched the air with her two front legs as an array embedded

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