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 smaller ant, threw her on her back

who w-w-w-will save

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 blew almost instantly, rocking the chamber once more and

Brilliant roared. “I CAN SEE

power she could reach out and touch it.

“L-l-leader! Be c-c-careful!”

“BAH! CALL ME BRILLI-”

entire room in a second. Brilliant never got a chance

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

before the room stopped shaking and

we get a quick

here,” Brilliant said,

are…”

to know

“Not really-”

front leg. “And that was the best experiment we’ve

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

out of the

melted?” Experimant grumbled as she helped the rest of the lab-ants emerge

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

extract your brain to study it, then?” Experimant said, then realised she said it out loud, went to apologise, then shrugged and

can project it if necessary. My brain, that is. Come on! We are on

with energy, the little mage raced off 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

come on, come on, come on… YES!” Brilliant punched the air with her two front legs as an array embedded into

running to the next. In short order, she’d either repaired

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