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.

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

w-w-w-will save

she’s beyond

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

SEE EVERYTHING!” Brilliant roared. “I

she could reach out and touch it. Within her heart, Experimant said a quick farewell to the disturbed genius as Assistant cried

“L-l-leader! Be c-c-careful!”

“BAH! CALL ME BRILLI-”

rapidly, enveloping the entire room in a second. Brilliant never got a chance to complete

the blast cages, the ants ducked for cover as stone and debris rained down from above. The chamber had been built to withstand

room stopped shaking and Experimant felt confident

we get a quick headcount?

Brilliant said, emerging from

are…” Experimant

want to know how

“Not really-”

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

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

on, all of you out of the cages.

as she helped the

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

brain to study it, then?” Experimant said, then realised she said it out loud, went to

project it if necessary. My brain, that is. Come on! We are on the verge of a

and began rummaging about, shouting and exclaiming all the while. Assistant hesitantly made her way from the perimeter

two front legs as an array embedded into

next. In short order, she’d either repaired or fatally damaged all ten of the outer detectors

mana was just what we needed. See these readings? Are you seeing this!? Look at the