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.

replied 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

predicted, the matrix blew almost instantly, rocking the chamber once more and sending deadly blasts of unstable

roared. “I

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

“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

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

the room stopped shaking and Experimant felt confident enough to

get a quick headcount? Sound

here,” Brilliant said,

you are…” Experimant

want to know

“Not really-”

a front leg. “And that was the best experiment we’ve run so far! The results

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

you out of the

our sensor arrays melted?” Experimant grumbled as she helped

main ones. But that’s fine, I got a good look

realised she said it out loud, went to

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

mage raced off in the dust and began rummaging about, shouting and exclaiming all the while. Assistant

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

a bite before running to the next. In short order, she’d either repaired or fatally damaged all ten of the outer detectors and

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