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.

why I’m 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

think she’s

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 sending deadly blasts of unstable mana arcing through

roared. “I CAN

of power she could reach out and touch it. Within her heart, Experimant said a

“L-l-leader! Be c-c-careful!”

“BAH! CALL ME BRILLI-”

then expanded rapidly, enveloping the entire room in a second.

blast cages, 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 one had been

took five minutes before the room stopped shaking and Experimant felt confident enough

we get a quick headcount?

Brilliant said, emerging from

you are…”

to know how I

“Not really-”

on the carapace with a front leg.

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

of the cages. We’ve got to

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

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

said, then realised she said it out loud,

My brain, that is. Come

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 the staff began to clean up

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

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

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