Chrysalis

The ants of the Colony didn’t invent universal education on Pangera, but they were, perhaps, the first to pursue it with such rigour. The citizens of the Silver City, for example, are entitled to learning until they turn ten. For the Colony, things are obviously very different due to their monstrous nature. It doesn’t take years to elevate a monster, as they are effectively born ready to fight and as intelligent as they are going to get until they evolve.

But the ants approached this situation with the maddening dedication and patience they poured into everything. Even more so, in fact, due to the reverence they hold for their young. Each grub is as well reared and pampered as a princess, as well fed as a festival hog, and as carefully cleaned as a king’s cutlery.

After they are born, this treatment continues as the hatchlings are put through the most comprehensive and extensive training program in the history of the world.

- Excerpt from ‘Antucation: Teaching and Learning, Pedagogy among the ant’ by Karliet Magron.

“Ready yourselves, hatchlings.”

The pheromones of the Brood Tender, Poppant, were as soothing and warm as always, washing over the antennae of her charges like a calming wave. Twenty small forms roused themselves from torpor, twitching as they regained control of their limbs one by one.

“Good morning, teacher!” the hatchlings chorused as they fell into two neat lines of ten.

Towards the back, Solant, as the three day old monster had begun to think of herself, slapped herself about with her antennae, trying to sharpen herself for the day ahead.

Exactly eight hours had passed since they’d fallen into torpor, she was confident of that, and sixteen hours of vigorous training and learning lay ahead of them. She intended to extract every ounce of benefit she could. The Colony demanded no less!

When they were ready, Poppant clacked her mandibles happily and turned to lead her charges out of their chamber. Through the narrow entrance they filed, then out into the wider tunnels, other groups falling into lines alongside them as they went.

“Work hard!” one of her broodmates greeted Solant as she fell in beside her.

intend to,” Solant

in diameter and every inch of that surface was covered in hatchlings following along behind their teachers. There were ten thousand broodmates in the current class of the Antcademy, Solant had counted them, and she was determined that none would perform as

ten floors, each seating a hundred hatchlings and ten Brood Tenders. They filed in, taking their place at the table silently, as Biomass was lowered to them from the ceiling

once they had all settled into place, “let us be grateful for this meal our family has put before us, and ensure that we do not take lightly the resources that we have taken. If we keep that in mind, we should avoid unfortunate

who ducked her head in shame. Solant shook her head. That silly ant had succumbed to her instincts

she too had nearly done the same. Nobody

the Biomass, clearing the tables before they were led away, out of the dining hall

time for

remember what we talked about yesterday,” Poppant reminded them gently as the twenty members of her group stood perched outside of the farms. “We must work together to achieve our best. Stay in formation at

patient teacher ran through several drills that they had practised extensively the previous day. How to advance as a unit, how to fall back, how to smoothly operate a firing line, alternating shots between the ranks. Only when she was satisfied did Poppant allow

am here to protect you. There is no need for anyone,”’ she paused and

“Yes, teacher,” they chorused.

lines of mana that split through the walls on either side. She could hear the growls and snarls of monsters ahead, freshly spawned monsters, ready to fall before the

they would beat their time from the

ready. Time starts…

confidence, bringing the rest of the front line along with her. She set a brisk pace and the hatchlings quickly advanced along the roof of the chamber

spotted!” came the call from the flanks

line!” Solant called and the twenty shuffled

“Fire!”

Staggered firing in this manner had been the first thing the

pelted with acid, the unfortunate monster who received the barrage could only collapse in a heap as the deadly fluid ate