Chrysalis

When the Colony goes all in on something, they really do go all in. I was obviously aware of that, but seeing the gigantic stadium that they’ve built to host games somehow still manages to shock me.

Did they really need to go this hard? Holy moly. The thing is enormous!

And there are ants everywhere. As well as people! I was asked to head to the venue well ahead of the game, there’s a waiting area for the teams before they go out onto the pitch apparently, but as I make my way over, the place is already packed!

The second I step out in the cavern that holds the stadium, a great cheer goes up from the gathered humans, and even the ants start clacking their mandibles in appreciation! Apparently, they learned to mimic clapping? There’s tens of thousands gathered already, and the game isn’t for four hours.

I pick my way through the crowd carefully, essentially walking above them, placing my legs in whatever gaps I can find.

“Nice to see you all. How’ve you been? Shouldn’t some of you be working?”

“Speak for yourself!”

“Oi! I am here to work!”

And thus, Tunnel Ball officially became classified as work for the participants.

It was rather embarrassing being the centre of attention in all that, but once I make my way beneath the stadium and away from all those prying eyes, I feel a lot more comfortable.

Back in the day, when I was a lot smaller, it wasn’t that hard to move through a group or area without being ogled to quite such a degree. Now that I tower above every other ant and human, things have gotten a little more difficult.

gathering overhead. There’s a steady drumbeat of feet, and a resonant click-clack of claws, for hours. In the chamber itself, I focus on keeping my core topped, pulling in the mana of the second stratum, to try and overcome

and the rate of replacement simply can’t keep up. Only by actively seizing energy and pulling it in can I maintain an equilibrium. If that wasn’t bad enough, I have

Those bums.

but my willpower has grown strong! I can handle it. By… a bit. The sooner I can get this match over with and drag

roar. I have no idea how many people are out there, or ants, for that matter. I can

we’re ready for

“Finally…”

under my body and push, levering myself up from the position I had flopped onto the

limp fish to a dignified Eldest in a second! Gweheheheh.

in which I barely fit, that connects the waiting area to the pitch, weaving magic as I do. The exit from the tunnel is blazingly bright ahead of me, illuminating the field beyond.

as I leave the tunnel is unlike anything I’ve ever heard. There are thousands of humans here, perhaps tens of thousands. I didn’t even realise we had so many! Have we conquered more cities in the first and second strata without me even knowing about

above, covering the dome-shaped ceiling, there are thousands upon thousands of ants, a hundred thousand

let my audience

a well I have cunningly inverted to disguise the spell. The crowd gasps in shock and admiration as I take to the skies, rising up to

my flying

spy the Endless at the other end of the pitch, watching me drift down towards them with

And I see Solant, right in the middle, her eyes revealing the

you think, it

and I release the gravity well. Dominating entrance,

my core is

approach the midline and I realise I’m supposed to meet them there, trundling forward even as I hastily suck in