Chrysalis

Even now, Solant did not allow herself to think of victory. She tried not to think at all. As she raced underneath the Eldest’s carapace, between their legs and out from under their abdomen, she thought only of moving her legs, two at a time.

The ball gripped tight between her mandibles, the general tried not to focus on the touchline, looming ever larger in her vision.

She tried not to think about her broodmates, those on the pitch with her, and those watching from above, who had entrusted her with their future.

She very much tried not to think about the massive ant behind her, radiating a suffocating aura of power.

How many times had the Endless been pushed against the wall? How many times had they come out on top? This would be no different. It had to be no different. She refused to lose.

Her core throbbed inside her body, the ichor pulsed within her monstrous flesh. Every fibre of her being strained to go just that little bit faster, to reach just that little bit further!

The touchline was so close! She wished it was closer, wished she had already arrived. If she could touch this ball to the stone, then this burden would be lifted, for just a little while, and she could continue to lead her team with no blemish upon their record.

She was almost there!

The crowd was screaming, she was dimly aware. A roar of voices and clacking mandibles that shifted the stone beneath her claws and sent her antennae to quivering. The force of it was overwhelming, but there was simply no room in her mind for it.

She couldn’t lose!

One final leap, one final stretch for the touchline. She pushed off with all her strength, flying through the air, ball gripped firmly in her mandibles.

Only a few metres! Not even a second of time, and it would be over!

Except… she wasn’t moving?

done?” The Eldest

her head and realised she had become gripped by the giant ant in mid-air, leaving her suspended, mere centimetres from her

how she struggled, there was no way she could overcome the remaining distance. That tiny gap may as well have been an insurmountable

the Eldest raised their head and turned, pulling Solant

It was over.

She had lost.

to win?” the Eldest mused. “Probably, yes. You lose, Solant. Which means you and your little

“... Yes.”

We’ll be heading to the fourth stratum as soon as

teammates, making sure to take the ball and crush it with a flex of their mana. The crowd continued to go berserk and

asked as she approached

fine,” Solant replied

so close, even

“It wasn’t close enough.”

“That’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?”

step back, pushed away by the intensity of her leader's

“S-Solant?”

front of the general’s face, followed by an overly long antenna that poked her in the head. “You’re taking this far too hard. In my opinion, you aren’t focused on quite the right things, but we can

“What?”

did you

not even mad, but Solant ducked