Chrysalis

The Eldest had laid down the challenge and Solant could feel the pressure immediately. Someone like her, not even a full graduate of the Antcademy, was to be put in charge of a battlefield during a wave. Only the authority of the Eldest made something like this possible, the defenders of the nest put their faith in their strongest member and trusted that Solant would not fail them.

The pressure was immense.

Clearly, the Eldest intended to put her and her broodmates directly into the fire, the only place the strongest steel could be forged. The weight of responsibility settled on her carapace immediately, a crushing weight that threatened to drive even the mana from her core.

She welcomed it. More than that, she relished it.

“I am grateful to the Eldest,” she told her precious sisters as they gathered in their chamber after torpor. “Either we are right in what we do and how we do it, or we are wrong. If we are wrong, let us fail now, before too much damage can be done. If we are right, then let us succeed, and lead the family to victory.”

The others listened solemnly, fully aware of what was riding on their performance in battle that day.

“We’re with you,” Leonidant assured her. “All the way.”

“Of course. There’s no such thing as a general, unless there is an army.”

Two parts of a single whole.

When they emerged from the chamber, they found the Eldest and the three guardians waiting for them.

the Eldest asked, looming over them without

Solant confirmed, no hint of wavering in her

in charge,

forward and marched to the centre of the enormous staging chamber, in which the gathered generals administered

out of the dozens of tunnels that led from this one central hub. Some were returning to rest, others shifting from one field of engagement to another. The priorities under the nest changed from minute to minute, depending on what dreadful creatures emerged from the

still in attendance. With their unmatched speed, they could

take command of the A3 tunnel for the next twelve hours,” Solant announced

Fine. Go quickly and don’t make any mistakes. We’re hard pressed down here and it’ll be

worry. We will achieve

scent-marked as A3. She had led

contact with the general

instructed to take command of the tunnel for the next twelve hours,” she announced to the far larger and

ant sized her up in an

you. The changeover is happening in two hours. I’ll inform the other generals, you should go talk to the

antennae which was returned before the two generals went their separate

by the minutiae of leadership, the Eldest moved to one side of the tunnel and flopped down with the three guardians beside them. It

for you, she reminded herself, if they don’t think it’s

needed to check in with the healers, the soldiers, the scouts, the mages and the core shapers and cover her ideas in detail, especially since there would be changes