Chrysalis

Solant knew, of course she knew, how could she not? But the task before her didn’t change, no matter what was going on behind her back.

“Focus your fire forwards! Don’t pay any attention to what’s going on behind! Hold the line!”

The fighting was still intense, though it had slackened, thankfully.

“Are you sure, general? Things are… rather dire back there.”

“Leonidant, I don’t care if the fortress collapses behind us, we will achieve victory here, in this tunnel, at this chokepoint!”

“But the fortress may well have fallen behind us, Solant! We don’t know what’s going on back there!”

For over an hour, reports had flooded to those fighting on the front that any and all communication with the central planning chamber had been lost. The fighters here in the tunnel had been cut off from central command completely.

That didn’t bother Solant so much, she had a job to do, as did every other ant here, and if there was a problem in the nest, that was for others to deal with. The Eldest was back there, for The Queen’s sake! If the Eldest couldn’t deal with it, she assuredly couldn’t.

And so, the fight had gone on.

Then the reports had changed. Not only was the central command chamber enshrouded in darkness, but the shadows were advancing down the tunnels.

Solant had glared at the scout and told her to get back to fighting.

“Rotate!” she demanded, and then twitched when she realised that the next line of soldiers was gone. There was no one to rotate forward.

Instead, all that lay behind her was a black wall of shifting shadows.

“Well… that’s not ideal,” she muttered.

“Yeah, don’t stress about it,” came a familiar scent, followed by the giant head of the Eldest. “You did a good job holding the line. Well done.”

She was pleased for the compliment, but felt it wasn’t deserved.

“We only held because the number of monsters encroaching on our position diminished significantly. If it weren’t for that, we would have… lost.”

her on the head with

Eldest pointed a leg at the darkness behind them, “and I’m also the one who arranged that,” next they pointed a leg forward into the

not sure what

they’ll be here in a

came down the tunnel as the remaining troops, those not swallowed by the void, rested and healed

a different type of movement down the tunnel, as a

to cover the nest for us while everyone catches up on their sleep,” the Eldest said,

large specimen of a tree waved back before they turned and settled in to

side, even if their mother is a bit of a jerk.

going, Eldest?” Leonidant asked, a little

Straight into this infinite void of darkness and shadow,

“What?!”

You guys have been diligent in making sure you hit your rest periods on

“We were taught

gets sloppy and all the ants around have to pick up the slack. Extra work for everyone. When too many ants

giant ant had rounded everyone up and cheerfully led them into

go for multiple days without resting. When that happens, someone needs to make them see the error of their ways and ensure they get a

what’s happening here?”

The Eldest laughed.

too many ants not

form of the Eldest in their midst. Then, suddenly, shockingly, they were through it, emerging out the other side into the central planning chamber, freed from the

the shade. Inside, Solant saw something unbelievable taking place. Ants were everywhere, crawling over every surface, on the room, on the walls, but even

the Colony, adrift in torpor. Thousands upon thousands of them. As they drew closer, Solant could see that each was tucked in with a thick layer of cloth, a small… toy or

containers to special cloths that they then rubbed over the slumbering ant’s carapace, leaving it gleaming. Then another ant, a carver, would go over the cleaned area with another specialised material, running it back and forth with their front two legs, until

luxury of it

of course, noticed her

rest on time, then you get

collecting slumbering members of the Colony, tucking them into beds, cleaning them, grooming

this happening all over the fortress?”

course. Everyone is getting

about them?” Solant wondered, indicating those who were