Chrysalis

“What’s going on?” Jern asked, confused.

“Something’s happening in town, I’ve no idea what, though. People just started running!”

That did indeed seem to be the case. Wherever Jern looked, people were poking their heads out of their houses and wandering toward the centre of town, or jogging down the streets after coming from the fields.

“Come quickly!” he heard a voice calling from somewhere closer to the square. “There’s big news to hear! Come to the cathedral!”

“To the cathedral?” Jern asked, confused. “What’s going on over there?”

His friend, Alis, stared at him as if he were being stupid.

“If you want to find out, then we need to go to the cathedral, right?”

“Good point.”

Feeling slightly foolish, he put down his shovel and scratched at his cheek awkwardly.

“Soooo, you want to come with?”

Alis shook her head, sending her blazing red hair swaying down her back.

“Of course I want to find out, I’m only standing around here because I’m waiting for you! Hurry up!”

“Oh,” Jern chuckled, trying to hide his embarrassment as he stepped out of the stables and into the street, being careful to avoid running into anyone. “I’m ready, let’s go.”

The two joined the flowing crowd of people as they made their way toward the largest building in Renewal. The cathedral towered over the burgeoning city; its tall, lavish spires and elaborate carved ants were an awe-inspiring sight, one that Jern frequently found himself gazing at, lost in the endlessly complex lines of the stone. In front of the cathedral, filling the town square, the crowd was abuzz with energy, murmuring and calling to one another, a hundred different conversations fusing into one, persistent roar.

“I feel like everyone in town is here,” Jern mumbled, uncomfortable.

He didn’t like being in crowds.

“Can you see what’s happening in front of the cathedral?” Alis demanded.

“Uhhh, yes? Can’t you?”

kicked him

I’m not a giant, like

when she wasn’t comparing herself to him, she

over there. I think the head

frustrated noise before she started poking him in

me up,” she demanded, “I want

Jern looked around uncomfortably.

we need to move to the side. I don’t want to

“Ugh. Fine.”

of the crowd. Once he was confident they wouldn’t be disrupting anyone, he reached down and grabbed Alis by the waist, effortlessly

“Are you steady?”

course I

on his head, idly twining her fingers through his hair as she peered intently in all directions, absorbing everything she

observed, “and soldiers. That’s unusual. There’s even a few generals and carvers! Why

tell the difference?”

Alis rolled her eyes.

that one, you see

“Yes?” he replied doubtfully.

smaller than them, but bigger than the mages, and they have larger mandibles. The mages can be a little tricky to work out, but they always seem the most curious, and they move around the most. If they’re connected to a human with a mind bridge, they usually try and turn their body to face them directly, which is a giveaway. See! That one over

really know a lot

the

learn about the ants? They’re our saviours! Most of our town was built thanks to them. And they’re so

you say so,” he said, idly scratching at his

and worked in Renewal just like the rest of them. Except they had more legs. He knew about the nests and that there was Dungeon stuff

something’s happening,” Alis said, leaning

to spot what she’d seen. There was a lot of

humbly for interrupting your day, but this news could not wait for the holy day,

nodded to himself. He

rapping him on

in public his words felt like they flew into your ears no matter what,

through the crowd like thunder. Jern could visibly see

loved a good speech from Beyn. They

DIRECTLY. WHISPERED WORDS OF

from the crowd, and even Alis