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?”

glared and kicked him in

I’m not a giant,

to point out that, even when she wasn’t comparing herself to him,

I can see. There’s a gathering of priests over there. I think the head priest too? And a few ants. More than usual,

frustrated noise before

demanded,

Jern looked around uncomfortably.

don’t mind,” he said, “but we need to move to

“Ugh. Fine.”

a path to the edge of the crowd. Once he was confident they wouldn’t be disrupting anyone, he reached down and grabbed Alis by the waist, effortlessly lifting her up onto his

“Are you steady?”

I am.

her fingers through his hair as she peered intently in all directions, absorbing everything

“and soldiers. That’s unusual. There’s even a few generals and carvers! Why on Pangera would the Colony

the difference?”

Alis rolled her eyes.

completely different. Look at that one, you see the different orientation of the front pair of

“Yes?” he replied doubtfully.

carver. The big ones are soldiers, that’s easy, the generals are 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

really know a lot

the head with her left

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

he said,

Except they had more legs. He knew about the nests

leaning forward on his shoulder,

brought his right hand up, just in case she fell, as he tried to spot what she’d seen. There was a lot of movement amongst the priests, until finally, one

interrupting your day, but this news could not wait for the holy day, or be delivered in the

Jern nodded to

Alis hissed, rapping him on

his words felt like they flew into

BEEN WITNESS TO DIVINE INTERVENTION!” the priest suddenly roared, his words rolling through the crowd like thunder. Jern could visibly see people blown back by

from

ONE HAS SPOKEN TO ME DIRECTLY. WHISPERED WORDS OF GODLY WISDOM

and even Alis was bouncing up and down