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

a

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

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

frustrated noise before she started poking him in the

me up,” she demanded,

Jern looked around uncomfortably.

move to the side. I don’t want

“Ugh. Fine.”

path to the edge of the crowd. Once he was confident they wouldn’t be disrupting

“Are you steady?”

course I

his head, idly twining her fingers through his

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

can tell the

Alis rolled her eyes.

Look at that one, you see the

“Yes?” he replied doubtfully.

a 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

lot about the ants,

the head with her left

Most of our town was built thanks

said, idly scratching at his

far as Jern was concerned, they were regular people who lived 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 and all that, lower

happening,” Alis said, leaning forward

hand up, just in case she fell, as he tried to spot what she’d seen. There

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

that’s Beyn,” Jern nodded to himself. He recognised the

him on the head

words felt like they flew

TO DIVINE INTERVENTION!” the priest suddenly roared, his words rolling through

loved a good speech from

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

even Alis was bouncing up and down on his