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?”

and kicked him in the

a giant, like

that, even when she

over there. I think the head priest too? And a few ants. More than

a frustrated noise before she

up,” she demanded, “I want

Jern looked around uncomfortably.

move to the side. I

“Ugh. Fine.”

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

“Are you steady?”

course I

fingers through his hair

of mages here,” she observed, “and soldiers. That’s unusual. There’s even a few generals and carvers! Why on Pangera would

tell the

Alis rolled her eyes.

course, they all look completely different. Look at that one, you see the different orientation of

“Yes?” he replied doubtfully.

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

lot about

rapped him on the

about the ants? They’re our saviours! Most

said, idly scratching at

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

leaning forward on his

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

quickly, my fellow citizens of Renewal. And I apologise humbly for interrupting your day, but this news

nodded to

him on

since Beyn was so good at talking in public his words

roared, his words rolling through the crowd

loved a good speech from Beyn. They were

TO ME DIRECTLY. WHISPERED WORDS OF GODLY WISDOM DIRECTLY INTO

got a strong reaction from the crowd, and even