Chrysalis

“This… ‘Colony’. I don’t like it, Theraz, but it’s new, and new can be either good or bad for business. What I need to know, as soon as possible, is which it’s going to be.”

“Well, the first thing I can tell you is we aren’t going to be able to dislodge them easily.”

“Really? That mountain has changed hands so many times recently I was starting to think it was impossible to hold. First that tree had her roots all over it, then the ka’armodo seized it for whatever reason and now these ants are setting up shop! I don’t like it when others set up shops next to mine, Theraz.”

The Satrap didn’t get as disgustingly wealthy as he had by tolerating competition, after all.

“We are directing as many of the lake monsters as we can toward their fortifications, and so far they haven’t made a dent. Worse than that, since they’re monsters, all we’re really doing is flooding them with Biomass, experience and cores.”

“Are you suggesting we cease the siren song?” Umizen muttered, leaning his cheek against one of his hands. “Your father had the same thought.”

My father is a lot smarter when it comes to fighting.

It wouldn’t do to say so out loud, of course.

“Any and all matters regarding the Divine Guardian Beast are for you and you alone to decide on,” Theraz replied smoothly. “I am merely reporting the progress, or lack thereof, being made.”

“Fine,” the Satrap grumbled to himself. “After everything I’ve spent on her, you’d think she could deal with squishing a few ants.”

“She isn’t fighting,” Theraz reminded him, “she’s just using her song.”

“Should I send her up? Make a direct assault?”

suppressed a sigh. Anything expensive was an asset, and the Siren was incredibly expensive. His

good idea,” he replied. “I’ve seen… I’m not sure how to put this…. I’ve seen a very powerful ant monster, a Mythic one,

He shook his head.

and highly mutated. If there are more

the mention of the monster, both his cousin and uncle had leaned forward eagerly, though

Piris gasped. “Could

it’s valuable?” the Satrap breathed.

a jewel and I could feel the mana thundering in its core. Secondly, no. I could not beat it, certainly not alone, and capturing it would be even less likely, since that’s the only time it has come out of the mountain. Fighting through a fortress guarded by hundreds

Piris and her

Theraz shook his head.

a few weeks, you’d have a good deal of fear and respect for them, right? I implore the Satrap to not be blinded by what they are, but focus on what

brathian leaned his scaled cheek on

core. Every single one of them, and there’s hundreds

young man felt a chill run down

be alive, to enjoy

sat back with a

what your

agrees

and ‘what’s the point of taking a risk

are all valid

else taking it and supplanting our people from our dominant position in this area of the stratum. These

him. “If it comes down to it, my father and I will give our lives

for a few long moments before he