Chrysalis

Chapter 1261

It takes very little time for the Colony to get the stuff together. A bit more than an hour, I’m not going to lie, but not by much. Within thirty minutes, the goods start to flow through the gate, along with many of the Colony’s best carvers. Even Smithant shows up! The only thing that could drag her away from her forge is the possibility of learning new techniques from across the fourth.

The other thing that flows through the gate is reinforcements. Many, many reinforcements. It turns out that the Council members I spoke to, mostly via the Nave, were extremely supportive of the prospect of a diplomatic mission to the rest of the stratum, but with so many close allies undergoing evolution within the nest, they didn’t want to leave anything to chance.

Over the next few days, they plan to bring in tons of ants. Soldiers, generals, mages, carvers, the works. Within forty eight hours, the nest will be locked up tighter than Fort Knox if it were placed within another Fort Knox which was itself within a safe. The possibility of a repeat of my own evolution, awakening to find hunters attacking to try and claim my sweet, sweet mythic scalp, will not be allowed to take place.

Which is a relief.

Another problem quickly rears its head when it’s decided that some of the human allies of the Colony should be brought along as well. Enid, obviously, is the first name put forward, and she graciously accepts, but after that, we run into trouble. Big trouble.

[I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO BRAVE THE DANGERS OF THE UNENLIGHTENED IN ORDER TO SPREAD THE WORD OF YOUR LIGHT, GREAT ONE!]

[LOUD! Always with the loud! Dial it back a notch before you smack my brain with a hammer, would you?]

[I apologise… most humbly… GREAT—Great One. I am in control of myself.]

Somehow… I kind of doubt that. Despite his words, the guy is visibly trembling still, just from being around me. I look at the other humans, waiting for someone to step forward and take him away to a hospital or something, but for some reason, it never happens. Actually, I think there’s a few people there that I recognise…. I’ll have to have a few words with them later.

“Why are we thinking of bringing this guy along?” I complain to Victor. “If he meets with other humans, he’s just going to weird them out.”

The general rubs her antennae together.

don’t know when they’re… ‘weirded out’. The other humans put him forward as their representative, so we included

they did. They’re

Just please tell me we have some

Royal Road, this story should

the ant cavalry being deployed for the first time. We thought it would be a good idea to show just

in charge of

“Captain Bird, you mean?”

It's fine. I wouldn’t

at the two familiar

want those two

to a runner

the meantime, I reach out to the two golden

you two. Yes, it’s me, I’m right in

at them. The girl looks a bit stunned. The guy just

coming, and so

I excuse myself from the crowd and try to

out of the nest and travelling across the stratum. This is going to be stressful

I’ve spoken to them directly, which is that they prefer things, but

have to reveal myself?” comes

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