Chrysalis

Odren, the Father of Monsters, oldest and first amongst the Ancients, we beseech thee.

Grant us freedom from the prison that binds us.

Preserve us from the creations of your power.

Watch over and protect us with your omnipresent sight.

Save us from ourselves.

- Prayer of the Cult of Origin

Lost in my own thoughts, the next few hours blow past without me really noticing. The Colony finished setting everything up, setsulah arkesh came and haggled over everything, mostly the jewellery, also the end table, then it was time to pack up again.

The only thing that really jolted me out of my thoughts was when the table in question was eventually purchased. As the winning setsulah claimed the prize on behalf of his ka’armodo, he decided to open the drawers to make a full inspection of the purchase, only to recoil in surprise when a demon sprang loose.

Uncoiling himself and leaping in one smooth motion, Odin bellowed his fury, blade arms flashing with murderous red light.

[Anthony! I’m coming for your head!]

I swatted him out of the air with my mandibles.

I could have

Odin was rounded up without any further incident,

of the ka’armodo, Desert Basin, has come to an end. Oddly enough, without any

happens to turn into an unmitigated disaster in

me, this so-called Truth. Is there an option where

been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon,

I find Odren… and bite his leg until he releases me from the Call? Perhaps the best solution is that I help raise another monster to the position of Ancient,

This is too much for my poor aching brains, I’m not built

know more. There’s nothing they can do about any of this in the present moment, and the Colony has enough things to worry about. Securing territory, bulking up our defences, training more young,

flow from this trade will be a wonderful supplement to our own

we can see about

get our trade fleet back on the water. The nest is torn down in short order and the column of ants once again marches through the port streets, tons and tons of ant goods gripped in

long, every one of my siblings is once again stuffed below decks and I am back in place, balanced on the deck of the large, wide tub while the brathian crew works around me. There’s a lot that goes into getting a ship like this to move the way they want it to, even after magic gets involved. Lots of ropes and pulleys, climbing,

of the crew with my antennae accidentally. And apologising to

which was clearly my mistake. I had no idea you were in the end

unleashed rivers of blood for lesser insults than

wriggles violently, attempting to lash out, but suspended above my head in his own

on, let it go. We are out on the water, sailing! Great big