Chrysalis

“You want me to go inside the mountain?” Isaac asked, surprised.

He turned and gazed out over the open waters toward the Legion fleet. It didn’t look like they were moving at all. Perhaps they had no plans to head ashore at this stop?

He turned back to the Eran.

“I’m good,” he said, smiling broadly and knuckling his moustache. “I like it out here on the water.”

But what if the Legion decided to dock later? It could happen.

“Check in with me again later, though,” he suggested, his eyes sliding back to the other fleet. “The situation might change.”

Eran Thouris, leader of the trade mission and head negotiator of the Brathian Island Conglomerate, fixed him with a hard stare. This was the kind of look that Isaac had become accustomed to over the years. When you said ‘no’ to a person whom you were in no position to refuse, they tended to give you this kind of look.

“Anthony has ordered it,” she said with finality. “You and your fellow cavalry men and women are to accompany a small team of carvers within the mountain. You are to organise and lead them. Begin now. We disembark in ten minutes.”

Plops.

Finally, he was close to Morrelia again, and she remained tantalisingly out of reach, just on the horizon, haunting his waking hours along with his sleeping ones. Sometimes he swore he saw her, standing proud on the deck of the lead Legion ship, like an all-conquering Queen of old.

Irritated, he stomped over to Anthony, still sprawled in the middle of the deck, idly waggling his antennae and generally being huge. Isaac still wasn’t sure exactly how he could speak using the ants’ pheromone language, he certainly hoped his Class change hadn’t blessed him with a new organ, but it worked somehow.

Talking to Cavalant had ensured he was proficient, as well. That ant was one hell of a critic.

“Did you really order me to go ashore?” he demanded of the giant monster.

didn’t turn around,

It’s the best way to keep our

then it was going to happen. The ants did

are you in charge, anyway? I don’t really understand how it

“I’m the oldest.”

“So?”

feel the mental sigh rolling off

been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on

the only reason you want

“Why small numbers?”

they came this far is to kill me, remember? The

stroked his moustache and pondered for a

“Do you think….?”

go ashore or not! Holy moly, Isaac. I swear your brain has gone to mush. Get

floating overhead thrashed and spat, no doubt saying something to Anthony via

focus, Isaac. I want my family to come back safe. That includes

without a choice, Isaac grumbled before turning around and heading below deck to find the rest of his squad. Cavalant was the

her antennae. “I don’t know why they bothered to tell you, the Eldest

Isaac sighed. “I think there’s going to be nothing but a road full of plops

concerns too quickly. “The Eldest is

to share their confidence at times. After all, when their minds connected, the giant monster who towered over him sounded so

all the ants

straight from the big guy himself. The golgari aren’t letting many

ship, across the wooden boards extended from the shore, and into a stone tunnel shaped into the side of the mountain. Within, the delegation found a welcoming party of