Chrysalis

No problem. Not even a worry. Just play it cool.

[W-w-w-w-w-w-w-why w-w-w-w-w-would you s-s-s-s-s-say that?!]

Smooth. Rathwyn holds up both palms to show he comes in peace.

[There are a few tells. First of all, you are the only ant I’ve connected minds to who has a male mental voice.] He brings up a hand to point at his own temple. [Our mental voice is essentially the same as the voice we ‘think’ in. Every member of your family is female, and they all have female mental voices. I’ve exchanged words with a dozen of them at this market, but I’m willing to bet I won’t find another who sounds anything like you. Am I right?]

[W-w-w-w-wh-w-w-w-who can s-s-s-s-s-s-s-sa-say?]

Nice. Rathwyn goes on, despite my master level deception.

[There are simply too many aspects of the Colony that don’t make sense from the outside. Let’s assume a monster, born in the Dungeon, same as any other, found themselves in the unique position you did, able to manipulate the Queen’s core and having the Skills to do so. What do you think that theoretical monster would do?]

He waits for an answer patiently, and I try to unscramble my brain to give an unrevealing answer.

[Probably… make… smart ants? It seems… smart?]

I’m like a buttered snail. Too damn smooth!

[I disagree,] he states with a smile. [Monsters prioritise speed and strength, almost always. It’s only the more intelligent creatures that understand just how powerful an intellect can be. A regular ant, with regular evolutions, would never be smart enough to realise this. Now, a former human, born as an ant, with elevated intelligence compared to a regular monster? That’s a different matter entirely.

[Then, I only need to consider what the Colony is doing now.]

w-w-w-we

fall inside their territory. They do not, as a rule, develop their own flavours of tea.] He gives a slight

need to approach

I was

[What do you mean?]

conversation,

this story has been taken without

reason to believe me, but no. Scholars in the tower, and I don’t doubt elsewhere, have suspected your origins, but it's hard to be definitive without meeting you

if I’m a rare sample he’s waited decades to get his hands

known about people from outside Pangera

agree. [Every former human I’ve met has been… a little off balance, to put it mildly. Without intervention, I think all of them

isolation had already done a number on him by the time he was captured. Garralosh…. Better

notice you don’t include yourself in that list,] Rathwyn observes. [Is there a

Go crazy? No, I’d have been

[Why?]

[What do you mean?]

have lost your mind,

not sure I understand the

body they hated. My situation is completely different from

Gandalf chose me by mistake, but

they remain independent from outside