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.]

are w-w-w-we d-d-d-doing

that fall

need to approach

if I was a human

[What do you mean?]

mages monitoring this conversation, waiting to throw me in

this story has been

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

altogether too interested as he looks up at me, as if I’m a rare sample he’s waited

study you, but I would love to ask some questions. We’ve known about people from outside Pangera being born into this world as monsters for

agree. [Every former human I’ve met has been… a little off balance, to put it

doubt. Jim was saved by the golgari, but he survived by hiding himself away. The isolation had already done a number on him by the time he was captured. Garralosh…. Better not to think of

include yourself in that list,] Rathwyn observes.

No, I’d have

[Why?]

[What do you mean?]

wouldn’t you have lost your mind, as you say everyone else would

not sure I

from theirs. Being alone, scraping by, trying to keep myself alive with only ants for company. That was life as

by mistake, but I’m

[I think I’m going to ensure that they remain independent from outside influence. The Colony is my family now, and I refuse to accept that they’ll become mindless warmachines in the service of some