Chrysalis

No matter how she tried, Enid couldn’t keep the smile from her face, so she eventually stopped trying. The legendary Silver City, heartbeat of the most populous stratum of the Dungeon, had turned out to see the Colony go to work, and go to work they did.

Ants were everywhere, forging, chopping, carving, shaping, using their Skills honed through evolution, mutation, and most importantly, relentless hours of experimentation and practice. Around every stall was a small crowd of fascinated onlookers, watching, enthralled, as the monsters displayed their wares and abilities, a brathian merchant close at hand to smile and speak, avarice gleaming beneath the surface.

And it was working. Deals were being struck everywhere. People were walking away with goods tucked under their arms and satisfied expressions, merchants were haggling for distribution rights left and right. In the middle of it all, Eran found her, looking like the cat who got the cream.

“It’s all going well, then?” Enid laughed.

“Fabulously,” the brathian purred, eyes alight with the glow of gold. “Our reputation has preceded us, and the people are flocking to see what all the fuss is about.”

Enid’s eyes widened as she finally realised what had been happening.

“You expected Anthony to cause issues at the previous stops?”

By the time they reached this destination, the final and most critical of the trip, word of mouth had done the advertising for them! The crowds around Anthony weren’t just there to see a powerful monster up close, they wanted to see the monster who’d done such damage to Greystone, out-pettied the Magpei, and gone undefeated amongst the Folk.

“Well, I didn’t expect him to destroy half a mountain,” Eran scowled, “but yes, we anticipated that there would be some… activity… that would help to build a little buzz by the time we arrived here.”

“You weren’t worried his antics would scare people off instead?”

gamble, and one we thought we’d lost after Greystone. Yet, even that worked in our favour.” She looked around at the crowd with satisfaction. “I knew if

truth. Enid doubted the ants, especially Anthony, had any idea just how much wealth they were about to receive as a result of their trade. A flood of cores would flow into their nests, fuelling the growth of generations of ants. Perhaps it would only make a dent against

been misappropriated; report any instances of this

satisfied with the trip, then?” she asked the

done about as well as we could have hoped,” Eran replied, narrowing her eyes

be out there, trading more directly, like you have

The purple-scaled brathian smirked.

me directly. They’ll avoid exchanging words with me like others avoid disease. After my people have settled on preliminary terms, they’ll turn negotiations over to me. I can’t be cut out of the process entirely, since I have final say on all contracts involving the

for her people stretched and sat down next to the older human. Enid scooted over a touch to make space and they both

you for allowing me to accompany the trade mission,” Enid said. “It’s been… a

Eran brushed her away.

don’t need to be thanking me at all; the Colony

allowed it, so

and watched the bustle around them, an island of

than just currency. Little moments, small interactions, a meeting of cultures,