Chrysalis

Morrelia watched the brathian fleet sailing in the distance. She’d watched Anthony’s confrontation with the Phoenix of Light with bated breath, certain she was about to watch the bizarre monster meet his end. Fearful of invoking the Child-Emperor’s wrath, the fleet had sat at anchor, unwilling to intervene as the fight played out.

How to explain the complicated emotions she felt? Anthony was… less of a monster and… though it was difficult to admit… something of a friend. She’d spent a fair bit of time with him on the surface, and he’d never done anything other than be helpful and conscientious. Even if his behaviour was… eccentric, to say the least.

As she’d watched his body fall, she’d felt… sad. It was a shame, and a waste of potential, to see him be snuffed out like that. What would happen to the Colony, with their guiding light extinguished? Who would account for the incredible things that monster would have achieved in the future? He’d stated the Colony was going to cleanse the fifth with such certainty she’d begun to think the impossible might just become possible. The doubt of others had never stopped those ants before.

More personally, she had begun to mourn someone that she had begun to think of as just a good person. Nobody in command could tell her why the tier seven mythic monster had decided to charge headlong into one of the most secure locations in all of Pangera, but she could guess. When she’d been asked to speculate on the possible motivations of the giant ant, she’d said as much. Almost nothing motivated Anthony to battle more than the safety of his family.

Commander Chyron had scowled at her words, but eventually, she was proven correct. An ant had been abducted in the city, the authorities confirmed it themselves.

“What they won’t tell me,” Chyron growled, “is if they’ve checked to see if it’s alive.”

The Legion’s mages had been busy communicating with the Legion fort stationed in the Golden City. After an incident like this, she was certain the diplomatic corps would be working their guts out, but answers were always slow to come from the bureaucracy.

“Have our own Dungeon seers checked?” Morrelia asked, confused.

They had some on board, surely they could tell without having to rely on anyone else.

“One says yes and one says no,” Chyron replied shortly.

stocky commander stared down at the map in front of her. The markers indicating

he’s alive, his lifeforce is so weak it’s difficult to check. The mages of the Tower are declining to check, and for

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provide an answer, commander.” A new figure stepped up to the

hair, he was average in almost every way except for his talent with mana and a knack

me, Joshen,” Chyron grunted,

definition of good,” the middle-aged soldier replied. “What I do have, is an explanation. I’ve been speaking

Morrelia’s brows rose.

didn’t think you were that well connected,

The mage shrugged lightly.

about it. I described our difficulty getting information out of the Tower, and she told me the likely reason. It’s not

Chyron barked. “What in the name of the

tell, the Child-Emperor ordered Rammon the Phoenix

we watched it happen,” Morrelia said

the context that matters. The Child-Emperor ordered the monster to die and the guardian beast responded. So… for the

seen as doubting the power of their ruler, who they definitely don’t want to offend,” Chyron finished sourly. She rubbed at her temples for a long

in her chest, but she didn’t let it spark into a flame

own mages refusing to check on the same grounds? We have