Chrysalis

“Be careful, Tribune. The monster may attempt to manipulate your thoughts.”

Morrelia frowned.

“I’ve received mental fortitude training and raised my Skills to the commander level,” she said evenly. “I will of course remain vigilant nevertheless. Thank you for your diligence, Legionary.”

[What’d he say?] Anthony’s voice echoed in her mind.

[They’re still worried you’ll manipulate me,] she sighed.

[I mean… is it possible to communicate in any way without allowing for the chance of manipulation? I’ve seen what the brathian do to people with just words. It’s not pretty.]

[You know as well as I do that a mind bridge allows for more than just communication. How did you defeat Garralosh again?]

[Ugh… I’d rather not remember, to be honest; that was nasty. Alright, this is the place.]

The ants’ forward operating base wasn’t anything special, yet. There were hundreds of carvers still working on it, and she knew full well what miracles they could accomplish.

[Are there really rooms in there for us?] she asked, a little sceptical.

[Of course! We’re an accommodating group of insects. Unlike your Legion.]

Morrelia felt a pang in her chest.

[Are you thinking of the bolts we shot at you?]

[Of course I am! While I was falling out of the sky as well. That’s such a cheap shot.]

a deep

apologise for it. The stated purpose of the Legion is to protect people from the Dungeon, and to

regard her directly, the many lenses in his eyes gleaming

people. It’s the right goal, just the wrong target. But hey, I don’t think I’ll ever convince the people who run your outfit of that,

At least he wasn’t going to hold it against her personally, but he wasn’t

know,] Anthony continued, [is what you think. Am

take long for him to put her on the spot, hitting right

firm against the Dungeon since the Cataclysm. There is tremendous value in it, yet… I still struggle to

you do right by the Colony, and we’ll do right by

happened at

an instant, all the energy was sucked out of the

Don’t talk about that…. That whole mess was

[Was? So it’s resolved?]

[not by a long shot.

To have such a large monster moving so quickly right next to her

into the

dismissed her concerns, and he was probably right. [This is what you came

right,] she said,

of ants, hard at work on a myriad of tasks around her. It was clear the Colony was only beginning to

many are working on this above?] she asked. [I assume

barked a laugh. [The initial invasion force is being prepped above. It’s going to be around

[A million?!]

told her condescendingly. [We aren’t going to make any progress being half-hearted about

to a separate area where a group of

wuffers,] Anthony told her, [I love these guys. I don’t know why