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.]

took a deep

apologise for it. The stated purpose of the Legion is to protect people from the Dungeon, and to that end, they’ve determined you shouldn’t be allowed to

ant turned to regard her directly, the many lenses in his eyes

It’s the right goal, just the wrong target. But hey, I don’t think I’ll ever convince

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

know,] Anthony continued, [is what you think. Am I a threat to the

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

us stand firm against the Dungeon since the Cataclysm. There

Colony, and we’ll do

what happened at

all the energy was sucked out of the massive monster

That whole

[Was? So it’s resolved?]

Anthony muttered darkly, [not by a long shot. But that’s not

legs. To have such a large monster moving so quickly right next to her was unnerving, to say the least. It was hard to believe this was

trouble fitting into the nests,] she observed as they walked toward the

and he was probably right. [This is what you came for, right? You want to know

said, looking around

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

working on this above?] she

is being prepped above. It’s going to be around a million

[A million?!]

is the fifth stratum, Morrelia,] he told her condescendingly. [We aren’t going to make any

over to a separate area where a group of ants were tending to

these guys. I don’t know why they turned out so