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

won’t apologise for it. The stated purpose of the Legion is to protect people from

her directly, the many lenses in his eyes gleaming

anything, you don’t run the Legion. I get that you lot are doing what you think is best to protect people. It’s

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

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

him to put her on the

stand firm against the Dungeon since the Cataclysm. There is tremendous

Colony,

happened at the

instant, all the energy was sucked out of the massive monster

about that…. That whole mess was

[Was? So it’s resolved?]

by a long shot. But that’s

alarmingly quickly, springing back up onto the tips of his legs. To have such a large monster moving so quickly right next

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

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

she said,

hard at work on a myriad of tasks around her. It was clear

working on this above?] she asked. [I assume this isn’t

laugh. [The initial invasion force is being prepped above.

[A million?!]

is the fifth stratum, Morrelia,] he told her condescendingly. [We aren’t going to make any progress being half-hearted about it. Here, take

where a group of ants were tending to hundreds of… strange… wobbly

love these guys. I don’t know why they turned