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

of the Legion is to protect people from the Dungeon,

to regard her directly, the

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

to hold it against her personally, but he

I’d like to know,] Anthony continued, [is what you

on the spot, hitting

since the Cataclysm. There is

Colony, and we’ll do

what happened at

was sucked out of the massive monster

talk about that…. That whole mess was disturbing and

[Was? So it’s resolved?]

darkly, [not by a long shot. But

back up onto the tips of his 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 the same creature she’d fought

you get any bigger, you’re going to have trouble fitting into the nests,] she observed as they

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

said,

It was clear

on this above?] she asked. [I

course not!] he barked a laugh. [The initial invasion force is being prepped above.

[A million?!]

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

a group of

the wuffers,] Anthony told her, [I love these guys. I don’t know why they turned out so