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

of the Legion is to protect people from the Dungeon,

regard her directly, the many lenses in his

are doing what you think is best to protect people. It’s the right goal, just the wrong target. But hey, I

going to hold it against her personally, but

you think. Am I a threat to the peace

him to put her on the spot, hitting right

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

right by the Colony, and

happened at the

out of the massive monster and he slumped to

That whole mess was disturbing

[Was? So it’s resolved?]

a long shot.

recovered his bounce alarmingly quickly, springing 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

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

he was probably right. [This is what you came for, right? You

she said,

her. It was clear the Colony was only

this above?] she asked. [I assume

invasion force is

[A million?!]

Morrelia,] he told her condescendingly. [We aren’t going to

walked over to a separate area where a group of ants were tending to hundreds of… strange… wobbly

her, [I love these guys. I don’t know why they turned out