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

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

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

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

going to hold it against her personally,

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

him to put her on the spot,

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

by the Colony, and we’ll do right by

at

of

about that…. That whole mess was disturbing

[Was? So it’s resolved?]

muttered darkly, [not by a long

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 alongside so

into the nests,]

probably right. [This is what you came for, right? You want to know how we’re

said, looking

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

on this above?] she

laugh. [The initial invasion force is being

[A million?!]

told her condescendingly. [We aren’t going to make

group

love these guys. I don’t know why they turned out so happy, but