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

Legion is to protect people from the Dungeon, and to that end, they’ve determined you shouldn’t be allowed

her directly, the many

anything, you 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

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

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

didn’t take long for him to put her on the spot,

since the Cataclysm. There

by the Colony, and we’ll do right by

at the

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

That whole mess was disturbing and

[Was? So it’s resolved?]

a long shot. But that’s not why you’re

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

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

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

she said, looking

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

on this above?]

not!] he barked a laugh. [The initial invasion force is being prepped above. It’s going

[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 a

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

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