Chrysalis

The Colony has always been fascinated by the way the Class system interacts with their existence. The first new Class to come about as a direct result of the Colony was the Antmancer Class tree first unlocked by Beyn Naligic. Since that first breakthrough, there were numerous others, including the Antsistant Worker Tree, the Colony Militia Tree, and Ant Cavalry Tree.

However, by far the most mysterious was the Templar, somehow linked to the Eldest via a mechanism not fully understood. Only a select few were ever offered this Class, and it's believed that it only came about as a result of the Eldest's particular Evolutionary path, as opposed to the normal mechanisms of the System.

The Templars were in direct service to the Eldest, able to sense them wherever they were in the Dungeon. Although no ant was ever able to become a Templar, since it was a Class, which monsters cannot access, the Colony trusted them implicitly.

That was possibly an error.

- Excerpt from 'Evolutions Vs Classes. A study of the Colony' by Xinci

There are six Templars right now, one more statue having popped up in my Nave, and all of them are in attendance. They look like the training they received from the Torpor Police hasn't done them any harm. They're all looking cool, confident and in control.

I wonder what that's like?

I gesture to the three younger kids, and they step toward me, looking cool as iced cucumbers.

Welcome. Are you ready to contribute? I gesture to them.

Of course, they gesture back.

The three of them look so serious I almost want to clack my mandibles in laughter, but that would be rude. As if I'm going to throw these kids into the fight! That would be absurd. I don't care how much training they've done with the Nameless Ones, they can't be strong enough to battle down here in the fifth.

they can unlock new abilities. They have to be around me for that to happen, and hopefully the training they received is

tell them as much, and the

you, Eldest, and make our brethren in the Sanctum of Sleep proud, one

that arm wiggly talk," Jern

via osmosis, like I did. Sometimes it's useful having the collective Will of the Colony flowing into me. I

you will, I promise them, but safely. Even the

point toward a rather innocuous shadow not far away.

it without changing their expression, but I can tell they're

you, I assure them, as do I. But we also refuse to waste you. Such promising Nameless

explanation seems to placate them a little. I have to say, though, it'll be nice when they learn pheromonal language. The sign language of the Sanctum is neat and all, but at my size, it's a lot of work to move all six legs, my antennae and mandibles at the same time. Some of the poses are just straight up difficult! It's not my fault

while you're here, I should introduce you to some ants. Some useless, annoying ants.

…

Nothing.

down here, don't you dare refuse to come out when I ask

an ant appears on top

where the Krath could see. We are supposed to

defend me at all down here?" I scoff. "You can't tolerate the toxic mana, so what are you going to do? Wave me goodbye if I get

the same temporary mana bubbles that Sarah and the Immortals

Oh… oh!