Chrysalis

"This is our chance," Leeroy hissed. "We can't mess it up again."

"Shhh!" her second in command, Hamadant shushed, waving her antennae to dispense the scent faster. "We don't know who might be paying attention."

The two looked around surreptitiously, then paused, then inspected the shadows beneath their feet. Leeroy went as far as to prod her own shadow with an antenna.

"I think we're in the clear," she said, dubious.

"We don't have much time," Hamadant said. "Artaxant said the armour will be repaired in less than a day."

"The evolution might take longer than that," Leeroy fretted. "What if it's not finished in time?"

"We have to take this chance," Hamadant stated, emphatic. "It was your idea, and we all agreed."

"Mufasant was particularly keen," Leeroy muttered. "She trampled over all our doubts."

"If any of us evolve with supervision, they're going to demand we explain our options and choose them for us," Hamadant said. "Our only chance is for one of us to evolve in secret and find the right option for the rest of us to pick, and you're the only one who's reached max level. We're counting on you, Leeroy."

Member of the Council, among the oldest of all the ants in the Colony, leader of the Immortals and constant disappointment to the Eldest, Leeroy felt her heart swell with powerful emotions as her second in command placed a leg on her carapace and spoke so earnestly.

All they wanted to do was sacrifice themselves for the Colony. Was that so wrong? Was it such a bad thing to be so dedicated, to listen to what their instincts told them?

it wasn't! Thanks to the mistake they'd made when evolving to tier six, they'd become trapped, too durable to be defeated, and even if they were, they would simply revive. The Phoenix Flame had been so detrimental to their goals it had almost pushed them entirely out of reach. Whenever the Immortals found themselves in a position that was dire enough for them to be defeated the first time, the Colony

at all. The search went on until they

this. It was the best we could

nodding firmly as Leeroy took it in her

turned and scuttled out

her resolve. This was a chance; she was going to undo her mistake and find the evolution that would counteract their current evolution and its cursed Phoenix Flame

Leeroy began to absorb the core, feeling its energy being added to her own, the gem within her body swelling and pressing against her insides. The pain was good; she welcomed and embraced it. This pain was nothing compared to her burning will, her defining ambition. When weighed against her need

Nothing.

fully absorbed, she took a moment to centre herself. This would be a big evolution, the first of the Immortals to

already imagine the Eldest laughing at her, forcing the rest of the Immortals to

evolution menu, she flicked through the notifications until the list of possible species appeared. She honed in on each item, reading each

would digest each and every one fully and

herself. For her followers. For the

Evolution Options

Enduring SoldierUnending WarriorUndying Commander

good start. Even looking at the names, things didn't seem promising on the surface. Hopefully there was something better in the special or rare options. She would check

Soldier of Endless Rebirth (Special)Unquenchable Flame of

entail, but she knew it wasn't good. She wanted to be quenched! Fully quenched! Every day she spent in a less than satisfactorily quenched state was a fresh

front legs together like she saw the human

HAS to be something

a hope that refused to fade,