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?

they were, they would simply revive. The Phoenix Flame had been so detrimental to their goals it had almost pushed them entirely out

followers had not given up hope. Not at all. The search went on until they found what

the best we could

her a rare core, nodding firmly

turned and scuttled out of the remote chamber they had stowed

was going to undo her mistake and find the evolution that would counteract their current evolution and its

gem within her body swelling and pressing against her insides. The pain was good; she welcomed and embraced it. This pain was nothing

Nothing.

she took a moment to centre herself. This would be a big evolution, the first of the Immortals to rise to tier seven. This time, she couldn't afford to make any mistakes. She would

forcing the rest of the Immortals to follow in her footsteps if she made

out for selfless sacrifice, achieving a sort of mandible-clenched focus. As she engaged the evolution menu, she flicked through the notifications until the

and she would digest each and every one fully and completely.

her

Evolution Options are

Enduring SoldierUnending WarriorUndying Commander

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 the details of each evolution, of course, the previous mistake couldn't be repeated. Yet she was hoping there would at least be something that seemed

Soldier of Endless Rebirth (Special)Unquenchable

names! Leeroy wasn't exactly sure what unquenchable would entail, but she knew it wasn't good. She wanted to be quenched! Fully quenched! Every day she spent in a less than satisfactorily

legs together like she saw the human priests do with

there HAS to be something in the

that refused to fade,