Chapter 2917 - Chry 124

The world itself is screaming as the gravity bomb warps reality around itself, but it hasn't even expanded yet. I ignore everything happening above me, since I can't do anything about it anyway. Either the phoenix of light will overcome the spell, or it won't.

I mean, I certainly hope I'm not responsible for the death of the guardian beast of the golden city. I get the feeling a few people might get a little mad about that. Not to mention, he seems like a pretty good chap. For a bird.

I mean, he almost came out and told me that he would save my sibling if he could, though not in as many words. However, he can't let me through, which means he's an obstacle to saving my sister. Which means he has to be removed.

I put the fate of the phoenix out of my mind and send it inwards. That steady trickle of Will continues to pour in from the captive, still the same as before. It's a confusing jumble of pain and fear, still growing weaker and weaker, though slowly. So slowly. As if her Will itself were being sapped away, piece by piece.

What sort of insane atrocity is being committed down there?! Do they really think they can get away with it!?

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWLLLLL!!!!!

The bomb screams towards its target. Rammon leans his head forward once more, beak open wide.

One moment, the beam of light isn't there, the next it is. A dozen metres thick, it projects itself for kilometres, blasting a sizzling trail through the sky of the fourth. Somewhere, in the heart of it, the bomb continues to propel itself forward.

He's trying to burn away the densely packed mana inside the spell, and he's doing a heck of a job, but it's not going to be enough. The bomb doesn't quite reach the giant monster before it expands, but it's close enough to put the bird in serious trouble.

Weaker than the one that devastated Greystone, it's still enormous. With a rumble, the entire mountain shakes, waves begin to rise and even I feel the pull of it. Redoubling my efforts, I focus on the well I'm manipulating and use it to keep myself moving forward. I wouldn't be surprised if the golden city gets ripped in half as a result of this spell, but that's none of my business. I didn't want it to come to this, but they left me no choice.

A piercing cry splits the air, penetrating through even the endless screaming of the wind, and I can't help but focus toward the great phoenix. With another beat of his wings, Rammon cries out again and begins to gather light into himself. In seconds, he's too bright to look at, not that I have a choice, and he only grows more radiant.

The gravity bomb, a void of pure black, and Rammon, an incandescent figure of light, hang opposed to each other in the air.

Then something incredible happens. Rammon leans forward, and pushes himself towards the bomb. In an instant, he begins to be absorbed, sucked within the void and crushed, and the vast amount of energy he conjured goes in with him. First his head and neck are drawn in, then the pull catches hold and starts to drag in the rest of him, wings, body, tail.

He's literally trying to consume the bomb with his own body?! What the heck?!

More and more light is pushed into the bomb, and unbelievably, it grows dimmer and dimmer, shrinking in size as it consumes the phoenix. Such a vast amount of mana and energy is being funnelled into it, and so rapidly, the bomb can't eat it all!

Over the course of ten seconds, Rammon is consumed, until every speck of him is gone, and so is the bomb.

The screaming subsides, the shaking is gone, the waves grow still, but also, the light is gone. Where the phoenix had been, there is now a void, and the light of the city seems that much more dim.

I didn't expect him to go ahead and do that. Heck. I mean, he saved the city, there's pretty much no damage at all, but at what cost? At least there's nothing left to stop me from getting into that cathedral. I can't help but feel irritated by the Child-Emperor, who I assume is the master of the guardian beast. You could have just saved my sibling, and your loyal pet wouldn't have had to suffer like this. Why make things difficult?

[I AM NOW ORDERED TO DESTROY YOU.]

Oh snap! Rammon? How?!

[BUT I AM LOATH TO CARRY OUT THIS COMMAND. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO MAKE THE ATTEMPT, SO I WILL EMPLOY THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF FORCE I BELIEVE WILL END YOUR LIFE, AND HOPE YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE.]

Light explodes in front of me. I get a flicker of an impression of feathers, wings, a majestic beak and deep, all-knowing eyes.

Oh, right, it's a freakin' Phoenix. Of course you can't just kill it once.

Then my world is enveloped in light and fire.

-x-X-x-

It's not possible to overstate just how large an impact the incident at the Golden City had upon the Colony. For their part, the people of Atreum paid it little mind. From their point of view, the great and glorious defender of the capital had annihilated a pesky upstart, an ant gone rogue and acting alone. With the death of the offender, the empire was placated and reassured of their overwhelming power.

To the Colony, they took a very different approach. It was never confirmed which individual attacked the city, or why. Even though they continued to trade through the brathian merchant conglomerates, and even though they, on the surface, enjoyed friendly relations with the Silver City, never again did any ant set a single leg inside the city.

- Excerpt from 'Ant Relations' by Wattford.

Enid watched Anthony fall with horror. The phoenix faded away, the light fading and returning to the golden city from which it had come. Slowly, the eternal cloud returned, a halo that ringed the Atreum capital and home of the Child-Emperor.

From a great height, the enormous ant plummeted down. Even from this distance, Enid could see the smoke trail he left behind, a dark greasy stain that followed after him and stained the sky.

"We have to go and get him!" she pleaded to Eran, who had watched the entire exchange with a grim, stone-faced expression.

"It depends on where he falls," she replied shortly.

Enid turned to glare at her with stricken eyes.

"What do you mean?!"

"If he falls too close to the walls, he will land in the exclusion zone. We can't sail within a kilometre of the wall without permission."

"Damn their permission, that is my friend."

"This is my fleet. I will not risk my people! After the guardian beast of Atreum has emerged, the entire city will be like a nest kicked by a hornet! We'll be lucky if they don't sail out and claim him regardless of where he lands!"

Enid turned back and watched as the giant ant traced a downward arc. As far as she could tell, he hadn't moved.

"It may not matter," she said bitterly, "he may not even be alive."

"I certainly hope that isn't the case," Eran said softly. "I have grown fond of him myself, but what he did here could be interpreted as an act of war against the largest empire in the fourth stratum. We must be careful."

It wasn't unreasonable, but Enid had heard enough. She knew Anthony well enough to know he wouldn't have done such a thing without good reason. She turned back to the rail and gripped it tight with both hands.

Slowly, the fleet began to shift and sail towards where Anthony was likely to land, but they were still far away when he finally made contact with the surface of the lake. There was a tremendous splash, a ferocious hiss of steam, and he began to sink below the surface. All the while, the brathian mages were in constant dialogue with the city. Apparently the request was being buried in bureaucracy, as was always the case in a place as large as this. Irisod and Olivis were hunched over together, locked in whispered conversation as they negotiated mentally with the Atreum mages.

"Are we going to get him?" Enid demanded. "I can't believe we are just watching him sink to his death!"

Who knew what monsters could have been lurking just below the surface? They'd feast on him in his weakened state! Eran seemed to anticipate her concerns.

"There are no monsters this close to the capital," she told her, eyes locked on the nearby mages. "Atreum ensures the waters remain safe at all times." She paused. "Except for during a wave."

It was an anxious wait, and Enid was joined on the deck by Smithant and Cobalt, who stood alongside her, an antenna each resting on her shoulders as the ship drew closer to where Anthony had fallen.

"They've given us permission to collect Anthony's remains," Irisod the court mage informed Eran quietly.

[The Eldest is still alive,] Cobalt informed Enid quickly. [We are very confident of that.]

[Oh,] Enid said, her mental voice catching. [That's good.]

It took an hour for the brathian divers and mages to bring him up and get him aboard the ship. It wasn't easy to move something as large and ungainly as a giant ant, but the brathians' water-manipulating skills were unmatched. A fountain erupted by the side of the ship, raising the wounded monster up and depositing him upon the deck.

He was a horrific sight. His carapace, normally a beautiful, purple diamond, was burnt and cracked. Several of his legs were completely gone, and only half an antenna remained. His eyes were the worst of it, and it was clear he was completely blind.

But he was alive.

[Thanks… for picking me up,] he told them all quietly.

He sounded beyond exhausted. He radiated misery. It was clear he wanted to be left alone, but the Eran asked him questions anyway, drawing disapproving looks from Enid.

[How did you survive?] she asked. [I thought for certain you would be killed.]

Anthony didn't answer for a long time, but eventually he did.

[The phoenix…] he said heavily. [Rammon… he wanted me to… to live.]

[But why?] Eran pestered him, shocked.

Anthony didn't reply. His one remaining stub of antenna turned toward the city, and he wouldn't respond to anyone.

Unable to get any more information, the Eran could only accept it and turn the fleet around. It was time to go home.

-x-X-x-

Beyn didn't know what to think, or what to say. The Great One had risen high, taken the fight against the Phoenix of Light, although for reasons Beyn couldn't understand.

When the Great One had launched his mighty spell and swallowed the light, Beyn had felt as if his eyes were about to leap from his head. Was this truly the declaration of war, committing the New Path against the old?! Was the famed defender of Atreum about to fall, allowing for the rise of a new power?

Visions had flashed before his eyes, images of triumph, of despair, of misery and joy. His heart had soared as he imagined the glory of the crusade to come, even as he wept for the pain and suffering that would surely spread, the darkness that would smother the land before the dawn would come.

Yet, it wasn't to be. The Phoenix had been reborn in a blinding cascade of light, the Great One had been enveloped in flames. The rest was, as they say, history.

How could he describe the emotions that had overwhelmed him as he watched the Great One fall? That was the physical manifestation of his faith, a living deity, a creature who had been touched by divine providence. He had rocked an entire mountain to its foundations to defend his people, performed miracle after miracle, but now, he had been defeated? Was it possible for the New Path to fail?

As the hours dragged by, he sat on the deck, a respectful distance away from the slowly recovering ant, watching. After a time, Jern and Alis came to sit alongside him.

With the conclusion of the voyage, there should have been a glad and celebratory air around the fleet. Instead, it felt like a funeral. There was little conversation, the ants did not move much, the brathians kept to themselves.

Sailors and mages saw to their duties with only scattered, hushed words exchanged. Winds were summoned and directed into the sails, waters were driven along the sides of the ships. The fleet moved at incredible speed, every ship raising a plume of white spray in their wake.

"I don't… I don't understand what happened," Beyn confessed finally. His one remaining hand was clutched to his chest, as if trying to hold in the fear which had blossomed there. "That the Great One… could lose… I'm not sure what it means."

The two paladins didn't respond immediately. After some consideration, it was Jern who decided to speak.

"He's sad," he said simply.

Beyn was confused.

"Who is?"

Jern nodded toward where Anthony, still horrifically injured, remained motionless, slowly healing.

"The Great One. I can get a vague sense, a faint impression, of what he's feeling. He's sad."

Alis was reluctant to speak, but she frowned at Jern's words and couldn't contain herself.

"I'm not sure 'sad'... goes far enough," she said quietly, looking at the motionless ant with complicated emotions in her eyes. "He's… he's grieving. Deeply."

This was an even more shocking revelation to Beyn. Grieving? Grieving what? The loss? Jern seemed to anticipate his next question. The huge man rolled his shoulders and spoke.

"I wasn't sure either at first, so I went and asked the ants."

"You didn't tell me that," Alis objected.

"Well… I'm telling you now… I guess. One of the ants went missing in the city. Nobody seems sure just how it happened, or who exactly was taken, but the Colony is of the opinion one of them was… abducted… and the Great One went to get them back."

The one-armed priest listened intently to every word Jern said, but when the young man had finished speaking, he still didn't seem capable of processing what had been said.

An ant… abducted? Who would do such a thing? And why? Such sacrilege! A desecration! An unspeakable insult thrown directly in the face of the New Path! Rage burned within his chest, hot flames that threatened to ignite his entire self in righteous fire.

And the Great One! They had thrown themselves unflinchingly into the mouth of danger, dared to rise against the entire Atreum empire for the sake of a single member of the blessed family. Such selflessness! Such devotion! And now they suffered grief as deep as the oceans themselves, unable to save their precious family member! Great sorrow welled within the priest, enough to drown the flames of anger and plunge him into fathomless melancholy.

Then a thought occurred to him. A dark, terrible thought. One that caused the breath to freeze in his lungs and turned the blood in his veins to ice.

"Tell me more of this Colony," the Great Priest had smiled, "I am fascinated to learn more of them."

Him? Had it been HIM?! The Church of the Path considered all monsters to be resources, to be offerings, intended to uplift the mortals of Pangera. Why would he have been interested in the Colony for any other reason? Beyn had been all too happy to answer his questions, to share in the miracle, even in a small way. And yet… AND YET!

With a strangled cry of rage and despair, the priest shot to his feet and ripped his robe off. With only one arm, this was a bit of a struggle, but such was his frenzy that he swiftly achieved it, then he turned and roared at the now vanishing Silver City in the distance. Such a cry drew every eye, as it contained such anger, such sadness, such a depth of betrayal, that it brought a tear to the eye of all who heard it.

Then he sprinted at the railing and flung himself into the water.

After the brathians had fished him out and returned him to the deck, he lay gasping on the wooden boards, tears streaming down his face as Jern and Alis hovered over him.

The Old Path must be destroyed, he vowed to himself in his heart. I will never rest until it has been torn down completely, until not a single brick of that institution rests upon another.

The Great One would be acknowledged as the true saviour of this world. Beyn could accept nothing less.

-x-X-x-

The Seneschal was a reserved man, usually. In this particular moment, he found he was having difficulty maintaining his smooth-faced facade, such was the anger bubbling away inside him. As he stood in the antechamber within the Great Cathedral, observers noted the man was tapping on his right leg with a single finger, though he seemed unaware of it.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

A regular rhythm for a regular man. The Seneschal represented order, represented stability. To have his gaze fall upon you in anger meant you had disturbed the sacred balance of peace within the Golden City.

One should never disturb the peace within the Golden City.

When at last the door opened and the Grand Priest emerged, radiating satisfaction, the Seneschal finally snapped. With two great strides, he crossed the distance between them and, without warning, sunk his fist deep into the priest's gut.

Though he wasn't a low level, far from it, Alir Vinting immediately doubled over, his face twisting in pain as he gasped and spluttered, eventually falling to his knees. The Holy Knights who had escorted him within the building snatched up their weapons and moved to advance, but they halted in their tracks as the Seneschal turned his glare on them.

The urge to spit on the priest, or kick him while he was down, was overwhelming, but with great effort of will, the Seneschal mastered himself and turned his back. To occupy his hands as much as anything else, he smoothed his golden robes and adjusted the sleeves, ensuring no spittle had dirtied the pristine garment.

After a minute of groaning and spluttering, the priest managed to suck in enough air to release a pained chuckle.

"I take it the Child-Emperor was not pleased with my unilateral intervention?"

Another flash of anger seared through the Seneschal, but he let it burn itself out before he replied.

"You have no idea what occurred outside, do you?" he asked.

Alir Vinting, Grand Priest of the Path, shook his head. "I have been concentrating on the extraction ritual, which only just completed," he said.

Wordlessly, the Seneschal strode across the room and sat, indicating the priest should sit opposite him. Alir hesitated for a moment, irritated at this official of the crown ordering him about within the sacred Cathedral of his order, but he couldn't exactly protest the behaviour of the emperor's Seneschal, even if the man punched him square in the face. The gut wasn't even worth mentioning. Without a word, he walked to the chair and sat, resting his hands on the small table between them.

"I'm glad to catch you then, before you have had a chance to report to the Cardinals. I suppose they had granted you leave to undertake this action?" the Seneschal asked.

Alir raised his brows.

"Of course, my lord Seneschal. Even I would not be so bold as to commit such an act without the blessing of my superiors."

"One would hope," the Seneschal replied mildly, "you would recall that within this city, your superiors include the royal court, and the Child-Emperor above all."

Grand Priest Alir bowed low in his seat.

"Of course, I meant no offence," he said smoothly, despite the radiating pain through his gut, "I only intended to say I would not act on church matters without the approval of my superiors within the order."

He smiled ingratiatingly.

"If I may, could I enquire as to what occurred outside that has… disturbed the Emperor so?"

"Don't misunderstand," the Seneschal said, "the Child-Emperor is not disturbed… the Child-Emperor is furious."

Despite all that had preceded this moment, only now did the Grand Priest feel a hint of true danger. The Church of the Path was a welcome and esteemed friend of Atreum, but also existed in some form or another across the entirety of Pangera. They were not without power, far from it. Acting against the will of the Golden City in small matters wasn't much of an issue, but how would abducting a single ant monster possibly anger the Child-Emperor so?

"The ants noticed what you had done," the Seneschal told him. "Rather quickly too. They found out even before the Court. We aren't sure exactly how."

Alir suppressed the urge to shrug. What did it matter if they found out? They couldn't do anything.

"The tier seven took particular offence at your actions, and decided to attack the Cathedral."

Alir tried not to laugh. He wore the expression of a man who had been told a sheep had attempted to bite the face of a lion. He was bewildered.

"I assume the offending creature was struck down instantly," he said, leaning forward in his seat. "Might I inquire as to what happened to the remains?"

If he could put his hands on the body, there would be a wealth of knowledge that could be extracted. A pity the experience had already been claimed. How much elixir could they extract from such a creature?

"It was indeed struck down," the Seneschal said, "but only after it forced Rammon to reincarnate."

The final words were stated with the finality of the headsman's axe. Only now did the Priest realise just how much danger he was in. Immediately, he bowed his head low, touching the table.

"I sincerely apologise if my actions, or those of the church, have led to this painful outcome. My sympathies are with the Child-Emperor at this time."

The Seneschal openly glared at him. It wasn't common knowledge just how the guardian beast was tied to the golden city, but it was known he drew his power from the Heart Gold the city itself was made with. To reform himself, the beast needed to draw deep on the energy contained within the metal, weakening it. It was basically the same as spitting in the Child-Emperor's face.

As much as he would love to try and deflect the blame onto the ants themselves, Alir knew it was useless. The Church of the Path would be blamed for this incident, no matter what he did. Even from the grave, that detestable monster was reaching out to strangle them!

The Seneschal reached out a hand, and Alir looked at it blankly.

"The Elixir," the Seneschal said shortly. "Give it to me."

Several emotions flickered across the grand priest's face, but he settled finally on acceptance. He stood, walked back into the adjoining room, then returned again with a shining goblet held reverently in his hands.

Despite his anger, the Seneschal was visibly shocked.

"You gained this much from a single ant?" he breathed.

Alir grinned triumphantly.

"They are rich in experience and energy, these ants. Just imagine how much could be harvested from the entire colony. This city would drown in Elixir."

It was hard for the priest to keep the overwhelming want from his voice. This colony represented an unprecedented offering from the Dungeon to the peoples of Pangera. To not harvest it in full would be sacrilegious! He already knew what the cardinals would say on the matter. A Crusade would occur, the only issue was when.

The Seneschal took the cup, and cut the priest's hopes down.

"Atreum has no desire to engage in conflict of any kind while the threat of the rising Waves is upon us," he informed Alir. "I will meet with the cardinals next and tell them the same. Any action, any action, that could bring conflict of any kind to our doorstep, will be seen as an act of treachery against the Child-Emperor. Have I made myself clear?"

The priest bit his tongue. He could wait for his moment.

"Of course, Lord Seneschal," he said, bowing low.

The servant of the emperor turned and took his leave, cup of golden elixir held firmly in his hands.

-x-X-x-

Morrelia watched the brathian fleet sailing in the distance. She'd watched Anthony's confrontation with the Phoenix of Light with bated breath, certain she was about to watch the bizarre monster meet his end. Fearful of invoking the Child-Emperor's wrath, the fleet had sat at anchor, unwilling to intervene as the fight played out.

How to explain the complicated emotions she felt? Anthony was… less of a monster and… though it was difficult to admit… something of a friend. She'd spent a fair bit of time with him on the surface, and he'd never done anything other than be helpful and conscientious. Even if his behaviour was… eccentric, to say the least.

As she'd watched his body fall, she'd felt… sad. It was a shame, and a waste of potential, to see him be snuffed out like that. What would happen to the Colony, with their guiding light extinguished? Who would account for the incredible things that monster would have achieved in the future? He'd stated the Colony was going to cleanse the fifth with such certainty she'd begun to think the impossible might just become possible. The doubt of others had never stopped those ants before.

More personally, she had begun to mourn someone that she had begun to think of as just a good person. Nobody in command could tell her why the tier seven mythic monster had decided to charge headlong into one of the most secure locations in all of Pangera, but she could guess. When she'd been asked to speculate on the possible motivations of the giant ant, she'd said as much. Almost nothing motivated Anthony to battle more than the safety of his family.

Commander Chyron had scowled at her words, but eventually, she was proven correct. An ant had been abducted in the city, the authorities confirmed it themselves.

"What they won't tell me," Chyron growled, "is if they've checked to see if it's alive."

The Legion's mages had been busy communicating with the Legion fort stationed in the Golden City. After an incident like this, she was certain the diplomatic corps would be working their guts out, but answers were always slow to come from the bureaucracy.

"Have our own Dungeon seers checked?" Morrelia asked, confused.

They had some on board, surely they could tell without having to rely on anyone else.

"One says yes and one says no," Chyron replied shortly.

The stocky commander stared down at the map in front of her. The markers indicating the brathian fleet were drawing further away each moment. A handy piece of enchanting.

"Working theory is that if he's alive, his lifeforce is so weak it's difficult to check. The mages of the Tower are declining to check, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why."

"I think I can provide an answer, commander." A new figure stepped up to the table, having just entered the captain's quarters.

Joshen, another tribune, placed in charge of the mages in this Legion. With a plain face and rust-coloured hair, he was average in almost every way except for his talent with mana and a knack for getting the infamously difficult-to-wrangle mages to pull in the same direction.

"I hope you've got good news for me, Joshen," Chyron grunted, not looking up from the map.

"Depends on your definition of good," the middle-aged soldier replied. "What I do have, is an explanation. I've been speaking to an old friend of mine who has an academic position in the tower."

Morrelia's brows rose.

"I didn't think you were that well connected, Joshen."

The mage shrugged lightly.

"I know a smart lady, that's about it. I described our difficulty getting information out of the Tower, and she told me the likely reason. It's not a practical issue, but a… cultural one?"

"Cultural?" Chyron barked. "What in the name of the Iron Mountain are you on about?"

"From what we can tell, the Child-Emperor ordered Rammon the Phoenix to kill our target."

"That seems obvious, we watched it happen," Morrelia said softly.

Joshen nodded. "It's the context that matters. The Child-Emperor ordered the monster to die and the guardian beast responded. So… for the mages of the tower to actively check if they succeeded…"

"Could be seen as doubting the power of their ruler, who they definitely don't want to offend," Chyron finished sourly. She rubbed at her temples for a long moment. "Legion save me from rulers and bureaucrats."

Morrelia felt a strange hope kindle in her chest, but she didn't let it spark into a flame just yet.

"Are our own mages refusing to check on the same grounds? We have seers inside the city, don't we?"

"Yes, some of our best," Joshen replied, turning toward his fellow tribune for the first time. "So far, they've refused, but after our last conversation, I believe they will cave in. Everyone knows the Child-Emperor most likely couldn't care less if anyone checks. He probably doesn't care if the monster survives. The court is incensed that the Phoenix was forced to regenerate, and the blame is likely to fall on the culprits of the abduction."

"Any word on who that was?" Chyron asked.

"None. If we don't know soon, I don't think we ever will. It's being actively buried," Joshen told her.

There came a polite knock on the door.

"Come in," Morrelia called when Chyron didn't respond.

The door opened and a young mage poked her head inside, then strode up to Joshen, saluted and offered him a slip of paper. Without delay, he unfolded it, quickly scanned the contents, then set it ablaze in his own hand.

"It's alive," he stated solemnly. "All three Seers confirmed it not five minutes ago."

Morrelia mastered her expression.

"Damn it all," Chyron sighed, standing up and stretching out her back. "Set a course. I want this fleet hot on the tail of those brathians before the next bell rings."

Morrelia snapped out a salute and ran to ensure that order was carried out. The expedition wasn't over yet, wouldn't be over until Anthony was confirmed dead. Something interesting was bound to happen.

-x-X-x-

It was a long time before my sister was out of range of the Vestibule. The last flickering embers of her Will reached me hours later. How many hours, I honestly can't say. Unable to do anything else after my failure, all I could do was sit and listen as she Willed for freedom, Willed for escape, Willed for it all to be over.

When at last the range was too great, or her Will was too thin, or perhaps she had finally experienced release, I swear I felt something inside of me break.

Once again, I triggered the healing gland once it had filled up. The flames of the Phoenix lingered within my carapace even now, trying to chew through my body, refusing to be extinguished. I didn't see what I could do about it other than heal myself over and over again until finally they ran out of juice. It's painful, but nothing compared to what my lost sibling was forced to endure.

The ants on the expedition are not filled with jubilation and triumph, as they should have been after such a successful outing. Once word of what occurred spread across the ships, there has been a simmering fury bubbling away inside the Vestibule, a grief and an anger that only serve to magnify my own.

Normally, I'm not a huge fan of the Vestibule allowing the Colony to affect my thoughts and emotions, but this time we are united, and our feelings are perfectly aligned.

With a silent command, I reach out through the Nave and contact the individual I'm seeking. She appears shortly after, popping into reality with a burst of energy and landing nimbly on the deck next to me.

"Have no fear, Brilliant is he—what the heck happened to you?!"

It takes a little while to explain what had occurred, and when I'm done, she's just as furious as the rest of us.

"Why didn't you call me, Eldest? I could have wiggled my way in there, no problem."

"Too risky. It's impossible for us to say what kinds of defences they might have had against that type of intrusion. If you'd been caught, we'd be mourning two lost siblings right now instead of one."

Brilliant simply scoffs.

"I would have found my way in and out. Are you forgetting who I am?! I'm BRILLIANT!"

Of course. That level of insane confidence is one of the things that makes her who she is. There's no point arguing about it, what's done is done.

"I know you have a lot on your plate, but I have another project for you."

Immediately, the little mad scientist snaps to attention.

"I'm intrigued, go on."

"I want to know everything there is to know about the Church of the Path. Everything. Their history, their alliances, their strength, their eating habits, all of it. They have put their hand up as our main enemy in this part of the Dungeon, and we have to be prepared."

The energy leaks out of Brilliant as I go on. She's not interested in this sort of thing.

"Leave that to the diplomants and historiants to figure out. That hardly calls for me to employ my vast talents!"

"There's more," I tell her, "I want you to look into every site in our territory where the Church of the Path might have operated."

The way the Will had… drained out of the captive was locked in my mind. It wasn't right.

"I believe they were conducting some strange sort of spell. Some magic that I don't understand. They were doing… something."

The little ant rubs at the top of her head with one antenna, pondering.

"That's… a little vague, to say the least, Senior. You've got a feeling they were doing something odd to our sister…. Well, I don't have a reason to doubt you, so I'll investigate. If there's something there, then there's something there. I'll look into this thoroughly."

She chomps her mandibles angrily.

"I have to say, this kind of research leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I'd rather be looking into something else altogether. Did you know that they asked me to help them look into the mana of the fifth stratum? It really is different to every other type of energy I've ever seen. The way it propagates itself, the virulent properties it possesses. It's almost as if the mana itself is alive."

Well, that certainly is interesting to hear.

"I want you to keep on that, but make investigating the Church of the Path a priority."

I know who the enemy is. The krath and the monsters of the fifth are enemies of everyone, and we will need to overcome them if we want to push deeper into the Dungeon. The Church though, they are only enemies to monsters, and have clearly announced their intentions towards us, and they are malevolent.

It's a shame that after an escapade in which we made so many unexpected friends, we finish by making a mortal enemy.

Because there will never be peace between the Colony and the Cathedral, not so long as I live.

"Thanks for coming out, Brilliant," I say to the little ant. "I know you've been busy lately. I'd much rather call you out for something a little happier."

The little ant waggles her antennae.

"Don't think too hard about it, Senior. That's my job. After all, you know what my name is."

I wish I could roll my eyes.

"Yes, yes. We all know what your name is. No need to shout it every time you leave. Or arrive. Or in general conversation."

"Not everyone is as smart as me, so I need to make sure I remind them. After all, I'm BRILLIANT! MUAHAHAHAHA!"

"Hey! That's my evil laugh!"

But she's already gone. Dammit. She's always been a cheeky one, but she's quickly becoming one of the most important ants in the entire Colony. I know she'll investigate as diligently as she can with all of her fierce intelligence.

Suddenly, I just feel tired. I want to see my friends. I want to wrestle with Tiny, talk with Invidia, poke fun at Crinis. I want to see my mother, the Queen, and tickle the grubs.

With an internal sigh, I trigger the healing gland once again. At this rate, it'll take a few days to put these fires out, then I can start to properly regenerate. Rammon the Phoenix of Light. He's a tough customer, but I have to thank him. By holding back, he literally saved my life.

I owe him one.

-x-X-x-

When our home mountain comes into view, I feel an upswell of emotion, stronger than I expected. We've been gone for a little over a month, and it's wonderful to see the end of the journey come into sight.

Soon, I get the same feeling from all the other ants, locked away in the holds of the ships. They don't particularly care about being packed into cramped conditions, but they are ready to be out and back amongst the family again, getting some work done.

As we draw closer, the energy flowing into my Vestibule goes from a relative trickle to a flood, as tens of thousands, then hundreds of thousands of ants come into range. Holy heck! I'd almost forgotten what it felt like. All of a sudden, I'm overflowing with energy and feel like I could take on the world.

As the fleet continues on the final stretch of the journey, it's clear to see the family has been hard at work on the mountain. Carving, reinforcing, building, sculpting. There's more shape and definition to the fortress. The walls look taller, stronger, and I can see even from here that they've been significantly upgraded. There's even been development on the shoreline. A large dock area is under construction, and there's the beginnings of a settlement. Perhaps that's where they intend to run our Dungeon Delving operation?

As long as the centipedes are being exterminated, I'm happy.

Before long, Eran Thouris comes onto the deck, a smile on her face and the light gleaming off her purple scales.

[Looking forward to being home?] I ask her.

[Of course. I'm looking forward to seeing how much my husband has made while I was away.]

I don't know why I would think she was hoping for anything other than money.

[Would he really have been that busy making profits? We were away for one month.]

[Don't underestimate Satrap Umizan,] she said firmly, a twinkle in her eye. [I might be the chief negotiator for the Conglomerate, but he's the Satrap for a reason.]

[Speaking of sweet, sweet wealth. When can we expect our first delivery of cores?]

The thought of paying out wealth doesn't seem to sit as nicely, wiping the smile from her face.

[It will take a little time to see what sort of impact your confrontation with the Phoenix will have on our enterprise. But I'm hoping it won't be too detrimental. I would like to make our first payment in another month.]

We've discussed what happened a few times, but only in circular terms. She's not happy I did what I did, putting so much at risk, but eventually she was able to appreciate that I was never going to be able to do anything else. Ultimately, it was more productive to just not talk about it.

Soon, we're close enough that I think I might be able to reach out to the gang.

[Hey, Tiny. Can you hear me, bud?]

Dead silence for a moment, but that might just mean he's asleep.

[Tiny? Tiny!]

[Huh? Loud.]

[Hey! It's nice to hear your voice, buddy! Did you miss me?]

[... Maybe.]

[Awwww, I missed you too! How is everyone?]

[Good.]

[And how are you?]

[Good.]

Getting words out of this ape can be infuriating sometimes. He's never been all that talkative, but I was hoping his increased mental stats would push the word count up at least a little.

[And how was your evolution? Did it work out well?]

[Very good,] I can practically hear his wide, bat-faced grin. [Tiny is strong! Much stronger than before!]

So now he wants to talk. Figures. I do need to ask about something else that's been on my mind.

[And how is Crinis? Is she… alright?]

A moment of silence.

[Uh. She is fine.]

What? The tone of his voice is a little weird. He sounds mildly confused.

[Are you alright there, buddy?]

[Yes. Fine.]

[And Crinis?]

Again, a pause.

[She is fine… and not mad.]

Wait a second.

[Tiny, is Crinis telling you what to say?]

Another pause.

[No.]

She totally is! She's getting Tiny to lie for her? Just how furious is she?! Tentatively, I reach out to Crinis directly.

[H-hey there, Crinis. How… how are you? Wake up from your evolution alright?]

[I'm totally fine, Master. I awoke without any issues. I'm looking forward to seeing you again! How far away are you?]

The words sound perfectly reasonable. Friendly, calm, in control. All of the things one would expect when seeing a close friend after a period of absence. However, there is an undercurrent, a simmering, smouldering intensity that is… frightening.

[Not… not that far now.]

Maybe I should turn the ship around.

[Look, I didn't think I'd be gone this long, you know? Thought it would just be a quick jaunt to help out the family while you guys were asleep.]

[Of course, Master. It was clearly the right decision.]

Gah! The more she agrees with me, the more terrifying it sounds!

[And I didn't know anything violent was going to happen. I didn't even start it! But thanks to the phoenix, I was only mostly dead, and not fully dead!]

Wait, I should have kept quiet about that bit. Dammit! There is a distinct silence for a few beats.

[How far away did you say you were, Master?]

[I order you not to attack me!] I screech, huddling down on the deck of the ship. She sounds so scary!

[... I wasn't going to attack you, Master. Why would you say such a thing?]

The more she talks, the worse it gets.

[I order you not to tie me up in shadow threads within your secret lair and keep me there forever!]

…

…

[Dammit.]

You were actually going to do that?!

-x-X-x-

Stepping off the ship and onto the shore is such a relief, I can barely put it into words. The Will of the Colony thrums through me once again, and I have to say, it feels right. The family is buzzing with industrious energy. Thousands of individuals are filled with the desire to work and improve the outlook for the next generation.

It's positively motivating to get that sort of can-do attitude pumped directly into your Nave. All my negativity and self-doubt is blown away in an instant. The Colony knows no doubt! The Colony does not wallow in self-pity! We're a collective, we move forward together!

Front foot forward! Then the other front foot. Follow that up with one of the middle legs, then the other. Usually, but not necessarily, the back leg goes after that. Either one, once you get the hang of it.

After all of the ants and the rest of their tools have disembarked, we farewell the fleet and watch as the brathians submerge their ships beneath the waves once more. I'm sure we'll be catching up with them again at some point, but for now they've gone to count their coin and do… aquatic things, I suppose. I don't know what they do down there. When they aren't swimming.

Ah, to be amongst the ants once more. It isn't right to be in a city that isn't designed for people who can walk on walls. I don't care how shiny their silver is. Once I step inside the gates, pointedly ignoring the carved likeness of myself adorning the surface, I am immediately embraced by the throng. There are thousands of ants rushing hither and thither, seeing to the millions of tasks that keep the fortress and the broader family at large prospering.

And how happy they are to see me! Listen to their cries of welcome!

"No more rest, Eldest! You've been slacking for weeks!"

"Out of the way, Eldest! You take up half of the road!"

"Back for a few minutes and you still haven't found some work to do? Laziness!"

"You can't possibly be serious! I've been working hard out there, dammit!"

"Are you working right now?"

"Well, no, but I just got back!"

"Slacking!"

Sheesh! Some things never change. I have to say, there's been some real changes in here. What had been a great fortress underway before I left has really had the rough edges smoothed out. Things are positively commodious in here now. I think they've even installed some form of heating in the floors. My claws feel positively toasty! Or maybe the smelters are one level down. Regardless, things are looking very impressive!

Despite the harangueing of my siblings, there are a few things I need to do before I leap into my next task, namely catching up with the dear friends I left behind.

My three pets have been living and fighting down below the main fortress, helping the ants conquer the tunnels beneath. If all has gone well, the passages leading down to the fifth should have been secured by now. Preparations for the grand invasion can enter their final stages!

Bidding farewell to the crafters who've shared the journey with me, I take my leave and begin to make my way down through the fortress. In the grand chamber from which we had planned and coordinated our defence against the wave, I am finally reunited with my dear friends.

[Master!] Crinis cries.

[Hey, Crinis!] I say. [Where the heck are you?!]

I can hear her, I can sense her, but I sure can't see her.

[Look down!]

It's a little awkward for me to look down, but I manage it with a little twisting. The moment I lay eyes on my own shadow, a forest of tentacles emerge, wrapping themselves around me until I'm wrapped up tighter than a mummy.

I mean… I literally can't move.

[Hey there, Crinis… I would like to be able to walk….]

[I was so worried about you, Master! Are you alright?]

I mean, you are covering my entire carapace right now. Surely you can tell I'm fine.

[I'm as fit as a fiddle that does yoga. Seriously! Calm down a second.]

[Are you sure you don't want to visit my secret lair?]

[I am quite sure. Now, let me go so I can say hello to the others. Come on.]

It takes a little more cajoling, but eventually she lets me go. Well, lets me go enough that I can stagger over to where Tiny and Invidia are reclining.

[Holy moly, Tiny. You're massive!]

He is indeed a big boy. Pleased with my reaction, the big ape flexes and poses, ensuring I get a full view of his impressive arms and shoulders. This ape has had some serious gains over the course of this evolution. With reforged bones and muscles, this guy will punch like an atomic bomb! I can't wait to see him in action!

[Welcomessss home,] Invidia purrs, eye gleaming brightly.

Brightly, but not green.

[You've had an eye change, Invidia! Not green anymore? So you aren't an envy demon?]

[Notssss exactly.]

Wowee. Some big changes here! Visually, the difference isn't as stark as with Tiny, but obviously the little guy has gone through some significant alterations as well.

Ah, it's nice to be with the gang again!

[I missed all of you,] I tell them, feeling gladness welling up inside me. [Tell me what you've all been up to and how the evolutions have worked out! I'm all ears!]

Metaphorically speaking. Ants don't have ears.

[Oh, and I need to check in on Sarah as well! Is she still around the fortress?]

Tiny nods in the affirmative, jerking a thumb towards one of the side tunnels. I turn my attention in that direction just in time to see the shadow of a slippery little assassin demon sliding down that way. How the heck is he so fast? In fact, who let him out of the cupboard I stuffed him in?!

-x-X-x-

The gang is back together, and my goodness, they all look so different! For starters, Invidia now has a blue eye, but not in an 'imbibed too much spice' kind of way. Only the iris is blue, and if anything, it's kind of soft and welcoming. His physical form hasn't changed much, at least the part of it that isn't tucked away into its own little pocket dimension.

He's definitely a little bigger, a little stronger-looking, but for the most part, he's a big ol' eye, with two wings, and two long gangly arms hanging down. When he smiles, the air itself slips apart beneath him to reveal his ravenous, toothy maw. That mouth is out in the open now, grinning a toothy grin as I take a good look at him.

[You're looking positively dapper, Invidia! Full of life! How does it feel to reach the seventh tier?]

[It feelssss good. I have grownsssss assssss a demon.]

I can tell, but it seems to be even more profound than that.

[I think you've grown as more than a demon, little buddy. I think you've grown as a being. You feel more genuine. More you.]

His big eye blinks at me.

[I'sssss agree.]

I mean, it must be a little weird having your personality and the thing you crave the most changed by evolution. Or is it the thing they crave the most that drives the evolution? I'm not sure, but judging by how happy he seems, I think Invidia has chosen well.

Tiny… Tiny is huge. It's easy to see he poured his evolutionary energy into increasing his physical prowess as much as he could. Striking a balance between raw size and muscle density, he's grown quite a bit. Hard to imagine there was once a time when he was riding around on my back. He's way bigger than I am now, and it's not like I'm small.

I mean… how big was King Kong supposed to be? Tiny is giving him a run for his money. At this rate, he'll be smacking over the empire state building with one hand in a couple of evolutions!

[Tiny, did you remember to implement a few measures to ensure you don't just die when you punch something?]

A huge consideration for Tiny has always been trying to curb his instinct to throw himself in the face of danger at the first opportunity. I've done everything I can to help the dumb ape. Invidia being a dedicated support caster half the time was just so he could help protect Tiny from himself. We secured armour and enchanted gear to try and help cover his weak spots, but he's always been a glass cannon. I have no idea how I managed to keep him alive for this long.

With a wide grin, the ape thumps himself on the chest.

[Tiny is strong and tough! Don't worry!]

Judging by the size of his shoulders… I'm unconvinced. There's more to his evolution than just raw physical size, however. Of all three of my companions, he's had the largest visible change. His fur, always liable to change evolution to evolution, isn't as long or shaggy as it was before. He has a strong silverback colouring, but the whiter fur looks almost like electrical lines, streaked across his shoulders and down his arms. A spiderweb of lightning.

Despite just standing there, sparks of electricity crackle around him, lines of force rippling across his forearms and fingers. There's a qualitative difference in the way he feels to me as well, the density and purity of his core is… stronger.

[Wait a second. You got a mythic evolution!?]

Somehow, his bat face splits even wider into a broad grin. I run up to him and jostle him with my mandibles and prod him with my antennae while he pretends to fend me off.

[Wowee, Tiny! A mythic tier seven just like me! Look at you, big guy! Who'd've thought you had it in you? Me! That's who. Well done!]

I can tell he's very pleased with himself, and when I'm done congratulating him, he gives me two big thumbs up. This guy must be an absolute terror in a fight. I can't wait to see what he can do.

[All right, Crinis. Time to take a good look at you!]

[Alright!]

[...That means you need to let go of me.]

[But… but what if you go somewhere?]

[Dammit, Crinis! I just want to see how your evolution went, and I can't do that when you're gooped onto my carapace! Be reasonable! Where the heck would I go? I just got back!]

[...Fine.]

With great reluctance, she peels herself from my exo-skeleton and gathers her shadowy self together before expanding to reveal her true form. Except… I can't really see her. She's… dark. Like… super dark.

[Crinis, what the heck are you doing to the light? I can't even see you.]

Much like the strongest of gravity bombs, she's sucking in the light around her, creating a zone of pitch black darkness. Yet, even within that darkness, I feel her in there, peering back at me.

[Don't be silly, Master!] she laughs. [I am the darkness. See?]

In a horrifying display, the darkness itself stretches, then reaches for me. Tendrils as pitch black as night, made from the absence of light itself, slither through the air toward me, then peel back to reveal one of her three mouths. A void within a void, ringed with teeth like sawblades of obsidian.

[Th-that's quite impressive,] I say, faintly.

How in the world did she get even MORE terrifying?!

[I'm glad you think so! This way, I can be even closer to you than your own shadow! Isn't that wonderful?]

I mean… sure… I guess. Of course, I want to keep my friends close, but the way she says it is a little… uncomfortable.

[I'm totally free to create and move and become the darkness. It's like a whole new me!]

[Well, I'm glad you're happy,] I say, meaning it. [It's wonderful to see you so happy in your new self.]

The gang is really back together. It feels good.

-x-X-x-

With my precious friends back by my side, I feel complete again. They fill in a hollow deep inside that not even the Vestibule can reach. With Tiny, Invidia and Crinis with me again, I can feel the confidence that was shattered by my confrontation with Rammon start to return. It was something I didn't even realise I'd lost until it started to reform itself, deep inside, in the presence of these three.

[I can't tell you how nice it is to see you all again,] I tell them, clacking my mandibles happily.

With our reunion done, and the unit reforged once again, the question that quickly bubbles in my mind, is what next?

This is the Colony! There's always a million things to do, and getting those finished only creates another million jobs that follow along. Things to build, territory to secure, grubs to tickle, threats to quell and prosperity to ensure. There's dangerous people out there, dangerous monsters, and they won't be able to resist a juicy little apple like my family forever, so the imperative to get stronger is always there.

Not to mention, the deeper drive that sits uncomfortably in my guts. The hook placed there by the Ancients continues to twist and grind, a pain that won't ever go away, no matter how I try. If I even think about going up to the third stratum, maybe to meet with my mother, it twists sharply in my guts. Only when I release the thought does it unwind.

It makes me furious. More than that, it makes me resentful. I hate that they have this control over me, this method to manipulate my thoughts. It's like a drum beating inside my body.

Go deeper. Go deeper. Go deeper. Go deeper.

When I think about travelling down to the fifth, and deeper, that blade starts to loosen, just a little, giving me a tiny hint of release. It's insidious, and I can fully appreciate just what they are doing to me.

The problem is, there's nothing I can do about it! I don't know how to get the damn thing out of me, and apparently nobody else does either. All I can do is get down there and chomp the Ancients right in the face when I see them.

Stupid, old, monsters.

For now, there's a few things I can do without having to go too far. The Colony is still fighting in the tunnels beneath the fortress, I can help with that. We're still preparing to invade the fifth, and I for sure want to help with that.

Then there's the threat from the Church of the Path. I won't ever forgive or forget what they've done, and I won't ever allow them to realise their desire. For now, there's not much I'm willing to do on that front. Brilliant is on the job, fact-finding and gathering information, and she'll pull in all the other groups within the Colony that she needs to in order to learn what we need to know. Once we understand this foe, there'll be more we can do.

For now, I need to touch base with the Council and see what's going on amongst the family.

Naturally, it isn't that hard to find Victor. She's been here coordinating the Colony's forces in the fourth tirelessly, and she's still right here, in the middle of the chamber, in the command post.

Messengers are still running everywhere, but there isn't the same frantic, desperate energy there was during the wave, which is nice to see. Fighting to progress and make the family safer is so much more enjoyable than fighting to survive.

"Hey, Victor! How are you doing? It's been a while!"

"Eldest? You're finally back?"

"Well, yeah. I got back a little bit ago. How are things around here? How are you?"

"Busy. I'm busy."

She's poring over one of those three dimensional maps she loves so much. This one shows the fortress and the absolute web of tunnels beneath us. Seeing it really drives home just how deep it goes down there. The fourth stratum is absolutely massive. The mountains tower high into the air, holding the roof of the stratum so far above our heads, then the lakes plunge deep, seriously deep. Beneath all of that, there are the tunnels. A vast network of passages that touch every mountain on this entire layer of the Dungeon.

It's enormous, putting it mildly.

"I can see that you're busy. We're all busy."

"Are we?" She gives me a sharp look. "I've got about a dozen jobs that you could take care of for me, but are you doing any of them?"

"Like, right now? I just got here! I'm here saying hello to you! How the heck am I supposed to know what you want me to do?"

"You ask! You've been talking to me for almost a minute now!"

"Yeesh! Alright, I'll get to your missions in a bit, just chill out a little now. Can you get the Council together for me? I want to catch up with everyone and see how things are going."

"Of course, of course. I'm sure they'll want to talk with you as well. Now go away and get something done."

"Fine, FINE! Alright. Get a wax and massage or something, you're way too tense. Had some torpor any time recently?"

The general freezes on the spot, seized by her trauma.

"I slept yesterday!"

"Eight hours?"

"O-o-o-o-of course…."

"Oh-ohhhhhh. Someone's in trouble. See you later, Victor. After your nap."

Chuckling evilly to myself, I slip away and leave Victor to stew in her own juices. Gweheheheheh.

For now, there's another general I want to catch up with. I'm very keen to see what sort of growth she's been able to manifest. I'm expecting a lot, but I have a feeling that she's going to blow those expectations out of the water.

Just how well are Solant and her army getting on?

-x-X-x-

It takes a little while to figure out where Solant is. Whenever I turn up in a tunnel looking for her, someone tells me she was just there, but left not long ago. Well, where was she going? She was heading over to that tunnel in order to talk to so and so. Alright, no problems, I'll head over there.

Except, when I get there, I hear the exact same thing. A picture clearly emerges that Solant is running around from place to place, but not like a chicken with its head cut off, more like an agent of organisation and order, crashing down wherever she senses chaos, straightening out everything and leaving only clean, functional lines of precision and logistics behind. It seems like the army of the Colony functions like a well-oiled machine wherever she happens to go.

It was actually insanely impressive to see. Us ants are naturally a well-organised group by definition. Someone wants to do something, they lay down a trail, start getting others on board and things happen. Now, the Colony isn't like any other ant colony. There's layers of intelligence here that normal ants can't imagine, obviously. We have layers of authority, decision makers, and groups whose entire role is to make sure we're all pulling in the same direction. There's literally millions of us, and I can feel the Will rolling off each of them, and everyone wants nothing but the best for the family, but they don't necessarily all agree on how that's supposed to be achieved.

Discrepancies pop up. Things don't always happen as smoothly as they should. Information at the front doesn't necessarily match what is reaching the back. Even for creatures who communicate with scent, it's possible for someone to misunderstand what was being said to them. Small little things, but when it happens just a few times every thousand interactions, considering there are billions of interactions a day… mistakes happen.

Solant just seems to… swoop in and straighten them all out. I have no idea how she even knows what she's looking for. It's like she can just sense when things aren't working perfectly and knows how to fix it.

I'm hugely impressed.

When I finally catch up with the general, I get to see her in action personally. Oftentimes, I see a scrum of ants appear around whoever is in charge, messengers arriving or waiting for replies, advisors, soldiers, mages, each responsible for their own slice of the decision-making process.

Around Solant, even this process is streamlined. Ants don't come to her, she goes to them, with only a few of her personal team following her. When she reaches a new group, she listens, she watches, she thinks, then she talks. In just a few minutes, she's moving on to the next group. The moment she's done talking, the ants who were listening rush off to work, clearly understanding exactly what it is that she wants them to do.

Judging from the looks of things, she's evolved since the last time I saw her as well, which means she's reached tier five. So quickly! I'm glad the Colony has been focusing on getting her Level pumped up. She's going to be an important part of the family moving forward. Each champion who's appeared has been a positive and exceptional influence, and she won't be any different.

She's a little bigger than she was before, but her antennae in particular are larger, and a little fuzzy on the ends. I can't help but wonder what they're designed to sense. I watch her move efficiently from group to group before she's finally done and finds the time to come and speak to me.

"You look busy, Solant! I've been following you around for a while, and everywhere I go, you leave a well-organised group of ants. What's the secret?"

She looks up at me, her eyes dark and serious.

"The line between order and disorder lies in logistics, Senior," she tells me. "It is impossible to ensure everything runs perfectly, but if we aim for perfection, we will come close."

I mean… that's wise. I guess? I'm not exactly the best person to judge wisdom.

"So you're trying to ensure that our logistics are working as well as possible?"

"Of course. We are planning to embark upon a grand campaign, are we not?"

"The invasion of the fifth? Heck yeah, we are."

"The victor of every war is decided long before they begin. We have been training, testing, checking, double checking, triple checking every aspect of our approach. When the time comes, we will act as one entity, with one, unified mind and purpose. From what we know of the Krath, they are nefarious, intelligent, scheming and cunning, but they are divided and untrusting. We will smash them before they can hope to recover."

Holy moly. I like everything I'm hearing. The potential I saw in the little general has done some serious blossoming. What the heck has been going on over here? Is this a nest or a hothouse?!

"Awesome. I'm glad to hear things are going so well! Is there anything I can do to help? Crinis, Tiny, Invidia and I are ready to roll!"

"Of course, Senior, there is a lot that you can do. Our advance teams are preparing to start exploring the fifth, and it would be excellent if you could be part of that process."

Hoo boy. Jumping down into the poisonous mulch and exploring a whole new stratum of the Dungeon? That's like, my favourite thing to do outside of tickling grubs!

"Sure thing. I've got to do some jobs for Victor, need to talk to a few folks, and then I'm all yours. Keen to get involved. I know Tiny's looking forward to punching something."

Thumbs up.

"How are we going on the project to cleanse the fifth of the toxic mana? Have we worked out a way to make the change permanent?"

"That's been a difficult challenge, Eldest. That project is in the hands of Brilliant and the core shapers, who've been investigating tirelessly, but there hasn't been a breakthrough as of yet. We're hoping our advance team explorations will be able to shed more light on the exact nature of the fifth."

That's smart.

"Alright then, Solant. I'll catch up with you later."

-x-X-x-

The Colony possesses a trait that is uniquely ascribed to it and to it alone, among the advanced, thinking societies that have emerged on Pangera. And that is, you can almost view them as a single entity, a super-organism, so to speak, due to how united in purpose they are.

Disagreements, or different approaches, are almost absorbed as part of the process, as millions of individuals work to bring about a single outcome: the betterment of the whole. It's almost comical how incorruptible they are. Even more than a society, they are a unified mass of constantly shifting components that give the appearance of a society, while concealing their true nature. The Colony is not a people, or a country, or a kingdom, or an empire. They are a single beast. One Creature. One Mind. One Purpose.

- Excerpt from 'True Threat' by the propagandist Erdagon

The best way to put your troubles behind you is to keep pushing forward, find something else to do. So that's exactly what I get to doing. With Tiny, Crinis and Invidia beside me once again, we throw ourselves into the long list of jobs Victor has put in front of me. Escort construction teams down into the tunnels? No problem, we'll get them there lickety-split. Fight off a raid from some sort of crystalline cow-looking things? Of course! They will crumple in the face of Tiny's fists. Stand guard while an excavation team takes mineral samples from a potential mining site?

I mean… it's boring as heck… and surely you can get someone else to do this… but fine! We've got it!

All the while, the thriving and vibrant energy of the Colony wraps around me like a warm blanket. Every day that goes by, the family becomes stronger, more secure, and my confidence grows. It's hard not to grow, with so much zest and vigour being pumped directly into my veins via the Vestibule. The enthusiasm and drive of my siblings is contagious. I can't help but catch the bug and throw myself into every task with determination and vigour.

It's heady stuff.

It takes barely two days to crush through Victor's list, leaving the general scrambling for things for us to do. At that point, I tell her not to bother and to let me know if anything else comes up, something they need me and the squad to take care of. Something that isn't guard duty on mining expeditions.

It's at that moment the general twitches as if she just recalled something.

"Oh yes, Eldest. There is one thing that you should look into."

There's something off about the tone of her scent…. I can't quite put an antenna on what it is, but she sounds… shifty.

"Oh? Is it more pointless guard duty? Anyone can do those jobs, you don't need a pack of mythic monsters to take care of them."

"I thought only two of you were mythic?"

"We are all mythic in my eyes!" I shoot back. I will accept no prejudice against Invidia and Crinis! They're bound to be mythic after their next evolutions, so there's no harm in counting them early!

"Well, that's fine, I understand what you're saying. We are stretched thin down here Eldest."

"There's hundreds of thousands of us!"

"And you might have noted that the monsters here are not like the ones we fight in the first stratum," the general replies a little snippily. "Maybe you can pulverise giant lizards with hardened rock shells, or sea krakens, or water elementals, without twitching a mandible, but it's considerably harder for the rest of us. Each task requires a greater commitment of numbers, a greater amount of organisation and logistical support just to get anything done down there!"

Well… that's a good point. I've evolved and kept myself stronger than everything I fight, but this is certainly not true for most ants. Hardly any of them have fully reinforced cores when they evolve, and even fewer get special cores, let alone rare cores, to expand their capacity before evolution. There are millions of us at this stage, millions, and all the cores and Biomass that can be spared get funnelled towards the next generation. That means our young hatchlings are coming out of the antcademies stronger than ever, which is great! But after that point, their growth begins to stagnate. Against the more powerful monsters of the fourth, the ants need greater numbers to get anything done. It's totally understandable, but I still feel a little sad about it.

Hopefully, the cores that come in from the trading we will do can be diverted into strengthening those battling on the front lines. Obviously, it's important to make sure every grub grows up to be as strong as possible, I instituted that policy after all, but we need to ensure the rest of the Colony doesn't fall behind.

"Alright then, what is this job you have for me?" I sigh.

Mentally, I'm bracing for something tedious, but I'm still surprised and a little suspicious when I get the answer.

"We need you to welcome and escort a VIA."

My antennae twitch.

"What in the name of all that is good and six-legged is a VIA?"

"That's not important. Just focus on doing the job well."

"Okaaaaay." That's not weird. "You want to meet, and escort, this VIA. Where do I meet them? And where am I taking them?"

"You'll meet them at the teleportation gate, obviously."

"Wait, I thought we hadn't connected our gates to any outside networks?"

"We haven't."

Fine. So they are coming from within our own network.

"And who is this, VIA? Am I allowed to know that?"

"I'm afraid not. This mission has the utmost level of secrecy. You'll understand everything when you meet them at the gate."

"Fine. How long do I have until they arrive?"

"About an hour."

"So soon!"

"Well… yes."

Despite feeling like something very odd is going on, I head on over to the gate hub and take my time resting as the minutes tick by. A VIA? What the heck is a VIA? And since when did we use terms like that anyway?

I was hoping to start planning for the invasion of the fifth and take part in my first expedition, but instead they want me to sit around and meet someone? Who the heck could possibly be worth it?

When the time finally arrives, the gate flashes bright as I stand and approach. When the light finally dims, a large, insectlike form is revealed, antennae wiggling as they take in the new sights and sounds… and smells. Obviously.

"Ahhh. Very Important Ant. Makes sense."

THWACK!

OUCH!

"I'm no more important than anyone else in the family," my mother says, clacking her mandibles huffily.

-x-X-x-

Dammit, Victor! You set me up for a thwacking! Why the heck wouldn't you tell me that The Queen was coming down here?! Despite being more evolved than her, those antennae still pack a serious wallop! How does it hurt this much?

"Hello there, Mother! I wasn't expecting to see you here."

She turns to look at me directly.

"Then why are you here? Lazing about, avoiding work?"

"Whoa! No! Not at all! Why would you jump to that conclusion?"

Her antenna is poised, ready to strike, and I retreat, desperately trying to defend myself from her pointed accusation.

"I was asked to come down here and meet someone, I was just saying I didn't expect it to be you! They didn't tell me who was coming, so I had no way to know!"

Her antenna lowers, and I relax just a little.

"Why are you here, Mother?"

THWACK!

"Should I not be here? Are you saying I'm not strong enough?"

"No! Sheesh! I was just wondering why!"

She's so touchy today! Did Victor know she was grumpy in advance or something? Is that why I was sent here? I'll get her back. Mark my words, I will get her back for this. Another flash of light, and lo and behold, the aphid queen arrives. It's been a while since I've seen Aphy, and she's certainly gotten bigger than before, but, relative to me, she's smaller, so it isn't easy to tell.

At the appearance of her beloved pet, The Queen stops threatening me and turns to check on the little creature, fussing and clacking over her as she ensures the aphid has arrived safely. On one level, I'm even more surprised to see Aphy here. I had no idea there were plans to start aphid farms on the fourth, but then again, there may not be. Wherever The Queen went, her pet was sure to follow also.

"Well mother, I'm glad to see Aphy made it alright. Uh. Do you have any idea where I'm supposed to take you? I wasn't told."

The Queen turns back to look at me, her pet falling in by her side.

"Really, child. Surely you can figure it out for yourself?"

"Well, that depends, to be honest."

"Depends on what?"

"Can I ask this question without getting my head bashed in with an antenna?"

Mother clacks her mandibles disapprovingly, as if offended I would dare suggest such a thing.

"Of course, child."

What do you mean, 'of course'?! Do you not recall what happened here a moment ago?! Never mind.

"If you tell me why you are here in the fourth, then I'll have a much better time being able to take you where you are expected. Are you here for a tour, or a short term stay? Are you moving into this nest permanently?"

"Permanently," she replies.

"Oh. That's… interesting. I'm guessing you made this decision… yourself."

I very carefully ensure that I make a statement, and not a question. Mother's antenna twitches once again as she sniffs something offensive in my words.

"Am I not able to make decisions for myself, child?" she asks, dangerously.

"Of course you can! Who could argue otherwise? It would be ridiculous to suggest that anyone other than yourself would decide where you should go."

Dammit! Who is running things up in the third? There's supposed to be a complex web around The Queen, ensuring she stays happy and satisfied so she doesn't do things like this. She's going to get herself killed fighting some of the monsters down here!

"Did you want to go for a hunt now, mother? Or would you prefer to go to your chambers?"

There's no way this nest wasn't built with space for Queens. There's going to be brood chambers and Queens' quarters, fully furnished with a pot of hot tea kept on the table, just in case.

"I'm a little tired after using the… gate. It was difficult to get the children to get out of my way. For some reason, there was constantly some pressing emergency that needed to use the gate. It went on for days."

She knows. She totally knows. There were no emergencies, that was the family desperately scrambling to delay and buy time to convince her to stay somewhere safer. No wonder she's so grumpy. She's been patiently enduring the shenanigans of her children who've been attempting to prevent her from doing what she wants without actually talking to her about it.

I can't help but sigh. It's not like I don't understand her frustration, but the same goes for us, the children! Is it so much to ask that your mother doesn't recklessly throw herself into dangerous situations? Apparently, it is.

"Well, let's go and get you settled into your chambers. I'm pretty sure I know where they'll be."

"Thank you, child. I appreciate your help."

Awww. Nothing like being thanked by The Queen to lift your spirits.

"Not a problem. Not a problem at all."

With the Queen, and aphid queen, in tow, I make my way from the gate to the centre of the nest.

"Well, why did you decide to move? Getting bored in the third?"

Mother clacks her mandibles contemplatively.

"As the family grows, I don't need to lay eggs all that much anymore. There are many Queens now, each of them laying more eggs a day than I can. Of course, I still intend to produce more brood, but there is much I can do to help my children fight."

"Of course. I should have expected nothing less."

What else would she want to do but fight? That's literally her second favourite thing to do! And she isn't wrong about the Queens. There are as many as we need in the Colony. Our cup runneth over with Queens.

The chances of talking The Queen out of throwing herself into the battle taking place in the tunnels below are basically nil at this point. How in the heck are we going to keep her alive? I need to talk to the Council about this.

THWACK!

"Oi! What was that for?"

The Queen eyes me suspiciously.

"I had a sense of something."

Sharp as ever.

-x-X-x-

"None of you were able to stop The Queen from moving down here? She wants to fight! Like… really fight!"

"There's not much we can do to stop her when she gets it in her mind to do something," Theresant tells me. "She decided it would be better for the family if she fought more rather than prioritised laying eggs. Since she is one of the strongest fighters in the Colony, it's difficult to say that she's wrong."

"She probably isn't wrong," Advant replies, the big soldier clacking her mandibles morosely. "There's a lot The Queen can offer in battle, and she knows it."

Each member of the Council sinks into their, now cushioned, ant seats. I don't know who's out there designing ant furniture, but they're definitely making serious improvements to their designs. I know it's difficult, considering most of us are different sizes, even subtly different shapes, depending on mutations. The designer has solved this problem by using more flexible materials and including generous padding. Of course, my chair had to be built custom.

"Ultimately, I guess it doesn't matter," I sigh. "Mother is going to do whatever she thinks is best for the family, regardless of what we have to say about it. What we need to do is try to figure out how we're going to keep her alive."

Sloan and Victor briefly confer before reporting back to the group.

"If she asks us where she would be best deployed, or consults with any of the generals coordinating the fighting, then we can influence where she goes and what she fights, but if she doesn't…"

"She absolutely won't," I tell them.

"Well… then there isn't much we can do in terms of picking her battles."

The Queen is old school. She's not interested in any of this organised combat stuff. She's going to wander around, following trails until she finds something to chomp. Wait…

"Is there any chance we can control what scent trails she comes across? Remember, The Queen was fighting right back at the start of the Colony. She probably laid down most of the trails outside the first nest herself. That's the way she'll get to the frontline, by following the trails."

It's the scouts, Burke and Wills, who chip in on this one.

"Laying false trails will be difficult, Eldest," Burke tells me.

"There's already a complex system of trails laid down in the tunnels below. It's one of our main ways of organisation."

"You don't have to change your system much. Just change the name of one of the more out of the way fronts to 'most important', or 'situation dire'."

"... Do you really think she would fall for that?"

"... Maybe?"

"I feel like, if she was here, she would hit you with her antenna."

"Of course she would! I'll take a few thwacks if it means keeping her alive!"

The Queen is the founding member of this family, the very first one, and the only ant every single one of us can trace our lineage directly to. If she was lost, it would be like the heart of the Colony was cut out.

I mean, mine also, but the Colony's as well.

"We can give it a try," Wills sighs, "but I think our best bet is to simply reinforce whichever front she chooses to attend."

"We were always going to do that," Victor says, almost offended. "We have a battalion set aside already, strictly for that purpose."

At that point, there isn't much more to say about The Queen problem, as vexing as it is. I turn my attention to the next problem in front of me.

"Aright. So, can anyone tell me why Vibrant is oscillating back and forth like that?"

Ever since we arrived at this meeting, she's been a blurry mess. It's hard to even look at her directly since she seems to be shifting about thirty centimetres from side to side so quickly I can't actually see her move.

She actually says something to reply to me, but all I get is a mangled knot of scent. I can't interpret it at all.

"Did you say something, Vibrant? I didn't get anything from that."

Again, a mess of scent that lasts probably twice as long as before, but it's utterly uninterpretable.

"Vibrant, you really have to slow it down. A lot."

After her last evolution, she probably landed on a mythic species that sped her up to an absurd degree. If I know her, and I do, she would have gone all in on anything that would help her go faster.

"Can you understand me now, Senior?" she says finally.

"Yes! Yes, that was perfect. You actually sound completely normal."

"I find if I have a quick nap-nap between words it seems to space things out better," she explains.

"Wait…. You're taking a nap? In between words? You're going into torpor?"

"Yep-yep! It's one of the organs I attached to my brain when I evolved. Going super fast can make you super tired, so micro-torpor sessions let me get more rest, then I go faster for longer! It's great!"

Of course, I doubt that was the only reason. This means she's essentially free of the torpor police forever, since they'll never be able to say she hasn't been sleeping. She could be napping in between steps while she's walking around.

"So… is this weird… vibrating thing… is that also part of your evolution?"

"Nope-nope! I'm just excited!"

"Fine…." I guess my question has been answered. I was worried there was something wrong, but she's alright, apparently. Time to move to the next topic, I suppose. "I was hoping to hear about how the family is doing around the place. It's not like I can go up to the first or second anymore, but it would be great to hear about it. How are the antcademies going? How are the young generations handling things up there?"