Tungstant�s brain spun with a heady combination of exhaustion, exhilaration, grief, relief, and worry. There was so much work for the carver caste to do and so little time in which to accomplish it, she honestly didn�t believe there was much chance to complete it in time. What she needed to know yesterday, was exactly how much they could get done, and exactly what state the nest�s defences would be in by the time the wave hit for real.

�How long until the gate is ready to go?� she asked with as much patience as she could muster.

The team in front of her launched into a long and detailed explanation of the structural integrity of the gate, the need to forge new brackets and anchor them to the wall, the reshaping and compacting that needed to be done to the rock, until Tungstant cracked.

�Just estimate a time!� she barked. �I know there are challenges, I know it�s complicated, and I know you�re working as hard as possible, just give me your best guess. Please.�

The lead carver on the job sized up the Council member, her antennae scratching the top of her head.

�It would take days to get the gates refitted in any proper way,� the ant said. �There�s just too much damage to the brackets, and getting new ones fitted can�t be rushed.�

That was far too long. Monsters would be storming up the tunnel in less than an hour! The carver clacked her mandibles to settle the uneasy team around her.

�Instead, we go fast and nasty. Stand up what�s left of the old gates, patch them up as best we can, and mould the rock around them to hold them in place. It�s bad work, but we can get it done in a few hours. Worry about the rest when we get a chance.�

Tungstant and the other carvers bristled at the suggestion, and even the one suggesting it looked somewhat disgusted. If there was one thing the entire caste hated, it was sloppy craftsmanship, and that extended to all circumstances and projects, even emergencies. In this situation, though�

�Get it done as fast as you can,� Tungstant told the team. �If you need help from the Mage caste, make sure you put in a request quickly, they�ve been cooking up something big over there and you�ll need to get in early if you want the extra help.�

One of the carvers flicked an antenna dismissively. �They can�t handle Earth Magic as well as we can. I�m sure we�ll be fine.�

�Fast work, not good work,� Tungstant grimaced�which for an ant, involved flexing the mandibles and tilting the antennae at an unsightly angle. �If the extra mage support will get the job done faster, that�s what we care about right now. We can do emergency patch work after the fact if necessary.�

They all grumbled but acceded to the wisdom of the decision in the end. A renewed frenzy took over the worksite as the new direction was adopted and the carvers got to work establishing the leverage they needed to get the gates standing again. With that relatively minor fire put out, Tungstant was able to rush back into the nest, already considering the next emergency to handle.

Right! The Council meeting!

Suddenly remembering that she had that chore to deal with, she sharply changed direction, making her way to the designated Council chamber as fast as she could. A part of her was irritated at the idea that important work was being delayed for a meeting of all things, but she understood the necessity. Without proper coordination, the complex machinery of the Colony couldn�t function properly, especially in a crisis like this. Most of the time, the Colony ran itself just fine. Her siblings were perfectly capable of making decisions regarding what needed doing and how. But sometimes, the overall macro plan needed to be considered, and the Council suited that function.

She raced in to find most of the members already gathered. Even the Eldest was there, although they were still somewhat lacking in the leg department. She rushed to her seat, and no sooner had she plopped herself down, her thorax resting comfortably in the carved grooves, than Cobalt flicked a quick query her way.

�How�s things looking with the gate?� she scented quietly.

�Not great,� she replied, just as softly. �I think we�ll be able to hack together a rough solution in a few hours that should hold for now.�

The other carver pulled a face, and Tungstant had to stifle a laugh. Some things were consistent for all of them.

�I know we�re all very busy,� called Coolant from her end of the table, �so let�s try and get through this as fast as we can. Before we start, is there anything you would like to say to the group, Eldest?�

All twenty members turned their eyes to the Eldest, who fidgeted on their chair from the sudden attention.

�Ah, me? Say something? Anything? Like what?�

�Whatever you want,� Coolant replied, a little exasperated.

�I suppose I can,� the Eldest said and then paused, clearly gathering their thoughts. �First thing I want to say is that I�m proud of all of you. Yeah. You�ve done a great job, and as a family, we�ve come so far since the time you were born. I know I could never do the things that all of you do every day, and I guess� I just wanted to say how proud I am. Every member of the Colony is incredible, and so are you. Don�t forget it.�

The last sentence was a little firmer than the others, and each member felt an implicit threat, as if they would suffer dire consequences should they dare forget how much the Eldest was pleased with them.

�Second thing is� the upcoming wave is going to be a challenge, obviously. There�s going to be a huge number of monsters banging on the gates and flooding our territory. It�s going to be hard and exhausting. And so soon after we just overcame the greatest threat we�ve ever faced. The creatures we�ll see, probably from the third stratum, are going to be stronger than anything we�ve encountered before. But I want us to look at this wave in a different way. For all the challenges we�ll face, this wave could be an opportunity.

�More monsters, means more experience, more Biomass. The last wave forced us to escape to the surface because we weren�t strong enough to hold our ground, and even then, we were able to farm and benefit a great deal. This time, we have nests, we�re deep, we have tens of thousands of members. We can do so much more than we did before. We�re not going to retreat. We�re going to step forward. This wave is going to give us cover from the Legion and the golgari, and we need to use the time to get so strong they won�t even bother trying to mess with us. That�s all I wanted to say.�

There was silence around the table as the Eldest settled back into their seat. The Eldest had gotten steadier the more they spoke, and in the end, had quite clearly detailed the direction they envisaged the Colony should go in. Tungstant found the message inspiring. Instead of a threat, this was a chance. To become so strong that even the Legion would be too hesitant to attack� If that happened, they would get even more space, and then use that space to grow even more powerful.

The glorious future of the Colony was shining brightly in her mind, and in the minds of all the others who sat around that table. Except the Eldest, who was waggling the stump of a leg back and forth.

Discussions progressed at a rapid pace after my initial, rather embarrassing speech. There were a ton of things on the go around the Colony and still too much we didn�t know. The status of the two satellite nests was still unknown, how exactly we were going to handle training the surge of hatchlings heading up to the surface, the huge number of wounded that still needed caring for�

Several things were easy to take care of. We made sure to issue an emergency recall of all aphids who were currently deployed in the Expanse within our territory. It wouldn�t be safe for them to remain in place during the wave, and I�m fairly confident most were brought back to the nests before the siege anyway. Prioritising the expansion of the Colony�s metallurgic capabilities is a no-brainer, and the carvers have been directed to get back to this process as soon as the defences are done.

Cobalt and Tungstant had worked with their caste to design a truly ambitious system for the delivery, sorting, and smelting of ores that will increase the capacity of the main nest to produce ingots by tenfold should it get off the ground. Securing a supply of raw ore will be difficult during the wave, but it�s important that the Colony work to ensure we come out of the onslaught in the best possible position.

In the middle of discussions, I drop a bomb.

�I�m not certain that tier three is enough for our graduates anymore.�

My pronouncement is met with a stunned silence and I quickly raise my antennae in a placating gesture.

�I know, I know. Getting so many ants to tier three so quickly is already a massive task. There already aren�t enough cores to go around, Biomass is in constant demand, and as the number of satellite nests increases, so will the number of hatchlings in need of training. I get it. The challenges are real. I want to ask you, though, do you really believe that tier three is enough to contend with what we�re facing right now, and are likely to face in the future?�

The Council members all consider my words, and Victor pipes up.

�From the perspective of a general, a tier four in the Warrior caste is more than twice as useful as a tier three. The evolutions of the General caste have better fighters, provide more beneficial auras, and even their raw stats make them better planners. Soldiers�it goes without saying just how much a soldier can gain in terms of defensive ability, jaw strength, regeneration, and speed in that one evolution. Scouts, and I�m sure you would agree, Burke and Wills, are much more capable at the fourth tier.�

�Getting them to tier five would be far better than getting them to tier four, but that doesn�t mean it�s feasible,� Propellant objected. �Obviously, a mage is far better at controlling spells with an extra evolution under their belt, but the bottom line is, experience and cores, where are you going to get them from? If we end up pushing more ants to evolve faster, without providing the necessary cores to increase the available evolutionary energy, then we�d be crippling rather than helping ourselves.�

�I agree with that point,� I say. �In fact, I want us to put a higher priority on maxed cores for every evolution as well.�

More silence meets my second announcement.

�Look.� I rest my two antennae on the table much like a human putting their elbows down and steepling their fingers. �We aim to get smarter and better in every aspect of colony life, all the time. Am I right?�

The other Council members can only agree.

�Raising the brood to be as strong as possible is the most fundamental and important duty this colony undertakes. There is nowhere and nothing more deserving of innovation and improvement than this. We need more experience? Let�s think about how to make it happen. We need more cores? Let�s explore ways we can make it happen! The Brood Tenders have put an enormous amount of work into their curriculum and their methods of instruction for the hatchlings, and they haven�t stopped trying to improve. It�s the rest of us who need to lift when it comes to supplying the raw materials. During the wave, I don�t think this is going to be much of a problem, but going forward, I think this is a change we have to make.�

The two Brood Tenders on the Council, Theresant and Florence, both clack their mandibles in gratitude for my acknowledgement of the hard work they and their entire caste have put in, something the rest of the Council immediately echoes. After more discussions and apportioning of work, the Council breaks up and everyone rushes back to doing what needs to be done. Everyone has their role and their own special task assigned to them, even me, which is why I find myself outside the nest looking curiously at the overflowing vegetation that has taken over this section of Dungeon.

Scouts had reported the strange phenomenon, as well as the presence of unknown creatures lurking amidst the growth not long after the siege lifted. Naturally, the Council chose to send me to stick my nose in and investigate.

Using all the senses I have available, I step slowly toward the abundant plant life that has seemingly sprung from nowhere, though I order my three loyal pets to stay back. This stuff could be poisonous, or worse. I�m getting a really weird feeling from the plants. Not entirely sure if it�s the Mana flow or the way they look� but something about it just rubs me the wrong way, and I find myself very reluctant to go any farther.

Good thing too, because only a few moments later, a gigantic creature who looks like five tree-trunks arranged in a vaguely humanoid shape stomps around the corner and approaches. At first, I want to give the monster both barrels of a fireball, except slipping along in his wake are creatures that I recognise much more clearly.

Branchies! What the heck are branchies doing down here in the Dungeon?

Almost eagerly, I spin together a Mind Bridge and reach out, only to find another mind probe toward mine first.

[Ah, hello?] Starting out with a classic.

[Greetings, friend insect. It is nice to see that someone has come out to see us, at last.]

Come on, man/giant tree-thing! We�ve got stuff to deal with in the nest, give us a break!

[I apologise if there has been any offence.] Smooth, diplomatic, and most importantly, smooth. Like a buttered snail surfing in a tub of grease. [There�s been a great deal to do within the nest, and the scouts reported the presence of this� plant life, not that long ago.]

The giant wooden guy waves a creaking arm.

[No offence was caused.] The mind that touches mine is strange and complex. It feels deep and old, yet at the same time, young and childlike. [We wanted to remain to speak with your people before we retreated back to our grove. I am a Grove Keeper, and I can better keep my people safe in the seat of my mother�s power.]

Feels like there�s a lot to unpack there.

[Your people? Are you referring to the people behind you? I think I met some of them while I was up on the surface. Not these people exactly, you know, but� people.]

Those giant eyes blink slowly.

[Yes. A small group of the bruan�chii had made their home in the Lirian forest. They told the Mother about you, and she has extended her roots through this area in an attempt to seek you out. In the end, it was pure happenstance that you stumbled into one and she was able to determine your position.]

Bruan�chii, eh? How� convenient. Wait, his mother has roots? As in, literally a tree?

[So, your mother was looking for us? Can I ask why?]

Please don�t be a psycho killer tree, please don�t be a psycho killer tree. I do NOT need that in my life right now.

[Because we were able to recognise you for what you were. A traveller from another world, just as she was.]

[Another reincarnated soul?] I�m shocked. [How about that?]

Wait a minute. All of us transplanted souls are a bit� on the iffy side, sanity wise. Might as well ask a probing question.

[Would you say your mother is� how to phrase this� a rational and calm sort of individual?]

The giant tree-person hesitates and the leaves around me start rustling rather loudly. Actually, it almost sounds like laughter.

[No,] comes the answer. [No I would not.]

My conversation with the bruan�chii Grove Keeper is disappointingly short, but enlightening. There is precious little time before the wave reaches a full-throated roar, and the tree-people don�t want to be caught out in the open. Apparently, the �Mother Tree� isn�t able, or doesn�t want to maintain all the vegetation she grew through the tunnels over the duration of the wave.

I was a little shocked to learn that every leaf, vine, and flower I saw was in fact an extension of the one tree rather than separate plants. Since she�s a monster like me, I wonder what tier it takes to become powerful enough that you can essentially extend yourself through huge swathes of Dungeon at will. I could have asked, of course, but that might have been a bit rude. If I ever get close enough to the tree herself, I might be in a position to ask a few more pointed questions.

With the Grove Keeper and his charges returning to their grove, there isn�t much else for me or my pets to do but help out with the defence of the Colony. The wave is just about to break, and I can feel the heat sources in the walls constantly building. At this stage, we only have a few minutes before they start pouring out. Already, the spawn rate in the Dungeon has gone crazy, and the tunnels are beginning to fill with the roars, shrieks, and clashes of monstrous combat.

I remember this noise, and none too fondly. Better get used to it since it�ll be weeks before we get to enjoy anything like quiet again.

[Alright, guys, we�re going to split up and defend the nest. I�ll take the spot in front of the damaged gate. I want Crinis to block the entrance to the tunnel that connects to the brood chambers, Invidia and Tiny can take the gate the golgari damaged. Make sure as few monsters as possible get past you, understand?]

This will give the Colony a little more time to finish organising the defences. They�ll be busy cleaning up the monsters that spawn on the inside of the nest anyways. Crinis raises a tentative tentacle.

[Are you sure you�ll be alright on your own, Master? You nearly died� again� in the last battle.]

There�s a certain intensity to the little blob of indescribable horror that sends a shiver down my non-existent spine. Yeaaah, she�s not happy.

[I get it, and I understand what you�re saying, Crinis. It was my fault that time, I got a bit carried away. Thankfully, we all survived and are healthy, so we can perform this duty.]

[But�]

[Crinis.] I drew closer to look down at the anxiously wobbling blob. She stills, and I use an antenna to pat her on the� let�s say head? [That hole is still being closed by the Colony, and there�s a chance that monsters will break through and attack the brood. We can�t let that happen, no matter what. This is the most important position, and I only trust you to do it. You�ll be able to make sure not a single monster gets through. Please, I�m counting on you to do this.]

The little ball vibrates as my words of praise pile up until she explodes.

[O-of course, Master! I won�t let any disgusting filth slip by! You can count on me!]

Gwehehehehe. Crisis averted. The blob of impenetrable darkness wastes no time sinking into the shadows, and she�s gone, making her way around to the other side of the nest where a mighty forest of barbed limbs will soon sprout. It�s a little mean to manipulate Crinis out of being mad at me, but what I told her was the pure truth. She�s much better suited to tackling huge numbers of relatively weak monsters, it�s her specialty. With her guarding the tunnel dug by the hated worm, I won�t have to worry.

[Tiny, Invidia? Got any questions?]

Tiny looks at me, looks at Invidia, looks at his stomach, then back to me, all without a change of expression. Somehow, it makes perfect sense. I think my brain is degenerating the more I interact with him.

[I don�t know how you guys want to split up the Biomass, work it out between you. I will say, however, if you want more to eat, try not to explode as many monsters. That goes for both of you. Your full-strength punches are just as bad as Invidia�s explosions. You know that, right?]

Tiny was about to point and laugh at this demonic companion, but my admonishment wipes the smile from his face. He looks a little pensive as they make their way back through the nest to the other side. I can tell what he�s thinking, he�s trying to weigh up his love of food versus his love of hitting things as hard as he can. I honestly don�t know which urge will turn out to be the winner. He does need to make sure he gets the Biomass he needs for his next evolution. He�s a long way from the tier six evolution, much as Crinis is, but it doesn�t hurt to start racking up those points as early as possible. I�ve even got a lot of eating ahead of me regardless of how quickly I can pile up the seven Levels I need.

With my troops deployed, there isn�t much for me to do except plant my butt in front of the destroyed gate and wait for the fireworks to start. My carapace is pretty much fully healed, so I�m not too worried. The monsters that will spawn around here are likely to be shadow beasts and the like, and only Level 1 at that.

As the heat signs grow stronger in the walls, I laboriously put together the Omni-Elemental Construct, the stupid thing sitting like a lump of iron in my minds. Tell you what, I can�t wait until I evolve and pump up my brains some more, then this thing won�t be such a pain in the thorax.

By the time I finish getting it ready, the monsters are already beginning to emerge. The distant din of combat grows louder by the second until the first monsters of the wave make themselves known. All along the tunnel, from the walls, floor, and ceiling, a shower of dirt erupts as claws, heads, maws, and monsters of all types erupt from the Dungeon veins.

The tunnel around me has as many as thirty monsters in it, each of them starving and enraged, drunk on the overflowing Mana that birthed them. Without a pause to catch their breath, they throw themselves at each other in a display of savage violence. Survival of the fittest is law in the Dungeon, something no monster needs to be taught.

A couple of the closer ones decide that I look like a juicy enough morsel to ignore the weaker prey. They charge, shadow flesh bulging and distending with the force of their roars. I idly spin together a few Fire Bolts. Time to harvest a few Skill Levels.

They�d done it. After so much expended time and effort, they�d finally done it. The Mage caste put themselves through the wringer during the siege, and had battered their minds against the invaders until they bordered on shattering. It proved to be a painful regime of brutal mental warfare, seemingly without end.

What made things even more difficult for the brainy caste of spell-slingers were the critical research tasks draining their numbers. The Colony had decided that the gates and Dungeon vein removal projects were so critical, so vital to the future success of their kind, that even the threat of imminent destruction wasn�t enough to curtail the development of these techniques.

Progress on the gates remained painfully slow. It was clear that higher-Levelled specialists in both enchantment and the as yet unseen Space Magic would be required to make significant headway. On the other hand, the teams assigned to reverse-engineering the methods witnessed in the City of Rylleh had achieved a breakthrough.

As jubilant as she was, Propellant couldn�t help but look askance at the team of mages and carvers who�d worked together to make this possible. She studied the complex, almost wavy, interlocking series of walls.

�And you�re sure this is going to work?� she asked.

One of the mages stepped forward, her antennae waving furiously.

�Of course it�s going to work, you old bat! What the heck do you think we�ve been doing down here while y�HRCK!�

With extreme speed, a team of previously stealthed ants leapt from the ceiling and tackled the mage to the ground. Before anyone could think to intervene, the new arrivals had swarmed over the downed ant, expertly knocking her out with a precision bite to cut off circulation to her brain before the shadows enfolded them once more. In less than a second, they were gone, taking the furious, now knocked out mage with them. The only sign of their presence was an ominously lingering pheromone message that hung in the air long after they were gone.

�Sleep well�� was all it said.

Even Propellant felt a chill run down her carapace at the display. The sleep monitors took their work deadly seriously. They were clearly starting to manage their evolutions and Skills in a direction to better allow them to perform their role, making them terrifyingly capable. The sudden disappearance of their colleague had an even greater effect on the rest of the researchers, their terror clear in every inch of their frames.

�Just how long has it been since your team leader slept?� Propellant asked.

�Th-th-th-three days,� stammered a carver.

�And how long have you been awake?�

The little ant trembled so violently Propellant was worried her exo-skeleton was about to crack.

�She�s been awake for two days and twenty-two hours,� another team member helpfully supplied.

Propellant clacked her mandibles.

�Better get through this quick, then. So, someone else this time, preferably someone not driven near delirious from lack of rest. Are you sure this is going to work?�

The much smaller ants consulted amongst themselves before a pair stepped forward, one carver and one mage.

�According to our calculations, there is a strong chance of success,� the mage spoke with crisp words. �Although we were unable to derive the exact method used in Rylleh, we believe this is as close as we can get to an approximate recreation.�

Math. The Council member tried not to be too repulsed by the sudden mention of calculations. That stuff was far more up Coolant�s alley. She herself was firmly in the �blow stuff up and think about it later� school of magic. Whichever cursed fool on the surface had introduced the concept to the Mage caste, it had spread like wildfire and split her siblings right down the middle.

She turned to the carver. �What do you think?�

The smaller ant rubbed one of the strange claws on her foreleg across the top of her head.

�It�s a butt-load of work, fine work at that,� the ant sighed. �But it�s held up in our tests so far. Only problem is, we haven�t been able to try it on as large a surface area as the nest, so we can�t be certain everything will be the same.�

She didn�t like the sound of that. Propellant wandered over to the mock-up the team had erected in the centre of the room, trying to ignore the battles going on elsewhere in the chamber. Damn waves made it so hard to concentrate. It really was precise work. The team had created no fewer than ten separate walls in a space less than a foot wide, each one folding back on the others in a pattern so complex, it could pass for a Magic Construct. It was only possible to create such razor thin walls and shape them in such a way by reinforcing and compressing them to an absurd degree with magic. The level of Earth Magic on display was formidable. To replace the outer walls of an entire chamber with this layered wall formation would be� a monstrous undertaking.

They�d attempted to explain it to her, something about guiding the veins, folding them and then �rolling� them along �predetermined channels of high Mana sensitivity�. It didn�t make a whole lot of sense to her, but she hadn�t spent weeks working non-stop to develop the method.

�You�ve got the go-ahead,� she said. �I want the egg-laying and brood chambers to be done within forty-eight hours. We�ll mobilise the entire Mage caste and every carver with an Earth Magic Skill of rank four or above.�

The team went wild with joy, slapping each other with their antennae, high-fiving and clacking their mandibles with glee. Propellant watched them celebrate with a warm feeling until she noticed the shadows extending from the walls, drawing closer to the team each second.

�BUT�� she shouted, then immediately lowered the intensity of her scent. �But only after you rest. This work is too important to trust to tired minds. Six hours for all of you, minimum. In the meantime, I�ll start organising the shifts and getting the antpower we need.�

The team grumbled amongst themselves about the delay, but she paid them no mind, instead watching as the darkness began to recede back to the walls.

By the Eldest, she thought, that�s terrifying.

�Congratulations to all of you,� she said. �This breakthrough will go down in the history of the Colony, and I believe the Eldest will want to come and congratulate you personally on your achievement. Our whole family is proud of you.�

The delighted team continued to celebrate and praise each other as they made their way to the mage torpor chambers, never realising the dark shadows that trailed along behind them the entire way.

When word finally arrived from the satellite nests, the sense of relief in the Colony was noticeable. Burke herself was the first to receive the message and made sure to pass it on as quickly as she could. The smaller nests had held up well, suffering no more than a few probing attacks intended to keep them in place. They hadn�t been able to stock away Biomass as the main nest had, though, the lack of food growing into a real problem over the course of the siege. Now that the wave was underway, that problem was in the process of rapidly rectifying itself.

The Eldest and their pets continued to guard the most vulnerable points of entry into the nest itself whilst a flurry of activity continued behind them. Burke and Wills were everywhere, running messages, coordinating scouting parties, and doing the legwork that kept the Colony running as one efficient unit. The two bumped into each other sprinting in opposite directions down a long tunnel and decided to take a short break to catch up on news.

�I heard about the satellites, that�s good to hear,� Wills said. �From the sounds of things, the Queens haven�t been able to maintain production over there. Our need for graduated hatchlings is dire.�

�We could double the number of scouts and I�d still have work for them to do,� Burke agreed. �But there�s little we can do about it right now. Once the nests are secure, we can move forward from there.�

�Agreed. Have you seen what the mages are up to in the brood chambers?�

Burke indicated the negative and Wills filled her in on the new technique and the massive scale of earthworks taking place in the heart of the nest.

�That�s a big deal,� the scout clacked. �If they can do that for the entire nest�� A roaring shadow beast erupted from the wall right between them. Reflexes and instincts highly trained, they turned as one and snapped at the creature, ending its existence in the Dungeon as quickly as it had begun.

��things will get a lot easier to manage around here,� Burke finished.

�From what I hear, the carvers are raving mad about it,� Wills said. �The constant spawns are making it almost impossible to do any sort of industrial work. Their workshops are crowded as is, and now they need to cram soldiers into every nook and cranny to defend them. It�s a mess.�

The ants who focused their attentions on crafting were indeed being driven mad. Whole workshops were upended as monsters crawled out of the floor under their workstations, streamed out of the walls, and generally made a mess of the place as the soldiers and scouts charged in to battle them. The only group of production style ants that weren�t too perturbed by the whole thing were the core shapers. Maintaining their concentration was hard, but the never-ending monster spawns provided an endless stream of experience and Biomass for their weaker creations.

If the mages were able to achieve what they�d set out to do, life in the nest might return to some semblance of normality. And that was only the beginning.

In another section of the nest, Victor and Sloan huddled together, along with dozens of other high-Level generals working together in teams. The enormous scale model of the section of Dungeon they were in had been expanded to include every piece of new territory the Colony had explored, and the two Council members were busy identifying potential choke points, trying to anticipate problems and organise the troops within the nest.

�What�s the status at the gate?� Sloan asked a passing scout.

�The Eldest is still there, very little has managed to approach the gate itself.�

The two generals breathed a sigh of relief. The Eldest was buying them precious time to re-establish their defences and get some control back. They were determined to make the most of the opportunity. Though, it wouldn�t last. How could it? Right now, the Eldest and their guardians would be holding off the monsters with ease since it was only Level 1, tier one creatures springing into the tunnels the moment they were spawned. Although the constant �waves� were draining, disrupting and all-around irritating, the Colony had grown to a point where even in the second stratum, they weren�t much of a threat.

The real danger of the wave had only just begun to take shape and was yet to appear. It was the survivors, the winners, the monsters who, for whatever reason, were able to thrive in the mess of the Dungeon. Be they newly spawned, fresh out of a wall, or perhaps had already secured a few evolutions under their belt before the wave got going, it was those creatures who would rapidly rise in power that would become a threat.

Then, after that, would come the creatures from below. They hadn�t had to experience it during the first wave. Apparently, the Legion had been holding off the beasties from the depths, unintentionally saving the Colony a great deal of pain. Perhaps even saving their lives. This time, there would be no such protection. The creatures from the third stratum would come screaming up from below and begin to batter the Colony in earnest. It would take a little while before they arrived, but they would.

�What about here?� Sloan indicated a particular section of tunnel with an antenna.

Victor leaned closer.

�Feasible. We�ll need to coordinate with the fortification teams and find carvers with a high Level of the Defensive Fortification Skill and place them with each design group. These barricades cannot be weak.�

�Good idea,� Sloan agreed. �I think we also need to ask the core shapers to take a greater role in the tunnels. This environment is perfect for them, they�ll leap at the chance.�

�With so many soldiers and scouts injured, it�d certainly take a load off our shoulders,� Victor sighed.

The two of them were fatigued to a dangerous extent. It wouldn�t surprise either of them if they were to be seized and dragged away at any moment, but they both refused to go for torpor until the bones of the strategy for tackling the wave had been constructed. The Eldest had been right about this wave. The Colony wasn�t the same as it was the last time. There were well over a hundred thousand of them now. They were smarter, stronger, better prepared. If they moved fast, were smart, and gripped this chance tight in their mandibles, they could come out the other end in a far better position than they went in.

All around, teams of generals dissected the Dungeon layout and planned. Patrols, aggressive sweeps, defensive emplacements. They targeted areas that could be controlled, areas they could build in. They paid particular attention to areas with water sources or particularly high concentrations of Mana. Every Expanse they�d encountered was being analysed for their potential as a threat, but also as a resource.

The largest farming operation in the history of the frontier kingdoms was beginning to take shape.

I�ve been out here for hours and still haven�t Levelled up.

Oops, here comes another one. Thirty metres down the tunnel, the dirt bulges and crumbles away to reveal a newly spawned shadow crawler. Despite having six legs, I really can�t approve of these things. Their faces look like a mosquito with a piercing snout almost a metre long. My minds churn and a condensed fireball whizzes forward, smacking into the creature and detonating with a wave of heat that rolls all the way back to me, lighting up my antennae and drying out my eyeballs.

Dammit.

[You have defeated a Level 1�]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. A tier one, Level 1 enemy isn�t going to do squat for me. It�s pretty much not even worth the time to go and eat the Biomass. I�ve seen a couple of monsters make their way up the tunnel who were rank three, and I happily consumed them, but for the most part, I�ve been content to let the masses of creatures have it out with each other, occasionally deploying the flamethrower-like Fire Magic to keep them away from the gate.

Only twice has anything above tier three come close enough for me to fight. At least those battles were interesting. Despite the near-deafening noise of screaming, screeching, and roaring, accompanied by the visually stimulating sight of hundreds of monsters fighting for dear life within eyeshot, I�m bored.

I�M SO DAMN BORED.

All I�m doing is sitting here picking on small fries whilst the Colony goes insane working their abdomens off behind me.

Already, the remains of the gate have been raised and sealed into place. The carvers are hard at work even now, guarded by teams of soldiers as they crawl all over the metal surface of the once mighty bulwark, doing whatever they can to repair the metal and the enchantments that were woven into the structure of the steel. I have to say, despite their best efforts, the gate looks like garbage. Huge rents, dents and tears are evident all over the place, and the once mighty ant head carved into the surface is looking much worse for wear. If I�m being honest, it�s so ugly it could pass for a centipede.

I know that me being here is buying the Colony precious time, and that it�s valuable, but it�s just not all that stimulating. Still, I remain. If I were to go do something else, they�d need to station a whole team of soldiers and scouts to replace me, and both of those castes saw massive casualties during the siege, and there are still thousands of injured who need time to get their legs back under them. And this is a wave, after all. I�m sure the inside of the nest is a complete mess, with soldiers on duty every twenty metres of tunnel and clinging to walls all around the chambers.

Ah well, hopefully I�ll be able to move on soon and do something a little more exciting. Being this close to my next evolution is tantalising. Evolving is such a massive boost of power for a monster, and I�ve been in my current form for quite a while. Amassing eighty Levels is no easy feat, especially when I�m sharing a lot of experience with my pets and twenty bodyguards.

Just thinking about what juicy options may appear is getting me excited. What body parts will I make mutable? What could I add to my perfect ant form? So many questions�

Even just planning out the possible stat distribution is exciting. Gah! I need to distract myself and think about something else.

At least all this spare time has removed any excuse I might have had to continue avoiding my status. Trawling through the numbers has always been a bit of a pain, but it is pleasant to see the number of upgrades I�ve managed to accrue. Turns out fighting non-stop for days on end is pretty helpful when it comes to Levelling Skills. Who�d have thunk it?

Name: Anthony

Level: 73 (Rare) (V)

Might: 91

Toughness: 79

Cunning: 64

Will: 55

HP: 158/158

MP: 330/330

Skills:

General:

Expert Excavation Level 20 (III); Expert Grip Level 9 (III); Expert Stealth Level 6 (III); Tunnel Guide Level 11 (III); Iron Mind Level 30 (IV); Master Stamina Level 6 (IV); Still Meditation Level 12 (IV); Snap Dash Level 11 (IV)

Mana:

Mana Craft Level 24 (V); Master Condensed Mana Level 18 (IV); Grand Master External Mana Manipulation Level 16 (V); Mana Hoarder Level 22 (IV); Master Mind Magic Affinity Level 20 (IV); Directed Mana Sensing Level 4 (IV); Empowered Healing Magic Affinity Level 14 (III); Omni-Elemental Affinity Level 4 (V); Mana Masking Level 5 (I)

Pet:

Further Pet Communication Level 7 (III); Core Crafting Level 13 (IV); Pet Growth Speed Level 5 (I)

Defensive:

Grandmaster Exo-Skeleton Defence Level 11 (V); Master Dodge Level 25 (IV); Master Endure Level 6 (IV); Expert Grace Level 14 (III)

Offensive:

Unerring Acid Shot Level 6 (IV); Master Precise Shooting Level 23 (IV); Doom Chomp Level 23 (V)

Mutations:

Senses:

Heightened Perimeter Eyes +20; Far-sight Oracle Antennae +25

Defence:

Complete Diamond Carapace +25; Braced Healing Inner Carapace Plating +25

Physical:

Hardened Rapid Osmotic Legs +25; Mana Flooded Mandibles +25; Frequent Potent Regeneration Gland +25; Convincing Pheromone Gland +20; Vast Hungering Stomach +25; Lock Hyper-Twitch Musculature +25; Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +20

Acid:

Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid Gland +25; Forceful Scattershot Acid Nozzle +20; Robust Weakening Acid Concentration Gland +20; Rapid Fatiguing Acid Stimulation Gland +10

Mental:

Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25

Mana:

Unending Gravity Magic Gland +20; Endless Collective Will Vestibule +25

Species: Juvenile Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

Skill Points: 5

Biomass: 80

A lot of Skill upgrades have come in, which cost me more than a small number of Skill Points. Fortunately, I managed to get enough Levels throughout the siege to pay for them. All in all, my physical Skills as well as my generic Mana Skills have seen a massive upgrade. One of the most impactful is probably the often-under-appreciated Stamina Skill, which has made it all the way up to rank four.

At this Level, the knowledge of how to move and rest my body in order to minimise the expenditure of energy has seeped into the deepest crevices of my mind. Combined with the Vestibule, it�s this Skill that allows me to fight for as long as I do. Grandmaster Exo-Skeleton Defence is likely what kept me alive during that final battle. Rank five Skills are no joke, and my precision when shifting my body to best utilise my carapace has grown to a new height. Combined with the Endure Skill reaching rank four, I was able to deflect, absorb, and otherwise tank a heck of a lot more damage than I otherwise would have.

Although I didn�t achieve too many rank ups in my magic Skills, the Levels are progressing nicely. When some of these Skills hit rank five, there will be a huge upgrade in my spell casting capacity. With a few Skill Points in the bank and no fusions on the horizon, all I really need to worry about now is finalising my mutations and capping out my core before I�m ready to evolve. I�m getting pumped up!

After hosing down a few more piddling monsters with blue flames, my reverie of waiting is disrupted by an exhausted-looking Sloan.

�Hey, Sloan! You look rough! Be careful you don�t get caught skipping torpor.�

The general waves a droopy antenna in dismissal.

�I�m so far gone I�m sure they�re on their way right now,� she says. �Besides, you�re my last stop before I go get some rest.�

�Oho! Does this mean you don�t need me here on the gate anymore? Got another job that needs doing?�

�Yes. Well, no. Sort of. I�m so damn tired��

I give her second to gather her thoughts as the weary ant literally sways on her legs.

�You�re setting a bad example, Sloan.�

�I know, I know. We can hold the gates here now, and there really isn�t anything that we need your help with urgently, except Level up. We need you to evolve as quickly as possible in order to help us deal with the monsters from the third stratum when they come.�

That�s a good call. Invidia is an example of a third stratum demon, albeit a finely crafted and powerful one. If a swarm of creatures on his level come charging through the tunnels, things will get really hairy, real fast.

�You just want me to charge off into the Dungeon with my crew and try to Level up? You sure about that?� I ask dubiously.

That�s the sort of thing I usually do when I�m trying to avoid my responsibilities. Now it turns out that�s exactly what the Council wants me to do?

�We�re sure. Even more than that, we�re going to start stockpiling Biomass here at the nest for you. Get all the experience you can, as fast as you can. Once you reach Level 80, come home and we�ll make sure everything is ready for the evolution.�

�Sounds good to me, Sloan! I�m off!�

Whoo! By the time she finishes talking, I�m already gone, Dashing through the monsters littering the tunnel and making my way around the nest to collect my pets. After bashing my head into the Legion for so long, I�m about ready to find someone my own size to pick on! Tier six, here I come!

Tiny is more than happy to abandon his post for something more exciting, and I think Crinis is just relieved she�s able to return to me without something dramatic occurring, such as me being sucked through a black hole into the hundredth stratum, if that even exists.

With the gang assembled, we set off into the deeper tunnels, and it rapidly becomes apparent that things are starting to heat up within the frozen spaces of the second stratum. Monsters are fighting everywhere. Shadow beasts in various states of evolution and all sorts of other critters fill every nook and cranny we come across, either fighting or consuming the Biomass of the opponent in the fight they�d just won.

When we slide close to an Expanse, the number of monsters we run into climbs even higher until there�s a full-on mob we need to physically push through to move forward. We aren�t interested in getting into an Expanse, I know how crazy those places get during a wave, all we want is the experience.

Which we take, obviously.

Between the four of us tier five monsters�Invidia is already tier six, but anyway�we�re able to sweep away the opposition without too many issues. The only real problem is fatigue, since it�s taking a fair bit of effort to scour the tunnels of hundreds of monsters, and the farther we move from the nest, the less power I receive from my Vestibule.

About halfway to our destination, we end up having to �pull over� for a break. I dig away a section of tunnel wall and seal it back over behind us so we can rest relatively free from the disturbance of the wave. It�s been a long time since I�ve had to do that for all of us, and let me tell you, it is quite eye opening just how much larger the chamber must be now that we�ve all evolved to this point. Crinis isn�t much of an issue, being a blob that can compress herself, and obviously Invidia keeps the vast bulk of his mass tucked away in a pocket dimension, but Tiny and I have become fairly sizeable. Things have really changed since he was little and used to ride around on my back.

I did also have to make room for my twenty babysitters, since Protectant insisted they come in with us. Irritating!

It does make me wonder, with the tier six evolution coming up, just how large am I going to get? As large as the Queen? Maybe� It�s going to be weird if I end up that size; some of the tunnels won�t even be large enough to contain me�

Eh, I�ll worry about that when it happens.

After a very welcome and overdue period of torpor, I rouse the gang and we head out once more. I need experience, which means we need to find as many higher tier monsters as we possibly can, and I can remember one such creature we�d found who managed to escape my grasp. That�s right, it�s that darn mama spider! I hadn�t wanted to pursue her into her cave of death last time, but I�m confident we can handle anything she might throw at us now!

The time for the domination of the eight-legged is nigh! Down with the arachnid! Gwehehehehe!

Thanks to my Tunnel Map, I know exactly where that tunnel is located, and we make our way there, fighting every step of the way. Rather than dive into the Expanse, we skirt around the edges until we locate the point I think is closest to the spider�s lair from the outside. Of course I�m going to dig through! Can you imagine fighting over those webs during a wave? No thanks! Once I have a rough idea, I use my Mana Sense and get some help from Crinis to guide my efforts as I start digging down to where the lair is.

Submerging myself within the ant zen, time passes swiftly, and before I know it, I can sense the looming Mana of the spider boss somewhere in front.

[Alright, team, time to put the plan into action. You know what to do?]

[Yessssss.]

[Yes, Master!]

[HRAAA!]

[Good. Get ready!]

I reach within, ensuring all of my minds are working in concert on the task of bringing forth the dark purple Mana that sits next to my core. More and more energy is extracted as I compact it until the most deadly spell I know has been formed. The Gravity Bomb is taking shape!

Naturally, we retreat farther back down the tunnel to a safe distance, and though I don�t think it�ll do much good, I do my best to mask the Mana I condense. The spider will probably work out that we�re coming, but if all goes according to plan, it won�t be able to escape.

[Fire in the hole!]

So saying, I unleash the slowly rotating sphere of nigh-on black Mana. The moment it impacts the end of my narrow tunnel, it expands to its full size and the horrifying pull makes itself known. Rock, earth, and cobwebs fly into the singularity and are crushed and smashed to pieces. Despite being able to see the destruction, there�s no sound other than the howling wind, as if what happened in the sphere occurred in another universe. We wait out the spell in grim silence until it flickers and vanishes, leaving behind rubble and a ball of extremely dense detritus.

[Go! Get in there!] I shout and immediately Dash!

Tiny and Invidia are right behind me, with Crinis riding along on my carapace. There�s a dense nest of webs woven on the other side of the section of tunnel we blasted open. At least, it was dense. After the bomb, a huge section has been utterly obliterated.

[Invidia!]

The demon lets his magic fly.

BOOM! BOOM!

A chain of explosions rock the tunnel ahead, blasting at the walls the spider has made her home. The webs are strong, super strong, to the point where a huge amount of effort is needed to destroy them. The rock that they rest on, however, is just plain old rock.

BOOM! BOOM!

Sections of tunnel wall collapse with a thunderous roar, dragging down the web and making a mess of what was only moments ago a spider paradise. That�s right, spider, all that you love shall be turned to ash! This is your punishment for the sin of too many legs!

After a minute of destroying her nest and blocking the exit, the spider mama has had enough. With a deafening screech, her bulbous form rockets out of the depths of her nest and into our waiting arms.

A deathly chill of poison spreads out from her abdomen as she appears, tainting the air and causing the micro hairs on my antennae to shrivel the moment she draws close. I knew this monster would have some tricks up her sleeve. Let�s see if it�s enough to save her!

In truth, the establishment of the core shapers by the Eldest proved over time to be a master stroke. At first, there were many who decried the resources being sent to the caste instead of being used to nourish the next generation. As hardworking and talented as Elegant and Bella were in those early days, they lacked Skill Levels, expertise, and the raw statistical power required for complex core shaping. The core shapers were a sinkhole of precious cores, the most important commodity to the Colony, as they were needed to fuel evolutions, and there were never anywhere close to enough to satisfy the Colony�s needs. Some postulate that the lasting damage done by the Shapers draining cores at this time had a much larger carry-on effect than may have been seen on the surface, but I personally doubt it.

The Council was strict with resource allocation then, just as they are now. Bella and Ellie were forced to work miracles with the pittance they were given, raising their caste up with nothing more than scraps and fumes.

Eventually, the core shapers rose to a place of prominence and their contributions could no longer be denied by even the most strident of critics. They were able to take risks with their pets that ants could not, were able to adapt to any environment or conditions by changing out their followers, able to range far on their own, relying on their defenders to protect them. The number of cores brought back to the Colony through out-of-territory resource collection missions is a staggering figure, one that most colony members are totally unaware of. Lone core shapers braved the dangers of the Dungeon on their own or in small teams, venturing outside of colony territory and battling hard to bring back precious materials.

It is a lesson in long-term planning that only the Eldest had the reach to see and the wisdom to undertake. No step that they undertook in the formation of the early Colony failed to bear tremendous fruit down the line.

�Excerpt from On the Castes, by Historiant

The spider is mad. Real mad. A natural response to having her secret nest invaded and subjected to repeated explosions. It�s only going to get worse for you, spider! I�m not leaving until I get that sweet, sweet experience! Gwehehehehe.

According to our plan, Tiny stays at a distance and blasts the spider with every ounce of lightning he has, a dissatisfied expression written plainly on his face.

You want to punch the poisonous death-spider that much? You idiot!

Crinis extends her limbs from the shadows, making calculated strikes against the spider�s legs while Invidia continues to detonate the surrounding rock, collapsing the web and diluting the home ground advantage of our adversary.

For my part, I bite and blast with fire, doing whatever else I can to occupy the attention of this high tier beast. The spider�s shrieks of rage rise to an all-new crescendo, and if I could stuff my antennae into my ears, I would. Instead, I bite all the harder.

DOOM CHOMP!

My muscles snap with immense power, sending the black jaws through the air so fast I can no longer see them move. Despite her immense bulk, the spider moves with surprising grace, and she manages to sway to the side, avoiding my bite by the slightest of margins. She bares her fangs, striking with blinding quickness. My antennae have already tingled a warning to me, and my reflexes pay off, allowing me to skip backward out of her range.

Her Bite Skill appears to be weaker than mine, the range and power aren�t nearly as devastating as my own Doom Chomp. Although� I can�t rule out that it�s all a bluff. This spider is sneaky and intelligent, I can�t trust anything at face value. She probably wants me to think �oh, this is a pathetic excuse of a bite, I can tank this no problem,� then, when I stand in front of her not dodging like an idiot, her true strike will reveal itself and stab through my heart in a second.

I�m on to you, spider!

Maybe I�m overthinking, but I don�t think so. This spider is clearly capable of producing powerful poison and even an aura of death. I refuse to believe her fangs are just for show.

Remaining cautious, I snap and bite at the bulbous monster and keep her on the back foot while the rest of my team piles on the damage. Crinis uses her barbed limbs to twist and grab at every leg she can grasp, wrenching and tearing into the armour covering the arachnid�s limbs. Tiny unleashes wave after wave of electric energy, roasting the huge monster with blue lightning, his face growing more and more disgruntled. Invidia weaves his magical mastery, as usual, his flawless execution on display as he controls his Mana with perfection. Man, must be nice to be tier six, I can�t wait!

Damn spider, gimme my experience!

The fight enters into a brief stalemate as the spider continues to bait and lunge whilst we maintain our vigil of wearing it down. Four against one, we don�t need to be the ones to take any risks here. In the end, it�s Tiny who breaks the deadlock by growing so impatient that he goes against the plan and decides to start swinging. I can see on his face the moment he cracks, the irritation and anger piled up until he unleashes a deep bellow, cutting off the lightning and leaping forward with his fists bared.

Stupid ape! How many times are you going to try and get yourself killed?

Tiny has gotten too comfortable getting into the thick of the fight since he got his armour, as he�s no longer such a glass cannon that he�d get shattered from the slightest blow. That doesn�t mean you�re going to be safe, you moron!

Just as I suspected, the spider has been hiding her true strength. The moment Tiny comes close enough to unleash his fist, she darts in, her entire body suddenly blurred as if wreathed in illusion, her fangs gleaming with a deadly cold light. Not expecting this sudden burst of speed, Tiny�s punch flies over the spider�s head as her fangs reach toward him, poison dripping from the tips.

BOOM!

Invidia to the rescue. Gandalf and his luminous beard, bless that little eyeball. Before the spider can close on the bat-faced ape, two things happen. First, a multi-layered shield springs up between them which the monster crunches into, significantly slowing her charge when she breaks through, and second, an explosion detonates just underneath the spider, lifting her body into the air and robbing her of her grip on the floor.

Chance!

Even Tiny seizes upon this moment to deliver a devastating uppercut straight into the ominous fangs of the arachnid, shocking the monster. It�s the prelude to the end as I Dash forward, my jaws at the ready.

CRUNCH!

The Doom Chomp strikes home, and the giant spider simply cannot resist its penetrating power. After a few twitches, the fight is done.

[You have gained XP.]

GWEHEHEHEHE.

The death of the spider, along with all the �cleaning� my pets and I had done on our journey, is enough to push me to Level 76, tantalisingly close to the goal. I�m keen to get back out hunting for experience, but the remains of the big spider are right in front of us, and I refuse to let Biomass go to waste! This is a tier six monster after all!

The four of us dig in, and a short time later, all signs that the arachnid had been here at all are gone, vanished without a trace. I decide I can spare a little time and explore the rest of the tunnel in which we�d fought. There�s a chance that hideous creature had some good stuff hidden in here, perhaps a Biomass store tucked away in a cupboard, or some cores that we could seize upon. Instead, I find something a little disheartening.

At the end of the tunnel, bundled tight in protective webs, are eggs. Hundreds of eggs. After the Colony had swept through and depopulated the area, it�s clear that the spider mama was determined to re-establish the dominance of her family over the stratum in which we found them. Although it brings me no joy, I can�t allow these spiders to hatch and compete with the Colony� So I get Invidia to destroy them.

I copped out, alright! I don�t want to go around destroying eggs.

With the deed done, I make sure Crinis grabs the core, and we back out into the regular tunnels and start sweeping our way deeper. The longer the wave goes on, the faster the monsters will spawn, and already they�re piling up!

From what I understand after talking to Granin and the others, the Mana never returned to normal levels after the first wave, which is highly unusual. What�s even more unusual is having waves this close together. According to the Shapers, this may point to something rather nasty occurring where we experience a series of waves, each longer and more potent than the last. If that�s the case, the Colony has little choice but to Level up as fast as possible if we�re going to survive. We�ve grown to the point we can handle the second stratum well enough, but what about monsters from the third? Or fourth? If a wave is strong enough, and long enough, then they�re going to get here eventually.

In fact, they�re going to get here right about now.

After burning my way through a mass of tentacled shadow monsters, my pets and I find ourselves standing in a strangely clear section of tunnel that ought to be occupied by fighting monsters. Instead, we�ve come upon signs of a recent battle and the rather obvious remains from some creature messily eating what was left of their foes. Not a great sign. Following the tunnel around a corner, we come face-to-face with the culprit, who strikes me rather immediately as not being a shadow creature.

The monster has four grotesquely muscled limbs that end in hardened, flesh-coloured points. The body is a bloated, constantly writhing mass of pink� something, whilst its head appears to be little but a mouth. It finishes its battle against a large shadow centipede by leaping with incredible speed and landing on all fours, one of the forelimbs spearing the arthropod straight through. Not even waiting for the creature to pass away, the hideous monster shrieks a piercing, rage-filled scream and starts tearing into the centipede with that enormous mouth, its spear-like limbs dug deep into the floor.

What the heck is that thing?

[Invidia, any idea what that is?]

[I do notsssss. I have never ssssseeen it before.]

[Are you sure? It sure as heck doesn�t look like something from this stratum! It must be from the third! That�s your home, isn�t it?]

[I have no memoriesssss of that place� I have no memoriesssss before you reconstituted me.]

Huh. Well, if my memory serves me correctly, a demon isn�t considered fully grown until it reaches tier six, like the eyeball has. So this thing is tier five at most? Yikes. It�s larger than me already, and if I�m not mistaken, it might be able to drive one of those damn pointy hands it has straight through me just like it did to that shadow creature. That�s exactly the sort of weapon best suited to penetrating my diamond carapace!

It�s like a sword versus armour back in the ancient days. Someone wearing plate armour or even chain mail is not going to get cut if you slash them with a blade, they just won�t. If you had a big enough sword, you might be able to bash your way into breaking some bones or getting a cut in, but generally speaking, the way you used a sword against armour was to stab. You puncture through the protective layer by putting the maximum amount of pressure on the smallest point, piercing like a needle. It�s almost as if this damn demon was designed to perforate my precious diamond coating. I won�t allow it!

[Take it down, all! With extreme prejudice!]

Tiny doesn�t need to be told twice, eagerly leaping in as Crinis slinks through the shadows. Not wanting to have the experience stolen from me, I instruct Invidia not to go on the offensive and instead focus on protection and healing duties. For my part, I spam Gravity Bolts in the hopes of slowing it down, keeping one wary eye on each of those four limbs.

The monster screams that piercing, outraged shriek, and every time it shifts its position, the legs rise out of the stone floor and then pierce back through like the ground was jelly. It makes moving a little awkward for the monster since it has to send almost half a limb into the floor before it can find purchase, but it just muscles through the problem and proves remarkably fast as it repositions to meet our assault.

Four against one, big mouth! You haven�t got a hope!

Tiny dances forward, light on his feet with his hands raised, ready to strike. Once he finds his range, he peppers the creature with blindingly fast lefts. The tight, compact punches are so unlike what I�ve gotten used to from the giant ape that I almost stumble in place. Has he ranked up his ape boxing Skill? What is this textbook, orthodox boxing style?

[That�s it, Tiny! Master the left, master the world!]

With each impact of the light exploding from Tiny�s fists, the monster is knocked off-balance and its anger builds to a terrifying crescendo. I don�t think it�s taking much damage from the blizzard of punches, but it�s finding it hard to move out from under the pinning assault.

Not one to back down from an opportunity, I pepper the beast with a few more Gravity Bolts as I close the distance with a Snap Dash, my form blurring from the high-speed manoeuvre. When I�m close enough to engage my Doom Chomp, I notice Crinis� arrival, a forest of her dark limbs twisting out of the shadows on the floor to wrap themselves around the demon�s legs and beginning to saw away at the tightly packed muscle.

Assaulted from all sides, there isn�t much the poor demon can do to resist as we continuously chomp away at its health. That grotesque mouth constantly snaps and bites, and I almost lose an antenna when it extends its jaw a metre out of its face. Whoever heard of an extendable jaw? What the heck!

Once we finish it off, the experience is enough to push me up another Level.

[You have defeated a Level 31 Iuvenis Avarita Daemon.]

[You have gained XP.]

[You have reached Level 77. One Skill Point awarded.]

Awwww yeah! Three Levels to go, baby! We chomp away at the Biomass, and I take a moment to study the profile, curious to learn more about the demons.

[Iuvenis Avarita Daemon: Young Avarice Demon. Perpetually hungry, always angry, and spoiling for a fight. Beware the destructive power of the hardened flesh spears that tip its limbs.]

An Avarice Demon, huh? Nasty. Once we finish our meal, we scoop the core and continue to hunt, finding a few more of the Avarice Demons prowling the tunnels, crushing everything they find. After we clear out all that we can find over the next four hours, I finally reach my target.

[You have reached Level 80. One Skill Point awarded.]

[Maximum Level reached. You may now use the evolution menu.]

Whoo!

With the Level milestone achieved, I take a break to celebrate and high five�with antennae�the team, then we begin the journey back to the nest. With the wave in full swing, we end up having to resweep most of the tunnels, as the empty spaces are either taken up by monsters who spawned elsewhere, or freshly spawned monsters already jumping out of the walls again. It�s hard to imagine, but I think I was actually starting to forget just how tiring the wave was. Just getting through these totally normal tunnels is an exhausting slog of fight after fight. The moment we deal with one monster, another one comes screaming out of a side tunnel.

It�s almost as if the heightened Mana levels make the monsters nuts as well as drives the spawn rate to ridiculous heights. It could just be the fact that there�s no opportunity for monsters to carve out their own space and settle into some territory, which causes them to be whipped up into a mindless rage. Whatever the case, by the time we make it back to the nest, the four of us, as well as my twenty unseen observers, are all thoroughly tired and done with the Dungeon for the time being.

All in all, it took a little over three days to travel and secure the Levels I need to evolve. It�s pretty obvious just how busy the Colony has been. The gates alone have seen a massive improvement. The fortifications are positively bristling with ants ready to defend the entrance to the nest. If they managed to repair the acid pool, there shouldn�t be too many issues holding off monsters, although if more powerful demons show up, things might get hairy.

Before we enter, I turn to face the empty space above my head.

�Protectant, you need to get out here for a chat.�

Silence.

�You could just talk to the air. I would rather not show myself,� her scent creeps up to my antennae from nowhere.

�It�s weird trying to hold a conversation with someone I can�t see. Just get out here!�

With her usual sulky disposition, Protectant reveals herself and drops from the roof to come into view.

�What can I do for you, Eldest? I�d like to remind you that we are supposed to be a secret protection detail. You make our jobs harder when you constantly reveal our existence.�

�Hey, I don�t feel any real need to make your lives more difficult, but you need to adjust and have a little more flexibility than what the Council demanded of you. All of their nonsense went out the window the minute I worked out you exist.�

I stare down at the much smaller elite ant, but she makes a point of turning her head to face past me. Still don�t want to give up on the mission, eh? Sigh. What a pain.

�Alright, I�ll get down to business then. I�m going to be spending the next few days finalising my evolution. It�s going to take at least two days, maybe as much as a week. I was asleep for a long time during the last one, so who knows this time? Not me, that�s for sure.�

�And? We will watch over you, as always.�

�Nope, not as always. I don�t need protection when I�m evolving, I�ll be in the middle of the nest for goodness� sake! What could possibly happen to me in there? I�ll have my pets watching over me just in case anything happens, having more security than that is nonsensical! You and your nineteen sisters are going to use this time to power up.�

�What!� she says, aghast. �You want us to abandon the mission, completely? You won�t keep any of us with you?�

They�re dedicated, I�ll give them that.

�No! After I evolve, I�m going to be tier six! We�ve had this conversation before, if you twenty can�t keep up with me, then you can hardly protect me from something I can�t defeat myself! I need every one of you to max out your cores and mutations and prepare for special evolutions. Every one of you needs to be tier five by the time this wave ends. If you want to make sure you�re ready to protect me, then any tier five members can return to guard duty once I�ve finished evolving, but only up to a maximum of five. The rest of you stick together until every last one of you has achieved a perfect tier five, you hear me? This is an order!�

I really don�t like to boss around the other ants, I�m just not comfortable with telling them what to do, but these twenty are only going to get themselves killed if they don�t power up, and they won�t take time to Level up and mutate if I don�t force them to. Even if they don�t accept my logic, they can�t refuse a direct command and Protectant positively wilts under my omni-directional glare.

�It will be done as you command, Eldest,� she mutters then vanishes once again.

With that unpleasant conversation dealt with, I head into the nest to find a small welcoming party waiting on the other side. Granin, Torrina, and Corun are present, as well as Florence and Victor. I�m especially surprised to see the Brood Tender away from the young where she spends essentially all of her time when she isn�t in a meeting.

[�Hello all!�] I greet everyone with a combination of pheromones and Mind Magic, [�I didn�t expect you to welcome me back at the gates. How are things in the nest?�]

�Everything is fine,� Victor assures me. �Our plans are already well advanced and our defences here and in the satellite nests have been established.�

�That�s right,� Florence happily agrees. �And the hatchlings have been able to enter the Academy and begin their proper training. The school has already begun a massive expansion project to accommodate the boosted numbers, but we are confident we can complete the task.�

Man, the Brood Tenders are by far the most soothing caste, always cheerful and upbeat. They work just as hard as everyone else, don�t get me wrong, but they all seem to share the same calm and happy aura that Florence and Theresant have.

�Well, that�s great.�

I switch back to speaking to everyone.

[�What brings you guys here?�]

Granin steps forward and looks to Victor. The ant nods and Granin�s voice rings out in my mind.

[The ants are getting ready to take you straight to the Biomass store they�ve set up for you. The Council has been taking my advice about selecting a few members to nurture into high tier powerhouses to shore up your strength, and you are the first to get the fast road treatment. The Colony is going to provide all the Biomass and cores you need now that you�ve hit Level 80. I wanted to tag along with my Triad so we could advise and discuss your options whilst you eat.]

[�Makes sense, I suppose. Lead the way.�]

The nest was abuzz with activity when I left, and is completely the same now. There are ants everywhere doing goodness knows how many different tasks. In every chamber and at regular intervals down the tunnels, there are soldiers and scouts on guard, ready to leap upon any monster that spawns from the Mana-dense walls. Even the automated messages from the walls are on point.

�The wave is upon us!� I get blasted from a nearby unit and taken by surprise. �Work hard to secure the future of the Colony! Take regular torpor breaks!�

Nice to see that last bit hasn�t been dropped. My siblings need to rest.

We arrive in a smallish chamber, and two things jump out at me about it. First is the massive pile of Biomass that has Tiny drooling. Second is the total lack of Mana veins on the walls.

�You guys actually figured it out!� I�m shocked and delighted.

�The mage researchers did great work, and now the inner areas of the nest have already been converted. This place is close to the brood chambers and was prepared for your evolution. It wasn�t much extra effort considering the work that was already being done.�

Holy moly. They figured this out in the nick of time.

[Alright then, Anthony,] Granin breaks in. [Get to eating. We have a lot to talk about.]

The three golgari grab a seat and make themselves comfortable whilst they watch me, somewhat impatiently, since I�m hesitating. With a vast internal sigh, I move over to the Biomass and start to eat.

[What�s first, then?] I say.

This is one huge pile of food� There�s no way I can fit it all in! I kind of want to call my pets over and have them indulge, but I�d feel bad about it since the Colony has gathered all of this for me. I guess I�ll dive in and if there�s any left when I�m done, I�ll make sure the others get their fair share.

[Alright, gang. Get some rest but keep an eye out. I�ll make sure you get your food later, ok?]

[Yesssss,] Invidia says, but I can see his eye blazing with green light as he eyes my food.

[Yes, Master,] Crinis says, happy to attach herself once more to my carapace, and allows her shape to blob.

[Hurrrrr�] Tiny growls, saliva pouring from his mouth as he openly gnashes his teeth as if eating already.

[That�s gross, Tiny! Just move over there. We ate a bunch of demons in the tunnels not that long ago. Mutate or something.]

With my badgering, he finally turns his back on the feast and sulks in the corner. Five minutes later, he�s asleep.

[I�m all yours, Granin. What�s the first thing you want to discuss?] I sigh as I start to tuck into the mountain of food.

[The Rescindic Principle, obviously.]

[What the heck was that?]

[The cash in,] Torrina says. [It�s going to be one of the most important decisions of your evolution.]

[If not the most important,] Granin grunts. [It�s a good idea that we discuss your options since there are likely to be a few built into the choices you get when you evolve. If you have a clear picture of what you want, then it�ll be easier to eliminate some options and focus in on the ones you prefer.]

[Hmm� what�s the best choice? Is there a reason I shouldn�t just reset everything and get a totally awesome new body? Just get it all over and done with?]

Granin�s eyes go wide, and I can tell he wants to facepalm but is resisting by sheer force of will. Corun doesn�t quite succeed and smacks himself in the face at my apparent idiocy.

[What? What�s the problem? So my mutations get set back to zero, but if I sit here in the Colony and they pump me full of Biomass, I�ll be able to get them all back to a respectable level in a couple of days! I�ll be way more powerful, won�t I?]

[Allow me,] Torrina says mostly to the others, and Granin waves her forward. [Anthony, there are a few reasons why you don�t want to do that, although you can, the option will be available to you. One reason is that the further you go down the tiers of evolution, the better reset options you will find. I don�t doubt there will be many options available only to second and possibly a few from third stratum monsters when you evolve this time. The next time you evolve, you will see a few that may normally be seen on the fourth stratum. Constantly resetting your body parts is hugely inefficient, and the more you evolve, the worse it gets. For tier six, it�s going to cost you a hundred and forty Biomass to improve each body part from +25 to +30, but if you start your whole body from scratch, it�s going to cost four hundred and sixty-five per body part.]

I flinch. Ouch. That�s a whole lotta Biomass. Four hundred and sixty-five? For each mutable part of my body? That�s� insane. I�d have to eat through half a stratum to amass that. And at tier six, it�d have to be the third stratum at that. Although the Colony can pour resources into me, the thought of that much Biomass going toward bumping up my mutations when it could instead be spent on the hatchlings, or other members of the Colony�

[Let�s say you did that,] Torrina continues, [and piled up the thousands of Biomass necessary to evolve into tier seven with all mutations at +30, what do you do then? Cash it all in again? Because there�ll be better options available at tier seven, and at tier eight, and so on. A better, more efficient strategy is to cycle critical body parts and reset them every few evolutions, if you get that far. Think of everything you consider to be the most important parts of your body and divide them into three groups. Cash in one set now, one set next evolution, and one set the evolution after that. Then repeat the process. At least, that�s one way you could manage it.]

I keep eating as I think over what she�s saying. The sheer Biomass cost of resetting my entire body has pretty much pushed me away from the idea. I mean, I could do it, but to get that much food into me would mean I�d probably still be trying to get those points even after I reached Level 160.

[You said there were other reasons?] I ask.

[The other main reason is what we would describe as Monster Dysmorphia. Which is to say that not all body parts resonate well with each other.]

[It�s complicated as hell and has mainly to do with the higher concentrations of Mana needed to fuel these more complex structures,] Granin breaks in, scratching his head. [In the first stratum, a monster�s body is more or less straightforward, and the way Mana is used to form them is simple and uncomplicated. When you get to the third and below, things start to get weird.]

[Weird?] I ask.

[Weird. Without going into too much detail, because I think you�d find it incredibly boring, complex Mana structures don�t always resonate well with each other. In extreme cases, a monster with two body parts that don�t cooperate can literally be torn apart by the conflux of Mana.]

[Holy moly!]

[Which is why taking it slow and being careful is a sensible idea. The three of us can advise you about the combinations we know don�t work, and the evolution System itself will confirm the safety of the reset, but only for current parts of your body.]

[You mean, the System will check if the reset parts will work with my body now, but not the other parts that I reset? What kind of hack job is that!]

Granin just laughs.

[If you can talk to the System itself, then you can complain about it then. Otherwise, it�s better to think about which parts of your body you want to cash in on this evolution. Keep eating, and we�ll work it out.]

As I stuff my face, Granin and I discuss my various body parts and what might qualify as a good option for a �reset� in my next evolution. I remain a little cagey about a few things, such as the existence of the Vestibule, but I try to be as honest as I can. A few things get ruled out pretty fast. No need to do anything fancy with the pheromone glands at this point, for example. I�m not even sure what sort of new functionality I would gain for my pheromone gland. Demon pheromones? Pheromones made from flames? Geh.

In this way, we eliminate candidates and soon arrive at a shortlist. Carapace�obviously�Mandibles, Acid Gland, Legs, Regeneration Gland, Eyes. All the big-ticket items. Would be great to do my brain, but it�s not even mutable at this point, so it can�t be reset.

The carapace is there for very clear reasons. I was promised a reset of pure diamond, and by Gandalf, I�m going to get it. If an option appears to reforge my mandibles into some awesome demon chitin or something of the sort, then it would surely be a significant boost to the strength of my bite, which is always handy. My legs are an obvious weak point, and although the diamond carapace does offer them some thin protection, changing their base properties to something more durable would help to keep me from being legless quite as often. The regeneration gland is a literal lifesaver, and a significant upgrade there would be incredible. My vision speaks for itself. Better eyes means better life. Being able to see stuff coming is a useful trait to have, and with the reset, who knows what sort of crazy options I might see?

I personally feel like there�s a strong chance that the Vestibule will come up as an option to be reset in the evolution choices, given that my current species includes the term �juvenile�. It would make sense that the natural progression would be to a �mature� Colony Paragon of some variety, and the key organ of this species is the Vestibule. Exactly what sort of option would be provided to reforge the Vestibule itself, I�ve no idea, but I think it will be powerful. There is the likelihood that such an upgrade would have adverse side effects, such as giving the Colony an even larger window to sneak their Will into my mind, but there�s a good chance that the trade-off will be worth it.

[You might want to rethink your idea of picking carapace on this evolution,] Granin tells me.

[What! My carapace is a lifesaving, incredibly shiny part of my body! What could possibly be more important than that?]

Granin holds up both his hands.

[Whoa there. It�s beautiful and amazing, we all get that, just take a second to hear me out.]

He waits until I settle back down and get to shovelling Biomass into my face before he continues.

[I agree that your carapace is important, it�s your foremost defensive tool after all, but there are two good reasons that you should hold off during this evolution. Firstly, the options you may get at this stage of evolution are inferior to what you�ll get next time. In my opinion, your carapace and plating, upgraded to +30, could be sufficient to protect you through the third stratum. If you evolve before you attack the fourth, you�ll be able to upgrade to a much better base material.]

Something about the tone of his thought suggests he�s aware of something he hasn�t said.

[Do you happen to know what I might get if I hold off?] I ask pointedly.

[There are a few different diamond-flavoured materials you could see, but all of them are good. Living Diamond, Void Diamond, Liquid Diamond, just to name a few. All are seen mostly on the fourth stratum, but there�s a chance they�ll show up when you evolve to tier seven.]

All of those sound so awesome! Liquid Diamond? How does that even work!

[Alright,] I say, trying to hide my excitement and totally failing. [What about the other reason?]

[Your inner carapace plating. I rather love this addition and think it�s done more than you realise to keep you alive up to this point, but it can do more. The synergy between the carapace and plating isn�t what it could be. I�m suggesting that when you reset your carapace, you reset the plating at the same time. This will let you pick options that harmonise and allow you to reconfigure your mutations to line up perfectly, giving you the best possible outcome. Does that sound reasonable?]

He does make a good case.

[Alright, I�m convinced, and I�m also full. Step back a second for me, would you?]

The golgari Shaper hurriedly steps out of the way, and I back up a bit, my gaster having swollen to absurd proportions after cramming both of my stomachs full of Biomass. Geh, I feel like I�m gonna chuck. Is this what a replete feels like? I used to wonder what it was like to be one of those ants who just hung around inside a nest and allowed other ants to fill up their social stomachs with food to the point they couldn�t move. Living food storage units�

With all of this Biomass, I should have enough to at least make a serious dent in the remainder of the evolutions I need to make. Let me check what�s going on in here. According to the menu, I have seven body parts still in need of mutation, some of them more than one. Eyes, pheromone gland, neural network, my three new acid additions and the Gravity Mana Gland. I think it makes sense to start with the eyes and take them from +20 to +25. Let�s take a squiz at the options.

[I think I�m going to focus on my mutations for the moment. If possible, can I get some privacy for this?]

It�s hard to tell, but I think Granin quirks an eyebrow.

[You sure you don�t want any advice on this?]

[Ah, no. I can handle this bit. I�ll be sure to speak to you again before I evolve, don�t worry.]

He shrugs.

[Alright then, have it your way.]

After a brief argument with Torrina, in which she gives me a massive case of stink eye, he leads the Triad out of the chamber.

[Alright, team, let�s assume formation C!] I instruct my pets.

In an instant, Crinis has leapt into action, blanketing the chamber in complete darkness using her magic whilst also expanding her body to cover my frame in a sphere of inky black shadow flesh. Invidia uses his shield magic to erect opaque barriers before every doorway, blocking line of sight as well as physical entry into the chamber, whilst Tiny takes up a vigilant guard position halfway between the entrances and my body.

Like this, there�s no chance anyone will see me when I mutate. Now I can focus on the menus. Let�s do this!

With my privacy secured, it�s time to dive once more into the depths of the menu lists and bring back only the finest mutations. It�s time to begin where it all began: my eyeballs. Seems like a lifetime ago that I first mutated my eyes in order to improve my then-terrible vision. Even now, I�m not satisfied with my eyes, but then, my memory of what it was like to view the world as a human is more than a little fuzzy. I�ve been in ant form for months now, and already, I�ve been in five different ant bodies. It�s hard to remember exactly what my eyesight was like as a hatchling at this point, let alone remembering what it was like in my previous life.

I might have been a human for fifteen years, but recency bias is real!

Alright then, my vision is currently sitting at +20. The Heightened Perimeter Eyes have served me well during the siege. The improved clarity is a massive boon, helping me make the best of my reflexes by seeing the threats coming at me from all directions.

In hindsight, my focus has really been to try and take all the best parts of compound eyes�multi-directional vision�and combine it with the benefits of a more humanish eye setup. The end result is that I still have compound eyes, but each one of the thousands of tiny lenses that make up my eyeballs is almost as good as those within a normal eye. It�s pretty crazy to think about. That level of precision and complexity would be completely impossible for a normal creature on Earth, yet here I am on Pangera, an ant with super vision.

And there�s no need to stop now! I want sharper eyesight! Better motion tracking! In all directions at the same time! Gwehehehe!

The only way to achieve something like that is to just keep piling on the upgrades, one by one. The list of mutations in the menu is as overwhelming as ever, and the crazy options overflow. X-ray vision, firing heat blasts from the eyes� Why, though? TIME VISION? See things� after� they happened? Isn�t that just normal vision? Or is this like a peering into the past kind of thing? Seems far less useful than the future vision I get from my antennae� Weird.

I can�t even begin to imagine the sort of things that would pop up in here if I cashed in my eye mutations when I evolve. Laser eyes? Curse eyes? Goodness knows. I trawl through the seemingly endless list until I find the sorts of things I�m after: upgrades that continue to track in the direction my mutations are already going. Plenty of stuff to expand the range of the vision, another upgrade like the one I chose earlier which creates patches of sharper focus. Eventually I find something for a generic focal enhancement. With this, my eye shall become the Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25!

Lock it in, what�s next on my list?

The Pheromone Gland! The ol� faithful. Who would have thought that the simple mutation of the language gland would have such a far-reaching impact? Come to think of it, packing the capacity for language into one mutation is a little generous of the System, isn�t it? It�s not the sort of thing that the great bushy bearded one is known for, the stingy bugger. I wonder if this became some sort of standard mutation for more intelligent bugs down in the depths? It doesn�t teach language, not really, it just expands the range of scents the pheromone gland can produce to have sufficient gradient that language can be expressed. It does increase it a lot, though� The pheromone gland went from �danger, food, warm, cold� to �hello, guest, please be welcome. Care for some tea?� all in one mutation!

Eh. I�m not going to look a gift mutation in the pheromones� or whatever. What do I want here? To be honest, most of the upgrades seem like a waste to me. There are options that do all sorts of things, turning pheromones into weapons, as a sleep poison, even a choice that helps create sensory illusions in organisms that smell them, basically hallucinogen scent! But since I use them strictly for communication purposes, most of these options are bunk. I�ll just take one that makes my pheromones travel farther so I can �yell� harder. My last two mutations were both about making my pheromones more persuasive, which in hindsight is a bit of a waste. I don�t need to be persuading the Colony, they don�t need any help doing what I ask them.

So my Convincing Pheromone Gland +20 will become the Loud Convincing Pheromone Gland +25. Next!

I�ve got the three acid glands to deal with and the Gravity Mana Gland. I think I�ll handle the gravity gland. For every single mutation I�ve selected for my Gravity Mana Gland, I�ve gone down the same path, which is to expand the capacity. This is for a few reasons, namely that the Gravity Bomb takes a huge chunk of Mana, to cast, and the better I get at condensing Mana the more Mana I need to fuel the spell.

Except I want to take something different this time, and borrow a leaf from�of all the beings�Tiny. His lightning glands have a great little mutation that condenses the Mana inside the gland. It doesn�t condense it much compared to doing the work manually, but it gets the process started. It also has the benefit of making every spell I weave with Mana straight out of the gland a little bit stronger without me having to do any heavy lifting.

The Unending Gravity Mana Gland +20 will now become the Compressing Unending Gravity Mana Gland +25.

Three upgrades down and a cool three hundred and forty-five Biomass gone, just like that. The only body parts I have left are the neural network and three new additions to the business district not all of which are sitting at +20 yet. This part is going to be expensive. I hope I have enough to afford it, because I really don�t want to have to eat any more right now.

Firstly, I�m going to look at the neural network. Who would have thought that starting to mutate my nervous system would have such a beneficial effect in the long run? Combined with my carapace and antennae, this nervous system has been what kept me alive long enough to reach this Level. Having impossibly fast reflexes is always a win, no matter what.

The question is, what do I want to mutate into the network now? Trawling through the list, there are upgrades to help me make it even faster, but at this point, I�m not sure that�s even necessary. I�m already reacting to the future, having my nerves send signals .0000001 of a second faster doesn�t seem necessary.

Then what do I want my nerves to do? They do the job that nerves do extremely well already. They send signals and they do it really, really fast. What else can I possibly want here? Poring through the list and weighing the options, I come across one that I like. This mutation creates nerve bundles at certain points in the body that help manage coordination better. It�s like how an octopus has a separate set of nerves for each tentacle, helping to coordinate the movement of each limb so they can work together. If I�m not wrong, this may even synergise with my existing mutations, since the hyper-fast signals will be transmitted to these new bundles, who could make my legs move without my main brain even having to be contacted! Perfect!

The Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +20 shall become the Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +25! Boom!

Now, it�s nozzle time. I�ve previously upgraded it to increase the range of my acid shot and introduced a scattershot mode. I�m pretty happy with both upgrades as is, to be honest. I don�t need to have absurd range with my acid, I�m not trying to turn myself into a sniper or artillery like some of the scouts are, and the scattershot does a good job spreading the acid over an area when I�m shooting at max range. If I upgraded that mutation more, the acid shot would eventually become more like a shotgun, blasting over an area up close, which I don�t think I need. I�m in the unusual place of looking for a new upgrade. What has the menu got for me!

Lots. It has lots.

Just like everything else, there�s a ton of options that seem either excessive, weird, or rather imaginative. There�s the usual list of properties that the nozzle could add to the acid, including elemental damage, somehow. There�s an ignition option as well, which I suppose would be handy if I turned my acid flammable. Hang on, I could literally shoot fire out of my backside? Holy moly! It�s a bit more extreme than what I�m looking for, though�

As usual, I�m more interested in mutations that move along the lines of what the organ was intended to do in the first place. I wonder if there�s something I can purchase that will help aim? Sifting through the list, I come across just what I�m looking for.

It�s an odd little mutation that adds a bundle of nerves to the nozzle that assist in making unconscious aiming corrections. Combined with my rapidly climbing accuracy Skill, this mutation could help me hit the target first time every time. Just what the doctor ordered!

So the Forceful Scattershot Acid Nozzle +20 will become the Guided Forceful Scattershot Acid Nozzle +25! That�s a mouthful. I guess that�s what happens when you mash three different mutations onto one organ.

Now the acid concentration gland! I really like this gland, it was cheap to buy and its sole function is to be the acid gland�s hype man. It makes the acid do whatever it�s already doing, but better, and I added the weakening property to try and drain my enemies during long fights. It�s a solid combo I�m going to stick with by enhancing the weakening property this time around. It�s simple to find the mutation I want, and with this, the Thickened Weakening Acid Concentration Gland +20 becomes the Thickened Draining Acid Concentration Gland +25!

Nice.

One to go! Six hundred and ninety Biomass down the drain! Holy smokes, this is expensive. Checking my Biomass total, I think I�m just going to have enough to squeak all of the necessary mutations in, although the last one is going to be the priciest. The Rapid Fatiguing Acid Stimulation Gland of +10. I need to upgrade this dude three more times! Better get to it.

Activating the menu, I upgrade the gland to the +15 mark and choose to consolidate the existing mutation. The stimulation gland works to increase the production of acid, which is great. The mutation I chose lets the organ drain stamina in order to replenish the acid faster, which works well with my Vestibule since my stamina is topped up by that organ. For the +20 and +25 upgrades, I kind of want to go in a different direction, see what else the menu has to offer.

There�s plenty to choose from, as usual. Most are around different ways to increase the regenerative speed of the acid, but others are a little more creative with their interpretation of what �stimulate� means when it comes to the acid gland. Stimulate it to do what? Make more acid? Vaporize the acid? Bring about change in the acid? Add properties to the acid? It�s a complex system I�ve got going on back there, and only the finest produce is allowed to emerge from it, so I need to pick well.

In the end, I select something that works with what I have. This mutation drains stamina, but rather than increase the acid�s production rate, it thickens it, making it more potent. This obviously synergises on multiple levels with my existing setup. By the time this is done, my acid is going to be craaaaazy! At +25, I choose another mutation to enforce my new selection, and with that, I�m finally done!

The Rapid Fatiguing Acid Stimulation Gland +10 has become the Exhausting Thickening Acid Stimulation Gland +25! Whoo!

[Do you wish to confirm these selections? This will cost 960 Biomass.]

Holy McBiomass, that�s a lot! Do I have enough? I do! By� two. Cool. Confirm it all, Gandalf! Let�s get this show on the road!

�Any second now.

Here it comes�

BLATTAPHLATTACAAA! It�s so bad! MY NERVES ARE ON FIRE, DAMMIT!

When the itch finally fades, I find myself on my back, my legs splayed in all directions and pinned down by the barbed tentacles of Crinis.

[Crinis? What happened?]

[You were flailing too much, Master. I thought it better to hold you down than have you slip out of my containment.]

That would be a disaster that would increase my risk of being seen by at least three hundred percent! That cannot be allowed!

[You did the right thing, Crinis. Well done. Any chance you can let me up now?]

[Oh! Yes!]

Somewhat reluctantly, the limbs retract back into the orb of shadow flesh that still conceals me and I roll onto my feet. It was bad this time, real bad. Doing so many high-level mutations at the same time? It�s always bad, but a few of the organs made it worse. The sub-neural network is always brutal, the eyes are a particular sore point for me, and doing three separate organs inside the business district just made that whole scenario back there into a nightmare. It�s done now though, Anthony, just forget about it and move on to the next job. Getting close to evolution time!

[Alright then, everyone, job�s done. Let�s get moving to the next one.]

My pets file in behind me as I stumble out of the chamber and into the tunnels where I find Granin and the others waiting. My body feels a little awkward, as it always does after a heavy dose of mutation. I think the neural changes are affecting me the most.

[All done?] Granin asks.

[Fully mutated,] I confirm. [Time to sort out the core.]

His eyes brighten at the mention of the core.

[I heard you had an interesting specimen you�d reserved around here somewhere. I�d love to take a look at it.]

[As long as you�re quick,] I grumble. [I need to absorb that thing and I don�t particularly feel like building up the suspense.]

As a group, we file along the tunnels, with a few colony members tagging along to keep track of me for the Council. Seems like they want to know where I�m up to with the process of evolving in real-time. I guess it�s a big deal not only for me, but for the family as a whole. Not to worry, colony! I won�t let you down.

After a quick journey, we arrive in a chamber not far from the core shaper�s work area, and after discussing some things with a nearby ant, we settle in. A few minutes later, Bella and Ellie arrive with a selection of cores, including one enormous sample gripped in Bella�s mandibles.

�Here you go, Eldest! This should be enough to max you out, and here�s Garralosh�s core, just as you asked!�

�You haven�t fiddled with it, have you?� I ask.

The two of them look shocked.

�Of course not! We�ve studied it extensively, but we followed your instructions and made no alterations to the core itself! Even though we really wanted to!�

�Shut up, Bella!�

�Whoops!�

�As long as you didn�t tamper with it, it�s fine. Make sure you check with Crinis, she has some new cores for you to play with.�

It wouldn�t actually matter if they did. As far as absorbing a core goes, you can mess with it as much as you want before absorbing it, the energy contained within is the same, but for whatever reason, I didn�t want them playing with Garralosh�s core. It just didn�t feel right.

�Is this it?� Granin brightens up when he sees the chunky core. �Can I take a look?�

He waits for me to give him permission before stepping over and gently lifting the core out of Bella�s grip. What follows is a brief but vigorous discussion between the three golgari as they take turns analysing the core and giving their thoughts. Corun and Torrina have already had a look at it before, but it�s clear how much they value Granin�s insight by how attentively they listen when he speaks. The guy is an authority on monsters, after all.

[Are you guys done?] I break in. [I�ve got evolving to do over here.]

[Oh! Right, right, certainly,] Granin starts at my words, then places the core on the ground in front of me and steps back. [It�s not often I get to see the core of a monster one of our sister cults deemed worthy of mentorship. She was a powerful beast, although with a lot of wasted potential. I still find it staggering she was able to move on the surface at this level of strength, the effort involved for the ka�armodo must have been exhausting.]

[I don�t have that much sympathy, to be honest,] I tell him dryly as I look down on all that remains of the reincarnated human. You were one crazy monster, Garralosh, sorry you had to end this way.

I start off with the normal cores, reinforcing my own until I hit the limit. Last time, I took in a special core as well as a rare core beyond this point, something I don�t care to repeat. Gandalf himself told me that such a thing normally results in death and I�m not one to tempt fate twice.

�Okay then, here we go.�

[Compatible Rare core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core, or reconstitute the monster?]

Reinforce me.

Just as every time before, the core begins to dissolve into pure energy that twists through the air and into my body, suffusing the hard gem in the centre of my being and growing it. The pain is terrible as always, the enlarged core pushing up against my insides in ways it was never meant to. Garralosh�s core is huge, much larger than the rare core I absorbed last time. If I had to hazard a guess, if it were even a tiny bit larger, it would no longer qualify as a rare core, instead being pushed to whatever stage comes after that.

It takes several minutes for the process to complete, and by the end, I�m feeling as if I had eaten another meal the size of the last one. I�m bloated, stuffed, gassy, and twinges of pain fire through me every time I try to move. Ugh. I hate this.

Crinis wraps herself around my carapace and pats me on the back with one tentacle, which does help somewhat. Tiny just points and laughs at me. Damn ape, you�ll get yours when you evolve again, just you wait.

With my core as large as it�s going to get at my current evolution, my max MP now sits at a rather impressive 520. This is a heck of a lot more evolutionary energy than I�ve ever had to work with before. A nervousness starts to bubble within me as I get ready to take the final step.

[Alright then. Time to evolve.]

Granin smiles wide.

[What?] I ask him.

[Me? I just love this stuff. Powerful monsters and evolution have literally been my life�s work. Give me a break if I get excited.]

[Doesn�t hurt that I�m also a candidate for an Ancient that you identified either, does it?]

His smile widens.

[I have to admit that it does add a certain zest,] he agrees. [Where are you going to do this? Here?]

I sigh. [No� They want me back in the other chamber where monsters won�t spawn.]

Which means I have to walk back. Yay.

Despite the pain and discomfort of returning to where I force fed myself in order to afford those mutations, I�m super excited. Each step is taking me closer to my next form. A new and more powerful me is on the horizon! Sadly, almost all of that enthusiasm drains out of me when I see what is waiting for me outside the chamber.

Filled with ire, I stalk up to the morons.

�Dammit, Beyn! What the heck are you doing here?�

The priest and his acolytes are all dressed in their robes with the antennae sewn to the top, their hands in the air as if summoning the great sky god. At my yell, they all flinch and bow deeply toward me. It�s Beyn who first replies, speaking to me with his human voice, which I obviously can�t understand.

�I have no idea what you�re saying, man. Give me a minute.�

The priest looks frustrated by his inability to communicate via pheromones despite being able to understand them. How would he even �speak� via scent? What sort of difference can a Class make in a human body? I whip together some Mind Mana and reach out to the one-armed human.

[Well?] I demand.

[O GREAT ONE! WE HAVE HEARD OF YOUR ASCENSION AND HAVE COME TO⁠�]

[Loud! Tone it down, you oaf!]

[Ah! I apologise, Great One� My brothers and sisters have heard word of your ascension to a higher state of being through the Colony. We have no desire to interfere in the process, but merely wish to be present for this holy and sacred occasion.]

Seriously? He�s so sincere too� All of them are! They�re staring at me with such light and hope in their eyes.

[Alright, fine! Just stand out here and try not to be a nuisance. I can�t believe you were even allowed this close to the brood.]

The look of joy that breaks over the priest�s face is so bright it almost burns away all ten thousand of my retinas. He swirls around to the others, and within seconds, all of them are shouting with joy and openly weeping.

�Quiet, would you! The brood chambers are right next to this place! If you disturb the young, don�t think the Brood Tenders will go lightly on you.�

When they receive my pheromone message, the gathered Antmancers regain control of themselves and return to a much quieter form of dumb behaviour. How did any of these guys survive the siege? They�re clearly damaged. They look so damn happy, though. I just don�t have the heart to chase them away.

�Move aside, please. I need to get into the chamber.�

A few reach out to try and lay hands on my carapace when I walk past, which I wouldn�t really mind, but before they can touch me, their hands are slapped away by small tentacles that emerge from the dark shadows on my back. Crinis says no, apparently. Once inside, I settle into a comfortable position with the Triad of Shapers assembled before me.

[Crinis, Tiny, and Invidia. You guys chow down on the left-over Biomass whilst I get settled. Once I start evolving, I�ll be in your care until I wake up, okay?]

[Yes, Master!]

[It ssssshall, be ssssso.]

Tiny is already eating�

[Alright, kid, you ready?] Granin asks.

[Ready as I�ll ever be, I suppose. Why are you guys here anyway? Aren�t we basically done with the advice process and such?]

Corun steps forward.

[Yeah, we were just hoping to hear about the options you get in the evolution menu. We, as in the Cult, document these sorts of things, and there�s precious little information for powerful ant evolutions. Like, almost none.]

[Look, I don�t mind you guys knowing about some of this stuff, but I�m not sure I�m comfortable with you taking it back to your Cult. Come to think of it, will you even be welcome back with the Shapers?]

Granin shrugs. [Unlikely. Bridges are pretty much burnt to the ground at this point. We can keep the info under our hat if that�s what you want. There�s a good chance we can learn more about your species and the different ways the System views your progress through the options you�re given.]

[That sounds good then. Here we go.]

Come on then, Gandalf, let�s get this show on the road.

[Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

Hit me!

[Congratulations on reaching the maximum Level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

You have maximised your mutations! As a reward, an additional ten percent evolutionary energy will be granted.

Warning! Evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.]

[Your evolution options are as follows: (All options are Formica Sapiens)

� Grand Major

� Senior Ant Mage

� Worker Commander

� Ant Archmage (Special)

� Colony Guardian (Special)

� Hive General (Special)

� Elemental Ant (Rare)

� Diamond Soldier (Rare)

� All-seeing Scout (Rare)

� Mature Colony Paragon (Rare)]

[Holy moly! That�s a lotta options!]

[How many did you get?] Granin asks, his voice intent.

[Three normal, three special and four rare.]

Corun whistles and Torrina looks impressed.

[That�s a good number, means the System sees lots of potential paths in you. Only having one option isn�t necessarily bad, but it means your avenues to develop have been narrowed to only a single path. Having lots at this stage means there�s many directions for you that the System views as viable.]

I check through the list again.

[Looks like the rare options I saw last time aren�t popping up again. Nothing about the Nascent Hive Mind or Collective Mage are here. I was kind of expecting they might still show in the list, perhaps in a different form.]

[Generally speaking, when a monster turns its back on a specialised path, the System won�t present that option again,] Torrina says while Corun scribbles down everything I say into a little notepad. [Rare evolution choices tend to be very specific and often cut off paths when selecting them, so when you didn�t take those options, the System disregarded them for you. Generic choices are still likely to show up, though. I�m guessing there are Soldier and Worker type evolutions in the normal choices, right?]

[Just so.]

Well, I�m not going to complain if the System no longer wants to turn me into an immobile, mind-controlling brain.

[Let�s go through these, then. I�m going to assume you want all the descriptions and everything?]

All three of the golgari eagerly nod.

Sigh.

In the interests of expanding the Colony�s knowledge of future evolution options, I take the time to explore the normal evolutions I�ve been offered and let the eager Triad document the stat gains, organ benefits, and descriptions offered by the System. In truth, the stat gain for even these �ordinary� evolutions is much higher than I expected, and my hopes are sky-high for what the more delectable �rare� choices will have to offer.

With the first three options out of the way, I take the time to go through each of the special evolutions. You never know if there might be a diamond in the rough!

[Special Evolution: Ant Archmage. +60 bonus to Cunning, +60 bonus to Willpower. This evolution provides a significant boost to the power of the mind, along with a Manaweave Core Crystal. This new organ grows around the core and focuses the user�s mind on the Mana contained within, making it easier to handle and use. A new eye is also granted, the Mana Eye, which allows the Ant Archmage to project mental sensing abilities through the eye to increase their effectiveness.]

Look at these stats! And the bonus organs are nuts. Manaweave Core Crystal? Excuse me! This seems like a super useful organ for a monster like me who focuses more on traditional spellcasting using Mana from the core than most monsters who rely on Mana glands.

Granin is quite impressed with the offering.

[That�s better than anticipated, to be honest. If you wanted to focus on a pure spellcasting build, this wouldn�t be a bad option at all. Don�t underestimate the Mana Eye either. It might not be as expensive as the crystal in terms of evolution energy, but it�s no slouch. You can think of it as directly bumping your Mana Sense up a rank for free, and that�s before you mutate it.]

[That�s� super good. Isn�t it?]

[Heck yes it is!] Corun says. [If you took this option, you�d almost be as good at spell shaping as Invidia!]

Being as strong as one of my pets, one that I already defeated, doesn�t make me all that happy. Still, the gulf between Invidia�s and my mastery of magic is vast. Even getting close to his level will be hard. It�s tricky to remember sometimes, since he�s just a little floating eyeball with tiny wings and arms, but Invidia�s mass is like, ninety percent brain.

[The mage ants will want to know about this one for sure,] I muse. [Make sure you guys let them know when you complete your report.]

[Of course,] Granin says.

Onto the next.

[Special Evolution: Colony Guardian. +80 bonus to Might, +80 bonus to Toughness. Focused on physical prowess, the Colony Guardian receives a large bonus to physical stats; furthermore, additional purchases of physical stats are cheaper during this evolution. The carapace of the Colony Guardian will be reforged into Demonic Chitin (Warning! This will reset all mutations).]

Granin whistles. [There it is, the first reset option.]

I�m a bit confused.

[The raw stats are great, but the bonuses don�t seem as good as the first option. Am I missing something?]

[You�re probably undervaluing what�s being offered quite a bit.] Torrina frowns, thinking. [A reset consumes quite a bit of energy, so getting one for free is always an excellent thing. As to the physical stat cost reduction, this is also an excellent saving. If you poured all your evolutionary energy into physical stats, you could gain a truly monstrous boost. It�s like getting bonus evolutionary energy from thin air.]

[When you put it like that� I suppose it�s better than I thought.]

[Honestly, out of the two options we�ve seen so far, I believe this one is better,] Granin advises. [You would sacrifice your mental stats in this evolution, but you could make yourself a physical powerhouse. Still, as we discussed, I wouldn�t recommend a carapace reset this time around.]

[Right.]

�And Demonic Chitin might sound strong, but it surely isn�t as shiny as living diamond. Just wait for me, my precious�

[Special Evolution: Hive General. +20 bonus to Cunning, +20 bonus to Will, +40 bonus to Might, +40 bonus to Toughness. A frontline leader, the Hive General benefits from mixed stats and grows in power the more of their kind fight on the battlefield. The Hive Storm Aura gland will provide a scaling bonus to physical prowess, healing, and ferocity to all members of the same species within range; the more affected by the aura, the stronger it becomes. In addition, a Collective Tactical Cortex will be added.]

Yeesh. This one sounds strong also�

[This is good stuff,] Granin says, practically smiling. [No reset, but that scaling aura is nasty. I�ve heard about it popping up a few times in the past when hive insects have spawned, and it never ends well. Seeing it at tier six kind of surprises me, but then again, it�s hard to say when it would typically appear. Not many insect monsters get this high in tier, certainly not communal ones.]

It almost sounds a little insulting when he phrases it like that, but I can�t disagree. With tens of thousands of members, the Colony will struggle to push many members to tier six anytime soon.

[What the heck does the cortex do?] I ask, wanting to see if he knows before I check with the System.

[From what I understand, it�s like having a mind map of every member of your species within range. You know where they are and how they�re doing, generally speaking. I suppose the idea is that you can instantly respond to changes on the battlefield.]

[Fair enough.]

I double check and the golgari is spot on. Granin really knows his stuff.

[Alright, enough with the appetisers.] The old Shaper rubs his hands together. [Time for the main course! Let�s take a look at the rare options!]

Just as excited as he is, I fire up the menu for the first of the rare options.

[Rare evolution: Elemental Ant. +80 bonus to Cunning, +80 bonus to Will, +20 bonus to Might, +20 bonus to Toughness. The Elemental Ant is a force of nature, with devastating spells that cover all the basic elements. In pursuit of elemental perfection, some potential is lost. A mythic Omni-Elemental Mana Flux is formed around the core. The Antennae will be remade into Spectrum Crystal, able to better channel Elemental Mana and sense its flow. An All-Season Eye is granted. As a price, all non-elemental Mana glands will be removed and banned. Non-Elemental Mana-based Skills will be unavailable in the menu.]

Yikes! This is some heavy stuff. Holy stat gain! I relay the information to Granin and he once again nods appreciatively.

[I�m starting to think the System will reward communal insects who make it to the upper tiers. Spectrum Crystal is not third stratum, maybe not even fourth� It�s clear that your rank five fusion has opened this option for you. I have to say, it�s strong. Very strong.]

[What is this Mana Flux thing?]

[A Mana Flux is like a� whirlpool. It draws Mana in and changes its attribute before storing it in the core. This is the only way I know of that a core can hold attributed Mana.]

[And since it�s omni-element�]

[It�ll hold all of the elements. You won�t even need a construct to change it,] he confirms.

Wow-eee. This is impressive stuff.

[And the Crystal thing?]

[It�s basically a substance that reacts well to Elemental Mana. If you were to cast spells through your antennae, they�d become more powerful. Mutations would only further enhance that.]

Right.

[The eye?]

[Lets you see elemental fluctuations. It�s a specialised version of the Mana Eye from earlier.]

[All of this seems like good stuff.]

[It is,] he agrees. [That�s why the cost is high. You�ll cut off a lot of future potential, but the payoff is massive.]

This bears some thinking about�

After discussing the various benefits of the Elemental Ant, which are impressive to say the least, I�m ready to move on. As cool as the evolution is, I�m not about to throw away my precious Gravity Mana. Powerful elemental spells? Sure, that�d be great and all, but would they really match up to what the Gravity Bomb can do? Can they match up to what the Gravity Bomb will be able to do in the future? The more mental strength I accumulate, the deadlier the Gravity Bomb will get. If I ever manage to actually snipe the Gravity Mana Affinity Skill, then my proficiency will soar!

Besides, trading future growth for strength in the present is just not my style. I�d much rather go the other way!

Moving on to the next option, the Diamond Soldier. I�ve got a good feeling about this one!

[Rare Evolution: Diamond Soldier. +20 bonus to Cunning, +20 bonus to Will, +100 bonus to Might, +100 bonus to Toughness. The Diamond Soldier is an unbreakable frontline warrior and leader who is capable of turning the tide of battle single handed, without drawing on the support of others of its kind. The carapace and mandibles will be reforged into Fetid Diamond, a material as hard as it is toxic. Enemies who draw too close, or suffer a bite, will experience the immensely powerful poison embedded within. (Warning! This will reset all mutations.) In addition, a diamond parasite hive will be added.]

Uh� what? Granin winces.

[I was worried about this happening,] he says.

[What do you mean?]

[This is basically the option you wanted next evolution. Despite how it sounds, this is better than I thought you might get at this stage. Fetid Diamond is an exceptionally powerful fifth stratum material. Hard as nails, much more so than your current exo-skeleton, and even a touch of the stuff is capable of killing the unprepared. Your mandibles would effectively get not only a hardness upgrade, but an exceptionally potent toxin upgrade for free.]

[But what�s this about a parasite hive? I�m not sure how I feel about that!]

Torrina raises her hands in a calming gesture.

[It�s a good thing, even if it sounds� a little weird. Basically, a small nest of symbiotic parasites would be created within the carapace, and they excrete material that hardens and toughens your shell over time. It�s a powerful upgrade.]

I�m not really comfortable with voluntarily adding parasites to my carapace.

[If you�d gotten this option next time, you probably would have seen some of the diamond types from the fifth stratum, like I told you about. There�s still a chance you might see it, but since it came up here�]

[The odds are diminished�]

[Right,] he says.

Well, damn.

[Is Fetid Diamond even shiny?] I ask.

All three of the golgari look away.

[It�s more of a dull, yellow-green,] Torrina mutters.

REJECTED, DAMMIT.

I really had my hopes up for the Diamond Soldier! The stats are great, the cash-ins are good, just the material is wrong. What a waste! If this costs me my perfect diamond upgrade next time, I�m going to be super annoyed. Annoyed I say! Bah to you, Gandalf. Even if I have to pay for the cash-ins myself, I�m getting me a sweet, fifth stratum diamond shell, no matter what.

Next!

[Rare Evolution: All-Seeing Scout. +40 bonus to Cunning, +30 bonus to Will, +80 bonus to Might, +80 bonus to Toughness. To see all and know all is the purpose of the All-Seeing Scout. The eyes are remade into Demonic Lenses. (Warning! This will reset all mutations.) In addition, a Visual Array Matrix will be added to the brain, along with a Spectral Wave Eye. Together, these will eliminate the ability of the All-Seeing Scout to see, instead allowing them to view all things in the mind�s eye.]

[Wait� Becoming an �All-Seeing Scout�� makes me blind?]

[Pretty much,] Granin says. [You�d be a bit like Crinis, except with far more potent non-visual �sight�. The two Demonic Lenses don�t act like eyes at all, more like receptors that coordinate with the Spectral Wave Eye to capture signals that normal eyes can�t see. The Visual Array Matrix is pretty much a must for this sort of build since your normal brain won�t be able to interpret the scope of information that you�ll be getting.]

Huh. So if I think about this with an Earth analogy, the two Demonic Lenses are like satellite dishes, the spectral eye is like the antenna, and the matrix is like a computer. The eye detects the signals collected by the dishes and the matrix interprets it all. I mean, it sounds handy, but I�m not convinced it�s for me.

[This is actually strong,] Corun pipes up. [Sensory upgrades are expensive, very much so, and a package like this is pretty much top of the line for a monster of your tier. You�d be impossible to sneak up on, and don�t underestimate the benefits that these types of senses can have for mages.]

I turn to Granin.

[It�s true,] he says. [Your sensitivity to Mana will go way up. Forget Mana Sense, with this setup, you�ll be able to see Mana. Heck, you can actually �see� a short distance into stone, if my memory serves. And this is all before mutations. You can upgrade the lenses to be more sensitive, have longer range, collect in a wider area, specialise in a certain type of input, and ditto with the Spectral Eye. A small side benefit, Demonic Lenses are, as I said, not eyes. They�re hard, much harder than chitin. You�d effectively eliminate the weak point in your carapace with this evolution.]

That is an unexpected and potentially juicy side benefit. Initially, I was quite disappointed in this evolution, but I�m warming up to it after their analysis. It�s true that having better information is a key component of battle. Knowing where your opponent is at all times, finding them before they find you�all extremely important. Especially for the stealthy, one-on-one style combat that scouts tend to engage in. If I spent more time roaming out on my own than I did fighting alongside the Colony, this would be a better combat evolution than even the Diamond Soldier in my opinion. I�ll have to think about this one carefully if the next evolution disappoints.

And now I�m a bit hesitant.

[I�m not sure how much I�m going to tell you about the next evolution,] I tell the Triad. [It has to do with my current species, and there�s a few things in there I�m not sure I want to share.]

[I wondered why you wouldn�t let me take a look at your core,] Granin muses, stroking his chin. [I can make a few guesses, obviously, but I was never confident I was right.]

He looks to his Triad mates. Torrina gives him a small nod and Corun shrugs, then Granin turns back to me with a smile.

[Our advice will obviously be limited without full information, but you have every right to your secrets. I will just say this: evolutions that go in a sequence, like from minor to major or young to mature, are usually better to be seen through all the way. There�s a pattern�or rather, a set�of benefits that the System intends will be completed over the course of multiple evolutions. If you bail part-way through, you generally won�t get the full package that the System intended. Sometimes, there are perfectly good reasons to go in a different direction, though, so don�t feel trapped.]

I nod my antennae.

[Thanks, Granin, and you guys also. I appreciate you respecting my boundaries.]

[Hey, this is your decision,] Granin says. [We�re just here for the ride.]

[More like you want to stuff me on a throne.]

Granin laughs.

[More like I want you to climb onto the throne on your own. But that�s still a long, long way off.]

Who knows how far off. I still don�t even know how deep the Dungeon is. I asked Granin and he told me he had no idea; apparently nobody does. According to what the Cult of the Worm knows, nobody has ever encountered the Ancients on their own stratum, only in higher layers during particularly powerful waves, and of course during the Cataclysm. For all I know, there�s thirty stratum and I won�t reach the strength of an Ancient until I�m tier fifty!

Bah! No more stalling. I�m nervous for this one. Okay. Here we go.

[Rare Evolution: Mature Colony Paragon. +40 bonus to Cunning, +40 bonus to Willpower, +90 bonus to Might, +90 bonus to Toughness. The Colony Paragon grows in strength and stature, pioneering in all areas in which the Colony seeks to excel. A leader, a soldier, and a symbol, the Paragon is one with the Colony and the Colony is one with the Paragon. The Collective Will Vestibule (Formica Sapiens) will be reforged into Soul Crystal. (Warning! This will reset all mutations.) In addition, a Communal Spirit Nave will be attached.]

Uhhh, wot?

First of all, these stats are insane. Look at these numbers! It wasn�t as if the Juvenile Colony Paragon had bad bonuses to begin with, but this is taking it to another level. It feels like what Granin told me is true, but more than that, I can almost sense the System, the bearded one, urging me to stick to a path and see the evolutions through. I wonder if there�s another Paragon type evolution to follow after this one? If so, how far does it go?

Questions, questions.

Beyond the mandible-clacking stat gain, the Vestibule being cashed in is pretty much what I expected. It�s the defining piece of the Paragon evolution and a key element of the species that is clearly going to be built on. The main issue I have is I don�t know whether or not �soul crystal� is any good, or if I should be holding out for better. It certainly sounds good. Souls are powerful� right? I�ve certainly not heard of anything like it. There�s no obvious demonic link to tie this to the third stratum, or the fourth to be honest. Perhaps Granin can fill me in� Do I ask?

I�m not sure exactly why I�m as hesitant as I am to reveal information about my species to Granin, Torrina, and Corun. I trust them, and after everything that�s happened, they�ve thrown their lot in behind me to a degree that only fanatical cultists could probably justify. On the other hand, there are aspects to the Paragon that I�m not totally comfortable with, like the Will of the Colony constantly seeping into me, a process that will probably only get worse with this new �Spirit Nave�, whatever that is.

For now, I won�t ask. Perhaps if I get further into the evolution menu, I�ll be able to sus something out about the crystal.

Come on then, Gandalf, tell me something about this Nave. You were awfully quiet about it in the description!

[The Communal Spirit Nave: Acts as a channel for the energy of the Vestibule, directing and focusing it, concentrating it into a more dense and powerful energy.]

Huh. Interesting. That means it�s like an amplifier for the regenerative energy that the Vestibule already provides? That�s nice, I can handle that. Nothing too� strange� about it. For a moment there, I was worried I�d be hearing the voices of my siblings� spirits as well as their minds, and quite frankly, I think that would just about drive me nuts.

What do you have to say about the Soul Crystal, then, oh beardy boy of the bristling brows?

[Soul Crystal: An exceptionally rare material of pure condensed souls. Soul Crystal is the perfect medium through which to move spiritual energy.]

Alright then. I�m going to assume the energy gathered by the Vestibule counts as �spiritual� energy, otherwise this upgrade would make little sense. Reading the description, there really doesn�t seem to be any tie to the third or fourth stratum, which makes me wonder if it�s from even deeper? If so, this is an absolute payday.

[I have decided on my evolution,] I announce.

[I�m going to assume it�s the last one then?] he asks.

I nod.

[Right.] He sighs. [I would love to know more about it, but I completely respect your desire for privacy. I hope you can give us some general information so we know what to expect and can offer suggestions before you go into the final phase of the menu?]

I give the Triad the general information, such as the stats, and make a few allusions to the evolution buffing certain advantages that I already have.

[Also, I don�t want to expose too much here, but I suspect the reset I�ve been offered might be from the fourth. Or deeper.]

All three of their eyes go wide at that, and Granin whistles sharply.

[If that�s true, it�s a big deal. The types of matter found in the deeper parts of the Dungeon far outstrip anything you find higher up. Each level down is a real qualitative leap. The amount of evolutionary energy packed into that reset alone will make evolution worth the while, besides the rest of it.]

That�s good to hear. makes me feel a little more comfortable and secure in my choice.

[Do you have any advice going into the next phase?] I ask.

The three of them confer for a few short minutes before they come back to me.

[Keep in mind the things we talked about and make sure you hit your stat goals. If you make sure to hit the values we talked about, you should be able to achieve what you want. The extra stats you get from this evolution help a lot, and you can either put in the energy that we planned and push your numbers even higher, or you can spend that energy elsewhere, try and shore up a few weaknesses.]

[Good advice. Alright, I�m going in.]

Having confirmed my species, I�m taken deeper into the menu, and the vast playground that is the manual evolution screen enfolds me within its embrace. I have quite a few decisions that need to be made at this point, but before I worry about any of that, I take a moment to admire the vast pool of evolutionary energy I have at my disposal. The core of Garralosh is paying dividends right now in the form of this enormous wealth, truly the most I could hope to extract from my current tier. With the bonus on top for max mutations, I have a lot of largesse to unload.

First things first, I need to spend my bonus stat points. I�ve spent a lot of my Might on increasing my size, getting as many stats as I could at the expense of getting larger. This time, I feel comfortable concentrating more on increasing the density of my musculature. As I spend the free points, I can tell that my size is still going to increase significantly, but the overall strength I�ll exert will skyrocket even more as my muscles compact and become denser.

The Toughness I spread around fairly evenly, hardening my body overall and increasing the amount of punishment I can take. The exo-skeleton thickens and hardens, the chitin on my legs grows tougher, and my internal body becomes ever so slightly more durable.

Next is a big spend. The first thing I do is make all of my brains mutable, all four of them. It takes more energy to do that than I thought it would, though it�s likely because brain matter and neurons are so much more complex than something like muscle fibre or chitin.

With that job done, I get to the more difficult task of allocating my bonus stats. The aim of the game here isn�t to create more sub-brains, absolutely not. After chatting with Granin, I�ve come to understand that my earlier strategy to increase my brain power isn�t the most efficient way, but with further investment, will pay off. I need each of my brains to be capable of weaving and handling Mind Magic Constructs. This is going to take a ton of energy to achieve, even after the generous bonus stats from my evolution.

I get to work, beefing up each of my brains with additional brain matter and pumping up the Will investment in each. I decide not to hold back and push harder in this department, raising my mental power to the point where my suffering when trying to use the Omni-Elemental Construct will be utterly scrubbed from my mind. It�s not a sexy spend, but I�m satisfied with it. All in all, it costs me almost half of my available energy to achieve, but with this, my days of magical dominance are just beginning.

With what remains, I need to start shopping for my cash-in option. There�s so much to choose from. After I take the mandibles and carapace off the table, there are only a few main body parts for me to play with. In the end, I decide to focus on my antennae. It might seem like nothing, but my antennae have evolved to become a key component of my build. The future sight alone pulls its weight and is something I will absolutely reinvest in once I can. I�m a bit disappointed to see that the Spectrum Crystal is outside of my budget. That would have been a real nice pickup. Sadly, it isn�t to be. Instead, I look through the possible options that are within my limits, and there are many.

Most of these shiny new antennae are clearly from the third stratum, with titles like Infernal Lattice Antennae, or Weave of Greed Antennae. As little as I like the idea of these demonic-sounding names being attached to me, I�m sure there�s something I can find that�s going to serve my purpose. I�m pretty open to the benefits, and I don�t mind if it�s something that helps my future sight, or something that helps my spellcasting, or even just improves my sense of smell to a high degree.

There�s a heap of options that give weird stuff. Like my antennae having the ability to blast enemies with fire, or turn any fire spell channelled through them into a more powerful infernal flame variant, even one that allows me to sense, of all things, people�s inner desires. What the heck do I care about people�s inner desires? I already get the wants of my family seeping into my head through the Vestibule! People outside of the family don�t matter to the point I need to peek inside their heads!

Bah. There has to be something good�

Aha! What have we here?

[Twilight Filament: A material with extreme sensitivity to vibrations that reacts to sensory input of all kinds.]

All kinds, eh? Including THE ECHOES OF THE FUTURE? I�m getting the sense�heh�that it will, based on that vague, all-encompassing description. I feel good about it, and I�m happy to dodge some of the more bizarre and evil-sounding options. What�s up with these demons! Lock that in.

Huh, what do you know? A little more energy left over after that one, which is a happy surprise. I think I�ll make use of that and bulk up my physical stats a little more. This will be the evolution where I finally stamp my authority as a physical and mental powerhouse!

Muahahahahaaaa! No longer a weak little hatchling, I�m going to be so mighty!

I eagerly look over my selections. I cannot wait to evolve!

I check my options one last time before confirming everything. I have to say, the ol� status sheet is looking pretty darn good. A massive boost in stats, my brains becoming mutable, a heck of a lot more physical power, and the benefits of expanding my Vestibule setup to become even more of an enduring powerhouse. I can hardly wait!

Not to mention the slow process of reforging my body into something better than what I started with is quite exciting. It may only be the antennae and Vestibule so far, but eventually the whole body will be remade! We can make it better! Faster! Stronger! We have the technology!

Satisfied with my new display, I confirm the options and once more feel my consciousness falling into the now-familiar sinkhole of nothingness. The sensation of having your awareness circling a drain filled with a black void is a little disconcerting. But as the saying goes, you can adapt to anything, so it�s more of a detached fascination that I feel as I fall down and down until I come into the presence of the great bearded one once more.

[I don�t actually have a beard, you know.]

The voice echoes through my mind, sounding mildly amused.

Look, Gandalf has a beard. Gandalf without a beard just isn�t a thing. I don�t think my mind could even comprehend it. Like� fire without heat or water without wet. If Gandalf didn�t have a beard, would he even be Gandalf? Actually, this is getting deep�

[I am not this Gandalf that you keep calling me. You do realise that, don�t you?]

Are you going to tell me your name this time?

[No.]

Gandalf you remain.

[�I suppose that�s fair enough. In terms of the level of delusion those in your position usually possess, this is quite minor, all things considered.]

Yeah, that�s a question I have, actually. How many of my kind are kicking around down here? Since the last time we spoke, I�ve met three. Three! It�s not like I�ve covered a wide range of territory either, only a tiny sliver of the world. Are you constantly snatching souls from Earth? What�s your deal, man?

[The collection and injection of souls into the world is not something I handle directly. It is mere happenstance that your world aligns closely with this one. When a suitable soul is detected, it is drawn here and reborn into the Dungeon. It is simply a thing that is.]

Huh. You�ve mentioned this before, but �suitable� tends to mean �a bit nuts�, from what I understand.

[Most minds are not capable of surviving the transition to a monstrous form. The following challenge of having to endure within the Dungeon breaks the rest.]

It sounds like you have experience with this�

[Oh, yes. It was quite some time before the filter could determine who had the better chance of survival. The first generations of transplanted souls were� disappointing, to say the least.]

Sounds like a relatively mild way of describing people suffering breakdowns and getting eaten by monsters�

[As I said, it isn�t something I control directly, it is merely part of the working.]

Uh-huh. Well, thank goodness the Dungeon is filled with crazies, eh? So much more stable and easy to deal with. You weren�t lying about Garralosh, by the way, she was completely gone. Fully nuts. To be honest, if it weren�t for that, I probably wouldn�t have survived fighting her.

[It�s true that she had suffered long. She showed much early promise, but her savagery was not tempered by cunning. She grew too fast and did not hide her strength from those who would do her harm. Any monster that shows such rapid growth is marked with a target, something she failed to grasp until it was far too late.]

Do I have that same target painted on my back now, seeing as I was the one who killed her?

[To some extent, perhaps. You have already drawn to your side those that would see you grow to your full potential.]

Do you mean Granin and the Triad? You know about the Cult? Or should I say, cults?

[Of course. There is nothing that happens on this world that is outside of my purview, should I wish it to be so.]

Then I suppose you would know all about the Ancients and the stuff they have going on?

[Of course. Everything the System touches is within my scope.] The voice sounds rather smug at this. [Regardless of what they might wish, they are bound by it still.]

You make it sound as if they want to break out of the System. Is something like that even possible?

[Should I fill in all the blanks for you? What reason would I have to answer such a question?]

�Because you�re super nice?

Well, that got a laugh out of him.

[You are an interesting specimen, I must admit. Your species has become quite a force, and you yourself continue to rise from strength to strength. Your current path of evolution has you on a powerful trajectory. I am curious, however, on how comfortable you are with tying so much of your strength into the survival of your species. Without them, you will only possess a fraction of the strength.]

I mean, it�s fine, I guess? If they all die, it�s not like I�m going to be alive anyway, right?

The great bearded one�s silence is not reassuring.

[Why?]

What do you mean why? It�s obvious I�d die attempting to save them! As if it were even possible that the Queen would be killed before me.

[I find it so curious that someone with your history of families would be so attached to what could only loosely be described as a family in this world.]

Loosely described? Don�t be absurd! We�re all related! Heck, most of us are straight-up siblings! And my previous experience might not have been perfect⁠�

[You were abandoned and left to starve to death�]

You bring up the starving thing every time. It might not have been perfect, but I couldn�t have asked for a better family this time around. I get so much trust and support from them. It would be weird if I didn�t try to give it back. Which brings up something else I really wanted to say to you, now that I have the chance.

[Oh? Something you want to say to me?]

Yes. I�ve been thinking about this for a while, and I thought I should say it in case I don�t get another chance. I uh, suppose I, uh, just wanted to say thanks� I guess. Thanks for letting me be born here, as an ant. I feel like I fit in here, probably better than I ever did on Earth� and it�s been� good. So� thanks.

There�s a moment of silence between us.

[You know, I don�t think anyone has ever thanked me for being born here. Not in the entire history of the System,] the voice muses. [I have to say the experience is a little� odd. You�re welcome? Is that what people say at moments like this?]

I suppose so. Just how out of touch with manners are you?

[Very,] the voice chuckles. [Our time has come to an end, I sense. Good luck until I see you again. Try not to die.]

Well, that�s a cheery thought� to end� on�

The darkness takes me. Once more, my soul returns to my body and then all sensation disappears as I begin to change. My last thought is that I hope I�m not asleep for too long�

The nameless one idled against the side of a tunnel for a brief moment, checking her surroundings. Activity had been furious within the nest ever since the siege had lifted, and opportunities to enter the Dark Passage had been harder to come across. Thankfully, the Eldest blessed her and the tunnel was, for this brief window of time, empty. She leaned against the deep shadows, ingeniously created by a collection of wrinkles that were so unobtrusive it was hard to even notice them. Even if one were to see, would they ever realise that each centimetre, every angle, was a deliberate choice designed specifically to create this convergence of shadows?

As the pressure increased, there was a small click, followed by a brief sensation of falling before she landed on her feet in a tunnel shrouded in complete shadow. The Dark Passage. A feeling of comfort overtook the nameless one as she was embraced by the darkness. This was the place where she felt most at home. There were no scent trails in the passage, a strange oddity for any place within the nest, but she wasn�t surprised. She reached out with an antenna, seeking along the wall until she found a particular groove, dug in a particular way, that told her just what she needed to know. Now confident, she began to move, her antennae always seeking along the tunnel wall.

Before long, she began to run into others, but they did not greet each other, no scent was exchanged, for such was forbidden. Instead, they ran alongside each other, working together whenever they came across a vile Dungeon spawn infecting the tunnels. The wave had complicated things, but she�d learned of the great work undertaken by the mages to peel back the Dungeon veins. It would only be a matter of time before the same method was applied here; their work was too important to allow for distractions.

As they ran, enshrouded in perfect dark, they came across more tunnels, each bringing more of her siblings into this main branch. Every tunnel was lined with the same enchantment, powered by pure black cores filled with Shadow Mana, the light eaters.

They ran together until finally, the tunnel, which had been growing wider as more branches folded into it, came to a dead end. A wall loomed before them, studded with light eaters to the point it appeared more as a wall of pure shadow rather than stone. Without pause, the nameless one approached and extended her antennae, feeling this, then that, until she found an almost imperceptible indent. The first located, it wasn�t long until she identified the second and pushed against both at the same time. She had to concentrate, if the timing was even slightly off�

Click.

So soft she nearly couldn�t hear it, the mechanical device slotted into place and the wall that blocked the way was suddenly gone, dropped into the floor. What lay beyond was the sacred ground of the order, the Sanctum. Each of her siblings ducked their heads to pay their respects as they crossed the threshold, as she herself did when it came her turn to enter. If anything, the darkness was even more complete in here, not a single speck of light allowed to exist within. There was no scent either, which meant each of the order was required to rely on their other sense, that which marked them apart from the rest of the Colony.

Once inside, she found herself within the antechamber, staffed at all times with several acolytes who stood as still as statues, mimicking the state of torpor as best they could. The nameless one had intelligence to share, so she approached the acolyte of knowledge.

Greetings, Sister. You have wisdom for the Sanctum? the acolyte signed, her antennae performing an intricate dance in the air.

A test? Too obvious. The nameless one had been part of the order since its very foundation.

The Eldest rests, she signed.

Eight hours a day, the acolyte wryly signed back, before both performed the eightfold genuflection.

It was a sacred number, the ideal amount of sleep, as prescribed by the Eldest. It was central to all that the order sought to accomplish.

Yes, Sister, I bring news from the mining shafts.

The acolyte�s antennae twitched in surprise.

I thought the shafts were closed for the time being. They weren�t planned to be reopened for thirty-one hours.

Trust the acolyte of knowledge to have such intricate awareness, it was her role, after all.

Some of the workers have banded together with a team from Vibrant�s army. They have arranged to reopen early, though it is only possible if they agree to work double shifts.

This cannot be borne, the acolyte showed dismay. Without rest, the workers will be sloppy, the soldiers, unable to properly perform their duties. All shall suffer from their greed to work! How dare they shun the wisdom of the Eldest in so blatant a manner. She shook off her irritation. The Sanctum thanks you for this news, Sister. Be welcome and find rest within.

Her task complete, the nameless one backed respectfully away from the acolyte of knowledge, who�d already turned to the acolyte of strategy, and made her way deeper within the Sanctum. Passing through the antechamber, she found the outer training grounds, where new members for the order endured the harsh training necessary to achieve full membership.

At the moment, it appeared as if a fresh induction group was being trained. An acolyte of instruction hung from the ceiling by a single leg, waving her antennae in slow, exaggerated motions, instructing the initiates in the hidden language of the order. Twenty young ants hung from the roof in front of her, each gripping the ceiling with only a single leg. Their weak Grip Skill was evident in their wobbling, and the nameless one knew from experience it was only a matter of time until one fell to the stone floor below.

In fact, before she passed by, one did indeed fall. The crack of chitin on rock was impossibly loud in this silent place. The initiate lay on the floor, leg twitching in pain for only a moment. Several other acolytes of training appeared from the walls to minister to their sister. In short order, the leg was tended to, the initiate righted on her feet, and sent back to the ceiling. Now she would train the next leg until it too was no longer able to bear her weight.

The soldiers were always the first to fall, their increased strength not enough to offset their higher mass.

It was necessary, though. A high rank in Grip was the foundation on which the order was built, running claw in claw with Stealth. Observing targets from above, from the side, hiding on pillars and anything else they could hang onto was a necessary part for any member of the order. The nameless one herself had spent an entire week hanging upside down once, even entering torpor whilst hidden on the ceiling.

Moving beyond the outer training grounds, she reached the main part of the Sanctum, the most sacred of all of its many chambers. Inside were thousands of her siblings and fellow members, each engaged in their most sacred of duties: torpor.

The Eldest had decreed long ago that it was the responsibility of every member of the Colony to ensure that they rested, and from that moment on, the order had begun to take shape. Members of every caste had been welcomed, for theirs was difficult work and every advantage and strength was needed to ensure it was done perfectly. Too many within the Colony spurned the Eldest�s wisdom and worked beyond their measure, but they could not escape the order for long.

The grand resting chamber was carved in the shape of a great wheel divided into eight segments. An acolyte of rest stood at silent attention on the outer area of one segment, and the nameless one made her way over. Each segment of the chamber was filled with ants at rest, but soon it would be time for one segment to wake up and return to their work, then it would be time for the nameless one to sleep. She was looking forward to it; her sixteen-hour shift had been all too brief, but the work had been hard. She was ready.

This nameless one greets you, one of her siblings signed to her.

I see you, she replied. This nameless one is pleased to see you once again.

Was your work fruitful?

I was able to uncover a planned breach.

Excellent! The sleep cells will once again be filled, I see.

The two friends chatted for several minutes, as they tended to do whenever they met here at the end of a shift. Before long, the acolyte indicated that it was almost time and they readied themselves for rest. Already, the deep lethargy of torpor was beginning to take its grip on the nameless one and she waited patiently for the others to wake.

Which gradually they did. Up and down the segment, hundreds of ants began to stir. Jolted into wakefulness, they moved to exit the outer ring of the segment and clear space for the incoming shift.

I hope you rested well, nameless ones, the acolyte signed as they passed.

Once the last ant had exited the segment, the acolyte turned to them.

Good work, nameless ones. Please take your deserved rest, as the Eldest intended.

They each performed the eightfold genuflection, slower now that they were on the verge of sleep, before shuffling into the segment, ensuring all had room. The nameless one felt her consciousness slipping and gladly let it go, surrendering herself to torpor. After all, when she woke, there would be so much work to do, and only sixteen hours in which to get it done.

The nameless one came back to herself precisely eight hours later, rested and refreshed. Truly, the greatest experience of torpor could only be enjoyed here, on the fulcrum of eight amongst her fellow members of the order. As the rest of those on her shift came awake and began to move from their segment, they greeted each other in the hidden language, signing with their antennae and exchanging plans for the day. As they passed the acolyte on the outer edge of the fulcrum, they greeted her as she did them, exchanged a few signs with the now-ending shift, and then they were away, ready to begin their day.

The nameless one was eager to get started. Sixteen hours of solid work lay in front of her, and it was imperative that she made a fast start. They never skipped their rest in the order, which meant they had to work harder, faster, and with more efficiency than every other member of the Colony. Otherwise, how could they hope to police them?

So it was that all the newly awakened broke into a sprint the moment they were clear of the inner chamber, running to their assignments as fast as they could, vanishing into the Dark Passage and emerging from hidden exits all over the nest. The nameless one did not join them immediately. Her rank was such that she needed to make an additional stop before she could begin her work.

She rushed through the Sanctum, completely soundless, until she came to a small, elaborately carved chamber in which an acolyte stood completely still. She approached respectfully.

The Eldest rests, she greeted the acolyte of shadows.

Eight hours a day, came the reply and both genuflected.

What word from the shadows? the nameless one asked. Is there a task?

There is, came the solemn reply. The many-headed beast has stirred against us once more, seeking to escape their responsibilities and our notice.

Again?

So soon? Are we sure of this intelligence?

The acolyte eyed her reproachfully.

It is not for us to question the shadow, she reprimanded.

The nameless one bowed her head in repentance.

If not for the shadow, we might not have come across this news. The many-headed beast is cunning beyond compare. It has hidden its plans deep. The acolyte waggled her antennae in a slow chuckle. Just not deep enough.

When and where do I strike? the nameless one asked.

Go to the confluence of ways, beneath the croca-star. A waypoint has been established, and an acolyte of planning will meet you there. Shadows take you, Sister.

I go.

So saying, the nameless one turned and ran. To tackle an enemy on this scale wasn�t something that usually came up, but things had been hectic in the Colony lately, and many were beginning to push the bounds� They would learn, of course, that it was impossible to escape the order. Though they slept the most, there were none who worked harder, of that, she was certain. Once more into the Dark Passage, the hidden way between the tunnels.

Long had the carvers and mages in the order laboured on these narrow tunnels. Undetectable, devoid of light and intricate in their design, they were woven throughout the very heart of the Colony and reached nearly every part of it. Even the new satellite nests had the Dark Passage woven into their design, carvers of the order building the tunnels and establishing the secret network right under the noses of their siblings as the nests were established.

Everywhere the Colony went, so too did the order.

She ran through the still darkness, her antennae constantly moving and sensing for the hidden location markers carved into the walls. It was additionally tense in the passage during the wave, since she had to constantly be on the lookout for monsters. Although she ran past a few, she knew that these were pets, controlled by the core shapers within the order who had tasked their charges with sweeping the tunnels clean. She gave them their space and continued on her way.

After ten minutes of zigzagging, she arrived at the confluence, a wide meeting point of many tunnels close to the heart of the nest. Many of her siblings were already there when she arrived, moving from tunnel to tunnel, gathering into teams, or meeting with the present acolytes of action to coordinate their strikes.

She had other business, so she turned her attention and antennae to the roof and began to feel her way amongst the descriptive carvings there. The entire ceiling was an elaborate mural, though she had met none who could claim to know who carved it, which contained many scenes radiating out from the centre of the chamber, each filled with breathtaking beauty.

It was the outer edge that contained what she sought, and she headed directly there, moving clockwise around the edge. At various points, she came across various monsters defeated by the Eldest emblazoned on a star as if they had become part of a constellation that illuminated the Eldest�s strength. Eventually, she found what she was looking for: a croca beast, jaws wide open and a savage gleam in its eye, as if ready to leap off the stone and consume the ants around them.

The croca-star.

She approached the nearby acolyte and greeted her. Genuflections complete, they began to discuss the mission.

The many-headed beast has made plans to skip torpor and gather in one place, which will give us the perfect opportunity to strike, the acolyte told her.

Do we know the meeting place? the nameless one asked.

We do not, though our every effort has gone into discovering just that. From what we have been told, the location has not been shared with any not of the beast.

The beast grows ever more cautious.

Indeed.

Where can I rendezvous? I am eager to begin work.

I will lead you. There are three teams assembled for the task, with two more on the way. Find your place amongst them quickly. We cannot allow this breach to occur.

The nameless one nodded. Once one ant thought they could get away with skipping torpor, the desire spread like a contagion. Every attempted breach needed to be put down harshly. Only that would be enough to discourage infractions. It wasn�t possible to get everyone, the Colony was just too large for that, but they would try, and some days, they got very, very close.

She followed the acolyte, racing down a side tunnel, and it wasn�t long before they entered one of the small operation chambers that dotted the Dark Passage. Compact spaces in which the order could gather to run localised operations, serving as a planning headquarters, gathering place, and briefing room, all in one. Inside was a full team awaiting instructions.

Welcome, nameless one, she was greeted by a general who stood over a map a carver had magically engraved on the floor. Please join us.

She signed her greetings then familiarised herself with the operation. Timing was of the essence, only an hour remained until the breach was expected to occur, and they still didn�t know where. It was possible they could try and nab the targets separately, but that would create a logistical nightmare. And if they weren�t careful, word would leak the moment the first target went down, driving the rest into hiding. They would still be caught, but only at a great cost of time and energy. The order had to be efficient, otherwise they would be ineffective.

The work drew her in as they discussed theories, options, and strategies. Plans were rapidly proposed, debated, and discarded. In ten minutes, they had a working plan and scattered through the tunnels, ready to return forty minutes later for the final briefing.

To think she had been ready to hunt down a few miners and soldiers in this shift. Now she had much bigger fish to fry.

It had been a while since the nameless one had put the Council to sleep.

�Ensure you hit your targets, here, here, and here. With these junctions secured, the digging teams will be able to move relatively unhindered. That�s where the difficulty comes in. You�ll need to make sure that the crossroads remain blocked and sweep out spawning monsters at the same time. I know that�s going to be hard, but we can�t spare the antpower to send another team. The diggers will help you, all you have to do is⁠��

The nameless one allowed the words to wash over her as she focused her mind. This was a difficult infiltration, but nothing she hadn�t done before. She knew from experience that a lapse in concentration would be fatal, exposing her cover for all to see and forcing her to retreat, her prey alerted to her presence. Not that they didn�t already know she was after them, that much was clear.

Down below was the Dungeon Map, created in the central planning hub of the General caste. She was stuck to the roof, her claws like steel traps that wouldn�t allow even a speck of dust to leak from her iron grip. She overlooked Sloan as the general discussed plans for securing sections of the Dungeon for construction. Except there was a problem. She wasn�t sure what it was that rubbed her senses the wrong way, but every instinct in her body was telling her something was deeply wrong.

Beneath her, Sloan waved away the general she�d been talking to and returned to perusing the map, discussing a few points with a carver representative, hammering out the finer details of their plans. The nameless one saw no sign of tension or stress to indicate that this individual was planning to breach her sleeping obligations. To all intents and purposes, Sloan had the appearance of an ant coming to the end of her workday and wrapping things up so she could find a sleep chamber and enter torpor.

Could the shadow be wrong?

The nameless drew the shadows deeper around and pulled her body flat against the ceiling. It was impossible for the shadow to be wrong, she had to push all such thoughts out of her head. Meaning the shadow was right, a breach was happening�then what was it about Sloan that bothered her so? She focused her eyes and homed in on every detail of the general, every movement, every little tic and shift of weight, every change in her scent. No detail was small enough to escape her notice. There was nowhere to hide from the eyes of the order.

Wait, what was that?

A strange flicker of the light caught her attention. It was such a minor thing that had she not been concentrating, she would have missed it entirely. Where was it? She focused, patient as a predator as she continued to observe Sloan. There! The shadow! How could she not have seen the shadow?

As Sloan went about her business, the nameless one focused on the play of light around her feet and after a few moments, she realised something.

The shadow didn�t fit!

It wasn�t anything major, the legs were just slightly off, the abdomen and thorax not quite the right dimensions, but you could see it if you were looking for it. The shadow that Sloan projected didn�t match the shape of her body. It was a double!

She mentally cursed admiringly as she drew the shadows around her like a cloak and began to sneak her way to the exit point.

The Council had replaced themselves with doubles cloaked in some kind of illusion spell! The mages within the order would need to learn of this technique as soon as possible. They needed to find a way to better break it. For now, the slight differences in shape had been enough for her to see through the ruse. She had to inform the others!

[Ghost Stealth (VI) has reached Level 94.]

Not now! She focused her senses and body to the utmost, ensuring that no sight or sound would be noticed. She was fortunate to escape without being seen and made her way into the Dark Passage. Once inside, she urgently messaged her fellow team member who awaited her.

It�s a body double! Sloan has been replaced by another ant cloaked in some kind of light or illusion spell!

Are you certain? the other ant signed back intently.

The shadow betrays them! It doesn�t fit the body. I believe that every member of the Council we are shadowing has been replaced and the real members are hidden!

Her fellow order member cursed silently.

We will need to confirm this as soon as possible. Return to the meeting place whilst I spread the message. We should have confirmation in ten minutes.

The two of them rushed to perform their tasks knowing that time was of the essence. When she arrived and relayed the news to the members gathered in the planning chamber, the reaction was much as she expected.

Damn this beast! Are they daring us to put them under 24/7 surveillance?

They need to put more effort into their work rather than spending all this energy trying to dodge torpor!

What is wrong with their heads?

It was fine to be angry, but they didn�t have the time to waste on such useless emotion. The nameless one stepped forward.

Your frustration is understandable, but a waste of energy. We have a task to perform, don�t lose focus on the work.

With her signed message, the group got back to planning how they could overcome this disaster. They were deep in discussions when word came back from those shadowing the other members of the Council. As suspected, all of them were fakes.

What do we do? one member of the group demanded. We�ve already lost track of the targets and we have no leads on where they might be! Regular methods have been exhausted. I suggest we appeal to the shadow.

The others paused for a moment as they contemplated that suggestion. It wasn�t forbidden to ask the shadow for assistance, but it certainly wasn�t encouraged. Even if they were to ask, there was no guarantee that they would get an answer. The entity known as shadow preferred to communicate through those few acolytes dedicated to receiving their messages, rather than reaching out to just anyone. The nameless one considered the suggestion and decided it might be worth a try.

We are out of time. The meeting is intended to take place in only ten minutes, and we have no clues as to where. The situation has become desperate, and I am unwilling to let it go. I suggest we all appeal to the shadow and see if it will intervene on our behalf. This mission was originally brought to us by the shadow, after all.

After a little more discussion, the group agreed. The chamber entrance was sealed and all light in the room was suppressed as each member channelled as much Shadow Mana as they could, blanketing the room in utter darkness. The Mana thickened gradually, seeping into the air around them and saturating all it touched as the ants bowed low in supplication, covering their eyes ceremoniously.

For several long minutes, nothing except the growing density of shadow marked any change in the space as they each remained perfectly still. Then, there was a faint sound, almost like a sigh, and the gathered Shadow Mana scattered in an instant, bringing the light back.

The nameless one raised her head eagerly as others leapt to reopen the chamber. As sight returned to them, they found words written in pure darkness engraved on the wall and they felt joy in their hearts.

There was no escape for the targets of the order.

�Were you followed?�

�I don�t think so��

�You THINK? THINKING isn�t good enough!�

�Cool it! Your scent is spreading too far. Are you trying to bring them down on our heads?�

��I�m sorry. I�m just so stressed.�

�And tired? Maybe you should sleep! Torpor usually takes care of that�so I�m told. I don�t do it much. I find it�s too slow for my pace. So, what have you all been up to? I�ve been running around doing heeeaaaps of stuff. It�s so busy right now! I can�t believe how much stuff there is to do! Can you? And the Eldest is evolving! That�s exciting! I wonder⁠��

�Vibrant! I�m too tired to listen to you for too long today, can you wait a second while we try and get settled?�

The hyper-energetic soldier subsided with a sigh whilst the rest of the Council settled into the crude and cramped chamber that had been prepared for the meeting. A far cry from the luxurious carved surroundings of the normal meeting chamber, this room was intended for use as a Biomass storage chamber, recently emptied of its stockpile in order to fuel the Eldest�s evolution. It was dark, cramped, and best of all, almost nobody in the nest knew that it was even available. Perfect for a group of ants attempting to avoid being dragged off to torpor.

They were all there, even Antionette and Victoriant. Sneaking that pair out of the nesting chamber was a feat in and of itself. It would have been impossible without the assistance of the Queen, who aided them in the interests of seeing the two younger royals get out of the egg-laying chamber more often. A sedentary life being waited on hand and foot wasn�t healthy for a good Queen, in her opinion.

�You calmed down yet, Sloan?�

The general nervously rubbed her antennae through her forelegs.

�I think so. I�ve been so damned busy, and arranging this on top of everything else has been such a hassle��

�I feel like those torpor enforcers were giving us a break during the siege. A ton of ants, including almost all of us, went well under the required amount of rest, and there were hardly any dragged away. Now that the siege is over, they�ve been popping out of the woodwork all over the place! I lost every member of my two best teams today!� Bella complained. �They just vanished! I walked past their work area one minute, all of them were altering cores, I come back two minutes later, gone! No traces!�

They all shuddered.

�I say they�ve gone too far!� Advant slammed an antenna down on the rock they�d gathered around with force. �The Eldest did demand that we all sleep, but forcing us to sleep against our will? Don�t they understand how much work there is to do? There�s a wave on right now!�

�They�re following the commands of the Eldest,� Burke wryly said. �Are you really going to go and tell them that the Eldest was wrong and that their orders don�t need to be obeyed? Or perhaps, you want to go to the Eldest and tell them that they are wrong?�

Every member of the Council felt the pain of a thousand thwacks echo from deep within their memory at those words. No. No, they wouldn�t be going to the Eldest and asking them to change their policy.

�Let�s just focus on what we came here to do,� Coolant injected wearily. �I know we�re all well past due for a rest, and we will need to enter torpor at some point. Let�s make use of the time we have productively.�

�Agreed!� the others chorused and they settled in to conduct their business.

�First off, let�s go around the table for a status update, starting with the carvers.�

�Ahem. Work on the new gates has been progressing��

The Council began their deliberations, each focused on the meeting and trying to take in the overall state of the Colony during this critical time so that they might better offer their own perspective and wisdom. Underneath it all, though none would admit, there was a slight frission of smug self-satisfaction.

They�d done it.

It had taken a frankly ridiculous amount of work and preparation, but they�d finally slipped the noose and left the torpor police in the dust. For that reason, the meeting progressed with a renewed sense of energy and excitement, a shared feeling of triumph surging within each member of the Council.

The nameless one could almost smell it on them.

Look how happy they are, rubbing their hard work right into the Eldest�s face, one of the team members signed from the roof.

Focus, the nameless one signed back in a short, sharp gesture.

She too was irritated by such blatant disobedience being shown by the only ants in the Colony to have received the instruction of the Eldest directly, but it was useless emotion that hindered the work. She would pay it no mind.

Be wary of your positioning, she signed. Several shadows shifted slightly as the others checked themselves.

The room was small, with hardly any space to operate in. If it weren�t for the intervention of the Shadow, they would never have reached this place before the Council arrived. Sneaking in with all twenty already in the room would have been almost impossible. As it was, they were limited in how many of the order were able to hide, the other teams were positioned in the tunnels outside.

The nameless one looked down from her position at Vibrant in particular. The soldier appeared full of energy, practically bouncing with impatience as she waited for her turn to speak. She�d checked the Vibrant board within the Sanctum before she�d left, and knew for a fact it had been three days since the last time Vibrant rested. Even then, she�d only been in torpor for thirty minutes.

We�re going to get you this time, the nameless one promised herself, there�s no way out for you now�

Unaware of their surroundings, the Council members attended to their business in high spirits. They were halfway through discussing the placement of the second farming expansion when their antennae reacted to a new scent.

�Working hard, I see��

Each of them froze at that sinister scent and slowly turned their focus to the ceiling, where they finally noticed the unnaturally dark shadow above their heads. A shadow that slowly materialised into an ant staring down at them with cold indifference.

�But work time is� OVER!�

�Oh shoot! Everyone, scramble!� Sloan cried.

Bedlam erupted in an instant. The two Queens were the first to fall, two ants leaping from the corners of the room and releasing some sort of sleep pheromone directly onto their antennae, causing them to slump over into slumber almost immediately.

�Come and get me!� Leeroy yelled, her heavy armour clanking and screeching as she tried to manoeuvre in the narrow space.

A wall of ants leapt through the door into the room, dividing themselves amongst the various Council members and working to subdue them with expert precision.

Cobalt and Tungstant fell next. It was a close thing, but they were seized and rendered unconscious with strikes to the thorax, cutting off the Mana supply to the brain, just as they attempted to slip into a hidden escape tunnel they must have dug in advance.

Overwhelmed, the other Council members could only put up a token resistance before, with cries of dismay, they too were taken down.

All except one.

�Too slow! Too slow!� Cackling madly, Vibrant burst out of the chamber and into the tunnel, somehow sliding past the waiting mandibles of the nameless one, who had positioned herself above the door for this exact moment.

Dammit!

Cursing to herself, the nameless one gripped with two legs and swung her body through the entrance and into the corridor, latching onto the ceiling and sprinting in the same millisecond.

�Nap time, Vibrant!� came an authoritative voice.

The nameless one looked up and saw that the members of her order had formed a blockade farther up the tunnel, using their bodies to close off the opening.

Not enough, the nameless one sighed.

Vibrant merely laughed and accelerated. The wall of ants readied themselves for impact, bracing their legs, gripping with their claws, and extending their mandibles. There was no way she could get past all of th⁠�

WHOOSH!

Vibrant�s entire body flickered and vanished, only to reappear on the other side of the blockade a split second later. She stood there, completely still, as the ants behind her appeared frozen in time. Then, one by one, they began to fall.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

They peeled off the wall and landed on the hard stone floor, unconscious.

�Tsk! Tsk! Need to keep up!� Vibrant laughed.

SNAP!

So close!

The nameless one had known the others wouldn�t succeed and ran straight through, trusting that Vibrant would clear the obstruction for her, which she did. Her sneak attack, launching from the wall, was so close to being a success, but she was noticed at the last second.

�That wasn�t half bad,� Vibrant clacked her mandibles joyfully. �But you�ll need to be better than that to put me to sleep!�

The nameless one felt helpless as the soldier set her legs. Once she Dashed away, there would be no chance of catching up to her�

�See you next time!� Vibrant laughed.

DASH!

BAM!

It took a moment for the nameless one to understand what she was seeing. Instead of vanishing into the distance, Vibrant had tripped herself up and landed flat on her face! What could possibly have happened!

�Crin-Crin? Why� would� you?� Vibrant croaked, her face half-buried in the stone floor.

Only then did the nameless one notice the bottomless shadow that had formed beneath the escaping soldier, and the many barbed limbs that emerged to seize hold of her legs.

The Shadow!

Unwilling to let this chance slip by, the nameless one launched herself onto Vibrant�s back and clamped her mandibles down just below her head.

�Don�t worry, Vibrant,� the nameless one couldn�t resist saying. �You�ll be in our care for a looong time. Rest well.�

�Noooooo� ooooo� oo��

Struggling to the end, Vibrant finally went limp. Even then, she held and counted to eight before releasing her grip. Her job done, she leapt from Vibrant�s back and bowed toward the deep shadow and the tentacles that were already fading back to nothing. She imagined that one of them waved to her before it sank into the dark, but it may have been a trick of the light.

Later�

And that�s how we finally caught Vibrant, the nameless one signed to her friend.

Wow! The Shadow in the flesh! You�ve had a busy shift to say the least! Where were the Council when you saw them last?

In the cells, the nameless one couldn�t help but have a smug slant to her antennae as she signed her reply. They�re getting the full treatment. Massage, carapace wax and shine, aromatherapy, full body clean, the works.

They�ll wake up so refreshed!

Yes, the nameless one sighed in satisfaction. Yes, they will.

Good work, nameless ones. Please take your deserved rest, as the Eldest intended, the acolyte signed to them.

The ants shuffled onto their segment of the fulcrum, the nameless one already feeling her entire body going slack. Torpor awaited, and she readily allowed it to drag her mind to stillness. In eight hours, she would wake, and the hunt would be on once more�

Enid once again checked her appearance in the polished brass mirror that the Colony had provided for her room. It normally wasn�t something she would bother with, but today�s appointment was something special. She knew the Queen, first of her kind amongst the Colony, wasn�t exactly royalty in the technical sense, but the giant ant did possess a certain aura which demanded respect, and Enid refused to give less than the proper dues as the mayor of Renewal.

The refugees who made their home above were dependent on the Colony in more ways than one. No longer did they rely on the ants for labour or materials, they�d grown to the point where they could provide such things for themselves, most of the time, but their ongoing survival still rested in the mandibles of these creatures. Should Anthony and his kind ever turn on them, the town, and everyone in it, would be swept away in an instant.

The elderly woman shook her head to dismiss such depressing thoughts. There had been no sign that the ants would ever commit such an action. Deep down, Enid herself believed the Dungeon would cease spawning monsters before Anthony turned on the people he chose to save. Beyn might be crazy in the truest sense of the word, but he was right about one thing: Anthony was a saviour to the people she now looked after, and that was unlikely to ever change.

Preparations complete, she gathered her tea pot, tray, and small selection of home-baked biscuits, and moved out of her apartment, closing the newly installed door behind her. The door itself was an impressive piece of work, intricately carved with leaves and scrolls of ivy that framed her name placed right in the centre. A pair of smaller ants had come and placed it only yesterday, using their strangely mobile front claws to nail on the hinges to the wooden frame they glued onto the smooth stone. It didn�t have a lock. The ants didn�t seem to see the need for locks amongst their private chambers.

Enid idly wondered if thieving was ever an issue amongst the members of the Colony, only to dismiss the thought. What would they even steal from each other? As far as she could tell, they didn�t have possessions!

Fully equipped, Enid made her way through the tunnels of the Colony, many of which now featured narrow stairs for the human visitors to use. At every stretch, alert soldiers stood at attention, their antennae on a swivel, keeping watch for the ever-spawning monsters of the wave. It was remarkable how well the Colony had been able to hold against the unending enemies, their massive numbers helping a great deal on that front. But eventually, even they would be hard-pressed to maintain their defensive posture when the creatures of the lower stratum came knocking.

Though she had little doubt in their ability to meet that challenge. She�d overheard that Anthony had already begun his evolution to the sixth tier, a huge milestone for any monster. How powerful would he be when he emerged? He was likely already the strongest first stratum born ant to have ever existed, with the possible exception of his mother, of course.

Enid was undisturbed as she made her way into the very heart of the nest, save for a few guards giving her the once over with their antennae before waving her through. After a short walk, she entered the most heavily guarded chambers and tunnels the Colony possessed, the brood chambers. All around, the Brood Tenders cared for their charges, fat grubs the size of small dogs, each one only a few weeks away from emerging as a full-grown hatchling, ready to take on the world alongside their siblings.

The grubs themselves were kind of cute, once you got used to them. Even so, the Tenders would never allow any but themselves and a select few ants to touch them. Nothing within the nest was defended more zealously than the future generations of the Colony.

With her platter held at the ready, Enid descended into the location of her appointment, the very centre of the nest itself: the egg-laying chamber.

Their work for the day already completed, the three Queens rested in comfort, a guard detachment present even though the offending Mana veins had been banished from the walls. She nodded politely to the three massive ants and received a respectful dip of the antennae in response before she sat at the prepared human-sized chair and table, placed her tray in front of her, and waited.

It wasn�t long before a rather harried-looking Coolant burst into the chamber, the normally reserved and calm mage in an uncharacteristic fluster as she ran through the entrance. Enid examined the ant mage as she apparently conversed with her mother, the elder Queen�s antennae twitching reflexively while Coolant explained herself. There was something a little different about her, in fact, about Antionette and Victoriant as well. What was it?

Her eyes weren�t what they used to be, forcing her to squint a little in the dim light of the chamber, but eventually she caught on to what it was. They were practically gleaming. Their carapaces had an unusually healthy shine, with not a speck of dust or dirt to be seen. When they moved, the light shifted and shimmered on the chitin as if it had been polished to a mirror shine. Enid had seen merchant princes who would pay a fortune to achieve this level of polish on their furniture! How had they done it?

After a few short minutes, she felt the touch of Coolant�s mind on her own.

[Welcome, friend Enid,] the mage said. [I trust you have been well?]

[Hard not to be,] she said with a smile. [You take such good care of us down here.]

[That is well. Your trip to the surface was without incident?]

In order to stave off Mana sickness, it was necessary that she and every other human who visited the nest make regular trips to the surface in order to regulate their Mana saturation. Enid herself had a mountain of work to do every time she went back, administering to the seemingly endless developments on the surface. It was almost a relief to declare the need for a diplomatic mission and return to the nest.

[It was. I hope you have also been well, Coolant. You are looking practically radiant today.]

She intended it as a compliment, but the mage flinched at her words.

[Yes, I have� rested, recently,] she muttered.

Enid laughed.

[Usually, we would consider that a good thing,] Enid said. [Yet for some reason, you don�t appear all too happy to feel so refreshed.]

[The issue of resting is� complicated, within the Colony. Enough of me, I will facilitate the bridge between Mother and yourself.]

A few short moments and then she felt the powerful, brooding mind of the Queen touch against her own.

[Greetings, friend Enid.] The Queen dipped her head in welcome. [I have been looking forward to your visit. I must apologise for my daughter�] Coolant shivered a little [�for being late. Managing themselves does not appear to be a strong point amongst some of my children.]

[You are the one who created Anthony, after all,] Enid chuckled.

The Queen�s antennae wavered dangerously at the mention of the �troublesome one� and Coolant took a discreet step back, putting herself out of range.

[That one has been able to achieve much,] the Queen admitted. [At least when not frittering about and wasting time.]

The giant ant leaned forward to inspect the things Enid had brought with her.

[What is this you have carried here, friend Enid? I do not recall seeing such things before.]

Enid gestured to each item in turn.

[I have a tea pot, full of freshly brewed tea, a few biscuits that I baked on the surface before coming back down, and a few cups.]

The Queen poked at the crockery with one leg.

[And what is this� tea?]

[I�m surprised you don�t know, since it was your children who provided the leaves. It�s a drink that humans and other races greatly enjoy, made by pouring boiling water over the dried leaves of certain plants. Sometimes it is combined with milk, though I don�t much care for the stuff in my old age.]

She lifted the pot toward the giant monster.

[Would you care for a cup?]

Enid wasn�t sure if the three gigantic ants were just humouring her or were in fact genuinely interested in the tea. She�d brought it along for herself; a long conversation, even a mental one, needed a good cup of tea in order to keep one�s thoughts flowing smoothly. They were quite the curious trio, however, so she�d brought a few extra cups, the largest that she had, in the event they might want some. Even so, she was most surprised when the Queen took up her offer, quickly followed up by the other two requesting a cup.

So it was that Enid Ruther, retired merchant and mayor of Renewal, found herself pouring tea for three massive ants as they crowded around her table, watching her every move with agog fascination.

[After the brew has steeped for a while, the flavour seeps out of the leaves and into the water,] she explained. [Usually it doesn�t take long, but some plants require more steeping than others. Certain Mana-rich leaves might need to be soaked overnight, or so I�ve heard. I�m not certain where your children managed to source this particular variety, but the flavour is excellent, if I do say so myself.]

Pouring a cup for each of them, and ensuring that the pot didn�t drip, she then took a small pouch from one of her pockets.

[Would anyone care for some sugar?] she asked. [I managed to grab some from my hidden supply in my house during my last visit. It�s a bit of a luxury, but an old woman needs to keep her energy up, so I say.]

The three ants looked curiously at the small pouch.

[What is this sugar that you speak of?] the Queen asked. [I do not believe I have heard of it.]

[Oh, that�s surprising to hear, considering how the regular surface ants are crazy about the stuff. Though I don�t know where you would find a source of sugar down here�]

Enid pinched a small amount of the tiny crystals in between her fingers and brought it out for them to see.

[It�s a flavouring we make from sugarcane, a crop that is grown in some places on the surface. It�s quite rare in these parts. I brought this pouch with me when I fled my home during the last wave. There isn�t much left, I�m afraid, but you are certainly welcome to try it. It has a strong, sweet flavour, so rather than eat it directly, we normally mix it in other things, such as a nice cup of tea, or something like these biscuits I brought with me.]

The Queen brought her head closer in order to better inspect the contents of Enid�s hand, and the mayor forced herself not to flinch as the giant monster loomed over her, the hidden mouth behind the mandibles plainly visible for a rare moment. The antennae drifted over the sugar, smelling the tiny granules and brushing against them.

[It smells, energising. Like Mana packed into a small space.]

[It is known to house a lot of energy, which is why I suppose most insects will go out of their way to hunt it down. I have to be very careful with my sugar, otherwise it gets stolen by ants in a heartbeat.]

The Queen jerked her head up.

[Which ants have been thieving? My children wouldn�t dare!] Her antennae swished with rage and it appeared as if she would stride over to Coolant and thwack her right there and then.

[Ah! I meant non-monstrous ants, from the surface!] Enid clarified, holding up her finger and thumb, indicating the size of �normal� ants. [Tiny little ones. They can smell the sugar from quite far away and will hunt it down relentlessly. As far as I know, no member of your colony has ever tasted it.]

The Queen�and Coolant�relaxed.

[I see. I would like some sugar in my tea. Thank you, friend Enid.]

Victoriant and Antionette also enthusiastically requested some sugar be added, so Enid happily mixed a generous spoonful into each of their cups, and then her own.

[Please enjoy,] Enid said.

It took Enid a moment to realise that none of them were moving, each of the Queens watching her intently rather than making any attempt to drink. It took her another moment to understand they had no idea how to drink and were waiting on her to demonstrate. Chuckling to herself, she picked up her cup, gripping it by the handle and around the brim, which she brought to her lips and sipped.

�Ahhhh,� she exhaled.

Where did the Colony manage to source these leaves? They were amongst the best she had ever tasted. Were they seized during the capture of Rylleh?

The three ants turned their attention to their own miniature drinking vessels. Enid had small, nimble hands, perfect for drinking from such a dainty thing, but how were they supposed to do it? Their claws were strong, possibly too strong. If they tried to grip the cup and bring it to their mouths, they would surely break. Pick it up in their mandibles? Impossible. Their mouth was beneath the mandibles. How could they drink from the cup if they picked it up that way?

In the end, the Queen solved the issue by having the three of them take turns lowering their heads to the table to drink their tea directly from the cup without picking it up. Generously, she allowed her daughters to go first, then she drank her own. The taste was� different. Unique. She had never eaten any �human food� before, only Biomass, so was quite unprepared for the flavour.

At first, she wasn�t sure that she enjoyed it. The heat, the lack of meatiness, none of the tell-tale savour that Biomass provided. Yet, there was something compelling about it. The bitterness of the leaves combined with the faint sweetness that faded all too swiftly.

That flavour� was intriguing. Energising. She felt a slight tingle rush through each of her limbs as the sugar-laced tea slid into her stomach.

[How did your majesties find it?] Enid asked, amused.

Each of them had become immediately still upon drinking the tea. Even their antennae, normally constantly in motion, had become stiff with focus. It looked so comical that she had to force herself not to laugh out loud. Now she wondered if she might have made a mistake. Would introducing sugar to the Colony cause some issues? Surely not, right? They were a race of giant ants that fed on Mana and Biomass. They didn�t have any need for an energy-rich food source like sugar.

The Queen turned her attention to the biscuits.

[Friend Enid, do these also contain the sugar?]

Enid looked down at her small plate of ginger nuts, a family recipe that her husband had adored.

[Yes, they do. Would you like one?]

The Queen nodded her assent, her focus intent on the bikkies. Trying to hide her smile, Enid placed three biscuits around the table and watched as the huge Queens lowered their mouths and gobbled them down in half a bite.

[I apologise for their small size,] Enid said. [I had intended to eat them as we spoke, as they go perfectly alongside tea. If I�d been more thoughtful, I would have tried to bake some a little larger. Are you even able to taste them, given how small they are?]

[We can,] the Queen confirmed, somewhat dreamily. [The flavour is faint, but it is there, along with a slight crunch that I find appetising.]

[A good biscuit needs a good crunch,] Enid confirmed. [If they aren�t baked correctly, then they�re too soft. Overbake them, and they turn hard and bitter. Proper baking is all about the timing.]

[Interesting,] the Queen said. [I thank you for your gifts, friend Enid. May I enquire how your people fare on the surface?]

She wasn�t especially interested in humans, but she�d learned through repeated conversations with the mayor that enquiring about things the person you were �chatting� with cared about was a common opening gambit. She listened with interest as Enid described the goings on of the people, and answered with great detail when Enid turned the conversation back to her, enquiring about life in the Colony and how her children fared. As usual, she took great pleasure in the exchange, although this time, a part of her mind lingered on something else.

That night, as Enid returned to her chamber to rest, the first of many hunting parties was launched. These ants would scour the Dungeon and surface with great zeal, for their mother had made a request, and what mother wanted, she would get!

No matter where this �sugarcane� hid, the Colony would find it!

Dead, huh. Can�t say I�m surprised. Rather, if I was any less skilful, then I wouldn�t have lasted nearly as long as I did. To think the greatest assassin the underground had ever known would go out in such a fashion. It hurts my pride to even think about it.

Had I been too focused on the target? I must have been if an ice-cream van rounded the corner without me even noticing. I can only hope the shot I squeezed off as I was crushed beneath the tires was enough to finish off my contract. Odin Malum hasn�t failed a job yet, and even dead, that�s a record I�d like to keep intact.

The afterlife so far is a little more drab than I expected. Nothing but darkness presses around me, trying to overcome my will. A foolish attempt.

[Welcome, Odin.]

A voice speaks out of the gloom, its words penetrating directly into my mind. Some sort of telepathy? How is this possible?

[You have died.]

I�m aware of that. What sort of fool wouldn�t be aware of their own death? The sight of the hapless driver behind the wheel of that accursed frozen confectionary truck will be branded into my mind�s eye forever more.

[Be calm, you will soon awaken to experience life again in a new world.]

Calm? I�m always calm. If I�m not, then that�s because I have chosen not to be. This must be a pre-set message, like an automated recording. That implies I may not be the only person who has experienced reincarnation on this �new world�. Others like me? I hardly think there are any as capable as I am, but it does intrigue me a little.

Finding people from Earth and extracting what they know will be a good source of information. In the underworld, survival is everything, and information is the key to survival. Knowing too much was never an issue, so long as nobody was aware that you knew it.

[You will be reborn on the world of Pangera.]

Pangera? Like Pangea? That hardly seems original. Come on, voice, I grow tired of your mewling, tell me something that is actually relevant. Something which might help me survive in this place you seem intent on throwing me into.

[Destiny and luck shall determine your fate.]

Luck? Luck will have nothing to do with it. I relied on my skills and intuition to keep me alive in my past existence, and I�ll do the same in this one. I�ll rise to the top once more, no matter how bloody my hands need to get. If you�re going to be stupid enough to give me a second chance, then I�m going to make sure it doesn�t go to waste.

[You will be reborn with the following status:]

Status? What�s a status?

Name: Odin Malum

Level: 1 (I)

Might: 45

Toughness: 36

Cunning: 31

Will: 32

HP: 72/72

MP: 0/0

Skills:

Demonic Convergence Level 1 (I); Bite Level 3 (I); Demon Claw Level 3 (I); Crawl Level 1 (I); Mana Sense Level 2 (I)

Species: Initial Demon Larva

Skill Points: 1

Biomass: 1

[You have one Skill Point and one Biomass available.]

[Go forth and forge your own path.]

That was a lot to take in, and at the same time, not much at all.

Suppose I�m not being reborn as a human? Why was I reincarnated here by this entity with the gruff voice if not for my expertise as a person? There must be another trait that is desired, and I need to find out what it is. If I can determine why I�ve been chosen for this treatment, then perhaps I can leverage that information in some way.

Wait, I can�t make assumptions. Is there a chance that everyone is reborn here when they die?

Unlikely, but I can�t rule it out. It would be interesting to learn after all these years that there was in fact a unified afterlife, and it was some weird game world with an unimaginative name.

Enough with the speculation, what do I know?

My species is listed as an Initial Demon Larva. The name is telling. First, �initial� indicates there are multiple stages of demon larva, which shows a capacity for growth is recognised by this �game system�. Second, I�m a demon of some kind. In the Judeo-Christian variety? Will I have horns and a pointy tail? For someone who was often referred to as a �demon� in their life, this almost feels quite fitting.

For the stats that I�ve been given, I have no reference to determine if they are strong or weak, so I�ll put those aside for now. The Skills are interesting. Bite, Claw, and Crawl all seem rather straightforward in application, but the other two� Demonic Convergence? Mana Sense? What exactly is Mana? How does one sense it?

Wait, something is happening�

My mind snaps into focus and all intrusive thoughts are driven away in an instant as I try to take in as much information as possible. What am I sensing? It�s faint, like a weak signal coming through a radio, except it�s growing stronger, wrapping around me like a tight blanket or cocoon.

Can I move? I try to flex but I�m disconnected from any sensation, as if my body is far away and I�m having to control it through a post.

I can tell I�m drawing closer, that my body and mind are harmonising with time, but I refuse to wait.

Harder now, I force with my iron will and feel a response come back at last. That response seems to strengthen my connection. Everything seems that much clearer now. Excellent.

I harden my mind and push again, able to now feel myself flex and buckle against whatever it is that contains me. Something gives way and I tumble forward. Quick as death, I try to snap onto a ledge or find something to grip, but my body doesn�t respond quickly enough.

Unpanicked, I roll to my side and brace to absorb the shock of landing. It comes but is awfully soft. I must have fallen only a short distance. Perhaps I was attached to a wall? Much more in sync with this new existence, I begin to analyse myself. Understanding my own body is my highest priority. If I don�t know what my weapons are, I won�t be able to hone them.

Giving Odin Malum a second chance? It�s so foolish that it�s almost laughable. I�ll take great pleasure in ending whoever it was that thought they could play god with me.

My body is� strange. Certainly far from ideal for my purposes. I still possess the normal senses one would expect: sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. Perhaps even better than I�d experienced as a human, but the configuration of my physical form� not so much. As far as I can tell, I�m a legless, fleshy blob with two deceptively powerful arms that emerge on either side of my fanged mouth.

My body also appears to be covered in a black, tar-like substance that is quite difficult for my claws to penetrate. Essentially a slug with arms and a mouth covered in a defensive coating. Unpleasant, but I can deal with it.

Constantly shifting my body, I swing my limbs to turn my attention on my surroundings. Conditioning myself and my reflexes to this new reality will be key to my survival. There�s a vague sense of dysmorphia rising at having my consciousness transplanted into this rather horrific form�one I squash ruthlessly. Anything that will impede my ability to survive cannot be tolerated. Any instinct that works against this goal must be expunged.

That familiar mindset rolls over me like a cloud. It was always like this when I was on a job. I had to be cold, calculated, make the right move at the right time and with the perfect execution. When the game is life and death, there is no other way to play. Even here and now, in this new body and in this new world, that thrill is bubbling beneath my surface thoughts. If I could only find something to fight, something to hunt. That would scratch my itch!

The environment is hot. Overwhelmingly hot. The rock around me radiates heat to an absurd degree, and not far away, there are open pools of lava that flow into places unknown whilst lighting up the area. Everything else is blasted, black rock.

Except something just moved.

A flicker of motion captures my attention and I react instantly, using my two powerful limbs to drag my fleshy body into cover to gain a better vantage point. Like a panther, I prowl�a flabby, meat sack of a panther, but a predator no less. Around the jagged, burning stones, I go until I find what I�d seen.

One of my own kind, a disgusting blob of dark flesh, was dragging itself along by its arms. What it�s doing, I don�t know. From what I can tell, it is freshly born, much as I am, emerging from the rock. In fact, yes, I can see it, a patch of ground not far from where my fellow larva is now, loose stone and the indentation in the ground indicating where it liberated itself from the heated stone.

I now have a choice. Should I attempt to befriend this creature and forge an alliance? Strength does exist in numbers, this is something I know well. Two might survive where one would fail. Then there�s the other choice�

And Odin only follows one way.

After reaching the creature�s blind spot, I soundlessly fling myself from the rock and sail through the air, claws and fangs at the ready. Strength in numbers is the policy of the sheep. I have always been a predator! Let others cower and huddle in fear, that has never been my path.

Besides, my information is incomplete. If I reveal myself to the creature and it attacks, I will have thrown away the advantage of surprise for nothing, putting me into an essentially even battle for no gain. Better that I silence the thing now than take any risks. And I do believe there will be much to learn from this creature�

My claws strike with deadly precision, my steady aim being unchanged, though my body has greatly diverged from what I know. With this angle, my mouth falls in the perfect position and I sink my teeth into the tough hide of the beast, and it screeches with pain.

This style of fighting lacks the grace and elegance of my usual performance, but I must admit, there is a certain visceral satisfaction in it, being this up close and personal.

Latched onto its back, the creature thrashes and tries to dislodge me but, I hold on with my teeth while raking at it with my claws over and over again. The wounds pile up and my foe�s struggles grow weaker over time.

[Demon Claw has reached Level 4.]

Interesting� Once again, the strange voice speaks to me of these game elements. As I continue to attack my prey, I notice that I appear to be doing more damage than before, even if the difference is only slight. These Skills could help me improve at actions in this world? Fascinating�

After a little more struggle, my victim finally collapses and I release my grip, only to find the voice speaking into my mind.

[You have defeated a Level 1 Initial Demon Larva.]

[You have gained XP.]

I was right. This world will reward me, much as a game would, if I defeat enemies. If I have a Level, that means I can Level up. If I can accrue experience by fighting, improving my Skills and gaining Levels, then that is what I will do. I need to amass power, and fast. Which leads me to my other path of inquiry. It�s sitting right there in my status: Biomass.

Biomass means food, it means matter, and I don�t see anything else to eat around here except this thing.

Jaws open wide, I rip into the meat without delay, unwilling to waste any time and uncaring of what it might taste like. For the record, it�s disgusting. But the voice speaks, sharpening my mind.

[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Initial Demon Larva. You are awarded one Biomass.]

[Basic profile of the Initial Demon Larva unlocked.]

Yet more information. Perfect.

I wolf down the remains of the creature, not willing to leave myself vulnerable on open ground any longer than needed. I myself dropped out of a stone wall, and this unfortunate being crawled out of the floor, which means there could be more of my kind ready to appear at a moment�s notice from any of the surrounding surfaces. I won�t take the risk, not until I know if others like me are hostile or not.

As my jaws crunch and tear, I try to examine this �profile�, succeeding in having it supplied within my mind after a few attempts.

Basic Profile:

[Coepi Demon Larva: Initial Demon Larva. The first phase of the demon life cycle. Beware the claws, they are stronger than they appear.]

Well that didn�t tell me much. And what�s with the poor Latin? No matter.

[You have gained one Biomass.]

And I can�t eat anymore. It�s actually a surprise I managed to get through so much of a creature the same size as myself. In fact, it should have been physically impossible, especially since I don�t believe I�ve increased in size.

No matter, I can explore this and other questions shortly. Using my arms, I drag myself across the boiling rocks until I find a neat crevice where I can hide whilst considering my next plan of attack. So far, I haven�t seen any other movement, but that doesn�t mean there won�t be more larvae popping out of the walls.

I was able to gain six Biomass from that creature, which isn�t much, though I have to assume there is something I can do with these points. It�s clear that they are an important element of this game-like world, and I need to understand how they function before making any rash moves.

After a short while, I work it out.

[You can use Skill Points to purchase new Skills or upgrade existing ones.]

[Biomass can be spent to improve or modify aspects of your physical, monstrous form.]

[Skills available to purchase:

Stealth: Cost 1 SP. Improves your ability to hide and move unseen.

Mana Manipulation: Cost 1 SP. Allows you to control Mana with your mind.

Defensive posture: Cost 1 SP. Improves the ability to protect yourself.

Leaping Strike: Cost 1 SP. Increases damage and proficiency when making a jump attack.

Demon Fury: Cost 1 SP. Channel the rage of demon-kind to increase damage.]

[Body improvements available to purchase:

Demon Eyes +1: Improves eyesight.

Infernal Claw +1: Hardens and sharpens your claws.

Purgation Maw +1: Improves the strength of your bite.

Tar Hide +1: Toughens and thickens your hide.

Pocket Stomach +1: Improves the capacity of your pocket dimension stomach.]

Interesting�

I wonder if these Skills have a threshold? And these were the Skills available to me right now? Leaping Strike sparks some parallels. Is it available by default or did it appear as a response to my actions? For now, I don�t see the purpose of purchasing Stealth, I�ll rely instead on my own natural instincts and take different options to increase my offensive power. If there�s one thing I�m comfortable with, it�s stealth.

As for the body improvements� This requires careful thought. Only an idiot would rush a decision like this.

Eyes I dismiss. What�s needed in this situation is pure combat power. I�m in a fight for my survival, not an easter egg hunt. After some consideration, I purchase the Leaping Strike Skill, and three upgrades for my infernal claws, which consumes all of my Biomass. After I confirm my choices with the gruff voice in my mind, a strange sensation overcomes me. Knowledge seeps into my brain like liquid being poured straight into my memories. How to leap, when to leap, the best angles to use. Much of it aligns with what I�m already aware of, except it�s now being applied to my new body rather than a human form.

As to the claws, a slight tickling sensation was all I could feel as they changed shape in front of my eyes. They grew a little longer, a little thicker, and perhaps a touch sharper on the edge. These are all advantages that I can use in my next fight. Having spent my resources, it�s time to continue scouting my surroundings. If I�m lucky, I may even run into another morsel that I can use to fuel my growth�

Or better yet, observe others of my kind to see how they interact. I should also make use of the Skills I�ve yet to investigate, namely this Mana sight. If some strange form of magic exists in this odd world, then I must understand it.

Levering myself out of my hiding place, I skulk through the dips and cracks between the rocks, every so often poking my head up to examine my surroundings. Less than a minute into my exploration, I notice another of my kind creeping about the rocks.

More prey? Before I can reposition myself to properly observe this specimen, I notice another has emerged somewhere behind me. Not good. Unwilling to be seen, I hide my presence and skirt several rocks to circle around and put both of the demons on the same side of me. If they�re going to fight, I want them to fight each other rather than me.

Except there�s now a third. It�s burst out of the ground right behind me, clawed hands scrabbling and shoving at the stone as it drags its body upward. I turn swiftly, cursing my bad luck. I can�t move quickly enough to hide before it sees me; the best I can do is face up to it and see what happens!

After another second of freeing itself, the newly born demon larva locks eyes with me and freezes. Then it screams and launches itself at me, claws extended for my face.

Well, that answers that question�

Name: Odin Malum

Level: 4 (I)

Might: 45

Toughness: 36

Cunning: 31

Will: 32

HP: 58/72

MP: 0/0

Skills:

Demonic Convergence level 1 (I); Penetrating Bite Level 2 (II); Advanced Demon Claw Level 3 (II); Crawl Level 1 (I); Mana Sense Level 2 (I); Leaping Strike Level 3 (I)

Mutations:

Demon Eyes + 1; Infernal Claw +4; Purgation Maw +4; Tar Hide + 1; Pocket Stomach +3

Species: Initial Demon Larva

Skill Points: 1

Biomass: 9

Clinging to the wall, I take a few moments to breathe. Thirty metres up, I was mostly clear of the ruckus below, though at any moment, more of my species could emerge and begin to fight. After the second confrontation, things had taken a downhill turn and conditions in this area had deteriorated at an alarming rate.

Turns out that Initial Demon Larvae are innately hostile to each other. Not only had I been jumped by the creature which emerged from behind me, forcing me to engage in a sudden battle to the death, others had revealed themselves and had immediately set about a noisy melee, clawing, biting, and screaming at each other.

Which would have been manageable, except for the noise having attracted more larvae. In less than a minute�s time, the entire plateau of blasted rock on which I�d emerged was covered in a roiling brawl in which absolutely no quarter was given. That�s not how I operate. I like things to be a bit more planned, a little more orderly.

Without any option, I was forced to get my hands dirty and seize what I could as I fought my way out. I�d sustained wounds in the process, but they healed at an accelerated rate after I further consumed Biomass, which I did whenever I could. It was difficult, though, since the moment a fight was won, every larva nearby would abandon their own conflict to seize the Biomass for themselves. The moment nothing remained, the brawl would break out all over again. What little food I�d managed to gain had been used to fuel my recovery and upgrade my weapons. Offence trumps defence.

After fighting clear of the mess, I climbed the nearby wall, and now I finally have a chance to survey the area. Looking down, I can still see hundreds of other demon larvae locked in mortal combat, every crevice of black stone home to at least one such battle.

They are bestial, mindless creatures, without any sort of cunning or strategy. All they do is fight, seemingly without end and without purpose, though I believe I may discover something in the near future which might shed some light on the matter. Already, some of the creatures below are showing some level of dominance. Strong enough to win a fight and seize parts of the spoils to develop themselves, using the Biomass to enhance their strength and press their advantage.

If this natural cycle played itself out, then most of the larvae on this plateau will become fodder for the few, perhaps even the one, survivor.

And it is a plateau. I�d originally thought this wall was the edge of whatever space I was in, but it isn�t. I was reborn lower on this wall on what amounted to a ledge, jutting out of the side of a tall pillar rising toward the ceiling impossibly high above.

It had been hard to notice before, since my attention was directed inward and at my immediate surroundings, but now that I take in the broader picture, I�m becoming aware of just where I�ve wound up. In order to get a better view, I decide to continue to climb this wall until I reach the top. The edge is within view, possibly another seventy metres above.

My arms are powerful, and although my body is a large fleshy sack, they are enough to keep propelling me toward the top, though they�re trembling and weak by the time I reach the ledge.

Pulling myself over the lip, I dominate my weakness and force myself to dive into cover without pausing to rest. To my relief, there are no enemies present to take advantage of my temporary weakness. Once my strength returns, I drag myself out and begin to poke my noseless face about. What I see is a narrow, mostly flat stretch that is roughly circular, and terminates less than a hundred metres away in a sheer drop. All around me, a vast, underground Expanse stretches outward to the limits of my vision.

Stunned by the bizarre, illogical geography, I turn back to the ledge behind me and look down. The ledge on which I was born is still swarming with demons battling against each other. Beyond that, the ground drops away several hundred metres more to what I believe must be the floor of this vast, vast cavern. As far as I can see, in every direction, is exactly the same thing. Blasted rock. Boiling Lava. And demons. So, so many demons. The little fleshy bags with arms that are my fellow demon siblings are everywhere. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands. They stretch on to the horizon of my sight, where things grow fuzzy and blurred in the distance.

What�s more, stalking amongst them are larger demons of several different forms, slaying the smaller larvae with ease and engaging in running battles against each other. Farther off are pillars rising high into the air, perhaps miles high, to connect the floor to the distant ceiling. Nothing that I see makes sense from an Earth perspective, the very idea of something such as this existing underground makes absolutely no sense.

And yet here I am.

I�m not sure exactly what is happening, but it�s clear there is some sort of race going on. A race to fight, consume, and grow. Only the winner will be allowed to survive. This blasted landscape is covered in demons.

Am I sure this isn�t actually hell? No matter, it�s perfect. This is the perfect environment for Odin Malum to thrive. I destroyed others in my past life in order to live, and I�ll do the same in this one.

The voice mentioned that I can mutate when I reached +5, which is apparently the limit for my Level of evolution. I need to mutate immediately, seize whatever advantage I can, then return to the ledge and fight for resources. I�ll have to be strong if I�m going to traverse the floor below.

This is going to be a challenge.

The larval sea, that�s what I started to call it. No idea how large that endless plain of black rock is, but I haven�t seen a single inch that wasn�t covered in demon larvae fighting to survive. There are millions of them.

It didn�t take long to reach Level 5 and unlock my first evolution, but I didn�t take it right away, there is so much still to learn. Later, I�d maxed my mutations and formed a core, and only after that was I prepared to take the next step. Good thing I did.

The hardest part was finding a place free from conflict where I felt safe in case the evolution knocked me out�which it did.

Returning to the fray in my new form was almost too easy at first. The normal demon larvae couldn�t hurt me, and my increased strength and more potent weapons gave me an absurd advantage. But that was only at first. It wasn�t long before others found me, others like me. Only then did I come to understand the unspoken rules of the plains. You weren�t supposed to punch down, at least not too much. In order to evolve and grow beyond this second stage, I was supposed to prey on those who managed to evolve as I had.

So that�s what I did. It reminded me of the old days in a way. No longer was the melee as intense or relentless as before; instead, it was a series of duels, one-on-one battles of skill and wit that gave strength to the winner, death to the loser.

I won. Of course, I won.

Every now and again, the smaller ones would gang up and try to bring me down, but I was larger, stronger, and my Skills had advanced far beyond theirs. There is nothing they can do to me. In that way, I reached Level 10, but again I waited. Only when all of my mutations and my core were pushed to the limit did I feel prepared enough to make that step.

My final opponent was tough, having reinforced their hide during their evolution, which was the wrong choice. Although it�s difficult for my claws to break through, their weapons aren�t enough to inflict damage on me either. We fought for a long time, and though it may have appeared as though it was a standstill, I was always winning.

When the defences of my foe finally gave way and the despair began to rise from them, I could almost smell it. A feeling of overwhelming, unrivalled joy shivered through me, and I closed for the final blow, which is when I first heard it.

[Demonic Convergence has reached Level 2.]

The first time I�ve managed to Level that Skill. I�ll ponder over what it means later�with my meal complete and my hiding place secured, high on a precarious piece of rock with a crack running down one side. In the end, I don�t understand it and am unable to work out why the Skill Levelled at that time. There wasn�t anything I was doing consciously to activate it. Was it perhaps passive in some way? But what way?

Shrugging it off, I make my final checks and evolve. For my first evolution, only three options were presented, and each were quite similar. Initial Demon Larva became Developing Demon Larva, and each choice gave a flavour of different stats and bonuses. Most of my success had come with my claws, so I chose the option that granted me the most physical power. It even came with augmentations to my two arms that allowed them to snap through the air as fast as whips. Other than almost doubling in size, my body didn�t change much, still a sack of tar-covered meat with a mouth and two arms tipped with razor-sharp claws.

This second evolution is a little different. I progress from Developing Demon Larva to Prime Demon Larva, except the choices are more divergent. I�m careful, as an assassin should be, and examine every option with forensic detail, but I can�t hesitate too long. While I�m going through these menus, my rivals out in the larval sea are growing stronger. I�d come close to dying so many times already, a single second, one upgrade, one Level, could be the difference between living and dying. There is no way I�m going to end up in another demon�s gut. I refuse to become Biomass for another�s growth.

So, I stick to my strengths, choosing the option which allows me to further enhance my advantage in strength and speed. Defence is important, and that�s why offence comes first. This evolution will allow me to add a weakening aura to my claws that will infect the Mana of any enemy I strike, draining them of their energy and making them more susceptible to my blows. This will pair well with the penetrating mutations I already chose for the blades on my hands, ensuring the effect will go through.

For the rest of the evolutionary energy, I use it to further enhance my Might, with the dregs being pushed into Toughness.

When I awake, I�m still a sack of meat, but once again, I have grown much larger, towering over my initial size. With my preparations complete, it�s time to get back down into the endless plains of battle. The weakest demons are now almost not worth the time it takes to eat them, the second stage not much better. It�s the others like me that I seek out, and our battles are mighty, crushing many beneath us as we fight.

The divergent paths are showing more sharply at this stage, and some of my foes fight with bewildering magic, blasting me with fire, dazzling me with attacks on my mind or launching beams of pure energy from their extremities. Others are tough, hard as rocks and heal rapidly, wounds closing before my eyes. Yet some are huge, as I am, powerful arms covered in barbs, claws, spikes, even mouths or suckers that attempt to drain my blood. I beat them all by being swifter, more brutal, more cunning. In each case, I become intoxicated by their fear and despair, and I continue to hear it.

[Demonic Convergence has reached Level 3.]

[Demonic Convergence has reached Level 4.]

[Demonic Convergence has reached Level 5.]

Then I advance it, curiosity alone demands it.

[Demonic Convergence of Slaughter has reached Level 2.]

[Demonic Convergence of Slaughter has reached Level 3.]

[Demonic Conv�]

I stalk the plains like a conquering king, only giving way when I spot any who are higher above than I, but those are few and far between. As my victories pile up and my strength accrues, my confidence grows, rapidly striking at my foes one after another.

I�ve barely slept, barely rested at all, and Level 20 soon comes. Again, I wait. The rewards for those who are patient cannot be denied, and I gather my power until I reach my perfect strength.

Again, things are different. I�ve reached the end of the larval stage, it seems, as none of my options include those terms. Instead, it�s time to pick a more advanced form.

[Pupal Demon of Slaughter.]

Was this the purpose of the Demonic Convergence? Perhaps it�s related to my evolution in some way? Regardless, this was always the option I would choose. It�s suited perfectly to my style and I relish in the new form I�ll take. No longer a graceless blob, I will change, becoming a scythe-armed nightmare with lithe limbs, able to stand on strange, double-jointed legs. This is more like it!

I pick over each of the details with care, ensuring my choices will harmonise and work together to better become a part of my perfect strength. Only then do I confirm my choices, ready for the embrace of the dark to swallow me as my body undergoes its metamorphosis.

Only, that doesn�t happen. Instead, I�m pulled from my body, my mind dragged down to a different place, a place of endless, torrential red, where the fires burn black and hot enough to scorch my very soul. There I see a being so large I can�t comprehend it, and for the first time in so many years, fear grips my whole being.

This creature towers over me like a human towers over an ant, a nightmarish representation of the demon larva, covered with eyes and mouths and seated on a vast throne. The throne shifts, and with horror I realise the chair itself is part of the creature�s body. Slowly, the creature stirs, the air itself thickening like blood, pressing me to the floor like a worm.

[Ahhhhhh. Another has come, after so long.]

The voice shreds my Will and fills my head with echoes of gibbering whispers and despair-filled screams as one of its eyes opens to focus on my tiny, huddled form. How could anything this powerful exist? What is this world?

[Yessssss. Tell me, pitiful one. How does it feel to kneel before your God?]

The voices are back again. In fact, I�d say they�re even stronger than before. There�s so damn many! When hundreds of thousands of voices are whispering at you, it�s no longer a quiet sound, it�s a roar, powerful enough to drown out my own thoughts if I�m not careful. Each entity, each soul, is like a single drop of water, a coalesced portion of Will that slips through the ether and into the Vestibule in a way I don�t understand. From there, they sink deep into my consciousness, running together and gathering momentum until a raging torrent is formed, a whirlpool of thoughts, feelings, and desires that threatens to sweep me away.

But I�m not afraid. Even in this half-dream, half-awake state, I understand a simple truth: my family will not harm me. In all of their wishes, hopes, and ambitions, there are none who desire for me to come to harm. Their support surrounds me like a storm, and also a blanket. As I gradually return to wakefulness, I start to wonder what it was that caused this change.

Is this simply the clarity of the new Vestibule? Is it transmitting the Will of the Colony to me the same as it always did, but stronger? Or is the new addition, the Communal Spirit Nave, to blame? I thought all it would do is magnify the regeneration I received from the energy the Vestibule provides. Perhaps it also has the effect of magnifying the slivers of the Colony�s Will? I�m not sure, and even if I were, there isn�t much I could do to change the situation. This is something I�m determined to grow used to, so that�s what I�m going to do. No more running away.

The senses of my body come back to me piece by piece, and with the return of these more mundane sensations, the whispers begin to fade to the background, receding until nothing remains but a dull roar that bleeds into my soul.

�WAPPACHAAA!� I�m up!

With my exclamation, I spring to life and my waiting pets react to my awakening in their own manner. Tiny sees that I�ve risen and falls onto his backside, already preparing to settle into a seemingly long-anticipated nap. Before I can even finish shaking the lethargy out of my legs, he�s snoring loudly in the corner. Lazy ape.

For her part, Crinis is much happier to see me.

[Master! You�ve awoken!]

[I sure have. How�ve things been whilst I was gone?]

[Very quiet. None have disturbed your rest.]

[Any word from outside the nest? No problems with the wave?]

[I have not heard, Master. As far as I�m aware, there have been no major developments, but if there were, it�s unlikely we would be told. We wouldn�t leave your side no matter what was occurring.]

I guess that makes sense. I did order them to watch over me after all. No longer restricted to keeping watch over me, Crinis all too happily detaches her dark shadowy form from the wall where she�d been clinging and latches onto my carapace, blobbing around my abdomen like a rubbery coating of pure shadow.

[I�m a bit bigger than before. What do you think, Crinis?]

[I can sense your power has greatly increased, Master. Surely, there are no scum who would dare to despoil your greatness now.]

I highly doubt that, but I don�t need to rile her up.

[Hey, Invidia, how�re things?]

The floating eyeball has watched all the goings on with his lidless eye from near the entrance to the chamber. At my words, he dips and bobbles in the air before his vast mind reaches back to mine.

[Thingssss are good. Your transsssformation is complete. I sennsssse your mind is no longer quite sssso weak.]

For a second, the great eyeball flashes green, then it fades.

[Still not able to keep up with your brainpower, but I�m getting better.]

It�s true, though it doesn�t hurt to try and deflect the covetous orb every now and again. I�ve never really discussed his envious nature with him, but it does seem to be a little inconvenient. He seems caught in a state of perpetual want for things he sees others have. Can�t exactly be a very satisfying way to live� Maybe that�s just part of being a demon from the third stratum? I don�t know. I just want the little dude to be happy.

Now fully awake, I try to skitter left and right a little, just getting used to my new body. This room sure does feel more cramped than it did before. Like, I know I�ve grown larger, but I didn�t think it was going to be by this much. I really did pour a ridiculous amount of energy into my stats in this evolution, both the mental and the physical. I can�t wait to see how it feels to fight in this new body.

There�s no rushing the proper process, though. Back to basics!

I hum a little song to myself while rapidly shifting my legs, dodging left and right as I avoid attacks from imagined enemies. Every now and again, I snap my mandibles with a satisfying CRUNCH! I can really feel the added power from the increased musculature in my head. Which means my head is bigger than before, yet again. I really don�t want to end up as one of those big-headed ants. They just look� unbalanced.

I can say from experience that it takes a little while to grow accustomed to a new body, and although the change isn�t as ridiculous as going from human to ant, it still takes a bit of time to get my sense of balance back. The changes to my mental prowess are probably going to be the hardest to get used to, since the greatest change took place there. I can�t wait to start throwing some spells around to see what I can do with all this firepower I�m packing. Going to have to get out into the nest and see what�s going on, then make my way into the Dungeon to smack some monsters around. I can�t wait! There�s a fair whack of Biomass lying about, possibly a snack left by the Colony? I�ve got a lot of mutating to do, so I gladly tuck in and stuff myself full.

Feeling more in control of myself, I step into the tunnel and pause when I spot a little worker passing by. She makes way for my bulk as she heads up the tunnel wall to squeeze through, and I weave a quick message to her with my antennae.

Thank you, nameless one. Rest well.

I almost don�t notice when she freezes for a second before sprinting down the corridor and out of sight. Ignoring her reaction, I make my way through the tunnels, clacking my mandibles in irritation when I find a few paths I can no longer use due to my increased size. Is this how irritating it is to be the Queen? What a pain!

Eventually, I find my way. It wasn�t far, but getting onto the correct tunnels was more difficult than it should be. Soon enough, Crinis, Invidia, and I find ourselves in one of the greatest places in Pangera: the brood chambers!

And I spot some grubs that need a tickle!

Eager to begin my tickling spree, I rush into the chambers only to pull up when I notice someone rather unexpected in the room. I spin together a Mind Construct, marvelling at how powerful my mind feels handling the Mana.

[Hey there, Sarah! How�s things?]

The giant bear is sitting in the centre of the chamber, grubs and Brood Tenders swarming around her as she rolls the larvae around with her big paws.

[Oh, hey, Anthony,] she says. [You look different. Did you evolve?]

Although the polite tone is still there, there�s a certain listless quality to her, a sort of lifelessness that wasn�t there before. I�d heard all about the battle that had been fought here in the brood chambers, how Sarah fought to the brink of death fending off the golgari, and how she�d turned on the Queen in her blind rage. I wish I�d gotten a chance to speak to her before the evolution, but there was never enough time, the pressure to reach the next tier was high and I felt like it needed to be done as fast as possible. Right now, though, I�m not about to let this chance slip past.

[Sure did! You�ve certainly made yourself at home,] I say, indicating the gleeful grubs wiggling around her furry form. [The Brood Tenders were happy to let you in here?]

The massive bear manages to almost look shy. Almost. She fails in the end�she just looks too scary.

[It was� the Queen�s idea. She thought it would be relaxing, and it is.]

She scritches a grub with the tip of a claw and the little thing shivers with delight.

[Of course it is,] I say, rather indignantly. [Brood tickling is the greatest pastime there is!]

And I may as well get to it. Nobody said I couldn�t tickle and talk at the same time. I bustle into the chamber, which is quite crowded, now housing two tier six creatures alongside the usual inhabitants, but it�s more cosy rather than crowded, and I happily settle down, my antennae already extended to start rolling the grubs around.

[I never got the chance to thank you properly,] I say, tormenting my first victim with an initial salvo of tickles. [You went way above what any of us could have asked of you, and you didn�t have to. Without you, thousands more members of my family would have died. Thank you.]

The great bear shifts uncomfortably.

[I�m not even sure if I was fighting to save your family or just because I wanted revenge on the golgari. Or� perhaps I just� just wanted to fight. The rage is addictive� It wasn�t easy to turn my back on it the first time. I thought I�d be free of it once I escaped the Cult and their plans, but I threw myself into it the moment I had the chance.]

She grows still, her paws coming to rest on the ground at her side. Haha! That means more grubs for me!

[From my perspective, it�s so much simpler than that. You helped us, and we�re all grateful for that help. In the process, you managed to give the golgari a whack on the nose, what�s not to like?]

She rolls her massive shoulder blades and goes to speak but I cut her off before she can get started.

[I know that you lost control at the end.]

The hulking monster that Sarah has become seems to fold up on herself at my words. I can practically smell the shame coming off her. It actually makes me a little mad.

[But nothing happened in the end. Nothing. Happened. You fought off the enemy and the Queen was able to calm you down. There isn�t a single ant in the Colony who holds it against you, not after what you did and what mother said. Like it or not, you�re part of this family now.]

[�Is that really true?] she asks, her mind full of doubt. [I�m not an ant. And when I think that the Queen nearly died because of me�]

She trails off and I can see that her mental scars go deep, not just due to this incident, but everything that had gone on in her life. This life as well as the previous. It wasn�t my place to try and talk to her about her past, but there was something that I could assure her of.

[Look around you,] I invite her.

A little confused, she raises her huge snout and takes a look around the chamber.

[Where do you think you are?]

[�In a brood chamber?] she replies, confused.

[EXACTLY. You think we let just anyone in here? This is the brood we�re talking about! Every single ant in the Colony would throw down their life in order to preserve the future generations. If you weren�t family, do you really think that we would let you in here? Would these Tenders tolerate your presence if it weren�t the case? They barely put up with me being in here! Me!]

As if to prove my point, one of the many caretakers gives me an irritated prod in the side with one leg.

�You need to give me that grub,� she says curtly.

�Ah, sure.�

I release the larva I�d been tormenting with relentless tickles into her care and the little thing collapses with relief, finally freed from my antennae.

Time for the next victim! Gwehehehehe! Sourcing another grub, I roll it about with my antennae and the little thing wriggles with joy. So cute! So soothing! It takes me a little while to realise that Sarah still hasn�t said anything. She�s sitting morosely, a pensive look on her bear-face.

[Look. Nobody here is going to make you fight. And if you want to fight, nobody here is going to stop you. Here in this colony, you can make your own decisions, you�re free. If you want help, for anything, just ask and me or someone else will come and do what needs to be done. You�ve earned that from us.]

She nods and I return to my tickles for a time.

[What about Jim?] she asks quietly.

Hot anger burns in my gut at the mention of that traitorous tapeworm.

[The moment we find him, he�ll be food,] I say, my mind tight with rage.

She�s obviously troubled, wrestling with thoughts, until she sighs.

[I didn�t think he would be forgiven,] she said. [Not after what he did. I just� I don�t know.]

[He was your friend. I think I understand where you�re coming from. But brood died because of him. There�s no coming back from that. Not with us.]

[I think he did it for me, you know,] she confesses, her mind so still and quiet I almost can�t hear her words. [He didn�t want me to fight. He was so scared, so worried that I�d lose myself again. Maybe he thought that if he ended the conflict, broke the siege, then it would all be over. I think he wanted to save me.]

I shrug my antennae.

[So?]

The giant bear huffs in anger. [What do you mean, so? Doesn�t that mean the betrayal and everyone who died, the brood, almost the Queen, it was all because of me?]

[Is that what you�re worried about? That�s just nonsense. You were helping us, any decision that moron made is one he made himself. He bears the responsibility, not you.]

The bear drooped her shoulders.

[I wish I could agree with you,] she mutters.

[Look, you�re really being a downer in what is meant to be joyous tickle time. Tell you what, why don�t you go explain yourself to the Queen and see how she feels about it. She was the one most affected by your actions, so you should go and listen to her words on it.]

There�s a moment of silence as Sarah digests my words before she nods with determination.

[You�re right. I should talk to the Queen and let her decide what to do. Whatever punishment she decides, I�ll live with it.]

With a resolute attitude, the powerful bear rises onto her four legs and pads down the tunnel, making her way to the egg-laying chamber. Content with the extra space, I settle in and keep rolling the grubs around, laughing as they wiggle about with glee. I�m also making sure to prop an ear open, waiting for a particular sound to echo down the tunnel. It doesn�t take long, and when it finally arrives, it�s like music to my ears.

THWACK!

Holy moly! That sounded like a big one. Chuckling to myself, I push my six legs under me and make my way out of the brood chamber. Mother will be wanting a word with me as well, no doubt. Good thing my carapace has gotten this tough.

I enter the egg-laying chamber to find Sarah rubbing the top of her giant bear head with one paw whilst Mother looms over her, clearly irritated. A nearby mage spins together a Mind Bridge and I allow it to connect to me without complaint. Seems that Mother wants Sarah to be able to listen in on the conversation. Makes sense, excluding her and using pheromone language would be quite rude in these circumstances.

[Was this your idea?] Mother demands with less than her usual patience.

[She blames herself for what happened, and you�re the only one who can really forgive her.] I shrug my antennae. [It made sense to send her down here so she could tell you herself and get punished for it.]

[Wait. You knew I was going to get whacked?] Sarah says, an accusatory glint in her eye.

[Thwacked. And of course, you were being ridiculous. Me trying to knock some sense into you just wouldn�t have the same effect, so I sent you down to experience some of Mother�s wisdom.]

THWACK!

Oof! Still hurts! Maybe after my next evolution and my carapace is upgraded, these won�t be quite so sharp? Or perhaps I should concentrate a build-up of extra dense carapace on the top of my head? I eye the Queen�s antennae carefully. I�m certain she�s chosen some form of mutation that makes them hit harder.

[Stop staring at my antennae,] the Queen demands.

[How could you even tell? I have compound eyes!]

[I just know,] she says nonsensically.

[Alright, so Sarah got thwacked for being dumb.] I rub my head just as she was a moment ago. [Why did I get hit?]

[The same reason,] the Queen says, still clearly annoyed.

Well, it isn�t as if I didn�t know it was coming.

[Did you explain to Sarah that she was wrong to think as she did?] I try to deflect.

[No. I just told her she was being foolish, because she was.]

[This all seems a little rude,] Sarah grumbles.

[Quiet, child,] the Queen tells her. [I�ll get back to you in a moment.]

The Asura Bear flinches and sits up a little straighter, like a schoolchild being reprimanded by a teacher. I snicker at the sight and the Queen rounds on me again.

[Something funny, child?] she says, dangerously calm.

Careful, Anthony�

[Absolutely not, Mother. My attitude is solemn and serious, as always.]

Her antennae twitch, but she finds nothing wrong with my words and settles down a little. She turns back to Sarah, sparing me her forensic examination for the time being.

[I will hear no more talk of forgiveness from you,] she tells Sarah, her mental voice once more settling into its normal soothing tone. [This is now your home, and we are now your family. There is no such thing as blame between us so long as that remains true. The choices of your friend are not your choices and we do not hold them against you, so from this point on, neither will you.]

Sarah hung her head.

[I�m not sure it�s that easy,] she whispers.

The Queen raises an antenna threateningly.

[It�s fine! I�m fine! No more guilt!] Sarah waves her massive, clawed paws in front of her muzzle in surrender.

I nod at that. Truly, there is no power greater than the thwacks of Mother. Such miraculous results.

THWACK!

[What was that one for?]

[I sensed some foolish thoughts coming from your direction,] the Queen says firmly. [Was I wrong?]

Dammit! I need to be more careful when there�s a Mind Bridge connecting us!

[Now come.] The Queen turns back to the centre of the chamber and settles herself comfortably. [Let us talk. It�s been some time since you last paid me a visit. You too, Sarah. It will be pleasant to share your company.]

As I walk over, I take note of the human-sized table and chair carved from stone that had been installed in the egg-laying chamber, but quickly put it from my mind. I�m sure there�s a reason for it.

With the three of us seated, we take a few hours to discuss the various goings on. The Queen and Sarah ask me about my evolution and I�m honest, for the most part. I talk to Sarah about her current evolution and how she feels about it�not great, it turns out. The Queen suggests that perhaps she push for tier seven, where she may be able to reverse or at least alter some of the things her current form does that drive her out of control, and Sarah promises to think about it.

[Don�t forget you have Granin and his Triad here,] I tell her. [They might be from the Cult of the Worm, but they�re good people, like the ones who originally took you in. They�ll be more than happy to help you with some advice.]

[Thank you, Anthony, I�ll think about it.] She smiles.

It�s a scary smile, but a smile nonetheless. The conversation turns from there to the Queen�s evolution and I ask her about it directly, but I get a surprising answer.

[I do not plan to evolve again anytime soon,] she says. [I consume enough resources as it is between my hunts and having to take in Biomass for the eggs. I am accumulating experience slowly, on my own, and eventually I will reach tier seven, but it will not be for a long time. I think this is fine, since reaching the next tier would force me deeper into the Dungeon and away from this nest.]

Come to think of it, I haven�t bothered to examine my own core since waking up. How am I holding up? I turn my senses inward and I�m a little dismayed to find that I�m leaking Mana. How�s this even possible? There�s a wave going on! Only then do I remember that the walls in this chamber are free from Dungeon veins, making the ambient Mana much lower than it would otherwise be. Even so, I�m quite shocked. It�s possible that once the wave is finished, I won�t be able to sustain myself at this depth without making a conscious effort to drag in Mana, and even then, I might not be able to do so indefinitely. Has the time come already to relocate farther down? I suppose the Queen is fine since her core isn�t as dense as mine, but Sarah might be in a similar boat as me.

[How are you doing at this depth, Sarah?] I ask. [Is your core able to handle it?]

[I�m probably the same as you are now,] she admits. [Before the wave, it was a little tough. In these chambers, the Mana is a bit thin. I can�t stay in here forever. Without the golgari enchantments thickening the Mana in my chambers, there�s no way I would have been able to stay in the second stratum as long as I have.]

[Does this mean you need to move deeper, child?] the Queen asks me.

[I think so,] I reluctantly confess. [Especially once the wave is over.]

The Queen shrugs her antennae.

[I do not see the problem,] she says. [Before long, there will be many ants who need to move deeper. You will do as you always have and move as the vanguard of the Colony. I am sure you will be able to secure a place for us in the depths before we need it. You have always been capable in that regard.]

[You sure you don�t mean to say that I�m capable of getting the Colony into a mess and then needing the whole family to drag me out of it?]

She frowns at me. It�s an odd thing, an ant frown. There�s no facial muscles, obviously, it�s more about the mandibles and antennae than anything else.

[I was trying to be nice about it,] she says. [Enough. I think it is time that you return to your duties.]

[Who, me?] I ask.

[Of course, you. There is much work to be done, is there not? The wave threatens our nests even as we speak, and the most formidable warrior of the Colony is sitting here idle. I will keep you no longer.]

[Ugh, fine.]

I push my legs under me and stand up.

[Sarah, Mother. It�s been wonderful to chat with you, but duty calls.]

I walk away, Invidia floating over my shoulder.

[Anthony�] the Queen�s mind rings against my own.

[Yes?] I ask innocently.

[You appear to be walking toward the brood chambers.] An undercurrent of warning runs through her mental sending, putting my hairs on end.

[Hah! Whoops! What a blunder. I think I better go this way, then� Thanks for pointing out the mistake. Haha!]

Dammit� Wait for me, grubs! I�ll be back!

Back to work, then. No rest for the wicked, so they say. Not that I�m wicked. Whatever.

Leaving the egg-laying chamber and embracing the rush of Mana that comes once I leave the Dungeon vein-free zone in the heart of the nest, I try to get my bearings and work out exactly what I should be doing next. Quite honestly, there�s a lot on my list.

I could talk to Granin and the crew, get some input on what to do mutation and Skill-wise going forward. Or I could visit the other golgari prisoners, it�s been ages since I dropped in on Irette Plamine and company. What the heck have they even been up to all this time? How do they feel about the golgari failing in their assault and being left behind? Come to think of it, what the heck are we going to do with them from here on out? Eh, I�m sure the Council will work it out.

There�s also White and Grey to think of. From what I�ve heard, Grey put on quite the show and absolutely humiliated the leader of the invasion during the siege, which would have been amazing to see. I should definitely squeeze in a convo with them before I leave the nest.

I should probably check in with the Council at some point also. I�m sure each of them are furiously busy, what with the wave and all that, but I�ve little doubt there are things I could do to help them out. If I end up visiting each caste, I�m sure to wind up with a laundry list of tasks as long as my body.

I could probably take the time to go and see the branchies again as well. They�ve proven to be quite a bit more powerful than initially expected, and if we can get their �mother� on our side, then she would be an incredible ally. Not to mention it�d be nice to get to know another reincarnator such as myself. At least, one that isn�t likely to kill me.

I�d love to hunt down that miserable worm while I have a chance, but I just don�t believe he�ll be found. If he wriggled away and the golgari didn�t capture him again, then he could be anywhere. If my guess is correct, he�s well beyond our reach, burrowed into the deepest, darkest hole he could find, somewhere not even the Dungeon will reach him. Eventually the wave will end, and he�ll have to stick his nose out. When he does, we�ll be there.

Gah! I�m getting mad thinking about that traitor. I need to get to work and distract my thoughts.

Our first port of call is to collect Tiny. After kicking the ape awake and dragging him out of his comfy nook by the leg, we set a course looping through the nest in order to visit all the individuals on my list to catch up with. I find Grey and White meditating together in their chambers, as usual. I try not to cheese off the wolfish Folk over the course of our discussion. As our chat winds up, Grey lets me know that he will be leaving shortly.

[Oh? Why�s that? Our hospitality not good enough for you?]

[Far from it. Considering what and where you are, our accommodations have been above and beyond. It is merely time to return. White must complete her training journey, and it will be necessary for me to provide witness to our leadership before they can make a ruling on the matter of your sapience. Should things go well, then diplomatic channels will be opened with your colony, and you�ll be afforded the respect a new race deserves.]

[That�d make a mighty change from the treatment we�ve experienced so far,] I say.

He waves at the notion, frowning.

[You�ll find all of the so-called �new races� have experienced harsh treatment from the old. Only through many battles in which we proved our strength were we afforded the space to stand on our own. Although the peace has endured for many, many years, anger still runs deep on both sides and small-scale fighting is incessant. You�ll never truly be at harmony with the old, but with time and further battles, you may be able to secure some measure of peace.]

[You mean they�ll come back and try again? Don�t these people have hobbies?]

He chuckles and even White hides a smile behind her sleeve.

[They do: killing you,] Grey says. [I wish that was a joke. They will be back. It might not be the Legion or the golgari; there are plenty of others out there who are intolerant of your kind of life. In fact, once the word gets out, expect a horde of hunters to descend on this area to prey on your people for resources.]

[We�ll put them in their place.]

He shrugs.

[Then stronger ones will come. This too will be a problem you cannot avoid. Not in the short to medium term.]

Well� that sucks. On that cheery note, I leave them be and head over to visit the prisoners in the nearby cells. Turns out Irette hasn�t taken the defeat of the golgari all too well. I think she might have been holding out hope that they would win, liberate her, and she would be able to return home to live in comfort amongst the Shapers once more. Her dream shattered, she�s but a fragment of her former self. Can�t say I�m super sympathetic, but it�s still a bit sad to see someone brought so low. Hopefully, she can pick herself back up soon.

After that, I continue to whip around the Colony on my whirlwind tour, dropping in on each and every caste, saying hi to the Council members and trying to get a picture of what is needed from me.

None of this is strictly necessary, of course. If I want to know what members of my family really want, all I have to do is open my mind to the whispers pouring through the Vestibule. But I won�t! Face-to-face meetings are more polite! Let�s stick with that reason. As expected, each member of the Council has a huge list of things they need done, though they�re strangely hesitant to ask for me to do anything directly. It�s only when I run into Sloan that the general tells me why.

�Granin has convinced us that the best thing for the Colony is for you to power up,� she says bluntly. �Which means the members of the Council are under instructions not to load you down with chores.�

�But that�s no good!� I protest. �What�s the point of being the strongest member of the family if I don�t do anything to help the family?�

�The idea is that we have you around to deal with the stuff that we can�t deal with ourselves. For the time being, just get out into the Dungeon and defeat monsters. The pressure from the wave is building, and it�s getting harder to hold our lines, especially in the places where we aren�t fully entrenched. In this case, just go out and take all the experience and Biomass you can. That�s the best thing for us right now.�

I guess I can do that. Time to put my newfound muscle to the test!

Turns out that the Colony had already begun to invest a significant amount of time and energy into the wave farming project. As I exit the nest and make my way into the tunnels, I see the vast wheels of ant industry turning on a grand scale. Tens of thousands of carvers, each and every one of them an earth mage, shifting impossible amounts of stone and dirt, diverting water, creating new chambers and tunnels as part of an immense, interconnected web of farms. Each stretch of tunnel I move through is patrolled by yet more soldiers, scouts, generals, mages, and core shapers, keeping watch for the endless spawns that the Dungeon spews forth.

The sheer quantity of work being done is mind-boggling, and frankly well beyond the scale I envisioned when I put the idea to the Council. They didn�t muck around, that�s for sure. Once the idea was in their heads, they clearly wanted to go as large as they possibly could. I�ll never accuse them of having too small an appetite!

From what I�ve seen just on my way out of the nest, the new farming setup will be hundreds of times the size of the previous one, built around the surface nest. If all goes well, the amount of Biomass and cores we can gain will fuel the Colony into another wave of expansion. The trick is, are we going to be able to defend such a large swathe of territory?

Which is where enormous construction project number two comes into the picture. As my pets and I leave the nest behind and travel farther away from its comforts, we no longer see the ongoing farming project and the thousands upon thousands of labourers hard at work. Instead, we see thousands and thousands of labourers hard at work at something completely different: fortifications.

Turns out there are a whole host of Skills within the System related to building, shaping, designing, and utilising defensive emplacements. It makes sense, since there�s pretty much a Skill for everything, near as I can tell, and after the siege, the carvers of the Colony have become, if not masters, then certainly experienced in putting together some hefty defences. Their Skills trained from the days on end they toiled shoring up the nests, these workers have now turned their attention to a grander stage: the defensive wall that will encircle the core of the Colony�s territory.

Tons of rock are shifted and shaped every hour, and even as I watch, sturdy walls, ramparts, spiked embankments, pitfalls, and more come into existence. Every single inch of them hardened and baptized by the magic of the carvers. They�ve even gone so far as to prepare healing centres and resting chambers, peeled free of the Dungeon�s veins through monumental effort, in order to ensure the healers can work unimpeded. I know for a fact this work is replicated throughout the Colony�s territory, a vast sphere of walls and forts that will defend each and every tunnel that would provide access for the invading wave.

The overall design was that of a detail-oriented mad person, or Sloan, Victor, Cobalt, and Tungstant, as they are otherwise known. I�d seen the carvings and was barely able to make heads or tails of them, despite them being explained to me. It wasn�t as if they were satisfied with one wall per entrance, oh no, that would be insane! The pitiful delusions of a mad ant! Instead, there are layers upon layers of redoubts, forts, walls, and traps that could be abandoned or retaken as needs required, all intricately designed to funnel the hordes of enemies to deadly killing grounds where the largest tunnels intersect and merge.

As we continue to march, those enormous works are put behind us and something else takes their place: the sights and sounds of battle. This is the true face of the wave. Not construction, not relentlessly patrolling soldiers, but an endless war of attrition against a literal wave of monsters without end. Here the Colony has placed the vast majority of its strength, almost a hundred thousand monstrous ants forming an unbroken, living wall to hold off the wave until the fortifications are complete.

It�s toward these frontlines that we make our way, and it isn�t long until the deafening roar of monsters at war is resounding from the tunnel walls and echoing off the stone.

In the tunnel ahead, a team of hundreds is pushing back against the wave, trying to ensure that none get through. The fight is desperate and difficult, with ants being pulled from the frontline and healed before being sent back in or dragged away for further treatment. Without the benefit of a proper defence, the Colony is forced to put bodies against bodies and there is clearly a toll.

A nearby general rushes up to me.

�Eldest! I didn�t expect to see you here, but I wouldn�t say no to some help.�

I look over the fight taking place not a hundred metres away.

�How bad is it, General?�

The much smaller soldier caste member doesn�t equivocate.

�We were holding fairly easily at first, but it keeps getting harder, and I�m having to rotate my soldiers for rest more often. The pressure on the healers is increasing by the hour, and without more mage support, we may find it difficult to hold out more than a day if things keep going like they are.�

That�s worse than I thought�

It isn�t hard to see what the problem is. Far from the usual tier one shadow beasts that are jumping out of the walls higher up in the stratum, these ants are battling against much more formidable foes. Death Magic infested brutes, huge shadow dogs, spiders, and more highly evolved monsters shriek and scream as they throw themselves at the Colony�s defenders without end.

Despite their advanced tactics and cooperation, the fight simply never ends, and ironically, it is the ants who are being worn down by the overwhelming number of foes.

I can also spot mixed into the endless hordes a few creatures similar to those I fought the last time I came out here. Demons.

The demons are powerful monsters, no doubt about it. It should have been a given, seeing how strong Invidia is, but I thought he was an exceptional case. Handcrafted and raised by a team of Shapers who supposedly knew what they were doing, whereas the monsters of the third stratum that I�ve run into are purely wild. Even so, the natural advantages they have seem to far outstrip those of the natives to the second stratum. Incredible, overpowered strength and defence combined with body parts and shapes more advanced than those that the members of the Colony were born with.

In a conflict between first and third stratum monsters, the differences in starting conditions really do become apparent. The chitin we ants are born with simply doesn�t match up to the tough hides and devastatingly sharp claws and teeth of the demons. Combined with their ability to pack obscene amounts of brain power into small, nimble bodies via their dimensional insides, it becomes easy to see how even intelligent ants are going to struggle against them. The wall we have to overcome is just that high.

�How�ve you fared against the demons so far?� I ask, and the general flicks an antenna in irritation.

�They�re either tough as rocks, strong as the Queen, fast as Vibrant, or smarter than Cobalt,� she complains. �And so far, we haven�t seen any beyond tier four. Every time one of them comes close, we combine our firepower and bring it down as fast as possible. Even so we struggle sometimes. If we don�t kill them fast enough, the rest of the monsters close in on us and the fight turns nasty until we can stabilise again.�

�Sounds rough. I had a chat with the Council before I came down here and I�m told that there will be a flood of reinforcements that will meet you once the defensive line is finished building. Almost the entire graduating class of the Academy is being poured into combat castes.�

�That�ll be welcome. We lost a lot of good soldiers during the siege.�

We both dip our heads in a moment of silence.

�Have you been able to capture any cores from the demons? The sooner we get them into the hands of the core shapers, the sooner those beasties will be fighting on our side.�

Even if they don�t make any changes, reconstituting those cores and raising the demons up to fighting strength will give us a force of shock troops to throw at the wave without worrying too much if they survive. At the very least, they�ll be able to mow through most of the shadow creatures.

�We�ve retrieved some. But we haven�t been able to deliver them back to the nest yet. We haven�t seen a runner in a while.�

�They shouldn�t be too far away,� I say. �I know the scouts have set up relay stations all through the area. If something happened to your runner, then you should see another one in an hour or so.�

�That�s good,� the general says before she gives me a bit of side-eye, no easy task for an insect. �So, what kind of help can we expect from you, Eldest? How long are you here for?�

I stretch my legs and clack my mandibles in amusement.

�I just evolved and I�m keen to see what this new body can do.� I chuckle. �So I think my pets and I might take a stroll deeper into the Dungeon and relieve the pressure a bit. As for how long, we�ll see how we go.�

The general nods and snaps out a quick salute with one antenna.

�Right you are then, Eldest. My girls will appreciate a break, the longest you can give them.�

�Coming right up!�

Our discussion complete, the general turns back to her people and I face mine. Tiny is as eager as I would expect, ready to deliver fist to face, his armour polished to a high gleam by Smithant before we left. Crinis is a little nervous. I can tell by the way she keeps shifting and morphing on my back. Invidia looks� mostly bored, to be honest.

[Alright, gang. Make your final checks and then we�re going in. Don�t go too crazy,] I warn them, mostly for Tiny�s sake. [This is going to be a long fight. Our aim is to go the distance, not wear ourselves out in ten minutes. I want to push deep and try to clear out the monsters all the way to a major junction. That will relieve the pressure on as many defensive points as possible. If things go south, we collapse the tunnel and get the heck out of dodge. With any luck, the rubble will slow the monsters long enough for us to retreat to safety. Any questions?]

They each shake their heads and I give them a nod.

[Let me just come to grips with my status and then we�ll be good to go.]

I haven�t been actively avoiding looking at my status, but I�ve been a bit nervous about it since evolving. This evolution was a big jump and, strange as it sounds, I�m a little intimidated by the changes.

Name: Anthony

Level: 1 (Rare) (VI)

Might: 205

Toughness: 180

Cunning: 145

Will: 100

HP: 360/360

MP: 530/530

Skills:

General:

Master Excavation Level 3 (IV); Expert Grip Level 9 (III); Expert Stealth Level 6 (III); Tunnel Guide Level 11 (III); Iron Mind Level 30 (IV); Master Stamina Level 6 (IV); Still Meditation Level 12 (IV); Snap Dash Level 11 (IV)

Mana:

Mana Craft Level 24 (V); Master Condensed Mana Level 18 (IV); Grand Master External Mana Manipulation Level 16 (V); Mana Hoarder Level 22 (IV); Master Mind Magic Affinity Level 20 (IV); Directed Mana Sensing Level 12 (IV); Empowered Healing Magic Affinity Level 14 (III); Omni-Elemental Affinity Level 4 (V); Mana Masking Level 6 (II)

Pet:

Further Pet Communication Level 7 (III); Core Crafting Level 13 (IV); Pet Growth Speed Level 5 (I)

Defensive:

Grandmaster Exo-Skeleton Defence Level 11 (V); Master Dodge Level 25 (IV); Master Endure Level 6 (IV); Expert Grace Level 14 (III)

Offensive:

Unerring Acid Shot Level 6 (IV); Master Precise Shooting Level 23 (IV); Doom Chomp Level 23 (V)

Mutations:

Senses:

Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25; Antennae (Twilight Filament)

Defence:

Complete Diamond Carapace +25; Braced Healing Inner Carapace Plating +25

Physical:

Hardened Rapid Absorption Legs +25; Mana Flooded Mandibles +25; Frequent Potent Regeneration Gland +25; Loud Convincing Pheromone Gland +25; Vast Hungering Stomach +25; Lock Hyper-Twitch Musculature +25; Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +25

Acid:

Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid Gland +25; Guided Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +25; Thickened Draining Acid Concentration Gland +25; Exhausting Thickener Acid Stimulation Gland +25

Mental:

Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25; Main brain; Sub-Brains

Mana:

Compressing Unending Gravity Magic Gland +25; Collective Will Vestibule (Soul Crystal); Communal Spirit Nave

Species: Mature Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

Skill Points: 21

Biomass: 123

The first thing I need to do is mutate my antennae. My fighting style has come to rely on my Future Sense, combined with my lightning-fast reflexes and sturdy carapace to make me disturbingly hard to damage.

Having just been reset, my new antennae are not set up to read the faint tremors of the future as they used to be, something I need to remedy immediately. That isn�t to say I haven�t noticed the improvement my newly reforged antennae provide, far from it. They look glorious, to start with. The Twilight Filaments that now make up the basic structure of my antennae are like glittering crystal wires of a dusky hue. They catch the light whenever I move and, in my opinion, appear quite fetching.

The other benefit is just how darned sensitive they are. The filament splits off into impossibly fine threads up and down the length of each antenna where my hairs used to be, and let me tell you, they are very, very fine detectors. I can smell a trail the second a molecule of pheromone wafts anywhere near me, even the tiniest shift in the air current is like a shout in my ear. Comparing the performance pre-reset to now is like night and day. To think that monsters deeper down get to be born with this stuff? No fair!

Although, everything they have to fight is also born with these advantages, and they can only come up here to fight us during a wave� Bah. Still unfair!

I have enough Biomass to lock in the first three mutations for my antennae, so I double down on the Future Sense and then reinforce it, skipping over the heat sensing ability I chose last time.

[Crinis, cover me.]

Luckily most of the ants are facing outward, toward the enemy, so they don�t notice Crinis envelop my body, hiding me from sight as I twitch and thrash whilst my antennae mutate. When it�s complete, I emerge from my dark cocoon ready for battle.

Let�s do this!

To be honest, I�m both overwhelmed, and a little sad about my new stats. It�s an incredible improvement over my last evolution, the gain to each stat is more than double, a feat which required the immense bonuses provided by the Mature Paragon evolution as well as a massive chunk of my evolutionary energy. It was necessary, though.

My stats were lagging behind where they needed to be, as I invested a lot of energy over the last few evolutions in expensive organs. Even though the gain is massive, I still fall short of Tiny in raw physical power, and also Invidia in mental might. It�s true that they�re more of a streamlined, specific type of monster, but I need to work harder to make up for my lack of raw power by using my versatility to its finest.

Comparing my Cunning stat to Invidia�s, the differential is made even worse by the fact that my own mental stats are split across four separate brains, whereas his are devoted entirely to one. Using the Mental Construct Magic, he�s able to replicate the ability to think about multiple things at once without having to physically divide his brains, as I have.

Although I�ve made a huge stride forward with this evolution, I still have a long way to go before I can become a truly intimidating magical force. Having made all of my brains mutable is going to be interesting to explore as well. I�m sure there are plenty of options that�ll help me take my spellcasting game to a whole new level. So many more strides forward waiting in the future!

Having said that, I now have a level of juice in the tank that I�ve never come close to having before, and it�s finally time to put it to the test! Eager to get started, I rally my pets and we start to move toward the line of battling ants. I order my sub-brains to kick into gear and marvel as they stir the Mana in my core, drawing it out and weaving it into the Omni-Elemental Construct. It�s still hard, obviously, but it isn�t close to the near impossible task that it was before. Each of the brains works in harmony, guided by the coordination cortex as they cooperate to work the intricate, many-layered structure. This is incredible! My main mind doesn�t need to get involved at all!

[Are you ready?] I ask my pets.

They each reply to the affirmative and we start to run forward. A wall of insects covers the tunnel in front of us, members of the Colony hanging from the walls and ceiling to block off every possible avenue for the wave to pierce through their numbers. On the other side, a screaming mass of monsters pushes forward, fighting each other just as hard as they do the ants that bar their way.

�Clear a path!� I roar, blasting my pheromones forward.

My siblings respond instantly, the centre peeling back to either side.

The monsters of the wave waste no time seizing this opportunity and flood through with a triumphant roar, only to be met by Tiny�s fist and sent flying back to where they came from. In less than a second, we barrel through the opening and find ourselves surrounded, the wall of insects closing behind us. Enemies on all sides, swathes of claws, fangs, and worse reaching to rend us limb from limb from every conceivable angle. Tiny has never been happier.

With a whooping bellow of rage and joy, his fists blaze with light as his hands start to flicker faster than the eye can see, sending straight punches in all directions that blow monsters back, stunning and damaging in equal measure. With the minimum space he needs achieved, he winds back his right arm, gigantic muscles shifting and bulging beneath his armour, and launches a furious straight right that sends a fist of light the size of a car slamming into the ranks of monsters. The enemies evaporate, knocked away or simply disintegrated by the power of that punch.

Imagine being tier one and having to face up to Tiny�s fists� Such a miserable way to go.

Unwilling to be outdone by my first pet, I urge my sub-brains to finish their work. They grumble back that If I really want to speed things up, I can darn well get involved and help, which I refuse. Nevertheless, in only a few more seconds, the construct slams into place and I task the main sub-brain with maintaining it while the other two take over operating it, feeding in raw Mana and extracting the desired type. The whole process is so much more flawless than it was before, my main mind not even required at this stage in the process. In a blessedly short amount of time, Blue Fire Mana has accumulated, and I deign to step in, weaving a Fire Domain with speed and precision that leaves my previous efforts in the dust.

With a whoosh, the air ignites as a sphere of pure blue fire expands around me, searing any foe who dares to step within ten metres of my noble frame. I turn the maintenance of the domain back over to a sub-brain and almost weep when it manages to maintain the spell as well as operate the construct in order to keep feeding it with Mana.

Meanwhile, my other sub-brain has been hard at work pumping out Lava Mana, the combined essence of earth and fire. In a true test, I force the sub-brain to continue operating the construct whilst weaving a simple bolt spell. Though it�s a strain, it succeeds and soon an arrow of sizzling lava splatters against a shadow monster, who roars in pain.

This is fantastic! This is the dream! I�m casting multiple spells at the same time whilst maintaining a truly devilish construct, and my main mind isn�t involved at all. Muahahahaha! How far I�ve come! And if the main mind isn�t involved, then I can get busy doing other things. Move aside, Tiny. Time for this beefy ant to head to the front lines and get my chomp on!

My jaws locking into place, I charge forward, shouldering the ape aside in the process, and unleash my most potent physical attack, the Doom Chomp!

CRUNCH!

Twin jaws of dark light, larger than any I�ve seen before, manifest beside my head and slam forward, tearing into the hordes of monsters and clearing space instantly. A flood of messages stream in from Gandalf, but I ignore them. That was crazy strong! Is this the benefit of increasing my Might to this extent? No regrets on that front!

[Gwahahahahaaa! Come on, Crinis! You need to get your share of the experience so you can evolve. No holding back now!]

[Yes, Master!]

The four of us rip into the onrushing wave with wild abandon, unleashing our strength to its limit, while behind us the garrison of ants watches on in amazement.

�I want the second and fourth squad off the wall and resting in two minutes!� the general roars at the stunned insects. �The rest of you hold firm! The Eldest is working hard to give you a rest and you are going to get one! Where are the medics? Get out here!�

Firing back into motion, the ants scurry with urgency as the Eldest and his guardians tear into the hordes that had pressed them so hard only a moment ago.

The power! The unbelievable power! Flinging spells and chomping my way through the rampaging hordes is far more fun than it really ought to be. Deep down, I think I feel the stirrings of the long slumbering Dark Anthony.

No! I reject thee, evil one! I need to get a grip on myself. This pointless and wanton slaying doesn�t serve my purposes as well as I need.

[Come on, Crinis, Tiny! You need to get up here and vacuum in as much experience as you can. Can�t have you lagging behind me and Invidia forever! Let�s go, go, go!]

Tiny gives me a look that speaks volumes. I�ve been wanting to, but you jumped in front of me, and I haven�t been able to hit a monster since, idiot. Which may be true, but there�s no need to frame it quite so roughly, Tiny! Forgive me, alright? I got carried away!

[Yes, Master!] Crinis is far more forgiving and leaps forward, her blobby body taking on the form of its full terror, her three mouths revealing themselves from within the shadows of her form.

After those gnashing maws appear, Crinis takes a brief moment to gather her strength before she unleashes the devastating scream that I heard once before in Rylleh. The effect on the nearby monsters is instantaneous, as many rear back clutching at their heads or simply drop to the ground, writhing as their sanity is assaulted by the psychic waves of fear that accompany her roar.

Waves I can sense now, thanks to my antennae. Just how sensitive are these things? I can clearly detect the mental assault that rides along her voice, somehow attacking the mind of her foes without even employing Mind Magic. It�s like an injection of pure fear, straight into the vein, and it appears to work wonders. They cower back from Crinis, revealed in her full majesty.

What happens next to those monsters cowering in terror, I would rather not describe. Let�s just say I wish I could avert my eyes.

[Don�t forget the Biomass!] I call over my shoulder, having pressed my face up against the tunnel wall. It�s not perfect but it�s better than nothing. [You guys need to max out your mutations before you evolve. I know it�s not easy to get space to eat, so take turns or something. If you need help, call Invidia or me and we can chip in.]

With a roar, Tiny pushes off the ground and barrels headlong into the fray. We�ve been making solid progress, pushing down the tunnel and putting some distance between us and the checkpoint manned by the Colony. My hope is that the deeper we can go, the more checkpoints we can relieve by cutting off the flow of demons to as many places as possible.

The endless hordes of shadow monsters are a pain, to be sure, but for now, the majority of them are still in the first three tiers, with a few tier fours mixed in. I�ve no doubt there are tier five shadow monsters hiding out below, and at least for the time being, they haven�t been ousted from their hunting grounds.

No, the real threat to the Colony right now is the demons climbing up from the third stratum. From what Granin told me during our discussions before I left, there aren�t that many connecting points between the second and third stratum, for �reasons that will become clear when I see it.� Which means the monsters climbing into the territory claimed by the Colony may be coming from as few as one or two entrances.

If we can plug one of those for a while, then that�ll take a lot of heat off the Colony so they can finish building their defensive network. Getting that deep is going to be a massive pain in the butt, though. I�m not even sure we�ll be able to manage it. But it doesn�t hurt to try. Let�s see how far down we can get!

�Dammit, Vibrant! Get back here!� Advant yelled, her scent filled with impotent rage.

�No chance!� Vibrant laughed as she raced away.

�We�re trying to make you stronger!� the exasperated soldier said to the fast-vanishing form of her fellow Council member.

�I-can-do-that-myself-okay-so-I-don�t-need-your-help-bye!� Vibrant replied with rapid-fire speed, her scent fading almost as fast as she did.

In the end, all that remained in the section of tunnel was Advant and her escort, slumped in defeat as they caught their breath.

�Damn that Vibrant!� she growled. �Why does she have to make everything so difficult?�

She had been tasked with finding the second most powerful warrior in the Colony and bringing her back to the nest so they could pour their collective resources into her and raise Vibrant as the second powerhouse of the Colony. Except she refused to cooperate. She�d heard out Advant well enough when she�d first caught up to explain the idea, then had flatly rejected the Colony helping her at all, insisting that she would do it her own way, and sped off into the distance.

Every time Advant managed to catch up to her, the same scene repeated itself, with Vibrant slipping away no matter how hard they tried to pin her down.

With nothing else for it, she gathered her energy and pushed herself back to her legs, following along the trail of the speeding ant at a more sedate pace. Vibrant would have to stop and fight at some point, which was when they would next catch up to her. Hopefully, things would go better�

Farther down the tunnel, Vibrant raced away, having already put her latest encounter with Advant out of her head. Who had time to worry about that sort of thing? There was so much fighting to do! And it was everywhere! No matter how fast she managed to get from one checkpoint to the next, it always felt like she should have gone faster, which was exciting! No matter how fast she was able to run around, it wasn�t fast enough! This was a novel situation for the fast-moving ant and she was loving it.

For a brief moment, she wondered where all of her followers were, only to remember they�d given up on chasing her because she�d run even them into the ground. Instead, one of the generals had organised them into roaming packs spread across the territory of the Colony, doing much the same thing Vibrant herself was doing: rushing from one flashpoint to the next, just on a smaller scale than their leader.

The air rushed through her antennae and over her carapace, and she just indulged herself in experiencing the joy of running at full speed. She didn�t know exactly when she�d begun to love moving fast; as far back as she could remember, she�d had too much energy, to the point that the Eldest had claimed she�d been hyperactive even as a grub! Whatever the reason, it just felt right to run and so run she did! As fast and as often as possible.

The territory of the Colony whizzed by, nothing but a blur on the edge of her vision. She�d had to mutate her eyes to be able to work properly moving at these sorts of speeds, an investment she didn�t regret. In fact, it only ignited her desire to go faster! On and on she raced through the tunnels, several times passing by a soldier busy grappling with a freshly spawned shadow creature, but she didn�t stop, couldn�t afford to stop! The Colony needed her!

In less than five minutes, she�d covered the six kilometres needed to reach the next checkpoint and arrived in a cloud of dust that blanketed the general standing at the rear of the skirmish.

�What the heck!� her scent guttered in the sharp breeze that blew through.

�Hi-hi! Just here to help out, but no need to thank me I�ll get right to work and then get going okay byeeeeee!�

So saying, the large soldier threw herself into the fray, dodging and weaving through the hordes, working her mandibles with relentless energy, cleaving legs, shattering hides, and piercing demon flesh. She was a whirlwind more than an ant, never ceasing her rapid-paced movement, finding ways to dodge and slide through gaps that an ant half her size would never attempt.

Seizing on the momentum that her intervention brought them, the rest of the ants leapt into battle, shoving back the wave and thinning out the monsters, buying them precious time to rest.

The moment the tide of the battle changed, Vibrant turned around and Dashed away, leaving nothing but the scent of her �Have a nice dayyyyy!� lingering on the antennae of the ants who momentarily had to wonder if she had ever been there at all.

There was need! She was needed! And so, she had to go. All over the territory the Colony had claimed, there were checkpoints that needed help, needed someone to come and relieve the pressure, just so they could catch their breath. Vibrant was ready! Vibrant was willing! She couldn�t be everywhere at once, but she could sure as heck try!

Just as she was picking up the pace and her heart was really starting to race, she suddenly felt her front right leg snag on something she hadn�t seen. Before her balance could fail, she snapped down her second leg and managed to catch herself just in time to avoid losing any of her speed. A perfect recovery. Except for the second, then third snag she hit. What the heck was going on?

With two of her legs snarled in some kind of invisible obstruction, even her highly developed sense of balance wasn�t enough to save Vibrant from going down.

CRASH!

With a loud thump, she tumbled end over end and slammed into the tunnel wall, stunning her.

�What the� hey!�

Which gave just enough time for a net to drop down from the ceiling.

�Hello, Vibrant,� came a scent she knew all too well. �How nice to see you again.�

�You!�

Descending from the ceiling like a filthy spider came the small ant who�d captured Vibrant last time, but only with the help of Crinis! She�d forced Vibrant to sleep for hours! She might have been able to run faster afterward, but she still resented being made to be still!

�What do you want? I�m busy helping the Colony! I haven�t even been avoiding sleep!�

More ants emerged from the shadows and surrounded Vibrant, looking down at her with glee.

�You have not been avoiding rest,� the nameless one said. �But according to the Eldest, there is something else you have been avoiding, is there not?�

Vibrant, for once, grew still.

�I�m not sure what you mean. You probably don�t mean anything, right? Why not just let me go and be on my way? There�s plenty of ants out there that need help and I can help them! I want to help them! You wouldn�t want them to not be helped, right? So let me up and I�ll get to rushing over and you don�t need to worry about me or anything that I might be avoiding, which is nothing because I�m not avoiding anything!�

�Did she take a mutation to help her talk that fast?� a nearby ant wondered.

The nameless one wasn�t distracted.

�The Eldest believes you�ve been ready to evolve to tier five for some time, yet have been holding back because you don�t want to be stuck in one place. You�ve been avoiding it for weeks now, haven�t you? Well, look at what we have here.�

The nameless one drew out a precious rare core and placed it on the ground in front of Vibrant.

�Everything we need to help you evolve in the best possible condition. You want to help the Colony? Time to be the best Vibrant you can be.�

Vibrant thrashed her legs, but it was hopeless.

�You won�t let me go until I evolve, will you?� she said miserably.

In response, the nameless one reached over and patted her on the head.

�We absolutely won�t,� she said.

Down and down into the depths we plunge, battling the furious monsters of the wave every step. The number of cold, undead creatures we encounter continues to rise, and I can�t believe the sheer variety of shapes the shadow monsters can take. I understand their shadow flesh makes them the basically formless, squishy, and mouldable things that they are, but some of them are just weird.

Tiny battled a disgusting beast who resembled a slug fused with a seahorse that fired some strange form of death plasma out of its face-hole. The whole thing was rather traumatic from my point of view. I wish I�d never seen it. Only Invidia�s intervention managed to prevent my ape friend from suffering a premature death during that fight, and in fact, during many fights.

Without much ability, or inclination, to avoid damage of any sort, Tiny has come to rely rather heavily on his armour to prevent damage, which works well against physical attacks, but doesn�t help much against the more insidious attacks levelled at him by death monsters and demons. Without the eyeball of envy, Tiny would have had to face-tank any number of poisons, curses, and toxins, and I�ve little doubt he wouldn�t have survived long.

Before he evolves to tier six, I�m going to make sure he covers his bases and gains a few more points in Cunning. I�m starting to think the reason I�ve never seen any of Tiny�s species evolve beyond tier two is simply because the Lightning Fist Ape and what comes after are simply too dumb to survive without constant babysitting and supervision. I might have a chat with Granin about it when we get back� Still, it would be encouraging to learn that my first pet�s total lack of survival instincts was an inbuilt flaw rather than something I introduced myself.

The number of demons has also continued to rise, and without the benefits of my evolution, they would have been a right pain in the backside to deal with. Despite being tier five, both Tiny and Crinis struggle against tier four demons. The resilience and sheer brutal power of the creatures are simply a tier above what we had seen so far.

[Disgusting trash! You will be rendered into pieces before you lay a claw on my Master!] Crinis rants, her limbs wrapped around the foul visage of a hulking demon, sawing away at it.

[Need any help, Crinis?] I ask.

[Do not foul your mandibles or mind on this infernal creature, Master! I am enough to end its miserable suffering!]

I think you are more the cause of its suffering, Crinis. Nevertheless, she is successful in ridding the poor beast of its condition, namely the one of being in one piece, and swiftly descends on the Biomass. In just a few seconds the looming threat of the wrath demon is gone, along with any evidence it existed in the first place, vanished into the three maws of the blob of death.

Despite her victory, we are still surrounded, and I once again bring down a domain of scorching blue flame, using my main mind to supercharge the spell and increase its range, burning any monster who dares to come close.

[This is exhausting,] I complain. [There�s no end to them.]

[You didn�t expect anything different, did you, Master? It is a wave,] Crinis says.

Tiny just gives me a thumbs up, a broad grin splitting his bat-face. I know you�re happy, we�ve been fighting for hours without pause! This is basically paradise for you! For his part, Invidia just continues to float alongside us, the intense light of his eye briefly resting on each of us before flicking away to the tunnel, then returning to us after a few seconds.

[I know that!] I say, the roars of burning monsters ringing in my ears and causing me to become irritable. [But I was kind of hoping they�d stop flooding upward at some point�]

Our descent has been very different than what we experienced in the first stratum during the last wave. At that time, the tunnels were filled with spawns of weaker monsters with occasional stronger ones feasting on the free experience and Biomass, and although it was draining in the extreme, it wasn�t too difficult to clear them out. This time, it�s so, so different.

Moving downward in the Dungeon has felt like walking into the face of a gale-force wind. We want to go deeper, but it appears as though every other monster in the Dungeon wants to go higher. Which means stronger monsters delivered fresh to our face in a never-ending stream from the depths. We aren�t even dealing with the creatures being spawned around us, as those are snatched up and consumed by the rising monsters in a flash.

[How long can you maintain this domain, Master?] Crinis asks.

Good question. I check the Mana flooding into my core through my legs and idly check what I can grab from the ambient Mana around us.

[If I keep dragging in Mana, probably indefinitely? It would take most of my concentration to do so, though.]

[Then might I suggest we rest here momentarily?]

[Alright, you two can relax. Invidia, can you deal with anything that gets through?]

The eye flashes dark energy.

[I ssssshall take my due�]

[Sure thing, buddy.]

The pulsing sphere of blue fire isn�t enough to deal with the press of monsters on its own, though it does damage them. Sadly, most of the demon spawn are resistant to the flames, which allows them to push through it, which is where the power of explosions comes into the picture.

BOOM!

The four of us are showered with dust and stones as we settle in for a short break while Invidia sucks in Mana from the air and weaves his deadly magic with it.

BOOM!

[How much farther do you guys think we need to go before we reach the third stratum?] I ask.

[I cannot say, Master, I do not know how thick the shadow layer is, nor can I say how far we have travelled so far.]

Tiny just wobbles a hand back and forth, eyeing the exploding monsters around us sadly. By my estimation, we�ve come a significant number of kilometres down. The slope we�ve been travelling on has been fairly steep, and despite fighting every step of the way, we�ve been pushing hard without rest. At least the Fire Domain helps keep the cold off. It�s freezing down here.

[Have you two managed to gain a few Levels?]

Tiny pulls a face whilst Crinis just sounds frustrated.

[I have, but slowly. It will take a long time to catch up to you, Master.]

[Hey, if we don�t push hard, you�ll never get there,] I try to encourage them. [It�s a mountain, and without climbing, you�ll never reach the top. If we keep fighting and accruing experience at the pace we have been, you�ll be Level 80 before you know it.]

I checked on the two of them before we set out, and it�s a bit unfortunate, but they�re lagging quite a bit. Both have managed to raise their Levels fairly well since reaching tier five, but both were still stuck pretty far behind. With hard work, they�ll be able to evolve by the time this wave is done.

[Oh, did either of you grab any cores?]

Crinis extends a limb from within her blobby mass and deposits a few cores in front of me which I quickly leap on and devour. The capacity of my core has doubled after all, need to pump it all the way up to max!

[What about you, Tiny?]

The ape just shrugs and shakes his head. I�m not surprised, the big guy usually isn�t bothered keeping track of any cores he comes across when eating, he spits them out like seeds and ignores them in favour of shovelling in more food.

[I need all the cores I can get my hands on right now,] I scold him. [After you and Crinis evolve, we�ll need hundreds more in order to max out your cores as soon as possible. Don�t slack off! You�re making trouble for everyone else!]

He has the decency to appear a little ashamed, which is a plus. His laziness is usually fine, but when he drags himself and others down, I can�t indulge him anymore.

[Masssster. They are clossssing in on ussss.]

A quick glance is enough to confirm that Invidia is correct. Despite his frequent detonations, the monsters are pressing in, even through my domain spell. With a weary mental sigh, I push my legs under me and flex my mandibles.

[Back at it, gang. We�ve got a long way to go.]

I�m so damn tired. I need more ants nearby to fuel the Vestibule, and the twenty bodyguards who have shadowed us down this far simply aren�t enough to provide the kind of energy I need. It�s been twodays, and we haven�t had much of a break in that entire time.

Constant fighting for this long is enough to take it out of anyone, even a tier six, as it turns out. We did try to bury ourselves into a wall and hide from the wave for a while, but it wasn�t too effective. I don�t know if the monsters here are smarter or if our cores are just too easy to detect through a few metres of collapsed tunnel wall, but no sooner did we seal ourselves into a pocket of air that we�d dug out than the monsters started digging their way through to us.

Stop being so persistent and leave us alone!

In the end, we managed to get a tiny rest by digging farther in and forcing the monsters to work harder to get to us, but it wasn�t nearly enough to recharge the batteries. In truth, we should have turned around a long time ago, but I can feel that we�re getting closer to the third stratum with every step, and I�d be lying if I said I wasn�t super interested in taking a peek.

This is the new frontier! The next leg of the Colony�s conquest of the Dungeon! What will the terrain be like? What sort of tunnels and Mana are we going to find? The sense of adventure is welling up within me, and I cannot bring myself to squash it, despite the danger that pressing forward entails.

�Eldest, I must recommend against this course of action,� I scent a killjoy from somewhere above me.

�Protectant? What do you mean? Aren�t you curious to catch a glimpse of the third stratum? Not to mention the benefit to the Colony if we can block an entrance to our territory for as little as an hour!�

If we stop the flow of demons into the second stratum beneath the Colony, the pressure on all of the checkpoints above will diminish dramatically. It would achieve the goal of this expedition in one fell swoop!

�My only goal is to make sure that you remain alive,� comes the reply. �Going farther into the teeth of the wave isn�t worth the risk.�

�Be a lot easier if you lot helped out more,� I grumble.

�We are helping more than you think. We�ve done as much as we can whilst also remaining hidden.�

�You must be getting a hell of a lot of Stealth Levels out of this.�

��Yes.�

I don�t want to reveal to Protectant and her crew that I do, in fact, know exactly what they�ve been up to. Their thoughts and desires, their Will, has been flowing into the Vestibule, enhanced by the Nave, and giving me a window into their activities. What they want, what they do and how they do it, aren�t really mysteries to me anymore, especially when I�m actively paying attention. I�m sure the information I can glean from an individual ant when I focus on them would be overwhelming were I to try it back in the nest, but it�s fairly trivial to do so here, with only twenty of my siblings within range.

�Make sure you keep getting Levels,� I urge them all, directing my scent widely across the ceiling where the rest of them are hiding. �I know you�ve been working hard to Level up. A bit more of a push and you�ll reach tier five. Let�s do it!�

If all of them reach tier five at the same time my pets reach tier six, my group will have reached a much higher level of power, making us a mobile fortress that the Colony can fling at our enemies. Certainly, we�d have been able to hold at the siege far more effectively.

�Anyways, we�re pushing forward again!� I declare. �We aren�t going home until I catch a glimpse of the third stratum. If you want to go back, then push forward even more aggressively!�

Curses ring through the very souls of the defender squad above me, each of them raging that the target the Council wants them to keep alive is so determined to seek out danger at every turn. Not my fault, team. I�m not the one who tasked you with this impossible mission, so if you want to complain, then go back and yell at the ones who commissioned you in the first place.

Having reaffirmed my desire to push on, the group girds themselves and continues to press onward into the teeth of the endless flood of monsters. The deeper we go, the more necessary it becomes for the bodyguards to get involved, working in groups to knock monsters off-balance, put damage on targets from range with coordinated acid barrages, or use magic to thin out the weaker opponents. It makes a noticeable difference in our advance.

The first thing I pick up on is the heat. The irrepressible cold of the shadow sea gives way ever so slightly, the faintest hint of warmth brushing against my carapace. Thank goodness! The temperature was getting so low that my legs were on the brink of locking up. The more we move, the warmer it gets, and the fewer shadow monsters we see, as if they are actively avoiding the heat. Which makes sense, I suppose.

[Crinis, are you feeling alright as it gets warmer?] I ask, concerned.

[It�s uncomfortable,] she admits. [But I�m fine.]

[Good, we can press on, then.]

Down we go into the depths and we come across something unexpected. A thick wall of fog blankets the way forward. We�re cautious nearing it, testing our footing and stretching our senses, even as monsters and demons swarm around us. Every time I move my leg another step, the rock gets hotter, until it reaches a near scorching temperature that thankfully does no damage, though it stings. Tiny is particularly uncomfortable, and I can sense him hopping from foot to foot as we fight our way through the fog.

It lasts for perhaps a hundred metres of tunnel, and when we emerge on the other side, the Dungeon has completely transformed. No longer are we surrounded by the dark and cold. It�s been replaced by a wall of heat that boils the moisture from my eyes, and bright red light emanates from veins that flow through the walls like branching lines of pure magma.

Far more shocking than this is the scene that opens up. The tunnel continues to slope down, forming a bridge to what I can see is a flat pillar. Not far ahead, the walls of the tunnel drop away to reveal a huge Expanse of open air that frankly defies belief. Keen to see more, we barrel forward, slamming monsters out of the way, even knocking them over the edge to fall to the depths.

[Hold them off,] I tell my pets. [I want to take a look.]

As Crinis, Tiny, and Invidia move to defend me from the monsters, I head to the edge of this ramp, my mind freezing at the impossible sight. The floor� is so� so far away. What am I even seeing? Even in the Dungeon, this surely can�t be possible�

But the evidence of my eyes cannot be denied. The ramp we stand on connects to a pillar of fiery rock that rises what must be ten kilometres from the floor. It�s hard to make out, but as far as my eyes can see, the rocky ground flows with lava, fire, and a writhing carpet of monsters that surge toward the base of the pillar. The pillar itself is covered in monsters, clawing their way upward, even as they fight each other every step of the way.

These are the demons who�ve been reaching us in the second stratum, those few who survive the climb. In the far, far distance, straining my eyes to their limits, I can make out another towering spire of stone that looks as if it holds up the sky itself.

You�re telling me that the entire surface, and the top two stratum, are being held up by these columns? Surely not, right?

[Master, we need help!] Crinis� call shocks me out of my daze and I rush over to assist them against the unending crush of demons who�ve crested the top of the pillar. They�re charging up the ramp, securing their positions against their fellow demons.

[No worries, I�m here!] I call as I leap back into the fight, my mandibles pumping and minds spinning a new domain.

Without the overwhelming crush of shadow monsters, the Fire Domain no longer serves a purpose, as the demons are at least partially resistant to it. All production of Blue Fire Mana is discarded, and the construct now starts to pump out pure Ice Mana which is deftly woven into the new domain.

Likewise, the Lava Mana I was working with before is also cast aside in favour of the much easier to work with air. In only a few seconds, the first compressed bolt of air is ready, and I fire it at a lithe, weasel-looking demon trying to slip past us. Caught unawares, the beast only has time to roar indignantly before the powerful gust of air carries it over the edge of the ramp and plummeting to the depths below.

Ice Domain!

The moment I release the spell, the air around us becomes frigid and infused with spinning chunks of ice that bounce harmlessly from my allies but detonate with a sharp crack when they hit anything else. At first, I�m wholly satisfied with this new domain, the demons certainly aren�t big fans of the ice, but after a few seconds, I notice something I may have overlooked. The amount of Mana it takes to maintain this domain is unbelievable! Even over this short period, the sub-brain in charge is starting to frizzle from overwork as it tries to maintain and produce the Ice Mana necessary to keep it running at the same time.

The reason why is readily apparent: it�s too damn hot here! The Ice Mana is being consumed way too quickly! Cursing inside, I throw away the Ice Domain and switch to air, both sub-minds working together to pump out the same type of Mana to hurl bolts of compressed air at my foes.

[How are you holding up, Crinis?]

[I�m fine, Master!] she replies, her voice steely with determination.

[Don�t give me nonsense, Crinis,] I warn her as we battle back and forth with the demons. [Give it to me straight, that�s an order!]

[My strength feels like it�s being sapped,] she grudgingly admits. [And my flesh doesn�t move through the shadows as easily as before.]

Of course, without the naturally abundant Shadow Mana and darkness of the second stratum, her powers don�t work half as well as they did before. Another problem quickly becomes apparent.

[Is it just me, or are these demons tougher than they were before?] I gasp as the bladed arm of a nasty-looking horror scrapes across my carapace before I can snap forward with my mandibles and end the threat.

[The cold must have weakened them when we fought them before,] Crinis guesses. [Here, they are surrounded by their natural affinity, and it is empowering them.]

Dangit! This is actually way harder than I thought it would be. Despite arriving at the most perfect natural choke point we could hope for�the ramp is no more than fifty metres wide and every demon who climbs the pillar has no choice but to move up it if they want to reach the stratum above�we may not be able to hold here as long as I�d hoped.

[Hold on for a little longer, then we�ll fall back and make a break for the second stratum! Alright? If anyone is struggling, make sure you let Invidia know!]

�I really don�t think you should stay here, Eldest!� Protectant appears to tell me in person, her antennae twitching in all directions as she nips forward to bite at the legs and joints of the demons near Tiny. �This situation is too unstable, there�s no need to take the risk!�

�We�re alright,� I tell her, forcing my exhausted body to keep moving as yet another demon fronts up to me, charging toward my much larger frame with reckless abandon. �Just hang on a little longer and then we�ll retreat. We�d be fine if all of you were tier five already��

�Is this really the time for that, Eldest?�

Probably not, but the slow progress of my security guards is getting frustrating. The demon slashes with its claws and I blast it in the chest with a condensed burst of air, sending its wiry frame flying through the air and over the edge of the ramp. It�s a quick and painless way to deal with the enemy, though it doesn�t work nearly as well on the heavier ones.

As we continue to battle hard, it�s clear that we�re being forced to give ground as the press of demons only grows thicker with the passage of time. For every one we put down, another two are ready to take their place. Even if the bulk of them are only tier three or four, in this environment they�re much tougher, moving faster and hitting harder than when we fought them above.

�ROOOOOOAAAAR!� A rumbling bellow ripples through the air and my antennae whip around as I try to work out where the heck that came from.

From below? Over the edge of the bridge, I see a massive arm covered in dripping black tar reach up and dig into the stone, thick muscles bulging to haul the rest of the monster up to the top of the pillar.

[We�ve got a big one here, guys! Keep your eyes peeled!] I tell my desperately fighting pets.

The spark of battle ignites in Tiny�s eyes anew when he spots the enormous demon cresting the pillar, a broad grin splitting his bat features.

[You stay here!] I order him. [This one�s mine!]

Seriously, how would any of his species survive without a babysitter?

Heedless of the smaller demons crushed by its bulk, the newcomer smashes its arms down and lifts the rest of its massive body into view and I get my first glimpse of the full creature. It�s huge, bigger than Tiny, bigger than me, bigger even than the Queen. Clearly, this one is built heavily around its physical stats. The monster has thick slabs of muscle that remind me of Garralosh. The sheer overwhelming physical presence is also similar.

Two squat, powerful legs hold up its concrete wall of a frame. The monster is hunched at the shoulders, its head little more than an open circular mouth ringed with teeth. At the end of each of its absurdly thick arms aren�t the hands or fingers I would have expected to see. There�s two more mouths, just as wide and lined with barbed teeth as the one in its head. Its whole body drips with black tar that steams and sizzles against the hot stone beneath its feet. No two ways about it, this dude is ugly.

Having gotten its feet under it, the monster reaches lazily with one arm, the muscles in its forearm twitching strangely. Faster than my eyes can see, a spear-like tongue is launched forward, piercing its target in an instant. The poor victim is dragged back into the arm, its body vanishing into that horrific ringed maw as the arm bulges grotesquely around it.

Not only is it ugly, it�s nasty! What is up with these demons? Its meal complete, the giant monster starts to move forward, clearly intent on mounting the ramp and ascending to the second stratum. Then it lays eyes on me and my group.

�A FEAST?� it bellows with mad joy. �INSECT. I WILL WELCOME YOU INTO MY GULLET!�

It can talk? Is this thing tier six! A chill rolls over my carapace. Please tell me it�s not higher than that�

When I hear that deep, taunting voice emanating from somewhere within the demon, I almost reflexively start spinning together a Mind Bridge, my automatic reaction whenever someone speaks to me whom I can�t talk back with naturally. In only a few seconds, the connection snaps into place and the demon regards me coolly, bringing its horrific face to align with me.

[A smart bug? How interesting!]

The mind of the demon is as repellent as its voice. There is a roiling sense of frenetic energy and desperate need hidden beneath an oil slick surface of grease. Every thought I brush against seems to stick to me like a rancid smell. It is� deeply unpleasant. Talking to Invidia is nothing like this. He may be a single-minded little eyeball, but there isn�t this terrible sense of otherness to him. Is this the difference between a demon raised in captivity and one raised in the wild?

[Who are you calling a bug?] I retort, snapping my mandibles in anger. [What�s your deal anyway? I thought only the weaklings were climbing up here, what business do you have poking your gross face about?]

The demon takes slow steps forward as it leers at me, another spear-like tongue drooping out of the central mouth, swaying with its movement.

[You address me, bug? It�s not often the food talks back. Will you struggle? Will you writhe and scream for me? Are you delicious? The city is ever-hungry, and you might be the morsel they are looking for.]

Just. Gross. The novelty of finding another monster smart enough to converse, and the wealth of information that it might hold, are almost not enough for me to resist cutting the connection. This thing has such an alien way of thinking that exchanging words with it is almost enough to make me sick.

[You want to eat me, demon? Are you sure you won�t become food yourself? How about you step back, and we have a little chat before you do something you�ll regret? Tell me a little about this city, where might it be found, for example?]

Despite having a circular mouth, I can tell the demon is grinning as that barbed tongue lolls.

[Anga plays with food, but Anga does not discuss with food. If you want answers, come and take them, little bug.]

It has a name? Before I can get my thoughts together to try and keep communicating, the beast cuts the mind link itself, the feedback making me flinch for a crucial moment. A cruel gleam flashes in the creature�s eyes, ringed around its terrible mouth, and in that moment of weakness, it stretches forward one of its arms and blasts its spear-tongue at me.

Even with my mind rattled, my antennae do their work and I sense the projectile a moment before it is even released. Nerves across my body fire in sync, sending my large frame sliding to one side and causing the spear to merely graze the side of my carapace before embedding itself more than two feet into the stone behind me.

Yikes! Even though it was just a graze, I can tell the tongue managed to scrape off a layer of my precious diamond carapace. A direct hit might not go straight through, but it would surely hurt!

Quick as a flash, I attempt to snap my mandibles down on the trailing, fleshy cord that connects the spear back to the monster�s mouth. It�s a disgusting, sinewy connection of pale meat that I really would rather not bite, but robbing Mr Anga of one of his primary weapons seems like a sensible play.

CHOMP!

My eyes almost boggle out of my head as the tongue flexes and twists away from my mandibles, avoiding my bite by centimetres. Are you telling me the whole thing is prehensile? It can move and bend the whole way along its length? Before I can get a chance to bite again, the tongue grows taut and in a flash is wound back into the huge demon�s mouth.

Tiny, Crinis, Invidia, and the twenty guards continue to battle around me, fending off the barrage of demons, but my eyes are fixated on this nasty specimen, the other monsters fading into the background. The others will be able to deal without me for a while at least, but I�m the only one who can go toe to toe with this guy, I can tell. This here is a fully grown demon, like Invidia. When I use Mana Sense to get a touch of his core, I can tell that it�s a touch stronger than mine, which means it�s almost definitely in tier six.

I waggle my antennae mockingly at the demon and clack my mandibles to let him know what I think of his surprise attack. In response, another two of the spear-like tongues appear, one dangling from each arm-mouth. To my disgust, the display doesn�t stop there. Each of the beast�s three tongues extend, twisting through the air until they have risen above the height of my head, arched down to point at me like arrows ready to pierce the air.

Well, that certainly is unpleasant.

I set my legs, and not a moment too soon, as my antennae fire a warning and my body reacts before I can even think.

BOOM!

And again!

BOOM! BOOM!

First one, then the other two spear-like tongues launch in my direction with almost no speed lost due to being extended out of the demon�s mouths. I dodge the first one cleanly, but the moment my opponent sees which direction I�ve taken, the other tongues fire, bending through the air to home in on my position. Only by leaping at the last second do I avoid getting skewered, though the second and third strikes grate against my carapace, once again carving a groove in my beautiful shell.

My sub-minds are working overtime, trying to make use of the Air Mana they�ve already accumulated. Before I land, they fire off two wind blades that are almost invisible to the naked eye. Once again, the demon attempts to flex its tongues, bending them to avoid my spells, but the wide arc of the wind blade is much harder to avoid, and both slash into the tongue, just not deeply.

CLACK! CLACK!

I once more taunt Anga with my mandibles. Not responding to my efforts, the demon continues to advance, retracting its tongues closer to its body and letting the spear tips hover over its head. Despite the first two exchanges going in my favour, my opponent doesn�t seem rushed, quite the opposite. I can almost feel a horrible sense of glee rising from the creature as it narrows the distance between us.

POW! POW! POW!

Unwilling to let him do so for free, I rapid-fire a series of acid blasts whilst also using my main mind to spin together a few Gravity Bolts, drawing them out and weaving them together in record time.

Anga makes no attempt to dodge any of this, the acid connecting with his tar-like covering and sizzling madly. Likewise, the spells strike the demon without him showing any reaction at all, simply continuing his ponderous advance. Not even bothering to dodge? Where does the confidence come from?

Suddenly, a sensation of dizziness rolls over me and my legs shake, overcome by a sense of weakness. I stumble to one side, and the moment I do, my antennae ring loud with warning. He�s about to fire again!

I rely on my instincts and dodge, my weakened legs firing to get me out of harm�s way. The demon has picked his moment well, striking at the first sign of weakness. I�m not able to get away from all three of the spear strikes, the third one slams into my carapace just in front of my foremost leg on the right side of my body. The force of the impact is stunning, even with my new stats, and my weight is driven backward, though I�m able to keep myself upright.

The hardened tip of the tongue has failed to penetrate through my shell, though it has managed to dig in an inch or two, weakening my carapace in that spot significantly. I unleash the two wind blades I have prepared, and they cut deep into the flesh of the tongue connecting the spear to the main body, but again fail to sever it. Burning bright ichor drips from the wound onto the hot rocks of the third stratum, steam rising as it bubbles to a boil in an instant.

What is this sense of dizziness? Have I been poisoned in some way?

I keep moving, unwilling to remain still, forcing my legs to pump away despite the strange lethargy that has overtaken them. As I weave before the demon, I try to analyse my situation and study the barbed tongue still embedded in my shoulder, hoping to get a glimpse of what ails me. And it hits me what the problem is. Though the very point of the tongue is hardened beyond the strength of steel, the area just behind the tip is different, coated in small sacs that contain a virulently green-looking goop that is leaking onto my carapace. Some sort of venom or toxin? But I was only scratched! Even now, he hasn�t managed to get through my shell and into my bloodstream!

[Invidia! I�ve been poisoned! See what you can do about it!]

With all the practice he�s had lately, during the siege and keeping Tiny alive, Invidia has trained the rank of his Healing Magic at a rapid clip. I know for a fact that with his achievement of the higher ranks, he gained knowledge of ways to deal with poisons and afflictions, which will hopefully be enough to alleviate this situation. For now, I need to get this damn tongue off of me before more of this insidious toxin manages to worm its way into me. Let�s see if he wants to test his tongue against this!

DOOM CHOMP!

The dark energy mandibles manifest as an extension of my own and before they slam shut, Anga has rather predictably chosen not to chance it and pulled his tongue back. Although the fight has turned positively in his direction, the demon seems a touch hesitant to approach too closely now that I�ve revealed the power of the Doom Chomp. He might be willing to soak up the acid damage, but it seems as though my mandibles might be more of a threat than he�s willing to take on. Not that I�m going to give him a choice.

I start to pump Gravity Mana into my mandibles, and they begin to glow with an unearthly purple light, something that my opponent doesn�t fail to notice. He pauses his advance, tongues hovering threateningly. I can immediately tell what he wants. The poison managed to affect me when I barely had any of it on my body, and now he�s managed to pour it onto my carapace with his last attack. If I can�t counteract the effect, then the fight is already over, all he has to do is wait.

[How are you doing, Invidia?]

[The demon toxin isss ssstubborn. Not physssical at all. Mana basssed, it hasss ssseeped into you. I have done what I can for now.]

Mana based? A Mana toxin! I switch on my Mana Sense and direct it inward to reveal that Invidia is totally correct. The disgusting goop that Anga dripped all over me is a medium for delivering the poison rather than the poison itself. A viral form of Mana has leaked out of the stuff and drifted into my body, latching onto my own Mana and corrupting it, disrupting the flow of energy throughout my body. I didn�t even know something like this was possible.

Using his big ol� brain, Invidia was able to detect the issue and attack the infected energy within my body, breaking it down and dispersing it as best he could. Some traces remain, and given time, they will multiply and replicate the problem, but for now, I�m not in any immediate danger. Not that the demon knows that. I continue to build the Gravity Mana in my mandibles, and I manoeuvre, only to stumble and fall, crashing into the rock of the ramp with a thud.

As I feign weakness and try to push my body off the ground, I can almost feel the malefic glee rising from Anga as his tongues waggle in the air. His thick, chunky legs begin his advance anew with agonizing slowness. I flop and twitch on the ground until I�m confident he�s close enough before I unleash my prepared surprise. The Gravity Mana infused in my mandibles flares to life as I reach out and pull.

I don�t target Anga, the demon is way too heavy for the gravity to affect him, and I�m honestly not sure it would go super well for me if his whole body started falling at me. No, no. I target something much more specific.

The demon barely has time to react as one of his tongues suddenly feels a pull and is dragged toward me.

DOOM CHOMP!

Focusing on maximal sharpness, I slam shut my most potent biting attack, severing the tongue completely. Anga rips his remaining two tongues back into his body to avoid me getting hold of them too, but I�m not focused on that. Legs firing, I Dash as quickly as I can, mandibles wide and ready to bite again. Before my opponent can bring his weapons to bear, I slam down another Doom Chomp, cutting deep into his right arm. Not letting go, I drag the demon forward, putting him off-balance before releasing my grip and slamming into his back, sending him toppling to the ground. Quick as a flash, I leap beside him and snap my mandibles down, nearly severing the arm. I maintain the grip and open my mind to his, connecting with a Mind Bridge once again.

[Hey there, food,] I taunt him. [Feel like talking now? Might want to start fast, I�m more than a little hungry.]

The mind of Anga is little changed from what it was before. That same roiling violence beneath a coat of filth is present, and I sense no fear from him.

[Hurr, hurr,] he laughs mentally and out loud at the same time. [A feisty morsel you are. Will you allow Anga to live if he speaks with you? If I am to be food, I would rather be eaten and be done with it.]

He sounds as if he�s surrendered, but connected as we are, I can sense the thoughts of harming me bubbling in his mind. He would turn the situation in a second if I let him, and I doubt he would give me a chance to walk away alive.

[Sure, I�ll let you leave my sight alive if you talk,] I tell him. [I just have a few things I want to learn.]

�If you�re going to talk to that thing, you better make it quick, Eldest!� Protectant calls as the fight continues to keep the press of demons from overwhelming me.

Right, don�t want to waste any time here, need to get our info and get the heck out of here. Still, this is a precious chance to talk to a fellow sapient monster. I�ve heard that there�s tons of them down here in the third stratum. What to ask? What does the Colony need to know the most?

[You mentioned a city?] I ask the trapped Anga. [Whereabouts might I find it?]

[You don�t see it?] the demon says in a near mocking tone. [Look down the spire!]

I�m going to assume the spire refers to the gigantic pillar we are close to the top of. Glancing over the side of the ramp, I can see straight down the absurd, vertigo-inducing sight of the giant stone formation holding up the roof of the third stratum. Just as before, the rocks are teeming with lifeforms climbing their way up, dotted by flowing rivers of lava that flow out of the pillar at various points. Then I notice something odd. It takes me a second to reconfigure my perspective to understand exactly what it is I�m looking at.

Is that� what I think it is?

What I had originally thought was a rock formation around the base of the pillar appears to be something else. Looking almost straight down at it, I couldn�t quite make out the difference, but when I look a little harder, it isn�t actually on the ground. What I�m seeing is, in fact, a plate-like rock formation that circles the entire pillar about halfway down. And those aren�t just rocks, but rather buildings that are formed on that flat ring. That�s a city?

It appears as though I might have found it� Suspended halfway up the pillar, multiple kilometres above the floor of the stratum, the demon city exists on the pillar itself. How do they avoid getting swarmed by the climbing monsters, though? Try as I might, I can�t make out the details from this distance to work it out.

I feel the thoughts of my captive shift in an unpleasant direction, and I wrench his arm with my mandibles, returning my full focus to him, dashing his hopes of knocking me off the edge.

[I�d tell you not to think about it, but I don�t think you�re capable,] I say.

[Demonic nature cannot be changed,] he agrees.

[You came from the city on the pillar?]

[I did.]

[What for?]

[This is the only time that we demons can rise to the second stratum. I was sent to scout and search for developments in the overworld.]

Makes sense, I suppose. The wave gives the demons a chance to move up in the world, so to speak, and why wouldn�t they seize this opportunity to check out the lay of the land? In a general sense, they have more to fear from attackers descending from above than those rising from below, since waves are rare. If an army like the Legion, or perhaps a giant colony of ants, were to start setting up shop above them, the residents of the city would probably prefer being aware of it.

Even so, I feel like there is more that I�m not being told, though I can�t figure out what it is.

[You were sent by yourself? Hardly seems like enough.]

The demon gurgles a laugh out loud.

[A full-grown demon has little to fear moving up, usually.]

[You�re just an unlucky sap who picked on the wrong ant, I suppose.]

He�s not wrong. How many tier six monsters would he run into on his climb if I hadn�t been here? None, probably.

[Does the city have a name? Or this place� this area of the third stratum?]

The demon grins.

[You are above the Plains of Leng, bug, and the City of Roklu.]

Interesting. It doesn�t mean a whole lot to me, but it�s nice to know that the place has a name at all. Perhaps Granin will be able to tell me more about it.

[So, another question that I have, is what happens to you when you crawl back to your city injured, having failed your mission before you managed to leave the stratum?]

[Another will be sent, and I will be punished.] I can feel from the demon�s mind that he doesn�t much care. [They may decide that Anga is to be food and throw me to the vats.]

Vats? I�m not sure I want to know.

[I am done with your questions, insect,] the demon growls. [Either finish me or let Anga go free.]

[But we were getting along so well,] I tell him.

[I will speak no more,] he says and cuts the Mind Bridge.

It�s odd that he would know how to do that, as I sense no strong ability for magic coming from him. Certainly, he didn�t cast a single spell during our fight. It makes me wary, thinking that there might be further depths to this demon that I don�t yet understand. Still, if he doesn�t feel like talking, I can hardly take the time to try and make him whilst exposed here on the ramp. I release my bite on the demon and slowly back up, allowing him to gradually put his feet under him.

With his right arm nearly severed and the tongue from his main mouth cut, Anga is not much of a threat. Still, I don�t let up my guard for a second while he steadies himself before turning to move back down the ramp. Before he�s taken two steps, my antennae tingle with warning and I curse, jumping to one side. The demon spins with an alarming speed, and fires his one remaining tongue-spear from his left arm from near point-blank range.

I don�t bother to fully dodge, merely shifting my body to the left to put the demon between me and the edge of the ramp. With a loud THUNK, the spear slams into my carapace, once again failing to penetrate all the way through. I pay it no mind, coordinating with my sub-brains to condense the Air Mana I need for this spell to work.

BOOM!

With a concussive blast, I unload two condensed air bolts right into the demon�s chest from close range, providing the force needed to knock the demon backward, but not quite far enough. Hit him again!

BOOM!

Unable to correct his balance in time, Anga is blown back, slipping over the edge. For a moment, I can feel the aura of murderous glee rising from the demon before he slips out of my sight. With a powerful snap of my mandibles, I sever the spear that still connects us and wait to see if I get a notification for the monster�s demise.

None comes. Dammit.

He had to have known he wouldn�t be able to defeat me, as wounded as he was, so why bother making the attempt? I get the feeling the demonic mindset is going to be very different than what I would expect to see from a normal sapient creature. Still, we learned a few valuable things from him, such as the name and location of the closest demon settlement to the Colony.

We�ll need to scout it out in more detail in the future, since I�ve little doubt we�ll be conquering the place as our first port of call to extending the territory of the Colony into the third stratum. I glance out to the vast terrain that is laid before me from this high vantage point. Won�t all this be better when it belongs to the Colony? I look to the teeming hordes of demons down below. Just think of the farming possibilities�

�Alright, everyone,� I call to my bodyguards. �Time to go!�

[Pack it up gang, we�re retreating to the nest.]

Hopefully, the way back up is easier than the way down.

�Fall! Fall, you interlopers, invaders, and unbelievers! You are the nutrients provided by the Dungeon to grow something greater! Your Biomass will be the building blocks used to construct the new Path! The new way! Go in peace, under the mandibles of the Colony!� Beyn orated, his sonorous voice rolling through the tunnels like wind.

�Give it a rest, would you?� Isaac muttered, relentlessly working his spear alongside the soldier ant next to him.

Why he wasn�t back on the surface patrolling the quiet streets of Renewal and enjoying the new ale being brewed up there, he still didn�t know. Instead of relaxing and putting his feet up, here he was in the Dungeon, fighting alongside the Colony and several other surviving members of the town guard, getting an earful from the mad preacher while they were at it.

After another five minutes of fierce battle, the rush of shadow beasts was finally put down and Isaac gathered his people to rest. He pulled off his helmet and wiped the sweat from his brow, the others doing the same, patting each other on the back and sharing any Levels or Skill improvements they might have gotten.

�Friend Isaac!� came a voice from behind.

�Ah, plops,� he cursed before turning with a smile to see the one-armed priest approaching, hunched over due to the weight of the shield he bore on his back.

Isaac pulled a face.

�I�m not sure you really need to be carrying that thing around,� he said. �Do you even get a strength bonus from your Class?�

�I do not,� the priest said, breathing heavily. An hour of yelling hadn�t winded the man in the slightest but carrying an oversized shield for twenty metres knocked the air straight out of him. Classes, what a thing. The vagaries of the System were nothing new to Isaac, he was born and bred in it, had never known a life without it. �But the burden is light, as I am strengthened by my faith. The shield of righteousness is my burden to bear, as decreed by the Great One directly.�

�Did the �Great One� really decree that?� Isaac asked sceptically. �That�s not exactly how I remember it.�

�One must allow some interpretation of the Great One�s actions,� the priest said defensively. �Would you rather I bother them endlessly with questions about everything they do or say?�

�Don�t you do that already?�

�That�s not the point!�

Beyn�s face turned a touch red and Isaac had to take in the whole man for a moment. It was more than a little unusual for him to be this flustered. Beyn looked tired, worn out by some internal struggle. Though every instinct in Isaac�s body screamed in warning, he gripped the insane priest on the shoulder.

�Are you alright, man?� he asked. �You don�t seem like yourself.�

Sometimes it was easy to forget how young Beyn was. He normally moved and spoke with such purpose and determination that the normal hesitance and vulnerabilities of youth were invisible in him, burned away by the heat of his conviction. In this moment, Isaac was reminded that he was, in fact, the older of the two of them. The priest was a young man, fresh out of church training and settling into his first post when the last wave had occurred, catapulting him from that humble life into something entirely different.

�I-I�m fine,� Beyn replied, blinking in surprise as the anger and frustration just seemed to leak out of him, leaving him appearing more like a confused young man than Isaac had ever seen him. �I think� I think I�m just tired. There has been so much to do.�

�It�s not Mana sickness, is it? Have you been back to the surface recently?�

Beyn slowly shook his head. �No. No, I�m fine. I�m being careful.�

�So, what is it?� Isaac tried to encourage him to open up.

The priest spoke hesitantly at first, then with growing passion as he went on.

�There is just so much to do. The Antmancer Class is a brand-new revelation, but the speed of our progress, our Levelling, has fallen dramatically since the siege ended. I have tried to explain to the faithful that a Class such as this is hard to train, and likely powerful as it advances, but they hunger so desperately for the next improvement, the next chance for the System to illuminate this glorious path. They take risks, they push too hard and no matter how I warn them, their eagerness and enthusiasm overtakes them. Several members of my church have been sent to the surface for healing and extended rest over the last week, their own actions slowing rather than speeding their progress. I find it hard to blame them, since I too share their desire for that next great leap.�

�The Antmancers have been joining in on all the patrols,� Isaac protested the idiocy. �Every single one of them. In terms of hours on duty, they exceed every guard, even the trainees we took in from Rylleh.�

What a pain in the plops that�d been for Isaac. As the citizens of the underground city had grown more and more accustomed to life under the �rule� of the ants, they had increasingly grown to like it. To the poor and working people, the Colony were liberating heroes. When Isaac had formerly opened the ranks of the guards to volunteers after the siege, there had been a flood of applicants. It was a good thing the Colony decided to foot the bill, since Isaac wouldn�t have the first clue how he would even attempt to pay them all.

Here�s hoping the Colony never actually found a use for all the gold they�d found.

�Yes, but to them, this simply isn�t enough,� Beyn said. �And the new members of the flock are often misguided and need a great deal of teaching, lest they do or say something that tarnishes the image of the Great One and undoes our work spreading the word. This has been a nightmare to manage, and it has been some days since last I slept.�

The priest rubbed his eyes and Isaac got a clear look at how lined and webbed with red they were.

�By the Path, man,� Isaac cursed. �How the hell are you on your feet? You need to get your arse to bed!�

�Don�t curse,� the priest admonished with a faint smile.

�I�m serious, man!� Isaac said. �Even the Colony has a mandatory rest rule.�

Beyn blinked. �I�m sorry, what?�

�You didn�t know?� the head guard was shocked. Normally the priest would be the first to know anything about the Colony. �The, uh, Great One, mandated rest for every member of the Colony. I think they were sick of colony members trying to work themselves to death all the time, so they implemented this rule. They�re pretty damn serious about it. I�ve seen ants dragged kicking into the shadows to rest before.�

It was such a strange and horrifying sight that Isaac shuddered upon recalling it. There was something so disturbing about the silent screams which emanated from that ant as it was pulled into the darkness. Absolutely chilling on a level he didn�t quite understand. He came back to himself and turned his attention to the priest. For whatever reason, the mad fool was suffering and perhaps he, Isaac Bird, could be of assistance for once.

Instead, it was as if he�d stuck his head too close to a furnace. The priest�s eyes blazed with passion, a fire roaring so bright that it appeared as if it would turn the tears running down his face to steam.

�The kindness of the Great One,� he whispered reverently. �The ineffable wisdom!�

�Ah plops,� Isaac muttered.

It was with no small amount of pride that Sloan watched the first shipment of Biomass come in from the newly established farm around the nest. Thirty soldiers, each carrying a full mandible load, as well as being weighed down with bags slung over their backs. It was tiring and difficult work, one the ants performed with joy and pride, especially this group. All the Biomass being hauled currently was destined for the Academy, to allow the hatchlings to evolve with full upgrades.

�Finally, some results for all of that work,� Cobalt looked exceptionally pleased as she stood next to the general. �The carvers were pushed to the limits of their endurance, but it was worth it to see this happen. I�ve heard they�re already starting to harvest some cores as well.�

�Already?� Sloan was a little surprised. Monsters could only form cores when the concentration of Mana within their bodies reached a certain point. She�d expected it to take longer for the requisite Mana to accrue within the farms, even if they�d installed a carefully controlled irrigation system to ensure that infused water was available in each of the farming chambers.

�Yes,� Cobalt confirmed. �Bella was gushing about it earlier, though I�m not sure how many of those cores she expects to see, considering that the Eldest wants the Academy graduates to reach tier four.�

Even now, most hatchlings weren�t able to evolve with full cores from the second to third tier. Getting enough cores to max every ant from third to fourth? A pipe dream. Even so, the Eldest was determined, and despite everything that happened, they were usually right when they insisted on things like this.

�Bella and Ellie have approached me about another idea to get more cores,� Sloan said. �They want to send small groups of core shapers outside of our territory to obtain resources.�

�Is that safe?�

The general shrugged.

�Safer for them than for any other caste. Each has two or three pets that they can use to fight, which means two of them pairing up actually brings four to six combatants who each need cores, Biomass, and experience to be effective. They won�t get any of those things if they hang around here, we need every scrap for the hatchlings. I approved the idea�they�ve already started heading out.�

Cobalt just shook her head.

�Things are moving fast right now,� she muttered, and Sloan had to agree.

The end of the siege was only a week ago, and the Colony had been working furiously ever since to get the farming project up and running as fast as possible whilst also building up their defences, holding off the wave, training an unprecedented number of hatchlings, and ramping up their industry in all respects. It felt as if the Eldest were targeting their limits with laser-like precision with these projects, yet Sloan didn�t think that much thought went into it. Not that she�d ever say that out loud, for fear that the Eldest would find out.

The two Council members enjoyed a few moments of quiet as they watched their family rushing about on the thousands of tasks that needed doing, enduring the occasional pheromone message of �Slackers!� or �Stop being lazy!�

It was only when they saw a large scout blazing a trail through the many other ants on the trails that they perked up.

�Burke! Where are you off to in such a rush?� Cobalt called out.

The scout stuttered to a stop, her legs pumping hard to slow her momentum before coming to rest in front of them.

�Just had word from an outlying scout relay that the Eldest has been spotted on the way back. I was rushing to get word back to the Council.�

Sloan and Cobalt both sagged a little with relief at the news, none more so than Sloan. She was the one to crack and tell the Eldest to get out of the nest and keep Levelling, only for their mentor to up and disappear for five days! Rather than hang around just outside the defensive line like Sloan assumed they would, the Eldest had merrily plunged into the Dungeon without so much as a backward glance, during a WAVE. Tier six they might be, but that was surely just madness!

Ever since, the entire colony had been on edge as the days ticked by with no word about the fate of the Eldest. Sloan noticed she�d been getting some none-too-friendly glares as she moved about the tunnels recently, and she was more than pleased that that particular ordeal would be over.

�Any idea how far away they are?� Sloan asked. �Not too far, I hope?�

�Nope!� Burke chuckled, eyeing the general with amusement. �Shouldn�t be more than ten minutes behind me. From what I hear, the Eldest is after a rest.�

Not surprising, since they�d just returned from plunging headfirst into the Dungeon during a wave! At least Vibrant hadn�t done anything that crazy. As far as they knew, she was still rushing from one checkpoint to the next, lending a hand and then vanishing into the distance before anyone thought to ask where she was going next. Her evolution had only made things worse, increasing her speed to the point it was dizzying to even try to keep up with her.

A general buzz of activity and excitement started to build within the chamber as word got around that the Eldest was on their way back to the Colony and would be here shortly. Ants started to rush, trying to get through their work faster so they could come back and see the glorious return of the strongest member of the Colony, an odd sort of behaviour that Sloan couldn�t remember seeing much before.

Had something changed? Perhaps as the Colony grew, the reverence reserved for the very oldest of their number simply became magnified. The number of ants who�d never met or seen the Eldest certainly increased day by day, increasing the aura of mystique around them, so to speak. She puzzled over this question as the hubbub grew and then, suddenly and without fanfare, a giant ant pushed into the wide chamber, followed by the guardians.

They looked rough. The gleaming diamond carapace of the Eldest was dirty and chipped in places, their antennae also desperately needed a clean, and it was obvious to those who were watching that they were tired, their movements a little sluggish. The great ape looked even worse, a mass of injuries and filth was caked over each and every part of armour still strapped to his body. The shadow looked much the same as always, her darkness impeccably clean and without stain. The eye was similarly clean, though several small injuries marred his tiny body.

It was with some trepidation that Sloan stepped forward to greet the Eldest on their return.

�Welcome back!� she said. �I hope everything went well?�

The Eldest blearily swung their antennae about before realising who�d spoken.

�Ah! Sloan. Fine. Everything was fine! I�m just tired. The third stratum is crazy, you�ve gotta see it to believe it. Biomass for days down there if we can get it. Anyways, sleep. Bye.�

Having said their piece, the Eldest stumbled onward toward a resting chamber, a thousand ants watching them go. The moment their hero left the room, it was back to business for the masses of colony members, and they rushed to their tasks with renewed enthusiasm.

Sloan was stunned.

�Did they say� third stratum?� she muttered.

Cobalt and Burke nodded, not trusting their pheromones to properly reply.

�What sort of madness would inspire them to go to the third stratum IN A WAVE?� the general wailed.

Getting back to the nest helped a lot with my physical exhaustion, washing the fatigue from my limbs and easing the pain in my muscles. Except the mental fatigue is still there weighing me down, and after five days of almost continuous fighting, even the impressive constitution of a tier six monster is barely enough to keep me going. Moreover, Tiny fought so hard that he has no fight left in him by the time we make it inside the defensive wall of the nest, stumbling like a punch-drunk boxer, the lights almost entirely out in his eyes.

Crinis has been asleep for a while now, just latching onto my carapace and nodding off the moment she can, while Invidia is having trouble keeping himself in the air, his small wings flapping with more energy than usual to correct his frequent dips and lurches as he zones in and out.

The trip to the third stratum nearly killed us a couple of times, which is less than ideal. From what I gathered from the troops stationed at the walls, our intervention was keenly felt across a wide area along the deepest edge of the Colony�s territory, which is gratifying to hear. Including all the experience, Biomass, and cores we accrued over the journey, on top of the intelligence we gathered regarding the third stratum, I would have to qualify our adventure as a rousing success.

By the time we reach our chambers inside the inner part of the nest, all four of us have had it. Collapsing into a pile of carapace, fur, and giant eyeball, we fall into slumber, the relaxing grace of torpor draping over me and dragging my mind into the void to rest. Until�

MOVSLAJAGGA!

I�m up!

Awareness rushes back to me and I spring onto my legs, my mind refreshed and my body completely awash with energy. The thoughts, hopes, and wishes of the tens of thousands of my kind in the nest pour into me and bubble up as a mass of spiritual power that, for a moment, threatens to overwhelm me. I grapple with it, my Will straining until I succeed in shoving it into the background, the roar of the Colony fading back to a dull murmur.

What the heck was that?

It�s never behaved like that before� Is it the accumulated desires of my siblings that piled up when I was resting? Are the members of the Colony just impressing more of their Will onto me than usual? Are there just more ants around than I was expecting, all reacting with my new Vestibule?

I�m tempted to ask for advice from Granin and company about the issue, but after thinking on it, I decide not to. It isn�t that I don�t trust the golgari trio, but I feel the need to keep some of my cards close to the carapace. Also, there�s just something odd about the Vestibule and Nave and the way they interact with the rest of my kind that makes me a little hesitant to spread the word. They just seem so different from anything else I�ve seen from other monsters that I sometimes wonder if I�m the only monster in the Dungeon who has an evolution like this.

Everyone I�ve ever spoken to says insect monsters tend to not reach tier five or six, so it might be entirely possible.

Ah well, something to worry about another day. I rouse Tiny, Crinis, and Invidia, who wake with some reluctance, especially Tiny. There�s so much to do, so much to see! Time to charge out of the chamber and get to work!

As always, it�s go, go, go in the nest, with ants rushing hither and thither on their innumerable tasks following the dozens of scent trails that lead to every destination in our territory. Such is the hubbub that it takes longer than usual to make our way to our destination, but we find our way to the core shapers workshop, where Bella and Ellie are busy arranging their caste in numerous teams.

There are thirty ants gathered into groups of three when we arrive, each neatly lined up and listening to Bella give a grand speech on their mission. She stumbles to a halt when I arrive, and I find myself the centre of attention as each of them turns their attention to me.

�Uh� hi. Don�t stop on account of me!� I wave an antenna awkwardly.

�Nonsense, Eldest,� Ellie rushes over to welcome me. �How nice of you to visit us when you are so busy. You haven�t stumbled across any other revolutionary core shaping techniques on your latest outing by any chance?� she gushes, stars practically gleaming in her eyes.

�No,� I crush her dreams immediately. �But I did bring you a couple of gifts.�

[Crinis?]

From my back, Crinis extends a tentacle that arches back until it plunges into her own mass, fishing around, then emerges with a small cache of cores gripped in a curl of shadow flesh.

�A small selection of demon cores fresh from the third stratum!� I proclaim as Crinis hands them over to a rather reverent Ellie, who grips the spheres in her mandibles as if they were precious diamonds. �We weren�t able to grab many, things were a little hectic down there, but this is what we got.�

�Thank you, Eldest!� Bella exclaims. �We�ve been given a few demon cores from the outer defences, but they�ve only been trickling in. To have some directly from the source will be most useful to our research!�

�Glad to see they�ve gone to a good home. All the best, you two!�

After waving goodbye to the two core shapers and their somewhat awestruck audience, we move on to another visit within the nest that needs to be checked off the list. I find Granin and his group engaged in teatime with Enid, surprisingly enough. The three oversized rock-people look a touch out of place in the neatly furnished room of the mayor, their cups of tea appearing comically small in their large hands.

[Anthony,] Granin rumbles in my mind. [Nice to see you made it back in one piece.]

[Did you know the third stratum was like that?] I demand. [It�s freakin� hot down there!]

He raises one stone-carved eyebrow.

[People are more commonly disturbed by the idea of the entire surface of our world being supported by rocky pillars. But sure, yes, it�s very hot.]

[Also that! What the heck is going on there? You cannot possibly tell me those rocks are strong enough to hold up the gojillions of tons above them!]

[Nice to see you too, Anthony,] Enid says and takes a long sip of her tea.

Ah.

[Sorry, Enid, my manners have totally gone begging. How�s things been with you? I trust Renewal is doing well?]

She laughs. [Well enough. Don�t mind me, I�m just getting old and fussy. Although, since we�re speaking of it, is there a chance you could make an appearance on the surface? It would be wonderful to show you what we�ve achieved up there.]

Go to the surface? As tier six?

[Uh� I�m not sure⁠�]

Before I even finish the sentence, I can see the disappointment flicker in the old woman�s eyes.

[There�s a wave on, lad,] Granin reminds me.

[Oh right. Would that be enough, though?]

He shrugs.

[If the three of us tag along and help channel Mana for you, I think you�d be able to manage for a little bit. You�ll need to wait until the wave reaches its peak, though.]

It seems like a bit of a pain, but sure. Enid has done a lot for me and the Colony, I don�t mind humouring her.

[Alright then, Enid,] I say. [You heard the man. When the Mana levels peak, I�ll try to sneak up there for a tour. Sound good?]

She puts her tea down to clap her hands together, her smile wide and eyes shining.

[Wonderful! The people will be so pleased. Now please, continue your conversation.]

[Why are you interrupting me anyway?] Granin demands gruffly. [I�m trying to have some tea. Where the heck did you even get tea anyway?]

[I think we stole most of it from the golgari�] I say. [I�m actually in need of a consult. Got some time?]

[For you?]

[Obviously not.] I jerk my antennae back toward Tiny and Crinis. [For those two.]

Discussions with Granin take a few hours. We discuss and weigh the different possibilities that may await my pets upon their evolution to the sixth tier. Neither has reached the required Level as of yet, but their mutations are close to maxed out, and I thought it prudent to draw on Granin�s wisdom earlier rather than later. Since he and I are both currently in the nest, may as well make the most of it.

Torrina and Corun are eager to pitch in, offering their own suggestions which are measured by their senior before he gives his own opinions. As the time passes, we narrow the better choices for the pair of monsters, Crinis listening intently whilst Tiny sleeps in the corridor.

[One thing you must do,] Granin stresses repeatedly, [is raise Tiny�s intelligence so he can use the manual evolution menu before he evolves. It�ll cost him a good amount of Might, but he can gain that back and more when he goes through with it. Normally for pets like this, you would develop the pet Skill tree a little more to the point that you are able to handle their evolutions for them.]

He raises a hand to cut off my protest. [Although I know you don�t feel comfortable making all their decisions for them. That�s why bumping him up to the point he can do the manual evolution by himself is the only choice. The records on Lightning Fist Ape evolutions are thin. I�m probably one of the few who�s even bothered to look into them, which I only did after you left. As you suspect, they�re so feisty and stupid, they basically never survive to make it to tier three. Those that do are strong but are even dumber. The Cult had never seen a tier four variant according to what I read.]

This and many other points were discussed before we waved goodbye to Enid and the three golgari. Time is precious right now and we can�t afford to be away from the front lines for long.

The job before the Colony is pretty straightforward: ride out the wave whilst dragging in all the resources we possibly can. For myself, that means getting Tiny and Crinis to tier six, as well as Levelling up my bodyguards to tier five. The collective experience needed is massive, and it�s going to take a heck of a lot of grinding to get the job done.

Which means we need to get back to it.

Rushing through the nest, it isn�t long until we find ourselves the centre of attention moving through the masses of ants. We do stick out a touch, my pets and I.

Since evolving to tier six, I�ve increased substantially in size, whilst the majority of my siblings remain at tier three. It�s no exaggeration to say that they could safely walk beneath my abdomen with only their antennae brushing against my carapace, that�s how large I�ve gotten. It reminds me of when I met the Queen for the first time, except now I�m the one towering over hordes of much smaller insects.

Having my family members looking up to me in the literal and figurative sense is a touch overwhelming if I let myself dwell on it, so I don�t.

The whispers are always there. No matter how much I try to shut them out, a trickle constantly seeps through. I open myself up to them and am flooded by an inpouring of spirit. Trying to steady myself, I reach out with my mind to touch the edge of this energy, to get a sense of their thoughts without becoming overwhelmed. Dipping in one leg, I can feel the voices of hundreds of members of the Colony, their Will echoing in my mind. After steadying myself, it�s actually kind of nice, even if it�s reminiscent of eavesdropping in some way. Most of the thoughts are devoted entirely to growing the Colony and making it more prosperous, of helping, of being useful.

The smith who toils on her projects, hoping to protect her siblings in battle.

The Brood Tender who raises the young with care and loving attention, raising the next generation as best she can so that the Colony may flourish.

The soldier patrolling the tunnels, defending the nest and protecting her siblings.

The worker, transporting food to the Queen�s chamber, eager to do the work that will feed the growth of her family.

The mage fighting on the walls, using her magic to fend off the ever-oncoming waves of enemies, her heart never wavering in the face of danger.

The miner digging minerals and ore, her mandibles working without rest despite the chaos of fighting around her.

All of their experiences flow through me, and for a moment, it�s as though I were them and all of them were me, lost in the collective of our family. An overwhelming feeling of togetherness, a sense of belonging at being amongst this caring group is magnified a hundredfold. It�s almost addictive, and I wind up brushing around the edges of the stream of the energy flowing into me, experiencing the Will of hundreds of different colony members at a time.

[Master?]

[Eh?]

Only when Crinis� voice echoes in my head do I come back to myself.

[Sorry, what�s up, Crinis?]

[You�d gone still, Master. For a few minutes now. I was wondering if there was anything wrong. I�m sorry if I disturbed you�]

[Really? That long?] That�s a little chilling. [No, you did the right thing. If I zone out like that again, feel free to speak to me, alright?]

[I will, Master,] she replies, happy to be praised.

Yeesh. The more I learn about the Vestibule and its new addition, the Nave, the less I understand them. Having the Vestibule reformed using Soul Crystal has massively magnified the effect the organ has. Not only is the energy I receive vastly more than what I took in before, so too is the purity and clarity of Will. Being able to dip into it and experience the flowing thoughts and impressions of the Colony is not something I expected. Is that a product of the Soul Crystal, the Nave, or both combined?

Bah, it�s not like I have time to worry about it. Onward! To battle!

�Ah, Eldest, heading out to the walls?�

�Wills? Haven�t seen you in a while, what have you been up to?�

�Scouting,� she replies, not a twitch of the antennae to give away the sarcasm.

�Ha, ha. A little more detail, if you please, Wills.�

She clacks her mandibles in amusement.

�Not much to expand upon, Eldest. With the wave happening, we�ve been pretty much locked into our territory, so the scouts have been doing a detailed survey of every inch of it, making sure we map the entire thing completely. It�s been exhausting, detailed work, but we�re just about done now.�

�I guess you guys can�t really go ranging very far, given the situation,� I muse. �That must be annoying. I know you scouts like to get out on your own.�

�It is annoying,� she affirms. �But there�s not much we can do about it. Wave and all that.�

�What are you scouts going to be doing now?�

�Running messages and helping to fight. Not much else we can do.�

�You wouldn�t happen to know where we�re getting hit the hardest, do you? I�m off to provide some relief and Level up my group.�

�Straight down, where else?� she points to the floor beneath our feet with one leg. �That�s where the majority of demons come, along the lower edge. To the sides, it�s mostly shadow creatures.�

�That�s what I thought, but it never hurts to check. Care to come with? Since you�re off fighting anyways?�

�Let�s get to it. Wonder if Vibrant has made her way down there yet?�

We move through the nest with Wills running alongside, and once again, I�m stunned at the sheer level of industry that the Colony has grown to. The farming territories swarm with ants, culling the ever-spawning monsters and ferrying a constant stream of Biomass back to the nest. From there, the food will be transported around the territories, to the Queens, the satellite nests, and the Academy. Biomass is the lifeblood of our growth, and an endless river of it is flooding into the Colony such as we have never seen before. For however long the wave lasts, provided we can fend off the never-ending foes from below, we are going to experience incredible wealth in terms of food.

The future is bright!

Though it�s past time I got back to doing my bit. Past the farms and deeper into the tunnels, we come across the emergency medical facilities, packed with wounded soldiers and other castes with heavy injuries. Medics fuss and fidget over them, using their medical Skills to heal as best they can, feeding Biomass to the injured in order to speed up the healing process. Beyond them, we come across the inner walls, each manned with a full complement of ants despite the wave not having penetrated this deep. As we progress deeper and farther from the nest, we pass more layers of fortifications�walls, traps, pits, barriers, and spiked ramparts�many still being worked on by perfectionist carvers.

�They�re preparing for another round of satellite nests?� I exclaim as Wills reveals the Council�s plans. �Is this really the time for that?�

The scout shrugs.

�It was Victoriant and Antionette who pushed hard for it. I can�t say I disagree either. It takes a significant amount of time to lay the groundwork for a new satellite nest. The territory needs to be mapped out, the construction and preparation of the tunnels takes time, forging the gates, gathering the resources for enchanting. The egg-laying chambers will need to have the Dungeon veins removed. There�s a ton that goes into it.�

�I get that, but how exactly is any of that supposed to take place during a wave?� It seems like madness to me.

�The preliminary work can get done. Tungstant and Cobalt are already working on designs and poring over the maps we were able to build before the siege started. For now, I think they�re hoping to build four.�

�FOUR?�

�Yep, with two Queens in each. From what I gather, they�ll be built quite a ways away, but together in a cluster, if you take my meaning. Since they�ll be so far from the main nest and we can�t support them at short notice, the idea is that they�ll be able to lean on each other when needed.�

Another eight Queens� if each is laying at maximum capacity� just how many eggs is that going to be per day? Possibly pushing a thousand? Holy moly! And that number will only get higher. When they further evolve, they could produce double that, maybe even more!

Oi.

Things are getting out of control here, aren�t they? What the heck is the Vestibule going to be like when there are literally millions of us? Do I even want to think about that? I know ant colonies on Earth can grow into the millions, that�s not surprising, but thinking about my colony, with giant, thinking ants, it paints a different sort of picture. How are we going to feed that many grubs? All of a sudden, the vast farms the Colony has constructed feel entirely too small. We need to scale up! Quickly!

Even so, the Council really did take my call to be ambitious seriously, didn�t they? Four more satellite nests already in planning� The expansion of the Colony really is speeding up to an absurd degree.

Whilst I�m still digesting the news, we arrive at the frontline, the din of battle rising to near-deafening levels as a blast of pheromones hits me right in the antennae. The fighting is fierce, ants swarming in numbers behind their choke points, pouncing on every monster who sticks so much as a foot through, dragging them back and piling onto them before they can fight back. Even with all our advantages, ants still get injured, or worse, as the fighting intensifies.

We find a general, directing traffic and providing buffs to the fighting.

�Reporting for duty,� I snap out a quick salute with an antenna. �Mind if we jump in for a while?�

�Eldest!� she seems surprised to see us here. �By all means, it�ll be nice to have the pressure taken off.�

[You heard the lady,] I tell my pets. [We�re going through.]

I give a significant look to the ceiling as well, letting my guard detail know that I expect them to be Levelling.

�You coming through with us?� I ask Wills.

�I think I�ll provide some long-distance fire support,� she replies. �I�m not exactly built for the front.�

�Suit yourself,� I shrug.

We charge forward, giving little warning to the ants who scurry out of the way. I burst straight through the choke point and drive into the horde of scratching, biting, and clawing monsters on the other side, my mandibles gnashing for battle.

DOOM CHOMP!

Notifications ring in my mind, but I pay them no heed. With a little space created, Tiny bursts into the gap, his roar of fury and joy ringing from the stone walls as fists of light manifest and snap out with blistering speed.

[Get to work, Crinis,] I remind her. [We aren�t here for me.]

[Yes, Master.] She peels off my carapace, growing into her proper size, her three maws open wide, the dark void within ready to consume all that she can see.

[You and I are on support,] I tell Invidia, and he pulses green to show his understanding. Already, he�s binding shields to Tiny and healing the minor wounds he�s received.

I spin together the Omni-Elemental Construct and prepare to start grinding Levels. Every time I Level up the Skill, handling the construct and the elements it creates becomes that little bit more fluid and intuitive. As time passes, I�ll be able to fling around elemental spells with wild abandon. I do need to keep in mind my need to grind Mind Magic also, but that can wait for the time being. The Elemental Magic is going to be far more useful in this situation, so it gets priority.

We settle into a rhythm, Tiny and Crinis in front, battling hard and fighting for every drop of experience they can get, with Invidia protecting and healing them whilst I throw fire, lava, ice and whatever else takes my fancy. Every now and again, a more powerful monster, such as a demon, comes forward to challenge us, and we team up to put it down hard, ensuring that the experience is taken by someone who needs it. This goes on for hours until our energy starts to dip, and I order my group back through the choke point to rest.

[Wasn�t too bad, was it, guys? Nothing compared to our last expedition!]

Tiny harrumphs, as if to say the last expedition was pure madness, and nothing should be measured against that standard.

[Well, get some food into you and have a quick nap. We�re going to relocate and do it again as soon as you�re ready.]

Crinis sighs and stretches a small set of tentacles as she settles onto my back, preparing to snooze. I haven�t even finished talking before Tiny is out, snoring up against the wall. Thanks to the Vestibule, I�m full of energy, but these two have been doing the bulk of the fighting and don�t have my benefits. It�s going to be a rough wave for them, since this is all we�re going to do until they reach Level 80, which could take over a week.

I snack on a small piece of Biomass I snagged outside the wall and lower myself down. The life of a monster really is an endless grind.

It was always so damned hot down here. The wave certainly didn�t help; the Fire Mana hung so thick in the air, Alir could smell it, brimstone and sulphur tickling the edge of his nostrils with every breath. He coughed and spat, trying to get the foul taste out of his mouth to no avail, the spittle evaporating to nothing mere seconds after it touched the ground.

�Blast it,� he muttered under his breath, stepping outside the inner chamber to try and get some air.

The acolytes outside stepped out of his way when he burst out the door, robes flapping behind him. They bowed as he passed, their foreheads below the level of their waist, as was proper. Alir paid them no mind, such things were beneath his notice. He focused on his own restricted lungs as he marched through the temple and toward the front door, hoping to find relief.

�Grand Priest, a messenger awaits outside for you,� a timid priestess informed him as he strode past, causing a frown to crease his face.

�Demon?� he snapped.

�Y-Yes, Grand Priest,� she stuttered.

He grunted with irritation. A demon with a message usually didn�t bode well, more likely than not it was a frivolous waste of his time for something only the twisted denizens of this place would consider important. The unfortunate reality was that there were some demons he couldn�t afford to put off, for the sake of the church�s work here. Maintaining a cooperative partnership was a requirement of doing business in the third stratum, and not even the Church of the Path was immune from this requirement.

Foul mood growing by the minute, Alir shoved open the stone doors of the temple and stepped outside.

Rather than the clear air he sought, he was greeted by a sight of the blasted wasteland that was the third stratum, the blistering heat and demon stench even more pungent than before. The demon City of Roklu was no grand sight either. The rough stone buildings and even rougher denizens were not improving the priest�s mood one iota.

It might have been a touch less stuffy in the open as opposed to the enclosed inner chamber, although that may just have been his mind playing tricks. Regardless, he dragged in a few lungsfuls and spat once more for good measure. He knew very well that only the most trusted members of the church could be given assignments like his, but the Path knew he regretted the strength of his own devotion on days like this.

�Humanssss,� ground a voice from nearby.

Alir turned to see a razor thin pride demon eyeing him hungrily from nearby.

�What do you want, filth?� he sneered. No need to be polite with the help.

The demon didn�t react to his taunt, their kind seldom did.

�Grokussss wantssss you.� A fetid grin stretched across the creature�s face.

Before Alir could even retort, the beast was gone, its wire-thin limbs moving with uncanny speed. Pride demons, he grimaced. They had a way of getting on his nerves. Thinking on the delivered message, his mouth twisted. What did the petty despot ruler of this plate want with him today? The church had never failed to uphold their end of the agreement, despite the constant wrangling and sly machinations that were levelled against them from their partners.

This day couldn�t get any worse.

He made his way through the city, the winding path leading him ever closer to the centre of the disk of stone the city stood on, and therefore, to the pillar. The various denizens of the city, mostly demons with a mix of sapient settlers, moved out of his way as he stomped through their midst. Judging from the look on his face, the Grand Priest was in a poor mood, and none wanted to be the unfortunate soul to feel his wrath.

There was something gratifying about having monsters ten times your size step aside out of your way. Except Alir had grown numb to such things long ago, his focus was on the great pillar and the palace established on its face. Grokus� residence wasn�t carved into the pillar itself, no force on Pangera could cut into that stone, but had been constructed around it, a compound that circled the full circumference around the centre of the city. What possible use the bloated demon could have for all that space, he wouldn�t want to guess, but he�d ruled there for hundreds of years, embellishing the d�cor to the point where it had become frankly disturbing to behold.

When Alir arrived at the entrance carved into the outer wall of the compound, he nodded to the two pride demons on guard and waited for them to open it for him. Pride demons as door watchers. Subtlety was not one of Grokus� strong points. If their post grated on them, the two wire-thin figures gave no sign of it and hauled open the heavy gate to allow him entrance.

Alir tried to block as many of the sights and sounds of the compound as he could, his lip curling with distaste, gaze focused directly ahead. Despite years living amongst them, he was no closer to understanding the mindset of demons, to the point he doubted they could be understood. Their twisted natures and barbaric amusements were one thing, but their callous indifference to life, any life, including their own, was quite another.

From the corner of his eye, he could see all manner of bizarre and horrific �entertainments� being engaged in by the favoured lackeys of the city lord. The victims, more often than not, were other demons, those who�d wagered and lost, those who had failed a given task, or those who were simply bored. The charnel atmosphere managed to do the impossible and make the air even more unpleasant to breathe, the sickly stench of ichor and flesh mixing with the heat and brimstone to create a truly nauseating experience.

Even with Alir�s high Will stat, keeping his lunch down proved challenging. He battled manfully until he reached the inner courtyard, finding the ruler of this place lounging, as best as a monster of his proportions could, beside a pool of liquid fire surrounded by depraved statues depicting various monsters being feasted on.

Grokus himself was an old and particularly contemptible Excess Demon, a tier seven monster who had achieved a powerful evolution from the tier six Gluttony Demon. A bloated mass of pale flesh, a rarity for a demon, split across the middle with a mouth that measured more than ten feet from edge to edge. From the top of that bulbous pile of meat emerged a disturbing, human-like figure cut off at the waist. It was to this that Alir directed his voice.

�You have summoned me and so I have come, Grokus,� he intoned, trying, and largely failing, to conceal his contempt. �What do you desire of the Church of the Path? An absolution, perhaps?�

The human figure atop the mass smiled thinly at the poor joke whilst the huge mouth guffawed deafeningly, a green, barbed tongue lolling from between the fat lips.

�I have called you here because some information has come to my attention that might be of interest to you and your people, priest,� the too-pale figure of Grokus replied. �My scout has returned with news of the stratum above. There appears to be an insect infestation above us.�

Alir cocked an eyebrow.

�What sort of insect?� he asked, his interest piqued.

It wasn�t unheard of for an insect swarm to get out of control and pour into the second stratum, their numbers making up for their generally weak individual strength, but that�s usually where things would end. The surface and upper layers of the Dungeon had far more to fear from swarming monsters than deeper down. For them to make it to the lower parts of the second stratum was already quite the achievement.

�Ant,� the massive demon replied succinctly.

�Ants?� The priest was surprised. �How deep were they?�

Grokus steepled his fingers atop his own bulging flesh.

�My scout encountered one just inside our stratum, blocking the path to the second.�

�Inside the third?� Now he was really surprised. �What tier was it?�

�Six.�

�SIX? An ant?�

�Do not make me repeat myself, priest.�

Alir ignored the veiled threat, the novelty of the situation having tickled his fancy. Such a high tier ant was� exceptionally rare, if not completely unheard of. Without access to the complete church records, he wouldn�t be able to check, but certainly he himself hadn�t heard of such a thing in all his years. What could it mean for such a creature to emerge here?

�The ant in question had three pets, each of them fifth tier,� the city lord continued.

That information pointed in another direction entirely.

�Traveller. Has to be.�

�That is my suspicion also,� Grokus confirmed, nodding thoughtfully even as his larger mouth snaked out a tongue to grasp a hunk of Biomass being proffered by a servant, and sucked it into his maw with a wet slurp. �There were other ants present as well, a small number, but each of them were tier four.�

�You think this traveller is raising up their colony? Creating an army?�

�Perhaps so, perhaps not? Without more information, it�s difficult to say.�

Alir considered this news, his arms folded across his chest, and he ignored the disgusting sounds of eating that continued to emanate from the tumescent wall of meat in front of him. This news was certainly interesting, and highly unusual. He was tempted to put off his work for an afternoon to document this rare occurrence for the church records, though they likely wouldn�t take a demon�s word for it. He�d need to see it himself if he wanted to submit a report, and he wasn�t about to go hunting through the Dungeon during a wave. Which brought him to the point.

�Why tell me?� he asked. �The church maintains only a minor presence here in Roklu, and we have abided by your strictures to the letter. If the ants invade, I�m sure you�ll be able to deal with it. Certainly wouldn�t be the first time the city has been attacked during my stay here. If you want the Colony exterminated, then you�re capable of mounting an expedition above on your own, you have no need of us.�

Grokus waved a hand.

�I have no great desire to leave my post, nor do I wish to send my precious forces above at this time. We have a war scheduled with Orpule in a few days and I simply can�t spare them.�

The priest tried not to roll his eyes. Orpule, the city lord of the nearest neighbour to Roklu, was an Avarice Demon, an unhealthy species for a ruler. Her desire for control led to endless conflict between her and� everyone. Even so, Alir was taken aback.

�A war during a wave? Is that wise?�

�I am not the aggressor in this conflict, as I�m sure you know. Besides, the city�s population has grown rapidly over the past week, with new demons tipping in every minute. We are in need of a cull.�

�So you would like the church to take up this challenge for you,� Alir surmised what the demon wanted. With his own forces committed against his fractious contemporary, he didn�t have the resources to try and nip the problem possibly growing above in the bud.

�There�s a great deal of resources to be had in exterminating a colony of such creatures.� Grokus smiled with both mouths, a disturbing sight to say the least. �I�m sure the church would be interested in mounting an expedition to claim such wealth.�

�And you allow us free use of the gate?�

The demon grinned.

�I�m not sure free would be the right word. Discounted perhaps.�

Alir grunted. Typical.

�I�ll send word to my superiors and see what they have to say,� he said. �I can�t very well make a call on this myself. If that�s all, then I�ll be going.�

�Do not be late with my next payment of syrup,� Grokus purred. �I am ever so eager for that flavour to hit my tongue once more.�

When Grokus indicated his dismissal with a wave of one delicate hand, the priest turned on his heel and marched out, ignoring the repulsive sounds of eating that began anew. His gaze was strictly narrowed all through the compound and city, all the way into the temple.

Back amongst his own people, he was able to breathe easy, or as easy as was possible in this cursed place. Making his way back into the inner sanctum, he sat at his desk, the conversation with the city lord continuing to run through his mind. He was certain there was another angle. Demons didn�t live as long as that tub of lard without being clever at seeking out advantages. It�s possible he just wanted someone else to deal with this problem for him, it�s possible he just wanted the church to owe him a favour, or perhaps he wanted both at the same time.

A traveller, born as an ant. What a poor, unfortunate soul. He would love to take in such a creature, to help them put their experience to good use, to pass on that essence. At tier six, it would be a difficult capture, but not impossible. And all of those other ants, possibly thousands of them. It would be an immense harvest, and he was certain the bishops would be tempted, though he personally doubted they would commit. The church presence in Roklu, himself and a mere twenty acolytes, priests, and priestesses, was hardly meaningful, and it was unlikely they would be willing to move in force in this remote corner of the stratum.

Still, he took the time to write a missive to be delivered through the portal when the next delivery would be made, describing the situation and his own thoughts.

Speaking of the delivery, he had best get back to work.

Alir stood and began to inspect runic inscriptions carved into the floor at the centre of the chamber. Even unpowered as they were, they glowed with arcane power, the latent energy in the room enough to make them crackle with Mana. He walked a slow circle around the edge of the room, studying every inch of the complex matrix with care. After two such circuits, he turned his eyes to the chalice that sat in the centre of the carvings, his eyes flaring with light as he enhanced his vision to inspect the enchantments woven into the vessel. Another slow circuit and the light faded from his eyes, his interrogation complete.

Satisfied, he turned to the form suspended upside down from the roof, the bright steel wire mesh of the netting shining red in the dim light. A demon of ignorance, one of his most detested variants, filthy mind mages that they were, provided by the city lord himself. The creature didn�t move, couldn�t move, not so much as twitch an eyelid, such was the paralytic effect Alir had put it under. However, it was still conscious, and he looked it carefully in the eye as he began the ritual.

�Monster,� he intoned. �I take now your life, your experience, and your essence. In the name of the Path, I do this. Be at ease, for you will not fade from this world, but be passed down to another in your entirety.�

So speaking, he tapped a foot on the floor and concentrated as the matrix came to life. A ghostly tendril emerged from the chalice and reached for the creature hanging above, connecting to its flesh. After a few seconds, a single, shining drop of silver liquid pooled on the monster�s head and dropped into the cup waiting below. Then another. Then another.

Alir watched, concentration never wavering as the holy work was done.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

[Get him, Tiny! Hit him with the left! Then the right! Ooooo, here comes the C-C-C-COMBO!]

The big ape flashes a grin, more than a little happy with my ongoing fight commentary as he duels with the latest demonic offering from the third stratum. A particularly nasty, snake-like creature with a huge number of clawed hands rising from its back to form a hood similar to what a cobra would have. This is the first of its kind that we�ve come across, and I sent Tiny out to have the first crack at it. He�s Levelled his Skills significantly over the last few days of concentrated fighting, and so far he�s managing to more than hold his own against his opponent.

As he should! I don�t care about this �first stratum is weaker than third stratum� nonsense, he�s a full tier above it! I refuse to accept that we are significantly weaker just because we happened to be born higher up. I won�t accept this prejudice!

[Get �em, Tiny! Look for the upper, the upper!]

Totally unnecessary advice on my part, since Tiny is always hunting for that sweet, sweet uppercut. A few moments later, after a masterful feint, he finds a chance when the snake demon rises above him, either to bite or perhaps grapple with the ape using its many clawed hands. Big mistake! Light as a dancer on his feet, the giant ape glides forward, his body held low, hands in close to the chest as he drops his centre of mass and begins to rotate his shoulders.

Here it comes!

His hands flash with light as he activates his Skill, forming a giant fist of pure energy that manifests in front of his own. In one burst, his wings unfurl to their full length and he leaps, springing from the ground, sending the punch straight into the chin of the looming demon whose head smacks straight into the roof of the tunnel with a thunderous crack, the stone above splitting on impact.

Groggy from the blow, the snake-thing reels, trying to put some distance between it and the furious ape-boxer, but Tiny is having none of it. Shoulders forward, he charges with surprising speed, his wings beating a powerful rhythm to give a boost of acceleration. As he closes the distance, his fists come alight with chittering electricity that ripples down his shoulders and coalesces around his hands in a near-blinding light.

[Yeah, Tiny! Finish it!] I cheer from the safety of the back row.

He sways left, then right, then plunges forward, hands flickering as he punches with maximum speed. Still recovering from the previous blow, the snake struggles to react, trying to swat at the gorilla with its tail but failing to push him away as he lays blow after blow into its body, each one discharging a potent jolt of electricity that sizzles flesh and shocks nerves. Once he gets going, there�s no stopping him, and the furious rush of punches doesn�t cease until the enemy lies still, overcome by the pummelling.

[Yeah! Good job, Tiny! Drag that thing back this way, we�ll get some Biomass out of it for sure.]

[What about me, Master? Have I done well?]

I turn to Crinis, who�s spent this entire time fighting off masses of shadow beasts by herself, allowing Tiny the space to have his one versus one. Dozens upon dozens of tentacles ranging in thickness from wire-thin to tree trunk move in a constant flurry of grabbing, twisting, or bending monsters into shapes they were never intended to be. The fear effect triggers in numerous enemies, sending them scurrying in terror from the dark orchestra that Crinis is conducting. When it comes to thinning out large groups, she really is in a class of her own.

[You did exceptionally well, Crinis. Can you cover us whilst we retreat back to the lines?]

[I will!]

[Alright then, let�s go!]

Full of good cheer, we march back the short distance to the defensive wall of the Colony and slip inside, turning over the defence to the detachment of soldiers, scouts, generals, and mages placed here. Healed up and rested thanks to us taking over their duties for a few hours, the ants look fighting fit and eager to get back to work. Tiny drags through his hard-won Biomass, and once we clear the second defensive line with its second garrison getting ready to rotate with the previous one, we settle down to eat and discuss our progress.

[Still not Level 80, Master,] Crinis reports mournfully. [I have gone past fifty, however.]

[How about you, Tiny?] I ask the big ape.

He shoves huge mouthfuls of Biomass into his face, and just waggles a hand back and forth to indicate �about the same�.

Hmm. The Levelling is going well, all things considered. Despite the huge amount of fighting we�re doing, there are simply too many weaker monsters to boost them any faster. If it weren�t for the juicy XP they were getting from the tier four demons who pop up relatively frequently, it would be a far slower grind. Even so, I�m happy with how things are going, and I try to encourage my first two pets.

[You�re doing super well,] I praise them. [We are going to keep grinding at this until you are both the same tier as me. We aren�t going to fight in the third stratum until I�m confident we will be able to survive down there, and that means evolutions. Keep doing what you�re doing and we�re going to be fine.]

With Tiny and Crinis reassured, I turn my attentions to the roof.

�And how are all of you going? You have a deadline, don�t forget. When this wave is done, any of you who aren�t tier five will be barred from coming with me to the third stratum, you hear me?�

��Yes. We�re making progress,� comes the muttered reply from thin air.

�Nice. This is for your own good. I won�t hear any excuses.�

The past few days have been rough on the Colony, the endlessly surging wave is putting pressure on the defenders all around our territory, especially in the deeper half. No matter how much we try to help, the moment we arrive at the next site, the defenders are hard-pressed and struggling to hold on. We relieve them for a while, let them get their legs back under them, only for them to be back under the pump the moment we leave.

It�s not as if the ants aren�t improving either. This sort of sustained combat is giving them Skill Levels and Biomass out the wazoo, but with every hour that goes by, the wave grows more intense. The Mana levels continue to rise and the strength of the monsters coming out of the depths keeps growing. It won�t be much longer until we start to see tier five demons showing up in small numbers, I feel confident of that.

Thankfully, we shouldn�t see many tier six like Anga, since they�re sapient to some extent. I don�t expect many will be wanting to leap out into the middle of the Dungeon during a wave. Which means all we need to do is keep holding the line as the pressure ramps up. I�ve been seeing a few tier five ants cropping up here and there, which is going to help. And then there�s Vibrant, who I�ve seen blitzing about the place even faster than she was before. I think she mutated her aura gland to give even more of a speed boost than it did before, since everyone around her was really zipping along.

[Alright,] I announce to Tiny and Crinis, [I think I�ll take a look at your cores so we know exactly what we�re dealing with and can start making a few decisions as we get closer to your evolution. It�s a slight invasion of privacy, I know, but I think we can agree this is for the best. Who�s first?]

It�s been a long, long time since I took a gander at the cores of my two longest-serving companions. All in all, a little inspection is probably overdue, but I�ve grown to feel that poking at their status too often is probably a bit invasive. They�ve never complained about it, but I�ve hesitated to ask. But the time has come! I can no longer shy away now that the momentous moment of evolution is approaching.

After a bit of wavering back and forth, it�s Tiny who winds up first on the chopping block.

Bringing my antennae forward to tap him on the arm, I activate the core shaping Skill that hasn�t been used in quite a while. A flood of information pours into my mind, but far from being overwhelmed by it, my recently minted super brain is more than capable of tackling the load.

Quite different from my past experiences, I navigate through the disjointed mess and find my way to the core of what I�m looking for. The summary of everything that Tiny is, the status page!

Name: Tiny

Level: 52 (Rare) (V)

Might: 267

Toughness: 51

Cunning: 11

Will: 28

HP: 102/102

MP: 262/262

Skills:

Grand Master Kong Fist Boxing Level 56 (V); Horizon Piercing Uppercut Level 25 (IV); Comet Leap Level 30 (IV); Master Heavy Smash Level 11 (IV); Expert Athletics Level 17 (III); Expert Grappling Level 25 (IV); Penetrating Smashing Blows Level 6 (IV); Glittering Fancy Feet Level 8 (IV); Flicker Dash Level 18 (III); Expert Dodge Level 14 (III); Master Kong Combo Level 31 (IV)

Mutations:

Detonator Enhanced Musculature +25; Condensed Granite Bones +25; Collapsing Meteor Legs +25; Stone Shattering Sonic Enhancer +25; Compressing Rapid Lightning Mana Affinity Gland +25; Compressing Rapid Lightning Mana Affinity Gland +25; Rapid Combusting Energy Conversion Gland +25; Potent Flex Shadow Wings +25; Magnifying Tesla Fur +25; Regenerating Steel Flesh Fists +25

Species: Shadow Kong Emperor

Skill Points: 20

Biomass: 211

Holy mackerel! Look at these Skills! How the heck has he managed to raise them so high? Actually� when I take a look through the list, almost every Skill is related to punching in some way. So long as he�s hitting stuff, he�s pretty much Levelling every Skill. Also, it appears as though he fused a bunch of Skills to make Grand Master Kong Fist Boxing, which would explain why his fighting style looks so much more organised than it did before.

His punches are cleaner with far less wild swings, and much faster. I notice his dashing and dodging Skills are lagging a long way behind his general hitting Skills. Typical Tiny, far more interested in belting his opponents around than he is in avoiding damage. Fancy Feet has certainly come a long way, though.

Looking through his mutations, all of them are as straightforward as they could possibly be. More explosive muscles for hitting harder, more solid, regenerating fists, so he can hit harder, extra energy for hitting more often, and more solid bones to absorb the force of his punching. Is this what Granin was talking about with his �synergy� talk? Somehow, despite putting no thought into the process at all, Tiny has managed to turn himself into a lean, mean punching machine, with almost all of his Skills, body parts, and mutations dedicated to hitting things as hard as he can. And blasting lightning at stuff, let�s not forget that.

[I�m actually impressed, Tiny. You may be thick as three bricks fused into one, but you know what you like and you�ve stuck with it. I think the things we discussed with the Shapers will work perfectly for you, although I�ll have to talk you through it since you slept through the whole thing�]

Tiny gives me a quick thumbs up and gets back to eating.

[Just keep in mind that I�ll be bumping your Cunning up to twenty before you evolve so you can use the manual evolution menu. Which means you�re going to lose a little muscle mass.]

He freezes in horror then clutches at his biceps, giving me a reproachful stare. I ignore him.

[Alright, Crinis, your turn. You can keep eating if you want, this won�t take long.]

[Oh, no! I�ll wait.]

Enlarged to her full size, Crinis is a much more intimidating sight than her usual blob. Three fang-filled maws that seem to be wrapped around a dark void, a mass of shadow flesh that sprouts innumerable tentacles, each one covered in oscillating barbs that gleam razor-sharp. In many ways, she�s a terrifying creature, but I sincerely struggle to think of her that way after all of the time we�ve spent together.

I bring my antennae forward to touch her mouldable flesh and activate the Skill, navigating the stream of information that comes flying my way.

Name: Crinis

Level: 54 (Rare) (V)

Might: 130

Toughness: 110

Cunning: 86

Will: 64

HP: 220/220

MP: 260/260

Skills:

Grand Master Shadow Flesh Manipulation Level 45 (V); Grand Master Grappling Level 18 (V); Master Shredding Level 39 (IV); Omniscient Tremor Sensing Level 39 (V); Barbarous Dismembering Level 22 (IV); Quivering Fear Inspiration Level 26 (IV); Mana Moulding Level 11 (IV); Dextrous Tentacle Walking Level 2 (IV); Master Tentacle Fu Level 25 (IV); Finer External Mana Manipulation Level 12 (IV); Master Shadow Magic Affinity Level 34 (IV); Expert Stealth Level 18 (III)

Mutations:

Amorphous Armoured Shadow Flesh +25; Disintegrating Ion-Void Maw +25; Bottomless Endless Dimensional Stomach +25; Tri-Legion Tentacles +25; Sharpened Diamond Barbs +25; Visceral Teeth +25; Far-Seeing Omniscient Mana Sensory Gland +25; Compressing Reservoir Shadow Magic Gland +25; Instantaneous Shadow Flesh Generator +25; Piercing Shadow Eye +25; Broad Masterful Tentacle Conductor +25; Broad Masterful Tentacle Conductor +25; Fathomless Light Sink +25; Hyper Shade Phase Organ +25; Disintegrating Ion-Void Maw +25; Disintegrating Ion-Void Maw +25; Mouldable Cell Structure +25

Species: Tri-Maw Amorphous Horror

Skill Points: 45

Biomass: 149

A much more diverse build, Crinis has also made excellent progress on her Skills, as well as ensured that her mutations are in tune with each other. Her ability to create a plethora of tentacles and control them with incredible dexterity continues to grow. Her dual tentacle conductors act like sub-brains whose sole responsibility is handling tentacle movement, each capable of managing sixteen separate limbs without the input of her own mind. The three disintegrating maws are fearsome offensive weapons, capable of breaking down almost anything that she manages to sink her teeth into. She certainly has a lot more versatility than Tiny in her build, and is very, very good at what she does.

[You�ve done really well, Crinis,] I praise her enthusiastically. [You�ve set yourself up perfectly to implement the ideas we discussed. I can already tell that your next evolution is going to be very, very impressive.]

[Th-Thank you, Master!] she replies, her tentacles writhing with glee as the three-mouthed horror sways back and forth in a strange display of bashfulness.

With the inspection complete and the two of them finished eating through their Biomass, it�s time to get back on the road. We gather ourselves together and head to the tunnels once more. The wave continues, and we need to do our part to push back the tide.

Examining Tiny and Crinis� status reminds me that I really need to take a good, hard look at my own. I�ve stacked up a reasonable supply of Biomass, certainly enough to start investing in upgrades to the two most expensive organs I have, the Vestibule and Nave. I�ve brought my antennae up to +15 since the reset, but to this point I�m yet to even have a look at the options for those two new-ish additions.

In the past, I expanded the range of the Vestibule, but that was due to a rather specific reason, namely being captured and hoping the Colony would be able to detect me. Now that no such conditions are pressing on me, I have a little more flexibility in what I want to choose.

I assist as Tiny and Crinis continue their rampage through the ever-growing wave, turning my thoughts over in my mind. I mean, first and foremost amongst my concerns is that I still don�t really understand precisely what the combination of Vestibule and Nave actually does. The sustained energy pouring into me, ensuring I never get tired, refilling my reserves, and refreshing my body so long as there are ants nearby�that�s all great, and certainly the effect is vastly more pronounced than it was before. With the Colony nearby, my energy is absolutely limitless, to the point I think I could run at top speed forever, without ever growing tired. Something else I noticed is that my health regeneration around the Colony is also far higher, my cells regenerating with incredible alacrity.

When you add on top of that the rapid healing provided by the regeneration gland, and the fact that the gland refills super quick thanks to the Vestibule, my level of heal-tanking is getting out of control. Combined with my general defensive setup, being both hard to hit and hard to damage, I�m really, really hard to kill. Which is obviously a good thing!

I�m sure if I poured all my evolutionary energy into it, I could have been an absolute brick of a monster, with multiple carapace and supporting structures in between, with additional healing glands to keep the juice pumping in a continuous cycle, but I�ve had other considerations.

All in all, I�m happy with my current build. Good defensively, good with magic, reasonable physical fighting capacity. To be honest, it�s the physical fighting that I�m by far the worst at. My stats lag behind in the pure brute strength department, and I just don�t have the kind of Skill synergies that Tiny has that give his punches extra destructive power. I might be far more flexible than my ape companion, but other than specialised attacks like the Gravity Bomb, my ape-like pet has me beat on pure offensive output, and he�s only a tier five! I suppose I�ll out sustain him in the long run. I�ll be using Doom Chomps long after he�s passed out from exhaustion so long as there are a few of my siblings nearby�

This cannot stand! I�ll have to dive into the menus and see what I can do about powering up. Surely some new Skills must have unlocked for me since the last time I had a poke through the list.

[Good work, you two! Let�s pack it up and move back behind the choke point. Make sure you bring some Biomass back for snacking.]

They happily get to work complying, especially Tiny, who�s living in a kind of heavenly bliss right now, fighting, eating, and sleeping every day. Enjoy it while it lasts, big guy, it won�t last forever. Invidia and I provide cover with a few healthy blasts of magic, and before you know it, we�re back behind the wall and inside the safety of the Colony�s territory.

[Great. Let�s eat and then I�m going to go through my menus and do a bit of mutating. You guys know what to do, right?]

They nod solemnly, though I can tell Tiny is already thinking of his nap.

[No sleeping until it�s done,] I warn him. [You know how important this is.]

He grudgingly nods, and I turn around, satisfied, and start poking away at the menu while they eat. Honestly, what could be more important than maintaining the dignity of the Eldest within his own family? There�s more at stake here than just my shallow pride! This is colony shattering stuff! Also, I�m certain that if that damn statue carver ever saw me mutating, there would be a gold-plated monument of me rolling around on the ground with my legs flailing in the air before the day was out! Unacceptable!

Now, menu time. Ah, the endless lists have returned. Back in the good ol� days, there were like, five Skills I could purchase? Look at me now. There has to be hundreds available, unlocked by glands, size, or crossing stat thresholds, or just pure mass, and any of the other things I now know can unlock Skills in the menu. Makes me wonder why I don�t go poking around in here more often�

Wait! This is actually something Granin warned me about! Even though Skill Points feel as though they rain down from the skies above, if you actually purchase a whole bunch of Skills and then Level them until they become properly useful, say rank three or four, suddenly you�ve invested 12 Levels� worth of Skill Points! Then maybe you find a nice fusion, that could be another ten, or more� It adds up. Skill purchases need to be carefully managed to avoid bloat.

With that in mind, let�s see what we can see. I�d really like some more combat actives, although active Skills tend to be hard to come across. At the moment, the only active Skills I have are Doom Chomp and Dash, which doesn�t lead to a whole lot of variety. Granted, Doom Chomp is a fusion of three different active bite Skills, but still. That brings up a good point, what do I want to be able to do? To be honest, I�m not really sure. I suppose I�ll just take a gander the options and see if there�s something I like.

Leaping Strike? Do I have the physical stats to qualify for this? At rank one, it basically helps you coordinate better as you jump at an enemy, but I can tell this will turn into an active as it ranks up. Do I really want to be jumping at my opponents? I�ll think about it. What�s next?

Charge. Seems fairly straightforward. I bet I had access to this Skill ages ago but never bothered looking for it. According to the description, this is more about using your mass to inflict damage than it is about moving as fast as possible, a la Dash. I�m willing to bet my left antenna that the two Skills fuse. This one is a possibility. What�s next?

Antenna Whip. I mean� really? Who in their right mind wants to use their sensory organs to hit their enemies? Does a human attack with their eyeballs? Wait� does the Queen have this Skill? I don�t think she did back when I modified her core� But it wouldn�t surprise me if she picked it up somewhere along the way. Not interested.

Slash Attack. Ah, the Slash Attack, I haven�t seen you for a long time. You were one of the first Skills I could buy, allowing me to attack with my legs. Which seems really, really unnecessary when I have powerful mandibles right on the front of my face. Besides, my legs aren�t really made for attacking� I could have mutated them for it, or attached blades to the end of them when evolving I suppose. It just doesn�t seem very� ant.

Come on, there must be some useful Skills in here!

Trawling through the list, there are tons of interesting, yet niche Skills that would be useful but would contribute to Skill bloat that I pass over after a glance. Do I want to have a digging active? Sure, it might sound nice to have Shovel Mandibles to work in tandem with the Dig Skill, but it�s just way too niche. I bet a lot of the carvers focused on construction have it at a high rank though�

There�s a few sensory passives that I spy which would probably be exceptionally handy to have. Sharp Eyes, Open Ears, Fine Touch, Particular Taste, Picky Smell are all passives that give a boost to their respective senses, and I have absolutely no doubt they fuse at almost every rank. It�s also possible they might turn into actives in the higher rank, allowing me to expend energy to enhance a particular sense.

This is really tempting, I�m just not sure which ones I would want� or at what rank I would fuse them. I need to avoid buying too many rank one Skills. I mean, if I picked up eyes and touch� would those be the most useful for me? Eyes is obvious, and touch would help my antennae pick up vibrations in the air. Ears� doesn�t really appeal, since ants have pretty poor hearing in general. Smell might also be good� since my antennae are so sensitive now� Argh! This is hard. Shelve it for now and move on.

Combat actives! Focus on the goal!

Oho! What have we here? Mandible Parry? Helps the wielder to use their mandibles to parry blows? Starts off passive, but I bet this turns into an active down the line. Not to mention, it provides another layer to my impenetrable defences. Gwehehehehe. This one is in for sure. I wonder when this chap unlocked? I�m not sure, but I�m very happy to see it now!

What else, what else� There has to be some more juice in here somewhere.

Mandible Spear? Are you serious? How do you even stab with mandibles? Well� again, I suppose you could mutate or evolve to make that less of an issue. Another one that is likely to turn into an active as it Levels up. I�m not sure I�m sold on this one, but is there a chance that it fuses with Charge? There could be something in that combo that is worth my while�

I keep flicking, evaluating and dismissing dozens of Skills until I find something like what I�m looking for.

Chomp Combo! A bite attack combo Skill similar to what Tiny has for his fists! This is good stuff! Tiny�s turned active at rank four, letting him turn it on to give a huge boost to his punching speed for an increased cost of stamina, and I�m fairly certain this will act in a similar manner, which will prove hugely useful. With my effectively bottomless stamina reserves, is there a chance I�ll be able to activate this together with Doom Chomp and unleash a torrent of potent bites in rapid succession? Gah! I�m practically salivating just thinking about it! So exciting!

With a number of Skills as likely contenders, I turn my attention to the mutation menu. The Vestibule and Nave are� particular and somewhat intimidating organs whose functions go way beyond what I might have expected of a biological component of my body. Which naturally makes me more than a little nervous when it comes to messing around with them. In all honesty, I can�t just ignore them. They are powerful, and will be more so with mutations, so I need to make it a priority to max them out. For now, I have enough Biomass to take both to +15, which means two mutations and a fusion for each.

Ideally, I want the options I choose for both to have good synergy, a multiplicative effect, if you take my meaning. But what aspect of the organs do I want to improve? Sigh. No point delaying, let�s get into the menu and take a look.

Hmm. Being honest, there are less options for the Vestibule than I anticipated, ditto for the Nave. Has it been reduced since the last time, or was it always this size? I honestly can�t remember. Perhaps this is a product of the reset? It wouldn�t shock me if Soul Crystal was perhaps a touch less mutable than a more base component.

No matter. If anything, this will help make things a little easier on me.

Starting with the Vestibule, what sort of options do we have? The range extension is there, just as it was before. Pretty straightforward�the Vestibule can collect Will from farther away. Something I�ve noticed since the reset, is that the Soul Crystal has already expanded the range of the organ from what it originally was before I mutated it the first time. It isn�t the same as the +25 range I had before evolving, that would be nuts, but it�s a significant boost nonetheless.

There are a range of other options that surprise me, such as the determination mutation, which would allow me to manually direct the energy to emphasise a particular aspect of the organ. Do I want increased stamina regeneration? Direct it that way. Increased healing? Off you go! Recharge my organs faster? Get on it! Obviously, pointing the energy at one thing makes the others replenish slower, but being able to push the resources in the direction you most need at the time would be handy indeed.

The Pure mutation will simply make the Vestibule better at doing what it already does, refining it and allowing it to collect and distribute Will more efficiently, increasing the regenerative effects. This is a straightforward option that is hard to criticise. Do what you do now, but gooder! Might lack the oomph of other choices, but it�s certainly a safe bet.

I don�t see the option to include more species in the Will collection anymore, which is odd. Not that I would ever pick it�

There�s an option that allows the gathered regenerative energy to be shared out as an aura, which is a cool one. I�d become a walking healing battery for all the ants around me, refilling their energy and stamina during battle. That�s a tempting option, but it�s not exactly how I see the Vestibule functioning for me. I like the Vestibule because it allows me to fight for my family, rather than help them fight with me. The whole idea is that they don�t have to fight! That�s what I want!

Wondering what else there is, I poke through the list and find various options that might suit my needs. Until coming across something that sounds decent. The Empowering Vestibule. Which allows me to convert the energy from restorative to strengthening for a limited period of time. Judging from the description, this essentially translates to a boost in my Might stat whilst the effect is active. Improving the mutation will increase the size of the gain, as well as the duration, which is fairly short.

I can see this mutation coming in clutch when I�m under the pump, so long as there are enough members of the Colony nearby, as well as helping me overcome my still somewhat lacking physical strength. It�s certainly tempting�

There�s another mutation which does something similar for Toughness, which would make me more durable in a pinch, but I feel as though my defensive options far exceed my offensive ones at this point, so perhaps I�ll put that option on the backburner.

In the end, I decide to commit to increasing my range, as I did before. With so many ants being born, our numbers are getting absurdly high and pulling in more Will is going to trump most of the efficiency gains I can make with these other mutations.

Which leaves me with the Nave. The Communal Spirit Nave is a strange organ, to say the least. Attached to the Vestibule, it acts as a signal booster, a force multiplier, taking the energy fed to it and simultaneously strengthening it as it focuses and delivers it to� nothing right now. Once the energy exits the Nave, it�s dispersed into my body where the regenerative properties kick in, but the more I think about it, the more I believe it�s likely there�s another component to these connected organs which I�m likely to be offered in a future evolution. I wonder what it could be? Maybe I should have poked through the evolution menu and looked for it� ah well.

There really aren�t that many options for the Nave compared to most organs, probably due to the rather narrow focus it has. I can�t help but feel like knowing what the �destination� would be that the Nave is supposed to connect to would have a significant impact on my decision regarding mutation. Well, if worse comes to worse, I can reset the thing and move on with life. For now, I�ll go with the Purifying Nave, which essentially means the organ does its current job, but better. I�ll take that to +15 as well whilst I�m at it.

Which means my final purchases of this session of self-improvement look like this:

Vast Expanded Collective Will Vestibule +15 (Soul Crystal).

Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +15.

And my new Skills:

Charge.

Chomp Combo.

Mandible Spear.

Mandible Parry.

I�m going to leave the sensory passives for the time being, but I�ll look to pick at least some of them up at a later date. I�m grabbing spear in the hopes that it can fuse with charge to make something interesting, as I really don�t see my mandibles as stabbing weapons. Let�s confirm the purchases!

Here we go�

The days of the wave rolled on and the Mana level continued to rise, increasing the spawn rates of monsters throughout the Dungeon to an absurd degree. Every hour, thousands of newborn monsters clashed in the tunnels around the Colony, warring and fighting, the losers feeding the winners, who grew rapidly in strength. A hundred thousand tales of victory and death were woven every day in the area just outside the Colony�s defensive line.

Not that it mattered. The monsters from the deep were crushing those from above and pressing onward, desperate to escape those from beneath who drove them from their territories. They savaged those weaker than them, absorbing their power and seeking more until they inevitably ran into the iron wall that was the Colony.

Hundreds of defenders manned fortified choke points, bombarding the encroaching beasts with acid and spells until they fell on the ravenous jaws of the soldiers. They never fought an even-numbered fight, always dividing the enemy and destroying them with overwhelming force before turning to the next. Should the pressure become too great, they would fall back, retreating to another prepared position, with a fresh wave of troops ready to fill the breach. After gathering their strength, the ants would shove back the wave and retake the outer wall, reinforcing it again within the hour.

On and on it went. The wave proved just as relentless as the Colony, and every day that passed, their numbers grew. And grew.

Organising it all had been enough to drive Victor to the brink of exhaustion, but as the days ticked by, the Colony defence practically ran itself. The local generals were intelligent and capable, experienced in the ways of the caste after fighting off the siege; they hardly needed input from herself or Sloan to run their checkpoints. As new recruits graduated from the Academy, they slotted into the existing structures with barely a ripple, enlarging the size of each garrison.

Which was why she found herself on the front line, providing buffs and taking her turn in the line to fight. Without the need for her at central command, what other choice did she have? Sit around and do nothing? Don�t even suggest it!

�Big push coming!� she called back to the line of mages and scouts behind her. �Brace! Brace! Brace!�

The massive soldiers, with their thick carapaces and huge frames, packed themselves tightly together, covering the narrow entrance they defended from every angle until she could barely see past them. Activating her aura gland along with her commanding presence Skills, she did her part to coordinate the troops and make those last-second adjustments before contact.

With a deafening roar, the crush of monsters beyond the wall smashed into the ants with concussive force that rippled through the air and blew back the general�s antennae. The soldiers absorbed the punishment without flinching, sparks flying as the enemy tried to scrape and bite at their chitin shells.

�In three! Two! One! PULL!� she called.

In one coordinated motion, the soldiers drew back to clear the opening, which was immediately bombarded by the waiting scouts and mages. A huge volume of acid, fire, and shards of ice were hurled into the teeth of the horde, who recoiled, all except one. Working together, a few of the strongest soldiers darted in, latching onto the monster and dragging it back through the gap, where the rest of them fell upon it, chomping with controlled fury until it was no more.

�BRACE!� Victor ordered.

In a flash, the soldiers were back in position, blocking the entrance as the endless monsters pressed back against them once more. They endured the hammer blows of the enemy as the mages and scouts prepared their next spells and readied their acid.

�On my order, we will pull, rotate, and heal! Be ready!� she shouted, watching the narrow choke point with an intense focus.

�In three! Two! One! PULL!�

This time, as the soldiers pulled back in perfect coordination, they also rotated their position around the opening, moving in a clockwise direction. As the scouts and mages poured out as much damage as they could, a team of healers rushed to minister to the wounded, their healing energies working double-time to help them recover in as short a span as possible. Despite the constant stream of acid and magic, monsters still managed to press closer to the opening, only to be dragged through and set upon by the waiting mandibles of the ants, including Victor herself.

After ten seconds, she roared out her order.

�BRACE!�

And so the cycle repeated, over and over, until their team was finally relieved by another group and was able to fall back to eat and rest. Several of the soldiers sported semi-severe injuries, their carapaces unable to hold up to the constant beating. They�d need a day of healing to be back to full strength, most likely, which meant Victor would be short a full complement of soldiers for the next shift. A problem she would work to solve after she had some time to recover. The toll of having to concentrate so fiercely for hours on end was great and she was keen for some torpor. But first�

�General,� she snapped out a quick salute to the general in charge of this checkpoint.

�General,� the officer snapped one right back. �Come to report?�

�Indeed.�

She went on to give details of their shift: has the concentration of Mana and monster spawns gone up? How many demons had been seen, what types of demons, any sighting of tier five or above monsters, injuries sustained, and so on.

�Seems a successful shift,� the general in charge observed. �You might not have killed as many monsters as some others, but your injury rate is much lower.�

�We are in for the long haul, General,� Victor sighed. �The experience will come, but only if our people are well enough to fight.�

�Right you are,� the ant nodded. �Go get some rest. You�ve earned it.�

From there, it was off to the recovery area to be checked for injuries, then into the prepared chambers with the rest of her unit to huddle together in torpor. In six hours, they�d be back to the wall, putting their bodies on the line to fend off the press of the wave, only this time, with much less soldiers. Perhaps she would be able to take the place of one? She wasn�t as durable as the soldiers were, not even close, but she was certainly tougher than most generals thanks to her better evolutions. Maybe if she rotated with a few of the larger scouts�

Enough, she scolded herself, get some sleep.

And so, she stilled her thoughts and allowed her body to drift off into torpor whilst only a hundred metres away the fierce battle continued.

�What I want to know, Captain, is when you and our new oppressors will settle the matter of reparations!� the old man sneered.

Wallace Dalton, former Captain of the Rylleh City Guard and now the appointed military adjutant to the Rylleh branch of the Colony, suppressed the urge to spit and continued to grind his chew between his teeth, hoping the repetitive motion of his jaws would help burn off his irritation.

�Citizen Alliornus�� he began.

The old man�s eyes blazed with fury.

�THAT�S LORD ALLIORNUS TO YOU, BOY!� he bellowed, spittle flying.

Wallace took a quick step back to dodge the expectorant and internally laughed at the impotent rage of this relic.

�Citizen Alliornus,� he repeated with an added emphasis that he relished. �You are certainly aware that within this city, there is no such thing as a lord or lady, are you not?�

His needling produced the desired result, as the once wealthy Council member swelled up like a toad, jowls swinging as his temper took full hold.

�My family worked to found this city!� he declared with all the pomposity he could muster. �Securing the future of their descendants and creating enduring prosperity for all the traitorous residents of this once great place. My authority, my belongings, and my wealth have been illegally seized by these interloping insects and I DEMAND they pay it back!�

Every day with these people. Would their self-interest ever cease? Wallace sighed and fixed the idiot with a steely glare that deflated the man like a puffed-up balloon.

�Let me be as clear as I can possibly be with you, Charitus,� he dropped formality and used the once powerful man�s first name. �As grateful as the residents of this place are for what your ancestors did, they aren�t so grateful that they are prepared to happily suffer under your incompetent and corrupt governance. If I were to hazard a guess, if the Lion Fist of city legend were to come back and see what his house had fallen to, he�d spit in your face.�

The ex-lord blustered and tried to speak up, but Wallace spoke over him.

�The Colony does not care about you, and I want to emphasise this, at all. I would be absolutely shocked to learn if any authority figure within the ant power structure knew your name or had heard of a single complaint you�ve lodged, which I have filed with them. There is absolutely no chance they are going to return whatever it was that they took from you.�

The man had grown so red in the face that he almost appeared as if he were going to pop. Wallace watched the colour change with a vague sense of fascination, wondering just how dark a human complexion could possibly turn before they suffered a stroke.

�This is THEFT!� he hollered. �PIRACY and THEFT! Where is the justice?�

�In my experience, former councillor, there is never any justice when the weak are picked on by the strong. How many times did I send guards to evict those who were unable to pay the high rates you demanded for your loans? Loans that only the truly desperate with nowhere else to turn would dare accept? I can remember many scenes of widows weeping in the street, begging for justice they would never receive. The Colony has come, and in their eyes, you are a pathetic, weak individual with no strength or power to speak of. Why would they deal with you? Can you compel them to sit at a table with you?�

Silence was the only response to that question.

��As I thought.�

Filled with contempt, Wallace leaned to one side and spat a wad of coloured spit on the ground next to the man�s shoe.

�Right now, Lord Alliornus, you are the widow in the street, I am you, and what do you know? I hear you wailing, and I just don�t care. So why don�t you shut up, crawl back to what�s left of your mansion, and diddle one of the maids you can still afford to pay?�

Taking careful measure of Charitus� face, Wallace judged he�d pushed the man close to a major aneurysm but hadn�t quite managed to tip him over the line. More�s the pity.

�The people won�t stand for this,� Charitus said stiffly. �The city cannot survive when those insects run roughshod over traditions and disregard our laws. There will be an uprising. I personally guarantee it.�

�By the Dungeon, I hope so,� Wallace replied flatly. �I�m bored out of my mind and could use a little action. Also, frankly? Anyone in this city who would be willing to go back to your rule is far too stupid for me to want them to continue living here. That is a segment of the population I would gladly see excised. Now, please, get the hell out of my office.�

Unwilling to be insulted any further, the enraged scion of a once mighty house strode out and collected the few lackeys he�d left outside. Wallace found his spit bucket and cleaned out the foul taste in his mouth with a rinse of water, levering in a new wedge of chew.

�Do you have to be so� direct, with them?� came the voice of his secretary, his former lieutenant, Yasmine.

�Yes. What�s next?�

She ruffled a few papers on her desk.

�I think you�re clear for the rest of the afternoon, surprisingly,� she almost looked puzzled by that. �Can you imagine being this relaxed during a wave� before?� she asked.

He idly noticed she still had trouble acknowledging the admittedly traumatising invasion they had suffered. There wasn�t a man, woman, or child in the city who could possibly forget the events of that fateful day, with the exception of one child, Thomas Barnes, who somehow managed to sleep through the whole thing. What Yasmine said was true, there really wasn�t that much to do.

Although he was still nominally in charge of the town guard, they had been reduced to essentially a police force, no longer responsible for defending the city from monstrous incursions. The Colony had taken care of that. He was one of the few people to know of the vast territory the Colony had claimed�so large that Rylleh had been included�and of the measures they�d taken to manage the wave. Measures which meant that, so far, the citizens of the city had barely noticed a change other than the rising Mana levels.

�I really can�t,� he smiled and shook his head. �You have to give it to the ants, when they go about getting something done, they don�t do it by half measures.�

At his mention of their new insect overlords, Yasmine flinched slightly, but he pretended not to notice. She was well on the way to recovery from the terror she�d felt that day, though was still very uncomfortable around the monsters.

�If my schedule is clear, then I may as well mosey over and check in with the envoy,� he said. �Take the afternoon off, Yas. Go shopping, or sleep, or whatever the hell you young people do.�

She favoured him with a small smile before she snapped out a quick salute, purely out of habit, then left.

�Let�s go see what those mad bugs have gone and done now,� Wallace muttered as he slung his jacket over his shoulders.

Wallace was an old soldier, and he knew enough about himself that he could be fairly confident of judging his own state of mind. He was pretty sure that during the invasion, he�d gone ever so slightly mad. Perhaps more than slightly. That wasn�t what he was thinking about though. Having your mind crack a little on the edges wasn�t all that surprising, given the stress and near-certain death he�d thought he was about to experience.

What he was reflecting on was the sneaking suspicion that he was still mad. He must be. How else could he look at a scene like this and consider it normal, without being at least somewhat insane?

�All for one,� intoned the ant-robed priest.

�One for all,� the crowd chanted back.

�Remember always, that the individual has worth as part of the group, and that the group has worth because it is a collection of individuals. We choose to work together, to sacrifice for the betterment of each other. That is the source of our strength.�

�Praise the Colony!�

Wallace turned his back on the preacher and his congregation and walked to the nearby guard post. Pretty much any time of day there would be a priest or priestess giving a sermon to crowds of varying sizes. Considering how much work got done around the city these days, he was always surprised that so many found space in their schedule to stand around listening to a person with antennae sewed onto their hood with a glazed look in their eyes. He nodded to the soldiers on duty, who snapped out a quick salute.

�You do remember you don�t have to salute me anymore, right?� he asked dryly.

�Force of habit, sir,� the guardsman grinned.

Wallace shrugged it off.

�Any sign of trouble?�

�None, as usual,� came the reply. �The sermons have been pretty restrained, and the crowds quite happy overall. I heard there was a bit of a ruckus over in the market district this morning. Apparently, the ants found a merchant cheating his taxes, which went over about as well as you could expect.�

The former captain grunted and spat for good measure. Merchants. They never stopped thinking they were cleverer than everyone else, always willing to try and pull the wool over the taxman�s eyes. Apparently willing even when the taxman was a giant ant monster who could literally read minds if they wanted to.

The ants might not really understand the concept of money, but they could certainly appreciate the idea of taxes. Every citizen contributing a portion of their wealth to the city to ensure the wellbeing of all? Of course they should! There had been long, long discussions with Enid when she�d been here about the implementation of the new tax code, and she�d revealed to him that the initial tax rate proposed by the Colony had been a hundred percent.

After strenuous negotiations, she�d managed to talk them down to ninety, she�d informed him, but it was only when the ants had seen the merchant delegation literally foam at the mouth and pass out did they realise the culture gap might be a little too wide to accept their idea of what constituted a proper contribution to the betterment of the collective. The final tax rate was still high, by the city�s standards, but it turns out people didn�t mind paying it so much when the individuals in charge were incorruptible insect monsters. Every coin collected went straight back into the city, without exception.

�I�ll head over later to see if I can smooth anything over,� he said, casting his eyes across the newly refurbished town centre.

What had once been the enclosed sanctuary of the powerful, housing the treasury, council chambers, portal structure, and other offices of government, was now a public garden centred around a massive anthill that rose dozens of metres into the air, easily visible from all over the city. All bureaucracy was handled by the Colony now, so the other buildings had been summarily removed. The preachers had established a platform on the lower reaches of the hill, with a wide, flat area for people to stand and listen.

The area was crawling with ants, literally. Most were worker variants, running hither and thither about their duties, antennae twitching this way and that. Wallace knew for a fact that there was a sizeable detachment of soldier ants deep within the structure, ready to emerge at the first sign of danger. Anyone foolish enough to assault the anthill would find themselves in a world of pain very quickly.

Wallace made his way to the petition platform, constructed by the ants as a place where citizens could come and directly make requests or inform them of issues they believed were necessary. They�d gone all out making it as well. The petitioners, common citizens all, were seated on marble benches padded with soft woollen pillows and blankets, with proper back support and everything. The ants provided water and snacks to those waiting as a matter of courtesy, though goodness knows where they came from. There were numerous petitioner booths open at any given time, each staffed by an ant mage ready to converse, as well as a human representative to help �translate� anything the ants might not conceptually understand.

He could remember one incident when a cheating husband had been dragged by his irate wife before the ants, where she�d demanded they extract retribution for his unfaithfulness. What followed was an exhausting, multiple hour-long discussion in which the ants had learned what a male was, what marriage was, and about human mating in general. Their ruling on the matter? �Make one human the Queen and let her take care of everything.�

As he approached, one of the mages broke away from the others and moved toward him, a Mind Bridge connecting to him.

[Adjutant Wallace. We welcome you to the nest. Is there any pressing matter?]

He frowned a little.

[Is that you, Lucy? Or is it Rosetta? I find it damn hard to tell sometimes.]

The ant flicked an antenna in irritation.

[I do not have a name,] she replied.

He shrugged.

[I need to have some way to tell you all apart! It would be rude to just think of all of you as �ant�, wouldn�t it?]

She tilted her head.

[Can�t you tell by smell?]

[No, I can�t tell by smell. Human, remember?]

[I forget you have such poor senses of smell. It must make it hard to move around without having scent trails to follow.]

He was about to explain the concept of signposts and maps but closed his mouth in the nick of time. They were endlessly curious about other societies, constantly looking for ideas that they might adapt to their own way of living, but he couldn�t be bothered going into it right now.

[Just checking in, really,] he said. [Though the former rulers of this city are still agitating for you to give them their money back.]

[Have you told them to come and make a petition?]

[Must have slipped my mind,] he lied.

[They are free to come and put their questions to the Colony, same as everyone else. Make sure you remember to inform them next time,] the mage admonished him mildly.

[I see the gifts are piling up again.] He nodded toward an area at the base of the hill which was heaped with offerings from the townspeople. Lucy, he was sure it was Lucy, seemed to huff in frustration.

[We keep telling them not to bother, but every day, more of them come. What are we supposed to do with this stuff?]

[The people are simply expressing their gratitude,] he said softly.

[For what? Conquering the city?] she sounded halfway between amused and puzzled.

[What do you do with all of it, anyway?] he asked, curious.

[Give it to those who need it.]

Typical ants.

[How goes the defence against the wave?] he enquired. [Any chance you need more of us to volunteer and head out to fight? I can rustle up a few squads in ten minutes, I bet.]

[You would be in one of them, I wager.] Lucy was wise to his game, long used to him trying to escape his duties and get back to fighting monsters. [Our defences are holding, though the pressure continues to build. From what I hear, the Eldest has personally been out fighting in the depths for days on end to try and stem the tide. If they are out there, I�m sure things will be fine.]

He didn�t need to try hard to recall the visage of the enormous ant he�d seen during the assault. Apparently the �Eldest� had evolved again since then, something Wallace wasn�t too keen to see. Tier six monsters were no joke. The sheer size of the Queen was shocking to him still.

[Let me know if you change your mind,] he grumped.

As the days of the wave drag on, my pets and I maintain the same routine. We fight, eat, rest, and repeat. It�s pretty obvious why pet-obsessed Dungeon dwellers like the sophos are so rare: getting a monster to tier six is a massive pain in the butt. Let alone two. Obviously, what I�m doing isn�t all that similar to what Formo and his kind do. They raise their monsters over a period of decades, caring for them and pouring all of their time and energy into designing every aspect of their builds around raising and training potent monsters. I�m just power Levelling my pets and hoping it all works out for the best.

Still, imagine the pain and anguish of a normal Dungeon delver when the tier six monster they�d poured endless wealth and resources into dies in the Dungeon. Years of effort, a literal fortune in cores, all gone. If you were able to get the core back, then all wasn�t lost, as you could reconstitute it again, but the soul of your pet would be forever lost. If you couldn�t get the core back� which was likely, considering the trainer is always weaker than the pets they keep as a rule, you just had to eat the loss and start again.

I can see why not many are tempted by it.

For me, though, it�s all good! To be honest, despite the exhausting and relentless nature of the wave, I�ve been quite enjoying my time with Tiny, Crinis, and Invidia. It�s almost like the old days, with just me and my pets, fighting against the odds, although the Colony is literally only a few dozen metres behind us.

As we draw ever closer to my two magnificent pets� goal lines, I�m reminded of Enid and her request that I head to the surface to poke my nose around Renewal.

If I�m going to do it, it�s probably going to have to be now. The Mana levels have probably gotten high enough that it can sustain me, for a while at least, and if I wait any longer, then the Colony is going to have a hard time hanging on if something really nasty crawls out of the third stratum� or even lower.

[Alright, team!] I announce to my exhausted pets. [We�re heading on up for a break. Let�s go!]

I march right up to the general, announce my plans for a quick break, and get on out of there. As expected, Burke races up to me before I�ve gotten more than twenty minutes into my journey.

�Eldest! Where are you going?� she calls as I continue on my merry way.

�To the surface!� I announce cheerfully. �Wanna come with?�

�Uhh, no? Are you sure this is a good time to go up to the surface, Eldest? What with the wave and all?�

�Is that supposed to be a joke? This is literally the only time I can go to the surface. Are you trying to deny me the sun? The warmth of the open air? Have you truly become so cold, Burke?�

�You know what I mean, Eldest,� the large scout shakes her head with irritation. �It�s hard work holding off the wave, and without the support of you and your guardians, it�ll be that much harder. I would never accuse you of shirking your responsibilities, but do you really think you should be taking a break?�

If I could, I�d roll my eyes.

�You built five layers of defence down there, and so far haven�t had to use more than the second in the deepest parts of the territory. I think you�ll be alright if I take a few hours off.�

�That�s only because you�ve been there, Eldest��

�Bah! If you guys are so nervous about it, get in there yourselves. Put Leeroy on the job, I haven�t seen her or her squad down there yet.�

She looks to the side. �We were worried if we sent Leeroy out that she�d never come back.�

�Put a leash on her! Yeesh! I absolutely refuse to believe it�s going to be that big a deal. Put Leeroy out there and tell her if she runs off into the Dungeon that I�ll chase after her when I get back, and she won�t enjoy what happens after that. She won�t die, but she might wish she had!�

Endless teatime and grub tickling duty for you, Leeroy! Don�t think I won�t do it!

Somewhat placated, Burke leaves me in peace to report back to the rest of the Council about my day trip. No doubt they�d work themselves into a tizzy the moment they hear about me leaving the front. Chumps. Do I need to train them again and instil a little more backbone? The proud soldiers of the Colony are going to be fine for a little while as I head out. If I didn�t believe that, I wouldn�t be going anywhere in the first place!

The trip from the ground to the surface is irritating, as all travel is during a wave. At least it�s taking far less time than I would have thought. The Colony has been diligent in remodelling our territory, and the �express tunnel� they constructed connecting the main nest to the surface anthill is an incredible piece of work that I hadn�t even realised was being done. It�s very steep, but that doesn�t prove to be much of a challenge to the thousands of ants that run this connection every day, delivering Biomass, cores, and other resources from the depths to the surface, not to mention the hatchlings making the journey with their Tenders to the Academy.

As expected for such an important tunnel, there is a heavy presence of soldiers on deployment, savaging any monster with the poor fortune to spawn within the walls. Using this tunnel, it�s a matter of mere hours before we arrive back in the first stratum close to the surface.

My old stomping grounds! For nostalgia�s sake, I take a slight detour off the main travel tunnel to nose about in the Dungeon proper. It�s somewhat amusing, but also a little saddening, to see that I can no longer fit into the smaller tunnels that I once used to hide from the main thoroughfares. The monsters I was once so afraid of still proliferate here: the wolves, thorn lizards, and even the centipedes abound. A definitive lack of Croca-beasts, however. Seems Gandalf, or the Dungeon, has no interest in spawning those creatures, and without their parent, there are probably very few of the monsters left.

Bullying around the monsters I used to fear is fun for a little while, but quickly grows boring as my core is already starting to leak out a little Mana. I task all sub-brains with drawing in as much energy as possible and I ensure that my legs remain in contact with the ground as much as possible, sucking up Mana from the rock. It�s enough, barely, and a wholly different story when we finally crest the top of the anthill and expose ourselves to the sky.

The surface nest has undergone significant modifications since last I was here. It�s expanded greatly, for one thing, the Academy and training grounds take up the majority of the room. There are still many foundries and crafting areas for tier three carvers to utilise, though I suspect the main industrial centres of the Colony have all been shifted deeper into the nest. Our passing through is noticed by the many hatchlings and Brood Tenders who congregate here, the little ones stopping their activities to goggle at us as their minders scold them to keep their minds on task. It�s amusing in a way, and I wave my antennae this way and that, saying hi to all of the members of my family I see.

Standing atop the hill, I�m treated to a panoramic view of the surrounding area, which has vastly changed from what I last saw. The land has been heavily developed, for one, with wide, irrigated and tilled fields stretching in the distance, small farmsteads dotting the landscape here and there, and chimneys wafting white smoke.

The town itself has undergone staggering growth. Multiple double-storey buildings pop up alongside what is now a clear, wide street running through the centre of what has become a thriving community. It�s nice to stand here and take it all in, less nice when the pointing and kneeling starts.

Something is very wrong with these people.

That damned priest has continued to infect these people with his nonsense, I see, judging by the reaction from the townsfolk. Although, there is a faint chance they think I�m the Queen, given that they�ve never seen an ant of my size before. As nice as it is to think these people might be paying homage to Mother, the thought is only faint; deep down, I know exactly what these people are thinking.

Should I strike a pose? No, too tasteless.

I walk down the side of the anthill, taking notice of the severe drain on my Mana. Despite my best efforts, and the well above average Mana in the air, I just can�t bring in anywhere near enough energy to satisfy the demands of my core. The Mana bleeds out of me with every step and it rapidly becomes clear I won�t be able to stay above ground for long. Having evolved to tier six, the surface really is barred to me from this point on.

Which raises an interesting point. According to what I�ve learned of the history of this place, the Ancients are the biggest and baddest monsters Pangera has ever seen. What tier they are, goodness knows, but somehow they were out and about on the surface during what was effectively the very first �wave�. Exactly how much Mana was flooding out of the Dungeon to produce the conditions for tier ten or above monsters�I imagine�to survive up here! The mere thought of it is enough to make me shudder.

Regardless, I do my best to power my core as I continue toward the town of Renewal.

Word of my appearance atop the hill must have spread, since I find Enid leading a delegation toward me as I approach the first buildings. I don�t recognise most of them, though there are a few faces that tickle my memory. That guard guy is here, along with a scattering of others I recognise from the siege. Of course, Beyn is here. Goodness gracious, this guy has nothing better to do than hound me, does he? Casting my eyes about, I can see a gaggle of Antmancers sprinting at full speed, their antennae flopping wildly in the breeze. I�ll never be free of these idiots.

Sighing internally, I weave together a quick Mind Bridge and extend it toward Enid.

[Here, as requested,] I announce.

She smiles broadly at my pronouncement.

[I�m glad you were able to make it,] she says. [I appreciate you coming even though I�m sure it isn�t comfortable for you.]

She�s got that right.

[You aren�t wrong. I�m leaking Mana all over the place and it is far from a good feeling, if I do say so myself. As much as I�m looking forward to the tour, we�re going to have to keep it relatively quick, I�m afraid.]

[Of course. Let�s not waste any more time, then. This way please, Anthony.]

With a sweeping gesture she indicates the direction we are to travel and falls in beside me as we start to wander through the town.

[It�s kind of bizarre to walk next to you like this,] I observe. [When I first met you, I was what, tier three? Four? You were taller than me back then!]

She laughs.

[I have to agree, you monsters sure do grow up quickly compared to a human. How long have you been alive? A year? Already tier six! It�s a dizzying speed by normal standards, at least as I understand these things. I suppose the repeated waves and all the trials you�ve been through have at least had the welcome side effect of helping you grow to your current size.]

I�m certainly a heck of a lot bigger than I was back then. In my previous evolution, I was roughly the size of a van, with my head positioned around chest height on an average human if my legs were set at a natural angle. Now though, I�m at least fifty percent larger, bigger than a minibus, smaller than an actual bus, and my weight must be pushing into multiple tons. It�s certainly a bit of a change from a human body! Even if my head is only slightly above Enid�s at this point, my sheer size and mass when moving around make me feel truly large, to the point I take up a good portion of the roads.

Enid is a talkative guide, filling me in on the work that�s been done in the town, telling me stories of the many new residents and their circumstances and the ever expanding plans for new development. It�s clear she�s immensely proud of the people, praising their tireless work ethic and indomitable optimism in the face of disaster.

[I keep having to warn you, Enid, you can�t just start praising people�s work ethic in front of an ant!]

[Oh, pish,] she grimaces with good humour. [These are good people and they�ve worked day and night. Just because we need sleep doesn�t mean you should look down on us.]

[You know very well that we need to rest. You�ve been down there long enough to see� them� at work.]

She shivers. [Oh, yes. Creepiest thing I ever saw. Ironically, I couldn�t sleep a wink that night.]

[As long as they don�t find out about it, you should be good�]

She freezes.

[They don�t come for people, do they?]

[As of yet, I�ve made no comment to the Colony about how much humans should sleep, so I think you�re safe.]

She breathes an obvious sigh of relief and we continue our tour. Everywhere I look, there are humans working and cooperating alongside the many ants that observe and assist them in their labour. There are members of the Colony everywhere, in the fields tending to crops, anywhere something is being built or crafted or traded, an ant is there. It�s remarkable how comfortable the people have become around us, there isn�t any sign of discomfort or antagonism that I can detect. It�s honestly impressive.

[I really didn�t expect the Colony to integrate so well with your people,] I observe to Enid.

[I didn�t expect the people to integrate so well with the Colony.] She smiles. [In times of crises, people may be more amenable to a change of attitude. After their homes were destroyed by Garralosh and her horde, these people fled here and then relied on another group of monsters to put their lives back together. Did you know that small groups have broken off to establish new villages alongside the Colony�s new surface nests? These people are determined to follow your family no matter where they go.]

[Isn�t that mainly the priest�s fault?] I grumble, flicking an antenna to the one-armed man bouncing along in my wake like a puppy who needs attention.

[In part. But do you really think these people would have been so willing to accept what it was he had to say if not for the aid and assistance they�ve received on a daily basis from the Colony?]

[Probably not,] I admit.

Humans of all ages are gathering to watch me and my pets as we walk past. There�s no fear or nervousness in their faces, only joy and excitement. It�s a nice feeling, I suppose, to be able to help people and have them be happy to see you.

It�s the kneeling and praying that I have issue with� Because they are there as well, groups here and there, hands clasped to their chest as they whisper prayers under their breath and in their hearts. This one wants me to bless them with children, this one is wishing for me to harden their determination to work hard. Yet another is earnestly praying within their soul to be reincarnated as an ant in their next life. Sorry, chief, I�m not sure it works that way for people in this world�

Although, who knows? I�m certainly not the authority on Gandalf�s rules. Tell you what, mate, I�ll put in a good word for you next time I see the bearded one, alright?

I highly enjoyed my time on the surface with Enid, enjoying the sun on my diamond carapace and taking in the open air. It�s amazing how quickly you get used to the narrow tunnels of the nest and Dungeon, although that may just be due to me being an ant monster. It reminded me of how resilient people�and ants�really are.

It wasn�t long ago that the Colony and every person living in Renewal was knocked down to their knees, their backs against the wall as we fended off certain annihilation. Now look at us, thriving and surviving no matter what gets thrown our way.

The peace between the two peoples really has blossomed and had wonderful benefits to both sides. The booming antdustrial revolution would have taken much longer to get going without the help of the human craftspeople being so willing to share their knowledge and techniques. In return, the Colony provided the bulk of the labour required to establish the town as it exists today, clearing the fields, sourcing the wood and stone for construction. It�s a partnership that continues to strengthen, with volunteers coming into the Dungeon and risking their lives to fight alongside us.

I kind of got the feeling that Enid would have liked a speech or something from me to the townsfolk whilst I was up there, something to commemorate what would likely be my last visit to the surface, but I dodged her requests. I�m not comfortable being in the spotlight at the best of times, and I have a strange feeling that no matter what I said, it would be twisted into some unimaginable meaning by the fanatics listening in. Instead, I was content to roam about and stick my nose into everyone�s business, chatting with Enid and saying hi to my many siblings on the surface.

It was a great time, and a pleasant break, but the constantly leaking energy from my core meant it couldn�t last, and after a few hours, I was forced to retreat to the Dungeon. With a final wave of the antennae, I pointedly ignored the weeping Antmancers who appeared to be praising the sun with their hands extended, floods of tears and snot running down their faces as I dove back into the nest.

Once inside, I race to go deeper. The moment I�m back below surface level, there�s a rush of Mana in the air and I greedily pull it into my core, drinking it like a thirsty person in the desert handed a cool glass of water. Phew!

[That was a bit rough, eh Invidia?] I commented to the gently flapping eyeball.

[It wassss mosssst unpleassssant,] he replies.

[The next time you and me evolve, we won�t be able to make it to the surface even during a wave, most likely,] I observe. [Actually, that was your first ever trip to the surface, wasn�t it?]

[Yessss�]

[What did you think?]

[It wassss too bright.]

[You�ve spent most of your life in the second stratum. A candle is probably too bright for you. Ah well, let�s keep going, I won�t be able to feel comfortable until we get to the bottom of the first layer at least. Once we�ve recharged our cores, it�ll be back to the frontlines and into the fight. You ready, Tiny? Crinis?]

[Ready, Master!]

[Hurrrrr!]

[Good replies! Let�s get to it!]

The trip into the depths is uneventful, the superhighway constructed by the Colony facilitates the journey wonderfully. I have to say, it�s a little intimidating rushing down this wide tunnel into the darkness. They didn�t muck around when they dug this thing. Probably at least fifteen metres across, the sheer amount of rock they�d have to move to get it done boggles the mind, and the slope is probably close to seventy-five degrees. If I wasn�t an ant, this would be tricky as hell. In fact, given my drastically increased size, my Grip Skill is having more than a little trouble holding my weight even on this slope. I�ll have to make sure I put in a ton of training in order to make sure I can hold up my tons. Heh.

Once more embraced by the shadow sea, the inky black slick of dark Mana that infuses the second stratum, we continue our descent until we find our way into the nest. Unsurprisingly, I find Wills waiting at the end of the highway, her antennae twitching anxiously.

�Are you kidding me, Wills? I wasn�t even gone half a day!� I exclaim, exasperated.

�They�ve already been made to retreat to the third defensive line down there,� she tells me in a rush. �Sloan encouraged me to wait here so I could persuade you to go back out the moment you got back.�

�Where is Sloan, is she on the frontline?�

�Yes!�

Ah.

�Alright, fine. They aren�t seriously in danger of breaking through, are they?�

I really didn�t think the Colony would be pressed to this extent just to hold off the wave. They�ve faced down greater challenges than this, surely. Yes, it would be difficult, sure, but unable to cope without me there, that�s not what I expected.

The scout hesitated.

�I don�t� think so,� she said. �But they�re worried that the cost of holding out the wave will grow once ants start to fall in greater numbers. The farther they get pushed back, the more desperately they are forced to fight for every inch of ground, and the more casualties there are. I think they�re nervous that things will start to escalate out of control if you don�t return to relieve the pressure.�

Meaning, they�re panicking a little.

�No problem, then. We were going to go straight back anyway.�

[Let�s keep moving.]

Once again embraced by the surging Mana of the wave, my core is back in top condition and we make our way through the farms to the deepest point of the Colony�s territory. The sound of furious battle rings from the stone, and ants rush everywhere, doing a thousand different tasks. I find the general still at her post from when I left, watching over proceedings with a stern eye as she ensures her checkpoint is performing at maximum efficiency.

�Reporting for duty once more, General!� I salute.

�Nice to see you again, Eldest. We�ve given some ground in the last few hours as the demon concentration continues to rise. We�ll be happy if you can lead the charge to retake the outer defences, we�d lose good soldiers if we had to do it without your help.�

�Not a problem, General. It�ll be done in a jiffy.�

It doesn�t take long to organise my pets and let them know what we�ve been tasked with. What takes a little longer is explaining to them exactly what is going to happen as a result of the allies the Council has dumped on our laps. The heavily armoured soldier looks a little nervous, which is ridiculous considering she�s a behemoth of an ant weighed down by hundreds of kilograms of metal.

�Are you going to make this painful for me, Leeroy?�

�No� Eldest. Just going to charge out and defeat� the enemy?�

�Why does that smell like a question! What else were you hoping to defeat? You know what, don�t answer that. I�ll just make one thing perfectly clear, not a single one of you is going to die on this charge, alright? Not a one! In fact, I�ll make it my personal mission that you all return with fully topped off health, not a single scratch on you.�

She slumps a little, dejected.

�Alright, Eldest,� she mutters. �Have it your way.�

�Why are you giving me this attitude, huh?� I poke her with an antenna. �I�m talking about keeping you alive! Is there some reason you aren�t happy about that, Leeroy? Anything you want to tell me? Hmm? You surely aren�t going against the very first lesson I taught you, are you?! Because that might influence me to get you back into training with me for a little while. I might want to make sure you brush up on the basics��

�No, Eldest! I treasure my life, and so do all my followers!�

�Wait, we do?� comes a scent from behind Leeroy.

The Council member studiously ignores her follower and stares at me, antennae twitching outside of her control. I sigh.

�Immortals� a fine joke. Alright, this is how we�re going to do this. I�ll go in front, you guys go behind. We mow them down and let Crinis and Tiny deal the bulk of the damage, we just need to use our mass to crush them against the next choke point. Clear? Any questions?�

I direct my question to the lines of armoured soldiers behind their leader, and one enterprising individual raises an antenna.

�Yes, you at the front.�

�Hi, Eldest� doesn�t this plan seem a little safe?�

�You�re at the very back of the formation now. I�ll have shields and Healing Magic on you for the entirety of the mission. Anyone else?�

Predictably, none do. The ant in questions clanks her way dejectedly to the back of the line.

�Alright then, form up behind me, we�ll push through when we get the signal.�

[Tiny, you know what to do?]

He gives me an offended look.

[No, I don�t need to ask Crinis, because she listens, and you have not answered my question.]

He grunts angrily.

[Good. I just have to check, alright?]

Touchy ape. He gets moody when we have a pre-fight briefing sometimes, too eager to get to the smashing. We file forward in two narrow columns as the sound of battle grows louder. Up ahead, the ants are defending the third choke point like a well-oiled machine, striking, dodging, and rotating like the gears in a clock. And who do I spy calling the shots out here, but Sloan herself.

�Ready to open up a gap?� I call to her, waving.

�Be ready for my mark!� she says, intently watching the battle unfold.

I do a final check over myself, making sure everything is in top condition before doing the same for my pets. I keep a sharp eye on Leeroy as well, the closer we get to sallying out, the more intense the energy I�m getting from her becomes. In fact, all of the Immortals are starting to emit some eerie vibes. Beneath the line of their helmets, their compound eyes are filled with a strange light. It�s almost as if they can only truly feel alive the closer they come to danger.

�Mark!� comes the call.

�WE SEEK!� comes an overpowering wave of pheromones from behind.

Holy smokes! I start Dashing, not because it�s the plan, but because if I don�t, I�m worried I�m going to get run over by the morons behind me! I might be far larger than they are, but when put together, they pack a lot of weight.

[Let�s go, guys!]

�HUURRAAAAAAA!� Tiny�s reverberating roar of joy and rage shatters the air and pierces straight through the din of the fighting.

Sloan and her troops pull back from the opening and we lunge through. I go first and a veritable wall of enemies looms in front of me. Ravenous and mad, they claw at each other and anything else they can reach in their desperation. I�ve been slowly Levelling my Charge Skill, and I utilise the information it gives me now, timing my run and bracing my body to absorb the impact as best as possible.

CRUNCH!

With a sickening noise, I slam into the leading monster, my shoulder angled to drive straight into the creature, and I keep going, the weight of the Immortals behind me driving me forward.

CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

Head down, legs pumping, I push onward without stopping, running right over the top of the monsters as they fall before the combined might of our charge. Then Tiny is there, bounding forward and blasting all before him with concentrated lightning, roaring his challenge and defiance. Crinis rises from her place on my carapace, a nightmarish visage of three bottomless mouths set within an inky form of pure darkness. The two wreak havoc as the charge continues, driving forth all before it.

I can see why the Immortals and Leeroy get so hung up on these assaults. This is exhilarating stuff! Rushing into the enemy, running them down and motoring onward gives such a feeling of power, of strength! This must be why they got addicted to this sort of offensive. I did sort of say to Smithant that I�d get a set of armour when I evolved� I�m very, very reluctant to get anything that�s going to cover up my magnificent carapace, but I could be tempted, if the right materials were found�

My legs do not tire, my muscles do not ache, thanks to the Vestibule, and I keep rushing forward, chomping with my mandibles, and shoulder-ramming every shadow beast and demon that dares to place itself in front of me.

Gwehehehehe! Nothing is going to stop us!

Our charge continued unbroken until we reached the second defensive line, the monsters in our way were unable to stand before our might. Once we reached that point, I sent my three pets forward to defend the choke point while the Immortals and I collected ourselves. Unlike me, most of them were exhausted after the mad run and in need of a breather.

�Are you guys going to be alright for the second charge?� I ask Leeroy. �We can do it without you if necessary.�

�We�ll be fine!� she replied, her scent strong and confident despite her drooping antennae and shaking legs. �The Immortals will never give up a chance to fight!�

�Aren�t you just anxious because they haven�t been letting you fight for a while now?� I ask, sceptically. �Doesn�t matter, I suppose; you�ll have some time to rest, so recommend you all take a load off your legs and relax for a little while. We�ll be heading out again in about half an hour.�

Filled with relief at the chance to take a break, Leeroy and her followers collapse to the ground with a loud clank! as their armour rattles against the hard stone. It�s quite the amusing sight, especially when compared to how fired up they were before our charge started.

A few minutes later, a detachment of defenders arrives on the scene, getting to work cleaning up and re-establishing their post here. Some things need repairs, and a team of carvers jump to it, fixing and rehardening damaged stone sections of the choke point . When the soldiers move to relieve my pets of their job holding off the wave, I shake my head at them. Tiny and Crinis are still a little ways away from their evolutions, and this is another good opportunity for them. I�ll have them use it to the fullest.

�You can take over from us once we push out for the first line,� I tell the waiting general. �For now, just make sure the tunnel is clear and check over the Immortals for injuries as you get situated again. We�ll be here for a half hour or so.�

Not tired at all, I wander this way and that, checking in with everyone and making sure that every ant has the help they need to perform their duties before heading over to the choke point and lending a hand to my crew. It won�t do to tire them out too much, considering we have another stretch of tunnel to push through to get to the first choke point. This lower section of the territory suffered the most during my absence and I�m determined to push back the wave in one fell swoop to make up for it.

After ten minutes, I make my way over to Tiny and Crinis, using my Elemental Magic to lob a few cheap shots into the crowd. That sweet, sweet combat experience is nothing to be looked down on! A cheeky Level here or there, and who knows, I might manage to rank up my Omni-Elemental Magic sometime in the next century.

By the time half an hour is done, the ants have finished repairing the walls to a degree that we feel comfortable turning the defence over to their hands whilst we prepare for the next surge. I head to Leeroy, who�s still collapsed on the ground and nudge her with an antenna.

�What�s the story, Leeroy? Are you rested enough, or do you want me to do this one without you?�

Immediately, her eyes flash with an intense light that takes me aback as she and the rest of the Immortals slowly push themselves off the ground, overtaken by a sudden and unnatural vigour.

�We are ready for this assault and a thousand more! The search is never-ending!�

�Okay, chill!�

Yeesh. Immortals or Zombies? These siblings of mine are creeping me out.

�Then you have a little time, we�ll form up and get ready to run out. One way ticket right up to the first defensive line.�

�Sounds good,� the revived soldier replies.

A quick check on Tiny and Crinis to make sure they�re still prepared to bring the firepower we need, and then we form up ready to go.

�WE SEEK!� roar the Immortals.

�Let�s go!� I cry, setting my legs and then we�re off!

Through the choke point and into the howling madness of the wave we go, putting mandibles and carapace to the test as we smash our way through monster after monster, once more forming that unstoppable landslide of the Colony�s wrath. Nothing can stop us! Nothing can stand before us!

Except that.

I was the first to sense it, being at the front as I am. My antennae tingle with a feeling of otherness, something I�d never felt before. Perhaps if I hadn�t reforged those delicate sensors with the Twilight Filament, I may not have noticed at all until it was too late.

�Hit the brakes!� I scream back at Leeroy.

[STOP!] I simultaneously roar at my pets.

But even as I yell it, I know that the heavily armoured ants won�t be able to stop fast enough. With the weight they carry and the momentum they�ve built up, it will be difficult for them to stop at all. Realising this, I ram my claws into the ground, Gripping for all I�m worth as I swing my body around, placing myself as a physical barrier between the oncoming Immortals and whatever it is I sensed. I brace for a split second before Leeroy rams into my side, followed by the dozens of her sisters.

Impact after impact rocks my carapace and rattles my mandibles as I hold on for dear life. So severe are the shocks that even my diamond carapace starts to crack from the sheer force. Every hit pushes me a little bit closer to that unerring sizzle in the air, and my antennae start to burn, sending ripples of pain down their length as they dip into something they surely don�t like. Finally, the last of the Immortals is brought to a halt as they run into the back of what must look like a ten-car pile-up, ants on top of ants with tons of twisted metal to boot.

�Eldest? What the heck was that?� Leeroy groans.

�Shut up, I sense something bad. You need to get your sisters together and get the heck out of here.�

�What? Why?�

�This isn�t something you can deal with. Leave, now.�

Saying my piece, I turn away from her and face the monster lurking on the edge of the gloom. A vile, poisonous energy ripples in the air around it, chewing into everything it touches. This is an energy not even the demons possess.

�You must be a long way from home, beastie� and I�m guessing you didn�t come for a vacation? May as well give you a warm welcome. After all, it�s a long way from the fifth stratum.�

The monster in question cannot detect my pheromones, at least I hope they can�t, so I�m not entirely sure why I bothered to taunt it. Probably to hype myself up for the fight, because just looking at this thing is intimidating. All of my senses scream that something is wrong, and the closer I get to it, the more my body protests. My antennae ripple with a sensation of pain, as though the air itself has become toxic. To my Mana Sense, it appears as if the energy surrounding the creature is being� infected, for want of a better word. Changing from the familiar Shadow and Death Mana to become something completely different.

As the flow of energy eddies and swirls, that pulsing green and yellow disperses the farther from the source it gets, but even small amounts seem to be having an effect. Everywhere it�s touched, the corals and other small living things in the shadows have started to die, wilting as if they�d been sprayed with weedkiller. It�s a shocking sight. A type of Mana that kills with merely its sheer presence? From what I can detect, the monster hasn�t cast an actual spell of any kind, it�s simply exuding this virulent Mana in a steady flow, and the Mana does the rest�

Just what sort of Mana is it? Surely nothing as simple as poison?

The creature prowls in the darkness just beyond the range my eyes can see well. The face is frog-like, but the mouth is too wide, and the eyes far too large. Beyond that, I can�t make much out other than its limbs are thin and wiry, almost weirdly so when compared to the size of its face. It�s big, though, possibly close to my own length, if not close to my mass.

My first encounter with a monster from the legendary stratum of infection. I sure as heck hope I don�t catch anything gross from it.

[Invidia, I want you on healing and backup. Keep a close eye on the Mana around the monster. I have a real bad feeling about it.]

[I sssshallll.]

[Tiny and Crinis, I want you two to pull back a bit. This is a tougher fight than you�re ready for, and until I know more about these monsters, I don�t want to risk you.]

[But, Master⁠�!]

[GRRRR.]

[Absolutely not! I�m far stronger than you are, so I�m the one who will bear the risk. And if you think I�m going to let you run in and get yourself killed after I�ve put in so much effort keeping you alive, Tiny, then you are completely mad! Now move back, both of you!]

Unable to refuse my order, the two retreat a few metres. I put them out of my mind, focusing all my attention on the beast in front of me. I take a few measured steps as my considerable brainpower starts to tick into overdrive. What magic should I use to counter it? How will it attack? Being able to fight against so many new foes recently has been a real treat after the endless varieties of shadow beast I�ve dealt with over the previous weeks, and this one promises to be special. A creature from a whole new stratum!

Come on� what are you going to show me?

The monster�s lips draw back to reveal a horrifying smile that pierces through the shadows, given that its teeth literally shine in the dark, coated as they are with a thick, green slime. As I draw ever so slightly closer, the monster slows its own movement, watching my every move with those bulbous eyes. I hesitate. Should I try and communicate with it? Go all out on offence? Judging by the power of its core, this beastie is tier six for sure, there�s no doubt that it would be intelligent enough to approach sentience.

Only, between the monster itself and the toxic atmosphere surrounding it, I dismiss the idea of engaging in conversation. There�s something about the way it�s eyeing me that makes me think trying to talk to it wouldn�t be wise�

If that�s the case and we�re going to go for it, then I�m better served by going large early. The Omni-Elemental Construct is prepared, and I start pumping burning hot Blue Fire Mana through it, weaving the resulting energy into a jet of flame that I hold at the ready. My feet continue to creep forward, and gradually the monster draws nearer, the aura and stench of infection growing stronger all the while.

I draw my mandibles wide in a threatening fashion as we start to circle around each other. The other monster is lithe and wiry; if it weren�t for that head, I�d think it was well built for speed, but⁠�

WHOOSH!

After leaning to one side and pausing, the creature vanishes from sight. My senses scream in warning, my antennae burning with predictions of a dire future. My nerves fire and my large body darts to one side with deceptive speed, flashing out of the way of slime-coated jaws that snap shut in the space I had occupied only a moment before.

That was close! This guy isn�t just fast, he�s super fast!

Reacting on instinct, I lunge, trying to catch the beast before it can recover. The muscles in my face release their tension and my mandibles slam forward as I activate my most potent bite attack.

DOOM CHOMP!

The jaws of black light manifest and chomp together before I even register the pain, but the moment I do, it�s agonizing. I feel like my whole face is on fire! What the heck is going on? My mandibles crash together, and I find that the creature has almost managed to escape without harm, a jagged tear down the side of its body the only mark I put on it, but just being this close to it is causing me damage.

Burn it with fire!

A wave of blue erupts from between my mandibles as I unleash a raging gout of flame that wouldn�t shame a dragon with its heat and size. Instantly, the frozen air of the shadow sea is filled with flames and everything before me begins to burn. Gwehehehe. Crispy enough for you?

The monster did not enjoy the crispy fire. The only unfortunate thing was that it didn�t not enjoy it sufficiently enough to immediately perish. Having missed its initial bite and then been bitten and burned, the toad creature snarls, its lips pulling back from those horrendous teeth and grinding out a sound like nails on a chalkboard combined with bones snapping. It�s quite distressing.

I allow the flames to dissipate to get a better visual of my opponent, and I find them lurking just out of the fire�s range, staring at me with baleful eyes. With this level of distance between us, I feel confident taking a second to evaluate myself with one of my sub-brains. What I find is more than a little shocking. Despite not suffering an attack, despite only being close to the stupid toad for a few moments, it�s chewed through ten percent of my HP. How!

[Invidia! Can you check me for impurities in my Mana?]

[Sssss. It will be done.]

The piercing green eye flashes with power as that immense brain goes to work, and in a few heartbeats, the little demon has already finished.

[It hassss infected you. Your Mana issss being tainted.]

How in the hell? Watching the frog carefully, I use my sub-brain to turn my Mana Sense inward, scouring through my Mana channels, and I�m shocked to find that Invidia is completely correct. It�s small, but there are places where the creature�s Mana has somehow gotten into my system, and just as it�s doing in the area around us, it�s converting the Mana it comes into contact with into its own, further spreading the damage.

But that doesn�t explain how it got in. Desperate to understand, I angle my body slightly so I can better see my own carapace and discover a few places where the glittering diamond has crumbled into a blackened mess. The spots are small, easy to miss if I weren�t searching so carefully, but they are definitely there.

It managed to break down my carapace so quickly? That�s insane! I didn�t even feel it. Except there was that moment of blinding pain when I drew close enough to bite� That hadn�t felt like it�d come from my back, though, or anyplace in particular. It�d felt like my entire body had been dipped in acid mixed with poison, with an added spoonful of radioactive viruses and a sweaty sock.

Is it just an aura power?

The more I stare at the toad, the more I think I�m right. Somehow, the Mana around its body is corrosive, infectious, and replicates itself. There�s a very real possibility that it can control that Mana at will, as if it were an aura generated by a gland. It�s the only thing that makes sense�

My musings are rudely interrupted as the frog decides it�s had enough of sitting back on its legs and launches into action. With two leaps of its withered, twisted limbs, it rockets around the tunnel, opening its mouth wide to deliver a blast of pure toxic Mana in my direction.

Not good!

Nerves afire with panic, I get the heck out of the way as that concentrated ball of pain splashes onto the rock where I�d been standing, dissolving it into a hissing mess in an instant. Holy Moly! That is intense! Keen not to get hit again, I continue to move in rapid bursts, relying on my nerves and foresight to track the frog as it throws its body around the tunnel at Vibrant-pleasing speeds, raining hell on me from above, to the side, and any other angle it can find.

Dammit! This is making it hard to find a window to retaliate. If I want to get my mandibles on this punk, then I need to close the distance, which is hard when it�s so much faster than me� Even though getting closer to it is a guaranteed way to suffer from that horrendous aura effect, it�s better than trying to hit this thing with spells from range as it zips all over the place, bombarding me with this sludge Mana!

DASH!

Firing my legs in sequential bursts to stack up multiple Dashes at once, I rocket forward, zooming in a straight line toward the point I predict the frog will have to land next. As I�d hoped, it doesn�t seem capable of changing direction midair and is forced to complete its jump, which will place it right in range of my jaws. Another ball of sludge flies over my back to impact the floor behind me. Mandibles wide open and locked in place, I close the distance between us in an instant.

That burning pain returns, except this time, I somewhat know what to expect. When I�m paying attention, I can feel it go to work, eating into my antennae, my carapace, my eyes, and legs, everything that�s exposed. I certainly don�t want to put up with it for long!

DOOM CHOMP COMBO!

Using my new rapid-fire combo Skill, my mandibles enjoy a massive increase in speed at a vast increase in stamina cost. In less than a second, I launch three rapid Doom Chomps, my entire body straining with the sheer amount of energy it takes out of me, but it�s worth it. Put in a poor position to dodge, my toad nemesis is forced to evade my bites as best it can but is not as successful as before. It manages to escape, though not unscathed, one of its legs now only a shadow of its former self.

How do you like that action, frog? Not going to be able to leap about quite as freely now, are ya! Although, getting that close to the damn thing has eaten into my HP again.

[Can I get a heal, Invidia?]

I trigger the healing gland within me as well, unwilling to take any chances as I track the toad�s movement. Despite the loss of the limb, the monster doesn�t look too worried, still glaring down at me with those bulging, oversized eyeballs. They really are creepy now that I get a good loo⁠�

Oh, snap!

As it retreats, the frog unleashes a wide spray of the corrosive Mana from its mouth, more of a straight-up wall of spew than a ball of the stuff. To escape this curtain of poison, I�m forced to leap backward, which is when I realise I�ve fallen into the horrible creature�s trap! What lies on the ground behind me isn�t a safe zone of clean rock, as I�d thought, but a grotesque sea of green bile. All those shots I�d thought I�d dodged, the damn stuff doesn�t go away, it just keeps spreading! Half the tunnel floor is covered in it now!

As I sail down to my inevitably painful landing, I can�t help but flex my claws a little. This is probably going to sting�

�Or at least it would be painful if I was going to end up landing in it.

[Invidia!]

Using his prodigious mind powers, the demon condenses a shield out of pure Mana and air, snapping it together before I reach the ground. Placed horizontally, the barrier acts as a stable landing platform for my large frame and I grip the edges as I land heavily on it, ensuring I don�t slide off.

How about that, frog-face? Didn�t expect me to have this sort of trick up my sleeve, did ya? As Invidia has improved and ranked up his Barrier Magic, even something like this has become possible for him, although it drains quite a lot of Mana and is more than a little taxing on him. To hold up my kind of weight with nothing but air is� a challenge, even for the big-brained demon.

Is my spell ready yet? Not quite. Despite their improvement, creating something like this is difficult for the sub-brains. As I carefully scan for my opponent, I lend the potent force of my main mind to the task. Drawing out Mana and feeding it to the concerted efforts of my three weaker minds.

Ah, there you are, you disgusting punk. Clinging to the roof and looking at my position standing on a shimmering plane of air, the beast has a somewhat quizzical expression, as if confused that I haven�t fallen into its pit of bile as it expected me to. Alas not, mister frog, although the strategy was clear evidence of intelligence on the part of the monster. Once again, I consider attempting to make mental contact with this creature but dismiss the idea. For all I know, its thoughts are just as toxic as the rest of it and will taint my Mana over the connection. I can�t risk it.

[Masssster issss heavy.]

Oh, right.

[Sorry, Invidia. I�ll move, just give me a second whilst I look for� somewhere to� stand?]

That horrific bile has continued to multiply and spread, consuming the Shadow Mana in the area and extending its tendrils into the air, flowing over the stone and running in little waterfalls into new crevices. Which conveniently has left me with very few places to go. I flex my legs and launch myself toward the wall to my right, my claws digging deep into the stone to find purchase as I hang sideways.

It isn�t comfortable. I�m not nearly as mobile as I used to be on surfaces like this due to my increase in weight without a corresponding increase to my Grip, but it�ll have to do for now.

[Invidia and Crinis, I need you two to try and do something about this Mana! Break it down, redirect the goop into a pit or something, I don�t care what you do, but you need to do it fast!]

Spell ready yet? Still no! Damn, the sub-brains still aren�t cut out for this yet? I thought for sure�

Whoa!

My antennae flare with warning as the toad launches its ball of hateful spew-Mana in my direction, and this time, dodging is more than a little difficult. Going to have to go for it! Dash! My legs fire one after the other as I try to maintain my grip on the wall and still move at speed. It�s much harder than I thought. I�m not going to make it! Thinking quickly, I split my legs wide and slam my claws into the stone, desperately trying to hold on as the horrific stuff sears my back, a portion splattering onto my carapace and burning with a harsh flare of pain. And not just burning, I can already feel the infection spreading as the green energy seeps through the wound, trickling into my body and trying to destroy my own Mana.

Gah! Not good! My legs are shaking!

Spread wide from the body is not the natural state for ant legs, making it even more difficult to hold myself up. I really need to work on my Grip. I�ve gotten too heavy for my own good!

Straining hard, I steady and reposition myself, getting up and onto the wall. It�s not easy, but I manage to hold myself up and move well enough to stay mobile.

How�s that spell coming along? Close�super close! I think I might need to go for it.

The toad watches me with bulging eyes from its perch on the ceiling while I zip around on the walls with newfound speed. With its long, razor thin limbs, I doubt the creature weighs much, so it can probably hold itself up there indefinitely if it chooses to. I stay on the move, carefully eyeing my opponent. The next opening will be my chance to go for the kill and I refuse to miss it. This monster has been a royal pain in the business district to fight and I won�t let it get away.

I can almost see the thoughts flickering through the creature�s mind, until those two eyes gleam with sudden certainty. Is it coming? What�s going to be next? My shock is almost total when the frog instead turns around and attempts to flee.

YOU WHAT?

Monsters don�t run during a wave! Get back here!

It�s fast, much faster than I am, but I�m fortunate in that this is a one-way tunnel, and it only has one direction to go. Let�s go, Anthony! DASH! Three pairs of legs flex then launch, propelling me like a rocket. At the same time, I reach within and take hold of the Mana my sub-brains have been busy shaping for me during this high-octane fight and fling it forward.

The Gravity Bomb howls into existence as it always does, spinning as it consumes all in its path. Even the frog reacts to that terrible sound as the very air around it starts to get pulled backward by the approaching orb. The creature increases its speed, but I�ve launched the spell ahead of it, there simply isn�t anywhere for it to go.

Suddenly no longer interested in running forward, I put on the brakes and screech to a halt, dropping onto a section of clear floor and holding on for dear life as my deadliest spell blossoms into life right in front of the monster�s face.

[You have defeated a Level 13 Infectio Venandi.]

[You have gained XP.]

[You have reached Level 4.]

[You have reached Level 5.]

Goodbye, frog-monster. You were disgusting, and I will not miss you.

The Gravity Bomb finally fades away, leaving behind a compressed ball of ex-frog, stone, and various other detritus. I pick myself up and brush my antennae clean. The energy of the Vestibule and Nave nourishes my body and washes away my injuries and fatigue. Although it can�t seem to do anything about that damned toxic Mana eating away at me! Cursing irritably, I direct my exhausted sub-minds to get cracking on breaking the stuff down and turn my attention to the rest of my body.

The sludge on my back did quite a number, eating into the carapace and multiplying itself along the way. I whip up a little water and try to hose it off with some small success. I think the only way to be truly rid of the stuff is to break down the Mana itself. What a pain in the backside. Literally! Other than that, I�m in pretty good shape, my health ticking back up to full as the regeneration gland does its work.

Still, that fight was way more trouble than I expected from a single monster, even if it was from the fifth stratum. Considering it was wild and more likely than not wasn�t raised with perfect evolutions all the way through to tier six, I should have a significant advantage in overall evolutionary energy, but some of the things it was capable of� Is this the tyranny of the deeper layers? They get this level of crazy advantages?

It�s a real shame I won�t get a chance to eat the thing. I wander over to examine the remains, giving the unbelievably dense sphere a quick poke with one leg, but swiftly give up. This thing is 95% rock. It�ll be almost impossible to extract any Biomass from it, and the core is nowhere to be seen, possibly smashed to pieces by the spell itself. Dammit! This is why I didn�t want to use the Gravity Bomb if I didn�t have to!

I�m impressed at how well the sub-brains were able to mostly put one together without the main mind kicking in to help. Since they can handle the assembly on their own, that means being able to fight whilst putting the Gravity Bomb together is a possibility at last! Muahahahaha! There will be no escape from my clutches! With my deadliest spell far easier to produce in the middle of a conflict, my offensive power has skyrocketed!

Overall, I�m satisfied with how things went, the only issue is�

Turning around, I�m confronted with the oozing pit of slime which Invidia and Crinis are still working hard to try and break down. With a sigh, I head over and start chipping in, pitting my mind against the dreadful sludge, trying to rip apart the truly bizarre Mana it�s made of.

This stuff is the real puzzle, if you ask me. I have no idea what kind of Mana it is, but it�s horrendous to deal with. It does damage, invades monsters� own Mana-streams, persists in the environment, eats away at things like an acid and replicates itself like a virus, feeding on whatever Mana it touches!

This stuff is exactly as deadly as I wanted my acid to be, dammit!

Although the part where it spreads uncontrollably all over the place is a bit of a pain to clean up, I have to admit. It�s massively draining to exert your mind breaking down Mana, especially on a scale like this. After the first ten minutes, I�ve already devolved into something of a fugue state, despite my energy always being topped up. It�s just boring and taxing work. I can�t imagine how Crinis is feeling right about now. When the greenery first starts to pop up in the tunnel, I don�t even notice. It�s only after a flower literally bonks me in the nose do I notice something is happening and look up to find the infected areas are now covered in a wall of green that reminds me of one specific being.

What in the heck is she doing growing in here? This is the Colony�s territory! I eye one particularly lush-looking shrub with great suspicion, and it has the gall to wiggle innocently. How dare you, shrub! My mandibles flex dangerously, but before I can do anything, the rest of the ants are there, moving in to complete the assault and retake the outer defences now that the threat posed by the monster has been removed.

�Eldest? What exactly has happened out here?� Sloan asks, confused.

Still giving the shrub the stink eye, I explain what we fought and the mess it left behind, followed by the sudden appearance of the bruan�chii�s mother in leaf form.

�Do you think she�s perhaps here to consume the Mana?� Sloan ponders.

�You�re suggesting that a tree is actually seeking out the stuff and wants to consume it?� I say, filled with doubt.

Still, I activate my Mana Sense and try to get a feeling for what is going on now that my line of sight is blocked by a carpet of flourishing plants.

�Holy mackerel, I think you�re right��

It appears as if the offending Mana is being drawn into the plants which then somehow trap the stuff. I can feel little reservoirs being built up within each bush, flower, and bud, pooling even as something starts to go to work on that energy, nibbling at its edges.

�I�m more worried about a monster from three strata down making it all the way here,� Sloan says, her antennae drooping. �Monsters like that are too strong for us to deal with��

�We�ll need to work on strategies,� I say. �But I don�t think it�s impossible. The unknown is always harder to fight than the known. Besides, this was always going to happen. The Mana levels rising mean that monsters who need more Mana to sustain themselves can start to climb the stratums. I�m honestly surprised there hasn�t been a tier seven invader yet.�

�Tier seven?� Sloan goggles at me.

�Sure. I think the Mana is high enough to sustain one here, so we shouldn�t be shocked if one turns up. The idea of the Mana concentration rising so a stratum can support higher tier monsters than normal is the scariest thing about a wave, Sloan. Remember?�

�But how would we deal with something like that? We don�t have a pool of tier six warriors we can combine to fight it�� the general mutters.

I jerk an antenna back to Crinis and Tiny.

�What do you think I�ve been trying to do out here?�

�Right! You should get back to it immediately then!�

�I will, but first I want to drop by the bruan�chii and ask a few questions. Catch you later, Sloan.�

[Hmmmmmmmmm,] the big tree slowly blinks at me a few times, as if surprised I still exist rather than focusing on the question I asked.

I wait patiently whilst he inspects me, but my patience is quickly running out by the time he finally gets around to talking again.

[You look different,] he observes.

[Obviously, I�ve evolved!] I explode at him. [Can you explain to me why your plant-based parent is sprouting willy-nilly and soaking up gross Mana around the place? Do I have to ask every question three times or something?]

[No,] he says.

I take a breath.

[So why aren�t you answering my question, then?]

He looks at me with an almost palpable sense of pity.

[Because mother finds it amusing and won�t let me answer.]

The leaves and flowers that sprout from every surface around us seem to wriggle with amused joy, and I slump where I stand.

[This might not be diplomatic of me, Mr. Grove Keeper, but your mother is a massive pain in the thorax. Is she always like this?]

The tree nods in understanding.

[She is always like this, and we know. I ask that you be patient with her. She hasn�t had the easiest life on this planet.]

The leaves rustle angrily, and the Grove Keeper holds up his hands.

[I will say no more, but I think I might be able to answer your question now?]

The bushes sullenly return to stillness and the giant tree dips his head in appreciation.

[Hmmmmm. To answer your question in full, I will need to explain a little about Mother, which may be why she is reluctant that I share, but I do not see the harm in a little truth. It is an extension of trust between us.]

[An olive branch? I can get behind that.]

The tree-man smiles wide, the bark on his face creaking.

[An olive branch? Yes. I like that.] He ponders the metaphor with a pleased hum that reverberates in his chest and sets all the plants to swaying. [The Mother Tree is very sensitive to Mana, her roots can sniff out changes from quite a long range, and her roots spread wide. When you stumbled into a tertiary root in this area, she began to expand her network, this enabled her to detect the Mana that you spoke of.]

[Wait, how much of the planet does your mother have roots through? And that massive thing I ran into was a tertiary? So, it branched from a secondary that branched from the primary? How big is the primary!]

The Grove Keeper chuckles.

[The primary tap-root of the Mother Tree is� vast. I will not bother attempting to describe it to you. As for your other question, I will not reveal much, other than to say it is likely less than you think. Our Mother is not a normal tree, but rather a monstrous tree, thus she does not follow the same set of rules you might think she does. To grow her network here, she needed to sacrifice root systems in other places.]

The bushes shiver in an accusatory fashion, and the Grove Keeper once again holds up his hands in a placating gesture.

[An olive branch,] he says to both me and her.

The plants settle again, though I can tell they aren�t happy. Can a shrub glare?

[Okay� What is it about this particular brand of Mana, I don�t even know what kind it is, that your mother finds so attractive that she would sprout up in our territory like that?]

[This� hmmmmmm. Again, I do not speak overmuch. Suffice to say, Mother is an expert when it comes to containing and eradicating this particular form of Mana.]

The branches around us creak.

[And she finds it delicious,] the Grove Keeper adds.

I raise an antenna.

[Delicious?]

[Yes.]

[I�m guessing the Mother Tree doesn�t need water to survive, right? She �drinks� Mana?]

[This is true.]

[Alright then, I think I get it.] I take a look at the grove around us, just as lush and vibrant as what I saw near the Colony during the siege, if not more so. What I don�t see is nearly as many bruan�chii. There are a few here and there, tending to the plants, engaged in what appear to be lively conversations, but I expected to see many more. [Where are all your people, Grove Keeper? Has something happened?]

I can�t imagine they were assaulted by the wave. It barely seems to affect them at all here. Their grove falls outside the Colony�s territory, but only just. We�re more than likely taking the majority of the heat from the wave for them, but standing here, it feels like the madness in the tunnels is a mile away.

[Most have returned to the Mother to rest during this time of upheaval. When things quiet down again, they may return, or perhaps the Mother Tree will need them elsewhere.] He shrugs. [They will not mind regardless.]

Uh, what? They �returned to the Mother.� What the heck does that mean? Are they dead?

[When you say, they returned�] I open cautiously. [Are they� still alive?]

The leafy face looks at me curiously.

[Of course they are still alive.]

Phew!

[Just checking! I don�t really know how� all that works.]

He just smiles.

[It is normal for there to be problems communicating between our peoples. There will be many misunderstandings, I�m sure. In time, we will know each other better.]

[Me too. Thanks for satisfying my curiosity and answering my questions. I�ll be sure to come back and check in when the wave is done, just to chat and see how things are going.]

[You will be most welcome.] The keeper waves farewell and we turn to exit the grove.

I�m kind of surprised that I got as much information as I did, especially considering how irritating that damn tree is. I do kind of wonder about her situation and how willing she is to reach out to allies. To do the things she does, she must be what, tier nine or above? At that level of power, she still needs help? What the heck� What exactly is threatening her? I�m also rather curious as to where her main body is. I wonder what stratum she chooses to make her home.

The moment we leave the grove, it�s like a light has been turned off. The environment changes in an instant from peaceful garden to shadow warzone. It�s so abrupt that I�m certain there must be some sort of magical effect at work.

My pets and I don�t run into anything too challenging and are able to fight our way back inside the Colony�s borders without much issue. With that mystery sorted, it�s time to return to smashing the wave back to the outer defensive line.

It takes a day of near constant fighting to help the Colony shove the wave back to the outer defensive walls, and once again, the endless defence against the monsters continues. It�s all worth it, though. Every hour, the family is harvesting ridiculous amounts of Biomass and cores from the farm zones, and our savage, one-sided tactics are ensuring that the frontline soldiers, generals, scouts, and mages are getting a constant flow of experience.

The number of tier four ants is steadily increasing, with some rare individuals tipping over into tier five. These ants are the OG�s, possibly born to the Queen before I was. If it weren�t for a strange quirk making me the first of the Formica Sapiens, these battle-hardened siblings would be receiving the sort of respect I get. And they�d be far more deserving in my opinion!

The �Eldest� salutes you, brave ants! With her constant flurry of motion, Vibrant is racking up the Levels at a prodigious rate. I ran into her not long ago and she was almost the same Level as Tiny, which is rather shocking. Despite lacking the ape�s tremendous power, her raw speed and ability to go for days without sleeping is helping her mow through the enemy at incredible speeds.

I might have to arrange more rest for her� If she manages to reach tier six before my pets, it won�t look too good�

After that point, I drive my pets even harder. More fighting! Less resting! We plough through endless hordes of shadow monsters, grind tier four and five demons into dust, and fortunately don�t run into any more toxic monsters before we retreat behind the lines for a regroup.

We push like this for a few more weeks and finally comes the time that I�ve been anticipating for so long!

Crinis is the first to reach the milestone, much to Tiny�s chagrin; her ability to pulp weaker monsters like a blender is just too much for the big guy to keep up with. Even if he scores more experience from higher tier monsters due to his incredible stopping power. Crinis is beyond excited to reach the milestone and isn�t shy in letting me know it.

[I finally caught up to you, Master!] she exclaims, leaping through the air to blob onto my carapace, giving me a quite comfortable, but surely horrendous-looking, thousand-tentacle hug.

[Well done, Crinis!] I praise her without holding back. [You�ve worked hard! I can�t wait to see what your tier six form is going to look like!]

She preens as I pat her head with an antenna, bringing a pair of tentacles up to her blobby face.

[This means I won�t be holding you back anymore, right, Master? You�ll be able to start collecting experience again and push for tier seven!]

Tier seven? I just evolved to tier six! Don�t rush the process. I need like, three hundred Levels before I can evolve again. But she�s correct that once the two of them have evolved, I�ll be able to start prioritising my own experience and growth. Not to mention we�ll finally be able to remove the seal on Invidia. The poor demon has been basically forbidden from gaining experience from the moment I reconstituted him, just so everyone could catch up. After this, the long road to his next evolution starts and he can finally start accruing experience for himself.

[Yes, yes,] I say to Crinis. [I�ll start taking more experience again. For now, you need to act as Tiny�s support so he can reach Level 80 as fast as possible.]

[I will!] she says, wiggling happily.

When we return to fighting, Tiny goes at it with a vengeance, his armour taking a beating as he throws his considerable weight around, making a mess of everything he can get his fists on. It�s quite the impressive display, and despite the fact he routinely exhausts himself, his Levelling speed picks up significantly, and in less than a day, he too has reached the milestone.

[There you go, Tiny!] I cheer for him. [You�ve finally made it! This is your chance to get even more massive!]

The big ape flexes his trunk-like arms and beats his fists onto the chest plate of his armour, grinning all the while.

[But first I�m going to have to chip away at your bulk in order to make you less stupid.]

The giant, bat-faced ape loses his grin and he curls his arms protectively around himself, as if trying to protect his beefy frame from my depredations.

[Don�t sulk, you�ll get back everything you lose and more when you evolve. Sheesh!]

With the goal achieved, our victorious party makes its way back into the territory of the Colony and all the way into the nest. After a bit of fussing from the Council, at first wondering why we weren�t out fighting, then wondering why we weren�t hurrying to evolve, we make it into the same chamber I evolved in, where we can finish feeding the last of the required resources into my pets.

Rare evolutions for both of them this time around. I have to say, I�m almost as excited for them to evolve as I was for myself. It�s a really good feeling watching the monsters I�ve raised grow alongside me. Tiny was my first pet. I still remember when he was just a little baby ape riding around on my back, getting into trouble. Crinis came much later, but she has quickly become an important member of the group, and her adorable antics are always good fun, even if her actual form is nightmare-inducing.

[I�m really proud of you two,] I say, feeling a touch emotional. [We�ve come a long way together and getting to this point has been difficult. It�s going to be so nice to be able to run around the Dungeon together at the same tier again, and I won�t have to worry about it as much.]

Surprising me, Tiny wraps his furry arms around me in a big hug, prompting Crinis to extend her tentacles and do the same. It�s very nice, but then I spot Invidia, floating by himself off to one side, watching us with his green eye.

[Come on, greedy-boy,] I tell him, waving him over with an antenna. [Get in here.]

He hesitates, then flutters over, and before he knows it, he gets snatched out of the air by Tiny and brought into the group hug.

Warm and fuzzies out of the way, it�s time for the big moment! We max out their cores, and before anything else can happen, I need to make a few adjustments to Tiny.

[Get over here, dammit!] I yell at the ape, who�s attempting to run away. [It�s not going to hurt! All I�m going to do is transfer some stats from Might to Cunning.]

He flinches as if I just told him I�m going to shift his bones around.

[Tiny� Get over here right now or I swear I�ll switch half your muscle mass into neurons. Maybe then you�ll be smart enough to stack one block on top of another.]

He appears wounded, as if to say �that was a little excessive. I�ll have you know that I put two blocks on top of another, thank you very much!�

[Alright, I�m sorry. Okay? Just come over. I�ll make you smart enough to use the manual evolution and that�s it.]

Reluctance still evident in every part of his body, Tiny makes his way over, running his hands along his biceps and bulging shoulder muscles with a mournful gaze. I do my best to ignore his pleading expression as I bring my antennae forward and activate Core Manipulation.

With the sheer mental power I now bring to the table, it�s way easier than it ever was before to adjust cores, and I get to work making the necessary changes. In order to keep things in balance, I do my best to ensure the loss of Might is generally applied across his whole body and not concentrated on any particular place. That way, he won�t become ungainly in some way that might negatively affect his evolution. When the job is done, he�s become noticeably less bulky in places, but now has enough Cunning to be somewhat less dense. Speaking of which.

[Just exactly how thick was your skull, man?] I demand. [There wasn�t enough room up there for additional mass, half of it�s sitting in your neck!]

It�s true, his skull was remarkably thick, which might explain how he�s managed to avoid severe brain injury from all the beatings he�s taken over the weeks and months. I knew he was thick but didn�t realise it�d gotten to this level. After making this change, it�s off to see Granin for a final appointment.

[Finally got there, did you?] Torrina welcomes us with a smile as we park outside the golgari offices. No chance we all fit in there� [I�ll get Granin for you.]

A few moments later and the surly old rock trundles out to greet us.

[Now it�s your turn, eh?] he turns to Tiny and Crinis with a broad grin. [Tier six! The big leagues! Jeez, I can�t remember the last time I heard about a Shaper walking about with three tier six pets. That�s a literal fortune in cores being invested right there.]

[Rare cores this time around,] I boast. [Only the best!]

Corun rolls his eyes.

[Obviously rare cores. You think they deserve worse than you got?]

[No!] I protest. [I�d give them better if I could!]

[Oh, Master.] Crinis wiggles her spherical form around on my back.

Granin just grunts.

[Alright then, I�ll talk to these two one at a time. Give them a few guidelines and try to set some expectations so they know what they�re going into. Tiny should get something along the same lines you did in terms of reset, although the weird Shadow Mana infusion he got does complicate things a little. Crinis on the other hand� it�s a little more up in the air. Do you want to sit in on the conversations?] he asks me.

[Absolutely. They�re my friends, and I want to help as much as I can.]

The old golgari pauses when he hears the word friends but otherwise just nods.

[That settles it, then,] he says, rubbing his two hands together as that familiar enthusiasm takes hold of his frame. [Who�s first?]

As long as I live in this world, I�m sure I�ll never see another sapient as enthusiastic about evolving monsters as this guy. It can�t be healthy.

The master spoke long with the stone-people, and Tiny did his best to pay attention. What had been done to his core seemed to help his concentration, and he was able to follow the conversation better than before. Except he still felt itchy all over, but there was nothing nearby for him to hit.

All he could do was sigh and flex his fingers into his favourite shape: a fist, lamenting the noticeably less bulging muscles in his forearms as he did so. He just had to be patient, he comforted himself. Soon he would be larger and bulgier than ever before. Then he would hit things harder than ever before!

[In terms of resetting body parts, I highly recommend going with bones,] the rock man was saying.

Bones? Tiny snorted. If he was going to make any part of him more powerful, it would be his muscles!

[Why the bones specifically?] the master asked. [I�m pretty sure Tiny is going to want to make himself stronger more than anything, so wouldn�t his musculature be a better idea?]

Tiny felt a small bloom of joy within his chest. It was nice having a master that understood him so well. Even though they did keep Tiny from fighting all the time.

The stone man shook his head.

[Why do you think we have bones in the first place?]

[To hold you together? I honestly can�t even remember what it feels like to have bones on the inside. I�m probably not the right person to ask.]

[Look. Muscles need something to attach to, that�s true for you as well. When our muscles flex and contract�]

Tiny knew about flexing! He hunched his back and brought his arms forward to accentuate his chest and arms. The other two ignored him.

[�They are moving something. And that something is your skeleton. Or carapace.]

[Right. I�m still not getting why the bones need an upgrade before anything else.]

[If he resets his muscles to a better material, then spends a ton of his evolutionary energy on Might�]

[He will,] master assured him.

He would.

[�Then it�s entirely possible that his strength will be greater than what his skeleton can withstand. He either won�t be able to use his Might properly, or he will literally shatter his own bones when he fights.]

That� didn�t sound good. Tiny scrunched his nose. Not being able to hit things hard was bad, the worst! It sounded like he would need to make sure his bones were strong enough to withstand infinite power. Because he wouldn�t be satisfied until his punch could make a mountain explode!

[I hope you got that, Tiny,] the master said. [You�re not punching anything with busted arms.]

Tiny nodded to show how seriously he understood the point, then decided to give a thumbs up for emphasis.

[It�s actually weirding me out having you be smart enough to listen this well,] the master observed.

[I�m really interested to see what he evolves into,] the rock man said. [Lightning Fist Apes just don�t live this long. I�m amazed you pulled it off.]

[It wasn�t easy,] the master grumbled, patting Tiny on the arm with one antenna.

Tiny smiled and flexed a little to show the master he appreciated his care. He felt really twitchy, though. He glanced around a little, then slumped. Still nothing to hit.

[Alright then, Tiny. Off we go.]

Tiny started. He�d missed the end of the conversation. Still, he�d done well! He�d listened and learned a few things, like how to make sure he punched harder! He followed the master out of the chamber and back to the space in which they were to evolve. The whole way there, his master pelted him with reminders on what he was to do, and what he wasn�t to do, when evolving.

[No matter what,] he was told again, [you aren�t allowed to reduce your Cunning below twenty, got it? I want you alive long enough to reach tier seven, not running up to an Ancient and trying to punch it in the eye. Keep in mind what Granin said about the bones, and� just make sure you�re happy with your choices, I guess.]

Tiny reached out with one, displeasingly thin arm, and hugged the master to his side.

[Aww, I appreciate it, you big lug. Just make sure you use the manual evolution, ok? I know it�s a pain and there are so many options, but it�ll be worth it in the long run.]

Tiny gave another thumbs up and settled onto his backside, leaning against the rocky wall of the chamber. If he was going to be evolving, he�d need to make sure he was comfortable. With a thought, he activated the System menu, a broad grin stretching across his features. He would grow bigger! Stronger!

And when things got in his way, were annoying, threatened his master, or whenever he felt like it, he would hit them! Way harder than before!

[Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

[Congratulations on reaching the maximum Level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

Warning! Evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

Your evolution options are as follows:

� Mighty Puncher

� Kong Boxing Champion

� Winged Thunder Fist (Special)

� Dark Lightning Kong (Special)

� Lightning Fist Emperor (Rare)

� Thunderstrike Mountain Kong (Rare)]

Tiny had been explicitly told to ignore the basic evolution, so he reluctantly passed over the Kong Boxing Champion and moved straight to the rare choices. He knew enough about himself to understand he didn�t have the patience to trawl through each option, his new intelligence gave him at least that much self-awareness.

[Rare Evolution: Lightning Fist Emperor (Rare). -5 bonus to Cunning, +5 bonus to Will, +200 bonus to Might, +50 bonus to Toughness. A fusion of impact and lightning, the Lightning Fist Emperor is a creature capable of shattering the sky with a single fist. The skin, particularly focused around the fists, will be transformed into Bluesky Mithril, an exceptionally hard material that is both conductive and has a multiplicative effect on Lightning Mana. In addition, a Lightning Storm Generator will be added to both Lightning Mana glands.]

Tiny thought about this option and decided he liked it. He liked it a lot. With this, he would get stronger and tougher and would be able to shoot lightning out of his hands even better than before!

If there was one thing Tiny liked as much as hitting things, it was hitting them with lightning at the same time. This evolution would help him do that and then some! What about the next one?

[Rare Evolution: Thunderstrike Mountain Kong (Rare). -10 bonus to Cunning, +10 bonus to Will, +220 bonus to Might, +75 bonus to Toughness. As enduring as the mountains themselves, the Thunderstrike Mountain Kong is the physical embodiment of where the earth meets the sky. The bones will be remade to Earthblood Basalt, a self-healing, flexible, and tough material, and will allow the Mountain Kong to endure extreme forces. In addition, a Lightning Ignition Gland will be added to both Lightning Mana Affinity glands, allowing the Kong to release larger bursts of lightning in a shorter time frame.]

Tiny�s eyes widened. The bones? This was exactly what he wanted. He was a little sad to miss out on the metal-infused skin, but he supposed having rock-infused bones would be just as nice. Also, he got even more Might!

He happily selected this option, only to frown when a whole new set of windows and menus filled his vision. Anger stirred in the chest of the great ape, but he smothered it with a sigh and started flicking through the lists, ignoring his growing headache.

This would take a while.

By the time her master returned, her perfect, wonderful master, Crinis was practically vibrating in excitement. What a wonderful day! What a precious opportunity! To have her dearest master devote his care and attention to her evolution on a personal level, it was far more than she, a mere servant, deserved! She would happily accept, in fact, she wouldn�t dream of saying no! Such a chance wasn�t to be squandered.

Her master walked toward her, his carapace shining so beautifully as the darkness Mana washed across that perfect form that she nearly didn�t realise when he spoke to her.

[�ready to go, Crinis?]

[Ah! Yes, Master!] she squeaked.

[Great. I�m a lot less worried about your evolution than I am about Tiny�s. I trust you to not make any dumb decisions.]

I trust you. I trust you. I trust you.

The words rattled around in Crinis� head, drowning out anything else that was said until she snapped back to reality a minute later and found they were already inside the room. Crinis shook herself to drive away any distractions. She had to focus and not let the master down in her evolution. She slapped herself on the side of her little ball form with two tentacles, the little impacts sending waves through her jelly-like shadow flesh. Her master looked at her curiously before turning back to the conversation and she herself began to listen more attentively.

[Shadow creatures can be a little tricky, particularly at this level of evolution,] the golgari Shaper, Granin, was saying.

[You mentioned something like that with Tiny as well,] the master noted with perfect intuition. [What is it about shadow monsters?]

Granin frowned and Crinis huffed. How dare he show such a displeased expression when faced with perfection? Did he need educating? Her blades extended ever so slightly before she retracted them. Now wasn�t the time.

[The trick is that shadow monsters are such different beasts compared to first or third stratum monsters. Shadow Flesh is in a category of its own in terms of core body components. It can be hardened into an almost chitinous material or be as spongy as your pet Crinis here has made it. When it comes time to reset, it�s hard to get something that will perform remotely the same function.]

[Hmmm�] Her master didn�t sound pleased, so she released her claws again. [Crinis could reset her shadow flesh into� I don�t know� demon flesh or some other third stratum equivalent, but it wouldn�t be able to serve the same function?]

[Correct. There�s no reset available from the third stratum that would allow Crinis to remain as malleable as she currently is. If she were to reset, she wouldn�t be able to compact herself down to her current size,] the Shaper gestured toward her current, cute, ball-sized shape, [or glomp onto your carapace the way she does.]

[Rejected!] Crinis declared before thinking.

[Uh� What was that, Crinis?] the master asked.

[Um. I like my current shape, is all I meant� Master,] she stammered out.

[Which is fine,] Granin said. [The issue is that the flesh is both the strength and the weakness of the shadow monsters. It�s malleable and flexible, compressible and easily regenerated, but it�s not very tough, no matter how many mutations you pile onto it. As you go deeper, it�ll become harder and harder to avoid taking significant damage, or inflict damage, because everything you run into will be able to carve through your tentacles with ease.]

[Is there a solution?] Master asked, and Crinis felt a warm glow at the clear concern in their mind.

[There are plenty, just none that are guaranteed at this stage of evolution.] Granin appeared frustrated. [That�s the issue with shadow creatures. Demon stuff from the third stratum isn�t suitable, you really need stuff from the fourth, which is rare for tier six. Which is why I bring this up. If Crinis gets a choice to reforge her shadow flesh into something from that low in the Dungeon, she absolutely has to take it.]

[How exactly will she know?]

[It usually isn�t hard to tell from the name. If it�s not demonic or poisonous, it�s probably fourth stratum. Just keep in mind that getting such an option would be exceptionally lucky. The System is fickle with things like this. In the much more likely event that she doesn�t get an option like that, I recommend we focus on these areas�]

The discussion went on for some time after that, and Crinis was diligent in listening to every point that was made and every option discussed, asking a few questions herself when she needed clarification. She was determined to do her best and make her master proud! Later, when the talking was done and she�d attached herself to the master�s carapace once more, she received the best advice.

[When you evolve, just make sure it�s something you�ll be happy with,] the master said. [You don�t need to worry about being useful or looking after me or anything like that. As long as you�re happy, that�s all I want, alright?]

She felt warm and fuzzy at the care her master gave and patted him on the back with a few tentacles.

[Yes, Master.]

When they arrived in the evolution chamber, the ape was already there, fast asleep. She assumed his evolution had begun and he hadn�t just gotten bored reading through the menus. Eager to begin, she parted from her master and made a comfortable home for herself in a dark corner, nestling her body half into the shadows and half out as she prepared to undergo the greatest change of her life to this point.

[Good luck, Crinis!] the master encouraged her.

She wouldn�t let the master down! She engaged the menu, her attention riveted on the details.

[Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

[Congratulations on reaching the maximum Level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

Warning! Evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

Your evolution options are as follows:

� Jelly of the In-between

� Floating Orb of Madness

� Shadeshifter (Special)

� Shadow Ghost of Darken Realm (Special)

� Immaterial Mind Breaker (Rare)

� Beholder of the Ineffable Truth (Rare)

� Endless Maw (Rare)]

Acting with extreme care, she read through each option, taking careful tally of the bonus stats, estimating the value of each of the included organs and resets in order to glean the best value. She also tried to read the intentions of the System by the choices given, what it was thinking for her future, something Granin had discussed at length with the master. Though it had appeared the master was thinking about other, no doubt more important things, and hadn�t listened.

The two key foci of the System appeared to be her mobility, and her mind-affecting abilities in this evolution. Her mastery over Shadow Magic had grown quickly in the second stratum, and her ability to move through darkness had likewise improved. All that time practising with the order had done her some good.

These Skills were rewarded with options like the Jelly of the In-between, the Shadeshifter, and Shadow Ghost, each of which improved her ability to slip from one place to another through various means. The Orb of Madness and Mind Breaker evolutions were tips to her growing repertoire of ways to affect the minds of her foes, something she didn�t mind admitting she delighted in. Those that slighted her master deserved nothing less than the most twisted torments!

Finally, the Endless Maw evolution was more slanted toward consumption and biting, turning her into an amorphous blob filled with endless mouths. It was tempting, but not quite what she was after.

Naturally, the rare evolutions provided the best value, and so it was to these that she was drawn.

[Rare Evolution: Beholder of the Ineffable Truth (Rare). +60 bonus to Cunning, +60 bonus to Will, +60 bonus to Might, +60 bonus to Toughness. The Beholder is a knower of things, and a perceiver of that which others would like to remain hidden. Blinded to light, it sees through, and into the between. Shadow Eye will be reformed into a Dimension Eye (Warning! This will refund all mutations), allowing the Beholder to pierce the Veil.]

This evolution would focus on her perception, pushing her general, all-rounder build further along and helping seek out that which would harm the master. She liked it but was drawn to the other.

[Rare Evolution: Immaterial Mind Breaker (Rare). +70 bonus to Cunning, +70 bonus to Will, +50 bonus to Might, +50 bonus to Toughness. The Mind Breaker is a creature not satisfied with shattering only the flesh but seeks to also destroy the mind. Opponents will be left reeling as they attempt to fend off attacks that will crush bones and sanity alike. Reforges Shadow Flesh into Immaterial Flesh (Warning! This will refund all mutations), a substance that can move through solid matter at will, with an expenditure of Mana. In addition, Soul Seeker Cilia will be placed on the ends of the limbs, allowing for strikes directly into the mind to occur.]

This one� she liked.

With Tiny and Crinis asleep in the evolution chamber, I feel as if something of a weight has been lifted. Not in the sense that I don�t have to worry about them anymore, I�ll always be worrying about them, but it�s nice that they�re going to be as strong as I am now. With a group of potent, maxed out tier six monsters running around together, we�ll be able to fight off the depredations of the wave far better than before. Even the possibility of a tier seven rising to challenge the Colony isn�t as threatening.

The two of them are now surrounded by the soft glow that heralds the beginning of their change. From this point, they will undergo the metamorphic process of growing into something entirely new. For this evolution, it�s likely to take a day, perhaps more, so the big question is, what do I get up to in the meantime? With the ape and the murder-ball out of action�

[Well then, it�s just you and me, chief,] I say to the hovering eyeball. [I think these two are going to be just fine here on their own, considering all the guards the Colony has in place. Why don�t you and I head into the Dungeon and cut loose for a while. You can finally get some experience for yourself!]

That massive eye flashes green.

[That would be pleassssant. I have yearned for my sssshare.]

[I bet you have.]

Come to think of it, isn�t it sort of nasty to force an envy demon to sit around watching others get something that he�s forbidden? I�ve made him float about healing and shielding while myself, then Tiny and Crinis, soak up all the experience right in front of him. In hindsight, it seems a bit rough. I say a silent apology to my loyal pet as we make our way through the tunnels and into the open spaces outside the nest.

The farming of the wave continues at a furious pace out here. Thousands of workers rush this way and that, carrying loads of cores or piles of Biomass for distribution or storage. The sheer volume of resources being pulled in is boggling to the mind, making our first farming effort seem like child�s play. With any luck, this spree will fuel the Colony for months after the wave has ended, providing the raw materials necessary to raise the next generation even better than the one before.

I should check in with the core shapers at some point. They sent out hundreds of teams to farm beyond the boundaries of the Colony in the upper second and lower first stratum. Hopefully they manage to stay safe out there. Raising pets is an expensive and trying ordeal, so I know what they�re going through.

Eventually we reach the front, and after a short wait, we get ready to push our way through the outer wall and into the Dungeon to face the wave. Before that, I decide to chat with Invidia about strategy.

[This is your moment to do as you please, really,] I tell the demon. [We can start funnelling experience into the two of us, so I guess it doesn�t really matter who�s doing the most damage. You can just cut loose and let the enemy feel your wrath.]

[I have no wrath,] he corrects me, [only envy.]

[Wait� so you don�t feel wrathful ever? How does that work?]

[It�ssss a demon thing.]

[Fair enough then. Feel free to go crazy, just don�t bring the tunnel down or anything like that. Use your eye laser if you want to�just, again, don�t collapse the tunnel on our heads.]

[Issss there anything elsssse?]

[Mmmm, not really. Let�s get to it! Unleash the magic!]

[I sssshall!]

I whip together the Omni-Elemental Mana Construct and start churning out some varied Mana for my brains to practise with, ice for one, blue fire for the other. It�s hard for them, but whipping together two separate spells with two different types of Mana just makes me feel giddy. My dream of ultimate magical power is nearly achieved! Soon I�ll be throwing out dozens of spells at once, using four or five different Mana types! How do you defend against that? Gwehehehehe.

For his part, Invidia looks just as excited as I am, his eye practically glowing with eagerness as he pushes forward, pelting the first monsters with a magical barrage of fire and explosions that practically dissolves them on the spot. Then it turns out it wasn�t my imagination that his eye was glowing, as the light grows more and more intense before a beam of pure energy lances forth, cutting through the dark tunnel and detonating every monster it touches.

BOOM!

[Holy smokes, Invidia! You aren�t holding back!]

[I havessss no need to.]

I laugh. [True! Go for it, little buddy!]

I can feel his prodigious mind at work, weaving Mana together at an unbelievable pace to form detonation after detonation that rocks the air and sends shards of stone flying everywhere. It�s like an artillery barrage has landed around us, the noise, light, and devastation are savage.

Into the mix I throw my own shards of ice and jets of flame, roasting or spearing everything that manages to survive the ongoing explosions. At long last allowed to revel in his full and complete power, Invidia does not let the opportunity slip by and rains hell upon his opponents until even demons are shattered by the power he unleashes.

After ten minutes, the tunnel is a pockmarked warzone, covered in Biomass, shards of ice, and superheated rock. Invidia chuckles, an eerie �ssssshhh-ssssshh-shhh� sound, before his teeth unveil themselves from thin air and he flaps his way over to the Biomass and starts chomping. Not far away, we can hear the tide of monsters swelling again, it won�t be long before we�re forced back into the fray. But, for now, we�re content to recharge our Mana, chow down on some Biomass, and reflect on the joys of magic.

[Feel good to go full force for a change?] I ask the demon.

[Yesssss,] he almost purrs. [I have been waiting to takessss what they had for myself, for sssso long.]

[You mean their experience?]

[It belongssss to me.]

[I mean, it does when you finish them off, I suppose. Or are you saying that all experience in the Dungeon belongs to you?]

[Not all,] he corrects me.

Oh? That�s a little surprising.

[That�s not what I expected to hear from an envy demon,] I tease him a little.

[I cannot take from the massssster. Or that which belongssss to the masssster.]

[Ah. So you mean, all experience in the Dungeon belongs to you, except for me, Tiny, and Crinis.]

[Yesssssss,] he purrs as he chomps down some more Biomass. [Alllll for meeee.]

The wave ground on through Tiny and Crinis� evolution, the ants of the Colony working industriously as they always did. The never-ending spawns both a blessing and a curse, disrupting all usual business, yet flooding the nests with Biomass and cores that were in turn used to fuel the further expansion and growth of the Colony.

Queens toiled, eating and laying eggs that were taken by the Brood Tenders and nursed in their protected chambers. Once hatched, each larva�s cared for as if they were royalty�fed and groomed, played with and tickled on an hourly basis. Each grub was tended by the same ant from the moment she hatched until the happy day she graduated the Academy. This also allowed the Tenders to maximise the utility and bonuses gained from their mentoring Skills.

The nest was a well-oiled machine, one that�s constantly in the process of being reinvented. The world of Pangera proved ever changing, and it was up to the Colony to adapt to stay ahead of it, lest they fall and become extinct. And it was exactly this worry that kept the two Brood Tender Council members on their claws.

Theresant and Florence worked tirelessly to ensure the next generation of the Colony were reared in the best way they knew how, and when that knowledge changed, so too did their methods. Nothing but the most effective, most efficient methods would be acceptable for such an important task, but even these tried and true practices weren�t always up to the task. Sometimes, they were forced to think outside the box, because, as strange as it might sound, not every larva, pupa, or hatchling, was the same.

Particularly this one.

�Where has she gone this time?� an unusually flustered Florence groaned when Theresant gave her the bad news.

�If I knew that, I wouldn�t have come to you,� her fellow Council member grumbled, clearly suffering from a lack of rest.

�This is the third time she�s escaped today! If I hadn�t seen it for myself, I wouldn�t have believed a grub could move that fast. What did her caretakers say?�

�They�re bordering on hysterical. The idea of a larva going missing is unheard of. The whole group is bordering on panic! They think they�ve failed in their duty to the next generation!�

The two dipped their antennae, such a feeling was beyond pain to the Tenders. This could not be borne!

�Make sure they are comforted. They have not failed the Colony, this grub is merely beyond anything we�ve seen before. What possible reason would a larva have to abandon the brood chambers? And how the heck could they even do it?�

�Calm yourself, Sister,� Theresant said. �We must take this situation in hand. No grub will be lost on our watch, no matter what.�

�You�re right, of course. Thank you, Theresant.� Florence collected herself and found her calm. �Do you have any thoughts as to where we should look first?�

�There must be tracks, it�s a grub. Let�s gather a team of Tenders and see if we can requisition some scouts. We�ll have that larva back in our care before they know it.�

Having thus firmed their resolve, the two ants moved quickly. In a matter of minutes, a search party was gathered, a passing group of scouts press-ganged into service. It made a strange sight, one rarely seen in the nest, when the Brood Tenders sallied forth from their chambers in search of a wayward larva. What they expected to be a quick search soon took a turn for the worse as the scent they followed ranged high and low through the tunnels.

Much business was thrown into disorder as the increasingly desperate party of Brood Tenders raced from place to place, bursting into the blacksmiths� forges and turning them upside down before racing out again. Many an antenna was set to wiggling anxiously when they raided the resting chambers, disturbing the torpor of the workers and unknowingly throwing the unnamed ones into despair by throwing their counts off.

There was nothing to be done about it, there was not a single ant in the Colony who would stand before the Brood Tenders and impede their work. There was no hierarchy amongst the castes, no pecking order or chain of command, but all knew that the work of caring for the young was the most important work of all. When the Tenders burst into their workplaces, all the ants could do was get out of the way until they were gone.

So it was that Theresant and Florence grew increasingly frantic as they followed the trail of this impossible grub all through the nest until finally the scent led outside the nest itself.

�HOW!� Florence burst out. �It can�t possibly be this quick! It doesn�t have legs!�

�Do you think it might have latched onto other ants using its mandibles?� Theresant pondered. �That might explain the rapid pace and the lack of tracks.�

Florence stared at her.

�You don�t think they�d notice?� she asked.

�It�s a larva! They�re small and light. If it latched onto a leg, or underneath the carapace��

�Dammit!� Florence swore. �That means it could drop off anywhere in the tunnels and crawl off. We need to move fast! What if a monster spawns next to it?�

�We won�t let it happen,� Theresant promised her sister, then turned to the search party behind them. �Bring your sisters, we need more antennae for the search.�

Five minutes later, the single largest gathering of Brood Tenders outside their chambers ever witnessed descended on the Biomass farms like a storm, scattering all before them in their hunt for the grub. Chaos reigned wherever they went as more and more ants were forced to join the hunt until thousands upon thousands of ants flooded the tunnels, searching high and low, tracing the faint scent of a single grub that seemed to crisscross everywhere throughout the territory until none could be sure where the trail began or where it ended.

As the Tenders grew more distressed, more ants abandoned their work to assist them, which rapidly grew out of control, and all industry in the Colony ground to a halt. Even soldiers were dragged into the mess, pulling the generals with them. Before she�d even realised what was happening, Sloan found herself organising the central command post for the search, directing no less than fifty different search parties as they tore the territory apart in search of the grub.

Advant herself led a charge to the very edge of the Colony defences, following a faint trace that led right to the outer wall before doubling back, toward the farms. Eventually the pattern began to emerge, Sloan having pieced together the movement of the grub and organised the searchers into a wide net, cast out to surround and constrict the territory in which the elusive larva could move.

With hearts pounding in chests, the ants converged, turning over every rock and leaf so as not to let their prey slip past. Creeping step by step they advanced, drawing close the strings around the target and blocking off escape routes.

Emergency walls were constructed, an army of carvers working without pause, walled off tunnels and built emergency watch stations. Every ant passing in and out was inspected head to claw, lest they unknowingly smuggle the grub through a checkpoint.

Florence and Theresant felt joy surging in their hearts as the web drew ever more taut. They would not lose the larva, and their sisters would know joy when this lost lamb had been returned to the fold. They placed themselves at the forefront of the search and none were more diligent than they. The two siblings checked every rock, every fold in the stone, and left no shadow seaweed uninspected in their advance.

Eventually, the multitude of search parties gathered around a single point, an intersection of tunnels close to the edge of the Colony�s territory. Hearts were in mouths all around as the thousands of ants gathered within sight of each other. Somewhere ahead, in this innocuous patch of rock, the grub was hiding, they�d made sure of it. All trails led to this point. Escape was impossible!

�Ahh! What a nap! I�m feeling good! Oh. Ah. Hello, everyone?�

At that moment, the Eldest stood up, right in the middle of the multitude of spectators, stretching after a period of torpor.

�Eldest? What are you doing here?� Theresant asked.

The giant ant turned to cast their eyes over the tense antennae of the gathered crowd.

�I was resting here. What the heck has been going on while I was resting? Actually. Don�t worry, I think I have it.�

The Brood Tender tilted her head, unsure as to what the Eldest meant when they moved forward, ducked down, and seemingly from nowhere plucked a grub from the ground with their mandibles, holding it up for all to see.

�This what you�re after?�

There was perfect stillness, then, the gathered throng burst into wild applause, clacking their mandibles as waves of pheromones rolled through the tunnels. The Brood Tenders were almost overcome with emotion as the long search finally came to an end. Theresant and Florence walked on shaking legs to approach the Eldest and inspect the larva for themselves.

�Finally, we�ve found her!� they cried. �We can take her back to the chambers and tend to her needs properly.�

The little grub wriggled viciously in the Eldest�s grip, but the mighty ant had no problem maintaining their grip without hurting the little one.

�I�m not sure that�s a good idea,� the Eldest said, shocking the two of them. �This one reminds me of Vibrant. She�s the only other grub I�ve seen with this much energy. If you take her back, she�s only going to escape again. You might as well leave her with me. I�ll bring her up personally.�

A chill ran down the Tenders� carapace.

�You? T-teach her personally? A-are you s-sure that�s� safe?� Florence stammered.

The Eldest eyed them, an aura of irritation rising.

�What are you implying?�

So quick, they almost missed it, the hovering demon guardian of the Eldest appeared, a giant mouth splitting the air beneath it and opening wide. Quick as a flash, the Eldest turned and flung the grub straight into the waiting maw, which closed and vanished from sight.

�ELDEST!� Theresant shrieked.

�Calm down,� the Eldest groused. �He�s not going to eat her. If she�s going to be a pain and send the entire colony into a tizzy, she can have a little time out. In this case, time out means being held in a demon�s interdimensional mouth.�

Then they laughed. Oh, how they laughed.

Scarred and frightened, the two Tenders retreated to the brood chambers to reassure their sisters and comfort each other from memories they would rather forget. An hour later, the Colony was back to its normal industrious self, as if nothing had ever happened.

Champion monsters aren�t exactly unknown to me, seeing as Vibrant is one. I spoke to Granin about it as a passing conversation piece, and given that he knows just about everything on the topic of monsters, he had plenty to say.

Generally rare, but especially so amongst communal monsters, champions are a distinct threat when encountered by delvers. Smarter, stronger, and capable of rallying other monsters around them, these creatures have apparently always been a known quantity in the Dungeon that were better left alone and avoided than confronted head on.

I have already experienced the joy of taking care of one ant champion, and I�m not particularly enamoured of the idea of taking care of a second.

[Whatever you do, make sure you don�t eat her, Invidia. Just, be careful, you know?]

[I sssshall. The young isss sssafe with me.]

[Good to know.]

The absolute mess that this larva caused went beyond the pale. Not even Vibrant was that much of a pain in the neck before hatching. To think this potential champion is already capable of this level of disaster causing� Only my finest and strictest training will be able to mitigate the catastrophes to come. Still, she hasn�t even gone into the pupal state yet� What exactly are we going to do with her when we�re supposed to be out fighting the wave?

Invidia will do his absolute best, I�m sure, but I don�t really expect him to fight whilst cradling a grub in his mouth. We need a more permanent solution�

As I ponder what to do with the little thing, I drift my thoughts down to the Vestibule and the flow of Will contained therein. The grub is also there, its barely conscious mind is providing energy to me, just as any other member of the Colony would. I can feel her thoughts, ever so softly, and only when I concentrate. There is immense curiosity there, as well as a burning impatience. I can tell she�s in a hurry to grow up and hatch, to join the workforce and take her place amongst her siblings.

It�s not time yet, little grub! You�ve got a bit of growing to do before you�re ready to do that! Having said such, may as well go and secure some food for her. The three of us wander off and find a creature spawning in the tunnels, which I put down with a quick chomp, and only then ask Invidia to release the little one so she can get fed.

The grub emerges almost tentatively from the nightmare zone that is the demon�s pocket dimension, wiggling onto the ground with obvious relief. They have little in the way of senses, the larvae, blind and with very little by way of smell, but I�m sure it wasn�t all that pleasant in there, which is nothing less than what she deserved after the panic she caused.

Smelling the food, she wiggles her way toward it with that strength and energy which reminds me so much of Vibrant as a larva.

Soon the sound of chomping and chewing rings throughout the tunnel, and I watch the little grub go at it, eating far more than one would think possible for a creature of her size. Even then, she tries to crawl away, nipping behind a rock and attempting to roll away from my clutches whilst I�m not paying attention. Sadly for her, I was well aware of her intentions the moment they formed in her little head.

Back into the mouth with you! You�ll learn eventually.

Invidia and I fall into a regular pattern that sees us out crushing the wave for a while and then returning to feed the grub and trap it back into its inescapable cage. Some might say putting the larva into a prison carved from solid metal is inhumane, but she chewed her way through the rock, so we didn�t have much choice.

Luckily, if we force-feed her a ton of Biomass until she basically passes out from a food coma, then we get a good hour of stress-free fighting in before she becomes mobile again and the escape attempts commence.

It�s especially frustrating because I can�t really sense any malicious intention from her. She�s just curious and wants to roll about the place, free and uninhibited, quite apart from most of the grubs in the Colony who are perfectly content to go with the flow. The only downside is that she�s a completely defenceless larva with almost no sensory apparatus or ability to defend herself. Considering her almost uncanny ability to wriggle out of sight and hitch a ride with passing ants, locking her up is necessary for her protection.

I mean, come on� It was that or she stayed in the mouth, alright? I think I�m doing well!

While Crinis and Tiny are evolving, Invidia and I bond over our mutual love of explosions, magic, and lasers. This has also been a wonderful opportunity to start grinding my Mind Magic. I only need to push it up a rank or two and then I�ll have the ability to create Mind Constructs just like the envy demon! Of course, I don�t expect that I�ll be able to maintain nearly as many as he does, but it should help multiply the amount of magic I can do.

I went into depth with my Triad of advisors in regard to this technique before I evolved. As they said, the normal method for a monster is to go the same route that Invidia has. Pile up one huge, omnipotent brain, and then use advanced Mind Magic to spin off constructs that essentially allow for parallel thinking. Each construct isn�t nearly as powerful as the original mind, but with increasing expertise in Mind Magic, and with a more potent host brain, the constructs become stronger and are able to handle more workload. Advancing beyond that, the constructs can cooperate with each other much like my own sub-minds do, working together to handle spell weaving that they couldn�t do on their own.

I took the time to speak to Invidia about it and it turns out he needs two Mind Constructs working together to weave each instance of his explosion magic, something that surprised me. As he explained it, since his go to detonation spell required two different elements, namely gas and fire, it was far easier to create them with two separate minds carrying the load with one.

During our spell barrages, I work hard on my Mind Magic, reaching out with bridges and connecting to monsters, twisting their minds and throwing false thoughts at them while they attempted to dodge Invidia�s spell assault. It was familiar casting that I�d spent a lot of time on before but hadn�t been using lately, as training other Skills had taken priority. Now it�s finally time for the mental warfare to make its triumphant return! All in the name of Mind Constructs!

We spent over a day in this pattern, force-feeding the larva and fighting to our heart�s content, driving back the ever-surging monsters and helping provide breathing room to my siblings.

Invidia continues to gleefully detonate every monster he can, vacuuming up experience at a phenomenal rate while I content myself with training my Skills and picking up kills where I can. After enough time has passed, we gather up the iron cage and cart it back to the evolution chamber, where we find Crinis and Tiny emerging from their sleep, newly forged and ready for battle.

The soft glow of evolution is gradually fading and the two of them are looking significantly different. Well, Tiny is, at any rate. Crinis remains blobbed up in a small ball, wobbling slightly as whatever internal changes that are taking place complete themselves.

My first pet and friend in this Dungeon, the giant bat-faced ape, has continued his trend of getting more absurdly muscular as time goes by. Another increase in size has him looming over the room, his considerable bulk taking up almost half the available space. Tiny�s made sure to put back on all the muscle mass that I took from him, times about five. His shoulders have levelled up, as well as the rest of his upper body, but surprisingly even his legs are beefier. Clearly, he wanted an all over power increase without targeting any particular area.

He remains largely dark in colour, the influence of the Shadow Mana that he took into his body is still there, though traces of flickering silver are starting to return to his back. Still somewhat shaggier than a gorilla would normally be, his fur crackles with faint electrical energy that discharges into the air and leaves an acrid tang on my antennae.

I waddle closer to Crinis and inspect her condition. I�m intrigued by the slight changes I can detect around her. Although she appears dark and wibbly-wobbly as always, there�s something new that I can see dancing on the edges of her body. It�s an almost ephemeral, ghost-like outline which hovers around her form. I�m super curious to know what it is, but I don�t want to peek at her core while she�s still evolving. Also, it�d feel a bit rude to look at someone�s core whilst they were sleeping. It�s just not on.

I set down the cage with the still sleeping grub inside it, and settle in to wait with Invidia. We idly engage in Mind Magic warfare to pass the time, but it doesn�t take long before the glow around the two monsters fades completely, and they begin to stir. Crinis is the first to shake off the sleep. Of course the greedy ape will cling to every ounce of rest he can get his meaty hands on. The little blob shivers a little and I feel her consciousness stirring to wakefulness as a collection of small tendrils extend and she starts to almost unconsciously feel out her surroundings.

[Hey there, Crinis! How does it feel to be tier six?]

The little ball wibbles a bit.

[Ah! Master! You were waiting for us?]

[We haven�t been here long. Invidia and I have been out fighting the waves for the most part while you evolved. You didn�t answer my question though. You�re now a member of the exclusive tier! The biggest and baddest creatures in the Colony! Are you excited?]

[Um, no? I-I�m happy I�ll be able to serve you better, Master!]

I slump a little. Ah well. I suppose it�s fine like this. I�d sort of hoped she might be a little pleased with the increase in her own power for her sake, rather than mine, but it appears there�s some distance to go before I can remove the �pet to master� relationship we have. I won�t rest until my pets are free of all compulsion and able to make their own way in the world! This is my vow!

[Get any juicy options?] I follow up. [I�m genuinely curious to hear what sort of things you were offered. Given your species and� specialties, there must have been some odd ones.]

Crinis is only too happy to explain to me what her choices were, extending a few small tentacles to wave about the air as she excitedly describes the various dimensional mind horrors that she could have turned into. Naturally she picked the most terrifying one. She�s one step away from being able to flay minds. I look slightly askance at her as I ask: [And you�re happy with your choice?]

[Yes!] she confirms joyfully.

Well� I suppose it�s to be expected. She�s happy, that�s what matters.

[Actually, since you�ve got new� mind invasion� stuff, you should check the Skills available to purchase. You might have unlocked something to do with your new capabilities. In fact, I�d be shocked if you didn�t. You should also make sure to test out your phasing ability as much as you can before we go out to fight again. I get the feeling it might take a little while to get the hang of, so practising early will pay off.]

Only too happy to take my advice, Crinis tentacles her way over to a corner so she can start perusing the lists, and I see her already trying to pass a tentacle into the wall, shifting the flesh to become insubstantial. There really is going to be nowhere to hide from her much longer. A chill descends on me.

Thankfully, Tiny manages to distract me from my grim future by sitting up and yawning with an unexpected amount of energy. His thick, packed arms and shoulders shift and bulge beneath his fur as he moves. He glances down at himself, a mighty grin breaking out on his face as he beholds his new mass.

[Yeah, yeah. You�re huge. Did you get anything else in this evolution, or did you just pour it all into Might?]

He gives me a thumbs up that I could interpret in several ways, but I decide that he is probably indicating that he did actually diversify in some way.

[And you remembered to make sure that your Cunning score stayed over twenty?]

The thumb droops a bit, but he does keep it up, from which I take it to mean that he did do as I said, but he�d much rather have sacked more of his brain matter if he could.

[Good! Well done, Tiny! Why don�t you run me through what your choices were and what you picked? I�d love to know all about it.]

Even with his increased intelligence, Tiny isn�t much of a talker, but with a mixture of words, gestures, and interpretative dance�which he�s surprisingly skilled at�I manage to get the gist of what he�s saying.

[Sounds like you got some hella impressive bones there, big guy,] I congratulate him. [Not as amazing or shiny as my carapace, but still, not bad.]

I have a thought.

[By the by. The two of you ought to finish up any new Skill purchases and do some mutating! Pour some Biomass into those fancy new duds you�re carrying around now, then we�ll go out and get to combat practice! Sound good?]

I get a resounding cheer from all my pets, even Invidia for some reason, and all of us settle into perusing menus.

It�s not only the pets that need to get some mutating done, I�m in the same boat myself! Whilst I haven�t been packing on the Biomass, I�ve been making sure I keep a steady intake in order to continue accumulating points, and there�s plenty I can do with them. I�m not planning on pushing anything to +30 just yet, not even my precious carapace, since there�s still much lower hanging fruit I can reach up and grab with almost no effort.

Upgrading my stomach would be good, but still too expensive at this stage. It�s a whopping 140 Biomass to take a single organ from +25 to +30, and when I still have parts of my body without any upgrades at all, it just isn�t going to happen.

That�s right! I�m talking about my brains!

All four of them, to be precise. The main mind, main sub-brain, and the two lackeys, the regular sub-brains. I actually spoke at length with Torrina about mutations for brains, at Granin�s suggestion, since he thought she might have more expertise than he did, as she specialised in �spell casting, wimp monsters,� in his words. I learned that when it comes to brains there is way too much to know and all too soon had to ask the enthusiastic shaper to tone things down for me.

In the end, despite a plethora of possible options, combinations, and builds that can be done with brains, there are only a few that are particularly relevant for me. What exactly do I want my brains to do? The focus is fairly narrow when it was put to me in those terms, and Torrina was only too happy to spell out the strengths and weaknesses of each choice at a level I could comprehend.

Still, I wistfully look down the list at the many intriguing options that I�ll never get the chance to pick.

Rapid brain for faster processing of information. Very useful for speed type monsters like Vibrant. A mutation like this, as well as a nervous system upgraded similar to mine are almost a necessity for her as she gets faster and faster. Moving at that kind of speed without being able to think fast enough to keep up with it or react fast enough when something jumps out at you, is a shortcut to getting yourself splatted on a wall somewhere. I was sure to sit Vibrant down and press this point upon her as soon as I got the chance, which took a little doing. Gravity Mana is a great leveller when it comes to catching her.

Motion Prediction brain? Another handy one. Develops and improves the section of the brain dedicated to motion tracking and prediction. I remember hearing that jugglers on Earth were found to have larger examples of this sector. It might seem like not much, but when you think about the amount of motion tracking that goes on in combat, you�d begin to realise just how important it is to be able to accurately trace and predict the path of things in motion. I�d love to take this as a defensive option, but my heart is set on another path.

Maybe if I get another brain�

Hormone control brain? Turns out even monsters have hormones that help regulate their body. Being able to exercise some level of control over them would be more than a little handy. Need an adrenaline kick at just the right moment? POW! Delivered right into the system when you want it.

Emotion regulator? This one seems a little weirder to me� The Meditation Skill does something similar once ranked up, but I can see where there�d be some synergies. If you were a rage monster like Sarah, you could use something like this to make you angry all the time. Apparently, she isn�t able to purchase this mutation due to a restriction of her species, which is something I�ve not yet run into. Though I suppose if you literally turn yourself into an unstoppable avatar of berserk rage, the System isn�t likely to just let you turn it off whenever you want to. It�d be like allowing Vibrant to purchase a �calm� organ. It�s just wrong.

But it�s in the magical options that the real juice of the brain mutations can be found. Better Mana Manipulation, perception or handling, sensitivity, or even absorption are here. You can improve the brain�s capacity to handle specific types of Mana or utilise particular types of constructs.

It�s even possible to select a mutation that will, after enough upgrades, permanently engrave a construct into the structure of the brain itself. Wild, I know. The advantage of not having to make and then maintain the construct are nice and all, but you could just get the Mana organ if you wanted to. Of course, taking this option only takes up a mutation slot, rather than a new organ, essentially passing the cost onto Biomass rather than precious evolutionary energy.

The drawback being that the brain you purchase this mutation for won�t be able to utilise any other form of Mana, which is a problem, obviously. I suppose if you were a specialist, it would be fine, but I have other plans.

When looking at it logically, what am I going to be using my sub-brains for? Creating Mind Constructs! It�ll be the constructs themselves that go on to do the actual spell casting, and I can�t mutate those, they aren�t physically part of my body. There�s no point making my sub-brains better at casting any spell other than Mind Constructs, it�s simply a waste of resources.

This is the point that Torrina was most determined to press upon me, not to be distracted by the shiny offerings but focus on the boring truth. The future of my sub-brains is a grim one�they will be Mind Construct batteries and little else. The better they are at making Mind Constructs, the more spells I can sling! There simply isn�t any way to overcome the difference by going down any other path.

So naturally, the option I choose for them is the Mind Mana Specialisation.

All three sub-brains are to be upgraded to +15, taking the Mind Mana mutation both times, then reinforcing it. With this, all three of them will become much more adept at handling Mind Mana, as well as using the Mind Mana Construct. This will pump up my training speed as well as improve my ability to form new minds.

Which leaves me with my main brain. Obviously, there�s a few ways I could go with this one. I could leave all the spell casting to the sub-brains and have my main mind be set aside just for processing combat information and moving the body, but that�s boring. I didn�t pump so many stats into this brain to have it handle all the simplest tasks. No! I pumped all the stats into this brain so that it could handle the biggest, most awesome magic of all!

Whipping through the menu, I find what I want and grin to myself.

Gravity Mana Specialisation. I take this mutation at +5, then find the other mutation I want: Condensing Mana Handling. Take that mutation at +10, then fuse the two together at +15. Gwehehehehe.

That�s right, my main mind is for dropping bombs, literally. Of course, the sub-brains can cast the Gravity Bomb now, but that doesn�t mean that�s what I want them to do most of the time. Nope, they�re reserved for creating Mind Constructs that will focus on elemental casting. When it comes to Gravity Magic, the main mind is going to be my go-to, and I�ll continue pouring evolutionary energy into it until it can throw around gravity spells with contemptuous ease.

With these two mutations, my main mind has grown better at condensing Mana and handling Gravity Mana. I can�t wait to see how they work together!

With everything selected, I confirm my choices and almost gleefully allow the rising itch to take over, throwing my body to the ground and spasming my legs in the air like a poisoned spider.

Just wait, Dungeon! My power will never stop growing!

Travelling the lands of the Colony was not something I was eager to undertake. My decision to pursue this venture was only made after repeated, and passionate, requests from you, my dear readers. I was as intrigued as all of you, I�m sure, when word of this strange new place reached my ears in Derinon.

A land of people cooperating with monsters from the Dungeon? Utterly scandalous! The old biddies and I were all too happy to titter over tea and imagine what such a place would be like. For my part, I was content to leave it to the imagination and dedicate myself to my cross-stitching, but you wouldn�t have it, would you, reader?

My publisher all but broke down my door one morning, a barrel full of letters under one arm and his face as red as a baboon�s rear. For a man with such pitiful physical stats, it was a rather impressive sight. After I sat the man down and got a stiff drink into him, he explained that demands for a travelogue detailing this wondrous new place had been pouring in.

The people had spoken, he declared to me, and urged that I make preparations for the journey as soon as possible.

What am I if not your humble servant, dear reader? Not a week later, I had packed my bags and begun the long trek to the wild frontier! It was enough to make my bonnet spin, let me tell you. Naturally, I have been joined by several strapping lads charged with ensuring my safety, and they assure me they are up to the task.

Fear not, dear reader! As safely as possible, I, your beloved Tolly, will step foot where others fear to tread and bring you the vivid stories of faraway lands that you so crave. Await my next missive with bated breath, for we are only a few days away from the borders.

What will we see? Find out next time!

�Excerpt from Chapter One of Travelling Tolly in the Lands of the Colony, published in the monthly Pangera Gazette

[epigraph,]

What follows is an hour in which Tiny goes completely berserk on every monster unfortunate enough to poke its nose into the tunnel. He was mowing down the lower tier shadow creatures so fast, he ended up pushing forward several hundred metres in his drive to find a challenger. He did eventually come across a lithe demon with scythe-like arms and a menacing aura. I almost stepped forward to take it on myself, but the moment he saw it, Tiny was off like a shot, bellowing his challenge and spreading his wings out to build his speed.

My heart leapt into my mouth, and I was genuinely concerned for the moron for a heartbeat. Despite being a tier lower than he is, demons have all sorts of built-in advantages over a first stratum monster like Tiny. Will he be alright?

As it turns out, my worries are somewhat warranted, despite how short the fight turned out to be. The demon, unimpressed with the gigantic monkey bearing down on it, slid neatly to one side and slashed out with an arm. A powerful blade of light manifested along with the strike, homing in on Tiny�s neck. I thought his head was going to get sliced clean off, but without missing a beat, Tiny raised his left arm to block while his right swung down, his own fist wreathed in a glow as a giant fist of light manifested to mirror his own.

It appeared as though the demon would win the day as its blade sunk deep into the ape�s flesh, blood spurting from the cut. But then, the attack just� stopped. As if it�d run into a brick wall. Tiny�s hand, however, did not stop, and the poor demon was flattened into the ground by the brutal power behind that swing. Disoriented from the blow, there was little the third stratum monster could do to retaliate as Tiny stood over it and delivered a devastating combo, literally burying it in the stone floor.

When it was done, Tiny walked back to us with a broad grin on his face, even as he continued to lose a copious amount of blood from the wound on his arm.

[Don�t smile at me like that, you moron! Your arm is half cut off! Come over here faster and get healed!]

The blade had indeed sliced through his muscle and tissue like it was paper, but when it came to the bone, no such luck. Tiny�s new skeleton was harder than stone, harder perhaps than my own diamond carapace. When the scythe struck the bones in his forearm, it�d been stopped cold, completely unable to cut through.

[Those new bones of yours are the real deal, Tiny!] I tell him, impressed.

He brings both his arms up to flex, showing off his gains.

[Yeah, yeah. You did well. Let�s get out of here and head to another checkpoint since you�ve flattened everything out here. I don�t want to range too far from the Colony on this trip, this is just a test run.]

We make our way back to the choke point, clearing up the still-spawning monsters on the way and squeezing back behind the safety of the defensive lines with as much Biomass as we can carry in tow. The general waves goodbye as we head off, stop for a quick meal, then make our way to a neighbouring checkpoint. After finding things much the same here as at the last one, we wait just behind the garrison, watching for the moment they pull back and we can drive ourselves forward.

[Alright, Crinis, it�s time for you to shine. Are you ready?]

[I am!] The little ball sitting on my back extends a few tentacles and makes a miniature �guts� pose, pumping herself up for the battle to come.

[Okay. You�re going through first, so make sure you�re completely prepared. The rest of us will follow behind. Tiny, you bring up the rear, no fighting for you, it�s Crinis� turn.]

He nods unhappily and droops his shoulders. We ignore him, focusing on the intense battle. With a short hop, Crinis launches from my back onto the ground in front of me, where she splats into a puddle that rapidly unfurls and grows, sprouting tentacle after tentacle, until one great, yawning maw after another opens wide, the black depths within an unknowable void from which nothing can escape.

Gradually, the light fades until the darkness is so complete I have to switch to Mana Sensing to get a sense of what is going on. They don�t call it the sea of shadows for nothing. This is Crinis working her Shadow Magic, which she has been practising diligently, I see. To have this level of mastery of the darkness, she must have raised it to rank five or six, which is impressive.

When the area around her has been submerged in total shadow, I can sense some of her tentacles slipping into the ground beneath her, plunging into the realm between. I almost feel sorry for the creatures on the other side of the choke point, not even they deserve what is about to descend on them.

When the garrison pulled back, it wasn�t with a mighty roar or valiant charge like Tiny that Crinis advanced, that wasn�t her style. She glided on a rolling carpet of limbs, with no sound announcing her presence to the monsters beyond. An impenetrable silence. The first the maddened creatures knew of her was when all light faded from their eyes and the tentacles latched onto them, slithering around their bodies and winding between their limbs. By that time, it was, of course, far too late.

Somewhat reluctantly, I follow her, ready to assist in any way should it prove necessary, but instead I witness a one-sided, sickening affair.

Crinis� ability to independently control her tentacles has risen, as a forest of dark, bladed limbs writhe before me, each one perfectly controlled as they batter aside claws, curl around and snap shut mouths, before extending their barbs. The buzzing of her blades at work is enough to set my mandibles to chattering. The unspeakable takes place, with segmented body parts of slain monsters filling the air as Crinis brings them back to her main body where they�re stuffed into one of the waiting maws.

Sometimes the monsters have not even completed the transition from living threat to Biomass before they�re dragged, struggling and clawing, but it matters not. Into the bottomless void they go, the gnashing teeth disintegrating them with every bite.

My eyes! My precious eyes! I can�t even close them! I swear by the shining white beard of he with the pointiest hat that I�m giving myself eyelids the next time I evolve. It�s not right that someone should be made to see this.

Even the monsters have had enough. Overcome with terror, they attempt to flee, which is when Crinis unleashes the true horror of her new existence. From the shadows of their escape route emerges a wall of limbs. The creatures try to fight their way out, swinging with claws, biting with fangs, and unleashing every other ability they�ve gained since spawning.

It�s all for naught.

Rather than block or dodge, Crinis simply allows the limbs to phase out of reality. Fiendish claws slide straight through, teeth close over nothing, acid and poison find no purchase. Before the monsters can recover, the ghostly limbs snap down, extending something new from their tips. This isn�t anything I�ve seen before, and I find myself curious despite everything, leaning forward and sharpening my mind to better catch a glimpse of what she�s doing.

I soon wish I hadn�t.

Glistening, ghostly tendrils hang from the tips of Crinis� limbs which she drives straight into the monsters� heads. If I hadn�t been paying such close attention, I might not have noticed how those root-like, ethereal appendages drilled down into the monsters, slipping straight through whatever hide, skeleton, or mucous covered them, penetrating their brains. I held my breath as they grew still, each of the beasts frozen in place like a nightmare painting.

Then they screamed.

The monsters of the Dungeon, filled with rage and drunk on Mana, screamed in fear and terror before they set upon each other, tearing their fellow victims apart as whatever sanity they had fled to the furthest recesses of their minds.

[Hee, hee, hee, hee!] Crinis giggled.

I could only bring my forelegs up to clutch at my head in despair. What have I created!

Much like Tiny, Crinis wasn�t satisfied with her initial rampage and pursued her opponents deeper into the tunnels. I use the word pursued in the literal sense, since they were actively running away from her. On some level, it was fascinating, since there didn�t seem to be much defence against the ghost tendrils she used to directly attack the minds of her foes. Once she drilled her tentacles into their heads, the opponents would go slack before inevitably turning into raving mad-things that lashed out at everything around them.

The obvious solution would be to make sure the limbs never touched you, except that wasn�t exactly an easy thing to do, since she could manifest them from every shadow within her range, which was almost a hundred metres at this point. They could pop out at your feet, creep out of the wall behind your back, even drop from the ceiling above. If you were somehow able to keep track of all that, she could simply phase them out of reality, slipping straight through your body, moving through weapons and armour before driving toward the brain.

It posed an impossible problem, and even tier four and five monsters fared little better. They might be able to slice a few of her tentacles off, perhaps even many of them, but it didn�t seem to matter. Crinis could produce more flesh at a ridiculous rate, fuelled by her constant eating. Eventually, even these stronger monsters were overwhelmed, and their minds invaded.

Once things reached this point, only one monster had been able to resist to any significant degree. A demon of the spellcasting variety, it used its magic to fend her off as long as it could, but it too was overcome.

When Crinis managed to drive her tendrils into its mind, the creature stilled, just not completely, moving its thin arms in a vain attempt to claw at her tentacles. I could sense a vague shifting of Mana as it attempted to form another spell. With a flick, Crinis sent a dozen more limbs at the creature, each of them driving their tendrils into its mind, breaking down its defences, and it succumbed like the others.

When it was all said and done, we made our way back to the nest with a rather smug Crinis riding on my back.

[What happened with that demon, Crinis?] I ask her. [It seemed to put up more of a fight than anything else when it came to those tendrils.]

She huffed.

[That filth thought it could intrude on the domain of the master�s family, it deserved worse than it got!]

[Yeah� but how was it able to resist your new� thing?]

[Oh! What I�m attacking with the Soul Seeker Cilia isn�t actually the brain, but the mind, or I suppose you could say the spirit?] she tells me. [Creatures with stronger Wills and spirits are harder to drive over the edge, so I had to use a multi-pronged attack.]

Now I�m a little nervous.

[When you say drive over the edge� what do you mean, exactly?]

She wiggles with glee on my carapace.

[The edge of sanity, of course, Master,] she giggles.

Ahhh heck. This evolution has only driven her further into the realm of a creature of pure horror. As long as she�s happy, I suppose it�s fine. I�ll just have to make sure I find a way to avert my eyes from this point forward.

With the flexing of their newly evolved muscles out of the way, I take the group back to the evolution chamber to formally introduce them to the new temporary member of the group. I�m sure they both noticed the grub locked away in her cage when they woke up, but neither bothered to comment, preoccupied with other things. However, when we arrive, I�m a little surprised to see that the larva has undergone a shocking transformation.

No longer a grub, she has busily spun herself a cocoon in the time we were gone and is now fully encased, undergoing her transformation within its silken confines. Larva has successfully evolved into pupa! Actually, that reminds me. I snoop around for the cores I left behind, remembering what happened when Vibrant moved to this stage. Sure enough, they�re gone. Now I have the Skills to actually recognise the stronger Mana signature coming from the former grub. How did she do it? Is it something to do with champions?

[Is this what you were referring to, Master?] Crinis asks, extending a tentacle to gently poke the pupa.

[Yeah, this is her. This little grub has way too much energy, managed to escape out of the nest on her own. Was quite the sight, let me tell you.]

I frown as I look down on her. This is probably a little too quick for her to become a pupa, if my numbers are right. I get the feeling the little trouble-maker got impatient and decided to advance ahead of schedule. Although the accelerated feeding program we had her on might have contributed. She would have reached the required Biomass far ahead of most of her siblings.

It�s an interesting stage of life for an ant, the pupal stage. The larva that existed before doesn�t remain for long, the entire body turning into a liquid goop that is reformed into a new body. Once she�s ready, she�ll emerge, and after a brief period of time, the carapace will harden and she�ll be a fully formed hatchling. Ready for my personal brand of education!

The question is, what do we do now? Monsters can�t spawn in this section of the nest, thanks to the removal of the Dungeon veins, so she�d be perfectly safe if we left her here. My only worry is what would happen if she woke up and broke out before I returned? Considering the amount of chaos she caused as a grub, what could she achieve as a hatchling? I shudder to think of it. No, can�t leave her here on her own. That means she has to come with us.

[Tiny, can I get you to break open that cage and carry the pupa along with us? Whatever you do, don�t damage her, alright? That�s the next generation there.]

With unusual respect and gentleness, Tiny reaches down his tree trunk arms and shatters the metal cage with ease, grasping hold of the pupa with one hand and bringing it up to his chest where he cradles it with one arm.

[Nice work. Alright then, time to get back to it. We need to keep the pupa with us at all times, which means one of us is going to be on pupa watch every time we fight. I�ll work out the rotation, and I don�t want to hear any complaining.]

I give Tiny the stink eye for a second and he looks at me with a wounded expression.

[The wave will peak and then subside soon, so we need to be careful of any new types of monsters that poke their noses up, or higher tier ones. We�ve been lucky so far that no tier sevens have shown up, but I don�t expect our luck to last. Any questions?]

They each shake their heads or tentacles and we make our way back to the front for another foray, helping to take the heat off the Colony�s defenders. What I really want to do is push all the way to the third stratum again, strut our stuff down there now that the full group has evolved, but it�s too risky. With all sorts of monsters spawning in the tunnels now, who knows what might pop up that the Colony can�t handle without us?

No, we need to stick around and keep fighting. For the time being at least.

With the pupa safely ensconced within Tiny�s muscular arms, we move at speed through the nest and back out to the front lines. I�ve been doing this walk a great deal lately and I swear it gets busier every time. The vast farms that have been constructed are still teeming with ants, collecting enormous quantities of Biomass and cores that flow endlessly every day.

How on Pangera we manage to consume all of it, I have no idea. There must be a ton more hatchlings being trained in the stratum above than I think there are, if most of it is going up there. Just thinking about the rapidly growing population of the Colony puts a hop in my step. It won�t be long until there are just too many of us to be dealt with easily, especially considering how strong we all are.

More and more tier fours are appearing all the time, to the point that within the second stratum, there are more tier fours than threes. Even more exciting than that, is the increasing population of tier fives! Almost exclusively soldiers and scouts, these powerful warriors are the vanguard of the Ant Age! It�s a shame that, since we�re monsters, there�s no other way for us to Level up and evolve other than to fight. The surface races don�t have this problem, their farmers can grow crops and Level up just from performing their duties, but not us! No matter how little suited to combat the carvers and Brood Tenders might be, it�s the only way they can accrue the experience they need to evolve. Hopefully, some of the creatures from the farms are also being used to funnel XP to these more peaceful castes.

Just because they don�t fight doesn�t mean there aren�t benefits to evolving them! I can scarcely imagine how useful a tier six Brood Tender would be, every ounce of her evolutionary energy given over to auras and glands that nourish and aid the larvae and pupae. Knowing the System like I do, I wager the young would have all sorts of benefits from being raised by such a Tender, higher stats, greater Skill Levels, perhaps even body parts and organs that perform above their usual specs.

Now that I think about it� that would be sodamn useful!

If I can think of it, I�m sure the rest of the Council can also think of it. No doubt this project is already under way. When the first tier six Brood Tender is born, I want to be there to find out what they can do. That�ll be insane!

For now, it�s back to the relentless fight. The only thing allowing the Colony to make the incredible strides it�s made over the past weeks has been the stalwart defence at the borders, and it is our duty to help with that, being the strongest group of fighters the Colony can draw on!

After a brief conversation with yet another supervising general, we take our positions and drive into the face of the wave the moment the garrison pulls back. Except Tiny, that is, since he�s been relegated to pupa-sitting duty. He�s strangely alright with the decision to leave him behind, cradling the cocoon as if it were a baby as he fell asleep against the side of the wall. I think it�ll be fine, since if the ant is wrapped in his embrace, there is zero chance she�ll be able to fight her way out of his grip.

For the rest of us, it�s business as usual.

I continue to train my Mind Magic whilst Crinis performs her dark work and Invidia detonates everything he can, radiating glee with each explosion. When we run into the tougher monsters, we team up to take them down, harvesting their cores and scarfing down the Biomass as fast as we can before getting back into the thick of it. Unsatisfied with just guarding the entrance, I direct the pets to advance down the tunnel with me, hoping to clear out the bulk of the monsters plaguing this section of the defence.

All goes smoothly until Crinis notices something is a little different about the atmosphere.

[Master, isn�t it a little more� damp, than usual, for the second stratum?]

My mandibles freeze in the act of biting, and my minds flash to my sensory input. She�s not wrong, there�s an unusual amount of water for this section of tunnel. The second layer of the Dungeon might be called the shadow sea, but there isn�t that much liquid water down here.

[You aren�t wrong,] I tell her, feeling a little tense. [Eliminate everything nearby, something doesn�t feel right.]

If something weird is going to happen, then I want every other threat in the area neutralised. Only too happy to comply, Invidia picks up the speed of his detonations, spinning his magic at an incredible rate. Which is precisely when a bolt of solid water flies out of the darkness and smacks him right in the face.

[Invidia!] I cry.

I leap over to check on the demon to find that he�d protected himself at the last moment by weaving a shield in front of his face. The speed he works at, simply incredible! But where the hell did that water come from? I peer into the darkness, sweeping with all of my senses. It�s faint, but I can detect a strange ambient Mana in here that I can�t quite put my finger on.

[Ssssss. Irritating�]

The little envy demon flutters his wings and lifts himself back into the air, the impact clearly having done some damage.

[Heal yourself up and stay alert,] I warn, still watching the place where the water blast originated.

Imagine my surprise when I get hit from behind by a blast of water coming from the opposite direction! Dammit! Even my advanced warning wasn�t enough to dodge the strike, I was so focused the other way. My legs stagger under the force of the blow, though my carapace absorbs the shock. This isn�t any ordinary blast of water. It�s heavy, and the water was moving fast.

Failing to penetrate my carapace, the pressurised water creates a fountain of spray that drenches everything around us in freezing liquid. That does it! Irritated by the attack, I spin together my Omni-Elemental Construct and start churning out Blue Fire Mana. As soon as I get a hold on some, I whip up a Fire Domain that expands from my position, roasting the area around me and instantly drying me off.

The moment the domain flickers into life, I hear a strange gurgling roar echo from all directions, as if the flame had offended some creature simply by coming into existence. Which is when I notice the water flowing together, trickling from the walls and across the ground, gathering speed until it forms a flood. In mere seconds, thousands of litres of water have coalesced into a really cheesed off-looking wall of water that stares down at us like I just pooped on its rug.

Water� monster?

Now that it�s in front of me, I can sense it far more clearly. The aura of Mana that had been spread throughout the tunnel has concentrated in one area, the hidden core of the monster now exposed and pulsing with power. This beast is no small-fry, tier six certainly, and most likely not from the third stratum. Not wanting to allow this newcomer to make the first move, I draw deep on my core, pulling out all the Mana I can and feeding it into the construct, shaping and condensing it at the same time in bolts of pure flame.

[Invidia, you�re on defensive duty, but feel free to take shots when you have time. Crinis, see if you can get a crack at its mind; otherwise keep the small-fry away from us,] I tell my pets tersely.

They acknowledge my orders as I stare up at the strange water monster. It�s huge, towering above me and filling the tunnel with its presence. Its body seems to be fully formed of liquid, the core glowing bright in the centre of its mass. The water continues to flow, constantly shifting and moving, occasionally frothing and fizzing as competing currents wash against each other and form waves across its body. It doesn�t take any particular form, no arms or humanoid shape, rather it simply looks like a giant mass, or pillar.

Then it shifts, and my antennae scream at me.

Holy moly!

I leap to the side, nerves afire with energy as a blade of water slices through the air where I stood just a moment ago, cutting an inches-deep groove into the rock. What the heck was that? It went straight through my Fire Domain like it wasn�t even there! In retaliation, I fire off a duo of condensed blue Fire Bolts, which fly straight into the water creature and fizzle out.

Hmmm. That�s not good.

BOOM!

Hanging back and staying behind me, Invidia weaves together an explosion right next to the monster that sends a spray of water flying out and causing waves of force�as well as literal waves to roll through the entire creature.

[Nice, Invidia!] I cheer.

Once more, that gurgling roar echoes, and suddenly the air is filled with water, bolts, blasts, and jets firing off every which way in the monster�s retaliation against the envy demon. Forced onto the defensive, Invidia weaves layer after layer of shields around himself to protect against the onslaught of aquatic attacks. Unwilling to abandon the floaty eyeball, I launch onto the offensive, peeling my mandibles back wide as I lock in place and charge!

Dash!

My legs surge with energy as I leap toward the target, bringing it within my Fire Domain, causing it to hiss and steam. Then, with a powerful surge, I smash shut my mandibles, invoking my most powerful bite Skill!

DOOM CHOMP!

Splash!

It�s hard, but I force my jaws shut through the monster�s body. But then what? I look up to see that giant mass of flowing water, the vague outlines of a face formed within it looking down on me with contempt. Alright then, so biting doesn�t work� How about this?

FWOOM!

Not content to throw tiny balls of fire at the monster anymore, I unleash a solid stream of blue fire that roars from between my mandibles directly into the creature�s body. How do you like them apples?

A wall of steam bursts forth, singeing my antennae and washing over my body as the monster roars in pain. My senses buzz with warning but I stay put, applying the blow torch a moment longer, when a wall of condensed water slams into my side, sending me skittering as I absorb the impact. It�s clear he didn�t like that very much. Perhaps small amounts of fire are easy enough for him to shrug off, but if you apply enough heat, it starts to chip away at him. Not willing to let up, I Dash forward once more, working my sub-brains overtime to pump out more Blue Fire Mana.

BOOM!

Freed from defence thanks to my offensive, Invidia finds the time to squeeze out another explosion that rocks the mass of water, casting foam and spray all through the tunnel.

[Master! I think I have it!] Crinis cries out.

She takes advantage of the distracted creature to extend her tentacles from a shadow she prepared earlier, directly behind it. Turning them immaterial, she pushes them deep into the frothing water, reaching for the core held right in the centre. Clever girl!

With a sound like a tsunami breaking on the shore, the monster ripples with anger and every drop that makes up its form starts to rotate. In only a moment, what was a flowing pillar of water has transformed into a raging storm, a cyclone of ripping currents that shreds Crinis� tentacles where they connect to the ground, forcing her to retract them back through the shadow.

Damn! This thing is a right pain in the backside! It�s clear that the core is its weak point and Crinis nearly took hold of it perfectly, using her new abilities to reach right into the heart of the creature and pluck it out. Could I do the same with my gravity mandibles? Unlikely. Mana doesn�t work that well on internal structures, and I�m guessing the same rule applies here, otherwise Invidia would be setting off his explosions inside the creature rather than next to it.

If I could spear the core, or attack from outside in some way� Should I use a Gravity Bomb? No. Not yet. If I can, I want to capture the core whole so I can learn more about this creature. I�ll face many more like it, and I�d rather have more information than less if I can help it.

We know it doesn�t like fire burning away at it, but I get the feeling it�s only going to cause damage if I can really bring the heat. I�m going to need to bust out some serious firepower. Cursing that my Mind Mana-focused mutation does nothing for me in these circumstances, I kick all of my brains into overdrive, drawing out every ounce of Mana I can from my core and shoving it through the construct to produce as much Blue Fire Mana as I possibly can. Once I get my mental hands on it, I use my main mind to squeeze it down and condense it as much as possible before handing it off to the smaller brains to shape into the spell I want.

Of course, all of this takes precious seconds, time I spend distracting the monster to the best of my abilities. Still in its whirling wall of death, the creature is extremely dangerous to approach. Rocks are being shattered and cut to bits by the pressure applied by the currents, so I�m not too eager to stick my head in. Instead, I dance around nearby, keeping it within the range of my Fire Domain and chomping away at it when I get the chance, doing whatever I can to make a nuisance of myself.

Frustrated, Crinis has been forced onto the defensive and occupies herself cleaning out any remaining small-fry while waiting for her chance, keeping her main body at a safe distance and shifting position to avoid getting pinned down. Without me actively casting offensive magic, the barrage of water has resumed, and Invidia drifts from side to side, dozens of shields popping into existence and shattering every few seconds.

It�s risky, but I don�t save him. With the monster focused on protecting itself from my two pets, I can use this precious time to supercharge my spell to the highest possible degree.

If anyone can be said to be big-brained, it�s my little envy demon. I have every confidence in him!

Whilst trying to do everything I can to distract the vortex of water, I keep my focus internal, driving and shaping the Mana to create the most powerful fire spell I�ve ever attempted. The spell shape isn�t too complicated, not compared to the heavy lifting I�ve been doing lately making things like the Omni-Elemental Construct. Even so, seconds tick past in my race to create it whilst Invidia does his best to deflect and dodge a barrage of water-based attacks.

For his part, the little demon punched his massive brain into overdrive, weaving vast amounts of Mana into shields at a speed that�s dazzling to behold, all while he drifts lazily through the air. His eye blazes with power as the many Mind Constructs he�s built weave spell after spell, deflecting and blocking the innumerable bolts of water that fly in his direction as if shot from a cannon. Judging by the damage done by those streaking water bolts when they hit the terrain, I don�t think he�d survive if he were hit by a single one. Invidia might be a magical powerhouse, but taking shots head on is not exactly something he�s designed to do. His tankiness is basically zero.

Cool as a cucumber with one massive eye, he sticks to his guns and pumps out shield after shield, keeping up with the towering whirlpool of death as it desperately tries to prevent him from blowing it sky-high.

Actually, I just had a thought� It�s throwing out hundreds of litres worth of water� Is that weakening it in some way? If the water is part of its body, and I cause damage by burning it away, is it hurting itself by doing this? Then my mind is drawn back to the scene we saw when the creature first revealed itself. It had clearly dispersed its body and then pulled itself back together, so perhaps it can call that water back to itself if given the chance?

[Crinis! Try and destroy whatever water you can find lying about.]

[Ah! W-what? How do I do that!]

[Just drink it or something!]

Wait a sec�

[Don�t drink it�but do something!]

[Yes, Master!]

Hopefully, she can prevent the creature from calling the water back, making the loss of mass permanent.

[How are you holding up, Invidia?] I call to my pet, still focusing inward on piecing my spell together.

[I sssshall take all it can give meeee!]

[I like that confidence!]

He does seem perfectly capable. Good luck, chief! Keep up the good work! Because, as a matter of fact, I only need a moment longer to apply the finishing touches, and�

There!

The last of the condensed Mana slots into place and each of my brains sit back with a sigh, wiping metaphorical sweat off their neurons. This is possibly the heftiest piece of Elemental Magic I�ve put together to date, and I hope to heck it works against this stupid thing. If not, I�ll be forced to break out the bomb.

I skitter back from the monster, giving myself a little space before I rear up and unleash my spell. A wave of heat blasts into existence, flaring into life and chasing away the perpetual shadows of the second stratum. The spell takes the shape of a stream of pure flame that grows as it travels until it connects the ceiling of the tunnel to the floor. The temperature rises precipitously as I hear the monster scream its rage once more.

Gwehehehehe.

How do you like that, you stupid puddle? Get roasted!

The fire and water collide with a deafening hiss, steam billowing to an absurd degree, blotting out vision and causing my antennae to drip from the overwhelming moisture in the air.

[Invidia! Strike now!]

Preoccupied with battling against my fire, the barrage against the little demon has faltered at last. With a gleeful gleam in his eye, Invidia floats forward slightly, weaving together a devastating series of detonations that rock the tunnel and send debris flying.

Unsure what�s happening, I start to draw out chunks of Gravity Mana and squash it just in case I need it. Before I get far with that process, my antennae twitch in warning, and I sense movement all around me. It�s calling back the water! All of the dispersed water Crinis hasn�t managed to deal with is drawn back to the ball, which is still reeling from the torrents of magic. Unwilling to let it heal itself, I charge more Mana into my domain, spreading it further. I leap to intercept as much of the liquid trailing through the air as I can.

More hissing, more steam as the water evaporates when it contacts the domain. I keep the pressure on maintaining my domain and moving closer to the creature once more, relying on the constant burn effect to continue whittling it down. After a few tense moments, my patience is rewarded with the voice of Gandalf himself.

[You have defeated a Level 17 Aqua Spiritus.]

[You have gained XP.]

Nice! Finally got it! Eager to collect the spoils, I run forward into the drifting steam, casting my senses about as I attempt to find the core. Given how powerful it is, the thing practically radiates Mana. I leap on it with glee and seize it in my mandibles before I start looking around for the rest of the rewards. It takes a long moment of turning left and right for me to work out that the creature was made of water� and therefore wouldn�t have anything by way of Biomass.

No food! After defeating something like that? How is that fair!

I look down at the damp floor of the tunnel, the water now freely mixing with the dirt, rock, and dust� I think I�ll leave it. I�m not that hungry. Tired and weary from the difficult fight, the three of us make our way back behind the defensive line to find Tiny still sleeping with the pupa cradled in his arms.

Unwilling to wake him prematurely, we settle down for a meal only to find he immediately wakes the moment any Biomass is placed within several metres of him. We chow down, but I can�t help but bring my antennae forward to examine the glowing blue core of this particularly strange monster that we ran into. It wasn�t like anything I�d seen before, and I�m quite interested to see how it ticks.

What a strange and curious thing� Examining the core reveals both more and less than anticipated and gives me my first insights into the sorts of possibilities in the fourth stratum. I�d been told little scraps of information by Granin, who apparently spent very little time there as a younger, sprightlier shaper on an expedition with his superiors, but to get hold of a core and see it for myself�

I didn�t even think some of this stuff was possible! And these are the sorts of creatures I�ll run into when I get to the fourth stratum? Holy heck! I�m starting to resent my start as a lowly ant hatchling even more, though I suppose it worked out alright in the end.

I mean, take a look at this! Apparently, a Water Spirit� thing� actually does have organs, although obviously not of the sort I have, rather they appear to be immaterial, or part of the water itself, somehow?

For example, let�s think about musculature. I need muscles to move around, that much makes sense, but how does a giant wall of sentient water with a face on it move? With magic, naturally, but said magic needs to be channelled and directed in order to be fit for purpose. That�s where the Tidal Mass Manipulator organ came into play! It allowed the spirit to create micro �tides� by shifting the water within its body around, allowing it to move. Then came the Liquid Shaper, a different type of water within the body of the spirit that could mould into different shapes. I think this was how it was firing bolts of water at us, by forming a pressure cannon out of this stuff and then blasting away.

There appears to be quite an array of fancy core attachments as well. Ethereal organs that are more akin to magical constructs than flesh and blood. One for attracting and moulding the water, one for permeating Mana throughout the body, gradually changing the water into a� I don�t know the technical term here�magical water, I guess? It infused every drop of liquid the spirit absorbed with Water Mana, strengthening it and giving the creature better control. At least, that�s what I think.

All sorts of different bits and pieces I hadn�t even considered before. The idea of being able to have a body that is essentially powered by Mana alone� I suppose it makes perfect sense as you get lower down and the Mana becomes denser, but it�s a different thing seeing it for myself.

Does this mean Crinis might eventually be able to transmute her entire body into actual shadow? Just be a living shadow and jump out of the dark at people? That�s terrifying! Or Tiny�could he just make himself into lightning? That would be� that would be rad as heck�

What about me, then? What might I become? What am I already becoming? Maybe I�ll turn myself into a sentient black hole, just floating around sucking up people. Wait, that sounds wrong�

At any rate, fascinating stuff!

I flag down a passing scout and have them deliver the core to the core shapers. They�ll be more than a little eager to get their mandibles on it, I�ve no doubt about that. We check in on the pupa to find that she�s nicely developing away. This time, we leave Crinis behind to babysit and head out into the breach, keen to improve our Skills and drive back the wave.

Hopefully this mess will be over soon, and we can all get back to more regular action. I for one am more than a little excited to return to the third stratum and have a better look around. I�m sure there�s a heap of cool things to see down there!

The heat was pervasive, radiating out from the rock, from her own suit and the open pits of flame that guttered and belched smoke in the distance. With a grunt of effort, Morrelia brought her twin blades forward, driving them straight into the chest of a frothing demon, then smoothly withdrawing the glimmering steel.

With a flick of her wrists, she sent the bubbling ichor of the monster hissing onto the ground, where it boiled away, the stench of it rising as a vapor and clogging within her helmet. She growled. Just what she needed. Teeth bared in a rictus snarl, she seized hold of that anger, that rage, and drew it out of her belly, through her chest and into her arms. It hurt. A wrenching pain that pulled at her very bones, fuelling the rage and driving it to greater heights as she channelled it.

With a final shove, she cast it into her blades. The two swords flared with violent red light as her anger took root in them, resonating with the metal and magnifying her anger until it was all she could feel, all she could see.

She didn�t know how much longer it was until she came to with a start, a large, armoured hand resting on her shoulder as she breathed heavily, surrounded by slain demons.

�You need to be more careful,� came her father�s voice from behind her. �It�s a dangerous Skill to use without the proper precautions in place.�

She nodded silently as she braced herself. It hit a moment later, the overwhelming lethargy that came with the loss of her berserker rage. Her hands began to shake, and her limbs went completely numb. It was all she could do to sheathe her weapons, needing three attempts to line up the first sword with her scabbard. Knowing how she felt, her father didn�t say anything else, merely led her back through the lines and into camp, where she lay on the first cot she found, not even bothering to take her armour off.

Titus chuckled at her, and she weakly flipped a hand at him in protest.

�I was just thinking of your mother,� he clarified. �She was often left in this state when she channelled the rage.�

He sat on a bench nearby, his own Abyssal Armour ringing like a softly struck bell as the plates shifted against each other. She couldn�t help but frown. When was she going to get a set like that? Her own armour was excellent, of course, but her father�s was the real deal, forged hundreds of years ago from the best materials the Legion possessed. It weighed a ton, but she was starting to feel as though she might have the strength for it. If she didn�t, she soon would, given the rate her Level was climbing.

The commander watched his daughter recover, sitting silent and simply being present. When he judged enough time had passed, he unclipped a canteen from his belt and gave it to her, nodding when she sat up to drink.

�Your recovery time is getting faster. You�ve Levelled it up already?�

Morrelia drank greedily, pouring the lukewarm water through her faceplate, uncaring of the state of the metal.

�Take your helmet off,� Titus growled. �You�re just being lazy now.�

She growled right back at him, and Titus chuckled once more. She did listen to him, dragging the runic steel from her head and letting it drop to the ground, revealing her dirt-streaked face and shortcut midnight hair. Free of restrictions, she brought up the canteen again, and this time Titus didn�t interrupt until she�d drunk her fill.

There was a quiet moment, or at least as quiet as it could be when surrounded by a perpetual warzone, and Morrelia decided to say something that had been on her heart ever since they�d come to the third stratum.

�Father�� she said, barely tripping over the word as she had in the past, �have you been sent here as punishment? For failing to destroy the Colony?�

It certainly seemed that way to her. Titus had returned to the Iron Mountain with his Legion just as the wave was getting underway. After reporting to the brass, his troops were whisked into someone else�s command and the decorated soldier had been unceremoniously sent into the third stratum with a small detachment, Morrelia included, to guard an unimportant outpost, fighting tooth and nail against the wave with far too few troops.

Morrelia raised her head to find her father looking at her with an odd expression.

�What?� she demanded.

He just shook his head.

�Is that what�s been bothering you? I swear you�ve been moody ever since we got here and only now you come out and tell me?� He chuckled again, and she marked not for the first time how much freer he�d been with his emotions since they returned. �No, I�m not being punished. Why would I be punished? I did what I could, the situation was worse than we thought, and we retreated before the risk to my Legionaries became too great. The Council accepted my report, it was corroborated by the junior officers, and that was the end of it.�

�But weren�t you stripped of your command? Your troops?�

�Of course not,� he snorted. �There�s a wave on, girl, the troops went where they were desperately needed. I�ll have my Legion back when the wave is done.�

�Then what about us?� she demanded, waving a hand at the desolate nothingness. �Why have we been sent out here to the middle of nowhere to guard nothing for weeks on end?�

Titus scratched the side of his nose.

�I thought you�d already worked it out. I�d actually thought that was why you were so irritable.�

Morrelia frowned.

�What are you talking abou�Mother.�

The commander nodded with a wry smile.

�Seems like she�s not done babying you just yet. I was a little surprised when the orders came down, but it is certainly something she would do.�

Her temperature started rising as the anger kindled in her belly once more.

�Are you telling me she sent us, and these other Legionaries here, as a training camp for me!�

�She did,� he confirmed.

When he noticed the rage burn in her eyes, he raised a hand.

�Before you get too wound up, be a little patient and I�ll tell you a few things that might alleviate a little of that anger.�

With a conscious effort, she shoved her ire down and listened to what her father had to say. Seeing she�d taken control of herself, Titus went on.

�You might see this as coddling, unnecessary interference from a parent and a waste of resources,� he gestured to the small camp around them, �but let me say this, we always defend this checkpoint during a wave. It may not seem like much, but if the monsters swarm through this area, they group with other streams and cause major issues to our holdings farther up. To nip the problem in the bud, we deploy to several places down here to cut the trickle before it becomes a flood. Make sense?�

Morrelia nodded, but still didn�t agree. Was it important that this place be defended? What her father said made sense, but that didn�t justify sending someone of his strength and experience to do the job. He was wasted here.

�Secondly,� he continued, noting her dissatisfaction, �your mother did not send us here to babysit you, but to accelerate your growth.�

She wanted to object and say those were basically the same thing, but she held her tongue.

�Promising Legionaries are often given opportunities like this when we see they have the potential to rise through the ranks. And before you ask, your mother and I had no part in selecting you for this accelerated program. Me being sent with you? That�s likely where your mother�s interference lies. Not that I mind though.�

If someone had put her forward for this, and it was a standard procedure�

�You�re a candidate for officer training,� her father confirmed before her mind could get there on its own.

�WHAT!� she squawked.

Titus allowed the pride he felt to show on his face.

�Not many berserkers get chosen for this. Not considered stable enough. Though, I suppose your mother rising to Consul might have shifted opinions on that front a little.�

Complicated emotions filled Morrelia. Did she deserve this sort of treatment? Was it even something she wanted? It had been her dream at one point in her life, she had worked herself to the bone to rise to her father�s expectations. Now?

�I�m going to go hit something.�

She pushed herself out of the cot and shook her limbs out before grabbing her helmet and slamming it back on her head.

�You sure that�s a good idea? So soon after your last rage?� Titus cocked a brow as she stalked away.

She didn�t reply and he allowed himself to crack a smile as she drew her blades and made her way back to the sounds of battle.

�We�ll have to talk about your Class evolution when you get back,� he called.

Morrelia vented her frustrations and mixed emotions on the blameless monsters until the bodies were piled high and she could no longer raise her blades. Exhausted and numb, she stumbled back to camp, stepping aside so that fresher warriors could take her place.

The demons were strong opponents; without the advantages of her Legion issued Abyssal Armour, or her new enchanted blades, she�d be outmatched easily. With them, she was able to cut through most opponents so long as her rage burned hot.

As a berserker, it was the fundamental key to her strength and her most highly ranked Skill, having upgraded it to the seventh rank only recently. Such power came at a cost, though: she could only maintain that height of power for a short period. Without triggering her rage, she was weaker than most Legionaries of her level, since none of the synergies and abilities that came with her Class were active. Once activated, she became a killing machine, incapable of feeling pain or fatigue, driven to violence, and empowered to do it. But that only lasted five minutes.

There were things that could be done to push the rage to last longer, raising the Skill Level, various enchantments, a few tonics, but most important was the mental state of the berserker. Anger didn�t come naturally to most people, which made them unsuitable for the Class. As a child, her impatience and drive fuelled her anger, alongside her natural short temper. Later in life, it was the dissolution of her family, the loss of her brother, and the absence of her mother that she channelled into the rage as she ran her own delve team and roamed the wilds.

For the moment, she wasn�t sure how she should fuel her berserker Class, having run out of things to be angry about. That is, until her father dropped that surprise on her.

Before she�d left, her mother had given her some advice on managing her rage, cultivating it like a flame.

�It will burn bright some days,� she�d said, standing over Morrelia as she gasped for breath after a sparring session, �but that doesn�t mean it�s strong. Think of your anger like coals, deep in the heart of the fire. People get distracted by the flame, dazzled by it, but that isn�t where the heat is. Even when I�m calm, or bored, or happy, deep in here�� she tapped herself on her leather breastplate, �in here, the coals glow red hot.�

Which didn�t apply to ordinary people, did it now? Her mother was a freak of nature and one of the strongest women on the planet. A natural-born berserker who once managed to fuel the rage for an entire hour, a record in the Legion.

Too weary to worry about it, she found her way into a tent and fell into the nearest cot, once again failing to undress, causing the wooded supports to creak under the weight of her metal garments. She was so tired, she wouldn�t have noticed if it collapsed.

When she woke, she emerged from the tent to find the camp cook had left stew on the boil, and she was more than happy to ladle herself a generous helping, only bothering to pull her helmet off when she realised she couldn�t shove her spoon through the opening.

�You probably should clean yourself up a little before we get started.�

Titus� voice rang with disapproval, but she merely grunted, not pausing in the slightest as she continued to stuff her face. As always, her father was clean shaven and neatly attired, his armour freshly polished and his leathers positively gleaming with a fresh coat of oil.

�Shouldn�t you do some fighting?� she asked.

�I was,� he said and sat down.

�I�m going to assume your weapon isn�t as clean as the rest of you?�

He served himself a pot of stew and started eating.

�It wasn�t,� he said between mouthfuls. �But like a dutiful Legionary, I cleaned it.�

She snorted and Titus crooked a smile before his regular, stern expression settled back over his features.

�Classing up,� he said.

She groaned.

�Does it have to be now? I feel like garbage.�

He shrugged. �I offered to let you clean up, so here we are. Besides, time wasted is experience lost. As far as I�m aware, you don�t have any other major Skills close to increasing in rank, so delaying any longer would be a waste. I think you�ve driven about as far as you can with your current Class, and you should make sure you take advantage of having someone with my level of experience around while it lasts.�

She flicked her eyes to him as he said that last part.

�What do you mean by that?� she asked.

Titus�s eyes were firmly locked on his stew.

�Who knows what my next deployment is going to be, or whether you�ll be part of it. If all goes well, you�ll be put on the fast track, which usually means deeper deployments. They�ll start you on the fourth, then maybe the fifth once you acclimate to the Mana. You�ll be pushed hard to see if you�ll crack and sent against tougher opponents than you�ve ever seen before.�

The slightly smug tone in Titus� voice alerted her to how he felt she would fare against the challenge, but she shared none of his confidence. The fourth stratum? The fifth? The monsters at that level were crazy! Not even Anthony would be able to match up to many of them, and he was a giant ass insect covered in literal diamonds!

�I really need to Class Up,� she gulped.

Her father nodded.

�That�s what I�ve been saying.�

�You could have told me what was coming,� she groused to her father as they settled into a more private setting. �I might have worked a little harder if I�d realised what the Legion was looking to put me through.�

The commander actually laughed. Laughed! She was so befuddled by the rarely heard full-throated chortling of the man who raised her that she couldn�t even glare at him properly.

�You�ve literally been working yourself to the bone since we got here,� he stifled his mirth long enough to say. �You haven�t taken a break to wash yourself in over a week. You fight like a fury until you conk out and sleep, then get up and do it again. In my eyes, doing any more would be detrimental rather than helpful, so I decided you didn�t need to know until now. If you upgrade your Class now, you�ll have just enough time to grow used to any new features and Skills you develop by the time the wave ends.�

��And use my increased power to drive my Levelling speed even higher during the height of the wave,� she added.

�Just so,� Titus agreed.

She took a deep breath, held it, then let it out, trying to drive out all the distracting emotions in her head along with it. She repeated this several times, until she grew calm and clear headed.

�What can I expect?�

Upgrading or changing a person�s Class was altering the most fundamental part of their existence and how they integrated with the System. It was never something to be done lightly, and just as Titus had said, not taking advantage of his expertise whilst it was available would be a criminal waste.

Her current Class was specific to the Legion itself, and knowledge of the paths that branched from her current point was strictly contained. Even she didn�t have access to most of it, and she was a member! But her father did� More than that, her own mother had been a Legion Berserker, just as she was now. She had little doubt that Titus had just as detailed information on the berserker Classes as he did his own.

�You�re currently a Legionem Abyssi Berserker, Level 50, correct?� he asked, just to confirm.

She nodded and he continued.

�As far as entry level Classes in the Legion go, the berserker can be considered second tier, one above the basic level of Armoured Legionary. It does a decent job of marrying the strengths of the berserker and Legion Armoured combat, but it�s far from a perfect union.�

It was true. She�d lost some of the benefits of her previous berserker Class when adopting this new one. Most important being the Class Passive which allowed her to turn Mana into anger, the fundamental plank of the berserk tree. Without it, she needed to work much harder to channel her own emotions to get anywhere near the level of rage she experienced before. At first, she�d thought it was a far too crippling blow, but over time, she�d grown used to it, though having it back would be amazing.

In return, she�d gained much, primarily access to the Abyssal Armour Skill which allowed her to wear and mesh better with the incredible Runic Armour the Legion provided. Enchantments in the specially crafted berserker set she wore helped mitigate the loss of Mana Rage, whilst simultaneously driving her stats and defence to a level far exceeding what she possessed before.

�The next step is all about iterating and bringing your two key Skills into a better balance,� Titus explained. �There are several ways you can go about that. Do you want to emphasise the Legionary side and boost the performance of your armour? There are several advanced Skills that are required before you can utilise the best suits we have, and if you ever want to wear one, this is the path you�ll need to go down.�

She drew a slow breath when she realised what he was talking about, just to calm herself. Praetorian armour. The legendary equipment worn only by the most elite Legionaries in the most dangerous parts of the Dungeon. She�d never laid eyes on a set; if fact, none of the Legionaries from Liria had, even the veterans. Except perhaps�

Her eyes flicked to her father, but his face was a stern mask, unreadable.

She tsked audibly but he didn�t react. The full details of Titus� service record were sealed to someone of her rank, and he�d never been open about it. His exploits in the upper stratum were well known and he was happy to talk about them, but what her parents had done and been before moving to the surface? Barely a word.

�The other way to go is to push further into the berserker side,� he continued. �Which won�t cut you off from later picking up better armour Skills but will significantly delay them. On the flip side, you�ll have more raw power at hand that isn�t dependent on your equipment.�

Power was always dependent on equipment, every Legionary knew that well. No matter the Level of Skills a person accumulated for themselves, there was no chance their skin was going to become more durable than a set of well-made armour reinforced with enchantments. A person could never become as dangerous with their fist as they could with a weapon, though it was possible to get close.

�The third possibility, is that you take a Class that will add something else into the mix, give you access to Skills you will find more valuable as you progress. Whether that be an alternate combat style, leadership Skills, or something else you think might be necessary to achieve your end goal.�

�Do you have anything you would recommend on that front?� Morrelia asked.

�I don�t want to influence your decision too strongly. The System is generous when it comes to combining Skills, and if you build the foundation of the final Class you envision, then it will almost certainly exist. There are tried and true combinations, but even then, the details of the Classes can differ from person to person. Your achievements, circumstances, personality, and desires can all come into play when the System offers Classes.�

�Don�t I want to avoid taking a lower tier Class?� she asked. �I�d be stuck with low stat gain, grinding out another twenty Levels, for what?�

�Gaining twenty Levels on the third stratum during a wave isn�t going to take long,� he pointed out, waving a hand at the chaos. �If it means you get to take a fourth or fifth tier Class that is more suited to what you envision for yourself, it will definitely be worth it.�

Hearing this, she sank deep into thought as she tried to consider all the possibilities that would be available to her. It had been much easier when she was younger. All she�d had to do when maxing out her Class was choose the next in line, promoting it to a more advanced variant of itself. In this way, she went from Warrior to Initiate Berserker to Berserker. She�d dipped sidewise and Levelled Novice Ranger and Shallow Delver to get access to Skills that would help her survive in the wilds and Dungeon respectively before returning to the tier four Class Rage Berserker.

Her current Class had been a sideways shift and it was likely that the most powerful choice available would be a tier five Class that combined what she currently had with her highest berserker Class. The other path her father had described, leaning more heavily into the Legionary Skills and armour, would likely be a tier four Class that might see her abandon her Rage Skills entirely, focusing more on becoming heavy infantry. It would mean forty Levels of grinding before she would get the chance to Class Up again, but there would be little doubt the fifth tier class option that merged her Legionary and Berserker Classes would be better.

The third suggestion was even more extreme, in terms of time taken, despite what Titus said. Taking a third path, a weaker, basic Class, then Levelling it up, would be easy enough to do where they were, but that was only for the initial ranks. If she wanted this third Skillset to meaningfully impact her options at the fifth tier, then she would need to promote that Class through several tiers, not just one. To raise it all the way to tier four would mean almost a hundred Levels worth of experience! It was a big ask, and she wasn�t even totally sure what sort of third path she might choose�

She�d already been offered leadership style Classes in the past, being in command of her own delving team had more than likely been the catalyst that unlocked them, but she�d never taken the option. She was certain both her father and mother had gone down this road at some point, though how far, she had no idea. They were useful Classes, to be sure, and likely a requirement if she wanted to rise far in the ranks of the Legion. At basic Levels, these Classes gave access to speech Skills, making the leader more persuasive, but as they advanced, they became far more potent, granting Skills that could increase tactical acumen, or even buff Skills that applied when giving orders in the thick of battle.

The real question was, what did she want? What would she be happy with? Would she be content just being the best berserker she could be? A deadly killing machine that the Legion could reliably point in whatever direction they wanted and sit back while she went to work? She might have thought so a few years ago, but now?

Ever since she met Anthony and the Colony, she found this idea more and more distasteful. Her worldview had changed, and being a mindless warrior of fury no longer appealed to her as it once had. Her life had undergone massive shifts over the past year, so much so that it was sometimes a shock her head wasn�t spinning.

Now she was in a place where she needed to decide who she was, and what she wanted to be. With the answers to those questions changing so much, she�d been robbed of her confidence to lean in any direction.

The battle yet raged, a full-hearted defence of the Colony demanded the attention and resources of every caste, and every Council member worked�almost�around the clock to ensure the family would ride through the trouble, greater and stronger than ever before. In many ways, the current colony was like an egg, a hard shell on the outside, protecting what lay within from the storm as they developed.

Although the war was waged against the Dungeon in a constant battle of attrition, inside the territory claimed by the ants, a different narrative was playing out. Unprecedented growth. The wave brought challenges, obviously, but it also brought those things which aided in their development�food, cores, experience, and an opportunity. With the castes bringing in previously unheard-of levels of resources every day, all of it was being funnelled into an absurd population explosion. Much like a chicken nestled within the borders of its shell, the Colony was getting ready to hatch.

In fact, Cobalt mused, this might well be the second largest transformation to take place within the family since the Eldest had changed their species and put them onto their current path.

Not only would the population of the Colony have more than doubled by the time the wave completed, the number of higher tier ants would also have seen a similar increase. Against all odds, the Brood Tenders had gone above and beyond, finding ways to budget the required cores, and succeeded in realising the Eldest�s ambition of having each hatchling graduate the Academy at tier four. A monumental achievement that would change the fate of every ant.

To manage to do this at a time when egg production had skyrocketed was mind-boggling to the carver, and she could only dip her antennae in awe to the efforts of Theresant and Florence.

The strength of the Colony as a whole had risen to an entirely new dimension, and it would only continue to rise from that point forward. Cobalt herself was currently under extreme pressure to finalise the designs and preparation work for four new satellite nests that were due to begin construction the very second the wave receded.

Teams had already been assigned, the workers prepared to drop their current tasks and rush to assemble when the word came through. Resources were being stockpiled, Queens being raised, and guard detachments organised. As a matter of fact, last she�d heard from Antionette, each of the new Queens had already evolved to the fifth tier, the same as every other Queen in the Colony. The decision to put a massive priority on the tier of the Queens had already paid dividends, bringing their egg-laying capacity higher and allowing them to further develop the mutations which increased the stats of their offspring and allowed them to produce eggs more efficiently.

Cobalt raced around the model of the nest she was working on, poring over every detail as she considered every angle. This was the final draft of the third nest, and she wanted to ensure it was perfect before she moved on to the final design. Immaculately carved and shaped in hardened stone, the massive model weighed over a ton and was an exact scale representation of the new nest and the surrounding Dungeon, down to the finest details. Spotting an error, she clacked her mandibles in irritation and brought an antenna forward, charging it with Earth Mana to smooth one section of tunnel by a millimetre.

�Surely it�s ready by now?� huffed Sloan from behind her. �I need to brief my generals and I�ve already been waiting here for ten minutes!�

�I don�t rush your work,� Cobalt chided her sister as she reached into the network of tunnels connecting the chambers in the model and shaved off another tiny fraction of stone. �Would you have the new Queens take residence in a less than perfect nest?�

The idea of short-changing the Queens was certainly not something Sloan wanted to have on her conscience at all. They were the future of the Colony after all. She shifted in place for a few long seconds before she spoke again.

�Are your carvers even able to notice such tiny changes to the design?�

Cobalt chuckled as a few of her assistants turned to look at the general with genuine disdain.

�Absolutely,� she told her sibling. �They aren�t really using their eyes to examine the model, but their Mana Sense. The stone is infused with Earth Mana, which they can detect with minute precision. Once this master design is complete, eight copies will be constructed by my fellow carvers here and each will be a perfect replica, down to the level of Mana in every square centimetre. We�ve gotten pretty damn good at this, you know?�

She stepped back from the model with a satisfied waggle of her antennae.

�There, finally done.�

Without another word, the eight waiting carvers got to work, leaping onto the eight prepared blocks of stone, and ripping into them with mandibles and Earth Magic as they raced to complete their own models. These would be the eight carvers in charge of producing this nest, and they took their responsibilities very seriously indeed.

�Why isn�t Tungstant in here helping out, anyway?� Sloan asked.

Cobalt sighed.

�There has been a lot of movement at the checkpoints as garrisons have been pushed back. The amount of frontline repair work that�s been required has more than doubled over the last week, so we decided one of us should move closer to the hotspots to help coordinate construction efforts.�

�Makes sense,� the general replied, her mind turning to her own experiences at the checkpoints. �Not long to go, though. We only need to hold on a little longer.�

�Not long to go,� the carver echoed, already thinking of the next design she needed to complete. �Alright then, bring your generals in, you can brief them while the carvers work, it won�t distract them.�

�If you�re sure��

�I am.�

�Alright then.�

With a wave of an antenna, a dozen of the smaller soldier caste entered the chamber and huddled around the model as their senior general began to detail their next major duty, managing the garrison of this new nest and the difficult work of protecting the carvers as they worked on constructing it. It would be a difficult task, but that was the kind the ants most craved.

Moving into the next chamber through a narrow opening, Cobalt stopped to behold the half-finished design her sibling had begun work on before she�d left. It would take hours to go over the nuances and tease out the partially formed ideas and concepts that Tungstant had been working on, then hours more, with a great deal of trial and error, before she could bring those elements to fruition.

Each nest was a product of its environment, there were so many things to consider, so many variables that were unique to the location of the nest. Where would the tunnels converge? Where could the natural features of the terrain be utilised to better defend the nest? Where would Biomass, minerals, and other resources be taken into the nest? Where were the nearest hunting grounds? The quality of the rock, the stability of the soil, all things that needed to be considered.

She moved over the half-formed sculpture as if in a trance, sensing its flow and direction with her antennae as well as her mind. Hours later, she brought her antennae forward and brushed away a portion of stone, her first alteration. An hour after that, she used her fore-claw to pinch off a section of tunnel, then resumed her communion.

Slowly, but with an accelerating pace, she got to work. By the day�s end, the model would be complete, and another eight copies would be produced. Within the shell, the Colony continued to develop at a rapid pace. Soon would come the time they would emerge as an entirely new creature. Cobalt was confident that the Dungeon wasn�t ready for what was about to come.

�How long have you got?� Advant asked, her scent distracted and her antennae wavering busily back and forth.

�Not long,� replied Brendant, similarly occupied. �I�m only off shift for under an hour, and I had to travel to get here.�

�I also have a lot of places to be.� Victor looked tired, but a determined light sparkled in her eyes.

�I don�t know why you don�t have that much time, I usually have heaps of time. Although I suppose I do move a lot faster than you. Maybe you just need to move faster? Or talk faster? You all talk reeaaaaallly slow and it�s quite annoying, you know? I�m here waiting for you to finish waaay after I�ve worked out what you�re trying to say but it would be rude to interrupt, right? Is that a monster? No� Anyway. What was I saying? Oh yeah! You�re all too slow! Try being faster!�

Advant wavered in the face of the onslaught of pheromones from Vibrant before she firmed her stance and managed to process half of what her older sister had said.

�We aren�t too slow, you�re just too fast!� she retorted and the others nodded in agreement.

Vibrant�s evolution had only exacerbated her need for speed, and the combination of mutations and organs she had allowed her mind and reactions to keep up with that speed, which meant she was quite literally operating at a faster pace than the rest of them.

�I do think we should try and converse a little faster, just to help Vibrant keep track of things,� suggested Victor, and the others agreed. Maybe they�d also get through more of their agenda if they spoke faster?

�The idea of this gathering is to lay the groundwork for our intentions once the wave is complete,� intoned Victor, calling the semi-Council meeting to order. �Obviously, we don�t want to make any final decisions now, but we can work out how each of us feel the next steps should be and then go from there. I�ll open the floor, please feel free to share your thoughts.�

So saying, the general stepped back and gave the others space to voice their opinions. Surprisingly, it was the healer, Mendant, who stepped forward first.

�The real question isn�t necessarily �what will the Colony do?� but �what should the Colony prioritise�. Our family will continue to grow and expand, even without our input from this point forward. There have been protocols and norms established for most basic processes, and despite our sophistication, we are still monstrous ants. The desire to expand and secure the next generation is built into us. We need to be thinking about what our priorities are going to be and how we can influence our siblings. We are guides rather than commanders, remember.�

The diminutive healer stepped back in place so the others could digest her words.

�I agree with Mendant,� Advant said. �The Colony has grown beyond the point where we will be able to be aware of everything that goes on and influence every decision. Instead, we need to place ourselves on the forefront of the Colony�s most important initiatives so we can assist as much as possible.�

It was an important moment for the Council, and these decisions were fundamental for the way they would operate in the future. Indeed, the Colony had grown to the point where it was much too difficult for the twenty of them to adequately be in touch with all of the goings on of their own castes. Even for the Queens, who were the smallest in number, this was difficult, since they didn�t travel between nests to communicate with each other.

Instead of trying to grasp at authority, the Council opted to narrow their focus and trust that the Colony would be able to handle itself. It had the Eldest as its guiding light after all. There was no ant who would willingly betray the will of their most senior member.

They reflected on this idea, when Burke stepped forward.

�The Colony will continue to expand, and it will continue to descend. I believe that is where our focus should be. We can only be safe from those who would attack us if we have sufficient strength to defend ourselves. That means we must be aggressive in seeking that strength. The third stratum is the natural evolution of this quest. Even without our influence, there will be expeditions launched down there, so we should commit ourselves to guiding this effort.�

�But what sort of expeditions will be sent? Resource gathering? Scouting? Biomass harvesting? What exactly are we hoping to achieve?� Coolant asked. �We need to be clear about our goals; otherwise, we will be at cross purposes.�

Each of the members present sunk into thought. The future of the Colony wouldn�t be decided here and now, but nonetheless, it was an important occasion. What was the plan of action? What were their intentions? How could they apply the Colony�s newfound strength?

�War,� Advant said.

The scent of that word hung in the air.

�Against who? For what purpose?� Burke asked.

�Whoever we find, for however long we need it,� Advant said determinedly. �We have been on the defensive for a long time, but now is our chance to go on the offensive. We need to take and hold the territory and resources we need to grow powerful to protect us from that which will threaten us.�

She moved into the centre of the circle, pivoting slowly to look each of her fellow Council members directly in the eye.

�I propose we invade the third stratum in overwhelming force. We smash any who would stand in our way and leave in peace those who mean us no harm. We cannot be afraid anymore. If we stay in the upper levels of the Dungeon and huddle close to our nests, we�ll eventually be destroyed by a power too great for us to resist. The Eldest has helped prime us for this opportunity, but now is the time when we must be bold and seize the moment.�

It was a stirring rhetoric, and each of the listeners thought deeply on what was said. The meeting ended not long after, the ants returning to the thousands of tasks they still needed to complete before the wave died down.

As they worked, they all carried the same thought swimming through their minds.

War.

The thing about the tunnels in the second stratum is that they�re cold, like freezing cold. What�s more, when you get this deep, they reek of Death Mana, which, when combined with the near total darkness, makes it a rather unpleasant place to be. Reminiscent of being in a graveyard at night where it�s permanently raining. As an insect, I can�t say this is the most pleasant environment for me, though I don�t suffer as much as a regular ant would.

I mean, if us monstrous ants were that susceptible to temperature, the entire colony would have gone straight into hibernation the moment we got too cold.

With the rising Mana levels of the wave, the stink of death, which is usually more of a background scent, has risen to be an all-consuming assault on the senses, magical and mundane. Even worse than the smell? The monsters.

[Watch out behind you, Tiny! You can�t just hit �em once! You need to turn them into paste!] I yell at the ape.

With a surprised grunt of irritation, Tiny sees that the zombified mountain of flesh he�d thought was finished had gotten back up, already rearing to claw at his back. Hands igniting with energy, the giant ape unleashes a flurry of punches so fast his hands blur and the air comes alight with fists formed of his energy that pummel the monster into a blob. He doesn�t stop until he hears the notification, whereupon he nods in satisfaction and flicks the muck off his fists.

I thought I�d seen the worst of the death monsters the second stratum had to offer, but I was far from correct. The generic sort of monster that houses Death Mana was usually little more than a shadow beast with a few too many bones sticking out, and more guts hanging out than one would expect to see. These types, though?

[Invidia! Gimme the boom!]

[Yessss! Give me your screamssss!]

BOOM!

The serpentine creature covered in writhing strings of guts that I�ve got pinned in my mandibles detonates right in the middle, sending a shower of grisly guts flying through the air. The monster shrieks in what I�m pretty darn sure is not pain as its face of exposed bone tries to take a bite out of me. Oh no you don�t! Eat flame! A bright jet of pure blue fire ignites and burns the creature�s face as I apply more pressure with my mandibles.

Crunch!

With a horrific sound of snapping bone, the monster�s face disintegrates as the fire burns it away and the voice of Gandalf rings in my mind at last. Gah! I�m sick of these damn zombie monsters! They�re so darn hard to kill! It�s not like they regenerate or anything, they just don�t stop! Slice one in half, it keeps on moving. Blow them up? Still moving. Just like in the classics, the only way to finally get them to stop is to destroy whatever houses the brain, be it the head or whatever else they have going on.

Burn, you darn pains in the neck!

Using all of my brains, I concentrate hard and blast out three jets of fire at once, pushing back the darkness and burning away the cold, along with a handful of monsters. Gwehehehehe! Yessss! Burn for me! Won�t be long until that pupa hatches and I have a new little student to teach the ways of the Dungeon and colony as well. Man, so much to do!

[Master! They�re still swarming on this side!]

[Still? Are you able to get rid of them?]

[I�m holding them off, but they�re still coming!]

[Hold on, I�m on the way! Invidia and Tiny, you need to hold down this side for a while.]

I race to the other side of the three-way junction we�ve been holding to where Crinis has been slaughtering her way through a crush of monsters by herself. After all, mass de-limbing is kind of her speciality. When I get there, I see a wall of tentacles thrashing and twisting around hundreds of monsters, each roaring and tearing with maddened fury. In the few glimpses I get through the chaos, I can see the tunnel beyond is completely filled with creatures tearing at each other in their rage and desire to push upward.

This is never-ending! It�s been bad the last few days, but this is just madness!

[Hold them for a minute, Crinis! I�ll give them a bomb!]

[Got it, Master!]

Throwing away all my constructs and residual Fire Mana, I task all my minds with one particular job: drawing out and crushing my Gravity Mana. With each brain working together, we can crunch one together pretty darn quick! Standing still, I allow Crinis to protect me as she works double-time holding the monsters back, giving me time and space to work.

A minute later, doom announces its presence to the monsters with its signature welcome.

HOOOOOOOOOWLLLLL!

[Crinis! Get out of the way and brace!]

The bomb rotates with slow grace as it flies through the air, vanishing amidst the grasping claws of the onrushing monsters before expanding into an all-devouring sphere of death. When the dust clears and the ring of notifications in my head has ceased, the tunnel is clear. A tiny bit of breathing space before the crush starts again.

[How are you doing on flesh, Crinis?]

[I�m getting low.]

[Eat what you can while the numbers are minimal. It won�t be long un�er, what was that?]

My Mana Sense goes crazy as a huge pulse of energy floods through the Dungeon, racing up from the depths and past our position in less than a second.

[Did you pick up on that, Crinis?] I ask. With her much finer mana senses, she�s sure to have gotten a better read.

[I did! Master, check the Mana levels!] she cheers in my mind, full of exuberance.

In fact, her tentacles are doing a little dance as she hangs off the wall. What is going on? As she suggested, I turn my attention to the ambient Mana around me, recoiling from the overwhelming fog of Death Mana that lays over us. I� don�t think anything is different? Or is�wait� wait!

[It�s going down?] I ask, almost not willing to believe it.

[It�s going down!] Crinis confirms, still flinging her limbs about in celebration.

Oh so slowly, the Mana level is creeping down, which means the wave is coming to an end! My heart starts thudding in my carapace and I unconsciously turn to face the tunnels leading deeper into the Dungeon, excitement building. It�s finally going to end, after weeks of this nonsense! No longer are we going to be chained to these damned tunnels fighting the same monsters over and over again! I can�t wait for a change of scenery!

I�m seriously looking forward to a warmer climate coming my way once we go lower, and I am determined to go lower. There�s just something about this life that makes me want to keep pushing. I mean, it�s not like I let things get me too down in the last one either, but this one is different. The things I�ve seen, the things I�ve been able to do, it�s incredible.

I don�t often slow down to reflect on it, but the changes I�ve experienced in this life, ignoring the difference between my current incarnation and the previous, just within this second lifetime, I don�t know� it makes me hungry for more.

I want to keep delving. I want to get into trouble, fly into danger, then fight my way out with Tiny, Crinis, and Invidia by my side. I want to grow stronger to defend my family. I want my family to become strong enough to defend themselves. I want more friends. Gandalf knows I could do with more of those. I have two lifetimes� worth to accumulate, after all.

What�s more, I want to see. I want to see what lives in the middle of this Dungeon. I want to see the heart of this planet and the most powerful monsters in existence, the slumbering Ancients. Wouldn�t you? A worm who can swallow a mountain? I mean come on! This is only the beginning. I have everything I need, and soon enough, the Colony isn�t going to need me to take care of them anymore. Not all the time, at any rate.

Whatever�s down there, I�m coming. There�s no chance you�re going to be ready when I get there!

The cocoon shakes a little, then a rustling starts from within. This goes on for a few minutes as the creature inside tries to take control of new limbs, to stretch an unfamiliar body. I can understand the feeling. I�ve been there once before myself. The next sound to emerge is a light scraping, close to the top, and I can tell the tiny mandibles within have begun to flex, grappling with the fibre of the cocoon itself.

A soul is yearning for freedom! To stretch and run free amongst the Colony!

I can feel the mind with the folds of silken strands bubbling into wakefulness as the sleep falls away from her. The fierce curiosity is burning once more, impatience also, and the attacks on the cocoon grow stronger.

It�ll take a little more time before her carapace will harden fully, so for the time being, she�s forced to work with blunt tools, so to speak. Even so, the first strands part under her relentless pressure. Once the first few go, the next break shortly after and the progress becomes more rapid.

Normally at this point of a new ant eclosing from the cocoon, other ants would step forward to help them break out. I know this is something the Brood Tenders usually do, assisting the new arrivals and making sure they don�t hurt themselves in the process of freeing themselves.

I don�t bother. This isn�t any ordinary ant we�re talking about here, this is a champion! If she can�t do something as simple as break out of her cocoon on her own, then what hope will she have of matching up to her senior champion sister, Vibrant? I sit and watch, my pets arrayed around me, as the little silken pillow wobbles this way.

When it fully breaks, it all comes in a rush, with chunks falling away until at last an antenna pokes through the gap, followed by the other, and then the full head.

�I�m free! My life for the Colony! MY DEATH FOR THE COLONY!�

Ah heck, not this again�

She�s so focused on gaining her freedom that she doesn�t even appear to notice the four tier six monsters looming over her from behind. Instead, she frees the rest of her body, stretching her legs one by one and kicking away the last remnant of her pupal form, swishing her antennae through the air triumphantly.

�Where is everyone?� she wonders out loud. �I�ll go find them!�

YOINK!

Her legs start to motor, but before she can get any traction, I lunge and pick her up, holding her off the ground with my mandibles.

�Oh no you don�t, young one. You�re going to stay right here for a little longer while we have a chat.�

It�s lucky we were all here for this moment. If it had just been Tiny, she might have run off before he realised he was supposed to catch her. The hatchling wobbles in the air, her antennae waggling about as she finally lays eyes on us. Not enough peripheral vision with such un-upgraded eyes.

�Ah! Senior! Hello there, it�s nice to meet you.� She dips her antennae in a polite greeting, and I feel myself warm up to her a little.

�Hello, little hatchling,� I say. �Welcome to the greatest and most magnificent colony in the world!�

�Of course it is! I�m in it!� she boasts.

Oi.

�Out of curiosity, how much do you remember from your time as a grub?�

She thinks for a moment, which looks a little comical as she�s hanging from my jaws.

�Not much,� she confesses. �Just impressions and flashes.�

At my prompting, Invidia reveals his wide grin and opens his mouth, putting the fleshy inside of his maw on display.

�Ring any bells?�

A shiver runs through her form.

�I-I�m not sure, but I think I don�t like it? Why would that be?�

�No reason, I�m sure,� I tell her smoothly.

I can�t help but feel cheered by the enthusiasm and boundless energy welling up inside her and filtering into my Vestibule. I lean forward to put her on the ground, and the moment one leg hits the tunnel floor, she tries to run away.

�Not so fast, little one.� I lift her back up.

�Hey!� she protests. �What�s the big deal, senior? Shouldn�t we go and be with the Colony or something? There�s only two ants in this tunnel and I�m one of them! I�m ready to work, let me get to it! I�m sure there�s plenty I could be doing right now other than dangling here!�

[Is everything alright, Master?] Crinis asks, concerned.

[She�s got a fair bit of energy. Going to have to slow her roll a little,] I tell the horror glomped onto my carapace.

�You need to listen to your senior a little before you go running off, hatchling. You don�t know how things work in this colony, but I do. Give me a chance to explain things, then you will too. For instance, before you can work, you need to learn. That�s how it works here. And the good news for you, is that you�ve got me as your personal instructor! How lucky!�

She looks at me with a suspicious gleam in her eye.

�I� can�t work? I�m an ant. The need to work is baked into my carapace. How long is this education going to take?�

�Couple weeks,� I say.

She sags in my grip. She paints a very sorry picture, all six legs and her antennae drooping.

�All right then,� she sighs. �Put me down and we might as well get started.�

I lower her back to the ground, and she shakes out her limbs as she takes stock of our surroundings.

�So� what are you going to teach me fir�BYE!�

Aaaand she�s off.

[Crinis�]

[Right away, Master.]

Before the hatchling gets even ten metres down the tunnel, she�s confronted by a forest of tentacles erupting from the floor. One snakes around the middle of her carapace and lifts her off the ground to carry her back. Hanging in front of me upside down, I confront the cheeky little thing.

�I�m a calm and benevolent instructor, luckily for you. Settle down and be a little patient, would you? You�ll get answers, these things can�t be rushed. Now, I�m going to let Crinis put you down and then we can�aaaand she�s off.�

[Tiny�]

A few moments later, the hatchling is presented to me on the palm of Tiny�s hand.

�Time for you to meet your second instructor.� I clack my mandibles with glee as I look down at the still defiant newborn. �Sadly for you, it won�t be quite as pleasant a learning experience as what I had in mind��

[Invidia. Open up.]

While the hatchling enjoyed a little solitary education, we moved back out beyond the defensive lines of the territory to drive back the swarming monsters for possibly the final time. The Mana levels continued their slow draw, and with every hour that passed, the spawn rate of monsters began to recede.

I was hugely relieved we managed to get through this wave without having to confront any monsters of too high a tier. My last evolution had really driven home to me the exponential rate of growth in evolutions. Since the energy doubles each time, it�s reasonable to expect that a tier seven monster with a perfect core is going to be literally twice as strong as me. Wild monsters in the Dungeon with perfect evolutions all the way down the line are hard as heck to come across, so it�s unlikely we would run into one, but I was quite worried that we would.

After an hour or so of throwing back the tide, we retreat behind the checkpoint to catch our breath and plot our next moves. At this moment, I get a surprise visit�although I suppose it�s not really a visit due to her more or less constant presence�from Protectant.

Thanks to the addition of the Nave, I have a clearer idea of the whereabouts of my twenty bodyguards, generally speaking, although whatever high tech stealth organ they have still manages to interfere sometimes. Looking slightly larger than before, she appears above me, clinging to the ceiling at the same moment I detect her scent.

�Eldest, I have come to report.�

�Hey there, Protectant! How�re things going? Been a little while since we last spoke!�

It had been. They�d been busy since I�d detected them running this way and that rather than just hanging over my head all day, but I hadn�t actually interacted with any of them for some time, too focused on my pets and now the hatchling. I guess I had given them a task to complete, so I felt it would be best if I just left them to it.

�You�re looking a little larger up there, Protectant! Is it safe to assume that you�ve managed to evolve to the fifth tier?�

She shifts a little from side to side, clearly uncomfortable with being exposed to plain view, but to her credit, she stands firm long enough to answer my questions.

�I have. And I�m happy to report that all twenty of us have completed our evolution, as you requested.�

�Really! All twenty of you made it to the fifth tier? That�s amazing!� I peer at her a little more closely. �You didn�t get all that much larger considering the shift from tier four to five. What on Pangera did you spend your energy on? If your stats are too low, you�re going to suffer in the future, you know?�

I don�t really want to pry too deeply, but I am a little concerned. I know that in their evolution from tier three to four, the species they chose granted them their powerful stealth capability, but in choosing that, they threw away the chance to gain anything more combat related. Being able to hide from view is only one aspect of their role, the other is that they actually need to be able to fight.

�Not to worry, Eldest,� she replies defensively. �We have made the necessary investments to ensure we will be able to complete our function. We decided as a group that it would be for the best if we tried to keep ourselves at a smaller size in order to make it easier to remain discreet. Rest assured that we are up to the task of ensuring your security.�

I allow my Mana Sense to wash over her, and I can tell she has already reinforced her core post-evolution, possibly even maxed it out. Looks like they�ve been serious about getting themselves ready for the delve to come. That�s quite a relief and a massive weight off my mind. I was worried they wouldn�t be able to handle it, and there was little chance I�d ever be able to convince them to stay behind.

�Great job, all of you up there. Make sure you do the right thing and get your cores maxed out as soon as possible. Mutations also! Get as close as you can to a complete tier five over the last few days of the wave. Once it�s finished, we�ll be delving to dangerous new places. The third stratum and beyond!�

No other ants reveal themselves, but Protectant gives a short nod before she once again vanishes from my sight. Gah! That�s creepy! Honestly speaking, without the Vestibule and Nave, I�d have never found these damn bodyguards. At least now, I know they�re strong enough to handle their job going forward. For now, anyway. I want all of them to be tier six by the time I�m ready to evolve to tier seven, which is quite a ways into the future.

With that taken care of, it�s time to get back to other matters.

[Alright, Invidia, let her out.]

The air beneath the fluttering eyeball splits open in that truly disturbing way as his teeth reveal themselves. Opening wide, he uses his tongue to push the hatchling out, dripping with his saliva before snapping his mouth shut. Whereupon it vanishes from view. I look down on the rather damp hatchling, who takes a moment to push her shaky legs under herself.

�Hello again, little one. Did you enjoy your time with your other teacher?�

�I did not!� she flares up.

I scratch my head with an antenna, as if confused.

�But I wonder� have you learned the valuable lesson that your second teacher was trying to impart? Otherwise, there is a strong chance you�ll receive further instruction��

The little ant stares up at me defiantly.

�I won�t run away,� she grates out.

�Good job!� I pat her on the head. �I knew you�d listen to your educators eventually!�

I didn�t expect to be doing as much teaching in this life as I�ve ended up having to do, but as expected, using the methods that were used on me when I was young has worked out alright. I turned out fine, didn�t I? And I certainly learned fast!

�Now then, if you aren�t going to attempt to sneak away every few seconds, we can finally sit down and begin your education. First thing we need to talk about, the value of a life!�

We settle down in the tunnel, giving the hatchling something to eat while she listens to me explain the foundational principle I�ve laid down on the Colony which differentiates them from every other ant in existence: they are to value their own existence and try hard to preserve it. Not such a radical idea in my mind, but to an ant� it takes a little convincing.

�So� if I�m fighting an enemy, I�m supposed to� not die?�

�Right.�

�What if I can cripple the enemy severely in exchange for my life?�

�Settle for crippling them a little and staying alive.�

�What if I can defeat them outright in exchange for my life?�

�Settle for almost defeating them and staying alive.�

�What if there�s a critical task that needs to be completed and only by working myself to death will it be done?�

�We stay organised so that doesn�t happen. And, honestly, if you tried to do that, you�ll likely be stopped by other ants.�

�What?� She�s genuinely shocked. �Why would they stop me?�

�They take their work very seriously,� I advise her. �I�m sure you�ll be meeting them quite a bit in the future��

If she�s anything like Vibrant, there will be a mutual grudge there before long.

�The fundamental fact that you must keep in mind at all times is this: you can�t work when you�re dead.� I emphasise my words with a poke of an antenna. �You might live for a hundred years or more, working hard for the Colony and achieving great things every day, or you could be dead in two weeks trying to choke a monster to death with your remains.� I still remember when Leeroy tried that. �Which do you think is better for the Colony?�

She�s quicker on the uptake than most hatchlings. After only a brief pause, she responds. �Living.�

I can tell she doesn�t like the idea but can�t deny the logic.

�Quite right,� I agree with her. �That isn�t to say there aren�t circumstances where we need to lay down our lives for the Colony. Many have died already in the service of our family, but that doesn�t mean we seek it out. Indeed, the longer you live in the Dungeon, the stronger you become, which means you are even more valuable to keep alive. Before I�m done teaching you, you�ll be a tier four monster, with hundreds of cores and Biomass invested by the Colony in you. To throw away that investment without giving back to the family? Ridiculous notion!�

She nods along, agreeing with what I�ve said.

�What�s a tier four monster?� she asks.

Ah. I might have gotten ahead of myself there. For the next ten minutes, I explain the basics of this world. The Dungeon, the surface, the waves, the fundamentals of being a monster. All good stuff. The hatchling listens with rapt attention, soaking up the knowledge I offer her and eagerly asking for more. By the time we�re done, I feel like I�m getting a cramp from standing still for so long.

�Okay then,� I sigh as I stretch out my legs. �Enough yammering. If you aren�t going to run away on us, I suppose it must be time for a tour of the Colony. How about it?�

I don�t think I�ve ever seen an ant so excited.

�You must be kind of a big deal, huh?� the hatchling observes, staring up at a giant statue of me carved from glittering stone.

�Ahem! You can ignore that. Come on, we have more interesting things to see.�

�This is amazing to look at,� she says as I drag her away. �I wonder who made it?�

�So do I,� I grumble.

One of these days, I�m going to catch that blasted artist and give them a piece of my mind. Of all the things they could have devoted themselves to, making statues of me seems like a tremendous waste of time! I don�t even mind that they decided to become an artist, the carvings are all breathtaking, I just resent being the subject of so much of the work! There are tons of other amazing ants in this colony! Every damn one of them is a hero in my book. Carve them for a change!

Alas, my plea goes unanswered and the number of carvings featuring my visage has only increased within the nest over the duration of the wave. Clearly, the artist has been locked in here with nothing else to do�

�Now, something for you to think about,� I say in an effort to distract the young one in my care, �is what sort of work you might like to do for the Colony. A worker? A soldier? A crafter? There are nine different castes that you can evolve into, and each have their own specialities and jobs they perform best at. Workers become Brood Tenders, healers, or Queens. Soldiers become majors, scouts, or generals, though we usually just call the majors soldiers, and crafters become carvers, mages, and core shapers.�

Eyes full of wonder as we navigate through the tunnels of the nest, the hatchling listens intently to every word I say, nodding to show she understands.

�The Brood Tenders care for the young, the next generation of the family. It�s their responsibility to care for the eggs, keeping them at the right temperature, keeping them clean, right up until they hatch. Then they tend the larvae, feeding them, cleaning them, tickling them, and playing with them until they become pupae. Once they hatch, the Tenders educate them, much as I�m doing for you now, up until they join the Colony as fully grown members. It�s the most important task within the Colony and one they take very seriously.�

�Why aren�t I being taught by them, then?� the hatchling asks curiously.

�Well, you�re something of a different case, and I�ll get into why that is later. Ah, here we are.�

The brood chambers are as warm and cosy as I remember, filled with the motherly love of the Brood Tenders as they care for their flock of grubs and eggs. I spy Florence beavering away on one side of the chamber and wave her over.

�Hey, Florence. Recognise this little one?�

The Council member leans closer before leaping back in shock.

�Is it? It can�t be! Not this soon!�

�Accelerated feeding program,� I proudly declare. �Although, we could probably describe this particular grub as being somewhat impatient. Honestly speaking, I was surprised myself when she went into her cocoon.�

�Do I know you?� The former grub in question peers up at Florence.

�Let�s just say you were a little difficult to take care of,� I pat her on the head. �Just thought I�d drop in as we give the little one a tour,� I say to Florence. �How are things looking here?�

�Busy as always,� she says, keeping one wary eye on the hatchling as though she might disappear at any second. �We are always ramping up to meet future growth. No matter how much we plan and expand, we never seem to get ahead.�

�The hunger to grow and expand is a natural thing for all species, I think,� I tell her. �It�s just that we can do it about nine hundred times faster since we�re monster ants. How long does it take to get a fresh egg to Academy graduate right now? I�m curious.�

�From egg to hatching takes a day or so, depending on temperature. Just about all of our incubating rooms are fully enchanted now, so temperature hasn�t been an issue that we�ve needed to deal with for some time, such a time saver. After that, a little over a week as a larva in optimum conditions, then a week as a pupa, and roughly twelve hours to fully emerge from the cocoon and harden. Then off to the Academy where our current program takes them to tier four in three weeks. We expect to slow down substantially now that the wave is receding, though.�

From literally nothing to a tier four monster in just over a month. And not just any run of the mill monster, no-no-no. These ants have perfect mutations for every evolution. They form their cores at tier one. They benefit from an array of mutations that provide bonus stats to them on birth. They gain bonuses to Skill Level gain and growth speed thanks to the loving care and education provided by the Tenders. Despite being one of the weakest species in the Dungeon in terms of individual strength, and the fact that hatchlings in the Colony are even further physically weakened thanks to me putting all of that potential into their brains, our graduates are powerful, intelligent, and fearless.

It�s a damn impressive result for a single month.

�I�m impressed as heck, Florence. A month? Holy moly. And that�s thousands of ants graduating every single day, isn�t it? I�ve no idea how you do it.�

Florence wiggles her antennae, happy to receive the compliment.

�It�s been difficult,� she admits. �Working out the logistics has been the hardest thing. The food supply, transport, maximising our harvest of cores. It�s all worth it in the end, though.� She clacks her mandibles with joy as she watches the grubs roll about and play with their carers in the dim light of the brood chamber.

�Pretty damn impressive, eh?� I give the hatchling a nudge as she stares curiously at all the goings on in the chamber.

�It is,� she agrees, eyes drinking in the sight of the Tenders at work. �How many eggs are being laid per day right now?�

Florence doesn�t pause for a moment.

�Six thousand.�

�Wait, WHAT?� I exclaim.

Without batting an antenna, she starts to tick off the numbers on one foreleg.

�In total, there are fifteen Queens operating in the Colony. Three in this main nest, two each in the two satellite nests, and the next eight have been prepped and are distributed amongst the territory in safe holds. As of last week, every one of those Queens has reached tier five, with the Queen being tier six. For the tier five evolution, the Queens didn�t go the same path as Mother, for obvious reasons, and instead have chosen to increase their egg output, Biomass efficiency, and stat gain for their offspring. Currently they are each outputting three hundred eggs a day. We estimate that may climb to six hundred eggs per day at tier six.�

Holy�So that�s�

�Nine thousand eggs a week!�

�That�s right,� Florence nods.

The hatchling looks suitably impressed at hearing the raw numbers, beholding the vast amount of work the Tenders do. Then she tries to escape�

[Alright, Invidia, you can spit her out now.]

With a wet splat, the hatchling is deposited onto the tunnel floor, dripping with demon saliva. With a shiver, she begins to shake her legs and abdomen in an attempt to cleanse herself of the goo. She has a little success before furiously cleaning her antennae, dragging them through the elbow joints of her front legs over and over again to clean the delicate hairs that line the appendage.

�I really thought we were getting past that whole thing,� I point out to her. �You�re getting your answers, aren�t you? Just be patient.�

She keeps cleaning, giving me a look that I can only interpret as �Patience? What even is that?�

�Well, keep trying if you want.� I shrug my antennae. �It just means more time with your second instructor and lets me rest. Now, are you ready to see this next part of the nest?�

Finished getting the worst of the mess off, the hatchling looks around excitedly, only to be disappointed to find we are in a plain tunnel without anything remarkable about it.

�It doesn�t seem that exciting,� she says dejectedly.

WHACK! I bring my antenna down on her head with a sharp crack.

�This is just a tunnel! Obviously, we haven�t entered it yet!� I take a breath. �Where we are headed is the industrial heartland of the Colony. This is where all the raw resources that we collect are gathered to be processed. The ores, the wood, the gems, and other precious materials we might find in the Dungeon. Smelting, carving, crafting, enchanting, smithing. All of it goes on here. Hundreds of tons of raw ore are shipped here every day by a vast network of workers and tools. Look, here comes one now.�

The rattling reaches us long before anything appears out of the darkness of the tunnel, but when it does, it makes a suitably impressive sight. Metal wheels grind along tracks embedded neatly into the tunnel floor, filling the air with that metal-on-metal discordant whine that only grows louder as it draws closer. The contraption resembles a mining cart, except far larger, the box made of solid wooden planks reinforced with metal banding welded together by the finest of fire mages. The base of the cart glows with flowing light that is emitted from runes that run the entire base of the cart, forming an intricate pattern. The harder I look, the more my focus wavers, as my eyes are drawn into ever finer details.

At the front of the cart, a mighty soldier is strapped in with a harness, pulling the immense weight behind her in a display of incredible strength. When she draws closer, we shift to the side in order to make way and the soldier gives a nod of gratitude as she focuses on her work of hauling. Only when she starts to go past do I realise that there is more than one cart. Three in total make up the train, attached together by a locking mechanism. At the rear of the third, another soldier is found, pushing with all her might as the train continues.

What the heck? This is uphill! Are these super ants? Those carts are packed to the brim with ore, maybe ten cubic metres� worth in each. That has to be multiple tons of material being hauled here!

The hatchling watches them go past respectfully, her eyes drawn to the glowing runes around the base of the cart. Which leads me to another discovery. As the wheels shift forward, the track lights up just before they touch, matched by a glow from the wheel itself. The moment the track has passed under the wheel, that segment grows dim. It appears as if the track is enchanted to react with the wheels in some way? Or the wheels are enchanted to react to the track?

Or both?

Holy moly, I had no idea how much development had gone on up here� If I were to wager a guess, the carts are enchanted to lighten themselves, and their load and the tracks are enchanted to reduce friction as the wheels pass over, perhaps with some variant of Water or Ice Magic? I�ve no idea. Whatever the case, it�s incredible work since it allows such a huge amount of rock to be hauled by just two soldiers.

�This is where the raw ore is brought in to be processed,� I tell the still staring hatchling. �Let�s move in a little deeper and take a gander at the next stage.�

She nods mutely and we follow along behind the cart as it continues its journey into the heart of the antdustrial empire. Two things become readily apparent: the temperature is gradually rising, and the noise is building. The ringing of metal, the crack and crash of hard stone, and the waft of warm air blowing against our antennae are all signs we�re drawing near.

When we come upon the site, it still almost comes as a shock. One moment we are in a tunnel, the next the ground drops away and we all freeze in surprise. What the heck have these ants been doing whilst I�ve been busy? Someone needs to get these girls a hobby or something! Unperturbed by the sight of it, the soldiers continue hauling their carts, unaware that we�ve fallen behind.

The tunnel floor has been replaced with a girded steel railing that puts me in mind of train tracks, the two guiding lines for the cartwheels still prominent. Looking through the gaps in the struts and falling away to my left side, I see we�re standing close to the top of a vast cone which falls away perhaps as much as a kilometre beneath us. Wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, the cone is lined with tracks just like this one for almost the entirety of its height. Before I can even begin to wonder what on earth is going on, a rumble starts above me, and I jerk at the unexpected sound.

Overhead and to my right, hugging the wall as it widens, another train of carts has gone still, and the soldiers have triggered some sort of mechanism. The steel bottom of the carts open and the ore within drops through the gaps with a low roar. With a sharp crack and hiss, the rock hits the side of the cone and begins to slide down, tumbling and falling end over end. After a few seconds, it reaches our level, tumbling through the gap between our track and the edge of the cone as it continues on its way. The two soldiers we were following prepare to do the same thing. They grip levellers at the two ends of the train with their mandibles and pull simultaneously. Just as before, the bottom of the cart drops away and the ore rumbles out, joining the previous rockslide as it rolls its way to the bottom of the cone and out of sight through a narrow opening at the bottom.

All around me, this scene is repeated as carts appear out of tunnels and onto the rail bridges, whereupon they dump their ore and then continue on their way, vanishing out of sight. With their carts empty, the two soldiers in front of us pull on the levers, and the bottom of the carts rises and locks into place before they resume their journey, one pushing, one pulling, returning to where they came to load up another train full of ore.

I hesitate to follow, drinking in the scene that I�d heard of but never before witnessed. It never seems to end. As carts unload and vanish, more take their place, up and down the cone. The rumble of stone being unloaded is a constant roar, and my mind boggles at the amount of material being processed. This is just the ore drop-off point� It must be at least two hundred and fifty metres across! It�s freakin� huge! Exactly how much mining is the Colony doing around here?

The hatchling is practically vibrating with excitement as she watches all the action, and I can already sense the thought of running off to explore forming in her mind. This little thing! She needs to chill out, yeesh! Rather than toss her to Invidia for time out, I head off her burgeoning escape attempt by offering to take her deeper into the nest so we can watch the process bear out, an offer she readily agrees to.

It takes a little while to follow the looping tunnels all the way down to the area just beneath the bottom of the ore drop off point. I�m not sure what I expected to see, but the work room here is just as vast and oversized as the area above it. A blast of hot air smacks us in the face at the end of the tunnel, and we find ourselves in a massive furnace room. Carvers are everywhere, running around, operating the many enormous blast furnaces and processing the slag and metal that comes out. Its bedlam filled with the roar of flame, the grind of metal, and the crack of stone.

Trying not to let her get distracted, I herd the hatchling toward the bottom of the cone so we can watch the process from start to finish. I�m super curious to see it myself, not just to show it to the new champion in the Colony.

What my siblings have achieved blows me away and I feel great pride at the incredible things my family has accomplished. It�s not just killing monsters and growing more hatchlings, we build and create, design and develop! It�s exciting what we�ve become capable of, and I�m eager to see more.

To my shock, I find that the ants have invented something else I never expected to see in this world without me having any input or even knowing anything about it. The opening of the cone is still several metres across, and from it pours a constant flow of raw ore. This rock drops a short distance onto a rounded slope that kills the momentum and gathers the ore together before it�s deposited onto, of all things, a conveyor belt.

Have they invented rubber? Nope, that�d be way too out of their league, we haven�t gone quite as far as oil processing. Come to think of it, would oil even exist? Biomass gets absorbed by the Dungeon if it�s left lying about for too long� and this world isn�t exactly solid all the way to the middle, far from it� Forget it!

No, the belt they�ve made is stone. How does that work, you might ask? Magic. As in, literally Earth Magic. A team of dozens of carvers work above and below the belt, using their Earth Magic to constantly keep the thin layer of stone moving until it reaches the end of the line, where the individual blocks drop and rotate back the other way.

Close inspection reveals that guide rails for the blocks have been carved on the other side, glowing brightly with powerful rune magic. Of course, something like this wouldn�t be possible without extensive enchanting. The belt itself is formed of thin yet highly condensed blocks of stone that seamlessly slot together, each one only thirty centimetres or so wide and several metres in length. The other shocking thing is the length of the belt itself, perhaps as much as a hundred metres long, carrying the ore in a straight line past numerous stations, each manned by dozens of ants.

In fact, the entire thing is positively bristling with carvers, quite a few of them on the belt itself, picking through the rock and using their nimble front claws to shift bits and pieces as they run forward to avoid being pulled back as if they were on a treadmill.

Close to the belt is a constant rumble that ripples through the air and sends shivers through my antennae. It�s pretty darn intense and gets the heart pounding. I nudge the hatchling and we shift over to the stations farther down the belt, curious to see what they�re about. At each one, I can smell the carvers talking to one another as they work.

�There, there! Get it!�

�That�s granite, no, no, that one! Send it back, we want iron ore!�

�Is that infused tin? Let it roll down the line, we just process the regular stuff. Read the Mana signature already!�

Quite a few of them turn to speak to me as I stroll over, and I�m forced to wave off the usual accusations of slacking and loafing as we watch them work. It appears each station is part of a furiously paced sorting process as the ants use their Mana Sense, eyes, and highly developed Stone Magic to pick out the minerals and ores they want at their station, magically dragging the rocks in and depositing them into huge iron �bins� that rest beneath them.

I don�t know nearly enough about geology to know which rocks are which, but the carvers appear to have no trouble discerning what they want, sweeping the ore they desire off the belt with minimal trouble, leaving behind that which they don�t need. If by chance they do end up snagging the wrong thing, there are carvers running the lip of the bin itself, inspecting every single stone that falls in to ensure the contents remain pure.

As we watch the iron ore bin, which is definitely one of the busier stations�in fact, I think there are two of them�fills up and we get to see the next stage. After a final check, something is done to release the bin and a team of carvers use magic to direct it along a predetermined path. Farther down, it enters an all-new processing line, where huge numbers of carvers operate all sorts of gear. I decide to take the hatchling down the iron line to ask a few questions and run into one carver who�s happy enough to answer them.

�We learned most of this process from the humans on the surface,� she happily admits, waving one of her claws at the vast setup. �But we�ve taken many steps to refine it further, obviously.�

She points to the bin that just arrived.

�The new ore is a mix of rock containing iron at various purities, and we need to do a ton of work in order to get something usable. Crush it, wash it, filter it, heat it, and after that⁠��

�You get iron?� I ask.

She laughs.

�No! Then you have ore that�s ready to smelt!�

Holy smokes.

�Sounds like a lot of effort!�

�It is!�

Teams of carvers work to tip the bin, which sits on hinges attached to a base so it can rotate without being tipped all the way over. The ore is dumped into a basin, whereupon the carvers operate huge steel �hammers� that drop from overhead before being winched back up as other carvers �stir� the jumbled rocks using their Stone Magic.

�After crushing them here, we�ll wash them to remove sand, then bake them to eliminate impurities. Only then will they go into the blast furnace over there along with limestone to turn into pig iron. After that, it gets refined further into steel. After that, we imbue it to churn out charged steel.�

�Charged steel?� I ask, confused. I don�t think I�ve heard of anything like that.

The carver nods, excited.

�It�s the latest process we�ve been working on. Normally to produce the truly good stuff, you need to find ore that contains magic already, right? We call that imbued ore, and it�s really rare! The carvers and mages got to thinking, though, what if we could produce steel, regular, plain old steel, and then imbue it with magic!�

�Isn�t that just enchanting?�

�No! This is putting in Mana and bonding it directly to the steel itself! When you take imbued steel and enchant it, you get double the effect of enchanting normal metal!�

Wow!

�That�s crazy! So, how�s the process working?�

She loses a bit of her enthusiasm.

�Not� perfectly. We�re still in the test and development phase. But we�re getting closer to refining our methods! So far, our best has only been about a third of the Mana level found in naturally occurring ore, but it�s a heck of a lot better than normal steel.�

�Explain to me please, why you would ever think that sticking your head into a blast furnace would be a good idea?� I demand of the hatchling, still dangling from one of Crinis� tentacles.

�I wanted to see what it looked like inside!� she protests.

�Inside? Inside is nothing but fire, superheated gas, and liquid metal!�

�REALLY!� She goggles at me. �Sounds awesome!�

�Yes,� I nod sagely. �It IS awesome. It will also melt your face off and you will be dead.�

�And that�s� bad?�

My mandibles slowly clack together.

�Do you need more time out?�

��I do not.�

�Then tell me it would be bad if you died.�

�It would be bad if I died.�

�Good.�

[Put her down, Crinis.]

The blast furnace had indeed been amazing. Six mage ants surrounded the base of the huge metal construction, lined with bricks, reinforced stone, and enchanted on the inside to resist the insane temperatures. When it came time to heat it, the mages poured great torrents of blue flame into openings designed to seal shut whenever the mages drew their heads back.

Out one side of the base poured the slag, a molten slurry of impurities which had bonded to the limestone, and from the other poured liquid iron to be carted away for moulding into ingots. It was then that I caught the hatchling trying to get a closer look.

�Alright, enough hanging around here, time to go meet a particular carver and say hello.�

With a careful eye on the youngling, I make my way out of the huge furnace area, picking my way between the many rows of smelters, furnaces, and tracks for bins laden with ore, then beyond the connecting tunnels to the crafting area.

The ring of hammers and the tang of metal vibrate through my antennae as we enter, the tunnels alive with reverberations of steel-on-steel. Nestled throughout these tunnels are the many workshops of the Colony, producing the various goods required by the ants and our allies. There�s delicate work being done, fine wires of various metals intertwined and experimented on to see how well they handle enchantments, as well as more massive projects, like gates for the new nests or armour suits for new Immortals.

The hatchling stares at it all with wide eyes, rushing this way and that to inspect every ant at work, asking questions and generally being a pest. I tolerate it for a little while, but we have a schedule to keep and there�s someone I really need to meet.

�Come on then, we gotta move a little faster.�

With a bit of needling, I manage to drag the little one to the workshop of a particular carver who I�d promised to meet at some point after I�d evolved. I find the insane ant hard at work at her forge, heating metal with a slightly crazed cast to her compound eyes.

�Smithant! How are you doing, you metal head?� I say.

She turns to my massive frame looming over her workstation and clacks her mandibles happily.

�If it isn�t the Eldest! I�ve been looking forward to your visit for a long time! And Tiny! Welcome back, my most successful customer! How did you like that armour I made for you, eh? I heard it worked out perfectly! Are you looking to get it reforged now that you�ve evolved into a new form?�

The smith is practically bouncing with excitement but I�m getting massive waves of �meh� energy from Tiny once I explain what she wants. Just looking at his bland expression, I can tell he�s not that interested in getting his armour back.

�He�s super excited for you to remake it for him,� I tell her, giving the ape a glare.

[That armour kept you alive. As in, you know, not dead! Would you rather be dead, or wear armour?]

He ponders for a moment. Then another. Then a longer moment.

[You shouldn�t have to think this long, moron!] I screech at him. [Just how low did you take your intelligence on this evolution? You kept it where I ordered you to, right?]

He nods and gives me a thumbs up, a wide, confident grin splitting his face.

I stare at him carefully.

[So how high is it then?]

He raises two fingers.

[If that�s supposed to mean twenty, then you reduced it lower than what I left you with� but still kept it above the minimum I set� If it means two, we are going to have issues.]

I turn back to Smithant.

�He would love to have even more elaborate and protective armour than before. Layer it on him until he looks like the elderly on a snow day. I want him round, like a dumpling.�

�I don�t know what those things are,� Smithant flicks an antenna in dismissal, �but it hardly matters. Time for measurements!�

As the hatchling starts to pick her way through the workshop, inspecting every tool and surface with the curiosity of a newborn child�which she is�Smithant rushes about, crawling over Tiny and measuring him for fit.

�Quite a bit larger than before,� she clacks. �I�m not sure we�ll have enough captured Legion armour to fashion the suit like before. I�ll have a look at the stockpile, though we might need to look for a different solution.�

She turns herself to me.

�And what about you, Eldest? Finally ready to accept your place in the glorious ranks of the armoured?�

Her eyes are practically sparkling. Settle down a bit there.

�I�m still not sure how comfortable I am with armour,� I say hesitantly. �Not for any reason to do with the armour itself!� I assure the suddenly crestfallen smith. �Just because my carapace is� I mean, look at it!�

Indeed, my diamond carapace is picking up the flickering light of the forge beautifully. So damn shiny.

�Well, we don�t necessarily need to go with fully fledged armour. There are a number of options. We could make leg coverings, plating for the joints, segments for the head to protect your eyes, though they do limit visibility. The more metal we put on you, the more surface we have to work with for enchantments. Though, if I�m making something for you, I highly doubt anyone will object to me requisitioning the finest cores and materials from the stores.�

The mad smith is almost drooling at the thought of getting her mandibles on such precious metals and cores. The passion she has for her craft is infectious and I can�t help but feel I�d like to see what she could make.

�I�ll say no to any helmets or anything that obstructs my vision. But I think I could be persuaded with some leg guards or something along those lines.�

�Perfect!� Smithant declares. �Time to get measured!�

Having a smaller ant crawl all over my carapace is kind of ticklish, and I was relieved when Smithant was finally finished with her work. She was noticeably pumped up, and practically radiating the same level of energy as the hatchling by the time she was done. Without so much as a �thanks for dropping in�, she rushed about, gathering ingots and scratching designs into the ground with her claw before we�d even left the room.

We now find ourselves just outside the Mana research section of the mage quarters. Here it is that teams of mages, along with distinguished members of the other castes, put their minds to the great problems of the age, such as how the hell does one unlock Spatial Magic? How do those frickin� gates work? What is the most effective magic for a fully trained team of ants to use to annihilate their foes? Among others.

The other key area for research is enchanting, the Colony having made massive strides in this department since the early days. The proof is in the incredible pudding I�ve witnessed on this tour. The sheer amount and variety of enchantments that have been employed is stunning.

Clearly, those ants who are dedicated to this area of study have been raising the rank of their Skills like crazy. I wonder what on earth Smithant is going to be able to make for me in the end? My hopes are getting higher the more I consider it.

�What�s this place?� the hatchling asks as we approach the new section, the spicy tang of fire, ice, and other elements brushing against my antennae the closer we come.

�This is where the smartest and most insane ants of the Colony come to unlock the secrets of Mana!�

�Smarter than me?� she appears doubtful.

THWACK!

�Of course they�re smarter than you,� I scold the hatchling as she rubs the top of her head with one claw. �You just hatched. Tiny is probably smarter than you.�

�He is not!� she flares up.

�He�s smart enough to listen, now shush. This section of the nest is for magic-related research. Mostly mage ants and carvers in here, though there are plenty of others mixed in when there�s a need. Healers are frequent visitors, for example. Nobody has more expertise with healing and restorative magic than they do, obviously, and their services are often required to help repair damage from experiments that� don�t quite work.�

�Does that happen often?�

�Daily, or so I�m told. Let�s go!�

�I can�t wait!�

Rushing down the last section of tunnel, the hatchling draws still the moment she fully enters the first chamber. A central area with many smaller workrooms splintering off like the spokes of a wheel, the arcane energy swirling through the air is so thick you can almost taste it. Sparks fly from one room, belching flames from another, freezing winds with shards of ice from yet another. The glow of runes emanates from everywhere around us, producing barriers, light, heat, channelling Mana, and all sorts of things.

To my Mana Sense, this chamber is a chaotic dance of energy that dips and twirls everywhere in tiny eddies and massive currents. The sheer amount of Mana is staggering, taking in all that the dregs of the wave have to offer. Looking closely, it�s almost as if some of these enchanted arrays are actually assisting the flow of Mana, bringing more into this chamber from above and below in order to power the many experiments going on. Is that something we can do now? We can gather Mana from the surrounding area using enchantments? Stack them together to produce a flow of Mana?

In a round� I�ll say desk, in the centre of the chamber sits a rather important-looking ant busily scanning through what I recognise as records that have been imprinted with scent. She appears to be filing. Have we invented ant secretaries now?

�Oh! Eldest!� She starts when she sees us approach and hurriedly slides all the documents to one side. �Welcome to the research hub! I don�t think you�ve visited before. Is there anything in particular you�re looking for?�

She�s not the only one to notice our presence. Quite a few ants are sticking their heads out of the many chambers, watching my entrance with rapt attention. It�s strange; I can feel their eyes on me in quite a literal sense through the Vestibule, giving me access to their impressions even as I witness their reactions to my being here.

A few are hoping I�m here to help them with their project or admire the work they�ve already done. I don�t think I can be of much help, considering that when it comes to actual meta-knowledge of the Mana system in this world, I�m sure they are far more advanced than I am, even if my magic Skills and stats are higher than theirs.

�I�m just here to have a sticky-mandible. Stick my antennae in and have a look at what�s going on. I�m showing the hatchling here what the Colony has been doin�wait� Where did she go?�

Dammit, I was distracted by all the attention I was getting and wasn�t watching her for a split second. How the hell did she manage to identify that moment and take advantage of it so precisely? I hope she doesn�t become an unnamed one, she�d have godly Skills of catching people off guard. I scan and I identify her thoughts coming from one of the side chambers.

�Found her,� I tell the flustered receptionant and rush off to one of the openings.

Inside, I find a large team of possibly a hundred ants working furiously around one of the captured gates, reassembled in all of its glory for the Colony to work on. Where the heck is she? I know she�s in here somewhere�

�Ah, the gate project,� the receptionant says from behind me. �This continues to stump the finest minds we have in the Colony, I�m afraid. Despite having found the correct matrix to draw Mana into the gate mechanism itself, without any understanding of how to properly apply said Mana, it simply dissipates over time, no matter what we try.�

�You know about this?� I ask her, a little surprised.

�I know about all the projects,� she confirms, clacking her mandibles with pride. �I have to in order to properly manage this research division.�

Not a receptionist� a mage, who�s probably the most knowledgeable of all of them in here. I really shouldn�t pre-judge my insect brethren.

�Can you tell me a little more about this project?� I ask as I scan the room with multiple senses for the little runaway.

�As I�m sure you know, Eldest, the gate project remains a high priority for the Colony. There are three teams this size working on a gate, but progress has been painfully slow. Part of the problem being we simply don�t know how spatial constructs work. As you can imagine, creating constructs from scratch, without any guidance from the System, is practically impossible.�

The Mana constructs are like works of art smashed into intricate architecture. I can�t even be sure if there�s a series of logical laws that underpin their construction or if they�re just randomly assembled and work via� magic.

�Has an attempt been made to construct a spatial array from nothing?�

�Of course, those efforts continue. Extensive study of every known construct is a major focus of ours.�

I should probably drop by and produce an image of some kind of the Omni-Elemental Construct, if that�s at all possible. I�m sure they�d love a gander at that.

�Well, it�s important that we�THERE YOU ARE!�

Standing proudly atop the gate is the tiny hatchling.

�This looks so cool!� she yells.

�Get down from there, you little varmint!� I yell.

�What even is this thing?� she yells back, scurrying about on top of the gate, poking and prodding with her antennae, inspecting every nook and cranny.

�It�s some sort of spatial gateway that allows instantaneous travel across vast distances, and we are trying to learn how it works so we can link our nests together. Now get your butt off of there before you break something!�

Reluctantly, she starts to climb down, still excitedly examining whatever she can.

�You can practically feel the power rolling off that thing,� she exclaims when she finally reaches the bottom. �It�s incredible! Why doesn�t it work?�

Her question catches me mid-thwack and I pause before regretfully retracting my antennae.

�A big part of the reason is that no ant has managed to unlock the Spatial Mana Specialisation Skill. Upon learning that Skill, and then ranking it up, knowledge of how to create and utilise Spatial Mana Constructs will be granted by the System, and by studying those, we are far more likely to be able to understand how these things work and then build our own.�

She looks confused.

�We didn�t build this?� She points at the gate with one claw.

�Of course not. If we could already build them, how would we not know how to get them working? Obviously, this gate was made by others, and we are trying to unlock its secrets. It isn�t enough to learn how to operate it. We need to learn how to construct our own and operate those. Only then will we be able to establish a gate network throughout our territory and connect our nests.�

�Why is it so important to connect the nests?� the hatchling asks.

It�s the manager who answers, stepping forward to address the hatchling directly.

�If we can connect all the nests using one gate network, then we will be able to spread much farther, much faster, without running the risk of being unable to support each other. It will be like every nest, no matter how far, will be no more than a few steps away from every other nest. We can never be trapped, and never be sieged, not by normal methods. If we can unlock this secret, the future of the Colony will be infinitely safer and brighter.�

�And nobody can figure out how they work?�

�Nope,� I chip in. �Not yet.�

�I will,� she announces. �I bet it�s not that hard.�

This hatchling�

�Right then, if you have that much confidence, let�s see you do it. I don�t want to hear boasting without results to back it up,� I poke her with an antenna. �There�s a hundred ants in here, all of them older and stronger than you, and they haven�t worked it out yet.�

And most of them are rather annoyed at this bothersome hatchling running around telling them she can do their jobs better.

�It�ll be fine, you�ll see.� She brushes my antenna off angrily. �I�ll be able to do it because I�m me.�

�If you like, we can start powering up the gate and you can take a look at it, Eldest,� the manager says.

�Oh? That�ll be cool. Let�s have a look.�

Once the manager lets the team know, they�re rushing this way and that to get things ready. When it�s all done, they trigger the array matrix they�ve constructed, monitoring and taking measurements as it slowly powers up. Then, with gathering speed, the matrix starts to draw in Mana at a prodigious rate, pulling in the energy from the air until the entire gateway is shining brightly to my Mana Sense. As more energy gets packed in, the gateway seems to hum, gradually lighting up from within, illuminated by the sheer power of the Mana coursing through it.

Eventually the matrix turns off, and the gate continues to release that sub-harmonic hum that rattles my mandibles, except it has nowhere for the energy to go, so it simply leaks back into the air at a slow pace until nothing remains within. When all is said and done, the gateway sits as it did before, devoid of energy or activity, a ring of intricately carved stone.

�Well, that was quite something. I�m amazed at how much Mana it can hold,� I say.

�Indeed. We estimate that spatial spells may take a prodigious amount of energy to cast. One of the current hypotheses is that the reason no ant has been offered the Skill is because none have a sufficient Mana pool to access it, regardless of the ranks of their other magic Skills.�

That�s not a bad theory, actually. It would make sense�

�I�ll make sure I max out my core as soon as possible and see what happens,� I assure her. �Who knows? I might get lucky.�

After all, my quest for the mythical Gravity Mana specialisation continues, and perhaps I�ve been denied that Skill for the same reason. Only time will tell. When I�ve mastered Mind Magic to a high enough point, I�ll be able to go shopping for the next level of magic to grind. If I keep pushing my way to more advanced forms of Mana, I should reach gravity eventually. Surely Gandalf won�t continue to hold out on me for too long!

�That was awesome!� the hatchling declares, hopping up and down with excitement. �Did you feel it? The power! The energy! How does it work? How did it happen? Why did it fail!�

She wants answers to her questions, but tough luck for her, she isn�t going to get them.

�None of your business and nobody knows. Now��

YOINK!

�Hey! Put me down!�

�Nope! Time to go visit another place.�

Wiggling and struggling as she dangles from my mandibles, I carry the hatchling out, waving goodbye to the team with an antenna as I go. The little one is quite enraptured with the research work going on here, but there are still places to be and things to see. I get the feeling that the idea of being able to answer the questions nobody else can tickles her sense of pride, as well as the mystery of unanswered questions tugging away at that bottomless curiosity she has on her claws.

Perhaps a little mage has been born here today? We�ll have to wait and see�

It doesn�t take long for us to make our way to the mage training section where, as usual, I find Propellant monitoring the mages hard at work practising and honing their Skills in one of the many practise ranges. Fireballs, ice, wind, stone, lava, and all the other basic elements fill the air, being flung back and forth as ants practice dismantling and casting spells as quickly as possible.

Sure enough, Propellant is quick to notice us enter and rushes to see us, filled with boisterous energy.

�Eldest! Wonderful to see you, as usual! How�ve things been around the nest? Everyone looking after themselves?�

�As best they can,� I say. �It appears as though the mages are working as hard as ever.�

An explosion rocks the chamber, and we get covered in dust, which I quickly clean from my antennae. For her part, Propellant doesn�t even seem to notice. She�s apparently gotten used to it through her posting here.

�Mind if we watch your mages at practice for a bit? I�m giving the little one a tour.�

�Sure thing!� Propellant laughs. �There�s always something to see around here.�

It does seem as though the mage ants have advanced in terms of their practice regimen. In larger areas, we find something I hadn�t seen them do before: squad-based competition. Ten mages per side, twenty in total, battling against each other in a dazzling display of coordinated spellcraft. Defence and offence on both sides operates at a furious pace as both sets of ants do their best to break down the other. The contest of Will is so fierce I can practically feel their minds arm-wrestling in the air between them as they tussle for control of the Mana.

�What brought this on?� I ask Propellant.

�Ah, this. This was inspired by a couple of things. One of the things we learned from Torrina and Corun when they arrived was the way that golgari Shapers train, as well as golgari in general.�

�You mean, in groups of three?�

�Right! The number three is sacred to the golgari for a few reasons, but the group training is also important. Mages being able to mesh their minds together in order to better coordinate is one of the fundamental Skills the Shapers and other mages around the world employ.�

�Huh� I wonder if the ka�armodo we ran into did a similar thing with the slaves they kept.�

�Most likely they did. Once our mages have reached tier four, as well as trained their basic magic Skills to the rank we need, this becomes their primary mode of training. Group combat. Their job is to mesh their thoughts with the rest of their squad and overcome the enemy. It�s highly competitive and the squads work extremely hard at it.�

�Do they always train with the same members?�

She shakes her head.

�No. This is somewhere that we differ from the golgari. They like to keep their groups the same in order to deepen their level of cooperation and fellowship, but we decided the mages should be ready to team up with any other group of mages in the Colony. We don�t even always keep the group size the same, forcing them to mix it up and adjust on the fly.�

�Is there a Skill associated with this �thought mesh� that you keep referring to?�

�There�s a couple, actually. Sense Thought and Harmonic Thinking.�

A quick scan of my available Skills list reveals that they haven�t been offered to me.

�I�m guessing you need to engage in some group spellcasting or some such in order to unlock the Skill?� I ask.

�That�s right,� Propellant confirms. �I wouldn�t be surprised if you didn�t have it in your list.�

I�ve always preferred to go solo, I suppose. At least in terms of my offence. While we chat, the two teams continue their contest, wrestling at the Mana around them and flinging ice, fire, and whatever else they can manage as other members of the group focus on breaking down the incoming spells or utilising their Mana Manipulation to unravel their forms before they can land. It�s high-speed, high-octane training, and it�s a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

Especially for the hatchling.

�What�s this? It�s so cool!� she cries, hopping back and forth watching the dazzling display of magic.

�This is training for ant mages,� I tell her. �They�re practising to work better in groups and coordinate their thoughts with each other.�

�That sounds fun!� she cheers. �I bet I can do it the best!�

�No words without proof,� I scold her. �Alright, come on then, it�s time to get going.�

�Already?� she complains.

I drag her away from the ongoing training exercise with Propellant waving us off with one antenna.

Looks like the mages are still working hard, though I�m a little bothered that they�re sticking to the basic magic forms. I might have to have a word with Coolant if I run into her. Raising your rank in the basic elements is fine, but unless you plan to rely on them for a while, it�s better for the mages to move on to more advanced constructs. I suppose they might have stayed with basic elements when the majority were tier three. They just wouldn�t have had the needed stats to throw into harder spells, but now that the majority are tier four, they should be able to take it to the next level. I want to see lightning ants, dammit! That�ll be awesome!

Our next visit is the research and training domicile of the core shapers, and surprise, surprise, they are hard at work when we arrive. With the wave dying down, the thousands of core shapers they sent out to harvest resources have started to return, and the records are indicating it was a massive haul. Naturally, the ants aren�t actually returning with anything, all the cores and Biomass they harvested went straight into their pets, but when we consider the fighting strength the Colony has gained, with resources gathered outside our territory, it�s a massive windfall for the Colony over all.

�I�m impressed as hell,� I congratulate the two core shaper Council members, Bella and Ellie. �What your caste has managed to achieve is nothing short of amazing. We�ll have need of your people in the future, I�m sure.�

�We�ll be ready, Eldest!�

�I believe the core shapers are going to really show what they can do in the near future,� I tell them. �You�ve been working with pets that are too low tier and without reinforced cores and insufficient mutations. Now that you have those things in abundance, you�re going to shock the other castes, I guarantee it!�

They�re greatly cheered by my encouragement, and we leave their area on a high note. I truly believe what I told them. My pets are living proof of how effective reconstituting monsters can be. The primary issue that needs to be overcome is that of Biomass and cores. Even for myself, the requirements of getting to tier seven are enough to make me spit blood. I�m going to have to pay that price four times to get my full squad up to that level of strength. It�s exorbitant, to say the least.

The core shapers have been experiencing this problem as well, but on a far grander scale. Even if they only wanted to raise their pets up to tier four, the Colony would be forking out cores and Biomass for thousands and thousands of tier four monsters, taking food away from the mandibles of the young.

By seizing the moment, shouldering the risk, and sending their people out, the core shapers have braved the dangers of the wave and come back stronger for it. By sticking to the lower areas of the first stratum, they avoided the worst of the danger as well. It�ll be a laugh when I see that demon city overrun by an army of ten thousand monsters, not a single one of them ants!

After visiting the core shapers, there isn�t too much left to do. I don�t want to take the hatchling in to visit Mother, since she�s likely to declare something rude like �I could be a way better Queen� and get her head thwacked in. By me. I abandon that idea and decide it�s time to begin doing the real work of the hatchling� education. Combat!

Not to mention, I need to stuff her full of Biomass and cores in order to assure the best possible evolutions! Gwehehehehe.

�Alright then, hatchling, no more slacking around. Are you ready to be the best ant that you can be!�

�Of course!� she retorts. �I�m ready to be the best ant out of them all!�

�Oh-ho! I�m happy to hear that, because it�s time for full-on, no holds barred combat in the tunnels!�

�Yeah!� she punches the air in excitement.

��For me and the others. All you get to do is eat.�

�What!� she sulks.

�Come on now. You�re a tiny little hatchling, whereas we are mighty tier six monsters, literally the highest tier of any monster in the Colony. You need to work your way up to this level if you want to match us someday, and this is the start of that process. We need to get Biomass and cores into you so you can start to evolve and get stronger. As part of that, we�ll teach you the basics of how to fight like an ant!�

The difference in power is hard to ignore. I�m so much larger than she is that she could walk underneath my carapace without me even having to raise myself up from my normal standing height. At tier one, she�s just food for whatever monster happens to look her way, and she�s smart enough to realise it.

[Which one of you is going to be on hatchling babysitting duty?] I ask my pets.

[I�m happy to do it, Master!] Crinis unsurprisingly volunteers, eagerly waving a tentacle.

[Hrrr.] Tiny also puts a hand up, offering to care for the little one.

Invidia is totally silent.

[Tiny,] I turn to the big ape. [Are you sick or something? You�re telling me you want to help look after the little one and not fight?]

He gives an almost offended look.

[Don�t give me that rubbish!] I wave my front legs at him. [You ALWAYS want to fight! You don�t get to look offended when I get shocked that you are actually asking to do something else!]

At least he has the good grace to appear a little embarrassed. I immediately feel bad for being so shocked.

[Hey, being honest? Good for you, big guy. You can guard the hatchling, alright? We need to secure Biomass, cores, and experience for her, so make sure she gets those last hits in and stays safe.]

The giant ape nods and takes a protective position over the little ant, keeping a keen eye on her every move. In this formation, we exit the nest and leave the Colony�s territory altogether, making our way into the Dungeon proper, beyond the defensive line. The wave has all but sputtered out. No longer are monsters leaping from the walls and floor every few seconds, claws desperately reaching for anything they can find to devour. Spawn rates are still high, though, so there�s plenty of prey to find in the tunnels.

Back to grinding my Mind Magic. Not far away now!

With three tier six monsters in the fight, the second stratum just doesn�t pose the kind of threat it once did. The shadow monsters are far too easy to take down, and the death monsters, though harder, aren�t that much of a challenge. Only in overwhelming numbers were they a threat, and those numbers just aren�t there anymore. And the experience and Biomass we gain is negligible to say the least. Stupid tier penalty�

If we want to keep progressing, we need to go deeper and find higher tier monsters to fight! It�s the only way�

This of course doesn�t apply to the hatchling. The tier one rubbish we just blow up and move on, but tier three monsters we nab and get Tiny to beat within an inch of their lives before pinning them down in front of the tiny ant. It�s rough treatment, and I�m sorry for it, monsters, but your sacrifice is to a worthy cause. An ant cause!

Predictably, getting experience from monsters two tiers above her own lands the hatchling at Level 5 after just a few kills.

�So, what do I do now? Do I evolve?� she asks, excitement clear in her voice.

All the new things to learn, see, and experience� I can understand that excitement.

�Afraid not, little one. First you need to condense your core. It�s super important to do, and you�ll be a lot weaker if you evolve without one. This is the difference between monsters that will be stuck low tier forever and those who can advance and grow strong. The core will mean you have far more evolutionary energy to spend when you do evolve, and by improving and growing your core, you�ll get more and more energy to spend on each evolution.�

Even though she hasn�t been alive for long, the heightened Mana levels of the wave and the depth we�ve been living in are more than enough for her to have passively absorbed all the Mana she needs, no Mana infused water necessary. Listening to my explanation, the hatchling is convinced.

�What happens when I condense my core?� she asks.

�Basically, you�ll pass out and wake up with a weird feeling of heat inside your carapace. It�s been ages for me since I did it, but I can still remember that weird sensation. From what I gather, your core forms while you are unconscious, but you can feel the residual energy when you wake up. After that, we need to reinforce your core until it�s as large as a tier one monster can have, and then Level you back up to five.�

�Wait. My Level resets?�

�Yep, each and every time you evolve, it will. Also, the Level requirement for evolving doubles with each evolution.�

�Doubles huh? So how many Levels do you need to evolve?�

��A hundred and sixty.�

�Oof.�

�Big time. I�ll be stuck like this for the near future.�

�What if I already have a core?�

Wait, what? I reach down with my antennae to check more carefully, and sure enough she already has one! What the heck?

�You were born with a core? How the heck is that fair!�

She shrugs her antennae.

�Don�t complain to me.�

Stupid champions and their stupid advantages.

�Fine, take a nap or something and we�ll get ready to help you evolve later. Sheesh.�

As the little ant prepares herself and sinks down into the dreamless sleep that is the resting state of all ants, Tiny hovers protectively over her while I reminisce about my own time as a hatchling.

Those were desperate days, with nobody to talk to but the automated System messages from Gandalf. Every day had been a battle to survive. I can still remember how hungry I was before I managed to defeat my first enemy: a tiny thorn lizard. Things have certainly changed since those days�

Charge! Pierce!

As ridiculous as it feels, I continue to use the stupid combo of new Skills that I purchased in order to keep Levelling them up. Charge is fine. In practice it�s very similar to Dash, with the exception that now it�s Levelled up to rank three, it�s become a proper active Skill that shrouds me in the power of my stamina and shields me when I ram into things.

Mandible Spear, though? First of all, my mandibles aren�t exactly sharp. They aren�t pointed. They aren�t even remotely spear-like. When I activate the Skill and charge into something mandible-first, it feels more like I�m hitting them with a battering ram than a spear!

Secondly, it�s almost like I�m insulting the monsters I�m fighting. I could Charge them, knock them over and finish with one powerful chomp. Instead? I repeatedly prod them with my mandibles, pushing them over in a display that feels more like I�m trying to make fun of them than fight them. It�s embarrassing! At least there aren�t any members of the Colony here to see me do this� Except for the twenty babysitters hovering over my head somewhere�

Dammit!

I keep doing it, though. For one thing, it�s a good way to gradually bring monsters� HP down, something I�m not all that good at, and we need weak monsters for the hatchling to get experience from. For another, I still hold out hope that Mandible Spear and Charge will fuse into something a little more awesome. If I can manifest a blazing spear of energy as I Charge into my foes, how awesome would that be? There�s quite a bit of mass on me at this point, it would be a shame to not use it.

Also, my progress on Mind Magic has continued quite well. I�m only a few more Levels away from reaching the rank to unlock Mind Constructs! Very exciting. Not only for the constructs themselves, but for the opportunity to check and see what new magic might have unlocked. With any luck, Gravity Magic will finally be mine! Allowing me to use more advanced spell forms for the Gravity Mana I constantly carry around.

�Ha! Victory is mine!� the hatchling crows, standing over the remains of her bedraggled and defeated foe. �Time to evolve!�

�This was a lot harder to achieve back in my day,� I grumble as I make my way over to her.

�Maybe I�m just amazing?� she asks, completely serious and without shame.

�Noooo,� I drawl. �I didn�t have anyone serving me almost dead monsters for me to finish off. I had to fight them on my own.�

I also had to make my own core!

�I asked if I could, and you said no!� she huffs.

�Because these things would take your head off in about five seconds!�

�You can�t very well not let me fight when I want to and then complain that I�m not doing any fighting,� she quite rightly points out.

I sigh.

�Fine, fine. You make a good point. Let�s move somewhere a little less busy and get ready for the evolution.�

We find a quieter section of tunnel and settle in.

[Crinis, can you take care of any unwanted guests? This might take a little while.]

[Of course, Master. I�ll make sure that no filth disturbs you!]

In a blink, she�s gone from my carapace, and a forest of tentacles emerge on all sides, completely blocking this section of tunnel from its surroundings. I�ve no doubt that in a few minutes, this whole area will be completely empty, all the monsters having run and hidden in sheer terror from the strange creature in their midst. Pushing the insanity and fear of the Dungeon monsters from my mind, I concentrate on the matter at hand.

�Do I evolve yet?� the impatient hatchling asks.

At least she asked before rushing into it�

�No. We talked about this. The best evolutions always come when you boost your core a little more than the System recommends. You get a little extra �spice� in the process. Now this here,� I hold up a special core, �is exactly the spice we are talking about. Reinforce your core with this, then you can evolve. But make sure you do what I told you. It might be frustrating to remain a hatchling for another ten Levels, but this will pay off in the long run.�

I can tell she�s not happy about it.

�I just don�t want to stay so useless!� she huffs.

�Believe me, this path will make you useful faster, not slower. You really think a tier two mature worker is good for anything around here? Absolutely not. You still wouldn�t be able to fight the monsters, and you sure as heck wouldn�t be able to help with any of the projects around the Colony. By taking the special hatchling evolution, you might remain small and weak at tier two, but you�ll get payoffs down the line. You�ll be stronger at tier three than you would have been otherwise, same for tier four, and that�s when you�ll finally be of use to the Colony.�

�Fine,� she grumbles, accepting the core from my mandibles.

A brief moment of hesitation, then the core dissolves, the energy contained within flowing into her body to join her own core.

�This� isn�t very comfortable�� she grunts.

�Sure isn�t!� I agree. �Wait till you try a rare core! Now evolve so you don�t have to put up with it for long.�

The hatchling falls into the listless view of someone fiddling with their menu, and after ten minutes, she drifts off, starting to softly glow as the process takes hold. Tiny hovers over the defenceless youngling, taking the job far more seriously than I�d have thought him capable of. Giving the big ape a satisfied nod, I prod Invidia and start a Mind Magic battle with him to help hone my Skill. He always wins, but there really isn�t anyone else for me to practise with. Just a couple more Levels and I�ll have the power!

A little less than an hour later, the hatchling stirs, and we greet her back to the world of the waking.

�Welcome back, little one,� I tell her. �How do you feel?�

She shakes herself alert, then gives herself a quick look over.

�I feel� stronger than before. Better. I suppose.�

�You�re even very slightly larger!� I encourage her.

She checks herself again.

�Huh. I suppose I am. Alright then, let�s get back to it! I want to be useful and I�m not there yet!�

�You sure aren�t,� I chuckle. �Right you are, back at it.�

�Are you sure this is going to be important?� the hatchling asks again as we munch on some Biomass.

�Of course it is! Mutations are extremely important�supremely important! Raw stats are only one aspect of the strength of a monster, and those are decided by evolutionary tier. Mutations give us access to all sorts of things that can completely change what we are capable of. Depending on the mutations you pick going forward, you�ll become a completely different ant! You need to think harder about what you want to do with yourself from this point forward.�

I made the hatchling evolve with maxed mutations for her first go through, not wanting to miss out on that sweet 10% bonus. The amount of evolutionary energy available going from tier one to two was piddly, and ten percent of piddly is, I think, piddly-diddly, but turning your antennae up at free evolutionary energy is a fool�s game. And we members of the Colony are not fools!

Having said that, for the first time in her existence, the hatchling struggles to be decisive when it comes to picking her mutations. I make some fairly generic suggestions and we go with those. My knowledge of the intricacies of the System has vastly improved since the early days, both from my own experience and from consulting with Granin and his Triad. After considering the disposition of the hatchling, what I believe she might need in the future, and potential going forward, I made selections I think will work out well for her.

I just wasn�t going to do it a second time.

I�m not lazy! It�s very important that each ant have a clear picture in their mind of the creature they want to be! I�m not going to stand here and imperiously dictate another�s future. In this colony, we have the right to self-determination! Not only is it a right, it�s a sacred tradition!

�You have to max out your mutations for that bonus ten percent energy. And anyway, you�re far more capable with mutations than you are without them.�

�There�s just so many options�� She looks a little blank, and I can tell she�s going through the list. �I want them all!�

[Looks like you�ve got a friend here, Invidia�]

[Ssssheeee can�t havessss them! I will havessss them firsssst!]

[I know, buddy.]

�You can�t have them all,� I tell her bluntly. �You have to pick. Think about the sort of work you want to do. You want to fight? There�s mutations that are great for that. You want to mine? There�s mutations for that. Smelt? Be a smith? Care for the young? Lay eggs? Research? Cast magic? There�s mutations for all of this stuff.�

�How can an eye mutation help me cast magic?� she retorts.

�Mana sensitive lenses, look it up.�

�Oh.�

�I actually took a mutation that helps me absorb Mana through my legs.� I lift a leg for emphasis. �Helps keep my core topped off when I�m doing some serious spell slinging. There are all kinds of things you can do. Vibrant is obsessed with speed and has taken heaps of mutations to help her move quicker. I�m pretty sure she actually took mutations to make her carapace more aerodynamic.�

�What does that mean?�

�Like� smoother. She doesn�t get as much resistance from the air when she�s bustling about. She�s a good example, actually. To become the kind of monster she wanted to be, she had to consider all of her mutations to that end. Her eyes have to be able to see at high speeds, her brain needs to function faster, her reactions have to be quicker, she needs particular musculature in her legs, she adjusted her carapace, she probably has a mutated metabolism and respiratory system to provide the level of energy required. On top of all that, she�s a powerful soldier with strong jaws and tough defence. This is the kind of thing you can achieve when you really think about what it is you want.�

�What about you, senior?� the hatchling asks shrewdly. �You don�t seem to have specialised at all.�

�I�m greedy.� I shrug around a mouthful of Biomass. �I really wanted to be able to cast magic, but I didn�t want to be too weak in terms of my physical attributes. I wanted the best of both worlds. It�s good in some ways, I can cast magic pretty well, and I can fight up close and personal. But I can�t cast as well as Invidia over there, since he is completely specialised on it, and I�m not nearly as physically powerful as Tiny, even though they are on the same evolutionary tier as me. There are trade-offs.�

�Doesn�t sound worth it,� she muses. �I think I�d rather be the best at something rather than average at everything.�

�I thought you already were the best,� I tease.

�I am!� she flares. �I�m just going to be more the best!�

�Well. If you want to be exceptional, then you�ll need to specialise. Go hard at one thing and focus on it with mutations and evolutions.�

�But what do I pick?� she mutters.

�There�s an almost infinite number of combinations and specialisations you could go with. If you want to be good at spellcasting and Mana Manipulation, there�s a variety of things you can do. You could purchase Mana organs and use those, you could go for manual spell weaving, you can specialise in one kind of Mana or make yourself more of a generalist. Same with physical builds. You can focus on speed, defence, offence, and you can do all of those in a variety of ways. There really is nothing for it but to get deep into the menus and think about what you find there.�

The hatchling takes on a considering aspect as she digests my words. As a champion of the Colony, I�m very keen to see what she decides to go with, what aspect she selects. As I look at her thinking about her own future, I get the feeling that no matter what she goes with, it�s going to be interesting.

The hatchling ruminates over her choices, being far more diligent in perusing the menu lists, seeking combos and asking clarifying questions than I ever was. Not that I had anyone to ask at her stage of evolution! I was a solo Dungeon monster, dammit! Kids these days have it way too easy. I suppose that�s a good thing, I don�t want them to suffer as I suffered. Otherwise, what would be the point of all we�ve achieved? We continue to feed her experience and Biomass while she narrows her options.

As he�d been doing diligently the entire time we�d been in the Dungeon, Tiny continues to watch over her with a keen eye, making sure she doesn�t come to harm, nor try to escape. In fact, the escape attempts have dropped to nothing over the last while. Perhaps now that she�s finally progressing, she doesn�t feel the need to be elsewhere.

She remains wildly curious, though, asking an endless stream of questions and inspecting everything we come across, refusing to take my word for just about anything. Whenever I give System advice, she always attempts to double check it in her menu, going so far as to make sure she takes a bite out of everything we defeat in order to unlock as many profiles as possible. No matter how small or fiddly the detail, she�s keen to absorb and understand it, quite different from Vibrant.

And me�

Though, it�s a good thing. If the second champion in the Colony ended up being as empty-headed as Vibrant, we�d be in trouble. Although that�s not really fair. Vibrant is far from stupid, she simply doesn�t sweat the little things, knowing intimately what she wants to do and going out and doing it. I�m looking forward to seeing what she�ll be able to do once she reaches tier six. I expect a truly ridiculous level of speed will be achieved.

Naturally, it doesn�t take long to raise the hatchling to Level 10 and stuff her full of cores and Biomass so she�s ready once again to evolve. Feeding her tier three monsters one after the other certainly takes the time out of the equation. The downside is that she�s only had a few hours to consider her options and what she wants to be in the future, but there�s little we can do about it now, it�s time to go for it!

�Alright then, little one, here�s the special core I�ve prepared. Make sure you�re completely ready before you absorb it, otherwise you�ll have to put up with the pain longer than you need to.�

She nods, staring sombrely at the glittering core.

�Made your decisions?� I ask.

She nods again.

�I have. I just feel terrible about all the things I�m turning my back on. When I make a choice, I throw away so many potential others.�

�That�s just how it goes, hatchling. As long as you excel in the thing you find most interesting, I think you�ll be alright.�

I can tell that her inexhaustible thirst for information and knowledge is behind her hesitation. It�s not that she actually wants to beeverything, she just wants to experience it, to know what it�s like. Which would be a waste of her talents.

�You�ll get the same options that everyone gets, the nine basic castes of the Colony. Soldier, scout, general, mage, carver, core shaper, Tender, Queen, and healer. I recommend choosing something you can shape a little more to your own desires. I can�t be sure exactly what special options the System will offer you, since in part it�s based on things that are personal to you, but you should get an option that appeals a little more closely to what you envision for yourself. Gandalf is good at sussing out what you want. You should be fine.�

�Alright then, thank you, senior.�

I pull back in mock horror.

�Thanks? From you? Are you sick?�

�No! It�s not my fault if you don�t do enough to warrant thanks most of the time.�

�Fair enough. Absorb the core and crack on, little one!�

Which she does, the core dissipating into raw energy, and she begins to consult her menu, poring through the options as she grits her mandibles.

[Back on guard duty, Crinis! You know what to do, Tiny! Let�s get to it, Invidia�]

For the four of us, we get back to doing much of what we were the last time we were in this position. For me and Invidia, that means more mental warfare. Trying to crack through the little demon�s mental defences is impossible, he simply has too many threads running at once, hitting me with a dozen attacks even as he weaves an intricate layer of protection around his own mind, rebuffing every packet of Mana I send across the bridge between us.

It�s completely exhausting, and if we weren�t still in range of the Colony, I wouldn�t be able to keep it up for long. Thankfully, the Vestibule soothes my tortured brains and drives away my headache, keeping me in the game for longer.

Which is a good thing.

[Master Mind Magic Affinity (IV) has reached Level 40, upgrade available]

[Master Mind Magic Affinity Level 40 (IV) Layered Mind Magic Affinity (V): Cost 1 SP. At this rank, advanced forms of Mind Magic will become known to the Skill user, further enhancing their ability to utilise Mind Magic.]

YASSSSSSSS!

Finally. It has arrived! The next big leap in technology has come! After grinding for the Omni-Elemental Construct, and now this, I feel as if I�ll finally be able to take a real step forward on the path of magic. After all, what I�ve been doing all this time is nothing other than creating the foundation. From this point on, new, unexplored fields of magic await!

[Hold on, Invidia! I�ve finally got it! Give me a minute here�]

I hastily confirm the purchase and then grow still as the pleasant trickling sensation that a Skill upgrade brings washes over my brain. Gradually, the new spellforms take shape in my mind, and I now understand what I�ve been missing all this time: the Mind Construct form! At last, it is mine!

Turning into Invidia a little there.

It takes a couple of minutes for the new information to finish forming, and when it does, I�m raring to go. Mind Mana Construct already working, I spin out the specialised Mana I need and put my brains to work!

Like any new spellform, the Mind Construct is a complete pain in the business district to create. It�ll take a lot of practice before I�m familiar enough with it that I can whip them out on a moment�s notice. For now, concentrating hard and taking my time, I put the construct together, linking its maintenance to one of my sub-brains.

The moment it slots into place, something strange happens. It�s almost like I�ve grown an extra hand, as if a new limb just appeared within my mind. This time, when I reach for the Mind Mana, another brain reaches with me, and we start working on another construct.

How many can I get!

A brand-new construct, a brand-new aspect of power! Gwehehehehe! I�m eager to test this and see how far it can go. Creating the constructs is an interesting process in and of itself. Each construct, despite essentially being a �fake brain� made from Mana, has to be linked to an actual, functioning, organic brain. It only takes a little bit of thinking for me to work out why.

Despite being intricate and fiendishly complex, though not on the same level as the Omni-Elemental Construct, there�s no chance that a magical construct could ever hope to match the processing ability of literally trillions of linked neurons. If it were possible to create a Mana Construct that complex and powerful, what need would anyone have for organic brains at all?

I should look into that, actually� I wonder if it�s possible to reset a brain into being completely constructed of energy�

Anyway. Rather than performing all the functionality of a brain, the Mind Constructs are formed to work in concert with one, taking on some of the functions and processes in order to alleviate the strain and enable the mind to perform better than it otherwise could. Naturally this is a bit of a trade-off; since the brain also has to maintain the construct, it doesn�t get all of the benefits with no drawbacks.

In the end, what I learn is that for my two smaller sub-brains, two Mind Constructs each is the limit. I can push them to three, but the strain means that the third Mana brain isn�t really being efficiently used. The larger sub-brain can handle three quite well, which is handy. In effect, I�ve gone from being able to handle three separate threads at once, to being able to handle seven! A huge leap! Although I can�t say my ability to process Mana and spells has more than doubled, I�d say the performance of my sub-brains has increased by roughly fifty percent! I�m incredibly impressed.

It�s going to take a heap of practice before I can properly utilise all this. Even more before I�m spinning the Mind Constructs up at a moment�s notice, but I�m more than happy to put in the time and effort if the payoff is going to be this juicy!

[Alright, Invidia! Let�s try again, I want to see how well I can match up to you now!]

A gleam of happiness flashes through the little demon�s eye at my announcement, and he resumes his attack. The barrage of expertly woven Mana packets that I�ve grown so familiar with floods across the Mind Bridge, ones he�s snapped into place in less than a second. I immediately fall into the defensive. But something is different. This time I�m having more luck tracking the many avenues of attack he�s using against me, enough that I can counter most of them.

With a smug clack of my mandibles, I push back against the demon, far better than I ever have before, causing a gleam to flash through that eye as he increases the pressure. Damn demon! He�s been holding back on me this whole time? Despite my foe increasing his own efforts, I walk away from that practice session invigorated and pleased with my improvement.

The constructs are working a treat already! I can�t wait to experiment with other forms of spellcasting with them,

Although it�s mega tempting to check the Skill list and see what new Mana forms have unlocked for me, I need to be a little disciplined with myself. No matter what I see there, I know for a fact I�ll buy it straight away. Once I�ve bought it, I�ll need to practice it, thus initiating the grinding.

Whilst that may not be a bad thing overall, it will be leaving me with a weakness. Having only just learned how to use these Mind Constructs, I need to practise and get comfortable with them before moving on to anything else. Until I�ve tested my limits and understand what I can and can�t do, I don�t want to go rushing off into battle or trying to take on new forms of magic.

Slow and steady wins the race. You can�t win if you�re dead!

I take more time to play with my new mental setup, growing accustomed to the strange feeling of having more mental power than my physical brains should be able to provide. The more I mess around with it, weaving multiple threads of Mana by having one brain concentrate on two things at the same time, the more I feel that my connection to being human really is vanishing a long way behind me. I couldn�t even imagine being a giant ant with multiple brains and giant mandibles, running around an underground, globe-spanning Dungeon packed full of monsters I fight and eat, whilst covered in a shiny, sparkly carapace of diamond. But hey, here we are.

I notice the glow surrounding the hatchling has started to dim, a sure sign that her evolution is coming to an end. Calling the group together, we surround the little one, ready to greet her when she regains consciousness. Or tries to run. Either one.

A few minutes later, she wakes up to see all of us looming over her and jumps to her feet.

�Ah! What�s wrong?�

�Just waiting to greet you upon awakening,� I tell her. �Nothing suspicious at all.�

She doesn�t appear convinced, and her scent definitely marks her as suspicious of me, but I pay it no mind, taking this moment to examine her a little more closely to get a few clues as to how her evolution has gone. She hasn�t increased in size all that much, which obviously means she either invested heavily in mental stats or organs. Considering her origins as a champion of the species, she has a boosted stat baseline to begin with, so I�d be intrigued to see what path she went down.

�You�ve now become a tier three monster,� I congratulate her. �How does it feel?�

�Good! I think� There�s still a few things I need to get used to� This change was more severe than the last one��

She keeps lifting her legs and shifting her body from side to side, unaccustomed to her current size and strength.

�Considering you went from a hatchling to a hatchling last time, this is obviously going to have a greater impact on you. I can already see you didn�t choose any of the normal templates of the nine castes, so I assume you were able to find a few things that caught your interest?�

She nods.

�I did. I think I�ll be able to grow along these lines and serve the Colony in a way that is unique to myself!�

�Interesting� You wouldn�t mind me taking a look then, would you?�

�What?�

�It�s a Skill that I have,� I explain. �I can use it to look at your status in much the same way you can. I won�t use it without your permission, but it would make it a lot easier for me to teach you if I knew exactly what I was working with.�

She goes still for a moment before agreeing, and I rest my antennae against her carapace, activating Core Crafting. When I filter through the onslaught of data and arrive at the status window, what I see is surprising in several ways.

Name: �Hatchling�

Level: 1 (Special) (III)

Might: 35

Toughness: 30

Cunning: 30

Will: 30

HP: 60/60

MP: 0/70

Skills:

Digging Level 3 (I); Acid Shot Level 3 (I); Grip Level 4 (I); Crushing Bite Level 3 (II); Dash Level 4 (I); Exo-Skeleton Defence Level 1 (I); Stamina Level 1 (I)

Mutations:

Reactive Exo-skeleton +10; Draining Mandibles +10; Gripping Legs +10; Weave Focused Eyes +10; Mana Sensitive Antennae +10; Sizzling Acid Gland +10; Bottomless Discerning Stomach +10; Improved Pheromone Language Gland +10; Focused Mana Core Lattice; Dungeon Oracle

Species: Juvenile Seer (Formica)

Skill Points: 10

Biomass: 6

�You�ve got some stuff here that I�ve never seen before��

�Hehehehehe,� she chuckles to herself.

The lattice is something I�ve previously looked at, essentially a crystal weave that attaches to the core itself to produce an effect. In this case, it�ll make her more attuned to Mana in the purest sense. But this Dungeon Oracle� An organ that references the Dungeon itself? Is that a good or bad thing? Then there�s her stats. An interesting mix that�s fairly even, but when your mental stats are on par with your physical, it means you went hard on beefing up the brain.

Even so, her numbers are a little lower than mine when I reached tier three, which seems odd, since I didn�t have the benefit of a special evolution the first time around, nor did I have the bonus from max mutations. Which means she must have dumped evolutionary energy, a lot of it, into something else. Which is likely to be one of those fancy organs� It�s an unusual decision�

�I decided I want to be able to know as much as possible about everything!� the hatchling declares. �Whether that information is hidden with Mana or through the Dungeon itself, I�ll find it! There�s no secret I won�t be able to find, no puzzle I won�t be able to crack!�

I regard the still-small ant before me as she stares back confidently.

�You�re a clever one, aren�t you?� I ask her.

�The cleverest!� she beams.

�I suppose I ought to give you a name, then.�

�A name?�

�Hmmm� How about Brilliant?�

�Brilliant? As in, incredibly clever? I like it!�

�Don�t think your work is over, though,� I tell her. �Your hard work has only just begun. You want to solve the mysteries the Colony still grapples with? With pathetic Skill Levels like yours? You are absolutely dreaming. Not to mention, to graduate from the Academy, ants have to reach tier four nowadays, so you still have a long way to go!�

�How am I supposed to train my Skills when you won�t let me fight!�

�First things first, we train Dash and Exo-Skeleton Defence. Safety over everything. Then comes the basics of magic, Mana Manipulation and Mana Sight. Only after we�ve gotten each of those to rank three are we going to work on raising your basic offensive Skills. Besides, judging by your stats, you�ll be using magic to attack far more than your mandibles.�

�Well� that�s true.�

�Alright then! I guess it�s time for me to pass you on to your next instructor!�

She perks up at that, though tries to hide it.

�Oh! But that�s such a shame, senior. You�ve taught me so much already. It�ll be a shame to leave your company��

�Not to worry! You won�t be. This is just for training Dash and Exo-Skeleton Defence. If you work hard, you�ll get some Levels in Stamina as well.�

Brilliant looks up at me blankly and I can�t help but grin on the inside.

[Crinis? Make her run.]

[Yes, Master!]

It takes a few days, but we make it down here. The remnants of the wave are still visible in Mana levels and spawn rates that are higher than they otherwise would be, but the never-ending streams of monsters bursting from the tunnel walls have now ended, which is nice.

To be honest, though, the spawn rates and Mana levels have never really returned to what they were when I was born. If I had to hazard a guess, after the first wave, the Mana level never dropped back down to what it would normally be, and this time is likely to be the same.

Are we going to experience a series of waves that will push the Mana level higher each time? Is that a normal sort of thing? I doubt it. Whatever is going on doesn�t appear to be what would be considered part of the �normal� cycle of Mana in the Dungeon. I can�t decide if this is going to be a good thing or not. The higher spawn rates and frequent waves are only going to push the Colony forward at an accelerated rate, so long as we remain strong enough to protect ourselves.

[You guys ready for this?] I ask my gathered friends.

[Ready, Master!] Crinis assures me.

[I am alwayssss ready to take!]

[Harr!]

[Seems good. Let�s see what we can see then.]

�Wait a minute! Wait for me!�

I turn around impatiently.

�Come on, Brilliant! What the heck have you been doing back there?�

�DASHING!�

�Still! How slow are you?�

�I�m only a few days old! Unlike an ancient ant like you!�

�Whoa now, don�t call me an ancient.� I glance around shiftily. �That word has different connotations around here.�

�What do you mean?� she asks whilst trying to stop herself from flopping onto the ground in exhaustion.

�I�ll explain it to you later, but yes, I get your point, I am very old compared to you. We�ll have a rest.�

[Quick break, everyone.]

Tiny slumps over a little in disappointment before taking up his now accustomed rest position near Brilliant, making sure the little thing remains protected as she gathers herself.

�Come on, I�m bringing you all the way down to the third stratum! You�re going to be the second ant in the Colony who gets to see this. Aren�t you excited? Pumped up!�

�I am� I�m just� so tired.�

�Crinis worked you pretty hard, huh.�

Defence training basically consisted of Crinis chasing Brilliant around and whacking her with tentacles, helping to train the Exo-Skeleton Defence Skill through repeated impacts whilst making the young ant Dashed to avoid getting entangled in a constricting mess. When she failed to Dash in time to avoid her clutches, Crinis made sure she regretted it. The things we need to do in order to raise our young to be strong in this cruel world! It�s almost enough to bring a tear to my eye!

�On the plus side, your Skills have come along nicely! It�s time for you to start working on what you really wanted to be doing, Mana Manipulation! You�ve bought the Skill yet?�

�I have.� A little energy comes back into her eyes. �I bought it along with Mana Sensing.�

�Excellent. These are going to be your fundamentals of magic. I want you to use them as much as you possibly can until your headache gets too bad. When that happens, let me know. You need to keep your wits about you where we�re going, and I don�t want you to get careless.�

Just because she has the very basics of self-preservation abilities doesn�t mean she�ll be able to get away from anything down here. The demons mean business.

�Is there anything you can tell me about the third stratum? So I can be forewarned?� she asks, quite reasonably.

�Nope,� I cheerfully reply. �At least, not much that I�ve been able to confirm with my own eyes. In terms of things I�ve been told about it, there�s rather a lot, but not that much of it will be useful to you. In essence, the third stratum is the realm of demons�if there are any other types of monster there, I�ve not heard of them or seen them. The primary elements are fire and ash, although there are other variants as you get deeper.

�The whole place is very open. Almost the entire thing is considered to be one vast Expanse with small offshoot tunnels in the floor and in the side of cliffs. Lastly, the key feature is the pillars that connect the ceiling to the floor. Kilometres high, they�re made from an apparently unbreakable stone. The higher tier demons form societies and cities attached to the side or around these formations, one of which sits beneath us right now.�

�A whole city of high tier demons?�

�Yep. I�m not suggesting we go and pay a visit, but I�d like to get a bit closer and lay eyes on the place. Now, let�s get going!�

Impatient with all the delays, I urge Brilliant forward, along with my pets, and we make our way deeper to the threshold between the stratum. Just like the first time, the shadows, darkness, and stench of death boil away, replaced by the searing heat and burning air of the third stratum.

[How are you holding up, Crinis?]

[I-it�s better than it was before, but it still feels very uncomfortable.]

[I�m sure you�ll be able to manage. Let me know if it gets too bad. We don�t need to be here for a long time.]

[I will, Master.]

The tunnel connecting to the vast open space that lies below isn�t very long, and we soon find ourselves greeted with a familiar sight. The bridge to the top of the pillar. On either side, the drop falls sharply away, the air filled with ash and flame. I can�t see the bottom very well at all this time, but I can still see the pillar as it descends to the floor.

�This� is quite something,� Brilliant�s scent is almost disbelieving.

�It�s different alright.�

Nothing to stop us now, I lead the way along the bridge until we stand at the point the pillar connects to the roof above. It�s a fearsome sight, thinking that this stone holds the weight of billions of tons. The Colony, the stone, the dirt, the town of Renewal and everyone in it, all of it sits atop this pillar. It�s� insane. How the heck is it so strong! Another mystery of the Dungeon.

Far below, there�s a plate with the demon city resting atop it. The haze in the air is so thick I almost can�t make it out, but it�s there for sure.

Breathing deep, I extend one leg onto the surface of the pillar, making sure to grip tightly with my claw. Confident of my hold, I reach out with another leg and grip tight, repeating the process until I find myself vertical, the full weight of my massive body concentrated in my claws. It�s a strain for sure, but I can take it!

I seriously need to train Grip some more�

It�s a heck of a lot easier for Brilliant to walk down the face of the pillar than it is for me, her light body proving no challenge for her claws. Tiny has a rough time of it, having to climb on the rock much like a human would, having to find hand and footholds, but thanks to his unbelievable strength, it doesn�t prove too much of an issue. Invidia and Crinis have no problem at all, the demon fluttering along beside us as we make our way down, with Crinis attached to the back of my carapace as usual.

I have to say, facing directly down into a several-kilometre-high drop is intimidating stuff. The air yawns open like the maw of a furious beast, vast and empty. Flickers of flame and ash constantly brush past us, the heat as thick in the air as the Mana. It�s almost energising to my body, though perhaps if it gets too hot, I might run into trouble.

Ants can�t sweat, so temperature regulation is a real issue. I wonder if it�s an issue for monster ants? I can�t say that it�s been a huge problem before� The cold of the second stratum was unpleasant, to be sure, but as far as I know, it hasn�t put any ants to sleep. If it did, the torpor police would be having a much easier time than they are. The farther we go, the clearer it is that we�re not the only monsters on the pillar. Far from it.

Despite the wave subsiding, there are still demons climbing up. Nothing like the bottomless swarm I saw the last time I was here, but a steady trickle. Perhaps they�ve sensed that the Mana above is still high enough to sustain them? Given that they�re only tier four or below, I wouldn�t be surprised if they can survive up there, not that they get the chance.

Any monsters we come across are blasted off the pillar in short order, either by Invidia detonating them, or me smacking them in the face with Gravity Magic until their own weight is too much for them to handle. Something that surprises me is that I don�t see any evidence of flying demons as of yet. Obviously, some of them can, Invidia is living proof of that, though I wouldn�t call his stilting flutter anything like actual flight, he�s still proof of concept. Considering all this open space, the third stratum is by far the best place in the Dungeon I�ve seen for a flying type monster to exist. So where are they?

After an hour of careful climbing, we�re still not close to the plate on which the demon city sits, which is annoying, but I can see it better than before, even make out some small figures moving about. So weird, to think of a community of monsters living together in some sort of harmony. The Colony does, obviously, but we�re literally one family, and based on what I�m aware of, the demons don�t have anything like that binding them together, so how are they able to do it? Is it simply a case of a high enough level of intelligence enabling them to understand the benefits of coexistence? I guess we�ll find out.

We rest every so often on an outcropping or when we find a good foothold, just so my aching claws and legs can get their strength back. This far from the Colony, my Vestibule isn�t much use either, which means fatigue is a thing again all of a sudden.

It�s kind of weird to have to think about it after basically ignoring it whilst I was fighting around the nest during the wave. Without my twenty bodyguards, I�d have no trickle of energy through it at all. It�s impossible that the Council was aware of how useful these babysitters would be for me when they assigned them, but at least they turned out to be good for something.

[What are you able to make out down there, Crinis?]

[Lots of strong Mana signatures, although the ambient Mana is still very high, which makes it difficult for me to see much. At the very least, I can say there are powerful monsters down there.]

[How about that, Tiny? Some strong monsters might be just what you need to stretch after this painful climb, what do you think?]

A savage grin is all the reply I get.

[Just keep a lid on it,] I warn him. [We don�t want any trouble.]

�Are we going to keep going down?� Brilliant asks, eyeing the growing width of the plate. �That�s the demon city, isn�t it?�

�Sure is.�

�Are we really going to go in there? On our own? Without the Colony to support us?�

I turn to face her, not an easy thing to do, given the circumstances.

�What�s the matter? Your thirst for knowledge has dried up already? Your hunger for answers?�

�No! I�m just� Is it normal for us to be out here on our own like this?�

Huh. Unlike me, Brilliant has never been a human. Being so far from the support of the family must feel paralysing. But for me? Something is always pulling me forward.

�No way, no going back now, little one!� I turn back to the descent and continue on my way. �Don�t you want to see what�s next? Don�t you want to experience the adventure! Ever since I saw this place, I�ve been wanting to take a look, to get closer and see what it�s like. There�s no way I�m going to leave without seeing it for myself!

�And after I�ve seen it, what about the things that lie below? Aren�t you curious, Brilliant? Can you resist the lure of the impossibilities the Dungeon makes reality? How could I possibly throw away this second chance?�

�Are you alright, senior?�

�I�ve never been better. Come, let�s see what the demons have to say to us!�

Moving faster than before, the demon city grows in our eyes, until we are so close, I can see them pointing up at us. What will greet me when I arrive? Battle? Friendly conversation? Come now, show me!

Can I explain what it is that drives me forward? Not really. For whatever reason, the voice that would normally tell me �Hey, Anthony, this is probably a bad idea� is just too quiet to prevent me rushing headlong. Maybe this is how Tiny feels all the time? No doubt or hesitation no matter the odds he faces or how dangerous the path he is on. Unlike Tiny, I know I�m not invincible, I know that running headfirst into this city of demons is dangerous. But I�m going to do it anyway.

I can sense the twenty bodyguards going into hyper-alert mode, their thoughts transmitted to me through the Vestibule. They sense peril here, like a deadly spice in the air, and they want to make sure they do what is necessary so that I survive. In my mind, I�m more worried about them than I am about me. They�ve all been promoted to tier five, which is a step up, but there are a number of tier six monsters in the gathering below. Even with their perfect evolutions, it might not be enough.

No matter what happens, I�ll make sure they get out and take word back to the Colony. That�s my duty as the Eldest.

The demon city is a strange place, though �city� may not be the right term. Real estate is at a premium on the disk of stone encircling the pillar, and there can�t be more than a few thousand monsters living here. The buildings themselves are a bizarre sight, given the huge variety in shapes and sizes that demons can come in, no two are alike.

In one section, there may be many domiciles piled on top of each other, creating a buzz of activity as smaller demons move in and out. Whereas in others, there may be just one cavernous hangar in which a particularly large specimen makes their home. As we descend step by aching step, more and more of the residents take notice of us, looking up and pointing.

It�ll be interesting if we have to confront so many demons at once, but it�s looking as if that isn�t going to be the case. Around the base where the pillar meets the disk is a wall, there�s even guards standing at intervals around it. The pillar is guarded for some reason? Interesting�

Another ten minutes of climbing and I finally set claw on the disk itself, stretching my leg out to take my weight so I can once again become horizontal.

�AHHHHH! Feels so good to be flat again! My poor legs feel like they�re on fire! At least I managed to get a Level out of it.�

�In Grip?� Brilliant asks, shaking out her own legs. �Mine Levelled three times on that climb.�

�Keep raising that Skill,� I encourage her. �If you ever get to my size, you�re gonna need it at a high Level.�

Suddenly, I feel a bridge seek to attach to my mind, and I instinctively rebuff it, shoving the magic away and cutting it to ribbons with my Mind Constructs. I can�t see anyone around me, who the heck would be trying to speak with me?

[Keep an eye out, Invidia. Someone wants to chat.]

[They have already madessss an attempt.]

[You too?]

[Yessssss.]

[How�d that go?]

[I ripped their magic apartssss!]

[Nice work. Let�s take a defensive position here whilst we rest.]

Whilst I rest from the climb. Looking around, we appear to be in some form of disturbing garden, judging by the somewhat tasteless d�cor. Not that there�s a whole lot of plant life to be seen. Does someone actually live here? It isn�t long before we get our answer, as a grinning demon whose skin erupts in numerous wicked-looking blades approaches. Once again, I feel a Mind Bridge being extended, more respectfully this time, and I allow the contact.

[The lord wishes to speak with you,] the demon says.

No greeting? How rude. Still, it appears as if this city is managed by whoever lives here, might as well check it out.

I mean� he�s fat. Like. Really fat. I probably shouldn�t focus on that too much, considering this demon is almost certainly seventh tier, the first I�ve ever seen. But still, he�s like� a mega-chonker.

Atop that bulbous mass of flesh, split through the middle with a grotesque mouth that even now is stuffing itself full of Biomass from trays heaped with the stuff on either side of the figure of the city lord, a shockingly humanoid upper body looks down on us with thinly veiled contempt.

�Why have you entered my city, insect?� he demands.

Why is he singling me out? Is it my carapace? The precious diamond that I carry? You can�t have it! This carapace belongs to me, certainly, but also to the world! I am merely its caretaker, shepherding this glorious form through the Dungeon so that uncultured swine might gaze upon my magnificence and achieve enlightenment!

�This is one seriously pompous fatty,� I complain to Brilliant. �Not to mention rude. The least he could do is offer some of that Biomass to us.�

When I don�t scent a reply from the little ant, I focus a little more in her direction, and only then do I realise that the poor thing is frozen in place, totally overwhelmed by the dominant aura of malevolence rolling off the powerful demon. A tier three monster standing in front of a tier seven, it�s to be expected. I myself haven�t experienced that sort of disparity since the first time I laid eyes on Garralosh.

I really need to ask Granin about this strange manifestation of power, as I understand very little about it. Is it simply the difference of intensity in the core that causes this effect? Is it a biological sense that�s inborn in monsters so we can recognise the more powerful specimens when we come across them? A curious thought. I reach out to the grotesque mound of flesh with my mind.

[Mind retracting your aura a bit? My sibling here is still young.]

High above the heaving flesh, the demon�s eyes glitter with malice.

�I will not,� he replies.

I shrug my antennae.

[Suit yourself. Be warned that this might be construed as an insult to the Colony though.]

Those eyes narrow.

�Are you threatening me? In my own city?�

[I mean, in a way? I suppose if you wanted to interpret it that way, then I am. Yes.]

�I could have you shredded to gobbets with the wave of a hand, insect.�

[You�d have to put your food down first.]

We stare at each other for a long moment before I decide to try and extend a claw in peace.

[Look. It seems as if we�ve gotten off on the wrong mandible. My sibling and my friends here have climbed down from above to take a look at your lovely city and experience the delights of the third stratum. Are visitors welcome in the City of Roklu? That�s the name, right? If they aren�t, we can just as easily leave the way we came.]

Gotta lay on the charm when you�re dealing with these types. Although it�s taking all my willpower not to reference the demon�s vast bulk. It�s not like I can avert my eyes from that heaving gut, I have near three-sixty-degree vision!

My change in tone seems to have taken this ruler by surprise and he regards us in silence. I�m hoping this is a good sign. Spirit of adventure is all well and good, but I�d much rather I didn�t plunge the Colony into a war on this trip. I�m due for an outing that ends without starting a major conflict.

�I am the city lord of Roklu, Grokus,� he says. �Generally speaking, visitors are welcome, albeit rare, in my city. Visitors from above are even more rare. There are few who would brave the dangers of the descent. I would have you know that I am already aware of your� colony��

I could distinctly hear the lack of a capital when he referred to my family. Disgraceful.

��And I must warn you that any attempt to encroach on my territory will be met with extreme force. I have struggled long to gain my position and I will not surrender it.�

I shrug.

[In the end, we�re just a group of ants.] I gesture to Brilliant besides me, still frozen in place by the presence of the large demon. [I can�t imagine that a city full of big bad demons has much to fear from us, surely?]

Grokus looks at me with one eye cast askance.

�That doesn�t seem to be what you were suggesting earlier when you threatened me��

I clack my mandibles and wave away the suggestion.

[A little bluster in a conversation is to be expected, is it not? We�re strangers in a new place, it�s normal for us to be somewhat cautious. I, for one, have never set claw in a demon city and had no idea what to expect. I certainly didn�t realise I�d be dropping into the city lord�s compound. So, I take it we might have your leave to explore the city?]

While the giant demon chews over my question, I take the opportunity to examine his core a little more closely. It�s clear that his core holds more energy than mine, but not by that much. Clearly, he hasn�t benefited from a maxed core at each stage of his development. That doesn�t mean I�m equal to him, a gap in tier represents a doubling of potential after all, but he isn�t that much stronger than I am. With all my allies present, I�m confident we could make a mess of the place, though I expect that�s why I detect so many strong demons nearby. Grokus isn�t taking any chances with us.

Judging by the way he�s looking at me, he doesn�t think I�m taking any chances either. A correct assumption.

I sense he doesn�t want a confrontation here and now, not in the seat of his power when he doesn�t have a clear advantage. The tension seems to dissipate from his frame as he waves a magnanimous hand in our direction.

�Provided you mean no harm to me and mine, you are free to roam the city. Be warned, however, a demon city is not like your colony. We tend to not play as nice with each other. I will ask that you stop by again before you leave, I do like to keep track of the comings and goings of those who are within my walls.�

I give a friendly wave with my antennae.

[We�ll take our leave then. Any chance I can get someone to guide us to the gate? I assume you wouldn�t want us wandering around your estate on our own�]

�I would not.�

With an unheard mental command, Grokus appoints one of his guards as our guide. A whip-thin demon with far too many teeth flexes its claws a few too many times for me to feel comfortable, but it does its job and deposits us in front of a gate which will take us out of the city lord�s compound and into the city itself. With the confrontation over with, I breathe a slight sigh of relief, releasing the tension that had crept through my carapace. As blas� as I�d wanted to appear, I knew things could go very badly for us there.

Not that they couldn�t go badly for Chubs McFattrolls.

I slowly begin to dissipate the Gravity Bomb I�d constructed, breaking the Mana off one tiny piece at a time from the roiling ball of condensed power inside me. I�d done my best to conceal it, but there�s not really any way to hide such a concentrated mass of power.

If things had gone downhill, Grokus would have copped the blast right in the face, and he could sense it. Being tier seven, I can�t imagine he doesn�t have any tricks up his sleeve, but surely even he would have a nasty headache after going a round with the unlimited power of gravity.

He certainly has plenty of mass�

Never mind. We�ve made it this far, infiltration successful! Now it�s time to see what we came here for. Demon society thrives on the other side of this gate. Let�s go see!

�Get back here!� I grumble at Brilliant. �If you don�t behave yourself, you�re going back in the mouth!�

She freezes in the process of Dashing off into the city and turns back to us.

�Do I even fit in there anymore�?� she asks doubtfully.

[Invidia, show her the mouth.]

He does.

�I see that I would indeed still fit�� she says, the scent faint.

�Yes, yes you would. When it comes to mouths, Invidia is ranked second in our group behind Crinis in terms of size, and believe me, you don�t want to spend any time in there.�

�Why is that?� she asks, her curiosity overwhelming her good sense� as usual.

�Because everything that goes in there is slowly annihilated, disintegrated into tiny molecules that are then digested. She doesn�t even need teeth to shred her food.�

�That�s� horrific.�

�I think that�s the point. Anyway, before we run off into a strange city full of demons that we don�t know anything about, let�s stick together as a group and agree on some simple ground rules?�

�Ground rules like what?�

�First of all, you�re currently tier three and every entity in the city that I can sense right now is at least tier six. So, to almost every monster in here, you are a snack. Try not to get eaten. Second, let�s try not to antagonise anyone, pun not intended. I�m pretty sure the city lord would be more than happy to destroy us if we give him a chance, so let�s try not to give him one. Clear?�

�Crystal!� she nods enthusiastically.

Looking down at her energetic eyes, alight with the promise of new knowledge, I just know this is going to go horribly wrong.

�Alright then,� I sigh. �Off we go.�

[Tiny, watch the hatchling carefully. I get the feeling she�ll try to run off at some point.]

He nods seriously at me before taking up a position near the little ant, always keeping her in his line of sight. I hope it�ll be enough. There�s a slight gap between the wall that encircles Grokus� compound, and therefore the base of the pillar and any other structures. We cross rapidly and find ourselves surrounded by the press of strange buildings and even stranger residents.

There doesn�t seem to be any roads, because why would there be, or any sort of planning having gone into the layout of the city, which correlates to the obscene tangle I witnessed from above. It looks as if the demons just build wherever they please and knock down any building that gets in the way. The neighbourhood planning committee meetings must be quite the sight�

I�m not exactly sure what I was expecting, but the demon City of Roklu somehow manages to defy all expectations. As we move deeper amongst the buildings, more faces poke out to watch us, each one a different shape or size than the one before. The demons come in a seemingly endless variety of types, and even if some are similar, there are almost always differences that can�t be put down to mutations alone. Compared to the uniform appearance of my own family members, besides the obvious differences between the castes, this is almost a ridiculous level of diversity. I keep an eye out for demons similar to Invidia, and although I see a few that are close, there doesn�t seem to be any which are exactly the same.

[Are you one of a kind, Invidia? I thought there�d be a lot more demons similar to you down here, considering how powerful you are.]

[I do not know.]

[I suppose it doesn�t really matter.]

�ROAR!�

BOOM!

[What the heck is that?]

A powerful bellow, followed by a ground shaking crash rattles through the air, and I firmly plant my feet, antennae swaying rapidly. To the side, I see that Tiny has leapt forward and snagged Brilliant off the ground before she could make a getaway, although she was heading toward the source of the noise, as opposed to away from it�

[Be cautious� Let�s go check it out.]

Looking at the demons around us, none seem to react all that much to the disturbance, far more interested in us than they are in whatever caused it. Feeling my tension unwind a little, I nonetheless keep my guard up as we thread our way through the buildings toward the source of the noise.

We find what we�re looking for in the form of a large, brutal-looking demon dragging away what appears to be whatever is left of the demon he had a disagreement with. The ground is heavily cracked, and a few nearby walls are damaged, but again, nobody seems willing to do anything about it. The hulking form of the grey-skinned behemoth stomps out of our line of sight, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

Either that big chap is tier seven or at the very peak of tier six, judging by his core. Clearly a physical build, he was as bulky as Tiny and just as large. Which reminds me.

[No, Tiny, you can�t go fight it.]

He looks disappointed, relaxing from the impressive pose he�d pulled in order to best display his gorilla physique.

[And you can probably put Brilliant down now.]

[Urr?]

The little ant in question currently has her face rammed into Tiny�s right bicep when he lifted his hands to better flex. Appearing apologetic, he gently places Brilliant on the ground, giving her a little pat on the back and dusting off her carapace. I�d roll my eyes if I could.

�Are you alright, Brilliant?�

�I� think so?� she says, staggering a little as she gets her balance.

I have no idea what just happened. Are the demons here just allowed to eat each other whenever they want and damage the city? That can�t possibly be right� How would they even form a city if living in it provided no sort of safety? Why would any of them live there at all?

[Because living here is much safer than living elsewhere. But you must reconsider your assumption that �safety� is the primary concern of the city�s residents.]

That seems like a reasonable thing to say, actually� Demons are monsters, much the same as the members of the Colony. But whereas the ants of my family are all related to one another and have an innate desire to cooperate, no such thing binds demons. And considering that, judging from what I�ve seen, safety doesn�t seem to be one of their concerns. I can corroborate that with what I�ve witnessed in the wild, at least.

Which leads me to the question, what exactly is it that demons want?

And whose voice was that?

With a start, I realise a Mind Bridge has connected to me, so stealthily, so sneakily that I hadn�t even noticed it happen. Who the heck! All my minds and constructs blaze with activity as I rally my own Mind Mana to my defence.

[Who�s there? Why have you invaded my mind? Is it because of my carapace? It�s the carapace, isn�t it? So shiny� so marvellous� One look and you were entranced� addicted! Well, you can�t have it! It�s mine. Mine, I say!]

[Ah. I mean no offence. Allow me to reveal myself to you and we can clear this misunderstanding.]

[I don�t see you, demon. Are you going to show yourself or�HOLYGIZZADIGUP!]

Even as I ask for the creature to show itself, it seems to blink into existence on the edge of my vision, shocking me with both its sudden appearance and bizarre form. A giant eyeball wreathed in fiery tentacles that appear almost more like tongues of flame than appendages of flesh stares down at me like a watchful sun.

[I did not mean to shock you,] the voice in my mind says. [I have been here some time but have hidden my presence by erasing it from your mind up to this point.]

[Isn�t that a bit rude?] I challenge the demon to help cover my unease at having my mind invaded so easily. [You can�t go around just diving into people�s minds willy-nilly! How the heck did you even do it!]

My guard is up. Way up. This demon is clearly powerful, a tier seven, much like the huge brute who stomped away earlier. Its appearance is something like a cross between Invidia, Crinis, and a bonfire, giving it a disturbing visage, to say the least. Instead of the intense green of Invidia�s own eyeball, this demon�s eye is red, as in totally red. The iris is red, the pupil is a different shade of red, and the white? Let�s just say it isn�t all that white. Looking into this thing�s eye is like looking into a fire, in a fire, in a fire.

[It is how I protect myself.] The demon doesn�t seem perturbed by my attack. [Being a physically weaker creature, I use my mental prowess to hide myself from the attention of those that would seek to do me harm.]

[Seems like it would also go a long way to making it rather easy to inflict harm,] I point out.

[That is also true,] it responds, unbothered.

The rest of my party has reacted to this sudden presence with a display of aggression. Tiny has snatched up the hatchling once more, putting his body between the newcomer and Brilliant, whilst Crinis has made herself known by threateningly extending some ghastly limbs from her resting place on my back. For his part, Invidia has continued to hover, threateningly, his eye blazing with envious light.

The demon floats in the air with no apparent effort, looking down on me as we continue our standoff for several long moments.

[Sooooo�] I try.

[Ah. I apologise, I was lost in thought.]

A pause.

[Hello?]

[Ah. I apologise, I was⁠�]

[Lost in thought? Again! Can you please just let us know if you�re going to try and eat us or what so we can either get to fighting or running away? I�m getting antsy over here!]

Heh.

The eye flickers at my sudden barrage, and after a brief pause, begins to explain itself.

[I have approached you for a very specific reason. I have spoken to you in the hopes that you will slake my hunger.]

DANGIT.

[KILL!] I bellow and prepare to leap into action.

The eye blinks in surprise before vanishing right before my eyes, causing my heroic Dashing leap to end with me planting my face into a wall, knocking the already damaged side of the building in completely. That slippery corona-demon! Where the heck did it go?

I frantically try to sever the connection it has with my mind, but find my efforts are fended off as the creature smothers my attempts.

[I should be clear,] the voice rings out again. [I hunger not for your flesh, but for knowledge.]

As it pronounces that word, I can almost hear the ravenous hunger boiling away beneath that seemingly calm and patient manner of speaking. I pick myself out of the rubble and turn around to find the demon has once more appeared, hovering in the air in exactly the same place as before.

[You hunger� for knowledge? What kind of demon wants to turn itself into an encyclopedia? That doesn�t seem to be how you guys operate, from what I�ve seen so far.]

[What is� an encyclopedia?]

[Oh� Uh. Like a book filled with huge amounts of information, organised so that it can be easy to find.]

With a blaze of energy, the eye ignites, the flare of heat drying my eyes in a split second.

[Hot! Hot!]

The fire subsides quickly, and the demon appears as before, hovering calmly above us.

[I apologise,] the voice is once again contained and unruffled. [I have never heard of this concept before. I find it� delicious.]

This is seriously weirding me out.

[So� if you don�t mind me asking� what sort of demon are you? One that craves knowledge over Biomass? I just don�t think I�ve ever heard of that.]

[I do not mind. It is important you understand my nature if we are to complete our transaction. I am an avarice demon, but one of a particular nature. Avarice demons desire to take and hold that which belongs to others, to accrue vast wealth. But the form of that wealth may change from demon to demon. There are some who hoard precious jewels and minerals, such that the humans and those like them are ignited with greed. Others seek to amass slaves, controlling the life and fate of many others.]

Interesting�

[Then being an avarice demon means you have a hunger, but each one of you has a different preference in food?]

[That is apt,] it concludes. [This is a fundamental aspect of demonic nature that I sense you may not be aware of. All demons are driven by some manner of obsession. The more highly evolved a demon is, the more refined that obsession has become.]

There�s something interesting about the way it framed that�

[Is it evolving that refines the obsession, or is it refining the obsession that leads to evolving?]

Is there some element of the demonic monster archetype that is fundamentally different from other monsters? From what I understand, that�s not the case, I certainly haven�t seen anything like that when examining Invidia.

[The one plays into the other,] the demon responds. [But you have asked an interesting question, one with a lengthy answer. Now we come to the nature of my request. I have seen that you are new to Roklu, new to this stratum and have many questions, questions I can answer. In return, you have knowledge, information I wish to possess. I propose a trade.]

[Since you managed to barge into my mind uninvited, couldn�t you just take what you want? Why go through the bother?]

I�m not sure I trust this fire-eye.

[Information extracted in this way is incomplete and fragmented. Unsatisfactory. I hunger for the whole meal, not a collection of scattered morsels.]

[Let me get this straight. You�re offering to be a� guide?]

The eye blazes bright once more.

[What is this� guide?]

[Holy smokes! It�s a person that shows other people around, gives them key information about the place they are in. Chill out a little!]

[Interesting. Yes. I propose that I shall be your guide. In return, you shall give me the answers I seek. I view this as an even trade. Do you accept?]

I mean� I don�t really see much of a downside� As much as I dislike having a demon as strong as this one following us around, I don�t think we couldn�t take it on if we worked together, provided we can find a way to counter its ability to vanish from our mind�s eye. On the other hand, we stand to gain a lot.

[I guess we have a deal.]

In response to my words, the eye smoulders with barely suppressed hunger.

[A demonic existence can be reduced to a single need: obsession. There are many forms this desire can take, almost innumerable, and every demon feels it. Provided we are given the freedom to pursue this obsession, we are largely content. Though, this does not mean we are peaceful. A slaughter demon has but one desire, and it will seek to fulfill that desire always.]

[Then� if a demon is going around killing other demons in Roklu, you just� let it go about its business? That hardly seems like it would be conducive to allowing other demons to �freely pursue their obsessions�.]

[As with anything to do with demons, there are no hard and fast rules. A demon of murder killing others is to be expected, it is its nature, so it is not punished for such. Kill too much, and the demon in question could be exiled, sent across the plains to find another city.]

[Not killed? You guys don�t kill as a punishment here in Roklu?]

Judging from what little I saw of Grokus� compound, they definitely do.

[We do, but it is generally the city lord who would enact such a thing. It is the right and the responsibility of the strongest demon in the city to enforce their will. Those who do not appreciate this burden are free to leave, either to find another city more to their liking, or eke out an existence on the plains.]

[How do you think Grokus has been doing here?]

[I have answered your question.] The blazing eye focuses the full heat of its gaze upon my shiny self. [It is now time for you to answer mine.]

[Fair enough,] I gesture with an antenna. [Go ahead.]

The demon, who we�re getting to know rather well, actually has a name, as do most demons who live in the city. I was a little surprised at first when he introduced himself, but hey, if a demon wants a name, who am I to go about not using it? So it was that the giant eye wreathed in tongues of flame that hovered around us came to be referred to by his proper title: Allocrix. Or Al, depending on your mood.

[You have mentioned this �colony� before. Describe it to me. I wish to know more of it.]

[The Colony? I suppose that�s fine. I guess I should ask first off, how much do you know about ants?]

The eye roars with flame.

[Little.]

I sigh.

[Alright then, I shall start from the beginning.]

We continue our somewhat bizarre stroll around the plate city of demons, Roklu, whilst I expound on the ants of the surface world. The eyeball in the centre of the aurora borealis listens with childlike fascination as I describe tiny insects capable of forming vast mega-colonies, a collective so unified as to act as a single organism.

[You have two stomachs?]

[Social stomach and a regular one,] I confirm. [That way, some of our food can be regurgitated later for sharing purposes.]

[Fascinating.]

[Alright, that�s a lot for one question; obviously you want to know more, but I think it�s my turn, surely?]

[Very well.]

By this time, we�ve made our way to the edge of the plate, and I have to say, the view is rather striking. The vast emptiness vanishes into the distance, well beyond the point my eyes can see, as the haze of heat and ash eventually blocks my view. Far, far below is the Plains of Leng, even now a writhing carpet of weaker demons locked in eternal combat, the flats pierced here and there with pillars of rock, mountains with sharp cliffs, and flat tops. It�s mesmerising in its own way. I can�t believe this vast field circles the entire world.

The chaos of Roklu has been ongoing. With more demons emerging to begin their normal activities, the noise and movement has steadily risen back to what I presume is a more normal level.

[Can you explain what the deal was with that giant demon smacking someone down in the middle of town earlier? Something seemed a little off about it, and you were in that area also�]

I�m quite curious about that incident. It�s strange that there were two tier seven monsters in that spot, when they seem quite rare in the city from what I�ve seen. In fact, as far as I can tell, there�s only three.

[That situation� frustrating.] Al falls silent as he contemplates his response. [Demon politics can be simple or complicated, depending on the particular demons involved. When it comes to demon politics, there is only one issue that is fought over: who will be the city lord.]

[I�m going to guess, the strongest demon?]

[Generally, it is so. Simplistic. Grokus has ruled over this city for hundreds of years, generally by exterminating any who would grow strong enough to challenge him. Now, two demons who are strong enough to mount a challenge have appeared in short succession.]

[I�ll jump in and say, you and the big guy?]

[It is so.]

[Pretty darn obvious, isn�t it? You three are the only tier seven monsters I�ve managed to detect in the city.]

[The only reason you detected me, is because I allowed it to be so. Do you assume there are no others who are capable of what I can do? Presumptuous.]

Oof.

[That�s fair enough. So there are two challengers for the throne? As it were?]

[In a sense.] The fire dims around the avarice demon as he sinks toward the floor, seemingly depressed. [I have no wish for the role. The scheming, the fighting. Nuisance. I wish only to pursue and hoard knowledge, that is my desire. Mongu�nin does not share my indifference.]

[The big guy?]

[It is so. He actively wishes to challenge Grokus for the position of city lord, but feels he must dispense with me, the other challenger, before he can make his claim.]

[Wait, so he wants to challenge, but won�t until he�s managed to� what� kill you first?]

[Yes.]

[Then he�ll go and challenge Grokus, and I�m going to assume that this challenge is a fight to the death.]

[It is so.]

I clack my mandibles.

[You demons sure don�t mess around.]

[As I said, simple, yet complicated. I have been hiding from Mongu�nin for weeks, just as I have hidden from Grokus and his minions, but the constant attempts to track me down have become� tiresome.]

I give Al a bit of side-eye, which isn�t hard given the nature of my compound eyes.

[In other words, you wouldn�t necessarily be averse to the city coming under new management?]

The eye narrows.

[I would not�]

[More on that later. What you�re saying is, the big guy, Mongo, is trying to find and kill you, so that he feels justified in going and killing Grokus. Meanwhile, Grokus probably wants the pair of you killed, and is not shy about attempting to make that happen.]

[This is the case.]

[Is it safe for you to be wandering around town with us then?]

Sounds like all the powerful demons in Roklu want Al dead, so I�m surprised he�s so comfortable out in the open like this.

[In this instance, I am counting on you and your twenty-three companions to dissuade the others from making any moves that might be considered� too bold.]

That�s fair enough. I�m a little shocked that Al was able to penetrate the incredible abilities of my bodyguards to stay unnoticed. However he did that, I�m impressed.

Wait a second� twenty-three?

I rapidly turn to better focus on Tiny, and the big ape looks back at me with confusion written plain on his face.

[Tiny! Where�s the hatchling?] I yell, panic creeping into my mental voice.

He looks at me, looks down at his empty hands for a long moment, then back at me. Very slowly, with great care, he lifts his feet and carefully inspects the soles.

[You didn�t stand on her, you thick shake! She snuck off!]

Because of course she did!

Brilliant? I should have named her Idiot! Has her insane level of curiosity not been sated yet? I thought she�d been cured of the worst, yet here we are, in the middle of a literal city of demons, and she runs off on us? If I hadn�t been so distracted, she never would have been able to slip from our grasp.

[Dammit! We need to find her!]

�Protectant! Are you telling me that none of you saw her sneak off? How is that possible?�

A rather disgruntled-looking Protectant appears behind me.

�Our role is to watch you, not her. Though it is remarkable that none of us noticed��

�She doesn�t even have the Stealth Skill! I looked at her core myself! How is it that one little ant can be this slippery?�

Protectant scratches at her head with one antenna.

�Perhaps she has an impeccable sense of timing? Or just pays close attention to everything around her? It�s a remarkable talent��

If the Colony had any need for an escape artist, this would have been a massively missed opportunity.

�Well, get out there and find her!� I roar at my erstwhile security detail.

�But�� Protectant hesitates.

�GO! If she dies, do you have any idea what the Colony will have lost? GO! GO! GO!�

[Tiny! Crinis! Invidia! We have to hunt down that damned hatchling.]

I switch my focus to Al, floating patiently alongside us.

[I hate to do this to you, Al, but we need to go and find the hatchling who was with us, she�s a curious creature who hasn�t quite developed a sense of self-preservation yet�]

Something I will rapidly move to fix.

The eye flashes with interest.

[A curious creature? Such a thing should not be discouraged. I will make myself hidden and assist as I can from the shadows.]

[Alright then.]

Charge! With any luck, I�ll be able to find the little interloper through the Vestibule and we can avoid having anything dramatic happen in the meantime. Even now, I can sense the twenty bodyguards scattering from this location, diving here and there amongst the buildings, twists, and alleys of the city as they hunt down the scent of the runaway hatchling.

Where is she? Where the heck could she be? My attention sinks deeper into the Vestibule, seeking, questing for that infinitesimal sliver of energy and regeneration she provides to me.

Got it!

[This way! Let�s goooooo!]

Changing directions, my legs Grip hard at the ground until stone chips fly into the air. Tiny screeches to a halt and unleashes a mighty roar, bounding forward like a force of nature, his eyes blazing with electrical energy. The demons in our path scatter like pigeons, unwilling to get in our way.

In the back of my mind, I worry that the king chubster himself, Grokus, might have seized the hatchling the moment she slipped away, to use as leverage or just to eat, who knows? But from what I can tell, the trail leading to the little runaway doesn�t lead back to the column in the centre of the plate, in fact, it seems as though it�s looping around the outside.

Stupid hatchling! You just wanted to go sightseeing that badly? When I catch you, I�ll dangle you over the edge for a week! See if that doesn�t fulfill your need for a good view!

[Master! Do you sense her?] Crinis asks.

[I do! But the trail is thin. Can you see anything?]

[Her Mana signature is so weak,] she frets. [It�s almost impossible to find her when we�re surrounded with so many tier six monsters.]

That�s something else to remember. Even if they didn�t all evolve perfectly, each and every single monster around here is the same tier as us. If all of these demons decided to fight us at the same time� it wouldn�t be pretty.

[This way!] I cry as the sense from my Vestibule veers sharply one way.

[No! She�s looping back! This way!]

A hard turn brings us smack into the middle of a pack of demons coming in the other direction, a variety of shapes and forms, all grotesque and deadly in their own fashion.

[Move it!] I bellow.

CHARGE!

The light of stamina explodes around me as I activate the Skill, sending the pack of monsters scattering like bowling pins. Thankfully, they were all the more slender types of demons, otherwise it might have been like headbutting a brick wall. Tiny bellows once more, the rock reverberating with his battle cry as he slams his way forward, both fists pounding into the stone.

The ruckus we cause is undeniable, and there are answering roars and screeches, and the demons react to the cacophony. The unfortunate individuals who got to see my incredible diamond carapace far more closely than they might have liked scramble to their feet/claws/limbs and give chase, shrieking in rage as we run.

Dammit! This level of attention is the last thing we need� Maybe we can lose them.

[Quick! Take a hard left, we�ll try to lose them around that corner!]

Stretching the strength of my claws to the limit, I divert my not-inconsiderable weight around a hairpin turn, Dashing into an alleyway between two teetering buildings. A difficult manoeuvre that has strained my legs, but with any luck, we�ve broken the line of sight between us and our pursuers. Now quickly! Onto the trail of the hatchling!

BOOM!

Aaaand Tiny couldn�t turn in time and has ploughed straight into the building on the left� that�s perfect. Driven even further into his rage by the offending structure, the giant ape lashes out, his powerful arms smashing any remaining wall within reach and turning the stonework into dust.

[Enough with the wall! Come on!] I urge him and he shakes off the bricks and bounds to his feet, leaving a new collection of enraged demons in his wake.

Naturally, with their howling and slashing at the air, they make a perfect spotlight for the first pack of demons, who quickly follow after us. Just� perfect.

[I thought you were supposed to have the fanciest feet!] I yell at Tiny, but he�s too far lost in his rage to hear me.

Perhaps losing track of Brilliant, who he�d been so protective of, has really tipped him over the edge. Which could be a problem� Nothing I can do about it now, though.

Recapturing the hatchling is all that matters! How many tens of thousands of new ants have been born between Vibrant and Brilliant! She might be a handful, and a massive pain in the abdomen, but Vibrant is one of the strongest and most dedicated ants in the entire colony, with her own high-Levelled army to help her protect our family. If Brilliant is even half as capable when she�s done evolving and developing her Skills, then she�ll be an incredible asset to the Colony. An irreplaceable part of the collective that will help uplift all of us.

Most importantly, without capable and selfless champions, how is the Colony ever going to develop to the point that they aren�t dependent on me to protect them? They need to be able to stand on their own six legs! I can�t guarantee that I�ll be around to help pull the carapace out of the fire every time.

Although an argument could be made that I�m the one who puts the carapace in the fire most of the time. Actually, to take that a step further, aren�t I throwing myself into trouble and the Colony is the one pulling me out of it? Isn�t that carapace in the fire in fact� me?

Ahhh! Worry about it another time! Get. That. Hatchling!

If there�s no point trying to hide anymore, then who cares about these alleys and gaps? I�m an ant, dammit! I�m going over the top! As I speed toward another building, instead of going around it, I simply raise my front legs up and dig in with my claws, racing up the side of the wall and over the top.

BOOM!

Tiny of course doesn�t realise what I�ve done and just runs straight into the building, leaving an ape-shaped hole in the wall. Worry about it later!

The sound of demonic shrieking and blades striking flesh rings out from below, followed by Tiny�s bellow and the harsh impacts of fists striking home with tremendous force. Next thing, two demons are thrown out the side of the building with tremendous force, smashing into a neighbouring building and smashing that wall in for good measure. A chorus of growls and shrieks ensue.

Wonderful.

When I get my mandibles on that hatchling�

There she is! From my position on the top of the building, a faint whisp of energy trickles into the Vestibule, snapping my attention around just in time for my antennae to catch a whiff of the little ant. With one Dashing leap, I throw myself across a gap and onto a nearby building where, looking down into the alley, I see a suddenly cowering Brilliant looking up at me.

�Fooouunnnnd youuuuuu!� I rasp.

�S-Senior!� she stammers. �F-f-f-fancy s-seeing you here!�

�How dare you run away! In this city of all places! You�ll pay, little hatchling! You�ll pay dearly!�

The little ant draws herself up, suddenly bold and yells back at me.

�I held it in for so long! So long! You expect me to resist it forever?! I WON�T, I WON�T, I WON�T! I have to knooooooow!�

So screaming, she Dashes off around the corner and out of sight in a flash. Think you can get away now? When I have your scent? You�re a hundred million years too early to escape from me! In a flash, I�m off, all six legs moving so fast they blur. I have her now, it�s time to secure the capture.

[Crinis! Deploy!]

[With pleasure, Master!] the black void attached to my carapace declares.

As I run, her tentacles emerge, latching onto the buildings around us so she can lift her body from my back. In seconds, a writhing forest of thin tentacles is moving across the rooftops with me as we follow close in the footsteps of Brilliant.

�No escape, Brilliant! I�ll get you, no matter what!�

�ROOOOAAARRRRR!�

A leg-shaking bellow rocks the ground, followed a moment later by a giant, winged ape leaping high into the sky and crashing back down on the road beside the building I�m on, crumbling a few walls in the process. I�m beyond caring about the property damage at this point, all that matters is securing Brilliant, the rest we can deal with later.

Hopefully.

�GET BACK HERE, HATCHLING!� I rocket my pheromones forward, blanketing the area with my order.

�No!� my antennae pick up her much fainter reply. �I�m going to see it for myself! You can�t stop me anymore!�

�WANNA BET?�

Her path zigs and zags, crossing between buildings, demon legs, and underneath foundations. I can see her now; everywhere she goes, her head ducks this way and that, her eyes taking in everything with a feverish, almost vacant stare. Likewise, her antennae are going crazy, whipping this way and that so fast it almost appears as if they�ll lift her into the air like the blades of a helicopter.

Like a dog with its head out the window of a moving car, she�s going crazy from the stimulation of so much new information rushing into her brain at once. I should have known bringing an ant so curious that she would conduct her own tour of the Colony as a grub to an entirely new stratum would be way too much for her to handle. For some reason, I thought that after evolving and becoming more intelligent, she�d have a better grip on it. Turns out I was more than a little wrong, it just made things worse.

But I�m gaining ground. With her Skills as low as they are, even if she trained Dash as hard as she did, there�s no way she can match my speed. No matter how slippery, there�s no escape for her now! The nearer she draws, the more I tunnel in until there�s nothing I can see but the little ant speeding through the crowded traffic beneath me, no matter the destruction and chaos that is being sown behind.

Closer, closer, CLOSER!

She�s practically below me now, her little legs a flurry of movement as she ducks and weaves as only an ant can, flickering from one point to the next.

[Crinis! GO!]

At my order, she rockets forward, a writhing mass of barbed limbs that clutch and tear at the buildings in her decent to the ground level, propelling herself until she�s right on the heels of Brilliant, her tentacles reaching to snatch the little thing into the air. I have an almost perfect view of the limbs stretching through the air, seeking, homing in, and grasping� nothing.

Somehow, that little weasel slips through a gap I don�t believe even exists and rockets up the side of the large building in front. Ha! You think Crinis is the only pet I have at my disposal?

[Tiny! Invidia! Go!]

With a green flash, Invidia materialises a solid platform in the air in less than a second just as Tiny bounds high into the air, both feet slamming into the shield. Tiny uses it to propel himself to even greater heights, homing in on Brilliant like a hairy ballistic missile. Just to ensure the capture, I race up the side of the building so close behind the little monster that I could almost snatch her up with my mandibles.

Just. Another. Second!

CRASH!

After soaring through the air, Tiny deploys his wings of shadow, now supported by his much stronger bones and capable of holding more weight, which is lucky since he weighs a heck of a lot more now than he used to. After gliding, he slams into the side of the building, raining rubble down on me, and the wall collapses under the force of his impact.

Cracks spread like spiderwebs beneath my legs, and I have just a moment to think �Well� nards� before I�m falling through the air, Brilliant in the air just above me. We impact the ground and I lose sight of her.

Dammit! Gotta get my legs under me! I scramble and scrabble at the air for a few moments before I manage to right myself after a little rocking back and forth. The first thing I see is Tiny, hunched over on the ground next to me.

[Tiny! Did you secure the package?]

His tightly wound frame unwinds bit by bit until a hand emerges with a thumb proudly extended into the air. A moment later, he stands tall to reveal Brilliant clutched tightly against his chest. The little ant struggles valiantly against his iron grip, but to no avail.

�No! Let me go! I want to see! I want to know! YOU CAN�T HOLD ME FOREVER!�

�Is that what you think?� I ask with a soft scent as I creep closer. �There are things in this world that you�ve never dreamed of, little one. If needed, I�ll weave a prison for you out of the fundamental forces of this universe! You really think you can escape me? I can sense your thoughts! I can smell your impulsive little mind! I�ll bury you under the weight of a thousand tons of mass if you think you can walk away from me!�

[Masssster.]

[What is it, Invidia? I haven�t finished venting at Brilliant yet!]

[There issss danger here� Open your senssssses.]

What does he mean? Turning around to better see what lies behind, there�s an all-out brawl that has erupted in our wake. Several fires rage between the piles of rubble where buildings have collapsed into each other, dotted by demons engaged in what appears to be bloody warfare.

[I guess that might be a problem�] I mutter to the fluttering demon.

[Not that. Turnsssss.]

Wait, what?

From behind, namely, from within the large, final building we demolished, a powerful aura is surging. When I switch on my Mana Sense, it becomes clear that a tier seven core is inside, and that its owner is not happy.

[This wouldn�t happen to be the residence of one Mongu�nin, would it?]

[I believe it issss so.]

[Right. LET�S VAMOOSE! Tiny! Do NOT let go of Brilliant for even a second, we are getting the hell out of town!]

[Wheressss do we go?]

My mind races.

[Down! No way I�m going to try and bust through Grokus� compound with all this going on. Let�s find a way through the plate and climb down the pillar!]

A giant flaming eyeball appears out of thin air next to me.

[I might just so happen to know a way down.]

[HOLY GAJEEZERS! Stop with that already! Are you going to show us the way, or are we going to negotiate? Spoiler warning, we don�t have time to negotiate!]

[I will show you. I think leaving town will be� wise.]

Behind us, the rubble explodes, showering us with stone and debris as a truly massive demon bellows to the heavens with rage.

[Let�s SCOOT!]

With her incredibly enhanced vision, it wasn�t too hard for Wills to make out the details of the demon city far, far below. Any ant who wasn�t a highly evolved scout would find it impossible to see what she could, but for her, it was simple. The advantages of evolving to tier five. Being able to see clearly at long distances generally wasn�t something scouts needed in the regular course of their duties, but with knowledge of the third stratum, she�d known it would be a necessary trait for some of her caste to have. Unwilling to leave the experimentation to the new generation, she�d been the first to develop her eyes in this way, and already it was paying dividends.

�What in the world is the Eldest doing down there?� she wondered.

Smoke rose from the city in several places, forming a long trail across the outer edge of one side. Several buildings had collapsed completely, and tiny figures swarmed over them like� ants. The ants would be swarming over there soon enough.

�What do you think?� Advant asked, her scent tense with worry.

Wills chuckled.

�Looks like the Eldest has kicked up quite the fuss already. A good section of the city is on fire and I have absolutely no idea why. It�s a mess down there, not going to lie.�

�Is the Eldest trying to soften their defences before we make an assault? We aren�t ready yet!�

�Considering we haven�t consulted with them in any way on this plan, how could they possibly be aware of what we�re going to do, let alone when we plan to do it?�

�That�s� a good point.�

�Personally, I think the Eldest is just doing what they always do. Making a mess of wherever they happen to be at any given time.�

�That�s a� bold way to state your opinion of the Eldest��

�I didn�t say it was a bad thing,� Wills smirked. �Wherever they go, there is always something interesting happening, something that pushes the Colony forward. It�s impossible for us to be stagnant whilst the Eldest is around.�

�That�s the truth,� Advant agreed, attempting to make out what was happening so far below. She was forced to give up, though. Her eye mutations were dedicated to better track motion in the thick of battle, peering over the edge of the bridge did nothing for her. �Let�s head back to the rally point. I don�t think there is more to see here.�

The two ants began the climb into the second stratum alongside their escort. It wasn�t long before they encountered more of their kind, a lot more. Carvers swarmed over the area alongside soldiers and scouts, reconstructing the area around the top of the pillar to better suit their needs.

If this was the connection point between the third and second stratum, then the Colony would see it defended and fortified to the greatest extent.

�Tungstant! How goes preparations?�

The much smaller carver turned from where she was advising several work crews. Judging by the slant of her antennae and the irritable clacking of her mandibles, she wasn�t in much of a good mood.

�How are they going? They�re going, I suppose. What else can you expect?�

�Why? What seems to be the issue?� Wills asked, a humorous tilt to her head.

�Wait�� Advant tried to head off the tirade before it started, but she was far too late.

�What seems to be the issue?� Tungstant ranted. �How dare you say that to me! If there were ten of me and Cobalt, there still wouldn�t be enough to get all the work done! You want us to design and build new nests, you want us to fortify a massive section of Dungeon, you want to construct new farm zones, upgrade the main nest, plan further expansion sites, and THEN you want us to come all the way down here to build a fortified position and staging ground the size of the main nest again!

�Are you outside of your minds? The work is sloppy, rushed! It�s a disgrace! You think we can be happy with this?� She gestured with one foreleg toward the massive walls that were rising to block off the tunnels, gates already being levered into position.

�I think it looks like you�ve done incredible work,� Advant tried to soothe her sister. She truly believed what she said. What the carvers and building crews had achieved in such a short amount of time was nothing short of incredible.

�It�s FILTH! I hate it! I hate all of it! The gates are bad work, not enough time used in the tempering, not enough time used for the enchanting! The stone in the walls isn�t fully compressed, nor has it been satisfactorily reinforced with the metal framing!�

That had been an eye-opener, seeing how the carvers designed a system for reinforcing their compressed stone walls by installing a wire framework of their hardest Mana infused steel. First the stone had been stripped away, then the frame installed, and the stone literally shaped around it by earth mages.

Advant had been curious enough to enquire about the work as it was being done�it was a lot harder to accomplish than it looked. The frame itself had to be designed and built to specification to start with, then had to include tolerance for the stone being compressed around it. This meant the framework had to be designed to squeeze and shrink without breaking while the ants did their best to condense the stone as hard as possible. The calculations alone had been dizzying to the soldier.

�Aren�t all the other castes doing their best to help out?� Wills reasoned, now trying to calm the storm she�d willingly unleashed. �The soldiers are doing all the heavy lifting, the generals are helping coordinate crews, the advance build teams the scouts have put together are working well, aren�t they?�

In the press to ever expand the territory, the Colony realised it just wasn�t practical to send carvers, among the weakest of the castes, far away from the nests to investigate distant sites for proposed nests, or to begin the preliminary digging work in totally unfortified areas. Instead, several teams of scouts were side-specialised in basic construction Skills, allowing them to make initial assessments and plans, as well as commence simple building practices, like flattening out areas, laying foundations, digging sound tunnels, and establishing temporary walls. With this initial work done, the site could be made much safer for the proper build crews to begin work.

Considering the Colony was already looking to establish new nest sites a wide distance from the main nest, these crews had already proven invaluable.

�I suppose they are,� Tungstant grumbled. �We�re just really busy is all.�

�Isn�t that a good thing?� Advant laughed. �You don�t want to be busy?�

Tungstant glared at the much larger soldier and snapped a claw out, pointing down at her own shadow. Curious, Advant looked down before she leapt back with a curse. The shadow was pitch-black, deeper even than the darkness of the second stratum would dictate. Rather than a shadow, it looked like a portal into hell.

As she stared, a ghostly figure of an ant rose from inside the shadow as if appearing from deep underwater. The figure slowly raised one leg in front of her ethereal mandibles.

�Shhhhhhh,� came the scent, as if from an impossible distance before fading to nothing.

In a blink, the ant was gone, and the shadow returned to normal, leaving Advant trembling in fear.

�A-a-are t-they�?�

�Always,� Tungstant confirmed, clacking her mandibles in satisfaction. �I�ve lost six crews in the last four hours alone. In two more hours, they�ll take me as well if I don�t stop working.�

�Maybe you should take a break?� Wills suggested, trying to maintain her cool.

Tungstant just laughed grimly and flicked her antennae in the direction of the tunnel leading down to their position. Advant and Wills spotted columns of ants appearing in the distance, soldiers, generals, mages, core shapers, and scouts, marching together in ranks toward this new front line.

�You think I have time for that?� the carver pointed out.

�Let�s help out,� Advant sighed.

Torpor would take them all soon enough. Might as well get to work in the meantime.

The nest was ablaze with activity, far more than usual. Since the start of the previous wave, the Colony moved as if a fire were lit beneath it, one put there by the Eldest member of their family. The race to expand and grow before their enemies returned to challenge them had begun, and the ants refused to lose. Already, four new nests had been established and the Queens installed.

Despite those new satellite nests not even being fully complete, plans for the next round of expansion was already underway. After long discussions and planning sessions between the Queens, carvers, scouts, and soldiers, it had been determined that the current design of the Colony�s territory should be replicated in a new area.

This was to become the template for the Colony�s expansion. A central, heavily fortified main nest, with smaller satellite nests established around the periphery, all enclosed in defended checkpoints that created a bubble of security. It was their hope that each main nest would contain a gate to allow rapid travel between all of the Colony�s territory. This blueprint had been accepted by the Council, and within a day, advance scout teams were sent to traverse the dangerous tunnels to seek out appropriate sites for this next wave of expansion, this new phase of the Colony�s growth.

It was all happening so fast that it was becoming absurdly difficult to keep track of it all. Coolant had done her best to make sure things were being done as efficiently as possible, but with so many ants working in so many places, it was almost impossible to be aware of everything that was happening at once.

Hence the construction of the Antministratum.

It was with a certain sense of satisfaction that Coolant looked out over the open area at the rows of ants working diligently at their stations. Since the creation of ant writing, it had only been a matter of time before they developed the next step of this valuable technique: ant filing!

�How goes it?� came a scent from behind her.

The mage turned to see Bella standing behind her, the core shaper a key partner in making this central filing system a reality.

�As you can see,� Coolant said with satisfaction, �the work has begun in earnest.�

There were a hundred ants located here, each one analysing the many slates of work reports that were being ferried in by the numerous pets assigned to the task by the core shaper caste. They were perfect for the role, since one ant with many pets could ferry the records for a wide area. There were already observers watching and recording all of the work that had been going on within the Colony, it was just a natural step to have that data collected and collated in a central location.

Not that it had been easy to pull off.

�You really think this is going to lead to an increase in efficiency in the workforce?� Bella sounded doubtful.

�If you didn�t think so, why did you agree to help with this project?� Coolant was irritated.

�It�s pretty rare that we core shapers get invited to help with the things you all have going on. If we can provide value and prove our worth in this task, then perhaps the others will be amenable to reaching out for our help.�

It was a little irritating for Coolant to hear that her sister had committed so much time and energy to a task she didn�t even necessarily believe in, but she yielded her point. The core shapers weren�t relied on as much as they should be by the others, even when they could provide a ton of value, such as with the Antministratum.

�You�ll see, this is going to pay dividends for the Colony in no time flat. These workers here have their antennae on the core of the Colony. They know more about every movement of our family members than anyone else. If it�s possible to find places where optimisations can be made, they�ll be the ones to do it.�

The records poured in, and the flustered workers raced about the wide chamber with ruthless efficiency as stacks of slates were piled in their workspaces. Antennae waggled furiously as they read and processed the information, making their own summary records and collating the data at an incredible pace. The old slates were sent for filing whilst the new ones were gathered and examined by a separate team, who compared the work being done about the Colony to the work notices posted for their siblings to fill.

Any difference, whether too much labour allocated to one particular task, or not enough to another, was noted and sent up the flagpole until clear, concise data of inefficiencies could be seen.

�There! You see this?� Coolant proudly displayed the fruit of all this labour to her sister. �This is concrete evidence of wasted effort! With our help, this kind of waste can be eliminated from the Colony altogether, increasing the amount of work we get done as a collective.�

�Yes, but there is a great deal of labour going into making that report,� Bella pointed out. �This is only a worthwhile exercise if the efficiency you gain is greater than the time lost spent gathering all this information.�

Coolant froze.

�That�s� true.�

�And besides that, how exactly is the Antministratum going to enforce these efficiency gains?�

�Enforce?� Coolant was taken aback. �I don�t foresee they�ll enforce anything. No, they�ll make recommendations to help our siblings make more efficient choices, or they�ll have some input into the posting of work notices so the allocation of the workforce is more accurate.�

�You see them as an advisory body?�

�Y-yes.�

The core shaper thought for a moment.

�I suppose that makes sense. So where exactly are we using an excess of labour? Which area appears to be the most wasteful?�

Interested in the answer herself, the Council member began perusing the slate in front of her with an antenna, picking up the imprinted scent line by line.

�So?� Bella asked since her mage sibling hadn�t said anything.

�The Antministratum�� Coolant groaned.

Bella laughed.

However, after the kinks in the process had been ironed out, Coolant�s pet project was able to show its worth and assist the Colony in achieving an even more ridiculous level of efficiency.

Beyn stared at the notification in complete shock.

[You have reached Level 20.]

[Your current Class, Antmancer, has reached its maximum Level. Class evolution is now available. Would you like to evolve your Class?]

He�d finally done it! After all this time working alongside the ants of the Colony and assisting his brethren in completing their work, it all paid off and he was now the first who would be given the chance to evolve this sacred Class and see the wonders which lay beyond!

O blessed day! O joyous occasion!

He wanted to run, to leap and shout his joy to the heavens, but he refrained from doing so only with the greatest of effort. Currently, he was on patrol with a mixed detachment of humans and ants, sweeping away the monsters from within a Swamp Expanse in order to allow the Colony to return their aphid workforce in safety. It was slow, gruelling work, and the humans were tired and drained. Even the ants were beginning to flag, their antennae drooping in a tell-tale sign of insect fatigue.

�Something the matter, Priest?� one of the nearby human guards asked him, concern plain on the young man�s face.

�Not at all,� he said, not wanting to distract anyone in an active combat zone. �Please, focus on your task and I will ensure that my Skill remains active.�

Indeed, the presence of the Antmancers meant a great deal to both human and colony participants in these patrols. The buff it provided to any mixed group was invaluable and allowed the relatively green guard force from Renewal to perform well above their Level so long as there were ants nearby. The ants themselves also enjoyed the buff, though they needed it less, especially when clearing monsters from here in the first stratum. The speed at which they�d been able to sweep the various Expanses within their territory spoke volumes to the growing strength of the Colony.

�I think we�ll be done here in a few hours,� another guard commented, her eyes never leaving the surrounding foliage.

Several of them had been injured by underestimating the plant life. Only the intervention of ant healers saved their lives.

�Another day, another Expanse,� the first guard chuckled, and the others laughed along, if quietly.

�There is much noise from the humans,� Beyn detected the pheromones of one of the soldiers, a huge soldier the size of a small building who had been up front. �Is something the matter?�

He was more or less used to it, but when he suddenly switched from listening to words with his ears, to smelling them with his nose, it was always a struggle to reorient his mind.

�I will check with the antennae�d one,� a much smaller mage said.

This was his cue to step forward. The ants had taken to calling the order of Antmancers antennae�d ones since they functionally had antennae, both on their hoods, and in their capacity to smell and interpret the ant�s communications.

In short order, he felt a Mind Bridge connect and the orderly thoughts of the mage intrude on his own.

[Human Beyn. It has been noted that your fellow humans have been making noise. Is something the matter? Can we assist?]

By this time, Beyn had become more accustomed to addressing the holy workers of the Colony. He hardly ever shouted at them anymore. At first, the ants tolerated it unquestioningly, but eventually they�d learned that deafening mental communication was not in fact the natural state of human mind-to-mind speech. This caused Beyn no end of embarrassment, and he�d lashed himself at the failure to properly perform his role until he managed to master his fervour.

�Most of the time.

He made a simple bow as he spoke to the ant mage.

[Honoured worker.] The ants were quite pleased to be referred to as �worker� no matter the caste. In fact, to address them by any other name subtly implied they were not, in fact, workers, which displeased them to no end. [We are simply remarking on how quickly we have progressed on our mission today. It is an unusually large amount of territory to cover in such a short amount of time, by our reckoning.]

The mage tilted her head slightly.

[It is only natural,] she remarked. [When many of us work together, we achieve far more than we could working without support. This is the strength of the collective.]

A wave of emotion rolled through Beyn. Yes. It was true. This path was so simple for the members of the Colony to walk on. This was their natural mode of life. Whereas others were riven by jealousy and greed, they instead possessed harmony and peace. He wiped a tear from his eye. This was the truth.

Their estimation of the time needed to complete the task had in fact been too large. In an hour and a half, their sweep had been completed. The monsters were dead, the Expanse secure, and the ants began to escort their precious aphid cattle into the open space, planting them on the lush Dungeon vegetation and herding them with antennae to ensure the smaller bugs moved to the best and juiciest parts of the plant.

Work complete, Beyn and his human cohorts parted ways with their ant allies and began the trek back to the human barracks the ants constructed for them within the territory of the Colony. While it was called a barracks, in reality, the furnishings and accommodations were far beyond anything most of them were used to.

The comfortable beds, clean, fresh sheets daily, and surprisingly delicious tea were one thing, but at some point an ant had taken great fascination with the art of embroidery, creating the most incredible scenes on the rugs. Beyn himself found it immensely moving to kneel on the artistically represented ant hill on the rug within his own room while he prayed.

Not that he had time for that. Before he could pray, before he could eat, or even wash off the muck from his journey, there was a task that must be fulfilled! He couldn�t even bring himself to speak to his brethren, such was his rush to discover what the future had in store for all of them. Once he confirmed the evolution options for his Class, he would gather the faithful and speak to them in full!

Breathless, he rushed into his room and slammed the door, throwing himself behind the�wonderfully carved�desk, and gathered paper, ink, and a quill with his shaking hands. With all at readiness, he gathered his wits and reopened the menu.

[Your current Class, Antmancer, has reached its maximum Level. Class evolution is now available. Would you like to evolve your Class?]

By the Great One! Yes!

[Please select one of the following options:

Antspeaker.

Antbishop.

Antorator.

Antstandardbearer.]

Eager to see what each of the new Classes offered, he dismissed the stat gain per Level and focused on the unique benefits of each Class.

[Antspeaker: This Class evolution will enhance the passive perception of pheromonal language and allow the Class holder to convert their Mana directly into pheromones, enabling direct communication with ant type monsters. A social based Class that will enable the holder to act as the bridge between two peoples. When engaged in conversation between an ant and a sapient, both will be more inclined to look favourably on the other.]

[Antbishop: Your service to the ant is as much religious as it is practical. This Class evolution will enhance the United in Purpose aura Skill and turn it into the Fervour of the Faithful aura Skill. For those that share your faith, the range and benefit provided by the aura will be increased. Be warned, in order to Level this Class, it is no longer sufficient to battle alongside ants and people. You must serve alongside ants and believers. An additional Skill will be granted, Ant�s Peace, that shall enable you to radiate the selfless nature and hardworking attitude of the ant around you.]

[Antorator: Powerful in both word and deed, the Antorator is a potent motivational speaker, able to persuade and convince people to follow in the path of the ant so long as the insects are present. Speeches given under these conditions will receive large bonuses, allowing you to sway others to your cause. You will become a diplomat, bringing others into the fold of your union with the ant.]

[Antstandardbearer: You have marched alongside the ant and made their battles your own. This Class will give you the tools required to lead your people into a deeper bond of cooperation on the field of battle, carrying the standard of your union. So long as you bear the standard, the effects of your aura will be further enhanced and its range increased. Furthermore, a new Skill, Rallying Cry, will be gained, allowing you to raise the morale of both insect and sapient in the heat of battle.]

[How long will the curious one remain imprisoned within the mouth?]

[Until she�s learned not to be a massive pain in my commercial zone.]

A wave of heat washes over me from behind.

[What is this� commercial zone?]

[You know what? Never mind.]

The already sweltering temperatures of the third stratum inch up a couple of degrees with Al literally burning with a level of curiosity that, being honest here, I just can�t be bothered to deal with right now. All I�d wanted to do was hang out in the demon city and see what they got up to in there. Is that too much to ask? Apparently, yes.

I�d kind of expected things would go wrong. I mean, they tend to. Tiny would get into a fight, or Crinis would accidently mind-control somebody, or Invidia would nab something he shouldn�t and then all hell would break loose.

I make it sound as if I�d expected my pets to be the cause of any issues, but I can be honest with myself. I was fully prepared that I�d be responsible for some kind of drama, be it getting into a fight I shouldn�t have, pinching stuff I shouldn�t, or mind controlling someone. What I didn�t expect was a damned hatchling to go freaking crazy on me!

Now the only way we�re going to get back into Roklu is at the head of an army. Good thing the Colony is probably going to assault the place in fairly short order. In the meantime, we�ll just have to hang out down here� Not that it isn�t exciting!

[I� dislike this place.]

Al has a distinctly displeased tone to his usually flat and unemotional voice, which surprises me enough that I face him.

[What about it makes you so unhappy? Isn�t this where you were born?]

The floating eye of fire swings around the plains in one irritated swoop.

[All demons are born of the plains. From the moment we emerge from the spawn points, we know nothing but a desperate battle to survive, surrounded on all sides by foes. We consume each other until we piece together our sapience, bit by bit through our evolution. Even those who try to escape the fighting and climb the pillar are thrown back down. Until we reach tier six, we aren�t considered a real demon.]

[It doesn�t sound like a good upbringing at all,] I sympathise. [Isn�t life like that for all monsters, though? Most of my kind are born within the comfort and safety of the nest, surrounded by family, but I personally was born on my own, one of the weakest creatures in the entire Dungeon. It wasn�t easy, but I was able to fight my way up to this point.]

The demon eye glitters.

[It is true that most monsters climb and survive only by fighting for their lives, though some hide and cower in the dark in order to avoid notice.]

Like a certain worm I know�

[For these reasons, it isn�t common for a demon to enjoy returning to the plains�]

Fair enough.

In truth, we are yet to arrive at the plains themselves. We�re clinging to the pillar a hundred metres above the ground, looking down on the chaos going on below.

[There really are a lot of them, aren�t there?] I say, hesitance clear in my thoughts.

[A never-ending supply. Even if you try, for some mad reason, to purge them all, the spawn rate will increase until the numbers return. This is the natural state of the third stratum.]

[The wave is over, isn�t it? This is the normal rate for them to appear?]

[This is still higher than normal, but nothing like what it was during the wave. When the wave was at its height, they were several metres deep around here.]

We are referring, of course to the heaving carpet of infant demons. Each of the little creatures, with their dark-coloured demon skin, two claws, and strangely bulbous bodies fights maniacally against any of their own kind they can reach. Seeing how tightly packed together they are, there are a ton they can reach. Some are larger, who ignore the smaller ones as much as possible, seeking out others of their own size to fight.

Looking straight down, its a full-on frenzy of feeding and fighting that just goes on and on as new demons crawl from between cracks in the ground to replace those that have fallen. When I pan my attention across the wider plains, the scene is replicated everywhere I can see, for kilometres and kilometres, in every direction.

[That�s an awful lot of Biomass�] I speculate.

[More effort than it�s worth to harvest,] Al comments. [Not that you or I would gain anything from hunting prey such as these.]

[I wasn�t thinking about us�]

There are hundreds of thousands of little hatchlings who would be more than happy to feast on these demons. Looking over the vast plains and the unending supply, thousands might not be enough to consume it all. We might need millions�

[May as well get down there�] I sigh and begin the final climb.

When I reach the bottom, I tentatively put my first claw onto the ground, trying to find a gap I can place my leg without squishing any demons in the process. To my surprise, they almost flow away from me, creating space where I won�t crush them underfoot. As I bring more legs down, my whole body following, the rolling melee continues to shift away so as not to impede me.

[Do they always do that?] I point out the strange phenomenon to Al.

[They will instinctively shift away from those more powerful than them.]

[Weird�]

The giant eye flares in a kind of shrug.

[It is not so surprising. To an infant demon, you are either food for now, or food for later. Anything more powerful than themselves is food for later. Better to occupy yourself with the food for now than chase that which you cannot defeat.]

[Huh.]

Tiny drops to the ground with a grunt, carefully placing his feet so he doesn�t squish any of the smaller creatures, not that he needed to bother, they move aside for him just as they did for me. Just like that, we found ourselves on the plains.

[Sooooooo� What is there to do down here? It�s not like you can really go hunting� since there aren�t any strong demons around to fight�]

It does seem like this vast wasteland is a bit of a waste of time. Heh. Nothing to hunt but an endless sea of runts? No Biomass, no experience? It�s practically valueless to a tier six like me.

[Now you see why we ignore this place,] Al deadpans. [Still, it isn�t as if it is completely barren. It is possible to travel to another pillar and find another city which you can investigate. There are also tier fours and fives roaming the plains, though they are generally harder to find. There is also the network of tunnels beneath us that connect to the next layer. Within them, you will find an environment similar to what you might think of as �normal Dungeon.� In that region there are rogue demons who have carved out their own portion of territory in the wilds.]

Wait a second.

[You mean the tunnels that connect to the next stratum?]

The eye flares. [No. The next layer of the third.]

[You mean there�s another place, just like this one, beneath us! With pillars, and cities, and plains?]

[Yes. This is common knowledge.]

Come to think of it, someone might have mentioned that to me in the past� I just� This place is so huge, though�

[Okay, so how many layers to the third stratum are there?]

Travelling through the vast plains is strangely peaceful, despite the literal ocean of death and destruction happening ceaselessly. After the first ten minutes, I kind of fell into the habit of not directing my attention downward, and all of a sudden, the endless war of the little demons wasn�t such a big deal anymore. Every now and again, I might get swiped by a wayward claw, but even if they are monsters native to the third stratum, with all sorts of built-in advantages over me, they still can�t penetrate my diamond carapace or cause any real harm to my legs.

Instead, I take in the sights and enjoy having such a vast open space above my head. From the ground looking up, it�s even more incredible to see than it was from the roof looking down. If I trick myself, I can almost believe the ash and smoke that swirls far, far overhead are clouds in a particularly hot sky.

The temperature is rather bothersome. I�d kind of thought it might be a little cooler down here, since hot air rises and all that. Turns out no. There are open rivers of lava down here. Lava! Ignoring that, the rock itself is boiling hot! My poor claws sizzle every step. Uncomfortable, to say the least. Compared to the freezing cold of the shadow sea, I honestly don�t know which is worse�

From behind, I hear a muffled thump and watch confused as an infant demon sails through the air in a graceful arc before thudding on the ground more than fifty metres away. The little beasts are so hardy, the thing just flips itself over with one clawed arm and starts ripping into its closest neighbour.

[Tiny�]

[Hrrr?]

[Did you just kick an infant demon?]

He looks to one side.

[Why would you kick an infant demon, Tiny?]

He shrugs his massive shoulders.

[You�re bored? Ugh� I don�t care if you�re bored! Don�t go punting monsters around. First off, you�d get almost no experience, even if you managed to kill it, and second, we are travelling whilst surrounded by literally millions of the damn things. I really don�t want to slow down so you can kick your way through the plains, alright?]

The big ape is frustrated, but nods in understanding. He�d been hoping for more to fight down here, I have no doubt about that. Other than the exciting chase in the city, he hasn�t really had a chance to stretch his� fists. Even if that�s the case, there are some behaviours we simply don�t stoop to.

[Not to worry about it, champ, I�m sure we�ll run into some stuff to battle soon enough. If we keep an eye out, there�s bound to be plenty of tier four and five demons running about, and you can beat up on them all you like. Just be patient.]

The giant bat-faced gorilla shifts his weight from foot to foot and nods unhappily. Poor old lug. He�ll be right as rain once we get a good scrap in. Seeing how tightly wound-up Tiny is makes me think I should check in on my other friends as well, just to see how they�re travelling.

[How�s things, Invidia?] I cheerfully greet the envy demon. [Enjoying your time here on the third stratum?]

[The heat issss pleasssant�] he drawls, his little wings fluttering in the hot, his eye closing.

[I suppose you were raised on the second stratum, so you never got to enjoy this warmth, huh. You don�t find it weird looking at all the infant demons around our ankles killing each other?]

The green eye flicks to the ground then back up again.

[I am pleassssed I wassss spared thissss trial�]

[Makes sense. Seems like a brutal and inefficient way to grow up.]

[�But I wantssss their ferocity and drive!]

The eye glows green.

[Of course you do.]

Looking at the literal ankle biters, they sure do have a lot of spirit�

[How about you, Crinis? You holding up alright?]

[I am, Master,] her voice sounds a little pained. [It is uncomfortable, but I can bear it sufficiently well.]

[Please let me know if you need help or a rest,] I implore her. [You aren�t being a burden when you ask for the help you need, alright? Don�t be so selfless that you put yourself in danger, that doesn�t help anybody.]

She hesitates for a brief moment.

[I-I will try, Master,] she promises.

[That�s all I can ask. You�re doing well.]

To be honest, a little selfishness would help Crinis a great deal. Living your life for another being in the wholehearted way she does just isn�t healthy. The ultimate goal to return my pets to independent entities still remains, though I have absolutely no idea how that can be achieved. As far as I�m aware, there�s no way for a pet to continue living once its �master� has died.

[Something is coming,] Al declares, appearing in a burst of flame to my right.

[HOLY� Would you please stop that already! I�m going to burst my core or something before we manage to get anywhere.]

Rather than respond to my petulant demand, the demon points with one tendril of flame. Turning my attention in the indicated direction, I struggle to see what he�s referring to, only to realise I�m looking in the wrong place. He isn�t pointing along the ground, but above it. Thanks to my largely omni-directional vision, I manage to detect a flicker of motion about a hundred metres above the plains. And whatever it is, appears as if it�s drawing closer.

[Any idea what that might be, Al?]

A pause.

[Al?]

A quick scan of my surroundings informs me that the demon is completely gone.

[Well, nards�]

The object we spotted is a flat disc that hovers through the air by some means I don�t understand. Standing atop that disk is a small collection of demons, each of a different sort. Judging by their expressions, they aren�t exactly happy to see us.

[Get ready for trouble, gang,] I tell my crew. [This could get ugly.]

A broad grin splits Tiny�s face. Finally, things are going his way.

I make out five demons in total, judging by my Mana Sense, all of them tier six, thank heavens. If they�d all turned out to be a higher tier than me, we might have just been dead and buried right here. According to the information I�ve bartered out of Al, the vast majority of demons, the properly sapient ones anyway, are tier six.

Due to the generally short and barbaric lives they live, most don�t make it to tier seven, but those that do can be considered powerful, standing above the masses. Apparently, tier eight demons do exist, but only deeper down, where the Mana is thicker on the border between the third and fourth stratum.

Considering their natural, inborn advantages, a tier eight demon is not something I want to tangle with. Not one bit.

For now, these five demons on their hovering, dark red disc of pure energy continue to move closer at a rapid pace as we spread out to receive them.

When they draw close enough, their momentum slows, and the closest demon, standing proudly at the lip of their disc, looks down on us with thinly veiled contempt. It�s not easy to judge the expression of a non-human monstrosity, but with enough practice you can get the hang of just about anything.

The demon in question is what I�ve come to know as a pride demon. A humanoid physique, with more blades and spikes than one would generally see on a person, accompanied by a strangely thin yet elongated head with a long vertical mouth that is open more often than it�s shut. According to Al, pride demons are considered generalists amongst the tier six demons, equally capable at spell flinging and up-close chop-work with their claws and spikes.

After a few moments, I feel a mental connection seek me out and I allow it to snap into place. My multiple Mind Constructs warily monitoring the connection, prepared to rebuff any assault that takes place.

[FOUL creature,] the demon�s mental tone positively drips with condescension, [why do you roam the plains within the bounds of the GREAT City of Orpule?]

Uh, what? Even without turning my head, I can still see the enormous pillar that supports Roklu behind us. Is this guy telling me we�ve left the borders of that city already?

[Aren�t we still in the area of Roklu?] I ask. [And by the by, who the heck are you? Why is it your business where we are?]

The pride demon positively crackles with indignation at being questioned by what it probably considers a lowly insect. From the first stratum no less!

[You admit that you originate from lowly Roklu? Has the fat one sent you to do his dirty work?]

I brighten up.

[You mean Grokus? He really is massively fat, isn�t he? I personally am not one for body shaming or anything, but that guy has rolls on his rolls. He must weigh eight tons at least. The dude has so much mass, the first time I met him, I almost got caught in an orbit.]

It�s nice to see someone else who is equally as discerning when it comes to Grokus� more unbelievable features. The city lord of Roklu had to evolve a second mouth, since his first one never stopped eating!

[You do not deny my charge, INSECT! Are you part of the war games? Is this an assault!]

[Uh, no? I�m not even a demon, why would I be part of your war games? What are the war games anyway?]

With every word I send across the bridge, the demon grows more and more offended. Not that I think I�m to blame. I can only assume that all pride demons are touchy, considering what they are.

[I will not be fooled by your PATHETIC lies! This is clearly a ploy by Roklu to gain the upper hand in our conflict! You will be dispatched in the name of Orpule!]

Before I can even process in my head just what exactly this idiot is on about, he makes a cutting gesture with one clawed hand, and just like that, the other four demons on the disk rain hell down on us. Lava, brimstone, ash, all sorts of nasty magic takes shape before I have a chance to shift my feet.

Holy moly! These guys mean business!

KRAKOOM!

A searing flash of light blasts my eyes, sending my poor insect senses reeling. Tiny lifts one crackling arm to the sky and lets loose a devastating bolt of lightning that crackles into the disc, burning away a portion of the energy that sustains it and shrinking its size. Even blinded, I give the ape a glare. There�s no way he could charge that up so quickly, he must have been preparing it the moment the demon reached out to me.

Turns out to be a good decision in the end!

[Invidia! Shields up! Crinis, see if you can reach them. But be careful!]

[I will!]

With an inrush of Mana that is almost audible to my Mana Sense, Invidia drags the ambient Mana together with his immense mind, crunching out shields with the sheer force of his Will before the attack from above can land. As the lava and flaming rocks smash into the barriers, Crinis peels herself from my carapace, dropping her entire body into the thickening shadows beside me.

Looking up, I flex all of my mental power in preparation to deal with these darned creatures. First thing I�d better do is try to bring them down to the ground, I suppose. Good thing I have Gravity Magic! The next question is, how many Gravity Bolts can I make with all these Mental Constructs at my disposal?

Turns out the answer is many. Drawing directly from the Gravity Mana stored inside my body, none of my brains are forced to maintain a construct or handle the processing of Mana, so each and every one gets busy stringing together basic Gravity Bolts, which I fling at my target.

In moments, I have a steady fusillade of Gravity Magic pelting the offending demons. Not many find their target, given all the mess in the way between our two sides flinging stuff at each other, but some do. Eventually, it�s all going to add up. Or at least, it would have if Invidia didn�t take things into his own hands.

BOOM! BOOM!

Two devastating explosions rock the disc as the envy demon unleashes his potent explosive magic, the energy of his spells tearing into the structure of the disc and shrinking it even more, forcing the demons closer to the ground. The face of the pride demon is even more twisted than before, filled with rage at the mere prospect of having to put his feet on the ground.

Not to worry buddy. Before long, I�ll have you buried in it.

The speed I can spit out Gravity Bolts is impressing the hell out of me. Like, I can remember how hard it was when I wanted to cast a single one of these suckers, now I can spit them out at a pace of more than one a second! The Mind Constructs display their power! Gwahahahaha!

Even more in my favour, the demons appear to have decided that since the purple bolts of Mana don�t appear to be doing them any harm, they aren�t even bothering to dodge, focusing their attention on the more obviously lethal explosions and lightning being sent their way. Not that I mind.

The more shredded the disc becomes, the more engaged the pride demon in the lead gets, until his face is a twisted mask of pure disgust.

[You will DIE for your INSOLENCE, WORM!]

Oi. There�s only one worm that needs to be destroyed due to its insolence, and it sure isn�t me!

[Big talk from a little demon!] I taunt. [How about you come over here and say that?]

The five demons on the platform appear to take my invitation more literally than it was intended and launch themselves at us at blistering speeds, their claws bared. With a whoop of delight, Tiny smashes both hands into the ground, crushing a section of stone into dust, and launches himself forward, lightning crackling around his torso. In the blink of an eye, he crashes into the assaulting monsters, using his body to block their path and smacking two of them out of the air with punches so fast I can�t even see them.

The crew of demons are a mixed bunch. The pride demon in the lead is followed by two beefier models, and two others who are clearly more of a caster variety, judging by the lack of skin on their bones. I mean, Invidia is very small, but he has extremely little in the way of bones and muscle mass, which are apparently not what you want to be stuffing into your pocket dimension. Brain matter? All good. Biceps? Not so much.

By all accounts, this appears to be a balanced group of demons, on their way to take part in some sort of war? I�ll have to ask Al what it�s all about when we�re done here.

As Tiny is set upon, the grinning ape being torn into by his five opponents, Crinis rises from the depths, her tentacles snaking out to grasp the demons around their limbs, the horrific buzzing of her barbs rising in the air. The pride demon in particular appears offended by this turn of events, hacking off the limb that grasped him and trying to leap into the air to create some distance.

Unfortunately, he�s just too heavy.

After being hit with literally dozens of Gravity Bolts, the pride demon�s powerful leap takes him practically nowhere, dragged back down to the ground by his own mass. How do you like that, fool! Smoked by the power of gravity! Man, I cannot wait to get my hands on that gravity Skill!

Having had my fill of throwing spells, I Charge, Dashing toward our foes, my legs a blur. Unhappy with the treatment her tentacles were given, Crinis is already unwinding more, snaking them through the air on a collision course with the pride demon as the confused monster tries to understand why he can�t move the way he wants.

Behind him, one of his allies, a strangely serpentine demon, raises itself up, a powerful aura of Healing Magic gathering around it.

�Exterminate the healer! Rapid take down protocol!�

I�m so surprised to hear the pheromones that my grand Charge almost collapses on itself as my legs come within a hair�s breadth of tangling against each other. I manage to correct it in time, and hopefully nobody noticed. From thin air, Protectant appears already descending upon the snakish demon, along with six of her fellow bodyguards. Before the poor creature can even complete casting the potent healing spell, the seven ants rip into it, their combined weight driving the monster to the ground where it�s finished by their mandibles.

A moment later, the ants are gone, leaving behind nothing but Biomass.

That was� different.

In another second, I collide with the pride demon, the force of my Charge ripping the monster from Crinis� grip and sending him a few metres away, sprawling in the searing stone of the third stratum. Hundreds of little infant demons skitter out of the way as I advance on him, my mandibles gnashing. Behind me, Tiny and Invidia continue to rip into the remaining opponents, the combination of the big ape�s awe-inspiring offence and the envy demon�s perfect support magic�and explosions�being far too much for even their tier six foes to deal with.

My mental constructs do not cease their work, spinning together a dizzying barrage of Mind Magic packets to fire across the bridge my opponent so foolishly didn�t cut off when he had the chance.

It�s such a strange feeling, to be concentrating on what I�m doing, focused on my approach, on my mandibles, on charging up an Omen Chomp, whilst at the same time my brains are working, churning away on so many other tasks. My sub-brains are propping up the constructs, whilst the constructs utilise their own functions, as well as drawing on the physical brains that maintain them to weave dozens of threads together at the same time. Without my coordination cortex, it probably wouldn�t be possible at all.

It�s bewildering, confusing, elating, and intoxicating all at the same time.

[Prepare to get chomped, demon!] I holler as I bear down on my demon opponent.

As best he can, he gathers himself to his feet, none of the grace or power one would expect from one of his kind present thanks to the lingering effects of the Gravity Magic weighing him down. As a result, the following confrontation is laughably one-sided. With a snarl, the demon slashes toward me, arm aglow with the light of the Skill in use.

Already forewarned, I twist my body to the perfect angle, maximising the thickness of my carapace at the point of impact. The impossible speed of my reactions allows me to adjust my position at the very last possible moment, giving the demon no chance to shift the strike. Even with these preparations, the claws dig into my precious diamond carapace.

For all my advantages, there are limits to how well diamond from the first stratum will work against claws from the third. Stupid Dungeon prejudice! I call foul!

Well, he might be able to carve grooves in my carapace, but demon flesh isn�t so hard that my mandibles aren�t able to do some work.

Omen Chomp!

The dark light manifests itself as my jaws close on the pride demon.

Combo!

Activating the Crunch Combo Skill, I rapidly pump my mandibles, the muscles in my face screaming as my stamina plummets. Omen Chomp after Omen Chomp cuts into the pride demon until the fight has left him. Along with all life�

[Now what the heck was that about?] I demand broadly.

[I believe I can answer your query.]

This time, I don�t even flinch when Al appears. Just goes to show you can get used to anything given the chance, even flaming eyeballs of death popping into existence at the drop of a hat.

[I know you�re more fire than eyeball at this point, but do you ever close that thing? Can you blink?] I demand.

[You desire that I close my eye? This request. Unusual. Yes� I can do this.]

So he does.

[HOLY MOTHER OF GANDALF! OPEN! OPEN IT!]

A moment later, I come back to myself, twitching on the ground. The horror. The sheer horror of it. I couldn�t even close my own eyes so I couldn�t see it�

[Please never do that again,] I plead.

[Your request is noted.]

[So,] I say weakly, trying to dismiss that image from my mind, [you thought you could explain what happened here? Why did these guys decide to attack us out of nowhere? The pride demon mentioned something about a war�]

[You recall our earlier discussion, where we talked about demons and their obsessions?]

[Yeah?]

[Many of these obsessions require violent expression. Murder demons, slaughter demons, cutting demons, massacre demons, death demons, blood demons, torture demons, blade demons, bone demons⁠�]

[Okay. I think I get the picture.]

[In order to give these demons an outlet, it is common for neighbouring cities to arrange a formal war. This also doubles as a means by which the cities can compete for territory and settle grievances. If memory serves�]

I get the distinct impression that Al is somewhat like an elephant. I can�t imagine this eyeball ever forgetting.

[�Roklu had organised a war with our nearest neighbour some time back. I suspect that this pride demon saw us traversing the plains heading in the general direction of Orpule and believed we were a secret strike force directed to attack the city.]

[That�s nonsense! Just the five of us, attacking an entire city? It would be suicide! And what the hell were the five of them doing out here in the middle of nowhere when there�s supposed to be a �war� going on?]

The eye flickers with amusement.

[I believe they were the strike force directed to attack Roklu by surprise.]

That�d be right.

After collecting a few choice cores and chowing down on Biomass, all we could really do was shrug and get back to business. Even so, I can�t help feeling like this incident is going to come back and bite me in the backside somehow. At least I can proudly wave my antennae and declare that it wasn�t my fault! How am I supposed to know some random pride demon is going to get it in his head to attack me? There was clearly no getting out of that situation.

Now, where were we?

[How far are these tunnels, Al? It�s getting hot out here!]

That�s a lie. It�s constantly been hot out here.

[If you find the temperature disagreeable, then it may be a good idea not to descend any farther. The heat will only increase.]

[I�m guessing you don�t have an issue with it�]

[The portion of my body that extrudes into this dimension is comprised of 65.37 percent heat energy. It does not bother me.]

[Invidia, when you evolve, try not to become a floating eyeball of fire, alright? If you really want to pick an element, do earth or something.]

[Hissss flame issss powerful. I wantssss it!]

[It literally doesn�t matter what he has, you�d have wanted it anyway! Just consider, alright? I don�t want to drag this kind of heat through the entire Dungeon! I can�t even sweat!]

Ants aren�t particularly good at temperature regulation internally. Although, some colonies are incredible at utilising the flow of air within their nests to control the heat, basically building automated air conditioning systems to make sure the inside of the nest is never too hot or cold and ensuring the air doesn�t become stale. Pretty clever for creatures with a brain the size of a pinhead!

Of course, our eternal foes, the termites, are the best at this sort of thing. Those blind little bugs create enormous mound nests that can bring fresh air all the way down to the heavily protected nesting chamber of their massive, chonky Queen.

[Alright then, where to now?] I ask.

[The entrance to the tunnels is this way.]

Al points a tendril of his ever-burning corona to our right, and so off in that direction we proceed.

[We�ve come almost ten kilometres from Roklu. Are entrances to the tunnels that rare? Seems like they might be more common.]

[There is much lava that flows eternally from hyper-concentrated sources of Fire Mana between the layers. The tunnel entrances are gaps in the flow that are safe to traverse. Sparse.]

Interesting. As we push our way through the ever-shifting carpet of infant demons, I take a moment to talk to Protectant.

�Alright then, Protectant, you may as well get out here and answer a few questions.�

Her response comes to me as light as a breeze.

�Do I have to?�

�Yes, you have to! I�m not going to talk to thin air when I know for a fact you�re right here! Honestly��

Somewhat begrudgingly, my bodyguard appears on my left. As usual, her posture is a little shrunk, as if still trying to hide despite being in plain sight. I wonder if they bother to train their Stealth Skills at all, considering they rely on a powerful organ to hide most of the time. Similar to Al, the organ in question subtly affects the minds of those around them, acting as a perception filter.

�So, what was that back there? The �take down protocol�? This a change in the stated policy or something?�

She shifts uncomfortably.

�It�s been decided that we�ll be a bit more active from this point onward during combat. If we can end fights more quickly with a precision strike, and therefore cut down on the risk that you�ll be exposed to, it will be beneficial in the execution of our duties.�

�Not to mention it helps you guys get some experience and Biomass on the job,� I approve. �I like it.�

�It does mean we expose ourselves more often, which many of us are not happy about��

I dismiss those concerns with a flick of my antenna.

�You can�t just sit idly by and hide whilst I get killed, right? You have to expose yourselves at points in order to perform your role at all. It�s just a question of working out when and how much. I think this is a sensible shift. Keep up the good work.�

Unused to being praised, Protectant stumbles a little before vanishing from my sight. I meant what I said, though; if they can be a bit more proactive, having these twenty follow me around won�t be as much of a pain. It�s nice to have more ants to talk to, for a start, something I can�t really do if they refuse to show themselves most of the time.

Speaking of other ants.

[Alright, Invidia, spit her out,] I sigh.

We�re joined by a rather bedraggled-looking hatchling. Brilliant gives herself a quick shake, much like a puppy would, to rid herself of the envy demon�s excess saliva before looking around.

�Ooo! What�s all this?�

In less than five seconds, she�s already spotted the carpet of demons crawling around our feet and pounced on one, holding down the struggling creature with her mandibles so she can inspect it more closely.

�Careful, you moron! These little things are dangerous to someone as weak as you!�

I almost spoke prophetically. An instant later the enraged little demon manages to free a claw and take a wild swipe at its captor, threatening to slice Brilliant�s face in two.

SPLAT!

With one emphatic stomp, Tiny flattens the offending demon, scooping Brilliant up with one arm and placing her firmly on his shoulder in one smooth motion. That was close!

�You might be tier three compared to their tier one or two, but these little guys have much better body parts than we do. Better muscle mass, harder and sharper claws, tougher skin and bodies. Despite the gap in tier, they�re still capable of slicing you up with ease.�

The little ant clicks her mandibles in shock.

�Really? That�s fascinating!�

�That�s the difference between strata at work,� I grumble. �Only by upgrading our bodies can we close the gap. All that means is that you should consider yourself a tier one for the time we are down here. Absolutely everything in the third can kill you. If you�re going to keep being stupid, then I�ll stuff you back into the interdimensional mouth until we leave.�

�I�ll try to keep myself under control!� She gives me a quick salute with an antenna that I can�t decide is sarcastic or not. I�m still thinking about it when Al pipes up.

[We�ve arrived,] the demon announces.

In the ground before us is something I wasn�t expecting to see, a break in the endless carpet of infant demons. Instead of the rolling melee, a wide crevice in the boiling black rock of the Plains of Leng opens, which the monsters seem to instinctively avoid, rolling away whenever they draw too close. The walls of the tunnel glow red as the potent Fire Mana in the veins running through the rock flows unceasingly. I can already tell it�s going to be absolutely boiling in there.

With a heaving sigh, I say, [Let�s head on in.]

At least we won�t get caught up in any more bizarre fights between cities whilst we�re down there.

I decide to take the lead in our descent through the crack and creep forward with reasonable caution. This is an unknown environment, and I don�t want to go too crazy before we get a clear picture of what we might run into down here.

Sure, I could ask Al all about it, but that would do two things. One, suck all the fun out of Dungeon exploration, and two, require that I answer a bunch of his questions, and frankly, I�m getting tired of explaining basic concepts of my pre-ant existence. The last time I needed to tell him something, I ended up going through half the plot of the Lord of the Rings before he would tell me what I needed to know!

Ain�t nobody got time for that!

The tunnels are much like I�ve gotten used to during my time in the Dungeon, with a few major differences. The Mana veins here are like molten lava, but not the cooling stuff. None of that pansy dark red lava, oh no, the veins are white hot, almost literally. The Mana inside is so thick it almost seems to flow like lava as well, oozing through the veins before seeping into the air. The rock itself is different, mainly in that it�s pitch-black and steaming hot. There are visible heat waves in the air every time the tunnel stretches any sort of distance. Then, of course, there�s the lava. The stuff flows like water down here. The farther we go, the more of it I find.

Tiny is behind me, also struggling a little with the heat, but Crinis is the one having the hardest time. She�s in her usual spot, stuck to my abdomen, but every now and again, bits of her slip around the edges, as if her shadow flesh were melting.

[You going to be alright, Crinis?] I ask, concerned.

[I�m alright!] she gasps. [But I�ll be thankful when we make it to the fourth stratum. This place doesn�t agree with my kind.]

[Already talking about the fourth?] I say wryly. [We have to make it through this one first.]

[Of course, it is only natural that we will conquer these filthy demons, Master! Before long, we will make our way down, just as we did before.]

I can only shrug at that. I wish I had her level of confidence.

[Master! I sense food! I mean, monsters!]

Oho! Naturally, Crinis� keen senses are the first to detect our prey!

[What have we got, Crinis?]

[Feels like� something strange. Tier six?]

Delicious experience� let�s get it!

[I�ll take the lead. Tiny, be careful with the hatchling.]

�Don�t do anything stupid,� I warn Brilliant. �If you feel an overpowering urge to run off and �investigate� something, I want you to approach Invidia and throw yourself into his mouth.�

�Throwmyself in there?�

�You heard me!�

With the nuisance dealt with, we creep forward, following the curve of the tunnel as it widens until our prey comes into sight. It�s� ghastly.

[What the hell is that!] I cry to Al.

Around the corner is what can only be described as a horror. It seems like a demon, the normal demon type of aesthetic, at any rate. Some sort of wrath demon, judging by the bladed arms, but that�s where the similarities end. Instead of normal, healthy demon flesh is practically an apparition, immaterial and ghostly. The harder I stare at the edges of the creature, the more they fade in and out of reality. It drifts around, its legs almost completely invisible.

[It looks sort of like a ghost�] I mentally whisper, despite the fact I�m not making any noise.

[Ah, a ghast. Annoying. Physical damage will have little effect on the creature, make sure to use magical attacks.]

[So, wait. Are you saying it�s an actual ghost?]

[No. A ghast is a monster that is created when a demon perishes. Some demons experience their obsession so powerfully that death will not contain it. Their desire fuses with the ambient Mana to create a ghast which will mindlessly act in pursuit of its desire. During a wave, many will be born due to the higher Mana level.]

[So� a ghost.]

I hate this stratum.

Sometimes Isaac Bird had questions for himself. Such as�how the heck did he end up preparing to assault the land of demons alongside a massive army of ant monsters? Or�should he grow a full beard or just stick with a moustache?.

The latter was probably not as difficult to answer as the former, but each was worthy of careful consideration. �Take each problem, one at a time,� as Ma used to say.

�How long do you think they�re going to make us wait here, Captain?� Margun asked.

Isaac resisted the urge to lean over and spit. He wasn�t a country boy anymore, he had to set the standards for his men. If Morrelia didn�t tolerate spitting in the ranks, then he wasn�t going to either!

He turned to his lieutenant with one brow raised.

�You really that keen to be gettin� your hands dirty, Margun?� he drawled. �I don�t see what the rush is, they put us up pretty damn well right here, all things considered.�

It was true, the Colony had been more than generous, as was their wont, with the accommodations for the human contingent of their war machine. Not just humans, he corrected himself. After the volunteers started to flow from Rylleh, there were a few non-humans amongst the ranks now, including a couple of golgari, displaced from their home kingdom.

�You aren�t wrong there, Isaac. My feet are just getting antsy, I suppose. How are you so relaxed, knowing what�s about to happen?�

He laughed.

�I don�t understand how you�ve got the energy to be nervous, Margun. They�ve had us doing drills and patrols until we drop ever since the wave ended, and it�s not like that was a happy, fun time! If they weren�t busy building all this setup around here, we�d still be at it I wager. Rather than all your fussin�, I suggest you put your feet up while you have a chance.�

The other soldier just stared at him.

�We aren�t talking about a patrol through the tunnels, Isaac! We�re invading the third stratum! You know, the place full of crazy strong demons? That doesn�t worry you?�

Sometimes people couldn�t see the woods for the trees. Another one of Ma�s favourite sayings, and her wisdom was as true today as it was when she passed it down to him.

With great patience, Isaac straightened himself and clapped one hand onto Margun�s shoulder, gesturing behind the man with the other.

�Take a look over there, my friend. Tell me what you see.�

Margun rolled his eyes.

�Oh, come on Isaac, I�m not in the mood for another of your �lessons�.�

Isaac frowned.

�You�ve come over here and bent my ear with your plops, so you�re going to right well listen to what I have to say. Now, out with it.�

�Fine.� With a weary sigh, Margun turned and beheld the very thing they�d been staring at most of the day.

�Alright then,� Isaac said with satisfaction. �Tell me what you see.�

�I see the Colony doing a ton of building and stuff. They�ve been at it for days now, Isaac.�

The former captain of the guard slapped a hand to his forehead. That�s it?

�You don�t see anything other than that?� he asked incredulously. �Bunch of ants building stuff. That�s it?�

Margun rolled his shoulders uncomfortably.

�I don�t know what you�re after here. You know I�ve never been the sharpest tool in the shed.�

�It ain�t nothin� to do wit� bein� smart,� Isaac drawled, forgetting to control his accent. �And all to do wit� payin� attention.�

Isaac took a moment to master himself.

�You see a bunch of ants building stuff. Fine, fine. How many do you see.�

�I dunno. Couple thousand, I guess.�

�Seems like a lot, right? Do you know how many build sites like this one there are?�

�I think there was ten? One for each of the guard companies?�

�Bingo. Ten of these. What does that say to you?�

�That there�s� a lot of ants working?�

�Right. And what are they building?�

�Staging grounds for the invasion.�

�Correct again. Now, there are ten of these staging grounds being built. Let�s ask another question, how many ants do you think would fit into this one?�

Recognition was starting to flicker in Margun�s eyes.

�Around ten thousand, more or less, I would say�� he said.

�Which means the big bad demons you�re talking about are going to get hit with an invasion of a hundred thousand, give or take, monster ants along with ourselves. I�m not sure if you�re a betting man, Margun, but I know where I�d be putting my money.�

Having made his point, Isaac sat down on the porch that had been constructed around the outside of the barracks. The Colony really had gone above and beyond with the facilities, as they always did, and the comfortable beds, spacious rooms, and constant supply of tea, with sugar, was a luxury he�d seldom been able to afford working as a guard in Liria.

�In my opinion,� he sighed as he leaned back until his head was resting on the wall, �the demons are in for a world of pain. They might be powerful monsters, but I don�t think they�ve seen anything like what�s comin� for them. From what I hear, the Great One is already down there kicking up a ruckus. Chances are there won�t be anything left but smoking ruins by the time we turn up.�

�The Great One?� Margun raised a brow. �You a believer now, Isaac? I didn�t take you for the type.�

�Aren�t you from Rylleh? You didn�t see the big guy go to work?�

�I didn�t see for myself, no.�

�If you had, you might be a little more respectful. If they want me to call him �Holy ant of King Mountain,� I�ll doff my cap and play along, and you�d best do the same. Don�t go stickin� your foot in the plops if you don�t need to.�

Having passed on his final wisdom, Isaac Bird closed his eyes and let his mind drift until sleep claimed him. The Colony would work him to the bone soon enough, he was sure of it, so in the meantime, he�d get all the rest he physically could. He floated away into dreamland with the image of a particular Legionary in his mind and a soft smile on his lips.

In the deepest parts of the third stratum, the Mana was so thick it hung in the air like soup. Every breath filled a monster�s lungs with fire and ash, enough to choke most creatures, or burn them from the inside out. Beyond this, an aura of evil hung over every rock and dripped from every stone, as if the sins of the denizens of this place had been so extreme, that they seeped into every atom, penetrating the fibre of matter itself.

In this place, a vast lake of fire could be found. Those that knew of it referred to it as Durgotha, the ever-burning. To the more observant, the lake was not one of fire at all, although it may appear that way. The heat which radiated from the vast pit, more than a kilometre across and hundreds of metres deep, was enough to ignite a normal monster simply for drawing close. Rather than fire, it was pure Fire Mana radiating this deadly heat. So potent it was visible to the naked eye, the pulsing red Mana ebbed and flowed in a slow dance as it was drawn deeper, sinking to the bottom before it would shift to the edges of the lake and rise once more.

To many, even for most demons, this was simply a place of great power, a location to be coveted for its incredible wealth of Mana. Even so, none dared approach; such was simply never done. Those who sought to claim the ever-burning lake for themselves seldom lived long, power of that magnitude was not to be held by the likes of them.

As such, this was a place of fear and caution to demons, best avoided as much as possible. To the oldest of their kind, this location held a different fear. There were precious few places in the third stratum that would support a tier eight demon, that could provide the kind of Mana they needed to survive. In these select locations, the mightiest of demon-kind dwelt, sleeping the ages away as they waited for the call.

Odin Malum crept across the bare stone, instincts screaming of danger. He didn�t want to be here, but the god had spoken, and he found he had no choice but to obey, his blood, the very cells of his body, demanding he acquiesce to the monster he�d seen in his sleep. He hated this servile existence, his pride as a lone wolf couldn�t stand having an authority stand on his shoulders, except he couldn�t perceive a way out.

He�d grown powerful feeding on the lives of those he defeated, but he could not imagine growing strong enough to kill that. Even during his evolution, when he stood before Arconidem, it felt as if his soul shook. If he were to find the demon and appear before him in his physical body, it would likely be even worse. Unconsciously, Odin flexed the blades that extended from his forearms. It had been difficult to travel this far, and only by drawing on every Skill he�d learned in his previous life and this one had he been able to survive.

Now that he was so close to his destination, he hesitated.

It was so quiet. Unnaturally so. Something was missing.

The infant demons were gone. They didn�t spawn in the tunnels between layers, he�d been relieved to learn, grateful not to have the little biters underfoot. For whatever reason, they did not spawn here.

Regardless of his growing unease, Odin was eager to discharge the task the demon god inflicted upon him, so he dipped into his Skills, sunk his profile as low as he could and continued to creep forward. Before him, the churning lake of Mana roared with pure heat that threatened to drive even he, a native-born demon, back. But he persevered until he reached the edge.

Once again, he hesitated, here at the precipice, but even now, when every nerve told him to turn around and leave, his body refused to obey. Instead, he extended one blade and expertly clawed a section of stone free. Using the tip of the saw-like limb, he flipped the freshly carved rock into the air before measuring his strike and batting it out into the middle of Durgotha.

Then, he waited.

In his previous existence as a skilled assassin, Odin had grown used to waiting. Patience was a virtue for any hunter, and he was no different. In fact, in this area, he excelled, capable of waiting for days in cramped locations while his target moved into the perfect position.

Now, he struggled within himself as the seconds dragged on. His core throbbed with his burning need to be anywhere but here, yet his feet remained rooted by the command of Arconidem. War raged within him as he fought for control of his own body, the silence dragging on.

And then, it was too late.

A deep rumble echoed throughout the lake as the Mana began to circulate faster. Before Odin�s horrified eyes, a deep shadow appeared at the bottom of Durgotha, a vast darkness that shifted and grew in his eyes. Ever more quickly, the Fire Mana rotated and thickened as the centre of the pool dipped until the entire lake transformed into a swirling tornado of heat and ash, a massive figure uncoiling in the heart.

Rooted in place, Odin had no choice but to wait and watch as the torrent raged, drawing close enough to his feet that the claws on his toes erupted in flame, burning his immensely resistant skin.

[You have awoken me, little mouse. Speak. Then you shall slake my thirst.]

Like a bubble filled with evil, the thoughts of the great demon intruded into his mind before bursting, flooding his thoughts with a screaming thirst for death that drove almost all semblance of rational thought from his mind. Odin wilted as he battled to preserve his mind, centring his being around his unassailable core of self.

[I have been sent by the demon god,] he gasped, [with a message for his servant, Torrifex.]

[Ahhhhhhh. I have slept so long. At long last, my master has called for me. Speak, little mouse. Tell me what my god would have of me.]

The aura of sin that lay over this place thickened as the great demon woke, stirring until it seemed as if the air itself screamed for blood and slaughter.

[Arconidem demands that you rise and make his children ready for his return. Cull the weak, slaughter the unworthy, and burn those who do not belong.]

The thoughts rose almost unbidden from within him, his mind taking on the immense arrogance and cruelty of the demon god himself.

[The time draws near, then. I will stand before my master once more.]

With an eruption of pure fire, the figure within the depths of the lake surged to the surface. Odin saw nothing except fire and smoke and visions of screaming berserkers.

[Come, little mouse. As I serve, so shall you. There is much work to be done.]

Translucent spirit demons of vestigial obsession are thankfully less common than more mundane threats in the tunnels. That first ghost was a bit of a pain to deal with, mostly because I was so hesitant to approach the ghastly thing in the first place. Tiny helped by growing bored of my slow creep and blasted the thing in the face with a bolt of lightning that caused the creature to shriek and writhe in pain. It blindly retaliated.

More out of instinct than a conscious decision, I tore into the monster with a blast of Ice Magic that shredded what was left of the bundle of animosity and Mana.

What was more surprising still was that I gained experience for it!

[Even this can count as a monster?] I demanded of the all-informed one.

[Yes. Convenient. They can also Level up and evolve, so it is best to be careful in the deeper tunnels, a tier six or seven ghast can be a nuisance to deal with.]

[I bet�]

After that initial encounter, we made good progress, reaping a decent harvest of experience and Biomass as more conventional tier four and five demons stumbled into our paths with regularity. Most of the battles were short and sharp, with Crinis, Tiny, Invidia, and I taking turns to engage, sharing the rewards across the four of us.

At one point, Protectant and her group leapt into action when a second monster charged into a fight when I was already engaged with another target, their increased willingness to be active rearing its head again.

All in all, our trip through the stifling tunnels was quite profitable, and I was more than a little pleased with the final outcome.

[Not bad, not bad at all,] I broadcast generally as I perused my status window.

A significant stockpile of Biomass to spend and a few Levels tucked away under the belt as well. Can�t say I�m sad about the haul! Certainly, a healthy return for the time invested. Since we�ve risen to tier six, this has definitely been the richest hunting ground we�ve stumbled upon. I have to thank Al for showing us this place as we begin to make our way out.

[This has been a rather rewarding trip. Thanks for being our guide, Al.]

[It has been no trouble,] the eye gleams with pleasure. [The new knowledge I have acquired has been ample compensation.]

I slump. This guy isn�t happy to ask just one or two questions, he always tries to mine as deep as possible into a topic. On the flip side, I�ve been able to answer both Al�s insatiable appetite for knowledge, whilst also educating the hatchling on a number of subjects at the same time. Brilliant may not be quite as detail-oriented as the demon, but she is certainly curious about a broad range of ideas and listens with a keen mind as I try my best to satisfy Al.

[Well, hopefully whatever mess has blown up in the city has died down a little. I think we�ve been down here for a couple of days?]

[That is my hope as well. Irritated. I hope the various factions have calmed themselves to the point that my return will not once again upset the balance.]

I�m a little more worried about my reception than I am about Al�s, considering he can essentially vanish himself any time he wants to. Seeing as how he�s lived in Roklu for so long, despite being persona non grata, I suspect he can even hide from the prying eyes of Grokus himself.

[We�re heading back to the city, everyone,] I inform my team. [Keep your eyes open for any trouble, especially as we get closer to the pillar. I don�t want anyone dropping bricks on us, metaphorically speaking.]

Using the Tunnel Map, it isn�t hard to navigate the winding warren of narrow tunnels that make up this section of Dungeon, and before long, we loop back to where we first entered.

[Master!]

Crinis� warning comes roughly at the same time as I see them myself, rounding a corner roughly a hundred metres of tunnel in front of us. There�s immediately something about the situation that feels vaguely familiar.

[You INSECT! How dare you DEFILE my presence in this way!] the pride demon in the lead bellows at me via a Mind Bridge that rudely intrudes into my mind.

[Are you serious?] I demand. [You can�t be serious right now!]

[A group of SNIVELLING cowards scurrying the cracks around Roklu as the grand war draws near? Don�t even DARE to try and convince me you are unrelated!]

I turn to the rest of my group.

[He�s not serious, right? What are the odds that something like this could possibly happen again? Hey, Al! Can you�aaaand he�s gone.]

Stupid eyeball!

[Prepare to feel the weight of my displeasure, CRETINS!]

Pride demons really are in a league of their own when it comes to speaking in a way that really grates against the mind. It�s like they have their nose in the air when speaking to you, except it�s not a nose, but rather their entire consciousness.

Filled with a sense of exasperation, I watch as the pride demon leads its small team in a valiant charge, spells already forming in the air between the two groups.

I sigh.

[Invidia, can you snatch up Brilliant? She�s trying to escape again. Everyone else, let�s pile in.]

I�m coming to learn that a fight between groups of tier six monsters tends to be quite short and sharp, especially since most of the demons we encounter aren�t built to endure. Sharp attacks that frontload the damage and bodies that aren�t really designed to take a hit and keep coming. At least, not the sort of hits that Tiny delivers.

As the two groups close in on each other, Tiny bounds in, weathering a barrage of spells that puncture his flesh and sear him, not that it strips the wild grin from his face. It does, however, fuel the burning rage in his eyes.

Body alight with electricity, the big ape leaps, wings unfurled, and delivers a deafening screech, freezing the demon offensive in its tracks for a fraction of a second. Which is naturally all he needs to wind back one massive arm and unleash a straight right that knocks the pride demon directly into the next stratum. Not quite, of course, the demon is still alive, but after flying dozens of metres backward and slamming into the stone wall of the tunnel, anyone would be worse for wear.

As is natural, Tiny has left himself completely open in order to achieve this opening gambit, and had Crinis not anticipated such, he would have been shredded in the following few seconds, especially since Invidia is busy stuffing the hatchling into his interdimensional maw and can�t shield him right now.

Into the breach Crinis steps, or slithers�whatever. Tentacles erupt from the unnatural shadows that have formed in the tunnel, threatening to encircle any demon caught unawares and commit their dark works.

With the demons occupied warding away the encroaching limbs, Tiny has the space he needs to regain his posture and bring his hands up, ready to fight. Which is when I burst into the scene.

CHARGE!

It�s a comforting thought that even two strata out of date, my mandibles are capable of getting the job done.

DOOM CHOMP!

With a crunch that reverberates off the walls, the dark mandibles of manifested energy slam shut, causing devastating damage to the poor demons caught within. Before the caster demon can even begin to weave a spell to heal or defend, the bodyguards are already in action, appearing from thin air to execute their devastating takedown strategy, leaving no opening as they remove a single demon from the equation.

With no front line to hold down the fort, there is little the remaining demons can do. They�re too busy fending off the myriad of tentacles from Crinis to properly protect themselves from Tiny. The big ape wades into range, his mighty fists almost appearing to vanish as he unleashes a blistering combination of punches that shatter the air with powerful bolts of electricity.

Just like that, the fight is done.

I really do wonder if it�s too easy? Are these demons weak? Are we strong? Being equal tier, they should have the advantage over us considering the gap between stratum. We might have upgraded various parts of ourselves, but we can�t hope to match up with them, who are made of better stuff from the moment they were spawned.

I suppose some of the difference can be explained by the difference in evolution. I get the feeling, watching the little ankle biters go at it, that most don�t evolve with complete cores every step of the way. Their struggle is so desperate that they likely evolve the very second they feel they can, particularly in the first few tiers.

Still, it doesn�t seem to add up. To sort out my confusion, I turn to the burning corona of all wisdom, Al.

[Is it just me, Al, or are we dealing with these groups of demons a bit too easily? I mean, they�re tier six.]

The demon wobbles in the air and I just know he�s considering what information he�ll extract from us as recompense. Luckily, I�m yet to draw on my secret reservoir of media from my previous life. Outside of Tolkien, I haven�t detailed any sort of fiction at all! I have enough juice in the tank to keep this going for a long time to come.

[It is a mistake to think all demons are created equally,] the floating eye informs me. [Some are weaker than others and there could be any number of reasons. Age is a major factor, which directly affects the strength of a demon�s Skills and mutations. But in this case, I simply think you are being underestimated. Most demons have a poor opinion of the monsters who spawn higher up in the Dungeon, generally for good reason. For the most part, they are much stronger than monsters like you. When these demons see you, they simply don�t see a threat, which is leading them to fight poorly.]

[Huh. Makes sense. It would be like a human seeing a sheep jump up and offer to wrestle. The demons down here have probably never even seen a first stratum monster, let alone had to fight one. Far from having their guard up, they practically have their pants around their ankles.]

[Speak to me of these� pants.]

For the rest of our journey back to the Plains of Leng, I explain the concept of pants to the giant flaming eyeball, who takes quite an interest despite not having any legs.

[Why would some of these pants be� buttless?]

[I�m going to be honest with you, I never did find that out. All I can tell you is that such things do, or did, in fact, exist.]

[Fascinating.]

[I guess so? To be honest, I find the variety of demons on this stratum to be far more fascinating.]

[I have lived with them my entire life. I long ago learned as much as I could of my kind. I do not believe I know all, but that which I can learn in this place, I have.]

That tickles my interest a little�

[You do actually think there�s demons you haven�t met? I mean, types of demons? I would have thought there wouldn�t be much you haven�t run into by the time you reach tier seven.]

The big eye flutters in the air as if laughing.

[No. I do not venture to the deeper places in the land of demons. I prefer to stay in an out of the way location like this, someplace I can lay low. Inconspicuous. This means I have not encountered the most powerful and most dangerous of my kind.]

[The tier eight demons?]

[Exactly so. Few and far between, they are. Even tier seven is rare enough that one must travel far and wide to see even a hundred, and I am certain that more than a hundred varieties exist.]

[I wouldn�t be surprised, judging by the sheer scope of tier six demons I�ve seen.]

Soon enough, we reach the surface and find ourselves ankle-deep in infant demons. As the little biters skitter to the side, we begin the trek back to the base of the pillar that supports Roklu. By the time the city comes into sight, it�s clear that something major is going on up there.

The fire and smoke I remember from when we left are still present. If anything, they actually seem a lot stronger. Also, it�s hard to tell from here, but I feel as if there�s something different about the pillar�

Yeah, there definitely is. As we continue our march, the picture becomes clearer by the moment. Just above the city, a huge floating disc of energy is hovering, much like the one we saw the first pride demon and his posse riding on, but significantly larger. Judging by the flashes of light and abundant smoke, demons on the disc are busy exchanging spells with others in the city below.

As if that weren�t enough, there appear to be huge threads anchored to the city from kilometres above, descending down from the ceiling. It�s hard to make out from here, but I get a sneaking suspicion that the Colony is involved, probably climbing down to the city using this method that they�ve devised to avoid relying on the pillar.

Fast! They�re acting way faster than I thought they would! To put all of this together in such a short time� I don�t doubt the nameless ones have been busy over the last few days.

Grokus enjoyed being a city lord for a few, very simple reasons. First, it meant he didn�t have to put up with anything getting between himself and the only thing that gave him satisfaction in life: eating. Secondly, it meant he had a city full of demons who he could force to provide the abundant amount of Biomass he required without having to lift a finger.

It�d been decades since he bothered to check how much Biomass he�d amassed, having maxed out his mutations ages ago. It was likely to be well into the thousands, perhaps even the tens of thousands, despite the fact he only ate things a lower tier than himself.

Tier seven prey just didn�t offer itself up on a plate� not out here.

He had ruled over Roklu in this manner for centuries, content to allow the backwater city to remain a weak and uninteresting entity that none would bother to pay attention to. This way, he could continue to feast without pause and indulge his desires without concern, a paradise for a demon such as himself.

However, things had begun to change in the last decade. First had been the arrival of Allocrix, a powerful tier seven demon fleeing some trouble from a deeper layer, keen to avoid detection.

As the city lord, Grokus had always acted swiftly to dispose of would-be rivals to his throne, but Allocrix was slippery and cunning. The filthy fireball could only be caught by Grokus himself, which would necessitate he actually move, something he hadn�t had to do for several decades. It would also mean he had to stop eating! Unforgivable. Before he�d managed to reconcile himself to the possibility of having to physically shift his bulk, another tier seven had arisen, this time from within the city itself!

Mongu�nin had gotten lost on a scouting mission into the tunnels and had not only survived, but thrived under the pressure, achieving the coveted evolution to tier seven and enough power to threaten Grokus� position. If the lord were to stir himself and venture out into the city, there were now two rivals who could move against him, not odds that he liked. So had the long standoff begun, with Grokus unwilling to move, Allocrix not wanting to make a move, and Mongu�nin seeking to strengthen himself by devouring the weaker of his two obstacles before trying to conquer the city for himself.

This state of uncertainty hung over the city for years and went a long way to ruining Grokus� appetite before he was finally willing to try and break the deadlock. Out of desperation, he agreed to host the Church of the Path and provide the� materials, for their practices from his own citizens. With a steady source of experience, it was only a matter of time until he grew in strength to the point he no longer needed to fear his rivals and could once again eat in peace.

Then more trouble just kept coming! The attention the church brought to his city was unwelcome. A powerful and ambitious lord rose in nearby Orpule, and lately, that damned ant! Just thinking of that irritating insect was enough to churn the acid in his gut.

He�d hoped that introducing the interloper from the first stratum might tip the apple cart a little, or perhaps even draw the church into cleaning up the problem for him. Instead, the damned invader just destroyed half the city and fled, but only after stirring Mongu�nin into a rage that lasted an entire day! To top things off, Allocrix appeared to have allied himself with the newcomers, and there were steady reports of suspicious activity at the top of the pillar. Not to mention the growing pressure from Brixin, the neighbouring city lord.

[As I told you before, I know nothing of secret forces dispatched to act against your city, Brixin! If your raiding parties have been destroyed, then it is not by my hand!]

The mind array that connected his mind to that of his fellow lord, far away in Orpule, crackled with indignant energy.

[Do you expect me to believe a word that comes out of your mouth, Grokus? Two of my raid groups have vanished, one of them not so much as an hour ago, and you really think I�ll accept your denials? INSOLENCE. I will not tolerate this insult! I am escalating our formal war to one of conquest.]

One massive hand froze in the act of shovelling food into his mouth as he processed this, and Grokus cursed internally. Despite the bluster, he could almost detect the smug radiating off Brixin from where she sat.

[You�ve been looking for any excuse to escalate this war,] the enormous demon rumbled dangerously. [I wouldn�t put it past you to have destroyed your own raiding parties in order to pull this.]

Brixin was not intimidated. Far from it, this was the conflict she craved.

[I am coming for you myself, Grokus. I�m not even an hour away. Make sure you fatten yourself up a little more before I get there.]

The array went dead. He shoved it away and resumed shovelling Biomass into his maw. Inside, his vast stomach that occupied not only this dimension, but another as well, rumbled in displeasure at the delay. He would need his strength soon enough. How long had it been since he was forced to fight?

He turned to his attendant demons.

[Rally the city,] he demanded. [A full invasion will occur in an hour. Ensure Mongu�nin knows who the real enemy is.]

If that fool decided to rampage again, then all would be for naught. This was a bad position to be in, but all wasn�t lost yet. If things went well, it might even turn to his favour. He would need to call on the human, Alir Vinting�drag him out of his chapel if he had to. With the church on his side, he would have a chance to repulse the attack from Orpule, and with a little luck, remove one of his rivals at the same time. If only Allocrix were still in the city, then he would have been able to move against that threat as well�

[City lord! Something is happening above!]

[What?]

Unwilling to deal with more surprises, Grokus craned the humanoid neck of his upper body back so he could stare directly up the pillar to where it connected with the world above. It was difficult to make out, even for senses as finely attuned as his own, but something was going on up there. Wait, is something dropping down? At first, it was a steady downpour of loose soil, then rocks, then boulders that began to fall, most of them missing the city, but a few crashing on buildings with a resounding roar.

Then came the spears.

Honed pillars of gleaming steel, the four spears fell like hammer blows from an angry god, smashing through whatever they landed on and penetrating deep into the stone plate Roklu resided on. Blinking all of his eyes in bewilderment, Grokus stared as four separate cords, each one metres thick, gradually wound up and pulled tight, connecting the plate to the roof high above in four new places. The acid in his stomach roiled unpleasantly.

Just what on Pangera was happening?

�Are you sure this is going to work?� Sloan asked Cobalt tentatively.

�Sure? Of course I�m sure! Did you think I sat around here crunching numbers between my mandibles for twenty hours just for the heck of it?�

�I just wanted to check! Please, keep working.� The general made a tactical retreat to where several other Council members were standing at a safe distance.

�Gotta be careful around the carvers right now,� Wills greeted her. �They are more than a little touchy.�

�Can�t really say I blame them,� Sloan muttered. �Considering how hard they�ve been working, and the constant threat of being dragged off for torpor.�

�That reminds me,� Bella chipped in. �Didn�t Cobalt get dragged away yesterday?�

�She did. The moment she woke up, she was back at it,� Wills confirmed.

They all fell silent as they internally paid tribute to the incredible fortitude of the carvers, the great builders of the Colony. To face down not only an insurmountable amount of work, but the torpor police at the same time, it took more courage than most soldiers would dream of claiming.

Wills took another look at the huge steel constructs being assembled.

�Just so I get this straight in my mind,� she said. �They want to drop these down and drive them into the plate that holds the city so we can run down the cables in order to assault the city?�

�That sums it up,� Sloan said.

�I don�t know� that doesn�t seem� nuts, to any of you?�

�It�s a bit extreme,� Sloan agreed. �Although when you think about it, there aren�t really any safe ways to assault the city from up here. You either climb the pillar, an idea I�ve ruled out since our enemy is likely prepared for such an approach�though we doubt they expect a serious assault from above at all. Or, you make your own way down. We considered creating a unit of flying soldiers or scouts to secure a landing ground for us, but the evolutionary costs are prohibitive.�

�We�re looking at it as a possibility for tier six scouts,� Wills said absently, still staring at the huge spears. �That�ll be a while off happening yet.�

The number of tier five members of the Colony was slowly increasing, but there weren�t many, barely more than a thousand, each and every one of which would be participating in this assault. To counterbalance that, the fact that the Eldest had reached tier six had inspired the ants to reach for that next threshold. Indeed, another member of the Colony had already crossed it.

A level of strength that had once only belonged to the Queen was now being shared amongst a select few of her children. Hopefully, there would soon be more of them!

�Hey-there-guys-how-are-you-all�ah-whoops-I-didn�t-stop-fast-enough-noooooooo!�

A blast of pheromones washed over the small group milliseconds before a detonation sounded from a nearby wall which raised a storm of cursing from exhausted construction workers. When the dust cleared, the second ant to reach the sixth tier was revealed, upside down, her six legs flailing in the air.

�I�m-not-used-to-my-speed-yet-heeeeeeeeelp!� she laughed.

It took a few seconds for Sloan to translate what she could smell, and only then did they try to right the new arrival.

�Vibrant. I�ve told you before that we can�t understand what you�re trying to say when you talk that fast! You have to slow it down for us!�

�Kay-kay!� the soldier cheered as her legs started to flex the moment they were beneath her again.

From the second she�d woken up after achieving her evolution, there�d barely been a solitary moment when she hadn�t been running. If her previous speed had been absurd, then at tier six, she was practically lightning. If the ants who saw her didn�t have decently mutated vision, she was nothing but a blur, if that.

�I�m moving so fast now that I just can�t quite get used to it! I think I�ll need to mutate my brain again before I�ll be able to handle this much speed! Anyway, how are all of you doing? You look tired! Are you working too hard? Don�t let the torpor police catch you! If you want to keep away from them, my advice is to be fast. The faster the better! Though it doesn�t always help when Crin-Crin is involved, but it�s better than nothing. Hey, what are those huge metal things? They look amazing! Is anyone else getting a little bored standing here? I know I am! I might go for a run then, bye!�

Before anyone could squeeze a scent in edgeways, she was gone, accelerating so fast she left an afterimage in her wake.

�Dammit! I had questions!� Sloan grumbled. �I need to know what she�s capable of now that she�s evolved so I can factor it into our plans!�

�Good luck getting her to sit down and explain it to you,� Wills laughed. �Best bet is you wait for the Eldest to get back. They can probably pin her down long enough to take a peek at her core and then let you know what the story is.�

�That�ll be after the assault,� the general fretted. �I don�t like having unknown factors in a battle, even if they�re on my side. Maybe especially when they�re on my side.�

�Vibrant will be fine, you shouldn�t stress about her.� Wills brushed her concerns aside, �Having more power on our side can only be a good thing, right?�

�Prepare for the drop! Make sure you double check your prescribed angles! We start tunnelling in ten minutes!� Cobalt called from the construction floor.

Sloan could indeed see the last segment of the four giant spearheads had been slotted into place and the enormous kilometres long cables attached at the base.

�Oh snap! She�s just going to start in ten minutes? The troops aren�t in place!� Sloan scrambled away, rushing to let the generals know what was happening.

�Do you need speed lessons from Vibrant?� Wills laughed.

Bella looked steadily at her sibling until the scout was forced to ask.

�What? Are my antennae crooked or something?�

�Don�t you have to get your scouts into position as well? They�re an integral part of the assault plan, are they not?�

�Ah� right.�

In a flash, the scout was gone, rushing into the distance and calling to all scouts within scent range. Bella could only shake her head at this level of incompetence. Her caste members had been in position for hours, expecting that something like this might happen. She relaxed and watched as the carvers prepared for the final act. After all their meticulous preparation, the work progressed swiftly until Cobalt ordered the earth mages to begin work.

At the same time, they began to tunnel away the ground beneath the four spearheads even as other mages used the shifting ground to twist the colossal metal structures, forcing them to drill deeper as they fell. The ants worked under extreme pressure, the angle and amount of force required were precise, too much or too little could shatter the spearheads or make them drop off target. Failure could not be accepted!

They gritted their mandibles and focused their minds, working in harmony as they had practiced to dig with incredible precision. Metre by metre, the huge metal blades drove down, shimmering with the hardening enchantments that had been lavished upon each of them.

The ten staging grounds began to flood with ants as hordes of soldiers, scouts, mages, and generals rushed to get into place. Every minute, thousands poured into the vast staging area, silently watching as more of the cable vanished into the holes the spearheads had left behind.

�FINAL CHECK!� Cobalt roared.

A pause.

�CLEAR! DROP! DROP! DROP!�

With a final burst of effort, the mages forced the metal and dug away at the final section of rock, after which the steel constructs broke through, dropping with rapid acceleration to the city below.

The sound of the cables uncoiling and plunging through the hole was almost deafening, but the ants watched it unfold in rapt silence. The impact of the spears on the city couldn�t be heard this far away, but the sudden stillness of the cables told the ants all they needed to know. A prepared team of mighty soldiers hauled, drawing the slack tight.

�ADVANCE!� Sloan called.

Silent and with purpose, the first battalions of ants stepped forward, one for each cable. In short order, they attached themselves and began to descend, followed by the next, then the next, then the next.

It was time for a new stratum to know the dominance of the Colony.

I knew the Colony would make a move to conquer a portion of the third stratum, it�s practically a requirement for us to grow enough that we will be able to survive, but I didn�t think it was going to start this soon!

Holy moly, they must have worked themselves half to death up there. Smoke is rising from inside the city, and I can only imagine that the fighting has begun.

[We need to get up there, squad!] I holler at the others. [We need to hustle up the pillar!]

I begin an all-out sprint in the hopes of joining the Colony in their fight as soon as possible. If they�re going to take down a demon as powerful as Grokus, they�re going to need the tier six firepower that my pets and I bring!

[Perhaps it might be time that I offer my assistance?] Al breaks in, appearing beside me even as I sprint. [There is a faster way to reach the city. We can fly.]

[YOU might be able to fly,] I grate out, [but some of us aren�t multi-dimensional beings of almost pure energy! I�m an ant who turned down wings when I evolved. Multiple times! I for one definitely cannot fly!]

The giant eye flickers.

[Ants can fly? Fascinating.]

[Not all of us and not all the time, but yes, there are ants that fly and IS THIS REALLY THE TIME?]

[Ah. It is not. I do not mean that you need to fly, but that I can create a force platform to carry us. I will likely need your pet demon to assist me to carry your combined weight, but I believe it will be possible.]

[The demon�s name is Invidia,] I point out. [He�s not just a pet.]

[As you say.]

I direct my attention to my green-eyed friend.

[Invidia, Al is going to make a force platform, or something, and he says you need to help him out. Make it happen so we can get to the city and support the Colony, alright?]

[It shallll be donessss.]

I screech to a halt and the eyeballs confer silently. Then a shimmering disc of Mana solidifies in the air before us. Scanning it with my senses, I can tell a tremendous amount of energy has gone into its construction.

[Wow! You can manipulate this thing with your mind?]

[I can,] Al confirms. [Although shifting it with so much mass upon it will strain me greatly. With the assistance of� Invidia, I will be able to manage.]

[Alright then. On we go, Tiny!]

The big ape and I move swiftly and jump onto the platform which sinks a little under our weight. I shouldn�t be surprised, the two of us combined must be well above ten tons. In fact, I don�t want to know how much I weigh, I feel like it would be hard for me, a former human, to accept that my body is now so massive an elephant would run in fear if it saw me on the scales.

Not only am I huge by any standard of earth animal, I�m also significantly denser, due to the System allowing monsters to pack their muscle fibres closer together than would normally be possible. If I ever reset my musculature, I can only imagine how tightly packed it�ll all become. The weight to performance ratio will be insane. Well, even more insane.

Honestly, the physics and biology of how an insect the size of me could possibly be running around isn�t something I remotely pretend to understand, such things were completely impossible on earth, so I�ll just keep handwaving it away and saying Mana is responsible.

Since it probably is.

With Invidia lending his considerable brainpower to managing the disc, Al is able to lift us bulky monsters, and the disc rises into the sky. Slowly at first, but with growing momentum, we float upward to the city above. It�s a strange sensation and not a little unnerving. I can partially see through the disc, which doesn�t help things. Luckily, if I tilt my head back a little, I can barely see what�s going on at my feet zone, so I can distract myself and avoid thinking about the ground which is steadily vanishing beneath us.

It�s a long ride up, even though our speed continues to rise. The closer we get, the more I can detect the acrid tang of a formic barrage in the air. Smells like the Colony has subjected the city to a massive bombardment of acid to soften it up for the full invasion. What�s more, the number of ants within range of the Vestibule climbs the closer we get. The energy of thousands, tens of thousands, pours into me, washing away my fatigue, clarifying my mind, and easing the ache in my tired muscles.

With this much power flowing through me, I�m unbeatable!

Or at least, it feels that way.

[Tiny, Crinis, Invidia. When we get up there, we have only one objective: help the Colony conquer the city as quickly as possible. That means going after the heavy hitters, of which we have two main targets. Grokus and Mongi� guy. Let�s call him Mongo. Both are tier seven, which is higher than us, if I need to remind you. When facing either of them, we need to proceed with extreme caution. Gang up on them. Kick them from behind. Strike from the shadows. I don�t care what sort of nasty tricks we need to use, we use them and get the job done fast!]

[I believe I may be of some help in this,] the detached voice of Al breaks into my mental communication.

[Oh?] I eye the big eye. [You really want to get involved? I thought this was exactly what you didn�t want to get involved in.]

[On the contrary, this conflict could result in an outcome, the only outcome, that will allow me to remain here in peace. Grokus dethroned and replaced by not Mongu�nin. For this, I will lend my support against Mongu�nin, though I cannot defeat him alone. Against Grokus, my strengths will not be as effective, I will be of little use there.]

[How so?] I find that a little confusing.

[He is highly resistant to Mana. Most spells will simply wash off his bulk.]

[That� is inconvenient. In that case, I�ll send Invidia to team up with you. Tiny and Crinis can come with me. Divide and conquer.]

We wait out the rest of the ride in silence, the city growing larger each second. When we crest the edge, a scene of complete chaos is laid bare before my eyes. A deluge of acid has poured across the streets, causing steam to rise from every building as it�s chewed away. From the four massive cables the Colony has embedded in the rock, an endless swarm of ants leap into the city, forming a boundless wave of gnashing mandibles and hardened chitin.

Filled with the vibrant call of their spirit, I leap onto the acid-covered stone, my body overflowing with the Will of the Colony.

�FOR THE COLONY!� I cry, spreading the call of my pheromones far and wide.

I can scent the war cry echoed throughout Roklu as tens of thousands of individuals take up the call, soaking the rock in the indomitable will of ant-kind.

Grokus had known something was brewing in the stratum above. A pesky colony of ants led by an unusually large specimen, he hadn�t thought it would be anything he couldn�t manage, but this? This was absurd!

The constant rain of acid began soon after the spears plunged into the rocky disk, coating everything, including himself, in the burning liquid. It wasn�t enough to damage him, but it was certainly enough to tick him off. How long had it been since he�d actually been personally attacked? A hundred years? This entire situation was ridiculous! But it wasn�t too late to turn it to his advantage.

�Where is that filthy human, Alir! Why has he not responded to my summons?� he demanded of the air.

He was in a bad position right now, but with the support of the Church of the Path, everything could be salvaged. He did not underestimate the strength that the church could bring, far from it, he held high expectations. As chaos reigned all around him, Grokus counted down the long seconds as he impatiently waited for news of the priest.

With disaster looming larger and the demons falling into disarray, he�d grown irritated enough that he�d begun to stir himself at last, shifting the weight on his ponderous legs that hadn�t seen daylight in over a decade. He was about to take his first step when a Mind Bridge reached out to him from across the city. Recognising the mental patterns of the human, he allowed the connection.

[It has taken you some time to respond to my call, priest.]

The city lord allowed his mind to rumble with the undertones of the displeasure he felt. He may be the supplicant in this situation, but he still demanded the respect a demon city lord was due.

On the other side of the connection, Alir Vinting rolled his eyes within the inner sanctum of his temple. Push had come to shove and now he wanted to beg a favour. The greed of a demon like Grokus was only to be expected, really, considering what he was.

[Things have been rather hectic, as you might well imagine,] Alir responded dryly, not bothering to mask his dislike for the touch of the demonic mind against his own. [How might I serve you, O child of the Path?]

Grokus grit the teeth in both his mouths at the open mocking, but swallowed his anger down to his belly, where he allowed it to simmer.

[I had hoped your hierarchy would have a response to the deal I proposed,] Grokus said. [It seems that the time is ripe for a harvest as the insects have delivered themselves to our doorstep, saving you the trouble of hunting them.]

Alir tried not to yawn in case it was somehow transmitted across the bridge.

[Well, the cardinals were unsure whether the burden of cost for using the gate would be⁠�]

[I will waive the cost,] Grokus forced out. [Quite the tempting offer, wouldn�t you say?]

Even now, with a rain of ant acid dropping on his city, the massive demon was still trying to hold onto every scrap of advantage he could. If Alir didn�t detest the games and petty manoeuvring of demons so much, he might have found it impressive. Instead, he felt it was a pathetic show of false strength.

[Grokus. I know what has happened with Orpule. Right now, their forces are streaming toward this city, and on top of that, you have an invasion from above to deal with. Your rule is hanging by a thread, and you come to me asking that the faithful deal with your problem like you�re doing us a favour?]

[The ants are weak,] Grokus waved a hand. [You could sweep half of them from the city yourself. There are thousands of them coming, I can sense them already. Such a wealth in cores and� subjects you could extract from, would be nothing but a boon to you, don�t you agree?]

[Right,] Alir grunted, noncommittally. [Except that I have a little information on these particular insects. Fascinating what can trickle down the grape vine if you squeeze it hard enough. They may not be quite as simple to deal with as you imagine.]

Still seated atop his throne, Grokus guffawed, the mouth split across his belly spraying drool over the courtyard.

[Pathetic monsters of the first stratum? Surely, you do not fear them? You really think they stand a chance against demons?]

Superiority between monsters was an idiotic concept as far as Alir was concerned, none were better than any others, they were all simply kindling. The only difference was how fast they burned.

[They have earned the respect of the Legion, and anything the Legion respects is something I fear,] he said.

That gave Grokus pause. The Abyssal Legion had swept through the third stratum once during his lifetime, leaving death and destruction in their wake wherever they tread.

[You cannot be serious�]

Grokus looked up at the four ropes descending from far above, each already bristling with ants marching down, spraying acid as they went. He was supposed to fear� them?

[The church has decided not to involve themselves in this matter. In fact, they have decided to recall all the faithful from Roklu. You are a sinking ship, Grokus. We are getting off.]

The city lord was stunned.

[Wh�H�Do you really think you can get away with this!] he raged. [You think I�ll just allow you to walk out of my city and through the gate?]

[No. Which is why we installed our own gate within the temple,] Alir sneered as he stood from his chair. He�d delayed long enough, he was now alone within the temple, everyone else had already escaped. [Die well, Grokus.]

With that final word, he broke the bridge that connected him to the enraged lord and stepped through the gate, a wry smile on his face.

Next to the pillar, Grokus was infuriated. With a sweep of one massive arm, he shattered a score of statues that had been erected around his garden, scattering the pieces far and wide.

Betrayed by a filthy human? That damned bite-sized larva! In the depths of his rage, a cold, calculated logic settled on the gigantic demon. If he were to survive this situation, then there was only one way he would manage it. He had to rally the demons of his city and fight his way out. The ants first, then the demon raid. He would either rise and stand victorious to gorge on the fallen, or he himself would become food, fuel for others� growth.

With a mighty heave, he shoved with his legs and raised his ponderous bulk off the ground.

The moment I set foot in the city, a flood of sensory information flows in, threatening to dazzle me with its intensity. Teams of ants are roaming everywhere, pouncing on any demon who shows any sign of resistance. Through the Vestibule, I learn there are two main pockets of resistance to be found, both of them unsurprisingly centred around the two tier seven demons remaining. It�s an easy bet that Grokus himself is fighting close to the pillar near his palace. I can sense a huge concentration of ants in that direction, whereas the other clump is likely to be where Mongo had holed up.

[Let�s split here!] I tell the group and Dash toward the centre of the city.

Gotta go fast! Drawing on my inner Vibrant, I channel the power flooding through my Spirit Nave and turn it into strength, filling my body with vigour and helping me run even faster. Aha! Behind me, Invidia and Al disappear as they split off to deal with another threat, whereas Crinis and Tiny continue with me.

We race through the tangled web of buildings, and any demon unfortunate enough to get in our way meets a grisly and sudden end. We don�t have time to mess around! I can hear the roar of the fighting before I see it, the constant hiss of acid being released along with the percussive impacts that rattle through the stone beneath my legs as spells are hurled from both sides. The smell of my family is everywhere, layered pheromones of commands, cries for assistance, and battle cries that echo against my antennae.

I�m coming!

We burst into the clear to find quite the scene. A literal wall of ants has formed, gnashing and spitting acid as Grokus himself, surrounded by a cadre of his most loyal demons, attempts to storm out of his compound. The city lord has undergone a hideous transformation, if that�s even possible. The humanoid torso that sits atop his bulk is bellowing constantly, spitting a stream of abuse toward my siblings. The main mouth that splits the front of his body in half is off the ground for a change, revealing wide, elephant-like feet underneath that crunch into the stone with every step.

The mouth itself is the stuff of nightmares, similar to Crinis� in that it appears less a mouth and more a portal to a separate dimension entirely reserved for suffering. His throat yawns like a void behind rows of needle-sharp demon teeth.

The moment I burst onto the scene, a chorus of cheers rise from the assembled ants.

�The Eldest is here!�

�They�ve arrived!�

�Slacker! We�ve been working over here!�

�Stop being lazy! There�s a job to do!�

�YEAH, YEAH! SHEESH!� I curse my own siblings as I rush forward to do battle. �Give me a break already. Nobody told me when you were attacking the city!�

My protestations are met with a chorus of boos and jeers, which is a little hurtful. Ingrates! Nothing for it though, time to get to work. My minds come together and forge a powerful Mind Bridge that I ram directly into Grokus� head before the huge demon can react.

[Hey there, big guy! Are you ready to dance?]

The moment I connect to him, his smaller pair of eyes focus on me with laser-like intensity.

[DAMNED INSECT!] his voice rumbles in my mind, full of wrath. [BECOME MY FOOD AND I MIGHT FORGIVE YOU!]

[I don�t think so. Look around, we�ve got a lot of mouths to feed in the Colony, so I think your Biomass is going to wind up in a good place!]

With nothing else left to say, I Charge, my loyal pets by my side as we draw closer to the wall. The ants part before us, giving us a clear lane and then surge forward behind us.

It�ll all get decided here!

As cool as he�d tried to play it, Isaac wasn�t exactly pleased to be where he was. The ground beneath him felt like fire against his boots, and the air itself scorched his lungs whenever he took a breath. Sweat fell in a constant stream from his brow and he�d stopped bothering to try and wipe it from his eyes. There was plenty more where that water came from. The ants had loaded them up with canisters of water before they�d come down, and most of the human contingent had knocked the lot of it back before they�d even set foot in the city.

�HOLD THE LINE, DAMMIT!� he roared as he furiously worked his spear, holding the demonic push as far from his person as possible.

On either side, his fellow soldiers roared along with him. Teeth gritted, their heels dug in and using micro Dashes to slam their weapons into the demons whenever they found an opening. The constant drone of the priest behind him was a reassuring sound, since it meant Isaac and his group wouldn�t be without the powerful buff that was keeping their heads on their shoulders anytime soon.

�HOW MUCH LONGER?�

�Captain! Sir! I don�t know!�

�THAT�S ABOUT AS USEFUL AS A BARREL OF PLOPS, YOU DAMNED MORON! YOU REALLY THINK WE CAN HOLD LIKE THIS FOR LONG?�

Isaac felt sure his mother would be less than impressed by his tone and language, but the current situation was trying his patience something fierce. His squad had been flanking the demon position that surrounded the huge monster that was holding off the Colony on the outskirts of the plate when they�d run into a group of four moving to reinforce the suspected tier seven.

Naturally, he�d cut them off and prevent them from joining the main fight, but that left his small group facing off against four bloodthirsty tier six demons, which wasn�t a fight they would win, or come close to winning. The last few minutes had been a desperate, all or nothing struggle to prevent his soldiers from getting eaten, an endeavour in which he�d been successful� so far.

Backed into a corner with spears forward, he didn�t like the way these demons were leering at him, as if they were considering what sides to serve him with.

�Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on! COME ON!� he screamed as he raised one hand to present a rude gesture to the monsters.

He never did find out if they understood what the gesture meant. One moment they were there, about to charge into the blade of his spear and rip him apart, the next they were� gone. A fine mist all that remained of them.

�Uh, Captain?� one of his men whispered with awe. �Was that you?�

Isaac turned to the poor fool.

�No it wasn�t me, you idiot! If I could turn demons into mist whenever I wanted, you think I would have let them kick our arses all over the street?�

�Probably not, sir.�

The tension gone out of him, Isaac collapsed into the wall.

�Probably not�� he agreed.

Still hidden from perception overhead, Allocrix looked down on the relieved humans with mixed feelings.

[You are certain your master would wish these to be saved?] he asked his floating companion.

[Their livessss belong to the masssster,] the envy demon hissed. [None sssshall take from him!]

Allocrix took no offence, he was no stranger to the ways of demons, and the obsessions of envy were quite familiar. He dismissed the matter and continued to make his way toward the billowing Mana of Mongu�nin, his recent rival. Allocrix did not yearn for combat, or vengeance, he was not built for such things. Instead, an insatiable flame that hungered for knowledge burned within him, a flame which Grokus and Mongu�nin had stifled and made difficult to feed. For that reason, they needed to be removed, and he would lean on Anthony and his colony to make it so.

Floating above the wreckage of buildings and the teeming ants, he spotted the massive form of his foe rising out of the smoke. Mongu�nin might have been a more recent arrival to tier seven than Allocrix, but he was powerful nonetheless.

A war demon was a force in and of itself. Tall, with an imposing physique covered in devastating spikes and deadly scythes attached to its hands. This particular species of tier seven demon was known throughout the third stratum as a creature not to be trifled with in a direct confrontation.

But with help� Allocrix was confident he could win.

[As long as you can keep him away from me,] he informed his newly found ally, [I will be able to defeat him, but it will take time.]

[Doessss he regenerate?]

[Irritating. Yes, the more wounded they become, the faster they will heal themselves. It is necessary that we apply a savage burst of damage as he weakens in order to finish him off.]

[I can facilitatessss thissss.] Invidia�s eye gleamed.

They fluttered over a scene of destruction, where thousands of ants formed a living barrier around Mongu�nin and a cadre of demons who�d run to his support. Allocrix thought their decision to defend the city foolish but could understand the demons were not to know the ants may spare them. He allowed the veil to fall, revealing himself to all as he allowed his thoughts to roll over the assembled monsters.

[My name is Allocrix,] he stated evenly, his tone as unruffled as his emotions. [I have come with this ally of Anthony to slay this demon. Stay out of my way.]

In the centre of the mess, Mongu�nin raised his head to see his hated prey drifting closer of his own accord. Elation filled him as the hundreds of wounds across his body sizzled and began to close.

�COME, COWARD! FACE THE BLADE YOU HAVE FLED FOR SO LONG!�

Those fearsome scythes flexed menacingly, and the giant war demon launched himself into the air, face twisted in rage. The ants fell back, letting the huge demon through uncontested so that the new arrivals could deal with these enormous beasts they�d struggled to contain. Invidia flexed his immense mental prowess, grasping and shaping the Mana in the air with effortless ease. In a flash, he pulled it all together in the form of a barrier in front of the rising demon, which shattered into nothing when the war demon reached it.

Mind constructs spun as Invidia drew on more Mana. He pulled some from his own core even as he reached out to grasp more energy from the air. Another barrier, another and another flickered into existence, layered on top of each other, and these too broke all too quickly.

This was when Al stepped in. With a concussive blast that impacted the air with a visible wave, he condensed a ball of pure fire and let it detonate right in Mongu�nin�s face. The heat rolled over the assembled monsters as the massive form of the war demon rocketed back to the city and smashed into the stone below. Invidia and Al hovered over the rising cloud of dust and ash.

�HAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAHA! I CAN FEEL IT!� the giant demon rumbled from below.

Invidia set his minds to spinning once again. This would be a difficult battle.

Say what I will about Grokus, he�s an intimidating sight when he�s up and moving. However much I weigh in my tier six body, the demon has me massively outclassed. Not only is he taller, his girth is also considerably wider. And if I were to hazard a guess, his demon flesh and musculature is far denser than my own. Even with a portion of his body stuffed into a pocket dimension, he literally makes the ground shake with every step he takes.

The two massive claws that sit on either side of his ravening maw scratch furiously at the ground as he drags himself toward us, screaming and bellowing at the top of his lungs.

[Whatever you do, Tiny, don�t get caught by those hands,] I warn the big ape. [One second and he�ll have you stuffed into his mouth, and there won�t be any coming back.]

The bat-faced ape is alive with joy and rage as he bounds toward a worthy foe, but I notice his ear flicker�he�d heard what I had to say.

[And Crinis, you need to play it a little cautious as well. Go to work, but don�t try and connect to his mind, I think he�ll be far too strong for your tendrils to work, and they might backfire on you.]

[I�m not sure they can, Master.]

[I sure as heck don�t want to find out,] I tell her firmly. [Play it safe and chip away from the shadows. I�ll stand up front and take the heat, so you�ll have plenty of chances.]

I can sense her hesitation, but I give her clear orders, and finally she concedes.

[Very well. Be safe, Master.]

[Of course!]

I�m not aiming to throw my life away, I�m gonna play it cool. Rather than charge directly into Grokus� teeth, I skirt the edge of his range, avoiding his grasping hands with swift steps. He�s a hell of a lot quicker than he should be, considering his girth, and the tingling of my antennae gives me the warning I need to dodge. Time to check if Al was correct in his judgement that Grokus is heavily magic resistant. Not that I doubt him, but it always helps to verify.

My Mind Constructs spin independently to pull together Ice Mana that I shape into a barrage of spears. The moment my spells are prepared, I unleash them, a flurry of hardened projectiles made from ice flash through the air and burrow deep into the demon�s flesh.

Aha! He doesn�t seem that impervious to me!

Except he isn�t hurt. I hardly expect that a few puny ice spears are going to bring down a demon of this size, yet before my befuddled eyes the ice just melts away to reveal smooth flesh underneath. He wasn�t injured in the slightest. If Ice Magic doesn�t work, then I have others�

Tiny approaches from the left, his fists sparking with electricity, seeking to deliver a heavy strike. Before he gets the chance, the demons behind the city lord surge to block his advance, engaging him in a brawl that drags him away.

[Crinis! Help Tiny and make sure he survives; without Invidia around, he�s a much more vulnerable target!]

He might have incredibly hard bones, but the rest of him is as soft and spongy as ever. It�s unfortunate that he hasn�t been able to collect his new armour yet, but hopefully he�ll be able to pull through with the incredible power he�s pulled together since evolving.

As for Grokus, it looks as though I�m going to have to go one-on-one for now. Not exactly what I want, facing off against a demon a full tier stronger than I am. For his part, the city lord continues to lunge toward me, his wide arms sweeping out, threatening to snatch me up and throw me whole into his slavering gullet. Again, he moves faster than I expect and only my preternatural reflexes are able to keep me skittering free of his clutches.

My Mind Constructs spin with desperate speed, operating the Omni-Elemental Construct with greater Skill and rapidity than I ever have before. I throw all that Mana at the hulking city lord, to no effect. Fire, earth, lava, ice, air, nothing! All of it washes off the massive demon as if I were showering him with pure spring-water. How is this possible? Is he naturally resistant to any form of Mana? That seems ridiculously powerful! I don�t believe it�

If I�m going to inflict damage using my magic, I�m going to need to go a little louder than just base elements.

In the meantime, I�ll have to try and resist him with just my mandibles and shiny, shiny carapace. Snapping my jaws together, I brace myself to go toe to toe with the big guy as my minds fire themselves into overdrive. Deep within my carapace, Gravity Mana begins to flow. It�s a trickle at first, then a great flood as multiple constructs draw on it at the same time, compressing the Mana in the beginnings of a Gravity Bomb.

You�re resistant to Mana, huh? Let�s see if you can resist this�

Unwilling to put all of my eggs into the one basket, I keep a few of my constructs free to form Gravity Bolts, which I fling at the city lord. If they have any effect at all, it should be significant considering how much raw mass the demon has. Slowing him down would be quite the help, considering I can�t get close to him without risking getting grabbed.

[WHAT�S WRONG, INSECT? DO YOU FEAR ME? COME CLOSER AND LET ME TASTE YOUR COWARDICE!]

His repulsive mind booms against mine and I�m caught off guard by the sheer force of his hunger. All of a sudden, the demon�s aura expands and rolls out from him in a wave, suppressing the ants caught within range and forcing them to grow still. What�s more, I feel a maddening hunger take hold of me, a boiling pain erupts from inside my carapace, as if my stomach were attempting to eat my body from the inside out.

A quick glance at my status confirms that I�m actually taking damage from this effect, whatever it is, and the pain is horrendous.

�Back away!� I command the thousands of ants scattered around us. �You can�t fight this!�

[I�ll give you a taste alright, a taste of these mandibles!]

I draw deeper on the energy that flows from the Colony and into me, letting it replenish my body and fuel my strength as I Dash closer to the huge monstrosity. One of his arms rises to snatch at me, but the warning of my antennae gives me the time I need to leap at the perfect moment, rising above the grasping claw as my jaws lock back into position.

Omen Chomp!

I don�t want to get too close, so only the black mandibles of my manifested energy strike home, biting deeply into the girth of the city lord. Even so, the feedback I get is strange, as if I bit, but also as if I didn�t. Using my legs, I spring back from Grokus before he has a chance to grab at me again, then look at the wound. Except it�s barely there at all! Is this guy indestructible?

[How�s it going over there, Tiny? Crinis?]

[We�ll win, but it�s going to take time!]

[Take care and make sure of it, we don�t need to rush!]

I don�t think� Looking at Grokus as the massive demon looms over me, I�m not a hundred percent sure I�ll be able to finish this quickly. If the Gravity Bomb doesn�t manage to inflict massive damage, then I have no idea what will! I pull back a little from the city lord, giving myself room to plot my next manoeuvre. The area where I bit him has already healed, if I damaged him at all.

[You�re actually a tough nut to crack, aren�t you, Grokus?]

The huge demon swings his body around to face me head on.

[Food is strength in this world. How can anyone be stronger than me? I�ve been consuming hundreds of Biomass a day for longer than you�ve been alive, and you want to challenge me? You�re weak! Just another snack!]

[You think Biomass is enough to make you invincible?] I scoff. [Why don�t we find a tier eight demon so you can impress them with how much you�ve eaten over the years? I wonder if they�ll be intimidated.]

Piling up an endless amount of Biomass is completely pointless without something to spend it on. I�ve no doubt that his mutations are all maxed out, though just imagine if he�d spent all that time practising his Skills instead of sitting on his backside eating. He�d be so much more powerful, pushing his abilities to a new rank, training new Skills that might help him in this fight. Instead, all he can do is endlessly brag about how much food he�s consumed. Such a waste.

[You can rejoice soon,] I taunt him as we draw closer to one another, the ground shaking with every step. [All that food you�ve wasted will be going to a better cause soon enough. How many thousands of ants will we raise from what you threw away?]

[Why don�t you come over here and we can see if I wasted it or not!]

His enormous claws flex as we circle one another, neither one willing to make the first move. This suits me just fine, as every second that passes makes my Gravity Bomb stronger, it�s already growing dense enough that he must be able to sense it. That much concentrated Mana is fairly easy to detect from this close!

With a roar that rips from both of the city lord�s mouths, he once again moves with that deceptive speed. I lower my centre of gravity and prepare to dodge, waiting for my antennae to tell me how he�s going to reach for me. The closer he gets, the sharper the pain in my stomach becomes, the acid boiling away as thoughts of food swim in my head, threatening to drive my consciousness away and turn me into a ravenous beast. I resist it, but I can tell the longer the fight drags on, the harder it�s becoming.

Closer� Closer� I refuse to move until my antennae give me the glimpse I�m looking for. I hold off until he�s almost on top of me, only then do I realise, he�s not going to grab! That�s why I can�t see anything! The moment I make the realisation, I shift my weight and Dash to the side, putting all of my force into my legs. The moment I move, my antennae blare with alarm, and I sense the hand coming for me before Grokus has moved.

My nerves explode as I react faster than is humanly possible, shifting my direction by digging my claws into the ground. Shifting directions for a mass of my size isn�t easy, and my muscles and joints scream as I push them to their limits as that giant hand grows so large it almost fills my vision.

I barely make it, and Grokus� claws scratch down my left flank. It�s only a glancing blow, but deep grooves have been cut into my diamond carapace. This is first stratum versus third after all, I can�t expect too much. As close as it was, this is still an opportunity. With his left arm extended, I have a chance to slip closer to his body and unleash my jaws on him, which I won�t waste.

Flexing my legs again, I Dash closer, ducking low under that arm and locking my mandibles into place. Hopefully this will leave a mark!

OMEN CHOMP COMBO!

My energy rapidly drains away as I pump my jaws with insane speed, snapping them shut five times in a second before I jump away, not giving the huge demon a chance to recover his balance and grab at me again. The five-Chomp Combo is just about as much as I can manage at the moment. Luckily, I have so many ants within range of the Vestibule to top me off, otherwise I�d be just about done for this fight.

Grokus rights himself and I take a moment to inspect the damage dealt, only to find there�s practically nothing there at all!

What in the heck is this guy made of? He might be a tier above me, fine, but there�s no way he can take FIVE Omen Chomps and be undamaged!

[Have you realised your place yet, insect?] Grokus practically purrs in my mind. [If you�re smart, you should crawl back up to where you belong. This is the land of demons. You�re beyond foolish if you think you can thrive here.]

I flinch as the stabbing pain from within flares once more, and I quickly check my health. This isn�t good, it looks as if the rate of damage is accelerating. I still have plenty of options when it comes to repairing the damage. With my Mind Constructs occupied, I trigger my healing gland, almost sagging in relief as the healing liquid floods through my system, wrapping around my stomach and regenerating the internal wounds. Even better, I feel the energy of the Vestibule dive toward the regeneration gland, replenishing it at an incredible pace.

If Grokus wants to see who will be the last monster standing, he picked the wrong opponent.

[Demons? I have to say, I haven�t been impressed so far. If you�re so powerful compared to me, why am I still here making fun of you? Huh?]

I taunt the huge monster and he responds much as I expected, with rage.

[YOU�LL REGRET YOUR WORDS FROM INSIDE MY STOMACH!]

[Don�t think I�d regret anything, I�d be dead, moron!]

With a wordless bellow, Grokus charges toward me again and I prepare to dodge. Come on, Gravity Bomb! I need you now!

Invidia and Allocrix hovered above the fray. In the midst of the billowing clouds of dust and smoke stood Mongu�nin, the massive demon�s frame covered in wounds that already showed signs of healing.

�AHHHHHHHH!� the mighty demon roared to the heavens with a feral grin plastered across his face. �I KNEW YOU WOULD BE WORTHY, ALLOCRIX!�

A flicker of emotion ran through Invidia, a faint whisper which so rarely occurred that he looked at it, paid it attention. There was more than just a burning desire to possess the kind of regeneration that the war demon displayed, along with a background need to have everything he could see. That was a constant for him. Instead, this new feeling that welled up expressed a different sort of need, the need for greater strength.

He drew on the vast powers of his mind and called forth the Mana that rested within his core, weaving and shaping it into a series of detonations that ignited mere centimetres from their opponent�s body. The concussive force of the explosions was enough to rock the massive demon from side to side, but not enough to cause any major damage. His Toughness, regenerative speed, and strength were simply more than the envy demon could surpass.

Allocrix was less limited in his offence.

The burning eye pulsed with Mana, the sheer volume of energy radiating from him enough to force the air around his form into an indistinct haze. There was a surge as Allocrix compressed and shaped the Mana in an instant, causing a concentrated beam of pure fire to lance onto their foe. The moment it touched the war demon, an enormous ball of fire erupted, the burst of heat rolling through the air and forcing Invidia to blink lest his eye dry out.

Even the ants were forced to draw back another ten metres. In a few seconds, they�d reformed their lines almost a hundred metres away and resumed the long-range acid barrage that had rained down on Mongu�nin almost constantly from the moment the battle had begun.

It still wasn�t enough. Though the force sent the giant form of the war demon sprawling back, he recovered with ease.

Invidia watched the claws of his opponent closely as they began to glow bright, a sure sign of a Skill activation. He went to work forming barriers around Allocrix and himself as fast as he could.

With a vast roar that shook the air, Mongu�nin slashed with both hands, his claws rending the air itself and sending crimson waves of energy toward them that screamed of wrath and ruin.

[Hold firm,] the calm voice of Allocrix rang within Invidia�s mind.

[Of coursssse,] he hissed back.

He wove defences even as the first layer was cut like it wasn�t there. The deadly attack sliced through the shields he erected the moment it touched them, but still he continued to put more layers into place as those dreaded claws grew larger in his eye.

Had he been here by himself, he wouldn�t be able to stop this strike. It would cut through everything he could muster, and he certainly wasn�t fast enough to be able to dodge. Though he remained calm, Invidia couldn�t help but feel irritation rise within himself. Not being strong enough wasn�t something he�d ever known. The master had defeated him, a previous him, he was aware of that, but thus far, nothing had challenged him like this. He felt� inadequate.

[Hmmm,] Allocrix rumbled.

The eye of flame rippled, and a sphere of force expanded from within. As it grew, it crushed the shields Invidia had prepared before it impacted against the claw strikes. There was a calamitous boom that forced Invidia back. Flaring his wings, he halted his momentum and cast his senses wide to see what happened. He identified his ally, still hovering in the same position, but realised the war demon had vanished from his previous position.

Mind Constructs spun in a dozen different directions, preparing for a number of scenarios. Energy focused in his eye even as he wove shields and detonations that he held at the ready to deploy the moment he needed them.

[Where?] he grated to Allocrix.

[Above,] came the flat reply.

Far above them, the war demon hung in the air like a horrific idol of destruction, claws aglow. He must have leapt to that height after using the claw strike and Allocrix�s response as cover.

[He has sensed that he has reached the peak of his strength and seeks to end the battle in one decisive strike,] Allocrix advised.

[How isss thiss posssible? Hiss strength hasss peaked now?]

[A war demon grows stronger the more they are wounded and the longer the fight draws on. They hunger for conflict and draw power from it. We have pushed Mongu�nin to the brink, though it is more accurate to say he has allowed himself to be pushed to the brink. Now that he believes he has reached the apex of his strength, he seeks to end our battle with this move.]

[Thisss isss our chance!]

[Just so. We must draw out all our destructive capabilities and finish him before he can unleash his blow. Hold nothing back, little one. Any amount of power could tip the balance.]

They communicated at the speed of thought and coordinated their plans in an instant. No defence. Invidia cast away his prepared shields and put all of his brain into charging his eye. The dozens of Mind Constructs he supported drew on each other to reach out and seize as much Mana as possible from within his core and the surroundings, converting it all to the pure energy he required to power the Eye of Envy. Green light erupted from within. More. He needed more!

His vision blurred, washed out with green as his eye absorbed every ounce of power he could give it, but still he needed more. The titanic form of their foe reached the peak of his leap and began to fall, hands ablaze with an unfathomable light. It was as if Invidia were staring into the face of death itself, but still he was unmoved.

Your life. I will takessss it!

When he felt as if his eye would burst, as if his brain would melt within its pocket dimension, he unleashed it. His eye flared like a green sun as a beam of pure energy burst forth, piercing through reality itself as it lanced into the sky. It was impossible to miss the demon, and he struck right in the chest.

Mongu�nin laughed while his flesh was burned away and his body energised even further as he drew yet closer to the brink of death. The power in his claws leapt higher still, and his body fought to regenerate the damage even as it was done.

�COME!� he roared, heart soaring with joy and rage. �COME, ALLOCRIX! GIVE ME YOUR ALL!�

Far below the falling war demon, the eye of fire pulsed once before a catastrophic wave of Mana was unleashed. Half of Invidia�s body seared with pain as the world turned to flame.

[Do you really think you can outlast me, INSECT?] Grokus gloats as he swept toward me again.

I�m beginning to think that despite how threatening and surprisingly quick his charges are, they aren�t really intended to hurt me. All the massive city lord has been doing is keeping me dodging and hopping out of his way whilst his insidious aura eats me from the inside. Obviously, if he did manage to catch me and stuff me in his maw, that would be a bonus.

[I think you�ll find it a little more difficult to take me down than you think, big guy,] I say.

And he will, but I�m not as confident as I should be. My Mind Constructs continue to churn, drawing out and compressing my Gravity Bomb while my main mind remains free to manoeuvre my body. The spell is growing within me at a tremendous pace, but I dare not release it half-baked. I need this spell to turn the tides on Grokus, and I�ve already seen how resistant he is to spells, shrugging off all the damage I can do with basic elements without breaking a sweat. If the Gravity Bomb isn�t enough to hurt him, I�m going to be in big trouble.

One thing going in my favour is that Tiny and Crinis have finished working on the other demons with the help of the Colony. Spells and waves of acid, along with attacks from the soldiers closest to the front, have been enough to tip the battle in their favour, and my two pets are free to help me take on the big guy.

[Be careful!] I warn them. [His aura will cause damage over time. Make sure you don�t stay close to him for any length of time. Use your lightning, Tiny, and Crinis, just try and chip away from range. If you get caught up in his area of effect, I�m not sure how long you�ll last.]

I might be in a position to endure for a while, but neither of them possess the kind of reserves I do when it comes to healing. Tiny in particular has very little going for himself in this department, which means he won�t be much use for the fight. Still, he does what he can, and as I continue to dodge away from the demon, bolts of lightning come arcing over to stab into the city lord, along with barbed limbs that emerge from the shadows to slice at his legs.

It doesn�t do much, but every little bit helps at this point.

He charges my way again and I leap to the side at the last minute, avoiding the swipe of his claw by the barest of margins and ducking in to unleash another Chomp Combo that doesn�t seem to do anything.

[You think you can hurt me, pathetic creature?] Grokus laughs. [Just accept your fate!]

[I got a feeling that you might be changing your tune soon enough,] I say as I hop away.

[Your spell? I can feel you charging it. I�m looking forward to the moment you unleash it and realise that it hasn�t worked. Perhaps then the despair will grip you firmly enough to surrender to your fate.]

[You wanna eat this one? I think you might find it gives you indigestion�]

Is that damn spell ready yet!

[I fear nothing that you are capable of, LITTLE THING.]

It�s close. I�m packing the Gravity Bomb with every ounce of Mana I possibly can. It�s an ominous ball of darkness hovering in my awareness, just begging to be unleashed on the world. All I need is a little space and I�ll let him have it!

In desperation, I turn the final stages of forming the Gravity Bomb over to my main mind, the only brain I have that specialises in handling Gravity Mana. I can immediately feel the difference, but I still need the support of the sub-minds to keep things flowing as I piece together the biggest bomb I�ve ever made. When I let this go, it�s going to get messy around here�

�Back off a little more!� I warn the Colony. �Make sure you get a solid grip on something!� After a moment I add, �That goes double for you, Protectant! Create some space and hold on tight!�

I�ve no doubt my defenders have been hovering closer than they should be against a foe like Grokus, and the odds are they�ve taken a good chunk of damage from his aura effect just trying to stay near to me. Claws crossed they take my warning seriously. It�d be a massive waste of the Colony�s resources otherwise.

[Unleash your spell!] the city lord taunts as he rumbles forward, the very rock beneath our feet now crumbling under the constant battering. [I almost hunger for it! I hunger for your despair!]

Enough of this guy�s freaking mouth already! Sharp pains stab through my insides as I skitter out of the way of his grasping hands, prompting me to activate my healing gland once again. The soothing liquid regenerates my missing health in short order, but the rate of decrease is continuing to ramp up. Eventually, I�ll run out of juice and be eaten up from the inside out. This is one heck of a nasty power!

But I won�t have to worry about that� I hope. My Gravity Bomb is ready.

A nervousness wells up within me as I behold the condensed ball of Mana that I�ve created. It practically pulses with dark light, the only thing in the stratum with a larger appetite than this tier seven demon. Let�s hope he enjoys it!

My brains strain to contain the unstable construction as I suddenly Dash backward, triggering three separate Dashes with each pair of feet to create maximum distance.

[If you�re that hungry, chew on this!] I yell as the spell is unleashed.

The moment I release it, the world fades to black and I hunch my body low to the ground, clinging to the rock with my claws as hard as I can. Even so, my weight lifts for a horrifying second as the spell travels away from me, trying to draw me after it. A second later, the terrifying noise of it reaches my ears.

HOOOOWLLLL!

The air rushes toward the ball as it flies for Grokus� waiting maw, creating a gale that shrieks from every direction. The light itself dims to almost nothing as the Gravity Bomb passes near, sucking away everything it can.

Bounding forward to close the gap when I launched the spell, the city lord grins wide as he sees my spell unleashed. Sensing the sheer volume of Mana packed into it, he folds himself up in a defensive curl, wrapping his arms around his head to put as much meat between the sphere and his body as he can.

I had a feeling he might do this. He wants to take the spell head on and come out standing on the other side, relying on whatever strange resistance and regeneration he has to pull through anything I can throw at him. Somehow, I get the feeling he isn�t quite expecting this�

The moment the bomb hits, time slows. The ball shrinks into a pinpoint of darkness before it expands into a raging sphere of destruction almost twenty metres in diameter. The pull is horrendous, dragging stone, ash, fire, and anything not nailed down to the centre of the bomb where it will be crushed. I can�t even see how Grokus is handling it since the sphere itself is blocking out all light at the point of impact.

HOOOOOOWWWWLLLLLL!

Far worse than before, reality itself screams as the ground shakes, the air shrieks, and light fades away. All I can do is bury my head and grip with my claws for dear life as I resist being dragged into the mass and destroyed by my own creation.

Come on. Give me the notification. Give me the experience notification! There�s no way he survives this! I don�t care how much of a chonk lord he is with a resistance to magical effects, there�s no way you can eat a Gravity Bomb this size and be standing on the other side of it. I can�t even imagine what it would be like in there for him, and frankly, I don�t want to know.

Time drags on as the spell rages. What seems like long minutes is most likely just several drawn out seconds. When the spell finally fades and the world returns to normal, I spring back to my legs, ready to continue the fight.

I don�t know how or why, but I know my opponent isn�t dead. Without the notification from Gandalf, he must have survived, and I need to be ready for anything.

What greets my eyes is not a particularly pretty picture. Grokus is alive, but he probably would rather not be. What remains of the city lord is a twitching mess with a rather large hole chewed out of the middle. I find it shocking that he�s still living in that condition. A few chomps ought to put an end to him. I approach cautiously, though without much concern. He doesn�t even have a mouth anymore, what sort of harm can he really do?

That�s when I see something truly bizarre. It happens so fast I almost can�t believe my eyes. Starting at the base, but shifting rapidly up the body, the entire form of the city lord begins to regrow, flesh and bone and sinew appearing out of thin air and stitching together faster than I can see.

[Pour it on!] I yell at my two pets. [Hit him with everything! He�ll be back to normal in a few seconds!]

Taking my own advice, I lock my mandibles into position and unleash my most powerful bite.

OMEN CHOMP COMBO!

Locking and unleashing in rapid succession, my entire face aches as my stamina rapidly depletes toward nothing. From my left comes Tiny, the big ape leaping and smashing his fists with blinding speed, the powerful concussive blasts rippling through the demon�s body every time he connects. Crinis goes all out, unleashing every limbs at once and wrapping them around the entirety of the city lord�s body, sawing and rending as fast as she can, trying to overcome this truly monstrous level of regeneration.

[That was more than I expected from you� I see that I did underestimate you in the end,] the taunting voice of Grokus rings out in my mind.

Looking up, the demon is almost whole once more. His arms are still regenerating, but his mouth has returned, along with the human torso that sits atop his bulk. A sharp pang in my gut brings with it the truth that the aura effect hasn�t gone away. The ravenous hunger that has been chewing me out from the inside is still there, worse than ever! I trigger another wave of regeneration fluid, but the relief is temporary. The moment my HP tops off, it once again starts to fall.

[Back away from him!] I order my pets, and they�re forced to obey, unable to go against my direct command.

[You are weak!] the now whole demon laughs at me, his entire body shaking with the force of his mirth. [I must admit that you gave it your best, but the time has come for you and your kind to submit to the superior monster.]

His mouth opens wide and his tongue lolls out, as if inviting me to obediently walk into his belly.

As if that�s going to happen! There�s no way he can infinitely revive himself. There�s always a cost to any ability in the Dungeon, I know that much. The trick is, what is the secret to his? Then I notice his arm� One of his claws� is it� still damaged?

The closer I look, the more certain I am. It isn�t much, a scratch under any other circumstances, but considering Grokus has managed to keep himself entirely pristine for the duration of this fight, something has definitely changed.

[You know, I don�t think I will�surrender, that is. I have a suspicion things might just be turning to my advantage.]

[Nonsense,] the huge demon scoffs. [Unless you have another of those spells in you, then it�s merely a matter of time before you are devoured from the inside out.]

[You so sure about that? Your left claw isn�t looking its normal self.]

I can almost see the massive city lord hesitate before he raises the claw to inspect it. Sure enough, the damage has not been fully healed, a split running along the topmost digit.

[Impossible!] he gasps before he can stop himself.

[Not healing as much as you�d expected, eh? Perhaps something has gone wrong?] It�s now my turn to taunt the much larger monster as my brains race to think of what could possibly have happened.

[Tiny, scorch him! Give him a blast of lightning!]

All too happy to unleash violence at the slightest provocation, the ape lets loose an arc of lightning that plays across the city lord�s flank, burning a groove in him and filling the air with the scent of sizzled Biomass. Crucially, the damage remains, still healing, but far more slowly than before. An idea begins to take shape in my mind, and I can�t help giving voice to it.

[You�ve always been eating, Grokus, eating and eating away, but where has all the Biomass gone? You really expect me to believe you�ve just been racking up thousands of Biomass points for no reason? I don�t believe it.]

I circle around the still form of Grokus, watching him through my multifaceted eyes as he stares back at me.

[You�ve got some sort of Biomass regeneration storage, don�t you? You�ve been packing it away into this regen gland for decades and then pretending you were invincible. Every time you�re damaged in any way, you heal up in an instant and pretend you were never hurt in the first place. You can depend on your impressive bulk to prevent you from having anything too critical being wounded in one shot, and your aura does the rest of the work, since you can outlast your opponents based on your bank of Biomass.]

I continue to circle the big demon as I lecture, expounding on my theory as his eyes narrow.

[It�s unfortunate, so, so unfortunate, but you just happened to run into your natural enemy in this situation: my Gravity Bomb. Not only is the damage outrageous, but it sits in place for an uncomfortably long time. You were regenerating the entire time, weren�t you? That must have sucked. Like, that must have really sucked. The moment you healed, it was all ripped away just as fast. How much Biomass did you chew through in the duration of that spell? Must have been a lot. Must have been ALL of it, in fact, because as of right now, you aren�t healing the way you were before.]

I turn to face him head on.

[In fact, right now, you�re barely healing at all.]

Grokus doesn�t say anything for a long, heavy moment, flexing his massive claws as his jaw works, chewing over my words. Which is right when I take a massive hit of damage. I stagger to the side. It�s almost as if my stomach has ripped itself open, triggering an emergency release of regeneration fluid. Despite the added energy being provided through the Vestibule, my regeneration gland is still running close to empty after being used too close together. I heal, just not nearly enough.

[Perhaps you boast too soon, little insect!] Despite being rattled, the city lord manages to sound as pompous as ever. [You may have worn through my reserves with your magic, but I am still standing, and so long as I am, you will continue to suffer. Unless you can finish me off in the next few minutes, you will have no hope of being victorious in this battle! Without you to save them, I will rampage through your kind until I am once again stuffed with Biomass!]

I pick myself up and stiffen my legs to hold my body firm.

[I mean, yes, that would be the case if I was here by myself, but I�m not, am I?]

I turn to the Colony.

�GET HIM!�

Over ten thousand ants are within range of my pheromonal cry, and they do not hesitate.

�FOR THE COLONY!� floods the area as each and every one of them heroically rushes forward and a rain of acid and spells unleashes on Grokus.

Not to be left out, I Charge in, pushing my aching body to the limit to zig and zag left and right. Focusing my mind, listening to the hidden signals emanating from my antennae, I watch the now desperate city lord like an ant-hawk. When he swipes, I�m more than ready and dodge appropriately, closing the gap in an instant. Mandibles wide open, I lock my jaw and prepare to strike.

[It�s over, Grokus!] I bellow as I bite down onto his arm.

Weakened he may be, the massive demon still represents a great threat to my siblings, which means I want to keep his focus on me as much as possible whilst I remove his ability to harm them. Without the use of his arms, he has only his aura to rely on. Which will work, given enough time. I mean, we�re racing against the clock here.

[Come on, Tiny! Crinis! Pour it on! Give it everything you have!]

Not needing to be reminded, Tiny and Crinis leap into the fight with gusto, ripping and tearing, punching and smashing with all they can muster.

[I refuse to let it end like this!] Grokus bellows in my mind. [I have ruled for hundreds of years! I will not be brought down by an insect from above!]

DOOM CHOMP COMBO!

Mandibles pumping, I avoid the grasping claws of my weakening foe whilst outputting as much damage as I can.

[You�ve stagnated for hundreds of years,] I scoff. [Too scared to move forward and too blind to see it. Worry not, you�re only the first city lord who will fall to the Colony. I assure you, you won�t be the last!]

With a roar that flattens my antennae back against my head, the massive demon raises both hands high in the air and brings them down in a colossal smash that cracks the stone for metres in every direction, but the blow is so telegraphed, I didn�t even need my Future Sense to dodge it. Leaping over the top of his arms I run up the bulbous flesh of the demon and bare my mandibles once again.

With the help of thousands of ants, all attacking furiously and without fear, we bring the demon lord down, even as my insides tear themselves apart. With relief I feel the menacing aura effect finally fade away, and with joy I hear the voice of Gandalf ring within my mind.

[You have defeated a Level 53 Luxuria Daemonium (VII).]

[You have gained XP.]

[You have reached Level 10.]

[You have reached�]

GWEHEHEHEHEH! Gimme �dem Levels!

The immediate fallout from defeating the city was a little odd as an experience. The remaining demonic residents of Roklu were a little bewildered by the whole thing, and some were less than pleased at being ruled by monsters from so much higher in the Dungeon than they themselves, but those opinions were soon changed by the overwhelming numbers and might that the Colony brought to bear.

You might be a high and mighty tier six demon from the third stratum with nothing to fear from a tier five ant from the first, but you better believe you have something to fear from a hundred thousand of them! Demons are smart enough and capable of acting quite logically when not in the grip of their own particular obsession, so the writing was quite clear on the wall to the majority shortly after the conquest was finished.

Once Grokus had been defeated and I was sitting atop the resultant Biomass recovering, Invidia and Al made their way back to us. The two of them look particularly smug, especially for a pair of demons that ganged up on another to achieve their win.

[Everything went well on your side?] I ask them.

[Sssssatisssfactory,] Invidia purrs.

[Indeed. I am pleased with this outcome,] Al declares, his voice as flat as usual.

[You don�t really sound it. In fact, you sound completely bored.]

[With my mind now freed from the concern I have carried for decades, I am at last able to pursue my desire for knowledge to the utmost. I am ecstatic,] Al says, his voice totally devoid of emotion.

[I could almost believe you were making a joke. So, no issues with big Mongo?]

[Mongu�nin?]

[That�s the guy.]

[He was a difficult opponent. Thanks to the aid of� Invidia, we were able to overcome his defences at the final moment. Without any help, I fear I would have been unable to measure up to the task.]

[Well, you got what you want: the city has been liberated from the control of Grokus, and the demon who was trying to hunt you constantly is dead. What are your plans going forward? As you said, you�re totally free now.]

The eye of fire watches me for a brief moment.

[I believe I will continue to shadow you for a time longer. I have been able to harvest a great deal of fresh information from you in exchange for mere scraps of guidance. This is a transaction that pleases me. Delicious.]

[Thanks for asking for my opinion on the matter� Welcome aboard, I guess.]

Come to think of it, I don�t really have much of an idea as to what is going to happen in the near future. The Colony is likely to keep aggressively expanding, both within the third stratum and above. What role they expect me to play in that process, I�m not sure. I could probably just keep exploring, wandering around the tunnels and grinding for Levels and Biomass. The hunting down there was quite profitable. Someone should investigate the deeper layers of the third stratum for the family as well, just so we know what we�re going to run into.

I don�t think there�s any way that I�m going to be able to get out of having to call a Council meeting, not to mention attending it. Sigh. I really don�t like getting bogged down in the administrative details, it certainly isn�t my strength! I guess it wouldn�t hurt to check in with Granin and the crew, see how things are going about the place. We also need to work out how we�ll manage to keep the peace in a demon city that�s run by ants. Something tells me they won�t adapt to our rule quite as easily as Rylleh did.

For now, it�s probably safe enough to just chill out and eat Biomass. I�m interested to check out the core that Grokus left behind! I know his core is close in quality to my own, but perhaps he managed to tip over the line to reach the level above rare? Only one way to find out!

�I think we�re in the clear,� I tell the nearby ants. �May as well dig in once we get the city on lockdown.�

A general snaps out a salute with one antenna.

�As you say, Eldest.�

[Actually, where the heck is Brilliant?]

Invidia opens his mouth and spits out a shivering little ant.

�I can see through space�� she whispers.

�No, you can�t. Come over here and eat.�

�Ooo! Food!�

Once again, the Colony has successfully overcome a challenge and expanded its influence! I�m sure there�s all sorts of juicy resources in the third stratum that we�ll be able to harvest along with the experience and Biomass we can gain from culling the local demon population. The real question I have, is if we�re going to be able to administer and recruit a population of demons. They might be a bit nuts, but they�re certainly powerful. If we�re able to add them to our ranks and have them work with us, rather than against us, that�d be a pretty big step in securing a future for our family.

[Alright then, Invidia, Al. You want to come down here and get some chow with us? No point letting all this Biomass go to waste.]

Al�s eye flares with energy and his voice practically purrs.

[I would be delighted to partake in this particular feast.]

[Is that because Grokus gave you such a hard time?]

[In part.]

Ah well. I�m sure the previous city lord of Roklu has a long list of entities that wouldn�t mind taking a bite out of him. Along with a large detachment of ants, Tiny, Invidia, Crinis, Al, and I dive into the feast. And what a feast! What Grokus did do well, was eat and invest in his mutations. Fully upgraded at tier seven, he is absolutely packed full of Biomass. It almost feels as if every bite is giving me a point!

�Look out above!�

�Huh, what?� I ask.

�Incoming! Get in formation!� the cry rises from the ants around me.

[What the heck is going on?] I demand over my mental channels.

[Something is approaching,] Al announces. [I can sense several demons drawing closer.]

[Strong ones, Master! I think there�s a tier seven! Maybe more than one!]

Oh shoot! What the heck is going on?

I cast my senses out, and sure enough, I can detect them too! I spin about and it doesn�t take long before I spy a disc drawing rapidly closer to the very location we�re standing on. This� this can�t be good�

Seriously? Another demon city lord showing up now? What did I do to deserve this?

The new arrival looks down on us and the half-consumed remains of Grokus with an imperious gaze that does little to make me think this encounter is going to end peacefully. She appears to be a type of demon I haven�t seen before, a semi-humanoid torso that�s almost skeletal, with four long arms that end in scythe-like claws�she looks a little reaper-ish.

On the disc with her are a number of other demons, several of whom may also be tier seven, judging from the strength of their cores. I set my feet and keep my antennae swirling in order to react to anything that happens. The air has become tense between our sides as we wait for the new arrival to make an opening gambit, but it�s not looking good for us.

We�re just off the back of putting down two tier seven demons, and it sure as heck wasn�t easy. Now this chump shows up with her posse. The timing sucks, to say the least�

All of a sudden, the weight of a powerful mind sweeps through the remains of Grokus� plaza, pressing down on me with its sheer hunger for authority. This is a demon that wants to rule, not be ruled. Just as quickly as it came, the pressure is lifted, and for a few confusing seconds, I stand about, tense as a bowstring as nothing happens.

[Ah,] Al�s mind brushes against mine. [There appears to have been a misunderstanding. This new arrival has assumed that I am in command, as I am the highest Level of monster present on our side. I have attempted to correct this by informing her that she should communicate with you instead, but she refuses to believe it. I encourage you to reach out to her yourself and clarify what has happened. As I understand it, she has arrived in the hopes of battling Grokus for the rights to control the city.]

She�s a bit late for that! Irritated at being dismissed, I spin together the bridge and throw it at the demoness above without much decorum. Once it snaps into place, I can�t help but allow some of my poor mood to slip into my tone.

[Hello there. Welcome to Roklu, city of demons which has very recently come under new management. What exactly can we do for you?]

The eyes within that gaunt head flash with internal fire as the demoness turns her head toward me.

[Yes, hello. I�m an ant. The last city lord who looked down on me for it is currently indisposed.] I point with one leg at the mound of Biomass beneath me. [My colony has conquered this city fair and square. If you want to take it from us, then you�re going to have to fight us for it.]

Should I really be declaring that? These demons are scary! I don�t want to be fighting them at all if I can help it. Dammit, Anthony! Shut your mandibles, you idiot!

[This is� disappointing.] The demoness� thoughts are like a sharp hiss, and nails being dragged down a chalkboard. It sets my carapace to crawling just hearing it. [I had hoped to engage in a battle of conquest to bring Roklu within my control today. As arranged between Grokus and myself, this was to be the day of our formal war.]

[Oi, Al. Help me out here. What�s a battle of conquest when it comes to a formal war?]

The fiery eye flickers.

[It means that the city lords agreed to cede control of one or both cities to the winner of the formal war. It is unusual, but some city lords desire to shore up their power, wish to command greater territory or resources, or perhaps feel an innate need to conquer. In such cases, they will usually find ways to pressure their neighbours to agree to a battle of conquest.]

[Why don�t they just attack and take over? Why do they need their opponents to agree to it?]

[Agreements between demons are ironclad. Rulership of a city is a matter for an individual city. For another to impose their will upon it, agreement must be secured.]

[You guys are fussy about the strangest things.]

Fortunately, mental communication occurs at the speed of thought, but even so, I can tell the demoness is growing impatient. Better play it cool, Anthony. You don�t want to fight again today if you can avoid it.

[I apologise for being unaware of your schedule,] I say. [The Colony chose to invade today, ignorant of the customs and requirements of demon-kind. It�s a little unfortunate, but what has been done cannot be undone. Since the demon with whom you secured your agreement is no longer the city lord, I presume your declaration of a battle of conquest is no longer valid?]

That�s about as smooth as I can possibly be. Nice going, Anthony!

[I must agree,] she grates back. [Though I am now considering if an agreement is necessary to conquer this city now that there is no city lord in place.]

[What do you mean?]

[Who is the demon in charge?] she demands.

[There isn�t one. The Colony is in charge.]

[Your colony is not a demon.]

[True.]

[So, who is the city lord?]

[The Colony?]

I flick my mind across to Al.

[I�m guessing that city lords have to be demons?]

He hesitates.

[Yes. Partnerships exist between demons and other races, but those are generally agreements between the city lord and the other party. Demons are not ruled over by others. As a group, we struggle with� law.]

I bet. A group of maniacs, each obsessively dedicated to one aspect of living, can�t possibly be an issue to herd or direct in any way.

[We are yet to formally decide on the identity of the new city lord� officially.] I turn my attention back to the demon.

[I see. So, the position is vacant?]

[Al. What the heck happens when a city doesn�t have a city lord?]

[I don�t know,] the eye flares with sudden interest.

[Don�t get curious now, dammit!]

[It is what I live for.]

Argh! I turn back to the other city lord.

[Perhaps we might be able to reschedule a formal war of conquest? That would give us a little time to have things sorted on this end. Wouldn�t want things to be anything less than official now, would we?]

Her eyes narrow imperiously as she ponders.

[No, we wouldn�t.]

[Any chance I could get your name, by the way?] It seems all tier six demons have names.

[My name is Brixin. Very well, we have an agreement. I will return in seven surface days to this city to contest the right to rule it in a formal war of conquest. Be ready for my return.]

So saying, she gestures with one sharp-looking, emaciated arm. The disc spins in a one-eighty and they jet off before I can even think to get a word back in.

[I�m� Anthony, by the way?] I sent that thought out into the void the bridge between us had previously occupied.

Well, one week? That could have gone worse!

As I watch the disc containing Brixin and her cohort of demons fly back to Orpule, I breathe a sigh of relief. That was close, too close! We might have been able to win, but most likely only with the sacrifice of many, many lives, and that is a price I am simply not willing to tolerate.

My siblings will fight for the Colony, and in that process, some will perish. I�ve come to terms with that, somewhat� But I will never accept my sisters utilising traditional ant tactics and choking the enemy with our own dead. I�ve worked hard to make it so that would never be necessary, and I�ll be damned if I allow them to go back to it now.

Not after we�ve come so far.

Determined to move fast, I do something I usually hesitate to do and start issuing orders.

�Get this Biomass stored away and make sure the core is secured. I want to have a good, hard look at it later, and it will be valuable as heck, so make sure it isn�t lost. Secure the city, and I want to see every Council member within ten kilometres of this location before an hour is out. Just point them to wherever I happen to be.�

The ants around me all salute and rush to complete their tasks. This whole situation has put another deadline on us, and I�m not particularly happy about it. Of course, I knew we�d have to move fast, I was just hoping we could set the clock ourselves, rather than have it be set for us.

Wanting to make sure me and mine are out of the way of the individuals doing the actual work, I take my pets and Allocrix closer to the pillar and wait for the Council. As time passes, more and more ants flood down the four huge wires they constructed�how they�d managed it, I have no idea.

The city floods with healers and carvers and huge groups of core shapers and their pets who descend to the plains below and establish a perimeter around the base of the city.

The moment they arrive, the healers rush to render aid to all who�ve been injured during the fighting, ant, demon, or human. The carvers set to repairing the damage that�s been done with their usual gusto, and the city echoes with the constant rumble of Earth Magic as buildings are reset and roads smoothed out. Through it all I can see the remaining local demon population watch it all happen with somewhat bewildered faces.

[How do you think the demons will react to being managed by ants?] I ask Al, my only resident expert.

He ponders for a long moment before he replies.

[I don�t know,] he says with that odd note of hunger in his voice.

He doesn�t know, but he�s very keen to find out and slide that new brick of knowledge into his wall of obsession.

[But you can hazard a guess or two, I�m sure,] I encourage the fiery eyeball. [You must have some thoughts as to how it may go.]

[It is difficult to say because I don�t believe it has ever been done before. I have interacted with other races, and I get the impression they don�t particularly want to rule demons. They are happy to occupy territory, to trade or seize resources, but they don�t want to control demons. Why would anyone bother?]

[You guys are powerful monsters who can think for yourselves, good allies to have on your side in a scrap, surely?]

[Demons have been hired, certainly. If you understand what our obsession is, then it isn�t hard to come to an arrangement that will involve a fair exchange for a particular demon�s services. We ourselves have come to such an arrangement.]

[So, people will treat demons like particularly weird mercenaries, but won�t actually try to rule or control them. I�m going to assume because it�s just too damn hard?]

[If a slaughter demon follows its nature and kills a human, other humans tend to get upset about it. From a demon�s perspective, they did nothing wrong.]

[I can see how that�s going to be a challenge to deal with�]

Before long, the Council members start to arrive. Tungstant is here, Burke and Wills are both on the scene, along with all the soldiers and both generals. Looks like the Colony wasn�t mucking around when they decided to launch this invasion. All hands were on deck! There are others, of course. Bella is here, along with Mendant, representing their respective castes.

�How is everyone?� I greet them all. �Everyone doing well?�

�Can�t complain, I suppose,� Advant shrugs her antennae.

�WELL, I CAN!� I spray the area with outrage.

�I can only guess that the lot of you have worked yourselves until your carapaces are wearing thin to make this invasion happen, and it was successful, well done, but now you�ve got another demon city wanting a conflict within a week, and you�re going to have to work yourselves half to death again in order to stave it off!�

I glare at them all.

�It�s not sustainable!� I declare.

�Being honest with you, Eldest,� Sloan says. �We have to push hard in order to ensure our survival. If we don�t secure the resources and territory we need to fight off those who would seek us harm before they come back to do it⁠��

I point one sharp antenna at the much smaller general.

�You think I don�t know that, Sloan? You think you�re giving me new information right now!�

I�m tempted to unleash the power of THWACK, but I restrain myself by a hair.

�Obviously, I know that, but if you are all pushing yourselves to the brink every day, then what do you think will happen when something does go wrong? We are going to be attacked at some point. A nest will be infiltrated, our defences will get tested, golgari will sneak in and destroy our brood, the Legion comes back and besieges a new nest. It WILL happen. Nothing goes right all the time. And when it does happen, what state are you going to be in? Is every single one of you going to be down here? Pushing on the front lines? Dragging the Colony to the brink of exhaustion?�

I stare at them all.

�It�s difficult, but you have to walk the fine line between going hard, fighting for our future, and holding something in reserve for when things go wrong.�

My words seem to resonate with the group as their antennae waver through the air in slow, thoughtful circles.

�Anyways,� I sigh. �What we really need to do right now is work out exactly what we�re going to do to defend ourselves against this attack from the nearby City of Orpule. If we lose, then the territory we�ve gained will be gone almost as soon as we took it!�

A discussion erupts amongst everyone, and I can tell that Vibrant in particular is talking at a million miles an hour. After a bit of back and forth, it�s Wills who puts forth an interesting suggestion.

�If I�m not mistaken,� she leads with, �this war of conquest is for control of a demon city, right?�

�I believe so,� I confirm.

�Then, if we win, don�t we gain control of their city? Orpule?�

�Ah� maybe? I mean, I guess that sounds, right?�

�So� isn�t this a way that we can gain more territory and control? Rather than just running at cities and rolling over them like we did here� we can use this� formal war, as our mechanism to gain more territory.�

I think for a minute.

�That sounds� smart?�

Just you wait, third stratum. The ants are marching in.