Chrysalis



I don't even need to look to know where we've landed. Before sight returns to my eyes, I heave a sigh of relief.

Through my Vestibule, a torrent of energy floods in. The Nave hums with power, and soon enough, the Altar begins to rapidly fill. That's not all. My fatigue washes away, my acid and regeneration gland replenish at absurd speed, allowing me to trigger another wave of healing that makes my body thrum with vigour.

That crazy little ant actually pulled it off. She told me she was getting close to mastering dimensional travel, that the Colony would soon have gates, but her ability to pop in and out of places was growing stronger all the time.

Before, she was able to take me along with her, but now she can bring along a few more for the ride.

Tiny, Invidia, Crinis and Al have all made it back safely through the dimensional jump. We've arrived back at the top of the third stratum, between two cities held by the Colony. Safety.

Of course, us five weren't the only ones Brilliant managed to bring back.

Not far away, Torrifex, Somonax and Pyrixan stand enraged and confused. I can't blame them for that, being whipped through dimensions is more than a little unnerving. Disorienting doesn't really cover it either. If I were to describe it, I'd say it's kind of like having your brain pulled inside out and then snapped back the right way. It's going to take them a moment to recover, and I'm glad for it. I need to get some HP back.

Of course, I'll be able to fire the regeneration gland every minute or so, considering how many ants are around. There are millions of them, and they aren't even that far away.

In fact, there's several hundred thousand arrayed all around us.

While I pull in energy as fast as I can, the ants waste no time in making their presence felt. I'm too far away to hear the command be issued, but in short order, the sky is filled with a barrage of acid quite unlike anything I've ever seen before.

In a wide circle, thousands and thousands of ants lift their abdomens, take aim, and fire. Huge jets of concentrated formic acid rise into the air, then hang for a moment, before they begin to descend. I wouldn't describe it as a rain of acid necessarily, or even a deluge. It's more like the sky became acid, and then fell.

Before the demons can orient themselves, megalitres of formic acid crash down on their heads, obscuring them from sight. Quickly followed by the second barrage, then the third.

If they had enough in the tank, the Colony could probably produce an ocean of the stuff here and now, but sadly, the scouts who specialise in this sort of long range bombardment can't keep it up for long. After the fifth shot, they're out of juice and the place the demons had been standing is literally awash with hissing, sizzling acid.

I watch all of this take place after scurrying to a safe distance, still hoovering in mana and churning it through constructs, preparing my next spell.

I think the acid welcome will certainly hurt the massive demons, but I don't think it'll be enough to destroy them. I need to be ready.

From deep within the newly formed acid lake, bubbles begin to rise as the dark liquid stirs ominously. More and more bubbles rise, and soon, the entire pool is a frothing, boiling mass.

From deep within, a sphere of pure fire rises, surrounded by a cloud of acidic gas as the fluid in contact with the shield itself is immediately vaporised. I can already sense the surging ash within the flames. The three demons aren't happy.

When the trio emerge into the open, their suffocating auras batter into me, even more intense than they were before. Things aren't going according to plan, and I don't think the heralds are all that happy about it.

The air itself seems to burn around Torrifex as he seethes with fury, his skin shifting and bubbling as the fire within him rages out of control.

Pyrixan has transformed into a column of pure ash, the aura of destruction emanating from her is so thick even the acid vapour is dissolved to nothing as it draws close to her.

Somonax is the most terrifying. Her bloodlust has become so thick the air around her has become tainted red. Each of her blades glows bright, twisting around her as if each has a mind of its own.

It's an intimidating sight, but the Colony didn't only bring ants to this party. From the encircling army emerges a host of demons, almost all of them tier six. These are the demons who live in Colony occupied territory and remain free from Arconidem's compulsion.

From long range, they unleash their fury, a torrent of fire and ash and rage that covers the three heralds once again.

Even at tier eight, being besieged by thousands of weaker monsters must be a massive pain in the backzone. After the torrid fight we've been through, they can't be in their peak condition, but even so, I know that this won't be enough.

As the demons pour out their firepower, I watch carefully for any hint of motion. My brains feel like they're melting, pushed to the limit, each of my dozens of mind constructs is frantically working to draw in mana and add it to the spell I'm preparing.

The spell itself is beginning to become hard to control as I pack more and more power into it. To provide enough power, I had to create a gravity mana construct, and that thing is positively humming with all the raw mana I'm pumping into it.

As I work, I keep one eye on the Altar, watching as the precious, precious energy refills rapidly. With this many ants around, I'm practically overflowing with Will.

All I need is for the three demons to be pinned down for a few more seconds!

[ENOUGH!] Torrifex booms, his mental roar so powerful it flattens many of the demons and ants flat against the ground.

[The demon god commands you obey! AND YOU SHALL!]

He glares at the demons who dared to attack him and his sisters, as if his eyes alone were enough to destroy their Will and force them to succumb to Arconidem. Perhaps he does have some method to affect them. Pity I'll never know.

[Arconibutt has got nothing to say until he can drag his sorry backside up here and say it himself!]

My own mental bellow isn't quite at the same level as the herald's, but it's enough to carry across the field of battle.

[Now get squished!]

Empowered by the Altar, I unleash the greatest, most concentrated Gravity Well I've ever made.

The demons are engulfed in a pillar of darkness from which not even light can escape.