Chrysalis



When the Colony goes all in on something, they really do go all in. I was obviously aware of that, but seeing the gigantic stadium that they've built to host games somehow still manages to shock me.

Did they really need to go this hard? Holy moly. The thing is enormous!

And there are ants everywhere. As well as people! I was asked to head to the venue well ahead of the game, there's a waiting area for the teams before they go out onto the pitch apparently, but as I make my way over, the place is already packed!

The second I step out in the cavern that holds the stadium, a great cheer goes up from the gathered humans, and even the ants start clacking their mandibles in appreciation! Apparently, they learned to mimic clapping? There's tens of thousands gathered already, and the game isn't for four hours.

I pick my way through the crowd carefully, essentially walking above them, placing my legs in whatever gaps I can find.

"Nice to see you all. How've you been? Shouldn't some of you be working?"

"Speak for yourself!"

"Oi! I am here to work!"

And thus, Tunnel Ball officially became classified as work for the participants.

It was rather embarrassing being the centre of attention in all that, but once I make my way beneath the stadium and away from all those prying eyes, I feel a lot more comfortable.

Back in the day, when I was a lot smaller, it wasn't that hard to move through a group or area without being ogled to quite such a degree. Now that I tower above every other ant and human, things have gotten a little more difficult.

Even here, beneath the stadium, I can hear the crowd gathering overhead. There's a steady drumbeat of feet, and a resonant click-clack of claws, for hours. In the chamber itself, I focus on keeping my core topped, pulling in the mana of the second stratum, to try and overcome the amount leaking out of me.

The mana in my core is so much more dense than that in the atmosphere around me, energy is constantly being drained by my highly evolved body, and the rate of replacement simply can't keep up. Only by actively seizing energy and pulling it in can I maintain an equilibrium. If that wasn't bad enough, I have the Call, more powerful than I've ever felt it before, yanking on my spirit, demanding I go deeper down into the Dungeon to meet the Ancients' requirements.

Those bums.

It's incredibly, mind-bendingly painful, but my willpower has grown strong! I can handle it. By… a bit. The sooner I can get this match over with and drag our new champion down into the depths with me, the better.

After stewing in the waiting room, I'm absolutely raring to get going by the time the match comes around. The noise overhead is deafening at this point, a constant dull roar. I have no idea how many people are out there, or ants, for that matter. I can feel the vibrations, through the walls. My antennae are steadily going crazy. So many vibrations, rattling through the stone, rumbling through the air. The fine hairs along my feelers are practically dancing.

"Eldest, we're ready for you."

"Finally…"

I pull my legs back under my body and push, levering myself up from the position I had flopped onto the ground. No need to waste energy.

I transform from a limp fish to a dignified Eldest in a second! Gweheheheh. Now to really dazzle the crowd!

I move into a narrow tunnel, in which I barely fit, that connects the waiting area to the pitch, weaving magic as I do. The exit from the tunnel is blazingly bright ahead of me, illuminating the field beyond. As I emerge into the open, my legs are barely touching the ground.

The roar that greets me as I leave the tunnel is unlike anything I've ever heard. There are thousands of humans here, perhaps tens of thousands. I didn't even realise we had so many! Have we conquered more cities in the first and second strata without me even knowing about it?

And high above, covering the dome-shaped ceiling, there are thousands upon thousands of ants, a hundred thousand at least, rustling and climbing over each other as they clack their mandibles in approbation.

How could I let my audience down?

Rising majestically into the air, I float upward, pulled by a well I have cunningly inverted to disguise the spell. The crowd gasps in shock and admiration as I take to the skies, rising up to become level with the tiered rows of seating, and then higher still, until I can happily slap antennae with the ants on the roof!

BWAHAHAHAHA! Behold my flying majesty!

I gradually lower myself down, attempting to maintain a dignified pose in the air as I do so. Only then do I spy the Endless at the other end of the pitch, watching me drift down towards them with a clear and calm gleam to their eyes.

Oho…. Here are today's victims. And I see Solant, right in the middle, her eyes revealing the calculations running at a million miles an hour within her mind.

No matter how much you think, it won't be enough!

My claws finally touch down and I release the gravity well. Dominating entrance, successful.

Holy moly, my core is low….

The Endless approach the midline and I realise I'm supposed to meet them there, trundling forward even as I hastily suck in more mana to replace what I lost.

"Greetings, Eldest," Leonidant says, stepping forward to greet me respectfully.

I look down at them.

"This is going to be an interesting day for you all. A lot of new experiences are coming your way."

"I-I'm not sure what you mean?" Leonidant hesitates.

I rub my antennae together gleefully.

"You've never had a match quite like this, right? Ten against one? In front of a crowd like this?"

"That's true," she nods.

"And of course, you've never lost before either. Try to make things interesting, Solant. I didn't come all the way up here to be bored! GWEHEHEHEH!"

I taunt them with a loud mandible clack, right in their faces.

"You can start on offence, if you want, Eldest," Solant says suddenly.

"Gladly."

I turn and make my way back to my side of the pitch. I can't wait to unleash my power upon these opponents and send the crowd into glorious rapture!