Chrysalis

Beyn was nervous, yet exultant, but terrified whilst also experiencing a deep sense of unfurling faith. The enormity of the moment wasn't lost on him, far from it, this was the first time the holy ones, the Great One, would be exposed to the wider community of Pangera! And he, Beyn the one-armed, humble priest, was to be the spokesman, the representative that would communicate their glory to the world!

… except that he couldn't. He wasn't allowed to say any of the words that exploded in his heart and soared to the snow-capped peaks of his soul. He felt wracked with a pain that sent shudders through his entire frame as he strove to restrain himself. He had already failed once, in a shameful display that had brought swift retribution from the Great One. Richly deserved punishment that nevertheless sent him into paroxysms of faith induced joy. It was wrong for him to find such delight in the touch of the one he revered so, but he couldn't help it! He wasn't worthy, wretched unbeliever that he had once been, far too lost to receive such contact!

Behind him, the rest of the delegation looked on with eyes bulging from their heads. Even if they knew he was being disciplined, to see Priest Beyn receive the touch of the Great One elevated him to new heights in their esteem. Truly, he was the right person to lead their congregation. Selected by the Great One the moment they breached the surface, this level of closeness only reaffirmed his eminence.

Beyn himself continued to battle within himself, a titanic clash that consumed him as he desperately strove to say only the words he was meant to.

Suddenly, he felt the touch of the Great One upon his mind and tears began to well in his eyes. He wasn't worthy!

[Look, just chill out, alright? You look like you're about to pass out, I swear to goodness you're vibrating in place! Deep breaths. Just breathe.]

Covertly, the priest attempted to follow this advice in the depths of his hood. Inhale. Exhale. He focused and tried to still his frantic thoughts and emotions. It worked, a little, maybe enough.

[Okay now. Just remember what we need you to say and how we need to come across here. We don't want them knowing what they're dealing with, not yet, alright?]

Beyn nodded to himself. Yes, he must maintain this shameful charade for the time being. It would be painful, it would be difficult, but he could do this! He gathered himself and began to speak once more, hoping that his unusual delay had gone largely unnoticed.

"I SAY AGAIN!" he called, "THERE NEED BE NO MORE HARM DONE THIS DAY! SEND OUT A DELEGATION THAT WE MAY NEGOTIATE WITH!"

There was a pause as his words were digested before someone called back.

"I think we'd rather talk from where we are, if it's all the same!"

Refusing to talk with the Great One?! INSOLENCE!

[Just ask them if they'd like us to go in there and talk with them,] the Great One cut in, heading off another off-script explosion.

Beyn wasn't sure exactly what he meant, but he dutifully followed his instructions.

"IF YOU SO CHOOSE, WELL WILL COME OVER THE WALL TO NEGOTIATE WITH YOU!"

"Fine! I'll come out!"

A miracle! Though he had no idea why, the words of the Great One had brought about such a swift resolution! A miracle indeed! Within five minutes an older gentleman emerged from the narrowly opened gate which slammed shut behind him before he began walking over. Beyn took a moment to study this person, as he felt the thousands of ants in view were also doing, their collective attention somehow materialised in the tense atmosphere like a blanket that weighed down on everything. Grizzled, experienced, solid and somehow not entirely predictable was Beyn's read on him. There was something about him that spoke of instability, not that he could be blamed, faced with such glorious inevitability as the Colony, who wouldn't be rattled?

The man certainly didn't lack for courage as he willingly abandoned the safety of his wall to venture out, alone, and walk forward into the face of an army of monsters. Not just any person could do such a thing.

"My name is Captain Wallace Danton," he spoke and bowed toward Beyn, but also somehow toward the Great One, a gesture which raised him in Beyn's esteem immensely. "I head the guard here in Rylleh, the guard you have so roundly defeated this day."

"DO NOT… ahem. Do not blame yourself or your soldiers for such a failing, your defeat was a foregone conclusion, with the army we have at our disposal."

"True," Wallace ceded, his gaze wandering over the ants who covered every surface of every building he could see from where he stood. Each monster was perfectly still, barely a twitch of an antenna to show that they still lived. Despite their eyes not needing to focus, he could almost feel that their attention was on him, not the least the two giant creatures so close to him.

It was enough to drive someone mad…

"I would love to know what it is that has brought about this… invasion. I find it difficult to imagine what a human in charge of such a large colony of monsters would want."

Beyn stared at the man blankly for a moment before he remembered. Oh, right! The fiction! He was supposed to be in control.

"I will not mince words as our mission is time sensitive. We wish to know how many spatial gates exist here in this city, and where they are. We seek to dismantle them as soon as possible. Once that is complete, we will leave your people to their own devices. All we ask is that we are allowed to oversee the city to ensure that no new gates are constructed."

Wallace felt his head spin. They wanted to cut off this area of Dungeon? But why?! There must be more that he doesn't know.

"Such a thing would be difficult," he said, "the people here depend on those gates for many things, without them we'll be isolated, unable to trade with the other cities, unable to contact our families and friends. Many in the city are travellers whose homes lie elsewhere. They'd be abandoned here, cut off from their support networks."

The priest frowned at this less than instant capitulation.

"The gates will come down within the next hour, Captain. There are two ways that can happen. With your people aiding us, or we tear the city apart and destroy them ourselves. What there isn't, is a way those gates stay operating."

There was a strange pause as the priest stared straight ahead, as if listening to another voice.

"We will provide what consolation we can. Nobody will starve and what material goods we can provide we shall strive to do so. It is not the fault of the people of this city that we've come here, you are unfortunately caught in the crossfire. Nevertheless, we must achieve what we have set out to do this day."

Wallace could see no hesitation in the eyes of the surprisingly young man. He spoke of eliminating the city as if it were simply a matter of course. Chilling.

"There are only two places with gates," Wallace sighed, "inside the square is the transport ministry, and… " he gestured to an imposing fort carved into the wall of the city, "the Abyssal Legion fort up there."