Chrysalis

It was with no small amount of pride that Sloan watched the first shipment of Biomass and cores 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 that 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 watching the soldiers run by. "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 had expected it to take longer for the requisite mana to accrue within the farms, even if they had installed a carefully controlled irrigation system to ensure that infused water was available in each of the farming chambers.

"Yes," Cobalt confirmed, "I heard Bella gushing about it earlier, though I'm not sure how many of those cores she expects to see considering that 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. Every one of them 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, or where 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 and called out.

"Burke! Where are you off to in such a rush?" Tungstant called out.

The scout stuttered to a stop, her legs pumping hard to slow her momentum before coming to rest in front of the two 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 Tungstant 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 had 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!

So, it had been that the entire Colony had been on edge as the days ticked by with no word about the fate of the Eldest. Sloan had noticed she'd been getting some none too friendly glares as she moved in the tunnels recently and she was more than pleased 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 off 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 in 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 Tungstant didn't remember seeing much before.

Had something changed? Or as the Colony grew, did the reverence reserved for the very oldest of their number simply become 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 through the tunnel and 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 looked like they 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 that 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 for a moment before realizing who had spoken.

"Ah! Sloan. Fine. Everything was fine! I'm just tired. The third strata 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 continued to stumble onward toward a resting chamber, a thousand ants watching them go. The moment their hero had 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 strata?" she muttered.

Tungstant and Burke nodded, not trusting their pheromones to properly reply.

"What sort of madness would inspire you to go to the third strata IN A WAVE?!" the general wailed.