Chrysalis

That's right dear readers! I ventured where so few have dared to tread! Within the heart of the nest itself! Of all the exotic locations I have plumbed over the years, all the dangers I have braved and risks I have taken, I have to say that this, this was not like those.

A part of me wants to say it was anti-climactic, in a sense, but another part of me wants to say that it was anything but. Here I was, on the brink of stepping deep within a nest of ravening monsters! How many thousands of them made war within the Dungeon just a few hundred metres beneath my feet? It was exhilarating to think about and my two guards were so tense their impressive muscles threatened to bulge right out of their armour.

On the other hand...

I was accompanied by a smiling tour guide who laughed and chatted with the townsfolk on their way to the Colony, on the road just as we were. We passed by a young mother and her small children on their way, the little ones running and cheering as their mother tried to keep them both in line as they dashed toward the impossible fortress that loomed ahead, bristling with monsters.

"What reason would this young lady have to take her children into the nest?" I leaned toward Emilia and whispered.

The old rumours came back to me in that moment. Where these children about to be sacrificed to slake the insect hunger for flesh!?

"The Colony runs a day care program for young children twice a week," she smiled gently, "mothers can come and spend time with each other as their children play with the hatchlings and take lessons from the brood tenders."

"Brood tenders?" my curiosity seized hold of my imagination before I had to process the idea of insect child care.

"They are the caste of ants specially bred to raise the young and teach. They are hyper-specialised in this field and provide heavy bonuses to anyone under their tutelage. Raising the young of the Colony makes them immensely busy, but for two days a week the Colony allows children from Renewal to take advantage in order to benefit the children."

"And how does this benefit the Colony?"

"A stronger Renewal means a stronger Colony," she smiled, "our citizens work with and for the Colony. Our guards take tours of the Dungeon side by side with them, we trade with them, they trade for us. There isn't an alliance or any such thing between the Colony and the survivors of the frontier kingdoms. Though they have never demanded anything from us, we are essentially one and the same. They have never failed to help us when we asked, and they help us constantly without us even having to ask. If we have any honour at all, then we have no choice but to do the same."

Do you understand me now, dear reader? A fearsome den of monsters this nest may be, but it is also a location for schooling children. My feelings were very mixed.

o Excerpt from Chapter Seven of 'Traveling Tolly in the lands of the Colony' published in the Monthly 'Pangera Gazette'

[Do you really think you can outlast be, INSECT?!] Grokus gloats as he swept toward me again.

I'm beginning to realise that despite how threatening and surprisingly quick his charges were, they are not really intended to hurt me. All the massive city lord was doing was keeping me dodging and hopping out of his way whilst he waited for his insidious aura to eat 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 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 as 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 have 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 start slicing 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 to the massive demon.

[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 that I possibly can. It's an ominous ball of near perfect black 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!