Chrysalis Chapter 1778 - General Plans

Whenever she wasn’t dragged away by the Colony’s endless demands or the Eldest’s summons, Solant was poring over the map. In those rare instants when she let invasion thoughts fade, she relished the exquisite craftsmanship poured into its creation. Many of the crafters’ efforts held little worth in her eyes. Michaelangelant especially struck her as a quirky, extravagant figure.

Statues. What purpose did statues serve? The Eldest’s unblinking gaze greeting her at every corner only served as a major distraction.

But this marvel? The ever-expanding three-dimensional map, a dynamic record that flawlessly mirrored the Colony’s claimed terrain and ongoing battlefields? It was… she paused before admitting it… beautiful.

Ideal in both purpose and design, she savored studying it, letting her mind race through the labyrinthine paths and sinuous tunnels. Deep truths hid inside, solutions to her challenges, the crucial breakthrough the family craved.

Victory hovered right at her mandibles’ edge; she could taste it, almost taste it fully.

“No need to worry, it’s all taken care of.”

Suddenly, fresh sensations stirred Solant’s senses. An earthy aroma wafted in, laced with smoke and cinders, accompanied by unnatural rustles of cloth and tinkling metal trinkets.

“What is it that is taken care of?” Solant asked, a pang of regret hitting her for the vanished peace.

“The invasion,” Merchant declared. “It’s all taken care of.”

“Oh?” Solant turned to the map, still scarred by countless conflict zones across the sculpted stone. “It would have been nice if someone had told me.”

Sarcasm didn’t come easy to ant-kind, and Solant wasn’t using it—she was just baffled.

“That’s why I’m here,” Merchant laughed, drawing a slim silver case from her satchel and popping it open with a soft click. “Care for a celebratory cigar?”

“I… no,” Solant declined.

“Suit yourself,” Merchant shrugged, plucking one of the rich brown cigars and slipping it between her lips before snapping the case closed and tucking it away. “I wanted to be the first to tell you, so it took a little longer than perhaps was necessary for the news to reach you.”

“Do you plan to let me know what it is you’ve actually done?”

“I’ve got the Atreum Empire planning their first invasion of the fifth for over three hundred and seventy years,” Merchant said, igniting her cigar with a snap of her claws. “Once they go, others will follow. Give it a few months and the Krath will be dealing with three or four separate invasions, not just ours.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Merchant drew a deep, satisfied puff, her glasses sparkling in the command center’s glow. “You’re welcome.”

“For what? More problems on my plate?” Solant sighed, eyeing the map anew. “Three more invasions might mean relief from the Krath in the short term, but it means three competitors in the long. Are you suggesting that territory in the fifth stratum has become valuable?”

“It has,” Merchant nodded, “tremendously so. Mortals don’t seem to like ageing very much. Their fear of death would give Leeroy fits.”

“As of this moment and far into the future, the largest holder of this immensely valuable land is the Colony,” Solant pointed out. “Once the Krath are dealt with, and the Atreum Empire is consolidating their new lands, with vast armies at the ready, far more than they need to garrison their gains, what do you think might happen next?”

“That, my sister, is for you to worry about,” Merchant said with a quick bow. “In the short term, I’m sure the slugs having to fend off invasions from all over the Dungeon will cause them plenty of headaches, giving you the leeway you need to finish the job here and secure our gains.”

She wasn’t completely off base. After the Colony expelled the Krath and punched through to the sixth, nothing left but to strengthen defenses and solidify holdings, perhaps with small skirmishes for growth. Holding the world’s first secure route through the fifth stratum put the Colony ideally placed to plunge deeper and claim more territory below.

Naturally, keeping their full breakthrough secret was vital. Too much jealousy aimed at the family could prove disastrous.

“I’ll thank you, for now,” Solant said. “You delivered what you said you would. I will be sure to make the most of the advantage that you have won for us.”

Merchant tipped an imaginary hat to her older sibling.

Solant’s mind whirled amid the emerging chances and repercussions. Plenty of knowledge was essential for her to scheme wisely, data that demanded collection. Who might launch the assault, and from what location? Arguably the key question of all, ? Precise timing would let her assault the Krath during their peak distraction, capturing prime lands and grasping hearts that now teased just outside her grasp.

Fortification strategies needed to commence at once. The Fortresses were crafted for one distinct role: functioning as shelters and mana cleansing mechanisms. Once the fifth stood fully purified, vast sections of their architecture would turn redundant, while the perils they guarded against would shift dramatically.

Her front legs crossed over her back—a posture Solant favored during intense reflection—she mulled over the path ahead. If the Colony deemed their investments in the fifth excessive thus far, they’d tremble at the price tag of future endeavors.

Still, the payoff would justify it all eventually. The Colony had clashed, hemorrhaged, and sacrificed to secure this territory, carving a Pangera future beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. She’d suffer eternal torment before permitting its loss.

“How much wealth have you managed to secure using our finds in the fifth?” she asked.

Merchant clacked her mandibles joyfully.

“A fortune.”

Solant nodded.

“I’m going to need more. A great deal more.”

Merchant laughed.

“Now you’re talking my language,” she said with a wink.