Chapter 588 The Delegation Pt 2 (1/2)

It took ten minutes for the ants to herd the humans into a side tunnel and from there into a small but comfortable room, complete with chairs and at which they could sit. Enid herself had no eyes for the furnis.h.i.+ngs, instead her focus was laser sharp on the ants around them who definitely appeared more tense and alert than they did a moment ago.

Antennae twitching, mandibles flexing, sudden, jumpy movements were all indications of nervousness that she'd witnessed in the ants and all of those signs were present in those watching them at this minute. All except Coolant, that is. The powerful mage was as her name, relaxed and comfortable as she asked for the humans to sit and took her place at the head of the table on a strange, ant shaped seat.

It slowly dawned on Enid what it meant to be so close to the brood. She knew how the lifecycle of the ants went. The larval ant monsters demanded a huge amount of Bioma.s.s before they could weave their coc.o.o.ns and mature to full grown members of the Colony. Somewhere nearby, a literal army of flesh eating grubs were being served mountains of monster remains. In the back of her mind, she almost felt as if she could hear the sound of thousands of mandibles tearing into meat and crunching bone.

She felt sick.

Beyn on the other hand, was totally elated! He was so close to the heart of the Colony, he could practically hear the heartbeat thudding in the walls. It filled him ecstasy, yet also humbled him. What was one, pathetic life next to the majesty of the Colony and its children? Thousands of young miracles were being reared nearby, angels of the System. What could one such as him do in comparison to that?

The rest of the council looked nervously to Enid for leaders.h.i.+p and she laboured to pull herself together. It wouldn't do to shame herself or the proud people of Renewal here! Come on Enid, pull yourself together! She reprimanded herself harshly and rallied her spirit, chasing the gnas.h.i.+ng sounds away.

[Thank you for accommodating us here, Coolant,] she gestured to the seats and table, [it's clear you went to some trouble to make us comfortable.]

[Oh, it's nothing. The furniture is but stone and wood, things we shape easily enough.]

Aarran harrumphed quietly at this insult to his profession, but Coolant either didn't notice or ignored the man.

[We thank you anyway,] Enid continued as she kicked the idiot craftsman under the table, [though I must ask, why bring us so close to the brood chambers if it makes you uncomfortable? I, for one, am happy to relocate to another place if our hosts will be more at ease.]

Please let us leave!

[That won't be necessary,] Coolant replied, das.h.i.+ng her hopes, [the Eldest made it clear to us that if we want to receive trust from another sapient being, then we must extend trust. This is true on an individual level, but also on a societal level. It is our intention to seek greater trust from you and your people, so it is necessary that we display trust towards you. For that reason we have brought you here, next to our heart.]

The mage turned toward one wall to better gesture for her human audience.

[Through that wall and down a tunnel lies the egg-laying chamber of this nest where the Queen resides.]