Chrysalis Chapter 1714 - The Shadows Are Dangerous

Wandering the tunnels in this manner was an unfamiliar experience for the nameless one. While several of her sisters—those serving as scouts or soldiers during their waking hours—likely felt at home in these corridors, she had not stepped out from the darkness for many weeks. It was possible her identity among the surface-dwellers had been entirely erased, like an ant that went missing and was eventually struck from the records as lost. Alternatively, her family might have known exactly where she spent her hours and simply chose to ignore it.

[Move with caution,] the group leader signaled to the rest of the unit.

As if the nameless one would ever be anything less than perfect in her duties. Having hunted the most formidable prey within the Colony, she viewed a few humans stumbling through the Dungeon as no real challenge.

Nevertheless, she refused to cut corners or lower her guard. The standard demanded of the nameless was nothing short of perfection, and regardless of the mission, she intended to meet that expectation.

Gliding through the gloom like flowing water, the collective of nameless moved as a single entity. They hesitated and sensed their surroundings, only advancing when they were absolutely certain of their safety. Dancing upon the razor-thin boundary between the material world and the shadow dimension, they remained balanced, never straying too far into either. Eventually, their first quarry was located.

It was a lone human, hunkered down in a hidden spot against the wall of the tunnel.

To be fair, the attempt at stealth was respectable, and the nameless might have missed her if not for the persistent shadow on the floor. If an object cast a shadow, they would find it. To the nameless, shadows were both windows and doors; they were more sensitive to these patches of darkness than anything else in existence.

[Search the area,] the leader signaled. [There will be others.]

The nameless one moved immediately, traveling through the tunnel with silent, invisible purpose. As her companions fanned out behind her, they inspected every crevice and corner. When hunting prey of this nature, they knew better than to rely on their eyes, antennae, or even their sense of touch. Every detail had to be verified from multiple angles; nothing was taken on faith.

It was only due to this meticulousness that they discovered the second human. This one was hidden inside a hollow stalagmite, utilizing mana sense to monitor the activity outside.

[Found one,] the nameless one signaled, indicating the hidden intruder.

In the absolute blackness of the hollow, there wasn't even a shadow to detect. Only the incredibly faint touch of the delver’s mind interacting with the tunnel's mana had revealed her location.

When the strike came, it was over in a heartbeat. The nameless one claimed the second delver herself. While the darkness inside the stone pillar had concealed the human's shadow, it offered no protection against the arts of the nameless. Grasping the darkness, the nameless one delicately infused it with her own mana, extending it through the shadow dimension to mask where the power originated.

Even though she was actively searching for mana, the delver remained oblivious to the fact that the darkness surrounding her was transforming and gaining substance. It was no longer merely a lack of light; it had become a doorway.

When the moment was right, the nameless one pulled the door open, and the delver tumbled through the gap. Without even enough time to scream, she was wrapped in a shroud of shadow and her consciousness was forced into a deep sleep.

Flawless.

Once the prey was secured in the separate realm, other sisters were ready to take the subdued human and transport them to the sleeping cells. The nameless had established many such hidden paths within the shadow dimension for this very task.

[Continue the hunt,] their leader signaled. [Clear the path.]

And so, they obeyed.

They pushed through the tunnel, searching and sensing with extreme care. They moved as if they were stalking the Council itself, knowing that the slightest hint of their presence would make the mission ten times more difficult.

More targets were discovered—some isolated, others in small clusters. Delvers were huddled at various points, keeping watch on the tunnel for ants, never realizing they were the ones being hunted. One by one, the shadows embraced them, lulling them into sleep before they were carried away to the cells.

The high number of sentries watching this specific tunnel suggested a significant reason for their presence, and the cause was soon revealed.

[Stop,] the nameless one signaled, causing the group to freeze. In the silence, she indicated four distinct spots. [There,] she added.

A massive concentration of delvers was gathered. With this many so close together, there were bound to be more.

[Investigate,] the leader gestured.

A lone nameless could often go where a full group could not.

Squeezing through the tightest gaps, she bypassed the first, second, and third lines of guards. Only then was she close enough to perceive what was being concealed within the tunnel.

Exiting was far simpler than entering. The humans expected threats to arrive from the front, not from behind. Those already captured were undoubtedly part of this group, and soon the humans would realize people were missing and increase their security. For the moment, however, they remained unaware.

Once she was back in the clear, she returned to the waiting nameless.

[A large force,] she signed. [They are guarding a ritual site.]

The nameless stood motionless, weighing their next move.

[We must inform the Eldest,] the leader signed.

Naturally, they couldn't seek out the Eldest personally, as their current location was unknown. Fortunately, that wasn't necessary. Drifting alongside them, perched on the boundary between shadow and reality, a single tentacle waited patiently to receive their report.