Postgraduate, or postgrantuate, education was another concept the Colony adopted in a manner very differently to most other societies. While it is normal for there to be scholarly communities, such as the Tower, who accept only the finest minds and greatest learners into their ranks, those who are able to make the most of these opportunities are very few in number.

It has been noted many times that only the wealthy can afford to tutor their children to the exacting standards expected of these institutions. A farmer's children will be put to work on the farm as soon as they are able, seldom completing even basic education. This lopsided representation amongst the scholars of most empires leads to bias and gaps in thinking, with those lacking in material understanding of common tasks called on to devise policy or advise on matters they do not comprehend.

Among the Colony, further education is available to any ant who wants it. Once a hatchling has completed their training, they will be a tier four monster with a set caste and a well understood list of capabilities and responsibilities. At this stage, most of them will journey to those places where their skills are needed, ready to contribute and join the general workflow of the Colony. Some, however, choose to remain and pursue ideas and concepts until they are satisfied.

Perhaps only the ants could tolerate this generous attitude, since they are always supremely confident the studious hatchling is working to better themselves or the Colony rather than shirking work.

- Excerpt from ‘Antucation: Teaching and Learning, Pedagogy among the ant’ by Karliet Magron.

Poppant observed as the hatchlings watched the battle unfold below them. Like shadows, they clung to the ceiling, hiding themselves amongst the folds in the stone as dozens of monsters fought desperately beneath them. They weren’t completely passive, though.

Whenever it seemed that one combatant would overpower the other, an ant would intervene, firing acid down to help swing the fight back to a neutral playing field. In this way, they dragged out the battle until every combatant was exhausted and injured. Fruit ripe for the plucking.

“Dragon Claws!” Solant bellowed.

The hatchlings moved seamlessly through the manoeuvre, sliding into four columns of five each and collapsing on the prey from the flanks. Their jaws flashed as each five ant unit worked seamlessly in tandem, scything through the monsters with brutal efficiency.

It wouldn’t be a time record, due to the nature of their strategy, but it was certainly the most effortless victory she had ever seen. This group was acting… differently, than expected. She would need to make a report.

“Well done, hatchlings!” she praised them with genuine affection. “An excellent strategy, and one you executed so well! I’m particularly impressed with how well you were able to deploy your acid, and with such accuracy!”

“We’ve been working on pairing spotters and shooters to try and improve our aim,” one hatchling explained. “Two sets of eyes are better than one, after all.”

“Allow the enemy to defeat themselves,” Solant nodded with satisfaction as she looked down on the waiting Biomass. “Why should we fight when our enemy is strong? Instead, we make them weak, and then strike. This seems like a viable way to do battle.”

“Oh, it absolutely is,” Poppant agreed, “though not always feasible. Now, scurry down there and eat. Don’t let any of it go to waste! Then come back here to me, I have an exciting announcement to make!”

The hatchlings hurried to do as she had told them, ensuring they divided the food as evenly as they could. It was almost time for them to evolve for the first time, after they’d formed their cores the previous day, and it was paramount that each member of the group achieved a full set of mutations. When the food was consumed, they returned to their teacher.

“Now, in light of your achievements, it has been agreed by the Tenders that you will be granted special cores for your evolution!” she clacked her mandibles joyfully. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Rather than the exuberance she had expected, the hatchlings simply nodded, a cold and determined energy rising from them as their eyes glinted in the dim light.

“No time like the present,” Poppant said, not losing her bubbly positivity for even a second. “Let’s head back to the chamber, the cores should be ready and waiting for us!”

And indeed they were. Enough cores to max out every one of the twenty hatchlings and then a special core for each of them, giving them the best possible start to life. An exciting opportunity to be sure, and not one that they would waste! Before they touched them, the hatchlings ensured that they had maxed out their mutations first.

The ants settled in and absorbed the cores needed to reach the limit for their tier, then eyed the special cores warily.

“No need to worry,” Poppant assured them, “it is certainly painful and uncomfortable, but I have something that might help!”

Humming cheerfully, she deposited a cup of tea in front of each hatchling, and then, with a wink, stirred in a teaspoon of sugar for each of them, deftly manipulating the cutlery with her mandibles.

“I’ve always found a spoonful of sugar helps the special core go down,” she announced. “Drink as you absorb, and then evolve straight away!”

They did, grimacing with discomfort as their cores swelled beyond the size that was normally acceptable. Once the task was done, each of them quickly fell into slumber as they selected their evolution and customised it to their own desires.

A few hours later, twenty Superior Hatchlings awoke, appearing not that much different from before, but brimming with potential.

Solant examined herself carefully, noting every change to her status, and found she was pleased with what she saw. This evolution didn’t provide the greatest benefit at tier two, but would start to pay off from tier three onward. That meant securing further records and competing against the rest of their broodmates would be more difficult in the short term.

She relished the challenge.