[Holy moly, Enid! Don’t scare me like that!]

[Don’t scare you like that?] Enid squawked. [You damn near killed an old woman, you buffoon! I thought my heart was going to stop….]

[I’m not that scary looking. Crinis says I’m very handsome.]

[You’re enormous! And purple! Your mandibles are the same size as my bed! You knew damn well you were going to take me by surprise hanging off the roof like that.]

The gigantic monster scratched itself on the head with one of those enormous antennae. As thick around as a man’s leg and as long as a house was wide. It didn’t feel like that long ago since Enid had last seen him, but Anthony had changed an enormous amount.

[Your last evolution really was a big change,] she said. [I can’t believe how different you look.]

For want of a better word, the ant preened, cleaning his antennae and shifting to bounce the light off his carapace.

[Well. I did put on a lot of size. Gotta boost that Might somehow.]

[It’s not just that. Step back a little, let me get a good look at you.]

[What?]

[Go on, back up.]

After a moment of hesitation, Anthony took a few steps back and paused, unsure, while Enid passed her gaze over his new form.

The first thing that stood out was his sheer size, of course. From the most forward tip of his mandibles, to the very back of his abdomen, he was between fifteen and twenty metres long, and possibly eight tall, at her estimate. Each leg was an absurd length, so thick they didn’t look like they belonged to an insect at all, though compared to the rest of his body, the proportion was about right.

The carapace was the next greatest change, no longer a shiny diamond coating over the common colours of the Colony, Anthony’s shell had transformed into something else altogether. A deep, shimmering purple, somewhat opaque, so that she almost felt as if she could peer into it, darkening to black as it grew thicker. Light seemed to ripple as it played across the material that comprised the carapace, as if touching the surface of a lake. His entire body was coated in the stuff, including thinner plating on the legs and his mandibles.

The mandibles themselves were horrifying. As long a large person was tall, they weren’t the stubby, somewhat blunt gripping tools she saw on the mages and healers. No, these were deadly weapons and they looked the part. Hooked at the ends, with barbs evenly spaced along the ends, they looked like they could punch through armour just as readily as crunch a boulder.

On top of his head, Anthony’s eyes were much the same as they’d always been, though the lenses seemed to have gotten bigger, to the point she could pretty much see the lines that separated them. Some were clearly larger than others too, which was interesting. His antennae were interesting as well. In the light, she could see they weren’t quite as solid as she imagined, as she glimpsed incredibly fine wisps of thread drifting around them.

[I know I’m magnificent, but this is getting awkward. You didn’t call me up here just to take a gander at my shininess, did you?]

[Of course not,] the old woman scoffed. [But I’ve never seen a tier seven monster, let alone a mythic one before. I thought I should take a good look while I had the chance.]

[You aren’t dead yet, Enid.]

[No thanks to you!]

[Alright! I’m sorry! Geez. Ah, the healers are here.]

A team of ants scurried into the chamber, five of them, rushing toward her and immediately poking and prodding her gently with their antennae.

[Wha-what is going on? Shoo!]

She tried to wave them away, but they ignored her, and she suspected that she knew why.

[This is your doing, isn’t it?] she demanded of the ‘Great One’.

[Yep! I thought I should get you checked out by the crew. We can’t have you dying on us, Enid. Not for a long time yet.]

[I’m old,] she tried feebly to brush the ants away, [there’s no cure for that. Besides, I hardly think it matters if I’m still around at this point. I’ve resigned as mayor. I think people can get along just fine without me.]

She started as the giant ant loomed close suddenly bringing one massive eye within touching distance.

[What are you doing?]

[I’m looking for some common sense in there. What are you talking about? There’s a reason we ants revere the Eldest, and the elders among us, and since we ants do it, it’s objectively the correct thing to do! You’ve got buckets of knowledge, experience and wisdom in that noggin’ of yours. In fact, of all the humans we’ve met, I think you’ve done more than any other for us. You think all that goes out the window, or that we aren’t grateful? You’re talking nonsense!]

Diagnosis complete, the ants began to funnel healing magic into her, which was fine. Warm light suffused her body, easing her aches and pains. It was almost enough to make her laugh. She’d heard about rich nobles having themselves healed every morning to extend their lives and reduce the pain of ageing, but never imagined it would apply to her.

[Well, that’s very kind,] she said finally. [I still think it’s a bit of a waste… there are lots of soldiers out there fighting who could do with healing.]

[And that is why you're important, Enid. I swear you were an ant in a past life.]

She’d been no such thing and was about to say so when the five healers turned around and promptly covered her head to toe in viscous green fluid.

If seeing a tier seven monster had been a remarkable sight, seeing him flop onto his back and kick his six legs in the air while screaming with laughter in her head was quite another experience.