Chapter 1264: Tolly Goes Home

Chapter 1264: Tolly Goes Home

Hello, dear readers! It has been some time, but I greet you once more from the pages of my tome, the record of my grand adventures!

It is I, Travelling Tolly, and I continue my amazing journey in the lands of the Colony, the remarkable species of monsters who have captured imaginations and set tongues to wagging. As you are well aware, I can never resist a wagging tongue, and as such have made it my mission to thoroughly explore the lands claimed by these boneless creatures and bring my tale of excitement and endeavour to you!

When last we left you, I had been a resident of the Demon city of Roklu and the grand nest which the Colony had made underneath. Such an incredible place, the architecture, the customs, the people!

However, and I'm sure this is no secret to you, precious reader, the third stratum is not, shall we say, the most salubrious of locations.

Oh! I have travelled in the most miserable swamps, the most explosive of volcanoes. Never forget, 'twas I who plunged into the depths of the forbidden mountain of Krak'tooa in search of the Crystal Fountain, hidden within the subterranean jungle of death, Amagor!

However, it's no secret that your Tolly is getting on in hiser years. Breathing the smoke and ash all day long isn't good for the lungs, reader. I assure you that my doctor has said so!

So it was that after my gentle urging, my host, guide and dear friend, Emilia, was persuaded that we might take our travels down to a deeper layer of the Dungeon.

"Are you sure, Ms Tolly?" she asked me, wide-eyed.

The precious thing.

"If you need me to, we can slow down the tour. It's important you get enough rest. Eight hours of sleep a day is best."

"I am perfectly well rested, dear," I assured her.

It was quite a thrill, reader, to be amongst such to-ing and fro-ing. Such a scene wouldn't have been out of place in the place I call home, the Silver City!

My guards were perhaps a little more relaxed in this space, due to the sheer number of non-ants around, but I think it was rather foolish of them, considering there were still thousands and thousands of them! Directing traffic, inspecting cargo manifests, and performing all of the millions of administrative tasks that go into running a gate hub of this size were teams of ants, performing their roles with the efficiency and aplomb I've come to associate with their species.

"Welcome," Emilia greeted me, "to Lightnest, home of the Colony in the fourth stratum."

She seemed just as excited as me to be here, and I had to ask her.

"Have you been here before, my dear?"

She smiled at me, brilliantly.

"Only once, when I was much younger, but it is a treasured memory of mine."

"And what about the Eldest? Would we be able to find this most august of ants somewhere within this nest?" I pressed her.

Her smile slipped just a little.

"I'm afraid not, Ms Tolly. The Eldest is presently very deep, and not available to speak to. I must apologise."

Well, that's fine. You know as well as I do, dear reader, that I don't give up on an exclusive so easily!