Chapter 1582 – Mage Hand

Rathwyn Werilos felt that he was in real danger. It was odd, in a sense. He was sitting in a quiet study, in a comfortable chair, drinking tea and eating delicious cakes with a book in his lap and his pipe between his teeth. On the surface, he seemed as safe as it was possible to be. His fellow Magio-Scholars were still feverishly documenting everything they could about the ant invasion, the nature of the fifth and the incredible discovery of the chal, arguing loudly with each other almost every minute of the day.

For his part, Rathwyn was content to accept the hospitality of the Colony and watch over his fellows, acting as the diplomat and keeping them from stepping on any… antennae.

Yet it felt so… wrong. Here they were, engaged in studious activity and learning, debating, drinking tea, as if there wasn’t an apocalyptic battle going on around them. The ants took care of them, but it was obvious there was a strain on their resources. They were fighting for their lives while hosting holiday goers. It simply wasn’t right.

He stood from his seat.

Perhaps there was something about his presence that had shifted, because discussion in the room sputtered out and ceased as his fellow scholars looked to him.

“I’m going out to fight,” he announced calmly. “You should all join me.”

If he was expecting a rousing response, he didn’t get it. The other scholars seemed to freeze, their eyes locked on him, then… slowly, their collective gaze slid to someone else.

Nemis, agent of the crown.

Leaning against the wall, watching the scholars with a general air of contempt, she sneered.

“No,” she said.

The scholars looked back to Rathwyn.

“Be reasonable. We are here as guests, our survival is dependent on the success of the ants at holding off the wave. Why shouldn’t we assist them? It is our moral obligation.”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

As ever, he slipped into a diplomatic frame of mind. It was his reflex, in these moments, to appeal to an individual’s better nature. Intellectually, he knew that was a failing strategy.