RinoZ
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Chapter 1300 - Anthony On Tour - Another Brick
🕑 Added 2024-02-03 10:09:26 +0000 UTCMy conversation with Rassan’tep is short, and soon I have to open up the way and slip back into the pavilion, head buzzing with what I’ve learned. This is the truth of the Ancients? They’ve had enough of Pangera and want to get the heck out?
Why? This place seems fine!
I mean, would I remove centipedes from the spawn pool for monsters? Yes, yes I would. And will. Other than that, people seem to be getting along alright.
And what happens to Pangera when this dimensional boundary is broken? Is the planet fine and the Ancients just buzz off, or does it explode!? Rassan’tep was pretty vague on this point and I think I would want a definitive answer before I decided to worship Arconidem. I mean, is the Demon God trying to blow up Pangera or not? Fairly darn fundamental question!
Surrounded by my family once more, watching them skitter about, setting up stalls, precisely laying out the fruits of their labours, I certainly want an answer to that question!
“Sloan! Can I get a minute?”
“Sure thing, Eldest! Just give me a moment.”
She finishes whatever conversation she was having and comes over to me, antennae waving furiously.
“I’m extremely busy right now, Eldest, I hope this won’t take long.”
“This isn’t a battle, you know. It’s shopping.”
“The longer we are on this expedition and the more I speak with Eran Thouris, the more similarities I see. It may have been a mistake to leave Solant behind, she would have learned much.”
Probably, but she has plenty to do where she is right now.
“I’ll be brief then, I need to talk to Brilliant. Urgently.”
Sloan’s demeanour becomes grave.
“She can come to us, as I’m sure you know, but it may cause problems if an ant is detected jumping into the middle of a ka’armodo stronghold without a gate.”
She has a good point, and I hesitate for a moment, but no, this is too serious. If the lizard-wizards get all bent out of shape, then I’ll deal with the fallout when it happens.
“This is important, Sloan. Send word. I need to talk to her as soon as possible.”
“Very well, Eldest. I’ll get it done.”
If anyone is going to be able to verify what Rassan’tep had to say, it’s her. I need that confirmation. Just because Arconidem, who is a butt head, it must be stressed, said this two thousand years ago, doesn’t mean it’s actually true. In fact, why would it be true? The big demon was probably lying through his teeth and the Ancients have some other scheme in mind for which they need another member.
“Hey, Eldest. It is I! Brilliant!”
Gah!
“Dammit! Where the heck did you come from?!”
The little ant gives me a superior look and I swear my antennae moves without my conscious control.
THWACK!
“Ouch! What was that for?!”
“Uh, disciplinary correction. Never mind that!”
“But my heads hurts.”
“Good. I have an important question. More than a question, a mission. A task. This will stress your mind and challenge your capabilities to their limits. Are you ready for the ineffable truths I am about to reveal?”
Brilliant practically quivers with excitement.
“Of course! I was born ready! Did you forget who I am? I’m BRILLIANT!”
“I’ll connect a mind bridge, because this is sensitive information I’m not sure everyone in the Colony should know.”
[You getting me?]
[Loud and clear.]
[Good. Now, I have learned, from an ancient order of hidden scholars, that this world… is a PRISON!]
….
….
Not much reaction. I decide to add emphasis.
[DUN, DUN, DUNNNNN!]
Brilliant continues to stare up at me expectantly.
[Soooooo. Apparently there’s some sort of dimensional… barrier thing? That cuts Pangera off from the rest of the universe? Or something? And the Ancients really want to break it… but can’t?]
She’s still looking at me, waiting.
[So… I want you to… work out if that’s true.]
[It is.]
….
[Right.]
I feel like I’m missing something here. I told her the secret truths of the world, I’m sure I did. Where is her reaction? She loves this stuff?!
[What’s the secret mission, Eldest? Don’t tease me any further! My mind is burning with curiosity! Tell me! Tell me now!]
She’s so excited she starts prodding my leg with one of her antenna
[Wait, just hold up a second. What do you mean “it is”? You already know this world is a prison?]
[Well, I know there’s a huge dimensional wall that locks it off from somewhere. It’s present in every dimension and forms a sphere around the planet. So prison, sure, makes sense.]
She slumps.
[Wait, that’s what you wanted me to find out?]
[Yes! This is meant to be a big secret that not many people know about!]
[Oh! Oh… Well… it’s one of the first things I learned when I started dimension hopping. Smacked headfirst into the wall and almost died! Good fun.]
I feel like I have a headache coming on.
[If nobody knows this, then how did you figure it out so quickly?]
[I’M BRILL—]
THWACK!
[—IANT! Ouch!]
Still finished it, eh? She’s dedicated.
[Seriously though. I refuse to believe nobody else can figure this out in two thousand years and you did it in about two months.]
[Well…]
I can tell she just wants to say she’s that much smarter than everyone else.
[I do have advantages as a monster that others don’t have. Throwing oneself physically into another dimension isn’t exactly easy without having our unique advantages. Impossible, really.]
I’m guessing she’s saying she has mutations that help in that regard, which obviously a normal person can’t get.
[Alright then, maybe you won’t have an answer for this question then. If that barrier is broken, what will happen to the Pangera?]
[Oooooooo. Not sure. Boom? Maybe… or perhaps… no boom. On the other mandible… boom?]
[See if you can get an answer without exploding any parts of the nest. Or the planet.]
[You got it Eldest. I’ll get right on it!]
Comments
ManguKing
1300!!! Congrats on the milestone
ManguKing
It must be a dimensional shell protecting pangera from other much more powerful planets
ott043
How did Sloan contact brilliant? Do they have long range communication abilities?
Yanni
While no one might understand it now that’s not to say future generations wouldn’t.
Mitchell
I love how Anthony has to specify to brilliant not to destroy the planet.
alt31415
It's Anthony we're talking about, forgetting his abilities is what he's all about! Also could be that Brilliant's just not in the Nave; we know it has a 'seat' limit.
Tevin Ruff
Why didn't he just use his ability to talk to Brilliant? He can talk to any ant or being that has deep devotion for him.
Harold Fincker
Instead of a prison, could be a sanctuary. Like everything outside's already gone boom
MrMac
I still prefer gandalf
alt31415
It took me THIS LONG after the chapter's posting to realize the reference. Just another brick in THE WALL!
KopiCAT
A lab works. The system is very clearly designed to create truly powerful beings, but for what purpose? To keep them imprisoned? Or to create an army to fight whatever is outside?
KopiCAT
I believe it's the creator of the system that is behind it. Not 100% certain if that is Gandalf. He sounds more like a manager of the system, then the creator of it. And I believe it's the system that's imprisoning them, or whomever created the system rather. Since Gandalf did off-hand mention that the Ancients want very much to be free of it, to no longer be bound by the system. My reasoning for not believing Gandalf is the maker of the system, has to do with how he has no control over the souls that are gathered from other worlds. It's like that particular part of the system is handled by someone else. The bigger question though, is it a prison? Or is it a protective shell? One keeps people safe from the ones inside. The other keeps us safe from those outside. The system is very clearly designed to create truly powerful beings, but for what purpose? To keep them imprisoned? Or to create an army to fight whatever is outside?
Elmithian
Or, atl what has been my prevalent theory, the planet core is a form of an egg, and all the experiences and actions are gradually feeding and fleshing it out. Sure, its birth might breach the barriers, but what if that barrier was set up by whoever laid the egg?
C Gillan
I love the order of priority. Parts of The nest then oh parts of the planet too.
ZaneofBane
The presumed "administrator" of the dungeon isn't acting like it's a prison. He was trying to up the biodiversity and inviting foreign souls to shake things up. I suspect a research lab of some sort with a containment field.
Roombot
She's amazing
Roombot
Gandalf, I think.
Ether's Blessed One
Oh like Leviathan from StarCraft
Buck
Brilliant is such a mad scientist.
Paul Birchenough
The world isn't a world, it's a dimensional generational colony ship, and the magic reactor started leaking... I think it was one of 'Tharg's Future Shocks', everyone thought they were on a generation ship, but those pesky skeptics convinced everyone otherwise. They were right. Yay! and opened the door of the vault they were in. Then everyone died because the radiation they were hiding from hadn't gone away yet. Boo! Don't open the vault door Anthony! It's just the cold hard vacuum of space out there!
Paul Birchenough
She needs an Illudium Q Explosive Space Detenator. For research purposes.
Koala Man
Damn nice chaps , but now im wondering about whatever/whoever it was that imprisoned them? There was an original ancient ? , that was imprisoned and sounds like the most powerful of all the ancients . That leads me to believe that there’s something even more powerful on the outside of it .. soo much fun thx Rinoz
Khajar
It would probably be easier to create and mutate a pet to become a space ship.
Anthony Romanov
Thank you so much for this Brilliant Truth
Anthony Romanov
And who else will understand what she finds???
Yanni
I wonder if Brilliant is documenting all that she discovers and sharing it with the colony and not just the stuff that she thinks is relevant.
Kiongku
I mean explosive revelations… but on the other mandible, those pesky centipedes eh?
Kiongku
That’s asking yourself if Mythbusters would be Mythbusters if they do not blow things up~ Brilliant is the missing member
Rahsheem Reid
Boom or no boom that is the question!!
Gonvas
Thanks for triple release 😁🐜
Frank Moore
Is Brillant able to do research without a KaBoom?
Lonez Zhavec
Please sir. Can I have some more? Lol. Thanks for the chapters. they were amazing.
Thunderhoof
Ants with spaceship. They need to "visit" other planets to "burrow" their resources.
Ether's Blessed One
Well, rest and give us more tomorrow, Gehehehe.
Ether's Blessed One
Which side though, would they be like the humans with spaceship or the insecets with meteorites?
Thunderhoof
Maybe if the Colony takes up the whole Pangera they would also need to get out. Space ANTS! Just like Starship Troopers
RinoZ
this is it. I've tried to get you off cliffs, but I'm tired
Goldraven
Another one?
