Chrysalis

Introduction

Chrysalis is a twelve-chapter series separated into four parts, also known as Scrolls, each serving as an act in the story. Each part contains three chapters, following the perspectives of Nomada, a HiveWing fugitive who works alongside the Chrysalis to prevent annihilation within the two cities. The story presents a unique view into the past Pantala forty years before the event of Wings of Fire: The Lost Continent.

This story is part of the Atlas Universe, but contexts from my other stories aren't needed to enjoy this series. My plan for this series is for it to be a standalone story that expands on the history of Pantala. There will be a few retcons in this series, for example, the hives being constructed before the Tree Wars. However, in this series, the hives won't be designed until a decade after the war. Similar to my other stories, please consider this as a story within an alternate universe.

Part I, titled Scroll One, is set a year after Queen Monarch abandoned her throne, taking place in 4963 AS. My goals for this part are to show the post-war continent, introduce the two cities, and provide a new outlook on the dragons who live there. After the devastating Tree Wars resulting in the disappearance of the LeafWings, Queen Wasp ordered her dragons to eliminate every tree on the continent. This part follows the young Nomada as he traverses the broken ruins of the two cities, trying his best to fit in the city of Fyrerost, while surviving the oppressed and dangerous corners of Hymeno. However, with a new drug called "augments" developing to overthrow the city above, criminals ravage the streets of Hymeno and threaten the concord and tranquility between the nations. Part I completes with a tragedy that will shift both nations forever as new rebellions are formed.

Scroll Two follows the next three chapters, set within the two nations nine years after the previous part. With ongoing conflicts and growing attacks, the "binding stations" between the cities are destroyed, preventing those below from entering Fyrerost. In a desperate attempt for control, the plan for constructing the Hives was initiated, spanning the continent with capitals that would replace the cities. With the poison swept through the nation below, a group of outlaws pressure the ongoing war between the HiveWings and the Chrysalis. Still, as Fyrerost continues rising, new weapons are made to counter the expanding aggression in Hymeno. This part plans to provide a new view into what Pantala was after nine years, including how the augments were distributed and shut down Hymeno. New characters will enter this part, providing insight into the hidden corners of the secluded districts and what the undercity has become.

Scroll Three takes place immediately after the ending of Chapter 6. This part will span the next three chapters, serving as the climax of the series. With continuous tension emerging between the two cities, Queen Wasp and her administration agreed upon a purge of the city below. In Hymeno, rivalries continue swarming the streets as dragons try their best to survive. Nomada must figure out how to prevent his dragons from embroiling in another war, one that could wipe out the tribe forever. With both sides distracted, a forgotten tribe returns from the shadow to join the fight. The Clover Syndicate, a group of rebellious LeafWings will be introduced in this part, adding more to the already boiling strife of the two nations. As betrayals develop within the HiveWing's royal family, dragons must choose a side, to stand and watch as fire rains, or to become an outcast. This part will deliver an exciting and suspenseful ending that will lead directly into Part IV.

Scroll Four, beginning with Chapter 10, is the conclusion of the series. In these three final chapters, witness the greatest ending of the decade-long war and a new opening into the future of the continent, the two cities, and the tribes. Chrysalis's final part will show the harrowing journey Nomada experienced, along with the threatening but inevitable arrival of the Hives, an empire that will result in the eventual creation of the Otherminds. When Wasp's mysterious poison is unearthed, the tides of the war fluctuate as a new army hatch. This final part will explore the fractured relationships between the tribes, and the dragons, including those that have been shattered a long time ago. These chapters will deliver a promising finale, catching a glimpse into the last peaceful moments of dragons whose lives will be changed forever. Part IV acts as a prologue to the rise of a HiveWing nation built upon seclusion and control, a surrender to oppression that clung along since Queen Monarch resigned, and a new, deadly poison, the Breath of Evil. The ending of this part and the series will give a peek at what Pantala will eventually become.

First chapter of the series releases on June 28.

Enjoy the story!

— Polisiary