Chrysalis

Chapter 2

The world before the System Descent is mystery to us now, any records of that time disappeared during the Rending or were lost in the centuries since. How did those people judge each other, unable to view themselves with perfect numerical accuracy as we so easily can today?

Was that society a more equitable place? When the worth of a human being can be weighed with such precision, strict roles and structures are easy to maintain, perhaps back then, when the qualities of each individual were more nebulous, it allowed greater freedom, greater choice in a persons' life? Many believe the System elevated us, empowered us to fight back against the great cataclysm, but many of the wise question this narrative, we know what we gained in the Descent, but we can no longer recall what we lost.

Exert from page 15 of "Ruminations on the pre-Descent society" by Illarion the heretic.

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Okay. So I have a skill point and a body point to spend? If this is a game-like situation then I would be able to open some sort of menu in order to spend my points and improve myself. How do I access this menu here in my tunnel though?

Erm. Level up!

No, that didn't work.

Escape! Escape key!

… Nothing.

I mean, worth a shot right?

Sigh.

Status!

Whoa!

Name: Anthony

Level: 1

Might:15

Toughness:12

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

HP: 30

MP: 0

Skills: Digging level 1; Acid Shot Level 1; Grip Level 3; Bite Level 2

Species: Hatchling Ant Worker (Formica)

Biomass: 1

Skill Points: 1

Wow, this is really interesting! My status huh?

The first time I saw these numbers I thought they looked high but perhaps they are actually really low? I can't imagine a hatchling ant worker has an impressive status in any way. And what are these skills?

I

onto surfaces and objects without letting

savior! Truly your beard is

have some sort of help system built into the status to explain the

skill improves my ability to hold onto stuff with my six legs, including walking on walls and the ceiling? I totally forgot ants could do that. I'll have to try it as soon as I get out of here,

do my other skills do

Improves the ability to accurately and forcefully apply a bite using

guidance when digging to increase efficiency and

from a distance using a natural acid from the

Okaaaaay.

zone. I must belong to a monstrous species of formic acid spraying ant then. This could be very helpful, it gives me an option to attack without getting too close

crawl on the roof, dig and shoot acid? That doesn't seem like a lot of tools

ants like me and Croca-beasts, I've no idea where the surface is or if the surface even exists in this world. I can't communicate with

want any information I'll have

Hmmm.

so scary,

many unknown horrors as a lone

not help this situation in any way. Stay rational, stay cool,

can I spend my points

like to spend

absolutely would oh wise and magnificent Gandalf, bringer of hope, bringer of light, may your beard

status, a

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

purchase new skills or upgrade existing

or modify aspects of your physical, monstrous

[Skills available to purchase:

1sp, improves your ability to hide

1sp, Increases speed over short distances

1 sp, more accurate and

1sp, bites pierce more and are more

sp, improves sense

available

exoskeleton to improve resistance

mandibles and improve their ability

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

increase sensitivity to air current and

+1: thicken the

options! It's very difficult to choose! I have to think

faster would help be escape my enemies, tunnel sense would make it harder for me to get lost

if I attack a monster I can't defeat then it'll be game over straight away, improving my speed will be a dead end if I run into something that is faster than I am. Without

to assume I

I have

+1 and

like to purchase Eyes +1 and

Yes, please.

my eyes, like

Gaaah!

me Gandalf! I can't even scratch this itch, I might

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