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 can

Ability to hold onto surfaces and objects without letting

Gandalf! My lord! My savior! Truly your beard is the most luxurious, your eyebrows the most

system built into the status to explain the skills when I think of them? This

the ceiling? I totally forgot ants could do that. I'll have to

do my other

accurately and forcefully apply a

digging to

attack from a distance using

Okaaaaay.

could

and shoot acid? That doesn't seem like a lot of tools to

other than ants like me and Croca-beasts, I've no idea where the surface is or if the surface even exists

information I'll have to get

Hmmm.

That's so scary,

to go out there with who knows how many unknown horrors as a lone little ant monster?!

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

what can I spend my points on

like to spend your skill

would! I absolutely would oh wise and magnificent Gandalf, bringer of hope, bringer of light, may your beard be ever

my status, a window opens within my

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

can use skill points to purchase new

improve or modify

[Skills available to purchase:

ability to

cost 1sp, Increases speed over short distances

more accurate and powerful

cost 1sp, bites pierce more and

sense: cost 1 sp, improves sense of direction

improvements available

+1: harden your exoskeleton to improve

mandibles and improve their ability to

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

+1: increase sensitivity to air current and

gland +1: thicken the

of options! It's very difficult to choose!

able to run faster would help be escape my enemies, tunnel sense would make it harder for me to get lost whilst underground, chomp

survive. Taking abilities to help me fight would only be suicide, 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 information, how am I

newly hatched ant worker, I have to assume I am close to the weakest creature

have made my

Eyes +1

like to purchase Eyes +1 and the skill:

Yes, please.

can feel a maddening itch burst over my eyes, like a

Gaaah!

even scratch this itch, I might poke

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