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?

Does this mean I

and objects without letting go, for

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

of help system built into the status to explain

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, why would you walk on the floor if you had the option to use the wall

do my other skills

forcefully apply a bite using fangs, mandibles or

guidance when digging to increase

when attempting to attack from a distance using a natural acid from

Okaaaaay.

many species of ant on earth that were able to shoot formic acid from their rear 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 to my opponent, a course of action that I think

can bite, crawl on the roof, dig and shoot acid? That doesn't seem like

idea where the surface is or if the surface

want any information I'll have to get it myself.

Hmmm.

so scary,

many

down Anthony, stay cool. Panic will not help this situation in any way. Stay

the final question is, what can I spend

to

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

status, a window opens within my

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

points to purchase new skills

can be spent to improve or modify aspects

[Skills available to purchase:

cost 1sp, improves your ability to

1sp, Increases speed over

cost 1 sp, more accurate

bites pierce more and

sense: cost 1 sp, improves sense of direction when

improvements available to

your exoskeleton to

+1: toughen mandibles and improve their

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

+1: increase sensitivity to air current

+1: thicken the concentration of internal

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

would help be escape my enemies, tunnel sense would make it harder

a monster I can't defeat then it'll be game over straight away, improving my speed will be

hatched ant worker, I have to assume I am

I have made my

Eyes +1

Eyes +1 and the

Yes, please.

itch burst over my eyes,

Gaaah!

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

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