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?

mean I can

onto surfaces and objects without

savior! Truly your beard is the most luxurious,

of help system built into the status to explain the skills

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

ability to accurately and forcefully apply a bite using fangs, mandibles or

when digging to

from a distance using a natural

Okaaaaay.

could be very helpful, it gives me

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

this place other than 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 anything since I'm fairly sure I don't even have vocal chords, so even if

any information I'll have to

Hmmm.

That's so scary,

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

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

is, what can I

to

absolutely would oh wise and magnificent Gandalf, bringer of hope, bringer of

my status, a window opens within

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

skill points to purchase new skills or

to improve or

[Skills available to purchase:

cost 1sp, improves your ability to hide

cost 1sp, Increases speed over

sp, more accurate

and

improves sense of direction

improvements available to

to

and

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

+1: increase sensitivity to

+1: thicken the concentration of

difficult to choose! I

to run faster would help be escape my enemies, tunnel sense would make it harder for

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 supposed to know what creatures I can fight

have to

have

+1

to purchase Eyes +1 and

Yes, please.

my

Gaaah!

me Gandalf! I can't even scratch this

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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