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

surfaces and objects without letting

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

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

I totally forgot ants could do that. I'll have to try it as soon as I get out

other skills do

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

guidance when digging to increase efficiency

to attack from a distance using

Okaaaaay.

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

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

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

any information I'll have to get it myself. Out, in

Hmmm.

so

want me to go out there with who knows how many unknown horrors

this situation in any way.

question is, what can I spend my points

like to spend

wise and magnificent Gandalf, bringer of hope, bringer of light, may your beard be

a window opens

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

skill points to purchase new

improve or modify aspects of your physical,

[Skills available to purchase:

improves your ability to

over short distances

1 sp, more accurate

and are more difficult to

1 sp, improves sense

improvements available

harden your exoskeleton to

toughen mandibles and improve their ability

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

+1: increase sensitivity to

+1: thicken the concentration of internal

is a lot of options! It's very difficult to choose! I have

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

improve and grow here if I can 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

hatched ant worker, I have to

have made

Eyes +1 and

you like to purchase Eyes +1 and the skill:

Yes, please.

itch burst over my eyes,

Gaaah!

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

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