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

objects without letting go, for example, walking

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

of help system built into the status to

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

other skills do

Improves the ability to accurately and forcefully apply a bite

guidance when digging to increase efficiency and

when attempting to attack from a distance using

Okaaaaay.

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

doesn't seem like a lot of tools to survive in an environment

of creatures live in 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 I found someone prepared to

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

Hmmm.

so

want me to go out there with who knows how many

not help this situation in any way. Stay rational,

question is, what can I spend

like to spend your

magnificent Gandalf, bringer of hope, bringer of

like with my status, a window opens

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

use skill points to purchase new skills or upgrade existing

improve or modify

[Skills available to purchase:

cost 1sp, improves your ability to hide

Increases speed over short distances but increases stamina

more

and are more difficult to

cost 1 sp, improves sense

improvements available

to

mandibles and improve their ability to

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

+1: increase sensitivity to air current and

+1: thicken the concentration of

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

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

be game over straight away, improving my speed will be a

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

have made my

Eyes +1 and

Eyes +1 and

Yes, please.

a maddening itch burst over my eyes, like a thousand mosquito bites erupting at

Gaaah!

scratch this itch, I might poke

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