Chrysalis

The centipede is crushed into the stone floor of the cavern. Deep cracks appear on its carapace after the kinetic force rips through its body, shattering the hard outer skeleton.

I’m stunned.

That was one fearsome strike! If I was hit by that I’d be squashed into a pancake, no doubt about it.

Scary!

The centipede doesn’t seem to have fared much better, it twitches on the ground, barely moving. The hound steps forward slowly, a murderous glint its eye. Almost as if its thinking ’take that you bug, how dare you threaten my greatness!’.

Before it can deal the finishing blow however something unexpected happens.

Sizzling acid streaks through the air and sprays down the hounds’ left flank, immediately burning into its flesh.

Oops.

Heheheheheh.

Sorry to interrupt your proud moment there hound, but I don’t want this battle to end just yet.

Of course, one blast of acid isn’t enough to finish off a hound, but the same is also true for the centipedes.

The Claw Centipede I hit earlier has now recovered enough to once more join the fray. It advances cautiously to reinforce its three unharmed brethren against the two healthy hounds.

This is the critical moment. With one centipede essentially down for the count but still living and one wounded hound the battle has become very even.

The centipedes seem a little unwilling to proceed with the fight now. They continue to posture aggressively but don’t actively make any moves to attack against their larger opponents.

The hound I injured is mildly wounded by my acid but not badly enough to keep it out of the fight, disregarding the source of the acid it returns to the aid of its allies in fending off the swarming assailants.

At that moment.

Splash!

hound! It howls miserably as the burning liquid strikes it once again, rolling and scrabbling at the rocks as it

fast the creatures almost seem to flow over the ground. Distracted momentarily,

head trying to dislodge the attacker before swinging its vicious tail around to slam the centipede away. Too late however as another centipede has taken advantage of the moment and

meantime I have taken the chance to manoeuvre off the roof and down the wall, cautiously approaching

at its attacker, striking with fierce claws and fangs. When another centipede approaches from

badly burned, the hounds are very much the worse for wear. Of the four centipedes, one is hanging on by a

as the poisoned hound, seeming to sense its demise, pushes further into the fray. Emboldened, the remaining hounds also

Level 3 Claw

[You have gained XP]

almost dead centipede is finished and

really reaching a

three remaining centipedes are giving their all to survive, lashing forward with their poisoned

is labouring hard now, barely able to put up any kind of fight as the poison takes its

several bites, stumbles at a critical moment allowing a centipede to catch it in the shoulder

so. Enduring the pain, the hound pours all of its momentum into a massive swipe of the tail,

force has shattered its legs and deeply cracked the

and the burned hound, both are severely injured, barely able to put up a fight. Slowly they circle

this point, the centipede isn’t much better, several legs are

gone off they simultaneously launch at each other! The two monsters quickly converge and bite forward, latching onto each other. The centipede has gripped the hound by the throat, the hound is crunching down just behind the

Who will hold on?!

gradually collapse, completely spent, unable to continue the

three hounds have collapsed, exhausted and on the verge of death. Their opponents, the centipedes, are

...

Hmm...he.....hee.......hu hu ha HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

dancing in the palm of my hand

if I beheld the entire process with my own eyes, I still cannot quite comprehend exactly how well this has all worked out

of health. Effectively 1 HP. This is an unprecedented harvest of XP and

a little interesting how rapidly a persons’ attitudes can change isn’t it? Not too long ago I was an average person. I lived in a normal society and wouldn’t consider harming another person, I had never been in a proper fight during

become accustomed to battles just like this. Being forced to fight and take the life of

by saying they aren’t people but monsters, but, isn’t

later! I need to secure the last

mandibles to apply bite attacks until the familiar and soothing refrain of Gandalf