Chrysalis

I don’t know how much time had passed before I regain consciousness. The light slowly returns to my eyes and sensation to my limbs.

Deep inside my thorax (the middle bit) a hot, boiling feeling is slowly fading away, drawing in a dense ball of heat. Probably my new core.

Groggily I get my legs underneath me and start slowly moving through the tunnel again. No matter how weak I feel, I cannot stay here to rest, pursuers could be dropping down the shaft to investigate even now. I have to move.

Gradually my muddled thoughts begin to straighten themselves and my coordination slowly returns. As I navigate my way across the rocky tunnel I check my status.

Name: Anthony

Level: 1 (core)

Might: 15

Toughness: 12

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

HP: 30

MP: 10

Skills: Digging level 4; Improved Acid Shot Level 1; Grip Level 4; Bite Level 4; Advanced Stealth Level 1; Tunnel Sense Level 3;

Mutations: Eyes +4, Antennae +2, Acid +3, Legs +1

Species: Hatchling Ant Worker (Formica)

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 0

my accumulated experience, all the ridiculous good luck I’ve had? It hasn’t been easy to survive to this point you

was correct and the monster core is the vital ingredient to mastering magic for me and my fellow creatures down here. This could explain why so many monsters were drawn to the pool in the first cavern I was in. By drinking the water which was somehow suffused with mana they were able

I think about though, I’ve sacrificed a significant upgrade to my stats in order to condense the core which has given me, in effect, only ten MP that I can’t use. Was this really the

dangerous territory than I have experienced already, those increased stats would have been

wrong choice, the prospect of being able

level back up to five and evolve again? Which also means I’ll be able to gain more of the precious

creature which could allow me to gain more levels and skill points at a faster pace

one skill point available right now but I don’t want to spend it yet. I have several skills at level four which will need to be advanced once they reach level five. I won’t even look

control of my body and shaken the dust off my mind as I reach the end of the tunnel. Beyond here lies

breath I walk out into the open air once

place is so

on it. One slip and I would certainly plummet to my own death. To my left and right the walls curve away into the distance to a place I cannot see, my eyesight isn’t good enough, even at plus four, to be able to see the ends

firstly, my eyes don’t need to be wet, so I don’t have to blink, more to the point I can’t since I have no eyelids. Secondly, my eyes don’t have one point of focus, unlike a human who can see the one place they are directly looking at in great detail, my eyes are able to look in many directions at once, but the detail is

especially over a distance. It probably also explains why I’ve been able to avoid having anything sneak

mutate to +5. Since skills can evolve at +5 I’m very excited to see what will happen when a mutation reaches that level. Will I be able to advance my

Any clues Gandalf?

...

surprised at this state. For all his immense wisdom the grey one has been very taciturn,

little extra advice would surely

There isn’t anything left for me

more down the slope, leaving the shelter of the small tunnel and exposing myself to the open air of this incredible

it feels like a fully enclosed world, like

far into the distance as I can. Strange twisted trees, huge oversized mushrooms and

just so alien, for the first time I really think to myself, this is absolutely

front claw, snipping at them to see if they react. When they don’t respond I move toward a giant mushroom. These things are easily twice the height of an adult