Chrysalis

Chapter 24

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

of downgrades? Why am I level one Gandalf?! My hard work, my accumulated experience, all the ridiculous good luck I’ve had? It hasn’t been easy to survive to this point you

magic for me and my fellow creatures down here. This could explain why so many monsters were drawn to the pool in

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

territory than I have experienced already, those increased stats would

the wrong choice, the prospect of being

be able to level back up to five and evolve again? Which also means I’ll be able

this is actually better. I’ll have a second opportunity to amass skill points as an unevolved creature which could allow me to gain more levels and skill

yet. I have several skills at level four which will need to be advanced once they reach level five. I won’t even look at the skills menu in case mana shaping or spell chanting has appeared in the list. I may not be able to resist

dust off my mind as I reach the end of the tunnel. Beyond here lies the vast underground space I

a deep breath I walk out into the

place is

and I would certainly plummet to my own death. To my left and right the walls curve away into the distance

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

been so frustrated by the blurry nature of my vision, especially over a distance. It probably also explains why I’ve been able to avoid having anything sneak up on me, since I’m essentially watching

first body part I 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 mutations into

Any clues Gandalf?

...

state. For all his immense wisdom the grey one has

extra advice would

for me to do but move into this new

down the slope, leaving the shelter of the small tunnel

isn’t even a large enough word to describe this place, it

my way through the rocks I strain my eyes to see as far into the distance as I can. Strange twisted trees, huge oversized mushrooms

for the first time I really think to myself, this

at them to see if they react. When they don’t respond I move toward a giant mushroom.

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