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

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

for me and my fellow creatures down here. This could explain why so many

stats in order to condense the core which has given me, in effect,

have to advance now into what is likely more dangerous territory than I

wrong choice, the prospect of being able to use mana was just too tantalising in my

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

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

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

the dust off my mind as I reach the

breath I walk out into the

this place

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

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

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

part I mutate to +5. Since skills can evolve at +5 I’m very excited to see what will happen

Any clues Gandalf?

...

be surprised at this state. For all his immense

advice would surely be

There isn’t anything left for me to do but

slowly I more down the slope, leaving the shelter of the small tunnel and

isn’t even a large enough word to describe this place, it feels like a fully enclosed world, like

to see as far into the distance as I can. Strange twisted trees, huge oversized mushrooms and a carpet of plant-life underneath face me everywhere I turn. The whole ... forest ... pulses with the now familiar

so alien, for the first time

with my front claw, snipping at them to see if they react. When they don’t respond I move toward a giant mushroom. These

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