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

my accumulated experience, all the ridiculous good luck I’ve had? It hasn’t

to mastering magic for me and my fellow creatures

significant upgrade to my stats in order to condense the core which has given me, in

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

the wrong choice, the prospect of being able to use mana

able to level back up to five and evolve

amass skill points as an unevolved creature which could allow me to gain more levels and skill points at a faster pace than evolving would

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 the temptation! Be disciplined

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

deep breath I walk out into the

place

so high I absolutely refuse to climb 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

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

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

believe upgrading my eyes has been the correct choice for me and they’ll probably be the first body part I mutate to +5. Since skills can evolve at +5 I’m

Any clues Gandalf?

...

For all his immense wisdom the grey one has been

advice would surely be

There isn’t anything left for me to do but move into this new

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

describe this place, it feels like a fully enclosed world, like a biome or

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

time I really think to myself, this

front claw, snipping at them to see if they react. When they don’t

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