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

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

my hunch 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

think about though, I’ve sacrificed a significant upgrade to my stats in order to condense the core which has given me,

to advance now into what is likely more dangerous territory than I have experienced already, those increased stats would

wrong choice, the prospect of being able to use mana

bad, doesn’t it mean that I’ll be able to level back up to five and evolve again? Which also means I’ll be able to gain more of the precious skill points as

as an unevolved creature which could allow me to gain more levels

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 at the skills menu in case mana shaping or spell chanting has appeared in the list. I may

control of my body and shaken the dust off my mind as I reach the end

out into the open air once

this place

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 be able to

but compound eyes. This means a few things, 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

explains why I’ve 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

probably be the first body part I mutate to +5. Since skills can evolve at +5 I’m very

Any clues Gandalf?

...

at this state. For all his immense wisdom the grey one has

would surely be helpful

left for me

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

large enough word to describe this place, it feels

huge oversized mushrooms and

for the first time I really think to myself,

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

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