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 hard 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

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

condense the core which has given me, in effect, only ten MP that I can’t use. Was this really the

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

but worry I’ve made the wrong choice, the prospect of being able to use

level back up to five and evolve again?

opportunity to amass skill points as an unevolved creature which could allow me to gain more

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

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

out

place

I absolutely refuse to climb on it. One slip and I would certainly plummet to my own death. To my left and

an insect, I don’t have regular eyes like a human, 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 many directions at once, but

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

+5. Since skills can evolve at +5 I’m very excited to

Any clues Gandalf?

...

immense wisdom the grey one has been very taciturn, or

advice would surely be helpful

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

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

place, it feels

eyes 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

alien, for the first time I really think to

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

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255