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

the ridiculous good luck I’ve had? It hasn’t been easy to

mastering magic for me and my fellow creatures down here. This could explain why so many monsters were

significant upgrade to my stats in order to condense the core which has given me, in effect, only ten MP that I can’t use. Was

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

the prospect of being able to use mana was just too tantalising

may not be that 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

have a second opportunity to amass skill points as an unevolved creature which could allow

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

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

walk out into the

this place

maybe even seventy meters high, 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

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

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

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

Any clues Gandalf?

...

For all his immense wisdom the

advice would

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

the shelter of the small tunnel and exposing myself

word to describe this place, it feels like a

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

alien, for the first time I really think to myself, this is

poke the grasses and plants with my front claw, snipping at them to see if they react. When they

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