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

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

spirit a bit. Looks like 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 was somehow suffused with mana they were able to absorb it

though, I’ve sacrificed a 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 this

now into what is likely more dangerous territory than I

of being able to use mana was just

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

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

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

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

deep breath I walk out into

place is so

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 see

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

probably also explains why I’ve been able to avoid having anything sneak

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 very

Any clues Gandalf?

...

For all his immense wisdom the grey one has been very taciturn, or perhaps he’s

extra advice would

for me

the small tunnel and exposing myself to the open air of this incredible

a large enough word to describe this place, it

see as far into the distance as I can. Strange twisted trees, huge oversized

scene is just so alien, for the first time I really think to myself, this is absolutely

and 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 easily twice the height of an adult

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