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

Why am I level one Gandalf?! My hard work, my accumulated experience, all the ridiculous good luck I’ve had? It hasn’t been

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

think about 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

is likely more dangerous territory than I

can’t help but worry I’ve made the wrong choice, the prospect of

may not be that bad, doesn’t it mean that I’ll be able to level back up to five and evolve again?

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

they reach level five. I won’t even look at the skills menu in case mana shaping or

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

walk out into

place is so

sixty, 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

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

by the blurry nature of my vision, especially over a distance. It probably also explains why I’ve been able

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

Any clues Gandalf?

...

I shouldn’t be surprised at this state. For all his immense wisdom the grey one has been

advice would surely be

There isn’t anything left for me to

the slope, leaving the shelter of the small tunnel and exposing myself to the

to describe this place, it feels like

twisted trees, huge oversized mushrooms

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

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

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