Chrysalis

Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to fight and eat here, directly on the path the entire centipede nest takes to get the lake.

Before my despairing eyes another five centipedes are approaching, wriggling along in single file through the forest on their way to the lake.

When they see me, mouth full of dead centipede, they don’t even break stride and immediately charge.

Hey! Let’s take it easy fellas! Any chance we can discuss this? A peaceful resolution is always the best way forward, yes?

We can agree that I have eaten those of your kind, those are the facts. But can’t we also agree that we are part of the circle of life? That all things are both predator, and prey?

Didn’t think so.

Run!

I turn and fire off a quick acid shot, spraying across the leading centipedes’ hideous maw before I bolt into the forest. How the heck am I going to deal with five centipedes? I’ve only recovered about half my HP! This isn’t good, not good at all!

Any help Gandalf?

...

Damn you and your incredible pipe smoking skills Gandalf!

I could potentially make a break for the lake, it’s possible they wouldn’t fight me there, but being as injured as I am there isn’t any guarantee that I’d be able to outpace them.

I’ll have to fight this one out, and there is no way I can fight fair!

As I run through the forest I look around frantically for something I can use. Eventually I see a large tree with a wide trunk.

Before my opponents can gain on my I run around the back of the trunk, breaking their line of sight and haul myself up the tree as fast as I can.

Gogogogo Anthony pump those little ant legs!

Not far behind me the five centipedes arrive at the tree, the one I’d hit with acid lagging a little behind. They immediately start to climb after me.

I climb as fast as I can and then out onto the thickest branch I can find still low to the ground,

before I turn and wait to see what the enemy will do.

When the centipedes see where I am they continue to charge out onto the branch, one of them crawling along the bottom the bough and the other on the top.

Just before they reach me I let go, throwing myself down to the ground.

Landing with a thud, I push myself back up and quickly check on the centipede response.

jump after me they start

allies is the one I’ve hit with acid. As soon as his head is in reach

defeated a level

[You have gained XP]

One down.

Now run!

the rest of the centipedes make their down the tree I flee, trying to obscure

dive into and then remain perfectly still.

far behind me, but they

past me in a group, their own antennae patting about on the ground and their

has drawn within five metres of me but I don’t dare to move. I barely breathe. If they

off to my left, another to my right and one heads back towards the tree.

a one on one battle I don’t fear these monsters at

clueless creature continues to search the area, turning this way and that as it attempts to

it turns its back to me I start to creep out of

Moving closer.

And closer.

the tail! I have

slowly and I deliver a second bite to the tail, shattering the carapace

reached level

drag the centipede toward me, keeping away from its claws to deliver another bite behind

level

[You have gained XP]

not level five?!

from five centipedes down

I can. Rather than being weighed down with Biomass my precipitously low HP is of

before finishing off the

[You have gained Biomass]

I see my health has

confident. If possible I

options. You want to try and hunt me? You

and it isn’t long before I encounter the monster who had headed that way returning

I

clacking its

BAM!

into the

horrible shriek of pain but I won’t let it off, pouncing

level 4

[You have gained XP]

voice of Gandalf is still ringing in my head when I pause for

Did I see somethi-