Chrysalis

The enormous core, looking like a lustrous dark pearl, slowly begins to dissolve into the air before me. As it does so the solid matter that makes it is released as energy that swirls and flows in the air, tiny particles dancing and spinning. Each individual particle eventually meets another and then those two meet another and in this way the individual dots of energy become grouped into flowing streams that trail each other.

Eventually these streams begin to be drawn towards me, flowing directly through my physical self as if it weren’t there and being drawn towards my core. As they grow closer the energy acts almost as if it were water circling the drain, looping around the core in wide circles at first before the loop draws tighter and the flow faster, increasing in pace the closer it gets.

As the energy finally begins meet my more I can feel the spherical gem begin to grow, greedily absorbing every particle of light that touches it, using that energy to construct itself anew.

More and more energy is flowing with every second, growing faster still as the enormous core continues to dissolve, releasing all of its potential.

The spinning energy is no longer like a bath drain and more like a raging whirlpool. A veritable ocean of power being drawn deep into my core.

It hurts!

As my core expands further and further a dull pain begins to throb in my abdomen. Distant at first and then sharper with each passing moment.

I clench my mandibles and brace myself against it. C’mon Anthony! You can take it!

More. More. MORE.

The pain continues to build until it is agony! My core is a screaming mass of pain, ultra-dense and far larger than it should be for a creature of my strength.

I can feel that deep inside, my core is unstable. Growing too quickly and holding too much energy. Damn it hurts!

Finally the Titan-Croc’s immense core is completely gone but the pain remains. The ripping agony flares every few seconds, causing me to almost collapse.

Even Tiny has noticed something is wrong, coming over to place a gentle paw on my back. Thanks little buddy. That’s real nice.

OUCH.

Damn this core! I don’t recall Gandalf mentioning the searing agony involved when pushing your core beyond you evolution level!

With my willpower being sapped by fighting off this pain I can’t do much. Blearily I check my status and the result shocks me into alertness again.

MP 11/50!

Fif... FIFTY?

full 25% larger than a body at my level of evolution

rare options be

from this battlefield but looking at the remains of the Titan-Croc, I’ve barely managed to touch

pain that I seriously don’t want to eat any more, frankly I don’t want to do anything anymore.

I force myself

to let this wealth of Biomass just go to the colony completely. They can have the rest, but this Titan-Croc is mine. I’m

up all of the cores from the large monsters at

helping me along I limp towards another tree near the Titan-Croc and begin to excavate a temporary nest. I would normally just drag this food back to our own little chamber within the colony but right now

its power here and I’m able to dig out a surprisingly

start the unpleasant job of breaking it up into pieces and then burying them in my new hiding hole. The carcass is so large it

agony I had experienced has receded to a lesser

Ugh... I hate thiiiiis.

of the Biomass down into the main nest to be consumed there and fed

now bare area around me I drag myself down

ended and the colony has been victorious. Time for

Zzzzzzzz.

I’m UP!

later I startle myself out

Phew! Good sleep!

nap and has now been downgraded to persistent ache. I can probably attribute this to

as I evolve it’ll be nice and snug in

I think he’s grown a little too large to comfortably fit on my back, which is

yourself useful eventually you little

him the core I spent to

at hand, namely, continuing to eat this Biomass! I’ve resolved that until all of this Croca has

least

Time to

...

Om nom nom.

...

Tiny is looking so full he’s practically a

Such riches!