Chrysalis

For the time being Tiny and I resist the temptation to try eating this strange tree creature. After a few minutes of tickling I back away a few steps, making it clear that tickle-time is over and I wait to see how the creature will respond.

After wiggling about on the ground for a moment, then giving me the puppy dog eyes for a little while longer, the strange branch monster eventually stands up. Now that it’s standing on its own two feet I can get a better look at it.

This thing is skinny! Rather than a walking tree it puts me more in the mind of a stick insect. The body is more of a branch than a trunk and four humanoid like limbs extend organically, with little sign of joints. The monster doesn’t have a head of any kind really, the face peeks out from the top of the torso, the wrinkles and grooves in the wood giving rise to surprisingly expressive features.

Tiny is radiating disappointment as he gets a closer look at the monster. I think he’s sad at how thin the monster is, it isn’t likely he’d be able to get much of a feed from it.

Blissfully ignorant of being weighed for Biomass the .... Branchie? The Branchie looks at the two of us with eyes twinkling deep in that weathered face before gesturing for the two of us to follow and walking briskly off into the forest.

I hesitate for a moment before I decide to follow. I’ve not seen anything in this forest that is a match for Tiny and myself at this stage, we should be fairly safe. Besides, I want to learn a little more about this walking wood stick if I can, it seems relatively harmless and is the only creature other than Formo that hasn’t reacted with hostility upon seeing me.

So I follow along with Tiny trundling in my wake. It isn’t long before we have to speed up though. The Branchie is fast! Despite being shorter than Tiny, so skinny a stiff breeze could knock it down and not having knees, the Branchie really motors along!

Could it be the lack of air resistance?

Whatever the reason Tiny and I have to quickly raise our pace and in the end we have to sprint along behind the Branchie for ten solid minutes before it finally stops when we reach a beautiful section of forest.

A small pond in the center sits perfectly still, ringed with spectacularly old looking trees. The air is so still here, as if nothing has drawn breath in this spot for a hundred years.

The Branchie smiles at us, the folds and twists of the wood curving to create the expression, before walking towards one of the trees and just, blending into it. I almost can’t believe my eyes, one second the Branchie was there, walking, and the next it was just ... gone!

wave my antennae about this section of forest I actually detect a few more signals from the nearby trees. Curious, I wind my way around the pond and I find more

get the feeling these are particularly shy monsters, hiding

here. My

flip on my mana sensing and sure enough the pond lights up with a faint response. The water is infused with mana! Nostalgia comes flooding back as I recall

my core. This water probably has similar properties, the Branchies must have formed their community here due to the mana

drinking in this water with their roots may have been what created

has a seemingly unlimited supply and can even create life itself! I can’t help but

Actually....

has to come from

did it

a thought tingling in my mind I retreat from the pool about thirty metres, Tiny trailing curiously behind me. Once I’ve created enough distance I

angled towards the pond. Gasping for breath after my exertions I activate my mana sense and eagerly look

there it is. Under the pond there is a thin tendril

It’s the Dungeon!

of the Dungeon and up into the waters of this pond. If I were to dig down further I

is excellent news! I’ll have to thank those Branchies

also give me a place I can recharge my mana which will allow me to more rapidly

efforts, burrowing deep under the pond to try and avoid the saturated water I try to connect myself to that tiny thread of mana. As I dig down I can see it more and more

to dig my way down to that thin tendril of Dungeon but when I do it is a glorious