Chrysalis

I’m no longer human, I get that, but coming from my world, I understand things like the sanctity of life. Even those soldiers that were killed by Tiny, justified as I felt ordering their deaths due to the massacre of my family, my stomach still twists thinking about whether those soldiers had families themselves, children, wives, parents.

Mindless killing serves no purpose. These villagers may be misled, or just incredibly dumb, but I don’t especially feel the need to massacre them because of it. They aren’t a threat after all, I could probably fight a village full of farmers by myself.

Almost as if they could sense my thoughts, Enid and the Queen immediately turn to me to plead for the life of their associates.

[These villagers are misguided, monster, there is nothing to gain from their deaths. Won’t you spare them?]

Well, I have no intention of killing them, but that statement isn’t technically correct.

[The colony would gain Biomass and experience. Hundreds of workers have died recently, our numbers need to be replenished] I point out.

It’s not like we would gain nothing, right?

The Queen’s face falls and so does Enid’s when my words are relayed to her. Enid looks even more despondent when she questions the Queen and her ruler has to reply, I think she’s explaining just how my colony ended up losing hundreds of members. More specifically, how I lost hundreds of my siblings.

Grrrr.

to her knees and pleads with me, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. The Queen looks deeply

you her own flesh as payment, I too

these two sure are keen on saving a

couldn’t have dreamed of happening in my last life. What is the feeling swelling from within?! Superiority? Power?! Yes you puny

Muahahahahaaaaaa!

of Dark Anthony! Down, Dark Anthony! Down,

free of the influence of the dark one. I mustn’t allow myself to fall down the black

villagers but if I can extract maximum value from the

is no failing greater than ignorance. If you wish for me to spare these people, as well as to assist you

only expose myself to the risk then I’m prepared to take it on in order to get those cores. With so many of the precious gems in my mandibles I’ll be able to strengthen my entourage to the point where we will be invincible in the top layer of the Dungeon. We could secure the colony for ages as well as accelerate the timetable for

their fervour to a less suicidal cause. These people are afire with religious zealotry,

ideas and eventually we hash out a plan. I’m not

... Why do I always have

a small taskforce have spent the majority of our time working towards the success of our plan whilst Tiny has been mostly sitting on the Queens

everything is in readiness I finalise my plans, leaving behind Vibrant and Crinis, making sure they have clear instructions to stick with Tiny and not get into trouble, before collecting the Queen, then Enida and departing towards

a surprising sight. The town has become flooded with angry looking farmers, the crowd leading up the small hill to the church doors is easily ten times the size it was the last time I was here. There must be hundreds of these morons!

is still there, standing before the energetic throng, his frenzied voice rising above the buzz of

time, sneaking up isn’t part of the plan. Thanks to our setup the crowd shouldn’t attack me, but if they do I’m prepared to make like a tree and leave