Chrysalis

The monsters came from the north. They swept south in a hungry pack, seeking, destroying and devouring everything in their path like a tide of beastly Vikings.

As the monsters drew closer their snarling and growls rang louder in the peoples ears and panic quickly raced across their faces. The fear spread so quickly from person to person around me, clouding their faces and twisting their expressions.

So quickly they lost the will to fight, these people.

I shouldn't be too surprised. These people had lost their homes and families to these creatures. Small and weak it may have been, but they had also lost their country. Against a foe that had taken apart something so much larger than themselves, it's only natural that they would be intimidated.

But I wouldn't sit idly by.

[Tiny bring Crinis to me. We need to fight.]

If those stupid monsters thought that they could get this close to my colony then they are outside their damn minds.

I loudly clack my mandibles several times in succession.

*CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK*

The sharp, staccato noises ring out loudly, cutting through the rising fear. The circle of people turn back to me sharply.

[Priest. Tell the people to go hide and stay out of my way. I will defend my colony but if any monsters get through, the people will need to defend themselves.]

The priest nodded enthusiastically.

[Of course, Great One! The blessings of the System belong only to those who are prepared to earn them! Your wisdom is as deep as the Dungeon, as broad the Endless Sky expanse and as …]

[Just tell them already!]

[Oh! Right!]

the mouthy priest and turns to the people to explain what I've said. Gradually some life returns to the faces of the people around me, when I push my way out of the circle, they fall back

And good thing too!

are upon

see the swarm rushing towards the village, I can't help but feel a wave of nostalgia roll

my old friends are

pinchy death they slither and climb all over each other, snapping madly at the air as

Wolf cubs and their evolved versions are here as well, I

little rabbits are here! Awww, the little fluff balls! Devilish, murdering little fluff

The stupid creatures are here

collection of monsters from the forest expanse area. Perhaps they are gathering the monsters over there,

Dangit!

finally

towards us. Only a hundred or so more metres and they'll be amongst the villagers.

Gravity Bomb. I'm going to have to do this the old

into gear, each one crafting a gravity spear as quickly as possible. I haven't had that much time to rest since battling against the Croca Commander but it's enough to deal with these trash, even if there are

together the magic, layers flowing together as if in

Gravity Spear! Times three!

not that they could miss, slamming into the front line of the wave, snaring large clutches of monsters and binding them together, forcing them to stumble

pour forth my gravity mana and empower the spells, letting them fly just as the wave

me who crashes

as I smash into the thick of the monsters

going to sit here and

Shattering Bite!

fall upon my diamond shell but I stand firm, the bulk of the damage failing to pierce through. Centipedes rise to clutch at me and I crush them with a single bite. When a fearsome bear smashes into me from the side, sending me sprawling, I channel mana into my mandibles and dive back at

I crush its defences, my stamina draining away along

here shave away at my health until I'm forced to trigger my regeneration