Chrysalis

There must be something serious going on up there for there to be all of this smoke and noise, but what could it be? We haven't had an attack for a few days now, perhaps there is another one massing? Someone definitely needs to go and check it out, and I can't deny that the best person for that role would have to be me. There's only one major problem.

"I'm happy to go and scout on the surface, but due to my core strength if I spend too long up there then I'll start to run dry. I can manage a few days up there, perhaps a little longer, but if I'm being super active the amount of time I can last could diminish beyond that."

"We are aware of the issue regarding the drain of mana on developed cores, we were able to consult with mother about the problem" Burke assured me, "our scouts have made it a priority to discover any pockets of concentrated mana and sniff out Dungeon entrances in order to alleviate the difficulty. We've been able to find a number of such locations and mark them heavily with pheromones, as well as create a few trails you could follow."

That news brightened me up a little.

"Well that sounds a lot better. I didn't realise you'd been able to put together such a competent scouting operation in such a short time."

Wills waggled his antennae dismissively.

"It's nothing special right now. When we have more dedicated scout caste soldiers it will be one hundred times more efficient. Not to mention we've barely begun to map out the skill and mutation paths best suited to scouting. Burke and I are expecting to have completed our preliminary investigations next week, which is when we expect the first wave of scout caste evolutions to complete."

These guys are for sure keeping busy. Look at 'em! Making plans and thinking things through! This is why the colony needed them!

"That sounds great! Well a few other points I wanted to bring up. I've possibly discovered another source of Biomass for the colony, talk to mother for the details. I'd like to speak to the Core Shapers for a moment after we are done here and then I'll take Tiny and Crinis to go an check out the situation on the surface."

There was little shifting when I mention the possible Biomass source but otherwise the first twenty hatchlings of the new breed are happy to break of our meeting there, only Bella and Ellie the core shapers remain behind. I take the time to explain to them my newfound understanding of fusing cores together and they communicate with me the tests they have conducted, and the various skill combinations they are experimenting with in order to perform their role.

core shapers are intended to create specialised pets for members of the colony. That doesn't necessarily mean that they will use the cores that they design for themselves, but it could. Since the two of them are here, we spend a little extra time discussing their role and what they can contribute to the colony, since

Shaping as a discipline, I tell them about the Sophos, an entire race of powerful core shapers who depend upon the creatures that they craft and design for their safety. In particular I tell them off the powerful

important. What nonsense! The Formica Sapiens species wouldn't even exist without those skills! Not to mention how useful and powerful pets can be. Look at Crinis and Tiny! They've paid me back more than ten

Crinis

we'll have to go and do some scouting

glum

[Surface. Bad.]

get it champ, not a huge fan of having my core leaking either,

his displeasure clear on his bat

Master] Crinis chipped in, eager to

[you're one evolution away from suffering from the lack of mana like Tiny

ball of indefatigable hunger protested primly, [I'd

true. Now is your chance. Even though we'll be up on the surface, we are likely to run into some Dungeon monsters doing

there isn't any harm in putting it

returning from our brief expedition, we find ourselves leaving the nest once again, this

the Lirian Kingdom, I decide to check in the village. It's only been a few hours since I managed to avert the consumption of most of the population over there

[I'm coming too.]

…