Chrysalis

How long have I been asleep?! Just what on earth went on around here?! From the mound of the nest the surrounding area is a complete disaster zone! The rings of walls the colony had worked so hard to build are in ruins, smashed apart and, in places, the dirt walls had collapsed to create wide ramparts that had become covered in fallen monsters.

In fact, just about everything I could see was covered in Biomass. Holy moly! Just how many enemies had they managed to kill whilst I was sleeping? Judging by the thick carpet of remains that I see spread before me over the ground, just about all of them! This much Biomass will feed the colony for ages! We could triple our numbers if we manage to shovel all of this into the Queen.

Actually, speaking of the Queen....

Gotta get down there!

Garralosh is scrabbling in the dirt as she tries to escape the howling vortex that is my Gravity Bomb. Good luck with that you mega lizard. If I’d had enough time I’d have condensed it and maybe you’d be dead already. My three sub minds begin to weave together another one as I concentrate on my rush to the front line. I need to get down there before my spell is finished.

"Eldest, you’re awake!" Sloan appears at my side to say.

"Obviously! What the hell is going on? What happened to the Queen?"

"She’s been fighting Garralosh for a few minutes. The creature is too powerful for us, we could only try and support her from a distance. I think her core has run out of mana!"

I cursed.

"I’ll get down there and distract the fat Croc. When you get a chance, get down there and get Mother out. You understand me?"

"Of course, Eldest! Good luck!"

I’m gonna need it...

As they saw me, the rest of the colony had to chip in their ten cents.

"Finally awake, Eldest?"

"The slacker has arrived! We’ve been doing all the work!"

"Shove some Biomass in it you lot," I grumbled, "I’m here now, aren’t I?"

"Barely in time! Work hard, Eldest!"

"Show them what the colony is made of, Eldest!"

As I speed past the ants who huddle at the wall, I can feel them tug at me through my new gland. It’s a bit... disconcerting. I don’t really understand what it means and, to be honest, I’m still struggling to adapt to my new body! My status has undergone a massive change, I’m more than twice my previous size for starts! In fact, I’d say I’m even a bit bigger than the Queen was before she evolved, but still smaller than afterwards. Which means I’m running around larger than a mini bus. I’d estimate my size at over two metres tall and six metres long. That change is.... Abrupt! I’m not used to this size! I’m freakin’ huge now! The other ants look tiny as I skitter over their heads.

The moment I woke up and got moving I took a peek at my status and the change is stunning.

Name: Anthony

(Special core)

Might: 91

Toughness: 79

Cunning: 64

Will: 45

HP: 159/159

MP: 250/250

Skills:

General:

Tunnel Map (II) Level 6; Expert Cerebral

Mana:

7; Finer External Mana Manipulation (III) Level 8; Mana Coveter (III) Level 1; Expert Water Magic

Pet:

Level 5; Core Surgery (III) Level 6; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level

Defensive:

Exo-Skeleton Defence (III) level

Offensive:

Advanced Precise Shooting (II) Level 8; Omen Bite

Mutations:

Senses:

Future

Defence:

Carapace +15, Supportive

Physical:

Gland +15, Loquacious Pheromone Gland +15, Stomach, Musculature,

Acid:

Binding Acid +15, Acid Nozzle, Acid Concentration Gland,

Mental:

Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15;

Mana:

Gravity Magic Gland +15, Collective Will Vestibule

Colony Paragon (Formica

Skill points: 9

Biomass: 0

I had available and took my Vestibule to +3. If anything is going to help me out in this fight, it’s going to be that. Then I bought my fusion bite skill for nine(!!) skill points. I’m banking a lot on that skill, I’m

and fling myself off it, to my shock I find that my three sub brains have already completed a Gravity Bomb. Far from a maximum power one, but I’ll take it! The first spell has begun

Fire!

HOOOOWLLLL!

She seems distracted, since she fails to dodge and the spell strikes home