Chrysalis

[Yeah, these Cultists are crazy. I shouldn't have to say that should I? They're Cultists. Just because they worship the biggest and baddest worm in this world doesn't mean they get to skate on that.]

[You make a solid point. Sarah didn't seem to share your point of view though. She seemed a little more forgiving of them.]

The massive worm gives a little wriggle that I can only interpret as dismissal.

[Sarah's just too nice. They took her in when she was desperate, gave her rest and someone to talk to and she was won over inside a year. They basically let her get out of the monster life, go back to being civilised. I can't blame her too much.]

[What about you? You've been here for a few years, so I hear. Gone native? Out of the monster game?]

[Me? Hell no! This incredible specimen of a Megadrile is still in the game! I'm just taking a rest and grinding my Skills. I had it rough out there, man. You think you had it tough as an ant? Try being a worm! How am I supposed to fight?]

The man has a point. Actually, the former-man-now-worm has a point. How exactly was he meant to fight?

[So how did you fight?]

[I didn't! I hid underground and snuck up to steal scraps of Biomass like the gorgeous detritovore that I am.]

[Not too dissimilar from my own early strategy to be honest. How long did you have to keep that up?]

[About a year.]

[A YEAR?!]

[Took a long time! Food was hard to come by, I spent most of my time starving, buried under the ground in the dark. The only way I could tell when monsters were near was through the tremors they sent through the ground.]

sounds rough. How the hell did you even

really didn't think that I'd ever run into someone that had a harder start than I did. It seems impossible that someone would be able to go from a blind, almost completely harmless worm to evolving at

gain confidence. Defence was a little better,

[You have a mouth?]

I have a mouth!

right. Stupid

hunting. Small creatures here and there. Took another year before I was able to

broke in, [you didn't

front of me twists

to know that core first is better!? I spent two years getting to level

point, again. I apologise, Elemental Worm

difficult, but somehow Jim manages

my core, evolved a few more times, snuck my way down here and got picked up by the Worm Cult. They like having me around, being a worm helps with that I suppose. Wouldn't mind meeting the big fella one day.

loving the skin he's in, just as I have. I need to stick to my

grinding here before

lately. This whole death tournament thing? What the hell is this? Madness! They've lost what little they had left of their minds. Nuts, I'm telling

you still think

slowly, as if he were explaining something to someone

my evolution, I think I can melt down metals

have a whole lot of tricks up their sleeves, even though they don't wear shirts. The moment he tries to wriggle out of their sight, I bet they knock him senseless with mind magic and drag him back up. Heck, maybe Jim knows that and he’s working on his mental defence Skills. It's not really my business I suppose. Just like with Sarah, other than being formerly human, what

stung me in the

feet of my

Call

my cell where I'll resume grinding away at my Skills in the hope that I won't die. Any

been trying just about everything to create a new ancient. Which means that there's all types of crazy monsters in this place. Just be aware that they can come at you from weird angles. You're still young on Pangera,