Chrysalis

Booms and thuds shake my cell as the battles continue out in the arena. With my Meditation Skill blunting outside influences my magic practice continues smoothly as Torrina batters my mind with her expert magical handling. To make things even more rude, she suggests that I order Invidia to participate in the training and somehow I'm talked into letting Invidia attack me with mental magic. After just ten minutes under their combined assault I'm ready to beg for mercy, which Torrina doesn't grant. After thirty minutes I want to collapse on the floor like a puddle, which Torrina refuses to allow. I could just order Invidia to cease his mind magic but somehow I feel like if I did that I'd lose.

[I was blinded by the sweet lure of levels! Damn you Torrina!]

The harridan in question frowns at me.

[If you still have the mental energy to whine at me then we aren't working hard enough.]

[I HAVE FOUR BRAINS DAMMIT. IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO THINK THINGS AT YOU.]

[Way too much energy. I'm going to increase the pressure.]

[Noooooooo!]

Me and my big…. Brain… The presence of the Colony within the range of my Vestibule is working against me now. Even as my brains strain to their breaking point, the cursed Vestibule is refreshing them with nourishing energy from my siblings. The end result is that I last another two hours before the threads of magic twist out of my grasp and collapse into nothing.

[I'm out! No more!]

Torrina nods, seemingly satisfied with my efforts.

[You've done well this time. Much better than before.]

[Guess I'm finally getting the hang of it! Ha! Ha… ha.]

[Hmm,] she eyes me suspiciously before leaving the cell to get some rest.

Speaking of which, time for me to do the same. Invidia and I snack on some Biomass and I have to whop him with an antennae when he tries to take my food. He didn't even bother eating his own food first, he didn't want his own food, he wanted mine! Being an Envy Demon must be a massive pain in the backside. He's almost totally incapable of being happy with what he has. That's rough.

Following the food it's time for torpor. I'm so out of it I could practically hibernate. I'm done. Time to snooze…

HAP! I'm up!

long either. The Vestibule continues to do its work, turning me into an inexhaustible dynamo. Along with all that energy has returned the persistent whispers that drove me to separate myself

to do in my cell until Granin turns up some time later. When he sees me up and about a look of surprise flashes over his face before

have cells with stairs…] he grumbles as he moves hand by hand

are better cells

we use for dangerous, uncooperative samples. Why do you think you have those three chuckleheads up there?] He jerks a thumb at the triad of Shaper guards whose presence is so constant it almost

sort of phobia to explain

this quick. Thought I'd have to

that needs

He nods.

but it'll only be with James, I'm afraid. Sarah is off limits right

[What?! Why?]

holds his stone covered palms up

I haven't been told why she's been isolated, only that she

inside me as the first thought to strike is that she betrayed the escape plan, but it quickly fades. No, I don't think she would betray us. Much more likely that the jerks who keep jerking it up

forcing her into the tournament, aren't they?]

know if it's because they want you dead or if this was their intention from the beginning, but I feel

Well, that sucks.

you think my odds would be if it

I have to fight her I'd like to know

Comes the

about my magic, my defence,

forehead and drags it

far higher levels in her Skills and her species is both rare and dynamic. She's also just much older than you and the other monsters in the tournament. If she actually enters and decides to fight, then she'll win.

or anything. Granin's the expert on these things, I'll just have to trust that he knows what he's on about. Which means

off to see

once again make my way to the

I call out. [Have you heard what's

the tail. At least, I think it's