Chrysalis

[Haul that monkey butt, Tiny! We need to move, move, move!] I shout as I zip after my pets.

Invidia has seized hold of the big ape with his stick-thin arms and clings to his black fur as Tiny leaps and bounds forward with all of his strength, making the little demon flap like a flag in a high wind. Lagging behind as always is Jim, and I catch up to him in no time.

[Jim! You need to pick up the pace! The Warriors have caught up to us!]

[What?! How many? He shrieks.

[Just the one.]

[Did you … finish it?] He asks, desperately.

[No time. Doesn't matter anyway, there'll be more in the area, which is why we need to move.]

[I'm trying, damn you... I'm not … built for this!]

His thoughts come with gaps breaking up each sentence as if he doesn't have the energy to think coherently anymore. The stress of the situation is having a distinct effect on him as well. I'll try to reassure him.

[Don't worry, Jim. Just a few more minutes and we'll make it to the Colony. I can sense them, hundreds, maybe thousands. Just keep pushing, and we'll get there. I won't leave you behind. If the Golgari catch up, I'll hold them off with my pets, alright?]

[O-Okay…]

Keep

more the Vestibule pays off, replenishing my energy and soothing my aches. We continue to run, but it's a nervous thing, with my antennae focusing more behind me than in front of me. Thanks to my particular brand of compound vision, it's not a big deal to focus in all directions. It won't take long for the Warrior I left behind to catch up again, that mental barrage is something he can probably shake off in a few seconds at most, and I don't expect the acid to be much of a hindrance. It does affect stone, but not nearly as well as it does biological matter. The amount I hit him with won't do much damage. If it

in case I need a bit more of that brand of magic. It's plenty useful for distracting and disrupting enemies without doing anything too lethal to them. If I'm forced to it though, I'll abandon

front of us, a pack of shadow creepers poke their heads up before hissing in our direction as we rumble

they attack us. More chaos is better, and

we continue to sprint past the pack who, thankfully, leave us alone. If they get tangled up with the Warriors, then I'll be a happy little insect but based on my knowledge

ripple of feeling twitches in my antennae, and I

BOOM!

guys coming from?! I can't even sense

running!] I holler and follow my advice as I regain my feet and dash forward, my legs a blur as

Gogogogogogo! WHOA!

BOOM!

Another one!

on my right, cutting off my path of escape. Don't underestimate me, you punks! Do you think I'm going back to dance for your amusement?! Don't make me laugh!

OOF!

once more. They're going to have to do better than that if want to get through my diamond carapace! You want to try and cut it with a sword?! Pure madness. That's precisely the

leather and chainmail, it was pretty much impossible to hurt with them a sword slash, which was the entire point. To deal damage, you needed to use either massive blunt force, like a heavy axe or hammer, or punch through it with a powerful stab. That's precisely how

way, I'm more than happy to take them. Just don't cut

it again! I refuse! Damn stone-heads, just get out of my way already! Their stubborn refusal to let me go is driving my anger toward them to

Arrrgh! No! Bad Anthony!

throw on the brakes and screech to a halt as