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 at

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

in case I need a bit more of that brand of magic. It's plenty useful for distracting and disrupting

heads up before hissing

them!] I shout. [I don't care if they attack us. More

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 of the monsters they'll probably let them through and try and tangle with all of us once things get

eyes and a ripple of feeling twitches in my antennae,

BOOM!

are these guys coming from?! I can't even sense them until

and dash forward,

Gogogogogogo! WHOA!

BOOM!

Another one!

you punks! Do you think I'm going back to dance for your amusement?! Don't make me laugh! I throw myself forward directly into the line of the blade and allow it to strike my side as I pick up speed, angling myself to

OOF!

for a brief moment, which isn't enough for the triad to catch up as I spin my legs and rush away 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 kind of attack that it's specifically designed to ward

as medieval armour. When a soldier or knight was properly kitted out with padded wool, 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 my diamond carapace works, whilst also being way shinier. I'm

sword light my way, I'm more than happy to take them. Just don't cut off my legs, I need

my destiny. I won't have 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 rise, to the point where I don't even mind if they reach the Colony alongside me. That will just mean that none of them will return to their stupid

Arrrgh! No! Bad Anthony!

on the brakes and screech to a halt as I call out to