Chrysalis

YEEEOUCH!

If someone ever told you that getting an enchanted blade through the gizzards is a good time, let me be the first to assure that isn't the case! The pain is immediate and intense and I throw my body to the side in a desperate roll, keen to dislodge that sword from my guts. Thankfully, the armoured warrior has a grip of steel and the sword pulls cleanly out as I dodge away. Tucking my legs, I spring back up to find the mysterious figure watching me carefully once again. This situation is not cool and I don't approve of it! How the heck did he get through me so easily? Is it something special about the sword? Or something about the fighter himself?! The sword sure as hell looks rad though, covered in glittering runic script and dotted with embedded cores down the blade. I bet that's expensive…

I strain my senses and trigger my healing gland to try and deal with my internal injuries. My pets have already started to retreat, following my order, which has the unfortunate side effect of leaving me high and dry as I lag behind them. Was this his plan? I pour more mana into the gravity domain, pressing down and compressing the energy to increase the strength of the pull.

[Crinis, I need some distraction. Have you got something for me?]

[Master?! Are you alright?!]

[I won't be if you can't give me some cover! Invidia, you too!]

As I speak to my two pets, I'm already moving, assuming that they have my back. If I stay here for a few more seconds, I'm going to get surrounded, domain or no. I watch the armoured figure like a hawk-ant as I start scooching my way back toward the reinforcements and away from the Golgari. The huge elite warriors are turning on me already whilst their leader watches on, blade held loosely in his hand. Thankfully, before they take a swing, a sudden darkness blooms around me, plunging the already dim tunnel in complete black. At the same time, my mana sense comes alight as spheres of concentrated energy flare into life around me. Crinis and Invidia have come to save the day, obscuring me in a visual and a mana sense. Time to DASH!

I realise I'm hidden, my legs explode into motion and I rush forward, keen to get some separation between these rock-people and myself. As nice as Granin is, he's clearly not in control here and I won't rely on Golgari kindness again. Just as I pick up traction, my antennae flicker a warning and I

CRUNCH!

Dammit! That freaking hurts!

sickening splintering, that hateful blade has pierced my wonderful diamond carapace and poked a hole in my organs! I need those organs!This guy moves so fast it's beyond belief! How was he even able to locate me? Sound?! Surely that's not possible! At least he made one mistake, which

POW! POW! POW!

choice but to cop the

[Invidia! Shield!]

fluid from my healing gland is still sloshing through my body from the first strike and my hp slowly regenerates as I gain some distance. After two seconds, a hardened barrier forms between the Golgari and I, granting me some level of protection. Thank goodness that guy didn't chop off my legs! For whatever reason he seemed to think his stabbing attacks would be fatal in one hit, so he saw no need to immobilise me. It's true, I can't seem to defend myself against those strikes, they come too fast and hard for

thirty metres back down the tunnel and re-join my pets. I can sense the Colony swarming in their hidden chambers around me, granting me a strong sense of comfort. Even if I can't hold them off on my own, we can hold them off together. Damn my guts hurt.

At the same time, I know things won't go as well for me and the Colony if they decide to

still possible, but I'm going to try another

out, family! Time