Chrysalis

I rely on my instincts and dodge, my weakened legs firing to get me out of harm's way. The demon has picked his moment well, striking at the first sign of weakness and this time I'm not able to get away from all three of the spear strikes, the third one slamming into my carapace just in front of my foremost leg on the right side of my body. The force of the impact is stunning, even with my new stats, and my weight is driven backward, though I'm able to keep myself upright.

I can feel that the hardened tip of the tongue has failed to penetrate through my shell, though it has managed to dig in an inch or two, weakening my carapace in that spot significantly. I unleash the two windblades I have prepared and they cut deep into the flesh of the tongue connecting the spear to the main body, but again fail to sever it. Burning bright ichor drips from the wound onto the hot rocks of the third strata, steam rising as it bubbles to a boil in an instant on the ground.

What is this sense of dizziness? Have I been poisoned in some way?

I keep moving, unwilling to remain still, forcing my legs to pump away despite the strange lethargy that has overtaken them. As I circle around the demon, I try to analyse my situation and study the barbed tongue still embedded in my shoulder, hoping to get a glimpse of what ails me. It doesn't take long to realise what the problem is. Though the very point of the tongue is hardened beyond the strength of steel, the area just behind the tip is different, coated in small sacks that contain a virulently green looking goop that is even now leaking out onto my carapace. Some sort of venom or toxin? But I was only scratched! Even now he hasn't managed to get through my shell and into my bloodstream!

[Invidia! I've been poisoned! See what you can do about it!]

With all the practice he's had lately, during the siege and keeping Tiny alive, Invidia has trained the rank of his healing magic at a rapid clip. I know for a fact that with his achievement of the higher ranks he gained knowledge of ways to deal with poisons and afflictions, which will hopefully be enough to alleviate this situation. For now though, I need to get this damn tongue off of me before more of this insidious toxin manages to worm its way into me. Let's see if he wants to test his tongue against this!

DOOM CHOMP!

not to chance it and pulled his tongue back. Although the fight has turned positively in his direction, the demon seems a touch hesitant to approach too closely now that I've revealed the power of the

with an unearthly purple light, something that my opponent doesn't fail to notice. He pauses his advance for a moment, tongues still hovering threateningly. I can immediately tell what he wants. The poison managed to affect me when I barely had any of it on my body and now he managed

you

basssed it hasss ssseeped into you. I have done what I

poison rather than the poison itself. A viral form of mana has leaked out of the stuff and drifted into my body,

body, breaking it down and dispersing it as best he could. Some traces remain, and given time they will multiply and replicate the problem, but for now I'm not in any immediate danger. Not that

tongues waggle in the air. He once again starts to approach, his thick chunky legs bringing him slowly closer. I flop and twitch on the ground for a few more seconds until I'm confident that he's close enough before

too heavy for the gravity to affect him, and I'm honestly not sure it would go super well for me if his whole body started falling at me. No, no. I target something

react as one of his tongues suddenly

DOOM CHOMP!

that. Legs firing, I dash as quickly as I can toward the demon, mandibles wide and ready to bite again. Before my opponent can bring his weapons to bear, I slam down another doom chomp, cutting deep into his left arm.