Chrysalis

The closer I look, the more certain I am. It isn't much, a scratch under any other circumstances, but considering that Grokus has managed to keep himself entirely pristine for the duration of this fight, something has definitely changed.

[You know, I don't think I will, surrender that is. I have a suspicion that things might just be turning to my advantage.]

[Nonsense,] the huge demon scoffs, [unless you have another of those spells in you, then it's merely a matter of time before you are devoured from the inside out.]

[You so sure about that? Your left claw isn't looking its normal self.]

I can almost see the massive city lord hesitate for a moment before he raises the claw to inspect it more closely. Sure enough, the damage has not been fully healed, a split running along the topmost digit.

[Impossible!] he gasps before he can stop himself.

[Not healing as much as you'd expected eh? Perhaps something has gone wrong?] it's now my turn to taunt the much larger monster as my brains race to think of what could possibly have happened.

[Tiny, scorch him! Give him a blast of lightning!]

All too happy to unleash violence at the slightest provocation, the ape lets loose an arc of lightning that plays across the city lord’s flank, burning a groove in him and filling the air with the scent of sizzled Biomass. Crucially, the damage remains, healing, but far more slowly than before. An idea begins to take shape in my mind and I can't help giving voice to it.

[You've always been eating Grokus, eating and eating away, but where has all the Biomass gone? You really expect me to believe you've just been racking up thousands of Biomass points for no reason? I don't believe it.]

him through my multifaceted eyes as he stares back at

were never hurt in the first place. You can depend on your impressive bulk to prevent you from having anything too critical being wounded in one shot, and your aura does the rest

demon as I lecture, expounding on my theory as his eyes

but you just happened to run into your natural enemy in this situation: my gravity bomb spell. Not only is the damage outrageous, but it sits in place for an uncomfortably long time. You were regenerating the entire time, weren't you? That must have sucked. Like, that must have really sucked. The moment you healed, it was all ripped away just as fast. How much Biomass did you chew through in the duration of

to face

you're barely

doesn't say anything for a long heavy moment, flexing his massive claws as his jaw works, chewing over my words in silence. Which is right when I take a massive hit of damage. I stagger to one side as it feels as if my stomach has ripped itself open, triggering an emergency release of regeneration fluid. Despite the added energy being provided through the

pompous as ever. [You may have worn through my reserves with your magic, but I am still standing, and so long as I am you will continue to suffer. Unless you can finish me off in the next few minutes, you

stiffen my legs to hold

be the case if I

turn to the

"GET HIM!"

of

of them rushes forward heroically and a rain of acid and

also, pushing my aching body to the limit to zig and zag left and right. Focusing my mind, I watch carefully. Listening to the hidden signals emanating from my antennae I watch the now desperate city

I bellow as I bite down onto his

on me as much as possible whilst I remove his ability to harm them. Without the use of his arms, he has only his aura to rely on. Which will work, given enough time. I mean, we're racing against the clock

Crinis! Pour it on! Give it

needing to be reminded, Tiny and Crinis leap into the fight with gusto, ripping and tearing, punching and smashing with all they can

to let it end like this!] Grokus bellows in my mind. [I have ruled for hundreds of years! I