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.]

form of Grokus, watching him through

this regen gland for decades and then pretending you were invincible. Every time you get damaged in any way, you heal up in an instant and pretend you were never hurt in the first place. You can depend on your impressive bulk to prevent you from

the big demon as I lecture, expounding on my theory

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 that

turn to face him

you're barely healing

hit of damage. I stagger to one side as it feels as if my stomach has ripped itself open,

insect!] despite being rattled, the city lord still manages to sound as 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 will have no hope of being victorious in this battle! Without you to

stiffen my legs to hold

case if I

turn to the

"GET HIM!"

are within range of my pheromonal cry and they do not

one of them rushes forward heroically and a

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 lord like an ant-hawk. When he swipes at me, I'm more than ready and dodge appropriately, closing the gap in an instant. Mandibles wide open, I lock my jaw and

over, Grokus!] I bellow as I bite down onto his

as possible whilst I remove his ability to harm them.

Tiny! Crinis! Pour it on! Give

needing to be reminded, Tiny and Crinis leap into the fight with gusto, ripping and tearing,

in my mind. [I have ruled for hundreds of years! I will not