While the hatchling is sleeping through her tier four evolution, the rest of us take a break to strategize a little with Granin and co before we rest. Sometimes it's easy to forget that the others need a break a lot sooner than I do, at least, whenever I'm within range of the Colony. There's just something about never getting tired that seeps into your subconscious, before too long you start thinking of fatigue as abnormal. While everyone else is getting some shut eye, I keep my minds spinning, working hard on practicing new constructs and weaving spells. The grind train is on and it don't stop for nobody!
If the demons think I'm going to rest on my laurels they've got another thing coming.
Still, talking to Granin and the others provides a much more sober evaluation of where we sit in the power scales. Despite having risen so far, there is so long to go.
[That's the way of it in the Dungeon,] the old Shaper shrugs, [until you get all the way to the middle, there's always going to be something stronger than you are. The only time you can really feel safe is when you're the highest tier in a particular stratum and there isn't a wave going on.]
[The way things have been lately, there'll be another wave before too long,] I grump.
He nods.
[That's true. There haven't been two waves this close together in recorded history, and the ambient mana level is still elevated. Some of the more anxious members of the cult feared that this might indicate the cataclysm would come again. I wasn't inclined to believe them then, but now I'm not so certain.]
[The cataclysm? You mean the Rending?]
it as 'not a good time'. Which sums it up. If we are indeed trending on that path, then the mana level will continue to rise higher and higher, with wave after wave until
Aren't you supposed to worship these guys or something? Yet you think they're going to come up here and eat all of us!? What the
against the ancients rather than with them? Granin just shrugs whilst Torrina and Corun stand
world understand that the ancients follow their nature. They seek growth, as all creatures in this world
[I guess not…]
little unsporting though… Mind you, I would definitely do it if I had the chance. I'm a monster, so manners aren't expected. I'd likely get enough experience to go straight to tier eight or something. Not to mention the Biomass…
happens, and they rise again, then won't all of us be killed? Like, the entire
from them or fight them off, then yes, they would likely eat you. Or the flood of absurdly powerful monsters
I slump.
to
[Right,] Granin grins.
isn't news to you, Anthony,] Torrina tells me gently, [if you wanted the Colony to thrive, you
that, but I didn't realised there was an ancient level threat
short term,] Corun encourages me, [it's a big 'if' that what Granin is suggesting will even happen. The Cataclysm has only happened once, and nobody was alive in the Dungeon at that point, so nobody has any idea what the conditions that
Sophos down here at
younger mage pulls
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