Chrysalis

I strain. I push. I fight with every fibre of muscle and every strand of brain matter to get my body to move forward! Nothing. As an experiment I try to move backwards and find no resistance, but once I move forward again, no dice. I'm frozen in place as long as I attempt to move forward.

This is crazy! The Dungeon is basically refusing to let me walk forwards?! Are you telling me I don't have control of my own limbs?

Dammit, Gandalf! Get your scrawny wizard backside out here and explain this. I won't take another step until this unpleasant phenomenon is spelled out to me. I mean… I can't take another step… but that's not the point!

[Master? Is everything alright?]

I realise then that my comrades have been watching me skuttle backwards and forwards, straining against an invisible barrier in front of the gate for over a minute now. I can imagine it doesn't look at all that sane, prompting Crinis to check in with me.

[I, uh, seem to be experiencing technical difficulties?] I reply.

Crinis is confused.

[I'm not sure what you mean. Is there a problem?]

[In a sense. I can't walk forward.]

[You can't?] She extends a tentacle forward toward the gate and meets no resistance. [I don't think anything is there?]

[This is a little hard to explain. It feels like the Dungeon itself is preventing me from going through the gate. As if it refuses to let me move somewhere that's going to take me up a stratum.]

[The Dungeon isn't letting you move?]

[Yeah, it sounds weird, I know.]

[CONTEMPTIBLE DUNGEON! UNHAND THE MASTER!]

Exploding with wrath, the tentacled shadow-mass unleashes her fury upon the Dungeon. In the literal sense. Stones fly and the bark beneath us splinters as Crinish lashes out blindly. Tiny, witnessing this chaos, naturally does the first thing that pops into his head, which is to join in. Chunks of wood start flying everywhere as the giant ape joyously smashes his mighty fists into the root beneath his feet.

both of you. That's not the Dungeon, that's the

Crinis. A Grove Keeper stomps over, a rare expression of anger plastered

that! Misunderstanding! We didn't mean to attack the

bit and he replies in a tone rumbling with

attack so brazenly? Hmmmmm. There

soggy,] I retort, [besides, since you're here I have a question for your mum. She might be able to help

help you?] the Keeper

dead

with anger the Grove Keeper turns toward the bushes and engages in another rustling session with them before he turns back

her roots being

from moving through the gate. Does she

Dungeon, you

crazy, I get it. Talk to the

able to go back up a stratum is one thing, I kind of expected that to happen as I kept evolving, but this constant tug dragging me downwards is something else entirely. Now that I'm aware of it, I'm starting to think it's been there for quite a while and I just wasn't conscious of it. Ew, that's weirding me out. I have to wonder why it's so much stronger now

I was so eager and reckless

am at the answer we get back. [The Call. She says that many monsters have felt it at one time or another, even Mother for a brief time. She believes that any monster with the potential to become the final Ancient

Does this mean the Dungeon itself has acknowledged me or something? I don't want

But doesn't now? What made

is an important

much of her potential to be able to create us, her children, she

options during an evolution I

[Hmmm. Useless?]

Useless in the 'becoming an Ancient' sense. I like

a long look before he confers further with

all she wishes to say on this matter.

was totally

Crinis' tentacles down with an antenna as they start to extend past me to throttle the Keeper as he turns to

[Ha-ha! Friends!]