Chrysalis

[Mythic Evolution: Formless One. You have invited your kind in, and given back to them in turn. Now it is time to make the union complete. All stats removed. All body parts and mutations will be refunded. Every member of your chosen species will be granted a formless core and you will exist as pure energy dispersed across the network formed between them.

You may make upgrades to the formless core through mutation within each individual who contains one.

Together with your kind, rise as one.]

Uhhhhhhhh… what?

[That’s… unexpected,] Granin says.

His face looks fairly impassive, but judging by the gobsmacked expressions on Torrina and Corun’s faces, he’s only just holding it together.

[Granin, what the hell is this? I wouldn’t even have a body?!]

[Mythic evolutions can be extremely unusual,] he says after a brief pause. [A larger, more fundamental change to your existence. You’ve seen evolutions that make broad, fundamental changes before, am I right?]

[Well, sort of. I would have turned into a giant brain, not a literal ghost!]

[Not a ghost,] he corrects me, [you wouldn’t have a body, but you would still exist as a living creature formed of energy. You’d effectively be unkillable. I’m no expert on this stuff, it’s too high level, but as I understand it, the only way for you to die would be for every member of the Colony to be destroyed.]

[But what would I even do? Float around just… existing?]

[Don’t underestimate creatures of energy. You could influence the world more than you think. And the more ants with the core in them, the stronger you would become.]

Both of us know that the population of the Colony will explode if we aren’t defeated soon. This evolution would completely destroy my retirement plans! How am I supposed to tickle the grubs as a formless ghost?! Unacceptable!

[I’m not interested in becoming some bodiless spectre,] I say firmly. [I’d rather take a rare evolution than this one.]

[Well, I suppose it’s a good thing you have more mythic options then,] Granin replies. [I’m just shocked you are getting choices like this at tier seven. It’s unheard of.]

And also undesired. I just can’t comprehend what that sort of existence would be like. And how would my siblings feel if I just… moved in? I’d literally be adding something they didn’t ask for into their bodies. The whole thing gives me the creeps.

+400 Might.

people flows through you and they sit within your power. To ascend higher, you must be reforged. You will return

and your body replaced with World

a long moment before I give the details of this one to Granin. As I explain the evolution,

been keeping

not much. Just…

doesn’t seem convinced by

are not normal,] he stresses, [and there is no doubt they are a result of whatever it is you’ve been keeping from us. A Larval

does. The big guy folds his legs on the spot and takes a seat. Corun and Torrina sit

I say after a minute. [Can someone explain this one to

moment, but Granin raises his head, his eyes looking a little

not like you were before. Think of

be blind and

He nods.

evolution intends for the Colony to effectively feed you experience and

I’d be a

That’s a little unsettling….

in a literal sense,] he assures me, [just an incredibly powerful monster. I can’t even

seems to have lost his

tier seven and have the Colony babysit me until I

it carefully. Words like “deity” are not thrown out by the System for no reason. If you survived to

care about that,] I remind him. [And I get

He hesitates.

and anything World-Infused are valuable. Beyond

over the mind link. [Impossible to buy because nobody is selling. Empires

[Oh hell no!]

cooperate with the Colony. I can contact the cult. ALL of the cults. I can

entire existence to trying to push me to

it up, Granin, it’s not happening,] I tell him ruthlessly. [I refuse to go back to being a grub and force the Colony

can’t even imagine it. Flopping about in some chamber while the Colony fights and dies to bring me food?