Chrysalis

My first nap as a tier seven, a deep and satisfying torpor that I luxuriate in. Indeed, life is only complete when one gets their eight hours! I’ve been flat out for way too long, to the point I’ve started to worry that the Torpor Police might disappear me.

That would have caused quite a stir, I’ve no doubt.

They do an incredible job of hiding, those little ninjants, but ever since I picked up the Vestibule, it’s been impossible for them to conceal themselves from me.

Unlike my bodyguards. Whatever it is that they use to create the strange forgetful effect was powerful enough to give me trouble for a little while. Ever since my evolution, though….

I reach out with one leg and poke at the air.

….

I poke again.

….

Another poke, harder this time.

“... Is that really necessary, Eldest?” Protectant complains.

Gweheheheh.

“I just find it fun, how easily I can spot you now.”

The guard smells decidedly unhappy about it.

“We would like to know how you do it,” she grumbles, “out of professional courtesy.”

and find

provide me with Will. As long as the energy is flowing, they’ll

actively try to conceal themselves. I can’t see Protectant with my eyes, or even feel it when I poke her with my leg, or detect the scent when the guards communicate with each other, despite knowing for a fact

stealth they’ve achieved is absurd. They’re like

why it’s so fun to prod at them. Poke. Poke.

Please stop it,” Guardiant

Heheheheheh.

seven, you all need to make the push to tier six,” I tell the invisible squad of babysitters. “If I’m going to be rumbling with tier eight enemies, you’ll be flattened just by being near me if you don’t

we evolve, we’ll be able to hide

her again, with

from already. You need to seriously bump up your stats and combat prowess. That concealment organ has soaked up way too

alright! Just stop poking

to drive home the point, then I turn to Crinis and the

we’re ready for action and we need to get some Levels into you, pronto. Hunting in the fourth stratum is likely to be our best bet, but at the same time, we need to be on standby in case they need us in the third. There’s some funky business going

in unison. It’s

need a fair bit to get my mutations ticking along, but we should make sure to contribute to the Colony stockpile, since you three are all maxed out. Let’s

won’t abate until I wipe that species from the Dungeon! As it turns out, we don’t even make

catch up. “Eldest. They want to see you down on the shoreline.

centipedes! They’re my highest priority on this stratum, I won’t let them get a foothold. I rumble down to the shoreline, my friends in

that watch their every move with preternatural stillness. The leader, a fairly burly-looking golgari, almost seems happy

out around me like this.

onto the mercenary, then I bring his two followers into the conversation

them. [Excellent, excellent. I suppose your hunt was

their own, and I make a conscious effort to tone it down. I can’t be scaring away our potential

response to my question, the three of them begin unloading the cargo in their boat, depositing a dozen

them out at quite a rapid clip. We sailed two mountains west and tried our

this level of