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

there is one. As far as I can tell, as long as they’re ants who believe in me, they will provide me with Will. As long as the energy is flowing, they’ll be lit up like a christmas tree, regardless

other senses when they actively try to conceal themselves. I can’t see Protectant with my eyes, or even feel it when I poke her with my

level of stealth they’ve achieved is absurd.

so fun to prod at them.

stop it,”

Heheheheheh.

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

we’ll be able to hide from you again…”

around and poke her again,

need to seriously bump up your stats and combat prowess. That concealment organ has soaked up way too much evolutionary energy, don’t waste

alright! Just stop poking

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

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

of them nod in unison. It’s rewarding having

hunt and gather Biomass. I 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 go see

that species from the Dungeon! As it turns out, we don’t even make our way out of the tunnels before someone finds

and I stop to let her catch up. “Eldest. They want to see you down on the shoreline.

on this stratum, I won’t let them get a foothold. I rumble down to the shoreline, my friends in tow, only to find the mercenaries from earlier

with preternatural stillness. The leader, a fairly burly-looking golgari, almost seems happy when he

nice to have my strength radiate out around me like

latch onto the mercenary, then

them. [Excellent, excellent. I suppose your

and I make a conscious

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

out at quite a rapid clip. We sailed two mountains west and tried our luck, ran into a nest almost

on this level of the Dungeon. New spawn points will be popping up