Chrysalis

Farming aside, I’ve got other things to worry about, namely trying to work out exactly how the Altar of Self actually works. I mean, I have the basic idea, it’s not that complicated; the Will of the Colony flows through the Vestibule, is amplified by the Nave, feeds into the Altar and is consumed to help fuel my Skills.

Simple in concept, but there’s a lot of variables I need to take into account. Which Skills use the most energy? How much do they use? How quickly does it replenish? What effect does it have on each Skill?

I need to put in a lot of reps just to figure out how it all works. By practising over and over again, I can develop the instinctual feel I need to make snap decisions and use the ability in battle.

The issue I have is that I don’t want to be taking experience away from my precious pets. The three of them need a ton of experience to reach the next tier, and I don’t want to slow down their progress in the slightest.

[It’s fine, Master,] Crinis says, [you need experience. We can’t take everything!]

Huh. She must have noticed me musing off to the side while the three of them hunt.

[Don’t worry about it,] I tell her. [I’ve got my own stuff to work on, you three need the levels.]

[A-are you sure? I really don’t mind!]

[Of course I’m sure! I wouldn’t feel right if I stayed stronger than you guys. You need to hurry up and reach my tier!]

[Alright! We will!]

[That’s the spirit.]

Crinis turns and rips into the demons around her with renewed rage and I’m happy to avert my gaze and continue to contemplate what I need to do.

I mean, better start with the basics, right?

my three pets have finished pulverising the opposition, I have to pick up and follow after them,

lunge forward, allowing them to tear into the steaming hot rock

Crunch!

hardened mandibles shear through the stone like butter,

a look at my mandi-work, pleased with what I see. The ol’ face hands are doing good work. Longer than before, they really have quite the reach now, snapping together metres in

Skill with that chomp, so as impressive as the

myself

draw on

let’s just say the Vestibule

slam together, but despite my best efforts, the energy, unlike the spice, does

can’t just run and use the Altar to run faster, I actually have to

make this

another few steps and set my legs,

for the

black light. More than that, I feel the Altar surge with power, pouring out from deep within me and filling

and growing stronger and stronger before

if

with ash, dust and flecks of magma. It looks as if a bomb went off in front of me as stone comes rumbling down, collapsing on the empty void

Uhhhh. Whoops.

[Master?]

trying

on them…