Chrysalis

When a monster reaches tier seven, and perhaps this is especially true for demons, they tend to get some fancy tricks up their sleeves. Grokus had that whole Biomass storage thing, which was a heck of a thing, if I’m being honest. War demons are in possession of a frightening frenzy aura, and grow even more powerful as they take damage, turning them into fearsome destruction engines when they’re on the verge of death.

If I were to take a guess, I think the Fatty has something related to those tongues or his mouth. Perhaps a paralytic effect, or some special effect when he bites something? I’d best be careful and make sure I don’t get hit. The Mage is a little trickier, but I wonder if she’s accelerating her magic in some way. The speed her projectiles come out is way too quick, so fast I can’t even dodge, and I know they’re coming before she even shoots them!

With the Gravity domain running, I have a constant drain on both Altar energy and gravity mana, but I decide to keep it going. The domain is preventing the weaker monsters from piling into the fight, and it’s slowing down the big hitters, even if they can mostly ignore its effects. Importantly, the drain on the Altar is barely more than the replenishment rate, so in practice, I’m still mostly full on energy. It’s not like I’d be able to replenish enough during the fight to make a significant difference anyway. The longer this drags out, the more disadvantageous to me. I need to end it with what I have available to me now.

The first to go has to be the War demon, a decisive strike that finishes him in one go. Chipping away at their health is completely the wrong way to go about it.

I’ve already delivered a few Void chomps to this particular foe and he is loving life, raging more than ever before, limbs bursting with power. As the Fatty creeps closer, looking to fire off another tongue, and the Mage continues to lance me with lasers, the War demon stomps forward, eyes blazing with rage, slashing wildly.

This is getting intense!

So much is happening at once. My antennae buzz constantly and my muscles fire without me having to think about it. Strikes come and I slide left, or jerk to the right. Sparks fly as blades clash against my carapace, skidding off the diamond surface. My brains burn in my head as they work at full capacity, every mind-construct pushed to the limit as a torrent of condensed ice spears fly out, several every second.

Hoooooly moly!

I fling myself over the ground once again, desperately avoiding another rocket-like tongue fired from the Fatty.

That’s seriously annoying! Keep your dang mouth shut for a minute yooooouuuWAYO!

A second tongue blasts from that disgusting maw just as I get my legs back under me. Forewarned by my antennae, I desperately cobble together a wall of ice in front of me as I try to push my body to the right.

Yikes and wowsers! I knew he had more than one tucked in there, but I wasn’t sure he could fire both so quickly one after the other. I seriously don’t want to get hit by that attack….

Might have to change my plans. I think Fatty has punched his ticket to the top of the list.

intensity! Being pushed to the limit and beyond! My monster body is capable of so much, dozens of thoughts at once,

this excitement! Like a rocket engine desperate to ignite, every fibre of my ant-body is roaring

challenge me? I’m the Colony Paragon! My carapace is strong enough to bear the weight of my entire family, these punks

reels his two tongues in. I let my

ice magic continues, most of them shattering noisily against the Mage’s shield. It’s enough to keep

a taste of the Will of the

Dash!

VOID CHOMP!

activate them. The world blurs, stretching out before me

when I appear in front of him before lunging, mouth

Too late, moron!

the void chomp is already manifested. Dark mandibles of pure energy, larger and more dense than normal, manifest alongside my own jaws, slamming shut on the void which

CRUNCH!

pounding the helpless demon trapped in

I’ve

the energy that pours out of me. My whole body resonates to the strange thrum of gravitic energy. It’s

VOID CHOMP!

this time, my jaws slam shut once

[You have defeated….]

One down!

into my side, tons of brutal monster moving at high speed. The kinetic energy would be enough to crumple a truck into a pancake, then throw that pancake into a hydraulic press until it was an atom thick, but I

it through my legs and into the ground. I buckle, but I don’t break. The demon bellows its war cry, shockingly

at my command and