Chrysalis

My sub-brains are still struggling to put the finishing touches on the gravitational mana construct. It’s fiendishly complex, so I’m not surprised. More practice is required, and I’ve been too lazy to do it.

Curse you, past Anthony! Curse your lazy carapace!

Having fully mutated would also be helpful for this. The Altar and Nave aren’t mutated, and who knows what insane effects they might have available at +35.

I’ve been too overconfident, dammit! This massive demon is proving to be far more of a challenge than I expected. I’ll have to do the best with what I have available and hope it all works out. Let’s do this!

I harden the ice mana I’d prepared as much as possible before weaving it to form spears. Unless I pump these spells as full of power as I can, they’ll just melt when they get close to him, his cloak of fire and smoke will take care of that. The rate of fire isn’t quite what I was hoping for, but at least each spear packs a hell of a lot of punch.

The demon smashes them away with his fists, smoke and ash belching from his maw as he rears back and launches his inferno breath at me. My ice spears are gone in an instant and I leap to the side once more. Then I’m struck with an idea!

If he can’t recover from that breath attack quickly, then I might be able to close the gap right now. In a contest of close range attacks, I win!

Dash!

Drawing deep on the Altar in such rapid succession is dizzying. The Will of the Colony thunders through me, transforming into whatever power the Altar uses to infuse my Skills and spells as quick as I can use it. The rate of replenishment is insane, but as I lock my mandibles back and activate Void Chomp, it dips precipitously low.

Going to have to lay off it for a bit, but will I get the chance?

face me as I’d expected, the demon extends it and whirls to face me as I charge in. Whoops! My vision fills with that destructive breath

shield. It’s awkward as heck, but I can’t do much better in the time I have. Despite the absurd amount of energy I packed into it, the ice doesn’t hold up long against

give it one final push before turning the full

Void Chomp!

me due to the sheer amount of carnage. Rocks crack, dust billows everywhere and demons caught in the vacuum effect fly through the air to get caught

you’re dead this time,] I

dead, he couldn’t reply… so

mind and I feel a little relief I hadn’t

clawed arms slash through the smoke, red light screaming, but I

the sheer force of the blow nearly crumples my legs. I hold firm, if only just, and fire back with more ice. At this range, the demon can’t melt them in time and

was some sort of ice specialist, then I might be able to cause more damage with it,

and get a look at my opponent. The massive demon has another injury, larger this time, but again, already in the process of healing.

myself, capable of restoring minor wounds

Shiver.

if a thousand monsters screamed at me from beyond the grave. Alright, I’ll reflect on my mistakes, I’m sorry! Now that I’m against someone who does the same thing

dammit! You took that damage fair and

keep barking when you

flame and smoke the demon wears explodes as the aura of fire, ash and pure violence magnifies tenfold. My psyche recoils from the overwhelming sense of demonic violence radiating