Chrysalis

Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!

Ah, the satisfying feeling of having my face hands clapping fools. The monsters of the fourth stratum are tough, there’s no doubt about that, but these are all spawned during the wave, without enough evolutions or mutations to really threaten a highly developed monster like me.

A mass of boulders rumbles towards me, acting in harmony as if connected by some invisible force. An earth elemental?

Chomp!

I shatter it.

“Skreeeeee!”

A feathered worm bursts out of the soil in front of me.

Chomp!

Not today, worm!

A weird, dinosaur-looking thing charges at me, waggling its little arms.

Chomp! Chomp!

Needed two that time!

of the tunnels just feels more like home to me. Part of that is likely my ant nature, and the other is probably down to the circumstances of my birth. Fighting in tunnels was my first

to bite all these monsters one by one, which is why Gandalf brought

VOID CHOMP!

haven’t juiced up with the Altar to see their full effects, and this is merely

Neat.

at this rate, but if I pour water over it all, won’t the

Someone with a clearer head on their shoulders can make those sorts of decisions, my work

be careful with those now. My antennae have become

least,” I announce to Solant and her gang. “After you’ve evolved again, you lot will be able to get in there and do your thing too. The experience and Biomass you can accrue is second to

the tunnels and close off

fast as it has thanks to our successful defence against, and harnessing of, the wave. How many thousands upon thousands of Biomass are being harvested in the second and third strata right now? How many cores? All of that is

understanding, but I have more to

to train your Skills, as well. With every wave, we supercharge the development of the family. Who could say how long it would have taken us to reach

my crew back to the command centre only to find a horde of reinforcements rushing

“I assume–?”

“Hurry up!” Victor yells.

a little

few hours bouncing between different tunnels, helping to roll back the encroaching monsters and allowing the Colony to reclaim

all, Solant and her broodmates watch everything like insectile hawks, especially their leader. They study everything, discussing amongst themselves as they develop ideas and strategies together. When I feel it’s safe, I

would expect during a wave. No matter how far back I push the hordes of ravenous beasts, they return in

way back to the central hub this time, the activity inside is even more frenetic than usual.

to