Chrysalis

The wave approaches its climax, and usually at this point, the Colony would be completely overwhelmed with literally thousands of monsters spawning and rushing at our territory, but for some reason, things are a little more relaxed this time around.

For one, fifth stratum monsters aren’t coming up and trying to melt our faces off and terraform the tunnels with comically toxic goop, which is nice. I mean, we still get them spawning, but that’s not as much of a problem. Then there’s the distinct lack of sixth stratum monsters. Other than the one I fought, the Colony only ran into a handful of them, none of which seemed to be operating at full strength. It’s a curious state of affairs, but one that is certainly to our benefit.

Whatever the cause, I’m not going to complain. The Colony is absolutely raking in the Biomass and cores, luring and annihilating mythic-beast monsters of the fourth as fast as the lousy things can pop out of the ground. Which is fast. I’ve been keeping to my tunnel and training for the most part, trusting that someone will come and get me if I’m needed, but when my surprise guests arrive, I hadn’t seen anyone for days.

Hanging from the roof and practising my spellwork, I’m more than a little surprised when a large, shaggy head pokes into my tunnel, followed by a large, shaggy body.

[Sarah! What the heck are you doing down here?]

[Ah! You’re on the roof.]

[Don’t tell me you didn’t see me just because I’m upside down. I’m enormous.]

[I just didn’t expect it is all.] She hesitates a moment before asking, [Do you have time to talk? I know you’ve been busy, during the wave and all.]

[I’m surprisingly free, to be honest, and I’d love a chat! I can get some tea and cake delivered if you’ll give me a second.]

[That sounds nice. You should bring some for Odin as well.]

[He’s here?]

I look around, but I don’t see him anywhere.

[I think he’s shy.]

The lithe form of the demon leaps out from behind a pillar, twisting and flipping in the air to land beside the massive bear.

conversation. [I am

assassin

[... They do.]

[Great.]

order, the three of us are hunched around a flat rock I conjured up, sipping tea and nibbling on oversized baked treats. Sarah, the Asura Bear, neatly slices her cake with her claws, then pokes

long for the Colony to discover jam filling, did

me about it. They’ve been going nuts for jam over the last few weeks. When someone thought about sweetening it with extra sugar,

and forth for a while, as Odin watches us, his eyes burning

things in the third?]

The giant bear huffs.

she says shortly. [Pretty much as bad as you’d expect. Thankfully, the Colony has things mostly under control. The wave is making it too difficult for the ka’armodo to try and cause trouble, and the incidents of rogue demons are dropping precipitously,

She shudders.

do… it’s been terrible. I’m glad it seems to be

about my Nave, and the demons who’ve popped in there. I especially don’t think about all the Will I was collecting from demons

is good. I thought you were putting down roots up there. What brings you to

her tea, giving herself time to think. She leans back with a

for me to evolve,] she says finally and I

soon as well, you might as well

She nods, reluctantly.

if I was going to evolve, then I should consult with Granin and the others beforehand. Since they’re coming down here to advise those three, I should be here and

whole stratum because you didn’t want to

It seems ridiculous.

I’ve never

the walls and take in the view,] I encourage her, [it’s really something. The shining waters of the lake, the towering mountains reaching up toward the ceiling above. There’s clouds, and islands. I mean, floating islands. It’s

went straight up there.

I turn to Odin.

you here,