I had no time to think, pause or consider before I came to be enveloped in a soft, white light. A blinding flash impacting not just my eyes but seemingly my whole body.
Sensation fell gradually away as I tried to gather my thoughts. What had happened? Where was I? I think I made myself dinner, my parents hadn't been home, again. I was eating in my room, at my desk maybe? Then there had been ... white?
I can't tell how long I've been here, floating in this gentle light. Has it been ten days? Or only ten minutes? The light surrounds me, enveloping me like a warm blanket.
Sound begins to swell like a wave in the distance. It rushes toward me and just when washes over me I hear a voice.
[Welcome Anthony]
Well thank you! These are the kinds of good manners that make me feel warm inside.
[you have died]
Dammit!
What do you mean I died, disembodied voice? How on earth are you speaking anyway? Come to think of it, how on earth am I hearing you? Do I even have ears right now?!
So if I died, is this heaven? I mean, it's comfortable enough but I'm not sure if I want to stay here forever you know?
[Be calm, you will soon awaken to experience life again in a new world]
This voice feels somewhat familiar, a deep and gruff intonation that is comforting yet full of wisdom? Is it that legendary bearded figure, dressed all it white? Worshipped with devotion all over the Earth?
Could it be you?
Gandalf?
[You will be reborn on the world of Pangera]
[Destiny and luck shall determine your fate]
Hold on a moment, Gandalf! This ... This sounds kind of cool doesn't it? Reborn into another world? Adventure, peril and opportunity around each corner? Will there be magic? Girls?!
Whoa there ... hold on there, me. Need to be calm. Focus and listen to Lord Gandalf!
[You will be reborn with the following status:]
Here it comes!
[Level: 1]
So game like!
[Stats:]
Might: 15
Toughness: 12
Cunning: 25
Will: 18
HP: 30
MP: 0
Oh ho! I sound strong. MP is zero though? Is it because my spirit is lacking? Why are you judging me like this Gandalf?
[Skills: Digging level 1; Acid Shot Level 1; Grip Level 3; Bite Level 2]
Okay! Skills! This is exciting! Just ... bite? Acid? Aren't these skills a little... strange? What about destruction magic or inter-dimensional spirit summoning?
[Species: Hatchling Ant Worker (Formica)]
....
Oi.
Oiiiiii.
What the heck was that Gandalf?! Ant? Not just an ant but a hatchling worker ant?! This isn't the glorious rebirth I had in mind Lord Gandalf! Was I lacking in virtue during my previous life? Was I too cruel to my friends? That can't be so, I didn't have any friends!
[You have one Skill point and one Biomass available]
[Go forth and forge your own path]
An ant path? Forge your mother, Gandalf!
At this moment, I sensed a change the light surrounding me. Gradually, it began to condense, shrinking and squeezing against me. Simultaneously it began to take form. Slowly the features and details of my new body were taking shape.
Sadly those features were not to my liking!
Six legs, two antennae, strong mandibles and a large abdomen. This is definitely the body of an ant.
After what felt like only a few minutes my shape was fully formed, my body, still white and somewhat translucent had coalesced around my consciousness.
I was now a fully formed ant.
What the hell am I supposed to do now Gandalf?! I may have kept ants as pets, but that doesn't mean I know what one is supposed to do?! Is that all it takes is it? Pet ants means ant rebirth?
First I suppose I'll try and get my bearings. The first thing I notice is that my vision is terrible. I appear to be somewhere quite dark but a faint blue glow can be seen coming from a wall in front of me, but the details are terribly blurry. Every time I turn my head my vision seems to swim, as if the colours are washed away with water before settling again.
There is a sinking feeling in my... abdomen? Most ants have very poor vision, some are even completely blind. At least I'm not that unlucky. I'll have to adjust to the other senses I have to compensate for my crappy vision!
Of course I mean my antennae! I should, if I recall right, be able to use them to smell the air and detect movement from air currents. I diligently start waving my still white feelers to see if I can sense anything.
Ooooo. This is a bit different.
I'm detecting a few smells I can't identify. The air here certainly seems a bit stale, which makes sense if I'm underground.
But wait. Where are all my ant brethren? Ants usually communicate by pheromones and their sense of smell right? My fellow colony mates should be around here ready to welcome their new comrade shouldn't they?! Why can't I find them?
Wait! I'm detecting a whiff of something nearby. I turn left and frantically wave my antennae in this new direction. Yes. Something that smells much like myself is nearby. By piecing together information from my senses I can work out that I'm in a long tunnel. Across one of the walls there is a faintly pulsing blue light. The tunnel seems to be a combination of rock walls with dirt sections.
Very gradually I begin to proceed towards the scent of my ally. My six legs begin to move, hesitantly at first and then with growing confidence.
I'm starting to hear something as I approach a curve in the tunnel ahead. It's a little hard to make out, like a crunching noise?
Not to fear my fellow ant buddy! Whatever your task may be, I am here to assist, for the glory of the colony!
Antennae waving furiously I approach the curve and poke my head around the corner.
I see movement. An ant is lying flat on its back, legs slowly waving jerkily in the air. Mandibles open and snap at air weakly, but that's not all I see.
Above my brethren I see a long snout open wide, jagged curved teeth revealed within. Two powerful hands grip a weakly struggling ant, lifting it towards those jaws which close with crushing force. The ant victim writhes in silent agony and the predator snaps its jaws a few more times before lifting its head and throwing the food down its gullet.
Nonononononono.
Nope.
What the heck is this?!
Is this some sort of monster walking crocodile lizard beast?! At the end of its body I can see a massive tail swishing across the ground, two strong looking hands are pinning down the body of its prey, my comrade is still twitching and trying to move but is clearly at the end of their strength.
Fortunately the monster has its back to me!
Don't look at me like that, ally!
What do you want me to do? Fight that giant Croca-beast?! I can tell its easily four or five times my size!
This isn't the colony, there aren't any other ants here. No team, no support, no soldiers to protect us workers. What can I possibly do?
Clearly my best strategy in this situation is to ... Flee!
Before it finishes eating and looks for more I have to run!
Tripping and falling over my own legs I turn and scurry back down the tunnel in the direction I came. Run, run, run!
Wait!
What if I run into another of those monsters coming down the tunnel towards me?! That would be game over man, game over!
Think Anthony, think like an ant!
I stop too quickly and tangle my legs up again, causing me to fall in a heap. Hang on a moment?! I do have an option to ensure my safety. What would an ant do? Dig!
I use my feelers and front legs to scan the walls around me as quickly as I can. There! Aha! This section of wall is softer dirt, not rock!
Dig like your life depends on it Anthony! Because it does!
Raising my forelegs I start to scratch madly at the wall. My legs are still white coloured and faintly translucent, too soft to effectively dig! Hold on, ants don't use their legs to dig anyway. I try opening my mandibles on the front of my face for the first time. In my vision I can see the thick jaws open and snap shut.
I have to dig with my face!
I push my face towards the wall and open my jaws as wide as I can then crunch them shut with all of my strength. My mandibles are yet to harden fully but they are still enough to rip into this dirt wall easily!
Haha!
Frantically I dig without pause, without rest, until I have carved out a small tunnel in the wall large enough to fit myself in and then collapse the entrance, trapping myself in complete black.
If I'm found, I'm dead!
Shivering in my dark hidey hole I begin to ponder my circumstances.
This situation is too strange! A new ant should be born inside the colony, surrounded by allies and protectors, why on Pangera was I born alone in a tunnel with such fearsome beasts! Judging by my poor fellow ant out there I'm not the only one dropped into these hopeless straights.
I can only think of one thing. A raid. Something attacked my home colony and escaped carrying a few unhatched young. A juicy, defenseless food supply to snack on back in their own home tunnels. It may not have even been that giant Croca-beast that conducted the raid, it may have intercepted the creatures that did the deed and stolen their prize.
As a result I was dropped, unseen and managed to hatch successfully, leading to my current position of shaking in the dirt hoping I don't get found.
I can also dismiss the idea that I am a normal ant, just a few millimeters long. I've no idea how large I actually am but I can safely assume I would be a ridiculous size for an ant on Earth. That bi-pedal crocodile-headed beast certainly did not exist on Earth and surely cannot evolve naturally. This evidence, combined with the game like system in this world leads me to believe that it was a monster I saw and that I am also a monster in some underground labyrinth or dungeon.
That's scary! Do I have some sort of monster core that explorers will come to farm? Do I drop money when I die?!
This is some ridiculous hard mode right here Gandalf!
A little help?
Wait. He did say something about a skill point and Biomass?
-x-X-x-
The world before the System Descent is mystery to us now, any records of that time disappeared during the Rending or were lost in the centuries since. How did those people judge each other, unable to view themselves with perfect numerical accuracy as we so easily can today?
Was that society a more equitable place? When the worth of a human being can be weighed with such precision, strict roles and structures are easy to maintain, perhaps back then, when the qualities of each individual were more nebulous, it allowed greater freedom, greater choice in a persons' life? Many believe the System elevated us, empowered us to fight back against the great cataclysm, but many of the wise question this narrative, we know what we gained in the Descent, but we can no longer recall what we lost.
Exert from page 15 of "Ruminations on the pre-Descent society" by Illarion the heretic.
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Okay. So I have a skill point and a body point to spend? If this is a game-like situation then I would be able to open some sort of menu in order to spend my points and improve myself. How do I access this menu here in my tunnel though?
Erm. Level up!
No, that didn't work.
Escape! Escape key!
... Nothing.
I mean, worth a shot right?
Sigh.
Status!
Whoa!
Name: Anthony
Level: 1
Might:15
Toughness:12
Cunning: 25
Will: 18
HP: 30
MP: 0
Skills: Digging level 1; Acid Shot Level 1; Grip Level 3; Bite Level 2
Species: Hatchling Ant Worker (Formica)
Biomass: 1
Skill Points: 1
Wow, this is really interesting! My status huh?
The first time I saw these numbers I thought they looked high but perhaps they are actually really low? I can't imagine a hatchling ant worker has an impressive status in any way. And what are these skills?
Grip? Does this mean I can hold onto things well?
[Grip: Ability to hold onto surfaces and objects without letting go, for example, walking on walls]
The triumphant return of Lord Gandalf! My lord! My savior! Truly your beard is the most luxurious, your eyebrows the most bristly!
So I have some sort of help system built into the status to explain the skills when I think of them? This is amazing!
So my grip skill improves my ability to hold onto stuff with my six legs, including walking on walls and the ceiling? I totally forgot ants could do that. I'll have to try it as soon as I get out of here, why would you walk on the floor if you had the option to use the wall or roof?
What do my other skills do I wonder?
[Bite: Improves the ability to accurately and forcefully apply a bite using fangs, mandibles or teeth].
[Digging: Provides sub-conscious guidance when digging to increase efficiency and effectiveness].
[Acid shot: assists accuracy when attempting to attack from a distance using a natural acid from the body].
Okaaaaay.
There are many species of ant on earth that were able to shoot formic acid from their rear zone. I must belong to a monstrous species of formic acid spraying ant then. This could be very helpful, it gives me an option to attack without getting too close to my opponent, a course of action that I think would, at the moment, lead to my instantaneous destruction.
So I can bite, crawl on the roof, dig and shoot acid? That doesn't seem like a lot of tools to survive in an environment like this.
What I'm missing most is information. I have no real idea where I am, I have no idea what kind of creatures live in this place other than ants like me and Croca-beasts, I've no idea where the surface is or if the surface even exists in this world. I can't communicate with anything since I'm fairly sure I don't even have vocal chords, so even if I found someone prepared to talk to a monstrous ant, dialogue would be impossible.
This means if I want any information I'll have to get it myself. Out, in the tunnels.
Hmmm.
Scary! That's so scary, Gandalf!
You want me to go out there with who knows how many unknown horrors as a lone little ant monster?! Madness, madness I say!
Phew. Came down Anthony, stay cool. Panic will not help this situation in any way. Stay rational, stay cool, stay alive.
So, the final question is, what can I spend my points on and how?
[Would you like to spend your skill points?]
I would! I absolutely would oh wise and magnificent Gandalf, bringer of hope, bringer of light, may your beard be ever fluffy!
Just like with my status, a window opens within my mind.
Skill points: 1
Biomass: 1
[you can use skill points to purchase new skills or upgrade existing ones]
[Biomass can be spent to improve or modify aspects of your physical, monstrous form]
[Skills available to purchase:
Stealth: cost 1sp, improves your ability to hide and move unseen
Dash: cost 1sp, Increases speed over short distances but increases stamina drain
Slashing attack: cost 1 sp, more accurate and powerful slashing attacks
Chomp: cost 1sp, bites pierce more and are more difficult to shake off
Tunnel sense: cost 1 sp, improves sense of direction when underground]
[Body improvements available to purchase:
Exoskeleton +1: harden your exoskeleton to improve resistance to mundane damage
Mandibles +1: toughen mandibles and improve their ability to pierce
Legs +1: improve agility
Eyes +1: improve eyesight
Antennae +1: increase sensitivity to air current and scent
Acid gland +1: thicken the concentration of internal acid]
This is a lot of options! It's very difficult to choose! I have to think logically here.
Being able to run faster would help be escape my enemies, tunnel sense would make it harder for me to get lost whilst underground, chomp and acid would help me fight more effectively...
I must prioritise my survival. I can only improve and grow here if I can survive. Taking abilities to help me fight would only be suicide, if I attack a monster I can't defeat then it'll be game over straight away, improving my speed will be a dead end if I run into something that is faster than I am. Without information, how am I supposed to know what creatures I can fight and how fast any of them are?
As a newly hatched ant worker, I have to assume I am close to the weakest creature here!
Ok I have made my decision.
Select, Eyes +1 and Stealth!
[Would you like to purchase Eyes +1 and the skill: Stealth?]
Yes, please.
Immediately I can feel a maddening itch burst over my eyes, like a thousand mosquito bites erupting at once.
Gaaah!
Don't do this to me Gandalf! I can't even scratch this itch, I might poke my own eyes out!
Fortunately it doesn't last for long. After a minute I can feel the itch recede. It's hard to tell if my sight has improved here in my dark hiding place but I definitely feel that my eyes are a bit bigger than they were before.
So this is body modification? One minute and bam, you have improved from before? This almost seems like cheating. How many hours of effort would a human on Earth have to put in to improve themselves even a little bit? Even then, it isn't like they could do something like improve their eyesight.
I have to get more of these points! With enough body improvement points I may be able to overcome my natural weakness as a relatively harmless species and live with more security here in these tunnels!
Why would I select stealth and eyesight improvement you may ask?
Excellent question!
If we say that it's too dangerous to assume I can fight anything whilst we also assume it's too dangerous to assume I can run from everything then the only path through which survival can be assured is to not be seen in the first place. If you are seen, you are dead! I have placed my hope in stealth in order to live long enough to learn more about how to survive in this environment!
As for eyesight... You know, having really terrible eyesight sucks! Being used to human vision, it's super disorienting to switch these pathetic ant eyes! If something isn't moving I can barely see it at all! Remember that ants are a communal species, thousands, tens of thousands of weak individuals combine to create something strong. Each individual ant has terrible senses but when acting together they are difficult to hide from.
I am alone, however! How am I supposed to survive when I could trip over a dragon which was having a nap?!
Ridiculous!
I will make improving my eyesight a priority and I won't stop until I can spot a cockroach twitch through five metres of solid stone.
Okay.
I've been hiding here for about half an hour now, with my points spent there is no longer any reason to delay.
Take courage Anthony, advance forth and explore!
Very carefully I scrape away at the dirt that I collapsed to enclose myself. Eventually I clear a narrow opening to the tunnel I was born in and poke my antennae through very slightly.
It feels clear, I can't smell anything and I don't detect any vibrations. Here goes nothing then. Moving quickly now I widen the opening and squeeze myself through. Turning on the spot I can't see anything in either direction, the tunnel stretches into darkness, curving slightly at the edge of my vision.
The path to my right is where I saw the beast eating my brethren, I'd rather not go that way since I know for certain there are threats in that direction, which leaves me with only one choice: go left.
Now to initiate the next phase of my plan!
Very slowly, since I still can't coordinate my six legs very well, I begin to walk towards the wall, then I begin to walk up the wall, then I step onto the roof until finally I am hanging upside down, gripping the roof fiercely with my tiny claws.
Success! By hugging the roof and moving upside down, combined with my new stealth skill I may have a greater chance of remaining undetected and passing unseen!
Muahahaha!
It could just be the blood rushing to my head but suddenly I feel more confident that I did before. Onward Anthony!
Despite my now burning spirit I continue to move cautiously down the tunnel. Using my antennae and front legs to look for solid footholds before gripping hard with my feet and moving forward. This takes a fair bit of concentration so progress is relatively slow but I'm okay with that, every moment that passes without being attacked feels like a small victory to me!
Now that I can see slightly better I can make a little more sense of some of the details I noticed before. All around the tunnel, twisting and branching like vines are glowing blue lines, like veins running through the rock. Some thicker, some thinner, some so thin they can almost not be seen, splitting and reforming endlessly in a random pattern.
Every few minutes a pulse flows through the lines, brightening the entire tunnel momentarily as it flashes through. It feels eerily as if the tunnel were alive, but for some reason, the light feels comforting to me, almost energizing.
Just another thing for me to learn in order to understand in this place.
Illuminated by the glow of the tunnel I can see my carapace has begun to harden and turn black. I recall from my ant keeping hobby that newborn ants have a soft white exoskeleton which gradually hardens and gains colour. Seems like I was huddling in the wall longer that I thought.
After an hour of cautious movement, I follow the tunnel around a curve and before me the tunnel walls fall away into a tremendous cavern.
This is huge! You could fit a few sports fields in here surely?
What's more, through my antennae I can sense fluttering vibrations and a myriad of scents assault me all at once.
Monsters!
Growls, hisses and the click-clack of claws echo off the walls in the cavern. Waves of vibrations batter my antennae, dizzying me. This cavern swarms with beasts, fighting and moving through what appeared to be a thoroughfare in the part of the cave network.
Quickly as I can, I dart into the cavern, moving towards the dark shelter of a stalactite, hanging like a spear tip from the roof. Flattening myself against the rock I remain still, and cast my eyes around.
The strange blue lines I'd seen pulsing in the walls are here as well, twisting and branching throughout every surface, even winding around the pillars of pointed rock that burst from the ceiling and floor, illuminating the entire space with the same soft blue light.
Nearby, in the center of a clearing, a basin of water, perhaps twenty meters across had formed in the floor of the cavern. Peering closely, I see it's fed by a steady drip of water from cracks in the ceiling, possibly from a river or aquifer above. The water seems suffused with the blue glow, illuminated from beneath by veins of light in the basin floor.
The thing that makes my poor ant heart leap to my mandibles however, is the menagerie of monsters I see congregating around the pool. What sort of nightmare parade is this Gandalf?! The details are hard to make out thanks to my still crappy vision but thanks to the creatures being so stylishly lit from below as they drink I can see enough.
First let's address two closest to me, they appear to be a kind of dog, or wolf, each with a reptilian tale extending behind them. Their head features an elongated snout filled with what I imagine to be razor sharp teeth. The two creatures take turns drinking, watching over each other and rumbling warning growls at anything nearby, tails swishing over the cavern floor.
Next to them I can make out another Croca-beast, leaning forward, placing its weight on its front legs, scooping water with its elongated jaws. The other monsters seem to give the beast a bit of clear space, I would too! It seems the creatures here understand to let sleeping dragons lie well enough.
Now that I notice it, it seems there is no conflict around the water pool at all. Perhaps the denizens of this place have established an unspoken truce here at their water source? I'm surprised. I wouldn't have expected these terrifying creatures to be willing to share space, especially if they can grow stronger by eating Biomass as I can.
Since this is the case I'll skitter a little closer and try and see better!
Very slowly I approach the pool, one leg moving at a time, keeping my body as flat to the roof as possible. Progress is so slow! If I could sweat then water would be running off me so fast there would be a second drinking pool in this cavern! I test every foothold and sweep my antennae oh so slowly through the air.
[Stealth has reached level 2]
Oh yisssss!
Skill level up! So juicy!
This confirms my suspicion that my skills can be trained by use, in this case my stealth skill has been raised by moving without being noticed by the monsters below me. This gives me a huge opportunity! I can hide here and continuously observe these monsters, moving very slightly the whole time, which will allow me to gain information whilst training my stealth.
Okay, settle down. The worst thing I can do is lose my cool.
I take a few slow deep breaths to calm myself before I continue my approach. One mistake will mean death in this place, I must be cautious three times in everything I do. Combat means instant destruction for me, I can never forget, even for a moment, that being found means being killed.
Steady the ship Anthony!
Eventually I make my way closer to the pool, letting me see the creatures on the other side a little more clearly. What looked like a shifting mound of a creature is now revealed to be a mass of centipede like creatures, twisting and falling over each other as they drink and rear up their bodies to hiss and clack their pointed mandibles.
I can barely make it out, but each centipede seems to have two small arms with pincers, like a crab or scorpion and their long bodies, covered in legs, end in a sharp point.
Disgusting!
These things are massively disgusting Gandalf! There must be ten of them piled on top of each other over there! The way they writhe and twist makes me slightly nauseous. I'll look away.
The last beast I can see is a small, squat creature with four legs, like a lizard, but with long, stone like spikes rising from its back. Of all the creatures here it looks like the least threatening but since the other creatures are giving it a wide space there must be something about those spikes that make them avoid it.
Even though I'm hiding here, there is one thought that excites me greatly, each of these terrible creatures is a possible harvest of Biomass, the red envelope of XP, waiting for me to reap!
First I have to make preparations. The next few hours pass slowly as I diligently stay over the pool, shifting my position gradually so as to stay hidden, observing the way the creatures move, especially taking care to see where the creatures go after they leave the pool.
The centipedes slither away to the opposite end of the cavern and curiously the Croca-beast does as well. The dogs move into a small tunnel opening in the south end, close the tunnel I emerged from. The spiky lizard wanders off towards a wall and starts to climb up before I lose sight of it in the shadows.
Another wall dweller eh? I'd call you brother if I didn't have to eat you! Heheheh.
As the creatures leave they are replaced by more slinking out of the shadows and from behind rocks.
After two hours I am finally rewarded.
[Stealth has reached Level 3]
At last! My poor ant claws need a break!
It might seem effortless to hang upside down here but I'm expending energy and not eating anything. I'm tired and hungry. Food will have to wait for now though. It's still too soon.
I creep back to my tunnel and make my way back into my hidey-hole. Phew! Only when I'm enclosed in this space do I feel safe. Maybe that is the ant coming out in me?
Never mind that! Time to work some more!
I begin to widen the space and I use the excavated dirt to start blocking the tunnel off on the side leading away from the cavern. Using my mandibles to shift the dirt and pressing it down with my body to compact it. It's strangely soothing, this.
Usually, when a colony is excavating a nest they would pile loose soil around the top to create a mound in order to help keep water out of the nest. I don't want this for a few reasons, I'm not worried about rain down here and secondly, I don't want anyone to know there is an ant in here.
So my plan is to try and restrict the tunnel on both sides, leaving only a small gap for me to pass through on the roof. This way the larger creatures will be dissuaded from chasing me here to my hiding place. They could get through if they really wanted to of course, it's only dirt after all, but I'm hoping they wouldn't be bothered and find another way to travel.
After some time:
[Digging has reached Level 2].
Ha! Now I can dig faster!
After a few hours of shifting dirt I was able to completely block off one side of the tunnel, leaving only a small gap at the roof. Also, my digging had reached level three.
I'm exhausted, time for a nap!
Covering up the entrance to my now much more spacious hiding hole, I loosen my six legs and place my body down on the soft earth.
I'm so hungry!
My stomach is twisting and cramping. I know this feeling from when my family didn't send expenses money or neglected to put food in the fridge. I'm no stranger to going hungry.
I just have to wait. When I wake up I'll go to hunt my first prey.
I already have a target!
-x-X-x-
I'm so .... So hungry!
Perched here on the roof of the cavern, my claws dug into the cold rock there is only one thought in my mind.
Food!
All the delicious things I was able to eat in my previous life are spinning through my mind, chocolate, cake, steaks, bread, yes even bread! I haven't eaten anything for two days now, the hunger is making my mind play tricks on me. The last time I saw a Croca-beast I swore it looked like a cow and nearly leaped at it from the ceiling!
The centipedes are looking and more like a tangle of noodles. I have to solve this situation before I get myself killed chomping on something I shouldn't.
Two days. I have been planning for two. Whole. Days.
I have studied every aspect of this end of the cavern in excruciating detail. I've spent so long hanging upside down over the water basin that I nearly feel asleep and dropped into the water. That would be a swim I wouldn't enjoy...
A welcome side effect of spending all my time this way has been my sneak has levelled up to four! Thanks to spending my downtime digging away at my hiding place my digging has also reached level three.
Mua HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I prepare, I grow, I hunger!
Sigh.
I know, these skills are pretty much useless, ok? I know. I'll take anything I get at this stage. Hopefully, soon I'll be able to conquer my first prey.
My antennae twitch suddenly. The target is close, I can smell them. Concentrating hard I try to focus my eyes, I'm currently positioned away from pool in a very dark area of the cavern, the snaking light veins along the walls are far apart here, allowing deep shadows to exist.
My chosen prey has been using the wall on this side of the cavern as a resting place, crawling down to the floor and over to the pool once each day to drink.
An isolated creature, with a predictable movement path that I think I can defeat. So rare! This creature is so damn rare!
Wait, I see it!
Cautiously, the armoured lizard moves down the wall. It nests amongst the rocks towards the top of the wall, I haven't been able to see clearly enough to identify exactly where so I couldn't tell when it started moving but I have it now, this is the time to execute my plan.
Moving hurriedly, or as quickly as I can whilst still being stealthy I scramble towards the darkness above the creature. My stomach is rumbling, demanding all the speed I can muster.
Don't worry stomach! I won't let you down.
Luckily the armoured lizard moves fairly slowly, especially on the vertical surface, I get into position to strike.
The armour lizard directly below me now, facing away from my position. The large spines protruding from its back look so solid, as if made of stone. Man, I bet it would sting to get stabbed with one of those.
I can't start thinking negative now, my stomach is counting on me!
Slowly, oh so slowly, I move above the target, my eyes are the eyes of the hunter, the eagle, the tiger! I have to wait for my moment to strike, the timing will be everything.
Now!
Like a flash I flip my body around, take aim and fire my acid spray directly at the target. The liquid falls through the air at tremendous speed, splashing against the rock and covering the Armour Lizards' feet, a flawless strike.
Ha! My secret target practice over the last few days has paid off!
The creature cries out in pain as the acid begins to burn its legs, it tries to turn and find the attacker but I'm already moving, racing down the wall behind it, all thought of stealth gone.
Now my plan enters the second phase, the Lizard sees me approach and tries to turn and bring its fangs to bear, tilting the fearsome spines forward to cover as much of its body as it can. This is the wrong battle ground for you Lizard! You want to battle me here on the wall? With my incredible grip skill at level three, this wall is no challenge, also, I am nimble and light but you are heavy and slow, with your feet burning with acid how well can you possibly manoeuvre here?
Still you want to face me? Courting death!
Even if I say that, I'm still terrified in this moment. My first battle, the first hunt! I cannot fail here or my life may be over, I have to focus. The Lizard is bracing itself for the close range battle but just before I close in I suddenly turn and blast the Lizard with acid once more.
Ha ha! Didn't expect that did you!?
Gripping the wall hard I furiously scrabble my six legs to reorient myself for the fight as the Lizard growls and hisses as acid continues to burn at its feet and now face. It won't be finished from just this however, my acid is still weak, not strong enough to defeat this creature on its own.
As I close in we begin an awkward dance here on the wall, the Lizard trying to thrust forward with its fangs or spines before retreating and me snapping with my mandibles, trying to latch onto a leg or the face.
The sounds of our fight vibrate through the air, bouncing off the rock walls and pillars of stone, shaking the air against my antennae. I've seen more than one fight over the last few days settled by new challengers entering as the original combatants grew weary. I can't allow this to drag out.
As we joust back and forth I can see the Lizard before me is beginning to breathe heavily, the energy required to support its body here on the wall while fighting is taking a toll, its nearly time.
Growing desperate, the Lizard suddenly lunges forward, its spikes rushing directly towards my still pitiful eyes! I have to dodge! A flash of inspiration strikes and I snap my feet further apart, lowering my body closer to the wall. To grip at this sort of angle takes all the strength my tiny claws can muster but it works, the spikes pass just over my head.
Chance!
Before the Lizard can retreat I dart forward, mandibles wide open and snap, crunching them closed on the head of my foe. It releases a pained growl as my jaws continue to squeeze tightly but I harden my heart to its pain.
I'm sorry Lizard, you must become my food!
Now for the final phase. I gather my strength, prepare my heart and then ... leap!
With its head gripped in my mandibles the Lizard begins to fall away from the wall as I sail over its head, scaly feet tipped with claws scrabble and scrape at the stone but burned with acid and worn out from fighting they simply cannot muster the strength to hold the Lizard along with my added weight.
So, we fall.
Crash!
The impact stuns me momentarily and I release the grasp I have on my enemy, however this is also part of my plan. Lying on my back I'm very vulnerable, I must quickly get back on my feet! My six legs begin waving frantically in the air and I resort to rolling back and forth before I am finally able to get my feet under me.
Focusing my eyes I can see my pitiful prey who has fallen into a much more difficult predicament than I did! The long spines and hard shell of the Lizard have plunged directly into the pitfall trap I painstakingly dug after the last visit this Lizard made to the water pool.
Mua hahahahahahahaaa!
Do you see that you stupid Lizard? This is the ingenuity of the human mind combined with my level three digging abilities! I purposefully made the soil loose and soft at the bottom of the trap so the long spines would sink into the earth, trapping the Lizard with its feet in the air unable to escape and indeed, before my blurry eyes my prey is trapped, its feet clawing at the air, trying and failing to roll over.
This is the strategy I obsessed over for two days. Using all my abilities together, shooting acid, fighting on walls, my mandibles, my human intellect and even my digging skill, to be able to triumph over the enemy.
Even so, to cause the Lizard to fall onto its back I was forced into a dangerous manoeuvre. Thankfully the Lizard had such regular habits and travelled on the same path each time, otherwise my trap would have failed.
With the prey incapacitated I start to lose my tension. Using the last of my acid I fire off two more shots, right into the soft belly of the Lizard.
[Acid shot skill has increased to level 2]
So quickly, Gandalf?! Perhaps my skills increase much more rapidly when used in a combat situation as opposed to more casual use, after my stealth skill has taken so much time to level up even when hiding from multiple creatures for hours on end.
Something to ponder after I fill my protesting stomach!
I hoped that using the acid to finish off the Lizard would spare me having to try and bite the creature to death but nature is not that kind, after enduring the cries of the pitiful thing for ten minutes I harden my resolve and use my mandibles to ... uh ... finish the job.
[Bite skill has increased to level 3]
Having to take a life is a bit depressing but getting a skill level feels so rewarding!
-x-X-x-
I have hunted, battled and achieved victory.
This is a somewhat complicated feeling. The pain and suffering I endured to achieve this goal, is something I can't recall from my previous life, neither do I remember this satisfaction, this triumph.
Mostly I remember feeling numb.
[You have defeated Level 2 Spineta Lacertos]
[You have gained XP]
[You achieved Level 2, One skill point awarded]
Gandalf?! So talkative all of a sudden! Level two has been achieved eh? Fantastic!
So this Lizard is a Spineta Lacertos? What on earth does that mean? This name sounds vaguely Latin? Come to think of it my species was listed as Formica? If I recall back to my ant keeping hobby, Formica is the Latin name for wood ants? Are all the creatures here named in Latin?
That ... seems odd.
I have to put that question aside for a moment since a few others have been answered at this time. For one, I now know that I can gain experience to improve my level when I defeat other creatures in this place, secondly I know that I gain a new skill point when I level up and thirdly I learned that this is also true for the other creatures here. Since this .... Spineta thing was at level two I can assume there are two possibilities, either it was born level two, or it managed to level up once.
I have to ponder this in greater depth later! I have two other things to worry about now, firstly, I cannot leave my prey here in the open in case other creatures will be attracted by the scent, and second ... I'm starving! I have to eat!
Without waiting any longer I rush into my pitfall and approach the Lizard. Burns and melted flesh as a result of my acid can be seen alongside crushed limbs and puncture wounds from my bites.
It really looks very pitiful.
I'm sorry Lizard, I'm really sorry, you didn't deserve this fate.
However, since the deed has already been done, I will now partake in my first meal.
Did you know that an ant has a mouth on the bottom side of its face? Most people think that the mandibles are the mouth or that the mouth is positioned behind them but this isn't so, the mandibles are more like hands attached to the head whilst the mouth is below them.
I take a bite.
Hmmm, this flavour, how could I describe it?
Disgusting.
This is seriously disgusting.
Despite being so hungry I feel my carapace is constricting this is not a pleasant meal.
[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Spineta Lacertos, you are awarded one Biomass]
[Basic profile of the Spineta Lacertos unlocked]
The voice of Gandalf! I am graced by your weathered tones once again o great one!
So many developments so quickly, it's enough to make me dizzy, I'll have to think whilst eating. Apparently I will gain one Biomass every time I am able to hunt a new species of creature, also I was able to unlock a profile? A basic profile? How do I access that?
I'll have to experiment later.
As quickly as I can I finish the Lizard, I feel quite full! I can tell my gaster, my back part, is swollen to much larger than it was before. Just as I finish I get another surprise:
[You have gained one Biomass]
Another one! Truly my harvest has been rich from this hunt!
Only one thing to do now that I have finally achieved success and reaped such a bounty, retreat to my nest and consider my next move.
Keeping my antennae waving, sensing the air, I once again climb up the wall, making my way to the roof and sneak my way back over the water pool towards the tunnel that houses my nest. A range of monsters are still communing around the water but they are too focused on watching each other to look up and detect me.
In this way I return to my place of safety.
Tucked away in a somewhat secure place I can now take some time to assess my situation and plot my next move.
Ok, first thing is to check my status.
[Status].
Name: Anthony
Level : 2
Might: 15
Toughness: 12
Cunning: 25
Will: 18
HP: 30
MP: 0
Skills: Digging level 3; Acid Shot Level 2; Grip Level 3; Bite Level 3; Stealth Level 3;
Mutations: Eyes +1
Species: Hatchling Ant Worker (Formica)
Skill points: 1
Biomass: 2
Ha ha! Behold my incredible growth! Despite my difficult start I have managed to survive, secure my first meal, level up and improve my skills. I am very proud of this result.
Against all the odds I will survive, this is the burning ambition of my soul!
Now I have to make a very careful decision, two Biomass points to spend. I'll have to carefully consider the options and ...
Eyes! Evolve my eyes to +2 for the love of Gandalf!
[Do you wish to improve your eyes to +2? This will cost two Biomass]
Do iiiiiit!
Immediately the mad, ravenous itching sensation consumes my eyes. I can only endure it by flopping onto my back and rolling back and forth whilst scratching at the earth walls with my claws. I hate this damn feeling so muuuuuch!
Finally the itching fades and I can immediately tell that my eyesight has improved once again. Really, the poor ant eyesight is extremely frustrating to deal with, being used to human eyes, having to cope with such blurry vision that can barely see any creature if it sits still is terrifying.
Taking a look around I can tell that my vision is still not as good as an average human but it is now far superior to what I started with. Objects are still blurry but by waving my leg in front of my face I can detect that my ability to see movement has improved quite a bit.
At this rate I think it will take to +4 eyesight before I can see as well as I did in my previous life. Perhaps even +5. Since the next upgrade will probably take three Biomass since this one needed two it will probably be a long time before I'm able to purchase level four, let alone level five.
I may have to cope with my current level of eyesight for some time.
However I'm pleased with this purchase, my ability to scout as well as fight has been improved with this upgrade, and I've gotten closer to being able to operate as an independent ant, not requiring the communal assistance of a colony to survive.
Now I have to spend my skill point. I've had a skill in mind for some time now, ever since I first saw it. Since my priority is still gathering information, scouting and survival rather than a direct increase in battle strength, this skill will be extremely important to me.
Tunnel sense.
By improving my sense of direction I'll be able to range further from the nest in order to gain information. There is a risk here however, by not increasing my ability to fight and hunt for food I am going to risk more disadvantageous combat. However I will continue to pursue my policy of scouting and research first.
It must be remembered that my capacity to fight is still complete garbage, hot trash, bottom of the barrel filth! Putting one skill point into a combat skill is not going to turn this situation around in an instant!
Survival is the first, second and third priority! For survival, there must be knowledge, for without knowledge, I cannot hope to find prey I can defeat or avoid those I cannot.
I still don't know anything about this place! I'm in some kind of connected network of tunnels that is populated by bizarre monsters, has glowy lines snaking through the walls and for some incredible reason, there is a game like system with skills, level ups and a Biomass mutation system.
Isn't this world... a little weird?
I haven't seen a single person yet, nor any evidence of one. Is it possible this entire place is inhabited by monsters? Is there even a habitable surface? Or is this world wholly populated by subterranean lifeforms?
Still too many questions! All these unknowns make me too nervous, I have to have a clearer understanding of my situation. Tunnel Sense will broaden my range, allowing me to range further and still make it back to the only place of relative safety, my nest.
[Do you want to learn the skill Tunnel Sense? This will cost one skill point].
Yes!
A warm tickling sensation, like water running through my hair in a shower, except deeper, inside my head, comes over me. Perhaps I didn't notice this before since I upgraded my eyes at the same time as I purchased a skill. Its far more pleasant than the eye mutation. Just thinking about that itching sends a shiver down my spine.
Soon the feeling fades, Tunnel Sense has been learned. I can't really feel anything different straight away, hopefully it will show its effect as I explore.
Now, for the first time with a full stomach, I'll get some rest, recover, then push into brave new frontiers! While in stealth, of course.
-x-X-x-
Though many of the modern kingdoms bray of their triumph over the Rending and the manifestation of their grand destiny, the College views these paper monarchies as they truly are: children playing castle in the crumbling remnants of a much greater civilisation.
It has also become surpassingly clear over the years that the lasting effect of the Rending on the human psyche is fear. Our race may never be free of the terror that took root when the very ground beneath our feet became our enemy, the source from which our nightmares sprung to life.
Exert from "Legion College Record volume V: years 213-289AR
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After a good rest, filled with the contended and happy feeling of being in my own enclosed space with a full stomach for the first time in this world, I awake refreshed and ready to (cautiously) approach my next challenge.
I need to further explore the cavern, gather more information on my situation and try to identify my next prey. Before that however, there is something else I want to try first. After eating, Gandalf informed me I had unlocked a basic profile of the Spineta Lacertos. I haven't yet tried to access this profile, it's time to experiment and see if I can learn something.
Unlock!
Access Profile!
Open Sesame!
....
Spineta Lacertos!
[Spineta Lacertos: Thorn Lizard, spines are sharp and contain mutated venom.]
Whoo! There you go! So the Spineta Lacertos is translated to Thorn Lizard and what is the rest of this information. The spines are sharp?! Contain venom?! Isn't that obvious the first time you look at the lousy thing?
Well, it's only the basic profile after all. Perhaps if I can hunt and consume more of them I'll be able to access a more detailed profile with more useful information.
With that out of the way it is time pursue the next task.
Emerging from my nest I make may across the roof to the rock pool. A now familiar scene greets my eyes, a collection of monsters, types I have seen before, loiter at the waters' edge, warily guarding against each other whilst drinking from the glowing pool.
In fact, with my newly improved +2 eyesight the pool seems to be glowing slightly more brightly than it did in the past.
The curious thing to be about this situation is that all these monsters are here to drink, yet I have not, in the several days I've been here in this monster ant body, felt thirsty. Since I am also a monster, just as these creatures are, what compels them to drink the water from the pool when I feel no urge to do so? Is there something different about them, or me?
The next mission today is to investigate. I will take a bold, brave, possibly stupidly suicidal step in order to shed some light on this mystery. Continuing to move in my almost habitual slow method I creep across the ceiling to the nearest wall, make my way down it and onto the cavern floor. Then, slowly at first, but with growing confidence as each step propels me forward I approach the pool.
First to notice me is a lizard hound, the wolf looking creature with a long reptilian tail, there really is a large proportion of lizard-like creatures here in this place, the huge bipedal Crocadilic monster and the spiked lizard I hunted earlier have some form of reptilian features. Is this some form of pattern?
When the hound sees me it immediately begins to growl, shocking me slightly, but then something odd happens, as I continue to approach the hound begins to back away slowly and make ground for me, almost as if they were afraid.
I watch the wolf carefully and continue to approach the pool, as I step further and further into the light emitted from the pool another heaving mass of centipedes becomes aware of my presence, their reaction is very different!
As soon as they see me the slithering, clacking tangle of creatures begin to hiss furiously and writhe over each other with even more speed. One of the creatures emerges from the tangle and slithers forward on its spindly legs a few metres towards me. Then it begins to posture, hissing and clacking with sharp looking mandibles and claws.
However, it doesn't approach or attack.
Phew! I was terrified when they started heaving. There must be six or seven of the horrible things piled over there, if they tried to attack I would have to escape with all my might.
Luckily, the peace of the water source held. There is only one reason that the survival minded me would risk coming into the open here, only one reason that I would show myself in front of all these creatures who could kill me so quickly: not even one time have I seen a creature approaching, drinking or leaving the pool be attacked.
Not even once.
I saw and heard plenty of conflict during the two days I spent scouting the armour lizard but I never saw any conflict here. There is something important about this water source and I don't think it has to do with hydration. After all I still don't feel any need to drink. Monster physiology in this world does not seem to be simple.
I continue to approach until I reach the edge of the pool. The glow is so bright here up close, it's difficult to see into the water, even with +2 eyes. The pulsing lines on the floor of the cavern seem to converge towards the center of the water source, right at the bottom of the pool, and the most intense light originates from that juncture.
The water itself seemed to flow and move in strange, concentric circles, despite the lack of current or propulsion of any kind. Almost like a lava lamp, the pool seemed to have a motion and swirl all of its own.
Ignoring the continued hissing and posturing of the stupid centipedes I lower my mouth to the water and taste...
It burns!
Holy moly that burns! What is this, hydrochloric acid?!
A fiery sensation enters my mouth and flows straight through my three body segments to my stomach, from which the heat begins to permeate my blood stream until my carapace itself feels like it's on fire.
Yeeouch!
This is what you creatures have been coming here for? This painful, burning water of death?! What is wrong with all of you? Is this the cavern of masochists?!
The burning sensation gradually subsides and I can't help but stare at the other creatures around the pool incredulously. What the hell are you all doing here?! Many pairs of eyes stare back at me, I feel self-conscious now...
I once again examine the slowly churning water before me, the dense light seemingly suspended within, like jellyfish coils, see through and yet not.
Pausing, I carefully analyse my own condition. I don't feel worse in any way. I hurriedly open my status and check my health, no change.
Strange.
This is seriously weird. What on earth is the attraction these monsters feel to this stupid pool. It must be important, otherwise why would there be this unspoken truce at this place?
No answers seem to be forthcoming.
It isn't like my fellow guests at the pool are in a talkative mood!
Feeling more puzzled than before I'd tasted the water, I prepare to leave.
But before I do I can't resist one more sip.
Gah! It burns!
P-tooey! Nyaaarrr! Pff! Pff!
Ugh. Horrible.
Curiosity killed the cat, as they say.
I being to leave by first backing away from the pool slowly, watching for any reaction from my fellow drinkers. Most creatures seem mildly relieved to see me go, moving to take up the space I abandoned and returning to their drinking. The stupid centipede is still snapping and posturing at me as I leave. I can almost hear it flinging insults at me as it scrapes at the cavern and pretends to start charging at me.
Back at you, dumb centipede.
As soon as I reach the comfort of the shadows I spin and race to the wall, not slowing until I have achieved my most secure position, hidden in the deep shadows along the outer edges of the cavern roof.
Ahhhh, home.
I won't be leaving again any time soon I hope!
Now that I've (somewhat) investigated the mystery of the water pool it's time to explore this cavern further and begin to map this cave network using my new Tunnel Sense!
I continue to move in the shadows around the edges of the cavern, avoiding the more dense areas of light veins, weaving between pillars of dark stone that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, as if spears had pierced through the ground or plunged down from above.
Following this pattern I move further from the pool and my own nest than I have before. Along the sides of the cavern I can see tunnels branching off into the darkness every now and again, some large and some small. I approach a few of them and feel strange air wafting through. Who knows what is lurking within these strange tunnels?
I move ahead for another ten minutes, making slow but steady progress. I can see the cavern has begun to widen further so that I can no longer see both sides at once. I start making cautious passages across the center to check both sides as I make my way.
Whoa!
A huge tunnel entrance appears before me. Perhaps thirty minutes travel away from the pool, this entrance is massive, spanning almost from the floor to ceiling of the cavern and just as wide. It clearly tilts in a downwards direction, heading deeper into the earth.
But there seems to something strange about the way the stone here is shaped...
Is that... stairs?!
These are absolutely stairs right?
Tiny eyes boggling, I approach the cave entrance in order to closely examine these stairs.
It definitely appears as if these stairs have been carved directly into the rock. Now who exactly would be responsible for carving stairs into solid rock Anthony?
Why humans of course! Human civilisation! This is the first tangible evidence I've see that any sort of humanoid creature exists in this new world. Fantastic! I can't help but be excited and also a little nervous. I wonder what sort of fantasy like people live here? Will I see dwarves? Elves?!
The idea of voluptuous Elf ladies is almost enough to make me giddy!
This is getting more and more interesting. Why would they bother to carve stairs into this tunnel and not the others? The answer is almost self-explanatory, this is a very frequently used tunnel, therefore they have made it more convenient to travel down here. This means it's likely there may be more stairs nearby, but leading up instead.
Perhaps a path to the surface!
I quickly crawl down the wall and approach the stairs leading downwards. Wow! This is actually the first chance I've had to compare my size to an object I can relate to in my previous life! If we can assume that people in this world are roughly the same size as those in my old world then by comparing my size to the stairs I'll be able to make a rough estimate of how large I am. All I have to do is hop onto these stairs.
Hmmm.
I think I'm a little smaller than perhaps I first thought? Judging by the height and length of each step I can say I'm probably only tall enough to come up to a full grown adults knee, and I'd be roughly as long as a full stride, so perhaps a metre?
But wait! That means all those monsters who looked to terrifying and massive to me, from a human perspective ... would actually be fairly small?! The wolf creature would be almost waist height, the thorny lizard is even smaller than I am, about the size of a badger, and the terrifying, enormous Croca-beast would be less than shoulder height?!
Are all the monsters in this area actually very weak?
Thinking logically it would be a great thing if they were, since I probably would not have been able to survive this long if they were strong. This does raise the possibility of there being much stronger, larger and more powerful monsters elsewhere in these tunnels.
I'll be doing my best to avoid those then! May our paths never cross.
Okay, since the more powerful creatures probably live deeper, since that's how it works in games and this world is so strangely game-like I will operate on the assumption that the safer places are closer to the surface.
I resolutely turn away from the tunnel and begin to move further into the cavern. Yes! I can see more signs of modification here and there. Every now and again there is a step carved into the floor to make passage more easy and I also notice carved areas at about human head height on the walls at fairly regular intervals. Are these perhaps for holding torches and illuminating this space?
In fact, the further I travel the more signs of civilisation I see. The ground is starting to slope upwards more and more as well. Perhaps the surface is actually very close?
Looking around I can see that there are very few tunnels branching off the main cavern at this point, not even small ones, also the pulsing veins of light along the walls are further apart and thinner, making the space a little darker than further into the cavern.
Perfect for a stealthy existence like me! I'll keep exploring!
My heart is pounding in my chest now. I might actually get to see a person from another world! I have so many questions. What do they look like? What race are they? Do they know magic? Is there some sort of adventuring guild that goes dungeon exploring? Maybe I'll be able to communicate with them somehow, perhaps sign language or some form of interpretive dance will work?
This could be breakthrough in human/ant monster relations!
How often would they have seen a human mind trapped in a monster body? Possibly I'm the first of my kind!
The cavern is becoming more narrow, the steps more frequent and the slope steeper the further I travel. Actually ... is that? I think it is.
Sunlight.
My antennae wave excitedly in the air as they get their first taste of dim, reflected sunlight. The surface must be extremely close now!
I continue scuttling forward, excited to get a taste of the surface air on this new world. Gradually I can see a source of light ahead, reflecting off the stone and diffusing into the cavern.
Oooo.
More human construction! It look almost like a wall of some kind. I shift my head to try and get a better view, my eyes seem to work even worse than usual under the effect of natural sunlight, I may need to get closer.
Yes, it seems like some sort of wall constructed against the side of the passage, there are small window slits carved into the stone, presumably so someone behind the wall can see and attack out.
This is perhaps a guard room? It would make sense if you think about it, they would put a guard room here so they can monitor the entrance to the dungeon and fend off any monsters that approach the surface. There is probably a guard in there right now.
Even as I'm thinking that a bright red light suddenly shines through the windows in the wall and I can hear rapid movements, as if someone is scrambling up from a chair.
Suddenly two people emerge from behind the wall, standing on a raised stone platform perhaps a metre off the tunnel floor. Its humans! Real humans! I'm slightly sad they aren't elves but hey, people! They appear to be wearing some kind of metal armour with black leather underneath. They both have swords at their waist and tight boots laced up their shins, also black. Judging from their figures it appears as if one is male and the other is female.
The female guard seems to be holding a crystal of some sort in her hand that is emitting a bright red light, perhaps that is how they detect monsters approaching? It looks as if they are searching the tunnel, trying to identify the threat. Must be hard to find me with my stealth on I suppose.
Suddenly the male raises both hands and incredibly, they begin to glow with a bright, burning light. He appears to close his eyes to concentrate as the light forms into strange shapes or runes that slowly revolve around his hands.
I'm stunned senseless. This is magic! Real magic! Holy Gandalf, Gandalf! Magic is possible in the world after all! Oh boy, oh boy, oh, boy, I wonder if these people could teach me?
After only a few seconds the guard thrusts both his palms forward and the cavern erupts in light. Great flames burst out from the strange sconces in the walls, bathing the tunnel with heat and chasing the shadows away.
The second guard holds the red crystal forward and the light begins to focus and illuminate the threat.
Which is ....
Uh, me.
....
WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?!
The female guard rapidly slips the crystal into a pouch attached to her belt and rips a crossbow off her back whilst the male locks eyes with me and once again raises his hands.
He doesn't look friendly Gandalf!
RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN.
Anthony you stupid idiot, what the hell are doing waltzing up to monster guards when you are a freaking monster!
My six legs start pumping in overdrive as I turn start running like crazy to weave through the rocks further into the tunnel. The harsh lights from the flaming torches burns my eyes making it hard to see but I can't slow down at all, causing me to stumble and miss my footing.
I can here shouting and footsteps pounding on the stone behind me but I don't turn to look. A blast of heat explodes on my right and another on a rock just in front of me in rapid succession. These are fireballs right? Fire magic?! Have mercy on me I'm just a tiny ant!
I can only continue to run at max speed, weaving behind rocks and pillars in order to seek shelter.
Gogogogogo Anthony you moron! If I survive this I'll bathe myself in my own acid as punishment for this idiocy, I'll even drink from that damned pool!
A crossbow bolt slams into the stone directly between two of my legs as I run, spraying stone shards into my carapace. Holy moly! That lady can shoot! I need some help! I need a distraction or something.
Maybe?!
Running at this speed I've quickly made my way back to the wider cavern and smaller tunnel entrances branching off this main cavern are appearing here and there. As I run I try to pass close by and frantically wave my antennae to detect any scent coming from them.
Nothing from the first! Nothing from the second!! Come on you stupid..... YES!!! From the third I detect the disgusting smell I'm looking for. Without pausing I screech to a halt, turn my back zone to point deep into the tunnel and immediately fire off three quick bursts of acid. As I do so I take the chance to glance at my pursuers...
DUCK!
Shooting out my legs I flatten myself to the stone as another bolt zips just over my head, smashing the stone behind me.
This isn't looking good Gandalf!
-x-X-x-
Titus sat heavily behind his desk. The desk was similar to the man in many respects, unadorned, rough even, and solid. Thick boards of stonewood he'd harvested himself in the second strata, made up the surface on which he worked. The desk had to be joined together since he couldn't find a nail that would go through the stuff. The wood was stubborn, unyielding, that's why he liked it.
Gripped in his thick, ungraceful fingers was a folded piece of paper, a letter, covered in angry and insulting scrawl. Another letter of complaint from the Mercenary Union, Tiria chapter.
Titus reached inside his Legionary coat pocket with his free hand, withdrawing a smooth metal box attached to his belt by a chain. Placing down the letter he used both hands to place his fingers just so, frowning when he needed four tries to position his thick fingers correctly, before the box opened with a snap.
From within the case a blue glow spilled onto the desk and briefly illuminated Titus' face as he opened the case and stared hard at the contents, then snapped it shut, placing the case back into his inner pocket.
He opened a draw, removed a fresh piece of paper, collected his pen and began to compose a reply.
"Corrin,
as stated in the initial announcement five days ago, ambient mana levels within the dungeon are climbing and continue to do so, it is the opinion of the Legion that a wave is likely to occur within a week, but AS YOU KNOW, these predictions can be inaccurate and a wave can break with very short notice.
In the interest of keeping YOUR MEMBERS ALIVE we have exercised our right to control Dungeon access in the city of Liria and will be undertaking aggressive action to ensure the safety of the citizens.
If some of your parties are unable to conduct their activities in the dungeon during this time, I regret to inform you that I DON'T GIVE A DAMN.
After the wave is finished or when ambient mana levels return to normal your members will once again be granted access to the Dungeon, not before.
Get stuffed,
Titus.
Commander, Legionem Abyssi, Liria"
Perhaps not his most diplomatic missive, Titus mused, but he was never very good at playing nice with idiots. One of the main reasons why he hadn't wanted this job.
Almost against his will, his eyes slid to the corner of his office where, tucked behind a cabinet gathering dust, was an enormous battle-axe leaning against the wall. Almost six feet long from head to haft, the thick metal didn't look as if it had been polished in years.
Sighing, Titus once more turned to his letter, folded it, sealed it with wax and placed it in his mail tray for one of the auxiliaries to deliver later in the day.
As he reached for the next letter of complaint, this one from the Minister of the Path, he heard the sound of feet pounding on stone, growing louder as several figures approached his office.
Titus could feel the blood stirring in his veins. Perhaps he could avoid his paperwork today.
Ten minutes later he'd arrived at the forward garrison, blasting open the massive doors with a single hand, he advanced into the building like a storm. The soldiers on duty, Legionaries all, saluted respectfully as he passed by, fists crashing into armored chests and heads lowered wherever he went.
Without speaking the Centurions on duty fell into step behind him as he marched through the stone plaza towards the breach in the earth that was the Dungeon entrance in Liria city.
The opening was four metres wide and similarly tall, wide enough for supply carts and large groups to pass through on extended expeditions. The space around the entrance was flat stone floor for thirty metres in every direction then a circular wall three metres high surrounded it, manned by archers and mages at all times, creating an open killing floor for any monsters who surged out of the tunnel.
Titus stared at the rent in the ground for several long seconds before he stepped down, submerging himself in the darkness. He prevented himself from inhaling as deeply as he wanted to, bringing the Dungeon air and its rich mana into his lungs. Instead he trailed his hand across the stone, his thick skin scraping on the rock as he walked.
Down the steps he could see the first of several guard stations, each usually manned by two legionaries, was now fully complemented with a team of five. They turned to salute him as he passed but were disciplined enough to use the silent solute here beneath the earth, bringing their right fist into the open palm of their left in front of their heart.
Their commander gave them a nod before he moved forward passed the next three posts until he reached the first. Ten legionaries occupied the wall here, two mages took turns to maintain the flame that illuminated the tunnel.
As he approached, with two centurions still in lock step behind him he found the woman he was looking for inside the guard post, pouring over maps on the table with some of her soldiers.
She saw him approach and dismissed her people before saluting.
"Commander Titus".
"Tribune Aurillia".
Titus returned the salute before joining her standing at the table to glance at the maps. All maps of the first strata , passages and mana concentration points marked clearly with neat organised writing. Wouldn't those idiots at the Merc Union love to see this level of detail on their 'guides', they could triple their prices.
"What is the situation Tribune?"
"Commander, fifteen minutes ago the monster approached this guard station before fleeing, the guard team has signaled the Centurion on duty before pursuing into the staging cavern".
"Fled" Titus grimaced, it was rare for monsters in the first strata to show enough intelligence to flee danger. Far more common for them to charge forward blindly and fight to the death.
This was last thing he needed immediately before a wave.
"How are preparations for the wave defense going?"
"The defense is being readied on schedule commander, though I have taken the liberty of advancing the timeline in response to this recent incident".
Titus grunted. "Good. I'll be joining the suppression expedition this time".
Aurillia blanched. "With respect commander, perhaps you would be best deployed ...".
"We both know where I am best deployed Aurillia, something feels off so I'm going down with the expedition".
Aurillia slowly nodded and sighed, this stubborn old man was incapable of making life easy for himself. A whole legion of troops who would gladly plunge into the Dungeon for him but he still chose to go himself. She shook her head, this was why he was the best.
From down in tunnel movement could be seen as five people advanced out of the gloom at the darker end of the tunnel and into the blazing firelight. Two of the members were limping slightly, supported by their comrades, all of the soldiers were filthy, blood and bone, none of it theirs, covered their armour.
Titus stepped out of the guard building and went forward to greet his Legionaries. As they saw him approach they immediately stopped to salute, remaining still until he quickly waved them down.
"Stop that, what are your injuries?".
The five of them grimaced. "Nothing serious commander, we were taken by surprise and sustained minor cuts and poison status".
"Get to the medicus immediately, we need every soldier fit for duty. Tell me where you able to slay the monster?".
The soldiers paused before shaking their heads.
Titus clenched his jaw. Dammit. "Who were the two who first saw the creature?"
Two of the soldiers, one male and one female raised their hands.
"Come with me".
-x-X-x-
Hi Anthony, are you a massive idiot?
Why yes, yes Anthony, I am a massive idiot. In fact, I'm the kind of idiot who dances up to a human guard station to say hello when I am, in fact, a horrible monstrous ant over a meter long.
Wow Anthony! You really are a king amongst all of the idiots aren't you? If all of the idiots in the world were to hear of your incredible achievements in the field of stupidity they may just organise a religion around you, worshipping you as their stupid god of all things stupid.
I agree.
...
Holy moly, I am lucky to survive that nightmare! Chased by those two soldiers, dodging crossbow shots and magic fire, I was able to find a tunnel that bore the distinct odour of those damned centipedes. Thankfully they were at home and when I blasted acid into their tunnel they came boiling out, mad as hell.
With over ten of the horrible things bursting into the cavern I was almost killed by the stupid centipedes before a few of them got hit by the fireballs and they turned and attacked the guards, giving me a chance to flee further into the tunnel.
At this point three more guards turned up and they obliterated the centipedes the gross insect threshing machines and continued to chase me.
I lured three packs of centipedes out, three! Before they managed to occupy those soldiers long enough for me to slip into the shadows and hide.
I'll see those terrifying attack skills in my nightmares surely, flashing blades of light travelling from swords to chop monsters five metres away, blazing flames like a flamethrower shooting out of a soldiers hand to roast the centipedes.
So scary!
What can I do? Bite?! No flashing mandibles fly out of my face to bite enemies five metres away. What the hell Gandalf?!
Well, experience is the greatest teacher, so they say. I've confirmed many things thanks to this misadventure, the existence of magic, the existence of human society and exactly how weak I am compared to those professional soldiers.
I've also confirmed how I take damage. After being blasted by stone shards and being scorched by the fireballs my HP was reduced to 15, half! Thankfully my legs are still fully functional but I can feel cracks in my carapace where the stone shards penetrated into my armour.
I'll have to see how I can regenerate my HP. Perhaps it will have to recover over time or will I have to heal my wounds manually somehow? This is a serious problem at this point.
At least now I have a chance to secure additional benefits from this disaster.
So many centipedes have been killed and their bodies were left out in open, totally ignored by the guards as they retreated. This is a golden opportunity that cannot wait! Those filthy corpses represent nothing less than a golden treasure, a heaped mountain of wealth! Biomass! I have to secure that biomass!
I have to move fast too, since every creature in this place will be crawling over those corpses soon.
Sure enough I can already see some creatures making their way towards the piles of bodies. In order to minimise the chances of having to fight I rush immediately to the bodies closest to the dungeon entrance. I'm on high alert in case those soldiers are coming back but thankfully they aren't.
Time to hustle!
I snatch up a large chunk of centipede (ugh) and dash towards a nearby crevice in the wall. I drop my food and immediately begin to excavate a small hole in the wall, stuffing my food into it and then rushing back to grab more.
After three trips I can see that more and more creatures have emerged to fight for the resources and bloody combat has been engaged. Even centipedes have emerged from some side tunnels to try and eat the bodies of their fallen brethren. Yuck!
It won't be long until the chaos makes its way up to where I am so I quickly make another two trips before I remove the largest chunk and then bury the rest of the haul in the wall, hopefully hidden from sight.
Then I stealthily return to my nest with my prize.
I'm not sure where all these monsters are coming from but they seem to be endless. More and more piled into the cavern attracted by the noise and smell. Hopefully the racket dies down soon so I can go and retrieve the rest of my booty.
For now though I shall eat! All that running around has completely drained me and hopefully I can restore my energy and health with a meal.
Chomp!
...
Erk....
Horrible.
[You have consumed a new source of biomass: Unguibus Scolopendra, you are awarded one Biomass].
[Basic profile of the Unguibus Scolopendra unlocked]
Ah yes, Gandalf with the hunting diversity bonus. As I continue eating I open the basic profile and take a look.
[Unguibus Scolopendra: Claw Centipede, has strong claws and a venomous spike in its tail].
Yep, the basic profile continues to show its uselessness. Claw Centipede eh? Makes sense really. They are centipedes with claws after all.
Come to think of it, doesn't that really lack imagination?
Silent eh, Gandalf? Not that I can blame you really, names are hard.
[You have gained one Biomass].
Phew.
I've finally finished my meal.
I quickly open my status and take a look.
Name: Anthony
Level: 2
Might: 15
Toughness: 12
Cunning: 25
Will: 18
HP: 17
MP: 0
Skills: Digging level 3; Acid Shot Level 2; Grip Level 3; Bite Level 3; Stealth Level 3; Tunnel Sense level 1;
Mutations: Eyes +2
Species: Hatchling Ant Worker
Skill points: 0
Biomass: 2
My health has started to recover! Two whole points! This is fantastic news. As I continue to eat my wounds will surely close over, returning me to the perfect picture of ant health.
I'll have to spend my Biomass as well. More mutations await!
...
That really sounds weird you know, as a human, should I welcome mutating this much?
I think I know what I want to improve though.
Mutate Acid +1 and Antennae +1!
[Do you wish to improve Acid and Antennae? This will cost two Biomass]
Yes I do! But please no itching!
...
HURK
Gah!
Damni -
Fzazzithrap!
Stupid Itch!
Using my forelegs, I continuously scrape my antennae clean but it doesn't help at all. This is an action I've noticed myself doing more and more lately. I know that ants try hard to keep their antennae scrupulously clean and even have special hairs in the elbow joint of their forelegs to help remove dust and particles from their antennae, keeping them in tip top shape.
The cleaning does nothing to help protect from the maddening sensation that erupts every time I mutate however. I also can't do anything about the searing itch in what I can only imagine is my acid gland, deep inside my body.
I hate thiiiis.
Ah, finally!
Phew. Now I have continued on my path of enhancing my senses by improving my antennae, which will increase my sense of smell and capacity to detect air vibrations. I have also taken my first step to increasing my combat ability by increasing the potency of my acid, which is my only reliable attack right now.
Now I have to emerge, pass through the chaos and return with the rest of my treasure.
As I pass through the cavern, attached to the ceiling, I can see that the action is beginning to calm down and monsters are establishing territory and starting to eat.
This makes life easier to me. I make four more trips and manage to bring all of my stash back to my nest. I consider this an amazing success. Considering all the Biomass that was available I didn't get much, but I was able to secure this much with almost no risk, so I'm very satisfied.
Time to eat!
After I finish eating I have gained another two Biomass and five HP but I choose to save these two points in the hopes I can gain one more and improve my vision once again. Maybe with the action dying down outside they were will some crumbs left for a humble ant such as myself to collect?
I'll have to wait.
-x-X-x-