Chapter 715 - Live Evil pt 1
Dead, huh. Can't say I'm surprised, rather, if I was any less skilful then I wouldn't have lasted nearly as long as I did. To think that the greatest assassin the underground had ever known would go out in such a fashion. It hurts my pride to even think about it. Had I been too focused on the target? I must have been if an ice-cream van had rounded the corner without me even noticing. I can only hope the shot I squeezed off as I was crushed beneath the tyres was enough to finish off my contract. Odin Malum hadn't failed a job yet and even dead, that's a record I'd like to keep intact.
The afterlife so far is a little more drab than I expected. Nothing but darkness presses around me, trying to overcome my will. A foolish attempt.
[Welcome Odin.]
A voice speaks suddenly out of the gloom, its words penetrating directly into my mind. Some sort of telepathy? How is this possible?
[You have died.]
I'm aware of that. What sort of fool wouldn't be aware of their own death. The sight of the hapless driver behind the wheel of that accursed frozen confectionary truck will be branded into my mind's eye forever more.
[Be calm, you will soon awaken to experience life again in a new world.]
Calm? I'm always calm. If I'm not, then that's because I have chosen not to be. This must be a pre-set message, like an automated recording. That implies that I may not be only the person who has experienced reincarnation on this 'new world'. Others like me? I hardly think there are any as capable as I am, but it does make me a little intrigued. Finding people from Earth and extracting what they know will be a good source of information. In the underworld, survival is everything, and information is the key to survival. Knowing too much was never an issue, so long as nobody was aware that you knew it.
[You will be reborn on the world of Pangera.]
Pangera? Like Pangea? That hardly seems original. Come on voice, I grow tired of your mewling, tell me something that is actually relevant, something that might help me survive in this place that you seem intent on throwing me into.
[Destiny and luck shall determine your fate.]
Luck? Luck will have nothing to do with it. I relied on my skills and intuition to keep me alive in my past existence and I'll do the same in this one. I'll rise to the top once more, no matter how bloody my hands need to get. If you're going to be stupid enough to give me a second chance, then I'm going to make sure it doesn't go to waste.
[You will be reborn with the following status:]
Status? What's a status?
[Name: Odin Malum
Level: 1 (I)
Might: 45
Toughness: 36
Cunning: 31
Will: 32
HP: 72/72
MP: 0/0
Skills:
Demonic Convergence (I) level 1; Bite (I) Level 3; Demon Claw (I) Level 3; Crawl (I) Level 1; Mana Sense (I) Level 2;
Species: Initial Demon Larva
Skill points: 1
Biomass: 1]
[You have one Skill point and one Biomass available.]
[Go forth and forge your own path.]
That was a lot to take in, and at the same time, not much at all. So I'm not being reborn as a human? Why was I reincarnated here by this entity with the gruff voice if not for my expertise as a person? There must be another trait that is desired and I need to find out what it is. If I can determine why I've been chosen for this treatment then perhaps I can leverage that information in some way. Wait, I can't make assumptions. Is there a chance that everyone is reborn here when they die?
Unlikely, but I can't rule it out. It would be interesting to learn after all of these years that there was in fact a unified afterlife, and it was some weird game world with an unimaginative name. Enough with the speculation, what do I know?
My species is listed as an Initial Demon Larva. The name is telling. First, 'initial' indicates that there are multiple stages of 'demon larva', which shows that there is some capacity for growth that is recognised by this 'game system'. Second, I'm a demon of some kind. In the Judeo-Christian variety? Will I have horns and a pointy tail? For someone who was often referred to as a 'demon' in their life, this almost feels fitting in some way.
For the stats that I've been given, I have no reference to determine if they are strong or weak, so I'll put those aside for now. The Skills are interesting. Bite, claw, crawl all seem rather straightforward in application, but the other two... Demonic Convergence? Mana Sense? What exactly is mana? How does one sense it?
Wait, something is happening...
My mind snaps into focus and all intrusive thoughts are driven away in an instant as I try to take in as much information as I can. What am I sensing? It's faint, like a weak signal coming through a radio, but growing stronger. I can feel something. It's wrapped around me, like a tight blanket or cocoon. Can I move? I try to flex or manipulate but I feel disconnected from any sensation, as if my body is far away and I'm having to control it through the post.
I can tell that I'm drawing closer to it, that my body and mind are harmonising with time, but I refuse to wait.
Harder now, I force with my iron will and feel a response come back at last. That response seems to strengthen my connection and everything seems that much clearer now. Excellent. I harden my mind and push again, able to now feel myself flex and buckle against whatever it is that contains me. Something gives way I feel myself tumble forward. Quick as death I try to snap onto a ledge or find something to grip, but my body doesn't respond quickly enough and I start to fall.
Unpanicked, I roll my body onto its side and brace myself to absorb the shock of landing. It comes, but is much softer than I expected. I must have fallen only a short distance, perhaps I was attached to a wall? Much more in synch with myself now, I begin to analyse myself whilst I take in the environment around me. Understanding my own body is my highest priority. If I don't know what my weapons are, I won't be able to hone them.
Giving Odin Malum a second chance? It's so foolish that it's almost laughable. I'll take great pleasure in ending whoever it was that thought they could play god with me.
-x-X-x-
My body was... strange. Certainly far from ideal for my purposes. I still possess the normal senses one would expect, sight, smell, sound, touch and taste, perhaps even better than I'd experienced as a human, but the configuration of his physical form... not so much. As far as I can tell, I'm a legless, fleshy blob with two deceptively powerful arms that emerged either side of my fanged mouth.
My body also appears to be covered in a black, thickened tar like substance that is quite difficult for my claws to penetrate. So a slug with arms and a mouth covered in a defensive coating. Unpleasant, but I can deal with it.
I constantly shift my body and swing my limbs as I turn my attention to my surroundings. Conditioning myself and my reflexes to this new reality will be key to my survival. I can feel a vague sense of dysmorphia rising at having my consciousness supplanted into this rather horrific form, but I squash it ruthlessly. Anything that will impede my ability to survive in this new reality cannot be tolerated. Any instinct that works against this goal must be expunged.
I could feel the familiar mindset roll over me like a cloud. It was always like this when I was on a job. I had to be cold, calculated, make the right move at the right time and with the perfect execution. When the game was life and death, there was no other way to play. Even here and now, in this new body and in this new world, I can the thrill bubbling beneath my surface thoughts. If I could only find something to fight, something to hunt. That would scratch my itch!
The environment was hot. Overwhelmingly hot. The rock around me radiates heat to an absurd degree and not far away I can see open pools of lava that flowed into places unknown whilst lighting up the area. Everything else I see is blasted, black rock. Except something moved.
A flicker of motion captures my attention and I react instantly, using my two powerful limbs do drag my fleshy body into cover where I could gain a better vantage point. Like a panther, I prowl, a flabby, meat sack of a panther, but a predator no less. Around the jagged, burning stones I pull my body until I find what it was that he had seen. One of my own kind, a disgusting blob of dark flesh dragged itself forward with its arms. What is was doing, he didn't know. From what I can tell, it had only recently been born, much as I was, emerging from the rock. In fact, yes, I can see it, a patch of ground not far from where my fellow larvae was now, loose stone and the indentation in the ground indicating where it had liberated itself from the heated stone.
I now had a choice. Should I attempt to befriend this creature and forge an alliance? Strength did exist in numbers, this was something I knew well. Two might survive where one would fail. Then there was the other choice...
Odin only knew one way.
After reaching the creature's blind spot, I flung myself from the rock soundlessly and sailed through the air, my claws and fangs at the ready. Strength in numbers was the policy of the sheep. I have always been a predator! Let others cower and huddle together in fear, that has never been my path. Besides, my information is incomplete. If I reveal myself to the creature and it attacks me, I will have thrown away the advantage of surprise for nothing, putting me into an essentially even battle for no gain. Better than I silence the thing now than take any risks. Besides, I believe there will be much that I can learn from this creature...
My claws strike with deadly precision, my steady aim not having changed though my body has greatly diverged from what I knew. With the angle of my body, my mouth falls in the perfect position and I sink my teeth into the tough hide of the beast and it screeches with pain.
This style of fighting lacks the grace and elegance of my usual performance, but I have to admit, there is a certain visceral satisfaction in it, being this up close and personal.
Latched onto it's back, the creature thrashes and tries to dislodge me but I hold on with my teeth as I rake at it with my claws over and over again. The wounds piling up and my foes struggles growing weaker over time.
[Demon Claw has reached level 4.]
Interesting... Once again the strange voice speaks to me of this game elements. As I continue to attack my prey, I notice that I appear to be doing more damage than before, even if the difference is only slight. So these skills could help him improve at actions in this world? Fascinating...
After a little more struggle, my victim finally collapses and I release my grip, only to find the voice speaking into my mind once more.
[You have defeated Level 1 Initial Demon Larva.]
[You have gained XP.]
I'd been right. This world would reward me, much as a game would, if I defeat enemies. If I have a level, that meant I could level up. If I can accrue experience by fighting, improving my skills and gaining levels, then that is what I will do. I need to amass power, and quickly. Which lead me to my other path of enquiry. It's sitting right there in my status: Biomass.
Biomass meant food, it meant matter, and I didn't see anything else to eat around here except this thing. Jaws open wide, I rip into the meat without delay, unwilling to waste any time and uncaring what it might taste like. For the record, it tasted disgusting, but the voice spoke once again, which sharpened his mind immediately.
[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Initial Demon Larva you are awarded one Biomass.]
[Basic profile of the Initial Demon Larva unlocked.]
Yet more information. Perfect.
-x-X-x-
I wolf down the remains of the creature as quickly as possible, not willing to leave myself vulnerable on open ground any longer than I have to. I myself dropped out of a stone wall and this unfortunate being crawled up out of the floor, which means there could be more of my kind ready to appear at a moment's notice from any surface around us. I won't take the risk, not until I know if others like me are hostile or not. As my jaws crunch and tear, I try to examine this 'profile', succeeding in having it supplied within my mind after a few attempts.
Basic Profile:
[Coepi Demon Larva: Initial Demon Larva, The first phase of the demon life cycle. Beware the claws, they are stronger than they appear.]
Well that didn't tell me much. And what's with the poor Latin? No matter.
[You have gained one Biomass.]
And I can't eat anymore. It's actually a surprise that I managed to get through so much of a creature the same size as myself, in fact, it should have been physically impossible, especially since I don't believe that I've increased in size. No matter, I can explore this and other questions shortly. Using my arms, I drag myself across the boiling rocks until I find a neat crevice where I can hide whilst I consider my next plan of attack. So far, I haven't seen any other movement, but that doesn't mean there won't be more larvae popping out of the walls.
I was able to gain six Biomass from the creature I defeated, not much but I have to assume that there is something I can do with these 'points'. It's clear to see that they are an important element of this game like world and I need to understand how they function immediately. After a short while, I worked it out.
[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
Mana Manipulation: cost 1sp, Allows you to control mana with your mind.
Defensive posture: cost 1sp, Improves the ability to protect yourself.
Leaping Strike: cost 1sp, Increases damage and proficiency when making a jump attack.
Demon Fury: cost 1sp, Channel the rage of demon kind to increase damage.]
[Body improvements available to purchase:
Demon Eyes +1: Improves eyesight.
Infernal Claw +1 : Hardens and sharpens your claws.
Purgation Maw +1 : Improves the strength of your bite.
Tar Hide +1 : Toughens and thickens your hide.
Pocket Stomach +1 : improves the capacity of your pocket dimension stomach.]
Interesting...
So I'm able to spend my Skill points to purchase skills and upgrade ones that I already possess? Or did they reach a threshold? And these were the skills available to me right now? I wonder if leaping strike was available by default or if it appeared as a response to my actions. For now, I don't see the purpose of purchasing stealth, I'll rely instead on my own natural instincts and take different options to increase my offensive power. If there's one thing that I'm comfortable with, it's stealth.
As for the body improvements... This required careful thought. Only an idiot would rush a decision like this.
Eyes I dismiss immediately. What's needed in this situation is pure combat power, I'm in a fight for my survival, not an easter egg hunt. After some consideration, I purchase three upgrades for my 'infernal claws', which consumes all of my Biomass, and the Leaping Strike skill. After I confirm my choices with the gruff voice in my mind, a strange sensation overcomes me. Knowledge seeps into my mind like liquid being poured straight into my memories. How to leap, when to leap, the best angles to use. Much of it aligned with what I already knew, but applied to my new body rather than a human form.
As to the claws, a slight tickling sensation was all I could feel as they changed shape in front of my eyes. They grew a little longer, a little thicker, and perhaps a touch sharper on the edge. These were all advantages that I can use in my next fight. Having spent my resources, it's time to continue scouting my surroundings. If I'm lucky I may even run into another morsel that I can use to fuel my growth...
Or better yet, observe others of my kind to see how they interact. I also need to try and make use of the Skills that I'm yet to investigate, namely mana sight. If some strange form of magic exists in this odd world, then I need to understand it. I lever myself out of my hiding place and skulk through the dips and cracks between the rocks as I move around, every so often poking my head up to examine my surroundings. Less than a minute into my exploration I notice another of my kind creeping about the rocks.
Another prey? Before I can reposition myself to properly observe this specimen, I notice another has emerged somewhere behind me. Not good. Unwilling to be seen, I hide my presence and skirt around several rocks to circle around and put both of the demons on the same side of me. If they're going to fight, I want them to fight each other rather than me.
Except there's now a third. I hear it burst out of the ground right behind me, clawed hands scrabbling and shoving at the stone as it drags its body upward. I turn swiftly, cursing my bad luck. I can't move quickly enough to hide before it sees me, the best I can do is face up to it and see what happens!
After another second of freeing itself, the newly born demon larva locks eyes with me and for a moment, it freezes. Then it screams and launches itself at me, claws extended and reaching for my face.
Well that answers that question...
-x-X-x-
Name: Odin Malum
Level: 4 (I)
Might: 45
Toughness: 36
Cunning: 31
Will: 32
HP: 58/72
MP: 0/0
Skills:
Demonic Convergence (I) Level 1; Penetrating Bite (II) Level 2; Advanced Demon Claw (II) Level 3; Crawl (I) Level 1; Mana Sense (I) Level 2; Leaping Strike (I) Level 3;
Mutations:
Demon Eyes +1; Infernal Claw +5; Purgation Maw +5; Tar Hide +1; Pocket Stomach +3;
Species: Initial Demon Larva
Skill points: 1
Biomass: 6
Clinging to the wall, I take a few moments to breathe. Thirty metres up, I was mostly clear of the ruckus below, though I knew that at any moment more of my species could emerge and begin to fight. After the second fight, things had taken a downhill turn and conditions in this area had deteriorated at an alarming rate. It turned out that Initial Demon Larvae were innately hostile to each other. Not only had I been jumped by the creature which had emerged from behind, forcing me to engage in a sudden battle to the death, others had emerged at the same time or shortly thereafter and had immediately set about a noisy melee, clawing, biting and screaming at each other.
Which would have been manageable, except that the noise attracted more larvae and in less than a minute's time, the entire plateau of blasted rock on which I'd emerged was covered in a roiling brawl in which absolutely no quarter was given. That's not how I operate. I like things to be a little more planned, a little more orderly. Without any option, I was forced to get my hands dirty and seize what I could as I fought my way out. I'd sustained wounds in the process but I found that they healed at an accelerated rate after I consumed further Biomass, which I did whenever I could. It was difficult though, since the moment a fight was won, every larva nearby would abandon their own conflict to rush over and try to seize the Biomass for themselves. The moment nothing remained, the brawl would break out all over again. What little food I'd managed to gain had been used to fuel my recovery and upgrade my weapons. Offense trumps defence.
After fighting clear of the mess, I climbed the nearby wall and now I finally have a chance to survey the area. Looking down I can still see hundreds of other demon larvae locked in mortal combat, every crevice of black stone home to at least one such battle. They were bestial, mindless creatures, without any sort of cunning or strategy. All they did was fight, seemingly without end and without purpose, though I believe I may discover something in the near future which might shed some light on the matter. Already some of the creatures below were beginning to show some level of dominance. Strong enough to win a fight and seize some of the spoils and develop themselves, using the Biomass to enhance their strength and press their advantage further.
If this natural cycle played itself out, then most of the larvae that had come to this plateau to fight would become fodder for the few, perhaps even the one, survivor.
And it was a plateau. I'd originally thought the wall to my side was the edge of whatever space I was in, but it isn't. I was reborn lower down on this wall on what amounted to a ledge, jutting out of the side of a tall pillar rising toward the ceiling impossibly high above. It had been hard to notice before, since my attention was directed inward and at my immediate surroundings, but now that I take in the broader picture I'm slowly becoming aware of just where I am. In order to get a better view, I decide to continue to climb this wall until I reach the top. I can see the edge from where I am, possibly another seventy metres above.
My arms are powerful, and although my body is a large fleshy sack, they are enough to keep propelling me toward the top, although they are trembling and weak by the time I reach the ledge. Pulling myself over the lip, I dominate my weakness and force myself to dive into cover without pausing to rest. To my relief, there are no enemies present to take immediate advantage of my temporary weakness. Once my strength returns, I drag myself out and begin to poke my noseless face about. What I see is a narrow, mostly flat stretch that is roughly circular that terminates less than a hundred metres away in a sheer drop. All around me, a vast, underground expanse stretches outwards to the limits of my vision.
Feeling stunned by the bizarre, illogical geography around me, I turn back to the edge behind me and look down. I can see below me the ledge on which I was born, still swarming with demons battling against each other. Beyond that, the ground drops away several hundred metres more to what I believe must be the floor of this vast, vast cavern. As far as I can see, in every direction, I see exactly the same thing. Blasted rock. Boiling lava. And demons. So, so many demons. The little fleshy bags with arms that are my fellow demon siblings are everywhere. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands. To the horizon of my sight, where things grow fuzzy and blurred in the distance, I can still see them.
What's more, stalking amongst them, I can see larger demons of several different forms, slaying the smaller larvae with ease and engaging in running battles against each other. Further off, emerging from the floor are pillars rising high into the air, perhaps miles high, to connect the floor to the distant ceiling. Nothing that I see makes sense from an Earth perspective, the very idea of something such as this existing underground makes completely no sense.
And yet here I am.
I'm not sure exactly what is happening, but it's clear that there is some sort of race on. A race to fight, consume and grow. Only the winner would be allowed to survive. This blasted landscape covered in demons. Am I sure this isn't actually hell? No matter, it's perfect. This is the perfect environment for Odin Malum to thrive. I destroyed others to live in my past life and I'll do the same in this one.
The voice mentioned that I can mutate when I reached +5, which is apparently the limit for my level of evolution. I need to mutate immediately, seize whatever advantage I can, then return to the ledge and fight for resources. I'll need to be strong if I'm going to traverse the floor below. This was going to be a challenge.
-x-X-x-
The larval sea, that's what I started to call it. I don't know how large that endless plain of black rock is, but I haven't seen a single inch of it that wasn't covered in demon larvae fighting to survive. Uncounted millions of them. It didn't take long to reach level five and unlock my first evolution, but I didn't take it immediately, there was so much I didn't know. Later, I'd maxed my mutations and formed a core, and only after that was I prepared to take the next step. Good thing that I did.
The hardest part was finding a place free from conflict where I felt safe in case the evolution knocked me out, which it did. Returning to the fray in my new form was almost too easy at first. The normal demon larvae couldn't hurt me, but my increased strength and more potent weapons gave me an absurd advantage. But that was only at first. It wasn't long before the others found me, others like me. Only then did I realise the unspoken rules of the plains, you weren't supposed to punch down, at least not too much. In order to evolve and grow beyond this second stage, I was supposed to prey on the others who had managed to evolve as I had.
So that's what I did. It reminded me of the old days in a way. No longer was the melee as intense or relentless as before, instead it was a series of duels, one on one battles of skill and wit that would give strength to the winner, death to the loser. I won. Of course I won.
Every now and again the smaller ones would gang up and try to bring me down, but I was larger, stronger and my Skills had advanced far beyond theirs. There was nothing they could do for me. In that way I reached level ten, but again I waited. Only when all of my mutations and my core were pushed to the limit was I prepared to make that step.
My final opponent was tough, having reinforced their hide during their evolution, which was the wrong choice. Although it was difficult for my claws to break through, their weapons weren't enough to inflict damage on me either. We fought for a long time, and though it may have appeared as though it was a standstill, I was always winning. When the defences of my foe finally gave way and the despair began to rise from them, I could almost smell it. A feeling of overwhelming, unrivalled joy shivered through me and I closed for the final blow, which is when I first heard it.
[Demonic Convergence has risen to level 2.]
The first time I managed to level that Skill. I pondered over what it meant later, with my meal complete and my hiding place secured, high on a precarious piece of rock with a crack running down one side. In the end, I didn't understand it, I couldn't work out why the Skill had levelled at that time. There wasn't anything I was doing consciously to activate it at the time. Was it perhaps passive in some way? But what way?
Shrugging it off, I made my final checks and evolved. For my first evolution, only three options were presented, and each of them were quite similar. Initial Demon Larva became Developing Demon Larva, and each of the choices gave a flavour of different stats and bonuses. Most of my success had come with my claws, so I chose the option that would grant me the most physical power and came with augmentations to my two arms that allowed them to snap through the air as fast as wh.i.p.s. Other than almost doubling in size, my body didn't change much, still a sack of tar covered meat with a mouth and two arms tipped in razor sharp claws.
This second evolution was a little different. Again, I progressed from Developing Demon Larva, this time to Prime Demon Larva, but the choices were more divergent. I was careful, as an assassin should be, and examined every option with forensic detail, but I knew I couldn't hesitate too long. As I was going through these menus my rivals out in the larval sea were growing stronger. I'd come close to dying so many times already, a single second, one upgrade, one level, could be the difference between living and dying. There was no way I was going to end up in another demon's gut. I refused to become Biomass for another's growth.
I stuck to my strengths, choosing the option which allowed me to further enhance my advantage in strength and speed. Defence was important, and that's why offense came first. This evolution allowed me to add a weakening aura to my claws that would infect the mana of any enemy I struck, draining them of their energy and making them more susceptible to my blows. This would pair well with the penetrating mutations I had already chosen for the blades on my hands, ensuring that the effect would go through.
For the rest of the evolutionary energy, I used it to further enhance my Might, with the dregs being pushed into Toughness.
When I awoke, I was still a sack of meat, but once again I had grown much larger, towering over my initial size. With my preparations complete, it was back down to the endless plains of battle. The weakest demons were now almost not worth the time it took to eat them, the second level not much better. It was for the others like me that I sought out and our battles were mighty, crushing many beneath us as we fought.
The divergent paths were showing more sharply at this stage, and some of my foes fought with bewildering magic, blasting me with fire, dazzling me with attacks on my mind or launching beams of pure energy from their eyes. Others tough, hard as rocks and healed rapidly, wounds closing before my eyes. Yet others were huge, as I was, powerful arms covered in barbs, claws, spikes, even mouths or suckers that tried to drain my blood away. I beat them all by being swifter, more brutal, more cunning. In each case I became intoxicated by their fear and despair, and I continued to hear it.
[Demonic Convergence has reached level 2.]
[Demonic Convergence has reached level 3.]
[Demonic Convergence has reached level 4.]
[Demonic Convergence has reached level 5.]
Then I advanced it, curiosity alone demanded it.
[Demonic Convergence of Slaughter has reached level 2.]
[Demonic Convergence of Slaughter has reached level 3.]
[Demonic Conv ...]
I stalked the plains like a conquering king, only giving way when I saw any who were higher above than I, but those were few and far between. As my victories piled up and my strength accrued, I grew in confidence, striking at my foes rapidly, one after another. I barely slept, barely rested at all, and soon level twenty came. Again I waited. I knew of the rewards for those who were patient, and I gathered my power until I reached my perfect strength. This time, things were different again. I reached the end of the larval stage it seemed, as none of my options included those terms. Instead, it was time to pick a more advanced form.
[Pupal Demon of Slaughter.]
Was this the purpose of the demonic convergence? Was it related to my evolution in some way? Regardless, this was always the option I would choose. It was suited perfectly to my style and I relished in the new form I would take. No longer a graceless blob, I would change, becoming a scythe armed nightmare with lithe limbs, able to stand on strange, double jointed legs. This was more like it! I picked over each of the details with care, ensuring each of my choices would harmonise and work together to better become a part of my perfect strength. Only then did I confirm my choices, ready for the embrace of the dark to swallow me as my body underwent its metamorphosis.
But it didn't happen, instead I was pulled from my body, my mind dragged down to a different place, a place of endless, torrential red, where the fires burned black and hot enough to scorch my very soul. There I saw a being so large that I couldn't comprehend it and for the first time in so many years I felt fear. It towered over me like a human towers over an ant, a nightmarish representation of the demon larva, covered with eyes and mouths and seated on a vast throne. As I watched, the throne shifted and with horror I realised the chair itself was part of the creature's body. Slowly the creature stirred, the air itself thickening like blood as it did so, pressing me down to the floor like a worm.
[Ahhhhhhhhhhh. Another has come, after so long.]
The voice shredded my Will and filled my head with echoes of gibbering whispers and despair filled screams as one of those eyes opened to focus on my tiny, huddled form. How could anything this powerful exist?! What was this world?!
[Yessssssss. Tell me, pitiful one. How does it feel to kneel before your God?]
-x-X-x-
The voices are back again. In fact, I'd say they're even stronger than before. There's so damn many of them! When hundreds of thousands of voices are whispering at you, it's no longer a quiet sound, it's a roar, powerful enough to drown out my own thoughts if I'm not careful. Each entity, each soul, is like a single drop of water, a coalesced portion of Will that slips through the ether and into the Vestibule in a way that I don't understand. From there they sink deep into my consciousness, running together and gathering momentum until a raging torrent is formed, a whirlpool of thoughts, feelings and desires that threatens to sweep me away.
But I'm not afraid. Even in this half-dream, half-awake state I understand a simple truth: my family will not harm me. In all of their wishes, hopes and ambitions, there are none that desire for me to come to harm. Their support surrounds me like a storm, but also a blanket. As I gradually return to wakefulness, I start to wonder what it was that caused this change.
Is this simply the clarity of the new Vestibule? Is it transmitting the Will of the Colony to me the same as it always did, but stronger? Or is the new addition, the Communal Spirit Nave, to blame? I thought all it would do is magnify the regeneration I received from the energy the Vestibule provides, but perhaps it also has the effect of magnifying the slivers of Will that come from the Colony to me? I'm not sure, and even if I were, there isn't much I could do to change the situation. This is something that I have become determined to grow used to, so that's what I'm going to do. No more running away.
The senses of my body come back to me piece by piece and with the return of these more mundane sensations, the whispers begin to fade to the background, receding until nothing remains but a dull roar that bleeds into my soul.
"WAPPACHAAA!" I'm up!
With my exclamation, I spring to life and the waiting pets around me react to my awakening in their own manner. Tiny sees that I've risen and falls back onto his backside, already preparing to settle into a seemingly long anticipated nap. Before I can even finish shaking the lethargy out of my legs, he's already snoring loudly in the corner. Lazy ape. For her part, Crinis is much happier to see me.
[Master! You've awoken!]
[I sure have. How've things been whilst I was gone?]
[Very quiet. None have disturbed your rest.]
[Any word from outside the nest? No problems with the wave?]
[I have not heard, Master, as far as I'm aware there have been no major developments, but if there were it's unlikely that we would be told. We wouldn't leave your side no matter what was occurring.]
I guess that makes sense. I did order them to watch over me after all. No longer restricted to keeping watch over me, Crinis all too happily detaches her dark shadowy form from the wall where she had been clinging and latches onto my carapace, blobbing around my abdomen like rubbery coating of pure shadow.
[Bit bigger than before? What do you think, Crinis?]
[I can sense that your power has greatly increased, Master. Surely there are no sc.u.m who would dare to still despoil your greatness now.]
I highly doubt that, but I don't need to rile her up.
[Hey Invidia, how're things?]
The floating eyeball has watched all the goings on with his lidless eye from near the entrance to the chamber. At my words he dips and bobbles in the air for a moment before his vast mind reaches back to mine.
[Thingsssss are good. Your transssformation is complete. I sennsssse your mind is no longer quite ssssso weak.]
For a second I see that great eyeball flash green before it fades once more.
[Still not able to keep up with your brainpower, but I'm getting better.]
It's true, but it doesn't hurt to try and deflect the covetous orb every now and again. I've never really discussed his envious nature with the demon, but it does seem to be a little inconvenient. He seems to be caught in a state of perpetual want for things he sees others have. Can't exactly be a very satisfying way to live... Maybe that's just part of being a demon from the third strata? I don't know. I just want the little dude to be happy.
Now fully awake, I try to skitter left and right a little, just getting used to my new body. This room sure does feel more cramped than it did before... Like, I know that I've grown larger, but I didn't think it was going to be by this much. I really did pour a ridiculous amount of energy into my stats in this evolution, both the mental and the physical. I can't wait to see how it feels to fight in this new body. There's no rushing the proper process though! Back to basics!
I hum a little song to myself as I rapidly shift my legs, dodging left and right as I avoid attacks from imagined enemies. Every now and again I snap my mandibles with a satisfying CRUNCH! I can really feel the added power from the increased musculature in my head. Which means my head is bigger than before, yet again. I really don't want to end up as one of those big headed ants. They just look... unbalanced. I can say from experience that it takes a little while to grow accustomed to a new body, and although the change isn't as ridiculous as going from human to ant, it still takes a bit of time to get my sense of balance back. The changes to my mental prowess is probably going to be the hardest to get used to, since the greatest change took place there. I can't wait to start throwing some spells around to see what I can do now with all of this firepower I'm packing. Going to have to get out into the nest and see what's going on, then make my way out into the Dungeon to smack some monsters around! I can't wait!
Feeling more in control of myself, I step out into the tunnel and pause when I see a little worker making her way past. She makes way for my bulk as she heads up the tunnel wall to squeeze through and I weave a quick message to her with my antennae.
Thank you nameless one. Rest well.
I almost don't notice when she freezes in place for a second before sprinting down the corridor and out of sight. Ignorant to her reaction, I make my way through the tunnels, clacking my mandibles in irritation when I find a few paths I can no longer use due to my increased size. Is this how irritating it is to be the Queen? What a pain! Eventually I find my way to where I'm going, it wasn't far away but getting onto the correct tunnels was more difficult than it should be. Soon enough, Crinis, Invidia and I find ourselves in one of the greatest places in Pangera: the brood chambers!
I can spot some grubs that need a tickle!
-x-X-x-
Eager to begin my tickling spree, I rush into the chambers only to pull up when I notice someone rather unexpected in the room. Reacting quickly, I spin together a mind construct, marvelling at how powerful my mind feels handling the mana.
[Hey there, Sarah! How's things?]
The giant bear sits in the centre of the chamber, grubs and brood tenders swarming around her as she reaches out to roll the larvae around with her big paws.
[Oh, hey Anthony,] she says, turning toward me, [you look different. Did you evolve?]
Although the polite tone is still there, she has a certain listless quality to her tone, a sort of lifelessness that wasn't there before. I'd heard all about the battle that had been fought here in the brood chambers, how Sarah had fought to the brink of death fending off the golgari, and how she had turned on the Queen in her blind rage. I wish I'd gotten a chance to speak to her before the evolution, but there was never enough time, the pressure to reach the next tier was high and I felt like it needed to be done as fast as possible. Right now though, I'm not about to let this chance slip past.
[Sure did! You've certainly made yourself at home,] I say, indicating the gleeful grubs wiggling about around her furry form, [the brood tenders were happy to let you in here?]
The massive bear manages to almost look shy. Almost, she fails in the end. She just looks too scary.
[It was... the Queen's idea. She thought it would be relaxing, and it is.]
She reaches out and scritches one grub with the tip of a claw and the little thing shivers with delight.
[Of course it is,] I'm indignant, [brood tickling is the greatest pastime there is!]
And I may as well get to it. Nobody said I couldn't tickle and talk at the same time. I bustle into the chamber which is quite crowded all of a sudden, now housing two tier six creatures alongside the usual inhabitants, but it felt cosy rather than crowded, and I happily settled down, my antennae already extended outward to start rolling the grubs around.
[I never got the chance to thank you properly,] I say, tormenting my first victim with an initial salvo of tickles, [you went way above what any of us could have asked of you and you didn't have to. Without you, thousands more members of my family would have died, thank you.]
The great bear shifts uncomfortably.
[I'm not even sure if I was fighting to save your family or just because I wanted revenge on the golgari. Or... perhaps I just... just wanted to fight. The rage is addictive... it wasn't easy to turn my back on it the first time. I thought I'd be free of it once I escaped the cult and their plans, but I threw myself into it the moment I had the chance.]
She grows still as she talk with me, her paws coming to rest on the ground at her side. Haha! That means more grubs for me!
[From my perspective, it's so much simpler than that. You helped us, and we're all grateful for that help. In the process, you managed to give the golgari a whack on the nose, what's not to like?]
She rolls her massive shoulder blades and goes to speak but I cut her off before she can get started.
[I know that you lost control at the end.]
The hulking monster that Sarah has become seems to fold up on herself at my words. I can practically smell the shame coming off her. It actually makes me a little mad.
[But nothing happened in the end. Nothing. Happened. You fought off the enemy and the Queen was able to calm you down. There isn't a single ant in the Colony who holds it against you, not after what you did and what mother said. Like it or not, you're part of this family now.]
[... is that really true?] she asks, her mind full of doubt. [I'm not an ant. And when I think that the Queen nearly died because of me... ]
She trails off and I can see that her mental scars go deep, not just due to this incident, but everything that had gone on in her life. This life as well as the previous. It wasn't my place to try and talk to her about her past, but there was something that I could assure her of.
[Look around you,] I invite her.
A little confused, she raises her huge snout and takes a look around the chamber.
[Where do you think you are?] I ask.
[... in a brood chamber?] She replies, confused.
[EXACTLY. You think we let just anyone in here? This is the brood we're talking about! Every single ant in the Colony would throw down their life in order to preserve the future generations. If you weren't family, do you really think that we would let you in here? Would these tenders tolerate your presence if it weren't the case? They barely put up with me being in here! Me!]
As if to prove my point, one of the many caretakers in the room gives me an irritated prod in the side with one leg.
"You need to give me that grub," she tells me curtly.
"Ah, sure."
I release the larva I'd been tormenting with relentless tickles into her care and the little thing collapses with relief, finally freed from my antennae. Time for the next victim! Gweheheheh! Sourcing another grub, I roll it about with my antennae as the little thing wriggles with joy. So cute! So soothing! It takes me a little while to realise that Sarah still hasn't said anything. I look over to see her sitting morosely, a pensive look on her bear face.
[Look. Nobody here is going to make you fight. And if you want to fight, nobody here is going to stop you. Here, in this Colony, you can make your own decisions, you're free. If you want help, for anything, just ask and me or someone else will come and do what needs to be done. You've earned that from us.]
She nods silently and I return to my tickles for a time before she speaks again.
[What about Jim?] she asks quietly.
Hot anger burns in my gut at the mention of that traitorous tapeworm.
[The moment we find him, he'll be food,] I say, my mind tight with rage.
I can see that she's troubled, wrestling with thoughts inside her head, until she sighs.
[I didn't think he would be forgiven,] she said, [not after what he did. I just... I don't know.]
[He was your friend, I think I understand where you're coming from. But brood died because of him. There's no coming back from that, not with us.]
[I think he did it for me, you know,] she confesses, her mind so still and quiet I almost can't hear her words. [He didn't want me to fight. He was so scared, so worried that I'd lose myself again. Maybe he thought that if he ended the conflict, broke the siege, then it would all be over. I think he wanted to save me.]
I shrug my antennae.
[So?]
The giant bear huffs in anger, turning her gaze back to me.
[What do you mean, so? Doesn't that mean that the betrayal, and everyone who died, the brood, almost the Queen, it was all because of me!]
[Is that what you're worried about? That's just nonsense. You were helping us, any decision that moron made is one that he made himself. He bears the responsibility, not you.]
The bear drooped her shoulders once again.
[I wish I could agree with you,] she mutters.
[Look, you're really being a downer in what is meant to be joyous tickle time. Tell you what, why don't you go explain yourself to the Queen and see how she feels about it. She was the one most affected by your actions, so you should go and listen to her words on it.]
There's a moment of silence as Sarah digests my words before she nods with determination.
[You're right. I should talk to the Queen and let her decide what to do. Whatever punishment she decides, I'll live with it.]
With a resolute attitude, the powerful bear rises onto her four legs and pads down the tunnel, making her way to the egg-laying chamber. Content with the extra space, I settle in and keep rolling the grubs around, laughing as they wiggle about with glee, but I make sure to prop an ear open, waiting for a particular sound to echo down the tunnel. It doesn't take long, and when it finally arrives, it's like music to my ears.
*THWACK!*
Holy moly! That sounded like a big one! Chuckling to myself, I push my six legs under me and make my way out of the brood chamber. Mother will be wanting a word with me as well no doubt. Good thing my carapace has gotten this tough.
-x-X-x-
I enter the egg-laying chamber to find Sarah rubbing the top of her giant bear head with one paw whilst mother looms over her, clearly irritated. A nearby mage spins together a mind bridge and I allow it to connect to me without complaint. It seems that mother wants Sarah to be able to listen in on the conversation. Makes sense, excluding her and using pheromone language would be quite rude in these circ.u.mstances.
[Was this your idea?] Mother demands with less than her usual patience.
[She blames herself for what happened and you are the only one who can really forgive her,] I shrug my antennae. [It made sense to send her down here so she could tell you herself and get punished for it.]
[Wait. You knew I was going to get whacked?] Sarah says, an accusatory glint in her eye.
[Thwacked. And of course, you were being ridiculous. Me trying to knock some sense into you just wouldn't have the same effect, so I sent you down to experience some of Mother's wisdom.]
THWACK!
Oof! Still hurts! Maybe after my next evolution and my carapace is upgraded these won't be quite so sharp? Or perhaps I should concentrate a build-up of extra dense carapace on the top of my head? I eye the Queen's antennae carefully. I'm certain she's chosen some form of mutation that makes them hit harder.
[Stop staring at my antennae,] the Queen demands.
[How could you even tell?! I have compound eyes!]
[I just know,] she says nonsensically.
[Alright, so Sarah got thwacked for being dumb,] I rub my head just as she was a moment ago, [why did I get hit?]
[The same reason,] the Queen tells me, still clearly annoyed.
Well, it isn't as if I didn't know it was coming.
[Did you explain to Sarah that she was wrong to think as she did?] I try to deflect.
[No,] the Queen replies, [I just told her she was being foolish, because she was.]
[This all seems a little rude,] Sarah grumbles.
[Quiet, child,] the Queen tells her, [I'll get back to you in a moment.]
The Asura Bear flinches and sits up a little straighter, like a schoolchild being reprimanded by a teacher. I snicker at the sight and the Queen rounds on me again.
[Something funny, child?] she says, dangerously calm.
Careful Anthony...
[Absolutely not, mother. My attitude is solemn and serious, as always.]
Her antennae twitch, but she finds nothing wrong with my words so finally settles down a little. She turns back to Sarah, sparing me her forensic examination for the time being.
[I will hear no more talk of forgiveness from you,] she tells Sarah, her mental voice once more settling into its normal soothing tone. [This is now your home and we are now your family. There is no such thing as blame between us so long as that remains true. The choices of your friend are not your choices and we do not hold them against you, so from this point on, neither will you.]
Sarah hung her head.
[I'm not sure it's that easy,] she whispers.
The Queen raises an antennae threateningly.
[It's fine! I'm fine! No more guilt!] Sarah waves her massive clawed paws in front of her muzzle in surrender.
I nod from the side. Truly there is no power greater than the thwacks of mother. Such miraculous results.
THWACK!
[What was that one for?!]
[I sensed some foolish thoughts coming from your direction,] the Queen says firmly, [was I wrong?]
Dammit! I need to be more careful when there's a mind bridge connecting us!
[Now come,] the Queen turns back to the centre of the chamber and settles herself comfortably. [Let us talk, it's been some time since last you paid me a visit. You too, Sarah. It will be pleasant to share your company.]
As I walk over I take note of the human sized table and chair carved from stone that had been installed in the egg-laying chamber, but quickly put it from my mind. I'm sure there's a reason for it. With the three of us seated, we take a few hours to discuss the various goings on. The Queen and Sarah ask me about my evolution and I'm honest with them, for the most part. I talk to Sarah about her current evolution and how she feels about it, not great, it turns out. The Queen suggests that perhaps she push for tier seven, where she may be able to reverse or at least alter some of the things her current form does that drive her out of control and Sarah promises to think about it.
[Don't forget you have Granin and his triad here,] I tell her. [They might be from the cult of the worm, but they're good people, like the ones who originally took you in. They'll be more than happy to help you with some advice.]
[Thank you Anthony, I'll think about it,] she smiles.
It's a scary smile, but a smile nonetheless. The conversation turns from there to the Queen's evolution and I ask her about it directly, but I get a surprising answer.
[I do not plan to evolve again anytime soon,] she tells me bluntly. [I consume enough resources as it is, with my hunts and having to take in Biomass for the eggs. I am acc.u.mulating experience slowly, on my own, eventually I will reach tier seven, but it will not be for a long time. I think this is fine, since reaching the next tier would force me deeper into the Dungeon and away from this nest.]
Actually, come to think of it, I haven't bothered to examine my own core since waking up. How am I holding up? I turn my senses inward and I'm a little dismayed to find that I'm leaking mana. How's this even possible? There's a wave going on! Only then do I remember that the walls in this chamber are free from dungeon veins, making the ambient mana much lower than it would otherwise be. Even so, I'm quite shocked. It's quite possible that once the wave is finished I won't be able to sustain myself at this depth without making a conscious effort to drag in mana, and even then I might not be able to do so indefinitely. Has the time come already to relocate myself further down? I suppose the Queen is fine since her core isn't as dense as mine, but Sarah might be in a similar boat as me.
[How are you doing at this depth, Sarah?] I ask her directly. [Is your core able to handle it?]
[I'm probably the same as you are now,] she admits. [before the wave, it was a little tough. In these chambers, the mana is a bit thin. I can't stay in here forever. Without the golgari enchantments thickening the mana in my chambers, there's no way I would have been able to stay in the second strata as long as I have.]
[Does this mean you need to move deeper, child?] the Queen asks me.
I reluctantly nod.
[I think so,] I confess, [especially once the wave is over.]
The Queen shrugs her antennae.
[I do not see the problem,] she says, [before long there will be many ants who need to move deeper. You will do as you always have and move as the vanguard of the Colony. I am sure you will be able to secure a place for us in the depths before we need it. You have always been capable in that regard.]
[You sure you don't mean to say that I'm capable of getting the Colony into a mess and then needing the whole family to drag me out of it?] I ask.
She frowns at me. It's an odd thing, an ant frown. There's no facial muscles, obviously, it's more about the mandibles and antennae than anything else.
[I was trying to be nice about it,] she says. [Enough. I think it is time that you return to your duties.]
[Who, me?] I ask.
[Of course you. There is much work to be done, is there not? The wave threatens our nests even as we speak and the most formidable warrior of the Colony is sitting here idle. I will keep you no longer.]
[Ugh, fine.]
I push my legs under me and stand up.
[Sarah, mother. It's been wonderful to chat with you, but duty calls.]
I turn and walk away, Invidia floating over my shoulder.
[Anthony...] the Queen's mind rings against my own.
[Yes?] I ask innocently.
[You appear to be walking towards the brood chambers,] an undercurrent of warning runs through her mental sending, putting my hairs on end.
[Hah! Whoops! What a blunder! I think I better go this way then... thanks for pointing out the mistake! Haha!]
Dammit! Wait for me, grubs! I'll be back!
-x-X-x-
Back to work then. No rest for the wicked, so they say. Not that I'm wicked. Whatever. Leaving the egg-laying chamber and embracing the rush of mana that comes once I leave the dungeon vein free zone in the heart of the nest, I try to get my bearings and work out exactly what I should be doing next. Quite honestly, there's a lot on my list. I could talk to Granin and the crew, get my bearings on what to do mutation and skill-wise going forward. Or I could go visit the other golgari prisoners, it's been ages since I dropped in on Irette Plamine and co. What the heck have they even been up to all this time? How do they feel about the golgari failing in their assault and being left behind? Come to think of it, what the heck are we going to do with them from here on out? Eh, I'm sure the council will work it out.
There's also White and Grey to think of. From what I've heard, Grey put on quite the show and absolutely humiliated the leader of the invasion during the siege, which would have been amazing to see. I should definitely squeeze in a convo with them before I leave the nest. I should probably check in with the council at some point also. I'm sure each of them are furiously busy, what with the wave and all that, but I've little doubt that there are things I could do to help them out. If I end up visiting each caste, I'm sure to wind up with a laundry list of tasks as long as my body. I could probably take the time to go and see the branchies again as well. They've proven to be quite a bit more powerful than initially expected and if we can get their 'mother' on our side then she would be an incredible ally. Not to mention it'd be nice to get to know another reincarnator such as myself. At least, one that isn't likely to kill me.
I'd love to hunt down that miserable worm while I have a chance, but I just don't believe that I'll find him. If he wriggled away and the golgari didn't capture him again then he could be anywhere. If my guess is correct, he's well beyond our reach, burrowed into the deepest darkest hole he could find, somewhere not even the Dungeon will reach him. Eventually the wave will end and he'll have to stick his nose out. When he does, we'll be there.
Gah! I'm getting mad thinking about that traitor, I need to get to work in order to distract my thoughts.
Our first port of call is to collect Tiny. After kicking the ape awake and dragging him out of his comfy nook by the leg, we set a course looping through the nest in order to visit all the individuals I need to catch up with. I find Grey and White meditating together in their chambers, as usual and I try not to cheese off the wolfish 'Folk' over the course of our discussion. As our chat winds up, Grey lets me know that he will be leaving shortly.
[Oh? Why's that? Our hospitality not good enough for you?]
[Far from it,] the wolf remarks, [considering what and where you are, our accommodations have been much better than expected. But it is time to return. White must complete her training journey and it will be necessary for me to provide witness to our leadership before they can make a ruling on the matter of your sapience. Should things go well, then diplomatic channels will be opened with your Colony and you'll be afforded the respect a new race deserves.]
[That'd make a mighty change from the treatment we've experienced so far,] I remark.
He waves a hand, a frown on his face.
[You'll find all of the so called 'new races' have experienced harsh treatment from the old. Only through many battles in which we proved our strength were we afforded the space to stand on our own. Although the peace has endured for many, many years, anger still runs deep on both sides and small scale fighting is incessant. You'll never truly be at peace with the old, but with time and further battles, you may be able to secure some measure of peace.]
[You mean they'll come back and try again?! Don't these people have hobbies?]
He chuckles and even White hides a smile behind her sleeve.
[They do: killing you,] Grey laughs. [I wish that was a joke. They'll be back. It might not be the Legion and the golgari, or either of them for that matter. There are plenty of others out there who are intolerant of your kind of life. In fact, once the word gets out, expect a horde of hunters to descend on this area to prey on your people for resources.]
[We'll put them in their place.]
He shrugs.
[Then stronger ones will come. This too will be a problem you cannot avoid. Not in the short to medium term.]
Well... that sucks. On that cheery note I leave them be and head over to visit the prisoners in the nearby cells. Turns out Irette hasn't taken the defeat of the golgari all too well. I think she might have been holding out hope that they would win, liberate her and she would be able to return home to live in comfort amongst the Shapers once more. Her dream shattered, she's but a fragment of her former self. Can't say I'm super sympathetic, but it's still a bit sad to see someone brought so low. Hopefully she can pick herself back up soon. After that I continue to whip around the Colony on my whirlwind tour, dropping in on each and every caste, saying hi to the council members and trying to get a picture of what is needed from me.
None of this is strictly necessary of course. If I want to know what members of my family really want, all I have to do is open my mind to the whispers pouring through the Vestibule. But I won't! Face to face meetings are more polite after all! Let's stick with that reason. As expected, each member of the council has a huge list of things that they need done, but are strangely hesitant to ask for me to do anything directly. It's only when I run into Sloan that the general tells me why.
"Granin has convinced us that the best thing for the Colony is for you to power up," she says bluntly. "Which means that the members of the council are under instructions not to load you down with chores."
"But that's no good!" I protest. "What's the point of being the strongest member of the family if I don't do anything to help the family?"
"The idea is that we have you around to deal with the stuff that we can't deal with ourselves. For the time being, just get out into the Dungeon and defeat monsters. The pressure from the wave is building and it's getting harder to hold our lines, especially in the places where we aren't fully entrenched. In this case, just go out and take all the experience and Biomass you can. That's the best thing for us right now."
I guess I can do that. Time to put my newfound muscle to the test!
-x-X-x-
Turns out that the Colony had already begun to invest a significant amount of time and energy into the wave farming project. As I exit the nest and make my way out into the tunnels, I see the vast wheels of ant industry turning on a grand scale. Tens of thousands of carvers, each and every one of them an Earth Mage, shifting impossible amounts of stone and dirt, diverting water, creating new chambers and tunnels as part of an immense, interconnected web of 'farms'. Each stretch of tunnel I moved through was patrolled by yet more soldiers, scouts, generals, mages and core shapers, keeping watch for the endless spawns that the Dungeon spewed forth.
The sheer quantity of work being done was mind boggling and frankly well beyond the scale that I envisioned when I put the idea to the council. They didn't muck around, that's for sure. Once the idea was in their heads, they wanted to go as large as they possibly could. I'll never accuse them of having too small an appetite! From what I've seen just on my way out of the nest, the new farming setup will be hundreds of times the size of the previous one, built around the surface nest. If all goes well, the amount of Biomass and cores we can gain will fuel the Colony into another wave of expansion. The trick is, are we going to be able to defend such a large swathe of territory?
Which is where enormous construction project number two comes into the picture. As my pets and I leave the nest behind and travel further away from its comforts, we no longer see the ongoing farming project and the thousands upon thousands of labourers hard at work. Instead, we see thousands and thousands of labourers hard at work at something completely different: fortifications.
Turns out there are a whole host of Skills within the System related to building, shaping, designing and utilising defensive emplacements. It make sense, since there's pretty much a Skill for everything, near as I can tell, and after the siege, the carvers of the Colony have become, if not masters, then certainly experienced in putting together some hefty defences. Their Skills trained from the days on end they toiled shoring up the nests, these workers have now turned their attention to a grander stage, the defensive wall that will encircle the core of the Colony's territory.
Tons of rock are shifted and shaped every hour and even as I watch sturdy walls, ramparts, spiked embankments, pitfalls and more come into existence, every single inch of them hardened and baptized by the magic of the carvers. They've even gone so far as to prepare healing centres and resting chambers, peeled free of the Dungeon's veins through monumental effort, in order that the healers can work unimpeded. I know for a fact that this work is replicated throughout the Colony's territory, a vast sphere of walls and forts that will defend each and every tunnel that would provide access for the invading wave.
The overall design was that of a detail oriented mad person, or Sloan, Victor, Cobalt and Tungstant, as they are otherwise known. I'd seen the carvings and barely been able to make heads or tails of them, even when they were explained to me. It wasn't as if they were satisfied with one wall per entrance, oh no, that would be insane! The pitiful delusions of a mad ant! Instead, there were layers upon layers ofredoubts, forts, walls, traps that could be abandoned or retaken as needs required, all intricately designed to funnel the hordes of enemies to deadly killing grounds where the largest tunnels intersect and merge.
As we continue to march, even these enormous works are put behind us and something else takes their place: the sights and sounds of battle. This is the true face of the wave, after all. Not construction, not relentlessly patrolling soldiers, but an endless war of attrition against a literal wave of monsters without end. Here the Colony has placed the vast majority of its strength, almost a hundred thousand monstrous ants form an unbroken, living wall to hold off the wave until the fortifications are complete. It's toward these frontlines that we make our way, and it isn't long until the deafening roar of monsters at war is resounding from the tunnel walls and echoing off the stone.
In the tunnel ahead a team of hundreds is pushing back against the wave in this section of tunnel, trying to ensure that none get through. Even as we approach, I can see that the fight is desperate and difficult, with ants being pulled from the frontline and healed before being sent back in or dragged away for further treatment. Without the benefit of a proper defence, the Colony is forced to put bodies against bodies and there is clearly a toll.
As we approach, a nearby general rushes up to me.
"Eldest! I didn't expect to see you here, but I wouldn't say no to some help."
I look over the fight taking place not a hundred metres away.
"How bad is it general?"
The much smaller soldier caste member doesn't equivocate.
"We were holding fairly easily at first, but it keeps getting harder and I'm having to rotate my soldiers for rest more often. The pressure on the healers is increasing by the hour and without more mage support, we may find it difficult to hold out more than a day if things keep getting worse."
That's worse than I thought... It isn't hard to see what the problem is. Far from the usual tier one shadow beasts that are jumping out of the walls higher up in the strata, these ants are battling against far more formidable foes. Death Magic infested brutes, huge shadow dogs, spiders and more highly evolved monsters shriek and scream as they throw themselves at the Colony's defenders without end. Despite their advanced tactics and cooperation, the fight simply never ends and ironically it is the ants who are being worn down by the overwhelming number of foes.
I can also spot mixed into the endless hordes are a few creatures similar to those I fought the last time I came out here. Demons.
-x-X-x-
The demons are powerful monsters, no doubt about it. It should have been a given, seeing as how strong Invidia is, but I thought he was an exceptional case. He was hand crafted and raised by a team of Shapers who supposedly knew what they were doing, whereas the monsters of the third strata that I've run into so far are purely wild. Even so, the natural advantages they have seem to far outstrip those of the natives to the second strata. Incredible, overpowered strength and defence combined with body parts and shapes more advanced those that the members of the Colony were born with.
In a conflict between first and third strata monsters, the differences in starting conditions really do become apparent. The chitin we ants have been born with simply doesn't match up to the tough hides and devastatingly sharp claws and teeth of the demons. Combined with their ability to pack obscene amounts of brain power into small, nimble bodies via their dimensional insides, it becomes easy to see how even intelligent ants are going to struggle against them. The wall we have to overcome is just that high.
"How've you fared against the demons so far?" I ask the general and she flicks an antenna in irritation.
"They're either tough as rocks, strong as the Queen, fast as Vibrant or smarter than Cobalt," she complains, "and so far we haven't seen any beyond tier four. Every time one of them comes close, we combine our firepower and bring it down as fast as possible, even so we struggle sometimes. If we don't kill them fast enough, the rest of the monsters close in on us and the fight turns nasty until we can stabilise again."
"Sounds rough. I had a chat with the council before I came down here and I'm told that there will be a flood of reinforcements that will meet you once the defensive line is finished building. Almost the entire graduating class of the academy is being poured into combat castes."
"That'll be welcome. We lost a lot of good soldiers during the wave."
We both dip our heads in a moment of silence.
"Have you been able to capture any cores from the demons? The sooner we get them into the hands of the core shapers, the sooner those beasties will be fighting on our side."
Even if they don't make any changes, reconstituting those cores and raising the demons up to fighting strength will give us a force of shock troops that we can throw at the wave without worrying too much if they survive. At the very least they'll be able to mow through most of the shadow creatures we end up fighting.
"We've retrieved some," the general tells me, "but we haven't been able to deliver them back to the nest yet. We haven't seen a runner in a while."
"They shouldn't be too far away," I frown, "I know the scouts have setup relay stations all through the area. If something happened to your runner then you should see another one in an hour or so."
"That's good," the general acknowledges before she gives me a bit of side eye, no easy task for an insect. "So, what kind of help can we expect from you, Eldest? How long are you here for?"
I stretch my legs and clack my mandibles in amus.e.m.e.nt.
"I just evolved and I'm keen to see what this new body can do," I chuckle, "so I think my pets and I might take a stroll deeper into the Dungeon and relieve the pressure a bit. As for how long, we'll see how we go."
The general nods and snaps out a quick salute with one antenna.
"Right you are then Eldest. My girls will appreciate a break, the longest you can give them."
"Coming right up!"
Our discussion complete, the general turns back to her people and I face mine. Tiny is as eager as I would expect, ready to deliver fist to face, his armour polished to a high gleam by Smithant before we left. Crinis is a little nervous, I can tell by the way she keeps shifting and morphing on my back. Invidia looks, mostly bored, to be honest.
[All right gang. Make your final checks and then we are going in. Don't go too crazy,] I warn them, mostly for Tiny's sake, [this is going to be a long fight. Our aim is to go the distance, not wear ourselves out in ten minutes. I want to push deep and try to clear out the monsters all the way to a major junction. That will relieve the pressure on as many defensive points as possible. If things go south, we collapse the tunnel and get the heck out of dodge. With any luck, the rubble will slow the monsters long enough for us to retreat to safety. Any questions?]
They each shake their head and I give them a nod.
[Alright, let me just come to grips with my status and then we'll be good to go.]
I haven't been actively avoiding looking at my status, but I've been a bit nervous about it since evolving. This evolution was a big jump and, strange as it sounds, I'm a little intimidated by the changes.
Name: Anthony
Level: 1 (Rare) (VI)
Might: 205
Toughness: 180
Cunning: 145
Will: 100
HP: 360/360
MP: 530/530
Skills:
General:
Master Excavation (IV) Level 3; Expert Grip (III) Level 9; Expert Stealth (III) Level 6; Tunnel Guide (III) Level 11; Iron Mind (IV) Level 30; Master Stamina (IV) Level 6; Still Meditation (IV) Level 12; Snap Dash (IV) Level 11;
Mana:
Mana Craft (V) Level 24; Condensed Mana (IV) Level 18; Finer External Mana Manipulation (IV) Level 16; Mana Hoarder (IV) Level 22; Master Mind Magic Affinity (IV) Level 20; Directed Mana Sensing (IV) Level 12; Expert Healing Magic Affinity (III) Level 14; Omni-Elemental Affinity (V) Level 4; Mana Masking (II) Level 6;
Pet:
Further Pet Communication (III) Level 7; Core Crafting (IV) Level 13; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;
Defensive:
Grandmaster Exo-Skeleton Defence (V) Level 11; Master Dodge (IV) level 25; Master Endure (IV) Level 6; Expert Grace (III) Level 14;
Offensive:
Unerring Acid Shot (IV) Level 6; Master Precise Shooting (IV) Level 23; Doom Chomp (V) Level 23;
Mutations:
Senses:
Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25, Antennae (Twilight Filament);
Defence:
Complete Diamond Carapace +25, Braced Healing Inner Carapace Plating +25;
Physical:
Hardened Rapid Absorption Legs +25, Mana Flooded Mandibles +25, Frequent Potent Regeneration Gland +25, Loud Convincing Pheromone Gland +25, Vast Hungering Stomach +25; Lock Hyper-Twitch Musculature +25, Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +25;
Acid:
Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid Gland +25, Guided Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +25; Thickened Draining Acid Concentration Gland +25, Exhausting Thickener Acid Stimulation Gland +25;
Mental:
Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25; Main brain; Sub-Brains;
Mana:
Compressing Unending Gravity Magic Gland +25, Collective Will Vestibule (Soul Crystal), Communal Spirit Nave;
Species: Mature Colony Paragon
Skill points: 21
Biomass: 113
The first thing I need to do is mutate my antennae. My fighting style has come to rely on my future sense, combined with my lightning-fast reflexes and sturdy carapace to make me disturbingly hard to damage. Having just been reset, my new antennae are not setup to read the faint tremors of the future as they used to be, something I'll need to remedy immediately. That isn't to say that I haven't noticed the improvement my newly reforged antennae provide, far from it. They look glorious, to start with. The Twilight filament that now make up the basic structure of my antennae are like glittering crystal wires of a dusky hue. They catch the light whenever I move and, in my opinion, look quite fetching. The other benefit is just how darned sensitive they are. The filament splits off into impossibly fine threads up and down the length of each antenna where my hairs used to be, and let me tell you, they are very, very fine detectors. I can smell a trail the second a molecule of pheromone wafts anywhere near me, even the tiniest shift in the air current is like a shout in my ear. Comparing the performance pre-reset to now is like night and day. To think that monsters deeper down get to be born with this stuff?! No fair!
Although, everything they have to fight is also born with these advantages, and they can only come up here to fight us during a wave... Bah. Still unfair!
I have enough Biomass to lock in the first three mutations for my antennae, so I double down on the future sense and then reinforce it, skipping over the heat sensing ability I chose last time.
[Crinis, cover me.]
Luckily most of the ants are facing outward, toward the enemy, so they don't notice Crinis envelop my body, hiding me from sight as I twitch and thrash whilst my antennae mutate. When it's finally complete, I emerge from my dark cocoon ready for battle. Let's do this!