Chrysalis Chapter 1604: 1712 - Like Rats

Frederick’s heart felt as though it had been petrified within his ribs. Every fiber of his being shrieked in pure panic as the colossal entity towered above him. The creature radiated such a terrifying level of power that Frederick could sense its overwhelming might vibrating through his very cells.

Victory was an impossibility against a nightmare like this, and he realized he had been a complete idiot to even consider it. This wasn't a task for simple delvers; they required the full might of the army, or perhaps even the Legion, to stand a chance against this beast!

Suddenly, he watched as the monster’s legs detonated.

A crimson deluge sprayed over the paralyzed delvers, erupting violently from the joints of the creature’s six limbs. Only a moment passed before the legs themselves seemed to give way, tumbling to the earth. The monster followed, collapsing with a crash that made the ground tremble.

[Dammit!] the beast’s voice thundered inside their skulls, but Frederick only saw the opportunity he needed.

"RUN!" he bellowed.

"We have to fight! It’s wounded!" some fool shouted in response.

"Shut your mouth and run!" Frederick screamed back.

For all he knew, those shattered legs were nothing more than a deceptive ploy. He had no intention of risking his life to find out. Instead, he bolted.

A heartbeat later, he sprinted past Shamus and Elsi, who were lying flat on their backs on the ground as if they had already surrendered. He felt a surge of contempt for their cowardice. Did they truly believe it would spare them again just because it had once before? It was madness. After all, no one else had ever returned after an encounter with this thing.

[No you don’t!]

A violet flash, a whistling roar of air, the sound of splintering stone, and Frederick was suddenly slammed face-first into the dirt. With his nose smashed and bleeding, he struggled to turn his head to catch a breath, only to realize he had been driven several inches deep into the solid rock. The weight pinning him down was incredibly immense. No matter how much he strained, he could not break free. Getting back on his feet was nothing more than a distant fantasy.

What was this?!

[Did you honestly think my legs blowing up would be enough to let you escape? How foolish!]

There was a brief silence.

[How much longer do these stupid… ah! There we go.]

Seconds later, Frederick felt the floor vibrate, signaling that the monster was mobile once more. Ha! He knew it had been a ruse! One could never predict the capabilities of a monster. Regenerating limbs wasn't even that shocking. He had once encountered a beast that grew vestigial limbs and manipulated them like puppets from a distance.

[These things are far too tiny! Vestigial legs my thorax! These are just vestigial stumps! Oh wait, they’re actually growing. Neat!]

The creature persisted in shoving its thoughts into Frederick’s mind, no matter how hard he tried to block them out. It babbled to itself like a child, yet he sensed a dark, malevolent intent behind the idle chatter. Why would it broadcast these thoughts unless it wanted to flaunt its absolute dominance? The monster was so certain of its own power that it could waste time mocking the delvers in their desperate state.

Regardless of how hard he pushed, Frederick remained immobile, so he eventually stopped struggling. He could survive without air for an hour if necessary, but the more he fought, the faster his oxygen would vanish. Everything was playing out exactly as Shamus had described from their first run-in. A mysterious force was crushing everyone into the earth, pinning the delvers where they lay.

What was coming next?

[Oh, hey! I recognize you two! Lying on your backs, smart move.]

So that was the reason behind their strange behavior!

[You still can't breathe, though, can you? You don't have the strength to expand your chests.]

Ha! Take that, Shamus, Frederick thought with a surge of spite.

Shamus must have tried to say something, but only the monster could perceive it.

[I don’t know, go lift some weights or something. Strengthen your diaphragm. For now, just take it easy. I need to go look around.]

The vibrations increased as the monster began to prowl, drawing nearer.

[Not you. Wh-why would that even cross your mind right now? You’re a weirdo. Nope. Not you either. There’s got to be someone in charge here… oh, a priest! Welcome, welcome. But not you either.]

Frederick felt the mental weight in his head grow even heavier.

[Aha! A leader. Hello there. I’ll let you up for a second.]

The suffocating pressure vanished instantly. Frederick rolled over and looked up to find the ant standing disturbingly close, staring down at him while its antennae twitched.

Antennae? They looked more like whips.

He stood up with great caution. From this low angle, he could see the ant’s mandibles on the bottom of its head. They were terrifying. A horrific vision of himself being torn apart by those twitching, claw-like appendages flashed through his mind.

[Alright then,] the ant projected. [Just like last time, I’m considering sending one or two of you back to spread some high-quality fear and dread. You know, build up that sense of total hopelessness. By the time I arrive at Green Mountain, the people there should be shaking with a mix of greed and classic terror. You catch my drift?]

"I-I do," Frederick stammered, though he was completely lost. This ant intended to march up to Green Mountain alone? Even with its power, that was a death wish. The mountain was a literal fortress designed to repel monsters during the peak of a wave, overflowing with soldiers and defensive arrays that could compete with the Legion’s best. "I’m certain they will be… terrified. You should head there immediately."

[You realize I’m inside your head, right?]

Frederick cursed himself. He had grown sloppy at shielding his thoughts after being away from active duty for so long.

[You know what? Now that I think about it, I probably don't need to send anyone back. Having zero survivors will probably be even scarier.]

Seeing his fate sealed, Frederick snatched his sword from its scabbard and charged the monster, his blade glowing with light. If his life was over, he would die with a weapon in his hand.

A split second later, he was slammed back into the dirt, his head spinning from the impact.

[You’re still inside my domain… Are you seriously a manager? Good grief. Crinis, take this group away, would you? This is becoming embarrassing.]