VWHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The sound was the shriek of superheated air, the crack of vaporizing granite. The first Praetorian heat-lance struck the newly reinforced Barricade not with force, but with pure, incandescent energy. A section of the wall simply ceased to exist, replaced by a glowing, molten crater and a blinding flash of light. Dust and rock fragments rained down, instantly cauterizing the wounds of any goblin unlucky enough to be hit.
The breach was widened. Significantly. And the heat radiating from the impact zone was intense, forcing the closest goblins back, their crude shields smoking.
The Hive did not wait.
Before the dust even settled, the [Formian Hive-Synapse (Lvl 40)], floating serenely behind the lines, pulsed with a faint, violet light.
Klik felt it instantly. Not a sound, not a sight, but a pressure against his 46-INT mind. A wave of pure, cold, alien command washed over the cavern.
[Psionic Assault Detected!]
[Targeting Host and Tribe Members!]
[Attempting: [Lesser Mind-Fog (E-Rank)]!]
[INT Check (46) vs Difficulty (30)... CRITICAL SUCCESS! RESISTED!]
But his tribe…
Their newly acquired [Obedience] and [Courage] skills flickered. Their average INT of 5-6 was nothing against an E-Rank High psionic assault. A wave of confusion, lethargy, and crushing despair washed over them. Goblins stumbled, dropped weapons, their eyes glazing over. Their fragile morale shattered.
Even Grik (INT 12) staggered, clutching his head, his commands dying in his throat. Bruk (INT 3) seemed unaffected, his mind too simple to be easily fogged. Snarl (INT 4), protected by her primal E-Rank instincts, hissed and shook her head, disoriented but functional.
The Formians surged.
Through the original breach, through the new, glowing breach, a tide of black chitin flooded in. Hoplites formed an impenetrable shield wall inside the cavern, securing the entry points. Skirmishers poured around them, spears leveled. Acid-Spitters took up positions behind the Hoplites, their sacs pulsing.
This wasn't a battle. It was an execution.
Klik stood on his throne, the [Volcanic Gastropod Core] pulsing hotly in his pouch, the [Chitin-Infused Mace] heavy in his hand. His mind, shielded by its sheer power, was a cold, raging vortex.
They countered hisCourageskill. They broke hisObedience. They targeted hisweakness – his tribe's pathetic INT.
This was the Hive. Calculating. Ruthless. Efficient.
The System screamed warnings at him.
[NEW QUEST GENERATED (TRIBE - URGENT - E-RANK HIGH)!]
QUEST: "Survive the Purge"
Description:The K'lix-Thra Hive Warmaster has arrived, accompanied by Praetorians and a Psionic Coordinator. They intend to sterilize this cavern and assimilate your resources. Your preparations are insufficient. Your tribe is compromised. Your survival hinges on desperation, sacrifice, and perhaps, madness.
Objective 1: [Break the Coordinator]
Disrupt or Destroy the [Formian Hive-Synapse (Lvl 40)]. (Its psionic field is suppressing your tribe!)
Objective 2: [Cull the Elite]
Kill at least [1/3][Formian Praetorians (Lvl 35)].
Objective 3: [Endure the Swarm]
Survive for [10:00 Minutes] OR Kill [50] Formian Troops (Skirmishers, Hoplites, Spitters).
Objective 4: [Preserve the Spark]
Ensure [Klik] survives.
Ensure at least [10] Klik-Kin survive.
Ensure the [Forge] remains intact.
---
Rewards for Victory:
1) [Tribe Skill: Psionic Resistance (Lesser)]: (Grants minor resistance to mental influence).
2) 5,000 EXP (Tribe):
3) +10 Random Stat Points (Per Survivor):
4) [Formian Praetorian Lance Schematic (Damaged)] x 1:
5) [Evolutionary Catalyst (Lesser)] x 3:
Rewards for Failure:
1) Total Annihilation.
[NEW QUEST GENERATED (PERSONAL - SURVIVAL)!]
QUEST: "Trial By Fire (and Mind)"
Description:You stand at the precipice of Evolution, your Class honed, your mind a fortress. But your body is weak, your resources strained, and your enemy possesses powers beyond your current comprehension. Survive this onslaught. Protect your Forge. Evolve… or die.
Objective 1: [Survive]
Objective 2: [Reach Monster Evolution Stage 2]
Objective 3: [Spend 10 Class Skill Points] (Utilize your capped potential)
---
Rewards for Completion:
1) +2 To All Base Stats (Permanent).
2) [Artisan-Tinker] Class Level Up! (Lvl 12 -> Lvl 13).
3) Unique Title: [The Forged King].
Ten minutes. Kill fifty. Break the psionic. Kill a Praetorian. Protect the Forge. Keep ten goblins alive. AndEvolvehimself.
It was impossible.
Klik laughed, a raw, grating sound that ripped his throat.
Logic. He needed Logic.
Priority One: Break the Mind-Fog. The Synapse. It floatedoutside the breach, protected. Unreachable by melee.
Priority Two: Stem the Tide. The Skirmishers flooding in.
Priority Three: Elite Threat. The Praetorians.
He couldn't do it all.
He looked at his Mana (19). He looked at his Skills.
He looked at his Inventory. The bomb-core. The Legionnaire Core. The Insecticide.
Sacrifice. The Quest demanded it.
He made his choice. A horrible, cold, 46-INTcalculation.
"SNARL!"
The Grave-Stalker (Lvl 10 E-Rank) materialized beside him, her 52 AGI a blur. She hissed, unaffected by the Mind-Fog but sensing the tribe's paralysis. "King-God! They… weak!"
"SYNAPSE!" Klik pointed with his mace through the breach at the floating, violet orb. "BREAK. IT."
Snarl looked. It was far. It was protected.
"HOW?!"
Klik didn'tanswer. He shovedsomethinginto her hand.
Not a weapon. A vial. One of the five precious vials of [Concentrated Formian Bane].
"THROW. INTOBREACH. WHENANTSARETHICK."
He then pointed at her [Acid-Tip Spear]. "THEN… KILLTHEBALL." He didn't know if the Bane would reach the Synapse, but the chaos from the neurotoxin hitting the frontline might create an opening for a spear-throw. It was a long shot.
Snarl looked at the vial. She sniffed it. Her [Scent-Hunter]recoiled. Danger. Poison. She understood. She nodded, clutching the vial and her spear. She vanished back into the shadows near the breach.
"BRUK!"
The Lvl 16 Wallstaggered, his 3 INT barelyaffected by the Mind-Fog, but overwhelmed by the sheer number of ants pushing past him. "KING… GOD! TOO… MANY!"
"HOLD!" Klik roared. He knew Bruk couldn't hold alone.
He looked at the Forge. It roared, white-hot.
He looked at his [Goblin Acid-Sprayer]. Empty.
He looked at his [Volcanic Gastropod Core]. 90% Death.
No.
He looked at his Level Cap. [Essence Overflow Conversion]. He neededEXP. He neededSkill Points.
He madeanothercalculation.
He charged.
His 21 AGI (crippled) wasn'tSnarl's speed, but it was fast. He burstpast his throne, his [Chitin-Infused Mace]raised.
He didn'tgofor the breach. He wentfor the Formiansalreadyinside – the dozen or so Skirmishersengaging the paralyzedtribe.
"AWAKEN!" he screamed, activating [Courage] and [Obedience]again, trying to punch through the Mind-Fog with his own will.
He hit the Formian line like a thunderbolt.
His 19 STR (crippled) plus the [Common-High]macewasdevastating.
CRUNCH! The firstSkirmisher'sheadimploded.
[You have slain [Formian Skirmisher (Lvl 13)]!] [+13 EXP!]
[EXP CONVERTED: +0 Skill Points (Threshold not met)]
He spun, his fused-armorscraping. WHAM! The maceshattered a Formian'sleg.
He stomped on its head. CRUNCH.
[You have slain [Formian Skirmisher (Lvl 12)]!] [+12 EXP!]
[EXP CONVERTED: +0 Skill Points]
He was a whirlwind of hate and iron. His E-Rank Armordeflectedspear-thrusts. His macecrushedchitin. He used his [Acid Spit]point-blankinto an ant'sface (sizzling, blinding it before he finished it).
[You have slain [Formian Skirmisher (Lvl 14)]!] [+14 EXP!]
His presence, his fury, the close proximity of the [Obedience]skill… it worked. The goblinsnearest him shook their heads. Their eyescleared.
"K-King-God…" one stammered.
"FIGHT!" Klik roared, backhanding another Formian with his armoredfist. "KILL! OR DIE!"
The [Courage] skill reignited. The [Hive Resilience]kicked in.
A dozengoblinssurgedforward, their ironshivs and swordsfindingpurchase.
The battleinside the caverntrulybegan.
Meanwhile…
Snarl watched the breach. It was a solid wall of Formian Hoplitesnow, shields locked. Skirmisherswerestillpouringover the top.
She waited. Her E-Ranksensestold her the moment.
Now.
She threw the [Concentrated Formian Bane]. The clay vialtumbledthrough the air, over the Hoplite shields, and smashedamongst the dense-packedSkirmishersbehind them.
The clear liquidvaporizedinstantly on the hot stone. An odorless, invisiblegasspread.
Silence.
Then… choking.
Formiansstaggered. Clawed at their throats. Collapsed. Their nervous systemsoverwhelmed.
The [Paralysis] and [Suffocation]hit the F-RankSkirmishershard. Dozenswent down, twitching.
The E-RankHoplitesfaltered, confused, their shieldswavering.
[Objective 3, Tactic 5: Insecticide - USED]
It createdchaos. It created an opening.
Snarl didn'thesitate.
She took her [Goblin-Forged Acid-Tip Spear].
She focused on the floating, violetorboutside. The Synapse.
Her AGIwas52. Her STRwas29.
She threw.
The spearleft her handwith a sound like rippingair. It flewstraight and true, a blackstreakaimedat the heart of the Hive'scommand.
Itwouldhit.
Unless…
Ablurintercepted it.
One of the three[Formian Praetorians]moved with impossiblespeed. Its heat-lanceparried the spear in mid-air.
CLANG-VWOOM!
The iron-tipshattered. The acid-crystaldetonateduselessly against the lance'senergy-field.
The spearclatteredharmlessly to the groundoutside.
Snarl wasdisarmed.
And the Praetorianturned. It lookedthrough the breach, directly at her.
It raised its lance.
Snarlknewthatlook.
She dovebackinto the shadowsjust as the heat-beamvaporized the stonewhere she hadbeen.
PlanFailed. Objective 1Failed.
Klik saw it all. The Baneworking. The throw. The intercept. The beam.
Damn it!
He wasstillfighting, his mace a blur, his tribeholding a smallpocket around him. (15/50 Kills). (3/5 Casualties).
The Mind-Fogwasstillactive, weakened by the chaos, but present.
TwomorePraetorianssteppedthrough the breach, their heat-lancesglowing.
The battlewaslost.
Unless...
He looked at the [Legionnaire Core] in his pouch. 30% Mind-Control.
He looked at his EXP Bar. Lvl 20. Capped.
He looked at his Evolution Log. 65% Insectoid. Stillunbalanced.
Sacrifice. The Questdemanded it.
Hissurvivaldemanded it.
"When the canoe is sinking," his 46 INT screamed, "you do not argue about who paddles. Youbailor youdrown."*
He roared, a sound of pure, agonizeddecision.
He shoved the [Formian Legionnaire Core (E-Rank - Mid)]into his mouth.
He bit down.
KRAK!
Blue-blackenergyexplodedbehind his eyes.
[ENERGY OVERLOAD! HOSTILE HIVE-MIND DETECTED!]
[ATTEMPTING [Hive-Mind Integration]!]
[INT Check (46) vs Difficulty (35)... CRITICAL SUCCESS! RESISTED!]
BUT…
[EVOLUTION CONDITIONS MET! (Forced - Unstable)!]
[BEGINNING 1ST -> 2ND EVOLUTION!]
Pain. Agony. Transformation.
His bonessnapped. His armorbuckledoutward. His raw-pinkskinsplit and flowed.
Black, chitinousplateseruptedfromunderneath, fusingwith his armor.
His mandiblesclicked. His antennaetwitched.
He wasbecoming… Ant.
The worlddissolved in a scream of pure, evolutionaryfury.
And the EXP-Capshattered.