Chrysalis

After being hit with literally dozens of gravity bolts, the pride demon's powerful leap takes him practically nowhere, dragged back down to the ground by his own mass. How do you like that, fool! Smoked by the power of gravity! Man, I cannot wait to get my hands on that gravity skill!

Having had my fill of throwing spells at them, I charge, dashing toward our foes, my legs a blur. Unhappy with the treatment her tentacles were given, Crinis is already unwinding more, snaking them through the air toward the pride demon as the confused monster tries to understand why he can't move the way he wants.

Behind him, one of his allies, a strangely serpentine demon, raises itself up, a powerful aura of healing magic gathering around it.

"Exterminate the healer! Rapid take down protocol!"

I'm so surprised to hear the pheromones that my grand charge almost collapses on itself as my legs come within a hair's breadth of tangling against each other. I manage to correct it in time, and hopefully nobody noticed. From thin air, Protectant appears already descending upon the snakish demon along with six of her fellow bodyguards. Before the poor creature can even complete casting the potent healing spell it had been preparing, the seven ants rip into it, their combined weight driving the monster to the ground where it's finished by their mandibles.

A moment later, the ants are gone, leaving behind nothing but Biomass.

That was… different.

In another second, I collide with the pride demon, the force of my charge ripping the monster from Crinis' grip and sending him a dozen metres away, sprawling in the searing stone of the third stratum. Hundreds of little infant demons skitter out of the way as I advance on him, my mandibles gnashing. Behind me, Tiny and Invidia continue to rip into the remaining opponents, the combination of the big ape's awe inspiring offense and the envy demon's perfect support magic (and explosions) being far too much for even their tier six foes to deal with.

Even as I approach the fallen pride demon, my mental constructs do not cease their work, spinning together a dizzying barrage of mind magic packets to fire across the bridge my opponent so foolishly didn't cut off when he had the chance. It's such a strange feeling, to be concentrating on what I'm doing, focused on my approach, on my mandibles, on charging up an omen chomp, whilst at the same time I can feel my brains working, churning away on so many other tasks. My sub-brains are propping up the constructs, whilst the constructs utilise their own functions, as well as drawing on the physical brains that maintain them to weave dozens of threads together at the same time.

It's bewildering, confusing, elating and intoxicating all at the same time.

[Prepare to get chomped, demon!] I holler as I bear down on my demon opponent.

As best he can, he gathers himself to his feet, none of the grace or power one would expect from one of his kind present as the lingering effects of the gravity magic he was struck by continues to weigh him down. As a result, the following confrontation is laughably one sided. With a snarl, the demon slashes toward me, arm aglow with the light of the Skill in use.

Already forewarned, I twist my body to the perfect angle, maximising the thickness of my carapace at the point of impact. The impossible speed of my reactions allows me to adjust my position at the very last possible moment, giving the demon no chance to shift the strike. Even with these preparations the claws dig into my precious diamond carapace.

For all my advantages, there are limits to how well diamond from the first stratum will work against claws from the third. Stupid Dungeon prejudice! I call foul!

Well, he might be able to carve grooves in my carapace, but demon flesh isn't so hard that my mandibles aren't able to do some work.

Omen chomp!

The dark light manifests itself as my jaws close on the pride demon.

Combo!

Activating the chomp combo Skill, I rapidly pump my mandibles, the muscles in my face screaming as my stamina plummets. Omen chomp after omen chomp cuts into the pride demon until the fight has left him. Along with all life…

[Now what the heck was that about?!] I demand broadly.

[I believe I can answer your query.]

This time I don't even flinch when Al appears beside me. Just goes to show you can get used to anything given the chance, even flaming eyeballs of death popping into existence at the drop of a hat.

[I know you're more fire than eyeball at this point, but do you ever close that thing? Can you blink?!] I demand.

[You desire that I close my eye? This request. Unusual. Yes… I can do this.]

So he does.

[HOLY MOTHER OF GANDALF! OPEN! OPEN IT!]

A moment later I come back to myself, twitching on the ground. The horror. The sheer horror of it. I couldn't even close my own eyes so I couldn't see it…

[Please never do that again,] I plead.

[Your request is noted.]

[So,] I say weakly, trying to dismiss that image from my mind, [you thought you could explain what happened here? Why did these guys decide to attack us out of nowhere? The pride demon mentioned something about a war…]

[You recall our earlier discussion, where we talked about demons and their obsessions?]

[Yeah?]

[Many of these obsessions require violent expression. Murder demons, slaughter demons, cutting demons, massacre demons, death demons, blood demons, torture demons, blade demons, bone demons- ]

[Okay. I think I get the picture.]

[In order to give these demons an outlet, it is common for neighbouring cities to arrange a formal war. This also doubles as a means by which the cities can compete for territory and settle grievances. If memory serves…]

I get the distinct impression that Al is somewhat like an elephant. I can't imagine this eyeball ever forgetting.

[… Roklu had organised a war with our nearest neighbour some time back. I suspect that this pride demon saw us traversing the plains heading in the general direction of Orpule and believed we were a secret strike force directed to attack the city.]

[That's nonsense! Just the five of us, attacking an entire city? It would be suicide! And what the hell were the five of them doing out here in the middle of nowhere when there's supposed to be a 'war' going on?]

The eye flickers with amusement.

[I believe they were the strike force directed to attack Roklu by surprise.]

That'd be right.