There's not a lot to do when imprisoned. It's lucky that I'm used to this sort of thing, others might have a really hard time. In fact, being confined to a small space without anything to do is almost bringing up nostalgic feelings of my human life. Except this time I'm brought regular meals and have pleasant, non-shouty conversations. It's a plus. After Tiny hung around for a little while and I forced him to absorb that rare core he and Corun headed off for some more hunting. I'm levelling and mutating at a good pace here and I'm keen for my first pet to keep pace with me. I'm sure Crinis is levelling like crazy, wherever she is. When I imagine what she would do to anything that tried to prevent her from getting back to me, let's just say I don't picture it going well for the unfortunate creature.

Claws crossed she manages to level up enough to evolve before I meet up with her again. She's going to need at least that much power if we end up getting pursued by those damn Golgari hunting parties again.

Corun did manage to speak to Granin and he was fairly confident that Tiny's problem could be resolved through evolution, which would be amazing. The poor dude has been getting his insides ripped up for long enough already. It can't be pleasant. Although he puts a brave face on it, I can tell it’s driving him bananas. Since he's out hunting, and with the 'joy' of having a rare core absorbed after maxing out he's going to be fully motivated to level up and evolve, so it shouldn't take long.

For me, I'm back to training and raising my newfound pet! Who I still have to name. The Envy Demon is nearly fully grown now, even if he hasn't physically changed size all that much. The floating eyeball stores 90% of its body in a separate dimension after all, which I'm sure is now packed full of brains. Soon enough he'll be able to start casting magic again and I fully intend to have him grinding healing and support magic as fast as possible. His offensive ability is already way higher than I need it to be, but after chatting with Torrina and Corun the wide variety of support magic out there is making me drool. I had no idea this stuff was possible! Certainly I didn't realise how powerful it could be! This is going to revolutionise the Colony when I get back there. But who will cast the spells? Generals are probably too stupid… maybe if they evolve to tier four? Mages obviously can, but they're primarily offensive in nature… healers maybe?

Gah! I can't decide. I'll leave it to the council to work out. They can do the heavy lifting when it comes to thinking about the way the Colony should operate going forward. That's exactly why the council was formed in the first place!

Still, these different branches of support magic are interesting. Healing magic is an obvious one, restoring health and all that. Mind magic has applications for distracting enemies, which is also great. But Illusion magic, an advanced form of light magic that can create false images, much cheaper and easier than trying to insert thoughts into your opponent's head. Barrier magic exists, allowing the caster to produce actual magical shields with varying properties. Curse magic and necrotic magic to weaken foes or damage them over time.

The options are almost endless!

Ah, little Demon! Your future will be busy indeed! So many skills to train, so little time! I can picture Tiny leaping into battle with a powerful shield defending him from harm. Or Crinis extending tentacles through the ground only to have a forest of illusory dark limbs spring up around the real one. With my plethora of defensive options and healing abilities I'll become truly unkillable with shields and additional healing to back me up! Gweheheheh. It's going to be great.

All I have to do is get out this damn hellhole.

I haven't received any signal from the Colony through the newly expanded range of my Vestibule, much to my disappointment. I'd hoped that as soon as the mutation was complete they would be there, on the edge of my awareness, but nope. Nothing. I just have to keep my claws crossed that eventually they'll find their way towards me.

More practice with Torrina before Granin eventually storms back in to break up the monotony.

[Granin, thank Gandalf in his shiny whiteness of beard and robe! Tell this mad woman to give me a rest!]

[Torrina, lay off the bug for a bit. You can keep torturing him in a minute.]

[Sure.]

The originator of my pain sits down looking not even slightly tired. Surely that's just a ruse! I don't care how advanced her Skills are, there's no way she can keep casting like this when I'm putting four brains into the effort to her one!

[How is she able to do this?!] I demand of Granin. [I'm putting some serious mental firepower into this! She's what twenty years old?! How high can her Skills be?!]

Granin pauses for a second as he descends the ladder down to the bottom of my cell before continuing.

[Anthony, how old do you think I am?] He asks.

[I don't know. Fifty?]

[I'm over a hundred and fifty…]

[You what mate?!]

Perfect! First the Lizard Wizard who was hundreds of years old and now this! Is every sapient race on this damned planet able to live hundreds of years or something?!

[Torrina is more than forty years old and she's been training in the magical arts since she was six. Yes, her Skills are higher than yours, obviously. More importantly, I've got word back from the leadership regarding your situation.]

[Oh! Did they take me up on my offer?]

Certainly it would be the best possible outcome if they did. Getting out of here as soon as possible is all I can think about these days.

[No.]

[Dang.]