Looking at the nymph who had 3 points of strength I decided to call him Dynamis, the one with 3 points of agility I named her Amore, the one with 3 points of endurance I called Meneo, and the one with 3 points in vitality I named Vito.

The three all-rounders I grouped up and called them Althaia, Amara, and Aretha in terms of the nymphs endurance-vitality,strength-agility, and agility-endurance focused respectively.

Ordering the group to continue communicating with one another so the ones who didn’t already have

would get it, I made my way back to the pile in order to get enough grubs to ensure each of the nymphs leveled at least once.

The first few grubs I snuck off the pile resulted in me losing another 10 points in health points but I was able to get the hang of it and time it right so that I wouldn’t be hit and after I brought the 7th grub for my group, I took the time off to read the notifications that had popped up.

*DING*

Skill has been created

*DING*

has leveled up! (Lvl 1 > Lvl 2)

*DING*

has leveled up! (Lvl 4> Lvl 5)

Due to attaining max Lvl, it will undergo evolution

*DING*

has evolved into

I was pleasantly surprised by the creation of another skill, which was probably the result of my later actions as I was able to quickly pick off a grub before any of the others noticed. My

skill also finally leveled up, so I would be able to more accurately direct the nymphs. I also noticed the evolution of my skill into which I was very eager to try out.

Finished reading the notifications I saw the last of the 7 level up. Curious if the instance of me having undistributed stats was due to being part of the “special” clutch, I asked if they had the option.

Reassuringly all 7 of them said they had the option available but they only had 4 points available. So I told them to put points in vitality by willing it, to ensure their total health points were 15 or above so that they would no longer die due to a few hits from the grubs at the very least.

A little more confident in their ability to survive confrontation I told them to stick to groups of two when hunting. So while the other 3 pairs grouped up I paired up with Amore. I couldn’t wait to level up and possibly evolve...

{Amore POV}

I came to consciousness due to the absence of food and looking around, I was able to understand that I was in something, an egg of some sort I mentally noted.

Not stopping to admire my enclosure for one second more, I felt the growing need to get out of here while I was in my best condition lest I remain here and starve to death. With that train of thought, I utilized my mandibles and made short work of my egg due to my rapid chomps.

Escaping my egg after a taxing effort, I plopped out face-first into a dark chamber, instincts kicking in I quickly looked around to see if there was any immediate danger, which I quickly determined there wasn’t before passing out due to exhaustion.

**Congratulations on hatching and entering the next growth phase of the species: Cleial Isopteran (Termite)**

It was a short respite as I was awakened by a plopping sound and looking over, what greeted my eyes was a creature I instinctively felt was not a threat. Dragging my body over to it, I noticed it was right before an open egg and was similarly unconscious; It just hatched as I did, I concluded.

A sense of responsibility welled inside me as I saw how defenseless it was, and using my mandibles I nudged the creature awake and watched as it groggily joined consciousness once more.

With the same alertness and wariness I had, I observed its eyes swerve around the room till they settled on me and I visibly saw the wariness drain away from its eyes as I felt it come to the same recognition I had, the other was an ally or at least was not dangerous.

Observing the room in more detail I recognized another 9 eggs other than the one from which I emerged. I noted that other than the egg from which my ally emerged there was another that was cracked, however, its inhabitant was nowhere in sight…

I wondered if it had already exited this chamber through the opening I had only now noticed or there was some other force at play… I shared this revelation with the other nymph through an emotion of directed wariness and he guardedly observed the opening as well.

Our suspicion and speculation of what occurred to the first to hatch were cut short as we heard a sound of chewing from another of the eggs. Both pairs of eyes focused on the egg as we carefully approached.

We heard the steady chomps of its inhabitant, as if not concerned about running out of energy, and a short while later, the head of another of our kind appeared from it. Observing its steadfast gait as it walked out of the egg as well as its eyes that were wary only for a fraction of a second before looking us over, I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. He was an ally as well I belatedly concluded.

Filling him in on all the observations the two of us made. He similarly warily observed the opening but I visibly observed the feeling swiftly escape from his eyes, and one of unwarranted confidence replaced it as he communicated that the 3 of us would be able to handle it anyway. Since if anything happened it could only occur due to only one of us being present.

Shaking my head inwardly at the dulled senses of my relative, probably due to him not coming close to encountering death due to his abnormal stamina, I focused on the other 6 eggs that had yet to hatch. The same responsibility welling up inside me as I watched my unborn relatives.

It wasn’t long after that another hatched, this one unlike the last didn’t have any abnormal stamina as he was visibly exhausted. However, as the 3 of us gazed at his eyes that instantly classified us as friendlies. but the constant vigilance they displayed, the impression that something that could kill us would only wound him prickled the back of my mind.

He quickly assimilated into the group and we divided our focus between observing the remaining eggs and watching the ominous opening that none of us yet wanted to venture into. It was then it happened, while I was watching 3 eggs that began moving at the same time, the feeling of alarm was transmitted to me by the two that were watching the opening.

The four of us nervously observed as a creature much larger than us entered the room, it had the outward appearance that we had but none of the weakness that came with it. A large head with beady eyes, strong menacing mandibles, and a body that looked much tougher than ours.

I felt the confidence the 4th had drain away, as its eyes focused on us for a moment before dismissing us and refocussing on the unhatched eggs. In front of such an obviously superior being, and the reality that if a fight broke out none of us was going to make it out alive set in.

The powerlessness and helplessness of the 4th spreading to all of us, the responsibility I felt making it all the more despairing. I wouldn’t be able to protect any of us… thinking of my unborn relatives, the feeling condensed even more.

It was then I saw him. A creature that looked a lot like us but slightly bigger with more menacing mandibles and a feeling of firmness and resolve that radiated from him, that none of us was able to muster before this creature.

He stopped for a moment, analyzing us before trotting over, and in the same way, but somewhat differently, we communicated with each other his antenna moved slowly before to the shock of us all said, “Hi, I friend. You friend?”

Recovering the fastest, I was able to see the anxiousness and discomfort communicating like that brought him and decided that we should at least respond. Turning around I transmitted my feelings to the other 3, they pondered for only a short while, because although more menacing than us he still gave us the same feeling of security; and if he was comfortable around the monstrosity still observing the eggs I figured we wouldn’t be in immediate danger at least.

With their consent, I slowly turned back around and I tried my hardest to transmit feelings of friendliness and agreement at his declaration. He was visibly pleased, and I watched as tension I didn’t even know he was holding escaped his thorax in an exhale before his face experienced a brief twitch and cringed. Ah, did I do something wrong… I nervously wondered.

However, to my relief, he soon reverted to being pleased and sent over a reassuring feeling in regards to the creature he returned with. But from the complicated emotions I was able to feel in that attempt of reassurance, I became slightly skeptical.

But I decided I would trust the feeling that he wouldn’t harm us and told the rest not to be afraid of that creature anymore. Then I asked the 1st where he had been and he told us of the world outside the chamber, of the massive chambers, and of the Queen…

While the others were enraptured by his stories, however, another 3 of us hatched and the 1st made his way to them as he noticed them look apprehensively at the creature as well. He once more did something that shocked all of us and said “Grubby friend”. They soon joined the group and meshed with us due to our constant reassurance and the feeling of belonging each of us had with the other.

We waited and socialized for a while longer on Grubby, as the first called her, and not long after she came over to us and a sad tone said “Follow me.. others no make it”. Glancing over the 2 remaining eggs they appeared lifeless and the understanding that two of our relatives weren't able to take their first breath settled deep in my thorax, and as we walked through the tunnel I hollowly considered what the 1st referred to as my *Status*, the only thought resounding in my mind was... I wasn't able to protect them...

Name: N/A

Species: Cleial Isopteran (Nymph)

Gender: Female

Level: 0

Health Points: 10/10

Stamina Points: 25/25

Mana Points: 0/0

Spirit Energy: 3/3

Strength: 1

Endurance: 1

Agility: 3

Vitality: 1

Intelligence: 6

Luck: 5

Spirit: 3

Perception: 5

Will: 9

Undistributed Stat Points: 0

Experience Points: 0/5

Skills:

(Active)

Chomp- Lvl 2

Inspect- Lvl 1

(Passive)

Strong Body- Lvl 2

Pheromone Communication- Lvl 3

Compound Eyes- Lvl 2

Hyper Metabolism- Lvl 2

Titles: N/A

Achievements: N/A