When a monster reaches tier seven, and perhaps this is especially true for demons, they tend to get some fancy tricks up their sleeves. Grokus had that whole Biomass storage thing, which was a heck of a thing, if I’m being honest. War demons are in possession of a frightening frenzy aura, and grow even more powerful as they take damage, turning them into fearsome destruction engines when they’re on the verge of death.

If I were to take a guess, I think the Fatty has something related to those tongues or his mouth. Perhaps a paralytic effect, or some special effect when he bites something? I’d best be careful and make sure I don’t get hit. The Mage is a little trickier, but I wonder if she’s accelerating her magic in some way. The speed her projectiles come out is way too quick, so fast I can’t even dodge, and I know they’re coming before she even shoots them!

With the Gravity domain running, I have a constant drain on both Altar energy and gravity mana, but I decide to keep it going. The domain is preventing the weaker monsters from piling into the fight, and it’s slowing down the big hitters, even if they can mostly ignore its effects. Importantly, the drain on the Altar is barely more than the replenishment rate, so in practice, I’m still mostly full on energy. It’s not like I’d be able to replenish enough during the fight to make a significant difference anyway. The longer this drags out, the more disadvantageous to me. I need to end it with what I have available to me now.

The first to go has to be the War demon, a decisive strike that finishes him in one go. Chipping away at their health is completely the wrong way to go about it.

I’ve already delivered a few Void chomps to this particular foe and he is loving life, raging more than ever before, limbs bursting with power. As the Fatty creeps closer, looking to fire off another tongue, and the Mage continues to lance me with lasers, the War demon stomps forward, eyes blazing with rage, slashing wildly.

This is getting intense!

So much is happening at once. My antennae buzz constantly and my muscles fire without me having to think about it. Strikes come and I slide left, or jerk to the right. Sparks fly as blades clash against my carapace, skidding off the diamond surface. My brains burn in my head as they work at full capacity, every mind-construct pushed to the limit as a torrent of condensed ice spears fly out, several every second.

Hoooooly moly!

I fling myself over the ground once again, desperately avoiding another rocket-like tongue fired from the Fatty.

That’s seriously annoying! Keep your dang mouth shut for a minute yooooouuuWAYO!

A second tongue blasts from that disgusting maw just as I get my legs back under me. Forewarned by my antennae, I desperately cobble together a wall of ice in front of me as I try to push my body to the right.

Yikes and wowsers! I knew he had more than one tucked in there, but I wasn’t sure he could fire both so quickly one after the other. I seriously don’t want to get hit by that attack….

Might have to change my plans. I think Fatty has punched his ticket to the top of the list.

As everything spins so quickly around me, it’s hard not to acknowledge just how much I’m enjoying the battle. I’d missed this! The intensity! Being pushed to the limit and beyond! My monster body is capable of so much, dozens of thoughts at once, impossible reaction speeds, the sheer size and power packed into my massive ant frame.

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Flinging it all around, dialling it up to ten and fighting hard, something inside my monstrous body craves this excitement! Like a rocket engine desperate to ignite, every fibre of my ant-body is roaring at me to push them to breaking in order to smash the enemy!

Who am I to disagree?! Let’s unleash everything this evolution has to offer. These demons think they can challenge me? I’m the Colony Paragon! My carapace is strong enough to bear the weight of my entire family, these punks won’t even be able to scratch it!

I snap my six legs and flex them as the War demon bears down on me and the Fatty reels his two tongues in. I let my energy accumulate as I bring my mandibles back and lock them into place.

All the while, my endless barrage of ice magic continues, most of them shattering noisily against the Mage’s shield. It’s enough to keep her distracted, which is all I need for now.

Have a taste of the Will of the Colony!

Dash!

VOID CHOMP!

Both skills soak in the power of the Altar as I activate them. The world blurs, stretching out before me as I teleport forward, moving at such ridiculous speeds that the air feels like a wall.

The Fatty jerks back when I appear in front of him before lunging, mouth agape and ready to bite.

Too late, moron!

Activated during my dash, the void chomp is already manifested. Dark mandibles of pure energy, larger and more dense than normal, manifest alongside my own jaws, slamming shut on the void which sucks the demon into the perfect bite range.

CRUNCH!

For good measure, I shift the target of my magic forward, pounding the helpless demon trapped in my jaws with a veritable machine gun of ice.

Not enough? I’ve got more!

With the constant flow of gravity, my carapace is singing, enhanced by the energy that pours out of me. My whole body resonates to the strange thrum of gravitic energy. It’s strangely intoxicating.

VOID CHOMP!

Unempowered this time, my jaws slam shut once more.

[You have defeated….]

One down!

The War demon slams into my side, tons of brutal monster moving at high speed. The kinetic energy would be enough to crumple a truck into a pancake, then throw that pancake into a hydraulic press until it was an atom thick, but I endure.

The carapace and inner-plating absorb the force, transferring it through my legs and into the ground. I buckle, but I don’t break. The demon bellows its war cry, shockingly loud, and I snap my mandibles angrily back, the sharp SNAP sounding like a thunderbolt.

Idiot demon, I have the power of gravity at my command and you want to knock me down? There’s no chance!

I stop the ice barrage and put all my minds to work on a new spell, drawing deep on my gravity mana as I spin together my latest technique: the gravity well.

Let’s see how you like this!

Driven into a mindless rage by the Will of Arconidem, the hapless demon can’t do anything but attack without thought, rushing forward again and again. It’s all too predictable and I’m able to position him between myself and the Mage, limiting her opportunity to strike until I’m ready.

When the spell is complete, I unleash it immediately, triggering the Altar again.

To my surprise, the Altar practically empties, dumping a huge amount of energy into the spell.

Placed beneath the War demon’s feet, the well is shaped to apply its field only to the demon, and he feels the effect immediately… but not for long.

Filled with all the gravity mana I could spare and empowered by the Altar, the well roars into life with dramatic effect. It reaches out, seizes hold of the War demon… and crushes it.

Yikes! That… wasn’t pretty. Oof. I have to admit, that’s taken my appetite for the fight and put a bit of a downer on it.

Even the Mage demon seems a little off-put by witnessing such a scene, despite the compulsion burning in her mind.

Look, I didn’t know it was going to be like that, alright? I haven’t tried it before. I mean… I hope there’s some Biomass left…. Probably not.

[You have defeated…]

Yeah, obviously.

Well, one to go, I suppose.