I stare down the giant armored moleratmadillow while tiny armored rodents peer from their holes in the walls, shuffling their feet nervously. A quick psionic connection shows me a hint of fear rather than preparations for an ambush. In fact, I also sense anticipation. It's like they're rooting for a sports team. I guess I'm in a mole people colosseum?

That explains the aggression. Maybe I should have spared my previous opponents? Was this a huge misunderstanding? I can't get very much from their thoughts, their minds are too complicated. Am I the bad guy?

Well, what's done is done. It looks like I need to punch the big one a lot, but maybe I'll ease up and let him live. It would bee good practice anyway, I'm already humming in anticipation. I start advancing, and the big beastie does the same and we exchange a few unfriendly swipes. An uppercut from me goes whistling over its head as it ducks down and goes for a low tackle. Thanks to the power of 4 viney legs I don't go down, and instead wrap my limbs around and hang on for dear life.

Oh dear, thank goodness I don't really have a back or front, since I don't really have any eyes and my limbs go either way, or else I'd have to make a joke about reverse cowgirl. Well, I have an audience, let's give them a show! I hang on tight, and wrap my vine tendrils in all the crevices on the creatures armor, and slap it on the bum with my free hand, and it goes willd, running about and trying to throw me off. I stubbornly hang on while flailing my tendrils in the air! Yeehaw!

A few short minutes later, the moleratmadillow is panting heavily. Thank goodness for the sheer quantity of vine tendrils I can make, my grip is really strong, even if they're a bit weird to use. He falls over on his side and I climb off, victorious!

While I was busy playing rodeo, the small moleratmadillows came out of their holes in the walls and have gotten closer. They're still creeping closer, and there's a lot of them. I back away, this is making me

feel a little concern.

Scratch that, this is some some creepy stuff. As I back farther away, I notice they aren't converging on me at all. They're going closer to the giant rodent currently heaving breaths on the ground. They're keeping their distance from me, and on the other side of the rodent ring, one angry looking beast lunges forward, biting down on Mr Biggs's snout, eliciting a pained squeal and panicked flailing from the larger rodent. Yes, his name is Mr. Biggs now, deal with it.

I look on in horror as the tides are unleashed and these vermin pour forth in waves to kill an injured opponent. I was wrong. These things have no honor. After I spent so much effort sparing my opponent, they're going to tear Mr Biggs to shreds in front of me?

I THINK NOT. I rush into the crowd, picking up 2 of these vile creatures and swinging them by the tail like

a pair of flails, and I only stop the beating when I feel breaking bones, and only for the moment it takes me to grab another rat-thing. A hatred burns hot in my... my... I guess I don't know my own anatomy very well, I don't know what to call it.

When I focus on it, I can feel it pulsing, angry, and... coming from my largest soul core? It keeps growing and growing, the intensity of the sensation getting stronger, and with every pulse, I feel stronger. I thought I was mad before, but I was wrong.

THIS is real anger, and it's flowing through me like a wildfire. Rodents are clawing at my legs and biting my basket, but now I find myself simply making barehanded strikes that fling my opponents off and make unpleasant crunching noises.

I reach Mr Biggs, and knock a few rodents off his exposed limbs. He's rolled himself

into a ball, managing to keep them off his vitals, but he's not looking so good.

I have a sudden, dumb idea, and get behind him and push him through the crowd like a wrecking ball with one hand, while I smack approaching vermin like they owe me money with the other. It's hard to steer, but once I get him into the tunnel, we don't need to, and the tide is bottlenecked by the narrow entrance.

One of my legs isn't working right, and I notice one of the bites left it hanging by a single vine right above the foot. I end up dragging it behind me, and finally reach the door I painstakingly crafted and roll Mr. Biggs through. I stumble through behind him, and smack some stragglers back while the bees enter near the ceiling. They all look quite distressed, I wonder what they're on about.

The queen is doing that limb flail that means she's really mad at someone who did something dumb and unbeelike. I focus again as I recieve another savage slash to my midsection from another VERMIN. I pick him up and slam his head against the doorframe, and fling him down the hall. I slam the door, and throw both the bars. I fall back against the wall, and my strength fades

Skill Learned

Rage

Spend .25 Life Force per second to channel all of your life energies into your muscles and bones, for a burst in strength. Energy is drawn from vital organs, and may result in reduced mental faculties. Injuries and death may result, use at your own risk

Suddenly I couldn't have held up my own limbs let alone fought anyone. Everything hurts, which is a bit strange. I cast grow and put out some leaves facing the sun, throw out some roots, and pass out.