My senses locked on the creature. It was about the size of a beetle, but it had two small eyes and long wings that fluttered. It planted itself on the wall and licked the moss with its tongue. As it ate, it began to glow slightly.
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Race: Mana Moth
Level: 1
Template: 0%
--------------------------------------------
The creature was different; it didn't seem to want to hurt me like the others. It seemed completely fine with eating the moss. Even though it didn't seem dangerous, it felt different, like it had something else that the rest of the creatures I encountered had.
Mana Detected
The words startled me for a moment, making my core pulse.
Mana?
What is Mana?
No answer came to me, so the only thing to do was watch the moth. It kept doing the same thing, flying through the cavern, resting upon the roof and then eating some of the moss. The moss, on the other hand, was growing quickly; the only thing keeping it at bay was the moth, but even so it was expanding quickly.
Mana Moth Template: 0% → 13%
Available Essence: 4 → 3.8
It seemed as if an entire cycle had passed, but I still had plenty of essence, so I kept watching. Cycles passed, and my essence drained, but I still watched.
Available Essence: 3.8 → 3
Mana Moth Template: 13% → 65%
As the fifth cycle passed, the moth did something strange. It cocooned itself within some of the moss. Through my senses, I felt four smaller moths emerge from the creature; then, suddenly, golden light emerged from the cocoon and fluttered into me. These smaller moths were different; they were like my rat...
They were me.
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Mana Moth Template: 65% → 100%
Acquired Mana Moth Template
Essence Absorbed: +1.5
Available Essence: 3 → 4.5
Total Essence Absorbed: 19 → 20.5/ 100
Upkeep: 0.2 → 0.3
Passive Essence Gain: 0
--------------------------------------------
The small moths ate their way out of the moss and began to flutter around the cave as the bigger one had. The interesting thing is that my upkeep had increased when they were born. It seems that if new creatures were born within me, then they become a part of me... But that still increases my upkeep because I now need to sustain them.
They cost me essence...
I watched the four moths flutter between patches of glowing moss.
But I didn't have to make them.
Interesting...
The moss and moths were still not eating enough moss. But the moss growth problem could wait, since the real issue was now keeping my essence up... since my creatures were slowly draining it away. Searching around the cavern, I was surprised to see three more beetles.
Where did you come from?
The creatures moved through the cavern; my moths paid them no mind. I thought for a moment and held back on ordering them to attack.
Strange...
Suddenly, three more beetles appeared. I checked where they came from; they seemed to emerge from a small hole in one of the walls. They began ripping moss off the floor, then carried it back into the hole. Then another wave of beetles appeared. Ten were now in the cavern, each carrying a small portion of moss.
Passive Essence Gain: 0 → 0.1
My passive essence gain increased?
Was it because of these beetles?
I watched as they all returned into the hole in the wall.
Passive Essence Gain: 0.1 → 0
Interesting.
It seemed as though the beetles were emitting a small amount of essence naturally, and while inside my territory, instead of the essence fading, I was able to absorb it. I focused for a moment and dug into the wall, opening up the stone and revealing where they had gone.
Available Essence: 4.5 → 4
Inside was a complex structure about half a meter high and a meter wide. It had many holes, letting my senses dive in. I realized that it was full of those beetles.
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Blind Cave Beetle Nest Discovered
Claim Nest - 8 essence
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The nest produced a multitude of beetles, but until they actually entered my lair, I wouldn't gain any essence from them. But if I claimed it, would the beetles become me, or would the nest just become a part of me and generate passive essence?
I don't know.
But it is worth the risk...
If they all become me, I'll get my rat to kill them.
Now I need to get that essence.
Looking at the beetles that did not seem to want to harm me, I focused on the hole in the roof of my original cave. I'll leave those beetles alive for now as long as they don't become threats. My rat stood beneath the hole and began to squeak again. This was one of the only ways for me to bring new creatures to me.
After a while, I had caught multiple animals in my trap. A level one lizard that gave me 1.5 essence. Two level one rats that gave me two in total, and 3 level one beetles that gave me 1.5 as well. In total, I had gained five essence from my rat just squeaking at the hole in the roof.
Available Essence: 4 → 9
Total Essence Absorbed: 20.5 → 25.5/ 100
My core pulsed slightly, and I claimed the nest.
Available Essence: 9 → 1
Suddenly, a screen popped up.
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Blind Cave Beetle Nest
Tier 1
Natural Population: 43
Passive Essence: +0.4 / Cycle
Population Capacity: 60
Passive Essence Gain: 0 → 0.4
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They did not become me.
Good.
The nest gives me point four.
My creatures take point three.
So I still gain point one every cycle.
I don't have to hunt anymore...
Not for now.
I decided to calm down and watch the nest. Over a few cycles, the nest's population fluctuated; it increased and decreased. It seemed like, over the time I spent observing the nest, three beetles had died naturally. After gaining two essence passively and 1.5 from the beetles that died, the nest reached a population of sixty, and a screen popped up.
Available Essence: 1 → 4.5
Total Essence Absorbed: 25.5 → 27/ 100
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Blind Cave Beetle Nest
Tier 1
Natural Population: 60
Passive Essence: +0.6 / Cycle
Population Capacity: 60
Passive Essence Gain: 0.4 → 0.6
Tier 2 Nest - 16 Essence
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An interesting thing was that my available essence increased by 3.5, but my total essence absorbed increased by only 1.5
Only if they die do I get total essence absorbed?
Questioning it for a moment, I moved on. The thing about the beetles that made me feel better was that the ones that were born after I claimed the nest did not become me. They were still the natural beetles that the nest had.
The moths became me when they were born.
The beetles didn't.
Why?
Thinking for a moment before giving up and focusing back on the nest. The nest had reached its maximum population, and now I could enhance it to the next level, but the cost was extremely high... I also realized that over the last few cycles, the moss was starting to get pushed back, as the increase in beetles meant they were taking more. I need more moss. Focusing on the walls near the nest, I dug them out, increasing the cavern's size.
Available Essence: 4.5 → 2.5
Controlled Territory: 37 m→ 39 m
Using 0.5 essence, I filled the new area with moss.
Available Essence: 2.5 → 2
Is this enough moss?
Having it here will help it spread more.
After watching the nest for a few more cycles, I was happy to see the moss was enough. My essence increased.
This is nice.
Available Essence: 2 → 2.6
As I kept watching them, the beetles began to act strangely; a dozen rushed out of the nest and faced the wall to their left. They seemed agitated.
What are they doing?
I focused, trying to sense whatever they were, and there it was: a slight vibration at first, and then it grew larger. Eventually the wall broke open, and something clawed its way out of the hole.
Passive Essence Gain: 0.6 → 0.7
It was larger than my rat and maybe even stronger than the lizard. Brown fur and large fangs. It had eyes, but they were almost completely closed. The beast must have been strong; it increased my passive essence gain by a full 0.1 on its own. Watching it, I relaxed. It did not head for my core.
Good... It doesn't want to hurt me.
I focused on it.
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Race: Fang Mole
Level 3
Template: 0%
--------------------------------------------
It approached the beetles; the little bugs tried to fight back, but it was a massacre. The mole pounced on the small beetles and devoured each one whole.
Passive Essence Gain: 0.7 → 0.6
Available Essence: 2.6 → 8.6
Total Essence Absorbed: 27 → 33/ 100
No...
It began walking toward the nest.
I can't let it.
I told my rat to draw it away. The rat rushed over and began squeaking anxiously. The mole, hearing the rat and seeing it as a larger meal, rushed towards it. My rat dashed towards the tunnel, and when it entered, the mole screeched and halted. It looked at the torches and then looked away, scratching at its eyes for a moment.
This is my chance.
Focusing on the ground, I created a large spike pit that isolated the beetle nest from the rest of the cavern.
Available Essence: 8.6 → 4.6
After the mole recovered, it ignored my rat, which stood in the lit tunnel and kept squeaking. It walked back to the nest but was surprised to find a massive pit had formed, separating it from the nest. It snarled while gauging the distance. It hesitated, then started digging into the wall.
It's trying to go around.
I can't let it.
As the creature broke a piece of stone off the wall, I repaired it.
Available Essence: 4.6 → 4.5
I watched as the creature grew frustrated. After watching the wall repair itself for the third time, it gave up, walked to the corner of the cavern, and lay down. I thought about placing a trap right below where it rested, but if it noticed, then I would have spent two essence for no reason.
Available Essence: 4.5 → 4.3
Looking at my remaining essence, my core pulsed.
Who will tire out quicker?
A cycle passed, and the mole spent all of its regained energy trying to get out of the cavern and into the nest. By the end of the cycle, it even got desperate and tried to escape through a different wall, but I repaired that too.
I won't let you leave.
Available Essence: 4.3 → 4.6
Available Essence: 4.6 → 4.1
I was losing essence, but the mole was growing desperate and weaker. It also seemed that as the mole weakened, it gave me less passive essence. It didn't show up on the screen, since it was rounding up and down, but I could feel the essence it gave was less.
Available Essence: 4.1 → 6.2
Available Essence: 6.2 → 2.7
Fang Mole Template: 0% → 63%
I couldn't last much longer, but neither could the mole, as its thirst and hunger began to drive it mad. It even tried to enter my tunnel but fell on its back, crying out as the light burned its sensitive eyes. I made my rat stand in the tunnel and squeak; as it did, the mole cried, as food was right there but impossible to reach.
By the seventh cycle, the nest had recovered completely. Multiple beetles stood on the edge of the spike pit, making sure the mole wouldn't do anything.
Passive Essence Gain: 0.6 → 0.7
Another three cycles passed, and the mole grew even weaker.
Available Essence: 2.7 → 3.8
Available Essence: 3.8 → 2.3
Fang Mole Template: 63% → 84%
On the tenth cycle, the mole had finally snapped. Saliva ran from its mouth, and it approached the spike pits. It had thinned greatly, its sensitive eyes bloodshot. It looked across at the beetles and it growled, saliva falling to the floor.
It looked into the pit before backing up slightly. Running forward, it leaped, its body flying over the pit. It hit the other edge of the pit and yelped as it slid down the wall. It dug into the stone floor, holding on with everything it had. It tried to pull itself up, but it cried as it saw a dozen beetles standing above it on the ledge.
Biting into the mole's paws, the creature screamed out as it began to slip. Small tears drenched its brown fur, and with another wave of bites, the mole fell into the spike pit. After a moment, a golden light escaped the trap and entered my core.
I focused on the beetles returning to their nest.
They aren't me.
But I protected them.
And they protected themselves.
My core pulsed.
Good.
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Fang Mole Template: 84% → 100%
Acquired Fang Mole Template
Essence Absorbed: +8
Available Essence: 2.3 → 10.3
Total Essence Absorbed: 33 → 41/ 100
Passive Essence Gain: 0.7 → 0.6
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I dealt with the threat...