The sensation of something being nudged into my face offered me respite from the darkness. As consciousness came back to me I was slightly confused, the last thing I remember was that giant face in front of me.. Slightly scared, I looked around rapidly to see- Ah, it was right in front of me, pushing what appeared to be an overgrown caterpillar in my face.

Walking back slowly, I observed the face. Its antenna rapidly moving and in the same weird way, its feelings were transmitted to me. It was confused and impatient it seemed. My base instincts dictated that I not approach anything until I have the power to do so. However, something deep inside my mind told me that I would be safe around this being, something more instinctive, animalistic, it was my primal mind again...

It was then I noticed that the feelings transmitted was slowly turning into suspicion and wariness. Figuring I shouldn't be on the bad side of something that could so easily end me, I stopped backing away and approached it to see what it wanted. I then focused on the creature it was presenting to me, but it was then I realized I could see something.

Well, not see... But I felt like I could see something I need only tug-. On cue with my focus, something popped up right in front of the creature. Is that a table? Could it be a stat sheet? Would that mean that this is a game? Could I gain experience, and maybe level up? Dispersing the foreign thoughts that came roaring into my mind, I refocused onto the table that popped up before me.

*Status*

Name: N/A Species: Cleial Scarabaeidae (Grub) Gender: Female Level: 5 Health Points: 5/5 Endurance: N/A Strength: N/A Vitality: N/A Agility: N/A Intelligence: N/A

Disoriented by the information in front of me, I pondered on the meaning of each of the values and why they were unknown. Wondering if this weird stuff was an isolated occurrence or something more... I cast my gaze on the larger head and tried to replicate the feeling that caused the table to pop up. Soon after I was rewarded with that same tug on my mind and a new table popped up in front of me.

*Status*

Name: N/A Species: Cleial Isopteran (Worker) Gender: Female Level: 11 Health Points: 35/35 Endurance: N/A Strength: N/A Vitality: N/A Agility: N/A Intelligence: N/A

Gobsmacked that this table wasn't an isolated occurrence, I thought “This is a game huh” but I quickly banished the thought. At this time, I remembered that there was a loud "DING" that happened when I broke through my egg... there was also something I remember that was in the corner of my eye- As if responding to my thoughts, which at this point I figured it did. A series of notifications and tables appeared before me.

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

Looking at the notification I was dumbfounded as I realized that I was some sort of termite? I was unsure, however, what the cleial referred to. Idly wondering if I had a status, a table popped up before me, this one being much longer than the other two though.

*Status*

Name: Crete Species: Cleial Isopteran (Nymph) Gender: Male Level: 0 Health Points: 5/10 Stamina Points: 5/25 Mana Points: 0/0 Spirit Energy: 5/5 Strength: 2 Endurance: 1 Agility: 3 Vitality: 1 Intelligence: 11 Spirit: 5 Luck: 4 Perception: 6 Will: 10 Undistributed Stat Points: 0 Experience Points: 0/5

Skills:

(Active)

Desperate chomp- Lvl 1

Chomp- Lvl 3

Inspect- Lvl 1

(Passive)

Strong body- Lvl 3

Pheromone communication- Lvl 4

Compound eyes- Lvl 2

Hyper metabolism- Lvl 3

Titles: N/A

Achievements:

First of the clutch (15 % more experience gain)

Knocking me out of the deep consideration that I had over my "Status" the familiar pangs of hunger begun to prickle my mind. The grub my older fellow species presented monopolized my vision.

As it squirmed around in discomfort at being held between the other termite's mandibles, unaware that it was being brought forth as a tribute to a newly hatched nymph. Its effort to escape being futile and only making it all the more delectable in my eyes.

Wait but that’s a bug-- The thought soon eclipsed by my primal mind. It’s food and I was oh so hungry. Before I knew it I was walking over, mentally drooling at this point over the morsel that would bring an end to my hunger and provide me supplication. I felt my mandibles open and close, and with it, an invigorating squeal as the grub was now skewered in my mandibles.

Feeling my older relative relax its grip and step back, I quickly lowered the grub into my mouth, and with a satisfying squelch, I felt its juices inundate my mouth. The life force of it draining away deeper into my mouth, I felt it struggle less and less as its futile effort at fighting back was met with a staunch grip.

With its death, I experienced the feeling of satisfaction and superiority that completely overpowering another life brought; Bringing me a euphoria never before experienced,

as its juices flowed into my throat it felt like liquid energy had gushed through the entirety of my body; and as I finished the rest of my meal a notification graced my eyes.

*Gained 6 experience points*

**Congratulations you have leveled up**