Well through great effort, I was able to communicate that Grubby wasn’t dangerous to the others, and while I did another 3 termites hatched. So I made my way over to them to do the same and the 4 that were behind me followed.

After an explanation, with less effort might I add, probably due to the other 4 following me; because according to them although I looked like them, I was slightly bigger and looked more menacing with my larger mandibles. We got acquainted with each other in the meantime as we waited for Grubby, who I assumed would have instruction for us. I used on each of them but the displayed information was the same.

*Status*

Name: N/A Species: Cleial Isopteran (Nymph) Gender: Female Level: 0 Health Points: 10/10 Endurance: N/A Strength: N/A Vitality: N/A Agility: N/A Intelligence: N/A

Like me, each one of these termites was a nymph and although I couldn’t see their stats, I had a general idea of what they could be. It occurred to me then that I forgot to use on the queen but I didn’t linger on the thought because although no other lifeform reacted in any way to me using it on them, I wouldn’t want to take that chance with her... thinking about her presence still gives me the shivers.

The shuffling of legs brought me out of thought as I noticed all my fellow nymphs were huddled behind me staring nervously at something. Turning to see what they were looking at, I observed Grubby approaching us saying with quite the difficulty “Follow me.. others no make it” in a dejected tone.

Registering that the others she spoke of were the remaining 2 eggs, I and the other 7 glanced over to them to see what she was talking about. Observing them, however, I noted that they lacked any of the movement that myself and the other termites had while trapped inside.

They appeared as if the life inside had given up, but remembering my close encounter with death inside the egg a more morbid notion occurred to me. It was not as if the life inside had given up... It was life that abandoned the being inside instead.

Experiencing a bundle of negative emotions from the other nymphs I figured they came to the same conclusion as myself. The other two... Our possible brothers and sisters… didn’t make it.

The fact that I now recognized these other termites as my brothers and sisters didn’t bring the expected shock, but instead, it only left a void of disappointment, sadness, and dejection at the loss. Allowing us a moment to compose ourselves, Grubby stood in silence before turning and heading off into the tunnel.

As our group of 8 diligently followed behind her in the tunnel, I took the time to ask Grubby what the *Status* was and what “Undistributed stats” were and she looked at me confusedly before curtly saying “Status is measure of power, don’t know about other thing”. So taking it upon myself to investigate, I contemplated upon my status and tried doing a lot of things with undistributed stats in an attempt to figure out its purpose.

*Status*

Name: Crete Species: Cleial Isopteran (Nymph) Gender: Male Level: 1 Health Points: 15/15 Stamina Points: 35/35 Mana Points: 0/0 Spirit Energy: 6/6 Strength: 2 [+]

Endurance: 1 [+]

Agility: 3 [+] Vitality: 1 [+] Intelligence: 11 [+] Spirit: 5 [+] Luck: 4 [+] Perception: 6 [+] Will: 10 [+] Undistributed Stat Points: 5 Experience Points: 1/10

Skills:

(Active)

Desperate Chomp- Lvl 1

Chomp- Lvl 3

Inspect- Lvl 2

(Passive)

Strong Body- Lvl 3

Pheromone Language- Lvl 1

Compound Eyes- Lvl 2

Hyper Metabolism- Lvl 3

Titles: N/A

Achievements:

First of the clutch (15 % faster experience gain)

It was then I felt a change in the data displayed as a [+] appeared next to some of my stats and I intuitively understood that they could be increased using my undistributed stats, so I did just that. Trying to assign points in areas that I was weak or I thought were important; I put 1 into Strength, 1 into Agility, 1 into Endurance, and another 2 into Vitality.

*Status*

Name: Crete Species: Cleial Isopteran (Nymph) Gender: Male Level: 1 Health Points: 15/15 > 25/25 Stamina Points: 35/35 > 45/45 Mana Points: 0/0 Spirit Energy: 6/6 Strength: 2 > 3

Endurance: 1 > 2

Agility: 3 > 4 Vitality: 1 > 3 Intelligence: 11 Spirit: 5 Luck: 4 Perception: 6 Will: 10 Undistributed Stat Points: 5 > 0 Experience Points: 1/10

Skills:

(Active)

Desperate Chomp- Lvl 1

Chomp- Lvl 3

Inspect- Lvl 2

(Passive)

Strong Body- Lvl 3

Pheromone Language- Lvl 1

Compound Eyes- Lvl 2

Hyper Metabolism- Lvl 3

Titles: N/A

Achievements:

First of the clutch (15 % faster experience gain)

My status instantly changed with the use of my points and the [+] disappeared, and with that change came a muted nausea. I could feel that I was stronger, albeit not by much, the muscles in my legs seemed to be more responsive as well. I also saw an increase of 10 points in my stamina which I guessed probably came from the 1 point of Endurance.

Finally, the change I was most pleased with was an extra 10 points in my health Points, which effectively doubled my total and would mean that I had a better chance of surviving dangerous encounters.

While I was changing my status I casually wondered if my nymph relatives could do what I did because according to Grubby’s response, she couldn’t. Knocking me out of my thoughts, and acknowledging I have been in my head way too often, emotions of awe and restlessness radiated from the young termites.

Focusing on the massive chamber I saw from last time, which I walked into unknowingly, my awe and admiration were slightly muted, but the sentiment was still present. Not stopping this time, Grubby continued walking but it appeared we went into a different opening than the one before, and based on the slope we would be heading down.

Unlike the route leading towards the queen’s chamber, this one was inclined for a few minutes going down, then straight down before becoming horizontal again. And at the end of the horizontal part of the journey, we came before an opening that was sealed by a rock that only pales in size compared to the massive abdomen of the queen.

It was at that point I saw two termites, even bigger than the soldier I saw in the queen’s chamber, at least two times larger. They stood guard on either side of the rock and when Grubby approached them and started waving her antenna and they waved back at her for a few seconds before moving to the left, and in the biggest display of strength I’d seen since I was hatched, they braced and propelled the rock all the way to the other side.

I and my fellow 7 were absolutely awestruck by the ability of the two termites to move something so gargantuan, and the amount of strength it would take to do so left me in admiration; as well as another more scalding feeling, desire. I felt the need to compare them to all the standards of strength and I was not disappointed for the little I saw was enough to blow any other out the water.

*Status*

Name: N/A Species: Cleial Isopteran (General) Gender: Male Level: 9 Health Points: 580/580 Endurance: N/A Strength: N/A Vitality: N/A Agility: N/A Intelligence: N/A

*Status*

Name: N/A Species: Cleial Isopteran (General) Gender: Male Level: 11 Health Points: 620/620 Endurance: N/A Strength: N/A Vitality: N/A Agility: N/A Intelligence: N/A

Just in health points alone they completely eclipsed any other lifeform I had inspected before and I speculated that they were at a higher level of existence as well, probably the next stage of a soldier. But that did nothing to sway my absolute admiration for the power they wielded and the effort I could only imagine they made to get to that level.

I desired strength like that, to take care of myself so I would never be helpless before impossible odds, and an even more vivid desire that I felt was not completely my own. I needed that strength to be able to protect the colony, but I wondered if I would ever be able to wield it... As if feeling our emotion, the soldiers approached our group of 8 and spoke some words that lit a fire under each and every one of our thoraxes.

“Hahaha, I see you nymphs are amazed by our power. Don’t be fooled however this power was gained, as we were as weak as you once were. But, through our own hard work and dedication to doing anything for the greater good of the colony, we achieved this." the soldier that stood initially on the left said in a stoic tone

"And you all have a better opportunity than we did, for in this “Feeding Chamber” you will be able to experience unprecedented growth in a regulated and safe environment. So do your best not only to get power on the same level as us but to get even greater power. A power that you can use to protect the colony!!” the one on the right joined in a self-righteous but inspiring voice.

As we watched him leave to return to their duties, one of the nymphs did something that surprised me slightly as I heard him say “I be strong like that one day” and I could feel the others agree with him silently with their eyes and a newfound determination.

Not dwelling on the fact that they could produce words as well, as I realized they in all likelihood could have and even likely evolve skills like me; I reflected on the fact that the General was able to speak so fluently, the queen as well actually, I wondered if all the stronger termites had the ability to do so...

I accredited it to lack of information, as they very likely could have the same skill but at different levels or forms. Mentally dismissing the train of thought, I regarded the now unblocked hole, this hole where I would take my first steps to grasp strength on the same level- no, even greater than these two termites. This “Feeding chamber” where I could take my first steps to power...

*Status*

Name: Crete Species: Cleial Isopteran (Nymph) Gender: Male Level: 1 Health Points: 25/25 Stamina Points: 45/45 Mana Points: 0/0 Spirit Energy: 6/6 Strength: 3

Endurance: 2

Agility: 4 Vitality: 3 Intelligence: 11 Spirit: 5 Luck: 4 Perception: 6 Will: 10 Undistributed Stat Points: 0 Experience Points: 1/10

Skills:

(Active)

Desperate Chomp- Lvl 1

Chomp- Lvl 3

Inspect- Lvl 2

(Passive)

Strong Body- Lvl 3

Pheromone Language- Lvl 1

Compound Eyes- Lvl 2

Hyper Metabolism- Lvl 3

Titles: N/A

Achievements:

First of the clutch (15 % faster experience gain)