《The Fourth Faction》Chapter 02 - Starting from the bottom
Advertisement
AN: Enjoy the second chapter of this starcraft fiction
******************************
'Holy shit, I was reincarnated into a zerg... I can't believe it. Instead of a human, an elf or a demon from a fantasy word, or even an animal, I was reincarnated into a zerg... What the fuck am I supposed to do? How am I going to survive? I'm just a lowly larvae for fuck sake!! I can't do anything!! Larvae can turn into higher zerg through mutations, but how the hell am I supposed to do that? It usually is a higher ranked zerg that decide things, it's completely different than just clicking with the mouse on the computer! Worse, the only thing available to me right now is being a weak drone...'
He was lamenting on his situation. In the game, it was technically the cerebrates and the Overmind that decided the mutations the drones should take. The drones could turn into overlords, but the overlords were just there to help direct the units, they didn't control the mutations. And only the Overmind could make cerebrates. He didn't even know how to mutate, and couldn't control his 4 kins. Or so he though at the beginning...
'Right, zerg are supposed to be kind of mindless, just killing instinct and blind, absolute obediance to the ones above. But that's not the case with me... I have my own will, I can feel the minds of my kin, so maybe I can impose my will on them... But can they even understand me? Even if they can, even if I can order them around, it's not like they will mutate into what I want because I told them to... Haaaaa, I have no choice but to try it.'
While he was thinking, the others 4 larvaes had gone out of their eggs and were slowly crawling around. He started to focus his mind on them, and infusing autority in his thoughs, ordered them to come to him. He didn't know if it worked, but after a few seconds, they turned toward him and started to crawl in his direction. But he was also disappointed, because if his friend was there, he would have replied back, asking what he wanted. His friend wasn't the kind to just listen and follow strangers. And in this situation his friend would have been talkative instead of remaining silent.
'Ok... So I can order them around, that's one good thing to know. But what about mutations? We can't survive as mere larvaes. No, maybe we can because the creep that was on our egg shells is still growing and we can feed on it, but I don't want to spend the rest of my new life as a fucking larvae! So, how do we mutate? Probably by releasing some kind of hormone that will activate a certain part of our DNA, thus releasing another kind of hormone that will provoke a transformation in our cells? Damn, those biology lessons feel so far away... Hmm?'
Advertisement
As he was thinking about the workings of their bodies, he got the feeling he knew what to do.
'… Could this be, perhaps, instinct? The information hidden within the DNA? Just like some animal do what they must to survive, like those turtles digging the ground to get out of the hole their eggs were left in and moving toward the sea even though noone told them to do that? Ha, hahahaha! I now know how to mutate! Hahaha!'
'The bodies of larvaes really are impressive in a sense, they can act on their own genetic code... Ok, I have 4 larvaes under my control. Since that's the case, I may not be forced to follow the paterns of the game... The Overmind is a rigid ruler, but I don't have to be as rigid as him... Hmm, but it looks like I still have some limitations, and I can't break them that easily...'
He believed that the larvaes held the full potential of zerg evolution, and that each time an individual evolved, the roads open to it would greatly decrease. If he wanted to get the best evolution for himself, he had to remain a larvae while experimenting with the others, all the while keeping a firm control on them. But keeping them under control would probably be hard as a simple larvae, so he still had to change.
More cerebral capacity without losing the larvae potential for evolution. Larvaes could evolve into overlords, who had control capacity. He had to unlock it without blocking his path for evolution. He decided to put it aside, and concentrated on the larvaes. Before evolving, they needed food, they needed more creep, but there wasn't enough yet.
He decided to sacrifice the injured larvae. Even if they were underground, it was still very cold, and even if the zergs as a whole were tough, the larvaes were still weak. He ordered 2 of the larvaes to kill the wounded one, and gave them the instruction to mutate into drones. They would use the corpse of the deceased larvae as material. The 2 larvaes executed his order, and soon enough got warped into cocoons which spread over the dead one.
'Ok, now that they are mutating into drones, what to do? Logically speaking, I should make a hatchery, but in the game it keep spamming larvaes without the player control. But I also need the hatchery to spread the creep... Or not... The creep colony can do the same. Also, usually, the creep can't grow without the hatchery, but here it is growing... Because I want it to grow!! In the starcraft lore, the creep is sensitive to psionique emanations. It's responding to my will!'
Advertisement
'A hatchery will be too much of burden on my control ability, but a creep colony should be fine. I will use it as shelter as well. As for the second drone... In the game, to make a better unit I would need a spawning pool and an evolution chamber. I would also need gaz and some crystals, but they aren't necessary in real life it seem. As for the spawning pool and evolution chamber, they probably produce some hormones that allow higher mutations, something like that... '
'Hmm, with those, I should be able to completely break away from the rigid path used by the overmind, and make my own zerg sub-race. With the creep extending and the colony as home, I will be able to think about what kind of zerg I will make in a safe environment. Wait! I would still be lacking larvaes for experiments... So I'll have to make a hatchery in the end... Maybe I'll be able to reduce the amount of larvaes generated? Well, first let's see what my drones can do.'
A while later, the drones burst out of their cocoons. He still had perfect control over them. Focusing heavily on one of them, he started to think about how to make it mutate again, and soon enough he got his answer. Even better, he would be able to make something new. There were several hormones that could be released, each with a particular function in mind. The barrier between specific buildings was broken to a certain extend.
Focusing on the drone, he took control of its body, but it was an incredibly hard task, more than he imagined. It was completely different from just giving orders. He was going to mutate the drone into a completely new kind of building, a building with the functons of the spawning pool and the evolution chamber. With that building he would be able to make many experiments to find the best path for himself. He started the mutation, then retreated with the drone and the remaining larvae at a safer distance.
The ground around was already covered in creep, but it was still a thin layer, a small amount. It would still take some time until the organic building was completed. For the second drone, he wanted to mutate it into a creep colony with the birthing function of a hatchery, hoping it would restrain the production of larvaes. Following his instincts, he guessed that it was doable and ordered the mutation after sending the drone some distance away.
It took around 8 days for the modified creep colony to be finished. Just like he expected, compared to a hatchery the amount of eggs generated was reduced. But he also realised that he needed the hatchery to have access to more of the zerg genetic library. The last larvae and himself managed to survive during that time, though they were severely weakened. They took refuge into the new building, which he called the “Fort” because it was originally a defensive building. It was probably bigger than the original one, and probably generated more creep s well. That was good enough for him.
The other mixed building, which he called the “Genesis core”, was completed in thrice the amount of time used for the first. It was also quite big, probably 100m in cimcumference. Since both buildings were living zergs, he still retained a minimum of control after the mutation. That building was used to not only look for genetic traits and to generate specific mutations through different means, but also to assimilate other races. However, a specimen must be inside to get a mutation or for assimilation.
He did nothing but make experiments on every larvaes for 7 weeks until he got a good grasp of the mutations available for him. Like he hoped, he would be able to increase his control power without losing much of his evolution potential. He didn't want to make overlords yet, fearing he would lose control to them. Within the genesis core, his larvae body got surrounded in a cocoon. He could feel some of his body slowly being eroded before falling into unconsciousness.
9 days later he woke up, feeling stronger, his mind sharper and clearer. He still looked like a larvae for the most part, but dark brown and red, bigger, with 24 strong legs and 2 pincers that could be used like arms. He had taken traits from both a drone and an overlord. He was an oversized larvae with pincers and a better nervous system, and called himself a “Grand lord”.
******************************
AN: There won't be much action until the mc is done designing and making his own zerg subrace, and then start expanding. The "slice of life" tag is for the development before the action.
Advertisement
- In Serial20 Chapters
Shade: A Story of the Legacy
Save those you can. Avenge those you can't. In a world where friends are a liability, Night Riders like Shade have none. Riding alone keeps him alive and lets him help those who have no one else. But when a man who was once his friend—and knows the identity he cannot share with the world—chances upon him, Shade makes the mistake of making the smallest personal connection. But friendship can be a double-edged sword, and darkness haunts Shade's steps. Both are outlaws, hunted by those who conquered their nation. Capture means a slow and painful death; living means fighting a guerilla war against overwhelming odds. Shade has never believed in no-win situations, but even the most dangerous man in Evendar can only fight so many battles. Will this be his last? Set in the world of the Legacy, SHADE is a prequel to NIGHT RIDER, available on Kindle Vella.
8 305 - In Serial7 Chapters
Way Back to Hell: A monster evolution LIT RPG
This imp is pathetic at everything like any ordinary imp. But there is one thing only he can do, and that is being teleported to the overworld. There he faces many problems. The sun burns and fries him. Everything's trying to kill him. And the first devil himself visits his dreams to threaten him from time to time. His task is mind numbingly difficult. So difficult in fact, that all the twenty-three devils combinded could not complete it, and that is to travel through the cave-system all the way from the overworld to hell. But he has a fighting chance as the primal devil himself is supporting this little imp with a system. It will help him grow stronger as he travels through the cave-system, deep, deep, underground where such foul creatures lie that hell seems like a friendly place in comparison. But the primal devil isn't doing anything altruistically, but is training up the imp for a very special reason. [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] This will be an imp evolving and growing stronger as he delves deeper underground.
8 69 - In Serial28 Chapters
Directorate: Nationbuilding in Apocalypse
A nation is just a means of survival. Metro Manila fell within 5 months of the first report of cannibalism. Once a hyperurbanized region of 15 million inhabitants, it's been reduced to a dead, greenless shell. Most of the infected had since left to ravage the countryside. The central government was nowhere to be found. Among the survivors who clung to the few gardens and humble plots of arable land left, one of them finds evidence that the slaughter wasn't going to just end with the first wave. Without a nation and a wall of guns, everyone will die. Directorate is an original nationbuilding webnovel that focuses on the gradual rise to power of a select few individuals, and the subsequent unification of the survivors of a devastated Metro Manila. Releases targeted at every 1 to 3 weeks. If there are no chapter updates after 3 weeks, there will be a progress update. Number of releases targeted at a maximum of 100 chapters. Every 10-15 chapters, there will be a 1-month hiatus to let me plan for the next 10-15 chapters. Double releases have a not-insignificant-but-still-small chance of occurring. Original cover edited on GIMP. Destroyed city original photo "apocalypse" from Camila Rodrigues on Pixabay.
8 221 - In Serial30 Chapters
ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴍʏ ᴍᴜꜱᴇ ➳ ᴠᴏʟᴛᴜʀɪ ᴋɪɴɢꜱ
"𝘼𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙏𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧,𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤"• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • In which a human girl had her heart torn in two, not wanting to face her ex boyfriend and his new 'girlfriend' Estelle Campbell leaves the small town of Forks only to find herself in Italy. Volterra where she becomes a student at the school of arts.Little did she know three mysterious men were about to change her life forever....
8 102 - In Serial97 Chapters
Into the fire
The avengers have a lot going on. The world needs a lot of saving. And when the world calls, the avengers answer. Sometimes these missions go well, sometimes things happen outside of their control. And between trying to live a normal life, balancing relationships and trying not to die while out on missions.. well, it's not always so easy. And sometimes even the avengers need saving. But just because someone saves you once, doesn't mean they'll be there to catch you again. Not everyone is a hero. So is it someone they can trust? Or are they harboring secrets that could set their known world aflame? Fem avenger x fem o/c--------------AU avengers story. I don't own any of the marvel characters or anything that may pertain to the movie story lines. I do own the rest of the story. I know it's not much of a description.. but I am writing this one a little differently, so we'll see how it goes. If you're here, I appreciate the read and hope you enjoy! 🥇captain marvel First published : 4/5/22Last published : 8/30/22
8 221 - In Serial7 Chapters
spin my feelings - Chris sturniolo
"all because of a game."Who knew a stupid game could make someone's life go wrong? But maybe it wasn't wrong and it was right after all..?
8 123

