Chapter 364 - Crushed

Unable to refuse my  order, Crinis was forced to extend multiple tentacles which she unwillingly  began to wrap around my carapace and squeeze, the lacklustre force evidence to  her confusion and reluctance.

[Crinis!] I cried  out in agony, [If you don't compress me I'm gonna pop! Please!]

The outward  pressure continued to build as the energy in core swirled dangerously, drawing  more and more from the rare core into itself and growing larger with each  moment that passed.

Crack!

Deep within my body  a horrific sound reverberated outward and waves of pain washed through my  entire body, sending me writhing and twisting on the floor. 

[Crinis!]

[I'll do it!]

Suddenly afraid,  Crinis reached out with more tentacles and wrapped them around my body  covering almost every inch of my carapace and began to squeeze.

I became still, not  because it hurt any less, in fact, in began to hurt more, but with Crinis  wrapping me up so tight there wasn't anywhere I could go! In fact, in her rush  to obey my desperate plea, she inadvertently caught one of my legs up in her  tentacles and the limb was immediately crushed.

She's strong!

But holy moly, this  hurts! The outward pressure of the growing core has now been met with the  inward pressure of Crinis. I have no sound medical basis for this procedure,  but I'm rolling with my gut instinct here! If all goes well, maybe I'll survive…

Please finish soon,  please finish soon. COME ON!

In the centre of my  thorax, my innards are being shredded, pressed down onto the core, they are  being used in an attempt to hold the stressed gem together whilst also having  to endure the core pressing back against them. Ravaging pain the likes of  which I feel I've only experienced once before when my human body had started  eating itself as I starved, abandoned in my own home.

Back then, the only  thing I had to live for was my colony.

Strangely enough,  that's still true today!

I REFUSE TO DIE!

[Give it everything  Crinis! Don't worry about me!]

[Ahhhh- OK!]

Pressure.

More and more,  Crinis' limbs crushed and grinded down on my carapace with such force that  even my diamond shell began to crack and splinter beneath her ministrations.  The inward force and the outward pressure continued to grind my insides to  paste and it was all I could do not to pass out.

Activate the  regeneration gland!

I have a horrible  feeling that this is gonna hurt. But if I can keep my organs functioning for a  bit longer, maybe I'll be able to survive. 

AAAAARGGGHHH!

I'd writhe in pain,  but I can't! How much longer to go?!

I rolled my eyes  around until I spotted the core lying on the ground in front of me, a steady  stream of energy vapour pouring off it and into me. I think I'm about halfway  through absorbing what's left of it. Half way through and I'm barely hanging on!

Come on Anthony!  Would the Queen whinge and moan like this? No! Hold yourself together! Show  the other ants how it's done!

I continued to  endure through the agony which seemed to defy the odds and grow worse each  second. Just stop it, pain! Nobody asked you to get any worse! EERGHHH. I'm  losing my sense of things, as well as my senses. At least I think I am, is  everything fading?

I startled Crinis  by starting to bang what little was exposed of my head into the floor of the  chamber.

Wake up Anthony! No  time for sleeping! There's a lot of stuff still to do and it won't get done if  you pass out and die here! Grit those face hands and endure you son of a  Queen!

Inch by agonizing  inch the core was absorbed into me, it's energy overflowing into my own core  and fuelling it's growth. I better get one hell of an evolution out of this!  Despite my best efforts, my mind is starting to fade. The pain is too much. Is  this what it would feel like if Tiny tried to do math? Reality is slipping  from my grasp.

It would be so  easy. So easy, just to let all go. But I won't. I'm a stubborn creature at  heart.

Did I let it go  when I was abandoned by my family? Nope. Or when I was kicked out of school  and shunned by everyone I'd known? Negative! I'm not likely to give up now  that there are people (ants) who actually need me!

Despite the intense  pain, a sense of purpose and determination welled up inside me and I grabbed  hold of with all six legs plus my mandibles. I can take it!

And I did. I held  on until the final wisp of energy leaked out of the rare core and it  disappeared inside me, the ordeal finally complete.

Except it isn't! 

It still hurts like  all get out! If I don't evolve immediately, I might not be able to hold onto  consciousness, pass out and die! That  would be a stupid ending to this saga! Stupid me! I wanted to talk to the  Queen and maybe check in with the council before I evolved! I should have  known I'd end up like this! I can only curse my own impatience and stupidity.

I'll just trust  that they have things in claw and that my input isn't needed. The colony has  already come a long way in this regard, and the Queen has provided steady  leadership for the colony since before I was born. Now that her species has  changed and she's probably evolved even further, I'm sure she's more than up  for the task. No to mention the council has improved by leaps and bounds since  they first 'graduated' my training. They'll have things organised, no doubt,  by the time I'm done dealing with this, I'll be ready to leap into the battle  and slot into whatever plan they've cooked up.

ARGH! Dangit this stings! It's like my heart is  being crushed!

There isn't long  until the horde arrives anyway, the sooner I evolve maybe the better.

Argh! Thing  fricken' thing! Oh.

[Crinis, you can  let me go know.]

[Oh! O-Of course!]

Not being crushed  to death my own pet helps the pain a little, but not much. It's time. I need  to engage the evolution menu!