Chrysalis

Tiny can sense it too. I have no idea how, but he begins to stare hard at the walls, electricity crackling in his eyes alongside the rage. He really seems to be working himself into a frenzy!

Dropping off the Larvae I'd been carrying I return to the Queens chamber which is growing brighter by the moment, the light is nearly blindingly bright, my legs are soaking up mana so quickly the floor feel hot to me, as if I were standing on a hot plate.

So much energy! It's almost unfathomable just how much mana is rippling through the walls. Just what could someone do with all of this power?! If this scene is being replicated throughout the entire Dungeon, thousands of square kilometres… I just…. I can't bring myself to think where it all comes from.

There has to be a source, right?!

Unease and fear shift in my heart as I think of it. Something that is capable of a feat such as this….

With just a tiny fraction of this energy I can create an all devouring sphere of death…. With just the smallest taste of the mana that is thumping through the walls in just this one chamber.

I shudder to think what the expanse looks like right now.

As the heat signatures bloom all around me I can't help but turn constantly to stare hard at one and then the next, never knowing exactly when one was going to burst into life. The tight packages of blazing heat I can feel don't grow at a constant speed, one of them will flare brightly, making me turn to look only for it to fade back slightly whilst another suddenly explodes with growth, making me turn. Over and over it happens until I'm dizzy from spinning.

I almost feel as if I want them to start leaping out of the walls, just so I know it has started.

The ants continue their constant shuffling, bringing the brood into our escape tunnel before leaving and returning to bring more.

The escape tunnel itself remains blessedly dark, untouched by the veins of light the flare brighter and brighter each second.

*Scratch* *scratch* *scratch*.

What the heck was that?!

claws… or teeth… on stone. I can't

Then:

*scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch* *scratch*

shaft, from the brood chamber and from everywhere in the Dungeon the horrible scratching erupted

are practically on fire and my heart is pounding in my chest. This is almost more

mandibles to stop them

dungeon… stupid monsters …. You … you want

want to come in here and fight

THEN, SHOW THIS

*CRASH*

shower of loose earth flying throughout the room and into my eyes. I flinch back

lips are drawn far back in a ferocious screech as the ropes of muscle in his shoulder

muffled by

the monster between his thick fingers. The beast looks nothing like anything I'd

monster follows no natural design, I've never seen anything remotely

shrieks and writhes in his grip, tentacles and clawed hands lashing at Tiny's long arm. The

crazed snakes. The creature shrieks

Tiny….

it… With lightning?! That is

*CRASH**CRASH**CRASH**CRASH**CRASH*

fangs start to tear through the dirt all around us. Some ants get caught as they run with the newborn charges

Dammit!

running. As the walls break to pieces around me the dirt explodes as thrashing limbs and gnashing jaws claw their way