Chrysalis

I scramble to right myself just as Invidia drops down the tunnel and onto my back. Luckily that extra-dimensional heft of his doesn't translate to actual weight, otherwise he might've put a crack in my carapace.

[Which way?] I say to Jim.

[Um… Um… this way!]

[You don’t sound super confident.]

[It's going to be fine!]

There's an unusual note of panic in the worm's thoughts as he wriggles this way and that before throwing his head into a wall and chewing through it at a ridiculous pace. In a few moments his entire body is gone and all I have to do is squeeze into the tunnel he's dug.

[Just stay calm, Jim. Everything's going fine!] I try to soothe my associate.

He's wanted this for a long time but now that we come to it, he seems to be falling apart a little. As long as he can hold it together long enough for us to reach the outside tunnels we'll be alright.

Another mind stab comes my way, but significantly weaker than before and with Invidia's help I'm able to break it down before it strikes me. Perhaps we've managed to put enough distance between the Shaper's and ourselves to make manipulating mana more difficult for them? Whatever the case I'm glad for it!

With my demon pet following along behind, I start to use my earth mana to collapse the tunnel behind us as we dig. Don't want those nosy Shapers following too easily. I don't doubt they can shift the dirt using earth magic, same as I can, but every little bit helps. I'm not sure what the Shapers will do if they happen to catch us again, probably not anything too lethal, although I'd rather not put that thought to the test. They've been trying to tenderise my juicy flesh since the stupid tournament started after all.

The going is a bit slower now as we're well out of range of Jim's prepared micro tunnels. Still, if I had to have anyone on my side to chew through reinforced stone, it would be Jim. He's incredibly quick, using a combination of his own earth mana and raw chewing power to break down the stone and chow down on it.

At first I wasn't sure what was happening to the rock and I had to ask him.

[You actually eat the stone?]

[Heck yeah. Delicious!]

[I refuse to believe that rocks are delicious.]

missing out. Also I can break it down into earth

[You can what?!]

he can keep churning out his earth magic. The dude turned himself into a literal digging machine in order to break out from the Shapers' control. That's the level of dedication he has and I respect

next ten minutes, Jim works his magic and gobbles down stone as I

almost there!] Jim calls back

They haven't followed

to keep us that

locked up for freaking years, Jim! You really think they're

you is that the stone is getting softer. We shouldn't be far away from a Dungeon

last day, which makes sense. If they came close enough to recognise that there's an entire Golgari empire operating in

me around. She's a bit nervous at the best of times. Having to go it alone for such a long time is sure to put some stress on

BABY! We out!] Jim cries with

[Seriously?!]

for this moment! Screw you, Shapers! I'm

slithering butt, Jim! Invidia

will take

[Damn right!]

[Alright, hold your carapace.]

slides his body forward and I dash out to embrace the sweet, sweet free air. At last! I was only locked up for a period of weeks but that was long enough to know that it

way smoother than I expected] I wonder out

could you doubt my incredible powers?] Jim

on

or columns at all. It almost

up with that

are

got all these… pictures and

[What do you mean?]