Chrysalis

[He's close! We need to get all minds on the job. Try and find his mana signature. It'll be hard, he's good at hiding, so we need to get on this now!]

[Anthony…] Sarah's mind hesitantly reaches out to mine.

[Later,] I tell her brusquely, [I can hear what you have to say later. The Colony won't be dissuaded on this, not after what he did.]

I switch my mind directly to my allies.

[Crinis, reach out through the shadows, cover as much ground as you can.]

I reach back and pat her with one antenna.

[This will be a huge strain on you, so be careful. It's important, but not more important than you are.]

[I understand, master.]

[Al, I need you to help track down this worm.]

[I do not understand. Confusion. What is a worm?]

[It's a type of creature that’s long and burrows through the ground. Just try and find the damn traitor, please?]

[I will try.]

As I've been talking all of my minds have already bent themselves to the task of tracing the mana that Jim wove with such cunning. I refuse to believe he's so good that he can hide all evidence of his weaving.

Wherewherewherewherewherewherewherewherewherewherewhere?!?!

AHA! A sniff!

[This way!] I roar over the mind bridge to my team and we rush northwards. [Crinis! Let's go!]

forward like a terrier on the trail. He covered his tracks as carefully as only a true coward can, but he can't compete with my mind power! Once I put Invidia and Al on the case, our grip on his trail becomes even tighter. Unfortunately, he’s just moving

as we rush through the tunnels, brushing past numerous demons who we simply knock to the side, unwilling to waste time fighting them.

a pre-dug tunnel, master.

one he used to reach us in the first place. Any

believe it's collapsing

[Dammit!]

for is betrayal and running away! But we have the scent and I sure as hell am not going to let him off that easy. Run! Like the wind, Anthony! A thousand thoughts try to intrude on my mind as we run.

cold. I can't afford to get distracted when the trail is this faint and hard to

Do you

fast. I'm not able

get too far ahead then we can follow the trail

core despite the fact that I should be able to sense it at my level

he's a worm, but he's one slippery

I screech to a halt as I cast my senses about, trying to determine

be going to breach the

Crinis

think he might be leaving the tunnels! Quick!

it takes far less time for the worm to wriggle his way up than it does for us, as we run and climb our way out of the tunnels our hold on the trail grows ever more faint. By the time we reach the plains I can barely sense him at all, only Invidia and

[Thissss way.]

[You're sure?]

[Alwaysssss sure!]

for

our feet carpeted in battling demon larvae, we continue to run as somewhere ahead of us,

the thoughts forward wildly, blasting out a wave of mind magic which may or may not even

up within me but under the effect of meditation I allow it

want to let her know why you betrayed her? Did you know she almost died because of you? Why

and I turn my head

[… sorry,] I mumble.