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!]

call to her before I dash 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

worm so nimble?!] I rant as we rush through the tunnels, brushing past numerous demons who we simply knock to the side, unwilling

tunnel, master. I can sense it

one he used to reach us in the first place.

it's collapsing

[Dammit!]

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. I spent time with Jim. He helped me escape from the golgari as well. He's been Sarah's friend for decades. But none of these things matter,

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

Do you have

able

yourself too hard. As long as he doesn't get too far ahead then we can follow

I know he's not that far away, but I can't seem to grab hold of his core despite the fact that I should be able to sense it at my level of mana sight. I have a dozen minds out sweeping ahead, hunting for every little skerrick of energy that leaks beyond the fleeing coward's control and

all that surprising, considering he's a worm, but he's one slippery

I screech to a halt as I cast my senses about, trying to determine what has happened. My sense of Jim

might be going to breach

Crinis asks,

think he might be

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 Al

[Thissss way.]

[You're sure?]

[Alwaysssss sure!]

enough for me,

ground beneath our feet carpeted in battling demon larvae, we continue to run as somewhere ahead

thoughts forward wildly, blasting out a wave of mind magic which may or may not even reach him. [Didn't you have something to say? Come back! Or are you

anger to bubble up within me but under the effect of

know why you betrayed her? Did you know she almost died because of you? Why don't you come on back and apologise? My mandibles

at me with her mind and I turn my head a little to stare at

[… sorry,] I mumble.