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!]

vanished into the darkness, her body totally hidden from sight, so I make sure to 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

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

pre-dug tunnel,

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

believe it's collapsing

[Dammit!]

that easy. Run! Like the wind, Anthony! A thousand thoughts

impulses away I sink myself deep into meditation, letting my emotions run cold. I can't afford to get distracted when the trail is this

Do you have

too fast. I'm not able to

As long as he doesn't get too far ahead then we can follow the trail no matter

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 it's barely enough to

he's a worm, but he's one

a halt as I cast my senses about, trying to determine what has happened. My sense of Jim is fading, but not in the way it was previously. The

up! He might be going to

surface?] Crinis asks,

think he might be leaving the tunnels! Quick! We need to

way 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

[Thissss way.]

[You're sure?]

[Alwaysssss sure!]

for

we continue to run as somewhere ahead of us, just

Jim!] I hurl the 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 unwilling to

to cause anger to bubble up within me but under the effect of meditation I allow it to flow

her know why you betrayed her? Did you know she almost died because of

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

[… sorry,] I mumble.