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!]

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 my mind power! Once

brushing past numerous demons who we simply knock to the side, unwilling

pre-dug tunnel, master. I can sense it

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

it's

[Dammit!]

only thing this idiot is good 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

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

you

able to catch

too far ahead then we can follow the trail no

purchased an organ or skill that helps him hide his mana. 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 it's barely enough to keep track of

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

about, trying to determine what has happened. My sense of Jim is fading, but not

up! He might be going to breach

Crinis

the plains! I think he might be leaving the tunnels! Quick! We

up than it does for us, as we run and climb our way out of the tunnels our hold on the trail grows ever

[Thissss way.]

[You're sure?]

[Alwaysssss sure!]

for

on the plains now, the ground beneath our feet carpeted in battling demon larvae, we continue to run as somewhere ahead of us, just below the surface,

mind magic which may or may not even reach him. [Didn't you have

up within me but

here,] I taunt, [you sure you don't want to let her 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 will welcome

at me with her mind and I turn my head a

[… sorry,] I mumble.