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!]

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

past numerous demons who we simply knock to the side, unwilling to waste time fighting them. A

is travelling down a pre-dug tunnel, master.

likely the one he used to reach us in the first place. Any chance we can use it for

believe it's collapsing behind

[Dammit!]

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

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

Do you

I'm not able

long as he doesn't get too far ahead then we can follow

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

shouldn't be all that surprising, considering he's a

to determine what has happened. My sense of Jim

He might be going to breach

Crinis asks,

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

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

[Thissss way.]

[You're sure?]

[Alwaysssss sure!]

for

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

magic which may or may not even reach him. [Didn't you have something to say? Come back!

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

right here,] I taunt, [you sure you don't want to let her know why you betrayed her? Did you know she almost died because

and I turn my head a little to stare

[… sorry,] I mumble.