Chrysalis

The fungus rattles around us and every member of the group stills themselves, casting our senses about to identify the source of the movement.

[Crinis? You got anything?]

[It's difficult for me to see,] the usually reserved Crinis sounds frustrated and irritated, [the fungus has a mana signature that blocks my sight.]

Dammit.

[What about shadows? Are you seeing anything around us?]

[I think there are tunnels beneath us, but it's hard to say.]

That's not unexpected, considering where we are, I have little doubt that the termites have tunnels beneath us and all over this mountain for that matter.

[Stay sharp everyone. I think we might have company soon.]

The fungus continues to rattle and shake as I eye it warily, my minds already spinning up the constructs necessary to fight. I decide to start pumping out fire mana, since it seems like it'll have the biggest effect on the mould around us as well as on whatever comes out to fight.

The rattling all around us continues to intensify before it suddenly grows still, the five of us left watching the field of white in perfect silence.

SNAP!

begins to bulge in certain places,

[Termites!] Crinis yells.

seem just as surprised

dash forwards hoping to catch the termite on my right

how many

I'm not sure! I still can't sense underground through

stick here and fight for now, but don't let yourself get cornered! If things get too spicy we'll

ROAR!

Tiny rumbles forward, his frightening mass towering over the termites as he swings with colossal force, his fists tearing through the

CHOMP!

indignation, my opponent tries to pull back and snap onto my front left leg. In a normal fight between ants and other social insects, the battle for the

luxury of pinning this termite down for

as it corrects its balance, its jaws snapping shut on thin air, only to be met with my ferocious charge a second later. The impact of activating the skill

it stands. What I don't expect is for the flame to instantly spread to the mould, melting it like wax even as it catches fire. If it

hot

Sarah wails as she bats away the termites

was I supposed to know this

their garden sends them into a frenzy as they alternate between trying to put the fire out and punish us for setting it off. I see a few of

my mandibles for another chomp. [Let's clean up