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!

fungus begins to bulge in certain places, pushing upward

[Termites!] Crinis yells.

antennae swivelling wildly. In truth, they seem just as surprised to see us as we are to see them, but that doesn't stop either side

position as I dash forwards hoping to catch the termite on my right by surprise as

many are

not sure! I still can't

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

ROAR!

he swings with colossal force, his fists

CHOMP!

head as it doesn't turn in time to get its jaws between itself and me. With a satisfying crunch the barbs on my mandibles punch through its shell, but without activating my skills, a single bite isn't enough to put one of these creatures down. Chittering with 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 legs is everything. With huge numbers available on both sides, fighting one on one is basically unheard of, instead teams will try to gang up on an individual, latching onto their limbs and holding them down so others can move in for

of pinning this termite down for my ant allies to finish off,

With a heave of my mighty frame I send the bug staggering back, its six legs flailing as it corrects its balance, its jaws snapping shut on thin air, only to be met with my ferocious charge

any further, I spin up the mana I've kept in reserve and unleash a torrent of blue flame, roasting the termite where 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 were only that, perhaps it wouldn't be much

hot

What the heck did you do?!] Sarah wails as she bats away the termites who try to swarm

know!] I cry. [How was I supposed to know this stuff was so damn

fire out

warn the others as I ready my mandibles for another chomp. [Let's clean