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!

beneath us breaks before the fungus begins to bulge in certain places, pushing upward as

[Termites!] Crinis yells.

swivelling wildly. In truth, they seem just as surprised to see us as we are to see them, but

hoping to catch the termite on my right by surprise as it emerges

how many are

I still can't sense underground through

We'll stick here and fight for now, but don't let yourself get cornered! If things get too spicy we'll have to back out and retreat to safety over the

ROAR!

he swings with colossal force, his fists tearing through the air to crunch into the chitin covered insects, shattering their shells

CHOMP!

down. Chittering with indignation, my opponent tries to pull back and snap onto

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

you don't! 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 a second later. The impact of activating the skill is staggering and the

handle my shiny glory! Unwilling to play with it 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

hot

as she bats away the termites

cry. [How was I supposed to know

reaction of our termite opponents. The sudden ignition of 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 them duck back underground and rush off through the tunnels, doubtless going to get

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