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!

later something beneath us breaks before the fungus begins to bulge

[Termites!] Crinis yells.

surface layer splits to reveal the massive insects bursting through, their jaws filled with more fungus and their antennae swivelling wildly. In truth, they seem just as surprised to see us as we are to see them,

lock into position as I dash forwards hoping to catch the termite

many are

still

If things get too spicy we'll have to back out and retreat to safety

ROAR!

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

CHOMP!

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

don't have the luxury of pinning this termite down for

flailing as it corrects its balance, its jaws snapping shut on thin air, only to be met with my ferocious

you can't 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 it were only that, perhaps it wouldn't be much of an issue, but unfortunately for

getting hot in

Sarah wails as she bats

[How was I supposed to know this stuff was so

is the 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

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