Chrysalis

[Run, run, run!] I holler at the others as we continue to sprint through the mould covered forest.

It really is obnoxious to run through this mess. There's mould beneath us, beside us and crawling up the trees to cover the canopy above us. It's like being in a suffocating winter wonderland except far more horrifying. Especially now that some of it is on fire.

[I don't think more fire will be a good idea, Master!] Crinis suggests as we race through the terrain.

[We might need another distraction soon. Starting a small fire will get the termites off our trail.]

[Won't it just bring more of them?] Sarah demands.

[I mean, yes. But also, yes…]

They be distracted though…

Perhaps that's still not good enough.

[No more fires,] Sarah tells me firmly, [we can think of something else.]

[Hmph. You're just worried about the fungus spores getting inside you,] I mutter.

[I hadn't even thought of that! Anthony!]

[Breathe it in deep. That's the sweet smell of fungus country.]

should never have come

the bright side. When the termites are defeated we can remove the mould from this area

the

aspect of ant superiority. Even if we started fungus farming, we wouldn't let it

the trail?] Sarah asks, sounding a little panicked as we continue to blast through

it,] I confirm, [it's getting stronger even. Wherever they

than a person and positively bulging with muscle underneath all of that fur, much like

work on your stamina somehow,] I tell her, [how do

snaps, [that usually

Oh, right.

assure her. My antennae waggle furiously as I follow the trail. [The trail is

taking a chance to look behind as I do. There are definitely termites on our trail, but I can't really tell how many. Tiny bounds along in my wake, suffering much like Sarah is in this long distance sprint, Invidia perched on his back like a nightmarish bat, green eye blazing with energy as he surveys the land. We rush through a cluster of trees, blasting away the mould that had grown up to fill the space between them and

point we had been running further inland, heading up the slope of the side of the mountain which had been increasing the further we'd gone and I'd expected that to continue, but it seems as if our opponents had a different concept for this landscape. In front of us a vast yawning chasm has been carved into the rock, the trees cleared for hundreds of metres in all directions. Like a passageway into the pit of doom, the wide tunnel is completely black on the inside, with no light source to be discerned from this distance. More terrifying still, is the view of the mountain I

The whole damn mountain

see it for myself… it's just ridiculous! You could fit the main nest of the Colony into this thing ten

zipping here and there amongst them. It's too bad they aren't alone. Not only are they swarmed by a host of termites, which is bad enough, but watching from above are five kaarmodo with their attendants in tow. In a flash I take in the full scene, drawing knowledge from the Vestibule as I allow the will of Vibrant and her

kaarmodo are pinning them here, using shields and spells to lock Vibrant and her group into a fight so that the termites

Not. Acceptable.

roar to Tiny who is

and thumps his chest with his enormous palms, bellowing his rage in an ear shattering roar that shakes the trees around us. Then he's off, bounding across the mould covered stone, his fists cracking the ground with every step, gathering momentum as he

him alive and blow up everything I

[Even the lizardsssss?]

[Especially them.]