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 here.

termites are defeated we can remove the mould from this area and return

the aphids

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

you still have the trail?] Sarah asks, sounding a little panicked as we continue to blast through the termite’s feeding

have it,] I confirm, [it's getting stronger even. Wherever they are, we're

internally, but externally she is all beef. Her legs are thicker than a person and positively bulging with muscle underneath all of that fur, much like her shoulders. In fact, the shoulders are even larger.

I tell her, [how do

snaps, [that usually takes care of

Oh, right.

waggle furiously as I follow the

along in my wake, suffering much like Sarah is in this long distance sprint, Invidia perched on his back like a

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

the termite nest. The whole

of expected it, but to see it for myself… it's just ridiculous! You could fit the main nest of the Colony into this thing ten times over

of Vibrant 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

and her group

Not. Acceptable.

roar to Tiny who is only too

giant ape rears back onto his legs 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

and blow up everything I

[Even the lizardsssss?]

[Especially them.]