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.]

never have come here.

defeated we can remove the mould from this area

the aphids

if we started fungus farming, we wouldn't let it run wild and out of control

little

getting stronger even. Wherever they

than a person and positively bulging with

your stamina somehow,] I tell her, [how

snaps, [that usually takes care

Oh, right.

no need for that here and now,] I hastily assure her. My antennae waggle furiously as I follow the trail.

the right, 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

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 get from here. There are holes, all over the place, fortified with dirt and

The whole damn

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 our quarry. In the mouth of the tunnel a tight gathering of ants can be seen, the large form 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

to lock Vibrant and her group into a fight so that the termites can harvest

Not. Acceptable.

to Tiny who is only

enormous palms, bellowing his rage in an ear shattering roar that shakes the trees around us. Then

blow up everything I

[Even the lizardsssss?]

[Especially them.]