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. I hate this

the mould from this

the aphids are

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

sounding a little panicked

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

of relief from the giant bear as she heaves for air. She may be a somewhat delicate flower 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. For all of

your stamina somehow,] I tell

[that usually

Oh, right.

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

to 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 through a cluster of trees, blasting away

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 get from here. There are holes, all over the place, fortified with dirt and each angled differently. It's clear to see that they aren't natural features of the terrain, and judging

the termite nest. The whole damn

of expected it, but to see it for myself… it's just ridiculous! You could fit the main nest of

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

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

Not. Acceptable.

there!] I roar to Tiny who

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

blow up everything I don't

[Even the lizardsssss?]

[Especially them.]