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.]

come here. I

on the bright side. When the termites are defeated we can remove the mould from this area and return it to wonderful forest, filled with

alright, the aphids

of ant superiority. Even if we started fungus farming, we wouldn't let it run wild and out of control like

asks, sounding a little panicked as we continue to blast through the termite’s

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

be a somewhat delicate flower internally, but externally she is all beef. Her legs are thicker than a person and positively bulging with muscle

to work on your stamina somehow,] I tell

she snaps, [that usually

Oh, right.

hastily assure her. My antennae waggle furiously as I follow the trail. [The trail is starting to curve, follow

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

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

is the termite nest. The whole damn mountain is

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

shocking development is the appearance 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 enough, but watching from above are

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

Not. Acceptable.

in there!] I roar to Tiny

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.

blow up everything I don't

[Even the lizardsssss?]

[Especially them.]