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.]

have come here. I hate this

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

the aphids are

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

still have the trail?] Sarah asks, sounding a little panicked as

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

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 her strength, she isn't much of a long distance

on your stamina somehow,] I tell her,

she snaps, [that usually takes

Oh, right.

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

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

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

the termite nest. The whole damn mountain is

but to see it for myself… it's just ridiculous! You could fit the

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

shields and spells to lock Vibrant and her group into a fight so that the termites can harvest them for

Not. Acceptable.

to Tiny who is only too happy to

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.]