Chrysalis

Dig, dig, dig, dig, DIG, DIG, DIG!

The mountain shakes beneath us as a catastrophic BOOM rips through the nest and the temperature skyrockets again. The tunnel opening behind us glows brightly before the first hint of lava is seen.

[Invidia! Block it off, quick!]

Another BOOM shakes the stone around us as Invidia quickly weaves stone to protect us. Experience notifications are starting to pour in, but I don’t have the time to pay them any attention. Instead, my focus is on pumping my jaws as quickly as possible.

Have. To. Dig!

My earth mana infused mandibles rip through the dirt and stone at incredible speed, but we have a long way to go before we reach safety. Just how powerful is this spell going to be? I knew it would pack a punch simply based on the amount of mana and complexity required, and I compressed all the energy I poured into it for good measure. Even so, this literal mountain-shaking response is more than I expected.

In fact, I so didn’t expect it that I’m once again at risk of getting roasted by my own spell. I really need to work on this issue, I’ve come closer to ending my second life than my opponents have.

Enough thinking! More digging!

My face is on fire, even with the refreshing energy of the Colony rushing through my body. The combo biting doesn’t stop, and Crinis does her best to sweep away the loose material and funnel it behind us.

[The sssstonesss won’t holdsss!]

I shift my head slightly and I can see the “plug” that Invidia has been working on is starting to crack, the seams glowing bright as the rock heats up. Poor Tiny still has a foot on it, and he yanks it off as his skin starts to sizzle.

Ah, nards. This is going to get hairy.

[I’ll help with the rock, keep pushing!]

I divert some of my minds to helping channel earth mana, hardening the layer of rock being pushed up behind us by the lava pressure. The only thing that gets us out of here is if we break through!

Chompchompchompchompchomp!

Come on!

bite slams through the rock and I feel the resistance break as I blow through

Gogogogogogo!] I

through the opening to clear the way and am immediately dived on by a dozen termites who start gnawing on my

time

VOID CHOMP!

feels like the muscles in my face are on the verge of snapping, but I unleash my potent bite and evaporate the offending cockroaches, only to find a hundred more in their

of course there

be collapsing around them, but are they going to let the opportunity to gnaw on me pass them by?

lizards have just abandoned ship at this point.

they aren’t going to get

need to

way. Not a moment too

more and more of the stuff

how much lava is coming out of that

RUMBLE.

through the mountain, sending the fine hairs on my antennae trembling. What the heck was

beneath us when we

[I think so, Master.]

fungus is… highly

[Yyyyes… yes it is.]