Chrysalis

It’s a shame that I haven’t been able to enjoy the fourth stratum a little more thanks to the assault we endured from the termites. With the pressure abated and a solid, well constructed nest established, the Colony is now able to take a breath and expand out into the area. Naturally, that means fighting all the monsters which were previously suppressed by our insect rivals and their endless fields of fungus.

“Die, fiend!” I rage as I bring my reforged mandibles down on a claw-centipede, shattering the brightly glittering diamond carapace with ease and ending its life with a single blow.

Seriously, if you aren’t tough enough to survive the attention, then don’t make yourself so easy to spot! Swanning about on all those legs like a mirrorball at a disco, you think we can’t see you?!

In fact, since the centipedes move in packs, they’re so easy to see moving around it’s a miracle they survive at all! Though I may be biased in this regard. Not every monster on the fourth is going to hunt them down with extreme dedication as I am, and as much as I hate to say it, this new breed of my hated foe is rather tough. They’ve seemingly popped up everywhere, mounds filled with the lousy things are all over the place, and since they cooperate well with each other, they’re doing rather well.

Not for long, though.

I toss what’s left of my opponent back to Invidia and he opens his multi-dimensional gob to store it. I get the feeling the diamond coating on these bugs will turn out to be a useful material, so we may as well harvest all we can. If Smithant can’t figure out a good way to use it, then we’ll feed it to the grubs. It may bring them good luck, or something.

Another pack of too-many-legged monstrosities dealt with, I take a moment to look around and enjoy the view.

The fourth stratum sure is easy on the ol’ eyeballs. Filled with life mana, the entire place just sparkles with vibrant energy. The water glitters like a rolling sea of jewels, the plants and trees are radiant and bursting with vitality, even the air feels brighter and cleaner. Doesn’t hurt that it’s so much better lit than previous strata as well, it almost feels like daytime walking about on the surface, and inside the tunnels it's cosy and clear.

[What do you think of the view, crew?] I ask the others.

looks about and

can’t really see it,

stares at the environment, his eye aglow with hateful

you

he hisses, and

be a first. Although, considering he’s from the third, which is quite diametrically opposed to this layer, I shouldn’t be that surprised he doesn’t really vibe

heads up, I think we’ve got

number of these monsters, which I’ve dubbed ‘elementals’. We fought one during the last wave, a water elemental, which proved to be a bizarre and unique type of

my mana sense, which is always on these days, shows a definite spike in energy. Second is the purity of the liquid. Water on this stratum shimmers like a sapphire, as I already said, but this takes it to the next level. If a human looked at it

[Tiny, you ready?]

ape unfolds his shadow wings and leaps high into the air, his fists igniting as he reaches the apex of his jump. Sensing danger,

fists slamming into the sentient liquid and discharging sizzling electricity down

elemental can’t scream or yell, but in its own watery way, it thrashes and communicates its displeasure well enough. With

shout at the others, a split-second before

as the elemental fires its water cannon directly at me, the pressurised liquid as hard as diamond at the laser-like

me, I saw it coming, in the literal sense,