[Gah! Another ghast! Who's turn is it?]

[It's mine,] Sarah replied grumpily, [I'm willing to give it away though…]

Tiny immediately shot his hand up, an eager expression on his face.

[Settle down you big lug. Sheesh, you don't even get to eat 'em when they're done. Are you this greedy for experience as well now?]

The big ape gives me a long slow nod before extending a sombre thumbs up.

When it comes to hoarding things for myself, I'm always greedy.

I can practically hear the thoughts running through his head and it irritates me no end.

[We're going to do this democratically. I'm not handing you any more freebies just because I'm feeling lazy.]

[I-I would like the chance to hunt it, master.]

[Crinis? Got the hunger for levels I see! Good! How about that Tiny? Already another contender in the ring.]

He looks down at the black patch on my carapace, the pain of betrayal shining in his eyes.

[Get over it, you drama queen.]

Visible confusion ripples across his face.

[No I'm not explaining it.] I turn to Sarah, [are you sure you want to give this up? They reward a good chunk of experience, you know?]

The big Asura Bear shudders, a comical sight to say the least.

[No, it's fine. They're just so creepy. I'm happy to give up on it.]

[Alright then. Invidia? Are you in on this?]

…

[Okay! I thought I should be polite and ask rather than just assume… you know what? Fine. Next time we'll just put you straight in the draw. No need to glare at me like that.]

I mean, I know he's an envy demon but I felt it'd be rude to just throw his name in the hat without bothering to ask. The look he gave me though… ouch.

[I'm also going in on this one, so that means all four of us are in. Don't grimace like that Tiny, did you think I was going to sit them all out? You all know the drill, get ready, three, two, one!]

Tiny played rock, he always plays rock. The shadowy goop on my back stretched out to make scissors, Invidia formed a coloured barrier of paper and I formed scissors out of the ground beneath our feet.

[Who wins in this situation? I can't remember…]

[Master…]

[Maybe we do best two out of three?]

After a few more rounds we determine that I'm the winner. By which I mean, I determine that I'm the winner. Gweheheheh. The experience will be mine! I've been meaning to test a few new things anyway. I've been diligently practicing my force magic over the last week and now I think it's ranked up to the point where I can do some real damage with it. I have a few new spell forms up my carapace and I genuinely think that the oomph I'm able to pack into even the basic force bolts is enough to cause some real damage if I use them in the right way.

Compared to the limp wristed slapping they were when I first started using this particular affinity, they've now upgraded to a solid right cross.

Heheh, stupid ghost, you're in for it now. My minds spin into gear, winding up the force mana construct and spitting out the energy I need before I start shaping it into the required form. The moment my spell is ready, I fling it out at the unwary ghast, catching the demonic remnant by surprise.

The mana slings out in an open loops that catches around the monster and snaps shut around it, locking it in like a vice. Hah! You might be an ethereal douche-bag, but you sure as hell can't slip through a net made out of mana! The moment the spell takes hold, the hideous creature spins toward me and tries to reach out with its dreadful claws but instead finds itself bound tight. With an almost contemptuous attitude, the ghast begins to flex its might, aiming to break free.

Foolish monster. I find you're lack of faith… disturbing.

With the many brains I have at my disposal, a number of spells have already been in the making and they are unleashed one after another on the helpless foe before me. Condensed force bolts slam home like hammer blows, buffeting the beast and buying time for me to close the distance. As I prepare my dash, I send out another, more potent force bolt. Unlike the others which travelled in straight lines, this one curves through the air, striking down at the monster from above and smashing it down to the ground.

Filled with rage, the ghast finally breaks free of the cage I imposed on it, but it's far too late.

DOOM CHOMP COMBO!

With a few devastating snaps I shatter the final remnants of resistance within my enemy and its energy begins to dissipate as I start to read over the notifications from the system. Oh yes, give me that juicy XP. I need to many damn levels before I evolve again, I can hardly wait!

Man, it hasn't even been that long since I reached tier six and already I'm yearning for tier seven. Evolving is addictive as hell.

I'm so caught up in the moment of my victory, of thinking of the future and the short and sharp battle that I just participated in that I almost miss the tiny thread of thought that wriggled through the air, seeking out one particular member of our group. So faint, less that a whisper, practically just a breath, but even so it manages to snag my attention, but only barely. If I hadn't been practicing my mental skills so thoroughly then it may have slipped past entirely.

Insidious and careful, the thread of mind magic drifts through the air as I try to focus on it, to grasp it with my mind but it's so quiet I can barely sense it, and it moves like a leaf on the wind, drifting here and there on an unseen wind until finally it connects to the giant bear patting Tiny on the back as she comforts him for missing out on the fight. The moment it touches her she stiffens and sits up straight.

[Sarah…] it whispers.

[Jim?!] she gasps.

And then I'm there.

[BROOD KILLER!] I roar as my minds descend on that thread like a pack of wolves, herding the thread from all sides until I can strangle it in a vice grip. [TRAITOR! Your flesh will feed a thousand grubs for what you've done, worm! You hear me!? Do you think the Colony will ever forgive?! You can't slither away from us forever!]

[I can try…]

Like gossamer, like a spider web, the thread of mind mana falls apart in my grip, dissolving into nothing no matter how hard I try to hold on. Desperate to trace it I cast my minds out wide, hunting for any sign of that mana but there is none to be found. That punk worm must have worked his non-existent butt off to achieve this level of skill with mind bridges, it's the only way he could hope to connect to Sarah again without the Colony latching onto his location.

But still, this is a lead. There's no way he could reach us here from the second stratum, no hope at all. In fact, he can't be that far away, he must be burrowed into the tunnels between the layers.

The hunt is on.

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