Chrysalis Chapter 1788 - Unintended Consequences

My current situation dictates that I cannot remain to observe the fallout of my choices, as a deluge of sludge would undoubtedly obliterate me. However, I possess a strong premonition regarding the outcome.

The tremors actively destabilizing the ground beneath my feet offer a clear indication of the destructive forces at play behind me. Furthermore, the information relayed by my antennae paints a vivid picture.

The vibrations are immense. I can discern a roar akin to a surging ocean, and an unnatural force compels the air to rush past me with astonishing velocity. It appears the arterial vessel did indeed rupture, unleashing a significant portion of the accumulated sludge from the host's internal cavities. This discharge, combined with the contents of the drained lake, has instigated a flood of truly colossal proportions.

My senses confirm this, as the tunnel behind me is rapidly being inundated with a viscous mucus, its swift advance unsettling.

To what extent am I expected to flee?!

I have traversed kilometers away from the point of origin—kilometers! This is an event of extinction-level magnitude! While I anticipate this viscous substance will eventually settle into lower strata, its immediate consequence is a forceful outward propulsion due to the oversaturation of subterranean tunnels, leaving no capacity for downward drainage.

My intention is not to retreat laterally, but rather to seek an upward trajectory. Alas, the subterranean schematics indicate my current position remains below the lakes that impede the Colony's access to these lower domains. A premature ascent could result in my entrapment beneath a lake as the mucus engulfs the lower tunnels, crushing me within the confines.

Such a risk is unacceptable!

Entrapment by slime is not the fate destined for this ant! They nearly succeeded once; that will not be repeated. To any Krath inhabitants in the vicinity, I can only offer… my apologies.

It is highly improbable that they will escape the inundation of their secluded sanctuaries by a torrent of virulent slime. Regardless of the efficacy of their concealment or the narrowness of their concealed passages, the sheer volume and pressure of the mucus will inevitably breach their defenses.

Were they not the most malicious and detestable species inhabiting Pangera, I might harbor greater remorse. However, it proves challenging to extend sympathy to them. Why could they not exhibit traits similar to the chal? I acknowledge their corruption, yet the snails possess admirable qualities, including rather distinguished mustaches! Surely, a few such characteristics could have endured Theorrazzn's corrupting influence.

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Should I ever encounter that Ancient being, a stern admonishment will be delivered. Their actions have precipitated considerable disarray in this region.

For the present, I persist in my flight, my six legs propelling me at maximum speed. The surrounding monstrous entities join my desperate race for survival. Even the indigenous fauna of the fifth stratum comprehend the limits of their tolerance for this pervasive slime, and the current level far exceeds any reasonable threshold.

In my wake, the vanguard of the mucus wave seethes and froths ferociously, dissolving everything it contacts. Patches of mold and fungus transform into billowing clouds of acidic vapor, propelled onward by the encroaching sludge. Consequently, I am compelled to navigate over colossal snails, amorphous sludge beings, peculiar half-crustaceans, and a plethora of other bizarre creatures inhabiting this locale.

They lash out with their appendages and mandibles, yet their attacks lack conviction, their primary focus being self-preservation rather than confrontation. I deeply wish I possessed the audacity to traverse the ceiling, but the sodden, yielding canopy inspires no confidence in its load-bearing capacity. Thus, I remain here, amidst the fleeing monstrosities, struggling for survival.

Regrettably for the majority of the mollusk-like denizens, their mobility is insufficient. I prefer not to avert my gaze to witness their fate; the potential consequences for myself should I falter are too grim to contemplate.

Ahead, a divergence in the tunnel presents itself, one ascending. This time, my intention is to embrace it. With a measure of fortune, its gradient will lead me away from this perilous zone.

Numerous other creatures share this objective, triggering a frenzied surge as we all scramble up the walls to reach the path to safety. Eventually, I am forced to leap, vaulting over a particularly grotesque, gelatinous entity to gain access to the upward passage.

My landing is heavy, crushing several smaller organisms beneath my limbs before I resume my rapid descent. Once a safe distance is established, I pause to glance backward.

Respecting the fundamental laws of physics, the mucus wave proceeds down the lower passage first, affording me a brief respite. Its sickly green and yellow hue betrays its extreme potency and alarming velocity, the sheer volume of sludge propelling it forward through sheer hydrostatic pressure. Within mere minutes, the lower tunnel is half-submerged, and the level continues its relentless ascent. A few more moments, and it reaches the apex, encroaching upon the ceiling, and still rising, pushing into the available space—the very tunnel I currently occupy.

That was… alarmingly swift. My word. Just how vast is the quantity of this substance remaining?

Reflecting on the immense distance traversed and the countless tunnel offshoots encountered en route… each one likely saturated with copious amounts of viscous fluid… it’s quite overwhelming.

The Colony may find it necessary to postpone their endeavors temporarily. Resumption will be feasible once all the drainage has been completed, but until that time, infusing these passages with purified mana would prove utterly futile.