A faint tremor ran through the Adam's legs as he stood before the wall of damp, fleshy mushrooms. The air was thick with a pungent, earthy rot that clung to his mandibles, seeping into every breath. His vision swam for a moment, the ground seeming to tilt beneath him.
The cold, flat tone of the system echoed in his mind:
[Status: Poison Detected]
[Warning: Hallucinations may occur]
His antennae twitched sharply. There was no time to hesitate. He dug his claws into the soil beside him, scooping out cool, sticky mud. Each motion felt heavier than the last, as if the air itself resisted him to not continue further. The first smear of clay hit the mushroom mesh with a wet slap, muffling the faint hissing it made as it released its poisonous mist. Careful to not inhale the mist he layered more, packing it tight until the pale surface vanished under dull brown.
But mud alone was not enough. With his head still buzzing, he pulled a strand of silk from his abdomen and began weaving. The web clung to the mud, sealing every seam, wrapping the growth in a suffocating cocoon. Ensuring no gas could escape any further.
When the work was done, he backed away, legs trembling, not from fear, but from the haze clouding his thoughts. He turned and dug another chamber, smaller, a little further from the main tunnel. The poisonous mist still lingered in the air. There, he carefully placed the webbed, cocooned ball of his infected ants.
His gaze lingered on them, still, faintly twitching, their movements erratic beneath the silk. The sight twisted in his chest. He needed a cure. Adam hurried to the storage chamber, forcing his unsteady steps. His claws scraped over the rough floor until they closed on a familiar shape. The pale-stemmed healing mushroom, its scent sharp and clean compared to the rot in his mandibles. I hope this is enough. He wished, looking to the stars he had not yet seen in this world. He tore into it. The bitterness spread across his tongue, followed by a cooling wave in his body.
Please let this work. He prayed to himself in solitude.
Then Slowly, after a while, the weight lifted from his limbs, the fog in his mind burning away.
Relief rushed through him. It worked.
He returned to the sealed ants, slicing the silk open one by one. The faint, muffled clicks of distress filled the air. He fed each of them the healing mushroom, watching as their frantic movements slowed. One after another, their breathing steadied, their eyes half-lidded in drowsy calm.
Brill's voice was barely above a whisper, filled with teddy bear fantasies. "Stay with me, Jack and Jill…" His eyes drifted shut, his mandibles curling into a faint smile.
Norkk shifted on his side, legs twitching in the air. "Yes… yes… more pats…" he murmured, imagining how good of an ant he has been. Though the reality seemed far off.
Zell straightened briefly, eyes bright with fading energy. "And I lunged at the evil spider, defeating it all on my own!" His voice trailed into an unintelligible mumble as the mushroom's effect overtook him.
Skitt's antennae swayed lazily, his voice oddly distant. "Ah… they've built me a statue… No one can hear me… I must be… a ghost now…"
Finally, Mira, the last to be fed, looked up at him. Her mandibles moved sluggishly, her voice soft, almost dreamlike.
"I hope you liked the surprise…Mister Giant."
Adam froze. Surprise?
His mind raced even as her eyes closed. Was Mira the one who brought the gooey mesh of mushrooms here?
Before he could think further, the system flickered in his mind:
[Appraisal Complete]
[Status: Infection detected]
A chill crawled up his carapace. They weren't cured, only calmed. His mandibles tightened. There was no time to waste. He prepared more of the healing mushrooms, storing them in a pouch of silk. Without another word, he left the chamber and began his journey through the winding tunnels, following every trace, every faint scent. He had to find where Mira had gotten that dangerous glob before it spread again.