Wit was confused to see the larger, faster [plasmawisp] that rudely zipped past wisp One, mounting and bullying the female wisp that they were both chasing.

It corralled her with its long hairy insectoid arms and pushed her down into submission on a large rock that jutted out of the cloudy mist. They clacked at each other furiously and their backends pulsed with a rhythmic light practically in sequence.

Are they fighting? Wait and how do I know the other wisp is female? Wit wondered if it was random instinct knowledge or maybe he was picking something up from One.

Still riding the determination that Wit poured through the link, One rushed at the other two wisps with momentum. He sidelined the surprised bigger wisp, forcing them to both roll off the rock into the dank mist. The bigger wisp instantly retaliated batting One aside, easily gaining the upper hand before One could do anything.

Wit didn’t hesitate this time, and sent the mental command over to his influenced wisp, to plasma beam his foe.

One instantly backed off fluttering his quad wings while dodging a gnarly bite, at the same time charging his plasma bulb with malicious intent. The second he fully got out of reach he roughly aimed his abdomen and pulsed a wispy beam of neon green in the bigger insect's direction.

The neon beam squiggled its way across the revealed underbelly, trailing melted carapace and organs on its way down.

The opposing wisp seemed to be screaming as far as Wit could make out from its thrashing and clacking of mandibles, he wished [multiperspectivity] had a sound function so he could hear what was really going on out there.

Still, Wit couldn't help but be gripped by the carnage and action on display, all until Ones’ wispy beam hit the plasma bulb of the other wisp. It resulted in a gorey explosion of guts, goopy neon light, and [plasmawisp] chunks.

Wits’ eyes widened as the destruction reached One in no time at all, before he could even think of a command he felt the concussive blast through the link practically mangle the wisp's insectoid body, while simultaneously breaking its legs and tearing its fragile wings.

The wisp was tossed across the boulder in a splat of neon blood, barely hanging on to consciousness as the pain wracked through its body.

Wit was standing up in the shallow pool back in [Yggdrasil] with his ears pressed back, and his face in a snarl while his tails thrashed behind him in sheer frustration. He made the wrong move again. One was on Death's door because he was so fluxing stupid and picked a fight he shouldn’t have.

There was no way One could get back now with his body in critical condition. Wit was beginning to realize how much he hated to fail, and the dire consequences each failure was accompanied by. He practically growled as he felt One's link fray loose, the bug was in so much pain, he couldn't fathom how the creature was still alive.

Wit tried to apologize through the link before it became undone. But before he could untangle his spiraling thoughts and convey how sorry he was for pushing the oversized insect to its death, Wit glanced at something slowly approaching One's position.

It appeared to be two iridescent orbs fluctuating through various mesmerizing colors floating in the cloudy mist.

Not orbs, eyes. Wit suddenly realized with a shiver down his back.

The large pair of baleful electric crazed eyes seemed to pulse with madness and sparks of lightning as if the creature was unhinged and its sanity had long since left its mind. It drew closer to the dying bug, darkening the clouds around it, hiding its true form as it slowly approached menacingly.

Wisp One was in so much pain, the poor bug didn't even register the danger looming over its head.

Even through the visor of [multiperspectivity], Wit knew instinctively he was looking at a deadly predator far beyond his comprehension. A creature he would aim to avoid at all costs, there was no outsmarting this thing. His mind screamed for him to run, even though logically he knew he was nowhere near the beast.

In the seconds he had to register the new arrival, Wit blinked for the first time, and in that fraction of a second as his eyes closed, he glimpsed a dark maw with jagged teeth before the connection with wisp One was completely lost and [multiperspectivity] came to an end. He wanted to scream but with his membrane visor retracted, Wit was reminded that he wasn't alone.

All around him wisps that returned from their nocturnal mating flight surrounded him on all sides of the pond’s edge. For whatever reason they didn't attack him while he was distracted, but the second his connection with wisp One was terminated; Wit felt the hostility in the air become almost tangible. He gulped and took a step back.

Maybe this is retribution for getting One and Two killed. Though technically Two wasn't his fault, Wit thought sardonically, while at the same time frantically looking for a way out.

Nothing stood out immediately other than the fissure that led outside, and after seeing what lived out there he wasn't sure his chances were that much better if he tried to escape through it. Though it would give him time to come up with a new plan, he just needed to distract them long enough for him to climb it.

They had him surrounded on all sides of the pond, and all he could do was slowly back up to the trickling wall. He only had one trick up his metaphorical sleeve he could rely on, so he better make it count.

Whatever safety he had by connecting with one of their kind through [hive] vanished as the large insects took flight, ready to deal with the interloper in their precious nest.

Wit heard the tell-tale signs of the wisps charging their plasma beams, and with it, a spike of adrenaline touched his system and he once again felt alive. He knew something was wrong with him when he couldn’t help but smile when they took aim and fired.

With nowhere to run, he reached his hand out and released his amber nucleus to hopefully intercept the wispy beams of death. What had to be at least a dozen wispy green neon beams, luckily curved mid-flight. Some getting uncomfortably close to his outstretched hand before being drawn back by the magnetic pull of his nucleus.

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They circled the orb as per usual, reminding Wit of a live atomic symbol right before the liquid amber began to absorb the large amount of energy at a rapid pace.

Wit felt the potential of the nucleus instantly top off and he could tell even without his input, something mathematical was about to happen to it.

It floated in the air with blinding lumens like a miniature jelly sun, Wit and the approaching wisps couldn't help but stare in awe. There was a sweet syrupy scent oozing out of the sap almost inviting the wisps to come to take a bite, one of them took the bait without thought.

An overeager wisp the size of the late departed Two, rushed toward the glowing sap mandibles spread wide open in frenzied anticipation. The second it touched the superheated orb of sap, two things happened almost simultaneously.

First, the sap increased in size enveloping the entire wisp in a goey sphere, second, the whole thing crystallized, fossilizing the insect inside.

“Whoa..” Wit said looking at the flash-frozen fossil he just created as his arms strained to hold it up.

The increased size also came with increased density and weight from the oversized bug trapped inside. Wits’ static hold slipped out of his control and the crystal fossil dropped into the pond with a large crack.

Instantly the electric moss in the water surrounding the crystal began to glow extremely bright, the light began to travel through the entire chamber of the second floor and beyond, down each linear circuit. It was like he plugged in a battery and flipped the switch on, the sight was breathtaking.

He didn't get much of a chance to enjoy the light show, however, because the next second the spherical fossil sank deeper into the apparently caved-in floor.

Wit could feel the water current begin to drain towards the fracture point. The bugs were startled by the loud noise the fossil made, having backed off closer to protect their nest of eggs. Wit thought this was probably his best chance to make his escape, with the bugs distracted he could probably find a place to hide until they forget about him.

But as usual, things never seem to go his way, because before he could even make a move, the large dense fossilized crystal amber broke through the floor completely. With the sudden drop, the pond began to whirlpool down like an unclogged drain.

If it ended there, Wit could’ve stayed grounded as the water drained around him, but for whatever reason he was still connected magnetically to the crystal amber.

The sudden magnetic pull resulting from the fallen fossil dragged him off his feet and pulled him down the jagged hole it created. Wit barely had time to hold his breath before he was submerged into the water.

His arm was sliced open on a sharp edge, going down the rough opening. Almost forcing a gasp out of him; but he grit his teeth so he wouldn't take in any of the pond water.

The fall wasn't that long, fortunately, but it did give him enough time to adjust the polarity of his static to match the spherical crystal right before he collided with it.

Static tingles rippled throughout his body as he amped the output, pushing his nuclear heart into overdrive. He practically bounced on an invisible force right above the amber, allowing his body to float over the crystal fossil briefly before his chest began to burn and he collapsed over the fossil panting for air.

The pond continued to waterfall down from the top, bathing him and flooding the hidden room in a downpour. He shook his fur, shaking most of the moisture off, while taking in the new space. Like above there was an abundance of linear fungal moss, resembling circuits that lined the walls horizontally while traversing down a long hallway.

Seeing no wisps chasing him down the impromptu hole, and a clear route away from danger, Wit couldn't help but laugh while patting the large amber fossil joyously.

“Just as planned Poindexter, I could tell you doubted my capabilities to escape that situation even in your silence,” Wit said as he examined the amber-trapped wisp.

Tapping a thorny claw on it, he began to think.

“The thought of your failure never crossed my processors, your success was only inevitable.”

“Exactly….” Wit said with pride, but soon after his false bravado deflated along with his mood as he stared at the wisp trapped in time.

“We lost One and Two just now, Dex. It’s mathematically frustrating to admit, but I wasn’t capable of saving them. They were mine, I made them Mine! And I couldn’t figure out the problem in time. I was too slow, I was too dumb, I did everything wrong and now I'm here running away with my literal tail between my legs like a coward, again! So update your fluxing processesers to assist me better. I hate this sour feeling in my gut. I hate it, I hate it. I hate it!” Wit ranted, scraping his claws against the crystal.

“I will do what I can to assist in all ways, Wit. Starting with informing you that the [plasmawisp] currently in your fossilized amber is still alive.

If you can perchance reverse the crystalized state, there is a chance you can utilize [hive] on this new specimen and utilize the learned lessons from the death of One and Two to prevent such scenarios from playing out again.” Poindexter replied rationally in his monotone robotic voice.

Wit blinked and regained his composure somewhat, a bit peeved at Poindexter’s lack of emotional understanding. It wasn't that he didn't think to replace the wisps he’d lost with [hive], it was just the notion of failure. Wit hated the way it stained his psyche and flooded him with negativity.

But Poindexter was right to think of the what next, instead of dwelling on his mistakes. So Wit replied with a ‘tsk’ and tried to figure out how to reverse the crystallization.

“Not to interrupt your concentration, but I think it would be in your best interest to move from this location and to take care of your wound. You're losing a lot of blood and once the water stops the [plasmawisps] might be drawn to that amber crystal.” Poindexter helpfully added.

Wit looked down at the bloody water under him and the large gash that he barely even registered until he was reminded by Poindexter.

“Your argument is sound Dex, but how do you expect me to move this thing, roll it?” Wit stopped and said, “Okay rolling it actually makes sense.”

Time was of the essence so he began pushing immediately, it took a little effort to remove it from the small ditch it created from the fall— but once it was out, it was easy. So easy it was to the point he could push with his static magnetism and it would roll across the moss with little to no resistance. Then he remembered how he zipped up the elevator shaft with the nucleus using the moss as a conduit.

With that understanding, Wit could now see how the moss was utilizing the energy from the amber to propel it further; all it needed was the initial push from his static. He put his arms down suddenly feeling light-headed and woozy, he looked at the bleeding wound hoping it wasn't as bad as it looked.

If only the nucleus that has the power of healing wasn't in this crystallized state. Ouch! This injury sure is becoming a thorn in my hairy backside. I need to figure out how to grow more [exoBark], I'm too vulnerable walking around this monster pit half-naked.

More preparations are needed as per the usual, I'll need to adapt faster or I’m wisp food. Wit thought while cradling his injured arm.

He sniffed the warm ozonish spore filled air, flicked his ear in irritation, and wondered where this path led him.