Ignavus : City of Blood

Act 26 : More than A Tiger

~tap-tap-tap~

“Finally! Deploy your pods, Gads. I’m hustling too much energy and needed some rest.”

John Straverman laid down on the slippery rocks beneath. At exactly nine minutes on the dirt of Ganabra forest, Shanice and her fellow survivors have made their arrival into the mouth of the first cave. Stalactites are formed upon the ill-structured rock ceilings above. It is close to resemble of fangs and fierce-looking teeth when perceived from the distance. When squinting their eyes against the innate area of the cave, silhouettes of various on-the-ground pillars could be seen gathered around the bottom.

Their formations seemingly in contrast to one another due to the lack of their counterpart amongst the peers. Near the outer layer of the cave, merely groups of those upper-side icicles molded on the top without the existence of their lowermost colleague, and it goes forth otherwise when travelling deeper into the heart of the cave.

After resting his head on the pebbles beneath, John Straverman realises of how expansive the cave really is. It should be approximately at the size of ten meters worth of orifice calculated from the high-scaling statures above. The stalactites were firm and clasping their foundations in stoical establishments overhead. In estimations to their structure that nearly goes halfway to the bottom side of the cave, it has a massive constructions weighing up the scale on top.

“Hey, I think you’re right, sis. Our threats have ignored us somehow.”

Over the motion detector that the bearded man has deployed, most red dots on the radar have been landed to their presumed spot. It has fabricated one larger mass of red on the adjacent location to their current resting place. Based on the life-like dimension that was displayed upon his board, their community has fairly bigger composure than the five of them combined.

From merely a petty fragment of marks that were smeared across the screen, they have grown to become half as large to the picture of the cave.

~growl~

The leader caught an unusual sound from the depth. Somewhere alike to the roaring beast for the hearing sense of a normal human, that is the outlandish character lingering within whose presence brought an unique impression towards the most of them nearby.

~clack~

Shanice’s primal instinct brought the weapon instantly into her grasp. Eyes peeking onto the retractable thermal scope for a number of times already, yet none of such menace could be perceived at the front in some ways,” It’s  strange. I wonder what’s that supposed to be.” Mumbled the curly-haired woman as she dropped down the barrel at once,” Mind checking up with your drone, Gads?”

“I’m on it.”

The bearded man does so before his sister has requested. He employs one drone that was stored within the backpack and throws them airborne afterwards. It has infra-red tracker for spotting any malicious objects that were standing amidst their comfort zone at the mouth of the cave,”Hopefully it’s nothing dangerous, sis. We’ll have to pack ourselves up regardless.” He whispered.

Certainly, the bearded man has his own bag across the rear fastened up before delivering such notions towards his peers.

~whirring noises~

The drone submerges into the realm of void before them. Its front-facing illumination goes extended towards most of the stalagmites before reaching the farthest horizon that one man could perceive. It goes descended down the unknown pathways of the cave, which was reasonable since most cavern will drive underground instead of being flattened up on the surface,” I’ll switch on the mounted camera, now.” Gads Gilmore announced.

In the instant, Shanice wears on the goggles for receiving the video output and delving into the distance downwards. John Straverman has to monitor their surroundings despite of his own interest to watching the transmission and pampering himself with inner landscape of the cave. He formed a circular defense formation around their most vulnerable one alongside Natasha Gastano, whilst Elisa also working to hold her post by gripping the pistol in lumbering fashion.

~zuuu~

No prominent adversary within the cave bottom thus far. Its natural topography goes sloping down to 45 degrees and stretched steeper after touching more than twenty meters in depth. Due to prolific increase of stalagmites and stalactites on upper and bottom sections, Gads Gilmore reduces the drone speed into half its usual pace to ensure agile reactions against any forthcoming tips of the pillar,” It’s no use, sis. We’ve break the mold underneath yet none could be found inside.” Notified the bearded man towards Shanice. The leader laid no utter response before his insinuation. For some reason, however, Shanice kept her ordinance by pointing forward irrespective of his sayings earlier,” Just trust my instinct, Gads. Should be either one of the-“

~c***k~

‘transmission lost’

An overpowering force has shattered the drone in an instant. Least to their expectations, someone has inhabited the cavern before them at the moment. A beast with undescribable strength and domineering prowess by the following roar that echoed afterwards. In spite of such emergence, Gads Gilmore seemed to have another array of defensive means in his disposal. He tossed a few sphere-shaped metallic marbles towards the four different position around them in subsequent manner. Facing the subterranean territory of the cave at the southern axis, the metallic marbles summoned a vivid projection of stalagmites for their camouflage onwards.

The three remaining spheres were resting idle and unloading no certain aptitudes in the similar fashion to the one across the frontage area of assault. Before anyone asked, the bearded man grinned towards the four of them in humorous look,”I’ve made the rest to wait for a certain cue, if y’all wanted to know. My illusion would work well for a number of minutes, unless if that beast somehow capable to smell our presence in this cave. That’s where the other three works better on giving us a space away.”

“So, that means we’ll have to escape, now!”

John Straverman pulled his wife towards the exit once settled on his convictions. Natasha Gastano imitates their rapid decision and breaking away from the crowd, preparing her own weapon at the chest for dealing against impending menace across the rear. Gads Gilmore gradually follows their lead and running backwards with his own front to face the southern axis. Nobody knows of their opponent’s capabilities, so the bearded man has to stay watchful and keeping his vision forward.

Yet, Shanice Gilmore chooses to stick on her current front. The leader aimed her weapon towards the far south for shooting the monster directly once it emerges from the bottomless pit,”I’m tired of running. I’ll blast this fool for eternity if it’s sent by that prick.” Her eyes sparks with fury. Such brave statements from their leader tickles the thought of remaining members of their group. John Straverman landed one of his feet ahead for stopping his advance. He wanted to abscond from the unidentified scourge so much together with his wife, but Shanice and her virile sense marks the cowardice attitude of the man instead.

“Damn it! Okay, I’ll support you no matter what!”

John turned his back towards the south and facing the threat this time around. Confronting the powerful beast before them requires arsenal of weaponry, so the black-haired man opened the grenade pouch of his to improve their winning chance steadily. He stashes ten explosives and five smoke grenades for the voyage to the north after resupplying at the Gun shop in Brathe. To start off their assault, John Straverman grabs one of the smoke and primed to throw them away whenever it is necessary to make a drift,”You can go, babe. We can divert them away from you two.” The black-haired man talk softly before his terrified wife, then gazing upon Natasha Gastano in begging eyes,”Please, take care off her for me, alright?”

Against the dramatic occurrence from them, Natasha Gastano laid down a snicker up front,”You’re not supposed to think I’m gonna run away after you all trynna be heroes, John. I’ll be assistin you all to the death.” She c****d her AK-74 forward,” Bring them on, you billionaire bastard!”

~crash~

“Graaaaa!”

It is one colossal creature that arises from the bottom. Nowhere near Caedes and its white contour expressed throughout the skin, the beast has combinations of black and orangish color across its hide. A mixture of gloom and uplifting demeanor for some people whose conceptions were dwelling against the figure ahead. On its forehead, the creature has no sort of skull-coated exterior or similar forms of outward resistance against most threat inbound, merely its own tiger-faced appearance across the top.

“Fire!”

~ratatatata~

Shanice was lingering at the spearhead of their group for waiting ahead of this exact moment. She discharges the swarm of bullets directly on its cranium part in seconds. However, the creature reacted well against the sudden welcoming spree and managed to dodge most of her shots by jumping upwards consequently.

“Now!”

Gads Gilmore clamored. In rather-automated fashion, the western wing metallic sphere hovers straight onto the four legged physique of the strange creature above. It flies by the thrust compression of the rocket down below to bump into the stomach of the beast shortly after in full speed.

~bzzt-bzzt~

“Graaaa!”

The sphere unleashed a massive amount of electric discharge into its tissue once hitting the yielding composure of the beast. Being unaware of such appearance beneath, the creature shrieked against the painful concoctions that the ball has fabricated. Muscles would be stiffened and its surface goes rigid in advent of malevolent contractions that the beast has suffered,” Ho-ho-ho, it’s not just that, you punk!” yelled the bearded man down below, jokingly addressed the other spherical ball that flies next in line.

~splat~

An extensive steel-embroidered net coated its entire body in a whole. The creature was adequately pacified that it could no longer boasted another flurry of assault. Squealing bits were all that the creature could unleash at the moment, grieving against the unfathomable fate that meets them close. Another sphere bounces promptly once the third ball successfully enters the fray. It envelops the beast’s body with another steel-made net to assure them of its safety.

~bam-bam~

“The wrappings finished.”

Gads Gilmore bends himself forward. He smiles towards the recent milestones that his devices could get, the length of capabilities of most inventions that he carried into the battlefield,” I’ve got three of them for our next creature. I’ve saved them only for this kind of occasion, so sorry if I’m not using it before.”