*creak* the wooden door let out a sound as Doug led the two Gladius to his home. The two Gladius saw two children poke their heads out to stare at them, but they were quickly pulled back up the stairs by a woman who flashed them a fearful gaze as she rushed back up the stairs.
"Sorry about that, the Mrs... erh, she-" "we understand", C-6-367 cut the man of before continuing, "what can you tell us about the monster in the mines?"
With C-6-367's words Doug began to pace around his small house, "right, right, the monster. I knew something ain't right about them mines for a long time I tell yer." As Doug started C-6-367 and Kayla exchanged looks.
"It all started one night, me and Kholer were working on this newly opened section. when I heard this tick sound, this never ending tick sound that seemed close but faint at the same time. I told Kholer about it but then he told me it was just the pick axe hitting the rock, I believed him then. The next moment I swear I saw something pass through the tunnels, but with the only source of lighting being the gas lamps I couldn't see it well."
Tired of pacing, Doug had a seat and then continued his story.
"I told Kohler and the others about was I saw but they all said it was just in me head, me head they said!" Doug began to furiously tap his head as he got to this point. "Can you talk about any other feature of this creature?" C-6-367 pressed on.
"Nay, all I remember was that ticking noise. Oh and it was fast that I remember for sure." Doug finished his tale, telling the Gladius all he could remember. "Thank you" Kayla spoke as she and C-6-367 left Doug's home.
"What do you think it is?" Kayla asked C-6-367 as they moved round the town with various eyes on themselves. " A Terker" "hmm would explain the ticking sound but they hunt in packs also its bright red skin, would have left a memorable impression on Doug. How about a wyrm?"
"Would have left no survivors only charred corpses." C-6-367 calmly replied. "Akhat?" Kayla gave another guess, "Then there wouldn't have been a town of people left" "Hmm. We would be able to get more information from the survivors who made contact with the creature."
"Except the people who did are hedge knights and the towns guard. Hedge knights have no attachment to a place, if they were to survive such an encounter then they would high tail out of here immediately. Where as with the town's guard, they are loyal to the town's council, which has most of its members being representatives from the Crown regions. Do you believe they would say anything that makes them look even the least bit incompetent?" C-6-367 explained as the continued on their journey.
"So that leaves us with gleaming clues from the mine itself" Kayla tsked as they arrived on the path leading to the mine.
The two Gladius noticed the guards who stood before the beaten down path, the guards taking note of them as well made no attempt to block their path. Treading a bit farther down they noticed the various mining tools left haphazardly all over the beaten down pathway, 'the tools of fleeing miners' C-6-367 thought to himself.
The journey continued unimpeded by the obstacles scattered over the pathway. The two soon arrived before the large entrance leading to the mines, a cold draft welcomed the two Gladius.
"Be on alert, we have no idea of what is down there and when we will meet it. The SGR-120 on your back will restrict movement as we move in, so I'll take point and you cover me with your pistol" C-6-367 spoke as took his rifle of his back and got into position.
"Affirmative" was Kayla's response as she pulled her pistol from her side and got in position as well, proceeding to follow C-6-367 into the mines.
The light from outside seeped into the mines, lighting the path of the two until it could do so no more. "Activating night vision" C-6-367 spoke up before continuing further into the mines.
The two paid attention to their surroundings trying to obtain any clues about the monster they were hunting. Their journey lasted almost 30 mins when C-6-367 spotted something and signaled for Kayla to stop.
Bending down to have a closer look, C-6-367 realized it was some sort of viscous liquid. Dipping his armored fingers in he brought it up to his face for a closer look.
"Scanners indicate it contains histamine, serotonin, cardiotoxin as well as a quinoline alkaloid."
"That's a familiar cocktail, if my memory doesn't fail me then that's centipede venom. With such a large amount though-" Kayla began
"Ticking noise, dark mine and now this. We are after a Centikathropod." C-6-367 had just concluded when the duo heard it, a faint ticking noise that grew louder with each passing second.
"C-7-401 unleash 20% now. It's coming." In a solemn tone C-6-367 gave his orders with his armor giving of a noticeable glow alongside his rifle, which was now aimed at the darkness before him.