As Layla woke to the morning dew in the cave, she heard the echoing of stuff being moved around. Curious, she went to see what all the noise was about when she saw Breder moving the dead bodies that were at the foot of the cave around. Confused she asked:
[Breder, what are you doing?]
{Oh! This… well I'm setting up the atmosphere to accept our new guest into our temporary home} replied Breder
[Atmosphere?] said Layal questioningly
{That's right! You see, humans are easily scared! And the more frightened and tense they are the better! HA! I can't wait to taste their fear! I must be the same for you right!} replied Breder ecstatic
[O! For sure, and seeing that we were on the topic about revenge, I would like to apologize for my behavior back on the ship… I was acting like a spoiled teen… It just that I knew those people…] said Layla before being interrupted
{Stop! I don't want to hear some sob story or anything of the like! Especially if you are hoping to get something like sympathy or empathy from me! Look I'm not trying to be a dick, but it's impossible for me to feel any of those.} replied Breder
[I see… you must've had a rough life] replied Layla
{Oh! No! I had a great childhood, loving parents and friendly neighbors!} replied Breder
[Then why?] replied Layla
{Oh! Because I killed them all myself! After all, they were standing in the way of my dreams… and I couldn't have that} said Breder with nostalgic furry
Seeing Breder sudden change in attitude, prompt Layla to change the subject
[well, if you want to scare those battle-hardened mercenaries, then I suggest you make the "atmosphere" as you called it, a little less staged.]
{Ah! So, it doesn't look natural enough… Damn… well back to the drawing board!} replied Breder when he suddenly heard the Elphe give the warning call
{Damn! Well, this will just have to do then! Places everyone!} yelled Breder
Waltin short POV
Days later
[Sir Waltin we have found the missing scouts!] said a random mercenary
Though, the man said what he said, Waltin didn't need that clarification, for he could see the truth with his own eyes! For what laid before Waltin were the dried-up husk of a corpse of both Mingans and their children, while the slaves he was looking for were all springe up either in trees like some kind of sick joke or they were laid out in a way, that resembles someone's lame attempt to stage a murder.
After all, all the bodies had different stages of decomposition, hell they didn't even try to hide the fact that the slaves weren't in any way killed by the Mingans just based on the injuries inflicted!
[Sir! He found a destroyed turret! It looks like they tried to prevent something from coming inside the cave.] said a random mercenary
After examining the turret, Waltin noticed that it was destroyed not from the front but from behind, which means, whatever happened, happened from inside the cave heading out! Curious about the cave Waltin thought,
[Did those rotten slaves hide my Minerals in this cave? Did the Mingan kill them? But if they did then who killed the Mingans? No! Who or what killed the security team…]
[Sir!] said one of the mercenaries
After getting interrupted form his deep thinking Waltin said while looking at the man
[report]
[Sir, the cave is all clear, there are no signs of any rare ores or minerals but… we did find the bodies of Collins, Grayson and Adan!] said the Mercenary with a little sadness
But not caring for the death of a few mercenaries, Waltin started examining their corpses until he found something that strike it odd with him, for the body of Collins had the same internal injury as the slaves but not the other two… but as he was lost in thought another of his "hired help" said in excitement
[Sir! I think Collins' body camera still works!]
Looking at the "vintage" footage Waltin was sure of it now! So, these are the monsters responsible for my misfortune
"Hired help" short POV
[Collin… I think I found the signal coming off one of the slaves we were looking for!] said a man
[Grayson… good work! But um…why did you bring a shotgun to a woodland search?] said Collin
[well… You know {cocks' shotgun} for those close encounters!] replied Grayson
[Guys stop playing around and get over here! I think I found some of our missing slaves!] said Adan
[what do you guys think happened… it looks like something scrambled their insides…] said Grayson
[I don't know, Grayson but are we really going to scout out this cave? We already confirm the death of the slaves. So, can't we just go back?] asked Adan
[No! We need to confirm if they indeed took the minerals from the ship! If we can find them, then we are entitled to some of it. Not only that but apparently even the Anders are interested in this case, so it better to be sure and check everything, after all I don't want to die yet!] said Collins
As they finished their banter, they stood in front of an enormous cave entrance that looked to be like that of a whale mouth, with sharp protruding teeth. Scared, Adan placed his only flame turret at the entrance, more as a warning than to prevent anything from actually coming inside, for he was afraid this cave wasn't abandoned just yet and that the homeowners could be on their way back any minute now.
As they ventured inside, Bats the size of basketball shot out in every direction! Startled by the sudden outburst, Grayson stumbled backwards to a suspicious looking pool of calm water by the edges of the cave walls. While staring at his reflection he turned around to say:
[Hey guys, you don't think… the minerals could be…]
But before he could even finish that sentence Elphe popped out of the water behind him! She then quickly grabs him by the face as he turns around in shock and pulls him into the water as he shoots his gun into the cave ceiling above!
[Grayson!] both men yelled in unison as they turn to help their friend
But when the two reached the water! Layla's tail burst through the thin cave air from the ceiling to the left of them! Impaling Adan through the chest! She then brings him closer to her embrace and rips him in two! With a screech from Layla, Collin begins firing his weapon when a royal guard dropped down from above pining him to the floor! Quickly breaking his weapon! The royal guard lifted the man's face!
While coughing up dirt, Colin opened his eyes to see Breder carrying something around his wrist! Panicking and struggling, Collin could do nothing as he watched a creature he had never seen before latch onto his face!
Camera footage ends
Berder short POV
{man!} said Breder out loud
{umm? What's the problem, Breder… I thought it well...] said Layla concerningly
{It's… just that they didn't get scared enough…sigh we killed them too quickly! We needed to build up suspense! But I do have to say I was a little surprised by your roar there at the end!} said Breder
[Thank you! It was easy once I channeled all my bad memories into it!] replied Layla
But as they were busy congratulating themselves, Breder heard a gunshot coming from outside; followed by:
[Deep! You now have 4 runners!] Dinged Vice
Mr. Black short POV
[You two pay attention! This isn't the time to zone out! Don't make me regret bringing you two back here with me!] said Mr. Black but in his mind thought
[Thank the lord they wanted to come see... these "monsters" too! I can use them to buy time for my escape! I can't believe that "captain" of mine managed to convince me to come back here again! I just know if they catch me spying again, I won't be leaving alive this time!] he paused his thoughts before then continuing
[while I'll just have to avoid that metal one and I should be fine… hopefully]
As he watched the cave entrance through his scope, the two hunters next to him that helped him earlier were busy talking amongst themselves when one of them had to use the restroom. As the man was watering the bushes just out of sight, his warm stream landed on the head of a red tinted monster that just so happened to make its way back!
Pissed and rightfully upset, the monster claws out the man's junk! While screaming and reeling back, the man fell over backwards holding his crotch when the monster approached him! But instead of killing him like he expected the monster to! The monster simply walked past him and snickered with a low hiss!
Annoyed that the monster was playing with him, the man reached for his gun with another monster and came up and slid his throat! As he gargled on his own blood, one of the red runners hit the other in the head and hissed at them, as to berate them for wasting time! But as they turned to leave, the hunter's friend came to check up on him, only to see his friend choking on his own blood! Mad, the hunter turned to shoot when another runner jumped on him from on top of a tree, killing him instantly with a bite to the skull!
While not knowing that his two meat shields were already dead, Mr. Black kept spying until he felt the grass around him shake, the snapping of branches, the warmth of something breathing next to him! Worried, the man turned from his snipe to see a red monster looking right at him, but it seemed confused! Like it didn't know what it was looking at… though it smelled like something was there, felt something there, but couldn't see it… at least not plainly just an outline… seeing that it was human the creature was deciding to attack or not
However, taking advantage of this creature's confusion, Mr. Black pointed his gun at its head and fired! As the creature's head exploded, it rained its acid blood all over Mr. Black cloak! Noticing his clothing melting he quickly tossed them to the side, while being pissed off that his very expensive camouflage was destroyed, but after a moment of clarity did, he realize he just made a very bad mistake! He not only fired, which alerted all the monsters in the cave but now also killed one!
Scared, he turned to see the metal one followed by a few others running out of the cave! But what scared him wasn't their numbers, though there were a lot, but the face the metal one was making as he stared right at him! He knew for a fact that he did not want to end up in the hands of that one alive for any reason!
[sheesh… it's looking at me as if I killed it child or something!] Said Mr. Black as he ran to his floating cart that he begged the captain to let him use.
[But... good luck catching me this time! You fucker!] yelled Mr. Black while laughing methodically