The moment the alien voice reaches their minds, the air in the cavern changes.
The walls pulse, the ground beneath them vibrating with some unseen force. The sickly green glow of the chitinous growths lining the tunnels flickers like dying embers.
Aldric clenches his jaw as the words—not words, but emotions forced into meaning—echo in his skull.
"What… are you?"
The curiosity is brief.
Then, it is replaced by something else.
Rage.
Aldric sees flashes of skittering limbs, slashing claws, gnashing teeth. The Hive awakens.
Then—a deafening screech shakes the cavern.
And all hell breaks loose.
The tunnels come alive with movement.
Elira grips her bow tighter, shifting uneasily. "We just pissed something off, didn't we?"
Sapphire raises her shield, standing firm. "Let them come."
Aldric tightens his grip on his sword. "Hold formation."
Then—the creatures come.
A monstrosity bursts from the tunnel ahead, its form a horrific fusion of a vulture and a scorpion, its wings tattered yet functional, its tail a massive, segmented stinger dripping with venom.
It swoops down, talons outstretched—
Sapphire raises her shield just in time, the impact sending her skidding back on the stone floor.
The creature flaps upward, hissing.
Elira fires an arrow mid-air, striking its shoulder.
It shrieks in fury but does not fall.
Aldric lunges forward, swinging his sword with brutal force.
His blade tears through the creature's wing, sending it crashing to the ground.
Sapphire moves in instantly, her sword plunging deep into its chest.
The creature shudders once—then goes still.
"One down," Sapphire mutters.
Then, more come.
A second creature charges from the side, this one a hybrid of a centipede and a great cat, its segmented body writhing unnaturally as it moves.
Its front half resembles a panther, but its lower body twists and wriggles like a serpent.
It moves low and fast, its many legs carrying it across the cavern floor with terrifying speed.
Elira barely has time to react. "Damn thing's fast!"
Aldric steps into its path, swinging his sword.
The creature dodges at the last second, slithering past his strike.
Then—it leaps.
Sapphire shoves Elira aside, raising her shield—
The creature's claws scrape across the metal, sparks flying.
Then, its centipede-like tail whips forward, curling around Sapphire's ankle and yanking her off her feet.
She grits her teeth, stabbing downward, severing the tail.
The creature screeches, its body convulsing violently.
Aldric brings his sword down, slicing through its feline skull.
It spasms once—then collapses.
Sapphire breathes heavily, rolling onto her knees. "That one was nasty."
Elira reloads an arrow, eyes scanning the tunnels.
Then she curses. "We're not done."
A third abomination appears, larger than the others.
A towering beast with the massive bulk of an ox, but its legs are those of a stag.
Its head is elongated like a horse's skull, but its mouth is lined with shark-like teeth.
It bellows—a horrible, guttural sound that shakes the cavern.
Then—it charges.
Aldric steps forward. "Sapphire, brace!"
Sapphire plants her feet, raising her shield as the creature slams into her with the force of a boulder.
The impact sends shockwaves through the cavern walls.
Sapphire grits her teeth, her boots skidding against the ground, but she holds.
Aldric moves in swiftly, his sword biting into the creature's side.
It howls, twisting to snap at him—
Only for Elira to fire an arrow straight through its eye.
The beast stumbles, its movements faltering.
Sapphire pushes forward, shoving it back with all her strength.
Aldric finishes it off with a swift, decisive strike.
The monster collapses.
For a brief moment, the cavern falls silent.
Then—the voice returns.
Aldric grips his head as images flood his mind.
A massive shape looms in the darkness, shifting, pulsing.
It watches. It feels.
And it knows rage.
The cavern trembles.
Then—a piercing shriek fills the air, shaking the very foundation of the Hive.
The walls pulse violently, the glowing veins intensifying.
Aldric stares ahead into the dark tunnels, knowing what's coming.
Sapphire exhales. "It's not done with us."
Elira wipes sweat from her brow. "No… it's calling more."
Aldric raises his sword, his voice firm.
"Then we kill them all."
And they press onward, deeper into the Hive.