Enoch hugged the village’s survivors awkwardly, then paused in front of the major. She stood impassive for three seconds, grinned, and caught him in a steel embrace.

“Hit me up if you ever need a job. I might even recommend an officer position.”

She had, of course, no idea that her world was about to go offline in a couple of days.

Art Delvers waited a few paces away.

Enoch gave a look at Tatiana. She stared at nothing. Lost somewhere in her head, away from the trauma. The AI could have been a bit less realistic there.

“Take care,” said Enoch at no one in particular.

***

Rings of lights flashed at regular intervals, illuminating the tunnel. The blinding speed merged them in a blur. A Transport Drone carried the five Outsiders, propelled by runes carved in the stone.

Enoch sat quietly on his bench. Ally shouted out of her lungs, gripping the drone’s head, bracing herself against the rushing air, her words lost to the winds.

The chat commented the uncommon sight.

“I never saw these tunnels. It’s a literal train system.”

“Nice ride.” Tip | 7$

The ride only took twenty minutes. Not a single stop or opening in the long tunnel. Hidden for protection. The main access to the front line. It ended in a fortified station where legions of drones patrolled in geometrical paths.

The Outsiders got out of the Transport. Anton patted it gently on the way out, “thank you, friend.” The drone radiated a warm salute mixed with hope.

Art Delvers and Enoch crossed the cavern in no time. Enoch’s soundtrack picked up tension as terrible sounds reached them. Buzzing lasers, electric arcs and metal ripping.

The cavern led to huge tunnels, strobing lights coming out of it, and the omnipresent diffused sentiment of horror.

“Here we go,” said Turner, flexing his limb as he walked. No real risk of muscle injuries here. It probably helped him pumped himself.

“No,” said Enoch, “no point going through the main fight.”

Tetsuo said, “I was about to say it.”

They stopped a drone who manifested unhappiness from being interrupted.

“Sorry for the bother, but we are here to help,” said Ally, “any side tunnels to sneak behind the enemies’ lines?”

Pink light pointed to a distant corner, further to the right of the main tunnel.

“Thanks,” said Ally as her group left for the indicated direction.

The drone sent a wave of relief over them and rushed to the main fight, eager to get blown up for the good of the hive.

The path wound up to a narrow tunnel adjacent to the main cavern’s roof. From there, the view expanded to the drone’s military machine, grinding efficiently to bring its full force to the fight.

Two smaller drones came up behind them. The Outsiders let them pass, then followed. The tunnel branched to multiple paths, merged back to a single defensible choke point, then branched again for another short section.

Enoch rushed past the two drones. Channelled Veil to improve his chances. Stayed vigilant for traps, but there didn’t seem to be any.

The walls were charred. Pieces of drones laid about, melted and twisted. Enoch crossed the next threshold after a series of parallel tunnels and tumbled back in a hurry. Three Hollows waited on the other side. Identical to Drones without the pink light. Animated mechanisms with out the soul. Marching forward, harvesting resources, building defenses. Mindless. All for nothing. They didn’t even know they were doing it. Creepy mobs.

Mere instant brought Enoch back to his group. He said, “careful, I saw at least three half a mile in.”

Turner said, “it’s bubble time, Anton. Let’s go.”

***

The healer ran in, center of his own bubble, the Mana squeezing to the shape of the walls. It blurred at the threshold, too concentrated, expanded outward on the Hollows coiled in ambush. Their mechanisms sprang. A volley of multicolored shards drilled into the dense Mana of the bubble. Anton waved his hand and the projectiles rolled away, caught in a Mana wave.

Turner charged. His black glaive sliced the Hollow’s face in half. Anton’s fists joined in. A strong hook followed by an uppercut. The broken enemy stumbled backward as a second row of sentinels activated.

Bigger munitions this time. Three ballista bolts, ending in glowing shard of crystalized Mana, pierced the bubble. Turner dodged one. Anton shrugged one off, but the second one pushed him back a few feet.

Ally and Enoch materialized between the attackers. The rogue fried one with a neon blue wand. The scout sliced two with his neon pink sword.

A green blade, a golem swarm and an animated abomination of a shield flew forward, each shouting their own insane battle cries.

“Can they really fight in a group of five? Seems like cheating,” asked the chat.

“They can. The XP share will be screwed.”

“I doubt they care.”

“The army of Bonded Artefact seems OP.” Tip | 20$

“So cute.”