“Wait,” exclaimed Micky, “What do you mean Bobbit Worm? Like it's going to spring up out of the cave and bite your BLEEP off?”

“The juveniles are ambush hunters and will attack their targets soft tissue. They are less than 20cm across, but they have an incredibly powerful bite.” Gwilym replied quietly.

“That’s no Juve ladies and gentlemen,” Zofia pitched her voice like a showman, “What we have here is at least a meter across. I’d say we’re looking at a full-blown hive mother.”

“Sorry, I’m still a little distracted by the idea of BLEEP eating worms. Can we go back to that for a second?” As he spoke Micky found his feet, unconsciously squeezing his things to bring his knees together.

“This changes things slightly, we’re going to need to eliminate the breeding pair and wreck the hive before we can get miners in to extract any resources.” Turning to Zofia, Gwilym continued speaking.

“Zofia, once we have a staging area set down here I need you to find the hive. Ingunn, you’re with her.”

The two women nodded, and the group continued towards the far wall of the cavern. Micky followed along behind them, spear clutched tightly before him with the point towards the now hazardous floor of the cavern.

Zofia led them slowly across the cavern, arriving at the far wall in just over an hour. Three separate tunnels branched off from the main cavern, leading further into the gloom. Tavish stepped forward, drawing a spray can from one of the pouches on his vest. With deliberate care, he marked the three tunnels. Luminescent numbers appeared in the wake of the can, glowing brightly against the grey rock walls.

Micky watched as Tavish continued to unpack equipment. The Huge engineer placed a smaller fence out and covered the area within the enclosed space in a thick mesh that he unrolled from his pack.

“So what’s the plan now boss?” He asked, turning to Gwilym.

“Yan and I are going to help Tavish set up a secure staging area down here, I’d like you to work with Zofia and Ingunn to locate the Bobbit Worm hive. Ingunn will decide if she can clear it with your help, or if she needs more assistance.”

“Ok cool, off to hunt the scary BLEEP eating worms then.”

Zofia led the team back to the initial worm tunnel, stoping about five meters from the gaping hole to look at Ingunn.

“Ingunn darling, are we doing this quietly or quickly? I can either drop some bait here and we can wait, ambush the Hive Mother as she bursts out. Or I can drop a small charge down the hole and give them a bit of a wake-up call.”

Ingunn paused to examine the size of the hole in the cavern floor before replying. “It looks like the Hive Mother is near full-grown, she may have a number of junior matriarchs in her hive. We don’t want to pull them all to us at once. Set the bait.”

“Can do,” Zofia replied, taking a thick glass jar from her pack.

With steady hands, Zofia applied the thick paste in a layer around the entrance to the tunnel. She formed a ball from the material and put it just beyond the tip of the worm tunnel. The sickly sweet aroma of rotten meat wafted towards Micky and Ingunn.

“That ought to get us some attention” Zofia laughed, stepping back and wiping her hands on a cloth.

“Micky, we’re going to ambush whatever comes out of that hole. I’ll draw its attention, while Zofia aims for the vulnerable areas in between the armor plates. When I give the signal I want you to activate the cutting head of that spear and drive it between two plates. If we can pin it to the rock of the cave we’ll be able to pick it off easily.”

“Right, I can do that. I think. What’s the signal? He replied with hesitation thick in his voice.

“I’ll call your name. Remember to aim between the plate, got it?”

“Yep, not a problem mate.”

Ingunn stepped back several paces from the hole, checking the nightsticks at her waist. After confirming they were loose in their holsters she dropped back onto her haunches, staring intently at the opening. Zofia drew her daggers and took up a position on the opposite Ingunn, keeping the hole directly between the two of them. Tightening his grip on the spear, Micky stood beside Zofia.

They didn’t have to wait long, lured by the fetid smell something began to writhe through the tunnel towards them. The sounds of something rough rasping against the stone came clearly to Micky’s ears.

Bursting forth from the tunnel was a nightmarish horror. Thick armored plates the dull red of dried blood wrapped around the back of the worm, while wickedly sharp jaws as wide as Micky’s arm span spread out from a gaping maw. More than a meter of the worm now protruded from the tunnel, swaying ominously in the gloom.

Micky fell back a set in alarm and activated Examine.

Species

Eunice Aphroditois (Bobbit Worm)

Level

?

Description

This subterranean worm acts as an ambush predator, bursting forth from tunnels to snare unwary prey. The acid in its saliva can digest rock and it can excrete a viscous mucus that hardens to a rocklike consistency. It uses this mucus to disguise its’ tunnels.

Before Micky could begin to digest the fact that this horror could digest rocks with its own spit, Ingunn flew forward. Propelled forward by her wings, she soared above the creature. Her nightsticks began to glow as she smashed them into the creature's head. With another burst of her wings, she leaped back standing before the creature.

Zofia used this momentary distraction to strike, slipping into the worm's blindside to thrust her daggers home. The thin steel blades punctured the softer flesh between the armored plates, grey-green blood beginning to seep from the wounds.

As Zofia raced backward, the worm turned to face her. It fired a stream of thick mucus at the area the rogue had just left. The transparent mucus bubbled on contact with the rock before stiffening, rapidly becoming as hard as the rock around it.

Noticing the threat Ingunn took action, smashing the nightsticks into the creature with a rapid, staccato rhythm. Her entire form whirled like a dervish as the repeated strikes began to crack through the thick armored plates.

“Now Micky!” She shouted as the worm returned its focus to her.

Stamping forward with a confidence he did not possess, Micky activated the spear. The head began to glow with a white-hot intensity, casting shadows that danced madly across the cavern. Feeling the heat from the enchantment, even at a full spear's length Micky planted his foot. Striking overhand as Ingunn had taught him. The broad, leaf-bladed head burst between the armor plates, flesh and blood sizzling under the immense heat. The blade drove through the entirety of the worm before punching deep into the stone, leaving the worm impaled, like a butterfly on a pinning board.

“Good, now get back” Ingunn shouted, as Micky lingered a second too long to admire his work. The worm spun to face this new threat, smashing Micky from his feet. Tumbling across the rough stone floor of the cavern, Micky came to rest in a tangle of limbs.

“BLEEP me dead” he exclaimed as he scrambled back to his feet.

Ingunn had not been idle and was using the worms reduced mobility to land heavy strikes then dash back out of range.

Sliding to stop beside him, Zofia’s gaze never left the thrashing worm.

“You all right Micky?” She asked with genuine concern.

“Yep, I’m fine. Just a little dinged up. I’m pretty sure that worm isn’t going anywhere now though. I felt the spear bite into the rock.”

“Excellent darling. How about hitting it with a little lightning to speed this process up?

“Sounds like a shout to me.”

Squaring up to the worm as he unsung the Vaixell, Micky was careful not to enter the worm’s diminished range. Lining up his shot and focusing on the tendrils that emerged from the horrific jawline, he strummed the plectrum against the strings.

The now-familiar bolt of jagged light leaped from the Vaixell, smashing into the worm and throwing down to lie against the stone floor. Ingunn seized the opportunity to smash both nightsticks against the skull. With a sickening crack, the skull plates shattered. After a few final shudders, the creature fell still.

Congratulations, for slaying a Bobbit Worm you have been awarded 30 XP. As the creature was of a higher level than your own, this reward has been multiplied by 1.5. You will receive 45 XP.

Ingunn leaned down over the creature, examining the jaws with caution. Micky stepped forward and with a wrench, he pulled his spear free. A gush of blood and mucus splattered across the stone, following the path of the spearhead.

“That wasn’t too bad at all, one Hive Mother down. Only the bloke to go now.” Micky stepped towards Zofia, his palm raised for a high five.

Zofia laughed, the high clear sound ringing out across the wide-open space.

“Micky, darling. That was a junior matriarch, barely a teenager by Bobbit Worm standards.”