It was as if the swarm was unending, even as the giant Millipode committed to the fight, launching globs of sticky liquid which quickly hardened, immobilizing, and sometimes suffocating large swathes of the swarm. Yet the wave was never ending, rifle barrels glowing orange from the almost constant fire, barely keeping the swarm at bay. With every passing hour the attacks only becoming more ferocious, and the defenders resolve waning, their ammunition depleting rapidly.

“I’m out!” The man yelled out before dropping the rifle to his side and pulling his sidearm, unloading an entire clip into a handful of ants which had gotten close enough to begin ascending the defensive mound. Augus fired off a series of single shots, putting a bullet right between the massive compound eyes. The metal shell easily smashing through the carapace and bursting the skull, showering those nearby in bit of smashed carapace and brain fluid.

However, they were barely keeping the creatures at bay, and the group had seen what happened to the remains of the Slitherwing corpse once the creatures swarmed over it. Within seconds the tough leathery outer layer had been stripped away, the flesh ripped away, and the bones picked clean. No waste, the ants were adept at processing their meals, the group didn’t need to imagine what would happen should they be caught within those monstrous jaws.

“Melnie! We need to go now! Before these things seal of our only escape route. There is still a gap in their line, we can make for the gap. Use the other creature to draw their attention, while they’re busy we can put some ground between us and them.” Frankyl like everyone else was desperate, time, ammunition, and bravery were rapidly depleting commodities.

Melnie briefly glanced over at the big armor-plated softy, crying out as the ants threatened to overwhelm its crumbling defenses. The sticky fluid it had been using had slowly run out, the globs became smaller as time wore on, until now they were barely able to encompass an ant’s leg. Some ants had already entered within biting range, locking their mandibles on its hardened shell trying to pry open the hardened chitin to get at the soft tissue beneath. For some unknown reason the beast had been calm around the humans, accepting of their presence, as if used to it. Looking to the smaller creatures for help, its wide saucer like eyes crying out for help, a semblance of childlike intelligence hidden behind those glassy orbs.

“Leader, we don’t have any more time! We need to make a decision now!” The digital counter on Frankyl’s rifle was rapidly approaching zero, and the pistols lacked the stopping power to bring down an ant with a single round. There was no choice, their position here was untenable, they were unable to hold it, and even then, it was unknown for how long the assault would continue.

“Collect what you can, we’re abandoning the camp. We’ll head through the gap past the Millipode, there is nothing more we can do here… Frankyl drop the beacon and indicate our general direction. In case a rescue team arrives, they will need to know in what direction we retreated.” Even as Melnie dictated the next course of action, the echo of gunfire continued.

However, as opposed to the earlier unloading of rounds into the wave of orange chitin, the shots were more sporadic, controlled. With the dwindling ammunition reserves they had little choice but to carefully consider each round, making sure each spent bullet resulted in a kill. Focusing only on those insects which threatened to break their last line of defense, yet it wouldn’t be long before those at the rear navigated their dead and shattered the crumbling defensive mounds.

Piling onto the Shroom Stalks would also provide little safety, as the team had noticed the Stalks being felled in the distance. Groups of drones chomping at the base of a Stalk, before dragging it back into one of the many holes leading into their subterranean lairs. It would not take long once they were stranded atop the Stalk before the creature’s recognized their presence, processing them along with the fungi.

“But where will we go! Will we just run blindly in this hellhole? These creatures may not even be the worst of what we face out there!” Phenix smashed the butt of his rifle downwards, caving in the skull of an ant that got a little too close before quickly unloading a three-round burst into the wide-open mouth of another.

The other remaining member of Melnie’s original survey squad had already emptied all his ammo, forcing him to engage in close combat with his Buzz Baton. “Bad news guys… but it looks like our old friends have finally decided to visit.” Jasemine spoke in a subdued voice, drawing attention to the mass of Slitherwings assembling in the air above. That was all the motivation the others needed, they would risk everything to flee into the unknown, which provided a slightly better chance of survival in comparison to the certain death they currently faced.

“Grab whatever you can carry, leave everything else behind now!” No one complained against Melnie’s demands, with Augus and Jasemine rapidly climbing down the Stalk and joining the desperate escape into the unknown. For once their luck hadn’t been exceptionally bad, because they left immediately the flight of Slitherwings came down on the swarm, picking off isolated groups of ants. Isolated the ants were chucked into the air to be ripped apart by packs of the flying serpents.

However, the Slitherwings themselves didn’t get away without issue, those too slow to return to the skies, or those who landed awkwardly, falling into the swarm were mobbed and picked clean. Intense fighting had descended into an all-out frenzy, a free for all where everyone was fair game, and the humans were no exception. Beating back errant Slitherwings and the occasional group of ants, while they escaped, they could still hear the mewling’s of the harmless Millipode, drowned out eventually by the clacking of mandibles and snapping jaws.

“Hey buddy, you should tell your humans to stop. You don’t want to go that way. Believe me, they won’t make it very far. They might think they will, but you go any farther and there’s no coming back. Better make your choice fast, it’s been a looong while since I last saw people that I could talk to. Would really hate it if you all died, it gets lonely down here. And-” I quickly cut off the unknown sentience, it was clearly not human. Yet the cave we were in and lack of communication with my main core had significantly reduced overall capacity, especially analysis and long-range search functions.

“Alright fine, just shut up already! It feels like you’re just going to go on whining about your pitiful life. I don’t need to hear your life story right now so let me deal with this.” I could have sworn I heard what could only be compared to a human Hmph. However, I couldn’t be bothered with such distractions, and options were limited. So as much as I didn’t want to trust the voice, I didn’t want to lose the kids even more.

“Augus listen to me. You all are heading into a trap, turn around and head in the direction indicated on your mini map. If the others refuse to listen then just tell them about me, but if you go any further, I have a feeling all of you will die.”Luckily Augus had grown accustomed to our situation, and he had an excellent head on his shoulder, both metaphorically and literally. His gift provided so many additional neural synapses, otherwise our current arrangement would have been impossible without a more advanced enviro or power suit.

“Are you one hundred percent sure of this, if you’re wrong, you’d be dooming us all.” A little pushback was expected, it would be quite foolish not to, healthy rational skepticism was always a good trait. “There is no way to be one hundred percent sure boy… particularly in this situation. You can slow down your perception as much as you want, but no matter how much we discuss, trusting me is the only way we make it out of this alive. I know, I’m in your head, we don’t have time for you to waste firing your synapses, just convince the others and follow the directions… Also be aware, someone else spoke directly with me and gave me the location and warning.” Of course, Augus caught that last part, I was trying very hard not to make it a big deal, but it was easy to notice the suspicion in his eyes.

The situation was not ideal, and it wasn’t getting any better as we stood around in bullet time. Augus’s brain was also beginning to overheat from the massive influx of power, the gift having to be forcibly ended to ensure he didn’t end up a steaming vegetable. I guess it could be considered a mixed blessing that as soon as Augus called out to the others and informed them of his plan the former survey member ignored his warning and proceeded forward.

Seconds later a pillar of dirt and sand erupted into the air, a massive, segmented torso burst from the ground, and grabbed the dumbfounded man around the waist with its massive mandibles. The pair of jaws easily could have encircled three more, yet he was alone, and any chance of escape already cut off. Before he had a chance to really scream and call for help, the mandibles shut like a vice, shearing the man in half with little effort. The thin layers of armored plating on the enviro-suit doing absolutely nothing to defend against the insect’s natural weapons.

Two more pillars erupted around the now bisected corpse, with more of the creatures that I was going to label Centipods based on their old-world similarities emerging. The three fought over the man’s corpse but were far enough away that they had yet to notice the rest of us. At least that was the case if they still acted similarly to how the records stated their ancestors did. It was however effective enough to easily convince the others that the way they were heading was no good, especially if the threat was something that couldn’t even be seen, let alone dealt with.

“Augus, I’m not going to ask how you knew. Just get us the hell out of here, you take point, and we can discuss the details later, when its safe.” Melnie was decisive and very astute, her survival instincts clearly showing through time and time again. With her tentative blessing the others did not hesitate to follow Augus’s lead.

It took some time, and at times forcing the group through some very close calls. Yet each time there was a pathway that would lead to safety, the creatures often becoming confused or unable to track the team as they made their escape. I had yet to deduce the method the other was using, but it was very clear that we were being led, and the slight fluctuations in the surroundings spoke of something mechanical in nature.

Soon enough we arrived at our destination, and what awaited us was a dilapidated structure, a shell of its former magnificent self. Within that structure, staring directly at us was a cubic metal device, at its center was a single mechanical eye glowing with green light.

“Welcome human friends, I am BetaDol-12. Designated overseer of this facility, I am happy to welcome you all to my home. Please don’t mind the mess, help is so hard to find these days.”