The twin Osprey aircraft roared through the skies over Provence, France, their rotors slicing through the early morning air like blades. Inside, MTF 1 sat in tense silence, the muted red interior lights casting long shadows across their faces. Captain Alex Mercer—Vanguard to his team—scanned the faces of his soldiers. His stomach churned, but he kept his expression firm, nodding once to steady their nerves.
“Remember the plan,” Mercer said over the comms, his voice betraying none of the tension in his chest. “MTF 1 will clear the nest. MTF 2 and 3, you hold the perimeter with the French forces. Watch for ambushes—these creatures adapt quickly.” His hand tightened briefly around his rifle. It was a familiar comfort, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that things could go wrong. Very wrong.
As the Ospreys dipped toward the drop zone, the hills and trees below bled into each other, creating dark patches of shadow that seemed to crawl across the ground. The rear ramps opened with a hiss, and Lieutenant Parker’s voice crackled through the comms. “Go, go, go!”
MTF 2 and 3 were the first to leap into action, boots hitting the ground hard as they fanned out. Vanguard and MTF 1 followed close behind, weapons raised and eyes scanning the landscape.
Everything was quiet. Too quiet. Mercer’s eyes flicked across the area, and a cold shiver crawled up his spine. His gut was screaming at him. Before he could speak, a guttural growl echoed through the hills, and creatures burst from the underbrush like a nightmare made real.
“Contact left!” Mercer snapped, his voice sharp over the comms. His heart raced, but he kept his focus tight. “Engage and hold the line!”
Gunfire roared as bullets tore into the grotesque forms charging at them—twisted things, a sick mix of wolves and reptiles, moving faster than anything their size should. One of the local soldiers let out a scream as a creature barreled into him, claws glowing faintly with some kind of energy, ripping through his armor like paper. Blood sprayed, and Mercer cursed under his breath.
“Lifeline, get to him now!”
Lifeline was already moving, her med kit strapped tightly to her side as she sprinted toward the fallen soldier. Her voice was calm but urgent. “Stay with me, soldier, you’re not going anywhere. I’ve got you.” She knelt beside him, hands moving swiftly to apply pressure to the bleeding wound. The soldier groaned in pain, his eyes wide with shock, but Lifeline didn’t falter. Mercer caught her steady gaze, filled with determination as she worked to stabilize him.
Meanwhile, the battlefield was devolving into chaos. MTF 2 and 3 were setting up defensive positions, but the alien creatures were relentless, attacking in coordinated waves from every angle.
“Watch your flanks!” Mercer barked, switching to suppressive fire to hold off another creature lunging from the treeline. His mind raced through battle tactics, trying to predict their next move. He knew they couldn’t hold this line forever. They had to push forward or risk getting overrun.
Aegis moved to the front, his riot shield held firm as he blocked a swipe from one of the creatures. Its claws raked against the metal, sending a screech through the air. “I’ve got you covered!” he shouted over the comms, giving the team a critical window to return fire. Mercer saw the relief in some of the soldiers’ eyes as Aegis held the line, providing them the moment they needed to catch their breath and regroup.
But it wasn’t enough. The creatures were too many, too fast. Mercer’s jaw clenched as he spotted more French forces falling back, some already bleeding out. One of their medics was hunched over a soldier, frantically trying to keep him alive. It wasn’t going to be enough.
Mercer could feel the weight of every loss pressing down on him. Another soldier down on his watch. Another death he couldn’t prevent.
“Keep pushing forward!” he ordered, his voice harder now, each word filled with urgency. They needed to clear the nest—fast. If they didn’t, this would all be for nothing.
MTF 1 pressed on, their firepower cutting through the waves of creatures that spilled from the nest’s entrance. The air was thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder and blood, mingling with the screeches of dying creatures. Every step forward felt like pushing against a tide that refused to break.
Just as they thought the worst was over, the ground trembled violently. Mercer’s heart skipped a beat as the earth itself seemed to rumble in protest. The ground near the nest’s entrance exploded, dirt and debris flying into the air. From the dust and rubble emerged something far larger than any of them had anticipated, its massive form resembling a bipedal crab, towering over the soldiers.
The creature’s skin glistened under the sun, a thin layer of water coating its body, rippling and shimmering like a liquid shield—almost invisible until it was disturbed. Its claws were massive, each one capable of turning a human into mincemeat with a single blow.
“New contact!” Mercer’s voice crackled through the comms as the creature stepped forward, its claws snapping menacingly.
The ground shook with each step it took, the creature's shield shimmering, distorting the air around it. Mercer’s pulse quickened.
“Weapons free!” he ordered, and the team opened fire, bullets sparking off the creature’s shimmering shield. Ripples danced across the thin watery barrier, but the alien creature didn’t slow down.
The rounds from the combined fire seemed to barely make a dent. Its shield repelled everything until it suddenly disappeared. The armor underneath started to crack but it was not enough! Mercer barked, frustration lacing his voice. “We need to break through that armor or we’re dead!”
“RPG inbound!” came a shout over the comms from MTF 3.
Mercer’s eyes flicked to the left as one of the MTF 3 soldiers crouched, taking aim with an RPG. Time seemed to slow as the huge alien creature turned toward the new threat, raising one of its massive claws. The soldier fired, and the RPG streaked through the air, striking the alien creature dead center.
The explosion rocked the area, and the force of the blast sent the creature stumbling backward with a gaping wound. Mercer didn’t waste the opportunity.
“Now! keep firing!" Mercer shouted.
Titan’s microgun roared to life, spitting out a hail of bullets that tore through the huge alien creature’s now-exposed torso. The massive alien screeched in pain, swiping wildly with its claws as it tried to maintain balance. One claw slammed into the ground, missing Titan by mere inches.
"Keep it up!" Mercer yelled, adrenaline pumping as he emptied his magazine into the creature’s torso. Finally, with a last gurgling roar, the creature collapsed, its massive body crashing into the ground, sending up a cloud of dust and debris.
Mercer exhaled sharply, his heart still racing. He wiped the sweat from his brow and surveyed the battlefield. For now, the immediate threat was neutralized. But he knew this was only the beginning.
“Entrance is clear!” Mercer called into the comms, his voice steady once more. “MTF 2 and 3, hold your positions. We’re going in.”
His gaze hardened as he looked toward the gaping maw of the alien nest. There was no turning back now. He could feel it—the real challenge was waiting for them down there.
They moved in formation, donning gas masks as they descended into the alien nest. The entrance was a gaping maw in the earth, surrounded by twisted roots and jagged rock formations that seemed to pulse unnaturally. Inside, the light from the surface quickly faded, replaced by an eerie, bioluminescent glow emitted from strange alien plants along the walls. The air was thick with humidity, and the faint scent of sulfur clung to their senses, seeping through their masks.
"This place feels like we’ve stepped into another dimension," Lifeline whispered, her voice tense as she scanned the pulsating veins embedded in the cave walls. The dim glow cast by the plants barely lit their path, distorting shadows flickering along the rocky surface. "I’ve never seen anything like this."
Mercer nodded silently, though his mind was elsewhere. Every step they took deeper into the nest filled him with a growing sense of dread. If they didn’t succeed, none of them were coming out alive.
As they ventured further, the flora became stranger—plants expanded and contracted rhythmically, resembling massive, pulsating balloons. The way they moved in sync with the pulse of the cave sent an unsettling ripple through the team.
"Stay clear of those," Titan warned, his voice low as his eyes tracked the nearest plant that swelled ominously. "If they burst, no telling what they’ll release."
Their progress halted when Phantom raised a hand abruptly. "Movement ahead," he whispered, his voice tense as he pointed into the shadowed corridor. "Two o'clock."
From the shadows ahead, creatures slunk into view, their forms barely illuminated by the faint bioluminescent glow. They were blind wolves—grotesque, eyeless beasts with sleek, gray bodies. The low light of the nest made them seem more spectral than physical, their fur shimmering faintly in the alien light. A distortion field warped around their bodies, and the vines along the walls reflected off the creatures' strange, shield-like auras. Their eyeless heads were eerily focused, as though they could still "see" the team perfectly.
"They’ve got shields!" Mercer barked, recalling the earlier encounters. "Aim slow, and watch their movements!"
The wolves moved with unnatural grace, darting low to the ground, their claws scraping against the rocky floor. They let out low, guttural growls that vibrated in the tight confines of the tunnel. The team opened fire, but the bullets ricocheted off the shimmering fields around the wolves, lighting up the narrow space with sudden flashes.
"Tighten the formation!" Razor shouted, his knife already drawn as the creatures closed the distance, their speed making them nearly impossible to track with gunfire. "These things are fast—get ready for close combat!"
Titan’s microgun roared to life, spitting out rounds at an overwhelming rate, the air around them shaking from the sheer force of the weapon. But even the high rate of fire couldn’t easily penetrate the wolves’ shields. One creature darted towards Mercer, claws outstretched, only for Titan to swivel in time and unleash a barrage. The impact sent the wolf skidding back, its shield flickering as it snarled.
"Keep firing!" Mercer ordered, his voice tight with urgency. He adjusted his aim, tracking the creatures’ fluid movements, and landed a slow, deliberate shot on the nearest wolf. The shield around it wavered before collapsing entirely. Mercer fired again, and the bullet struck true, dropping the creature in an instant.
The team followed his lead, concentrating their fire more carefully. Razor leaped forward as one wolf’s shield faltered, slicing through its throat with precise brutality. The remaining creatures were fast, but as their shields buckled under the steady fire, they fell one by one.
The last wolf collapsed, its eyeless body twitching in the dim light as its shield finally faded. Mercer exhaled, but his relief was short-lived.
"Movement ahead," Phantom repeated, his voice strained. "It’s not over."
Mercer’s heart pounded as he signaled the team to regroup. They had survived the first wave, but the alien nest stretched on, deeper and more dangerous.
At an intersection, Mercer gathered the team, his voice steady but firm. "Good work, everyone. We split here. Remember, radios don’t work down here. Stick to the plan, clear your sections, and meet back here in one hour."
The order to split up sent a ripple of tension through the group. This wasn’t like their training exercises or simulations—this was the real thing, and the alien nest had already proven far more dangerous than expected. They exchanged brief, silent nods, their faces a mix of determination and unease. Even Razor and Titan, veterans of countless battles, felt the weight of what lay ahead.
He quickly laid out the assignments: "Titan, Lifeline, Gadget, you’re with me. Eagle Eye, Boomer, Aegis, and Shadow, you take the left tunnel. Razor, Circuit, Phantom, and Nomad, take the right. Mark your paths with glow sticks, and use hand signals to communicate. We regroup here at the rally point in one hour—if you’re not back, we’ll assume you’re MIA. Stay sharp."
The teams nodded, exchanging final glances before disappearing into the narrow tunnels ahead. The eerie, bioluminescent glow cast faint, shifting shadows along the cave walls as each group ventured deeper into the unknown. Every step forward felt like they were being watched, and in the silence that followed, the darkness seemed alive.
Eagle Eye’s Team, the left tunnel
The tunnel gradually opened into a larger cavern, and for the first time in what felt like hours, Eagle Eye’s team could spread out slightly, no longer confined by the narrow passageways. But the relief was fleeting—the eerie bioluminescent glow from the alien plants along the walls was dim here, casting everything in a sickly, muted light.
"Keep your eyes open," Eagle Eye said, her voice hushed but firm. "Something doesn’t feel right."
Boomer glanced around nervously, his shotgun at the ready. "This place gives me the creeps. It’s too quiet."
Aegis, walking just behind them, nodded in agreement. "Feels like we’re walking into a trap."
Ahead of them, a faint shimmer caught Eagle Eye’s attention. The floor of the cavern sloped gently downward into what appeared to be a shallow pond of water. But unlike the bioluminescent plants along the walls, the water was dark and still, reflecting none of the faint light around it.
Eagle Eye motioned for the team to halt. "What the hell is that?"
Shadow stepped forward, his keen eyes scanning the surface of the pond. "It’s too still... something’s off."
Boomer moved cautiously toward the edge of the pond, his eyes darting around the cavern as he stepped into the water. As his boot disturbed the surface, the water suddenly pulsed with light, glowing in shades of blue and green, sending ripples of bioluminescence out in all directions.
"Whoa!" Boomer jumped back, his shotgun raised. "What the hell? Did the water just light up?"
Aegis tightened his grip on his shield. "Be careful. This isn’t natural."
The entire pond was now illuminated, and as the team took another step forward, the water around them lit up again, reacting to their movements. For a brief moment, it seemed harmless—just another strange phenomenon in this alien nest.
But then, something stirred.
The water rippled unnaturally in patches, as if disturbed by invisible shapes. In the glowing bioluminescence, strange outlines began to emerge, darting quickly beneath the surface. They moved too fast to see clearly, but the team could make out long, spindly legs and segmented bodies, slithering just out of sight.
"What the hell is that?" Boomer whispered, his voice tight with fear.
Before anyone could react, the water erupted in a sudden burst of motion. Something invisible lashed out, sending a spray of glowing water into the air as one of the creatures lunged at Boomer. Its long, needle-like limbs slashed at him, narrowly missing as he dove to the side.
"Contact!" Eagle Eye shouted, her rifle snapping up to the ready. "Open fire!"
The team unleashed a barrage of gunfire, the bullets tearing through the water, lighting up the pond with each impact. The creatures were fast, barely visible except for the brief flashes of their glowing outlines in the disturbed water. They moved like ghostly shadows, their spindly legs slicing through the air with alarming speed.
Boomer scrambled to his feet, firing his shotgun at the nearest ripple in the water. The blast lit up the cavern, briefly illuminating one of the creatures—a long, segmented body with multiple legs and needle-like claws. The alien creature screeched as the buckshot tore through its body, sending it flailing back into the water.
"They're diving under the water!" Aegis shouted, his shield raised as another alien creature slashed at him from the side. The creature’s claws scraped against his shield with a sharp screech, but Aegis held firm, shoving it back into the glowing pond.
"Stick together!" Eagle Eye ordered, her rifle bucking in her hands as she fired into the water, trying to track the creatures’ erratic movements. "Watch for the ripples—don’t let them get too close!"
Shadow moved quickly around the perimeter of the pond, his eyes darting from one ripple to the next, trying to anticipate the creatures’ movements. "They’re fast, but they can’t stay hidden when the water lights up. We’ve got to use that to our advantage."
Another alien creature lunged from the water, its claws aiming for Aegis’s legs. He raised his shield just in time, blocking the attack before driving the creature back with a powerful swing. Boomer, standing just behind him, fired another shotgun blast into the water, the glowing ripples spreading outward as the creature’s body fell limp.
"Clear over here!" Boomer called, though his voice was tinged with panic. "But there’s more of them in the water!"
Suddenly, the water to Eagle Eye’s left exploded, sending glowing droplets into the air as another alien creature emerged, its claws raised high, aiming straight for her. She dropped to one knee, firing a precise shot into its center mass. The bullet tore through the creature’s body, and it collapsed into the glowing water with a final screech.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Aegis grunted, driving his shield into another alien creature that had emerged nearby, forcing it back. "These things are strong, but they’re not invincible. Keep firing!"
Boomer, his breath ragged, quickly lobbed a grenade into the center of the pond. "Fire in the hole!"
The explosion sent a massive plume of glowing water into the air, briefly lighting up the entire cavern. The ripples revealed the full extent of the alien creatures’ numbers—at least five more of the creatures were still lurking beneath the surface, their segmented bodies writhing in the water.
Eagle Eye didn’t hesitate. "Take them out while we can see them!"
The team opened fire, their bullets cutting through the glowing water, striking the remaining alien creatures as they tried to retreat back into the depths. One by one, the creatures fell, their bodies twitching before sinking into the now-darkening pond.
Finally, the water stilled, the glowing light fading back into darkness as the cavern fell silent once more.
"Clear," Eagle Eye said, lowering her rifle as the tension in her shoulders eased. But the unease lingered in the air. "What the hell were those things?"
"No idea," Boomer muttered, glancing nervously at the now-dark pond. "But I hope we don’t run into them again."
"Don’t get too comfortable," Aegis warned, his eyes scanning the shadows ahead. "We’ve barely scratched the surface of this place."
The team regrouped, their nerves on edge as they pressed forward into the unknown depths of the nest, the faint glow from the bioluminescent plants their only guide.
Razor’s Team, the Right Tunnel
Razor’s team advanced cautiously down the right tunnel, their steps echoing in the narrow passage. The deeper they moved, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. The walls here seemed to pulse with an unsettling, faint light—an organic glow that throbbed in sync with their own heartbeats. Razor could feel the tension in his squad, and his gut told him they were getting closer to something dangerous.
"This place feels alive," Phantom whispered, his eyes darting to the strange growths along the walls. They looked like coral, but twisted and dark, their surfaces covered with pulsing veins that faintly illuminated the space around them.
Nomad kept his eyes forward, his weapon at the ready. "It’s not just alive. It’s watching us."
Razor didn’t respond. He felt it too—the distinct sensation of being observed by something lurking just beyond the light. His grip tightened on his rifle. "Stay sharp. We don’t know what we’re dealing with yet."
Suddenly, Circuit stumbled slightly, his hand going to his helmet. "Ugh… you guys feel that? Something’s messing with my head. It’s like… a buzzing."
Before Razor could answer, the dim light around them flickered. The air seemed to grow heavier, and a low hum vibrated through the cavern, making Razor’s vision blur for a brief moment. It was subtle, but enough to set his nerves on edge.
"Something’s off," Phantom said, his voice tense. "I don’t like this."
Razor held up a fist, signaling the team to halt. His eyes scanned the surroundings, but there was nothing—no visible enemy, no sign of movement. And yet, the feeling of unease grew stronger.
Then, from the shadows up ahead, something stirred.
At first, it was barely noticeable—a faint shimmer in the air, like light bending around an invisible form. But slowly, two figures began to materialize, their outlines barely discernible against the dim glow of the tunnel. They moved with a strange, fluid grace, their bodies blending seamlessly into the shadows.
"Contact!" Razor hissed, raising his rifle. "We’ve got movement!"
Before anyone could react, the creatures struck. Tendrils lashed out from the darkness, one of them wrapping around Circuit’s arm with snake-like speed. His rifle clattered to the ground as his body sagged, his energy visibly draining away.
"I… I can’t…" Circuit gasped, struggling to stay upright as the creature’s tendrils pulsed with a sickly glow.
"Engage!" Razor barked, diving to the side as Phantom and Nomad opened fire. Their gunfire echoed through the tunnel, but the creatures were fast—almost too fast. The brief muzzle flashes illuminated their forms for just a moment—leech-like beings, their bioluminescent glow shifting as they moved through the shadows.
"They’re blending in!" Phantom shouted, firing off another volley, but his shots went wide as the creatures weaved through the shadows. "I can’t get a clear shot!"
Razor grit his teeth. The psychic interference made his thoughts feel sluggish, like trying to think through molasses. But he forced himself to stay focused. "Keep your distance! They’re draining us!"
Nomad steadied his aim, his sharp eyes tracking the faint glow of the creature still latched onto Circuit. He fired a precise burst, and the alien recoiled, its tendrils flailing as it detached from Circuit and slithered back into the shadows.
Circuit collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. "I’m… I’m okay," he managed weakly, though his voice trembled with exhaustion.
The second creature, faster than its companion, lunged from the darkness, its tendrils coiling around Razor’s legs. The psychic waves intensified, clouding Razor’s vision and sapping his strength. His arms felt like lead as he struggled to raise his rifle.
"Get it off him!" Phantom yelled, rushing forward to help.
Phantom tossed a flash grenade into the tunnel. The explosion bathed the space in harsh, white light, momentarily stunning the alien creature. Its near-invisible form was revealed for a brief moment—a twisted, leech-like body with long tendrils writhing in the air, recoiling from the light.
"Now!" Razor shouted, his voice strained as he fought against the creature’s draining grip.
Seizing the opportunity, Nomad fired again, his shots hitting the alien square in its center mass. The creature let out a low, eerie screech as it crumpled to the ground, its bioluminescent glow flickering out as it lay lifeless in the tunnel.
The tunnel fell silent, save for the sound of the team’s heavy breathing.
Razor staggered as the tendrils loosened their grip, catching his breath as the psychic interference began to lift. "Everyone alright?" he asked, his voice hoarse but steady.
Nomad nodded, helping Circuit back to his feet. "We’re good. Circuit?"
Circuit swayed slightly but gave a weak thumbs-up. "Yeah… I’ll live. Whatever that was… it messed me up good."
Razor took a moment to compose himself, his heart still racing. "Those things were draining us—our energy, our focus. We’ve never encountered anything like that before." His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the fading corpse of the alien creature. "If there’s more of them, we’re in for a rough time."
Phantom checked his weapon, his expression grim. "Let’s hope that was the last of them."
Razor nodded, though his gut told him otherwise. This nest was unlike anything they’d faced before—every step forward felt like diving deeper into the unknown. He glanced down the tunnel, where the faint bioluminescent glow barely lit the way ahead.
"Alright," Razor said, his voice firm. "We regroup at the rally point, but keep your guard up. If there are more of those things, we need to be ready."
The team moved forward cautiously, their nerves still raw from the encounter. The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on them, but they pressed on. Whatever was lurking deeper in this nest, Razor knew they had to face it head-on.
Mercer’s Team
Mercer’s team ventured deeper into the alien nest, the bioluminescent flora along the walls growing thicker and brighter, casting eerie shadows that seemed to move of their own accord. The walls pulsed faintly, in rhythm with some unseen force. Mercer kept his team moving cautiously, eyes scanning the strange surroundings for any sign of danger. His senses were on high alert.
The deeper they went, the colder the air grew, and the unsettling sulfuric scent only intensified. The ground beneath their boots felt less stable with every step, the sound of dripping water echoing faintly through the tunnels.
“Stay sharp,” Mercer warned, his voice low but steady.
Titan, walking at the rear of the group, swung his microgun from side to side, the heavy weapon at the ready. “Something about this place feels wrong,” he muttered. “Like it’s alive.”
Mercer nodded but said nothing. His instincts were telling him the same thing.
As they rounded a sharp corner, Mercer froze. Something caught his eye—a faint, segmented tail protruding from the rocky ground, partially buried but twitching ever so slightly.
“Hold up,” Mercer whispered, signaling for the team to stop. “What the hell is that?”
Before anyone could respond, the tail suddenly glowed brighter, and a searing fireball shot from its tip, hurtling directly at the group.
“Move!” Mercer shouted, diving to the side.
The fireball narrowly missed him but struck Gadget head-on. She screamed as flames engulfed her, dropping to the ground and rolling frantically in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
“Gadget!” Mercer’s heart pounded as he turned toward her, guilt and panic rising in his chest. “Lifeline, get to her!”
Lifeline was already moving, pulling out her medkit as she knelt by Gadget’s side, trying to smother the flames. Gadget’s face was contorted in pain, her body shivering as the heat of the flames licked at her skin.
Meanwhile, the ground in front of them erupted, dirt and debris flying into the air. From beneath the rocks, a massive creature emerged—a towering, segmented alien worm, its chitinous body glistening in the dim light. Its pincers clicked ominously, and its glowing red eyes locked onto the team.
Mercer’s breath caught. “Get back!” he ordered, his voice steady despite the adrenaline pumping through his veins. "Titan, we need heavy firepower!"
Titan didn’t hesitate. His microgun roared to life, unleashing a barrage of bullets at the creature. The rounds ricocheted off the alien creature’s slick, armored body, sending sparks flying but doing little damage.
Mercer’s mind raced. “Aim for the joints!” he shouted. “Target the segments where the plates meet!”
Titan adjusted his fire, focusing on the vulnerable points of the creature’s segmented body. The microgun’s bullets tore into the thinner parts of its exoskeleton, causing the worm to screech in pain.
But the alien creature wasn’t done. It lashed out with its pincers, snapping them at the air in a wide arc. The ground beneath them rumbled as the creature prepared another fireball attack.
“Now!” Mercer yelled, ducking just as the alien creature’s tail began to glow again.
Titan’s fire tore into the creature's exposed joints, and with a final, ear-piercing screech, the alien creature collapsed into a twitching heap, its fireball dissipating before it could be released.
Breathing heavily, Mercer moved to Lifeline, who was hunched over Gadget. “How is she?”
Lifeline’s face was tight with concentration. “She’s hurt, but stable. Those burns are bad, but she’ll make it.”
Mercer nodded, relief washing over him briefly. “We need to keep moving. Can she walk?”
“She’ll need help,” Lifeline replied, standing to assist Gadget to her feet. “But we’ll manage.”
“Good,” Mercer said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Let’s go.”
With Gadget leaning heavily on Lifeline, the team pressed on, the tension thick in the air as they ventured deeper into the alien nest. The walls now pulsed more erratically, and the bioluminescent glow grew stronger, casting harsh shadows across the rocky surfaces.
Just as they reached what seemed to be an opening into a larger chamber, the air around them shifted, growing thicker. Mercer’s instincts flared. Something was wrong—his senses screamed danger.
The chamber was vast, the bioluminescent flora glowing brighter here, casting eerie shadows across the rocky walls. The air buzzed with an oppressive energy, almost as if the space itself was alive. Mercer’s heart rate quickened, his grip tightening around his rifle.
Suddenly, a high-pitched droning sound echoed through the cavern, vibrating through their bones. "What the hell is that?" Titan muttered, his eyes scanning the ceiling.
From above, a large insect-like creature hovered into view, its translucent wings buzzing at an almost imperceptible speed. Its body shimmered with an oily, sickly green hue, and its elongated, sharp proboscis glistened menacingly. Mercer’s stomach dropped.
“That’s new…” Lifeline whispered, her voice tense.
Before Mercer could respond, the alien creature let out a screech, its wings beating furiously. The atmosphere around them shifted, and with terrifying speed, the creature launched an attack.
"Down!" Mercer shouted, diving to the side.
The vacuum blades sliced through the air, deadly and precise. Mercer barely managed to avoid the brunt of the attack, but the razor-thin blades caught his exposed arm and neck, lacerating his skin. His prototype armor absorbed most of the impact on his torso, but the parts of his body that weren’t fully covered—his face, neck, and forearms—weren't so lucky.
Mercer hissed in pain as the deep cuts burned. He staggered back, clutching his arm, blood seeping between his fingers. "Lifeline!" he called, his voice strained, though he forced himself to stay on his feet. “I’m hit.”
Titan raised his microgun, trying to get a bead on the creature, but the alien creature moved erratically, darting through the air, its wings producing another gust of sharp wind that kicked up debris and dust.
“It’s casting more spells!” Lifeline shouted, rushing to Mercer’s side to assess his injuries.
“We need to bring it down—now!” Mercer growled, gritting his teeth through the pain. He raised his rifle and fired, but the creature’s speed made it nearly impossible to land a solid hit.
Titan unloaded a burst from his microgun, the hail of bullets tearing through the chamber, briefly catching the creature in its path. One of its wings was clipped, causing the alien creature to stagger mid-flight, but it wasn’t down yet. It screeched in fury, swooping low toward the team with deadly intent.
“Here it comes!” Gadget called, her voice wavering as she struggled to maintain focus despite her injuries from the earlier encounter.
The alien creature cast another wave of vacuum blades, this time aimed directly at Titan. The sharp air blades slammed into his armor, deflecting off the reinforced plates, but a few managed to cut through exposed sections of his arms, leaving shallow gashes.
Titan growled in frustration. “I’m getting real tired of this thing!”
Mercer, despite the pain searing through his neck and arm, forced himself to take charge. “Titan, distract it—get it to focus on you! Lifeline, help me with the shot.”
Titan didn’t need to be told twice. He opened fire again, sending another storm of bullets toward the alien creature, forcing it to dodge and weave through the air.
Meanwhile, Lifeline quickly wrapped a tourniquet around Mercer’s bleeding arm. “You sure you can do this?” she asked, concern evident in her eyes.
Mercer winced, nodding. “I have to.”
The alien creature dove low once more, this time aiming straight for Titan. It cast another vacuum blade, and Titan narrowly avoided being struck by diving behind a cluster of rocks.
Mercer took the opening. He gritted his teeth, raised his rifle, and fired. His shot connected, hitting the alien creature directly in one of its wings. The creature screeched, its flight faltering.
“Now, Titan!” Mercer shouted.
Titan emerged from cover, unleashing a barrage from his microgun. The bullets shredded through the alien creature’s remaining wings, sending it crashing to the ground in a twisted heap.
The creature writhed, trying to rise again, but it was too late. Mercer fired one last shot, hitting it squarely in the head. The alien creature let out a final screech before collapsing in a twitching, lifeless heap.
The chamber was quiet again, save for the team’s heavy breathing.
Lifeline hurried to Mercer’s side, inspecting his wounds more thoroughly. "You’ll live, but we need to get you proper medical care soon. Those cuts look deep."
Mercer nodded, his chest heaving with exhaustion. "We need to keep moving. There could be more of those things."
Titan glanced at the fallen creature, wiping blood from a cut on his cheek. "Let’s hope that was the last of them."
Mercer stood, shaky but determined. This encounter had shaken them all, but they had to keep going. The mission wasn't over yet.
As they moved forward, Mercer’s eyes caught something unusual in the corner of the chamber—a large, brain-like organ, roughly the size of a table, pulsating softly. Tendrils of vines and alien flora seemed to connect to it, as if feeding off its strange energy. It throbbed in rhythm with the alien plants along the walls, making the entire area feel unnervingly alive.
“What is that?” Lifeline muttered, her gaze following Mercer’s.
“Looks like some kind of central organ….” Mercer’s voice was strained, his mind racing through the possibilities. He didn’t like the look of it..
Titan grunted, reloading his microgun as he glanced at the strange organ. “Whatever it is, it’s giving me a bad feeling.”
Mercer nodded. “Lets us not disturb it more than we already have to, we’ve reached a dead end here. This place… it’s worse than we thought.” He turned to his team, voice firm despite the pain coursing through him. "Everyone, we’re heading back. We need to get back to the rally point, regroup with the others, and report this. Let’s move out."
Half hour later the MTF 1 emerged from the alien nest, the rays of the setting sun cast a soft, golden glow across the battlefield. What had once been a chaotic scene of combat was now eerily calm, the distant sounds of gunfire replaced by the rustling of the wind through the trees. French forces, who had held the perimeter during the mission, erupted into relieved but muted cheers at the sight of MTF 1’s arrival. Battered and exhausted, their return alive brought a wave of hope to the weary soldiers.
The air was thick with the scent of gunpowder, scorched earth, and the metallic tang of alien blood. Mercer’s boots felt heavy as he took in the grim scene ahead. His gaze was drawn to a line of black body bags arranged near the command post, each one containing the remains of fallen soldiers from the earlier surface assault. The sight weighed heavily on him—the cost of this victory was far too steep.
Colonel Dupont, the French commander, stepped forward to meet Mercer, his face etched with fatigue but also a flicker of admiration. His uniform was streaked with dirt, his expression mirroring the battle’s toll.
"Bravo, MTF 1," Dupont said, his voice hoarse but steady. "You’ve done an extraordinary job. We were preparing to send MTF 2 after you if we didn’t hear back soon."
Mercer nodded, every muscle in his body aching. Lifeline had patched him up, but the pain from his injuries still throbbed beneath the bandages. He forced a small smile, though his thoughts lingered on the rows of body bags. He couldn’t shake the gnawing question in his mind: Had they done enough?
"Thank you, Colonel," Mercer replied quietly. "We couldn’t have done it without your support on the surface. Most of the creatures were neutralized in that phase of the operation. Inside the nest…" He trailed off, his face darkening as he shook his head. "It was something else entirely."
Dupont’s gaze followed Mercer’s to the body bags, his expression growing somber. He nodded slowly. "We lost good men today. But thanks to your team, the threat was contained. Their sacrifice… it was not in vain."
A heavy silence hung between them as the weight of command bore down on their shoulders. Around them, medics worked tirelessly, tending to the wounded and cataloging the casualties. The alien corpses scattered across the battlefield were being hauled off by research teams, the acrid smell of their blood lingering in the air.
Mercer glanced toward Gadget, who sat in a medical tent, wincing as a medic cleaned the burns she’d sustained from the alien creature’s fire attack. Lifeline hovered nearby, checking on Gadget’s condition. She was alive, and that was some comfort, but the toll on his team was undeniable.
Dupont seemed to sense Mercer’s inner turmoil. "Captain, I know the burden you carry. The weight of every life lost… every decision made. But your team’s bravery saved countless lives today. Without your intervention, Provence would have been overrun. This entire region could have become a graveyard."
Mercer appreciated Dupont’s words, but they rang hollow in his mind. Was it enough? he asked himself again. He knew the invasion was far from over. "Still," he murmured, "this is only the beginning. The invasion... it’s just getting started."
Dupont met Mercer’s gaze, his own resolve hardening. "You’re right, Captain. This was only the first of many. France—and the world—is depending on teams like yours to hold the line. GRRA has its work cut out for them."
Mercer nodded, though his thoughts were already racing ahead. He could feel the exhaustion setting in, not just from the physical toll of the battle, but from the weight of the responsibility pressing down on him. Dupont’s words echoed in his mind, but they only deepened the sense of dread gnawing at his gut.
Finally, Mercer turned toward the medical tent, his body yearning for rest, though his mind refused to quiet. As he walked away, Dupont called after him, his voice low but filled with sincerity. "Get some rest, Captain. You’ve earned it."
Mercer gave a slight nod but said nothing in return. Rest seemed impossible now. Just as he reached the tent, he heard Dupont mutter softly to himself, "I fear none of us will find much peace in the days to come."
Inside the medical tent, the atmosphere was thick with a mix of exhaustion and quiet relief. Medics moved swiftly between cots, tending to the wounded soldiers. Gadget sat on one of the cots, her face tight with pain, but when she spotted Mercer, she managed a weak smile.
"We made it, Captain," Gadget said through gritted teeth. "Barely."
Mercer sat down beside her, his body feeling like dead weight. He met her gaze and offered a small, tired smile of his own. "You did good, Gadget. Just focus on healing now."
As a medic began tending to Mercer’s wounds, his mind was still elsewhere. Through the open tent flaps, he could see the cleanup crews and research teams moving among the alien corpses, already gathering samples and cataloging their finds. The acrid smell of alien blood and charred plants still clung to the air.
Despite the weariness that dragged at his body, Mercer felt an undeniable sense of accomplishment. They had survived, and the mission had been a success. But that feeling was tempered by the shadow of the lives lost. The weight of the fallen soldiers, both local and MTF, hung over him like a dark cloud, casting a pall over the victory they had earned.
Mercer exhaled deeply, his breath shaky. It’s not over, he reminded himself. Not by a long shot. And the knowledge gnawed at him, refusing to let him find peace.