I stepped back, scanning the ruined battlefield with narrowed eyes. The crater where the chokepoint once stood was vast, its jagged edges radiating heat. Smoke hung in the air, thick and acrid, obscuring the ground. The Carnifexes stood like statues, ichor dripping from their claws. The other troops waited in tense silence.
"Alright," I said, raising my voice. "We make this ground ours. Dig in. Reinforce. Build a fortress."
The Cadians snapped to attention, rifles slung as they awaited orders. The Nobz grunted in approval, cracking their Power Klaws with metallic whines. The Incubi remained still, their blades ready, watching the horizon.
"Carnifexes," I called, motioning to the largest beasts in my little army. "You're digging trenches. Deep enough to slow anything that tries to cross."
One of the Carnifexes shifted, rumbling low as it lumbered toward the crater's edge. It swung its massive claws into the earth, ripping through rock and dirt like paper. The ground trembled with each swipe, a trench forming quickly.
"Keep it wide," I said. "We'll need firing lanes."
The other two Carnifexes joined in, their claws gouging the ground in powerful, rhythmic motions. Dirt and rubble flew in every direction. The trenches took shape, rough but functional, carving a protective ring around the remaining alcove.
"Cadians, gather stones," I ordered. "Anything big enough to stop a charge. We're building walls."
"Sir," one of the Cadians said, nodding sharply. The troops spread out, picking through the rubble for suitable stones. They moved quickly, piling rocks along the edge of the trenches. Some used their rifle butts to smash larger chunks into manageable pieces.
"Incubi," I said, turning to the silent warriors. "You're on perimeter. Any movement, you take it down. No hesitation."
They inclined their heads slightly, vanishing into the shadows around the encampment. Their steps were silent, their presence almost invisible as they melted into the rocky terrain.
The Nobz grunted, watching the activity with interest.
"You two," I said, pointing at them. "Help with the walls. Use your Klaws to move the heavy stuff."
The Nobz exchanged a glance before stomping toward the growing wall of stones. One of them bent low, its massive Power Klaw gripping a boulder with ease. The crackling energy field hummed as it hauled the stone into place, dropping it with a thunderous crash.
"Dis' a good fight prep," one of the Nobz muttered, flexing his Klaw.
I worked alongside the others, dragging stones into position. The walls grew slowly but steadily, forming a barrier tall enough to cover the crouched Cadians. The gaps between the stones allowed for clear firing lines, each one angled toward the trench and the open expanse beyond.
The Carnifexes continued their digging, the trenches widening and deepening. The ground beneath them sagged and cracked, their claws cutting through layers of dirt and rock. One of them bellowed, its roar echoing across the battlefield, shaking loose more rubble.
"Good," I said, wiping sweat from my forehead. "Cadians, focus on reinforcing the firing lanes. Loose stones and sand, anything to stabilize the line."
The soldiers worked with precision, piling debris and creating small bunkers along the wall. They used their helmets to pack the dirt into place, their hands moving quickly as they set up makeshift firing positions.
I glanced at the System. The timer for the boss ticked down steadily.
[Boss Summoning in: 42 Minutes.]
Not enough time to build perfection, but enough to make this place a death trap. If this was anything like the Great Unclean One, then this boss was not coming alone.
"Orks," I called. "Work on a second wall behind the first. If the front line breaks, we need something to fall back to."
The Nobz grumbled but complied, their Power Klaws digging into the earth to drag boulders into position. They grinned as they worked, occasionally tossing smaller stones at each other like a game. It was... odd, I noted, for them to retain so much individuality, despite being creations of the System.
I turned to the Exocrene. Its massive frame loomed over the trenches, its bio-plasma cannon humming faintly as it idled.
"You're stationary artillery," I said, motioning to a slightly raised section of the alcove. "Set up here. And over there is your kill zone. Anything that's standing on the other side of the trenches, you obliterate."
The Exocrene rumbled, shifting its bulk to the designated spot. It crouched low, its cannon angling toward the open battlefield. The glowing green energy inside the weapon pulsed faintly, ready to fire. If only I had three more of these, our position would be utterly unassailable. Unfortunately, I did not. And I couldn't afford to buy another one, no matter how much I wanted to. But that was the whole point of being in a dungeon, right? I was here to push myself beyond what I was capable of.
The Cadians finished the first wall, stepping back to admire their work. It wasn't pretty, but it would hold. The second wall began to take shape behind it, smaller but just as sturdy.
I climbed the edge of the trench, surveying the defenses. The battlefield was transformed. The trenches formed a jagged ring around the alcove, with walls on both sides providing cover. The Exocrene's elevated position gave it a clear line of fire, while the Carnifexes stood like living barricades near the entrance. And, as far as I've noticed, the enemy made no use of ranged weaponry, which gave us the ranged advantage.
The timer ticked down again.
[Boss Summoning in: 25 Minutes.]
"Good work," I said, stepping back into the alcove. "Rest if you can. Reload. Check your gear. We don't get another chance to prep."
The Cadians nodded, their movements efficient as they double-checked their weapons. The Nobz leaned against the wall, their grins fading into something resembling focus. The Carnifexes rumbled softly, their claws twitching in anticipation.
I leaned against the wall, gripping the [Las Pistol]. The air felt heavier, thicker, as if the dungeon itself was holding its breath.
Thalessis was coming.
We'd be ready.
The timer ticked down relentlessly.
[Boss Summoning in: 15 Minutes.]
I sat against the rough stone wall, the [Las Pistol] balanced on my knee. The air was heavy, oppressive, the kind that clung to your skin and refused to let go. Around me, the Cadians silently checked their weapons, replacing power packs, adjusting their positions. The Nobz leaned casually against the second wall, their Power Klaws resting against their knees, but their eyes gleamed with anticipation. The Carnifexes rumbled low, their claws twitching, gouging shallow trenches into the dirt.
The Exocrene, massive and unyielding, crouched atop its mound. Its bio-plasma cannon pulsed faintly, the green glow casting an eerie light over the fortified zone.
[Boss Summoning in: 5 Minutes.]
My breath slowed. Every nerve was alive, ready, but I kept still. The weight of what was coming pressed down, but I let it slide off. Focus mattered now. Thinking about my parents or what came next didn't. Only the fight.
[Boss Summoning in: 1 Minute.]
The sky darkened. The swirling colors overhead churned faster, bleeding into one another. The air turned colder, prickling my skin.
[Boss Summoning in: 0 Minutes.]
The ground shook.
The first scream pierced the silence. High-pitched, guttural, alien. Shapes darted through the haze ahead, faster than before. Daemonettes. Dozens of them. Their claws glinted as they bounded over rocks, their twisted forms sleek and deadly.
Behind them, massive shapes lumbered into view. Bloated abominations, their misshapen bodies heaving with each step. Their arms were too long, ending in jagged claws that scraped the ground. Open maws revealed rows of crooked, rotting teeth, and their skin pulsed as if something alive squirmed beneath it.
Chaos Spawn.
"Contact!" I shouted.
The Cadians opened fire instantly.
Las-rifles crackled, crimson beams slicing through the air. The first Daemonette fell mid-leap, its chest seared through. Another crumpled, its scream cut short as a beam struck its head. The front line collapsed under the precise volleys, bodies piling into the trenches.
The Daemonettes that made it to the trenches fared no better. The sharp incline forced them to slow, their speed useless against the fortified position. The Cadians picked them off one by one, their shots clean and lethal.
"Exocrene, fire!" I ordered.
The bio-plasma cannon roared to life, its glowing charge building in seconds before releasing a massive blast. The green energy orb surged into the center of the enemy ranks, detonating with devastating force.
The explosion tore through the abominations and Daemonettes alike. The air rippled with heat, bodies vaporizing on impact. Limbs, claws, and twisted flesh flew in every direction, raining down in a grotesque shower. The ground where they stood was scorched black, a smoldering crater left in the blast's wake. The few abominations caught in the blast continued lumbering forward, their bodies missing entire chunks. I noted, briefly, that they did not appear to have any organs that I actually recognized. In fact, the abominations appeared to be fusions of several people at once, writhing and moaning.
A second wave surged forward, undeterred.
The Nobz roared in excitement, leaping from the second wall and charging into the trenches. Their Power Klaws crackled as they met the Daemonettes head-on. One Nob swung wide, its claw cleaving through two Daemonettes in a single arc. The creatures crumpled, their bodies torn apart.
Another Nob grabbed an abomination by the throat, its massive claw crushing the creature's windpipe with a sickening crunch. The Nob grinned, tossing the corpse into the enemy ranks like a broken toy.
The Carnifexes rumbled forward, their claws swiping through the remaining abominations. One Carnifex impaled a Daemonette on its scythe-like arm, lifting the twitching body high before slamming it into the ground. Another roared, its massive foot stomping down on an abomination's head, crushing it like a melon.
"Incubi, move in!" I shouted.
The Drukhari moved like shadows, slipping through the chaos with lethal precision. Their blades flashed, cutting through Daemonettes' limbs and torsos in fluid, almost artistic strikes. One Incubus sliced through an abomination's arm, the jagged limb falling to the ground with a wet thud.
The Exocrene fired again, its cannon obliterating another wave of advancing enemies. The blast widened the crater, sending chunks of earth and stone flying into the air. The Daemonettes near the edge of the blast were thrown back, their bodies shattered by the force.
A massive abomination lumbered forward, undeterred by the carnage. Its bloated body absorbed several las-shots before it reached the trenches. A Carnifex met it head-on, its claws slashing deep into the creature's torso. The abomination shrieked, swiping back with its jagged claws, but the Carnifex shrugged off the blows. With a final roar, the Tyranid crushed the abomination's head in its massive jaws, its thick blood splattering across the battlefield.
"Hold the line!" I barked, firing my [Las Pistol] at a Daemonette darting too close. The beam struck true, the creature collapsing mid-step as its head exploded. I had an odd feeling that this... probably was just the dungeon's balancing mechanic at work, because it seemed like Daemonettes should probably far more powerful than they otherwise were. So, the working theory was that the dungeon was nerfing them and these nerfs got less and less the higher the dungeon rankings went, but said nerfs did not apply to my units, which was probably why they seemed a lot stronger than they should be.
Eh. Whatever.
The enemy ranks faltered. The Daemonettes screeched, their movements less coordinated. The remaining abominations hesitated, their grotesque forms twitching as if unsure of their next move.
"Push them back!" I shouted.
The Cadians advanced in staggered formation, their las-rifles firing in controlled bursts. The Nobz barreled forward, carving through anything that remained. The Carnifexes roared, their claws slashing through the last abominations.
The final Daemonette turned to flee but didn't make it far. An Incubus stepped from the shadows, its blade slicing cleanly through the creature's neck.
Silence returned.
The battlefield was unrecognizable, the ground littered with charred bodies and shattered rocks. The trenches were slick with blood, their edges blackened by plasma fire.
"Status?" I called, stepping forward.
"No losses, sir," a Cadian replied, his voice steady.
I nodded, gripping the [Las Pistol] tightly. "Good... because I think we're about to get stepped on."
I breathed in as the battlefield quieted and stilled, and the very air itself appeared to shift and writhe.
And, from the smoke and ashes, Thalessis came.
AN: Chapter 31 is out on (Pat)reon!