The steady rhythm of pitter-pattering sounds reverberated throughout the entire forest. In the glimpse of a moment, the light taps screamed with intensity, hammering and drumming like that of a drum of war. Harder and agonizing, as if the world in its entirety were being cursed with suffering.

  The sky was shaded with darkness; its intensity could rival the cold and empty abyss of death. Within less than a moment of downpour, the world lost its color and now had turned into monotonous white and black. Life seemed to flicker in and out until it was finally snuffed out of existence.

  In a single part of the forest, near a massive clearing of debris, numerous red glows of light illuminated the surroundings like a bright star under the dull and cold landscape. It observed its surroundings like that of a hunter waiting for its prey.

  With a sudden snap of attention, as the dull and cold water accumulated, a sliver of flesh came crawling out. It crawled like a worm until it got larger as more flesh came out. Its body was pulsing crimson like that of a beating heart.

  Like a gust of wind, within a moment, the scattered flesh moved in unison and converged in a single spot, accumulating and forming like that of a fetus. All around the forest, there were an incomprehensible number of abominations that were simultaneously forming.

  The first one was born into a world made of eternal darkness. Crimson black liquid slid down from its exposed muscles and fats. Unknown horror, a creature not of this world, with its eyes numbering in the hundreds as numerous limbs protruded out of its body.

  Just as it made its first step, it suddenly snapped into attention. Its eyes focused on the glowing lights in the center, and its scent picked up a delicacy. Unable to resist the temptation, it opened its deformed mouth and let out an ear-piercing sound. All over the forest, the same scenario unfolded.

  With thousands of eyes filling up the forest, they moved in unison like that of a colony of bacteria that had found its prey. They dashed quickly, moving with utter speed and swiftness.

  Almost immediately, all around the glowing lights in the center, like a blur in motion, numerous compartments opened wide, and a squad of cylindrical beasts of matte black metal came up, and from them long rifled barrels jutted forward, their automated hydraulics humming beneath. Their red sensor eyes glowed bright, scanning and targeting. With the grind of treads from below, they pivoted sharply and unleashed a thunderous echo through the eternal darkness.

  The flashes of light eclipsed through the abyss, the sound of flesh being pummeled to smithereens, and the agonizing screams of death and hatred turned into the tenor of the underworld.

  "Lieutenan—" The Adjutant whirred but was cut off.

  "I know!" Altair said, his voice filled with frustration and a plea. "Can we manufacture enough ammunition?!" Altair frantically said, half expecting to die another time, and the other half clinging to a bit of hope.

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  "Negative!" The Adjutant buzzed. "Our systems would get overloaded with tasks."

  "Damn!" Altair said as he gripped the controls tightly to the point of his palms turning white. "How about increasing our output? Using the atmospheric energy?" He said as sweat slid down his cheeks, heart palpitating, and his hands slightly trembling.

  "Lieutenant, it is too risky." The Adjutant fizzed in pitched tone and intensity.

  "Do it!" Altair demanded. "Now!" he growled.

  "Affirmative, Lieutenant..." The Adjutant quickly snapped into action, despite having some reservations about it.

  Just as he was about to refocus on the consoles and controls, within his peripheral vision, the sentient person he had saved stood up. Along her body was a white and gold-colored robe, and despite her trembling arms and hands, she held up a staff with a crystal ball at the top.

  "W-What is she doin—" He was cut off as a bright light emitted through the camera feed.

  Lyria stood mumbling in magical runes as she held up her staff. The staff glowed with white magical energy gathering in the center, and with a dispersal, it splashed off like a wave all around them in a concentric circle.

  With tears falling down her cheeks, she gazed at the abyss, the ear-splitting screams now gone, and the Ironside now silent. Despite all that, she still froze in fear as a Stygian came forward, just before the range of her spell.

  It gazed right at her, smiling menacingly, but like a curious cat, it only picked up a scent. It saw nothing, but it was picking up something, and for some reason the scent ended on that spot.

  Lyria, Mira, and Brennan held their breaths, refusing to make a noise, not even a slight or subtle movement. Soon, the Stygian stopped and moved elsewhere, thinking it might have been mistaken.

  Altair stared with laser intensity at what he had just witnessed, and with a snap of attention, he spoke. "Adjutant, did you record the process?" He said as adrenaline started to fade out of his system. "Did you?" He repeated.

  "Indeed, Lieutenant." The Adjutant buzzed, then continued. "I will observe and identify to further refine our methods using these strange atmospheric particles."

  Altair gazed back at the sentient people and slouched back into his pilot's chair, quietly observing them.

  "They seem to be refusing to speak." He raised his head and viewed the surroundings, then with a flash of inspiration within his mind, "Adjutant, I have an idea."

  "Care to share the thought with me, Lieutenant?" The Adjutant fizzed, a sudden unusual response from the Adjutant.

  Altair rolled his eyes, but nevertheless appreciated the ice breaker attempt. "Basically..."

  Mira, who was sitting further into the center, had her eyes gazing back and forth across their surroundings, silently observing the Stygians. Then, like a speeding train, a sudden change in atmosphere travelled through them. She immediately gripped her bow and stood up in haste.

  "Stop!" The ancient construct whirred. "It is safe now." It assured them.

  She gasped, her eyes opened wide, and with a distraught expression stared in anger at the ancient construct, narrowing her eyebrows towards the crimson glowing light atop them.

  "It's over." Lyria sat dejected, accepting the inevitable end that was about to come to them.

  Brennan just stared motionlessly into the abyss.

  They all knew what was about to come; however, contrary to their expectations, nothing came, and everything proceeded smoothly. The Stygians didn't bat an eye.

  Yet with a sudden understanding, they began to notice what might have been the strange change in atmosphere they had noticed a while ago.

  "My ears... they are ringing." Brennan muttered with extreme caution