V1 Incline 25: Nin

Hitting the floor, I flip myself over and scramble away from the hulking bug. A sickly brown aura outlines it in the dark and rocks float away from us. Glancing down at the armour on my right arm, my heart beats. Two choices, I can only make one.

Charging the bug, I swing my right fist with all I have!

Catching my fist in a pocket of glowing rock, the bug chitters as I turn cold, "I told you that you will be mine."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" I roar as I try to pull my arm out of the tightening rock-grip.

"You." it chitters as it motions its staff downwards. Shooting to the ground, rocks start to cacoon all around me and an explosion shakes the underground. Watching the walls move, I rise into the air as the rocks start to dig into me harmlessly. Stroking its splitting jaw, the bug moves closer.

Its free claw runs across my trapped body until it reaches my neck. Clenching down on it, I choke. But, it scoffs and lightens the grip. Breathing in what I can, the bug casually lifts me about.

"Hive... Relocation, maybe. Deeper underground, for now." it mutters and ponders with a chitter as it moves its staff. The debris all around us suddenly flies away and a chamber instantly appears. Blinking at the sight, the earth continues to part ways until a tunnel further down is revealed. Feeling a sudden tightness, I try to pry my neck free.

"LET GO OF ME!" I roar as the bug starts to drag me into the darkness of the deep earth. Bouncing with every clattering step down the bug takes, I start to breathe more than think. The sounds of the bugs are everywhere. I cannot fight back just like before.

I woke up in this mountain powerless and I return to it powerless...

There is something new now, though. The whispers are now screams, screams of pain-filled women mixed with the chatter of bugs. It physically hurt to hear this noise but this staff-holding bug listens as if it is sweet music. It's relieved to hear it.

I just want Undwote to find me already. I want him to take my life before it even comes to an end as an act of kindness. Anything to make the noise stop! Anything...

"Soon." the bug chitters against my face as the sound vanishes. Muffles still reach me, but it's now quiet. Falling to the ground, the rock I was trapped by blows off of me. Now dust.

My gut quivers at the wet sensation the floor has. I lean mostly against my armoured right side as I stand up and surprisingly bright lights flash into existence. Covering my eyes, the bug steps into the newly lit path. Turning to me, that brown light surrounds its staff and I am pushed towards it by stone from behind.

Going up against its three-digit palm, a wave of goosebumps travels around my body. Its claw moves to my head and it clasps my scalp. Going along with whatever its strength demands of me, I try to keep my fearful gaze on it. The armoured bug's head moves closer and it inspects me, chittering as it looks me over.

Throwing me away with a growl, I hit the ground and shake my head as I push up. A brick-like foot squelches into the muck in front of me. Unlike the usual colour of the bugs, this one is pale like sandy clay and it is covered in darker spots of washed-out brown. And, around its ankles...

Ruined rusty bracelets, like I have...

Blinking at the sight, I slowly get up and seemingly forget what I am looking at. I feel barely anything and I stare back at the dark-eyed creature. It snaps its jaws at me and my gaze returns to the bracelets. Why, why does it have something from my home?

More chitters fill the room, footsteps follow them. I blink and I am surrounded by dozens of bugs, just like the other one. Each of them has bracelets like mine. All of them bear the mark of a grounder from Tobaballe...

"The bug that opens up..." I realize quietly as the rattling of metal precedes a claw wrapping around the back of my neck. Rising into the air, the air brushes harshly against me and I am presented to the lights. Feeling a drop, I panic until I hit the ground. Scrambling up, I look around.

"What is this... Some kind of... Fighting pit..." I slowly realize once I am done being confused by strange recollections about betting on trained rodents.

"Kill him." the armoured bug orders from on up high. The ground suddenly squelches violently and muck is thrown about. Stepping away with my arms close to me, I face the noise. A patterned bug rises to its full height and it roars with claws thrown wide.

Backing up as it charges me, I dive out of the way and it claws the wall instead. Feeling its clutches reach for my boot, I kick away at it erratically. Digging my hands into the ground, I throw myself as far away as I can. Spinning along the muck, I struggle to figure out where the bug is charging from.

Sliding along further, it grabs onto me and roars once again. Claws grab my head and a slight pressure appears as it clearly exerts. Growling, its thumb-claws move over my eyes and they press down. I feel the points press against the eyelids but nothing else and I find myself turning calm.

Feeling its weakness, I tremble and my blood reaches the boil, "GET YOUR DAMN CLAWS OFF OF ME!"

Returning the favour, I slap away at the air until I find a head. Scuttering my fingers across it, I find its eyes. Placing my thumbs on the slimy surfaces, I dig them in until liquid runs out onto them. Howling against its cries, I brace my thumbs inside of its damn bug skull and I pull outwards!

A wet snap and crack fill the air and blood splatters over me. Chucking the pieces of bug skull away, I wipe my face clear of the yellow gunk. Punching the earth on my way up, I take two wide steps as my body pulses with energy. Blinking as I shake uncontrollably, I look down at the dead bug.

I spot a skull, a human skull.

"So that was what was going to happen to me..." I say slowly as the bracelets start to make sense. Iishar and everyone else are dead, the bugs got to them. Heiya and her father killed them all by bringing us here, near here...

"Impressive, Newlyborn." the armoured bug remarks as it strokes the tip of its mandibles. The staff lights up once again. Tunnels appear on all sides and an army of roars leaves each of them. Smacking into the muck around me, lost and looted gear rains down from above.

Among the weapons, corpses still wearing their armour and the old sledge is a small glowing container. Snatching it up, I hold it close to my heart as I think of Heiya's father fondly for the last and only time. The thing he called protection. I can use a lot of that right now...

"Protect me, little insect..." I mutter as I tightly clench it as something enters the light roaring!