"Lobo, give me a quick view of the area.", carefully, Chris walked through a huge tunnel, from the arena, deeper into the labyrinth that was slumbering beneath the village.

"You're underground, boss.", Lobo complained. "Just a shit tone of tunnels and holes and whatever."

Chris let out a soft groan. He rolled his eyes. Somehow he had expected a bit more.

"Moving forward anyways. Keep me updated about how it's going above.", he hesitated, not sure of it would be good to mention you again. "And please notify me when anything changes regarding (Y/N)."

"Rodger that.", Lobo sounded indifferent, but Chris knew that he was also starting to turn against him.

Favouring you was a risk he was willing to take. He could deal with a grim mood, however he couldn't afford to loose half of his team before knowing where you were and how to get out of this mess.

With you, alive, preferably. He hated to admit it, but he needed the help of that team. Despite him being underground all alone, he still depended on the eyes above.

With a grumpy sigh, he moved further through the darkness, around a few corners and jumped down into a hole. Below his feet, bones and dried branched cracked.

Again he found himself in an underground room that looked suspiciously like an arena. Silver light crept from the ceiling into the depths, filling the darkness with a dim light. As his eyes traveled upward he could see a crack in the ceiling of the cavern.

It was not large, a human would not have fit through there.

However, the crack was wide enough for him to see the stars. It was strange, but the sight of the silver dots shining in the sky made him stop for a moment.

Boss, that was Tundra's voice again.

He winced in surprise.

"What is there to report?", he asked in a calm voice. "There are anomalies near you."

His heart leapt.

"What do you mean?"

"It's not your little friend.", she teased. "No, but there's something big nearby. Huge."

"The megamycete?"

"I'm not sure, but it's possible."

He frowned.

"All right, I'll check it out on the way. Wait for further orders."

"Aye, aye captain."

Again Chris looked around. He could hear in every word how unhappy she was with the situation. It would be a good move to take care of a task that had nothing to do with you.

Besides, that was one of the reasons he was in this village in the first place. He had to eradicate the core of the evil so that Mother Miranda could disappear once and for all.

Cautiously, he walked further into the cave, when suddenly something moved in the corner of his eye.

He stopped, waiting.

The cave began to shake, thick branches grew up and began to hit the walls.

Alarmed, he turned his head and raised his weapon.

There was a wall that had previously been overgrown with plants. Now the branches moved, revealing a giant of vitrified flesh and mutations.

With a loud scream, the colossus grabbed a club of iron and jumped down to Chris.

"Guarding the Megamycete, huh?", Chris shouted sarcastically and raised his weapon.

The first rows of bullets bounced off the beast like water off wax. The sound of metal on metal rang out, it clanged and squeaked.

"Shit.", Chris cursed and ducked behind a rock. "Let's see how you take this."

He grabbed his chest, pulled out a grenade, and opened the fuse. The ring clicked, then he threw it right into the monster's face.

It screamed, the walls shook.

Dust trickled from the ceiling, small stones hit Chris on the head and fell to the floor.

When the grenade exploded, the air was filled with the smell of burnt stone and ashes. Briefly, it smelled as if something was being grilled. Silence spread.

But when Chris glanced over his shoulder, he could see movement.

The monster was still alive.

Again Chris raised the rifle and tried to aim at the head, but even there the bullets bounced off.

"Dammit, I'm getting nowhere.", he muttered through clenched teeth. "Lobo, I got a though guy here! I'm gonna need backup!"

"Boss, you're underground.", Lobo complained.

"There's an opening in the roof. Use it!"

"Ok, I'm moving out! Hold on till' I get there."

"Better be quick.", Chris muttered, and jumped to the side as the big metal club flew through the air.

One of the huge spikes missed his head by a hair's breadth. A wind chased through his hair. He jumped back to his feet, ran through the cave and aimed at the monster's head again.

This time a bullet hit the eye.

Dark blood spurted from the wound. Enraged, the monster cried out. It snatched up the morningstar and smashed it to the ground with such force that cracks formed and the ground splintered.

Chris stumbled.

The monster managed to grab him with its tentacles growing out of the side of its body and hurled him into the air.

With a gasp, Chris' back hit hard stone. The force pushed the air out of his lungs and he had to cough. When he fell to the ground he was paralyzed for a moment.

"I could really use your help right now, Lobo.", Chris gasped and managed to stand up again.

"I'm overhead, boss.", Lobo assured.

"Good! I'll signal with the locator."

"Give a guy a break..."

"Said something?", Chris pulled the flashlight out of his pocket. "I hate to be that guy, but I'm dying so stop complaining!"

"Nope, said nothing. All set! Ready when you are."

Hastily Chris jumped to the side, pointed the thin light at the monster and quickly tried to get out of the way again. It was hard to keep it steady, to point it directly at a weak point.

It took a moment, a bright flash of light chased through the darkness. The bomb slammed into the monster and exploded right between two plates of metal growing out of its shoulders.

"Nice! Thought so.", Chris shouted with relief.

But at that very moment, his joy died again when he realized it wasn't enough.

The monster was still alive.