Onward: Purple

[voidtreckermods]

The second night of their trek is interrupted by the shaking of the ground. It only lasts a few moments and all the tunnels hold, but it is enough to be a frightening experience.

And it seems to have agitated the monsters. A wave of crabs attack not long after the shaking has stopped, emerging from the rocks around them.

They are close to one of the sandbanks and as they emerge, for a moment out of the caves they will find darkened skies and choppy seas. There is a feeling of a storm approaching. It is cooler then it has been.

But that is the least of their problems. As they cross the sandbank, wading in the water a giant squid attacks. Tentacles reaching out of the sea, to wrap around limbs and pull the voidtreckers and those they are escorting off the sandbank and into the ocean depths.

The tentacles at least seem to withdraw if damaged enough, hopefully they can be fought off before anyone drowns.

Comments

[bridgetothefuture]

It's... actually bizarre seeing Higgs in action. He's so used to thinking of Higgs as a terrorist leader, seeing him know even less than Sam is... well, it's something all right.

"Why the hell didn't you follow your own team?" Sam shouts back at him, but he manages to kick one of them several feet away.

Regardless of what Higgs says, when a second one starts to scuttle towards him Sam grumbles, "I've never seen one of these that wasn't already dead."

[tweaktherules]

"And leave you all by your lonesome?" Nevermind that Sam has a whole other team. "Besides, you should be thankin' me for the backup!"

Somehow, Higgs has a point, and he knows he does. He kicks the next one away with a grunt.

"Rather they be dead, myself."

[bridgetothefuture]

"I'm not—" but then he has to cut himself off, because goddammit, Higgs does have a point.

"Help me get these things out of commission, and I'll see about thankin' you," he says. And given how... tumultuous their relationship is, as far as Sam's concerned, that's quite the promise.

One of them starts scuttling towards them, and Sam takes a big swing with his stick, causing it to fly backward. "Are there any that aren't dead back home? Haven't ever heard of it before."

[tweaktherules]

Oho. It's one he's absolutely never going to let Sam forget. It's a hell of a motivator, and Sam has no idea just how much.

"Best get ready to show that gratitude!" Higgs replies with that damn grin. Honestly, he knows he's out of his depth here, and he isn't pleased about that at all. "If there are, I sure haven't seen 'em. Makes for a steep learning curve, doesn't it, Sammy?"

[bridgetothefuture]

Sam is pretty sure he just offered to open up Pandora's box, but it's not something he can take back now.

He kicks at one of the crabs to topple it over. "Damn things are more annoying than MULES," Sam grumbles.

Another starts making its way towards Higgs, which Sam sends flying with the stick. "Least they're not as deadly as BTs."

...That is not supposed to be a jab, but it could easily be construed as one.

[tweaktherules]

Even if he tried, Higgs wouldn't allow it. Promises, Sam, can't break those. Higgs shoots Sam a look, though, eyebrows raised.

"Sure as hell more annoying than either of those."

To who, Higgs? Only one of them has the ability to control them....

[bridgetothefuture]

Sam groans, giving Higgs his own pointed stare. "You serious? I'd call BTs a little more than just annoying."

But is he surprised Higgs sees the crabs as worse than them? Not at all.

Several more thwacks with his stick, a kick here and there... is this even really putting a dent in their numbers?