They weren’t sure what to expect. Between the endless nights and fruitless search parties, their time spent on Abaraxus seemed never ending.

The only intriguing aspect of Abraxus to Zelia was the seemingly abundant species of both flora and fauna. She’d been sent to Abraxus right alongside Squad 7–her job was to follow along and update all the known information about Abaraxus, and return that information to the Horde. Any information was useful these days.

But they never expected the Crawler. It came at night, when half the bridage was attempting sleep in canvas tents, and the other half were nervously gripping their guns in clunky armour. Zelia was in the medical tent, pressing a mint-green leaf against a laceration in a soldier’s torso.

The first sign came from the radio. The voices that echoed from the small box resting on the grate were both grainy and weary.

‘Stay alert, Squad seven. Motion detected in Sector Nine.’ The captain warned. Zelia wrapped the bandage around the torso wound and stepped away from her patient.

The second sign was the rumbling. The ground began to shake, the radio and other militant equipment tumbling to the floor. Zelia gripped the nearest surface, swearing under her breath.

She and the other doctor exchanged a glance. The final sign came with screams and gunshots. Startled like she had just been awoken, Zelia ran to her desk. In her drawers, she stowed away her non-digital note pad, her googles, extra gloves, and her own gun.

After the first scream and the first round of bullets sounded, there was silence. Zelia paused, slipping her gun into her belt, resting her hands on the side of the patients bed. Then she heard it. The cracking of earth like an egg shell, the shrill rumbles of a creatures roar—and then chaos once more.

She darted ourside, too anxious to remain indoors any longer. Fortunately, the medical tent was in the center of the left quadrant, the furthest from sector nine and therefore the furthest from whatever beast emerged from the ground. Despite the distance, Zelia could see it. The Crawler.

It was massive, to say the least. It’s body looked like a gray rib cage; it’s skin torn and shredded around protruding bone. It’s eyes were horrifying and scarlet. Its legs were daggers shooting into the ground, into the bodies of the soldiers at its feet.

The once quiet camp was now illuminated in an array of cyan blaster light and white rays from the alarm tower. The alarm itself didn’t aid in the battle, but she saw how the previously asleep soldiers emerged from their bunkers, decked in armor and weaponry.

‘Doctor Zelia, you must return indoors.’ A captain warned her, already nudging her to the medical tent. ‘It’s not safe.’

But any damage the Crawler created was already done. Half the camp was in flames or torn down. She pushed back the captain and followed the flow of soldiers. The rumbling returned from the Crawler. Her ears stung, she could feel the blood seaping from them. But the worst was yet to come. From the feet of the Crawler, emerged hundreds of grey, bloody insects.

Squad 7 was no more.