Out of Space

The sky turned dark and gloomy as smoking trails of fire streaked across the sky, exploding into small mushroom clouds as they impacted the surface. Mills gripped his M1 Magelock and looked up in horror at the hundreds and thousands of burning spores crash landed down from space.

He yelled to his men to make ready, while he readied his rifle, but to his surprise, there wasn't anyone replying to him. He turned around to check on his men, only to find several Swarm warrior drones feasting on the torn bits of elves and humans parts. Mills screamed, firing his Magelock from his hip, the heavy round barely scratching the thick carapace of the lead Swarm warrior drone.

His actions caused all the Swarm warriors to turn their eyeless heads towards him and their saw-toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth gaping open and screaming an alien cry, before lunging towards him with their many limbs.

A thunderous roar of rage erupted overhead, and a heavyweight dragon flapped its massive wings rapidly, holding it huge muscled body hoving over Mills, its shadow blotting out the dim sunlight in the sky, and in its great front limbs, it held on to a massive Gatling gun which Mills subconsciously recognized it as a 30 mm General Electric GAU-8/S Super Avenger, an ancient design over a hundred years old, except for changes on its ammunition and material upgrades, it was still in service with the United Nations of Man's military due to its overwhelming firepower.

The ammunition feed was looped over the dragon's chest like an old 2D picture action war movie, the ammunition feed ending at the huge ammo drum slung over the back of the dragon's chest. The dragon which Mills recognized as Blue Thunder strangely wearing a dark blue beret, reared its head back and blasted a ball of fire into the cluster of Swarm warriors in front of Mills, turning them into charcoal. Mills cheered, "Go fuck them up!"

Blue Thunder probably hearing Mills's suggestion, beat his wings even faster and tilted his body upright while the GAU-8/S in his arms was aimed at a huge dark horde of approaching Swarm warriors and he pulled the trigger with his clawed finger.

An eardrum bursting ripping fire exploded out from the muzzle of the seven barrelled gatling gun, spewing a mix of 30 mm armor-piercing incendiary and high explosive incendiary rounds at a rate of 3,900 rounds per minute torn into the mass of aliens, turning them into bloody chunks of meat and ichor. The powerful recoil forced Blue Thunder backward, as he furiously flapped his wings to keep steady. The spent cartridges were recycled back via the double feed system and into the ammo drum.

"Holy fuck!" Mills cried out in joy as he watched the mass of Swarm warriors get cut down by the laser-like gunfire. "I am touching my self, tonight!"

He sat down next to the sandbag barrier and watched the light show when suddenly a shadow loomed over him, "Ah fuck," He looked up and saw a funnel-like mouth full of teeth stretching over his face. "FUCK YOU!"

Mills yelled and felt something smack him hard on his back, he jerked up and found himself lying face up, having fallen off his bed and staring at the spinning fan on the ceiling and Bartley looking down sleepily from the top bunk at him and asking, "New trend?"

"Fuck me, that felt real!" Mills groaned as he pulled his legs off his bed and sat on the floor, rubbing a bruise forming on his back. "I had a damn realistic dream there."

"Nightmare?" Bartley rolled back onto his bed and asked.

"Yea, sort of, dreamt about the Swarm but it had dragons with fucking Gatling guns!" Mills grinned as he recalled the nice parts of his dream.

"You been watching too much anime and movies," Bartley's voice drifted down from the top bunk, "It's late, get some more sleep. Night."

"Damn, I need to drop a suggestion to the Airforce for having dragons with fucking gatling guns!"

-----

Seacliff Mines, Dungeon Level 1

Sergeant James sat on a stone outcrop and carefully stripped his M2 Magespitter into their individual parts. He started cleaning the barrel and the bolt of his weapon, while others in his platoon did the same.

The 1st Battalion, Alpha Company, Platoon 2 was involved with clearing the dungeon for the week. They have found out that, allowing the dungeon monsters to recuperate for a week or more, allowed a more optimal amount of resources to be harvested.

If they went in right after the monsters respawned, the quality and quantity will be lacking compared to a week later, the monsters' quality and quantity will double. Dr. Sharon and Magister Thorn's theory is that the newly respawned creatures are at level 0, like in a video game, they have not gained any XP. Allowing the dungeon ecosystem to run its course over a week or more, the monsters will gain XP and level up, thus increase their quality.

That was why when they first explored the dungeon, a supposed cake walk, turned out to be way much harder due to the monsters inside had decades to increase their levels. If the Spider Ants and Sand Scorpion did not have a max growth cap, the exploration would have been even deadlier for them.

Alpha Company, 2nd Platoon had easily mopped up the Spider Ants and its Queen, and even the Sand Scorpions, but they did not find any champions rated monsters. There wasn't any new treasure as they do not respawn, and even the Spider Ant's nest looked emptier than the first time James was here.

Several Marines carefully cut away the bundles of raw silk cocoons and stacked them onto a pile for transportation out of the dungeon. The door to the next level laid against the 'throne' of the Queen, which carcass was like a third smaller than the Queen, James and his team previously defeated.

After an hour later, the men of Platoon 2 had rested and resupplied, stood before the large double doors. James nodded to one of the Section Leaders who gestured his section to form up next to the door. Other Section leaders also arranged their men behind cover and aimed their weapons at the door as it was opened.

A flight of stairs made out of stone lead downwards into a hallway where another double door stood. A couple of support techs started unspooling a coil of cables down, ensuring that the cables are able to slip under the doors by digging a small trench, allowing the cables to lay inside.

The techs buried the cables in concrete, to prevent any monsters from chewing or destroying the power and communication lines and attached lamps and comms array onto the ceiling walls. The whole platoon stood around on guard as the techs worked and finally when they were done, James tested the comms and WIFI signal, ensuring all is properly working before getting the platoon to advance to the next step, which is entering Level 2.

The double doors swung open, and beams of light penetrated the darkness, displaying a large hall filled with pillars and doors leading elsewhere. "Set up security, ensure no hostiles in the room," James ordered and Platoon 2 spread out into the pillared hall.

There were nine massive stone pillars on each side with carvings of dragons, griffins, some giant birds and other mystical creatures expertly cut into the stone. James stood before a pillar and glanced up, it was at least three stories tall and the thickness would require three man holding hands to hug the pillar.

"Clear right!"

"Clear left!"

"All Clear! Room Secured!"

"Sarge! We got 2 doors on each side of the hall, no hostiles reported," Section 1 Leader Corporal Tells reported.

"Get Platoon 3 to set up shop here and the techs to wire up the place," James commanded, "Once Platoon 3 is here doing security, we will take a look at door number one." James pointed to the leftmost door on the left wall.

Not long, Platoon 3 appeared, carrying cases of ammunition, rations, water, medical. comms and sensor gear down. Several techs appeared and started to wire the place up for lights and sound. Sergeant Collins grinned as he joined James looking around, "Wow, this is like some Indiana Jones shit we watched the other day, yea?"

The Marines started deploying spotlights which lit up the hall and the massive pillars cast sharp shadows against the stone walls. "I feel like a grave robber or some villain like the movies who is uncovering some super ancient weapon," James replied to Collins, gesturing with his hands.

"Hahaha, tell you something," Collins patted James's armored shoulder, "I always dreamt of digging up or exploring some dark dungeon in hopes of finding a treasure or some sort."

"Well, it's good if its treasure," James muttered, "I don't wanna dig up some crazed mad god or demon."

"That will be bad right?" Collins's mood turned serious, "Damn. You wet blanket."

"Heh," James grinned at his friend's serious face, "Well, let's pray we don't."

"Be careful out there," Collins warned, "I got your back here, any shit, just call and we will be there to pull your ass out of the fire."

"Sure," James nodded, "Don't be late!" He walked towards his men, called for them to gather up.

"Alright, Platoon 3 is here, they will be in charge of holding the fort here," James briefed his men. "We will do this as we had trained, make sure to check all corners including the ceiling. Ready?"

"ALWAYS READY! HORAAH!" The men chorused, their morale up.

"Ok, let's go, Section 1 up first, then 2 and so on," James ordered as the men arranged themselves and formed up before the first door. "Ready? Go!"

The leading point man tested the door and found no resistance, and pushed the door open gently, his weapon up and ready. Private Geen stepped into the doorway, his shotgun aimed left and right, the lights showing a corridor that ended in a right turn.

The whole place is covered with stone tiles, and roots dangled from the stone ceiling through the cracks. A cold and damp feel washed over Geen as he stepped on the moss-covered stone tiles. Unlike the dungeon level above, there wasn't any glow moss in this place. Geen's section 1 followed several steps behind him as they advanced deeper.

Geen quickstepped around the corner and came face to face with a giant brown scaled lizard which reared up in surprise at the blinding lights. The lizard had come to investigate the sudden light sources and just as it was about to round the corner, something blaring blinded it.

Geen yelled in surprised as the startled lizard spit out its tongue wildly in panic, the lizard's extendable tongue impacted against the wall behind Geen which cracked audibly and Geen squeezed the trigger of his shotgun in reflex.

Seven lead balls slammed directly at the lizard's exposed chest, the force tearing the soft underbelly skin, and lizard blood and bits exploded out, showering the walls with blood and gore. Geen yelled in pain this time as some fluid from the lizard splashed onto him, the fluid started smoking and eating into his armor and skin.

He yelped as he tried to pat away the smoking acid on his armor. He dropped his smoking shotgun, the barrel starting to deform as some droplets had landed on the barrel, melting the metal. His section mates rushed over, and helped him out of his smoking armor and using water to try to wash the acidic substance away while other provide security cover.

"What the fuck is that?" James came up next to the dead lizard the size of a horse. It had two thin crests of bone on the top of its head and what looks like a frill or grills on the side of its head. It had two short arms with claws and powerful looking hind legs and tail. The acidic substance leaking from the torn chest area was smoking and eating slowing into the rock surface and giving off a pungent sour smell.

"That looks like some freaking dinosaur..."