The air near the Colossal Worm was heavy—electrically charged and dense like the moment before a storm breaks. Phillip stood motionless for several seconds after issuing the order, scanning the spire with narrowed eyes. Even from this close, it didn't move. Didn't flinch. It simply loomed—its surface glistening with a strange combination of biofilm and hardened carapace, its jagged plates shifting ever so slightly with an almost imperceptible rhythm, like breathing.
"Shadow 4, bring up the Bio-Extract Kit. Shadow 7, thermal scan. Shadow 9, set the drone. Let's not waste time," Phillip ordered.
The team scattered into roles. Their helmets' HUDs flickered to new overlays, switching from standard ops to scientific recon mode—filters calibrated for biological structures, thermal maps, and micro-vibration feedback.
