One Dream A Thousand Universes

The thought echoed in S-81's mind as a cold sweat trickled down his temples. He wasn't facing an ordinary beast... but a creature that had evolved to devour the strongest materials of humankind... a creature that even Sora didn't know.

Ava's voice cut through his spiraling thoughts.

But it seemed they were already too late...

Scraaaape... krrk... krrk...

The sound of metal grinding against rock scraped out from the deep darkness ahead... it was a heavy, chilling sound that made the skin crawl. The light from Ava's drone snapped towards the sound...

And the image that appeared made them both hold their breath...

It was a creature shaped like a monstrous crab fused with a praying mantis. Its size dwarfed the wrecked drilling machine. Its jet-black carapace reflected the light with the metallic sheen of titanium. Its colossal pincers could crush steel with ease, and most terrifying of all was its mandible... lined with sharp teeth that glittered like nano-crystals.

Ava commanded with a thought.

The voice of Frau (Ava's Sora) replied in her mind instantly.

It was leisurely chewing on the wreckage of the drilling machine... before its six, small, slitted eyes swiveled to lock onto the drone's light... and onto them.

The voice of S-81's Sora screamed a warning in his head!

"Move!" S-81 yelled out on pure instinct.

The massive form of the Ferrocarne lunged forward with unbelievable speed! S-81 threw himself to the side just in time.

CRANG!

One of its pincers swiped viciously at the Hummingbird Mk. IV! The drone was sent flying into the tunnel wall with a shower of sparks before crashing to the ground. Its propulsion system was damaged beyond flight... but its main camera lens, made of synthetic crystal, was still functioning... silently recording everything that was happening.

Sora warned once more.

S-81 saw a red line flash across his HUD. It was the attack path of the other pincer, already swinging down! He didn't have enough time to dodge... the only way to survive was to take it.

he thought.

The instincts of a miner who had been familiar with metal his entire life took over. He slammed his right palm against the nearest metal wall of the tunnel and commanded his newfound power... "Absorb!"

Krrssshhh... krrssshhh!

The skin on his right arm began to transform! It shifted rapidly from human flesh into the same dark grey metal as the tunnel wall!

Sora warned.

He tried to "release" the power in his arm and shift it to create armor on his torso... but with his power still at Rank G... it was too slow! Transmuting matter required a level of focus and control he just didn't have yet!

KRAAANG!!!

S-81 made the split-second decision to raise his metal-clad right arm to defend himself! The colossal impact created a deafening shriek of metal on metal that was painful to the ears. His arm managed to withstand the blow... but it was just one arm...

The remaining force of the impact sent his body flying into the opposite wall!

"Argh!"

Pain exploded throughout his body... his operational suit was dented and cracked... but thankfully, no bones were broken...

He slowly pushed himself up, his right arm still in its metal form, but now covered in hairline fractures...

The Ferrocarne turned back. It shook its pincer, which was slightly chipped from the last attack... before opening its maw in a silent roar... revealing the nano-crystal teeth ready to grind anything to dust... and began to slowly crawl towards him... as if to say...

...The chase is over... Now, it's time for the feast...