A New Weapon

Deeper down the trench, the corridor widened, converging as the soldiers from other positions emerged. Now concentrating on a single path forward.

Dugouts, crates, corpses of dead hostiles all scattered around the trench.

As they went deeper, the trench diverged again, 3 more paths, all heading different directions.

Corbin, at the front, headed with a few others to the center path, entering the tighter space, his senses, heightened, the eerie silence making him more weary.

A soldier overtook him, moving forward away from the main group.

As they went forward, a large explosion blinded Corbin as dust blackened his vision. Sending him back to the ground, as he lied on the ground with the sun shone on him, dirt and debris fell on his mask.

Corbin regained composure, breathing faster from the sudden explosion in front of him. With his rifle, eh stood back up, clearing his face of any dirt.

Helping soldiers behind him up, they approached the crater once the dirt and smoke cleared. The soldier that was once walking there was erased, in his place, a crater and a disfigured portion of the tight space.

Without speaking of what happened, the soldiers simply walked on the crater, climbing up on the other side, helping others up as well.

Corbin's shock calmed down, joining with the soldiers who were climbing.

Taking a final look at the destroyed section, he continued walking forward.

As they went onward, turning another corridor, they found it, a building built into the dirt. A large gate stood large in front. Corbin approached the door, staying near the wall, aiming his rifle at it. Others took places around the door as it still stayed silent and shut.

The officer continued walking, stopping just before the gate.

"Your army on the top has been wiped out. There are two resolutions that can be taken, you may join with us, living under our protection. Or the alternative." The officer prepared his rifle, "You will all be killed." Metal clattering emanated from tne inside, the officer stepped back.

In a second, the gate slightly opened, through the gap, an object was thrown on the ground in front. in fear, the soldiers began running away, running up the trench or running back to the path.

As everyone got out, the object blew up. Corbin flew out of the trench, even while he was at the pathway, soldiers flew in the air, slamming onto the ground or different parts in the trench as a large cloud of dust blocked vision of the gate.

Corbin slammed back down on the hot ground, quickly feeling the scorching heat as he lay there. He struggled to get up, looking at his chest, a few pieces of shrapnel were present.

"Once this mission is over i gotta ask someone to shoot me." He thought to himself, getting back up, still in a daze from the fall. Limping back down to see the crater taht lay in front of them, larger than the one before.

"They want the latter then." The officer simply spoke.

"Get that door open, kill everyone in there and take anything of value. The third unit is gonna have a field day connecting this place."

All at once, as the smoke cleared, they ran to the door, using their shovels to pry the door open along with other tools to breach it. Solders lined up at the front, forming 2 rows of soldiers, one crouching and another standing, all staring at the door as it slowly became pried open.

Before it even fully opened, bolts flew out, quickly escalating to a fight as they continued to fight.

The soldiers prying it open continued pulling it, unaffected by the fighting in front of them as the remaining soldiers returned fire. More soldiers started forming next to them as they bombarded the hostiles within with bolts.

As the door fully opened up, Corbin began opening fire with the others, shooting at the side. The hostiles inside had barricades built inside, continuing to fight despite the amount of soldiers fighting.

The soldiers started slowly approaching, dispersing around while they started falling dead. Unaffected by the growing sight of their dead comrades, they continued on until reaching inside.

Corbin rushed in, opening fire on the barricade itself, the lift had no lighting, lit up by the flashes of rifles.

The shooting ceased quick, the assailants were killed, dead behind the stacks of boxes and crates.

The officer stepped above the barricade, inspecting the masked bodies behind it.

"Find more crates to use and stack them here for cover." He ordered.

Soldiers who were once fighting around left, searching for more crates. Corbin went out with them, searching for crates or other things to barricade.

More containers were placed above each other in the lift as the soldiers returned, Corbin returned with a crate. Placing it above the pile.

"Lift looks too small, might take 3 to 4 trips." The officer explained as he inspected the small concrete building.

Corbin felt a pat on his shoulder, next to him, Moris was standing there with his rifle on the other hand.

"Still alive?" He asked.

"No, died to whatever they were throwing." Moris laughed.

"Well, at least you didn't miss the battle."

The small talk finished, the officer called for soldiers to volunteer to be the first heading down. With rifle in hand and a will to keep fighting, Corbin joined as part of the first trip down.

Vaulting over the barricades, he stood behind it.

"The lift should be heading down, good luck." A voice spoke out. A sudden shake on the elevator signaled the descent down.

Corbin prepared himself for the battle onwards, one unlike the trenches, his rifle was still ready to be fired.

"Once we enter, i want all of you to begin sweeping every room you find in the level, only stop when all rooms get searched." The officer ordered.

Corbin braced himself as the lift stopped descending. The doors slowly opened with a metallic screeching noise.