Gustav forced himself onto his hands and knees, his golden fur now matted with dirt and debris. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision.
The scene around him was chaos incarnate. The once organized rows of conscripted workers had been obliterated, replaced by craters, scattered limbs, and panicked survivors running in every direction.
The drop pod that had caused the destruction hissed as its doors began to open, releasing a cloud of steam and smoke. Through the fog, Gustav could make out the silhouettes of figures stepping out.
They moved with precision, their black-and-red armor gleaming ominously under the facility's flickering lights.
These weren't regular soldiers. They were Aegis units.