Chapter 3: Assault

Mark’s group trudged through the rocky terrain, the pulsating silhouette of the hive growing larger with every step. The survivors clung to their makeshift weapons, their faces pale with fear. The titan mecha walked at the rear, its presence both reassuring and ominous, its recently reinforced armor glinting under the thin Martian sun.

Jonathan scanned the horizon while Sophie tried to comfort the young soldier she’d saved. Mark kept his eyes ahead, his mind racing. He knew they were walking into a trap. The arachnids were too smart to leave their hive undefended, but there was no other choice.

Beneath the surface, the hive vibrated with activity. The queen, deep within her pulsating chamber, issued a series of pheromonal commands that rippled through the hive’s tunnels. Workers scuttled faster, reinforcing hive walls with layers of a resin-like substance. Parasites burrowed into dead bodies, reanimating them as twisted hybrids, their movements jerky but filled with purpose.