The Sacred Band fell back in quick time. They worked in fire and movement pairs where one person ran while the other provided cover and vice versa. 595 reached the cave entrance first and scanned for hostiles inside before sending the bots further into the complex. She stayed near the entrance, clambering onto a rock to shoot at creatures further back as they scrambled over each other to reach the front.

Another ear-shattering scream filled the valley, and a sickly green will-o-wisp emerged over the top of the cliff. It was contained within a massive swarm of vines that seemed to collect up the smaller creatures as it crashed forward like a wave. Razor vines extended ahead of it as another series of sharp cracks came from underneath them. “MOVE!” Thebes ordered, activating one of the grenades on his bandolier then unclipping it from his armour and dropping it on the floor. 

The front half of the Sacred Band turned to sprint. Carthage fired an incendiary rocket at the swarm, setting a section of it on fire. 595’s beam rifle splayed over it’s frontage. A small hole appeared where Athena blasted it with her railgun.