Twig

File 14: Operation Shell pt.1

along with incoherent screaming. What the shit was going on?

 The screaming and wailing came once more, but not through the earpiece. No, it was distant, rapidly gaining present volume alongside the splashing of water. He glanced down the corner he marked, seeing a familiar face running for his life. Very close behind him; a zombie hag or something. 

Blossom was sprinting as fast as he physically could, crying insults and straight-up crying as he sped by. 

Twig stood still, watching the two pass with a curled top lip.

They disappeared into the darkness of the tunnels quickly. Though Blossom's girly screams still echoed enough to be heard. Twig waited a moment, letting that scene he just watched simmer. He exhaled shortly, shrugged, and carried on his way. 

He hung a right, just as he had memorized: unlike someone being chased by a zombie-apparition of a Rose. 

The man came to a halt in a small room, stepping directly in a puddle about an inch thick. His eyes glowed with golden illumination as he looked around the room. At this moment, the screaming had not ceased in his earpiece. It was almost like he was back on the front lines, except he was fighting alongside pussies and old hags instead of men. 

Twig's gaze fell on three stone doors. The one to his left had the number "1" carved into it, the one in front of him sported "2", and the one to the right sported "4". Where was three? ... His mouth formed a line as he looked directly upwards. Above him was a door, the same size as the rest, labeled "3". 

He snickered and shook his head, "Those damn Fairchilds." 

Twig took a step forward and gently placed his palm on the stone to the door "2". A second of silence fell, even the cries stopped. An ear shattering blast exploded around him as stone shrapnel flew with winds of dust. As the explosion occurred, the man's head grew a small set of golden antlers. And when the dust settled, the antlers had been replaced by a happy smile on his face. 

He brushed any debris off of his wear before taking a gentle step into the chamber he had just blown his way into.

The chamber had a circular floor plan, tall walls of stone spires, and a domed roof depicting stone carvings of dragons, wyverns, and vasaray. The beasts in the stone moved freely, observing each other on the roof, fighting over a carving of a cow in the walls, slumbering as a flight, soaring freely, playing, etc. The floor was also stone, yet had some purposeful pools of water. 

Twig curiously walked over to one such pool, squatting down to get a better look into the impossibly deep body of blue. 

Suddenly, an electrical tentacle shot out of the water. With a yelp, the man leapt back, standing up in the process. The lightning squid's appendage slid back into the water slowly. 

Twig shuddered, "Damn hectas." He slapped his cheeks with his hands. 

"Alright," down at his waist, his fists began to glow with golden flame, "Time for the fun part." 

-Surface to Twig, do you copy?- 

Erin's voice came at a wonderful time! Right when he was going to start working!