Empyrean Iris Story Collection Vol. 4

Bunker Buster

Author's Note: I must acknowledge heavy Doom Eternal/ Fear 3/ Metro 2033, and Gears of War influences. The use of Doom Eternal Ambient background noise was helpful in drowning out the stupid chirping birds while I was trying to type.

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The radio crackled softly static fuzzing in and out for seconds as a time as the voice warbled over the line "Residents are being instructed to hunker in place, and bar up their homes. Do not go outside, do not open the door for anyone unless proof can be furnished by the UNSC . Supply drops are inbounded to affected areas and will include weapons and ammunition. Again, we repeat residents of affected areas are encouraged to shelter in place, stay quiet. If possible, leave a sign on an outer door for rescuing agencies in the event of your rescue. Experts are suggesting those in affected areas bar themselves in subterranean locations if at all possible. Windowless basements and storm shelters are highly advised."

The radio crackled again.

Distantly soemthing rumbled and the ground shook.

The dim bulb in the ceiling swung back and forth slowly as dust trickled down onto the huddled figures beneath the Orion First Resurrection church where many residents of Orion Mericanda had taken to shelter.... What remained of them anyway. Through inches of steel and concrete they could still hear the sound of the creatures groaning and calling to each other as they scampered through the destroyed streets. Children clung to their mothers and fathers huddled together under the swinging bulbs.

Men and women clutched weapons pointing to their only entrance, a double locked steel door barred with all the furniture they could push up against it. This room had originally been used as storage for the charitable donations received by the church, and was likely the only reason so many people in the town were still alive, though their supply of charitably donated canned food was running thin.

The local Pastor stood by the door weapon held to the ready though his hands were white against the weapon.

He had prayed with those who wished to pray, allowed others to curse and whale when they needed to. He had not lectured about the end of days or some sort of apocalypse, but he had done his best to keep these people alive and vowed to be the first at the door were soemthing to happen. He and a small group of townsfolk led what remained of the living, and had chosen not to mention the slow warping of the walls in their cellar, how the concrete was slowly growing more porous, how they could hear scratching in the dirt beyond.

It would be no use.

They would die panicked ut they would still die, better to save them that pain.

"There are several levels of void creature that we can determine. The smallest and easiest to deal with are the Roaches, they are generally under a foot tall and shaped like brains with legs, these can be easily stomped with a foot or beaten in with a bat, their most dangerous attack is in large numbers. The second is a Pigmy, small and humanoid likely derived from corrupted Tvek, these are very small and vicious and their bite can cause infection, they can also be easily taken out by blunt force. It is suggested wearing any sort of all body covering when dealing with a Pigmy. Full plate armor is suggested if at all possible but motorcycle gear will also be acceptable as their bite cannot penetrate most dense materials that human bites cannot penetrate. Further up we have the King roaches which are just larger counterparts of the smaller roaches. Run if you encounter them. Above that are the Rovers, these are corrupted Tesraki, they are fast and they can jump very high. They will hurt you with the use of blunt force."

Another loud roar came from outside, and the room shook again. The radio went in and out for a moment, "Most of these creatures have no better than animal intelligence, but the tireless are their leaders, they are Drev commanders that direct troop movements. They are relatively rare, and extremely difficult to kill. Armor piercing rounds at 308. Or higher are suggested but may take multiple rounds to kill. Then..... there are human void....."