They're EVERYWHERE!

156, 387: 8

They brought these accursed THINGS...

The Tantabus growls as it senses a group of four changeling drones get dragged into its world like the others before them, and their reality shifts into a dark, dank, roughly dug underground tunnel with one dead end and a cave-in on the other.

Claustrophobic, with almost nonexistent air flow, and deathly silent. Sane creatures never last more than a few hours in grim circumstances like-

"OH MY HOLES, IT'S TOTALLY LIKE BACK HOME!"

"AND NO HIGH RANKS IN SIGHT!"

"PLUS NO ORDERS!"

"WOOOOO, PARTYYYYY!"

"DIGGY, DIGGY, DIGGY!"

"BONUS POINTS FOR THE FIRST SHINY!"

Of course, Tantabus can 'see' perfectly within the section of the dreamscape its focus is on, but in this instance, seeing does not immediately equal believing.

What...?

The creature of nightmares can only stare as the drones begin effortlessly dismantling the walls of the tunnel like termites inside a block of wood, forcing Tantabus to spend its focus to expand this particular segment of dreamscape reality.

You will NOT escape.

It learned its lesson last time and, instead of trying to scare the drones on its own, it reaches into the minds of the changelings to summon the worst horrors they're afraid of.

There is plenty to choose from.

"Aaah!" yelps 31214 as it suddenly breaks through a wall which previously felt like it would simply be a block of solid rock as far as its drone senses can reach, "This tunnel is weird!"

Yes... uncertainty, unfamiliarity. It all starts with ripping them out of their comfort zone.

"How weird?" asks 10013, peeking into the short hole 31214 has managed to dig so far.

"Sudden holes weird!" replies 31214.

"Any baddies?"

"Nothing so far."

"Shinies?"

"Nope!"

"Awww..."

And with that, the drones all resume digging as 31214 starts throwing pebbles and gravel left behind by its digging into the newly open cavern.

How are they this calm again?! Their senses JUST failed them. No matter, even the most resilient minds can be broken with time and patience. No genius, no mental fortress, nothing can withstand nightmares beating against its defensive walls forever.

With Luna already in my grasp, there's nothing to save you.

"Hey, guys, there's so much space in here!" 31214 calls out of the newfound cavern into which it tumbled after its examinatory method of 'throwing rocks in there' failed to yield any negative results, "Be careful, though, the hole's near the ceiling!"

No. No escape, no space. The walls will close around you and you will see one of you get torn to shreds before your own eyes.

Hissing and screeching bursts out of the walls of the cavern as the ground trembles.

"Baddies! BADDIES!" 31214's yelling shouldn't be audible in the cacophony of noise, yet the other drones immediately react as one and push through the short tunnel like a changeling noodle. The Tantabus clearly doesn't have enough experience with changelings to know about the hive links, "Melty gribblers down- AH?!"