With the Foulblooded Alpha finally slain, it didn't take long for the group to clean up what remained of the Nightmare Creatures now that their already strenuous form of teamwork was thrown into total disarray.
[You have slain an awakened beast, Festering Mongrel]
Leaning against the spear he had just driven through the Festering Mongrel's spine, Lauri lifted his gaze to check on the rest of his team.
Danse was the closest, slumped on the ground and panting heavily, his body spent from the strain of facing off against the Tyrant. A little further out, Katrina and Vick were already bickering, their voices carrying faintly across the snow as they made their way towards the men. Lauri couldn't quite make out the words – but Vick's teasing tone was unmistakable.
Mele and Sansa were beginning to walk toward the group, stopping every couple of steps to pick off the few remaining hounds that had tried to flee, ensuring none would escape.
And lastly, Lucky in the Rhino was driving towards Mele and Sansa, intending on picking the ladies up before circling back to the main group.
Letting out a long sigh of relief, Lauri dismissed his armour and the light constructs that covered it.
'Another job well done.'
Glancing once more at the corpse of the Fouldblooded Alpha, Lauri smiled.
'An Echo, huh? To think the Spell has yet to give me anything since the Antarctic Campaign began, and then it drops an Echo in my lap – an Echo of a Fallen Tyrant at that. Oh, they're going to love this.'
About to inspect the Fouldblooded Alpha's runes, Lauri heard quick steps crunching the snow, heading straight towards him. Looking up, Lauri saw Katrina storming towards him, her cheeks puffed out in an exaggerated pout, but the indignation twisting her face was very real.
"You!"
She huffed, stabbing a finger into Lauri's chest.
"You have some explaining, mister! You think just because you're a Master, you can go and run off into a pack of bloodthirsty Nightmare Creatures without us!? What if we hadn't arrived when we did! Were you really just about to throw your life into the jaws of that– that thing!?"
With her other hand, Katrina gestured to the Foulblooded Alpha.
Holding up his hands in mock defence, Lauri shook his head.
'...I wonder how Katrina would feel if she knew that was exactly my plan…'
"I don't know what you mean, Katrina. I knew you guys would arrive just when I needed you, and you did, as fate would have it. You did…"
His smile lingered for a moment as he paused, then shifted slightly as he tilted his head
"Although I am curious – how did you all get down the mountain so fast? Driving back down the mountain path, even at the Rhino's full speed, should have taken you far longer than the time it actually took you, so what gives?"
Katrina visibly cringed as she recalled the events that led up to their arrival. Collecting herself, she then mumbled her response so quietly it was almost lost to the wind.
"Well… You see… Danse, Sansa and I… We rushed back into the Rhino after you left, and were trying to figure out the best way of getting down the mountain when… Lucky returned from the Dream Realm… We quickly filled him in on the situation… And he said he had an idea…"
Lauri's smile twitched as he listened to Katrina speak.
Nothing good ever came of Lucky having an idea.
Taking a deep breath, Lauri covered his mouth for a moment as he mentally prepared himself for the impending answer.
"Katrina, be honest with me…"
Closing his eyes, Lauri grit his teeth.
"What did Lucky do?"
Looking away, Katrina winced.
"Lucky hopped into the driver's seat, backed the Rhino up against the mountain and then…"
Katrina's voice grew too quiet to hear, prompting Lauri to ask:
"Katrina, what did he do?"
Pushing himself up from the ground, Danse dismissed his armour, the leaves covering his body dissolving away to reveal his black bodysuit. He stepped over to join Lauri, Katrina, and Vick, glancing between the two of them as he took in their expressions.
Danse put his hands on his hips.
"Oh, did you just tell him about how Lucky drove the Rhino off the cliff?"
Katrina choked on nothing as Lauri's head snapped toward Danse.
"Lucky drove the Rhino off the cliff!"
Vick cocked her head to the side, a slow look of realisation crossing her face.
"So that's what that lovely falling sensation was when I woke up, and here I thought my brain was just messing with me."
Cradling his head, Lauri didn't have time to say anything more as the suspect in question pulled alongside them. A moment later, the side door of the Rhino opened with a click, revealing a young man with shoulder-length ginger hair tied in a tassel. Putting one foot forward, he practically skipped down the steps, his arms open wide as he looked at Lauri.
"Captain! Did you see how I hit that big guy? I really knocked the wind out of him, didn't I?"
Lauri's teeth ground together as he turned to stare daggers into the young man.
"Lucky, is it true that you drove my Rhino off the side of a mountain?"
Lucky smiled innocently as he nodded.
"Mhm, after they told me what the situation was. I decided it was the only way we would be able to reach you in time. Anything else, and the pack would have torn you apart."
Lauri stepped toward him, slow and deliberate.
Lucky's grin held for a moment – then faltered.
"…Captain?"
As Lauri kept coming, something in his expression finally clicked. Lucky straightened slightly, the easy confidence slipping as he raised his hands in a small, placating gesture. Words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them.
"Okay, okay – before you say anything, I did use the Rhino's boosters. I arrested our momentum before impact- We didn't just crash – you know, w- we landed. Properly. You know I wouldn't let anything happen to this thing, it's my baby."
Lucky closed his eyes, turning away from Lauri as the older man stopped in front of him, feeling Lauri's hand grab his shoulder. Lucky shivered; he shyly opened his eyes again as Lauri spoke.
"Great job on getting to me, Lucky. Without you, I really would have definitely been dog food by now."
Lucky's heart began to slow; Lauri's unexpected praise felt like heaven compared to the scolding he'd been bracing for.
But then Lauri leaned in a little closer, his voice dropping just enough to make Lucky's stomach tighten.
"But if you throw my Rhino off the side of a mountain again… we'll see how well you fare flying off one."
Lucky froze, caught between relief and confusion, trying to reconcile the smile on Lauri's face with the threat.
"C- Captain, you're joking, right? You wouldn't actually throw me off the side of a mountain, right?"
Sidestepping past Lucky, Lauri hopped onto the Rhino.
Left standing alone, Lucky glanced at Danse, Katrina and Vick as they followed to climb aboard.
"He was joking… Right?"
Danse and Vick didn't answer. Their solemn faces remained bowed as they passed, each offering a firm, silent pat on Lucky's shoulder.
Katrina was the only one to stop, patting Lucky's shoulder. She softly smiled.
"Don't worry, Lucky, I'm sure with your Aspect, you'll find a way to survive the fall."
With one last gentle pat, Katrina stepped onto the Rhino, leaving Lucky alone in the cold, dark expanse of the Antarctic night.
Lucky stood there for a few moments, his eyes moving across the dark, bitter expanse of Antarctica. His sombre gaze fell on the twisted, rotting corpses of the Nightmare Creatures strewn across the snow. The first flakes of snowfall began to swirl through the Antarctic darkness, covering the bodies of the fallen Nightmare Creatures, hiding the horrors of the battle beneath a quiet, cold hush.
He stood frozen for a few moments, staring into the void, before a guttural, inhuman screech echoed from the distance. With shivers running down his spine, Lucky scrambled to climb aboard.
The Rhino's warmth was suddenly more appealing than it ever had been before