Thames sat up and took a look around his surroundings.
He noticed he wasn't anywhere near where the battle with the Queen had taken place.
'Nightstalker huh, can't believe I'm going to have to face other things like that' Thames lamented internally.
He took a look around and deduced that he was now in what was probably a subway entrance.
The muted sunlight streaking in from the opening tried it's best to wash away the darkness but it was failing.
It did make the vines and plants that had grown through the cracks in the structure look great so there was that.
"How'd you even get me down here?", Thames asked.
"By dragging you down here, It was the fastest option since the explosions would have alerted every single hostile in a 2 Mike radius" The Drone replied, not a single iota of empathy in it's voice for a problem it personally caused.
Thames groaned when he heard that but decided against berating the flying annoyance, he wasn't sure if he had the mental energy to be engaging in arguments with a drone.
He took stock of his inventory and noticed everything was in order.
The Great Sword was there, looking heavy as always and his folded up spear, gun and remaining grenades were in a pile besides it.
His Knife was still on his person.
He also checked the integrity of his power armor and noticed it was at 49%.
Grimacing at that, he turned to the Drone and asked "Hey, you think you could do anything to increase the integrity of my suit?".
"No, you just have to deal with it and I'm saying it now because you'll probably ask me next but I can't help you do anything at all, maybe some scouting for hostiles then that's it". The Drone replied him, it's LEDs shifting to a bright red color.
"Hmm", Thames snorted, barely holding back the urge to cleave through the Drone right there and then but decided against it.
Thames continued the check the armor and noticed the HUD wasn't functioning at all.
It only showed the armor integrity and the cross hairs that showed when he held the Gun.
'Whatever, I didn't use the HUD for anything else so it's not going to affect my capabilities'. With that thought, he holsterd the grenades and knife, returned the Great Sword to it's resting place at his back, and the spear in one hand and the gun in the other.
"Okay, I can do this" He said trying to hype himself up. He took one look at the darkness and decided going back up would be better.
Thames claimed up the stairs, the Drone silently whirring behind him.
"Thought you were going to scout, why are you behind me then?".
"I can scout from any location, thank you vet much" The Drone replied, managing to sound annoyed with him.
Thames shrugged it off the skipped to the top of the stairs, taking 2 at a time, moving closer to the light at the end of the tunnel.
Once at the top of the stairs, he took a deep breath and stepped into the new environment.
They walked into what Thames could only describe as a park.
A park overrun with vegetation that is.
Vines and plants grew through the metallic benches, each a rusted shade of silver.
Mosses accumulated on the few wooden structures, dying the brown fixtures green.
The vegetation continued past the park, into the actual city where abandoned vehicles lined the streets.
Thames looked around at the park then the city, it reminded him of how the capital city of
Neo-Olympus looked on TV.
He had never actually seen it in person and they only had superficial similarities in their multiple skyscrapers and futuristic car designs but they managed to evoke feelings of fear and wonder in him at the same time.
"Hostiles at 3 " the Drone said, snapping him out of his reverie.
Thames tensed and gripped the spear tighter, shifting into a battle ready stance.
"Wait a second, which way is 3?".
His answer came in the form of a shuffling sounds through the vegetation.
"tch-tch"
Thames narrowed his eyes as the sounds of claws moving through the grass intensified.
Whatever was sneaking towards him had noticed that he noticed therefore was disregarding stealth.
Thames inched closer as the sounds multiplied, what once sounded like it came from one creature now sounded like the clamoring of a pack of them.
He steadied his Gun and gripped it tighter, tense with anticipation. He didn't have to wait long.
Multiple Creatures leaped out of the shrubbery and bounded after Thames.
They were covered in fur, their eyes glistening with hunger and their 4 legs propelling them as they ran at him, using long leaps to close the distance.
Thames took his gun and fired multiple shots all while running towards them.
The first traveled straight through the first Wolf's Head, killing it on the spot. The second and third also found similar destinations immediately putting down three of them.
The other shots didn't kill anyone but they were enough to wound a bunch of the wolves and scatter their tight knit formation.
The one's who had survived took a moment to look at their fallen brethren, anger welling up In them.
That brief moment of respite was a fatal mistake.
SCHWING.
Thames unfolded the Spear and swung it in a sweeping arc.
In one swing, it took the heads of three of the wolves.
When the others had seen what he did, their hunger filled eyes were replaced with another, more primal emotion.
Anger.
The Bright Yellow hunger in their eyes was replaced with Crimson Red rage.
If the Queen's eyes felt like a controlled flame that was precise in it's effect, the eyes of these Wolves could be described as a ravaging fire seekiyto destroy what was in it's path.
Thames gulped as he could sense the intensity of their anger and hatred but he could only shrug in response.
"You overgrown mutts are in need of some training".