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The tunnels ran deep and scurrying could be heard deeper down likely due to infection forms. The air was getting thicker and spores were being more and more numerous. Shining a light in the misty caves would show the millions of tiny spores in the air like dust.

Thankfully the three had their helmets on. "I don't know, but we're closing in on the captain's signature."Garrus said.

As the group walks through the deep and tight tunnel they reach an opening. In the opening is a large ravine with a large stone natural bridge traversing it. The flood bio mass caused it to degrade and it is unstable but the only way across. Across the ravine is the signal for the captain. Across it and then down a few dozen meters. Their radar and other sensors including what they are using to follow the captains beacon is playing up. Going fuzzy and unstable. It is almost impossible to read them.

Garrus groaned closing off his omni tool. "Well, I think the captains some where down there."Garrus said indicating the massive ravine. Soon the gurgling growls and wails of the flood echoed down the tunnel. "Great, we got Hostiles in coming."Threskgar said. "Great." Garrus grumbed, turning to face the tunnel, his M8 ready. Palpus did the same with his faeston. "Okay, so, any plans?"Palpus asked. "Not dying."Threskgar said. Palpus rolled his eyes under his helmet. The group was on a ledge that hung out over the ravine, with Garrus and Palpus being the closest to the edge. The added weight of the flood biomass growing over it, and Garrus and Palpus caused the ledge to give way, sending the two down into the Ravine. "What?! You've gotta be! Dammit!"Threskgar growled. He held out his Typhoon, seeing the flood quickly approaching. He grinned, pulling the trigger on his gun. The gun fire rather slowly, before quickly picking up pace, soon becoming like a gatling gun. It tore through the flood with the combination of hte flood's decayed form, and the high power of the weapon.

"Ugh... you okay Palpus?"Garrus asked getting up. "Yeah I... I think so..."Palpus said, shaking his head. "THRESKGAR! HODL THE LINE AS BEST YOU CAN!"Garrus shouted. "OH? THE IDEA DIDN'T CROSS MY MIND! I WAS PLANNING TO TAKE THESE GUYS TO OMEGA, MAYBE GET 'EM A FEW DANCES! THAT SHOULD GET THEM TO STOP TRYING TO TEAR ME APART!"Threskgar replied, still firing.

The ravine was filled with a thick mist containing flood spores. The lack of light and spores made it impossible to see down. Garrus and Palpus got up and would see nothing but some large vines on the ground and flood biomass. Seeing was difficult the torch light they had was damaged on Palpus from the fall. Garrus had the only torch in his helmet see more then an inch or two in front of him. After yelling up at Threskgar Garrus would feel something moving around his feet.

"What the hell?"Garrus asked looking down. "What?"Palpus asked. "something just went across my foot."Garrus said. "Well, assuming hwo it hasn't attacked us yet I assume it's not dangerous. Or aggressive."Palpus said looking around. Soon he felt something run across his foot. "Yeah I felt it too."Palpus said. Before the two could continue their conversation, their legs were suddenly yanked out from under them after something gripped around their ankles. Suddenly they were quickly being pulled off. "THRESKGAR! GET DOWN HERE!"Palpus called, trying to find something to grab onto. "WHAT?!"Threskgar asked, still cutting through the flood. Before they could answer Palpus and Garrus were pulled off to who knows where in the cave. "PALPUS! WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"Threskgar asked. He growled when he didn't get a response. "Great."He groaned.

Garrus and Palpus were dragged down through rough rocks and slippery biomass. After about a minute and a half of being dragged they came into an open space. Garrus would look down to see they where suspended in the air above some root like system on the ground. Being upside down and dragged they would probably be a bit dizzy and disorientated. Another vine like tentacle came around and went around Garrus's neck and torso keeping his arms bound to his sides. Palpus was the same but with one around his legs as well. As they were brought up right Garrus's torch light would shine on a massive snake like body moving in front of them. It seemed to deeply moan and growl looking at the two now captive. The large creature has a massive head and mouth filled with boney teeth and inside that another mouth with a flower of teeth inside that. The dark area seemed like a massive cavern. Moist and warm it was completely secluded from the others.

"Don't tell me these things got a thresher maw...."Palpus groaned. "I don't think that's a thresher maw."Garrus replied.

"Thresher maw? I am more. I am a monument." It seemed to take a second to give a flem like sound before continuing. "I am a monument to all your sins." The creature spoke in trochaic heptameter. But it seemed to gag like having flem in it's throat. This poetic tone and fluent english showed massive intelligence and it's size showed it was decent in age. It's body smelt like decaying flesh and the same scent of the flood biomass. "These are both Turian. Flesh and bone. But this one shows doubt in it's accusation." The tentacle around Garrus's neck stroked the helmet.

"That was not expected."Palpus said, surprised when the Gravemind spoke. "I assume you're incharge of the weird zombies?"Garrus asked.

"Simple minds yet complex understandings." It said gagging again and examining the pair. "You came here searching. For the captain of Salvation." It seemed to interrogate the two while examining them. I held them its massive mouth speaking but no visible eyes yet it seemed to see perfectly. Out of it's mouth as it opened spores seemed to come out. As if this thing helped generate them. The flood bodies themselves produced spores to spread their infestation.

"Yes actually. We were hoping to grab him and go."Garrus said.

"The captain who brought us Salvation will not be leaving. He is together with us now." Lifting another tentacle the captain was revealed. The captain was absorbed by the creature and is now built into the tentacle. With his torso being mainly parts of the tentacle his arms are out the sides of it are a bit stiff. His legs are gone and completely absorbed by the tentacle. Hi head is is mostly out but his stiff neck means it can't move much. His head is forward a bit like someone with a hunch. "I am Captain Zaluus Vas Salvation. Is. Is that a turian? What are you doing here?" He asks his voice having some strain.

Both, Garrus and Palpus, had a look of disgust on their faces behind their helmets. Palpus had to keep himself from vomiting, having similar results to the first time he encountered a Marauder and a Brute. "We... We got your distress signal, we came to find out what went wrong."Garrus said.

"Wrong? This infestation. This flood. It consumed this world. It consumed my crew. I fled. I got as far as I could then I was grabbed. I don't recall what happened after that?" The captain seemed to have no idea about where he was. It didn't even seem like he noticed the gravemind. "Nothing on this world went wrong. His coming here is what needed to happen. For us to gain Salvation." The gravemind added once the captain stopped talking.

"I think our ideas of salvation are very, very different."Garrus said. "So I assume you're going to try and kill us?"Palpus asked.

"If I wished for you to die I would have done it by this time." Gargling again it continues. "You of flesh and honor. You have great potential. With great history in fighting the great war of this universe." He brings Palpus forward. But this one of flesh and loyalty is a simple creature." Bringing them both forward he tightened his grasp on Palpus. "Salvation has been obtained. But it helped more in bringing you here." It continued to speak cryptically never saying it directly just implying it's meaning.

"Can this thing speak normally? I can't understand a single thing it's said, it's worse than Hanar and Elcor!"Palpus said. "This thing's the size of a thresher maw, I don't think pissing it off would be a good idea."Garrus replied.

"The arrogance of this one is true and fitting. Being a good arrangement for our escape. Bypassing flesh and bone to reach the mind. He will tell me all that I need to know." It seems to focus on Palpus as it removes his helmet with a tentacle.

Palpus growled. The rockets on his shoulder plates and feet activated, burning the tendril that was holding him.