Rockets and mortar shells flew in every direction. Utter chaos. Knights fell left and right. Me, Feron, and Commander
Anthony pushed on. Anthony took a direct mortar, but he kept going. I tossed him a Health Capsule, but it would do little good. I had found it somewhere in the Snarbolax's lair, and it would heal a mere 3 pips. Still, better than nothing.

More importantly, I had myself to worry about. Gun Puppies up ahead were firing at us. There were at least six of them. It was bullet hell. A bullet went right between the prongs of Feron's maedate. Close one. I took a bullet to the face, but the Azure Guardian Helm prevented much damage. Sure, it was the hottest, hardest to see out of, most cramped helmet ever, but the complete facial protection was worth it.

"Keep moving!" yelled Anthony. He was being followed close behing by three recruits, Tempered Caliburs at the ready.
"Take this!!" Euclid began spraying his Pepperbox at the Gremlins. A few demos fell, their bombs detonating in their hands.
"AAARGH!!" One of the recruits fell. he had been hit by a Thwacker. Euclid quickly shot it.

Mortabombers and Thwackers were approaching. I dodged and lunged through the approaching crowed with the my thorn blade, downing several of the Thwackers. The Mortabombers could not be hit from the front. I leaped over their heads and landed behind them, Gran Faust at the ready. I swung twice. One Mortabomber fell, and the rockets activated in the other one's backpack, sending him in the air like a jet.

"Look out!!!' yelled Feron.
But it was too late. Anthony and I were on fire. I was trapped in the cramped armor, and it was heating up. The pain was unbearable. I fell to the ground, unable to take it. I was trapped in the melting coffin that was my helmet. Anthony threw off his Ironmight Plate Helm, and Feron snuffed out the flames on him. But the fabric on my armor was fueling the fire. I was choking in the smoke. the heat had distorted my helmet, and I couldn't get it off. Anthony, Feron, and a few others were trying to help desperately. My lungs were burning. Then the world went black.....

Was I dead? Would I know? Would it be obvious if I was? Where was I? What had happened?
Then, after my whole life flashed by for the sixth time, I remembered.
Operation Crimson Hammer.
Mortar barrage.
Flames.
Helmet is a coffin.
Agony.

And now this. I knew I should have worn the Salamander Mask. But what did it matter now? I was probably dead, laying scorched and mutilated on the floor. But somehow I knew I wasn't. It was just a hunch. A hunch. But it was something.......

Something.....

Then I woke up.
"Ghig? Ghig?! GHIG?! Wake the hell up!! We're getting slaughtered over here!"
"Feron!" I yelled. I was still a bit confused, and shocked that I really wasn't dead. I was burned all over, particularly my face. I looked up. I could see my reflection in a puddle of oil that had spilled from the tank of a dead Scorcher. Maybe the one that had burned me.
My face was raw, bloody, and just screwed up in general. One of my eyes was swollen almost completely shut, and the part of my eye I could see was a sickly orange. Likewise, half my vision was red.

Anthony leaned over me.
"You look like crap."
"Acknowledged," was all I could respond with.
"It was a cruel trap."
"What?" I said.
"They sent a few cages full of Oiler lichens at us. We were confused at first, but then Feron saw the squad of Scorchers following. Then he realized what was happening. It was too late. You got messed up."
"Yeah."
"Anyway, we mostly hammered your helmet back into shape."
"Kozma's still gonna have a fit," I said.
Anthony laughed. This time, I would wear the helm with the visor up.
"Here we go!"

Anthony pulled me out of the safe corner, right into the hailstorm of approaching Gremlins.

Wave upon wave of Gremlins advanced toward us. I wasn't sure whether to panic and flee in terror, or to charge right in. Of course, I chose the second option. I let out a fierce battlecry and ran at full speed towards the onslaught. I swiped and slashed and shielded, every Gremlin I killed replaced by three more. I wasn't scared. I had survived worse tham this.

Well, maybe not. I lay sprawled on the ground, Heat Embers scattered everywhere. Ouch. Anthony quickly revived me, and we were both ready to attack. Anthony pulled out a Mega Magnus.
"I'll give you covering fire! You just charge on in!"
"Alright! Try not to fall on your butt!"
"Hah! I won't. To think, the recoil force is so much, but it's still so damn heavy!"

I charged in, followed by a few other soldiers. Some pulled out Caliburs or Brandishes, others Blasters and Alchemers.
Mayhem.
Bullets flew, mortars detonated.
Menders casted spells, Thwackers swung hammers.
Knights swung swords, shot handguns.
And Anthony yelled.

He was being overrun. I was too. The Thwackers just kept on coming!
Anthony desperately shot the Gremlins off of himself.
I swung wildly, but they were still coming.
Anthony was right on the edge of the platform.....

Charging his Magnus.
"What are you doing?!"
"The only thing that will get us out of this mess!"
"Are you insane?! Do you realize what that will do?!"
He nodded.
"It'll probably kill me, but it will save the rest. Complete the mission! I don't know where Feron is....... everyting rests on you now, Ghigxhalon!!"

And with that, he fired.
The huge bullet cut down the entire squad of Gremlins, saving us both.
Sort of.
Anthony was thrown off the platform into the abyss.
I looked over the edge, almost thinking a hand would grab the side at the last minute.

It didn't.
And then the hammer hit me.

When I came to my senses, I was falling..... falling.... falling.....

This is not a stand-alone. It will most likely include all the bosses and other expiditions.

My name is pronouced:

Gig - zah - lon

Let me tell you, landing back-first on a pile of steel rods at terminal velocity is not a pleasant experience. This is definitely one of those, "I'll take your word for it" situations. Don't try it.

I lay on the ground, paralyzed, bleeding, and in much pain.
"AARGH!!! T-th-that hurt..... and I can't move.... m-maybe m-my spine is b-broken....."
"You'd be dead if it was."
"Who's there?!"
Anthony's Ironmight Plate Helm came into view.
"You're alive?!"
"Yeah, charge-firing the Magnus right before hitting botton is a good way to survive a fall, as I've learned. It sends you back up a little so you fall a small distance slowly.
"Well, using Polaris for that would only result in a self-electrocution...... not like I could help it."
Anthony helped me up. I felt a bit shaky, but I was alive. Still hurt a lot, but I could get around that.

I heard a small noise.
"Here comes the calvalry," said Anthony.
"What?"
Ropes fell down and six Knights quickly slid down.
"Alright.... time to take out those cannons," said their leader.
I gave them a confused look.
"Those cannons are making it hell for our reinforcements.... we need to go in and take them out. We didn't take the lift, but the guns are around this depth. I'm Kevin, the squad leader. The supplies should be here soon."

Eight crates fell down from above.
"Here we go," said Kevin.
We opened the crates. They had Nitronomes, Sudaruskas, and Magma Drivers inside. They also seemed to contain some form of Jelly Armor made from Oilers.
"Heavy weaponry. Let's do this," said Anthony.

We all stripped down and put on the Oiler suits. I slung a Sudaruska over my back, put the Magma Driver on my belt, And stocked up on Nitronomes.
Time to take out the cannons.

Then we heard raspy laughs and growls. The glowing slits of the Gremlin's goggles were all arounds us. We were surrounded.

Still, they didn't stand a chance.