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To lead a blind charge into the maw of the unknown, one must be brave or ignorant. Luckily for Team Frisk, their guiding vanguard exemplified both traits. The only knowledge Rio really had of these Atlesian bunkers pertained to their role as set pieces in the backdrop of the stories set during the Great War. True to its age, the abandoned outpost's decades of disrepair and band aid fixes to its supporting framework were easily spotted even as a faint lantern was their main source of illumination. The stench of the rooms they had explored, however, did not smell like that of an abandoned tomb. Rather, it besmelled like that of a butcher house backroom that never bothered to bleach its blood soaked boards, his brain reckoned. The lack of bodies and bones were disturbing though but not enough to deter him from pressing onward.

As they explored the dwellings of the bandit interlopers, Rio would use the tip of his halberd to tap the doors and fixtures. Keeping his uncle's words in mind, a crafty bandit would have definitely left a trap in the form of an enticing gift. To his relief and disappointment, the junk piles were exactly as they seemed as none of them triggered an alarm, explosion, or snare. Still, he wasn't going to be shifting through the garbage. Who knows what the hell he could catch from years of gathering bunker bacteria. Rio would merely stand by as the other rummaged through the assortment of debris, tensely gripping his weapon as he remained alert.

His patience would be quick to run out though as Rio would continue delving haphazardly into each subsequent room without questioning or confirming with the rest of his team. The sooner they were out back in the heat, the better. This particular line of thinking continued to dominate his thoughts as the still air got colder, making each breath he took shallower and harder. It felt damp, causing his throat to start itching. The desire to spit had to be stifled due to present company, causing a clearly audible gulp from him to break the silence. Was it possible to be allergic to this black sludge they had just now stumbled upon? Certainly something to ask Miss Lanatae when they come back topside. 

Rio was now lost in his thoughts, getting himself into an automated rhythm as they continued on. However, this daydream-like daze would be broken instantly as the demonic laughter startled him. As the source of the disturbing dissonance revealed itself, it took Rio a good split second before realizing that it was rushing towards him. [color=4a6a99]"What in t-"[/color] he would state as the beasts started their assault. Instinctively, he would do a wide sweeping slash with The Boatman's Due while also using the weapon's momentum to jump back a step. While this might not have slain any of the Grimm, Rio had hoped that the Water dust infused in his halberd's edge had marked his targets.

As Saffron took the initiative and put herself at the front now, Rio would reconfigure his weapon into its compact gunnery mode. Activating his semblance, the presence of water droplets on the targets in front of him would hopefully guide his aim true as he started blasting them, starting with the ones closing in on Saffron.