Seren didn't look convinced, but he didn't push the matter further. Instead, he gestured towards the next room. "I think we may have found what we are looking for."
They made their way through the darkness, pushing the doors open and entering into a room filled with machinery. "Holy shit." Marcus whispered, running his hand through his hair. "I've never seen anything like this."
The room was massive, taking up most of the building. In the center was a huge device, covered with wires and tubes. "What the fuck is it?" He muttered, placing a hand against it.
Seren shook his head. "Whatever it is, it's dangerous."
Anne wandered away, heading towards the back of the room. She stopped when she saw a man chained to the wall, his mouth gagged, his body covered in wounds. She put down her bag and reached towards him, hoping to help him. Before she could reach him, a loud rumbling filled the air.
Seren cried out, "What the hell is going on!"
As Anne looked around for the source of the rumbling, she saw all of the chained individuals break out of their restraints, their eyes glowing a bright blue as they approached her. She screamed and backed up as one of them lunged at her. Suddenly, Seren appeared and tackled it, sending it flying into a nearby wall. "GO! GET OUT!" He cried out.
As she made it towards the entrance, the ceiling began to shake and crumble, chunks of it falling down. She ran and grabbed her pack, but as she tried running out the door, she felt a hand grab her and yank her back into the building. She screamed in terror as she was dragged into the darkness and away from any hope of rescue.
"ANNE NO!"
Marcus and Seren yelled simultaneously, rushing to the entrance and attempting to grab hold of her arm, but they were attacked by other monsters. As they fought, Marcus looked up, horrified, as he saw Anne disappear into the darkness. Seren ran towards him, tears in his eyes. "She's gone..." he said softly, his voice cracking slightly. "No, she can't be." Marcus replied. "There's still time. We have to save her."
"For now, we need to hold these things off, Nyx can you fight?" Marcus asked the little creature. She growled, her claws sharp and her teeth gleaming. She leapt forward, her nails piercing through one monster's chest. Marcus and Seren continued their battle, using whatever they had in their arsenal. But as they fought, they realized the futility of their actions.
Their weapons were useless against the monsters, and the damage they inflicted only seemed to make them angrier. As the battle wore on, they were forced back towards the doorway, where Nyx stood watching. Marcus and Seren leapt past her, urging her to follow as they raced up the stairs towards the roof. Once there, they locked themselves in and collapsed onto the ground.
"How are we going to save Anne? Those things could have taken her anywhere, or worse, killed her."
***
"GET OFF OF ME!" Anne yelled, kicking and punching at the creatures surrounding her. She managed to get to her feet, dodging and blocking their attacks. Her agility helped her keep them at bay, but she knew she wouldn't be able to fend off an entire group forever.
Her mind raced as she struggled to come up with an escape plan. She couldn't get a read on them—if they were human or alien, or something else entirely. They were vicious, determined, and relentless, their eyes glowing a menacing blue as they lurched towards her.
She kicked one of them in the stomach, sending it flying into the other wall, but her attack did little to stop the assault. As she fought, she realized she was running out of energy, her movements slowing down. She knew she had to get away from the creatures, but she wasn't sure how.
"It's okay, Anne, you can do this." A familiar voice whispered to her.
She couldn't find the source, but it gave her comfort. Her voice grew louder. "I can't die here, as long as Seren is still alive, I WON'T STOP FOR ANYTHING!"
She threw off one of the creatures, knocking it to the ground, and picked up its weapon, using it as a shield. "STAY AWAY! STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" She yelled, her voice booming through the darkness.
As the creatures slowly surrounded her, she took a deep breath and charged, using her momentum to drive the weapon through the throat of one of them. Blood spilled out, splattering across her face and chest, and she staggered backwards, her breath caught in her throat.
She gathered herself as sparks flew around her body, and she felt her resolve growing stronger. She was determined to fight until her last breath.
"I'm not going to die here. Not like this!" She yelled.
The creatures lunged towards her, their mouths open wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. Anne braced herself and kicked the lead monster squarely in the chest, sending it crashing into its companion. She continued fighting, throwing punches and kicks as she blocked their attacks.
Her movements became smoother and more coordinated, her reflexes growing sharper by the minute. Her eyes flickered, and she felt a sense of determination rise within her.
Her hands glowed with an eerie light, and she threw her punches faster than she had ever been able to. As she fought, her movements grew more fluid, and she felt herself gaining an edge.
As the fight wore on, Anne began to feel a strange warmth rising within her. She channeled that warmth, focusing it through her hands and punching them with an unexpected burst of power. Her muscles tightened, and she felt the adrenaline rush through her, making her feel invincible.
"Don't underestimate me."
She hissed, lunging towards the monster with a surge of energy and knocking him over. The other creature attempted to strike her in the back, but she was too fast, slamming her fist into its chest and sending it flying against the wall.
She whirled, her hands and feet moving in perfect synchronicity, knocking down one of them and then the other. She paused, looking at her hands in awe and disbelief. She couldn't believe how she was doing this.
As she stepped back, the creatures moved towards her, their eyes flashing menacingly in the darkness. They were circling her, trying to box her in. She held her fists out, ready to strike.
As she fought, she heard her name being called in the distance. She strained to hear it; the voice sounded familiar. She didn't know where the voice was coming from, but she didn't care. She had to keep moving. She slammed her foot into the leg of one of the monsters, hearing a sickening snap, and kicked another in the head, sending him stumbling. She had lost her shield, but she didn't need it. She was using her speed and agility to get her out of trouble.
She spotted a broken metal pipe lying on the ground and grabbed it, swinging it wildly as she jumped out of the path of the creatures. She threw the pipe to the ground and ran, using her speed to maneuver through the maze of the building.