"Move! Now!" the woman hissed, her voice a fierce, low command that cut through the thunderous groans outside.
Rex, Arthur, and Zane scrambled to obey, their feet pounding against the dusty concrete floor as they followed her. The heavy, rhythmic thud of the Brute's footsteps grew closer, each one a tremor that shook the very foundation of the abandoned warehouse. Dust rained down from the ceiling in a fine, choking cloud. The trio, already disoriented, pushed harder, their breath coming in ragged gasps as they neared the back entrance, a promise of escape just ahead.
Suddenly, with a deafening CRASH, the far wall exploded inwards. A geyser of concrete dust, twisted metal, and splintered wood billowed into the space, obscuring their vision in a thick, grey fog. The raw force of the impact sent a shockwave through the warehouse, throwing them all off their feet.
Panic erupted. The promise of a single escape route was gone, replaced by chaos. Rex instinctively dove behind a stack of rusted barrels, their metal sides groaning under the force of his landing. Arthur scrambled to a set of concrete stairs, taking cover just as the woman yanked a dazed Zane behind a thick pillar, her grip tight and her eyes wide with frantic urgency. She pressed herself against the cold stone, pulling Zane down with her.
"Stay still. Don't make a sound," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the settling dust and the ominous creak of metal.
Rex, his heart hammering against his ribs, peered from behind the barrels. He saw Arthur and a flash of the woman's panicked face as she hushed Zane. He felt a surge of frustration—they were sitting ducks. He wasn't going to just hide and wait to die. His gaze fell on a piece of rubble at his feet, a jagged shard of concrete. His eyes narrowed, a familiar, faint purple glow beginning to shimmer within them. He felt a flicker of hope as the raw, familiar kinetic energy surged through his veins.
Taking a slow, deep breath, he clenched the rubble, a single purpose hardening his resolve. He wasn't helpless. He wasn't going to be prey. He was going to fight.
"What the shit is he doing?!" the woman whispered fiercely, her eyes, filled with disbelief, locked on Rex as she clutched Zane's arm.
Rex ignored her, his mind a steel trap of focus. The rubble in his hand began to spark, crackling with the built-up kinetic energy. He stood up slowly, a determined sneer on his lips.
Rex: Let's take this big guy down a notch, huh? (he muttered, a promise of violence in his voice.)
With a swift, practiced motion, he hurled the charged rubble. It shot through the clearing dust cloud with a flash of purple light, a projectile of concentrated force. It impacted the massive, lumbering form of the Brute with a concussive boom, a small explosion of light and sound. The beast stumbled back, its massive shoulders slumping for a brief, disoriented moment before it regained its footing. It wasn't enough to stop it, but it was enough to show that they could fight back.
The woman stared at Rex in stunned silence. "Was... was that a... grenade?" she rasped, her voice thick with shock.
Rex: (He smirked, his eyes never leaving the brute.) Ha! I wish. Would have been better.
The brute stood tall, its sight now locked on Rex. It let out a thunderous roar, a sound of raw, unbridled fury. The muscles in its colossal limbs tensed, and it began to charge, an unstoppable force tearing through the rubble.
Woman: Watch out! (She gasped, but Rex just smirked.)
Rex: Relax, I've dealt with one of these before, (he thought, the memory of the Behemoth Enforcer from the prison flashing through his mind.)
With precise timing, he leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the brute's charge.
As it lumbered past, Rex didn't hesitate. He pulled out a combat knife from his jacket, charging it with kinetic energy. He drove the sparkling knife into the brute's back, stabbing it as it exploded with a blinding flash.
The brute didn't even flinch. Not even a dent marred its monstrous form. Rex stared in shock, his mind reeling. The brute's head snapped around, its eyes, previously a milky white, now glowing with a malevolent crimson light. The woman gasped in confusion at the sight. Suddenly, with a loud sonic boom, the brute disappeared and reappeared directly behind Rex.
It was too fast. Rex was caught completely off guard. The brute's large hands clamped around his body, the bones in his chest and arms screaming under the immense, crushing pressure. Rex coughed, a strangled, wet sound as his body began to contort. He shrieked, a raw cry of agony as his legs left the ground. The brute lifted him, its massive jaw opening wide, ready to tear him apart.
The woman gasped, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. "It... it... teleportated???" she whispered, her voice laced with disbelief. This was a new level of horror.
Rex: Tch. Okay... This... This is... New... (He wheezed, his face contorted in agony as he struggled to speak.)
A horde of smaller, regular zombies now shambled into the hole the brute had created. Zane acted fast, his eyes glowing an ethereal light. He created powerful shockwaves that sent the zombies flying back. The woman watched in awe and confusion as Zane dispatched the horde. He then turned his focus to the brute, manipulating the loose metal beams around them and flinging them at the creature with extreme force. The beams slammed into the brute's back, knocking it off balance and causing it to let go of Rex, who dropped to the ground.
Arthur: (He rushed to Rex's aid,) You good? (He asked, a frantic tone in his voice.)
Rex: (He gasped for air, clutching his ribs.) No... (he wheezed.)
Arthur: Well, these certainly aren't your regular brainless zombies, huh. (He stated, his voice grim.)
Rex, slowly getting to his feet, scoffed.
Rex: Oh, Yeah? Good observation skills, Arthur, I DEFINITELY wouldn't have seen that one coming. Especially after nearly dying!
Just then, a male voice echoed through the air, speaking directly to Rex, Zane, and Arthur. "Intriguing, isn't it?"
Arthur looked around, searching for the source.
Arthur: Tch, there's another person here?
Woman: What? (She looked at him, confused.)
The voice chuckled again. "Haa haa... She can't hear me. Only YOU three little stars."