A grin spread across Emma's face as flames flickered to life around her clenched fists. "Finally! The main event! Let's light this place up!"
Beside her, Celestia's silver threads, thin as spider silk and sharp as monomolecular wire, shimmered into existence around her fingers. Her cold eyes scanned the encroaching figures, analyzing their movements and biology in seconds. "Twenty-three hostiles. Confirmed. They have evolved beyond the shambler stage. Their bio-signatures indicate a parasitic symbiosis controlling the neural functions. Their speed and coordination will be significantly enhanced."
From the center of their forming circle, Beatrix called out, her voice strained but clear. "I cannot fight on the front lines! You must carry the battle!"
Julian's orders were swift and precise. "Zoe. Your only mission is to protect Aya, Veronica, and Beatrix. Nothing gets past you."
