As soon as the two grotesque, child-like monsters lunged toward Kai and Isaac, Nyx tinkered with the screen on his robotic left arm. Walls crashed down from all sides, enclosing the lab in an instant. The sound echoed like thunder, shaking the room.
If it wasn't already hard enough to get away - especially with Isaac's mutant ability neutralised - escape now felt impossible.
Nyx's lips curled into a delighted grin. 'I have no idea what Subject 357's mutant ability is, but it will be interesting to see him in action for the first time,' he mused, his gaze fixed on the chaos with utter enjoyment.
Despite his tendency to babble or appear arrogant, Nyx was anything but reckless. Every contingency had been calculated. Even with the forcefield protecting him, he kept his so-called wife by his side - a hulking monstrosity with blade-like arms and a body seemingly crafted from inorganic, unyielding material.
Her lifeless eyes mirrored those of the smaller mutants, devoid of any semblance of humanity. Their grotesque forms were horrifying to behold, but to Nyx, they were adorable tools. He chuckled softly to himself, his gaze flicking between Kai and Isaac.
'Everything so far is still within my planned parameters. I've wanted to capture the Phaser for a while now. I knew he'd be among the intruders, his objective obvious. But Subject 357 too? Truly, my lucky day... Not that I need luck.'
-
As Nyx laughed to himself, Isaac was being bombarded with attacks. He grunted as he twisted and dodged, barely avoiding the small creature tearing through the air. Its claws sliced past him, each swipe grazing his skin, its vacant eyes burning with unnatural hunger. Every movement was a blur of muscle and instinct. Without his phasing ability, he was forced to rely on pure reflexes.
A sudden swipe came too close - its claw catching the edge of his glasses. They flew from his face, skidding across the ground before a heavy footstep crushed them with a sharp crack.
Isaac groaned, barely ducking another attack. "Great," he muttered. "I'll need to get another pair now." His vision blurred at the edges, making the creatures' movements even harder to track.
Meanwhile, Kai faced the other twin. It snarled, claws gleaming under the lights as it lunged forward. Kai sidestepped at the last second, feeling the rush of air as the sharp talons barely missed his face.
'Damn, this monster kid is fast.' Evading was already pushing him to his limit, let alone countering. And to make things worse, Nyx just couldn't shut up in the background.
"It must've been you who released all the others," Nyx mused, his voice laced with amusement. "Quite a mess you've made, but no matter. They were all going to be disposed of anyway. Any useful subjects were already taken - apart from you." He adjusted his glasses, eyes glinting with excitement.
"I thought you were dead and sent someone to retrieve your body for study. To think... your unique resistance to the serum was the key to producing artificial mutants. Humanity's evolution, right there in your veins." He sighed, almost disappointed. "But you don't seem to be using the gifts I've given you."
Kai ignored the taunts, dodging another swipe from the monster. But as his focus sharpened, his body moved differently. Instinct kicked in, a rhythm ingrained in both mind and muscle - a sequence of steps, familiar yet foreign, as if his body remembered something he didn't...
-
'Step 1: Gauge the mutant's abilities.' He observed the creature's movements - the wild, erratic swings, the bursts of unnatural speed. 'Super strength, speed, and likely durability.'
The creature lunged again, claws outstretched, but Kai ducked under its arm, staying just out of reach.
Another thought emerged in his mind. 'Step 2: Identify weaknesses or openings.' His eyes narrowed. 'No precision in its attacks and doesn't seem able to be the smartest creature...'
Kai manoeuvred backwards, letting the creature follow him into a cluster of overturned lab tables. 'Step 3: Limit their mobility.' The mutant smashed through the obstacles, but each slowed it just enough to disrupt its rhythm.
"Still just evading?" Nyx gibed, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Show me something more. Your abilities... you haven't used them yet? What good is the 'first successful artificial mutant' if he won't give me a proper demonstration?"
Kai's jaw tightened. 'Step 4: Aim for vital areas.' He shifted his stance, his hand brushing the cold grip of his pistol. In a fluid motion, he kicked a nearby table toward the creature, gaining a precious second to raise his weapon. Then...
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Kai fired, the bullets slamming into the creature's head and chest. Each shot landed true, the impact jolting the grotesque figure. But instead of collapsing, it snarled, shaking itself like a wet dog, the wounds sealing shut before his eyes.
"You've got to be kidding me," Kai muttered, his grip on the pistol tightening. He emptied the rest of the magazine, aiming for its disturbing face, its chest - anywhere vital. The creature flinched but didn't falter. His last bullet ricocheted off its thick skull with a faint ping.
'Step 5: Prioritise survival,' he thought bitterly, hurling the empty pistol at its face in frustration. The weapon bounced off with a dull clang, earning nothing more than an irritated growl from the monster.
'So much for the five steps to deal with a mutant,' he laughed internally, as the creature roared and lunged forward with terrifying speed.
Kai barely had time to react. He twisted, but the creature's claws slashed across his abdomen, tearing through the guard uniform like paper. Pain ripped through him as four deep gashes opened on his stomach, blood soaking the shredded fabric.
Gritting his teeth, he staggered back, his breath hitching - the raw sting of the wounds mixed with the sharp tang of blood in the air. Ignoring the searing pain, Kai's hand darted to his belt. He yanked the electric baton free and flicked it on, sparks crackling along its length.
Bzzzt!
The creature didn't even flinch. Instead, it turned, its warped jaw unhinging to clamp down on the baton. With a sickening crunch, it snapped the weapon in half, sparks flying.
Kai stumbled back, his heart pounding. His breaths came faster as the blood pooling around his wounds caught his eye. It shimmered unnaturally, almost alive. His stomach churned as the darkness stirred within him.
Nyx's mocking laughter filled the room. "Oh, didn't I mention? They're practically immortal! Your little toys won't work on them."
Kai glanced at Nyx, his calm mask betraying none of the turmoil inside. His eyes darkened, the bloodlust clawing at his mind. He fought it, suppressing the sick thrill that rose every time he saw blood. But the more he pushed it down, the stronger it grew.
Nyx tilted his head, his voice filled with mocking disappointment. "Avoidance won't save you, Kai. You must be capable of something special. Surely you're not holding back now?"
Kai let his hands fall to his sides and let out a deep breath. A faint smirk tugged at his lips as his red eyes deepened in colour. 'Those steps, wherever I learnt them from, don't matter anymore. I'm not dealing with ordinary mutants here and I'm not the same old Kai, whatever I was like...'
'I'm a mutant now!'