As I approached the gate, an eerie silence hung in the air, setting my nerves on edge. Suddenly, a jet roared overhead, unleashing a barrage of bombs that erupted near the gates, engulfing the base in a fiery blast. Reacting swiftly, I raised my M16, its reassuring weight in my hands. Vigilantly, I scanned the surroundings for any immediate threats, but none were in sight. My goggles flickered, and a message appeared urgently: "Move! Now!"
I didn't have time to mess around. I aimed my scope at one of the fleshlings' heads and squeezed the trigger without a second thought. The sound of gunfire was deafening as the creature's head burst open, leaving a gruesome mess around. One down, but more to go.
With unwavering precision, I engaged the remaining fleshlings, systematically eliminating each one with calculated shots. Their menacing advances were met with swift and accurate responses. As the smoke cleared, only one resilient creature remained, lunging towards me with feral determination. I skillfully evaded its attack, adjusting my aim with a steady hand, and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The gruesome sight of its head exploding left it crashing to the ground, lifeless.
A message promptly appeared on my goggles, drawing my attention back to the mission at hand: "Sam has taken out three of the SAM sites. Hurry to the ritual site."
Urgency fueled my movements as I raced towards the heart of the base, the relentless pursuit of the ritual site. More fleshlings emerged into view, but I was undeterred. My sights locked onto each target, and with every shot, their monstrous forms were reduced to stillness. The enhanced perception provided by my goggles allowed me to navigate through the grotesque landscape of flesh-like buildings, bones, and blood, maintaining focus on the task that lay ahead.
A piercing scream shattered the silence, accompanied by the sickening sound of bones breaking and flesh being torn apart. I turned a corner and came face to face with a towering beast, standing about ten feet tall. Its body was covered in sharp spikes.
In its hands, it held the mangled remains of a person, which it callously tossed aside at the center of a ritual site. It charged toward me, its face twisted into a menacing grin. I managed to dodge its attack, circling around the site. A well-aimed shot struck the creature on its shoulders, causing it to fall to its knees. It must be Sam.
"Thank goodness!" someone exclaimed.
I looked back to see a group of about ten people gathered nearby. Through my goggles, they appeared as ghostly figures in white. Dociles... Though their numbers are fewer than expected.
"There are more people on the other side!" a determined voice said, belonging to a man of African descent. "Can you spare a weapon?"
"Go gather the others," I replied, my voice firm but composed, as I extended my spare gun bag towards them.
Within the bag, only a handful of pistols and ammunition lay, yet I knew it could make a difference in this desperate battle.
"Now, hurry!" I urged, urging them to move swiftly, their assistance crucial to our mission's success. With renewed determination, I pressed forward towards the heart of the ritual site.
The group wasted no time, their sense of purpose evident in each determined stride as they made their way to where the ominous slave chamber once stood.
Meanwhile, the wounded beast fought to rise, its towering form now hindered by the injuries to its broad shoulders. Its movements grew sluggish, and its once menacing grin transformed into an expression of pure fury, akin to that of a furious child denied its desires. Emitting a thunderous roar, it charged relentlessly in my direction, driven by a ravenous thirst for vengeance.
Evading its ferocious assault with nimble agility, I deftly sidestepped the charging beast, causing it to lose balance and stumble. In its moment of vulnerability, it crashed heavily onto its own body, momentarily disoriented and incapacitated.
As I cautiously put some distance between us, I relied on my trusty goggles for information, revealing the presence of three more individuals up ahead. One figure appeared ghostly white, while the other two were marked as black, leaving me to speculate if I had stumbled upon demons or the Blessed ones.
Swiftly, I executed a sharp turn to the right, making sure the towering beast remained oblivious to the presence of those figures. My objective was clear – I wanted Sam to have an unobstructed shot at the creature.
Once more, a well-aimed shot found its mark, striking the beast's knee with a sickening squish. The immense creature crumpled to the ground, leaving a grotesque trail of splattered flesh in its wake. Despite its grievous injuries, the beast stubbornly continued its desperate struggle to claw its way towards me. With mercy in my resolve, I put an end to its suffering, delivering a final, fatal shot to its head.
As I cautiously proceeded towards the center of the ritual site, my eyes honed in on two figures huddled together behind a woman with fiery red hair. A spark of recognition flared within me – could it truly be Sandra's sister?