Within the Gene Warrior Base's armory, a torrent of ants swarmed in, encircling the remaining humans without launching an immediate attack. They strategically sealed off every escape route.
Colonel Reynolds took his position at the vanguard, his hands firmly clasped around his battle axe. Behind him stood the remnants of gene warriors and the armory's technical crew. Despite their disheveled state, a fierce determination to fight shone in their eyes. Each person, be it a technician or a maintenance worker, stood armed, ready to face off against the monstrous horde.
Organized into small tactical squads, the gene warriors assumed defensive formations, shielding the civilians behind them.
Squad five had suffered significant losses. Other than Max, Hank, Emily, and Luca – Sky's familiar faces – only three others remained. All were wounded, except Emily and Luca, who tirelessly shielded Sky.
Now, the seven of them formed a protective arc, slightly retracted to guard Sky at their rear. Their mission was clear: ensure the safety of Sky, a vital research subject.
Sky, fully kitted in his combat armor, was more focused on Arachne behind him. It was evident this was the latter part of his system's mission – a test of protecting Arachne, not merely for mission's sake but out of a newfound desire to shield her from any further harm.
Colonel Reynolds had alerted Colonel Kent and two other mutant colonels about the situation through a special communication channel. Reinforcements from the city's defense force were en route to the base. If they could just hold the line a bit longer, help from within and outside would arrive to shift the currently dire situation.
Colonel Alison Jones, a wind-elemental awakener, was at the city gates, conjuring fierce winds to stall the enemy's advance. Upon receiving the message, she swiftly departed, heading towards the base through the skies.
Colonel James Harold, managing the entire city defense system, coordinated efforts with the defense troops. Their current strategy effectively managed the onslaught without overwhelming pressure.
Colonel Reynolds couldn't fathom why the mutant ants had halted their assault but welcomed this respite. Playing for time was in their favor.
Suddenly, the ants parted, clearing a path for a colossal mutant beetle to approach. The creature made its way to the Colonel's front.
Then, the base of the 5-meter shell spear on the beetle's back began to stir. The shell plates wriggled open like petals of a dark, eerie blossom, revealing the upper body of a man at its heart.
His lower body merged with the beetle, displaying more pronounced mutant features, akin to an insect, his skin armored with beetle-like scales.
"So, you're the mutant awakener commanding these creatures," Colonel Reynolds stated, his voice heavy with resolve as he faced the half-man, half-insect entity.
"You've hit the nail on the head," the Mutated Awakener's voice, unnaturally hoarse, let out a grating laugh, "Call me the Swarm Lord. I'm sure you've already witnessed the power of my precious creatures tonight. Just wait, this is only the beginning. More are rapidly emerging from the depths. By tomorrow's dawn, my darlings will saturate every corner of this city."
Colonel Reynolds, with a piercing gaze, confronted the self-proclaimed Swarm Lord, advancing a few steps, his tone icy, "You're orchestrating a massacre of the city, aren't you?"
"Oh, not at all," the Swarm Lord, shaking his index finger, countered, "What I envision is a city where humans and my swarm exist in perfect symbiosis."
"Harmony between humans and insects?" The colonel scoffed disdainfully, his sneer laden with contempt, as he moved closer.
The Swarm Lord, seemingly certain of his impending victory, elaborated, "Think about it - after the great cataclysm, which species evolved the quickest? The answer is these charming insects. Long before human ancestors came into existence, insects flourished across the globe. They were the quickest to adapt and evolve in the aftermath of the cataclysm, now the divine guardians of our world. You people, always hiding behind city walls, should witness the transformation of the world. The insect race is fated to rule the Earth. And I am the divinely chosen, the sole mediator between humanity and insects, the only one who can forge a better existence for both in this new world."
Colonel Reynolds, unfazed by the Swarm Lord's impassioned speech, continued his stealthy advance.
Realizing the impending danger, the Mutated Awakener shrieked, "Why are you getting so close? Stop right there!"
As the Swarm Lord's screams echoed, Colonel Reynolds didn't hesitate and charged towards the massive mutated beetle. The ant swarms desperately tried to block his path, but the beetle was already retreating swiftly.
With his arm shield in his left hand, Colonel Reynolds, embodying savage ferocity, charged forward. His raw power flipped the obstructing ants, and he leaped onto the beetle's back. Wielding his enormous axe, he aimed for the Swarm Lord.
The beetle's carapace closed in layers, trying to shield its master. But Colonel Reynolds, with relentless axe blows, shattered the protective layers, exposing the terrified insect overlord.
With a thunderous roar, the colonel brought down his axe, blood erupting skyward, scattering in all directions.
At the same time, by the city gates, a fierce battle was unfolding.
The attacking army, a ragtag mix of bandit soldiers and desperate refugees, brandished weapons vastly inferior to those of the city-state's defenders. In relentless waves, they surged towards the gates.
The city's automatic weapons, allied with the defense forces, wove an unbreakable web of crossfire. This merciless barrage harvested the lives of those outside the walls, lives that were deemed cheap. Yet, it was these very lives that tenaciously formed a bloody path to the gates with their sacrifices.
In the command channels of the city's defense, the once steady voices of commanders at different levels began to crack under pressure. They had made a chilling discovery: among the waves of assailants were numerous mutants, seamlessly blending in with the bandit soldiers and riotous refugees. These mutants were incredibly fast, weaving in and out of the crowds, making them almost impossible to target.
If this had been any ordinary defense setup, the mutants would have already breached the gates. But, the 14th Satellite City was under the watch of Colonel James Harold, a master manipulator Awakener. His expertise transformed the gate's defense into a unified force of precision and power. More than half of the mutants hidden among the soldiers were identified and targeted. The guns, firing from varied angles, left no room for escape. Once caught in the web of gunfire, even the mutants' tough scaly armors were no match for the onslaught, as they were shredded into mere flesh and bone.
However, despite the formidable defense, a few mutants managed to reach the gate. With their razor-sharp mutated fingers, they dug into the gate's alloy material, scaling the walls like geckos. They expertly navigated the blind spots of the automatic weapons, rendering them ineffective.
City defenders, armed and vigilant, leaned over the ramparts, opening fire on the ascending mutants. Below, besiegers promptly aimed at these exposed soldiers. Bullets danced across the battlefield, claiming lives without discrimination. City defenders and mutants alike tumbled from the walls, their bodies crashing down into gruesomely mangled corpses on the ground.
In the midst of this chaos, an unnoticed mutant, shielded by his kin and the soldiers, reached the gate. Placing his hands on the gate, he slowly closed his eyes, a sinister smile curling the corners of his mouth.
Suddenly, his palms burst into bright blue light, morphing into a myriad of lightning-like energies that swiftly spread across the gate and the walls.
Another mutant Awakener had revealed himself!
Back in the command center, Colonel James Harold let out a muffled groan and collapsed, blood streaming unceasingly from his nostrils. Chaos erupted in the command center as someone yelled, "Get a doctor, now!"
The city's entire automated defense system ground to a halt.
Outside the gates, the besieging bandits and mutants erupted in victorious cheers, swarming forward in a frenzied wave.
In the depths of the base armory, a torrent of blood gushed from Colonel Reynolds' right arm as it was completely severed, his hand and the mighty axe it grasped soaring into the air. Despite his grave wound, Reynolds leaped back, narrowly dodging a lethal strike aimed at his throat.
He crashed to the ground off the back of a colossal beetle, instantly swarmed by a horde of mutated giant ants that submerged him beneath their mass.
At that moment, Reynolds' dismembered hand, axe still clutched tightly, thudded to the ground, resonating a haunting clang amidst the chaos.
"Ahahaha..." The insect swarm's lord unleashed a piercing laugh, mocking in triumph, "You thought my exposure was unplanned? My apparent vulnerability was a meticulously laid trap to ensnare you, the legendary warrior of Satellite City No. 14."
Next to him, a gaunt mutant adorned with lethal bone spurs stood out. His mouth agape, tongue lapping at the blood on his wrist spur, he presented a ghastly sight. His blood-red eyes emitted a chilling indifference, his ghostly pallor rendering him more specter than man. The lengthy, dull bone spurs protruding from his body, capable of severing limbs with ease, spoke volumes of his lethal prowess.
"A third mutant awakener!" The revelation electrified the gene soldiers' comm channel.
Breaking the silence, a voice rallied them, "Protect the Colonel!" Infused with a surge of urgency, the soldiers focused their firepower with renewed vigor.
The insect overlord's raspy, scornful laughter echoed again, "Resist with all you have! The greater the struggle, the more thrilling the climax." He unfurled his arms like a maestro of mayhem and thrust them forward in a commanding gesture.
The ant swarm, no longer restrained, cascaded forward in a relentless tide of primal ferocity.