Deborah's POV
I looked up and saw a massive creature cutting through the dim sky.
Its entire body was pitch black, its wingspan almost covering half of the night sky, looming over us like a menacing, heavy cloud.
I exchanged a glance with Matthew, feeling my heartbeat accelerate in an instant.
"What is that…" I muttered, gripping the hilt of my knife tightly.
Matthew shook his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the dark shape growing blurrier in the night.
The air was thick with an indescribable sense of danger, as if some unknown force was slowly creeping closer.
It was a bat—but this bat was no ordinary creature.
The radiation on Earth had twisted its body into a grotesque form, its wings as sharp as giant blades, each flap producing a deep, menacing "whoosh."
Its eyes glowed an eerie red in the darkness, staring at us with a chilling and merciless gaze.
The entirety of its body was cloaked in darkness, like a moving shadow, instilling a sense of oppressive terror within me.
"Weapons! Get them!" I whispered urgently, my limbs growing cold.
Matthew responded immediately, grabbing a rusty knife in one hand and a heavy hammer in the other.
As for me, I fumbled to hold the rusted pair of scissors, clutching a small utility knife in the other hand.
But our scavenged "weapons" were utterly inadequate against such a massive mutated creature.
They were weaker than anything I'd ever seen in Murias' underground laboratories.
The bat circled overhead for a moment, then dove straight down at us.
"Get down!" I screamed, pulling Matthew toward the shelter of the eaves.
But the bat rammed into the roof, its hard skull smashing through the rotted wooden beams effortlessly, sending debris flying in every direction.
We scrambled backward desperately as its claws slashed through the air like scythes, almost grazing Matthew's head.
Matthew swung his hammer with all his strength, aiming at the bat's talons. The hammer struck with a heavy "thud," but the bat seemed barely affected. Its body was like solid steel, unyielding and impenetrable.
Gripping the rusted scissors, I thrust them toward its wings, my hands trembling—but all I managed was a faint scratch.
"This won't work…" I gasped, my palms slick with cold sweat.
Just then, more bats of similar size emerged from the distant horizon.
They screeched, spreading wings large enough to blot out the sky, all converging on us simultaneously.
Matthew fought back with all his might, wielding both the hammer and the knife, but I could see his movements growing sluggish.
Two bats pinned him down, pressing him to the ground, their razor-sharp claws shredding his jacket, and blood slowly seeped out, staining the dark fabric.
"Matthew!" I screamed, frozen in terror.
He struggled desperately, but the bats were too powerful. Their fangs and talons tore into his skin, leaving deep wounds across his body.
Reacting purely on instinct, I raised my hand and a spell burst from my lips:
"Ignis Ardens!"
A small flame ignited in my palm.
Without a second thought, I flung it at the bat, attacking Matthew.
Flames spread across its body, and the bat let out a shrill scream, its massive wings flapping erratically in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
I repeated the incantation, aiming the flames at another mutated bat.
Over and over, I cast the small spell.
Though the flames were feeble, they seemed to terrify the bats.
The creatures writhed in agony as the fire consumed them, and finally, they began to retreat.
I exhaled deeply, leaning weakly against the wall.
Matthew staggered to his feet, new injuries marking his body, but thankfully, they didn't seem too severe.
"Are you okay?" I rushed over, supporting him.
He nodded slowly, giving me a faint smile. "I'm fine… at least, I'm still standing."
But I didn't have time to breathe a sigh of relief before a faint "skittering" sound reached my ears.
I turned, my eyes widening—
Giant rats—at least twenty of them—were crawling from all directions. Their massive bodies, sharp teeth, and gleaming, hungry eyes were fixed on us.
"No… no…" I whispered, feeling despair well up inside me.
"You're running out of strength," Matthew murmured quietly.
But I had no other choice.
"Ignis Ardens!"
A flame flickered weakly in my palm, but this time, the spell wasn't as smooth as before.
The fire was just a tiny flicker. Gritting my teeth, I aimed it at the nearest rat.
They screeched and recoiled, but only for a moment. Soon, they were being pushed forward by the horde behind them, a living, breathing wave of black fur and gnashing teeth.
My strength was rapidly draining.
Suddenly, I noticed movement in the distance.
Under the pale moonlight, another swarm of bats was descending from the sky, and on the ground, an equally dark tide of mutated rats surged forward like a living flood.
"This is impossible…" I breathed out in despair, gripping Matthew's hand tightly.
"We have to go!" I shouted, pulling Matthew closer, channeling every ounce of remaining energy into the teleportation spell.
The wind enveloped us in a whirlwind of power.
But we landed back in the basement.
I stumbled forward, slamming the door shut, my body trembling violently from fear and exhaustion.
Moments later, I heard the pounding of countless tiny feet outside.
They were running, scratching, gnawing, drawing closer and closer, shaking the ground beneath us.
"Click… Click…" Their teeth scraped against the wooden door, each click growing sharper, more frenzied.
They could smell us…
The door shook violently under the pounding, the wood groaning and splintering under the assault.
I held my breath, clutching Matthew's hand tightly.
The door—it wouldn't hold much longer.