The chamber buzzed with a pulsating energy, a heartbeat of mechanical menace and twisted science. The pods glowed an unsettling green, the figures inside starting to twitch as the transformation process reached its apex. Mallory tightened her grip on her bat, feeling her pulse quicken. Whatever this masked figure was, they weren't just some average zombie overlord; they were orchestrating something far more sinister.
The group didn't need words to understand the stakes. Vanessa's jaw clenched as her hand moved to the hilt of her knife, her eyes locked on the figure in the long coat. Altair scanned the room, searching for any potential weak points in the machinery. Zara raised her crowbar, ready for action but visibly tense, her stance rigid. Blinky, perched on Mallory's shoulder, glowed brighter than ever, his minions beginning to stir and ripple around them like a living shield.
