Delve was sprawled on the ground, buried beneath the rubble, dazed from the explosion.

Blood trickled down over his left eye, obscuring his vision. Gritting his teeth, he shrugged off the debris that had fallen on him and stood.

"Damn it, should've aimed for his vest sooner..." he grumbled.

The world around him was shrouded in darkness; his flashlight must have broken during the explosion. His weapon, still strapped across his shoulder, was intact.

He rummaged in one of his back pockets, retrieving another flashlight - thankfully, it was unscathed.

Unhooking the broken light from his weapon, he replaced it with the new one and flicked it on. Much to his surprise, visibility was quite good.

There was minimal smoke, and the debris didn't obstruct his view.

"This bunker is damn sturdy; still holding up even after all these blasts," Delve mused while sweeping the area with his light.

He was searching for Clora. A glimmer of hope lingered within him.

"The blast was potent, but he might have shielded himself in time," he contemplated.

Moving forward, he spotted imposing shapes shifting in the distance. The creatures were still alive.

"Every one of these beasts has a bomb implanted inside them. Only one explosion, so none of them died," he thought. The very next moment, his supposition was confirmed when his flashlight's beam illuminated the end of the corridor.

There, four creatures loomed ominously. They appeared surprisingly docile when not engaged in battle.

Seizing this opportunity, Delve continued his search for his teammate.

He scanned the surroundings with his flashlight and metal detector. Nothing. As he pushed ahead, he realized the creatures were all clustered around something on the ground.

The corridor had been expanded by the recent explosion, giving them more room to maneuver.

A shiver ran down Delve's spine. He inched forward until his light fully illuminated the scene.

His expression hardened.

The sight before him drained the usual spark from his eyes.

The creatures, their maws bloody, were feasting on what was left of Clora.

Their jaws, too narrow for their large teeth, struggled to tear apart the chunks of flesh. Their eyes were bulging from the strain.

Delve watched them with pity. He felt no anger towards these beasts. In this corridor, he saw only victims.

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"Unnatural experiments... horrifying... We're all created by the same will. Aren't we all destined to serve and then die?" Delve mused aloud to the creatures, too engrossed in their meal to pay him any heed.

"I think... The least I can do... The best way to treat you as equals... is to end your suffering," he murmured.

He laid down his rifle, fastened his flashlight to his shoulder, and drew one of the machetes strapped to his lower back. A metallic sound rang out as the blade was unsheathed.

The creatures – likely by instinct – raised their heads in defense.

Right in front of Delve stood two beasts, with two more behind them.

The first two rose onto their long hind legs, their heads brushing against the ceiling. A guttural roar warned the man standing before them.

But in an instant, too swift for the creatures' eyes, the man disappeared.

Then, one of the creatures collapsed. One of its hind legs had been severed.

The other beast spotted the man beside her and decided to charge him, shifting its full weight onto its front legs.

But the next moment, it toppled over, its left hind leg no longer supporting its massive weight.

Delve had sliced it off with a swift, powerful swing of his machete.

The two creatures were on the ground, one on top of the other.

Their bodies could not support their weight on three legs alone. They struggled futilely to get up.

Delve approached them, his blade glistening red and still thirsting for more.

"I wonder if you can feel fear?" he asked, his voice inexplicably blending empathy and sadism.

He then raised his blade and cut off their remaining legs. Their thick fur made it impossible to sever their limbs from the front.

So, he began by jabbing his machete into their armpits, then with a sharp, powerful stroke, he separated the hefty limbs from the furry bodies of the creatures, one by one.

Each slice was accompanied by a roar that gradually faded.

When he was finished, all that was left were their torsos and heads.

Delve turned his attention to the remaining two beasts. Their eyes no longer held a threat. In fact, Delve thought they seemed to be backing off.

Regardless, he strode toward them and cut off their legs in the same manner – no, even faster and more brutally.

Soon, there were only four dark masses on the ground, slowly bleeding out, and one man standing, his military uniform stained from black to red. A few droplets of blood dripped from the machete onto the floor. He looked at the body – or what remained of it – of his teammate.

"No time to waste," he thought.

He dragged the now harmless beasts by the collar and positioned them against the wall at the end of the corridor.

Their terrifying roars had turned into desperate pleas.

Delve had to muster all his strength to move them. These beasts must have weighed close to a ton each.

Next, he collected the remains of Clora's body and placed them on top of one of the creatures.

He then retreated about fifty feet and settled down against a wall.

He reattached his flashlight to his rifle and turned it off.

In a swift motion, he pulled a green glow stick from his pocket, activated it, and placed it on the ground in front of him, then wiped his machete clean with a piece of fabric he had picked up.

His gaze was absorbed by the red of the blood giving way to the grey of the blade.

"The bomb must be connected to their hearts and beasts this size must have several gallons of blood... It won't be much longer," he pondered.

He barely had time to lay down his blade when several loud detonations ensued, one after another.

The explosions were intense, but Delve had positioned himself outside their range. He felt only their shockwaves on his face, along with the dust, smoke, and the unpleasant smell of burning flesh.

Once the dust had settled, Delve got up and was surprised to see the bunker walls still standing.

At the end of the corridor was now a hole several yards in diameter.

Delve approached, muttered a quick prayer, and bowed his head.

"You see, your death left a mark, Clora... Rest in peace," he said, his voice trembling.