The laboratory's halls were painted red from the flashing warning lights above them. Draven kept pace with Sygvar as they ran towards the lab exit. Around them, more containment cells housing Hollows began to open. Hollows flooded out of their cells, attacking any member of the rebel staff too slow to get out of the way.
"Why are they opening the cells?" Draven asked.
"I don't know. Just keep running. We're almost there." Sygvar responded.
A containment cell opened ahead of them. More than ten infected stage one Hollows came pouring out of the cell. Each was dressed in an orange jumpsuit covered in blood. The creatures turned towards the Al'Manti and ran towards them, screaming.
"What about these? Do I have to try not to kill these?" Draven asked.
"No," Sygvar drew his sword, "But our goal is to break through them and continue to the exit."
"Understood," Draven drew his sword and released kinetic energy from his back. He was launched forward, thrusting his sword directly into the chest of the Hollow. The creature's chest was dented from the impact but it continued moving. It opened its mouth, and fungal strains extended out and squirmed. It tried to bite Draven, but he dodged out of the way. With enhanced strength, Draven cut the creature in half.
Behind him, Draven heard the sound of moving machinery. He turned to find giant metal doors closing the hallway they had just come from. "Master, they're trying to seal us down here with the infected."
"Then let's hurry this up," Sygvar said as he cut off the head of a Hollow.
Draven channeled Essence into his leg and kicked the nearest Hollow in the legs. The creature's legs snapped at the force, and it crumpled to the ground. Draven then cut its head off, ending the Blight Spawn's suffering.
Draven and Sygvar continued their violent storm. Cutting through the horde of Hollows standing in their path. More and more containment cells opened, revealing even more Hollows in their path. Meanwhile, more containment doors in the hallways continue to close behind Draven and Sygvar.
One of the hall containment doors began to close in front of them. They struggle to push through the horde of Hollows in their path. Cutting infected down as fast as possible, but they are too slow. The containment door closes, sealing them in.
"Fuck," Draven hit the door in anger.
"There's nothing we can do but start cutting through it," Sygvar channeled Essence into his sword. The Sygaldry on the blade began to glow purple. A faint purple glow manifested around the blade. Sygvar then stuck his sword into the giant metal door and began to cut his way through. "Are you just going to stand there and watch?"
Draven followed the example of his master. A red aura coated the surface of his blade. He then stuck his sword into the giant doors and began to help cut a path through. It only took them about ten minutes to cut a doorway threw.
Sygvar signaled Draven to get back. He channeled Essence into his leg and kicked the door they had cut out. The metal chunk went flying into the other side. They heard the screams of Hollows first, then Hollows came flooding out of the new entrance.
Draven and Sygvar swiftly cut down the creatures as they poured in one by one. Eventually, they stopped coming in, and Draven and Sygvar entered. The hallway was quiet. Blood was splattered on the ground, and a few dead bodies as well. Sygvar and Draven continued down the hall, finding another giant metal sealing door blocking their path. They continued the process of cutting an entrance again.
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They were cutting their way through the seventh security vault door when Draven heard footsteps behind them. Draven spun around to find a group of surviving laboratory staff members. Lab security led the group. They came to a stop in front of Draven and Sygvar. They had their rifles aimed at the pair.
"Identify yourself," The commanding officer stepped forward. The voice coming from the black helmet was masculine. The name tag on his suit read Lieutenant Verlin.
"We're just scientists trying to get out of here," Sygvar answered.
"Yeah, right. Those are Al'Manti swords; I can tell from the Sygaldry on those blades." Verlin pointed towards Draven and Sygvar's swords. He shifted his hands through various symbols. The troops behind him responded by pointing their rifles at Sygvar and Draven.
Draven pulled his sword free from the wall. Essence began to cycle around his body, Enhancing his physical and mental capabilities. Essence poured out of his body and erected itself into a red transparent barrier around his body.
"Wait!" A scientist rushed forward. Pushing her way through the security guards in her path. She stood between the guards and the Al'Manti.
Her voice sounded familiar to Draven. "Olina?" He asked.
She turned around and nodded. She then turned back to Officer Verlin. "We need to work together to survive this. Someone is sabotaging the lab and trying to trap all of us down here. Let's put our differences aside for now."
"How could we trust the Al'Manti? They actively help keep the current regime of the Empire in place. They're just as bad as the nobles." One of the security guards voiced.
"The main goal of the Al'Manti is to defend humanity," Draven spoke up. "Not to get involved in politics. You rebels have been colluding with the Harbinger and her followers. Sworn enemies of humanity and Solaris. Your actions could bring ruin to the entire planet."
"We're trying to save humanity from the tyrants-"
"The emergency self-destruct sequence has been activated." A feminine automated voice played over the speakers. "The base will self-destruct in four hours."
The staff members started to scream in panic. People began to get down on their knees and pray.
"Would you all shut up!" Verlin yelled over the hysterical crowd. "It's going to blow in four hours. That means we have four hours to get out of here. Olina's right. We need to work together. We can handle the Al'Manti later."
"But it's their fault we're in this mess in the first place," an engineer in a blue hazmat suit voice.
Verlin turned to face the man, "I said we will handle the Al'Manti later. Now, all engineers, help the Al'Manti cut a pathway through the vault doors."
The engineers broke away from the surviving group of staff members. They joined Draven and Sygvar and cut a way through the vault doors.
---
They arrived at the laboratory exit to find a long line blocking their way. They had spent an hour and a half cutting a path through the vaulted security doors. They then spent another thirty minutes standing in line. In all that time, the line had barely moved forward.
Sygvar, Draven, and Verlin went to the front of the line to talk to the person in charge. The officer in charge of shuttering people into the elevator was under strict orders to evacuate all high-value personnel first. It would be another hour and a half until everyone else was allowed to evacuate.
"Is there another exit?" Draven asked. Sygvar, Draven, and Verlin had returned to their small group of survivors.
"The lab was designed with only one exit and entrance," Verlin responded.
"There is an old entrance leading into the sewers," a voice emerged. The survivors parted, revealing an engineer in a blue hazmat suit. "It was built long ago when the power plant was still running. The higher-ups had me and a few other engineers seal it up. But I know where it is and can open it."
"Do you know how dangerous it is down there?" Olina voiced. "There is no telling what kind of creatures inhabit the sewers. The other day, I read about a giant reptile being killed down in the sewers. The beast could breathe lightning."
"Creatures with magical abilities are rare in civilized areas. That's why you rarely hear about them in cities. How long ago did you read about the lightning reptile?" Sygvar asked.
Olina scratched her head, "I think it was about three months ago."
"See, there is nothing to fear," Draven said. "Now, how far away is this exit."
"It's about an hour away."
"We can either wait here or take our chances on the sewer exit," Sygvar said. "With how long the line is, I don't think we can leave."
"Let's take the sewer," Draven said. "What about you, Olina?"
"I don't know about that."
"We'll protect you," Sygvar placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Okay then."
"Who else is coming with us?" Draven asked. He looked around. None of the other survivors wanted to come.
"Then it looks like it's just the four of us," Sygvar said.