Noel stood before a formidable, reinforced door, his breath steadying as he fished out the ID card he'd taken from an incapacitated scientist.
His fingers trembled slightly with adrenaline as he swiped the card through the scanner, watching the light flicker green.
The click of the lock releasing felt like a small victory in his relentless march forward.
With a grim determination, he pushed the door open, its heavy frame groaning in protest.
Stepping inside, Noel moved with purpose, his senses heightened by the weight of the moment.
The main hall loomed ahead, a cavernous space that branched into three separate paths.
The sterile, white walls contrasted sharply with the dark intent in Noel's heart, the stark brightness mocking his inner turmoil.
He paused, closing his eyes to focus his powers.
Spatial recognition was a gift he had honed, allowing him to sense the subtle disturbances in the air, the faint echoes of movement.
It was like seeing without sight, a perception beyond the ordinary.
He felt the air currents, the vibrations of footsteps, the faintest whisper of breath.
It was all a map laid out before his mind's eye.
In the left path, he felt a concentration of energy, the unmistakable presence of David and his guards.
The air seemed denser there, charged with tension and anticipation.
Noel's eyes snapped open, a steely resolve hardening his features.
He turned left, his footsteps echoing softly in the corridor, each step a drumbeat in the silent march to confrontation.
As he advanced, the sounds of the lab grew faint behind him, replaced by an eerie silence.
The temperature seemed to drop, the air growing colder with each step.
His breath misted before his face, a visual testament to the chill that permeated the corridor.
The walls, once pristine and white, now felt oppressive, closing in on him as he walked.
Noel's mind raced with memories, each one stoking the fire of his anger.
The pain, the loss, the countless sleepless nights haunted by what had been taken from him.
His heart pounded in his chest, a relentless beat that matched the rhythm of his steps.
He could feel the anticipation building within him, a coiled spring ready to unleash its fury.
As Noel moved down the path with swift, purposeful strides, a few guards attempted to intercept him, but they were no match for his relentless fury.
Each fell with brutal efficiency, their limbs twisted and incapacitated in his wake.
Yet Noel left them alive, a testament to his controlled rage, their groans of pain echoing in the corridors as a grim reminder of his power.
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He reached the entrance to the laboratory, pausing only for a moment before stepping inside.
The sterile, brightly lit room felt like a different world from the dark, oppressive hallways.
The contrast was jarring, the bright lights casting harsh shadows that seemed to accentuate the tension in the air.
Surrounded by a circle of guards and scientists, David stood at the center.
His demeanor was unsettlingly calm, almost serene.
There was no panic, no fear in his eyes. Instead, a look of relief washed over his face, as if he had been expecting this moment and welcomed it.
This unexpected reaction only served to fuel Noel’s rage further, the fire in his eyes burning hotter.
"You're finally here," David said, his voice calm and unperturbed amidst the chaos, the faintest hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"Yes. This time I won't let you escape," Noel growled, his fists trembling with barely restrained fury.
The air around him seemed to crackle with tension, his anger a palpable force.
David chuckled softly, a sound that grated on Noel's nerves like nails on a chalkboard.
"Is it so? Hmm... anyways, you've grown well. As expected of my perfect product," he said, his smile both patronizing and sinister, a cold glint in his eyes that spoke of unspoken plans and manipulations.
Noel's eyes blazed with anger, his body trembling with the effort to contain his rage.
"Haa! I should just finish you," he snarled, raising his hands forward.
A brilliant blue aura surged around him, its power directed straight at David.
The energy pulsed and crackled, illuminating the room with an otherworldly light.
But before the aura could reach him, a crimson barrier materialized, shimmering in the air and absorbing the impact effortlessly.
Noel's attack dissipated against the shield, leaving David untouched, standing there with an infuriating calm.
"It's no use," David said, his tone almost bored, as if lecturing a child.
"You can't break through this barrier. It's designed to withstand powers far greater than yours."
Noel's frustration boiled over, his rage bubbling to the surface.
"You think a barrier can protect you forever?" he spat, his voice raw with emotion, each word dripping with venom.
David remained silent, a condescending smile playing over his lips, his eyes twinkling with amusement at Noel's futile attempts.
"Well, if my powers won't work, then all I have to do is slit your throat," Noel declared, drawing a knife from his belt.
The blade gleamed menacingly under the harsh laboratory lights, a deadly promise of retribution.
David didn't flinch. Instead, he began to move slowly toward one of the experimental tubes lining the lab, his demeanor eerily calm.
"Hmm... come to think of it, I never got to test you properly, did I?" he mused, his tone almost casual, as if discussing a mundane topic rather than the dire situation at hand.
Noel's eyes followed David’s movement, narrowing in suspicion.
His grip tightened on the knife, his muscles coiled like a spring ready to unleash.
"Is that your new experiment?" he asked, glancing at the tube.
Inside, a figure twitched and convulsed, its features distorted and grotesque, a macabre mockery of humanity.
David nodded, a twisted smile curling his lips.
"Yes. We've increased their strength and agility by reducing their intellect. I call them 'Deviants.' They are perfect for testing you, I guess," he said, tapping a few buttons on a nearby console with deliberate precision.
"You're really crazy!" Noel shouted, his voice reverberating through the sterile lab, cutting through the tension like a knife.
"So are you," David retorted, his lips curling into a twisted smile.
His eyes gleamed with a cold, sadistic satisfaction.
He turned to the scientists huddled by the consoles.
"Release them."
With trembling hands, the scientists pressed the buttons to open the glass chambers, their faces pale with fear.
Those who hesitated even a moment too long were torn apart by the emerging Deviants, their screams cut short in a spray of blood.
The sight was horrifying, the air filled with the stench of blood and death.
The Deviants leaped from their chambers, landing with bone-jarring thuds that seemed to shake the very foundation of the lab.
There were four of them, each more grotesque than the last, their eyes glowing with a feral hunger as they focused on Noel.
Their forms were twisted and unnatural, muscles bulging grotesquely under their pale, mottled skin.
They growled, low and menacing, like wolves circling their prey.
Their muscles twitched with barely contained aggression, their claws scraping the floor in a screeching cacophony that set Noel’s teeth on edge.
Noel took a deep breath, tightening his grip on his knife until his knuckles turned white.
His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins, sharpening his senses.
The air was thick with tension, every second stretching into an eternity as he faced down the monstrous creatures.
"Come on, then," Noel muttered to himself, his voice a determined whisper.
"Let's finish this."
The first Hollow lunged, its claws swiping at Noel's head with a deadly precision.
But Noel was faster. With a flick of his wrist, he bent space around him, causing the creature's attack to pass harmlessly through thin air as he reappeared behind it.
In one swift, decisive motion, he drove his knife deep into its back, his telekinesis augmenting the force of his strike.
The Deviant howled in pain, a guttural scream that echoed through the sterile lab, but its ferocity remained undiminished.
From behind, the second Deviant charged, its roar a guttural challenge that vibrated through Noel's bones.
He spun to face it, lifting his hand with a focused intensity.
The creature was suddenly yanked into the air by an invisible force, suspended by Noel's telekinesis.
With a flick of his fingers, he slammed it against the wall, the impact reverberating through the room, leaving cracks spider-webbing through the reinforced concrete.
But there was no time to recover.
The other two Deviants were already upon him, their eyes burning with a savage hunger that sent a chill down Noel's spine.
One managed to land a glancing blow, its claws raking across Noel's arm, drawing blood.
The sharp pain jolted through him, a fiery reminder of his mortality, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through it, his determination unyielding.
David watched from a safe distance, his eyes gleaming with cold interest.
"Impressive, Noel. But can you handle them all?"
His voice was a sinister whisper that cut through the chaos, adding fuel to Noel's smoldering rage.
Ignoring him, Noel focused on his opponents.
His breath came in ragged gasps, each inhalation a battle against the exhaustion threatening to overtake him.
He moved with a desperate grace, every strike calculated, every dodge precise.
Sweat mingled with blood on his skin, his muscles screaming in protest with every movement.
But the Deviants were relentless, their attacks coming in waves, each one more ferocious than the last.