“Wha- whatis that?” Evan whispered, his shotgun trembling in his hands.

  “A death machine,” Victor growled, his chain rattling as he stepped forward. “Stay sharp. There’s more.”

  As if on cue, two more Mechanauts emerged from the opposite end of the street, their hulking forms nearly identical to the first but with distinct differences. The second construct’s arms ended not in claws but in long, serrated pincers, each one glinting like the blade of a guillotine. Its torso was bulkier, with reinforced plating that made it look almost impenetrable. The Gremlin inside wore a twisted grin, its sharp teeth bared as it manipulated the controls with nimble fingers.

  The third Mechanaut was leaner and more angular, its body covered in etched runes that glowed faintly blue. Sparks crackled along its limbs, and its movements were unnervingly smooth, as though the construct were alive. Instead of a morningstar, it carried a coiled chain of electrified metal, which it swung in a slow arc, the crackling energy lighting the street with eerie flashes. The Gremlin inside this machine wore goggles, its head twitching erratically as it cackled and slammed its fists on the control panel.

  Lorcan had the inane thought that the Gremlin was ripping Victor off with its chain that did rather resemble the smaller one he held.

  “They’ve got different builds,” Amira said, her voice tight. “Be ready for anything.”

  The Gremlins let out high-pitched shrieks, their voices grating and manic as they urged their constructs forward. Unnoticed at first, a new figure loomed in the shadows behind the constructs. Standing at nearly six feet tall, its twisted frame was wreathed in an aura of malevolent energy. The figure seemed content not to interfere for now so Lorcan ignored it.

  The constructs moved with a terrifying combination of weight and speed, their footfalls shaking the ground as they charged toward the defensive line.

  The first Mechanaut lunged forward, its morningstar raised high. Victor met its charge, swinging his chain in a wide arc. The metal links slammed into the Mechanaut’s leg with a resounding clang, but the construct barely faltered. Its weapon came down with a deafening crash, and Victor rolled to the side just in time to avoid being crushed.

  A shot rang out. Evan managed to hit cockpit of the towering construct, but whatever the material shielded that area it acted like reinforced glass. Itm ay have been transparent but when the slug hit, it only cracked a little.

  Lorcan,scanning for weaknesses, nodded. “I’ll find a way to flank it. Amira, keep its attention split.”

  Amira adjusted her grip on her bat, her jaw clenched. “Just don’t take too long.”

  The Gremlin inside the Mechanaut cackled, its sharp teeth gleaming behind the cracked glass of its cockpit. It yanked a lever, and the morningstar swung forward in a devastating arc. Victor dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike as it smashed into the pavement, sending shards of concrete flying.

  “It’s slow!” Victor called out, regaining his footing. “But that thing hits like a truck. Don’t get caught!”

  The Mechanaut shifted its stance, steam hissing from it as it raised the hammer again. Lorcan darted towards it, rebar in hand. He saw what he had been looking for. A small cluster of exposed vents on the side that vented the steam. All he needed was an opening…

  “Victor, distract it!” Lorcan shouted, sprinting toward the Mechanaut’s flank.

  To his credit, Victor didn’t bother arguing or asking questions. He simply swung his chain in a wide arc, the metal links glinting in the dim light. The chain lashed out, wrapping around the Mechanaut’s ankle. Victor pulled with all his strength, and the construct’s movements stuttered as it tried to adjust its balance. Clearly, the man had invested at least a few points into Might. The Gremlin shrieked in annoyance, slamming levers to free its machine.

  Amira took the opportunity to close in from the other side. She darted forward, her bat swinging toward the Mechanaut’s exposed knee joint. The impact echoed with a sharp clang, and the construct faltered, its movements jerky as steam hissed from the damaged joint. Amira grinned and began bashing the leg again and again.

  The Gremlin bared its teeth in rage, pulling a lever that sent the morningstar crashing down toward Victor once again. He jumped back, the spikes narrowly missing him and smashing into the ground with a deafening thud. A second later, the other mechanical was sailing towards Amira, who easily rolled to the side to avoid the strike. Grace was clearly not a stat to neglect.

  “This thing’s tougher than it looks,” Victor muttered, his muscles straining as he ran back and grabbed the chain, yanking it again. The construct stumbled, its balance wavering as Lorcan sprinted closer. The thing in question looked pretty tough to him.

  “Hold it steady!” Lorcan yelled, gripping the rebar tightly. He drove the metal rod into one of the machine’s exposed vents, a blast of hot steam scalding his hand as the rod pierced through. He ignored the pain as the construct shuddered, its movements slowing as the Gremlin screeched and slammed its controls.

  The Mechanaut swung its weapon again, this time in a wide arc, forcing Amira and Victor to scatter. It smashed into a parked car like a falling meteor, crushing it like a tin can and sending shards of glass raining down. Lorcan ducked behind a concrete barrier, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

  “It’s losing speed,” Amira called out, circling around the construct. “We’re wearing it down!”

  Victor didn’t respond. He was too focused, his chain lashing out again to wrap around the construct’s arm. He planted his feet, his muscles straining as he pulled with everything he had. The Mechanaut’s arm jerked to the side, its weapon swing thrown off course.

  “Now! Attack it now!” Victor bellowed, clearly straining himself to his limit simply to keep the construct trapped for a few seconds.

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  Lorcan darted forward, aiming for the same knee joint Amira had struck earlier. He drove the rebar into the joint, the sharp metal wedging itself between the moving parts. The construct let out a mechanical groan, its leg buckling slightly as sparks flew from the damaged joint.

  The Gremlin snarled, sending the constructs free arm swinging toward Lorcan. He barely managed to dodge out of the way, the clawed hand slamming into the ground where he’d been standing moments before. He was feeling really grateful for those 15 points in Grace right then.

  “It’s still got fight left in it!” Lorcan shouted, scrambling to his feet. “Amira, take out its other leg!”

  The woman nodded, sprinting toward the construct’s opposite side. She swung her bat with precision, the blunt weapon striking the second knee joint with a resounding crack. The Mechanaut staggered, its movements becoming more erratic as the Gremlin pilot frantically adjusted the controls.

  Victor seized the moment, his chain lashing out to wrap around the weapon arm again. With a guttural roar, he pulled with all his strength, the muscles in his arms and back straining against the construct’s immense weight. The Mechanaut’s arm jerked downward, the morningstar smashing into the ground and getting its spikes stuck in the cracked pavement.

  “It’s stuck!” Victor yelled, his face red with exertion. “Take it down now!”

  Lorcan rushed forward, the rebar still clutched in his hand. He climbed onto the Mechanaut’s back, using the exposed pipes as handholds. The metal was hot against his skin, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain. He drove the rebar into a cluster of gears near the cockpit, the metal grinding as it jammed the mechanism.

  The Gremlin shrieked, slamming its fists against the control panel. Steam burst from the construct’s vents, and its movements grew even more sluggish.

  “Almost there!” Lorcan shouted. “One more push!”

  Amira darted in again, her bat swinging with all her strength. She struck the damaged knee joint, the impact sending a shower of sparks into the air. The Mechanaut’s leg buckled completely, and the construct toppled to one side, its massive frame crashing to the ground.

  Victor moved in for the final blow. He wrapped his chain around the cockpit, yanking hard to expose the Gremlin inside. The pilot screeched, its sharp teeth gnashing as it tried to claw at Victor through the shattered glass.

  “You’re done,” Victor growled, his voice filled with anger for the monster that had attacked them. He swung his chain again, the heavy links smashing into the Gremlin’s face. The creature let out a final, pitiful shriek before slumping over, green blood falling from its face onto the controls.

  For a moment, there was silence. The construct lay still, its mechanisms grinding to a halt. Victor stood over the wreckage, his chest heaving as he caught his breath.

  “We did it,” Amira said, her voice shaky but relieved. “We took it down.”

  Lorcan slid off the construct’s back, his legs trembling from exhaustion. “Nice work,” he said, clapping Victor on the shoulder. “You really held us together out there.”

  Victor turned to reply, a faint smile on his lips. But before he could speak, a sharp, metallic whine cut through the air. Apparently, the Gremlin pilot had been playing possum. The Mechanaut’s weapon arm jerked suddenly, its mechanisms spasming in one final act of defiance.

  “Victor, look out!” Lorcan shouted.

  The hammer jerked free of the pavement and swung upward with terrifying speed, catching Victor square in the chest. The impact sent him flying, his body crashing into the side of a building with a sickening crack. He crumpled to the ground, motionless.

  “No!” Amira screamed, running to his side. She dropped to her knees, her hands shaking as she tried to find a pulse. “Victor, get up! Come on, get up!”

  Lorcan staggered toward them, his vision blurred with tears. He dropped to his knees beside Amira, his hands trembling as he reached out to check for any sign of life.

  But there was none. Victor’s chest was shattered and still, his eyes staring blankly at the sky.

  Lorcan had known Victor for less than an hour, but to see him just die like this felt…wrong. He had fought for them, he should be alive.

  Amira clenched her fists, her body shaking with grief and rage. Her chest heaved as she stared down at Victor, her hands trembling against her bat. The ground beneath her felt unsteady, as though the world itself was threatening to fall apart. But then her gaze shifted—past Victor’s body, to the shattered cockpit of the Mechanaut.

  Inside, the Gremlin pilot stirred, its grotesque form twitching as it clawed its way out of the wreckage. The creature’s jagged teeth gleamed under the moonlight, and its narrow, gnarled fingers gripped the edge of the broken glass as it hoisted itself up. Blood seeped from a gash across its brow, staining its mottled green skin, but its yellow eyes burned with defiance.

  “You…” Amira whispered, her voice low and dangerous. Her knuckles whitened as she tightened her grip on the bat. “You killed him.”

  The Gremlin sneered, a rasping laugh bubbling from its throat. It spat a glob of dark, viscous saliva onto the ground, its amusement cutting through the air like a serrated blade.

  Lorcan placed a hand on Amira’s shoulder, his voice cautious. “Amira, we need to—”

  “Move,” she snapped, shrugging off his hand. Her eyes blazed with unrestrained fury as she stalked toward the Gremlin.

  The creature hissed as she approached, baring its needle-like teeth. It scrambled backward, its spindly limbs dragging across the broken pavement. One of its legs dangled limply, clearly broken, but it refused to show fear. It reached for a sharp piece of metal from the wreckage, holding it out like a makeshift weapon.

  “You think you can stop us?” it snarled, its voice high-pitched and grating. “You’re nothing, human! Nothing!”

  Amira’s jaw clenched, her teeth grinding audibly. Her bat swung in a slow, deliberate arc as she closed the distance between them.

  “I’ll show you nothing,” she growled.

  The Gremlin lunged, the shard of metal aimed for her throat. But Amira sidestepped effortlessly, her movements swift and precise. She swung the bat upward, the wooden weapon connecting with the Gremlin’s arm with a sickening crack.

  The creature howled in pain, the shard clattering to the ground as it clutched its shattered limb. It tried to scuttle away, but Amira was relentless. She brought the bat down again, striking its side and sending it sprawling onto its back.

  “Amira, you don’t need to do this!” Lorcan shouted, rushing forward. He grabbed her arm, trying to hold her back, but she wrenched free with surprising strength.

  “No!” she yelled, her voice trembling with rage. Tears streamed down her face, glistening in the pale light. “It killed him, Lorcan! It killed Victor!”

  The Gremlin coughed, its laughter weak but defiant. “That weakling? He deserved it! All of you do!”

  The words ignited something deep within Amira, a fire that threatened to consume her entirely. She raised the bat high, her muscles taut as a bowstring.

  “This is for Victor,” she said through gritted teeth.

  The bat came down with brutal force, smashing into the Gremlin’s chest. The creature shrieked, its body convulsing as the blow cracked its ribs. But Amira wasn’t finished. She struck again, and again, each swing fueled by her grief and fury.

  The Gremlin’s cries grew weaker with each strike, its body battered and broken. Blood pooled beneath it, dark and viscous, but Amira didn’t stop. She swung her bat until the creature’s snarls turned to whimpers, and then to silence.

  Finally, she stood over its lifeless form, her chest heaving. The bat slipped from her fingers, clattering to the ground as she stumbled back. Her hands were stained with blood, her arms trembling from the effort.

  “We have to keep moving,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “We can’t let his sacrifice be for nothing.”

  Lorcan nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. He rose to his feet, his gaze hardening as he looked toward the battlefield. The remaining constructs loomed in the distance, their hulking forms illuminated by the flickering light of nearby fires.