Stepping into the parking garage, the first thing Jake was met with was darkness. Most of the lights were burnt out, with only a few of them some minor amount of illumination. As he scanned his environment, he noticed something was nearby. A figure, about the size of a child, hidden behind one of the building’s beams. A bit larger than the usual Skaava, its eyes carried a faint glow, akin to that of a nightlight. He felt its gaze wash over him, as if it was a security camera that was scanning for threats.

'They're aware that something is here, but not where it is,' he thought as he rolled his neck. He had seen this so many times that he began to not bother making an effort to count.

Focus.

Feeling the world come to a crawl, he began to make his way towards where the creature was hiding. Once he was close enough, he unsheathed his hand-axe before rushing towards the beast. As the faint color began to return, he then buried the axe skull, splitting it like one would do to a piece of wood. Tearing his axe out the carcass's skull, he watched as the body went limp, crumpling to the floor. Holstering the axe, Jake pulled out his dagger, intent on cutting the beast open. Yet, as he knelt in front of the Skaava's corpse, he saw something that gave him pause. Small hints of metal began to shine underneath the light, looking akin to that of staples. Tilting his head, he began to examine the body closer.

'Staples, incision marks...These aren't just mutants, they're experiments.'

Well, this is going to be different.

Putting the dagger back in its sheath, he pulled out his pistol before making his way towards the ramp. As he descended down the old ramp, he paused in his gait as he felt a bunch of different gazes turn towards his direction. Focusing his senses, he scanned the room, tension permeating the air around him. As he did so, his eyes caught the familiar glint of steel, almost hidden behind the darkened pillars.

'Count nine in total, with none hiding in the dark. Seven are armed with melee weapons, with only two seeming to have firearms.'

Focus.

As the world around him became monotone, he rushed towards the one of the gun-toting Skaava. Weaving past where it was hiding, Jake took aim before firing a round into the beast's head. Holstering his pistol, he then ran towards where the second gun-wielding Skaava was. Ducking into the beast's hiding spot, Jake slammed his shield into its skull, crushing it. As color returned to his world, Jake heard the sound of screeching and hissing. Turning towards the sound, he found the remaining Skaava grouped together, weapons ready. Fear and confusion were clear in their posture, as they tried to make sense of what was happening.

'Makes this easier.'

Letting out a small breath, Jake drew his blade before bolting towards the crowd of Skaava. He swung his blade at the nearest one's neck, cutting through it like an axe through leather. Before the rest of the group could respond, he buried the blade into the skull of another Skaava nearby. Seeing their kin being cut down, the rest of the Skaava began to back away. The weapons in their hands began to shake, an emotion he had seen many times before on their faces.

Fear.

But, in that brief, heavy silence, one of the beasts seems to put aside that feeling. Letting out a seemingly valorous shout, they rushed towards him, machete raised high. Yet, despite its supposed bravery, its attempt was instead met with air as Jake moved out of the way. Yet, before he could cut the beast down, he saw the flash of a spear point appear from the corner of his eyes. Ducking under the attack, Jake launched a kick into the Skaava's body, knocking it into its allies. Turning towards the machete-wielding Skaava, he hopped back as it swung its blade in a wide arc. Letting out a guttural hiss, it rushed towards him before swinging the machete once more. Yet, Jake parried the blow with his shield, knocking the Skaava off balance. Taking the advantage, he swung his blade down on the creature's neck, decapitating it. As the beast's head fell away from its body, he turned to face the remaining Skaava. Having recovered from their stumble, they had quickly surrounded him, weapons ready. Yet, as he counted them, noticed that one of them was missing.

'Must've gone down to warn the others. If so, might as well finish this up.'

Focus.

As the world became dull, he sheathed his sword before pulling out his pistol and taking aim. He fired a round into each of the Skaava's heads, snapping to the next target as the previous one fell. Color returned as each of the now dead Skaava fell to the floor, chunks of their faces now gone. Holstering his pistol, he turned his attention to the descending ramp. Walking towards the edge of where it descended, he let out a small breath before closing his eyes. Focusing his senses toward the floor below, he heard various overlapping sounds. From the sound of heavy breathing to the smell of dried blood, all betrayed a single purpose.

'Over a dozen or so, all armed. They're organized, too. Since they already know that I'm here, I might as well be direct.'

With that, he made his way down the descending ramp, edge of his blade scraping against the floor. Walking down to the third floor, he was met with what seemed to be a small platoon. Each one of them stood next to their supposed comrade, their weapons at the ready.

'Melee attackers up front, with ranged in the back. They shouldn't be able to do this on their own, unless they have a Pack Leader or an elite. Even if they were smarter than normal, this is abnormal.'

Strange, but doesn't really matter at the moment.

Pushing his thoughts aside, Jake rushed towards the Skaava's front lines in a burst of speed. Before they could even respond, Jake stabbed the blade into the neck of a nearby Skaava. Twisting his body, he then tore out the blade before slamming it into the skull of another. As the beast fell, another took its place, rushing at him with spear in hand. The beast thrust its spear at him, forcing him to jump back. Yet, any distance he seemed to have gained was made null as two knife-carrying Skaava ran towards him.

Focus.

As the world around him came to a crawl, he stabbed the closest of the two Skaava in its neck. Tearing the blade out of the beast's throat, he turned to its comrade before slashing open its abdomen. Turning his attention away from the soon to be dead Skaava, he saw one of them begin to raise a pistol towards him.

'Gonna need to get rid of them first.'

With that in mind, he rushed past the Skaava's front line, their bodies like that of statues. Once close enough to the back line group, he then stabbed his blade into the beast's heart. Tearing the blade out of the gunner Skaava's heart, he then began to cut down the rest of the crowd of beasts. With each swing he took, another one of the Skaava began to fall, their bodies split open. As he cut down the last of the Skaava's back line, color returned to the world as he turned towards the rest of the Skaava. Fear and confusion had taken hold of the melee fighters, their bodies shaking. Yet, the air around them suddenly seemed to change. The fear they held before seemed to vanish, with them instead advancing towards him.

'Strange.'

Making note of the change, he rushed towards the line of Skaava. Closing the distance, Jake blocked a Skaava's strike before slashing at their abdomen. As the beast fell, another rushed towards him, grabbing the weapon of its dead comrade as it did so. The dual-wielding Skaava let out a loud screech as it swung its weapons at his legs. Hopping back from the attempt to disable him, Jake stabbed his blade into the beast's skull. Tearing his blade out of the beast's skull, he brought up his shield as another swung at him from his side. Parrying the strike, Jake kicked his attacker away before focusing on the rest of the Skaava. Rushing past their stunned ally, they all ran towards him with their weapons raised.

Focus.

As the world around him became dulled, he let out a heavy breath as he closed his eyes. Closing his eyes, he began to focus on the sensation from before. Feeling the power bubble from before, he began to guide it into his legs as he did with the door. Yet, as he did so, he felt something in his mind click. Pulling part of the strength away from his legs, he then tunneled it into his arms, as he did with the Mega Necrachnid.

Advance and Strike.

As color returned to his view, Jake bolted towards the crowd in a burst of speed. Closing the distance, he then cleaved through the leading Skaava's waist. Carrying the momentum, he twisted his body before swinging in a wide, circular arc. The blade tore through the remaining beasts, carving them open like one would a boar. With each swing he took, he carved through the creatures in front of him, each strike spilling blood. As the last of the Skaava fell, he let out a heavy sigh as he felt the energy fade from his body. Rolling his neck, he began to run everything through his mind.

'It's clear that they're taking orders from something; that much is obvious. Yet, none of them seem to be elites, which doesn't make sense, even if they're augmented. Not only that, they seem to have some understanding of bravery, somehow. The new presence nearby doesn't seem to be involved, since it's just been observing the entire time…Eh, not like it matters.'

Putting the information aside, he began to make his way towards the descending ramp. Whatever was going on with this situation, he could think about it later. Right now, he just needed to kill whatever is in his way and get this over with.