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Chapter 12 - The beast

Violet looked back, her eyes widening as she saw the giant man right at her face. Both were midair, trapped, his arm swinging at her. She breathed in, quickly twisted her body, and wrapped both legs around him, forcing the man into an armlock. 

"Clever girl," said the man with a smile. He raised his arm to swing her but froze. Her hold was as strong as iron steel. Three giant abnormal their body resembling jagged concrete molded into humanoid form— all charged towards both of themdestroying desk and chairs in the process. As both of them plummeted. 

Violet aimed her gun at the man's head and fired. His skull snapped backward with a wet crack, neck bending at an unnatural angle. She bounced off his torso with both feet, launching herself at the abnormal.

 A powerful kick shattered its stony jaw, sending debris flying as the creature crashed into a wall. She landed with grace, sprinting toward it. Before it could rise, she unleashed a barrage of punches, each strike splintering chunks of concrete from its crumbling body. 

The abnormal swung a fist at her face. Violet retaliated with a single punch that exploded its head into gravel. As the creature collapsed, she sighed, staring at the rubble. One more swing its concrete arm at her.

Dodging with ease, she let out her own punch leaving a fist size whole in its chest. The final third swings and swings each not landing it's target.

Explosions went on below her the hospital crying out in pain. Ground shaking as if a earthquake had suddenly appeared. Pipes, installations, and wires all revealed themselves, like vains and bones.

"Oh no Jades gonna be really mad," she said out load

Removing her mag she sees she has 7 more bullets. Putting it back, she begins to stretch as she loosens her muscles. She stands hearing the creaks and humms of the hospital. Feeling Vex heart beat rushing and slowing.

"Well, that's a problem," she thought, scanning the area. The man's body was gone. Her eyes widened. Pressing her back against the wall, she aimed her gun at the ruined hallway—shattered floors, crumbling walls. Explosions roared from below; outside, the sky hung pitch-black and suffocating. 

"I'm not really a big fan of hide-and-seek, said Violet. 

"Awww, but I wanted to play," replied the man. She turned left: he strode toward, grin unbroken. 

"How did you survive that shot?"she asked, voice sharp. 

"Come closer, and I'll tell ya, love," he said, his accent thickening. He opened his mouth, revealing the bullet clenched between razor-sharp, yellowed teeth. 

"Sorry, you're not really my type,"said Violet. 

"Then what's your type?"

"Not you for starters. A feminine men who need saving. You're… too *masculine*." Her tone dripped enough sass to **salt an open wound. 

"Well is their any chance?" asked the man

"No"Violet replied firmly

"Aww, how sad," he said, dropping to all fours. He lunged, scaling walls and ceilings as Violet's bullets missed. Dropping from above, he swung a fist. 

"Fast", Violet thought. She dodged, landing punches to his ribs and stomach—each strike echoing like hammer blows. 

"Strong", he thought, staggering. His ribs creaked, organs bruising beneath her assault. 

Violet weaved past his wild swings, relentless. A final punch crushed his trachea, forcing choked, gurgling breaths. Smoke billowed from his nostrils as she lunged for his throat—but a dozen fresh abnormals surged toward them. 

The man inhaled sharply and spat the bullet at her. It whistled past, grazing her temple as she twisted aside. Her heart pounded, adrenaline sharpening her senses. Seizing the opening, he kicked her. She blocked, but the impact shattered both forearms with a sickening snap. Pain lanced up her nerves as she crashed through three abnormals, glass shards embedding in her skin. 

The man swung again, breaking her nose with a wet crunch. Blood spurted, stinging her eyes. Her head throbbed; tears mixed with the copper tang of blood. He reared back for another strike—she fired twice, bullets grazing his shoulder. Planting her foot, she skidded backward leaving a destroyed path. As an abnormal charged. She sidestepped, shattering its arm into glittering shards. 

The man sprinted at her, each step cratering the floor. She hurled an abnormal at him; it disintegrated against his chest. He grinned—until Violet's kick launched him through four walls. 

"Good job. You're a threat," she said, voice icy. 

Inhaling the smoke, her muscles swelled, bones densifying. Her skin flashed violet before fading. 

"Well, thank you, bae. I—" the man cut of. She pounced, pummeling him like a feral beast. Fists caved his ribs, splintered his collarbone, and pulped his face. He hurled her off, gasping. 

"Fine. I'll show you my true power," he snarled. His hair lengthened; nails and teeth curled into bestial claws and fangs. 

Violet punched his throat before he finished. His neck snapped sideways, jagged bone tearing through flesh. Blood soaked her face as she shattered his nose, iron flooding her mouth. She clawed his stomach, yanking coils of intestine onto the floor. 

He collapsed, guts spilling. She mounted him, fists reducing his skull to a mangled ruin. The man fails, his arms. Violet grabs it and and with one squeeze snaps it and half, as easily as a twig. An eyeball popped free, rolling into her lap. 

His heart stuttered, then stilled. She stood, fired into his exposed, pulped brain, and muttered, "Annoying."

Explosions shook the building. She sighed, stepping over his twisted, blood-drenched corpse, and headed for the stairs. 

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