The subterranean cafeteria loading bay reeked of rotten meat, sulfurous droppings, and damp concrete mold.
Behind rows of rusted chain-link cages, thirty mutant hound beasts paced back and forth, their eyes gleaming with feral hunger.
Each beast stood nearly four feet at the shoulder, with dual rows of serrated fangs and muscular flanks covered in bristling spines.
"Look at those cages," the young fire mage whispered from the ventilation catwalk, adjusting the focus lens on her fire rifle.
"The warden has been breeding these monsters to overrun our civilian barricades."
"They have four alpha hounds stationed near the primary transformer box," her squad lieutenant observed, pointing toward the back corner.
"The speaker relay wire runs directly above the alpha pen."
"We open with four incendiary canisters into the central row," Ava commanded, signaling her eight vanguard fighters.
"The moment the fire spreads, focus your rifle fire on the transformer box!"
