Kylus struggled to his feet, his face twisted in agony as the domain sapped his physical strength.

Klatos threw his head back and laughed. It was a sound that echoed off the bulkheads.

"Trust?" the creature mocked, clutching his face. "You fools think too small. Trust doesn’t run the world."

He dug his fingers into his own cheeks and pulled. The flesh ripped away like wet paper. There was no blood beneath the skin. Instead, thick, dark scales burst through the synthetic disguise. His skeletal structure snapped and elongated, tearing through the remaining clothes.

A hideous, reptilian monstrosity took the place of the man, towering over them with a hunched, spined back and an elongated snout filled with rows of needle-like teeth. Yellow, slit-pupil eyes locked onto the medical bay doors.

"I am no mere survivor," the reptile hissed, a forked tongue flicking over its gums. "I am the King of the Anti-Intergalactic League. I hold dominion over the shadows of Jupiter. We are the Demonic Society, the true architects of this galaxy. We pull the strings of your pathetic planetary governors and your corrupt Federations."

The creature took a heavy step toward the medical bay, its claws gouging the deck.

"I came for the Lykaios," the beast growled, pointing a scaled digit toward the blast doors. "Her very existence is a cancer. The stench of her divine beast lineage burns my scales. The cosmos belongs to the shadows, not the fading light of forgotten deities. The Demonic Society will purge every god, every descendant, and every false prophet from the stars."

The reptile lowered its massive head, an unholy energy gathering in its jaw. "The True Demon Lord ascends. And you will all serve as the foundation of our new empire, beginning with your corpses."

Reva hit the monster before it took another step toward the medical bay.

Her transformation happened in the span of a heartbeat. Her pale skin rapidly shifted, taking on the dark, bruised color of old iron. The whites of her eyes vanished entirely, flooded by a flat, terrifying crimson. Her jaw popped as it unhinged slightly. Two elongated fangs drove through her bottom lip, spilling bright red blood down her chin. Thick, black keratin talons tore through her gloves, extending inches past her fingertips.

She slammed into the reptile’s chest. The impact shook the deck plating. Her claws raked across the creature’s torso, grating against the thick scales and sending sparks flying across the dim room.

The reptile snarled and swung a massive, plated fist at her head. Reva ducked under the strike. She drove her knee upward into the joint of its leg. The bone beneath the scales cracked loudly.

The reptile retaliated immediately. It whipped its heavy, spined tail around, catching Reva in the ribs. The blow sent her crashing through a metal support pillar. The steel buckled and snapped under her weight.

She hit the ground and bounced back to her feet in a single motion. Her ribs were broken. The dark blood pooling in her chest burned away, healing the tissue instantly. She launched herself right back into the fight.

The monster possessed the mass of a tank. It had a severe weight advantage over her. Reva countered with absolute violence, dodging a sweeping claw and tearing at its eyes and throat. The reptile absorbed the slashes, stepping into her guard.

Then, it caught her by the throat, hoisting her off the deck.

It squeezed, its needle-like teeth snapping inches from her face. Reva didn’t choke or panic. She drove both her hands directly into its thick forearm, her talons sinking deep into the muscle beneath the armor. She twisted her grip violently, tearing a large chunk of meat and scales free.

The beast dropped her, stepping back. Reva landed gracefully on her boots, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the deck. She wiped her chin with the back of her clawed hand, keeping her crimson eyes locked entirely on the monster’s neck.

"Standard rounds are useless against the plating," Arlen shouted, ejecting her empty magazine and slamming a fresh one home. She took cover behind a reinforced pillar. "Target the joints! The eyes! Stop shooting center mass."

Rin blurred into existence beside her. He gripped his blade tightly. "Easier said than done. This violet light is draining us. My legs feel like numb."

He threw a throwing knife directly at the reptile’s slit-pupil eye. The monster didn’t even turn its head. It caught the flying blade between two massive, scaled fingers and crushed the metal into dust.

Human weapons and human physical limitations meant absolutely nothing against a high-ranking entity from the Demonic Society.

Kylus completely ignored the massive power difference. The mercenary wiped the blood from his eyes and charged straight at the monstrosity. His body was already battered from the initial explosive blast, his ribs fractured and his movements fueled entirely by the horrific image of Vea’s destroyed body.

"Spread out! Pincer formation," Kylus roared, spitting a glob of blood onto the deck. He pulled a heavy thermal cutter from his hip holster, a tool specifically designed for breaching starship hulls, and ignited the blade with a violent crackle.

The weapon flared to life, casting harsh shadows over his battered, enraged face. "Keep the bastard occupied. I will cut its legs off."

Reva launched herself off the ruined servers. She bypassed the sweeping claws of the beast, grabbing onto its thick arm and scrambling up to its shoulder. Her elongated fangs sank deep into the junction between its neck and collarbone.

The reptile roared, a deafening sound that rattled the bulkheads. It thrashed wildly, attempting to dislodge the vampire. "Parasites! Your ancient bloodlines mean nothing to the Demonic Society."

Arlen stepped out from the pillar, aiming her sidearm precisely at the fresh wound Eleanor had just opened. She fired four controlled shots into the exposed flesh. The bullets tore through the muscle, forcing the beast to stagger backward.

And the battle continued. Although it was completely one-sided, they didn’t give up.