Just then, her phone buzzed with an incoming message. She read aloud, "Officer Melia, we have arranged rescue birds towards The academy and you along other survivors. This is our last intent line before we cut off. Hope you all make it to the rooftop once you hear the sound of the birds."
Melia stuffed her phone her pocket: "unless I heard the birds and verified the trustworthiness myself, am not risking any survivals up there!"
She thought.
Meanwhile Jane's eyes widened in horror as she spotted several cocoons blocking their path.
"Ma'am," she said, her voice trembling as she gestured toward the vine-enclosed students.
Melia's expression hardened. "Try freeing them; let's see."
The five cadets drew their knives and began hacking at the vines, but the tendrils seemed to regenerate, swiftly covering the students once more.
"It won't stop growing, ma'am," Jane reported, struggling against the relentless vines. "Is this part of the monstrosification process?" she added, a hint of fear creeping into her voice.
Just then see saw the vines coming her way, instinctively starting cutting.
"Step aside," Melia commanded, her tone firm. She approached the cocoon, driving her knife into the vine. Dark blood oozed from the wound, and instantly, the vines recoiled, releasing their grip on the students.
The freed students collapsed to the floor, unconscious but seemingly unharmed. Melia surveyed them, puzzled.
"What's this?" she thought, taken aback by their unscathed appearance.
Suddenly, a deafening, unified roar echoed through the building, causing everyone to clutch their ears in pain.
Melia winced, stuffing cloth into her ears to muffle the sound.
"Why are they suddenly screaming?" she wondered, her mind racing to comprehend the cause of this new threat.
Melia's gaze snapped to the window as a monstrous creature slammed against it, its grotesque features pressing against the glass.
"What is this?" she thought, shock evident in her eyes.
Turning her attention to the other windows, she saw that they were all similarly besieged by different monsters, each fixated on them.
"Is the school currently surrounded by monsters?" Melia wondered, her eyes widening in realization.
Meanwhile Outside, the school was encircled by these creatures, with more approaching from various directions, all converging toward the building.
"Ma'am... what should we do?" Jane and the others asked, terror and hopelessness in their voices as they noticed the monsters' unblinking gazes fixed upon them.
Melia adjusted her jacket, methodically loading rounds into her weapon. "We'll do our best and aim for their hearts!" she commanded.
The students, bolstered by her calm demeanor, found renewed confidence. "Yes, ma'am!"
"After all," Melia thought, leveling her weapon at a monster clinging to the window, "we're not the only ones here, other teams might join us!"
"Now!" Melia ordered. The students responded swiftly, establishing a defensive perimeter and firing in unison.
"This should signal them in the auditorium, or the rescue teams if they ever made it," Melia mused, delivering a powerful kick that sent a flying monster crashing through the window.
"Ensure none break through our formation!" she instructed.
"Yes, ma'am!" the team replied in unison, their resolve strengthening.