The Divide is Dead

The air was thick with dust and silence. Bogi stood at the center of the battlefield that no longer was—a place caught between what had been and what now existed. The black stone platform beneath their feet, once pulsing with strange, alien energy, had gone still. The hum, the static tension in the air—it was gone, replaced by the heavy reality of their situation. They were stranded.

The remnants of Black Gold and Red Rose, once two separate units bound only by temporary alliance, now stood together, staring at the towering mountains that surrounded them on all sides. There was no sky beyond the peaks, no horizon, only jagged walls of rock that stretched impossibly high, vanishing into a thin mist. The valley was a prison.

And there was only one way out. A narrow passage, nestled between two sharp cliff faces, stood at the far end of the valley. A single opening into the unknown. Bogi turned to Oliver.

"We check what we have first," Bogi said. "Then we scout ahead."

Oliver nodded, his piercing blue eyes scanning the men. "Agreed. We don't move until we know what we can still use."

The desert truck was their lifeline. Massive, reinforced, built to withstand the harshest environments, it had miraculously survived the journey intact. Dante and Corvin, the mechanics from Black Gold and Red Rose respectively, were already on it, prying open the hood and inspecting the damage.

"The engine's fine," Corvin muttered, running his hand along the truck's battered frame. "But we've lost half a tank of fuel during the transfer." Dante spat onto the dirt. "Three days of driving at best." Bogi absorbed the news without expression. Three days of movement before they became stranded for real.

"Then we ration fuel. We move only when necessary," Oliver decided.

With Lazar and Ogar leading, the men went through their remaining supplies. Weapons, ammo, food, medical gear—everything had to be counted.

Weapons & Ammunition9 functional assault rifles (~2,200 rounds).3 sniper rifles (~90 rounds).8 handguns (~400 rounds).1 mounted machine gun (attached to the truck, 800 rounds left).Melee: 10 combat knives, 3 machetes. Experimental Blue Human weapons (11 energy rifles, 6 plasma knives) remain untested. Michael frowned as he inspecting one of the Blue Human energy rifles. "No idea how these things work."

Corvin turned from the truck. "Let me take a look. If they're power-based, we might be able to recharge them." Bogi gave a sharp nod. "Figure it out. If we can use their weapons, we'll need every advantage."

Medical SuppliesHuman First Aid Kits: 8 (moderate stock).Sterile bandages: 12 rolls. Antibiotics: 3 doses. Morphine injectors: 5.Alien medical injectors: 2 (contents unknown). Tahir and Viper, the medics, studied the Blue Human medical kits warily.

"We don't know what's in these," Tahir muttered, turning the injector in his hand. "Could be medicine. Could kill us." "Then we test them carefully," Bogi ordered. "But not now."

Food & Water (The Real Problem)Human Rations: 28 packs (~4 days at strict rationing), Dried meat: 6 packs. Energy bars: 12.Water: 4 full canisters (~3 days max). Portable water purifier: 1 (untested). Lazar cursed under his breath. "Three days of water. Maybe four if we push it."

Oliver clenched his jaw. "Water is now our top priority. Nothing else matters if we don't find a source soon." With supplies counted and the truck stabilized, Bogi and Oliver gathered the remaining 31 men.

The soldiers stood in formation—Black Gold on one side, Red Rose on the other. They had fought side by side and bled together, but their loyalties had always been to their own units. That had to change.

Bogi's voice was firm. "We don't have time for division. From this moment forward, there is no Black Gold or Red Rose. We are one unit. We live together, or we die together." He turned to Oliver, giving him the floor.

Oliver stepped forward, eyes sharp as steel.

"My orders are now Bogi's. Bogi's orders are now mine. If he tells you to move, you move. If I tell you to fight, you fight. There will be no hesitation. We are outnumbered, outgunned, and stranded in a world we do not understand. But we are not weak. We are warriors, and we do not break."

The men said nothing, but their silence was not hesitation. It was acceptance.

The reality had settled in. There was no going back. Their old ranks, their old allegiances—none of it mattered now. There was only survival.

Bogi and Oliver locked eyes again.

"We send the scouts first," Bogi said. Oliver nodded. "Make it happen." Bogi turned, his voice sharp. "Roki, Luke, Peter, Rashid—you're up." The four scouts stepped forward, checking their gear. "Find water. Find threats. You see something, you report it. Do not engage unless you have no choice," Bogi ordered. Oliver's voice was cold. "And you do not split up. If one of you goes missing, the rest of you stop and regroup. No unnecessary risks."

Roki adjusted his rifle. "We'll be back before you know it." Bogi didn't smile. "You better." Without another word, the scouting team turned and disappeared into the passage. The valley swallowed them whole, their figures vanishing into the unknown.

The scouting team—Roki, Luke, Peter, and Rashid—moved steadily through the towering passage. The path was wide enough for their desert truck, but the smooth, unnatural cut of the rock walls loomed over them, a quiet reminder that this place was not shaped by time alone. The dry desert air they had known their entire lives had been replaced with something else—humid, heavy, rich with the scent of damp earth and vegetation. It was a stark contrast, making it feel as if they had crossed into a different world entirely.

Strange animal cries echoed between the cliffs, and Roki was the first to break the silence. "Well, this is new. Kinda expected more death and less… greenery." Luke, ever the quiet observer, glanced around, his expression unreadable. "Means there's water somewhere."

Peter nodded. "And life. Let's hope it's not the kind that eats people." A chuckle came from Rashid at the back of the group. "You lot always talk this much when you're out scouting?" Roki turned, walking backward for a moment as he grinned. "That depends. You always this serious?"

Rashid smirked but didn't answer immediately. He had joined the team only hours ago, and while the others had accepted him with no hesitation, he still felt the weight of being an outsider. He had spent years working reconnaissance under Oliver, but something about this group was different. They moved with a kind of unspoken understanding, their banter light despite the situation.

"Guess I'll have to adjust to your way of doing things," Rashid said finally. Peter clapped him on the back as he passed. "You'll fit in just fine."

Two hours passed as they traversed the dense terrain beyond the passage. It wasn't just a change in atmosphere—it was a change in everything. The jungle-like environment grew thicker, the sounds of unseen creatures more prominent. Luke, leading the way, suddenly raised a hand. "Hold up."

They all stopped, their instincts kicking in. "What is it?" Roki asked, scanning ahead. Luke pointed forward, toward a small opening in the trees where sunlight glinted off something moving. "Water."

Relief washed over the team. They moved quickly, stepping into a clearing where a clear, cool stream cut through the landscape.

Rashid knelt by the water first, dipping his fingers in. "Cold." He cupped a handful, watching the way it shimmered between his fingers before letting it fall back. "It's been years since I've seen a real river."

Peter crouched beside him, pulling out a portable testing kit. "Let's see if it's as good as it looks."

While he worked, Roki and Luke moved further ahead, checking the surroundings. It was then that they saw it—an old structure, hidden beneath a thick layer of moss and vines.

"You seeing this?" Roki called back.

The others joined them, their eyes fixed on the ancient temple at the base of the mountain. It was built directly into the rock, its stone walls cracked and weathered but still standing. The entrance had partially collapsed, yet enough remained to hint at a time long past.

Luke let out a low whistle. "How long do you think this has been here?"

Peter ran his fingers over a set of engravings near the entrance, brushing away dirt and grime. "Centuries, at least."

Rashid took a step closer, his eyes scanning the intricate carvings. "These symbols… I've never seen anything like them before."

"That makes four of us," Roki muttered, tracing one of the larger figures on the wall. It depicted tall, robed humanoids standing over smaller ones, their arms outstretched. "Not the most inviting artwork, huh?"

Luke exhaled. "We should keep moving. We have what we came for." Outside, Peter finished his test. "Water's clean. Drinkable."

Rashid let out a breath. "Then we've just given the others a real shot at survival."

Roki activated his radio. "Base, this is Roki. We have confirmed a fresh water source, coordinates incoming. Additionally, we found an abandoned temple structure with unidentified writings. No hostiles detected. Returning now."

A brief silence, then Bogi's voice crackled through. "Copy that. Get back in one piece." Luke slung his rifle over his shoulder. "We move."

Rashid glanced back at the temple one last time. Something about it unsettled him. Maybe it was the eerie quiet, the way the carvings seemed almost too well preserved despite the decay.

Peter noticed his hesitation. "What's on your mind?"

Rashid shook his head. "Just a feeling. Like we weren't supposed to find this."

Roki clapped a hand on his shoulder as he passed. "Too late now. Let's get back before this place wakes up."

With that, they began their return journey, the temple fading into the mist behind them.