CHAPTER XIV – CAUGHT OFF GUARD

In a forest of towering trees stood a peak even more imposing than the others. Near this peak, there was a cave whose entrance resembled a bottomless abyss.

From within this abyss, metallic sounds could be heard.

Metal struck metal, and at times, a human cry pierced through this symphony of steel.

Underground City of Ares.

Two individuals were engaged in combat. They wielded what appeared to be swords, clashing against each other. The scene was chaotic, lacking grace or coherence. Both seemed like amateurs, unsure of how to properly wield the tools in their hands.

The older of the two sighed loudly. He was in worse shape, struggling to stand as his torment grew.

A circle of onlookers surrounded them, watching the fight, occasionally applauding. Cheers, screams, and whistles echoed through the space.

A certain energy emanated from the environment.

The old man felt increasingly pressured. A sword strike slashed his right leg as he attempted a roll. His opponent mocked him further.

"Huh… huh… you damn bastard, you gave me your word if I helped you. I should never have trusted you," the old man shouted toward the back of the circle surrounding him.

There stood a man of slender build. He looked like someone who had been starved for a long time. Beneath his thin layer of skin, his musculature was defined and prominent. His golden-brown eyes sparkled in the dimly lit space.

He sat atop a small mound. It resembled a shell, spherical in shape, like a snail's shell, but the size of a grown man.

Seated at its peak, he observed the fight, ignoring the old man's dying remarks. In his hand, he held a dagger, flipping it from finger to finger.

"Ah…"

In a moment of distraction, as he paraded around the old man, the valiant fighter collapsed to the ground. A sword strike to his stomach had knocked him out.

The crowd fell silent for a moment, watching the old man drive his blade into his opponent's throat before severing the head from the body in a sharp, laborious twist.

Against all expectations, the old man emerged victorious.

"So, I've won. Now, do you plan to break your promise once again?"

The man rose calmly from his pedestal and landed on the ground with a leap. The crowd fell into solemn silence.

He was the leader.

"Old man, you've earned the right to live among us. But your request is problematic. The attack will happen, and I cannot control who these beasts will target once released."

"But I can promise you this: when we seize their city, if your son is still alive, I will ensure he lives a good life."

"That's no different from no promise at all. That wasn't the deal…" The old man didn't finish his sentence before a dagger flew past, grazing his cheek.

Blood trickled down his face.

Fear was evident on the old man's face, which twisted in terror.

"Let's be clear here. Don't mistake my sympathy and consideration for weakness. The next careless word out of your mouth, and your flesh will feed our little friends over there, just like the one on the ground."

The old man's gaze followed the body of the man he had just killed as it was dragged and thrown into a pen nearby. Darkness shrouded the area, yet everyone knew what lay within. At the sound of cracking bones, some shuddered, including the old man.

"How pitiful to be killed by an old man with one foot in the grave. For the rest of you, you know the rules of survival among us."

"This old man has earned his right to live among us by following our principles. He has shown his strength and will to survive. Therefore, no acts of retaliation will be tolerated. No matter the nature of the world, we are not barbarians."

"Remember once more: I will protect and guide each of you. In return, only one thing is asked of you."

"Might makes right."

As he finished his speech, the crowd, once silent, erupted into cheers and screams. A collective hysteria took hold. They almost forgot their companion being devoured just steps away.

Roman stood at the center.

He was the leader of this group, a community of loners and misfits. Each of them came from different backgrounds. Their personal traits were as diverse as their ethnic origins.

There were whites, blacks, mixed, brown, light, dark. They numbered a few hundred.

At some point in his journey, Roman had managed to unite these divergent personalities under his banner. He showed them the way in a world where trust was an abstract concept to many.

Outside, the sun began to set.

"My brother has contacted us. It's almost time to set out for that city."

"We strike at nightfall."

"Let every warrior be ready…"

Cheers and cries of excitement filled the air.

…

City of Adonis.

Some time ago, during the expansion using the drill, several underground passages were discovered.

The ground was riddled with tunnels, most of whose origins and directions remained a mystery. They were mostly galleries extending further underground, at all levels and in all directions.

At the time, a few expeditions were launched into these galleries in search of anything worth discovering.

The danger seemed negligible.

But the outcome of these explorations was disappointing. There was nothing to be found in these places. Some galleries were too unstable to explore, too deep, too narrow—the reasons were numerous.

The matter was closed. Resources were already limited, and aimless explorations would benefit no one.

Thus, most of the galleries were sealed with the necessary provisions.

"But this gallery wasn't discovered?!" Adonis asked Amanise, who walked just behind him.

They were both in a narrow, cramped gallery at that moment.

It wasn't even possible to walk side by side in this space.

Adonis led the way, lighting the path and clearing obstacles as they went.

"Indeed… Raphael, while sealing all the gallery entrances in this sector, accidentally stumbled upon this one."

"At first, he was supposed to seal it like the others, but a peculiar feature in this space made him suspect human activity."

"One thing led to another, and we realized the value of this gallery. A tunnel leading to the surface, among other exits."

The two of them advanced deep into the tunnel, sometimes running, crawling, or climbing.

This path could be considered impassable, and it would take them hours in this confined space to reach their destination. The branching paths were too extensive, and the slightest mistake could lead them to an unknown and potentially dangerous location. It could be said they were lucky to have found such an access point in the first place.

Meanwhile, Adonis was brimming with questions. He was like a bottomless pit, eager to be filled with knowledge. His lack of understanding of his environment was too great. He had always been a curious person, never missing an opportunity to learn something new each day, but there was still so much for him to learn that it was almost concerning.

He even discreetly asked Amanise about the "land without light" among his barrage of questions. Yet, he was somewhat disappointed that she knew nothing about it.

The journey continued for a while longer before they finally reached the surface.

Both were drenched in sweat and clearly exhausted.

Outside, the twilight was already fading as the last rays of sunlight dissipated in the wind.

Night took control of the world. The lights contrasted more vividly with nature. The greenery took on a darker radiance.

Overall, darkness enveloped the land like a veil covering everything in its embrace.

"We've finally arrived. Let's rest for an hour while the environmental analysis is completed," Adonis announced to his travel companion.

There was a small cave nearby, prepared in advance to provide them with a safe space to rest before venturing further into the outside world.

Time passed quickly from their perspective. The journey had only taken a few hours, but it was still a considerable ordeal, especially for Adonis, who sometimes had to carry Amanise in critical situations.

"Let's move."

The night would be long and full of promise. They both embarked on this long journey.

Their destination was about fifteen kilometers from their current position.

The territorial analysis provided encouraging results, as there were no significant life forms within a three-kilometer radius.

Thus, they set off. Time was not on their side, and after safety, speed was an indispensable factor that would determine the success of this mission.

After about twenty minutes, they covered a little over two kilometers toward their goal before deciding to stop briefly to catch their breath.

This was mainly for Amanise, who was already struggling to breathe and couldn't go any further for the moment.

The two of them were no strangers to exploring together. They understood each other to a certain degree. They had already explored much of these surroundings, and while caution was still necessary, they felt relatively safe.

After some time, they resumed their journey, cautiously scanning left and right as they advanced.

In these circumstances, mental stress was just as taxing as physical exhaustion.

"Stop, there's something ahead," Adonis whispered urgently.

…

Quadra Underground.

"Now that the old man is in the know, he'd better be more useful than he has been so far," Raphael muttered as he paced the spacious corridors of his Quadra.

The light from the wall lamps reflected off his face. His expression was unreadable as he pondered a multitude of things at once.

Earlier, Amanise had revealed the contents of her conversation with the leader. Among other things, she couldn't help but confess their underlying activities to him. Even though the leader seemed to consent to their actions, human nature remained unpredictable. Raphael's principle was to always remain cautious.

"With him, we now have a total of three new people in the know, counting him, Brad his lieutenant, and Shiva, whom Amanise had to briefly inform of her plans to justify another disappearance in these troubled times."

Raphael was deeply concerned about the scale of this secret. There were now quite a few people entrusted with keeping it.

Including himself, there were six people involved. This number was not negligible when it came to keeping a secret.

There was likely at least a seventh person involved—the man Raphael was investigating.

The scarred man.

A secret involving more than one person was usually no longer a secret. And if it wasn't an open secret to begin with, Raphael understood the impact its disclosure would have in the current context.

Things were starting to accelerate, and he needed to move faster.

As Raphael lost himself in his thoughts, the lights around him suddenly went out.

Darkness enveloped the environment in an instant.

All light vanished.

Raphael was on high alert. This was an unprecedented incident.

Small lights began to flicker around him before converging into a significant source of light that illuminated his path once more.

But apart from him, the rest of the space remained in darkness.

In the third underground level, several vital infrastructures were located. Each contributed to the general ambiance of the place. Yet, at that moment, everything seemed to freeze.

The once noisy metallurgy workshop fell as silent as a cemetery. No electronic equipment was functioning.

Raphael rushed to his domain to assess the situation.

For now, there was only confusion. It was virtually impossible for such a situation to occur. Multiple defense systems had been put in place to prevent such an eventuality.

Yet, the facts were undeniable.

The most terrifying part was that he didn't know the situation on the other floors at the moment. He had made several calls, but none had yielded any concrete results.

They were in the dark, both literally and logistically.

The upper floors were no exception.

Triax Underground, Medical Zone.

"Mr. Shiva, the patient in room 5 has just died. His ventilator stopped working. The patient in room 12 is also gone."

"Room 18 needs immediate CPR. The defibrillator is down."

"Room 9 is critical. We need assistance here."

Shiva, as the person in charge, was overwhelmed with requests within minutes.

The power outage had only occurred a few minutes ago, but the consequences were already staggering. The repercussions were far from minor.

Shiva felt like he needed to be in multiple places at once.

Duos Underground, Central Garden.

"Mr. Peter, the watering system has stopped. The plants in incubation are already dying."

"Mr. John, the population in the garden is becoming hysterical. We need to act before the situation spirals out of control."

At least three of the five levels of the city were deeply affected by the incident.

Cries of anguish were already heard. Anger stemming from the general confusion spread rapidly.

Only thirty minutes had passed since the incident began.

Back in Quadra, Raphael emerged from his workshop, illuminated by his personal light sources. He wasn't the only one. Some of his subordinates also had tools to enhance their vision in the dark environment.

He headed to the upper level, Triax, assisted by his mobility vehicle.

He arrived quickly but couldn't go further.

Using the elevator without central power was impossible. He knew that, of course.

His destination was elsewhere.

Triax housed, in addition to the hospital and kitchens, the preservation system and the waste treatment system.

In the city's initial construction, this system had been designed to serve as a backup in the unlikely but realistic event that the upper levels' systems failed.

In fact, such a precaution existed in the first three levels.

However, activating it came with its own challenges.

When he arrived, he was immediately greeted by one of the site's managers. "Mr. Raphael, your call said to gather everyone at the entrance. It's done."

"Unfortunately, we still have no way to start the backup power. As you know, our city only has one generator."

Raphael looked at the faces of the people gathered there. The number was smaller than it should have been. Clearly, some had taken advantage of the situation to return to their families in the sector. It was a legitimate concern. Even among those present, it was likely that many had only stayed because the upper levels were inaccessible in the current state.

He sighed.

"I'm aware of this flaw. I have a mechanism that can help in this situation. However, it's still experimental, so I'll need everyone's help to make it work."

The site manager, even in the dim light, looked at him with a mix of confusion and doubt.

Others might not understand the challenge this task posed, but he did. His position required a clear understanding of the workings of his surroundings.

To power the entire city, the most advanced technology was needed. The base materials were extremely rare. As far as he knew, their station only had one such device. It was already in use, providing continuous energy to the entire station.

But now, this energy battery seemed to be malfunctioning. The solution was to integrate a similar device into one of the two other sites capable of hosting it, allowing it to take over from the main device until the latter was repaired.

And that was the problem.

Since the station only had one such device, it was virtually impossible to revive the entire system without manually doing so from the first level, Solis.

Over three hours had already passed since the incident began, and nothing had changed. It could be assumed that, whatever the cause, the technicians at Solis had been unable to resolve the issue.

And now, standing before him, the head of the metallurgy sector claimed to have a solution to the crisis.

In reality, even after receiving Raphael's earlier call, he had remained skeptical. He had already tried everything on his end without success.

Thus, despite his reservations, he followed the instructions given to him. And even then, he kept his apprehensions to himself and asked, "What can we do?"

Raphael's lips curled into a smile. He could understand his interlocutor's thoughts, and yet the latter's actions made things easier.

By speaking up, loud and clear, the manager encouraged the others to set aside their reluctance and follow the newcomer's instructions.

"Let's head to block C. That's where the necessary casing for the mechanism to take over the main system is located."

"You heard him! To block C. I want five people at the rear to monitor the surroundings and alert us to any potential changes. The rest, with me." The manager relayed Raphael's instructions.

In the suffocating darkness, they moved as one. Raphael was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't expected the process to be so straightforward. It lifted a weight off his shoulders.

But even so, he maintained a grave expression, knowing the real challenge lay ahead.

Above ground, a few kilometers from the entrance.

"We've finally covered a third of the distance. From here on, it's uncharted territory. We'll need to be even more cautious," Amanise told her companion.

Earlier, they had come across a herd of five to ten deer.

Adonis was in the lead, and it was he who spotted the herd and informed his companion. They decided to take a detour.

Adonis knew these were herbivores; he had done his homework.

But rather than confront them, he chose to take a detour, backtracking and changing direction.

The fact was, numbers mattered. Added to that, Adonis found something strange about these creatures. So, he prioritized safety.

The detour cost them some time, but they eventually returned to the main path after circumventing the obstacle.

"At night, we're likely to encounter more difficulties than during the day. We'll need to move more slowly from here on," Amanise said, to which Adonis offered a response.

Around them, the trees stood several meters tall.

The moon appeared as a tiny ball in the distance, its rays barely filtering through the branches and leaves.

Yet, the few rays that managed to break through painted the environment like a fairy-tale fresco.

The forest was far from silent. In the distance, roars could be heard. The ground occasionally trembled from galloping hooves. The wind whistled, whipping the grass below. Nature displayed the harmony that characterized it.

In fact, in this constant flow, only the two individuals moving seemed out of place.

Amidst this beautiful harmony, they appeared as intruders.

At times, Adonis admired this balance. He couldn't explain why, but the spectacle stirred a warm emotion within him. Even if the wind couldn't directly touch his pores, he heard its symphony and reveled in it.

In this open environment, he felt at home. He felt freer than ever, as if connecting to a part of himself he didn't fully understand.

But tonight was not the time for admiration. He had a goal to achieve. 

Both of them continued their journey, striving to remain as discreet as possible. 

Whenever a howl or roar sounded too close, they immediately changed their trajectory. Their progress became much slower than it had been at the start. 

However, it wasn't long before they encountered a small group they couldn't avoid this time. 

What stood before them seemed harmless at first glance. 

In the surrounding trees, three animals perched. Based on their behavior, Adonis quickly concluded they belonged to the same species. 

What stood out most was their thick gray-brown fur. The stripes running across their bodies were a deep black. A band encircled their eyes, creating a horrifying spectacle. Their tails swayed in the wind, ringed with even darker bands than those on their bodies. 

Where they differed slightly was in size. 

The largest of them was about the size of a ten-year-old child when lying down. The other two were slightly smaller. 

However, as Adonis and his companion advanced, they failed to notice the presence in the trees in time. 

By the time Adonis realized the situation, they had already been spotted. 

Unlike the previous encounter, Adonis's instincts screamed at him about the danger of the current situation. 

These three were dangerous. 

Moreover, Adonis couldn't identify them. This was a crucial step in determining how to respond if the situation escalated. 

Not knowing what you're facing prevents you from formulating an appropriate response when things turn sour. 

At Adonis's nervousness, Amanise quickly realized the situation had become critical. She might not have his heightened senses, but she had her own methods and intellect. 

All of this happened in a matter of seconds. 

A few seconds where both sides tried to gauge each other. 

Adonis was even surprised to see a similar reaction from the creatures. 

However, his surprise quickly faded when the smallest of the three leaped from the branch it was perched on. 

Adonis didn't wait for it to land on them. He took a large stride forward, while Amanise stepped back. 

The "hunter" landed right where Amanise had been standing moments before. Its claws tore through the grass as it hit the ground. 

Its appearance became clearer. 

A thought crossed both bipeds' minds simultaneously—an image. 

A raccoon. 

At least, it resembled one to some extent. 

But this creature was clearly in a category of its own. 

Adonis had no memory of anything before the last few months. His memories returned sporadically, in small fragments. He couldn't say if he had ever encountered such an animal in his existence. 

Still, despite his memory loss, he had a relatively good memory for recent events. These past months hadn't been wasted; he had used his time diligently, prioritizing physical training and educating himself on what he lacked. 

It was only natural that his recent studies led him to learn everything he could about the animals inhabiting the surrounding forests, especially given his future plans. 

Now, he was even more certain as doubts crept in about the information he had received—or perhaps his interpretation of it. 

The key here was the similarities and differences with what he knew about this animal. 

Flipping through his memory, raccoons were no more than a few centimeters tall. 

This was entirely different from what he was facing now. 

The animal in his memory was of low danger, something to be wary of only out of the corner of one's eye. 

What he saw before him, however, was terrifying. 

And the surprise was even greater for Amanise, who had narrowly escaped a grim fate. 

The marks left on the ground made her realize what would have happened to her if she had reacted a second later. But it also awakened fear in her, a dread of a situation long anticipated but whose realization filled her with horror. 

She had come close to death. 

The threat of this adventure suddenly became tangible. Her limbs trembled. Her mind was clouded. 

These two were no strangers to exploration. But this time was different. This experience was new and terrifying. 

As for the information Adonis had, it all came from the city's archives or Amanise. 

So, what stood before them was a mystery to both of them. 

Adonis might have never encountered this animal in his life—he couldn't remember, after all. But it was different for Amanise. She had no memory issues. 

In fact, she had an excellent memory. So, she knew just how abnormal what she was observing—and what was observing her—truly was. 

She struggled to believe it was really what her mind was screaming at her. Yet, aside from the exaggeration of everything that constituted it, the physical characteristics matched. 

In her mind, questions raced. What had happened? What kind of phenomenon could have led to such a result? 

It was abnormal. Bizarre. Alarming. 

It was terrifying. 

But there was no time for analysis. The "hunter" might have missed its target, but it wasn't about to give up. 

Adonis was the first to react again, even before the beast in front of them. 

He ran toward the creature with determined steps. His enhanced vision gave him a remarkable view, even in this nocturnal environment. 

He wasn't far from his target. After five steps, he was within striking distance of the creature, which seemed surprised by his boldness. 

The wind whistled as he swung the piece of wood in his hand with force. 

The beast reacted quickly, leaping backward. But it was a second too late. It was struck in the stomach and sent flying violently, crashing into a tree trunk in the distance. 

It didn't move after that. Whether it was alive or not remained a mystery, but Adonis didn't care. 

Everything happened so quickly that Amanise could barely keep up. 

She regained her composure as Adonis grabbed her hand and pulled her into a run. 

Despite her shaky start, she steadied herself and followed closely. 

Adonis had seen it. 

The two perched in the tree were far larger than the one he had just knocked out. And given the current state of his arm, he had no desire to face them. 

A chase ensued instantly. 

At the front was Adonis, followed by Amanise, who was struggling to keep up but refused to give up. Just above them were two enraged beasts that wouldn't let them out of their sight. 

The mission to reach their destination was long forgotten. Survival was the priority now. 

Adonis ran as fast as necessary to outpace his pursuers. Yet, he maintained a certain tempo, careful not to leave Amanise too far behind. 

This was a real concern. More than a support, she was now a burden. A weight slowing him down. Putting distance between them would take mere seconds, but it would also mean her demise. 

Even if he believed in prioritizing his own survival, even at her expense, he wasn't yet faced with such a choice. 

"Listen, Amanise, we're going to double back to where the herd was earlier. Just hold on a little longer." 

Amanise, aware of the situation, exhaled shakily. She was drenched in sweat. But internally, a weight seemed to lift. In response, she remained silent and tried to speed up as much as her lungs allowed.