Cris now in the control room, munching on his chips, when Trixie's say about there's a mysterious moving outside of the shelter gate.
His eyes snapped to the monitor. A figure stood at the gate.
A human.
His heart pounded. This was the first time he had ever seen another person. But the figure was leaning heavily on the gate, their body trembling. Before Cris could process it—
They collapsed.
"Shit."
He bolted upright, shoving his chips aside.
"Trixie, oxygen levels outside?"
"Dangerous, but your mask will allow limited exposure."
He grabbed his breathing mask and strapped it on. Then, he reached for his armor, securing each piece with practiced hands. Lastly, he grabbed his sword, its weight familiar but unnerving.
This was his first time going outside.
The airlock hissed as he stepped out.
The outside world was worse than he imagined.
Thick smoke hung in the air, swirling with dust and ash. The landscape stretched into a desolate wasteland, ruined structures barely standing.
The girl lay motionless near the gate.
As Cris took a step forward—
A growl echoed through the fog.
His grip on the sword tightened.
A wolf-like creature emerged, its fur bristling, fangs bared. But something was… off.
Its eyes glowed unnaturally. Its bones jutted out like armor, and strange, metallic veins pulsed beneath its skin.
A mutant.
Cris steadied himself. "If you don't back off, I won't hold back."
The wolf snarled and lunged—
Cris sidestepped, slashing its side. The blade met resistance, cutting deep, but the creature didn't go down.
It whirled, but before it could strike again—
Another creature leapt from the fog.
A mantis-like monster, small but deadly, clicked its bladed limbs together, positioning itself between Cris and the wolf.
It wasn't attacking him.
It was protecting the girl.
Her companion.
Cris didn't hesitate. He shifted his stance and lunged, catching the mantis mid-air. A clean strike.
The mutant wolf staggered back, its instincts telling it to retreat. With a final snarl, it vanished into the fog.
For a moment, silence settled.
The mantis twitched but acknowledged him as an ally.
Cris exhaled. He sheathed his sword and moved toward the girl, lifting her carefully.
She was unconscious but alive.
The mantis scuttled beside him, keeping close.
As he carried her back toward the shelter, the gate sealed shut behind them.
For the first time in his life—
Cris wasn't alone anymore.