Prologue: The bleak world.
Hello everyone. Back again with a new story. This time, I've been looking up this particular series. I don't own anything.
The time was winter 2033. Mankind has fled underground into the Metro system from a nuclear war, which scorched the Earth. Nobody knows the reason why, nor the causes of the war. The answers have since blurred away through the passage of time, left within the dust.
Life was a struggle. People lived with little hope remaining. Despite how many years have past, an overwhelming feeling of death looms on the shoulders of every human surviving. In spite of the circumstances, none were more afraid to venture out underground.
The very planet Earth, once a beautiful place, now lays in decay from the war that scorched it. The air was toxic, proving to be a hazard for those who wander out in the open. The surface was irradiated, making traveling outside the Metro difficult. Though the threat of the toxic landscape was prevalent, few have went outside to travel across Metro stations or gather supplies.
Although the Earth was scorched, farm animals were saved, albeit in very low numbers. Medicine was limited in supply. Though the old generation of scientists have perished, whether from age, illness or radiation, the current generation managed to retain the knowledge to recreate medicine. Medical supplies such as first aid kits, insulin, and other forms of medication were low in numbers.
The wildlife, exposed from the fallout, mutated into horrendous creatures. Even the plants have become different due to the after effects of the radiation. The already hostile surface became a dangerous place to venture out.
The situation was also dangerous within the Metro due to strange phenomena occurring. Both within and outside the Metro wasn't safe. In seeing the phenomena, many men have been driven insane.
All hope seemed mundane to even prevail in these circumstances. Among the people living in the Metro, a young man at the tender age of 17, was among them. Though he was born years after the fallout, he yearned to find how the Earth was before its destruction. He was living within a tent inside an office.
"Hey Spartan. We could use your help in some things here." A middle aged man said, hinting a joking manner.
"Hang on, Alex. I'm getting myself ready." The young man said.
"Hurry along now, Demitri. We need a new guard for the northern tunnel." The man named Alex said.
Demitri was a teen with a robust appearance. Though he was born in the Metro, he strived to keep himself well trained and able-bodied. His hair was a pale blonde color with blue eyes. During his younger days, he trained hard and performed physical exercises. Though he didn't possess the bodybuilder appearance, his muscle tone was evident by his appearance alone.
"Seems like guard duty will be at least something to keep my mind off of personal questions." He said to himself.
Getting suited up with military armor, he walked his way out of his home.
'VDNKh... Otherwise called the Exhibition... It used to be a busy station prior to the war. Now, it has become a commonwealth for the Metro, due to the products being produced here. I would consider this place home since I find myself protecting it with the Rangers.' Demitri thought.
There were several farming animals like pigs and cows prevalent. The people were dealing with the waste removal near the animals.
'I wonder if I'll explore the Metro... It would be dangerous, I'll admit this. However, I wish to see how it is out there.' Dimitri thought.
Walking his way through the market area of VDNKh, Demitri arrived at an airlock. While waiting, he was writing his thoughts on a notepad.
"Hunter's coming in from Polis. Be ready everyone." Alex announced.
The airlock door opened. However, a loud roaring sound echoed.
"Crap, those mutant scum are coming in again! Get ready!" Alex said.
A man wearing soldier uniform ran inside and quickly closed the airlock. The person appeared as a middle aged man. He was holding a duffle bag.
"Hunter! What's going on?" Alex asked.
"Look alive! We got tunnel trash coming in! Artyom, Demitri! Grab your guns and knives and get ready!" The man named Hunter said.
Artyom was a young man at his early twenties. He too was born sometime after the war began. He had gray eyes and a darker complexion than most people of the Metro.
"Look alive, you two. Here they come!" Hunter announced.
The room suddenly had a small swarm of mutated creatures. They had brown skin with an oily sheen. Their claws were long and deadly. Their jaws looked to be more of fangs. Demitri quickly shot one down in reflex.
"Nice one. Look out Artyom!" Alex said.
Artyom stabbed one on the head. Hunter and Alex managed to kill plenty with Artyom providing support fire. Demitri also helped in case some attempted to sneak in through the vents.
'More of these things... They just keep getting bolder.' Demitri thought.
Soon, the swarm stopped coming in. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"So... What's the occasion?" Alex asked to Hunter.
"Nothing but mutant meat. These Nosalis are increasing their attacks. We're lucky it's them. If they were the Dark Ones, then we would not survive." Hunter said.
'The Dark Ones... I heard rumors about them. They've even put soldiers to the care of doctors, where they have become catatonic.' Demitri thought.
"In any case, I need to have a word with Artyom. You can rest from here, Demitri." Hunter said.
Demitri went back to his tent. Near it, he had a functioning piano. He began playing a somber melody on the instrument.
'Days like this in the Metro can question how we survive in this whole ordeal. Though one can be considered lucky, the current lifestyle is a reminder of the foolishness of mankind to wage war. I don't want to think of why the war was waged, but the seeds of discord have since been sowed.' Demitri thought.
While playing the melody, Artyom, along with everyone in VDNKh heard the music, heading to Demitri's place. They heard his musical playing skills.
"You should get yourself a decent job as a musician within the Metro Theatre. I never thought you were skilled in the piano." Hunter remarked.
"I had this talent with me since as far as I could remember. It's the only thing I can do that helps me in times of stress relief." Demitri said.
"Well, I had discussed with Artyom of what I need to do. Since you two are good friends, he can entrust what I told him to you." Hunter said.
Demitri nodded in response.
"You're becoming more of a Ranger by being quiet, Demitri. Soon, you'll be with us one day." Hunter said.
Hunter left the premises. Artyom joined with Demitri to discuss with him.
"Demitri, let me fill you in on what Hunter told me." Artyom spoke.
"Okay then. Let's head to your place to discuss. I got some mushroom tea." Demitri said.
Though it wasn't too far, Artyom's place was filled with postcards of the world. Like Demitri, he too wanted to see the world before it got scorched by the nuclear bombs. Many considered Artyom and Demitri almost acted like brothers due to their similar desires.
"So, Demitri. Hunter has told us of a possible mission. If he doesn't show up tomorrow, we have to go to Polis and look for a Ranger named Miller. I have Hunter's dog tags given to me." Artyom explained.
"Sounds like a dangerous travel to get across the Metro. Either way, we both have to get to Polis." Demitri said.
"One thing that Hunter said is, we both have to go in different directions. According to Hunter, there should be an outpost at the surface you need to go to that's near Polis. From there, you can ask for Ulman. Heard he was looking for you." Artyom said.
"Ranger Ulman, huh? I'll take your word for it, Comrade. Just don't do anything that'll make me lose a friend." Demitri said.
"I'll make it. Do the same thing, Spartan." Artyom joked.
Demitri chuckled in response. He knew the reason why they called him 'Spartan'.
'It's nothing to be surprised of my heritage. I'm a Greek person whose parents moved to Moscow. I never knew them, since they died when I was born. I was taken in by one of the Rangers and raised as a fighter. Alex decided to raise me like how he did with Artyom, teaching about how morals affect one's life. The Ranger that gave me the chance to live... Ulman... He was the reason why I live to this day. I can never repay anything worth more than my life for his actions.' Demitri thought.
Taking a rest for the day, Demitri decided to look around the market. He was thinking of time to spent within the VDNKh.
'Might as well do some chores to pass the time before I sleep. Better than doing nothing.' Demitri thought.
He started helping the workers with the farm animals dump waste off from the farms. The workers were grateful as Demitri helped them hoard the waste off to a dumping site.
"You're quite young to be helping us with these tasks." A worker complimented.
"I've been trained since childhood to help and defend this home to the best of my ability. Artyom and I make sure it is safe." Demitri said.
"Artyom, huh? Sounds like you two have been the best defenders." The worker said.
'More than one can think.' Demitri thought.
Soon, he lapsed in a trance. He felt a pulling sensation from within his mind. Demitri didn't see the workers with him. Rather, he saw a bright white world. Within it, a strange being with dark skin and fur appeared. Although the shape was humanoid, it looked somewhat alien in origin.
'A Dark One...! But why is it interacting with me?' Demitri thought.
"You are one of them! You are one of them." The voice echoed.
'One of who?' Demitri questioned.
"The two people to save us! The two people to save us." The voice answered.
'Save? What do you mean?' Demitri asked.
The pulling sensation began to fade. Demitri tried to talk to the mysterious voice but wasn't able to receive any responses.
Demitri groaned as he felt a massive headache occur in his skull. His trance state only lasted for a few seconds.
'Ugh... Getting contacted by the Dark Ones gives an awful headache whenever they try to talk to me... This is not the time to worry the waste disposing workers. I have to continue my work.' He thought.
Helping with the last of the waste, Demitri was paid for his services. He worked for about two hours.
'Of course, the usage of the old currency, like the Euro, or even the Ruble is no longer helpful. Nowadays, the currency we have is Military Grade Rounds or MGR bullets. Either way, this currency is the only thing that can be considered a commodity, due to their rarity.' Demitri thought.
He was given 20 MGR bullets. Soon, he went to the bar of the VDNKh to take a breather before working there. He ordered some mushroom soup to eat.
'Mushroom stew... A decent food to find, if the mushrooms weren't radioactive. Either way though, washing the mushrooms will help with that. At least nature is proving to be helpful.' Demitri thought.
He ate the soup leisurely. He paid for 5 bullets for his meal before he began working with the bartender. He was a calm hearted man at his 40s. He showed a thin but robust figure. He was cleaning a glass cup with a towel.
"Fancy helping out here, Demitri. I know you're the kind of guy who works hard, but don't stress yourself. I can provide you a meal." The bartender said.
"Nonsense. I don't want you to spend your money on my behalf. I may be young, but I'm strong enough to help others." Demitri reassured in a humble tone.
"I like that tone you give, Demitri. Why not take a breather when you're done? I got some Shroom Vodka on me?" The bartender said.
"I may be old enough to hunt down the mutant creatures, but I don't want to drink just yet. I'm not old enough." Demitri said.
"Maybe when it's your 21st birthday we could celebrate. For now, help me sort the drinks. It'll get busy tonight." The bartender requested.
Demitri helped sort the drinks throughout the bar. Soon, a young lady at Demitri's age came by. She had bright red hair styled into a ponytail.
"Natasha, fancy seeing you here." Demitri said.
"Hi Demitri. I see that you're helping the bartender." The girl named Natasha said.
"I recently cleaned the stables. Not much of a mess there, but it helps." Demitri said.
"Take a breather once in a while, Demitri. You don't have to work so hard." Natasha requested.
"I will once I'm done with the bartender work. Say, why don't we have a walk around the shopping area?" Demitri suggested.
"Sure, That would be lovely." Natasha agreed.
"Okay then. Maybe we could pick up some new clothes that arrived." Demitri said.
Natasha nodded with a smile. She soon left the bar. The bartender gave a teasing smile to the young man.
"Taking out your girlfriend later on?" He teased.
Demitri blushed for a moment.
"She's a childhood friend of mine. I've known her since we first met when we were 8 years old." Demitri said.
"Oh? Why has she shown that she cares for you?" The bartender asked.
"It's because I saved her from a mutant attack. Though when I did, I was affected by another attack." Demitri said.
-Flashback-
Demitri was seen with a younger Natasha, playing with her. Both were in the station.
"Try and catch me, Demitri!" Natasha said playfully.
"Come here." Demitri replied in a playful tone.
The two kids ran happily till they heard a loud roaring. They soon turned and noticed a Nosalis. Natasha ran as fast as she could. However, Demitri couldn't as he was exhausted. He remained behind to fight the mutant while Natasha ran to get help.
"Get off me!" Demitri struggled.
He kept bashing the mutant creature on its head with a rock. Without knowing it, he grabbed a combat knife and stabbed it in the head. Blood sprayed his face, causing him to pause from his first kill. Soon, a bandit attempted to take his stuff by gunpoint. Without knowing it, Demitri surprised the bandit by lunging at it before stabbing the person in the heart. He paused as he realized he killed a human.
'I killed them...' Demitri thought, feeling nauseous.
Alex managed to bring the boy back to VDNKh. He was still shaking and breathing heavily.
"Easy Demitri. You managed to save Natasha from that mutant and that bandit." Alex reassured.
"I know... But killing this animal...along with a human... Does it makes me...a demon?" Demitri asked.
"No, you're not a demon. You saved that girl. If you didn't, she wouldn't have been here calling for us." Alex reassured.
"He's right kid." Hunter said.
"Ranger Hunter?" Demitri said.
"You have the spirit of a Ranger. Train hard kid. You would one day protect her." Hunter said.
Demitri was still feeling awful from his first kill. She soon drifted to sleep. However, his dreams was overtaken by a mysterious force.
"Where am I?" He asked.
"We finally can talk with you! We finally can talk with you." A male voice echoed.
"Who are you?" Demitri asked.
"The time will come! The time will come." The voice answered.
"What time?" Demitri questioned.
"We will see each other again! We will see each other again." The voice responded.
-Flashback end-
The bartender was surprised of the story that Demitri shared.
"Wow... I certainly didn't expect to hear that. Being attacked by a mutant and hearing a Dark One talking to you." The bartender said with surprise.
"No one would believe me. I wondered why the Dark One tried to talk with me, yet it didn't cause any long lasting problems. The only issue I get is a nasty headache." Demitri explained.
"That does sound odd... In any case, we should continue the work. We'll be getting a sale's event today." The bartender said.
Several customers came in to get a drink. Some ordered luxury items like Scotch and Whisky, while others ordered Shroom Vodka. The whole bar was packed with customers ordering drinks from left to right.
After 3 long hours, Demitri finished his work and earned 50 MGR bullets.
'Business is booming as usual. Still, Hunter's explanation and request does bother me... I hope he makes it there safely.' Demitri pondered.
He was now off for the day. Demitri preferred to wander across the station within the boundaries. While he walked around the area, Natasha suddenly appeared behind him and held on his back.
"Guess who?" Natasha asked.
"Natasha... You don't have to surprise me like that..." Demitri sighed.
"Oh, you're no fun at times." Natasha pouted.
"So, what's up? It must be something going on since you look excited." Demitri asked.
"Well, I heard from Ranger Hunter about your mission. I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not." Natasha said.
"You know it'll be dangerous if you do... I don't want you to lose you..." Demitri said.
"You care for me that deeply, Demitri. I understand if you feel worried for me." Natasha said.
"This isn't your typical guard duty... I'm essentially going out of the station, possibly heading to the surface." Demitri reasoned.
"All the more to watch out for you. I'm coming, regardless of your concern." Natasha persisted.
Demitri scoffed, though he knew Natasha would insist in following him. With a sigh, he decided to accept.
"Just don't go looking for trouble... Going outside of the Metro will be just as dangerous as going out to the surface." Demitri warned.
"I'll be with you to fight off the mutants." Natasha reassured.
"Yeah... Anyway, I'm about to call for the day. I've exhausted myself from working in multiple places." Demitri said, showing exhaustion.
"Oh. Where is your tent?" Natasha asked.
Demitri had to pause, knowing the girl was planning to sleep with him.
"Don't try to sleep with me, please. You've done that many times already..." Demitri said.
"Party pooper..." Natasha muttered.
"What was that?" Demitri questioned.
"Nothing." Natasha immediately replied.
Natasha followed Demitri to his tent. By the time he arrived, he was already exhausted. He soon set his equipment near him and fell asleep.
'I know he'll argue with me sleeping with him... Still, I like to be close to him.' Natasha thought.
Against Demitri's request, Natasha fell asleep near him.